When you look at the 24-20 close call in Fayetteville, you have to wonder if Arkansas is better than we thought or if Alabama has some serious holes.  College FootBlog takes a look at a couple of areas of concern for the Tide and a couple of reasons they could represent the SEC in another BCS National Championship, and we’ll wrap up by breaking down our thoughts of just how far they should go in 2010.

1.  Youth in the Secondary:  Any time you lose three of four starters in the secondary, it takes time to reestablish that continuity.  We saw this inexperience last weekend, as Ryan Mallett threw for over 350 yards.  The Tide did manage to pick him off three times, but they showed that they can be vulnerable, particularly to the intermediate pass.  This weekend, they face more speed and explosiveness at wide receiver.  If they are relying on the interceptions and big plays (something Bama has had a knack for since Nick Saban’s arrival), the Gators could pull off the upset.  If, however, they play more consistent and force Brantley to check down to the short routes, the Tide should win and win big.  With Saban’s scheme and his ability to coach up DBs, this unit will continue to improve and could be lights out by season’s end.  In the meantime, however, they still have some work to do.

2.  Greg McElroy struggled against his first SEC Defense:  After blowing up in the first three games against vastly inferior opponents (including Penn State, who struggled last weekend with Temple), McElroy looked like a different QB than the one we saw last season.  Against the Razorbacks, McElroy struggled, going 18-26 for under 200 yards and two picks.  He will face much more speed and athleticism against Florida and LSU.  McElroy must step up in these games if he wants to lead a balanced attack.

While those two factors have been weaknesses in this early season, here are a couple of key factors that could continue to off-set the Crimson Tide’s few deficiencies.

Despite missing the first two games, Mark Ingram has put his hat back in the ring for this year's Hesiman race (google images)

1.  The Running Game:  Most running backs have a difficult time getting back after even the smallest knee surgeries.  But Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram seems to have even more explosion after a late-August knee procedure.  In his two games since being activated, Ingram has blown up for 308 yards and four touchdowns and is averaging nearly ten yards per carry.  Add sophomore Trent Richardson and his 356 yards and 7.6 yards per carry, and Bama boasts the most explosive backfield tandem in the nation.  Teams that run the ball effectively win games, and nobody does it better than the Tide, now that Ingram is back and healthy.

2.  Remaining SEC Schedule:  We discussed Bama’s need for improvement in the pass, but they just faced the best passing team they will face in conference play this year.  Florida’s John Brantley has fallen short of expectations, and the rest of the teams on Bama’s schedule depend on the run to move the ball.  The secondary will continue to improve under Saban’s tutelage, and the rush defense for the Tide is already solid, holding opponents to 106 yards per game.  If they can continue to limit the ground game, there will be another SEC Championship Game in their future.

Overall Analysis

After losing three starters in the secondary, All-World linebacker Rolando McClain, Terrence Cody and several others on defense, there had to be at least a slight drop off on defense.  Since his arrival, Saban has recruited well, and he has the talent to field one of the best defenses in the SEC, but it will take some games for the younger players to get acclimated.  McElroy wasn’t nearly as sharp last week, but as the running game continues to hit its stride, that will only help the passing game.  Records and rankings go out the window in rivalry games, and Bama has two big ones (one this weekend against Florida, and the Iron Bowl against Auburn).  Florida has not found their rhythm yet, and Auburn is still probably a year away, and most importantly, both of those games are in Tuscaloosa this season, which is a huge advantage for Bama.  It would be a huge shock if Saban doesn’t lead his team onto the field at this year’s SEC Championship once again.  If they take care of business, there is every reason to believe they will be playing for a second straight BCS Title in early January.

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By Rob Ogden

After completing a desperation touchdown pass with no time remaining, Ohio lined up to go for two and win the game. But as quarterback Boo Jackson released the ball, his receiver fell down, the ball fell to the ground and Marshall’s sideline erupted in celebration.

Jackson’s 36-yard touchdown heave to Terrence McCrae as time expired was not enough as the Bobcats fell to the Thundering Herd 24-23 in heart-breaking fashion.

Though Ohio coach Frank Solich said the Bobcats’ decision to go for two was debated, the players were behind the call.

“With the momentum we had, we felt we were unstoppable,” Jackson said. “It was a good call by coach. We had the momentum and if we would have caught that ball we wouldn’t be sad right now. “

Solich also stuck behind the call.

“When it doesn’t work, it’s tough for everyone within the program. When it works, everyone is jumping up and down,” he said. “We thought we had a shot and that’s why we took it.”

Ohio led 17 to 16 entering the fourth quarter, but a 14-play, 70-yard touchdown drive in which Marshall converted four third-down plays gave the Herd the lead for good.

“It was clearly a big disappointment for our ball club,” Solich said. “But, I thought we did some things in the second half that shows we are a team that has character and a team that never quits.”

Jackson and fellow quarterback Phil Bates switched off under center throughout the game with Jackson playing on the majority of third and fourth down plays.

Bates left the game with a shoulder injury in the third quarter and did not return.

Jackson completed 11 of 20 passes for 155 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while Bates led the team with 65 yards rushing and completed one pass for 46 yards.

“There were certain things we were going to use Phil for in the ball game, but then he got hurt,” Solich said. “I thought Boo played his best football of the entire year.”

In spite of the success they had with the dual-quarterback system, Solich said he doesn’t expect to stick with that formula in the future.

“Boo’s got to do a little running and Phil’s got to do a little throwing,” he said. “You don’t have a chance to game plan it so we were able to do that tonight. But you have got to be a more complete quarterback.”

Despite the loss, the Ohio players seemed up beat after the game, and optimistic about the team’s future.

“It’s a great thing that our offense is finally clicking,” Jackson said. “From preseason until now, everyone has been talking about the talent we have. Everyone was on the same page for the first time this season.”

RO137807@ohio.edu @Rob_Ogden

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Heading into the 2010 college football season at Ann Arbor, it wasn’t even clear who the starter at quarterback would be, so there was obviously no talk of Heisman.

Oh, what a difference a few weeks can make.  It’s very early in the season, but Denard Robinson has put himself and his team back on the map, and in the process, he may also be saving his head coach, Rich Rodriguez’ job.

All Robinson has done to this point is lead the nation in total offense and beat hated Notre Dame in week 2.  In this edition of College FootBlog, we examine three reasons for optimism for Michigan fans, and we also break down the three biggest hurdles standing in his way to making the trip to New York this December.

Feeling Optimistic? Robinson has done more than his part to be in the national spotlight, but here are three factors that play in his favor to continue his momentum:

1.  Opposing Defenses: With Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin left on the schedule, you would think this would be a negative.  True, going against three of the best defenses in the country will provide a significant challenge, a closer look at the rest of Michigan’s opponents, and more notably, the defenses they will face, should have Robinson salivating.  Of the final nine games of the regular season, the Wolverines will face only two (Ohio State and Iowa) that are currently ranked in the top 25 in total defense.  And next week’s opponent, Bowling Green, is ranked 111th nationally in that category.

Denard Robinson has put himself in the mix for this year's Heisman race (google images)

2.  National Television: If Michigan can continue to win, they have a chance to play nationally televised games against Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin and the showdown against the Buckeyes on November 27th.  This could backfire if Robinson has a bad game or two, but with his explosiveness and knack for the big play, it could also play hugely in his favor.  He has proven so far this season that the more opportunities he gets, the more big plays he produces.

3.  Ohio State: With the defensive woes that Michigan has shown (most recently against FCS opponent UMass last weekend), there is very little chance that Michigan will be in the hunt for a Big Ten title this season, and by the time the Big Game against the hated Buckeyes rolls around, the Wolverines could have nothing to lose.  This actually plays into Michigan and Robinson’s favor.  Rich-Rod has been known for trick plays and gambling, but look for him to pull out all stops against OSU.  If the game stays tight, even against one of the best defenses in the nation (OSU), Robinson has the speed and athleticism that is impossible to defend.  This scenario could provide Robinson with a couple of opportunities for a signature Heisman moment if the Wolverines were to pull off the unthinkable and take down the Buckeyes at the Horseshoe in the final week of the regular season.

Not so fast, my friend. Here are the three factors that could keep Robinson from punching his plane ticket to New York City:

1.  Ohio State: Just as this game could catapult Robinson to center stage of the Heisman race, this game could also be catastrophic.  Since his arrival at OSU, Jim Tressel has owned the Wolverines, going 8-1 in this rivalry game.  Of this success, there has been one constant–defense.  Tressel has consistently produced top 10 defenses since coming to Columbus, and the 2010 version could be his best yet.  Also, considering this game is at the Horseshoe, it could be a rough finale to the regular season for Robinson.

2.  Michigan’s Final Record: Unless Michigan can find a dominant defense in the next two weeks, they will inevitably lose some games this season, and despite the 3-0 start, they have quite a task if they want to finish out the season with 7-8 wins.  Although it is not a requirement that you win your conference to take home the Heisman, the numbers are telling.  Six out of the last seven Heisman winners played on teams that won their respective conference.  Robinson would likely have to “buck” that trend (no pun intended).

3.  Robinson Must Stay Healthy: At 6’0″ and 188 lbs., Robinson is not the biggest, most physical QB in the Big Ten.  His style of play and the number of carries as he gets into the thick of conference play in the Big Ten could prove to be a difficult task.  If he can stay healthy and continue to get the number of carries he has managed to this point, the stats will be there.  One big hit, however, could be the difference maker in whether or not he continues to light up the scoreboard like he has so far this season.

By Rob Ogden

Terrelle Pryor was continually attacked by Bobcats, but he nearly always got away.

Pryor’s ability to elude the rush and pick apart the Ohio defense led to a glorified practice for Ohio State as the Buckeyes beat the Bobcats 43-7.

Pryor completed 22 of 29 passes including a school record 16 in a row.

Even when the Ohio defense looked like they were going to get to Pryor, the junior quarterback used his feet to avoid the rush and make a play down the field.

“He’s a hard guy to tackle,” Ohio linebacker Noah Keller said. “He has extremely long arms and a deadly stiff-arm.”

The Buckeyes offense picked up points on each of their first six drives and did not punt until 4:03 remained in the second quarter.

Ohio State outgained the Bobcats 439 to 158.

“It was a long afternoon, Ohio State has a championship-caliber football team,” Ohio coach Frank Solich said. “In order for us to have made a run at this and possibly win the game, we had to play perfect football. We had to execute well, we had to be penalty free, we had to win the turnover battle, none of which got done.”

Each time the Bobcats appeared to get something going on offense, they made a costly mistake that stalled the drive.

The Bobcats appeared to take the lead when Ohio’s Julian Posey returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown early in the first quarter, however the play was called back on a block in the back.

“Whenever you get a big play like that taken away it’s always back-breaking,” Keller said. “I think that’s one of the things that shifted the momentum in their favor.”

After sitting out last week with an injured thumb, Phil Bates got the nod at quarterback for the Bobcats.

Bates struggled to get anything going against an aggressive Ohio State defense and completed just four of nine passes for 13 yards and two interceptions.

Despite his performance, Bates said the atmosphere did not phase him.

“We were not doing things to the best of our ability,” he said. “We were tentative, we hesitated, and that’s what happens when we don’t let lose and give our playmakers a chance.”

The Bobcats finally got on the board midway through the fourth quarter with a nine play, 61-yard drive in which quarterback Boo Jackson found Terrence McCrae in the corner of the end zone for an eleven-yard touchdown.

After leading the nation in take-aways last season, Ohio converted five turnovers while only forcing two aginst Ohio State.

“It has been huge to a negative effect for us,” Solich said about the turnovers. “We need to have that corrected. You can’t win football games when you turn the ball over.”

After struggling through the first two quarters, the Bobcat defense picked it up in the second half and was able to hold the Buckeyes to two touchdowns.

“I like the fact that our kids battled hard in the second half and never gave up,” Solich said. “I think our team will respond. They will not quit, that’s evident to me. “

Despite the loss, the players know there is still a lot to work for this season.

“We’re going to make the corrections we need to make, put it behind us and prepare for next weekend,” Keller said.

RO137807@ohio.edu @Rob_Ogden