NCAA Tournament (Football) Picks: The First Four

Today the NCAA tournament officially tips off with two play-in games, and yes we will refer to them as play-in games. This is a time of year when the college football blogosphere turns out content attempting to stay in the conversation during what has traditionally been college basketball’s time to shine. But my how the tide has turned on our hard-court friends.

Last year we had some fun by setting up a Worst Uniform Bracket. This year I decided to take a look at the actual men’s basketball tournament bracket and make picks based on who I think would win if the two schools were set to meet in college football. Get ready for some true slaughters in the early going, but the first round does present some intriguing match-ups.

For example, in the first round in the South Region we have UCLA taking on Minnesota. Given the way last season played out I would have to go with the Bruins. Another first round match-up we have that would make for a fun football game is the battle between Wisconsin and Ole Miss in the West Region. Of course, we have some real doozies out there too that have money game written all over it. Take, for instance Florida and Northwestern State. This game has potential to be as brutal on the hard-court as it might be on the gridiron.

Tomorrow I’ll run down the different regions, but for starters let’s take a quick look at which school would have the upper hand if the play-in games were actually football games. Boise State, you’re up. … Continue Reading

Column: Missing out on Woody Hayes

I did not truly grab a hold of college football in the early 1990s. My parents owned season tickets to Penn State games so I was able to attend a few games, but before I actually learned about the game I often got bored and was ready to leave at halftime (much to my father’s chagrin). As I grew up I wised up of course and now today I can’t get enough of the sport.

Much of what I learned about the sport growing up I learned by watching Penn State football, led by Joe Paterno. Watching the games with my dad also carried some influence, as my dad would teach me why Miami had all the bad guys in the sport and why I should never root for Ohio State. Again, as I grew older I learned to form my own opinions on the game, its players and coaches and mechanics and more. But I also wanted to learn more about the game, where it came from and just why my dad thinks I should hate Ohio State.

If 11-year old me read what I am about to say in my next sentence, he might go ahead and tell on me.

Woody Hayes may be the one coach I wish I had a chance to watch or cover in person. Without question. … Continue Reading

UCF shows off artist renderings of new uniforms

For Central Florida 2013 is about a new conference, new conference name, and new uniforms. With the help of Nike, UCF will debut a new uniform set for the 2013 season, the first after leaving Conference USA for the soon to be renamed remainder of the football Big East. Making them a little more unique is the fact that UCF will be the first to debut the Nike template nicknamed The Beast. [Insert Beast Mode jokes here]

Unfortunately the new uniforms have yet to be officially unveiled, but the school was kind enough to provide a tease with artist renderings using fancy computer graphics. So that will have to do for the time being. … Continue Reading

2013 Hype Video: Ohio State Buckeyes

It’s that time of year again. Spring football is in full bloom and YouTube is starting to receive a fresh batch of videos to pump up fans across the nation. From time to time I will try to share some of the best out there right here on the site, in addition to any videos that I may throw together as we go.

Today’s offering is targeted to Buckeye Nation. Using the rock anthem that is AC/DC’s Hell’s Bells, Ohio State is doing a solid job of getting us ready for the season. This video was posted about a month ago but it is worth sharing thanks to the craftsmanship that apparently went in to this one, taking clips of Urban Meyer addressing his players, some good workout footage , and of course some in-game highlights.

… Continue Reading

Bradbury Robinson, Father of the Forward Pass

Bradbury Robinson’s name may not be recognizable to casual or even hardcore football fans today, but his influence on the sport has made the game what it continues to be today. In an era where passing rules are amended to protect the quarterback and make things easier for wide receivers it can be difficult to remember that the game once rarely featured a single pass in the game. In fact, it was illegal until Robinson suggested to that be changed.

Robinson, born in Ohio and raised in St. Louis, attended the University of Wisconsin in 1903, with his arrival to the football team was reported to be a sigh of relief. As one unidentified reporter explained at the time, Robinson’s unique athleticism would help the “football eleven” fill a void after losing one of their star players from the year before who had accepted a job as a high school coach for a sum of $500. Wisconsin’s “Cardinal team” (Wisconsin fielded two separate football teams, reminiscent to Varsity and JV or freshmen squads) finished the season with a 6-3-1 record, finishing sixth in the Western Conference (today’s Big Ten). Robinson became a rising figure in the sport with two touchdowns in an 87-0 victory over Beloit (a Division 3 school in Wisconsin today).

“Robinson’s star work seems to show [the] second eleven is not far behind the first,” a newspaper report on the game described. Robinson’s influence on the game was about to change in a much greater way though when President Theodore Roosevelt sought suggestions on how to make the sport of football safer and more enjoyable.

Robinson’s suggestion? The forward pass. … Continue Reading