Monday Morning Links (10.12.09)

Happy Columbus Day....

Navy received one vote in the AP poll.

According to ESPN, Navy's nine touchdown runs in its 63-14 win over Rice were as many or more than 83 teams had for the season entering this weekend. Defensive end Mike Walsh held up well at nose guard for Navy.

On Saturday, the Midshipmen "not only outplayed the Owls, they out-toughed and out-coached the Owls," says The R blog, on Rice's athletics website. Houston and Texas are well-represented on the service academy football teams.

RE: Navy's upcoming opponent, SMU (3-2)

A blocked field goal by 6-foot-8 Estonian shot putter Margus Hunt helped spark SMU's 28-21 win over East Carolina, and the Mustangs are 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 1986. SMU's defense stepped up against East Carolina. Madeline Pickens's foundation will donate a real live mustang to SMU at Saturday's game against Navy.

RE: Air Force (3-3) and Army (3-3)

Air Force couldn't pull off an upset on a freezing night and lost to TCU, 20-17. The Falcons are banged up; quarterback Tim Jefferson did not play against TCU due to an ankle sprain, and Coach Troy Calhoun hasn't decided if Jefferson will play this week against Wyoming.

Army upset Vanderbilt, 16-13, in overtime and has equaled its win total of the past three seasons. That may have been Army's best job of executing the triple option, according to the Times Herald-Record.