Week 7 - When Games Count

Thursday Night Special:
#8 Cincinnati vs. #21 South Florida

Gomer: Ohio's BCS Team travels to the sunshine state for a showdown with the undefeated Bulls on a Thursday night primetime game. I hate Cincinnati. There, I said it. Ever since they've started experiencing some ounce of success they have been the annoying little step brother that is constantly screaming "LOOK OVER HERE, WE'RE GOOD TOO, WE'RE PROBABLY BETTER THAN YOU, etc." Missing QB Matt Grothe has not been as painful as expected for the Bulls as BJ Daniels has stepped into the starting spot and become an instant success. As we've seen many times over, Thursday night's do not bode well for highly ranked teams. If I were a coach, I would refuse to play on Thursday's especially in the Big East or ACC. Cincinnati will lose in surprising fashion returning their moniker of Ohio's BCS Team to its rightful owners for now. UC: 17--USF: 21

Chief: The biggest Big East game since Rutgers-Louisville in 2006, invades Tampa. The Bulls are quietly lurking at 5-0 with a beatdown of FSU in Tallahassee (albeit against a team that looked like they'd lose to Leon High School that week). Many don't realize that USF didn't have a football program at all until 1999. Jim Leavitt has formed one heck of a program and his backup QB (BJ Daniels) has been phenomenal as a double threat). Brian Kelly has done the same at UC. Led by Heisman contenders Tony Pike (and to a lesser extent Mardy Gilyard), the Bearcats are making serious noise by invading the top 10 again. This is by far the biggest stumbling block for the Cats. I think USF led by monster George Selvie at D-End will hassle the UC offensive line and get Pike a little nervous--just enough to make a few mistakes. UC will have to play from behind for the first time, and while their offense can keep up, I don't think their defense will make enough stops. Big upset in Florida. UC: 27--USF: 30


Saturday's Showdowns:
#20 Oklahoma vs. #3 Texas

Gomer: The Sooners have had a rough season so far; an opening day loss and losing their Heisman Trophy QB in the same day, a tough loss in a big revenge game against the Hurricanes, and now facing the #3 team in the land in Dallas. Texas has been good, but nothing spectacular thus far, this has allowed Colt McCoy to remain "under the radar" so far, Saturday at high noon, he reminds the country how good he is. OU has looked flat even with Sam Bradford, and now in his second game back is expected to carry the Sooners to a Red River Shootout victory. This game should see lots of scoring, but Oklahoma's lack of success away from Norman and depleted offense should help the Longhorns to a "W". OU: 27--UT: 35

Chief: The Red River Shootout was supposed to be the marquee game of the year pitting two undefeated teams of which the winner is penciled into the National Championship game. Oops... With Sam Bradford going down in week 1 and the Sooners taking 2 losses already, it's lost some luster. Don't let that stop you from tuning in because this is Texas's time to shine. So far, they've played garbage teams and won convincingly. Time to turn up the heat. I think McCoy to Shipley will become like a broken record as McCoy vaults back to the top of the Heisman race and the woes of Norman continue. OU: 24--UT: 30

#6 USC vs. #25 Notre Dame

Gomer: Not no way, not no how, it isn't going to happen. The Irish really are not that good of a team. The only reason they find themselves ranked this week is so that NBC and the rest of the media could try to hype this game a little more than it already is for no good reason. USC is returning to form blowing out Washington State and California over the last two weeks and will continue to do so this week as Matt Barkley continues to improve. It will greatly help the Trojans with ND's tops receiver, Michael Floyd, not in this game. Fight on. USC: 41--ND: 20

Chief: For the first time since the infamous Bush push, Notre Dame enters this game with a chance of winning. Emu-boy Jimmy Clauson has looked surprisingly good this year and is rightfully getting some Heisman talk. Pete Carroll has the Trojans returning to standard form after their annual gag. One thing about the Trojans, they show up on the big stage. I expect nothing less as they move the ball with ease against the Domers. Weis returns to the hotseat after the loss as it only permits 1 more before the BCS hopes are gone. USC: 34--ND: 24

#4 Virginia Tech vs. #19 Georgia Tech

Gomer: So far this season the Ramblin' Wreck have been my almost "auto-pick" I really like what Paul Johnson has done in a short time in Atlanta, making NCAA FB relevant when they have NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB teams to contend with, big time kudos. This is no slam on the career that Beamer has had in Blacksburg, where there is almost a cult-like following for the Hokies. I don't believe in VT QB Tyrod Taylor, Beamer says he's like Vick.... I don't agree. That being said, I don't really believe in GT QB Josh Nesbitt, who helped nearly giveaway the early season win against Clemson. VT's defense is good, but GT's offense is prone to confuse even the best defensive mind and will help put the Hokies down in a sizeable upset. VT: 24--GT: 28

Chief: Probably the most important game in the ACC this year. I picked GT to win the conference this year, but that early season loss to the U really hurts now. While the Jacket offense woke up last week (at the worst possible time), the defense went to sleep. One thing about VT is that they are coming into their own. The defense is shutting teams down cold and Tyrod Taylor is becoming a bit of a QB. The Duke game was spotty, but the Hokies dominated BC. Bobby Dodd stadium is not the most imposing place to play. While the GT option will confuse the Hokie defense, VT will post enough points to escape. One key defensive play by the Hokies will be the difference in a barn burner. VT: 23--GT: 21

#7 Ohio State vs. Purdue
Gomer: The OSU offense proved last week that they are being run by a monkey in the back room. They were unimpressive, uninspired, just plain bad. No credit should be given to the Wisconsin defense who ranked in the lower half of the NCAA prior to facing the Bucks. Thankfull Purdue's offense has been bad too, but mostly because they have butterfingers, they average 2+ TO's per game! There will be a large Buckeye contingent on hand that should help push the Bucks over the top. Not to mention, the Buckeye's performance on the Road vs. Home has been night and day, where on the road they are about to match a Big Ten record for consecutive road victories. OSU: 38--PU: 14

Chief: Ahhhhh... After what can only be termed as an absolute clinic defensively and an absolute tragedy offensively vs. Wisconsin, OSU enters a bye week....what? We have a game? Purdue comes in with their lone win over Toledo in a shootout (yes the same Toledo that the Bucks shutout). Purdue has shown some offense with their RB Ralph Bolden, but they haven't seen a defense like the Bullets. Their defense is just what the doctor ordered for Pryor to learn to go through his progressions (his current progression is 1. Posey, 2. Posey, 3. Posey, return to 1). Joe Daniels (OSU QB coach) needs to start getting Pryor to show some improvement or it's time to move on (coaching wise). Bucks win big and keep chugging before the epic schedule to end the season. OSU: 38--PU: 10

#11 Iowa vs. Wisconsin Gomer: Iowa Chief: UW
Arkansas vs. #1 Florida Gomer: UF Chief: UF (closer than the experts think)
Minnesota vs. #14 Penn State Gomer: PSU Chief: PSU
Texas Tech vs. #15 Nebraska Gomer: Nebraska Chief: Nebraska
#22 South Carolina vs. #2 Alabama Gomer: Bama Chief: Bama (closer than the experts think)
Missouri vs. #16 Oklahoma State Gomer: Okie State Chief: OkState