With births to conference championship games and outright claims to the top spots in other conferences on the line, Week 12 looks like a winner. So, let’s skip the preamble and get right to the games.
1) No. 10 Ohio State at Michigan – 12:00 on ABC
While this one looks like a cakewalk for Ohio State, this one gives me pause. As much as I hate it when people say that records don’t matter in rivalry games, this one transcends the records. Both have something to play for, just one is more important than the other.
Ohio State is playing for the outright championship of the Big Ten and, more importantly, respect. Yes, they are going to the Rose Bowl, but no one thinks they can beat any Pac-10 team. They are a team being carried by their defense. Every Buckeye fan out there, while not admitting it, just hopes that Terrelle Pryor doesn’t do anything stupid when he has his hands on the ball. I mean, look at the series they played in the OT win against Iowa, three straight dives into the heart of the line. Yes, Tressel really trusts Pryor.
Michigan is playing to get out of the cellar of the Big Ten and, most probably, for Rich Rodriguez’s job. After starting 4-0, they have gotten smacked around by all comers, wining only one of their last seven games. I like Tate Forcier and I like the enthusiasm of the team, but Michigan still makes dumb mistakes. I think Rodriguez really needs to take the training wheel’s off here and just let Forcier air it out. They have nothing to lose.
Michigan has played well at home all year, so they can keep it close. I just think the Ohio State defense is too good for Michigan. Ohio State wins this one, while I get deluged with “Ohio State is for real” stories before they douse their drawers against Oregon in the Rose Bowl.
2) No. 11 Oregon at Arizona – 8:00 on ABC
Speaking of Oregon, they get to take one more step to securing the Pac-10. Personally, I like Stanford, but the Duchess like Oregon. As any married man knows, the secret to a successful marriage is to always listen to your wife.
Anyhow, the Oregon offense is pretty simple to figure out. It’s run, run, run, and then beat you with the play action pass. It’s just a question of stopping it. I don’t know why they bothered to reinstate LeGarrette Blount, since LaMichael James is one of the better running backs in the nation. Look for the Ducks to keep doing what they do.
Arizona is in a very good spot. They win out and they go to the Rose Bowl. However, they need to stay consistent on offense, something they couldn’t do against Cal last week. The problem is there is a big question mark at running back, as Nic Grigsby has a bit of a shoulder problem.
While Arizona is undefeated at home, they really haven’t had any quality wins (minus Stanford). Oregon knows how to get up for the big games and they know just how important this one is. I think they go into Arizona and win it, but Arizona sticks around for most of the game.
3) No. 25 California at No. 17 Stanford – 7:30 on Versus
Talk about two teams on two different sides of the spectrum. Cal has absolutely no quality wins, while Stanford slapped around USC and Oregon in back to back weeks. God I love Stanford right now.
The blue-collar Stanford Cardinals are showing they are not a team to be taken lightly. They also know how to go for the kill when they have the shot, going for a two-point conversion up 27 in the fourth quarter against USC. Andrew Luck keeps plugging along, knowing the offense doesn’t rest on his shoulders. All he needs to do is get the ball to Toby Gerhart and he is all set. They have a competent defense that doesn’t get lit up, so they are all good.
Cal is one team I don’t understand. They can’t beat a good team, yet they keep getting into the top 25. Their best player is on the sideline after nearly killing himself trying to get into the end zone. We’ll be lucky if we Jahvid Best before the opening game next year. Shane Vereen is an admirable back up, but he isn’t Best. Pardon the pun, but Best is Cal’s best shot at winning.
Stanford wins this one, by doing what they always do. I don’t even think Cal keeps it close, but it’s worth watching just to see Stanford dismantle another team and keep their hopes of a Pac-10 Championship alive.
4) Virginia at No. 23 Clemson – 3:30 on ABC
I’ll admit it; this is pure and utter homerism (even if I’ve never been to South Carolina or know anyone who has been there). This is the game every Clemson fan has been waiting for since 1991. Well, technically, that would be in 2 weeks against Georgia Tech, but they need to beat Virginia first.
Let’s forget about the Virginia offense completely. They can’t move the ball against a high school team, and Clemson is one of the better defenses in the country, leading the nation in interceptions. This game hinges on the ability of C.J. Spiller making plays and giving Kyle Parker piece of mind that the game isn’t on his shoulders. Throw in a big play by Jacoby Ford and you pretty much have yourself a victory.
It’ll be fun to watch for about two and a half quarters, which is usually where Clemson decides they’ve had enough and decide to just win it and be done with it.
5) No. 8 LSU at Mississippi – 3:30 on CBS
Remember when everyone (including me) was saying how Jevan Sneed was for real? That was 14 interceptions ago. However, out of the limelight, Ole Miss has been able to put together a fairly good record.
If I was a LSU fan, I wouldn’t be sure if I was more scared of Jefferson or Lee starting at quarterback. Listen, I could go into some spiel about how LSU needs to work the run, but it’s all a lie. This game will come down to the LSU defense stopping Dexter McCluster. If they do that, they put the game in Sneed’s hands and as scary as that sounded at the beginning of the season, it would make me downright giddy now.
LSU wins this, but the game is ugly in the fact that it turns into a defensive struggle. LSU just needs to pray that if Lee does start, that he doesn’t make too many mistakes.
6) Harvard at Yale – 12:00 on Versus
Come on people, this is The Game. The Game! Basically, it’s an excuse for the alumni of two Ivy League schools to drink all weekend, but that’s a whole different story.
Extra Point:
7) Let me throw in my two cents about the Mark Mangino debacle at Kansas. I want to preface this by saying that we don’t know all the evidence and I don’t want to come off like an idiot like Obama and the whole Gates incident. Also, I’ve always liked Kansas because of their underdog status.
That being said, if this is true, this is the weirdest thing I’ve heard in a while, but not completely shocking. With the amount of control coaches have over players in college football, something like this was bound to happen. If this was one or two players, you can write it off as sour grapes, but this is a whole host of players with similar stories.
This doesn’t just affect Mangino though. This will affect his assistant coaches and coordinators, not to mention the legacy of Bill Snyder at Kansas State. There is a fine line between hard-nosed disciplinarian and out of control behavior. No matter the outcome, Mangino is toxic after this. No team is going to touch him. If he did cross the line, let’s hope he learned his lesson.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Trent's Touchdown - Week 11
I think I just realized last weekend that we are getting to the end of the season. This has been one wacky season so far, and it’s only going to get wackier. There are three teams right now vying for the rights to upset the BCS apple cart and it brings nothing but enjoyment for those of us who love college football, but more on that later. Now, on to the Touchdown.
1) No. 25 West Virginia at No. 5 Cincinnati – 8:00 on ESPN2 (Friday)
The devil is getting fitted for ice skates, because Cincinnati is in the top spot of this week’s Touchdown. Cincinnati is looking to make a case for the BCS National Championship Game, but they need to get out to the Big East unscathed. The first of two big tests is against WVU.
Cincy has the problem that Oklahoma fans wish they had, a back-up quarterback just as good as the starter. After gunslinger Tony Pike went down with injury, Zach Collaros stepped in and the Cincy offense didn’t miss a step. They are one of the most prolific offenses in the country and run a no huddle, spread offense. As of now, Collaros is getting the start, but Pike should see some time as he is still not 100%.
On the other side of the ball, WVU isn’t as lucky with the injuries. Both superstar running back Noel Devine and quarterback Jarrett Brown went down with injuries in last week’s game and it’s still questionable on what role, if any, both will play. WVU needs a good defensive effort against the high-powered Cincy offense. Unfortunately, the WVU pass defense is a little sketchy (that’s a nice way of saying they’ll get lit up like a Christmas tree).
Cincy won’t miss a beat and pull away with this one. They have a knack for keeping games closer than they should be, so expect WVU to hang around for a while.
2) No. 10 Iowa at No. 11 Ohio State – 3:30 on ABC
You know, if Ricky Stanzi hadn’t gotten injured and if Iowa had beaten Northwestern, this game would have been a lot more interesting. Anyway, welcome to the Big Ten Championship Game.
Iowa had been playing with fire all season, needing to come back in all but one game this season. However, they were able to toughen up on defense, get good plays on special teams, and lean heavily on Stanzi at critical times and pull out wins. However, with Stanzi out, the load falls on freshman James Vandenberg. After seeing him in the second half of the Northwestern game, he looked more like Landry Jones than Zach Collaros. Not good if you are an Iowa fan.
Ohio State, on the other hand, seems to have found their rhythm. Offensively, they have gotten more consistent play out of Pryor, which the Buckeyes need to win. However, this team will win or lose based on the defense. Everyone knows that the Buckeye offense isn’t going to blow the doors off anyone, so the defense is going to shoulder the load.
If Stanzi were in, even if they lost to Northwestern, I would have picked Iowa. Unfortunately, Vandenberg is an unknown quantity facing a very good Ohio State defense. Iowa goes down early but won’t be able to pull off the comeback.
3) No. 16 Utah at No. 4 TCU – 7:30 on CBS College Sports Network
You want to see the first non-BCS conference team to reach the National Championship Game, scour your TV Guide for the listing on this one. However, let’s not give this one to TCU just yet.
TCU has actually beaten some relatively good opponents, winning road games against Clemson, Air Force, and BYU. Now they get to beat an untested Utah team who has only lost to Oregon. TCU has a vaunted running game, in which any number of players can get their hands on the ball and make an opposing defense look foolish. However, they are a well-balanced offense that can hurt you through the air when needed.
Utah, conversely, has been having troubles of late moving the ball and even switched up quarterbacks to help things along. Look for running back Eddie Wide to carry the load for the Utes, trying to establish a running game to take the pressure off the quarterback.
I think TCU takes this one and more and more people start whispering about this BCS buster.
4) Stanford at No. 9 USC – 3:30 on Fox Sports
Part of me wants to watch this game just so I can try and figure out how the hell Stanford beat a surging Oregon team last week. As for USC, Pete Carroll can pull a happier version of Michael Corleone quote “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”
If last week was any indication, USC is going to have issues with Stanford. USC barely put away a struggling Arizona State team and were lucky to get the win. I think we all know where the struggles originate. I hate to keep picking on Matt Barkley, but he is having issues running an offense that has one of the best running backs in the Pac-10 and the best wide receiver in the Pac-10. The defense is this team’s saving grace and they have issues containing good offenses.
Stanford has one of the best offenses in the Pac 10. Andrew Luck is everything that Carroll hoped Barkley would be when he decided to start a freshman at quarterback. He brings an enthusiasm and leadership to the Stanford offense. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have the Pac-10’s best running back helping you out. Toby Gerhart absolutely embarrassed the Oregon defense last week.
USC ends their home winning streak against the team they last lost to at home. Stanford will win and finally knock USC out of the Pac 10 race. Of course, it’s USC, so talent alone will keep the game close.
5) No. 1 Florida at South Carolina – 3:30 on CBS
If you are a degenerate gambler, you look at the line on this one (Florida +18) and say “let’s rock and roll.” I mean, Florida is the number 1 team in the country and South Carolina is fading fast. But let’s not notch a win for Florida just yet.
Let’s be straight about one thing, Florida has been having issues on the offensive side of the ball. This is not the same Florida team from last year that could move the ball at will and Tebow has been looking decidedly human lately. The reason they keep winning is because they don’t make too many mistakes on offense and they have a very good defense. That should be enough to get them through most games.
It should be enough to get them through this game as well. As much as I moderately like Stephen Garcia, I don’t think he can carry his team past the Florida defense. Florida will win, but South Carolina has a knack for keeping it close.
6) Notre Dame at No. 12 Pittsburgh – 8:00 on ABC
I just want to watch this just to see when the defense of Notre Dame will mess up, costing them the game. I think it’ll happen sometime in the early 4th quarter, but that’s really just wishful thinking.
Extra Point:
What are the chances of seeing Cincinnati, TCU, or Boise State (if they all stay undefeated) in the National Championship Game? This isn’t a new twist on my rant a few weeks ago about a playoff system. I’m just really curious on the possibilities.
First, you would need two of the top three to lose. Well, we know for a fact that Alabama or Florida will have one loss. There is a possibility that it could happen, but is that enough. Let’s say, for the sake of argument that Alabama loses a close game on the road to Auburn, but then beats up on Florida in the SEC Championship Game. Does that guarantee that the one of the undefeated teams takes the place of Alabama?
Do the voters and computers give Cincy, TCU, and Boise State credit for going undefeated, even though their schedules were not as tough as that of Alabama? Even if one of them does get to the number 2 spot, which one is it? They all have their arguments to make.
I think clearly it would be Cincy, which would have quality wins over WVU at home and Pitt on the road. Plus, they are in a BCS conference (seriously, the Big East is a BCS conference). I think that the BCS is just hoping for all three teams to lose to make it simple. I mean, Cincy could lose to Pitt and/or WVU. TCU could lose to Utah. The Boise State team bus could get struck by lightning. All are possibilities. Then again, it wouldn’t be a college football season without some controversy.
1) No. 25 West Virginia at No. 5 Cincinnati – 8:00 on ESPN2 (Friday)
The devil is getting fitted for ice skates, because Cincinnati is in the top spot of this week’s Touchdown. Cincinnati is looking to make a case for the BCS National Championship Game, but they need to get out to the Big East unscathed. The first of two big tests is against WVU.
Cincy has the problem that Oklahoma fans wish they had, a back-up quarterback just as good as the starter. After gunslinger Tony Pike went down with injury, Zach Collaros stepped in and the Cincy offense didn’t miss a step. They are one of the most prolific offenses in the country and run a no huddle, spread offense. As of now, Collaros is getting the start, but Pike should see some time as he is still not 100%.
On the other side of the ball, WVU isn’t as lucky with the injuries. Both superstar running back Noel Devine and quarterback Jarrett Brown went down with injuries in last week’s game and it’s still questionable on what role, if any, both will play. WVU needs a good defensive effort against the high-powered Cincy offense. Unfortunately, the WVU pass defense is a little sketchy (that’s a nice way of saying they’ll get lit up like a Christmas tree).
Cincy won’t miss a beat and pull away with this one. They have a knack for keeping games closer than they should be, so expect WVU to hang around for a while.
2) No. 10 Iowa at No. 11 Ohio State – 3:30 on ABC
You know, if Ricky Stanzi hadn’t gotten injured and if Iowa had beaten Northwestern, this game would have been a lot more interesting. Anyway, welcome to the Big Ten Championship Game.
Iowa had been playing with fire all season, needing to come back in all but one game this season. However, they were able to toughen up on defense, get good plays on special teams, and lean heavily on Stanzi at critical times and pull out wins. However, with Stanzi out, the load falls on freshman James Vandenberg. After seeing him in the second half of the Northwestern game, he looked more like Landry Jones than Zach Collaros. Not good if you are an Iowa fan.
Ohio State, on the other hand, seems to have found their rhythm. Offensively, they have gotten more consistent play out of Pryor, which the Buckeyes need to win. However, this team will win or lose based on the defense. Everyone knows that the Buckeye offense isn’t going to blow the doors off anyone, so the defense is going to shoulder the load.
If Stanzi were in, even if they lost to Northwestern, I would have picked Iowa. Unfortunately, Vandenberg is an unknown quantity facing a very good Ohio State defense. Iowa goes down early but won’t be able to pull off the comeback.
3) No. 16 Utah at No. 4 TCU – 7:30 on CBS College Sports Network
You want to see the first non-BCS conference team to reach the National Championship Game, scour your TV Guide for the listing on this one. However, let’s not give this one to TCU just yet.
TCU has actually beaten some relatively good opponents, winning road games against Clemson, Air Force, and BYU. Now they get to beat an untested Utah team who has only lost to Oregon. TCU has a vaunted running game, in which any number of players can get their hands on the ball and make an opposing defense look foolish. However, they are a well-balanced offense that can hurt you through the air when needed.
Utah, conversely, has been having troubles of late moving the ball and even switched up quarterbacks to help things along. Look for running back Eddie Wide to carry the load for the Utes, trying to establish a running game to take the pressure off the quarterback.
I think TCU takes this one and more and more people start whispering about this BCS buster.
4) Stanford at No. 9 USC – 3:30 on Fox Sports
Part of me wants to watch this game just so I can try and figure out how the hell Stanford beat a surging Oregon team last week. As for USC, Pete Carroll can pull a happier version of Michael Corleone quote “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”
If last week was any indication, USC is going to have issues with Stanford. USC barely put away a struggling Arizona State team and were lucky to get the win. I think we all know where the struggles originate. I hate to keep picking on Matt Barkley, but he is having issues running an offense that has one of the best running backs in the Pac-10 and the best wide receiver in the Pac-10. The defense is this team’s saving grace and they have issues containing good offenses.
Stanford has one of the best offenses in the Pac 10. Andrew Luck is everything that Carroll hoped Barkley would be when he decided to start a freshman at quarterback. He brings an enthusiasm and leadership to the Stanford offense. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have the Pac-10’s best running back helping you out. Toby Gerhart absolutely embarrassed the Oregon defense last week.
USC ends their home winning streak against the team they last lost to at home. Stanford will win and finally knock USC out of the Pac 10 race. Of course, it’s USC, so talent alone will keep the game close.
5) No. 1 Florida at South Carolina – 3:30 on CBS
If you are a degenerate gambler, you look at the line on this one (Florida +18) and say “let’s rock and roll.” I mean, Florida is the number 1 team in the country and South Carolina is fading fast. But let’s not notch a win for Florida just yet.
Let’s be straight about one thing, Florida has been having issues on the offensive side of the ball. This is not the same Florida team from last year that could move the ball at will and Tebow has been looking decidedly human lately. The reason they keep winning is because they don’t make too many mistakes on offense and they have a very good defense. That should be enough to get them through most games.
It should be enough to get them through this game as well. As much as I moderately like Stephen Garcia, I don’t think he can carry his team past the Florida defense. Florida will win, but South Carolina has a knack for keeping it close.
6) Notre Dame at No. 12 Pittsburgh – 8:00 on ABC
I just want to watch this just to see when the defense of Notre Dame will mess up, costing them the game. I think it’ll happen sometime in the early 4th quarter, but that’s really just wishful thinking.
Extra Point:
What are the chances of seeing Cincinnati, TCU, or Boise State (if they all stay undefeated) in the National Championship Game? This isn’t a new twist on my rant a few weeks ago about a playoff system. I’m just really curious on the possibilities.
First, you would need two of the top three to lose. Well, we know for a fact that Alabama or Florida will have one loss. There is a possibility that it could happen, but is that enough. Let’s say, for the sake of argument that Alabama loses a close game on the road to Auburn, but then beats up on Florida in the SEC Championship Game. Does that guarantee that the one of the undefeated teams takes the place of Alabama?
Do the voters and computers give Cincy, TCU, and Boise State credit for going undefeated, even though their schedules were not as tough as that of Alabama? Even if one of them does get to the number 2 spot, which one is it? They all have their arguments to make.
I think clearly it would be Cincy, which would have quality wins over WVU at home and Pitt on the road. Plus, they are in a BCS conference (seriously, the Big East is a BCS conference). I think that the BCS is just hoping for all three teams to lose to make it simple. I mean, Cincy could lose to Pitt and/or WVU. TCU could lose to Utah. The Boise State team bus could get struck by lightning. All are possibilities. Then again, it wouldn’t be a college football season without some controversy.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Trent's Field Goal - Week 10
While it looks like the Pac-10 was decided last week, the SEC, Big 10, and ACC all have games that will heavily impact their conference outcomes. Just so you know, I’m refusing to put Iowa on this week’s list. They will keep it close, just enough to draw you in, before they let hellfire rain down on Northwestern to make the end no where near as exciting as the beginning.
As an aside, due to graduate school application time, this week’s Touchdown gets downgraded to a Field Goal. Hey, we can’t get six every time.
1) No. 9 LSU at No. 3 Alabama – 3:30 on CBS
If you’re not excited about this game, you need to check yourself into the morgue, because your heart has stopped beating. This top 10 showdown will pretty much decide the winner of the SEC West. Not only that, it has National Championship implications.
While everyone will tell you that the defense is the key here, I’m going to go a different route. This game hinges on the running game of both teams. In my mind, Mark Ingram is the best running back in the country. The kid is a force to be reckoned with and has run past, over, and through all comers. If he can gain positive yards against the LSU defense, that takes pressure off Greg McElroy so he can do his thing and pass the ball down the field.
For LSU, Charles Scott needs to have a good game. Jordan Jefferson may be getting better with each game, but this isn’t the Tulane defense he’s facing. Scott needs to be able to establish a consistent running attack, which will allow Jefferson to use play action and his natural scrambling ability to attack the Alabama defense.
That all said, these are two of the best defenses in the nation. It’s a distinct possibility that both Scott and Ingram will have tough games. The question you have ask yourself then is which quarterback to you trust to exploit any possible mistake made by the opposing defense, Jefferson or McElroy?
Yeah, that’s what I thought. That is why I’m picking Alabama to win, but it’ll be close and low scoring.
2) No. 16 Ohio State at No. 11 Penn State – 3:30 on ABC
If you had told me at the beginning of the season that this game would decide the Big Ten, I would have agreed whole-heartedly. Too bad Iowa controls what happens in the Big Ten. These two could be playing for number 2.
When you really look at Ohio State, you start to understand their problems (even if the pollsters don’t). They are always going to have the great defense, which will keep them in every game. The problem is their whole offense revolves around the quarterback. That’s not bad thing if you have a good quarterback. Too bad Ohio State has Terrelle Pryor. If you contain Pryor and don’t over-pursue, you can win.
Penn State, on the other hand, has a more balanced attack led by Daryll Clark. Clark is the type of quarterback Pryor wishes he was. He leaves the running to Evan Royster, one of the better running backs in the Big Ten. Like Ohio State, they have a very good defense that keeps them in most games and can bail out the offense when needed. Clark and the offense just don’t need it as much as Ohio State.
That, coupled with the fact that the game is at Penn State, is the reason the Nittany Lions win this game. It’ll stay close because of the two good defenses, but Clark will lead a drive late to seal the deal.
3) Florida State at Clemson – 7:45 on ESPN
With no Tommy Bowden, this isn’t the annual Bowden Bowl anymore, but there are still plenty of reasons to be excited about this ACC match-up. While FSU would need some help, Clemson is in the driver’s seat on the road to the ACC Championship Game.
In past years when Clemson has been in this situation, they always found ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. However, it seems to be a whole new atmosphere in Clemson, where anything is possible. Who knew a head coach and offensive coordinator coming to blows would spark a team to a string of victories?
I’m going to write the most obvious statement in the history of my columns and say that game depends on what C.J. Spiller does. He needs to be the triple threat that he is more than capable of being. While I said earlier that Ingram is the best running back in the country, Spiller is the best all around player in the country. Clemson will need consistent play out of the freshman quarterback Kyle Parker. He needs to have a higher completion percentage that his season average and needs to keep possession of the ball.
FSU has been a weird team all year. Let’s look at it. They lose a close one to Miami, go down to the wire against Jacksonville State, then blow the doors off of BYU, before losing three straight. However, they are on a two game conference win streak, but only one both games by 3 points each.
FSU’s only shot at winning this is to defensively key on Spiller. They need to make sure they know where Spiller is at all times and swarm to him. They need to let Parker beat them with his arm. Unfortunately, Jacoby Ford will blow by one-on-one coverage and Parker can hit him with the deep ball. If Spiller is contained, it’ll stay close, but Clemson will pull it out in the end.
As an aside, due to graduate school application time, this week’s Touchdown gets downgraded to a Field Goal. Hey, we can’t get six every time.
1) No. 9 LSU at No. 3 Alabama – 3:30 on CBS
If you’re not excited about this game, you need to check yourself into the morgue, because your heart has stopped beating. This top 10 showdown will pretty much decide the winner of the SEC West. Not only that, it has National Championship implications.
While everyone will tell you that the defense is the key here, I’m going to go a different route. This game hinges on the running game of both teams. In my mind, Mark Ingram is the best running back in the country. The kid is a force to be reckoned with and has run past, over, and through all comers. If he can gain positive yards against the LSU defense, that takes pressure off Greg McElroy so he can do his thing and pass the ball down the field.
For LSU, Charles Scott needs to have a good game. Jordan Jefferson may be getting better with each game, but this isn’t the Tulane defense he’s facing. Scott needs to be able to establish a consistent running attack, which will allow Jefferson to use play action and his natural scrambling ability to attack the Alabama defense.
That all said, these are two of the best defenses in the nation. It’s a distinct possibility that both Scott and Ingram will have tough games. The question you have ask yourself then is which quarterback to you trust to exploit any possible mistake made by the opposing defense, Jefferson or McElroy?
Yeah, that’s what I thought. That is why I’m picking Alabama to win, but it’ll be close and low scoring.
2) No. 16 Ohio State at No. 11 Penn State – 3:30 on ABC
If you had told me at the beginning of the season that this game would decide the Big Ten, I would have agreed whole-heartedly. Too bad Iowa controls what happens in the Big Ten. These two could be playing for number 2.
When you really look at Ohio State, you start to understand their problems (even if the pollsters don’t). They are always going to have the great defense, which will keep them in every game. The problem is their whole offense revolves around the quarterback. That’s not bad thing if you have a good quarterback. Too bad Ohio State has Terrelle Pryor. If you contain Pryor and don’t over-pursue, you can win.
Penn State, on the other hand, has a more balanced attack led by Daryll Clark. Clark is the type of quarterback Pryor wishes he was. He leaves the running to Evan Royster, one of the better running backs in the Big Ten. Like Ohio State, they have a very good defense that keeps them in most games and can bail out the offense when needed. Clark and the offense just don’t need it as much as Ohio State.
That, coupled with the fact that the game is at Penn State, is the reason the Nittany Lions win this game. It’ll stay close because of the two good defenses, but Clark will lead a drive late to seal the deal.
3) Florida State at Clemson – 7:45 on ESPN
With no Tommy Bowden, this isn’t the annual Bowden Bowl anymore, but there are still plenty of reasons to be excited about this ACC match-up. While FSU would need some help, Clemson is in the driver’s seat on the road to the ACC Championship Game.
In past years when Clemson has been in this situation, they always found ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. However, it seems to be a whole new atmosphere in Clemson, where anything is possible. Who knew a head coach and offensive coordinator coming to blows would spark a team to a string of victories?
I’m going to write the most obvious statement in the history of my columns and say that game depends on what C.J. Spiller does. He needs to be the triple threat that he is more than capable of being. While I said earlier that Ingram is the best running back in the country, Spiller is the best all around player in the country. Clemson will need consistent play out of the freshman quarterback Kyle Parker. He needs to have a higher completion percentage that his season average and needs to keep possession of the ball.
FSU has been a weird team all year. Let’s look at it. They lose a close one to Miami, go down to the wire against Jacksonville State, then blow the doors off of BYU, before losing three straight. However, they are on a two game conference win streak, but only one both games by 3 points each.
FSU’s only shot at winning this is to defensively key on Spiller. They need to make sure they know where Spiller is at all times and swarm to him. They need to let Parker beat them with his arm. Unfortunately, Jacoby Ford will blow by one-on-one coverage and Parker can hit him with the deep ball. If Spiller is contained, it’ll stay close, but Clemson will pull it out in the end.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Trent's Touchdown - Week 9
Well, I’m rest and back from Puerto Rico and ready to run down this week’s games. Thankfully the Duchess was tired after our trip to Old San Juan so I got to watch the ends of the Alabama/Tennessee and Miami/Clemson games. Even when I go away, the games stay crazy. Hopefully, it’ll be just as exciting this weekend. Anyway, on to the Touchdown.
1) No. 5 USC at No. 10 Oregon – 8:00 on ABC
Unless something weird happens (which is a distinct possibility) this game will decide the Pac-10 champion. If you told me after week 1 that this game would be this big, I would tell you that maybe it’s time to stop sniffing glue.
Oregon has been completely locked in since the infamous Boise State game. Jeremiah Masoli leads the high powered Oregon offense and is suffering no ill effects of the knee injury that sidelined him two weeks ago. The USC defense, which has struggled as of late, will have issues trying to contain Masoli.
On the other side, USC has looked a little shaky all season, with the loss to Washington and the narrow victory against Notre Dame. Freshman QB Matt Barkley makes dumb mistakes, which is going to cause headaches against a ball-hawking Oregon defense. Expect to see USC try and establish the run to try and ease Barkley into the game.
I cannot, in good conscience, pick USC in this one. All signs point to an Oregon win. Oregon is good on both sides of the ball and USC can go long stretches without looking like a patented USC team. I think the home crowd leads Oregon to victory, but the USC defense finally steps up and makes it close.
2) No. 3 Texas at No. 14 Oklahoma State – 8:00 on ABC
I’m not sure if this is going to be one of those Texas games where they blow the doors off the opponent or where they struggle before sealing the deal late and you chastise yourself for every worrying about the outcome.
I like Texas. They are a flawed team, but no one seems to know how to exploit it. The flaw is really Colt McCoy. God love the kid, but he can get lazy and unfocused at times. That interception near the end against Oklahoma was horrible. The sad thing was that I saw it coming from a mile away (as did the DB). Thankfully for him, he has a great defense saving his hide.
Don’t laugh at this next statement, but Oklahoma State is a better team without Dez Bryant. I said don’t laugh! His suspension forces Zac Robinson to step up and make plays without his binky. He now has to spread the ball around, making it tough for defenses to key in on any one receiver. Of course, it makes it easier for defenses to stop the run, but that’s not the point.
I think Texas lets the game stay interesting for a little bit, then kicks it into that other gear and takes Oklahoma State behind the woodshed.
3) No. 1 Florida vs. Georgia (in Jacksonville) – 3:30 on CBS
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is back for this year’s edition. Yet another reason for people to take a week off and get drunk. Like you need an excuse.
Florida has been having some trouble of late, ever since Tebow came back from the concussion. His passing efficiency has gone down while his interceptions have gone up. If it hadn’t been for Demps and timely plays by the defense, they might be in trouble.
Georgia, on the other hand, has floundered against good teams. While Joe Cox is a good game manager, he isn’t Matt Stafford, and that is what they need. They are coming off a bye week that was preceded by a win against a JV team (Vandy). Plus, the defense for Georgia is horrible, and that’s an understatement. This may be what Tebow needs to get back on track.
I think Florida needs a loss to get them back into the swing of things, much like last year. However, this isn’t the game they lose. It will stay close if Tebow decides to be the quarterback he’s been the last few weeks, instead of the one of the last few years.
4) No. 19 Miami at Wake Forest – 3:30 on ABC
Give me one second to gloat. Both of these teams lost to Clemson. That puts a smile on my face. While both teams need a lot of help to reach the ACC Championship Game, I think this one could be interesting.
Miami will be without four players for this game, most importantly leading rusher Javarris James. The fate of the Miami offense now rests on the unsteady shoulders of Jacory Harris. I’m not saying Harris is bad; I just don’t want to have to trust him. The one thing Miami has going for them right now is the defense, and that’s not a good thing.
Wake Forest has lost two straight, both on the road against Clemson and Navy. The reason for the two losses is solely because Riley Skinner couldn’t get it done. If you have a pass oriented offense, you sort of need your quarterback to produce. Skinner needs to break out to give Wake a chance.
I think Skinner does break out of the rut and keeps Wake Forest close, but Miami pulls it out in the end.
5) No. 22 South Carolina at Tennessee – 7:45 on ESPN
While this game may not be pretty, it should be close. Both teams are coming off close games, with SC barely getting by Vandy at home and Tennessee’s devastating loss to Alabama (two blocked field goals!).
Tennessee actually has a very competent offense, led by the surprising Jonathan Crompton. In year’s past, I would have made a joke about Crompton’s abilities, but he is actually doing quite well this year. The team is balanced out by a very good defense that is led by one of the best safety’s in the country, Eric Berry.
South Carolina hasn’t been flashy, but they’ve been winning and that’s the important thing. Stephen Garcia, like his Tennessee counterpart, is also quite competent at running the SC offense. He won’t wow you, but he won’t kill you either. They also have one of the best pass defenses in the league, which will be more than willing to frustrate Crompton.
South Carolina seems to have problems on the road and I think those problems will continue this week. Tennessee won’t have to worry about blocked field goals and pull out a close one.
6) No. 8 Cincinnati at Syracuse – 12:00 on ESPNU
Come on; watch the undefeated team that no one is talking about. They could easily backdoor their way into the National Championship Game, so jump on the bandwagon now.
Extra Point:
7) Seven. Count them up. There are seven undefeated teams out there right now, each one with a rightful claim that if they can win out they deserve to be in the National Championship Game. Now, you, me, and Dupree all know that if everyone wins out, the winner of the SEC Championship Game and Texas will be playing in that game. But is it right?
Minus the Big East apple polishers, I think we can all agree that a one loss Alabama team is better than an undefeated Cincinnati team (and I like Cincinnati!). However, doesn’t Cincinnati deserve to be in the discussion? Do they get sidelined because of the perceived weakness of the Big East?
For the sake of argument, let’s say we end the season with the undefeated teams of Texas, Alabama, Iowa, and Cincinnati. Why do we have to sideline Iowa and Cincinnati? Are they being dismissed not because of their conference, but because of who they are?
We always seem to reward one loss teams like USC, but are more than willing to discount undefeated teams like Iowa and Cincinnati. How does USC get ranked than 3 undefeated teams, one of them being in a BCS conference? This is the same USC team that doused their drawers against a Washington team that was winless last year.
Here’s the thing, if we end up with multiple undefeated teams, the dreaded P word is going to start popping up again. However, without a playoff, there is no clear way to decide which team is more deserving than others. Hell, most of the computer polls have Iowa as the number 1 team in the country.
The BCS is good at one thing, creating controversy. I think it would be almost fairer to have all the coaches of the teams with an argument to have a big rock, paper, scissors tournament to see which two teams play in the National Championship Game. Of course, Pete Carroll looks like the kind of guy who thinks nothing beats rock, but that’s a whole other discussion.
1) No. 5 USC at No. 10 Oregon – 8:00 on ABC
Unless something weird happens (which is a distinct possibility) this game will decide the Pac-10 champion. If you told me after week 1 that this game would be this big, I would tell you that maybe it’s time to stop sniffing glue.
Oregon has been completely locked in since the infamous Boise State game. Jeremiah Masoli leads the high powered Oregon offense and is suffering no ill effects of the knee injury that sidelined him two weeks ago. The USC defense, which has struggled as of late, will have issues trying to contain Masoli.
On the other side, USC has looked a little shaky all season, with the loss to Washington and the narrow victory against Notre Dame. Freshman QB Matt Barkley makes dumb mistakes, which is going to cause headaches against a ball-hawking Oregon defense. Expect to see USC try and establish the run to try and ease Barkley into the game.
I cannot, in good conscience, pick USC in this one. All signs point to an Oregon win. Oregon is good on both sides of the ball and USC can go long stretches without looking like a patented USC team. I think the home crowd leads Oregon to victory, but the USC defense finally steps up and makes it close.
2) No. 3 Texas at No. 14 Oklahoma State – 8:00 on ABC
I’m not sure if this is going to be one of those Texas games where they blow the doors off the opponent or where they struggle before sealing the deal late and you chastise yourself for every worrying about the outcome.
I like Texas. They are a flawed team, but no one seems to know how to exploit it. The flaw is really Colt McCoy. God love the kid, but he can get lazy and unfocused at times. That interception near the end against Oklahoma was horrible. The sad thing was that I saw it coming from a mile away (as did the DB). Thankfully for him, he has a great defense saving his hide.
Don’t laugh at this next statement, but Oklahoma State is a better team without Dez Bryant. I said don’t laugh! His suspension forces Zac Robinson to step up and make plays without his binky. He now has to spread the ball around, making it tough for defenses to key in on any one receiver. Of course, it makes it easier for defenses to stop the run, but that’s not the point.
I think Texas lets the game stay interesting for a little bit, then kicks it into that other gear and takes Oklahoma State behind the woodshed.
3) No. 1 Florida vs. Georgia (in Jacksonville) – 3:30 on CBS
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is back for this year’s edition. Yet another reason for people to take a week off and get drunk. Like you need an excuse.
Florida has been having some trouble of late, ever since Tebow came back from the concussion. His passing efficiency has gone down while his interceptions have gone up. If it hadn’t been for Demps and timely plays by the defense, they might be in trouble.
Georgia, on the other hand, has floundered against good teams. While Joe Cox is a good game manager, he isn’t Matt Stafford, and that is what they need. They are coming off a bye week that was preceded by a win against a JV team (Vandy). Plus, the defense for Georgia is horrible, and that’s an understatement. This may be what Tebow needs to get back on track.
I think Florida needs a loss to get them back into the swing of things, much like last year. However, this isn’t the game they lose. It will stay close if Tebow decides to be the quarterback he’s been the last few weeks, instead of the one of the last few years.
4) No. 19 Miami at Wake Forest – 3:30 on ABC
Give me one second to gloat. Both of these teams lost to Clemson. That puts a smile on my face. While both teams need a lot of help to reach the ACC Championship Game, I think this one could be interesting.
Miami will be without four players for this game, most importantly leading rusher Javarris James. The fate of the Miami offense now rests on the unsteady shoulders of Jacory Harris. I’m not saying Harris is bad; I just don’t want to have to trust him. The one thing Miami has going for them right now is the defense, and that’s not a good thing.
Wake Forest has lost two straight, both on the road against Clemson and Navy. The reason for the two losses is solely because Riley Skinner couldn’t get it done. If you have a pass oriented offense, you sort of need your quarterback to produce. Skinner needs to break out to give Wake a chance.
I think Skinner does break out of the rut and keeps Wake Forest close, but Miami pulls it out in the end.
5) No. 22 South Carolina at Tennessee – 7:45 on ESPN
While this game may not be pretty, it should be close. Both teams are coming off close games, with SC barely getting by Vandy at home and Tennessee’s devastating loss to Alabama (two blocked field goals!).
Tennessee actually has a very competent offense, led by the surprising Jonathan Crompton. In year’s past, I would have made a joke about Crompton’s abilities, but he is actually doing quite well this year. The team is balanced out by a very good defense that is led by one of the best safety’s in the country, Eric Berry.
South Carolina hasn’t been flashy, but they’ve been winning and that’s the important thing. Stephen Garcia, like his Tennessee counterpart, is also quite competent at running the SC offense. He won’t wow you, but he won’t kill you either. They also have one of the best pass defenses in the league, which will be more than willing to frustrate Crompton.
South Carolina seems to have problems on the road and I think those problems will continue this week. Tennessee won’t have to worry about blocked field goals and pull out a close one.
6) No. 8 Cincinnati at Syracuse – 12:00 on ESPNU
Come on; watch the undefeated team that no one is talking about. They could easily backdoor their way into the National Championship Game, so jump on the bandwagon now.
Extra Point:
7) Seven. Count them up. There are seven undefeated teams out there right now, each one with a rightful claim that if they can win out they deserve to be in the National Championship Game. Now, you, me, and Dupree all know that if everyone wins out, the winner of the SEC Championship Game and Texas will be playing in that game. But is it right?
Minus the Big East apple polishers, I think we can all agree that a one loss Alabama team is better than an undefeated Cincinnati team (and I like Cincinnati!). However, doesn’t Cincinnati deserve to be in the discussion? Do they get sidelined because of the perceived weakness of the Big East?
For the sake of argument, let’s say we end the season with the undefeated teams of Texas, Alabama, Iowa, and Cincinnati. Why do we have to sideline Iowa and Cincinnati? Are they being dismissed not because of their conference, but because of who they are?
We always seem to reward one loss teams like USC, but are more than willing to discount undefeated teams like Iowa and Cincinnati. How does USC get ranked than 3 undefeated teams, one of them being in a BCS conference? This is the same USC team that doused their drawers against a Washington team that was winless last year.
Here’s the thing, if we end up with multiple undefeated teams, the dreaded P word is going to start popping up again. However, without a playoff, there is no clear way to decide which team is more deserving than others. Hell, most of the computer polls have Iowa as the number 1 team in the country.
The BCS is good at one thing, creating controversy. I think it would be almost fairer to have all the coaches of the teams with an argument to have a big rock, paper, scissors tournament to see which two teams play in the National Championship Game. Of course, Pete Carroll looks like the kind of guy who thinks nothing beats rock, but that’s a whole other discussion.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Trent's Touchdown - Week 7
If there was anything strange about last weekend’s games, it was the fact that there was no major upset. Yet, we got a nice little shake-up in the polls, but more on this later. This week we actually get a slate of games at all times that look fun to watch, unlike last week’s snooze-fest. They can’t all be winners. Anyway, on to the Touchdown.
1) No. 20 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Texas (in Dallas) – 12:00 on ABC
The one game everyone has been waiting to watch since both Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy decided to come back for another year. Last year on my Honeymoon, I won some nice scratch beating on Texas, but this year I’m not in a place with legalized sports gambling or have that much confidence in Texas.
Last year, Texas was a flawed team but had big play capability when it was needed. The problem this year is they almost want to win with a degree of difficulty. It’s almost like McCoy needs a reason to get into that game.
Texas/Colorado should have been a cakewalk but it drew me in because it was so close. McCoy didn’t seem to get into the game until he realized his team was trailing then decided to light it up. You know, that’s fine against Colorado or Texas Tech, but you can’t pull that crap against Oklahoma.
As much as I don’t like Oklahoma, I have to say they are a scary good team that lost two road games against two underrated teams. While Bradford is still coming back from injury, they will need to rely on their defense, one of the best in the country. If McCoy gets off to another slow start, Oklahoma will make him pay.
The problem that Oklahoma has is that Mack Brown will have whipped his team up into a frenzy by the time this one starts. Texas won’t start slow and they will have their eyes firmly set on their opponent. Texas wins, but as always, it’s entertaining and close.
2) No. 6 USC at No. 25 Notre Dame – 3:30 on NBC
I may have made a joke last week about Notre Dame vs. the Bye week, but this game has real potential. This is probably the first time I’ve been truly excited about this rivalry since the Brady Quinn/Matt Leinhart duel where Bush pushed Leinhart into the end zone at the end to win if for USC.
Notre Dame has been weird this year. I mean, they are 4-1, but if you watched any of their games, they could easily be 5-0 or 1-4, as they’ve shown signs of either being a top-flight program or last years putrid mess…all in the same game. Jimmy Clausen is finally showing signs of why he was a high ranked prospect coming out of high school. The problem, as always, is the defense. While they will get the lucky pick in key places, they are not exactly consistent.
As for USC, their stumble against Washington is the only blemish on their record (which includes the thriller in Columbus). There defense is one of the best in the nation and a team needs to take their shots when they have the chance. What I’m going to say here is going to make many USC fans scream, if only for the fact that they know I’m right. The Achilles’ heal of USC is the offense.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Williams is one of the best receivers in the country and McKnight is scary when he’s carrying the ball. I don’t trust Matt Barkley, I just don’t. He starts off too slow, he make freshmen mistakes, and he’s too cookie cutter for me.
In a shocker, Notre Dame wins this game. They win it like they always do, by falling ass backwards into a game clinching interception during a USC drive that could give them the victory.
3) No. 4 Virginia Tech at No. 19 Georgia Tech – 6:00 on ESPN2
Well, this is the last hurdle between Virginia Tech and the Orange Bowl, because no other team in the ACC has the ability to challenge Virginia Tech in the slightest way. I’ve really come around on VT.
Georgia Tech was a lot of people’s trendy pick to end VT’s dominance of the Coastal Division, with good reason. The triple option offense that turned people’s heads last year was back and still had the run threat of Jonathan Dwyer. However, as Clemson and Miami proved, if you can take away the run, the offense sputters with Josh Nesbitt at the helm.
If there is any defense that can stifle the GT running game, it is VT. The VT defense is fast and nasty. And once the ball is in the offense’s hands, VT and Tyrod Taylor know how to find the end zone. The GT defense won’t be able to keep up with Taylor or the Hokie running game.
Georgia Tech isn’t the type of team to give up, so they won’t pack it in while VT is kicking their teeth down their throats. I expect this one to be will in hand soon after halftime.
4) No. 22 South Carolina at No. 2 Alabama – 7:45 on ESPN
Everything tells me this is going to be a blowout. Everything I’ve seen from both of these teams tells me that Alabama should have this won by the time the coin flip ends. However, if watch college football all these years has taught me anything, it’s that anything can happen in the whacky SEC.
The defense for both Alabama and South Carolina are disgustingly good. They both made Jevan Snead look unfit to play QB for a Pop Warner team. They both capitalize on mistakes and can stop both the run and pass. This game won’t come down to the defense.
It comes down to the offense. Greg McElroy is a better game manager for Alabama. Plus, to be honest, Mark Ingram is a freak of nature at running back. I think the only defense that has a chance of stopping him would be the Florida defense. Alabama will use him to pound it down the throats of the SC defense and then open it up for the play action pass.
South Carolina will keep it close for a time, but in the end, Alabama wins and makes it look a lot easier than it actually was. I will say this now; I think Alabama is the only team that can go undefeated.
5) Texas Tech at No. 15 Nebraska – 3:30 on ABC
Even a year later, I still have a soft spot for the magical run by Texas Tech, you know, before the wheels came flying off against Oklahoma and Ole Miss. This game is definitely going to be interesting.
The main problem Nebraska will face on Saturday is moving the ball. They need to get a consistent and methodically performance from their offense. It will keep the high powered Tech offense off the field, gain confidence for Zac Lee, and will let Nebraska set the tempo of the game. Nebraska has the best defense in the Big 12, so expect them to actually stop the Tech offense every once in a while.
However, that is easier said than done, as Tech is near the best in the country in most every team offensive category. It looks as if Steven Sheffield will start at QB as Taylor Potts may be unavailable due to a concussion. Don’t worry Tech fans, Sheffield proved last week that he can throw it all over the field just like Potts.
To win, Nebraska is going to need to shut down the Tech offense more times than I think possible. Nebraska can’t let this thing become a shoot-out, because you can’t out-duel the Red Raiders. Texas Tech goes into Lincoln and pulls out the victory, but its close.
6) UAB at Mississippi – 7:00 on ESPN360
I put the over/under on the number of interceptions thrown by Jevan Snead in this game at 3, while Mel Kiper decides that maybe he doesn’t need video of Snead for NFL draft coverage this year.
Extra Point:
7) If I wanted to, I could make the extra point a scathing review of the horrible poll system every week. However, I try and minimize it to a few times a year. Welcome to the first installment this year.
Now, I like Alabama, I truly do. I think they are a better team than Texas. However, since Texas has been ranked ahead of Alabama all year and since both teams won on Saturday, shouldn’t that mean the status quo is in effect? Have we gone back to the days when teams have to get style points to wow the pollsters?
Listen, I was as shocked as everyone that Texas had issues with Colorado, but they still won the game. Did Texas need to utterly humiliate Colorado to stay at number 2? How many points would they have had to win by to keep their position in the polls? Do we start using the point spread as a barometer? Seriously, that’s only relevant to degenerate gamblers as it is a by-product of the gambling community.
Are we going to hit a point where Texas is blowing out Baylor, but Mack Brown keeps McCoy out there because the pollsters don’t feel that’s enough? When are pollsters going to wake up and realize that the win is the most important thing, not how you got there or in what style you did it?
That all said, Alabama definitely belongs at number 2. Roll Tide!!!
As a programming note, there will be no Touchdown next week. I’ll be in Puerto Rico for a wedding.
1) No. 20 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Texas (in Dallas) – 12:00 on ABC
The one game everyone has been waiting to watch since both Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy decided to come back for another year. Last year on my Honeymoon, I won some nice scratch beating on Texas, but this year I’m not in a place with legalized sports gambling or have that much confidence in Texas.
Last year, Texas was a flawed team but had big play capability when it was needed. The problem this year is they almost want to win with a degree of difficulty. It’s almost like McCoy needs a reason to get into that game.
Texas/Colorado should have been a cakewalk but it drew me in because it was so close. McCoy didn’t seem to get into the game until he realized his team was trailing then decided to light it up. You know, that’s fine against Colorado or Texas Tech, but you can’t pull that crap against Oklahoma.
As much as I don’t like Oklahoma, I have to say they are a scary good team that lost two road games against two underrated teams. While Bradford is still coming back from injury, they will need to rely on their defense, one of the best in the country. If McCoy gets off to another slow start, Oklahoma will make him pay.
The problem that Oklahoma has is that Mack Brown will have whipped his team up into a frenzy by the time this one starts. Texas won’t start slow and they will have their eyes firmly set on their opponent. Texas wins, but as always, it’s entertaining and close.
2) No. 6 USC at No. 25 Notre Dame – 3:30 on NBC
I may have made a joke last week about Notre Dame vs. the Bye week, but this game has real potential. This is probably the first time I’ve been truly excited about this rivalry since the Brady Quinn/Matt Leinhart duel where Bush pushed Leinhart into the end zone at the end to win if for USC.
Notre Dame has been weird this year. I mean, they are 4-1, but if you watched any of their games, they could easily be 5-0 or 1-4, as they’ve shown signs of either being a top-flight program or last years putrid mess…all in the same game. Jimmy Clausen is finally showing signs of why he was a high ranked prospect coming out of high school. The problem, as always, is the defense. While they will get the lucky pick in key places, they are not exactly consistent.
As for USC, their stumble against Washington is the only blemish on their record (which includes the thriller in Columbus). There defense is one of the best in the nation and a team needs to take their shots when they have the chance. What I’m going to say here is going to make many USC fans scream, if only for the fact that they know I’m right. The Achilles’ heal of USC is the offense.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Williams is one of the best receivers in the country and McKnight is scary when he’s carrying the ball. I don’t trust Matt Barkley, I just don’t. He starts off too slow, he make freshmen mistakes, and he’s too cookie cutter for me.
In a shocker, Notre Dame wins this game. They win it like they always do, by falling ass backwards into a game clinching interception during a USC drive that could give them the victory.
3) No. 4 Virginia Tech at No. 19 Georgia Tech – 6:00 on ESPN2
Well, this is the last hurdle between Virginia Tech and the Orange Bowl, because no other team in the ACC has the ability to challenge Virginia Tech in the slightest way. I’ve really come around on VT.
Georgia Tech was a lot of people’s trendy pick to end VT’s dominance of the Coastal Division, with good reason. The triple option offense that turned people’s heads last year was back and still had the run threat of Jonathan Dwyer. However, as Clemson and Miami proved, if you can take away the run, the offense sputters with Josh Nesbitt at the helm.
If there is any defense that can stifle the GT running game, it is VT. The VT defense is fast and nasty. And once the ball is in the offense’s hands, VT and Tyrod Taylor know how to find the end zone. The GT defense won’t be able to keep up with Taylor or the Hokie running game.
Georgia Tech isn’t the type of team to give up, so they won’t pack it in while VT is kicking their teeth down their throats. I expect this one to be will in hand soon after halftime.
4) No. 22 South Carolina at No. 2 Alabama – 7:45 on ESPN
Everything tells me this is going to be a blowout. Everything I’ve seen from both of these teams tells me that Alabama should have this won by the time the coin flip ends. However, if watch college football all these years has taught me anything, it’s that anything can happen in the whacky SEC.
The defense for both Alabama and South Carolina are disgustingly good. They both made Jevan Snead look unfit to play QB for a Pop Warner team. They both capitalize on mistakes and can stop both the run and pass. This game won’t come down to the defense.
It comes down to the offense. Greg McElroy is a better game manager for Alabama. Plus, to be honest, Mark Ingram is a freak of nature at running back. I think the only defense that has a chance of stopping him would be the Florida defense. Alabama will use him to pound it down the throats of the SC defense and then open it up for the play action pass.
South Carolina will keep it close for a time, but in the end, Alabama wins and makes it look a lot easier than it actually was. I will say this now; I think Alabama is the only team that can go undefeated.
5) Texas Tech at No. 15 Nebraska – 3:30 on ABC
Even a year later, I still have a soft spot for the magical run by Texas Tech, you know, before the wheels came flying off against Oklahoma and Ole Miss. This game is definitely going to be interesting.
The main problem Nebraska will face on Saturday is moving the ball. They need to get a consistent and methodically performance from their offense. It will keep the high powered Tech offense off the field, gain confidence for Zac Lee, and will let Nebraska set the tempo of the game. Nebraska has the best defense in the Big 12, so expect them to actually stop the Tech offense every once in a while.
However, that is easier said than done, as Tech is near the best in the country in most every team offensive category. It looks as if Steven Sheffield will start at QB as Taylor Potts may be unavailable due to a concussion. Don’t worry Tech fans, Sheffield proved last week that he can throw it all over the field just like Potts.
To win, Nebraska is going to need to shut down the Tech offense more times than I think possible. Nebraska can’t let this thing become a shoot-out, because you can’t out-duel the Red Raiders. Texas Tech goes into Lincoln and pulls out the victory, but its close.
6) UAB at Mississippi – 7:00 on ESPN360
I put the over/under on the number of interceptions thrown by Jevan Snead in this game at 3, while Mel Kiper decides that maybe he doesn’t need video of Snead for NFL draft coverage this year.
Extra Point:
7) If I wanted to, I could make the extra point a scathing review of the horrible poll system every week. However, I try and minimize it to a few times a year. Welcome to the first installment this year.
Now, I like Alabama, I truly do. I think they are a better team than Texas. However, since Texas has been ranked ahead of Alabama all year and since both teams won on Saturday, shouldn’t that mean the status quo is in effect? Have we gone back to the days when teams have to get style points to wow the pollsters?
Listen, I was as shocked as everyone that Texas had issues with Colorado, but they still won the game. Did Texas need to utterly humiliate Colorado to stay at number 2? How many points would they have had to win by to keep their position in the polls? Do we start using the point spread as a barometer? Seriously, that’s only relevant to degenerate gamblers as it is a by-product of the gambling community.
Are we going to hit a point where Texas is blowing out Baylor, but Mack Brown keeps McCoy out there because the pollsters don’t feel that’s enough? When are pollsters going to wake up and realize that the win is the most important thing, not how you got there or in what style you did it?
That all said, Alabama definitely belongs at number 2. Roll Tide!!!
As a programming note, there will be no Touchdown next week. I’ll be in Puerto Rico for a wedding.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Trent's Touchdown - Week 6
Unlike past weeks, there were no major upsets last weekend. Color me shocked, as I figure Boise State would be residing in the number 4 spot right about now. Of course, we come into a weekend that would have looked great around week 2, but seems to have lost some of its luster now. More on this later. Now, on to the Touchdown.
1) No. 1 Florida at No. 4 LSU – 8:00 on CBS
You know, two weeks ago I would have figured this would have been a laugher, complete with Les Miles curling up in the fetal position at midfield for every Florida fans enjoyment. Oh the changes we’ve seen in those two weeks.
Most important was the shot to the head that Tebow took in the Kentucky game, leaving him questionable for this game. This means that John Brantley and his college career of 58 pass attempts might get to lead the defending National Champions into one of the harshest opposing stadiums in college football.
I think there is something else important at play here. With all the upsets of week 4, LSU catapulted to 4th and everyone promptly dismissed them (myself included). We figured the pretenders would be vanquished by Georgia and all would be right with the world (minus Boise State moving to the number 4 spot). However, LSU proved themselves worthy of the spot, by beating Georgia.
Even if Tebow starts, he won’t be at 100% and probably won’t be carrying the ball as much. With that, this game comes down to the team that can stop the run. Both teams have very good defenses, yet LSU relies on their defense to keep games close for their anemic offense.
Florida only needs a few chances and their run game can with this for them. I think they beat LSU but it’s going to be a lot closer than anyone will be comfortable with.
2) No. 3 Alabama at No. 20 Mississippi – 3:30 on CBS
The two teams are going in two opposite directions. Alabama is the best team not from Florida or Texas and have been beating every opponent silly. Ole Miss, on the other hand, lost to South Carolina and had issues against Vandy. Bama is not the team you want to face when you are having issues.
Over the last two games, we’ve learned by Mack Brown picked Colt McCoy over Jevan Snead. Against South Carolina, he couldn’t complete a pass. Against Vandy, he completed them, just to the other team. Ole Miss is a dangerous team because they have one of the best defenses in the nation. If the offense starts to click again, you better watch out.
Alabama just seems like a team willing to crush everyone in their path. They can beat you by running and passing the ball on offense. The defense is pure Saban, nasty and smart. Teams can’t sit back and wait for the Alabama defense to make a mistake.
If Jevan Snead gets back on track, this game could be very good. If his struggles continue, it’ll be a long game for Ole Miss. Unfortunately for Ole Miss fans, you can’t work out your problems against a team like Alabama. Alabama wins it. Roll Tide!
3) Michigan at No. 12 Iowa – 8:05 on ABC
Just when I jump on the Michigan bandwagon, they lose. Granted, I pretty much predicted they would lose, but that’s not the point. You know what this means? It means that if you are a LSU fan, you should be making hotel reservations in Pasadena.
This game really is a toss-up. Michigan has a really good, but young team. Nearly every game has been close, which either means they have trouble putting away teams or really are a middle of the road team making the best with what they have. Forcier is an extremely talented QB who has a great future in front of him.
Iowa needs to keep doing what they have been doing, which is play strong defense and serviceable offense. Stanzi needs to keep the ball out of the hands of the Michigan secondary. While a team like Arkansas State can’t capitalize on those mistakes, Michigan can.
In a close game, the Iowa home field crowd, experience, and coaching will make this a win for Iowa.
4) No. 13 Oregon at UCLA – 3:30 on ABC
I asked the Duchess which game I should put at number 4 and she said “Ducks”, so here we go. Actually, it’s a pretty good pick for someone’s whose college football knowledge comes exclusively from reading the Touchdown.
After Oregon’s disastrous opening game that would have sent lesser teams into a tail spin, they’ve ripped off 4 straight victories and are suddenly the team to beat in the Pac 10. The only question for this game is if Jeremiah Masoli will be able to play, after his knee injury against the practice squad….er, I mean, Washington State.
UCLA has been impressive so far this season, but are hoping to bounce back after last week’s loss to Stanford. They are going to need all hands on deck, so they better be praying to whatever deity to get back safety Rahim Moore, who suffered a concussion last week. He will help immensely in trying to slow down the Oregon passing attack.
However, with UCLA’s inability to move the ball through the air, it makes them pretty one dimensional. Like most good teams, Oregon can stop one dimensional teams. Oregon wins it and showcases why they are the best in the Pac 10.
5) Boston College at No. 5 Virginia Tech – 12:00 on ESPN360
I didn’t expect to be writing about this game, so it either means there is a lack of good games this week or BC is a little surprising. Seriously, the highlight of my day normally involves me giving crap to some BC fan. It’s not hard when you work in Boston.
Anyway, after the loss to Clemson, BC has been able to won back-to-back conference games, but they seem to have found some offensive rhythm. Competent QB play was the only thing holding them back from being a force to be reckoned with. If you add that in with the solid running game, BC should have no issues with moving the ball.
Virginia Tech, as always, is good on both sides of the ball. I have to say I’m most surprised at the offense, with Tyrod Taylor actually showing the ability to move the ball through the air. I just don’t understand this team. They beat up on Miami, but have issues putting away Duke.
I think the same thing happens here. BC sticks around for the whole game, but VT finally puts them away late to win it.
6) Notre Dame vs. the Bye Week
As per usual, ND makes some critical errors and bone-head plays, but somehow pulls this one out in the end.
Extra Point:
7) Once again, we visit one of my least favorite weeks in the college football season. It’s the “we’ll give you one or two interesting games, but the rest are crap” week. Unfortunately, the Duchess can spot these weekends and it becomes a shopping weekend.
The problem is that other then the LSU/Florida tilt, there is no real game I want to watch. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll watch what’s on and probably enjoy myself, but there isn’t any game that gets me excited. A cursory glance at next week and there are about 4 games I’m excited about.
I do admit that not every weekend can have classic match-ups. However, when you sandwich this in between week 5 (with the Georgia/LSU, Miami/Oklahoma, and USC/Cal games) and week 7 (RED RIVER SHOOTOUT), it gets tough to get excited about Oregon/UCLA. Don’t worry though, I will.
1) No. 1 Florida at No. 4 LSU – 8:00 on CBS
You know, two weeks ago I would have figured this would have been a laugher, complete with Les Miles curling up in the fetal position at midfield for every Florida fans enjoyment. Oh the changes we’ve seen in those two weeks.
Most important was the shot to the head that Tebow took in the Kentucky game, leaving him questionable for this game. This means that John Brantley and his college career of 58 pass attempts might get to lead the defending National Champions into one of the harshest opposing stadiums in college football.
I think there is something else important at play here. With all the upsets of week 4, LSU catapulted to 4th and everyone promptly dismissed them (myself included). We figured the pretenders would be vanquished by Georgia and all would be right with the world (minus Boise State moving to the number 4 spot). However, LSU proved themselves worthy of the spot, by beating Georgia.
Even if Tebow starts, he won’t be at 100% and probably won’t be carrying the ball as much. With that, this game comes down to the team that can stop the run. Both teams have very good defenses, yet LSU relies on their defense to keep games close for their anemic offense.
Florida only needs a few chances and their run game can with this for them. I think they beat LSU but it’s going to be a lot closer than anyone will be comfortable with.
2) No. 3 Alabama at No. 20 Mississippi – 3:30 on CBS
The two teams are going in two opposite directions. Alabama is the best team not from Florida or Texas and have been beating every opponent silly. Ole Miss, on the other hand, lost to South Carolina and had issues against Vandy. Bama is not the team you want to face when you are having issues.
Over the last two games, we’ve learned by Mack Brown picked Colt McCoy over Jevan Snead. Against South Carolina, he couldn’t complete a pass. Against Vandy, he completed them, just to the other team. Ole Miss is a dangerous team because they have one of the best defenses in the nation. If the offense starts to click again, you better watch out.
Alabama just seems like a team willing to crush everyone in their path. They can beat you by running and passing the ball on offense. The defense is pure Saban, nasty and smart. Teams can’t sit back and wait for the Alabama defense to make a mistake.
If Jevan Snead gets back on track, this game could be very good. If his struggles continue, it’ll be a long game for Ole Miss. Unfortunately for Ole Miss fans, you can’t work out your problems against a team like Alabama. Alabama wins it. Roll Tide!
3) Michigan at No. 12 Iowa – 8:05 on ABC
Just when I jump on the Michigan bandwagon, they lose. Granted, I pretty much predicted they would lose, but that’s not the point. You know what this means? It means that if you are a LSU fan, you should be making hotel reservations in Pasadena.
This game really is a toss-up. Michigan has a really good, but young team. Nearly every game has been close, which either means they have trouble putting away teams or really are a middle of the road team making the best with what they have. Forcier is an extremely talented QB who has a great future in front of him.
Iowa needs to keep doing what they have been doing, which is play strong defense and serviceable offense. Stanzi needs to keep the ball out of the hands of the Michigan secondary. While a team like Arkansas State can’t capitalize on those mistakes, Michigan can.
In a close game, the Iowa home field crowd, experience, and coaching will make this a win for Iowa.
4) No. 13 Oregon at UCLA – 3:30 on ABC
I asked the Duchess which game I should put at number 4 and she said “Ducks”, so here we go. Actually, it’s a pretty good pick for someone’s whose college football knowledge comes exclusively from reading the Touchdown.
After Oregon’s disastrous opening game that would have sent lesser teams into a tail spin, they’ve ripped off 4 straight victories and are suddenly the team to beat in the Pac 10. The only question for this game is if Jeremiah Masoli will be able to play, after his knee injury against the practice squad….er, I mean, Washington State.
UCLA has been impressive so far this season, but are hoping to bounce back after last week’s loss to Stanford. They are going to need all hands on deck, so they better be praying to whatever deity to get back safety Rahim Moore, who suffered a concussion last week. He will help immensely in trying to slow down the Oregon passing attack.
However, with UCLA’s inability to move the ball through the air, it makes them pretty one dimensional. Like most good teams, Oregon can stop one dimensional teams. Oregon wins it and showcases why they are the best in the Pac 10.
5) Boston College at No. 5 Virginia Tech – 12:00 on ESPN360
I didn’t expect to be writing about this game, so it either means there is a lack of good games this week or BC is a little surprising. Seriously, the highlight of my day normally involves me giving crap to some BC fan. It’s not hard when you work in Boston.
Anyway, after the loss to Clemson, BC has been able to won back-to-back conference games, but they seem to have found some offensive rhythm. Competent QB play was the only thing holding them back from being a force to be reckoned with. If you add that in with the solid running game, BC should have no issues with moving the ball.
Virginia Tech, as always, is good on both sides of the ball. I have to say I’m most surprised at the offense, with Tyrod Taylor actually showing the ability to move the ball through the air. I just don’t understand this team. They beat up on Miami, but have issues putting away Duke.
I think the same thing happens here. BC sticks around for the whole game, but VT finally puts them away late to win it.
6) Notre Dame vs. the Bye Week
As per usual, ND makes some critical errors and bone-head plays, but somehow pulls this one out in the end.
Extra Point:
7) Once again, we visit one of my least favorite weeks in the college football season. It’s the “we’ll give you one or two interesting games, but the rest are crap” week. Unfortunately, the Duchess can spot these weekends and it becomes a shopping weekend.
The problem is that other then the LSU/Florida tilt, there is no real game I want to watch. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll watch what’s on and probably enjoy myself, but there isn’t any game that gets me excited. A cursory glance at next week and there are about 4 games I’m excited about.
I do admit that not every weekend can have classic match-ups. However, when you sandwich this in between week 5 (with the Georgia/LSU, Miami/Oklahoma, and USC/Cal games) and week 7 (RED RIVER SHOOTOUT), it gets tough to get excited about Oregon/UCLA. Don’t worry though, I will.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Trent's Touchdown - Week 5
Another week, another handful of upsets and shake-ups in the polls. If I were a team in the top 10 and facing a marshmallow opponent, I would be very scared (I’m looking at you Cincinnati). While the football fan in me loves this, there are drawbacks, but more on this later. Now, on to the Touchdown.
1) No. 8 Oklahoma at No. 17 Miami – 8:00 on ABC
When the season started, I thought this game might be slightly interesting, with an up and coming Miami team facing a massively overrated Oklahoma team. Of course, all that was before the Sam Bradford injury, Oklahoma’s loss to BYU, and Miami running rough shod over the ACC also-rans before losing to Virginia Tech.
While Oklahoma fans are wetting themselves over blowout wins against powerhouses Tulsa and Idaho State, I don’t think you should start looking forward to the Red River Shootout in two weeks. I’ll say what I said a couple of weeks ago, Miami has the ability to key in on what you do best and eliminate it.
The problem last week is that as much as I don’t like Virginia Tech, they are pretty well balanced offensively and can survive by letting their defense and special teams win games for them. What Miami needs to do is key on Oklahoma’s running game, and put the game in the hands the QB.
The problem OU has is at the QB position. Landry Jones hasn’t really faced any tough competition. I think my old high school team would have put up a better fight than Idaho State. Can the freshman actually put together a good game against a good defense? I say no. After a tough game, Miami pulls it out, but barely.
2) No. 7 USC at No. 24 California – 8:00 on ABC
This is like the scheduling Gods are making up for what looked like a snoozer last week in prime time. Two good games that I have the misfortune of not being able to switch between,
This game really comes down to overcoming a loss. USC did it last week with a moderately impressive bounce back against Washington State. USC coming though against a relatively weak opponent is one thing, but Cal needs to come back from an absolute embarrassment handed to them by a team that pretty much threw in the towel after week 2.
Let’s be frank for a minute. USC is doing anything this year. They might be able to pull out the Pac 10 championship, but they aren’t going to be in the hunt for the National Championship. They need to rely on Joe McKnight and the defense.
For Cal, all you need to do is contain Jahvid Best and you’re all set. Oregon did it and made Cal look like a Pop Warner team. The problem is that USC and Cal will probably be 1-2 in the Pac-10. Pac-10 teams this year either have no talent (Washington St), need a year before they are ready (Washington), or have no discipline (Oregon).
As for this game, USC wins and does it with defense, though everyone will fall all over themselves to tell us how well Matt Barkley did.
3) No. 4 LSU at No. 18 Georgia – 3:30 on CBS
Tell me I’m not the only one who thinks that LSU is only 4th for lack of any other team they could put there. They barely escaped with road wins against Washington and Mississippi State. While I may be Washington water carrier, I know they are a limited team that is in a rebuilding year and Mississippi State is Mississippi State.
Georgia has gotten a bit of an unfair rap, but they tried to slug it out with a Big 12 team. You can’t get into a shootout with a high-flying Big 12 team. You need to let your speedy defense contain the offense while you play your game. I thought everyone learned this after Ole Miss dismantled Texas Tech and Florida beat up on Oklahoma last year.
LSU has been getting lucky on the road against opponents they should beat. While I may not like Georgia all that much, they are too good of a team to let LSU push them around. However, like most SEC match-ups between the middle of the pack teams, this one should be close, but Georgia wins it.
4) No. 22 Michigan at Michigan State – 12:00 on Big Ten Network
Laugh all you want, but Michigan State is 16 points away from being 4-0. While Michigan is 4-0, all their games have been played at home. Add into that the fact that super freshman Tate Forcier is coming off an injury; this could be an interesting game.
Michigan State needs to do the one thing they have failed to do all year, stop the passing game. Even if they do that, then they have to contend with the Michigan running game. While MSU is more than willing to let this dissolve into a shoot-out, they just don’t have the horses to win it by doing that.
MSU has one shot at this. They need to rattle Forcier early and they need to keep the crowd in it. This young Michigan team may get rattled by a hostile crowd and could buckle under the pressure MSU will surely try and put them under. I think Michigan pulls it off, but they probably let MSU hang around longer than they should.
5) No. 9 Ohio State at Indiana – 7:00 on Big Ten Network
I think Indiana is a lot better than people give them credit for, while Ohio State is overrated. Seriously, OSU gets Illinois last week and Terrelle Pryor looks like he would have trouble leading a high school team. Add on to that what Indiana did against Michigan on the road last week.
Indiana could have packed it in at any time and no one would have said a word about it. But they kept in the game and kept battling back and gave a big scare to the Wolverines. Beating OSU is fairly easy. Well, easy to plan, not exactly easy to implement.
Put the game in Pryor’s hands. Make him pass the ball. If Indiana can do that, they will be fine. Offensively, Indiana needs to play their game, take the shots when they come, and don’t do anything stupid. They beat Ohio State in yet another upset.
6) No. 21 Mississippi at Vanderbilt – 7:00 on ESPN U
I love how last week everyone was falling all over themselves praising Ole Miss and this week people are saying they need to look out for Vandy. Oh, the fickle winds of fate. Here’s a tip, if you have a talented team in the hands of Houston Nutt, you’re screwed.
Extra Point:
7) I’m taking the flip side of the coin and say this parity thing in college football is no good. How about we spread the upsets throughout the season instead of bludgeoning us about the head with them early in the season. If I were an Alabama fan, I would be wondering when McElroy’s knee was going to blow out.
The one thing about this parity thing that sucks is that I have to deal with these severely flawed teams moving into the top 5 or top 10. LSU is ranked 4th just because they are lucky enough not to have lost yet. Virginia Tech is ranked 6th and are the highest ranked 1 loss team. Seriously? I need some ACC team to wax VT so I don’t have to actively avoid the Orange Bowl again this year.
I think my main problem is that I have to deal with Oklahoma and Ohio State being back in the mix. I always feel like both teams are extremely overrated and become cannon fodder in the National Championship Game for whatever SEC school decides to win the conference. I just need to hope that Texas dispatches Oklahoma in a few weeks. I also need to stop using the Extra Point to rant against Oklahoma and Ohio State. Even if it is so much fun.
1) No. 8 Oklahoma at No. 17 Miami – 8:00 on ABC
When the season started, I thought this game might be slightly interesting, with an up and coming Miami team facing a massively overrated Oklahoma team. Of course, all that was before the Sam Bradford injury, Oklahoma’s loss to BYU, and Miami running rough shod over the ACC also-rans before losing to Virginia Tech.
While Oklahoma fans are wetting themselves over blowout wins against powerhouses Tulsa and Idaho State, I don’t think you should start looking forward to the Red River Shootout in two weeks. I’ll say what I said a couple of weeks ago, Miami has the ability to key in on what you do best and eliminate it.
The problem last week is that as much as I don’t like Virginia Tech, they are pretty well balanced offensively and can survive by letting their defense and special teams win games for them. What Miami needs to do is key on Oklahoma’s running game, and put the game in the hands the QB.
The problem OU has is at the QB position. Landry Jones hasn’t really faced any tough competition. I think my old high school team would have put up a better fight than Idaho State. Can the freshman actually put together a good game against a good defense? I say no. After a tough game, Miami pulls it out, but barely.
2) No. 7 USC at No. 24 California – 8:00 on ABC
This is like the scheduling Gods are making up for what looked like a snoozer last week in prime time. Two good games that I have the misfortune of not being able to switch between,
This game really comes down to overcoming a loss. USC did it last week with a moderately impressive bounce back against Washington State. USC coming though against a relatively weak opponent is one thing, but Cal needs to come back from an absolute embarrassment handed to them by a team that pretty much threw in the towel after week 2.
Let’s be frank for a minute. USC is doing anything this year. They might be able to pull out the Pac 10 championship, but they aren’t going to be in the hunt for the National Championship. They need to rely on Joe McKnight and the defense.
For Cal, all you need to do is contain Jahvid Best and you’re all set. Oregon did it and made Cal look like a Pop Warner team. The problem is that USC and Cal will probably be 1-2 in the Pac-10. Pac-10 teams this year either have no talent (Washington St), need a year before they are ready (Washington), or have no discipline (Oregon).
As for this game, USC wins and does it with defense, though everyone will fall all over themselves to tell us how well Matt Barkley did.
3) No. 4 LSU at No. 18 Georgia – 3:30 on CBS
Tell me I’m not the only one who thinks that LSU is only 4th for lack of any other team they could put there. They barely escaped with road wins against Washington and Mississippi State. While I may be Washington water carrier, I know they are a limited team that is in a rebuilding year and Mississippi State is Mississippi State.
Georgia has gotten a bit of an unfair rap, but they tried to slug it out with a Big 12 team. You can’t get into a shootout with a high-flying Big 12 team. You need to let your speedy defense contain the offense while you play your game. I thought everyone learned this after Ole Miss dismantled Texas Tech and Florida beat up on Oklahoma last year.
LSU has been getting lucky on the road against opponents they should beat. While I may not like Georgia all that much, they are too good of a team to let LSU push them around. However, like most SEC match-ups between the middle of the pack teams, this one should be close, but Georgia wins it.
4) No. 22 Michigan at Michigan State – 12:00 on Big Ten Network
Laugh all you want, but Michigan State is 16 points away from being 4-0. While Michigan is 4-0, all their games have been played at home. Add into that the fact that super freshman Tate Forcier is coming off an injury; this could be an interesting game.
Michigan State needs to do the one thing they have failed to do all year, stop the passing game. Even if they do that, then they have to contend with the Michigan running game. While MSU is more than willing to let this dissolve into a shoot-out, they just don’t have the horses to win it by doing that.
MSU has one shot at this. They need to rattle Forcier early and they need to keep the crowd in it. This young Michigan team may get rattled by a hostile crowd and could buckle under the pressure MSU will surely try and put them under. I think Michigan pulls it off, but they probably let MSU hang around longer than they should.
5) No. 9 Ohio State at Indiana – 7:00 on Big Ten Network
I think Indiana is a lot better than people give them credit for, while Ohio State is overrated. Seriously, OSU gets Illinois last week and Terrelle Pryor looks like he would have trouble leading a high school team. Add on to that what Indiana did against Michigan on the road last week.
Indiana could have packed it in at any time and no one would have said a word about it. But they kept in the game and kept battling back and gave a big scare to the Wolverines. Beating OSU is fairly easy. Well, easy to plan, not exactly easy to implement.
Put the game in Pryor’s hands. Make him pass the ball. If Indiana can do that, they will be fine. Offensively, Indiana needs to play their game, take the shots when they come, and don’t do anything stupid. They beat Ohio State in yet another upset.
6) No. 21 Mississippi at Vanderbilt – 7:00 on ESPN U
I love how last week everyone was falling all over themselves praising Ole Miss and this week people are saying they need to look out for Vandy. Oh, the fickle winds of fate. Here’s a tip, if you have a talented team in the hands of Houston Nutt, you’re screwed.
Extra Point:
7) I’m taking the flip side of the coin and say this parity thing in college football is no good. How about we spread the upsets throughout the season instead of bludgeoning us about the head with them early in the season. If I were an Alabama fan, I would be wondering when McElroy’s knee was going to blow out.
The one thing about this parity thing that sucks is that I have to deal with these severely flawed teams moving into the top 5 or top 10. LSU is ranked 4th just because they are lucky enough not to have lost yet. Virginia Tech is ranked 6th and are the highest ranked 1 loss team. Seriously? I need some ACC team to wax VT so I don’t have to actively avoid the Orange Bowl again this year.
I think my main problem is that I have to deal with Oklahoma and Ohio State being back in the mix. I always feel like both teams are extremely overrated and become cannon fodder in the National Championship Game for whatever SEC school decides to win the conference. I just need to hope that Texas dispatches Oklahoma in a few weeks. I also need to stop using the Extra Point to rant against Oklahoma and Ohio State. Even if it is so much fun.
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