The Wiz of Odds

Another Trip to the Original Pizza Bowl

How was your weekend? Wiz correspondent Greg Laughlin made the most of his, taking in two bowl games in two days. After a stop in Tampa (see post below), Greg made it to Birmingham for the Papajohns.com Bowl. Accept no imitations. Birmingham is home of the original Pizza Bowl. Forget this Little Caesars stuff in Detroit.

Greg can now make the rarest of claims: He has attended all four Pizza Bowls in Birmingham and — this is the clincher — the first Little Caesars Bowl in Detroit. If anybody else has pulled this off, please step forward.

For the most part, the Birmingham game has been a giant headache. The first game in 2006 didn't have pizza. Not good when the title sponsor can't sell its goods.

ESPN, which operates the game, attempted to deceive viewers into thinking the crowd was bigger than it actually was by having the majority of fans sit on one side of the stadium — the side that faced the cameras.

Game of the Weak

Mike Hlas is an award-winning columnist with the Cedar Rapids Gazette and force behind The Hlog. Each week, he will break down the worst matchup in college football. Considering the increasing number of uncompetitive and uninteresting games, Mike's task is harder than digging out from the rubble at Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame and USC.

Maybe if Charlie Weis had still been the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator, he could have talked Bill Belichick out of going for a first-down Sunday night at Indianapolis on a fourth-and-two at the New England 30 late in the game with the Pats ahead, 34-28.

New England lost after that mystifying decision by Belichick that didn’t work. Weis knew what to do with Tom Brady and when to do it. If you’re hiring after the season, Coach Belichick, perhaps you’d consider Coach Weis to run your offense once more. He did pretty well with you before.

Crewcut Charlie looks like he’ll be unemployed before long. His fifth season at Notre Dame is ending badly. The Irish are 6-4, not what they or their vocal followers had in mind when this season began.

Most of the Irish faithful gave up the ship two weeks ago when Notre Dame lost at home to Navy. After not having lost to Navy since Theodore Roosevelt was president — or so it seemed — that marked two straight home defeats to the Midshipmen.

That was followed by a 27-22 defeat at Pittsburgh, the Irish’s second-straight loss to Dave Wannstedt’s Panthers. Notre Dame is no longer as good as Eastern programs it once dominated. The die is cast. It’s over for Weis in South Bend.

Bearcats Claw Out Another Victory

Brian Kelly and Cincinnati are living large. The Bearcats remained undefeated and in the running for a berth in the Bowl Championship Series title game with a 47-45 victory over Connecticut. Our man Greg Laughlin was on the scene and yes, it appears they serve beer inside Nippert Stadium!

To view Greg's gallery, click here.

Big East Crew's Error Nearly Cost Some Bettors

Big East Conference officials working last Saturday's Louisville-Connecticut game wrongly allowed the Cardinals to attempt an extra point with no time left on the clock, a move that nearly proved costly to bettors in Las Vegas who were backing the Huskies.

Connecticut was 12.5-point favorite at kickoff and covering the spread after Jordan Todman scored on a two-yard run with 3:13 remaining, giving the Huskies a 38-19 lead.

Louisville had one last push, marching down the field and scoring on a four-yard pass from Adam Froman to Blayne Donnell as time ran off the clock, cutting Connecticut's lead to 13 points at 38-25.

The officiating crew then wrongly allowed Ryan Payne to attempt the conversion with no time remaining. Much to the relief of Connecticut supporters, Payne missed the extra point, keeping the Huskies a pointspread winner.

Payne should not have been given the opportunity to kick under rule 8-3-2a:

Connecticut Player Dies After Being Stabbed on Campus

Jasper Howard, a starting cornerback on Connecticut's team, was stabbed early Sunday morning near the student union on campus and died a short time later at an area hospital.

The stabbing occurred outside the union after a school-sponsored dance. A second person was also stabbed and hospitalized. They were released after being treated.

There have been no arrests, and the assailant is believed to be at large.

Howard, left, a 5-foot-9, 174-pound junior from Miami Edison High, was coming off one of the best games of his career on Saturday against Louisville. He had 11 tackles and forced a fumble that he recovered, which led to a field goal in Connecticut's 34-25 victory.

Huskies coach Randy Edsall, is pictured above with senior captain Desi Cullen during a news conference on campus.

A Friday Night at the Ville

There was only one place to be Friday night in the college football world. That place was Louisville, where the Cardinals took on the dreaded Huskies of Connecticut. Our man Greg took in the festivities.

They don't like the Huskies much in these parts. We suspect it has to do with basketball as much as football.

A great way to spend a Friday evening with the kids.

Louisville fans were determined to make like difficult for Connecticut, with sales of red body paint reaching an all-time high. But it didn't work. The Huskies remained undefeated with a 26-21 record.

As for the party scene, it was happening. ...

Check out these goggles.

Even Yodi was in the partying mood.

These two young women were very popular among the tailgaters.

We suspect it had nothing to do with the beer bongs.

A look at some of the action from the field.

Pap John's Cardinal Stadium under the lights.