No surprise, Bulls Make Dodd's Games of the Year List

[Brad]

Sept. 28

West Virginia at South Florida

South Florida's path to more respect lies in a win over WVU (again). (US Presswire)

Dodd: The Next Great Florida Program gets a chance to join the BCS race. The Bulls held Steve Slaton to only 43 yards in last year's upset in Morgantown.

Oct. 18

South Florida at Rutgers

Dodd: The upset kings of the Big East, South Florida lost by two to Rutgers in Tampa last season. The Knights have been warned.

Link

[Bull Martin]

I think it's kind of interesting that our game with Auburn wouldn't be on that list.  We could potentially knock Auburn off a tittle path (realistically they are always a contender).

But I suppose with no conference or rivalry match up in the game it's not as important.  I guess no one believe Auburn can do it, I mean they are 100-1 (same as da bulls)

[Bulls 8_va]

"Upset Kings" huh...Sounds kinda cool.  But I'd rather hear, Big East or BCS Powerhouse...

One Day

GO BULLS!!!

[JoeB]

As far as I'm concerned the Auburn game is our 8th most important.  Every conference game means more than the AU game.  I'm sure for Auburn its the same.

[bull2saintleo]

As far as I'm concerned the Auburn game is our 8th most important.  Every conference game means more than the AU game.  I'm sure for Auburn its the same.

You're exactly right, playing (and beating) Auburn is just an added bonus to the Big East season.

[Guest]

South Florida's path to more respect lies in a win over WVU (again).

[E.T.]

As far as I'm concerned the Auburn game is our 8th most important.  Every conference game means more than the AU game.  I'm sure for Auburn its the same.

You're exactly right, playing (and beating) Auburn is just an added bonus to the Big East season.

EXACTLY !!!

Winning the Big East gets us the BCS Bowl Game.

[USFMikeB]

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10290109

Games of the Year: Packed and ready to hit the road 

Aug. 10, 2007

By Dennis Dodd

If we were all 23 again without a care in the world, and with an understanding wife, we'd be Dave Farris.

A couple years ago Farris had this crazy idea to see every stadium in Division I-A. Not just drive by them, go into them. Feel their vibe. Be a make-believe yell leader at Kyle Field. Maybe one day slap his hands together for an authentic "chomp" at The Swamp.

It kind of annoys him that Western Kentucky is making the move to become the 120th I-A program, because the quest -- named Project 119 -- isn't going to change its name. Hey, but if the Big Ten can hide an "11" in its logo ...

"Hey, yeah, I just thought of that," Farris said.

Who better, we thought, to help us in our annual games of the year feature? Farris and buddy/sometimes co-pilot Shawn Wuske have been to more stadiums than most college sportswriters. It's only a technicality that games weren't actually being played when Farris entered the hallowed halls of The Shoe, The Big House, Army's Michie Stadium and Notre Dame.

It's the experience that counts. So far, Farris has seen 45 stadiums, more than one-third of the total. Only two -- Akron and Michigan State -- did he fail to set foot in.

"Have you been to the Rubber Bowl?" Farris said of Akron. "You're not missing anything. I just ran up a hill, went under a fence and over a fence. The worst part was somebody must have called. As we were pulling out, a cop was pulling in.

"You'd be surprised, normally they're just open."

There are stories that might one day fill a book. They're already filling the Project 119 website with a photo journal and video. Another website has called about filing video blogs from the road.

Thelma and Louise have nothing on Dave and Shawn. Farris' 2002 Honda Civic that he hopes to run into the ground has 95,000 miles on it. Feeling the urge and seeing no, uh, facilities nearby, Farris, well, marked his territory by anointing Nebraska's Memorial Stadium.

A rabid Ohio State fan, Farris thought that might be a neat startup tradition. (Urine Football Country?) Especially since he was headed to The Big House. Being a Bible major at Cincinnati Christian University, Farris decided not to do unto others.

Project 119 started, like all great road trips do, with a great road trip. Traveling with Wuske from Cincinnati to Las Vegas for a job, Farris decided to "take the long way and see all these schools."

The whim started something cosmic. Farris and Wuske once hit an incredible 17 stadiums in three days -- eight in one day. That's possible when Michigan, Michigan State and Central, Western and Eastern Michigan are somewhat clustered.

We've all seen the rank amateurs who visit 30-odd NFL or Major League Baseball stadiums. On his website Farris calls them "obviously (w)ussies."

This is serious. The former Starbucks worker is giving himself until he is 30 to complete the task. Lisa, his wife, makes a great 1-2 combination: 1) She makes the money in the family; 2) Has been supportive, occasionally accompanying her hubby has he steals away to see steel.

While shooting off to all points on the compass, Farris has seen his career take off. He now works for HSBC in Washington, D.C., as a compliance officer in the high-risk business unit.

"Like a government official or ambassador," he said. "We make sure they're not laundering money. It's more interesting than I thought it would be."

The same can be said of his vision quest. Did we say cosmic? Maybe it was destined. Wuske's father was born in Canton, Ohio. Wuske himself, a youth minister, was born in 1981 in Atlanta, a few months after Georgia won the 1980 national championship.

"I feel God wanted me to be a Dawg football fan," he said.

Understandably, there's a big roadie planned this fall to see a bunch of SEC stadiums.

"I'm really excited to see some of the Southern schools," Farris said. "When you grow up a Buckeye fan it's all you see ... I saw Maurice Clarett's first game. It was one of those things where I said, 'This is going to be great.' A year later I hated him.

"I have nothing to lose. It's fun for me to share a hobby. The thing that is flooring me that so many people are interested in it."

That's why we asked for your services, Dave and Shawn. You're experts now.

Sept. 1

Tennessee at Cal

Dennis Dodd:We'll see if Tennessee has Les Miles' back. The Great Defense of Our Glorious Southern Pride begins in Berkeley. LSU's coach says the Pac-10 stinks. Cal got embarrassed at Tennessee last season. The Pac-10 and SEC have basically monopolized the national championship since 2003. These teams are playing for something more significant than themselves.

Georgia Tech at Notre Dame

Dodd: Sit down, calm down, have some green tea Domers, and realize there aren't many places on the field where Notre Dame is better: Try linebacker (Philip Wheeler), running back (Tashard Choice), quarterback (Taylor Bennett). Still waiting for a rebuttal, ND.

Sept. 3

Florida State at Clemson

 

Dave Farris: Eight returning starters to a decent FSU defense should be enough in spite of Drew Weatherford (is he really only a junior?!). Clemson definitely has a chance to upset the Seminoles, but that's going to be the storyline for Florida State all season. And there's something about two guys named Bowden, but you already know. Dodd: Two? Try three. The real winner here is Terry Bowden, an unpaid volunteer coach on his way up at Free Sons University. Jeff's done. If Tommy loses this game, he's done. Bobby says he'll keep coaching until he's done -- in a biblical sense.

Sept. 8

Notre Dame at Penn State

Dodd: Please, Charlie, don't throw Jimmy Clausen into this Lions cage. MMA fighters think this is cruel. Evan Sharpley will gladly take the bullet.

Virginia Tech at LSU

Dodd: My heart's with the Hokies. My common sense is with humidity, Death Valley at night and LSU's D. Miami at Oklahoma

Dodd: The Oklahoma band goes old school and does a salute to Jimmy Johnson's hair at halftime. By the way, is there a quarterback between these squads?

TCU at Texas

Dodd: The Great Mid-Major BCS chase is over at halftime.

Sept. 15

Tennessee at Florida

Farris: Florida comes into this game after playing two giants of the industry in Western Carolina and Troy, and is lucky that this game is at home. Look for Tennessee to succumb to the all-encompassing power that is Tebow in The Swamp.

Notre Dame at Michigan

Farris: I know that Dodd loves Notre Dame, but seriously -- they will be lucky to win one out of their first four games. They go from Beaver Stadium's 100,000-plus screaming fans into the Big House's 100,000-plus screaming fans, where the Michigan defense will be out for blood against whichever inexperienced quarterback Charlie Weis throws out there.

Dodd: I love Notre Dame? You don't read the site a lot, do you?

Arkansas at Alabama

Dodd: Please, no overtime. 'Bama has had its small intestines passed through a meat grinder enough. It has lost twice in double overtime to the Hogs in the past four years.

Louisville at Kentucky

Dodd: If the Wildcats D can make a stop -- just one -- Rich Brooks has a chance. Call it 55-54 with Kentucky ending a four-game losing streak to the Cardinals.

Southern California at Nebraska

Dodd: Bill Callahan has to win this game. The way he coached in Los Angeles last season reminded me of the French. When they gave up when the Beatles led the British Invasion someone had to tell them it wasn't a war.

Sept. 20

Texas A&M at Miami

Dodd: The 'Canes are still stewing from a 56-point loss in the teams' last meeting -- in 1944. Take this to the betting window: Miami is 9-0 on Thursday nights since 2000.

Sept. 22

Georgia at Alabama

Dodd: Tuscaloosa is a pit for Georgia, which in no way is a reference to dog fighting and the fact that Dawgs might be harmed in the filming of this episode.

Penn State at Michigan

Dodd: You would think Penn State would be fired up for revenge after losing at home last season. You would be wrong. Michigan has won the past eight in this series.

Sept. 28

West Virginia at South Florida

Dodd: The Next Great Florida Program gets a chance to join the BCS race. The Bulls held Steve Slaton to only 43 yards in last year's upset in Morgantown.

Sept. 29

Alabama vs. Florida State in Jacksonville

Farris: The World's Second-Largest Cocktail Party should be a flat-out party. If Nick Saban can commit to a job, then this could be one of those games that we look back on as the passing of the torch form one great generation of Southern football to the next.

Dodd: "If Nick Saban can commit..."? George Clooney is more likely to commit.

Oct. 6

Florida at LSU

Dodd: Welcome to one of the great weekends of the season. In this SEC championship game preview, Florida can't run which means for the first time in his career Tebow doesn't have time to pass. Maybe it doesn't matter. Last season he used a jump shot to beat the Tigers.

Texas vs. Oklahoma at Dallas

Dodd: It is a little-known fact that Mack Brown signed a sworn document before the season promising not to run a Statue of Liberty play in this game. What's the problem, anyway? Oklahoma lost last season's Red River Shootout and still won the Big 12. The Sooners running game is actually better despite Adrian Peterson's departure.

Notre Dame at UCLA

Dodd: I'll bet anyone anything that DeWayne Walker doesn't call one snap of prevent defense in this game.

Oct. 11

Florida State at Wake Forest

Wuske: In Bobby Bowden's previous 30 years at FSU, he never lost to Wake Forest. Last year, he never scored. Look for Florida State to get revenge.

Dodd: Not so fast, my friend. Riley Skinner is better. Micah Andrews is back and the defense is close to what it was last season.

Oct. 13

Wisconsin at Penn State

Dodd: The Tibia Classic. JoePa tries to stay ambulatory after getting run over -- and outcoached -- in this game last season.

Boston College at Notre Dame

Wuske: I can't get the picture out of my head of the Virgin Mary wearing one of those half Notre Dame/half Boston College jerseys and cringing at every big hit. I think she'll be consoling Notre Dame, as I see Boston College winning a close one.

Oct. 18

South Florida at Rutgers

Dodd: The upset kings of the Big East, South Florida lost by two to Rutgers in Tampa last season. The Knights have been warned.

Oct. 20

Tennessee at Alabama

 

Dodd: What do they call it in soccer -- a friendly? Yeah, this is a friendly. A get-together of two neighbors who respect the heck out of each other.

USC at Notre Dame

Dodd: Notre Dame CB Ambrose Wooden is still looking for his confidence after being beaten by Dwayne Jarrett in that classic two years ago.

Miami at Florida State

Dodd: Looking forward to the rematch -- in the mall after the season when 'Canes and Seminoles run into each other shopping for Christmas presents. This is the Battle of Underachieving Quarterbacks. You don't have to look too far to figure out why these guys aren't playing on Labor Day anymore.

Oct. 27

Georgia vs. Florida at Jacksonville

Wuske: The 2007 edition of "The Rivalry Game That Michael Adams Would Like To Pretend Doesn't Have A Nickname That Implies Alcohol Use By College Students" looks like it will be decided by which sophomore quarterback plays better.

USC at Oregon

Wuske: College football fans residing out West often complain that the rest of the nation doesn't give enough respect to the Pac-10. Oregon's jerseys are the reason we don't respect you. That and the fact that they want to play football in China.

Nebraska at Texas

Dodd: Yeah, sure, Nebraska is back. It had Texas beat last year in Lincoln. Then Ryan Bailey hit a 22-yard game-winning field goal with 23 seconds left, after a Husker fumble.

Nov. 3

LSU at Alabama

Dodd: To quote Les Miles: "F-----' Alabama." To quote Nick Saban: Well, nothing that we can print. You better believe Saban has something for the guy who is keeping his seat warm.

Wuske: If I'm Les Miles, I haven't slept since Nick Saban announced he was going to Alabama. As stressful as this game will be for Saban, I can't imagine how devastating a loss this would be for the coach many LSU fans still think of as their "rebound guy."

Texas at Oklahoma State

Dodd: This time it's reeeeaaally scary for the 'Horns. The Cowboys typically get out to a 35-point lead, then give it all back because they're Oklahoma State. If OK-State can play any defense, it could be a long day for Mack. In other words, it will be a short day for Mack.

Wisconsin at Ohio State

Dodd: So you want to win the Big Ten, Badgers? This is where you start to prove it. Whiskey is 3-1 against Tressel and has won three in a row at The Shoe. Who knew?

Nov. 8

Louisville at West Virginia

Dodd: The Big East game of the year moves to Morgantown, where not a couch will be left unburned. Look for Steve Slaton to have a big game. His two fumbles killed the Mountaineers last season.

Nov. 10

USC at California:

Dodd: If Cal is as tough as the tree huggers trying to protect the pines outside Memorial Stadium, then we've got ourselves a game. The teams that shared the 2006 Pac-10 title are determined not to this season.

Texas Tech at Texas

Dodd: This has become a bitter rivalry involving clods of dirt, dust storms, tractor races, angry dairy cows and -- oh, wait, they're playing in Austin.

Florida at South Carolina

Wuske: In the past couple of years this game has been all about Steve Spurrier. This year it may be about Tim Tebow. Gator fans treat him as the next coming of the Messiah, which must be awkward for him as a child of missionaries. But to the rest of the SEC, he's the most hated home-schooled kid since Dakota Fanning.

Michigan at Wisconsin

Dodd: The game of the year in the Big Ten, unless you count the one next week. This is where Chad Henne, Michael Hart and Jake Long write their legacy.

Nov. 17

Ohio State at Michigan

Farris: Last year I promised all of my Michigan friends that this would be the year that they could exorcise some newly acquired demons. I still think the Buckeyes are overmatched in this game, but don't forget who is under center for Michigan in this game (Henne). He will probably become Michigan's only 10,000-yard passer, but could be more remembered for going 0-4 against his biggest rival.

Nov. 22

USC at Arizona State

Dodd: Dennis Erickson has something for the Trojans on Thanksgiving. It's not game film of Idaho, either. It's actual guts and heart and, well, a defense.

Nov. 23

Boise State at Hawaii

Dodd: The best off-the-radar game of the season. Despite neither team getting to a BCS bowl, this one will be a classic. Start with two Heisman contenders -- Colt Brennan and Ian Johnson -- who get to state their cases, late.

Texas at Texas A&M

Dodd: Colt McCoy was "cleared to play" going into last season's game after a shoulder injury. Don't confuse that with "able to beat the Aggies." Half of McCoy was better than none, I suppose, but it cost the 'Horns in an embarrassing 12-7 loss.

Nov. 24

Florida State at Florida

 

Dodd: This is unfortunate for Bowden. Florida is steaming toward the SEC championship game while Florida State is trying to stay relevant.

Alabama at Auburn

Dodd: Tommy Tuberville is starting on his second hand after winning five in a row. Saban is supposed to change all that but unless he gets a defense, sure to be worn down by this point, Auburn will enjoy the joy of six.

Georgia at Georgia Tech

Wuske: I'll never pick Georgia Tech over Georgia, because it would affect my soul in a way few can understand, but I don't understand why anyone would this year. The biggest positive change I can see on the Georgia Tech sideline is the lack of Reggie Ball. But I think we can all agree that saying your team will win because your old quarterback isn't there anymore, is just plain mean.

Nov. 29

Rutgers at Louisville

Dodd: Jeremy Ito filled his black book after kicking the game-winning field goal on national television. Rutgers will need more than his leg in Papa John. We'll be glad to hold his black book.

Dec. 1

UCLA at USC

Dodd: Booty's career, legacy and a safe trip home are on the line. The USC quarterback stunk in this one last year. So did his offensive line. A year after putting up 66 on the Bruins, the Trojans scored nine. They'd settle for a number right in the middle, say 37, this time.

Pittsburgh at West Virginia

Dodd: Feel free, Pittsburghers, to stop Pat White and Steve Slaton. The Ambiguously Heisman Duo has run and passed all over the Panthers in the past two meetings. No slip-ups allowed. If West Virginia wins this, it could be heading to the national championship game.

Washington at Hawaii

Wuske: In the event that Hawaii can go undefeated up to this point, including a win against Boise State the day after Thanksgiving, all of us out East are going to have to stay up until about 3 in the morning to see whether or not our 50th state is going to have its first BCS appearance. Can't the NCAA do anything about this? I've got church in the morning.