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The Bottom Ten/NCAA Week 5
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
Long time B-10 fans are, of course, accustomed to the Sun Belt Conference playing a pivotal role in every B-10 poll.
But this year the Sun Belt is really, really bad, even by their standards. Only one (1) team has a winning record, three teams are winless and three others have one (1) win and two-thirds of the conference have current losing streaks of at least two (2) games, leaving B-10 pollsters in a quandary as to rank and who to leave out.
As a legacy pick, 2007 B-10 champion and 2008 medal stand laureate North Texas is, of course, entitled to their own ranking, as is current holder of the Nation's Longest Losing Streak (NLLS) Western Kentucky.
But to avoid total Sun Belt Conference domination of the survey the Florida schools, Atlantic and International, continue to headline their own combined entry. Also, with conference play starting, the Sun Belt conference's own entry has been suspended.
This week's mess.
1. Western Kentucky (0-4; lost to Navy 38-22)
Mitigating Factors: Hilltoppers hold on to NLLS, losing 12th straight to latest crop of naval officer candidates…Facing a 14-10 halftime lead, defense makes necessary adjustments to allow 28 straight unanswered points...Hilltopper defense showing it will fit right in in Sun Belt Conference, ranking Dead Last in NCAA in Rushing Defense (299.75 ypg) and Next To Dead Last in Total Defense (499.5 ypg).
Don't Blame Us: Special teams doing its part, too, chipping in with missed FG that lead to Navy touchdown
Next Loss: Florida International (Oct. 10)
2. Ball State (0-4; lost to Auburn 54-30)
Mitigating Factors: Thinking game was being played under experimental First Team To Score Wins rule, Cardinals clear the bench after jumping out to 7-0 lead, only to see scrubs give game away by giving up 30 unanswered points…Despite going to bowl games the past two seasons, Cardinals have modest B-10 street cred, starting 0-4 for fourth time this century.
Get Your Notebooks Out: Ball State continues classic B-10 run following up losses to lousy service academy (Army), B-10 perennial (North Texas) and I-AA team (New Hampshire) with loss to legitimate SEC power…B-10 pollsters looking for 'statement' loss to lousy MAC team - something no B-10 title run is complete without - this week.
Next Loss: Toledo
3. Rice (0-4; lost to Vanderbilt 36-17)
Mitigating Factors: Vanderbilt and Duke, both 2-2, 86'd from Trilateral Commission entry so B-10 wizards can give undivided attention to Owls squad that is 0-4 for fourth time in last five years and sixth time this century…Owls face gut-check time against team whose mascot is the head of a yacht club when, tied 10-10 at halftime, they respond by getting outscored 20-0 to start second half…Owls halfway to matching zany 2005 team's 0-8 start.
Name Game: Other names considered for brief, hilarious Trilateral Commission entry were Robber Barrons and Rich White Dudes.
Next Loss: Tulsa
4. New Mexico (0-4; lost to New Mexico State 20-17)
Mitigating Factors: Defense, special teams key in New Mexico's eighth straight loss, with defense giving up go-ahead touchdown with 39 seconds left in game…Kicker James Aho gets game ball though, easy enough to find since it was just to the right of the goal post, for missing potential winning field goal as time expired.
Numbers Racket: Lobos statistical juggernaut, ranking 100th or worse seven major NCAA stat categories, and seven not so major ones.
Next Loss: at Texas Tech
5. Miami Ohio (0-4; lost to Kent St. 29-19)
Mitigating Factors: Unranked in last year's final B-10 survey despite strong 2-10 record, Red Hawks taking no chances in 2009 with strong 0-4 start and nation's second best nine (9) game losing streak…Red Hawks actually out-gain Kent State by 252 yards, but self-immolate with five (5) turnovers and a blocked punt…Miami another statistical juggernaut, ranking Dead Last in Scoring Offense (11.25 ppg) Next To Dead Last in Scoring Defense (41.75 ppg).
The Little Things: Red Hawks not only getting it done in glamour categories, but also doing the little things that win B-10 titles, ranking Dead Last in Kickoff Returns and Turnover Margin, and Next To Dead Last in Net Punting.
Next Loss: Cincinnati
6. North Texas (1-3; lost to Middle Tennessee State 37-21)
Mitigating Factors: North Texas shows early interest, getting touchdown at end of first quarter to make deficit respectable, but showing the strong finishing skills that won the 2007 B-10 title and took them to the medal stand last year, proceed to give up 20 unanswered points…1-3 actually tied for North Texas' best start this century…Current three game skid fourth three gamer since 2007…
Total Team Effort: UNT special teams doing its part, ranking Dead Last in Punt Returns, averaging minus twelve inches a return.
Next Loss: at UL-Lafayette (Oct. 10)
7. Indiana State (0-5; lost to Youngstown State 28-0)
Mitigating Factors: Sycamores not even bothering anymore in quest to keep Continental Cup - issued to team with longest all-division losing streak in North America - all season by losing 31st straight…Offense taking it out of defense's hands, pitching third straight shutout and have not put up points since before Labor Day...Offense averaging just 8.4 first downs a game and ranks Dead Last in 118-team I-AA in Total Offense (138.2 ypg)…Sycamores first NCAA team to go 0-5 this year.
Thank God For Mississippi Valley State: Sycamores only rank Next To Dead Last in Scoring Offense, however (6.0 ppg).
Next Loss: at Northern Illinois/Iowa - B-10 pollsters still not sure which school UNI is…They're pretty sure it's Nebraska-Indianola, though.
8. Florida Atlantic International Airport: Florida Atlantic, Florida International (0-6; FAU: lost to UL-Monroe 27-25; FIU: lost to Toledo 41-31)
Mitigating Factors: FAU hoping consistency is key to B-10 glory, ranking 115th in Scoring Offense (14.67 ppg) and 114th in Scoring Defense (38.0 ppg)…Offense to the rescue when Owls get ball on own six with two minutes left in game and only down two, barely getting to midfield before game ends…Rushing game key for FIU, giving up 223 yards on the ground, and 6.6 yards per carry.
Make Your Ticket Plans Now: Both teams still have to navigate through lousy Sun Belt Conference, but end of season meeting could be for B-10 title.
Next Loss: FAU: Wyoming; FIU: at UL-Monroe
9. Buffalo (1-3; lost to Temple 37-13)
Mitigating Factors: Former B-10 darlings recovering from curious two-year stretch where they won a combined 13 games, have lost three straight…Bulls desperately retrying to regain magic B-10 touch that produced twelve wins from 2000-06 inclusive…Unwilling to rely on young, untested defense, QB Zack Maynard grabs bull by the horns and ends first half by throwing interception that is returned for touchdown, turning 13-6 deficit into morale-deflating 20-6 deficit.
Get Your Losses Right Here: Current stretch is eleventh losing streak of at least three games this century…Since1999 Buffalo has produced losing streaks of 18, 14 and nine games.
Next Loss: Central Michigan
10. Washington State (1-3; lost to USC 27-6)
Mitigating Factors: Cougar fans crying foul as Cougars hold at number ten despite suffering obligatory loss to Trojans as B-10 pollsters penalize Cougars for not losing by enough…Cougars have had a seven game losing streak and two three game losing streaks in last two seasons, which is saying something considering Cougars have only played four games this year.
Can't Top This: Despite dreadful southwest Washington location Cougars drawing heavy interest from Sun Belt Conference by ranking Dead Last in Total Defense, giving up a whopping 503.5 yards per game.
Next Loss: at Oregon
This Week's Clash of the Titans: Entire Sun Belt Conference schedule - Conference so bad in 2009 every game is has deep B-10 implications! Hold on to your hats!
Arms Race: Air Force at Navy - The battle for one of the most treasured trophies in sports, the Sgt. Bilko Trophy, symbolic of service academy lousiness, begins!
Lousy Non Conference Game of the Week: New Mexico at Texas Tech
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