The Landscape, Part Tres
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Concentrating on football is a bit tricky right now; I just finished watching the UConn/Memphis game and saw the future of the point guard position (Derrick Rose) and then caught a highlight of the one-win Sonics beating my Atlanta Hawks in overtime courtesy of a Kevin Durant trifecta. Thanks Kevin, thanks a lot. I'm all about you becoming one of the best to ever play, but did you have to drop your first game-winner in my hometown on my hometown squad? Dammit, I hate my life...But I digress. This week in college football has become yet another week in which there has been a major shake-up on Thursday. This time #2 Oregon fell in Tuscon, which seems only appropriate since Mike Stoops and company have a history of knocking off highly ranked teams in November. Things are even more bleak for the Quack Attack with Dennis Dixon busting up an ACL. But that wasn't the only game of importance for this week of college football. Here are a few of the big ones on Saturday...
#7 Ohio State @ #21 Michigan
The Buckeyes are coming off a devastator, but THE Ohio State University still has an outside chance at the BCS Championship game. Michigan is likely to be playing Lloyd Carr's last as a head coach (that is of course if you believe all the rumors that are circulating). Did I mention that the winner locks up a BCS bowl bid as the Big Ten champion? All of that should only add to an already heated rivalry that is second only to the Iron Bowl (and no, Big Ten people, I will not be swayed from my opinion). Michigan is tough to pick here since they lost to a banged up Wisconsin team last week after playing solid football after an 0-2 start. Ohio State is a bit easier to pick, coming off a loss that ruined a perfect season and since Jim Tressel has yet to lose to Michigan. Despite all of that, I just have a strange feeling about this one...
Ohio State 20, Michigan 24
#23 Kentucky @ #9 Georgia
Kentucky pulled off this upset last year in Lexington and are an even better team this year than last. The problem is that they have declined their level of play since upsetting #1 LSU earlier in the season. That's problematic especially since Georgia is playing as well as any team in the country right now. After hearing all the UGA faithful gush about how great Knowshon Moreno was after spring ball, I was very skeptical about how good he really was. After seeing him in person once and seeing him rip apart Florida's and Auburn's defenses, I will pretty much believe anything I'm told about the kid, including that Superman wears Knowshon Moreno pajamas. Knowshon will run through, around and over the Wildcat defense to the tune of about 150+ yards and 3 TDs.
Kentucky 21, Georgia 41
Mississippi State @ Arkansas
I've gone back and forth on this one all week. Sly Croom's bunch has huge momentum after a second straight win over the Crimson Tide of Alabama (no, I haven't let that go yet) and they seem to have found their style with the Anthony Dixon/Christian Ducre' ground combo. Arkansas has yet to reach their preseason billing, effectively killing Darren McFadden's Heisman chances. Momentum is a funny thing in college football, and in this case I can't help but think it will be key in this game.
Mississippi State 20, Arkansas 17
Duke @ Notre Dame
So who exactly is the underdog in this one? The very idea that Notre Dame could conceivably be an underdog to lowly Duke in football is mind boggling, but that's the kind of season its been in South Bend. It should be easy to pick the Irish in this one, but it should have been easy to pick the Irish against the Naval Academy...and the Air Force Academy...but this one should be different.
Duke 17, Notre Dame 34
UL-Monroe @ Alabama
Basically, this should be a tune-up game for the Tide. There are two things I;m looking for from 'Bama: 1.) John Sarah Jessica Parker Wislon has to throw for 250+ while committing no turnovers, and 2.) the Tide defense cannot allow more than two offensive touchdowns. If those two goals aren't met, I'm considering this game a loss, a disappointment at the very least.
UL-Monroe 10, Alabama 45
#1 LSU @ Ole Miss
Conventional wisdom says that LSU will blow Ole Miss out of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, but there is nothing conventional about the Bayou Bengals. They have seemingly tried to lose games through dumb penalties and turnovers. That's not even taking into account that Les Miles is calling the shots. The last few games in this series have been fairly close, but I just don't think LSU will overlook anyone left on their schedule.
LSU 45, Ole Miss 7
Iowa State @ #3 Kansas
Here's yet another soft game on the Jayhawks' soft schedule. This has "trap game" or "look-ahead game" written all over it, and I've decided to pick against the Jayhakws until I'm correct.
Iowa State 34, Kansas 31
Miami @ #10 Virginia Tech
The 'Canes closed down the Orange Bowl in about the most embarrassing fashion possible. Lane Stadium is never an easy place to play, but the U caught a break with a 3:30 kickoff. The Hokies seemed to find a rhythm in Atlanta a few weeks ago and continued that against Florida State last week. This long first season will continue for Randy Shannon.
Miami 13, Virginia Tech 35
#6 West Virginia @ #22 Cincinnati
Here' a really tricky one. The Mountaineers are yet another team with BCS Championship hopes after Oregon's downfall and this is the biggest hurdle left on their schedule. Cincinnati has a golden opportunity to improve their bowl situation with a win over #6. West Virginia has been sloppy at time this season which is a huge concern against a Bearcat defense that has forced lots of turnovers. My feeling is that White, Slaton and Devine (who I have decided will be nicknamed "The Speed Demons" from now on) will be focused and will triumph.
West Virginia 38, Cincinnati 20
#17 Boston College @ #15 Clemson
The Eagles have had a rough stretch since garnering a #2 ranking including an unsavory defeat in College Park against the Terrapins last Saturday. Clemson has been dominant the last few weeks, but they haven't been tested at all like they will be by Matt Ryan. I'll take the advantage of Death Valley, with Clemson winning a close one over B.C.
Boston College 28, Clemson 34
One other thing to watch for this weekend is for someone to make a Heisman statement. With Dennis Dixon out for the rest of the season, the Heisman race is as wide open as its been for a few weeks. I'm looking for a few players to have big games to assert themselves to the front of the race:
-Tim Tebow, Florida - Superman is probably the current front runner after a 7 touchdown game last week. Florida Atlantic probably won't pose much of a challenge for the Gators, so look for Tebow to pile up some monster numbers.
-Glen Dorsey, LSU - Here is the guy I would vote for since the Heisman Trophy is supposed to go to the "Most Outstanding Player" in college football. No one has been more dominant at their position then Dorsey, and if he could pile up some eye-popping numbers against a bad conference opponent, maybe Dorsey could slip into the discussion.
-Darren McFadden, Arkansas - With the race being so wide open, if "Jesus in Cleats" can put up about 200+ and 4+ scores, he could find himself in New York for the ceremony. Mississippi State has played good defense this year, but they haven't faced anything like D-Mac.
-Pat White/Steve Slaton, West Virginia - I'm listing these two together because the game in Cincinnati is a huge opportunity for both of these guys to have a "Heisman moment." With a win and solid numbers, either of these two could put their names firmly into the Heisman discussion.
This weekend could also be a big one for the coaching hot seat. Here's a few coaches that could drastically improve or hurt their position.
-Phil Fulmer, Tennessee - This may look like wishful thinking on the part of an Alabama fan, but think seriously about the ramifications of a loss this weekend. With a spot in the SEC Championship game guaranteed by winning out, how well would it sit with the Tennessee faithful if the Vols lost that spot by falling at home to Vanderbilt? Food for thought, guys.
-Lloyd Carr, Michigan - I'm about certain with the info that has come out this week that Carr is gone no matter how this season turns out, but losing another game to the Buckeyes would pretty much seal his fate.
-Houston Nutt, Arkansas - Trouble will be afoot for Nutt (hehehe) if he is the next victim of the Bulldogs. If Mississippi State wins and Nutt gets fired, we can officially keep 'Croom' as a verb.
-Charlie Weis, Notre Dame - Notre Dame doesn't lose to service academies. If they lose to Duke, Weis will be relieved of his duties before he'll even be able to get off the field.
Tomorrow will go a long way towards shaping the bowl picture at season's end and we will have the first guaranteed BCS bowl participant (the Big Ten winner, who will emerge from the Ohio State-Michigan game). The day is littered with possible trap games and interesting match-ups that could decide the fate of many teams. Until next time...
Much Love
