The Short List: Week 9

After a tumultuous week of play only 17 teams remain in competition for the two top slots on the Shortlist in 2010 and the schools read by order of worthiness as follows:

Auburn, Missouri, TCU, Michigan State, Boise State, Utah, Oregon, Alabama, LSU, Florida State, Stanford, Nebraska, Arizona, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

As is par for the Shortlist in 2010, another week means yet again a pair of teams pull off upsets in games I predicted them to lose and they are:

1) Wisconsin refuses to make me look smarter than they are as they earn a 31-30 win to take home against Iowa in the battle of Big 10 also-rans.  Whether Iowa uses this week to turn Michigan State into another also-ran to join them remains to be seen but I'm left to wonder for a third week in a row, why won't the Badgers just die?

 
2) Nebraska regains its footing on the way out of the Big 12 front door as they stay alive on the Shortlist witha 51-41 win over Oklahoma State in Stillwater.  I still expect them to enjoy watching their home fans applaud another victorious visitor this week against Missouri but the Big 12 is as unpredictable a league as you can find especially it seems this year so chaos could be just a week away instead.

 
Again for yet another week, three teams fumble away games that drop them from the Shortlist and this week are the banished read as such:

1) Iowa comes up a point shy in its Shortlist elimination game against Wisconsin at home as Kirk Ferentz continues to pull in the big money for the little results in the 11 team league with a major identity crisis.

2) West Virginia falls for homecoming in Morgantown to traditional conference nemesis Syracuse 19-14 as the no-longer Orangemen reset the pecking order to a more natural state of being in Miami's old stomping grounds.  Bill Stewart once blew out Bob Stoops in a BCS bowl game, as rarely as that happens you know, and can still win out to play in another one this year but yet another 9-4 finish is more likely now instead.

3) Kansas State gets pole-axed in Waco against Baylor, and should find themselves poll-axed due to the fact this week, by a 47-42 score in a shootout.  The rest of the schedule is a tossup for the Wildcats so we'll see what magic if any is left in coach Bill Snyder's guiding hand.  At least he scheduled a trip to North Texas to ensure bowl eligibility to end the year yet again.  No wonder he's in the college-football-cupcake-scheduling-Hall-of-Fame.

I expect a single team to fall off the Shortlist this week as each elimination becomes more monumental and upsets are the only way to get some of these teams left out of contention the rest of the way:

Nebraska.

 
The option is a high-school offense that can and should be blitzed to death up the middle and off the edge with linebackers and safeties.  Then again, it's Missouri trying to beat the Cornhusker's and history isn't a big fan of that particular breed of college football tiger so cross your fingers and enjoy what should be a cathartic grudge match for the winner between near-future divorcees. 

Meanwhile, the specter of a TCU-Boise State national championship match-up, or at least one of those two teams facing a one-loss, best-argument-in, BCS automatic qualifying champion grows ever more real with each week of games while I'm continued to be forced by circumstance to actually cheer for Florida State to win.  Why couldn't the Aztec calender just stop at 2009 instead to spare me the indignity? 

Enjoy the games this week and join me back here next week as the final contenders get under the, "sweet," number count with efforts that are anything but in time to wrap up October here on the Shortlist to the Site of the Shainghaied 'Ship.

Copyright 2010 by Christopher Whelpton for Canespace.com

Comments

[Old Skool]

Okay now what

[Old Skool]

Okay back to bed. Nothing good happens between 5:30 and 6:00

[roachcane77]

I'm with Canechic...

Boise may be deserving, but until they get off that disgusting, eye numbing, blue field. (Which was JUST redone this summer BTW), I won't be watching them.

Nice job on the Short List Chris... it's getting shorter every week.

Let's Go Canes!

[usagainsttheworld&theofficials]

Aldarius and Devin.

[usagainsttheworld&theofficials]

Okay back to bed. Nothing good happens between 5:30 and 6:00

Posted by: Old Skool | October 28, 2010 at 05:29 AM

sounds like a good idea to me.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. . .

[raizecane]

damn its early.......

[Sinistercane]

Go Canes
Go Heat

[SOUP]

Me I'd take Kellen Moore running the Canes offense anytime.

Posted by: solarcane | October 27, 2010 at 10:50 PM

BoiseSpace?

[SOUP]

MH

In 2 ½ seasons of playing together, Hurricanes Leonard Hankerson, Travis Benjamin and LaRon Byrd had never made it happen -- until North Carolina came to Sun Life Stadium on Saturday.

Hankerson, Benjamin and Byrd finally caught a touchdown pass in the same game.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/28/1895259/traffic-signal.html#ixzz13dWtOFf5

Stephen Morris

``A very strong arm. He gets some reps with [the first-team],'' Shannon said. ``You can never say, `OK, he's just scout team.' He's been getting a lot of reps with the ones, twos and then he comes back to scout team. So we're keeping him sharp with our offense and getting him ready for the future of what we're trying to get done.''

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/10/28/1895636/miami-hurricanes-qb-stephen-morris.html#ixzz13dXPPP1W

Manny- Tyler Horn

Saturday, the first-year starting center had the best game of his career, grading out at 97 percent with six pancake blocks against the Tar Heels. But it's been his work helping glue together a young, inexperienced offensive line that UM coach Randy Shannon says deserves praise.

Read more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2010/10/shannon-horn-the-key-to-offensive-lines-success.html#ixzz13dXv9Etr

B-Ball -Media day video

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2010/10/canes-basketball-media-day-videos.html

Posted by: NativeCane | October 28, 2010 at 03:39 AM

SS

Saturday night's 33-10 win against North Carolina was full of fun for the Hurricanes, who for the first time this season played loose and expressed themselves. But it also touched on the inner conflict for Miami players, who want to have the fun on the field they did Saturday but are conscious of national perception and concerned about harming the classy image their coach has tried hard to project.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/um-hurricanes/sfl-miami-hurricanes-fun-1027,0,1810042.story

Colin

McCarthy redeemed himself against North Carolina, finishing with a team-high seven tackles. He played so well backup Kelvin Cain, stellar in his first career start at Duke, got no snaps on defense.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/um-hurricanes/fl-miami-hurricanes-football-notes-1020101027,0,4023855.story

Herbie still loves the U

What about Miami's resounding win over North Carolina? "It's about time, to be honest. I mean, I've been waiting for this kind of performance all year. This is the Miami team I thought we would see all season long. I don't know if it took a loss to their big in-state rival and the embarrassment that followed, for them to get all wound up and 'How dare you disrespect us?' but if that's what it takes, let's just disrespect them every week. That is the team that was supposed to win an ACC championship, and who knows, maybe they still will."

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports/dolphins/joerose/2010/10/herbstreit.html

Shannon

It was good just to see those guys fly around and have fun and do it within the rules.”

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports/dolphins/joerose/2010/10/shannon_good_just_to_see_those.html

Steve

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_college_hurricanes/2010/10/canes-hoping-fun-isnt-misinterpreted.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sports%2Fumweblog+%28UM+Hurricanes+%7C+Sun-Sentinel+Blogs%29

Posted by: NativeCane | October 28, 2010 at 03:52 AM

PBP

Since returning a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns against Ohio State on Sept. 11, the University of Miami hasn't gotten much at all from its return game.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/hurricanes/miami-hurricanes-return-teams-not-getting-job-done-1001137.html

Posted by: NativeCane | October 28, 2010 at 03:57 AM

[Sebastian]

Once again I thank you for the short list

It always kicks me in gear for the college football weekend

N.C. St. over FSU
Ducks over USC by at least 17 because Lane sucks as a HC and is way out of his league going up against Chip
K.St. over Ok. St.
Ky. over Miss St.

The long reach
UCLA over Arizona

[Sebastian]

Kellen Moore running the `Canes offense anytime????

Im going to have to disagree with that one

I have not seen enough of him under center or running a pro type offense to say that with 100% confidence

[IraqiCane]

Why couldn't the Aztec calender just stop at 2009 instead to spare me the indignity?

AWESOME LMAO!

GO CANES!!!

[solarcane]

" Kansas State gets pole-axed in Waco "

Those Waco residents have a history of bloodletting on a grand scale for sure.

Great article OGV

[Ungar]

Kirk Herbstreit:

Before FSU:

I've been saying for years that Florida State is an 8-4 team, and that's been like an eight- or nine-year run now, so it's nothing personal. Those are the facts.

After FSU:

Florida State is maybe the best team I have seen this year. That includes Alabama and Ohio State and everybody else.

Before UNC:

I think North Carolina. I was just so discouraged with the way Miami played the last time I saw them, against Florida State, and I just can't imagine what two weeks can change. By the way, I think [UNC] is pretty good, pretty skilled.

After UNC:

I mean, I've been waiting for this kind of performance all year. This is the Miami team I thought we would see all season long.

Sooo, basically, we need Herbstreit to pick against us each week!

[Ungar]

solar's new favorite quarterback.

http://www.toystable.com/WebStore/products_pictures/smurf035a.jpg

[Ungar]

Me I'd take Kellen Moore running the Canes offense anytime.

Posted by: solarcane | October 27, 2010 at 10:50 PM

BoiseSpace?

Posted by: SOUP | October 28, 2010 at 08:05 AM

Sorry, some French folks grapped that name already...

Bois Espace - Bois (détail) - 0479327952 - Albertville

http://maison-jardin.118000.fr/v_albertville_73/c_bois-detail/e_bois-espace_0479327952_C0000447090

[solarcane]

osted by: Ungar | October 28, 2010 at 09:40 AM

LMAO!!

sweeeeeeeeeet!

[Ungar]

I am glad you liked it.

Now Mrs. Solar knows what to get you for Christmas.

[ChicagoCane]

Interesting article on Kelvin Benjamin - one of the U's receiver recruits. Apparently, he just played his last game of high school football because he reached the age limit (19 years and 9 months)

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/blog?name=long_corey&id=5726220&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf%2fblog%3fname%3dlong_corey%26id%3d5726220

[pb]

For those saying Boise deserves to play for the title, I use this analogy:

Two students of equal intelligence, intellect and drive are college seniors. One takes the most difficult classes the university offers. A full case load, 18 credits, and spends his whole year busting his ass.

The second takes a marginal schedule. Maybe two classes that are as difficult as the other student does, the others he can breeze through with little effort.

At the end of the year, forgetting the weighted GPA argument, who deserves to be top of his class if they both finish with a 4.0?

What if student #1 gets one B and the other doesnt?

Boise's schedule is a joke. Auburn plays Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas just to name a few. The reward for winning all of those? A brutal SEC Championship.

If they lose just one game, then win the SEC Championship and Boise runs the table against the chit teams they play, how can anyone justify Boise over Auburn?

You can't. No matter how good they are.

[Ungar]

That's why AP classes get that weighted GPA. What we NEED is a weighted schedule measurement. you know, something where they can measrue the strength of a team's schedule and use that in considering a team's relative worth.

Of course, we HAVE that already, it just doesn't get used well enough. That is why FSU jumped ahead of us in 2000, and why BSU might jump over some other teams this year.

It doesn't even have to be complex. Just say "best win" - "worst loss" to get a score. That way, beating OSU helps one team, losing to James Madison hurts another, but playing and losing to OSU doesn't hurt except in record.

Miami's Best Win? 4-3 Pitt, Clemson, or UNC. Not that great no matter how you slice it.
Miami's Worst Loss? 6-1 FSU or 7-1 OSU. At least they lost to decent teams.

Compare that with let's say Wisconsin.

Wisconsin's Best Win? 7-1 OSU
Wisconsin's Worst Loss? 8-0 Michigan State.

OBJECTIVELY, Pretty obvious Wisconsin should be ranked above Miami, but how about MSU versus BSU?

Both unbeaten, so it would be - 0.

BSU's best win? 6-2 VT, who lost to James Madison, then it drops to 3-3 Oregon State.
MSU's best win? 7-1 Wisconsin.

So, OBJECTIVELY, MSU would be above BSU. Not using the Blue Turf as a factor, just their best wins and worst losses.

I wish I had the computer resources to do such a simple SOS ranking where conferences, scores, and fan popularity was not involved.

[Ungar]

Soup, headed to the woods til Sunday, dont know if I'll be able to blog there.

Go Canes!!!

Posted by: NativeCane | October 28, 2010 at 04:00 AM

You know, this guy keeps getting outdoor vacations, is able to read the papers each morning, and has freedom of movement most married men never DREAM of.

I am starting to suffer from NativeEnvy....

[BEERicane]

Two students of equal intelligence, intellect and drive are college seniors.

^No weighting or AP offerings in college. These are college kids.

[Ungar]

"Meanwhile, the specter of a TCU-Boise State national championship match-up, or at least one of those two teams facing a one-loss, best-argument-in, BCS automatic qualifying champion grows ever more real with each week of games while I'm continued to be forced by circumstance to actually cheer for Florida State to win."

Sorry, LOVE THE ARTICLE, but even a BSU TCU final will not let me cheer for FSU over UM in the ACC title game.

A man's gotta know his limitations...

[solarcane]

good argument pb,

I remember the same argument how Oklahoma was going to wipe the field up with Boise and we would never have to here about them again.

Boise State prepares itself for big games better than SEC teams do.
You see SEC teams get upset all the time.

Don't let fear of the SEC get in your head
Boise wouldn't.

[canechic]

Great job PB!!!!

[solarcane]

ungar,
that native has his priorities in order, playing outside, football, work.
I like it.

[Ungar]

I will give credit to BSU in one way though.

They WANT to get to the title game. Compare that to BYU, who dodged the top competition to play Michigan in their bowl game for their title.

If BSU wins the title game, even IF they get a smooth ride there, they will have done more than BYU did for their title. Good enough for me...

[Ungar]

ungar,
that native has his priorities in order, playing outside, football, work.
I like it.

Posted by: solarcane | October 28, 2010 at 11:47 AM

Oh, I like it, all the more reason to be envious of it.

[Ungar]

Man, now I am tempted to make my own ranking system, and gt it used in the BCS.

Anyonw know of a data source for team games and results? I would need a team, it's scheduled opponents, and it's results in an organized fashion. Let me check with the James Howard database, see if it has downloadable results.

[BEERicane]

Why do we care who is/will be in the championship. It is/will not be us, so I don't give a F*#&!

[UMike]

My issue with BSU is this...like solar said earlier..we played 2 ranked teams and lost. If we replace those ranked teams with lets say 2 cup cakes, we are 7-0 with decent wins against Pitt (ranked in pre-season), UNC (ranked in pre-season) and Clemson (a tough conference team). But unlike BSU we had to go to OSU and play the #2 team in the land and we had to play a very good, ranked FSU team. I'm not at all saying BSU is a bad team, they may be able to beat anyone, any time...BUT these days if you ain't 12-0 or 11-1 from the SEC you dont play for the title. A 10-2 Miami team that played like the did against UNC may be able to beat a 12-0 BSU team that played nobody. But Miami (or any other 11-1 - 9-3) team won't get the chance because they had to actually play someone during the year. Hope that makes sense

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

Me I'd take Kellen Moore running the Canes offense anytime.

Posted by: solarcane | October 27, 2010 at 10:50 PM

>>>>>>>

Running last week's I doubt he's be much better than J12.

Running the Mini-Martz we saw at Duke and other games, he'd probably be worse cause his arm strength isn't so great. But a lot of his success would depend on who was coaching him. If Mini Martz and Nix are coaching him, it's a crap shoot.

Then again, guys without the strongest arms are sometimes the better decision makers and take the short balls simply because the long ball isn't much of an option.

But I'll J12 with the right coach. Mini Martz is improving so I expect J12 to improve as well.

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

Boise's schedule is a joke. Auburn plays Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas just to name a few. The reward for winning all of those? A brutal SEC Championship.

If they lose just one game, then win the SEC Championship and Boise runs the table against the chit teams they play, how can anyone justify Boise over Auburn?

You can't. No matter how good they are.

Posted by: pb | October 28, 2010 at 10:55 AM

>>>>>>>>>

There it is...

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

My issue with BSU is this...like solar said earlier..we played 2 ranked teams and lost. If we replace those ranked teams with lets say 2 cup cakes, we are 7-0 with decent wins against Pitt (ranked in pre-season), UNC (ranked in pre-season) and Clemson (a tough conference team). But unlike BSU we had to go to OSU and play the #2 team in the land and we had to play a very good, ranked FSU team. I'm not at all saying BSU is a bad team, they may be able to beat anyone, any time...BUT these days if you ain't 12-0 or 11-1 from the SEC you dont play for the title. A 10-2 Miami team that played like the did against UNC may be able to beat a 12-0 BSU team that played nobody. But Miami (or any other 11-1 - 9-3) team won't get the chance because they had to actually play someone during the year. Hope that makes sense

Posted by: UMike | October 28, 2010 at 12:06 PM

>>>>>

This too.... Makes perfect sense and applies to a lot of other teams as well.

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

Why do we care who is/will be in the championship. It is/will not be us, so I don't give a F*#&!

Posted by: BEERicane | October 28, 2010 at 12:02 PM

>>>>>>>>>>

Now that's True U right there. hahaha'

And what you said earlier about us beating a better VT team than BOisie beat is the truth.

I'd love to get any of those schools in a bowl game. I hope Boisie plays a real team, like Bama or Aub or even a Wisky or OSU, although I'm not as impressed with OSU tactically as I am with Wisky.

FSU would be a good matchup for those squads too.

[solarcane]

ungar,
here is every score of every game by every team... forever

http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/byName.htm

When you cruise through Miami you will note how many really crappy teams we played from 1980 to 2000.
We beat some real good teams, about two per year just like Boise does, but we were Miami, it was different in the Big East, than the WAC, excuse me while I cough.
When I did the rundown on the 58 game winning streak, it was obvious 20 or 30 wins against Temple,BC,Pitt, Rutgers,early VT, definitely padded the bragging rights.

[solarcane]

good post Umike, that makes sense.

Why didn't Miami Schedule Boise instead of Michigan State?

[solarcane]

beeri,

Thats what I think too.
We are no where close to beating top 5 schools week in and week out so it doesn't make a difference if its Auburn,Oregon,Boise, or anyone else in the NC as far as caring about it for me.

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

Solar, back then the WAC was even more of a joke than it is today.

I see the point you're trying to make but it doesn't work. What you should do is compare the scores of the Big East teams we beat down when they played WAC or Mountain West squads.

Apples today weren't apples back then.

[pb]

Solar I don't Boise is as talented as any team in America.

But the reality is when you are cruising through half or more of your schedule by 40 points your risk of injury to key players is a fraction of what it would be. Your team is fresher, healthier and less emotionally worn out than any team in any of the major conferences. Look at us, we literally had NO extra healthy d linemen and linebackers by the time we played Wisconsin.

In the major conferences there really aren't any gimmes. In conference teams like Northwestern, Maryland, Washington and Kentucky aren't ever easy wins.

The reality is you have to factor in how difficult the trip was to the finish line when determining who plays for what. And IMO a 1 loss SEC, BIg Ten or even ACC team will always deserve it far more.

[pb]

Solar I don't deny /\/\/\

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

Solar, we'd beat a lot of schools with Mini-Martz on board now. The problem was never the defense it was the offense. Recall, undefeated Utah had to go to OT to beat Pitt AT Utah. Meanwhile we beatdown Pitt with basically 1/2 game of good offense.

And now the defense has got the bull back mentally. This is barely the beginning. UVA's going to get it then MD then GT and VT.

C-Mac is still iffy and the OL has too many breakdowns so far but we're on the cusp.

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

good post Umike, that makes sense.

Why didn't Miami Schedule Boise instead of Michigan State?

Posted by: solarcane | October 28, 2010 at 12:19 PM

>>>>>>>

Who said we were looking at Boisie?

And why doesn't Boisie schedule more than one ranked team year??

Bro, the Boisie argument holds no water. Until they schedule legit teams in the regular season like the U did, they have little room to talk. These days they need to join a conference and prove it, week in and week out. It's that simple. Ditto for TCU, who has even less of an excuse cause they're literally in the middle of SEC, Big 12 country.

If Utah did it why can't Boisie?

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

PB, Boise IS NOT as talented as any team in America. They EXECUTE as well as any team in America, but they're not nearly as talented up and down the roster as a lot of teams.

If they were, they would've blown out VT. Instead they needed the entire game to beat them.

And that's just ONE game. Let's see them do that 8 consecutive weeks.

Bullshyyyttt.

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

And Boisie WILL NOT schedule more legit teams until they're excluded from the big dances.

You talk about why didn't we schedule Boisie, maybe that's because we've already scheduled Nebraska, OSu, UF, Mich. St and who knows who else for our non-conference road trips.

Meanwhile Boisie has schedule who??

[solarcane]

pb,
I will have to give you the fatigue and injury point.
The SEC teams and even the ACC teams beat on each other hard.

I only defend Boise because they are in a unique situation.
They are way over talented in coaching and players to anyone in their own conference.
Miami was exactly the same way in the Big East.
That conference was a joke.
Temple, Rutgers, BC, VT, Pitt, those were guaranteed wins, throw in The Citadel, Memphis and FAMU and you have 8 locked games every single season.
You schedule FSU and one other big name per year and to me you are Boise of the 90's.

Capt O,
The Big East of the 90s was exactly the WAC of the today.
Miami was too talented and well coached for anyone in the conference to touch.
We played our rival FSU and scheduled a marquee game, ND,UCLA or someone like that each year.
You don't see the resemblance between Boise and old Miami??

[solarcane]

Solar, back then the WAC was even more of a joke than it is today.

I see the point you're trying to make but it doesn't work.

Capt I don't think you see the point because the WAC back then has nothing to do with today's WAC vs the 90s Big East as far as crud factor goes.

Teams like Syracuse or West Virginia would show some talent and fade in and out yea.

[MaryLouAlumni]

Who is the neanderthal that came up with "good to see the boys flying around again". Maybe I've seen it too much, or it just is overdone.
Game Saturday---Still high noon?

[j.w.]

Game Saturday---Still high noon?

Posted by: MaryLouAlumni | October 28, 2010 at 12:59 PM

Yes, ESPN MaryLou!