Rutgers Rolls North Carolina in Quick Lane Bowl

((ht: espn.com))

Sigh...anyone can sponsor a bowl game can't they? Maybe it's just because we're based in the south, but we've never heard of Quick Lane...

Anyway...

Rutgers jumped out to a 23-0 1st half lead, were up 40-7 in the 4th quarter, then cruised to a 40-21 win Friday in the Quick Lane Bowl in front of hundreds of fans at Ford Field in Detroit.

Josh Hicks ran for 202 yards and a TD, teammate Robert Martin ran for 100 yards and 2 TD's to lead the Scarlet Knights who ran for 340 yards against a very mediocre Tar Heels team.

Rutgers finishes the season at 8-5, North Carolina fell to 6-7.

Your highlights from ESPN.com:

Is This The Worst Trick Play Execution Of The Year...???

((HT: James Poling's Vine))

Well, it was Syracuse...


So, it was supposed to be a double-reverse, flea-flicker pass.

Didn't work at all...

OSG CFB: Can You Say "Blacksburg Letdown?"

((HT: ACCDN))

It was one of those thoughts in the back of your mind...

Admit it...

After Virginia Tech had one of THOSE wins last week in Columbus taking advantage of a freshman quarterback thrown into the fire, today's game against a very bracket-bustery East Carolina squad had all the looks of a slip.

Sure enough...

They would have had to come back from the largest margin in Frank Beamer's history for a win against the Pirates.

Didn't happen...

Here's the good stuff for East Carolina to hang on their mantle for a quality win


“As good as we were last week playing the deep ball, we were equally as bad this week,” Virginia Tech DC Bud Foster said after the game. “We had a good plan, we just couldn’t make a play on a deep ball all day. They had a freakish play on their first drive that got things going and then they made a couple big plays, but from that point until their last drive, we played our tail off.”

Next week, Virginia Tech will host Georgia Tech in their ACC opener- the Wreck survived their game against Georgia Southern (much to Brother Phil's dismay) 42-38 in Atlanta Saturday afternoon.

OSG CFB: Wahoos Get 1st Win Vs. Ranked Team Since 2011

((HT: ACCDN))

It took a while, but Virginia beat the Fighting Petrinos for their first win against a ranked team in three seasons.

The biggest points for Mike London and his job came with a little under four minutes left in regulation from the foot of Ian Frye


The conference first for Virginia against a ranked team since the 14-13 win in Tallahassee November 19th, 2011, and was their first in their last 11 games against ACC competition.

Virginia and Louisville are both now 2-1 on the season with the Cavaliers 1-0 and the Cards 0-1...

The Power 5 Are Off And Running

((HT: ESPN))

The top five college athletics conferences are one step closer to having their own autonomous behavior when it comes to what it would take to run their athletic programs.

By a near-unanimous vote, the Board of Directors has approved the idea to allow themselves to decide on how much money they want to give above and beyond their scholarship dollars as "cost-of-attendance stipends," as well as increased insurance benefits for players, staff sizes for sports on campus, loosening recruiting rules and determining just how much hours can be spent on individual sports- considered practice time- which they're looking to expand and monitor internally.

Here's Joe Schad discussing with David Lloyd


The "no" vote would have to carry more than 75 schools, but the schools in the Power 5 could vote to secede from the NCAA on their own if a vote like that was to pass.

So, the haves will have more control over themselves and the have nots will be left to fight for themselves.

Again...

The ACC Has A New Logo (You're Just Not Suppose To Know)

Well this didn't work out well.

The ACC was going to reveal their new branding after Memorial day only the conference's new brand identity was leaked.

Here's the new logo:

You just not suppose to know yet.

The ACC has a brand new logo (but don't tell anyone) pic.twitter.com/zcXRT0nKMc
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) May 13, 2014

Other comments on twitter:

The fact the new ACC logo didn't have Pac-Man as the last "C" eating the Big East logo is really disappointing.
— Brian Barbour (@tarheelblog) May 13, 2014

I like that the new ACC logo looks like a regional budget airline, because how else does one get to Greensboro
— Steven Godfrey (@38Godfrey) May 13, 2014

Someone even tweeted it looks like a iron.  Another tweeted the conferences new logo has a Notre Dame color scheme.

Here at the OSG HQ we aren't logo critics but it is what it is.  A brand ID.

Gators And Seminoles Brawl, Jameis Winston Gets Involved

It's a fact of life in Florida, Gators and Seminoles don't get along.

Tuesday night in Jacksonville the top ranked Florida State Seminoles faced Florida in a college baseball game and the fireworks went off in the eighth inning.

FSU's D.J. Stewart collided with UF left-handed pitcher Danny Young hustling down the line.  Gator first baseman Zack Powers took exception shoving Stewart.

Then it was on.




What makes this more interesting is that Heisman Trophy winner and FSU closer Jameis Winston was involved in the brawl.

Florida ended up winning the game 4-1.

Florida State head coach Mike Martin who is known to deliver some great quotes had some good ones summing up this game for the Florida Times-Union.

There's no doubt that the testosterone and the adrenaline kicked in." Martin said. "Those men are very strong and very active.  The hands got a little quicker. The motivation rose. Just very proud of our baseball team, and the way that we fought. We certainly didn't back down from anything, and that makes every Seminole proud, because that's what we're about." 

Perfection In Miami: Javi Salas Throws A Perfect Game For The "U"

Miami's Javi Salas Throws Perfect Game

Tuesday night at Mark Light Field on the campus of the University of Miami senior pitcher Javi Salas faced 27 Villanova batters and retired all 27 and he only threw 113 pitches.

By the way Salas had plenty of run support as the Hurricanes beat the Wildcats 17-0 but Salas couldn't be touched.

Thanks Canes All Access:

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"I don't even know what to think." Salas said.  "In that last inning, I was trying to keep my adrenaline down. The fans were getting up, and I couldn't believe it. It's a dream come true."

"He's our captain, one of our hardest workers and a leader by example." Miami head coach Jim Morris said.

Salas was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 2013 MLB draft but turned down their offer to stay at the "U"

Salas' perfect game is only the 22nd pitched in modern NCAA Division I baseball history.

BUZZER BEATER: UNC Beats NC State Again

((HT: ACCDN))

Wasn't it just a little bit ago that we were all throwing dirt on North Carolina and head coach Roy Williams...???

Now, after last night, they've won ten in a row and are causing some serious trouble in the ACC...

Last night, Marcus Paige was responsible for the 16th win in the last 17 efforts against the Wolfpack


We'll leave the Roy Williams silent sit-in to Brother Wilkie...

BUZZER BEATER: MGH For Three And The Win

((HT: ACCDN))

The meteorological shenanigans here in the southeast pushed the Georgia tech-Boston College game back a day- almost...

A 5:00 tip the next day gave BC the chance, at least, to get home a little sooner than otherwise because of all the re-freezing that turned streets into sheets of ice overnight...

And for Georgia Tech, it has been a long few years... struggling in the bottom half of the ACC in hoops...

But the shot by Marcus Georges-Hunt made the folks on the Flats feel a little better as the Jackets got the win...
And every win these days is huge...

GT's Marcus Georges-Hunt Sinks Huge 3-Pointer... by ACCDigitalNetwork

Good to hear Wes Durham's voice, too...

Tyler Ennis Saves Syracuse At The Buzzer. Jim Boeheim Had No Doubt The Shot Was In

((HT: ESPN/ACCDN))

A lot of people thought that, if Syracuse was going to lose a game in the near future, it was going to be this game in Pittsburgh against the Panthers...

But someone forgot to tell Tyler Ennis


They beat Pitt 58-56 and Ennis finished with 13 and Syracuse stays unbeaten.

Luck may have had been in the cards when Ennis put up the jumper but Jim Boeheim's interpretation his freshman guard captured the moment.

"You have to do it." Boeheim said.  "You have to make the play. The ball goes in. That’s not luck. He took the shot and he made the shot. He didn’t throw it from half-court or three-quarters court. That’s not lucky. He dribbled it up, he had a purpose, he got up in the air and he took a good shot, and it went in. It happens sometimes, but he was poised to do it."

Boeheim had no doubt Ennis' shot was good with the ball left his hand.

"When he shot it, I saw his release, and when I saw the ball, I thought it was going in."  Boeheim said. "Honestly, I said, 'That’s going in.' It could’ve rimmed out very easily, but when he shot it I thought, 'Yeah, that’s going to go in.”

The Orange is now 24-0 and looking like a special team come March

Prelude To Duke-UNC: Manager Fight At Dean Dome

((HT: cshulme/Lost Lettermen))

Tuesday at the Dean Dome, the student managers for UNC and Duke played in advance of the actual ACC game tonight...

But not without a little controversy...

This is what happens when elbows swing east-west
Here's the scrum off the rebound...


Ah... rivalry...

The End is Near: Power Schools Likely To Break Away

((ht: yahoosports.com))

The end is near. The BCS may be dead, but it's future will be frighteningly similar.

Why? Because what we told you was going to happen in July is about to come to fruition. The NCAA, at it's annual meetings this week has all but decreed the Big 5 Conferences (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12 and SEC) are about to break off into their own division.

And no, we don't know what they are going to call it....yet.

The NCAA's annual convention has been taking place all week in San Diego. And rough polling by Yahoo Sports indicate that when NCAA president Mark Emmert, presents a proposal to the full group to approve the move, it will pass.

Read an explanation from Yahoo Sports writer Pat Forde RIGHT HERE

We first told you this might happen back in July. Read that story RIGHT HERE

What does this mean to you?

A lot.

First off, it eliminates the chance anyone outside of these conferences ever playing for College Football's national title on the highest level. Although realistically, there was little chance anyone from the MAC, AAC or other smaller D-1 (FCS) schools were ever going to do that.

Second, part of the proposal will essentially allow the power schools to break from NCAA regulations and pay players, something the smaller schools without TV money can't afford to do, but the big guys can.

If you thought the end of the BCS and beginning of the playoff system was going to change the College Football landscape, you ain't seen nothin' yet.This is a doozy.

Because it has yet to be put in place, there are multiple ways it can play out, but here's what we think will happen. The "Power Schools" will get their own division. They'll play, for the most part each other, with the Top 4 teams going to the playoff. The other schools, will filter down through the bowl system.

The "Others", well, they'll have their own division, we're guessing something similar to the FBS or old 1-AA. However, we don't necessarily know if they'll do a playoff like the FBS does. The FBS has been hemorraging schools over the past decade and we wonder if the remaining schools will filter down to Division II.

That may not happen, but folks, we're telling you now, this is a game changer. It's most definitely a case of the "Rich Getting Richer" and unless you are a fan of a "Power Conference" school, you are shit out of luck. Everyone else will be regulated to the Regional Sports Networks of the world. (Hope you have them). The Big Boys will be your games on the major networks, unless you happen to be chosen to be a sacrificial lamb for a big school looking for an easy win.

We are following this issue closely, and will keep you updated on how it progresses.

Maryland Files $157M CounterClaim Vs. ACC

((HT: Baltimore Sun/Barker))

The suing and countersuing between the ACC and the University of Maryland over the school's exit to the Big Ten Conference has now come from Maryland- as they are now asking for $157-million in damages the school is saying it should get because the ACC has tried to recruit Big Ten schools as Maryland was leaving...

The counterclaim also asks the North Carolina court to have the conference pay Maryland $16 million that the school says has been improperly withheld since Maryland said they were jumping...

The conference is still looking for its $52-million plus exit fee- in full... from a school that left the ACC because it was running at a deficit and had to eliminate sports in an attempt to try and get closer to a break-even budget...

And got their money grab by joining the Big Ten and getting to be a part of the money distribution of the Big Ten Network- something the ACC has talked about, but won't have any time soon...

And the school is blaming, partly, the four-letter...
From Barker:

Maryland’s counterclaim says the ACC’s desire to expand is driven “in large part on counsel and direction that the conference received from ESPN.”

“Whether that guidance was given formally or informally,” the document alleges, ESPN has “incentivized the ACC to compete more aggressively in the market for conference affiliation/membership.”

Here's the presser that caused all this consternation back around Thanksgiving 2012...
((HT: UMDNews))

The 'Cuse Conquers Texas Bowl Defeating Minnesota 21-17

The Orange may have beaten the Gophers in the Texas Bowl but head coach Scott Shafer would have like to not have to stress over the outcome the entire game.

"I just couldn’t be happier with the results today, would have been nice if we could have just knocked them out and won by 17 or something, but that’s kind of not our way this year."  Shafer said.

Syracuse had a 14-3 lead in the third quarter before Minnesota rallied for two touchdowns to take a 17-14 lead.

This Mitch Leidner 55 yard touchdown pass to Drew Wolitarsky in the fourth quarter put Minnesota up 17-14.



The Orange have had to rally late in games to get a win.  Syracuse wouldn't have been deep in the heart of Texas Friday for the Texas Bowl if it wasn't for a last minute win over Boston College in the season finale to earn the sixth win.

Why not follow that script in the Texas Bowl.  

Syracuse quarterback Terrel Hunt sealed Texas Bowl MVP honors with a 12 yard touchdown run with 1:14 left to win it for the Orange.



Hunt completed 19 out of 29 passes for 188 yards and rushed for 74 yards and tow touchdowns.

"This young man at my left (QB Terrell Hunt) is really representative of what we are as a program, young man from New York (and) stayed in New York to come and play at Syracuse." Shafer saidl  (He) isn’t’ the prettiest guy in the world on the field yet, but he’s getting prettier by the minute."

Hunt may not be super model status yet but Shafer doesn't need beer goggles anymore.

ICYMI: Florida State is BCS Title Bound After Pounding Duke

So, all the talk about Florida State doing what the ACC normally does, which is gag in the spotlight…well, that never happened.

The #1 ranked Seminoles took care of business Saturday night, winning the ACC Championship in Charlotte, NC over a game Duke squad, 45-7.

And was never that close.

Famous Jameis Winston threw 3 TD passes, 2 of them to Kelvin Benjamin, and Florida State's defense shutout the Blue Devils until the end of the game  when they gave up a late touchdown.

The win, seals FSU's berth in the BCS title game on January 6th, likely vs. Auburn. And it gives the so-called college football experts, a month to argue about who is better…

((note--It also sets up what should be an interesting month for Brother Jon, who went to FSU and his better half Patty who went to Auburn. Have fun with this one kids))

Your highlights from ESPN:

DEVELOPING: Grobe Stepping Down at Wake

((HT: WGHP))

Greensboro TV station WGHP and the Winston-Salem Journal are reporting that Jim Grobe is stepping down after 13 seasons at Wake Forest...you can watch the press conference live HERE.

OSG sources are saying the resignation is to save face and not get fired...

Grobe ended his 13th season at Wake with a 23-21 loss at Vanderbilt. The Deacons wrapped 2013 4-8 for their fifth-straight losing season.

Grobe still remains tied with Peahead Walker for the most victories at Wake Forest by a football coach with 77.

The glory time for Wake Forest football was back in 2006 when Grobe coached Wake Forest to its first ACC title since 1970 and second ever title.

The Deacons beat Georgia Tech 9-6 in a less-than-enthralling conference championship in Jacksonville in front of a television audience of a little more than friends and family...
((HT: ESPN on ABC/ACC))


They went on to lose to Louisville 24-13 in the Orange Bowl. Grobe was named national coach of the year by several organizations after that effort...

More when we know more... a presser is scheduled for 4:15 on campus...

J-DUB UPDATE: 3:45pm - Jim Grobe just told his players that he is officially stepping down. Demon Deacon star receiver Michael Campanaro just tweeted, "WOW. Coach Grobe steppin down! :("

WOW. Coach Grobe Steppin Down!! 😔
— Michael Campanaro (@MikeCamp_3) December 2, 2013

Here's how it was covered early on in Greensboro...
((HT: MyFox8))

ACC Lawsuit Vs. Maryland Goes On...

And the Atlantic Coast Conference can thank a North Carolina appeals court...

Maryland left the ACC for the greener (and we mean that in the literal sense) pastures of the Big 10 and their own network contracts, so the ACC sued for their $52-million exit fee...

A Court of Appeals panel rejected Maryland's bid to dismiss the lawsuit. The 3-0 decision means Maryland has no automatic right to a state Supreme Court appeal.

Maryland countersued the ACC back at the first of the year saying the penalty was "illegal."The university responded by suing the ACC in Maryland in January, calling the amount an illegal penalty.

Maryland is supposed to leave at the end of the fiscal year...

Here's B1G Commissioner Jim Delany discussing the move when it went down...
((HT: BTN))


The Big Ten reportedly paid its members $24.6-million in shared television and media rights revenues in 2012.

Where does the $50-million fee come from...???

After the ACC added Notre Dame as a member in all sports but football and hockey in September 2012, the league voted to raise the exit fee to $50 million. Maryland was one of two schools that voted against the increased exit fee.

Of course, they were... since they're operating at a deficit and had to eliminate sports to get on a budgetary track...

Bama Handles LSU and FSU Over Wake in Cakewalk: BCS Takes Shape

It's never easy to figure out who will be the last two teams standing under the current BCS system.

Thankfully, that system goes away soon.

In the meantime, the struggle to define and recognize the actual two best teams continues. And this year, it seems to be taking shape.

Alabama continued their run of staking a claim in the BCS title hunt by easily dispatching LSU Saturday night 38-17.

Sure, the game was close in the 1st half, but the Tide outscored the Tigers 21-3 in the 2nd half to close things out. 3 A.J McCarron TD passes, combined with T.J Yeldon's 133 rushing yards and 2 TD's, were more than enough to overpower LSU.

The win leaves Alabama with a 9-0 (6-0 SEC) record, and assured them of holding the #1 ranking in the BCS poll due out Sunday night.

It also leaves the Tide in sight of yet another BCS title. As of this week, their likely opponent…FSU. The only challenge left on the schedule? The Iron Bowl game at Auburn.

Your Saturday night Bama/LSU highlights (Courtesy: CBS Sports)



As for the aforementioned Florida State. Well, they just keep beating the crap out of inferior ACC teams.

This weeks victim: Wake Forest. FSU jumped out to a 42-0 1st half lead and well, they never looked back, winning the game 59-3.

The game 6 interceptions by the Seminole defense and a fumble return for a touchdown. No, Jameis Winston didn't have a crazy good game….but he didn't need to.

The 'Noles have it easy from here. Two more ACC games and the grand finale against a really bad Florida Gator team.

Your Wake/FSU highlights: (Courtesy ESPN)

Hokies Blow Out Canes, Send ACCCG Into Hysterics

((HT: ACCDN))

For those of you who have watched Virginia Tech this year, Logan Thomas has been Logan Thomas... tremendous ability splattered on the canvas of inconsistency...

Tonight, the Hokies got Good Logan and blew out Miami 42-24...

The Hokies defense held the Canes running game to 28 yards on 24 carries, and the Canes proved just how much Duke Johnson is missed in the 18-point loss... to send the Coastal Division into full-blown hysterics...

There are four teams with two losses at present...

One weird play that made the grade for Thomas and the Hokies was where he found Willie Byrn on a pitch and catch.
Byrn goes 45 yards, but Ladarius Gunter rips the ball out.
Demitri Knowles jumps on the loose ball and gets the touchdown...

Here's the wacky play of the day...


In the Coastal, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Duke, and Miami all now have two losses and have to win out and hope tie-breakers will get them to play (probably) Florida State...

Unless, Dan Sileo has other ideas for bounties...