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The Bottom Ten/NCAA Week 10
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
Bottom Ten fans around the world are literally wringing their hands with anticipation of the exciting, final weeks of the season as teams pull out all the stops in the race for the Wal-Mart Trophy Presented by Motel 6.
Florida International, of course, is the team to beat, but jockeying for the remaining top spots is fierce, and B-10 fans from coast to coast are wondering if stalwarts like Rice, Duke and Notre Dame (who had a bye last week) can hold off hard-charging newbies like Minnesota, Nevada - Loss Vegas, Nebraska and the new, improved Department of the Interior.
This week's mess:
1. Florida International (0-8; lost to Arkansas 58-10)
Mitigating Factors: Golden Panthers become 16th NCAA I-A team to lose 20 straight games, get welcoming email from Duke, the only school to do it twice...Panthers accused of piling it on, turning ball over seven times, when two or three turnover effort would've sufficed...Panthers turn the ball over so many times, they only have to punt three times, leaving punting team so rusty they only average 29-yards a kick.
Little Victories: Florida International has scored in double figures in three consecutive games, feat they also match last year, when they went 0-12.
2. Rice (1-7; Lost to Marshall 34-21)
Mitigating Factors: Owls show they are more than regional B-10 power, losing outside of Lone Star State for first time this season...Owls spot Blundering Herd 24-0 lead, pull to within 27-21 in fourth quarter, before allowing comforting, game deciding touchdown... Loss is Owls first ever in West Virginia and first in Union state since losing at UCLA last year.
Consistency Counts: Owls rank next-to-dead-last in Total Defense (522 ypg), Scoring Defense (41.5 ppg) and Passing Defense (322.75 ypg).
Next Loss: UTEP
3. Minnesota (1-8; lost to Michigan 34-10)
Mitigating Factors: Thinking game was being played under experimental first-team-to-ten rule, Gophers streak to 10-0 lead, take Little Brown Jug to locker room for celebration...Informed by referee game still had more than two quarters to go, Gophers return to field, give up 34 unanswered points, lose.
Bataan Death March: Minnesota defense has been on field for 714 plays, second most in country, and still ranks dead last in Total Defense (536.67 ypg).
Next Loss: Illinois
4. Duke (1-7; lost to Florida St.25-6)
Mitigating Factors: Though 22-game losing streak a distant, fond memory, Blue Devils still enjoy nation's-best 22-game conference and 14-game home losing streaks, plus shiny new, overall five-game skid...Offense has yet to rush for 100 yards in a game this season, and has scored in just half of the 32 quarters played in...Duke, the only team to lose 20 straight games twice, sends Florida International welcoming fruit basket, special teams playbook.
Light At End Of Tunnel: First basketball game is Nov. 9 vs. North Carolina Central.
Next Loss: Clemson
5. University of Nevada - Loss Vegas (2-7; lost to Wyoming 29-24)
Mitigating Factors: Rebels show mettle of true B-10 contenders, rallying to blow rare fourth quarter lead, allowing late touchdown in nation's-fifth best fifth straight loss...UNLV craps out on ground, mustering just 43 rushing yards in 41 attempts, while giving up 208.
Always Bet On The Other Team: Rebels have lost five in a row for the fifth straight season, a feat only matched by Temple.
Next Loss: SDSU (11/10)
6. Nebraska (4-5; lost to Texas 28-25)
Mitigating Factors: Huskers lose fourth straight with strong showing, blowing 17-3 lead by giving up TD runs of 25, 86 and 40 yards in fourth quarter...Offense chips in by punting on five straight second half possessions...Huskers fall to 1-3 all-time in games where they score exactly 25 points...Nebraska has worst rushing defense in country, giving up 242.56 yards per game.
Return To Greatness: New AD Tom Osborne plotting return to glory by scheduling past traditional foes Bellevue, Peru State and Haskell in 2008.
Next Loss: at Kansas
7. USCLA (0-2 this weekend; USC lost to Oregon 24-17; UCLA lost to Wash. St. 27-7)
Mitigating Factors: First and second place teams in Pac-10 lose on same weekend for second time this season, as USC loses to Oregon and UCLA chips in with another loss to doormat, this time losing to lousy Cougar team that had lost four straight...Round-robin play in the race for the Gerry Faust Cup - symbolic of lousiness in South Bend/LA corridor - will continue with annual USC/UCLA game on Dec. 1.
Get Your Sun Bowl Tickets Now: Throw in D-III Occidental's loss to Cal Lutheran, Los Angeles-area could be shut out of decent post-season games.
8. Defense Department (Army, Navy, VMI, 9-15)
Mitigating Factors: Navy sinks to new low, losing to I-AA Delaware 59-52, giving up 581 yards, including 434 through the air...Loss was Navy's first to I-AA team since losing to Notre Dame last year...Army's three wins have against I-AA Rhode Island, plus I-A winners Temple and Tulane, who have five wins between them... Army, Navy, VMI have combined to lose seven straight.
All The Marbles: With Navy shooting down Air Force earlier this season, Falcons, despite winning record, can clinch Sgt. Bilko Trophy, symbolic if service academy lousiness, with loss to Army this week.
9. Department of the Interior (Utah St, Idaho, 1-16)
Mitigating Factors: Idaho added to popular, cabinet-level entry after becoming B-10 eligible following seventh straight loss...Utah St. has nation's second longest losing streak at 14 games...Aggies still denied own entry, however, due to lack of name recognition, despite having lost 25 of 27, not winning consecutive games since 2003 and having not beaten a team who finished season with winning record since 2002.
Call Your Cable Operator or Satellite Provider Right Now!: These two teams meet on Nov. 24!
10. BCS
Mitigating Factors: Poll is usually a mess or going to be a mess, but stability in the top seven spots and undefeated teams in the top two spots have BCS officials hoping for relatively easy season, despite train wreck the 2007 season has generally been.
We Are Not Making This Up: Real, NCAA-sponsored football playoffs begin Nov. 17 for divisions II and III, Nov. 24 for I-AA...The PetroSun Independence Bowl - featuring the sixth place team from the Big 12 and at least the sixth place team from the SEC! - is scheduled for Dec. 30.
This Week's Clash Of The Titans: UTEP at Rice
Lousy Already Crappy Traditional Rivalry Of The Week:Navy at Notre Dame
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