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From collegefootballtopten.com. I want to take the time to wish our readers and your family a very Merry Christmas. I hope this Christmas season finds you with friends, family, fellowship and good cheer. I hope that you are able to take the time to enjoy time off and consider the good news of Jesus during this season.

May God Bless You!

Todd E. Jones

O.K. These are not listed in order of value or preference. There is no “ranking” the bowl games here. These are games that I think are interesting, and I made suggestions as to possible new sponsors for the game.

1. Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, Dec. 27
Texas vs. Arizona State
Two teams who could have ended up in a New Year’s Day bowl. Arizona State has a record worthy of playing on New Year’s Day, and Texas has the talent worthy of playing on New Year’s Day. I suggest that this game be sponsored by Southwest Airlines. I really couldn’t think of a better sponsor, and Southwest flies in the Southwest. Smart, huh.

2. Fed Ex Orange Bowl, Jan. 3
Kansas vs. Virginia Tech
Some people are not happy Kansas is here instead of Missouri, but it doesn’t matter now. The Jayhawks are playing a good Virginia Tech team that found its identity later in the season. I suggest that the game be sponsored by Dickies, the worker apparel. Both teams have a blue collar, team oriented kind of image. Virginia Tech has that whole lunch box thing, and Kansas runs the “blue collar” version of the Spread Offense. The QB is undersized, and the offense works better when they can run the ball with the big tailback.

3. AT&T Cotton Bowl, Jan. 1
Arkansas vs. Missouri
A lot of people have already seen this as a very good match-up of teams not playing in a BCS game. Two players, Chase Daniel (Missouri) and Darren McFadden (Arkansas), were invited to the Heisman Trophy Presentation. Both teams can score a lot of points. Arkansas and Missouri already have friendly rivalries everywhere. I suggest that this year’s Cotton Bowl be sponsored by the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad.

4. Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, Jan. 1
Texas Tech vs. Virginia
This match-up features defensive standout Chris Long, son of Howie Long of the Raiders, and the pass happy offense of QB Graham Harrell and Texas Tech. I think that this game should be sponsored by Radio Shack. You know, Howie used to do commercials for them with that Teri Hatcher. Plus, you might want to get a new TV, maybe a High Def, to see Tech’s Michael Crabtree play. Yeah, he’s that good.

5. Allstate Sugar Bowl, Jan. 1
Georgia vs. Hawaii
Why not? It might be the first time all year you’ve seen Hawaii play. They don’t get to the mainland a lot. They went 12-0, the only team to do so, and that was with Colt Brennan missing a couple of games. Of course, there’s them ‘Dawgs. They are might hot right now. Some wanted them to make the National Title Game. I guess they look as good as anybody. This bowl should be sponsored by Maui Brand Sugar. Sugar for your tea. What do you think? Aloha!

6. Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 2
West Virginia vs. Oklahoma
There will be so much speed on the field, that the weather patterns might change. Seriously, the two teams may be the fastest in the country. DeMarco Murray, Juaquin Iglesias, and Malcolm Kelly of Oklahoma and Noel Divine, Pat White, and Steve Slaton for West Virginia may be the fastest skill players in the country. I suggest that Verizon FiOS sponsor this game because they tout themselves as the fastest internet available.

7. The Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl, Dec. 31
California vs. Air Force
This could be a great match-up. Cal has some great skill players. Air Force runs the triple option. Cal has had problems keeping its focus all season, and Fort Worth’s night life might be too much to handle for those kids. I suggest that some military air craft making industry sponsor this game. Wait, they already do. That is Bell Helicopters. You people got it right in Fort Worth.

8. The GMAC Bowl, Jan. 6
Bowling Green vs. Tulsa
This might be something to watch while waiting on the title game, if you need your bowl game fix. There should be a lot of scoring. Neither team has a very good defense, and both teams can throw the bowl. This shouldn’t be low scoring. These two teams have passed for over a combined 7800 yards. The ball will be in the air so often that you might earn frequent flier miles. Therefore, I suggest that this game be sponsored by FrequentFlier.com.

9. The Outback Bowl, Jan. 1
Tennessee vs. Wisconsin
I don’t know if this will a good game or not. Tennessee can throw the ball pretty well, and Wisconsin can run the ball pretty well. I think that this game should be sponsored by Colorado Boomerangs. Both teams bounced back from what could have been a rough finish.

10. Allstate BCS Championship Game, Jan. 7
LSU vs. Ohio State
Well, this one is for the title. The sub-plots really don’t matter. LSU survived its SEC jungle, and Ohio State overcame the loss of multiple offensive weapons to the NFL or graduation. Oh, and it is another one of those Big Ten/SEC match-ups. I am sure that this year’s title game will be better than last year’s. I suggest that this game is co-sponsored by Community Coffee (Louisiana) and Kroger (Ohio). If it goes late, you might want to run to your Kroger and have some Community Coffee ready for the next morning. O.K That’s all I could come up with.

Happy Bowling!

Borders Books has been producing something called the Short List. It is where authors and other entertainers give their Short List of things to read, watch, listen to, etc. I am going to do something similar. I am going to give my Short, Short List. I wanted my list to relate to football. Therefore, based on what I have read this year, my list is kind of short. But, I will mention three.

1. Bowls, Polls & Tattered Souls: Tackling the Chaos and Controversy that Reign Over College Football. Stewart Mandel. Stewart is a college football writer from SI.com (Sports Illustrated) and author of the popular Mailbag on the SI.com website. He really seems to have a handle on the sport’s most “hot button” issues. He gives a good, historical perspective on each of the issues at hand. You will have some “ah ha” moments while reading this book.

2. Twelve Mighty Orphans: The Inspiring True Story of the Mighty Mites Who Ruled Texas Football. Jim Dent. This is a great story about the orphans from the Fort Worth Masonic Lodge who competed and won at high school football in Texas. While the stories are good, the reader will be amazed at how far reaching the affects of the little Mighty Orphans had on football in the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s in the United States as a whole. Members of those great teams went on to play college and pro football. Head Coach Rusty Russell eventually coached at SMU where he had the opportunity to coach Doak Walker.

3. Tony Romo: America’s Next Quarterback. Mac Engel. This book will always have the distinction of being the first book written about Tony Romo. Romo, the Dallas Cowboy quarterback, was an Undrafted Free Agent out of Eastern Illinois University who took over as the starter last season and set the NFL on fire with his play. This is a great book for the aspiring young quarterback in your household.

Book I Hope to Read

Fourth and New Orleans. Chris Scelfo. The story of the Tulane football program in the months following Hurricane Katrina.

Every Week a Season: A Journey Inside Big-Time College Football. Brian Curtis.

Who’s #1?: 100-Plus Years of Controversial National Champions in College Football. Christopher J. Walsh.

One team that we know is number 1, in the Football Championship Subdivision, is Appalachian State. The Mountaineers won their third straight national title. What if West Virginia would have held on against Pitt and then won the BCS Title? The two Division I Champions would have been the Mountaineers. By the way, do you know how to spell Appalachian now? I do.

Yesterday, the Associated Press released their Little All-Americans List. Tonight Appalachian State plays Delaware for the Football Championship Subdivision National Championship. Should we, as college football fans, give any thought to these two different events. Well, yes. We have seen in the past that good players, no, great players do come from these programs. I will mention Steve McNair and Jerry Rice as examples. Steve McNair quarterbacked his team to the Super Bowl, and has an outstanding NFL career with the Titans and Ravens. Jerry Rice may go down as one of the greatest Wide Receivers in NFL history.

There are reasons that these kids never played at the Bowl Championship Subdivision level. All have their own unique reasons. Armanti Edwards, the Appalachian State superstar, was basically a late bloomer. He started playing QB during his junior year in High School and was barely noticed by the time he finished. A couple of Bowl Championship Subdivision teams offered him scholarships, but to play something other than QB. Now, he may be, arguably, the best dual threat QB in all of college football. You do remember Edwards don’t you? He ripped Michigan on September 1 in Appy State’s huge road upset of the Wolverines. He may get sniffs at the Heisman next year.

As a kid I remember watching Arkansas State rule the Southland Conference in the 80’s. They went to the Division I AA playoffs, it seemed like, every year. They advance in most of those years eventually reaching the championship game. They lost to the very dominant Georgia Southern team. Georgia Southern’s then Offensive Coordinator is now the new head coach at Georgia Tech. He will bring his Hamm Bone, as they named it after QB Tracy Hamm, to Tech.

Every year, there is a great NFL prospect that comes out of the small schools. So, you see, you don’t have to be a starter at a Bowl Championship Subdivision school to play in the NFL.

Another example of that is Tony Romo. When Romo came to the Cowboys, I hadn’t heard of him. But he made the team and continued to get better. Romo was an Undrafted Free Agent from Eastern Illinois, a Football Championship Subdivision school. He set records at EIU, but few people noticed. He got his chance for the Cowboys, and now he is considered one of the top QB’s in the league.

My friend Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has written a book about Tony. It’s called America’s Next Quarterback. You can visit the website to order a copy of the book. If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, you can probably pick up a copy at your local Borders Bookstore.

I am a Razorback fan. I grew up in Batesville, AR watching Ken Hatfields’ Razorbacks compete hard in the old Southwest Conference. They won two championships heading to the Cotton Bowl. I don’t talk about the Hogs on this site much so that I won’t appear biased. Well, tonight I am going to reveal my thoughts.

Now, it seems if the Hogs win 8 games they take a trip across the state line to play in the Cotton Bowl, and that just doesn’t seem to be enough for the fans. You see, times have changed and the Cotton Bowl, while it is a good bowl, is not the BCS.

Ten years ago the Hogs were limping to the end of the 90’s after the Danny Ford era that ended with one trip to the SEC Championship Game. The Razorbacks hired a brash young coach who played a season in the 70’s for Frank Broyles’ team before moving on to play somewhere else.

Houston Nutt took the Hogs to two SEC Title games in 10 years. He may have coached the Heisman Trophy winner for 2007. He brought passion back to the sidelines in Fayetteville.

After a tumulteous two years, Coach Nutt took his gear and bolted, to Oxford. Mississippi, that is. Yes, Houston Nutt left to go to the power of Ole Miss. The Hogs have to play him every year until the Ole Miss Athletic Department runs him off for not winning a national title.

Now, the Hogs are trying to make the right hire. First, there were cries for Auburn’s Tommy Tubberville, a native Arkansan. He decided to stay. Then Tommy Bowden was interviewed. Both coaches received contract extensions and raises. Next up, Jim Grobe. Nope. He don’t want it either. At least he didn’t show up for a press conference, pretend to do a Hog Call and then change his mind like Dana Altman did last spring after taking the Men’s Basketball job only to return to Creighton.

The Hogs are having trouble attracting somebody. And, right now, fans might like to have somebody, maybe anybody. Fans are calling for Arkansas to hire the next Bob Stoops. Stoops, was hired at OU after being a successful coordinator and assistant coach. I have heard fans call for Razorback Defensive Coordinator and Interim Coach Reggie Herring, Tulsa Head Coach Todd Graham and Tulsa Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn. Down here (Fort Worth, TX) I’ve even heard Texas Tech Head Coach Mike Leach’s name thrown out there.

When I thought the job would be open, I had two people on my “wish list” from day one. Now, I doubt that Athletic Director Jeff Long or Chancellor White will be looking to me for ideas of who to hire, but at least I can make my case. The first name on my “wish list” is Terry Bowden. Bowden has hinted to the possibility that he might want to coach again. Terry took Auburn to an undefeated season in 1993. He is, in fact, a prominent member of the Bowden football tree. He can coach, he has passion and emotion. If Bowden is going to coach in 2008, he will make a good coach. And, he might as well coach at Arkansas.

However, I don’t know if Bowden moves to Fayetteville. He could, but he might be interested in coaching somewhere bigger. My next choice for a Razorback coach, and he is actually 1 b, is TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson. I have lived in Fort Worth for 10 years now. I watched during the first few years as Dennis Francione led the Horned Frogs to successful seasons as the TCU played in the Conference USA. When Fran left, I didn’t think that TCU football could get bigger. Boy I was wrong!

TCU immediately asked Gary Patterson to step in and be the new coach. I didn’t know anything about Patterson, but let me tell you, he is the best coach you’ve never heard of. If you don’t believe me, then ask Stewart Mandel. Mandel included him in his 10 Best Coaches article. Patterson has everything a Hog coach needs. He has passion. He has motivation, for himself and his players. He instills discipline, on and off the field. His defenses play lights out. Consider this. Last year’s TCU defense held Northern Illinois’ Garrett Wolfe to 28 yards rushing in the 2006 Poisettia Bowl. Wolfe was an All American running back and hung 285 all purpose yards (171 rushing) on Ohio State in 2006 which basically had the same defense as the one this year that led the Buckeyes to the title game.

Patterson usually has good special teams. TCU had 4 block kicks (punts/field goals) this year. Patterson is a very likable guy. He recruits well for the disadvantage that TCU has in Texas. He is a defensive minded guy who likes to turn the offense over to a talented offensive coordinator and works hard to put together a disciplined team that excels in all phases of the game. The Frogs knocked off Oklahoma on the road in 2005 and were leading the Longhorns this year at halftime. They shut down Texas Tech’s offense last year.

The Hogs and Frogs will have a series in a few years. If Patterson isn’t coaching the Hogs, he’ll probably be giving them problems on the field as the Frogs coach. Patterson’s TCU teams play in front of 42,000 at the most, and they have to be perfect to play in a BCS game. At Arkansas, he would be coaching in front of 80,000 fans who are just a passionate about football as he is. Arkansas doesn’t play second fiddle to anyone in the state whereas TCU does in Fort Worth. I think he might consider it. He coaches in a BCS game at Arkansas by winning the SEC Title, or just being in the Top 10. He can’t do those things at TCU.

If Arkansas passes on Patterson, then I will continue to be a Frog fan. I am a Hog fan first, but I will always enjoy keeping up with the Frogs. And, when the Frogs play the Hogs in 2012, if Gary Patterson is in purple, expect trouble on the field for the Hogs. TCU’s defense will be coming, the offense will use a variety of formations, and the special teams will get after the Hogs.