"Official" 2007 College Football Thread

[WJMorris3]

I wonder if Appalachian State will be Hot! Hot! Hot! tonight?

[Drew22]

App-28

Delaware-7

Delaware has done little right.

[TFoA]

Wow. Appalachian State's really acting like they've been there before.

I'm all for celebrating championships, but the team & their fans aren't showing ANY class. I mean, gatorade showers, UGA-style TD celebrations, fans almost rushing the field WITH 3 MINUTES LEFT. You stay classy, ASU. >.>

[Thad]

Wow I can't believe they did that. Great way to show off our school.

Great game though. We played an awesome game. Defense was awesome. Gameplan was amazing on offense. They were obviously planning to stop Armanti, so we gave it to Devon and Kevin. Dexter had a great game also.

ITS GREAT TO BE A MOUNTAINEER!

[jkrdevil]

Appalachian State Division I National Champions!!!!

[Viper]

App State began the season by beating the Michigan Wolverines. It was only fitting that they end the season by not only winning the FCS title, but by beating a team that, except for using a lighter shade of blue, shamelessly copied the Wolverines' uniforms.

[winghaz]

Too bad Appalachian State and North Dakota State can't play each other this year.

[Juddley]

The word on the street is nine Florida State players will be suspended for the Music City Bowl against Kentucky.

Las Vegas has taken the game off of the boards and I had a friend that works as a beat writer for the 'Noles in Tallahassee confirm that this info should be coming out on Monday.

[TFoA]

App State began the season by beating the Michigan Wolverines. It was only fitting that they end the season by not only winning the FCS title, but by beating a team that, except for using a lighter shade of blue, shamelessly copied the Wolverines' uniforms.

Who shamelessly copied Princeton by just changing the colors.

[Drew22]

Valdosta State Division II National Champions!

Woo!

[Discrim]

*looks around*

oh...were yall waitin for me to say it? well alright then...after a decision of 31 to 21, your 2007 Division III National Champion is...the guys in the purple helmets.

wait, they both wear purple helmets? okay then...

Whitewater Warhawks Division III Champions!!!

One. Helluva. Game. if you didn't see it, I feel sorry for you.

[HedleyLamarr]

Valdosta State Division II National Champions!

Woo!

Which will be in page 2 of the local Valdosta newspaper, since Lowndes is in the Class-AAAAA state championship.....

[Drew22]

Rich Rodriguez to Michigan

West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez informed his players at a 1:30 p.m. meeting Sunday that he was leaving to become the new coach at Michigan.

Rodriguez met with Michigan athletic director Bill Martin on Friday to talk about the Wolverines' coaching job.

Rodriguez and his agent were in Toledo to talk with Martin and university president Mary Sue Coleman, according to Sporting News Radio, which cited unidentifed sources.

The meeting was confirmed to ESPN's Joe Schad on Friday afternoon by a source close to the situation.

Rodriguez, 44, was back in Morgantown on Friday after taking a flight from Ohio, and unwilling to talk about any possible interest in the Michigan job.

"Going to practice. I'm going to practice," he told The Associated Press on Friday, getting into his car after a trip to Toledo.

Rodriguez again refused to discuss Michigan's vacant coaching job on Saturday.

At the opening of a previously scheduled news conference about West Virginia's trip to the Fiesta Bowl, Rodriguez said he would only talk about the game against Oklahoma (No. 4 BCS, No. 3 AP).

"It may be disappointing to you, but I am not going to talk about any rumors or innuendo or jobs or what else is floating out there," Rodriguez said.

"I'm not going to address the rumors or anything of that nature," Rodriguez said. "If any questions are asked about that, the press conference will be over."

The questions about Michigan persisted, and Rodriguez fired back.

"You all have not understood what I just said. One more question and this conference, unfortunately, and you all have been super, but if the questions persist outside of that then this thing will be over," he said.

A reporter then asked whether Rodriguez would coach the team in the Fiesta Bowl.

"You're a tricky guy," Rodriguez said.

Some players indicated Rodriguez hadn't spoken to them about Michigan and that they were under orders to keep quiet.

"I'm not supposed to talk about that. I'm sorry," offensive lineman Ryan Stanchek said Saturday.

West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong spoke with Rodriguez on Saturday.

"We talked about general issues within the football program," Pastilong told The Charleston Gazette, declining to be more specific.

Pastilong, who didn't immediately return a telephone message to The Associated Press, told the newspaper "we'll know something very fast" in regard to Rodriguez's decision.

Michigan, which lured basketball coach John Beilein away from West Virginia last April, is looking for a replacement for football coach Lloyd Carr, who announced his retirement Nov. 19 after 13 seasons.

Pastilong said he was unaware Rodriguez, who has a hefty buyout clause in his contract, was in Toledo.

"He has not shared that with me," Pastilong told The Associated Press.

Pastilong would not say whether West Virginia had given Michigan permission to talk to Rodriguez, citing university policy.

When asked further whether he knew Rodriguez was talking to Michigan, Pastilong said, "Rich has not mentioned anything of that nature to me. Secondly, we have a strong commitment with Rich, a strong contract. We're strongly committed to him and he's strongly committed to us.

"I think it would be unusual that he would be doing that without sharing it with us."

Michigan athletic department spokesman Bruce Madej said he was unaware of any talks.

On the day Carr announced he was stepping down, Martin said he hoped to complete the hiring process quickly.

But LSU's Les Miles withdrew from consideration before he was scheduled to meet with Martin and signed a contract extension with the Tigers.

Rutgers' Greg Schiano said last week after being contacted about the Michigan job that he was staying with the Scarlet Knights.

After a 13-9 loss to Pittsburgh in the regular-season finale knocked West Virginia out of the national championship game, Rodriguez said he wasn't going to be on the move.

"The impact of your name being thrown about is sometimes a little overrated. It probably makes for a lot of angst among families and we don't want that," he said. "Sorry but you all are stuck with me here."

Rodriguez has a 60-26 record at West Virginia. The Big East champion Mountaineers (10-2) play No. 3 Oklahoma (11-2) next month in the Fiesta Bowl.

Last December, Rodriguez agreed to a one-year contract extension through 2013 after he turned down a lucrative offer from Alabama. The extension includes a $4 million buyout clause if he leaves before August 2008. That doubles the amount from the previous contract.

Beilein had a $2.5 million buyout clause in his West Virginia contract, but under an agreement with the university he agreed to pay $1.5 million to the WVU Foundation for leaving for Michigan with five years remaining in his contract.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3157227

Thoughts?

[jman077]

YES!!! YES!!!! RR'S MY COACH!! WOOHOO!!

I think this is a HUGE step in the right direction for bringing Michigan into the future. He's a proven recruiter who runs an innovative offense that Ryan Mallett will thrive in.

All together now: HAIL! TO THE VICTORS, VALIANT!

HAIL! TO THE CONQUERING HEROES!

HAIL! HAIL! TO MICHIGAN THE LEADERS AND BEST!

HAIL! TO THE VICTORS, VALIANT!

HAIL! TO THE CONQUERING HEROES!

HAIL! HAIL! TO MICHIGAN, THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WEST!

[kewp80]

Wow, Rodriguez leaving his alma mater. Big Blue's gotta be paying him a ton.

Wonder who WVU will be looking at as their replacement...

[Jigga]

First, John Beilien, now Rich Rodriguez. You know the Maize and Blue have had some really rough times lately when you have to steal your big time coaches from West Virginia!

With that said, I love this hire for Big Blue. For the first time, there will actually be a dynamic offense in the Big TenEleven. I think Michigan will get demolished by Florida, meaning they would have lost to three "Spread" teams this season...so if you can't be it, become it, baby! The guy can really recruit. He knows how to get "athletes" and "speed" and he knows what to do with them when he gets them.

[J.R.]

YES!!! YES!!!! RR'S MY COACH!! WOOHOO!!

I think this is a HUGE step in the right direction for bringing Michigan into the future. He's a proven recruiter who runs an innovative offense that Ryan Mallett will thrive in.

All together now: HAIL! TO THE VICTORS, VALIANT!

HAIL! TO THE CONQUERING HEROES!

HAIL! HAIL! TO MICHIGAN THE LEADERS AND BEST!

HAIL! TO THE VICTORS, VALIANT!

HAIL! TO THE CONQUERING HEROES!

HAIL! HAIL! TO MICHIGAN, THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WEST!

You lost to Appalachian State -- shut up. Sheesh!

[TFoA]

YES!!! YES!!!! RR'S MY COACH!! WOOHOO!!

I think this is a HUGE step in the right direction for bringing Michigan into the future. He's a proven recruiter who runs an innovative offense that Ryan Mallett will thrive in.

All together now: HAIL! TO THE VICTORS, VALIANT!

HAIL! TO THE CONQUERING HEROES!

HAIL! HAIL! TO MICHIGAN THE LEADERS AND BEST!

HAIL! TO THE VICTORS, VALIANT!

HAIL! TO THE CONQUERING HEROES!

HAIL! HAIL! TO MICHIGAN, THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WEST!

You lost to Appalachian State -- shut up. Sheesh!

Even though I really do like the hire, and Michigan's probably gonna own the faces off of the rest of the Big 10 by running Rich Rodriguez's offense...J.R. is right, Michigan fans can't talk, at least, until April. Michigan Losing to Appalachian State, no matter if they are the Back-To-Back-To-Back FCS Champs, is still Michigan losing to Appalachian State.

I keed, I keed.

[Drew22]

YES!!! YES!!!! RR'S MY COACH!! WOOHOO!!

I think this is a HUGE step in the right direction for bringing Michigan into the future. He's a proven recruiter who runs an innovative offense that Ryan Mallett will thrive in.

All together now: HAIL! TO THE VICTORS, VALIANT!

HAIL! TO THE CONQUERING HEROES!

HAIL! HAIL! TO MICHIGAN THE LEADERS AND BEST!

HAIL! TO THE VICTORS, VALIANT!

HAIL! TO THE CONQUERING HEROES!

HAIL! HAIL! TO MICHIGAN, THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WEST!

You lost to Appalachian State -- shut up. Sheesh!

Even though I really do like the hire, and Michigan's probably gonna own the faces off of the rest of the Big 10 by running Rich Rodriguez's offense...J.R. is right, Michigan fans can't talk, at least, until April. Michigan Losing to Appalachian State, no matter if they are the Back-To-Back-To-Back FCS Champs, is still Michigan losing to Appalachian State.

Illinois runs the spread, so they know how it works enough to stop it. But now the Illini won't have an advantage over the rest of the Big11

[buckeyes1]

*looks around*

oh...were yall waitin for me to say it? well alright then...after a decision of 31 to 21, your 2007 Division III National Champion is...the guys in the purple helmets.

wait, they both wear purple helmets? okay then...

Whitewater Warhawks Division III Champions!!!

One. Helluva. Game. if you didn't see it, I feel sorry for you.

I can't believe it. The Purple Raiders lost!!!!!!! Congrats to you guys though.