College Football Week 11 Recap

    The college football season is winding down, but the action is only heating up as conference races are becoming more clear.

    The five bowl-eligible undefeated teams were cut down to just three. #10 Louisville had an ugly loss to Syracuse. The Cardinals were not in much discussion of the national title yet, but the loss derails any hopes of it. A BCS-berth is still in the mix though.

Texas A&  M quarterback Johnny Manziel

    But the biggest upset was #1 Alabama's loss to #15 Texas A& M. The Aggies were under question as to whether they could compete in the nation's best conference. They solidified themselves in the SEC with a win over one of the most dominate teams with the win over Alabama. 

    Aggie's freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel's play has given him national attention, but he has had games similar to this one many times this season. Manziel, who was just a 3-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com, has taken college football by storm and has a very bright, Heisman-type, future ahead of him.

     With the losses by Alabama and Louisville, it leaves Kansas State, Notre Dame, and Oregon as the only undefeated teams renaming  Ohio State still is 10-0 but is intelligible for the postseason. It would be very interesting to see how the Buckeyes would be viewed with the other three if they were bowl eligible. But as for the other three, there is no clear-cut decision on who the best two are.

    Notre Dame has played the toughest schedule this season, and the only tough game left is vs. USC. The Irish have impressive wins over Michigan State, Michigan, Miami (FL), Stanford, BYU, and Oklahoma. But there are some close wins that could hurt them to Purdue and a 3OT win over Pittsburgh.

    Oregon has the toughest remaining schedule, with games vs Stanford, Oregon State, and Pac-12 South champion. That game will either be vs. UCLA or USC, who play each other this Saturday. Oregon already has a win over USC this year but has not played UCLA. Schedule wise, the Ducks have wins over Arizona, Washington, and USC - quite a few less then Notre Dame. Wins over Stanford and Oregon State, along with a Pac 12 championship win, will close that gap however.

    Kansas State also has tough games coming up vs. Baylor and Texas. The Big 12 has been brutal to teams, and Kansas State has been the only one to avoid a loss. Impressive wins include Miami (FL), Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and TCU. A win over Texas will add to that list.

    In the end, I see all three of these teams winning out. That is where serious problems arise. All have a good case for a spot in the big game. Oregon is the best team in my opinion, and second is Notre Dame. That would create the best-possible title game at this point. A loss to one of these schools will clear up a lot of confusion, and like what we saw happen to #2 Oklahoma State last year, you can't sleep on any of these remaining opponents.


Top 25

1. Oregon 10-0
2. Notre Dame 10-0
3. Kansas State 10-0
4. Ohio State 10-0
5. Georgia 9-1
6. Florida State 9-1
7. Florida 9-1
8. Alabama 9-1
9. Texas A&M 8-2
10. Clemson 9-1
11. LSU 8-2
12. Stanford 8-2
13. South Carolina 8-2
14. Oklahoma 7-2
15. Texas 8-2
16. Nebraska 8-2
17. Louisiana Tech 9-1
18. USC 7-3
19. UCLA 8-2
20. Kent State 9-1
21. Louisville 9-1
22. Oregon State 7-2
23. Kent State 9-1
24. Michigan 7-3
25. Texas Tech 7-3

Next 5 In:

Northern Illinois 9-1
Central Florida 8-2
Cincinnati 7-2
Wisconsin 7-3
Rutgers 8-1

Other Schools to Watch:

Northwestern 7-3
Tulsa 8-2
Boise State 8-2
San Diego State 8-3
Ohio 8-2
Toledo 8-2
Mississippi State 7-3
Utah State 8-2
San Jose State 8-2


What To Watch

Toledo (8-2) @ Northern Illinois (9-1)
Wednesday, 9:00pm ET, ESPN2

Quietly, the MAC is having its best season as a conference in a long time. Toledo and Northern Illinois are two of the top teams in the conference, and they will have a big clash this Wednesday. A win for Northern Illinois clinches the MAC West division and puts them in Detroit for the MAC title game, and they should clinch that with a win over the Rockets.

Northern Illinois 45 Toldeo 37

Rutgers (8-1) @ Cincinnati (7-2)
12:00pm ET, Big East Network/ESPN3

Rutgers does not have a conference loss this year, and that gives them the small edge over Louisville for the Big East championship. But will that hold? This Cincinnati Bearcats squad is one of the most underrated in the country, and they should drop Rutgers.

Cincinnati 31 Rutgers 20

#18 USC (7-3) @ #19 UCLA (8-2)
3:05pm ET, FOX

A loss for USC will ruin all hopes the Trojans have for a BCS-berth, and they desperately need a win here. UCLA has quietly had a very good season, but USC is just too powerfull. They may not have played to their full abilities this season, but they should this week and take down their rival.

USC 48 UCLA 27

#12 Stanford (8-2) @ #1 Oregon (10-0)
8:00pm ET, ABC

The two best teams in the Pac-12 North go at it, and Oregon's explosive offense should give them another win on their way to the title game. Stanford will put up a fight, but this one won't be very close.

Oregon 56 Stanford 39


Other Predictions

Ball State 35 Ohio 26
North Carolina 28 Virginia 19
#4 Ohio State 27 Wisconsin 17
Michigan State 24 Northwestern 20
#6 Florida State 38 Maryland 10
#24 Michigan 28 Iowa 14
#23 Kent State 27 Bowling Green 24
Central Florida 37 Tulsa 35
Mississippi St. 35 Arkansas 28
Washington 42 Colorado 17
Arizona State 37 Washington State 20
Miami (FL) 34 South Florida 21
Georgia Tech 17 Duke 15
#2 Notre Dame 24 Wake Forest 7
#11 LSU 31 Ole Miss 14
#16 Nebraska 37 Minnesota 14
#25 Texas Tech 37 Oklahoma State 31
#10 Clemson 31 NC State 13
Purdue 21 Illinois 14
#17 Louisiana Tech 44 Utah State 40
Missouri 36 Syracuse 34
#14 Oklahoma 34 West Virginia 28
#3 Kansas State 52 Baylor 27
UTEP 24 Southern Miss 14
Arizona 39 Utah 34
BYU 23 San Jose State 20
#22 Oregon State 35 California 27


BCS Bowl Projections:
Projections based on predicted team performance for rest of season.
* = At large selection

Championship: #1 Oregon over #3 Kansas State

Rose: #2 Notre Dame* over #16 Nebraska

Fiesta: #5 Georgia* over #14 Oklahoma*

Sugar: #8 Alabama over #10 Clemson*

Orange: #6 Florida State over #21 Louisville


   

College Football Week 8 Recap

    We push on into the college football season, and week eight brought us big games with surprising results.

    #14 West Virginia was coming off its first loss of the season, a 49-14 throttling at the hands of #19 Texas Tech. This week, West Virginia took on #7 Kansas State, who has shocked some with it's 6-0 record coming in. 

Kansas State QB Colin Klein

    Geno Smith, West Virginia's QB, has had a great season so far, and came in without a single interception. But it was another rough game for all of West Virginia's team, as their defense was exposed again, and Kansas State won 55-14. Geno Smith threw his first two interceptions of the year. 

     But the real star, who has taken all of Smith's stardom this week, was Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein. Klein went 19/21, with 323 yards, and three touchdown passes. On top of that, Klein also ran for an astonishing four touchdowns on only 12 carries. Klein now looks like the Heisman favorite this week, and Geno Smith has fallen out of the conversation. 

    West Virginia as a team also looks bad, especially its defense. The Mountaineers are in a midst of playing the Big 12's best six teams, six straight weeks. They are 1-2 so far. They have a win over Texas (who is having big problems of their own), but have terrible losses at the hands of #19 Texas Tech, and now #7 Kansas State. Next week it is TCU, followed by Oklahoma State, and #10 Oklahoma. If they do not turn their defense around, which will be hard to do, a 5-5 record after the gauntlet of talented teams is very likely.

    #8 LSU also had their problems vs #25 Texas AM, and they still look like the fourth or even fifth best team in the SEC. As for the best, #1 Alabama still holds that spot after a big win over Tennessee. Number two though, now is #4 Florida who had a huge 44-11 win over a banged-up #9 South Carolina squad. 

    Florida has a huge test next week vs #11 Georgia, but a win gives them the SEC East. Alabama has game vs an undefeated #16 Mississippi State. Both have some very tough contests to finish the year, but it's looking like Florida and Alabama will face off in the SEC title game for a spot in the national title.

Top 25

1. Alabama 7-0
2. Oregon 7-0
3. Florida 7-0
4. Notre Dame 7-0
5. Kansas State 7-0
6. USC 6-1
7. Ohio State 8-0
8. LSU 7-1
9. Oklahoma 5-1
10. Georgia 6-1
11. Florida State 7-1
12. Clemson 6-1
13. Mississippi State 7-0
14. Oregon State 6-0
15. Texas Tech 6-1
16. Louisville 7-0
17. Rutgers 7-0
18. South Carolina 6-2
19. Stanford 5-2
20. Michigan 5-2
21. N.C State 5-2
22. Texas 5-2
23. Ohio 7-0
24. Boise State 6-1
25. West Virginia 5-2

Next 5 in:

Arizona State 5-2
Texas AM 5-2
Louisiana Tech 6-1Nebraska 5-2
Penn State 5-2

Dropped Out:

Cincinnati (#20)
Arizona State (#24)
Texas AM (#25)


What To Watch

Cincinnati (5-1) @ #16 Louisville (7-0)
Friday, 8:00 pm ET, ESPN

Cincinnati was undefeated before an under-the-radar upset to Toldeo last week dropped them out of the polls. This is the same team that beat Virginia Tech and will give Louisville a fight as two of the three best teams in the Big East square off. Louisville can gain momentum with a big win on their way to a possible Big East championship.

Prediction: Louisville 30 Cincinnati 27

#3 Florida (7-0) @ #10 Georgia (6-1)
3:30 pm ET, CBS

Florida is fresh off a giant win over #18 South Carolina and a win over Georgia, and with a win here will have beaten the two teams who pose a threat to take the SEC East title. Florida should roll with another big performance.

Prediction: Florida 28 Georgia 14

#15 Texas Tech (6-1) @ #5 Kansas State (7-0)
3:30 pm ET, FOX

Expect another huge scoring affair but with a little more defense then we have seen recently. Texas Tech is a suprise team this year, and Colin Klein looks to build off the huge game he had last week vs West Virginia.

Prediction: Kansas St. 48 Texas Tech 41

#7 Ohio State (8-0) @ Penn State (5-2)
5:30 pm ET, ESPN

Both schools are under penalty from the NCAA. Ohio State is having a great season with eight wins despite some concerning play thus far. Penn State is on a five game winning streak and looks to take down another Big 10 foe. Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller should be back after the head injury sufferd vs Purdue last week, and that will be the key factor in the Buckeye's improving to 9-0.

Prediction: Ohio State 38 Penn State 14

#22 Michigan (5-2) @ Nebraska (5-2)
8:00 pm ET, ESPN2

The winner of this game will most likely represent the Legends division in the Big 10 title game, unless Northwestern has something to say about it. But Michigan and Nebraska's fate lie in this game. Nebraska has underachieved this year and should slow down Michigan, but I see the Wolverines squeaking one out.

Prediction: Michigan 17 Nebraska 13

#4 Notre Dame (7-0) @ #9 Oklahoma (5-1)
8:00 pm ET, ABC

It isn't usual to see such a big non-conference game in midseason, but we have one this weekend between Notre Dame and Oklahoma. If you are not sold on Notre Dame yet, this game will do it. The Irish will assert their dominance and continue as a title favorite this year with a huge win over Oklahoma.

Prediction: Notre Dame 37 Oklahoma 14

#13 Mississippi St. (7-0) @ #1 Alabama (7-0)
8:00 pm ET, ESPN

Mississippi State has a chance to pull the biggest upset in school history, and with this talented team they have a chance. But Alabama is just too good, and intimidation could be a huge factor here. The Tide will roll in a defensive battle.

Prediction: Alabama 24 Mississippi St. 10


Other Predictions:

#12 Clemson 45 Wake Forest 17
Nevada 35 Air Force 33
Northwestern 27 Iowa 21
Missouri 28 Kentucky 27
Pittsburgh 26 Temple 21
#22 Texas 46 Kansas 21
#18 South Carolina 25 Tennessee 14
Northern Illinois 35 Western Michigan 24
#21 NC State 27 North Carolina 23
Southern Miss 34 Rice 25
Arizona State 37 UCLA 35
BYU 14 Georgia Tech 6
#2 Oregon 63 Colorado 8
#6 USC 47 Arizona 35
#11 Florida State 27 Duke 22
Wisconsin 21 Michigan State 17
#23 Ohio 27 Miami (Oh) 15
Oklahoma State 37 TCU 35
#19 Stanford 42 Washington State 17
Texas AM 38 Auburn 34
Vanderbilt 45 UMass 7
UCF 37 Marshall 35
California 35 Utah 32
#14 Oregon State 38 Washington 24

BCS Bowls

Championship: #1 Alabama vs #2 Oregon

Rose: #6 USC vs #9 Oklahoma

Sugar: #3 Florida vs #4 Notre Dame

Fiesta: #5 Kansas State vs #20 Michigan

Orange: #16 Louisville vs #11 Florida State

College Football Week 4 Recap

    Week 4 was filled with some big games, and almost all of them came down to the wire.

    The Big 10's woes continued. This week, many teams struggled vs non-BCS opponents. #14 Ohio State had some bumps vs UAB, #18 Michigan State only pulled away at the end vs Eastern Michigan, and Wisconsin continued their trend of problems vs small schools with an 11-point win vs lowly UTEP.

Ohio St. running back Jordan Hall vs UAB

    And the upsets of Big 10 teams persisted. Iowa lost to Central Michigan at home, and Illinois lost to Louisiana Tech by 28 points at home. It didn't help either that #16 Michigan lost to #13 Notre Dame.

    Penn State was able to pick up another win vs Temple, and Minnesota quietly is 4-0 after a win against Syracuse. Right now, the best team in the Big 10 may be #21 Northwestern. The Wildcats are 4-0, with wins vs Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Boston College and South Dakota.

    #3 LSU survived a potential major upset vs Auburn, #6 South Carolina pounded Missouri, and Arkansas is quickly becoming the biggest disappointment of the season after a loss to Rutgers.

    #19 Kansas State looks like they are legit this year, and #4 Oklahoma looks a bit overrated, as the Wildcats beat the Sooners 24-19 in Oklahoma's first test.

   #2 Florida State also proved that they are back as one of the nation's best in their win over #9 Clemson 49-37.


 Top 25:

1. Alabama 4-0
2. Florida State 4-0
3. LSU 4-0
4. Oregon 4-0
5. South Carolina 4-0
6. Georgia 4-0
7. Texas 3-0
8. West Virginia 3-0
9. Notre Dame 4-0
10. USC 3-1
11. Stanford 3-0
12. Kansas State 4-0
13. Oklahoma 2-1
14. TCU 3-0
15. Ohio State 4-0
16. Clemson 3-1
17. Louisville 4-0
18. Michigan State 3-1
19. Florida 4-0
20. Oregon State 2-0
21. N.C. State 3-1
22. Northwestern 3-0
23. Michigan 2-2
24. Mississippi State 4-0
25. Boise State 2-1

Next 5 In: Virginia Tech 3-1, Nebraska 3-1, Rutgers 4-0, Cincinnati 2-0, Ohio 4-0


What To Watch:

#11 Stanford (3-0) @ Washington (2-1)
9:00 pm ET, ESPN

This is a must-win for the Huskies. They have now become an afterthought to the rest of the PAC 12, and if they can win this one, they can get back into the picture. They do have a chance, but Stanford might just be too much for Washington.

Prediction: Stan 37 UW 24   

Arkansas (1-3) @ Texas A & M (2-1)
12:20 pm ET, SEC Network

It's now or never for Arkansas. A fourth loss to anyone but Alabama or LSU will already make this season a disappointment. TAMU is in a prime position to win a big game vs an SEC-foe.

Prediction: TAMU 31 Ark 28

#15 Ohio State (4-0) @ #18 Michigan State (3-1)
3:30 pm ET, ABC

Both these teams can take controll of the Big 10 with a win. Ohio State has not looked good, and has been slow to start vs all opponents this year. Michigan State was feeling hungover after a loss to Notre Dame, and had problems vs Eastern Michigan last week. Should be intresting.

Prediction: MSU 27 OSU 21  

#7 Texas (3-0) @ Oklahoma State (2-1)
7:50 pm ET, FOX

Oklahoma State is out to prove they are still one of the best teams in the Big 12, and that the Arizona loss was a fluke. After Oklahoma's loss to Kansas State, this game could be a battle for the top of the Big 12 South. Oklahoma State's offense has been explosive, and I am calling the upset here.

Prediction: OSU 48 Texas 41

#17 Lousiville (4-0) @ Southern Miss (0-3)
8:00 pm ET, CSTV

Louisville is on a hot start, and despite USM's struggles, they are a talented team. The Eagles could put up a fight here, but Louisville should pick up their fourth win. 

Prediction: UL 30 South Miss 17  

  

College Football Week 3 Recap

    The College Football season rolls on, and week 3 just wrapped up last weekend.

    We saw #1 USC fall to #21 Stanford, in the second huge upset this season (UL Monroe beating Arkansas was the first). USC will fall in the rankings, but they still can take the PAC 12 crown. The loss was early in the season, and their title hopes are still strong.

Stanford after their upset of #1 USC

    #2 Alabama shut out Arkansas by a score of 52-0. Arkansas QB Tyler Wilson did miss the game, but that is not an excuse to loose by 52 at home. If Arkansas was truly worthy of a #9 preseason ranking, they should be able to compete with Alabama, even with Wilson out. A top 10 team doesn't loose like that at home when only the starting QB is out. Right now, it looks like Arkansas is far from taking down Alabama and LSU in the SEC West.


    #3 Florida State made a statement with a 52-0 beat down over Wake Forest, Utah was able to rebound and beat BYU, and Florida proved they are more powerful than Tennessee in the SEC East. It remains to be seen if they are as good as #8 Georgia and #7 South Carolina, and can reclaim the top of the SEC East.

    #20 Notre Dame visited #9 Michigan State, and embarrassed Sparty in East Lansing. Michigan State was shut down on offense, and there has been a big drop off at QB from Kirk Cousins to Andrew Maxwell. When Le'Veon Bell is unable to run the ball like he was vs Notre Dame, Maxwell is not a reliable option to take the reigns and lead the offense. Having poor WR play doesn't help much either though.

    A very surprising upset was Pittsburgh beating #10 Virginia Tech. Pitt was 0-2, with a bad loss to FCS Youngstown State during week 1, 31-17. During week 2, they lost to Cincinnati 34-10 on Thursday night. Most people had given up on Pitt, but with this upset over VT, the Panthers appear to be back.


Top 25:

1. Alabama 3-0
2. Florida State 3-0
3. LSU 3-0
4. Oklahoma 2-0
5. Oregon 3-0
6. South Carolina 3-0
7. Georgia 3-0
8. Texas 2-0
9. Clemson 3-0
10. West Virginia 2-0
11. USC 2-1
12. Stanford 3-0
13. Notre Dame 3-0
14. Ohio State 3-0
15. TCU 2-0
16. Michigan 2-1
17. Louisville 3-0
18. Michigan State 2-1
19. Kansas State 3-0
20. N.C. State 2-1
21. Northwestern 3-0
22. Florida 3-0
23. Mississippi State 3-0
24. UCLA 3-0
25. Boise State 1-1

Next 5 In: Virginia Tech 2-1, Nebraska 2-1, Utah 2-1, Arizona 3-0, Cincinnati 2-0



What To Watch:

BYU (2-1) @ #25 Boise State (1-1)
9:00pm ET, ESPN 

This will be Boise State's chance to redeem itself after the loss to Michigan State. If they cannot win this game, the Broncos will only prove they are not the same power they were in the past.

Prediction: BYU 28 Boise 16

Missouri (2-1) @ #6 South Carolina (3-0)
3:30pm ET, CBS

Missouri has another chance to show it can hang with the SEC heavy weights. South Carolina can show they deserve a top 10 ranking with a win.

Prediction: South Car 37 Mizz 20

Oregon State (1-0) @ #24 UCLA (3-0)
3:30pm ET, ABC/ESPN2

Both are two teams from the PAC 12 that emerged with multiple week 2 upsets. Oregon State has only played one game, and UCLA has played three. The Beavers may have gotten lucky vs a Wisconsin team that is nowhere near as good as we thought, but Oregon State is still not a very good team. UCLA should roll.

Prediction: UCLA 37 OSU 17

#16 Michigan (2-1) @ #13 Notre Dame (3-0)
7:30pm ET, NBC

This could be the last chance for Michigan to prove they are a BCS-contender. If they loose, they will be written off for the season and be counted as another very disappointing team from the Big Ten this year. Notre Dame has a chance to prove they are back as one of the top teams in the country.

Prediction: ND 28 Mich 20

#19 Kansas State (3-0) @ #3 Oklahoma (2-0)
7:50pm ET, FOX

Both teams have a lot to prove in this game. The Sooners had a shaky game week 1 vs UTEP. They rolled over Florida A& M in week 2, so we have yet to see this team tested. Kansas State can prove they are a BCS contender and not stuck behind Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas for the Big 12 crown. I could see the upset here, but Oklahoma should get the win.

Prediction: OU 36 KSU 30

#9 Clemson (3-0) @ #2 Florida State (3-0)
8:00pm ET, ABC

The first test for FSU. They will have to show they are a title contender with a win over Clemson. Clemson is out to show they are the kings of the ACC. If Florida State can win this, the Seminoles are back to national prominence. This should be close and already has the feels of a classic.

Prediction: FSU 28 Clem 25

   

ACC Preview

    
Big East   Big 10   Big 12   Pac 12   SEC   Other Conferences   Bowls and Top 50

    
   
    The ACC should be much improved this year. Florida State and Virginia Tech are dangerous teams that can contend for a national title. Clemson and N.C. State are darkhorse BCS teams, and Georgia Tech is a bowl game lock as well.

    

    As for the rest of the league, all the other teams have a shot at a bowl, but easily could fall just short. Boston College, Virginia, Maryland, and Duke could easily go bowling. North Carolina would be a lock if not for a bowl ban. 

    Only Miami (FL) and Wake Forest should have a loosing record this year. Miami is rebuilding but NCAA sanctions hanging over their head will only hurt this team. Wake Forest is the weakest team in the conference. 

Brandon Jenkins (#49), Florida State

Projected Standings:

Atlantic:

1. Florida State 11-1 (7-1)

T2. N.C. State 10-2 (6-2)

T2 Clemson 8-4 (6-2)

4. Maryland 5-7 (3-5)

5. Boston College 6-6 (2-6)

6. Wake Forest 3-9 (1-7)

Coastal:

1. Virginia Tech 11-1 (7-1)

2. Georgia Tech 8-4 (5-3)

T3. North Carolina 5-7 (3-5)

T3. Virginia 5-7 (3-5)

T3. Miami, FL 4-8 (3-5)

6. Duke 5-7 (2-6)

ACC Championship: Florida State over Virginia Tech

Big East Preview

ACC   Big 10   Big 12   Pac 12    SEC   Other Conferences   Bowls and Top 50   


    The Big East will have some major changes starting next season. Many still question if the conference should be a BCS AQ, and the incoming schools of Boise State, San Diego State, Houston, SMU, UCF, and Memphis next year do not strengthen that argument. The departure of West Virginia, and Pittsburgh and Syracuse in 2013 don't help either. 

    This year, however, the Big East still has Pitt and Syracuse, and does add Temple to the mix. This conference is still the weakest BCS Conference, but a couple of Big East teams should be more competitive with the rest of the country.

Sio Moore, Uconn

    Louisville and South Florida figure to be the favorites this year. Terry Bridgewater at Louisville is a star, and only a sophomore QB. BJ Daniels should take his Bulls deep during his final year.

    Cincinnati could easily creep to the top and grab that BCS bid. They are one of the more underrated teams in the nation. Pittsburgh, Rutgers, and Uconn should be back in bowl games this year too.

     In fact, only two of the eight Big East teams won't be in bowls. Those two are Syracuse, who still has a long way to go before it is a threat. The Orange still can pull an upset or two, but a bowl game is a stretch.

    Temple is no longer playing the weaker MAC teams. They could still get to six wins, but the rest of the conference is just too talented for the Owls.

Projected Standings:

1. Louisville 10-2 (6-1)

2. South Florida 8-4 (5-2)

T3. Cincinnati 8-4 (4-3)

T3. Pittsburgh 7-5 (4-3)

T5. Uconn 7-5 (3-4)

T5. Rutgers 7-5 (3-4)

7. Temple 4-8 (2-5)

8. Syracuse 3-9 (1-6)

College Football Week 13 Recap

   We now are entering the last week of college football and it is conference championship week. A time for teams to show why they are worthy of a BCS bid. Each conference championship has a lot riding on it.

LSU QB Jarrett Lee

    In the SEC, #1 LSU will take on #14 Georgia. LSU has been the best team all season. There is no question about it. The SEC East is weak this year, especially if Georgia will be representing them in the title game. Don't let Georgia's record (10-2) fool you, the three teams from the SEC West they did not end up playing are the three best in #1 LSU, #2 Alabama, and #5 Arkansas. The only other teams they played that even are even ranked are #6 Boise State and #13 South Carolina, both losses. LSU wins by a huge margin on their way to the title game.

    In the Big 10, it is a rematch between #10 Michigan State and #16 Wisconsin. Last time, MSU won on a 54-yard Hail Mary as time expired to win 37-31. The winner this time will go to the Rose bowl, and the loser possibly could get into the Fiesta Bowl to play the loser of Oklahoma-Oklahoma State, or the winner of that game, if Alabama gets into the title game. Either way, it will be a great game and hopefully be down to the wire once again.

    In the Pac 12, the North featured arguably the best four teams in the Pac-12 (minus bowl-banned USC), and will send Oregon to take on 6-6 UCLA in the title game. UCLA, the team people said may be the worst team in the Pac 12 in the pre-season, managed to go 6-6, but by no means can compete with Oregon. The Ducks will tromp the Bruins.

    The ACC has #9 Virginia Tech which has been on a tear lately, playing #23 Clemson who started undefeated but has dropped two straight games and has fallen mightily - winner will go to Orange Bowl.

    The Conference USA will feature undefeated #6 Houston and #22 Southern Miss. Houston is a team all about offense, and has one of the best in the history of the NCAA. But they have played a very easy schedule, and out of all non-BCS teams to go undefeated in the past few years, they may be the least talented one to date. Two teams come to mind if you think of "all offense" teams in BCS conferences this year. Both in the Pac 12, and they are Arizona and Washington State. Both went 4-8 playing average schedules. This would most likely be Houston's fate if they played in a BCS conference, and they will most likely not put up a fight for any team in a BCS bowl. But for this game, Houston will win and cap off a 13-0 season heading into a bowl game.


Top 25

1. LSU 12-0
2. Alabama 11-1
3. Oklahoma State 10-1
4. Stanford 11-1
5. Arkansas 10-2
6. Boise State 10-1
7. Oregon 10-2
8. Houston 12-0
9. Virginia Tech 11-1
10. Michigan State 10-2
11. Oklahoma 9-2
12. USC 10-2
13. South Carolina 10-2
14. Georgia 10-2
15. Kansas State 9-2
16. Wisconsin 10-2
17. Michigan 10-2
18. Baylor 8-3
19. TCU 9-2
20. West Virginia 8-3
21. Nebraska 9-3
22. Southern Miss 10-2
23. Clemson 9-3
24. Ohio 9-3
25. Texas 7-4

Next 5 In: Penn State 9-3, Florida State 8-4, Cincinnati 8-3, Arkansas 9-2, Virginia 8-4

What To Watch:


Conference Championships (* Neutral Site)

*#24 Ohio @ Northern Illinois, Fri, 7:00pm ET, ESPN2, Prediction: OHIO 66 NIU 59

UCLA @ #7 Oregon, Fri, 8:00pm ET, FOX, Prediction: ORE 45 UCLA 7

#22 Southern Miss @ #6 Houston, Sat, 12:00pm ET, ABC, Prediction: HOU 55 USM 40

*#14 Georgia @ #1 LSU, Sat, 4:00pm ET, CBS, Prediction: LSU 37 UGA 14

*#9 Virginia Tech @ #23 Clemson, 8:00pm ET, ESPN, Prediction: VT 38 CLEM 30

*#16 Wisconsin @ #10 Michigan State, 8:00pm ET, FOX, Prediction: WIS 35 MSU 34

OSU QB Brandon Weeden

Regular Games:

UConn @ Cincinnati, 12:00pm ET, ESPN,
Prediction: CIN 27 UCONN 21

Iowa State @ #15 Kansas State, 12:30pm ET,
Prediction: KSU 20 ISU 10

#25 Texas @ #18 Baylor, 3:30pm ET, ABC,
Prediction: BAY 31 TEX 20



Game Of Week:

#11 Oklahoma @ #3 Oklahoma State, 8:00pm ET, ABC, Prediction: OKL 45 OSU 42

College Football Week 12 Recap

    It has been along time since my last post, and so much has happened since then. Upsets, a showdown between #1 and #2, and of course Penn State. Week 11 just went by, and it turned the whole College Football world upside-down with four of the top 10 teams loosing.

USC celebrates a win over Oregon

    Oklahoma State played on Friday night, vs an Iowa State team that was looking for its sixth win to become bowl eligible. Many thought it would not come this weekend, and the #2 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys would continue its winning streak heading into a showdown with Oklahoma. But that was not the case as Oklahoma State QB Zach Weeden's pass was tipped and fell into Iowa State hands. The Cyclones won in double OT.

    The Oregon Ducks could clinch a Pac 12 Championship berth before they were upset by USC when the kicker missed a field goal, and Baylor upset Oklahoma at the end of the game. Clemson was demolished by NC State.

Top 25:


1. LSU 11-0
2. Alabama 10-1
3. Arkansas 10-1
4. Stanford 10-1
5. Oklahoma State 10-1
6. Boise State 9-1
7. Oregon 9-2
8. Houston 11-0
9. Virginia Tech 10-1
10. Michigan State 9-2
11. USC 9-2
12. Oklahoma 8-2
13. South Carolina 9-2
14. Georgia 9-2
15. Kansas State 9-2
16. Wisconsin 9-2
17. Michigan 9-2
18. Baylor 7-3
19. TCU 9-2
20. Clemson 9-2
21. Penn State 9-2
22. Virginia 8-3
23. Georgia Tech 8-3
24. Iowa State 6-4
25. Nebraska 8-3

Next 5 in: Rutgers 8-3, Notre Dame 8-3, West Virginia 7-3, Ohio 9-3, Arkansas State 9-2

What To Watch:


Iowa @ #25 Nebraska, Fri 12:00 PM ET, ABC, Prediction: NEB 37 IOWA 34

#8 Houston @ Tulsa, Fri 12:00 PM ET, Prediction: HOU 65 TULSA 56

#3 Arkansas @ #1 LSU, Fri, 2:30 PM ET, Prediction: LSU 35 ARK 25

#24 Iowa State @ #12 Oklahoma, 12:00 PM ET, FX,  Prediction: OK 41 ISU 17

#14 Georgia @ #23 Georgia Tech, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN, Prediction: UGA 23 GT 16

Ohio State @ #17 Michigan, 12:00 PM ET, ABC, Prediction: OSU 31 MICH 24

#2 Alabama @ Auburn, 3:30 PM ET, CBS, Prediction: ALA 30 AUB 6

#9 Virginia Tech @ #22 Virginia, 3:30 PM ET, ABC/ESPN2, Prediction: VT 27 VIR 20

#21 Penn State @ #16 Wisconsin, 3:30 PM ET, ESPN, Prediction: WIS 31 PSU 21

#20 Clemson @ #13 South Carolina, 7:45 PM ET, ESPN, Prediction: SC 17 CLEM 13

Notre Dame @ #4 Stanford, 8:00 PM ET, ABC, Prediction: STAN 26 ND 14

College Football Week 6 Recap

    College football is well underway and we are about half way through the season already. Not many upsets thus far, and there has not been many exiting games. But this weekend had some very good games though, as will next weekend.

    After beating up on Georgia in week one, Boise State only really had one more test on their schedule, against Fresno State. And on Friday night the Broncos toppled the Bulldogs 57-7. Boise State became 5-0. While I do believe Boise State still could be a title contender even if having a conference schedule like a normal BCS team, they are still in the Mountain West. By playing small teams like this every year, they never will be considered an elite team in my books.

    Oklahoma and Texas played in their annual Red River Rivalry, and Oklahoma proved why they are one of the top teams in the nation, and why Landry Jones should be a Heisman contender up with Andrew Luck. Texas showed us they are not quite where we thought they were in regards to coming back from a 5-7 season last year.

    The same thing really went for LSU, as they destroyed Florida and Jarrett Lee proved why he also is a Heisman contender. Florida, as Texas did, showed why they also are a few years from being back to a BCS team.

    After Nebraska was embarrassed by Wisconsin in their Big 10 debut, they went up against the Buckeyes of Ohio State. Ohio State who is having one of the worst seasons in along time for them, played better then they had all season and to every ones amazement was up 27-6 at half. Braxton Miller was playing more freely, much like Terrelle Pryor would. Carlos Hyde had some great runs for Ohio State, including a 60-yard TD run in the second quarter.

    But coming out of half, Miller sprained his ankle when changing direction, and it was all down hill from there. Joe Bauserman came in for Ohio State and might have played the worst quarter and half I have ever seen. As imaginable, Nebraska came back, and scored 28 unanswered points to win 34-27. The nightmare for Ohio State continues.

Top 25:


1. LSU 6-0
2. Alabama 6-0
3. Oklahoma 5-0
4. Boise State 5-0
5. Wisconsin 5-0
6. Stanford 5-0
7. Oklahoma State 5-0
8. Oregon 4-1
9. Clemson 6-0
10. Arkansas 5-1
11. Georgia Tech 6-0
12. South Carolina 5-1
13. Michigan 6-0
14. Nebraska 5-1
15. West Virginia 5-1
16. Illinois 6-0
17. Baylor 4-1
18. Virginia Tech 5-1
19. Kansas State 5-0
20. Arizona State 5-1
21. Texas A &M 3-2
22. Michigan State 4-1
23. Washington 4-1
24. Texas 4-1
25. Houston 6-0

Next 5 in: Penn State 5-1, Florida 4-2, USC 4-1, North Carolina 5-1, SMU 4-1, Cincinnati 4-1


What To Watch:


#17 Baylor @ #21 Texas A &M, 12:00 PM ET, FX, Prediction: TAM 29 BAY 27

Miami (FL) @ North Carolina, 12:30 PM ET, ESPN3, Prediction: UNC 30 MIA 25

#7 Oklahoma State @ #22 Texas, 3:30 PM ET, ABC/ESPN, Prediction: OK ST 37 TEX 33

Ohio State @ #16 Illinois, 3:30 PM ET, ABC/ESPN, Prediction: OSU 27 ILL 20

#20 Arizona State @ #9 Oregon, 10:15 PM ET, ESPN, Prediction: ORE 51 ASU 30

Game Of The Week: 


#13 Michigan (6-0) @ #22 Michigan State (4-1)


12:00 PM ET, ESPN

Prediction: MSU 27 MICH 21


    Michigan is overrated. They get by with Denard Robinson running the ball, and they have not played anyone good thus far. This is what happened last year, they started off good by playing terrible teams and Robinson running circles around them, then one the real teams came they lost and Robinson fell off the map. Same thing this year. Once these better teams come in with much more athletic linebackers who can stop the run, like Michigan State, they contain Robinson and make him throw the ball, which he may be the worst at out of all Big 10 quarterbacks. If Michigan State contains Robinson in the running game and the offense can avoid to many turnovers, they win this game with ease and maybe by a lot more then just six.

College Football Week 4 Recap

    After not being able to put up a recap for weeks 2 & 3, I have one for week 4. There were some good games with a lot of ranked teams going at it, and even a few upsets.

    The biggest and most exiting one was Texas A& M and Oklahoma State. Texas A& M went out to a huge lead at half and most people assumed Oklahoma State really was overrated. But next thing you know Oklahoma State had surged back and taken the lead, and stole the win from the Aggies on the same week A& M joined the SEC. Justin Blackmon again had a 100 yard receiving day for the Cowboys as they are sure to gain some spots in the ranks.

    Other big games were Florida State and Clemson. Clemson had just joined the Top 25 after beating Auburn, and Florida State had just lossed to Oklahoma. I had always thought Florida State was much overrated for their preseason ranking, and these two losses only proved it as the Seminoles fell to 2-2. Clemson is 4-0 for the first time since 2007.

    LSU blew out West Virginia but no surprise their, and Alabama took down Arkansas by a surprisingly high margin. A good weekend for college football to say the least.

    This weekend also has some good games between ranked opponents, as Alabama and Florida, Nebraska and Wisconsin, and Clemson and Virginia Tech play.


Top 25
1. LSU 4-0
2. Alabama 4-0
3. Oklahoma 3-0
4. Boise State 3-0
5. Stanford 3-0
6. Wisconsin 4-0
7. Oregon 3-1
8. Oklahoma State 4-0
9. Nebraska 4-0
10. South Carolina 4-0
11. Virginia Tech 4-0
12. Texas A& M 2-1
13. Florida 4-0
14. Baylor 3-0
15. Clemson 4-0
16. South Florida 4-0
17. Texas 3-0
18. TCU 3-1
19. Arkansas 3-1
20. Georgia Tech  4-0
21. Michigan 4-0
22. Ohio State 3-1
23. Houston 4-0
24. Florida State 2-2
25. Arizona State 3-1

Next 5 in: West Virgina 3-1, Michigan State 3-1, Illinois 4-0, Penn State 3-1, Iowa 3-1

What To Watch:


#12 Texas A& M @ #19 Arkansas, 12:00 PM, ESPN, Prediction: TAM 37 ARK 35

Auburn @ #10 South Carolina, 3:30 PM, CBS, Prediction: AUB 41 SC 33

Michigan State @ #22 Ohio State, 3:30 PM, ABC/ESPN, Prediction: OSU 24 MSU 15

#15 Clemson @ #11 Virginia Tech, 6:00 PM, ESPN2, Prediction: VT 34 CLEM 28

#17 Texas @ Iowa State, 7:00 PM, FX, Prediction: TEX 45 ISU 13

#2 Alabama @ #13 Florida, 8:00 PM, CBS, Prediction: ALA 28 FLOR 14

Game Of The Week


#9 Nebraska @ #6 Wisconsin


8:00 PM ET, ABC

Prediction: Wisconsin 32 Nebraska 24

Wisconsin wins this game due to the fact they are just a better team on offense and have a slight edge in defense. Russell Wilson is playing great football, and Wisconsin can run with anyone in the country. It will be close, and could be a high scoring affair or a low scoring one. But in the end the Badges spoil Nebraska's inaugural Big 10 game.