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| Wednesday, November 1 A look at players who need big games By Bruce Feldman ESPN The Magazine | |||
| Before I do the weekly mea culpa (this time's subject Josh Heupel), I would like to rant for a moment: The BCS stinks. Like a dead fish, it gets worse the longer it is exposed. In the first few years, the system seemed to work, but this year, all the flaws are there for everyone to see in plain sight.
One of the big arguments against a playoff system is that it would take away the significance of the regular season. And for the first two years, that may have been true. Every I-A team (except those in the MAC, Conference USA, Big West and Mountain West) were playing in essentially a single-elimination tournament. But this year, it appears (sorry, Virginia Tech) we're going to see at least one one-loss team playing in the title game. This is where all hell is gonna break loose.
How can Miami be ranked ahead of Washington after the Huskies beat UM? And how can FSU be ranked ahead of Miami after the Canes beat Florida State? And does anyone even realize TCU could go unbeaten, having bashed a solid Big Ten team, and still get left in the dark? And what about one-loss Southern Miss and Oregon? Face it, the system stinks. I-A football needs a playoff now more than ever.
Back to Heupel. Sooner fans who took issue with me saying Nebraska would win, were indeed right. Heupel deserves the Heisman talk, and if OU wins the Big 12, he should get the Trophy, making him the first junior college product to win the Heisman since O.J. Simpson.
Heupel's completion percentage is a remarkable 67.2 percent. Against Texas, K-State and Nebraska, he has completed 66 passes in 98 attempts for 949 yards and four TDs.
I talked to a buddy of mine who coached for Oklahoma State last year against Heupel and was amazed by the guy's poise. "He's actually got a slow release and his arm strength isn't great. Decent, but certainly not great. The thing about him is he always seems to throw the ball in the right spot and he makes all the right decisions and will take the hit in the face to get the ball off. But he was nowhere near as good as he has become in his second season there. The improvement has been amazing."
The 'most' list In honor of Heupel, this week's most list is about the Heisman candidates who have make-or-break games on Saturday and are most likely to vanish after the weekend. Woodrow Dantzler, Clemson: It's been a great run, but even if he plays against FSU, he'll need a Joe Hamilton-like performance to beat the Noles at home and get the Tigers back in the national title race. Anthony Thomas, Michigan: Running behind a solid, experienced O-line, the A-Train may need to roll up 250 yards against Northwestern if he has any plans of moving from dark horse status to contender. LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU: L.T. gets his first big TV game when the Horned Frogs take on a formidable San Jose State squad on ESPN2. Michael Vick, Virginia Tech: He is the most exciting player and the most talented, but if the Hokies don't beat Miami in the Orange Bowl, he probably fades off the Heisman radar. Quick slants | ALSO SEE Wojciechowski: Movers and Shakers | ||
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