We're pleased to announce the launching of the RCS Blog Network, a collection of over 50 blogs covering topics ranging from the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers to golf, tennis, even cricket.

While RealClearSports has always been the leading aggregator of sports news and commentary from around the world, we now will also serve as a place that generates high quality original content. Our network will only grow over time, with more topics, sports, leagues and teams to be covered in the near future.

With print media continuing to be beset by a financial - even existential - crisis, the...]]> Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600 As we get closer to the finish line, it seems like amateur hour all over the web. All sorts of people who have as strong a grasp on college football as they do on grammar are coming out with incredibly nonsensical scenarios. At the risk of spreading baseless speculations, take a look at this one:

National Championship - TCU vs. Boise State

Rose Bowl - Oregon State vs. Wisconsin

Orange Bowl - Pittsburgh vs. Duke

Sugar Bowl - LSU vs. Georgia Tech

Fiesta Bowl - Kansas State vs....]]> Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600 With five weeks still to go in the regular season, and seven teams still remain unbeaten, the BCS bowl picture is far from clear. But there's enough to at least take a stab at. So here it is:

BCS National Championship Game

Florida/Alabama winner vs. Texas

Other contenders (in order of likelihood): Iowa, TCU, Cincinnati, LSU, Boise State, Oregon.

Comment: Florida and Alabama are on a collision course for the conference title game. If neither team stumbles, the winner of that game will be representing the SEC in the BCS title game for the fourth straight season. Texas has a clear sailing toward the Big 12 title game, as...]]> Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600 "Don't f***ing talk to me! Knock it off!"
- Ryan Leaf to San Diego Tribune's Jay Posner

It was the defining moment and the epithet on Ryan Leaf's unfulfilled NFL career. It was replayed on TV, over and over again, even a decade later, long after Leaf has departed the scene, having moved on to the coaching staff of West Texas A&M and perhaps, jail, in the near future.

By all accounts, Leaf is the gold standard of pro football busts. Drafted in 1998 by the San Diego Chargers with the No. 2 overall pick, he was supposed to compete with Peyton Manning on the highway to Canton. Instead, Leaf serves as the biggest cautionary tale in recent NFL...]]> Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Mike Gundy may be a man now (at least he thinks so), but part of his everyday challenge is very much the burden foisted upon every boy the world over - making his daddy proud.

Gundy's daddy, metaphorically speaking, of course, is T. Boone Pickens, a Texas oil man. A man who's given over a quarter of a billion bucks to the Oklahoma State athletic program. A man whose name graces the Cowboys' brand-spanking new stadium.

And Gundy has no better opportunity to please his (sugar) daddy than this week.

Oklahoma State's football program, thanks to the...]]> Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500 This week may be the calm before the storm. On Halloween, some of this year's BCS title contenders will be facing virtual elimination games. This week, their goal will be to get by overmatched opponents in the so-called "trap games" without suffering any damage.

Florida has the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party next week (I know the schools now frown upon the moniker, but since when do I give a flying fig about the eggheads and their pusillanimous sensitivities?). Mind you, Georgia is more poodle than Bulldog this year, but the game in Jacksonville is always a big deal. The Gators had better not overlook Mississippi State, though, as it's now coached by Dan Mullen, their...]]> Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500 Much has been made about Saturday's game being Charlie Weis' best chance to beat USC since the Bush Push Classic in 2005. The Irish, mired in a seven-year futility against the Trojans, might not get a better shot anytime soon if they don't somehow pull it off this year.

The game is at home - they can let the grass grow. The Trojans have a freshman quarterback and a sputtering offense. Jimmy Clausen is a true Heisman candidate and can't wait to finally pick apart the USC defense.

It all sounds nice and interesting. But it's all hype.

The Irish ain't gonna beat the Trojans. Not now. Not next year. Not anytime soon.

Notre Dame's 4-1 record was achieved mostly by...]]> Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The SEC is a conference that doesn't lack in blood feuds. Florida-Georgia. Auburn-Georgia. Florida-Tennessee. Auburn-Alabama. ... OK, I don't have all day, but you get the drift.

But a hot new rivalry is emerging. And for now anyway, it's the most important entanglement in the SEC, if not in all of college football.

The reason that Florida-LSU is becoming college football's best new rivalry is excellence. Both programs have made quantum leaps in the dawn of the 21st century, becoming the only two schools with multiple BCS titles.

This is how they fared against each other in the post-Steve Spurrier...]]> Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600 This is not an alarmist declaration. It's a fact.

Go to Wes Colley's computer, and play God - and see for yourself. A Hawaii win may be enough to provide safe passage for the Gators as long as they win the SEC championship game. A Cincinnati victory, then Texas just might get its coveted rematch with Oklahoma.

This isn't the first time that a BCS title race is settled in Honolulu, in the very last game of the season. In 2003, a Hawaii loss to Boise State cost USC just enough computer and (the now-defunct) strength-of-schedule points to keep the No. 1-ranked Trojans out of the BCS title game, setting the stage for Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600 How? As this has been rehashed many times now: Brown has a vote in the coaches poll whereas Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops does not. The coaches do not have to reveal their ballots next week, but that's when the tiebreaker for the Big 12 South will be decided, via the BCS standings. (We're assuming both Texas Tech and Oklahoma are going to win as favorites on Saturday, of course.)

If Brown drops Oklahoma from where he had them last week (presumably in the top 5, but he's not telling) to 10th, 20th or even entirely off the ballot ("Oops, did I forget to put OU on the ballot? That must've...]]> Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600 Two teams facing this particular predicament this weekend are Texas and Oklahoma. The two Big 12 rivals are locked in a death grip for the No. 2 spot in the BCS standings - and with it, a berth in the Big 12 title game and a clearer path to the BCS title game. If both teams should win, and provided that Texas Tech as expected defeats Baylor, the BCS standings will be used to determine which team to face Missouri in the Big 12 championship game.

No. 3 Oklahoma should have the upper hand, even though at the moment the Sooners are .084 points behind No. 2 Texas. Their opponent, Oklahoma State, is 9-2 and ranked No. 12 in the BCS standings - its only losses were to Texas and Texas...]]> Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600 Just how big a deal is that? Let's put it this way: If the Red Raiders win the BCS title this year, it would be the biggest transformation of a program since Ohio State won it all.

In 1942. Paul Brown's second season as the Buckeyes' coach.

Before this season, the Red Raiders have never finished in the top 10 of the AP poll. Ever. The best final AP poll showing for Texas Tech is 11th, in 1938 and 1973. So in terms of college football pedigree, Texas Tech has none.

Every AP national champion in the last 65 years has either won a title before or finished in the top 10 of the AP poll at least once. Programs typically don't go from mediocre or worse to national champion...]]> Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Next week, the Biggest Game of the Season and the BGISH (Biggest Game In School History) for Texas Tech will be settled on Owen Field, with the winner moving on and the loser carried off to the BCS morgue. But this Saturday, both Texas Tech and Oklahoma will be quietly polishing...]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600 You still think the I love the BCS? Sure, it's good for business. But like a vegetarian meat packer - just because you sell it doesn't mean you have to eat it.

It's a lousy job, but somebody has to do it. We have to try to decipher which are the two best teams that should be pitted in the mythical national championship game. Right now, we have seven contestants. And they're ranked 1 through 7 in the current BCS standings. But as usual, there's more to it than meets the eye.

Is Alabama really the best team? Does Utah have a chance? Which conference is tougher, the SEC or Big 12? And what about USC?

The best thing to do, then, is to evaluate each team's resume and put...]]> Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600 So here's the team-by-team scenarios of how Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma might get there:

Texas Tech: At No. 2, the road for the Red Raiders is the most straightforward. Win three more wins, a spot in Miami will be waiting. The toughest one will be the Nov. 22 visit to Norman, and with both teams having a bye week to get ready for that one, it shapes up to be our next Game of the Year. Now, what if Tech loses to No. 5 Oklahoma? Sorry, then the Raiders are pretty much done. A loss, this late in the season, likely will drop them to No. 5 or 6, and most likely shut out of the Big 12 title game and definitely the BCS title game.

Texas: For now,...]]> Sat, 08 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600

"I think it's about time that we have playoffs in college football. ... Get the top eight teams ... get a playoff, decide on a national champion."

Are you crazy? I thought. What about me, the BCS Guru? How am I gonna put food on the table for me and my family? What am I gonna do in my spare time? Is this the "socialism" that Rush and Hannity were talking about?

I should've voted for John McCain on that alone!

But now that he's won the election, I'd make this urgent plea to our president-elect: Leave it be. You've got better things to do, like dealing with Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500 But I digress.

This year's Coke Zero Party is by far the most significant game in the series since the inception of the BCS in 1998. With Georgia sixth and Florida eighth in the BCS standings, both teams still have a good chance of advancing to the BCS title game. At the minimum, a place in the SEC title game is on the line. For the winner, a BCS bowl berth is all but assured. For the loser, well, it's Orlando, here we come!

In all likelihood, the winner of the game will ascend to No. 4 in the BCS standings, behind...]]> Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500 We can only dream.

But if you really do want to hit one of those BCS bowls and would like to plan early, I'm here to help. With one hand on the crystal ball and the other working a dart board, I now present you with this season's first fearless Bowl Cast:

BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: January 8, Dolphin Stadium, Miami

Matchup: Texas vs. Penn State (Odds: Texas 70%, Penn State 80%)

Outlook: The No. 1-ranked Longhorns will have their toughest remaining game this week at Texas Tech. A victory should send Texas smooth sailing into Key Biscayne. Penn State has an even easier slate, but it still needs Alabama to lose...]]> Mon, 13 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500 The reasons are pretty simple: Penn State doesn't have to play in a conference championship game; and the Nittany Lions have an astonishingly favorable schedule.

With three of their remaining five games at home, the Lions also will face just two ranked teams the rest of the way. Their biggest test, of course, is the Oct. 25 trip to Columbus. But Ohio State has been anything but an offensive juggernaut, having scored just one offensive touchdown in its last seven quarters. Penn State, meanwhile, has averaged over 45 points per game.

The Lions' BCS quest, and Big Ten title hopes, might come down to the season finale against Michigan State. After losing at Cal in the season...]]> Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500 What exactly is leading to this Big XII dominance? Or it is merely a charade?

To be perfectly blunt: This is but a house of cards.

Oklahoma may be a legitimate No. 1 team in the nation, and Missouri, on any given Saturday, can hang 50 points on anybody, but beyond that, there isn't really much there.

Credit shrewd scheduling. Though these five teams managed to go a combine 25-0, they have played exactly two bona-fide quality opposition. They faced a total of four BCS conference foes, and three of which - Washington, Washington State and Arkansas - are bottom feeders who are winless in their own conferences. The only team of consequence, Illinois, was beaten by Missouri,...]]> Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500 Bad news, if you pull for Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU, Missouri, Texas or any other BCS conference team that hasn't lost a game this season - your team committed a royal faux pas by still being undefeated. Should've found a way to get that loss out of the way.

As we enter October, only 13 teams in the six BCS conferences have yet to lose a game - and none in the Pac-10 and ACC. Mathematically, the maximum possible number of BCS conference teams remaining undefeated at the end of the regular season is 5. But according to our projections, that number will be 0 - or at the most optimistic, 1.

On the other hand, five non-BCS conference teams are still unbeaten and it's likely that 3,...]]> Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500 The Bulldogs had been ranked No. 2 in the BCS standings and were poised to assume the top ranking after USC's loss. But with the Crimson Tide's convincing victory - the final score was tempered by a couple of late Georgia touchdowns - an argument needs to be made that Alabama, not anyone else, should be No. 1.

And the possibility exists that the Crimson Tide just might be top-ranked when the new BCS standings are unveiled early next week. Two additional elements will be introduced this weekend that should make the next standings our best facsimile yet: The Harris Interactive Poll,...]]> Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500 Well, well.

USC, too busy making future plans, obviously forgot that those games still needed to be played. But now, with a loss against a Oregon State team that had been annihilated by Penn State, the Trojans will need a lot of help - if they're lucky - to get back into the BCS championship picture. For now, the race will be in the hands of the heavyweights of the SEC and Big 12.

The unofficial BCS standings, after last week, had seven teams from the SEC and Big 12 in the top nine, besides soon-to-be former No.1 USC and No. 7 Wisconsin. These teams will begin beating up on each other to sort out the conference...]]> Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Despite their lackluster 14-7 win over South Carolina and subsequent drop in the polls, the Bulldogs jumped back into the second spot because margin of victory cannot be considered by BCS computers. (This is an issue we shall deal with extensively in the coming weeks.) Georgia's superior computer ratings were enough to vault it over the Sooners, who are now No. 3, followed by Florida, last week's No. 2 but idle this past weekend.

Missouri, LSU, Wisconsin, Auburn, Texas and Alabama round out the top 10.

Just outside of the top 10 sits Brigham Young, which jumped up six spots to No. 11. The Cougars are also 11th in the coaches poll and 7th in two BCS...]]> Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500 OK, we must start at the top. The very top, in fact. USC is No. 1 in every poll in the land and will be even more entrenched there after its devastating 35-3 rout of Ohio State. But in every conversation involving the Pac-10, you should just leave the Trojans out of it.

They play in a different league - unfortunately not literally.

In the last six years, USC has won the Pac-10 title every year. Went to a BCS bowl every year. Dominated the conference with a 44-6 record. And while USC finished no worse than 4th in either poll over those six seasons, no other Pac-10 team has been in the top 8 in the same span. No other Pac-10 team has been to a BCS bowl since 2002.

While...]]>