Dear Rich Rodriguez,

The University of Michigan players, alumni, and fans have been dying for a win over the hated Ohio State Buckeyes. Please give us a win in what is clearly a “trap game” for the Buckeyes this Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 12:00 pm in Ann Arbor.

The Buckeyes have secured a Rose Bowl appearance and the Big 10 Championship. With all of that already in the bag for them before this game….you never know.

For Michigan, a win would give them .500 record, as they are currently 5-6, with only one Big 10 victory. The Wolverines should throw everything they have into this game that they have available in their playbooks!

Not that I am counting, but the Wolverines are currently on a five game losing streak to the Buckeyes, and have not won since their victory on November 22, 2003. The Wolverines were ranked 4th, and the Buckeyes were ranked 6th. Michigan won 35-21, and countless current NFL players were involved in this game.

For Michigan on that day, Chris Perry carried the load with 154 yards on 31 carries and 2 TD’s in addition to 55 receiving yards. Michigan QB John Navarre threw for 278 yards, 2 TD’s and a pick, and Braylon Edwards had 7 grabs, 130 yards ,and 2 TD’s.

The Buckeyes had Craig Krenzel and Scott McMullen at QB, but the stars of the show for the Buckeyes were future NFL wide-outs Michael Jenkins and Santonio Holmes. Jenkins had 132 yards receiving and Holmes had 121 yards and 2 TD’s.

Since 2003, the Wolverines have failed miserably against the Buckeyes, as seen below:

• 2004 – Michigan at Ohio State – Buckeyes Won 37-21
• 2005 – Ohio State at Michigan – Buckeyes Won 25-21
• 2006 – Michigan at Ohio State – Buckeyes Won 42-39
• 2007 – Ohio State at Michigan – Buckeyes Won 14-3
• 2008 – Michigan at Ohio State – Buckeyes Won 42-7

Last year, Rich Rodriguez referred to the Ohio State game as “just a game.” This game is so much more than a game Coach, and here is why…

Follow the link to read the rest of Fraschetti’s letter to Rich Rodriguez.

**********

* – Rich Rodriguez photo credit: CoachesHotSeat.com

Getting a jump start on next week’s college football TV schedule and point spread post because I don’t want to have to worry about it tomorrow night. Peyton v Brady will have my attention.

Anyway, the schedule is not filled with marquee matchups (Ohio State-Michigan is the headliner, if that tells you anything) but certainly could still be a pivotal week in the overall landscape of the season if any of the top teams stumble.

All will be favored by double digits though, so don’t hold your breath.

NCAA College Football Week 12 Spreads & TV Schedule: Marquee Games

Kansas at Texas

• Kansas-Texas Date: Saturday, November 21st
• Kansas-Texas Kickoff Time: 8:00 ET
• Kansas-Texas TV: ABC
• Kansas-Texas Spread: Texas -28

Ohio State at Michigan

• Ohio State-Michigan Date: Saturday, November 21st
• Ohio State-Michigan Kickoff Time: 12:00 ET
• Ohio State-Michigan TV: ABC
• Ohio State-Michigan Spread: Ohio State -12.5

Purdue at Indiana

• Purdue-Indiana Date: Saturday, November 21st
• Purdue-Indiana Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
• Purdue-Indiana TV: Big Ten Network
• Purdue-Indiana Spread: Purdue -3.5

LSU at Ole Miss

• LSU-Ole Miss Date: Saturday, November 21st
• LSU-Ole Miss Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
• LSU-Ole Miss TV: CBS
• LSU-Ole Miss Spread: Ole Miss -3.5

Kansas State at Nebraska

• Kansas State-Nebraska Date: Saturday, November 21st
• Kansas State-Nebraska Kickoff Time: 7:45 ET
• Kansas State-Nebraska TV: ESPN
• Kansas State-Nebraska Spread: Nebraska -16.5

California at Stanford

• Cal-Stanford Date: Saturday, November 21st
• Cal-Stanford Kickoff Time: 9:30 ET
• Cal-Stanford TV: Versus
• Cal-Stanford Spread: Stanford -7

As usual, all point spread listings are as of Sunday night (or perhaps Monday morning) and certainly are subject to fluctuation throughout the week. I include them here simply for your own entertainment purposes, but here are links to where you can find updated information:

• college football odds
• college football picks

Below is the college football TV schedule and point spreads listing for every game on the Week 10 college football schedule, the majority of which takes place on Saturday, November 21st. Hat tips to this college football tv schedule and this college football tv schedule for helping me put this post together.

Enjoy Week 12 everyone.

College Football TV Schedule and Point Spreads - Week of Saturday, November 21st (Week 12)

Date	Game	Time	TV	Point Spread	Tickets
Wed. 11/18	Buffalo at Miami	6:00	ESPNU	BUF -3	Get Tickets
Wed. 11/18	Central Michigan at Ball State	8:00	ESPN2	CMU -16.5	Get Tickets
Thurs. 11/19	Colorado at Oklahoma State	7:30	ESPN	OKST -16.5	Get Tickets
Fri. 11/20	Akron at Bowling Green	5:30	ESPNU	BGSU -12.5	Get Tickets
Fri. 11/20	Eastern Michigan at Toledo	7:00	TBA	TOL -19.5	Get Tickets
Fri. 11/20	Boise State at Utah State	9:30	ESPN2	BSU -24	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Memphis at Houston	12:00	CSS	HOU -23.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Duke at Miami	12:00	ESPNU	UM -19.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Louisville at South Florida	12:00	ESPN-GP	USF -12	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Maryland at Florida State	12:00	Raycom/ESPN-GP	FSU -19	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Minnesota at Iowa	12:00	ESPN	IOWA -9.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	North Carolina at Boston College	12:00	ESPN2	BC -3	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Ohio State at Michigan	12:00	ABC	OSU -12.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Mississippi State at Arkansas	12:00	SEC Network	ARK -10.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Chattanooga at Alabama	12:21	SEC Network	NL	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	FIU at Florida	12:30	ESPN-GP	UF -43.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Oklahoma at Texas Tech	12:30	FSN	OU -6.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Kent State at Temple	1:00	TBA	TEM -13	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Northern Illinois at Ohio	2:00	TBA	OHIO -1.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Tulane at Central Florida	2:00	BHSN	UCF -19.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Iowa State at Missouri	2:00	TBA	MISS -13.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	TCU at Wyoming	2:00	MTN	TCU -31.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Connecticut at Notre Dame	2:30	NBC	ND -10.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	UTEP at Rice	3:30	TBA	UTEP -6.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Rutgers at Syracuse	3:30	ESPN360	RUT -8	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Air Force at BYU	3:30	CBSC	BYU -10	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	LSU at Ole Miss	3:30	CBS	MISS -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	NC State at Virginia Tech	3:30	ESPNU	VT -21	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Penn State at Michigan State	3:30	ESPN/ABC	PSU -3	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Purdue at Indiana	3:30	Big Ten Network	PUR -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	UAB at East Carolina	3:30	MASN	ECU -10	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Virginia at Clemson	3:30	ABC/ESPN	CLEM -20.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Wisconsin at Northwestern	3:30	Big Ten Network	WIS -7	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Baylor at Texas A&M	3:30	TBA	TAM -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Army at North Texas	4:00	KTXA	UNT -1.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Arizona State at UCLA	4:00	FSN	UCLA -4.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	San Diego State at Utah	4:00	Versus	UTAH -18	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Florida Atlantic at Troy	4:15	ESPN-GP	TROY -16.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	SMU at Marshall	4:30	TBA	MAR -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Arkansas State at Midd. Tenn. State	4:30	ESPN-GP	MTSU -11.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Oregon State at Washington State	4:00	TBA	ORST -32.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Louisiana Tech at Fresno State	5:00	TBA	FSU -10.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Colorado State at New Mexico	5:00	MTN	CSU -4	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Vanderbilt at Tennessee	7:00	ESPNU	UT -17	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Louisiana-Monroe at Louisiana-Lafayette	7:00	TBA	ULM -3	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Tulsa at Southern Miss	7:30	CBSC	USM -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Kansas State at Nebraska	7:45	ESPN	NEB -16.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Kentucky at Georgia	7:45	ESPN2	UGA -8.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Kansas at Texas	8:00	ABC	TEX -28	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Oregon at Arizona	8:00	ABC	ORE -6	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Hawaii at San Jose State	8:00	TBA	HAW -3	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	California at Stanford	9:30	Versus	STAN -7	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/21	Nevada at New Mexico State	10:30	ESPNU	NEV -31.5	Get Tickets

This has got to be one of the dumbest things I’ve seen a while.

Three University of Tennessee football players, including much-heralded freshmen Nu’Keese Richardson and Janzen Jackson, were arrested this morning and charged with armed robbery. (Thanks for SEC Rivals for the tip.)

I don’t have confirmation on this yet, but charges of extreme idiocy and operating a human body without a brain could also be forthcoming.

The story is still developing, but here are some of the details of the robbery itself, courtesy of VolunteerTV.com:

Reports from the scene indicate two black men approached the victim in the parking lot and used a small semi-automatic handgun to hold him up. They then fled south on Volunteer Boulevard in a powder blue-colored sedan. At least one of the suspects was described as wearing a black University of Tennessee T-shirt.

According to this message board thread at VolNation.com, each player made off with about $50.

Initially, VolunteerTV.com refused to list the names of the suspects. However, very early this morning a member of the Vols’ SID department did confirm that Richardson, Jackson, and fellow freshman Mike Edwards had been arrested for armed robbery.

Armed freaking robbery.

These three are lucky that being stupid isn’t a felony or they would have been charged with that too.

I don’t want to get too much into this because the guys are “innocent until proven guilty” and I have no idea about their family/life situation, but — at least the way it is being reported — this just seems so senseless and idiotic I can barely find words to describe it. I don’t now much about Edwards, but Richardson and Jackson are both players with tons of talent who were looked at as future stars and potential NFL prospects.

Now, if these charges end up sticking, they will most likely be booted from UT and forced to work their way back through junior college or Division 1-AA channels.

Armed robbery? I mean, underage drinking I could see…everyone does that in college. Maybe even swiping a video game system from someone’s dorm room; I’m not advocating it by any means, but we’ve all heard stories of it happening and is something that dumb college kids sometimes do.

But armed robbery? That’s pretty serious and hints at deeper problems than just simple immaturity.

All three of these guys have some serious ’splainin’ to do. And we’ll get see what kind of a tone Lane Kiffin is going to set for his program with how he responds.

Update: The players involved in this story are actually dumber than I thought.

Via The Tennessee Journalist’s report on the players being arrested for armed robbery:

Jackson served a one-game suspension for disciplinary reasons in Tennessee 56-28 win over Memphis on Saturday.

Richardson missed Sunday practice leading up to the win over Memphis as he dealt with what was reported to be “personal issues”.

Head coach Lane Kiffin later said Richardson had “no situation”.

Pilot is owned by Jim Haslam, a former UT football player and major financial contributor to both the school and UT athletics.

Way to go fellas. Commit a crime, in the wake of having other issues, at a place of business owned by an alum of your school and team, someone who now doubt has some serious back-channel clout.

I’m speechless. But not because I’m terribly surprised by this, just because this was such a dumb thing to do it’s not worth wasting any more time or words over.

I will just leave you with a more in-depth police report (courtesy of The Big Lead) that provides even more detail into the activities of last night (teaser: marijuana paraphernalia!).

Lane, just remember, no matter how big things get…you can always go home.

**********

* – Lane Kiffin photo credit: Bootlegger Sports

In Major League Baseball, teams in the race looking to make a late-season push will make a deadline deal to improve their roster. Case in point: the Phillies acquiring Cliff Lee.

In the NFL, teams looking to overcome longshot playoff odds get inventive with their playbook, like the Miami Dolphins did last year in using the Wildcat to power them to a playoff berth.

In college basketball, coaches will often loosen the reins on talented freshman during the second half of the season in an effort to unleash the potential of their teams, hoping it sparks a March run.

In college football, our national paragon of amateurism and integrity, schools and conferences hoping to achieve their postseason goals actually seek areas outside of their actual performance on the field to get a leg up on their competition.

Today’s example is Boise State, via the WAC, which has reportedly hired a PR firm to help the Broncos in their quest to make the BCS.

Yes, this is what is has come to in college football. Public relations firms are being held on retainer by conferences to help individual schools politic for BCS berths.

The saddest aspect of all this is that you cannot blame the WAC one bit.

A BCS berth for Boise State would be create a huge financial windfall for the entire conference. You could make the argument that the WAC would be negligent by not taking this extra step to put Boise State and its conference in the best possible position to make the BCS.

We see coaches at the big time schools politicking for all the time through the media. Coaches like Urban Meyer, Pete Carroll, and Mack Brown have the ability (you could even call it the bully pulpit) to do this.

A guy like Chris Petersen, however, does not have the same national forum because his school has nowhere near the status of a Florida, USC, or Texas, regardless of how good the Broncos may be. He can yell, scream, and hold press conferences until he’s blue in the field face and it won’t make a difference.

Engaging a professional PR firm at least levels the playing field a little bit.

Kudos to the WAC for showing its member schools that it is completely behind them and for doing what is in the best interest of the conference, but shame on college football for allowing its environment and landscape to get to this point.

A team’s public relations and postseason future should be determined on Saturdays, on the field. To the WAC’s credit, at least they understand the realities of the world in which they operate.

**********

* – Chris Petersen photo credit: Darin Oswald via Idaho Statesman

The college football Week 11 TV schedule and point spreads, for the week of Saturday, November 14th, have been posted!

Follow the link to view the college football TV schedule and point spreads for the week of November 14th.

—————

The plot is beginning to thicken, as they say, now that the calendar has turned to November.

Florida, Texas, and Alabama still appear to be the class of college football, with people still wondering exactly how good teams like Iowa, Boise State, and TCU really are.

And then there are the Oregons — teams written off because of an early season loss that have rebounded — who are charging up the top 25 and looking to play spoiler, if not outright BCS party crasher.

Let’s look ahead to Week 10 and the tv schedule and point spreads for Saturday, November 7th. LSU-Alabama is obviously the biggest game on the schedule, but there are some other ones that you’ll want to keep your eye on as well.

Below, we’ve provided everything you need to know about the upcoming college football Saturday (November 7th). The TV schedule and points spreads are below, with a few of the most important games highlighted before we get to the game-by-game rundown.

College Football Week 10 Spreads & TV Schedule: Marquee Games

Virginia Tech at East Carolina

• Virginia Tech-East Carolina Date: Thursday, November 5th
• Virginia Tech-East Carolina Kickoff Time: 7:30 ET
• Virginia Tech-East Carolina TV: ESPN
• Virginia Tech-East Carolina Spread:

Northwestern at Iowa

• Northwestern-Iowa Date: Saturday, November 7th
• Northwestern-Iowa Kickoff Time: 12:00 ET
• Northwestern-Iowa TV: ESPN
• Northwestern-Iowa Spread:

Navy at Notre Dame

• Navy-Notre Dame Date: Saturday, November 7th
• Navy-Notre Dame Kickoff Time: 2:30 ET
• Navy-Notre Dame TV: NBC
• Navy-Notre Dame Spread:

LSU at Alabama

• LSU-Alabama Date: Saturday, November 7th
• LSU-Alabama Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
• LSU-Alabama TV: CBS
• LSU-Alabama Spread:

Ohio State at Penn State

• Ohio State-Penn State Date: Saturday, November 7th
• Ohio State-Penn State Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
• Ohio State-Penn State TV: ABC
• Ohio State-Penn State Spread:

Vanderbilt at Florida

• Vanderbilt-Florida Date: Saturday, November 7th
• Vanderbilt-Florida Kickoff Time: 7:15 ET
• Vanderbilt-Florida TV: ESPNU
• Vanderbilt-Florida Spread:

As usual, all point spread listings are as of Sunday night (or perhaps Monday morning) and certainly are subject to fluctuation throughout the week. I include them here simply for your own entertainment purposes, but here are links to where you can find updated information:

(Note: Uncharacteristically, the point spreads were not available as I prepared this post Sunday evening. I will check back later tonight or update this post in the morning.)

• college football odds
• college football picks

Below is the college football TV schedule and point spreads listing for every game on the Week 10 college football schedule, the majority of which takes place on Saturday, November 7th. Hat tips to this college football tv schedule and this college football tv schedule for helping me put this post together.

Enjoy Week 10 everyone.

College Football TV Schedule and Point Spreads - Week of Saturday, November 7th (Week 10)

Date	Game	Time	TV	Point Spread	Tickets
Tues. 11/3	Bowling Green at Buffalo	7:00	ESPN2	BUF -3.5	Get Tickets
Thurs. 11/5	Virginia Tech at East Carolina	7:30	ESPN	VT -12	Get Tickets
Thurs. 11/5	Miami (OH) at Temple	7:30	ESPN360	TEM -13.5	Get Tickets
Thurs. 11/5	Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois	7:30	ESPNU	NIU -21	Get Tickets
Fri. 11/6	Boise State at Louisiana Tech	8:00	ESPN	BSU -20.5	Get Tickets
	Note: The following four games will be played on Saturday but times have not yet been confirmed.
Sat. 11/7	Connecticut at Cincinnati	TBA		NL	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Oklahoma State at Iowa State	TBA		OSU -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Oklahoma at Nebraska	TBA		OU -6	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Florida State at Clemson	TBA		CLEM -8	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Virginia at Miami (FL)	12:00	Raycom	UM -13	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	UCF at Texas	12:00	FSN	NL	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Northwestern at Iowa	12:00	ESPN	IOWA -17.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Syracuse at Pittsburgh	12:00	ESPNU	PITT -19	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Louisville at West Virginia	12:00	ESPN-GP	WVU -19.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Wisconsin at Indiana	12:00	Big 10 Network	WIS -11	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Western Michigan at Michigan State	12:00	Big 10 Network	MSU -18	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Purdue at Michigan	12:00	Big 10 Network	MICH -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Illinois at Minnesota	12:00	Big 10 Network	MINN -6	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	South Carolina at Arkansas	12:21	SEC Network	ARK -5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Kansas at Kansas State	12:30	Versus	KU -2.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Maryland at NC State	1:00	TBA	NCST -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Tennessee Tech at Georgia	1:00	ESPN-GP	NL	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Eastern Kentucky at Kentucky	1:00	ESPN-GP	NL	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Furman at Auburn	1:30	ESPN-GP	NL	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Texas A&M at Colorado	1:30	FCS Central	TAM -5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Baylor at Missouri	2:00	TBA	MIZZ -16	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Florida Atlantic at UAB	2:00	TBA	UAB -5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	BYU at Wyoming	2:00	MTN	BYU -13	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Navy at Notre Dame	2:30	NBC	NL	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Duke at North Carolina	3:00	ESPN360	UNC -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Rice at SMU	3:00	TWC Metro Sports	SMU -18	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Oregon at Stanford	3:30	FSN	ORE -5.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Ohio State at Penn State	3:30	ABC	PSU -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Wake Forest at Georgia Tech	3:30	TBA	GT -15	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Washington State at Arizona	3:30	FCS Pacific	ARIZ -31	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Washington at UCLA	3:30	FSPT	UCLA -4	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Army at Air Force	3:30	CBSC	AFU -17	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Kent State at Akron	3:30	FSOH	KSU -3	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	UTEP at Tulane	3:30	FCS Atlantic	UTEP -7	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	LSU at Alabama	3:30	CBS	ALA -8.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	TCU at San Diego State	4:00	Versus	TCU -24	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Louisiana-Monroe at North Texas	4:00	TBA	LMU -1	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Florida International at Middle Tennessee State	4:30	ESPN-GP	MTST -13.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Troy at Western Kentucky	5:00	TBA	TROY -24	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	New Mexico at Utah	6:00	MTN	UTAH -27	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Oregon State at California	7:00	FSN	CAL -6	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Louisiana-Lafayette at Arkansas State	7:00	ESPN-GP	ARST -11.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Memphis at Tennessee	7:00	ESPN	UT -26	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Vanderbilt at Florida	7:15	ESPN or ESPN2	UF -32.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Houston at Tulsa	7:30	CBSC	HOU -2.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Northern Arizona at Mississippi	7:30	ESPN-GP	NL	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	USC at Arizona State	8:00	ABC	USC -11.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Colorado State at UNLV	10:00	MTN	CSU -1.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Utah State at Hawaii	10:05	PPV	UTST -3	Get Tickets
Sat. 11/7	Fresno State at Idaho	10:30	ESPNU	FRES -6.5	Get Tickets
Sun. 11/8	Nevada at San Jose State	8:30	ESPN	NEV -13.5	Get Tickets

The college football Week 11 TV schedule and point spreads, for the week of Saturday, November 14th, have been posted!

Follow the link to view the college football TV schedule and point spreads for the week of November 14th.

—————

It’s time to look ahead to this Saturday with this weekend’s college football TV schedule and point spreads.

The majority of this weekend’s games will be played on October 31st, which is, of course, Halloweeen. With top teams like Florida, Iowa, and Texas all being favored by nine points or more, their fans are certainly hoping that Saturday does not turn out to be a night of terror.

As usual, all point spread listings are as of Sunday night and certainly are subject to fluctuation throughout the week. I include them here simply for your own entertainment purposes, but here are links to where you can find updated information:

• college football odds
• college football picks

Below is the college football TV schedule and point spreads listing for every game on the Week 8 college football schedule, the majority of which takes place on Saturday, October 31st. Hat tips to this college football tv schedule and this college football tv schedule for helping me put this post together.

Enjoy Week 9 everyone.

College Football TV Schedule and Point Spreads - Week of Saturday, October 31st (Week 9)

Date	Game	Time	TV	Point Spread	Tickets
Tue. 10/27	East Carolina at Memphis	8:00	ESPN2	ECU -4.5	Get Tickets
Thurs. 10/29	North Carolina at Virginia Tech	7:30	ESPN	VT -16.5	Get Tickets
Fri. 10/30	West Virginia at South Florida	8:00	ESPN2	WVU -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Cinncinnati at Syracuse	12:00	ESPNU	CIN -14.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Indiana at Iowa	12:00	ESPN	IOWA -17	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	New Mexico State at Ohio State	12:00	Big 10 Network	OSU -39.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Purdue at Wisconsin	12:00	ESPN2	WIS -7	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	North Carolina State at Florida State	12:00	RAYCOM	FSU -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Rutgers at Connecticut	12:00	ESPN-GP	CONN -8	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Ohio at Ball State	12:00		OHIO -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Louisana- Lafayette at Florida International	12:00		FIU -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Akron at Northern Illinois	12:00	ESPN-GP	NIU -10	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Mississippi at Auburn	12:21	ESPN-GP	MISS -4	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Nebraska at Baylor	12:30	VERSUS	NEB -12.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Southern Miss at Houston	12:30		HOU -7	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Missouri at Colorado	1:00	FSN	MISS -4	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Coastal Carolina at Clemson	1:30			Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Southern Methodist at Tulsa	1:30		TULS -17	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Western Michigan at Kent State	2:00		WMU -1	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	San Jose State at Boise State	2:00		BSU -34	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Western Kentucky at North Texas	3:00		UNT -10	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	UAB at UTEP	3:00		UTEP -6.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Georgia at Florida	3:00	CBS	UF -16	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Miami (FL) at Wake Forest	3:30	ABC	UM -7	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Kansas at Texas Tech	3:30	ABC	TTU -7	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Arkansas State at Louisville	3:30	ESPN-GP	LOU -4.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	California at Arizona State	3:30	ABC	CAL -6.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Central Michigan at Boston College	3:30	ESPNU	BC -4.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Toledo at Miami (OH)	3:30		TOL -6	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Iowa State at Texas A&M	3:30		TAM -7	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Duke at Virginia	3:30		UVA -7	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Michigan at Illinois	3:30	ESPN2 or ABC	MICH -7.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Temple at Navy	3:30	CBSC	NAVY -7	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	UNLV at TCU	3:30	VERSUS	TCU -33	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	UCLA at Oregon State	4:00	FSNW	-9	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Air Force at Colorado State	4:00	MTN	AFU -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Middle Tennessee State at Florida Atlantic	4:00		FAU -1.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Hawaii at Nevada	4:00			Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Penn State at Northwestern	4:05	ESPN	PSU -14	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Louisana Tech at Idaho	4:30		ID -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Utah State at Fresno State	5:00		FRES -15.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Kansas State at Oklahoma	5:00	FSN	OU -24.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Eastern Michigan at Arkansas	7:00	ESPNU	ARK -36.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Mississippi State at Kentucky	7:00	FSS	UK -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Louisana- Monroe at Troy	7:00		TROY -17	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Georgia Tech at Vanderbilt	7:30	ESPN-GP	GT -13.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	New Mexico at San Diego State	7:30	CBSC	SDSU -17	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Washington State at Notre Dame (in San Antonio)	7:30	NBC	ND -29	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	South Carolina at Tennessee	7:45	ESPN	UT -5.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Texas at Oklahoma State	8:00	ABC or ESPN2	TEX -9	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	USC at Oregon	8:00	ABC or ESPN	USC -3.5	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Tulane at LSU	8:00	ESPN-GP	LSU -34	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Wyoming at Utah	8:00	MTN	UTAH -16	Get Tickets
Sat. 10/31	Michigan State at Minnesota	8:00	Big 10 Network	MSU -6.5	Get Tickets
Sun. 11/1	Marshall at UCF	8:15	ESPN	UCF -4.5	Get Tickets

Week 6 is in the books and it was a busy Saturday in the Big Ten with all 11 teams playing.  Three teams — Northwestern, Penn State, and Indiana — took on out-of-conference opponents, with the other 8 battling each other.

The only real surprise from the Big Ten was the beating Indiana took against Virginia. 

Indiana came into the game at 3-2, and while they have not beaten any particularly formidable opponents, they looked good against Michigan on the road in one of the hardest places to play a road game. Virginia came into the game at 1-3 with losses to William & Mary and Southern Miss. 

However, Indiana’s offense could not seem to get anything going while Virginia amassed 536 total yards including 231 on the ground and five rushing touchdowns. Indiana fans were surely looking for a better performance from the Hoosiers than this 47-7 romp.

To start the day off, Northwestern took care of winless Miami(OH) 16-6 with quarterback Mike Kafka running for two touchdowns and Northwestern’s defense coming up with four turnovers.

Struggling would be an understatement for the Purdue Boilermakers, whose mistake filled day turned into an ugly 35-20 loss to Minnesota.  Purdue actually won the first downs, total yards, and time of possession categories, but as we all know, that all important turnover stat killed the Boilermakers as Minnesota turned all 3 Purdue turnovers into touchdowns.

Penn State took care of business as expected in a 52-3 shellacking of Eastern Illinois with both offense and defense looking strong.

Michigan State continued its momentum from a crazy overtime win over Michigan last week with a win over the surprisingly bad Illinois squad.  Both teams started new quarterbacks in this game with MSU trying out Keith Nichol and Illinois benching Juice Williams for Eddie McGee.  Juice ended up finishing the game however as McGee completed only 2 out of 11 for 31 yards and an interception.

Ohio State’s defense (and special teams) continues to look amazing as the defense essentially won the game against Wisconsin.  Ohio State intercepted and returned for touchdowns two Wisconsin passes and also had a kick return for a touchdown.  Ohio State only had eight first downs and QB Terrelle Pryor completed only 5 passes, but with 21 pts from defense/special teams Ohio St wins 31-13.

The Big Ten came to a close on Saturday with a primetime, very exciting, and much anticipated Michigan – Iowa matchup.  Both quarterbacks threw interceptions on their first pass attempts, with Michigan taking an early 7-0 lead returning Stanzi’s interception for a touchdown.  Stanzi would calm down while Michigan’s true freshman sensation Tate Forcier looked rattled the entire game before eventually being pulled in the fourth quarter.  Iowa survived a late push led by another Michigan freshman quarterback Denard Robinson to win 30-28 and remain the Big Ten’s lone unbeaten team.

That sums up this weekend of Big Ten football, stay tuned next week as Iowa gets a tough test traveling to Madison to take on Wisconsin, a team fresh off a loss to Ohio State that  I’m sure they think they should have had.

Ohio State v Wisconsin has been one of the more exciting Big Ten matchups over the past three decades, with the Bucks holding only a 13-10-1 advantage since 1980.

In fact, there has even been some animosity that has carried over onto the field in the past.

Remember 2003 in Madison, Buckeye LB Robert Reynolds tackling then-Badger QB Jim Sorgi, choking the QB and knocking him out of the game?

Ironically Ohio State choked the game away, giving up a late 80-yard TD pass to Lee Evans, losing 17-10.

At the time, my grandpa claimed the 1993 (14-14 tie) game ended on a blocked field goal by Ohio State because they had 12 players on the field. He was old, so was that, and this is 2009. Let’s move on.

Why is this a big game?

The Buckeyes want to dominate Saturday at home and want to run the table to another Big Ten Championship. This is the last tough game on the schedule before the November gauntlet at Penn State, then at home versus Iowa, with the finale in Ann Arbor.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin wants to stay undefeated and finally get their high ranking they have been waiting for all season. The motivation factor is easy after Pryor took the victory out of the Camp Randall air with a game winning drive last year, 20-17.

Bret Bielema is still looking for his first victory (0-2) over the sweater vest (3-3 versus Wisconsin) and will surely get the Badger seniors going early.

Game Data (some info courtesy of Bucknuts.com; click here for their full Wisconsin-Ohio State report):

Wisconsin (5-0) at #9 Ohio State (4-1)

• Wisconsin-Ohio State Date: Saturday, October 10th 2009.
• Wisconsin-Ohio State Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
• Wisconsin-Ohio State TV: ABC (Sean McDonough, Matt Millen, Holly Rowe) Coverage Map here
• Wisconsin-Ohio State Point Spread: Ohio State -16
• Wisconsin-Ohio State Spread Pick by KVB: Wisconsin +16
• Wisconsin-Ohio State Spread Pick by Jerod: Wisconsin +16
• Wisconsin-Ohio State Weather: Sunny 60 degrees some clouds (weather.com)
• StubHub: Ohio State-Wisconsin tickets as low as $85!

Dexter Larimore will not suit up on the Buckeye defensive line because of injury, but everyone is saying the depth is still there to dominate like Ohio State has all year. If everyone says that, then Wisconsin should end up running the ball well in at least the second half if it is close. But we are in October so the conditioning should be on pace for the line to play well regardless of how many plays the Badgers get.

The Buckeye offense has looked efficient since the USC game and after dominating Illinois and Indiana in Big Ten play they look to control the game and the clock again this weekend. But this is definitely a game where Ohio State’s offense cannot leave points on the field because of turnovers, missed field goals or red zone inefficiency.

Wisky’s quarterback Scott Tolzien is amazingly efficient with a 154.7 passer rating, which is best in the Big Ten (minimum 100 att) and his offense averages 35 points a game. If they have to lean on Tolzien’s arm, we could see Ohio State pin their ears back and disrupt the game he is used to playing.

Wisconsin RB John Clay (photo: Bryan Faust)

Running back John Clay is the difference for the Badger offense. He leads the Big Ten in virtually all rushing categories so far this year (Rushes, Yards, Yards Per Game, TDs, and 100 yard games); so he can eat the clock and put scoring drives together, which could make it easier for Wisconsin to outscore the Bucks. This would make red zone efficiency and turnovers that much more important to Ohio State.

That said, it will be up to the front seven in Scarlett and Gray to make sure there is no rhythm for John Clay.

(Uh oh, I just rhymed…they already are in rhythm.)

I am very surprised Vegas put the two touchdown spread advantage for Ohio State, but that must be more a lack of confidence in the porous Wisconsin defense (24.6 points per game) than an abundance of confidence in the Ohio State offense (29.4 ppg).

But you can’t rule out Ohio State’s defense (11.8 ppg) as giving them such a large advantage. I would say the home field gives the Bucks a big advantage, but they’ve already lost at home. So maybe that will be their only blemish in Ohio Stadium. If I were a betting man, which JRod knows that I am, I would say Ohio State protects it’s house, but give the points to Wisconsin.

Ohio State-Wisconsin Prediction: Ohio State 30  | Wisconsin 23

Below is an example of mash-up highlight editing you can do on BigTenNetwork.com. It is pretty cool.

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* – Terrelle Pryor photo: Cleveland Plain Dealer File Photo

* – John Clay photo: Bryan Faust/wisconsin.scouts.com

I don’t know if Bill Lynch is the man who can return Indiana football to its glory years of the 1980s under Bill Mallory — and yes, for IU, those were glory years — but I am definitely rooting for the guy.

And although the Hoosiers have fattened up on some weak non-conference meat so far this season, certainly there have been Hoosier teams that have started out worse than 3-2. So Lynch and the Hoosiers have that going for them, along with the positive vibes from the Hoosiers’ solid performance at Michigan.

For goodness sakes though, will someone please get Bill Lynch some sunscreen?

The picture immediately to the left was taken of Bill Lynch this spring. The photo below and to the right was the headline shot on Peegs today. I’m not sure when it was taken, but I am assuming that it was taken recently.

As we all know, a picture is worth a thousand words, and I think these two pictures sum up what it’s like to be the head coach of Indiana football better than any two thousand word statement ever could.

Look at Lynch before the season: calm, serene, a little bit of color in his face, well-kempt hair, the collar/sweater combo. He’s optimistic about the 2009 season, but realistic about the possibilities having been associated with IU football for a long time.

And then look at Lynch now, five games into the season with a two-game losing streak: skin as red as his crimson shirt, hair disheveled, eyes angrily squinting either because of the sun or because he’s trying to see first place. and not concerned that IU isn’t supposed to beat Michigan or Ohio State…just pissed that they didn’t.

I’m hoping that Lynch (a good guy who I remember well from my childhood days running around that IU complex) and the Hoosiers can get one step closer to bowl eligibility this weekend against Virginia and then come back next weekend and get their first Big Ten win against Illinois.

You will remember that Lynch had the unenviable task of taking over for the late, great Terry Hoeppner a few years back, and I think he has done an admirable job all things considered.

Not much was expected of Indiana coming into 2009, and although the Hoosiers have yet to beat anyone of significance, Hoosiers fans can at least hold their head high with a 3-2 record and a solid performance at Michigan under the team’s belt.

Plus, regardless of what happens this season, IU fans and Lynch will always the video below, which is an obvious top 5 candidate whenever an official list of the “Most Emphatic Angry Gum Tosses” comes out.

The Tennessee Volunteers come into their match-up against Auburn a little battered and bruised. The Vols will have to step up and play through the pain to shut down an undefeated Auburn team.

UT Running back Montario Hardesty suffered a knee injury last week against Ohio. Hardesty has been limited in practice but expects to play Saturday. This season has been a coming-out party for Hardesty and the Vols will need him to carry the football.

Nearly the entire Tennessee defense is dealing with minor injuries. Monte Kiffin will have to prepare this unit to face a high-octane Tigers offense. Auburn has scored over 35 points in each of their games so far.

However, everything isn’t as doom and gloom as it sounds for Tennessee.

This Auburn team remains largely untested and hasn’t proven if they are for real yet. So far Auburn has only played one SEC opponent, when they blew out a mediocre Mississippi State team.

Auburn runs a spread offense that has racked up high yardage and a ridiculous amount of points so far. The advantage Tennessee has in this game comes from playing Florida already. Monte Kiffin’s defense held the Gators to 23 points and as far as spread offenses go, Florida’s is the best.

The Vols will have the toughest defense Auburn has faced yet and the numbers should reflect that.

The one offensive guarantee Tennessee has in this game will be their running attack. The Vols have been able to run the football effectively against everyone they have faced.

Even if Hardesty’s injury holds him back, freshmen backs Bryce Brown and David Oku should be able to pick up the slack. Tennessee should be able to rush for 150+ yards as a team.

The biggest question mark for the Vols in this game, as it is in every game, will be the play of Jonathon Crompton.

The Vols’ aerial attack has been up and down all season. If Crompton can manage the game and be accurate on important passing downs, Tennessee will be able to walk away with a win. But with the inconsistency Crompton has played with, it will be either hit or miss.

Just like any SEC matchup, this game could go either way. Auburn comes into this game undefeated but may be exposed as a pretender. The Vols gained some of their confidence back after keeping it close against Florida.

This game is a matchup between an over-achieving team and an under-achieving team. Whichever team plays to their full potential should come out on top.

My Tennessee-Auburn prediction: Tennessee – 27 | Auburn -21

Here are the particulars for tomorrow’s matchup:

Auburn Tigers (4-0) at Tennessee Volunteers (2-2)

• Auburn-Tennessee Kickoff Time: 7:45 PM ET
• Auburn-Tennessee TV: ESPN
• Auburn-Tennessee Location: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee
• Auburn-Tennessee Point Spread: Tennessee -1.5

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* – Jonathan Crompton photo credit: Rumors and Rants

Despite the “decided schematic advantage” that he has brought to South Bend (best seen here and here), Charlie Weis’ tenure at Notre Dame has not gone quite as well as he and the Notre Dame faithful had hoped.

Let’s see, there was that 3-8 record in 2007 that featured losses to Air Force and Navy, and then last season’s 7-6 mark that was highlighted by a loss to Syracuse (a football program on such solid footing that it turned to a former Duke basketball player to play quarterback this year). 

The putrid aftertaste of this 10-14 two-year span is most notably seen in this encouraging billboard that a group of ex-Irish football players bought in South Bend before this season started.

But just when you thought that things could not get worse in South Bend, that Weis’ seat could not possibly get hotter, there is this: Notre Dame’s 207-game sellout streak, which dates back all the way to 1973 (around the same time that this photo was taken), is in jeopardy of being broken this weekend.

Update: Well that didn’t take long.  The sellout streak is alive, according to ESPN. I’d like to think we had something to do with it…but I know we didn’t.

That’s right, there are still gobs of tickets available for this weekend’s showdown between the Washington Huskies and Notre Dame Fighting Clausens according to ESPN Chicago.

According to the university, this may actually be one Irish struggle that is not Weis’ fault though, as the empty seats are purportedly the result of the University of Washington returning a portion of their alloted seats.

Still, if the sellout streak is somehow broken during this most critical of moments for Weis, it certainly will be included in the brown paper bag of $h!t dung that gets left on Weis’ doorstep and lit aflame come season’s end…barring a miraculous entry in the BCS.

So, because we are true humanitarians here at Midwest Sports Fans, and don’t like kicking people when they’re down, we are calling you, the readers, to step up and support Charlie Weis and his long suffering school.

Below is a link to StubHub that will allow you to buy Notre Dame-Washington tickets that we hope you will take advantage of; and no, not because we make a small percentage off each sale, but rather so that Touchdown Jesus does not have to see another proud Irish tradition — the home sellout — come to an end.

You know, like winning seasons, All-Americans, and New Year’s Day bowl games have.

• Notre-Dame Washington tickets as low as $53

Please MSF readers, help keep Irish eyes a-smiling.

(P.S. In the interest of full disclosure, we will reveal what could have been the deviousness behind our own little schematic advantage: tickets from StubHub are actually resale tickets, and thus will not go towards Notre Dame getting its sellout.)

(P.S.S. For the record, I was just informed by twitterer @g-twitty that Nebraska recently passed 300 in their consecutive sellout streak. So the Irish aren’t close to any records or anything.)

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* – Charlie Weis photo credit: Christian Petersen / Getty Image via NBC Sports

During the first game of the season, against a tough BYU team, Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford was taken down at the end of the second quarter and landed on his throwing arm.

After the game, the Sooners released a statement saying that Bradford had sprained the AC joint in his throwing arm, and may be out for 2-4 weeks.

Now, after several weeks on the sideline, it appears he may return as early as this weekend against Miami.

[Update: The latest word as of Thursday afternoon was that Sam Bradford would not start this weekend -- but could possibly play -- against Miami as he continues to recover from the ac joint injury that has kept him out of action since the opener.]

Photo credit: Nate Billings, The Oklahoman (via newsok.com)

The acromioclavicular joint  (AC joint) is a spongy tissue that connects the clavicle to the scapula, which makes an injury to this area extremely sensitive. In fact, the AC joint is the only area that connects the shoulder girdle to the rest of the body by forming a joint with the clavicle.

Mechanism of AC Joint Injury

Despite having full range of motion in the shoulder joint (the glenohumeral joint), the AC joint provides less motion.

The two most common ways to injure this joint are repetitive stress such as throwing a football or baseball, or an acute trauma to the lateral aspect of the shoulder joint, such as crashing to the ground after been tackled, as happened to Bradford.  

The AC joint is actually the second most commonly injured joint in the body, next to the glenohumeral joint.

In this article we will only be discussing the acute injury. When the force is applied to the lateral portion of the shoulder, the ligament connecting the clavicle to the scapula is either stretched, as in a sprain, or torn, as in an AC joint separation. 

AC joint sprains are typically classified into 3 groups:

• Grade 1 AC joint sprain: A partial disruption of the AC joint, simply a stretch or sprain of the AC joint ligaments.
• Grade 2 AC joint sprain: A partial injury to the AC joint capsule and coracoclavicular ligament (another ligament connecting the clavicle to the scapula)
• Grade 3 AC joint sprain: A complete tear or disruption of the AC joint capsule and ligaments. A disruption or the ligament will require surgery and you will have a noticeable separation of the clavicle to the scapula.

AC joint sprain grades image credit: Earthopod.com

AC Joint Sprain Symptoms and Diagnosis

Common symptoms of an AC joint sprain are pain and tenderness of the AC joint.

To find this area on yourself, use two fingers to feel along the clavicle towards the shoulder. You will feel a noticeable small separation between your collarbone and the stiff boney prominence just before you reach the the head of the humerus, which is the joint space. Press lightly on that area to feel the sponginess of the joint.

Pain in the joint because of touch or movements of the shoulder are the primary indicators of an injury to the AC joint. It is also common to see bruising and swelling of the AC joint after the injury. 

Someone with an acute injury to the AC joint will try to keep the arm close to the body, as if in a sling to avoid movement and pressure to that joint.

Other indicators of an AC joint injury are similar to orthopedic tests your doctor will run to identify an AC joint separation. Any overhead activities will exacerbate the pain, such as incline bench press, or simply getting something in the overhead cupboard.

Another self test you can do at home is to take the web of your hand on your uninjured arm and place it below the bicep of the injured arm and resist yourself trying to bring the injured arm across the body. If there is pain in the AC joint, this is a good indication of injury. 

If you have pain in this joint, it is best to see your doctor to determine if there is an injury to the AC joint, the severity, and the course of treatment. Your doctor will use orthopedic tests, feel the joint, and test your range of motion to come to a diagnosis.

The shoulder is a tricky joint and there can be a multitude of different injuries in this area, so a proper diagnosis is key for a quick recovery. Your doctor will also take x-rays of the AC joint to rule out a fracture, or complete tear of the ligament. It is not uncommon for the doctor to take an x-ray of both of your shoulders to determine if there is a difference from side to side.

Another common technique that we use at Mountain View Pain Center is to take a second X-ray of the injured joint with a weight in the hand to determine if there is laxity of the ligament.

AC Joint Injury Treatment and Recovery

The key to a proper recovery is rest. Dropping weights in your workouts, or simply laying off for a few days, will not correct the problem.

If you want this injury to heal then you must not be involved in any sporting activities at all for at least two weeks, if not more, depending on the severity of the injury.

You should not only avoid sporting activities but all strenuous activities for the shoulder, especially anything that involves lifting or reaching overhead.

When the initial injury occurs, get ice on it immediately. If you cannot get straight to your doctor, then try to keep the arm close to your side as if in a splint to avoid tension on the joint.  This is something you do not want to let go for very long. If there is a small tear in the ligament and you continue to play your sport or work out then you risk a complete tear, and a much longer recovery.

In many cases after an AC joint injury, you may receive a cortisone shot in the tissue around the joint, or directly in the bursa to relieve pain. This may get you on the field without pain for that game; however, for long-term treatment we do not recommend it.

Cortisone shots over time will actually weaken the tendons and ligaments. If we are dealing with an already weak ligament then the chance for further damage increases. Cortisone shots simply mask the pain but do not actually treat the problem.

If you are only planning on getting a shot and continue to work out and play, expect further problems down the road. At Mountain View Pain Center, we commonly work side by side with a pain management doctor to give a shot for the acute pain, while we work to rehab the area to stabilize the joint.

As with any acute injury, the two main problems are pain and swelling. To treat these both simultaneously at Mountain View Pain Center, we use a special treatment called Interferential Therapy around the shoulder joint. This works by removing not only pain, but also the edema (swelling) in the area.

Another therapy we use is called Microcurrent therapy to speed up the healing process of the stretched ligament. Coupled with the rehab exercises, this helps the stretched ligament to heal properly and regain stability.

The next step is to apply kinesio-tape to the area. We prefer kinesio-tape at our office because it will remove swelling from the area without limiting the range of motion.  We tape to hold the AC joint down, so the ligament will shorten and heal, thus preventing further or chronic injury to the AC joint.  This tape can be worn for several days, and even stays on in the shower. You can also apply any topical analgesic or pain relief gel directly over the tape.

For a Grade 1 or Grade 2 sprain, with proper treatment, you should be pain free within about three weeks.  Remember, just because the pain is gone does not mean the instability is gone. You must continue treatment for full rehabilitation.

At Mountain View Pain Center, once the initial pain is reduced, hopefully in the first week, we begin with exercises to restore normal motion to the joint and prevent the buildup of scar tissue. After the injury has begun to heal, you should start with light weight, high repetition exercises of the shoulder joint, such as external rotations, abductions, and retractions.

Do not by any means go straight back to the gym and start doing heavy lifts, such incline bench press, right away. While the initial workouts are a good way to test what you can and cannot do, we recommend staying away from any heavy chest, flyes, and shoulders for another month.

If you are a quarterback or pitcher, you can begin to lightly throw the ball at practice, starting with short passes. Give the shoulder ample time to rest and do not go straight into a game without proper warm up.

We encourage our athletes to return to our office before a game to be properly treated and taped. Also, ice after you are done playing, even if it does not hurt right away. You want to avoid pain and inflammation tomorrow.

If you have a Grade 3 sprain, or complete separation, you may need to be referred to an orthopedic surgeon. 

Nutrition for Soft Tissue Injuries

• Glucosamine Sulfate 1000mg or Glucosamine with MSM
• Max joint Relief
• We always recommend for any inflammation: fish oils, ginger, boswellia, and turmeric.

In any case, an AC joint sprain is not something you want to just let “heal itself” because you are constantly using this joint and the chance of a chronic sprain will increase the longer you go without treatment.

Although a nuisance and a painful problem, this is very treatable and generally you can be back in the game within 2-6 weeks. 

Look to see Bradford back in the game against Miami or Baylor. Depending on how the treatment has progressed and what Bob Stoops and Bradford’s doctors think is best for Bradford’s long term career, we will see. As a fan, I would like to see him back sooner than later; however, giving the shoulder ample time to heal is the most important thing.

It will definitely be a test for the shoulder in either case. Boomer Sooner!

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If you would like further information on supplements or vitamins for similar types of injuries, contact us or we can direct you to www.maxmusclehighlandsranch.com

This article contains the opinions and examples of treatment plans for plantar fasciitis from Mountain View Pain Center in Denver, CO, and is not intended as a substitute for specific medical advice from a doctor regarding your individual injury or condition. If you have any further questions or concerns feel free to contact our office or leave a comment below.

Dr. Niall McNally is certified in chiropractic neurology and has a strong background in sports injuries and in the rehabilitation of common nagging athletic problems. Dr. McNally also is trained in pediatrics, orthopedics, and nutrition.

He graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma and successfully completed his Doctor of Chiropractic degree at the Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, TX. A very active athlete, Dr. McNally played hockey up into the junior level. In fact, it was his love for hockey, and the Colorado Avalanche, that originally gave him the idea to one day practice sports medicine and chiropractics in the area.

Dr. Ihsan Erhuy specializes in motor vehicle accident injures, back, neck, and extremity problems, as well as treating pregnant patients and children. He is certified in the Diversified, Gonstead, Thompson, Upper Cervical, Activator, Sacral Occipital, Applied Kinesiology, Soft Tissue techniques.

Originally from Adana, Turkey, Dr. Erhuy graduated from the University of Arizona and also susuccessfully completed his Doctor of Chiropractic degree, along with his bachelor of science in health and wellness, at the Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, TX.

In what has seemingly been the year of upsets in college football, it’s been almost a guarantee that a highly ranked team will go down every week.

With three matchups between ranked teams this week, we know for certain that at least three ranked teams will lose. But again, that doesn’t mean the other ranked teams are safe, and more than one should be on upset alert this week.

No. 15 Penn State should have no problem rebounding from last week’s upset loss to Iowa, but the Nittany Lions are on the road against a talented, though underachieving Illinois team.

The three remaining unbeaten non-BCS schools should have no problem this weekend against lesser opponents, but the games still merit monitoring.

Fifth-ranked Boise State isn’t doing itself any favors in terms of strength of schedule by playing host to UC-Davis. But, hey, No. 1 Florida played Charleston Southern, right? And North Carolina has two I-AA teams on the schedule in The Citadel and Georgia Southern.

No. 12 Houston, which has knocked off a pair of Big XII teams, including last week’s one-point thriller over Texas Tech, steps back into Conference USA play with a cross-state road trip to El Paso to face UTEP.

Follow this link to StubHub for special deals on all college football tickets.

No. 11 TCU plays host to a Conference USA foe in Forth Worth when it welcomes in SMU from Dallas.

Again, all three unbeatens should have no problem, but if this season has taught us anything, it’s that nothing is guaranteed.

With that being said, here are this week’s three marquee games:

#7 USC at #24 California

• USC-California Date: Saturday, October 3rd
• USC-California Kickoff Time: 8:00 ET
• USC-California TV: ABC (regional)
• USC-California Spread: USC -5.5

Cal was riding high less than two weeks ago. The Bears were ranked sixth in the country, had just picked up a road victory in Minnesota, and Jahvid Best was a top-notch Heisman candidate.

Oh how things quickly change.

The Bears got a punch in the mouth and a heavy dose of reality last week in Oregon. The Ducks dished out a 42-3 beatdown inside Autzen Stadium, and Best was limited to 55 yards on 16 carries. This was an Oregon defense that had allowed 79 points in its previous three games.

Whether Cal was looking past the Ducks to USC is uncertain, but now the Bears must face a USC defense that held Cal to three points last year. Many of those players are gone, but the Trojans are still talented on that side of the ball. USC is allowing just nine points per game, and rebounded from its 16-13 upset loss in Washington to knock around Washington State, 27-6.

It will be understandable if USC is distracted in this game with running back Stafon Johnson in the hospital with a crushed throat following a weightlifting accident.

Still the key in this game will be whether Cal can get Jahvid Best going or not. If Best has a good game, the Bears send USC south with a loss. If not, the USC defense will feast on Cal quarterback Kevin Riley.

USC-Cal free pick: USC 27 – Cal 16 | USC -5.5

#4 LSU at #18 Georgia

• LSU-Georgia Date: Saturday, October 3rd
• LSU-Georgia Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
• LSU-Georgia TV: CBS
• LSU-Georgia Spread: Georgia -2.5

The Tigers barely escaped an upset bid from Mississippi State last week, needing a goal line stand to preserve a 30-26 victory. LSU has been largely unimpressive in its 4-0 start, and are ranked where they are based on the preseason polls.

Still, LSU has done enough to win, although 31 rushing yards on 30 attempts last week against the country’s No. 88 rush defense is an eye-popping stat. It’s hard to figure out how LSU is unbeaten, but one thing the Tigers don’t do is beat themselves, and that starts with quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who has seven touchdown passes to just one interception. Brandon LaFell has been his favorite target, catching five scoring tosses.

LSU is dead-last in the SEC in total offense, something upon which the Georgia defense hopes to capitalize.

Georgia lost its opener on the road to Oklahoma State, but has since rattled off wins over South Carolina, Arkansas, and Arizona State.

Georgia coach Mark Richt is 20-5 against SEC West opponents and 9-1 over the last four years. As long as Richard Samuel continues to run the ball well, he has 281 yards on 62 carries with two scores this season, the Bulldogs should be able to wear down a good LSU defense.

If Georgia can force Jefferson into a couple of mistakes, they could be partying in Athens Saturday night.

LSU-Georgia free pick: Georgia 23 – LSU 17 | Georgia -2.5

#8 Oklahoma at #17 Miami (FL)

• LSU-Georgia Date: Saturday, October 3rd
• LSU-Georgia Kickoff Time: 8:300 ET
• LSU-Georgia TV: ABC (regional)
• LSU-Georgia Spread: Oklahoma -7.5

Just like Jahvid Best, remember how Miami quarterback Jacory Harris was being touted as a Heisman candidate? Well, one lackluster performance in a road beatdown on national television will nip that talk in the bud quickly.

Following impressive outings against Florida State and Georgia Tech, Harris looked uncomfortable in his team’s 31-7 loss at Virginia Tech. The Hokies confused the sophomore quarterback, who completed just 9 of 25 pass attempts, and Miami was just 1-for-11 on third-down conversions.

Oklahoma quarterback, and reigning Heisman winner, Sam Bradford may return to the Sooners’ lineup on Saturday night. He has not played since being knocked out of the season-opening loss to BYU with a shoulder injury. If Bradford can’t go, Landry Jones has done well in his stead.

The freshman quarterback has completed 43 of 69 passes for 622 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions in his first two starts. He even set a school record with six TD passes in a 45-0 win over Tulsa.

The Sooners have had two weeks off to prepare for their first real road game, and Land Shark Stadium will be no easy place for Jones or Bradford to play.

The difference could be the OU defense, which has not allowed a point since the 14-13 loss to BYU in Dallas.

Oklahoma-Miami free pick: Oklahoma 31 – Miami 20 | Oklahoma -7.5

One other game of interest is the Wisconsin-Minnesota game, which begins Saturday at 11:00 CT.

College football’s oldest rivalry renews itself Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis. On the line is the best rivalry trophy in the country: Paul Bunyan’s Axe.

The Badgers have a five-game win streak in the rivalry, which dates back to 1890, when the Gophers won a 63-0 contest. While the Gophers own a 59-51-8 overall advantage in the 118-game rivalry, since the introduction of the Axe in 1948, Wisconsin owns a 34-24-3 edge.

Minnesota’s last win came in 2003 when Rhys Floyd kicked a last-second, game-winning field goal. The game has been won on last-minute blocked kicks, big plays and defensive stands, and is one of the most heated rivalries in the country. In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt intervened to cancel the game because of deaths and other injuries on the field in the first 15 meetings.

This year’s game has extra intrigue because both teams are actually good.

The Badgers are 4-0, but will be leaving the friendly confines of Camp Randall Stadium for the first time this season. The Gophers are 3-1 on the year and coach Tim Brewster is still searching for his first victory against Wisconsin in now his third season as head coach.

The Gophers must shore up a run defense that allowed Cal tailback Jahvid Best to rush for five touchdowns. Wisconsin comes in with a solid offensive line capable of plowing holes for a pair of good backs in John Clay and Zach Brown.

Minnesota-Wisconsin free pick: Wisconsin 38 – Minnesota 34 | Wisconsin +2.5

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* – Bob Stoops and Sam Bradford photo credit: ESPN.com

Wow, crazy scene in Lexington tonight involving Tim Tebow.

Already feeling the effects of a “respiratory condition” than many were speculating might be the H1N1 virus (aka swine flu), Tebow was knocked out of tonight’s Florida-Kentucky game and taken to the hospital with a possible concussion.

The hit occurred with 12:41 left in the game and he obviously did not return. Before being injured, Tebow threw for 103 yards and a TD, and he also ran for 123 yards plus two scores.

Here is the painful video of the hit by Kentucky defensive end Taylor Wyndham that knocked Tebow out:

Video: Tim Tebow Hit, Knocked Out of Kentucky Game

While being transported to the locker room after he finally got up, ESPN’s cameras also caught Tebow vomiting profusely into a bucket. Clearly the rumors of his illness were more than just rumors.

Here is what Florida head coach Urban Meyer had to say after the game regarding Tebow’s injury, according to ESPN.com:

“We’re going to find out more about Tim. We believe it is a concussion. He got hit pretty good, but that’s one tough cat. Our team will pray for him and he’ll be fine.”

The most current injury update on Tebow as of me posting this is exactly what Meyer said: that he probably has a concussion. We probably won’t know more until tomorrow.

I’ve never really considered myself to be a huge Tebow fan, mainly because he quarterbacks Florida (extraordinarily well) and I root for Tennessee, but he has grown on me over the past few years. The guy is fun to watch and has been one of the most dominating college football players of my lifetime.

Plus, there really isn’t anything bad you can say about the guy from a personal standpoint. He’s pretty remarkable.

So hopefully Tebow is okay and won’t have to miss any time. As college football fans we only have the rest of this season to marvel as his collegiate greatness…and it’s not like the Vols are winning the SEC East this year anyway, right?

Even if they were, I’d still say get well soon Tim. And if we’ve learned anything about Tebow over the past few years it’s that he’ll be out there on the field next Saturday if it is all possible.

Update 9/27: ESPN just reported that Urban Meyer stayed overnight with Tebow and that, while doctors are still cautious, Tebow’s condition did improve last night and he was seen laughing and feeling a little better later in the evening.

I was in Memorial Stadium the last time Indiana beat Michigan in football.

The year was 1987, and Indiana was just a few years removed from a winless season. With Bill Mallory as head coach, and led by Anthony Thompson and Dave Schnell, the Hoosiers put together one of the best seasons in school history that year. They beat both Michigan and Ohio State and found themselves in the top 10 for the only time since I’ve been alive.

Today, the Hoosiers — this edition coached by Bill Lynch and led by freshman RB Darius Willis and junior QB Ben Chappell — almost knocked off the Michigan Wolverines for the first time in two decades, but ultimately fell just short.

And the Hoosiers should justifiably be feeling cheated as they fly home.

Who knows what would have happened if the referees had not awarded possession to Michigan on a controversial interception with 2:30 left in the 4th quarter, but it sure would have been nice to see the Hoosiers have a chance to drive down the field.

(Follow the link to ESPN’s recap of the IU-Michigan game, including video of the controversial play and Bill Lynch going nuts.)

The team, its coach, and its fans deserved better.

But Indiana has been getting screwed in The Big House for years. One of the only times I ever saw the great Bill Mallory lose his composure was after a game against Michigan.  I don’t remember the exact nature of the call, but I know it was on special teams and went against SS James Summerall. Mallory rightfully called out the officials in the post-game press conference and was disciplined for doing so.

I haven’t seen Bill Lynch’s press conference yet, but I hope he spoke his mind. The Hoosiers deserved better.

Congratulations on a great effort IU. There are no moral victories, but there are losses that you can be more proud of than others. This was one of those days for IU.

And you can bet that Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes won’t be sleeping on IU next weekend.

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* – Bill Lynch photo credit: Herald Times Online