It's no secret that college football is big business, particularly during BCS bowl season. Last week, the Sports Money department at Forbes.com issued its annual list of most valuable college football teams. The report is a fascinating behind-the-curtain glimpse at the business side of college football. In order to project a football program's monetary value, the fiscal wizards at Forbes plugged a variety of complex formula of financial variables including alumni giving, student scholarships, corporate sponsorship agreements, profits generated by ticket sales, and proceeds from licensing and merchandise.



In order to get things rolling this morning, I've included the top 20 programs with each team's estimated overall value after the jump.  Keep Reading »

This email has been making the rounds today, and we had to share....

Tim Tebow - Florida


Mark Sanchez - USC
 Keep Reading »

So Brian Kelly is leaving Cincinnati to become the next head coach of Notre Dame. Actually, correction: Brian Kelly has left Cincinnati and today at 1:30 p.m. will be introduced as the next head coach of Notre Dame. Yes, four weeks before the Bearcats' Sugar Bowl matchup against Florida. Kelly was coy about his plans last night at the team's annual banquet, and his players didn't know that a final deal had already been struck. Three hours later, after the banquet, Kelly met with the team to announce the news, and let's just say it didn't go over so well. Check out some of the choicest quotes from his players after the jump.  Keep Reading »

Now that Good Ol' Charlie Weis got the axe, we can finally again focus on teams and games that matter. Conference championship week is upon us, meaning that good football and even better betting opportunities are here. Since we are dealing with the top teams from their respective conferences, betting lines are naturally tight. Coming out on top this weekend could come down more to a gut-feeling than a strategic approach. Choose wisely, my friends.

Here are your Week 14 picks. (Home team in caps.)

Cincinnati (-1.5) over PITTSBURGH
If momentum is any indicator, the Bearcats will reign supreme. They remain unbeaten and have a healthy and lethal Tony Pike back under center. Right now it appears that the only thing that can stop them is themselves. If the offense sputters, which it shouldn't, the Panthers could have a shot. But the Bearcats simply have too much to lose in the grand scheme of things with a slip-up here and will take care of business.  Keep Reading »

Adding injury to insult, reports out of South Bend say that Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen was sucker punched by an irate fan outside of a bar at 2:30 a.m. following the Irish's double-overtime loss to Connecticut earlier on Saturday.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Clausen suffered at least one black eye as a result of the punch, according to a source.

Clausen and his family were at CJ's Pub in South Bend along with numerous upperclassmen following Senior Day. The Irish play Stanford this weekend, with Coach Weis' job more or less on the line, if he hasn't lost it already. Clausen is expected to play.

Before we get to your regularly scheduled programming, a little side note about coaching. For all the attention that the Urban Meyers, Nick Sabans, and Joe Paternos of the world receive, there are as many coaches out there doing an admirable job, minus the fanfare. So let's celebrate the unheralded guys. Here are the Top 5 coaching performances of the season.

5. Dave Wannstedt, Pittsburgh
Has the one-loss Panthers tied for first in the Big East. True, they haven't been too tested by their relatively easy schedule, but the Panthers have taken care of business nonetheless.

4. Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech
Built an efficient offensive attack that only Miami has been able to figure out. There's a strong chance Johnson's troops will end the year with one loss and in a BCS bowl game.

3. Brian Kelly, Cincinnati
The most surprising team in the nation? Perhaps. With Kelly's offense you know what you are going to get -- lots of big plays.  Keep Reading »

It wouldn't have been difficult to predict in September that Florida and Alabama would both find themselves in the hunt for a national title. Guessing that Iowa and Cincinnati would be undefeated and nipping at the heels of the big boys through eight weeks: A far more challenging feat. For the most part, the season has been nothing short of unpredictable. With only six weeks left on the slate, let's look at the biggest surprises to date.  Keep Reading »

Deciding on a college to attend is a difficult task for us average folk. There are so many variables to consider that it'll make your head spin just thinking about the possibilities. The weather, location, co-eds, party scene, and classes (to an extent) are just a few things one should take into account.

Now imagine having to make the same decision if you are a highly recruited football star. Every university in the land is knocking down your door with a darn good sales pitch as to why you should suit up for them for the next four years (three if you are planning on being a first-round pick in the NFL, five if you're redshirting). It can be overwhelming. But don't fret, I have done all the necessary homework for you.

Some schools are not for everyone, but these ones should fit your needs, soon-to-be-college-football-stud. Here are the Top 10 football programs to consider when making your final decision.

10. Boise State
Had this list been crafted 10 years ago, most recruits would have thought this was a Division-III school and some kind of cruel joke. In the last five years, the Broncos have jumped into the national spotlight as the media darlings of college football. If you want a chance to go undefeated with a near certainty to play in a BCS game, this is the place for you. Plus, they have the coolest field in the land. Only downside -- you probably won't experience what winning a national championship actually feels like.

9. Texas Tech
An odd choice of sorts, I know. But if you are an offensive player, mainly a quarterback or wide receiver, I dare you to find a more fun offense to play in. If you have ever dreamed of having your name in the NCAA record books for career passing yards or most touchdown receptions in a single season, look no further. If you play a position other than QB or WR, just sit back and enjoy the ride. If you have hopes of one day starting in the NFL, look elsewhere, as the Tech spread offense doesn't translate all that well to the next level.  Keep Reading »

On a weekend of college lacrosse that finally did not feature a four or six-team Day of Something in a major Maryland or New York football stadium, #4 Cornell knocked off top-ranked Princeton 10 to 7 for their first victory over a top-5 team in more than a yearand in turn securing a share of the Ivy League championship. Other top 20 upsets included Bucknell over Colgate and UNC over Hofstra. Still undefeated #3 Notre Dame skated by Quinnipiac and St. John's. Here's the full top 20 scoreboard from this weekend's action.

#3 Notre Dame 12, Saint John's 2

Vermont 6, #20 Albany 9

Bryant 14, Bellarmine 4

#13 Colgate 11. #18 Bucknell 19

#4 Cornell 10, #1 Princeton 7

#8 Duke 10, Army 6  Keep Reading »

In case you missed it earlier this week, Face-Off Yearbook released its pre-season top 20 rankings for college lacrosse and the Virginia Cavaliers topped the list. Brofessor Lax will chime in with his take on the...  Keep Reading »