BYU tops Utah in OT 26-23

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4696703&categoryid=2564308

Week 13 Preview/Picks

This week's matchups include two rivalry games and one game for a conference championship.  Just wrapping up is Wyoming @ Colorado State.  Wyoming has just sealed their 17-16 victory with an interception.  The Cowboys will most likely be bowling for the first time since 2004 when they beat UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.  Colorado State ends their season losing 9 in a row and losing to their rival.  Not a good feeling for the folks in Fort Collins.

Another Friday night game for Boise State (11-0) will be for all the WAC marbles as they host surging Nevada (8-3) - (8:00 p.m. MT, ESPN 2).  Nevada has the nation's leading rushing offense (and is #2 in total offense) and sport three 1000-yard rushers.  This seems to be the key matchup of the game, as Boise State's rush defense only allows 115 yards per game.  However, their only real test against a team that can really run the ball was against Fresno State (the Oregon team they played in the opener was an aberration), and they gave up 320 rushing yards to the Bulldogs.  So is Boise's rush defense really that good, or are they just untested?  The Upset's winner:

For Saturday's matchups...

Tale of Two Seasons for Nevada, Colorado State

Two programs in the West are looking to close out their seasons in much different ways than they started.  After a 3-0 start, the Colorado State Rams are now trying to escape this season with any shred of hope they can find, while after starting 0-3, the Nevada Wolfpack have the nation's leading rushing attack and are playing for the WAC championship this weekend.

Nevada hits record with three 1,000-yd rushers

In Nevada's 63-20 blowout win over New Mexico State on Saturday, the three cogs of the nation's #1 rushing offense entered the NCAA record books.  As RB Luck Lippincott piled up 162 of the Wolfpack's 574 total rushing yards, he surpassed 1,000 yards on the season ... joining QB Colin Kaepernick and RB Vai Taua.  For the first time in NCAA history, the same school has displayed three 1,000-yard rushers in a single season.

Taua (1,185), Kaepernick (1,129), and Lippincott (1,028) have one game left to add to their totals, a Friday night upset bid on the road at #6 Boise State.

(photo by Norm Dettlaff - AP)

TCU trounces Utah 55-28, controls BCS destiny

In a game where Utah players were feeling disrespected for being 20-point underdogs, The Upset was thinking: "But haven't you seen the Frogs play?"  On a night where the home team would take a 55-28 win, everything about this night was about TCU.  ESPN's College GameDay broadcasted a show nestled in TCU's campus.  The Horned Frogs were going to be the first to don a set of Nike's new Pro Combat uniforms.  And in just a few moments of game play, it was very clear that it would be TCU's game also.

Sanford Out

UNLV has decided it has waited long enough for coach Mike Sanford to turn around its football program, a program that hasn't been to a bowl game since 2000.  The school announced today that coach Sanford will be terminated at the end of the season, and will coach the Rebels' final game at home against San Diego State on Nov. 28.

Sanford's record at UNLV is 15-43.

Week 11 Picks

GAME OF THE WEEK:  #16 Utah @ #4 TCU (-20)
--The eyes of the college football will be fixed upon Ft. Worth on Saturday for the MWC showdown of the season.  The fourth-ranked Horned Frogs have one last hurdle to cross on their road to the BCS. (Final two games against Wyoming and New Mexico DO NOT count)  The hurdle happens to the defending Sugar Bowl champion and 16th ranked Utah.  The Utes, winners of six in a row and 24 of their last 25, look to keep their outside chance at a second straight BCS appearance alive.  ESPN's College GameDay will broadcast live in what is probably the biggest game in Mountain West Conference history.

BYU commit hurdles way to D-1 via YouTube

Through his junior year, all-purpose high school athlete Collin Keoshian had amassed 73 rushing TD's, 14 passing TD's, 7 receiving TD's, 198 tackles (assisting in 268 more), and 11 defensive interceptions, 8 of which he returned for a TD.  At 6'2", 225 lb and a reported 4.5 second 40-yard dash time, Keoshian was unlikely to get serious offers from any D-1 school.  Not because of his numbers, but because he plays 8-man football for a small private school in California.

RUMOR: MWC to Expand to 12; Garner Auto BCS Bid

Click title link for a report from Brian Nelson of the Bleacher Report.  The rumor places MWC in discussions with BCS that would give the conference an automatic BCS bid if they add Boise State, Nevada, and Fresno State.

"As we speak, this conference alone would boast two top six teams, three top 15 teams, and four ranked teams. That's more ranked teams than the SEC. Twice as many as the Big 12. And more combined BCS Bowl victories than the entire ACC since 1998. Or the Big Ten since 2004."

Maybe the powers that be had these thoughts stirring in the heads of us here at The Upset for a reason, having posted on such just yesterday (see "Boise State's Conundrum")...

Boise State's Conundrum

Boise State's successful transition from I-AA Big Sky power to elite FBS program has been a thing of beauty.  No other school has made such a leap look so breathtakingly easy.  Programs like Marshall and South Florida have also found Division 1 success in a short amount time, but neither of these two schools has matched the sustained success the Broncos have accomplished in just over a decade.  The Broncos have dominated the WAC since joining the conference.  Boise has also moved into the upper echelon of Division 1, being the winningest program of the decade.  But with the Broncos on the cusp of a second consecutive undefeated regular season, and a second consecutive BCS snub...something needs to change.

The BCS Bowl Manifesto

The Upset is glad to read something from the national media which resembles something we were about to post ourselves.  ESPN's Pat Forde states why TCU and Boise State should both go BCS-bowling if both win out.  And why not?  What conference other than the SEC has made a compelling case to have 2 teams included in BCS bowls?  We don't see any.  Thanks, Pat Forde.  Enjoy the Forde Yard Dash BCS Manifesto:

Loyal readers know that The Dash considers the bowl system slightly more logical and just than the Salem witch trials. But given the current landscape, this needs to be said:

We are on the verge of one of the great test cases for fairness in college football. Let's see if the bowl honchos get it right, or knuckle under.

If undefeated TCU and Boise State win out -- an increasingly likely outcome -- they should both play in BCS bowls. But only one will be guaranteed by rule a spot among the five bowl games that pay the most money and get the most attention.

The Upset Top 25

1. Texas
2. Florida
3. Alabama
4. TCU
5. Cincinnati
6. Boise State
7. Pitt
8. LSU
9. Miami
10. Oregon

Week 10 Quick Recap

All of Week 10's action in just a few nuggets.

TCU to wear new Nike unis Saturday

TCU will unveil a new uniform this Saturday as they battle Utah.  (click Read More for details and links)

TCU & The BCS Title Game

TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson doesn't like to discuss the possibility of going to a BCS Bowl game at the end of the season.  On one of this morning's versions of Sportscenter, anchor Josh Elliott seemed to make a point to say that TCU has no chance of playing in the title game.  Coach Patterson takes it one game at a time.  But Coach Turtleneck might have a bigger fish to fry come January.  With the release of the latest BCS standings, the Horned Frogs have an outside shot at making the BCS National Championship Game on January 7th.  TCU moved up two spots, passing Cincinnati and Boise State, to claim the #4 position.  The Frogs are only behind big name powers Florida, Alabama, and Texas.

So....What must happen for this dream to become reality?

• Just Win Baby:  The Frogs do not have the luxury of substituting their Defense to help Texas A&M stop Texas on the last week of the season, but they can control the remainder of their own schedule.  The Frogs play host to 16th ranked Utah on Saturday in Ft. Worth with ESPN College GameDay making a second appearance at a Purple and White game this season.  The first, as we know, went very well for the Frogs.  With the nation's eye sure to be fixed upon Saturday's contest, TCU has an opportunity to further prove their credentials to the voters.  The Frogs must win convicingly however to have a shot at the national title.  
• Fall Tide Fall:  Although Alabama has secured a second straight visit to the SEC Title game, the Tide still have a difficult finish to the season. Alabama travels to Starkville to take on the same Mississippi State squad that took Florida and LSU to the end of the game.  And the annual Iron Bowl @ Auburn to finish the season might be the biggest test to date.  TCU would be helped greatly if Alabama, or Florida for that matter would lose before the SEC Title Game.
• SEC Title Blowout:  Florida and Alabama have punched their tickets to Atlanta and the SEC Title Game with 3 regular season games remaining.  While Alabama's remaining schedule (@ Mississippi State, @ Auburn) isnt a cakewalk...odds are the Tide roll into Atlanta undfeated.  Worse case scenario for the Frogs would be a hard fought Title game in which neither team is seen as superior, which would likely keep the loser from falling below TCU in the polls.  The Frogs need this one to be a snoozer. 
• Bear Cats Upset:  Cincinnati is poised to leap frog TCU in the BCS standings if they keep winning.  Truth is, an undefeated BCS school is not going to be overshadowed by an undefeated MWC school if the national title is at stake.  The Bearcats are going back to starter Tony Pike this week against a solid West Virginia sqaud and have a difficult end to the season (vs #25 West Virginia, an improving Illinois squad, and @#12 Pitt).  In fact, if Cincinnati goes undefeated...they deserve to go to the Title game.
• Texas Slips:  The Longhorns will provide the biggest hurdle to TCU's entry into the BCS Title Game.  With a soft schedule to the end the season (Baylor, Kansas, @ Texas A&M) it would take a tremendous upset to keep the Longhorns out of the Title Game.  If Nebraska, which looks to have one of the best defenses in the nation, can win the Big 12 North, that might make for a great clash at Arrowhead in December.

Leap Frogs

TCU has risen to #4 in the latest BCS Rankings released this evening.  The Horned Frogs passed Cincinnati and Boise State, both of whom were locked into close contests against inferior opponents this weekend.

GameDay considering Fort Worth on 11/14

Kirk Herbstreit said on 103.3 FM Dallas:

We might be down in Fort Worth next week on the 14th.  If Ohio State loses in Happy Valley Saturday, then I think there is a good chance that we are going there.  They deserve it, they are playing great football.

Herbstreit was referring to the 11/14 matchup when current #14 Utah travels to play #6 TCU.

(click title link for audio, courtesy of our friends at the MWC Connection)

Boise State hires PR firm for BCS lobbying

Boise State has hired the public relations firm Scott Peyron & Associates to help promote the Broncos as being BCS worthy, whether or not another undefeated non-AQ school is ranked ahead of them.  (Click title link for the full story, from ESPN's Graham Watson.)

Boise is obviously preparing to be ranked behind TCU if both run the table, which will most likely be the case.  Although Boise beat current top-10 squad Oregon, TCU boasts road victories at Clemson, Virginia, and BYU.  The Frogs also await a contest against Utah, currently ranked #14 in the BCS standings, and hope that Utah can remain true until that matchup.  Ideally, however, if both teams finish unbeaten, both will be rewarded for their top-10 finish and unblemished records with BCS berths, as most AQ conferences are struggling to showcase a 2nd dominant team to fill at-large berths.

QB a game-time decision for Utah

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said today that he will not announce who will start next Saturday against New Mexico until right before game time.  Junior college transfer Terrance Cain, who had guided the Utes to a 6-1 start, was benched in favor of freshman Jordan Wynn when Utah trailed Wyoming 10-3 at halftime.  Wynn led Utah to a 22-10 win.

Week 9 Recap

Another week of conference battles helped shape the conference standings even more as we reach the final month of the season.  Here's how Week 9 finished: