Hurricanes 52, Virginia 17; plus Gators, FIU, FAU, Cote's Top 30 & more

Collball Week 10 roundup:

No. 17 Miami 52, Virginia17: Canes (now 7-2) were favored by a somewhat modest 13 1/2 points over the Cavaliers on the heel of last week's narrow UM escape at Wake Forest. I thought Miami at home was due a big, convincing show; i.e. an easy win, and was right. Maybe it was some payback due for the fact Virginia embarrassed UM 48-0 in the Canes' last game at the Orange Bowl. UM in total control, led by Graig Cooper's 152 rushing yards. Plenty still in play for the Canes' season, including a major bowl. By the way I most certainly am not making fun of the Cavaliers mascot/logo at right. On the contrary, I credit with a lot of nerve a any man who would dare be seen publicly wearing a hat festooned with such a large plume. (Not that there's anything wrong with that). 

Your thoughts welcome before, during and after today's game. Look for the latest edition of the Canesfan Satisfaction Meter poll in a separate blogpost directly above this post.

Somber note: Today is the three-year anniversary of the still-unsolved murder of UM football player Bryan Pata. How many people among us know who did it but have not found the conscience or spine to step forward? Three? Twenty? Fifty? One brave heart is needed. Only one.

 

 

Other FBS (Division 1) state-college games:

No. 2 Texas 35, Central Florida 3: UCF (5-4) thought it was pretty good. Hahahahaha! 'Horns in a name-your-score rout.

Alabama-Birmingham 56, FAU 29: Owls (2-6) blown out in a game that should have been closer. Anybody wanna play some defense? No?  

Middle Tennessee State 48, FIU 21: G-Panthers (2-7) continue to be killed  by lack of D.

No. 1 Florida 27, Vanderbilt 3: The Gator (9-0) not missing Brandon Spikes a bit vs. overmatched foe.

Clemson 40, Florida State 24: Lates disappointment for Bobby and the 'Noles (4-5).

Off this week: South Florida, 6-2 and dreaming of a final ranking.

National game of the week: Had to be the Saban Bowl, won by No. 3 Alabama over No. 9 LSU, 24-15, securing 'Bama's SEC title-game spot vs. Florida. Although No. 16 Ohio State upsetting No. 11 Penn State made for a fine Miss Congeniality.

COTE'S TOP 30-PLUS

Our own experimental rankings formula, with the latest Top 30 plus other state schools with votes:

Rank Team Points (Last week)

1    FLORIDA 897 (1)

2    Texas 860 (2)

3    Alabama 841 (3)

4    Southern Cal 748 (4)

5    Boise State 695 (5)

6    Louisiana State 682 (6)

7    Penn State 628 (7)

8    Ohio State 595 (9)

9    Virginia Tech 591 (8)

10 TCU 589 (10)

11 Cincinnati 543 (12)

12 Oklahoma State 511 (11)

13 Oklahoma 480 (13)

14 MIAMI 455 (14)

15 Iowa 417 (18)

16 Georgia Tech 416 (16)

17 Mississippi 397 (15)

18 Oregon 377 (19)

19 Brigham Young 371 (17)

20 California 330 (20)

21 Houston 288 (22)

22 Kansas 246 (21)

23 Utah 236 (25)

24 Nebraska 221 (23)

25 Georgia 197 (24)

26 Pittsburgh 175 (27)

27 Notre Dame 163 (26)

28 North Carolina 117 (28)

29 South Carolina 99 (29)

30 Missouri 97 (30)

31 SOUTH FLORIDA 92 (33)

34 FLORIDA STATE 77 (34)

[Note: Our first-year rankings are conservative, meaning teams tend to move up and down more gradually than in other polls. We'll judge them not week by week but in total, as the bowl games approach].

Comments

[Tom]

I think you could fit the JRS crowd at today's game in a phone booth. Pathetic. The U needs an on-campus stadium that seats 40-45 thousand.

[DoseOfReality]

That UM crowd looks like a Dolphins scrimmage. Not many care about that team in Miami...only if they are contending for a NC, and don't hold your breadth on that one.

[mike1]

Are there a lot of (mostly) commuter scores out there with great attendances? USC probably the best. When I went to UM my first two years, everyone I knew in all my classes was a commuter driving 30 min + each day. There are a lot of things to do in Miami and commuting individually to JRS isn't top priority for most.

Then I went to Michigan in Ann Arbor and there was whole different feel to it. No one was a commuter. I didn't know anyone from Ann Arbor. Everyone lived around campus and walked to the stadium. In the fall, there isn't a lot of better things to do in small college towns. The whole college experience is vastly different at UM than college town USA.

Would an on-campus stadium help? Only for those who live on campus. Otherwise, it doesn't matter.

The best solution might be having an on-campus stadium and playing all home games on Thurs & Fri nights. Students are already there for classes on those days.

[mike1]

UM appears to be a great team at times. But sloppy pay cost them a couple of times and almost a 3rd. I would not doubt that UM could beat UF or Texas on a given day.

Got to feel for Iowa. Lose their starter early in the 2nd and the backup is horrible, 9-27 never able to get them any points. They were #12 in strength of schedule and computer polls liked them. A good win over Ohio St might have given them a good case compared to Texas, who has played no one all season.

[g8rh8r]

has anyone looked at that ranking!? Is Cote on crack or just an idiot? Both? USC #4? They just got crushed by Oregon last week! Oklahoma ahead of Miami? Last I checked they had three losses AND we beat them.

WTF!?

[the shadow knows]

mike1,

attending USC i commuted for two years and lived in an off-campus apartment before heading for hermosa beach where post graduates colonized. living so close to the campus and walking to the coliseum is the way college ought to be. the wolverines came up short and oregon looked at an extremely well-coached stanford team, with a really good freshman QB and a white boy power runner; jim harbaugh was good at san diego and is the doing a great job in palo alto; and i really don't like the former indians. as scrambled as the pac-10 is, we will still win our share of the bowl games. as stated previously, would love to see UM and USC tangle in the post season.

[mike1]

Jim Harbaugh was playing at Michigan while I was there. He wasn't bad for the Colts.

Cote's rankings is a bit weird.
Va Tech ahead of Ga Tech?
USC at #4?
I like Boise St but Oregon's loss and BSU's weak win tells me that TCU should be at #4, if not #3 ahead of Texas.
Texas hasn't played anyone all season, further proved by Oklahoma's now 4 loss record.
Oklahoma ahead of Miami?
Oregon drops to 18th, 14 below USC the team they clobbered?
Missouri #30? I'd put Missouri at about #100.

[green]

The U needs an on-campus stadium that seats 40-45 thousand.

Posted by: Tom | November 07, 2009 at 12:07 PM

for the umpteenth time …
not enough land, access or students to justify the prohibitive cost of
an on-campus eyesore …

NIMBY

[green]

football-only stadia in exclusive neighborhoods cost upwards $1B …
you want it so bad …
bankroll it …

PUT UP OR SHUT UP

[green]

That UM crowd looks like a Dolphins scrimmage. Not many care about that team in Miami...only if they are contending for a NC

Posted by: DoseOfReality | November 07, 2009 at 01:41 PM

48K on hand for the midday massacre …
10 times what the hometown marlins normally draw …

APPLES TO APPLES

[mike1]

I refer back to my explanation for attendance above. I agree, a 40K stadium near the U would probably sellout. But most (probably at least half) of the students are commuters. It's a city university. With Saturday games, they all have to commute to the stadium anyway.
If the home games were played on Thurs or Friday evenings, the students would still be there. So it could work out.

[green]

I agree, a 40K stadium near the U would probably sellout.

Posted by: mike1 | November 08, 2009 at 10:47 AM

it would also cap revenue …

BANDBOX

[green]

It's a city university.

Posted by: mike1 | November 08, 2009 at 10:47 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Miami

The University's students represent all 50 states and
148 foreign countries.
-- wiki

SMALL WORLD

[green]

With Saturday games, they all have to commute to the stadium anyway.

Posted by: mike1 | November 08, 2009 at 10:47 AM

http://www.landsharkstadium.com/

our palatial home sits smack dab in the tri-county’s population center …
for a private university relying on the community at large …

ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME