Campus Confidential

By Erik Boland

SYRACUSE -- So in the past two months I've flown United, US Airways, American, Alaska Airlines and, today, for Hofstra's game tomorrow night at Syracuse, JetBlue. JetBlue is by far the winner and it really starts with the seats - comfortable leather ones with actual leg room in front.

No offense to Alaska Airlines - nice enough flight attendants, et. all - but I'm sure its coach seats are prohibited somewhere in the Constitution. I'm 5-10 and 160 pounds and scrunched doesn't begin to describe it. Another reason JetBlue wins: mini tvs in every seatback. It is fed by Direct TV - complete with 39 channels - making the 1 hour 20 minute flight to Syracuse seem almost TOO short. This could be the only way New York area residents can see Rutgers in its bowl game: book a flight on JetBlue.

Travel pet peeve No. 377: People in the window seat who shut the window shade. Some woman sitting next to me - I was in the dreaded middle seat - on the flight up here suddenly pulled down her shade. She nudged me not a minute later to get up because she had to use the restroom. Was it really necessary to close the window shade for that? Strange.

Anyway, to the game. Syracuse is coming off an 84-79 loss to Drexel - a CAA team that should challenge for the conference title - while Hofstra has had 10 days off since an unimpressive three-point victory over winless St. Francis (N.Y.). Does this add up to a blowout at the hands of the Orange? Not necessarily. Syracuse will have the advantage up front (Hofstra hasn't had the edge there all year and likely won't the rest of the season), led by senior forward Demetris Nichols, whom Hofstra coach Tom Pecora called a "monster." Nichols leads the Orange, scoring 18.5 points per game and adding 5.1 rebounds. He scored 31 against Drexel.

But Syracuse will not easily match up with Loren Stokes, Antoine Agudio, Carlos Rivera and Zygis Sestokas. The first three played well in 2004 when Hofstra lost 80-75 at Syracuse and helped the Pride that day shoot over 50 percent from the floor. Non-Big East visiting teams almost never do that at the Carrier Dome, which has never been known as a great place for shooting. Still, in talking to Antoine Agudio yesterday after practice, he said he felt the baskets in the Carrier Dome were "shooters' rims." Few visiting teams would agree with that but if Agudio and his teammates believe that, that's all that matters.

Expect Hofstra to play well. The pick is still Syracuse - the rebounding advantage should be enormous for the Orange - but in a closer game than some may think.

By Adam Abramson

If you've already read through the bowl preview, thank you. Now, I want to keep updating as the days roll along and we whip through the games. So, when I make an update, I'll log it on this post so you don't have to go through the whole blog to find new things I've added. I promise none of my picks will change. Although I'm still thinking about that NC game. I'll do a full-out blog on it when it gets week-of.

Also, I will post thoughts after the games are played (as well as whether I watched)...they'll be quick hits. Check the day after games for those.

Wednesday, Dec. 20: Updated the Tennessee-Penn State analysis.
Friday, Dec. 22: I didn't update the bowl preview, but I thought of something while watching Troy-Rice. So, FYI, I'm keeping a straight-up winner record and an against the spread (ATS) record. I'd like to hit at least 20 ATS...if I do, then you'll have turned a profit this bowl season. And as for GT, I don't know how much worse off they'll be with Taylor Bennett at QB...he has some experience.
Monday, Dec. 25: Okay, I swear I wrote up results for the games through Hawaii AND posted them. But, they're not there, and I didn't save them. I really don't know what happened. I wrote some quick hits...sorry if they're lame.
Wednesday, Dec. 27: So, Missouri is missing like 20 guys from practice because of a cold/flu epidemic according to an AP story. Don't bet on this game. Thanks to my buddy Nick for linking me to the article.
Friday, Dec. 29: Two and a half things. One, I hope this post gets up. The blogs have been acting funny lately....just deleting stuff. Half, because of this, I'm going to hold on posting results from games, but I watched all three last night. aTm was a big let down on defense. Two, Today's games were tough to pick, when it came down to laying the money on the line, I flipped on three of my picks: Clemson to cover, Oregon State to cover (Although I wouldn't touch this game) and South Carolina to cover. However, my record against the spread will reflect my original picks.

By Adam Abramson

I almost didn’t finish this. Two hurdles played a major factor in my procrastination:

One: The video game Guitar Hero 2. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of it, but you have seven days until Christmas. It’s not too late to get it for your kid, yourself, your wife, your best friend…just get it for someone who will give you access. The game rules; I won’t go into any more detail.

Two: We had the Newsday.com versus Newsday high school desk football game Sunday morning. I also had to work in evening, so I didn’t dedicate any of my Sunday to it (I resumed writing about 1 a.m.-ish). However, much respect to my Internet brethren for the 42-12 win. Too easy. Too good.

As far as the bowl preview goes…I had fun making it. I hope you see some things you like and maybe it’ll make you some extra pennies at the holidays. By no means is this a bettor’s Bible, but I think I have a pretty good grip for what’s going on, so if you want to use this as a roadmap of sorts, be my guest.

Lastly, I tried to stay true to the bowl sponsors by including them in with the proper bowls. If I missed, I’m sorry. If I made fun of a sponsor, I’m not sorry.

December 19

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Northern Illinois (7-5) vs. No. 23 TCU (10-2)

In case you missed the sponsor of this one: San Diego County Credit Union. Would Bank of America, Chase, Wachovia, HSBC, SunTrust, Washington Mutual, Citi, Bank One and the thousands of other banks not return the bowl committee’s calls? Something tells the San Diego County Credit Union will not get one new account despite sponsoring the bowl.

But it’s the first game of the bowl season, so you have to be pumped about this one. Remember when Byron Leftwich and Marshall went ballistic with ECU to kick of the most wonderful time of the year in 2001 (it was the GMAC Bowl that year)? By the way, a poinsettia is a red flower, right?

Otherwise, we all know to watch for the nation’s leading rusher, Garrett Wolfe. He started the year off hotter than Veronica Vaughn, but he had a four-game stretch where he averaged 47.5 yards per game. The other eight games? 213.75 yards per game.

Unfortunately for the Huskies, they can’t play defense. Opponents shredded them for 357 yards a game. On the other side, the boys from Fort Worth can play some defense. The Horned Frogs ranked fourth in the country in total defense. Their specialty? Stopping the run.

The line: Texas Christian -12
The pick: TCU win/cover
The result: TCU 37-7. This one was lock central. (Watched)

December 21

Las Vegas Bowl
BYU (10-2) vs. Oregon (7-5)

One thing I love about bowl season is the fact that good mid-majors play schools from major conferences. BYU has shown it can run with bigger schools and there’s no reason the Cougars can’t keep up with the Ducks’ athletes. However, the thing that would intrigue me most about this bowl is the locale…what happens in a place like Boise should probably be left in Boise, but we all know what they say about Vegas.

What’s wrong with Oregon? The Ducks are ranked No. 8 on the offensive side of the ball. They’re ranked No. 30 on defense, but they’re a 6-6 team with a 7-5 record (don’t forget the Oklahoma game). Well, Oregon is a giving team. It’s one of just 11 to have 30+ turnovers. Either way, it’ll be fun because it’s the No. 10 pass defense against the No. 4 pass offense. If BYU plays any semblance of defense, it should win this one.

Either way, Brent Musburger is calling the game, so we all lose in the end.

The line: BYU -4
The pick: BYU win/cover (the Mormons are monsters against the spread this year…go figure)

December 22

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Rice (7-5) vs. Troy (7-5)

Rice versus Troy. Can you name three players that will be in this game? I can’t. Seriously…I can’t. If someone gave me free tickets to this game, I probably wouldn’t go. Spending the evening in Harrah’s or on Bourbon Street would appeal to me more.

Okay, you get it. I don’t care about this game. But I should tell you some facts about it in case you feel the need for some action. Hell, it’ll Friday night.

Well, Troy scores a hair over 21 points a game. That’s bad. Rice hasn’t been to a bowl in 45 years. That’s bad too. What happened to the days of Rice beating Tennessee 8-0 in the 1947 Cotton Bowl? In all honesty, it’s been a tough year for the heavy-hearted Owls. After a heartbreaking 31-30 loss to CUSA champs Houston, freshman Dale Lloyd collapsed and died on the practice field. But the team rallied and won seven of its last eight games. Make that eight of the last nine.

Watch for Rice senior tailback Quinton Smith. He’s good for 5.3 yards per carry. And we all know about the sophomore sensation Jarett Dillard (right) and his 1,176 yard/20 TD season. For the Trojans, junior quarterback Omar Haugabook will be good for about 30 pass attempts and he’ll complete a bunch of them. Whether they’re to his teammates or not is the question (17 TDs, 16 INTs).

The line: Rice -5
The pick: Rice to win, Troy to cover
The result: The score wasn’t very indicative, but I had a fun time watching this game. They basically played it how I play Xbox: Non-stop deep pass patterns. I like that QB from Troy. Is he the next Tarvaris Jackson???

December 23

New Mexico Bowl
San Jose State (8-4) at New Mexico (6-6)
The bowl is in New Mexico, the two teams playing in the bowl are either from New Mexico or right near New Mexico and the rest of the country is not from New Mexico. Maybe the selection committee is envisioning something I don’t see…

I wouldn’t touch this game with a 10-foot pole, but I do know that New Mexico lost to Portland State for crying out loud. The Lobos do have Rodney Ferguson who averaged 94.3 yards per game this year. I do know that neither can play defense…so the over/under of 48.5 might work in your favor.

The line: New Mexico -3.5
The pick: San Jose State upset special
The result: San Jose St. was one of the several feel-good stories this year. I expected more scoring, but ah well, I still picked the upset.


Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Tulsa (8-4) vs. Utah (7-5)

First, I didn’t know there were multiple helicopter brands. Second, I’ll likely buy a Bell helicopter when I’m in the market for one solely because of bowl sponsorship.

By this time it’ll be Dec. 23, we’ll have seen a few bowls by now, so I don’t know how much Tulsa-Utah does it for me.

Utah does not have one impressive win this year. Tulsa has Courtney Tennial (right). He’s 5’9, 215 and has 14 touchdowns. All positives.

The line: Utah -1
The pick: Tulsa upset special
The result: The undefeated dream had to die. I didn’t watch this one because I saw “Rocky Balboa.” Great film. I’m glad the Rocky story ended on this note rather than the Tommy ‘Machine’ Gunn note, but that’s a whole different discussion.



Papajohns.com Bowl
East Carolina (7-5) vs. USF (8-4)
The bowl name wasn’t corporate enough without the .com attached to the end, so they had to take it to the max (I have seen some call it the Papajohns Bowl…but take a look at the logo and you tell me what it’s called). At least this game has great potential and is BY FAR the game of the night.

Both teams feature excellent, mobile quarterbacks who have played well in big games this year. South Florida has a gem of a quarterback in Matt Grothe (left). The runner up (by 6 points) in the 2005 Florida Mr. Football voting (Florida State RB Antone Smith won). His 3,102 total yards this year are 11th-best in the land (his 171 rushing attempts are second most by a quarterback).

The line: South Florida -4
The pick: South Florida to win/cover
The result: Well, this was another lock in my mind. I actually got in at South Florida -6 because I procrastinated, but I still felt good about it. Grothe is an exciting player to watch, and that linebacker Stephen Nicholas is the man. South Florida had a heck of a year and deserved to win its bowl game.

December 24

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Arizona State (7-5) at Hawaii (10-3)

If I was given the task of making the over-under on this game, I’d aim for about 95. Seriously. The brains in Vegas say 74…42-35 is an over. I can see that happening. Hawaii has eclipsed the 40 mark NINE times this year (the 30 mark 12 times). There will be about as much offense in this game as Michael Richards in the Laugh Factory (wait…wrong offense…not funny. Got it.)

Check out these awesome stats: Six Warrior receivers have at least 659 receiving yards. Arizona State’s leading receiver is TE Zach Miller with 481 yards (to be fair, 10 Sun Devils have at least 100 yards receiving).

The Sun Devils can actually play some form of pass defense (34th-ranked pass D) but I don’t think they can slow down the Colt Brennan Express (right).

The line: Hawaii -8
The pick: Hawaii to win/cover (and the over, obviously)
The result: Well…Arizona Sate used to be able to play pass defense until it met Colt Brennan. The junior torched the Sun Devils for 560 yards and five touchdowns…done deal pal. I also loved the QB keeper at the end of the fourth quarter to keep the ball and set up the nail-in-the-coffin touchdown. I love that stat line about as much as I love the Warrior cover (nevermind the over/under…apparently I’m not good at those). Merry Christmas.

December 26

Motor City Bowl (multiple sponsors)
Central Michigan (9-4) vs. Middle Tennessee State (7-5)

There’s nothing that says “Happy Holidays” like a bowl game in Detroit.

There have actually been some stud MVPs in this bowl’s past: DeAngelo Williams (2005), Chester Taylor (2001), Byron Leftwich (2000), Chad Pennington (1998) and Deuce McCallister (1997). However, nobody from this year’s rosters is really jumping out at me…

Chippewa wide receiver Bryan Anderson is an extreme talent for a freshman. He and freshman QB Dan LeFevour could do big things in the coming years. I think the two will give directional Michigan a fancy 10-win season.

The line: Central Michigan -10
The pick: Central Michigan to win/cover

December 27

Emerald Bowl
Florida State (6-6) vs. UCLA (7-5)

Yes, UCLA did beat Southern Cal with great defense and just enough offense. Yes, I picked the Bruins to lose that game by multiple touchdowns. And yes, I’m picking the Bruins to lose again. I think with a month off, FSU’s athletes will be ready to atone for all the wrongs they have done on the field this year. UCLA quarterback Patrick Cowan chose not to slide in the USC game, but I recommend he slides if he sees Buster Davis within 20 yards of him.

A few weeks ago, Florida State Bobby Bowden talked about the game at the Hall of Fame inductions: “(The game) is very important. We’ll have a losing season if we lose and we haven’t had a losing season in 31 years. So it’s very important. We won’t cut our risks either way.”

The ‘Noles have to play some friggin’ offense though and try to control the clock with the stud running backs who are awesome at underachieving.

The line: UCLA -4.5
The pick: Florida State upset special
The result: This is, by far, the most fun I’ve had watching a bowl so far this year. I have a feeling this marked the start of me sweating out my picks a lot more…we’ll see. Drew Weatherford is not a Florida State-caliber quarterback right now. Some of his throws were just awful. The combination of the defense and special teams making plays with Lorenzo Booker won this game for the Noles. That’s 0-3 for the Pac 10, by the way…

December 28

Here’s one thing I haven’t talked about this year: Oklahoma State booster Boone Pickens gave $165 million to the school for athletics. Well, year one didn’t pay big dividends on the gridiron. For that kind of scratch, the Cowboys better start shooting people ala “The Last Boyscout” if they have to for wins.

Alabama has no coach, and with no coach I don’t see the ‘Tide caring that much about the game.

The line: Oklahoma State -2
The pick: Oklahoma State to win/cover



Texas Bowl
Kansas State (7-5) vs. Rutgers (10-2)

Piscataway is just 34 miles from Manhattan, NY, but it’s 1,293 miles from Manhattan, KS…home of Rutgers’ opponent. I don’t know why you would care…but there ya go.

In all seriousness…I’m sorry Rutgers fans. You deserve more.

It’s funny to think if the ball bounces one way here or there in Morgantown how different postseason life would be. But, you honestly can’t dwell on it—the year was an extreme success.

As for the boys from the far away Manhattan, coach Ron Prince has them on the right track. But that Wildcat rushing defense is going to get mauled by Ray Rice (right). KSU is going into the game ranked 70 in rush defense…momma!

The line: Rutgers -7.5
The pick: Rutgers to win/cover (I like the under of 45)

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
California (9-3) vs. Texas A&M (9-3)

A good defense against a good offense. I’ll take the good defense nine times out of 10. On paper, this game looks like it could be a lot of fun to watch.

I’ve long said/thought the Pac-10 was a little soft. I think the conference could struggle a little bit in bowls this year.

The line: California -5
The pick: aTm upset special

December 29

Insight Bowl
Minnesota (6-6) vs. Texas Tech (7-5)

We need to come up with a phobia for running the ball. Texas Tech has it. Check out these numbers: four teams have under 300 rushing attempts this year. The Red Raiders have under 200.

This is just a horrible matchup for the Golden Gophers. They the fifth-WORST in the land against the pass. Expect them to over account and still not be successful, but the box will be so empty that TTU’s draw plays will rip them apart.

I have the feeling Red Raider coach Mike Leach is going to execute his offensive gameplan so perfectly, you’ll mistake him for chess Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik.

The line: Texas Tech -6.5
The pick: Texas Tech to win/cover

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl presented by Bridgestone
Clemson (8-4) vs. Kentucky (7-5)

One sponsor in the name wasn't enough...I can't handle this...

It wasn’t long ago that Clemson was a top 10 team. Now the Tigers have to watch out for Keenan Burton (not too much of a knock on him though, he is a beast).

Could this be CJ Spiller’s last game in orange and purple? I heard a few whispers that the Florida native was unhappy at CU. I think he’ll stay (he should stay). Either way, he and James Davis are dynamic enough to top the fickle Wildcats (one week they beat UL-Lafayette by two, the next they lose to Tennessee by just 5).

The line: Clemson -10
The pick: Clemson to win, Kentucky to cover

Champs Sports Bowl
Maryland (8-4) vs. Purdue (8-5)

I haven’t been a big believer in Maryland all year. They made me look dumb once or twice, but they never wowed me once. You can pretty much same the same for Purdue. Anyone have a coin to toss?

The line on this game opened at Maryland -4 and is now a push. If one team could run the ball really well, it’d be enough to sway me, but both teams live in rushing mediocrity. Purdue can wing the ball around the field so I guess I like the Boilmakers?

Interesting stat: Six of Maryland’s wins were by a total of 17 points.

Overall, it’s just a big “eh” game.

The line: Push
The pick: Purdue

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Houston (10-3) vs. South Carolina (7-5)

Hellllllllllllllo offense.

I think South Carolina is a solid ball club, don’t get me wrong. But something tells me Houston is going to keep this close. I don’t know if the Cougars can pull it off, but this one should be exciting.

The line: South Carolina -6.5
The pick: South Carolina to win, Houston to cover

BRUT Sun Bowl
Oregon State (9-4) vs. Missouri (8-4)

The Pac-10 needs a win in this game.

However, I don’t think it’ll happen. Missouri, led by QB Chase Daniel, played tough all year long. I think it’s just part of the Tigers’ mentality that they’ll bring to El Paso for the game.

The line: Oregon State -3.5
The pick: Missouri upset special

December 30

Texas is in the Alamo Bowl? Everyone in the Big 12 rejoices.

The Horns better hope Colt McCoy (left) gets a force field for Christmas. He simply cannot be sidelined.

Either way, Iowa didn’t do important things this year like….get up for big games.

The line: Texas -11
The pick: Texas to win/cover



Meineke Car Care Bowl
Boston College (9-3) vs. Navy (9-3)

I’m not sure what the higher over/under will be in this game: total points or total tackles by BC middle linebacker Brian Toal (87 tackles and three sets of shoulder pads later, you have your MVP).
Boston College doesn’t need to do anything fancy. Just stop the run, mix it up on offense and the Eagles will take care of business.

The line: Boston College -6
The pick:BC to win and cover (tricky line though)



Chick-fil-a Bowl
Georgia (8-4) vs. Virginia Tech (10-2)

Could these two be any more similar? They take it to the max on defense and let opponents have a field day on offense. I don’t know the root of Georgia’s offensive ineptness, but I do know everything hinges on Virginia Tech’s offensive line. They block, Tech wins. They don’t block, they better hope the Hokies’ No. 1 defense (left) musters up some turnovers because Georgia’s No. 9 defense can make things happen.

If we could only find a way to play the game with both defenses on the field at the same time…man, that’d be fun.

The line: Virginia Tech -2.5/3
The pick: I really don’t know…nobody should ever bet on a game featuring the 2006 Hokies. I’ll take Virginia Tech to win/cover though.

December 31

What a fall from grace for Larry Coker (right). Year one: Orange Bowl. Last game: well, there’s a color involved…but it’s blue turf (I guess there will be white snow as well).

The line: Miami -3
The pick: Miami to win/cover for the Coker

January 1

Outback Bowl
Penn State (8-4) vs. Tennessee (9-3)

Here’s where we start having some fun.

Penn State is much like Florida State this year. Lotta weapons, can’t really put it all together.

Tennessee has just as many weapons and a better defense. Seriously…off the top of my head, UT is stacked: LaMarcus Coker, Montario Hardesty (left, airborne), Aaron Sears, Robert Meacham, Jason Swain, Erik Ainge, Jerod Mayo and the linebacker (No. 39…he reminds me of Rudy with those arm pads). I hope I spelled all those names right, it’s 2 a.m. and I’ve got a lot of games left.

**I received an email from a reader who pointed out, correctly, that Penn State's defense is ranked higher than Tennessee's. Bad oversight on my part. But check out these numbers: Tennessee's average opponent would rank No. 43 in total offense; Penn State's would be 50. Now...PSU played D-I AA Youngstown State, so I didn't include that in the original number crunching. But, I think it's only fair to Tennessee that I do include. So, if YSU was a D-I A team, they obviously wouldn't rank very well in many categories. I assumed they'd rank 110 out of 120 teams in total offense. That changes the number from 50 to 55...This doesn't mean UT's defense is better, but it's just something to think about.

The line: Tennessee -4.5
The pick: Tennessee to win/cover


Toyota Gator Bowl
Georgia Tech (9-4) vs. West Virginia (10-2)

Someone send the following to Rich Rodriguez: Put pressure on Reggie Ball. He’ll fold.

Georgia Tech’s defense is good, but this is one of those instances where I’ll take Steve Slaton (right) because he’s that tough of a runner.

The line: West Virginia -7
The pick: WVU to win/cover







Fiesta Bowl
Boise State (12-0) vs. Oklahoma (11-2)

Everyone wants to talk about how great of a story Boise State is. What about Oklahoma? I think it’s a fantastic story. Take away a stud OL, your starting quarterback and workhorse running back and you think they’ll win 11 games (they’re actually 12-1…don’t forget Oregon…!).

Everyone is also looking to the Fiesta Bowl where Utah trounced Pittsburgh. But Oklahoma is not Pittsburgh.

(I hope Adrian Peterson is 100%...he’s a lot of fun to watch on the football field).

The line:Oklahoma -7.5
The pick:Oklahoma to win/cover


Rose Bowl
Michigan (11-1) vs. USC (10-2)

On an average day, both teams are good at stopping the run. The team that’s having a below-average day stopping the run will lose. Michigan has to be a little bitter. Couple that with the fact USC seems deflated and I’m liking the Wolverines in this game.

Either way, you have to love the star power in games like this.

The line: Southern California -1
The pick: Michigan upset special





Capital One Bowl
Arkansas (10-3) vs. Wisconsin (11-1)

Three stud tailbacks in this one led by the Heisman runner up (left). I still think Mark May gets the award for best nickname when he called P.J. Hill the Wisconsin Winnebago. (Don’t leave Arkansas’ Felix Jones out of the party)

This is a really tough game to pick, but I think Arkansas has more speed.

By the way, why did Arkansas freshman QB Mitch Mustain win eight straight games and not play after that? Know the answer? Comment below, please.

The line: Arkansas -1.5
The pick: Arkansas to win/cover


at&t Cotton Bowl
Auburn (10-2) vs. Nebraska (9-4)

What Auburn team is going to show up?

Because I had to ask that question makes this game extremely intriguing. Really though, what is Auburn playing for in this game? The Tigers have 10 wins.

On the other hand, if Nebraska reaches the 10-win mark with a bowl victory over Auburn, coach Bill Callahan has his guys believing. I think this game is way more important to the Cornhuskers.

The line: Auburn -2
The pick: Nebraska upset special

January 2

FedEx Orange Bowl
Louisville (11-1) vs. Wake Forest (11-2)

Louisville is going to crush Wake Forest in this game. I don’t have much else to say about it. But while I have the chance I’ll say Brian Brohm (left) enters next year the Heisman favorite if Adrian Peterson goes to the NFL.

The line: Louisville -10
The pick: Louisville to win/cover (I like the over 51.5)

January 3

LSU has way too much speed for Notre Dame to keep up.

Give JaMarcus Russell time to make decisions in the pocket and he'll pick apart a defense with the cannon he calls an arm. And LSU’s defense is just naaaasty (No. 2 in the land).

The line: LSU -9
The pick: LSU to win/cover (I wouldn’t be shocked if Notre Dame covers in a low-scoring game).

January 6

A bowl game in Toronto? This makes no sense. None.

Cincinnati is a tough team, I think they’ll handily take care of WMU. Coaching change or no coaching change.

I don't think this bowl game deserves any more because it's being played in Canada.

The line: Cincinnati -8
The pick: Cincinnati to win/cover

January 7

This game pisses me off. This was the first bowl game of the year not long ago and now it’s slotted during BCS week. You cannot be serious here…

I don’t even care. I probably won’t watch in protest. In fact, I’ll probably watch the Golden State Warriors play the Phoenix Suns in hoops that Sunday night. Unbelievable.

The line: Southern Miss -6
The pick: Southern Miss to win, Ohio to cover

January 8

This game is going to rule. I don’t care what anyone says.

I almost want to pick Florida to win, but for now I’m saying Gators to cover. I’ll revisit this game week of and we’ll break it down in full…who knows what the pick will be then. We’re still 20-something days away (it’s like asking someone to pick a Week 11 Jets game in Week 8).

The line: Ohio State -8
The pick: Ohio State to win, Florida to cover

By Adam Abramson

Tonight I'll be riding the trusty underdog steed that is the University of Massachusetts in the DI-AA championship game against the reigning Mountaineers of Appalachian State. After speaking to coach Rob, who has met both staffs, he talked up UMass enough for me to pick them two weeks in a row. Take the 3 the Minutemen are getting!

I’ve probably said this on here before, but I love recruiting. Work has taken me out of the game somewhat this fall, but I’m usually able to rattle off at least 75% of the Top 100 prospects, where they come from and even some numbers. Yes, I’m that pathetic.

The one change I’m making to this team is no fullbacks. To be honest, I don’t know of one freshman fullback. There, I said it. So we’ll go with two running backs.

Finally, see if you notice something about all of the guys I have listed below.

All-Abramson Freshman Offense

*(Second team in parenthesis)

Quarterback
Mitch Mustain, Arkansas
(Tim Tebow, Florida)

Running Backs
Javarris James, Miami; CJ Spiller, Clemson
(Chris Wells, Ohio State; C.J. Gable, Southern California)

Wide Receivers
Percy Harvin, Florida; Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina
(Duke Calhoun, Memphis; David Harvey, Akron)

Tight End
Brandon Warren, Florida State
(Cody Slate, Marshall)

Tackles
Sam Young, Notre Dame; Andre Smith, Alabama
(Trent Williams, Oklahoma; Jason Fox, Texas)

Center
See note below

Guards
John Jerry, Ole Miss; Joe Thomas, Pittsburgh
(Sergio Render, Virginia Tech; Michael Oher, Ole Miss)

Returner
Brandon James, Florida
(Jacoby Ford, Clemson)

Punter
Kyle Loomis, Oregon State

Kicker
Joshua Shene, Ole Miss

All-Abramson Freshman Defense

Defensive Ends
Eric Norwood, South Carolina; Greg Hardy, Ole Miss
(Ricky Sapp, Clemson; Kevin Hogan, Kent State)

Defensive Tackles
Marcus Tillman, Ole Miss
(See note below)

Linebackers
Patrick Lavine, Oklahoma State; Mark Herzlich; Boston College; Micah Johnson, Kentucky
(Chris Collins, Oklahoma State; Brandon Spikes, Florida; Marcus Ball, Florida State)

Cornerbacks
Alterraun Verner, UCLA; Vontae Davis, Illinois
(Anthony Webb, Kansas; D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt)

Safeties
Myron Rolle, Florida State; Taylor Mays, Southern California
(Barry Church, Toledo; Emanuel Cook, South Carolina)

• The thing in common? Everyone on this list is a true freshman. Yes, the redshirt freshman this year get screwed. I originally wanted to include them on this list, but I decided last second not to…If they play hard next year, they can be on the 2007 All-Abramson Underclass team.

• Honestly, I looked for 30 minutes. 30 freaking minutes…I couldn’t find one true freshman offensive center. As far as redshirt freshmen centers: Rafael Eubanks, Iowa and Josh McNeil, Tennessee are two studs.

  
  

• The masterful Furnk once again brings up a great point about Michigan’s Alan Branch. My underclass defensive tackles were tough…the top 3: Okam, Dorsey and Branch could honestly be first-round draft picks if they came out this year. I went with Branch on the second-team because of this one reason (if it’s dumb, call me out): LaMarr Woodley. He scares opposing OCs so much that I think pressure was taken off the middle of the line to help out on the exterior.

• Touché to Jeremy’s comment about Taco Bell/No Fear. My friend Tim had the greatest retort when I informed him of Marty Moates', the founder of No Fear shirts, passing: "He was taking up too much space, I guess."

• I know Chris Collins, Jacoby Hurt and Marcus Ball were hurt for part or most of this year, but what I saw from them was impressive enough to earn second-team honors.
  

When signing day rolls around in February, I’ll put together my team of 2007 true freshman dream team…but I’ll do some things before then.

This weekend is dedicated to the bowl preview. It’ll be on the site when you wake up Monday morning. Until then, feel free to chat about All-Abramsons with me, I’ll respond to all.

By Adam Abramson

I’m taking a little different route with my all underclass teams.

The criterion is as follows (criterion or criteria, does anyone care?):

• Although I’m a huge stat guy, I’m not going by just stats, I want the best guys on my team. My goal here is to build the most bruiser 2007 class I can. I want this team to be an unstoppable rebel force.

• I don’t care if someone is a shoe-in for the draft, if eligibility exists and he can cut it, he’s All-Abramson.

• One punter, one kicker, two reasons. Well one reason, nobody really likes them anyway…or so the myth goes.

• Each selection will possess the ability to squat the equivalent of one school bus packed with seventh graders (trust me, every guy I’m picking can accomplish this feat).
  

Let’s get nasty:

All-Abramson Underclassmen Offense

*(Second team in parenthesis)

Quarterback
Brian Brohm, Louisville
(Colt Brennan, Hawaii)

Running Back
Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma
(Darren McFadden, Arkansas)

Fullback
Jacob Hester, LSU
(Owen Schmitt, West Virginia)

Wide Receivers
Dwayne Jarrett, Southern California; Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech
(Patrick Turner, Southern California; Robert Meacham, Tennessee)

Tight End
Zach Miller, Arizona State
(Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M)

Tackles
Sam Baker, Southern California; Jake Long, Michigan
(Jeremy Zuttah, Rutgers; Duane Brown, Virginia Tech)

Center
Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas
(Antoine Caldwell, Alabama)

Guards
Jeremy Perry, Oregon State; Andrew Crummey, Maryland
(Chilo Rachal, Southern California; Michael Oher, Ole Miss)

Returner
DeSean Jackson, California
(Ted Ginn, Jr., Ohio State)

Punter
Durant Brooks, Georgia Tech

Kicker
Art Carmody, Louisville

All-Abramson Underclassmen Defense

Defensive Ends
Charles Johnson, Georgia; Bruce Davis, UCLA
(Ian Campbell, Kansas State; Jamal Anderson, Arkansas)

Defensive Tackles
Glenn Dorsey, LSU; Frank Okam, Texas
(Alan Branch, Michigan; Terrill Byrd, Cincinnati)

Linebackers
James Laurinaitis, Ohio State; Dan Connor, Penn State; Brandon Siler, Florida
(Vince Hall, Virginia Tech; Alvin Bowen, Iowa State; Shawn Crable, Michigan)

Cornerbacks
Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech; Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State
(Darrelle Revis, Pittsburgh; Nic Harris, Oklahoma)

Safeties
Reggie Nelson, Florida; Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame
(Kenny Phillips, Miami; Reggie Smith, Oklahoma)

• I made the same mistake as the Associated Press by originally putting OT Jake Long from Michigan on the senior team (he’s listed as a senior by the AP), but he’s indeed a junior. Levi Brown from Penn State is now an All-Senior first team and Zac Tubbs from Arkansas is now All-Abramson. Will someone inform him, please? Thanks.

• Chuck, you're right about Rouse. I had the pleasure of chatting with him over the course of his first three years in Blacksburg. He's a really nice guy off the field -- definitely someone you want to see succeed on the field. It's a shame his productivity was down this year; I hope it doesn't hurt his draft stock. Last year he was definitely a late-day first rounder, we can only hope the same goes for this year. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about: Virginia Tech rover Aaron Rouse (#36). He had a monster junior year and could have gone pro, but stayed and had a sub-par senior campaign.

• I will say there were a ton of tough omissions on here. Feel free to debate me on my picks. I like friendly banter.
  

By Adam Abramson

I love you all. In fact, I love you all so much that I stayed up til 3:15 a.m. working on this.

I will not write blurbs for every pick on the All-Abramson Senior defenses and All-Abramson Underclass teams (I wanted to accomplish this now, but I don't want to be up until 5 a.m., so check back later). Instead, I’ll wrap it up with some thoughts about my choices and I’ll answer anything specific you all want to ask about my selections.

Below this entry are the All-Abramson Senior Offensive teams and an entry by Erik Boland about Hofstra’s struggles in hoops -- he has an amazing Dennis Green reference. Check it out.

And props to JTFerg for the Taco Bell Top 10…I hear it’s safe to eat there…theoretically (I don’t think it’s ever safe to eat there or any fast food joint).

All-Adam First Team Senior Defense

Defensive Ends
LaMarr Woodley, Michigan
Justin Hickman, UCLA

Defensive Tackles
Quinn Pitcock, Ohio State
Jay Alford, Penn State

Linebackers
Paul Posluszny, Penn State
Patrick Willis, Ole Miss
Ameer Ismail, Western Michigan

Cornerbacks
Aaron Ross, Texas
Daymeion Hughes, California

Safeties
LaRon Landry, LSU
Eric Weddle, Utah

All-Adam Second Team Senior Defense

Defensive Ends
Gaines Adams, Clemson
Anthony Spencer, Purdue

Defensive Tackles
Amobi Okoye, Louisville
Tank Tyler, NC State

Linebackers
H.B. Blades, Pittsburgh
Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma
Keyonvis Bouie, Florida International

Cornerbacks
Leon Hall, Michigan
Quincy Black, New Mexico

Safeties
Tra Battle, Georgia
Michael Griffin, Texas

• I almost made the same mistake as the AP, putting Ryan Smith at second team cornerback. But Mr. Smith is a junior. I know you’re probably wondering who is Quincy Black. Well, he had 113 tackles, three picks (one for a TD) and a forced fumble.

• Tom Zbikowski was a tough omission because I love the way he plays the game. But from a numbers standpoint, there were sexier picks. Also…is he really a senior? I was the one to tell y’all he’d be back in South Bend next year and I haven’t heard anything else that says otherwise…

• Keyonvis Bouie who? He played in 10 games, missing the last two with a knee injury. He was good for 12 tackles a game and 18 tackles for a loss…I’d say that’s active, to quite active.

• Did Quinten Moses from Georgia make third team All American because of hype? Statistically speaking, he wasn’t even the best defensive end on his team. Now I know he saw a lot of double teams, but so did every other good defensive end in college.

• The two biggest, baddest beasts on this team? LaRon Landry and Paul Posluszny.
  

By Erik Boland

That seemed to be the question making its way around the Mack Sports Complex last night after Hofstra's surprisingly close 67-64 victory over St. Francis, which came into the game winless. Hofstra has won six straight but questions abound about its potential as an NCAA Tournament team because, as has been correctly pointed out by just about everyone, including head coach Tom Pecora, the Pride has not looked particularly impressive in any of those wins.

My reaction to the early-season knee-jerk reaction to Hofstra's sometimes unimpressive play is, well, what did you expect? To steal from Cardinals' coach Dennis Green during his hysterical rant after that Bears loss, "They are what we thought they were."

Hofstra's guards were a given, post play was question mark. Well, nine games into the season Loren Stokes averages 21.8 points, Antoine Agudio averages 18 and Carlos Rivera is at 11.7. Next has been the surprise of the young season, sophomore Zygis Sestokas, a guard/forward who plays almost exclusively on the wing, who averages 9.7 points and has hit 50 percent of his three-pointers. It has been a mess in the post, with undersized Mike-Davis Sabb mixing solid performances with indifferent ones, Chris Gadley rarely getting off the bench and Arminas Urbutis, a 6-9 sophomore who plays hard but is physically overmatched. Hofstra is outrebounded by a 34-31 average per game and its difficult to imagine that suddenly improving over the final 2/3 of the season.

The good news is the three guards will be a challenging matchup for whomever Hofstra is playing, particularly in the conference. The Pride will struggle against teams with size, or even teams that simply have athletic front courts without size, but those same teams will be unlikely to come up with defensive schemes to stop Hofstra's high-scoring quartet on the perimeter. That adds up to close games, which have been a trend nine games into the season and will likely continue the rest of the way. And keep in mind, for better or worse, the way teams play in November rarely resemble how they play in late February and early March. Some teams progress, others digress.

What's wrong with Hofstra? The same thing that was wrong with it before the season started: killer guards with a questionable frontcourt. They are what we thought they were. And it's too early to determine whether that's good or bad.

By Adam Abramson

Ayyyyo…

So I didn’t get to any of this at work last night, hence I stayed up until 3am working on my All-Abramson Senior Teams. After two hours, I had only done first- and second-team offenses.

I decided to make All-Senior teams, All-Underclass teams and All-Freshman teams. So don’t freak out when you don’t see Calvin Johnson listed at WR. Tomorrow I will release my All-Underclass team with Friday being freshman day.

I’ve got a couple of life items to take care of before I can get to the defenses, but they’ll be up by 6 p.m…I hope.

Reports from the South tell me the Chicken Enchilada Grilled Stuft Burrito is phenomenal. I really want to try one, but this cross-contamination E.coli news is putting a big crimp in my plans. Has anyone else had one of these? Reports please…

Onto the All-Abramson teams…

All-Abramson First Team Senior Offense

Quarterback
Troy Smith, Ohio State

One interesting fact about Smith’s 12 wins this year is that he did it all with his arm. Could you imagine if you added the former punt-returner’s legs into the equation?

Running Back
Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois

He started out with a bang and slowly faded. But he’s shown that he can play much bigger than you would think his 5’7, 177-pound frame would let him. See his Ohio State performance for starters.

Fullback
Brian Leonard, Rutgers

He’s one of the most versatile and reliable players in any backfield. Leonard will pave the way for you, haul in a swing pass and hurdle a defender and get the tough yards between the tackles all on the same drive, no problem.

Wide Receivers
Jeff Samardzija, Notre Dame

His numbers were gaudier in 2005, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a great senior campaign. His play in the UCLA game is the reason the Irish are in a BCS bowl — 8 catches, 118 yards and 2 TDs, including the game-winner. That’s just clutch.

Steve Smith, Southern California

With all of the other weapons on offense, Smith managed to pull in 64 catches for 975 yards (15.2 per catch) and 8 TDs. You can’t really pin the Oregon State loss on his shoulders—he had 11 catches for 258 (yes, 258) and 2 TDs.

Tight End
Matt Spaeth, Minnesota

This man-child at 6’7, 265 lbs. was a vital part of the Minnesota offense. There’s a reason he won just about every tight end award out there this year.

Tackles
Joe Thomas, Wisconsin
Levi Brown, Penn State

What can you really say about a tackle besides he’s big, extremely reliable…and did I say big? I guess that’s about it. These two are beasts though.

Center
Dan Mozes, West Virginia

I’m sure Steve Slaton will miss him come next season.

Guards
Justin Blalock, Texas
Ben Grubbs, Auburn

These big uglies were good too…honestly, it’s hard to come up with good material for offensive linemen.

Returner
Steve Breaston, Michigan

He has so much experience in this role; I don’t know that I’d want many other guys back there. The All-Abramson teams aren’t always about the numbers. I take it all into consideration.

Punter
Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor

I could give about 50 reasons why he’s here, but he lead the country in punting this year. That’ll do for now. If you want the 50 reasons, go back and watch the college football awards show.

Kicker
Justin Medlock, UCLA

Call me crazy, but once again I selected the person who led the nation in this category.

All-Abramson Second Team Senior Offense

Quarterback
Brady Quinn, Notre Dame

Troy Smith and Brady Quinn were clearly the two best quarterbacks in the country this year. Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis asked a lot from Quinn in his final campaign and he delivered just about every time.

Running Back
Jon Cornish, Kansas

I know what you’re thinking: “WHO?!” But let me explain…First, of the top 100 rushers in the country, 19 were seniors. The only other back I considered was Tony Hunt from Penn State, but Cornish, despite being Canadian, had over 80 yards in all but one game this year and eclipsed the century mark eight times (1,457 rushing yards, 5.83 per carry). Include his receiving yards and he’s good for almost 140 yards per game.

Fullback
Jason Snelling, Virginia

He was Virginia’s featured back this year and was more than capable of playing that role, but he has the build and the toughness to pave the way for a running back. And with his hands, he’s a solid offensive weapon as well.

Wide Receivers
Aundrae Allison, East Caro.

Another name you might not know well, but he has all the tools. He was good for about six catches a game (more than both of my first teamers, by the way).

Dwayne Bowe, LSU

He has the size at 6’3, 217. He has the speed and the hands with 60 catches (149 in three seasons). He has the nose for the end zone with 11 touchdowns (25 in three seasons). And he did it against some of the best defenses in the country every year.

Tight End
John Carlson, Notre Dame

Playing in just 10 games, Carlson had 621 receiving yards and found the end zone four times. At 6’6, 250, he’d probably dehumanize me in a fight as well.

Tackles
Zac Tubbs, Arkansas
Aaron Sears, Tennessee

Well, we’re back to the offensive linemen. Just trust me, these two guys are awesome.

Center
Ryan Kalil, Southern California

Again…he’s good.

Guards
Josh Beekman, Boston College
T.J. Downing, Ohio State

Yup…good.

Returner
Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jr., Texas-El Paso

He finished third in the country in all-purpose yards. Every time he touched the ball he was good for 16.58 yards. And he had 15 total TDs.

Punter
Jeremy Kapinos, Penn State

When he punted, he punted well. He was a Ray Guy finalist, so that says enough for me.

Kicker
Brandon Pace, Virginia Tech

He was 17-18 (.944) and he had a streak of 20+ dating back to last season that ended in the season finale with a 47-yarder that missed.

By Adam Abramson

Quick update on what's to come...

In mind right now are plans for my All-Adam teams (I'm thinking first and second teamers...) and my bowl preview, which I have started.

I will be working on both tonight assuming it's a slow news night. Check back tomorrow afternoon, I might have the AA teams done then.

Also, one of my loyal readers, Jeremy, suggests I see "We Are Marshall" and blog it out. It's kind of a hectic week, but if I can squeeze it in before work tomorrow or Thursday, I'll do it...no guarantees. Thanks for the idea though, brother.
Let me know if you want to see anything else.

By Adam Abramson

Below are some photos from Saturday night. I would have had these up sooner, but I suffer from the same syndrome as most men: I don't know how to pack.

They had TVs all over showing the App. State-Youngstown State game. Major props to the Mountaineers for a crushing victory.

Brady Quinn talking to the press.

Darren McFadden doing the same.

They dimmed the lights during the actual presentation. Here's Marcus Allen on a monster projection TV (sorry for the blur).

Everyone fighting to get in a question with Brady Quinn.

To get one of these sweet workstations, you had to show up at 5...I got there around 6:15ish...

That's some nice hardware...

By Adam Abramson

10:03

Alright all, I’m gonna head out on the town. I’ve really enjoyed tonight and I hope I can make it back next year. If you all want to ask me more questions, I’ll file an entry tomorrow afternoon when I get back from the city.

Congrats to Troy Smith, Darren McFadden, Brady Quinn and everyone who received a vote.

Most of all, thanks to everyone who stopped by. I got a ton of hits in the three hours I was live. You guys rock. I’m not here if it’s not for y’all.

See you tamarra.

10:00

Pretty much the first thing out of his mouth was “preparation for Florida.”

Smith said the part of the documentary that touched him the most was the group of kids back in Cleveland in the BRICK organization. He said fitting himself into that equation was important to him.

“Keep pushing hard. I started there. Any kid in any situation can anything he can put his mind to. Male or female.” –Smith asked what he would say to the Cleveland youth.

He dubbed McFadden as “electrifying.” He said he’s a first-class guy “in every sense of the word.” He said he really understands the southern hospitality now.

He also said he is humbled to be a part of the elite group he now belongs to. He also talked about the importance of continuing to grow.

He said every time he plays the NCAA video game he always wins the Heisman, and that’s when he first through about it.

I will say that he’s a professional even though he has one college game left…man, Smith is defining polished.

He said he wished he could have thanked more people in his speech. “I don’t believe in writing speeches down. Speak from the heart.”

“The Smith family is a loud family. Whether you like it or not. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

On Tressel: “If you get into a situation where you rattle him, you’ve done something. He’s the embodiment of being even-keeled all the way though.”

Winning the Heisman ranks among the top of his accomplishments. He said he won’t harp on day after day because he doesn’t live in the past. He feels he just has to keep pushing on because winning a big game or an award is only so much in the grand scheme of things.

“I know Florida is gonna come in and be a very fast and physical team … We’re gonna have to go into the situation and be fundamentally sound across the board. Everybody’s gonna have to play with technique … We’re gonna have to look at our game plan and try to perfect it.”

Bringing the Heisman back to Columbus “means everything” to him. He said it’s a win for everybody in the state of Ohio.

Smith is not afraid to tell a reporter he’s not done with an answer...or to give his opinion about a dumb question.

“My heart was pounding tremendously. Brady kept making fun of me. Earlier in the day we laughed and joked and Brady showed me the classy guy he was. He knew it…he kept asking me if I was nervous. I don’t know how he [kept joking]. I’m still in awe.”

On the margin of victory: “I’m very gracious and thankful.”

He gave major thanks and props to the other finalists saying their seasons were just as trying, if not more, than his.

He said he only cried once…at the senior banquet. Now Steve Snaap owes him a double cheeseburger because he didn’t cry tonight.

“People like to bring up color. I don’t understand that. I see quarterbacks. ‘The third African American quarterback,’ I don’t see that.”

Reporter: What are you going to do now?
Smith: I’ve got to do more media.

Smith loves Jay Z and Lil Wayne…my two favorite rappers…gotta love that.

Seems like a great guy…

9:55

Smith is still talking...I'll have an update when he's done.

9:32

Still waiting on Smith. When I talked to Chris Leak earlier this week, Troy Smith's name came up. Here's what he had to say about his MNC adversary...

“You just see an excellent player. A guy up for the Heisman Trophy. The way he’s matured as a quarterback over the years, his game has just improved every week, every year. You admire that. He’s very accountable to his teammates and at the same time he’s very humble and you can tell he knows he’s been very blessed. I’ve always been a great supporter of him.”

9:25

By the way, while we’re waiting on Smith…Steve Snapp, who Smith thanked in his speech didn’t get back to me this week. I was trying to get a couple of Buckeyes on the phone so I could put together a story for tonight…I corresponded with someone from the OSU sports information office who passed my info along to Steve Snaap who didn’t take the two minutes to help a kid out.

Oh well. I guess OSU wins in the end and I don’t.

However, that news about Zbikowski might be out not before long. Just remember where you heard it first...respect.

9:18

Darren spoke next saying he felt Troy was very deserving and that he’d vote Smith No. 1 if he had a vote.

He said the feeling was 10 times worse than pregame butterflies.

Finishing second wasn’t that big of a deal. He harped on the experience as a whole.

He said he learned that he needs to keep working hard and said he’d keep at it.

As far as playing QB, he said it was fun and he loved doing it.

Darren is very to the fact. You can tell he’s two years younger, but that he’s having a great time.

He said they were playing Madden in the green/red room and that he “beat [Quinn] pretty bad.”

He’s a Kinesology major (spelling??)

Pretty impressive that he finished second.

9:15

Quinn spoke first…

He said he was happy for Troy and that if he had a vote he felt would have voted Smith first. He also went into the fact he was surprised he finished third, but not surprised Troy won based on the fact the Maxwell award doesn’t generally win the Heisman…but the fact that he won the Heisman made him think he would finish in second.

He said he has two more finance exams and a poly sci exam and he is graduated, and after that his focus is on LSU, then combine stuff.

9:05

More numbers…

Smith received 801 first place votes. Everyone in the top 10 received at least 1 first place vote. Darren McFadden received 45 first place votes, Quinn had 13. Smith’s two strongest regions were the Midwest (451 points) and Southwest (447 points). His worst region was the Far West (389).

I’m going to go check out this press conference action…

I’ll be back with a wrap up.

By the way…Dusty, great point. If Maurice Clarett could talk now, what would he say???

9:00

Here are the results…points in parenthesis

1. Troy Smith (2,540)
2. Darren McFadden (878)
3. Brady Quinn (782)
4. Steve Slaton (214)
5. Mike Hart (210)
6. Colt Brennan (202)
7. Ray Rice (79)
8. Ian Johnson (73)
9. Dwayne Jarrett (47)
10. Calvin Johnson (43)

8:57

I really don’t think you can go wrong with Smith as the Heisman winner.

My first Heisman watch had Troy Smith at No. 4 way back in September. The following week I had him at No. 2 where he stayed until Adrian Peterson went down with injury.

I just received the official results. Let me look through it real quick. Be right back.

8:54

Longest speech ever...

8:49

The story of Ted Ginn Sr. is actually very incredible. He’s done so much for Cleveland’s youth just by being a football coach. ESPN did a great job with that piece…with all of the pieces actually.

I’m trying to decide how I’ll attack this press conference. Should I just type up the best quotes and put them on here tonight. Do you want me to record it, sift through the tape and post a more thorough version tomorrow…what do you all think??

8:43

I'm glad they brought up his two-game suspension. It's funny because Erik and I had just talked about that. I think it's more than fair that people have let Troy put that behind him, but it's definitely part of his legacy. I liked Ron's post though. Everyone that has developed Troy Smith into the person he is today gets a part of the award if he does indeed win. What a road he's traveled.

As far as magic in the air? I think the feeling here is that Troy will win it...

8:38

Even if Darren McFadden doesn't win the award, I'm not sure it gets much funnier than the line about people in Manhattan walking fast. I know what he's talking about...coming up from Virginia, I was in a world of pain. And I'm sure he's from a much more rural part of the country than I am. He should try driving here...

And as far as the open bar, I found out they're one step ahead of everyone here...no bourbon. And my bourbon of choice? I don't have one really, I'm not that sophisticated.

8:28

To harp on Jeremy's comment. Yes, a double major while starting at QB for the Irish is quite the feat in itself. Major props.

And there's that friggin' Buckeye again...makes me feel dumb every time I see it.

Also, there's a HD projection screen in here...I think the only TV bigger than this is jumbotron at Texas' football stadium.

I will definitely post pics when I get to the office on Monday.

8:25

Well, I have to say, seeing the Nissan commercial brought up a dark moment for me. When that commercial was first produced, I RACKED MY BRAIN trying to figure out what the big boulder-looking thing was bouncing/rolling after the trophy. After calling a few people, I was finally made fun of by a buddy for not realzing it's a Buckeye. Hello college football fanatic.

Also, is the first 50 minutes of the presentation necessary? I guess it all goes back to the business of it all. Can we just show some sweet montages and get to the announcement?

8:07

Random thoughts:

If Bonnie Bernstein isn't hitched, I should take her out on the town tonight.

The green room is very red.

Also, who do you think would win in an Xbox 360 of the three? I know all of them have to be amazing.

And there’s Archie…I think him winning it twice is so overlooked as an amazing feat.

8:03

My best suit award goes to Brady Quinn. But Smith and McFadden are stylin’ and profilin’ as well.

Also, is the Heisman the coolest trophy out there? I think the Stanley Cup might have it…what else do we have? I think those two are 1 and 1A.

And there's Eddie...11 years? I was 11 years old when Eddie George won the Heisman? I'm not believing that for a second...I think it's a lie.

7:55

Kevin wanted to know where the guests of honor are dining, which plays in to what I wanted to write about next…

I’m sure there is a handful of keen readers out there thinking “Why is he at the Hard Rock, the announcement is not there?”

Well, first let me say that the announcement is now at the Nokia Theatre. They used to crown the winner at the famous Downtown Athletic Club, but they’ve changed that venue. I had forgotten when I found out I was covering the Heisman and was a little disappointed. But, it seems a lot of people have forgotten they moved the announcement location as well because I had to tell a few people this week where it was and they were shocked. Was it not publicized that much or we all just ignorant? Hopefully it’s the former.

Now, the way this works is we stay here at the Hard Rock and hang out until the announcement is made. Once the winner has been made known, the runner ups will come over for a presser, followed by the winner. So, yes, I’m watching it on TV like you are. The difference is I get fed and we talk to the fellas after it’s all said and done.

As for what’s going on here…a lot of laptops, chatter and eating. Myself, I had another plate of food followed by an amazing chocolate chip cookie and cream puff – I’m cutting myself off. A camera operator just popped over my shoulder to film press row…so if they show a bunch of people typing and reading notes during an interlude, I was RIGHT THERE. Almost famous…

I did see NBC Sports set up. The question is: If Brady Quinn doesn’t win, do they do a report? Kidding, KIDDING.

We’re five minutes away from showtime. Keep the questions coming.

7:30

Some down time...

To answer Ron's question: As far as who will be representing Ohio State tonight (Arichie, Eddie, etc.), I'm not quite sure. I checked with some of the officials here and they were unsure. Actually, the answer I received was "Well, I know of Troy..." Really? I thought he may have forgotten this was taking place...I will stay on top of that though.

And, to retort from a comment earlier today. Brady Quinn had a fine season, I'm not denying that. I just don't feel he's deserving of the Maxwell. The O'Brien? Fine. He did have a great season. I know he had the same number of INTs and more TDs and yards than Smith and many more attempts, but muchh of his body of work was against Stanford, North Carolina, the service academies, etc. I feel Smith was more deserving of the Maxwell and tonight's award because he came up big when his team needed him. I know Quinn was huge in Michigan State and got the job done at Georgia Tech and was clutch in the UCLA game, but I take those three games and I put them next to Smith's performance against Michigan and Texas...and that's that.

Also, in case you were curious, Erik Boland brought up a good point. The telecast previewing the Heisman said Darren McFadden was looking at the skyline from the Empire State Building, but that was the Chrysler Building. I don't think anyone will lose their job over it.

7:05

Okay, so the news.

I have it from a very trusted source that Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski will be back for his senior year. As we all know, Tom has a passion for boxing and he’s quite good at it. From what I gather, he cannot box and play in the NFL simultaneously, something he CAN do while at Notre Dame. So expect No. 9 to destroy WRs for another season in South Bend.

Much thanks to my source, once again…youtheman.

As far as the buffet, I enjoyed a plate full of shrimp, chicken, roast beef, pasta, ribs…the list goes on. I was told the food would be outstanding here, but I didn’t know it’d be this good. The Hard Rock really pulled out all the stops. I also hear there is a bar here...it wouldn’t be unprofessional to truckhouse about 10 bourbon gingers, would it?

Check back at about 7:30 or so…

6:45

Hey hey,

So I’m here at the Hard Rock with Erik Boland…because I’m a genius, I forgot to bring the USB to connect the camera, so we’re photoless…but I’m a writer, so I’ll try to paint the visual.

After fighting the mob in the Hard Rock shop, I crossed the velvet rope to pick up my info and get signed in. When you walk into the room there is a buffet immediately to the left (I’ll get into that later…).

Down at the bottom is a gallery with about…75 chairs set up for the press conference after the announcement. The stage isn’t too big, but it’s not like there’s 500 people here, so it’ll do just fine. As far as work stations go, there just isn’t enough room. I’m really putting the lap part of laptop into good use.

Not much buzz in the room yet, everyone’s stuffing their faces with this buffet. I’m going to bolt for a few minutes to inspect the buffet line and get a better feel for what’s going on. I’ll report back around 7-7:10…and I have some news about a high profile junior from a very high profile college who is staying for his senior year. To my knowledge, this information has not been made public yet…stay tuned!!

Feel free to ask questions via comments!
Adam

By Adam Abramson

Good morning/afternoon all. In a few hours I'll be on the train to Manhattan to cover the Heisman Trophy Ceremony with Erik Boland. I'll be blogging live from the Hard Rock to give you a sense of what's going on in the Big Apple. Expect posts every 30 minutes starting around 6-6:15.

I also heard some news about a pretty high profile junior who will return for his senior year. I'll hold off until tonight on that one...although if I'm the only one with the news, I should probably break it...but I'll resist the temptation.

Finally, I don't know about the rest of the country, but it looks like the single-digit wind chills will be subside for a few days starting Sunday. Beautiful man.

Gonna go rock and roll for now. See you tonight.

By Adam Abramson

Sorry I’ve been out all day. Newsday is doing this cool project on Sunday about the greatest New York athletes to ever wear the numbers 1-99. I was working on the website version of it all.freakin.afternoon.

By now everyone’s heard Rich Rodriguez is staying in Morgantown. I think it’s great for the school and I’m not sure how I feel abo