Talking Bull: Manuel Overdrive

Warde Manual is getting talked up by the UConn and the UB community in anticipation of their first meeting since the Huskies hired away the former Buffalo Athletic Director

What should fans expect from UConn football? - The UConn Blog
And Manuel gave the type of tepid vote of confidence to Paul Pasqualoni after the dreadful Western Michigan game I would expect from almost anyone. Manuel isn't firing Pasqualoni after four games, nor should he. Even someone like me -- a fan who doesn't believe Pasqualoni is the answer for this program -- understands that firing a person with the overwhelming majority of your season left to play isn't smart and it isn't right.

The house Warde built - Sports - The Spectrum - University at Buffalo
Manuel ensured the athletes focused on the “student” side of “student-athlete” and pushed them to achieve higher standards in education. Before he came to the university, four sports were struggling to meet the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate cut score at 925.

In Midweek PACtion

Washington Fells the Tree 17-13 - UW Dawg Pound
The defense. The defense. The defense. This was unexpected. If Washington was to upset the Cardinal It would have required a mammoth game from Keith Price. Nope, the defense carried the team today. The box was stacked. John Timu tackled well, a major key. The entire defense tackled well. Danny Shelton ate up blocks on the inside and allowed the linebackers to make plays, and also freed up Josh Shirley to rush the passer and the same with Andrew Hudson, the DT-DE tweener.

This hurts teams like Notre Dame that were hoping for a top 10 win against the cards and teams like USC that see their only loss get a bit less shiny.

Be careful what you wish for Mid-Majors

Great we have a playoff! now what?

Ohio State Buckeyes want to beef up schedule, may cut back on MAC foes - ESPN
The Buckeyes have had numerous close calls against MAC teams, including a 27-22 victory a year ago over Toledo. Ohio State has paid upward of $1 million for MAC schools to provide opposition.

All the sudden being a conference runner up at #6 is a whole lot more important to a Big Ten team than a conference runner up ranked #8.

I'm sure you're going to see some of this from other teams. Particularly the Big East because their seat at the table is up for grabs.

Orange Bowl deal helps spur playoff rotation tweak - Yahoo! Sports
The could be a boon for the rebuilding Big East, which will add Boise State and five others next season to create a 12-team, coast-to-coast football conference. The elimination of automatic BCS bids hurt the Big East more than any other conference, but it still looks to be in position to be the best of the rest, and by being so its champion wouldn't be left out of the biggest bowl games in that system.

Many here are going to focus on the fact that the Big Easts current teams would have had this slot but that ignores the fact that it demonstrates a team from a non mid major conference can rise to that level. It also makes life more difficult for Boise than it had to be.