Mike Wilkinson, Detroit News: Bill Martin will continue to add to his fortune after he retires as Michigan athletic director. The university pays Martin's Ann Arbor-based realty company an estimated $5.4 million a year in rent for over a quarter-million square feet of space.
The Lost Lettermen: How many times have you been at a game, seen a familiar name on a player's back and asked yourself, "I wonder if he’s related to so-and-so…"? Chances are, he is. Here's a list of football kin.
Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times: The Heisman pool is so shallow there is absurd talk about USC's Matt Barkley, a first-year freshman who has five touchdowns and three interceptions in five starts, being a contender.
Randy Galloway, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: There are those who still want us to believe that "every Saturday is a playoff Saturday," like Texas vs. Louisiana Monroe. Or Florida vs. Florida International. Or Florida vs. Charleston Southern. Those who defend it, promote it and want us to believe it are idiots.
Ed Gunther, The National Championship Issue: We all know that cupcake games are a huge roadblock on the path to quality competition. But their curse is that they do have their financial upsides for all parties involved and keep smaller programs afloat.
Alan Schwarz, New York Times: Brain damage commonly associated with boxers and recently found in deceased NFL players has been identified in a former college athlete who never played professionally, representing new evidence about the possible safety risks of college and perhaps high school football.
Scott M. Johnson, Everett Herald: Washington defensive coordinator Nick Holt talks for the first time about the disastrous ending at Arizona State and takes the blame. "I wish I had the play over again," he said. Video of Sun Devils' winning play.
Gentry Estes, Mobile Press-Register: The back-and-forth continued between Steve Spurrier and Nick Saban, with Spurrier taking the latest shot. SEC commish Mike Slive says there will be no penalties in "Tape-gate."
Mike Fish, ESPN.com: Marc Curles, the SEC referee who makes his living as a Birmingham-based financial planner, is taking blame for one of the blown calls in the Arkansas-Florida game.
Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: If the Florida Gators win the national title this year, the championship should come with an asterisk: *Referee-aided.
Jon Gold, Los Angeles Daily News: UCLA could be in danger of losing defensive tackle recruit Willie Mobley, who is spending the semester at Orange Coast Community College after transferring from Ohio State.
Ben Malcolmson, USC Rips It: More officiating blunders. Dave Cutaia, the Pac-10's coordinator of officiating, has determined that a trick play Notre Dame used to score a touchdown against USC was illegal.
Mike Kern, Philadelphia Daily News: The team with the best chance of finishing undefeated is Boise State, but that doesn't mean the Broncos would be assured of a berth in a BCS game.
Scott Taylor, Deseret News: Has success gone to Lee Corso's head? The ESPN analyst, known for his zany, over-the-top predictions as part of the "GameDay" show, details the origin of his headgear antics.
Dick Harmon, Deseret News: Texas Christian is the team the rest of the Mountain West looks up to. Its athletic budget has more than doubled in five years from $21.1 million to $43.4 million, which is significantly more money than is spent by any other league school, including Brigham Young and Utah. It also has a rich recruiting base in its backyard. Of its 22 recruits in 2009, only one was from out-of-state.
Jan Hubbard, Fort Worth Star-Telegram: TCU could finish undefeated, but under the BCS system, the Horned Frogs will never get a chance to play for the national championship.
Aaron Shill, Mormon Times: Mel Hamilton was one of 14 Wyoming players thrown off the team in 1969 for deciding to wear black armbands in a game against BYU to protest The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Today, his oldest son is a member of the LDS Church.
Ron Higgins, Memphis Commercial Appeal: With its new selection order, the SEC shows disrespect to the Liberty Bowl.
Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune: The Gospel according to San Diego State's Brady Hoke is not a bad read.
Bob Wojnowski, Detroit News: Undefeated Iowa and 6-1 Penn State are nothing special.
Sports By Brooks: The son of TBS broadcaster Craig Sager is a member of the Georgia Bulldogs.
Jack Bechta, National Football Post: Should Sam Bradford stay at Oklahoma for another year, or is now the time to leave for the NFL?
Jay Drew, Salt Lake Tribune: The Independence Bowl has reached agreement with the Mountain West and Atlantic Coast conferences to send teams to the game beginning in 2010.
Spokesman-Review: Idaho safety Shiloh Key, the team's leading tackler, was cited for misdemeanor battery after an altercation Saturday night following the Vandals’ win over Hawaii.
Donnie Webb, Syracuse Post-Standard: Former Pittsburgh and Stanford coach Walt Harris is now the passing game coordinator at Akron.
Andy Biter, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer: Auburn cornerback Harry Adams has been dismissed from the team.
Awful Announcing: Your week eight announcing schedule.
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