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.