Tuesday, November 30, 2010

TCU to the Big East? Boy That Makes A Lot of Sense

It is being reported that TCU is to move to the Big East after one more season in the Mtn West. That is near as stupid as Louisiana Tech being in the WAC. This is a result of the BCS further ruining the game of college football. Ridiculous. TCU has no logical reason to make that move if it were not for the BCS system forcing schools to make drastic decisions. Granted TCU will compete well in the Big East and perhaps even dominate, but it is still a ridiculous move and is not good for the game.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Just How Good is Oregon?

Oregon is a good team. In my opinion they are a championship caliber squad. There is a wrinkle however. Only 4 teams in the PAC 10 have winning records. Other than an excellent Stanford squad, the other two are a decent Arizona team and a USC squad. USC does not count due to NCAA probation. Should this perhaps keep Oregon out of the conversation for the BCS Title Game? Perhaps it should. Should Oregon rightly be placed ahead of TCU which may have had at least near as tough of a schedule? An argument can be made that the Ducks should be ahead of TCU in the polls. Their sked was indeed marginally tougher with wins over Stanford and Arizona. TCU's only victory over a top 25 squad was a beat down of Utah. Hmm. Should Oregon be placed ahead of a very good Wisconsin, Michigan State or a darn tough Ohio State team?  Probably not. How about Arkansas or LSU? Perhaps they should and perhaps they should not. The SEC is hands down tougher than the PAC 10 in a bad year. Should they be placed ahead of a good Nevada or indeed even a Boise State team? An argument can be made that the Ducks should and also an argument otherwise. You see this is the system we have in place. The BCS system is ruining the game to be sure. As stated I believe Oregon can play with anyone but if we are just to go by the current "system" perhaps they should not be rated any higher than five in the standings. I would put Auburn, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State, and perhaps TCU, LSU and Arkansas ahead of them. I would put the Bartender Cabbie Series up against the Bowl Championship Series any day. I couldn't do any more damage than the BCS has already done and continues to do.

Coach Randy Gone

It has been reported that Randy was fired after the Hurricanes OT loss to USF yesterday. Shame on the Miami admin. Shannon had an off year to be sure and the Canes did not live up to expectations but my money would have been on them contending for ACC honors next year. Perhaps even competing for a shot at the so called "National Title." Shannon will land somewhere and build a program that will be a winner. Good luck to him.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

One Heck of a Friday

Did you see any of the games yesterday? Now that is college football at its finest. The outcomes were for the most part not to my liking but I have to admit I have possibly not seen a better day of college ball. I guess I should get started with the Ohio Bobcats. How in the heck did they allow themselves to lose this one?  There was only a chance to play in the MAC Championship game on the line. Solich is probably pretty hot at his kittens over that fiasco. Oh well, they will go bowling somewhere I am sure. There are too many bowls.
There is absolutely no excuse for the Tide to have not rolled the Tigers of Auburn. Cam is one hell of a player but the Tide had more than one opportunity to put Cam and Co. in the shade. Auburn was exposed for sure but is still probably the best team overall in the nation. Would likely win two of three against the likes of Oregon,  Wisconsin, LSU, Boise, TCU,  etc.
Oregon took care of Arizona as predicted. This team will likely, barring a meltdown against their cross state rival next week, be in the BCS Championship game. The worse case scenario is that they will be in the Rose Bowl.
Boise State was exposed. They are the better team of the two but let this one get away. The BCS aficionados were probably dancing in their underwear last night. Now no Broncs in a BCS game. That is a shame. It hurts the BCS system when a Boise State, TCU, Utah, etc. are "allowed" to compete and clean the clock of a BCS opponent. Boise would beat Nevada 4 out of 5 times but did not last night. Have to feel a bit sorry for the Bronco kicker. He will need to change schools after last night. He is a good kicker but like any pitcher in baseball, he had a bad night. Also like a pitcher, his bad night happened at the worse possible time for the club. A kicker is either a hero or a dog. It is the nature of the position. I would still put Boise State in the top six. They would beat any team in the BCS system with the possible exception of Auburn or Oregon 2 out of 3 times.

Today there are no games with real national implications with the possible exception of the TCU/New Mexico match up. TCU is a darn good team but is probably not going to get a chance at the national title. It would be a travesty to keep them out of a BCS bowl though. The LSU/Arkansas game could possibly still have some national implications. We will see. Their (LSU) only loss was to the Tigers of Auburn. If Bama had won yesterday I would have been forced to grudgingly root for Miles and Co. over the Hogs which is the ridiculous outcome of the extremely flawed and ruinous BCS system. As it is now, I will have to go with the Razorbacks to dash LSU's hopes. The game is in Little Rock which helps the Hogs, but there will be a lot of Tiger fans in attendance. Should be a good game.

I guess the only other game of really any importance is the Oklahoma State/Oklahoma game. It is in Stillwater and should be a hard fought and close game. Both are very good, but not great teams.

Some will say that the marquee Big Ten match ups mean something. But let us be honest, those games really mean very little. MSU is not national title material and Wisconsin fell earlier to Michigan State and is not  considered as a national contender. I would say that Wisconsin is the still best in conference. The Big Ten is much better this year. Ohio State and Michigan mean nothing other than being a storied rivalry game. Coach Rich should have stayed at WVU where he was building a national power. He will likely be run from Michigan after it is all said and done. Shame. He is a good coach a deserves better. He will likely land somewhere that is a better program if he indeed is fired. They might be doing him a favor to let him go.

Got to get back to the games.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Anything to Keep the BCS in Flux - Even Rooting for Alabama

Alabama should have won the game today but did not. The better team prevailed. At any time trying to chose between these two is like trying to chose who to root for in the Iran/Iraq war. Remember that conflict?  I never could figure out who to root for in that particular game in the only sport that really matters. As it is today I found myself rooting for the odious Tide. Why? It would have been nice to see Auburn lose to further damage the BCS. If Auburn would have lost the game I then would have had to root for LSU over my beloved Razorbacks. This is the kind of thing that the BCS system does. It messes up your loyalty. Not that I am a big LSU fan. I am not, but still would rather see those Tigers with a shot at national (and conference) honors than the Tigers from Auburn. There is still a chance for Auburn to lose in the SEC Championship game, but it is rather unlikely that the Gamecocks will prevail in that one. Auburn is such a good team. Incidentally I am rooting also for Oregon to fall to Arizona. It is a close one as of this writing. Anything to screw up the BCS system. Anything!! It is ruining the game.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Week 13 Predictions

Last week I was 13-7 with a total for the season thus far at 145-93. Pretty decent week. The cream has risen to the top and it is less likely (although not out of the question), that there will be any earth shattering upsets. One surprise in the MAC is the Temple meltdown that leaves Ohio in the driver seat for the chance to be the representative from the MAC East in the championship game against Northern Illinois. For Miami of Ohio to get into it, Ohio must lose to Kent State. An unlikely proposition to be sure. That being said, on to the predictions.


1. Ohio vs Kent State: For the Bobcats to miss out on the MAC Championship game they would have to lose this one. That is unlikely. Go with the Bobcats.

2. Texas vs TAMU: Texas is down and TAMU is an unusually good ball club this year. This is one of those game that one can throw the records out of the window, but with the Longhorns so far in the hole it is hard to see how they will win this one. Win this they will though. Mack will have his team fired up. This is their "bowl game" this year and they will surprise the Aggies. Go with Texas.

3. SMU vs ECU: SMU needs this game. ECU needs to regain some confidence and self respect. They were embarrassed by Rice last week. Both are pretty good teams for CUSA and it should be a tight one. I will go with the Pony's to take it. They have more to lose overall with a loss. Go with SMU.

4. West Virginia vs Pitt: Both of these teams have two conference games left and both still are in the hunt for the Big East title. WVU may be the better team but it is hard to tell. The game is at home for the Panthers and this helps. I will go with WVU in this toss up game.

5. Colorado vs Nebraska: What a difference a coaching change makes. Colorado is 2-0 since canning Hawkins. It is funny how a team often shows an immediate improvement when a "dead wood" coach is let go during mid season. That being said they are likely no match for the Huskers in Lincoln. Pelini and co were taken down last week in College Station which was a bit of a surprise and they will be ready to take out their frustration on a below par squad. Pelini was called out by the powers that be in the admin office at the university for his fiery temperament onfield. I have a question for those silly clowns. Do you want to win? If so then leave Bo alone. Nebraska is stupidly leaving an excellent conference for a "good" conference. True the Big Ten is better than normal this year but it is not the football power that it once was. Of course Ohio State is exempt as they usually are a power team year in and year out. That being said it would be well for Husker admin to leave Pelini to run his program as he sees fit. If that means an occasional game day flip out then so be it. Whew! Enough of that. I pick Nebraska to win in a blow out. I wish them no success in the Big Ten but they will of course soon dominate. I wish Colorado no success either in the Pac 10 where they just might be competitive once in a while.

6. Auburn vs Bama: The bloom is off the Rose at the flagship university but they are going to beat the Tigers this week. That would throw the BCS in a tizz and that is good. It is funny how one has to root for a team that they dislike just to keep the BCS system in disarray. Such is the state of the game. I will go with the Tide here.

7.  Tulsa vs USM: Both teams need this game. Tulsa has more to lose here and will likely be able to take the Golden Eagles down in Hattiesburg. Tulsa is the better team and should prevail. Go with the Golden Hurricane.
Addendum: The game is being played in Tulsa.

8. Arizona vs Oregon: Oregon may be tested here but probably not. I will go with the Ducks to win this one and be poised for the "civil war" against their cross state rival next week. The Ducks may well be in the BCS "Championship" Game when all is said and done. It is very likely. Go with Oregon.

9. Boise State vs Nevada: The Broncs may be tested, but like the above game, probably not. Boise State will be in a BCS bowl for certain (barring a loss here) but likely will again not get a chance to play for all the marbles. It would be interesting. On a good day they could beat any team in the nation and do so handily. Go with Boise State.

10. TCU vs New Mexico: TCU will likely have little problem agains the lowly Lobos. Boise will likely surpass them in the standings when all is said and done. TCU should also get a BCS game but will not play in the "Big" game. It would be a travesty to put Boise State and TCU in another bowl game but that is what the BCS will likely try. That is if they can not keep one of them out of the picture altogether. The BCS folk are certainly hoping for TCU or Boise to stumble this week. That would make it easy for them. The BCS is actually ruining the game. Go with the Frogs to roll here with ease. It will be little more than a scrimmage for them most likely.

11. San Diego State vs UNLV: The Aztecs have been a pleasant surprise this year. They are well coached and a team to reckon with in the MWC. They should have no trouble here. Go with SDSU.

12. Oklahoma State vs Oklahoma: Guess who will have two losses after this one. It will be the Cowboys. They are probably the better team but I think that the Sooners will prevail in this evenly matched game. It is a toss up but I would put my money on the Sooners.

13. ULM vs Louisiana (ULL): ULM is actually having a pretty good (for them) season this year and the Cajuns are just dismal. I think that the Warhawks are the better team and will put the final nail in the Cajun coffin. Hope not. I am a huge Cajun fan but once in a while one must at least try to be realistic. Go with ULM.

14. Idaho vs Fresno State: Idaho really needs this game and Fresno State is already going "bowling." Idaho has more to lose but may not have the talent to beat the Bulldogs this year. Both teams were recently utterly blown out by the Broncos but that was to be somewhat expected. Both of these squads are well coached with Enderle (Idaho) being hands down the better QB in this game. It is the Idaho D that will likely not be able to contain a pretty good Fresno State running game. Go with the Valley Dogs.

15. UAB vs Rice: For the first time this season Rice has shown that they can actually play this game. Their win over ECU must have been a huge boost to their confidence. UAB can actually play this game, despite their record. They are a better team than is indicated by the won/loss ratio. I will go with the Blazers to win this one. It may be close.

16. Troy vs WKU: Troy is not near as good as they normally are but still are a better team than WKU. Both teams are well coached but WKU does not have the talent to compete here. Go with the Trojans.

17. Florida vs FSU: This is a big rivalry game that can often mean a whole lot nationally. Not so much this year but still it should be a good game. I think that Florida may be the better team marginally and will go with the Gators here.

18. LSU vs Arkansas: This is a big one for both teams. More so for the Tigers. Both of these squads are very good with LSU being the better team. LSU is not totally out of the hunt in the national picture and the Hogs will get a very good bowl game. I am no fan of LSU as my Louisiana team is the Cajuns. Funny I know. I lived in Louisiana for years but just never became a "Tiger" I also lived in Arkansas for a good while and have always been a fan. I think that LSU will prevail here but it will be very very close. Go with LSU.

19. Grambling vs Southern: The Bayou Classic is the IAA game of the week. This is the game that can fill the Super Dome and gets more national attention than a great number of games that really matter. Grambling is the much better team this year and will win this one hands down.

20. Michigan State vs. Penn State: This is the potential shocker of the week. PSU is a pretty good football team as is Michigan State. I do believe that the Spartans have had a very good run of luck this year and are not quite the team that their record indicates. That being said, one can't argue with their record. PSU dose have the talent to win here but we will soon see if they can do so. I go with PSU. Not sure if it would be a real shocker but it would be an upset to be sure.

Have a good week and enjoy the games.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Week 12 Predictions

Last week I was a cool 12-8 for a grand total this season of 137-86. Fair I suppose. I will dispense week 11 analysis this week or at least for today. May get to it later in the week but doubt it. There were some pretty good games over the weekend although no earth shattering upsets. TCU, Oregon and even to some extent, Auburn were all tested. Boise as expected was not. OK State may be the real deal and TAMU is rising. Wisconsin and Ohio State are darn good teams and not out of the National Championship picture either. For those that care, Troy does not look like they may be the best team overall in the Sun Belt after all. They will likely still be in the New Orleans Bowl though. That being said - on to the predictions.

1. Ohio vs Temple: In about an hour or so this one kicks off. It is of extreme importance to both teams as the loser may well be out of the MAC West picture. Temple appears to be in the driver seat with Miami(OH) and the Bobcats nipping at their heels. Solich and Golden are both good coaches but Temple is probably the better team here. I will go with Temple to win this one. Go with the Owls.

2. Miami(OH) vs Akron: This one is important if Miami(OH) is to have a shot at the MAC West. It should be a breeze for the RedHawks as Akron has yet to win a game. I will go with the Red Hawks here.

3. Toledo vs Bowling Green: Another MAC contest. Yes. This could be important for the Rockets in the MAC East should Northern Illinois falter. Go with the Rockets. This has been an interesting conference this season.

4. Fresno State vs Boise State: Fresno is one of the two remaining WAC teams that may have a slight shot at dashing the Bronco's BCS hopes. Unlikely but stranger things have happened. I will go with Boise State here.

5. Northern Illinois vs Ball State: Yet another MAC game. The Huskies need to finish the rest of the season strong to stay ahead of Toledo. If they falter Toledo is back in it. Go with Northern Illinois.

6. West Virginia vs Louisville: WVU needs this win and some help to take the Big East crown. They should do their part here and beat Louisville. Go with WVU.

7. Troy vs South Carolina: A tune up game for the Gamecocks? Perhaps and perhaps not. Troy has fallen off somewhat and lost two conference games in a row. Very surprising. Spurrier is having a very good season thus far and should be able to beat Troy with relative ease.

8. Appalachian State vs Florida: Meyer may have his work cut out for him this week. App State is quite good but probably not up to beating most SEC foes. I will go with the Gators here but it may be closer than expected.

9. Kansas St vs Colorado: Dan Hawkins is gone in Boulder and that is good for the program. His son is still at QB though and that does not really bode well. The Buffs pulled off a minor upset last week over Iowa State and may have some confidence in themselves and believe in their "new start." Could be a good game. Depends on which KSU team shows up. Go with the Wildcats.

10. Illinois vs Northwestern: Illinois needs this game and perhaps may get it here. Zook for sure needs to win out the rest of the season for career reasons. There was no reason for the Illini to lose last week to the Gophers. Funny though how a new coach can pump life into a dismal team. Brewster is out in MN and that was probably a major reason for the win. This is very similar to what happened in Colorado. That being said, I will go with Illinois to pull off a minor upset over Northwestern.

11. Virginia Tech vs Miami: Both teams need this game and Va. Tech is probably the better team. Miami is better coached most likely and I will go with the Canes to pull off a minor upset here.

12. Florida Atlantic vs Texas: Texas should win this game over the Owls but the Sun Belt has played the big boys pretty tough this year and the Horns are just dismal. I still think that Texas will prevail. Go with the Horns.

13. UConn vs Syracuse: Both need this game and UConn must have this it to have any shot at all of staying in the hunt. Both have been playing pretty decent ball of late with UConn perhaps being the most "impressive." I think I will still go with the Orange here. It is a home game and Syracuse has been down for quite a while.

14. Houston vs Southern Miss: Another must win game for both teams to stay in their respective divisions. U of H did not look real good last week against Tulsa and USM took down UCF. I will go with the Eagles in a tight one. It depends a lot on which Coogs team shows up thoug.

15. Nebraska vs TAMU: The Huskers are likely not even a dark horse for the National Championship at this point but are still a darn good team. TAMU is much improved this year and will be at home. I think that Pelini is a much better coach than Sherman but Tannehill may be a better QB than Martinez at this point. This is a toss up and I will guess and go with the Huskers.

16. LSU vs Ole Miss: The Tigers had their scrimmage last week against their upstate Sun Belt foe. Ole Miss is just not a very good team but the Tigers have the potential to play down to their level. Probably won't happen but not out of the question. I will go with LSU here.

17. Utah vs SDSU: SDSU gave the Frogs all they could handle last week and Utah was made to look ridiculous against a below par Irish team. Utah will probably be back ready to play this week but it will be a close one. Both teams are well coached and talented and may be just about even. I will go with the Utes in a close one.

18. Arkansas vs Mississippi State: The Hogs are the better team but the Bulldogs are pretty decent. I think it will be close but give the Razorbacks the edge. Go with Arkansas.

19. Montana vs Montana State: This is the IAA game of the week. I have not paid too much attention to the Big Sky this year but both of these teams look pretty good. Montana is usually in the mix for a title shot and State is much improved over past years. I will have to go with Montana here.

20. California vs Stanford: I will pick this to be the potential shocker this week. Stanford is a good teams hands down and Cal can show flashes. Probably the talent of Stanford will prevail. They are well coached with a good QB while Cal is just well coached. Go with Stanford.

Have a good week and enjoy the games.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

No LFL in Oklahoma City

Apparently the mayor of Oklahoma City has declared that the LFL (Lingerie Football League) is not allowed in OKC (or at least allowed to lease public venues). What kind of Un American nonsense is that? Damn You Sir! Damn you.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Thursday Review

Thursday night UConn nipped the Pitt Panthers in a pretty good ball game. Pitt is still in the race as this is their first conference loss but certainly must guard against any further mishaps. All Big East teams are at least theoretically in the race for the Big East crown. This is a bit sad actually. Nobody seems to be anything better than just above average. Syracuse is probably the biggest surprise with a 6-3 overall record but they are 3-2 in conference play. This is still up for grabs.
ECU scored 27 fourth quarter points to overtake the Blazers of Birmingham in front of a crowd of about 20. The Blazers can at times show some flashes of good football and may have thought the game was in the bag. Not a good idea when faced with an ECU squad that can score points and do so quickly. Amazing comeback. ECU remains in the hunt for CUSA East although UCF is in the driver seat. The Boise/Idaho game starts shortly but the outcome is likely a foregone conclusion. Almost like the game has already been played. To quote Sam Elliot (almost) from the movie Gettysburg; "It has an odd stony quality about it, like it was already a memory." Well that is kinda a quote. Enjoy the games.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Miami of Ohio Still in the Hunt in the MAC East

Miami of Ohio Redhawks held off a fourth quarter charge by the Bowling Green Falcons and came out on top in the contest. The Hawks still have a shot in the MAC East. Still a lot of football left to be played. As of this writing UConn is up on Pitt by a field goal a minute into the second quarter. All Big East games are a must win for all teams as all are still at least theoretically in the race.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The MAC Saga

Last night Northern Illinois took out a pretty decent Toledo club in fine fashion. The second half was wild and wooley. On tap tonight is the Miami(OH)/Bowling Green contest. This game (and all others) are must wins for the Red Hawks. They are still in contention for the MAC East crown although they are a bit of a long shot. Bowling Green has had a dismal season and likely will not have the firepower to keep up. We will see. This MAC is an interesting and often under rated conference.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Hawkins is Gone and Northern Illinois Leads at Half

Dan Hawkins was canned by the University of Colorado for his dismal performance as HC of the Buffs. Who would have thought that a man who led Boise State to very good seasons would turn out to be such a bust in Boulder? If there was any doubt about his fate the meltdown last week against a very poor Jayhawk team should have erased said doubt. Such is the game. On a more important note, Northern Illinois leads the Rockets of Toledo at halftime 28-0. This decides who wins MAC West and goes to the conference championship game. 

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Week 11 Predictions

The college football season is coming down to the wire and it has been an interesting and surprising year indeed. Who would have thought that Texas would be so far down?Snyder is bringing KSU back to respectability to be certain. Iowa State, Baylor and Mississippi State have been pleasant surprises also. It is no surprise that Notre Dame is mediocre. That appears to par for the course in South Bend. Even without Tim who would have thought that Florida would not be a player on the national scene this year? Not many I would guess. Well on to the predictions for week 11.


1. Pittsburgh vs UConn: Every game is a must win for each and every team in the Big East. Each has at least a theoretical shot at winning the title. Perhaps Pitt is the best team in conference and should go a long way to proving it shortly. Go with the Panthers.

2. Boise St vs Idaho: A tune up game for the Broncos before they meet with Fresno and Nevada. Akey does a pretty good job in Idaho and Enderle is a good QB but they will be no match for their cross state WAC rival.

3. UCF vs USM: UCF is in the driver seat in CUSA West but USM can be a dangerous opponent. I think that UCF has the talent to prevail here. Go with the Golden Knights.

4. Kansas ST vs Missouri: Missouri is probably the better team here and will get a nice bowl game but I think that KSU will prevail here with a minor upset. The Bears have to be depressed about how the last two games have gone for them. Go with the Wildcats.

5. Iowa St. vs Colorado: Iowa State is 5-5 which is darn good for them and Colorado is done. Perhaps they will do better in the PAC 10. Doubtful. I go with the Hawkeyes to take this one hands down.

6. Penn St vs Ohio State: This is a big game although PSU is not really going anywhere in conference. They should still get a good bowl. OSU must win to be considered still a contender for the National Title, much less the Conference Title. Another loss with knock them out of contention for both. I go with OSU to pull this out in a fairly close contest.

7. Georgia vs Auburn: Auburn will win this one but it may be a bit closer than expected. Georgia is steadily improving and may actually go bowling this year. I will go with the Tigers in a fairly close one.

8. San Diego St. vs TCU: This is one team that TCU should not let down their guard on. They are flush from the beat down of Utah last week and should be on the lookout for a let down. Hoke is a good coach and SDSU is a pretty darn good ballclub. I still will go with the Frogs to take this one hands down.

9. TAMU vs Baylor: This may be a good one. Both teams are probably pretty even and each is led by very good QB's. Briles is the better coach and the game is in Waco which may be the deciding factor here. I will go with Baylor in a shoot out.

10. Louisiana Monroe vs LSU: I will pad my stats here a bit. It is apparently homecoming in Tigerland. ULM may (or may not be) the second best D1 team in state but are going to be no match for the Tigers. Go with LSU.

11. Tulsa vs UH: This is an important game in the still open CUSA West. Tulsa is probably the better team as UH is playing with the third or fourth team QB at the helm. It will be an interesting game but I will go with the Cougars to pull this one out of the hat. Go with UH.

12. Rice vs Tulane: I wanted to go to this one but it does not look like that will happen. Neither team is very good but Tulane is probably marginally better. I will look for the Green Wave to win this one.

13. Nevada vs Fresno State: The Wolfpack are the better team but the Bulldogs are always a very dangerous opponent. The game is at home for Fresno and Pat Hill will have his club ready. I think they may pull off the upset here. Pick Fresno State.

14. Utah vs Notre Dame: Utah will be fighting mad when they travel to South Bend and will take it out on the Irish. Notre Dame will be out to prove something also after their loss to Tulsa but the Irish are just not a good team. Besides I dislike their coach. I will go with the Utes here in a rout.

15. UTEP vs Arkansas: Must be homecoming. The only problem is that UTEP, depending on which team shows up, is a tough opponent. Vittatoe is a good QB and Price is a stellar coach. This may be closer than expected but I will still pick the Hogs here.

16. Minnesota vs Illinois: This should be a win for the Illini over the hapless Gophers. Zook will need to finish strong to keep his job probably. I will go with Illinois here.

17. Oregon vs California: I wonder which Bear team will show up. They can be good and they can look just dismal. Either way it probably won't matter. Oregon will take this one with relative ease I suspect. Go with the Ducks.

18. Indiana vs Wisconsin: Wisconsin is good and Indiana is just not. Go with the Badgers.

19. Grambling vs Texas Southern: For the second week in a row I will pick a SWAC game (and TSU) to be the IAA game of the week. Grambling appears to be a pretty good SWAC team and TSU is better than they have been in a long long time. The game will be played in Houston and I think that Texas Southern will surprise. Go with TSU.

20 Mississippi State vs Alabama: This is the potential shocker of the week. The Tide must be let down after seeing any chance they have at a National Title shot going out the window. They still have a shot at the SEC though and should stay focused on that. Saban will likely emphasize this and his squad will beat the Bulldogs. It may be close and I could be wrong, but I will go with the Tide here.

Have a good week and enjoy the games.

Week 10 Analysis

There were some pretty good games on tap this last week and some surprises as is usual. I was 11-9 this week for a grand total of 125-78. Did anyone notice the prolific scoring that happened at various sites across the country? I don't guess defense is being played anymore. The biggest surprises to me were the Texas/KSU and the TCU/Utah contests. I figured that TCU would beat Utah but not in such a rout. I did not think that KSU would have what it took to beat Texas but beat them they did. In fine fashion. Can anyone say that TCU and perhaps even Boise State don't deserve a shot at the mythical "National Title?" I don't think that any legitimate commentator would deny that they are very very good teams and perhaps as good as any in the land. Does LSU actually have a shot at the title? They may need a little help but a one loss SEC team is certainly not to be counted out. What about Oregon? The PAC 10 is a bit weak but still Oregon is a darn good ballclub. What about Ohio State or Wisconsin? Both are quality teams in a conference that is better this year than it has been in the past. Can anyone count out Nebraska? Perhaps but perhaps not. I will wager there will be a lot of controversy before it is all said and done this year. Anything that further erodes the credibility of the BCS system is ok by me. Enought pontificating. On to the analysis of week 10.

In the Sun Belt Troy is still the team to beat although they do not appear to be quite as dominant as they have been of late. MTSU is a disappointment to be sure. Both of the Florida schools are dangerous teams despite their record and the two Louisiana squads are not real good. La Monroe is probably a step above the Cajuns. ASU had a nice win over MTSU the other night and North Texas along with WKU round out the bottom.

Conference USA is still pretty interesting. I was surprised that ECU was beaten so badly by a fair Navy squad. UCF came to Houston and proved a point. I was a bit surprised that UTEP took down the Mustangs of SMU. It always just depends on which Miner team shows up to play. They can be good at times. Tulsa made a statement the other week against the Irish and continued with a pummeling of Rice. Tulane played fairly apparently but fell to USM. Memphis was smashed by the Vols and I was a bit surprised at the margin of loss. Memphis is not good and Porter has a long way to go but the Tigers regard the Vols as a mortal enemy and usually get up for the game to at least turn in a fair performance. Not so Saturday. In the East, UCF looks to be poised to take it with ECU and perhaps USM still in the hunt. CUSA West is still up for grabs with Tulsa, Houston and SMU all in the race.

In the Mid American East the Temple Owls along with Ohio and Miami of Ohio are still in the race. Temple must face both teams and probably should not lose to either team. Each of them have only one conference loss with Temple having the harder row to hoe the rest of the way. They are probably the better of the the three teams though. In the West it is down to Northern Illinois and Toledo. Both are undefeated in conference play. They meet Tuesday and that may decide it although both have 2 more conference games in addition. An interesting and perhaps under rated conference this year.

The Pac 10 is down to Oregon. I don't think they will lose and they may be one of the teams in the National Championship game. They may be as good as anybody in the country. Stanford is a major player yet and should Oregon stumble, they will be in a good position. Oregon State lost to UCLA which damages their credibility somewhat and must face Oregon in the "Civil War." Arizona will go bowling in a decent game. Nothing else really matters.

The Big East is in shambles. It is hard to figure but the best teams in conference appear to be Pitt and WVU (despite a 1-2 conference record for the Mountaineers). Not a lot to say here. This conference is weak this year. Syracuse is somewhat of a pleasant surprise. Every team has at least three conference games left, some four. This race has a long way to go before being decided with every team having a theoretical shot at the title.

The WAC is still going to go to Boise State. They knocked off Hawaii in convincing fashion Saturday but must play both Nevada and Fresno before the season ends. Either of these teams has a slight shot of knocking them off the perch but it is not likely. Is Boise ready for the BCS. You bet!!

The Mountain West has been decided. The only question is whether TCU will have a major melt down in one of the remaining games. Doubtful but stranger things have happened. If they do not (melt down) the question would be if they are "National Championship" ready. They very well may be. Utah will get a nice bowl as will SDSU. The Aztecs are a pleasant surprise. I like Hoke and hope he sticks around awhile.

The ACC is still a bit of a mess. One division is still up for grabs with no team in conference really being a quality stand out club with the possible exception of the Hokies. Their early season loss to JMU is still affecting their standing in the college game. Their loss to Boise State can be forgiven, but not a loss to a IAA club.  Va Tech should win the Coastal as they are undefeated in conference play. Miami, their closest rival, has two conference losses. The Atlantic is still up for grabs with four teams having a shot. Florida State is in the driver seat with 4 conference wins and two losses. It is hard to say which will play Va. Tech for the ACC title.

The Big Twelve North is between Missouri and Nebraska with the Huskers being in the driver seat. Pelini is a hell of a coach and no mistake. Iowa State is a pleasant surprise this year and had the opportunity to knock the Huskers out of the possibility of a National Title. Granted Nebraska going to the BCS Title game is a bit of a long shot, but still a theoretical possibility. The South Division is really interesting with four teams still in the hunt. At this time OSU is the front runner with only one loss in conference with Baylor, Oklahoma and even the Aggies still in the race. Oklahoma should not have lost to the Aggies no matter where they played. Same actually for Missouri. TTU is not real good and the Bears should have beaten them. Baylor was capable of better play against the Cowboys but so it goes. Texas is done. Mack has a rebuild job on his hands for sure. The Kansas/Colorado game was interesting if inconsequential. The Jayhawks scored 35 points in the fourth quarter to upend the Buffs. Hawkins is done. This has been an interesting conference this year to watch.

The Big Ten has four teams still in the race for the conference crown with three of them having a possible shot at the National Title game. Wisconsin, MSU, Ohio State and Iowa all have only one loss in conference and in totality at this point. Iowa has two losses but only one is a conference game. It is still up for grabs. Four quality teams in this league instead of just one or two as is usually the case. The Michigan/Illinois game was a wild one indeed. Does either team have a defense. Both Zook and Rich are on the hot seat but may yet get to save their jobs. Northwestern let JOPA's squad back in and Paterno recorded his 400th victory (I believe). I like that old dude. They should let him stay as long as he wants. He has earned the right. Hopefully PSU won't "do him dirty" like FSU did to Bowden. Bobby also earned the right to coach until he felt the need to leave. Just the way it is.

The SEC may not always have the best team in the land but they seem to be hands down the best league year in and year out. Nothing really surprising there. The SEC East is up for grabs and does seem to be down this year. Florida is not the power this year that they normally are and South Carolina is a good but not great team. One of those teams will be in the SEC title game against a much stronger opponent from the West. Now we come to the other division. The SEC West has some powers that can play with anyone. Yes that includes the Crimson Tide. I would put the top three teams in this division up against anyone in the land and would suspect they would have a good chance of winning. Two of the other three teams in this division are quality also with only the Rebs being a poor team this year. Mississippi State has been a pleasant surprise. LSU needs Bama to beat Auburn for a shot at the SEC title game and I hate to root for the Tide and especially that Saban, but this is what it comes down to. Auburn and perhaps LSU are not to be counted out to play in the National Title game. The Tigers (LSU) still have to contend with the Hogs (and La. Monroe, Ole Miss) before it is all said and done. Not an easy proposition to say the least or at least the contest with the Arkansas. Auburn must of course play the Tide and get past a somewhat improved Georgia club. Still a very interesting race with a good bit of ball left to play.

I will try to get the predictions for this week up as soon as possible.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Pack Your Bags Dan Hawkins

Did anyone notice that Kansas (of all teams) scored 35 points in the fourth quarter to upend the hapless Buffs? This is a inconsequential game but I would have love to have watched that last quarter. Unbelievable. Hope your bags are packed Dan. You are done sir. Crazy crazy game this college football.

Good Games on at the Same Time

This afternoon there were two very good games on at the same time. Of course that would happen. Iowa St/Nebraska was one to watch and so was the LSU/Bama game. I had to flip back and forth. Probably watched more of the SEC game than the other. I am no real fan of LSU. Lived in Arkansas until my mid teams and then moved to Louisiana. More of a Hogs fan. My Louisiana team is the Ragin Cajuns so it goes without saying that what happens at LSU is of no real concern of mine. I do however dislike the Tide and Saban particularly. I enjoyed watching Saban and Co. fall to the Bayou Bengals in Death Valley. What a game it was and of course Miles successfully tried a little trickery. I wonder if the Tiger faithful will still be calling for Miles' head. If so they are fools.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Week 10 Predictions

It looks like there are some good games on tap this week and it also looks like it is Homecoming week for a lot of SEC schools. Some are playing down so to speak looking for the quick and easy victory to entertain the alum. Wonder if that will work out for all of them? I imagine someone will get embarrassed. On to the predictions for week ten.


1. Georgia Tech vs Virginia Tech: This may or may not be a good game. Va. Tech has bounced back from a dismal start and Georgia Tech is fair at best. For either school a lot depends on which team shows up. Va. Tech is undefeated in conference, but that does not really say a whole lot. The ACC is certainly down this year. I will predict that the Hokies pull this one off however. Go with Va. Tech.

2. UCF at Houston: This could be a good one also. UCF had a nice win over ECU last week and is in the driver seat for CUSA East. Houston is still in contention for CUSA West despite losing QB's one and two. They are playing with the third "teamer" starting and seem to be getting back on track. I will go with the Coogs to pull off a minor upset here. Go with Houston.

3. NC State vs Clemson: Another interesting ACC game. NC State is still playing some decent ball and had a very nice come back win over FSU last week. Clemson is probably better than their 4-4 record. This could be a toss up but I will go with the Wolfpack here.

4. Illinois vs Michigan: Michigan is a disappointment and Illinois is playing about par for the course or perhaps even a little above. Rich will likely lose his job after this season and Zook is also on the hot seat. I think that Michigan has more talent but will look for Illinois to pull off an upset despite their dismal road record. Go with the Illini.

5.  Chattanooga vs Auburn: Can I pad my stats a bit? Why not? Auburn appears to be doing so here. I like the Mocs (I love that part of TN) and I do not like Auburn but of course Auburn is number one in D1 and Chattanooga merely plays in IAA. Auburn will win easily here but wouldn't it be great if......? One can hope.

6. TCU vs Utah: This is probably the game of the week or at least it should be. TCU and Utah are poised to be BCS busters but of course only one will prevail. I think that TCU is probably the better team but Utah is a damn good team in their own right. I would put Utah on the level as perhaps Oklahoma State and TCU perhaps as good as Wisconsin. I think TCU will take this one. Go with the Frogs.

7. Ohio vs Buffalo: The Bobcats need to keep on winning and get a little help to stay in contention in the MAC. They will do their part and win this one. Go with Ohio.

8. New Mexico St vs Utah St: Someone has to win here and I believe it will be the Aggies of Utah St over the Aggies of NMSU. They appear to have a bit more talent and should take this one. Go with USU.

9. Hawaii vs Boise State: Now here is a good one. BSU should be able to win this one but Hawaii is playing some darn good ball. It is doubtful that the Warriors will have the talent to keep up here but they are one of the few WAC teams that actually may have a (slight) shot of unseating the king. I will go with the Broncos here.

10. Alabama vs LSU: This may or may not be a good game. If Bama is to stay in consideration for the BCS "Big Game" they must run the table the rest of the way. There may be a hick up or two along the way but probably not Saturday. LSU will not win this one without some wicked voodoo working for them. Go with the Tide to roll.

11. Fresno State vs Louisiana Tech: Both of these Bulldogs need this one. La. Tech needs to get a little respect as does Fresno State. Pat Hill's club may be a bit disappointing thus far but they are always a very dangerous team. I will go with Fresno State to pull this one out of the hat.

12. Oklahoma vs Texas A&M: Can the Aggies make it three in a row? No. Not against this squad. The Sooners will roll here. Go with Oklahoma.

13. Troy vs North Texas: Troy will right the ship here. Dodge likely will not be the Mean Green coach next year. The Trojans will help him pack his bags. Go with Troy in a rout.

14. Arizona vs Stanford: This is a good PAC 10 game. I am still not a believer in Arizona but am for certain a believer in Stanford. I could be wrong. I will pick Stanford in a close game.

15. Texas vs KSU: This is probably pretty evenly matched game. KSU is not a very good team and Texas is for certain a disappointment this year. The Wildcats have trouble moving the ball and their defense is just adequate. The game is at home for the Wildcats and that should give them a slight edge but the Horns played extremely well against Nebraska in Lincoln. I will go with the Horns here.

16. Missouri vs Texas Tech: The Tigers need to show the country that they are truly for real. The were totally blown out last week. Tech is not a good team this year and Mizzou should be able to take them down. Go with Missouri.

17. Northwestern vs PSU: A toss up. I will go with the Lions for no particular reason. The game is pretty evenly matched as far as I can tell.

18. Arkansas vs South Carolina: This game will decide who is the best of the second tier SEC teams this year. Both are well coached with very talented but somewhat erratic QBs at the helm. I will give the Gamecocks the home field nod and pick them in a close game. Go with SC.

19. Texas Southern vs Southern: This SWAC game is the IAA game of the week. The Tigers have not played this well in years and Coach Cole must be doing something right in Houston. I am not familiar with Southern this year but they do not have a very good record at all. I will go with the Tigers to beat the Jags even though the game is in Baton Rouge. Go with TSU.

20 Louisiana vs Ole Miss: I pick this to be the potential shocker of the week. The Cajuns have not had a good season and it would be a boon to the program to beat an SEC team, albeit a weak one, on the road. I don't know if they have the talent but I know that the coaching staff have instilled the desire. Ole Miss players must be disappointed in themselves and may not really be all that interested. Go with the Cajuns to pull off the upset in Oxford.

Have a good week and enjoy the games.