ESPN.com presents College Football Nation http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation 60 en-us Sat, 25 May 2013 20:16:15 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110 All schedules are not created equal. Sometimes it's the luck of the draw and sometimes it's soft -- or hard -- nonconference scheduling. And sometimes there are less tangible factors, such as bye weeks and fan expectations. So who's got the toughest go this fall? Here are two takes. Kevin Gemmell: If you want to go by just the raw data, then California and Colorado share the "toughest" schedule based on the combined records of last year's opponents.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79130/take-2-toughest-2013-schedule Fri, 24 May 2013 20:00:56 EDT 79130 We'll be taking a closer look in the coming weeks at every SEC school's 2013 schedule with our annual schedule analysis. In just about every schedule in this league, there’s an ominous three-game stretch somewhere along the way. Who faces the most difficult three-game stretch next season in the SEC? We’ve selected the top five, and for clarification, it has to be three games in three successive weeks without a bye. So here goes: 1.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79131/secs-toughest-three-game-stretches-2 Fri, 24 May 2013 18:00:57 EDT 79131 Gearing up for his graduation from Washington (Ind.) High in 2004, Kelly Davison was cognizant of what was going on in the world around him -- the war on terror was underway in the wake of terrorist attacks, and something was gnawing at the two-way lineman with multiple Division II scholarship offers. "It's kind of a calling -- I know that sounds cliché, but it's true," Davison said. "Like you just feel like you need to go and serve something more than yourself.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79120/davison-living-dream-after-giving-back-to-us Fri, 24 May 2013 09:01:13 EDT 79120 There was no ruling on Thursday afternoon, when Maryland and the ACC both made their respective arguments before a judge regarding the location of a trial and the school's lawsuit against the conference, according to The Washington Post. The Post reported that Judge John P. Davey declined to make a ruling, but said he will "issue a written opinion soon" on whether the trial should be held in Maryland or North Carolina. Maryland assistant attorney general John Kuchno, a 1979 Maryland graduate and longtime Terrapin Club member, argued on behalf of Maryland.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79122/no-ruling-yet-in-maryland-vs-acc Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:53 EDT 79122 Former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis made more from the school during the 2011 season than Brian Kelly, the man who actually coached the Irish that season. Weis received a buyout payment of $2,054,744 as part of the agreement in his 2009 firing, according to the Chicago Tribune's Brian Hamilton, citing federal tax documents the school provided the newspaper. Weis received the same amount for the 2010 season -- in addition to the initial payment of $6,638,403 after his firing -- and with the school scheduled for additional annual payments through December 2015, the current Kansas coach could receive a total of $18,966,867 from Notre Dame following four more payments of the same $2 million-plus figure from each of the past two seasons.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79118/weis-buyout-may-cost-nd-19-million Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:53 EDT 79118 Former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis made more from the school in the 2011 season than Brian Kelly, the man who actually coached the Irish. Weis, now the coach at Kansas, received a buyout payment of $2,054,744 from Notre Dame as part of the agreement for his 2009 firing, according to the Chicago Tribune, which cited federal tax documents the school provided the newspaper. To read the full story, click here.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79119/nds-charlie-weis-buyout-may-near-19m Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:33 EDT 79119 Jesse Scroggins is a guy who should be able to provide some insight into USC's high-profile quarterback competition. After all, he practiced with Cody Kessler and Max Wittek for a year. He's witnessed their strengths and weaknesses and their makeup and leadership skills. So, what's his take? Does he like the scrappy Kessler or the big-armed Wittek? "I don't know and I don't care," Scroggins said. "I'll know when I see them on the field. I got NAU first.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79116/scroggins-gets-second-chance-with-arizona Thu, 23 May 2013 17:30:40 EDT 79116 ESPN's Tom Luginbill has selected five freshmen who are enrolling this summer that he thinks will make an immediate impact in the fall. Two of the players on his list will be playing in the SEC -- Ole Miss defensive end Robert Nkemdiche and Auburn defensive end Carl Lawson. Nkemdiche was ESPN's No. 1 prospect nationally in the 2013 class. He was also the No. 1 defensive end. Lawson was the No. 2 defensive end nationally. Ole Miss and Auburn were both in the bottom half of the league last season in pass efficiency defense, so adding a couple of dynamic pass-rushers should help both the Rebels and Tigers.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79114/incoming-impact-freshmen-in-the-sec Thu, 23 May 2013 13:15:35 EDT 79114 Former Penn State quarterback Steven Bench is heading back to the South. South Florida, that is. Bench announced Thursday that he's transferring to South Florida, selecting the Bulls ahead of Mississippi State. He will be eligible to play immediately because of the loosened transfer policies the NCAA gave Penn State players after imposing major sanctions against the program last summer. After backing up Matt McGloin in 2012, Bench competed in spring practice with junior-college transfer Tyler Ferguson.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79115/former-lions-qb-heading-to-south-florida Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:04 EDT 79115 Syracuse defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough has no problem with the fact that his boss, coach Scott Shafer, was in the very same position for four years before being promoted to head coach in January. “I know coach Shafer,” Bullough said. “He’s one of my best friends. It’s not like you’re coming in not knowing the head coach at all. There’s no tension when we sit down to discuss stuff. It’s just like two buddies talking about football.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/78800/familiarity-on-cuse-staff-paying-off Thu, 23 May 2013 10:30:22 EDT 78800