We have at least three weeks’ worth of Sebastian photos on hand, in case this Miami story keeps dragging on. (AP)

Assorted newsy bits — of varying degrees of importance — you might have missed over the long weekend:

• Didn’t we already do this headline a week ago? ”Imminent” can mean a lot of things! In the cosmic sense, the NCAA’s investigation of Miami has spanned less than a fraction of an eyeblink, but here we are, riding on a human-speed space-time wave, just twiddling our bloggy thumbs until the ‘Canes’ notice of allegations drops. The latest rumblings, per Bruce Feldman, involve a very large book being thrown at ex-Miami and current Louisville assistant Clint Hurtt and other former ‘Canes colleagues. We’ll have more on this when we actually see the notice of allegations, unless we don’t see this notice of allegations, in which case we’ll be right back here next Monday writing a third variation on this same headline.

• And speaking of the NCAA: On the final day of the annual NCAA convention, the latest raft of changes — touted as an effort to streamline NCAA regulations — were unveiled. Your friendly neighborhood Bylaw Blogger takes a look at one proposal, regarding recruiting start dates, that was left out of the bundle.

Read More…

Just going to repeat yesterday’s MACtion preview caption here: “Behold Jordan Lynch. Fear Jordan Lynch.” (AP)

• Northern Illinois 31, Toledo 24. We do so love what’s become an annual late-season scramble for division supremacy between the Huskies and Rockets, and last night’s contest did not disappoint. The Huskies, who have won 10 games for the third straight year, will represent the MAC West in Detroit for the third consecutive season, and will face either Kent State or Bowling Green once they get there. Quarterback Jordan Lynch threw for 407 yards (a career best) and rushed for 162 more. No, by himself. No, seriously. Lynch was sent here by the football gods to make sure we all properly appreciate MACtion for the weeknight blessing it is. Message received. [BOX | RECAP]

• Ball State 52, Ohio 27. The Bobcats trailed by four points heading into halftime and were nearly doubled up by the end of the game, thanks mostly to a 21-point fourth-quarter scoring barrage from the Cardinals. Ball State scored three touchdowns in less than nine minutes on a Horactio Banks run, a Kelly Page pass and a Jahwan Edwards run. Page replaced starter Keith Wenning, who left the game in the second quarter with an Achilles injury. Also, this happened. [BOX | RECAP]

Read More…

Here is Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M quarterback and noted mutant, doing a football thing. He’s pretty good at these. (AP)

SHREVEPORT, La. — The nation’s best hope to bust the BCS is no more. One-loss non-AQ teams don’t get invited to the big-money games. It just isn’t done, dahling. Heading into Week 7, three undefeated mid-major teams clung to aspirations of posh January destinations. Right now, it’s hard to imagine any of them  making the trip. The Ohio Bobcats move to 7-0 but continue to play close games against lowly competition. The UTSA Roadrunners (they were, technically, undefeated! No, YOU shut up) got pummeled by Rice. And the Bulldogs, winners on the road in the ACC and Big Ten, fell short in a virtual home game, 59-57, against SEC newcomer Texas A&M.

It’s how short, and how the Bulldogs got there, that’s the story. “Those who left early,” said Sonny Dykes in his postgame press conference, “ought to be ashamed of themselves.” We quite agree.

We’ll talk a lot about Colby Cameron tonight, maybe because we’re still feeling the echoes of seeing Nick Florence have a career day and still go home with a loss. Cameron has a lot to be proud of tonight. So does Quinton Patton, his primary receiver, who caught four of his touchdown passes. “A whole lot of things happened in that football game,” said Kevin Sumlin afterward, “and it could have gone either way.”

But we must first spend some words burnishing the hatchling legend of Texas A&M quarterback and utter mutant Johnny Manziel, who as a redshirt freshman set program and SEC records for total offense with tonight’s 576-yard performance. Before the arrival of Manziel, the Aggies had recorded 13 400-yard performances in school history. Manziel has now recorded three such games in six tries as a college football player. His rushing output (181 yards) and the aforementioned 72-yard dash were both career efforts. It can be goofy to laud career days from freshmen, who have almost no body of work with which to compare new games, and to goggle at offensive stats against defenses like Louisiana Tech’s, but we think you’ll agree this calls for just a bit of decorous celebration.

Read More…

Tracking the zeitgeist of college football’s second weekend through social media:

MAMA! COME ON INSIDE! ONE OF THESE UTAH TEAMS BOUT TO PUNT! CAN’T MISS THAT!

— Jason Kirk (@JasonKirkSBN) September 8, 2012

ACC MISSED THE BOAT ON UTAH.

— THE KEY PLAY (@thekeyplay) September 8, 2012

Special Teams Coach Beehive was a sentimental hire from the start for Utah. Won’t save his job after this game. (Plus: is beehive.)

— edsbs (@edsbs) September 8, 2012

@andy_staples @ben_jones88 We’re still getting our shirts and ties pressed at 9 am.We’re not Juggalos.

— Bobby Big Wheel (@BobbyBigWheel) September 8, 2012

Read More…

In one week and two days, Kevin Sumlin and Sonny Dykes are gonna do a little dance down Shreveport way. First one to a hundred wins!

Nine days.

Larry Coker's UTSA Roadrunners will play their first FBS season when they join the WAC in 2012.
(Icon SMI)

The 2012 WAC football schedule has been released, putting to rest this spring’s burning question: Which teams are in the WAC this year? The conference has kindly answered this for us with a handy press release and chart. Highlights for the year ahead:

• Defending conference champ Louisiana Tech draws the hottest Thursday night slot of the year, beginning the season on opening day (that’s August 30, for you sickos setting countdown clocks right this minute). The Bulldogs have to do it in Shreveport against Texas A&M, but it’s a jewel of a matchup stacked against the likes of Idaho-Eastern Washington, New Mexico State-Sacramento State and Utah State-Southern Utah. It’s also one in which you shouldn’t necessarily write off the Bulldogs as a competitive opponent: Sonny Dykes’ brand of offense should be coming into its own this season, and Tech played new Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin’s Houston Cougars to a one-point loss last season.

Read More…

Get ready to see plenty of this look from Houston's Kevin Sumlin, assembled Conference USA media. (Cal Sport Media)

• Fresh coaches, bought and sold: Newsy bits involving the staffing and de-staffing and re-staffing of various programs:

- Kevin Sumlin is this season’s hot hiring flavor, and having been in a room with him once before when he was asked a question he didn’t care for, I cannot wait for some reporter at the C-USA title game to attempt to discuss which visor Sumlin will don next year instead of breaking down the Cougars’ matchup with Southern Miss. Guy gets a flat, shark-eyed stare going that’s practically Sabanian in its chilling effect.

- Not a lot of “football minds” on Penn State’s search committee to replace Joe Paterno, which has a couple ex-Nittany Lions worried. I thought the same thing looking at PSU’s offensive statistics all year, guys.

- ”The great thing about WSU and being a Coug is that we don’t do it like everybody else. We stick together and we don’t eat our own. I believe the innocence of Wazzu has been lost today.” – Paul Wulff, who held a press conference of his own yesterday after the one announcing the onset of the hunt for his successor.

- “The only job that I am worried about, and the job that I have got all my heart and soul and attention on, is Maryland.” — Randy Edsall, whose heart and soul could really use some help putting together a coherent defense. Which organ is responsible for that? Pancreas? [Via the Post.]

Read More…