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October 26, 2012 by Sully
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Big East: Week 9

South Florida 2-5 / 0-4 @ Syracuse 3-4 / 2-1: Syracuse is 1-6 vs South Florida but won the last time they played in Tampa, 13-9, in 2010. The home team has dropped three in a row, In 2009, USF won 34-20 and in 2011, South Florida won again, 37-17, both wins were in the Carrier Dome! Skip Holtz is having his most difficult season, as his Bulls were a preseason favorite to win in the Big East … and are currently dead last in the conference standings! The one thing they can still accomplish yet this year is to become bowl eligible. Syracuse is battle tested and @ 2-1 are very much alive in the conference race!

Cincinnati 5-1 / 1-0 Louisville 7-0 / 2-0: This was shaping up as a huge game in the Big East with two undefeated teams squaring off in week nine. But Cincy lost to Toledo, 29-23, last week and the game quickly disappeared from the national radar scope. That said, the Bearcats have won the last four games in the series by an average of 14 plus points. Before the Cardinals began this four game nosedive, they had beaten Cincy 9 times in ten tries! UL has led a charmed life in 2012, winning several close games and barley beating struggling teams, like South Florida (0-4 in Big East Play), 27-25 and Southern Mississippi (winless in 2012) by four points, 21-17!

Kent State 6-1 / 4-0 @ Rutgers 7-0 / 4-0: Based on last week’s result of ….  an undefeated team from the Big East (Cincinnati) taking on a one loss team from the MAC (Toledo) …well … this could be bad for Rutgers. Kent is 0-2 all time against the Scarlet Knights, including the last time they met, a 29-21, Rutgers home win @ High Point Solutions Stadium, in 2004. RU has beaten Arkansas, in Fayetteville, for its signature win and has played very good run defense giving up only 69 YPG … third best rush defense in the country! Bring on the MAC Attack… the guys from Jersey are ready!

Temple 3-3 / 2-1 @ Pittsburgh 3-4 / 0-3: Temple is very much alive in the Big East race heading into this week-end with a 2-1 conference slate. The Owls have beaten South Florida, 37-28, @ home & won @ U-Conn, 17-14 in OT. They were beaten by Rutgers @ home, 35-10, last week and will need some help to catch the Scarlet Knights! Keep in mind that Temple, like Rutgers, still has to play Cincinnati & Louisville  … wins in these games could open the back door for the Owls … as both LU and Cincy could find a way against Rutgers! Pitt is playing to become bowl eligible, with three conference losses, they have little to no shot at a Big East crown this season!

U-Conn 3-5 / 0-3: Has a Bye Week … Next up … @ South Florida

Posted in AAC, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, South Florida, Syracuse, Temple |

Sully’s College Football Page Heisman Alert list

Since it is only week 9 of the season, we are not going to put a ton of emphasis on where everyone stands today, as the only major separation that occurs between candidates comes over the very last few weeks of the season.  Nonetheless, here is our week 9 Heisman Alert List.

1.) Collin Klien

What more can really be said about this kid than already has?  Klien is an absolute gamer, and last week against West Virginia he showed the nation just how much he has improved as a passer.  To this point in the season he is completing over 70% of his passes with a 5/1 TD to INT ration, and he has rushed for a staggering 14 touchdowns on 551 yards rushing.  He has Kansas State undefeated to this point with a huge victory of Oklahoma on the road, and as of now, Kansas State looks to be the class of the Big XII.

2.) AJ McCarron

We have preached about this kid all season, as we have felt from the beginning that he is easily the best QB Nick Saban has ever had running the show for his offense.  AJ McCarron stands alone at the top of list for passing efficiency, as he is ranked comfortably ahead of Klien with a total QB rating of 183.63, which is nearly 8 points above where Klien is.  This is largely because McCarron has yet to throw a single interception all year.  He has 16 TDs to 0 Ints, and it is because of him that Alabama is head and shoulders above anyone else at this point in the season.  He was solid last season, but this season he has been spectacular.  Last week against Tennessee he set career marks passing for over 300 yards and having a 4-0 TD/Int game to boot.  This kid is proving that, if called upon, he can carry the Alabama offense, even in the daunting SEC.

3.) Manti Te’O

The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The Heisman Trophy Trust ensures the continuation and integrity of this award. The Trust, furthermore, has a charitable mission to support amateur athletics and to provide greater opportunities to the youth of our country. Our goal through these charitable endeavors is for the Heisman Trophy to symbolize the fostering of a sense of community responsibility and service to our youth, especially those disadvantaged or afflicted. All assets of the Trust beyond the expense of maintaining the annual presentation of the Heisman Memorial Trophy are reserved for such charitable causes. The Trustees, who all serve pro bono, are guided by a devotion to college football and are committed to community service and the valued tradition which the Trophy represents.

What you just read is the Heisman Trophy Mission Statement.  Step back and ask yourself if there is one kid in the nation that epitomizes this as well as Manti Te’O does?  Tough to imagine.  This kid has been through more than any young person should have to face this year, as he lost his grandmother, and girlfriend to cancer in the span of two days.  Despite this, he rose to the challenge and led his team to big victories over rivals Michigan and Michigan State, and as of today, Te’O ranks as the only player in college football to be in the top five in interceptions and fumbles recovered.  On the season he has 69 tackles through 7 games, as well as 4 interceptions.  It is clear that he is the emotional leader of one of college footballs greatest defenses this year at Notre Dame, and as Notre Dame continues to win, so too does this kids stake in this race cement itself.

4.) Kenjon Barner

On the season, Kenjon Barner has been, quite simply, spectacular.  Barner is averaging 6.6 yards per carry with 870 yards rushing, and he is doing it in extremely limited time.  Oregon has had to call the dogs off in most every game this season at around half time, and when they do, Barner is on the bench.  Every Hesiman Trophy race needs to include the nations most exciting player, at with 12 touchdowns in a hyper-warp offense, Kenjon Barner fits the bill.  If Oregon continues to win like we expect them to, even as their competition, and consequently the touches Kenjon Barner receives, heats up, we expect he will rise on this list.

5.)  Braxton Miller

Ohio State has surprised this year with their undefeated record, and perhaps equally surprising is their porous defense.  This is far from a traditional Ohio State defense, and with the kind of dedicated fan-base OSU has, such defense will not fly for long.  Ohio State has won in spite of their defense this year, and nearly all of said winning can be traced back to QB Braxton Miller.  He has carried Ohio State all year by passing 1,384 and rushing for just shy of 1,000 yards.  With the kind of improvement this kid has made in just one year, it is quickly becoming apparent that he is a special talent, and with Urban Meyer at the helm, he seems destined to accomplish big things in the coming years.  It may be tough for a kid that plays for a team on probation to win the Heisman Trophy, but what Braxton Miller has done this year speaks for itself.  This is one kid that we will be keeping an eye on.

Posted in Alabama, Kansas State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon |

ACC: Week 9

Duke 6-2 / 3-1 @ Florida State 6-1 / 3-1: FSU is 17-0 vs Duke all time, with the closest game being played the last time the Blue Devils ventured south into Seminole Country, 25-6, in 2007! This, believe it or not, is a game between divisional leaders, Florida State in the Atlantic (makes sense) & Duke in the Coastal (say again)! The average score in this game has been FSU 50 to Duke,s 16, with, as stated, the closest game in the series was a Noles win by 19 points!

Clemson 6-1 / 3-1 @ Wake Forest 4-3 / 2-3: The home team is 8-2 in this divisional rivaly, last year, the Demon Deacons seemed to be on their way to a rare road win, up 28-14 late in the 3RD quarter, when the Tigers pounced, scoring 17 unanswered to win the game, 31-28! Clemson has won the last three games by an average of 19 points 2009, 38-3; 2010, 30-10; & as mentioned, 2011, 31-28!

NC State 5-2 / 2-1 @ North Carolina 5-3 / 2-2: UNC has lost five straight games to their in-state rival and adding insult to injury the Tar Heels were shut out in last year’s game, 13-0, for the first time since the 2006 season! This will be the 102nd meeting in the series played every year since 1953. These in-state tilts are usually close, the last three being decided by a total of 18 points. 

Maryland 4-3 / 2-1 @ Boston College 1-6 / 0-4:  Maryland is 2-5 vs BC in ACC play. The last time the Terrapins traveled north to Beantown was in 2010, where they held off a 4th quarter Eagle rally to win, 24-21. Last year, Boston College beat a struggling Maryland team, 28-17, @ Byrd Stadium, in College Park MD. The home team in this series has dropped three straight as the teams prepare for Saturday’s battle in Massachusetts!

BYU 4-4 @ Georgia Tech 3-4 / 2-3: BYU is one of the best teams in the country defending the run … they were first in the FBS prior to their games with Oregon State, (giving up 118 yards rushing to OSU) and Notre Dame (allowing 270 rush yards to the Irish). The Rambling Wreck will face a team, in BYU, that will play their run responsibility first, rather than try to make individual plays …. that is often the case in the talent rich ACC. This trying to make a play outside the scheme often plays in to the hands of a option team Tech needs to be patient in the run game this week as BYU will play their respective responsibility first and then pursue the ball!

 Miami 4-4 / 3-2: has a Bye Week . Next up …Va Tech @ Home

Virginia 2-6 / 0-4: has a Bye week … Next up ….. @ NC State

 

Posted in ACC, Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, NC State, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest |

Big 12: Week 9

Notre Dame 7-0 @ Oklahoma 5-1 / 3-1: This is ESPN’s Game Day location and the biggest battle of week nine; this meeting between the Irish & Sooners is loaded with historical interest and BCS implication!  Surprisingly,  the Irish have dominated the series …. winning 8 of the 9 games. The Sooner’s last win was in 1956, a 40-0 ‘tail whippin’ of the Irish in South Bend.  Notre Dame’s last visit to Norman was in 1966, a 38-0, spanking of Sooners! The teams last played in 1999, a 35-31 ND victory… after OU had built a 30-14 lead early in the 3rd quarter… back came the Irish. The most famous game played between the teams was on November 16,1957 …. when the Irish ended the longest winning streak in college football history (47), with a 7-0 victory over Oklahoma! While ND has a slight edge on the defensive side of the ball, OU is clearly the superior team on offense. ND better … Wake up the echoes, suit up Rudy, seance the Gipper, and play a Rockne locker-room pregame “fire-up the boys clip … All Hands needed on Deck for this one to be close!

Texas 5-2 / 2-2 @ Kansas 1-6 / 0-4: The biggest question of the day is…  will Texas’ defense bother to tackle anyone in Lawrence. They certainly didn’t in Dallas … losing to OU 63-21 … shameful …when you consider the great history of Texas football. Mack better remind these guys that a quality of effort is required when you put on that “burnt orange” uniform. If these ‘Texas want-to-be’s’ do not show-up ready to play old time Longhorn football @ Jayhawk Memorial Stadium  … well … then this game will be the biggest story in Kansas since that house fell on that witch!

TCU 5-2 / 2-2 @ Oklahoma State 4-2 / 2-1: These teams have not met since 1993, an OSU victory, 27-23, in Stillwater. The Pokes are coming off an impressive win over Iowa State, 31-10, while the Frogs are trying to put behind them a tough, 3 overtime, 56-53 loss, to Texas Tech. The visitor is 1-5-1 in this series in the last 7 games. TCU is an impressive 47-5 in the last four years ….. but are no longer in the Mountain West and being in the Big 12 means a quality opponent almost every week! Five losses in four years … vs two already this year in the Big 12!

Texas Tech 6-1 / 3-1 @ Kansas State 7-0 / 4-0: Going into last year’s game, TT had won five in a row against K-State and led in the 3rd Quarter, 34-27, before the Wildcats scored 14 unanswered points and beat the Red Raiders, 41-34, to end their 5 game slide! Tech is 2-2 in its last four trips to “The Little Apple” but has won the last two times they were in town! Both teams are coming off impressive wins (Texas Tech’s mentioned above) while Kansas State annihilated West Virginia, 55-14, in Morgantown!

Baylor 3-3 / 0-3 @ Iowa State 4-3 / 1-3: Both these teams need to stop the bleeding, and do so on Saturday! While neither team has a shot at the conference title, both are still in the hunt to become bowl eligible. The home team has not been a welcoming host in the last three contests, shooing the visitor out of the stadium door with a loss by @ least 14 points. ISU has Texas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, & Kansas left to play and need two wins to get to the magical six (the # required number to go bowling) & Baylor’s situation is more challenging, needing three wins and with Ok State, Oklahoma, K-State, Texas Tech, & Kansas left on the schedule … while both teams need a win on Saturday … the Bayler Bears have the greater need!

West Virginia 5-2 / 2-2: Bye Week  Next up … TCU @ Home

Posted in Baylor, Big 12, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, West Virginia |

PAC 12: Week 9

USC 6-1 / 4-1 @ Arizona 4-3 / 1-3: SC is showing signs of life after stumbling against Stanford, 21-14, in week three @ Stanford Stadium. Matt Barkley’s (USC’s QB) performance vs Colorado has elavated him back into the Heisman conversations and his team back into the “what if” scenarios for a spot in the BCS national Championship game. Meanwhile, Rich Rod’s (Rich Rodriguez, UA’s HC) defense has been absent when facing offenses that have a balanced approach to moving the ball. In three of the past four weeks, the Wildcats have given up 49 to Oregon, 38 to Oregon State, & 54 points to Stanford. This pattern has continued from his years at Michigan, where they were able to put points on the board, but unable to stop most (any) offenses.

UCLA 4-2 / 2-2 @ Arizona State 5-2 / 3-1: Arizona State is home for the second straight week, having taken a pounding in week 8 @ the hands of Oregon, 43-21! A score, that quite franlly, that does not reflect the manner in which they were dominated by the Ducks (43-7) before Kelly substituted and ASU scored two meaningless TD’s!. UCLA is coming off a bye week, having split their four conference games. The Bruins beat Utah, 21-14 and Colorado, 42-14 while losing to Oregon State, 27-20 and Cal, 43-17. This is a South Division battle leaving the winner in position to challenge USC for the right to play in the PAC 12 title game.

California 3-5 / 2-3 @ Utah 2-5 / 0-4: Neither one of these teams have a shot at their respective divisional titles, but both are still in the running to become bowl eligible. Cal ends the season with Oregon State (on the road) and Oregon (@ home) and will need to win one of these games, as well as this game (Utah) and the Washington tilt @ home. Meanwhile, Utah has Washington & Colorado on the road and WSU & Arizona @ home, the Utes must win four of the next five, this includes the game with Cal, to become eligible for bowl selection!  

Oregon State 6-0 / 5-0 @ Washington 3-4 / 1-3: This could be a very difficult game for the undefeated OSU, as the Washington Huskies have already taken down Stanford, 17-13! That said, the Huskies have lost three in a row and need to find some energy from this home crowd. The Beavers, on the other hand, have found ways to win close games; 27-21 vs UCLA, 10-7 against Wisconsin & 38-35 @ Arizona. OSU faces Stanford on the road and host’s ASU and Oregon in Corvallis. Given the challenges that the teams remaining on their schedule will bring to the front gates, the Beavers can not afford a slip up vs the Huskies. 

 Colorado 1-6 / 1-3 @ Oregon 7-0 / 4-0: This is without question the biggest mismatch in the FBS, let alone in the PAC 12, in week nine! Colorado’s lone win was a come from behind, 35-34 shocher against Washington State.  The Buffs lost to Sacramento State, an FCS team, 30-28 and their two most recent losses have not been close …. Arizona State 51-7 and USC, 50-6! The Ducks, at home, if motivated to do so, could score @ or near 100 points vs the Buffs defense. Coach Kelly (Oregon’s Head Coach) will not do that for any number of reasons … but the potential is present in this extremely uneven contest!   

Washington State 2-5 / 0-4 @ Stanford 5-2 / 3-1: WSU has lost four straight to Stanford and are 9-24 in the last 33 games played against the Cardinal. To make a bad situation worse, the Cougars have lost 16 straight to ranked teams by an average of 29 points and are 3-19 vs PAC 12 Teams on the road! The Cardinal won the last 4 games by an average score of 45-14 and need this win to keep pace with Oregon & Oregon State.

Posted in Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, PAC 12, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Utah, Washington, Washington State |

Sully’s Six Pack of Winners – Week 9

Indiana @ Illinois (-2)

In what will undoubtedly prove to be one of the more meaningless conference games this week, Sully’s CFP sees opportunity with this line.  While these are both struggling teams (2-5 each), one program has been competitive, while the other has been dead in the water.  Over the past three games that has included bouts with Michigan State and Ohio State, Indiana has lost by an average of less than three points, while Illinois has been pantsed by Michigan (45-0), Wisconsin (38-14) and Penn State (35-7).  Illinois is terrible offensively (ranked 114th in scoring offense), and they make up for it by being terrible defensively (giving up over 30 points per game).  At the very least, Indiana is decent offensively, as they are scoring about 35 points each game.  With that in mind, our intuition is one thing, but numbers are another.  If one were to take a peak at our game simulator, they would find that it agrees with us on this particular line, as it has Indiana winning by a score of 33-25 (http://sullyscollegefootballpage.com/Football_Stats/Matchup.cfm).  Final Verdict: Go with Indiana in this one.

Maryland @ BC (-1.5)

Before even really getting into any sort of analysis of this one, let me remind you guys that this is a Boston College team with one victory that came over Maine.  Anyone know a single player that plays for Maine?  Yea, me neither, and with good reason.  Maine can’t beat FCS teams (2-5), much less FBS ones, even if they are as bad as Boston College (1-6).  Maryland is not exactly a team that will knock anyone’s socks off (4-3), but they are what could be described as average, which at this point is a lot more than what BC can claim.  When we saw that BC was actually, by the grace of God, favored to win a conference game, against a team with a winning record, no less, we were shocked.  Take Maryland in this one.  They are not very good, but they are definitely good enough to beat the lowly Boston College, regardless of the games location.

Notre Dame @ Oklahoma (-10)

On the surface, this is a game that many people will approach with great trepidation, and it is certainly easy enough to see why.  Notre Dame (7-0) has kept games close all year, despite their lackluster offense, by having the #2 scoring defense in the country (9 PPG), but against Oklahoma a team absolutely must find a way to generate some offense, because the Sooners are simply too good to be beat by one dimensional teams.  Oklahoma has an exceptional offense (ranked 5th in the country!) and they have an awesome defense to go with it, as they give up only 15 PPG which is good for the 15th ranked scoring defense in the country.  The other team that is ranked in the top 15 on defense and offense, you ask? Alabama.  This begs the question of how exactly Notre Dame will even keep this game close, and our answer comes down to this.  Who has Oklahoma played, and better yet, who have the beat?  UTEP, Florida A&M, Texas Tech, Texas and Kansas.  The one excellent team they have played this year is K-State at home, and they lost.  The common rhetoric we hear on why they are going to crush ND is because ND does not have battle tested DBs, but ND played Miami.  Miami has passed for more yards that OU has this season, and they have done it against an average pass defense ranking of 56th through 8 games, while Oklahoma has done so against an average pass defense ranked #63 through six games.  Of course, Landry Jones is not as mistake prone as Morris is (Miami QB), but the fact still remains that Miami is right there with Oklahoma as a passing offense, and ND absolute shut them down.  At the end of the day, the biggest complaint against Notre Dame is that they have not beat anybody yet, but for the sake of consistency, go look at Oklahoma.  If Notre Dame has not beaten anybody yet, Oklahoma surely hasn’t either.  Oklahoma is a “good” offense that has been doing what it should have been, which is pushing around inferior competition.  The idea that they are a monster offense that is going to completely annihilate the #2 scoring defense in the country does not fly with us.  Sully’s CFP believes that Oklahoma will win this game, but not by 10 points!  We sincerely doubt it.  Take the points and run with Notre Dame.

Michigan @ Nebraska (-2.5)

Our game simulator (http://sullyscollegefootballpage.com/Football_Stats/Matchup.cfm) like Nebraska in nearly everything except the score, as it has Michigan edging them out by one point.  Obviously, in a game like this the numbers are too close to really start to tell any tale, so the next best thing to do is to look at how the teams are preforming as of late.  In this department, Michigan takes the cake.  They are coming into this game riding a three game winning streak, fresh off of a big victory over rival Michigan State, while Nebraska is coming in off of an embarrassing defeat to Ohio State (63-38) and a narrow win over Northwestern (29-28).  Just from watching Michigan over the past few weeks it is starting to become clear that they are finally starting to find their stride from last year again, and as things stand, they look to be primed for a run at the Big Ten Championship once again.  Nebraska seems to have issues with speed, especially at the QB position, on the defensive side of the ball, and like last year, we predict that Michigan will cruise to victory, though perhaps not as wide in margin this year.  Take the points and go with Michigan in this one, folks.

BYU @ Georgia Tech (-2.5)

Georgia Tech is not a very good ball club this season (3-4), and while BYU is only .500 (4-4), they have played some good competition this year (Boise, and top ten BCS teams Oregon State and Notre Dame).  However, what really is attractive about this game is the match-up itself.  BYU is very good defensively, and above all, they are disciplined.  We liken them to a typical Big Ten defense like, say, Iowa.  If one can remember this far back, a few years ago when Iowa played Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl, they handled GT up front and stopped their option attack.  We think BYU can and will do the same, and given the relatively poor defense Georgia Tech has played this year, we think that they will score enough on them to win the game.  Take the points and go with BYU.

Oregon State (-4.5) @ Washington

Oregon State is favored to win by 4.5 points on the road this week against Washington, and to be frank, that is not enough.  Washington just got beat 52-17 by Arizona, who Oregon State has already defeated.  We get that the transitive property does not always apply to college football, but in this case we are willing to make an exception.  If one takes a peak at our simulator, it will also see that it has Oregon State covering this spread (http://sullyscollegefootballpage.com/Football_Stats/Matchup.cfm).  Washington is not playing well right now, as they have been handled three games in a row, while Oregon State is continuing to roll through its competition.  Against an already tired Washington team who has had to face a top ten team two out of the last three weeks, that will not change.  Give Washington the points and go with Oregon State.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Boston College, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Washington |

Big Ten: Week 9

Michigan State 4-4 / 1-3 @ Wisconsin 6-2 / 3-1: This is the third time these team have met in the past year. In 2011, they played two great games, both coming down to the final seconds to determine the winner. The Spartans have lost some tough games this year, 17-16 to OSU, 19-16 to Iowa in OT, & 12-10 to instate rival, Michigan! Wisconsin is clearly on the up-swing, having won 3 straight Big Ten games! That said, the competition, Illinois, Minnesota, & @ Purdue has been some of the weakest the conference can bring to bare! This will be a critical test for Wisconsin’s Leaders Division Championship drive & a good measure of the Badgers improvement since the Nebraska loss!

Ohio State 8-0 / 4-0 @ Penn State 5-2 / 3-0: Penn State has won five in a row and has beaten Northwestern (6-2) 39-28 and Iowa, 38-14 in their last two Big Ten outings! OSU is undefeated, but they simply have not been impressive in how they have won; … they beat Indiana 52-49, Purdue 29-22 in OT (scoring in the last seconds in regulation and making a two point conversion to force the extra period),  & while winning … giving up 38 points to Nebraska … none of these behaviors are consistent with the Buckeyes typical defensive play! This game will be played @ Beaver stadium in front of 107,000 loyal PSU fans! And while it is common sentiment that the game is being played for absolutely nothing,  that statement is a complete falsehood! This game matters to a ton of fans from both Ohio State and Penn State!

Indiana 2-5 / 0-3  @ Illinois 2-5 / 0-3: This is a battle of beatens! Tim Beckman has made some questionable decisions as he has begun his Illinois tenure as the head coach, with his decision to go to the PSU campus to recruit players at top of that list (gives new meaning to conference loyalty and integrity, or lack thereof)  … and how about chewing tobacco on the sideline during the game …. that’s another head shaker! Timmy, here is some advise … think before you act, you dope! Meanwhile, Kevin Wilson, Indiana’s Head Coach, is doing exactly what he said he intended to do … improve Indiana’s ability to put points on the board! The Hoosiers are averaging 35 PPG in their first 3 Big ten games… and while losing, they did played OSU tough, 52-49, & battled Michigan State to a 31-27 nail-biting finish!

Purdue 3-4 / 0-3  @ Minnesota 4-3 / 0-3: This Purdue team has talent and should be playing at a higher level and doing so with a good degree of consistency! They played well in a 20-17 loss to the number 5 team in the country, Notre Dame, where they lost on last second field goal! Last week, against an undefeated Ohio State, they surrendered the lead in the final seconds of regulation and lost in OT, 29-22! That said, they did not show up against Michigan, 44-13, or against Wisconsin where the were embarrassed by a score of 38-14! Minnesota needs to get their QB, Marquis Gray, back to have a competitive chance in Big ten play!

Iowa 4-3 / 2-1 @ Northwestern 6-2 / 2-2: Iowa did not show up for the Penn State game @ Kinnick Stadium.  In fact, their absence gave new meaning to MIA, especially when considering the fact that they also were embarrassed in a loss to Central Michigan. They better show up in Evanston, or they will really get it handed to them! Northwestern is coming off a heartbreaker, a 29-28 loss to Nebraska, where they missed  a field goal that would have won the game as time expired! Paddy Fitz will have the Cats ready to play! The Hawks are in the race for the Legends title and have Nebraska @ home and a trip to the Big House to settle things on the field with Michigan! A win at Ryan Field is critical to that end!

Michigan 5-2 / 3-0 @ Nebraska 5-2 / 2-1: This is without question, the best game in the Big Ten in week nine! The Huskers can not afford a second conference loss as they would fall 2 games behind Michigan with trips to MSU and Iowa left on the schedule. While Michigan has divisional battles vs Minnesota on the road & Iowa and Northwestern @ home … and of course … from the Wolverines perspective … an out of division game against that …. nameless … fatherless ….. unholy … Urbanite team in the Horseshoe! Robinson & Martinez could be two of the best three QB’s in the Big Ten (Braxton Miller) while being the two most limited passers in the league. The defense that best corals the other teams QB is likely to walk away the winner!

 

 

Posted in Big Ten, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin |

SEC: Week 9

Mississippi State 7-0 / 3-0 @ Alabama 7-0 / 4-0: Two of the SEC heavyweights have at it this week in Tuscaloosa. The Bulldogs roll into Bryant-Denny Stadium with an undefeated record and high hopes as they square off against the number one team in the country! The Tide has won four in row & the closest MSU has been is 17 … last year’s, 24-7 drubbing! Mississippi State’s last win in this series was in 2007 … 17-12!

Ole Miss 4-3 / 2-2 @ Arkansas 3-4 / 2-2: The Razorbacks have won 8 of the last 11 games though in 2011 they trailed, 17-0, before scoring the next 29 points to win in Oxford, 29-24. The Rebels have given Alabama its best game, a 33-14 battle, and have played solid defense, with the exception of the Texas game (66-31)! Meanwhile, Arkansas has regrouped and played much better football after the 58-10 Texas A&M debacle by beating Auburn, 24-7, & Kentucky, 49-7, the past two Saturdays!

Texas A&M 5-2 / 2-2 @ Auburn 1-6 / 0-5: Gene Cizik, Auburn’s head coach, is in trouble! The Tigers are the first team to ever start their second season after a BCS national championship by winning only one of their first seven games. With that being said, A&M is playing at a high level (their only two losses this season are to Florida, 20-17, & LSU, 24-19), as they head for Aubrun to potentially achieve their 6th win of 2012 season.

Florida 7-0 / 6-0 vs Georgia 6-1 / 4-1: The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party has been renamed … not sure to what? Politically Correctness aside, this game … well … it is what it is… a huge celebration in Jacksonville and there is nothing objectionable about a good time! Geogria won the Event last year, 24-20, and may be college football’s most criticized 6-1 team! One lackluster performance against South Carolina, 35-7, and Georgia Fans are wanting Mark Richt’s head! The Dawgs can play their way back into the SEC East Championship and the national conversation with a win on Saturday!

Tennessee 3-4 / 0-4 @ South Carolina 6-2 / 4-2: This is a stop the bleeding game for both squads! Derek Dooley, Tennessee’s Head Coach, is in need of a conference win and Steve Spurrier, USC’s Main Man, absolutely need to right the ship @ home this weekend! The Gamecocks also need the right team to win in Jacksonville this weekend (Georgia) and then … as if by magic …. USC is only a game behind the Gators & Dawgs! The bad news is South Carolina is 6-22 vs Tennessee. That said, three of those six wins are in the last four years!

Kentucky 1-7 / 0-5 @ Missouri 3-4 / 0-4: This is the SEC version of the Toilet Bowl! That said, Missouri has not lost a game outside of the Conference (including a 24-20 win over a 5-2 Arizona State), while, on the other hand, Kentucky seems to be looking for a “round ball” as they have struggled mightly with the “Oval shaped Ball” in 2012! The Wildcats are 2-0 vs the Tigers with their last win in Columbia, 7-0, in 1965! The last time these teams played was in 1968 @ Commonwealth Stadium!

Massachusetts 0-7 / 04 @ Vanderbilt 3-4 / 2-3: First meeting of these schools! U-Mass was playing in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), a FCS Division affiliate, last year, producing a 5-6 record… not the type of resume needed to challenge a SEC Team! This will not be pretty! The Minutemen (now in the MAC) are not eligible to win a conference championship until the 2013 season. Not to worry,  seeing as they have not beaten an FBS team this season!

LSU 6-1 / 3-1: has a Bye week … Next up Alabama @ Home

Posted in Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, SEC, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt |

ACC: Week 8

Florida State @ Miami: FSU has beaten Miami 5 of the last 7 games that the teams have played and are currently riding a two game win streak. The Seminoles and Hurricane’s don’t seem to care if they are playing in the other team’s house, as the home team is a meager 1-5 and the winning margin in 10 of the last 11 games has been less than a TD! In 2011, FSU held off the Canes 23-19 at home and in 2010, a rare blow-out …. Seminoles 45 Hurricanes 17! 

Vitginia Tech 4-3 & 2-1 @ Clemson 5-1 & 2-1: Va tech is having a down year based on the standards they have established for their program. Since 2004, the Hokies have won 10 or more games in each of those eight seasons! So a 4-3 mark after 7 games simply does not cut it for Va Tech! Clemson is 2-5 vs V-Tech since the 1998 season … with both wins coming last year! Last time the Hokies were @ Clemson was in 2007, a 41-23 victory! Both these teams are alive for a divisional crown … but need to win on Saturday!

NC State 4-2 & 1-1 @ Maryland 4-2 & 2-0: The home team has won the last four games by an average of eight points! Expectations were / are high for Tom O’Brien’s team in 2012 and the team’s win over Florida State (17-16) has rekindled a dying fire after an early season loss to Tennessee (35-21). Meanwhile, Randy Edsall is doing a masterful job in College Park … after experiencing a nightmare season in 2011!   

Boston College 1-5 & 0-3 @ Georgia Tech 2-4 & 1-3: The home team in this series has lost five straight games! These teams have not played since the 2008 season, a game won by G-Tech, 19-16, in BC’s Alumni Stadium! Both coaches seats are getting warm to hot … Paul Johnson’s for lack of recruiting quality players to the Tech Campus and Frank Spaziani’s overall win loss record is not up to BC standards! Both of these programs are in need of a win on Saturday!

Wake Forest 3-3 & 1-3 @ Virginia 2-4 & 0-3: The Cavaliers are 20-2 vs Wake Forest, but lost the last meeting to the Demon Deacons in 2008, 28-17! Wake needs a win here if they have plans to become bowl eligible this year as Clemson, NC State, and Notre Dame are coming up the schedule! Virginia has not played well @ home, as they are 3-11 in their last 14 ACC games @  Scott Stadium; and with Miami, North Carolina, @ NC State, & @ Virginia Tech to play… things are not looking good in Charloetteville!  

North Carolina 5-2 & 2-1 @ Duke 5-2 & 2-1: The Blue Devils are off to thier best start in years as they prepare to take on the Tar Heels! UNC has won 21 of the last 22 games and 8 straight! Last week, Duke jumped on Va Tech, 20-0 … but were unable to hold off the Hookies and lost the game, 41-20! A win this week … and Duke  … breaks an eight game losing streak to their biggest rival, become bowl eligible and for the first time in a decade are in ACC Coastal Division race!

 

 

Posted in ACC, Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, NC State, North Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest |

Big East: Week 8

South Florida 2-4 & 0-2 @ Louisville 6-0 & 1-0: The home team has had it way in the series, winning 7 of the last 9 games. Three of the last five games have been decided by 10 or more points, while the last two games played in Louisville have been close (in 2008, 24-20, a Louisville win & in 2010, USF won in OT, 24-21). If South Florida is to salvage its season … it must begin on Saturday vs the Cardinals! 

Rutgers 6-0 & 2-0 @ Temple 3-2 & 2-0: The Owls are coming off a big OT win vs U-Conn, 19-16 and now play host to one of the three undefeated Big East squads, Rutgers! Temple is 5-8 vs the Scarlet Knights in conference play, with the last meeting between these teams in 2004! The last time Rutgers was @ Temple, the Knights prevailed, 30-14. It should be noted that the Rutgers win in 2003, snapped a 25 game losing streak for the Scarlet Knights! 

Pitt 2-4 & 0-3 @ Buffalo 1-5 & 0-3: Pitt steps out of the Big East this week and takes on the Buffalo Bulls, a MAC team, @ Buffalo’s UB Stadium. The Panthers have won all three games vs the Bulls by an average of 19 PPG. The teams played last year with Pitt pulling away in the second half for a 35-16 win! The last time Pitt traveled to New York to face this MAC Team was in 2009, the Panthers doubled up the Bulls, 54-27!

Cincinnati 5-0 & 1-0 @ Toledo 6-1 & 4-0 : Another Big East vs MAC battle … that said, Cincy is taking on a much more dangerous opponent! The Rockets have beaten the Bearcats the last two times that they have played, their most recent meeting was in 2001 in the Motor City Bowl! This should be an interesting contest waged between two very confident teams! Cincy & Toledo have won 11 of the 12 games they have played in 2012, with the only loss the they have experienced is/was a Toledo defeat @ Arizona, 24-17!    

Connecticut 3-4 & 0-2 @ Syracuse 2-4 & 1-1: Per Usual, the visitor has struggled in these games, 2-6 in the last 8 games! … That said, UC has won the last two games @ the Carrier Dome, in 2008, 39-14 and 2010, 23-6! Futher, U-Conn has won 5 straight in this series, 2007, 30-7; 2009, 56-31; & 2011, 28-21! This year the Orange have played a challenging schedule, 2 Big Ten Teams & 1 PAC 12 (USC) and are currently 1-1 in Big East play (beat Pitt @ home and lost a close road game to undefeated Rutgers 23-15)! Meanwhile, U-Conn is coming off a tough lost in OT, 19-16, to Temple @ home!  

 

Posted in AAC, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, South Florida, Syracuse, Temple |