Week 7: Couple nice games here

Standings
1. Schweinfurth   20-4   (3-3 upset)
2. Hoying            16-8   (2-4 upset)
3. Draper             15-9   (2-4 upset)
4. Auer                11-9   (0-5 upset)



Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners
Draper:  The Red River Shootout actually look relevant for first time.  Neither of these teams is a threat for the National Title, but at least they're both alive for the conference.  Oklahoma had tons of preseason hype yet have been a disappointment.  Texas has been about as good as advertised--good offense, bad defense.  I'll go with the better defense but I'm not sold.  Also, Landry Jones has the edge on David Ash.  Booooomahrrrr!! UT: 24--OU: 31
Auer: Whichever team loses here will be facing an uphill battle in the fight for Big 12 Championship. 11 of the past 14 match-ups have been decided by double digits and the Longhorns' losing streak to ranked opponents will continue here. Aren't you glad the Buckeyes just scheduled a home-and-home with a program that is faltering? UT: 10--OU: 35
Hoying:  But, but, but, this was the year this game was supposed to meeeeean something!  The perennial default picks to win the Big 12 (base 8) limp into the Red River Shootout after dropping home games to superior opponents in the last two weeks.  And one of them is going to lose again, essentially dropping them out of the Big 12 title hunt.  Texas finally gets to see a real defense after their tour against Okie State and West Virginia, while Oklahoma should have a little more room to work with on offense than against K-State and T-Tech.  In a matchup like this, the team to beat is the team with the better defense.  Advantage: Oklahoma.  UT: 21--OU: 24
Schweinfurth: I can't remember a year when this game doesn't appear relevant for the national title.  And to be honest, this is the least I have heard about these two teams coming into the game.  I know the QBs and beyond that, not much.  I'll just say it'll be a Big 12 shootout. UT: 35--OU: 42

Stanford Cardinal @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Draper: Stanford is fake good.  Yeah, they manhandled the Trojan lines...at home...in the biggest game of the year, but that's it.  Oh yeah, they squeaked out that win with total dominance on the lines yet needed OT to beat Arizona's spread.  The Irish have been playing exceptional defense and just enough offense to get by.  I was surprised their offense wasn't more explosive against Miami early but they eventually scored some points.  I like the Irish at home to keep beating overrated teams.  I believe OU and USC will give them fits (especially the Trojans).  TD Jesus FTW! Stan: 13--ND: 24
Auer: When I tried to read up on this match-up, it became blatantly obvious that I don't care about this game, and that's mostly because Stanford is really overrated. Notre Dame hasn't done crap and is even more overrated than Stanford. Stan: 10--ND: 31
Hoying: Sooo, the Irish are good.  Really good.  Notre Dame has not allowed a TD in over a month.  And Stanford has not been lighting up many teams without DickRod defenses.  This one's easy.  Stan: 10--ND: 27
Schweinfurth: Notre Dame is playing very good football right now.  The defense behind Monte Te'o is playing lights out.  The offense, yea not so much.  Stanford looks a bit watered down from the Luck and Harbaugh days.  First one to score a TD wins.  Stan: 6--ND: 10

South Carolina Gamecocks @ Louisiana State Tigers
Draper: This one should be the best game of the week.  LSU may not be as talented as advertised, but Death Valley is an exceptionally difficult place to play.  Jadaveon Clowny is a monster for the Cocks on defense and should tear the Tiger line to shreds.  LSU's DEs are very talented and should induce Connor Shaw into a few mistakes in the Baton Rouge craziness.  With that being said, LSU is just not good on offense...at all.  The Tiger D is good, but so are the Gamecocks. South Carolina will get a HUGE win in a slugfest to rocket into the forefront of the title discussion. USC: 17--LSU: 13
Auer: LSU has NEVER lost at home at night under Les Miles.... let that sink in. USC is coming off of a HUGE win against Georgia, so there's the hangover factor. The Tigers are coming off of a tough road loss at Florida, so there's another hangover factor. I haven't watched much of either team, but my instincts tell me that USC is a better team that will be lacking against a team looking to make a statement and playing with serious energy at home under the lights. USC: 10--LSU: 20
Hoying: Speaking of teams with pedestrian offenses, LSU has put up all of 18 points in 2 conference games so far.  Keep in mind the Tigers started one drive on the Florida 7 and still managed to score 6 points in the entire game.  Meanwhile, Cocky has been blasting everyone since their opening night scare at Vanderbilt, riding the one-two punch of QB Connor Shaw and RB Marcus Lattimore.  It will be tough for the Foghorn Leghorns to match last week's emotional intensity, especially with Florida next on the schedule, but the Tigers are so bad it won't matter.  USC: 24--LSU: 9
Schweinfurth: South Carolina is scary, and maybe a team that can challenge Alabama for SEC supremacy. The Gamecocks are a very complete team.  Lattimore and Shaw have the offense humming along and Clowny on defense has been a beast.  LSU on the other hand has looked pedestrian.  Even in the Bayou, USC wins going away. USC: 31--LSU: 13

THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Indiana Hoosiers
Draper: That's what I'm talking about.  Total dominance by the Buckeye offense next week. And now....the Hoosiers.  This could (and should) get ugly quickly.  The Buckeye faithful (including yours truly) will invade Memorial Stadium and bring the pain.  I'm hoping to put any hopes of an upset to bed early and get Braxton some needed rest (and Guiton some experience).  The Hoosiers tested the Spartans last week.  Hopefully, they have nothing left in the tank so we can win in a walk.  Even if IU is on fire, I still expect a Buckeye win.  This game comes at a great time to give the offense a break and the defense some confidence.  Step up Silver Bullets! This is your first quiz to see if you can improve before the big final test vs. the Wolverines.  OSU: 52--IU: 20
Auer: Meh, another blowout, or at least it should be. The defense will give up more points than it should and the offense will struggle at first. OSU: 38--IU: 20
Hoying: And we were worried about the Buckeyes.  Maybe Urban was trying to look as bad as possible during the nonconference slate so our opponents wouldn't have reliable game film to prepare them for us (insert your own joke here).  Anyway, it's time for the one game Indiana sells out every two years, also known as Ohio State's 6th home game this season.  If Jim Tressel were still coaching, we might play down to their level and win by 10 or so.  But last week's first half against MSU notwithstanding, hapless Indiana is going to feel the hurt at the hands of the B1G's finest (sorry Michigan).  OSU: 49--IU: 13
Schweinfurth: That was a big test past last week by the Buckeyes.  Still a few worries about the defense, which are only increased by the loss of Sabino.  The Hoosier defense should be no concern for Braxton and the guys, who are finally firing on all cylinders.  Indiana will score, but the Bucks will score more...Urban wants 70.  He gets it this week. OSU: 73--IU: 24

Upset Special
Draper: LA Tech over TAMU
Auer: BYU over Oregon St.
Hoying: Washington over USC
Schweinfurth: Tennessee over Miss St.
  
 

Rankings Week 6 and Heisman votes

Heisman Ballots
Draper:  
1) Geno Smith (QB WVU)
2) Collin Klein (QB KSU)
3) Braxton Miller (QB OSU)

Hoying:
1) Geno Smith (QB WVU)
2) Collin Klein (QB KSU)
3) Braxton Miller (QB OSU)

Schweinfurth:
1) Geno Smith (QB WVU)
2)Braxton Miller (QB OSU)
3)Kenyon Varner (RB/WR Oreg)

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

Hoying
1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Florida
4. South Carolina
5. Notre Dame
6. Kansas State
7. West Virginia
8. Ohio State
9. Oregon State
10. Rutgers
11. Louisiana Tech
12. Mississippi State
13. Florida State
14. Stanford
15. Cincinnati
16. Louisville
17. Georgia
18. Ohio
19. Iowa State
20. LSU
21. Texas A&M
22. USC
23. Arizona State
24. Texas Tech
25. Texas

Schweinfurth
1. Alabama
2. South Carolina
3. Oregon
4. Kansas State
5. Florida
6. West Virginia
7. Notre Dame
8. Ohio State
9. Oregon State
10. Clemson
11. Texas
12. LSU
13. Georgia
14. Florida State
15. USC
16. Oklahoma
17. Stanford
18. Louisville
19. Mississippi State
20. Rutgers
21. Cincinnati
22. Texas A&M
23. Ohio
24. Louisiana Tech
25. Iowa State

Grading the Bucks--Week 6: Nebraska

That's what I'm talking about.  Still holes on defense and the slow start to complain about, but the Shoe was rockin' and sent the Huskers home crying.

Offense: A-
Hard to not give an A for a 63 point effort but Nebraska made us look like a pee-wee team in the first quarter...then we woke up.  Hyde is running exceptionally well as he scored 4 TDs.  The WRs are still dropping too many key passes and Braxton still needs to shore up those passes.  The running game was eye-popping.  I'm just drooling about what could happen when Miller and his receivers get better.  The Husker defense isn't anything special, but that was by far the best outing on offense of the year (including Miami).  Rod Smith also looked good which is a plus for the future.

Defense: B-
Let me be clear, we got some turnovers, but there is absolutely no excuse for giving up 38 points at home at night.  We have 2 NFL ready players right now: Hankins and Roby (with Simon knocking on the door).  The secondary still needs work as shown by deep passes by a mediocre passing team not directed to Roby.  Tackling was better (other than the Martinez TD run--that one's on Roby).  Line play is getting very good.  I do feel bad for the pain that will be visited on Shazier for not falling on the fumble (trust me, he's going to get crushed--deservedly so).  3 picks and a defensive TD is very very nice, but way too many points were surrendered.

Special Teams: A
No kicks but a punt return for a TD and exceptional coverage on kickoffs/punts.  Most of the Huskers drives started inside the 20 which is more than you can ask for.  I'm nervous about Basil having to kick in a pressure situation as he has gotten 0 practice, but let's just hope we can keep scoring TDs.

Coaching: B+
It looked like someone actually taught tackling this week (see Christian Bryant).  The offensive scheme was focused on the ground game and the commitment to the run was fantastic.  Defensively, they did a decent job hiding the weak secondary, but you can't coach inability.  The downgrade comes for the fake punt in the 1st.  Way to early and to dangerous to roll the dice in my opinion.The defense stepped up after.  Major cajones, but OSU should be able to win with sound scheme.  It felt like a panic decision.

Overall: A-
Great game.  I find it difficult to give an A rating with a defense giving up that many points but the game felt well covered from the middle of the second.  If the defense can return to the Bullets of old with the new offensive scheme, look out.