The Wiz of Odds

Reporters Notebooks

National Sports Journalism Center: Colorado is threatening to revoke press passes "to Web sites lacking a print or broadcast component unless they disallow pseudonymous posts or anonymous comments." INDenver Times times has already complied, disabling commenting on stories involving Colorado's team. INDenver Times ends its football stories with this note: "Comments have been turned off on football stories involving CU to meet the university’s requirement for giving media credentials to Web site reporters and photographers."

Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News: Are the wheels coming off at Texas Tech? Coach Mike Leach has banned Twitter accounts after a couple of posts by players last weekend, including one by linebacker Marlon Williams asking why he should wait for his coach, who was late for his own meeting.

Ben Volin, Gator Bytes: CBS analyst Gary Danielson says Urban Meyer was right to have Tim Tebow in Saturday's game against Kentucky with Florida leading, 31-7, late in the third quarter: "For where the game was, there was no need for Tim to be out of the game yet. It was just normal progress. Had he scored on that drive, I would have been critical had he come back in the game at that point. But I thought it was perfectly understandable that he was in the game."

Kyle Veazey, Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen isn't second-guessing himself for calling a pass play only inches from the goal line in Saturday's loss against Louisiana State: "I get paid to coach, not to second guess. My job is to 'first guess.' I want to make sure that we're putting our players in position, the best position, to be successful on the first guess. A lot of other people, they get to second guess, and that's why they're in a position they're in and I'm in the position I'm in."

Mark Tupper, Decatur Herald-Review: There is not a single thing that Illinois is doing well right now. Nothing. It's not a good tackling team, special teams are very weak and it wouldn't take much imagination to see this season fishtail into the ditch.

Cougar Town

They played into Sunday morning in Houston, and when it was over, the hometown Cougars had pulled off a 29-28 victory over Texas Tech, their second stunning win over a team from the Big 12.

How crazy was it? The teams combined for 1,063 yards, 105 pass attempts and 60 first downs.

Case Keenum led Houston on a 16-play, 95-yard drive for the winning score. The two videos with this post show the final 4:26.

LSU's Last Stand

Dan Mullen of Mississippi State is recipient of our coaching blunder of the week award. With his Bulldogs inches from a go-ahead touchdown and conversion, he decided to get fancy by calling a pass play. It didn't work and the Tigers held on for a 30-26 victory.

Week 5

Set your football clock early this week. We have a Wednesday night game featuring Hawaii at Louisiana Tech, with the Bulldogs opening as 2.5-point favorites.

Two games Thursday, leading with Colorado at West Virginia. The Mountaineers are favored by 15. Southern Mississippi travels to Alabama Birmingham in the other game, with no line listed at the time of this post.

On Friday, Pittsburgh (-6) travels to Louisville and Utah State is at Brigham Young (-27).

Games of note Saturday: South Florida (-9) at Syracuse; Florida State (-6) at Boston College; Washington at Notre Dame (-13.5); Louisiana State at Georgia (pick); Oklahoma at Miami (no line posted); UCLA at Stanford (-6.5); Arkansas (-1) vs. Texas A&M at Arlington; Auburn at Tennessee (-3) and USC (-4) at California.

For the latest numbers, go to Docs Sports.

Why Was Tebow Still in the Game?

A look at Florida's Tim Tebow getting knocked out after being hit by Kentucky's Taylor Wyndham during Saturday's game in Lexington. Wyndham's hit sends Tebow crashing into left knee of tackle Marcus Gilbert, and the quarterback suffers a concussion. He was hospitalized overnight and released. Southeastern Conference officials have ruled that the hit was clean.

One always hates to see players get hurt, but with the Gators leading, 31-7, deep in the third quarter, you have to wonder why Tebow was in the game. It's even more curious when you consider Tebow was suffering from flu-like symptoms late in the week and flew to Lexington on a plane separate from the team.

Columnists Corner

Richard Justice, Houston Chronicle: The victory over Texas Tech won't put Houston on the national map. A victory over Oklahoma State had already done that. This one simply will verify that it belongs there.

Ron Higgins, Memphis Commercial Appeal: New Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen learned a simple lesson on Saturday. When it's third down and six inches from the touchdown that could give your team its first victory over a top 10 opponent since 2000, you don't call a jump pass thrown by a 5-11 quarterback who has already had several passes batted down during the game.

Shannon Shelton, Detroit Free Press: Michigan State gives the appearance of a team in some state of disarray, continually tinkering with the starting lineup in an effort to find some combination that works. The quarterback situation, once a source of positive anticipation, looks more and more like a source of confusion. No running back has proven consistent enough to be the main ballcarrier.

Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press: Are you ready for Michigan-Michigan State week? Pardon Sharp while he yawns.

Cam Inman, Oakland Tribune: Looming on the possible horizon for California: a snowball that resembles the 2007 avalanche that sent the Bears from a possible No. 1 ranking to six losses in their final seven regular-season games.