Week 9 Predictions

Fantasy football has become a national obsession.  Almost everyone I know plays in at least one league, some in many many more than one. But I'll bet none of you play in a Fantasy Slut League Apparently those kids don't understand the term "fantasy".  It'd be like picking your fantasy team based on how good you are at Madden.

Just when you thought the Honey Badger cared again, he gets arrested for drug related charges.

A note on the top 25.  I'm using the BCS standings for the rest of the season, meaning teams such as Ohio State and Penn State that are currently ineligible for the BCS won't be included in the top 25, but will be addressed in the Games of Note below.

Top 25 Action 

#11 Miss St @ #1 'Bama - This week we find out if the Bulldogs are contenders or pretenders.  It's put up or shut up week as they face their first ranked team of the season.  The only other team the Bulldogs have played with a pulse on offense were the Volunteers who put up 31 on them.  I don't expect Miss State to win this game, but if they can at least make it respectable they'll still be in contention for a BCS at large bid.  Bama's D is down right filthy.  They haven't allowed more than 14 points to any team and held the very same Tennessee team the Bulldogs struggled to stop to just 13 points last week.  Bama is at LSU next week so they could get caught looking ahead, but it's not likely.  34 - 13 Roll Tide.

#2 Florida @ #10 Georgia - Just in case you were thinking about attempting these activities next time you visit Florida, they authorities wanted to make it clear..

Yes, Florida, the state that could very well decide our next President, had to pass a law prohibiting the molestation of gators.

Another week, another huge game for Florida.  This game used to be dubbed "The World's Greatest Outdoor Cocktail Party", but due to alcohol fueled events that have taken place in recent years, that name is now discouraged.  You know, because if you don't mention cocktails, obviously nobody will drink.

The Gators have passed every test thus far but have not always looked good doing so.  Florida easily dispatched with the Gamecocks last week, blowing them out 44-11.  QB Jeff Driskel continues to get better every week as the Gator offense is rounding into form.  Their Defense is nastier than a sex offender in a gator farm.  After getting hammered by South Carolina two weeks ago, the Bulldogs had to rally to beat SEC bottom feeder Kentucky last week 29-24.  The 'Dawgs had no running game to speak of, but fortunately for them QB Aaron Murray was able to light up the Wildcats secondary for 427 yards and 4 TD's.  I don't expect a repeat performance this week.  30-17 Florida.

#14 TX Tech @ #3 Kansas State - If you don't believe in K State yet then I don't know what more they need to do. Maybe Sofia Vergara can convince you?

 This guy is thrilled with the Wildcats, the only underdog team he picked in his 32 team parlay that turned $100 into $25K!  Their two toughest games were on the road and they won both, including blowing the doors off of WVU in Morgantown last week 55-14.  Their win at OU is looking even more impressive every week.  If K State can knock off TX Tech at home this week, they play only one more ranked team, at home against Texas the last week of the season.  An undefeated season is a very real possibility in little Manhattan. QB Collin Klein is a legit Heisman contender and the hype is just getting started.  TX Tech QB Seth Doege is no slouch himself.  He had 7 TD strikes and zero INT's last week in a 3 OT shootout with TCU.  It took the Red Raiders a TD in the third OT to finally put away the Horned Frogs 56-53.  The Tech D suddenly looks vulnerable.  This is the same Red Raiders team that gave up 41 to the Sooners at home. Look for this game to be similar to last week's Red Raiders game.  Lots of scoring and the D that makes a stop late will win.  45-42 K State.

Colorado @ #4 Oregon - Pollsters seem to be torn between K State and Oregon.  Both teams have prolific offenses that score a lot of points.  Both do enough on D to stop opposing teams.  The Ducks took their foot off the gas against ASU last week after opening up a 43-7 half time lead. The Ducks threw for only 46 yards last week, but it didn't matter as they were never in any serious trouble.  They could not throw at all this week and still beat a terrible Colorado team.  52-7 Oregon.

#5 Notre Dame @ #8 Oklahoma - Sometimes we need to appreciate the small victories in life...

The Game of the Week!  The Irish keep finding ways to win.  They've had plenty of close games this year but nobody has been able to solve the Irish D.  So much so that LB Manti Te'o is getting Heisman consideration, which is unheard for a defensive player.  No doubt the Irish D is good and points will be at a premium for both teams this week.  This is going to be an old school game that would be considered great D if these teams were in the SEC, or bad O if the teams were in the Big Ten. Look for the Irish to run the ball and try to limit the mistakes of their still inconsistent QB's Golson & Rees.  The Sooners are perennially ranked in the top 10, but...

It's been over a decade since the Sooners national title.  The OU faithful are getting restless with HC Bob Stoops.  He's a victim of his own early success as a coach.  The Sooners have yet another shot to play in a BCS game if they can hand the Irish their first loss of the season.  QB Landry Jones has been playing better and the OU D is rounding into form.  Points will be as scarce in this one.  I expect a special teams play to decide the game.  24-17 Sooners.

#7 Beavers @ Huskies - The Beavers keep winning despite having the 100th rated rushing attack in the nation.  In fact, I wouldn't even call it an "attack", I'd call it a rushing distraction.  Clearly the Beavers like to air it out. In the past three weeks, UW got destroyed by Oregon, played USC tough, and got destroyed by Arizona 52-17.  So which Huskies team shows up this week?  UW just doesn't do anything well on offense or defense.  Unless the Beavers get dysentery while on the trail...

I don't see the UW pulling the upset.  37 - 17 Beavers.

#9 USC @ Arizona - The Trojans have been slowly climbing back up the rankings since their loss to Stanford and if they can put away the Wildcats this week, they can officially get back into the BCS picture with a win over Oregon next week.  We all know Lane Kiffin will do whatever it takes to win, from poaching opposing teams players, to pulling dirty tricks to beat a Colorado squad that is one of the worst in the nation. Really Lane? Colorado?  Lame.   For a coach that hates playing Defense as much as RichRod does, this is not a good matchup. With QB Matt Barkley throwing to WR's Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, it will be a long night for the Arizona secondary.  52-24 Trojans.

Duke @ #12 Seminoles - Duke is for real!  After blowing a 20 point lead to VA Tech last week, the Dukies could have easily given up and waited for bball season like the rest of tobacco road, but this Duke team did the opposite.  They came out swinging and beat rival North Carolina on a TD pass with 13 seconds left in the game 33-30!  That may have been Duke's biggest win on the grid iron in over a decade, so the question is can they sustain this success from week to week?  A HUGE test comes this week as they take on a Seminoles squad coming off a decisive victory over Miami last week.  The 'Noles tend to lose focus, especially against lesser opponents, and appear to be more of a second half team, so expect this one to be uncomfortably close for the 'Noles for a half. I wouldn't be surprised to see Duke leading at the half, but the 'Noles have superior players, and will break through and put the game away in the second half.  37-21 FSU.

Volunteers @ #13 Gamecocks - The Gamecocks got bludgeoned in The Swamp last week 44-11.  RB Marcus Lattimore played, but touched the ball only 5 times and was clearly not 100%.  That's two straight losses for USCe and they are now looking at a second tier bowl game.  Will HC Steve Spurrier keep these kids focused after two tough losses?  The Volunteers may be just what the doctor ordered for an ailing team.  The Vols have lost to every ranked team they've played this year and none of the games have been close.  The 'Cocks will get back into the win column this week and make HC Derek Dooley's seat even hotter in Knoxville. 32 - 21 Gamecocks.

Kent State @ #15 Rutgers - Like skinny jeans on a fat person...

Rutgers football is somewhere they don't belong.

The Scarlet Knights are still undefeated and have still played absolutely nobody.  They take on a 6-1 Kent State team who is arguably the best team they've played this year.  The Golden Flashes can't throw the ball to save their lives so Rutgers D will key on Kent's two headed monster, RB's Dri Archer and Trayion Durham.  The Rutgers D is only giving up 11.3 points per game, but when you play nobody, nobody scores any points.  Rutgers will remain undefeated and overrated again this week.  27-13 Scarlet Knights.

Cincy @ #16 Louisville - Toledo spoiled what would have been a battle of undefeated teams this week when they knocked off Cincy 29-23 last week. If the MAC had an automatic bid to the BCS, one would argue both Toledo and Kent State would be ranked.  I'm convinced the only reason Big East teams are ranked is because of the BCS tie in.  The conference is closer to the MAC than it is to any other BCS conference. The Cardinals are the other undefeated Big East team thanks to a comeback win against South Florida last week.  QB Teddy Bridgewater threw a TD pass with under 2 minutes left to seal the victory for the Cardinals.  I expect the Bearcats to reduce the number of Big East undefeated teams to 1 this week with a victory at Louisville.  34-24 Cardinals.

Wazzu @ #17 Stanford - The Cardinal didn't need OT to dispatch with their NoCal rivals Cal last week, winning 21-3.  Stanford's pass D will be tested against HC Mike Leach's spread pass attack.  The deeper into the season we get, the more the disparity grows between Wazzu's run and passing games.  The Cougars boast the 9th rated passing offense and the 123rd rushing offense. Unfortunately for the Cougars, their scoring offense is closer to their rushing rank than their passing rank.  45-17 Stanford.

#18 Clemson @ Wake Forest - Thursday night game alert!  I may or may not get this posted before this game.  The Tigers are 6-1 with their lone loss coming to FSU.  It's almost time for their annual late season swoon but I don't think it happens this week against Wake.  Wake is, well, Wake. An average team in an average conference.  They did manage to knock off Virginia last week in an ugly 16-10 game.  This week will be ugly again, but with no victory for the Demon Deacons.  37-13 Clemson.

#20 Texas A&M @ Auburn - Oh Auburn. They were 7 point dogs to Vandy last week and managed to cover the spread!  But still lost the game 17-13.  Auburn is bad, but as HC Gene Chizik would tell you...

With games against Texas A&M, Georgia and 'Bama left on their SEC schedule, it's a very real possibility Auburn will send up 0-8 in the SEC.  The Tigers offense is historically bad, rankings in the 100's in ever major statistic.  This is what's left of the Tigers once proud offense...

In fact, Alabama A&M and New Mexico State appear to be the only winnable games left for the Tigers.  The Aggies played LSU tough at home last week but couldn't pull off the upset, losing 24-19. The Aggies gave the ball up five times to LSU and as everyone knows, anytime you turn the ball over that much it's hard to win a game.  Aggies QB Johnny Manziel threw the ball 56 times against LSU but couldn't get the ball in the end zone.  He should have an easier time this week.  45-7 Aggies.

#21 Boise @ Wyoming - Boise lost to the only ranked team they played this year, and luckily for Boise, that's the only ranked team they play this year.  Their loss to Sparty to start the season has looked worse as the season has progressed.  It's a toss up as to who has the easier schedule, Boise or Rutgers.  I'd argue the Broncos would win the Big East if they were in the conference this year. The Broncos D has been stout all season and will continue that tough play against the Cowboys.  Wyoming is bad.  Their lone win was an OT squeaker against an even worse Idaho squad.  45-3 Boise.

#22 Michigan @ Nebraska - The Huskers are favored in this game even though they're not ranked and Michigan check in at #22.  The Wolverines offense is all QB Denard Robinson running the ball.

The Huskers let Buckeyes QB Braxton Miller gash them for big yardage, and D Rob is even faster.  Michigan eked out a win against rival Sparty last week on a last second FG.  The Huskers needed a 4th quarter come back to knock off Northwestern 29-28 last week.  The Huskers offense depends on which Taylor Martinez shows up, the good QB who threw 3 TD's last week or the inconsistent QB that isn't accurate and prone to mistakes.  Michigan's D is playing better right now and that gives them the edge this week.  30-27 Michigan.

#23 Longhorns @ Jayhawks - I've hammered on Fatty Weis and the Jayhawks all year that it's almost no fun anymore.  Almost.  If you had to guess which D is giving up more points per game this year how many of you would pick Kansas?  And all of you would be wrong.  The Jayhawks are 95th in the nation surrendering 31.4 points per game, while Texas checks in at 105th, giving up 35 points per contest, including allowing Baylor to put up 50 last week.  Expect the scoreboard to get lit up in this game.  56 - 45 Longhorns.

#24 Ohio @ Miami(OH) - The Bobcats just win and will be favored in every remaining game this year.  Barring an upset, Ohio could go 12-0.  Ohio has a fairly balanced offense and a decent D.  The Redhawks like to throw the ball and have no running game to speak of.  Their D is worse than the Longhorns.  40-23 Ohio.

Sparty @ #25 Badgers - Oh Sparty... if there is a way to lose a game, you will find it.  Sparty's D only gives up 15.3 points per game, which is good enough for 11th in the nation, but their offense is moribund, putting up only 19.6 points per game, good for 109th in the nation.  Wisconsin is rounding into form.  This is not the same Badger team that lost to Oregon State or Nebraska earlier in the season. The offense has finally started putting up points, and RB Montee Ball is playing much better.  The D was never the problem and continues to make plays.  You never know what will happen in a weak Big Ten this year, but with home field advantage, Badgers will pull this one out.  27 - 14 Wisconsin.

Games of Note 

Buckeyes @ Nittany Lions - Penn State could use this kid.  A high schooler kicked a 67 yard FG. Who will win the IneligiBOWL?

Buckeye QB Braxton Miller is good to go this week after hitting his head last week.  As goes Braxton, so goes the Buckeyes offense.  Last week it took OSU overtime to knock off Purdue.  Meanwhile, Penn State dominated Iowa at Iowa, at one point going up 31-0.  This expression says it all...

Yes, this is the very same PSU team that was left for dead before the season.  Now, they are begrudgingly getting some respect.  It's a shame too, because there is not a single coach, player, student or fan that did anything wrong and yet some people still can't wrap their heads around that. This is the biggest game of the year for PSU.  At home, at night, nothing to lose.  This is the best D PSU will have faced this year, and the same goes for OSU.  It's also the best offense PSU's D has faced, and the same can be said for OSU.  This will be a tough, hard fought game, and I expect the difference to be OSU's special teams.  A blocked punt or kick return for a TD will be the deciding factor as OSU moves to 9-0.  31-24 Buckeyes.

Ole Miss @ Arkansas - At least we know what John L. Smith will be doing at this time next year...

If his used cars run anything like his offense, I'd stay far away.  The Razorbacks are salvaging what's left of their season, winning their last two games.  QB Tyler Wilson is showing why he was considered a potential 1st round pick before the season as he directs the 13th ranked passing attack in the nation.  The Hogs still have no running game though and the D is average.  Ole Miss is another average team.  Their offense is balanced and they score more points than they give up, but have trouble beating good teams.  As much as I'd like to give this game to Arkansas, I know John L will find a way to blow it.  33-27 Ole Miss.

Iowa @ Northwestern - Has Northwestern invented away field advantage?  The Hawkeyes were shell shocked at home against the Nittany Lions last week.  Nobody expected the Nits to dominate like they did, least of all Iowa.  The Wildcats blew a 13 point 4th quarter lead to Nebraska last week.  Northwestern has a good offense and an average defense.  The O likes to run the ball with their spread attack.  The Hawkeyes have no identity on offense.  If RB Mark Weisman isn't at full strength, the Hawkeyes will struggle to put up points again, but can Northwestern hold on to any lead they get?  30-20 Northwestern.

Temple @ Pitt - Philly v. Pittsburgh! East v. West!  This would be a compelling game if it were being played on Sunday instead.  The Owls aren't as bad as they used to be, but still aren't very good.  They have an atrocious passing game and their D is average at best. Pitt has sucked since Mark May was playing for them back in the early 80's.  The Panthers will attempt to get to .500 before facing the Fightin' Irish next week, but it won't happen. 24-19 Temple.

Wolfpack @ Tar Heels - I could not have made up this story if I had tried..

UNC WR caught plagiarizing 11 year old

Sadly, with UNC's reputation for no show classes and handing out A's to athletes, the only surprise here is that he got caught.  The Heels may need to recruit some more players, they lost to tobacco road rival Duke last weekend.  All the no show classes in the world aren't worth shit if you can't even beat Duke on the grid iron.  The Wolfpack are an air it out team that plays solid D.  You never know what can happen in an average ACC. 35-29 Wolfpack

Upset of the Week

Indiana @ Illinois - I'm not sure if this would actually be considered an upset if it's two terrible teams facing off.  Indiana blew their game to Navy last week giving up two 4th quarter TD's on their way to a 31-30 loss.  The Illini offense is one of the worst in college football and their D is not much better.  I can see the Hoosiers winning their first Big Ten game and sending the Fightin' Illini to the bottom of the Big Ten.  Hey Illini!

37-13 Hoosiers.

Week 8 Predictions

I've been trying to figure out what to go as this Halloween.  Last year I was Brett Michaels, 1980's Poison Brett Michaels that is, not Rock of Love Brett.  For some reason all of my ideas are related to the 80's.

So we're at the midway point of the season and every sports site in existence seems to be writing about their mid season awards and teams that will take off or crash during the second half of the season.  Since that's already been discussed ad nauseum,  I'm going to run down my list of...

Top 10 Worst, most inappropriate, and distasteful Halloween Costume Ideas!

10. Not pictured here is the Mom dressed as Child Protective Services

9. Spiderman has really let himself go...

 And apparently shoots webbing from his nuts?

8. OK, who would let this woman do this? Doesn't she have any friends that would say, "Hey, maybe you should go as as something else."  In addition to that, where the hell did even find a Wonder Woman costume in whatever size that is.

7. Wow.  Hollywood is taking the live action thing to a whole new level.

6. I loved Thundercats when I was a kid, but I had no idea Lion O was gay... or wore Converse All Stars.

5. The only thing missing from this guy's costume is a black eye, because let's be honest, this douche bag deserves to get punched.

4. I have no idea what this is besides disturbing.

3. Let's analyze this for a second.  First, the dude is dressed as a toilet.  Second, he allowed a naked man to sit on  his lap.  Third, said naked man is rocking a pony tail.  Fourth, the shitter is apparently in the kitchen. And lastly, THERE IS A NAKED MAN SITTING ON THE DUDE'S LAP.

But really, how annoying would this costume be to wear?  And you know one of his jackass friends will get loaded and end up at best pissing on him... and at worst... well...


2. I have so many things to say about this one that I just can't fit them all into one post.  So I'll digress and let you make up your own statements about the guy fucking a sheep, and I'll focus on something else. Take a look at the background just above the sheepfucker's beer bottle.  Yep, that would be someone dressed as Jesus being crucified, complete with bloody hands.  Because nothing says "Let's party!" like our lord and savior dying on the cross.

1. You know who would be offended by the costume above?  This guy...

Finally proof that Tebow is not a virgin!

Alright, let's talk some football....

Top 25 Action

#1 Alabama @ Tennessee - The initial BCS standings were released and to absolutely no one's surprise, 'Bama is #1.

The Tide are the team to beat and Saban has them in the driver's seat for their second national title in a row.  The last team to repeat?  The '03-'04 Trojans, but the NCAA once again got involved and vacated the '03 title, so officially it's the '94-'95 Nebraska Cornhuskers.  This would be 'Bama's 19th Championship.  Who's first all time you ask?  That would be Princeton, with 28, their last coming in 1950.  'Bama still has to play three more ranked SEC teams, with a date at LSU looming large.  The Volunteers have some talent on offense with QB Tyler Bray and WR's Justin Hunter & Cordarrelle Patterson, but their D is lousy.  Saban has stated he doesn't like fast paced offenses, but with his D only giving up 7.5 points per game, any offense will be lucky to have any type of pace.  Look for 'Bama's offense to control the clock and keep Tennessee's dangerous O off the field.  38-13 Roll Tide.

#2 Ducks @ Sun Devils - A Thursday night game for the high octane, fast paced Ducks! The Ducks are the antitheses of Alabama, relying on an offense to constantly out score their opponents while their Defense is good but not great.  The Ducks are averaging 52 points per game this year.  On the other side of the field, even though ASU HC Todd Graham is known for running a spread offense, it's the Sun Devils D that has been dominant this year.  They are giving up only 14.2 points per game, good enough for 9th in the nation.  The Ducks are by far the best team the Sun Devils have faced this year and should be a good test of whether or not ASU is in in the running for the Pac 12 Championship or just an also ran.  48 - 24 Oregon.

#9 South Carolina @ #3 Gators - The Gators are #2 in the BCS standings, which is apparently weighted towards SEC teams.  The Schedule Making Gods smiled on Florida this year, as they get South Carolina and Georgia in The Swamp the next two weeks.  Having already dispatched with LSU in The Swamp, home field advantage looms large for the Gators.  The Gators achilles heel?  Their 118th ranked passing game.  If South Carolina's 5th ranked D can stuff the run and make Gators QB Jeff Driskel beat them through the air it  has a good chance at winning. However, Gamecocks star RB Marcus Lattimore may not play this week after sitting out practice. And man child DE Jadeveon Clowney has been slowed by a troublesome foot.  Going into The Swamp without arguably your best two players is not a recipe for a win. If Lattimore and Clowney don't play: 24-20 Gators. If Lattimore and Clowney play: 27-21 Gamecocks.

#4 K State @ #17 West Virginia - The smell of damp, beer soaked fabric was not in the air last weekend in Morgantown as no couches were burned as a result of the ass whooping handed down by the Red Raiders. WVU's vaunted offense was shut down by TX Tech as the Mountaineers put up only 14 points.  WVU's D has been suspect all season, and came up small again giving up 49 points. Things don't get any easier for WVU this week as they take on the Wildcats 19th ranked D.  K State's offense is all about running the ball, which will leave less time for WVU's offense to be on the field.  The question remains, did TX Tech provide the blue print for beating the Mountaineers, or were the Mountaineers caught looking ahead  to this game after beating down Texas in Austin the previous week?  Sloth says...

31-28 Mountaineers.

BYU @ #5 Notre Dame - The Irish yet again found a way to win last week, stopping Stanford on the 1 yard line three times in OT to hang on for a 20-13 win.  One of the goal line calls was controversial, but if you don't want the refs to decide the game, get the damn ball into the end zone!

If the Irish were in the SEC, the media would be praising them for playing great defense.  If the Irish were in the ACC, the media would be crushing them for being slow on offense.  The lesson is, low scoring games in the SEC are great football games with tremendous D, but the same game outside of the SEC is due to slow players on offense.  Nothing is going to change that perception until a conference starts beating the SEC on a regular basis.  Could the Irish have a let down after such an emotional win?  It's quite possible.  BYU boasts the 7th ranked D in the nation, surrendering only 13.6 points per game.  Don't look for a lot of points in South Bend this week.  17-6 Notre Dame.

#6 LSU @ #20 Texas A&M - The Tigers bounced back from their loss to the Gators with a hard fought win at home against South Carolina, 23-21. LSU Freshman RB Jeremy Hill led the way, with 124 yards and 2 TD's, including a 50 yard back breaker with 5 minutes left in the game to put the Tigers up 23-14.  The Aggies were up by 23 points in the 3rd quarter last week, and held off a furious rally by the La Tech holding on for a 59-57 win as La Tech failed to convert on a two point conversion with 38 seconds left.  The Aggies D was shredded by a wide open offense.  Fortunately for A&M, LSU runs a more traditional offense and QB Zach Mettenberger has not yet proved he can light up a scoreboard.  If LSU  hopes to win on the road, it will have to contain Aggies Freshman QB Johnny Manziel.  In addition to his 1,680 yards and 14 TD's through the air, Manziel has added 676 yards and 10 TD's on the ground. LSU will be the toughest D A&M has faced thus far, but A&M will also be the most prolific O LSU has faced.  Something has gotta give!  29-24 LSU.

Purdue @ #7 Ohio State - Buckeyes QB Braxton Miller continues to be a one man wrecking crew for Buckeyes offense.  The kid still isn't a very good passer, but he doesn't need to be in Urban Meyer's offense.  He's already eclipsed 900 yards rushing on the season and is averaging 7.1 yds per carry.  As soon as teams stack the box to stop him from running, he'll go play action and hit WR Devin Smith deep or possession WR Philly Brown in the soft spots of the zone.  The defense can pick their own poison as far as the Buckeyes are concerned. And as far as 3rd string QB Cardale Jones is concerned, he's not enrolled at OSU for a free education...

And he clearly didn't attend SCHOOL to learn the English language. You have to admire the kid's honesty.  He's just saying what the rest of the Buckeye players and fans are thinking.

Purdue had high hopes coming into the season but has lost to every decent team they've played. This week will be no different.  38-13 Buckeyes.

Utah @ #8 Oregon State - The Beavers were a popular pick to lose last week after starting QB Sean Mannion went down with a knew injury.  The Beavers responded by never trailing BYU and putting up 3 TD's in the 4th quarter pulling away for a 42-24 win.  If the Beavers win the Pac 12 Championship, Mike Riley should be Coach of the Year. The Utes bring their 3 game losing streak to Corvallis and have yet to win a road game this year.  That won't change this week.  34-16 Oregon State.

Kansas @ #10 Oklahoma - Kansas has already exceeded Fatty Weis's expectations this year...

And since that win against South Dakota State, they've lost 5 in a row. And the rest of the season does not look any better as the Jayhawks face 5 ranked teams in their last 6 games, and the one team that's not ranked?  Baylor and their prolific offense.  A one win season is on tap for Kansas.  It's hard to believe Kansas won the Orange Bowl and finished 12-1 only 5 years ago.  Fortunately for the Jayhawks, basketball season is only a few weeks away and they can be as obnoxious as usual.

OU destroyed Texas 63-21 last week. Look for the Sooners to cruise to an easy win and a top 10 matchup against Notre Dame in Oklahoma next week.  49-7 Sooners.

Colorado @ #11 USC - USC is favored by 40 in this game.  The Buffs are back to their losing ways after an improbable comeback against Wazzu a few weeks ago.  They've dropped 2 in a row and haven't been competitive.  Don't look for that to change this week.  Colorado may match Kansas with a 1 win season.  If USC can take care of business against Colorado this week and Arizona next week, they'll face Oregon in a top 10 matchup in the Coliseum.  56-10 USC.

#12 Florida State @ Hurricanes - Miami appears to be the quintessential average team. They beat bad teams, but get killed by good teams.  Fortunately for the Hurricanes, average teams still get to bowl games nowadays. HC Al Godlen has improved the 'Canes offense, but their D is an absolute mess. FSU's offense is ranked 6th in the nation at 46 points per game. Look for the 'Noles to raise that average this week. QB EJ Manuel should be able to pick apart the Hurricanes and have a big day.  52-14 FSU.

#13 Georgia @ Kentucky - Kentucky has the #1 rated BBall class in the nation.  It's so impressive, in fact, that analysts are speculating it may be one of the single best recruiting classes of all time. Kentucky really is becoming One and Done U.  It remains to be seen if Coach Cal can turn this group of recruits into national champs before they declare for the NBA draft next year.

The Bulldogs got destroyed by South Carolina last week, and look to rebound against the Wildcats this week before facing the #2 Gators next week.  This game has all the makings of a trap game.  A highly ranked team coming off a disappointing loss with a huge game looming next week... could Kentucky pull off the upset of the year?  29-7 Bulldogs.

Hokies @ #14 Clemson - The BCS doesn't like Clemson, ranking them 19th despite their only loss coming to FSU.  That's most likely because they've played a squeezably soft schedule that the Big East would be envious of.  Va Tech is the second best team Clemson has played this year. The Hokies have limped to a 4-3 record, while losing to two Big East teams and their "best" win coming against Duke last week. Va Tech spotted the Blue Devils a 20 point lead before scoring 41 unanswered.  When your best win is against Duke and you're not talking about basketball, that means you're not very good.  Could this game start Clemson's annual late season collapse?  The Tigers don't play another ranked team until their season finale at South Carolina, so if they're going to lose, it will be to an underdog.

Mid TN @ #15 Miss State - Miss State is undefeated and plays in the SEC, and yet we know little about them.  They have yet to play a ranked team this year.  That will change next week when they take on #1 Alabama, followed by Texas A&M and LSU.  The next three weeks will determine if the Bulldogs are BCS or just BS.  The Blue Raiders offense is decent and should find some success against the Bulldogs D but not nearly enough.  41-17 Bulldogs.

South Florida @ #16 Louisville - The Bulls are on a 4 game skid and HC Skip Holtz is on the hot seat. The Bulls don't do anything particularly well.  Louisville keeps winning but has not been very impressive.  They seem to play down to their opponent and do just enough to win.  Sooner or later that will catch up with them.  Or maybe it won't since they play in the Big East. Teddy Bridgewater is still one of the best Sophomore QB's in the nation.  37-28 Louisville.

#18 Red Raiders @ #23 Horned Frogs - A week after losing their starting QB, TCU put up 49 points on Baylor and beat them handily 49-21.  Freshman QB Trevone Boykin tossed 4 TD passes and did not turn the ball over. TX Tech is coming off a blowout win against WVU and must now hit the road to face the Horned Frogs.  The question is will the Red Raiders have a let down after such a huge win last week.  TX Tech faces K State and Texas after this so we'll soon find out what the Red Raiders are made of.  29-23 TX Tech.

#19 Rutgers @ Temple - Rutgers is undefeated.  Rutgers has yet to beat a team that currently has a winning record, except for the Howard Bison of the FCS.  Temple has a winning record, sitting at 3-2 after beating UConn in OT last week, but they can't throw the ball to save their lives, ranking 120th in passing offense. Rutgers D should be able to shut down the run and force the Owls to throw, which is why Rutgers will be undefeated when they face Kent State next week.  31-17 Scarlet Knights.

#21 Cincy @ Toledo - The Bearcats are the last of the trio of undefeated Big East teams.

If Cincy can take care of the Rockets this week, they'll set up a matchup of undefeated teams when they play Louisville next weekend.  Toledo brings a 6 game winning streak into this game.  The Rockets like to win with offense.  The leaders of that offense are RB David Fluellen who boasts a 5.8 yards per carry along with 792 yards and 9 TD's thus far.  He can also catch the ball out of the back field.  QB Terrance Owens is completing 65.8% of his passes and has 12 TD's and only 3 INT's this year.  How the Rockets handle the Cincy D will be the key.  Cincy is going to score some points, but the Rockets will not be able to keep up.  37-24 Bearcats.

#22 Stanford @ Cal - The Cardinal have lost 2 of 3 and have gone to OT their past two games.  The OT win came against an Arizona team that has an aversion to playing D, and required Stanford to score 21 unanswered points to get the W. Despite playing tough against the Irish last week, Stanford couldn't punch the ball across the goal line when it mattered most.  Blame the play calling, blame the refs, blame this guy's friend for not loaning him his pickup truck...

There's plenty of blame to go around, but the fact is if you want to win, you score from inside the 1 yard line.   Cal seems to be headed in the other direction, winning 2 of 3, including an upset of then #25 UCLA. The Golden Bears D has played better in recent weeks and this rivalry game has become a must win for both squads.  Look for Cal to spring the upset.  24-17 Cal.

Sparty @ #23 Michigan - Little brother heads to the Big House to face Big Brother in a rivalry game between two teams headed in opposite directions.

Sparty is coming off a double OT loss to Iowa in East Lansing, while Michigan crushed Illinois 45-0 last week. Sparty has been playing pretty good D all season, but their offense has been atrocious.  As goes QB Denard Robinson, so goes Michigan.  The only team two teams able to contain the dynamic D Rob happen to be the top two ranked defenses in the country.  Can Sparty measure up?  Better yet, will Sparty's O be able to put up enough points against the Wolverine D to keep them in the game?  27-19 Wolverines.

UNLV @ #24 Boise State - Boise just keeps winning, which is what you're supposed to do when you play only one ranked team, and that team beat you.

Boise is still the darling of the media harking back to their dramatic upset of Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.  That game is still one of the best college football games I have ever witnessed.  I distinctly remember watching it at Big Wang's in Hollywood and the entire place cheering for Boise as they executed a hook & lateral to tie the game with 7 seconds left... 

And then Boise QB Jared Zabransky executing the Statue of Liberty play to perfection for the game winning 2 point conversion in OT.

While we're at it, remember when UNLV & Jerry Tarkanian ruled the hoops world?  Any get the feeling we'll be saying the same thing about Kentucky in 20 years?  The Rebels are on a 3 game skid and have only won 1 game this year, and they play terrible defense.  42-7 Boise.

Games of Note

Penn State @ Iowa - Everyone keeps predicting the demise of PSU as some inevitable event like it's a Mayan prediction.  Despite everyone's hope, PSU continues to defy the football gods.  HC Bill O'Brien has the Nittany Lions on a 4 game winning streak coming out of their bye week.  The offense has improved every week and the D is ranked 15th in the nation, giving up only 16 points per game.  Iowa is coming off a huge double OT win against Michigan State and has won two in a row after blowing a home game to Central Michigan.  The Hawkeyes appear to have woken from their slumber and have improved each week.  The Hawkeyes D is ranked 21st, giving up 17.2 points per game.  Look for a low scoring game with both defenses providing plenty of stops.  This game will come down to special teams, where Iowa has a distinct advantage over PSU, but if O'Brien can work his magic, he has a shot at the undefeated Buckeyes in Happy Valley next week. 28-24 Nittany Lions.

Cyclones @ Cowboys - The Cyclones hung tough with K State last week but couldn't pull off the upset, losing 27-21.  Despite the loss, HC Paul Rhoads has his squad playing well.  For Okie State, they got caught sleep walking last week, but fortunately for the Fightin' T. Boones, Kansas stinks and they won 20-14.  Any such laissez faire attitude will not result in a win against a much tougher Cyclones team this week.  Iowa State is ranked #24 in the current BCS standings, which makes this the first of six games in a row for Okie State against ranked opponents.  If the Cowboys want to go bowling, they'll have to pull some upsets the next couple of months. 31-21 Cowboys.

Baylor @ Texas - Is there a coach that does less with more in college football than Mack Brown?  Every it seems the Longhorns bring in a top 10 recruiting class from one of the most talent rich states in the country, and every year since the departure of Colt McCoy the 'Horns struggle.  The 'Horns D gave up 63 points to the Sooners last week and face a Baylor team that is averaging 47.6 points per game.  Fortunately for the 'Horns, Baylor's D is even worse, giving up 41 points per game.  Look for a shootout in Austin.  49-42 Texas.

Auburn @ Vanderbilt - Auburn is a 7 point underdog in this game.  You read that correctly, the Auburn Tigers are 7 point underdogs to Vanderbilt.  That' show bad things have gotten for the Tigers this season.  To put it simply, Auburn sucks

Vandy is at least playing tough even though they are sitting at 2-4.  The Commodores have some winnable games coming up and could definitely make it to a bowl game.  It all starts with this very winnable game for Vandy though.  Both of these teams struggle on offense so look for a game with lots of mistakes, unforced errors and missed opportunities.  Whichever team wins the turnover battle will win the game. 20-14 Vanderbilt.

North Carolina @ Duke - The Blue Devils opened up a 20 point lead on VA Tech last week as they sought to become relevant on the grid iron in the ACC.  Duke then reverted to their normal selves as they gave up 41 unanswered and lost handily.  The Tar Heels are on a 4 game winning streak and look to be in the hunt in the ACC Championship race. Duke still has a shot at a bowl game if they can win one more game, and that's an accomplishment for a program like Duke, but if they want to turn the corner and really start competing in the ACC, this is a rivalry game they have to find a way to win.  32-24 Tar Heels.

Upset of the Week

Nebraska @ Northwestern - Northwestern bounced back after their loss to PSU with a 21-13 win over Minnesota last week.  The Wildcats offense is led by do it all Jr. Kain Colter, who has lined up at QB, RB, and WR this year.  Northwestern is a spread team that likes to run the ball using the read option.  Much like Colter, Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez is more of a running threat than he is a passing threat. Martinez threw 3 INT's and was held to just 2.2 yards per carry against the Buckeyes last week.  While it was not Martinez's best game by any stretch, it was the 'Huskers D that was shredded for 63 points.  This game will be much closer than most will expect and is my pick for the upset of the week!  Nebraska says...

And I agree!

42-39 Northwestern.

Week 7 Predictions

We are just about at the half way point of the college football season already.  We have some traditional powers near the top of the rankings and some new comers to the BCS party.  The first BCS rankings will be released October 14, and thus starts the sprint to the finish.  Also. something that has never happened before in college football has occurred, No Big Ten team in coach's poll for first time ever.

We'll have some historical rivalry games, some tough conference games and then conference championships all to decide which teams get to play in the lucrative BCS bowls, and thus, get the most money and prestige.  Of course, the actual kids that play in the games won't make shit, but the bowl sponsors and committees can't wait to cash their checks!  But I digress.

Halfway through the season, let's see which coaches are in some deep doo doo and which coaches are due for a raise....

The Good

Bill O'Brien (Penn State) - Has any coach ever faced more adversity before even coaching his first game than Bill O'Brien?  He walked into arguably the biggest scandal ever in college football and thus far has done a tremendous job. He lost his starting RB, WR, Kicker and Punter along with some other kids that provided depth and all he's done is win 4 straight games.  PSU is one decent kicker away from being 5-1.  He hasn't just won games, he's dominated some teams.  After taking Illinois behind the woodshed on their own field, it's no wonder Illinois was camped out in University Park trying to recruit O'Brien's players.  PSU has some talent on the roster and no team in the country has more heart than the seniors on this team.  After two early losses, things could've unraveled quickly but O'Brien has righted the ship. QB Matt McGloin's transformation from inconsistent former walk on to a team leader and consistent play maker is nothing short of a coaching miracle.  Imagine what O'Brien can do for a highly rated QB if this is what he's done for McGloin!   Obviously PSU will not win out, and they won't go bowling, but they'll come to play every game and the future is looking better in Happy Valley than it has since JoePa's glory days. As for the PSU haters... nothing you can do about it....

Brian Kelly (Notre Dame) - Could Kelly actually be the coach to lead the Irish back to their historic pinnacle!?  No team has played a tougher schedule this season than the Irish, and it doesn't get any easier (except for Pitt, they suck).  Kelly is known as an offensive guru, but it's the Irish D, led by LB Manti Te'o, that has them winning.  Notre Dame is only giving up an average of 7.8 points per game.  Good for 2nd in the nation. Their last game of the season is at USC, which  may very well decide which one of those teams is going to the BCS. Maybe, just maybe, Kelly can finally get the Irish fans to stop comparing him to Lou Holtz.







Bill Snyder (K State) - Snyder has the midas touch in little Manhattan.  After taking a three year hiatus from the program in 2005, Snyder returned to K State and once again has them contending in the Big XII.  His team is currently ranked 6th in the nation and if they can get by Iowa State this weekend, they'll be headed to a showdown with #5 West Virginia in what could be the highest scoring college football game ever.  K State is not an easy place to win, but Snyder has done so year after year.  Could this be the year he breaks through to the BCS?

Paul Rhoads (Iowa State) - Standing in the way of the Wildcats date with WVU is Paul Rhoads Iowa State squad.  ISU is another place that's tough to win at.  They don't have a natural recruiting base like USC or the southern schools, it's not considered a "hip" place to play, and their in state rival is historically much more successful than they are.  But nonetheless, Rhoads has this Cyclones team playing well.  They'll be getting into the meat of their schedule starting this week, and if they can hand the Wildcats their first loss, they'll be ranked in the top 25 and a serious contender in the Big XII.  Look for Rhoads to get some offers from bigger school should his team make it to the Big XII Championship.

David Cutliffe (Duke) - Best known as Peyton Manning's QB coach while at Tennessee, Cutliffe has done what no man thought possible, turned Duke into an ACC contender.  Duke's lone loss was at Stanford, not a bad loss by any means.  The Blue Devils play an all of a sudden very beatable Va Tech squad this weekend. If they can manage to win in Blacksburg, they face their Tobacco Road rival North Carolina after that.  Win that one, and they'll have a showdown with Florida State. They have a chance to play in the ACC championship game, which is nothing short of a minor miracle at such a huge basketball school.  We'll see how Cutliffe's squad performs down the stretch, but Duke should be bowling this year for the first time in 17 years.

The Bad 

Frank Beamer (Va Tech) - The Hokies were ranked as high as #13 this year before dropping 3 out of their last 4 games.  Nothing seems to be going right in Blacksburg this year.  Beamer built his program on playing tough D, running the ball and playing great special teams. None of that has happened this year.  QB Logan Thomas has been inconsistent and the running game really misses RB David Wilson, who is now with the NY Giants.  We'll see if Beamer can salvage his season and if highly respected DC Bud Foster can get his defense playing like the Hokies of previous years.  Va Tech's best win this year has come against ...

Paul Johnson (Ga Tech) - ... the Yellowjackets of Georgia Tech.  How bad are things in this program right now?  DC Al Groh was fired this week and his replacement, Charles Kelly, is not shedding the "interim" tag any time soon. Tech's triple option attack is still producing points and yards, but they can't stop anybody.  Literally.  On their 3 game losing streak they are giving up at least 42 points every game, including Middle Tennessee dropping 49 on them.  If Johnson doesn't figure out how to play some D soon, he'll be the one looking for a new job at the end of the year.

Charlie Weis (Kansas) - Fatty Weis has apparently already given up on this years team.  He practiced without his seniors this past weekend. That's 20 kids that have been in the program for years, and Charlie has decided they are no longer worth his time to coach.  It's interesting that QB Dayne Crist was recruited by Weis out of high school and transferred from Notre Dame to Kansas to follow his coach, and has still played horribly this year.  Is there a more over rated coach in football?  Which reminds me, remember this guy....

The Cub on the right is Jimmy Clausen, Weis's prized QB recruit who started as a freshman at Notre Dame and was supposed to be the next Joe Montana.  He was arguable worse than the previous Irish freshman QB to anointed "The One", Ron Powlus.  Now he sits on the bench and watch's Cam Newton play football. QB guru indeed.

Frank Spaziani (Boston College) - B.C. is hiring a new AD, which is always bad news for a struggling coach.  New AD's like to make their own mark on their programs and that starts with hiring their choice of HC.  Coach Spaz's team hasn't beat an FBS team yet, including a loss to previously winless Army last weekend.  The good news is the ACC is not very tough this year, the bad news B.C. still has to play Florida State & Notre Dame.  Unless coach Spaz can pull off the upset against one of them, it looks like he'll be heading elsewhere in a few months.

Joker Phillips (Kentucky) - Kentucky is first and foremost a basketball school.  They don't expect much on the grid iron, but that doesn't mean they expect NOTHING.  The Wildcats lone win this year was against MAC foe Kent State.  Granted Kentucky plays in the SEC, and has lost to four ranked teams, but they have not even been competitive in those losses.  A matchup with the train wreck that is Arkansas will determine who's the SEC bottom feeder this year.  If Kentucky can't at least be competitive, the Joker will be a midnight toker somewhere other than Lexington.

The Ugly 

Jon Embree (Colorado) - If not for a epic 4th quarter collapse by Wazzu, the Buffs would be 0-5 right now. They haven't even been competitive in any of their games, including a home loss to FCS Sacramento State.  The going only gets tougher for the Embree, as he faces 3 ranked teams in the next 4 weeks.  The Buffs could very well be looking at a one win season and finding a coach to take over a once proud program.

Gene Chizik (Auburn) - That sound you  heard last weekend was the Auburn football program imploding ...

Since winning the national title, Chizik is now 9-9 over all, and currently 0-3 in the SEC.  Add in a loss to the disaster that is the Arkansas program last weekend, and things are looking glum in Auburn these days.  The Tigers have brought in some good recruiting classes the past couple of seasons, but have been unable to capitalize on any of the talent.  Auburn fans blamed former DC Ted Roof and OC Gus Malzahn for many of the problems, but with those two gone, it's all on Chizik to right the ship or he'll be walking the plank this off season.

John L. Smith (Arkansas) - Is there really anything more that needs to be said about this program? Oh yeah, John L. Smith foot in mouth disease. Arkansas dominated in a win against Auburn last week, winning 24-7, which makes you wonder what the hell Auburn HC Gene Chizik is thinking.  Who wins a national title and then gets embarrassed by John L. Smith a couple years later?  I am  hoping Arkansas wins just enough for Smith to keep his job.  It's way too much fun having him coach.  He'd be missed.

Top 25 Action

#1 'Bama @ Mizzou - With the initial BCS rankings due out in a few days, the question is, can anyone beat 'Bama?  The national title runs through Tuscaloosa.  'Bama has been the most consistent team week in and week out, and Saban seems determined not to let his team have a down week.  In fact, 'Bama treats teams scoring on them as if they've personally offended them and their families.  If Saban wins his 3rd title at 'Bama, like it or not, the discussion will then turn to whether his is one of the greatest college football coaches of all time.  Mizzou has been inconsistent this year, winning one week and losing the next all year.  Last week they lost to Vanderbilt, and couldn't get anything going offensively.  'Bama's D is WAY better than Vandy's.  Look for a the Tide to Roll again this week.  45-7 Crimson Tide.

#3 South Carolina @ #9 LSU - USCe is coming off a beat down of Georgia.  LSU is coming off a disappointing loss in the Swamp.  This game has all the making of a role reversal from last week.  This is week 2 of a murderers row of tough games for LSU.  They face 4 top 25 teams in a row.  As always is the case with the Tigers, they are relying heavily on their D to shut down opposing teams while their O does just enough to not lose the game.  High octane, spread offenses are all the rage in college football today, but the SEC has been putting the old saying of "Defense Wins Championships" to the test.  All of the SEC schools ranked in the top 25 are in the top 15 nationally of points allowed per game:
School           PPG         Rank
Alabama        7.0             1st
S Carolina     10.5            4th
Florida          11.4            6th
LSU              12.8           8th
Miss St          13.4          11th
Texas A&M  14.8          14th

As a fan, I'd love to see WVU's offense against 'Bama's D.  As for this game, look for another low scoring affair with not much running room for the Gamecocks star RB Marcus Lattimore.  With two tough D's, scoring will be at a premium and turnovers will be huge.  20-14 LSU.

#4 Florida @ Vanderbilt - The Gators proved they belong in the BCS discussion, dismissing LSU 14-6 in the Swamp.  Florida's formula was old school, running the ball a lot and playing great defense.  QB Jeff Driskel attempted only 12 passes in the game.  Vandy is not LSU, but is no slouch on D.  The Commodores problem is scoring points.  Florida won't help remedy that issue this week.  27-3 Gators.

#5 WVU @ Tx Tech - WVU has taken the complete opposite approach to winning than the SEC.  They will just outscore you, no matter what.  If you put up 63, they'll score 70.  Put up 45, they'll score 48 on you.  They treat defense the way this guy treats clothing....

Completely optional. And that cross totally makes the outfit.  Without it, he's just some Greek guy going for a stroll through town, but with the cross, you respect the shit out of him for his deeply held religious beliefs.  And the pornstache doesn't hurt his credibility either.

Geno Smith has been on fire.  He's got the clear lead for the Heisman at the half way point and it's not really close.  He's thrown a ridiculous 24 TD's but more importantly, ZERO interceptions.  On top of that, he's only taken 7 sacks. As if WVU's aerial assault wasn't enough, last week they proved their ground game can be just as lethal.  Texas wanted to take away the deep pass, so WVU handed off to RB Andrew Buie who torched the Longhorns for 207 yards and 2 TD's.  Buie had never even had a 100 yard effort in any game before exploding last week. It's a pick your poison proposition for the Red Raiders this week.  Their D was exposed by the Sooners last week as they lost 41-20.  Unless WVU has a huge let down after their big win last week, they should be lighting plenty of couches in Morgantown this week.  52-27 Mountaineers.

#6 K State @ Iowa State - Some highlights from the Kansas State Fair:
                                                              Best Turkey

                                                                  Best Bovine

                                                                       Best Pig

                                                            Best Animal Husbandry

K State easily dispatched Fatty Weis and Kansas last week 56-16.  Iowa State is a much tougher test. K State is playing well in all facets of the game, save for passing.  But the Wildcats offense is not built to be an aerial assault.  More importantly, K State is playing solid D. So are the Cyclones, only surrendering 15.8 points per game, good for 19th in the nation.  The Cyclones O is not as dangerous as K State, but the defenses match up well. Iowa State beat a TCU team that was in disarray without their starting QB last week. Last year, QB Collin Klein was sacked 42 times.  This year, through 5 games, Klein has only been sacked twice.  That is why he's gone from inconsistent to dark horse Heisman candidate.  This game will be closer than expected.  27-20 K State.

If you happen to be in Kansas and want to fit in with the locals, eat a few of these Krispy Kreme cheeseburgers and just wait for your arteries to harden.

You'll actually be able to feel your heart start to clog.  If you're in front of a mirror, do a before and after pick,  you'll see the increased weight in a matter of hours. It's only a matter of time before Krispy Kreme and McDonald's team up to bring this tasty treat to kids meals!

#17 Stanford @ #7 Notre Dame - 'Bama's D is ranked #1 in the nation, but I'll bet nobody would guess Notre Dame is right behind them at #2, giving up only 7.8 points per game. The offense is still trying to find it's identity, but the Irish D knows who it is, a shut down D led by LB Manti Te'o.  Te'o is getting tons of hype, which is par for the course for star players for the Irish, and is on course for some post season awards.  Irish QB Everett Golson avoided getting Wally Pipped by QB Tommy Rees last week.  Rees got the start, but Golson came off the bench to lead the Irish to a 41-3 blowout of Miami.  Stanford was down by 14 with 9 minutes left against Arizona last week.  The Cardinal then scored 14 unanswered points to send the game to OT, and sealed the win with a 21 yard TD run in OT.  A loss last week would've sunk Stanford's season. The loss at Washington is looking more like a let down after beating USC very week.  Nothing would make the Cardinal happier than handing the Irish their first loss.  19-14 Stanford.

#8 Buckeyes @ Hoosiers -Buckeyes QB Braxton Miller is a one man wrecking crew for the OSU offense.  As goes Miller, so goes the OSU offense.  He's leading the team in rushing and passing, and would probably  lead in receiving too if they had someone to throw him the ball.  Miller is a load to stop on the run, and containing him is not easy.  OSU's offense is run first, run second, and then play action pass.  It's not complicated, but it's highly effective.  They sliced through the 'Huskers D for 63 points last week.  The Hoosiers are the typical Hoosiers, currently sitting at 2-3.

45-3 Buckeyes.

#10 Beavers @ Cougars - Beavers QB Sean Mannion, who's been at the top of his game this year, is out with a meniscus tear in his knee. He's not done for the year, but with an offense based on throwing the ball, it will certainly affect the Beavers game.  BYU is a shocking 3rd in the nation in D, giving up only 8.8 points per game.  This could spell trouble for the Beavers, however, BYU also lost it's starting QB Tayson Hill to a season ending LCL tear in his knee.  Look for a defensive battle as these two teams look for their backup QB's to put enough points on the board for the W.  13-7 Beavers.

#11 Trojans @ Huskies -The Trojans started slow against the Utes before turning it on for a relatively comfortable 38-28 win a week ago. WR Marqise Lee continues to be one of the most dangerous players in the nation when he gets the ball, constantly finding way to get open and then refusing to go down after the catch.  If you double up on Lee, WR Robert Woods can also hurt you, and QB Matt Barkley is capable of getting both of them the ball in tight spots.  Will the real Washington Huskies please stand up?  UW beat Stanford, got killed by Oregon, and now face get a home game v. a USC team trying to get back into the national title discussion.  It's hard to tell which Huskies team will show up, as they don't do anything particularly well as a team. The Huskies always have a chance when playing at home, but would have a better chance if they weren't playing USC.  34-17 USC.

Boston College @ #12 FSU - Two teams coming off of two bad losses last week.  B.C. lost to Army at home, and FSU blew a 16 point half time lead at NC State and lost 17-16.  The 'Noles can't seem to shake that upset bug that has plagued them for a better party of a decade.  One week they look like title contenders, and the next week fail to show up against a team they'd beat 9 times out of 10.  Look for FSU to bounce back against B.C., and for B.C. to start looking for a new head coach soon.  45-10 Seminoles. 

#13 Sooners v. #15 Longhorns - The Red River Rivalry! Because calling it a "Shootout" would promote gun violence the way this kid promotes thug life...

The 'Horns hung tough with WVU last week, but just couldn't put up enough points.  The Sooners are beginning their slow climb back up the rankings, beating Tx Tech in Lubbock last week 41-20.  The Sooners offense is balance, with their passing attack ranked 37th and running game ranked 36th in the nation. The winner of this game is still in the Big XII title hunt, the loser will be playing the role of spoiler the rest of the season. 29-24 Texas.

#18 Louisville @ Pitt - How do you think Big East coaches pitch playing in their conference?  "Come play in the Big East, it's the easiest path to a BCS game." Louisville continue to climb the rankings almost by default.  Pitt might be the toughest team they've played thus far, and they just lost to 'Cuse 14-13 on a Friday night. I guess if the quality of your program is that of a high school, why not play on Friday nights just to fit in?  Pitt sucks, but in the Big East, any team can lose on any given weekend.  Pitt should have a huge home field advantage...

if you consider empty seats to be an advantage.

24-13 Louisville.

Volunteers @ #19 Mississippi State -Tennessee is coming off a bye week and playing it's second of four games against ranked teams in a row.  HC Derek Dooley is basically fighting for his job at this point.

With 'Bama and South Carolina coming up next, this may be the Volunteers best chance at beating a ranked team.  TN hasn't been bad on offense, their D is atrocious.  The Bulldogs D is solid, but they have yet to play any good teams yet.  If they can take care of business this week, they should be able to handle Middle TN State next week and will head to Tuscaloosa to face the Tide at 7-0.  Tennessee is probably the best team they've faced thus far and will give us a better idea if they are a contender or pretender in the SEC this year. 34-20 Bulldogs.

Syracuse @ #20 Rutgers - Why is Rutgers known as Slutgers?  Glad you asked. And apparently enough people have asked that same question that the Rutgers administration has addressed the issue on the University's web site: Sexually Transmitted Infections - Fact v. Myth.

Rutgers hasn't lost this year, but it's hard to lose when you don't play anyone.  The Scarlet Knights are only giving up 10.8 points per game, good for 5th in the nation.  The one team they played with a pulse on offense, Arkansas, put up 26 on them without their starting QB.  This is an instance of stats not telling the entire story.  'Cuse isn't exactly good, having only beaten Stony Brook and Pitt, but Doug Marrone is a good coach. Fear not 'Cuse fans, basketball is right around the corner, and I'm sure Asst Coach Bernie Fine has stopped molesting children so you don't have to worry about NCAA sanctions, or even an investigation.  19-7 Rutgers.

Fordham @ #21 Cincy - I'm convinced Big East teams are ranked by default.  Would any other conference with three undefeated teams have them ranked so low?  Lousiville, Rutgers and Cincy have yet to lose, and yet, we still know little to nothing about any of them because they refuse to play anybody.  You almost want to take pity on the Big East.  Their fans actually believe their own propaganda that their conference is doing just fine because they have three undefeated teams.  Cincy's marquee non-conference match up this year was a win against Va Tech, a squad that has looked worse and worse as the season has progressed.  Other than that, they've played two FCS teams and two MAC teams.  The Big East is a joke and will continue to be until they play somebody. 34-10 Bearcats.

#22 Texas A&M @ #23 La Tech - What's this!? A top 25 match up featuring a WAC team!?  Karl Malone U has been lighting up the scoreboard this year.  They are the best offense nobody has seen in college football. And much like WVU, they could care less about playing defense.  The Bulldogs are putting up 53.2 points per game, 3rd in the nation.  They're giving up 35.8 points per game, 109th in the nation. This game was rescheduled from Aug 30th and these squads are not the same two teams that would have opened the season against each other. A&M is by far the best defense La Tech will face this year. They are only giving up two TD's per game while their offense is averaging 44 points per contest.  This game should be high scoring, but only for the Aggies. La Tech's stay in the top 25 will be brief. 59-24 A&M.

Fresno State @ #24 Boise St - While on their way to the Southern Miss game last week, the Boise equipment truck gave new meaning to Oh Shit!

Apparently a suicidal bovine wandered in front of the truck, and what you see above is the remnants of said bovine.  RIP bovine hit by Boise State equipment truck.

Since their opening game loss to Sparty, Boise has reeled off 4 wins in a row. The Broncos will fit right in with the Big East when they switch conferences, as Sparty is the only ranked team on the Broncos schedule this year.

The Bulldogs offense is led by QB Derek Carr, the youngest brother of former #1 overall pick David Carr.  And like his older sibling, Derek is capable of slinging the pig skin.  The Bulldogs O is airing it out to the tune of 315 yards and 39.5 points per game. Boise has been playing solid D all year, and is better at home than they are on the road.  It appears as though the smurf turf does provide a home field advantage, and has inspired other school to follow suit:
                                          Eastern Washington University roles out Red Carpet 

Boise 30-24

Illinois @ #25 Michigan - Apparently not only does Tim Beckman get demolished at home by a Penn State team whom he sent his entire staff to try to recruit to come to his program, he's also a walking NCAA violation. Tim Beckman commits NCAA violation on the sideline, loses again.The Wolverines are looking to get it's offense in gear for a second week in a row.  QB Denard Robinson continues to be a dynamic runner and a lackluster passer. He's a smaller version of the Buckeyes QB Braxton Miller.  D-Rob went nuts against the Boilermakers last week, racking up 235 yards rushing and another 105 through the air as Michigan won easily 44-13.  The Not-so-Fightin' Illini are riding a 3 game losing streak, including back to back ass kickings from Penn State and Wisconsin.  Things won't get any easier for HC Tim Beckman's squad in the Big House this week. 38-13 Wolverines.

Games of Note

Auburn @ Ole Miss - Auburn's program may officially be off the tracks after losing at home to a bad Arkansas team 24-7.  The Tigers offense is atrocious.  They can't run, can't pass, and can't score.  Ole Miss isn't a good team, but they gave Texas A&M a hell of a game before blowing a 10 point fourth quarter lead and losing 30-27 last week.  Look for Ole Miss to take out some frustration on a Tigers squad that may go 0-8 in the SEC if they don't figure things out soon.  27-10 Rebels.

Duke @ Va Tech - How long has it been since Duke has been to a bowl game?  Since the Blue Devils lost 34-20 to Wisconsin in the Hall of Fame Bowl in 1995, they have remade a movie that Sylvester Stallone starred in.  That's right, they are now remaking Stallone movies. I'm looking forward to the reboot of Demolition Man sometime in the next few years. At 5-1, Duke is looking to break through in the ACC.  Va Tech is down this year and has lost two in a row.  Could this be the year since 1981 that the Blue Devils beat the Hokies?  23-20 Hokies.

Kentucky @ Arkansas - The Battle for the Basement! Arkansas is bad. but they finally stopped a 4 game skid that has demolished their season and demoralized their program.  Kentucky is just waiting for hoops season to start. 27-14 Razorbacks.

Wazzu @ Cal - Not much happens in Pullman, WA.  Which could be why the Wazzu football program is ground zero for the zombie apocalypse. Wazzu has been on a 3 game skid since allowing a bad Colorado squad a come back win a few weeks ago. Cal put a whooping on UCLA last week 43-17.  Neither of these teams are very good.  It's more a matter of who sucks less.  34-28 Golden Bears.

Dawg of the Week

Iowa @ Sparty - Being an Iowa RB has been a curse in recent years. From injuries, to suspensions, to academics, the Hawkeyes have had trouble keeping RB's on the field.  They finally found a solution in Sophomore Mark Weisman though. He's averaging 7 yards per carry and has 7 TD's thus far. He is pretty much all the Hawkeyes have on offense, with QB James Vandenburg struggling all season. Iowa has struggled to put up points, but is still playing good defense. Sparty has been playing solid D this year too. Sparty is only giving up 15.8 points per game, good for 15th in the nation.  If these two teams played in the SEC, the story would be about how great their defenses are playing, how they're throw back teams, blah blah blah. But since they play in the Big Ten, the story will be about how bad their offenses are and how they have no speed, blah blah blah. Sparty if favored by 10 at home, but I like the Hawkeyes to pull off the upset this week. 24-21 Iowa.

Congrats Hawkeyes, but as we still know...