College Football Top 25 Capsules: Auburn's Chizik stands by reputation
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Gene Chizik said Auburn hired him partly because of his hard-earned reputation for integrity, and he’s standing by that.
"I will say this: I got hired for this job not for my head coaching record," Chizik told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I got hired for this job because of a reputation that I’ve built over 20-something years, wherever I’ve been. My word is what it is. Integrity is a huge part of what I believe in and who I am. I’m very confident in that."
That confidence doesn’t seem to have been fazed amid the recruiting allegations swirling around star quarterback Cam Newton.
"You can’t control outside opinions," Chizik said. "But I can assure you our methods of operations haven’t changed" since taking over the program nearly two years ago.
The second-ranked Tigers and Newton have taken a series of public relations hits during the NCAA investigation into the Heisman hopeful’s recruitment. No details have emerged implicating Auburn in any wrongdoing, but Mississippi State boosters have said Newton’s father, Cecil, sought money in exchange for the quarterback’s commitment to that school.
None of those potential distractions have slowed either Chizik, Newton or the Tigers, who have secured a spot in the SEC championship game.
Chizik continues to quietly go about his business, declining to comment on the allegations and focusing on the regular-season finale Nov. 26 at No. 10 Alabama.
After the Iron Bowl showdown with the Crimson Tide, Auburn will face No. 17 South Carolina in the SEC title game with a shot at the national championship potentially on the line for the Tigers.
It’s an impressive rise, considering his hire two years ago was not a popular move.
Chizik was hired after two years — and five wins — as head coach at Iowa State. Former Auburn basketball standout and NBA analyst Charles Barkley publicly criticized the university for not hiring Turner Gill, now at Kansas. Athletic director Jay Jacobs was heckled when he arrived at the Auburn airport after the hiring.
But Chizik had built his reputation as a longtime assistant, including successful stints as the defensive coordinator at both Texas and Auburn. And two years later, he has led the Tigers to a 19-5 record, a reversal of his Iowa State mark — including 11-0 this year.
"Gene’s a great character guy," former Auburn coach Pat Dye said. "He’s got a trail, and I think you’ll find the same thing at every spot."
If Chizik is concerned that his reputation could take a significant hit if the NCAA rules that Auburn has been playing an ineligible player, he’s not showing it.
He said he has "no idea" if there could be a resolution to the Newton recruiting questions before the Iron Bowl. Either way, it’s business as usual for Chizik.
"The man has not changed one bit since he’s gotten here," offensive tackle Lee Ziemba Ziemba said. "If we were 3-8 right now, I don’t think he’d change at all. He’s a rock. He’s a rock that we can lean on and trust and that’s where the chemistry like he talks about starts.
"It starts with him."
For his part, Chizik said he and his coaching staff’s philosophy is "try to do it the same all the time." He’s not inclined to say "I told you so" to anyone critical of his hiring.
"I don’t live my life that way," he said. "I have an allegiance to the people that have an allegiance to me. Look, I’ve got a job and a family. That’s what I’ve got and that’s where I spend my time. Sometimes the two bleed over into each other, a high percentage of the time.
"I do the job to the best of my ability. ... I don’t do things for any vengeance or any ‘I told you so’s.’ That’s not how we live."
That steadfast philosophy has no doubt helped Chizik deal with the latest storm.
When the initial reports surfaced out of Mississippi State, he said that he wanted to make it "very loud and very clear" that Newton was eligible.
Chizik and Auburn officials stopped answering questions about Newton last week, after an emotional defense of Newton after public reports that the quarterback had been accused of academic cheating three times while at Florida.
During this open week, fans continue celebrating the Tigers’ first SEC West title since 2004 while wondering if some — or all — of the wins might be vacated if the NCAA rules Newton was not eligible.
Chizik, who spent a rare Sunday evening at home watching "Marmaduke" with his wife and three kids after a team dinner, has a message to for those fans:
"I continue to want them to love Auburn football, love Auburn and love Auburn University."
Ex-MSU player in Newton saga interviewed by FBI
An attorney for the former Mississippi State player who helped spark the NCAA’s investigation of Auburn quarterback Cam Newton said Tuesday his client has been interviewed by the FBI.
Phil Abernethy wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press that John Bond met with federal law enforcement and state investigators Tuesday and that he "cooperated fully with both agencies and has provided them all facts known by him."
Abernethy says Bond would have no further comment because of the "ongoing nature" of the investigation. The FBI also declined comment on Tuesday.
Newton’s father, Cecil, has been accused of seeking cash during his son’s recruitment. Cecil Newton has denied any wrongdoing and Mississippi State officials have said all of its employees acted appropriately.
Bond, a former Mississippi State quarterback, told MSU officials in January he had been asked for $180,000 by a former teammate in exchange for Newton’s commitment to the Bulldogs. The man was later identified as Kenny Rogers in an ESPN.com report.
Rogers is expected to be interviewed by the NCAA, according to his attorney Doug Zeit.
Rogers told a Dallas radio show he met with Cecil Newton and two MSU assistant coaches in a Starkville, Miss., motel on Nov. 27, 2009. Rogers said during that meeting, Cecil Newton asked for between $100,000 and $180,000 in exchange for his son to sign with Mississippi State.
Bond’s revelation to MSU officials, who gave their findings to the Southeastern Conference, set off a chain of events that have shaken college football and could impact who wins the Heisman Trophy and the national championship.
The allegations have cast a dark shadow over an otherwise dream season Newton and No. 2 Auburn (11-0), which has clinched a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game. The Tigers have a week off before facing No. 10 Alabama on Nov. 26 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
-- David Brandt
No. 8 Ohio State steels for pivotal game at Iowa
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State kicker Devin Barclay has never been to Iowa and freely admits he doesn’t know much about the state or the Hawkeyes football team.
But he’s got an idea what everybody out there might think of him.
"As far as I know, I might be one of the most hated people there," he said Tuesday.
It was almost exactly a year ago that Barclay, subbing for the injured Aaron Pettrey, booted a 39-yard field goal in overtime to give the Buckeyes a 27-24 win, clinching the Big Ten title and a berth in the Rose Bowl.
The teams meet again Saturday, this time in Iowa City.
At stake for No. 8 Ohio State (9-1, 5-1) is remaining a part of the three-team logjam atop the conference standings, while No. 21 Iowa (7-3, 4-2) knows another loss will turn what was once a season of promise into a disappointment.
Even in a successful season, the Buckeyes have shown a propensity to start games slowly. They fell behind 21-0 in their lone loss at Wisconsin, trailed 7-0 early at Illinois and 14-3 at halftime last week at home against Penn State.
With a veteran lineup, 10 games into the season, coach Jim Tressel can’t predict the emotional state of his team heading into the game on Saturday.
"Oh, no, you never know. I never know," he said. "If I thought I ever knew, I could write the story early. But you never know what you’re going to get."
On Saturday, it took a rare halftime pep talk from Tressel, a coach who readily admits he’s not prone to being all that fiery or that much of an inspirational speaker.
Wide receiver DeVier Posey said he would love to know how to prevent being flat at the outset.
"I know before the game, guys seemed like they were fired up, ready to go," he said. "I don’t know if it’s a play that does that to you. I don’t really know how to avoid it. I don’t have a formula for it."
No one expects the Hawkeyes to be anything other than jacked up. They’re coming off a surprising 21-17 upset at Northwestern that knocked them out of that one-loss glut in the Big Ten along with Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
Iowa is 12 points away from a perfect season, but instead is trying to make the best of what is left after three close losses.
"We’ve got to move on. So that’s what we’ll do," coach Kirk Ferentz said Tuesday. "(Playing Ohio State) is going to be a great challenge for our team. We’ll go back to work, try to put together a great week of preparation, and it will be good to be back in Kinnick, certainly. I know the crowds have been great all season long, so we’re looking forward to a great environment."
Their field should be rocking for the final home game of the season.
The Hawkeyes have won 49 of their last 59 games at Kinnick Stadium, although Ohio State has historically had good fortune there, winning six of the last seven.
"We’re playing against an outstanding football team and they’re a veteran bunch, a confident bunch," Tressel said. "They play extremely well at home. It’s a great atmosphere — it’s nice and tight and there’s a lot of communication going on from the stands down to the field. So it’s kind of one of those neat places that as a player you never forget that you’ve played."
With a win, Ohio State could remain in the hunt for a Bowl Championship Series berth. A victory would also keep the Buckeyes in line for a sixth straight Big Ten title — if they can also win at home against rival Michigan a week later.
But Posey said it’s better to not think about what’s riding on each game.
"It’s really easy to forget about all that," he said. "We have a lot riding on each week. We just really want to come out and just play. Losing is really not in our mind."
Early in August camp, the Buckeyes spent a day on each opponent, thinking about what lay ahead. Everyone knew the game at Iowa loomed large.
"This is definitely a game we were always aware of," Barclay said. "Any time you have to go on the road and play these tough teams, you really need to be even more focused than when you’re at home. So for us it’s just really important to know what the stakes are."
-- Rsuty Miller
He's back: Curry returns to 'Bama with new team
ATLANTA (AP) — Bill Curry still remembers the night in Baton Rouge, when his Alabama team had just blown out LSU to remain perfect on the season. The home fans had bolted for the parking lot, leaving only the crimson-clad contingent in the visiting section, celebrating and chanting "Roll, Tide, Roll!"
A friend of Curry's, who also happened to be a member of the school's athletic board, went up to another high-profile Alabama booster looking to savor the moment. "Isn't this great?" he said. "It's just like old times."
The response: "I don't care if Curry wins eight national championships. He will never be OUR coach."
As it turned out, Curry coached only three more games at Alabama, his rocky three-year tenure ending abruptly after the 1989 season. He headed to Kentucky and was replaced by one of Bryant's boys. Three years later, Gene Stallings guided the Crimson Tide to a national championship and the Curry era became just a footnote, one that most Bama fans preferred to forget.
Well, look who's coming back to Tuscaloosa. Curry will be on the opposite sideline Thursday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium, leading a brand new, next-division-down program that has played a grand total of 10 games. In a contest that takes audacity to a whole new level, Georgia State will be on the same field with the defending national champions, a program that has won more than 800 games, claimed 22 Southeastern Conference titles and sells out every game in it's 101,000-seat home.
"To have the opportunity to play the defending champs, to see what they are like, to see how it feels, to see if you can knock them off the ball, to see if you can keep them from knocking you off the ball, to see if you can compete with them, even for a period of time, we want to see how that feels and we want our players to experience it," Curry said.
The backstory in all this, of course, is Curry's time at Alabama from 1987-89. His hiring was a stunner: a coach who had a losing record at Georgia Tech and no ties to the Crimson Tide, given the keys to the storied program just four years after Bryant called it a career.
Not surprisingly, it didn't go well. Curry posted a record that would be respectable at most places (26-10) but wasn't nearly good enough at Alabama. He was never fully accepted by a large majority of the fickle fan base, and three straight losses to rival Auburn ensured that he wouldn't last. When Kentucky sent out feelers after the Tide lost its final two games of the '89 season, Curry gave up the job of a lifetime to head to a school where football plays second fiddle to basketball.
In hindsight, Curry realizes he had to beat Auburn, no matter how many games he won against everyone else. He didn't fully grasp that until it was too late.
"I had played in big rivalries, so I had assumed that I knew all about big rivalries," he said this week. "You do not know nothing until you go to Alabama-Auburn, until you experience that. And I didn't know. It would have helped a lot if I had paid attention to that earlier."
If there were any bitter feelings at the time, they are long gone. Curry struggled at Kentucky, failing to finish better than .500 in seven seasons, and he was shown the door in 1996. With that, he settled into a career as a broadcaster, each passing year taking him farther away from ever returning to the sideline.
Then, another unexpected twist. Georgia State, a downtown Atlanta campus with little athletic tradition and mostly commuters for a student body, decided to start a football program. The school called Curry and asked if he'd be interested in building a team from the ground up. He jumped at the chance to get back into coaching — in his hometown, no less.
But that still begs the question: Why in the world schedule a game against Alabama in this inaugural season? Turns out, the Crimson Tide had an opening right before its traditional regular-season finale against Auburn. Georgia State needed the money — a little over $400,000 — to help bolster its fledgling program.
The 68-year-old Curry would have preferred to wait a few more years before taking on the Tide, but this was the opportunity. Take it or leave it.
He took it. Heck, he's even planning to take his players to the Paul W. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, hoping some of the lessons of a coaching great will rub off on his neophyte team.
"This is an opportunity for a big payday for a program like us," Curry said. "We would not walk away from that."
The bookmakers haven't even bothered putting a line on the game. No. 10 Alabama (8-2) could probably run up the score as high as it wanted, though the Tide will likely play its starters sparingly to ensure they are well rested for that game against second-ranked and unbeaten Auburn.
Roger Shultz, who played for Curry at Alabama, still talks to his former coach a couple of times a year and expects him to receive a warm reception in Tuscaloosa. Curry has already been back to Bryant-Denny Stadium while at Kentucky.
"Alabama people have kind of moved on," Shultz said. "We've got Nick Saban."
Curry is realistic about his team's chances. After all, Georgia State (6-4) will be facing a top-level team for the first time, having opened its season against NAIA Shorter and mostly played schools in the level it will settle in after a two-year transition period, the NCAA Championship Subdivision.
"We know what could happen," Curry said. "We're not crazy."
But he's also preached to his team — and with Curry, most everything takes on a sermon-like tone — that Georgia State could actually win Thursday night. He has told them of a game that occurred long before any of them were born, when he led Georgia Tech to its only win of the 1981 season: a 24-21 stunner over Bryant and a Crimson Tide team that was ranked second in the nation at the time.
"I've told them there are two differences in this game and that one," Curry said. "The Tech team that I took over there was not as good as this Georgia State team, and the Alabama team that coach Bryant had was better than this Alabama team this year. Now, maybe it was a fluky win, because we were not very good. But it was still a win. These things happen."
If the players have any doubts about Curry's bravado, they're not showing it publicly.
"I did not come to college to play football to lose," offensive lineman Joseph Gilbert said. "I've seen crazier things happen."
Shultz sees things a bit differently.
"They're going to get their eyeballs beat out," he said.
-- Paul Newberry
Martin returning for 11th-ranked Spartans
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Amid the fake kicks and fourth-down conversions that turned this Michigan State season into such an exhilarating story, Keshawn Martin made the biggest play nobody remembers.
With the Spartans trailing Wisconsin in the second quarter early last month, Martin caught a punt at his own 26-yard line, ran straight up the middle and then veered to his right. The Badgers couldn't catch him, and the touchdown turned the game in Michigan State's favor.
The Spartans went on to win 34-24, and that's still Wisconsin's only loss. If the teams finish in a two-way tie atop the Big Ten — which is a definite possibility — Michigan State would win the tiebreaker.
"It did boost us," Martin said. "I think that was a huge momentum change, and hopefully we'll get more of those."
Martin is hoping to provide another lift this weekend when he returns from a knee injury for the 11th-ranked Spartans' game against Purdue. The junior wide receiver has accounted for touchdowns five different ways in his career — rushing, receiving, passing and on punt and kickoff returns. He's one of three active players in major college football who have accomplished that feat.
"Keshawn's a playmaker," coach Mark Dantonio said. "Every time he touches the ball, great things can happen, so obviously he'll be a big part of what we do."
Michigan State's offense relies primarily on Kirk Cousins' accurate passing and the flashy running of Edwin Baker. Martin, however, provides versatility. He caught 18 passes last season, averaging 22.8 yards per reception.
He's been overshadowed at times in 2010. The Spartans have won with aggressive play calling — including a memorable fake field goal in overtime that beat Notre Dame in September. Martin caught eight passes for 96 yards and a touchdown in that game, but that obviously wasn't the story.
Still, the big return against Wisconsin was a reminder of how dangerous he can be.
Three weeks later, in a game at Northwestern, Martin hurt his knee. When the Spartans took the field the following weekend at Iowa, facing their biggest test of the season, Martin wasn't able to contribute. Michigan State lost 37-6 for its first defeat of the season.
All was not lost, however. Martin had to sit out again when the Spartans hosted Minnesota in their next game, but they won easily, and they're still tied for the conference lead with Wisconsin and Ohio State.
Michigan State would finish atop the Big Ten if it wins out and Ohio State drops a game — the Buckeyes play at Iowa this weekend.
In Martin's absence, other receivers have been impressive. Mark Dell and B.J. Cunningham combined to catch 17 passes for 222 yards against Northwestern, and Bennie Fowler has made a contribution as well.
"Injuries happen, like they usually do," Cousins said. "We have plenty of guys on this team who are ready to fill in when guys get hurt and go down, and that's what makes, I think, a good team great."
Like any team, however, Michigan State would like to be at full strength, and an open date last week was a big help. Dantonio said defensive end William Gholston is out for the season following shoulder surgery, but other than that, he seems fairly pleased with his team's health.
As for Martin, he says he still has some pain while cutting, but he has no intention of missing another game with so much on the line.
"By game time, I think I'll be about 100 percent," he said. "It still hurts to do some stuff, but it's much better than it was a couple weeks ago."
-- Noah Trister
Spurrier wants no let up from new SEC East champs
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina's coaches don't need much to keep the newly minted Southeastern Conference East Division champions humble and hungry — all they have to do is point out the Gamecocks' record in November.
Since joining the SEC in 1992, South Carolina is 15-39 in the final month of the regular season. And even though the No. 17 Gamecocks have a spot set against No. 2 Auburn in the SEC title game Dec. 4, they still have to play Troy on Saturday and Clemson the next week.
So coaches are using a little history lesson, urging the team to keep separating itself from South Carolina's mediocre past, defensive back Akeem Auguste said.
"Usually, these last three or four games, we just go downhill — the old South Carolina," Auguste said. "But not his team."
The 7-3 Gamecocks still have plenty of goals to shoot for. A win would make them only the tenth team in school history with eight wins. Only two of those teams have better records — the 2001 squad that went 9-3 and the 1984 "Black Magic" team that ended the season 10-2.
That 1984 team also provides an important lesson. They were 9-0 and rose to No. 2 in the polls after winning one of the biggest game's in the program's history — a 38-26 victory over Florida State. The next week the Gamecocks went to 3-5-1 Navy and lost 38-21.
"It's neat to accomplish something for the first time, but there are some other achievements still out there that we're shooting for," coach Steve Spurrier said.
And Saturday's opponent is no slouch. Troy (5-4) lost just 41-38 to No 12 Oklahoma State early in the season. The Trojans strength is also South Carolina's weakness. Troy ranks 13th nationally in passing offense at 296 yards a game, while the Gamecocks are last in the SEC and 107th nationally allowing 257 yards through the air.
"They've probably got a better offense than Florida has, statistically. Of course, they don't play competition like Florida does and so forth," Spurrier said. "They are a good passing team. We're going to have our hands full. We've got to defend, we've got to rush the passer and get them off the field."
How much success the Trojans have on offense will likely depend on how much time they get to throw, offensive lineman Tyler Graves said.
Troy has to "shut down their pass rush," Graves said. "We know they are very prolific on the pass rush. We've got a big challenge ahead of us, there's no doubt about it."
But the history behind Saturday's game isn't all negative for South Carolina. Spurrier is 40-0 against teams from conferences that aren't automatic BCS qualifies in his 21-year college coaching career. The Gamecocks have beaten Troy twice, including a 45-20 win in Spurrier's first year in 2005 when they scored five touchdowns on five turnovers.
The key for the Gamecocks is to put the SEC title game out of their minds until after the Clemson game, said Spurrier, who allowed his team to celebrate the division title for two days before getting back to business at Tuesday's practice.
"SEC is coming, but at the same time, we've got two more games — two more big games," Auguste said. "And we want to set a real legacy and win out."
But the Trojans aren't coming to town just for a paycheck. They want to knock off a ranked team for only the second time in school history, Graves said.
"Anything's possible," Graves said. "We don't want to scare them. We want to beat them."
-- Jeffrey Collins
Defensive troubles knock Iowa out of Big Ten chase
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s defense has been good this season — expect for when the Hawkeyes need it the most.
No. 21 Iowa ranks seventh in the nation with just 15 points allowed per game and is 16th in total defense at just 307 yards. But the Hawkeyes have given up long touchdown drives in the fourth quarter in all three of their losses. That’s why Saturday’s home finale against No. 8 Ohio State (9-1, 5-1) will be played more for pride than a shot at the Big Ten crown.
Iowa (7-3, 4-2) saw its league title hopes dashed after it gave up 14 fourth-quarter points and lost at Northwestern 21-17 on Saturday.
The Hawkeyes supposedly vaunted defense has allowed 62 points in the fourth quarter this season, which is more than the Hawkeyes have allowed in the second and third quarters combined.
"We just aren’t executing our assignments," Iowa defensive lineman Karl Klug said. "That’s kind of uncharacteristic of an Iowa defense. That’s not what we’re looking for."
Iowa’s perplexing defensive issues began at No. 23 Arizona in September. After spotting the host Wildcats a 27-7 lead, the Hawkeyes made a furious comeback to tie the game at 27 in the fourth quarter. But behind quarterback Nick Foles, Arizona marched 72 yards and scored the game’s final TD with just 3:57 left.
That one could have been dismissed because of the brutal desert heat — if hadn’t kept happening.
Iowa took a 30-24 lead in the fourth quarter at home against fellow Big Ten contender Wisconsin and had the Badgers pinned deep in their own territory. But Wisconsin pulled out a brilliant fake punt to keep the drive alive, then converted another fourth down en route to a game-winning TD with just 1:06 to go.
A blowout of then-unbeaten Michigan State had seemingly put the Hawkeyes back on track. But they only survived what would have been a crushing upset at Indiana when an open Damarlo Belcher dropped the ball in the end zone with 28 seconds left.
Last week, Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa sliced apart Iowa’s defense in the fourth quarter.
Persa led Northwestern on touchdown drives of 86 and 91 yards to vault into all-league consideration and send the Hawkeyes out of Evanston as losers once again.
The Wildcats used 11 plays on their game-winning drive, which was capped by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Persa to Demetrius Fields with just 1:22 left.
Iowa has allowed opponents to convert just over 36 percent of their third downs, but big stops have been tough to come by in critical moments late in games.
"There’s been a lot of times where we’ve had them third-and-medium, third and five, six, and we haven’t been able to get off the field," Iowa safety Tyler Sash said.
There have been a ton of theories thrown out there to explain Iowa’s sudden inability to close out opposing offenses, like defensive coordinator Norm Parker’s health issues and the injury woes at linebacker.
Perhaps the Hawkeyes have also missed their three previous starters more than anyone could have imagined.
Linebackers A.J. Edds and Pat Angerer, drafted by Miami and Indianapolis respectively, were two of the best in the Big Ten and excelled in pass coverage as well. Their absence has been exacerbated by injuries to Jeff Tarpinian and Bruce Davis that left true freshman James Morris as the starting middle linebacker.
Morris has really come on of late and seems primed for a strong career, but he’s still a true freshman.
"I couldn’t be more pleased, and all of us feel that way. But he’s a young player who’s learning on the fly. That’s just how it goes sometimes," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said about Morris.
Iowa replaced cornerback Amari Spievey, a third-round pick by Detroit in April, with sophomore Micah Hyde. Though Hyde’s had his moments both good and bad, the Hawkeyes have given up 220 yards passing per game this season after allowing just 152.9 yards per outing in 2009.
Iowa’s offense hasn’t helped as of late, scoring just 35 points in the past two games. But had their defense been able to get key stops against Arizona, Wisconsin or Northwestern, the Hawkeyes might still be playing for the lofty goals that seemed so attainable before the season.
"We take pride in having a good defense, and we haven’t shown that in those (three) games where we’ve given up those last drives. It’s something we need to fix," Klug said.
-- Luke Meredith
MSU braces for Mallett, Arkansas after tough loss
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Considering what Greg McElroy did to Mississippi State's defense, it's understandable the Bulldogs are concerned with Ryan Mallett coming to town.
Mississippi State's defense has been among the SEC's best all season, but it didn't have a banner day at Alabama Saturday's 30-10 loss in Tuscaloosa. McElroy gashed the Bulldogs, completing 12 of 18 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns as Alabama feasted on big plays — including three touchdowns that were scored on plays of at least 45 yards.
Now it's Mallett's turn. And he's likely to be even more unforgiving.
"It doesn't matter who we're playing, if we give up three 45-yard touchdown plays, we're not going to do very well," Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen.
While McElroy is considered a solid quarterback, Mallett is one of the nation's best. The 6-foot-6 junior has completed more than 67 percent of his passes for 2,967 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Largely because of that production, the Razorbacks are scoring nearly 38 points per game,.
"They run kind of a pro-style offense," MSU's middle linebacker Chris White said. "It's definitely a big game for us, and they can put up some numbers if we don't play well."
Petrino regarded Mississippi State's defensive struggles against Alabama as a one-game blip rather than the start of a trend. He said MSU's defensive coordinator Manny Diaz is effective because he's a little unorthodox.
"He's always done a nice job of doing things that other people don't," Petrino said. "They play different coverages, they squeeze their corners, they play their defensive line a little bit different than other people do. It makes it difficult for you to prepare for with three days of practice."
Though No. 22 Mississippi State (7-3, 3-3 SEC) and No. 13 Arkansas (8-2, 4-2) are in the middle tier of the SEC Western Division and out of conference title contention, there's plenty to play for, including bowl position.
While Arkansas' offense has been potent all season, Mississippi State's trying to revive its offense that fell flat against the Tide.
Unlike the Razorbacks, the Bulldogs have generated most of their offense on the ground with quarterback Chris Relf and running back Vick Ballard. But those two were held mostly in check by Alabama's defense, rushing for a combined 87 yards.
Mullen has talked for weeks about improving the team's balance, but 10 games into the season, there won't be any huge changes in strategy.
"That's our deal," Mullen said. "We're a run, play-action team, and we like to run the football right now. That's the strength of what we do with the offensive line trying to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball."
The Bulldogs rode that strategy for a six-game winning streak before the Alabama loss, their longest since 1999. Mullen admitted the Alabama loss was difficult, but he expects a quick recovery.
"They've been in this position before," Mullen said. "I think they kind of got used to winning a little bit, so it stung a little bit more than some of the other ones."
-- David Brandt
Morris to start at quarterback again for Miami
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Jacory Harris will play a big role for Miami this week. Just not as the Hurricanes’ quarterback.
That job still belongs to Stephen Morris.
When No. 24 Miami hosts No. 14 Virginia Tech on Saturday with the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division championship possibly hinging on the outcome, Morris will be making his third straight start — while Harris will be helping from the sideline, still recovering from a concussion that has kept him out since Oct. 30.
"Concussions are serious," Miami coach Randy Shannon said Tuesday. "And a lot of fans, a lot of media, bloggers, you all think it’s a deal where you can just line up and take one week off and the next week show up and play. It’s not that way. ... Speaking impediments, brain aneurysms, all kinds of things can happen. I think a lot of fans and a lot of people want to say, ‘What is Coach going to do?’ It’s not that. I’m looking at what is best for Jacory. It’s not what’s best for Randy Shannon or this football team."
Harris met with doctors again on Tuesday and was on the practice field with the Hurricanes, but has not yet been cleared for contact. The fact that he hasn’t conditioned or done any live work in more than two weeks made it, at best, highly doubtful that he would play anyway when the Hurricanes (7-3, 5-2) host the Hokies (8-2, 6-0) — but Harris’ status has nonetheless been a hot topic in South Florida.
So Shannon tried again Tuesday to quell it all, repeating that there is no controversy over which quarterback gives Miami the best chance of winning.
For now, Shannon insists, Morris is the only option.
"All it takes is one hit, we go back too early, and now Jacory’s in another world," Shannon said. "Then who’s going to feel bad? Now I’m the bad guy. I’m not going to do that. We’re going to do it the right way here at Miami. We’re going to take it slow. We’re going to put him through the process of it and when he’s ready, the medical staff is going to say he’s ready."
The way Morris has played, there’s been no need to rush Harris along.
Morris has completed 28 of 48 passes for 516 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in his two starts, winning both and winning plenty of respect from teammates as well. Miami has racked up more than 500 yards of offense in those games, the first time that’s happened in consecutive weeks since the final two games of the 2002 regular season.
"In practice, Jacory, the coaches, they’re doing a great job getting Stephen ready," running back Lamar Miller said. "So on Saturdays, it just seems to be coming easily to him."
Virginia Tech is taking notice as well.
The Hokies can clinch the division title and another trip to the ACC championship game with a win Saturday, and will have to keep Morris in check to make that happen this week.
"I don’t think their game plan changes a lot with who plays quarterback," Hokies coach Frank Beamer said. "Harris is a real talent and has been good for them for a long time. And the Morris kid comes in there, very poised for a freshman, has good pocket presence. He’s done a heck of a job for them."
Morris and Harris — who took the concussion-causing hit in the second quarter of Miami’s loss at Virginia — have been studying together in the film room, and have plenty of contact on the sideline during games as well.
Shannon isn’t in the film room with them, but wasn’t surprised to hear that Harris has been advising his former understudy.
"It shows Jacory is a team guy," Shannon said. "His biggest job is to make sure Stephen is the best quarterback he can be right now to give Miami a chance to win."
-- Tim Reynolds
Beamer: Vick's big night reminiscent of 2000
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Frank Beamer said Michael Vick's performance on Monday night against the Washington Redskins made him recall the 2000 national championship game.
The Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback threw an 88-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game, and became the first player in NFL history to have at least 300 yards passing, 50 yards rushing, four passing TDs and two rushing TDs in one game. The Eagles won 59-28.
It made Beamer think about the 2000 Sugar Bowl, when the Vick-led Hokies were ahead of Florida State in the fourth quarter, but lost 46-29 despite a showstopping game from Vick.
"I remember the day after the national championship game, everybody was talking about the performance Michael Vick had last night, even though we lost the game against Florida State," Beamer said Tuesday. "Today seems like that same day. Everybody in the country seems to be talking about what a performance he had last night, and he did."
Cornerback Rashad Carmichael said he paid attention both to Vick and Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall, another former Hokies star, in the game, and Vick had the upper hand.
"Oh, man, A-plus-plus-plus," he said, grading Vick's performance. "He had a great game. It was just like he was in college again. It looked like he was having fun again."
Beamer has said that he feels similarly confident with Tyrod Taylor, his quarterback now, on the field as he did in ther two seasons Vick was his starting quarterback. Vick left after his redshirt sophomore year and was the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft by Atlanta.
"I think he's playing as one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League right now and it just looks like he's going out there to prove something every time he steps out there on the field," Taylor, from the same area as Vick, said. "And he's doing it."
To see the player he has always defended as a good person, even when he went to federal prison for running a dogfighting ring, bouncing back is especially gratifying to Beamer.
"The thing that I appreciate is that he's really worked hard to get back to where he is right now," Beamer said. "I think he's probably worked harder than he's ever worked.
"The time away, I think he realized a lot of things and in talking with him, he's very humble and just glad to be back in the NFL. And then I think he's worked hard to get his body in condition. I think he's worked hard to get mentally right out there and know where the ball needs to go and be good in that regard. I always thought he was good. I always thought he had unbelievable talent, different talent. I think he's determined to get it back right.
"I'm pulling for him all the way. I'm pulling for him hard."
-- Hank Kurz Jr.
Saban's rip at McCarron gets wide audience
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama coach Nick Saban called it a "good opportunity to teach."
If so, the earful and hard backside slap that Saban gave A.J. McCarron has been a lesson learned many times in replays.
The backup quarterback was coming off the field in the fourth quarter in Saturday night's Mississippi State game when Saban vehemently chewed him out, then slapped his backside — a moment replayed often on television and the Internet.
Saban said Monday he was emphasizing to McCarron that he should have thrown to an open man and not try for a big play downfield by throwing deep to a covered receiver.
He said it was a good opportunity to make the point in a game situation.
"Just to share with you, I love A.J.," Saban said. "The challenge with A.J. has never been about his talent. It's always been about staying in what you're supposed to do."
"You need to check your ego at the door and do what you're supposed to do to make it work for the team," Saban said. "He and I have had this conversation already, so it's not like I'm doing anything new. It was a good opportunity to teach, and it was a good opportunity for him to learn."
Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram said there are worse things than being the focus of Saban's temper.
"When he doesn't yell at you, doesn't talk to you anymore, that's when you need to be worried," he said.
Asked at his Monday news conference if he hurt his hand on McCarron's hip pad, Saban replied: "I didn't feel his hip pad. You need to ask him what he felt ... We made ESPN, huh?"
