g Phoenix in three games in the conference semifinals

Three weeks in, and we are down to 38 undefeated FBS teams and only eight winless teams. That scale dividing all and nothing at all is never balanced, a tribute to the ability of programs to schedule nonconference opponents that a team should beat. It doesnt always happen that way, which is why Iowa, among many others, is no longer undefeated. But it does make you scratch your head when Oklahoma and Notre Dame have two losses and Army and Wake Forest have none. I know, I know: Strength of schedule isnt reflected in Ws and Ls. We keep hearing that college football is an upscale joint, with velvet ropes separating the wannabes from the already-gots. Its good to know the sport still has room for underdogs to surprise.1. Going for two has been a part of the Oregon swagger, along with the sick unis and the fast-paced offense. Oregon usually tries it on the first score against outclassed early-season opponents, in order to make opponents spend time on it. And they used to work; in Chip Kellys four seasons at Oregon, the Ducks converted 20 of 26 two-point conversions, including twice against Auburn in the 2011 BCS Championship Game. Those points forced the Tigers to kick a field goal as time expired to win. But even before Saturdays 1-for-5 fiasco at Nebraska, the two-point strategy hasnt been as effective under Mark Helfrich. Before Saturday, Oregon had converted only 9 of 23 two-point conversions in Helfrichs four seasons.2. ?Louisville dropped 11 passes at Syracuse on Sept. 9 but didnt have that issue Saturday when the Cardinals embarrassed Florida State 63-20. Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino said his receivers worked hard on words and blanks, a technique to make sure the ball is secure. When you catch the ball, Petrino said, look it all the way to the tuck, and then I can see whether there are any words looking at me or the ball is blank. So its a great way to teach our guys to focus and concentrate.3. No. 1 Alabama is becoming known for nonoffensive touchdowns. The Crimson Tide have five such scores this season, including three that had a decisive impact on emotions and the scoreboard in Saturdays 48-43 comeback victory at No. 23 Ole Miss. That adds up to 15 return touchdowns since the beginning of last season: seven interception returns, five punt returns, one kickoff return, one blocked punt and DaRon Paynes?3-yard fumble return in Oxford. Senior strong safety Eddie Jackson has four of them -- three pick-sixes last season and the 85-yard punt return just before the half Saturday that cut the Rebels lead to a touchdown.4. Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder got his 194th career win Saturday when the Wildcats defeated Florida Atlantic 63-7, their biggest margin of victory under Snyder since a 64-0 defeat of Kansas in 2002. Thats the good news. The not-so-good news? Remember that week four years ago when Kansas State reached No. 1, only to get rocked 52-24 at Baylor? Since that brief ascendancy, Kansas State has lost 14 of 17 games against ranked opponents, including the last eight. Thats something to think about as K-State approaches consecutive games against Oklahoma and Texas next month.5. Why College Football is More Interesting Than the NFL, cont.: Compare the two games played almost simultaneously an hour apart in the Bay Area on Saturday night. Stanford made USC play at its grind-it-out pace. Each team had 10 possessions. They combined for 123 plays. They finished in three hours and three minutes. Meanwhile, Texas and California both spread the field. The Golden Bears had 16 possessions, the Longhorns, 15. They combined for 170 snaps. They finished in three hours and 56 minutes. Old school vs. new school, power vs. quickness. I guess the fan who breaks down his experience by data would vote for seeing 47 more plays for the same buck. Me? Ill take the three-hour game every Saturday.6. And then theres Clemsons 59-0 victory over FCS opponent South Carolina State, a game that cheated everyone. Who benefits when the game is so lopsided that the opposing coaches agree to shorten the second half to 12-minute quarters? Clemson fans wait all year for seven home games, and then one of them gets shortened because the athletic department couldnt find a suitable opponent. Lets hope Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich is suitably embarrassed by that paycheck game (Clemson paid out $300,000). I understand that FCS athletic programs need funds and that Clemson supported another public institution in the state. Thats probably why the Tigers will play The Citadel, Furman and Wofford, respectively, in the next three seasons. Those games wont be farces. This one was.7. Stanford offensive coordinator Mike Bloomgren was not happy with himself that he waited so late to use the three-tight-end power formation in the opener against Kansas State. The Cardinal lined up in that set late in the fourth quarter of the opener, and Christian McCaffrey busted through the line for a 41-yard touchdown. On Saturday against the Trojans, McCaffrey ran out of that set nine times for 68 yards, including a 33-yard gain to the USC 5 late in the first half to set up the second Cardinal touchdown in the 27-10 victory. Harrison Butker Super Bowl Jersey . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. Dustin Colquitt Super Bowl Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry, Heres an interesting one. I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check. http://www.officialkcchiefspro.com/Sammy-watkins-chiefs-jersey/ . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. Travis Kelce Super Bowl Jersey . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Anthony Hitchens Super Bowl Jersey . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. MINNEAPOLIS -- The only thing standing between the Minnesota Lynx and a fourth WNBA championship is the Los Angeles Sparks.The Lynx are the defending champions and have won the league title three times in the last five years. The core group of players during Minnesotas dominant run -- Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen -- is back for more against a Sparks club that hasnt clinched a title since 2002.Its an unusual matchup that pits two Western Conference teams against each other in the Finals. Thats because of the new format that seeds the eight playoff teams regardless of conference. As a result, the top-seeded Lynx open the Finals on Sunday as the host to the second-seeded Sparks.The first time the two teams met in the regular season was a battle of unbeatens. The Lynx were 12-0 at the time and the Sparks were 11-0. It marked the first time in professional American sports that two undefeated teams met with at least 10 wins and no losses.Minnesota won that game by three to improve to a 13-0 en route to a 28-6 regular-season record.After sweeping Phoenix in three games in the conference semifinals, the Lynx will have waited an entire week between games.dddddddddddd Los Angeles last played Oct. 4 after winning Game 4 against Chicago to advance to the Finals.It feels like we finished the regular season a long time ago, Whalen told WNBA.com. I think weve practiced more in the last however many weeks than during the entire rest of the season.The matchup features plenty of star power on both sides. Moore and Los Angeles Candace Parker are both former MVPs, and the Sparks Nneka Ogwumike finished third in the league in points per game during the regular season (19.7).Minnesota was 2-1 in the three games against Los Angeles this season. That record means little now, though, in this best-of-five series.Theres history between us over the years and history of this season, Parker told WNBA.com. Im careful to call it a rivalry because we havent held up our end of the bargain; theyve beaten us. I think we put ourselves in the position to hopefully make it that now. ' ' '