http://www.yardbarker.com/content/team/634 Recent articles about the Mississippi Rebels en-us Where is your favorite team going bowling this holiday season? Who will be playing for the national championship? Where do you think your team will be playing? Read all your teams local headlines at SportProjections.com Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:33:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/349146 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/349146 Week Six is history and The Big Red Board is ready to forecast Week 7 after finishing a perfect 5 - 0 last week with an 8.4 points per game differential adding to a season-long running total of 38 - 10 and 13.0 ppg. This week has tougher games so the challenge is better, but the real question is whether or not the SEC Officiating will..... Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:36:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/348645 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/348645 The SEC is the best conference in college football…or is it? The Big XII has the #1 team in the nation and 3 of the top 5 teams. So which is better? Read and vote. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:53:35 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/348055 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/348055 The Pass Rush's Week 7 college football picks against the spread. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:54:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/346460 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/346460 The one thing I know about gambling is that over the years Las Vegas has only lost one bet, home-dogs against the spread, with a win rate of 54%, you need about 52% to break even. Therefore, I always begin the week by looking at home-dogs and working from there. Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:42:31 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/343533 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/343533 Penn State is up 10 spots and Alabama is up 7 while Wake Forest and Wisconsin are down 12 and 11 spots, respectively. So where is everyone else at? After all the upsets this past weekend, see who moved up and down; who's new and who dropped; and what the voters have to say in this week's The Blue Workhorse College Football Top 25. Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:13:27 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/342075 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/342075 I got a call yesterday from an old friend who was in a bind. He currently lives out west, but used to work with me here in Gainesville back in the day. He called to tell me that he recently tried to renew his drivers license, but was flagged for failure to pay child support, even though he hasn't legally been required to pay it for years. His kid's all grown up. Glitch in the system. Anyway, as he's in Irvine, California, home of the Anteaters, and I'm in Gainesville, home of the one-loss Florida Gators, he needed someone to run to a local Department of Motor Vehicles - everybody's favorite place to visit - and pay a $47.50 fine for him so that he could reinstate his license. Clearly a pain in the rear, but as I had nothing to do this afternoon but pretend the Florida-Ole Miss game never happened, I figured what the heck. A friend in need is a friend DMV'ed. So I'm at the DMV, waiting the obligatory forty-five minutes to an hour before my number is called, when suddenly a great looking, blonde-haired, blue-eyed college girl walks into the place to renew her license. Keep in mind, this is Gainesville, Florida; such sights are not uncommon. Contrary to popular belief, girls DO in fact grow on trees here. Or at least they arrive by the boatload every semester. Upon viewing said college girl, the middle-aged gentleman behind the counter, who had taken his good old time coming back from his break, acted as if he had never seen a female before, or if he had, it had been a very long time. His trainee, maybe in his mid-twenties and not totally un-presentable, stood there staring, tongue hanging well out of his mouth. I kept wanting to tell the guy to blink and snap out of it. The senior employee, in all likelihood older than this girl's father, looked a lot like J.K. Simmons, best known for his role of J Jonah Jameson in the Spiderman movies. Trust me, this girl was out of Tobey Maguire's league, so there was no way Jonah was getting a piece. The only way, shape or form a girl of this stature would ever even entertain the idea of talking to a guy like this would be… if he worked at the DMV and she needed to renew her license. I mean, it's not like he's Houston Nutt who can apparently do anything he wants to in Gainesville these days. Jonah soon started to pour on the DMV charm sickeningly thick, as if to say to his trainee, "Look, bra, I got this," all the while wearing his wedding ring. He commented on her smile as he took her drivers license photo and continued to drop other borderline inappropriate comments in a what I thought was supposed to be a professional setting. Guess not. It wasn't an Isiah Thomas sexual harassment suit, but it wasn't far from it. I was partially intrigued to hear what bile he could muster up next, much like being unable to turn my head from a train wreck or an 86-yard Shay Hodge pass play that got away. He continued on, keeping her at his counter as long as he could without starting a riot inside the DMV. Ah…. the DMV, a constant source of entertainment, although probably not what Terrell Owens meant when he told us to get our popcorn ready. When my number was finally called an eternity later, I got up to the counter and you'll never guess what happened... the woman behind the counter started flirting with ME!! I thought to myself, what is this… the most undersexed group of civil servants ever assembled? Imagine the house parties these guys must have. Are they not getting enough at home? Should I have brought lotions? I half expected them to dim the lights, throw on a strobe and start spinning some Barry White. I didn't realize condoms were now a requirement for the random DMV visit. Look, I'm no hater, unless of course we're talking about the decision to give the ball to your QB seven yards behind the line of scrimmage when you only need one. Come on to whomever you want to as long as I don't have to be subjected to it for hours. Watching this guy in action was more painful than watching another missed Gator extra point. I understand that the benefits of working at the DMV are few and far between. It's not like they get free points on their licenses for being faithful employees. I don't fault the guy for being flirtatious with a young college girl, but not if it's going to come at the expense of everyone else sitting there waiting to take care of their business. Keep it professional. After all, any impending sexual harassment charge just means one less person at the counter and longer lines at the DMV. Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:16:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/341901 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/341901 As I'm sure some of you were this past Saturday, I sat on my couch in utter amazement at what I was watching go down in college football. Maryland beat Clemson? Navy is on top of Wake Forest?? Mississippi might knock off Florida??? USC lost to Oregon State???? Oregon State-USCOkay, so we knew that last outcome because it happened on Thursday night. And we shouldn't have been that surprised when upsets happen in college football because, well, upsets happen in college football. But the reason they're happening this year is more prevalent than in years past: From smaller to big-time programs, the talent level is better across the nation. Ole' Miss isn't afraid to walk into Gainesville these days because they have players like Jevan Snead and Shay Hodge that can compete with Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin. The Beavers could care less that the Trojans are the top ranked program in the nation not just because they beat USC in Corvallis two years ago, but also because quarterback Lyle Moevao and freshman running back Jacquizz Rodgers can play for just about any team in the nation. Granted, Florida is going to beat Mississippi on most Saturdays and that's why the Gators were No. 5 in the nation and the Rebels weren't anywhere near the top 25 coming into weekend. Voters are often clueless, but they're competent enough to recognize that the Gators and Trojans have more overall depth and talent than the Rebels and Beavers. But the fact of the matter is that the mid-level programs have caught up dramatically over the years. (Read the rest after the jump.) Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:56:06 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/341726 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/341726 Games I watched from 12-3:30 p.m.: Ohio State-Minnesota (BTN) Indiana-Michigan St (ESPN) Bonus Game: Florida-Mississippi (ESPN GamePlan) Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:30:40 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/341192 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/341192 Today, I walked into work after a heartbreaking weekend of watching my Gators lose by a single point to Houston Nutt's Ole Miss Rebels. The Gators accounted for over 400 yards of total offense in that game! To be exact, they erupted for 443 yards (for those of you who don't know, that is a good thing). Yet, as I began exploring the usual sports blog sites that I surf every morning (but none, I may add, that compare to www.OpenSports.com – oooh yeah!) much to my dismay, I actually saw bloggers crucifying reigning Heisman winner Tim Tebow. Bloggers had the gall to call him nothing more than hype. Hype!?! Oh, no, no, there is nothing "hype" about this guy but the college football world is victims of some serious impatience... Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:36:46 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/341055 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/341055 Oklahoma, Alabama and Penn State Make Strong Statements. Apparently coaches of top-ranked teams didn't read my latest post, discussing the need for the remaining BCS national championship hopefuls to take USC's loss to Oregon State as a warning. Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:08:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/340646 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/340646 As I sat and watched the #4 Florida Gators go down to the Ole Miss Rebels, I began to think how this college football season has been a wild one. I then start looking around the web for information for an angle I can use for a story about the upset and I run across a stat that really blows me away. Tim Tebow: 12-5 as a starter. 12-5? The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is 12-5 as a starter? How could this be? All the "Tebow can walk on water" talk and he has a 12-5 record as a starter? This can't be, there has to be more to the story. So as I sift through the 40+ passing touchdowns and 30+ rushing touchdowns, I can't seem to get past the most important stat for a quarterback, wins and losses. On the surface, a 12-5 career record doesn't seem that bad, but as I dug deeper it really hit me. Tim Tebow is all hype! How did I come to this realization?.......... Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:23:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/340595 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/340595 Ole Miss Upsets Florida Gators ESPN Highlights Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:21:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/340594 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/340594 There were some big time college football matchups this weekend, as well as some huge upsets, and I tried to watch them all. As I was watching, I made observations on the teams and players. All told, 49 observations covering 10 games, including USC/Oregon State, Florida/Ole Miss, Georgia/Alabama, and more. Sun, 28 Sep 2008 13:16:46 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/340532 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/340532 ATHENS, Ga. -- The Alabama Crimson Tide turned the blackout into a knockout. Just don't tell Nick Saban that he's got a national championship contender, not even after a decisive victory over third-ranked Georgia. Fast Facts • This was the sixth time Alabama and Georgia have met when both were ranked teams. For the first time, the Crimson Tide came out the victors. • Alabama has not trailed at any point this season. • Georgia has played three games between Top 10 teams in the long history of Sanford Stadium. The Bulldogs have lost all three. Georgia has also lost five of its last six home games against Top 10 teams. -- ESPN research "After five games?" Saban said with a tone of disbelief late Saturday night. "Let's see when we get a full body of work at the end of the season." But No. 8 Alabama sure looked as impressive as anyone in this young season by whipping Georgia 41-30, the score not really as close as the final. The Tide raced to a stunning 31-0 lead over the first two quarters, and the Bulldogs managed a couple of cosmetic touchdowns in the waning minutes. Backed by stout play on both sides of the line and John Parker Wilson's accurate passing, Alabama (5-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) put this one away before Georgia's "Redcoat Marching Band" got on the field for the halftime show. The Tide scored on its first five possessions. "That was nice," said Wilson, who was 13-of-16 for 205 yards and a touchdown. "That is what you practice for, that is what you strive to do on every drive." Georgia (4-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) became the third team in the top four to fall on a devastating week for ranked teams, joining No. 1 USC and No. 4 Florida in the loss column. "We just got whipped," coach Mark Richt said. "There's no excuses, and don't expect any from me." Alabama is poised to move up at least three or four spots when the new poll comes out Sunday, though Saban isn't concerned about getting to No. 1. Not yet, anyway. "It doesn't matter now. It doesn't matter until the end," the Tide's $4 million per year coach said. "We have a lot of good football teams ahead of us." Royal Return Prince Miller's 92-yard punt return touchdown is now the second-longest in Georgia history.Year Player Yards 1952 Jimmy Campagna 100 2008 Prince Miller 92 1968 Jake Scott 90 1950 Zippy Morocco 90 1949 Eli Maricich 88 Wilson had plenty of time to throw, and freshman Julio Jones was his favorite receiver with five catches for 94 yards, including a touchdown. Glenn Coffee ran for a couple of TDs. Not even the most optimistic Alabama fan could have expected Saban, who won a national championship at LSU, to turn the Tide so quickly. This looked far more like Bear Bryant's Tide, than Saban predecessor Mike Shula's. "I'm happy," said Saban, who spent much of his post-game news conference berating the Tide's second-half performance. "I know I don't look happy, but I am." Looking for a motivational edge, Georgia came out wearing black jerseys, and most of its fans at 92,000-seat Sanford Stadium also took part in the "blackout." But the biggest cheers came from the white-clad Alabamians sprinkled throughout the massive stands. Georgia showed some disturbing tendencies even while winning its first four games, and those sure came back to bite the Bulldogs. They were flagged twice in the opening half for roughing the passer, crucial but familiar mistakes for a team that already was the most penalized in the SEC. Also, an offensive line featuring two freshman and two sophomores was no match for Alabama's massive front led by 365-pound Terrence Cody. "We've got some young pups up there," Richt acknowledged. Knowshon Moreno got only nine carries for 34 yards, and quarterback Matthew Stafford spent much of the game running for his life as Georgia's 11-game winning streak ended. Stafford took a knock to the head and didn't hang around to talk with the media, though Richt said it wasn't serious. The Bulldogs said it's way too early to give up on a season that started with them at No. 1, but now has gone into recovery mode. They pulled it off a year ago, winning their last seven games to finish second in the rankings. "It's just the beginning of the season," Moreno said. "You saw last year that anything can happen. This is not the downfall of our team. We can still bounce back." The Bulldogs actually made Alabama a little nervous in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, closing to 31-17 on Prince Miller's 92-yard punt return. But the Tide calmly wrapped it up on the next possession, driving 51 yards in eight plays for Leigh Tiffin's second field goal. The game was really decided before halftime. Alabama took the opening kickoff and pushed 80 yards in 11 plays, benefiting from two Georgia penalties that helped keep the drive moving. Miller was called for pass interference in the end zone, and there was no excuse for Akeem Dent delivering a blow to Wilson's face, which negated a fumble that Georgia recovered. Two plays later, Mark Ingram scored on a 7-yard run. The Tide was just getting started. Georgia was called for two more crucial penalties on the visiting team's next possession -- a defensive holding on Miller and another blatant roughing-the-passer penalty, this time on Jarius Wynn. The Bulldogs managed to make the Tide to settle for Tiffin's 23-yard field goal. After Brian Mimbs shanked a 19-yard punt, Wilson hooked up with Jones for 31 yards and Coffee finished off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown. The Bulldogs couldn't do anything right. A.J. Green, the freshman receiver coming off a huge game at Arizona State, had the ball stripped away after a catch. Dont'a Hightower, Alabama's star freshman on defense, grabbed it out of the air and started another Tide possession on Georgia's side of the field, this time at the 33. On third-and-goal at the 4, Roy Upchurch burst up the middle and into the end zone untouched. Wilson's 22-yard touchdown pass to Jones completed the onslaught and left Georgia with its worst deficit in Richt's eight years as coach. Sun, 28 Sep 2008 08:57:20 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/340468 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/340468