Vanderbilt wants to spoil Tennessee's bowl hopes
2014-11-28
And as the old saying goes, misery loves company.
The Commodores' best hope is beating an SEC team once and avoiding becoming the first team in this league to lose all eight conference games by double digits. In-state rival Tennessee needs a win Saturday to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2010, while a loss would mean the fifth straight losing season - the first in school history.
Senior defensive tackle Vince Taylor said winning the state championship would bring the Commodores (3-8, 0-7) great satisfaction, especially with their streak of three straight bowls snapped.
''It'd be good for us both to be here watching a bowl game,'' Taylor said.
The Vols (5-6, 2-5) have lost two straight to Vanderbilt, something that hadn't happened since 1925-26. That's brought some life to a rivalry that had featured tight games over the years with Tennessee winning 28 of the last 31 games, and Mason added his own chapter by referring to the Vols as the ''team out East'' earlier this week.
Patton Robinette scored with 16 seconds left helping Vandy pull out a 14-10 win in Neyland Stadium, and the Commodores said they were pelted with water bottles after that victory. Robinette left last week's 51-0 loss at Mississippi State in a walking boot, but the sophomore quarterback who grew up 15 miles from Tennessee's campus said he'd have to be drugged not to play.
''It's time this week to go out and make new memories,'' Robinette said.
Tennessee coach Butch Jones said a win in Nashville gives his Vols a chance to build momentum. A win not only makes the Vols eligible for a bowl, they would notch their first winning record in November since going 4-0 in 2010.
''We are fighting for bowl eligibility,'' Jones said. ''It is an instate rivalry game. So there is a lot on the line.''
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Here are a few things to know about the SEC's fourth-oldest rivalry:
VANDERBILT'S STRUGGLES: The Commodores have lost each SEC game by at least 10 points this season, and their last loss was the worst since 1994 when the Vols thumped them 65-0. Tennessee is a 17-point favorite Saturday, and a loss by double digits would make the Commodores the first Football Bowl Subdivision team to lose every conference game by 10 points or more in a season since Washington State in 2009, according to STATS Inc.
YOUNG TEAMS: Vanderbilt has played the most true and redshirt freshmen in the country this season with 31, and no team has played more first-time starters than the Commodores with 26. Tennessee can top Vanderbilt having played 22 true freshmen compared to 12 for the Commodores, and the Vols started seven true freshmen in last week's 29-21 loss to then-No. 19 Missouri. All that youthfulness means not some of the young Vols aren't caught up on this rivalry. ''A lot of players haven't played against Vanderbilt,'' Vols linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. ''Really, we're just trying to get the win. All that comes with it, but we're just focused on getting this win No. 6.''
PROTECTING DOBBS: With center Mack Crowder out with a sprained knee and ankle last week, Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs was sacked six times. Getting to the quarterback hasn't been easy for Vanderbilt with only which has only 15 sacks this season.
WHICH QB: Jones said he expects Robinette to be Vanderbilt's quarterback, while Mason has said Johnny McCrary will start. That would be McCrary's fifth straight start, though Robinette is expected to come off the bench.
SENIOR NIGHT: This is the final game for one of the winningest senior classes in Vanderbilt history. A total of 21 seniors have gone 27-23, topping last year's seniors by one win, while their three straight bowl berths are the first in school history.
Fulmer helping restart program at ETSU2013-04-22Fulmer, 62, will serve as
Online Bingo Play Slots Online in US NFL Betting Lines a consultant and special assistant to athletic director Richard Sander as East Tennessee State relaunches a football program it had shut down for financial reasons in 2003. The recent College Football Hall of Fame inductee doesnt expect to coach the new team, which could begin playing at the Football Championship Subdivision level as soon as 2015.
I never say never on anything, [but] its not likely, Fulmer said Tuesday after a news conference announcing East Tennessee States plans to bring back football. Nobody expects that, that Ive talked to within the administration. I was really clear and frank, and they were grateful for that. That wasnt the place in life that I wanted to be. Its a great opportunity for somebody to come in and make their own legacy.
Fulmer said the idea that he might coach East Tennessee State came up when university officials first told him the school might bring back football. Sander has indicated he would like to have a coach in place by mid-May.
When they approached me about being the coach, it was very flattering, but Im just at a different stage in life where Im enjoying my children and my grandchildren and Im enjoying the business that Im in with some partners Im dedicated to as well, Fulmer said. However I can help in this process, I will. Im thrilled theyre talking about doing it the right way.
Fulmer coached Tennessee to a 1998 national title, posted a career record of 152-52 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame last year. He coached three games for Tennessee on an interim basis in 1992, took over the program in 1993 and remained in place until getting fired in 2008.
He faces a different type of challenge at East Tennessee State.
Phil will kind of fill the role of football expert, Sander said. Hell help in everything from hiring a coach to helping us identify architectural firms that we need to build facilities. Hes run a total football program, so were going to listen to him in every phase.
East Tennessee State had an 80-year football tradition before shutting its program. A bid to revive the program during the 2006-07 school year failed when students voted down a $200 fee increase.
The decision to restart football came after a $125-per-semester student fee increase was approved by the Tennessee Board of Regents last week and by East Tennessee States student government association in January.
I always thought [the return of football] would happen, said Brock Pittman, an offensive lineman on East Tennessee States 2003 team who attended Tuesdays news conference. Theres never been a doubt in my mind. I just didnt know when. Im just happy its here. You couldnt ask for a better person and a better football mind than Coach Fulmer. He knows how a program should be run. Hes proved that. They did a really good job getting him on board.
East Tennessee State president Brian Noland worked on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission when the school dropped football and supported the decision at the time.
But this is a different time, and we have the opportunity to build on the work thats been done in the past and to move forward and do this the right way. Noland said.
Noland said approval of the student fee increase makes a major difference. The fee is expected to generate about $2.5 million annually.
School officials still must choose a coach, decide on a site location for a future stadium and work toward finding a conference. East Tennessee States athletic teams currently belong to the Atlantic Sun, which doesnt compete in football, though Atlantic Sun member Jacksonville plays football in the Pioneer League. Stetson and Mercer, two more Atlantic Sun members starting football programs this year, will also compete in the Pioneer League.
The Atlantic Sun issued a statement Tuesday saying we look forward to working with East Tennessee State and the A Sun membership as a whole in fully developing the opportunities for maximum competitive opportunity.
Noland said the university also would have to add about three new womens sports to go along with football in order to meet Title IX requirements. As they announced plans to bring back football, school officials also started a kickoff fund asking alumni, fans and former players to donate $250 to receive priority toward future season tickets.
Theyre not necessarily going to be Virginia Tech or Tennessee in three years, Fulmer said. Nobody should expect that. But we can be a viable program in four or five years and make it exciting for the students, make it exciting for the community and make a difference in this university.
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Undefeated Big 12 rivals square off on Thursday night2010-09-30Big 12 rivals Texas A&M Aggies and Oklahoma State Cowboys sit in a similar place with 3-0 records coming off a bye week. Sportsbook.com currently has the visiting Aggies as three point underdogs.
Aggies’ QB Jerrod Johnson will look to shake off last week’s poor performance versus Florida International when he threw four interceptions. He threw for 273 yards and three TD in a losing effort (36-31 score) against OSU last year. Sophomore RB Christine Michael leads the Aggies with 331 rushing yards and three TD, but he was helpless against OSU in 2009, rushing for 30 yards on nine carries and catching two passes for minus-4 yards.
Weeden has been incredible this season, completing 74-of-101 passes for 975 yards, 11 TD and only two interceptions. The Cowboys lead the nation with 392 passing YPG, thanks to Justin Blackmon’s nation-best 144 receiving YPG. Senior RB Kendall Hunter has also dominated with 513 total yards (473 rushing) and six touchdowns. Hunter missed last year’s meeting with A&M due to an ankle injury.
Oklahoma State is 4-10 SU against Texas A&M since the formation of the Big 12, but the Cowboys have won two straight, including a 56-28 beat-down in the last meeting in Stillwater in 2008. This betting trend supports the Cowboys to win a third straight game over A&M:
Play Against - Road underdogs (TEXAS A&M) - excellent passing team (>=275 PY/game) against a poor passing defense (230-275 PY/game), in conference games. (35-10 over the last 5 seasons.) (77.8%, +24 units. Rating = 3*).
For bettors looking to wager on the over-under, this trend expects the game to go Under the hefty 66.5 point total.
Play Under - Any team against the total (OKLAHOMA ST) - after a game where they forced 3 or more turnovers against opponent after 2 consecutive games where they committed 4 or more turnovers. (39-12 since 1992.) (76.5%, +25.8 units. Rating = 3*).
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PROFITS DROP AT FOOTBALL POOLS GROUP2010-04-05Online casino, bingo and poker division underperforms
The predominently football pools betting group Sportech plc has unveiled a disappointing set of numbers that show the group's nlne casino poker and bingo operations have been underperforming, affecting overall operating profit, which fell by 14 percent to GBP 19.5 million over the year 2009. EBITDA dropped by 12 percent to GBP 14.7 million.
“That the decline in profitability is due primarily to our continued investment in establishing our online football pools business and the underperformance of our e-gaming business is testament to the resilience of the business in these tough times," said chief executive Ian Penrose, giving an assurance that strong action has been taken to address the underperformance.
Operating highlights included Sportech’s acquisition of Scientific Games Racing (SGR), the pari-mutuel technology provider and venue management business division of US giant Scientific Games, and a joint venture in India with Playwin, the Indian lottery and gaming brand owned by Essel Group (see previous InfoPowa reports).
“The strategic acquisition of SGR, together with our entry into the Indian market in partnership with one of India’s leading organisations, offers a unique opportunity to build a profit focused, global gaming business from strong pari-mutuel sporting and technology foundations,” said Penrose.
Sportech secured GBP 90.8 million in revised banking facilities valid to 2013 at the end of 2009, giving the group the flexibility to grow organically and make acquisitions, the chief executive said.