This week did a little better with a 14-6 record for a grand total thus far of 104-59. There were some darn good games over the weekend and the better teams are rising to the top although it is still a very very difficult season to predict. Is Alabama going to run the rest of the schedule? Would Auburn be all that good without Cam Newton? Is Boise State ever going to get any respect? Just how bad is the Big East? A lot of questions left to be answered before it is all said and done. On to the analysis.
Sun Belt: The Trojans are the best team hands down. WKU recorded the their first Sun Belt. FIU is up an coming despite the record with MTSU and FAU a bit of a disappointment thus far. Looks like the Trojans for the New Orleans Bowl. I don't see how anyone else will make it.
Over in the SEC it appears that Georgia is somewhat back on track. It won't likely be enough to save Richt though. Tennessee has a long long way to go and Mississippi State is just not that bad of a football team. Auburn may now be the team to beat and could possibly play for all the marbles but Newton better stay healthy. If he goes down then Auburn is probably no better than Mississippi State; a good team but not one ready to challenge for the top spot in the SEC much less the national title. The Hogs will likely continue to win and should find themselves in a pretty decent bowl game. Florida is down of course but still a dangerous opponent for anyone. Of course Bama is not to be counted out for top spot in the SEC or the nation for that matter.
Oregon appears to be the class of the Pac 10 and a very very good ballclub. They need to be on the lookout for the Trojans this week. They may be the fourth number one in four weeks to be knocked out of that spot. Doubtful, but it is a strange season to be sure. Stanford, Arizona, Oregon State and perhaps Washington (despite their record) are the only other quality teams in conference.
The WAC is the WAC. Boise State will win hands down and should get a BCS appearance. Nevada and Hawaii are good teams with perhaps Fresno State and Idaho making a bit of noise yet.
The Mtn West is going to be between TCU and Utah. Probably TCU is the better team but the game has yet to be played. That is about it in conference. SDSU is much improved and Air Force is still a good ballclub.
The Big Ten is still rather interesting with Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State likely to be the teams to find themselves on top. MSU is still undefeated which is a bit surprising. Not sure if they are on par with the other two aforementioned teams. I put them on par with Iowa. Very good but not quite there yet. Time will tell. Northwestern is a good team and Illinois probably is not that bad. One can't forget about PSU and Purdue I suppose. They are decent teams and will go bowling. Michigan will lose at least two more before it is all said and done.
The Big East is terrible. WVU is still probably the best team despite the loss to Syracuse. Pitt may be improving. Not much else to say here.
The ACC is still up in the air. Va. Tech, Clemson, FSU and Miami appear to be the teams that are best in conference. I guess NC State can not be ruled out. All will go bowling. Not sure who will play for the ACC Championship though.
The SEC is a powerful conference or at least the Western Division. Five of six teams in the West are rated in the top 25 with two of them in the top 10. Pretty impressive. The East is down this year with only South Carolina ranked. I would not count out Florida to make a run in the East though. Which is the best team. I still go with the Crimson Tide.
The Big Twelve is starting to make some sense. Oklahoma has been playing on borrowed time and that was proven last week. Oklahoma State was somewhat of a pretender. Just how far has Texas fallen? There is some definite rebuilding going on in Austin. Baylor has made it into the top 25 for the first time in a long long time. The Aggies finally found someone they could beat and Nebraska is likely back on track after a dismal performance the other week against the Horns.
The Mid American is still a bit of mystery with a number of teams poised to play for all the conference marbles. I would keep Toledo, Northern Illinois, Ohio and Temple at the top of the list with Miami of Ohio still a longshot.
Over in CUSA Houston may be getting it back together a bit after taking down a pretty good SMU squad. The power this year certainly seems to be in the East with East Carolina and UCF looking very good. USM may still be in it. I would look for East Carolina to somehow sneak into the top 25 before it is all said and done. Ruffin is taking up where Holtz left off. The big game this week will be the UCF/ECU match up. That will likely set the course for those two squads for the rest of the year.
I will try to get some predictions for week 8 up as soon as possible. Have a good week.
Showing posts with label week 8 analysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label week 8 analysis. Show all posts
Monday, October 25, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Week 8 Predictions
Let me see if I can do better this week than last week's banner 10-10 mark. There are some pretty good games coming up so without further yapping.....
1. UCLA vs Oregon: This may (or may not) be a pretty good game. UCLA has had some flashes but has also played like a team with no business in D1. Oregon is undefeated yet other than the game against Stanford, they have really faced no tough opponent. Oregon is the better team and will find a way to come out on top this Thursday.
2. West Virginia vs Syracuse: There is no real reason that WVU should not come out on top in this contest. WVU is the only real good team in conference.
3. Rutgers vs Pitt: Another Big East match up that may be somewhat interesting. Rutgers has the better record but has not been really very impressive. Pitt may be improving as the season rolls along and I will have to go with the Panthers here. Pick Pitt.
4. Michigan State vs Northwestern: I keep thinking of the game earlier this year where a Sun Belt squad near took down the Spartans. I think that the Wildcats may be poised for an upset here. Pick Northwestern.
5. Indiana vs Illinois: Neither team is really going anywhere. Perhaps a minor bowl if luck is with them. This game is probably about a toss up and I will go with Illinois to pull this one out. Why? I like their uniforms. Go with the Illini.
6. Mississippi vs Arkansas: The Hogs need this game to get healthy and should be able to take down the Rebs. I will go with Arkansas here in a possible blow out.
7. Miami Oh vs Ohio: This game may still have some implications in the race for the MAC Championship game. Probably not, but both teams do still have a theoretical shot. I think that Miami Ohio is playing some surprising ball and that Ohio has been underachieving a bit. I will go with the Bobcats in a close one.
8. Houston vs SMU: The Coogs are done this year. Earlier I would have probably picked Houston to take SMU down but not now. I go with SMU to win this one hands down.
9. Kansas St vs Baylor: This is perhaps the most interesting game of the weekend. KSU has shown that they can play some ball at times and Baylor is a pleasant surprise. I would put this game as about even but think that Baylor will pull this one out at home.
10. Nebraska vs Oklahoma St: The pretender will show themselves this week and it will not be the Huskers despite last week's dismal performance. Pick Nebraska.
11. LSU vs Auburn: If LSU has red zone problems they will lose. If Auburn doesn't improve on defense then they will find themselves on the outs. A hard to predict game this is but I think that LSU will edge the other Tigers in a very close game. Perhaps that will get people off Miles' back.
12. WKU vs Louisiana: WKU had their chances to record their first Sun Belt win last week, but it was not to be so. They will have their chances against the Cajuns but will likely fall just short again. Go with the Cajuns in this one. It may be close.
13. North Carolina vs Miami: This could be another interesting match up. Only if both teams bring their A game though. If either comes not ready to play they will be blown out. If both are ready, then it will be a good close game. I pick the Canes to prevail here.
14. Clemson vs Georgia Tech: Both seem to be improving and are probably rated about even. I will go with the Tigers in another close ACC match up.
15. Hawaii vs Utah St: Hawaii is showing some definate signs of playing good ball this year the hick up vs Colorado notwithstanding. Utah St has shown potential but luck has not been with them. I would imagine that Hawaii will continue their winning ways here. Go with the Warriors.
16. Oklahoma vs Missouri: Both are good teams but one of them is over rated. Guess which one? I think that the Sooners have been living large and the Tigers are quietly moving forward. Go with Mizzou here.
17. Washington vs Arizona: Washington bounced OSU last week and will most likely do the same this. I would put my money on the Huskies here. They are up and coming.
18. Wisconsin vs Iowa: Which is the better team here? That is hard to say. I liked the way the Badgers played ball last week against the Buckeyes and will look for them to pull this one out of the hat also. It may be close and Wisconsin better watch out for that "post upset" fall off that is pretty common. Just ask Spurrier. Go with the Badgers.
19. SFA vs Sam Houston: This Southland Conference tilt is the IAA game of the week. SFA will likely be back in the IAA playoffs and is the better team. This is a rivalry game though and all records can be thrown out the window. Pick SFA.
20 Air Force vs TCU: I pick this to be the potential shocker of the week. AFA fell off the pace last week against an up and coming Aztec squad. They will be mad and ready to knock off the big boy in conference. Do they have enough talent to do it? We will see. I still will go with the Frogs to take this one but look for the Falcons to give them all they can handle.
Have a good week and enjoy the games.
1. UCLA vs Oregon: This may (or may not) be a pretty good game. UCLA has had some flashes but has also played like a team with no business in D1. Oregon is undefeated yet other than the game against Stanford, they have really faced no tough opponent. Oregon is the better team and will find a way to come out on top this Thursday.
2. West Virginia vs Syracuse: There is no real reason that WVU should not come out on top in this contest. WVU is the only real good team in conference.
3. Rutgers vs Pitt: Another Big East match up that may be somewhat interesting. Rutgers has the better record but has not been really very impressive. Pitt may be improving as the season rolls along and I will have to go with the Panthers here. Pick Pitt.
4. Michigan State vs Northwestern: I keep thinking of the game earlier this year where a Sun Belt squad near took down the Spartans. I think that the Wildcats may be poised for an upset here. Pick Northwestern.
5. Indiana vs Illinois: Neither team is really going anywhere. Perhaps a minor bowl if luck is with them. This game is probably about a toss up and I will go with Illinois to pull this one out. Why? I like their uniforms. Go with the Illini.
6. Mississippi vs Arkansas: The Hogs need this game to get healthy and should be able to take down the Rebs. I will go with Arkansas here in a possible blow out.
7. Miami Oh vs Ohio: This game may still have some implications in the race for the MAC Championship game. Probably not, but both teams do still have a theoretical shot. I think that Miami Ohio is playing some surprising ball and that Ohio has been underachieving a bit. I will go with the Bobcats in a close one.
8. Houston vs SMU: The Coogs are done this year. Earlier I would have probably picked Houston to take SMU down but not now. I go with SMU to win this one hands down.
9. Kansas St vs Baylor: This is perhaps the most interesting game of the weekend. KSU has shown that they can play some ball at times and Baylor is a pleasant surprise. I would put this game as about even but think that Baylor will pull this one out at home.
10. Nebraska vs Oklahoma St: The pretender will show themselves this week and it will not be the Huskers despite last week's dismal performance. Pick Nebraska.
11. LSU vs Auburn: If LSU has red zone problems they will lose. If Auburn doesn't improve on defense then they will find themselves on the outs. A hard to predict game this is but I think that LSU will edge the other Tigers in a very close game. Perhaps that will get people off Miles' back.
12. WKU vs Louisiana: WKU had their chances to record their first Sun Belt win last week, but it was not to be so. They will have their chances against the Cajuns but will likely fall just short again. Go with the Cajuns in this one. It may be close.
13. North Carolina vs Miami: This could be another interesting match up. Only if both teams bring their A game though. If either comes not ready to play they will be blown out. If both are ready, then it will be a good close game. I pick the Canes to prevail here.
14. Clemson vs Georgia Tech: Both seem to be improving and are probably rated about even. I will go with the Tigers in another close ACC match up.
15. Hawaii vs Utah St: Hawaii is showing some definate signs of playing good ball this year the hick up vs Colorado notwithstanding. Utah St has shown potential but luck has not been with them. I would imagine that Hawaii will continue their winning ways here. Go with the Warriors.
16. Oklahoma vs Missouri: Both are good teams but one of them is over rated. Guess which one? I think that the Sooners have been living large and the Tigers are quietly moving forward. Go with Mizzou here.
17. Washington vs Arizona: Washington bounced OSU last week and will most likely do the same this. I would put my money on the Huskies here. They are up and coming.
18. Wisconsin vs Iowa: Which is the better team here? That is hard to say. I liked the way the Badgers played ball last week against the Buckeyes and will look for them to pull this one out of the hat also. It may be close and Wisconsin better watch out for that "post upset" fall off that is pretty common. Just ask Spurrier. Go with the Badgers.
19. SFA vs Sam Houston: This Southland Conference tilt is the IAA game of the week. SFA will likely be back in the IAA playoffs and is the better team. This is a rivalry game though and all records can be thrown out the window. Pick SFA.
20 Air Force vs TCU: I pick this to be the potential shocker of the week. AFA fell off the pace last week against an up and coming Aztec squad. They will be mad and ready to knock off the big boy in conference. Do they have enough talent to do it? We will see. I still will go with the Frogs to take this one but look for the Falcons to give them all they can handle.
Have a good week and enjoy the games.
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