Pac-10's Civil War for the Roses

In 1991 Guns 'n Roses introduced the song "Civil War", which included the lyric, "I don't need your civil war." That line was sung by a man named Rose.

Eighteen years later, a bowl named Rose most definitely needs your Civil War, Oregon and Oregon State. For the first time in the 113 years in which the game has been played, the winner will head directly to Pasadena as the Pac-10 champion.

Yes, this is unprecedented. And wonderful. And serendipitous.

As opposed to the sterile, NFL stadium-based and overly-branded Big 12 and SEC championship games, the Pac-10 championship will be taking place in arguably the loudest campus stadium per capita in the country (Autzen), in the paradise city that is Eugene, Ore., and it wasn't a done deal until Duck quarterback Jeremiah Masoli scored from a yard out in the Arizona desert in the second overtime last Saturday night.

The Civil War has been contested since 1894, but this will be the first time that it is for all the Roses. The Ducks last appeared in the New Year's Day classic in 1995, losing to Penn State, and have not won a Rose Bowl since 1917 when they shut out Penn, 14-0.

The Beavers last appeared in the Granddaddy of 'em All in 1965. Though their lone Rose Bowl win is more recent (a 20-16 defeat of Duke in 1942), the glory is somewhat tainted by the fact that the game took place some 2,500 miles east of the Rose Bowl itself. Game officials, worried about a Japanese attack on the West coast (Pearl Harbor, after all, had taken place less than a month earlier) moved the game to Durham, N.C.

And unlike so many Civil Wars past -- such as the 1983 edition, which featured eleven fumbles, five interceptions and ended in a 0-0 tie -- this one will not take place in the cold November rain. The de facto Pac-10 championship game will be staged on Thursday, Dec. 3, in primetime on ESPN. And it could also feature the return to live action, for the first time since Oregon last played on a week night, of tailback LeGarrette Blount.

Two days later, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh will meet at Heinz Field (an NFL stadium, true, but also the Panthers' home turf) for what should be the de facto Big East championship game, barring a Panther collapse this Saturday versus West Virginia.

The Big 12 and SEC should take note: the most exciting championship games are the ones you cannot plan out a year in advance.

Why Not Boise?

Three weeks ago I argued in this space that a Stanford upset of USC should open the door for a second undefeated non-BCS school (i.e., Boise State) to garner a BCS bowl invite. The Cardinal complied, and all the Broncos have done is remain unbeaten while featuring a sophomore quarterback, Kellen Moore, who has thrown 33 touchdowns against just three interceptions. Moore leads the nation in passing efficiency and among passers who don blue-and-orange uniforms is the most qualified Heisman candidate in the country.

And yet still Fiesta Bowl officials appear to be leaning toward 9-2 Oklahoma State, should they win at Oklahoma on Saturday, and either 10-2 Iowa or Penn State from the Big Ten. While BCS bowl officials operate on the basis of eyeballs (on TV) and fannies (in the seats) and have that prerogative, Fiesta Bowl executive director John Junker would do his legacy some good to invite the Broncos...again. My memory is hazy, but I seem to recall the Broncos did not exactly put people to sleep the last time they played at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Norman(dy) Invasion

Then again, the Cowboys must win in Norman this weekend, where the Sooners have won 28 consecutive games. That is the nation's longest home win streak. It must be funny to coach Bob Stoops, to think that by winning the Bedlam Bowl he'd be doing Boise State a favor.

Ivy Leaguers, Better at Outsmarting Themselves Than Us Average Dolts

When I think of Yale, the first thing that comes to mind is Rory Gilmore. The second thing that comes to mind is former Michigan wideout Yale Van Dyne, owner of my favorite name ever in college football. And now, after this weekend, my third thought will be "fourth-and-22".

By now you have likely read or heard how first-year Yale coach Tom Williams went full-metal Belichick last Saturday in The Game. Up 10-7 but facing a 4th-and-22 from their own 25 yard-line with 2:25 left, the Elis attempted a fake punt.

Hey, they did gain 15 yards. Three plays later, Harvard scored and wound up winning, 13-7.

And now, as Paul Harvey used to say, the rest of the story. Yale's punter, Tom Mante, was the top-rated punter in the Ivy League and No. 16 nationally in the FCS with an average of 41.19 yards per kick. On Sunday night Yale held its football banquet and Mante, a senior, won the Ledyard Mitchell Award for proficiency in kicking.

He's Not the Only One

Williams, the Yale coach, played at Stanford, where the current head coach made a similarly strange and Belichickian maneuver in a rivalry game. Why it received less fanfare or notoriety than Williams' call is beyond me.

The Cardinal had the ball and trailed 31-28 with just over 3:30 remaining versus Cal in The Big Game. Facing fourth-and-8 from their own 23, and with all three timeouts still at their disposal, Jim Harbaugh decided to go for it. The pass attempt fell incomplete.

The Golden Bears only moved the ball 12 yards before settling for a field goal, which allowed Stanford the opportunity to drive for a go-ahead score (Andre Luck's pass was intercepted at the Cal 2). Still, was it really the wise gamble to attempt to gain eight yards from your own 23 with more than 3 ½ minutes remaining?

Stay Classy, Ann Arbor

That's Michigan running back Michael Shaw, who would later have seven carries for a total of seven yards against the Buckeyes. Notice the Brutus Buckeye stuffed animal being hung in effigy there off to the right, too.

Erin and Drewes

Erin Andrews -- perhaps you've heard of her? -- is a Florida alum who currently earns a living as a sideline reporter for ESPN. Erin Drewes is a Florida coed who once found herself at a social gathering with Tim Tebow, resulting in this photo.

Well, the folks at Playboy aren't idiots (Is there a Field & Stream mansion? Exactly!), which is why Drewes has posed for the magazine's Web site wearing nothing more than a body-painted No. 15 jersey and cut-off football pants.

God bless, indeed.

Fort Worthy

TCU beat Wyoming 45-10 and the only touchdown the Horned Frogs allowed came courtesy of a 98-yard fumble return by the Cowboys. In fact, in the past six games the Horned Frog defense has allowed a total of six touchdowns. Among the six unbeatens, only Alabama has been stingier over the past half-dozen contests, having surrendered just three touchdowns in that time.

Yabba Dabo Do

You may have made money on the North Carolina-Boston College game, but you did not do as well as Clemson coach Dabo Swinney. When the Tar Heels beat the Eagles, Clemson clinched the ACC Atlantic Division crown-moments before their own game versus Virginia kicked off.

By virtue of the division title, Swinney received a contractual bonus that elevated his salary from $800,000 (lowest in the ACC) to $1.8 million.

Two QBs, Tale of the Tape

Quarterback X: 23 TDs; 4 INTs; 3,382 yards; 67.3 percent; 156.45

Quarterback Y: 23; 9; 3,024; 73 percent; 152.53

One of these quarterbacks is a favorite to win the Heisman. The other may not even appear in a bowl game (neither have been anywhere near as prolific as Kellen Moore or Houston's Case Keenum). The difference is that Y, whose numbers are slightly less impressive, plays for an 11-0 team. X plays for a 6-5 team. That's correct, it's Colt McCoy and Jimmy Clausen.

The Blind Side

I had just assumed that Scott Tolzien's empty high-five moment at the Horseshoe, when the Wisconsin quarterback raised his right hand and got no takers from along the sideline during the Ohio State game, would be the most humiliating moment for a player at that position this season.

But no.

Here's Tennessee QB Jonathan Crompton being blindsided by his own head coach during Tennessee's defeat of Vanderbilt.

Somewere Mark Mangino is watching this clip, muttering, "And they're on my case?!?"

Cue the Seth Meyers "Really!?!" soundtrack

So Colorado coach Dan Hawkins has finally come out and conceded that if he had to do it over again he would not have had his quarterback son, Cody, play for the Buffs. Unless your name is Press Maravich and your son is named Pete this is always a bad idea, Hawk.

And finally...

Rest in peace, UGA VII. With the type of season it's been in Athens, who can blame you for checking out early?