Thursday, October 17, 2013

Week 8: ACCtion, Pac-tion, and SECtarian Violence

Standings
1) Schweinfurth    21-7      (2-5 upset)
2) Draper               20-8      (1-6 upset)
3) Hoying              18-10      (1-6 upset)


Florida State Seminoles @ Clemson Tigers
Draper: Put up or shut up.  FSU has been impressive all year, but this is by far the game that will define the season and ACC Atlantic.  Can Famous Jameis take his act into a crazy environment? Death Valley is an incredible atmosphere and I expect Boyd and Watkins to kick it up a notch at home.  This should be a shootout all day, but I think FSU has a slight defensive advantage to force a FG when a TD is needed. Clemson has had to lay it on the line this year for the opener vs. UGA.  Go they have enough to do it again with more on the line?  I'm saying (hoping?), no. Go Noles! FSU: 44--Clem: 40
Hoying: The ACC hasn't seen a matchup this big since Florida State played Virginia Tech for the 1999 BCS National Championship (yes, I know, shh). This game features the 15th and 16th best QB's in the nation (after every starter in the SEC), and whoever leads his team to victory will almost assuredly be the Heisman front-runner.  Both these teams appear to be legitimate national championship contenders, so we'll have to look to intangibles to find an advantage in this game.  First, home field advantage.  Death Valley made the difference in a close win over Georgia to open Clemson's season.  Second, senior experience.  Tajh Boyd has been in big games before, from beating VaTech for an ACC title to losing to the Noles last season.  Both QB's will make mistakes, but freshman Jameis Winston will be the one getting rattled.  Clemson has to win this one.  Otherwise it's not nearly as funny when they lose to Virginia two weeks from now.  FSU: 31--Clem: 34
Schweinfurth: This game is huge.  Florida State has been absolutely rolling teams this year.  Clemson, to their credit has shown up so far in big games.  Unfortunately for the Tigers, that secondary is still a little shaky and Jamies Winston is one hell of a quarterback.  Florida State has the guns to stick with Sammy Watkins and Tajh Boyd.  I got the 'Noles in a shootout.  FSU: 52--Clem: 42

UCLA Bruins @ Stanford Cardinal
Draper: UCLA is trying to join the big boys in the Pac12 and Stanford is looking to hang on after an embarrassing loss to Utah.  The home field advantage in Palo Alto is 'eh' and I imagine Hundley, Mora, and crew will be putting it all on the line.  Bruins invade Cardinal land and steal one to send the media darling reeling and all but end their hopes of a Pac12 title.  UCLA: 38--Stan: 34
Hoying: UCLA has been on a tear so far this year, destroying every opponent they played except Utah.  (How did Stanford do against Utah?)  The Bruins haven't yet gotten the respect they deserve, but that can change in a hurry over the next two weeks if they can take down Stanford and Oregon.  UCLA's Brett Hundley is a great young QB, unfortunately lost in the shuffle of the terrific QB play this year across all of college football.  Look for him to be the difference maker against the Stanford D. UCLA: 34--Stan: 24
Schweinfurth: Stanford has been underwhelming this year and is starting to show the cracks from the losses of Harbaugh and Luck.  Jim Mora's got the Bruins looking good so far.  Combine the two and it all adds up to a UCLA win.   
UCLA: 20--Stan: 13


Florida Gators @ Missouri Tigers
Draper: This will be the ugliest game of the week.  I highly recommend anyone thinking about watching this game consider making better life choices.  The Tigers are coming off a huge win between the hedges, but the loss of QB James Franklin is just brutal.  Florida's offense is just pathetic but the defense is one of the top in the nation.  This will be a low scoring slug fest. If Franklin was healthy, the Tigers should take this easily at home, but I don't know if a new QB can face the Gator defense.  Gators with a big road win to send Mizzou back to earth.  UF: 13--Mizz: 10
Hoying: How about that Gator D, holding LSU to 17 points at home?  Problem is, the offense was still a flaming sack of dookie.  Ya gotta score points to win games, and I don't know if Tyler Murphy and the Gator attack are up to it.  Missouri paid dearly for their victory over Georgia, but given the level of receiver play the Tigers have shown this season, backup QB Maty Mauk might as well just scream, "Five dollars!" and chuck the ball as far as he can.  Florida doesn't have a quality win this season, and they still won't after this week.  UF: 12--Mizz: 14
Schweinfurth: This game is very intriguing.  On one hand you have Florida who's offense has been just this side of awful.  On the other you have Missouri without their star QB in James Franklin. This is going to be a total derp fest for sure.  Florida's defense is legit, and I bet, score the decisive points. UF: 16--Mizz: 9

Auburn Tigers @ Texas A&M Aggies
Draper: No sense spending too much time on this game.  TAMU is much, much better than Auburn.  In Kyle Field, Manziel will have another 'Heisman' game.  If this is within 14 points, I'll be shocked.  Aub: 24--TAMU: 48
Hoying: Texas A&M defense bad!  Texas A&M offense good!  Prime Minister of Malaysia bad!  Martial arts good!  The Aggies needed a late stop and score to dispatch a fading Rebel squad, and they're egregiously overrated at #7 (what's their best win?  Ole Miss?  Arkansas?  Rice?).  Auburn, meanwhile, is quietly putting a great season together under first-year leader-not-loser Gus Malzahn.  A&M is still the better team, and they'll have the 12th Man behind them, but this game will be closer than the experts (John and Tyler) think.  Aub: 34--TAMU: 41
Schweinfurth: Ugh, this game is gonna get ugly.  Johnny Heisman puts up more stats.  Aub: 17--TAMU: 42

Iowa Hawkeyes @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: The Hawkeyes haven't allowed a rushing TD all year.  I think Carlos Hyde has something to say about that.  That being said, expect a little more from Braxton in the passing game this week.  Hyde carried the team last game, but the wideouts need to shoulder some of the burden.  El Guapo will get his 100+ but I'd like to see 300+ total yards from Braxton.  The defense shouldn't have too much of a problem getting right against the Hawks, but don't expect all woes to be fixed.  Iowa will score more than we'd like, but not enough to spoil homecoming. Iowa: 20--OSU: 45
Hoying: The next 5 games for Ohio State are not unlike driving through states with Big Ten schools: the only danger comes from falling asleep.  These games are such disgusting mismatches (and I'm being very charitable by not including Michigan on that list) that analysis seems almost pointless.  Still, it's important for the Buckeyes to maintain focus, so I guess I will too.  Here's what you need to know about Iowa: their famed defense jump-started Michigan State's craptastic offense to life.  Their linebackers might as well go run and Hyde right now.  Iowa: 13--OSU: 45
Schweinfurth: Iowa's defense has been very stout this year but their opponents thus far have been very underwhelming.  After a bye week, the Buckeyes are chomping at the bit to get back on the field.  This offense has been moving the ball against some decent teams (and the offense should have put up 20 more points against Northwestern).  I expect to see more of Dontre Wilson this week.  The Bucks are going to have to throw to run in this one and I think Devin Smith will blow the top off the Hawkeye D.  Carlos is gonna get his 150 and Braxton throws for 300 for the first time.  Bucks win big and the Hawkeyes still can't buy out Kirk Ferentz. Iowa: 14--OSU: 42

Upset Special
Draper: Indiana over Michigan
Hoying: West Virginia over Texas Tech
Schweinfurth: UCF over Louisville

Top 25 and Heisman ballots - Post-Week 7

It's hard to believe that this season of college football is already halfway over.  After a number of shakeups this past Saturday, let's take a look at the updated Top 25 teams and top 3 Heisman contenders.

Rankings, as always, are based on what teams have done so far, not how we believe they will finish.

Draper Top 25
1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Clemson
4. Florida State
5. Missouri
6. Ohio State
7. UCLA
8. Texas A&M
9. LSU
10. Louisille
11. Miami (FL)
12. Baylor
13. Georgia
14. Stanford
15. South Carolina
16. Texas Tech
17. Oklahoma State
18. Oklahoma
19. Virginia Tech
20. Washington
21. Fresno State
22. Michigan State
23. Northern Illinois
24. Florida
25. UCF

Draper Heisman Ballot
1. Marcus Mariota (QB-Oreg)
2. Johnny Manziel (QB-TAMU)
3. Jameis Winston (QB-FSU)

Hoying Top 25
1. Alabama
2. Missouri
3. Clemson
4. Florida State
5. UCLA
6. Ohio State
7. Oregon
8. Miami
9. Georgia
10. Stanford
11. Louisville
12. Baylor
13. Fresno State
14. Utah
15. Oklahoma
16. Northern Illinois
17. Michigan State
18. Texas Tech
19. Nebraska
20. LSU
21. South Carolina
22. Michigan
23. UCF
24. Texas A&M
25. Houston

Hoying Heisman Ballot
1. Marcus Mariota (QB--Oregon)
2. Jameis Winston (QB--Florida State)
3. Johnny Manziel (QB--Texas A&M)

Schweinfurth Top 25

1. Oregon
2. Clemson
3. Alabma
4. Ohio State
5. Florida State
6. Baylor
7. UCLA
8.Georgia
9. LSU
10. Texas A&M
11. Miami (FL)
12. Oklahoma
13. Washington
14. Stanford
15. South Carolina
16. Florida
17. Oklahoma
18. Fresno State
19. Wisconsin
20. Northwestern
21. Texas Tech
22. Northern Illinois
23. Virginia Tech
24. Missouri
25. Oklahoma State

Schweinfurth Heisman Ballot
1. Jameis Winston (QB--FSU)
2. Marcus Mariota (QB--Oregon)
3. Tajh Boyd (QB--Clem)