Ohio Stadium is considered one of college football's most revered venues.

While watching as much of the Missouri-Nebraska football game on Saturday as I could, it occurred to me that Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium is still one of the best places I’ve ever watched a college football game. But where would it rank among the places I’ve been? Well, here you go. These are the top three places I’ve had the chance to watch a college football game:

1. Ohio Stadium, Ohio State University

The home of the Ohio State Buckeyes is one of those old venues dripping with tradition. Standing at the top of the Horseshoe with 80,000-plus fans getting as loud as possible, you could actually feel the stadium move. It was awesome. The streets leading to the stadium are lined with red-clad fans on gameday, and home games are day-long celebrations. I remember leaving the stadium hours after the game ended and fans were still in the parking lots. After that victory over Mizzou, no one wanted to go home.

2. Memorial Stadium, University of Nebraska

On gameday, the stadium becomes the second most-populated place in the state. Only Omaha is bigger. Football in Nebraska is not a passion. It’s a religion. I remember a conversation at the Big 12 media days about the Omaha World Herald having a Huskers football story in their sports section 364 out of 365 days one year. You wear red in the stadium or you go home. At least it feels that way. It’s an experience every college football fan should have once.

3. Gaylord Family Stadium, University of Oklahoma

Any time you can visit a the home of a program that has won seven national titles and produced five Heisman Trophy winners, you have to take advantage of it. Walking through the halls in the football offices that lead to the stadium, it’s a history lesson of the game. The Sooners have produced 72 consensus All-Americans and won 42 conference titles. Wow. The field needed work the last time I was there, and since then, many improvements have been made. A program with this pedigree deserves it.

Where would I like to go? Here are the three stadiums I went to eventually visit:

1. Neyland Stadium, University of Tennessee

2. Sanford Stadium, University of Georgia

3. The Rose Bowl, UCLA

Where have you been? Where do you want to go? Let me know. Leave your comments below.

The better Blake Doane’s knee felt, the more he wanted to give kicking a try.

He just couldn’t wait for the doctor to give him the go-ahead.

So last weekend, with the notion in his head he might be able to kick extra points for the Quincy Notre Dame football team during its postseason run, Doane texted trainer Jay Zanger with his idea. Zanger told him to ask Dr. Pat Smith, the Columbia, Mo., orthopedist who surgically repaired the torn anterior cruciate ligament in Doane’s right knee. Before he did that, Doane wanted to try his knee out first.

“I went out and tried it a little bit even though I wasn’t supposed to,” Doane said. “It felt great so I figured he might tell me I could. I kind of got excited then.”

At 10:30 a.m. Friday, he had every reason to be excited. Smith cleared Doane to begin kicking, which led to him walking the sidelines for Friday night’s Class 4A first-round playoff game against Waterloo in full uniform. Most people figured it was a symbolic gesture for a senior who had been a significant contributor as a junior when he booted 56 of 59 extra points and 2 of 3 field goals. Little did they know he was going to get the chance to try an extra point.

Actually, he tried two.

In the second half of the Raiders’ 41-8 victory, after Daniel Weiman scored to put QND up 34-0, Doane trotted onto the field to attempt the extra point. His kick was a low line drive that darted underneath the crossbar.

“That was bad,” Doane said. “That was … that was just bad.”

His next attempt was better. After Nick Weiman hauled in a 7-yard touchdown pass from Kramer Barnes in the fourth quarter, Doane hammered the extra point through the uprights, setting off a celebration along the QND sideline as Doane’s senior teammates rushed to congratulate him.

“I thought it was awesome,” said Brandon Ley, a senior wide receiver/cornerback. “I tried to be one of the first guys out there to greet him. It’s been tough for that guy. He’s such a great talent and having to watch the whole time is tough.”

It didn’t look like Doane had been sidelined at all.

“It felt like I hadn’t missed a beat,” Doane said. “It felt like nothing had ever happened.”

It’s what his teammates had been wanting to see.

“I was really happy for Blake,” Daniel Weiman said. “To have his knee injured is a terrible thing. I felt real bad for him. To see him come back very, very early, a lot earlier than expected, it was good to see.”

Doane injured the knee in June playing in the first basketball shootout of the summer. The original prognosis was he would be sidelined until Christmas and the idea of helping the football team, even if the Raiders play well into November, was only a pipedream. Doane never gave up on rehabilitation and never gave up on the dream of helping this football team.

“You just have to look at it as it happened for a reason and you just work hard to get back as quick as you can,” Doane said.

He never thought that would mean sitting in the locker room Friday afternoon putting his pads on.

“I don’t even know how to explain it,” Doane said. “You get so pumped up. You get so excited. You get so ready to go.”

The only thing better was splitting the uprights.

“It’s one of the best feelings in the world,” Doane said.

Right on target

Overshadowed by the special play of the special teams and the dominance of the defensive front in Friday night’s 41-8 victory over Waterloo in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs was the solid performance of Quincy Notre Dame quarterback Kramer Barnes.

The senior completed 12 of 21 passes for 238 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, and had it not been for drops on three passes in the first half, he could have opened the game by completed 10 of 11 passes. The one he missed was a fade pattern in which Waterloo cornerback Shelby Culpepper made a play on the ball and took it away from the receiver as they fell to the ground.

“Kramer played great,” senior wide receiver Brandon Ley, who had one catch for 12 yards and a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown. “The offensive line was huge. We’re all starting to click and that’s nice.”

Three, four or five?

Waterloo showed two standard defensive alignments in the films QND had watched, running with either a three- or four-man front. The QND coaching staff wondered what Waterloo might change after losing 55-7 to QND last week, but in pregame warmups, the Bulldogs showed nothing but three-man fronts.

Then, on QND’s first possession, Waterloo opened with a four-man front and walked the middle linebacker up like a nose tackle, creating a five-man front. It was a wrinkle the Raiders were quick to adjust to as they marched 84 yards for a touchdown on their second drive of the game.

“You come into this game a little bit worried about what they changed,” Ley said. “They switched some things up and we expected that. Then, it’s a matter of finding out what they did and adjusting. We did a good job of that.”

Dynamic defense

After holding Waterloo to minus-20 yards rushing in the first half last week, QND’s defense would have been hard pressed to top that effort. They nearly did. The Raiders gave up 22 yards on the Bulldogs’ first play and just 5 yards rushing the remainder of the half. All told, QND dropped Waterloo quarterback Brett Wiggers for losses on all eight of his carries and had eight tackles for loss on other running plays as Waterloo finished with just 44 yards on just 35 carries.

“A lot of the tone was set by defense and special teams,” QND coach Bill Connell said. “Every week, it’s different. Every week, it’s a different unit, a different group, a different person making a play. I’m rpoud that we didn’t go through the motions, that we were fired up and that we played.”

Up next

QND (8-2) travels to Breese Mater Dei (9-1) for a Class 4A second-round playoff game. The Knights beat Bethalto Civic Memorial 59-30.

To read more about the game from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, click here.

Quincy Notre Dame coach Bill Connell stressed all week the Raiders cannot afford to take their Class 4A first-round playoff game against Waterloo for granted after beating the Bulldogs 55-7 last Friday. Connell expects a more spirited effort from Waterloo when the Bulldogs come to 10th and Jackson at 7 p.m. Friday. Here’s how Connell broke down the matchup:

On facing a team the Raiders beat by 48 points …

“What do they have to lose? It’s one of those situations where it’s a total different game. It’s played at a total different time. It’s at a different location. I’m not going to sit here and get caught up in some trap. It’s a game we have to prepare for. It’s a game you have to be ready for.”

On preparing for Waterloo …

“You go back and watch the video and ask, ‘What are they going to change?’ We’ve gone back and compared it to the other two videos we have on them. It might be harder to prepare for a game like this than if you just had to start over. You’re trying to figure out and guess what are they going to change. There were some things they did last week against us that we had never seen them do again. I don’t know if they are going to go back and do the old thing or do the same thing they did against us (defensively). There are some questions that have to be asked. I won’t be able to answer them until we show up Friday night.”

On making sure the Raiders are focused …

“This is a business game. The fact is, when you get to where we are at now, a win allows you to play the following week. Playing good doesn’t mean anything. You have to win the football game. You have to find a way to win. The bottom line is they are going to be jacked up. We beat them. They’re going to be jacked up. They’re going to come in here and play. Guess what, we’re going to have to meet the emotions. We’re going to have to be jacked up. We’ve got to be ready to play.”

QND middle linebacker Ryan Terstriep has been part of a stingy run defense that held Waterloo to minus-20 yards rushing in the first half last week. (H-W Photo/Steve Bohnstedt)

Quincy Notre Dame middle linebacker Ryan Terstriep is the Raiders’ third leading tackler with 55 stops, six tackles for loss and one sack. As a fullback, the senior has rushed for 67 yards and two scores. He took time after practice this week to answer a few questions regarding the Raiders’ Class 4A first-round playoff game against Waterloo, a team QND beat 55-7 last Friday. Here’s what Terstriep had to say:

Q: How do you prepare for a team you just beat 55-7?

A: There’s a comfort level. You’re confident about yourself. But you have to start over in a way. You have to be ready to play. They are going to come out ready to play. We kind of got on them last game, embarrassed them a little bit and they don’t want that to happen again. They are going to come out fighting.

Q: Are preparations different than last week?

A: We go back and look at the game tape. We look at things we did wrong. We’re going to correct those things. Other than that, we’ve seen this team and we know them a little bit better. We’re going to go out and practice and get ready.

Q: Were you excited when you saw the draw or disappointed because it’s a team you have already faced?

A: It was a little of both. We’re excited because we’ve already played them. It’s Round 1. We don’t care who we play. We’re going to go out and play hard. If we get a “W,” we go to Round 2.

Q: Does 7-2 compared to 9-0 matter to this team anymore?

A: It doesn’t matter because we know what type of team we can be and what type of team we are. When we go out to play, we’re going to play our hearts out. If that’s 9-0 or if that’s 7-2, we’re going to play the same way. We’ve seen a lot. We’ve gone through a lot this year. We’re that much more confident in ourselves because of it.

Q: What does this team have to do well in the playoffs to achieve its goals?

A: Just play together. Connect. Just fight every play. You never know, we’re going to be down sometime because there are a lot of good teams out there and we have to come back.

Rock Island guard Chasson Randle announced Wednesday he has given a verbal commitment to Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins.

University of Illinois fans weren’t holding out hope.

Still, Wednesday’s news that Rock Island guard Chasson Randle spurned the Illini and Purdue to give Stanford a verbal commitment stung a little. The Illinois coaching staff did all it could to bring Randle to Champaign, and the Illini were hoping Randle’s close-knit family would be a reason he’d want to stay closer to home.

In the end, the opportunity Stanford offers athletically and academically was too good to turn down.

For that, Randle deserves plenty of credit.

He made academics a priority, not an afterthought. That shouldn’t come as a surprise considering he is the No. 1-ranked student in his class at Rocky, but it would have been easy to get caught up in the limelight college basketball offers and forget for a fleeting moment about academics or life beyond college.

Will Randle play in the NBA or professionally somewhere? That’s to be determined. He’s not making the jump from the Western Big Six Conference within a year. I can’t see him being one-and-done at Stanford. Maybe he will. Maybe he is that good.

I could see him being a four-year starter for the Cardinal, earning a degree and going professional in a field other than athletics. His talents extend beyond the court and he realizes it. That’s makes him more enjoyable to watch.

To read more about his decision to go to Stanford, check out these links:

Click here for Daniel Makarewicz’s story in the Moline Dispatch.

Click here for Scott Powers’ piece on ESPNChicago.com.

Click here for Doug Green’s story in the Quad-City Times.

After taking time off for our wedding and lil’ honeymoon, it’s nice to be back and talking football, baseball, etc.

Before getting to that, I want to thank my wife, Michelle, our families and all of our friends for making our wedding day incredible. We had perfect weather for an outdoor ceremony, a great celebration and more fun than either of us ever imagined the day being.

Now, on to the business at hand with some general thoughts on the playoffs and beyond:

• I like the Quincy Notre Dame football team’s postseason draw. I’ve heard some fans gripe about the fact Rochester looms in Round 3. But if the seeds play out in Round 1, QND will go to Breese Mater Dei in the second round and could play host to Rochester in the quarterfinals. The Raiders must win a tough road game for that to happen, but after watching them dismantle Waterloo last weekend, anything seems possible.

• I’m picking Quincy High School to win its first-ever postseason football game when it travels to Minooka. The Indians have allowed 21 or more points in each of its last five games, while the Blue Devils allowed just 116 points in the regular season. Beating Rock Island was a huge step forward for Quincy’s defense, and that carries over into the postseason.

A victory would bring the Blue Devils home to Flinn Stadium for the second round regardless of the opponent. If second-seeded Plainfield South wins, it will have already hosted a playoff game. If seventh-seeded Bradley-Bourbonnais wins, Quincy is the higher seed at No. 6 in the quadrant and would be the host.

• Which area team has the best draw? I like Brown County’s path in Class 1A. The Hornets played well in a 28-12 regular-season victory over potential second-round opponent Triopia, and they wouldn’t face perennial power Tuscola until the semifinals. The Sting Squad better be ready for a busy November.

• Mizzou is going undefeated!!! OK, I had to get that out of my system, sort of like a reality check. As well as the Tigers have played — last week’s effort against Oklahoma was phenomenal — going on the road this week and winning at Nebraska is a huge task. If the Tigers are to be taken seriously as a top-10 team, this is a game they must win. There are other hurdles to clear if Mizzou wants to win a Big 12 title, but at least the Tigers are enjoying being part of that conversation right now.

Do I expect Mizzou to go undefeated? No. I still believe it’s possible, especially if the Tigers win this week, but everything has been so topsy-turvy this season, I don’t think it’s fair to expect any team to avoid all land mines on its schedule.

• I like this World Series matchup and will watch as much of the Series as I can. Maybe that’s because I’m a diehard baseball fan, but also there are going to be some great pitching matchups. Watching Cliff Lee and Tim Lincecum should be enough to draw interest. Now, for those who say this isn’t a sexy enough matchup to draw ratings, I disagree. One, it’s the World Series. This is the pinnacle. Two, there are plenty of fans who don’t care to see the Yankees in the Fall Classic every year.

My pick: Giants in six games.

Schuck’s Clipboard won’t be updated again until next Thursday. I will be out of the office as my fiance Michelle Clements and I enjoy our wedding weekend. Look for posts beginning next Thursday with Illinois high school football playoff predictions and postseason soccer thoughts. Thanks.

Each Tuesday on WGEM SportsCenter, which can be heard from 7-9 a.m. Monday-Friday on ESPN 1440 AM, host Josh Houchins and I will break the best is some aspect of sports. The subject promises to be wide-ranging and we want the listeners to chime in during the show via the Illinois Signal text line at 217-617-9437 or e-mail at sportscenter@wgem.com.

This week, we’re talking about the best songs to dance to at a wedding reception.

Why? Well, I’m getting married on Saturday to my beautiful fiance Michelle Clements, so we thought we’d have a little fun with this and get some ideas for the reception.

Some of the songs you won’t be hearing include:

“Ready to Run” by the Dixie Chicks

“I’m Gonna Miss Her” by Brad Paisley

“Bringin’ On The Heartbreak” by Def Leppard

Or “Used To Love Her” by Guns ‘n Roses

What probably will play will be:

“Jump” by Van Halen

“Friends In Low Places” by Garth Brooks

“It Takes Two” by MC Rob Bass and DJ Easy Rock

“Twist and Shout” by The Beatles

As for the best, two come immediately to mind …

If you want something to get people dance floor and keep the party mood going, you have to go with “Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC. Simply put, it rocks and people dance like crazy when it plays.

Now, you have to have a mix of slow songs so people can dance nice and close and there is no better song for that than Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”

It's tough to argue Bob Gibson's performance in 1968 isn't the best single-season pitching performance ever.

The dominant pitching efforts of the Phillies’ Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels in the NL Division Series sweep of the Reds enticed a lot of baseball fans, TV analysts and sports writers to try to put their performances and seasons in perspective.

That included the comment Halladay’s season has been one of the most impressive in baseball history.

Now, Halladay’s numbers are outstanding. A 21-10 record, 2.44 ERA, nine complete games, four shutouts, 219 strikeouts and a 1.041 WHIP. Add in the fact he threw a perfect game in the regular season and a no-hitter in the postseason and it becomes one of the most memorable performances of recent memory.

Among the best ever? Well, Doc, the line is long.

Look at Sandy Koufax’s 1966 season. A 27-9 record with a 1.73 ERA, 27 complete games, five shutouts, 317 strikeouts and a 0.985 WHIP. That came after going 26-8 with a 2.04 ERA and 382 strikeouts in 1965.

Try Greg Maddux in 1995. The Braves hurler went 19-2 with a 1.63 ERA. He only struck out 181, but he only walked 23 as well.His WHIP was 0.811 and he led the league with 10 complete games.

Want more? How about Pedro Martinez in 1999. He went 23-4 with a 2.07 ERA, 313 strikeouts and just 37 walks to go with a 0.727 WHIP.

Here’s another. In 1985, Dwight Gooden went 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA, 16 complete games and eight shutouts. He struck out 268, walked 69 and had a WHIP of 0.965. Impressive.

But I saved the best for last. Baseball fans love to compare eras, and Walter Johnson’s 1913 season when he went 36-7 with a 1.14 ERA is one many critics point to as the best of the deadball era. That may be the gold standard for the era of black-and-white pictures, but it doesn’t translate into the most dominant ever.

Bob Gibson owns that distinction.

The Cardinals right-hander went 22-9 with a 1.12 ERA with 28 complete games and 13 shutouts. He struck out 258 and had a 0.853 WHIP. He won the Cy Young, MVP and a Gold Glove. Gibson is the only pitcher to have a single-season ERA among the 40 lowest in major league history who has pitched since 1919.

Argue Koufax. Argue Maddux. Argue anyone you want.

Gibson trumps them all.