College Stuff for Real Men: 09/05/14

Friday, September 5, 2014

Conner gashes BC for 213 yards in Pitt victory

Conner gashes BC for 213 yards in Pitt victory From College Football News : CBSSports.com - Conner gashes BC for 213 yards in Pitt victory

Pitt knocks off Boston College 30-20 behind 214 rushing yards from James Conner

Pitt found out early on what its key to success would be Friday night against Boston College: feed James Conner.

Conner, a massive 6-foot-2, 250-pound sophomore, was dominant from the start and ran for 214 yards on 36 carries to lead the Panthers to an impressive 30-20 road ACC victory that was more lopsided than the final score indicates.

With Conner doing most of the work, Chad Voytik and the Panthers’ passing game got the job done. Voytik threw for just 111 yards, but hit standout wide receiver Tyler Boyd for two first half scores. The Pitt defense allowed 67 yards and a touchdown on the BC’s opening drive, but turned it around to give up just seven points the rest of the way before a garbage time touchdown by the Eagles with under a minute to go.

Boston College quarterback Tyler Murphy, a Florida transfer, ran for 104 yards on the ground but struggled through the air, completing just 10-of-28 passes for 134 yards and two interceptions.

The Panthers got on the board early with a 49-yard Chris Blewitt field goal, his first of three from beyond 40 yards on the night. Then, following the Eagles’ score, Conner got going early and often. By halftime he had 130 yards to propel the Panthers to a 20-3 lead.

The second half was more of the same. The Pitt defense – especially the front seven – remained stout and Conner finally got in the end zone with a 9-yard burst late in the third quarter. Following Conner’s score, which widened the Pitt lead to 27-7, the Eagles showed signs of life when Murphy hit Shakim Phillips on a 48-yard score, cutting the lead to 27-14.

The BC defense then forced a Pitt three-and-out, but the Panthers defense forced a three-and-out of its own to quickly squelch BC’s shot to make it a one possession game.

From then on, the James Conner show resumed and the Panthers coasted through the fourth quarter and improved to 2-0 with a win.

Sure it’s early in the year, but Pitt showed that it should absolutely be considered a threat in the ACC Coastal. The Panthers knew that they had two playmakers in Conner and Boyd, but head coach Paul Chryst had to be thrilled with the play of his defense. He’ll look for a similar effort in next weekend’s road matchup at FIU.

Things won’t get easier for the 1-1 Eagles, who will welcome No. 14 USC into Alumni Stadium next Saturday.

For more Pittsburgh news, visit Panther-lair.com. For more Boston College news, visit EagleAction.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 - Pitt knocks off Boston College 30-20 behind 214 rushing yards from James Conner

Florida State lands two ESPN 100 recruits

Dwayne Bacon, No. 40 in the ESPN 100, and Malik Beasley, No. 51, committed to Florida State while on official visits Friday, making it a huge night of recruiting for coach Leonard Hamilton and his staff. From ESPN.com - College Basketball - Florida State lands two ESPN 100 recruits

Backers push for OK on NCAA head-injury deal

Attorneys pushing for approval of a proposed $75 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit against the NCAA say claims the deal unfairly costs athletes affected by head injuries hundreds of millions of dollars are untrue. From ESPN.com - College Football - Backers push for OK on NCAA head-injury deal

Backers push for OK on NCAA head-injury deal

Attorneys pushing for approval of a proposed $75 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit against the NCAA say claims the deal unfairly costs athletes affected by head injuries hundreds of millions of dollars are untrue. From ESPN.com - College Basketball - Backers push for OK on NCAA head-injury deal

FSU reinstates Casher, suspends Thomas

Florida State freshman linebacker Matthew Thomas has been suspended indefinitely for a "violation of team rules," but teammate Chris Casher, a redshirt sophomore defensive end/linebacker, has been ruled academically eligible. From ESPN.com - College Football - FSU reinstates Casher, suspends Thomas

Boise State senior DT Tyler Horn out for the season

One of veteran members of Boise State’s defensive line won’t suit up again for the Broncos this season.

The program announced Friday that a knee injury that senior defensive tackle Tyler Horn suffered in the season opener against Ole Miss will keep him out for the rest of the year. However, because he never used his redshirt, Horn will return for his fifth year in 2015.

According to the Idaho Statesman, Horn injured the knee in the second half and was seen with a “large knee brace on the sideline.”

“(Horn’s) had that leadership role,” Caldwell said. “He’s been around here for a while. Then those other guys just have to step up if (Horn) can’t play.”

His status was unknown throughout the week, but defensive line coach Steve Caldwell named sophomore Sam McCaskill and defensive end Beau Martin as Horn’s possible replacements on the inside.

The 6-foot-5, 273-pound Horn has played in 34 games, starting nine, in his Boise State career. Including his four tackles and one sack against Ole Miss this year, Horn has registered 78 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks as a Bronco.

A native of Meridian, Idaho, Horn was a three-star recruit and Rivals rated him as the second-best recruit in Idaho the class of 2010.

For more Boise State news, visit Blue-Turf.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 - Boise State senior DT Tyler Horn out for the season

Florida State suspends Matthew Thomas while Chris Casher will be eligible Saturday

Florida State LB Chris Casher will be eligible to play against The Citadel on Saturday while LB Matthew Thomas has been suspended.

According to Warchant.com, Casher was notified Friday that he could play. A redshirt sophomore, Casher didn't play against Oklahoma State because of an academic issue. However, the matter has been resolved.

Casher is listed as a starter on FSU's depth chart. He and teammate Ronald Darby faced FSU code of conduct charges this spring for their role in the accused sexual assault against Jameis Winston. While Darby's attorney said he was cleared, Casher's attorney declined comment. Both players said that the sex between Winston and his accuser was consensual and they witnessed it.

Winston was not charged in the matter and according to a lawyer representing the accuser, she was interviewed in August by Florida State officials as part of the university's investigation into the matter.

Casher, a redshirt sophomore, had 25 tackles and two sacks in 2013.

Thomas missed the Oklahoma State game because of injury. Warchant said he's been suspended for a violation of team rules and will be eligible to return for the Notre Dame game. He missed nine games last season because of a shoulder injury.

For more Florida State news, visit Warchant.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Florida State suspends Matthew Thomas while Chris Casher will be eligible Saturday

Maker, No. 1 in 2016 class, to enroll in Canada

Thon Maker, the No. 1 player in the ESPN Class of 2016, and his younger brother, Matur Maker, have officially enrolled at the Athlete Institute in Canada. From ESPN.com - College Basketball - Maker, No. 1 in 2016 class, to enroll in Canada

VOD: Maryland's hype video has a scary turtle in it

Here's a peek at Maryland's hype video and ... OH MY GOODNESS WHAT IS THAT TURTLE THING IN THE VIDEO?

Yes, we get it, it's a Terrapin. A Terrapin that's supposed to look scary. But what in the world? It looks like the offspring of a female Testudo and Raphael, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

Opposing teams, do not look at the hype video. It is what Maryland wants. It wants you to have the turtle branded into your brain so that you remember it forever. And then when you're carrying the ball, you think you'll be tackled by this turtle thing and it will really, really, hurt when it tackles you because this turtle has a shell and muscles and you'll fumble the football.

Or something. We're scarred. So much for sleeping tonight.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - VOD: Maryland's hype video has a scary turtle in it

The Virgin Diaries: Food For Thought Brought To You By Young Thug

Oh? Does my virginity give me brownie points over other women? #AskYoungThug. From Gossip, Fast Fashion, Female Lifestyle, Sex & Love: CollegeCandy - The Virgin Diaries: Food For Thought Brought To You By Young Thug

Florida State’s Jameis Winston Being Investigated On Rape Charges

Florida State University superstar Jameis Winston could be in deeper trouble than just some stupid shoplifting charges. The college is now looking into charges that... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - Florida State’s Jameis Winston Being Investigated On Rape Charges

Another one down: Texas LB Deoundrei Davis no longer with team

In what seems to be the latest example of head coach Charlie Strong's no-nonsense approach, Texas announced Friday that linebacker Deoundrei Davis “is no longer with the team.”

No further details were provided by the program, so it is not known if David was dismissed by Strong or if he left on his own accord. Nonetheless, Davis is the latest on a lengthy list of players who have left the program since Strong took over.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Davis, a redshirt freshman, never saw the field in his brief Longhorns career. He redshirted the 2013 season while rehabbing a knee injury he suffered as a senior at Cypress Woods High School in Cypress, Texas. Davis was one of the highest-rated recruits in Mack Brown’s 2013 class. Rivals.com ranked him four stars and 91st overall in the country and as the fifth-best outside linebacker.

This comes a few days after the news that starting offensive linemen Desmond Harrison and Kennedy Estelle were suspended for the upcoming game against BYU. Strong also announced Monday that senior center Dominic Espinosa broke his ankle and quarterback David Ash suffered from concussion symptoms following the season-opening win over North Texas. Ash won’t play against BYU and Espinosa is likely out for the season.

Under Strong, senior fullback Chet Moss, senior safety Leroy Scott, senior running back Joe Bergeron, redshirt freshman safety Chevoski Collins, sophomore running back Jalen Overstreet, redshirt freshman wideout Montrel Meander and junior wideout Kendall Sanders have all been dismissed.

Additionally, junior wide receiver Daje Johnson and senior safety Josh Turner are currently suspended for violating team rules.

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 - Another one down: Texas LB Deoundrei Davis no longer with team

5 Of Our Favorite Summer/Fall Fashion Mash-Ups

I am never, ever ready to let go of the summer. Seriously. Even though I'm a working woman and the days of summer vacation are so far behind me, I still can't help but look forward to summer all year long. With that being said, the turning of the seasons does have one plus -- fashion. From Gossip, Fast Fashion, Female Lifestyle, Sex & Love: CollegeCandy - 5 Of Our Favorite Summer/Fall Fashion Mash-Ups

14 Reasons Why The Weekend Won’t Suck: Sept 5-7

School’s in, football’s back, MLB pennant fever is heating up, and, even though we’re coming off a short week following Labor Day, we’re ready for... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - 14 Reasons Why The Weekend Won’t Suck: Sept 5-7

Top 20 Sexiest Instagram Photos of the Day: Friday, September 5

Well, it sure still feels like summer here in New York City–and it seems that the ladies of our Instagram feed sure can keep dressing... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - Top 20 Sexiest Instagram Photos of the Day: Friday, September 5

Linebacker Davis latest Longhorn to exit Texas

Linebacker Davis latest Longhorn to exit Texas From College Football News : CBSSports.com - Linebacker Davis latest Longhorn to exit Texas

Victory Brewing Company’s Festbier Is What’s On Tap

As summer wanes and your girl starts to wear her Ugg boots and order pumpkin spice lattes there is cause for celebration – fall beers!... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - Victory Brewing Company’s Festbier Is What’s On Tap

North Carolina's field for Saturday night's 'stripe out' looks awesome (Photos)

North Carolina has declared a “stripe out” for Saturday’s home game against San Diego State. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. ET and fans in alternating sections of Kenan Stadium will wear Carolina blue and black to create the “stripes.”

Here’s what that will look like:

Here is your Friday Stripe Out reminder and map. #GoHeels http://ift.tt/1xmd7ij

— Carolina Football (@TarHeelFootball) September 5, 2014

To keep up with the stripe out theme, the UNC grounds crew went all out. Does this look great, or what?

@Tar_Heels_Turf has the field painted for the Stripe Out game against San Diego State tomorrow night at 8pm. http://ift.tt/1qCwsp6

— Jason Freeman (@UNCEquipment) September 5, 2014

Everything from the midfield logo to the ACC logo to the sidelines have been given the black, white and blue treatment.

#StripeOut logos finished http://ift.tt/1qCwspa

— UNC Sports Turf (@Tar_Heels_Turf) September 5, 2014

Paint scheme to go with this weeks #StripeOut http://ift.tt/1qCwspc

— UNC Sports Turf (@Tar_Heels_Turf) September 5, 2014

Field being painted for the #StripeOut Game. http://ift.tt/1qCwvkG

— Carolina Football (@TarHeelFootball) September 5, 2014

And to top it all off, the team will go with its black and blue uniforms.

The @TarHeelFootball uniform for the stripe out game this weekend against San Diego State. #GoHeels http://ift.tt/1xmdauk

— Jason Freeman (@UNCEquipment) September 4, 2014

North Carolina held a similar themed night game in a 27-23 loss to Miami last season. It was billed “Zero Dark Thursday,” and the team wore the same jerseys, but went with black pants and black helmets with blue stripes instead of this year’s blue pants and helmets with the black stripe.

The Tar Heels are hoping for a better result this season.

"I'm pretty excited, I hope we bring the fire back," senior safety Tim Scott said. "At the start of the Miami game, hearing the crowd cheer and all that, that's what we're expecting on Saturday. It was probably the loudest game I've played at Kenan, and we're really looking forward to (this year)."

After a sluggish start, UNC opened its season with a 56-29 win over Liberty last weekend. The Heels pulled away with four touchdowns in a four minute span in the third quarter.

For more North Carolina news, visit TarHeelIllustrated.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 - North Carolina's field for Saturday night's 'stripe out' looks awesome (Photos)

5 College Urban Legends That Are Totally Bullsh!t

Oh your roommate died. Oh, you got all As? Ok. From Gossip, Fast Fashion, Female Lifestyle, Sex & Love: CollegeCandy - 5 College Urban Legends That Are Totally Bullsh!t

Damn, Slender Man, You Scary In PS3’s “Slender: The Arrival” [VIDEO]

The Slender Man is one of the most terrifying concepts to come out of the Internet since Gene Simmons’ sex tape made its way to... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - Damn, Slender Man, You Scary In PS3’s “Slender: The Arrival” [VIDEO]

Miami loses guard Reed for 4-6 months

Miami sophomore guard Davon Reed is expected to miss four to six months after surgery. From ESPN.com - College Basketball - Miami loses guard Reed for 4-6 months

This Collection of Wake-Up Pranks Will Keep You Up at Night [VIDEO]

Wake-up pranks are much a part of the college experience as going to an 8 a.m. class with a hangover, maxing out a credit card... From College Life, Hot Girls, Funny Pics, Sexy Cheerleaders: COED - This Collection of Wake-Up Pranks Will Keep You Up at Night [VIDEO]

Spread Options: Dr. Saturday's week two picks against the spread

Mea culpa.

After doing reasonably well last year, I started off 2014 with a nosedive. Only Louisville's win over Miami saved me from a 0-10 week. Yikes.

So with that in mind, you can fade me this week and I won't complain. I deserve it. On the bright side, I figure I can't do much worse, right? The goal is being over .500 by the end of week 3. Let's make it happen.

Missouri (-3.5) at Toledo, Noon ET: When was the last time you saw a top-five SEC team from the year before with a low line like this against a MAC team? This is the second year of a home-and-home at the site of Missouri coach Gary Pinkel's first head coaching job. Last year's line was +16 for Toledo and the Rockets lost by 15 in Columbia. Plus, Toledo might have been more impressive against New Hampshire than Missouri was against South Dakota State. It doesn't matter. Go against the trendy upset pick. Missouri by 10.

Kansas State (-12) at Iowa State, Noon ET: The only time Iowa State has lost by more than a touchdown to Kansas State in the past five seasons was last year in Manhattan, Kan. And it's probably fitting that the last two FBS opponents to lose to North Dakota State meet in the second week of the season. However, Kansas State had many chances last year and may be the third-best team in the Big 12 this year. Iowa State was shellacked last week.

Western Kentucky (+5.5) at Illinois, Noon ET: If Illinois wants a chance at a bowl this year it has to win this game. The illini struggled with Youngstown State last week while Jeff Brohm's debut on the sidelines for Western Kentucky couldn't have gone much better. We're going to be brave too and say that WKU wins this game outright.

USC at Stanford (-2.5), 3:30 p.m. ET: Stanford by less than a field goal seems like a bargain here. There's considerable overreaction to USC's win over Fresno State. Fresno couldn't find a competent QB and USC QB Cody Kessler has missed practice time with a toe issue this week. I'm on record as saying that Stanford wins this by 12, but it'll be because of a late score.

Ole Miss at Vanderbilt (+20), 4:30 p.m. ET: While Ole Miss QB Bo Wallace struggled in the first half against Boise State, so did Grant Hedrick and the Broncos. Had Boise State been able to capitalize on Wallace's wretchedness, Ole Miss' torrid fourth quarter would have been for a comeback and not a blowout. Plus, things have to get better for Vanderbilt. The Commodores aren't giving the Rebels seven turnovers like it did against Temple.

Michigan State (+12), at Oregon, 6:30 p.m. ET: At the risk of being a cliché, what Pac-12 team does Michigan State most resemble? What Pac-12 team has been Oregon's kryptonite? Oregon is rightfully favored in this game, but it's by a bit too much. Connor Cook is a good enough QB to keep up with Oregon if the Ducks aren't completely stifled by the Spartan defense.

Michigan at Notre Dame (OVER 56.5), 7:30 p.m. ET: Let's have a shootout for the final game between the Irish and the Wolverines. This has been a high scoring series over the past five seasons; the 2012 game is the outlier and it's because both defenses were stout and allowed less than 20 points per game. The 2014 defenses aren't as good. Both Devin Gardner and Everett Golson will pile up yards and touchdowns.

Virginia Tech at Ohio State (-11), 8:00 p.m. ET: J.T. Barrett looked more comfortable as the Navy game went on and Ohio State will take advantage of an inexperienced Virginia Tech front seven. Most of Virginia Tech's key contributors on offense in week one were freshmen. A night game in the Horseshoe is a tough test for an inaugural road game.

Memphis at UCLA (-23.5), 10:30 p.m. ET: This has bounceback game written all over it. Brett Hundley will light up an improving Memphis defense and the panic about the Bruin offensive line will quiet down. Similar to the reaction with USC, take advantage of a brief change of UCLA perception after the first week.

Oregon State (-10.5) at Hawaii, 10:30 p.m. ET: Don't let the Washington game fool you about Hawaii. The Huskies' offense looked brutal without QB Cyler Miles, who was suspended for the opener. Oregon State has Sean Mannion, who looked like an All-American for the first half of last season. Plus, the last time Oregon State had to travel it went to Hawaii for the Hawaii Bowl. The rigors of the trip are fresh in their minds.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Spread Options: Dr. Saturday's week two picks against the spread

This Fruity Sangria Recipe Brings The Pregame

Pregames are a fabulous way to save money and sing along to Ke$ha for hours on end (because the party doesn't start until you walk in). Unfortunately, hosting a pregame requires you to buy your friends booze. From Gossip, Fast Fashion, Female Lifestyle, Sex & Love: CollegeCandy - This Fruity Sangria Recipe Brings The Pregame

What to Watch, Week 2: Michigan State and Oregon will have College Football Playoff implications

College football is only a week old and we already have College Football Playoff drama, Heisman contenders and a couple coaches who might find themselves in the unemployment line before the year concludes.

If you spent college football’s first weekend on a boat, at work or trying to extinguish the fire from grilling gone bad, here’s what you might have missed:

Georgia running back Todd Gurley emerged as a top candidate for the Heisman after rushing for 198 yards and two scores and taking a 100-yard kickoff return to the house against Clemson.

Meanwhile, Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill became the new hot name to emerge as a potential Heisman candidate after throwing for 511 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-28 upset of South Carolina.

Aug 28, 2014; Columbia, SC, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Kenny Hill (7) passes against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the fourth quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. (Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports)

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner had a rough start to the 2014 season, but still managed to provide at least one highlight:

Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty cracked two bones in his back in a gimme game against SMU (but can still play this weekend) and Texas quarterback David Ash suffered yet another concussion, leaving his college future in doubt.

Auburn looked impressive, as did Baylor, Michigan, Notre Dame and USC. But Oregon State, Washington, Texas Tech and UCLA all have some work to do.

This coach lost to a FCS team for the second consecutive season and might be on his way out of Ames:

Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads cheers on the play of his team during the fourth quarter of their NCAA college football game against West Virginia in Morgantown, W.Va., on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013. Iowa State won 52-44 in triple-overtime. (AP Photo/Christopher Jackson)

Louisiana-Monroe actually wore this uniforms (if you can see them **camo joke**)

Aug 28, 2014; Monroe, LA, USA; Louisiana Monroe Warhawks quarterback Pete Thomas (14), injured wide receiver Rashon Ceaser (center) and tight end Harley Scioneaux (88) walk off the field after the game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Malone Stadium. Warhawks defeated the Demon Deacons 17-10. (Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports)

Youngstown State showed us how to send a punt into the rear end of a teammate:

Eastern Michigan took almost 20 seconds to get past its own concrete inspired entrance:

And someone needs to add this Auburn ball boy to their roster:

I think that’s everything. Let’s look ahead to this week:

Game of the week:

No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 3 Oregon, 6:30 p.m. ET

If there’s one benefit to the College Football Playoff, it’s that nonconference games like this one will be commonplace and the college football-loving world will be better for it. This game is about Oregon’s offense against Michigan State’s defense and which will reign supreme. Both teams had impressive Week 1 triumphs, but this will be a true test of whether either of these teams in not only ready to win their respective conferences, but to take a spot in the four-team playoff. Oregon returns starting quarterback Marcus Mariota and a slew of weapons while Michigan State lost six starters from its stellar defense a year ago. However, Michigan State plays a similar style of defense to Stanford, a team that his given the Ducks fits the past few years. Oregon should win this game, but it could be closer than many expect.

Game to watch:

No. 14 USC vs. No. 15 Stanford, 3:30 p.m. ET

There’s a lot of animosity between Stanford coach David Shaw and new USC coach Steve Sarkisian, and though both coaches claim that the drama of faking injuries is in the past, their dislike of each other is a strong motivator in this contest. USC was one of the most impressive teams of the opening weekend after shutting out off-field adversity and crushing a decent Fresno State team. The USC defense might have a slight advantage as Stanford continues to adapt to a new offensive line. A lot of focus will be on the quarterbacks. Stanford’s Kevin Hogan was hit-and-miss last season and Cody Kessler had a nice season opener, but expectations are high. Even though USC is the underdog here, it has more to prove in the game.

Also check out…

Michigan vs. No. 16 Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m. ET

Pour one out for this game because it’s the final contest in this current series and there are no plans for these two teams to play again in the near future. It’s hard to know what to make of these two teams. Michigan annihilated Appalachian State and Notre Dame had its way with Rice. If they had switched opponents, the results probably would have been the same. The fact that this game is at Notre Dame is a little bit of an advantage, but I think Michigan is going to be eager to show that it is a better team than many believe it is. Right now, no one has high expectations for the Wolverines, but a win against a ranked Irish team (a team that maybe shouldn’t be ranked) will do wonders for the Wolverines’ outlook. Either way, this game will be close.

Don't waste your time with:

No. 15 Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt, 4:30 p.m. ET

Ole Miss put a scare into its fans with a shaky performance against Boise State in the season opener, but Saturday’s game against Vandy is a chance for a big rebound. Vandy had a miserable season-opening loss to Temple. Vanderbilt has a lot of uncertainty at quarterback and has some ball security issues it needs to address. And to try to correct all of that against an Ole Miss team that’s going to be itching to have a good start to the SEC season probably isn’t going to work out well. Ole Miss wins this one in a romp.

Keep an eye on:

Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State

One overlooked piece in the Oregon-Michigan State game is Spartans quarterback Connor Cook, who came into his own during the Rose Bowl victory against Stanford and played well in the season opener against Jacksonville State. He completed 12-of-13 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns before taking a seat in the second half of the season opener. Cook’s passing ability as well as his repertoire with receiver Tony Lippett, who had four catches for 167 yards and two scores, will keep the Oregon defense honest and open up the running game for Jeremy Langford and Nick Hill.

Upset alert:

Western Kentucky (+6) at Illinois, 12 p.m. ET

Western Kentucky looked impressive in its season opener against the reigning Mid-American Conference champion Bowling Green. Coach Jeff Brohm appears to have picked up where former coach Bobby Petrino left off and that spells trouble for an Illinois team that seems like it’s still getting its bearings with new starting quarterback Wes Lunt. The Illini struggled to a come-from-behind 28-17 win against Youngstown State because of Lunt’s slow start. If the Illini have a similar start against Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers will capitalize and it won’t end well for Illinois. I think WKU wins this one straight up.

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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 - What to Watch, Week 2: Michigan State and Oregon will have College Football Playoff implications

Oklahoma State fountains dyed maroon before game against Missouri State (Photo)

This looks to be one gutsy move by some enterprising Missouri State fans.

The FCS school travels to Oklahoma State on Saturday and sometime before Friday morning the fountain in front of the Edmon Low Library and another fountain near the Wes Watkins Center on OSU's campus were dyed maroon, Missouri State's primary color.

Messing with our fountain is a bold move, Missouri State. Let's see how that works out for you tomorrow. #okstate http://ift.tt/1ql0P4V

— Matt Fletcher (@matt_fletch) September 5, 2014

We reached out to Oklahoma State and the fountains were dyed with what the school believes to be latex paint. As of 11 a.m. Friday, the fountains were running clear. That's a quick cleanup job. (The school also said it had two reports of vandalism but no suspect descriptions in either.)

We understand trash talking and while we don't condone acts of vandalism, they can be common in rivalries. Missouri State and Oklahoma State is not a rivalry. (We won't entirely rule out a subvert Oklahoma Sooners trolljob, but it doesn't seem likely.)

The Bears have played six FBS-level teams in the past four seasons and haven't come close to pulling an upset. The closest game was a 28-14 loss to Iowa in 2013.

Never say never, of course, but the odds are stacked severely against Missouri State. There aren't even any gambling lines on the game. If the Bears win, we could see someone crazily dying the fountain in celebration. But before the game? That's just asking for trouble.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Oklahoma State fountains dyed maroon before game against Missouri State (Photo)

Seahawks take page out of Auburn playbook

Seahawks take page out of Auburn playbook From College Football News : CBSSports.com - Seahawks take page out of Auburn playbook

How our metrics size up Week 2's top matchups

USC-Stanford, Michigan State-Oregon, Michigan-Notre Dame and Virginia Tech-Ohio State face off in Week 2. With help from ESPN Stats & Information and ESPN Insider Brian Fremeau, we size up what each needs to do to win -- and what will happen if they do. From ESPN.com - College Football - How our metrics size up Week 2's top matchups

My Top 10 #FashionGirlProblems in Honor of NYFW

Let's all take comfort in knowing we're not along in facing these #FashionGirlProblems. From Gossip, Fast Fashion, Female Lifestyle, Sex & Love: CollegeCandy - My Top 10 #FashionGirlProblems in Honor of NYFW

Penn St. calls for civility in wake of scandal

As fallout over the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal continues, Penn State's new president and other university officials are asking the school's huge community to at least be polite if they can't agree with each other. From ESPN.com - College Football - Penn St. calls for civility in wake of scandal

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LSU C Ellott Porter reportedly suspended for pay surrounding summer job

LSU C Elliott Porter will miss his second straight game on Saturday.

According to the Baton Rouge Advocate, Porter is serving a two-game suspension "from abnormalities in his pay from a summer job."

It's unknown what the "abnormalities" are, though one can reason it's because any payments Porter received don't comply with the NCAA's summer job rules, which are outlined below.

1) The student-athlete's compensation does not include any remuneration for value or utility that the student-athlete may have for the employer because of the publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that he or she has obtained because of athletics ability;

2) The student-athlete is compensated only for work actually performed; and

3) The student-athlete is compensated at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services

In 2011, as part of the scandal at Ohio State that led to the resignation of coach Jim Tressel, five Ohio State players were accused of being overpaid for work they didn't perform at an excavation company. A spokesperson for LSU's compliance department declined comment to the Advocate when asked about Porter's situation.

Porter, a senior, was in a battle with sophomore Ethan Pocic to start at center this season. Pocic started against Wisconsin and will start against Sam Houston State. Last season, Porter started 12 games.

For more LSU news, visit TigerBait.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - LSU C Ellott Porter reportedly suspended for pay surrounding summer job

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