Daily News - Mike Kern http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern RSS Feed for DN Col Mike Kern en-us Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:42:56 GMT Time for college teams to go bowling http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern/20111201_Mike_Kern_.html CHAMPIONSHIP weekend. But that doesn't only mean LSU-Georgia (Saturday, 4 p.m., CBS), even if that's obviously the matchup most people will be fixated on. Actually, it's just one of nine games that have postseason implications. And it gets going tonight at 8 (ESPN) when West V Temple's Pierce a weekend warrior http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern/20111128_Mike_Kern__Temple_s_Pierce_a_weekend_warrior.html PLAYERS OF THE WEEKEND Local: Bernard Pierce, again. The junior ran for a season-best 189 yards, most of it after halftime, and three touchdowns (18, 25 and 69) on Friday in Temple's 34-16 win over visiting Kent State. Looks as if it will be an all-SEC title game http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern/20111123_Mike_Kern__It_s_looking_like_an_all-SEC_finale.html AND SO it's come down to this. Third-ranked Arkansas is at No. 1 Louisiana State. Maybe all of the upsets are out of the way. Or it could be a repeat of 2007, when two-loss LSU wound up getting into the national-title game after every contender took a late dive (including LSU). Temple grounds down Army http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern/20111121_Mike_Kern__Pierce__Brown_ground_down_Army_for_Temple_win.html Players of the Weekend Local: Temple's Bernard Pierce and Matt Brown combined for 290 yards rushing and five touchdowns in a 42-14 win over Army. Will unbeatens vie for the national title? http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern/20111117_Mike_Kern_.html THIS CAN all be very simple, if Louisiana State beats once-beaten Arkansas at home and likely a Georgia team that could bring a 10-game winning streak into the SEC championship (the Tigers aren't losing at Mississippi), and Oklahoma State beats once-beaten Oklahoma at home (the Cowboys aren't losing at Iowa State). Then you'd have the lone unbeatens from BCS conferences (sorry, Houston) playing for the national title on Jan. 9 in New Orleans, where LSU won it all after the 2003 and 2007 seasons. Penn's out but Del-Val plays on http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern/20111114_Mike_Kern_.html PLAYERS OF THE WEEKEND * National: Texas Christian's Casey Pachall hit Josh Boyce with a two-point conversion pass with just over a minute left to hand unbeaten Boise State its first home loss in forever. For Stanford, just another 'big game' http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern/20111110_Mike_Kern__For_Stanford__just_another__big_game_.html STANFORD HAS WON its last 17 games, 13 by double digits. That includes a 40-12 wipeout of a Virginia Tech team that brought an 11-game winning streak into last January's Orange Bowl. The Cardinal's lone loss in its last 22 was 13 months ago, 52-31, at Oregon, where they led, 21-3, after a quarter. The Ducks got to play for the national title, while Stanford had to settle for No. 4 in the closing poll. Who takes the reins at Penn State? http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern/20111110_Mike_Kern__Who_takes_the_reins_at_Penn_State_.html AT SOME POINT, and at this point who really can say exactly when, Penn State will hold a news conference to introduce its next football coach. College Football Wrap http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern/20111107_Mike_Kern__PENN_STILL_IN_IVY_TITLE_CHASE.html PLAYERS OF THE WEEKEND National: Louisiana State's defense, for going above and beyond against an equally stout defense of Alabama. LSU-Alabama is SEC's first 1-2 game http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/mike_kern/20111103_Mike_Kern__LSU-Alabama_is_SEC_s_first_1-2_game.html THEY FIRST MET in 1895. And they've been playing every year since 1964. This is the 75th meeting. And the largest. There might not be a close second.