Big Ten Officials' Bad Week

Here is one of the controversial plays from Saturday's Indiana-Iowa game. Receiver Terrance Turner scores a touchdown that would have given the Hoosiers a 28-14 lead, but the score is nullified by the replay official.

The reversal helped the Hawkeyes rally for a 42-24 victory, and although Indiana coach Bill Lynch didn't raise a stink afterward, others were doing it for him.

Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star wondered if fans should direct their anger "at an inept group of officials who took 14 IU points off the board with bogus calls on obvious touchdown passes?"

He added: "If IU fans thought they got pick-pocketed at Michigan, this felt more like the Brinks robbery."

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Another Blown Call Benefits Florida

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is livid about a blown call in Saturday night's game against Florida, the second week in a row the Gators have benefited from errors by a Southeastern Conference officiating crew.

Florida linebacker Dustin Doe was ruled to have scored on a 23-yard interception return with 8:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, but replays showed that Doe was stripped of the ball before crossing the goal line by Mississippi State receiver Brandon McRae.

Doe's touchdown was upheld after being reviewed, giving Florida its second touchdown in 33 seconds and a 29-13 lead. The Gators won, 29-19.

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A Big House Divided

There's a disconnect in the family.

Rich Rodriguez is deep into his second season as Michigan coach, but a group of former players continue to express their dissatisfaction with his hiring, which broke the Bo Schembechler lineage.

That group, which supported the hiring of former Schembechler disciple Les Miles as coach, may never be happy. They continue to express displeasure over Rodriguez's first team that finished 3-9, ending Michigan's bowl streak of 33, and an investigation that was launched into alleged misconduct regarding NCAA practice rules.

Then there is Lloyd Carr, the former coach who hasn't publicly supported Rodriguez and his staff.

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Arkansas Has Reasons to be Upset

It's tough enough to beat Florida in Gainesville, and it's next to impossible when the officiating crew is putting the screws to you. Check out two calls and one non-call in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game, won by Gators, 23-20. Florida had to rally from a 20-13 deficit in the final eight minutes, and each of these plays were part of Florida's comeback.

Arkansas was flagged 10 times for 92 yards. Florida had three infractions for 16 yards.

It makes you wonder how level the playing field is in the Southeastern Conference.

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Horns-Buffs: Game of the Weak

At the University of Colorado’s senior football banquet last December, Coach Dan Hawkins stated what he wanted from the 2009 Buffaloes.

"Ten wins and no excuses."

In March, Hawkins said: "It was a challenge to the team . . . I don’t ever want to back off excellence as the bar. I want to keep that bar high, that standard high.

"To me, the expectation of excellence, the standard of excellence, I always want it high. I want it present in their minds. I believe in that philosophy."

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A New Level for Harassment

Normally, Iowa fans are into harassing players from the opposing team, but Hawkeye defensive end Adrian Clayborn learned that's not always the case.

An Iowa City woman was arrested last Saturday during Iowa's game against Arkansas State for harassing Clayborn from the stands. Brittney Mears was seated in the front row of Kinnick Stadium behind the Hawkeye bench.

Clayborn told police he was "distracted and annoyed" by Mears' actions and she was eventually removed from the stadium and charged with third-degree harassment, a simple misdemeanor. It's not the first time Mears, left, has targeted Clayborn.

In June, Mears was warned against making contact with the player, but she continued to drive past Clayborn's workplace while staring at him.

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Calling for End of Bowden Era

In a column that will likely bring great joy to Joe Paterno and Penn State fans, Steve Ellis of the Tallahassee Democrat has called on Florida State officials to step in and tell Bobby Bowden that this season will be his last.

"Let players — current and future — know that the Jimbo Fisher Era has a starting point — and that starting point begins once this season is over," Ellis writes.

Florida State was the preseason pick to win the Atlantic Division of the ACC, but Saturday's 28-21 loss at Boston College left the Seminoles 0-2 in league play for the first time since joining the conference in 1992.

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Blount's Return: The Right Move?

Oregon's LeGarrette Blount, who was suspended for the season by coach Chip Kelly after a postgame tirade Sept. 3 at Boise State, could be reinstated before the end of the season.

Oregon issued a release Thursday night that hinted at Kelly's plan, which "could include Blount's potential reinstatement prior to the conclusion of the 2009 season.'' Kelly will discuss Blount's status Friday.

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Game of the Weak (Week 3)

Mike Hlas is an award-winning columnist with the Cedar Rapids Gazette and force behind The Hlog. Each week he will break down the biggest mismatch in college football. Considering the increasing number of Bowl Championship Series teams scheduling games against cupcake opponents, Mike's task is more challenging than serving as Lou Holtz's translator.

Why, Joe Paterno, why? Why do you keep scheduling Temple?

Is it to remind Philadelphia that your Penn State program is still the boss of college football in Pennsylvania?

Is it for the automatic win to pad your total for the most all-time major-college wins?

Or maybe you just enjoy beating up the little guy?

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Troy's King Barkley? Wait One Minute

Is Matt Barkley, getting a congratulatory hug from actor Will Ferrell after USC's victory over Ohio State, the best thing to arrive on the Trojan campus since sliced bread? It's clear that coach Pete Carroll is infatuated with the freshman, but reporters who cover the team were stunned when he was named the starter over Aaron Corp.

Nonetheless, the hype machine has been running 24-7 after Barkley guided USC on a 14-play, 86-yard drive for the winning touchdown against Ohio State.

But the Daily Trojan's Pedro Moura has courageously stepped up to write what insiders have been whispering for weeks: It's too early to crown Barkley the King of Troy.

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This Week's 'Game of the Weak'

Mike Hlas is an award-winning columnist with the Cedar Rapids Gazette and force behind The Hlog. Each week he will break down the biggest mismatch in college football. Considering the increasing number of Bowl Championship Series teams scheduling games against cupcake opponents, Mike's task is more challenging than getting a South Carolina congressman to act respectfully during a presidential address.

It's never fun to see two college football teams meet when both are struggling to gain some sort of positive identity.

Bad real life can be harsh. So it is Saturday when two teams on the rocks are thrown together on their sport's jagged shore.

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