Meanwhile, if you’re still betting on the Detroit Lions to win (guilty as charged…), you’re either bold (I wish!) or pushing insane (I think that’s more like it…). How many ways can you say ‘terrible?’

1. New York Giants (11-1): Not having drama magnet Plaxico Burress in the lineup for the rest of the season hurts Burress a lot more than it will the Giants.

2. Tennessee Titans (11-1): How do you rebound from your first loss? By completely destroying the league’s worst team, that’s how.

3. Indianapolis Colts (8-4): Winning without an offensive touchdown? It might have helped that they were playing against the offensively-challenged Browns, but Indy’s defense came up huge on Sunday to offset a subpar day from the offense.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3): Just when Matt Cassel was getting on a roll, he ran into the Steel Curtain. Tony Romo best watch his back, front, and sides on Sunday.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3): The Bucs could all but win (or lose) the NFC South in the next two weeks, as they go on the road to 9-3 Carolina and 8-4 Atlanta. If their defense can have repeat performances from the home games against the Panthers (27-3) and Falcons (24-9), their chances of putting the division away are pretty good.

6. Dallas Cowboys (8-4): After feasting on two bad teams, Tony Romo and the Cowboys get one of their toughest tests of the season when they go to the Steel City.

7. Carolina Panthers (9-3): The Panthers had a tough one at Green Bay on Sunday, but thanks to DeAngelo Williams and his four touchdowns, they got a road win that keeps them neck and neck with the Buccaneers and ahead of the Falcons in the NFC South.

8. New York Jets (8-4): Just as they took a big step forward with their win at Tennessee, the Jets took a big one back by losing at home to the Broncos. Talk about a letdown.

9. Atlanta Falcons (8-4): I’m sure it was sweet for Michael Turner to run for 120 yards against his old team, but more importantly, the Falcons picked up a big road win in San Diego that keeps them in the thick of things in the NFC South and NFC. They have to keep winning though, and that makes Sunday’s game at New Orleans a very important one.

10. Baltimore Ravens (8-4): Quietly, the Ravens are staying on the Steelers’ heels in the NFC North.

And now, for the bottom 10…

23. San Francisco 49ers (4-8): Buffalo may not be the same team that they were earlier in the season, but the 49ers’ win in Buffalo was a good one nonetheless.

24. Cleveland Browns (4-8): They did lose, but the Browns held Indianapolis without an offensive touchdown, and without Robert Mathis’ scoop ‘n score, would’ve had the upset win. Unfortunately, Derek Anderson now joins Brady Quinn on the sidelines for the remainder of the season.

25. San Diego Chargers (4-8): Their hopes of winning the AFC West may have flown out of the window on Sunday, when they lost at home to the Falcons and the Broncos won at the Meadowlands.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8): I don’t think there were many people who had the Jaguars pegged to be in last in the AFC South at this point, but that’s the case after their loss at Houston on Monday night.

27. Oakland Raiders (3-9): Had they beat the Chiefs at home, they’d have been tied for second in the AFC West with San Diego. Not sure how impressive that is, especially if you’re the Chargers.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (2-10): The Chiefs don’t want to follow the script, do they? They’re not going to get the #1 pick by winning, but they did just that on Sunday at Oakland.

29. Seattle Seahawks (2-10): It’s almost over, Mike. Just four more games to go.

30. Cincinnati Bengals (1-10-1): That’s more like it, Bengals.

31. St. Louis Rams (2-10): It’d have been a big win for the Rams had they knocked off the Dolphins, but they fell short.

32. Detroit Lions (0-12): There’s not a lot to say about this team that hasn’t been said already.

If you’re going to make any wagers on this weekend’s games, your online sports book destination should be BetUS. I’m not sure if they’re going to have an over/under on the amount of penalties Flozell Adams might draw against the Steelers’ tenacious defense on Sunday, but they do have a wealth of wagering options, so head on over there.

Since we are officially in playoff mode, we’re going to change things up just a bit. I’ll only be picking one running back and one receiver since most teams that are in the playoffs should be deep enough not to need too much help, and since you wouldn’t want to rely on a gamble at this important stage of the season anyway. But first, let’s take a look at last week’s picks:

Time to Shine:

QB Kerry Collins, Tennessee: It’s not that Collins played a poor game, it’s just that the Titans had to use for the pass since the Lions had no interest in stopping the run. Good completion percentage, but 127 passing yards doesn’t get it done. Miss.

RB Justin Fargas, Oakland: 82 rushing yards and a touchdown make Fargas the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for the Raiders. Hit.

RB Julius Jones, Seattle: It’s hard to take revenge on your former team when you keep coughing up the football. Miss.

WR Kevin Curtis, Philly: Curtis had a decent receiving day, but his inability to get into the end zone makes this one a miss.

WR Devin Hester, Chcago: Hester came up a little short on the yards, but the touchdown makes starting him worthwhile. Hit.

Ride the Pine:

QB Drew Brees, New Orleans: The 296 passing yards were good and so were the two touchdown passes, but the three interceptions were killers. Oddly enough, you would have done just as well with Jeff Garcia’s 119 passing yards, 42 rushing yards, and one touchdown. Hit.

RB Clinton Portis, Washington: When your quarterback outrushes you, you know you’ve had a bad day. Hit.

RB Ladainian Tomlinson, San Diego: He was outrushed by Jacob Hester, but he did have 42 receiving yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t pretty but this one is a miss.

WR Calvin Johnson, Detroit: 66 receiving yards was all Johnson could gain on the one day of the year anyone cares even a little bit about the Lions. Hit.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona: Not a lot of yards, but two touchdowns would make any fantasy owner happy. Miss.

Week 13 Totals: 5-5

Overall Totals: 57-60-5

On to this week’s picks:

Time to Shine:

QB Gus Frerotte, Minnesota: If the Lions aren’t desperate yet, they should be. They’ll make an extra effort to stop Adrian Peterson this week, leaving passing lanes open and Gus will take advantage. 200 yards and two scores this week.

RB Sammy Morris, New England: While the Patriots seem to have fallen in love with the pass the last few weeks, Belichick loves to mix things up, and a few extra carries for Morris would not be out of the question. 75 yards and a score in Seattle this week.

WR Domenik Hixon, New York Giants: If you’re a receiver for the Giants, the bar has been set pretty low as far as what constitutes letting the team down. As long as Hixon doesn’t shoot himself, the Giants should be happy. 70 yards and a score should make you happy too.

Ride the Pine:

QB Tony Romo, Dallas: The city of Dallas has stopped worrying about a little finger and are now fretting over a little toe. If Barber isn’t 100% come Sunday, Dallas may have a hard time moving the football against Pittsburgh through the air. Poor December weather may also make this a long day for Romo.

RB Clinton Portis, Washington: Until Portis proves he is healthy again, and until the Redskins play a team that struggles stopping the run, I’m keeping him on this list.

WR Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City: Bowe does have three touchdowns in his last three games, but he may have a tough time in Denver. While the Bronco pass defense is nothing to fear, the cold weather is. Also, the Broncos will have revenge on their mind after losing to the lowly Chiefs earlier this season.

This section will be updated regularly, whether it’s to add or subtract a coach on one of the lists or to update someone’s status.

Soon, I’ll add an NFL hot seat watch, and I’ll also be giving my take on which college football and NFL coaches are going to be facing must-win/improve seasons in 2009.

Updated: December 4

Fired/Resigned

Tommy Bowden, Clemson: Bowden stepped down on October 13, with the Tigers at 3-3. Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster, Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables, and former Oakland Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin have all interviewed for the vacancy thus far.

Replaced By: Dabo Swinney

Tyrone Willingham, Washington: His departure was announced on October 27. He’s a nice guy, but his exit isn’t a surprise, with the Huskies not having made the necessary improvement in his four seasons.

Philip Fulmer, Tennessee: Fulmer’s departure was announced on the 3rd, and it’s certainly the most emotional resignation/firing of the season so far. Fulmer’s had a lot of success in his 17 seasons, but the program does need some new blood. His last season will be a losing one, but hopefully the Vols can step up in his last two games and send him out on a good note.

Replaced By: Lane Kiffin

Tom Amstutz, Toledo: Amstutz stepped down on the same day Fulmer’s exit was announced. This season will be Toledo’s third straight losing season after Amstutz started with five straight eight/nine-win campaigns. It’ll also be his worst, and if the Rockets can’t win out, it’ll be the program’s lowest win total since 1987 (3-7-1). It was time for a change, but the bright side is that he’ll be remaining at his alma mater in some capacity.

Ron Prince, Kansas State: Prince’s exit was announced on the 5th, days after a loss to Kansas. Three seasons is a pretty short tenure, sure, but the Wildcats needed wins this season, and they haven’t come.

Replaced By: Bill Snyder

Greg Robinson, Syracuse: Almost surprising that it took so long, but Robinson was finally fired on Nov. 16, after a 39-14 loss to UConn to 2-8 (1-5 Big East) on the season and 9-36 (3-24 Big East) in Robinson’s four seasons. Celebration time in Syracuse!

Rocky Long, New Mexico: Long led New Mexico to four bowls, five winning seasons, and 65 wins in his 11 seasons with the Lobos. They had enough talent to make some noise in the Mountain West this year after a nine-win 2007, but they went 4-8 (2-6 MWC) and lost five of their last six games. Long resigned on Nov. 17, two days after the Lobos finished their season with a 20-6 loss at Colorado State.

Brent Guy, Utah State: Guy was fired on Nov. 18, with the Aggies at 2-9 in 2008 and 8-38 in Guy‘s four seasons. Despite another poor record this year, there did seem to be small signs of improvement, thanks to sophomore QB Diondre Borel. But, it wasn’t enough to save his job. Hopefully the next coach can get the most out of Borel, who looks to have a lot of potential.

Joe Glenn, Wyoming: After their big win at Tennessee, Wyoming lost their last two games (both winnable ones against UNLV and Colorado State) to finish 4-8, Wyoming’s fourth losing season in Glenn’s six seasons. As a result, he was fired on Nov. 23, after a season-ending 31-20 loss to Colorado State.

Replaced By: Dave Christensen

Chuck Long, San Diego State: It’d been said that Long would return in 2009, but he was fired prior to SDSU’s season finale against UNLV. He went out with a win, as the Aztecs knocked off UNLV 42-21, but it was only his ninth win in three seasons, and the second in a school-worst 10-loss season.

Jeff Genyk, Eastern Michigan: Genyk was fired on Nov. 24, but he went out with a bang, as EMU upset Central Michigan for the second straight year in a 56-52 shootout.

Gregg Brandon, Bowling Green: Brandon got a contract extension after last season, but the Falcons had a disappointing 6-6 season, which ended with him being fired on Saturday. Surprising firing, possibly, but after 20 wins in his first two seasons, he had only 24 in his last four.

Sylvester Croom, Mississippi State: Croom resigned on Saturday after MSU lost 45-0 to archrival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl to wrap up a disappointing 4-8 season.

Shane Montgomery, Miami (Ohio): Montgomery resigned on Saturday, a day after Miami lost to Ohio to wrap up a 2-10 season, the second such season in Montgomery’s four seasons.

Hal Mumme, New Mexico State: New Mexico State may never be a powerhouse, but they clearly expected more than the 11 wins Mumme had in four seasons, otherwise he wouldn’t have been fired on Monday.

Tommy Tuberville, Auburn: A 5-7 (2-6 SEC) season culminated in Tuberville’s resignation on Wednesday. He apparently left on his own terms, but it was better for him to leave instead of having to go into 2009 in a pretty unfavorable position.

Pardoned (Well, For Now…)

Doug Martin, Kent State: After going 5-6 in Martin’s first season in 2004 and 6-6 in 2006, the Golden Flashes have reverted back to old ways, as they went 3-9 last year and are 3-8 this year. But, it’s already been announced that Martin will be back for at least next season.

Mike Sanford, UNLV: Sanford might have been fired had UNLV not shown improvement this season, but the Rebels have done just that. UNLV finished 5-7, upset Arizona State on the road, and came close against 8-3 Air Force (led 28-20, lost 29-28) and 10-1 BYU (led 35-34, lost 42-35).

Bret Bielema, Wisconsin: Bielema was under fire this season, after the Badgers went from the top 10 to the bottom of the Big Ten in short order. But after a loss to Michigan State dropped Wisconsin to 4-5 and 1-5 in the Big Ten, they won their last two Big Ten games to position themselves for a bowl. Had the Badgers lost to I-AA Cal Poly in their season finale instead of pulling off a 36-35 OT win, he’d have had some serious explaining to do.

The last time Tuberville was on edging towards the furnace, the Tigers went 13-0 the following season. Unfortunately, there was no escape this season, and there are only so many offensive coordinators you can fire before you end up on the chopping block yourself.

Six of seven losses to end the season? Check. Most SEC losses since 1999? Check. Losing to Vanderbilt for the first time since 1955? Check. Losing at home to a bad Arkansas team? Check. Losing to Alabama for the first time since 2001, and losing badly? Check. Yeah, it wasn’t a good year on the plains, to say the least.

Where will Tuberville end up next? The local news here in north Mississippi is already mentioning his name with the Mississippi State job, but more than a couple of MSU fans who’d feel a little ill about having someone who once roamed the sidelines for their archrival on theirs. Besides that, given Auburn’s recent offensive history, I don’t think that’s a tree that needs to be climbed, or even sniffed.

As for Auburn, Lane Kiffin is off of the board, but they’ve already reportedly reached out to Mike Leach, and guess who else? Bobby Petrino, who had a secret meeting with Auburn‘s president and AD in 2003. I’m sure his offensive genius hasn’t gone anywhere, and neither will he, unless he wants to break a clause in his contract that prohibits him from going to another school in the SEC West.

It’d certainly be interesting to see Leach’s offense at work in the SEC, and he could certainly be available if Texas Tech can’t keep him with a much-warranted contract extension. Auburn’s a much better situation than Washington (the other job he’s been heavily linked with), no doubt about that.

A couple of other interesting names that were mentioned in this piece are Connecticut’s Randy Edsall and Air Force’s Troy Calhoun. Air Force, as is the case with their service academy rivals, is a run-heavy team, and a similar offense (potentially with a little more passing) could be a great fit at Auburn.

Junior-to-be Kodi Burns is still developing as a passer, but he could thrive in an offense where he gets to run a lot more than he throws, and with Auburn seemingly having no shortage of talented backs to hand the ball to, Calhoun’s an option more worth exploring than rehashing their interest in Petrino. The one hitch might be the fact that Calhoun’s at his alma mater and might not be looking to go anywhere anytime soon.

The hire, whether it’s Leach, Calhoun, or someone else, will have to come pretty quickly. Auburn’s 2009 recruiting class is currently ranked #5 by Scout.com, and along with their two dozen current commits, the Tigers are in the running for several more talented prospects.

With Alabama back in the national spotlight and primed to stay there under Nick Saban, LSU likely to bounce back after a down year, and things looking up for Ole Miss with Houston Nutt at the helm, Auburn can’t waste too much time on rebuilding, so this new coach is going to have to get things back on the right track very quickly.

I’m sad to see Croom go, to say the least. I felt like he had a long future in Starkville, and it’s a shame that things didn’t work out for both parties.

There are plenty who are glad to see the change made, but even the most excited Bulldog fans should keep in mind that e did an excellent job in bringing the program back to respectability, and that he leaves the program in a lot better shape than it was when he took over in 2003. His high character is well-documented, and he was the right man at the right time for the program.

There’s no doubt changes needed to be made after the regression that was this year’s 4-8 campaign, but I didn’t think that this would be the end result, even after the way things unfolded this season. However, it’s happened now, so there‘s only so much that can be said about it but to wish him the best of luck in his future plans, and more importantly, look to the future of MSU football.

With offense having been the Bulldogs’ biggest sore spot throughout the Croom era, offensive coaches should dominate the list of top candidates.

There’ve been a lot of names mentioned with the job since Croom’s resignation came through the wire on Saturday, everyone from sons of coaching legends (Tommy Bowden, East Carolina’s Skip Holtz, and Louisiana Tech’s Derek Dooley) to some current hot commodities (Boise State’s Chris Petersen, TCU’s Gary Patterson, Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly). There’s potential on offense, both with current players (the trio of Tyson Lee, Anthony Dixon, and Brandon McRae, along with the injured Robert Elliott) and with recruits (QB Tyler Russell, RB Montrell Conner), and the right man can turn potential into production.

There’ve been a few reports that MSU was already in contact with Tommy Bowden, and he’s been the most talked-about name, so he may well be the favorite for the job.

It’s always questionable to hire a guy who had an acrimonious end to his last job as Bowden did at Clemson, and depending on the aspirations that AD Greg Byrne has for the program, he might have to think long and hard about Bowden.

Of the other names that have been mentioned, I don’t know how realistic Petersen and Kelly are, but both would be about as good as you could get when it comes to solving the woes on the offensive side of the ball. Tulsa’s Todd Graham could also be thrown into the mix as well.

I don’t know where this thought came from, but could Byrne give Texas‘ Major Applewhite a call? Yes, he does lack head-coaching experience, but hey, I just thought I’d throw that out there.

You can throw in TCU’s Gary Patterson, Florida’s Charlie Strong, and a couple of other defense-oriented coaches, but if that’s the chosen route, a very, very good offensive staff will have to be brought in.

Salary-wise, the next coach won’t get a Saban-like contract, and he might not even make as much as Croom did. However, he’ll get paid well enough, and he’ll have a chance to earn more if he can win. It’s realistic to think that the next coach can achieve the kind of success that Jackie Sherrill did in the early 90s and then again in the late 90s, which means regularly going to bowl games, pushing for the Top 25, and developing into a program that can realistically make a push to be one of the conference‘s consistent winners.

The next few weeks will be big for the future of Mississippi State football, and hopefully when the dust clears, Byrne makes a choice that signals that the future is indeed as bright for the program as it can be.

By virtue of being #2 in the new BCS standings, Oklahoma has a place in the Big 12 title game against Missouri and a chance to tie up a berth in the national title game against either Florida or Alabama. On the outside looking in is Texas, who is now in need of help.

You can’t really pin this one on the BCS, however. The Big 12’s tiebreaker stipulates that in the event of a three-way tie, which there was between Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech (all 11-1, 7-1), the team highest in the BCS standings gets the berth to the Big 12 title game.

Texas has the win over Oklahoma, but their loss to Texas Tech in the first week of November set them up to be the odd man out. Had Texas been able to stop Texas Tech on that last drive in Lubbock four weeks ago, they‘d be #1, and neither Tech or OU would have any reason to complain.

The Longhorns have a great argument to be in the title game (conference and national). Save for that final drive against Texas Tech, Colt McCoy and the ‘Horns have been terrific, and after their lone loss, dominated Baylor, Kansas, and Texas A&M.

However, in that same span, Oklahoma has wins over teams ranked #2 and #12, and that’s helped them overtake Texas in the Harris Poll, the USA Today poll, and the computer polls that are thrown in to come up with the BCS standings.

Oklahoma’s jump to #2 might also have an effect on the Heisman race. Sam Bradford, who’s been tossing touchdowns for fun all season, might win the Heisman regardless, but had Texas remained ahead in the BCS, Colt McCoy would have had a final chance to prove he’s the man for the award.

But, as fairly or as unfairly as it may be, it’s Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game, and Texas are going to be the world’s biggest Mizzou fans, for a week at least.

1. Giving us the suffix “-wise” which can be attached to any word at any time for absolutely any reason. For example: “What are we going to do with all this turkey, leftoverwise?” or “I would love to go to Hawaii or Jamaica, vacationwise.” This may very well be the most versatile suffix in the English language - it’s like the Brian Westbrook of suffixes only it doesn’t get hurt as much.

2. Knowing that I will never have to feel self-conscious about my weight as long as Tony Siragusa is allowed on national television.

3. Being reminded that America is the land of second, third, and fourth chances as long as you’re young, athletic, employed by Jerry Jones, and have a cool nickname like Pacman.

4. Getting to use phrases such as “I like the way he picks a hole”, “that guy really gets good penetration”, and “ I really think we need another man in the box” in a public setting without feeling even a little awkward.

5. Giving us phrases such as “non-stop motor”, “shooting up the draft board”, and “sports hernia.”

6. FOX keeping the dream alive that maybe someday robots will play football.

7. Ed Hochuli making everyone else feel just a little bit better about their own job performance.

8. Rewriting the dictionary so that “probable”, “questionable”, and “doubtful” all mean the same thing (as edited by Bill Belichick and Mike Shanahan).

9. The yellow first down line. Seriously, could you even watch a game without that line anymore?

10. And for the 27^th consecutive year, former Green Bay quarterback Lynn Dickey for giving us the greatest team motto of all time, “You can beat our Packers, but you can’t lick our Dickey.”

Let’s take a look at last week’s picks:

Time to Shine:

QB Sage Rosenfels, Houston: The 275 yards were good as was the touchdown, but the two picks put a damper on the whole day. Push.

RB Tampa Bay Bucs: Warrick Dunn turned out to be the back de jour for the Bucs last week and he came through with 90 yards and a score. Hit.

RB Jamal Lewis, Cleveland: 68 total yards and nothing else - sounds a lot like the Browns entire season so far. Miss.

WR Eddie Royal, Denver: The Denver offense picked a great week to drop that crapburger of a performance on everyone. Miss.

WR Marvin Harrison, Indy: If he stays upright on that last reception, it’s a whole different story. He didn’t so it isn’t. Miss.

Ride the Pine:

QB Kurt Warner, Arizona: Not his best performance of the year, but respectable none-the-less. Miss.

RB Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia: 35 total yards and the decision to throw on third and goal at the six inch line. Ouch. Hit.

RB Larry Johnson, Kansas City: Johnson only touched the ball nine times but he made the most of it with 105 total yards. Miss.

WR Marques Colston, New Orleans: One catch went for 70 yards and a score. Even if that was all he did, this would still be a miss.

WR Lee Evans, Buffalo: 110 yards means another miss.

Week 12 Totals: 2-7-1

Overall Totals: 52-55-5

On to this week’s picks:

Time to Shine:

QB Kerry Collins, Tennessee: They say a team can learn more from a loss than a win so it stands to reason that the Titans can only benefit from their first loss of the year. You can bet that they won’t want to lose their second on national television to the winless Lions. 220 yards a 2 scores for Collins this week.

RB Justin Fargas, Oakland: While the Raiders haven’t shut down McFadden yet, it’s clear that they still look at Fargas as their number one guy. Against a defense that looks like it has hit the wall in Kansas City, Fargas should get 80 yards and maybe even a rare offensive touchdown for Raider Nation.

RB Julius Jones, Seattle: The Seahawks are awful, the Cowboys have a good run defense, Jones was benched as recently as Sunday, and yet you may want to consider starting him. Revenge can be a big motivator, and sticking it to your old team on Thanksgiving is about as revengy as you can get. 80 total yards and a score for the former Cowboy.

WR Kevin Curtis, Philly: Of the five games Curtis has played this year, three have been respectable. The Cards don’t exactly have shut down corners and Donovan McNabb will come out with something to prove after last week’s mid-game benching. 75 yards and a touchdown this week for Curtis.

WR Devin Hester, Chcago: The Bears have replaced Hester on kick returns, but are trying to find more ways to get him the ball on offense. Against the stingy Viking run defense, the Wildcat formation may be seen again making Hester a multi-dimensional threat. 80 yards and a trip to the end zone for Hester this week.

Ride the Pine:

QB Drew Brees, New Orleans: I know there is no way in the world you are going to put Brees on your bench, but just know that his near perfect performance on Monday night will probably not be replicated. The Bucs are a whole different team at home and Brees is not quite as good on the road. If Tampa Bay can control the clock, it could mean rather pedestrian numbers from the Saints quarterback.

RB Clinton Portis, Washington: Portis is banged up, isn’t practicing and plays against one of the tougher defenses in the league. In their first go round he averaged a mere 3.7 yards per carry. There are many worse plays out there, but Portis will not carry your team this week.

RB Ladainian Tomlinson, San Diego: Here’s a crazy theory for you: Michael Turner’s new team is so thrilled with his contributions this year that they are bound and determined to make sure that he outperforms the star back from his old team. Tomlinson’s long season continues as the Falcon D shuts him down.

WR Calvin Johnson, Detroit: Even the Detroit Thanksgiving magic won’t be enough to move the Lion offense this week. Expect Johnson to run an out route straight to the turducken.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona: Larry hasn’t been himself since the bye week and going against the Eagles on the road (for some reason Arizona is terrible when they play in the Eastern Time Zone), Fitz may not play up to his usual high standards.

The listed prices are per ticket, and with many of these tickets being in demand, you have to hurry and get the best ones while they’re still available.

College Football

Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech tickets - starting at $224

Penn State vs. Michigan State tickets - starting at $141

Ohio State vs. Michigan tickets - starting at $101

Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh tickets - $49.99

LSU vs. Ole Miss tickets - starting at $100

Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee tickets - $72

Northwestern vs. Illinois tickets - starting at $31

Arizona vs. Oregon State tickets - starting at $15

NFL

Arizona vs. New York Giants tickets - starting at $104

Tennessee Titans vs. New York Jets tickets - starting at $77

Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots tickets - starting at $65

Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers tickets - starting at $75

Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers tickets - starting at $120

New Orleans Saints vs. Green Bay Packers tickets - starting at $59

San Diego Chargers vs. Indianapolis Colts tickets - starting at $54

Baltimore Ravens vs. Philadelphia Eagles tickets - starting at $190

I’ve been working to cater to our betting readers out there, and when it comes to the world of wagering, Doc’s is one of the biggest names in the game, having been around since 1971.

Doc’s Sports’s vast collection of updated odds betting odds give you a chance to compare spreads, money lines, and totals from several online sportsbooks to ensure that you get the best lines available. Along with NFL and college football odds, you can also find lines for the NBA, college basketball, NHL, boxing, and UFC/MMA.

Better yet, Doc’s provides a list of recommended sportsbooks so that you don’t have a shortage of betting options at your disposal. As long as they’ve been in the business, if they recommend a sportsbook, it’s not a bad idea to listen.

Besides their great betting odds section, Doc’s Sports also provides NFL power rankings and college football power rankings as well. Of course I’m going to focus on the NFL and college football-related content since that’s the focus here, but Doc’s Sports also offers NBA power rankings and college basketball predictions.

So, there’s plenty of good reasons why we partnered up with Doc’s Sports, and plenty of reasons why you should go check them out.

If you haven’t put in your vote for the 2008 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award yet, you still have a few more weeks to do so.

Voting on the award continues until December 6, so if you haven’t cast your vote, I suggest you do so, because helping put your favorite coach over the top can help out your school as well.

If you, it’s not just about wins and losses, but about the impact that a coach has in molding and motivating his players on and off the field, keeping his program strong in the face of adversity, and on the whole, building a program that‘s as much of a positive light off of the field as it is on the field.

What coach comes to mind for you? For me, there’s a trio, in Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald, Ball State’s Brady Hoke, and Texas Tech’s Mike Leach.

Despite injuries to quarterback C.J. Bacher and RB Tyrell Sutton throughout the season, 8-3 Northwestern already has their most wins since an 8-4 season in 2000, and have a chance for their best year since the mid 90s.

As for Hoke and the Cardinals, they’ve stayed strong despite the loss of star receiver Dante Love to a frightening spinal injury early in the season. After knocking off two-time defending MAC champ Central Michigan on Wednesday night, Ball State is now 11-0 and on the verge of a MAC East title, and they still have a shot at a BCS bowl, if a few results go their way.

Leach has building the program up to this point since he arrived in Lubbock after the 1999 season, and all of his hard work is now paying off in the Red Raiders being in the national title hunt and sporting two leading Heisman candidates in QB Graham Harrell and his favorite receiver, Michael Crabtree. Leach has built his program the right way, and while this season still holds plenty of potential rewards, the future looks very bright as well.

What coach do you think deserves the award? Visit the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year site to check out current standings and to make your vote. Keep in mind that you can vote once per day, so getting a few dozen of your fellow alums to vote daily can make a difference.