College Football Conference Realignment: Has Larry Scott become a legend?

OK, now that I've talked some NFL and Detroit Lions football, let's double back and talk some college football for a minute and in particular, college football conference realignment.  Note that I'll be talking Food Network from time to time on this blog as I'm a huge food fan as well.

As a Nebraska alumnus and fan, it would be pretty easy for me to say that it's fun sitting in the warm shelter of the Big Ten (or the B1G if you want as some internet nerds have played off the Big 10's new logo).

But the truth is, if Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott pulls off what it sounds like he's about to do in bringing four schools from Texas and Oklahoma to his conference, think about how significant a development in college athletics this would be.

In the world of college athletics, considering where college sports have always been with the limit being 12 team conferences, this would be something which changes the college sports landscape forevermore.  This is college football's version of Armageddon.

Gone forever would be the old, archaic way of 10 to 12 team conferences.  It would be a new day in college athletics, of 16 team superconferences with an even greater possibility of college football playoffs in the future.

Thing is, as someone who watches the Big 10, I think Big 10 commissioner Jim Delany is a shrewd, sly commissioner and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone much better at his job than he is.

But if Larry Scott pulls this off, he becomes a sports legend bottom line.  He'd immediately be in the conversation with the greatest sports visionaries of their time, names such as NBA commissioner David Stern and former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.  If he pulls this off and draws Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech into the fold, the Pac-16 immediately becomes the most dominant conference in college football west of the Mississippi.

And I've already seen some of my fellow Husker fans call Scott a pansie for allowing Texas to head west with their Longhorn Network, call him basically a puppet a la Dan Beebe in the Big 12 and that the Pac conference is in trouble for bringing in the four Texas and Oklahoma schools.  I beg to differ.

I don't doubt that the south schools and in particular Texas have never been privy to being one of the fellas.  They're Texas, they do what they want when they want, that's been their history.  I don't think that's going to happen out West though.

See, one of the differences is that I get the sense Larry Scott knows what he's doing.  I think he thinks he can control the egos that are going to show up in that room for the first meeting.  And oh, will there be a lot of egos in that room.  Texas, Oklahoma, the Californias, etc.  Larry Scott is not a mindless figurehead like Dan Beebe was and is actually visionary and forward thinking.  In his four years on the job as Big 12 commissioner, I don't think Dan Beebe has even formed a visionary, forward thinking thought.  Kevin Weiberg, who came before him, was probably the best commissioner the Big 12 ever had and guess where he now is - the Pac conference.

Also, let's face it, the Pac-10 is and always has been a California and west coast based conference.  I think if any Nebraska fans who stumble upon this blog think that the California based schools won't have a big stick in this conference you are sadly mistaken.  Texas has money and Texas has power wherever they go, there's no denying that and I can respect that - and they have geographical allies coming with them assuming this move goes down.  But the four Californias carry a big stick too.  Though I am a Big 10 fan, I will be interested to see how this conference develops.

Now I just wonder who the Big 10 will go after if all of this does indeed go down.  As someone who followed this closely last year as well, I was hoping Mizzou and Nebraska would go to the Big 10 together assuming Notre Dame is brought into the fold as well.

Welcome to the end of college football's old days, and the death of truly regional conferences.

Why the Detroit Lions will make the NFL Playoffs

You can thank me later for this bit of information, but remember that I said this when it's January.

The Detroit Lions will be in the National Football League playoffs.  It's going to happen.

Yes, I realize that the Kansas City Chiefs are probably the worst team in the National Football League.  Injuries abound for that team and today they lost Jamaal Charles for the season with an ACL injury.

But just think about what the Lions are capable of.  There are explosive players all over the field.  It would be easy to say that my main man Ndamukong Suh is the reason - he's changed the culture there for sure.

Let's talk about some of the other key players though.  For example, let's talk about Matthew Stafford, arguably the key player to my prediction.  If he stays healthy, they are not only a playoff team but can play with anyone in a one game scenario.  This guy's got a rocket arm, throws a fastball and can fit the ball into tight windows.

It also doesn't hurt that he has weapons all over the field.  He's got Jahvid Best at running back, who is a very capable back.  He's got Calvin Johnson, a huge target on the outside.  He's got two very good tight ends, Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler, and a reliable wide receiver in Nate Burleson.

And then there's the defense, and it's not just about Suh.  Certainly, he has created a culture where the Lions are now a feared unit.  But they've also got Kyle Vanden Bosch, a solid pass rusher on the end.  And their secondary kept a talented quarterback, Josh Freeman, in check for the most part and made mincemeat out of poor Matt Cassel and the Chiefs offense.

Don't forget that coach of theirs, Jim Schwartz.  He's embraced a blue collar city with a blue collar mentality of his own and the Lions have become a tough, physical team.

And look at the "contenders" around them: they all have flaws aside from Philadelphia, New Orleans and Green Bay.  Jay Cutler is a soft quarterback and the Bears got exposed against New Orleans, the Lions already beat Tampa Bay on the road, the Redskins quarterback is Rex Grossman, the Cowboys have all sorts of issues, Atlanta is fighting just to stay away from 0-2 and who from the West is any good?

The Lions as a 5 seed in this year's NFC Playoffs?  Yeah I could see that.  And I think it's going to happen.

For Detroit, the future's so bright that....well, they have to wear shades.

LSU vs. Mississippi State - Defense Still Wins Titles

So, last night's college football game was supposed to be a game which pitted two of the best teams the Southeastern Conference had to offer.  Third ranked LSU was taking on borderline-ranked Mississippi State who had gotten a lot better in recent times as Coach Dan Mullen won nine games with them last year.

LSU's defense took all the sizzle out of this fight however, and while Jarret Lee didn't have to do a whole lot, going 21 for 27 for 213 and a touchdown might just be enough with the defense LSU fields.

The LSU defense is the buzz of the college football world today and there are several reasons why:

1. Depth.  The Tigers are deep on the defensive line especially and they play like it.  They're also extremely well conditioned, as they are quick to get players in and out against up-tempo offenses like the offense they faced last night.  Playing eight guys on the defensive line and keeping them fresh is a big advantage for that defense.  Anyone who has watched five minutes of football knows it starts up-front and the Tigers have one of the deepest defensive lines in America - and one of the best conditioned lines in the country as well.

2. Discipline.  For those who were watching the game, note how many times explosive State quarterback Chris Relf had to stay in the pocket to pass.  There's little doubt to anyone who has watched a little bit of Mississippi State football this year that Relf is best when he gets outside the pocket and can make plays with his feet or his arm.  In the pocket, he's much less deadly.  LSU kept its lanes all night long and would not let him break contained.  They also did a great job staying with their assignments on the zone read play. 

3. Motivation.  Andy Staples of SI noted in his column today that LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis said the defensive unit blew a bunch of assignments.  It sounds like the words of a defense that has a deep, burning desire to be the best in the country and it sounds like the words of a unit which knows the heavy lifting is still yet to come.  LSU still has to go to West Virginia next week, must grind through the SEC and still must play at Alabama.  That being said, try asking Mississippi State's offense if LSU's defense missed a bunch of assignments.  It sure didn't look like it from this perspective.

A word to the wise, especially those who follow college football: Defense still wins games.  LSU proved it last night.