The Short List: Week 6

Conference play is in full swing this week as the survivors on the Shortlist in 2010 number only 35 and read as follows still linked to their conference peers in no particular order:

Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, LSU, Florida, South Carolina, Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Michigan, Northwestern, Indiana, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Missouri, Colorado, Kansas State, Miami, Florida State, Maryland, NC State, Southern Cal, Oregon, Arizona, Stanford, West Virginia, USF, Syracuse, TCU, Utah, Boise State, Nevada.

Only one team survived a game I called for them to lose last week to be ejected from the Shortlist and stays on for another week due to it:

1) Colorado edges Georgia in Boulder 29-27 as Dan Hawkins cools his seat while dialing up the temperature on Mark Richt's seat simultaneously as a result.  The Buffs stay on the Shortlist this week but I don't expect them to last much longer from here.

For another week, three teams lost games that removed them from the Shortlist without me calling for them to and the surprise departures are:

1) Texas Tech goes to Aimes and gets walloped at Iowa State 52-38 as Tommy Tuberville's team drops a second straight game after a bye week to fall off the championship track in 2010.  Meanwhile Paul Rhoades continues to work magic at Iowa's second school in year two as he narrows in on another elusive bowl berth for the Cyclones.

2) Boston College gets juxtaposed on the home scoreboard in Chestnut Hill as their Irish rivals from Notre Dame beat them 31-13.  The Eagles still have the ability to play spoiler in ACC play but only for a division or conference title, not the big prize thanks to the loss.

3) Rutgers reverts to the Scarlet Knights of old in New Orleans as they fail to siege the Superdome successfully and lose 17-14 to Tulane.  Bob Toledo's exile to the Big Easy has been as hit or miss as his stay in UCLA in the 1990's but for one week at least they send Greg Schianno back to square one on the drawing board in New Brunswick.

Once again, I expect seven teams to fall out of Shortlist contention this week and each one is a BCS automatic qualifier school:

South Carolina, Indiana, Texas A&M, Colorado, Florida State, Southern Cal, and Syracuse.

With the rivalry game of the year in the state of speed on tap in Miami this week your ACC favorite Hurricanes face suspect 1-B to represent the Atlantic Division for the ACC title at the end of the year when they christen the Jimbo Fisher Florida State epoch with a showdown between top 25 teams.  For years I've been hearing how sharp an assistant coach Fisher is while his teams did nothing to ease the pressure on his boss with their on field performance.  Now completely in charge of the tertiary program in Florida a rivalry win would go a long way to dissuading any dissenters to the new regime in charge. 

 
The Seminoles have the weapons to put up points but honestly, their program has fallen several steps behind with so many resources due to factors that require more than a force out changing of figureheads at the top to fix.  While the rankings of both teams for this edition of the Hurricane's encounter with their rivals from the capital may not be in the single digits, as fans have grown accustomed to when these teams play, there won't be a lack of talent, speed, and ability between the sidelines on the field on display this year. 

 
A word of caution: Anything can and will happen this week during such a deep running rivalry so predictions are futile at best and an exercise in folly routinely during the build up to these games. 

I however expect a focused, peaking Hurricane team to remind their rivals just why they have a new coach this year as they outpace the visitors as the game goes on with a balanced attack and a punishing defense to keep the Seminoles in their proper place in the pecking order for another year.  Whether they get a return engagement for the ACC title will be determined over the remaining month and a half of conference play but in the interim I expect Randy Shannon to hold bragging rights despite any beginner's luck Fisher may be the recipient of in his first go round as the man who stepped into Bobby's shoes on the sideline in this perennial peak of Florida football events. 

 
Even if the Hurricanes uncharacteristically come up short this week, expect them to rebound with the promise of revenge in a rematch, but more likely, expect this rivalry installment to be the turning point where your Hurricanes go from team continually displaying promise to the team delivering on aforementioned promises consistently with a three-phased, all-out, old-school, decade-of-dominance-reminding outing before a raucous home crowd. 

Who knows, if you squint your eyes just right you might be able to see an open end-zone and feel a little of the old Orange Bowl energy in the big teal box before the final gun sounds Saturday. 

 
Enjoy the game, and maybe even some other college football contests as well, this week and join me back here next week as The Shortlist to the Site of the Shainghaied 'Ship draws just a few upsets closer to the magic number of 25 remaining teams and ranking those left by merit instead of conference affiliation here in 2010.

Copyright 2010 by Christopher Whelpton for Canespace.com

Comments

[Alex D]

First, I guess?

[U]

1st

[SOUP]

Alex storms through the front door screaming: FIRST!

[SOUP]

I guess you will challenge the authenticity of this picture as well huh?

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/solarcane/marbss.jpg

Posted by: solarcane | October 07, 2010 at 06:08 PM

LMAO!

[elliott]

Lets crush FSU I told u guys FSU would be our toughest test other than Clemson and Ohio State...

[darCANEgel]

macJ -- I'm w/ you, bro. I'll repeat the same thing from a couple days ago:

"spread is currently -6.
my degenerate friend - who gambles for a living -- especially on college ball --- thinks anything less than -10.5 is a LOCK for the Canes...

whatever...

I've tried to explain that it's VERY rare the CANES cover @ home...

(Look it up --- we sux @ home against the spread)

He aint listen...
CANES by a TD and a half...."

BRING IT!
CANES!

[solarcane]

OGV,

I love the way you word things.

I look forward to this series of articles every week.
Awesome job as expected sir.

[solarcane]

Miami D experience vs FSU defense.

Seniors
6- Miami
3- FSU

Juniors
7- Miami
3- FSU

Sophomores
4- Miami
6- FSU

Freshmen
1- Miami
5- FSU

That's 13 upperclassmen contributing on defense for the Canes, and only 6 for the 'Noles.

[Sebastian]

I know when its time to do nothing but focus on the upcoming college football weekend as soon as the Short List hits the page

Good stuff

I wonder if K.St. will have anything for Neb. tonight. I havent had a real chance to see either of them yet

S.C. over `Bama by 1
A&M over Ark.

[darCANEgel]

The funny thing is - is that this game's a crap shoot --

EVERYONE (media, Legion, Vegas, puddle ans) EVERYONE is on the bandwagon that we "should" win...

We aint that team yet --- and down deep y'al know that.

Yes, we should win...

But IF we dont --- it's still a LONG season...
Remembering that last year we didn't "lose" the Coastal after the VaTech game. We lost it after our SECOND conference L to Clemson...THEN we were done...

Anyone watch the tape from last year's F$U game recently?

It was so close that if they had 10 extra seconds they coulda won...easy

Point of this is --- win = good - not great, but good. But it doesnt mean anything cuz we now have a game a week til the end of the season(UNC, VaTech and GaTech still all to come...and USF who will be dogging to beat us)...

Lose (bad call, weird bounce, blocked PT) and we gotta still keep our head in the game...

Bottom line: Just dont flip out whatever happens

LEt's gett'r done
LEt's be the FANS who know what it's all about...

Bring it!

Canes, baaby

[BahamaCane]

The Noles defense isnt as good as their stats say it is. They racked up a lot of TFL and sacks against crappy, lesser talented teams. They have only played one respectable team, and we all know how that went!

I know this is a rivalry game, but its hard to see the Noles winning this game IF the Canes continue to play at the level they are playing right now.

Go Canes!

[BahamaCane]

Does K State have a shot against the Nebraska?

[darCANEgel]

Advertizments -- then Coach Shannon wrappin up his interview w/ Zagaki...

good times right now on 560, ladies

CANES, baaby

[SinisterCane]

Go Canes

[Sebastian]

As long as Daniel Thomas and the running game can put some points up will eating up time I think they might have a chance

Thats just going off what I see on the stats though

[Sebastian]

will=while

[Old Skool]

Solar
Great pic LOL

[darCANEgel]

Holcutt on 560

[Old Skool]

Bryce info:

http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2010/oct/07/former-ut-running-back-bryce-brown-says-he-was-hom/

The No. 1 recruit in the nation a year ago cited depression, health concerns for his family and being uncomfortable with some off-field issues last season in his latest attempt to be released by the program.

“Upon arriving in Knoxville, I immediately felt like I was too far away from home,” Brown said in an affidavit signed Wednesday. “I would constantly call home to talk to my family, who thought I would overcome my homesickness once more players and students arrived on campus.

“Once other football players did arrive on campus, I quickly realized that I did not fit in with the other players in the football program. My teammates were involved in a range of activities that I was not comfortable being around.”

[SOUP]

I look forward to this series of articles every week. Awesome job as expected sir.

Posted by: solarcane | October 07, 2010 at 06:38 PM

I SECOND THAT!

[SOUP]

My teammates were involved in a range of activities that I was not comfortable being around.”

Posted by: Old Skool | October 07, 2010 at 08:15 PM

OH MY! Can U say blackmail?

Is that a veiled threat to relaese some negative info about players on the Tennessee team if they do not release him?

Let the mud slinging begin. I think the defacation is going to hit the rotary oscillator on this one...

[SOUP]

DarC...I am ready to make my call. Canes win!

Score Prediction: UM 31, FSU 27

[Six]

I watched Kansas State celebrate their 17-13 win over UCF last week like they were all told they'd get free lapdances every day for a year from Sofia Vergara

If they're that jacked about beating UCF? then that makes me think the chances of them beating Nebraska are anorexic slim and bulemic slim, unless Nebraska just turns the ball over relentlessly

[darCANEgel]

So, what youre sayin: the bet is on the Noles to cover??

Wow

Love you, Soup...
listnin' to Holcutt on 560...

CANES, baaby

[darCANEgel]

Bobby B is up next...

Rock
dem
CANES!

[Six]

Old Skool - it's funny that people are so wrapped up in watching a film or documentary about something amazing and it's completely forgotten that in order to get those amazing shots, the cameraman and film crew are the ones that are there allowing you to see it

I try to see as many IMAX movies as possible, esp. since MOSI is right down the street from me over by USF

They did one on penguins that was unreal ... the beaver one was good as well

[SOUP]

Minnesota Twins 3rd baseman Danny Valencia:

University of Miami:

Homesick for Florida, Valencia sought to transfer to the University of Miami after his freshman year, even though it only offered him a modest scholarship. UNC-Greensboro initially agreed to release Valencia from his scholarship, but later refused, placing him in jeopardy of losing a year of college eligibility under NCAA Division I rules. He appealed to a university committee which ruled in his favor, allowing him to leave while preserving his eligibility.[7][9]

During his sophomore year, Valencia played first base for the University of Miami Hurricanes alongside then-third-baseman Ryan Braun, hitting .300 and driving in 63 runs while batting fifth in the lineup, and was named to the All-Regional Team.[14][15]

By his sophomore year of college, he had added 40 pounds.[15][16][6][8] "It's night and day" from UNC-Greensboro, said Valencia. "It's awesome. It's what every Florida kid dreams of. It's the program–the winning, the uniforms. Everything from the strength coach to the facilities is completely different."[15]

When Braun left to join the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system in 2005, Valencia replaced him at third base for his junior year, batting .324 with a .475 slugging percentage.[12][17] In two years (and 122 games) with the Hurricanes, Valencia hit .312 with 124 RBIs, and played in the College World Series.

Drafted in the 19th round of the 2006 draft by the Minnesota Twins, the 576th player chosen, he skipped his senior year of college to begin his pro career.[19][20]

Valencia was disappointed in his draft
position, but said "... realistically it does not change things for me. My goal has always been to get to the big leagues... It does not matter where you start, but where you finish."[21]

[Six]

solar - luckily there are some groups within a larger group that are a little more open in their thinking, they're not as closed minded as someone such as that preacher is and his brainwashed followers are

[darCANEgel]

Bubba...comin up

GO CANES

[Sebastian]

Im not going to buy into the O leading the way for the `Canes

Its going to be Special Teams and that Nasty D that will be the deciding factor this game once again

`Canes-34
`Noles-19

[SOUP]

So, what youre sayin: the bet is on the Noles to cover??

Wow

Posted by: darCANEgel | October 07, 2010 at 08:30 PM

The UM-FSU series has the LOWEST margin of victory over the last 20 year of ANY MAJOR RIVALRY in college football.

Guess what it is?

OK, 6 points.

I'm jus sayin...

[SOUP]

BTW...For the record, I am currently DOMINATING the 954 like nobody else.

Also I would like to add this:

"I am NOT a witch!"

[HersheyCane]

I guess you will challenge the authenticity of this picture as well huh?

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj201/solarcane/marbss.jpg

Posted by: solarcane | October 07, 2010 at 06:08 PM

__________________________________________

GOOD STUFF

[darCANEgel]

sooo....86...yeah
okay...

Soup...6 pts?
If it's no one wins but Vegas -

Again...
what?

(Coach Bowden's on 560...great quotes)

CANES

[darCANEgel]

bubba on 560
JBjr sucking up..

Good times...

CANES

[darCANEgel]

DBjr sucking up...
"you might not like FSU but everyone likes Bobby B..."

CANES, baaby

[SOUP]

bubba on 560
JBjr sucking up...

SHOCKER!

DBJ is a great guy and ALL Canes but he is a serious homer and Hoover whether its Canes or otherwise.

He get's paid $$$ for it. Check it:

http://canespace.typepad.com/canespace/2009/04/meet-me-in-the-parking-lot-part-ii.html

[now known as usagainstheworld&thereferees]

flat.

[SOUP]

And check this too:

http://canespace.typepad.com/canespace/2009/03/meet-me-in-the-parking-lot.html

[OCALACANE]

The U wins goin away by 10 or more...

I GOT THIS!!!

[411]

Joseph Goodman, The Miami Herald's national college football writer, and sports handicapper Lee Sterling of Paramount Sports butt heads by making picks on eight games each week, including all games involving instate Football Bowl Subdivision teams.

FLORIDA STATE AT MIAMI

• Favorite: Miami by 6 ½

• Joe: Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder completes the last-second touchdown pass this time. FSU 30, UM 27.

• The Pro: FSU looks great against teams that aren't competitive. UM's running game will total 150-plus yards and dominate. UM 31, FSU 20.

[SOUP]

The U wins goin away by 10 or more...

I GOT THIS!!!

Posted by: OCALACANE | October 07, 2010 at 09:35 PM

The Natives are restless?

DUDE!

[solarcane]

I think the our D plays it's best game of the year.

FSU plays like it's Miami vs FSU

A couple miscues end drives for us keeping the score lower than it should have been.

24-17 Canes

[SOUP]

NEW POLL IS UP, TOP RIGHT...

[solarcane]

I guess you will challenge the authenticity of this picture as well huh?

soup Hershey skool
thanks!

[canezilla]

BTW...For the record, I am currently DOMINATING the 954 like nobody else.

Also I would like to add this:

"I am NOT a witch!"

Posted by: SOUP | October 07, 2010 at 08:40 PM

THE ONLY REASON U ARE STILL ALIVE IN THE 954 IS BECAUSE I TOLD THE STREETS THAT I KNOW U

[SOUP]

THE ONLY REASON U ARE STILL ALIVE IN THE 954 IS BECAUSE I TOLD THE STREETS THAT I KNOW U

Posted by: canezilla | October 07, 2010 at 10:28 PM

That's what I told EVERYBODY:

I KNOW 'ZILLA...

[SOUP]

I am O U T early tonight.

Remember, nothing good happens...

[Ungar]

Joseph Goodman, The Miami Herald's national college football writer, and sports handicapper Lee Sterling of Paramount Sports butt heads by making picks on eight games each week, including all games involving instate Football Bowl Subdivision teams.

FLORIDA STATE AT MIAMI

• Favorite: Miami by 6 ½

• Joe: Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder completes the last-second touchdown pass this time. FSU 30, UM 27.

• The Pro: FSU looks great against teams that aren't competitive. UM's running game will total 150-plus yards and dominate. UM 31, FSU 20.

Posted by: 411 | October 07, 2010 at 09:46 PM

You mean, Joe Goody, the Gator Beat Writer? I am SHOCKED he would pick against the Canes.

[Ungar]

Whoever makes the most mistakes loses.

Posted by: SOUP | October 06, 2010 at 06:46 PM

SOUP providing marital advice....