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

[Careless Whisper]

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

Carnegie Mellon Returns to Top 25 Polls for First Time in 73 Years
The Tartans, now at 8-1 overall and 6-0 in the MAC, are ranked No. 24 in the Media Poll and No. 25 in the Coaches’ Poll

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- A 73-year wait came to an end this morning, as Carnegie Mellon saw its name appear in both the USA Today Coaches’ and Associated Press Media Top 25 Polls, with rankings of No. 25 in the former and No. 24 in the latter.

Carnegie Mellon received 408 points in the Media Poll, slotting ahead of No. 25 Hawaii (6-2) at 390 points. The Tartans received 223 points in the Coaches’ Poll to claim the No. 25 spot.

This is the first time that CMU has been in the Division I football rankings since 1939. Fresh off a 7-2 season and Sugar Bowl appearance in 1938, Carnegie Tech entered the first Associated Press Poll with the No. 15 ranking ahead of its game against New York University. The Tartans fell to the Violets in that matchup, 6-0, dropped out of the AP Poll, and proceeded to finish the season on a five-game losing streak, never reappearing in a Division I poll until today.

This year’s Carnegie Mellon side currently sits at 8-1 overall and 6-0 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), and is on the cusp of making its second MAC Championship Game in four seasons. After a season-opening 52-31 defeat to then-No. 25 West Virginia, the Tartans have rattled off eight consecutive wins, with six of those victories coming by double-digits. CMU is led by second-year head coach Jules Nottingham, who has a 16-6 record leading CMU and has been the subject of multiple head coaching rumors from BCS-conference teams, and boasts the current Heisman Trophy favorite in redshirt junior wide receiver Eddie Williams – the nation’s leader in receptions (82), receiving yards (1,555), and receiving touchdowns (18).

CMU also entered the BCS rankings for the first time, coming in at No. 23 with a 0.117 poll average. The Tartans are ahead of No. 24 BYU (7-1, 0.108) and No. 25 Washington (5-3, 0.105) in that category.

Carnegie Mellon’s first game as a nationally-ranked Division I team since 1939 is this Saturday, Nov. 10 when it hosts Navy (4-4) in a non-conference matchup.

[studbucket]

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

Awesome achievement. 73 years is a long time!

[Careless Whisper]

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

Awesome achievement. 73 years is a long time!

Thanks studbucket! Also found in my research from that last ranking was that Carnegie Tech was one of two nationally-ranked Pittsburgh schools to be upset that week - No. 1 Pitt fell to Duquesne, 21-13. (Sorry moose!)

I think this may be one of my favorite parts of this report - the fact that this school has a storied tradition in the national landscape pre-WW2, and this ranking is just another step towards returning it to those heights. And the fact that it has taken 6 1/2 seasons to get into the rankings makes the achievement that much more satisfying! There's still so much more to accomplish though, and a lot of journey still ahead to reach the pinnacle of college football.

[Careless Whisper]

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

Around the MAC – Week 10 Edition
Carnegie Mellon enters the national rankings for the first time since returning to Division I football

MAC East Standings
#25 Carnegie Mellon | 8-1, 6-0 MAC
Kent State | 8-1, 5-1 MAC
Bowling Green | 5-5, 5-2 MAC
Miami (Ohio) | 6-3, 2-3 MAC
Ohio | 3-6, 2-3 MAC
Akron | 3-6, 2-4 MAC
Buffalo | 1-8, 1-5 MAC

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

MAC Players of the Week
Offensive: Tyler Byers, R-Sr., QB, Miami (Ohio) | 22-38, 373 yards, 6 TD in 42-17 win at Buffalo
Defensive: Chauncey Johnson, Sr., MLB, Kent State | 9 tackles (5 TFL), 2 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF in 22-14 win at Bowling Green

MAC Statistical Leaders
QB Rating: Brett Hicks, R-Jr., Ball State (155.9)
Passing Yards: Hicks (2,630)
Passing Touchdowns: Tyler Byers, R-Sr., Miami (Ohio) (25)
Passing Interceptions: Jeff Smith, R-Sr., Akron (20)
Rushing Yards: Tanner Phillips, Sr., Central Michigan (1,341)
Rushing Touchdowns: Phillips (12)
Receptions: Eddie Williams, R-Jr., Carnegie Mellon (82)
Receiving Yards: Williams (1,555)
Receiving Touchdowns: Williams (18)
Tackles: Keith Miller, R-So., Bowling Green (88)
Sacks: Tim Dunn, Sr., Central Michigan (9)
Interceptions: Jabari London, R-So., Carnegie Mellon; Robert Wall, Fr., Carnegie Mellon; Rob Jones, Jr., Central Michigan; Jammal Pollard, Jr., Northern Illinois (5)
Made Field Goals: Kyle Dorsey, So., Akron (12)
Net Punting Average: Zach Riley, Sr., Northern Illinois (38.5)
Kick Return Average: Kelvin Butler, Jr., Carnegie Mellon (26.6)
Punt Return Average: Lenny Fitch, Sr., Northern Illinois (11.3)

Week 10 Scores
Kent State 22, Bowling Green 14
Carnegie Mellon 49, Ohio 7
Akron 33, Toledo 21
Miami (Ohio) 42, Buffalo 17
Central Michigan 35, Northern Illinois 21
Eastern Michigan 45, Western Michigan 42 (OT)

Week 11 Matchups
Wake Forest (5-5) at Akron (3-6) | 11/10, 12:30 PM
Miami (Ohio) (6-3, 2-3 MAC) at Toledo (4-6, 3-3 MAC) | 11/10, 12:30 PM
Eastern Michigan (4-5, 4-2 MAC) at Ball State (4-5, 3-2 MAC) | 11/10, 12:30 PM
Navy (4-4) at #25 Carnegie Mellon (8-1) | 11/10, 3:30 PM
Ohio (3-6, 2-3 MAC) at Northern Illinois (2-7, 1-4 MAC) | 11/10, 3:30 PM
Kent State (8-1, 5-1 MAC) at Buffalo (1-8, 1-5 MAC) | 11/10, 3:30 PM
Western Michigan (3-7, 1-5 MAC) at Central Michigan (3-6, 2-3 MAC) | 11/10, 6:00 PM (Rivalry Game)

[studbucket]

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

Thanks studbucket! Also found in my research from that last ranking was that Carnegie Tech was one of two nationally-ranked Pittsburgh schools to be upset that week - No. 1 Pitt fell to Duquesne, 21-13. (Sorry moose!)

I think this may be one of my favorite parts of this report - the fact that this school has a storied tradition in the national landscape pre-WW2, and this ranking is just another step towards returning it to those heights. And the fact that it has taken 6 1/2 seasons to get into the rankings makes the achievement that much more satisfying! There's still so much more to accomplish though, and a lot of journey still ahead to reach the pinnacle of college football.

The 6.5 years definitely makes it more fun.

Too bad Duquesne isn't in FBS still. You could do a 3-way "battle of Pittsburgh" series of games with them and Pitt every year.

[Careless Whisper]

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

by Jeff Greenberg, Carnegie Mellon insider for Rivals.com

Williams pursuing NCAA receiving records, still tops Heisman Watch

Carnegie Mellon redshirt junior wide receiver Eddie Williams has been one of the best stories in college football this season, with the mid-major superstar currently pacing the field for all major awards including the Heisman Trophy with 82 receptions, 1,555 receiving yards, and 21 total touchdowns (18 receiving, 3 rushing) to his name. With four or five potential games remaining in the season, Williams – who had 273 receptions, 4,504 receiving yards, and 47 receiving touchdowns in his career – could stand alone with one or more NCAA records at the end of the campaign.

In the NCAA single-season record books, Williams needs 60 receptions, 505 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns to match the current standard in each of those categories. Houston’s Manny Hazard owns the reception record with 142 in 1989, Nevada’s Trevor Insley has the receiving yards mark with 2,060 in 1999, and Louisiana Tech’s Troy Edwards established the receiving touchdown standard with 27 in 1998. The CMU wide receiver would need to average 15.0 receptions, 126.3 receiving yards, and 2.3 receiving touchdowns over four games, or 12.0 receptions, 101.0 receiving yards, and 1.8 receiving touchdowns over five games to match those numbers.

In the NCAA career record books, Williams needs 75 receptions, 501 receiving yards, and just three touchdowns to match the top spot in each of those statistics. Texas Tech’s Xavier Gilbert recorded 348 career receptions from 2007-10, Nevada’s Trevor Insley had 5,005 career receiving yards from 1996-99, and Louisiana Tech’s Troy Edwards accumulated 50 receiving touchdowns from 1996-98. The Heisman favorite would need to have 18.8 receptions and 125.3 receiving yards over four games, or 15.0 receptions and 100.2 receiving yards over five games to match Gilbert and Insley.

Williams theoretically could return for his redshirt senior year in 2013, which would then put the career receptions and receiving yards marks within a more realistic grasp, but it’s an unlikely scenario as the CMU wide receiver is a projected first-round pick in the NFL Draft.

Smith, Norton reportedly looking for guarantees heading into official visits

It’s a big recruiting weekend for Carnegie Mellon against Navy, with four in-season targets set to make their official visits in four-star center Quinton Smith (Odessa, Texas), three-star wide receiver Don Glover (Pennsauken, N.J.), three-star linebacker Andrew Harper (Middleburg Heights, Ohio), and three-star defensive end Carlton Norton (Greensburg, Pa.). Rumors have swirled as of late that a couple of the targets want guarantees in order to commit.

Smith, a six-foot-one, 277-pound offensive lineman from Permian High School of Friday Night Lights fame, is seeking immediate playing time according to reports. That seems to be a request that the CMU staff could grant, with current starter Joey Muhammad set to graduate and his theoretical competition between redshirt freshmen Zac McLaughlin and DeMarcus Nichols. Smith is also considering Nebraska and Texas Tech.

Norton, a six-foot-three, 225-pound pass rusher from Greensburg Central Catholic High School, wants to wear his favorite number, 33, if he were to become a Tartan. That number is currently being worn by redshirt sophomore runningback and kick returner Kyle Holland. Norton is also considering Clemson and Ohio State, with the Buckeyes sitting as the favorite for his commitment.

Joshua Byrd fully commits to CMU

Carnegie Mellon received another in-season commitment over the weekend with four-star linebacker Joshua Byrd (North Bethesda, Md.) pledging to the program.

Byrd, a six-foot, 217-pound linebacker from Georgetown Prep, originally gave a soft commitment to the Tartans following his official visit on Oct. 13. He was worried that CMU couldn’t promise the early playing time he desired and went on official visits to Penn State and Virginia Tech, but in the end decided to join the Tartans class.

Byrd is the fifth in-season commitment for CMU, joining four-star defensive backs Robert Allen (Oxford, Ohio), Jamaal Dodds (Fort McKinley, Ohio), and DeShawn Russell (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), and three-star linebacker Aaron Simon (Cambridge, Ohio).

Backup tight end suspended for season

CMU’s tight end depth took a hit this week with redshirt freshman Austin Ware set to serve a season-ending academic suspension.

Ware was third on the depth chart and took a redshirt last season. He hasn’t recorded a stat in 2012.

Carnegie Mellon In-Season Recruiting Targets
Robert Allen, SS, **** (6’2”, 213 lbs.; Oxford, Ohio / Talawanda) – Verbal Commit
Jamaal Dodds, FS, **** (6’1”, 190 lbs.; Fort McKinley, Ohio / McKinley) – Verbal Commit
DeShawn Russell, CB, **** (6’2”, 180 lbs.; Rockville Centre, N.Y. / South Side) – Verbal Commit
Joshua Byrd, OLB, **** (6’0”, 217 lbs.; North Bethesda, Md. / Georgetown Prep) – Verbal Commit
Aaron Simon, OLB, *** (5’11”, 225 lbs.; Cambridge, Ohio / Cambridge) – Verbal Commit
Quinton Smith, C, **** (6’1”, 277 lbs.; Odessa, Texas / Permian) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/10
- Carnegie Mellon, Texas Tech, Nebraska
Don Glover, WR, *** (6’4”, 208 lbs.; Pennsauken, N.J. / Pennsauken) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/10
- Virginia, Carnegie Mellon, Virginia Tech
Andrew Harper, OLB, *** (6’0”, 248 lbs.; Middleburg Heights, Ohio / Berea-Midpark) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/10
- Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Carnegie Mellon
Carlton Norton, DE, *** (6’3”, 225 lbs.; Greensburg, Pa. / Greensburg Central Catholic) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/10
- Ohio State, Carnegie Mellon, Clemson
Lawrence Clark, CB, *** (6’2”, 182 lbs.; New Brunswick, N.J. / New Brunswick) – Removed
Josh Greene, MLB, *** (6’1”, 225 lbs.; Dundalk, Md. / Dundalk) – Removed
Doug Dunbar, CB, **** (5’11”, 170 lbs.; Cumberland, Md. / Fort Hill) – Removed; Committed to Clemson
Mark Davis, MLB, **** (5’11”, 237 lbs.; Enid, Okla. / Enid) – Removed; Committed to Texas Tech
Jeremy Jones, DE, **** (6’2”, 225 lbs.; Cudahy, Wisc. / Cudahy) – Removed; Committed to Michigan
Greg Taylor, OLB, *** (6’3”, 213 lbs.; Mercedes, Texas / Mercedes) – Removed; Committed to Texas

[moose141]

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

Love seeing how the recruiting board has changed from year to year... way back when it was a struggle to get two stars on board and now you're swimming in four star recruits, you love to see it!

[Careless Whisper]

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

Navy Midshipmen (4-4) at #25 Carnegie Mellon Tartans (8-1)
Saturday, November 10, 2012 | 3:30 PM
Pittsburgh, Pa. – Gesling Stadium | ROOT Sports Pittsburgh

Record vs. Opponent: 0-0-0
Last Five Meetings
This is the first meeting between Carnegie Mellon and Navy.

The Lowdown
Newly-minted No. 25 Carnegie Mellon remains in control of its own destiny in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) East Division ahead of Saturday’s non-conference test against Navy, but a defeat to the Midshipmen could bring trailing Kent State back in contention. The Golden Flashes would have to win out and Tartans would need to fall to Western Michigan or Northern Illinois to bring the controversial tiebreaker scenario back in play, whereas a victory over Navy could provide enough buffer to keep CMU ahead of KSU even with a future MAC defeat.

Navy, entering this matchup at 4-4, provides a unique test for the Tartans with its triple-option attack. The Midshipmen have been competitive against their toughest opponents, falling to Tennessee (21-42), BYU (25-31), Iowa (14-28), and Notre Dame (19-20), but their most impressive wins would be against Louisville (34-23) and Toledo (27-14). While Navy, like its service academy counterparts, doesn’t recruit blue-chip talent, this year’s team does have a handful of potential future NFL players in runningback Nate Peterson, tight end Anthony Foster, and strong safety Ray Ray Armstrong, and a total of 13 starters with a Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade higher than 80.0.

Scouting Navy
Navy’s offense revolves around redshirt senior runningback Nate Peterson (215 carries, 1,174 yards, 16 TD; 6 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD), who leads all of college football in rushing touchdowns and has 1,781 rushing yards in his career. He’s joined in the backfield by a pair of non-related Matthews in redshirt junior slotback Kody Matthews (56 carries, 300 yards, 4 TD) and junior fullback Jelani Matthews (15 carries, 66 yards). Senior quarterback Danny Scott (125.8 QB rtg., 43-77, 508 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT) is a first-year starting signal-caller who originally began his career in junior college, but his lack of mobility slightly limits the triple-option attack. His targets include senior tight end Anthony Foster (12 catches, 241 yards, 3 TD), a three-year starter with a 90.0 PFF rating, and redshirt junior wide receiver T.J. Ward (22 catches, 300 yards, 3 TD). On the offensive line, junior right tackle Stanley Holt is a two-time Associated Press All-America selection, garnering Freshman accolades in 2010 before making last year’s Second Team.

The Midshipmen defense is led by senior captain Ray Ray Armstrong (23 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) at strong safety, who is a four-year starter and has 110 tackles, six interceptions, two sacks, and a touchdown over his career. His 91.0 PFF rating is the best on the team and is one of the highest among non-BCS and Notre Dame defensive players. Navy’s defensive line has three first-year starters, with redshirt sophomore end Derek Roberson (18 tackles, 3 sacks) the most productive of them, while the linebacker corps is led by senior Tony Caldwell (29 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INT) and third-year sophomore Tanner Bennett (41 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INT, 1 TD). Armstrong’s running mate at safety is senior Jeff Pennington (21 tackles, 2 INT), a two-year starter with 82.0 PFF rating, and the duo lends a lot of help to cornerbacks John Nakfoor (24 tackles, 1 INT) and Shaun Thompson (18 tackles, 1 INT), who both come in under 75.0 according to PFF.

Did You Know?
Navy marks the fourth different service academy that Carnegie Mellon has played. The Tartans are 3-2-0 all-time against service academies, previously playing games against Army, Coast Guard, and Quantico Marines. CMU dropped both of its meetings to Army, falling in 1917 (0-28) and more recently 2010 (14-21). Sandwiched in between those contests was one against Quantico Marines, which ended in a 3-0 defeat in 1924. Coast Guard was a two-year fixture on the Tartans’ schedules in 1990 and 1991, with CMU earning wins of 24-13 in 1990 and 25-19 in 1991. The 1990 win was the Tartans’ penultimate contest before their fifth NCAA Tournament.

Prediction
Carnegie Mellon has struggled with some run-heavy teams this season – most notably when it allowed 185 yards and two touchdowns to Tanner Phillips in its 35-21 win over Central Michigan. Navy is the Tartans’ most talented opponent remaining on their schedule, and a departure from MAC play absolutely makes this a trap game, but CMU should have enough to run its win streak to nine. Carnegie Mellon 27, Navy 21.

[Careless Whisper]

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

Tartan Win Streak Hits Nine in Non-Conference Blowout of Navy
Kevin Wilson threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns as No. 25 CMU won its third non-conference game of the season



Tartans wide receiver Eddie Williams breaks multiple tackles on CMU's first offensive play, a 57-yard touchdown catch. (Marie Thompson / Getty Images)

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Are you a team seeking a win over Carnegie Mellon? For the last three seasons, the easiest way to do so was to agree to play the Tartans at Gesling Stadium in October or November. The Tartans suffered defeats to Maryland (43-14), Army (21-14), and Michigan State (20-14) over that timeframe, and while the contest against the Terrapins was a mismatch, losses to the Black Knights and Spartans were preventable.

College football writers have asked all season what makes this Carnegie Mellon team different than the last three? They may have gotten their answer in the form of the No. 25 Tartans’ 48-21 victory over Navy on Saturday afternoon.

Carnegie Mellon (9-1) scored 40-plus points for the fifth straight game and seventh overall this season, while doing just enough on defense to limit Navy’s (4-5) vaunted triple-option attack. The Tartans’ 48 points scored were more than what they put up combined in those aforementioned contests, and the win marks the first time since CMU joined the FBS that it has won three non-conference games in the regular season.

“We were completely locked in and committed to the plan today,” said Tartans head coach Jules Nottingham. “These games out of the MAC can be tough to prepare for, because not only do you not know the opponent and their tendencies all that well, but the guys can enter with the mindset that a loss doesn’t hurt them in the long run. It makes it hard to drum up that motivation, but this team is different and showed it today. I consider this one of our best wins of the season.”

The Tartans showed their mentality immediately, as after they forced a three-and-out on Navy’s opening drive, Kevin Wilson connected with Eddie Williams for a 57-yard touchdown on their first offensive play. Williams broke a pair of tackles after the catch before racing to the endzone in a play that will surely end up on his Heisman Trophy candidacy reel.

The Midshipmen answered with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that concluded with a Nate Peterson 23-yard touchdown dash, but CMU responded with an extended drive of its own, going nine plays and 67 yards before Clay Armstrong punched it in from a yard out. The hosts would add a 37-yard field goal from Joseph Love to make it 17-7 with 7:01 remaining in the first half.

Peterson struck again with a 29-yard touchdown run less than two minutes later, bringing Navy within three at 17-14. The Tartans had another answer with another Williams touchdown catch – this of 16 yards – after a 61-yard pass to Travis Sledge on third down kept the drive alive. With less than a minute remaining in the half, CMU’s defense forced another three-and-out, and Wilson connected with Kelvin Butler for 14 yards and Chris Smith for 31 yards to set up Love for a 49-yard field goal as time expired.

The lead grew to 34-14 with 2:44 left in the third quarter, as Matt Burnsides picked off a deflected pass and two plays later Wilson found Sledge for a six-yard touchdown. Navy’s offense was forced to punt on the ensuing drive, and that proved to be disastrous when Butler ran back the line drive 75 yards to paydirt to make it 41-14.

The Midshipmen would add a third touchdown with 6:51 remaining when Danny Scott found a wide-open Peterson for a nine-yard score. Navy would fail to recover the ensuing onside kick, and Gerald Culver would engineer a five-play, 43-yard drive that ended in a four-yard keeper to seal the victory.

Wilson played the most efficient game of his career, throwing for 305 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-23 passing. Williams and Sledge were both over 100 yards receiving, with Williams going for seven catches and 132 yards, while Sledge totaling six receptions for 105 yards. Jon Crowell led the Tartans with 10 tackles and an interception defensively.

Peterson continued his stellar season in the defeat, rushing for 154 yards on 31 carries and accounting for all three Navy touchdowns.

Carnegie Mellon returns to Mid-American Conference (MAC) competition next Saturday, Nov. 17 when it travels to Western Michigan. A victory would give the Tartans their first 10-win season since 1990.

Navy Midshipmen at Carnegie Mellon Tartans
Nov 10, 2012	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Navy Midshipmen (4-5)	7	7	0	7	21
#25 Carnegie Mellon Tartans (9-1)	14	13	14	7	48

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		NAVY	CMU
12:35	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 57-yard pass to Eddie Williams (Joseph Love kick)	0	7
6:09	(NAVY) Nate Peterson 23-yard run (Nick Lupp kick)	7	7
1:35	(CMU) Clay Armstrong 1-yard run (Joseph Love kick)	7	14
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		NAVY	CMU
7:01	(CMU) Joseph Love 37-yard field goal	7	17
5:18	(NAVY) Nate Peterson 29-yard run (Nick Lupp kick)	14	17
0:58	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 16-yard pass to Eddie Williams (Joseph Love kick)	14	24
0:00	(CMU) Joseph Love 49-yard field goal	14	27
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		NAVY	CMU
2:44	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 6-yard pass to Travis Sledge (Joseph Love kick)	14	34
0:40	(CMU) Kelvin Butler 75-yard punt return (Joseph Love kick)	14	41
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		NAVY	CMU
6:51	(NAVY) Danny Scott 9-yard pass to Nate Peterson (Nick Lupp kick)	21	41
2:41	(CMU) Gerald Culver 4-yard run (Joseph Love kick)	21	48

Navy Midshipmen PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Danny Scott 5/8 58 1 2 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Nate Peterson 31 154 4.9 2 Kody Matthews 6 74 12.3 0 T.J. Ward 1 9 9.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Kody Matthews 2 31 15.5 0 T.J. Ward 1 12 12.0 0 Todd Peterson 1 9 9.0 1 Anthony Foster 1 6 6.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Eric Riley 8 1 0 0 Shaun Thompson 7 0 0 0 John Nakfoor 6 0 0 0 Ray Ray Armstrong 5 0 0 0 Tanner Bennett 5 1 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Nick Lupo 0/0 3/3 3 -- PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Jeremy Broussard 5 205 41.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kody Matthews 5 118 23.6 0 T.J. Ward 4 80 20.0 0

Carnegie Mellon Tartans PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kevin Wilson 20/23 305 3 0 Gerald Culver 1/1 9 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Lawrence McIntire 13 76 5.8 0 Jeff Gilmore 6 46 7.6 0 Gerald Culver 2 20 10.0 1 Eddie Williams 1 17 17.0 0 Kyle Holland 1 5 5.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Eddie Williams 7 132 18.8 2 Travis Sledge 6 105 17.5 1 Chris Smith 3 50 16.6 0 Lawrence McIntire 3 3 1.0 0 Kelvin Butler 2 24 12.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Jon Crowell 10 0 1 0 Bobby Magnum 6 0 0 0 Jabari London 6 0 0 0 Jordan Gibson 5 0 0 0 Brandon Williams 4 0 0 0 Matt Burnsides 3 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Joseph Love 2/2 6/6 12 49 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Andy Fitzhugh 1 41 41.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 2 44 22.0 0 Kyle Holland 1 19 19.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 5 107 21.3 1

[moose141]

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

Big win and way to avoid the dreaded trap game. Probably Wilson's best ever game as a Tartan considering he finally didn't throw a pick for once. Eddie just continuing to be a monster, that TD on the opening play showing that he's not just a catch machine but he can create for himself as well with some broken tackles to create the score. Savoring every game left of this season because I fear that next year could spell a LOT of turnover and a lot of change!

[Careless Whisper]

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

Big win and way to avoid the dreaded trap game. Probably Wilson's best ever game as a Tartan considering he finally didn't throw a pick for once. Eddie just continuing to be a monster, that TD on the opening play showing that he's not just a catch machine but he can create for himself as well with some broken tackles to create the score. Savoring every game left of this season because I fear that next year could spell a LOT of turnover and a lot of change!

I wish I would have taken a video of the replay from that Williams touchdown, because it was truly one that would be the first highlight on his Heisman reel! He caught a 10-yard curl, had enough space for me to hit the CB with a truck stick, and then threw a stiff-arm at #29 in that photo before racing to the endzone. With that kind of start and how Wilson is the ultimate hot-or-cold quarterback, it made sense that he ended up playing the best game of his career.

Definitely savoring the remainder of the season as well, because I feel like there will be a lot of change if we can keep winning! A fresh national ranking and potential conference championship will likely lead to some offers for Nottingham, which means I'll have to create a new coach and learn a new offense ahead of next season. And without Williams there to bail out my quarterbacks, it'll be interesting to see how Culver and Frederick perform and if I can get any sort of (good) consistency from either of them. 2013 will be very interesting, but we still have a MAC title and Heisman to win first!

[Careless Whisper]

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

Hi all, apologize for another lull in reporting (and following others' dynasties) here - May is a busy month for me work-wise and I have a vacation in June, so updates will be scarce until probably July. Appreciate all of you who follow this!

[Careless Whisper]

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

Around the NCAA – Week 11 Edition
No. 11 Virginia will look to make a statement this weekend and keep its unbeaten record alive at No. 14 Virginia Tech

ESPN The Magazine Cover Story
No Respect! – The latest polls have little love for 10-0 Cavaliers.

With seven undefeated teams remaining, one needs to be at the bottom of the list, but for 10-0 Virginia it can’t help to wonder why it sits behind four one-loss teams in the No. 11 position. The Cavaliers rank No. 11 in both national polls and the BCS rankings, despite going a perfect 7-0 in ACC play thus far, and are at rival No. 14 Virginia Tech this Saturday in the Battle for the Commonwealth Cup. Redshirt senior quarterback Kyle Parker (164.6 QB rtg., 180-285, 2,492 yards, 29 TD, 8 INT; 110 carries, 539 yards, 7 TD) has received some Heisman buzz for his stellar play and Virginia’s 10-0 record, while redshirt junior tailback Bryce Brown (113 carries, 777 yards, 7 TD; 22 carries, 426 yards, 4 TD) is one of the nation’s most explosive backs and was an Associated Press Freshman All-American in 2010. Keep an eye out for true freshman Todd Gurley II, who has amassed 313 yards and four touchdowns on a 6.0 yards-per-carry average as Brown’s backup.

BCS Rankings
1 | USC (9-0, 0.969)
2 | Wisconsin (9-0, 0.913)
3 | Florida (10-0, 0.907)
4 | Oklahoma (10-0, 0.878)
5 | Michigan (9-0, 0.823)
6 | Missouri (10-0, 0.740)
7 | LSU (9-1, 0.737)
8 | Penn State (9-1, 0.667)
9 | Texas A&M (9-1, 0.648)
10 | Clemson (9-1, 0.626)
11 | Virginia (10-0, 0.599)
12 | Miami (Fla.) (9-2, 0.475)
13 | Texas (9-2, 0.457)
14 | Virginia Tech (8-2, 0.406)
15 | Nebraska (9-2, 0.388)

Heisman Watch
Eddie Williams, R-Jr., WR, Carnegie Mellon | 89 catches, 1,687 yards, 23 TD (3 rush)
Jordan Jefferson, R-Sr., QB, Missouri | 188.6 QB rtg., 175-257, 2,470 yards, 34 TD, 5 INT; 118 carries, 774 yards, 15 TD
Michael Thomas, Fr., WR, Florida | 57 catches, 1,083 yards, 15 TD
Johnny Manziel, So., QB, Michigan | 184.2 QB rtg., 160-252, 2,515 yards, 33 TD, 8 INT; 84 carries, 468 yards, 5 TD
Mike Glennon, R-Sr., QB, LSU | 171.7 QB rtg., 212-323, 2,793 yards, 38 TD (1 rush), 7 INT

NCAA Players of the Week
Offensive: Devin Gardner, Jr., QB, Mississippi State | 30-43, 521 yards, 5 TD; 5 carries, 11 yards, 1 TD in 53-50 win at South Carolina
Defensive: Thurman Davis, So., FS, Boston College | 2 tackles, 3 INT, 1 TD in 45-34 win at North Carolina State

NCAA Statistical Leaders
QB Rating: Dak Prescott, So., Florida (189.2)
Passing Yards: Matt Barkley, Sr., Hawaii (3,230)
Passing Touchdowns: Mike Glennon, R-Sr., LSU (37)
Passing Interceptions: Mike Powdrell, So., Kansas (27)
Rushing Yards: Joe Henry, R-Sr., TCU (1,551)
Rushing Touchdowns: Nate Peterson, R-Sr., Navy (18)
Receptions: Eddie Williams, R-Jr., Carnegie Mellon (89)
Receiving Yards: Williams (1,687)
Receiving Touchdowns: Williams (20)
Tackles: Keith Miller, R-So., Bowling Green (88)
Sacks: Adam Goodwin, R-Sr., Texas (13)
Interceptions: Matt Elam, Jr., Arkansas (9)
Made Field Goals: Jonathan Avery, Fr., Baylor; Kyle Dorsey, So., Akron; Vincent Hendrix, Jr., Colorado State (14)
Net Punting Average: Henry Poole, Sr., UCLA (38.9)
Kick Return Average: Ryan Frederick, R-Jr., Oklahoma (31.3)
Punt Return Average: Mark Kirkpatrick, Jr., UAB (14.2)

Injury Report
Russell Shepard, Sr., QB, Texas A&M | Hip bursitis (3 weeks)
Andre Ellington, R-Sr., HB, Brown | Knee cartilage tear (4 weeks)
Shaquelle Evans, Sr., WR, California | Broken ankle (9 weeks)
Ahmad Griffin, R-Sr., WR, Hawaii | Torn shoulder muscle (8 weeks)
Will Bell, Jr., DT, Texas | Broken hand (7 weeks)

Week 11 Notable Top 25 Scores
#23 BYU 34, Wyoming 27
#5 Michigan 69, Army 7
#21 Ohio State 45, Michigan State 13
#25 Carnegie Mellon 48, Navy 21
#10 Clemson 42, Florida State 7
#16 West Virginia 52, Cincinnati 6
#9 Texas A&M 49, Texas Tech 10
Fresno State 17, #18 Boise State 14
#6 LSU 31, Alabama 14
#1 USC 23, Hawaii 19
California 45, #24 UCLA 38
#4 Oklahoma 31, #15 Nebraska 24
#2 Wisconsin 56, Minnesota 10
#22 Washington 28, Oregon 18
#11 Virginia 21, Georgia Tech 20

Week 12 National Broadcasts
#16 West Virginia (9-1) at Notre Dame (6-3) | 11/17, 12:30 PM
Ole Miss (6-4) at #6 LSU (9-1) | 11/17, 12:30 PM (Rivalry Game)
#2 Wisconsin (9-0) at Michigan State (4-5) | 11/17, 3:30 PM
#11 Virginia (10-0) at #14 Virginia Tech (8-2) | 11/17, 3:30 PM (Game of the Week; Battle for the Commonwealth Cup)
Oregon (5-4) at #1 USC (9-0) | 11/17, 3:30 PM
#4 Oklahoma (10-0) at Baylor (5-5) | 11/17, 3:30 PM
#10 Clemson (9-1) at Navy (4-5) | 11/17, 8:00 PM
Hawaii (6-3) at #22 Washington (6-3) | 11/17, 8:00 PM

[Careless Whisper]

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

Around the MAC – Week 11 Edition
Kent State’s 38-21 win against Buffalo this past Saturday pulls it even with No. 25 Carnegie Mellon on MAC wins

MAC East Standings
#25 Carnegie Mellon | 9-1, 6-0 MAC
Kent State | 9-1, 6-1 MAC
Bowling Green | 5-5, 5-2 MAC
Miami (Ohio) | 7-3, 3-3 MAC
Ohio | 3-7, 2-4 MAC
Akron | 3-7, 2-4 MAC
Buffalo | 1-9, 1-6 MAC

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

MAC Players of the Week
Offensive: Jonathan Dukes, R-Sr., HB, Ball State | 30 carries, 201 yards, 2 TD; 2 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD in 46-17 win against Eastern Michigan
Defensive: Robert Fields, Fr., OLB, Miami (Ohio) | 13 tackles (4 TFL), 2 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF in 28-21 win at Toledo

MAC Statistical Leaders
QB Rating: Kevin Wilson, Sr., Carnegie Mellon (161.8)
Passing Yards: Brett Hicks, R-Jr., Ball State (2,956)
Passing Touchdowns: Tyler Byers, R-Sr., Miami (Ohio) (27)
Passing Interceptions: Jeff Smith, R-Sr., Akron (21)
Rushing Yards: Tanner Phillips, Sr., Central Michigan (1,409)
Rushing Touchdowns: Phillips; Jonathan Dukes, R-Sr., Ball State (12)
Receptions: Eddie Williams, R-Jr., Carnegie Mellon (89)
Receiving Yards: Williams (1,687)
Receiving Touchdowns: Williams (20)
Tackles: Keith Miller, R-So., Bowling Green (88)
Sacks: Tim Dunn, Sr., Central Michigan (9)
Interceptions: Jabari London, R-So., Carnegie Mellon; Robert Wall, Fr., Carnegie Mellon; Rob Jones, Jr., Central Michigan; Jammal Pollard, Jr., Northern Illinois (5)
Made Field Goals: Kyle Dorsey, So., Akron (14)
Net Punting Average: Maurice Battle, Sr., Akron (38.8)
Kick Return Average: Kelvin Butler, Jr., Carnegie Mellon (26.3)
Punt Return Average: Lenny Fitch, Sr., Northern Illinois (10.1)

Week 11 Scores
Wake Forest 38, Akron 20
Miami (Ohio) 28, Toledo 21
Ball State 46, Eastern Michigan 17
#25 Carnegie Mellon 48, Navy 21
Northern Illinois 34, Ohio 14
Kent State 38, Buffalo 21
Western Michigan 38, Central Michigan 21

Week 12 Matchups
Miami (Ohio) (7-3, 3-3 MAC) at Bowling Green (5-5, 5-2 MAC) | 11/14, 6:00 PM
#25 Carnegie Mellon (9-1, 6-0 MAC) at Western Michigan (4-7, 2-5 MAC) | 11/17, 12:30 PM
Eastern Michigan (4-6) at Florida State (4-6) | 11/17, 12:30 PM
Toledo (4-7, 3-4 MAC) at Northern Illinois (3-7, 2-4 MAC) | 11/17, 12:30 PM
Pittsburgh (3-7) at Kent State (9-1) | 11/17, 1:00 PM
Akron (3-7, 2-4 MAC) at Ohio (3-7, 2-4 MAC) | 11/17, 3:30 PM
Ball State (5-5, 4-2 MAC) at Central Michigan (4-6, 4-3 MAC) | 11/17, 6:00 PM
#19 TCU (9-1) at Buffalo (1-9) | 11/17, 8:00 PM

[Careless Whisper]

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

by Jeff Greenberg, Carnegie Mellon insider for Rivals.com

Corrigan wants tougher non-conference schedule

In an interview on KDKA Radio yesterday afternoon, Carnegie Mellon athletic director Daniel Corrigan hinted at massive schedule changes ahead of the 2013 season to continue to build the program’s reputation.

“We’re definitely going to seek more ‘buy games’,” said Corrigan. “It’s not because the athletic department is hurting for money, but because of the expectations I have for our future. The MAC has been and will continue to be a great home for our football program, but if we want to be a Top 25 team year in and year out, we need to compete against the best.”

Sources say that Corrigan came to this conclusion after the Tartans’ 48-21 dismantling of Navy this past Saturday. Carnegie Mellon also boasts non-conference wins against Idaho (52-7) and at rival Pitt (28-25), while its 52-31 season-opening defeat to now-No. 16 West Virginia was closer than the score suggests. While the Tartans athletic director publicly said that he’s happy with the team’s fit in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), sources also say that Corrigan would like to make the move to a bigger conference sooner rather than later.

“Obviously scheduling is pretty fluid, and it can be hard to find matches,” added Corrigan. “But it doesn’t do us any good to play like-minded teams in the non-conference slate. We have three open spots – along with the annual game with Pitt – and while I’m not saying those games should be against No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 in the polls, I’d like for us to be challenged in hopes of nabbing a couple of resume-building wins.”

Trio give verbal commitments to Carnegie Mellon after Navy weekend

Carnegie Mellon’s strong in-season recruiting efforts continued this past weekend, as it received verbal commitments from four-star center Quinton Smith (Odessa, Texas), three-star wide receiver Don Glover (Pennsauken, N.J.), and three-star defensive end Carlton Norton (Greensburg, Pa.) following their official visits against Navy.

Smith, a six-foot-one, 277-pound offensive lineman from Permian High School of Friday Night Lights fame, noted that he loves the Tartans’ history and the opportunity for early playing time. He was an All-State selection as a junior who reportedly benches 455 pounds and squats 655 pounds.

Glover, a six-foot-four, 208-pound target from Pennsauken High School, also fell in love with CMU’s history and its current trajectory. The wide receiver has accumulated 704 yards and 10 touchdowns on 55 receptions this season, and has been clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.49 seconds.

Norton, a six-foot-three, 225-pound pass rusher from Greensburg Central Catholic, said that location was the key in his commitment, as he lives just under 35 miles away from campus. An all-section pick in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL), he has collected seven sacks as a senior.

Three-star linebacker Harper commits to Wisconsin

The Tartans went 3-for-4 on their official visits this past weekend, as three-star linebacker Andrew Harper (Middleburg Heights, Ohio) decided to pledge to Wisconsin.

Harper, a six-foot, 248-pound outside linebacker from Berea-Midpark High School, joined a group of four on official visits this past Saturday against Navy and reportedly loved being on campus. However, he took his official visit to Wisconsin the week prior and really latched onto the program with its success this season, giving the Badgers coaching staff his commitment hours after leaving Pittsburgh.

Herron suspended for season for academics

Carnegie Mellon redshirt junior cornerback Frank Herron has been suspended for the remainder of the 2012 season, CMU head coach Jules Nottingham announced today.

Herron’s suspension is an academic one according to team sources, as the fourth-year backup has missed numerous classes and isn’t taking his studies seriously. He has not recorded a statistic this season, and is the second player to receive a season-ending academic suspension this season, joining redshirt freshman tight end Austin Ware.

Carnegie Mellon In-Season Recruiting Targets
Robert Allen, SS, **** (6’2”, 213 lbs.; Oxford, Ohio / Talawanda) – Verbal Commit
Jamaal Dodds, FS, **** (6’1”, 190 lbs.; Fort McKinley, Ohio / McKinley) – Verbal Commit
DeShawn Russell, CB, **** (6’2”, 180 lbs.; Rockville Centre, N.Y. / South Side) – Verbal Commit
Quinton Smith, C, **** (6’1”, 277 lbs.; Odessa, Texas / Permian) – Verbal Commit
Joshua Byrd, OLB, **** (6’0”, 217 lbs.; North Bethesda, Md. / Georgetown Prep) – Verbal Commit
Aaron Simon, OLB, *** (5’11”, 225 lbs.; Cambridge, Ohio / Cambridge) – Verbal Commit
Don Glover, WR, *** (6’4”, 208 lbs.; Pennsauken, N.J. / Pennsauken) – Verbal Commit
Carlton Norton, DE, *** (6’3”, 225 lbs.; Greensburg, Pa. / Greensburg Central Catholic) – Verbal Commit
Andrew Harper, OLB, *** (6’0”, 248 lbs.; Middleburg Heights, Ohio / Berea-Midpark) – Removed; Committed to Wisconsin
Lawrence Clark, CB, *** (6’2”, 182 lbs.; New Brunswick, N.J. / New Brunswick) – Removed
Josh Greene, MLB, *** (6’1”, 225 lbs.; Dundalk, Md. / Dundalk) – Removed
Doug Dunbar, CB, **** (5’11”, 170 lbs.; Cumberland, Md. / Fort Hill) – Removed; Committed to Clemson
Mark Davis, MLB, **** (5’11”, 237 lbs.; Enid, Okla. / Enid) – Removed; Committed to Texas Tech
Jeremy Jones, DE, **** (6’2”, 225 lbs.; Cudahy, Wisc. / Cudahy) – Removed; Committed to Michigan
Greg Taylor, OLB, *** (6’3”, 213 lbs.; Mercedes, Texas / Mercedes) – Removed; Committed to Texas