Monday, September 1, 2014

The new Bobby Petrino Era in Louisville picks up where the old one left off



During the past couple weeks, a lot has been made about coach Bobby Petrino’s mannerisms, his relationships with his coaches, his relationships with his players and, most of all, his sordid past.


But the one thing no one questioned about Louisville’s new head coach was his ability to coach — and win.


In his and Louisville’s ACC debut, the Cardinals dominated Miami 31-13 and came out of the weekend looking like one of the top teams in the ACC.


Now, it’s important to put this win in perspective. Miami has had its struggles. It’s lost five of its last seven games and all of those losses have been by 18 or more points. The Hurricanes also started a true freshman quarterback in Brad Kaaya and while he had moments of brilliance, he looked like a true freshman on some of his decisions.


But none of that should take away from Louisville dominating performance, which included two interceptions and limited the Miami running game to just 70 yards. Overall, Miami mustered just 244 yards of total offense.


Offensively, the Cardinals were a little ragged. New starting quarterback Will Gardner, who was taking over for the departed Teddy Bridgewater, had two fumbles, but he did show off a rocket arm and threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns. What was perhaps most impressive about the Louisville offense was it’s running game, a weapon that had ben missing in the past. Dominique Brown had 33 carries for 143 yards and a score and he’s not even the Cardinals top running back. That honor belongs to Michael Dyer, who was sidelined with injury.


So, there’s a lot of potential in this Louisville offense that could be realized as the season treks on. And let’s be honest, not one of the perceived top ACC teams really had a great showing this weekend. Florida State won, but quarterback Jameis Winston struggled and Clemson was eaten up by the Georgia running game. In fact, Florida State allowed 161 rushing yards to Oklahoma State, a team not known for its strong rushing presence. That, combined with the way Louisville ran the ball on Monday and it suffocating defense, could make the Cardinals a serious threat in the ACC Atlantic Division.


And all the credit goes to Petrino. He quickly quieted his doubters and showed exactly why Louisville was willing to bring him back for a second chance despite the shady way he left the team in 2007. He's a winner, has been everywhere he's gone, and those kinds of coaches, even if they are a little rough around the edges, are tough to find.


For more Louisville news, visit CardinalSports.com.


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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday


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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - The new Bobby Petrino Era in Louisville picks up where the old one left off


Bobby Petrino Proud Of Team


Visit ESPN.com for the complete story. From ESPN.com - College Football - Bobby Petrino Proud Of Team


Louisville pulls away from Miami, wins its ACC debut


Dominique Brown's 15-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Gerald Christian's 10-yard TD catch late in the fourth followed Louisville's big defensive performance that helped beat Miami (Fla.) 31-13 on Monday night. From College Football News : CBSSports.com - Louisville pulls away from Miami, wins its ACC debut


L'ville shuts down Miami to win ACC debut


Dominique Brown's 15-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Gerald Christian's 10-yard TD catch late in the fourth followed Louisville's big defensive performance that helped beat Miami 31-13 on Monday night. From ESPN.com - College Football - L'ville shuts down Miami to win ACC debut


Report: Arizona St. extends hoops coaches


A person familiar with the contracts says Arizona State has agreed to extensions for men's basketball coach Herb Sendek and women's coach Charli Turner Thorne. From ESPN.com - College Basketball - Report: Arizona St. extends hoops coaches


NCAA faces new suit over football scholarships

Follow LIVE: Louisville makes ACC debut vs. Miami

2Q MIA W. Gardner sacked by A. Chickillo for -5 yds,W. Gardner fumbled, recovered by MiaFl T. Armbrister,Gardner, Will pass sacked for loss of 5 yards to the

Maryland WR Taivon Jacobs out for season with knee injury



It only took two plays for Taivon Jacobs’ season to end.


Terps head coach Randy Edsall tweeted Monday that Jacobs, a redshirt freshman who earned a starting role, won’t play again this season due to a knee injury he sustained Saturday against James Madison.



Taivon Jacobs will miss the remainder of the season due to knee injury on Saturday vs James Madison.


— Randy Edsall (@RandyEdsall) September 1, 2014

According to the Baltimore Sun, the injury occurred when Jacobs “got tangled up with a James Madison defender while attempting to track down a long pass from quarterback C.J. Brown.”


With Jacobs out, Marcus Leak is likely to assume a first-team role along with Stefon Diggs and Deon Long. Sophomores Jacquille Veii and Amba Etta-Tawo could also see an increased role.


A position group that was once jam-packed with depth is now a little thin for Maryland. The program announced Friday that Jacobs’ brother, fellow receiver Levern Jacobs, was suspended for the season because of a violation of the school’s student conduct code. The elder Jacobs, a junior, led the Terps in receiving in 2013 with 47 catches for 640 yards and three touchdowns.


Additionally, junior Nigel King (33 catches for 450 yards in 10 starts last season) transferred to Kansas in early August.


Maryland, coming off a 52-7 win over James Madison, will hit the road to face South Florida on Saturday.


For more Maryland news, visit TerrapinSportsReport.com.


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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Maryland WR Taivon Jacobs out for season with knee injury


Baylor QB Petty day-to-day with injured back


Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty is day-to-day after suffering a minor back injury against SMU on Sunday. From ESPN.com - College Football - Baylor QB Petty day-to-day with injured back


Report: Baylor QB Bryce Petty is day-to-day, has 'two cracks' in back



It was pretty clear that Bryce Petty’s back was bothering him early in Baylor’s game Sunday night against SMU. Petty aggravated it several times throughout the first half and had to be helped up by teammates after taking a hit when diving into the end zone.


Petty was held out of the second half with what was called a bruised lower back. It turns out, according to CBSSports.com’s Dennis Dodd, that the injury is a bit more serious than that.


Dodd is reporting that Petty, Baylor’s standout senior quarterback, actually suffered “two cracks in the transfer processes in his back.” His status is said to be “day-to-day.”


From Dodd:



The discovery was made after a Monday morning MRI showed that bones sticking out from the spine were cracked, according to a spokesman. Petty said he has pain but expects to play this week against Northwestern State. The injury is expected to heal on its own.



Despite Petty showing visible signs of discomfort, head coach Art Briles kept him in the game because “he needed the reps.” Petty, the Big 12 offensive player of the year in 2013, said after the game that he couldn’t “walk right.”


Petty said he expects to play Baylor’s next game against FCS Northwestern State, but playing that game doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. Petty is obviously very important for the success of Baylor’s season. Why put him at risk for further injury against a weak opponent (that lost to Missouri State in week one) that the Bears can beat without Petty?


Per Dodd, the injury “is expected to heal on its own,” so it would be wise for Briles to hold his quarterback out – even it’s just for precautionary reasons. Other Baylor players have had the same injury and were able to return relatively quickly. Petty should be able to do the same, but being cautious with this situation is probably the best course of action.


After the Northwestern State game, the Bears will then visit Buffalo on Sept. 12. A bye week follows the Buffalo game before the Bears' Big 12 schedule opens up against Iowa State on September 27. Petty has plenty of time to heal.


For more Baylor news, visit SicEmSports.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!


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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Report: Baylor QB Bryce Petty is day-to-day, has 'two cracks' in back


Report: Baylor QB Bryce Petty has two cracked bones in his back, listed day-to-day



Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty has two cracks in his back stemming from an injury he suffered against SMU on Sunday, according to CBSSports.com.


An MRI on Monday morning revealed that Petty had two bones sticking out from his spine that were cracked. Petty is listed as day-to-day, but expects to play in Saturday’s game against Northwestern State.


Why? We have no idea.


Petty was injured during the first half of the 45-0 win against SMU and the injury was made worse when he was hit while diving into the end zone. Cameras caught Petty wincing as teammates had to help their starting quarterback off the turf. Despite the obvious discomfort, Petty played the entire first half. He was held out of the second half with what Baylor called a lower back bruise.


Everyone who was watching the game and even the commentators wondered why Petty was still playing when he was noticeably hobbled and the game was never in doubt.


Coach Art Briles was asked why Petty stayed in the game despite the injury and Briles said: “He needed the reps.”


What Petty needs to do now is sit out the gimme game against Northwestern State, the game against Buffalo, embrace the bye week and get healed for games that Baylor actually needs him to win. Petty’s injury will heal on its own, but not if he continues to aggravate it and that’s exactly what will happen if he plays.


Yes, Petty is a Heisman contender, but padding his stats against weak opponents isn’t going to win him the award; it’s the games against Big 12 Conference foes such as Oklahoma and Texas that will be the deciding factors. If Petty isn’t 100 percent in those games because machismo is forcing him to play games the Bears could win with 10 players then Baylor has no one but itself to blame.


For more Baylor news, visit SicEmSports.com.


- - - - - - -


Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday


And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook


From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Report: Baylor QB Bryce Petty has two cracked bones in his back, listed day-to-day


Alabama DB Jarrick Williams played WVU game with broken bone in foot, will miss four weeks



Alabama senior Jarrick Williams knew his foot was bothering him, but he still managed to play the whole game and make three tackles in Alabama’s win over West Virginia on Saturday.


What the senior safety did not know is that he actually broke a bone in his foot – an injury coach Nick Saban said Monday will keep him out for four weeks.


According to Al.com, Saban referred to Williams’ injury as a “Jones fracture,” which is a “break of the fifth metatarsal at the base of his small toe.” To remedy the issue, a screw was put in Williams’ foot on Sunday.


With Williams out for a while, Saban said that Geno Smith and Maurice Smith are candidates to fill in at the “star” position – a kind of hybrid safety/outside linebacker role. Eddie Jackson, who has been out with a knee injury since the spring, could also be an option after being cleared by team doctors.


Williams wasn’t the only Alabama starter to suffer an injury Saturday. Saban said that wide receiver DeAndrew White will miss two weeks due to a shoulder injury. White, a senior, caught six passes for 73 yards Saturday before leaving the game with the injury. Redshirt sophomore Chris Black filled in for White against WVU.


Who will be delivering the ball to those receivers this weekend against Florida Atlantic remains to be seen. Though Blake Sims was pretty solid against WVU, Saban said that Jacob Coker would get some reps, though he’s not sure how those reps will be divided between Sims and Coker.


“I still don’t hesitate to say there’s a quarterback competition,” Saban said, per TideSports.com. “In some way we’ll probably try to play both quarterbacks in this game. I don’t know how. When I figure it out, I’m probably not going to tell you (reporters). Andi don’t know if that’s important to be honest with you.”


Thanks, coach.


For more Alabama news, visit TideSports.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!


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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Alabama DB Jarrick Williams played WVU game with broken bone in foot, will miss four weeks


QB Miles to start for Huskies after suspension


After serving a one-game suspension in the season opener, Washington quarterback Cyler Miles will start for the Huskies against Eastern Washington. From ESPN.com - College Football - QB Miles to start for Huskies after suspension


Baylor star QB Petty day-to-day with back injury

Wash. QB Miles to start week after suspension

For Gators, suspended game is time served


Florida coach Will Muschamp reinstates three suspended players after opener is washed out From ESPN.com - College Football - For Gators, suspended game is time served


Hip injury kept Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon out in second half vs. LSU



It was perplexing to see Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon carry the ball only three times in the second half of Saturday night’s game against LSU.


After he ran for 71 yards in the first half, Gordon took off for a 63-yard scamper on the Badgers’ first play of the second half. From that point on, we saw very little of Gordon as Wisconsin allowed LSU to come back from a 17-7 half time deficit and win 28-24.


After the game, head coach Gary Andersen said the standout junior was fine, but Gordon told reporters Monday that, apparently unbeknownst to Andersen, he injured his hip on his last run of the first half.



Melvin Gordon: My hip injury happened on my last run before halftime. I was ready to go, but they were looking out for what's best for me.


— Badger Football (@BadgerFootball) September 1, 2014


Gordon when asked if the hip injury is why he was caught on long run, "Hahaha, yeah I'm gonna use that."


— Badger Football (@BadgerFootball) September 1, 2014

Contradicting his postgame statement from Saturday, Andersen also said Monday that Gordon had a hip flexor injury, so he was held out for most of the second half.



GA on Gordon: "Melvin had a bit of a hip flexor. We were trying to be smart with him as the rest of the game went on" #Badgers


— Badger Football (@BadgerFootball) September 1, 2014

The Badgers face FCS opponent Western Illinois on Saturday. Gordon said he will be “ready to roll” on Saturday, though it doesn’t make much sense for the Badgers to jeopardize its top offensive threat in what will surely be a blowout.


Gordon finished Saturday night’s game with 140 yards on just 16 carries. In 2013, he ran for 1,609 yards and 12 scores at a whopping 7.8 yards per carry.


For more Wisconsin news, visit BadgerBlitz.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!


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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Hip injury kept Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon out in second half vs. LSU


Everything You Need to Know About Brunch Etiquette


You chose your spot, usually based off the awesome deal they have, gather your friends together and head out with your shades on because obviously you went out the night before and can’t stand to see the light. But there is one thing people tend to ignore when they head off to brunch. Brunch etiquette. From Gossip, Fast Fashion, Female Lifestyle, Sex & Love: CollegeCandy - Everything You Need to Know About Brunch Etiquette


UTEP RB Aaron Jones dominates in win over New Mexico, team he says never showed up for recruiting visit



UTEP running back Aaron Jones had some extra motivation going into the season opener against New Mexico.


Jones told reporters that he had an in-home visit scheduled with New Mexico when he was a senior in high school, but the New Mexico coaches never showed up. This time around, revenge was sweet for Jones. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound sophomore from El Paso ran for a career-high 237 yards and three touchdowns in the Miners’ 31-24 road win.



“They called me and told me my senior year that they were going to do an in-home visit and they never showed up,'' Jones said after the win. ''They called and told me when they were coming, my mom cooked and they never showed up. So I have to take it to them.”



Jones’ 3-yard touchdown run with 2:18 to go ended up being the game-winner for the Miners, who are coming off a 2-10 season in 2013. Jones also scored on runs of 12 yards and 73 yards in the win.


As a true freshman in 2013, Jones ran for 811 yards and four scores on 5.2 yards per carry in just nine games. The 811 yards is a UTEP record for a freshman.


UTEP and Jones will look to build off the win Texas Tech makes the trip to El Paso next Saturday.


For more UTEP news, visit MinerIllustrated.com.


(H/T Deadspin )


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!


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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - UTEP RB Aaron Jones dominates in win over New Mexico, team he says never showed up for recruiting visit


Burning Man, 2014 or Mad Max Movie? It’s Burning Man… [PHOTOS]


Every year, we like to look at pics of Burning Man and pretend that it’s kind of like Road Warrior with beautiful babes–except that now... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - Burning Man, 2014 or Mad Max Movie? It’s Burning Man… [PHOTOS]


Florida State lifts suspenion for WR Wilson


Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher announced Monday receiver Jesus "Bobo" Wilson's indefinite suspension, which stemmed from a June theft of a scooter, has been lifted. From ESPN.com - College Football - Florida State lifts suspenion for WR Wilson


Coach: Hip flexor limited Badgers RB Gordon


Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon had a hip flexor injury that limited him in the second half of the Badgers' loss to LSU, coach Gary Andersen said Monday. From ESPN.com - College Football - Coach: Hip flexor limited Badgers RB Gordon


Badgers' Gordon 'ready to roll' despite hip flexor

Makeup of Idaho-Florida washout no sure thing

Check out awesome GoPro video of skydiver's flight into Croke Park for Penn State-UCF game (Video)



Saturday morning we told you about the little mishap with the skydivers delivering the game balls for the Croke Park Classic between UCF and Penn State in Dublin, Ireland. UCF’s skydiver somehow missed the stadium completely and ended up landing on a nearby railroad, while Penn State’s skydiver landed on the field without issue.


Now, thanks to an awesome GoPro video from the dive, we get to see a phenomenal look at the Penn State skydiver’s perspective from when he jumps out of the plane to when he lands at the 50-yard line of the famous Croke Park pitch.


Take a look.



It’s really cool to hear the roar of the crowd as he approaches the playing surface.


Penn State won the game, 26-24.


(H/T Onward State )


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!


Follow @SamDCooper


From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Check out awesome GoPro video of skydiver's flight into Croke Park for Penn State-UCF game (Video)


Forget College — This Kid Has Us Ready To Go Back To 5th Grade [PIC]


We don’t usually fall for every Cute Kid Note that rocks the internet–but we’d really appreciate it if this note took off in a viral... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - Forget College — This Kid Has Us Ready To Go Back To 5th Grade [PIC]


New Mexico State's horse mascot knocks over girl during pregame ceremony (Video)



One of New Mexico State’s pregame traditions involves a horse named Keystone circling the playing field rode by mascot Pistol Pete before the opening kickoff. Before Thursday’s opener against Cal Poly, there was a bit of a mishap.


Per the Las Cruces Sun-News, Zaina Atyani, a NMSU student who works in marketing for the school’s athletic department, got in Keystone’s way. The results were not pretty.



The video doesn’t make things look so good, but Atyani had a lighthearted reaction to the incident.



Just got knocked out by a horse. No big deal.


— Zaina Atyani (@ZainaAtyani) August 29, 2014

Additionally, Eddie Morelos, NMSU’s assistant director of media relations, told the Sun-News that Atyani was “perfectly fine” after taking the hit. What a trooper.


Even better for NMSU, the Aggies came out on top and beat Cal Poly 28-10.


For more New Mexico State news, visit CrimsonIllustrated.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!


Follow @SamDCooper


From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - New Mexico State's horse mascot knocks over girl during pregame ceremony (Video)


DB Williams, WR White injured for No. 2 Tide


No. 2 Alabama loses two starters -- DB Jarrick Williams (foot) and DeAndrew White (shoulder) -- for significant time. From ESPN.com - College Football - DB Williams, WR White injured for No. 2 Tide


“It’s Him Or South Korea. Which Do I Pick?” [Ask A Dude]


I am moving abroad either to his country or South Korea but I can't help but feel influenced by him. Does it seem like he wants to get back together if we only lived nearby? He has even implied if he saw me again he would want to be intimate. From Gossip, Fast Fashion, Female Lifestyle, Sex & Love: CollegeCandy - “It’s Him Or South Korea. Which Do I Pick?” [Ask A Dude]


Iowa State's top WR Quenton Bundrage suffers season-ending injury



Iowa State’s tough start to the season just got worse as leading receiver Quenton Bundrage is out for the season after tearing his ACL against North Dakota State.


The injury happened during the fourth play of last Saturday’s loss.



Rhoads said that Bundrage took the news hard. Was looking forward to a big play and consistent season. #Cyclones


— Tommy Birch (@TommyBirch) September 1, 2014


Rhoads on Bundrage: "I feel for him." #Cyclones


— Tommy Birch (@TommyBirch) September 1, 2014

Bundrage led the Cyclones with 48 catches for 676 yards and nine touchdowns. His touchdown total ranked third in the Big 12.


Freshman Allen Lazard will be Bundrage’s replacement. Lazard had 48-yard reception during last Saturday’s game.


The Cyclones, which lost to an FCS opponent for the second consecutive season, open up Big 12 Conference play this weekend against Kansas State.


For more Iowa State news, visit CycloneReport.com.


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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday


And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook


From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Iowa State's top WR Quenton Bundrage suffers season-ending injury


VOD: Johnny Manziel, action figures and a disapproving Charles Woodson



Today’s Video of the Day came out at the end of last week, but we waited to post so it didn’t get buried by all the college football games.


And we wanted people to see it.


Johnny Manziel might have moved on to the NFL, but it seems like he’s never really gone from the college game.



Manziel is featured in a Nissan Heisman House commercial as an action figure that beats fellow Heisman winner Charles Woodson and then taunts him afterward.


The view changes and we see Manziel playing with figurines while Woodson watches disapprovingly. Woodson takes the Manziel action figure, tosses it out the window and George Rogers runs over it with a car, which leads to sad Manziel.


The Nissan Heisman House has a lot of commercials, but this one is by far the funniest. With this and the Snickers commercial, Manziel might have a future in acting if the whole NFL quarterbacking thing doesn’t work out.


For more Texas A&M news, visit AggieYell.com.


For more Michigan news, visit TheWolverine.com.


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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday


And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook


From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - VOD: Johnny Manziel, action figures and a disapproving Charles Woodson


Float Fest 2014 Was a Texas State Rager [44 PHOTOS]


Everything we had planned for Labor Day Weekend just became a lot less glamorous, because we weren’t raging away with the finest folks of Texas... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - Float Fest 2014 Was a Texas State Rager [44 PHOTOS]


Huskers DE Gregory has left knee scoped


Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and likely will not play against McNeese State. From ESPN.com - College Football - Huskers DE Gregory has left knee scoped


Championship Drive

Cyclones' Bundrage out for 2014 with torn ACL

Huskers DE Gregory likely out for Week 2 (knee)

A Case of the Mondays: A look back at Week 1 love, hot takes and memorable moments



Every Monday, Dr. Saturday editor Graham Watson looks back on the weekend that was and decides what she loved, what she hated (I have all the hot takes) and what she can’t wait to see again.


THE LOVE


Tennessee grew up a lot: I’m not going to pretend like I was on the Tennessee bandwagon. I wasn’t. Like the rest of the country, I thought Tennessee was going to have youthful struggles and stagger to a 4-8 season. But Sunday’s game against Utah State gave me hope that Tennessee might actually make its games interesting this year. I loved the youthful energy and the poise with which Tennessee’s young team played and I’m eager to see how they fare against an opponent like Oklahoma.


USC focusing on football:


Not going to lie, having to write a week’s worth of stories about USC that had nothing to do with the football field was a little draining, so I loved to see the Trojans go out and play like none of it happened. Some teams might find it difficult to keep its composure especially with all of the negative press, but USC took care of Fresno State with ease and continue to be a program to watch in the Pac-12 South, especially with UCLA struggling.


It only took 16 games: I loved that the college football season officially began with Georgia State breaking a 16-game losing streak by coming from behind to beat Abilene Christian 38-37. It was definitely the kind of feel-good moment the college football season needed to get excited about the rest of the weekend. Trust that this will probably be the only time I mention Georgia State in this column, but I’m glad they finally got to start off their season with a victory (it hadn’t since 2011 and had lost 21 of its past 22 games).


THE HATE (hot takes a-plenty)


Bryce Petty machismo: Bryce Petty was ruled out of the second half of Sunday’s 45-0 win against SMU after suffering bruise in his lower back. Anyone who watched the game saw that bruise happen early in the first half and then saw Petty aggravate it several times, including on a hit he took diving into the end zone. Look, I’m all for being a gamer and showing you’re teammates you’re tough, but keeping Petty in the game, especially after he needed teammates to help him up following his rushing touchdown, was ridiculous. Yes, Petty is a Heisman hopeful this year and yes, SMU is a good team on which to roll up the stats, but is it worth Petty suffering a more serious injury that might cause him to miss some games? Heisman voters aren’t going to look back at the SMU game and hold it against Petty and he’ll have more than his fair share of opportunities to stockpile stats against other teams. Keeping Petty in Sunday’s games was dumb and could have proven disastrous for the Bears.


Where has all the offense gone?: I’m looking at you Oregon State and Texas Tech. Two of the nation’s most prolific offenses laid epic eggs in their season openers against Portland State and Central Arkansas respectively. At first, I was willing to give both teams the benefit of the doubt; that maybe they were working with a limited playbook as to not show too much to future opponents. But even both coaches admitted that their teams played like crap and that they’d have to iron out the kinks for Week 2. Tech plays UTEP and Oregon State has Hawaii as potential feel-good games next week, but the Beavers have to be careful. Hawaii gave Washington a run for its money on Saturday.


C’mon Syracuse: OK, I know I’m going to get a lot of hate for my hot take here, but I’m putting it out there anyway: There was a lot to hate about the Syracuse-Villanova game. And it wasn’t so much the game itself, but Syracuse throughout the game. From Terrel Hunt’s punch at the beginning of the game to the unsportsmanlike dance on what was ultimately the game-winning touchdown in overtime to the ridiculous celebration that came after Villanova dared to go for the win and was stopped (after a horrible play call). I know, I’m a killjoy, but I don’t think any team should be celebrating like it just won the conference title when it barely escapes an FCS team on its home field.



Maybe that’s just me, but maybe some hugs and “good game” pats would have been sufficient. The running across the field like crazy people was just ridiculous. And while we’re on the subject of ridiculousness, did I mention the starting quarterback punched another player? If you didn’t see it, here it is:



And here’s was what coach Scott Shafer had to say about it the next day:


“Terrel and I have talked regarding his flagrant penalty (vs. Villanova) and he fully understands the behavior is not condoned and regrets his action.”


Well, that’s that then, huh? Ridiculous.


LET’S DO IT AGAIN


Well hello, Kenny Hill Yes Texas A&M fans, there is life after Johnny Manziel and that life is looking pretty good. It’s hard to say any player had a better career debut than quarterback Kenny Hill, who torched South Carolina for more than 500 passing yards and three touchdowns. He looked poised, he looked confident and he made Texas A&M a must-watch for the 2014 season. The Aggies have quite a few cupcakes coming up, so Hill’s play might be limited to the first half while watching from the sideline in the second. But the Aggies drop back into conference play against Arkansas on Sept. 27, which should prove to be another opportunity for Hill to light up a conference foe.


Running wild with Todd Gurley It was good to see Todd Gurley back on a football field; it was even better to see Todd Gurley running like the player he was before his injury-riddled sophomore season. Gurley had 15 carries for 198 yards and three touchdowns and added a 100-yard kickoff return and a score. What was even more impressive is that Gurley didn’t put up these fantastic numbers against some FCS team, he did it against a ranked Clemson team. If Gurley can be the player he was during his freshman season — or, OMG, better — then Georgia would be a team to fear in the SEC. Sadly, Georgia has a bye this week, but then we get to see Gurley against South Carolina, which could be the start of something big for the Bulldogs and its star running back.


Row the freakin’ boat Western Michigan lost this weekend and that’s not exactly a shock. The Broncos have won just one game in coach P.J. Fleck’s tenure. But for the first time in a long time, the Broncos actually looked like a team that could be competitive with the other teams on its schedule. Purdue won 43-34, but Western Michigan was in the game the entire time and it gave the Boilermakers all they could handle. And I know, Purdue is the low of the low in the Big Ten, but Western Michigan doesn’t play in the Big Ten, it plays in the MAC and the team that squared off against Purdue on Saturday could beat a lot of teams in the MAC. The 34 points scored are the most Western Michigan has scored under Fleck and I’d say Western Michigan has a great opportunity to double its win total from a year ago with games against Idaho and Murray State after a bye this week.


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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday


And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook


From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - A Case of the Mondays: A look back at Week 1 love, hot takes and memorable moments


Texas QB David Ash out vs. BYU with concussion symptoms



Texas head coach Charlie Strong delivered two devastating pieces of news concerning his team Monday morning.


First, Strong confirmed multiple reports that starting center Dominic Espinosa broke his right ankle and is likely to miss the season after undergoing surgery Wednesday.


Then, he dropped a shocker by revealing that quarterback David Ash has been experiencing concussion symptoms following Saturday’s win over North Texas.



BREAKING: David Ash will not play this week. Ash got hit and had concussion symptoms.


— Orangebloods.com (@OBWire) September 1, 2014

Ash, who missed 10 games in 2013 due to concussion issues, will miss next weekend’s game against BYU. Strong said that the injury stemmed from the first hit Ash took in the game, but the symptoms did not show until afterward on Saturday night.


Ash managed to throw for 190 yards and a touchdown on 19-of-34 passing even after the hit.


Strong did not rule out a possible return for Ash this season, but said that sophomore Tyrone Swoopes will start for the Longhorns against BYU and while Ash is out. True freshman Jerrod Heard could also see some snaps.



#Longhorns coach Charlie Strong would not say if he expected Ash to play again this year. Just knows he's out this week #HookEm


— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) September 1, 2014

This is obviously a recurring problem for Ash, and Strong was adamant that the program would not jeopardize Ash's long-term health for the sake of football. Ash's original head injury took place almost one year ago in Texas' loss to BYU on September 7.



Strong: "We can never, ever, ever in this program, jeopardize a young man's health to go and compete in a football game..Will never happen."


— Orangebloods.com (@OBWire) September 1, 2014

Strong said the offense will have to change a bit with Swoopes under center. The former four-star recruit saw a bit of action for the Longhorns in four games last season, but he'll make his first career start Saturday.


For more Texas news, visit Orangebloods.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!


Follow @SamDCooper


From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Texas QB David Ash out vs. BYU with concussion symptoms


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Texas Longhorns quarterback David Ash will not play in Saturday's game against BYU because of concussion-like symptoms, coach Charlie Strong said Monday. From ESPN.com - College Football - Texas QB Ash (concussion) ruled out vs. BYU


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Report: Texas' Espinosa broke ankle in opener

Steve Spurrier says RB Mike Davis is 'doubtful' for East Carolina game



After Thursday’s season-opening beatdown at the hands of Texas A&M, South Carolina will look to get back on track against East Carolina on Saturday. Unfortunately for the Gamecocks, star running back Mike Davis might not be able to go due to a lingering rib injury.


Per GamecockCentral.com, head coach Steve Spurrier said Sunday that Davis, who carried the ball just six times and did not see a second-half carry against the Aggies, is doubtful for Saturday night’s game and won’t practice for the next few days.


Spurrier characterized the injury as “a bad bruised rib” that is “painful for him.” Brandon Wilds will likely start in Davis’ place, while Shon Carson and redshirt freshman David Williams also could be in line for some touches. Wilds had 45 rushing yards on nine carries Thursday and Carson carried the ball once for just two yards.


Williams, a well-regarded redshirt freshman, did not play Thursday night. Spurrier thinks that will change Saturday.


“David needs to play a little bit. He’s a good-sized and he needs to carry the ball some,” Spurrier said, per The State. “Hopefully, we can block and make some holes for our running backs. David Williams will probably get some carries.”


Davis first suffered the rib injury in mid-August and Spurrier was concerned about his status heading into the A&M game. Davis, a junior, ran for 1,183 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Though East Carolina is one of the better teams in the AAC, it wouldn’t be surprising for Spurrier to be held out of Saturday’s game, especially when the Gamecocks face Georgia the following week.


For more South Carolina news, visit GamecockCentral.com.


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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!


Follow @SamDCooper


From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Steve Spurrier says RB Mike Davis is 'doubtful' for East Carolina game


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Reports: Texas starting center Dominic Espinosa could miss season with ankle injury



Texas’ first game under head coach Charlie Strong was full of positives. The Longhorns dominated North Texas on both sides of the ball en route to a 38-7 win, but the lone negative occurred when starting center Dominic Espinosa went down with a foot injury late in the win.


Sunday it was reported by OrangeBloods.com that Espinosa, a fifth-year senior from Cedar Park, Texas, broke his right ankle and could be out for the season.



OB has confirmed that starting center Dominic Espinosa suffered a broken right ankle last night and will likely miss the rest of the season.


— Geoff Ketchum (@gkketch) August 31, 2014

Other outlets subsequently confirmed Espinosa’s injury, though Texas has yet to confirm the prognosis publicly.


The loss of the 6-foot-2, 308-pound Espinosa is a tough blow for the Longhorns. Saturday marked his 40th consecutive start at center and he was undoubtedly the backbone of a mostly inexperienced line. When Espinosa went down Saturday, redshirt freshman Jake Raulerson came in and a botched exchange between Raulerson and quarterback David Ash led to North Texas’ only score of the game.


Per the Houston Chronicle, Strong did not comment on Espinosa’s injury after the game, but did offer that the coaching staff may have to “restructure the line” in his absence.


Strong is scheduled to meet with the media Monday, where he could offer further details about Espinosa’s injury.


Texas’ next game is Saturday night at home against BYU.


For more Texas news, visit Orangebloods.com.


- - - - - - -


Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!


Follow @SamDCooper


From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Reports: Texas starting center Dominic Espinosa could miss season with ankle injury


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[17 pics!] It's just a simple sitcom, but we're tuning in to Partners to check out the built bod of sexy stunt gal Kimberly Fox... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - Kimberly Fox on “Partners” [SEE HER TONIGHT]


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Chanel West Coast–born unto this world as Chelsea Dudley–is celebrating her 26th birthday this Labor Day, and we know which pics we’ll be laboring over... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - Chanel West Coast Rocks Her 26th Birthday With A Hot 40 PICS [PHOTOS]


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No. 10 Baylor opens stadium with 45-0 win over SMU From ESPN.com - College Football - No. 10 Baylor opens stadium with rout of SMU


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