Central Michigan Chippewas

Who makes the grade? Grading conference bowl performance [UPDATE]

With 34 of the 35 bowl games already in the books, we thought it would be a good time to look at how conferences are doing so far this postseason. Here is the breakdown with records and grades. ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE The Buzz: The ACC's...

Tags: Western Athletic Conference, Toledo Rockets, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Boise State Broncos, College Football

Chris Dufresne's look at the season's college football bowl games

ESPN's "Octomom" family of networks hopes you enjoy this year's cavalcade of commercials and center snaps as it furiously tries to secure the two games it doesn't broadcast. Conspicuously missing from the lineup is Ohio State (12-0) vs. Louisiana Tech...

Tags: Western Athletic Conference, Toledo Rockets, Ball State Cardinals, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Go Daddy Group Inc.

How makes the grade? Grading the coaching hires [UPDATE]

So far this offseason, there has been 24 coaching moves made. Here is a look at the 15 coaching hires and how I would grade them so far. Bret Bielema (Arkansas) The Buzz: Truth be told, Bielema’s hiring took a lot of people off guard including...

Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, Orange Bowl, Boise State Broncos, College Football, Mid-American Conference

Tennessee hires Butch Jones to coach Vols

Butch Jones was hired as the new coach of the Tennessee Volunteers Friday. The 44-year-old Jones spent the past three seasons as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats, leading the program to a 23-14 overall record including back-to-back shares of...

Tags: Louisville Cardinals, Jon Gruden, Southeastern Conference, College Sports, Tennessee Volunteers

No surprise: Notre Dame vs. Alabama in BCS title game

The final Bowl Championship Series standings on Sunday produced a lot of expected news and one big surprise. Notre Dame and Alabama, in what everyone knew was just a formality, finished first and second in the final standings and will meet Jan. 7 in...

Tags: Toledo Rockets, Orange Bowl, Michigan Wolverines, Go Daddy Group Inc., Nebraska Cornhuskers

NIU takes MAC title in 2 OT

DETROIT — Northern Illinois won its second straight Mid-American Conference championship Friday night, out-dueling No. 17 Kent State 44-37 in double-overtime at Ford Field to defend its title in exhausting fashion. NIU (21-1) has won 12 straight...

Tags: Toledo Rockets, Northern Illinois Huskies, Ball State Cardinals, Chicago Tribune, Bowling Green Falcons

Tags: Mid-American Conference, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Younker, Cabrera notch All-SCIAC

The following are updates on local athletes at the collegiate level. Rian Younker (St. Francis, 2009) Cal Lutheran football season: Younker put the final touches on a stellar Kingsmen career when he was selected to the All-Southern California...

Tags: National Collegiate Athletic Association, College Sports, Mid-American Conference

Monumental progress in a few short years

In November of 2009, I played my final football game for the University of Notre Dame. As I walked away from a once-glorious football program, I saw a program that was in disarray. I witnessed a program whose team "leaders" decided to not go to a bowl...

Tags: College Sports, Football, Big East Conference, Cincinnati Bearcats, Brian Kelly

Matt's Mailbag: Any chance UCF can get into mix with ACC?

Sentinel college football writer Matt Murschel answers your questions about the college football season. To submit a question for future mailbags, email, Facebook or tweet them. Q: Sure hope UCF can get in on the conference movement with Big East...

Tags: College Basketball, College Football, Mid-American Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Florida State Seminoles

13 players from Ball State honored by MAC

Ball State Athletics

Thirteen members of the Ball State football team were honored by the Mid-American Conference after helping the Cardinals to a 9-3 regular season overall record. Ball State had five individuals named to the All-MAC First Team, while three were second team...

Tags: National Collegiate Athletic Association, Eastern Michigan Eagles, Ball State Cardinals, College Sports, Miami RedHawks

Edgy's football blog | Being wrong is all right

I was thinking about a blog Mike Helfgot wrote a while back about how ranking players is an inexact science. He used rankings from Rivals.com, my employer, to make the point that some players are missed, some are ranked too high and others are under the...

Tags: National Football League, Northern Illinois Huskies, Atlanta Falcons, Football, Mid-American Conference