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Austin sours
Only one chance remains for Simms to be savior
By Stewart Mandel, CNNSI.com
Oy Gevalt!
Such was the sound emanating from dens and living rooms across the country last December, the tortured response of anyone unfortunate enough to be watching Chris Simms in the Big 12 championship.
After three years, the inscrutable tale of Texas' poster-boy quarterback has become more than just amusement for talk radio pundits. It's no stretch to say that the fate of the entire 2002 college football season could depend on the mental state of one solitary athlete.
You see, following four straight years of elite recruiting classes, Mack Brown's program is unquestionably loaded. They have the nation's most talented running back in Cedric Benson, its top receiving corps and its top defense of a year ago.
In theory, the cherry on top of this scrumptous sundae is Simms, the much-chronicled cover boy and son of NFL greatness. But after three years, even the most rabid of Horns fans can't deny his perplexing habit of melting down in the biggest games, the most recent of which caused him to be benched for his team's bowl game.
Consider:
For his career, Simms, 15-4 as a starter, is a respectable 300-of-515 (58.3 percent) for 3,890 yards, 32 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
But in the four games in which he's faced Top 10 opponents -- No. 10 Oklahoma and No. 8 Oregon (Holiday Bowl) in 2000, No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 9 Colorado (Big 12 championship) in 2001 -- Simms is 61-of-115 (53 percent) for roughly 160 yards per game, no touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
The only thing more painful than reading those numbers is to actually watch him produce them.
As of now, Simms is both the reason the Horns are ranked so high going into the season and the reason they're not preseason No. 1. The optimistic thinking is he will finally shake off the big-game jitters now that he no longer has the threat of being pulled for Major Applewhite.
We'll find out Oct. 12, when the second-ranked Longhorns head back to the Cotton Bowl -- Simms' personal House of Horrors -- for the annual Red River showdown against No. 3 Oklahoma. If the preseason polls are to be believed, the result will not only determine the Big 12 South but cause a ripple effect that could reach all the way to the Fiesta Bowl.
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Who inherits the visor?
The SEC will be a far different place this fall without Steve Spurrier to needle Georgia or rub more salt on Vanderbilt. Needless to say, few would want the pressure Ron Zook faces in succeeding Spurrier, though they wouldn't mind having Rex Grossman as their quarterback. Zook's best move thus far was hiring Marshall's Ed Zaunbrecher as offensive coordinator, ensuring the Gators won't stray far from Spurrier's pass-obsessed ways.
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Golden headache
Tyrone Willingham's first seven months as Notre Dame head coach couldn't be going better. Other than losing the nation's top recruit to Florida State on Signing Day, watching his most experienced quarterback transfer and his most experienced running back flunk out and having four players go on trial for an alleged sexual assault, he's having a great time. Oh, and coach? If you could just go ahead and win nine games this fall, that would be great.
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The BCS turns five
As a present, college football is expected to present new coordinator Mike Tranghese with yet another strange-unforseen-circumstance-our-computers-weren't-quite-prepared-to-handle. With almost all teams playing an extra game this year -- and in most cases against a decent opponent -- here's predicting no undefeated teams, one one-loss team and a whole bunch of 10-2 candidates to consider. Best of luck.
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HOT: Chris Rix
Somehow, over the course of an offseason, Florida State's QB transformed from inconsistent freshman to Heisman candidate.
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NOT: John Navarre
Despite starting every game last season, the junior's claim to Michigan's QB job is considered tenuous at best. Losing to Ohio State will do that.
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HOT: Colorado
With one 62-36 thumping of Nebraska, the Buffs got over a hump they'd been sitting on for a decade. Now, they're playing the role of defending Big 12 champs.
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NOT: Nebraska
There are serious questions about the state of the Huskers' juggernaut after the way last season ended, and that's besides having to replace Eric Crouch.
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HOT: Mike Price
In one season, the Wazzu coach has gone from the hot seat to media darling, thanks in part to a wry sense of humor that helped spawn QB Jason Gesser's grain-elevator billboard.
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NOT: Bob Toledo
Speaking of hot seats, the UCLA coach's is boiling following another unfulfilling season, one that began with national title talk and ended without even a bowl game.
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Miami at Florida, Sept. 7
Does it get much better? The defending national champs' first test of 2002, Ron Zook's first big game as a Gator and a showdown of the consensus top two Heisman candidates, Rex Grossman and Ken Dorsey. Who's gonna miss baseball?
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Washington at Washington State, Nov. 23
If, as many expect, the Pac-10 title comes down to this Apple Cup showdown, it will be the biggest thing in Pullman since Ryan Leaf's ego. |
Duke at Navy, Sept. 28
This is it: The Blue Devils' best chance to break their losing streak before it lasts another whole season and reaches the all-time record of 34. Navy, like Duke, was winless in 2001. Good seats still available. |
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For my entire bowl projections, click here.
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| Fiesta: Miami vs. Texas |
Rose: Ohio State vs. Washington |
| Sugar: Tennessee vs. Oklahoma |
Orange: Florida State vs. Georgia |
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Once the season begins, this space each week will be devoted to comments by you, the reader, in response to a topic posed by moi.
First up: What game are you looking forward to most this season?
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Stewart Mandel covers college football for CNNSI.com. To send him a comment or question, click here.
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