Northern Illinois at Kent State- Really not much to this one. I don’t even think it is on tv. Northern Illinois could get bowl eligible with a win.
Wednesday Nov 19
Ball State at Central Michigan- This is one of the games I have been waiting for. Undefeated, Ball State going to play defending MAC champs, Central Michigan. Pretty much should decide the division.
Thursday Nov 20
Miami at Georgia Tech - Currently sitting on top of the ACC Coastal division, this game should decide the division.
Friday Nov 21
Buffalo at Bowling Green- Top of the MAC East here. Buffalo is #1 while Bowling Green is the #2.
Fresno State at San Jose State- In the WAC there are more bowl eligible teams than Bowls available. These two are playing for more wins to make the case as to why they shouldn’t be eligible and left out.
Saturday Nov 22
West Virginia at Louisville- West Virginia still alive in the conference title race. Louisville still looking for win 6 for a bowl.
Michigan at Ohio State- Remember like 2 years ago this was #1 vs. #2 and all eyes were on the game? Does anyone outside of Ohio and Michigan even care this year?
Tennessee at Vanderbilt- I wonder when the last time Vanderbilt was favored over Tennessee was. Vanderbilt is now playing for a better bowl.
Washington at Washington State- Can we change the name from the Apple Cup to the Futility Cup? Honestly the only thing I want to see is if Washington can get a win since they are the last team in the nation without one.
Stanford at Cal- The Big Game, Stanford needs a win for a bowl. Cal needs a win to stay alive for a decent one.
Boston College at Wake Forest- There are implications on the Atlantic division here but I don’t know what they are because then it involves all sorts of who wins and who loses in the rest of the division. But I know it means something.
Michigan State at Penn State- Rose Bowl implications here. Penn State gets there with a win. MSU needs all kinds of help if the win and hope to get there.
UTEP at Houston- For some reason this one just appeals to me. Seems like it should be a pretty good game. Probably a bit of scoring going on.
Air Force at TCU- Probably over looked due to the BYU at Utah game being played the same day but this one is just as big in the Mountain West thanks to the TCU win over BYU. Besides all that these two are still a part of the top of the conference.
Boise State at Nevada- Boise State is not really the same team on the road as they are at home. Well that used to be the case, they haven’t had much trouble this year. But if they relapse to how they used to be on the road, Nevada could give them trouble.
BYU at Utah- The Holy War and a BCS berth on the line. Utah wins they should be in the BCS. BYU wins and gets some help around the country they still have an outside shot at it. The last two have been decided by a total of 9 points and 3 years ago went to over time.
Oregon State at Arizona- Oregon State still in the lead of he Pac 10 for the Rose bowl. Win out they are in. they passed test #1 with Cal. Test 2 maybe harder as Arizona has beat a ranked team at home in November 4 years in a row.
Pitt at Cincinnati- The top of the Big East pretty much playing for the conference. I think Cincinnati would clench it with a win, which would then put more importance on next weeks West Virginia-Pitt game.
Louisiana Lafayette at Troy- Both are 4-1 in the conference and therefore are the leaders so obviously the winner takes over sole possession of 1st place in the conference.
Florida State at Maryland- Right now listed as the top teams in the ACC Atlantic. The winner takes the lead for now.
Texas Tech at Oklahoma- It has been a few weeks since we had a big ranked vs. ranked game in the Big 12. I am sure we all remember some of those others not to mention that this was a close one last year too.
If you look back at my thoughts and opinions articles through the weeks and then look at when certain coaches were let go you will notice that the week before Willingham and Fulmer were let go I mentioned it was getting to be about the time that the school make some changes. Now, last week I called out Syracuse and what happened today? Greg Robinson has been let go. I won’t call anyone out this week. You’re welcome struggling coaches.
Bryles and Cutcliffe
In my bold predictions to start the season I called for these two to take their schools to a new level right away. Last season Baylor was 0-8 and 3-9 and under Bryles this year is 2-5 and 4-7. Duke on the other hand was 0-8 and 1-11 last year but has gone 1-5 and 4-6 under Cutcliffe. Progress has been made.
New Uniforms at Oregon
Nike and the Ducks have done it again. Another new helmet, making 4 to choose from. This one is black although I hear it has some dark green to it. And the uniforms are a solid black instead of their previous black with green sleeves. On the shoulders, where Oregon normally has some diamond plate design, was what looked like wings. When Oregon first debuted the yellow helmets they lost and the helmets became unpopular, as though they were bad luck. The black ones now have a win so they will be a favorite for now.
Don’t Give Up
Well I thought we all learned after last season to never overlook an opponent but with Troy going up 31-3 on defending National Champions LSU I thought maybe I was wrong. What I did learn later is that even down 31-3 in the 4th quarter, never give up. A lot of LSU fans left early and missed one of the best comeback wins in all of college football. Honorable mention to Arizona who almost made the omeback but couldn’t quite get there.
Vanderbilt Going Bowling
Well they got their 6th win to become bowl eligible, now its just about playing for a better bowl. With a struggling Tennessee team coming up Vanderbilt could be at 7 wins. This will be their first bowl since 1982.
Rose Bowl Rematch
Right now Oregon State and Penn State are in control of their won destiny to make it to the Rose Bowl. Oregon Still needs to get through Arizona and rival Oregon. Penn State only has Michigan State left. Does anyone else really want to see a rematch o####ame that ended 45-14?
The Apple Cup
I am not sure how just yet but I think both Washington and Washington State will both find a way to lose this game. The worse part is I am sure this will take up valuable tv time over a game that will almost certainly be better.
Notre Dame Going Bowling
With a win over Navy, Notre Dame is bowling again. While it is good for the program after last years disaster season, I still feel this is one of those teams that shouldn’t get a bid until they are at 7 wins. Why do we reward average? 6-6 is really something to get excited over?
What’s Up With Tulsa?
A couple weeks ago they had like the best offense in the NCAA, were undefeated and looking like a potential BCS buster. Now they have lost 2 in a row and haven’t had more than 30 points in either loss. Suddenly they may even be a question mark to play for the Conference USA title.
Conference USA East
Tulsa isn’t the only question mark in the Conference USA title chase. The East has plenty of questions too. East Carolina was primed and ready to go, that is until they lost this week to Southern Miss. Now, while ECU is still in the lead, it just isn’t as secure as it would have been with a win.
Big MAC Time
What I mean is Ball State vs. Central Michigan this week. I have been looking forward to this one for a while now. If this isn’t a shoot out or doesn’t come down to the final minutes I will be greatly disappointed winner should have the inside edge to the MAC championship. The under card to this one is the fact that Buffalo plays Bowling Green. Neither team is as hyped in the MAC as the teams in the other game but Buffalo and Bowling Green currently sit 1 and 2 in the MAC East.
Hawaii Might Not Even Play in It’s Own Bowl
Hawaii is at 5-5 right now and has Idaho up next. Conventional wisdom would say they would get an invite to the Hawaii Bowl with a win. Unfortunately they have 13 games this season so they have to win 2 of the last 3. The other two games are Washington State and Cincinnati. All three games are at home. Idaho and Washington State are not very good teams at all. Then again Hawaii lost to Utah State this season too.
Ball State at Miami Oh- should be an easy one for Ball State to move them to 10-0 as they head into the tougher part of the schedule following this one. Up next Central Michigan and Western Michigan, the only other two teams that are bowl eligible in the MAC.
Wednesday
Buffalo at Akron- Both are 5-4 and at the top of the MAC East so an appearance in the MAC championship game is at stake. Also the winner moves to 6 wins so a bowl could also be in the cards.
Central Michigan at Northern Illinois- Central Michigan is still in the hunt for yet another MAC championship but they can’t be looking ahead to Ball State because Northern Illinois is one win away from bowl eligibility. They are motivated.
Friday
Cincinnati at Louisville- Cincinnati is still in the mix for the Big East title while Louisville is looking to play spoiler. Louisville needs another win for a bowl. Also to keep in mind, the number of games from the Big East that have been upsets on Thursdays and Fridays the past couple years.
Saturday
Texas at Kansas- Kansas has fallen down a little bit but is still one of the better teams in the Big 12 North. Texas wants to keep wining to keep their Championship hopes alive.
South Carolina at Florida- One of the only games featuring two ranked teams and I couldn’t be less excited. The way Florida is playing right now and at home does anyone expect a close one? I don’t .
North Carolina at Maryland- North Carolina is in the lead in the ACC Coastal while Maryland is still a contender in the Atlantic. I suppose this could be a preview of the ACC title game but with the way the ACC has been this year I am not so sure.
Cal at Oregon State- the Beavers need to win out to win the Pac 10 and go to the Rose Bowl. That means going through the other three teams in the conference going to bowls already all in a row. First up is Cal who is now playing for bowl positioning.
BYU at Air Force- With all the hype about Utah, TCU and BYU, Air Force has quietly gone 8-2 and 5-1 in MWC play. The only loss in conference being to Utah, the Falcons could still throw a wrench in to the seasons of BYU and TCU.
Arizona at Oregon- Currently at the 3 and 4 spot in the conference so hoping for 2nd place or a big slip up by the top teams to move up to the #1. Unlikely but still need to win here just in case.
Nebraska at Kansas State- Nebraska still has an outside chance at the North but I think Missouri would have to lose both of it’s final games.
Boise State at Idaho- Undefeated and still holding onto BCS hopes. I don’t think Idaho is going to offering much resistance.
USC at Stanford- Remember this one from last year? And this Stanford team is better. Do I need to say more?
Utah at San Diego State- Like Ball State and Boise State, Utah’s opponent doesn’t look to offer much challenge and they should come out still perfect.
Vanderbilt at Kentucky- Vandy was 5-0 and eyeing a bowl. Now they are 5-4 and hoping to make one. This is a good chance for them to make it.
UCLA at Washington- Washington is the last team without a win… in the country. This is one of their best chances to pick one up.
Stanford went 4-8 last season and has been able to improve to a 5 win season but would love to get 1 more for bowl eligibility. They had a shot against Oregon, but the Ducks scored with 6 seconds left for the win. Stanford needs to either beat USC or at Cal. Vanderbilt has matched the 5 wins they had last year by starting the season 5-0. Now they have lost 4 in a row. Their remaining schedule has them going to 6-4 Kentucky and # 24 6-3 Wake Forest. The good news is the game in between is at home against a struggling Tennessee.
Speaking of Teams on the Decline
Minnesota needs to watch out having now lost 2 in a row with a road game up next. Then again considering where they were last year, getting the 7 wins they did is still probably the biggest turn around for any team this season.
The ACC Could be the Conference With the Most Bowl Eligible Teams
They already have 8 and Virginia only needs 1 more win to get 6. Clemson needs 2 of it’s last 3. So does Duke. North Carolina State would need to win out. Based on who plays who it is possible that all 12 teams were bowl eligible. I just don’t see it happening that way.
The Pac 10 Will Not Fill All Their Bowls
7 Bowls and 5 eligible teams. As I mentioned before Stanford needs 1 more win to get to 6 while UCLA and Arizona State both need to win out. I do not believe any of that will happen.
Oregon State Still Controls It’s Own Destiny
I am sure anyone that follows college football knows this already. Oregon State still has three games remaining, all three against the next three teams in the Pac 10 standings. If they win out they could get to the Rose Bowl. Problem is I don’t think I want to watch it if it is Oregon State vs. Penn State.
Next Coach Out-Greg Robinson
It has been talked about since the start of the season. Everyone knew if Syracuse didn’t win then he was out. So now sitting at 2-7 it is obvious a winning season and bowl are out of the question. He should be out, now we just play the waiting game.
Texas Tech Has More People Believing
I questioned last week about the easy schedule and high ranking of Texas Tech. I said yes they beat Texas but let’s see how they do with more difficult opponents than the likes of Eastern Washington and Massachusetts. Now with back to back wins over top 10 teams and 3 in a row over ranked teams, they have me riding shotgun on the bandwagon. The question is how sturdy is my seat with as Texas Tech travels to #5 Oklahoma.
Miami at Buffalo- Yeah sure its on but I don’t think many will be watching. Even if Buffalo wins and moves to 5-4 and only needs one more win to be bowl eligible, and even if they win out to go to 8-4, I still don’t think they would get a bowl bid.
Wednesday Nov 5
Northern Illinois at Ball State- Ok this one should get some viewers. If for no other reason but to see if undefeated Ball State can stay perfect while playing a 5-3 Northern Illinois.
Thursday Nov 6
Maryland at Virginia Tech- Maryland now finds itself at the top of the ACC Atlantic while Virginia Tech is down to a tie for 4th in the Coastal. This is an ACC game but will be overshadowed by….
TCU at Utah- Two Mountain West teams ranked in the top 15. Utah wants to stay perfect while TCU looks to move up and have a shot at being a 1 loss team in the BCS. Of course when BYU and TCU played everyone expected a close game and we all know how that turned out.
Friday Nov 7
Nevada at Fresno State-Two teams that usually finish high in the WAC are just trying to make a bowl. Fresno does it with a win while Nevada needs this and another.
Saturday Nov 8
Ohio State at Northwestern- They are both ranked and 7-2. Really at this point it is just playing for position and bowl status.
Georgia Tech at North Carolina-A couple ACC teams playing jump rope with the rankings all season are playing eachother while both are on the ranked side.
Purdue at Michigan State- Michigan State has a shot at the Rose Bowl still if it can win out including beating Penn State in a couple weeks. Gotta beat Purdue first.
Louisville at Pittsburg- What’s up with Louisville losing to Syracuse two years in a row? Well if they want to go bowling they need to rebound and pick up their 6th by beating Pitt. Pitt already has 6 and is just trying to keep Big East title hopes going.
Georgia at Kentucky- Kentucky took out their frustration of getting destroyed by Florida by edging Mississippi state. Georgia just got beat down by Florida and looks to take it out on Kentucky.
Virginia at Wake Forest- Two players in the jumbled mess that is the ACC. I gotta believe both are still alive in the ACC race somehow.
Alabama at LSU- This will pretty much decide the West. Well almost even if Alabama loses they can still win out and win the west. Or so I read somewhere. Either way should be a good game.
Marshall at East Carolina- Both are 3-1 in conference and currently sit at the top of the East division. East Carolina at 1 and Marshall at 2. After that there is a couple games separation. So the winner should win the division.
Penn State at Iowa- Lots of people think this could trip up Penn State on their quest for a perfect season and BCS birth. They obviously need to win and win big.
Stanford at Oregon- Stanford is a player this year in the Pac 10. Both sit at 4-2 in the conference. Stanford needs a win to become bowl eligible. Stanford is riding momentum of beating WSU while Oregon may be reeling from losing to Cal.
Oregon State at UCLA- Oregon State needs to win out. If they do they win the Pac 10 and go to the Rose Bowl. More importantly USC doesn’t win the Pac 10.
Cincinnati at West Virginia- WVU currently sits at the top of the Big East. Cincinnati is just 1 game back in a tie for second. Obviously a big one in the conference.
Florida at Vanderbilt- Vanderbilt started 5-0 and is now currently riding a 3 game losing streak. I don’t usually make prediction but I think I see loss 4 here. Florida has just looked way to good lately.
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech- Ok yeah this is how many weeks in a row that we have seen top 10 Big 12 teams go at it?? Texas Tech wants to keep the momentum of knocking off #1 Texas going another week. Oklahoma State should provide just as good a game.
Cal at USC- Cal is another Pac 10 team that can win out and make the Rose Bowl. If they win out that means they win this one and beat Oregon State down the road. Again best part is USC doesn’t win the Pac 10 again.
Nothing against USC, just tired of seeing them win the conference.
Notre Dame at Boston College- This is one of Notre Dame’s handful of rivalry games. Both are 5-3 and so therefore the winner gets bowl eligible.
1 Loss or Not, Florida is Playing the Best Football Right Now
Yes I know they have 1 loss to an unranked Mississippi and yes, I know there are other teams out there that are undefeated, but no other team out there has done what Florida has done as well as they have done it. It’s one thing to beat ranked teams but it is another to beat them in the fashion Florida has done it. Not to mention the beatings they gave the other unranked teams.
Easy Schedule and a High Ranking
People questioned if Texas Tech was for real with what was viewed as an easy schedule that got them high in the rankings. They proved, at least for now, they very well could be the real deal. They held on long enough to beat #1 Texas and moved to 9-0 and #2 in the AP poll.
Crabtree Game Winner: The Catch of the Year
I hope every either saw this or caught replay, highlight, or just you tube it. Crabtree not only made a great catch but also showed his amazing talent to break the tackle, stay in bounds and tightrope the sideline. To see it play live was great and even though I am not a Texas Tech fan I still threw my arms up to signal touchdown when he crossed the goal line.
SEC Coaching Openings
Anyone interested? I think it is pretty safe to say that Tennessee and Auburn will be looking for new coaches pretty soon. I know it sounds a little crazy that with 1 bad season this could be the case but these are beyond your normal down seasons for these programs. The expectations for coaches at these institutions are a bit higher than normal and right now they aren’t being met.
Big 10 Great Finishes
Michigan States come from behind game wining field goal to get by Wisconsin was a great way to end the game. The Spartans are now 8-2 and in second place in the Big 10. An even better finish was the end of the Northwestern at Minnesota game. With the game tied a Minnesota had the ball when the pass was deflected by the receiver, off a defender and into the hands of another who then ran the interception in for the game winning touchdown.
The Sorry State of Washington
We all knew the two teams were bad but this weekend took them to a new level. Both Washington and Washington State were shut out on Saturday. North Texas won leaving the University of Washington as the only DIA school without a win. Washington State hasn’t scored since the second quarter of their Oregon State loss. That was 3 games ago. 10 full scoreless quarters.
The ACC
It doesn’t even make sense. Both divisions are all a mess. You have to play the big “What If” game to figure out who leads and who still has a chance at the conference championship game. Looking at the standings… I still don’t get it.
Tulsa Out
Tulsa fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, Non BCS teams, in their first and only game against a team from a BCS conference, Arkansas from the SEC. They weren’t in the best position to make a BCS game though as Utah, Boise State, Ball State, BYU and TCU were all ranked ahead of them. Now it is certainty they will not make a BCS bowl.
Buffalo at Ohio- Tuesday games have become pretty common. The only thing here is that if Ohio loses they have no chance at bowl eligibility.
Houston at Marshall- Houston is actually at 3-0 in the conference, right behind the more publicized Tulsa. If Houston can keep it up circle Nov 15 when Tulsa visits Houston. Marshall is still playing to get to a bowl.
Thursday
USF at Cincinnati- USF is ranked and yet they are in 7th out of 8 in the Big East. Cincinnati only has 1 place on them in the standings.
Saturday
West Virginia at Connecticut- Uconn is the ranked team and not West Virginia. The two currently sit at 1 and 2 in the Big East.
Central Michigan at Indiana- Central Michigan is still one of the top teams of the MAC and Indiana is a struggling team in the Big 10. Could be a big win for Central Michigan.
Northwestern at Minnesota- Two of the surprising teams in the Big 10 this season Minnesota finds itself at 7-1 while Northwestern is 6-2.
Air Force at Army- Game two in the Commander in Chief Trophy games. After this all that’s left is Army/Navy.
Kansas State at Kansas- Do they play for some sort of trophy in this? I really don’t know.
Tulsa at Arkansas- Tulsa needs the win to add a little credibility to their resume for a BCS bid. At 3-5 Arkansas just needs a win.
Pitt at Notre Dame- Well they are both 5-2 but I just don’t know that this will be all that great a game.
Oregon at Cal- Oregon is in a tie for first with USC(although USC holds the tie breaker) and Cal is just one game behind them. It is likely the winner could end up in the 2 spot in the conference with the outside chance at 1 should USC slip up again.
Florida State ate Georgia Tech- Florida State is now the highest ranked ACC team and Georgia Tech is trying to recover from a surprising loss to Virginia. There is a chance we see this again in the ACC title game.
Florida vs. Georgia- Cocktail party time. SEC East, SEC title and National title implications are once again on the line in one of the biggest rivalries in the game.
North Texas at Western Kentucky- Could be North Texas’ only shot at a win.
Washington at USC- Willingham has now resigned effective at the end of the season. How are the UW players going to play against USC now?
Boise State at New Mexico State- Boise State’s next step on the way to a perfect season.
Texas at Texas Tech- Oh two top 10 teams from the Big XII are playing again this week? Huh havent seen that all season long. Oh yeah about the game, lots of offense.
Sunday
East Carolina at UCF- Another Sunday night game in the conference USA. East Carolina may have lost the headlines after a fast start but they are still the leader in the CUSA East.
And fire Willingham already. They keep saying they will keep him through the year but my question is why?? I don’t think it would change the outcome of this year but to have next year set with someone who can start on the recruiting trail.
Virginia’s 180
They have now gone from last to the top of the ACC Coastal division in a matter of a couple of weeks. After losing 3 out of their first 4, including a loss to Duke, they have won 4 in row capped off the last 2 weeks by beating North Carolina and Georgia Tech back to back while both were ranked at #18. Question is can they keep it up for a few more weeks.
As good as Oklahoma State is Now
What can we expect next season? With what they could lose and what they hope to have back, the Cowboys will be a contender again next year. That’s all I have to say.
The Potential BCS Busters could be thanking the Big East
As it stands now South Florida is the highest ranked team in any poll at #23. The way the Big East is going they might not have a team ranked higher than 16 in the final BCS poll opening the door wider than usual for the likes of Utah, Boise State, Tulsa, Ball State, TCU and BYU.
Penn State Could Have the Easiest Road to the Title
From here on out they have only 3 games to go with two teams that have winning records. Going to Iowa could be a trap if they start looking to far ahead. Indiana shouldn’t be any trouble and finishing at home with Michigan State will probably be the toughest game but no on one there is ranked. Alabama still has to go to ranked LSU and a likely ranked Florida or Georgia in the SEC title game. Texas is going to ranked Texas Tech next and has to go to a currently ranked Kansas in a couple weeks. They still have to finish with a likely ranked team in the Big XII title game.
Oregon May Have Found their QB for the Future
Replacing a player like Dennis Dixon is no easy task and Oregon thus far has had people that have been doing ok but nothing to special. JC transfer Jeremiah Masoli has proven he can run the ball but so far has struggled in the passing game. While the run remains the Ducks primary offensive means, Masoli threw for 17 for 26 for 147 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. Two weeks ago he only threw for 42 yards against UCLA. Oh yeah, he is only a Sophomore and Oregon QB’s tend to improve drastically from year to year.
Georgia-Florida Will Be Huge
The Cocktail Party will be the biggest game in the SEC this season. Both teams are rolling right now on offense. The game will once again have division, conference and National Championship implications. I just don’t want to see the Georgia players dancing again. Not that there was anything wrong with the reason for it, it just wasn’t good dancing.
A One Dimensional Offense Can Work
In Navy’s 34-7 win over SMU the Mids didn’t throw the ball one time. They instead ran the ball 77 times for 404 yards. The game was played in harsh weather of wind and rain which was less than optimal for throwing the ball anyway which may have also hurt SMU with June Jones’ offense which relies heavily on the pass.
Love in the Box
Dante Love attended the Ball State game yesterday for the first time since his injury. He watched the game from the coaches box. Ball State won 38-16 over Eastern Michigan and remains undefeated.
Penn State/Ohio State, Texas/ Oklahoma State Live up to the Hype
Of the big games for the day these two were clearly the most talked about and the didn’t disappoint. Penn State won when they intercepted Pryor’s pass at the end zone. Texas won when Oklahoma Sate was unable to hail marry to come from behind.
Ohio at Temple- Tuesday game in the MAC for…not much. Really the win here is just to stay eligible for a winning season. A loss puts either at 6 losses and a 6-6 at best season.
Thursday
Auburn at West Virginia- At the beginning of the season this was supposed to be a huge one between two ranked teams. Now neither is ranked and both need the win kinda badly.
New Mexico at Air Force- Everyone is talking about Utah, BYU and TCU in the Mountain West. Air Force actually has a 3-1 record in the conference and is just as in it as those other three. New Mexico, not so much.
Friday
Boise State at San Jose State- In all the WAC, these are the two that are undefeated in conference play. San Jose State has been something of a surprise in reaching for the top of the conference while Boise State is still eyeballing the BCS.
Saturday
Cincinnati at Connecticut- The Big East has barely started conference play but these two are still close to the top. There overall records has both with 5 wins. So the winner hit’s the 6 for bowl eligibility.
Boston College at North Carolina- This is a pretty decent one in the ACC. Both are at 5 wins so again bowl eligibility is on the line. North Carolina needs the win if it wants to even have an outside chance at the Conference Championship game.
Texas Tech at Kansas- A couple of ranked teams in the Big 12 going at it for yet another week. Lots of offense in this match up and Texas Tech is trying to stay perfect.
UNLV at BYU- UNLV started the season hot but is now 0-3 in Mountain West play. BYU needs to rebound from the loss to TCU last week.
Duke at Vanderbilt- Two of the more improved teams in the country. Vanderbilt is looking at this one for a 6th win to get them to bowl eligible for the first time in….well a long time.
Virginia Tech at Florida State- Anther big ACC game. Both at 5 wins looking for 6 for bowl eligibility and at 2-1 in the conference. A 3-1 record would suit either just fine. Virginia at
Georgia Tech- Virginia appeared to be helpless but has turned their season around since the start of the season. Georgia Tech has a 3-1 ACC lead and a 6-1 overall record.
Georgia at LSU- Now we got a couple top teams in the SEC playing it out. Georgia may well take a page from hated rival Florida on how to beat LSU and LSU will look to see what rival Alabama did to beat UGA. Could and should be good but something tells me one of these teams is going to run the other over. I’m not saying who though.
Michigan State at Michigan- In most states this one would be reserved fro rivalry weekend at the end of the season. In a reversal of rolls Michigan State is the apparent better team this year.
Oklahoma State at Texas- Texas has been playing ranked teams every week lately. This time we get 2 undefeated, top 10 teams in an after noon match up. I think this one will be another scoreboard burning, down to the wire game.
Alabama at Tennessee- This has to be the turnaround game of the season. Alabama has turned it around staring the season at 7-0 which is exactly the number of wins they had last season including their bowl. Tennessee has started 3-4 and 1-3 in the conference and finds itself in last place in the East after winning the division last season.
Penn State at Ohio State- Biggest of the game in the Big 10 of the year, so far and probably till the end of the season. Penn State is 8-0 overall and 4-0 in conference. Ohio State is 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the conference. The winner has the inside track to the conference title.
Notre Dame at Washington- Everyone loves to build up these, old coach new team games. This will probably be the last time though since it looks like Willingham is gone pretty soon.
USC at Arizona- Arizona should have lost that game with Cal last week in order to save some luck for this week. Not that they aren’t a capable team they seem to have a history of just 1 big win later in the season.
Oregon at Arizona State- Good chance these two are somewhere in the mix for at least second place in the conference. Probably going to see some points in this one.
After losing to TCU, BYU fell to a ranking of 18 in the AP and 17 in the coaches poll. TCU jumped into the AP to 15 and from 24 to 15 in the coaches. This puts them behind Utah and Boise State. Thing is they are still ahead of the highest ranked team from the ACC. If either can win out and Utah and Boise State should lose and the ACC champion stays behind them, then they still have a chance at making a BCS bowl. There is no rule that says a team has to be undefeated to make a BCS bowl even though that has been accepted as the standard.
The Maryland Rollercoaster Continues
Has there been a more up and down team than Maryland? Struggles to beat Delaware and loses to Middle Tennessee State. The next game they beat a ranked California. They go on to beat Eastern Michigan and a ranked Clemsononly to lose their next game by a score of 31-0. This past weekend they again beat another ranked team in a 26-0 shutout of Wake Forest.
Where did Clemson and Wisconsin Go?
Both started the season ranked in the top 15 and now? Clemson is now 3-4 and 1-3 in the ACC. Wisconsin is now 3-4 and 0-4 in the Big 10. Both were considered favorites to challenge for their conferences but now I have to wonder if they are even going to make bowls.
Vanderbilt Bowl Hunting
Vanderbilt started the season at 5-0 but have now lost 2 in a row. All they really need is one more win to be eligible and with the next game against Duke it is very likely they will reach that 6th win. They might not make the BCS but for this program a bowl is a bowl.
My Mistake on Ohio State at Michigan State
Last week I made the statement that this would be a good one but boy was I wrong. No this isn’t the first time and I am sure it won’t be the last but this was just a bad one. It’s ok, I wasn’t the only one that got suckered on this one.
Washington State is the Worst team Ever
Now I don’t know the exact numbers but I don’t know it I could believe that there was another team that has been this bad. Washington State has 1 win and it was against DIAA Portland State. Despite that 1 win they have lost and lost bad. They have now given up 60 points in 4 conference games. Cal, Oregon, Oregon State and USC all topped the 60 point mark. In only the Portland State game did they even top 20 points.
Tough Enough to Wear Pink
It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and New Mexico State is doing their part. The end zones were pink. The players had pink socks, pink tape, and even the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness on the sides of their helmets. In the end they did lose the game to San Jose State, but I think something more important was won with the money raised for breast cancer awareness.
Tulsa is Still Underrated
Yes they are now in the top 25 but it sure did take a long time and they are barely in. 7-0 and the best offense in the country. Their lowest score was 37 and they just scored the highest point this season by notching up 77 on UTEP.
Florida State at North Carolina State- I got nothing here other than it is on. I guess Florida State is looking decent enough with a 4-1 record. If nothing else it gives the FSU fans more fuel for the “FSU is back” fire.
BYU at TCU- This one is more of a story. BYU is 6-0 and TCU is 6-1. TCU may be out of the BCS buster race but BYU is at the front. This one has Mountain West and BCS implications. BY has a potent offense and TCU has a fairly stingy defense.
Friday Oct 17
Hawaii at Boise State- Last year this one was for the conference. This year it’s more for Boise State to win the conference and to keep their hopes of crashing the BCS again alive.
Saturday Oct 18
Wake Forest at Maryland- Wake Forest is 2-0 in the conference so they need a win here to keep the lead. Maryland is 1-1 and a win will keep them in the hunt while a loss would all but knock them out.
Western Michigan at Central Michigan- This is the first of a series of MAC games that will shape out the MAC West. With both these teams and Ball State still undefeated in MAC play, this will be the first start putting things in their place.
Vanderbilt at Georgia- Both are 5-1 overall and are sitting at 1 loss in conference play. Both still have a shot at winning the division and making the SEC championship game.
Ohio State at Michigan State- Comparable numbers for this one too. Actually identical. Both come in at 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the Big 10. I think this one will see a lot of running as both have do all running backs in Wells and Ringer.
Middle Tennessee State at Louisville- Middle Tennessee upset Maryland and came up 1 yard short of an upset of Kentucky. The Blue Raiders would love to notch a win over Big East member Louisville.
Kansas at Oklahoma- After losing the Red River Shootout, Oklahoma now enters this game with the same record as Kansas. Both are now 5-1 and still hoping to make the Big 12 title game with the hopes of making the BCS Championship Game.
Miami at Duke- Actually an interesting looking match up this year. Miami is still rebuilding and Duke appears to be improved. Neither team has been overly consistent this year, so it will come down to who shows up to play.
Mississippi at Alabama- Mississippi already upset Florida and now tries to take one off a rested Alabama. The tide couldn’t overcome the bye week to secure the #1 spot and now have to make sure the time off didn’t slow them down.
Stanford at UCLA- This is for all the people out there that pretend to follow all of college football but don’t. Stanford is 3-1 in the Pac 10 and 4-3 overall. Stanford isn’t as bad a team as people think just because they were bad a few years ago. UCLA on the other hand isn’t very good.
Arkansas State at Louisiana Lafayette- A Sun Belt shaping game as both come in at 2-0 in the conference. Other than that I don’t know much on either team. I know ULL has a good running game and Arkansas State beat Texas A&M to open the season.
Florida International at Troy- Here is another one. Both teams are 2-0 in the Sun belt. Troy was expected to be here and playing for the conference. FIU on the other hand was not and was at a point where a 6-6 season would have been a surprise.
San Jose State at new Mexico State- The WAC has been fairly defined by Boise State, Fresno State and Hawaii. Here is a couple teams that are in the chase for now. SJS is 2-0 and NMS is 1-0 in the conference. Yeah I know it is early that’s why I said for now.
UTEP at Tulsa- Both enter 3-0 in conference play. That’s where the similar records ends. Tulsa is 6-0 and is playing for an undefeated season and an outside chance at a big time bowl. UTEP is pretty much playing for a conference championship game birth and a normal CUSA bowl.
Virginia Tech at Boston College- Interdivisional match up in the ACC. Virginia Tech comes in at 2-0 in the conference while Boston College is 1-1. BC needs to win to stay in the conference race.
Missouri at Texas- Texas has entered the murderous part of their schedule. They took care of Oklahoma and now have Missouri and Oklahoma State at home followed by a trip to Texas Tech all in a row. Missouri is trying to rebound after the loss to Oklahoma State.
Cal at Arizona- Cal is the only team that is undefeated in the Pac 10. Arizona was up until falling short against Stanford last week. If Arizona can upset Cal then the Pac 10 race opens up again.
LSU at South Carolina- LSU is still squarely in the SEC West fight while South Carolina is hoping to make a bowl game. I would expect a bit of a defensive battle.
Good luck with that. There was once a time when all you had to do was say North Texas and you were fine. Troy always seems like the will contend and usually do. FAU was the flavor of the month after winning it last year but they don’t look up to it so far this year. Arkansas Sate is in the picture and you cant count out Louisiana Lafayette with their running game.
Red River Shootout
Like I said I am not calling it the other thing but it truly has surpassed all other rivalries in terms of how much it means on the national stage. I can’t think of another rivalry that has had as much on the line for both teams. Name another major rivalry where both schools where so consistently in the national championship race. Maybe UGA/Florida. Ohio State/Michigan has meant more to Ohio State than Michigan lately.
Ranked and Lost
Upsets were bountiful this week. Surprisingly Thursday wasn’t doomsday for a ranked team like it has been recently. Saturday on the other hand had a few top ranked teams going down. Coaches poll numbers 1, 2 and 3 all lost. Also numbers 14, 22, 23 and 24 lost. That’s 7 ranked teams in one week. Most were to other ranked teams though.
Michigan is not Michigan
Talk about the winged helmets and the winningest program and all the tradition and history but you still just lost to Toledo. You are now 24-1 against the MAC. That 1 loss was to 2-4 Toledo. I know expectations weren’t super high this year with the new coach and system but I don’t know that anyone saw this coming.
Gopher Turn Around
Minnesota went 1-11 last season and have now started 6-1 meaning they are bowl eligible. The only win they had last season was MAC team Miami OH. So far this season the only loss they have had is to Ohio State. They were 0-8 and last place in the Big 10 last season but have now started the season 2-1 and are currently in 4th in the conference.
NON-BCS Did It Again
Tulsa, Boise State, Utah, BYU and Ball State again went 5-0 for the weekend meaning we still have 5 undefeated teams from outside the Big 6. Like I have said before though, only 4 can finish undefeated. I hope it happens, too.
At This Time, This Season
I believe the Big 12 is the best conference. Going into this week they had 5 undefeated teams. All 5 were ranked, 4 of them in the top 10. On top of that you also have a 1 loss Kansas in there. Now after 4 of the teams matched up there are still 3 undefeated, 4 ranked in the top 10 and another at 11. Kansas still only has 1 loss and is bringing up the rear at 16. And yes I know this will probably be the part that gets the most comments.
Still Questioning Auburn
I am not trying to pick on the but they are going down the #### fast. Maybe it is because I picked Auburn to win the West and they are letting me down big time. Franklin could have been a good hire if Tuberville would have actually let him do what his offense was supposed to. I don’t think I ever saw it quite like it was run at Troy last season. Instead they fire him and say it was a mistake to hire him. Then Auburn turns around and loses to Arkansas in what was probably their worst offensive game this season.
Ohio State at Michigan State
When was the last time Ohio State’s bigger game with a school from Michigan was the one with State in the name? Both schools enter next weeks game at 6-1 setting up what appears to be a big match up. We’ve all heard about how big Ohio State-Michigan is. How it has Big 10 and National implications. Not so much this year. Like I said earlier Michigan just isn’t Michigan this year. Michigan State, though, is one of the top teams in the Big 10 and has one of the best runners and a true Heisman candidate in Javon Ringer
That Was Weird
There were a couple moments that left me going, HUH?? The end of the Notre Dame at North Carolina game with the way the clock ticked down and the questionable fumble, I just wasn’t really sure what was going on. Why was Maclin running backwards in the Missouri loss? Well that’s besides the point. The weird part was the forward lateral. I guess when you think about it trying to pitch it around to end a game isn’t that unusual. It still made me sit up and go “Huh, weird. The last game I watched was UCLA at Oregon. At some point late a UCLA player got hurt and they had to cart him out. The weird part came when during this there was a fight in the stands and 1 fan was arrested and some fans fell out of the stands. At least one was
taken out on a stretcher. Weirdest stoppage I have ever seen.
Troy at Florida Atlantic- Preseason had this game pegged as a potential Sun belt decider. While it is still early in conference play Florida Atlantic is already 0-1. Troy on the other hand is 1-0. Thing is there are other teams making noise in the conference.
Thursday Oct 9
Clemson at Wake Forest- I was sure this would be two ranked teams but so far Clemson hasn’t fully lived up to the early hype. In the end I am sure it will still end up having some effect on the ACC Atlantic.
Friday Oct 10
Louisville at Memphis- Hey anyone else remember back in the day when these two played in Conference USA together?? Yeah I barely remember it too. I looked it up and the last time they played Louisville won 56-49.
Saturday Oct 11
Texas vs. Oklahoma- Red River Shootout. Red River Shootout. Red River Shootout. You couldn’t pay me enough to get me to call it that other name they changed it to. Oh yeah both teams are undefeated and ranked in the top 5.
South Carolina at Kentucky- I don’t have a lot to say here other than don’t expect many points. And it may have a small impact on the SEC east but I kinda doubt it.
Utah vs. Wyoming- A couple things to look for here. Will Utah stay undefeated? Can Utah shut out Wyoming at home like they did at Utah last season? Will Wyoming coach Glenn flip the bird again this year?
Vanderbilt at Mississippi State- Vanderbilt is leading the SEC East. Mississippi State has only 1 win this season and that was an FCS team. If Vandy wins that makes 6 wins and that could mean bowl.
Arizona State at USC- Another of the “looked good in the preseason and now not so much” games. Arizona State may not be up where most thought they would be but this game will still have an impact on the PAC 10 race.
Michigan State at Northwestern- This is the biggest game this week in the Big 10. Michigan State with Heisman hopeful Ringer and a 5-1 record, Northwestern at 5-0, doesn’t really have that stand out name.
Notre Dame at North Carolina- Both teams are having pretty good years so far. Notre Dame has already topped last years win total and North Carolina has tied theirs. Hope Notre Dame took some notes on punt team.
Western Michigan at Buffalo- Buffalo has been playing tough this year despite their 2-3 record. They stayed close with Central Michigan and now take on Western Michigan who is also a good team in the MAC West. It isn’t high profile but should be a good game.
Arizona at Stanford- Arizona currently sits atop the Pac 10 standings. Stanford is 2-1 in conference play. Both teams have improved from last season and this one could probably decide which one goes to a bowl and who doesn’t.
New Mexico at BYU- BYU going for 6-0 and New Mexico is looking to spoil BYU’s BCS hopes. New Mexico shouldn’t be taken lightly as they are just a step behind the top teams of the Mountain West and perfectly capable of upsetting someone.
Ball State at Western Kentucky- Ok so probably not really a good match up or anything but I gotta include Ball State in here.
LSU at Florida-Let’s see 2 highly ranked SEC teams playing a night game in the Swamp. They are the last 2 National Champions. How many more reasons do you need?
Oklahoma State at Missouri- 2 more undefeated ranked Big 12 teams going at it. This one doesn’t have a cool nickname.
Penn State at Wisconsin- This could have been a Big 10 deciding game. Now that Wisconsin has lost 2 conference games it may not have the same impact. Well unless Wisconsin can pull the upset.
Boise State at Southern Miss-I bet when this one was set up it was huge. Now, not so much. I mean it still has potential to be a good game but not quite like when Southern Miss was one of the best teams in CUSA.
UCLA at Oregon- In my opinion UCLA has improved every week. Oregon had a pretty big let down at USC. So on one side you have improvement and on the other a team needing to rebound.
Think back to the preseason. What would you have said to me if I told you that at around the half way point we would see Vanderbilt at the 5-0 at the top of the SEC East race, Arizona as the leader of the Pac 10, Northwestern at 5-0 and Minnesota at 5-1, and Oklahoma State at 5-0 in a 4 way tie in the Big 12 South? How about Duke, Baylor, Stanford, and Ole Miss NOT in last place in their conferences?
What’s Up With Maryland?
They lose to Middle Tennessee State. They beat ranked Cal and ranked Clemson. Then they get shutout by 2-3 Virginia who just last week was beat 31-3 by Duke. They could probably contend if they found any consistency.
The Sorry State of Washington
Between the two schools they have 1 win and it was over FCS team Portland State. In their last games they lost by a combined 67-17. The two have given up over 40 points 7 times in 11 games so far this season. Washington is in danger of losing their coach as the rumors have been flying for a while now. Washington State is in year one of a new coach but if things don’t at least start looking better soon, I hope he doesn’t get to comfortable.
NONBCS 5 for 5
Ball State, Tulsa, Boise State, Utah and BYU are the 5 undefeated teams in the conferences outside of the BCS. All 5 played this past weekend and all 5 are still perfect. Only BYU and Utah still face each other so at least 1 of them will fall eventually. Remember only 1 Non BCS school can get an automatic birth in a BCS bowl, but that doesn’t mean the others couldn’t be among those that make up the at large teams.
Wanted Kicker for Fresno State
Forget the BCS now Fresno. You can probably forget the conference championship too. But what I want to know is, what’s up with the kicking game? At the end of regulation Fresno State had the chance to win it with less than a minute and the kick was blocked. In overtime the kick attempt went wide to the left. But wait there was a penalty and they get another try. Kick is up. Wide right? Seriously? Oh by the way even if you struggle a little this year, keep an eye on your coach or you may lose him to a bigger school.
Arizona Flip Flop
The seasons started with Arizona State ranked and Arizona with a coach on the hot seat. Now at near mid season Arizona is on top of the Pac 10 race and Arizona State has 3 losses and are heading to USC this week. While it maybe a bad time to be a Sun Devil, the Wildcat Bandwagon is starting to get full. Don’t forget you get to hang with the Hoff on that wagon.
Ok Now I Believe the Pryor Hype
I said I wanted more proof than beating Troy. Minnesota was a nice home win but I was still wondering given what little Minnesota did last season and little competition they have had so far this season. Going to Wisconsin and getting the win is all I needed to sell me on this kid.
Vanderbilt Hype Too
I asked Vandy to prove it too. I said I would give them the benefit of the doubt for now but I wanted to see them beat Auburn. They did. Not by a lot and not very pretty but they won. Now Vanderbilt is 5-0 and leading the SEC East.
Shut Up and Play the Game
How many players and coaches and whoever have been caught up and started talking about how they can do this or that only to be shown up and wrong. Not just wrong but badly wrong. Saying how you hate another school (Stanford’s Marinelli), how you can shut out a top 5 program(Nebraska Coach Pelini) or upset the #1 team (Baylor’s Smith). Play the game, get it done, stop putting your foot in your mouth.
You Can’t Punt on North Carolina
Or at least it seems that way. Not when Bruce Carter is on the field. Carter blocked 3 punts in a row against Connecticut. And that was just the last game. In the game against Miami he also blocked one. In his last punt block against Uconn teammate matt Merletti was able to recover the ball for a touchdown.
Florida Atlantic at Middle Tennessee State- Tuesday game. To be honest that’s about the only reason to watch. FAU was the preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt, Middle Tennessee wasn’t both are 1-3.
Wednesday
Louisiana Tech at Boise State- Boise State is always a favorite to win the WAC. Louisiana Tech surprised everyone by beating SEC team Mississippi State to open the season. LA Tech is one of the more improved teams in the conference.
Thursday
Oregon State at Utah- The beavers would love to score another upset over a ranked opponent. This time they are on the road. Not only do they need the win to show the win over USC wasn’t a fluke. Utah wants to crash the BCS.
Pittsburgh at South Florida- USF is one of the leaders of the Big East. Last year Pitt derailed West Virginia on their way to the National Title game and now look to at least upset USF on their way to a BCS bowl.
Friday
Cincinnati at Marshall- I don’t know a lot about Marshall but I do know Cincinnati is in some serious QB dire. The little I do know about Marshall is that they are one of the better teams right now in the CUSA.
BYU at Utah State- BYU should just be retuning after a week off here. Getting ready for the tougher teams in the Mountain West and still looking to get in the BCS.
Saturday
Duke at Georgia Tech- I know weird huh? But take a look, both teams are 3-1. Duke put a serious hurt on Virginia last week to win their first ACC conference game in like 3 years. GT has opened conference play at 1-1 and is now a mystery to me as to where they will take their season.
Iowa at Michigan State- I am on board for Ringer for Heisman. Michigan State’s running back is good. Iowa actually has a pretty good one themselves. So yeah I expect some running in this game.
Penn State at Purdue- Penn State looks to be the best team in the Big 10 this year. So far they only road game has been to Syracuse. While they handled a ranked Illinois at home last week they now go to Purdue where an inconsistent team awaits.
South Carolina at Mississippi- Big win for Ole Miss last week against Florida. Now they look to build on that in order to have a big turn around from last season. South Carolina is hoping to turn around the second half of their season and get to a bowl.
Stanford at Notre Dame- no really I think this will be worth watching. Last season Notre Dame won by 7. Stanford is improved this year. Then again Notre Dame looks improved as well.
Arizona State at California- So they both had a little trouble outside the PAC 10 they are both 1-0 in it. This is going to be a game that plays into the conference title fight. Cal is down their leading rusher.
Illinois at Michigan- With the current affairs of these two teams I think this one could very well be a close one. Illinois lost to highly ranked Penn State while Michigan pulled the upset over Wisconsin.
Kentucky at Alabama- Two undefeated SEC teams. Alabama scored big with their win over Georgia. Kentucky hasn’t played anyone of that caliber yet, they have had a very stingy defense in all their games, giving up only 22 points through 4 games.
Texas Tech at Kansas State- I know Texas Tech has had a high power offense but to be honest I hadn’t paid attention to Kansas State getting up to a 3-1 start. From what I understand Kansas State’s offense is pretty good too.
Florida State at Miami- It’s always fun when 2 Florida Schools play. These two programs haven’t really been relevant lately but don’t tell their fans that. Both come in 0-1 in ACC play.
Navy at Air Force- I love watching the service schools play. This is the first game this year in the Commander-In-Chief Cup. There is still Air Force at Army and then the Army/Navy game.
Auburn at Vanderbilt- I am not exactly sold on either team so far this year. Yes they have nice looking records but Auburn’s offense has barely shown up while Vanderbilt has a 4-0 record over barely anyone.
Connecticut at North Carolina- How will Uconn react to losing their starting quarterback?? They appeared on their way to a show down with South Florida for the Big East title. They still could if the back up is capable. Besides they still have all world running back Donald Brown. North Carolina got a bit of luck at the end of their game with Miami. I am not sure who needs more luck in this one.
Florida International at North Texas- FIU picked up a win against Toledo. North Texas is still looking for a win. This might be one of their only chances.
Ball State at Toledo- The next step to an undefeated season for Ball State is through Toledo. As mentioned above Toledo just wants to redeem itself after losing to one of the worst teams in FIU.
Oregon at USC- The only 2 ranked teams in the PAC 10. Oregon is coming off a steamrolling of Washington State while USC is reeling from the loss at Oregon State. Oregon leads the Pac 10 in rushing and is 4th in the nation on the run, 7th in scoring and 6th in total yards. USC is 15th in run defense, 8th in points allowed and 10th in total yards allowed. Something is going to give here.
Texas at Colorado- Last season Colorado upset highly ranked Oklahoma and this year they already got West Virginia. The Buffalos would love to add a highly ranked Texas to the list. Texas has been manhandling their opponents thus far this season.
Ohio State at Wisconsin- This was suppose to be a bit bigger until Wisconsin got upset by Michigan. This game is still pretty big for the conference race, just not what it could have been in my opinion.
Rice at Tulsa- Tulsa wants to stay undefeated and get a shot at a BCS bowl. Yeah a long shot but still a shot. Rice comes in with a dangerous passing attack.
Missouri at Nebraska- Missouri is racking up yards with their offense led by Daniel. Nebraska is still in search of the black shirt defense. With all the offensive weapons on the tigers side, Nebraska better hope those black shirts find their way here.
