Tag: Alabama

After getting walloped In title game, ND’s Brian Kelly thinking NFL

By DOUG GRIFFITHS ISL Assistant Editor This week has gone from bad to worse for Fighting Irish football fans. After getting shellacked by Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game by Monday night, Brian Kelly was interviewed by the Philadelphia Eagles for their head coaching position. A source with very close ties to Notre Dame […]

Royal meeting: Notre Dame, Alabama to face off in title game

By DOUG GRIFFITHS ISL Assistant Editor It was a foregone conclusion after the SEC Championship Game on Saturday, but it became official Sunday night as No. 1 Notre Dame will meet No. 2 Alabama for the BCS National Championship Game Jan. 7, 2013, at Miami’s Sun Life Stadium. Brian Kelly’s 12-0 Irish will be a decided underdog […]

Soon-to-be No. 1 Notre Dame controls national title destiny

By DOUG GRIFFITHS ISL Assistant Editor NOTRE DAME, Ind. ” What a night! Not only does Notre Dame now know if it beats USC next Saturday in Los Angeles, the Irish be playing in the BCS National Championship Game, but they will go to Southern California ranked No. 1 in the nation. If the Irish are ranked […]

College football season demonstrates need for playoff

By CHUCK SAMPLES ISL Correspondent Once again, the Bowl Championship Series is poised to demonstrate its true purpose. Pinpointing the need for a playoff system to determine the Division 1-A champion. Four undefeated teams can all say they are worthy of the BCS No. 1 spot. Alabama, Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame have taken […]

Samples’ football wrapup: Alabama, Notre Dame up; Auburn, Purdue down

By CHUCK SAMPLES ISL Correspondent What we learned from our latest weekend in college football. 1. Alabama is free and clear for the BCS title game. With Oregon likely to win out and Kansas State hitting its stride, one fan base is going to be severely disappointed come early December if current trends continue. 2. […]

Samples: College football thoughts after Week 5

By CHUCK SAMPLES ISL Correspondent Lessons from Week 5 of college football: 1. There really isn’t much separation at the top of the Big 10, is there? And there really isn’t much separation from the top half to the middle, to be flatly honest. From the middle to the bottom, though…hoo boy… 2. Why is […]

Samples: A look back at Week 2 in college football

By CHUCK SAMPLES ISL Correspondent What we learned in Week 2 of the college football season: 1. Ho-hum for Alabama. At least for the early, nonconference portion of the schedule. Things change this weekend. 2. Think Arkansas wasn’t looking past Louisiana-Monroe to the Tide? Questions now are (1) how John L. Smith guides the Bacon […]

Chuck Samples: College football overview, Week 1

By CHUCK SAMPLES ISL Correspondent What we learned from Weekend 1 of the college football season (as always, in no particular order): 1. No real surprises at the top. USC and Oregon hammered overmatched foes, and Alabama — ooooweee — made Michigan look like it didn’t belong on the same playing field. 2. Speaking of […]

ISL’s Doug Griffiths makes his Big Ten picks

By DOUG GRIFFITHS ISL Correspondent Are you ready for some college football? Well, your wait is about over. All 12 Big Ten teams kick things off later this week with a couple teams squaring off with top-25 teams. Michigan appears to have the toughest challenge, facing defending national champion and No. 2-ranked Alabama. We’ll have […]