There are some good games scheduled this week. Predictions will get a bit harder as most conference races begin in earnest. There are just not quite as many "payday" games where an Alabama takes on a Kent State or Akron or whatever. Isn't it nice to see when one of the big boys gets bitten by a team that is supposed to just roll over? Remember the ULM/Bama game a while back? That is fun. That being said; onto the predictions for week 5.
1. South Florida vs Pitt: This one may be good. The Big East is terrible, not to mention perhaps on the way to extinction (in football). Which team is the better? Perhaps South Florida. I will go with the Bulls to edge the Panthers here.
2. Houston vs UTEP: Houston is a pretty good team that is flying a bit under the radar. UTEP can be dangerous but probably won't be able to keep up with the prolific Cougar offense. Of course Houston must not let UTEP jump out far ahead. That kind of play almost cost them a victory over LTU a couple weeks back. Go with Houston.
3. Utah St vs BYU: BYU is probably the better team here. Utah State had their chances against both Auburn and Colorado State. If they can get it together they may be a runner up in WAC play. I would go with BYU to take this one. It may be close.
4. Toledo vs Temple: Toledo was robbed by horrible officiating last week and should be at least 2-2. Temple is a legitimate top 20 team. This game may perhaps be a preview of the MAC Championship game and Toledo will lose both. Go with the Owls.
5. Minnesota vs Michigan: MN is not a good team. The Wolverines are probably a good bit above average. Pretty good for a Big Ten squad likely. Go with Michigan to win here with ease.
6. Florida Atlantic vs ULL: The Cajuns are 3-1. Who would have thought? Last week they beat the best Sun Belt squad in a pretty big upset. Florida Atlantic is still trying to get it together but probably will be 0-4 after Saturday. Go with the Cajuns.
7. Kentucky vs LSU: Kentucky does not look very powerful. They are historically a basketball school for the most part. It is just who they are. I don't think they will be able to keep up with LSU on the field. Might be closer than folks think though. The LSU defense is certainly suspect.
8. Nevada vs Boise State: The Broncs will be looking for a bit of revenge here and they will get it. Nevada is not near the team they were last year and the Broncos are likely better than last year. Go with Boise State. It won't be pretty.
9. Auburn vs South Carolina: I think both of these teams are a bit suspect. Both are good but certainly not great teams. Which team is better? Probably Auburn. I think that SC will find a way to come out ahead though. Go with South Carolina in a close one.
10. Idaho vs Virginia: Virginia is not good. Nor is Idaho for that matter. Which is the better team? We will see. I will go with the Cavaliers in this one. To be honest I would like to see the Vandals win here but just don't think it will happen. One thing is certain. Both teams have the best names in football and both are well coached. Both schools are also very hard places to consistently win.
11. SMU vs TCU: This will be a close game. TCU may perhaps be a bit ahead in talent but they certainly are not the team they were last season. SMU has a legitimate shot of being the CUSA champion. I will go out on a limb here and pick SMU to upset the Frogs.
12. Ball State vs Oklahoma: A payday game for Ball State. They are not a bad team though. 3-1 at this point. Oklahoma was exposed a bit last week against a very average Mizzou squad. I will go with Oklahoma to win here without too much trouble.
13. Mississippi vs Fresno State: Pat Hill, as usual, puts a competitive team on the field. His squad certainly is talented enough to best probably the worst team in the SEC. I will go with the Bulldogs to win a close one. Houston Nutt may well find himself on the hot seat very soon.
14. Nebraska vs Wisconsin: The Huskers are a very good team although they have struggled a bit against some "lessor" teams. Wisconsin is good. Not just Big Ten good, but perhaps BCS "National Champion" good. This will be a good game. It is not considered the "Big Game" of the week but perhaps it should be. I will go with the Badgers here.
15. Alabama vs Florida: Here we have the "Big Game." Which team is better? Conventional wisdom says Alabama. In reality this is a pretty even game. I will go with Alabama to perhaps edge the Gators here. One loss in SEC play does not rule out a run for the National Championship. Florida is still a dark horse in that race. Go with the Tide here though. Might be very close and could probably go either way.
16. Memphis vs Middle Tennessee: Who is worse? Memphis, along with New Mexico, probably vie for that honor, but Middle TN is probably pretty close in the running. I have not seen the Blue Raiders this season but have watched the Tigers. They are horrible. As in losing to a decent D2 team bad. MTSU can't be that inept. Can they? We will see. I will go with the Blue Raiders in a close one.
17. Arkansas vs Texas Agriculture: Both teams have historical bad luck it seems and I will go out a bit here and pick the Hogs in a minor upset. Perhaps that is just wishful thinking. Go with Arkansas.
18. Texas vs Iowa State: When was the last time that they were 3-0 at Iowa State? They are it appears at least above average. It is hard to say yet just what Texas has. They are still a bit of a mystery. I will go with the Longhorns here. They may be much better than the prevailing thinking. Or not.
19. Hawaii vs Louisiana Tech: Forget the close loss to Mississippi State last week. Forget letting the Cougars of Houston come roaring back and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Forget almost getting beaten by a IAA Southland Conference opponent. This is conference play. Louisiana Tech may perhaps have the talent to be number 2 or 3 in the WAC and actually reach a bowl game.
Hawaii? The jury is still out. Perhaps a bit of a better team than some think. Perhaps not. I will pick Louisiana Tech to finally get it together and win this one. Go with the Bulldogs.
20. UCLA vs Stanford: Stanford is a dark horse in the national race. UCLA will likely not reach .500. Go with Stanford here with relative ease.
These are the games I have chosen to predict for the week. We will see how it plays out. Have a good week.
BC
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Week 4 (2011) Analysis
Well this week I was 11-9 on predictions and 53-27 for the season thus far. It only gets harder from here really. That being said there were a few games that had some surprises as things begin to shake out a little bit.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was the beat down that Temple gave the Terps. I was expecting an Owl victory but certainly not a blow out. Temple is the real deal.
Kansas State held on to beat the Hurricanes and that was at least somewhat surprising.
The Cajuns are 3-1 thus far and that is a huge surprise. Some "professional" analysts picked them to have a perfect winless season. The win over a very good FIU team was quite a surprise and a boon to the program.
North Texas' victory over Indiana was somewhat stunning. Not that the Hoosiers are any good, but the Mean Green is a bad football team. Perhaps McCarney is doing the job he was hired to do.
Which college D1 team is the worst? I would submit it would be between New Mexico and Memphis. The Lobos' admin has sacked the HC in the first major firing of the season. If I were the Memphis gang I would give Porter another year to at least get to .500.
The Aggies lost to a good Cowboy squad. It is nice to see the folk at Kyle Field go home a bit disappointed. How will the Aggies fare the rest of the year? Well, they should reach a bowl game but playing for the Big XII Championship is likely out of the question. Arkansas comes calling next week and will likely give them their second loss.
USC is irrelevant no matter what the do. A rogue program and another HC with character issues. Imagine that. They were "upset" Saturday in what is likely the first of quite a few.
Notre Dame squeaked by against a lower level Big East team. They may luck out with Purdue next week.
LSU (or Alabama) perhaps deserve the number one spot thus far. Both teams took to task some pretty good ball clubs over the weekend and the Sooners had a struggle with a very average Mizzou squad. That being said, at least one of these teams will be in the BCS "Championship" Game.
I will have the week 5 predictions out shortly.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was the beat down that Temple gave the Terps. I was expecting an Owl victory but certainly not a blow out. Temple is the real deal.
Kansas State held on to beat the Hurricanes and that was at least somewhat surprising.
The Cajuns are 3-1 thus far and that is a huge surprise. Some "professional" analysts picked them to have a perfect winless season. The win over a very good FIU team was quite a surprise and a boon to the program.
North Texas' victory over Indiana was somewhat stunning. Not that the Hoosiers are any good, but the Mean Green is a bad football team. Perhaps McCarney is doing the job he was hired to do.
Which college D1 team is the worst? I would submit it would be between New Mexico and Memphis. The Lobos' admin has sacked the HC in the first major firing of the season. If I were the Memphis gang I would give Porter another year to at least get to .500.
The Aggies lost to a good Cowboy squad. It is nice to see the folk at Kyle Field go home a bit disappointed. How will the Aggies fare the rest of the year? Well, they should reach a bowl game but playing for the Big XII Championship is likely out of the question. Arkansas comes calling next week and will likely give them their second loss.
USC is irrelevant no matter what the do. A rogue program and another HC with character issues. Imagine that. They were "upset" Saturday in what is likely the first of quite a few.
Notre Dame squeaked by against a lower level Big East team. They may luck out with Purdue next week.
LSU (or Alabama) perhaps deserve the number one spot thus far. Both teams took to task some pretty good ball clubs over the weekend and the Sooners had a struggle with a very average Mizzou squad. That being said, at least one of these teams will be in the BCS "Championship" Game.
I will have the week 5 predictions out shortly.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Toledo Robbed By Bad Officiating
It appears that an extra point in the final minutes of play by the Orange(men) was indeed a missed extra point. Even after "further review" the extra point stood. That is a travesty frankly. It is not the end of the world of course but for a MAC team to have a victory over a "BCS" opponent stolen is ridiculous. Big East officials admit that the call on the field and the call "after further review" was in error. The Syracuse win should be considered null and void. It won't though. The score stands. That is a shame. Toledo is now one of the best 1-3 teams in the country. They will not likely challenge Temple for the MAC crown but they may well make some noise yet.
On a similar note; Kansas State near had their victory stolen from them by bad officiating. Miami's Harris clearly did not get in the end zone as seconds remained to secure a Hurricane victory. The play was called a touchdown by the official on the field but luckily (for KSU fans), the overturned in the booth. Harris knew it! His body language after the play showed that he knew darn good and well that he did not make the touchdown. I would not have been surprised for KSU to be again robbed of a victory. Bad officiating took a victory out of their pocket last year.
Officials try to do their best of course and "replay" is supposed to take away any and all chances for an error on the field. It is gross incompetence when those in the replay booth get the call wrong. Those involved in the Toledo fiasco should be relieved of duty.
On a similar note; Kansas State near had their victory stolen from them by bad officiating. Miami's Harris clearly did not get in the end zone as seconds remained to secure a Hurricane victory. The play was called a touchdown by the official on the field but luckily (for KSU fans), the overturned in the booth. Harris knew it! His body language after the play showed that he knew darn good and well that he did not make the touchdown. I would not have been surprised for KSU to be again robbed of a victory. Bad officiating took a victory out of their pocket last year.
Officials try to do their best of course and "replay" is supposed to take away any and all chances for an error on the field. It is gross incompetence when those in the replay booth get the call wrong. Those involved in the Toledo fiasco should be relieved of duty.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Week 4 (2011) Predictions
The 4th week is upon us and things are starting to shake out a bit. Some major programs have been exposed, most notably Ohio State and Notre Dame and a couple of surprise teams are moving up. Illinois is now in the top 25 and Florida International has made some strides in putting the Sun Belt on the map. There are some pretty good match ups this weekend and we should have a better idea of who the real players are in the hunt for the BCS "National Championship."
1. UCF vs BYU: This may be a pretty even game between two teams that have a bit to prove. UCF lost to FIU last week in a minor upset and BYU was taken down by Utah as expected. Both teams are well coached and UCF will be in the hunt in CUSA before all is said and done. I expect BYU to be in a bowl game somewhere. Go with BYU in a very close one.
2. San Diego St vs Michigan: This will be an interesting game mainly due to the personage of one Brady Hoke. The SDSU crowd will certainly want to embarrasses him and they may do just that. I would enjoy it immensely but think that Michigan will pull this one out of the hat.
3. Toledo vs Syracuse: Toledo may be one of the better 1-2 teams in the country. Syracuse? Not so much. The Rockets have had a baptism by fire (twice) and, if healthy, should be able to take this one. Go with Toledo.
4. Notre Dame vs Pitt: Both teams are over rated and perhaps just not all that good. I will go with my gut here and pick the Irish to improve to 2-2. They showed a bit of heart in last week's beat down of MSU.
5. Ohio vs Rutgers: A pretty good under the radar game. Ohio may be a factor in the MAC race and Rutgers is still trying to find out if they will amount to anything at all. I will go out on a limb here and pick the Bobcats in a close one.
6. Louisiana Lafayette vs FIU: The Cajuns will suffer their second loss of the season this week. FIU is the best team in the Sun Belt and should scare anyone outside the top 25. Perhaps scare even some that are ranked. Go with FIU here. A Cajun victory would be an upset.
7. Georgia State vs Houston: The Coogs had to come storming back on an average (at best) Louisiana Tech squad last week. Perhaps the Houston team was overconfident? Who knows. At any rate they will best this just up from Division 2 team with relative ease. Go with the Cougars.
8. Florida State vs Clemson: One of these teams will likely be the ACC champion before all is said and done. Of course Virginia Tech may have something to say about that. This game looks to be a pretty even contest and I think that the Seminoles will come out on top. They had a commendable performance against the best team in the land last week and all that Clemson did was expose the Auburn club as pretenders. Go with the Seminoles.
9. Kansas St vs Miami (FL): Snyder's team may or may not be pretty good. Miami is darn good with Harris running the show behind center. Miami should be able to top the Wildcats in this one. Just depends which team shows up to play. That goes for both squads.
10. Arkansas vs Alabama: The Tide has not been tested. The Hogs were tested a bit last week by an always pesky Troy team. Alabama probably has the goods to take this one hands down but I think an upset may just be in the works. A long shot I know, but I will go with the Hogs here.
11. LSU vs West Virginia: Perhaps the top match up of the week. LSU has been tested and is perhaps, outside of Oklahoma and maybe Alabama, the best squad in the land. Time will tell. WVU is a good team and will play in a BCS bowl. How could they not? They are after all in the very weak Big East. That being said it is doubtful that the Mountaineers will be able to handle the Tigers. Their only advantage is that they will not be playing to a hostile crowd. It is hard to beat the Tigers in Baton Rouge and WVU at least escapes that hell. Go with LSU.
12 Louisiana Tech vs Mississippi State: MSU is hands down the best 1-2 team in the land. They need to get things on track quickly though. The Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech blew a huge lead when Houston came calling last week but they likely won't be jumping out ahead in Starkville. Besides MSU is looking to get even. The last time they met Louisiana Tech came out on top. Not this time. Go with MSU.
13. Oklahoma State vs Texas Agriculture: Which team is the better? Hard to say. Both schools have a history of hard luck. The game is in Aggieland which helps the Aggies a bit. I would go with them to win a close, hard fought, battle. Go with Texas Agriculture here. Hope I am mistaken.
14. Rice vs Baylor: This one won't be quite the scrimmage that the Bears had last week but they will come out on top. Rice had a very good win against a Big Ten opponent the other week but Purdue ain't Baylor. Go with the Bears here. May be closer than most people think though. Rice will be ready to play.
15. Colorado State vs Utah State: The Aggies win here their confidence will grow and then I would look for them to be a factor in the WAC. Go with Utah State.
16. Sam Houston State vs New Mexico: This might be a good game. New Mexico is in need of a complete rebuild and SHSU may be a better team than expected. Perhaps even a factor in the IAA Southland race. It will be close and I think that SHSU will win here. Perhaps a bit of a stretch but I have watched New Mexico twice play and they are just not good. A decent IAA squad is fully capable of taken them down.
17. Temple vs Maryland: A good one on tap here to be sure. Temple is a very good football team and Maryland may be pretty good as well. We will see. I think that the Owls will win this one in a minor upset. They just looked like the real deal after the game against Paterno's club. Go with Temple.
18. Georgia vs Ole Miss: Interesting game. Both coaches are probably on the hot seat. Well, in the case of Georgia it goes a bit beyond "probably." If Georgia does not win here then I look for Mark to be gone and I mean gone as in "right now" gone. "Clean out your desk you are done" type gone. I think he will survive another week though. I have glanced at Ole Miss a time or two and they just don't look very good. I pick Georgia to win here.
19. UCLA vs Oregon State: Boy talk about a race to the bottom. This game may go a long way in determining which team is the worst in the PAC 12. Neither has much. I have seen UCLA play twice this year and have seen none of Oregon State's stellar performances. Which team is the "better?" Probably UCLA. I pick the Bruins in this one although I am not really sure why.
20. Boise St vs Tulsa: Last year this would have been a better game. Tulsa had a decent squad last year and the Bronco's may not have been quite the team they are this season. Maybe. At any rate Boise State certainly deserves a top ten ranking and Tulsa may well struggle just to reach the .500 mark this year. Go with Boise to win easily here.
Picking winners gets a bit harder as the weeks progress. There are still too many question marks at this early part of the season as things are shaking out. There are a few rather long shot picks this week but sometimes one has to go with the gut feeling. Well will see how it all plays out. Have a good week and enjoy the games.
BC
1. UCF vs BYU: This may be a pretty even game between two teams that have a bit to prove. UCF lost to FIU last week in a minor upset and BYU was taken down by Utah as expected. Both teams are well coached and UCF will be in the hunt in CUSA before all is said and done. I expect BYU to be in a bowl game somewhere. Go with BYU in a very close one.
2. San Diego St vs Michigan: This will be an interesting game mainly due to the personage of one Brady Hoke. The SDSU crowd will certainly want to embarrasses him and they may do just that. I would enjoy it immensely but think that Michigan will pull this one out of the hat.
3. Toledo vs Syracuse: Toledo may be one of the better 1-2 teams in the country. Syracuse? Not so much. The Rockets have had a baptism by fire (twice) and, if healthy, should be able to take this one. Go with Toledo.
4. Notre Dame vs Pitt: Both teams are over rated and perhaps just not all that good. I will go with my gut here and pick the Irish to improve to 2-2. They showed a bit of heart in last week's beat down of MSU.
5. Ohio vs Rutgers: A pretty good under the radar game. Ohio may be a factor in the MAC race and Rutgers is still trying to find out if they will amount to anything at all. I will go out on a limb here and pick the Bobcats in a close one.
6. Louisiana Lafayette vs FIU: The Cajuns will suffer their second loss of the season this week. FIU is the best team in the Sun Belt and should scare anyone outside the top 25. Perhaps scare even some that are ranked. Go with FIU here. A Cajun victory would be an upset.
7. Georgia State vs Houston: The Coogs had to come storming back on an average (at best) Louisiana Tech squad last week. Perhaps the Houston team was overconfident? Who knows. At any rate they will best this just up from Division 2 team with relative ease. Go with the Cougars.
8. Florida State vs Clemson: One of these teams will likely be the ACC champion before all is said and done. Of course Virginia Tech may have something to say about that. This game looks to be a pretty even contest and I think that the Seminoles will come out on top. They had a commendable performance against the best team in the land last week and all that Clemson did was expose the Auburn club as pretenders. Go with the Seminoles.
9. Kansas St vs Miami (FL): Snyder's team may or may not be pretty good. Miami is darn good with Harris running the show behind center. Miami should be able to top the Wildcats in this one. Just depends which team shows up to play. That goes for both squads.
10. Arkansas vs Alabama: The Tide has not been tested. The Hogs were tested a bit last week by an always pesky Troy team. Alabama probably has the goods to take this one hands down but I think an upset may just be in the works. A long shot I know, but I will go with the Hogs here.
11. LSU vs West Virginia: Perhaps the top match up of the week. LSU has been tested and is perhaps, outside of Oklahoma and maybe Alabama, the best squad in the land. Time will tell. WVU is a good team and will play in a BCS bowl. How could they not? They are after all in the very weak Big East. That being said it is doubtful that the Mountaineers will be able to handle the Tigers. Their only advantage is that they will not be playing to a hostile crowd. It is hard to beat the Tigers in Baton Rouge and WVU at least escapes that hell. Go with LSU.
12 Louisiana Tech vs Mississippi State: MSU is hands down the best 1-2 team in the land. They need to get things on track quickly though. The Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech blew a huge lead when Houston came calling last week but they likely won't be jumping out ahead in Starkville. Besides MSU is looking to get even. The last time they met Louisiana Tech came out on top. Not this time. Go with MSU.
13. Oklahoma State vs Texas Agriculture: Which team is the better? Hard to say. Both schools have a history of hard luck. The game is in Aggieland which helps the Aggies a bit. I would go with them to win a close, hard fought, battle. Go with Texas Agriculture here. Hope I am mistaken.
14. Rice vs Baylor: This one won't be quite the scrimmage that the Bears had last week but they will come out on top. Rice had a very good win against a Big Ten opponent the other week but Purdue ain't Baylor. Go with the Bears here. May be closer than most people think though. Rice will be ready to play.
15. Colorado State vs Utah State: The Aggies win here their confidence will grow and then I would look for them to be a factor in the WAC. Go with Utah State.
16. Sam Houston State vs New Mexico: This might be a good game. New Mexico is in need of a complete rebuild and SHSU may be a better team than expected. Perhaps even a factor in the IAA Southland race. It will be close and I think that SHSU will win here. Perhaps a bit of a stretch but I have watched New Mexico twice play and they are just not good. A decent IAA squad is fully capable of taken them down.
17. Temple vs Maryland: A good one on tap here to be sure. Temple is a very good football team and Maryland may be pretty good as well. We will see. I think that the Owls will win this one in a minor upset. They just looked like the real deal after the game against Paterno's club. Go with Temple.
18. Georgia vs Ole Miss: Interesting game. Both coaches are probably on the hot seat. Well, in the case of Georgia it goes a bit beyond "probably." If Georgia does not win here then I look for Mark to be gone and I mean gone as in "right now" gone. "Clean out your desk you are done" type gone. I think he will survive another week though. I have glanced at Ole Miss a time or two and they just don't look very good. I pick Georgia to win here.
19. UCLA vs Oregon State: Boy talk about a race to the bottom. This game may go a long way in determining which team is the worst in the PAC 12. Neither has much. I have seen UCLA play twice this year and have seen none of Oregon State's stellar performances. Which team is the "better?" Probably UCLA. I pick the Bruins in this one although I am not really sure why.
20. Boise St vs Tulsa: Last year this would have been a better game. Tulsa had a decent squad last year and the Bronco's may not have been quite the team they are this season. Maybe. At any rate Boise State certainly deserves a top ten ranking and Tulsa may well struggle just to reach the .500 mark this year. Go with Boise to win easily here.
Picking winners gets a bit harder as the weeks progress. There are still too many question marks at this early part of the season as things are shaking out. There are a few rather long shot picks this week but sometimes one has to go with the gut feeling. Well will see how it all plays out. Have a good week and enjoy the games.
BC
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Weel 3 Analysis (2011)
Last week my won/loss was 13-7 for a grand total this season of 43-17. It will just get harder from here on out as many teams move into their conference schedule.
I guess it was inevitable; Notre Dame would finally win one. I would not look for them to have more than a five win season this year. Their schedule is pretty tough.
Over in the Sun Belt, Florida International is proving to be the real deal. They have shown a lot in their wins over the last two weeks. Yesterday they took down a pretty good UCF squad and dashed any hope of UCF being a "BCS Buster." Don't look for UCF to go away though. They will be right their in the CUSA fight.
Houston survived a scare and had to win in the remaining ticks to keep from having their slim BCS buster hopes alive. They will have to do better than they showed last night if they are to run the table.
Ohio State was kind of exposed last night. Miami with Harris is a pretty good team. Without? Not so much.
Oklahoma sort of took the Seminoles to the woodshed but that was expected.
Auburn's luck has finally run out on them. They really should be 0-3 at this point.
The MAC is a better conference than they are given credit for. At least three, and perhaps as many as five teams, are capable of giving the teams in "big time" college ball all they can handle. Temple, Ohio, Toledo and perhaps WMU or NIU are pretty darn good.
The Big XII has collectively lost only two games at this point. Does that tell us anything? Texas is probably not top 10, but they certainly are improving. Baylor is good and Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and those silly Aggies are top notch. Texas Tech? Not sure at this point. Iowa State will lose some but they are hot out of the gate.
The "PAC 12" is starting to be exposed. Took less time than I thought.
WVU has a quality team, perhaps the only one in the Big East that has what it takes to compete nationally. Oh I almost forgot about South Florida. They are often easy to overlook. The rest of the conference just is pretty terrible. It looks like a big shakeup is heading their way soon. I wonder if TCU is having second thoughts.
Look out for SDSU to slide into second place in the MTN West. They have quietly built a 3-0 record. No one will beat Boise State in conference play but it is hard to see if anyone else has what it takes to beat the Aztecs. Wyoming is starting off in fine fashion, but that won't last long. TCU had a bit of a scare.
Are there any good teams in the WAC left? Perhaps Fresno State. Nevada? Maybe.
As of right now it looks like Oklahoma deserves the number one spot in the polls. Alabama was not tested and LSU can make a case to be jumped ahead of the Tide at this point.
Week four approaches and there will be some stellar match ups. Looking forward to making those predictions.
Stay Tuned!!!
.
I guess it was inevitable; Notre Dame would finally win one. I would not look for them to have more than a five win season this year. Their schedule is pretty tough.
Over in the Sun Belt, Florida International is proving to be the real deal. They have shown a lot in their wins over the last two weeks. Yesterday they took down a pretty good UCF squad and dashed any hope of UCF being a "BCS Buster." Don't look for UCF to go away though. They will be right their in the CUSA fight.
Houston survived a scare and had to win in the remaining ticks to keep from having their slim BCS buster hopes alive. They will have to do better than they showed last night if they are to run the table.
Ohio State was kind of exposed last night. Miami with Harris is a pretty good team. Without? Not so much.
Oklahoma sort of took the Seminoles to the woodshed but that was expected.
Auburn's luck has finally run out on them. They really should be 0-3 at this point.
The MAC is a better conference than they are given credit for. At least three, and perhaps as many as five teams, are capable of giving the teams in "big time" college ball all they can handle. Temple, Ohio, Toledo and perhaps WMU or NIU are pretty darn good.
The Big XII has collectively lost only two games at this point. Does that tell us anything? Texas is probably not top 10, but they certainly are improving. Baylor is good and Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and those silly Aggies are top notch. Texas Tech? Not sure at this point. Iowa State will lose some but they are hot out of the gate.
The "PAC 12" is starting to be exposed. Took less time than I thought.
WVU has a quality team, perhaps the only one in the Big East that has what it takes to compete nationally. Oh I almost forgot about South Florida. They are often easy to overlook. The rest of the conference just is pretty terrible. It looks like a big shakeup is heading their way soon. I wonder if TCU is having second thoughts.
Look out for SDSU to slide into second place in the MTN West. They have quietly built a 3-0 record. No one will beat Boise State in conference play but it is hard to see if anyone else has what it takes to beat the Aztecs. Wyoming is starting off in fine fashion, but that won't last long. TCU had a bit of a scare.
Are there any good teams in the WAC left? Perhaps Fresno State. Nevada? Maybe.
As of right now it looks like Oklahoma deserves the number one spot in the polls. Alabama was not tested and LSU can make a case to be jumped ahead of the Tide at this point.
Week four approaches and there will be some stellar match ups. Looking forward to making those predictions.
Stay Tuned!!!
.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Pre Saturday Games
The Thursday and Friday night games were all very good. I would say that Mississippi State is probably the best 1-2 team in the land and still deserves a place in the top 25. I would probably equate them along the same lines as an Ohio State or PSU or Oregon.
If Toledo had just kept it a little closer last night I would place them among the best of the 1-2 teams in the land. They may be yet. They will certainly be a force to contend with in the MAC race. No doubt.
When was the last time that Iowa State was 3-0 out of the gate? A good win last night keeps the momentum going. It will be interesting to see where they land in the Big XII. It will be interesting to see where they land period after the conference dissolves. I just don't know where KSU, Iowa State, TTU and Baylor will land. Somebody will come looking for Kansas due to their basketball prowess and probably Mizzou also due to being a flagship univeristy, but some of the others may be on the outside looking in. Oh well. Time will tell.
There are some good games today but none probably any better than the ones that have already been decided this week.
Have a good weekend.
If Toledo had just kept it a little closer last night I would place them among the best of the 1-2 teams in the land. They may be yet. They will certainly be a force to contend with in the MAC race. No doubt.
When was the last time that Iowa State was 3-0 out of the gate? A good win last night keeps the momentum going. It will be interesting to see where they land in the Big XII. It will be interesting to see where they land period after the conference dissolves. I just don't know where KSU, Iowa State, TTU and Baylor will land. Somebody will come looking for Kansas due to their basketball prowess and probably Mizzou also due to being a flagship univeristy, but some of the others may be on the outside looking in. Oh well. Time will tell.
There are some good games today but none probably any better than the ones that have already been decided this week.
Have a good weekend.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Week 3 2011 Predictions
Well the third week of the college game is upon us. So far there have been only a handful of marquee match ups with a lot of the big time players hooking up with IAA and non BCS conference foes. It has bitten a couple of them on the ass. Louisville lost to FIU and the mighty Buckeyes were nearly taken down by an instate MAC opponent. That would have been wonderful for the game. Alas the Ohio boys slipped by and remain 20-0 at this point. This week has some interesting games but not one that would be called a "big game" by those in the "professional" media.
1. LSU vs Mississippi State: This one may be a pretty good game. The Bulldogs are likely better than the team they lost to last week and the jury is still somewhat out on the Tigers. Yes they had a nice win over a somewhat over rated PAC 12 opponent and a scrimmage victory over an in state IAA squad, but still they must be looked at with a bit of a jaded eye. Which team will prove better this week? LSU most likely. MSU will play a good game but will likely be 1-2 after this week. Go with the Tigers.
2. Iowa State vs UCONN: This may be a good game between some rather even opponents. Iowa State upset the Hawkeyes last week and the Huskies lost to Vanderbilt. Momentum is on the side of Iowa State but the game is to be played in Connecticut. It is probably a toss up but I will go with Iowa State to come out 3-0.
3. Boise State vs Toledo: Toledo had a very good moral victory last week and it sure would have been good for the game to have seen them beat the Buckeyes. They have to have some confidence going into this game. They are going to need it. The Buckeyes are not the Broncos and the Rockets will have some problem with their speed. They may hang tough for a while but the Idaho boys will win in fairly convincing fashion. Go with the Broncos
4. Auburn vs Clemson: Auburn is living on borrowed time but will probably has the talent to win here. Clemson is just not very good. Go with the Tigers of Auburn.
5. Penn State vs Temple: Believe it or not this will be a good game. The Owls are a very good MAC football team and PSU may still be a force to reckon with. PSU should be able to win here but they may have a bit of a tougher time than they want. This one is not a scrimmage. PSU must be careful. I go with Paterno to add one to the win column.
6. Colorado State vs Colorado: A rivalry game that no one cares about. It is a toss up and I will go with the Rams to prove the victor here. I am going out on a limb just a bit but the Rams are 2-0 at this point and the Buffs season is essentially over.
7. UCF vs Florida International: Now this will be a good game. Possibly the best one of the week. Both of these teams do not get the national respect they deserve but FIU may well be the best in the Sun Belt and UCF is a dark horse BCS buster. Both teams are well coached and I would not be surprised for some BCS school to try to snatch up Cristobal before all is said and done. O'Leary has paid his penance here with grace and style and may also get a look from a major BCS school. Georgia will sure be in the market soon and I would not doubt that Clemson will be looking around. With that being said, I think that UCF probably has the talent to win this one. Go with the Knights here in a close one.
8. S.F. Austin vs Baylor: The Bears will win here. SFA is a pretty good IAA team but will not have the talent to challenge. The Bears need to kick an opponent when they are down and should be able to get a bit on practice here. I knew that Baylor would be a top 20 squad this year. Go with the Bears.
9. Nicholls vs Louisiana Lafayette: Will the Cajuns come out of this game at 2-1? They very well might. There are those that say that this game with the Colenols is the only game that the Cajuns will likely win this year. They have already bested that assessment. We will see how it pans out. I will go the ULL but it may be a pretty tough game between local teams. Go with ULL.
10. Houston vs Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs may or may not have the talent to compete in the WAC this year but they are likely no match for the Cougars. Much like UCF, Houston is a dark horse BCS buster this year. Go with the Cougars to win.
11. Utah vs BYU: Both teams are good, but apparently not great teams, Utah probably has the edge in talent but that is not a given. Last week BYU let the Longhorns sneak by but it is hard to gage if that is important or not. Are the Longhorns a good or just mediocre team? Same with the Utes. They should have beaten USC but did not. It is still hard to say just what type teams these respective schools have this year. I will go with Utah for no real reason. I just like them while I dislike these particular Cougars. The game will is probably a toss up. Rivalry games often are.
12. Louisville vs Kentucky: Another rivalry game between barely mediocre squads. Another even match it seems to me. I will go with the Wildcats in a close one.
13. Idaho vs Texas Agriculture: The Aggies will win. It would be nice to see a huge upset but it won't happen. Akey does a pretty good job at a school where it is very difficult to win. It won't be enough. The Aggies will have their second and third team get some practice here.
14. Hawaii vs UNLV: Hawaii had their chances to be 2-0 but fell to a fairly weak Washington squad last week. UNLV is well coached but just doesn't have much talent. I will go with Hawaii to win handily here.
15. Ohio State vs Miami (Fl): The criminal element game. Both teams have a cloud hanging over their heads and the question will be who lets it bother them least. Al Golden is a great coach and deserves better than this Shalala run school. He should have stayed at Temple or looked around a bit longer. The jury is out on both these teams but I think Ohio State has the talent to win here. Miami reportedly will have Harris at QB but it might not be quite enough. Go with the Buckeyes.
16. Oklahoma vs Florida State: The Sooners are the real deal. I am not convinced that the Seminoles are there yet. Give it a year or two but just not right now. The Sooners will win here. It may get out of hand.
17. UTEP vs NMSU: A pretty good under the radar game. NMSU had a very nice victory over a BCS opponent last week and UTEP was bested by a pretty good SMU squad. Mike Price has done his penance in one of the hardest places to win in D1 ball. It will be close but I look for the Miners to pull one out of the hat.
18. SDSU vs Washington State: SDSU will continue their winning ways here. Washington State is just not a good football team and SDSU will again go bowling this year. Go with the Aztecs.
19. Michigan State vs Notre Dame: Will the Irish finally win one? We will see. Neither team is likely all that good although some say the Spartans are a dark horse to win the Big Ten. The Irish were supposed to be back but it appears not. Their schedule is very tough and the Spartans will prove to be no pushover. I will go with MSU in a very close game.
20. Kent State vs Kansas State: What type team does Snyder have this year? If we are to judge by their "victory" in week one then the answer would be "not much." Kent State is Kent State. KSU will probably take this one but it may not be all that easy. Go with KSU.
That is it for this week. Enjoy the games.
1. LSU vs Mississippi State: This one may be a pretty good game. The Bulldogs are likely better than the team they lost to last week and the jury is still somewhat out on the Tigers. Yes they had a nice win over a somewhat over rated PAC 12 opponent and a scrimmage victory over an in state IAA squad, but still they must be looked at with a bit of a jaded eye. Which team will prove better this week? LSU most likely. MSU will play a good game but will likely be 1-2 after this week. Go with the Tigers.
2. Iowa State vs UCONN: This may be a good game between some rather even opponents. Iowa State upset the Hawkeyes last week and the Huskies lost to Vanderbilt. Momentum is on the side of Iowa State but the game is to be played in Connecticut. It is probably a toss up but I will go with Iowa State to come out 3-0.
3. Boise State vs Toledo: Toledo had a very good moral victory last week and it sure would have been good for the game to have seen them beat the Buckeyes. They have to have some confidence going into this game. They are going to need it. The Buckeyes are not the Broncos and the Rockets will have some problem with their speed. They may hang tough for a while but the Idaho boys will win in fairly convincing fashion. Go with the Broncos
4. Auburn vs Clemson: Auburn is living on borrowed time but will probably has the talent to win here. Clemson is just not very good. Go with the Tigers of Auburn.
5. Penn State vs Temple: Believe it or not this will be a good game. The Owls are a very good MAC football team and PSU may still be a force to reckon with. PSU should be able to win here but they may have a bit of a tougher time than they want. This one is not a scrimmage. PSU must be careful. I go with Paterno to add one to the win column.
6. Colorado State vs Colorado: A rivalry game that no one cares about. It is a toss up and I will go with the Rams to prove the victor here. I am going out on a limb just a bit but the Rams are 2-0 at this point and the Buffs season is essentially over.
7. UCF vs Florida International: Now this will be a good game. Possibly the best one of the week. Both of these teams do not get the national respect they deserve but FIU may well be the best in the Sun Belt and UCF is a dark horse BCS buster. Both teams are well coached and I would not be surprised for some BCS school to try to snatch up Cristobal before all is said and done. O'Leary has paid his penance here with grace and style and may also get a look from a major BCS school. Georgia will sure be in the market soon and I would not doubt that Clemson will be looking around. With that being said, I think that UCF probably has the talent to win this one. Go with the Knights here in a close one.
8. S.F. Austin vs Baylor: The Bears will win here. SFA is a pretty good IAA team but will not have the talent to challenge. The Bears need to kick an opponent when they are down and should be able to get a bit on practice here. I knew that Baylor would be a top 20 squad this year. Go with the Bears.
9. Nicholls vs Louisiana Lafayette: Will the Cajuns come out of this game at 2-1? They very well might. There are those that say that this game with the Colenols is the only game that the Cajuns will likely win this year. They have already bested that assessment. We will see how it pans out. I will go the ULL but it may be a pretty tough game between local teams. Go with ULL.
10. Houston vs Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs may or may not have the talent to compete in the WAC this year but they are likely no match for the Cougars. Much like UCF, Houston is a dark horse BCS buster this year. Go with the Cougars to win.
11. Utah vs BYU: Both teams are good, but apparently not great teams, Utah probably has the edge in talent but that is not a given. Last week BYU let the Longhorns sneak by but it is hard to gage if that is important or not. Are the Longhorns a good or just mediocre team? Same with the Utes. They should have beaten USC but did not. It is still hard to say just what type teams these respective schools have this year. I will go with Utah for no real reason. I just like them while I dislike these particular Cougars. The game will is probably a toss up. Rivalry games often are.
12. Louisville vs Kentucky: Another rivalry game between barely mediocre squads. Another even match it seems to me. I will go with the Wildcats in a close one.
13. Idaho vs Texas Agriculture: The Aggies will win. It would be nice to see a huge upset but it won't happen. Akey does a pretty good job at a school where it is very difficult to win. It won't be enough. The Aggies will have their second and third team get some practice here.
14. Hawaii vs UNLV: Hawaii had their chances to be 2-0 but fell to a fairly weak Washington squad last week. UNLV is well coached but just doesn't have much talent. I will go with Hawaii to win handily here.
15. Ohio State vs Miami (Fl): The criminal element game. Both teams have a cloud hanging over their heads and the question will be who lets it bother them least. Al Golden is a great coach and deserves better than this Shalala run school. He should have stayed at Temple or looked around a bit longer. The jury is out on both these teams but I think Ohio State has the talent to win here. Miami reportedly will have Harris at QB but it might not be quite enough. Go with the Buckeyes.
16. Oklahoma vs Florida State: The Sooners are the real deal. I am not convinced that the Seminoles are there yet. Give it a year or two but just not right now. The Sooners will win here. It may get out of hand.
17. UTEP vs NMSU: A pretty good under the radar game. NMSU had a very nice victory over a BCS opponent last week and UTEP was bested by a pretty good SMU squad. Mike Price has done his penance in one of the hardest places to win in D1 ball. It will be close but I look for the Miners to pull one out of the hat.
18. SDSU vs Washington State: SDSU will continue their winning ways here. Washington State is just not a good football team and SDSU will again go bowling this year. Go with the Aztecs.
19. Michigan State vs Notre Dame: Will the Irish finally win one? We will see. Neither team is likely all that good although some say the Spartans are a dark horse to win the Big Ten. The Irish were supposed to be back but it appears not. Their schedule is very tough and the Spartans will prove to be no pushover. I will go with MSU in a very close game.
20. Kent State vs Kansas State: What type team does Snyder have this year? If we are to judge by their "victory" in week one then the answer would be "not much." Kent State is Kent State. KSU will probably take this one but it may not be all that easy. Go with KSU.
That is it for this week. Enjoy the games.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Week 2 2011 Analysis
There were some pretty good games today without really too many surprises. Perhaps the biggest shocker of the day was the Rockets nearly taking down the Buckeyes. Toledo looks to be a pretty good MAC ball club and Ohio State is likely pretty suspect. Don't think they will hang with Wisconsin, Nebraska or perhaps even Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, and PSU. Of course the Cornhuskers didn't have an easy go of it when the bulldogs of Fresno State came calling. Not at all. Pat Hill's "play anyone, anywhere" attitude will always cost him some losses but it gives his team some big time game experience for a run in the WAC. Iowa lost their rivalry game to Iowa State which is somewhat of a rarity. Anything can happen in one of those emotionally charged games.
Speaking of the WAC; Nevada just did not show up against the Ducks. The Oregon squad likely had something to prove and took it out on the Wolfpack. I would have expected the Nevada team to at least keep it close and even thought they might pull one out of the hat. Didn't happen. Oregon rolled with ease. Louisiana Tech had a pretty tough one and had to escape with an OT win over the Bears of UCA. I knew the Bears were a good team and they may yet make a bit of noise in the IAA Southland.
Texas may not have a team to remember but they did squeak one out over a pretty decent BYU squad. If Mack hopes to compete with the Cowboys, Aggies, Bears and Sooners he better get his boys to step it up a bit. There were a lot of folks off this week in the Big 12. Oklahoma State looks to be a good ball club and Mizzou will probably end up with some kind of bowl game.
It was a fairly good week for Sun Belt ball. If one of them team beats a BCS conference team, even a relatively weak one, then that qualifies for a good week. FIU took Louisville to the woodshed. WKU was at least competitive against the Midshipmen (for a while), and Arkansas State and Louisiana Lafayette were victors against Division One competition. FAU was blown out by a pretty fair Spartan squad but that was expected.
South Carolina again escaped with a close victory over a decent competition. ECU last week and Georgia this. I don't think that any of the teams in the SEC East will be a serious challenger to take the conference crown but the South Carolina and Florida appear to be the teams to beat over there. Auburn is living on borrowed time. They are very very lucky to be 2-0 at this point. Mississippi State is probably the better team at this juncture but they did not show it today.
Alabama beat Paterno's squad but that was pretty predictable. PSU is a pretty good Big Ten team likely but just not ready to take on the elite of the SEC. Arkansas has not been tested and Tennessee proved to be the better team than their competition today.
The local Houston teams made a decent showing today with the Coogs taking care of North Texas, although not in real convincing fashion, and Rice beating Purdue at home. Purdue almost had that one but a blocked field goal in the last seconds put Rice in the win column here.
I am a bit surprised that USC did not get taken care of today by the UTES. After last week's showing against a very weak Gopher team, (the Gophers lost to New Mexico State today), I did not think the Trojans had much. Probably Utah is the better team and will likely have a better record and better bowl before all is said and done. Oh wait. USC does not get to go bowling do they? There is a cost to having a rogue program. As of this writing UCLA and the lowly SJSU Spartans are tied. It would be nice to see the Spartans upset the Bruins. Probably won't happen, but one can hope.
This week I am again 15-5 for a grand total of 30-10 on the season. Not too shabby but not near the 80 percent that I am shooting for.
I will have the week three predictions up as soon as I get around to it.
Have a good week
Speaking of the WAC; Nevada just did not show up against the Ducks. The Oregon squad likely had something to prove and took it out on the Wolfpack. I would have expected the Nevada team to at least keep it close and even thought they might pull one out of the hat. Didn't happen. Oregon rolled with ease. Louisiana Tech had a pretty tough one and had to escape with an OT win over the Bears of UCA. I knew the Bears were a good team and they may yet make a bit of noise in the IAA Southland.
Texas may not have a team to remember but they did squeak one out over a pretty decent BYU squad. If Mack hopes to compete with the Cowboys, Aggies, Bears and Sooners he better get his boys to step it up a bit. There were a lot of folks off this week in the Big 12. Oklahoma State looks to be a good ball club and Mizzou will probably end up with some kind of bowl game.
It was a fairly good week for Sun Belt ball. If one of them team beats a BCS conference team, even a relatively weak one, then that qualifies for a good week. FIU took Louisville to the woodshed. WKU was at least competitive against the Midshipmen (for a while), and Arkansas State and Louisiana Lafayette were victors against Division One competition. FAU was blown out by a pretty fair Spartan squad but that was expected.
South Carolina again escaped with a close victory over a decent competition. ECU last week and Georgia this. I don't think that any of the teams in the SEC East will be a serious challenger to take the conference crown but the South Carolina and Florida appear to be the teams to beat over there. Auburn is living on borrowed time. They are very very lucky to be 2-0 at this point. Mississippi State is probably the better team at this juncture but they did not show it today.
Alabama beat Paterno's squad but that was pretty predictable. PSU is a pretty good Big Ten team likely but just not ready to take on the elite of the SEC. Arkansas has not been tested and Tennessee proved to be the better team than their competition today.
The local Houston teams made a decent showing today with the Coogs taking care of North Texas, although not in real convincing fashion, and Rice beating Purdue at home. Purdue almost had that one but a blocked field goal in the last seconds put Rice in the win column here.
I am a bit surprised that USC did not get taken care of today by the UTES. After last week's showing against a very weak Gopher team, (the Gophers lost to New Mexico State today), I did not think the Trojans had much. Probably Utah is the better team and will likely have a better record and better bowl before all is said and done. Oh wait. USC does not get to go bowling do they? There is a cost to having a rogue program. As of this writing UCLA and the lowly SJSU Spartans are tied. It would be nice to see the Spartans upset the Bruins. Probably won't happen, but one can hope.
This week I am again 15-5 for a grand total of 30-10 on the season. Not too shabby but not near the 80 percent that I am shooting for.
I will have the week three predictions up as soon as I get around to it.
Have a good week
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Week 2 2011 Predictions
Boy this game is in flux. The silly Aggies look like they will be heading to the SEC and near permanent doormat status; Miami has some major violation issues to contend with and now Ken Starr has threatened the SEC with a lawsuit over the TAMU/SEC thing. Oklahoma is looking around and so it seems is just about everyone else in the Big Twelve. About the only thing that seems to remain constant is the corrupt BCS system. When it all come right down to it, the BCS system is likely at the root of all the bruhaha in the college game. With all that being said, the games still have to be played. Here are the predictions for week 2. Oh, thus far I am 15-5 which I suppose is just about as good as any professional analyst. As if there was such a thing.
1. Toledo vs Ohio State: It appears that the Buckeyes are content with beating up on the in state weak sisters. Akron last week? Come on!! Toledo is a step up likely from the Buckeye's competition last week, but won't be able to hang long with the Buckeyes. Pick Ohio State.
2. Iowa vs Iowa State: The Hawkeyes are the better team here. Go with them to win. It is rivalry game though and anything can happen.
3. Norfolk St vs WVU: The Mountaineers apparently need a scrimmage to tune up for the rest of the season. Here it is. Go with West Virginia.
4. Stanford vs Duke: A few years ago this would have been a contest to see who might be the worst team in "big time" college ball. No longer. Stanford may be a dark horse to take the whole banana. Go with the California boys.
5. Nevada vs Oregon: The reason that Oregon lost to the Bayou Bengals was not so much what the Louisiana crew actually did or did not do. It was the Ducks dayglo uniforms. You just can't win much in that type garb. Nevada has lost a good many players from last years' stellar squad and will have a difficult time here but I look for them to make the rest of the Duck season irrelevant. Go with the Wolfpack.
6. Hawaii vs Washington: The Rainbow Warriors errr just regular Warriors picked apart newly minted "PAC 12" member Colorado last week. Look for more of the same. Go with Hawaii.
7. Tulsa vs Tulane: This may or may not be a good game. Tulane has the better coaching staff but Tulsa has the better players. I will go with Tulsa to win this one. It may not be pretty or it may be a good close game. Hard to say.
8. South Carolina vs Georgia: Both teams have something to prove here and this conference game may (or may not) be an important contest in the SEC East. South Carolina needs to start sharp. Anything last last week and they will find themselves losing this one. Georgia was hands down beaten by a better team last week but South Carolina is not Boise State. Georgia needs to ditch those stupid uniforms though. Has to be done. You just can't win many games dressed like a queen in a beauty shop.
9. Central Arkansas vs Louisiana Tech: This one might be a good game. UCA is a pretty good IAA team but the Bulldogs may be a bit better than they have been in the past. They held up pretty well against USM. USM is a pretty darn good squad and may be a factor in the CUSA race. I will look for La. Tech to edge the Bears in a close one.
10. Kent State vs Louisiana Lafayette: This could be a pretty good game between some lower tier teams. Neither of the squads will likely make much noise in their respective conferences and both had a baptism by fire last week. Who will be the better team? Very hard to say. I will go with the Cajuns here. Not sure why?
11. USC vs Utah: The Trojans edged the Gophers last week in a game that they probably should have lost. Utah did not look really all that good either. Utah may well be a top 20 team before all is said and done and USC is irrelevant no matter what they do. I will go with the Utes to win here in a pretty good and close game.
12. Weber State vs Utah State: These Aggies from Utah showed a bit last week. They should have kicked Auburn while they were down and put a severe dent in the Tiger program. They fell apart unfortunately in the last few minutes of the game. How they come out and handle Weber State this week will show a lot. If they manhandle them they just might have a good season. If they falter? Well....I would go with these Aggies here.
13. Notre Dame vs Michigan: I like Hoke although I think he will wish he stayed in sunny SoCal before all is said and done. Notre Dame has already proven themselves to be about what they usually are. Over hyped and over rated. I will go with Michigan here.
14. Memphis vs Arkansas State: This may be a good game between some not so good teams. The Red Wolves have a new staff and Porter is still trying to get things going in Tigerland. I will go with Memphis here.
15. Grambling State vs Louisiana Monroe: This game features two teams in rather close proximity. Neither is any good likely but I will have to go with the team from Monroe here.
16. Purdue vs Rice: Purdue is not a good football team. Neither is Rice for that matter but this one is a home game for the Owls and they may just be able to pull it out of the hat. I may actually attend this one. Go with Rice.
17. Florida International vs Louisville: Florida International in the top 25? Not quite, but I think they, along with Troy, are the class of the Sun Belt and may well just be able to beat a mid level Big East Team. Go with the Panthers here.
18. Houston vs North Texas: Houston may run the table this year. They are a good team and the competition is certainly suspect. None more suspect than the Mean Green. The Coogs should be able to handle this squad with relative ease. McCarney needs a year or two to get things going up in Denton and Sumlin has his squad ready for a run. Go with Houston. There is possible blow out potential here.
19. TCU vs Air Force: Probably the best game of the week. Both teams are likely pretty evenly matched and I think this will be a good one. Go with TCU in a close one.
20. Temple vs Akron: This Temple team may be a pretty darn good MAC football team. Won't be a BCS buster sure, but they should do very well in the Mid American Conference this year. I look for them to have a fairly easy time with the Zips. Akron is licking its' wounds from last week's beat down and may just not have enough steam to contend here. Go with the Owls.
Those are the contests chosen for the week. Enjoy the games!!
1. Toledo vs Ohio State: It appears that the Buckeyes are content with beating up on the in state weak sisters. Akron last week? Come on!! Toledo is a step up likely from the Buckeye's competition last week, but won't be able to hang long with the Buckeyes. Pick Ohio State.
2. Iowa vs Iowa State: The Hawkeyes are the better team here. Go with them to win. It is rivalry game though and anything can happen.
3. Norfolk St vs WVU: The Mountaineers apparently need a scrimmage to tune up for the rest of the season. Here it is. Go with West Virginia.
4. Stanford vs Duke: A few years ago this would have been a contest to see who might be the worst team in "big time" college ball. No longer. Stanford may be a dark horse to take the whole banana. Go with the California boys.
5. Nevada vs Oregon: The reason that Oregon lost to the Bayou Bengals was not so much what the Louisiana crew actually did or did not do. It was the Ducks dayglo uniforms. You just can't win much in that type garb. Nevada has lost a good many players from last years' stellar squad and will have a difficult time here but I look for them to make the rest of the Duck season irrelevant. Go with the Wolfpack.
6. Hawaii vs Washington: The Rainbow Warriors errr just regular Warriors picked apart newly minted "PAC 12" member Colorado last week. Look for more of the same. Go with Hawaii.
7. Tulsa vs Tulane: This may or may not be a good game. Tulane has the better coaching staff but Tulsa has the better players. I will go with Tulsa to win this one. It may not be pretty or it may be a good close game. Hard to say.
8. South Carolina vs Georgia: Both teams have something to prove here and this conference game may (or may not) be an important contest in the SEC East. South Carolina needs to start sharp. Anything last last week and they will find themselves losing this one. Georgia was hands down beaten by a better team last week but South Carolina is not Boise State. Georgia needs to ditch those stupid uniforms though. Has to be done. You just can't win many games dressed like a queen in a beauty shop.
9. Central Arkansas vs Louisiana Tech: This one might be a good game. UCA is a pretty good IAA team but the Bulldogs may be a bit better than they have been in the past. They held up pretty well against USM. USM is a pretty darn good squad and may be a factor in the CUSA race. I will look for La. Tech to edge the Bears in a close one.
10. Kent State vs Louisiana Lafayette: This could be a pretty good game between some lower tier teams. Neither of the squads will likely make much noise in their respective conferences and both had a baptism by fire last week. Who will be the better team? Very hard to say. I will go with the Cajuns here. Not sure why?
11. USC vs Utah: The Trojans edged the Gophers last week in a game that they probably should have lost. Utah did not look really all that good either. Utah may well be a top 20 team before all is said and done and USC is irrelevant no matter what they do. I will go with the Utes to win here in a pretty good and close game.
12. Weber State vs Utah State: These Aggies from Utah showed a bit last week. They should have kicked Auburn while they were down and put a severe dent in the Tiger program. They fell apart unfortunately in the last few minutes of the game. How they come out and handle Weber State this week will show a lot. If they manhandle them they just might have a good season. If they falter? Well....I would go with these Aggies here.
13. Notre Dame vs Michigan: I like Hoke although I think he will wish he stayed in sunny SoCal before all is said and done. Notre Dame has already proven themselves to be about what they usually are. Over hyped and over rated. I will go with Michigan here.
14. Memphis vs Arkansas State: This may be a good game between some not so good teams. The Red Wolves have a new staff and Porter is still trying to get things going in Tigerland. I will go with Memphis here.
15. Grambling State vs Louisiana Monroe: This game features two teams in rather close proximity. Neither is any good likely but I will have to go with the team from Monroe here.
16. Purdue vs Rice: Purdue is not a good football team. Neither is Rice for that matter but this one is a home game for the Owls and they may just be able to pull it out of the hat. I may actually attend this one. Go with Rice.
17. Florida International vs Louisville: Florida International in the top 25? Not quite, but I think they, along with Troy, are the class of the Sun Belt and may well just be able to beat a mid level Big East Team. Go with the Panthers here.
18. Houston vs North Texas: Houston may run the table this year. They are a good team and the competition is certainly suspect. None more suspect than the Mean Green. The Coogs should be able to handle this squad with relative ease. McCarney needs a year or two to get things going up in Denton and Sumlin has his squad ready for a run. Go with Houston. There is possible blow out potential here.
19. TCU vs Air Force: Probably the best game of the week. Both teams are likely pretty evenly matched and I think this will be a good one. Go with TCU in a close one.
20. Temple vs Akron: This Temple team may be a pretty darn good MAC football team. Won't be a BCS buster sure, but they should do very well in the Mid American Conference this year. I look for them to have a fairly easy time with the Zips. Akron is licking its' wounds from last week's beat down and may just not have enough steam to contend here. Go with the Owls.
Those are the contests chosen for the week. Enjoy the games!!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Week 1 2011 Final Analysis
Well the first week of college football has just about ended. The Miami/Maryland game is slated for this evening and it will be interesting to see if the Hurricanes are distracted by the ridiculous off the field problems. One just has to wonder if any of the HC's, athletic director(s), and or Donna Shalala have been complicit in the wrong doing. I can't believe that Shannon or Coker had a hand in this. Shalala? Don't know. There is something just smarmy there. Time will tell I suppose.
At this point in the season I am 14-5 in predictions with the final one being decided this evening in the aforementioned game.
I was a bit surprised that some of the east coast IAA schools did not make a better showing against the D1 ACC crowd. Appalachian State was blown out and JMU along with William and Mary just did not show well. Richmond did pull one out of the hat over the Blue Devils but Duke football ain't Duke roundball . Often the East Coast IAA teams are near as good as many of those that compete in the Big East or the ACC.
The Aggies took the Mustangs to the woodshed but I do not believe that the Aggies are going to be a factor in the hunt for the national crown. Probably not even in the hunt in the Big Twelve. Tannehill does look to be a pretty good QB though. SMU did not have Padron in and that probably hurt their chances a great deal. A win is a win though and the Aggies are 1-0. I am still scratching my head a bit at this SEC thing that those in College Station are dead set on. How often do they think they will compete there?
The PAC 12 looks to be again a weak sister. The only squad that appears real dangerous is the one that has Luck behind center. Perhaps the Utes will make some noise nationally. Oregon is done in the hunt for national honors. Perhaps a decent bowl for the Duck's but no BCS game likely. Most of the rest of the conference appears to be of no account. Cal did win against Pat Hill and CO. Almost forgot about that one.
WVU kicked off their season with a good win over Marshall. I am looking for WVU to be a dark horse in the hunt for a national championship.
TCU has fallen way off. Still a good team but a rebuilding year is in store for the Frogs. The loss to Baylor won't be the only one suffered this season.
The Big Ten is the Big Ten. Wisconsin and Nebraska look like they are for real. Ohio State, PSU, Iowa, Northwestern, and Michigan? The jury is still out. Some will fall by the wayside very soon.
I am looking forward to the game tonight and I think that Edsall will have his team ready to take on the 'Canes. Al Golden will have wished he stayed in Philadelphia before long I wager.
Have a good week.
At this point in the season I am 14-5 in predictions with the final one being decided this evening in the aforementioned game.
I was a bit surprised that some of the east coast IAA schools did not make a better showing against the D1 ACC crowd. Appalachian State was blown out and JMU along with William and Mary just did not show well. Richmond did pull one out of the hat over the Blue Devils but Duke football ain't Duke roundball . Often the East Coast IAA teams are near as good as many of those that compete in the Big East or the ACC.
The Aggies took the Mustangs to the woodshed but I do not believe that the Aggies are going to be a factor in the hunt for the national crown. Probably not even in the hunt in the Big Twelve. Tannehill does look to be a pretty good QB though. SMU did not have Padron in and that probably hurt their chances a great deal. A win is a win though and the Aggies are 1-0. I am still scratching my head a bit at this SEC thing that those in College Station are dead set on. How often do they think they will compete there?
The PAC 12 looks to be again a weak sister. The only squad that appears real dangerous is the one that has Luck behind center. Perhaps the Utes will make some noise nationally. Oregon is done in the hunt for national honors. Perhaps a decent bowl for the Duck's but no BCS game likely. Most of the rest of the conference appears to be of no account. Cal did win against Pat Hill and CO. Almost forgot about that one.
WVU kicked off their season with a good win over Marshall. I am looking for WVU to be a dark horse in the hunt for a national championship.
TCU has fallen way off. Still a good team but a rebuilding year is in store for the Frogs. The loss to Baylor won't be the only one suffered this season.
The Big Ten is the Big Ten. Wisconsin and Nebraska look like they are for real. Ohio State, PSU, Iowa, Northwestern, and Michigan? The jury is still out. Some will fall by the wayside very soon.
I am looking forward to the game tonight and I think that Edsall will have his team ready to take on the 'Canes. Al Golden will have wished he stayed in Philadelphia before long I wager.
Have a good week.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
How the Mighty Have Fallen?
Auburn lucked out big time this afternoon. Last year's defending "National Champions" had one heck of a time from the little regarded Aggies of Utah State. It is a shame that the boys from Utah let them come back on them. Auburn is still a pretty good team it appears and will go to one of the umpteen bowl games that will be played at the end of the season but they certainly have some work to do. If Utah State keeps their chin up they may be an actual contender in the WAC. Hard to say at this point. It was a fun game to watch but I was disappointed in the outcome.
Right now the Cougars of Houston are playing the Bruins. The Coogs should be able to pull this one out of the hat but it is still early. Houston, like the Bears of Baylor, will likely be appearing in some decent bowl games before all is said and done. I don't think the Coogs will be BCS busters but it is not out of the question. They need to take it one game at a time starting with the one in progress.
Right now the Cougars of Houston are playing the Bruins. The Coogs should be able to pull this one out of the hat but it is still early. Houston, like the Bears of Baylor, will likely be appearing in some decent bowl games before all is said and done. I don't think the Coogs will be BCS busters but it is not out of the question. They need to take it one game at a time starting with the one in progress.
2011 Season Kicks Off
Thankfully the 2011 season is underway in full force today. I watched a bit of the Wisconsin/UNLV game Thursday and the Badgers look as good as advertised. The Baylor/TCU contest was one for the books. The Bears need to learn to continue to kick a team when it is down, especially one as dangerous as the Frogs. If they can do that and develop their defense, well, then a top 20 finish is certainly not out of the question.
Today the ballyhooed LSU/Oregon match up will be one to watch. It is not often than such an important BCS contest is played in week one. It will be interesting to see how the Tigers handle losing some key players.
The Boise State/Georgia game should be very interesting. The SEC folks are saying that Boise State could not really last in the SEC. I disagree. They would be consistently among the top 3 or 4 teams.
I am looking forward to the SMU/TAMU game. I think the Aggies will pull one out of the hat but it would be nice to see the Mustangs embarrass the crowd from College Station. They may do so. The Ponys are well coached with a very good offense.
I have made up my mind that the Big Twelve will no longer exist in a couple of years. TAMU can be replaced rather easily but there is no replacing Oklahoma. The college game is evolving. Whether that is a good thing is in question.
Due to real life time constraints I will likely cease my conference standing predictions. Of course the weekly predictions and post week analysis will not be affected.
Enjoy the games.
Today the ballyhooed LSU/Oregon match up will be one to watch. It is not often than such an important BCS contest is played in week one. It will be interesting to see how the Tigers handle losing some key players.
The Boise State/Georgia game should be very interesting. The SEC folks are saying that Boise State could not really last in the SEC. I disagree. They would be consistently among the top 3 or 4 teams.
I am looking forward to the SMU/TAMU game. I think the Aggies will pull one out of the hat but it would be nice to see the Mustangs embarrass the crowd from College Station. They may do so. The Ponys are well coached with a very good offense.
I have made up my mind that the Big Twelve will no longer exist in a couple of years. TAMU can be replaced rather easily but there is no replacing Oklahoma. The college game is evolving. Whether that is a good thing is in question.
Due to real life time constraints I will likely cease my conference standing predictions. Of course the weekly predictions and post week analysis will not be affected.
Enjoy the games.
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