College Football Week 9

Blue is the best way to describe Michigan faithful following a 38-13 drubbing to the Big Ten basement dweller, Illinois. The Fighting Illini outscored the Wolverines 31-0 in the second half. The turning point of the game was an Illini goal line stand from the 1 on four downs. Although Michigan is one win away from being bowl eligible, the faithful were expecting better things from head coach Rich Rodriguez in his second year. Much of the talk prior to the season reinforced how Rodriguez was able to turn around the West Virginia program in year two. Home games against Purdue and Ohio State as well as a trip to Wisconsin realistically gives them one more win in 2009, fans may not be patient nor may be the school. Michigan Stadium re-opens in 2010 with brand new luxury boxes which aren't completely sold. The athletic director who hired Rodriguez will be out before the start of the 2010 season, and perhaps a new coach will be running out of the tunnel, too. Les Miles?....Much has been made of poor officiating in the SEC, Pac 10 and Big 10 over the last few weeks, but lost in the shuffle is the poor job done by the on-field clock official. For example in the three of Iowa's wins the clock operator has been questioned. Against Northern Iowa in the opener, the Panthers lined up for a game winning field goal with :08 to play. The kick was blocked, ball rolled around while a Northern Iowa lineman picked it up to maintain position. The clock ticked to :01 giving the Panthers a second shot. Many believed the time should've run out, but due to a replay that did not have the clock on-screen, the replay officials could not overturn it. A week ago at East Lansing, the Hawkeyes had a 3rd and goal from inside the five with :05 to play. A slant pass only lasted three seconds allowing the Hawkeyes one more opportunity. Then Saturday following a Hoosier touchdown the 0n-field timer did not stop the clock and let it click to 4:55. My video showed it ticked from 5:01 to 4:58, yet time was reset to 5:00. Moments like these would be better handled by placing the timer in the press box, not on field. It is difficult to see across the field, and they become too involved in the action and forget about the job at hand. There is only one of these situations that have proved to be incorrect (Indiana), but the Big Ten cannot afford more bad press in an area that should be governed better....Over the weekend two SEC schools made adjustments to the uniforms prior to taking the field. Georgia came out for pre-game warm-ups wearing their custom red helmets. Once they took the playing field against the Florida Gators they wore black helmets. Elsewhere the Tennessee Volunteers ditched the home orange tops for black, making them look more like Halloween pumpkins, than the Volunteers. The SEC has always been known as a football first conference, yet these uniform changes are ridiculous and the money could be used in better ways. The NCAA has instituted rules based on certain decals that can be found on a team's jersey, but they should be more concerned about wasteful spending on multiple uniform styles.