College Top 25 Football Capsules: All together Boise St fans: BOOMER! SOONER!

The folks who support the Bowl Championship Series like to say it has broadened the interest in college football, making it more of a national sport than the regional game it had been traditionally.

Fair point. The old expression about broken clocks being correct twice a day comes to mind, but there is a great example of what they are talking about this weekend.

No. 11 Oklahoma State is at Oklahoma on Saturday in the latest installment of the Bedlam Rivalry. The Big 12 South has already been wrapped up by Texas, and the Sooners are trying to end an awful season — by their standards — on a bright note. You’d think that interest in what’s going on in Norman would end in Boise City, Okla. But, actually, fans in Boise, Idaho, could be keeping a close eye on the outcome.

If the Cowboys, 12th in the latest BCS standings, beat the Sooners and finish 10-2, they would make an attractive candidate for a BCS at-large bid. Especially for the Fiesta Bowl, which is two victories by Texas from losing its host team — the Big 12 champion — to the national title game.

The bowls are not bound to take teams from their host conferences. But the bowls and the conferences are business partners, so they tend to look out for one another when they can.

Oklahoma State has never played in a BCS game and its fans would no doubt flock to Arizona for the holidays.

Why should Oklahoma State getting into the BCS concern Boise State fans? Because that spot might be the one that could go to the Broncos if they stay unbeaten.

TCU from the Mountain West Conference will earn one of the four at-large bids automatically if it finishes undefeated. So now it’s down to three. Make that two, because the SEC runner-up — Florida or Alabama — is a lock.

One of the 10-2 Big Ten teams — Iowa or Penn State — is a strong candidate to get an at-large bid, too. Fans of the Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes also might want to keep an eye on Oklahoma State and Boise State’s big Friday night game against Western Athletic Conference rival Nevada.

The Broncos are one of six undefeated teams in the nation heading into Thanksgiving, the most since the AP poll expanded to the Top 25 in 1989.

If Boise State loses to the Wolf Pack, there is little doubt either Iowa or Penn State is going to the BCS.

And if Boise State and Oklahoma State both lose, maybe that opens the door for both Pittsburgh and Cincinnati of the Big East to get into the BCS.

So in the spirit of the holiday, let’s take a moment to put aside all the anger and vitriol that is usually directed at the BCS and thank those who have brought us college football’s maddening postseason system for putting extra intrigue into this weekend’s football feast.

(PAUSE)

OK, now you can go back to hating the BCS.

Thursday

No. 3 Texas (minus 21) at Texas A&M

Longhorns crushed Aggies last year, but lost previous two meetings ... TEXAS 42-24.

Friday

No. 2 Alabama (minus 10) at Auburn

Tide snapped six-game losing streak to Tigers last year ... ALABAMA 28-14.

Illinois (plus 20½) at No. 5 Cincinnati

QB Tony Pike gets start for Bearcats ... CINCINNATI 41-28.

Nevada (plus 13½) at No. 6 Boise State

Wolf Pack averages 373 yards rushing, tops in nation ... BOISE STATE 45-35.

No. 8 Pittsburgh (pick’em) at West Virginia

Panthers’ Bill Stull is most improved quarterback in country ... PITT 27-17.

Saturday

Florida State (plus 24) at No. 1 Florida

‘Noles porous D make Tim Tebow’s last home game one long farewell party ... FLORIDA 44-17.

New Mexico (plus 44½) at No. 4 TCU

One-win Lobos against undefeated Horned Frogs ... TCU 58-3.

Georgia (plus 7½) at No. 7 Georgia Tech

Bulldogs coach Mark Richt feeling some heat ... GEORGIA TECH 37-28.

No. 11 Oklahoma State (plus 9½) at Oklahoma

Dear Sooners, Best of luck from your pals at Boise State ... OKLAHOMA 27-21.

No. 14 Virginia Tech (minus 15½) at Virginia

Cavaliers coach Al Groh’s last game? ... VIRGINIA TECH 35-17.

No. 15 Clemson (minus 3) at South Carolina

Happy days in Death Valley ... CLEMSON 24-17.

Arkansas (plus 3½) at No. 17 LSU

Razorbacks have won two straight in battle for Golden Boot ... ARKANSAS 27-24.

No. 22 Utah (plus 7½) at No. 18 BYU

Utah has won five of seven in the Holy War ... UTAH 28-27.

No. 19 Miami (minus 5½) at South Florida

Game is far more important to Bulls ... USF 28-24.

No. 20 Mississippi (minus 6) at Mississippi State

Rebels coach Houston Nutt has won 10 straight against Bulldogs ... MISSISSIPPI 28-21.

No. 23 North Carolina (minus 6) at N.C. State

Wolfpack trying to salvage disappointing season ... NORTH CAROLINA STATE 28-21.

UCLA (plus 13) at No. 24 Southern California

Trojans trying to make Holiday Bowl push — sounds strange, huh ... USC 24-14.

Rice (plus 29½) at No. 25 Houston

Owls’ second-to-last in nation in pass defense. Uh-oh ... HOUSTON 60-14.

Last week: 17-4 (straight); 10-10 (vs. points). Season: 198-49 (straight); 118-109-4 (vs. points).

Features

Saban guides ‘Bama into Bear-ified territory

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nick Saban works the room, shaking hands with crimson-clad fans, posing for pictures and chatting amiably about Cajun food.

It’s mix-and-mingle time for Saban and Alabama’s fans, otherwise known as the commercial breaks during his weekly radio show. Sometimes aloof and always intense, Saban smiles, cracks jokes and is frequently interrupted by loud applause from the 200 or so fans packed into the local wing joint on that recent Thursday evening.

Saban pauses at one table for a friendly chat and a fan asks him about Boudin, a Cajun sausage stuffed with pork and rice that the coach favors.

"He talked to me like I was talking to a neighbor," said Jerry Grimball, a Louisiana transplant. "Just easygoing."

A few minutes later, the show is over, Saban takes his headphones off, puts his serious, almost angry-looking expression — call it his game face — back on and leaves flanked by security guards after obliging one more persistent group of fans wanting a photo.

Saban is successful and wildly popular among Alabama fans, who sport "S The Coach" bumper stickers on everything from pickup trucks to luxury sedans. He might be the state’s most-adored figure since Bear Bryant patrolled the sidelines in his houndstooth hat.

Bear & S. The coaches.

The way the two men compare gives Tide fans shivers and the way they contrast says something about the eras in which they coached.

Saban has the second-ranked Tide (11-0) in national title contention for the second straight year going into Friday’s visit to rival Auburn (7-4).

In less than three years, Saban has restored Alabama football, returning the Tide to its place among college football’s elite with a familiar formula.

Strong defense. Powerful running game. Physical football. Not unlike Bryant’s old teams that won five Associated Press national championships and 13 SEC titles.

Saban’s totals at ‘Bama so far: zero and zero. But his tenure has been short and, as athletic director Mal Moore says, the Tide is "headed in the right direction."

Into Bear-ified territory.

"When I’m watching Saban, I think about the ways they’re alike more than the ways they’re not," said Kirk McNair, who publishes "Bama Magazine" and was Alabama’s sports information director late in Bryant’s tenure. "They both believed in recruiting: Get the best players, you’ve got a chance to have the best team."

Moore is a former Bryant player and assistant coach who also sees similarities in the coaches. He feels they share a confidence that rubs off on players and fans.

"Both he and coach Bryant were very smart men," Moore said. "They believe in what they are doing and how to do it. They stick to those beliefs. I certainly think that is true of coach Saban. He’s a very strong defensive coach. He’s a very strong kicking game coach. That’s the way I think most championships are built.

"The most important thing is he has a strong belief in how to do this job."

They are different, too. Not that it matters much to Alabama fans, who have watched Bear’s boys like Mike DuBose and Ray Perkins struggle to return the Tide to its former glory. Another of the Bear’s pupils, Gene Stallings, came close with a national championship in 1992 and a strong seven-year run.

Raised in West Virginia coal-mining country, Saban came to Tuscaloosa as an outsider, the former coach at rival LSU. He’s a homebody who would rather buy his wife an expensive grandfather clock for Valentine’s Day — which he did — than take her out to dinner — which he didn’t — and have to hold court for fans in his limited down time.

His taste steer more toward Italian food than sweet tea and fried chicken. But wife Terry says there’s a reason why they fit in.

"I think there are a lot of similarities between West Virginia and Alabama," she said. "I keep bumping into people here who know friends of mine or know relatives of mine or who worked in coal mines with my father or some of my relatives.

"That thread of similarity, where we have coal-mining roots, is one big thing that draws us together. It has more to do with a hard way of life, of making a living."

Bryant was a big farm boy from Arkansas who is still heard over the P.A. system before every game growling, "I ain’t never been nothin’ but a winner."

"Bear Bryant looms so big in the sports world, that we were all affected by his presence," Terry said. "We all in our little world marveled at his success."

Times are different. So are the approaches.

Bryant schmoozed and even played golf with sportswriters, back when there wasn’t nearly the horde of newspaper, TV and Internet reporters that cover Saban. Bryant had an open-door policy for the beat writers. "Whereas Nick Saban has none of the above pretty much," McNair said.

"I always felt coach Bryant had a sort of sixth sense when he was being interviewed, he could see what that quote was going to look like in the paper the next day," he said. "He hardly ever messed up. Coach Saban does his very best to intimidate and use the media to get his message out."

Bryant would speak to the state in an hour-long Sunday afternoon TV show. The best way to make a Saban sighting outside the football complex is the radio show.

Bryant was fairly visible around town, frequently eating breakfast at one of his favorite spots and sitting around the 19th Hole at Indian Hills Country Club chatting. Saban starts his mornings at home with two Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies and a cup of yesterday’s coffee. He avoids restaurants but occasionally attends movies, basking in the anonymity darkness affords.

Saban arrives at church just as it’s about to start, sits in the back row and "probably beats the priest out the door," said McNair.

But Saban also donates his fees for speaking engagements and endorsements to Nick’s Kids, a foundation he and Terry started at Michigan State. That’s a legacy from his own father, Nick Sr., who started a Pop Warner youth football program in West Virginia and shuttled kids from surrounding communities to practice and games.

Like Bryant, Saban has indicated he wants to retire at Alabama. Before his two-year tenure with the Miami Dolphins, the Bill Belichick protege said his goal was always to work in the NFL. When he got there, he said, "There was something missing."

Now, the $4 million-a-year man said he wants to stay in the college ranks. The well-traveled coach signed a three-year extension in September running through Jan. 31, 2018, that assures he’ll be one of college football’s five highest paid coaches and offers a $5 million bonus if he stays put.

"I feel like Alabama’s committed to a standard of excellence that is as good as anyplace in the country," Saban said. "If you have one of those jobs (that) why would you really want to go any place else?"

The players talk about the life-lesson they get from Saban. How he encourages them to get their degrees and be professional.

"When I’m in the real world and I have a meeting in the morning, I’m going to be the first one there," cornerback Javier Arenas said. "I’m going to unlock the door."

Arenas is familiar with the Saban game face and it took him a while to stop thinking, "Oh man," when it was directed at him.

"Everybody’s afraid of him," Arenas said. "My teacher said she’s afraid of him. They’ve got so much respect for him and they’re star-struck. It’s like he’s a rock star around here, Denzel Washington almost."

Rock star? Defensive end Lorenzo Washington isn’t sure that suffices.

"Literally, Nick Saban is God," Washington said. Or at least a modern-day version of Bryant, practically deified in this state.

"When I first came here on my (recruiting) visits, I really found out about how the Bear was respected and viewed across the nation as a great coach and a leader," Washington said. "When Bryant came to the University of Alabama, the country and especially the South was going through some things. He brought people together.

"At least on Saturday afternoons, he brought the state of Alabama together. I think that’s kind of something that coach Saban does."

-- John Zenor

Seminole speedsters once leaned toward Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Two of Florida State's top performers this season almost wound up playing at archrival Florida.

BOISE, Idaho — Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore flusters foes with his sniper-like arm, his knack for finding the open guy anywhere on the field and just plain outwitting defensive coordinators.

PITTSBURGH — Pitt is as old school as it gets in college football, and it has nothing to do with the fact that the university was founded in 1787.

While spread offenses are becoming the norm in college football rather than an anomaly — see Florida, Texas, Boise State and Oregon — Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt is winning the old-fashioned way. The Panthers throw the ball regularly and successfully, but the running game is right out of the days of Jim Brown.

Quarterback Bill Stull regularly lines up under center. There’s a big fullback, 260-pound Henry Hynoski, to open holes for freshman running back Dion Lewis, who has gained 1,291 yards. Some plays feature a pair of big tight ends as blockers, 265-pound Nate Byham and 230-pound Dorin Dickerson.

No gimmicks or gadgets here, only knock-’em-on-their-rears blocking schemes and conventional football wisdom: If our guys regularly run over your guys, we’re usually going to win.

"We’re probably one of the dinosaurs left, lining up with a fullback, a tailback and trying to pound people and play-action pass," Wannstedt said.

It’s traditional power football, and No. 8 Pittsburgh (9-1, 5-0 in Big East) hopes it keeps working as it heads off to Morgantown on Friday for its annual Backyard Brawl game against West Virginia (7-3, 3-2).

Lewis is No. 4 nationally in rushing, averaging 129.1 yards per game, and Stull is No. 4 in passing efficiency with 18 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. It’s the kind of run-pass balance all teams would love to have, yet few do because the spread offenses often create a more wide-open style.

"We’re definitely in the minority with what we are doing here," Wannstedt said. "There are very few college teams using a fullback like we use him. That’s one comment that we get after playing opponents, that their defensive coaches express to our coaches afterward, that they don’t see our offense week in and week out. Very few people are committed to it like we are. I believe in what we do."

So do his players, some of whom — such as Hynoski — are recruited because they are exact fits for what Pitt is trying to do.

"We love the fact that we run the ball a lot, that we just strap it up and go pound the rock," guard John Malecki said. "A lot of college teams are going to the option or spread, but we have a running back ranked among the nation’s best. And we do it without any trickery. We just pound the ball."

Offensively, Pitt and West Virginia truly are centuries apart.

Pitt is very much a 20th century offense, with its blocking fullback and pro-style sets; among top 10 teams, only Alabama also regularly uses the fullback in the traditional role of a blocker.

"The tight ends love it, too, and our fullback, Henry, really loves to block," Malecki said. "So when you put it all together, we have a great running game."

West Virginia is very much 21st century, relying on a spread-’em-out system that was so successful for Rich Rodriguez — with the Mountaineers, of course, if not with Michigan. Quarterback Jarrett Brown is a threat to run or pass, and running back Noel Devine is No. 20 nationally with a 109.8 yards per game average.

One reason the spread offense is so popular is there are more athletic quarterbacks available to run them than there are traditional, drop-back style passers. Wannstedt has no plans to change, believing the Panthers’ system helps them land NFL-bound players; they’ve had two first-round draft picks and a second-round pick in the last three years.

Even the defensive players like Pitt’s system because they practice against it daily, a handy way to prepare for pro football.

"Going against our offense all training camp and in spring practice, it’s not finesse," Wannstedt said.

Expect another run on Pitt players in April’s NFL draft.

"I know this: All the pro people that come in here and that I talk to, I get more questions about other teams, saying where do you think this guy would fit in? Where do you think he would play? Do you think he’s tough enough?" Wannstedt said. "They see our guys like Nate Byham. They know what he can do. They know what John Malecki can do. They see Dorin Dickerson. They come in and they can see our guys and can make a visual comparison to where they would fit in on their teams."

-- Alan Robinson

Former walk-on has become Hokies premier defender

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Cody Grimm only stands out when No. 14 Virginia Tech lines up on defense because at 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds he looks too small to be a linebacker.

He doesn’t talk smack, either.

"I don’t want to make the other player angry," he said. "He’s probably stronger than me, throw me around, so I just tell them they’re doing a good job and get back to the huddle."

But Grimm has played huge this season once the ball is in play, seemingly always moving to where it is, a sure tackler with a knack for knocking it free from sloppy runners.

He’s the best in the nation at forcing fumbles with seven. In the Hokies game against North Carolina State last weekend, he tied an NCAA single-game record by forcing three. Oh, and he did it on the Wolfpack’s first four plays, then sloughed it off as luck.

"I just go out and try to do my job and let stuff come to me," he said.

Not true, Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien said after the game.

"He never takes a false first step," O’Brien said, adding that he tried to recruit Grimm when he was at Boston College, but that Grimm said he wanted to stay in Virginia, close to home. "He’s always headed in the right direction. Cody has great instincts and he’s a great tackler."

Pretty high praise for a former walk-on who weighed all of 185 pounds when he arrived in Blacksburg, but who now ranks third in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 8.5 tackles per game.

He’ll wrap up his final regular season on Saturday when the No. 14 Hokies (8-3, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) travel to Virginia (3-8, 2-5) seeking their sixth victory in a row in the series.

"The guy’s just had a phenomenal year, and I’ll stand on the table for him being defensive player of the year," Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster said. "Why not? Is there anybody else that’s done the things he’s done? The guy’s just a great football player."

Foster admitted having had some reservations when Grimm first showed up at Virginia Tech, a player with an older brother, Chad, on the team and a father, Russ, who was a Pro Bowl offensive lineman as a member of the Washington Redskins’ famed Hogs in the 1980s.

But in a season when the Hokies had to replace several veterans and the defense struggled at time, Foster can’t imagine what the Hokies would have done without the steady Grimm.

"He’s got that it factor. Whatever that it is, he has it," he said. "He makes the plays. He’s around the ball. He’s faster than you give him credit being, he’s more athletic than you give him credit being. He’s just a great football player and he’s had a great senior season."

It’s no surprise, then, that his teammates are among his biggest fans.

"He’s a tough football player," said 6-4 safety Kam Chancellor, who strength coach Mike Goforth identified as the guy no one on the Hokies wants to mess with. "He plays special teams, he just does it all. He’s a guy that just goes 100 percent every single play in every game."

Ryan Williams, the leading rusher in the Atlantic Coast Conference, is as likely to run over his tackler as he is to run around him, but he experienced the ferocity of Grimm last summer.

"Cody Grimm plays 10 feet tall," he said with a wide smile, the kind that suggested he was considering whether or not to share an unflattering story. "I remember in my first scrimmage last year when I redshirted, in the summer. I had an option out to the outside. Looking at Cody Grimm, he’s a small guy. Well, he hit me and I flew all the way out to the bench.

"This guy comes to play every play he’s in there."

And that, as it turns out, is almost all the time.

He’s made 18 of his 93 tackles on special teams, causing coach Frank Beamer to marvel.

"He’s amazing to me," Beamer said. "The guy, he’s on kickoff coverage, and he’s never once come and said, ‘I need a blow.’ After he does all those things, I’ve never seen him get tired. He just kinda keeps going, same speed all the time, and he’s a playmaker."

Not bad for a guy who didn’t have a scholarship when he showed up on campus.

-- Hank Kurz Jr.