ICYMI: Navy Wins A Dirty Bowl, Ole Miss Wins An Ugly One.

Admittedly, looking at the Twitter-sphere, the Bell Helicopters Armed Service Bowl seems to be one of the dirtiest games played this bowl season- gouging, poking, cheap shots... all that stuff...

Which means it must have been great television...

And the HQ will admit that the idea of having teams like these make it to a game where, hopefully, they get to turn a little profit is a good thing...

Here's how Navy QB Keenan Reynolds became the fourth player in Division I history to rush for 30 or more touchdowns in a season.
((HT: ESPN))


And, then, the Georgia Tech-Ole Miss game in Nashville was just plain weird in the fourth quarter. Vad Lee surprised the entire planet with a 72-yard TD pass to get the Rebels lead trimmed to 23-17, but with all the momentum in the world as the Yellow Jackets stopped Ole Miss' offense...

This happened...
((HT: ACCDN))


The HQ would LOVE to know who called that last play...

Your Normal, Every Day C-USA Buzzer Beater...

((HT: FS1))

This is what happens when you are hidden behind the Kentucky-Miss State game and some baseball game...

Marshall and Middle Tennessee State played it out to the bitter end. Logan Kilgore threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Tavarres Jefferson as time expired to give Middle Tennessee a 51-49 win...

Evidence Below...

Kilgore was 22-40 for 277 yards and 4TD's as the Blue Raiders are now 4-4 (2-2 in Conference USA).

Marshall is now 4-3 (2-1 in C-USA).

Oh... the touchdown pass...

Marine Must Sit A Year Instead Of Play NCAA Football, Really...??? Really...

((HT: dnj.com/Sparks))

See if this makes any sense for you...

And, since, the NCAA is involved... the HQ thinks you already have your answer as you ask yourself...

Steven Rhodes served his country, served it well, and is now back home- which translates into central Tennessee...

Rhodes wants to play football for Middle Tennessee State, but he has been told that he's having to redshirt at the age of 24 because of his participation in a military-only recreational football league in 2012 is the culprit.

The 6-3, 240-pound sergeant is a little miffed to say the least...

From Sparks:

“Man, it was like intramurals for us. There were guys out there anywhere from 18 to 40-something years old,” said Rhodes, chuckling and shaking his head. “The games were spread out. We once went six weeks between games.”

By current NCAA rule, Rhodes would have to sit out this season and forfeit two years of eligibility because his recreational league season spanned two academic years (two games were played in the winter and as many as 10 more games in the summer and fall of 2012).

Last week, MTSU won a partial appeal to the NCAA to recoup those two years of eligibility (giving Rhodes four total seasons of eligibility), but he still must sit out this season. MTSU’s athletic compliance office is now reloading its argument in hopes of also gaining Rhodes’ immediate eligibility due to his unique situation.

Those of you looking in the NCAA rule book can thank 14.2.3.2.1 for the ruling and subsequent appeals by Middle Tennessee State.

Inasmuch as the entire civilized world would like the clause in question to be changed, MTSU (in the interim) is just looking for relief from an antiquated wording of an old idea that has been revised but not updated.

MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill is in Rhodes' corner:

“For a guy to go serve our country, you’d think there would be some compassion and understanding so this guy is not prevented from playing college football. He’s going to be almost 30 years old when his (eligibility) clock runs out. He needs to be allowed to play right now. Hopefully, they let him.”

Listen to Rhodes story hyah...

And here's Rhodes tape that got MTSU's attention
((HT: Steven Rhodes his own self))

BUZZER BEATER: MTSU's Shawn Jones With The Instant Catch-And-Shoot Wins It For Blue Raiders Over FIU

Nothing like a buzzer beater off the inbounds pass and Thursday night in Miami Middle Tennessee State executed that play perfectly.

Bruce Massey, Jr. timed a perfect lob to Shawn Jones who had the perfect instant catch and shoot to beat the buzzer and win it for the Blue Raiders 66-64 over FIU.

(Thanks GoBlueRaidersTV)

"When Coach Davis called the play, I went back in my mind to when we would practice it all the time, I never converted the play...until tonight.” Shawn Jones said.  “That was the first time I converted. I knew when Bruce threw it, I had to make a play for the ball, and it went in."

Shawn got a great pass from Bruce.”MTSU head coach Kermit Davis said.“In those kind of plays you're not going to get a call. You've got to go make a play, and that's what we all understand. He kind of got bumped, and he caught that ball with two hands and made a great play right in front of the rim. It was a great pass and really good execution by our guys."

MTSU was down by 17 at halftime but chipped away at FIUs lead.  A 20-7 Blue Raider run in the final seven minutes of the game proved to be the difference.  That run was capped off by the buzzer beater of Shawn Jones.

The win over FIU was the eighth in a row by MTSU and the Blue Raiders have won 12 of 13.  With an overall record of 19-4, 11-1 in the Sun Belt Conference Middle Tennessee is the favorite to represent the conference at the NCAA Tournament.

A comeback conference win on the road helps too.

Early Contender for Catch of the Day by MTSU's Anthony Amos

Something tells us there are going to be a boatload of College Football highlights over the course of the day, but we couldn't resist sharing this when we found it.

Check out wide receiver Anthony Amos of Middle Tennessee State as he makes an absolutely sick, one-handed catch in the back of the endzone vs. Georgia Tech in one of the days early games.



For what it's worth, at the time of publication here, 1:50pm on Saturday, MTSU and Ga. Tech are tied at 20 at the half.

BREAKING: MTSU Player Guilty Of Murder

A Murfreesboro, Tennessee jury convicted the roommate of MTSU basketball player Tina Stewart of second-degree murder in the March 2011 stabbing in an off-campus apartment.

Jurors deliberating close to two hours before reaching the verdict against Shanterrica Madden. Madden was also convicted of tampering with evidence for trying to hide the knife used in the stabbing. Madden could face anywhere from 15 to 60 years in prison for the conviction. Sentencing is scheduled for July 16th.

Madden acknowledged stabbing Stewart but claimed she did it in self-defense. Prosecutors argued for first-degree murder when they said Madden's action was "premeditated and intentional" after Stewart reported her roommate for smoking marijuana.

Over the weekend, Madden took the stand in her own defense... here's what her testimony looked like, thanks to our friends at WKRN-TV

Here's the Newschannel 5 breaker with Vicki Yates...

More when we know more...