WEEK 17

Penn State DT Ed Johnson has been suspended for violating a team rule and will miss the Outback Bowl. The 6-1,290-pound Johnson, a free agent prospect for the 2007 draft, started all 12 regular-season games this year and tied for third on the squad with five sacks....


Notre Dame junior safety Tom Zbikowski says he is still trying to decide whether to return to Notre Dame for his final season of eligibility next fall or enter the 2007 NFL draft. That may be a bit of change as it had been reported earlier this year that Zbikowski had already decided to turn pro this winter. Like other underclassmen around the country, Zbitkowski will make a final decision after Notre Dame’s Sugar Bowl match up with LSU. Zbikowski did make his professional boxing debut as a heavyweight with a first-round knockout at Madison Square Garden in June after winning 75 of 90 amateur bouts. Unlike most schools where players automatically get a redshirt year if they don't play a season, players at Notre Dame must apply to the faculty board for a fifth season. To be eligible, players must receive their bachelor's degree. Other Irish players who could return for another season include TE John Carlson and C John Sullivan. Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis says he has talked with all the Irish players eligible to come back for fifth seasons and while he would not comment on specific players, did say that Notre Dame fans will be very happy when the results are in suggesting at least some of these players will be returning next fall.....


Every bowl season has a couple of gems on the early schedule and Thursday night’s Las Vegas Bowl between BYU and Oregon this may be one of this year’s most intriguing matchups outside the BCS games. In particular, this game features one of the best QBs in the 2007draft class no one has seen.....

Who to watch in today's college bowl game
Thursday, December 21

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl, Las Vegas; 8 PM ET; ESPN

BYU (10-2) vs Oregon (7-5)

Every bowl season has a couple of gems on the early schedule and this may be one of this year’s most intriguing matchups outside the BCS games. In particular, this game features one of the best QBs in the 2007 draft class no one has seen in BYU pivot John Beck (#12, 6-2, 212). Beck is a little short at barely 6-2, plus he’s a little older (at age 25) than the average draft prospect, however, Beck is a big-time gunslinger who if he played at a major program like Ohio State or Southern Califoinia would be a legit Heisman type candidate. This year, for example, Beck threw for almost 320 yards per game as he completed 70% of his pass attempts, 30 of which went for scores versus only 6 picks. And Beck leads a talented offense which also includes All-America TE Jonny Harline (#13, 6-4, 230) and versatile RB Curtis Brown (#6,5-11, 205) who ran for 890 yards this fall and caught 55 passes. They all work behind a big offensive line anchored by massive RT Jake Kuresa (#73, 6-4, 340) who has also played some OG andC this fall. Meanwhile, MLB Cameron Jensen (#35, 6-1, 240) is one of the more productive mike backers in the country, although, he probably lacks the overall athleticism to rate a first-day grade this year.

The future is the word at Oregon where the Ducks best pro prospects are underclassmen like sophomores RB Jonathan Stewart (#28, 5-10, 235), WR Jaison Williams (#4, 6-5, 245), OT Max Unger (#60, 6-5, 300), and DB Patrick Chung (#15, 5-11, 205) and redshirt freshman safety Jairus Byrd (#32, 5-11, 210). The Ducks’ 2007 draft class, though, has some depth including FB/TE Dante Rosario (#44, 6-4, 250), C Enoka Lucas (#55, 6-3, 300) and OG Palauni Ma Sun (#77, 6-5,335), WR James Finley (#18, 6-1, 205), DE Matt Toeaina (#45, 6-3, 300), FS J.D. Nelson (#28, 5-11, 220) and PK Paul Martinez (#36, 6-2, 210).