**** OFFICIAL College Football Week 9 Game Thread ****

[DaKCMan AP]

All times EST.

Tuesday
8:00 Louisiana Tech at #3 Boise St - ESPN2

Thursday
7:30 #16 Florida State at NC State - ESPN

Friday
8:00 West Virginia at Connecticut - ESPN2

Saturday
12:00 #17 Oklahoma State at Kansas State
12:00 Northwestern at Indiana
12:00 Clemson at Boston College - ESPN3.com
12:00 Louisville at Pittsburgh - ESPN3.com
12:00 #22 Miami at Virginia
12:00 Purdue at Illinois
12:00 Syracuse at Cincinnati - ESPNU
12:21 Tennessee at #20 South Carolina - ESPN3.com
2:00 Kansas at Iowa State
2:30 Tulsa at Notre Dame - NBC
3:30 #5 Michigan State at #18 Iowa - ABC
3:30 #6 Missouri at #14 Nebraska - ABC
3:30 #15 Arizona at UCLA
3:30 Florida vs. Georgia - CBS
3:30 Wake Forest at Maryland - ESPNU
3:30 William & Mary at North Carolina
3:30 California at Oregon State - FCSP
3:30 Texas Tech at Texas A&M
3:30 East Carolina at UCF
3:30 Duke at Navy
6:00 #1 Auburn at Mississippi - ESPN2
6:00 New Mexico at Colorado State
7:00 #13 Stanford at Washington - Versus
7:00 #25 Baylor at Texas
7:00 Vanderbilt at #19 Arkansas - ESPN3.com
7:00 Kentucky at #21 Mississippi State - ESPNU
7:00 Washington State at Arizona State
7:30 #8 Utah at Air Force
8:00 #2 Oregon at USC - ABC
8:00 #11 ohio state at Minnesota - ABC
8:00 Michigan at Penn State - ESPN
9:15 Colorado at #9 Oklahoma - ESPN2
10:30 Utah State at #24 Nevada - ESPNU
11:00 #4 TCU at UNLV
11:30 Idaho at Hawaii

Enjoy the games!

[DaKCMan AP]

Just because I always love a story about stealing recruits from Notre Dame.

Clay Burton, brother of Trey, dumps Notre Dame for Florida Gators.

"They offered and that was it. You want to have all of your options available to you before you make a decision, but we weren't sure Florida was going to offer," Cindy said. "Clay had to earn it and the only way he could do that was become a leader without Trey.

"At the University of Florida, those guys are hard to impress. That's a top-notch football program and they only want the best of the best and Clay really had to earn it."

It also makes for some unhappy Notre Dame fans and coaches. Not fully expecting a Florida offer, Clay Burton committed to Notre Dame on Sept. 24, and so he had to let the Irish coaches know he had changed his mind on Sunday night.

"It was really really hard but it had to be done and hopefully they'll understand sooner or later," Clay said of his phone call to Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diacco and others. "They definitely did not agree with my decision. They still feel like Notre Dame is best place for me, but I don't any more."

Especially when it leads to multiple commits.

Fleet-footed 2012 Venice lineman Omari Phillips will follow teammate Clay Burton to Florida

Clay Burton's commitment to the University of Florida on Monday helped push Venice High School teammate OT/DT Omari Phillips, off the edge and the 6-foot-6, 259-pound Phillips took the Gator plunge with his good friend.

Phillips is a junior this season and is the secod early commitment to the Gators' class of 2012, joining Citra North Marion ATH LaTroy Pittman.

[Rausch]

Knob-raska once again stands as the stumbling block to a MIZZOU happy ending.

I could think of no team I'd prefer to beat to take the next step...

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Knob-raska once again stands as the stumbling block to a MIZZOU happy ending.

I could think of no team I'd prefer to beat to take the next step...

It'll be a huge test for Mizzou, no doubt. See if they can do it two weeks in a row, this time on the road.

[DaKCMan AP]

La Tech 7
Boise St 14

2nd qtr

[joesomebody]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

It'll be a huge test for Mizzou, no doubt. See if they can do it two weeks in a row, this time on the road.

Hope so, but even if we do I still don't like the odds of us running the table. I can easily see the K-State game, Texas Tech, or Iowa State game being a prime opportunity for a let down. If we do beat Nebraska, we have the Big 12 championship game to look forward to.

Big 12 just isn't an easy conference to win.

[Saul Good]

Iowa is a 6.5 point favorite over MSU. Neb is a 7.5 point favorite over Mizzou. Oregon is a 7 point favorite at USC.

[Saul Good]

BTW, Navy is a 13.5 favorite at home against Duke. LOVE Navy to cover.

[Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan]

More Mid-Western home cooking for Div II fans from the MIAA:

1:00 PM Washburn vs. Truman
1:30 PM Emporia St. vs. Mo. Western St.
2:00 PM Fort Hays St. vs. #5 Northwest Mo. St.
2:00 PM Neb.-Omaha vs. Pittsburg St.
2:20 PM #7 Central Mo. vs Mo. Southern St.

[BWillie]

Man if Iowa's special teams costs them a third loss to Michigan State I'm taking a nose dive off of One Kansas City Place

[Saulbadguy]

BOLDED, YES!!!

[Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

BOLDED, YES!!!

Nope, sorry, no bolding for Washburn this year.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Knob-raska once again stands as the stumbling block to a MIZZOU happy ending.

I could think of no team I'd prefer to beat to take the next step...

Tiger Gary's

10 Things to Know About Nebraska…….


(1) Welcome to Big 10 football….

Nebraska runs the ball 67% of the time (306 of 454 plays)…..


(2) The Nubs are at their MOST dangerous on first down….

Nebraska runs it 77% of the time on first down and are the most dangerous on this down…..They gain 7.8 yards a carry and have scored 9 rushing TD’s….

Martinez is most dangerous on first down……his biggest gains have come on in this situation and he it his best passing down …..A guy that completes 59% of his passes overall, completes 70% of first down throws and has thrown 4 of his 8 TD passes…..Of Nebraska’s 11 passing plays of 25 yards of more, 6 have come on first down Martinez tries…..Martinez has 14 runs of 20 yards or more…..7 are on first down


(3) First you get Roy, and then you get Rex….

Helu gets 64% of his carries on first down and averages 8.3 yards a first down pop….Burkhead gets a crack on first down 49% on his tries…and averages 6.1 yards a carry….But on second on third downs, the odds are Burkhead gets the rock, if a running back is used..


(4) Down and distance are critical…

Nebraska has a relatively mediocre 3rd down conversion rate at 42.5% (38th nationally) due in large past to Martinez less than magical conversion rate when passing on 3rd down….Nebraska has thrown the ball on 3rd and four or longer on 37 occasions and gotten 15 first downs (40.5%) success rate….They have run it 23 times on 3rd and 4 or longer and netted 7 first downs…meaning Nebraska gets a first down on 1 out of 3 tries when needing 4 or more yards…..that’s not stellar


(5) The Home Run ball…..

T Magic has thrown it 111 times….40 of those on 3rd down, where on 3rd and 4 or longer he is 20 for 37, but on 3rd and 10 or longer, Martinez is 10 for 14…..

But Nebraska goes for broke early in a series…9 of 11 of Martinez’ biggest passing plays (25 or more yards) have come on first or second down, when teams cheat on the run (see above) and they can give him single coverage


(6) Blackshrts?.....Not this bunch

Teams run it 60% of the time against Nebraska, and again an average of 4.1 yards a carry….that ranks them 9th and 8th in those Big XII categories respectively….

And Nebraska is vulnerable on 3rd and short…..on 19 carries on 3rd and 3 or less, Nebraska has allowed 5.7 yards a carry and allowed 13 first downs

Teams are most successful when running it from their 40 to the nub red zone…Nebraska allows 5.5 yards a try…and Nebraska has allowed 8 rushing red Zone TD’s (MU has allowed but 2)


(7) Nebraska’s pass defense is good…..

Nebraska wants to play field position and make you throw it inside your 40….teams are 47 of 107 (43% completion rate) when backed up against the nubs…they are their most aggressive in that situation and have 8 of their 11 situations inside the opponents 40…

From their 40 and in, opponents are 43 of 80 (53.7%) and have allowed 5 of their 6 passing TDs….

Nebraska has allowed but 1 TD pass when a game is in doubt…….all of the rest occur when the Nubs are winning by 14 points or more


(8) Nebraska’s penchant for penalties isn’t getting better…and Oooops!...dropped it!!!

23 of their 52 penalties have come against KSU (6), Texas (10) and OSU (7) in their last 3 games….they are at the bottom of the conference in that category….they lose 67 yards per conference game in penalties…

Nebraska is dead last in Fumbles….having coughed it up 24 times and lost 9 (MU 13 and 7)


(9) It all starts with the line…..

Nebraska has allowed but 9 sacks (MU has allowed 7), but MU has thrown it 283 times to UNL’s 136…..so Nebraska allows a sack about 6.7% per passing attempt, while MU is about 1/3 less often (2.4%)…and UNL incurs 1.5 sacks per game against AQ schools…..MU only 1.0 per game….

UNL has only allowed 17 TFL against BCS AQ schools…..MU has allowed 31

UNL’s line is good….(but their LT was held out Monday’s practice due to a Sat injury….He is expected to play against MU)


(10) The value of Alex Henery and Adi Kunalic

Alex Henery is the league’s best specialist, handling punting and placements…Adi Kunalic is best in the Conference in kick offs…..Henery punting and Kunalic’s kick off’s have forced opponents to start 39 drives at or inside their own 20….Remember, UNL gets really aggressive when they back up their opponents…. Bo learned at the knee of Woody Hayes’ disciples….He understands field position….

Henery is 9 for 9 In FG attempts, with 4 made of 40 + yards (long of 52)…and is 35 for 35 on Xpts…



What does all of this mean?.....


Nebraska reflects its gum popppin' coach and is neither complicated or sophisticated....


1)Put them in 3rd and 5 and more often as not, they be punting....

2)Move the ball, don't put your self into position of going the length of the field to score every time....

3)they'll put it on the ground....be opportunistic, accept their gift, and put it to good use

4)this is a good secondary - period...but give Gabbert time and he and his receivers can make plays...

5)Keep Martinez and his backs in check on first down....it's the down to watch

6)MU has to run it.....Let Carl worry about what coverage to call on 2nd and 5 or 3rd and 3.....

7)Put the heat on TM....his value is in his ability to make plays out of nothing, but Gachkar, Gooden, Harrison and Jackson need to get in his grill....he will cough it up.

[mlyonsd]

Nebraska beats MU by 14+.

[Crush]

LA Tech 13
Boise State 28

LA Tech failed to convert on the 4th and 3 inside the Boise State 10 with 6:46 in the 3rd.