Virginia coach George Welsh: “I think the ACC championship game will go down to the wire. Georgia Tech has been rolling over opponents lately, but they had a close call with Clemson early in the season. Here are some things to consider about Clemson now.  Their offense is better now; the quarterback has gotten a whole lot better.  They are utilizing their great speed with Spiller and Ford. And any time you have to play a team a second time in the same season, you can have a chance to correct your mistakes from the first game. Georgia Tech doesn’t have the greatest defense and they just squeaked out that earlier win. I could see Clemson winning this one if they stay away from mistakes.”

The featured roundtable discussion offered a variety of views about No. 4 TCU and their argument to be included in the BCS Championship Game.

LaVell Edwards: I believe TCU is going to come out of this on the short end.  It’s a shame they won’t get a shot at it because clearly they’re the best team I’ve ever seen around here.  They are legitimate in my mind.  We kind of lock into Florida, Alabama and Texas all year long and that’s the way it’s been.   I definitely think TCU could beat Alabama, Florida or Texas, no question in my mind they can.

George Welsh: I saw TCU play Virginia and I was very impressed.  I really like TCU.  I don’t know what they have going for them but they have a lot.  They have a great pass rush; they do a great job on defense.  Now the quarterback who was off to a slow start against Virginia is obviously playing a lot better.  I like TCU also.

John Cooper: I saw Texas play last year.  I went out and watched the Fiesta Bowl.  I like Texas and we all like Mack Brown but Gene Stallings’ right- Texas is one-dimensional.  If McCoy has a bad day, Texas is going to get beat.  Their biggest win all year was over Oklahoma State.  I don’t know about you guys but I watched Oklahoma State last weekend and I was not impressed.

We talk about TCU but TCU went to Clemson and beat a pretty good Clemson team, went to BYU and won that game pretty easily over a pretty good BYU team, they beat Utah who is 9-2.  I would give TCU a slight edge over Texas.  We don’t even need to talk any more about Alabama and Florida.  Those two teams are going to play each other and the winner of that game is going to play for the national championship.  We need to be talking about Texas and TCU and see who should play the winner of that SEC game.  I think if TCU went against Texas right now they would beat them.

Gene Stallings: I’m not sure that Texas will beat Texas A&M.

Pat Dye: Looking at those four football teams, if they all played the best they could play, Alabama’s the only one TCU couldn’t beat.  I just think physically they would beat them.  I think Florida’s got some problems and y’all say Texas has some but I don’t see any problems in Tuscaloosa.

Terry Donahue: I saw TCU two weeks ago play in person.  I’ve seen Alabama twice (in person).  TCU has the best defensive football team I’ve seen all year except for Alabama.  I just thought they were so fast at every position.  They have eight receivers they throw into a game and it’s hard to tell one from another.  I voted them ahead of Texas in the poll because if you consider every facet of the game I believe they could beat Texas or at least deserve a shot at beating Texas.  So I voted them ahead of Texas.

RC Slocum: I have some of the feelings that everyone else has but I think Texas is a good defensive team and an explosive offensive team.  What happens is that we talk about the Boises who beat the people they have to beat and Texas does that too.  I don’t know if we’ve seen Texas’ best game.  They came back in the second half and beat Oklahoma.  They ran the ball some then.  I have the same concern Gene has, you’d like for them to be more balanced.  That’s what they do.  They make so many big plays in the passing game.  They’ll run it in there every once and a while.  I’d be more concerned about their kicking game than anything else.

I just wonder in a match up with Florida or Alabama… all three of those teams are good defensive teams but how many can make the big explosive plays on offense and I would say Texas.  Alabama’s better at running the football and I appreciate that.  Florida is better at running the ball.  But if you ask which of those three offenses is the most explosive I’m going to say Texas is.  All three are comparable defensive teams.

Everything you hear about TCU is good and deservedly so.  That coach has done a great job.  They’re a speed defensive team that would give anybody problems.  I think that would be a good match up.  I would still take Texas in that match up maybe just for psychological reasons.  They played Texas a year ago and they played Texas for a half.  TCU was TCU and Texas was Texas.  If those two played today, I’d pick Texas.

I think they’re so good at what they’re doing that they’re choosing to throw the ball.  They’re promoting McCoy for the Heisman.  They had trouble in the Oklahoma game and they came out in the second half and gashed Oklahoma running the ball.  I thought it was the difference in the ball game.  I know Mack, way down deep, likes to throw the ball.  They do it by design and man, they do it in such a hurry.  My son’s up in Green Bay coaching and we’ve got guys who coached in the pros.  Coaches there talk a lot about explosive plays.  You can’t line up against those good NFL defensive teams and grind the ball down the field over and over and score enough points to win the game.  You have to make explosive plays.  That’s what prompts my question of which team out of Alabama, Florida and Texas can make explosive plays.

From what I’ve seen, I would take Texas first, Florida second and Alabama third in making explosive plays.  If you ask me who can grind the ball out I would put Texas third.  You get in those games and anybody’s going to have a hard time with those three defenses moving the ball.  It comes down to who can get the big chunks and I think Texas has the ability to do that more than the other two.  TCU is explosive too, they do a good job throwing the ball and they run the ball.  It would be a good match up.

Fisher DeBerry: Having played TCU for many, many years and knowing their background, they can play with anybody — I guarantee you defensively.  The reason I haven’t voted them higher than I have is because I don’t think their offense is that good.  The quarterback has played well the last three or four weeks and it would be a heck of a match up to see TCU play Texas just like it will be to see Alabama play Florida.

Kirk Herbstreit: I’m just intrigued listening to this.  I think the one thing that’s changed with the BCS from 1998 to now is non-automatic qualifier — the perception of the Utah, Boise State, TCU or whoever it happens to be.  I remember in ‘98,’99, 2000 you would never even imagine having this discussion about TCU.  I think the success of Boise and Utah and others of not just getting to a BCS bowl game but what they’ve done when they’ve gotten there, Utah beating Alabama last year in the Sugar Bowl, I think proves that these teams can play one game with these teams.

One coach was talking about the schedule and doesn’t TCU outpersonnel teams they play? I personally feel that the MWC is one of the most underrated conferences in the country because they have a TV program with Versus and nobody sees these teams.  For TCU to go to Virginia, to go to Clemson, to go to Air Force, to go to BYU, and go to Wyoming and beat these teams the way they have…I think that’s a more impressive resume that what Texas has gone through.

Texas hasn’t played anybody outside of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.  They’ve played nobody all year.  It doesn’t mean they aren’t a great team.  We just won’t know how good they are until they play Nebraska for the Big 12 championship and the national championship to play the winner of the Florida-Alabama game.  We can speculate but we really don’t know how good Texas is.

Just barely.

The Tide received nine first-place votes to Florida’s eight ….

Click on the image below to read the full story in SN Today

	Legends Poll
October 19, 2009 – Week 7

George Welsh: I think that the game this weekend with Georgia Tech hosting Virginia Tech is huge. I believe that Georgia Tech will be able to run the ball. I think Virginia Tech has had too many close calls — with Nebraska who had them beat, then to let Duke take them down to the wire. I’m just not sure about Virginia Tech yet, even though I ranked them in the top-10. If Georgia Tech can get that running game going — which I see no reason they won’t be able to — they have a great chance to knock off Virginia Tech. Duke beating NC State on the road, I just don’t think there are any defenses left in the conference. Past Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech there really is no one left in the ACC. I saw Miami get pounded by Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, so I’m not sold on them.

Dick Macpherson: Georgia Tech is winning with their head coach (Paul Johnson) calling the plays. I’m interested to see if that can work against Virginia Tech.

Welsh: Virginia Tech won’t hesitate to give you an eight-man front  — which is one of the keys to stopping the triple-option. I don’t think Virginia Tech is going to get beat that way.

Frank Broyles: Georgia Tech rushed for over 400 yards Saturday. It’s hard to prepare for the wishbone and option when you have worked the team for five weeks in a row on defending the pass and sitting back on their haunches, which makes it hard to get a picture in just a week. I can remember when Darryl (Royal) started running the wishbone and we tried preparing for it one week and we just didn’t know how to run it. It’s a big advantage for Georgia Tech.

Welsh: If I was coaching these teams, I would start preparing for the option in the spring and then they could also prepare for it in the summer. You also need to try and find out what those line calls are.

Broyles: The problem is Georgia Tech is not the top team on the other team’s list to prepare for. But it’s so different you just can’t not prepare.

Welsh: The other problem is you cannot simulate that speed with your B team. I figured by now the ACC would catch up with that speed and that style. I think that Virginia Tech is good but I do still think Georgia Tech has a chance against them.

With nearly everyone picking Florida, Alabama, and Texas to vie for the national title, Oklahoma finds itself playing underdog for the first time in a long while.

“Oklahoma is in the national title race as much as any other team right now,” Legend Fisher DeBerry said. “They are a solid, well-coached football team.”

As long as the Sooners take care of their own business, DeBerry could be right. Their first chance to prove they have righted the ship comes this weekend when Oklahoma takes on a Miami team that is coming off an embarrassing loss at Virginia Tech.

Oklahoma also has its shot at revenge for last year’s loss in two weeks against Texas.  If the Sooners can win out — a schedule including five ranked opponents — then they will have a great shot to head to Pasadena.

Other one-loss teams looking to join the Sooners in the early national title talk are USC and Virginia Tech.

The Hokies sent a clear message that they weren’t going anywhere in the ACC in their 31-7 win over Miami.

“Virginia Tech has proven that it will be a very difficult team to beat [this year] in the ACC,” said former Virginia head coach George Welsh — a man with experience in the league. The Hokies are looking to earn a chance for another shot at an Alabama-quality team in a BCS match up.

USC — another one-loss team — has a chance to pounce on a demoralized Cal squad and regain momentum heading deeper into the conference schedule this week. Cal was on the cusp this year until they were handing a demoralizing 42-3 loss at Oregon.

The Trojans and Hokies are familiar with the national stage and hope that they can make everyone forget their early losses.

Still, undefeated teams remain and are making their case in the national title debate.  All reigning from the Midwest: Iowa, Michigan, and Cincinnati have tough enough schedules to make a case for inclusion to the big game if they can win out.

Cincinnati enjoyed its first BCS berth last year and is poised to make another run.

“Cincinnati has been impressive over the past couple years,” Legend John Cooper said. They are a team deserving of our attention.”

Michigan and Iowa might be long shots but they have both showed they can come back in the 4th quarter against big-time programs.

“There are still some unanswered questions at Michigan, but they have an opportunity this year to answer those questions,” Cooper said.

Don’t forget about Ohio State, either. The Buckeyes’ lone loss was to a gritty USC opponent on a last-minute drive. They find themselves in a familiar situation and are sure to make a statement in the Big Ten once again.

With the first third of the season behind us, coming away with a loss after this week could prove devastating.

So, the question looms: Which of these teams can keep their composure through to the end?  Or will Boise State, TCU, or Houston crash the party?

Recently, the ACC has featured a close battle in the closing weeks of the season with a number of teams fighting for the conference title. Virginia Tech, however, has had everyone’s number.

This week, Miami is out to prove that they are the new team to beat.

It’s true that Miami has one of, if not the toughest opening schedule in the nation. They have proven worthy over the first few weeks after knocking off Florida State in Tallahassee and Georgia Tech at home.

“Miami is very, very impressive,” Legend George Welsh said. “I didn’t think their defense could play this well.”

The Hurricane defense came up big against Florida State when it counted, and the Seminole offense stalled as time expired. And the ‘Canes held Georgia Tech’s vaunted triple option to only 95 yards on the ground and just 17 points.

Accolades are also falling on Miami quarterback Jacory Harris, who was awarded the Legends Nike Game Ball as National Offensive Player of the Week after week one.

“(Harris) is the best quarterback in the ACC,” Welsh said. “And if they can get through their tough schedule, they deserve to be taken seriously by the entire nation.”

Likewise, California has always played second fiddle to USC.

The Trojans have earned the nation’s respect after years of conference dominance and several national championships. After USC’s latest early-season falter against Washington opened the door, Cal looks as ready as ever to walk through it.

Running back Jahvid best has emerged as a Heisman Trophy contender this season. He scored all five touchdowns for Cal against Minnesota in their 35-21 win on the road. And he’s racked up 412 rushing yards and 9 total touchdowns in their first three games.

“Cal has the best running back in the nation, by far,” said former Trojan head coach John Robinson.

That’s no slouch coming from a guy like Robinson. He knows a thing or two about running backs. He coached two Heisman Trophy winners at that position himself.

His former team, USC, faces Oregon this week before meeting the Cal head on.

“USC is trying to make their offense centered around their quarterback instead of letting the run game dominate,” Robinson said. “They won’t win if they put so much pressure on one position. They need to get back to running the ball.”

Running the football is certainly something Cal knows how to do. We’ll see which team will take Robinson’s advice.

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