Delone Carter and Syracuse fans are jacked up for a home state bowl game (Icon SMI)
2010 Pinstripe Bowl: Thursday December 30, 3:20 pm ET
Syracuse Orange (7-5, 4-3 Big East) v. Kansas State Wildcats (7-5, 3-5 Big 12)
Syracuse Orange Storyline – In the interest of full disclosure, I am a full on Syracuse Man. I love the Orange and I follow them as closely as I follow any team. Having that prefaced, this next sentence comes with experience.
There are no offensive impact players for Syracuse.
QB Ryan Nassib didn’t progress or regress during the year, while injuries hurt the wide outs. RB Delone Carter did rush for over 1,000 yards (1,035), but the offense was as stagnant and predictable as any in the country. Without the defense, there would be no question SU would not be going to their first bowl since 2004. Second year head coach Doug Marrone has turned the momentum tide at Syracuse, and it just so happens he is originally from the Bronx. Read the rest of this entry →
Beef O’Brady’s Bowl – St. Petersburg, Fl – Tuesday Dec 21, 8pm on ESPN
- Louisville (6-6) v. Southern Miss (8-4)
RB Bilal Powell ranked tenth in country with 121 run ypg, so expect a large game from the senior (Icon SMI)
Louisville Cardinals
- Impact Player - RB Bilal Powell – Powell (right) is the biggest reason as to why first year head coach Charlie Strong was able to take his red birds to a bowl game. The senior rushed for 1330 yards and 10 TDs all while missing a complete game and a good portion of two others. The Louisville offense is effectively summed up as ‘run Powell.’
- Biggest Weakness – Passing Game – Although senior QB Adam Froman had himself a good year, over 1,600 yards passing with 11 TDs, he had little help from his receivers. The Cardinals leading receiver in terms of yardage was tight end Cameron Graham. If Southern Miss is able to stop the run and get a lead early, even a quick seven point lead, U of L could be in trouble. FCB ranks the Louisville offense at 60 and the Southern Miss defense at 89th, so expect sloppiness on both sides. Read the rest of this entry →
Jordan Todman stiff-armed many defenders, not just the Orange, on his way to a Big Eastie Nomination (Icon SMI)
In awards handed out earlier in the evening…
Special Teams Player of the Year Big Easties -
Returns – Lindsey Lamar – South Florida – Lamar returned two kickoffs for touchdowns this season and in 24 returns he averaged 29.0 yards per.
Kicker – Dave Teggart – Connecticut – Kickers are weekly waiver wire pick up plays, but Teggart at least gave his new team points each week. With Connecticut loving to run the ball, their red zone offense usually consisted of; run, run, run, and then kick. Teggart averaged, averaged, 9 points per game.
Punter – Psyche! - In fantasy terms punters are like the ‘Vice Presidents to Football Operations’ people in the NFL. They are apart of football, and even matter from time to time, but you still don’t understand why the game needs them.
On to tonight’s awards, including Offensive Player of the Year Big Easties!
With one more week to go in the regular season, the Big East is Connecticut’s to lose.
Jordan Todman stiff-armed many defenders, not just the Orange, on his way to a Doak Walker Award snub (Icon SMI)
The Huskies need a win at South Florida this weekend and Connecticut, only a few short years removed from D-1AA (now known as FCS) competition, will head to a BCS Bowl.
Say what they will, and they will say a lot, Connecticut has a lot of talent and the Huskies are rolling. Let’s take a look at the make up of the likely 2010 Big East Champion (Is this a reverse jinx? Do I put a lot of parentheses in a paragraph?)
