College Recap: Week 12 - College Football News, Tips And Picks

College Recap: Week 12
By Tom Hanson
Posted: 3:00 am PDT 2006-11-20

Yes, Michigan deserves another shot at Ohio State.

The Wolverines showed in the second half of Saturday's game that they're the second-best team in the country.

OK, Ohio State proved it's No. 1. But remember that the Buckeyes were the home team -- and every bettor at WagerWeb.com knows that's worth at least three points.

Hmmm, three points and a 42-39 final (exactly the difference I predicted). So, in essence, the much-anticipated matchup is a tie and should be resumed Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz. For the record, I'm not a big fan of rematches.

In the spirit of Ali-Frazier, these two heavyweights showed they can take a punch and throw one, too.

"If this was boxing, they'd definitely get a rematch," Ohio State DB Brandon Mitchell told the Associated Press.

Michigan could have easily stayed down for the count after watching Troy Smith chisel his name in the Heisman Trophy placard at the end of the first half. Smith, the senior QB, led the Buckeyes down the field in the final two minutes to regain 14-point cushion at 28-14.

But the Wolverines made the needed adjustments that would have made Bo Schembechler proud. They caused turnovers, havoc and eventually praise from Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel

"There can't be many teams in the nation better than Michigan, but I'm not going to get into it," Tressel said. "My opinion doesn't have a vote. The guy from the BCS is here. He has all the votes, I don't have them."

Ohio State would probably rather face Florida, Arkansas or better yet a soft USC team. Yes, I said soft. Who would have guessed that the Big Ten clash tallied 81 points and the Pac-10 matchup between USC and California mustered only 32 points.

Michigan running back Mike Hart understands if the Buckeyes prefer not to face the Wolverines again. "Do I think there should be a rematch? Probably." Hart said "I think we're both the top teams in the country, regardless of what anybody says. On a neutral site, it would be a big game. If I won, I'd probably be like, no, I don't want a rematch. Anytime you lose, you want a rematch against that team."

Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr said regardless who is picked to play Ohio State on Jan. 8 it will be considered controversial.

"I think it will be very interesting to see what transpires in the polls as we go forward here," Carr said. "But I don't care to speculate. I think, you know, it will be what it will be. And I know that it will be probably very controversial either way. So that's what we like."

If the BCS is looking for a game full of drama, nothing could top an Ohio State/Michigan rematch.

EARLY ODDS: Ohio State was a 7-point favorite on Saturday. In a rematch, my early line would be Ohio State as only a 2-point favorite. Against anyone else but Michigan, the Buckeyes would be at least a touchdown favorite.

I've always contended that the oddsmakers should make out the bowl schedule because they would make 16 pick 'em games.

STRIKE A POSE: Troy Smith did everything but display a classic stiff-arm pose. He threw for a season-high 316 yards and four TDs against what was considered a vaunted Michigan defense.

Smith became the first Ohio State QB to throw four TDs against the Wolverines.

"Well, I would think he clinched the Heisman Trophy, I don't think there'd be any question about that," Tressel said. "But I don't know how excited he was about the game plans, I think he's the best player in college football."

Showing the character of a true winner, Smith quickly shared the accolades.

"I think the Heisman Trophy is a team award," said Smith, who would be the first Ohio State QB to win the Heisman since Les Horvath in 1944. "If we go into a situation, I don't care who you are, you can be hands-down the most electrifying player in college football and lose two or three games and you're out of that. It's a team award first and foremost because our team is 12-0. I owe them everything in the world. If it wasn't for them in these situations."

Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn did try to keep pace by throwing for three TDs and completing 21-of-29 passing against Army.

After making some noise last week, Arkansas RB Darren McFadden only managed 84 yards against Mississippi State.

REMEMBERING BO: Carr said he didn't use the death of former Big Blue coach Schembechler as a motivational tool against Ohio State.

"That would have been to dishonor him," Carr said. "And I simply told them the way we could honor him is to coach and play in a way that would have made him proud."
Schembechler did address the team on Thursday afternoon. Carr said Schembechler had been struggling with his breathing since his recent heart surgery. Carr said he tried to talk the coach out of talking to the team, but Bo insisted.

Now, Carr insists that Schembechler's death wasn't a detriment to his team.

"I'm a little mad at him because he didn't stay around for this game," Carr said. "But it wouldn't be fair to him to use that in any way, and we don't. And all I can say about him is I loved that man."

SCARLET SLIPPER: With Rutgers' Cinderella season coming to an end, does that spell the end of Greg Schiano's tenure?

If the Scarlet Knights would have gone undefeated and to a BCS bowl game, Schiano probably would have been forced to leave.

But with Rutgers' loss, he doesn't have to feel guilty when he accepts the head gig at Miami.

By the way, the Hurricanes' brass shouldn't wait. They could carve the turkey and Larry Coker all on the same day. Miami hosts Boston College on Thanksgiving night.

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