We knew that one day this was going to have to happen, regardless of the circumstances, but that day has finally arrived.
Penn State will wear names on the back of their jerseys as well as a blue ribbon this football season. This is the first time, and perhaps the only time, names will be worn on the jerseys, a decision Bill O'Brien made to make sure the players choosing to stay will be honored and recognized by fans. Needless to say, many longtime Penn State fans, students and alums are not exactly too happy about it.
Speaking of Penn State, former wide receiver Justin Brown transferred to the Oklahoma Sooners this week and has joined the team for practices. Bob Stoops has confirmed he will be used in the passing game but also on special teams to return punts.
More after the jump…
Staying in the Big Ten, a quick scheduling note. Illinois will play host to Washington next year in a game to be played in Chicago's Soldier Field. The game is scheduled for September 14, 2013. The game rounds out the non-conference schedule for the Illini, which also includes games against FCS Southern Illinois, Cincinnati and Miami (Ohio).
Duke's Blair Holliday continues to recover from a tragic accident this summer. His teammates visited him at the North Carolina hospital before being transported to a Georgia brain-injury rehabilitation center for more specialized treatment. While Holliday will not be activated this season for sure, his team will wear a special sticker with his uniform number (eight) on their helmets this fall.
The NCAA has teamed up with the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB in an attempt to battle sports gambling in the state of New Jersey. Not sure why this matters. Can't Mark Emmert make it his moral responsibility to put an end to this himself?
Are there any unranked teams that could make a magical run to the BCS stage in January? Sports Illustrated picked out a few that could work some magic.
In case you missed it, we took a gaze in to our own crystal ball again yesterday, with a look at a critical week ten's biggest games. One of us had the audacity to predict the SEC will not be the home of this season's BCS Championship winner (Spoiler alert: It was me).
What? Realignment news? From the land of the FCS, Albany and Stony Brook have announced their intentions to join the CAA in 2013. Some quality additions for the conference that is currently home to schools like James Madison, Villanova and Delaware among other FCS powers.
Meanwhile, the story coming out of another FCS powerhouse, Montana, continues to develop. Jordan Johnson, the quarterback who was arrested on sexual assault charges, has pleaded not guilty to rape of a woman. Johnson is currently suspended from the team while the legal process plays out.
Which ACC school has the best homefield advantage?
Pre-Snap Read really likes Rutgers this year (in the Big East).
We know ESPN loves the SEC and the Texas Longhorns. Imagine if Texas were more like the SEC…
The trees at Toomer's Corner had some work done on them. They have seen better days.
Place your bets! Bovada has released prop bets and over/unders for wins and more, for entertainment purposes only.
Grab while you can, print it out and frame it. This may be the last WAC football media guide we ever feast our eyes on.
Tweet of the Day
As mentioned earlier, Penn State is adding names to their jerseys this fall. The reaction has largely been negative among Penn Staters, but there are some who have found some humor in the news…
Can't wait for Lubrano to appeal these new
#PSU uniforms— Mauti's Mullet (@ArtieFufkin10) August 7, 2012
Video of the Day
Vanderbilt is known as a program that adheres to no-nonsense policy, but even the Commodores know they need to unwind and cut loose from time to time, especially during training camp season. Fortunately for us, a camera was inside the room during a recent boogie session. Show these young bucks how it is done coach Herb Hand!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4ztULBplNrI
Anchor down!
