This week’s episode features a thorough look at the world of college basketball with hot topics from all BCS conferences discussed as well as some notable mid-majors as well.

Specific topics discussed this week include:

• Big 12: Thoughts on Baylor, Scott Drew, and a key stretch for Iowa State
• Big Ten: Michigan’s inconsistency and the future for Illinois and Northwestern
• Big East: Syracuse’s recent struggles and thoughts on who the second best team in the league is
• ACC: Talk about Austin Rivers, Michael Snaer, and Harrison Barnes
• Pac-12: Oregon’s chances at a Pac-12 title
• SEC: Attempts to make sense of Lunardi’s bracket projection for Florida
• Other thoughts on Dayton, the race in the Colonial, New Mexico, BYU, and the number of bids from C-USA.

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What I found is a staggering lack of road games for college basketball teams from major conferences.

College Basketball’s Dearth of Non-Conference Road Games

Through Sunday’s games, teams in the six “BCS” conferences have a combined record of 552-212.  However, just 122 of those 764 games (16 percent) have been true road games.  In fact, major conferences teams are an ugly 57-65 in games held on their opponents’ home floor.

Image credit: AP Photo/Darron Cummings via Crimson Quarry

Given that there are 74 teams within those six leagues, that averages out to 0.77 road wins per team and just 1.65 road games per squad.  Thirty-four of those 74 teams have played one or fewer road games, and eight of them have played none.  To look at it in a slightly different way, just 14 squads have taken more than two road trips through more than a month of the season.

As if these numbers didn’t seem bad enough, factor in that 24 of these road games were part of the Big Ten/ACC and Big East/SEC Challenges where the teams essentially had no choice in the matter.

In addition to the lack of quantity, there is also a lack of quality road victories for these teams, which shows that many of the road games being scheduled aren’t actually that challenging in the first place.

Here’s a quick rundown for each conference:

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ACC:

• The league is 9-14 in road games, with the “best” wins coming against Nebraska and Oregon, who ranked 86th and 96th in Sunday’s Pomeroy Ratings.
• Four of the nine wins have come against teams ranked 235th or lower.

Big 12:

• Teams from this conference have played just 10 road games so far this season, with three squads (Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma) yet to play any.
• In the league’s defense, the Big 12 is 7-3 in road games with five of the wins coming over Top 100 teams.
• Baylor’s exciting win over 19th-rated BYU is the conference’s best, but given that the 10 teams are a combined 60-1 at home, I guess I can understand their reluctance to leave.

Big East:

• Over half of the 16-team conference’s teams have played one or fewer road games.  Overall, they are just under .500 at 11-12, but only three of the victories have come against Top 100 teams.
• That said, Marquette’s win over Wisconsin at the Kohl Center is one of the most impressive road performances of the early season.
• UConn and Seton Hall both have just one loss but have yet to play a road game.

Big Ten:

• Six of the league’s 20 road games came during the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, but the conference’s 11-9 record in those 20 contests is good for second best among the six leagues.
• The best of those 11 victories was Michigan State’s win at Gonzaga, but none of the others came against teams considered to be tournament-worthy.
• Minnesota has yet to play a true road game and won’t until Big Ten play begins.

Pac-12:

• Despite the fact this is easily the worst of the BCS leagues, the Pac-12′s 11-12 road record is tied for third best.
• However, the best wins were against 80th-ranked New Mexico State and the aforementioned Cornhuskers, with five of the victories comings against teams outside of the Top 200.
• For as bad as UCLA has been, they haven’t even played a road game yet, although with Pauley Pavilion being renovated, you could argue they haven’t played a true home game either.

SEC:

• Their 8-15 mark is the worst of any of the six major conferences, and only one of the wins (South Carolina’s triumph at Clemson) came against a Top 100 team.
• It is the only league where each team has played at least one true road game, and it also has the smallest percentage of total wins (65.7) coming from home games.

I also looked at teams ranked in the Top 25 that just came out today.  The 20 major conference teams in the rankings are a combined 17-9 in true road games.  Four of the Top 10 have no road wins at all, and three of the Top 11 haven’t even played a true road game.  In addition, eight of the 26 road games played were a result of one of the aforementioned conference challenges.  Of the 17 wins, seven are against Pomeroy’s Top 100.

The other five teams in the rankings (Xavier, Creighton, Murray State, UNLV, and Harvard) are a combined 14-4 on the road.  To be fair, two of those games came in the Missouri Valley/Mountain West event and nine of the wins have come against teams outside of the Top 150.  Still, they have four Top 100 wins to their credit, but just one of them came against a major conference team since scheduling is such a challenge.

What Are Coaches Thinking?

So what is the conclusion here?  I’m sure it’s not earth-shattering to know that major college coaches are reluctant to challenge their teams with road tests early in the season for fear of losing.  In fact, the Top 25 would actually indicate it’s in their best interest to just rack up wins at home or on neutral floors in the early going.

But if a coach’s job is to prepare their team for the rigors of the conference season and eventually the tournament, how exactly does playing nearly every game at home accomplish that goal?  The traditional argument is that there is nothing to gain from playing on the road since the best case scenario is winning a game most people think you should win anyway, and the worst case scenario is losing and having it held against you later.

I would argue just the opposite.

First off, the only way to even come close to preparing a team to play in front of a hostile crowd is to actually do it.  Too often teams panic at the first sign of adversity on the road and things snowball, turning a 4-0 run into a 12-0 run before you know it.  Even if Hollis Thompson had missed his last-second shot against Alabama, are you telling me the experience gained in that game wouldn’t serve them well later in the season?  I’m quite certain they will recognize more future benefit from that game than they did by blowing out NJIT by 40 at home.

In addition, every year we watch teams get skewered by the selection committee for not challenging themselves in the non-conference, and if the current schedules are any indication, that message isn’t getting through.  You obviously don’t want to schedule five road games and lose them all, but I would also argue that if you do that, you probably aren’t a great team to begin with.

I understand we are dealing with the delicate psyches of 19- and 20-year old kids here, and the balance between building confidence and challenging the team is a delicate one.  Still, the scale seems to have tipped too far in the other direction, and as a result, we have little idea how some of these teams might react to tough situations as conference play opens up over the next couple weeks.

What might be even more frightening is that a number of coaches are in the same boat and don’t know how their teams will fare once they hit the road for some of their most important games of the season.  The difference is they could have actually done something about it.

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Follow me on Twitter (@andybottoms) for more thoughts on college hoops, and check out the latest edition of the Bottoms Line podcast.

Before we hit the predictions, here’s a quick rundown of the key news items impacting the SEC since my two-part look at the league back in June.

• Alabama: Junior college transfer Moussa Gueye tore his ACL in a pickup game over the summer.  This leaves the Tide with very little depth behind the dynamic frontcourt duo of JaMychal Green and Tony Mitchell.
• Arkansas: As many people expected, freshman-to-be Aaron Ross didn’t qualify and will head to prep school.  The 6-foot-7 forward was a Top 150 recruit according to Rivals.
• Florida: Both Erik Murphy and Cody Larson have been reinstated after being suspended following their arrest for burglary.  Murphy took a plea deal and was allowed back in September, while Larson was sentenced to two additional years of probation and was reinstated in October.  Both players give the guard-heavy Gators some much-needed height.
• Georgia: The Bulldogs got some good news when their top recruit, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, was declared eligible.  He was an explosive scorer at the high school level and has a great chance to start immediately.
• Kentucky: Reserve Jon Hood tore his ACL over the summer, but with another wave of talented newcomers on the roster, the impact should be negligible in Lexington.
• LSU: Forwards Matt Derenbecker and Garrett Green both transferred out of the program in the offseason, with Derenbecker heading to Dayton and Green enrolling at San Diego State.
• Mississippi: Murphy Holloway was cleared to play this season after leaving the Rebels a couple years ago to play for South Carolina and be closer to his young daughter.  He walked on for a season for the Gamecocks before deciding to transfer back.
• Mississippi State: There’s no such thing as a quiet offseason for MSU.  First, seldom used center John Riek transferred out of the program, and then freshman D.J. Gardner got the boot for his profanity-lace tirade on Twitter related to his impending redshirt.  Of course there has been no shortage of news on Renardo Sidney, who did not accompany the team on their trip to Europe.  Instead, he continued to work on his conditioning with John Lucas and has earned praise from Coach Rick Stansbury for actually being able to finish conditioning drills.  In on-court news, UTEP transfer Arnett Moultrie played extremely well on the team’s trip to Europe, averaging a double-double in Sidney’s absence.
• South Carolina: Forward Damontre Harris sprained his toe during a conditioning session and will miss about four weeks leading up to the season.  Guard Bruce Ellington has continued to see increased playing time for the football team, so it’s unclear when he will join the squad.
• Vanderbilt: Center Festus Ezeli will miss the first six games of the season after accepting a meal and a hotel room from a Vandy alum over the summer.  Steve Tchiengang and Lance Goulbourne will be asked to pick up the slack in Ezeli’s absence.

SEC Predictions: Standings

1. Kentucky

The Wildcats are loaded once again and have been ranked second nationally in pretty much every Top 25 I’ve seen.  In addition to another crop of highly touted recruits, Kentucky returns a few other key contributors.

Terrence Jones would have been a lottery pick but surprised many by returning to Lexington for his sophomore season.  If he can maintain the level of production he showed early last year, the sky is the limit.  John Calipari has called fellow soph Doron Lamb the best player on the team; he’s certainly the best shooter.  Senior Darius Miller also returns in the backcourt and will look to build on his MVP performance in the SEC Tournament last year.

The gem of the freshman class is big man Anthony Davis who can do just about everything on the floor and was the top-rated incoming freshman according to some services.  The latest in the line of talented young point guards is Marquis Teague, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a fierce competitor who will do whatever it takes to help the team win.

While there are a number of other talented teams in the league, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Cats down win the title.

2. Vanderbilt

With virtually everyone returning from last season’s team, Vandy is a trendy pick this season despite their struggles to win in the post-season.

The trio of John Jenkins, Jeffrey Taylor, and Festus Ezeli gives the team three impact players worthy of all-conference consideration.  Jenkins scored nearly 20 points per game last season while displaying a newfound ability to get to the stripe along with his smooth jumper from the outside.  Taylor does a little bit of everything for the Commodores, and Ezeli had a breakout junior season with 13.0 points, 6.3 boards, 2.6 blocks, and a 58.8 field goal percentage.  They boast a solid point guard in Brad Tinsley and have guys like Steve Tchiengang and Rod Odom ready to contribute inside.

In short, the roster is loaded with talent and experience, and the biggest question mark is whether Vanderbilt can get over the hump in close games as well as the post-season.

3. Florida

The Gators have an impressive glut of guards, which makes the biggest concern whether there will be enough shots to go around.

Backcourt mates Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton are the only returnees who averaged over 4.3 points.  Walker led the team in assists and hit nearly 39 percent from beyond the arc, but his ability to limit turnovers and stabilize the team will be critical.  Boynton shot way too many threes for someone who hit only 31 percent from deep, but he did finish strong last year.  Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario gives them another shooter/scorer, and freshman Brad Beal is one of the top guards in his class.

Look for a breakout year from soph Patric Young inside, but he needs guys like Cody Larson, Erik Murphy, and Walter Pitchford to step up and contribute alongside him.  That, along with shot selection in the backcourt, will determine Florida’s fate this year.

4. Alabama

With JaMychal Green and Tony Mitchell, Coach Anthony Grant has one of the top frontcourt duos in the nation.  Green is an absolute monster who posted 15.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks last season while getting to the stripe nearly 200 times.  Mitchell finished second to Green in both scoring and rebounding, and he also proved to be a terrific defender in terms of both steals and blocks, all of which led to a stellar offensive rating.

Trevor Releford had an underrated freshman year, leading the team in assists and steals, and he also tallied a pair of 20-point performances in the NIT.  Talented freshmen Trevor Lacey and Levi Randolph should factor prominently into the rotation while providing some much-needed three-point shooting for the Crimson Tide.

The team ranked seventh in overall defensive efficiency last year, and if the newcomers gel quickly, the potential is there to finish even higher than fourth.

5. Mississippi State

The Bulldogs made headlines for all the wrong reasons last year, but there is reason to believe the talent-to-drama ratio is headed in the right direction.  That all starts with returning starters Dee Bost and Renardo Sidney.

Bost can look like one of the top point guards in the country at times, but he could stand to cut down on his turnovers and ill-advised shots.  Still, he posted nearly six assists per game and is a tremendous on-ball defender.  Sidney’s trials and tribulations have been well-publicized, but he seems to have committed to his conditioning this summer.  For all the heat he took last season, Sidney actually played pretty well down the stretch, scoring at least 11 points in 13 of the final 16 games with four double-doubles.

A couple newcomers will play key roles for this team.  UTEP transfer Arnett Moultrie averaged nearly 10 points and seven boards in 2009-10 and gives them another active big man.  True freshman Rodney Hood has a nice touch from the outside, which MSU desperately needs after losing their top two three-point shooters.

Those guys will form the core of the team, but a number of other returnees and freshmen will be counted on to step up as well.  The talent is absolutely there for this team; the question is what Rick Stansbury can do with it.

6. Ole Miss

Despite the losses of Chris Warren and Zach Graham, the Rebels still have some reasons for optimism heading into the season.  The biggest of those is their returning frontline.

Terrance Henry averaged 9.7 points and 6.0 rebounds and finished the season with five straight double-digit scoring games.  Reginald Buckner provides a presence on the glass and as a shot-blocker, and Murphy Holloway posted 10.1 points and 7.6 boards in 2009-10.  In the backcourt, look for sophomore Dundrecous Nelson to pick up some of Warren’s scoring slack.  He averaged 16.0 points over a four-game stretch late in the year and is poised for a breakout season.

Memphis transfer Jelan Kendrick will be eligible after the first semester, and it will be interesting to see if he can stay out of trouble and live up to his lofty recruiting rankings.  Nick Williams also returns for the Rebels, and freshman guards Maurice Aniefiok, Jarvis Summers, and LaDarius White will also factor into the backcourt rotation.

7. Arkansas

I’m not sure Mike Anderson has the depth he needs to play his uptempo style, but there are a few interesting pieces to work with in Fayetteville.

Forward Marshawn Powell had a disappointing sophomore year, but part of that can be attributed to injury and ongoing issues with former coach Doug Pelphrey.  Julysses Nobles is back to run the point after leading the squad in assists and steals last season while showing a nice touch from beyond the arc.

Returnees like Michael Sanchez and Marvell Waithe should see expanded minutes inside along with freshman Hunter Mickelson.  In addition to Mickelson, Anderson managed to retain key members of a talented recruiting classes, most notably guards B.J. Young and Ky Madden.  Young is a combo guard who can beat defenders in a number of ways, while Madden is a terrific athlete who excels in the open floor.

With so much youth, it’s hard to know what to expect from the Hogs, but Anderson’s teams are always tough to play against.

8. Georgia

The Bulldogs lost their two best players from last year’s squad, so a return invite to the Big Dance would be shocking.  Their strength lies in the backcourt with Gerald Robinson and Dustin Ware.  They were the team’s top two assist men, and Ware hit 43.6 percent from beyond the arc.  Joining them is the aforementioned Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who has good size and a sweet stroke from the outside.

The front line is full of question marks.  Marcus Thornton came in highly regarded but barely contributed last season.  Georgia will need a lot more from him along with true freshman Tim Dixon and juco transfer John Florveus if they want to finish much higher than this.

9. LSU

On paper, the fact that LSU returns its top four scorers looks pretty good until you see that the team went 3-13 in SEC play last year, which has Coach Trent Johnson firmly on the hot seat heading into this year.

The frontcourt will be the strength with returnees Storm Warren and Malcolm White, Iowa State transfer Justin Hamilton, and McDonald’s All-American Patrick O’Bryant.  Warren is looking to bounce back after a disappointing season, but he did finish the year with five straight double-digit scoring games.  White finished second on the team in rebounding but may be relegated to a reserve role if Hamilton and O’Bryant play well.  At least in O’Bryant’s case, that seems like a given.  Ralston Turner and Andre Stringer both return in the backcourt, but they struggled with turnovers and outside shooting.

The team should be better, but the record may not reflect that at the end of the year.

10. Tennessee

I really like Cuonzo Martin’s chances to succeed long-term, but this has all the makings of a long year.  Cameron Tatum is the only returnee to average over three points, so he’ll be asked to shoulder the scoring load.  Trae Golden projects as the starting point guard, and sophomore wing Jordan McRae lit it up during summer league play, which may propel him into a starting role as well.  Renaldo Woolridge, Kenny Hall, and Jeronne Mayonne will see drastically increased minutes in the frontcourt, and Martin needs at least a couple of them to become reliable contributors.

As you might expect, there are also plenty of newcomers, with Josh Richardson and big man Yemi Makanjuola the most likely to play prominent roles in the rotation.  Martin will certainly rachet up the defensive intensity, but there are just too many question marks heading into the season.

11. Auburn

The Tigers played better down the stretch than they 4-12 conference mark would suggest, but leading scorer Earnest Ross transferred after the season.  In the backcourt, Frankie Sullivan is back after missing most of last season with a knee injury, and Texas transfer Varez Ward should also give the team some much-needed scoring.

Forward Kenny Gabriel finished second on the team with 10.3 points per game, but he needs to be a more consistent contributor.  Rob Chubb gives the team another big body inside, while former walk-on Josh Wallace led the team in assists and steals a season ago.  Clemson transfer Noel Johnson will become eligible after the fall semester, so we’ll see if he can live up to his status as a former Top 100 recruit.

The Tigers return a few other role players from last year’s team, and true freshman Willy Kouassi provides additional athleticism inside.  If everything comes together, Auburn could best last year’s win total, but the Tigers are still in rebuilding mode.

12. South Carolina

After leading the team in points and assists last season, guard Bruce Ellington has spent this fall on the gridiron and won’t be with the team to start the season.  Even though his efficiency numbers were brutal last season, it’s still a huge blow to the team.  Forwards Malik Cooke and Lakeem Jackson both do a solid job on the boards despite standing under 6-foot-7, but they need the aforementioned Damontre Harris and a number of newcomers to step up inside.

The Gamecocks don’t really have any reliable outside shooters to make up for the lack of size, so this should be a long season for Coach Darrin Horn.

SEC Predictions: POY and All-Conference Team

All-Conference

• Anthony Davis, F, Kentucky
• JaMychal Green, F, Alabama
• John Jenkins, G, Vanderbilt
• Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky
• Erving Walker, G, Florida

Player of the Year: Anthony Davis, F, Kentucky

You could argue that picking him as POY is a reach, but I can’t fathom how he wasn’t voted onto the first team during SEC Media Day.  For a 6-foot-10 player, he has an extremely versatile skill set since he was “only” 6-foot-3 as a junior and had already developed his ball-handling and other perimeter-oriented skills.  Consequently, Davis is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.  He can step out and make shots or put the ball on the floor and drive past bigger defenders, or he can take smaller players into the post.

Davis is extremely active inside as a rebounder and shot-blocker, and I have yet to hear about anyone who hasn’t walked away even more impressed with his athleticism and impact on the game after seeing him in person.

Freshman of the Year (Not Named Anthony Davis): Brad Beal, G, Florida

Obviously if Davis is the POY, he would naturally be the freshman of the year as well, but I’m not going to take the easy way out and copy my comments from above.  I think Beal is going to be phenomenal for Florida and may eventually force Bill Donovan to make some tough lineup decisions.

As Rob Dauster of Ballinisahabit pointed out, what sets Beal apart from the other Gator guards is the fact that he doesn’t dominate the ball and is effective at using screens to get open.  I would be shocked if he isn’t the team’s top three-point shooter, as well as one of the squad’s most efficient players.  The Gators are going to have to play at least three guards to get their best players on the floor, but I have a hard time believing this team can be successful playing Kenny Boynton and Mike Rosario together for long periods of time, which is only good news for Beal’s playing time and potential production.

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Follow me on Twitter (@andybottoms) for more thoughts on college hoops, and check out the latest edition of the Bottoms Line podcast.

Among the topics covered on today’s episode:

• News items around Kenny Frease being suspended, Scott Suggs’ foot injury, more Kansas freshman ruled ineligible, and the suspension of Festus Ezeli.
• Big 12 – touched on Baylor, Kansas, and Texas A&M as the top three as well as how jumbled the middle of the league is.
• SEC – another crop of freshman at UK, can Vandy learn how to win, can Florida win with a 4 guard lineup, and will Mississippi State continue to be a circus.

Click play on the player below to listen:

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At this time, when everyone is looking ahead to 16-team superconferences and/or conferences that are geographically abhorrent and make no effort to preserve traditional rivalries, let’s look back at where these conferences started and where they have come.

Click on the links below to jump to a conference:

Big Ten
SEC
Pac-12
Big Eight
Southwest Conference
WAC
ACC
Big East
Conference USA

Big Ten Conference

Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives (better known as the Western Conference), original roster, 1896

Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives (better known as the Big Nine), 1899

Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives (better known as the Big Ten), 1917

Michigan left in 1908, but rejoined in 1917. Ohio State joined in 1912.

Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives (better known as the Big Ten), 1950

Chicago left in 1946. Michigan State joined in 1950. This roster would remain unchanged until 1990, when Penn State joined the league. (Penn State did not begin play in the Big Ten until 1992.) In 1987 the conference officially changed its name to the Big Ten.

Southeastern Conference

In 1932, 13 members of the Southern Conference broke away to establish the new Southeastern Conference. At that time the Southern Conference included the following schools (23 in all): Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Sewanee, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, VMI, Virginia Tech, and Washington & Lee.

Southeastern Conference, original roster, 1932

Southeastern Conference, 1967

Sewanee left in 1940; Georgia Tech in 1964; and Tulane in 1966. This roster would remain unchanged until Arkansas and South Carolina joined the league in 1991.

Pacific-12 Conference

Pacific Coast Conference, original roster, 1915

Pacific Coast Conference, 1928

Washington State joined the PCC in 1917; Stanford in 1918; USC and Idaho in 1922; Montana in 1924; and UCLA in 1928.

Athletic Association of Western Universities, original roster, 1959
The PCC disbanded in 1959. Five of its member institutions formed a new conference, the AAWU, also known as the Big Five.

Pacific-8 Conference, 1968

Washington State joined the AAWU in 1962; the Oregon schools joined in 1964. In 1968 the league formally changed its name to the Pacific-8 Conference.

Pacific-10 Conference, 1978

The Arizona schools joined in 1978, and the Pac-8 became the Pac-10. This roster would not change again until Colorado and Utah joined the league this year.

Big 8 Conference

The history of the Big 8 officially ended with the creation of the Big XII conference in 1996.
Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association, original roster, 1907

Iowa was a member of both the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Big Ten during this time.

Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association, 1925

Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association, better known as the Big Six, 1928

The private schools, along with Oklahoma A&M, left in 1928 to form the Missouri Valley Conference.

Big Eight Conference, 1964

Colorado joined in 1948, and the conference became known as the Big Seven. Oklahoma State rejoined the league in 1958. In 1964 the conference formally changed its name to the Big Eight. This roster and name would remain until the formation of the Big XII Conference in 1996.

Southwest Conference

Southwest Conference, original roster, 1915

Southwest Conference, 1926

Southwestern left in 1916, Oklahoma in 1919, and Oklahoma A&M in 1925. SMU joined in 1918, TCU in 1923.

Southwest Conference, 1971

Texas Tech joined in 1956, Houston in 1971. This roster would be stable until Arkansas left for the SEC in 1991. In 1996 Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech joined with the Big 8 schools to form the Big XII. Rice, SMU, and TCU joined the WAC. Houston became a founding member of Conference USA.

Western Athletic Conference

Western Athletic Conference, original roster, 1962

Western Athletic Conference, 1980

UTEP and Colorado State joined in 1967. The Arizona schools left to be part of the Pac-10 in 1978. The WAC replaced them with San Diego State (1978), Air Force (1979), and Hawaii (1980).

Western Athletic Conference, 1996

Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah, and Wyoming left in 1999 to form the Mountain West Conference. The WAC’s roster has been unstable ever since. Notice that, by next year, the only team from the 1996 roster that will still be in the conference is San Jose State.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Atlantic Coast Conference, original roster, 1953

The ACC hasn’t changed much in its 58 years as a conference. South Carolina left in 1971 and was replaced by Georgia Tech in 1978. Florida State joined in 1991. The ACC added Miami and Virginia Tech in 2004, followed by Boston College in 2005.

Big East Conference (Football Only)

Big East Conference football members, original roster, 1991

The Big East didn’t sponsor football until 1991. At the time Boston College, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse were the only Big East schools with Division I-A football programs. The other five schools were new to the conference. Temple, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia joined as football-only members. The Big East dropped Temple in 2004, the same year UConn was eligible to become a football member and Miami and Virginia Tech left for the ACC. In 2005, when Boston College left, the Big East added Cincinnati, Louisville, and South Florida from Conference USA. TCU will join next year.

Conference USA

Conference USA football members, original roster, 1996

Conference USA was established in 1995 but didn’t sponsor football until 1996, when Houston joined. (Houston was a founding member of Conference USA but had to play out the 1995-1996 season in the Southwest Conference before joining. The other members were football independents before 1996.) East Carolina joined as a football-only member in 1997; Army in 1998.  UAB and South Florida were founding members of Conference USA, but were not admitted as football members until 1999 and 2003, respectively. TCU joined in 2001. Army left in 2004; TCU left in 2005, the same year several other schools left for the Big East. That year Conference USA added UCF, Marshall, Rice, SMU, UTEP, and Tulsa. The league has been stable ever since.

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Josh Tinley is the author of Kneeling in the End Zone: Spiritual Lessons From the World of Sports. Follow him at twitter.com/joshtinley or send him an e-mail.

The SEC is saying all the right things now about expanding their conference next season due to the legal matters that could occur with the Big 12 if Texas A&M bolts.  The SEC will expand next season to a minimum of two teams but rumors are swirling that they could add more.

If college football’s strongest conference decides that they are going to expand to more than twelve teams, it will create the need for other power conferences to expand as well. The increase of revenue that will be generated by teams moving to larger conferences will benefit each school but will be bad for college football overall.

Setting up so-called mega conferences has only been talked about in a hypothetical way but is looking more like a reality.  This will create a scenario where a team’s overall record could be based on the schedule strength of their non-divisional games.

The SEC has already stated that they have no desire to play a nine-game conference schedule, and if they go to a fourteen team league that would create fewer non-divisional games.  If a team played everyone in their division, that would mean they would only play two teams from the other division.  Under this scenario, if a team from the SEC East Division had two non-divisional games against LSU and Alabama, it would be unfair.

The Big Ten has made plans to increase the amount of conference games from eight to nine by the year 2017.  If they expanded to fourteen teams this would mean that you would have to play three teams from the other division instead of two like the SEC.  If a team in the Leaders Division had non-divisional games that were Iowa, Nebraska, and Michigan State, this would be unfair in comparison to the teams that did not get as tough a draw.

Also, the possibility of teams leaving from one conference to another will ruin some rivalries in college football that have been around for years.  If Texas A&M leaves the Big 12 due to unhappiness with Texas, this would put an end to their rivalry, which has been a long-lasting tradition.  Oklahoma is a team that has been rumored to have a lot of interest from the SEC, and if they left the Big 12 it could end the Red River Shootout.  They could play in the nonconference, but it would be non-beneficial for either team to play.

Instead of conferences trying to increase profits by any means necessary through expansion, they should focus on how it might be detrimental to the quality of play.

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* – Texas A&M and SEC logo photo credit: via GridiroN Grit 

For this year, the results of this change will be felt only during the SEC Tournament, as the schedules will remain the same with teams playing their former divisional foes twice and the other six teams just once.  Consequently, I’m leaving them split up as I take my first look at each of the major conferences.

The division formerly known as the SEC West presents a gridiron gauntlet that gives college football coaches and fans nightmares.  On the hardwood…um, not so much.  Last season, Alabama won the West by three games, and their 12-4 record was the second-best in the whole league.  Their reward?  A trip to the NIT.

The Crimson Tide have the looks of a Top 25 team in 2011-12, and Arkansas and Mississippi State should be intriguing as well, hopefully moreso on the court than off in the case of the Bulldogs.

Alabama

Anthony Grant’s squad shook off a few ugly early losses to surprise people during conference play, earning a spot on the bubble before ultimately being left out of the tournament field.  Grant loses some contributors from that team, but he does manage to return his top three scorers, his top two rebounders, and his top assist man to go with a recruiting class ranked in the top fifteen.

JaMychael Green and Tony Mitchell form one of the SEC’s top frontcourt duos.  Green led the team in points (15.5), rebounds (7.5), and blocks (2.1), while making better than 50 percent from the field.  He reached double-digit scoring in 31 of 34 games and rattled off 23 straight at one point.  Green got to the line nearly 200 times as a junior, making nearly 75 percent of his free throws, which leaves him poised for an outstanding senior season.  Mitchell finished just behind Green in scoring and rebounding while besting his shooting percentage from the field.  He had some scoring binges of his own, including one stretch where he scored at least 20 points in five of six contests.  If Mitchell can improve on his three-point shooting, that would add yet another reliable dimension to his game.

Point guard Trevor Releford is third key returnee from last year’s squad after leading the team in assists and steals as a true freshman.  He became a more reliable scorer around the midway point of the season and even registered a couple 20-point games in the NIT.  Expect him to be a steadying influence in the backcourt.  Andrew Steele was expected to be in the mix prior to ending his career due to concussion-related complications.  Fellow returnee Ben Eblen provides additional backcourt depth, but the most likely scenario is that one of Alabama’s talented freshman will start alongside Releford.

Late signee Trevor Lacey seems the most likely candidate.  He’s a two-time Mr. Basketball in Alabama whose team won three state championships.  Lacey is a terrific scorer who can hurt you in a variety of ways and has a soft touch on his shot.  Levi Randolph is the other freshman option, and even if he doesn’t start, expect him to play a key role in the rotation.  Thanks to outstanding versatility, Randolph can play three different positions and is an able passer in addition to being a good shooter.  He has a tremendous all-around skill set which will only be enhanced as he puts on some weight.

A pair of newcomers inside should also see significant minutes.  Freshman Nick Jacobs has a solid back-to-the-basket game and soft hands, while juco transfer Moussa Gueye was one of the top junior college prospects in the game.  He posted 10.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks during his first season but missed last year due to a dispute with the coaches over an injury he sustained.  One of them will crack the starting five while the other will play big minutes off the bench.

Small forward Rodney Cooper’s terrific shooting should earn him minutes in his first year, particularly due to the team’s challenges from beyond the arc last season.

Alabama won’t be sneaking up on people this year, but then again, I don’t think they need to.  They were impressive defensively last year and have added some solid pieces on offense to go with a strong returning nucleus.

Arkansas

The Hogs are one of just two SEC teams to change coaches in the offseason, and their hire of Mike Anderson was one of few coaching moves that wasn’t met with widespread skepticism.  He does return a few key players and managed to reel in a Top 10 recruiting class.  Thanks to a couple recent transfers, most notably sharpshooter Rotnei Clarke, Arkansas also looks to be in a position to serve their one scholarship penalty for poor APR performance this season.

Marshawn Powell finished second on the team in both scoring and rebounding but saw his numbers fall across the board compared to his freshman season.  Look for a bounceback season from him as a junior.  If he buys in, his skills should allow him to flourish in Anderson’s system.

Depth is key to the style of play Anderson learned from Nolan Richardson, and there are a few other returning players who will help in that regard.  Julysses Noble led the team in assists and steals last season and hit better than 40 percent from beyond the arc.  Mardracus Wade and Rickey Scott provide additional bodies in the backcourt.

Up front, Marvell Waithe and Michael Sanchez should be in the mix for the starting lineup, with both candidates to help out primarily on the glass.

With a deep and talented recruiting class, a number of first year players will see extended minutes.  B.J. Young is listed as a point guard, but he’s also a terrific scorer who can attack the rim or knock down both deep and mid-range jumpers.  Ky Madden is another highly regarded freshman with great athleticism and length.  Expect both to be key players for the Razorbacks right away.

A trio of frontcourt freshman will also be in the mix.  Hunter Mickelson has been lauded for his work ethic and competitive nature.  He needs to put on weight but has a soft touch and solid faceup game.  Aaron Ross can play inside and out, although his eligibility is in doubt.  If he plays (and it sounds like a big if), Ross will create mismatches thanks to his combination of quickness and power.  Devonte Abram pounds the glass and has a decent low post game, which Arkansas needs thanks to a lack of experienced depth inside.

There are definitely question marks for this team in light of the recent transfers, and you can’t help but wonder what an increase in tempo will do to a team that had more turnovers than assists.  Still, Anderson should energize the program, and the talent is there to finish in the top half of the league.

Auburn

Along with league mate LSU, Auburn was at the center of the discussion for the worst major conference team last season.  The Tigers gained experience through last year’s struggles, but leading scorer and rebounder Earnest Ross decided to transfer, leaving a pretty bleak outlook for Auburn once again.

Forward Kenny Gabriel was the team’s second best player behind Ross last season, but he was very inconsistent, with consecutive double-digit scoring games routinely followed by single-digit efforts.  Rob Chubb is also back up front, but he needs to become a more reliable option both inside and at the foul line.

After reaggravating his knee injury following ACL surgery, guard Frankie Sullivan opted to take a medical redshirt.  He averaged 12.7 points and shot better than 37 percent from beyond the arc in 2009-10, so he’ll provide some scoring pop if he’s back to full strength.  Texas transfer Varez Ward will join Sullivan in the backcourt.  It’s been nearly two years since Ward played in a college game, but he should be one of the team’s top scorers.

Both Josh Wallace and Chris Denson averaged over five points last season, with the walk-on Wallace leading the team in assists.  Allen Payne, Josh Langford, and Adrian Forbes all played at least 15 minutes per game last year, but none of them appear to be more than role players.

Tony Barbee adds a few new faces to the mix as well.  Clemson transfer Noel Johnson was highly rated coming out of high school but has failed to live up to that billing.  He will join the team after the fall semester.  Center Willy Kouassi has a high motor and should help immediately with his rebounding and shot-blocking while his offense evolves.  The other freshmen are guard Cedrick McAfee and forward Bernard Morena, both of whom will play reserve roles if they don’t redshirt.

While there is plenty of experience, last year’s team shot poorly both inside and outside the arc, and they had more turnovers than assists.  Expect some improvement, but the talent level isn’t sufficient to consistently compete with the rest of the league.

LSU

Trent Johnson’s seat is getting warm after last season’s 3-13 performance in SEC play.  The roster is largely the same as it was a season ago, with Johnson returning his top four scorers and rebounders along with his top three assist men.

Guards Ralston Turner and Andre Stringer return to form the starting backcourt.  Turner led the team with 12.3 points per game, but his shooting percentages left a lot to be desired.  He had a number of single-digit scoring efforts and was shut out in the season finale.  Stringer led the team in assists as a freshman, but he had nearly as many turnovers as dimes.  His shooting performance was also ugly, which led to inconsistent scoring from the 5-foot-9 point man.

Forward Storm Warren had a disappointing season overall as his production dropped off, but he did finish by averaging over 15 points in the final five contests.  Despite his struggles, he still led the team in rebounds, steals, and blocks.  Malcolm White finished second in rebounding in his first season with the Tigers and should provide continued help on the glass this year.  Matt Derenbecker, Garrett Green, and Chris Bass provide additional experience and depth as role players.

A pair of new additions should help out in the frontcourt.  Iowa State transfer Justin Hamilton will vie for a starting spot up front.  Hamilton averaged 6.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in just 21.4 minutes for the Cyclones in 2009-10.  Highly regarded freshman Johnny O’Bryant has terrific size and a strong low post game.  His power and soft hands will prove to be assets for the McDonald’s All-American as he transitions to the college game.

The overall talent is improved from last year’s poor season, but the team also lost its best outside shooter from a squad that struggled to consistently knock down shots.  The turnover totals are also reason for concern, and while the Tigers should be better, don’t expect a huge jump in wins.

Mississippi

The Rebels look poised to take a step back after losing their top two scorers and their top three assist men, most notably guard and leader Chris Warren, who averaged nearly 20 points last year.

Forward Terrance Henry finished third on the team in scoring and second in rebounding.  He finished the season with five straight double-digit scoring games, and given the steady improvement he has shown over his first three seasons, he looks poised to finish his career on a high note.

Fellow frontcourt player Reginald Buckner averaged 6.8 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds to go with 2.9 blocks, but despite his high field goal percentage, he was virtually non-existent on offense in some stretches.  That has to change this year.  Steadman Short also returns up front, and his field goal percentage and rebounding in limited action last season give some reason for optimism.

In the backcourt, Dundrecous Nelson returns and should slide in at the point.  He averaged 16.0 points over a four-game stretch late in the season and will be counted on to run the show with Warren gone.  Former Indiana player Nick Williams also returns for his second season as a Rebel.  His biggest contribution may well be his work on the glass.

A pair of transfers will factor into the rotation.  Jelan Kendrick never played for Memphis despite his lofty recruiting ranking, but he’s likely to start for Ole Miss.  The talent is there, but some of the stories that came out from Memphis leave reason for concern.  Dale Hughes joins the squad as well after scoring 7.8 points per game in just 18.8 minutes for Florida A&M.

As for freshmen, guard Ladarius White has been labeled as a great shooter, while point man Jarvis Summers is a solid passer who does his best work off the dribble.  Both will join the litany of players trying to fill Warren’s big shoes.  Maurice Aniefiok has solid strength and range on his jumper, which should allow him to earn some minutes on the wing.

Ole Miss has some pieces but may well find themselves in the SEC basement when all is said and done.

Mississippi State

The Bulldogs made far too many headlines off the court and far too few on it last season.  And despite the fact that they lost their leading scorer along with two of their top three rebounders and assist men, there is some reason for cautious optimism this year.

After a draft snafu cost him half of last season, lead guard Dee Bost will be suiting up from day one.  His 15.3 points per game were second on the team, and he led the Bulldogs in assists and steals.  Bost’s poor shooting leads to inconsistent performances in the scoring column, but if he can ever solve that issue and cut back on the turnovers, look out.

The much embattled Renardo Sidney wound up averageing 14.2 points and a team-high 7.6 boards.  He scored at least 11 points in 13 of the final 16 games, including four double-doubles and one near miss.  Sidney needs to improve his conditioning, which could lead to even gaudier offensive numbers.

Joining Bost in the backcourt are Jalen Steele and Brian Bryant, both of whom project as key reserves.  The same can be said of big man Wendell Lewis, who posted 3.8 rebounds and a block in just 15 minutes per game.

A number of newcomers will play key roles, starting with UTEP transfer Arnett Moultrie, who scored 9.8 points and grabbed 6.7 rebounds for the Miners in 2009-10.  His play in practice last season earned rave reviews, and you can expect him to start immediately.

A slew of talented freshman will also factor into Rick Stansbury’s plans.  First and foremost of those is Rodney Hood.  Hood has been praised for his smooth stroke from the outside and his overall explosiveness as a scorer.  Don’t be shocked if he is in the starting lineup early on.  Fellow wing man D.J. Gardner adds another shooter to the mix, which is much needed after the team lost its top two three-point shooters.  Point guard Deville Smith will have a great chance to learn from Bost as a true freshman and may see minutes sparingly.  One potential sleeper in the class is forward Shawn Long, who has nice size and versatility based on somewhat limited scouting reports.

Predicting this team is pretty much a crapshoot after the last couple years, but you can’t argue that there is talent on the roster.  What Rick Stansbury is able to do with that and how the team’s chemistry develops are complete unknowns, so keep an eye on how the Bulldogs look in the early going, because I’m not sure this team has the mindset to withstand a slow start.

Follow me on Twitter for more college hoops thoughts and analysis.

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* – Anthony Grant photo credit: Dave Martin/Associated Press via GoVolsExtra

Lane Kiffin showed himself to be no more than a “Trojan Coach.” For those of you who don’t understand the ancient Greek metaphor, simply, Kiffin is a joke.

In a shocking and sudden move yesterday, Lane Kiffin announced he would be leaving the University of Tennessee and take the head coaching job at USC. The move capped off a string of negative events for UT athletics and left students confused and furious.

Bottom line, Kiffin is a snake and the University of Tennessee got bit.

In his 14 months as the Volunteers head coach, Kiffin quickly started to build a foundation for the program to return to national prominence. And in one night, Kiffin managed to dismantle everything he built and set the program back years. The elite coaching staff that excited UT fans will now be the new staff of the USC Trojans. The top 10 recruit class that Kiffin had assembled for the 2010 season is now falling apart, as multiple recruits have already decommitted from UT.

As a Tennessee student, I personally witnessed the fallout from Kiffin’s departure. Within an hour of the announcement, students crowded around the athletic facilities enraged and ready to riot. Students set fire to mattresses, tables, chairs and many of the Lane Kiffin “It’s Time” t-shirts. Students also rushed towards Neyland Stadium to continue their rioting.

Facebook and Twitter have been hit with a flood of anti-Kiffin postings and groups. I personally have been invited to 5 anti-Kiffin Facebook groups. (I have joined all of them.) Sadly this seems to be the most unified the UT students have ever been for one cause. The amount of hatred Tennessee students have expressed towards their former coach is overwhelming. Kiffin obviously didn’t realize how much of a personal blow his departure would be to the entire city of Knoxville.

The students were not the only ones left feeling betrayed by Kiffin. Many UT players were confused and irrate with the news that their coach would be leaving them after one season. Quarterback Tyler Bray was recruited by Kiffin and had already enrolled for classes this semester. Local news reports stated that Bray’s parents were in Kiffin’s office giving him a piece of their minds after his announcement.

The meeting Kiffin held with the players was reported as being very business like and not very personal. Many players were said to be hostile and left looking for more explanation from their coach. Assistant coach Ed Orgeron, who will follow Kiffin to USC, was reported to be calling recruits during the meeting and telling them not to come to Tennessee.

The Tennessee students and fans have every reason be angry and react in the manner they did. The fans, students, and players were betrayed by Kiffin, who made false promises and showed zero loyatly to the university. The move itself to USC is somewhat understandable because Kiffin is a SoCal guy and it is his dream job. But what makes this move so terribly wrong is the timing of it. Only a mere 24 hours after Pete Carrol left USC, Kiffin forgot all about Tennessee and stabbed the program in the back.

I regret to admit that I was a vocal member of the Lane Kiffin bandwagon since he signed 14 months ago. I thought his attitude and edge would be what brought Tennessee back to the top. Unfortunately, it was those elements of his character which caused the downfall of Tennessee. In his wake, Kiffin left the Vols with 6 NCAA violations and an official NCAA recruiting investigation.

Sadly for Tennessee, Kiffin has proved himself to be the John Calipari of college football. Kiffin showed that he only cares about himself and has no respect for the University of Tennessee or the traditions of the SEC. It is fitting that Kiffin has made the move to USC, a school notorious for bending the NCAA rulebook.

The Tennessee football program has been knocked off of its feet and is left scrambling to find a new coach. Unless Tennessee can sign a big name like Jon Gruden, they will likely be stuck with an inexperienced assistant coach taking over. The recruiting class is completely shot at this point and the Vols will likely suffer a major talent drop-off. Tennessee fans will have to sadly accept that their program is bleeding out and is in major trouble.

I hope that Kiffin enjoys himself in the California sun because he has left the entire state of Tennessee out in the cold.

The Volunteers are now being investigated for the use of recruiting “hostesses” a common practice amongst major programs.

The hostesses under question are members of Orange Pride, a student ambassador program of the university. The hostesses are accused of recruiting prospects off of UT campus, which is a violation if the hostesses are considered official representatives of the university.

The hostesses are said to have contacted multiple recruits on websites like Facebook and Myspace. Also one recruit claimed that a few of these hostesses drove 200 miles to his high school in South Carolina, to watch three UT recruits play. The recruit said the girls were holding up signs, one saying “Come to Tennessee.”

This investigation has the potential to be a serious problem for Tennessee. It will all depend on how much evidence the NCAA can find and if the hostesses actually broke any rules. But the use of recruiting hostesses is a long used practice, at the University of Tennessee and many other major programs.

As a UT student, I know first-hand that our university is filled with pretty girls. It doesn’t surprise me that seeing and meeting the sweet southern belles on the campus influences some recruits. It certainly influenced my decision to come to school there.

The key to this investigation will be whether these girls acted on their own impulses or under directions from the university. If the hostesses decided to take a trip to South Carolina on their own, the university has no control over that. These hostesses are supposed to be aware of certain NCAA recruiting rules, but a college girl would never think adding a person on Facebook is a violation.

The NCAA is making it seem like the Tennessee is pimping these girls out to recruits, which seems highly unlikely. It’s hard for me to picture Lane Kiffin with a fuzzy hat and a cane, telling these girls to go get him a running back.

This season Kiffin and the Vols have stayed in the headlines, usually not for winning football games. It will be interesting to see where the program goes from here. After having three freshman dismissed for criminal activity, Brandon Warren being dismissed for multiple offenses, and Kiffin talking about every coach in the conference, the program seems like a soap opera.

But the beginning to the Kiffin era isn’t all negative. Tennessee is back in a bowl game this year, facing Virginia Tech in the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Kiffin’s recruiting standards and the type of players he is bringing in, are beginning to draw comparisons to the University of Miami.

Some Volunteers fans are afraid of Tennessee turning into “Thug U” because of the actions of the freshman. But besides the actions of a few, Kiffin has brought in a new swagger similar to the Miami teams of the early 2000’s. Kiffin does have the program heading on the right track, but he has to be very careful that this recruiting incident doesn’t derail the program.

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* – Bryce Brown and Lacey Pearl Earpes (a member of Orange Pride) photo credit: Deadspin

The Volunteers have put two different teams on the field this year: one has been reminiscent of last season’s mediocre squad, with a sputtering offensive attack; the other has been a motivated SEC contender that can play with any team in the nation.

A week ago, the Vols had a chance to knock off one of the top teams in the country in Alabama. Tennessee dropped the game 12-10 after a last second blocked field goal by Alabama’s gargantuan defensive tackle Terrence Cody. Finishing games in the fourth quarter has been an Achilles heel for Kiffin’s squad.

This past Saturday, a different Vols team stepped onto the field in Knoxville. Tennessee played in black jerseys for the first time and manhandled South Carolina. From start to finish, Tennessee completely controlled the Gamecocks, beating them easily 30-13. Monte Kiffin’s defense left “head ball coach” Steve Spurrier shaking his head.

So far this season for the Volunteer offense, it has been a tale of two quarterbacks, yet both of them are Jonathan Crompton. The senior quarterback has been up and down all season and Tennessee’s record reflects that.

Crompton has performed extremely well in all four of UT’s victories because the majority of his throws came on rollout plays. When the Vols are able to move the pocket outside and cut the field in half for Crompton, he has been able to make better decisions. When Crompton has been forced to drop straight back and pass, he has had trouble being accurate.

With four games left in their season, the Vols look like they will return to a bowl game this year. Three of the last four games look to be sure wins for UT, playing against Memphis, Vanderbilt and away at Kentucky. The tough game will be in two weeks when the Volunteers play at Ole Miss. The Tennessee defense will have to apply pressure on Rebel quarterback Jevan Snead.

And as always, Crompton’s play will be the deciding factor for the Vols.

Prediction: Tennessee will face Memphis for UT’s homecoming game this weekend. The Vols take this one easy, 38-10

Sidenote: For those who are fans of Lane Kiffin’s wife Layla. Shirts were being sold on the UT campus with the words “Our coach’s wife is hotter than yours!” printed on the front, before the South Carolina game.

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* – Tennessee players photo credit: 3rd Saturday in Blogtober

]]> http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/11/tennessees-4-4-record-reflects-the-two-different-teams-kiffin-has-put-on-the-field-this-season/feed/ 0 http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/10/lane-kiffin-and-the-vols-head-into-a-bye-week-after-blowout-victory-over-georgia/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/10/lane-kiffin-and-the-vols-head-into-a-bye-week-after-blowout-victory-over-georgia/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 03:00:35 +0000 J-Dools http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=5621 Last week, Georgia was supposed to walk into Knoxville, smack Tennessee right in the mouth, and walk out with a victory.

Apparently Lane Kiffin and the Vols didn’t get the memo.

The game looked like it would be a close finish, when Georgia trailed by five in the third quarter. But 21 unanswered points later, the Vols were celebrating a 45-19 victory.

This matchup was a complete role reversal. Georgia was supposed to be a legitamite SEC power and Tennessee was supposed to be a rebuilding team.The Vols completely shut down Georgia’s offense and the Bulldogs defense made Jonathan Crompton look like Peyton Manning. The Eric Berry-led Tennessee defense held Georgia to zero offensive touchdowns and never let the Bulldogs reach the red-zone.

But was this blowout just a fluke? Simply put, no. As much as fans were ready to give up on the Vols, this team still has life. There is no doubt the Volunteers have a championship level defense and the best defensive player in the country. Many fans and experts say that Tennessee can’t win with Crompton at quarterback. (I have even said this.) Though Crompton is likely one of the worst quarterbacks in the conference, he showed against Georgia that he is capable of stepping up in a big game.

In Tennessee’s three losses they were beaten by a combined total of only 18. The Vols had a chance in each of those games and are only a few plays from having a winning record. This Tennessee squad still needs work before they will be a contender for an SEC title. But right now they are capable of being competitive with anyone in the SEC.

Many Vols fans were ready to give up on the team and their new coach. But the win against Georgia has revived the fans in Knoxville and taken some pressure off of Kiffin. And for at least one week, Jonathan Crompton won’t have to worry about death threats from his own fans.

Tennessee gets a bye this Saturday and the timing couldn’t be better. The Vols have an extra week to prepare for #2 Alabama. This will give Kiffin the time to develop a gameplan and to make sure his players are ready for this big away game.

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

Tim Tebow and company were supposed to wipe the floor with Tennessee and were favored by 30 points. But when Eric Berry knocked Tebow flat on his back, the Vols made a statement that they weren’t going down easy.

This game was an all-out war between two SEC teams and rankings didn’t matter. If a few key plays had gone differently, this game could have gone either way. But in the end, Florida was the better team and came out on top.

Though Tennessee lost the game, they now have some of their swagger back that they had lost after the UCLA game. The Vols head back to Knoxville this Saturday to face the Ohio Bobcats.

Ohio should be an easy win for UT, but blowing the Bobcats out isn’t the focus of this game. It is critical that Jonathan Crompton plays well and gets a confidence boost. Tennessee needs Crompton to be ready to face upcoming SEC opponents Auburn and Georgia.

Crompton needs to work on getting into a rhythm on his throws and work on his accurarcy downfield. Against Florida, it seemed everytime Crompton threw a ball further than 15 yards it would be intercepted. This passing needs some serious work if the Vols expect to convert on long third downs.

The running back tandem of Montario Hardesty and Bryce Brown has emerged as a legitimate 1-2 punch. Also with freshman David Oku showing some promise, this backfield could turn into a 3-headed monster. The running game is the strength of this Vols offense and these two backs should tear right through the Ohio defensive front.

The Florida game showed that the Vols have a championship level defense and arguably the best defensive player in the country in Eric Berry. If Lane Kiffin can get his offense back on track, this team could be near the top of the SEC East.

Saturday’s game versus Ohio will be a stepping stone for the Vols to get ready for SEC play.
My prediction: Tennessee- 35 Ohio- 7

Quote of the century- After the UT- Florida game. CBS sideline reporter: “Coach Kiffin, I guess you won’t be singing Rocky Top tonight like you planned, but what did you think of the game?” Lane Kiffin: “Pardon me? I can’t hear you. Rocky Top is playing right now.”

Kiffin especially likes to talk trash about Florida and their head coach. During the offseason, Kiffin’s comments about Urban Meyer and Florida included accusing Meyer of being a cheater in regards to recruiting.

Kiffin also got people riled up immediately after he signed with UT when he said he couldn’t wait to sing Rocky Top all night long after beating Florida.

Someone get Lane some more Hater-ade.

[Editor's note: I am making a quick addendum to J-Dools' fine work and embedding Rocky Top -- the greatest fight song in all of college sports -- here in this post because, unfortunately, I don't think the Vols will be hearing it much on Saturday; they certainly won't be singing it, and nor will anyone else, on Saturday night. But we can at least enjoy it right now]

As a Vols fan I love the trash talk; I think it’s great.

The problem is that the Vols are reeling after a dissapointing loss to UCLA and now have to face the Gators in The Swamp.

This Saturday, Kiffin likely will be forced to eat his own words.

Tennessee at #1 Florida Preview

• Tennessee-Florida Date: Saturday, September 19th
• Tennessee-Florida State Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
• Tennessee-Florida TV Channel: CBS
• Tennessee-Florida Point Spread: Florida -29.5

It’s no secret how much Florida hates Tennessee and especially Kiffin. They have been throwing darts at his picture all summer. It wouldn’t surprise me if there is a bounty out on Kiffin in the city of Gainesville.

Setting the media circus aside, there is still a football game to be played. That part also doesn’t look too good for Kiffin.

Florida returned nearly all of their starters from last year’s national championship squad, most importantly quarterback Tim Tebow. (a.k.a God, Jesus, Chuck Norris, etc.)

The ’09 Florida Gators look as good as ever, having not allowed a touchdown in either of their first two games. This team has the capability to run the table in the SEC and making it back to another national championship.

The ’09 Vols looked a lot like the ’08 version when they dropped a 19-15 decision to UCLA on Saturday. The offense was booed of the field and Jonathan Crompton would have been banished from Knoxville if the fans had the power. Things are definitely looking bad for Crompton when a fellow UT student invites me to a Facebook group titled “Jonathan Crompton Please Retire From Football.” (I joined the group.)

As much as I would love to see the Vols go into The Swamp and beat Tebow and the Gators, its just not going to happen. Florida is faster, stronger, and better than Tennessee. The Gators tore apart UT in the return game last season, and with a pair of track sprinters returning kicks it can happen again.

Urban Meyer wants nothing more than to run up the score on the Vols and to get back at Kiffin. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him going for two point conversions all game. Mr. Perfect (Tebow) and his offense will come out firing on Saturday.

But there is always a glimmer of hope. If Vols safety Eric Berry can have a big game and lead the defense, Tennessee could catch the Gators being overconfident. The best chance Tennessee has is to try to keep the score low.

I want to stress that I am a Volunteers fan, but I am also a realist. There is a reason Florida is favored by 30 points.

This rivalry game will be fun to watch because of the bad blood between the teams. In the end, I think Florida will punish Kiffin for being too much of a Gator Hater.

My prediction: Florida- 41 Tennessee-17 (It hurts me to say that)

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* – Lane Kiffin photo credit: USC photo via Majorly English

* – Tim Tebow photo credit: NFFootballReport

No, that wasn’t a typo.

Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton really threw 5 TD’s in a single game. (A short pause for you to google this if you still can’t believe it.)

Crompton and the Vols steamrolled right over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 63-7 on Saturday, racking up 657 yards of total offense. Crompton had a career day with 233 yards passing to go along with his 5 TD’s. He showed maturity and, unlike last season, appears comfortable in Lane Kiffin’s pro-style offense.

However, the Volunteers’ running back corps refused to be shown up by their senior quarterback. As a team Tennessee rushed for 380 yards and 4 TD’s, averaging over 8 yards per carry. Senior running back Montario Hardesty had 160 yards on 18 carries, with a huge 43-yard TD run.

Tennessee’s offensive “Freshman Four” also played well, having a coming out party against Western Kentucky.

Running back Bryce Brown scored UT’s first TD of the season and finished with 104 yards on 11 carries. His fellow frosh back David Oku had 42 yards and 2 TD’s on 8 carries. Marsalis Teague was the leading receiver for the Vols. Teague caught 6 passes for 86 yards and a TD. Nu’Keese Richardson made an impact all around, catching passes, returning kicks, and even running the wildcat formation.

Lane Kiffin’s focus, however, is not on the blowout victory of last week.

The Vols are preparing for a rematch against UCLA after losing a heartbreaker in Pasadena last season. As a former USC coach, Kiffin is no stranger to the Bruins either. Thus, there are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s game in Knoxville.

Before we break down the matchup, here are the particulars:

UCLA Bruins at Tennessee Volunteers

• UCLA-Tennessee Date: Saturday, September 12th
• UCLA-Tennessee Location: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee
• UCLA-Tennessee Kickoff Time: 4:00 ET
• UCLA-Tennessee TV: ESPN
• UCLA-Tennessee Point Spread: Tennessee -7.5
• StubHub: Tennessee-UCLA tickets
• StubHub: Tennessee football tickets
• StubHub: UCLA football tickets
• StubHub: All college football tickets

The matchup between Tennessee and UCLA is completely different than last season. In ’08 the Vols were a team searching for an offensive identity and UCLA was lucky to scrape out a win.

This season the Vols appear rejuvenated on offense with their explosive young talent and offensive mastermind Lane Kiffin at the helm. And though the offense has improved vastly, the strength of this Vols team is still the defense, led by its all-world safety Eric Berry.

In Monte Kiffin’s first game as UT defensive coordinator, the Vols held Western Kentucky to 83 yards of total offense. The Hilltoppers only managed 34 yards rushing, averaging a laughable 1-yard per carry. The scary part of UT’s defensive performance is that Berry didn’t play all that well and the defense still held strong.

Berry and the Tennessee defense could have a field day against UCLA’s freshman quarterback Kevin Prince, who threw two picks against San Diego State in the Bruins opener. Prince doesn’t seem experienced enough to go up against a top-level SEC defense and will likely turn the ball over multiple times.

The Vols will have to be careful of their own turnovers however. Jonathan Crompton will have to keep an eye out for UCLA safety Rahim Moore, who had three interceptions last week against SDSU.

Lane Kiffin, though, appears to be more than capable of putting together an effective offensive game plan. And if Tennessee’s offense can produce even half as well as they did last week, the Neyland faithful should once again be singing Rocky Top at the top of their lungs.

And the Vols, coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in school history, should be 2-0.

My prediction for Saturday’s game: Tennessee- 31 UCLA- 17