Greg Cote's Random Evidence of a Cluttered Blog

Miami gets Nick Satan vs. Evil Leprechaun in BCS title game. Perfect!; plus Orange gets FSU & more

[1) It is SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1. Thanks to ESPN's Outside The Lines for having us on yesterday to talk about the NBA's overreactive punishment of San Antonio for resting its stars against the Heat. Not David Stern's finest moment. 2) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

MIAMI HOSTS BCS CHAMPIONSHIP AND ORANGE BOWL, AND WE GOT WHO WE WANTED, THANKS: Alabama was favored to beat Georgia yesterday and reach the BCS National Championship Jan. 7 at Dolphins stadium, and Florida State was favored to beat Georgia Tech and reach the Jan. 1 Orange Bowl at the same venue -- and we wanted both favorites and got 'em. It was nothing personal, Peach State. Here's why we wanted the Tide and 'Noles:

Alabama d. Georgia, 32-28, SEC championship -- The winner of this game would face Notre Dame for the national title, and defending champion Alabama vs. the exhumed ghost of the Fighting Irish is about as heavyweight as a matchup could possibly get in this sport in terms of dueling tradition. The Crimson Tide also delivers to Miami the added bonus of coach Nick Satan Saban, who remains vilified by most Dolfans for the way he left the Dolphins after swearing he wouldn't. What a regal, easy-to-love-because-it's easy-to-hate matchup 'Bama vs. the Evil Leprechaun will be! Georgia Bulldogs coming here would have been a crashing letdown, a dagger in our frothing anticipation; like, how dare they deny us or right to wish ultimate dejection upon Saban!? Tide leading nation in scoring and total defense made them a safe pick, but credit the Dawgs for a helluva fight and near miss. My pick was: Alabama, 27-20.

Florida State d. Georgia Tech, 21-15, ACC championship -- The winner of this game advances to the Orange Bowl here to likely face Louisville. (Louisville isn't that special but at least features QB Teddy Bridgewater from Miami, so that's neat). FSU should have been facing the Miami Hurricanes for the ACC title, of course, but UM's self-imposed postseason ban opened the door for a hardly worthy Tech. We wanted FSU because it is a much better and more exciting team and would bring more fans. Mostly we wanted the Seminoles because Georgia Tech is now 6-7, couldn't even beat the Canes at home, and has no business even playing in the Depends Adult Diaper Bowl, let alone in a BCS bowl. Thought E.J. Manuel would swamp the Yellow Jackets' abysmal defense, but the 'Noles just got by. My pick was: FSU, 41-16.

[Elsewhere in college football, three state FBS teams ended their regular seasons Saturday, including FAU's Owls losing at home to Louisiana-Lafayette, 35-21. Bowl-bound UCF lost at Tulsa, 33-17 in OT. South Florida lost to visiting Pitt, 27-3].

EX-CANE SAPP AMONG FIRST-TIME CANTON NOMINEES: Defensive tackle Warren Sapp is one of six first-time nominees among 27 latest finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I see Sapp as a borderline candidate, likely eventually, perhaps, but not a first-ballot guy. He's the only ex-Cane on the ballot. Guys with Dolphins ties back for another try are receiver Cris Carter (played here in 2002), executive Bill Parcells (who'd probably rather forget his recent Miami term), and executive George Young (1975-78).

Poll results: Rose Hall-worthier than steroid-era guys: In the previous blogpost we asked which of four controversial baseball figures deserved to be in Cooperstown in 2013 (you may still vote), and it was 40.1 percent for Pete Rose, 16.8% for Barry Bonds, 16.2% for Roger Clemens and 8.4% for Sammy Sosa, with another 18.5% voting "none."

CHRIS BOSH IS NOT AMUSED: Told you in the previous blogpost about the animated short film, Adventures of Christopher Bosh in the Multiverse. Well, Christopher is not amused. The Heat star has sicced his attorneys to try to stop the film from airing Dec. 14 in a local film festival. The attempt is nonsense, and surprising. I've always credited Bosh with a sense of humor. C'mon, Christopher!

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G12: Hurricanes 52, @ Duke 45 (Final): Morris, Duke of Gables lead wild season-ending win!; plus Gators upset Noles, FIU & more

[1) It is SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24. Welcome to the Collball Week 13 post as most teams -- including five of the seven state FBS teams -- wrap up their regular seasons. 2) R.I.P., boxer Hector "Macho" Camacho and actor Larry Hagman, TV's J.R. Ewing. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Canesfan Satisfaction Meter: Voting underway!: Voting now underway in the season-ending CSM poll in a separate blogpost directly above this one.

G12: HURRICANES @ DUKE: MEANINGLESS? NOT TO UM: Final: The story of the season to a large degree: Enough Miami offense to overcome a faltering defense as Canes win season finale, 52-45, at Duke to finish 7-5, and 5-3 in the ACC. Stephen Morris' 369 yards passing and three TDs and Duke Johnson's 169 yards rushing and three scores lead the victory. How many 'Duke Beats Duke' headlines and references might we now expect? ..... Second half: UM lead down to 52-45 with 2:30 left. ... Canes lead whittled to 45-38, mid-4Q, after allowing a fourth TD pass of the game. ... UM lead down to 45-31 on 99-yard Duke scoring pass-n-run. ... Duke of Gables with a short, Tebow-esque scoring pass to Wilford, but ruled incomplete upon review. Looked like a TD catch to me. ... Miami lead comfy again at 45-24 after Morris to Mike James for 72-yard TD catch and run. ... Sensational Duke Johnson with his third TD run, a 65-yarder, and Canes gor wlead to 38-24. ... A 23-yard Duke TD pass narrows UM's lead to 31-24, suddenly too close for comfort. ... Duke within 31-17 on 10-yard scoring toss. ... Canes add 23-yard FG for 31-10 lead. ..... First half: Mike James 1-yard scoring run makes for a safe 28-10 halftime lead for UM. ... Breathing room again for Miami at 21-10 on Duke Johnson 6-yard TD run. ... Blue Devils within 14-10 after Brandon Connette 4-yard TD run caps 81-yard drive. ... Duke on board with 43-yard field goal to cut UM lead to 14-3. ... Miami now up 14-0 after Duke Johnson 18-yard TD run. ... UM up 7-0 on Stephen Morris 11-yard TD pass to Clive Walford. ..... Original post: I heard this game described on local radio as being "utterly meaningless." It is not. It is quite the opposite for Miami. The university self-imposing a postseason ban for a second straight season due to the NCAA investigation makes this tantamount to a bowl game for the Canes. A win to finish 7-5 also would mark symbolic (as well as literal) improvement for UM over last season. Perhaps most important, Miami by winning would claim at least a share of the ACC Coastal Division title -- postseason ban or not. For these reasons I think coach Al Golden's troops will be fired up. And they'd better be, because Duke (also 6-5) isn't the doormat it typically is. Give me the Canes. Stephen Morris has too many weapons for this opponent, and the biggest one is diminutive freshman Duke Johnson. In the Battle of the Dukes, give me The Duke of Gables. My pick was: Miami, 30-20.

The end for some, not for others: UM (self-imposed ban) and FIU (not bowl-eligible) are the only two of seven state FBS teams that will end their 2012 football seasons today. FAU and South Florida are not bowl eligible but end their regular seasons next Saturday. Florida, FSU and UCF are bowl-eligible.

Other featured state FBS games:

No. 6 Florida 37, No. 10 FSU 26 -- This for me was the national game of the week -- although that would be Notre Dame-USC in retrospect if the Trojans can upset the No.1 Irish tonight. The Gators were 4th in the all-important BCS rankings and still could play themselves up into the national championship game with this win and some luck with other results. I figured that to be moot. I'm surprised Florida won. Gators offense had struggled lately, and for them to put up 37 on FSU's awesome defense was impressive. They're partying tonight in Tallahassee. (Then again, when aren't they partying in Tally?) My pick was: FSU, 24-13.

Louisiana-Monroe 23, FIU 17 -- Seems like ages ago that FIU was the preseason Sun Belt favorite, but now the Panthers (3-9) say goodbye to The Belt after wrapping up a disappointing, injury-marred, bowl-less season at home. La-Mo was a stronger team and ended things fittingly for The Int'l. My pick was: La-Monroe, 31-17.

My record: This week, 2-1. Season, 41-15.

Other state FBS games: UCF d. UAB, 49-24; and Cincinnati d. South Florida, 27-10, Friday night. FAU had a bye.

National Game of the Week: Florida-FSU (see above).

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G11: Hurricanes 40, USF 9 (Final): UM earns bowl-eligibility as Morris passes for 413 yards; plus FIU wins Shula Bowl, Noles 'n Gators roll & more

[It is SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18. Welcome to the Collball Week 12 post. 2) Want to rent Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill for a golf outing or bar mitzvah? Details in blogpost directly below this latest one. 3) Visit our video channel at YouTube/TheGregCote (under construction; new vids soon) and join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Canesfan Satisfaction Meter: Voting now underway!: Vote in the latest edition of the CSM in a separate post directly above this one.

G11: SOUTH FLORIDA @ HURRICANES: Final: Very, very impressive show by UM today on Senior Day. Now what? ..... Second half: It's 37-3 on Morris' 65-yard scoring pass to Clive Walford. Game over. ... UM now up 30-3 on Stephen Morris 87-yard TD pass to Herb Waters. ... Duke Johnson 8-yard TD run has UM in control, 22-3. ..... First half: Nervous lead for UM. Great opportunity for a late 23-0 lead was squandered. ..... Original post: The Canes are square at 5-5 following last week's 41-40 heartbreak loss in the final seconds at Virginia, and still seeking to become bowl-eligible today for a bowl game they may or may not play in. UM improbably still has a chance to play into the ACC championship game, too, although a self-imposed postseason ban could erase that as well. We'll see, and likely soon, if a win today forces UM president Donna Shalala to make a decision. Meantime Al Golden tries to keep the blinders on his team and the distractions off. Today's visitor: the inaptly named South Florida Bulls. (Dear Opponent: You're from Tampa. That is in the middle of the state toward the west side. You are in South Florida about like the Napa Valley is in Southern California. I'm guessing USF does not offer a degree in geography). The Bulls have disappointed at 3-6, and their offense suffered a huge loss with season-ending injury to QB B.J. Daniels. Also, their defense has allowed 30 or more points in five games. Do not expect a replay of last year's puntfest in Tampa, won by UM, 6-3. Should be an emotional, high-scoring and victorious Senior Day in UM's home finale. Hope a nice crowd shows, although that's always dicey. Either way: Canes bowl-eligibility, step right in! My pick was: Miami, 34-23.

U thiefs! That's Bull!: Notice that USF's logo is a stylized green bull inthe distinct shape of a 'U.' Also note that USF has had an ad campaign around the theme, "Can U feel it?" Hmm. Doesn't 'The U' reside in Coral Gables? Will the real U please stand up, please stand up...

Ban, not bowl: In a previous blogpost we asked if Miami should self-impose a postseason ban or not related to the ongoing NCAA investigation. Self-impose a ban had 54.9 percent, compared to 36.7% who want to play and 8.4% who are undecided.

Other Week 12 featured state FBS games (all Saturday except where noted):

FIU 34, FAU 24: Kleenex, please. Emotion getting me. It was the final Shula Bowl on Friday night up in Boca Right-on. These not-so-old rivals are soon to be ex-rivals as FIU prepares to leave the Sun Belt. Weird game featuring a long lightning delay left both squads with three wins. I expected better, Owls. My pick was: FAU, 27-23.

No. 10 FSU 41, Maryland 14: Jimbo's Noles were steaming to a spot in the ACC championship game and sure as heck weren't to be derailed here, against a Terrapins team down to its fifth quarterback, a converted linebacker. My pick was: FSU 42-7.

No. 6 Florida 23, Jacksonville State 0: Jax State (the other Gamecocks) were pretty good for their size but unable to run with (or pass with, or defend) the Gators. My pick was: Florida 38-0.

My record: This week, 3-1. Season, 39-14.

Other state FBS game: Tulsa d. UCF, 23-21.

National Game of Week: No. 13 Stanford d. No. 2 Oregon, 17-14. No. 1 Kansas State also lost meaning the inside track to the BCS Championship game now belongs to Notre Dame and -- oh no! -- Nick Saban's Alabama.

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G10: Virginia 41, Hurricanes 40 (Final): Last-second heartbreak for UM!; plus Gators, Owls, 'Bama loses & more

[It is SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11. Welcome to the Collball Week 11 post. 2) Visit our video channel at YouTube/TheGregCote (on hiatus; new vids soon) and join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Canesfan Satisfaction Meter: New poll today at 4:30 p.m.: Find the latest edition of the CSM in a separate post beginning today at 4:30 p.m. sharp!

G10: HURRICANES @ VIRGINIA: Final: UM falls to 5-5, is denied bowl-eligibility (for now) and sees its chances of reaching the ACC title game take a hit in a 41-40 heartbreak loss at Virginia. Stephen Morris with 3 touchdown passes, Duke Johnson with 150 yards rushing and a 95-yard kick-return score and Phillip Dorsett with 103 yards receiving -- and it still isn't enough. Canes pass defense scorched all day. The decision whether to self-impose another postseason ban still looms for UM, but it won't be relevant until Miami wins that sixth game. Bowl status and the ACC title game both remain in play for the Canes. ..... 2H: Canes give up fall-behind TD pass with six seconds left, lose 41-40. ... UM up 40-35 on safety after Virginia QB called for intentional grounding from end zone. ... Cavaliers within 38-35 with 5:33 to play. Oy! ... Stephen Morris to Phillip Dorsett TD for a 38-28 lead has UM on brink of bowl-eligibility. Very efficient day for Morris. ..... 1H: Duke Johnson has thrown an 8-yard touchdown pass, had a 52-yard run to set up another score, and returned a kickoff 95 yards for a TD to lead Miami's 24-21 lead. True freshman of the year in college football. ... Credit to Al Golden for suspending receiver Rashawn Scott and linebacker Eddie Johnson for violating team rules. That's a coach with backbone. ..... Original post: Virginia, despite a far inferior record, is a 1-point favorite at home today as the Canes try to become bowl-eligible ... and then hope the university allows them to participate in the postseason at all. Strange days. UM is angling to win the ACC Coastal Division for the first time and get into the conference championship game with no clue whether they'll be allowed to related to the NCAA investigation and the notion the school might self-impose a ban. All Al Golden's guys can do is win, and control what they can control. Like the Canes today. Cavaliers don't have an offense that scares you, and their D has given up 42-plus points in three losses. And UM has more at stake. My pick was: Miami, 24-20.

Poll result: Self-imposed postseason ban right choice for UM: I'm rarely surprised by results of any of or blog polls, but this susprised me. The vote for another self-imposed postseason ban  won with 54.9 percent, compared to 36.7% who want to play and 8.4% who are undecided.

Other Week 11 featured state FBS games (all Saturday):

No. 9 Florida State 28, Virginia Tech 22: Noles rallied Thursday night to escape with a win and keep alive strong chances of reaching the ACC title game. My pick was: FSU (via Pigskin Challenge).

No. 7 Florida 27, Louisiana-Lafayette 20: La-La is pretty good (for a Sun Belt team) but I gave them no shot in The Swamp. Well, Florida needed to score the final 14 points to escape. My pick was: Florida, 37-10.

FAU 37, Western Kentucky 28: Very nice road win for Owls, a 16 1/2-point underdog. That's three wins. Decent first season so far for new coach Carl Pelini. My pick was: WKU, 31-17.

My record: This week, 2-2. Season, 36-13.

Other state FBS games: UCF @ Texas-El Paso, 7 p.m. FIU and South Florida have byes.

National Game of Week: No. 15 Texas A&M d. No. 1-Alabama, 29-24. Turmoil in the BCS! 

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Marlins add amateur nudist Redmond to manager merry-go-round; plus Heat confidence poll, my Halloween video, Tannehill, SOPY rank & more

[1) It is THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1. Did you have a happy Halloween? We're a mid-traffic neighborhood. Probably candied about 30 kids. 2) Enough with the Dwayne Bowe-to-Dolphins speculation and rumors! (Please?) 3) Visit our video channel atYouTube/TheGregCote (on hiatus; new vids coming soon) and join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Halloween video from me to you: Click HERE to watch. It stars me, new Heater Ray Allen, defrocked Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen, Dolphins coach Joe Philbin, and the sublime Lauren Tannehill. Enjoy!

MARLINS HIRE MIKE REDMOND AS MANAGER: Marlins interviewed three others including the ghost of Larry Bowa, who last managed in 2004 and turns 67 in December, but the clear frontrunner all along was Redmond, the former Marlins catcher. He has only Single-A experience as a manager but is praised as ready by those who know him. I like the hire. Redmond is perhaps best remembered during his Marlins years for once entering the batting cage nude -- wearing only spikes and batting gloves -- to help break a losing streak. That isn't legend; he admits it. And it worked. The season was 2003. The Marlins won the World Series.

OPENING NIGHT: RINGS ON, BANNER UP, HEAT BEATS CELTICS: [Update: Heat beat Celtics, 120-107, behind 29 from D-Wade, 26 from LeBron and 19 apiece from Ray Allen and Chris Bosh. Click on The Routine Of Excellence for my column from the game]. And the curtain lifts on Year 3 of the Big 3. The Heat NBA championship that was won in June and celebrated with a parade is celebrated anew onight as the 2012-13 season commences. A ring ceremony and lifting of the championship banner will precede a game against the Boston Celtics, who most experts expect will meet Miami in the Eastern Conference finals. Ray Allen switching sides only enlivens an already heated rivalry. Boston is counting on Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett (pictured with LeBron) to once again play younger than they are. The Celtics lead the Heat's East roadblock alsong with Indiana and perhaps Chicago. Waiting in the NBA Finals, should Miami returns, figures to be the fortified L.A. Lakers, Oklahoma City again, or perhaps San Antonio. I know Heat fans are confident; the question is how confident? Vote now.

Poll result: Sorry LeBron, but it's still D-Wade: We asked in a recent blog poll who your favorite Heat player is, and Dwyane Wade had 60.1 percent to LeBron James' 34.2. The other 5.7% chose "someone else."

NFL PIX 'N FANTASY: OK on one, not so much on the other... NFL predix: Had a decent Week 8 on my Friday pix page, going 10-4 overall and 7-6-1 vs. the betting line. Nailed two outright upsets with Falcs over Eagles and Raiders over Chiefs, but, oh, missing that Miami game hurt. What was I thinking! Greg's Lobos: My fantasy team sucks, or I do running it. Fell to 2-6 with a 124-87 loss. Had nobody over 17 points. Not giving up on a playoff spot but the 'Bos need to pick it up. Let's go!  

TANNEHILL INJURY ONLY A BRUISE: MRI results on Ryan Tannehill's injured left leg showed no structural damage to the knee or quad, only a deep bruise. His status for Sunday's game at Indianapolis is a legitimate questionable. "What he can or can't do Wednesdday and Thursday will deteremine his availability," a club spokesman told us. Meanwhile Matt Moore's status rises as one of NFL's better backup QBs.

McKinnie and strip clubs: Hey here's an only-in-Miami story for you. Bryant McKinnie is being sued in Miami-Dade Circuit Court by the father of rap star Trick Daddy. The allegation: That McKinnie, Ravens offensive tackle and former Miami Hurricane, ran up $375,000 in bills at South Florida strip clubs -- money borrowed from the dad of Daddy. McKinnie told the Baltimore Sun the suit us "bogus."

Marlins 40-1 odds for next World Series: Bovada has new odds out already for 2013 World Series and leaders are Tigers 6-1, Yankees 7-1 and Giants 10-1. Miami is a respectable 40-1 but unfortunately that's fourth in the NL East after the 12-1 Nationals and 14-1 Braves and Phillies.  

PANDA TIME! FITNESS IS OVERRATED: Moms, give your child that extra Twinkie. Dads, let that gym membership lapse. Kids, fat is the new thin! The Giants' Pablo "Panda" Sandoval is the World Series MVP -- the man sitting atop all of baseball -- following his team's sweep of the Tigers. Sandoval in the postseason led the Giants in home runs, RBIs and carbs. Here he is. Mr. America!

SOPY RANKINGS (WEEK 9): ALPHABET SOUP: E.J. LEADS B.J.: This college football season marks the blog debut of our weekly State Offensive Player of the Year (SOPY) rankings, which I like to call the "Sunshine State Heisman." Our chart encompasses the most productive seasons of any quarterback, running back or receiver from the state's seven FBS teams: Miami, Florida and FSU, FIU and FAU, and South Florida and UCF. (Note: Rankings consider only passing, rushing and receiving, not returns). Our formula awards one point per offensive yard gained running or receiving and a half-point per yard passing, plus six bonus points for touchdowns thrown or scored. Because our rankings are cumulative, players on a bye week take a temporary hit that evens out over course of season. After Week 9 it's Florida State's E.J. Manuel leading for a third straight week, but narrowly over South Florida counterpart B.J. Daniels. The SOPY Top 10 entering Week 10:

Rank (LW)     Player, Team-pos.     SOPY Pts. Week=Year

1 (1)     E.J. Manuel, FSU-qb     157 = 1,483.5

2 (3)     B.J. Daniels, South Florida-qb     231.5 = 1,457

3 (2)     Stephen Morris, Miami-qb     BYE = 1,241   

4 (4)     Jake Medlock, FIU-qb     110.5 = 1,112

5 (6)     Blake Bortles, UCF-qb     173.5 = 1,099.5

6 (5)     Chris Thompson, FSU-rb     DNP = 965

7 (7)     Jeff Driskel, Florida-qb     88.5 = 946

8 (8)     Graham Wilbert, FAU-qb     165.5 = 941

9 (9)     Mike Gillislee, Florida-rb     117 = 834

10 (--)     Latavius Murray, UCF-rb     218 = 700

Bubble: Duke Johnson, Miami-rb, 692.

State of the State rankings: 1. Florida (7-1); 2. FSU (8-1); 3. UCF (6-2); 4. Miami (4-4); 5. South Florida (2-6); 6. FAU (2-6); 7. FIU (1-8).

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G8: Florida State 33, Hurricanes 20; plus Gators, FIU & more

[1) It is SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21. Ding dong, Heath Bell is gone! 2) Welcome to the weekly Collball post! 3) You may still vote in our A-Rod/Marlins poll in post directly below this new one. 4) Visit our video channel at YouTube/TheGregCote and join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Canesfan Satisfaction Meter: Voting underway! Voting underway in latest edition of the CSM in a separate blogpost just above this oner.

G8: NO. 14 FLORIDA STATE 33, HURRICANES 20: Canes hung with the Noles into the third quarter before faltering. Stephen Morris played but not particularly well, and UM could not muster a running game. Original post: Coach Al Golden was saying it could be a game-time decision whether his starting quarterback will be Stephen Morris, who is nursing a tender ankle, or inexperienced Ryan Williams, but by Friday it was clear Morris was doubtful and therefore Williams likely. FSU is heavily favored either way although, with Morris, I'd have given Miami a great chance to beat the spread on a near-three-touchdown betting line. That's a huge head start to give a talented Canes squad at home in a rivalry game. Overall though it's very hard to imagine red-hot E.J. Manuel won't lead the Noles to the top of the scoreboard. Manuel has a fair shot at the Heisman Trophy now that WVU's Geno Smith has stumbled, and could really feather his chances in this ABC telecast. My pick was: FSU, 31-23.

Other Collball Week 8 featured state FBS games, in order:

Troy 38, FIU 37: FIU, preseason Sun Belt favorite, cascades to a 1-7 record with another heartbreak loss on a Troy rally. The Int't had a pretty decent upset shot against Troy's mediocre Trojans in a conference game. What happened to Mario Cristobal's mojo? Where da magic at!? My pickwas: Troy, 31-27.

No. 2 Florida 44, No. 7 South Carolina 11: Stomp! The Ol' Ball Coach Steve Spurrier ambling back into The Swamp always feels special, this time augmented as a marquee top-10 matchup and the collball Game of the Week nationally. Gamecocks had won past two vs. Gators but I liked Florida at home to stay unbeaten and protect the catbird seat of that No. 2 BCS ranking. Gators were healthier than they've been, especially on the O-line. My pick was: Florida, 24-20.

South Alabama 37, FAU 34: Owls on hunt for that elusive second victory and had a fair shot in this Sun Belt game at S-Bama, which had allowed 30-plus points in all five losses. My pick was: South Alabama, 27-21.

My record: This week, 4-0. Season, 29-8.

Other state FBS games: No. 16 Louisville d. South Florida, 27-25; and UCF d. Memphis, 35-17.

National Game of the Week: Gators hosting Gamecocks (see above).

Note: We're on holiday this weekend so updates here will be done with less alacrity than usual.

G7: North Carolina 18, Hurricanes 14 (Final): Two-point try that wasn't haunts UM in first ACC loss, and QB Morris hurt; plus Gators, Noles, FIU & more

[1) It is SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13. Welcome to the weekly Collball post! 2) You can still vote in our Jeff Ireland poll in blogpost directly below this new one. 3) Visit our video channel at YouTube/TheGregCote and join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Canesfan Satisfaction Meter: Voting now underway: The latest edition of the CSM appears in a separate blogpost directly above this one and is now accepting votes.

G7: NORTH CAROLINA @ HURRICANES: Final: It now appears Morris might miss next week's big visit by Florida State. ..... UM's previous two losses were to ranked opponents on the road. Though very lopsided, those defeats at least could be rationalized. In some ways this loss was worse because, although close, it was at home to an ACC rival with the same record. ..... Stephen Morris departed in fourth quarter with an ankle injury but he'd been struggling. What ended up really hurting UM was a planned two-point conversion try that ended up being an extra-point kick because of a five-yard penalty. UM would have been in position for an attempted tying field goal late in game had that two-point try been attempted and converted. In the end, UM's deefnse contained UNC's high-powered offense pretty well. It was the Heels' defense that proved better than expected, and too much for Miami. Canes now 4-3 overall, 3-1 in the conference. Halftime: question going in was whether Miami's struggling defense could limit UNC's high-powered offense. The bigger question at the half is whether UM's offense, especially the passing game, can generate enough against the Heels' D. ..... Original post: This ACC Coastal Division game reiterates how Miami is held in such little regard. Both the Canes and North Carolina are 4-2. UM is 3-0 in the conference to the Heels' 1-1. Yet the visiting team is a 7 1/2-point favorite. I think it's UNC's three-game winning streak during which a very impressive offense has scored 141 points -- juxtaposed against a Miami defense that has been pretty awful. Also, it's not as if the Canes enjoy much of a home-field advantage at Dolphins stadium, where I'd anticipate another half-full gate. The onus is on embattled UM defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio (pictured left) to get his unit turned around now. Some Canes fans derisively refer to D'Onofrio as Onofrio -- as in, no D. I might also suggest "D'Oh-no-frio." Not sure there's a miracle cure for this young defense. Nevertheless, UM has the offense (despite last week's implosion vs. Notre Dame) to hang with UNC in a shootout. And I like coach Al Golden having his guys mentally ready for a big bounceback showing. Last week hurt, but an ACC championship game appearance is still very much in play, ever more so with a win here. Upset! My pick was: Miami, 34-28.

Other Collball Week 7 featured state FBS games, in order:

No. 12 FSU 51, Boston College 7: How would Noles rebound from their national-title-hope ruining loss at N.C. State? By taking out all that frustration on poor B.C., I thought. And was right. My pick was: FSU, 45-14.

No. 4 Florida 31, Vanderbilt 17: Vandy was bad but not awful; they played South Carolina to a 17-13 loss. And Gators were coming off that big emotional triumph over LSU. So this was a letdown game. Thought UF wouldn't blow its ranking but expected a close game. My pick was: Florida, 27-19.

Middle Tennessee 34, FIU 30: I understood FIU being a home 'dog. Mid-Tenn was better overall, and what passed for a Panthers defense was allowing an outrageous 37.8 points per game. The Int'l was due something to go right, though, an encouraging game. And the return from injury of QB Jake Medlock would be a huge boost. Alas, FIU feel inches short in the final seconds, continuing a snake-bit season now 1-6. My pick was: FIU, 30-27.

Louisiana-Monroe 35, FAU 14: This was a La-Mo team that opened season with a 34-31 OT loss to then No. 8 Arkansas. They averaged 39.6 points. Pray for the Owls. My pick was: La-Monroe, 41-16.

My record: This week, 3-2. Season, 25-8.

Other state FBS games: UCF def. Southern Miss, 38-31. South Florida had a bye.

National Game of the Week: No. 9 LSU def. No. 3 South Carolina, 23-21. Steve Spurrier's 'Cocks needed a big road to feather chances of sneaking up into the BCS National Championship game, but fell short.

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G6: Notre Dame 41, Hurricanes 3 (Final): Irish level UM with a most humbling defeat; plus Gators beat LSU, Noles lose stunner, FIU & more

[1) It is SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6. Welcome to the weekly Collball post! 2) You can still vote in our World Series poll in blogpost directly below this new one. 3) Visit our video channel at YouTube/TheGregCote and join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Canesfan Satisfaction Meter: Watch for new poll beginning at 11:45 p.m. sharp!: The latest edition of the CSM will appear in a separate blogpost tonight starting right at 11:45 p.m.

G6: NOTRE DAME 41, HURRICANES 3 AT SOLDIER FIELD: Final: Embarrassing. Humbling. Stunning? You don't lose 41-3 wihtout all of that being in play. Miami killed itself with early mistakes and then got buried all over the field by Notre Dame. The Irish defense dominated what had been an explosive Canes attack. And Miami's problematic defense got run over for 379 ground yards. A thorough whipping. ..... Second half: Irish just scored again. I'm getting to tired to keep track. I can't count that high. ... George Atkinson's 55-yard TD run in final minjute of quarter makes it a 34-3 burial. ... Wood's 3-yard TD run makes it 27-3. Mistakes killed Miami in the beginning. Lately it's just Notre Dame overpowering UM's defense. ... Dames up 20-3 as Cierre Wood 2-yard TD follows his 37-yard run. UM needs TD drive now or hopes will start fading to black. ..... Half: Early mistakes have proved very costly for Hurricanes, but credit Notre Dame's defense, too. Miami has only 171 yards in total offense. ..... 2Q: Canes catch a break when Irish miss a 34-yard FG try on half's final play. ... Wieclaw with a particularly ugly 47-yard FG miss with 1:02 left in half. ... now up 13-3 on 32-yard kick. Canes need offense pronto. ... Dames add 22-yard FG for 10-3 lead. ..... 1Q: Canes within 7-3 on Jake Wieclaw 28-yard kick, after holding penalty nullified Stephen Morris 13-yard TD run. First 1Q points given up by ND all season. UM its own worst enemy so far. ... N-Dame up 7-0 on Theo Riddick 1-yard scoring run on drive kept alive by roughing-punter penalty and helped along by a personal foul. ... Roughing the punter penalty gives Notre Dame new life. Canes killing themselves early. ... Phillip Dorsett drops what should have been a 72-yard TD pass and later drops a perfect pass in the end zone, both on first series of game. Nerves? Weather? (44 degrees at kickoff). ..... Original post: Once upon a distant time they called this game "Catholics vs. Convicts." Now they're calling it the "Shamrock Series." What I'm calling it is UM's big chance to prove to the doubters that this team is for real. There are seven Top 25 teams with a loss, and four of them have fewer wins than Miami's four. So why is UM not a ranked team entering this signature game vs. No. 9 Notre Dame at Soldier Field? Because that proof is lacking. It isn't a conspiracy. Isn't an anti-Cane thing. The haters have not infiltrated the polls (that we know of). There are two reasons: 1) That 52-13 spanking at Kansas State lingers. Poll-worthy teams are not supposed to lose like that. 2) Setting aside the easy win over Bethune-Cookman, UM's three wins over like-sized teams all have had a frantic quality to them. Miami trailed Boston College 14-0 and trailed into the mid-third quarter before rallying. The Canes dug a 36-19 hole against Georgia Tech before that improbable comeback. Then they trailed early and got tied late against North Carolina State before winning on a long TD bomb with 19 seconds left. Poll voters have cause to wonder how good UM really is. So now comes the game -- Notre Dame -- to answer all of those doubts. To confirm them or swat them away. An upset victory at Soldier Field and the Canes will blast into the Top 25, perhaps way up close to the middle of it. Because voters won't have any choice. My pick was: Miami, 31-27.

Other Collball Week 6 featured state FBS games, in order:

Arkansas State 34, FIU 20: Disappointing Panthers, preseason Sun Belt favorites, fell to 1-5 with a conference home loss Thursday night. Tough to win with your starting QB and best runner both out injured, but where's that Mario Cristobal magic? My pick was: Arkansas State (no score), as per Herald's Pigskin Challenge.

No. 10 Florida 14, No. 4 LSU 6: Game of the Week to The Swamp. Especially afterward. A rare college defensive battle found Gators rallying behind strong D and workhorse Mike Gillislee leading ball-control offense. I felt like I had been underestimating the Gators all season. Alas, I continued with this prediction. My pick was: LSU, 24-20.

North Carolina State 17, No. 3 FSU 16: Stunna! Noles were thinking BCS national championship and didn't think they'd slip against a Wolfpack defense that just gave up 44 points and about 7,000 passing yards to Miami. A real shocker. My pick was: FSU, 47-23.

My record: This week, 1-3 (ouch). Season, 22-6.

Other state FBS games: UCF def. East Carolina, 40-20, on Thursday; Temple def. South Florida, 37-28, on Saturday. FAU had a bye.

National Game of the Week: What a week! Honors to No. 4 LSU @ No. 10 Florida (see above), but very honorable mentions to 6-South Carolina def. 5-Georgia, 35-7; and 8-West Virginia def. 11-Texas, 48-45. Hope those Longhorn DBs are ready for the Magic Geno.

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G5: Hurricanes 44, N.C. State 37: Morris passes for UM-record 566 yards; Canes headed for Top 25 with Irish next; plus Noles, FIU & more

[1) It is SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29. Welcome to the weekly Collball post! 2) You can still vote in our Heat poll in post directly below this. Click on Chasing A Dynasty for my Heat column as the champs open training camp today. 3) Visit our video channel at YouTube/TheGregCote and join us on Twitter @gregcote]

Canesfan Satisfaction Meter: Watch for new poll at 5 p.m.!: The latest edition of the CSM will appear in a separate blogpost today beginning at 5 p.m. sharp.

G5: HURRICANES 44, NORTH CAROLINA STATE 37: IT'S A STEPHEN MORRIS AIR RAID!: Oh my. What a no-defense, air-raid thriller. Stephen Morris passes for a UM and ACC-record 566 yards and five TDs to lift Miami to a 44-37 home triumph over North Carolina State -- the winning points on a 62-yard scoring strike to Phillip Dorsett with 19 seconds left. If UM isn't headed for a Top 25 ranking now it'll be a shock. When your resume shows 4-1, including 3-0 in a major conference, and your only loss is at Kansas State, you have earned a ranking. What a setup for next week's game vs. Notre Dame at Soldier Field! UM continues to have real problems defensively, but this isn't the time for negatives. Not after Morris has just had an historic day that rewrote the records books. Original post: Emotion is a big part of college football from week to week, and UM spent a lot of it last week in that thrilling 42-36 overtime upset at Georgia Tech. Sustaining emotion isn't always easy, and so I see a danger game and a possible letdown for Miami, a slight favorite over North Carolina State in today's nooner matching ACC squads of equal 3-1 records. I also think there is a look-ahead factor facing Miami, with that huge Notre Dame game on deck. Also a concern: The Hurricanes won't have much home-field advantage if the crowd is the stadium-two-thirds-empty, 25K or so I'd expect. I see coach Al Golden with a challenge on his hands, as much with his own team's mental state as with the opponent. I also think UM's secondary, not a team strength, could have its hands full with a capable Wolfpack QB in Mike Glennon. (Bonus observation: Notice that both characters in the team logos pictured are wearing Popeye-era sailor hats). My pick was: Miami, 28-24.

Other Collball Week 5 featured state FBS games, in order:

North Texas 20, FAU 14: Well, after playing at No. 1 Alabama last week (a surprisingly credible 40-7 loss), the Owls were back against someone their own size as manageable home underdogs. My pick was: North Texas, 24-17.

No. 4 FSU 30, South Florida 17: I saw this as a letdown game for highly ranked Florida State after facing top-10 Clemson last week, vs. a pumped-up USF. Sure enough, game was close early 'til Noles pulled away. My pick was: FSU, 31-20.

Louisiana-Lafayette 48, FIU 20: This would have been a nice road upset for a Panthers in their Sun Belt but QB Jake Medlock's injury-absence and bad defense hurt. A rough 1-4 start for The Int'l. My pick was: La-Lafayette, 34-16.

My record this week, 4-0. Season, 21-3.

Other state FBS games: Missouri def. UCF, 21-16. Florida had a bye.

National Game of the Week: No. 14 Ohio State def. No. 20 Michigan, 17-16.

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G1: Hurricanes 41, Boston College 32: Morris, The Duke, UM offense overcome defensive lapses for big opening win!; plus FIU disappoints; Noles, Gators & more

[1) It is SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1. Having a rough day? It could be worse. You could be the RNC guy who booked Clint Eastwood. 2)  NEWEST VIDEO!: ON UM, FIU FOOTBALL: Visit our video channel at YouTube/TheGregCote to peruse any of our mini-commentaries including our latest one on Hurricanes and FIU football on the eve of their season openers. 3) Click on The Team That Luck Forgot for today's special-section Dolphins column by me, and on Top 32 for my 2012 ranking of NFL teams. 4) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

UPSET BIRD COUNTDOWN: 6 DAYS: The Upset Bird and I kick off our season of Friday NFL prediction pages Sept. 7, and began a 21-day countdown that each day is honoring notable birds. Following Winnie the Pooh's neighbor Owl, today we welome the 1974 Carly Simon/James Taylor song, "Mockingbird."

Canesfan Satisfaction Meter: It's baa-aack!: Our blog's Canesfan Satisfaction Meter is back for a fourth season. A new CSM poll will appear right after every Miami Hurricanes game inviting you to express your overall level of satisfaction with the team and season. Look for the first 2012 poll following Saturday's opener at Boston College. Estimated posttime: 7:30 to 7:45 p.m. 

G1: HURRICANES 41, BOSTON COLLEGE 32: Final: UM 41-32 after Miami takes intentional safety in closing seconds. A wild, ultimately impressive season-opening win by the Canes. The pass defense was close to horrible, but the UM offense -- led by quarterback Stephen Morris and freshman runner Duke Johnson -- was enogh to overcome. 4Q: Miami defensive goalline stand with 2:17 to play denies a QB-sneak score and seals it, the call upheld on review. ..... BC 30-41. Birds draw closer with 17-yard scoring pass with 6:43 to play. ..... UM 41-23. The game is won. Stephen Morris' 18-yard TD pass to Malcolm Lewis assures that. ..... UM 34-23: Defensive fumble recovery sets up short FG. ..... 3Q: UM 31-23. Duuuuuuuuuuke! Duke again. This time a swiveling 56-yard scoring run. Amazing talent. ..... UM 24-23. We got us a thriller up here, folks. The U back up on a 22-yard FG. ..... BC 23-21. Birds regain lead on 30-yard FG. ..... Half: Early read on this UM team and season: Stephen Morris and Duke Johnson are going to make this offense exciting. But 231 first-half passing yards allowed speak ill of the defense. ..... 2Q: 20-21. Eagles add 37-yard FG. ..... UM 21-17. Miami first lead of game (and season) on nice 54-yard run by freshman RB Duuuuuuuuuuke Johnson. ..... BC 17-14. Eagles with a 26-yard chipshot FG. ..... 1Q: UM 14-14. Just like that! Denzel Perryman 41-yard TD return on interception knots the game as quarter expires. ..... UM 7-14. Canes alive! Eduardo Clements 1-yard TD run caps 83-yard drive late in quarter. .....  Stephen Morris intercepted. Nightmare start for Canes. ..... BC 14-0. Jake Sinkovec 15-yard TD pass. UM's defense is making QB Chase Rettig look like Andrew Luck. ... BC 7-0. Lousy start for Canes D. Allowed a 36-yard pass on opening series and didn't seem set/ready on Andre Williams' 4-yard scoring run. ..... Original post: Miami is very young and a scant favorite (2 points) in a near-pick 'em game, which is sort of sad because Boston College is struggling enough that its coach might be on the ACC's hottest seat entering the season. The betting line verifies that not much is expected of the Canes this season as Al Golden 2.0 commences and the stewardship of junior QB Stephen Morris (pictured) begins. I think the Canes are being underestimated, perhaps because of the still-hovering NCAA issues. I also think Golden is the right man for this job; click on Digging In for my special-section column on Golden and his commitment to UM. I see Miami improving upon last year's 6-6 but might have to revisit that claim with a loss here. Canes, if you don't beat BC, even in Chestnut Hill, you could be in for a long season, especially with the Eagles' defense sorely depleted by the departure of tackler-savant Luke Kuechly. A challenging, stage-setting game right out the gate, but the Canes' superior speed decides it. Pick: Miami, 27-16.

DUKE 46, FIU PANTHERS 26: The Devil Azur won at FIU last season so you know Mario Cristobal's troops were out to return the favor. And with Duke injury-depleted, they had a chance. Not enough defense, though, especially in that nightmarish 30-point second quarter. The good news: Jake Medlock looks like the real deal at QB. My pick was: Duke, 28-27.

FAU 7, WAGNER 3: Pretty unimpressive debut for new coach Carl Pelini last night as the ghost of retired Howard Schnellenberger haunted the stadium. Not sure who Wagner is or where he's from -- actually it's a very small 1-AA school from Staten Island -- but this would've been a new low if Owls didn't win this one. My pick was: FAU, 30-13.

NO. 23 FLORIDA 27, BOWLING GREEN 14: The Swamp got a soft opening and should have rolled close to a perfect game against Bowling Green. (Sorry). Gators can't seem to pick a starting QB but thought they'd hardly need one here. Instead, it was a result that won't impress the pollsters in the least. My pick was: Florida, 41-10.

NO. 7 FLORIDA STATE 69, MURRAY STATE 3: Speaking of soft openings, thought the top-10 Noles wold name their score, and they did. My pick was: FSU, 58-6.

Week's other state FBS games: Central Florida d. Akron 56-14 on Thursday; South Florida d. Chattanooga 34-13 on Saturday.

National game of week: No. 2 Alabama d. No. 8 Michigan 41-14.

SOPY Rankings: New college football blog gimmick!: The past few years we've had our own Cote's Top 30 or whatever we called it. Tired of it. Done. Our new gimmick: The weekly, cumulative State Offensive Player of the Year (SOPY) Rankings, a continually updated top-10 of the most productive quarterbacks, runners and receivers from our state's seven FBS teams. I suppose FSU QB E.J. Manuel might be the favorite going in but you never know 'til you know. We'll debut the rankings and explain our formula following the Week 1 games. Watch for it.

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