Redskins Postmortem, a measly meal and a look around the league...

Another year of Redskins dreams dashed, another winter to wonder what if... despite the last-second win over Philadelphia this is a team that is going nowhere for the seventh time in nine years. From offseason expectations (all ten draft picks making the roster) to preseason disaster (the late August collapse that saw the Skins fall 71-6 over their last two exhibitions), from early season surprise (4-1 with road wins over Dallas and Philadelphia) to late season slip (the Cincinnati debacle), the 2008 campaign was nothing if not entertaining.

Where does this team go from here? Is the best case a win at San Francisco and a 9-7 finish or will it just foster a false sense of security that things are moving in the right direction? And even with a defeat and an 8-8 mark who says this team isn't on the right track?

As this team is currently built there are major needs on the offensive and defensive lines that need addressing--a good football team is like a nice meal, and for years the Skins have had incredible creamed spinach (Portis) as well as phenomenal Lyonnaise potatoes (Sean Taylor and now LaRon Landry)--but the steak (both lines) is far from prime...and sometimes borders on standard/substandard. Injuries and age are taking their toll while the team hasn't replenished either unit in the draft...with Derrick Dockery the lone top-95 offensive line selection since 2000. The last defensive lineman taken in the first four rounds? Try Kenard Lang in 1997. In each of the last two seasons covering the draft I was surprised at the lack of attention given to bolstering both units.

Receiver revisionism...the second round triumvirate of Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly and Fred Davis never got in gear after Davis overslept an alarm in OTA's before Thomas and Kelly suffered injuries in training camp. But should this be a surprise? In a pre-draft press conference, coach Jim Zorn talked about the learning curve facing rookie receivers and how it was a challenge for them to be productive immediately--which made the selection of three receivers so high such an intriguing decision.



Looking around the league:

AFC surge reverses trend...last year for the first time since the late 90's, the NFC actually won as many interconference games as the AFC (32-32) and throughout September it appeared as though the NFC would dominate-- but over the last few months the AFC has actually taken a 32-29-1 lead...meaning once again the National Football Conference is once again looking up at their rivals.

NFC Beast? Never before has a division boasted four teams with winning records--although the NFC East's last place squad finished 8-8 last year (Philadelphia). This fall we could have two divisions where every team is over .500 (if New Orleans and Washington both win) and two where the division champ is .500...more on them in a moment.

Divisions of Depression? No chance of an east-coast bias; both the NFC and AFC Wests were putrid this past fall...the only question is which was the worst division in pro football. Although the AFC West has a better cumulative record (by one game) added with Arizona's collapse (1-4 since Thanksgiving night) plus St. Louis's free fall (nine straight losses), I can't deny the AFC West as the worst---a division led by a team that can't play defense (Denver), followed by one that is being coached well under its talent (San Diego) plus two massive disasters--one short-term (Carl Peterson's era in Kansas City concluding with a thud) and one with a feeling of forever (or at least until Al Davis lets someone else run Oakland).

College Football Corner...bowling for brackets...

Welcome to the NCAA College Football Tournament...kicked off by overall number one seed Oklahoma against Cinderella Buffalo in the Motor City Bowl Friday December 12th followed by seven games over twelve hours on a very lucky December 13th--

Hold on, I'm waking up from my nap...makes me wonder how close we are to a true Division I-A postseason. I'd even be happy with a four-team bracket with games this weekend and a championship on New Years Day. The previous jigsaw system of conference tie-ins wasn't ideal, but at least you had the four or five contenders all playing within 48 hours. Having the BCS title game a full week after January first is akin to eating a bunch of appetizers...but then waiting seven days for your entree.

And I'm not for blowing up the bowl system--the 32 game postseason that allows for 7-5 and 6-6 schools to finish their years on a positive note can continue...but there's no reason to involve the bowls in a playoff skeleton. Would a playoff make the minor bowls obsolete? You could say the BCS makes the major bowls irrelevant.

I do know it would make for an incredible Saturday in December (quadrupleheader on ABC and ESPN family of networks for either a 16 or 8 team tournament...with the games staggered in a manner that would feel like March Madness). Here's the postseason bracket you won't see...with national semifinal games pitting the East-Midwest and South-West regional winners...:

EAST REGION:
Alabama-Virginia Tech winner plays the Texas Tech-Cincinnati winner in the Peach Bowl

MIDWEST REGION:
Oklahoma-Buffalo winner plays the Penn State-TCU winner in the Cotton Bowl

SOUTH REGION:
Florida-Troy winner faces the Utah-Ohio State winner in the Sugar Bowl

WEST REGION:
Texas-East Carolina winner plays the USC-Boise State winner in the Fiesta Bowl


VIRGINIA TECH faces Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl fresh off a 30-12 thumping of Boston College...giving the Hokies their third ACC title in five seasons (VT is 51-15 since leaving the Big East). Hokie Highlights--Darren Evans made fans forget Branden Ore with 114 yards and a touchdown capping off an 1112 yard season...Tyrod Taylor ran for two scores while the defense tallied four takeaways and returned one of them for a touchdown...Hokie Humblings--three giveaways...and a passing attack that averaged under eight yards per completion will give coach Beamer plenty to work on in between now and the New Year.

Presto's Pick--another Big East Final...in the ACC

The ACC journey mercifully ends this weekend...after a rollercoaster regular season where the lead in both divisions changed weekly and schools creeping into the top 25 were quickly exposed. Nothing quite says ACC football other than ...Boston College against Virginia Tech?

The Atlantic Coast Conference has dealt with more than its share of dominant eras...from Clemson in the 80's to Florida State in the 90's to what I guess now is an "era of Northern occupation" where former Big East schools run roughshod over the league. The Hokies and Eagles each repeat as division champs; VT won the league its first year in the ACC (by beating ex-Big Easter Miami) and advanced to the title game in 2005.

Both teams reach the threshold of the Orange Bowl thanks to plenty of grit and a little luck--the Hokies fell in Chesnut Hill earlier this year 28-23 in a game where the Hokies tallied two interception returns for touchdowns yet little else offensively (5 for 17 on third down). The offense hasn't improved that much--although Tyrod Taylor is coming off his best performance of the year (274 total yards and a touchdown toss against Virginia). He'll be tested against a BC defense that shut VT down earlier this year (and has allowed under 15 points a game during a four game winning streak).

The Hokie defense needs to contain a one-two punch on the ground that features Montel Harris (116 yards rushing against Maryland) and Josh Haden...and outside of Brandon Robinson the Eagles primarily throw the ball short.

Special teams? BC returned a punt for a touchdown in their October matchup that was decided by five. Beamerball has been somewhat quiet for most of this year--is it time for the kicking game to reach that championship gear? Hokies make another Miami reservation, 25-15.

College Football Corner...after further review..

Well, where was I?...Sorry to my legions of readers for the lack of Presto's Picks and College Football Corners the last few weeks--but now we are back to wrap up the season in fine fashion.

My 20th high school reunion was over Thanksgiving weekend--and unfortunately other responsibilities kept me in DC--and I can't help but view my high school days within the context of the recent college football season...filled with possibilities, disappointments, unrealistic expectations and the occasional pleasant surprises--with plenty of lessons learned and forgotten.

(Alma mater update--while I don't know how the Manchester High School West football team fared, I was in the stands at Notre Dame Stadium for Syracuse's improbable 24-23 upset of the Irish--and although the Orange will have to find a new coach to reinvent a once-proud program...SU hoops is off and running to an excellent start)

Maryland wrapped up its inconsistent regular season with a 28-21 loss to Boston College...the team's first loss during the day as well as their first defeat against a ranked opponent. TERRAPIN TRIUMPHS--Chris Turner threw for 360 yards and two touchdowns while running for another score...Torry Smith and Danny Oquendo each tallied more than 100 yards receiving...the defense held BC to just 143 yards passing (less than 10 yards per completion)... TERRAPIN TROUBLES--it's very difficult to win if you can't run or stop the run...and the Terps were outgained on the ground 175 to minus 6...as the tailback tandem of DaRell Scott and Davin Meggett was limited to 23 yards on 16 carries...meanwhile, the defense failed to generate a takeaway and 7 penalties for 73 yards won't make anyone in College Park happy.


Virginia Tech's 17-14 win over Virginia reminds me of what these two schools have achieved in recent memory...: somehow the Hokies despite their limitations find a way to win while for everything the Cavaliers do--somehow Al Groh's team comes up short.


HOKIE HIGHLIGHTS--how much of a dual threat is Tyrod Taylor? 137 yards rushing plus 137 passing wraps up a fine regular season...as a team Va Tech tallied 216 yards on the ground and held the ball for 36+ minutes...
HOKIE HUMBLINGS--despite being the better team for four quarters, they still needed a late field goal to beat a team that went 0-6 against I-A competition outside of October...


CAVALIER CONGRATS--in a year where Cedric Peerman fought injuries and Mikkell Simpson fought ineffectiveness, converted cornerback Vic Hall rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns...CAVALIER CATASTROPHES--in a year where Marc Verica threw interceptions by the bunches (16 over 10 games), one last pick while UVa was in field goal range ended the team's final opportunity to tie the game up.

College Football Corner--timing is everything...

The biggest surprise from this past weekend was the fact there were no major surprises-- believe it or not the highest ranked team to lose was #17 North Carolina. With a handful of weeks left (2) before the conference championship games we're treated to a slew of "rivalry games"--as the Big Ten wraps up most of its play this week. Why? There are still two more weekends before the BCS wraps up...and if the last two years have taught us anything--it's that the extra time off between the regular season finale and the bowl doesn't really help (thank you Ohio State for being a test case). The Pac Ten and Big East have extended their schedules into December...I'm not saying the Big Ten should do that, but couldn't they consider playing the Saturday after Thanksgiving?

MARYLAND needed a last-minute field goal to keep its ACC hopes alive...a 17-with 15 victory over North Carolina returns the Terps to the top 25. TERRAPIN TRIUMPHS--Da'Rel Scott led the way with 129 yards rushing while Davin Meggett added 86 on the ground...allowing the offense to control the ball for over 40 minutes...the defense held the Tar Heels to 1 of 11 on third down and tallied two takeaways...TERRAPIN TROUBLES-- two big plays almost ruined an afternoon of dominance: a longsnap that sailed over the head of punter Travis Balz resulted in a UNC safety and a 56-yard pass from Cameron Sexton to Cooper Arnold for a Tar Heel touchdown...Maryland has been burned by the big play more than once this year--and Saturday it almost cost them.

Presto's Picks--hot potatoes and destinies deferred...

Who didn't like playing the game hot potato as a kid? If you held on to the ball too long, you were out--very simple rules with little room for debate. I thought hot potato was passe--perhaps it had been legislated out of gym classes like dodgeball (my favorite version of the game was "Hospital Bombardment" where each team had a "doctor" who could bring downed teammates back to base where they could return to the game) for being cruel to kids' self-esteem. I was wrong, because the ACC has been playing hot potato all fall. Each week a new team has the lead and destiny in its own hands--only to pass it to someone else...but don't worry, you very well might get the ball back next week.

VIRGINIA TECH was unstoppable on Thursday nights, right? Isn't Miami still in rebuilding mode and realistically a year away from being a major player in the conference? The Hokies 16-14 loss to the Hurricanes may herald the arrival of a monster that will be atop the ACC standings for some time (two freshman qb's). HOKIE HIGHLIGHTS--the quarterback tandem of Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor completed 12 of 20 passes for 173 yards...while rushing for two touchdowns...only 3 penalties on the night. HOKIE HUMBLINGS--2 of 11 on third down conversions...77 yards rushing on 38 carries...minus one yard on punt returns for the entire game--Beamer Ball, where art thou?

MARYLAND vs 17th ranked North Carolina--believe it or not, the Terrapins remain in control of their destiny despite two conference losses because both of those defeats (UVa & Va Tech) came to Coastal Division teams. UNC also controls its own destiny after the Hokies Thursday night loss. The Tar Heels boast a turnover-happy secondary led by Trimane Gibbons (6 interceptions)...and may be boosted by the potential return at QB for TJ Yates--although Cameron Sexton has been playing rather well as of late. I won't even waste any more time trying to figure out a Terrapin team that's 3-3 against unranked teams while 3-0 against schools in the Top 25...but form will hold...Terps triumph 20-18.

NAVY falls to Notre Dame, GEORGETOWN falls at Fordham, HOWARD slips to Bethune-Cookman, Richmond defeats Delaware, James Madison over William & Mary.

Presto's Picks...Thursday Night's must-see show...

Thursday night has long been a magnet for stellar television...from Hill Street Blues to Cheers to Friends to 30 Rock, no shortage of Emmy winners have graced this evening's tube (even Bosom Buddies with Tom Hanks way back when). The only organization that can compare to NBC's stellar track record over the years on Thursday night is programming from Blacksburg. Virginia Tech under coach Frank Beamer is 15-3 in that primetime slot (hey, even NBC had Grand) with more than a few major beatdowns to his team's credit (think 55-6 over Maryland a few years ago). The Hokies embrace Thursday Night Football like no other team--and from a planning standpoint coach Beamer doesn't overprepare or underprepare his team...much like a souffle he gets it just right...and the fans get a delicious treat.

VIRGINIA TECH at Miami--despite back to back stumbles against Florida State and Boston College, the Hokies control their own destiny (Seminoles and Eagles are in the other division) as far as a trip to Tampa is concerned...despite not knowing if Tyrod Taylor or Sean Glennon will be their quarterback. It will be interesting to see how Miami will try to limit Darren Evans (fresh off a school-record 253 yards against Maryland)...the Hurricanes have won four straight and are riding a freshman quarterback tandem of Jacory Harris and Robert Marve--both have contributed greatly in this stretch but the Hokie defense should have some fun with their inexperience...Beamerball comes up big, 23-10.



REST OF THE PICKS TOMORROW--

College Football Corner--playoff possibilities...

The voters have spoken! One day after saying on ESPN he'd push for a college football playoff, Barack Obama was voted president...although I don't think there was a direct cause and effect, it's beyond time we've decided the national title on the field.

How would one determine the playoff participants? Beyond just having the top two or four teams play off one could have the six BCS conferences (Big 12, SEC, Big Ten, Pac Ten, ACC and Big East) send conference winners plus add two wildcards.

I would just as soon allow 11 conference winners with 5 at large teams voted on by a tournament committee (like NCAA hoops)...I mean if the TCUs and Tulsas can take the big boys checks for buyout games--why can't they get a seat at the table when it matters?

Round one would take place Saturday December 13th with a quarterfinal quadruple-header taking center stage January 1st...semifinal play would take place the following Saturday with the championship game being played during the bye week between the conference title games and Super Bowl. Yes, it would force athletes of a small portion of schools to compete into the second semester, but doesn't basketball ask the same thing? Just think of the hype--and the crescendo to the college football season that would be out there.



VIRGINIA saw its November backslide continue with a 28-17 loss at Wake Forest...it's difficult to imagine this was the team that actually led the ACC Atlantic Division just nine days ago. CAVALIER CATASTROPHES-- where to begin? For starters the offense began the day with 3 straight three and outs, followed by an interception and then another three play possession. Total damage: 14 plays--minus one yard and a two-touchdown deficit...and that was just the first quarter. Another long touchdown drive by Wake plus an interception returned for another score led to a 28-3 halftime deficit. The team's problems on third down persist (2 of 11)...and at 5-5 the team needs to split remaining games against Clemson and Virginia Tech to keep postseason hopes alive.

Presto's Picks--Terps trampled...

Somehow a trip to Blacksburg on a Thursday night is always an ill-advised journey. The Hokies improved to 15-3 in ESPN's signature primetime contest with a 23-13 win over Maryland that wasn't as close as the score appeared. HOKIE HIGHLIGHTS--Darren Evans rushed for a school-record 253 yards and a touchdown...while the offense kept the ball for over 37 minutes. TERRAPIN TROUBLES-- Chris Turner (19-34, 240 yards and a touchdown) had little help from his running game...as DaRel Scott and Davin Meggett combined to gain 14 yards on 14 carries...and the team converted just 2 of 11 third down situations.

VIRGINIA at Wake Forest... the Cavaliers try to contain a Demon Deacon misdirection offense that averages less than three yards a carry; their quarterback Riley Skinner lives with short passing (less than 10 yards per completion) and the team's best player is injured kicker Sam Swank. Defensively the Deacons were playing well--before coughing up 30 points to Duke (and I don't care if the Blue Devils are 4-4; they are still Duke). Can the Cavaliers bounce back from a less than stellar effort against Miami (a game they should have won)? Cedric Peerman's production will be pivotal as always; his three 100-yard performances all came during UVa's October run of four straight wins--in the other four games where he averaged 44 yards per game the Cavs went 1-3. UVa escapes on a blocked extra point, 12-11.


Georgetown slips to Marist, Richmond over Hofstra, William & Mary mauls Northeastern.

THURSDAY NIGHT: 1-0.

OVERALL: 45-17.

Presto's Picks...a Thursday Night Special...

MARYLAND at VIRGINIA TECH-- this has been a Bizarro season for the ACC where each week the highest ranked teams fall victim to upset...Virginia Tech's opening week loss to East Carolina set the example followed by Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina and Boston College. Maryland tries to break the cycle with a trip to Blacksburg this week.

The Hokies quarterback situation is less than ideal, with sprained ankles making Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon question marks. The usual special teams advantage enjoyed by the Hokies may be lessened by the fact that the Terps have had over a week to focus on the kicking game. The deciding factor in this game very may well be a concession item-- the Smoked Turkey Leg available around and about Lane Stadium...not only is this item extremely delicious it can also be used as a weapon to ward off those trying to steal your seat...Hokies by a leg, 24-21.


Last week: 4-2.

Overall: 44-17.

College Football Corner--Welcome to Closing Month...

As I've said in this space previously, September is "Show Me Month" while October is "Moving Month". And although both provide quite a journey, its all setting up thirty magnificent days--November is "Closing Month"...where teams that have showed possibilities and have moved into position close in on championship seasons. Names will be made and seasons will be remembered because of what happens in November-- think Michigan-Ohio State and Auburn-Alabama (shame on the Big 12 for allowing Oklahoma-Nebraska to wither away from the spotlight it once shared)... although there are big games all season, November magnifies the measly and makes the memorable magnificent.

VIRGINIA began Closing Month with an underwhelming 24-17 overtime loss to Miami. The Cavaliers' loss to the Hurricanes was a photo-negative of their win over North Carolina two weeks previously; instead of waking up from a game-long slumber and tying the contest right before the end of regulation--the Cavs allowed a game-tying touchdown with under a minute remaining before falling in overtime. CAVALIER CONGRATULATIONS-- Marc Verica had his second interception-free game in three weeks...throwing for 240 yards...DL Alex Field notched two sacks on the afternoon--and the defense tallied three takeaways. CAVALIER CATASTROPHES--the offense converted just 3 of 14 third down opportunities... two missed field goals in the second half cost UVa in the end... after shutting down the Hurricanes' attack for most of the afternoon, the defense allowed a 15 play, 95 march over 7+ minutes in the fourth quarter that resulted in a game-tying score.

Redskins Report--Burgundy and Gold States...

Election time has the Redskins looking more than just a potential contender--at 6-2 its the team's best start since 2000...and before one starts to measure the drapes in the oval office of the Playoff House, remember that year ended in a mess--from hanging chads to an 8-8 finish... with the removal of Norv Turner from office the centerpiece...

(Halloween aside--another awesome costume...Gene Frenkle, the late cowbell player for Blue Oyster Cult)

The 2008 race has seen the home candidate post plenty of primary victories, a fairly gaffe-free strategy (no interceptions yet for Jason Campbell) and a groundbreaking campaign by Clinton (on pace for over 1800 yards) Portis. Will they close in on the NFC East Nomination or fall the way of Mitt Romney/Howard Dean in an early-favorite disappearing act?

Lets just say the 25-17 win over Detroit was far from a nomination-clinching victory-- from converting fewer than 50% of their third downs to 8 penalties to a pair of fumbles...two weeks ago they dodged the bullet of Clinton Portis' late fumble, while three weeks ago they weren't so fortunate against St Louis.

Pittsburgh comes to Fed Ex Field Monday evening--the first MNF tilt between the two clubs since 1973...both of the Steelers losses have come to NFC East teams (Phi, NYG) and they've gotten beaten up in both games--allowing 14 sacks and scoring just 20 points... runningback Willie Parker remains a question mark for the tilt--he's been banged up since early September. On the Skins side, Santana Moss is questionable--and his absence would allow the Steelers top flight run defense ample opportunity to lock down on Clinton Portis.

Something about Monday night and the Skins--the result often defies description (from the win over Dallas in '05 to the loss against Tennessee 8 years ago)...when in doubt, go with the polls...and as Preston's Perspective is picking Obama to receive 306 electoral votes--(the road team wins before the non-incumbent party takes the White House)--the Steelers expose a few gaps in Jim Zorn's campaign strategy, 27-23 (plus the District).

College Football Corner: Tricks and Treats...

Halloween is always a fun time of year because although people are often not what they seem-- at least on October 31st their phonyness is up front...

Favorite Costume--Hoosiers' Hickory Huskers --the entire team in tow(with Gene Hackman holding the book)...what was the deal with proliferation of Santa and Santa Helper costumes? I think it's a cheap way to double up on holiday outfits..."yeah, this year why don't we go as...Pilgrims?"

Major Masquerades--Auburn, Tennessee and Wisconsin ...all three schools have gone from high preseason hopes to getting a rock Charlie Brown-style...

Speaking of Getting a Rock--the Big East and ACC both find themselves with no national title hopefuls (Florida State the only one-loss school in either league) as the "basketball leagues" live up to their names...

Alma Mater Update--Syracuse at 1-6 plays Louisville...from hiring a Wisconsin assistant to implement the west coast offense (west coast of Lake Michigan, maybe) to the erosion of team speed in the secondary (are they wearing ankle-weights during the games?) the Orange have been dressed up as a Division I-A program for four years under coach Greg Robinson... and have had more stylistic changes (multiple uniform alterations) than substantive improvements (8-34 anyone?)...



VIRGINIA vs Miami--last year the Cavaliers closed the Orange Bowl with a 48-0 thumping of the Hurricanes...(you don't come into the OB like that!)...last year I thought the Canes were perhaps a year away from being major contenders in the ACC--they've been less than overwhelming in recent wins over Central Florida, Duke and Wake Forest. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers blew through an October schedule to re-set expectations...instead of postseason play being a pipe dream, coach Al Groh's team is thinking ACC title. Will this be the week Marc Verica's interceptions finally cost the Cavaliers? UVa rallies again, 20-16.

NAVY tops Temple, HOWARD humbles Norfolk State, GEORGETOWN slips to Lehigh, JAMES MADISON defeats Delaware, RICHMOND rips Hofstra, WILLIAM & MARY tops Towson.

College Football Corner--Spectacular Saturday--except for mixed marriages..

From Texas-Oklahoma State to Penn State-Ohio State, last weekend as prime college football viewing...as the Cowboys continue second-tier status in the Big Twelve and the Nittany Lions retirement gift to JoePa lasts another week. Surprised by the lack of defense...from Oklahoma allowing 35 to Georgia coughing up 38 (thank goodness LSU allowed 52)

And seriously, did we have to have Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Navy all playing at the same time? I'm just worried for the Terp-Hokie or Middie-Cavalier families split own the middle where Tivo's concerned.

MARYLAND weathered the elements and in a rain-soaked afternoon affair needed a last-minute field goal from Obi Egekeze to nip North Carolina State 27-24. The homecoming faithful may have gone home wet, but certainly happy. TERRAPIN TRIUMPHS--Da Rel Scott rushed for 163 yards and a touchdown while Davin Meggett gained 51 yards on the game-winning 89 yard march...the defense tallied three sacks (including one on a safety blitz by defensive back Jamari McCollough...in addition to the pressure-filled game-winner, Egekeze kicked a 47-yarder. TERRAPIN TROUBLES--they let a winless in the ACC Wolfpack hang around much longer than necessary...and had the ball for only 24 minutes (allowing the opponent to convert on 9 of 15 third downs will do that...



VIRGINIA TECH wasted a 10-0 first half lead for the second straight week, falling at Florida State 30-20. More importantly, the Hokies lost quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon to injury. HOKIE HIGHLIGHTS--third-stringer Cory Holt played well off the bench, directing a fourth quarter touchdown drive...freshman WR Jarrett Boykin caught 4 passes for 89 yards...the defense held FSU to 4-14 on third down. HOKIE HUMBLINGS-- again, the offense wasted a decent defensive effort...VT allowed six sacks... converted just 1 of 11 third downs and lost a pair of fumbles...7 penalties didn't help much either...

VIRGINIA may very well be this election year's "October Surprise"...the Cavaliers posted their first road win by defeating Georgia Tech 24-17. All of a sudden, this team is leading the Coastal Division...Tampa, anyone? CAVALIER CONGRATS-- Cedric Peerman gained 118 yards rushing and 55 more receiving while scoring the winning touchdwn...the defense tallied three takeaways...CAVALIER CATASTROPHES--Marc Verica tossed two more interceptions and UVa also lost a fumble--they've been very fortunate the turnovers haven' cost them thus far.

Presto's Picks--Big Ten blahs...

Third ranked Penn State faces Ohio State this evening in a Big Ten battle royale--in what may be that conference's final moment of relevance. Should the Nittany Lions lose there would be no national spotlight on the league--except for how bad Michigan is this fall.

I'm not saying Big Ten football is necessarily bad--perhaps its that the league doesn't have a phenomenal broadcast partner like the SEC on CBS. Let's be honest, Verne Lundquist would make the Sun Belt relevant. The conference also suffers from the "three yards and a cloud of dust" image that has permeated over the years--and although it's no longer a dump and chase league, the perception is still one of boring football. Also, the Big Ten has been so dominated by Ohio State (and Michigan plus Penn State) over the years when one of the "other schools" like Northwestern or Minnesota contend it becomes a "who cares" situation.

Alma Mater Update---yes, Syracuse is not good this fall (their lone win coming against Northeastern)...but as the Orange enjoy a bye week I can at least bask in the movie The Express...Ernie Davis' biopic actually was watchable, there were no talking mules and no "let's lip-sync to songs of the era to show the team is getting along" scene. Definitely a must-see...plus, there's a scene where coach Ben Schwartzwalder (played by Dennis Quaid) talks about "unruly West Virginia fans"... I knew the couch-burning thing wasn't just a Generation X phenomenon.

MARYLAND meets a North Carolina State team that's winless in the ACC...while that would be welcomed by just about every team, remember that the Terrapins have lost to a pair of teams most expected them to beat (Middle Tennessee and Virginia). Is there any chance coach Ralph Friedgen campaigned for the Wolfpack to receive some votes in this weeks rankings (Terps are 3-0 against teams in the Top 25)? Terps pound the Pack, 37-15.

VIRGINIA TECH at Florida State--the Seminoles have rested under the radar after a 12-3 loss to Wake Forest; close wins over Miami and NC State not exactly making the Tallahassee faithful secure. The Hokie offense stumbled in last week's loss to Boston College-- can Tyrod Taylor take another step towards being a complete quarterback? Last week despite strugging (12-27, 90 yards) he wasn't lifted for Sean Glennon... Hokies humbled at Doak Campbell Stadium 18-12.


VIRGINIA at Georgia Tech--can the Cavaliers continue their ridiculous run? Yes, they've won three straight-but all of those victories have come at Scott Stadium...the Cavs have yet to win on the road this fall and it will be a tough test at the Yellowjackets--especially with coach Paul Johnson's option offense starting to hum (Jonathan Dwyer averages more than six yards a carry). Cavaliers come up short, 20-15.


Navy smacks around SMU, Howard slips to North Carolina A&T, Georgetown falls to Richmond, James Madison tops Villanova.

Redskins Report--heading into the Lions' Den...

The Redskins continued their tour of old franchises gone bad with a 14-11 win over Cleveland (yes, we know the real Browns reside in Baltimore, but the uniforms and namely Jim Brown still reside by Lake Erie--you tell Mr. Brown differently)...ruminations as the team nears midseason...

Campbell coolly efficient--still no interceptions thrown through almost half a season...Joe Theismann once said a as a quarterback you might not be able to the game on your own--but you definitely can lose the game on your own...and #17 is keeping mistakes out of his equation.

Clinton in '08--one reason why Jason Campbell isn't taking unnecessary chances has been the monster season Clinton Portis has been having...his 818 yards lead the NFL and he's averaged over 5 yards a carry during his run of four straight 100-yard games. One concern is overuse: I'm not saying you equally divide the carries--but if you give CP 20 attempts and the rest of the backs (Cartwright, Alexander and Sellers) 15 tries, he'll be that much fresher for the stretch run.

Is this a pass rush or a passive rush? The Skins tallied just one sack against the Browns and have 9 through 7 games...hopefully as Jason Taylor gets healthier they'll create more pressure--heaven knows the secondary could use it...

Bumps, bruises and secondary saviors--Defensive lineman Cornelius Griffin and cornerback Shawn Springs are both listed as out for this weekend's game...while corners Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot are banged up. Thank goodness for Laron Landry and Chris Horton at safety...otherwise this would feel like 2006 when the unit ranked 31st in the NFL.

Plackemeier's punting has potential--the Skins new specialist had plenty of work--8 kicks for an average of 37 yards per try...two punts in the 40's and no 26 yarders giving the opponent prime field position...Ryan Plackemeier is also our kind of punter-at 6 foot 3 and 247 pounds you know he can make the tackle if necessary...

What's in a name? don't mess with the football gods...Dallas traded for WR Roy Willams, creating the obvious controversy as they already have a Roy Williams on their team-at safety. I thought the Cowboys were set both at WR and with players named Roy Williams... as karma turned out, the safety's done for the year with a broken arm. Meanwhile, Jerry Jones has not been asked whether or not he's called Chapel Hill, NC for the Sunday services of a certain Tar Heels coach...so what if his sport's basketball--he's got the name game down pat.

Lion down in Detroit--what a mess of a franchise...just one playoff win (91 vs Dallas) since 1957 (truth be told the Lions dominated the 1950's--winning 3 championships)... a wasted decade with Barry Sanders and Wayne Fontes cancelling each other out...and then the MATT MILLEN ERA/ERROR. I actually thought it was part of a FOX reality series--"Guess who's GM!" where an unqualified big name gets a pivotal organizational role...with Isiah Thomas and the Knicks being the midseason replacement. Would the world be any worse if the Lions just played their Thanksgiving home game and took the rest of the year off--would we really care?
Skins roll, 34-13.

College Football Corner--does anyone want to win this league?

The Atlantic Coast Conference is beginning to resemble the NFC Central of the early 80's... as there are now no schools unbeaten in league play and nobody in the top 20 of either the writers' rankings or the coaches poll (#21 Georgia Tech just missing the cut). Each week we're teased by a Clemson or a Wake Forest--even a Maryland--only to see said school come up short the following Saturday. On the bright side it promises to be a wide-open November with plenty of scoreboard-watching--as seven teams have just one loss in conference play...until some of them let us down next week.

MARYLAND put together its best 60-minute effort of the season in a 26-0 shutout of 21st ranked Wake Forest--a nice byproduct of their bye week that puts them in back in the ACC Atlantic race...now if only the team that's 3-0 against teams in the top 20 can avoid a letdown against winless in the ACC North Carolina State. TERRAPIN TRIUMPHS--the defense held the Demon Deacons to 3 of 15 on third down and handcuffed quarterback Riley Skinner all afternoon (14 of 30 passing, 16 yards rushing)...Da'Rel Scott shook off recent struggles, rushing for 73 yards and throwing a touchdown pass...Darius Heyward-Bey bounced back from consecutive catchless games by posting 11 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown...Obi Egekeze connected on four field goals (a far cry from his September struggles). TERRAPIN TROUBLES--four fumbles (two of which were lost) almost kept Wake in the game...

VIRGINIA continues to turn around what was once a dismal season with a 16-13 overtime victory over 18th rated North Carolina...as a slumbering offense wakes up just in time. CAVALIER CONGRATS--two interceptions and a fumble recovery by the defense kept the Tar Heels at bay...Marc Verica completed 7 of 8 passes for 80 yards on the game-tying drive. CAVALIER CATASTROPHES--the running game had problems even with Peerman getting 15+ carries (58 yards on 27 tries for the team)...the first half was an offensive nightmare, with 49 yards gained on 24 plays from scrimmage.

17th ranked VIRGINIA TECH was bitten by Beamer-ball for the second time this year; allowing a 65-yard punt return for a score in a 28-23 loss to Boston College...as the Hokie offense fails to tally a touchdown. HOKIE HIGHLIGHTS--Brett Warren and Macho Harris both returned Eagle interceptions for TD's...all told the defense forced five takeaways. Tyrod Taylor tallied 110 yards rushing. HOKIE HUMBLINGS--unfortunately Taylor the quarterback completed just 12 of 27 passes for 90 yards and an interception...runningback Darren Evans spun his wheels to the tune of 27 yards on 17 carries...and do we have to address VT allowing a special teams touchdown?

Presto's Picks--division of detesting...

Conferences in college football are often defined by their signature rivalries from USC-UCLA to Ohio State-Michigan...these big games provide snapshots to each league and usually have animosity as an ingredient in its recipe. Well, then there's the SEC West, where just about every coach or school has a hate-wish against another school in the division. Outside of traditional foes Alabama-Auburn and Ole Miss-Mississippi State, there are these grudge matchups:


Auburn-Arkansas: Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville was nearly jettisoned a few years ago with then-Louisville and current Razorbacks mentor Bobby Petrino ready to stab him in the back to take his job... Arkansas-Ole Miss: Houston Nutt left the Razorbacks for the Rebels last winter in the aftermath of a text-message scandal and highly touted recruits transferring...LSU-Alabama: did we mention Nick Saban used to coach the Tigers before sneaking away for the NFL before sneaking to Tuscaloosa?...Mississippi State-Alabama: Sylvester Croom should have gotten the Crimson Tide job earlier this decade, only to have his impressive resume ignored in favor of flameout Mike Shula.



MARYLAND vs Wake Forest--these are not your father's Demon Deacons...not even your uncles Deacons for that matter. Coach Jim Grobe has led a resurgence in Winston-Salem behind a misdirection-based attack...Riley Skinner is yet another ACC star quarterback the Terps will have to contend with (and unlike Cullen Harper--appears to have the right stuff). Can Maryland bounce back from one of the toughest losses in the Ralph Friedgen era and avenge last year's collapse (led by 21 points in the second half before falling in overtime)? Terps tumble 31-20.


#17 VIRGINIA TECH at Boston College--the Eagles are holding up well in the first post-Matt Ryan season...until you realize that three of their wins have come against Kent State, Rhode Island and Central Florida (what-no Holy Cross?)...last year on Thursday Night Football Ryan led the Eagles to an improbable rally in Blacksburg--this fall they're led by Chris Crane (4 TD's and 6 INT) who's not enough to derail the little Va Tech engine that could...after another nail-biter...Hokies hold on, 22-17.


VIRGINIA vs 18th rated North Carolina--can the Cavaliers continue their improbable October run (there's only ONE OCTOBER!) with a game against the Tar Heels...who are just a second half-collapse against Virginia Tech away from being the ACC story this fall. This game is traditionally billed as "the South's oldest rivalry"--which might technically be true but doesn't hold a candle to even the 5th biggest matchup in the SEC (see above)...although this game will have the cutest combination of co-eds in the stands. Cavaliers come up short, 27-20.

ELSEWHERE: Navy keeps dreams alive for a DC bowl appearance with an upset of Pitt, Georgetown's beaten by Bucknell, Howard's humbled by Morgan State,
William & Mary defeats Delaware, Richmond rips Massachussetts.


LAST WEEK: 3-2

OVERALL: 34-14

Redskins Report-railroaded by Rams...

So the 7-1 vision won't happen...despite outgaining the Rams by 168 yards and posting 13 more first downs the Skins come up short on a last-second field goal...as the sense of deja vu hit Fed Ex Field:

Another home loss by a Redskins team playing well to a previously thought hopeful team....last year they fell 17-16 to a Bills team ranked 31st on offense and 32nd on defense...in 2006 they fell 25-22 to a winless Titans team with a rookie QB making his debut....in '05 they lost 16-13 to a Raiders squad headed to 4-12.

Tormented by turnovers...when it rains, it pours...for the first time this year the offense turned the ball over--three first half fumbles that torpedoed any momentum the team had cultivated...capped by Pete Kendall's drop after the lineman caught a tipped pass--a fumble that was returned 75 yards for touchdown.

Moss gathering...um, moss? For the second straight week Santana Moss played a limited role (2 catches for 22 yards)--and while it didn't cost them against the Eagles, it definitely limited their fortunes against the Rams.

Punting problems persist...will Plackemeier produce? Durant Brooks tenure in Ashburn came to an abrupt end after he had several short kicks deliver decent field position to the Rams...and now they'll go with Plan B-ex Seattle Seahawk Ryan Plackemeier (45 yds per kick last year), a third-year pro from Wake Forest.

More Sea-skins...Reed Doughty's bad back places the safety on injured reserve for the year--he'll be replaced by Michael Green who spent the last two years in Seattle's secondary. Completing the trifecta was the signing of ex-Seahawks runningback Shaun Alexander...three years removed from being named league MVP.

Concerns about Cleveland? The Browns looked very good in their dismantling of the NY Giants on Monday night--but they likely won't have TE Kellen Winslow for the second straight week...and teams traditionally have trouble playing on the road the week after playing a Monday night game on the road...Redskins roll, 23-13.

College Football Corner--they get to go where?

Moving month stood still for several area teams--Maryland, Virginia Tech and Navy all were idle...and the Midshipmen seem to be in great shape for the postseason at 4-2 with wins over then-#16 Wake Forest and fellow service academy Air Force (tough to believe the Mids have won six straight against a Falcon program that used to dominate its Commander in Chief Trophy rivals); an 8-win regular season is a distinct possibility. Guess what that gets them? A trip to Washington, DC for December 20th's "Eagle Bank Bowl"...where they will face the ACC's ninth (ninth!) place team--if Navy actually has a decent team this fall, shouldn't we aim a tiny bit higher? And as much as I've grown to enjoy the area--seriously: DC in December? We're about to send these young men and women into serving in the line of fire--can't we give them a bowl destination where they can wear shorts by the pool? I guess at least this gives Cadets and families advance notice to purchase tickets to see West Side Story at the Kennedy Center.


VIRGINIA continued its puzzling turnaround--do you really expect me to believe this is the same team that got waxed by UConn and Duke (remember, this is the gridiron and not the hardwood)...a 35-20 victory over East Carolina brought this unit back to .500...go figure, after posting 36 total points over four games in September UVa's been averaging 33 over its last two outings. CAVALIER CONGRATS...Cedric Peerman ignited a first-half rally with touchdown scampers of 60 and 79 yards...backup QB Scott Deke helped put the game away with a touchdown pass on a fake field goal (gutsy call with an 8 point advantage) in the fourth quarter... the defense notched six sacks and put constant pressure on the passer...CAVALIER CATASTROPHES...Marc Verica threw two early interceptions that could have been disastrous...UVa converted just 3 of 14 third downs...Peerman's wheels spun after intermission--gaining just 7 yards on 8 carries in the second half...

Presto's Picks---it's the BIG TWELVE!

The SEC has long been touted as the top conference in college football; but this year that league has an equal--at least in the early going. The Big Twelve (or Big XII as the logo states) has just as many top twenty teams as the SEC (8) and has four of the top seven teams in this week's AP Poll. It has history and great rivalries (look no further than Texas-Oklahoma this weekend). Where the league supersedes the SEC is quarterback play: From Colt McCoy to Chase Daniel, there are just better passing games that put more pressure on defenses...generating plenty of fireworks.

Which brings me to last year--where there were fireworks off the field in two of the best coach press conference freak-outs...Colorado's Dan Hawkins (recently earned a contract extension through 2012) blasting "go play intramurals, brotha" to players who wanted 3 instead of 2 weeks off during offseason conditioning...and Oklahoma State (ranked 17th this week) shouting at a columnist "COME AFTER ME! I'M A MAN! I'M 40!" who criticized one of his players.

That's Division I Football--that's the Big Twelve..

VIRGINIA vs East Carolina-- hope returns to Charlottesville after an incredible thumping of rival Maryland...and with Cedric Peerman back in gear the Cavaliers can at least take some pressure off Marc Verica as he continues to develop his sea legs. The Pirates were early September darlings after back-to-back upsets of Virginia Tech and West Virginia...before ending the month by allowing 36 points a game in two losses to Conference USA opposition. Skip Holtz's team, however, has the benefit of a week off and it's tough to imagine Al Groh's team being able to repeat last week's emotional high. Cavs come up short, 27-24.

MARYLAND and VIRGINIA TECH are both idle and both are still trying to figure themselves out. The Terps looked great against ranked Cal and Clemson while falling apart against Middle Tennessee and Virginia. Consistency was a buzzword in spring and summer practice--and this team is in the midst of a rollercoaster season. Can they get Darius Heyward-Bey the football on a consistent basis? And can the defense put four solid quarters together? Things don't get any easier with NC State the only potential softie remaining on the schedule---but come to think of it, that might work to their advantage.

The Hokies may be 5-1 but they haven't earned any style points (with the exception of the win at Nebraska)...even victories over Furman and Western Kentucky seemed achingly close--this team has yet to find its finishing kick. The good news is Tyrod Taylor gets better with each start, Blacksburg is still the home for "Beamerball" and the Turkey Legs at Lane Stadium are unparalleled. The bad news--Kenny Lewis is done for the year, meaning Darren Evans must shoulder the ground game workload.

Georgetown slips Penn, James Madison rallies past Richmond, William & Mary falls to New Hampshire.

LAST WEEK: 6-1

OVERALL: 31-12

Redskins Report--recipe for playoffs?

I love carrot cake--from the complex texture to the cinnamon accent to the cream cheese icing. Problem is, if you've ever seen a carrot cake being made you might not ever want to eat it--it's the dessert version of a sausage and nothing like the finished product.

One month ago the Redskins were not appealing at all to look at-- a mangled mess of two poor exhibitions and a disastrous opening night against a division rival...somehow coach Jim Zorn and company were able to stay with the recipe yet add a few tweaks--bake at 450 for four weeks...and all of a sudden we have a playoff contender at 4-1...with the icing of back to back wins at Dallas and Philadelphia...


Never fight a land war in Asia--or against this team...the Skins posted huge numbers on the ground for the second straight week--pounding out 203 yards with Clinton Portis providing another stellar effort (145 with touchdown)...meanwhile the defense bottled up the Eagle attack (just 20 yards after the first quarter)...

Time is on their side...when you run the ball effectively, odds are time of possession follows. The Skins held the ball for 23:44 of the second and third quarters (blunting whatever momentum Philly had carved out with a 14-0 lead) and kept possession for the final seven minutes of the game.

Minimize mistakes, maximize your moneymaker...Jason Campbell has yet to throw an interception--does anyone find that mind-boggling the onetime turnover-machine has been playing this well this fall? It isn't as though the offense isn't taking chances either; how about Antwaan Randle El's touchdown pass to Chris Cooley? About Mr. Cooley--with Santana Moss receiving the lion's share attention from the secondary (no catches in plenty of double coverage) it was imperative the Skins got their tight end into the act.

I underestimated defensive coordinator Greg Blache--maybe it was the way chess master Gregg Williams minus the best piece on the board (Sean Taylor) and with other major injuries (Rogers/McIntosh) managed to checkmate the Bears, Vikings, Giants and Cowboys in succession to a playoff berth...but Greg Blache has this unit playing at a very high level ...
although the team has just 6 sacks through 5 weeks. And with a draft focused on three receivers chosen in the second round, who would have thought seventh rounder Chris Horton would be making the biggest splash? The safety leads the team with 3 interceptions and was named Defensive Player of the Week after his first career start.

College Football Corner--that's why they're called surprises...

Seriously, did anyone outside of Charlottesville think UVa would win, let alone crush Maryland beyond recognition? What a season-saving win for a team that had scored 36 points all season; a 31-0 stomping that re-shuffled the ACC's middle class in a hurry.

MARYLAND was sixty minutes away from a 5-1 mark entering their bye week until the Terps were ambushed by the Cavaliers --question marks that had been under the radar flashed to the surface...TERRAPIN TRIUMPHS--do I have to fill out this entry? The bus got decent mileage from College Park to Charlottesville--and that's about it... TERRAPIN TROUBLES-- where to begin? The defense was beaten deep on a 51-yard strike early and was battered for allowed 201 yards on the ground...the offense converted 1 of 7 third downs in the first half and never seemed to threaten. For the second straight week, Darius Heyward-Bey was held without a reception...

VIRGINIA salvaged its season thanks to superior effort (5 yards a carry) and gutsy play-calling (the 51 yard pass from Marc Verica to Kevin Ogletree seemed to take the wind out of the Terps' sails). CAVALIER CONGRATS--one week after throwing four interceptions against Duke, Verica played flawlessly (25-34, 226 yards and no INT's) and punctuated a dominant first half with a 15 yard TD pass to Ogletree right before halftime. A finally-healthy Cedric Pearman rumbled for 110 yards and a touchdown while Mikkell Simpson posted his best effort of the season (77 yards rushing and 13 yards receiving). The defense held the Terps' biggest weapon Darius Heyward-Bey without a reception. CAVALIER CATASTROPHES--Jimmy Howell averaged under 33 yards per punt...and that's about it--enjoy an A+ week, UVa..

VIRGINIA TECH finally spared fans fourth quarter anxiety by topping Western Kentucky 27-13...as Tyrod Taylor starts to hurt teams with his arm. HOKIE HIGHLIGHTS--Taylor completed 10 of 15 passes for 125 yards and the first VT touchdown pass of the year...with Kenny Lewis lost for the season with a ruptured achilles...Darren Evans gained 79 yards rushing and scored twice...the Hokie D held the Hilltoppers to their side of the field in 6 of WKU's first seven possessions while Victor "Macho" Harris returned an interception to the WKU five--setting up a field goal that gave VT a three possession game into halftime. HOKIE HUMBLINGS--Taylor was sacked five times in the win--and 27 points against Western Kentucky isn't exactly refrigerator-material, either.

PRO file-- Oakland, the NFL's Ottoman Empire...

New to the Preston's Perspective Lineup--- a weekly look at the NFL with emphasis towards the Redskins and the NFC East...titled PRO file...

This week--the saddest sight this season had to have been Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis presiding over the firing of coach Lane Kiffin. As if the suspect hire of a then-31 year old college co-coordinator wasn't enough--what was once a dominant franchse has slid into oblivion...

Believe it or not, the Raiders have 3 Super Bowls to their credit and from 1967 through 1983 advanced to 11 AFL/AFC title games...but has been mismanaged by a pioneer who was as far ahead of the curve in the 60's as he is behind it today. In twenty years he's gone from rooming with the Rooneys to basking with the Bidwells in perception as a competent owner. Unfortunately, it looks as though Al Davis will continue to drive the Raiders into the ground...if you're a fan--just moan, baby...

Game of the Week (non-national variety)--Tampa Bay at Denver--4pm--John Gruden and Mike Shanahan both guided their current teams to Super Bowl titles after ignominious departures from Al Davis's domain...and both have their teams in playoff contention at 3-1 so far this year. Plus, Chris Myers and Tim Ryan are underrated as an announcing team.

Life is just a fantasy-- my fantasy football team is 2-2 and teetering on disaster: my top picks were Tom Brady, Willie Parker and Anquan Boldin-- all have missed significant time...Braylon Edwards has also been a non-factor...my backup QB was Marc Bulger who got benched...thank goodness I took Philly's Kevin Curtis on a flyer in the second to last round!

As Dane Cook, TBS and FOX tell us "There's only One October!" (mister Cook is quickly becoming the Skip Stevenson of his generation- all he needs is a Real People revival and a Love Boat appearance)...October is Moving Month, the part of the season where pretenders (South Florida) are exposed, dream seasons catch fire (Virginia last year, Maryland in 2006) and the wheat is seperated from the chaff as conference play nears the midway point. Duke has shown us they're not a doormat--how will that hold? Clemson's proven they're not heads and shoulders above the ACC--can they recover? And will Miami and Florida State be relevent this fall? Strap yourselves in my friends...October will have plenty of thrills, chills and spills...

Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse is 1-4 after a come-from-ahead loss to Pitt; all eyes are focused on the Ernie Davis-biopic The Express which opens in theaters Friday October 10th...having sat through such football films as "Little Giants" and "Wildcats"...I'm hoping this movie doesn't suck--so far there's promise...although Dennis Quaid looks about 10-15 years younger than Ben Schwartzwalder did when the movie was set--but hey, as long as there isn't a talking mule, I feel good.

MARYLAND at VIRGINIA--what promised to be a rough rebuilding season has turned into a nightmare for Al Groh's bunch...the running game was supposed to be a beacon but Mikkell Simpson has been ineffective while Cedric Peerman's been injured. Maryland appears to be gathering steam after its traditional September hiccup--reasons for the recent success have been a healthy offensive line and an aggressive defense (back to back weeks with three takeaways)...the Terps 2006 win in Charlottesville was their first since 1990--the year UVa went to the Sugar Bowl...a much more sour season continue for the Cavs; Terrapins triumph 30-13.

VIRGINIA TECH vs Western Kentucky--the Hilltoppers are one of the few remaining I-A independent teams; there was once an era when the nations best didn't play in conferences--Penn St, Miami and Florida St. plus Notre Dame to name a few...will this be the week Darren Evans or Kenny Lewis steps forward to become the primary back--and will we see a wide receiver emerge from the pack? Also, will VT finally put away an opponent in the first half? Hokies surprise everyone with a rout 37-14.

Navy gets by Air Force, Howard slips to Winston-Salem, James Madison handles Hofstra, Richmond routs VMI, William & Mary over Villanova.

LAST WEEK: 5-3
OVERALL: 25-11

Redskins Report--big W in big D...

Three weeks ago they were jokes...two weeks ago there was hope...one week ago there were possibilities---and now there's frenzied excitement surrounding the burgundy and gold...nothing validates a coaching hire, a new offense or draft choices like a 26-24 win over the Cowboys in Dallas... (actually Irving; let the record show they were one of the first NFL teams to move outside city limits while retaining the city's name--aka the Pontiac Lions, Orchard Park Bills and East Rutherford Giants/Jets)...

Keeping Cool with Campbell--another fine effort for quarterback Jason Campbell: smart thows, pocket escapabilty and most importantly minimal mistakes--he's yet to throw an inteception this year. How long will this run last?

Ground Control to coach Jim Zorn--when did the ex-Cal Poly and Seattle QB go Big Ten? Clinton Portis ran for 121 yards while the Skins dominated the line of scrimmage-outrushing the Cowboys 111-to-23 after halftme.

Secondary a primary cause--credit Shawn Springs, Fred Smoot and Carlos Rogers with handcuffing Terrell Owens all afternoon: of the18 passes tossed #81's way, he caught 7 for 71 yards--bring out the popcorn, baby! (note: Redskins Report used the term "baby" in a slang-like manner--in no way referencing TO's teary tantram last January)

Horton handles himself well--rookie safety Chris Horton has developed into a difference-maker on defense...posting his third interception of the season by picking off Tony Romo--the one ingredient Gregg Williams' defenses lacked was turnovers forced, and Horton is emerging as a major playmaker.

Special orders don't upset us--punter Durant Brooks averaged 46+ yards per kick while all of his holds were solid for Shaun Suisham's four field goal attempts--(the kicker's best play was that touchdown-saving tackle just before halftime).

What exactly did you prevent? Despite having major momentum (3 straight scoring drives) and having held the Cowboys to back to back 3 and outs, the Skins elected to play a "prevent" defense with 1:42 left in the half...Dallas gained 55 yards, kicked a field goal and stole mighty mo back (they'd tie the game with a TD on the second half's first drive.

Back and better than ever!

Well---after a few months on a different website...Preston's Perspective returns to this site-- just in time for Midnight Madness...

As many of you may have learned, I'm no longer at Redskins Radio...I'm back at WTOP like I was previously ...covering Maryland football as well this time...

Like last year we'll have the College Football Corner on Monday--Presto's Picks on Friday... with a Redskins Report midweek this year as well---so without further ado...



College Football Corner--an expected upset?

Last weekend felt like...last season, when top ten teams were timber to be chopped down on a regular basis. Number one USC-upended by Oregon State! Fourth ranked Florida--fodder for Mississippi! Number nine Wisconsin--mauled by Michigan! And that's not even looking at losses by 16th rated Wake Forest or 20 Clemson (more on the underachieving Tigers later). Early season conference play is always dangerous for a handful of reasons...

An upgrade in schedule--After sloshing through the Coastal Carolinas and Louisiana-Lafayettes, schools are suddenly facing teams with similar personnel and like expectations. All of a sudden the talent gap shrinks...and players actually have to go the full 60 instead of being lifted midway through the third quarter.

Familiarity may not breed contempt, but it certainly helps one's gameplan--league foes are used to seeing what their opponent does; their strengths and weaknesses and what makes them tick...and players aren't fazed as much about going into the swamp...

MARYLAND capitalized on another underachieving Clemson team by shutting down the Tigers after halftime in a 20-17 upset...the offense scored all four times it entered the red zone while the defense held Clemson to 26 yards rushing after intermission. TERRAPIN TRIUMPHS--Chris Turner had his first interception-free start of the season--and directed a clock-killing drive where Maryland kept the ball for the game's final 5 and a half minutes...after being held without a reception in the first half, the offense put the ball in Darius Heyward-Bey's hands and the wide receiver responded with a 76 yard reverse that set the tone for the second half...linebacker Alex Wujciak led the defense with 16 tackles... TERRAPIN TROUBLES-- take away Heyward-Bey's reverse, and the team tallied just 63 yards on 28 carries...including 39 on 23 tries by Da'Rel Scott...the team converted 1 of its first 10 third down situations...it took a quarter and a half for the team to get into gear--against a better opponent things could have been disastrous.

VIRGINIA TECH's cardiac run continued with a 35-30 thriller against Nebraska that began as a field-goal affair and turned into another Tyrod Taylor showcase. HOKIE HIGHLIGHTS--Taylor tallied 87 yards rushing and had his best passing day of the season (9-15, 171 yards and no interceptions) while the defense held the Huskers to 2.2 yards a carry... Justin Myer placed three of his five punts inside Nebraska's 20 yard line...the team came away with points every time (six) they were in the red zone. HOKIE HUMBLINGS--does this team have a knockout punch? Despite dominating the line of scrimmage...VT still needed a fourth quarter fumble recovery to lock up the victory.

VIRGINIA turned the ball over six times and was woefully ineffective on third down (0-9 in the first half) in a 31-3 loss to Duke. One wonders how bad things can get for this team...with the meat of their ACC slate still ahead. CAVALIER CONGRATS--the offense actually outgained the Blue Devils by 46 yards... the line allowed just one sack...the defense kept a Duke team averaging 30+ points a game out of the endzone for the entire first half. CAVALIER CATASTROPHES--Mikkell Simpson's fall continues (31 yards on 13 carries)--he's averaging just 2.3 yards per attempt this fall...Marc Verica threw four interceptions...one of which was returned for a Blue Devil touchdown that put the game out of reach.

Break out the brackets!

Selection Sunday saw three different destinations for beltway schools--as well some NIT-picking for a pair of ACC area teams...

Georgetown looks to move past its Big East Championship Game loss to Pitt (Hoyas were outrebounded 39-25, bringing back an achilles heel at the most inopportune time)--John Thompson III's team is the 2nd seed in the Midwest and faces Maryland-Baltimore County Friday in Raleigh.

George Mason earns a 12th seed in the East Region; the Patriots play Notre Dame Thursday in Denver. Let the record show the 5-12 game has been upset special over the last decade--but let the record show the Fighting Irish boast the Big East Player of the Year in Luke Harangody (despite bearing an uncanny resemblence to the guy who took Brenda Walsh to the senior prom on 90210).

American makes its NCAA Division I Tournament debut in Birmingham Friday; the Eagles tangle with Tennessee as the 15th seed in the East Region. While a 15 isn't a bad spot at all for AU, the Vols were in contention to get a #1 until they lost in the SEC Quarterfinals-- their subsequent placement in overall top seed North Carolina's bracket quite a slip.



On the outside looking in...
Virginia Tech is headed to the NIT, despite winning 5 of its last 7 games (losing at Clemson by one and falling to North Carolina by two)--a case can definitely be made for the Hokies getting into the field of 65-- this team improved vastly over the course of the season as most young teams do (over 60% of the minutes and points coming from the freshman class) and clearly would be capable of winning one or two games this week--but unfortunately the lack of wins against top 50 teams (just their ACC quarterfinal victory over Miami) and a non-conference slate that included losses to Old Dominion and Penn State were just too much to overcome. Catch the Hokies entire NIT run on Redskins Radio, beginning with their game against Morgan State Wednesday evening at 7pm.

Maryland makes its way to Minnesota for a Tuesday night game with the Golden Gophers, an opportunity for the Terps to salvage a positive spin heading into the offseason. The NIT can be a real boost to a young team, and this year's crop of six freshman and three sophomores will benefit from any bonus grooming they receive over the next week.

Terps tumble...Hoyas get help...Eagles look to brush Colgate aside...

The loud popping noise you heard from Charlotte last night was the bubble bursting for Maryland. All the elements of the stretch that saw the Terps lose five of six were there: Maryland tallied 21 turnovers and allowed BC to shoot 51% in the second half. Once again the Terps couldn't hold a double digit lead, wasting a 15 point advantage in the first half while letting an 11 point second half edge slip away. In what stands as a microcosm of the season, Maryland played well for stretches but couldn't put together a complete 40 minutes-or 32 games to make a statement worthy of advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Look for coach Gary Williams to use the NIT to his advantage with a very young team (six freshman and three sophomore scholarship players); practice for the 2008-2009 season actually begins next week instead of this October.


Georgetown plays West Virginia (thanks Mountaineers for beating my BOLD pick UConn... my GOLD pick Louisville also lost--thank goodness FOLD pick Notre Dame fell as Luke Harangody is still trying to take Brenda to the prom) in the Big East semifinals-- the Mountaineers an odd cross-breed of styles as the players John Beilein recruited have adapted to Bob Huggins' brand of basketball. One additional plus for the Hoyas: guard Chris Wright played for the first time since December 31st yesterday--the freshman provides another shutdown defender on the perimeter as well as a solid ballhandler against the press.


American plays Colgate for the Patriot League championship today-- (making me wonder if there's a Crest University or an Aquafresh State) the Eagles swept their regular season series with the Raiders, taking each game by eight points. Colgate is even hotter than AU entering the finals- having won six straight (and just one regulation loss since January). Can the Eagles contain guard Kyle Roemer (22ppg during the streak and 21-32 over the last two games) while compensating for the loss of starter Bryce Simon to a knee injury? One of the major factors during AU's recent run (nine wins in ten games since a 3-3 Patriot League start) has been chemistry, and Simon's been a huge if underrated part of that.

No Hibbert? No problem--threepointer supernova whips Wildcats...

If you were playing Georgetown and were told Roy Hibbert would go scoreless and post 4 turnovers over 14 minutes before fouling out--you'd take it in a heartbeat, wouldn't you?

Well, how about a Big East Tournament record 17 three pointers? The Hoyas hit 61% from outside the arc in their 82-63 win over Villanova--and held Scottie Reynolds to 13 points (he scored 24 in the regular season matchup) on 3-for-9 shooting. Despite Hibbert and backup big man Vernon Macklin both fouling out, John Thompson III's team still outrebounded the Wildcats by five. Patrick Ewing Jr. shined off the bench (7 points, 9 boards and 7 assists) and Georgetown moved the ball as well as they have all year--posting 25 assists in 28 field goals.

Next up for the Hoyas? Fifth seeded West Virginia--Georgetown prevailed in the regular season matchup when Patrick Ewing Jr. blocked a shot at the buzzer.

Hoyas and Terps Previews--plus ACC Bold, Fold & Gold...

Championship week continues with one Big East bubble already bursting (Syracuse)... Georgetown plays the winner of that game this afternoon; the Hoyas nipped Villanova 55-53 after Jonathan Wallace sunk a pair of free throws after being fouled 80 feet away from the basket with a tenth of a second remaining. One of the keys to that victory was holding the Wildcats to 13 percent shooting in the second half--and oh-for-13 after intermission from three point range. While containing Scottie Reynolds is a priority-- the Hoyas need to continue to improve on the boards (they outrebounded Louisville last Saturday-- just the second time they've won on the glass in eight games).


While Georgetown's NCAA berth is assured regardless of how the Hoyas fare this weekend, Maryland faces more than one must-win game this weekend--the Terps enter the ACC Tournament at 18-13 and just one school has received an at-large bid with 14 losses since 1991 (Georgia in 2001 went 16-14 with one of the nation's toughest schedules). Maryland meets a Boston College team that's lost six straight--but has the league's second leading scorer in Tyrese Rice (47 points a few weeks ago against North Carolina). Can the Terps regain the swagger, offensive precision and defensive focus present during the stretch where they went 7-2? One major key is keeping James Gist and Bambale Osby out of early foul trouble-- without the duo down low Maryland's offense bogs down into a turnover-machine.


Looking at the ACC Tournament:
Bold Pick-- I'm tempted to take North Carolina State...since the league expanded to 12 teams the conference's last place team has scored upsets over the 5th seed. But seriously, the Wolfpack have dropped eight straight (4 of the last 5 by double-digits) and they're playing red-hot Miami. The Hurricanes have won 6 of 8 and are led by sharpshooter Jack McClinton (3rd in the ACC in 3-point shooting)...after the sad-sack Wolfpack they would have a quarterfinal matchup with Virginia Tech (Canes beat the Hokies in Blacksburg during the regular season).

Fold Pick-- last year Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech all lost sooner than expected... who disappoints this year? Clemson has never fared well in the ACC (the Tigers are the only original school yet to win the title) and over the last two weeks they've escaped Virginia Tech by one at home, lost at Georgia Tech and needed a miracle comeback at Maryland. The Tigers' luck runs out before a decent NCAA run.

Gold Pick-- The question this winter has been-- can anyone hang with North Carolina and Duke? After last Saturday the question becomes-- can even the Blue Devils hang with the Tar Heels? Not only is this team the most talented, they're playing much harder defensively and have a much higher focus (the only slip up coming in January to Maryland)-- and while Tyler Hansborough inside and Ty Lawson outside are the primary reasons for success, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green provide perfect peripheral options. After going nine years between ACC Tournament titles, Roy Williams' bunch cuts down the nets for a second straight March.