Pitt loses, Headed to PapaJohns.com Bowl to face S.Carolina?

With a lost today to the Cincy Bearcats by the score of 45-44 and the West Virginia football team taking a bowl invite by the Gator Bowl, it seems the Pitt Panthers are heading to Birmingham.

This would make for a intersting match-up for South Carolina (7-5) in the PapaJohns.com Bowl versus a 9 win Pitt team on Jan. 2 game.

Pitt had their game today in their hands until Tony Pike led Cincinnati on a one-minute, 61-yard strike to tie the game, and Jake Rogers' PAT won it.  Basically, a heart breaker for Pitt nation and the result could mean it gets the Big East #4 bowl tie-in and that road leads to Alabama.

I guess we will learn if this match-up get solidified on Sunday so stay tuned...So we got Spurrier v Dave Wannstedt ? Should be a very interesting game if it holds true...
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PS -USC Coaching staff please go ahead and begin this weekend on creating ways to slow Pitt RB Dion Lewis as he had 3 TDs and nearly 200yds rushing vs a good Cincy D.  The Pitt Offense flows through him.

Gamecocks & Pitt in PapaJohns.com Bowl?

Pitt v USC?  Gamecocks v Panthers?  Ugh, that actually makes me a little nervous thinking about the 7-5 gamecocks facing a very good Pitt team in the Jan. 2 bowl game. 

The Birmingham News reported today that it might not be UConn or South Florida to face South Carolina in the Papajohns.com Bowl as most, including LOHD, figures will play out.  It might actually be Pitt that gets to face the gamecocks. Yeap, if the Panthers lose this weekend to the favored & undefeated Cincinnati, Pitt could fall from the BCS glory to Birmingham.  That is a big drop but still a chance and a chance that the PapaJ officals are thinking about.  Could give Pitt more reason to play hard vs Cinncy?

Link: http://blog.al.com/solomon/2009/12/pittsburgh_could_be_coming_to.html

I much prefer to see SC take on UConn or USF than Pitt.  Not sold on this scenario playing out but lots of football to play this weekend and of course bowl situations to be finalized....  Oh the bowl scenario drama.........

Hitler Learns the Truth About Clemson, ACC & Gamecocks

Classic.......

{credit - DrStrangeCock}

SEC Power Poll Week 13 - Final

Final SEC Power Poll is up at TSK - HERE.

This was the LOHD Ballot ---

1. Alabama
Was not the prettiest win but it was a good win going into the biggest game of the year.

2. Florida
Tebow seems to be back to his old ways....

3. LSU
LSU is either hot or cold from week to week.

4. Tennessee
Lane ends up with a decent season and he didn’t have to run his mouth to do it.

5. Georgia
One week does not make up for the rest of the season. Willie or Bobo gots to go....

6. Arkansas
Great Offense yet poor defense. Story all year.

7. Auburn
Gene just could not muster up enough magic to stop Saban on his quest for SEC glory.

8. South Carolina
Played their best game all year vs Clemson.

9. Ole Miss
Ole Miss wishes they could get a “do over” for this season as they had the potential yet poor execution

10. Kentucky
On to John Wall and UK basketball.

11. Mississippi State
Wait til next year as Dan will do good things at MSU.

12. Vanderbilt
Are they playing football still? Just throw in the towel.

Spurrier to get Contract Extension from Gamecocks

Via this - HERE - the Ole Ball Coach said today he expects to soon receive a contract extension that would bring his deal to four years thus to help in recruiting.

Spurrier in his own words...

"I think we're going to announce an extension here in a few days because the head coach needs four years on their contract (for recruiting)," Spurrier said. "Not only who the head coach will be, but who assistants will be."

Makes sense to me and glad to hear it.  LOHD has always maintained that Spurrier is doing a good job, despite the records, in building rebuilding the program.  He certainly has the program progressing in the right direction and having him down for a full 4 yr term will help him when he goes into the homes of future gamecocks in "selling" the USC program.

I truly feel he has 3-4 years of coaching left in him and during that span will do great things at Carolina.

More from USC HERE

Gamecocks Bowl Options Down to 3

I don't know about you guys but I am still enjoying the gamecocks win versus clemson....as you know the gamecocks football team has concluded their season and await word from a bowl committee on where their next game will be.  LOHD will join the masses and shed light on the subject.... 

The Liberty and Independence bowls likely will go with Arkansas and Auburn, respectively.  Seems our bowl destinations are being narrowed down to a final three - The Chick-fil-A Bowl, The Music City Bowl and The Papa John's Bowl.

I know there is still a lot of football to be played and everyone has a scenario to talk about - Joe Person's from The State and Garnet & Black Attack - and LOHD told you back on Nov 20th that it was down to these three. 

Must admit, I thought if we won the CU game then Atlanta would want us and still not understanding why not b/c I really feel the USC faithful would invade Atlanta.  I think it simply comes down to business.  Meaning the selection cmtes are looking at miles between locations, travel history....heads and beds folks...simple tourism 101.

If the Sugar Bowl will confirm that it will take the loser of Saturday’s Southeastern Conference championship game between No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Alabama, then the other bowls can announce their selections.

Quick Thoughts -

Chick-fil-A Bowl
I would love for Carolina to be at this bowl....But very slim chance of getting the invite to this bowl as rumors around the web is that they have no interest in us coming to Atlanta and seem poised to take the UGa v VT match-up.  VT deserves it at 9-3.  UGa gets the nod due to location or someone on the cmte had deeper motives.  Could see UT sneak in there...oh the drama.

Music City Bowl
Seems UK is the favorite here do to location, traveling history and timing.  Makes sense really from the business side but this is where the Gamecocks deserve to be after going 7-5 in 2009.  Seems the ACC choice is UNC....I would prefer the 'battle of the Carolinas' over the 'battle of the blues'.  Outside chance of UGa landing here is they get snubbed by Atlanta...like USC did.

PapaJ Bowl
USC AD Eric Hyman was on the radio last night and he pretty much stated that this is the most likely place that USC will be going.  SC would face the winner of this week’s UConn-South Florida game.  Either one would be a good match up and a joy to watch.  Everyone knows that USC fans follow their team and have a good record of showing up at bowl games but will they go to this game?

Again there is a lot of football and choices to be made.  CU-GT game has some weight on the above so watch that game closely and tune in on Sunday for the Bowl Selection show.  Might even get word sooner so stay tuned but you are most likely safe making that hotel reservation in Alabama.

UPDATE ---

As of 3pm today, Chick-fil-a Bowl Chooses UT v VT.

Mumme Poll Ballot

1. Florida

Beat FSU in part of the SEC’s “Beat the crap out of your ACC rival” week.

2. Alabama

Survived scare against Auburn. Onto the National Semifinal against Florida.

3. Texas

Defense didn’t look so hot against Texas A&M. Offense and Colt McCoy did, though.

4. TCU

Speaking of offensive outputs. Perhaps we’ll get to see how good they are against one of the big boys in the BCS.

5. Oregon

One more game on the way to the Rose Bowl.

Cincinnati

Close game against bad Illinois team. A win this week against Pitt and Cincy might be Top 5 material.

Ohio State

No game. No change.

Boise State

Still undefeated. I still have my doubts about how good this team actually is. Hopefully they will play someone other than TCU in their bowl game.

Oregon State

One game away from the Rose Bowl … and a rivalry game at that. Should be interesting.

Georgia Tech

Victim of the SEC’s “Beat the crap out of your ACC rival” week.

Iowa, LSU

Deserving? Maybe. More likely the beneficiaries of the losses in last week’s Top 12.

Comments, arguments?

ACC Championship games T-Shirts Go on Sale

You might have already seen this but I think it is pretty funny stuff. What do you get when you take the worst football school from SC and put them up against the worst football school in the state of Georgia. The ACC Championship game.

FUNNY - Dabo Swinney Coaches Show 2009 / Carolina 34 Clemson 17

Funny stuff!  About 5mins long but worth watching....

Ten Questions

1.) Which bowl game do you see South Carolina heading to this bowl season?

2.) Which ACC lose this weekend was the worst for the conference GT or Clemson?

3.) Does Bobby Bowden retire this week, or does he stick it out for another season?

4.) Who had the best Heisman performance this past week, Colt, Tebow or Toby Gerhart?

5.) What would Dabo say, Clemson is 8-4 or Clemson was only 27 points from a undefeated season?

6.) Which injury would mostly be the cause for C.J. Spillers bad performance this past weekend (bird flu, swollen toe, or chicken pox's)?

7.) Who would you like USC play in a bowl game this season?

8.) Notre Dames player are voting today in a closed meeting weather they should go to a bowl game or not, what do you think a 6-6 Notre Dame team should do?

9.) If Texas loses to Nebraska this weekend, who would you rather see play in the National Championship game against the SEC champion, TCU or Cincinnati?

10.) Now that Charlie Weis is pretty much gone, who will be Notre Dames next coach?