Two-Minute Drill: Irish Become ACC's "Chick on the Side" - jmik58's Blog

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Two-Minute Drill: Irish Become ACC's "Chick on the Side" Stuck

Posted on September 14, 2012 at 10:12 AM.

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College football randawesomeness packed into 120 seconds or less (reading levels not checked); getting you up to speed on the weekend ahead and dropping you off on a gravel road three miles outside of town.

THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE, EXCEPT WHEN THEY DO

If you remember last week's edition of TMD, you may recall the section on Nebraska and their success when rushing for 185 yards or more. Going into last week the Cornhuskers were 18-0 when reaching that mark and 0-9 when coming up short. Did I say 18-0? Make that 18-1 after a 36-30 loss at UCLA despite 260 team rushing yards on the game by Nebraska.

The Blackshirts definitely didn't show up and cost me my second missed prediction of the year after Iowa lost to Iowa State earlier in the day. I did connect on Kansas State, Florida, and Arizona State coming away with victories; raising my mark on the year to 8-2.

This week I'm taking Michigan State over Notre Dame (despite the lack of a proven passing attack from the Spartans), BYU over Utah, USC over Stanford, Navy over the dissolving Nittany Lions, and finally the Volunteers over Florida.

FIVE-YARD PENALTY FOR IGNORANCE

As the final plays of Utah State's victory over Utah unfolded in overtime last Friday night, I was sure I was onto something. I even had Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples convinced enough to retweet my protest to an offensive pass interference call that cost Utah the game. But I was wrong.

The play in question -- a touchdown pass that would have tied the game in overtime -- was ruled offensive pass interference as the receiver shoved a defensive player to the ground. I incorrectly had thought -- as many others I have asked also were led to believe -- that pass interference on the offense requires a ball to be in the air at the time of the infraction. According to "ARTICLE 8" under the section on "Passing the Ball" of the NCAA rule book, however, the offensive receiver may not make contact with an eligible defensive player beyond the neutral zone at any time during a passing play when the ball is thrown past the line of scrimmage.

Who said all rules are made to favor the offense?

THE OLD "DROP THE SNAP, FAKE PUNT, 100 YD TOUCHDOWN" TRICK

Special teams always has a way of sneaking up in various levels of football. Typically it's a mishap that makes headlines (see Oakland Raiders week one, Longsnapper Spotlight below) but sometimes special teams can truly be "special." Granted this comes from a high school game, but maybe they're onto something. [VIDEO LINK]

LIONS, TIGERS, AND BOOSTERS

The long season of uncertainty continues for the Penn State Nittany lions. Folks in Happy Valley must feel like they're playing a game of bag-raid golf. As if enough players hadn't exited, with each loss the team has suffered this year they've also lost a player to withdrawal as well. This week's casualties: Shawney Kersey and Matt Marcincin.

In other feline news, the Tigers of LSU aren't quite losing players from the team for good but have been stricken with difficult ineligibility news including the loss of Tahj Jones for the season. The loss of Jones certainly takes a piece out of the Tigers national championship hopes, but at least they're not staring major sanctions in the face ala Mississippi State. More claims of impermissible benefits in the SEC involving the Bulldogs? Put on your shocked face.

BLACK HOLE SUN DEVIL

Teams that like to travel west early in the season might want to have a sit-down meeting with their athletic directors. A different time zone and lack of comfort have helped turn early-season PAC-12 trips into a Bermuda Triangle for teams from the Midwest or East. Last year in week two, Arizona State knocked off #21 Missouri and last week smashed Illinois by a score of 45-14. Not to be outdone, Arizona beat a ranked Oklahoma State team 59-38; as did UCLA over Nebraska by a score of 36-30, and Oregon State took down Wisconsin 10-7.

THE ACC'S CHICK ON THE SIDE

Notre Dame and the ACC have agreed to a friends-with-benefits relationship that will play out in athletic arenas in South Bend and along the east coast.

Notre Dame announced this week their intention to join the ACC in every major sport except football. This allows the Irish to maintain their partnership with NBC and -- for the time -- unique avenue into BCS postseason play. Notre Dame won't completely spurn the ACC, however, as they plan to match up five times during the regular season with ACC foes in football.

The move is a win-win for both sides in all sports involved including football. The ACC gets the financial draw of the Irish five times each year while Notre Dame expands their reach east and boosts their basketball ties as the Big East falls apart. Kinda like the time you held onto your faltering relationship while cultivating a little weekend bonding with that "eight" you met at the gym.

THE MOST INTERESTING MEME IN THE WORLD

"I don't always play football, but when I do..." : TMD's meme of the week

LONG SNAPPER SPOTLIGHT

Last but not least, welcome again to the caboose of TMD's college football train. Whether for good or bad, long snappers need lovin' too.

This week's news isn't of the college variety, but the story resonates throughout all levels of football. The oft-forgotten member of the team, this week's Oakland Raiders debacle has given the spotlight to long snappers everywhere. Call it the "I told ya so" moment for the position. An injury to Oakland's Jon Condo left the team scrambling -- as most teams would -- considering they didn't carry a backup snapper. A handful of blocked punts and grass-burner snaps later and Oakland had lost the game.

It's not as easy as it looks for the average person or elite athlete for that matter. Just give it a try. See, I told ya so.

Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper

Comments

# 1 keator @ Sep 14

Agree with the premise, but the ACC is ND chick on the side. ND is the one getting all the perks without any work. They get to increase their revenue in all other non football sports by joining the ACC, without having to share any of the football money.

# 2 Bmore Irish @ Sep 14

as mike golic said recently, notre dame will never join a conference unless there's some sort of super-conference landscape in college football, and i couldnt see that happening for some time, if at all. def a possibility though, as is semi-happening now. the long snapper issue was comical in a really sad way for oakland, mike tirico called it when the guy went down too haha. GO IRISH