Week 7 picks: Couple of winners...

Michigan @ Michigan State
Draper: Alright Michigan, here's your shot. I really don't think that MSU is that solid of a team, but they are certainly much better (especially on defense) than the dregs the Wolverines have played thus far. The Spartans defensive line is super tough (see 9 sacks against OSU) but it will be interesting to see if they can hang with Denard. The UM defense is still pretty awful so Cousins should have a pretty good game. I think the stepchild will keep it rolling and send the Denards home crying. Go Green! UM: 20--MSU:23
Auer: Little brother no more, MSU has evolved into a consistent winner in this Big Ten Blood Feud. With Kirk Cousins' improved accuracy and Denard Robinson's enjoyment of throwing to the other team, MSU remains the pesky little brother to big blue. UM: 24--MSU: 35
Hoying:The UM-MSU rivalry heats up this year, as the winner of this game takes the inside track to the Legends division title. Mich QB Denard Robinson should pile up a few yards on the ground, but the brutal Spartan line should take quite a few back, forcing a few horrible decisions along the way. The Michigan defense was exposed last weekend against Northwestern, and while the Spartan passing attack is nothing special, Kirk Cousins and Co. should be able to do enough to get the job done. Not this year, maize and blue. UM: 20 --MSU:27
Schweinfurth: Nothing like the battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy. Michigan "Little Brother" State's defense has looked good so far this year with the exception of the debacle at Notre Dame. Sparty did a great job of bottling up a mobile quarterback against OSU but Denard is a better and more experienced runner (I refuse to call him a QB). Robinson will toss up his requisite three picks and Sparty takes advantage. Denard will keep big Blue in it but it wont be enough. UM: 24--MSU: 31

Baylor @ Texas A&M
Draper: A nice Big 12 game between 2 ok teams....but nothing more. Baylor took their first loss of the year and most likely knocked RG3 out of the Heisman race (unfairly) but they'll be looking to rebound. TAMU comes off of an underrated win against Texas Tech after the 2 collapses in the preceding weeks. The 12th man makes the difference as Tannehill leads the Aggies to victory. RG3 will get his but will throw a key interception (only his 2nd of the year) due to the raucous crowd. I'd love for Baylor to get back on track, but I'm not seeing it. TAMU rights the ship at home. Baylor: 20--TAMU: 27
Auer: Not even a clue on this one... Baylor hasn't won much of significance ever and A&M usually messes things up when they shouldn't. I'll go with talent in this one. Baylor: 42--TAMU: 53
Hoying: Next up is the Flaky Bowl. Baylor features mediocre talent surrounding the nation's most dynamic player in Robert Griffin III, but Texas A&M has shown they can pound on anybody...for a half. Baylor's only loss was by 1 point to an underrated Kansas State squad, which involved a 4th quarter mini meltdown of its own. The question is: if Baylor finds itself down early, can they make the plays necessary to pull out a win? I believe they can. The Aggies blow it again. Baylor: 42--TAMU: 35
Schweinfurth: The intrigue of this game is: how much offense can RG3 put up? He is my Heisman frontrunner for sure (but won't win, unfortunately) and it will be interesting to see what he can do against a better defense that what he has faced. Unfortunately for RG3, Baylor is still Baylor and I don't see many stops by the Baylor defense. I got the Aggies (Whooooo!) in a shootout. Baylor: 35--TAMU: 45

Oklahoma State @ Texas
Draper: The Longhorns come off an absolute drubbing at the hands of the Sooners while Okie State played their starters for only the first half in a romp over Kansas. While Texas returns home to lick their wounds, I think the Pokes smell blood in the water. Absolutely no one is talking about the sick numbers being put up by the Cowboys. Yeah, the defense is so-so, but the offense cannot be stopped. Blackmon goes for 2 TDs and the Longhorns return to earth as they wait for McCoy and Shipley to mature. Bedlam is going to be INSANE! OSU: 48--UT: 20

Auer: Texas was annihilated by the Sooners, and their "little brother", Oklahoma State, shouldn't have a problem doing the same thing. The Longhorns will be looking to right the ship, especially after going 0-4 in Big 12 play last year at home. OSU is not the defensive juggernaut that the Sooners are, but they still should not have a problem thwarting the Texas attack. OSU: 37--UT: 24
Hoying: Can it be? So soon? Yes, boys and girls, it's the magical week that ruins Oklahoma's State's season EVERY SINGLE YEAR. The Cowpokes finally got over the hump last year, beating a terrible Texas squad. This year both squads come in a little sharper, but, unfortunately for Texas, the gap hasn't closed. This Okie State squad is mature, confident, and ready to make a statement in a game that will get more hype than the Cowboys-Aggies matchup of two weeks ago. Get ready for the Longhorn defense to look BAD for the second week in a row. OSU: 61--UT:31
Schweinfurth: Texas is reeling from that loss last week for sure. You don't just get over a blowout at the hands of a rival. It doesn't get any easier this week for the Longhorns. It's gonna be Blackmon all game and the Pokes use this game as a tune up for Bedlam. In the words of Bart Scott "CAN'T WAIT!"
OSU: 50--UT:24


Arizona State @ Oregon
Draper: No Lamichael it appears; no problem. ASU and 6'8'' tall Brock Osweiler (notice the commentators can't say his name without mentioning his height) have been fairly decent this year and will most likely win the Pac 12 south, but the Ducks are a different animal. It took a half before UO got going last week, but then they dropped the hammer. Look for the Ducks to jump out quickly and keep the pressure on. ASU: 23--UO: 45

Auer: Oregon has won 19 straight games at home, the Sun Devils are playing on the road for the second straight week, seems like the perfect setup for a big game that will be just plain ugly. LaMichael James is not going to play, but the Ducks are deep, and always seem to have another running back waiting in the wings to pick up the slack. Today will be no different and the Ducks will run their home win streak to 20 games. ASU: 17--UO: 52
Hoying: Finally, Oregon and AState get a break from playing awful teams. The effect of losing LaMichael James to injury cannot be overstated, but the talent gap between these two teams is too wide for the injury to tip the balance of the game. If you aren't willing to stay up late and watch this game, don't worry about it. We'll see it again in December. ASU: 27--UO: 38
Schweinfurth: This game is all offense, all the time. LaMichael "Sabretooth" James is out for this one, but Oregon has a stable in the backfield starting with Kenyon Barner. Not to be outdone, Brock Osweiler (look, Chief, I didn't mention he was 6' 8"...doh) and the Sun Devils can light up the scoreboard as well. This will be a fun and exciting game to watch (and with these offenses, this game could last for 5 hours). The team that gets the ball last will win this game. ASU: 45--UO: 49


Ohio State @ Illinois
Draper: Which Buckeye team shows up? Is Illinois for real or another flash in the pan? The Bucks need a rebound game after that second half debacle in Lincoln. They can fall over and die or rally. I'm choosing rally. Scheelhouse is a solid QB and Jenkins is a fantastic receiver but the OSU D-Line will turn up the heat. The run D will hold up and I'm hoping that someone other than Howard covers Jenkins. Miller will be sufficient again in the passing game and the return of Herron will bolster the already decent running game. Bollman gets overruled by every fan in the world with more sense and the Bucks RUN THE BALL to victory. OSU: 23--Ill:17

Auer: Funny that the week I pick for the Bucks, everyone else goes opposite, and then Fickell's squad blows a 21-point lead... disgusting. I was perusing OSU-Wisconsin tickets this week, spoke to a co-worker, she had a pair on eBay listed at face value that DID NOT RECEIVE A SINGLE BID. The Bucks are bad, but the spark of Boom Herron's return could make a difference. The Bucks should win, but won't. OSU: 20--Ill: 26
Hoying: Each week seems to create more questions than answers for this Buckeye squad. The Buckeyes clearly have the more talented squad, especially with Boom Herron returning, but do they possess the will of the warrior? Illinois features another nasty pass rush, so Braxton will have to be able to make quick decisions and run the ball effectively for the Bucks to have a chance. The secondary will have its hands full with All-B1G caliber receiver AJ Jenkins (can we get one quality DB?) but Illinois will have serious trouble running the ball if the Buckeye defense plays to their full caliber. Play this game 10 times and Illinois wins 7 or 8 of them, but this team is just BEGGING to get tagged. Buckeyes score the upset. OSU: 14--Ill:13
Schweinfurth: Boom's back this week and Miller should be ready to go (tape up those ankles Brax!). Walrusball will have the Bucks pounding the ball early as the Bucks always struggle throwing in the wind tunnel of Memorial Stadium. This Illinois team is 6-0 and looking toward getting a "big name win" over the Bucks. The Silver Bullets were exposed a bit last week and had a hard time chasing Martinez all over the field in the second half and Scheelhouse is a better passer than Martinez. The Silver Bullets are looking for redemption and will get and hold onto a lead this week. OSU: 24--Ill: 21


Upset Special(s)
Draper: Texas Tech over KSU

Auer: Michigan State over scUM, MSU over USC, Texas Tech over K-State,
Hoying: Indiana over Wisconsin (just kidding) Maryland over Clemson (it's time)
Schweinfurth: Wake over VaTech

Five Thoughts from the Week that was

1) The definition of personal foul unsportsmanlike conduct has to change.

Anyone reading this knows where this post is coming from. In the LSU-Florida game, LSU faked a punt that led to a long TD run. At the end of the run, the punter spread his arms in celebration at the 5 for 1 second, realized he shouldn't, and ran into the endzone. The new rule states that an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty is assessed from the spot of the foul and the points are taken off the board. This cost LSU a TD (they failed to convert and scored a FG instead). This, of course, had no impact on the outcome of the game as Florida was clearly outclassed, but this ruling is insane. By the letter of the law, you could call it taunting, but it clearly wasn't vindictive or overbearing. The rule needs to be changed to avoid the no-fun league. My solution is to maintain the unsportsmanlike penalty and perhaps even maintain the 'taking the points off the board' (even though I'm not sold on that), but the definition of excessive celebration should be defined as anything that either delays the normal progress of the game (throwing the ball in the stands or choreography) or directly taunts the other team (like throwing the ball in the defense's face or moonwalking into the endzone). This was clearly a case of excitement when a punter was caught up in the moment and quickly rectified his error (the only way we saw this was through a camera replay). Let the kids have fun without degrading the other team. The punter did not celebrate excessively so it was harmless and needs to be ignored. By the current letter of the law, the flag could have been thrown (judgement call). I propose changing the rule so the flag could not be properly thrown for such a minor infraction.

2) Schedules don't matter to the voters.

Look at the rankings: 4 Wisconsin, 5 Boise, 7 Stanford, 11 Michigan, 13 West Virginia, 14 Nebraska...I could go on, but what do these teams have in common? They've beaten no one of consequence (yes, Wisky beat Neb by I don't think the Huskers are for real). These high rankings are vestiges of high preseason opinions in areas and in others, pollsters are blinded by the undefeated records. WVU and Nebraska have each played 1 quality opponent and got smashed. UM beat ND on the final second because they were playing 11 on 0. I believe that Wisconsin, Boise, and Stanford are pretty solid teams, but the schedule is never factored. The mock BCS has Wisconsin at 7 which draws some ire, but they simply haven't played anyone (and won't until the bowl as the B1G is down). Stanford plays Oregon which will define the season, and Boise plays....no one. Who knows if they hold, but look at the opponents before you crown a team.

3) Momentum is crucial in college football

This point is easily made by watching the downfalls of OSU and FSU. OSU fumbles the ball with a 21 point lead. This woke up the crowd and gave Nebraska the momentum to completely turn the game around. FSU had complete control and got totally jacked up for the huge showdown vs. OU. They went all out yet still lost to the experience laden Sooners. After that, with their QB injured, they went into the hornets nest in Clemson and lost to the sexy team of the moment, at which they were upset. Following the 2nd disappointment, the Noles entered Wake Forest where they habitually have trouble (usually in the form of an injury). 1 broken RB and 5 turnovers later, the Noles (starting at number 4 overall) are staring at a losing record. Pretty much all of the hardship is due to the momentum shift after all the wind was taken out by losing when they put it on the line vs. #1. Of all the sports, momentum is clearly defining in college football which is why we love it!

4) Commentating has reached an all-time low

Watching games on mute is a now a soothing decision. Craig James blathering about why it's wrong to take illegal benefits (hyposcrisy anyone?), Jesse Palmer talking about his hair, Pam Ward talking about God knows what, Matt Millen evaluating receiver prospects (with clearly no clue), and Brent Musburger's drunken reverie; it's all so trite and ridiculous. Normally, not only don't they add the the broadcast, but they detract from it using blatantly incorrect or stupid 'insights'. If you want to actually learn something about the game and how it should be played, listen to Urban Meyer and Chris Spielmen. They're really the only 2 that don't dumb down their football talk (too much) and have reasonable snippets to add to the game's enjoyment. I've had enough with the ESPiN talking heads fall over themselves looking stupid when they don't understand what a ref is signally or why a certain play worked (or not). The commentators of today feel it is their obligation to dumb down what is happening for the 'idiots' watching. I've had enough. The commentators are the idiots. Thank you Urban and Chris for keeping it real (by the way Urban, Columbus is awesome this time of year).

5) The contenders are separating themselves

Parity exists in most of college football which is what has led to some really exciting games...excepting those with the few actually good teams out there. I'm in the 91 percentile in the college pick-em with confidence. While I like to think I know something, it's been all too easy. The big teams are completely disconnected from the pretenders as of now. Look at the blowouts of LSU and Bama over Florida, Wisconsin over Nebraska, and OU over Texas. There are many more instances of the elite crushing the 'also-rans', but I won't list them all. Some of the games are exciting but the high profile teams are blowing everyone out. LSU/Bama will be epic, OU/OkSt will be thrilling, and Stan/Oreg will be a shootout, but as I look over the schedule, there are very few games of interest to me in this regular season.

Grading the Bucks--Week 6: Nebraska...Words cannot express....

Offense: B+ 1st half/F 2nd half
Have to split this up after what I just saw. The 1st half showed a competent OSU attack. Good solid blocking, strong runs, and some decent (not great but ok) passing. OSU effortlessly moved the ball effectively right through a porous defense that the Cornhuskers boast. Miller looked confident (even though he still throws a horrible ball) and he actually started to hit the hole. I'm still scared with the way he carries the ball but he is definitely maturing. Jordan Hall seems to be regressing in the running attack but Carlos Hyde has been a pleasant surprise. Why 34 wasn't in the game more, I'll never know. The O-line protected MUCH better and was opening holes (see Carlos Hyde). Now to the elephant in the room. Bauserman. I'm done. I defended him and thought he could do it. I was wrong. I believe a lot of this regression is due to the TOTAL lack of faith by everyone in Columbus, but I don't care about the why anymore. He just can't lead this team anymore. With that being said, anyone saying we lost because of Bauserman is just plain ignorant and stupid. He entered the game with a 14 point lead. He didn't give up the 28 unanswered points. All the defense had to do was make A stop. Bauserman was terrible I agree and his time is done, but he wasn't the reason we lost. In fact, the turning point of the game was Miller handing the ball to the Nebraska LB and the D giving up a 22 yard run immediately to wake up the Sea of Red. Bauserman didn't help us maintain the lead, but he didn't cause the Buckeyes to fall down. Trust me, this collapse was a team effort.

Defense: A- 1st half/F 2nd half

Now we come to the problem. The first 30 showed the Bullets back to form stuffing Martinez and Burkhead. They flew all over the field and gave up next to nothing the 1st half. After the Miller fumble, I think Greg Robinson took over. The defense was confused and out of position on seemingly every play. They looked like the normal OSU defense that can't handle the option/ zone read. The offense shut off but you'd imagine the OSU D that has only taken 2 series off all year would hold.......nope. This collapse was much MUCH more troubling on the defensive side. To be clear, the athletic talent on the OSU defense is not as good as the recent past, but they've played above it. This week, in the 2nd half, it all crashed to earth. All the defensive finger pointing from last week toward the painfully horrendous offense was turned right around. I don't think I've ever seen an OSU defense collapse like that. Vrabel, Fickell....looking at you.

Special Teams: B+

Another solid enough week for the specialty teams. 1/1 on field goals and some nice punts inside the 20. Punt coverage was pretty good, but the kick coverage was definitely taking a step back (hence the lack of an A). Why didn't they try the long field goal? Not the special teams problems....but it was due to:

Coaching: B 1st half/ F---- 2nd half

The experiment is over. The walrus looked like he was calling a decent game in the first half, but what happened? Here's a stat for you: Miller threw 8 passes in 2.75 quarters (completing 5). Bauserman enters the game (WITH A 14 POINT LEAD!!!) and in 1.25 quarters of work, he throws 10 passes. 10!!! And he completed 1. WHAT KIND OF A GAME PLAN IS THAT?!?!?! When it doesn't work, TRY SOMETHING ELSE!!! The ground game with Hyde was working, and yet, Jordan Hall was getting the ball to run into the lineman. Bauserman is sent into the game due to injury and Bollman opens the playbook? What are these monkeys doing? Everyone gets on Bollman (mostly deserved) for running on EVERY 1st down...here's the difference this week: it worked. Then in comes Bauserman. Since he's essentially equivalent to Aaron Rodgers, we go run and shoot. Joe B doesn't call the plays. Blame the idiots up top. Now to Fickell, you have a 7 point lead and the ball at the 32. You defense can catch a cold.... what do you do? Punt?....What?!? KICK THE FG!!! At least try it. You aren't Tressel. He had defense to bail him out. It was clear ours already left Lincoln. Love you Luke, but good luck at Akron next year. Bring on Urban.