The Wiz of Odds

Texas El Paso

The Miners are coming off a 54-24 loss at Houston, but that was likely the toughest game among the first eight. Texas El Paso, which beat Arkansas Pine Bluff in its opener, plays host to rival New Mexico State on Saturday night in the Battle of I-10. Games against Memphis, New Mexico, Rice, Alabama Birmingham and Tulane follow, and the team could be no worse than 6-2 entering its final four games against Marshall, Southern Methodist, Arkansas and Tulsa.

As a run-up to the start of the season, the Wiz will display one poster each day until our supply is exhausted. Then we turn it over to readers, who will vote on the poster of the year. We're in the home stretch, so if you haven't seen your team's poster on the site, now is the time to send it in. Email: jayzuma (at) gmail.com.

Last year, the site displayed 69 posters. This is poster No. 77 for 2010. Thanks to Joe!

Middle Tennessee State

Middle Tennessee State lost its opener to Minnesota, 24-17, ending a seven-game winning streak. The Blue Raiders should start a new one Saturday when they play host to Austin Peay. Quarterback Dwight Dasher remains suspended after accepting a $1,500 loan in violation of NCAA amateurism legislation. The prescribed penalty for such a violation is a 30% reduction in the number of games in a season (equal to three or four games), but coach Rick Stockstill is optimistic that Dasher could be back on the team later this week. Until he returns, sophomore Logan Kilgore is the starter.

As a run-up to the start of the season, the Wiz will display one poster each day until our supply is exhausted.

Then we turn it over to readers, who will vote on the poster of the year. In the meantime, send your team's poster schedule to jayzuma (at) gmail.com.

Last year, the site displayed 69 posters. This is poster No. 70 for 2010. Thanks to Bradley!

Tennessee

News story: Tennessee coach Derek Dooley, who has closed his team's practices and scrimmages to the media, gave preferential access to six "respectful" reporters last week, allowing them to watch a mock game. Reaction: Before everyone gets in a tizzy (probably too late by now), remember that Dooley decided to charge members of the media a $50 coaching clinic fee to watch his team scrimmage on April 10. His latest move should not come as a surprise. Of course, getting anyone to come to the games — reporters included — will be difficult once the world sees what an awful product Tennessee puts on the field this fall. As David Climer of the Tennessean wrote, reporters who attended the April 17 Orange & White spring scrimmage were treated to "1, 2, 3, Punt. The first eight series — four by the White team and four by the Orange — all ended with punts. There were only two touchdowns all day. Maybe the Vols are that good on defense. A more likely explanation, however, is that this team is very limited offensively, with a short-handed, inexperienced offensive line and unproven quarterbacking." Yes, all the more reason to keep this team under wraps.

As a run-up to the start of the season, the Wiz will display one poster each day until our supply is exhausted.

Then we turn it over to readers, who will vote on the poster of the year. In the meantime, send your team's poster schedule to jayzuma (at) gmail.com.

Last year, the site displayed 69 posters. This is poster No. 63 for 2010. Thanks to Doug and Corey!

Nebraska

Who could forget the 2009 Cornhusker poster schedule, which featured former former coaches Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich along with current coach Bo Pelini. Missing was Bill Callahan, who was 27-22 in four seasons before getting fired. Callahan was brought in to change the culture of Nebraska football, which meant teaching the Cornhuskers how to throw the ball. Nebraska lost its second game under Callahan to Southern Mississippi, then was crushed in game five by Texas Tech, 70-10. Cornhusker fans knew at this point a culture change was not what the program needed. Nonetheless, the hardworking and honest Midwesterners gave Callahan four years before sending him out the door. Enter Bo Pelini, who has brought the physical style back to Lincoln. "This Season We Finish" is the Cornhuskers' motto, which presumably means kick the hell out of Texas on Oct. 16.

As a run-up to the start of the season, the Wiz will display one poster each day until our supply is exhausted.

Then we turn it over to readers, who will vote on the poster of the year. In the meantime, send your team's poster schedule to jayzuma (at) gmail.com.

Last year, the site displayed 69 posters. This is poster No. 56 for 2010. Thanks to Paul!

Texas Tech

Not sure how this is going to work out. The popular Mike Leach is gone, with the majority of Red Raider faithful blaming 1) athletic director Gerald Myers, 2) ESPN analyst Craig James, 3) all of the above for pushing the pirate off the plank. Enter Tommy Tuberville, who seems to be an odd fit in Lubbock, especially following the eccentric Leach, who fearlessly sailed into uncharted waters. Who else is crazy enough to go for it on fourth and nine from their own 28 in the first quarter? Certainly not Tuberville. Personalities aside, this won't be an easy transition for not only Texas Tech fans, but the college football world.

As a run-up to the start of the season, the Wiz will display one poster each day until our supply is exhausted.

Then we turn it over to readers, who will vote on the poster of the year. In the meantime, send your team's poster schedule to jayzuma (at) gmail.com.

Last year, the site displayed 69 posters. This is poster No. 49 for 2010. Thanks to Scott! Poster designed by Jared Stanley of Advanced Graphix.

Southern Mississippi

If you want to win a bar bet, here's the question to ask: Southern Mississippi has played in ???? consecutive bowls? (Answer at the end of this paragraph.) Larry Fedora's team scratched out a 7-6 season in 2009, but the finish wasn't to the Golden Eagles' liking as Middle Tennessee State ran over Southern Mississippi, 42-32, in the New Orleans Bowl. Now the Golden Eagles have to replace workhorse running back Damion Fletcher, who rumbled for 1,000-plus yards in four consecutive seasons. The schedule is challenging. Southern Mississippi opens at South Carolina and plays host to Kansas in Week 3. The Golden Eagles close at Central Florida, Houston in Hattiesburg and at Tulsa. Answer: eight.

As a run-up to the start of the season, the Wiz will display one poster each day until our supply is exhausted.

Then we turn it over to readers, who will vote on the poster of the year. In the meantime, send your team's poster schedule to jayzuma (at) gmail.com.

Last year, the site displayed 69 posters. This is poster No. 42 for 2010. Thanks to Kirstin and Joe! Poster designed by Old Hat Creative.