**updated in 2nd quarter

Nothing like doing a pick 30 minutes before a game kicks off! But I’ve been with very spotty internet for a few days so forgive me.

So here’s the breakdown of the college football national championship ‘09–10.

First let me explain that the BCS Championship is a “national championship” with an emphasis on the quotation marks. It’s really referred to as the “mythical national championship.” Why? Because college football does not have a playoff round to lead up to the championship. The two teams in the championship game are “randomly” picked to go. Okay…. so yes, they are the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the country that go but those ranking are very subjective and fluctuate constantly. I’m not going to get into all that now because it makes my head hurt.

So, in any case the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country after the conference championships in December so they are in the BCS Championship Game.

The Matchup

These teams are so evenly matched up it’s almost disgusting. If you don’t have a personal fave, good luck picking between the two based just on the number stats

• Texas has 2009 Heisman Trophy Nominee Colt McCoy (They have two total winners in school history)
• Alabama has 2009 Heisman Trophy Winner Mark Ingram (He is the one and only winner in school history)
• Texas has 845 all time wins
• Alabama has 812 all time wins
• Texas has 25 Bowl Wins
• Alabama has 31 Wins
• Texas has 4 National Championships
• Alabama has 7 National Championships.
• Both teams are undefeated
• Texas QB Colt McCoy has gone on to quarterback more victories than any other player in major college football history.
• Alabama QB Greg McElroy hasn’t lost a game as a starter. Ever. In college or high school

However, there is the Heisman Trophy Curse to contend with. Since 2000 when the Heisman winner went on to play in the BCS game, they have gone 1-6. The only Heisman winner to win in the BCS since 2000 was my lovey Matt Leinart (who is now backup QB on the Cardinals to my other lovey Kurt Warner). So that does not bode well for Alabama

my Pick:

I’ve never been an Alabama fan. Goes way back to when I first starting loving NCAA March Madness. They’ve grown on me a little bit, like a fungus, over the last decade or so but I still don’t have a soft spot for them. And when they horribly beat down Florida in the SEC Championship in December, it renewed my hatred for them. That kicked Florida out of the running for this game. Would love to be watching Tebow tonight, not Ingram or McElroy. (Cuz in the Bowl Game they had  a Tebow game online where you could just watch all Tebow all the time. It was awesome. But I digress.)

Anyway, You can’t like two teams in the SEC and this year I was definitely a Gator  Girl.

I also think Colt McCoy is a really sexy name. And I have this insane desire to go to Texas and get me a cowboy for a night. Yes, I’m serious.

So…..

GO TEXAS!

***errrr…. I’d like to change my pick due to the fact that Colt McCoy was injured like 2 minutes into the game. Okay maybe not 2 minutes but really soon into the game he went down with a major shoulder injury and now a freshman QB has taken his place which has just destroyed the whole team.

Really made this a sucky championship game.

2010 BCS Championship: Texas vs. Albama Breakdown & My Pick is a post from: Stiletto Sports

So remember a few months ago we talked about the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of college football? We went through the rivalries, the differences with the NFL, the post season bowl games and even mentioned the Bowl Championship Game. But there is one thing we really didn’t go over in full depth: the national championship. And there is a reason for that.

from rocky mountain news

See, the FBS is the only NCAA sport that does not have an official tournament or playoffs to determine the winner of the season. Yes, there is a BCS Championship Game and the winner is declared the national champ but…. those two teams that go to the BCS game are handpicked according to stats, rankings and other random criteria that have been interpreted by a panel of “experts.” They don’t play in a post-season elimination to see who is the best. This leaves the season’s true winner wide open for debate.

So basically, last year the panel said “hmmm, we think Florida and Oklahoma are the two best teams this year.” And then Florida and Oklahoma got to be in the big game for the 2008-09 season.
And last year, I’m sure Florida and Oklahoma were thrilled. Utah, USC and Texas, however, were not. I know, it sounds like sour grapes, jealousy or sore losers but it’s not.

All three of them believed they were the No. 1 team last season and wanted to have their chance to prove it in the championship game. Utah won its post season bowl game and was the only team to go undefeated in the 08-09 season—unlike the two teams that were chosen as the best teams in the country to play for the championship game.

There is a ton of controversy around the BCS rankings and decisions. Utah is not the first undefeated team to be left out of the championship game. It actually happens quite a bit! In fact, the BCS rankings, especially for the championship game are so controversial that the Associated Press asked for their poll to be removed from decision making process. The AP Poll features the Top 25 rankings according to sportswriters and analysts from all over the country.

Even though the BCS declares the winner of the championship as the No. 1 team of the season, the AP Poll does not always agree. There technically is no college football national champion. The BCS National Championship Game is affectionately known as the Mythical National Championship.

So who will be this year’s Mythical National Champs? The Texas Longhorns or the Alabama Crimson Tide

**What really sucks for the 2010 BCS Championship is right at the beginning of the 1st quarter, Texas Heisman Nominated QB Colt McCoy was hit hard with a major shoulder injury and had to be replaced by a freshman backup. So it’s like a championship between the No. 1 team, and a No. 16 team…. very sad. You almost want them to call the game and do it again another day because even when ‘Bama wins, everyone will always say “wonder what would have happened if McCoy stayed in…..”

The BCS Mythical National Championship is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Since the BCS bowl games are still a  few weeks away, I figured I would take this Saturday for College Football Gift Ideas! I’ve already covered a lot of great gift ideas for football fans in the 13 Tailgating Gift Ideas for Ultimate Sports Fans but I wanted to explore more great gifts just for college football lovers. There are over 50 fan-tastic ideas from college football books and dvds to gifts just for Gator fans and Ohio State lovers.

Books

1. Sports Illustrated The College Football Book
2. Bowled Over: Big-Time College Football from the Sixties to the BCS Era
3. Saturday Rules: Why College Football Outpasses, Outclasses, and Flat-Out Surpasses the NFL
4. Rites of Autumn: The Story of College Football
5. 50 Years of College Football: A Modern History of America’s Most Colorful Sport

Movies:

1. Rudy
2. We are Marshall
3. The History of the SEC
4. Univeristy of Notre Dame Fighting Irish Collector’s Edition
5. Gridiron Generals
6. Rivalries: History of Ohio State & Michigan

Housewares

1. Handpainted Glasses
2. Coola Can Party Fridge
3. Football Stadium Chip & Dip Server
4. College Football team Logo Mini Fridges
5. Football GameDay Crock Pot: You can’t have a football Sunday Funday without chili and this football themed crockpot is the perfect way to cook up the weekly batch!
6. Football Shaped Snack Bowl: The Football Snack Bowl will SHOCK your friends as it transforms from looking and feeling like a real football into a snack bowl. Just press the air inflation button and the top of the football swings open and plays the FOX NFL THEME music. After you reach in to get your snack the football will automatically close.
7. house rules football glasses: These pint-sized glasses are perfect for the football party host/hostess in your life! Each glass features a different rule for guests to obey! House Rule #1: Rooting for the opposing team is a personal foul. House Rule #2: Dip fumbles may result in loss of possession. House Rule #3: No guest shall intercept another guest’s seat. House Rule #4: Extra points for getting your own refills.Sold as a set of 4.
8. Football Shaped Beer Tumblers: These beer glasses are perfect for any football lover! These tumblers are actually shaped like footballs! They’ll fit perfectly in your hand and keep your beer nice and chilly!

Fashion:

1. College Football Sweatshirts
2. College Football Flannel Pants & PJ Pants
3. College Football Tees
4. College Football Hats
5. College Football Jerseys

Gifts for Her

1. Hot Flops Football
2. Sweatshirts, jersey tops, tees, sweat pants
3. Halftime Designs
4. college football charms & pendants
5. college belly button rings
6. college tag bracelets
7. College football Snuggie
8. Game-Day Goddess: Learning Football’s Lingo

Florida Gators

1. What It Means to be a Gator
2. THe Boys from Old Florida: Inside Gator Nation
3. Florida Gators Wing Sauce
4. Florida Gators Tailgate Party Pack Hot Sauce, Picante Salsa, BBQ Sauce
5. University of Florida Gators Grilling Set: Peach, Lime and Cajun Grilling sauces
6. Florida Gators Divided Tray
7. Florida Gators Snack Helmet
8. UF Gators “The Swamp” Stadium Platter
9. Florida Gators Scultped Coffee Mug
10. Florida Gators Tent
11. Florida Gators Car Gear
12. Gatoropoly
13. Florida Gators Gas Grill

Ohio State

1. Ohio State Mustard
2. Ohio State Wing Sauce
3. Ohio State Coffee Lover basket
4. Ohio State Buckeyes Tailgating Pack
5. 100 Things ohio State Fans Should know and do before they die
6. What it means to be a buckeye
7. The Winners Circle for the game of life: Jim Tressel
8. Buckopoly
9. Ohio State Mr. Buckeye Head
10. The History of Buckeye Football
11. Michigan vs. Ohio State: The Rivalry
12. Ohio State Popcorn Machine
13. Ohio State Hot Dog Grill Topper
14. Ohio State Forest Face

50 Football Gift Ideas for College Football Fans is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Selection Sunday is over and the College Football Bowl Season schedule is set! But the first Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game doesn’t start until January 1st. So does that mean we have almost a month off from college football?

Eh, not so much no.

The Big 5 Bowl Games that make up the BCS (Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Orange, BCS Title) are the ones that feature the best teams in the country and are the ones that everyone is eagerly anticipating. But there are 29 other bowl games to tune into! The first game is the New Mexico Bowl on Dec 19th featuring Fresno State and Wyoming. Can’t make it without college football until then? The FCS (or Football Championship Subdivision of NCAA football) is in their final championship stretch until Dec 18. NCAA.Com has the full schedule.

Here is a quick rundown of the BCS Bowl Games that were announced during Selection Sunday. As January grows closer we’ll be doing an in depth analysis of each games. Well, okay, we’ll be doing some kind of analysis…….

Rose Bowl see my blog about the pretty Rose Bowl for additional information.

• Features the Big 10 and the Pac 10.
• Played in Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.
• 2009 is the 95th anniversary of the Rose Bowl (in it’s current stadium. It has been around since 1902 in other forms)
• Brought to us by citi.
• January 1: #8 Ohio State (10-2)  vs. #7 Oregon (10-2) 4:30 p.m.
  

Orange

• Features the champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
• 2009 is the 75th anniversary of the Orange Bowl.
• Played in Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida
• Brought to us by FedEx
• January 5: #10  Iowa (10-2) vs. Georgia  Tech (11-2) 8 p.m.
  

Sugar

• Features the champion of Southeastern Conference
• 2009 is the 75th anniversary of the Sugar Bowl
• Played in the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana
• Brought to us by Allstate
• Because Florida, champ of the SEC, was chosen for the Championship game this year the Sugar Bowl features 2 randoms instead of 1:
• January 1: #5 Florida (12-1) vs. #3 Cincinnati (12-0) 8:30 p.m. Florida, who was ranked No.1 until their devastating loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship got bumped to No. 5 in the ranks, but is still considered by many to be the elite team and the one to really beat.
  

Fiesta:

• Features the champion of the Big 12 Conference
• Played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
• 2009 is the 38th anniversary of the Fiesta Bowl
• Brought to us by Tostitos
• January 4: #4 TCU (12-0) vs. #6  Boise State (13-0) 8:00 p.m. Both teams were undefeated this season and should be a good game, yet highly anti-climatic. Would be much more noteworthy if they were playing a big name instead of each other.

BCS National Championship:

• Features the #1 and #2 Ranked teams in the BCS standings
• Is held every year at one of the BCS Bowl sites
• This year it is held in the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California
• January 8: #1 Alabama (13-0) vs. #2 Texas (13-0) 8:00 p.m.  Both teams have had more bowl appearances than any other team. Alabama 57 bowls, Texas 49. The game pitts Heisman Trophy nominees Mark Ingram (Crimson Tide) and Colt McCoy (Longhorns) against each other. Alabama clinched the No. 1 spot after their beatdown of the Florida Gators in the SEC Championship.
  

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like College Bowl Season: 2010 BCS Bowl Games Breakdown is a post from: Stiletto Sports

My pick for game of the week is college football’s Florida Gators/Alabama Crimson Tide.

Because it’s so close to game time I’m not going to give too much analysis or breakdown of the game (do I ever?) and I do apologize for this being up so late. But it’s been a week full of day job, car accident and the Stiletto Sports Holiday Gift Guide!

So why is this game so key? It’s pits the No. 1 ranked team in the country, Florida against the No. 2 ranked team Alabama for the SEC Championship Game. Don’t know what that’s all about? Go read my other post Girl’s Guide to College Football: The FBS, FCS, BCS….OMG! WTF!

Whoever wins this game goes on to the BCS National Title Game. The loser still gets to play in a high profile Bowl Game but doesn’t really have a shot at being declared the national champs.

Oh, and both teams are undefeated this season. So, the dream of a perfect season ends for one of them today.

From ESPN.Com:

It’s college football’s most anticipated matchup since Florida and Oklahoma played in the Bowl Championship Series title game in January. It’s the game people started talking about in the preseason and have been pointing to ever since. And it’s finally here.

“I can’t think of a bigger football game that I’ve been a part of, that we’ve been a part of,” Meyer said Sunday. “College football wants this game. I’ve been hearing it for a long time and trying to ignore it and push it back. Our players have been, too.”

What to expect:

• Wild & Crazy fans
• A fierce battle between Florida QB Tim Tebow and Alabama’s Running Back Mark Ingram since both are in the race for the Heisman Trophy this year
• A coach’s duel. Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are two of college football’s best coaches. This won’t be an easy battle.
• A defensive battle. Both teams excel on defense and they will be fighting hard today, that’s for sure!
• One teams dream of a perfect season and chance at the BCS title game shattered.
• Twitter to be alive with the words “Florida, Gators, Gator Nation, Tim Tebow, Crimson Tide, ‘Bama, Alabama,”

My Pick: I live to close to Gator Nation to not go with Florida. Plus  I heart Tebow.

Recipes for Today’s Matchup

Pre-Game

Crimson Tide Cocktail

• 1/4 oz Southern Comfort
• 1/4 oz Vodka
• 1/4 oz Coconut Rum
• 1/4 oz Raspberry Liqueur
• 1/4 oz Sprite
• 1/4 oz Cranberry Juice
• 1/4 oz Maui Blue Hawaiian Schnapps

Florida Gator-Ade

Before I give you the recipe let me give you my Fascinating Fact of the Game! You know the popular sports drink Gatorade right? Well, it was actually created at the University of Florida in 1965. According to Wikipidia:

The Gators football coach, Ray Graves, was frustrated with the performance of his players during the hot summer football practices, and asked the team doctor who asked the medical researches at UF for some insight. The research team came across the unique mix of water, sodium, sugar, potassium, phosphate, and lemon juice that is now known as Gatorade in honor of the football team, the Gators. The football team credited Gatorade with their first Orange Bowl win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 1967, and the drink became an instant phenomenon. The Yellow Jackets coach Bud Carson, when asked why they lost, replied: “We didn’t have Gatorade. That made the difference.”

Now for a Gator-Ade or Florida Gators Cocktail you can either get your favorite flavor of Gatorade and pour some vodka in it (which I have done in a pinch when there was no other mixer available….on Thanksgiving…..) and it works totally fine, especially the really berry flavored ones.

Or you can try this winning Florida Gator-ade Cocktail recipe

• Vodka – 1 1/2 oz.
• Rum – 1 1/2 oz.
• Orange Schnapps – 1 1/2 oz.
• Sweet & Sour Mix – 1 1/3 oz.
• Fresh Florida Orange Juice – 1/2 oz.

Shake, shake shake!

1st Quarter

The Heart of Gator Nation is known as “the swamp” so I thought the best 1st quarter snack dip would be one called “swamp dip!”

“The Swamp” Dip

• 1/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter
• 1 large (1 cup) onion, chopped
• 1 small (1/2 cup) red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup LAND O LAKES™ Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1/2 cup feta cheese with garlic and herbs*
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach leaves, stems removed, cut into thin strips
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Melt butter in 10-inch skillet until sizzling; add onion, red pepper and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened (5 to 6 minutes).
2. Stir in flour; continue cooking 1 minute.
3. Add broth and whipping cream.
4. Continue cooking, stirring with wire whisk, until mixture is thickened (2 to 3 minutes).
5. Stir in cheese, yogurt, spinach and hot pepper sauce until spinach wilts and mixture is heated through.
6. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve warm with crackers, bread slices or assorted vegetable sticks.

Alabama Caviar Dip

• 3 (16 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red pepper
• 3/4 cup finely chopped hot peppers
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup drained, chopped pimento
• 1 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt
• Tabasco� sauce
• Tortilla chips

Directions

1. Combine peas, bell peppers, hot peppers, onion, pimento and garlic.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil and mustard and pour over the bean mixture; mix well.
3. Season to taste with salt and Tabasco� sauce. With a wooden spoon or potato masher, mash the bean mixture slightly.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. Drain the “caviar” well and serve with tortilla chip

2nd Quarter

Alabama White BBQ Sauce Wings: I’m adding a link for this recipe because it sounds yummy but since the game features the Crimson Tide, not sure you really want white sauce!

Alabama Crimson Hot Sticky Wings : Now, normally I’m not a fan of BBQ sauce unless it’s grilled or broiled to a nice crispy sweetness. But this sauce is so different. And the best part is that the wings are baked, not fried. The sauce is a delicious blend of reduced pomegranate juice and hot sauce. Warning: you will be a hot sticky mess after eating these, but it’s so worth it! Get the Recipe!

• *  1 1/2 pounds chicken wings, cut at joints and wing tips removed
• * House Seasoning, (1 cup salt, 1/4 cup each of garlic & pepper)
• * 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• * 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• * 1/2 cup tangy, red barbecue sauce
• * 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, reduced by 1/2
• * 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• * 1/4 cup honey
• * 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• * 2 tablespoons butter
• * Peanut oil, for frying
• * Celery sticks and red bell pepper slices, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lay the chicken wings out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with House Seasoning. Bake for 20 minutes.
3. Saute the garlic in vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until softened and fragrant. Stir in barbecue sauce, reduced pomegranate juice, hot sauce and honey. Bring to a boil then lower and simmer for 15 minutes until thick. If using crushed red pepper flakes, add and cook 30 seconds more. Stir in butter until melted and smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl.
4. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Fry the baked wings for 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined sheet pan to drain.
6. Toss the fried wings in the red sauce to coat. Transfer to a platter and serve with celery sticks and red bell pepper slices.

Florida Gators Hot & Sticky Orange Wings:

• * 16 chicken wings (about 4 pounds)
• * Salt and black pepper to taste
• * 1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
• * 1/3 cup water
• * 3 tablespoons honey
• * 2 tablespoons Original TABASCO® brand Pepper Sauce

1. Season wings with salt and pepper to taste and place on a broiler pan with a rack. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until crisp and golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
2. Meanwhile, combine orange juice concentrate, water, honey, and TABASCO® Sauce in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened and reduced by half.
3. Place chicken in a large bowl or pan and pour orange sauce over them; toss until well coated. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Half-time

The Alabama Dixie Burger

Alabama is famous for their nuts, especially pecans. You can’t hit up the state without gettin’ some pecan pie! This unique burger is made with pecans and peaches, another southern staple!

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 onion, grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup drained canned peaches (chunks)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

1. Mix ground beef lightly with pecans, onion, salt, cloves, and 3 T. of the peaches. (Set remaining aside for glaze.)
2. Shape meat into patties about 1″ thick. Broil.
3. While meat cooks, season remaining peaches with brown sugar, vinegar, and ginger.
4. Brush on hot patties; turn; brush again.
5. Broil 6 minutes longer or until meat is done as you like it.

The Florida Gator Burger

• 1     pound ground Florida alligator meat (no alligator? try turkey instead!)
• 1     large egg, lightly beaten
• 2     tablespoons Florida onion, finely chopped
• 1/3     teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2     teaspoon salt
• 1     tablespoon olive oil
• 1     red Florida bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1     green Florida bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1     yellow Florida bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1     Florida onion, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• French bread slices or rolls

Preparation

1. Preheat grill. In a bowl, combine alligator meat, egg, onion, salt and pepper, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Mixture will be very moist.
2. Shape into 4 patties, each 1/2-inch thick. Cover and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and pepper strips and sauté until tender. Season to taste; reduce heat and keep warm.
4. Grill meat patties for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat until cooked through, turning once.
5. Serve open-face on French bread slice or in a roll; top with sautéed onion and peppers.

3rd  Quarter

Boiled Peanuts

This pays homage to both teams actually. Like I mentioned earlier, peanuts and nuts are huge in Alabama. And, you can’t go to a gas station on I-75 in Florida without seeing some boiled peanuts. Yes, they sound disgusting. But I swear they aren’t! Although they are weird at first since the peanuts are soft.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. of fresh and raw peanuts that are still in their shells
• 2 tablespoons of salt
• 1 bag of Zatarain’s Crab and Shrimp Boil
• 1 tablespoon of red pepper (or more, if you are feeling lucky)

Instructions:

• Place the peanuts in a large pot and add enough water to cover them and almost fill the pot.
• Add the salt and stir it real well. Turn the stove to the high heat setting and cover until it boils.
• Add the Zatarain’s and the red pepper.
• Reduce the heat just enough to keep it from boiling over.
• Boil the peanuts for 4 hours. Add water as needed to keep the peanuts covered.
• Drain the peanuts and serve.

Fourth Quarter
Alabama Chocolate Pecan Fudge Pie
* This is a scrumptious, gooey pie. If you want your pie a little more set, bake it 28 minutes.

• * 1-1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
• * 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• * 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• * 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• * 3 large eggs
• * 1 (12 ounce) package semisweet
• * chocolate morsels, melted
• * 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• * 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• * 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Combine chocolate crumbs and 1/3 cup melted butter, mixing well. Press into bottom and up sides of an ungreased 9″ pieplate.
2. Bake at 350° for 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Beat 1/2 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add brown sugar, beating well.
4. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
5. Stir in melted chocolate and next 4 ingredients.
6. Pour filling into prepared crust.
7. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes; cool completely on rack before serving

Now, go enjoy the game!

College Game Day Key Matchup Picks & Recipes: Florida Gators vs. Alabama Crimson Tide is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Just like in the NFL, college football is broken down into divisions and conferences. But that’s where the similarities end. College Football’s structure is completely different. And weird.

Okay. So, in college, the divisions are DI, DII, and DIII. Division I is the best so that is the one we are going to focus on. Within each division there are conferences. And then….within that structure, there are actually two subdivisions.

1. Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
2. Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)

The teams that make up the FBS are the games that everyone tunes into. In fact, when I started to tell my roommate (a huge Ohio State fanatic) about all I had learned about the FBS and the FCS, he looked at me like I grew seven heads and said “um yeah, no one cares about that. The FBS  games are what we watch.”

So why aren’t all teams in the elite FBS? Because the NCAA divides the DI schools into division based on their attendance at games and their scholarships (in other words, do they have enough cash and financial backing for their program to be in the elite).

The FBS

The Football Bowl Subdivision is comprised of

• Six “Powerhouse” Conferences. They are like the A-list celebrities that you want at your party.
• The “Mid-Majors” The high end B-listers.
• The Independents: The randoms celebs that everyone accepts as must-haves at the party, but have no idea why… like Paris Hilton….

In 2009, there are 120 schools that make up the FBS. More can join every year as long as they prove themselves worthy.

The Football Championship Conference is comprised of the other conferences. In other words, these are the people at the party that can provide good entertainment value but no one really cares if they don’t show up.

Oh and one more point, conferences with 12 or more schools are allowed to split into more divisions (i.e. east/west) and can have divisional championship games within their own conference.

The Powerhouse FBS Conferences:

The Atlantic Conference (ACC)
East                                                                  West
Boston College                                        Virginia Tech
Clemson                                                    Georgia Tech
Florida State                                           Miami
Maryland                                                 Virginia
North Carolina State                           North Carolina
Wake Forest                                           Duke

The Big East
Cincinnati
USF
Pittsburgh
UConn
Syracuse
West Virginia
Louisville
Rutgers

The Big 10
Michigan
Purdue
Penn State
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Minnesota
Mich State
Iowa
Indiana
Illinois

The Big 12

Colorado                                 Baylor
Iowa State                              Oklahoma
Kansas                                    Oklahoma State
Kansas State                          Texas
Missouri                                 Texas A&M
Nebraska                                Texas Tech

Pacific-10:
USC
UCLA
Stanford
Oregon
Arizona
Washington
California
Wash State
Arizona State
Oregon State

Southeastern Conference (SEC):
Arkansas
Alabama
Florida
Georgia,
Kentucky
Vanderbilt
Mississippi
Tennessee
Auburn
Mississippi State
South Carolina

The Mid-Majors:

I’m not going to spend time running through all the teams in these conferences.

• Conference USA:
• Mid-American (MAC):
• Mountain West:
• Sun Belt
• Western Athletic (WAC)

The FBS Independents

Somewhere in between the Powerhouses and the Mid-Majors come the Independents. They split from their conferences for various reasons but still participate in the high profile games.
They are:

• Notre Dame
• Army
• Navy

The FCS

The rest of Division I college football conferences make up the Football Championship Subdivision.

These conferences don’t partake in the whole Bowl Phenomenon that everyone else is so crazy about. Mostly because of financing. The schools in these conferences don’t pull in enough attendance and financial backing to support a bowl game. Instead, they have a 16 team elimination process/playoffs at the end of their season—like most other NCAA sports.

I’m not going to go too in depth with the FCS because, like I said earlier, all of the attention in college football is on the FBS but here is a quick rundown of the conferences:

Big Sky, Big South, Colonial Athletic, Great West, FCS Independents, Ivy League, Mid-Eastern Athletic, Missouri Valley, Northeastern, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Pioneer, Southern, Southland, Southwestern Athletic.

The FBS & The BCS

As if it wasn’t confusing enough, the college football bigwigs created the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) to really complicate it.

So remember those six powerhouse conferences of the FBS? Not only do they make up the core of the Football Bowl Subdivision, they are also the six BCS conferences.

Breaking it Down:
Let’s take the Florida Gators (Go Gators!) as the example.
Florida is in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) so: The Florida Gators are in a powerhouse conference in both the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Bowl Championship Series.
Memorize that. It will score major brownie points (although, not if the crew you are out with are FSU or Oklahoma fans!)

So what’s the deal with the BCS?
Way back in the beginning there was only one bowl: The Rose. By the 1940s it grew to 5 and in the ’70s swelled to 11. Currently there are 34 college football bowls, So over the course of time, and as more and more bowl games started to pop up in the post season, the elite wanted to separate themselves from the pack.

The BCS is made up of five key bowl games: The Rose, The Orange, The Sugar, The Fiesta, and the Bowl National Championship Game. Think of them as the Limoges of college football bowls.

Each bowl features a conference and the top ranked team of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC have an automatic place in their host’s bowl (i.e. the ACC hosts the Orange Bowl so the No. 1 team in the ACC automatically gets to play in the game). Oh, and Notre Dame automatically gets to go if they are ranked in the top 8 because their athletics director helps with BCS standings and decisions. (Sure, that seems fair and not at all like bribery).

In addition to competing to be No. 1 in their respective conferences, all the teams are battling to be the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked BCS teams in the country because those two head to the BCS National Championship Game. The winner of that game is declared the national champ and No. 1 team in the country for the season. To some people.

How it works:

The BCS uses a very complicated set of stats, polls and math to determine the top teams in the country. This is widely debated and topic of controversy every season. I would break it down, but I really have no idea. Even seasoned college football fans have a hard time understanding how the rankings come to be. Because shock of all shocks, they had to go and make it all complicated with all sorts of crazy rules. Think I’m kidding? Check out the BCS Football Selection Procedures if you don’t believe me.

One rule that you should be aware of is that a team cannot play in a BCS Bowl came and then compete in the BCS National Championship.

Take last year for example. Oklahoma was the No. 1 team for the Big 12, meaning they had an automatic spot in the Fiesta Bowl. And Florida was the No. 1 team for the SEC, meaning they should play in the Sugar Bowl. But the BCS committee determined that Florida and Oklahoma were the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country and wanted them to be in the Championship. So they were. And Texas played in the Fiesta Bowl in Oklahoma’s spot and Alabama was selected to play in the Sugar Bowl. The newly selected teams do not have to be a part of the host’s original conference (Big 12, SEC in this case).

Yes, my head hurts too from all of this. But apparently it has really helped college football because it was all chaotic before they installed this system. Hmm.

Girl’s Guide to College Football: The FBS, FCS, BCS…OMG! WTF? is a post from: Stiletto Sports

One of the best gifts you can give a sports fan is a team jersey of his or her’s favorite player. But it’s not enough to just know who has the hottest, most-coveted and best selling  jerseys. Sure, that will help narrow the player search down but there are also a few other factors to consider before buying a jersey.

First off, NCAA, or college, jerseys are different from pro sport jerseys. A college jersey does not have the players name on it. Why? Because if they used their name, they would be entitled to a percentage of the sales. And NCAA regulations state that college players are not allowed to be paid or receive kickbacks for playing. So instead, college fans look for jerseys with their favorite player’s number on it! (Which works well because you never know, down the road, someone else on the team may have the same number and you can totally reuse!)

The best sports jerseys, NCAA or other, can run you anywhere from under $50 to over $350. That’s a big spread! Here are the things to consider before picking out an NCAA jersey for a holiday gift:

There are typically three different kinds of jerseys:

1. Authentic Jerseys: These are the most expensive because they are, well, authentic! Meaning players wear this kind. Heavy weight and flawless quality with all the details sewn into the jersey.
2. Premier or Swingman Jerseys: These are high-quality, brand name imitation jerseys and are mid-priced usually in the $100’s. These are usually a medium weight/texture (nylon or polyester) and the deails are usually sewn as well.
3. Replica Jerseys: These jerseys run from $20-70ish and are a great alternative if you can’t afford the authentic or premier jerseys. They are usually light-weight quality with the details screen printed on, not sewn. They won’t last as long over the years as the other kinds but they are still great gifts!

Also there are Fashion Jerseys: These are novelty jerseys, usually for women but not always. Brands like Majestic make awesome jersey-looking tees and tanks that are embellished with sparkles!

You’ll notice in the cool scrolling amazon widget at the top that there are a few of each kind so you can see the difference. Teams are available in each kind of jersey, it’s just up to you on how much you want to spend, and how much your sports fan is coveting that jersey!

There are also different types of jerseys that the players themselves wear:

1. Home Jerseys: okay so in most sports, including college basketball, when a team plays at home they wear their white or light colored jerseys. However, in college football, they white jerseys are for away. Except LSU.
2. Away (Road) Jerseys: On the road, teams usually wear a dark or primary colored jersey (in their team colors of course)
3. Third or Alternate Jerseys: Sometimes teams make up a third kind of jersey to increase jersey sales to make sure they always look fabulous and in style. It’s still based on their team colors but will be a secondary color instead of their primary one used for their away jerseys.
5. Practice Jerseys: Jerseys that the teams practice in, not play in games with.

One final note, always be careful who you order your jersey from. For the Top NCAA Jersey’s I’m linking directly to Amazon.com because they offer the biggest variety and ease of shopping. But always ensure that your seller is credible!

Here are the Most Coveted, Most Popular, Best Selling, Top NCAA College FootballJerseys for the 2009 Holiday Season!

Top 10 College Football Jerseys:

1. Florida Gators: Ranked #1 in the country going into the bowl season for 2009, 2008’s National Champions, won more games than any other college football team in the FBS, won 8 SEC Championships and most importantly, the team of NCAA fan favorite player & Heisman Trophy Winner (and current candidate) Tim Tebow.  Tim Tebow’s #15 Jerseys will be especially coveted since he is not planning on joining the NFL after this year
2. Alabama Crimson Tide:
3. Ohio State Buckeyes: I’m beginning to think Ohio State Fans are plotting to take over the world. They are seriously everywhere—even down here in the heart of Gator Nation. (Look for Terrel Pryor #2)
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: They might not always have the best team in the country but anyone that has watched the movie Rudy knows that little kids dream of going to Notre Dame to play college football for the Irish and the Fighting Irish jerseys and apparel sales are always high.
5. Oklahoma Sooners: Oklahoma has been a power house for years and especially with last year’s Heisman Trophy Winning QB Sam Bradford leading the team. Bradfords #14 Jersey would be a big hit this Christmas (hint hint, I would love it!)
6. Penn State Nittany Lions: Again, one of the most storied college football programs that everyone flocks to.
7. Texas Longhorns: The other half of the Red River Rivalry and dominate force in NCAA football. Look for Heisman nominee Colt McCoy’s #12 Jersey.
8. Miami Hurricanes: Even before I moved to Florida I would see people decked out in Hurricanes gear all over the place.
9. USC Trojans: Ever since Mark Sanchez hit the team, the jersey sales skyrocketed. His jersey sales from the New York Jets even surpass Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
10. LSU: LSU is famous for wearing their white jerseys at home, instead of on the road so pick one of those up instead of the darker colored ones!

Top 10 Most Popular College Football Jerseys –Holiday ‘09 Gifts for NCAA Fans is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Now rumor on the web says that the Ohio State-Michigan matchup isn’t what it used to be. But ask a Wolverine or a Buckeye fan like my roommate and they will vehemently disagree with that.

True, the Ohio State Buckeyes have beaten Michigan for the last five years in a row. And yeah, last year Ohio State killed the Wolverines 42-7. And yeah, Michigan kinda sucks this year. And last year. But when the rivalry started way back in the day, Michigan beat (or tied) Ohio State 12 times in a row. And they once beat Ohio State 86-0. Yes, 86-0.  Safe to say they kinda sucked that year….

So just because the Buckeyes are on a winning streak, doesn’t mean this rivalry is over or lost some juice.

Rivalries like this one don’t fade away. I mean, ESPN once rated this as the greatest rivalry in all of sports over Red Sox/Yankees,  and North Carolina/Duke!

See this isn’t like the Pats-Colts NFL game from last Sunday. That rivarly only goes back a few decades and is super intense right now because it features two of the best quarterbacks in the country. Although, the Pats QB Tom Brady did go to Michigan….. But anyway. The big revival of their rivalry is because of those QBs and because the Colts and Patriots have won a lot of Championships since 2000.

Now the Michigan/Ohio State rivalry, on the other hand, goes back over a century. And together the two schools combine for 75 Big 10 Championships. That’s a whole lot! In fact, there was a time when the Big 10 was actually referred to as “The Big 2 and the little 8″ because Michigan and Ohio State combined for so many championships.

A Brief History

There’s always been a bit of tension surrounding Michigan and Ohio based teams. Back in the 1800s there was a Border War concerning the boundaries between them and ever since, there has been no love lost! Michigan-Ohio State rivalry was inevitable and it’s been a long bitter Border War ever since. Not to mention some of the best games in college football history have been between these two schools including the the “Snow Bowl” and the games that made up the “Ten Year War.”

And this year is the 40th anniversary of The Game that kicked-off the 10 Year War! In 1969, Ohio State was on a 22 game winning streak going into the match-up with Michigan and it looked like they couldn’t lose. Except they did. And that game became one of the biggest upsets in sports history.

The Greatest Rivalry in Sports History

The Series:

They have been playing since 1897. Michigan Wolverines leads the series 57-42. There has been 6 ties.

Big 10 Championships:

• Michigan: 42
• Ohio State: 33

National Titles:

• Michigan: 11
• Ohio State: 7

Rose Bowl Appearances:

• Ohio State 14
• Michigan 20

Heisman Trophy Winners the schools have produced:

• Ohio State: 7
• Michigan: 3

This Season:

• Ohio State: 9-2   (in Big 10 Conference Games Only: 6-1)
• Michigan:  5-6    (in Big 10 Conference Games Only: 1-6)

So why the lackluster enthusiasm for this game this year? Because most of the time The Game determines who is going to the Rose Bowl, who will be securing the conference title, who will be staying alive for the National Championship. But this year, most of that is already decided. Ohio State is already going to the Rose Bowl. And Michigan is desperately clinging on to it’s season.

What to expect:

• Very loud fans cheering, swearing and quite possibly punching people
• Buffalo Wild Wings and all sports bars to be super packed before noon so get there early
• The words Buckeyes, Wolverines, Tressel, Michigan and Ohio State to be trending topics on Twitter.
• A possible major upset. Afterall, it’s the 40th anniversary of the first big upset that really fueled this rivalry. With all eyes and money on Ohio State, something very interesting could happen!

Now you can’t have a key matchup rivalry game like this one and not have some amazing football party food to go along with it! So I picked out some awesome recipes from some of the recipe guides we have posted like “19 Unique Football Party Dips” and “17 Football Party Wings” to help kick-start your college game day bash!

Pre Game:

1. Ohio State:  Red BuckEye
2. Michigan: The Ann Arbor Wolverine
   

The Ohio State Red Buckeye:

• 1 oz vodka
• 1 oz sloe gin
• 1 oz Southern Comfort® peach liqueur
• 1 oz blackberry liqueur
• 1 oz triple sec
• 1 oz 7-Up® soda
• 1 oz orange juice
• 1 oz pineapple juice

The Michigan Wolverine:

• 12.0 oz.  Beer
• 1.0 shot Scotch
• 1.0 shot Jagermeister
• Directions: Pour  beer into a glass, take a double shot glass and put a shot of scotch and a shot of Jagermeister in and toss it in to the beer…chug away.

First Quarter:

White Castle Vidalia Dip I picked this dip for three reasons

1. White Castle is based in Columbus, Ohio home of OSU.
2. The castle design on White Castle’s packaging is said to be modeled after the Chicago Water Tower which is on the Magnificent Mile of…..Michigan Ave!
3. It’s seriously tasty! If you don’t know what a White Castle burger is, you need to get yourself to your local grocery store since they now have these square patties of goodness in the frozen food aisle! There is something so…… naughty…..about White Castle burgers that is just impossible to dupliate. Maybe it’s the square patty. Maybe it’s the fried onions. All I know is the combo is potent and highly addicting. And now they’ve taken the happinees of White Castle and packed it into the perfect party dip! Get the Recipe!

Second Quarter:

1. Red Hot Sticky Wings : Now, normally I’m not a fan of BBQ sauce unless it’s grilled or broiled to a nice crispy sweetness. But this sauce is so different. And the best part is that the wings are baked, not fried. The sauce is a delicious blend of reduced pomegranate juice and hot sauce. Warning: you will be a hot sticky mess after eating these, but it’s so worth it! Get the Recipe!

Half-Time:

It’s the battle of the chili burgers! Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry at it’s finest!

For Ohio State: Cincinnati Chili Burger Ohio is famous for it’s Cincinnati style chili–which features chili on top of pasta. But for this recipe were just taking the yummy flavor Cincinatti chili and throwing it on a burger and covering it with cheese!  Get the recipe!

For Michigan: The Coney Hot Dog Burgers If Ohio is known for its chili, than Michigan is known for it’s chili cheese dogs, a.k.a. Coneys.  This is a unique spin on a Michigan Coney. Instead of just topping the dog with meat, the hot dog is actually wrapped up in the hamburger and broiled! Get the recipe!

Fourth Quarter:

• Ohio State Buckeyes: Delicious peanut butter cookies with a chocolate “buckeye” in the middle! Get the recipe!
• Michigan: I’m  going to suggest chocolate covered cherries because Michigan is one of the biggest producers of cherries in the country!

College Game Day Key Matchups & Recipes: Ohio State vs. Michigan is a post from: Stiletto Sports

We’ve been going over all the basics of college football and all the differences between college and pro football. But the best part about college football, by far, is the intense rivalries between schools. Many of these heated conflicts date back over a century! And time has not made theirs hearts grow fonder, that’s for sure.

You may laugh, but I would not recommend laughing in the faces of the fans. They take these really seriously. They have the potential to divide households and friendships….it can get ugly, fast.

Most of them can be broken down into four categories:

1. In State Rivalries
2. Private vs. Public Schools
3. Border Wards
4. Trophy Rivalries

In-State Rivalries

Every state has a flagship campus, typically called the University of Your State, whose student body and alumni feel they are entitled to, well, pretty much whatever they want within state lines. That same state probably has another school — usually denoted by the words State, Tech, or A&M — that gets treated by the former like some Cinderella like stepchild.

And just like Cinderella’s sibling rivalry, these in-state matchups are usually pretty intense.

Here’s the deal: The State Schools hate their Bigger University Stepbrother. Bigger Stepbrother always ignores Lil State, opting to focus on it’s main rivals – (like the other big name schools in the country: Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma, etc.)

And just like ignoring a younger sibling will irriate the crap out of them, ignoring Lil State makes them hate Big University even more. Which makes the University pretend not to notice them even more, which makes the State even madder and madder because, HEY, WE’RE RIGHT HERE IN YOUR BACKYARD AND THIS IS THE YEAR WE WILL STOMP YOUR POMPOUS FAT $@%*ES!” -Paraphrased from Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News

Key In-State Rivalries

• Alabama/Auburn: This is the epitome of rivalry. It divides the state, tears apart families… the whole works. It’s so intense that when the game in 1907 ended in a tie, they didn’t play each other again until 1948 when it took an act of state government to force them to play each other!
• Florida/Florida State
• Kentucky/Louisville
• Oregon/Oregon State
• Texas/Texas A&M
• Virginia/Virginia Tech

Private vs. Public Schools

Public-Private School rivalries are….interesting. Where there is a big public university, there is usually a smaller, more elite, private school nearby. Sometimes artsy, sometimes Ivy-league-esque; but always more privileged.

See, the private schools get all the cash. They have fancy-schmancy campuses with gorgeous buildings and private funding. They get to be more selective with their applicants and scholarships. The public schools, on the other hand, have to claw and fight for every dime to support their school and have lower admission standards.

But..those public schools usually have the bigger, badder sports teams! It’s their one shot to show up the rich kids in the mansion down the way.

Key Private/Public School Rivalries:

• Florida State/Miami
• North Carolina/Duke (their basketball rivalry is even more intense!)
• UCLA/USC

Border Wars

Instead of being an in-state rivalry, border wars are interstate. The border being the state lines that separate the two schools. To be honest, I don’t completely understand why these rivalries are so intense, although I have been told it has a lot to do with recruiting. Meaning one state will often poach star athletes from the other.

But I do know where the border war concept originated and let me tell ya, that rivalry is seriously intense. It actually dates way back into the Civil War. Kansas was anti-slavery, it’s next door neighbor Missouri was pro. It culminated in a very bloody massacre in Lawrence, Kansas. After the Civil War, the schools’ athletics departments tried to get the teams together to try to patch the rift. But over a century later, the rift is still there.

“It’s more than the schools — it’s a state thing going back to the Civil War, when William Quantrill’s Confederate guerillas burned Lawrence and murdered nearly 200 people. Neither Missouri nor Kansas folks have forgotten it.”–SI.com supervising producer Dan George, according to Wikipedia.

Their rivalry is one of the bitterest and most hateful rivalries in all of college sports. None of the other rivalries are as deeply rooted as the original, but their animosities are pretty legendary in the college football world.

Key Border Wars Rivalries:

• Kansas/Missouri
• Georgia/Florida: Known as: “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” Yay!
• Ohio State/Michigan: Rated on ESPN as one of the best sports (note, sports, not just football) rivalries of all time. The two teams have combined for over 70 Big Ten titles.
• Texas/Oklahoma: “The Red River Shootout”. The winning team’s state is supposed to get ownership of the Red River for one year until the next game.
• Pitt/West Virginia
• LSU/Arkansas
  
• Maryland/Virginia
  
• Tennessee/Alabama

Trophy Games

So at the end of the season, the national champs get a shiny crystal trophy to commemorate their win. But throughout the season, there are other big trophies at stake. Crystal, they are not. It can be as mundane as an old brown jug from 1901, or as heavy as the175 pound boot shaped trophy made in 1996. To the schools in these rivalries, these trophies are priceless.

I’m not going to go into a lot of detail here. Just a few examples with the funny trophies they play for. But I highly recommend looking them up and reading about it. They are actually really interesting stories that date waaaaay back. Usually more than a century old!

Key Trophy Game Rivalries…and the trophy

• Texas/Oklahoma: The Golden Hat (a replica of a 10gallon hat) & a few other novelties
• Arkansas/LSU: The Golden Boot (175 pound trophy in the shape of a freaking boot….)

• Purdue/Indiana: The Old Oaken Bucket
• Minnesota/Michigan: The Little Brown Jug
• Ohio State/Michigan: Bo Schembechler’s Hat

• California/Stanford: Stanford Ax
• Minnesota/Wisconsin: Paul Bunyan’s axe. The handle of the axe is over 6 feet long! This rivalry is actually the oldest and most played in DI history! Goes all the way back to 1890

The Biggest Rivals Of them All….

Would have to be Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish fight with just about everyone. The sad thing is, no one seems to care about the scrappy little leprechauns trying to do battle with the football giants! Their rivalries used to be more intense back in the day, but now the “rivalries” are mostly there for the sake of them being able to say they have “rivals”

Girl’s Guide to College Football: The Rivalries is a post from: Stiletto Sports

College football has it’s own cult-like following. Sure the rules and basics are pretty much the same as the NFL but the atmosphere and fanaticism surrounding the game is completely different. These fans are straight up CRAZY. Check out any game on a Saturday in the fall and you will be shocked to see the stadium. Ohio State’s stadium holds well over 100,000 people and they are sold out almost every game. And the fans are all dressed head to toe in red.

The strange thing is that even though they really are the same game, most football fans like one or the other; not both college and professional football.

For all intents and purposes,  there are 7 major differences in college vs. NFL. (There are other minor ones but seriously, no one cares.)

I once read, “The biggest difference between college football games and NFL football is that NFL players are considered professionals and are paid more. “

Pardon my French, but, no shit. That quote came from an actual website, but to protect the moronic writer that actually put that on paper, er, blog, I won’t say where. The other difference that they listed was “NFL players are bigger than college players because they work out more since they have paid personal trainers.” Bloody brilliant.

While yes, both of those are true, they are not real distinguishing characteristics between professional and college football. Those are:

1. There is No Two-Minute Warning in college football: This is key factor close games when time is running down. At the two-minute mark in the NFL, there is a mandatory time-out—or pause in the game—that is not attributed to either team. Gives the team time to regroup and plan. But at the college level, there is no stop of game.
2. The Two-Point Conversion Starts on the 3rd yard line. In the NFL, it starts from the second yard line. (In other words, in college they try from farther away then in the pros)
3. Knee-Down: The most important difference between college football and the NFL is that in college, if you are carrying/catching the ball and one of your knees hits the grass, you are done. The play is over. It doesn’t matter if you were tackled or you just tripped over your own two feet; the play is done. In the NFL, you have to be forced down., meaning if you slip and fall and the other team doesn’t touch you, you can get up and keep on running.
4. The Game Clock: In college football, the game clock stops whenever a first down is achieved, but in the NFL the clock continues to run after a first down (unless the player goes out of bounds or a time out is called). Why is this important? If a team is losing and the clock stops after every first down, it gives the losing college team more time to make a comeback.
5. The Almost-Out-of-Bounds Catch/Pass Reception: In college football, the receiver must have control of the ball and get one foot down in-bounds for it to be considered a catch. In the NFL, the receiver must have control of the ball and get both feet down. As college players mature, you’ll see them getting both feet down in bounds to show that they have the awareness to play in the NFL.
6. Overtime: In college, when a game goes to overtime, each team is given equal opportunity to try and score. They each get a turn (possession) from the opponent’s 25 yard line. There is a coin toss and the winner chooses to kick first (defense) or to receive first (offense). The team winning after both teams get a chance to score is declared the winner. In this case, being the defense first is actually a good thing because you get the last shot to score.

• Also, in college football, there is no such thing as a tie. Overtime continues until someone wins.
• In the NFL, when a game goes to overtime, the teams play a sudden-death quarter. They also do a coin toss to determine who will kick and receive. But in the NFL, the first team to score by any means, wins the game. In this case you always want to be the offense first because if the other team scores first, the game is over and you don’t even get to try to score.
• In the regular season, if no one scores after the first OT, the game is declared a tie. In the post season, however, the game goes until there is a clear winner.

Hash Marks. Ah, the hash marks. I had to read 6 different websites, ask on Twitter and annoy my roommate before I finally understood the hash marks. That’s how abstract the definitions were.

Here is my best translation: It may appear like every play takes place in the dead center of the field. It actually does not. If you look, there are two “dashed” lines running down the field that mimic the markers on the sidelines that show what yard the players are on. These dashed lines, or hash marks, are used for ball placement prior to most offensive plays. By having those dashes in the middle, it actually makes the field and area for game play, more wide open.

Ok got that part? Go ahead, read it again. I actually recommend looking at the field or a game while reading it; that’s what helped me.

So in the NFL, each of those hashes are about 70ft away from the sideline, meaning the space between them is 18′6” wide . In college, those lines are only 60 ft away from the sideline, meaning the playing space in between is about 40 feet (or 20 feet greater than in the NFL). Remember this, it will be important in a few minutes.

Still with me? I promise we are getting to the point.

If the dead ball (player was tackled, etc) occurred in between those hash marks, the next play starts exactly where the ball went down. However….. if the dead ball happened outside the hash marks, that is not the case. Let’s say a player ran the ball out of bounds at the 20 yard line. The next play would not start on the out of bounds line on the 20 yard line nor would it be returned to the dead center of the field. The ball gets placed on the closest 20 yard hash mark.

Um. Ok. Why?
Well, if the ball was placed where it went out of bounds, the offense would be completely restricted. Think about it. They couldn’t pass or run to the right (or left depending on the play) because they would be immediately out of bounds. So instead, the ball is moved to the hash mark to give the offense the opportunity to go right or left. It opens up the field.

Go ahead, read it again. I had to.
Okay so remember like 10 minutes ago when I said that 20 foot difference from college to NFL would be important later? Since the college lines are closer to the sidelines, their field of play is actually 20 feet larger than the NFL’s.

One final note on this. Hash marks/ball placement play a big role for the kicker too. It always seems like they are kicking from dead center but they are not. For field goals, sometimes they are right or left….justified….and that changes the entire angle of their kick.

Ok, now go take a break. Get some chocolate. Watch something ubergirly. you so deserve it!

The 7 Major Differences Between NFL and College Football is a post from: Stiletto Sports