Week 10: November is for Contenders

Standings
1) Schweinfurth    26-12      (3-6 upset)
2) Draper               25-13      (2-7 upset)
3) Hoying              24-14      (1-8 upset)

Miami Hurricanes @ Florida State Seminoles
Draper: A top ten matchup in November with your standard 21+ point spread. The Noles are riding high while the Canes just can't seem to lose no matter how much they try.  Duke Johnson is the real deal in the backfield for Miami, but that's pretty much the only position at which they have an advantage.  Famous Jameis is doing serious work, and I don't see a let down in Miami week.  This is a very heated rivalry that has cooled a bit recent years, but don't let this trick you...these guys hate each other.  When I was at FSU, the Noles took 3 of 4 from the Gators and lost 3 of 4 to the Canes (2 to heartbreaking missed field goals). I want blood.  Noles step on the gas and keep it going for a blowout.  UM: 20--FSU: 52
Hoying: This year we might see a glimpse of what was once one of the top rivalries nationwide. The Noles and the Canes haven't come into this game with 0 combined losses since 2003 (not counting the few times they've met in the season opener). Unfortunately, one of these teams seems to be a complete mirage. Whereas Florida State has rolled merrily along, crushing Clemson on the road and destroying almost everyone else on their schedule, Miami has struggled mightily, sneaking past a mediocre Florida team at home and needing last-minute scores to dispatch bad North Carolina and Wake Forest squads. Give the Hurricanes credit for doing what it takes to get to November undefeated, but their Golden season ends now. Nastily. UM: 17--FSU: 34
Schweinfurth: This game was interesting to me...until I watched Miami struggle last week.  Don't get me wrong, Duke Johnson is really good, but the rest of that offense is not very good.  Florida State's offense can make any defense look silly.  Miami's defense isn't quite the "U" defense that dominated opponents and I think Florida State is absolutely for real this year.  Total domination by the 'Noles this week.
UM: 13--FSU: 42

Michigan Wolverines @ Michigan State Spartans
Draper: A little hint for you...little brother is quietly having a really nice season.  Michigan had the preseason hype, but Dantonio's Spartans are nasty on defense and quietly moving through the Legends.  Yes, they play ugly, yes, they win ugly, but they are winning.  The offense is predominantly walrusball, but the defense is an immovable object.  Sparty had a Sparty YES moment before halftime last week that Bollman certainly drew up in the kitchen (tipped pass that should have been intercepted twice completed for a TD on 4th down with no time left in the half).  The Wolverines have been supremely unimpressive outside of their tight end Funyons (yeah, I don't know the actual name, but this is better).  When does the little brother supplant the big?  How much domination is needed? UM: 13--MSU: 20
Hoying: While I don't give a damn for the whole state this game's being played for, it does have huge implications for the final Legends division race. The Wolverines are coming off a bye to face a Spartan squad that put up an impressive 14 points against one of the worst defenses in the country (see game prediction #4 for the identity of this mystery team). However, for Michigan to win this game, they'll have to move the ball against arguably the nation's best defense. The Spartan front 7 are sure to give Michigan's RBs Fitz, so this one will fall squarely on the shoulders of Tom Harm...er, Devin Gardner. In two road games thus far, #98 has put up a combined 28/53 for 351 yards, 3 TDs, and 4 INTs. And that was against winless UConn and the same Penn State that gave up 2+ TDs to 3 different Buckeyes last week. Yikes. Get ready to eat some dirt, Shoelace II. UM: 10--MSU: 13
Schweinfurth: This has always been one of my favorite B1G rivalries through the years.  This game is down right nasty and always produces a close, entertaining game.  I really like the Spartan defense, I really don't like the Spartan's offense (*cough* Walrus *cough*).  Michigan I just don't get.  Gardner just can't go a game without forgetting what color jersey he should be throwing to (hint: white jerseys this week).  After watching some of the teams in the Legends Division, this game is most definitely the Legends Division championship game.  I don't expect Michigan State's offense to do much but that defense is going to give them great field position all day long (plus maybe a pick six).  I'll even throw Bollman a fish for maybe an offensive touchdown.  This game is closer on the scoreboard than it really should be but Sparty YES!! 
UM: 9--MSU: 24

Oklahoma State Cowboys @ Texas Tech Red Raiders
Draper: Two nice looking teams without a win of note between them.  Kingsbury has the Red Raiders clicking on offense with terrific freshman QB play and OSU has quietly been sneaking around in the Big 12.  I haven't seen much of these teams other than to form the opinion that they're nice teams around the 15-20 ranking...nothing elite, but good teams.  I'll go with the home team in a close one.  The Texas Tech fans usually go a little crazy close to Halloween.  OSU: 35--TT: 38
Hoying: What a terrific matchup!  How about that great win Oklahoma State had over...well, what about Texas Tech's...huh...at least they kept it close with Oklahoma!  Moral victories!  Anyway, the Red Raiders do pass the eye test, as new HC Kliff Kingsbury has managed to maintain the old air raid offense while instituting a decent defense as well. Tech hasn't beaten Okie State since they darn near won the Big 12 title in 2008, but this year the streak ends. The Red Raiders stay in the title hunt while the Cowboys quietly slip away. OSU: 24--TTU: 45 
Schweinfurth: Hey, did anyone notice that Kliff Kingsbury looks like Ryan Gosling? Honestly the only thing I know about these teams are the coaches.  Neither team has really played a great schedule and both are back loaded with the best Big XII teams.  It's at Texas Tech so I'll take the home team in a shootout.   
OSU: 38--TTU: 45

THE Ohio State Buckeyes @ Purdue Boilermakers
Draper: Bad....really bad.  That's Purdue.  Good...potentially really good.  That's OSU.  With that being said, Troy Smith, Terrelle Pryor, and Braxton Miller have a grand total of 0 wins in West Lafayette.  I think that changes this year.  Ryan Kerrigan is walking on for Purdue and this OSU team is....not the pile of crap from 2 years ago.  Another big day for Hyde and Miller on the ground as the Bucks start running the clock out early.  The motivation is there to avenge past losses in Ross-Ade so I doubt will see a let down.  Hyde for 150, Braxton throws for 200 and runs for 100, then it's time for Kenny G.  Comfortable win, but not as big as last week.  There's just no reason.  I want to see if the defense keeps it up for 2 weeks in a row.  OSU: 55--PU: 24
Hoying: Purdue is an appalling dump heap, overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable, mangled up in tangled-up knots. Buckeye Nation wishes that first-year coach Darrell Hazell could be having a better season, but they hope even harder that his signature win doesn't come this weekend, against a team the Boilers have tagged 4 of the last 6 times they've visited scenic West Lafayette. What can be said about a game like this?  Ohio State is better than Purdue in every way. Unless this has become some kind of "helmet game" for our esteemed men of the scarlet and gray, this contest should make last week's Penn State debacle look like a nail-biter.  Get used to it. OSU: 52--PU: 16
Schweinfurth: It seems like forever since the Buckeyes have won in West Lafayette. Those losses included such Ohio State QBs as Troy Smith, Terrel Pryor, and yes, even Braxton Miller.  The common denominator: Urban Meyer was NOT the head coach.  This Buckeye team is laser focused now and that showed last week.  This Purdue team is some kind of bad.  If the Bucks can drop over 600 yards of offense on Penn State, just think of what can they do to the Boilermaker defense.  I really expect this to be a "name your score" game.  I think we see another flat dominant performance by the offense and a couple of INTs from the defense.  OSU: 63--PU: 17

Upset Special
Draper: Tennessee over Missouri
Hoying: Iowa over Wisconsin
Schweinfurth: Washington St. over Arizona St.

Top 25, Heisman Ballots, and updated BCS projections

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

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

Draper BCS Picks
BCS National Championship: Alabama vs. Oregon
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Stanford
Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Wisconsin
Sugar Bowl: South Carolina vs. UCF
Fiesta Bowl: Baylor vs. Clemson 
*Note: I believe the bowls will desire Clemson but will not want a rematch (vs. FSU or South Carolina).  Fresno State will replace Clemson if they go undefeated and automatically qualify.



Hoying Top 25
1. Florida State
2. Alabama
3. Oregon
4. Ohio State
5. Stanford
6. Oklahoma
7. Auburn
8. Miami (FL)
9. UCF
10. Michigan
11. Notre Dame
12. South Carolina
13. Clemson
14. Baylor
15. Missouri
16. LSU
17. Fresno State
18. Northern Illinois
19. Louisville
20. BYU
21. Texas
22. Arizona State
23. Michigan State
24. Virginia Tech
25. Duke

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

Hoying BCS Picks
BCS National Championship: Oregon vs. Florida State
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Stanford (don't be surprised if Alabama gets taken instead)
Orange Bowl: Alabama vs. Oklahoma
Sugar Bowl: Auburn vs. UCF
Fiesta Bowl: Baylor vs. Northern Illinois



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


Schweinfurth Heisman Ballot
1. Jameis Winston (QB--FSU)
2. Marcus Mariota (QB--Oreg)

Schweinfurth BCS Picks
BCS National Championship: Florida State vs. Alabama
Rose Bowl:Orange Bowl: Oregon vs. Ohio State
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Baylor
Sugar Bowl: Missouri vs. Stanford
Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Louisville

Grading the Bucks--Week 9: Penn State--That's better

Offense: A
The offense finally showed what they can do.  All cylinders were firing.  3 passing TDs from Braxton (and he looked sharp), 2 rushing TDs each from Braxton, Hyde, and Guiton--can't expect too much more.  Dontre Wilson finally got in the endzone and looked explosive on a sensational kick return.  What is there to say? My favorite stat from Sat is the 0 turnovers.  That makes a huge difference in the final score.  I saw poise and confidence in the entire offense.  They looked comfortable and ready for anything.  I loved what I saw from the receivers blocking down field.  Watch the long Braxton Miller TD run, Smith hold a block perfectly for 4-5 seconds.  Give him the TD for his contribution.

Defense: A-/B+
2 huge picks were an enormous boon (although the second was an egregious missed DPI).  Pitt Brown's int in the endzone really took the wind out of the Lion sails.  I was unhappy again that our d-line was getting manhandled on run plays and the line of scrimmage was habitually established 2-3 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, but the linebackers were quick to fill in before too much damage was done.  Moving Roby off of the primary target seemed to work...he's lost a LOT of money this year.  Let's not go crazy on this defense, they're still not very good (PSU helped a ton with missed throws and dropped passes), but they rattled Hackenburg and kept the Lions in check.  If this were 2005, they'd earn a C+/B-, but this defense is graded on a different level.

Special Teams: A-
No FG attempts, no punt returns, solid net punting....but one kickoff out of bounds...really?  Nitpicking, but when you aren't on the field much, you need to be perfect. Wilson was darn near perfect on the kick return with the 'circle button PS3 move'.

Coaching: A
Moving Roby to cover the TE and assist against the run was extremely successful.  The first few plays showed the film study worked as OSU gouged the PSU defense on the same play 3 times.  Coaching was good, but execution was better.

Overall: A
In my opinion, this was the best overall game by the Bucks this year (FAMU doesn't count).  If we can keep imposing our will like this, good things will happen.

Marching Band: A++++
Humble brag, but the show turned out as well as I expected (can't say better because I have high expectations with past crowd responses).