The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

by Jeff Greenberg, Carnegie Mellon insider for Rivals.com

Baker returns from suspension, to start at right tackle

Carnegie Mellon is set to receive a big boost to its offense as senior offensive tackle Jason Baker is set to return from a four-game suspension this Saturday against Akron.

Baker, who was held out following an academic suspension, will slide right back into his starting right tackle position. The four-year starter was replaced by freshman Philip McClover, who allowed three sacks and didn’t play particularly well.

Nov. 5 against Ohio is unofficially official visit weekend

The weekend of November 5 could be the most important one in CMU program history from a recruiting standpoint, as the Tartans are set to host five targets for their official visits.

CMU was already set to welcome four-star quarterback Eric Frederick (Brownsville, La.), three-star defensive tackle Brian Adams (Naperville, Ill.), and three-star tailback Eric Pettit (Fort McKinley, Ohio) for its home game against Ohio, but it has since added two more official visits in four-star offensive tackle Andrew Graham (Forestville, Ohio) and three-star cornerback Jason Sharp (Bartow, Fla.).

Graham, a six-foot-six, 337-pound lineman from Winton Woods High School, could start immediately for the Tartans and is looking for early playing time. He lists CMU as the favorite for is services, with Ohio State and Notre Dame trailing.

Sharp, a six-foot-one, 182-pound defensive back from Bartow High School, also would like to play early and has been clocked in at 4.47 in the 40-yard dash. The Tartans lead in his recruitment thus far, ahead of Miami (Fla.) and Oklahoma.

There is also the potential for a sixth official visit on that Nov. 5 date, as four-star defensive tackle Mario Williams (Lombard, Ill.) is set to name his finalists in the coming weeks. CMU is fighting for his commitment alongside Tennessee, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin.

Carnegie Mellon In-Season Recruiting Targets
Eric Frederick, QB, **** (6’2”, 190 lbs.; Brownsville, La. / West Monroe) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Carnegie Mellon, LSU, Texas
Brian Adams, DT, *** (6’2”, 275 lbs.; Naperville, Ill. / Naperville Central) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Wisconsin, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia
Eric Pettit, HB, *** (6’2”, 175 lbs.; Fort McKinley, Ohio / McKinley) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Carnegie Mellon, Penn State, Notre Dame
Andrew Graham, OT, **** (6’6”, 337 lbs.; Forestville, Ohio / Winton Woods) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Carnegie Mellon, Ohio State, Notre Dame
Jason Sharp, CB, *** (6’1”, 182 lbs.; Bartow, Fla. / Bartow) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Carnegie Mellon, Miami (Fla.), Oklahoma
Mario Williams, DT, **** (5’11”, 280 lbs.; Lombard, Ill. – Top 5
- Carnegie Mellon, Tennessee, Clemson, Notre Dame, Wisconsin
Ron Williams, CB, **** (5’11”, 170 lbs., Wooster, Ohio / Wooster) – Removed
Chris Gaston, OLB, *** (6’0”, 248 lbs.; Hampton, Va. / Phoebus) – Removed
Jason Mack, HB, **** (6’0”, 205 lbs.; Nether Providence, Pa. / Strath Haven) – Removed
Mike Petty, WR, *** (6’0”, 208 lbs.; Warren, Ohio / Harding) – Removed
Steve Johnson, OLB, *** (6’2”, 232 lbs.; North Canton, Ohio / Hoover) – Removed
Matt Hughes, OT, **** (6’5”, 331 lbs.; Salem, Ohio / Salem) – Removed
Andy Dockery, HB, *** (5’10”, 195 lbs.; Middletown, Ohio / Madison) – Removed
Bryant Elimimian, QB, *** (6’4”, 232 lbs.; Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights) – Removed
Zach Carter, OLB, *** (6’3”, 213 lbs.; East Grand Rapids, Mich. / East Grand Rapids) – Removed

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

at
Akron Zips (4-3, 3-0 MAC) at Carnegie Mellon Tartans (3-4, 3-1 MAC)
Saturday, October 22, 2011 | 12:30 PM (ET)
Pittsburgh, Pa. – Gesling Stadium | FSN Pittsburgh

Top Storyline: Who are you again?

Despite both being near the top of the MAC East standings in recent seasons, scheduling quirks have kept Akron and Carnegie Mellon away from each other – their last meeting being a 21-14 win for the Zips in 2008 at the Rubber Bowl. Akron is off to a 3-0 start in conference, but hasn’t been tested much against the likes of Eastern Michigan (44-6), Western Michigan (38-20), and Buffalo (45-3). The Zips’ offense is led by redshirt senior quarterback Kade Wagner (137.7 QB rtg., 110-194, 1,526 yards, 13 TD, 7 INT), redshirt junior tailback Austin Barry (82 carries, 601 yards, 8 TD; 7 catches, 146 yards, 3 TD), and fifth-year wide receiver Curtis Brown (37 catches, 456 yards, 1 TD), but it’s clear that unit is ahead of the defense, which could provide the opportunity for CMU quarterback Kevin Wilson (120.3 QB rtg., 115-224, 1,716 yards, 12 TD, 14 INT) to get his confidence back.

Top Matchup: Carnegie Mellon MLB Mark Toth vs. Akron HB Austin Barry

There will be plenty of clashes in the middle of the field when it comes to a pair of likely All-MAC selections in Carnegie Mellon’s Mark Toth and Akron’s Austin Barry. Toth has terrific as a senior after feeling snubbed from all-league consideration in 2010, totaling 43 tackles, four interceptions, two sacks, and a touchdown thus far. After sitting behind former Wisconsin transfer and MAC Offensive Player of the Year Lance Smith, Barry – who compiled just 140 rushing yards and a touchdown in three previous seasons – has broken out with 747 scrimmage yards (601 rushing, 146 receiving) and 11 total touchdowns (8 rushing, 3 receiving). At six-foot-one and 203 pounds, the power back won’t shy away from one of the hardest hitters in college football.

Top Mismatch: Carnegie Mellon Wide Receivers vs. Akron Secondary

Akron’s clear weakness is its secondary, which features four players graded between 70.0 and 78.0 on Pro Football Focus. Redshirt junior cornerback Shane Mills (21 tackles, 1 INT) is the lone returning starter, but doesn’t have the athleticism to match up with CMU redshirt sophomore Eddie Williams (59 catches, 931 yards, 8 TD; 10 carries, 146 yards, 1 TD). The other three starters – redshirt sophomore Frank Francis (16 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT), third-year sophomore Brent Spence (20 tackles), and freshman Jeremy Luke (12 tackles, 1 INT) – have struggled in their first time seeing extended time, which should provide plenty of opportunities for sophomore Travis Sledge (23 catches, 291 yards, 2 TD), senior Stephen Carter (19 catches, 291 yards, 1 TD), and sophomore Kelvin Butler (12 catches, 250 yards).

Prediction: Carnegie Mellon 27, Akron 14

This is a must-win for Carnegie Mellon if it wants to reach its second MAC Championship Game in three seasons, so I expect the Tartans to play with a little desperation at home and ultimately come away with the win. The biggest wild card is the aforementioned Wilson – if he goes, then the CMU offense will put up huge numbers, but a few early interceptions could put them in a hole they may not be able to get out of.

Akron PFF Top Ten
Aaron Williams, R-Sr., MLB (87)
Jake Anderson, R-Sr., G (84)
Curtis Brown, R-Sr., WR (84)
Kade Wagner, R-Sr., QB (84)
Danny Lyles, Sr., C (84)
Jonathan Brewster, Sr., OLB (82)
Terry Wilson, Jr., OLB (82)
Billy Gatewood, Jr., OT (80)
Joe Wright, Jr., FB (80)
Gary Pride II, R-Sr., WR (80)

Schedule & Results
09/03 | RHODE ISLAND | W, 31-6
09/10 | YALE | L, 10-63
09/17 | SYRACUSE | L, 17-31
09/24 | EASTERN MICHIGAN * | W, 44-6
10/01 | at Western Michigan * | W, 38-20
10/06 | at Buffalo * | W, 45-3
10/15 | at Oregon State | L, 17-42

Injury Report
Akron: Seth Sampson, Sr., DT (sprained wrist – 1 week)
Carnegie Mellon: None

Suspensions
Akron: None
Carnegie Mellon: None

[RolePlayer]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

I'm a little nervous about this one, Akron has been able to put up points and punish on defense so far in conference play. Your one common opponent Buffalo they held to three.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

I'm a little nervous about this one, Akron has been able to put up points and punish on defense so far in conference play. Your one common opponent Buffalo they held to three.

Agreed completely. Need this win to stay in the hunt for the MAC Championship Game, but Akron has some players on both sides of the ball that could give me fits. If I get good Kevin Wilson, I should be able to torch their secondary, but that's a big if.

Apologies for the month-long break without a game in here, life has gotten busy again. I was able to play the game yesterday though, so I hope to get the recap up here either today or tomorrow!

[RolePlayer]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Agreed completely. Need this win to ]
Apologies for the month-long break without a game in here, life has gotten busy again. I was able to play the game yesterday though, so I hope to get the recap up here either today or tomorrow!

Real-life will always outweigh this forum so it's understandable. I actually visited Pittsburgh for the first time last week and walked past Carnegie Mellon so hopefully I brought some good luck to the virtual team.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Culver, Defense Lift Tartans to Crucial Win Versus Zips
Sophomore backup Gerald Culver threw for four touchdowns off the bench as CMU bounced back with a 34-24 win



Sophomore quarterback Gerald Culver had the best game in his young career against Akron. (Ashley Black / Getty Images)

by Alicia Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- It’s safe to say that Jules Nottingham’s first year as Carnegie Mellon head coach hasn’t gone according to script.

Billed and proven as an offensive mastermind, his Tartans side has struggled at times in 2011 with inconsistent quarterback play and an array of turnovers. This afternoon’s tilt against Akron featured more of the same with four interceptions thrown, but Carnegie Mellon’s defense forced six picks to capture a much-needed 34-24 win in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play.

It’s not uncommon to see the Carnegie Mellon (4-4, 4-1 MAC) defense take over a game by forcing multiple turnovers, but what wasn’t written in the plans was the emergence of sophomore quarterback Gerald Culver. Culver came off the bench to register just the third four-touchdown passing performance in the Tartans’ NCAA Division I era, finishing with 284 yards through the air on 22-of-33 attempts.

“I can’t say enough about the performance Gerald (Culver) had today,” said Nottingham. “Here’s a kid that came in unheralded out of high school, worked his tail off, was thrust into a massive spot as a true freshman (against Kent State) and nearly pulled out a win, and never complained about his role once. This moment today was the product of hard work and a belief in his abilities. Every team could be a better one if they had a Gerald Culver on their roster.”

A one-star athlete afterthought from Perrysburg High School, Culver had a change-of-pace role within Nottingham’s offensive attack because of his mobility, but the starting job remained with junior Kevin Wilson – despite his inconsistencies – because of his pure passing ability. That was the plan against Akron (4-4, 3-1 MAC) regardless his and the team’s struggles last week at Miami of Ohio, but that quickly changed after Wilson was knocked out of the game on his first pass attempt with a concussion.

Culver checked in and immediately marched the Tartans down the field, finishing off the opening drive with a 31-yard hookup to Eddie Williams to make it 7-0. The sophomore added two more touchdown tosses in the first quarter, hooking up with David Young and Stephen Carter to put CMU ahead 21-0, while the defense was frustrating Zips signal-caller Kade Wagner with three of his six interceptions coming in the opening frame.

Akron managed to dent the scoreboard late in the first half as Cornelius Southall scored from nine yards out, then its defense forced a Culver interception to set up a Kyle Dorsey 36-yard field goal before the horn. That kick was cancelled out with a Jon Foster 42-yard boot to start the third quarter, but another Culver pick set Southall up again to find paydirt from five yards out to pull the visitors within a touchdown at 24-17.

Both teams traded interceptions on their next drives before CMU’s offense settled down and tacked on three more points courtesy of Foster’s leg. Wagner’s sixth interception – and second of the day for Rob Jones – gave the Tartans all the momentum heading into the fourth quarter, and the hosts capitalized with a Culver 12-yard touchdown pass to Williams that ultimately sealed the game.

Williams finished with 90 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions, while Travis Sledge added six catches for 93 yards. Lawrence McIntire hit the century mark for the third time in four games, compiling 103 yards on the ground with 17 carries.

Defensively for the Tartans, Jones (2), Jason Ervin, Erik Sellers, and Elvis Washington all snagged interceptions, while Washington, Chris Hill (2), Matt Burnsides, and Matt Butler collected sacks.

Southall tallied 71 yards and two touchdowns rushing for the Zips, who lost starting runningback Austin Barry early in the contest to a dislocated elbow.

Carnegie Mellon dips out of conference next weekend when it hosts Michigan State for a 12:30 p.m. kick-off on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Akron Zips at Carnegie Mellon Tartans
Oct 22, 2011	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Akron Zips (4-4, 3-1 MAC)	0	10	7	7	24
Carnegie Mellon Tartans (4-4, 4-1 MAC)	14	7	6	7	34

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		AKR	CMU
11:15	(CMU) Gerald Culver 31-yard pass to Eddie Williams (Jon Foster kick)	0	7
3:49	(CMU) Gerald Culver 8-yard pass to David Young (Jon Foster kick)	0	14
2:52	(CMU) Gerald Culver 14-yard pass to Stephen Carter (Jon Foster kick)	0	21
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		AKR	CMU
0:57	(AKR) Cornelius Southall 9-yard run (Kyle Dorsey kick)	7	21
0:03	(AKR) Kyle Dorsey 36-yard field goal	10	21
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		AKR	CMU
12:02	(CMU) Jon Foster 42-yard field goal	10	24
9:02	(AKR) Cornelius Southall 5-yard run (Kyle Dorsey kick)	17	24
1:18	(CMU) Jon Foster 26-yard field goal	17	27
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		AKR	CMU
14:15	(CMU) Gerald Culver 12-yard pass to Eddie Williams (Jon Foster kick)	17	34
3:23	(AKR) Joe Wright 4-yard run (Kyle Dorsey kick)	24	34

Akron Zips PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kade Wagner 15/32 209 0 6 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Cornelius Southall 11 71 6.5 2 Austin Barry 3 21 7.0 0 Joe Wright 1 4 4.0 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Curtis Brown 5 43 8.6 0 Gary Pride II 4 75 18.7 0 Cornelius Southall 3 38 12.7 0 Dan Davis 2 47 23.5 0 O.J. Richards 1 6 6.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Terry Wlson 11 1 1 0 Aaron Williams 6 1 1 0 Sean Fobbs 6 1 0 0 Doug Murphy 4 0 0 0 Jonathan Brewster 4 0 0 0 Jeremy Luke 1 0 1 0 Brent Spence 1 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Kyle Dorsey 1/2 3/3 6 36 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Maurice Battle 4 164 41.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Gary Pride II 3 68 22.7 0 Curtis Brown 2 44 22.0 0

Carnegie Mellon Tartans PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Gerald Culver 22/33 284 4 4 Kevin Wilson 0/1 0 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Lawrence McIntire 17 103 6.1 0 Brandon Brewer 2 10 5.0 0 Nate Satele 1 9 9.0 0 Travis Sledge 1 9 9.0 0 Gerald Culver 7 7 1.0 0 Kyle Holland 1 7 7.0 0 Eddie Williams 1 5 5.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Eddie Williams 7 90 12.9 2 Travis Sledge 6 93 15.5 0 Stephen Carter 3 24 8.0 1 Lawrence McIntire 3 24 8.0 0 Brian Pittman 1 36 36.0 0 Kelvin Butler 1 9 9.0 0 David Young 1 8 8.0 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Chris Hill 9 2 0 0 Jon Crowell 5 0 1 0 Mark Toth 5 0 0 0 Matt Burnsides 4 1 0 0 Matt Butler 3 1 0 0 Elvis Washington 2 1 1 0 Rob Jones 1 0 2 0 Erik Sellers 0 0 1 0 Jason Ervin 0 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Jon Foster 2/3 4/4 10 42 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Andy Fitzhugh 2 106 53.0 2 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 4 85 21.2 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 1 1 1.0 0

[sgf83]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Nice win to get back to .500!

Good Luck against Michigan State next week!

[RolePlayer]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

This feels like it is a great win. The defense improved slowing down a hot Akron offense and even got a ridiculous six takeaways. McIntire has now had a 100-yard rushing game in three of his last four outings. Culver slung the ball around for sure but those four picks would make me hesitant about questioning Kevin Wilson's spot atop the depth chart.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Nice win to get back to .500!

Good Luck against Michigan State next week!

Thanks sgf83! Michigan State will be a test - as many BCS schools are - but I definitely think it's a winnable game, especially at home.

This feels like it is a great win. The defense improved slowing down a hot Akron offense and even got a ridiculous six takeaways. McIntire has now had a 100-yard rushing game in three of his last four outings. Culver slung the ball around for sure but those four picks would make me hesitant about questioning Kevin Wilson's spot atop the depth chart.

You can really see the pieces coming together after this game. The defense is uber talented, but for whatever reason has been incredibly inconsistent this year - particularly in the secondary. If they're clicking then my offense doesn't have to do too much, regardless of who's playing quarterback. And the talent on that side of the ball - Williams being uncoverable, McIntire taking that next step and becoming Jim Manning-lite - can make life easy for Wilson and/or Culver, but we definitely have to clean up the turnovers.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Around the NCAA – Week 8 Edition
Texas leads all challengers in the first set of BCS Standings, topping fellow undefeated teams Penn State and USC

ESPN The Magazine Cover Story
Undefeated No More – Bulldogs are no longer unbeaten after a 42-23 loss to Florida.

It was anything but a party for No. 4 Georgia against rival No. 7 Florida, as the Gators raced out to a 28-7 halftime lead en route to derailing the Bulldogs’ undefeated campaign by a 42-23 scoreline. Florida redshirt senior John Brantley threw four of his five touchdowns in the first half, finishing with 394 yards on 20-of-29 passing. Classmate Aaron Hernandez caught three of those scores, while redshirt sophomore Mohamed Sanu added two from his only two receptions totaling 107 yards. Georgia fifth-year signal-caller Logan Gray threw for 300 yards and two scores, but also tossed four interceptions – three in the first half – while redshirt junior Brandon Bolden rushed for 171 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

Top Storylines
#3 USC remains unbeaten with 28-21 win at #10 Notre Dame

An early 94-yard pick six by D.J. Swearinger set the tone for No. 3 USC in the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh, as the Trojans knocked off No. 10 Notre Dame on the road, 28-21. USC grabbed a 21-0 halftime advantage with two Derek Carr touchdown passes to Michael Floyd, and held serve from there to defeat their bitter rivals. Carr had 240 yards and three touchdowns passing, as he also connected with redshirt senior Brandon Carswell for a score, and fourth-year junior Chad Lott added 112 yards rushing on just 15 carries. The Trojans defense made it tough for Notre Dame sophomore Jimmy Garoppolo to get going, as redshirt sophomore linebacker Manti Te’o tallied nine tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble, and the secondary picked off the former BCS Championship Game MVP twice.

#7 Texas A&M blows out #17 Nebraska on the road, 45-7

No. 7 Texas A&M bounced back from its first loss of the season in a big way, blowing out No. 17 Nebraska on the road, 45-7. The Aggies were ahead 28-0 through 16 minutes, starting with an 83-yard pick six by sophomore safety Tyrann Mathieu on the Huskers’ opening drive. Texas A&M received 295 passing yards and four touchdowns from junior quarterback Russell Shepard – two going to classmate Josh Gordon – and 95 yards rushing and a score from redshirt sophomore tailback Dion Lewis. Nebraska redshirt junior Dan Frazier had a day to forget, finishing with 97 yards on 12-of-31 passing with four interceptions.

Mariota leads #12 Hawaii on fourth-quarter comeback over #13 UCLA

After falling for the first time in 29 games last Saturday, No. 12 Hawaii came back to defeat No. 13 UCLA, 36-28. The Warriors trailed 28-20 entering the fourth quarter after two Chris Forcier touchdown passes put the Bruins ahead, but freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota found sophomore wide receiver Randy Alfred for a four-yard touchdown with 7:34 remaining to regain the lead for good. Mariota had 309 yards passing and three touchdowns – two going to redshirt senior tight end Steven Graniello. Forcier also threw three touchdowns, while redshirt junior LaMichael James had 167 yards rushing and a receiving score.

BCS Rankings
1 | Texas (7-0, 0.969)
2 | Penn State (6-0, 0.930)
3 | USC (6-0, 0.915)
4 | Florida (6-1, 0.858)
5 | LSU (7-0, 0.814)
6 | Texas A&M (7-1, 0.751)
7 | Michigan (7-0, 0.746)
8 | Georgia (7-1, 0.654)
9 | Virginia Tech (7-1, 0.647)
10 | Miami (Fla.) (8-0, 0.553)
11 | Hawaii (5-1, 0.535)
12 | Virginia (7-1, 0.504)
13 | Clemson (6-2, 0.467)
14 | Arkansas (8-0, 0.436)
15 | Notre Dame (5-2, 0.382)
23 | Boise State (6-1, 0.179; highest-ranked non-BCS team)

Heisman Watch
Russell Shepard, Jr., QB, Texas A&M | 167.7 QB rtg., 144-228, 2,260 yards, 22 TD, 12 INT; 82 carries, 396 yards, 5 TD
Johnny Manziel, Fr., QB, Michigan | 165.0 QB rtg., 134-212, 1,920 yards, 22 TD, 9 INT; 70 carries, 416 yards, 8 TD
Doug Hogue, R-Sr., HB, Syracuse | 146 carries, 1,033 yards, 14 TD; 19 catches, 358 yards, 5 TD; 10.1 punt return avg., 1 TD
Darren Evans, R-Sr., HB, Virginia Tech | 157 carries, 1,188 yards, 15 TD; 13 catches, 201 yards, 5 TD
Logan Gray, R-Sr., QB, Georgia | 175.3 QB rtg., 166-246, 2,295 yards, 28 TD, 10 INT

NCAA Players of the Week
Offensive: Chris Fisher, Sr., WR, Yale | 13 catches, 228 yards, 5 TD in 49-27 win against Penn
Defensive: Terrance Pritchett, R-Sr., OLB, Oregon | 8 tackles (5 TFL), 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 TD in 35-14 win against Washington State

Injury Report
Tommy Rees, So., QB, California | Forearm fracture (8 weeks)
Melvin Gordon III, Fr., HB, Wisconsin | Foot fracture (season)
Austin Barry, R-Jr., HB, Akron | Dislocated elbow (11 weeks)
Lamar Miller, Jr., HB, LSU | Dislocated elbow (8 weeks)
Michael Mauti, R-Jr., OLB, Texas | Broken hand (9 weeks)
Logan Ryan, Jr., CB, UCLA | Broken tailbone (5 weeks)
John Sevin, Jr., SS, Boise State | Foot fracture (season)

Week 8 Notable Top 25 Scores
#19 Syracuse 38, Rutgers 14
#24 Boise State 35, Utah State 10
#15 Arkansas 35, Ole Miss 21
#7 Michigan 45, Illinois 20
#11 Virginia 31, North Carolina 10
#2 USC 28, #13 Notre Dame 21
#6 Texas A&M 45, #21 Nebraska 7
#4 Florida 42, #8 Georgia 23
#10 Hawaii 36, #16 UCLA 28
#22 Ohio State 45, Iowa 7
#12 Miami (Fla.) 28, #23 Georgia Tech 24
#5 LSU 59, Auburn 7
#20 Missouri 42, #17 Texas Tech 25
#9 Virginia Tech 44, #14 Clemson 21

Week 9 National Broadcasts
#14 Clemson (6-2) at #23 Georgia Tech (6-1) | 10/27, 6:00 PM
California (5-2) at #16 UCLA (4-2) | 10/29, 12:30 PM
#3 Penn State (6-0) at Iowa (5-2) | 10/29, 12:30 PM
Pittsburgh (4-4) at #13 Notre Dame (5-2) | 10/29, 3:30 PM
Auburn (4-4) at #8 Georgia (7-1) | 10/29, 3:30 PM (Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry)
#25 Oregon (4-2) at Washington (5-2) | 10/29, 6:00 PM
Boston College (5-2) at #9 Virginia Tech (7-1) | 10/29, 6:00 PM
#21 Nebraska (6-2) at #1 Texas (7-0) | 10/29, 8:00 PM (Game of the Week)

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Around the MAC – Week 8 Edition
Carnegie Mellon knocked Akron off the ranks of the MAC unbeaten with a 34-24 win

MAC East Standings
Kent State | 7-0, 4-0 MAC
Miami (Ohio) | 4-3, 3-0 MAC
Carnegie Mellon | 4-4, 4-1 MAC
Bowling Green | 5-2, 4-1 MAC
Akron | 4-4, 3-1 MAC
Ohio | 3-4, 2-1 MAC
Buffalo | 3-5, 0-4 MAC

MAC West Standings
Toledo | 3-5, 2-2 MAC
Northern Illinois | 2-5, 1-2 MAC
Ball State | 2-5, 1-3 MAC
Eastern Michigan | 2-6, 1-4 MAC
Western Michigan | 1-7, 1-4 MAC
Central Michigan | 2-5, 0-3 MAC

MAC Players of the Week
Offensive: D.J. Lenehan, R-Sr., QB, Toledo | 26-43, 385 yards, 4 TD; 15 carries, 58 yards, 1 TD in 40-45 loss against Navy
Defensive: Marshall Ham, Jr., OLB, Bowling Green | 8 tackles (3 TFL), 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 FF in 35-25 win against Central Michigan

Week 8 Scores
Carnegie Mellon 34, Akron 24
Miami (Ohio) 21, Western Michigan 9
Kent State 21, Ball State 20
Buffalo 27, Alabama A&M 10
Ohio 27, Eastern Michigan 21
Bowling Green 35, Central Michigan 25
Navy 45, Toledo 40

Week 9 Matchups
Michigan State (3-4) at Carnegie Mellon (4-4) | 10/29, 12:30 PM
Ball State (2-5, 1-3) at Northern Illinois (2-5, 1-2) | 10/29, 12:30 PM (Rivalry Game)
Akron (4-4, 3-1) at Bowling Green (5-2, 4-1) | 10/29, 12:30 PM
Miami (Ohio) (4-3, 3-0) at Kent State (7-0, 4-0) | 10/29, 12:30 PM
Ohio (3-4, 2-1) at Buffalo (3-5, 0-4) | 10/29, 3:30 PM
Toledo (3-5, 2-2) at Central Michigan (2-5, 0-3) | 10/29, 6:00 PM

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Trio of Tartans Named National Award Semifinalists
Mark Toth, Eddie Williams, and Kelvin Butler were placed on lists of 12 for national awards



CMU wide receiver Eddie Williams is at or near the top of all receiving statistical categories nationally. (Andre Bowman / Getty Images)

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- As what has become the norm for Carnegie Mellon football over the last few seasons, the program saw three of their players named semifinalists for major national awards on Monday.

Senior linebacker Mark Toth, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Eddie Williams, and sophomore return specialist Kelvin Butler all found themselves on lists of 12 candidates for major awards. Toth is up for both the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player) and Dick Butkus Award (best linebacker), and Williams is a favorite for the Fred Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver). Butler is currently the favorite to repeat as the Randy Moss Award recipient, which is bestowed upon the nation’s best kick returner.

Toth currently sits eighth in the running for the Bednarik and seventh for the Butkus. After surprisingly being shut out of Mid-American Conference (MAC) postseason recognition as a junior, the Cochranton, Ohio native has accumulated 48 tackles (9 for loss), four interceptions, two sacks, and a touchdown thus far. He’s among a Bednarik semifinalist group that includes Miami (Fla.) linebackers Tom Rivas and Vontaze Burfict, Oklahoma junior safety Kenny Vaccaro, Texas redshirt junior linebacker Michael Mauti, Miami (Fla.) and LSU redshirt sophomore linebacker Jon Bostic.

Williams leads the Biletnikoff voting, thanks to a second season that sees him with 66 receptions, 1,021 yards, and 11 total touchdowns (10 receiving, 1 rushing). The Altoona, Pa. native paces the 12-player semifinalist group that includes notables such as Miami (Fla.) redshirt senior Kayne Farquharson, Bowling Green junior Andre Debose, Mississippi State senior Julio Jones, Texas Tech redshirt senior Tramain Swindall, and Clemson duo A.J. Green and Sammy Watkins.

Butler became the first freshman to win the Randy Moss Award in 2010, and with two kick return touchdowns and a 25.8 kick return average thus far in 2011, he sits as the favorite to become the honor’s first two-time recipient. The Madeira, Ohio product joins notable returners such as Florida redshirt senior runningback Chris Rainey, Virginia redshirt sophomore runningback Bryce Brown, Nebraska junior wide receiver Mark Thompson, and Texas A&M junior wide receiver Josh Gordon as semifinalists.

The candidate lists will be trimmed down from 12 semifinalists to three finalists on Monday, Nov. 21.

[RolePlayer]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Good to see the Tartans getting some national recognition.

This game against Michigan St. is a great chance to get a win over a major program. The Spartans are off to a slow start and Carnegie just played arguably their best game of the year.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Good to see the Tartans getting some national recognition.

This game against Michigan St. is a great chance to get a win over a major program. The Spartans are off to a slow start and Carnegie just played arguably their best game of the year.

Agreed completely. Michigan State hasn't been a great program since the start of this report, but they're normally solid and winning a game against a BCS school (not named Duke) would be huge for the program. The Spartans - as you'll see in the preview this weekend - are much more talented than the MAC teams I face, but certainly beatable - especially if my offense can avoid turnovers and the secondary forces a few. Should be a good one!

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

by Jeff Greenberg, Carnegie Mellon insider for Rivals.com

Wilson out, Culver starts against Michigan State

Carnegie Mellon head coach Jules Nottingham announced on Wednesday that sophomore Gerald Culver will start at quarterback this Saturday against Michigan State, as junior Kevin Wilson is set to miss the contest due to a mild concussion.

Culver (143.7 QB rtg., 34-55, 522 yards, 5 TD [1 rush], 6 INT) impressed off the bench against Akron last weekend following Wilson’s injury (120.3 QB rtg., 115-225, 1,716 yards, 12 TD, 14 INT), throwing four touchdowns – the program’s third four-touchdown game since moving to NCAA Division I competition. The second-year player also tossed four interceptions as the Tartans defeated the Zips, 34-24.

“We have full confidence in Gerald (Culver) getting the job done this weekend,” said Nottingham. “Michigan State is one of the toughest opponents on our schedule, but Gerald has put the extra hours in the film room and practice field and will be ready to go on Saturday.”

Starting guard to miss two weeks

Kevin Wilson wasn’t the only Tartan to suffer an injury last Saturday against Akron, as redshirt sophomore guard Ricky Fields suffered a bone bruise during the contest. The injury will keep Fields out for two weeks, forcing him to miss games against Michigan State and Ohio.

Fields has started at right guard all season, and Pro Football Focus (PFF) has given him a grade of 72.0 with four sacks charged to the third-year sophomore. True freshman Kevin Doucette is set to start in his place.

Carnegie Mellon In-Season Recruiting Targets
Eric Frederick, QB, **** (6’2”, 190 lbs.; Brownsville, La. / West Monroe) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Carnegie Mellon, LSU, Texas
Andrew Graham, OT, **** (6’6”, 337 lbs.; Forestville, Ohio / Winton Woods) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Carnegie Mellon, Ohio State, Notre Dame
Brian Adams, DT, *** (6’2”, 275 lbs.; Naperville, Ill. / Naperville Central) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Wisconsin, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia
Eric Pettit, HB, *** (6’2”, 175 lbs.; Fort McKinley, Ohio / McKinley) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Carnegie Mellon, Notre Dame, Penn State
Jason Sharp, CB, *** (6’1”, 182 lbs.; Bartow, Fla. / Bartow) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Carnegie Mellon, Oklahoma, Miami (Fla.)
Mario Williams, DT, **** (5’11”, 280 lbs.; Lombard, Ill. – Top 5
- Carnegie Mellon, Tennessee, Clemson, Wisconsin, Notre Dame
Ron Williams, CB, **** (5’11”, 170 lbs., Wooster, Ohio / Wooster) – Removed
Chris Gaston, OLB, *** (6’0”, 248 lbs.; Hampton, Va. / Phoebus) – Removed
Jason Mack, HB, **** (6’0”, 205 lbs.; Nether Providence, Pa. / Strath Haven) – Removed
Mike Petty, WR, *** (6’0”, 208 lbs.; Warren, Ohio / Harding) – Removed
Steve Johnson, OLB, *** (6’2”, 232 lbs.; North Canton, Ohio / Hoover) – Removed
Matt Hughes, OT, **** (6’5”, 331 lbs.; Salem, Ohio / Salem) – Removed
Andy Dockery, HB, *** (5’10”, 195 lbs.; Middletown, Ohio / Madison) – Removed
Bryant Elimimian, QB, *** (6’4”, 232 lbs.; Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights) – Removed
Zach Carter, OLB, *** (6’3”, 213 lbs.; East Grand Rapids, Mich. / East Grand Rapids) – Removed