Bringing the Punch
Weeks without football are like a barren wasteland.
A Weekly Review of Football by Alex Davis
NFL Football:
The NFC West is without a doubt the worst division in the NFL. None of its four teams have a winning record through the 11 games so far, and all even the lowly Cardinals with a record of 3-8 are still alive for the division title.
Sam Bradford Rams QB
The Saint Louis Rams lead the division with a 5-6 record and a 1-2 division record their one division win coming over the second place Seahawks. The Seattle Seahawks share a 5-6 record (3-1 in the division) but come in second due to their head to head loss to the Rams. The "surging" (winners of 3 of the last 5) San Francisco 49'rs are in third with a 4-7 record after an 0-5 start. The division race is still wide open and could technically be won with a 6-10 (scenario explained here) much more likely is a division winner with an 8-8 or 7-9 record.
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There have been several instances of a team with an 8-8 record making the playoffs, but never in the history of the NFL has a losing team made the playoffs in a non-strike season, however there have been many instances of winning teams even ones with 10-6 records left out of the playoffs due to not winning their division. The NFC West "champion" though may very well earn the dubious distinction of being of being the first team in history to "win" its division and go to the playoffs with a losing record despite the fact that there will almost certainly be teams with better records sitting at home come January.
College Football:
The College football equivalent of the NFC West is the Big East conference. Only one of its teams is currently ranked in the BCS standings (West Virginia at No. 24) and the likely conference champion is the University of Connecticut which if it wins Saturday against The University of South Florida. That is correct the UConn Huskies football team (UConn is of course a traditional basketball power) will go to a BCS bowl with an 8-4 record.
Mountaneer First Woman Mascot for West VA
If they don't win then 8-4 West Virginia will take their place. Either way there will be many more deserving teams left out in the cold. This is another reason BCS system is flawed as it guarantees a conference champion of one of the "Big-6" conferences gets a BCS berth regardless of record. This leave leaves many more deserving teams such as LSU, Boise State, and Oklahoma State to play in inferior bowl games despite all having more wins over better opponents. The Big East however has done something to alleviate their lack of quality teams by adding undefeated third ranked TCU to the conference. The Horned Frogs will join in 2012, until then The Big East should thank its lucky stars that its champion somehow manages to get to play in a big money bowl despite its inability to field a nationally competitive team.
A Steve Note:
Western Illinois which happens to be my school. Plays in the second round of the FCS Playoffs Appalachian State the Leatherneck opponent on Saturday is the number one ranked team, so this second round game may be as far as WIU goes this year. Applachian State is the school that surprised Michigan in 2007. Game will be on ESPN 3 for those deep in cable sports channels at 11 AM (Central) Saturday Appalachian State is in Boone North Carolinia, so maybe not snowing as it would be in Macomb.
So anyway Go Necks
Bearcat Mascot Arrested for Snowball throwing
Mascot replaced by back up at halftime.