tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-308785342024-02-07T20:41:43.682-05:00Let's Go Bucks!A blog about college football (mostly Ohio State)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger506125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-54011314015221966932023-12-29T11:38:00.001-05:002023-12-29T12:24:58.940-05:00New Year's Six - Dawn of the Power Two<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Final Standings:</b></i></u></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">1.) Draper 52-16 (1-11 upset)<br />2.) Schweinfurth 50-18 (2-10 upset)<br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.6667px;">3.) Seeberg 46-22 (4-8 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.6667px;">3.) Hoying 46-22 (2-10 upset)<br /></span><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">The premier half-dozen bowls are upon us once again, and it feels like the end of an era in two different ways. For one, the four-team Playoff closes its decade-long run (1/10, too much Michigan). But also, once Florida State is able to secede from the ACC and join forces with the Big Ten (or Nineteen or whatever), each of these bowls will have featured a showdown between a Big Ten and SEC team, present or future. Except you, Oregon, you get to babysit this year's token chump. The future is now. The fight for America's flag-bearing college football conference has begun.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><p style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30</b></p><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Peach Bowl: Mississippi Rebels vs. Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>Of all the non-playoff NY6 games, this is the most difficult to pick....and also the game I care about the least. Picking the 'better team' is a tough proposition in these types of games as 'who wants to play' is arguably more important. I THINK a full strength Penn State is better than a full strength Ole Miss, but no Chop Robinson and potentially missing Fashanu and King make this interesting. It will come down to Drew discovering if Drew Allar can do anything. Lucky for him, Kiffin isn't know for stellar defense. Even though Manny Diaz has moved on to the shinier pastures of Duke, I think the defense travels and does enough to stifle Jaxson Dart and keep the B1G rolling. <b>Miss: 17--PSU: 20</b><br /><b>Hoying</b>: Lane Kiffin finally did it. For the second time in his career, he beat a Power 5 team that finished with 9 wins or more that season. This time, it was a "cover your eyes, Chris Spielman" shootout against Jayden Heisman and the all gas no brakes LSU Tigers. But that didn't really translate into wins against the big fish on the SEC schedule this year, Alabama (at least it was close) and Georgia (not so much). Yes, we all know that Franklin has similar levels of success at Penn State, racking up a total of zero wins against the Big Two these last three years, but the man does show up for bowl games. Half the time at least. Drew Allar wasn't the wunderkind that was predicted by those so desperate to find a reason not to crown Ohio State or Michigan again this season, and Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton weren't quite Blake Corum and TreVeyon Henderson. But the defense was still a problem even for Harbaugh and Day, and Ole Miss has faceplanted this season when it gets away from its preferred track meet pace. Losing Manny Diaz will hurt but the pieces are still in place for Lions to get one over on the SEC. <b>Miss: 20--PSU: 21</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Penn State feels like a throw in here. Allar can’t (or won’t)
throw the ball more than ten yards downfield. The PSU defense is good enough to
keep them in the game, but I think there is just too much fire power in the Rebels' stable. <b>Ole Miss: 28—PSU: 20</b>
</div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Intriguing matchup here of highly contrasting styles, pretty similar talent, and coaches who consistently underachieve in the big ones. A very realistic scenario exists where UM is the only B1G team to lose their bowl game. It happened one other time, by the way, in 2017. I haven't watched enough Ole Miss to know if Kiffin coaches badly in those games or not, but Franklin sure as hell lays egg after egg, all the while with that bemused look on his face like he's the most devout predestination believer on the planet and nothing he could do could possibly affect the outcome. In short, I trust neither coach much, but I trust Kiffin more. Rebels late. <b>Miss: 27--PSU: 23</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Orange Bowl: Georgia Bulldogs vs. Florida State Seminoles</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>There was a slight chance the Noles, after being stupidly snubbed, would play the eff it card and come out ready to prove the world wrong. However, they chose the other option of completely bailing on this game. Every player of note is gone and an 18 year old kid, who struggled mightily against Louisville, gets to face Kirby Smart and the Dawgs without ANY key skill players. There's no Jared Verse on the back end to pressure Carson Beck so this could get ugly quick. Honestly, if FSU pulls this off with absolutely NO ONE left, give Norvell Coach of the Year and the Noles should hang a banner and go completely Stone Cold on the committee...but I can't see a path. <b>UGA: 38--FSU: 10</b><br /><b>Hoying</b>: When the New Year's Six lineups were announced, I thought the Fiesta Bowl was an easy pick for biggest laugher among what should otherwise be a pretty competitive series of games. I was wrong. Florida State took one look at the 2017 UCF script for claiming a piece of a national title over a 1-loss Playoff champion and said "nah, we're good." Obviously their star starting QB, Jordan Travis, is out of pocket for this game, but so is his backup. And his backup's backup's backup (not QB3, though, thank heavens). And the top 3 running backs. And the top 2 wide receivers. Look, back when the wheels were starting to fall off of the 90's juggernaut Noles, they had to play in a BCS bowl without their top two QBs. And they actually led for a hot second before Fabian Walker threw a pick-six and FSU decided to go with Anquan Boldin, yes, that Anquan Boldin, as QB going forward. That was against, uh, Georgia. This time, I wouldn't be surprised if FSU doesn't score a point on offense, and with a handful of defensive starters out as well, any non-Sickos might just want to skip this one. <b>UGA: 24--FSU: 0</b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>I'm not sure which team wants to be in this game less.
Georgia was on top of the world and came crashing down to Bama. Florida State
got screwed by the committee, is playing their 3<sup>rd</sup> (4<sup>th</sup>?)
string QB and the entire team bailed. That FSU defense was nasty with everyone playing,
but now the whole team is a giant middle finger to the committee. This is a
laugher that everyone turns off after the first score. <b>UGA: 38—FSU: 7</b>
<br /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>We all know the Seminoles are out over half their starters for this one. To be fair, UGA was the likely pick even before FSU began its war of attrition against itself. I feel bad for Chief, even he couldn't muster the courage for a close scoreline, much less a colossal upset. Neither can I. Dawgs roll. <b>UGA: 31--FSU: 3</b></span></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">MONDAY, JANUARY 1</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Fiesta Bowl: Liberty Flames vs. Oregon Ducks</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>This is the greatest season in the history of Liberty since <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wIm_41OIOM">Cornwallis surrendered in 1781 at Yorktown</a>. Group of 5 teams traditionally do very well in these big games in recent years due to the 'this is a major accomplishment for us' vs. 'what a failure missing the playoffs'. Oregon was a game from the playoffs so the consolation, quite frankly, sucks. Liberty may be undefeated, but their best win is....Western Kentucky? Bowling Green? wooof. Boise State over Arizona, Houston over FSU, UCF over Auburn, Tulane over Ole Miss; but this Liberty team doesn't have a Jay Ajayi, Ed Oliver, or Tajae Spears on the roster. No need to overthink this. There may be opt-out for the Ducks, but I just don't care. <b>Liberty-Bibberty: 13--Oregon: 38</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Hoying</b>: Don't let the laugher above distract you from the fact that this has no business being a New Year's Six matchup. Sentimental sympathetic squishes, still heartbroken over Boise State not getting a shot at the BCS title in 2006 and 2009, and UCF not getting their shot at the Playoff in 2017, have ensured that at least one team from the Group of 5 will be shoved into the new 12-team abomination from next season forward. This decision will make even less sense after the Big Ten and SEC finish vacuuming up every remaining team of value nationwide and the remaining former power conferences desperately backfill with whatever teams can manage to complete a forward pass. And it all starts this season, as the Playoff Committee had to find <i>somebody</i> from the Group of 5 to match the dozen minus one deserving teams otherwise in the field, and they settled on...Liberty. An undefeated team that played literally the weakest schedule in all of Division I-A, including zero Power 5 teams. At least they won a championship of the weakest conference, Conference USA, that looked at this time last year like it wouldn't survive the last round of realignment. Oh, they can run the ball, racking up more yards on the ground than even the service academies. And yes, Oregon did have some trouble containing Washington's Dillon Johnson in both of the Ducks' losses this year. But this isn't last year's Tulane that caught USC napping. That Tulane navigated an AAC that still had a Fickell-coached Cincinnati in it, and scored a win over Kansas State out of conference. This game is a travesty, something befitting the first round of the NCAA tournament with a 2 seed Oregon pitted against a 15 seed Liberty. Enjoy seeing this in the Playoff next year, at least before the Big Ten and SEC scrap it and come up with something better. <b>Lib: 17--Ore: 38</b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>This one shouldn’t be close, honestly. The committee had to
throw a G6 team in and Liberty got tapped. Oregon was very good all year, they
just couldn’t beat the Huskies. BoNix goes out with another win and poor
Liberty gets smacked. <b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Liberty: 14—Ore:
42</b>
<br /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>So, is Oregon playing Washington? No. Well then, pretty easy pick here! Let's be honest, letting a group of 5 squad into the NY6 each year is well-intentioned, and occasionally deserved. Some years, however, that team is better left eating the remnants of a massive Pop Tart. This year is decidedly the latter of those two aforementioned options. Even a sleepwalking Ducks team will roll here. <b>Lib: 17--Ore: 41</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Rose Bowl: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Michigan Wolverines</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>Bama was ruled out of the playoffs in September after a loss to the Longhorns at home AND a lackluster win over the (non-1997) Bulls, but like Thanos, they are inevitable. Jalen Milroe is one of the great yo-yo players of all time. He'll bounce from 'what were you thinking' to 'I can't believe he made that play'. Let's not forget that this team nearly (should have) lost to a bad Auburn team, but rebounded to defeat the 2 time champs. In terms of raw talent, the Tide are leaps and bounds ahead, but the Wolverines have veteran leadership and a unity of purpose. They know what they are as a team: control the clock, run the ball, play good defense. The lack of wide receiver talent is a problem for the maize and blue, but the tight ends are the key. The loss of Zinter will be a problem vs. the monsters on the Tide line. I expect the Wolverine defense to make a few plays and turn Milroe over, but even with a good game by McCarthy, the running game won't have enough success. It will come down to Milroe's rushing ability to make the plays needed. <a href="https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/the-situational/2023/12/144258/the-situational-everybody-knows" target="_blank">Eleven warriors</a>, Ramzy said it best: <i>"Conference pride is a disease even when Michigan isn't involved. This year's CFP is an SEC-B1G invitational, which turns pulling for a conference into a mild phlegmy cold. Washington first, Texas or Alabama next, Michigan under no circumstances. As Jason said to his grandfather Hermes in The Argonautica - f**k those guys forever."</i> <b>Ala: 30--UM: 20</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Hoying</b>: Folks, the Tide have done it. They've proved me wrong again and again and again all the way to the semifinals of the national championship. And their reward is to face the best Michigan team since the dawn of the BCS era. You've seen Michigan play; they're solid in every phase of the game and have been #1 in most advanced stats rankings for the bulk of the season. But, and this is a big but, how much of that can be attributed to the matter of indeterminate shadiness? Ever since the scandal broke, something has looked...off...with the Wolverine pass game. RIP another September Heisman for a Michigan QB. Now, granted, Michigan has faced the best three defenses they've seen all season during that span, but the only one McCarthy was able to find any room against was the Buckeyes, and even that hinged on a tight-window TD that could easily have been overturned as a brilliant strip by Denzel Burke. And the news doesn't get any better, as it's possible that Alabama's defense will be the best the Wolverines have faced all season. After Georgia woke up from their early season nap (and the two quarters they took off against Georgia Tech), they looked like the team to challenge Michigan for the national title until they ran into the Bama brick wall. Ole Miss, LSU, these high-powered teams were stymied by the Tide's relentless boa constrictor suffocation. For a while, this was looking like a more classic pre-Tua Nick Saban Alabama, with a world class defense and a mere competent QB. Then Jalen Milroe finally arrived and arguably outplayed the Heisman winner down the stretch, providing a deadly dual-threat attack that has historically been the bane of any Harbaugh coached Michigan team. Marvin Harrison was a problem for the UM D, and Jermaine Burton is going to further their nightmares in this one. For the third straight year, Michigan flames out early in the Playoff, and the dark ages come again this offseason to Ann Arbor. <b>Ala: 27--UM: 20</b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>JJ McCarthy has one passing TD in his last 6 games…I wonder
what changed? Honestly, I feel like Michigan is here because Ryan Day’s butt
puckered again. But that’s a different discussion. Bama’s defense is the real
deal and UM had trouble with the Bucks D. Milroe will give Harbaugh and Co
nightmares with his mobility. Bama wins because cheaters never prosper. <b>Bama:
35—UM: 16</b>
<br /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>As I look at this game, there is an absolutely hilarious gut feeling that, if anybody had said it to you in September you would have laughed them out of the room: I trust Bama's QB more than UM's. Whether it's the lack of advanced knowledge or facing better defenses or a combination thereof, it's clear that the maize and blue staff have minimal-to-no faith in their signal caller. And Bama will absolutely eat your lunch if you're a one-dimensional offense. I do think it will be a largely competitive game, but I just don't see a scenario where Milroe is completely held in check, and I just don't see a scenario where UM can get to 25 points barring a defensive score. Hope Harbaugh enjoys his last view of the Pasadena sunset as his alma mater's head coach before he lives in socal permanently as coach of the Chargers. <b>Ala: 27--UM: 19</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Sugar Bowl: Texas Longhorns vs. Washington Huskies</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>This is an extremely tough game to pick. Washington seemed to continue to win close games, but they do keep winning. It seems that the Huskies are stumbling through the latter half of the schedule, but it was a murderer's row: Oregon, USC (yeah, they are talented), Oregon State, Arizona, Wazzu (kinda), and Oregon again....yet they kept winning. Texas has also limped through the season after losing to OU, but they kept winning, albeit against lesser competition. I think this comes down to Ewers/Mitchell vs. Penix/Odunze. I believe the best player on either team is Rome Odunze in purple and gold and he'll make the play (or 2, or 3) under the veteran leadership of Penix (who has had time to heal up). I don't think Ewers is up to the biggest stage yet. If UW can turn the Horns over a bit, I think the Pac12 gets their first (and likely last) playoff victory. This is a heart pick, but I stand by it. <b>UT: 30--UW: 34</b><br /><b>Hoying</b>: Washington Huskies 52, USC Trojans 42, November 4, 2023. That was the only time in the Washington's last 9 games that they managed to score a double-digit victory over an opponent. Granted, there were two wins over Oregon included as part of that seemingly unimpressive winning streak. But, as I said in my Pac-12 Championship Game preview, there's a good chance that nobody in the Pac-12 is very good this year. All of the seemingly marquee out-of-conference wins have crumbled into dust. Washington blowing out Michigan State in East Lansing helped put them on the map this season, but now we know what that's worth. Texas has taken off a few games as well (TCU? Houston??) to go with their actual loss to Oklahoma, but the overall resume stands strong, especially the only win by one Playoff team over another this season. Washington has been living on borrowed time for too long. They proved the haters (guilty) wrong against Oregon, but for the first time since the days of Colt McCoy, Texas. Is. Back. <b>UT: 34--UW: 27</b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: T</b>here is always one game in the playoff that is a decent
watch. This one should be it. Between a healthy Quinn Ewers and Michal Penix, I
expect lots of points. Washington has shown they are the more tested and complete
team to this point. Huskies move on. <b>UT: 35—Wash: 42</b>
<br /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>I expect this one to be the more entertaining and well-played semifinal. Texas is back(ish) and in the playoff against, quite frankly, the guy who I thought should have won the Heisman, former Indiana QB Michael Penix (still funny to say that. He was the HOOSIERS QUARTERBACK HOLY HELL). The Huskies, to put it plainly, are just the offensive-minded version of the 2002 Buckeyes. They do just enough on defense to keep it close and Penix and his legit WRs outscore the opponents. I picked against the Huskies multiple times down the stretch, convinced the clock would proverbially strike midnight, but it never did. I've learned my lesson. UDub wins a classic. <b>UT: 34--UW: 38</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29</b></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Cotton Bowl: Missouri Tigers vs. THE Ohio State University Buckeyes</i></b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>There have been some amazing swings in the spread in this game. Bucks open as a favorite, it gets bet the other way after the whole world assumes the Buckeyes will all opt out a la FSU. Then, (almost) all key players commit to play for the scarlet and gray (back to OSU) before the shocking departure of McCord to Syracuse? (????). Regardless, the return of the Bucks and the seeming unification of the team behind Devin Brown have given me far more confidence that this is a mismatch. Missouri has exceeded all expectations this year, but with a healthy Buckeye defense coming in with motivation (seemingly), I don't see Cody Schrader keeping his rushing prowess against a stout Silver Bullet defense. I'm not sure Brown is the answer and McCord was very good this year (certainly no Stroud, but also not a Bauserman). It's looking like Marv may have already played his last game (please no....), but the talent on the Buckeye offense and defense far exceeds that of the Tigers. Mizzou just doesn't have the horses. Bucks tie a bow on the end of another season that just didn't hit the expectations. Tough when you need a title every year, but falling just short once again leaves a sour taste. (Sounds like JTT and Marv should come back for another shot....right?....RIGHT?!?!?! <b>Mizzou: 17--OSU: 30</b><br /><b>Hoying</b>: Missouri has been a nice story this season, and I haven't gotten to see as much of it as I would have liked. I've caught the big moments like nailing a 61 yard field goal to sink Kansas State or putting in a scare between the hedges against Georgia. But they haven't really moved the needle on a week-to-week basis, to the point where one could be forgiven for not realizing that Brady Cook was quietly putting together one of the best seasons by any QB this year, or that Cody Schrader had followed up a tepid first half of the season on the ground by blasting through his last few games like a man on fire. The Tigers aren't quite as deep at the non-skill positions to make this a "talent-equated game", as our head coach likes to say, but there's no getting over the glaring question mark behind center on the other side of the field. Kyle McCord was unfairly judged this year and, like Brady Cook, truly was one of the top QBs in the country. But Devin Brown, as much as the team really seems to love him and rally around him, hasn't impressed during the few chances he's had to shine this season. The mobility we were promised hasn't really made an appearance outside of a couple of goal line packages against Purdue, and his passing has been wildly inconsistent. It won't help matters that Julian Fleming has left for greener pastures, and it doesn't look like Marv will suit up either. But the good news is that pretty much the entire rest of the team will still be playing, meaning Missouri will still be facing one of the top defenses in the country and the Buckeyes should have solid line play on both sides of the ball (at least as solid as they've looked this year). That should be just enough to deliver a Buckeye victory. If it doesn't happen, don't hang your head, the Buckeyes have never won a national championship the year after a bowl victory...<b>Mizz: 27--OSU: 31</b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>I don’t know about anyone else, but I just can’t get excited
for this one. Mizzou is a mid level SEC team and has played will this year.
Honestly, I don’t know anything else about them. I’ve mostly paid no attention
to the comings and goings of the Bucks either, other than to know McCord saw
himself out and Marv is going pro. Devin Brown is fine I guess, but I think Day
is going to have to lean on the run game quite a bit. The passing game may get
dumbed down to (hello mesh patterns) to help Brown read the defense better. The
Bucks should win this, but the upheaval may be a distraction. It’s close, but the
Bucks go out on a winning note. <b>Mizzou: 17—OSU: 24</b>
<br /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b> CAN SOMEONE JUST SAY IF THEY ARE OR AREN'T COMING BACK??!?!??!? As Gene Wilder expertly put it "the suspense is terrible...I hope it'll last." Regardless, just about everyone not named Marv or McCord is playing in this one. I think these weeks of practice have finally crystallized what went on all spring and summer with the QB battle. McCord was likely steadier, but there were days when Brown outplayed him...and Devin seems to be almost universally more liked as a leader. McCord's leadership was nonexistent in Ann Arbor, punctuated by dear old daddy demanding more cash and a starting spot next year before leaving for the greener pastures of Syracuse and Jim Boeheim's 2-3 zone. Wait, what's that? This is football??? Yikes. Well, good luck to that dude anyway. Back to the game at hand. Mizzou isn't as talented but might honestly be better coached and they sport a legit DUDE at RB in Cody Schrader. Hartline can earn his money (as if he doesn't already) by having the next wave of WRs step up for Marv and the departed (and criminally underrated) Julian Fleming. I expect- and hope for- a healthy dose of Henderson- then again, he and Hayden are the only scholarship RBs left! College football in 2023, ladies and gentlemen. Assuming the WRs are as advertised, and we can escape with only minor snafus in the special teams (Parker Fleming still having a job may be the most shocking part of the offseason thus far honestly), the Bucks should end the season with a competitive, well-earned W against a member of the other power 2 conference. Savor it, Buckeye Nation, it's just the spring game between now and August 31st. <b>MIZZ: 20--OSU: 26</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-57786597887195720602023-12-01T18:20:00.001-05:002023-12-01T18:20:04.950-05:00Week 14: The Walking Dead<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">1.) Draper 49-14 (1-11 upset)<br />2.) Schweinfurth 48-15 (2-10 upset)<br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.6667px;">3.) Hoying 44-19 (2-10 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">4.) Seeberg 43-20 (4-8 upset)<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Twilight of the 4-team Playoff decade is upon us, and
soon night will fall. For the 10<sup>th</sup> straight year, the Buckeyes enter
Championship Week anxiously awaiting a few games to break their way (except
you, 2019, we love you). Last year provided some atonement for getting jobbed
in 2017 and 2018; can lightning strike twice? The path is a little rockier than
in years past, with Texas, Alabama, and Florida State needing to be cast aside,
but hope endures, at least until Saturday morning in Jerry World.</span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><p style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>FRIDAY</b></p><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div><b><i>Pac-12: Oregon Ducks vs. Washington Huskies</i></b></div><div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>I'll be honest, I've been thinking about going off book and picking Washington all week. Oregon is expecting to just steamroll the Huskies, but Rome Odunze and Michael Penix have a connection. However, BoNix and company have been destroying everyone in their path after the somewhat fluky loss in Seattle. I expect this to be closer than everyone thinks, but the mo wears green and yellow. The Huskies have been '02 Buckeyes, white-knuckling every week. They can't keep getting away with it. Ducks to the playoff. <b>UW: 24--Ore: 27</b><br /><b>Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">What if…neither of these teams is actually that good? Washington
beat Boise State (uncharacteristic 7-5) and Michigan State (horrible) out of
conference, and Oregon beat 6-6 Texas Tech by 8 points. The same Texas Tech that
got obliterated by 50 by Texas just one week ago. Come to think of it, did *any*
Pac-12 team have a meaningful non-conference win this year? Regardless, this
one should be entertaining as the top two passing offenses (but not the top two
QBs, we see you, Jayden Daniels) face off (again). Washington has looked off
ever since dispatching the Ducks midseason. You say they were playing ranked
teams weak in and week out; I say those teams all finished 8-4 or 7-5 (at
best). The eye test has been much friendlier to the Ducks. I haven’t learned my
lesson from last time; I thought Oregon was the better team before it was cool,
and now that the game’s away from Seattle, Oregon should be able to avoid the 4<sup>th</sup>-down
voodoo that jinxed them back in October. Ducks hunt. <b>UW: 24—Ore: 38</b></span><br /><b>Schweinfurth:</b><b> </b>One of these teams is trending up, the other has been in a malaise for November. Not sure it's competition level or QB play, but Washington has looked very beatable lately. I don't see a blowout here (which means the winner will win by 20). This will come down to which team makes the big mistake. Penix has been good, not great. BoNix has been Bo Nix. That will be the difference. <b>UW: 28--Ore: 31</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>We all know the adage "it's tough to beat a good team twice". Well UW is definitely a good team; however, they're also fortunate. In fact, they're number one in a luck index this season. Last season's winner? TCU. We saw what happened to them against Georgia. This also could be for the Heisman. Oregon darn near won on the road earlier, and have improved much more than their opponent. Ducks make the first and last CFP field.<b> UW: 24--Ore: 34</b></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>SATURDAY</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Big 12: Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Texas Longhorns</i></b></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>While I'd love to support the Pokes, I just don't see it. The Pokes have been incredibly confusing all year. Lose to South Alabama, beat Oklahoma. Go down big against garbage yet rise from the ashes with Ollie Gordon inexplicably getting them back into it. It's Texas against a weird team...anything could happen...but I have a feeling we may need to say the line...Texas is <sigh> back.... <b>OkSt: 17--UT: 30</b><br /><b>Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">What is this Oklahoma State team? First they knock Oklahoma out of the Big 12 Championship Game to set up a nice cushy November
against three of the Big 12’s awful 2023 expansion teams. And then they get blown
out by UCF, spot Houston a 14 point 2<sup>nd</sup>-quarter lead, and fall
behind BYU 24-6 at half before pulling out a spectacular overtime comeback. The
Cowboys have only scored 34 more total points than their opponents over the whole
season. The team on the other sideline has had their share of clunkers as well
but are a last-minute Oklahoma drive from being undefeated with a double digit
road win against Alabama. And that's Alabama Alabama, not South Alabama, who manhandled
the Pokes back in September to the tune of 33-7. Texas has been its own worst
enemy since Colt McCoy left town, but the gap between these two is too deep to
fall into. The dominoes fall one short for the Buckeyes this year. <b>OkSt: 20—UT:
31</b></span><br /><b>Schweinfurth:</b><b> </b>OSU helping out tOSU would be very nice. I really don't see this happening. Texas just comes off as the more well rounded team here. <b>OkSt. 17--UT: 35</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>This game absolutely must be won by the plains OSU for the Buckeyes to have a shot. Sadly, the Cowboys needed OT just to squeak by BYU last week. The Longhorns have been pretty workman-like most of the season, even with a backup QB for a stretch of the season. They fired on all cylinders last week, however, and I expect more of the same. Longhorns big. <b>OkSt: 20--UT: 38</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>SEC: Georgia Bulldogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised by any outcome. UGA has been workmanlike all year, but I've never been wowed. Perhaps it's because they have played no one that I care to watch. Bama seems to be coming on strong, but they BARELY beat a bad Auburn team last week. Jalen Milroe is the X-factor running the ball as the Dawgs have a little trouble stopping the QB. While Bama is very inconsistent at times, they are intensely talented...but UGA is also insanely talented...and consistent. UGA continues the quest for a threepeat. <b>Bama: 20--UGA: 30</b><br /><b>Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">For the second week in a row, we get to see if a team with
elite talent that looked rocky early this season but has been steadily
improving can take down the team that’s been at the top of their game all year.
This season, I have picked Alabama to lose to (i) Ole Miss, (ii) Texas A&M,
and (iii) LSU. Guess how many times I’ve been right. I should have picked them
to lose last week, as somehow they managed to turn a <i>horrible</i>
performance by Auburn QB Peyton Thorne (Go Green) into a certain Tiger win
before the Auburn defense practically delivered the Foy-ODK Trophy to the Tide
on their last play. Yes, we saw this exact same script in 2021, and it continued
with an Alabama SEC Championship over the Dawgs, but that was 2021 Alabama, with
Heisman winner Bryce Young at QB. Sure, Georgia doesn’t appear to be quite as good
as their last two National Champ iterations but they haven’t taken as big a
step back as Alabama. Get used to seeing both of these teams in the Playoff
every year for the foreseeable future, just not this year. <b>UGA: 27—Bama: 24</b></span><br /><b>Schweinfurth:</b><b> </b>Bama has found something in Milroe, but it feels as if the torch has been passed the Georgia. Here's to another number 1 seed Bulldogs. <b>UGA: 35--Bama: 21</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Note the extreme lack of surprise at this matchup. A Georgia fan constructed a pretty reasonable Kirby Smart-Ryan Day comparison that I read recently. Hoping Day breaks through in a similar fashion sooner rather than later- though Kirby doesn't have an ascendant archrival to deal with. In any case, Bama may have looked past the Iron Bowl to this one and it should have cost them. I still think UGA is more complete, however, and should make it a 2-score win late. <b>Bama: 24--UGA: 33</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>ACC: Louisville Cardinals vs. Florida State Seminoles</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>Another toss-up game. While I don't see a Travis-less FSU team competing in the playoffs against more talented teams, they can absolutely beat the Cardinals. Louisville had the highest of highs against the Irish, but losing to the Wildcats in a rivalry game makes no sense. While FSU doesn't have the QB to compete at the top level, their top to bottom talent is easily better than Louisville's A-team. The Noles got the yips out in the first half against the Gators while Rodemaker was figuring it out. Johnny Wilson, Keon Coleman, and Trey Benson get it done on offense while Jared Verse wreaks havoc on defense. Noles head to the playoff. <b>UL: 17--FSU: 27</b><br /><b>Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Every year in the Playoff it seems like there’s one team
that has no business being there, not because they didn’t take care of business
in the regular season, but just because they aren’t very good. But this season,
I worry that there might be two (hello, 2018). As I said before, I don’t have
any faith in the Pac-12 champion, but Florida State has been similarly unimpressive
this season. Beating LSU in the opener was a terrific opening act, but I’m afraid the Noles peaked too
early, and losing Jordan Travis is a death blow to a team that has already
skated by far too many mediocre opponents. The Cardinals don’t have the high
highs of FSU when they’re clicking, but they’re generally pretty steady when they’re
not taking off the second half against Pitt (hey, it worked against Indiana). I
just don’t see Rowengartner making enough plays to win this one for Florida
State. He’s got good support around him on both sides of the ball, but Travis has been too big a part of the Seminoles’ big wins this year. The Noles make the Committee’s
job an easy one this year. Good luck splitting hairs between the #11 and #12 team
next year (don’t forget the joker G5 team to round out the #12 seed). <b>UL: 20—FSU:
17</b></span><br /><b>Schweinfurth:</b><b> </b>Florida State is depleted. They might be calling up Draper to play QB at this point. Louisville has looked excellent under Brahm this year. The 'Noles' defense is enough to keep it close, but the Cardinals are setting up an Orange Bowl date with the Bucks. <b>UL: 24--FSU: 21</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>From the completely predictable to the...Louisville Cardinals? Thankfully they are no longer a threat to make the playoff after their in-state loss last week. Are they better than FSU with a backup under center (or, let's face it, in the shotgun these days)? Honestly it's probably a coin flip. Any team that can lose to Pitt, however, shouldn't beat this Seminole team. You're welcome, Chief- at least your two teams won't play in the playoffs a la Rieman's OSU/Xavier basketball matchup in 2007 right? <b>UL: 20--FSU: 27</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Big Ten: Michigan Wolverines vs. Iowa Hawkeyes</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>I just don't care. As long as they lose, in the playoffs, the season isn't a complete disaster. On the other hand, Brian Ferentz has the chance to do the funniest thing possible (but he won't). Analysis: Michigan is way better. <b>UM: 38-Iowa: 9</b><br /><b>Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">I have good news and bad news. First, the bad news.
Michigan is going to gouge out Iowa’s Hawkeyes and leave them in bloody chunks
on the Lucas Oil field. Like what Penn State did to them, except with a quarterback
who can throw under pressure (as you likely remember from last week). The
over/under for points scored by Iowa currently sits at ONE-HALF OF A POINT for
each half, and that's not going to get the job done as the Wolverines have yet to be shut out in the Harbaugh era. The
good news is that, 5 years from now, this will go down as either an Iowa championship
or a vacant title. The Michigan commentariat, which have uniformly been the
most unrepentantly insufferable creeps this side of political punditry, seem
to think that last week’s Game proves that there was nothing to the cheating
scandal, and the national media have been only too happy to excuse themselves
and move on to Michigan’s future fortunes this postseason. But I don’t think
that going from a better Ohio State team losing at home by multiple scores to a
worse Michigan team last year, to a worse Ohio State team losing on the road on a last-minute interception to a better Michigan team this
year, proves what the True Blue Kool-Aid Men think it does. In case anyone has
forgotten, the Wolverines fired Connor Stalions and an assistant coach this past month, and their Cheater-in-Chief has been watching the last three contests
from outside the stadium walls. Seeing his smug mug back on the sidelines in Indianapolis will
be more than I can bear this Saturday night, but it won’t be for long. Enjoy
your soon-to-be smoking crater. <b>UM: 31—Iowa: 0</b></span><br /><b>Schweinfurth:</b><b> </b>I am living in hell. Michigan's coaching staff are still cheaters. Enough said. <b>scUM: 35--Iowa: 0</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Woof. I refuse to offer any real commentary here. The only amusing part of this contest is that Iowa's defense will outscore Iowa's offense. Ugh. <b>UM: 27--Iowa: 2</b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-50402956001448718372023-11-24T13:48:00.000-05:002023-11-24T13:48:08.633-05:00Week 13: Everybody Wants to Rule the World<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">1.) Draper 48-13 (1-10 upset)<br />2.) Schweinfurth 47-14 (1-10 upset)<br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.6667px;">3.) Hoying 43-18 (2-9 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">4.) Seeberg 42-19 (3-8 upset)<br /><br /></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">The rage was already scarlet-hot after a shot at revenge
went horribly awry. The revelation that the field had been tilted for those two losing efforts by the platonic ideal of an Ann Arbor Anthropos and his vast
network of spies has done little to abate the wrath of the Scarlet and Gray.
The villains, incapable of self-reflection or repentance, have circled the
wagons and defied everybody to exact whatever retribution their respective
eleven warriors can deliver. A dastardly fate awaits the Cheat Weasels this
Saturday for that. There isn’t a Buckeye in the State of Ohio who wouldn’t like
to go out and scalp those Wolverines right now. Go Bucks. Beat Blue.</span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><p style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>FRIDAY</b></p><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div><b><i>Oregon State Beavers @ Oregon Ducks</i></b></div><div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>No reason to overthink this. The Ducks have been destroying everyone and everything in their path outside of a sorta fluky loss in Seattle. Oregon State has been...fine? They've beaten absolutely no one of note to their nice record, but here we are in the Civil War nonetheless. I fear that BoNix could lock up the top trophy in this spot by putting up big stats against a pretty good defense. The Beavs have been a feelgood story, but the carriage will be turned into a gourd after the Autzen Zoo ends all hope of an upset. Quack. <b>OreSt: 16--Ore: 35</b><br /><b>Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s a curiosity of this year’s Rivalry Week that
while the Civil War is one of the only two ranked contests across the nation,
and thus, ostensibly the battle of second highest quality, the spread in this
one is bigger than such great-vs.-garbage showdowns as the Iron Bowl or the
Territorial Cup. The Beavers have been a great farewell tale for the exploding
Pac-12, tenaciously hanging with Washington last week in a desperate bid to
keep the conference title in the hands of the Pac-faithful. But the future out west
is B1G, as we’ll likely see in next week’s green vs. purple rerun. I think the Ducks have been a
bit overrated this season; the only school in the top 4 of the Pac-12 they’ve
played is Washington (Oregon lost), and their Power 5 nonconference opponent was the
barely bowl eligible Texas Tech Red Raiders. But I don’t think last week’s
valiant effort in Corvallis was the Beavers sharpening the sword for a killing
blow this week. I expect it was rather one last bender to be followed up by a
dreadful hangover. <b>OreSt:17—Ore: 31</b></span><br /><b>Schweinfurth:</b><b> </b>The Beavers have been a great story. Put off by the rest of conference restructuring, they have put on a great showing this year. The Ducks feel like a powerhouse though. BoNix still resides in the Duck backfield and that could be the difference. We get a week closer to a Husky/Duck redo. <b>OreSt: 24--Ore: 31</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Everything was set for the Beavers to take down the Huskies last week: Poor weather, friendly confines, they were even favored! But, alas, Penix and Co. did just enough to win yet again. Now the west coast OSU has to travel to their in-state archrival. To their credit, these two will continue to play this one annually (looking at you, Sooners and Cowboys), so thankfully this won't be the last iteration. This one, however, is in Autzen and it's a bad recipe for the visiting squad. The Ducks are hungry for another shot at UW, but the rivalry forces their full focus. Not good for the opponent. Nix has another banner day as the Ducks paddle away late. <b>Orest: 20--Ore: 34</b></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>SATURDAY</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Those Cheaters Up North</i></b></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div><div><b>Draper: </b>When aligning the position groups, there's not a lot of separation between the squads. I'd give the Wolverines a slight edge at QB and Oline and OSU with slight edges at the other positions (outside of the WR advantage). The biggest difference is the route these guys took to this contest. The win over the Irish is a nice feather in the Buckeyes cap that shows they can play on the road in a hostile locale, while TTUN crushed the garbage and struggled against those with a pulse (and no Stalions). The explosive return of Trey to the rushing attack is huge opening up the passing lanes. I think the keys are Egbuka and Stover as Harrison will be tripled (and can still do work). OSU has only given up 1 explosive this year which is about 1203984 fewer than last year. The defense should shut the door on the passing attack. If the Buckeyes slow the rushing attack and stay on schedule, the lack of prescience on the blue sideline (where did that go?) proves the difference. The Terps nearly got it done, but the Bucks seal the deal in the last rivalry of consequence after the penalties are levied. Ohio Against the World! <b>OSU: 24--TTUN: 20</b><br /><b>Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Run the ball, beat your rival. It’s been an ironclad,
unbreakable law every year after the Buckeyes Bellisari’d away a good day on
the ground by Derek, Jonathan, and, well, Steve Bellisari way back in 2000.
Last year I was sure the streak would end, and truth be told, but for two late run
blitz whiffs against Donovan Edwards, I would have been proven right in horrifying
fashion. But as I said in the Penn State preview, The Don is really having
difficulties this year. Yes, he had a nice TD run against Penn State, but that’s
the single swing for the fences he’s had this year, and it went for all of 22
yards. And the Wolverine faithful continue to await in vain the return of 2022
Blake. On the other hand, Tre has been running like an RB possessed since
returning after the cheap shot he suffered in South Bend, evoking the #1 recruit
and superstar frosh TreVeyon Henderson we were all enjoying back in 2021. I
could perhaps be forgiven (and I do beg forgiveness) for thinking he was washed
after he toughed out virtually all of a disappointing 2022 on a busted foot. But
this year, you can’t bottle Tre up for the full 60. Even the Fighting Irish
were only near-perfect for 59, and then he was gone to put the Buckeyes up
10-0. A lot of ink is being spilled this week about whether JJ or Kyle is going
to end up on top of the battle of the Irish quarterbacks, and their play is
going to be essential to not giving this one away. Sacks count against rushing totals
in college, after all, and turnovers constrain offensive opportunities. But I
stood in the freezing drizzle on the Ann Arbor sidelines (no sign of Connor
Stalions) in 2007 watching Touchdown Todd and busted Chad Henne find their
receivers on 38% of their throws for all of 138 yards in the aggregate, while
Beanie Wells nearly doubled that total alone, finding pay dirt on goal line and
62-yard runs. This week it’s all about the big sets and deep lines up north vs.
whatever the twin wizards of Day and Knowles can conjure to get the biggest advantages
both ways across the field. Swirl in a little Chip for a change of pace and add
Professor X’s propensity to break a big gain when the pressure’s tightest, and
there’s a path to victory in the land of shadow. Everything since the clock hit
zeroes last year (hell, everything since Edwards ripped off his first big run)
has been calculated to deliver the precise blow at the precise hour: high noon
on Thanksgiving Saturday. Let’s see if it connects. <b>OSU: 24—TCUN: 17</b></span><br /><b>Schweinfurth:</b><b> </b>Where do I begin here. Cheaters and the Worst? I have tried to be polite to this point, but now? Let's do the thing. Ryan Day has been slowly building the Death Start this year. He's held out top players on both sides of the ball to ensure a healthy squad going up north. The injury list is short, which we couldn't say last year. A win on Saturday, and I'll call the defense the Silver Bullets again. Yes, they have played that well to this point. Treveyon Henderson is a different level and he is healthy. Now to the elephant. The Wolverines don't have their pre-scouting cheating ass head coach on the sideline and don't know what is going to be run. That's huge. I look at the last two years in a different light with the info we have now. JJ doesn't look right without knowing what the defense is in and without the sideline d-bag in his corner. He also doesn't look as good when faced with a defense that has a pulse. I can write a book on this, but there is only one thing that I care about now. Beat Blue. Get revenge. Put these cheating idiots back in their place. Bucks win. <b>OSU: 35--TTUN: 17</b></div><div><b>Seeberg: </b> It is FINALLY here. I do not enjoy hyperbole and avoid it whenever possible. This, however, is likely the highest charged version of this rivalry that has ever occurred. We all know the litany of accusations, and firings, and suspensions, etc. etc. Did the sign-stealing cost CJ a trophy in NYC? We will, sadly, never know. Did the cheaters and best finally end their woefulness against the scarlet and gray? Yes, but to what degree did the sign-stealing contribute? 92% of FBS head coaches surveyed said that their advantage was likely worth at least ten points per contest. But enough of the past. I've seen a lot of fans and talking heads alike calling for "Georgia Ryan Day" on Saturday. One issue: Georgia Ryan Day had, as we've seen thus far in the NFL, a possible generational talent at QB. Kyle is good, but Kyle is not that. Kyle is Krenzel-ish. A bit stronger, not quite as elusive, but with an excellent, level-headed poise. Anybody recall what Krenzel did his first year as a starter? Yeah, pretty decent. The 2023 Buckeyes have an excellent defense. Turnovers aren't as frequent as I'd like, but opponents' points don't arrive often either. Believe it or not, when the D is on the field, they'll be facing a QB who was the odds-on favorite to win college football's highest award, but when noon hits Saturday, it will have been 33 days since JJ threw a touchdown. Wonder what that coincides with? Strange huh? On the flipside, 2021 Treveyon Henderson has returned and he has single-handedly reinvigorated the Buckeye offense. Ohio State is better balanced- I flat-out don't think JJ can sling it against the secondary- nor can their O-line protect the passer. We saw that plain as day against the Nittany Lions. Speaking of Penn State, Day literally held out two all-conference players <i>just to keep everyone as healthy as possible for TTUN</i>. Eichenberg didn't play <i>on senior day</i>. The focus is undeniable, the 2023 Buckeyes want this one, need this one, and will stop at nothing to get this one. Go Bucks. <b>OSU: 27--TTUN: 17</b></div></div></div><p style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif"></span><b><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br /><b>Draper:</b> Arkansas over Tigers<br /><b>Hoying: </b>Texas Aggies over LSU<br /><b>Schweinfurth: </b>Iowa State over Kansas State<b><br /></b><b>Seeberg: </b>Auburn over Roll Tide (just kidding!) Kentucky over Louisville</p></div>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-13217647967541048352023-11-18T00:52:00.001-05:002023-11-18T00:52:23.767-05:00Week 12: I See You Shiver with Antici-<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">1.) Draper 43-13 (1-10 upset)<br />1.) Schweinfurth 43-13 (1-10 upset)<br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">3.) Seeberg 39-17 (3-8 upset)<br /><span style="font-size: 12.6667px;">3.) Hoying 39-17 (2-9 upset)</span><br /></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.6667px;">The Buckeyes' romp through the Little 12 comes to a close (for the regular season at least). Other national title contenders have cupcakes of their own (looking at you, Alabama and Florida State) while a couple have the audacity to play live ranked opponents before settling in for Rivalry Week. Last week was the first time this season no undefeated team lost. Can it happen again?</span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Georgia Bulldogs @ Tennessee Volunteers</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">There's no reason to expect lightning to strike in Knoxville in back to back seasons. Joe Milton isn't the one to get this done. UGA should be able to sleepwalk to another win. The only potential for something weird is that UGA has been feasting at home. Carson Beck COULD be rattled, but I don't think it matters. <b>UGA: 30--UT:17</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I have bad (or maybe good) news for you: it appears that for the second year in a row, the only threat to <i>another</i> Georgia national championship is Ohio State. Not Alabama, Milroe is still a work in progress. Not Michigan, that program is crumbling into dust at an alarmingly accelerating rate and might not even exist by the time the Playoff rolls around. And certainly not Tennessee, who are fresh off getting blasted by Missouri the same week Georgia obliterated Ole Miss. Carson Beck has very quietly put together an elite-level season at QB that's only getting better as the season progresses. And the Vols just keep wasting drive after drive. This was the game that ruined Tennessee's resurgent feel-good season last year, and it'll put the Vols out of their misery this time. <b>UGA: 31--UT: 16</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I just don't think the Vols have that major upset in them this year. Milton's got a great arm, but he needs time to uncork the ball. He won't have it and Georgia is starting to get healthy. <b>UGA: 33--UT:14</b></span><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Definitely not going to overthink this one. Georgia beat Mizzou, Mizzou torched Tennessee. Even Dolly Parton can't save the Vols this week. UGA big. <b>UGA: 41--UT: 20</b></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Washington Huskies @ Oregon State Beavers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This is the toughest game of the week to pick. It seems like a no-brainer that the Huskies keep it rolling as the Beavers have beaten....no one of note en route to the top 11 ranking; however, UW has looked vulnerable darn near every week. Oh yeah, and the game's in Corvallis where top teams go to die (for some reason). The weather report certainly favors Oregon State with rain in the forecast, a strong rushing attack, and a weak Washington rush defense....but Michael Penix is still far better than Uiagalalei and the UW rushing attack feasted against the air of Alex Grinch's defense. The Husky magic continues for another week. I don't think the turnover chainsaw will be enough, but it will be a barn burner. <b>UW: 38--OSU: 37</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Speaking of Tennessee...I have this horrible sinking feeling that Washington just isn't very good. Michael Penix threw the ball around for a month, the Huskies pasted an awful Michigan State team in East Lansing, and Oregon made a few critical situational blunders, and suddenly UW was the next big thing on the college football landscape. But the Huskies haven't put together a convincing win since. Perhaps the brightest sign of hope was shutting out Utah in the second half last week and bottling up an otherwise potent Ute running game, which was a nice reversal of the Huskies' Achilles heel run D this season. The problem for UW is that OSU West Coast has a potent running game of their own and an erstwhile Playoff team QB. Neither of these teams has a great defense, so expect to see at least as many points as we saw in last week's Utah-UW game. But Washington has been living a charmed life for far too long, and 'tis the season for them to suffer a fatal hiccup. <b>UW: 34--OSU: 38</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Corvallis is always a rough place to play. Everyone seems to think this is an upset week for Washington, and it may be. They haven't been playing great. Because of that the Huskies' focus should be on the Beavers, but next week is rivalry week. I think Penix does just enough to pull the win off, but it sure will put a scare into the Huskies. <b>UW: 28--OSU: 24</b></span><br /></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px; font-weight: bold;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Is this the week the Huskies finally get got? The oddsmakers certainly think so, as the west coast OSU is actually favored in this one. The Beavers match up well with the Huskies, sporting an excellent rushing attack, they may be able to play keep away from Penix and Co. The Huskies haven't won a game by double digits in over a month, so they're excellent in close games- but often against inferior competition. In my estimation they've played with fire one too many times and they just might get burned before a rematch with Oregon. Beavers reclaim the state of Oregon from the Huskies.<b style="font-weight: bold;"> UW: 28--OrSt: 31</b></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Kansas State Wildcats @ Kansas Jayhawks</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">While I'm not really sold on KState being that good of a team, Kansas is in a bad way right now without Jalon Daniels. KState took Texas to the wire but couldn't close the deal, but there's still an outside (very outside) chance for the Wildcats to get to the Big 12 Championship. Obviously, they need to win here and I think they get it done. <b>KSU: 30--Kansas: 17</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">You may have forgotten, because the Playoff didn't reflect it, but TCU was not the Big 12 champion last year. It was Kansas State, and while TCU has fallen off a cliff this season (though they did manage to convince the world for a hot minute that Colorado was going to make some noise this year by losing to them in the season opener), the Wildcats have won a bunch of games and been competitive in each loss. Kansas has been a nice story for the second year in a row, but they also have no defense for a second year in a row. That's going to be a problem against a high-powered KSU ground game, and Kansas is also likely down to their 3rd string QB with Jalon Daniels out for the season and Jason Bean leaving early against Texas Tech last week. This isn't Ohio State; you don't get to just pull Cardale Jones off your bench and follow him to the promised land. <b>KSU: 41--KU: 17</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I can't really say I've watched much football from either Kansas team other than the Jayhawks upset over the Sooners. I actually had to look this one up because I have no clue. It appears the Wildcats have the better QB, so let's go with them here. <b>KSU: 42--KU: 35</b></span><br /></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Wow. I'm not certain how often the sunflower state rivalry has been a ranked vs. ranked matchup, but this year it qualifies. Kansas HC Lance Leipold will be a hot name this off season (looking at you, MSU) taking a basketball school's football program to respectability, including a win over blue blood Oklahoma with their backup QB playing. Meanwhile Kansas State is, well Kansas State. Beating everyone bad, losing to everyone great, splitting their games with the good. For this season, at least, the Jayhawks qualify as "good", but the Wildcats own this in-state tussle and I don't see that changing this time around. Wildcats pull away late. Love sunflowers! <b>KSU: 34--KU: 24</b></span></span></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Utah Utes @ Arizona Wildcats</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The Pac12 games this week are surprisingly good. Utah and Kyle Whittingham just keep doing what they're doing without a QB or any real stars. Arizona has quietly put together a very nice season that no one is talking about. I expect Jedd Fisch to get some hits in the coaching rumor mill next year. I think I'm going to go a little off base and lean on the Cats in this one. I don't have confidence that Utah can keep getting away with these surprising wins and Arizona has been fun....especially in Tuscon. Bear Down. <b>Utah: 20--Zona: 23</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">How good is Arizona, really? You might as well ask how good the Pac-12 is in general, as the Wildcats have beaten every conference opponent they've played except for valiant efforts in losses to USC and Washington. Then again, they lost to SEC basement Mississippi State. Utah played an SEC team, too, and beat them, in a weird game that saw Florida outgain the Utes but fail to cash in on several drives deep into Utah territory. Oregon struggled against mid Texas Tech, Washington's premier out-of-conference win was Michigan State...have we been hoodwinked into thinking the Pac-12 was good? Regardless, these teams are playing this week and good luck drawing a bead on either. Last week I wrote that Utah's passing game shouldn't make a dent in the Washington D, and then the Utes put an awful scare into the Huskies for a half behind a solid day from Bryson Barnes' arm. As stated above, that might say more about Washington than it does about Utah. Back on task, need to pick this game. A good rule of thumb in picking the mid-level Pac-12 games has been to pick the home team, and that's worked out pretty well (except for the ghastly thrashing Arizona put on Wazzu in Pullman and the faceplant USC pulled against Utah in Los Angeles). No need to overthink this one. <b>Utah: 20--Zona: 27</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Utah has really struggled on offense this year. Here's the thing though, they are in every game (other than Oregon). Their defense helps them just stick around and then they pull one off. Arizona has come out of nowhere this year to surprise everyone. I mean, a win over USC does help. This is one game I just can't see Utah losing. <b>Utah: 27--Zona: 24</b></span><br /></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">As with this season's Utes, their solid defense keeps them in most games, the question usually becomes whether or not they can score enough to get the W. Enter the surprising Arizona Wildcats, another basketball school turned respectable in football. They have good wins (Oregon State, UCLA) but a propensity to give up lots of points (43 to USC, 31 to Colorado and UW, etc.). Utah will get their stops, and I have an inkling they'll put up just enough points for a hard-fought win on the road. <b>Utah: 24--Zona: 20</b></span></span></div></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Minnesota Golden Gophers @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes</i></b></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Just don't get hurt. No, I don't see this as a trap game. The Buckeyes will be focused enough with everything still in front of them, and Minnesota....sucks. Let's just call a spade a spade. I'd set the O/U at 1.5 Marvin TDs (and I'd take the over). He'll be force fed the ball to keep the stats in the Heisman talk and pulled after 2 TDs and the game no longer in doubt. This should be a Trey game for the most part as he should have a day, but look for day to limit his touches to keep him healthy. The defense will be fine, but I would like to see a focus on stopping the run. Our pass rush is intense, but we have a tendency to give up decent gains on the ground. Gotta shore it all up for next week. Get in, get the dub, get out, and turn your eyes north. <b>Minn: 13--OSU: 45</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Here's the difference between these two teams. Last week, Ohio State was without its sole defensive captain, Tommy Eichenberg, anchoring the middle LB spot, as well as both of its starting safeties, and the Buckeyes gave up 3 points to Michigan State on a 53 yard field goal. Last week, Minnesota was missing its starting middle LB and it got absolutely plowed over by the only team in the Big Ten West that routinely loses games to other teams in the Big Ten West. This is a team that got killed on the road by North Carolina and was throttled by the Cheat Weasels back in October, and they've only gotten worse since then. A different trajectory from the Silver Bullets and an offense that finally seems to have found its footing (as long as McCord isn't pressured too much). Everyone has the Buckeyes pegged pretty well by this point in the season, so style points aren't going to matter a great deal. And the Gophers are not winning this game. Look for another healthy peppering of long TD plays like the last time these two teams met back in 2021. Try to contain yourselves until we're up 3 scores, then you can start to look ahead to one of the most significant showdowns in Buckeye football history...<b>Minn: 6--OSU: 45</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I don't have much to say here. The Buckeye offense finally showed that the finishing touches are being put on their death star. Here's what I want. Hypertarget Marv in the first half for stat accumulation and then pull the starters like last week. Keep everyone healthy and then we start The Week. <b>Minn: 7--OSU: 42</b></span><br /></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Just nine measly days before "The Game" as I type this. Will the Buckeyes be caught looking ahead? Maybe. Thankfully, it won't be enough to allow the Gophers to stay in the game for four quarters anyway. The offense finally looked like the offense we've grown accustomed to here under Urban/Day in the first half last week, Scoring FIVE touchdowns in two quarters. The defense, still markedly undermanned, looked dominant as well and may be getting Josh Proctor back this Saturday. Get Marvin another 150 and 2 scores to make the Heisman race interesting, keep Treveyon happy and dear lord keep everyone healthy! Senior day should provide enough motivation to avoid the let down game, and then we can finally use up whatever puns and jokes we have about the absolute dumpster fire that is the Wolverines. Bucks roll. <b>Minn: 10--OSU: 42</b></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"> </b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Iowa State over Texas<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">: Maryland over Michigan<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;">Florida over Mizzou<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Rutgers over Penn State</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-3777830291944258932023-11-10T23:53:00.000-05:002023-11-10T23:53:52.698-05:00Week 11: THE WHOLE STATE<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">1.) Draper 38-13 (1-9 upset)<br />1.) Schweinfurth 38-13 (1-9 upset)<br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">3.) Seeberg 35-16 (3-7 upset)<br /><span style="font-size: 12.6667px;">4.) Hoying 34-17 (2-8 upset)</span><br /></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.6667px;">Both Big Ten teams from That State Up North are on the road today, each with its scumbag coach left in the dust (at least on gameday (maybe)). And who are we to judge which one brought more disgrace to his program? Actually, wait, it's Mel Tucker, like, by a lot. But what's been happening east of East Lansing has been way funnier and sent a much more deserving fanbase into a death spiral of total denial, desperate blamecasting, and overall meltdown mode going on three weeks now. Who knows what fever pitch it will reach if their beloved Cheat Weasels actually drop a game?</span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Michigan Wolverines @ Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Short posts from me as I'm facing down COVID Round 2. This game is being billed as the meeting of the powers of the B1G, but, while this is UM's first real game, I don't expect it to be the barnburner everyone else thinks. Being in Happy Valley is a huge plus for PSU, but their skill players simply aren't up to snuff. Drew Allar ain't it and the other pieces on offense shouldn't overwhelm the Wolverine defense. The PSU defense will frustrate the UM offense, but it won't be enough. JJ McCarthy make some key plays and UM goes 1-0 in the 2 game season. On a side note, I feel the suspension of Jim Harbaugh will galvanize this team rather than punish it. Harbaugh will be far more effective as a martyr than a sideline general. I'm just enjoying the insanity circling the program. <b>UM: 23--PSU:13</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Remember all the talk through last season and into, oh, mid-October of this season about how 2023 was finally going to be Penn State's year? I remember when Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton were being held up as the anchors of the next elite running back unit in the Big Ten, even though Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards carved up the PSU defense just last season for 339 yards, and neither Michigan RB went anywhere over the last 12 months. At least, I think they didn't, although Blake doesn't seem to have his pop from last year. Perhaps too much tread was worn off the tires last season when he had to carry the entire offense on his back. Or perhaps the pressures of co-owning a vacuum repair business have proved too much for him this season. And Edwards just flat-out stinks this year. JJ McCarthy has looked the part, following up a sneaky-good 2022 campaign with a masterful effort this season, but the Wolverines haven't really needed him to be great so far. McCarthy has attempted all of 9 4th-quarter passes this season, not a one when the game was still in doubt. Penn State is good enough to stifle Michigan's nerfed ground game this year if they have a mind to; the outcome of this game will track whether JJ can produce under pressure. And whether Penn State can get <i>anything</i> going against what might be the nation's top defense. We've already seen them turn in a 15-straight-missed-3rd-downs clunker in Ohio Stadium; Michigan will be more than satisfied to win this game 6-3 and leap out of the frying pan. I look at this game and I see two very good teams, the one being slightly better at everything the other excels at. That should be enough to overcome home field advantage. Sadly, we won't get White Out levels of discomfort for JJ in this one. <b>UM: 20--PSU: 10</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I was hyped for this one in the preseason. Penn State finally had a quarterback to go along with a stout defense. Then the Ohio State game happened and Drew Allar was totally out of his element. The third and fourth quarters had some of the worst QB play I've seen since Joe Bauserman was throwing Bauserboms all over Lincoln. That's a bit troubling. Especially when you consider the Wolverines have found a rallying cry (even if it seems self serving to ask "why us"). I'm not going to dive too deep into the Harbooger stuff, other than to say it should be interesting to see what they look like without having precognition of the other team's play calls. Ultimately, Michigan wins because they have the better QB. I do think the cracks start to show, however. <b>UM: 17--PSU:14</b></span><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Here we are again folks, it's "Is This The Year James Franklin FINALLY beats UM/OSU" part II. Sadly, despite the absolute mind-boggling hilarity of the sh_tstorm ensuing in that state up north, the answer will still be "no". Why? Because it's James Franklin. A man who coaches big games with the bemused, aloof demeanor usually reserved for CEO's wives in luxury boxes wondering why yellow handkerchiefs are tossed so disdainfully on the ground and not in the pockets of suits. He acts consistently as if he literally has no say in the outcome- and given the nonexistent adjustments, coaches like it too. No white out this time to help either. Sorry, Buckeye Nation, the cheatin' train keeps rolling.<b> UM: 20--PSU: 13</b></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Mississippi Rebels @ Georgia Bulldogs</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">UGA has looked vulnerable against the <checks notes> 1 currently ranked team on the schedule. It's hard to pick against the dogs against a Lane Kiffin squad that fails in every big spot. I actually think there's a decent upset possibility here, but between the hedges should tilt this in favor of the Dawgs. <b>Miss: 24--UGA: 27</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Everything I said about Georgia last week applies equally here, with the possible caveat that they may be a bit fatigued after a 4-quarter battle with Missouri. You're still not going to beat them without a great running game, and Ole Miss's is...fine. Better than Missouri's, at least, and the Tigers had the puck on the stick with a chance to take the lead late before a masterful big man interception. Of course, that was also due in part to a great defensive performance by Mizzou, helped in part by the Dawgs missing star TE Brock Bowers for the second straight week. With Bowers likely out this weekend as well, the door is open for the Rebs to grab a rare marquee win, but their defense always seems to let them down in against opponents of the Dawgs' caliber. Lane's usually good for 9-10 wins a year but he crumbles in the biggest games (accordingly, watch out for the Rebel-vanquished LSU to faceplant down the stretch). Much like the game above, pick the coach that actually wins these. <b>Miss: 24--UGA: 31</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Georgia has looked anything but like the world beaters everyone claims they are. Yes, injuries and title hangovers happen, but they are still a juggernaut. Ole Miss put a pretty good scare in to Bama, and they could again. This is the one game that could knock Georgia down a peg...but it won't happen. <b>Miss: 21--UGA: 35</b></span><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px; font-weight: bold;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This could be a fun one. Mizzou hung with UGA last week; however, Mizzou is constructed much differently, with a solid D and passable offense. Never the case with a Lane Kiffin squad. The Rebels can score it, but I don't expect them to get enough stops to stay in it for four quarters. Bulldogs pull away late. <b>Miss: 27--UGA: 38</b></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Utah Utes @ Washington Huskies</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Utah loves these type of games in which no one gives them a chance. Washington found super success on the ground vs. the hapless Trojan D, but Utah will provide a stiffer test. Penix needs to return to his earlier season form to run them out of the building. Utah will hang around, but they just don't have the offense to get it done. <b>Utah: 17--UW: 27</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Offense, meet defense. Except Washington also has a defense. And Oregon, the team most similar to Washington, already faced Utah a couple weeks ago and the Duck offense didn't even pause to take a breath before running the Utes up and down the field. The Husky defense didn't look terrific last week against USC, but facing Caleb Williams is a bit different from Utah's anemic passing attack. This shouldn't be close. <b>Utah: 17--UW: 34</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'll make this quick. Utah is scrappy, but they just don't have the offensive fire power. To me, the only hope the Utes have here is if the Huskies have a let down from the USC game. <b>Utah: 13--UW: 42</b></span><br /></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">As the other Steven has put it, this one is likely to look a lot like Oregon against the Utes. I would argue Oregon's D is maybe a touch better, but regardless, the Utes just can't move the ball much against a competent D, which the Huskies certainly possess. Honestly the 34 points the Utes scored against USC was stronger grounds for Alex Grinch's firing than 52 to Washington. Either way, Penix and Co. win comfortably. <b>Utah: 10--UW: 31</b></span></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Tennessee Volunteers @ Missouri Tigers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">No clue what to do with these SEC East also-rans. Tennessee hasn't looked the part this year and Mizzou has been a fun little engine that could. I'll lean on the home side in the coin flips, but the Tigers laid it on the line coming up short against the Dawgs last week. Bobby Hill takes another L for the Vols. <b>UT: 21--Mizz: 24</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Tennessee is ranked ahead of Missouri by the College Football Playoff Committee. Tennessee is favored to win this game on the road. I do not understand why. As stated above, Missouri lost a close matchup to Georgia last week, but that's as acceptable loss as you can cook up. Tennessee was dominated by the terrible Florida Gators back in September, and since then, they haven't accomplished anything the Tigers haven't. The Vols have a potent ground game, but so does Georgia, and Missouri was able to do an acceptable job bottling them up last week. I can see this one being a heartbreaker that goes down to the wire, but the memo has gone out: you're last year's feel-good story, Tennessee. Make way for the new team of (near-)destiny. <b>UT: 20--Mizz: 24</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Missouri has been sneaky good this year. Tennessee still has several question marks on defense and the Joe Milton led offense can be stopped. This isn't 2022 anymore for the Vols. <b>UT: 14--Mizz: 31</b></span><br /></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Are either of these teams good? Both of them looked like it for a half against the elite of the SEC before eventually losing by 2 scores. Then again, Mizzou gave up nearly half a hundred to LSU and Tennessee lost to the Gators. Whether either squad is legitimately good is still up for debate in November. The Vols are mistake-prone on offense, but the TIgers have forced only 8 turnovers all season. Joe Milton does just enough (I swear someone needs to do a show on Big 10 castoff QBs leading SEC squads) to get the win on the road. <b>UT: 27--Mizz: 23</b></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Michigan State Spartans @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b> </b>MSU is done....D-U-N. DONE. They will be a nothing-burger for years after the latest set of scandals. This is not the spot for MSU to rise from the ashes. I can't imagine a way this game is close without OSU completely folding. It would be nice to get Cade back on the field (why was he out last week?), but this should be business as usual for the Scarlet and Gray. If there's anything for OSU to focus on, it would be on starting sharper. First halves have been sloppy for the offense. The next two weeks should focus on getting McCord back in a groove, feeding Marv and Trey, and staying healthy. The defense will be thinking shutout, but that's a lot to ask. Eh, why not. <b>MSU: 0--OSU: 45</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Ah, good to see CJ Stroud's favorite shooting gallery again. Time and change will surely show how MSU is once again horribly overmatched in this game. Only this year, it's because of their abysmal offense; the days of the nation's worst secondary sporting green and white are long gone. No, that doesn't mean that this game is going to look like the 2015 slugfest (still the last time Ohio State lost in this series). I expect it to look more like the Buckeyes' games over the last two weeks, other than the fact that it's at home and the Spartan offense is nowhere near as competent as either Rutgers' or Wisconsin's. It's tempting to think that the Ohio State passing game has regressed a bit the past couple weeks while the running game is finally getting its mojo back, but I think this is more a result of the defenses they've faced picking their poison in these matchups. Rutgers was doing everything they could to keep everything in front of them, which worked well until the Buckeyes figured that dumping off to Tre every play was just as good as having an elite running game, only even better because now you're getting free chances to get your speedy shifty back out in space. MSU is a bit better at stopping the run, so it may be up to McCord to do his best to replicate the air raid that CJ rained down the last two years (and the 50 yard TD he ripped off the year before that). Just don't force it; the defense really doesn't need that much help this week. On to OSU's third hapless Big Ten West opponent next week. <b>MSU: 3--OSU: 38</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Guys, the Spartans are bad. I mean, really bad. That's enough about them. This is a huge get right game for the Buckeye offense. McCord needs to get into a rhythm again and stop forcing balls. Henderson has his burst back but this is about the passing game. Hyper-targeting Marv is acceptable in this game and I'm here for the stat accumulation. Hopefully Egbuka and Farmer Gronk are back. I really want to see a fully loaded Buckeye offense execute the next two games and show everyone that this offense still has it. I believe it's there. To this point, the wins have looked pretty meh on the offensive side, and that's fine. But now, a fully armed and operational battle station is being built. And it is building toward the doom of the state up north. <b>MSU: 6--OSU: 45</b> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Rant time. MAN I'm tired of all these "he's available, he's not available" conversations every week. I just have no clue who's playing week in and week out, which I'm sure is the point. Still frustrating. Regardless, the Bucks shouldn't need to be at full strength to win this one. The Spartans were the biggest dumpster fire in that state up north until a couple weeks ago. That program may have permanently peaked with Dantonio. Meanwhile, for some reason we only targeted Marvin Harrison 5 times last week (albeit two for touchdowns). He would literally be a legit #1 WR on a majority of NFL teams right now. Let's make sure Cade and Emeka are OK, keep feeding a healthy Treveyon for balance, and start finding a good rhythm now that we're in the money month of college football. <b>MSU: 10--OSU: 38</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> West Virginia over Oklahoma<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">: Florida over LSU<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Colorado over Arizona</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Stanford over Oregon State</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-23714628981164361372023-11-04T02:25:00.001-04:002023-11-06T22:12:37.401-05:00Week 10: Battle of the Buckeye Coordinators<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">1.) Draper 33-12 (1-8 upset)<br />1.) Schweinfurth 33-12 (1-8 upset)<br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.6667px;">3.) Hoying 31-14 (2-7 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">4.) Seeberg 30-15 (3-6 upset)<br /></span><br /></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 13.5533px;">One consequence to Urban building his entire Ohio State staff out of past and future head coaches is that you start seeing former Buckeyes everywhere. The opponent of the week is the architect of two terrific (and one terrible) Buckeye defenses, and the <i>sine qua non</i> of a successful Rutgers season. Elsewhere, the top contenders in three of the other four Power 5 conferences (Florida State, you're excused until December) face opportunities to seize strangeholds on their respective conference races, or open the door to that sweet sweet November chaos.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Kansas State Wildcats @ Texas Longhorns</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Kansas St. caught lighting in a bottle at the end of last year, but I’m not drinking the Kool-aid this year. While UT has a weird QB merry go round with injuries, the talent disparity is too great. Deuce Vaughn ain’t walking through that door. Texas may not be all the way back, but I think they take care of business at DKR. <b> KSU: 17—UT: 31</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Who would have thought that Kansas State's mid-September matchup against Missouri would turn out to be such a clash of conference heavyweights? That one was decided by a last second 61-yard field goal, which I don't see happening this week as Texas's kicker hasn't converted from beyond 50 yet this year (no Dicker the Kicker to save you this time). This is the week that we find out if Texas is truly back or if Quinn Ewers has been papering over a thin team that can't handle adversity. The Longhorns darn near let Oklahoma beat them twice as they barely pulled out of a nosedive against Houston the following week. The same Houston that KSU just obliterated seven days ago. With Ewers still out with a bum shoulder, it'll be up to freshman QB Maalik Murphy to command the UT offense, and while BYU posed no threat to his coming out party last week, that was BYU. K-State is the reigning Big 12 champs, and they're not about to let one of the SEC turncoats steal the last Power 5 crown the league has to offer. The Wildcats put Texas's red zone woes on full display as they inch closer to a title defense. <b>KSU: 28--UT: 23</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">While I'm not fully sold on Texas, I really haven't even paid much attention to K-State. That's usually what happens when the Wildcats rise up and pull a wild upset. Texas is a solid team an the more talented team here. They should win this going away. <b>KSU: 21--UT: 35</b></span><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px; font-weight: bold;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">At first glance this one could get interesting. Kansas State is, well, Kansas State. Beating all the teams they should and with 2 losses to ranked teams by a combined 11 points. Texas is likely still running out backup QB Maalik Murphy- but he's looked so good he has some wondering if the prodigal son Manning will hit the portal. The Wildcats just don't have enough juice to hang in this one for four quarters. Longhorns pull away late. <b>KSU: 20--UT: 31</b></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Missouri Tigers @ Georgia Bulldogs</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Could this be the game in which the UGA dominance in the SEC East comes to a screeching halt? Of course not. Missouri is a shell and their record isn’t indicative of their quality. They almost snake bit the Dawgs last year in Columbia, but how could Kirby’s boys not step up after the DISRESPEKT from the committee? No one believed the underdog 2x National Camps could beat a HIGHLY overrated Tiger team between the hedges, but they just needed to prove the world wrong. (Editor’s note: literally, no one thinks this). <b>Mizzou: 10–UGA: 40</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">A month or so ago I wondered when Georgia was going to wake up and start taking this season seriously. The answer was "right then" as they steamrolled Kentucky and haven't looked back since. I may have also said that Kentucky might have been the best team left on Georgia's regular season schedule, which looks like weapons-grade stupidity at this point. Georgia now kicks off a three game slate of ranked opponents, any of which is good enough to take down the Dawgs on any given day, but which also provide a path for Georgia to vault to #1 in the Playoff rankings with wins over all three (until The Game, that is). Missouri is the first up, a team with a great underrated QB in Brady Cook buy not much run game to speak of. That hasn't limited the Tigers much so far (other than dooming them with a late pick six against LSU) but Georgia's vulnerability is on the ground, not through the air. Cook has been a difference maker on the ground as well in Mizzou's last two wins but I think he'll find the Georgia D a bit beyond his skill to solve. Georgia's not invincible but they aren't stumbling this week. <b>Mizzou: 17--UGA: 34</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Missouri is having a very nice season. Could I see them pulling the upset, eh not really. While there isn't a great team in college football this year, Georgia sure feels like one of the top 4. I feel like Mizzou is just a rung below. Time to start propping up that "SEC resume." <b>Mizzou: 17--UGA: 42</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>The worst part about this matchup is that after the Bulldogs win, Missouri will still be ranked and it will be a quality win even when Missouri loses again, inevitably, and falls from the rankings entirely *heavy sigh*. UGA cruises. <b>Mizzou: 17--UGA: 34</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Oklahoma Sooners @ Oklahoma State Cowboys</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I’ll miss Bedlam when the dust settles. The Pokes have quietly rebounded from a horrendous start to face their rival in a game for the inside track to the Big 12 title game (featuring Nelly……Nelly), but even the confines of Stillwater won’t be enough to crack the Sooners. I’d guess the environment will be insane as the Cowboys look to have the door smack the Sooners on the way out, but Dillon Gabriel will be too much to overcome. BOOMER! <b>OU:34–OkSt: 24</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">So I know that after Oklahoma's loss to Kansas last week there's about 13 teams tied for the Big 12 lead, and technically Oklahoma State is one of them. But the stink of losing to South Alabama (USA! USA!) by <b>twenty-six</b> doesn't wash off quickly. This is a team with serious problems behind center, especially compared against what could be Heisman dark horse candidate Dillon Gabriel taking snaps for the Sooners. Do the Cowboys at least have a defensive advantage to offset their deficiencies with the ball in their hands? Nope, OU has them outclassed in every sense on the other side of the ball as well. I'm sure that Okie State would be glad to get one last laugh over big brother before another wave of mediocre teams arrives to replace them, but there's just no advantage to press here. <b>OU: 31--OkSt: 20</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Is this the final Bedlam game ever? Man, I sure hope not. This has been one of the better rivalry games for the recent past. Oklahoma reeling after that huge upset last week throws another wrench into this game. My guess would be that Ok State jumps out early, but can't hold on late. That was a once in a generation loss for the Sooners and they're feeling it for sure. The Sooners win, but the Cowboys get a pound of flesh. <b>OU: 35--OkSt: 31</b></span><br /></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Every year the CFP ranks a team their first week that, even after having the benefit of a full 2/3 of the season, you have to scratch your head. This year that would be the 6-2 Oklahoma State Cowboys. Best wins? One-possession wins over both Kansas teams. Oh, yeah, and a 33-7 loss to South Alabama who is 4-5 and one directional away from being the SCLSU Muddogs. The Sooners played with fire several times this year and finally got got, but in this (hopefully not!) last edition of Bedlam, they'll wake up and leave their mark. <b>OU: 38--OkSt: 27</b></span></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Washington Huskies @ Southern California Trojans</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This game looked to be a dud when USC was clearly crashing and burning, but UW has matched the Trojans in style over the last few weeks. Pen is hasn’t been up to snuff after the injury in the Oregon game, but USC has just looked awful. I still believe that Caleb Williams is an all-world talent, but he’s playing for next year (i.e., don’t die). The Huskies still have it all in front of them. While I could envision an upset if SC puts it together and wins a shootout, I’ll play the probabilities and lean the purple and gold. Closer than the experts think. <b>UW: 34-–USC: 31</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Is Washington OK? It's easy to look at this matchup and notice that USC hasn't put 4 quarters of good football together since walloping Stanford the same day of the Jim Tressel Bowl in Columbus, buuut that Stanford team? They were trailing the Huskies by 2 points with 2 minutes left to go last week. And the week before that, it took a red zone pick-six for UW to get past awful Arizona State. I'm still not convinced the Huskies are the best team in the Pac-12; in fact, every week cements my belief that they're still not as good as Oregon. That being said, you don't need to be at your absolute best to get by USC, although you do need to be on your game in the 4th quarter, as that was where Arizona and Cal saw potential huge upsets slip away. Unfortunately for the Trojans, that's the money quarter for UW as well. There's plenty of time to slip up on the upcoming stretch run for Washington; this won't be the week. <b>UW: 42--USC: 35</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This one feels odd. Washington looks the part while USC can't stop anything. Outside of one game, Penix has played extremely well. The USC defense is just...I can't even describe how bad it is. It's not gonna be close. <b>UW: 49--USC: 21</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>If ever you needed proof that brands matter, look no further than USC. With an atrocious defense, two losses and their best win a 2-point squeaker over 5-3 Arizona, and they sit at 20th in the CFP poll. Outlandish. Thankfully, that will no longer be an issue because the former Heisman winner has no defense to back him up, and quite possibly the future Heisman winner (former IU quarterback! That's still hilarious to me) can sling it. No chance USC gets enough stops to stay in this one. Huskies roll. <b>UW: 45--USC: 26 </b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Louisiana State Tigers @ Alabama Crimson Tide</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Don’t look now, but the terrible, horrible, no-good, very-bad Alabama team…is one of about 6 teams that controls their destiny for the CFP. LSU has the hype that just never came to fruition this year, but Daniels has been very good directing the Tiger offense. Bama is clearly #2 under center in this game, but they are (as usual) better at pretty much every other positions. LSU feels like a team that could get it done, but every time we say it, the Tide Roll. Therefore, <say the line>….roll tide…. <b>LSU: 27–-Bama: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">You want to know why name isn't at the top of the standings kicking off each weekly post? Because I'm the sap that keeps picking Alabama to lose games. Ole Miss, Texas A&M, clearly I'm not learning my lesson about the inevitability of Nick Saban. But heaven help me, it's time to dive into that snake pit again. This game is strength on strength and struggle on struggle as arguably the nation's best defense in the Tide attempts to slow what is less arguably the nation's best offense behind Jayden Daniels. But when the possession changes, get ready to watch Jaylen Milroe try to get anything cooking against what might as well be air. This is the bizarro version of last year's Bama that couldn't quite keep up with an LSU attack that was gashing them repeatedly on the ground. But the Tigers might be even better this year with the ball and Alabama has been vulnerable week to week during the first half. The danger for LSU is that Bama lives or dies on the big plays and the Tigers are seemingly incapable of doing anything to keep the offense in front of them. That being said, way back in September, just when it seemed like the Crimson Death Star was surging back to seize another marquee nonconference win, Quinn Ewers and Texas exploded for three fourth-quarter TDs to salt the game away. Look for LSU to get punched in the mouth but refuse to heed the bell. <b>LSU: 35--Bama: 31</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>This game, like in past years, will most likely decide the SEC
West. This Bama team feels like a step below what they have been lately. Then
again, so does LSU under Brian Kelly. The Tide has finally found something in Jalen
Milroe and the Bama defense is still pretty good. Yes, LSU has Jayden Daniels,
but again, they have Brian Kelly. I’ll take the Tide in a close one. <b>LSU: 17—Bama:
21</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Quite possibly the game of the week in Tuscaloosa. I keep hearing a lot of Jayden Daniels Heisman chatter, which I find weird given the two losses already, and one in which he didn't look too good (FSU). This game could make those conversations legitimate if he can run and throw it on the Tide. Bama looked shockingly competent on offense in the second half against Tennessee. It may have been an aberration, but I do know that Nick Saban had an extra week of prep for this one. The offense should be primed and the defense will use that Heisman talk as motivation. Bama wins an entertaining one. <b>LSU: 27--Bama: 34</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The Buckeyes enter SHI stadium to see if they can duplicate TTUN’s best win (look it up!). However, don’t be fooled: Rutgers is…not terrible. The Buckeyes are the clear favorites and have talent disparities everywhere, but the Knights are a team that’s like the Purdue teams of old….just get lucky and maybe. Schwann will throw a curve here or there, but it won’t be enough. McCord will bounce back after a pretty bad game in Madison and get things going early. The Piscataway faithful won’t set the earth on fire and the Scarlet and Gray will outweigh the Scarlet and,…black? Marv gets his hundo and TD and TreVeyon continues his explosion from last week by cashing in 2x. I’d like to see Egbuka get back into shape and the defense stay on target. Bucks! <b>OSU: 38—RU: 16<span> </span></b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">For what seems like the millionth time since the Maryland game, the Buckeyes face a team that can't move the ball, especially through the air. Which means that this is a guaranteed W unless the mistakes just start cascading from behind center. Even two picks last week were only enough to pull Wisconsin within two scores at home. Rutgers might have an even better defense than the Badgers but they are a total shambles at quarterback. You thought McCord struggled against Wisconsin? The Rutgers passing attack put up a ghastly 5.5 yards per attempt while getting wrecked by the Badgers, with a pick-six to boot. Losing Lathan Ransom is less than ideal but next-man-up Sonny Styles and the rest of the Buckeye secondary should feast against Rutgers QB Gavin Wimsatt and co. Of course, you have to score points to win, and as it turns out Rutgers also has a pretty bad run defense. It's time to see whether the shot in the arm that a healthy Tre gave to the ground game is here to stay or just a nice present from Fick last week. I'm betting on the Buckeye O getting their groove back notwithstanding Schiano's bag of tricks and treats off the bye week. On to the home cupcakes and then................. <b>OSU: 31--RSUNJ: 10</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>I feel like there is still some bad blood after Jesse Mirco made
the unilateral decision to fake a punt in a blowout. Schiano was understandably
upset. I get it. You’re tired of getting your butt kicked every year. Good news
for our old friend Greg, he actually has a decent team this year. I mean, they’re
already bowl eligible. Bad news for the Scarlet Nights, the Silver Bullets have
been crushing teams this year. Add in the Routeman Marv factor and this feels
like it’s still a mismatch. Rutgers will pull out all the trick plays they can,
but it won’t be enough. Bucks win, but it may be close into the 3rd quarter. <b>OSU:
35—RU: 10</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Well, like I predicted, things got weird in Mad-town last week. McCord struggled mightily (that whole "I throw of my back foot if I even kinda feel pressure" thing finally caught up to him), but hey, we have a run game again! Thanks Treveyon. Meanwhile, Rutgers is...competent?? Better than Virginia Tech?? Bowl eligible before November??? Somehow, all of these statements are accurate. Schiano is maximizing that Knights' roster, and we all know he will pull out all the stops against opponents like the Buckeyes. Still, Emeka may be good to go, and Marvin Harrison Jr. is simply a cheat code. Hopefully there's no dust ups about a fake punt again. Stay healthy and get out of Piscataway with some rhythm for Kyle and a solid W. <b>RU: 13--OSU: 31</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Virginia Tech over Louisville<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">: <span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Colorado over Oregon State</span><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Iowa State over Kansas</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Maryland over Penn State</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-3199989153958910002023-10-28T10:32:00.000-04:002023-10-28T10:32:01.001-04:00Week 9: Battle of the Buckeye Coaches<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">1.) Draper 30-11 (1-7 upset)<br />
2.) Schweinfurth 29-12 (1-7 upset)<br />
3.) Seeberg 28-13 (2-6 upset)<br />
4.) Hoying 27-14 (2-6 upset)</span><br /><br /></span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">As the ranks of the undefeated continue to dwindle,
the top teams find themselves outside the realm of marquee matchups for the
most part this week. Particularly one team deep in the championship hunt, with
nothing to do but sit and stew for another seven days, which may or may not be
to their benefit... </span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Oregon Ducks @ Utah Utes</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Utah has that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3_PPdjD6mg">Jesse Pinkman</a> approach of continuing to win when they really have no right to. The difference between USC and Oregon is that the Ducks have a functioning Oline and a Grinchless defense. Rice Eccles Stadium is a tough place to play, but I'd argue that Washington's stadium is tougher and the Ducks were a missed FG away from victory against a legit top 10 <strike>team</strike> offense. This seems like a bad bet, but I'm going to keep fading Kyle Whittingham's squad. I don't think they can keep up. <b>Ore: 30--Utah: 17</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">There may be only one top dog in the Pac-12 right now,
but all the rewards are still on the table for these two usual conference
standard-bearers. Lost in the sauce of the dramatic UW win over the Ducks was the
fact that Oregon outplayed them for most of the afternoon and was one 4</span><sup style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">th</sup><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">-and-short
conversion away from salting the game away. Oregon continues to operate at a
high level week to week, while their opponent this week somehow always manages
to make it look hard, even when scoring a big road upset against USC last week.
Yes, they managed to hit the 34 point mark for the second week in a row, but
that was against a horrible Trojan defense. I think I’d rather have 10 of Notre
Dame’s players on the field than 11 of USC’s. Weird things happen in the
mountains but Oregon gets the stops it needs and refuses to slow down. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Ore: 27—Utah:
20</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>This is the game that Utah
typically rises up and ruins the season of a PAC-12 national championship
contender. Here’s the issue, Utah isn’t the same as we’ve seen the last few
years. Cam Rising was just declared out for the year and the QB play hasn’t
been the same without him. Oregon seems very well rounded this year, and they
have BoNix. I really don’t think the Utes have the firepower to upset the Ducks
this year. <b>Ore: 38—Utah: 28</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Well the Utes proved me wrong again, summoning an offense from nowhere to outlast USC last week. Of course, summoning an offense against whatever the Trojans roll out on defense every week is pretty easy by comparison. The Ducks, however, are a more complete team particularly in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and points won't be as easy to come by now that Cam Rising has officially been shut down for the season. A 1-loss PAC-12 team is a likely playoff participant this year and Bo Nix and Co. know it. Ducks pull away late. <b>Ore: 31--Utah: 20</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Duke Blue Devils @ Louisville Cardinals</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">College football is weird. Duke is up on cloud nine and falls just short of a huge Notre Dame upset. They push FSU in the first half at homecoming no less then get blown out once Riley Leonard leaves. The Cardinals dominate the Irish then faceplant against a bad Pitt team. I love what Mike Elko has done in Durham. This team showed no fear in Tallahassee and was actually in control before the injury. I'm going out on a limb in saying that Duke MIGHT be the 2nd or 3rd best team in the ACC. With Riley Leonard, they're a threat to anyone. Without, they could be dangerous with a stout defense. I'm going to roll with DA DUKIES BABY. <b>Duke: 20--UL: 17</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Ah yes, another “& Friends” installment of the ongoing
“Florida State & Friends” season unrolling to the east. There must be a
dearth of worthy teams out there because both of these manage to continue to be
ranked for some reason. As predicted last week, Duke was burnt toast the second
Riley Leonard left the game, even though the Blue Devils had the lead and the
ball at that point. They didn’t score again, and I’m not sure if they will this
week either after seeing how Louisville bullied the otherwise competent Notre
Dame ground game a couple of weeks ago. Either the Pitt game the following week
was a letdown the size of the inevitable fizzle at the end of the Connor
Stalions investigation (brace yourselves, you know nothing is going to happen),
or the ACC is just impossible to predict below the top team. I’m still not sold
on Louisville but Duke is done until I see any signs of life behind center. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Duke:
6—UL: 24</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Duke hasn’t looked the same since
the loss to Notre Dame. Granted, losing your QB tends to do that to a team.
Louisville has looked very good this year. Jeff Brohm seems to know how to get
the best out of his teams. Duke is a great story, but Louisville looks like one
of the top ACC teams. <b>Duke: 21—UL: 35</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>On this week's edition of "are we sure this isn't a basketball blog?" is Duke vs. Louisville <i>as a ranked matchup.</i> Quite frankly I don't trust either of these teams much. Remember, Louisville lost to Pitt and only managed a 1-score win against the lowly Hoosiers. Of the four primary units in this game I trust Duke's D most, and good defense travels. Blue Devils pour more dirt on the ACC's feeble playoff hopes. <b>Duke: 24--UL: 17</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Tennessee Volunteers @ Kentucky Wildcats</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Man....I just don't care. Tennessee is still talking about last year's victory over Bama with...nothing else to care about since. Kentucky is.....Kentucky. This is a tough game to get excited for. Joe Milton has his moments slinging the rock, but this is simply another midlevel SEC East game (translation: who cares). Vols have better talent although it's closer than in the past. Vols take down the Cats in Lexington. <b>UT: 28--UK: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Speaking of blue-clad basketball blue bloods, Kentucky
is still hanging out near the bottom of the top 25, and that win over Florida
just looks better every week. That’s the same Florida, you may recall, that knocked
off Tennessee back in September. Like every team Alabama plays, the Vols looked
great last week in the first half against Alabama until the Saban effect kicked
in and the Tide mechanically ground out another 27 points to UT’s zero. Of
course, that’s arguably better than getting blown out at home by Missouri like
UK did last week. The September triangle of Kentucky > Florida >
Tennessee sure feels like a long time ago, and even with one of Tennessee’s top
CB’s, Kamal Hadden, out for the season, a strong UT running game will be more
than the ‘Cats can handle or counter. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">UT: 24—UK: 20</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Don’t look now, but the Vols have
found a running game. Joe Milton, he of the bionic arm, is running the ball and
torching defenses. Kentucky has played well, but Georgia busted that bubble
hard. The Vols are playing a bit better defense, and it may be enough with
Tennessee’s offense. They really just need one stop. <b>UT: 45—UK: 42</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>SERIOUSLY, are we sure this isn't a basketball site? Craziness. Both teams are reeling a bit as the Vols try to figure out what happened in the 2nd half against 'Bama while the Wildcats have gone down in back-to-back weeks, albeit to UGA and an improved Missouri team. UK, at least, is coming off a bye and this game has a similar feel to the contest against the Gators a few weeks back: conference rival coming to their place with a cast-off Big 10 QB at the helm. Apologies to my master's alma mater, but the Wildcats right the ship. <b>UT: 24--UK: 31</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Wisconsin Badgers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I know Camp Randall can be a House of Horrors...but the Badgers just aren't very good. While they could easily win the B1G West, that's just irrelevant. There will be so much talk about Luke Fickell going up against the alma mater, but he's done it once before (and got destroyed). There's really no reason to expect a surprise here unless the Buckeyes a) forget how to play on the road or b) feel they are unstoppable. In response to a, I give you Notre Dame. In response to b, I don't see the offense patting itself on the back after last week's win. The team knows what's in front of them and no slipups can happen before TTUN. I think Day will have the team focused. The defense will crack early on a broken play, but the offense gets a semblance of the running game going as well as keeping multiple receivers involved. Getting Egbuka back could take some pressure off Marv and open up more Cade Stover action as well. Workmanlike win for the Bucks and we count the days. <b>OSU: 34--UW: 10</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Soooo, where is this team’s head right now? This week,
I’ve read approximately 100 articles and forum threads about a certain team not
playing in this game, to maybe 3 or 4 about Wisconsin. The coaches and players
are saying the right things, but are they completely dialed in? You can bet the
Badgers are: Luke Fickell knows a thing or two about this program and he’s
itching for a chance to give a better performance than the 42-0 walloping his
Bearcats earned back in 2019. I always have to check to confirm, but the two head
coaches in this game were never on Ohio State’s staff at the same time; Fick had
just departed to Cincinnati when Day was brought in to fix Tim Beck and Ed
Warinner’s mess. One wonders if Fick would have turned down the UC job, if we
would have a different head coach...Anyway, there’s actual non-hypothetical
football this week, and like most Ohio State games this season (decade? millennium?)
it’s a total mismatch. The Badgers had a nice comeback win against Bert and the
Illini last week, but the week before, with all of their goals for the season
still in front of them, they put up 6 points at home in a multiple score loss
to </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Iowa</i><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">. The nation’s joke team! And since then they’ve only lost their
starting QB out of an offense that was already sputtering in its transition to
a more open pass-first system under Fickell. This is a team with a very, very
low ceiling, one that is no real threat to do any damage on offense against the
resurgent Silver Bullets. Outside of a slew of turnovers or baffling decisions
by McCord (Lincoln Kienholz time, baby!) this one should not be particularly
close, but some message board rust and post-Penn State hangover stops this from
being the laugher it could be. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">OSU: 27—UW: 10</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>In most years this game would terrify
me. The Buckeyes have not won a game in Madison by more than 10 points since
2000. While that’s an interesting stat, the Bucks have owned Wisconsin since
the B1G moved to East/West divisions. Another thing that allows me to breathe, the
Badgers are injured. Tanner Mordecai is out and the offense is switching
philosophies. The Buckeye defense is returning to their Silver Bullet roots.
Last week was one of the most dominant performances I have seen in a long time.
While this has the makings of a trap game, this Buckeye team seems to be
building toward the end vs. peaking too early as they have the past two years. Just
throw it up to Marv. <b>OSU: 38—UW: 17</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Guys, don't look now, but the Badgers have this one at home and at night. Weird stuff happens up there. Not Purdue-level weird, but yikes-let's-just-get-the-hell-out-of-here-with-a-win weird. Last three trips? an L and two overtime Ws. Granted, this isn't your older brother's Wisconsin squad, but that doesn't change the nailbiting history. Wisconsin's QB situation (or lack thereof) does provide more confidence this go around, as does the supposed better bill of health for the Buckeye skill players (though let's be honest, every time Treveyon has "a great week of practice" I add a week or two to his time on the shelf). I still expect this one to be competitive for a half or so, but the newly rechristened Silver Bullets should get a turnover or two to give the offense a short field. Take care of the ball, take FGs when they are presented, and get Route Man Marv the ball please. <b>UW: 10--OSU: 27</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Indiana over Penn State (#10 falls again!)<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">: BYU over Texas<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;">Cal over USC<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Kansas over Oklahoma</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-9059147448006699772023-10-20T22:40:00.002-04:002023-10-21T00:21:03.414-04:00Week 8: Game of the Year - Part II of III<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Draper 27-10 (1-6 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">2.) Schweinfurth 26-11 (1-6 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">3.) Seeberg 25-12 (2-5 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">4.) Hoying 24-13 (1-6 upset)</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /></span>It began with a trip to South Bend. It will end with a trek north to restore the natural order. And nestled snugly into the middle of the season is the Buckeyes' sole opportunity to show out under the scarlet crowd against an elite (or even a competent) opponent. The world revolves around Ohio State once again. Let's get to it.</p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Tennessee Volunteers @ Alabama Crimson Tide</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">After last year's epic back and forth battle, I just don't see this one living up to the hype (but I don't know how you top or match last year). Both teams have major steps down at QB (and pretty much all offensive positions). Tennessee though they had arrived but the Bobby Hill (Josh Heupel) train hasn't struck gold as expected. Despite Milroe's lack of game changing ability, he's actually been fairly efficient at QB this year (2nd most efficient QB in the SEC I believe). I don't trust Joe Milton's 'rocket' arm and being in Tuscaloosa spells R-O-L-L-T-I-D-E. <b>Tenn: 17--Bama: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Last year, <i>this</i> game would have been the game to the year to date, as the Vols were sort of last year's version of Washington, and Bama was, as it seems, always Bama. Except Bama wasn't quite Bama last season: the run defense didn't work and the pass D crumbled against the better passing teams as well. This year, we're seeing more of an early-Saban Bama, as the defense is knocking on the door of elite while the offense sputters. Of course, Tennessee is nowhere near last year's juggernaut offense either (who could have foreseen that Joe Milton wasn't going to suddenly take a giant leap this offseason?) but they now have the defense that could have taken them to the promised land last year. I still stand by my pick of Texas A&M to trip up Alabama (not so much Ole Miss to do so) but Bama completed just enough clutch passes down the stretch to trip up the Aggies in College Station. I'm not sure they can do so again, even with Milroe much improved from where he was in the Texas game. Part of me still thinks the Tide are going to faceplant at least once more this season but I just don't see Tennessee scoring enough to make it happen this week. Order is restored to the Third Saturday in October. <b>Tenn: 16--Bama: 21</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The Volunteers have look much different with Joe Milton spinning the ball. The offense has been very touch and go. Sometimes it looks smooth, and other times it looks like they can't get out of their own way. Bama has seemed very similar this year. The deference is that Milroe has started to look more comfortable. This isn't the dominant Bama we are used to, but they should still win this close. <b>Tenn: 20--Bama: 23</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>For 2023 at least, both of these teams fall into the "good-but-not-great" category. Inconsistencies on offense have plagued both the Vols and Tide which, to be fair, was seen as pretty likely heading into this campaign after losing their primary signal callers (sound familiar Buckeye Nation?). Regardless, the Bama D is still a notch or two above what the orange checkerboards are rolling out, and they should be able to turn Joe Milton over once or twice to get their starting-to-improve offense some extra possessions. Hooker gave the Vols their moment of the decade in this rivalry last year, but things always revert to the mean over time. Tide pull away late. <b>Tenn: 17--Bama: 30</b></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"> </b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Duke Blue Devils @ Florida State Seminoles</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">FSU has to avoid tripping up against a better than most think Duke squad. Granted, Duke is on the radar after the Notre Dame near miss and the Clemson upset, but no Riley Leonard spells bad news for the Devils. If Leonard plays, this could get interesting, but if not, Noles cruise. I'd say the big games we've seen by Elko's squad this year will have the Noles awake and on notice. Keep talkin. <b>Duke: 17--FSU: 27</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">First things first, if Riley Leonard doesn't suit up for Duke, they are toasted. Yes, they won by 3 scores against NC State last week but that was behind the floppy arm of Henry Belin IV, who completed all of 4 of his 12 attempts, albeit with 2 going for TDs. But if it weren't for big plays, Duke would've had no offense at all, as their touchdowns came on a 69 yard pass on a busted coverage, an 83 yard run, and an 8 yard pass immediately following an interception return. The Noles, meanwhile, are humming right along, having just pounded a rapidly fading Syracuse (remember when they were supposed to beat Clemson?). If FSU can get past Duke, they have a nice 5-game regular season denouement into the ACC title game and a likely battle with North Carolina for one of the final 4-team Playoff spots. I don't see the Devils throwing a wrench into those plans. The Duke defense is legit, but Notre Dame was still able to move the ball on them before their standard drive-killing foot shooting, and come through for one last drive when it mattered. This one's a battle for a while but busts open late. <b>Duke: 13--FSU: 27</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">It's too bad this game wasn't a few weeks ago, be fore Riley Leonard got hurt. Duke's offense just isn't the same without him, and for good reason. Florida State is healthier, and most likely the better team. It's just too much for Duke to overcome: <b>Duke: 17--FSU: 35</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>The Dookies have appeared so often this year I'd swear we're running a basketball blog. Alas, that run may come to an end here. FSU throttled LSU early and has coasted without incident since, save for a pesky Clemson squad. Duke's defense is actually on par with Dabo's unit (amazing to type that with sincerity), but the Blue Devils aren't potent enough on offense to hang around for four quarters. FSU rolls, Chief smiles. <b>Duke: 17--FSU: 28</b></span></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Utah Utes @ Southern California Trojans</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">SC isn't the team we thought due to their total lack of defense and, perhaps more concerning, their atrocious offensive line. Williams is still the #1 overall pick, but last week showed that pressure can cause problems for the Torjans. Kyle Whittingham has had Utah as the standard in the Pac12 for years whether people hear it or not. However, this iteration just isn't the same. While I think the Ute Dline can frustrate SC, I don't think they have the horses that Notre Dame does. I expect the Trojans to emerge victorious and the Utes to continue to prove that Florida just isn't good. <b>Utah: 20--USC: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Speaking of teams that are hopeless without their starting QB, Cam Rising has yet to play a single snap for the Utes this season. And it shows: Utah is putting up Iowa-esque numbers through the air, and while that has resulted in an Iowa-esque W-L record on the back of an Iowa-esque defense, the Utes haven't seen anything like what Caleb Williams is about to rain down on them. Utah's two big wins this year have been against UCLA's decidedly-not-DTR Dante Moore, and Florida's Graham Mertz. <i>From </i><i style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Wisconsin</i>. The Utes were outgained in both games but made enough big plays on defense to grind out victories. Now you might be saying, "hey wait a minute, didn't one of the teams in this game just outgain their opponent last week but get blown out because of big plays on defense?" Yes, that's true, but Notre Dame had the horses on O to make SC pay after the defense did the dirty work. Utah has struggled to move the ball against anybody this year, and while the Trojan run D is usually good for what ails ya, the Utes just aren't potent enough to take advantage. <b>Utah: 13--USC: 24</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Notre Dame really exposed USC last week. The Trojan defense is exactly what we think of it, horrible. Good news for Trojans, Utah's offence hasn't looked great this year. I fully expect Utah to put up points here. USC can't get their D off the field. Caleb Williams may have lost the Heisman (as of now) this year, but he's still a difference maker. <b>Utah: 28--USC: 31</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Intriguing matchup here of "highly movable object" meets "easily stoppable force". Strength on strength and weakness on eye-gouging weakness in this contest. Utah has absolutely bullied the Trojans for a couple seasons now, but with an impotent offense this year, even a ho-hum day from Caleb Williams is likely enough to get a W against a team that scored a whopping 7 offensive points against the other Rose Bowl home team. Trojans exact a little revenge<b> Utah: 17--USC: 24</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">For the first time in a decent number of years, PSU enters the game with (arguably) the stronger QB. While McCord isn't deserving of the crap he's received from Buckeye Nation, he isn't Stroud, Fields, etc. It seems that the years change but the narrative doesn't. 'This is the year Franklin has the horses'; 'OSU is primed to fall from the top'; 'The Lions are the new class of the East'...blah blah blah. The truth is that Penn State is very talented on both sides, but the dirty secret is that OSU is more talented at almost all positions (exception being QB--maybe-- and Oline). If Penn State wants to pull the upset, they need to exploit the advantage with their dline vs the meh OSU Oline. If they can get to McCord early and often AND the stout OSU defense (who has faced teams with a pulse unlike the Lions) reverts to the bust games of years past. I think this will be a knock down drag out fight, but the Silver Bullets do enough to slow the Penn State attack and the run game breaks a few explosives for the Scarlet and Gray. Injuries be darned, let's ride. <b>PSU: 24--OSU: 27</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">If you look at the advanced stats, this game seems to be split right down the middle. Both teams have great defenses. Both have offenses that are a little underwhelming compared to where they'd like to be. The big difference is that Ohio State is battle tested and Penn State is not. Yes, it was one battle, but Kyle McCord has been forced to stare down the home crowd and drive the length of the field in do-or-die time, and Drew Allar has not. You could point to Penn State putting up 31 points against the brick wall that is otherwise Iowa, but that's more a function of being gifted about 500 plays of offense due to the Hawkeyes' inability to hang on to the ball for more than a few seconds at a time against a talented PSU front. And that was at home; the Lions have been a bit...off...on the road this year, turning in a curious first half clunker against Northwestern of all teams, and needing multiple turnovers to pull away from Illinois. I don't trust them to put up a lot of points in the unfriendly confines of Ohio Stadium. That puts the game in the hands of the Ohio State offense, and they will have their work cut out for them. No one defends the pass like Penn State, and while they have been a bit more vulnerable on the ground, are the Bucks going to be able to replicate last week's success against a significantly better run D? Ryan Day better be ready to pull out all the stops in this one: Devin Brown, Dallan Hayden, jump passes, just no more end arounds on 4th-and-1, please. I see this as a knock down drag out rock fight like the mess we all had to suffer through back in 2008, one that could come down to an untimely turnover late. But they ain't called Pick Six University for nothing. Buckeyes take a squeaker. <b>PSU: 13--OSU: 16</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This has the feel of a street fight. Both defenses have played excellent. Ohio State has faced some tough offenses in Notre Dame (hard running team) and Maryland (good passing team) and have passed the test to this point. I am not sold on what Penn State has tried to do on offense. Everything has been short passes and check downs. They haven't tried to stretch the field at all. They may try it here, but they haven't even shown that they trust Aller to throw deep. The Lion's defense will challenge McCord, but he seems to have the coaches' trust to try and make the big play. I really don't see many teams matching up against the Ohio State wide out room. The Buckeyes have been tested and know how to win these types of games. Penn State hasn't been tested yet, and this is a rough one to dive in head first. Bucks win in a close one. <b>PSU: 10--OSU: 17</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Oh boy. I've seen this game broken down every which way all week. I...am not enthusiastic. I actually watched the "game winning drive" Kyle McCord engineered against ND on my lunch break today. A slew of poorly located balls, a near-INT, a grounding call (lousy, in fairness). Two good darts to Emeka down the seam and that was about it honestly. Took 15 plays to go 65 yards. Fifteen plays would've been three TDs last year in all likelihood. On the bright side, the defense is sneaking closer to regaining that mythical Silver Bullets moniker we all enjoy. Explosive plays are gone- and Penn State, oddly, doesn't create them anyway. I've heard good analysts say that's a huge edge for the Buckeyes but I don't know. Penn State is built to dink and dunk and move the ball between the 20s and Ohio State is built to <i>let you do just that</i>. Yardage may be easy for them to come by. Believe it or not, until Notre Dame's very last series of the game, Ohio State hadn't produced a single negative play on defense. Not one. If the Lions stay on schedule they will move the ball, and because James Franklin, a notoriously lousy coach in these moments, is just that, he will kick field goals when the analytics say GO- and if Freeman had done that the Irish may have been smiling last month. Add to that the uncertainty of no less than 4 key contributors (Burke and Egbuka the most important in my opinion) and I like almost nothing about this game other than it's in Columbus. Is Penn State's defense for real? Even having faced putrid offenses and whatever Iowa claims to be rolling out, it's still a defense comparable to Notre Dame, and at full strength we managed one big Henderson run (questionable availability), a FG and a couple of seam throws to Egbuka (also questionable). Last week, every game that I picked as a one-possession game went the opposite way. I sure hope that happens here, but I just don't know. Pains me to even type it, but the Lions assert themselves as the best non-cheating program in the B1G East. <b>PSU: 19--OSU: 17</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Stanford over UCLA<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">: Minnesota over Iowa<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Washington St. over Oregon</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> UCF over Oklahoma</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-7191823334514870972023-10-14T00:55:00.000-04:002023-10-14T00:55:46.618-04:00Week 7: BIG Present and Future TENse<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Draper 22-9 (1-5 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">1.) Seeberg 22-9 (1-5 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Schweinfurth 22-9 (0-6 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">4.) Hoying 21-10 (1-5 upset)</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /></span>We're hitting the stride of the last classic-ish Big Ten season with a sneaky game of consequence out west. But that "west" will soon be central as the B1G's shiny new toys will be joining the fold next year, and each of them has their own ranked matchup to deal with this week. And, of course, never ever sleep on the Spoilermakers in West Lafayette.</p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Oregon Ducks @ Washington Huskies</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">A fun game in the last year of the Pac-12 that has real National Title implications. The Huskies have been a machine on offense led by Big Penix Energy, but the Ducks have been right on their tails with Big BoNix Energy. I expect fireworks in Seattle in which these teams go blow for blow all day. While I think Oregon may have the better defense (by a smidgen), Michael Penix has a real claim to Heisman frontrunner. The question is Oregon's balanced offense vs. Washington's fire passing attack. While I see my colleagues are quacking, I'm howling for a HUGE home win for the Huskies showing they're for real (in the Pac 12). <b>Ore: 38--UW: 44</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Welcome to the discount Big Ten Championship, featuring
next year’s discount Big Ten additions. USC is still in the mix, but in the second
and final year of divisionless play in the Pac-12, the winner of this game has
a cushy inside track to Las Vegas in December. Last year’s iteration in Eugene
was a back-and-forth masterpiece that featured Penix barely outdueling BoNix.
Fewer people remember that Oregon also gashed Washington on the ground in that
game, and the Ducks have taken the same balanced offense into 2023. Washington’s
air attack only gets more lethal by the week, but they don’t really have a
credible rushing attack to back it up (sound familiar?). Add this to a somewhat
suspect run defense for the Huskies and you have the recipe for the Ducks to
take control of the Pac-12 farewell tour. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Ore: 34—UW: 31</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>The battle of the transfer QBs! BoNix
versus the Penix. These two teams appear to be the class of the Pac-12 this year.
Both teams have been playing great defense, but I really think the offenses are
going to shine. This has all the markings of a shootout. It should be a fun one
to watch. <b>Ore: 38—UW: 42</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Game of the week with an IU quarterback. No, not "big noon" with UM and Indiana, thankfully, it's the battle of the nines as Bo NIX battles Michael PenIX and the Huskies. The Pac-TBD is remarkably legit, with a bunch of above average power five teams and these two CFP contenders. The loser probably isn't out of the conversation in all honesty. This one feels like a complete toss-up to me, but I think the Ducks are just enough better in the trenches to outlast a really good Husky team. Ducks late. <b>Ducks: 31--Wash: 26</b></span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"> </b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Iowa Hawkeyes @ Wisconsin Badgers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">While the Ducks and Huskies will (should?) be setting the scoreboard on fire, the Badgers and Hawkeyes travel back to 19-diggity-2 where the forward pass was a glint in the eye of old John Heisman. This should be a defensive slugfest, but I wouldn't be surprised if the scores outdo those in Seattle (because college football). All evidence points to the winner here taking the B1G West (but who cares?). Iowa has been a trainwreck all year....that just keeps winning inexplicably. I have no faith that Wisconsin isn't right there in the dumpster with Iowa, but I think they can pull out a gross win at home. It would be funny for 2 defensive scores to keep Iowa alive, but I think they only steal one. <b>Iowa: 13--Wisc: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">I know it’s literally the midway point of the season,
but there’s a good chance one of these teams could have the final Big Ten West
crown wrapped up when the clock hits zeroes in Madison. Fittingly for this
dumpster fire of a division, the other five teams are among the worst in the
Power 5 FBS Division I, so the title game berth is going to one of these two
mediocre squads by default. As you probably know, Wisconsin still has to host
the Buckeyes circa Halloween, but the other B1G East teams left for these teams
are Rutgers and Indiana, which means there’s a very good chance that one of
these teams will crawl out of the sludge of this matchup, waltz to 11-1, and be
in prime position to have a 2014 Wisconsin Badgers-esque time against one of the
three-headed monster. As for who that team will be, this is always a game where
you can pencil in the Badgers unless they have a million turnovers. The Hawkeye
D is good, and a plus turnover ratio has been the key to their 2-game B1G
winning streak, but Wisconsin is perfectly content to keep the ball on the
ground, grind it out, and dare the Hawkeyes to score. Which they can’t. Iowa is
currently churning out a 33% Eckel rate (% of drives including a 1</span><sup style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">st</sup><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">-and-10
inside the opponent 40 or a big-play TD), and they get a miserable 2.63 points
on each Eckel. Unless Iowa can get the ball to jump around out of the Badgers’
hands, they can put their last hopes of a Big Ten Championship for the foreseeable
future to bed early. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Iowa: 10—Wis: 20</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Iowa has a great defense and still
has the worst offense known to man. Wisconsin has a serviceable defense, but is
still adjusting to more of a spread style. This game may be which team can
actually find the endzone. Iowa might actually win this game with under 10
points. <b>Iowa: 13—UW: 6</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Yuck, this one won't be pretty. First to 20(ish) wins! The Badgers have put in four workman-like wins this year sandwiched around a loss to Washington State that honestly doesn't look too bad. The Hawkeyes have a laughably inept goose egg in Happy Valley and a squeaker at home against Purdue. I don't think that offense is going to do enough to stifle Jump Around. Badgers ugly. <b>Iowa: 10--Wisc: 17 </b></span></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Southern California Trojans @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Say what you will about the Irish, but their schedule is BRUTAL. OSU, Duke, Louisville, then USC??? Doesn't sound like a murderer's row, but Duke and Louisville on the road are pretty good. I don't know if they can get off the mat again. The OSU game almost cost them Duke and the energy was just trash against the Cardinals. The good news? USC's defense is still led by Alex Grinch! SC still has Caleb Williams (which really does mean something), but this feels like a put up or shut up for old man Sam Hartman. If the Irish don't light up the scoreboard, Freeman might need to find a realtor. If the Irish defense can fix some of last week's woes and just keep scoring, I think many of last week's sins will be forgiven. Arizona had USC beat and gagged it away. Make no mistake, Arizona is trash. If the Irish had a single WR, they'd be in good shape, but the TEs will be enough to keep up while the defense gets a key stop or 2. Irish win close. <b>SC: 31--ND: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Does Notre Dame ever play a game during daylight hours?
Did LSU trade them their kickoff times in return for Brian Kelly? This should
help the Trojans’ body clocks, but there’s no telling whether they’ll be ready
for low 50’s, wind gusts, and rain. USC QB Caleb Williams is transcendent, but
anyone who remembers the Ohio State Northwestern game last year will know that
bad weather games are won on the ground. And that would be exceptionally bad
for the Trojans; they play run D like their defenders are wearing magnets with
the same polarity as the running backs. And Notre Dame has Au[d]ric Estime and
the rest of the four horsemen that you saw wearing down the usually stout Ohio
State run D in the second half. I’m not convinced that USC would have the upper
hand even if Williams is free to cook; they’ve managed to make each of their
last three games way closer than they needed to be by letting the other team
move the ball seemingly at will. After a hot start, the Irish haven’t scored
more than 20 points in any of their last 3 games, but that should change in a
big way on Saturday. If they ever figure out how to pick up a third down. The
wobbly wheels start to fall off the Trojan Playoff wagon. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">USC: 31—ND: 35</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Notre Dame has had a gauntlet of a
month. Ohio State, Duke, Louisville, and now USC. It finally caught up with
them last week. The Irish looked all out of sorts on defense. The good news for
them, USC chooses not to play defense. The problem is that Caleb Williams is
still the Trojan QB. It just doesn’t look good for the Irish. The Trojans’ lack
of defense keeps the Irish in this, but Williams is just on another level right
now. <b>USC: 42—ND: 35</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>I'm less and less impressed with the golden domers after our last-second win in South Bend, and more and more impressed with USC, at least on the offensive side of the ball. The Irish WRs <i>might actually get separation</i> in this game, and Sam Hartman will have time to find them. The Trojans will absolutely score it, however. I can talk myself into either team winning this one, but I don't think the Irish are ready just yet to beat a Big 10 powerhouse. So weird saying that. <b>USC: 34--ND: 28</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Miami Hurricanes @ North Carolina Tar Heels</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Miami is coming off of the most hilarious loss of all time last week against a PUTRID Georgia Tech team. I don't care if the UM running back was 100% down before fumbling (he was), you don't just come back to normal after your coaches literally went from a 99.999% chance of winning and did the 7 things you cannot do....in order...in a minute. Absolutely brutal (but hilarious--Go Noles). The Tarheels have looked fantastic outside of a game they stole from App State. This will be more of the same. Drake Maye takes care of business. <b>UM: 17--UNC: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">All right! Another undefeated matchu…what was that?
The Hurricanes did </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">what</i><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">? OK, so absent perhaps the dumbest coaching decision
I have ever seen, the Hurricanes would be 5-0 and still in the thick of the Playoff
chase, but let’s not forget that they were in a position to lose at home to
Georgia Tech, a team that had just lost to bad bad Bowling Green the week prior.
That being said, NC almost dropped an early game to App State, but they’ve been
generally as dominant otherwise as Miami has. The Canes should come out frothing
at the mouth to wash out the bad taste of last week. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Miami: 31—UNC: 23</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Before last week, I may have
picked Miami here. And then Mario Cristobel forgot you are allowed to take a knee
to end games. I question weather or not the players trust the coaching staff at
all after that. On the other side, Drake Maye is starting to look like himself
again. It just doesn’t look good for the U right now. <b>Miami: 21—UNC: 35</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>This is a ranked matchup after that absurd U debacle last week? Fascinating. The Tar Heels are humming right along against a mediocre schedule and up to #12 in the country. Miami <i>should</i> be out to prove something in this one, but on the road I don't think they'll have enough to get it done. Tar Heels pull away late. <b>UM: 24--UNC: 35</b></span></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>California, Los Angeles Bruins @ Oregon State Beavers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I really don't think either of these teams is that good. DJ Ukulele has had his resurgence in Corvallis, but....I just don't care. Chip handled the Cougs last week, but....I just don't care. These seem like 2 teams vying to finish in the 15-20 range at seasons end. I'll lean the Beavers and the turnover chainsaw to complete the sweep of LA this weekend. <b>UCLA: 24--OrSt: 31</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">One of the consequences of having 7 (!) ranked teams
in a 12-team conference is that there is always a banger undercard for whatever
juggernaut matchup headlines the day. And as the undefeated teams continue to
fall, the cycles start to appear. Like Washington State beat Oregon State, who
beat Utah, who beat UCLA, who beat Washington State. What does that say about this
matchup? Does it matter that all four of the winners in the aforementioned cycle
were playing at home? That may be the key to everything here, because I’ll be
darned if I can find a material advantage for either of these teams. So I’ll
take the easy way out. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">UCLA: 24—OrSt: 28</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Oregon State has been a good story
thus far, but I do question is they have what it takes to hang with the better
teams in the Pac-12. UCLA has been a bit disappointing to this point, but I think
they bounce back on this one. <b>UCLA: 20—Ore St.: 17</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Another matchup of good-but-not-great Pac opponents. UCLA has been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride lately, laying a massive egg on the road against Utah's 3rd string QB before beating a good Wazzou squad last week. The Beavers' D is a couple notches better than WSU's 98th ranked unit, and we saw what a physical defense can do to Chip Kelly's team in Salt Lake City. Bruins manage double digits, but can't quite get the road win. <b>UCLA: 17--OrSt: 27</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Purdue Boilermakers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Top 5 undefeated OSU vs. unranked Purdue....tale as old as time. While the echoes of the past resound, and I'm sure Peacock will show the stat that unranked Purdue has beaten a top 5 opponent an astounding 18 times while second place is 11 times. Also, 5 of those upsets was, you guessed it, THE Ohio State Buckeyes. Unfortunately for Purdue, none of those Purdue teams nor those OSU teams are on the field in West Lafayette this weekend. I have a sneaky feeling that this might be a game in which a few things click early and often for the scarlet and gray. Egbuka didn't make the trip, but Marv is still an alien. The Oline gets better this week against a hapless Purdue Dline and starts imposing their will a bit. It won't translate to the big boys, but this team is due for a complete game against an overmatched opponent. Trey is set to return and I expect at least one explosive from him in the running game with a few deep shots from McCord. Don't sleep on Xavier Johnson stepping in for Egbuka as well as a little Carnell Tate action. The Silver Bullets will continue the bend don't break approach against the Texas transfer and stifle the Boilers. Bucks roll. <b>OSU: 48--PU: 10</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Everywhere you look (there’s a heart…) you will hear
nightmare tales of Ohio State’s woes at historic Ross-Ade Stadium. But these
stories rely on data that is, paradoxically, both too biased toward recency and
stretching back too far on the timeline. Let me explain: everyone knows the Buckeyes
have lost 5 of their last 8 games at Purdue, right? Do you know why that statistic
always stops at 8? Because Ohio State took home a win on 8 of their previous 10
visits to West Lafayette. Also, those 8 games everyone loves to bring up? Those
span 19 years, stretching all the way back to the late Cooper years, when the quality
and consistency of Ohio State football was nowhere near today’s standard. As
for those 5 losses? Well, Purdue might have been better than Ohio State in
2000, 2004, and 2011. 2018 Purdue was perfectly crafted to take advantage of the
few flaws of a near-elite Ohio State football team. And 2009…well you’ll go
broke if you try to bet on repeats of that game happening. Every coach gets one
baffling impossible-to-predict loss. Let’s hope Day’s was Oregon in 2021.
Anyway, as far as this game goes, it may be tempting to label it as a trap game on the road nicely sandwiched between home dates with the undefeated #3 and #4 teams in the Big Ten East.
But you may have heard me say before that traps have to have the capacity to be
sprung, and Purdue doesn’t really excel at anything. Yeah, the “CJ Stroud is
actually really good” domino that knocked Quinn Ewers to Texas has resulted in QB
Hudson Card ending up at Purdue but he’s been woefully inconsistent so far. And
the defense is horrible, although that was also true in 2018. Everyone remembers
Rondale Moore from that game (and rightfully so) but Anthony McFarland was just
as lethal for Maryland and Ohio State was able to barely scrape out a victory
in College Park. The difference was finishing in the red zone, as the Buckeyes
outgained the Boilermakers on the night back in 2018, but after the first three
quarters, Purdue had 3 TDs and Ohio State had three field goal attempts and six
total points to show for their efforts. I suppose the inconsistencies in the Buckeye
run game could similarly keep points off the board here but the difference is
that the Boilers don’t have a Rondale Moore to make us pay this time. At worst
you get something like the “Holy Buckeye” game, but, warts and all, I don’t
think this team’s offense is anywhere near as bad as the 2002 Midseason Experience
Starring Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall. Buckeyes win comfortably and set their
fryers on bigger fish. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">OSU: 38—PU: 6</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Hoo boy. The Bucks are traveling
to Purdue. You know, the proverbial house of horrors. No team since the turn of
the century has a better win percentage against Ohio State than Purdue. The
Bucks have issue running the ball, but they still have Route Man Marv. No
Egbuka is a big blow, but Carnel Tate is a serviceable backup at this point. What
scares me is the weather. The Buckeyes already have issues running the ball. It
could be an issue if it’s a rainy game. This Purdue teams isn’t great, but if
the Buckeyes lose on Peacock, will anyone see it? I know I won’t. <b>OSU: 28—Purdue:
9</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>An absolutely chilling statistic has circulated the world wide web this week. EVERY Ohio State head coach since Wes Fesler (he coached in the '40s, if you were wondering) has lost at least once AT Purdue. Ross-Ade is like the No. 2 court at Wimbledon, otherwise known as the Graveyard of Champions. These editions of the Boilermakers and Buckeyes are pretty typical on paper with OSU opening as a 3-TD favorite on the road (the number has since dropped to 19.5). Look closer and, well, things just aren't right here in Columbus. A painfully putrid 1.9 YPC last week is concerning to say the least. What's even scarier is even when adjusting for sack yardage AND the botched snap on the punt, the average was still just 2.9, which obviously won't get it done against the likes of PSU and UM. If this game were at night in West Lafayette my panic meter would be even a notch or two higher. An icky weather forecast (50s and possible rain) is bad for a fast-track team like our Buckeyes. Still, I can't imagine Purdue holding up on their own O-line, and the RBs and O-line should be hungry to silence the critics. I don't expect it to be pretty, but get the W and get out of that hellhole. <b>OSU: 31--Pur: 13</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Cal over Utah<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">: Auburn over LSU<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;">Pitt over Louisville<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Arizona over Washington State</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-69495158284794500072023-10-07T10:26:00.007-04:002023-10-08T00:37:43.250-04:00Week 6: Red River Stormout<p> <u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Draper 19-6 (1-4 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">1.) Hoying 19-6 (1-4 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">1.) Seeberg 19-6 (1-4 upset)<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Schweinfurth 19-6 (0-5 upset)<br /><br /></span>You thought two weeks ago was a monster Saturday? Well, lock yourself into that sweet sweet YouTube TV Multiview because three of the top five teams in the nation are facing undefeated opponents. The other two are technically playing football as well, but you won't read about that here. Above all else, don't miss your chance to hear the golden pipes of Gus Johnson call out a Marvin Harrison touchdown for the first time in this young season.</p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Always a fun time in Dallas, but this is the first time in a while this game sems to...actually matter? While OU was dominating the Big12 of late, this game provided Texas an opportunity to be 'back' as per usual. The difference is that this Texas team seems like they MAY have figured something out. OU has been quietly very good this year albeit with no marquee wins. The question is: can Venables turn it up in a real game? I think Sark may have found something in this year and he's not losing a game like this. I expect the faceplant to come when we least expect it. This should be a good one! <b>OU: 24--UT: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The Red River Shootout is back to relevance for the first time since these teams split two meetings in 2018, the most recent year Texas was ba-a-a-ck. The Horns have been on a roll this season since staking Dracula back in September, a hard-fought hangover win over Wyoming notwithstanding, and they just got done rolling the Jayhawk pretender, allowing just 260 total yards to an offense otherwise averaging well above 400. But Oklahoma's out to prove that offensive success in Norman isn't just for Big Game Bob and Lincoln Riley, as Dillon Gabriel has continued right along the Heisman candidate pipeline that went on hiatus last year after Riley cleaned out the cupboards on his way to Hollywood. The advanced stats love the Sooners, which I find curious given their closer-than-they-should-be wins over SMU and Cincinnati. It's hard to go broke betting on the Sooners in this series, but Texas always seems to save their best Bevo-ing for when the lights (or the 11 AM sunshine) are the brightest. <b>OU: 31--UT: 34</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I don't buy the Texas is back theory. Sure, they beat Bama, but this isn't a normal Crimson Tide team this year. Oklahoma is still rebuilding under Venables and I don't think they are quite there yet. It helps that the Longhorns have the QB advantage here. <b>OU: 35--UT: 42</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>The undisputed game of the week is the Red River Shootout. The rivalry is 33-33-3 in the last 69 (nice) contests which is truly remarkable. Oklahoma has been the better program by a large stretch over the last 10-15 years, which bears out in the Sooners' 10-4 record against the Longhorns since 2010. That stretch includes an absolute pasting, however, 49-0 at the hands of Bijan and Co. last year, which is Texas' largest margin of victory in the rivalry EVER. Don't expect such a blowout this season as the Sooners are legitimately improved in year two under Brent Venables and, of course, Bijan is already tearing up the pros as a Falcon. The offense, however, has still looked mediocre against their two best opponents to date, averaging just 24 points against SMU and Cinci. Texas is a step up from those contests and Quinn Ewers still patrols the pocket. Sooners put up a fight, but Longhorns prevail. <b>OU: 20--UT: 31</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"> </b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Washington State Cougars @ California, Los Angeles Bruins</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Is WSU for real? They are the Pac-2 champions, but this is another opportunity to step forward as a real contender. Cam Ward is the real deal, but can they keep up with a Chip Kelly offense? The good news for the Cougs is that the Chip Kelly offense hasn't really scared anyone this year. Going on the road may be an issue, but I think this is another middling game in which the Wazzu squad emerge victorious and set up a big match vs. the Ducks in 2 weeks. <b>WSU: 34--UCLA: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I know that Mike Leach was most recently at Mississippi State but his pirate spirit has sailed north to haunt Pullman after his passing. The Cougs have the nation's second most lethal air raid, only trailing...their intrastate rivals?...which means the Bruins are facing the complete antithesis of the flopping fish Utah O that racked up all of 7 points (plus a pick 6) in UCLA's last outing. The Wazzu defense isn't great; the 35 points the Beavers put on them in a loss is about season average for OtherSU. And most of that damage was done on the ground, which is where the Bruins excel. Buuut UCLA's pass defense isn't very good either, at least when it isn't facing Cam Rising's hapless backup. Everyone's salivating over Washington, Oregon, and USC out west this season (Go B1G!) but don't sleep on one of the Pac-faithful keeping pace for another week. <b>WSU: 41--UCLA: 38</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Of all the things UCLA should be able to do under Chip Kelly, putting up points shouldn't be that big of an issue. But 7 points against Utah...woof. The Cougars can score and I just don't think the Bruins can hang. <b>WSU: 27--UCLA: 14</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>The Bruins got bullied and exposed by a Cam Rising-less Utah team, managing just 7 points against their stout defense. Unfortunately for Chip Kelly, they play two similarly built teams in WSU and the western OSU back to back now. The Cougars' D isn't quite as good as the Utes, but their offense is a step or two superior right now. I expect the Cougars to assert their dominance as the superior Pac-2 squad. <b>WSU: 27--UCLA: 17</b></span></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Alabama Crimson Tide @ Texas A&M Aggies</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Death, taxes, and Bama. I think I've used that line before, but it's...just always true. A&M is good for one of these huge upsets every few years so the oil tycoons can feel good about their millions pouring into College Station. While Saban's squad isn't the juggernaut as in recent years, they're still incredibly talented. The Aggies have the talent to match up, but no team has done less with more than A&M. I have a feeling the upset will look in reach, but the late game heroics fall just short. Bama is inevitable. <b>Bama: 27--TAMU: 24</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Among Alabama's myriad near-miss games last year was a visit from Texas A&M, the one the Tide won on essentially a missed 2-point conversion play because <a href="https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2022/10/how-lipreading-alabama-cb-saved-tide-on-final-play-to-beat-texas-am.html">Jimbo forgot to hold his Waffle House menu in front of his face on the sideline</a>. Now I'm not sure if this year's Alabama team is better than last year (worse offense, better defense?) but Texas A&M is almost assuredly a darn sight better than last year's 5-7 monstrosity. </span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">These teams face the same key limitation: inconsistent
QB play. After A&M’s Connor Weigman was knocked out for the year the Aggies
have gotten a whole game and a half out of his backup, Max Johnson, and the results
have been underwhelming at best. On the other sideline, Jalen Milroe seems to
be steadily improving after getting benched for a week in favor of a </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Notre
Dame</i><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;"> transfer. I don’t see the Tide being able to put up a ton of points
against a stout A&M defense, but I don’t think A&M will be able to
score either. This one’s going to be a real rock fight, and I’m not sure
whether Alabama’s usual cool steadiness or what promises to be an intense and
intimidating Kyle Field environment will carry the day. So I looked up the Tide
chart for the Texas Gulf Coast and wouldn’t you know it, low tide is scheduled
right about the time this game should be winding down. Gig ‘em. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Bama: 17—TAMU:
21</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Bama seems very getable this year. The QB situation is just awful and they struggle to put up points. Yea, the Tide still have a very good defense, but they are gonna be on the field a lot with that offense. The Aggies win at home. <b>Bama: 17--TAMU: 24</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Thanks to an amusingly light start to the Aggies' conference schedule, this is actually for SEC West supremacy as the 2-0 Tide take on the 2-0 Texas A&M squad. The 12th Man is likely to be disappointed, however, as the home team gave up 48 points on the road to the U earlier this year. I guess all those 5-star D-linemen haven't paid dividends just yet. Bama cruises. <b>Bama: 38--TAMU: 17</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Louisville Cardinals</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The Ville enters undefeated with blowouts and defensive barn-burners but no real consistency. Notre Dame seems to be more defensive, but Hartman learned some maneuvers from McCord with his late game heroics last week in Durham. I'm not buying that the Cardinals are for real with no tests to be seen. Notre Dame has been tested and ended on both sides. This time, I don't see an enormous test; even on the road. Here come the Irish. <b>ND: 27--UL: 17</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">It seems that the Irish are a known quantity at this
point, a team that can move the ball decently well but doesn’t score all that
much against their better opponents. But don’t go confusing Louisville for
Duke. Voters might get starry-eyed over the zero in the loss column but the
Cardinals have done a whole lot of nothing in this young season besides a 3 point
win over NC State. The same NC State that got blown out at home against Notre
Dame. Sometimes it pays not to overthink things. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">ND: 27—UL: 9</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Outside of a coaching and mental blunder, Notre Dame looks like a legit team. That defense was on lock down against the best receiver in the country in Route Man Marv two weeks ago and they do not give up much on the ground. Louisville has been putting up the points under Jeff Brahm, but the Irish are a different beast this year. <b>ND: 28--UL: 20</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>The Cardinals entered the rankings for the first time since the Lamar Jackson era with a 5-0 start to the season. Four of those wins are even over power five opponents! However, three are by a combined 15 points. I guess a 7-point neutral site win over Indiana is more impressive than Maryland's 27-point home win against the same team (RANK MARYLAND YOU COWARDS!). The moral of the story is that if you're averaging 17 points against the likes of NC State and Indiana, you aren't going to score enough to beat Notre Dame. Irish roll. <b>ND: 31--UL: 13</b></span></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Kentucky Wildcats @ Georgia Bulldogs</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Kentucky is on a streak of some of their best teams in history, but it just hasn't mattered with UGA, UT, and UF dominating the SEC East for the last....ever. Georgia seems vulnerable this year, but this would be one for the ages between the hedges. UK dominated the Gators last week, but the Bulldogs are far more talented. I expect a pretty darn close game and a moral victory for the Cats, but the Dawgs continue the quest for a threepeat. <b>UK: 17--UGA: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">How long can Georgia moonwalk through this season
half-asleep? We’ve seen teams lazily loll through post-championship seasons
before (2014 Florida State, 2015 Ohio State…um…2003 Ohio State) and it never
ends up boding well for a title defense. Georgia, of course, has the advantage
of about as easy of an SEC schedule, FCS team and all, as possible, and the
Wildcats might actually be the toughest team the Dawgs will have to face prior
to the SEC Championship. That being said, I’m not sure what threat UK poses
either; yeah, they beat Florida but the Gators are completely clueless this
season. I’m looking for an advantage for Kentucky to press and I don’t see it.
The Bulldogs are fine, just a bit…boring. And, as we saw last week, when all
else fails, just throw it to Brock Bowers on every play. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">UK: 16—UGA: 24</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Kentucky has been a nice story so far. That win over Florida should boost their confidence. But Florida isn't very good (I'll own up the that bad pick last week). Georgia is a monster. Sure, they haven't played to their ability so far, but they are still the unbeaten, defending national champs. They know what they are doing. Georgia should win fairly easy. <b>UK: 17--UGA: 38</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Well, I was certainly wrong about the Wildcats (see last week's post). I thought they had benefitted from an easy schedule and didn't have the horses (see what I did there?) to beat Florida, but they dominated nearly from the time toe met leather. That win is easily more impressive than anything on Georgia's resume so far in 2023, sporting a 10-point win over 2-3 South Carolina and a 7-point victory over 3-2 Auburn, you know, teams that Kirby Smart thinks should be ranked (to that I say HA...and no). This would be nothing short of a program-defining win for Mark Stoops, and quite honestly if the game were in Lexington I might pick the upset. But between the hedges in Athens is a tough place to play, and the Wildcats' performance last week will get the Bulldogs' attention. UGA does just enough to stay unbeaten. <b>UK: 23--UGA: 28</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Maryland Terrapins @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Baby Tua and the Terps storm Ohio Stadium as the 5 straight (technically 7th straight!) undefeated team that the Scarlet and Gray have faced. There is a lot of hope in College Park, but I don't know if they truly believe that the Turtles can take down the Mighty Buckeyes. Why? Because it's NEVER happened before....ever. In the 8 matchups between the 2 B1G foes (for about 10 years), the Terps nearly nipped the Bucks in 2018 with a failed 2 point conversion, but haven't been super close otherwise. I don't see a let down at home, but that is the main concern. Maryland has some players but not of the same caliber. Last week was a chance to heal up, and this week is a time to make another statement. The Buckeye secondary will be tested so we can see if Burke can continue his fantastic season. On offense, just keep churning. Healthy dose of Trey and Chip with a little Marv and Egbuka sprinkled on top makes for a delivious Buckeye victory. McCord throws for 3 and the RBs combine for another 3. Bucks keep rolling. <b>OSU: 45--Mary: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">Good news for teams that have rushing problems. The Maryland
Terrapins are here for you. Now, seriously. If you can’t run on them.........you
can’t run on anybody. My name is Hoying, and you can count on it. The Buckeyes
have played one other team this season (Western Kentucky) with horrible rush
defense, and the ground game went off for a respectable but not spectacular 204
yards on 6.2 yards per carry, and the short yardage plays worked for the only
time all season (at least against 11 players). The Terps are allowing a 44.6%
success rate on run plays, so if there’s a time to figure out how to line up
and blow a team off the ball for a yard, or to come up with a fake that
actually fools someone, it’s now. Me, I still have nightmares about Cade Stover
dropping a pass on a pivotal 4</span><sup style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">th</sup><span face=""Trebuchet MS", sans-serif" style="font-size: 9.5pt;">-and-1 against You Know Who, so I’d
love to see Chip Trayanum line up in the Wildcat and enjoy a nice Brotherly
Shove across the first down marker, but I’d be just as OK with OSU’s finest
offensive mind forgetting Josh Gattis’s comments about toughness and cooking up
some genius scheme to get Marv running free somewhere. Maryland plays offense
too, I guess, but mark my words, the Silver Bullets are back for the first time
since the year 1 B.C. (Before COVID) and the Terps’ house of cards 5-0 record
is long overdue for a collapse. It’s turtles all the way down. </span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Mary: 13—OSU:
41</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Here's a history lesson, Maryland gets housed when they visit the Shoe. The average margin of victory in Columbus is 45 points. I don't know the exact number, but it's much closer at Maryland. The Bucks own the Terps at home. Look, Taulia can spin it. He's legit, but the Silver Bullets look to be back. The secondary will get tested, similar to the WKU game. The Terps will put up a fight for a quarter or two, but the Bucks should win this going away. <b>Mary: 17--OSU: 42</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Make no mistake kids, Maryland is for real on the offensive side of the ball and even a bit improved on D. Tua Lite can throw it and if Sam Hartman had Maryland's WRs they might have taken down the Buckeyes. For all the dominance the Buckeyes have enjoyed in this annual contest since the Terrapins joined the Big <strike>10 11 12 14 </strike>18, some games have gotten chaotic in College Park (52-51 OT game ring any bells?). Mike Locksley has recruited well to Maryland, but where the consistent, year-over-year recruiting shows up is in the trenches and they just aren't on an OSU/TTUN/PSU level quite yet which is why they languish year after year in this half of the conference. That said, the Buckeyes' O-line has looked vulnerable at times breaking in three new starters, struggling in short yardage and allowing some pressures on occasion as well. Still, they should be able to hold up well enough for McCord to find Harrison and Egbuka, who will be open all day. A healthy, balanced diet of those two studs and Treyveyon on the ground should make this one comfortable by the fourth quarter. Sad that the Terrapins didn't get ranked before this game, but with the two Illinois squads and a bye week to finish out the month, hopefully they slip in by the time they play Penn State November 4th. Regardless, Bucks win going away in Columbus. <b>UM: 17--OSU: 38</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Vandy over Florida<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">: Syracuse over UNC<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;">Cal over Oregon State<br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Rutgers over Wisconsin</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-81351703938421856852023-09-30T00:55:00.000-04:002023-09-30T00:55:57.081-04:00Week 5: Gameday Goes to Durham<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Draper 17-3 (1-3 upset)<br />1.) Schweinfurth 17-3 (0-4 upset)<br />3.) Seeberg 16-4 (1-3 upset)<br />4.) Hoying 15-5 (1-3 upset)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">Nothing beats the feeling of being undefeated and knowing you'll wake up next week feeling the same way. Other teams around the nation aren't so lucky, as every power conference (except the one nearest and dearest to you) features teams putting their spotless records to the test.</p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b>FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29</b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Utah Utes @ Oregon State Beavers</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Utah has been the kings of the Pac12 for the last few years (despite what USC and Oregon say), and while they're undefeated, they've more or less limped to the record. Will Cam Rising ever return? The idea is that the offense could get things going when and if, but the if is still a real question. DJ Ukuklele is having a nice year unleashed from the Dabo shackles, but is it sustainable? He has been solid this year, but came up short in the Pac2 Championship last week. I don't know if the turnover chainsaw is still a thing, but top programs go to Corvallis to die. That being said, I'm sticking with slow and steady Utah to win another close one. <b>Utah: 24--OrSt: 20 </b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Both of these teams come off of ranked matchups last week decided within the error margin of home field advantage. But that's where the similarities end. The Utes got half their points off of a pick-six while the Beavers couldn't do anything to slow down WSU QB Cam Ward and the high-flying Cougar passing game. It looks like Cam Rising isn't going to be taking any meaningful snaps for Utah anytime soon, however, and his backup Nate Johnson was horribly lackluster against a decent UCLA defense. I don't feel good about their ability to move the ball against Oregon State. The Beaver passing attack isn't any great shakes either, but they're balanced enough to put another Pac-12 pretender to bed. Viva Pac-2! <b>Utah: 13--OrSt: 21</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Between work, hockey, and scouts, I am slammed this week so I will keep these brief. Utah just finds a way to win. I like Oregon State's story, but I'll take Utah until I'm wrong. <b>Utah: 21--OrSt: 17</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Tough to figure out what to make of this game. Utah is still legit up front and stymied a potent UCLA offense last week, but their own offense is still middling without Cam Rising, who reportedly is still not ready to go (then again, he was supposed to be a go last week and we saw how that turned out, but I digress). The Beavers, meanwhile, made it interesting late against WaZoo but were largely outplayed for the first three quarters. When in doubt, picking either the home team or the more desperate team tends to be a good play. The western OSU fits both of those descriptors, so I'm taking the Beavers in a game that may look very similar to the one in South Bend last week. <b>Utah: 13--OrSt: 17</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"> </b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Florida Gators @ Kentucky Wildcats</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This is near the top of the list for 'who cares' on my list. The Gators showed some life in a nice win over the Vols in Gainsville, but the Wildcats enter with a 0 in the loss column (against the little sisters of the poor). UK got the UF monkey off their back but there is still a disparity of talent. The Gators aren't back, but they'll take a close one in Lexington that is a better win than most will think. <b>UF:27--UK: 24</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Speaking of not being able to move the ball against Utah, the Gator offense has been a disaster this year, from putting up all of 11 points against the Utes in the opener to settling for 5 field goals and a TD against Charlotte last week. You know it's desperation time when you're importing quarterbacks from <i>Wisconsin</i>. What's next, starting a transfer quarterback from Notre Dame? Or imagine a quarterback transferring from Wisconsin to Notre Dame...what was I talking about...oh yes, Florida is going to have trouble putting up points against the better defenses they face. And Kentucky just gone done taking two interceptions back for TDs and holding Vanderbilt QB AJ Swann to 16-40 for 189 yards. Yes, it's Vanderbilt, and yes, AJ Swann has a QBR of 43 on the season, but again, Graham Mertz. From <i>Wisconsin</i>. Florida does have Baby Etienne at running back, but Kentucky has been stuffing the scrub offenses they've faced on the ground as well. <b>Fla: 17--UK 20</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Florida isn't great, but they are better than the Wildcats. <b>UF: 24--UK: 17</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>First off, a legitimate kudos to Mark Stoops for taking the Wildcat FOOTBALL team to perennial respectability. With that said, now a sarcastic kudos for their current undefeated record by following the UM blueprint of scheduling a hilarious lot of nobodies in the nonconference slate. Yes, they have a conference win over Vanderbilt, but that barely counts- and they gave up 28 points in the process (they did have 3 picks to their credit, but UK threw two themselves). I don't expect this one to be an aesthetically pleasing tout, but the Gators should have enough to outlast a pesky UK squad. <b>UF: 31--UK: 23</b></span></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Kansas Jayhawks @ Texas Longhorns</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Rivalry renewed! The undefeated matchup in the Big12 brings a surprising undefeated Jayhawk teams into Austin to play spoiler. The Longhorns are playing well, but I'm not booking my tickets to the CFP yet. There is more to prove, and (can't believe I'm saying this) they're lucky to get Kansas at home. Were this game on the road, we are talking trap game of the year. but in Austin (despite the recent success of the Jayhawks), this more talented team will feed off the crowd and emerge victorious. <b>KU: 20--UT: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Yes, Ohio State-Notre Dame was billed as the game of the year, and yes, it totally lived up to the hype, but don't be surprised if an all-time classic pops up down in Austin, TX. The last time the Jayhawks visited Darrell K. Royal, they pulled out a heartstopping overtime victory clinched by a a backup TE's first career reception. Now I have no idea what happened in this series after that but I can only assume that this year will be more of the same. Kansas is ranked going into this game, which is just adorable considering the level of competition they've faced so far. Texas, meanwhile, is a top 3 team any way you slice them, having finally seemingly put all the pieces together to rocket through the Big <strike>12</strike> 14 and into a Playoff spot. Yeah, the Longhorns sleepwalked through the first half of the Wyoming game a couple of weeks ago, and yes, the biggest Red River Shootout in 15 years is looming next week, but it shouldn't take an A effort to put Kansas away. Closer than Texas would like, but the showdown next week will be set. <b>KU: 24--UT: 31</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Again, Kansas is a great story, but they just don't have the depth yet. Texas isn't quite back, but they have been tested. <b>KU: 31--UT: 45</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Wait, is this a basketball blog now?? Nope, you're reading this right, this is a ranked vs. ranked matchup in 2023. Remarkable. Maryland smokes Virginia by 28 and Michigan State on the road by 3 scores and yet Kansas's 1-score win over Nevada gets them ranked? Sheesh. In all honesty, it's probably a negative for the Jayhawks as now the burnt orange squad isn't likely to overlook them with Oklahoma on the horizon. Well, that and the fact that they hung half a hundred on their defense the last time they visited Austin. The Longhorns also didn't have future Ohio State starting QB Quinn Ewers that day, and that should be enough to keep the Red River Shootout an undefeated clash. <b>KU: 24--UT: 41</b></span></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Louisiana State Tigers @ Mississippi Rebels</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Is LSU who we thought they were (top 5 contender) or are they just <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbGbSeUSJc8">tiktok stars</a> of cringe? Last week was a near miss vs. the Razorbacks, but no one is clearly separating themselves in the SEC West (or in the whole of CFB). Kiffin's crew is the champion of faceplanting in big games, but there is a lot of 'failboat' on both sides. Recent history has shown not to trust Ole Miss in the big games and that LSU can take care of business on the road. I'll stick with the Tigers pulling out the road upset. <b>LSU: 34--Miss: 23</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Sooooo, perhaps the news of the Tide's demise was a bit premature. Which means that the rest of the teams in the SEC West will be chasing them once again until someone can land the knockout blow. Ole Miss is effectively 2 games back of the Tide after last week's lackluster performance while LSU has a golden opportunity to keep pace atop of the division with Bama for the time being. LSU's crossover games with the SEC East are against Florida (as always) and Missouri, so a win here would put them on a collision course with the Tide at the start of November for the West Crown. As for who wins this game, LSU has basically looked like a better version of Ole Miss, but that might be because LSU hasn't had to play Bama yet. So I'll decide this one based on a fun fact: Lane Kiffin has beaten a total of one Power 5 team that went on to win 9 games that season. In other words, never pick Ole Miss to win the big game (lesson learned from last week). <b>LSU: 31--Miss: 24</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Lane got put back in his place last week. I don't see that changing this week either. <b>LSU: 35--Miss: 24</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>The stat about Lane Kiffin my similarly-named colleague shared above came across my feed last week and it was startling to say the least. 2023 is the year where just about everyone can "get got" as all across the landscape teams have obvious flaws. LSU was exposed by a lights-out Seminole offense that nearly dropped the ball against Clemson weeks later. Ole Miss was shut down by a solid Bama D despite playing admirably on defense themselves. The Tigers' scare against Arkansas (my upset pick) should serve as a wake-up call that gets them on track until the inevitable Bama collision. Tigers late. <b>LSU: 34--Miss: 27</b></span></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Duke Blue Devils</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Fun trivia note, this is the first trip of College Gameday to Durham. This was the perfect spot for Gameday....right up until the clock hit 0:00 in South Bend last week. Now, the question is: can </span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">the Irish rebound after a crushing loss to their betters from Columbus? Another challenge for the Irish (other than getting up off the mat) is to take this Duke team seriously. Riley Leonard is a legit QB and the defense has been shutting everyone down. The Blue Devils put their name on the board with the win over Clemson, so snake-biting the Irish is unlikely--they'll be ready (if they can emerge from the <a href="https://tenor.com/view/cartman-south-park-tears-of-unfathomable-sadness-yummy-gif-8736604">depths of sadness</a>). My analysis of Notre Dame is that they're a really good team with a major advantage on the offensive line. I expect Estime to have a nice game with Hartman hitting the tight ends over the top on play action. While the Duke D has held opponents to 14 or fewer points, the Irish should be able to take advantage. If the Irish D can slow Leonard (which I think they will), this will be a much-needed bounce back win for ND. <b>ND: 31--Duke: 17</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'm sick of hearing about it, but we need to bring it up again: toughness. No, not for our beloved Scarlet and Gray, but for the Gold and Blue (Green?). How do you pick yourself up off the turf after losing in such an agonizing fashion? Buckeye Nation is used to having the whole offseason to stew over a loss like that, but the Irish have to immediately hit the road to visit what may be the hottest team in the ACC. Nobody but Justin Fields (OK, and Notre Dame) blows out Clemson in the Late Dabo era, and while the Blue Devils didn't play the cleanest game against the Tigers, Clemson looked completely lost in the second half. Does Notre Dame have the mental toughness to bring their A-game under the lights in Durham? Last year the Irish followed up their season opening loss to Ohio State by faceplanting against a much worse Marshall team. Forget Lou Holtz's trolling of Ryan Day; what can we say about Notre Dame's performance in big games in the Marcus Freeman era? Can a team that put up 14 at home last week do anything against a Blue Devil defense giving up 8.8 points per game? Don't forget, Sam Hartman made an appearance at Wallace Wade last year, too, and Duke managed to match him score for score and 3 points more. On the flip side, however, can Duke handle success? The Blue Devils haven't hosted a ranked team as a ranked team since 1994, and that set off a streak of 45 straight losses against ranked opponents. I'm betting on the Irish to come out with an edge and try to prove to the world that they still belong in the Playoff conversation. Sorry, Duke. <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38506599/duke-football-embraces-doubters-haters-motivation" target="_blank">You suck</a>. <b>ND: 24--Duke: 20</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Teams that play Ohio State usually struggle the next week. We see it every year. That was a physical game last week in South Bend and I'm sure the Irish are a little beat up. This should be low scoring and I do like the Irish's stable of running backs. <b>ND: 21--Duke: 10</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Yet another "wait, this is a ranked matchup?" matchup. Sam Hartman knows a thing or two about lighting up ACC opponents, having done so for years- with the skill talent at Wake Forest, no less. Amazingly, his WRs at Notre Dame may not be much better, but his TEs and RBs certainly are. The Dookies, meanwhile, shutdown a not-revamped Clemson offense but it's hard to picture them getting enough stops to keep this one competitive late. The Irish fight on (see what I did there?) with an intriguing date with the Trojans looming in mid-October. <b>ND: 38--Duke: 17</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Mississippi State over Bama (CLANGA)</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Colorado over USC</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Arizona over Washington</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /><b>Seeberg:</b> Vanderbilt over Missouri</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-30700517885640249972023-09-22T23:22:00.001-04:002023-09-23T10:15:17.046-04:00Week 4: September is for Contenders?<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Draper 10-2 (1-2 upset)<br />1.) Schweinfurth 10-2 (0-3 upset)<br />3.) Seeberg 9-3 (1-2 upset)<br />3.) Hoying 9-3 (1-2 upset)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">With apologies to Jim the Wolverine Slayer, this September Saturday should do as much to separate the contenders from the pretenders as any outside of Championship Week. Three (and a half) weeks into the season have set up six undefeated Power 5 matchups of note (sorry, BYU-Kansas), and two perennial Playoff participants face possible knockout blows on their home turf before the first month is through. </span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Florida State Seminoles @ Clemson Tigers</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'm the one FSU fan who is being very cautious about the hopes for the Noles (and last week almost proved me right). The can absolutely contend for the title, but I'm not ready to crown them just yet. Regardless, Clemson is a shell of their past selves. Death Valley is a really tough place to play, but I'm guessing that BC was a lookahead game on steroids. FSU will be focused and locked in to reclaim their rightful spot at the top of the ACC. Jordan Travis, the second best WR room in the country, and a stout defense will lead the Noles to the promised land. <b>FSU: 34--Clem: 17</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">What do these two teams have in common other than a stranglehold over the Atlantic Coast Conference </span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">(coming next year: 100% more coast) </span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">since Florida State first joined? Each laid a rotten egg in a game they had no business losing. Florida State was fortunate to escape by dint of Boston College's unconscionable pileup of penalties, while Clemson wasn't so lucky as everything that could go wrong did go wrong in a blowout loss to Duke. Were the Noles just looking ahead to their best chance to reascend the ACC throne since the days of Famous Jameis? That seems more likely than the win over LSU being a fluke, and LSU just got finished torpedoing the rudderless pirate ship that is Mississippi State. But Clemson might just be bad. The sun no longer shines on the Tiger offense since the departure of Trevor Lawrence. And Florida State has been waiting too long for this. A furious rally last year fell just short, but this is the year the worm turns. </span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">FSU: 30--Clem: 20</b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This Florida State team looks like an absolute wagon this year. The defense looks legit and the offense actually has a pulse. Without a Trevor Lawrence or Deshawn Watson, these Clemson teams look the the Tigers of old. I'll take the 'Noles on the road. <b>FSU: 38--Clem: 17</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Let’s be honest. Watching the downfall of Clemson since we pasted them in the Sugar Bowl has been fun, like Miami after 2002. Dabo refuses to even acknowledge- let alone change with- the rapidly evolving college football landscape. Also similar to his outdated offense and there’s just no way this year’s FSU squad loses to the Tigers again. Enjoy, Chief. <b>FSU: 31–Clem: 16</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"> </b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ Michigan Wolverines</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Rivalry renewed! While Rutgers has been a nice little story this year and TTUN has been quite pedestrian thus far, the talent disparity is simply too great. Schiano was fine to go into the Big House with OSU talent and take down the Wolverines, but, even with the improvement in Piscataway, they're not there yet. JJ McCarthy and Co. have put together 3...meh...wins thus far. Without the preseason hype (and lack of national and internal vitriol the Buckeyes face), I haven't seen the maize and blue separating from the pack. <b>RU: 13--UM: 27</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">You laugh, but which of these teams has put in the more impressive September so far? The Scarlet Knights dispatched Northwestern and Virginia Tech by multiple scores in games that were never close (OK, VT was close for a hot second) while Michigan was foundering around eating paste in the first half against Bowling Green last week. Looking ahead to a rivalry renewed, perhaps? Unfortunately, Rutgers is about to run into the brick wall otherwise known as the Wolverine defense, one of the few nationwide to allow even fewer points than the resurgent Silver Bullets through three games. That should give JJ or Blake the time they need to shake off the dust in this one. <b>RSUNJ: 9--UM: 31</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This game is going to be a slog fest. Rutgers has looked better this year, but they are still not a top team. Michigan has looked okay, I guess? The new clock rules will definitely keep the scoring down in this one. The Wolverines win, but closer than everyone thinks. <b>RSUNJ: 13--UM: 17</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Alright first things first can we PLEASE stop the JJ Heisman talk? He threw THREE picks at home against a MAC team last week. Sheesh. Anyways, UM is up to their old tricks: boring, unspectacular, but ultimately mostly dominant wins. Sounds familiar, eh Schiano? Rutgers rolls in undefeated with two power 5 wins already. Their styles are similar but sadly the Wolverines do it all better. Close first half to give UM fans pause but the Knights fade late. <b>RUSNJ: 10—UM: 27</b></span></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Colorado Buffaloes @ Oregon Ducks</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">He can't keep getting away with this... Colorado is immensely more talented than they were last year, but we're nowhere near the hype. Going into Autzen is simply not what Deion wants at this point, especially without his best player. On the other side, BoNix and the Ducks have been on fire but we haven't seen a team with a pulse on the other side. This could be a fun match for a few minutes, but I'd be surprised if this is competitive. Sanders will make a few plays, but not enough to keep up. <b>CU: 17--Ore: 37</b> </span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Goodness, what a hype train is building out in Boulder. Cincinnati Reds legend Deion Sanders has managed to infuse Rutgers-level competency into the Pac-12's erstwhile punching bag, gutting out that gritty double overtime home win against the rare team in college football that's usually worse than the Buffaloes are. Still, 3-0 is 3-0 and now comes the chance to do some real damage against a team with something to lose. Yeah, Oregon hasn't looked great either, needing some last-minute magic to sneak by Texas Tech, but geriatric QB Bo Nix is only looking better every year, and the Ducks didn't lose any dynamic two-way players to injury last week like the Buffs did. Oregon is vulnerable to a ground attack that the Buffs just don't have the wagons to exploit. The dream season continues but gets a cold dose of reality. <b>CU: 27--Ore: 38</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The opening season ride has to end at some point for the Buffs. Travis Henry makes that team go on both sides of the ball. With him out, I'm not sure the Buffs have the fire power to hang with the Ducks. Oregon has looked every part of a Pac-12 contender so far. This one feels like a blowout. <b>CU: 17--Ore: 45</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Is…is Colorado really legit? TCU didn’t answer that question but a trip to Phil Knight world might. Bo Nix is playing in his 349th college game (approximately) and despite an odd squeaker against an overrated Texas Tech squad, he’s looked darn good since midway through last season. The Buffs do have talent and seem remarkably galvanized for a roster made up almost exclusively of transfers, but duck isn’t on the menu this week. Oregon pulls away late in a fun one. <b>CU: 26—Ore: 41</b></span></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Mississippi Rebels @ Alabama Crimson Tide</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Is this the end for the Tide? Can Ole Miss and Kiffikins actually become the master? Well, maybe. Bama has some real issues at the quarterback position, but they are still LOADED at others. Ole Miss has playmakers, but they'll need to make it a track meet. Winning a close game @Tulane isn't good enough to prepare them for Saban and the monsters on the other side. Milroe is back in the driver's seat, but it's more of a 'well, you're the only option' option. Milroe can be a competent QB and it would be just like a Saban led team to <a href="https://tenor.com/view/undertaker-coffin-just-woke-up-wwe-gif-5289384">rise from the ashes</a> just when they were expected to be down and out. This feels like one of those games when the rumors of the Tide's demise are greatly exaggerated. <b>Miss: 27--Bama: 37</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Folks, the Tide are in t r o u b l e. After getting embarrassed on their home field against Texas, Alabama hit the panic button in their next game and started former ineffective Notre Dame QB Tyler Buchner in an effort to jump start their offense. The result? 3 points at half on 2.4 yards per attempt from the leprechaun carpetbagger. The silver lining was the play of the steel-trap Tide defense, which kept the Bulls out of the end zone and allowed Bama to end up outgaining South Florida on the day. But that's not going to be good enough for their next opponent. If you want to beat Ole Miss, you had better score, and the Rebels had Saban's boys on the ropes last year even with Bryce Young at quarterback and Jahmyr Gibbs scurrying all over the field. The SEC West this year doesn't look to be the murderer's row that we've been used to these past couple decades, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I don't see Alabama losing to Georgia at any point this year, and this week will be a big reason why. The list of former assistants getting one over on Old Nick grows a little longer as Lane finally scores one against his old boss. <b>Miss: 27--Bama: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Bama just doesn't look right. This whole QB fiasco is causing so many issues. Lane started running his mouth early and that may not have been the best choice. Bama isn't quite what we're used to, but they're gonna play pissed off. <b>Miss: 21--Bama: 24</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Another intriguing matchup. I love these types of games: strength against strength, weakness against weakness. Bama D against Lane’s O is the fun part. Bama O against Ole Miss D? Ugly, but still it’s tough to tell which unit will find enough footing to help their team. The Tide are ripe for the picking and the SEC wants to take their shots. Saban is at home, and desperate, and even though the Rebs have the horses to win it, I expect a focused Crimson Tide for at least this week before crashing back to earth once or twice more this year. Tide survive. <b>Miss: 23—Bama: 24</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>California, Los Angeles Bruins @ Utah Utes</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Not really sure what to do with this game. Utah is pretty lucky to be 3-0 right now after squeaking out a road win at a bad Baylor team, but UCLA has played a cake schedule thus far. Utah gets the benefit of the doubt in most games after their success of late, but it does seem to be nearing the end. They've survived without Rising thus far, but there is a chance he'll return this week. Rice Eccles is a tough place to play (especially with the preseason cupcakes the Bruins have faced) so, even with the struggles of the Utes, I'll lean on Whittingham to make it happen. <b>UCLA: 23--Utah: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">For all the press that USC and Oregon have received of late in the Pac-12, neither of those teams has been the conference's standard-bearer of late. That would be the Big 12-bound Utah Utes, who have appeared in the last 5 non-COVID Pac-12 title games and won the last two. The Utes got off to a hot start this season with a big win over Florida in SLC, and the future looks even brighter with two-time Rose Bowl runner-up QB Cam Rising set to make his first 2023 appearance this Saturday. He wasn't good enough to topple the Bruins last season, but DTR has <i>finally</i> moved on to greener pastures, as has star RB Zach Charbonnet. The Bruins have been still able put some points up in their first three wins over cupcake city & friends, but the Utes at home are a mountain not so easily moved. <b>UCLA: 27--Utah: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I don't really know much about UCLA this year, so I guess they're okay. Here's the rub, if Cam Rising plays, Utah should win decently easy. If not, UCLA will win close one. I'm gonna go on the assumption Rising plays. <b>UCLA: 24--Utah: 38</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Is UCLA for real? Is Cam Rising near 100% less than 10 months after tearing his ACL New Years’ Day? More questions that may be answered after this crazy Saturday slate. The Bruins replaced two huge contributors on offense and have still </span>been fairly prolific on that side of the ball, though admittedly against lousy opponents so far. The Utes bullied Florida and escaped Baylor with backups to the backups playing. I have to believe even an 85% Cam is better than Bryson or Nate Johnson, and the Utah defense should harass a freshman QB enough to stay undefeated at home. Utes late. <b>UCLA: 20—Utah: 31</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Oregon State Beavers @ Washington State Cougars</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The Pac-2 championship in week 4? I'm assuming this will be on FS32! While they're both undefeated, I have no idea about either of these teams other than DJ Ukulele is on the side of the Beavs, and he has looked like the removal of the Dabo stench may have reinvigorated his career. Will this be a close enjoyable game? That's for the fan to decide. <b>OrSt: 27--WSU: 17</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I don't know why everyone is getting so weepy over this game. You should get a chance to see it again 8 or 9 times next year in the Pac-2 while these teams patiently wait for a G5 conference to scoop them up. This iteration is a classic offense-vs-defense struggle. The Beavers have bottled up all three of their (admittedly crappy) opponents so far while Wazzu continues to honor Mike Leach's legacy by throwing all over their foes. Interestingly it was the Cougar defense that made the difference against Wisconsin, in the biggest win by either team so far this year, forcing three turnovers and scoring on a fumble recovery. That luck isn't likely to replicate, and the Cougar offense from that game won't make a dent in this year's Beaver dam. Oregon State continues the fight to keep the Pac-12 ruled by a Pac-12 faithful. <b>OrSt: 23--WSU: 10</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">So it's cool this is the Pac -2 championship game in September. Yes, both teams are undefeated, but if they play after 10, will anyone see it? I know nothing about either of these teams. As a shot in the dark, I'll take Oregon State. <b>OrSt: 33--WSU: 13</b><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>With the inevitable collapse of the PAC-howevermany, this game is suddenly a much bigger deal than usual. The last two holdouts square off and both are undefeated AND ranked? Yes you read that right. The Beavers looked solid coming into the season and the Cougars' reputation this year is built largely on a 9-point win against whatever offense Wisconsin is trying to field. It really is remarkable to have such a separation Saturday so early in the season! Cougars fight at home, but come back to earth at the hands of an excellent OSU defense (hint hint, wink wink). <b>OrSt: 27:--WSU: 16</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Iowa Hawkeyes @ Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The Drive to 325 was boosted last week but walking into a White Out in Happy Valley is not the solution. The first real test for Penn State's offense will give us some information for the National Title hopes, but I don't see a super competitive game. Can Cade McNamara keep the Hawkeyes close? I don't think so. <b>Iowa: 10--PSU: 23</b> </span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Speaking of Beavers, the Hawkeyes visit Beaver Stadium with a mind to continue their two-game winning streak over the Lions. Penn State was everyone's darling dark horse to take the Big Ten East (and thus the Big Ten itself by default) this season after failures to launch against the Big Two over the last half-decade or so. And they've mostly looked the part although Illinois had to spill the ball all over the field last week in order for PSU to pull away. Meanwhile, Iowa is same old Iowa, as humble and Midwestern an institution as Culver's or 15-minute goodbyes. Don't expect them to score more than 20 points (if they're lucky), but unlike against Iowa State, it won't be enough to overcome a raucous white-out crowd. Drew Allar officially hits the big time and picks up his first ranked win. <b>Iowa: 13--PSU: 31</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>I don’t think either of these two teams are elite. Iowa
still has issues moving the ball. Penn State looks like they are still learning
how to use Drew Aller. I honestly think this is going to be a relatively low scoring
game. Both teams have questions on offense and decent defenses. Penn State wins
because they actually have competency on the coaching staff. <b>Iowa: 10—PSU: 17</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Occasionally, PFF will put up a stat that makes me pause for a moment or two. Like this one. Best QBR in the country under pressure so far this year? Drew Allar. The freshman(ish) may well be legit, and he gets to experience his first white-out as a starter for the home team. Iowa, meanwhile, boasts their most prolific offense in years averaging a whopping (checks notes) 28.3 ppg! Those points weren't scored on the road, in a white out, against a PSU team with an elite secondary and solid pass rush, however. The Hawkeyes get a moral victory by making it to double digits, but that's about it. <b>Iowa: 10--PSU: 27</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The game of the year pits the 2 largest fanbases in the country against each other. The Buckeyes (McCord in particular) finally got out of their own way an had a smooth offensive game plan against the Hilltoppers, but the Irish are another issue. Everyone is hyping the Freeman > Day narrative, but I don't see it. Marcus certainly has the juice of a young up and comer, but Day has lost 6 games in 5 years...and we're told he's a bum. The worries for the Buckeyes center around a) the offensive line (which played much better last week), b) the defensive line (which needs to live up to the billing), and c) the fact that the QB on the other side is pretty good (and has been in the league since the Reagan administration). The worries for ND are....everything. They are outmatched at literally every position except QB (and it's not a blow out there). I'm hoping for a Peach Bowl Coach Day in which he lays it all out there and goes for broke. We know God smiles down on South Bend, but he'll be wearing Scarlet and Gray. <b>OSU: 30--ND: 17</b> </span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Welcome to year 5 of the Ryan Day era, and his first road game against an elite nonconference opponent. This isn't a cause for concern in and of itself -- Ohio State went into a much tougher environment in State College last year and walked out with a W -- but this isn't the best time to be facing a team with Notre Dame's experience. Last year I wrote that opening the season with this game favored the Buckeyes as we were the known entity going into last season, but this year I'm not sure what to make of this team. We've seen some shades of problems that have plagued this team in the post-plague era, like the inability for the O-line to impose their will in short-yardage situations and the struggle to pressure the QB. Add this to what may be the slowest start for a QB in the Day era (not a fair comparison at all) and the cracks in the fortress may be starting to show. Fortunately, all of these problems seemed to disappear in last week's dismantling of Western Kentucky, but the Green Domers aren't even close to being in the same league as the Hilltoppers (or any league). The Irish have fixed their most glaring issue from last season, namely, having no quarterback (how'd he work out for you last week, Tide?), and feature formidable lines on both sides of the ball and an experienced rushing attack. The pieces in play, considered one by one, still favor the Buckeyes, but this one will come down to which team can be greater than the sum of its parts. The Irish have experience at QB and a better offensive line, but the Buckeyes have the better coaching staff and the healthy reserves to wear down Notre Dame on both sides of the ball. If McCord has time to make his reads and let it rip when he can (no strip sacks <i>s'il vous plait</i>), Ohio State should hit enough big plays, and contain the fearsome Irish just enough, to claim their 6th straight win in the series. <b>OSU: 27--ND: 24</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Let me first say that I am so happy this game wasn’t the
first game of the year. I truly believe the Irish would have wrecked this Ohio
State team a few weeks ago. The WKU game was the best thing that could have
happened for Kyle McCord. He threw a couple of bombs and looked much more
comfortable throwing the intermediate passes. The defense isn’t giving up the
big plays…yet. This will be the first real test to see if they give up the back
breaking big plays we have seen the last few years. I do not see a scenario
where Notre Dame blows the Bucks out. If the Irish win, it will be close. I expect
a great game and am excited to watch these two powerhouses go at it. Go Bucks. <b>OSU:
27—ND: 24</b>
<br /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>It is finally here! The scheduling gods were kind to the Buckeyes this season as it seems we needed all three weeks to get right before our marquee non-conference matchup. Notre Dame, meanwhile, hit the ground running this season with an experienced transfer QB in Sam Hartman who traded one golden helmet for a slightly more iconic one last offseason. His opponent? The highest graded defense this season according to PFF (I told you they have some eyebrow-raising stats!) I believe if Hartman had anything approximating the skill talent of the scarlet and gray this game would not go well. And I STILL believe the DEs need to get home more frequently. But the offense appears sorted out with a permanent helmsman, and year two of the Jim Knowles defense has paid dividends so far. Buckeyes continue their recent run against the Irish. <b>OSU: 28—ND: 20</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Cincinnati over Oklahoma</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">California over Washington</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;">Baylor over Texas<br /><b>Seeberg:</b> Arkansas over LSU</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-11764843661738326232023-09-15T22:36:00.001-04:002023-09-15T22:36:16.910-04:00Week 3: Big Life. Big Stage. Big Ten.<p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><u style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Draper 6-2 (1-1 upset)<br />1.) Schweinfurth 6-2 (0-2 upset)<br />3.) Seeberg 5-3 (1-1 upset<br />3.) Hoying 5-3 (1-1 upset)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">So what if there are no ranked matchups this week? There are still plenty of undefeated matchups in this young season, and three of them involve teams from our very own Big Ten Conference, including one right here in the heart of the Buckeye State.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Louisiana State Tigers @ Mississippi State Bulldogs</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b>LSU was the media darling coming into the year and laid a monstrous egg in Week 1 to the juggernaut in Tally. Even with that, I still think the Tigahs have some talent....they just can't matchup with the Noles. Brian Kelly has always been good for punching below his weight, and this should be no different. I'm all about CLANGA, but they's Tigah Bait heeyah. <b>LSU: 34--MSU: 24</b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Welp, the Tigers got blasted in their season opening trendy team battle with the Noles. If they want to be in a position to make any noise at the end of the season, as they did last year, they can't afford any missteps against middling competition. And this opponent screams "middling". Sadly, the pirate era of Mississippi State ended with Mike Leach's abrupt death last December, leaving his defensive coordinator to take over. Time will tell whether the new look Bulldogs will make any noise in the always packed SEC West but needing overtime to dispatch perennial basement dweller and future Big 12 team Arizona isn't particularly encouraging. Brian's Bayou Bengals are too good to lose games like this. <b>LSU: 31--MSU: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">LSU isn't great. Good news for them, I guess is Mississippi State isn't very good. I'll take the Tigers, but only because it seems like the right thing to do. <b>LSU: 35--MSU: 21</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>The Tigers offense looked surprisingly pedestrian in their big week one tilt. Sounds familiar. And the SEC has looked *gasp* flat out lousy thus far. But conference play begins where it supposedly just means more. The SEC west is still home to some excellent programs, of which MSU is not one. I expect the Tigers to get right offensively in this one. <b>LSU: 41—MSU: 24</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"> </b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Minnesota Golden Gophers @ North Carolina Tar Heels</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Oh boy! Another matchup between two teams that think they're contenders but really aren't. People are falling over themselves for Drake Maye but I don't see the generational talent. Good? yes. Tank worthy? no. Minnesota? Well, you beat <checks notes> Nebraska by letting the Huskers pee down their leg? Greeeeeeat. UNC held on vs. a feisty App State (and were lucky, but I don't think PJ Fleck's squad has the mettle to take one in Chapel Hill. The hype around Drake Maye will build, but whoopdee doo Basil. Heels win. <b>Minn: 20--UNC: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Both these teams are still undefeated but I wouldn't say they've been playing comparable football so far. Minnesota played atrocious football for 58 minutes in their opener before standing back and letting Nebraska husk their corn all over the field as per recent tradition. A week later North Carolina shot themselves in the foot over and over before finally putting Appalachian State away in double overtime. Unless one of these teams picks up a sudden curse (impossible as those are all firmly parked above Lincoln) I would think the law of averages would set in and snap these teams back to reality. Don't look for any heroes in the Big Ten West this year, folks. At best maybe one of them will snakebite of the B1G 3east but none of them will be making any noise elsewhere. <b>Minn: 17--UNC: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The Gophers may be undefeated, but one win is an improbable "we're playing Nebraska" come back. By no means do I think Minnesota is good. UNC is better and it's at home. Heels win. Meh. <b>Minn: 13--UNC: 28</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>The Gophers make a rare non-OSU appearance here after taking down a hapless Cornhusker program to start the season. Offense isn’t exactly their forte, however, and it will take some points to top Drake Maye and Co. Despite foiling my upset pick last week, I expect the Tar Heels to use that as a wake-up call and come ready to play this weekend. Heels big. <b>Minn: 17—UNC: 38</b></span></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Washington Huskies @ Michigan State Spartans</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The Huskies are riding the Penix Train as far as it will take them. Sparty is imploding. First, they sign Mel Tucker to a ridiculous deal, then....this. Gross (not to mention the litany of other issues). I fear we are seeing the demise of a 'maybe every 10 years we can make a little noise before dying' program. Huskies stroll into East Lansing to grab their first of many B1G win as a (soon to be) new member. <b>UW: 42--MSU: 17</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Michael Penix threw for 397 yards and 4 TDs against Michigan State last year. And that was when the Spartans had a coach. This season he's averaged 430 yards and 4 TDs a game already and has started to sneak into the Heisman conversation. Michigan State couldn't even stop this guy when he was at Indiana. As for the Spartans, I'll just say I would not expect to see another writeup for them until their November 11 nocturnal visit to the Shoe. <b>UW: 45--MSU: 10</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Michigan State is a mess. Washington is a favorite to win the PAC-12. Really not much else to say here. Huskies roll Sparty. <b>UW: 42--MSU: 7</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Not wasting any time breaking this one down. Washington is good and not in complete disarray. Michigan State is the opposite of those descriptors. Huskies roll. <b>UW: 41–MSU:17</b></span></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Western Kentucky Hilltoppers @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I learned very little from last week. I appreciate that Ryan Day tapped McCord as the starter (that much was apparent after the 1st quarter), but the offensive line did not inspire hope. On the plus side, McCord makes really good reads/decisions. On the minus side, the throws are just not great. The talent at WR will hide some issues and McCord will grow, but if the line doesn't shore itself up and the accuracy doesn't improve soon, this isn't going to be a traditional OSU playoff or bust team. I have faith in Day to get the most out of his QB, but we need to see that growth yesterday. The skill positions are still stacked, but the achieving the preseason goals comes down to the big uglies and the signal caller. The defense had another good showing, but the d-line was shockingly ineffective, which could be an issue this weekend. WKU plays fast and if we're not solid on the backend, they'll steal some plays. Jack Sawyer hasn't lived up to the hype and JTT tends to disappear at times. We need those guys to get right immediately. Eichenberg has been a solid captain on defense and it's refreshing to see Burke flash back to his freshman form. I tend to expect the Bucks to play this one a little close to the vest with Notre Dame on the horizon, and I wouldn't be surprised with a little early game scare, but the talent disparity will eventually work itself out. Stay healthy, get the dub, and it's on to South Bend. <b>WKU: 17--OSU: 38 </b><i>(Note: again, Seeberg picked the score before me but I didn't look at the other scores beforehand)</i></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The good news: the Buckeyes have avoided suffering an unconscionable loss in this young season. The bad news: after having elite-level QB's seemingly fall into our laps the last 5 seasons (and a deceptively good season from JT back in 2017) the offense may be taking a step back. We haven't seen this limited level of play both on the ground and through the air since 2016. Hopefully we'll get their top notch defense along for the ride. Perhaps losing Kevin Wilson was a bigger blow that we thought. Perhaps we've just been unlucky (2 TDs wiped off the board in 2 weeks for recognized bad calls, not to mention 2 more egregious missed calls on would-be TD plays against YSU). Or perhaps it's just growing pains, like another Buckeye team in the last decade that didn't really get going until its third game. At any rate, playing Western Kentucky should hopefully at least get the ground game going; the Hilltoppers gave up 374 yards on the ground to <i>USF</i> in the season opener. Then again, maybe the Bulls are a juggernaut, in which case look out Crimson Tide this Saturday. I'm going to put my money on continued improvement, a more confident Kyle McCord, and a defense that forces WKU to grind out what few points they can snag under the running clock. <b>WKU: 17--OSU: 45</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This is going to be a great test for the Buckeye secondary. A test I think they need. Let's see if they can prevent the short throws from going for long gains. Offensively, give McCord the keys to the Ferrari and let him drive. You need him feeling bulletproof going into next week. <b>WKU: 13--OSU: 45</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: Good news everyone, I’ve got bad news! The Hilltoppers and their Sesame Street mascot come to town for the first time ever and they bring their pass-happy offense in tow. The good news is that should result in more plays for the lethargic Buckeye offense to hopefully find some rhythm. The bad news is that WKU actually slings it pretty well and if the front 4 can’t get home it could be a frustrating late afternoon in the ‘Shoe. The lack of production from the DEs- especially with as well as the DTs are playing- is more concerning than the offense to me. Let’s get some pressure, get some stops and start to get the offense rolling just in time for South Bend. WKU: 17—OSU: 38</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Colorado State over Colorado</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Tulsa over Oklahoma</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Illinois over Penn State</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /><b>Seeberg:</b> Northwestern over Duke </span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-37166756442964112342023-09-08T22:28:00.000-04:002023-09-08T22:28:24.686-04:00Week 2: It's Quiet. Too Quiet.<p> <u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">1.) Draper 3-1 (1-0 upset)<br />1.) Schweinfurth 3-1 (0-1 upset)<br />3.) Seeberg 2-2 (1-0 upset<br />3.) Hoying 2-2 (0-1 upset)</span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">You say: look at this early season ranked matchup wasteland (Ole Miss - Tulane? Really?). We say: the landscape is ripe for season-defining upsets. Just keep them away from the home opener in Columbus.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Iowa Hawkeyes @ Iowa State Cyclones</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Ah...the Classico...or perhaps.... This is all about the<a href="https://twitter.com/SickosCommittee/status/1698148954997772329"> Climb to 325</a>. Will Brian Ferentz do juuuuust enough to keep setting football back 50 years? Probably? I honestly have no data on which to base this, but let's go with Iowa on the road under one of the top QBs in Iowa City in 10 years in Cade McNamara (is this a typo?). <b>Iowa: 17--ISU:10</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Cade...start the reactor. Yes, our old nemesis Cade McNamara has decided to follow up his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride Hassan Haskins to a streak-breaking victory by taking his middling QB talents to Iowa. Yes, that Iowa, the home of the worst offense in college football, masterminded by the incomparable Brian Ferentz, a nepotism hire so shameless it would make our current and former Presidents blush. Yet, despite this mess, the Hawkeyes did manage to go 8-5 and came one win of a second straight Big Ten West division title. On a side note, I am in favor of getting rid of divisions in the Big Ten, as long as we get rid of the Big Ten West first. But at least you know what to expect from Iowa. Iowa State was the next breakthrough team for a couple of years in recent memory before they crashed back to Earth before coach Matt Campbell could jump ship to a blue chip program. But you can't rely on them to be bad either; they were awful last year and still managed to upend Iowa in a 10-7 sickofest that drove home the fact that the Hawkeyes' horror show O was here to stay. The Hawkeye D should stand strong (you can't go 8-5 scoring 17 points per game otherwise) and Cade's steady-ish hand should be enough to guide Iowa past the Cyclones for the 14th time in Kirk Ferentz's tenure. <b>Iowa: 20--ISU: 13</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">El ASSICO!!!! The Sickos Committee put out a great .gif of the "Climb to 325." I think Hawkeye fans are watching this to see if Brian Ferentz can meet that contractual offensive output this year. Good luck with that. Iowa's defense is still pretty good at least. Good enough to beat Iowa State this year? Yes. Another week, another underperforming offensive output. <b>Iowa: 20--ISU: 7</b></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>The Cyclones made this annual bleh bowl competitive for the better part of a decade. Matt Campbell was linked to literally every high profile job it seemed. My how the turn tables. ISU is bordering on full irrelevance again. Meanwhile the Hawkeyes keep doing what they do: stout on defense and nepotism on offense. First to 20 wins! <b>Iowa: 20--ISU: 10</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"> </b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Texas Longhorns @ Alabama Crimson Tide</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">No...no, no, no, no.... Last year was monumentally close in Austin and could have swung on a questionable call in the endzone, but I don't expect a nailbiter here. Sure, Texas has 2nd year traitor in Quinn Ewers and some talent under Sark, but Nick Saban is inevitable. Bama may not be the absolute juggernaut of the last decade...but they're still Bama, and the talent is off the charts. Unless Ewers has the game of his life, this is going to be rough in Tuscaloosa. <b>UT: 17--Bama: 34 </b><i>(Note: Credit to Hoying for picking the score first but I didn't look at his pick).</i></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Once upon a time, people wondered if the Buckeyes should pull out all the stops to keep Quinn Ewers, up to and including benching CJ Stroud. These people were dumb. The end. Quinn has been OK for the Longhorns but came up short in 2022's biggest moments, putting up abysmal numbers in losses to TCU and Oklahoma State. He may have been on course to guide the Horns to a shocking upset of Alabama last year, but now there's no Bijan Robinson. And they're in Tuscaloosa. True, Alabama doesn't have Bryce Young anymore either but there's no team in America that can reload as fast as the Tide. This should be another standard issue early nonconference Nick Saban pasting. If not, maybe there's some truth to Old Nick finally starting to lose a step. <b>UT: 17--Bama: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">The Longhorns were a Quinn Ewers injury away from pulling this one out last year. The thing is, you don't get a second chance against Saban. The Tide looked improved last week and it should roll over to this one. <b>UT: 14--Bama: 28</b></span><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">We all know how last year went- Ewers stays healthy and the Longhorns looked likely to spring the monumental upset and declare themselves "back" for the millionth time. Two massive stars have exited for the NFL, however, in Bryce Young and Bijan Robinson. Texas actually has the edge at QB in this year's tilt, but Bama is superior just about everywhere else, and Saban won't be caught September snoozin' twice in a row. Tide pull away late. <b>UT: 20--Bama: 34</b></span></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Mississippi Rebels @ Tulane Green Wave</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">It's late and it's been a long week. No insight into this other than..the Rebels are going to Tulane?? Weird. Tulane lost Tajae Spears and while they had a magical year last year, small program rarely last more than a year. Lane does weird stuff so anything is possible, but I have to believe that the SEC talent is going to outmatch what the Green Wave puts on the field. Since it's <checks calendar> still early, the SEC teams will still 'care' so I'll roll with the Sip. <b>Miss: 38--Tulane: 24</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This one just screams "fake ranked matchup" to the untrained eye. And by untrained, I mean mine, because I completely wrote off the Green Wave before their Cotton Bowl against USC last year, and Tulane then went on to stun the Trojans. Now, you might not think that putting up 46 points against a Lincoln Riley defense would be anything to write home about, just wait until they play a real defense like...oh, no. Ole Miss couldn't stop anybody from running the ball last year, and Tulane ripped USC apart for 305 yards on 9, yes, NINE yards per carry. The Rebs will get their points in return, of course, but I don't feel confident knowing who's going to be holding up the fiftyburger when the music stops and who'll be stuck on 49. Most of the bigtime shootouts under Lane have gone Ole Miss's way, so let's go with them to just outshoot the Wave. If your inner Chris Spielman is getting too sick watching these two sprint up and down the field, remember that you can always switch over to Iowa-Iowa State for a palate cleanser. <b>Miss: 42--Tulane: 38</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">I can't really say I know anything about either team. I guess I'll take Ole' Miss, but I will laugh if they lose. <b>Miss: 21--Tulane: 17</b></span><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Remember when our beloved Buckeye coach said the punt was the most important play in football? He may not want to watch much of this one (a certain inter-state midwestern contest is much more to his liking). This one features Lane Kiffin scoring at will and a Tulane team that outscored supposedly all-universe- and Heisman winner- Caleb Williams last year. Even with the average of 2 lost possessions per team per game due to the new clock rules for<strike> player safety</strike> more commercials, this one should hit the over, the Kiffin special, if you will. Kudos to Ole Miss for being willing to play this one on the road too, as they should escape with an entertaining W. <b>Miss: 42--Tulane: 31</b></span></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Youngstown State Penguins @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>I went back and watched parts of last week's game and it honestly wasn't as bad as I remembered. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of room for improvement, but the defense was phenomenal (albeit against IU) and the offense showed sparks (START CHIP). This is a 'get right' game for the offense. It needs to be a confidence booster for McCord and what better way to accomplish that than THROWING MORE THE TO BEST WRS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL. I get that we want to 'establish it' and all that nonsense, but the training wheels need to come off. The offensive line is the current weak spot (which is an issue), but IU seemed to be selling out on most plays to exploit that. One solution: go over the top. I was ok with the whole 'we'll figure out the starter eventually' thing, but it's time to plant the flag on a guy and go. I'd give this game to McCord and let it ride. If he can't take care of the game vs. the Penguins, it's time to cut bait, but I have faith that we'll see some strides. I'm calling for the shutout. Don't play FCS teams....<b> YSU: 0--OSU: 55</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Hoying: </b>So, obviously, going out and scoring fewer points than Iowa on your opening weekend isn't a banner start. But we know that Ryan Day loves to tinker with his offense, so who can say what the game plan was for last week and what it otherwise could have been if the outcome seemed in doubt at any point. Probably not any more open: we've seen in every Ohio State loss that Ryan likes to turtle if the game isn't going the way he expected. But we probably would have found out who this year's security blanket is. Chip Trayanum? Forcing the ball to Marv to break his arm and hip? The QB draw, with McCord missing the hole? Somewhere on this offense is a gem just waiting to be polished, other than the usual suspects at WR. But, once again, don't expect them to be identified this week. When last year's Alumni Band Game featured long scores from Jayden Ballard and TC Caffey, and this year's opponent is even worse, it won't be long before Rudy Ruettiger, Shane Falco, and the Cheez-It who woke up feeling the cheesiest are making hero plays to whip the noon crowd into a frenzy. At least we'll probably get a chance to see if Devin Brown can really sling the rock. <b>YSU: 0--OSU: 44</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Schweinfurth: </b><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">There isn't much to say about this week's game other than it needs to be a confidence builder for the offense. Yes, last week was a bit clunky, but Indiana blitzed at least 6 guys on every down it seemed. The defense didn't give up the back breaking long plays and only gave up 3 points. Give Chip more carries and get McCord comfortable. Those are the only things I ask. <b>YSU: 7--OSU: 42</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Week one was...*shrugs*? Defense looked remarkably stout against a Power 4 team (weird typing that). Some offensive growing pains were to be expected, but watching the two best WRs in college football all but disappear was rather disconcerting. Seems to be McCord's job to lose, and some rhythm needs to be found before the trip to South Bend in a couple weeks. Get going on offense, get nasty on defense, get everyone in (this week) and get to 2-0. Bonus pick: Pick six alert this week I'm calling it! <b>YSU: 3--OSU: 48</b></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> NC State over Notre Dame</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Washington State over Wisconsin </span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Baylor over Utah</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /><b>Seeberg: </b>Appalachian State over North Carolina</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-6603493673974536312023-09-02T09:44:00.000-04:002023-09-02T09:44:16.815-04:00Week 1: McCording to Kyle<p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.61px;">The 2023 Ohio State football season kicks off with stage one of a potentially four-part Rampage: Indiana Tour, with stops scheduled in Bloomington, South Bend, West Lafayette, and, with Woody's intercession, Indianapolis once more. Not quite last season's opening headliner but the slate is rather ho-hum across the nation. The casual fan will be waiting with bated breath for Sunday night's rematch of one of the silliest games of 2022, one which left fans wondering if the ghost of Les Miles still walked the sidelines of the bayou.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Colorado Buffaloes @ Texas Christian Horned Frogs</i></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This is the greatest experiment in college football in a long time. I have no idea how this Deion business is going to play out, but it should be interesting at least. With regard to play on the field, the Prime Time vibes have people forgetting what a mess this program was in last year. I don't think the amazing transfer success will right the ship. In addition, the 'if one fights, we all fight' philosophy is just lighting a powder keg. TCU isn't flashy and lost a ton of talent, but they did play for the National Title last year. Even with that, I think they win this one easily and remind people that the glitz and glamor can't turn around a program in a heartbeat. <b>CU: 14--TCU: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"> </span>You can tell that Coach Prime must have played a lot of EA Sports' NCAA Football because he's using the same strategy I use when taking over a garbage program: methodically cut all the scrubs that got the last guy fired and bring in your shiny new recruits to take their place. It's just that I didn't expect him to go all "Football Team of Theseus" on day one, with over 70 players hitting the portal since last season alone. Of course, the team on the other sideline isn't completely intact from 2022 either, with the national runner-up (?!?) TCU Horned Frogs looking to move past Heisman runner-up (?!?!?) Max Duggan and quite a few other key contributors. Fortunately for TCU, Duggan is being replaced by last year's season starter, Chandler Morris, so I wouldn't expect a huge dropoff at this position alone. Then again, even Duggan and maximum roster TCU only pulled within 58 points of a national championship, so don't expect the Frogs to become the next Alabama anytime soon. But they aren't playing Alabama this week. They're playing the bottom feeder of a dying conference, trying to break in an entire new roster at once. Growing pains can be brutal when there's nowhere to go but up. <b>CU: 9--TCU: 34</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Man, it’s good to be back. However, we start the year off
with Colorado? I guess Coach Prime brings some juice to this game? It will be
interesting to see how a full roster makeover goes. This was weaponizing the transfer
portal to the max. As for the game, TCU has quite a lot to replace of their team
from last year, but I’ve learned not to doubt the Horned Frogs. ALL HAIL
HYPNOTOAD!! <b>CU: 17—TCU: 35</b>
<br /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hey kids, college football is BACK...and not like Texas is back, it's back for real! How do I know? I've already been roundly chastised by multiple members of the Penn State fan base on Twitter for insinuating that having a new QB may cost them a game or two this season...literally right after one of their fans showed McSorely (3 losses) and Clifford's (2 losses) first years as inexperienced starters. Regardless, Neon Deion is back and coaching the Buffaloes for...reasons? We know next-to-nothing about how either squad will really look. Deion brings in a massive load of transfers and TCU lost exactly half of their starters, including Max Duggan. The Frogs should be able to run it, however, with Emani Bailey and Bama transfer Trey Sanders in the backfield. Continuity should matter early in the season, and the Buffs don't have it just yet. Hypnotoad swirls on. <b>UC: 17--TCU: 27</b></span></div><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Boise State Broncos @ Washington Huskies</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This was a fun game when it happened....10 years ago. Now, it's just the future Big Ten legends vs. the 'oh yeah, this team was a fun Cinderella for awhile'...10 years ago. This needs to be a statement game for the Huskies if they plan on showing off their Big Penix Energy. The hopes and dreams of the Pacific Northwest ride in purple and gold. I expect UW to come out with a very strong start to the season. I don't see the slip-up here. <b>BSU: 17--UW: 41</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Every Cinderella either dies a hero or lives long enough to become Gonzaga. After a decade-plus tear that almost saw the Broncos climb to the top of the all-time winning percentage ranking across all of FBS, the mojo has cooled a bit. Boise State hasn't beaten a big name out of conference since Florida State in 2019, and they haven't beaten a great nonconference opponent since their Fiesta Bowl win over Arizona nearly 10 years ago. That's bad news when you're staring down a team that was a couple of bad bounces away from running the regular season slate last year. <b>BSU: 20--UW: 34</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>Boise State just isn’t the same as it was about 6-7 years
ago. This game in past years would be Boise’s season. This year, they shouldn’t
offer Washington much resistance. This should be a stat game for Michael Penix.
<b>BSU: 14—UW: 38</b>
<br /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Well, the Buckeyes giving Michael Penix a dose of reality may have been the best medicine for him. Penix seems to have started a new trend of B1G QBs heading elsewhere for greener pastures when they can't beat the Bucks (not sure all the pastures are that green however as Graham Mertz has currently put up a whopping 3 points in Utah halfway through the 3rd quarter as I type this). Regardless, the Huskies have some weapons around Penix and he lit up the PAC-<strike>12 10 </strike>whatever is left last season. The Broncos, meanwhile, are still a very good group of 5 squad, but they just haven't been able to compete with the big boys consistently since Chris Petersen's departure- ironically to help the Huskies back to prominence. Does the headline "former Hoosier quarterback's Heisman campaign off to a good start" confuse anybody else? Stranger things have happened I suppose. <b>BSU: 20--Wash: 38</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Louisiana State Tigers vs. Florida State Seminoles</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Week 1 heavyweight matchups can be quite deceiving in 2 ways. They could be an exciting barnburner in which you can tell the teams are still raw and need to grow, or one team, who everyone thought was good, might actually suck. I think these teams are both going to be very good, but I doubt they'll be in crisp midseason form. Quite frankly, I'm not sure the Noles are quite up to the hype this year. They'll be very good, but I'm not convinced the natty is in the future. However, that is the definition of LSU most years (and is this year as well). I anticipate a bunch of silly mistakes defining the game (see last year LSU vs. FSU), but you know I'm talkin' bout the Noles. Brian Kelly turns purple as Jordan Travis jumps to the number 2 QB in the Heisman race. <b>LSU: 31--FSU: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Go ahead and toss Florida State into the same are they /aren't they back bag that's been occupied by Texas and Tennessee over the Playoff era. Knowing what we know now, last year's improbable win over LSU would have been considered a big step in the correct direction, but the Noles followed it up with an October to forget, and were quickly forgotten. The FSU offense may nearly be in championship form (ACC championship at least), but for the time being, BK has it his way. <b>LSU: 27--FSU: 21</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hopefully
this is the game we all need this week. These first week top 10 games can be a
bit of an enigma in some years. In all honesty, I just don’t thing Brian Kelly
is all he’s made out to be. I’ll take the Noles here at home. <b>LSU: 21—FSU:
28</b></span><br /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Kudos to these two for playing this game and attempting to salvage a mostly mundane week one slate. The talent on these two squads is undeniable...and unpredictable. Both teams will have multiple transfers playing critical roles on both sides of the ball. However, both teams also return 8 offensive starters from relatively explosive units last season. Continuity matters early. This game truly feels like a coin flip, and the mystery of week one only adds to the indecisiveness. Let's just hope for a game as good as last year, and the Tigers get their revenge late. <b>LSU: 37--FSU: 31</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Indiana Hoosiers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Remember when Dwayne Haskins started? Justin Fields? CJ Stroud? Every time, Buckeye Nation held their collective breath to say 'we should be good, but what about the QB?' Since Ryan Day has been here, the new QB has stepped into a Heisman finalist role almost from day 1. The pieces of this team are just too good to ignore. It's a huge boon to anyone taking a snap. There are 2 enormous questions that may be more important than who's under center: 1) will this offensive line be serviceable? and 2) will the defense ever gel against the big boys? I'm a little worried about the big uglies as we lost some major talent last year. The skill position guys are the best in the nation, but while the best friend to a new QB may be his receiver, his mental state needs the protection. With the defense, it's put up or shut up time. Superstar athletes pepper the roster. It's time to make it count. Honestly, the defense only struggled in giving up explosives last year....which is kind of a big deal. Limit that in all games (especially the big ones) and Jim Knowles will have earned his pay. Repeat the sins of the last 2 years and it's a one was ticket to cutsville. Some are asking where the 'tuneup' game is before a Big Ten opponent. The good news? Indiana sucks. There is no reason for this game to be in question at half. Take your stadium picture, Hoosiers, and have a nice weekend. Marv is ready to return to glory. <b>OSU: 48--IU: 13</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback. It's all we heard about in the offseason, even though the Bucks return so much production at other positions on both sides of the ball. The only real question marks I see across the roster are offensive line, QB (we're going to be fine), and, well, whether this defense will ever really work. A new starting QB and a prior season bowl loss is traditionally a great recipe for a Buckeye national championship. At any rate, we probably won't learn many answers to our questions this weekend; Indiana has snapped back to reality after the attempted usurpation in 2020 and is always for what ails ya. Probably the most interesting thing we'll learn is what the intended snap mix at running back will be, and whether Tre has his quick step back. <b>OSU: 45--IU: 17</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b>It’s great to have the Buckeyes back. After what seems like
a ton of twists and turns this offseason, Ryan Day finally landed on…Kyle
McCord. Really, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. McCord’s been the back up
under Stroud and looked pretty good in his one start. I am a bit curious to see
what Devin Brown brings and if the team responds better to him or McCord. On
defense, I truly hope the big plays are shored up. Those plays single handedly
killed this team last year. The good news is that Indiana shouldn’t be very
good and is a good B1G school to get started with. Bucks win and hopefully we
get some questions answered. <b>OSU: 42—IU: 10</b>
<br /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Here we go again, starting the season with a fresh QB on the road against a conference opponent. Thankfully the Hoosiers have dropped off considerably from their COVID-era stretch (a certain QB transferring may have contributed). All the talk coming out of camp is how vastly improved the back 7 on D are...and don't we all hope?? The QBs have received the bulk of the attention, but the OL is a bit untested and will play a crucial role as the season progresses. Saturday, however, it's about our first glimpses into what McCord/Brown can do leading an almost-comical amount of skilled talent on offense. I find it slightly disconcerting that neither wowed the coaches enough to take hold of the position- but I find it relieving that Day and Co. didn't think it was necessary to shop for another quarterback in the transfer portal, which they've done quite successfully when needed (Justin Fields vs. Tate Martell ring a bell?). I hope the offense hums and the defense stymies. 3:30 can't get here soon enough! <b>OSU: 45--IU: 10</b></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"> </b></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Duke over Clemson</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">West Virginia over Penn State</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;">Rice over Texas<br /><b>Seeberg: </b>Fresno State over Purdue</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-80417857240908629132022-12-30T14:53:00.000-05:002022-12-30T14:53:46.158-05:00New Year's Six - Movin' to the Country, Gonna Eat Mor Buldog<p> <u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Final Standings:</b></i></u></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Hoying 44-21 (3-10 upset)<br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent;">2.) Draper 43-22</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> (1-12 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">2.) Seeberg 43<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;">-22</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> (0-13 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4.) Schweinfurth 41</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">-24</span> (6-7 upset)</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Another year, another Ohio State appearance in the Playoff. As you prepare to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZeMsD636aA" target="_blank">watch college football through confetti</a>, don't forget to take a moment to consider the poor unfortunate souls whose ceiling was the orange-est Orange Bowl ever, a sour Sugar Bowl for one perennial championship contender, or a trip to Jerry World to face an angry puddle.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><p style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30</b></p><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Orange<sup>3</sup> Bowl: Tennessee Volunteers vs. Clemson Tigers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b><i>(Editor's note: I and my family are ill so these writeups will be short) </i>In the Orange Bowl to end all Orange Bowls, we are faced with the ugly new world of the bowls with players opting out left and right. While Tennessee had a year that would have thrilled any Vol fan by almost any metric, I feel they are simply too depleted to defeat a Clemson team that is trying to remain in the elite tier. This is Klubnik's team now and he has plenty to prove. Dabo's team takes the oranges in <a href="https://twitter.com/ActionNetworkHQ/status/1605653221623664654"><i style="font-weight: bold;">God's </i>name, image, and likeness</a>. <b>UT: 23--Clem: 34</b><br /><b>Hoying</b>: If this game were scheduled back in early November, when both these teams were 8-0, I'm guessing Vegas would peg this one as an absolute laugher victory for the Vols. Now, the picture's not so clear. Not only are <span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Tennessee's electric QB Hendon Hooker and their two best receivers, including Biletnikoff winner (*massive eye roll*) Jalin Hyatt, opting out of the bowl, but </span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">the Vols were run off the field by South Carolina even with these players (mostly playing), losing by 25 in contrast to Clemson's 1 point squeaker loss to the 'Cocks. Speaking of South Carolina, let's take a moment to celebrate their crucial role in preparing the way of Ohio State to return to the Playoff. Every Death Valley filled in, every Rocky Top made low...where was I? Oh yes, Tennessee has been brought back down to Earth, which Clemson never really had any delusions of leaving. DJ Uiagaleilei never quite worked out over the past 3 seasons, and he's off to Oregon State (to play against his D-line Duck-bound brother?), finally opening the doorfor Cade Klubnik to wield the reins unchallenged. It worked well in the ACC Championship game, but that was against a suspect North Carolina secondary, and...oh...right...the Tigers are playing Tennessee. Expect Joe Milton (remember him from the worst Michigan team since, oh, every RichRod one) to struggle throwing to a depleted receiver corps, as the Clemson D and Klubnik step up just enough to earn the W. </span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">UT: 27--Clem: 31</b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'm really not even sure who is playing in this game. DJ is transferring and Tennessee has half the offense opting out or injured. The Vols offense has been questionable, at best, this year. I guess we see what these two teams might look like next year. <b>UT: 21--Clem: 34</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Bowl games are becoming progressively more difficult to predict with the opt-outs. This one is compounded by the injury to Hendon Hooker AND the transfer portal where DJ Ukulele sits. The Vols' offense still looked potent in an absolute thrashing of Vandy after Hooker went down, but now their top 2 WRs are declining to play. DJ, however, transferred after losing his starting job to a freshman (last time Clemson did that, it was Trevor Lawrence taking over. Worked out ok). Have to trust the TIgers' shade of orange just a little bit more in this one. Don't adjust your television sets. <b>UT: 20--Clem: 33</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Sugar Bowl: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Kansas State Wildcats</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>Bama's stars have said they will be playing for the Sugar Bowl, but the question is will they care? Bryce Young has actually been really good this year, but Kansas State and the Deuce have laid it all out there and will certainly continue to do so. I really want to pick the team that wants to be there, but the talent disparity is simply too great. Sigh....give me Bama. <b>Bama: 30--KSU: 17</b><br /><b>Hoying</b>: It's become something of a joke at this point, but yes, Alabama is beatable in bowl games, even if they "want to be there". Utah and Oklahoma earned those Sugar Bowl victories in 2009 and 2014, and the Tide are vulnerable again, to the right kind of opponent. Yes, their two losses this season were to ranked opponents on a last-second FG and an overtime 2-point conversion, but Alabama also won on an (essentially) last-second FG, an (essentially) 2-point conversion, and a late stand in the red zone against Ole Miss. The Tide offense still looks really good, but they have been inconsistent on defense, particularly against the run. And Kansas State looooves to run. Even so, I don't see this one being particularly close. I think the Wildcats captured lightning in their OT win over TCU and won't be able to do it again against a talent-superior team. <b>Bama: 34--KSU: 23</b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'm not sure if Bama showing up to this game will matter. The talent gap here seems enormous. Will I be rooting for the upset? Yes. Will it happen? No. Bama should win fairly easy. <b>Bama: 42--KSU: 17</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Honestly I'm not gonna spend much time breaking this one down. Two of the top 3 picks in the 2023 draft are playing in this game despite it being for "nothing". That's all you need to know. Young and Andersen go out winners. <b>Bama: 41--KSU: 24</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">MONDAY, JANUARY 2</b></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Cotton Bowl: Southern California Trojans vs. Tulane Green Wave</i></b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>The Group of 5 representative has fared pretty well in the past (sorry, Cincy) due to the "give a crap" factor. USC had everything in front of them, but it all went poof vs. the Utes. Can the Heisman winner come back from injury to lead his team over the feared Green Wave? You know....I think this one will come down to motivation and Lincoln Riley's poor bowl record. <b>USC: 27--Tul: 31</b><br /><b>Hoying</b>: Doesn't quite have the luster of USC's last visit to the Cotton Bowl to face the Buckeyes, does it? Everyone who wanted an expanded Playoff with one spot reserved for the top Group of 5 conference champion, just think about this Tulane team walking into a postseason game with national championship implications, just to get lit up by some second-tier team like Penn State or USC. Yes, Lincoln Riley has concocted the most ineffective Trojan defense since Priam, but the offense is still in tip-top form. That is, as long as Caleb Williams is fighting fit. I'm not really sure why Riley let him stay in the game in the closing minutes of their blowout loss to Utah, just for him to take hit after hit on his already busted leg. USC clearly won last year's transfer portal stakes, patching over the mediocre USC of recent years gone by, but a consequence thereof is that the Trojans are precariously thin at many positions, most notably quarterback. Backup Miller Moss has attempted all of 14 passes this year. The Trojans are already on their backup running back after Travis Dye was lost for the season. If they were playing anyone else in the New Year's Six I would be concerned, but it's Tulane. If USC wants to wash the taste of their Playoff-blocking faceplant against Utah, now is the time. <b>USC: 38--Tul: 31</b> </div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Tulane is going to score in this one. USC's defense is straight trash. The problem for Tulane is that USC can put up points in truckloads. Crazy things happen in the Cotton Bowl, but USC should win. <b>USC: 42--Tul: 35</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Heisman hangover? Lack of motivation? The Green Wave and their bevy of awesome uniforms will need all of that and more to keep this one competitive. Yes, Tulane can score it, but they're not built like the Utes that proved to be USC's kryptonite and, quite frankly, it's hard to imagine the Green Wave putting up a ton of resistance defensively, even with the Trojans' best RB down for the year. USC should still possess enough motivation to want to end the year strong after the disastrous second half against Utah, and that's enough to pull out a W. <b>USC: 41--Tul: 27 </b></span></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Rose Bowl: Utah Utes vs. Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions</i></b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>Penn State is really living off their losses from the year. The win over Auburn was nice, but seriously...who cares. Utah had their Super Bowl in the Pac 12 championship, but the Ute fans truly believe in this team. Dalton Kincaid is an absolute stud, and his absence will be noticeable. I think this is the time for Penn State to make a huge statement that they should be considered in the upper echelon of the B1G next year (but they won't be....nor should they be). That being said, this is a nice billboard material game to say, like every good Cubs fan, "there's always next year". <b>UU: 27--PSU: 30</b><br /><b>Hoying</b>: It's tough to be Penn State this year. You play two games of consequence against the Big Two, lose both by double digits, and pound the rest of the Little Twelve. One wonders what heights they could have reached in the ACC, Big 12, or Pac-12. Well, here's their opportunity to measure up against the Pac-12 champion. Utah has shown wonderful balance this year, strong on both sides of the ball, with a decent passing offense and an elite-level rushing attack. We've seen Penn State face one (sigh) elite-level rushing attack this season, and it went for 418 yards on the ground. That being said, the Nittany Lions are no slouch in their own right, apart from a curiously overrated rushing attack of their own. Yes, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen may be problems for opponents someday, but for now, they're just sort of...OK. I know Happy Valley is sick of Sean Clifford by now, but he's not a bad QB, he's just not CJ Stroud or Justin Fields (or even Trace McSorley). This will be a real gut-check game for the Pac-12. How can their top teams fare against the second tier of the Big Ten? My guess is just well enough to lose a hard-fought battle. <b>UU: 24--PSU: 27</b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Utah came oh, so close last year to upsetting the Buckeyes. This is almost the same Utes team that was here last year. This Penn State team is not great away from Beaver Stadium and the Utes are primed to get that first Rose Bowl win. Watch the Utes win this on a walk off field goal. <b>UU: 31--PSU: 28</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>This is almost undoubtedly the best bowl game outside the playoff. Both of these squads are in the Rose Bowl, and the Rose Bowl still means something to both of these schools (as it should). Utah was tantalizingly close to a win last year, staved off only by an absolutely bonkers game from Stroud and JSN. To their credit, the Nittanies absolutely rolled through the garbage schedule of the last month of the season after the disappointing losses to TTUN and OSU. Utah, meanwhile, had midseason hiccups as well but blasted the Trojans to get back to the Rose Bowl again. With nobody else of note on their schedule, it's just too difficult to get a read on Penn State even at the end of the year. I get the sense the Utes are too motivated to let a second straight Rose Bowl trip yield no prize. Utes late. <b>UU: 30--PSU: 24</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31 again</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Fiesta Bowl: Michigan Wolverines vs. Texas Christian Horned Frogs</i></b></div></div></div></span></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>The Wolverines are only the 3rd team in CFP history to be a top 2 seed in the CFP 2x (how's that for a cherry-picked stat!). Everyone will be slobbing on the Wolverines after the lopsided score in The Game "crowned them", but I'm still not sold. They've looked flawed throughout the year in different ways and lived off the big play vs. the Bucks (they earned the win and deserved it...but I don't know how prescriptive it is). TCU had a huge disappointment at the end of a magical year, but they're still there with everything in front of them. In fact, TCU still has the team of destiny flair with Max Duggan's heroics in the Big 12 Championship. And maaaaybe, TCU can learn from OSU's mistakes and FREAKING TARGET THE FREAK WIDE RECEIVER ALL DAY. With that, I'm going with the heart. All Hail Hypnotoad. <a href="https://streamable.com/bpecy">Why? </a> <b>UM: 21--TCU: 23</b><br /><b>Hoying</b>: Michigan has looked anywhere from good to very very good this season, with the exception of the first half of their last regular season game and the near entirety of their prior outing against Illinois. That's not a great trend heading into a game that could simultaneously be their biggest game of the year and something of a letdown. You go on the road to play your undefeated #2-ranked rival, beat them there for the first time in 22 years, and now you get...TCU? Who sputtered themselves in their last outing. Yes, the Wolverines were able to dispatch Purdue with ease but something has looked off with them in their prior couple of games. After seeing the success Donovan Edwards was having while spelling Blake Corum earlier in the year I was tempted to think that the Michigan rushing attack was as plug-and-play as Ohio State's, but they really looked awful against Illinois when both players were unavailable. And Edwards did jack squat against Ohio State until we started running our "every play is 4th-and-1" defense. I'm worried that he's not 100%, and the recently liberated Wolverine deep passing attack isn't going to be able to do enough to bail out Michigan's hobbled rush O now that his opponents know how to prepare for JJ McCarthy and his pedestrian receiving corps. They are begging to get tagged, and TCU is just good enough to make it happen. The Horned Frogs may be by far the weakest of the four Playoff teams at full strength, but their defense has been steadily improving throughout the season and their options in the running game should be able to break through the Wolverine stone wall. Don't turn this one off at halftime if the Frogs are up, since no lead is safe against America's greatest second half team (sigh), but TCU will do just enough to jump to the doorstep of their first national title. <b>UM: 23--TCU: 24</b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">5 plays and defensive breakdowns were all that stood between Ohio State in this position and TTUN. I'll be honest, McCarthy still can't throw the ball downfield. He underthrows everything and is lucky that some of his guys were wide open. Max Duggan played the game of his life against Kansas State and his team came up just short. TTUN is a second half team, I'll give them that. If this is close at halftime, TTUN runs away. I'm gonna type this score and go puke. <b>UM: 35--TCU: 21</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>As I've looked over TTUN and their games this season, I have to give credit where credit is due. They rarely put away any competent opponents by halftime. And by competent, I don't mean OSU or PSU, I mean Indiana (tied 10-10), Purdue (led 14-13), Illinois (led 7-3), and even TRAILED Rutgers at halftime. I think TCU is certainly a step up from any of those opponents in terms of playmaking ability and likely physicality (with the possible exception of Illinois). The script sets up perfectly against a similar opponent that likes to run it and limit possessions. Sadly, UM does it a little better. It won't wind up 52-17 like the Rutgers scoreline, but *dry heaves in mouth* TTUN will play for a natty. <b>UM: 31--TCU: 17</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Peach Bowl: THE Ohio State University Buckeyes vs. Georgia Bulldogs</i></b></div></div></div></span></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>The shot at redemption has never been greater that this moment. The Buckeyes are hyper-hyper talented and just haven't consistently lived up to that late in the year. Either it gels now, or it's lost to history. Buckeye Nation has hated on CJ for an inexcusable amount of time (any time is inexcusable). He's arguably the greatest QB in the school's history, but the albatross of never beating TTUN is just too much. Georgia is a behemoth team with absolute stud's on defense that make UM's defense look puny....but....if the Buckeyes can play to THEIR strengths and FEED MARV all day, there is a chink in the armor. The Buckeye defense has to limit the big plays and Brock Bowers is an enormous problem, but if the Bucks can operate on offense like they are capable and get Stetson Bennett (of Stetson's Used Car Dealership) to make a few mistakes, there is a path forward in a shootout. You want to be the king...you'd best not miss. GO BUCKS! <b>OSU: 45--UGA: 40</b><br /><b>Hoying</b>: Oh, doom and gloom, woe is me, our team just lost the first game of the season, our fifth of the four-year Ryan Day era...and the Buckeyes are right back in the Playoff regardless. We've seen this story before, where a Buckeye team slides from #5 to #4 on Championship Weekend and then plows right through the field on the way to a national title. We've even seen Alabama lose their last game of the regular season, to their rival, miss their conference championship, and back into the Playoff on their way to a golden lipstick of their own. Wasn't this the matchup everybody was expecting for the National Championship? One bad half of football and suddenly Ryan Day is a drooling moron, CJ Stroud is a weak-willed scrub, and we don't belong on the same field as the mighty Georgia Bulldogs. It's true, the Buckeyes are depleted at running back. We've still not completely recovered from losing possibly the best player in the country in week 1. And the flaws of the Knowles scheme were laid completely bare at the worst possible times in the debacle against the Wolverines. But it's also true that there's not a team in the nation that can stop this passing attack when it's fully humming. The Achilles heel of the offense was thought to be Stroud's decision making and lack of desire to run when he's pressured. But somewhat lost in the sauce against Michigan was the stellar play of the Ohio State offensive line. Not only did Stroud have all day to throw, but Chip Trayanum had big holes to run through all first half long. Georgia is a bit of a different animal, but the Buckeyes should look even better after a month to rest up, assuming they can then go 60 minutes without another devastating injury. On the other side of the ball, Georgia QB and Matlock aficionado Stetson Bennett has quietly rounded into a serviceable quarterback helming an efficient and effecting passing attack. But it's not built to take the top off the defense in the way that the Wolverines were able to have success. The thing about breaking in a new defense is it may take a few months or even an entire season to get your players on the same page, and the Buckeyes should look as sound as they have all year against the formidable Bulldog offense. I want so, so badly to pick Ohio State in this one. They match up well talent wise with Georgia, and their offense is built to give the Dawgs problems through the air. The underdog mentality serves them well, and much like in last year's Rose Bowl, this team will be desperate to get the bad taste of a bad loss out of their mouths, especially with a chance at redemption in so many ways awaiting them in the game to come (my pick above notwithstanding). No one (other than maybe Steve Sarkisian and Lincoln Riley) schemes up a juggernaut offense better than Ryan Day; just think about the hell that Ohio State rained down on Clemson both years (until red zone woes kneecapped them in 2019). But. Sigh. There's another issue at play here: focus and discipline, and not just from the players. Ever since the bye week, we have seen near-weekly breakdowns of play-calling and execution combining to grind the Buckeye attack to a halt for a quarter or more. The second quarter against Iowa. The second and third quarters against Penn State. Northwestern...OK, we'll ignore Northwestern. The second quarter against Maryland. And the second half (especially the third quarter) in the Buckeyes' last outing. Taking a quarter off is a recipe for disaster against a team as efficient and disciplined as Georgia. This is going to be a pull-your-hair-out kind of game, where the Buckeyes play well enough to win...most of the time. Then the false starts, the missed assignments, and the cutesy plays will dig the Bucks into a hole they can't escape. So passes the CJ Stroud/Jaxon Smith-Njigba era, and both deserved better. <b>OSU: 24--UGA: 34</b></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I have a hard time being positive about this Buckeyes team. These guys were sleep walking through the second half of the season and then played like they were trying to make diamonds in their butt holes. Here's the thing, if Day unleashes the offense and lets Stroud try to throw down field, this can be a winnable game. If Jaylen Carter shows up and gets pressure up the middle...Just think of what happened the last time the Bucks backed into the playoffs. I hope I'm wrong, but the deck just feels too stacked in this one. <b>OSU: 17--UGA: 35</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"></b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Seeberg: </b>Given our proximity to Ohio State, I've heard a LOT of talk over the past few weeks about how the Buckeyes are easily the worst matchup for UGA of the 3 other playoff opponents. While this is likely true, UGA is pretty much UM injected with the Captain America serum and that's not exactly a great matchup for the Buckeyes either. I want SO desperately to see the Buckeyes attack BETWEEN THE G***AMN HASHES for once. Show me crosses and posts and slants instead of everything having to be so precise and so lateral outside the numbers. The Buckeyes' one legitimate shot in this game is that UGA, by design, doesn't bring pressure too often. IF Stroud is clean all day and IF we can scheme something up like Clemson 2020 or Utah last year then this game is essentially a pick 'em. Oh, AND we have to avoid the penalties that have plagued this squad all year AND figure out who on God's green earth will be running the ball AND stop sending 48 guys on blitzes and leaving our mediocre-tackling corners on islands. IF that feels like a lot of IFs to you...you're right. Here's one more IF. IF I'm wrong, I'll be pleasantly surprised. I do think this Buckeye team wins 3 times out of 10, but it just doesn't feel like this will be one of those 3. Still, better odds than Endgame. <b>OSU: 31--UGA: 36</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-32011162941534172212022-12-02T15:02:00.000-05:002022-12-02T15:02:04.012-05:00Week 14: No Pressure<p> <u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Hoying 40-20 (3-10 upset)<br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent;">2.) Draper 39-21</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> (1-12 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">2.) Seeberg 39<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;">-21</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> (0-13 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4.) Schweinfurth 37</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">-23</span> (6-7 upset)</div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">Now this looks like a job for me<br />So everybody, just follow me<br />'Cause we need a little...controversy<br />'Cause it feels so empty without me</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">--<i>Without Me</i>, Marshall "Eminem" Mathers</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">Run-on sentences aside, Championship Saturday will feel a little empty without the Buckeyes for a second straight year, but Playoff controversy? Good luck keeping Ohio State out of that two years running. </p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><b>FRIDAY</b></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div><i><b>Pac-12: Utah Utes vs. USC Trojans</b></i></div><div><b>Draper: </b>USC has been riding high on their offensive firepower and the presumptive Heisman winner (who am I kidding...locked in Heisman winner), but one thing with Lincoln Riley teams: they're inconsistent. The Trojans fired on all cylinders vs. ND with their defense and offensive line actually being decent, but I'm not sure they are stable enough to strike lightning twice. Utah is the opposite with a team of stability. Cam Rising is the right guy to run Whittingham's methodical offense while the Utah defense should mirror the good of Notre Dame. Yes, Caleb Williams had himself a game against the Irish, but a few plays here or there could make the difference. SC has lived off the turnover, so they could die off the turnover. It's hard to win 2x against a team, but the Utes have championship experience. The Trojans are due for an Oregon State game like clunker. Go Utes. <b>Utah: 35--USC: 31</b></div><div><div><b>Hoying: </b>I remember watching this game the first time and wondering how Utah was staying in it. Williams was on a tear, even back then, and I think the Utes made the right move to go for 2 after their last score because there was no way they were going to keep up with the SC offense forever. What's changed since then? The Trojans lost starting running back Travis Dye, but his backup Austin Jones has been ripping off 6 ypc in his absence. Utah lost their starting back Tavion Thomas, but they still have Micah "I play running back!" Bernard, and QB Cam Rising is a pretty significant part of the rushing attack himself. The Utes are deadly in the running game, which just so happens to be USC's kryptonite, and gives them an interesting wrinkle to change things up from their air assault that bested the Trojans in these teams' first meeting. We're not in Salt Lake City this time, but you know what they say: defense travels, and USC won't be bringing any with them to the meadows. <b>Utah: 42--USC: 41</b><br /><b>Schweinfurth: </b>USC is an elite offense, and Caleb Williams will most likely win the Heisman. The problem is that USC's defense is still brutal. That game last week against Notre Dame would have been interesting if the Irish could have wrapped someone up. Utah is a tough out and has already beaten the Trojans once. Do they have that magic again? It is so hard to beat a team two times in a season. Really, I just don't see it. Trojans win in a shootout and give Williams his Heisman moment. <b>Utah: 42--USC: 45</b></div><div><b>Seeberg: </b>As you can see by our collective records at Let's Go Bucks, it's been a tough season. Putting a ton of effort in at this point is akin to treading water with a D+ until the final exam and then cramming the night before in hopes of a minor miracle. With that said, here we go. It's hard to beat a good team twice (see below), and Utah needed every last ounce of themselves to sneak out a win- at home- against these Trojans earlier this year. On a neutral field with a playoff bid on the line, Lincoln Riley may make another Heisman winner out of his QB on this national stage that they have all to themselves Friday night. Fight on to the CFP. <b>Utah: 31--USC: 41</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>SATURDAY</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><i>Big 12: Kansas State Wildcats vs. Texas Christian Horned Frogs</i></b></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div><div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>Some may call me a homer and....yes, I'm a homer. TCU has danced with the devil in the pale moonlight all year just like the 02 Buckeye team (one review, I see Hoying made the parallel before me but it's true). They've won and you can't take it away from them. Someday, the magic needs to run out. I'm going with Sat. with Mr. Vaughn. There's a rumor that Martinez may play, but I'm guessing it will be Will Howard. If there isn't another collapse when down to the 3rd string QB, I think they can take care of business. The key for KSU is preventing the big play with Quentin Johnston and slowing down the pass rush. Let's go Cats. <b>KSU: 34--TCU: 30</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div><b>Hoying: </b>Another rematch, and I have vivid memories of Kansas State absolutely blowing TCU off the field in the first half even after starting QB Adrian Martinez (go Huskers) was knocked out. But then backup QB Will Howard ran out of steam and the Wildcats tried to white knuckle out a victory, and TCU's 2002 Ohio State-esque end of game voodoo put them in the driver's seat for the Big 12 regular season championship. To be fair, I can count on one hand the number of games TCU has won without either end of game nonsense or the luxury of playing a backup QB, but this time, the Wildcats are already ahead of the curse: backup Will Howard has been their guy for the better part of a month now. The Frogs have been improving over the course of the season, particularly on defense, but the way the first meeting between these teams ended has left a bad taste in the Wildcats' mouth that can only be washed clean in Horned Frog blood. <b>KSU: 38--TCU: 28</b><br /><b>Schweinfurth: </b>Kansas State is healthy this time around and TCU seemed to get luck in the last game. The Horned Frogs have been living dangerously, and at some point it has to bite them. I'll take K-State here...I hope Hypnotoad doesn't find me. <b>KSU: 38--TCU: 35</b></div><div><b>Seeberg: </b>It's hard to beat a good team twice (see above). My barely educated (this season anyway it seems) guess is that it's even harder to beat a good team twice that you needed an injured starting quarterback- causing a second half shutout- to beat the first time around. I have not been bullish all season on TCU and it's burned me a couple times. Third time lucky, or unlucky in the case of the Horned Frogs. <b>KSU: 34--TCU: 26</b> </div></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>SEC: Louisiana State Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs</i></b></div></div><div><div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>I have no idea how the Tigahs are in the SEC championship, but here we are. While an LSU win makes FSU the defacto SEC champion (look it up), I don't see it happening. The faceplant against A&M ended all hope of the Tiger run to the playoff....and the Aggies are baaaaad. Georgia has been living on defense, but they've been living well. No reason to expect anything difference than the defending champs riding undefeated into the CFP. <b>LSU: 10--UGA: 20</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div><b>Hoying: </b>Brian Kelly has done a masterful job of elevating the LSU Tigers from last year's losing season to SEC West champions. That being said, this team has a hard ceiling on how far they can go. Yes, I said that before and it made me look stupid then, but I think that had more to do with the inconsistency of their opponent (Alabama) than LSU's potential. Georgia has looked like the nation's top team more or less all season, and while they don't really need this win in order to secure their Playoff hopes, I'm sure they'd love to avenge last year's SEC championship loss that ruined their perfect season. Jayden Daniels is special but he won't be able to solve the Bulldog defense. There may be only one quarterback who can...<b>LSU: 20--UGA: 31</b><br /><b>Schweinfurth: </b>LSU was a nice story, until TAMU straight wrecked them. I have put absolutely zero thought into LSU as a top 10 team all year. Georgia should stop them. <b>LSU: 14--UGA: 35</b></div><div><b>Seeberg: </b>So Texas A&M, winners of exactly 1 conference game this season, shellacked LSU last week. This game really requires no further break down. The 2022 edition of "Bama by a million" has arrived. UGA by a million. <b>LSU: 13--UGA: 34</b></div></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><i>ACC: Clemson Tigers vs. North Carolina Tar Heels</i></b></div></div></div></div><div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>Speaking of teams limping into championship week... The only intrigue here is the AFLAC Trivia question about a game with two National Championship winning coaches (credit Draper). Drake Maye is talked about as the second coming, but....meh. The Tigers had their playoff hopes busted by a rival (sad face), but I don't know what to think. Clemson is so used to checking the box to make the playoff that motivation may be an issue. This would be huge for a resurgent UNC team that should come out firing. I'm calling for the upset. <b>Clem: 27--UNC: 31</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div><b>Hoying: </b>A while ago I was rooting for Clemson to win week-to-week because I was hopeful they might snag a Playoff spot and Ohio State could get a chance to blast away on a hapless first-round opponent. Obviously the situation is a bit murkier now but one thing hasn't changed: Clemson isn't very good. DJ has ukuleled hard again, putting up an abysmal 9-29 for 99 yards against a South Carolina team that just got lit up by (but blew out) Tennessee the week prior. Much like a certain other Playoff perennial, their nagging flaws were all laid bare against their hated rival, but at least the Tigers kept it competitive. Of course, that was against the <i>good</i> Carolina. <i>North</i> Carolina has been sitting in the corner eating paste for a while, making USC's defense look like the 2000 Ravens, which means that they're probably going to make [<i>insert Clemson QB here</i>] look like Caleb Williams this week. There's always the risk of Drake Maye going off at any moment, but I think the Clemson D will rise up on enough possessions to put their offense in a position to press a rare advantage. <b>Clem: 31--UNC: 27</b><br /><b>Schweinfurth: </b>So this is a game that is happening this week? Okay. DJ has looked better lately so I'll just take Clemson and move on. <b>Clem: 28--UNC: 21</b></div><div><b>Seeberg: </b>Yikes. This game is about as shiny as an antique, well-used spittoon. Whispers of "Heisman" reached Drake Maye a couple weeks ago and he has absolutely pooped the bed since, losing to Georgia TECH and NC State in back-to-back weeks. Clemson, meanwhile, ran into the sudden buzzsaw that is Spencer Rattler and South Carolina, losing AT HOME last week. Sure weakens Notre Dame's resume (and, by extension, the Bucks'). Regardless, somebody technically has to win this one. The talent advantage still lies with the Tigers, and I'm not sure what the give-a-damn level is for either team. The Tar Heels aren't here often and may be more motivated, but I don't suspect that will be enough. Orange and purple late. <b>Clem: 38--UNC: 27</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Big Ten: Purdue Boilermakers vs. Michigan Wolverines</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Draper: </b>Here comes the Boilers. Bring out the stat: Purdue has 9 wins as an unranked team vs. #2....2nd place has 4. Is this a trap??? Possibly. Michigan has nothing to play for here and Purdue is the snakebiter team playing near home. Regardless, consistency is the name of the game....and that's not Purdue. If the Boilers hit the right spots, they could rock the Wolverines...but I don't see it. Far more talent on the sun and blue side. Michigan wins the B1G for the 2nd straight year to drop the natty to the Bucks. <b>Pur: 20--UM: 30</b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div><b>Hoying: </b>Unlike last year's joke of a matchup, which was over before it began, this year's B1G championship might have a bit of intrigue for a quarter or so, if for no other reason than that the Wolverines continue to take the first halves off of their games. Purdue, unlike Iowa, can move the ball from time to time (except against Iowa), so we might get a chance to see what Michigan would have done had they found themselves trailing by two scores at any point last week. I'm also intrigued to see what the Wolverine offense looks like without Corum; Edwards looked like garbage until Ohio State brought out their "every play is 4th and 1" defense late in The Game, and they don't seem to have another great option at running back (unlike some Playoff contenders). The cat's out of the bag for McCarthy, too. He's not going to catch anyone off guard after last week, so he's going to have to Cardale Jones his way game after game at this point if Michigan wants to make any postseason noise. Here's to Purdue DC Ron English (!) learning from Jim Knowles's mistakes, and the Spoilermakers avenge their crushing opening season giveaway to Penn State by claiming their first Big Ten title since the days of Drew Brees (no need to share with Michigan this time). <b>Pur: 27--UM: 24</b><br /><b>Schweinfurth: </b>Can I pass? Just seeing this game listed makes me ill. Purdue is going to throw the ball and do their Basketball on Grass thing. It will stay close, but Michigan is going to run over them late. I'm not watching this. <b>Pur: 21--UM: 38</b></div><div><b>Seeberg: </b>Well, I hate to admit it but this one might actually be interesting. Purdue's passing game is essentially Ohio State lite, with a decent-but-not-great QB and one-but-not-two elite wideout. If Purdue actually throws it INSIDE THE F&%*ING NUMBERS they may hang with the mighty Wolverines, but it's hard to imagine either of the Boilermakers' line units hanging with UM for four quarters. I expect this one to follow the typical Michigan script. Close for a half, then an imposition of their will as the game winds down. Sound familiar? Bleh, I just threw up in my mouth a bit. <b>Pur: 20--UM: 38</b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-11983382873166897492022-11-29T16:36:00.001-05:002022-11-29T16:36:24.958-05:00A Sober Look at the Playoff Picture<p>Sigh...I was hoping I wouldn't have to do one of these this year. After spending every first Sunday in December from 2014 through 2018 on pins and needles waiting to hear the Buckeyes' Playoff fate, all we had to worry about in the first two years of the Day era was our seeding (no, Texas A&M was never, ever, ever getting in ahead of us). Unfortunately, like last year, something happened along the way. Unlike last year, the hitch may not be fatal this time. All we need to say about it for now is the Buckeyes suffered a convincing loss to a very good team.</p><p>Lost in the doomsday chatter among Buckeye Nation and the pointing and laughing from the rogues' gallery is the inconvenient truth that the Playoff still needs four teams to round out its field. It doesn't matter how good these teams are in an absolute sense: if there aren't four teams better than you out there, you're in. And though the list of contenders is somewhat thinner than in years past, we can safely assume that the four participants will be drawn from among the remaining 2-loss or fewer teams:</p><p>Undefeateds</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Georgia</li><li>Michigan</li><li>TCU</li></ol><div>One-loss teams</div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>USC</li><li>Ohio State</li></ol><div>Two-loss teams</div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Alabama</li><li>Tennessee</li><li>Penn State</li><li>Clemson</li><li>Washington</li></ol><div>The two-loss teams are mostly included here just for completeness's sake; even with maximum chaos this weekend we will have at least four teams with fewer than two losses. The Committee has never put a two-loss team in the Playoff so it would seem that we would need to see a two-loss team with an exceptional resume and a one-loss team with a flimsy one in order for a new precedent to be set. Are there any such two-loss teams? Certainly not Clemson or Washington: they sit at #13 and #18 in Bill Connelly's <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/insider/story/_/id/35121947/college-football-sp+-rankings-week-13" target="_blank">SP+ rankings</a> and at #10 and #16 in the Massey <a href="https://masseyratings.com/cf/compare.htm" target="_blank">College Football Ranking Composite</a>, respectively. SP+ is intended to be a predictive measure of team quality while the Massey Composite aggregates the human polls, computer rankings, and other well known indices in a "wisdom of crowds" approach. Clemson's only quality win is over Florida State (#23/#15), and their two losses are to (a) the same Notre Dame (#35/#20) that USC and Ohio State comfortably dispatched and (b) South Carolina (#26/#23). Their ACC championship foe, North Carolina (#46/#29) isn't going to move the needle either; every other Playoff contender on this list has multiple wins better than this. Somehow, Washington didn't finish in the top two of the Pac-12, so they won't have a chance to boost their resume beyond their existing wins over Oregon (#12/#14) and Oregon State (#22/#17) and the worst loss among the Playoff contenders, to Arizona State (#82/#95!). You can go ahead and throw out Penn State (#8/#7) as well; they do have two forgivable losses to Michigan (#2/#2) and Ohio State (#3/#4) but their best win by far is over Minnesota (#16/#36). </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Alabama (#4/#5) and Tennessee (#5/#6) are a little closer to the conversation. Tennessee's loss to Georgia (#1/#1) is fine, although its loss to the aforementioned South Carolina will hold them back, while Alabama lost to LSU (#15/#12) and...Tennessee. The Committee must have really hated Tennessee's loss to South Carolina, because despite the Vols having wins over Alabama and the LSU team that handed Bama their other loss, Alabama started this week in the 7 spot while Tennessee was all the way down at 10. Of course, that could have a great deal to do with Tennessee losing erstwhile Heisman candidate Hendon Hooker; nobody wants to see Joe Milton in the Playoff. Regardless, we can glean a pretty big clue from the fact that Alabama was still a spot behind one-loss USC (#11/#8) last week, and that was before USC picked up another decent win over Notre Dame. Could Ohio State, with a sizable advantage according to the advanced stats (#3 in SP+) and overall value from the rankings landscape (#4 in Massey) compared to USC last week (#14/#10 at that point), fall past the Tide after this weekend's loss? I don't see it. Some will raise the "Alabama is two plays away from being undefeated!" argument, since the Tide lost to Tennessee on a last-second field goal and to LSU on a 2-point conversion. But the Tide are also three plays away from three additional losses to Texas, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss, whereas the Buckeyes blew everyone away until, well, you know.</div><div><br /></div><div>That leaves our group of five one-loss or fewer teams. USC is an easy mark to fall below Ohio State with a second loss this weekend to Utah (#10/#13), as that would put the Trojans at two losses with a worse resume than Alabama. However, I don't see the Buckeyes passing either Georgia or Michigan should either team lose this weekend. Michigan's resume top-to-bottom would actually be pretty similar to Ohio State's, swapping out one pretty bad loss (Purdue) for a superior quality win (guess who), but the head-to-head implications of The Game, as well as how that game played out, would be too much to ignore. As for Georgia, losing to LSU is worse than losing to Michigan, but their wins over Tennessee (#5/#6), Oregon (#12/#14), Mississippi State (#20/#18), South Carolina (#26/#23), and Kentucky (#25/#28) would crowd out Ohio State's wins over Penn State (#7/#8) and Notre Dame (#35/#20) (what's OSU's third best win? Maryland (#32/#44)? Iowa (#27/#45)?).</div><div><br /></div><div>TCU is a more interesting case. From a resume standpoint, they're about dead even with Ohio State <i>today</i>, as evidenced by their superior Massey ranking but lagging SP+ rating. The Horned Frogs have deceptively good wins over Kansas State (#9/#9) and Texas (#7/#11), and the Kansas State win would only appreciate, oddly enough, if TCU were to lose this weekend. The Big 12 doesn't really have any clunker teams this year, as the worst team is either 5-7 West Virginia (#63/#63) or 4-8 Iowa State (#53/#65), about on par with Michigan State (#67/#66) who is far from the worst team in the Big Ten. TCU's out of conference schedule is atrocious (Colorado (#123/#117), Tarleton (FCS), and SMU (#56/#52)) but the thirteenth game against a quality Kansas State opponent would more than balance this out. I could see the Committee hesitating to punish TCU for playing that thirteenth game. But here's the thing. Everything I just said about the schedule and the relative strength of the Big 12 and the Big Ten was priced into last week's Playoff rankings. And the Committee still had Ohio State ranked #2 and TCU ranked #4. I find it hard to believe that Ohio State could subsequently go out and lose to Michigan, and TCU lose to Kansas State, and the Committee to suddenly change their mind and go with TCU as the better team, extra win over Iowa State be damned. Neither team would have a conference championship tiebreaker and Ohio State would undoubtedly have the edge in the advanced stats and computer rankings once again (the Buckeyes were #2/#2 in last week's rankings, as compared to #7/#4 for TCU). And there's precedent for precisely this situation. In 2017, undefeated #4 Wisconsin lost to two-loss #8 Ohio State, and both were subsequently left out of the Playoff in favor of one-loss #5 Alabama, who had been idle on championship weekend. TCU's had their share of close shaves this season, while Ohio State's 11 wins have each come by double digits. I don't think the Horned Frogs are safe with a loss, except perhaps by the very slimmest of margins, and only if the Committee really decides to knock the Buckeyes down a peg for losing to Michigan by multiple scores. A 22 point loss is ugly on paper, although The Game was reasonably close before the Buckeye defense started going for broke and Donovan Edwards happily complied. If TCU loses by 20+, it won't be a tough decision.</div><div><br /></div><div>On a side note, the most objectively hilarious outcome would be for USC to win but TCU to lose. The Horned Frogs would then likely miss out on the Playoff in favor of Ohio State <i>again</i>, but for the exact opposite reason as in 2014. After the Committee ranked both Baylor and TCU behind the Buckeyes in 2014, in part because neither Big 12 co-champion had a conference championship game victory to compete with OSU's 59-0 shellacking of Wisconsin, the Big 12 decided to add a pointless conference championship game to wrap up their round robin season. This worked in the conference's favor in 2018, when Oklahoma got a chance to avenge their loss to Texas and barely hold off Ohio State (and Georgia) for the #4 spot. But this season, it could just as easily cost TCU a spot they'd already have in the bag in a simple round-robin 12 game season. Remember 1998 Kansas Staaaaate...</div><div><br /></div><p></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-52877501540408297622022-11-25T10:13:00.002-05:002022-11-25T10:17:08.019-05:00Week 13: Best Served Cold<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Hoying 39-17 (3-9 upset)<br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent;">1.) Draper 39-17</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> (1-11 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span>3.) Seeberg 38</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;">-18</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> (0-12 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4.) Schweinfurth 37</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">-19</span><span> (5-7 upset)</span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">The Playoff <span>picture</span><span> </span><span>and various conference races continue to sharpen, but you'll forgive us for having an incurable case of tunnel vision this week. They ruined our streak. They torpedoed our season. They insulted our coach. And, inexplicably, they went out of their way to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfq8vZkjIMk" target="_blank">shit on our quarterback and offensive line</a>. They'd better hope their ground-bound, dinosaur-era attack can cash the checks their gaping faceholes have been writing for 364 days.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>FRIDAY</b></p><div style="background-color: white;"><div><i><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">Tulane Green Wave @ </b><span face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif"><span><b>Cincinnati</b></span></span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"> Bearcats</b></i></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><b>Draper: </b><span>In the weekly spin the wheel AAC battle, the winner gets a berth in the title bout while the loser...could as well? When in doubt, go with the squad in the friendly confines and the one that's been there before. The Bearcats are no strangers to the big stage and while the Green Wave have been a fun story, it won't be enough. Fickell looks to return to the New Year's Six. <b>Tul: 17--UC: 27</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><div><b>Hoying: </b><span>Oh, I thought I was so clever 3 weeks ago when I predicted that the Green Wave would finally end their decades-long losing streak against ranked opponents. Then UCF happened, and Tulane now finds itself fighting for a spot in the divisionless AAC title bout. Cincinnati, of course, is not the G5 standout they were a season ago, but they've gutted out tough wins and fallen short only against <b>bowl-eligible</b> Arkansas and the very UCF that tripped up Tulane. I really do believe (as I did previously) that Tulane is the better squad, but they just appear to have difficulty closing out big wins under the bright lights. The glitz of Nippert and Cool Hand Luke vanquish another foe and keep the Bearcats on pace for their third straight New Year's Six appearance. <b>Tul: 20--Cin: 24</b></span><br /><span><b>Schweinfurth: </b></span>The fightin’ Ficks know how to win late in the year. About
now each year the Bearcats just rise up and take over the AAC. I expect nothing
less against Tulane. Cats keep rolling. <b>Tul: 24--UC: 28</b>
</div><div><b>Seeberg: </b><span><span>As our colleague Se</span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="color: #202124;">ñ</span><span>or Hoying points out, Tulane had an incredibly long winless streak against ranked opponents, a streak that lengthened by one against UCF a couple weeks ago. Enter yet another ranked squad to their schedule, and now they're on the road to boot. Not a great recipe for a new unit fighting for an NY6 bid against a squad who knows that struggle- and has won it- all too well. Bearcats stay on track. </span><b>Tul: 23--Cin: 31</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>SATURDAY</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><i>Oregon Ducks @ Oregon State Beavers</i></b></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><b>Draper: </b><span>Who doesn't love a good ole Civil War (no, I refuse to continue to change these rivalry titles). BoNix has been a revelation this year for the Ducks, but don't count out the Beavs. They nearly clipped SC and have been quietly solid all year. Going to Corvallis doesn't inspire fear in anyone (except USC), but could the crowd be a factor? I just don't see it. The Ducks have been solid since the UGA devouring and I expect it to continue. <b>Ore: 42--OreSt: 27</b></span><br /><b>Hoying: </b><span>So there is a thing as being a product of your schedule, Beavers, especially in the Pac-12 or the ACC. But last week, battle-tested UCLA fell to cupcake devourer USC, so this line of thinking isn't bulletproof. Yeah, Oregon State doesn't have a great win. Yeah, they got drilled by the Utah that Oregon just closed out. Where was I going with this? Oh yes, there isn't really a good reason to roll with OSU in this one. They don't have the offense to keep up with the Ducks, and I don't see the Beavs putting on another defensive clinic like the one that nearly derailed USC and Caleb's award hopes. <b>Ore: 38--OreSt: 23</b></span><br /><span><b>Schweinfurth:</b></span><b> </b>Bo Nix got his BoNix out a couple weeks ago and now everything
is as it should be. The Ducks, once again, look like their post-Georgia selves.
Oregon should keep rolling. The poor Beavers don’t stand a chance. <b>Ore:
42--OreSt: 21</b>
</div><div><b>Seeberg: </b><span>An in-state rivalry contest with a bit of juice this season. The Beavers are a respectable squad. They beat who they should and lose to who they should. Unfortunately, their hated opponent falls into the latter category. The Ducks' slip up against the Huskies two weeks ago was not enough to cost a conference title berth, provided they take care of business this weekend, and I believe they will. Bo Nix, astonishingly, is still throwing the ball to the players in the correct jerseys (which, let's be honest, is quite a feat at Oregon given how often they change their unis). The offense proves superior in the second half, Ducks pull away late. <b>Ore: 34--Orest: 21</b></span></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><div><b><i>ND Fighting Irish @ Southern California Trojans</i></b></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><b>Draper: </b><span>Put up or shut up, Irish. This year has been a roller coaster after the close loss to the Buckeyes, unthinkable losses to the Herd and Cardinal, then victories over Dabo and Cuse. The new look Irish have been focused on defense and ball control....which is just the recipe to frustrate the Trojans. Caleb has been fantastic, engineering an explosive Trojan offense. One thing that is said is that your defense travels. Can the ND coach wake up the echoes and bring a huge victory to year one while knocking the Trojans (hypothetically) out of the Playoff? I think there's a chance. <b>ND: 31--USC: 28</b></span></div><div><div><b>Hoying: </b><span>OK, Irish, it's been fun, but just how seriously are we to take this late season resurrection? Second half collapses against Navy aside, ND has been tearing through opponents as varied as Boston College to Syracuse to the dreaded Tigers of Death Valley East. Yes, the ACC is not the top P5 conference this year, but neither is the Pac-12; can the Irish terrorize the Pacific Coast as effectively as the Atlantic? With Drew Pyne still not being the answer the Irish need at QB, ND has been forced to rely on their staunch defense and strong running attack. The latter should pay dividends against a porous USC defense, but the question of the day is whether the Irish D can hold up against the offense that hasn't been slowed outside of one weird night in Corvallis. Personally, I think the Trojans will be a bit tougher rock to crack than the Tigers, and with a CFP berth and the opportunity to leapfrog Stroud in everyone's favorite award race, I don't think USC is going to slip up just yet. Check back next week in Vegas. <b>ND: 38--USC: 41</b></span><br /><span><b>Schweinfurth: </b></span>USC has a great offense. Unfortunately for the Trojans,
Riley’s Sooner defense traveled west. Not good. The Irish defense has looked
great at points and has experience shutting down high powered offenses (see
week 1). The Irish have also been on a punt block tear. Conventional thought says,
go with the Trojans, but I can honestly see the Irish pulling off the upset. <b>ND:
38--USC: 35</b>
</div><div><b>Seeberg: </b><span>Certainly an interesting first go-around for ND's new head coach. It's been fun watching the Irish single-handedly crush the ACC's ability to crack the playoff this year; however, a new challenge arrives out west in yet another playoff-seeking foe. The Trojans still can't stop anybody, but if Caleb and Co. stay this hot he could have a legit shot at taking the hardware in a few weeks at the Downtown Athletic Club. At present, this tussle is strength on strength. Can ND score on USC's "defense"? Can USC consistently drive the ball against a stout NDefense? I'd guess probably on both, which leaves the result up in the air. Friendly confines, and a fondness for close shootout-style contests, gives the Trojans the edge. Until the Ducks (probably) are quacking next week, USC keeps the PAC-12 alive in the eyes of the CFP. <b>ND: 33--USC: 38</b></span></div></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div><div><b><i>That School Up North @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes</i></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><b>Draper: </b><span>Enter the field with you, your brothers, the ball, and the worst foe you can perceive. It. is. Here. As the Bcukeyes face TTUN as undefeated foes the question is the explosive offense vs. the blue-collar attitude. Honestly, the Buckeyes have both though you'd never know according to reports. The weakness of this Buckeye defense is the cornerback position, and I just don't think JJ has the guns to wreak havoc. If Stroud and Co. can get out to an early lead, I don't see a path to victory for the blue. The wolverines aren't built to catch up. As Harbaugh wants to reduce possessions, Day will continue to pour it on. It is CRUCIAL for the Buckeyes to get off the field on 3rd down and sustain drives (unless an explosive ends it early). TTUN will try to take the air our to the ball, but the potential lack of their RBs could cause issues. If the Bucks can prevent JJ's running for key 3rd downs, it could be a long day for the blue. The Shoe, the crowd, the better squad....it's aligned. Stroud takes control of the postseason award while a star is born in Dallan Hayden. Harrison will get his, but expect a secondary receiver to create noise as well. Go Bucks! Beat Blue! <b>TTUN: 24--OSU: 45</b></span><br /><b>Hoying: </b><span>This year's version of the rivalry presents a wider culture clash than we've seen since the days of Tressel vs. RichRod. The upshot is that this week's contest could go in any of a thousand different directions, but this writer finds inspiration in that apex of disappointing Buckeye losses: the 2007 BCS National Title against the Florida Gators. Go back and rewatch it if you're craving a swift kick to the nethers. It's horrible to suffer through but once you get past the initial shock you begin to notice a rather uncanny through-line: it's like watching peak Urban era Ohio State work over peak Tressel era Ohio State. The sport had already started to pass old Sweater Vest by in 2006; he still had enough in the tank to knock out TSUN every season-end but wins against crystal football caliber opponents would be forever out of reach. So it is now with our hated rivals up north. Their dinosaur-era run-first and play sound defense strategy was a great recipe for Harbaugh the QB but will not deliver results on elite levels for Harbaugh the coach against today's sophisticated offenses. Countless phases of last year's showdown had to break the Wolverines' way for Ohio State's 8-year streak to finally fold: the Buckeyes started slow on offense, they incurred countless pre-snap penalties, and least forgivably, the run defense refused to effect any kind of second half corrections after their predictable, low-ceiling plan was laid bare by Hassan and Blake. Blake's back (at what capacity we probably won't know until his first drive of the day), but Knowles will have the right pieces in the right places to slow their rushing attack just enough to allow CJ and friends to set the pace of the day. I don't think Blake will be stopped cold; in fact, I'd be willing to go so far as to predict the end of the streak of the school with the better average yards/carry leaving with a victory, which dates all the way back to 2001. But the Corn and Blue's plodding style requires perfect play all day; the Buckeyes only need a slight opening to blitz a quick 21 on the board and seize control. Just ask Penn State. You think Stroud and the slobs have forgotten what that assclown Howard said last awards season? Coleridge Bernard's little blue bird said it best: <a href="https://twitter.com/CJ7STROUD/status/1472395278527389699" target="_blank">this is how villains are...set loose on their dreaded foes</a>. The weather is of no consequence (unless it's raining sideways). When the little rubber pellets clear on Saturday, the Buckeyes will be rounding third and heading for Indy. <b>TSUN: 23--OSU: 34</b></span><br /><span><b>Schweinfurth:</b></span><b> </b>Ryan Day is pissed off. All of his players are pissed off. Heck,
all of Ohio is pissed off after Harbooger and his idiots started running their
traps last year. Let’s revisit what happened when Day and his boys were last
this pissed off. Yea, they throttled Dabo the Clown. The Knowles factor here is
huge as well. We was brought in to fix the defense in contests like this. He
has even stated that his defense is designed to stop offenses like what the
Wolverinies are going to run out. TTUN’s window for victory is tiny. Everything
has to go right, and it did last year. This year? Weather is good, we are in the
‘Shoe, and the Bucks are pissed. Day will hang a hundred if he can. <b>TTUN:
17--OSU: 52</b>
</div><div><b>Seeberg: </b><span>It's FINALLY here! The wait has been excruciating for anyone and everyone involved with the Ohio State football brotherhood. The parallel-yet-divergent paths these squads have been on this season is highly intriguing. TSUN returns a not-quite-as-good D as their elite unit last year, but an ostensibly better offense. The silver bullets have returned on the Buckeye D, but without JSN and at least one star tailback, one can easily argue OSU's offense isn't quite as potent as it was heading into this one last year. A couple stats to keep at the forefront: Ryan Day is 31-1 against the conference, but just 1-1 against TSUN as they ducked us and cited COVID as the (weak) reason in 2020. Start 1-2 against our hated rival and as insane as it sounds, the "Cooper" whispers could begin. As anyone reading this will recall, Urban went 7-0 in the rivalry. Tough to beat for sure, and Day, perhaps, is feeling that just a touch. Another reassuring stat, however, is as follows: This is the 12th instance of this contest occurring with both squads ranked in the top 5. The visitors are just 1-9-1 in those instances. Also, TSUN hasn't won in the 'Shoe this CENTURY (funny to say it that way, but it is accurate). Back to Saturday. In this writer's borderline professional opinion, it will boil down to two things. Can JJ push the ball down field enough to force the Buckeye D to respect it and not key heavily on the run (especially if Blake is near 100%). On our side of the ball, can the Buckeyes run the ball when everybody KNOWS it is going to be run (short-yardage, winding the clock, etc.). I don't have a ton of faith in either of those happening with consistency, but after witnessing the TSUN signal caller whiff on longer throws by five yards over and over again, I have to conclude the Buckeyes will be better off here. Get CJ short throws NOT OUT WIDE PAST THE DIGITS but crosses and slants early, start a FULLY HEALTHY running back, even Hayden has acquitted well. I trust he'll value the ball and get you positive yards, keep JJ bottled in the pocket as often as possible, and set the world right with a TSUN loss. <b>TSUN: 20--OSU: 38</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif"></span><b><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br /><b>Draper:</b><span> Vandy over Tennessee<br /></span><b>Hoying: </b><span>Florida over Florida State<br /></span><b>Schweinfurth: </b><span>South Carolina over Dabo</span><b> <br /></b><b>Seeberg: </b><span>Kansas over Kansas State</span></p><p></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-40792169499264000272022-11-18T20:34:00.002-05:002022-11-18T20:34:39.781-05:00Week 12: Unraveling the Knot<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Hoying 36-16 (3-8 upset)<br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;">1.) Draper 36-16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;"> (1-10 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">3.) Seeberg 35</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">-17</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;"> (0-11 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">4.) Schweinfurth 34</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">-18</span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> (4-7 upset)</span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">The SEC and ACC title games are set, and the Big Ten East isn't too hard to puzzle out either. But in a few conferences and divisions across the land, the picture grows fuzzier every week instead of gaining clarity as the end of the season approaches. This week's slate of games should go a long way to determining who will be playing for the Pac-12 and Big Ten crowns this December (you're on your own, though, Big 12, especially if Kansas State loses to West Virginia).</p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Iowa Hawkeyes @ Minnesota Golden Gophers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Editor's note: Two weeks ago it was a near certainty that we would be picking Illinois @ Michigan as it looked like the road team (a) had a pulse and (b) would be a serious player in the Big Ten West hunt. But as the last two weeks have sent the Illini tumbling down the standings with little hope of derailing Footballmageddon in Columbus, our search for a game relevant to placing a team in Indianapolis on December 3 leads us to this Sickos-fest.</i></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">What to do with any of these B1G West...teams? Honestly, this is a 'spin the wheel game'. I've been really big on the home teams this year, but I could see Iowa stealing one on the road. Minnesota fell from grace after early season success and Iowa actually scored offensive TDs last week! Don't go expecting offensive fireworks here, but Minnesota leans on Ibrahim, and Iowa stops the run. <b>Iowa: 17--Minn: 10</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">It's all at your fingertips, Iowa. With Illinois a virtual lock to go down in flames in Ann Arbor, all you have to do to return to the Big Ten Championship for the second year in a row is knock out the last two teams ahead of you. Of course, to do that, you'll have to actually mount some offense, right? Right? Wait a minute, I'm getting a report that Iowa put up 146 yards on Wisconsin last week? And beat them by 2 scores?!? On second thought, you just keep being you, Iowa. On the other side of the ball, Minnesota was the advanced stats darling through the first four weeks of the year, culminating with a blowout win over Michigan State to announce the Gophers' ascension to the elite...until we realized that Michigan State was trash. Mo Ibrahim is still the man but steady hand Tanner Morgan is likely out for the Gophers this week. That's not great news against a ball-hawking, opportunistic Iowa defense. Make sure to tune into this one after the Buckeyes take care of business in College Park (or if the second half is getting out of hand) as a palate cleanser before the Pac-12 feasts to follow. <b>Iowa: 16--Minn: 13</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Schweinfurth: </b>Hurray for a B1G West rock fight! Both teams have struggled on offense and both have at least competent defenses (very good in the case of Iowa). Let's be honest here, the team that wins this one may only cross the 50 yard line once. I may watch for a good laugh. <b>Iowa: 7--Minn: 6</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Wow, we're really picking this one huh? OK then. Editor's note aside, this game will likely not be for the faint of heart. With temps in the teens and not much semblance of offense for either squad under the best of conditions anyways. Iowa has, by their standards, righted the ship lately where as the Gophers have just muddied about for a while with scrapes and bruises to both Tanner Morgan and Mo likely costing them a game or two through the B1G schedule. This one is no different. Enjoy the punt fest! <b>Iowa: 17--Minn: 9</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Southern California Trojans @ California Los Angeles Bruins</i></b></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Let's look at the awesome out of conference resumes of the Pac12....that's it. That's the joke. These teams have beat up on each other, but there has been nothing outside of the conference to excite. The Trojans have a dynamic offense and no defense. The Bruins are coming off a brutal loss to the Wildcats so the questions abound as to their viability of bouncing back. Another coin-flip game but this one has massive consequences for the conference and potentially the playoffs. I think I lean to the Trojans, but by the slimmest of margins (even with the loss of Travis Dye). A USC loss would be a boon to the OSU/UM loser, but I don't think it happens here. <b>USC: 42--UCLA: 38</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Everyone has been super hyped on the Trojans season, and I have to tell you, I just don't get it. The Trojans have played exactly two teams in the top six of the Pac-12: one they barely escaped on a last-minute TD and the other nipped them in OT. Things are about to pick up in a real way with UCLA, Notre Dame, and potentially Oregon or Utah in the Pac-12 Championship coming up quickly. The new-look Trojans are the same as the old-look Sooners under Lincoln Riley: great offense and no defense. This is eerily similar to their crosstown opponents, except the Bruins have actually played Oregon and Washington in addition to the rest of the Pac-trash this season. UCLA is just a better version of USC, and this is especially true with USC's star running back and erstwhile Oregon Duck, Travis Dye, now sidelined for the season with a knee injury. Blue & Gold > Garnet & Gold this year. Hopefully some Bruin fans will be in attendance to enjoy it. <b>USC: 41--UCLA: 48</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Schweinfurth: </b>This is the exact opposite of the Iowa/Minnesota game. Neither team believes in defense, but can put up points in bunches. Caleb Williams is still a dark horse Heisman candidate at this point. A big day here might boost his stock a bit more. USC has the ball last and wins. <b>USC: 49--UCLA: 45</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">With 3 games all against ranked foes and just one loss thus far on their resume, the Trojans are now easily the Pac-12's best shot at the playoff after UCLA and Oregon both succumbed to the cannibalization in their conference last week. We know USC plays defense only because they're forced to, but now Travis Dye is gone for the year and the Trojans may struggle running the ball. Even with Caleb Williams a one-dimensional offense becomes a bit easier to stop. I'm guessing the Bruins get just enough of them to outscore their crosstown rivals. <b>USC: 34--UCLA: 42</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Utah Utes @ Oregon Ducks</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Another big game in the Pac12 echo chamber. Both teams have conference title aspirations, but the Pac 12's hopes for the playoffs took a major hit with UW upsetting Oregon. BoNix is always the wildcard, but the Utes are quietly sneaking around the chicken coop. The Pac12 is a logjam at the top, but the winner here should have the inside track to face the winner of the game in LA. After being unimpressed seeing the Utes in person, I just don't feel that the Ducks are consistent enough. There's a Cameron Bad Moon Rising in Autzen as the Ducks get quacked. <b>Utah: 35--Ore: 31</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Having seen both of these teams last year, you could be forgiven for thinking the Utes were going to blow away the Ducks as they did in both of last season's showdowns. But while these Utes seem to be carbon copies of last year's great-but-not-elite squad, Oregon decided to take the September 2021 Ducks and extend them for a whole season this year. Bo Nix is cooking now that he's in an offense tailored to his particular skills, and the rushing attack is among the best, if not the best, in the nation. Like the game above, don't expect to see much defense in this matchup, but the combination of home field advantage and the strides the Ducks have made on offense should be enough to push them back into the driver's seat in the Pac-12 race after last week's setback. <b>Utah: 38--Ore: 44</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Schweinfurth: </b>Washington showed that Oregon can be stopped if you attempt to have a defense with a pulse last week. Also, Bo Nix is still BoNix. Utah loves the position they are in, written off early and an underdog. They are dangerous and should be able to slow the Ducks down juuuuuust enough. <b>Utah: 42--Ore: 35</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Well, the Ducks certainly surprised last week...in a bad way. Their 23-game home winning streak ended at the hands of a former Indiana QB. Utah proved Oregon's kryptonite last year and are certainly capable of beating them again, but it's almost unfathomable that the Ducks would lose two straight in Autzen. Bo Nix makes just enough throws- to his own team- to outlast a stubborn Utah squad. <b>Utah: 31--Ore: 36</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Maryland Terrapins</i></b></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Baby Tua led the Terps to early season hopes, but I just don't think it will be enough to take down the juggernaut unless the Bucks choose to rest their starters (which could happen....but won't). Stroud is still in the thick of the Heisman race so the TDs need to flow like wine. Honestly, all that matters is getting back to Columbus healthy and with a W. I expect Day to have a gameplan to shorten the game as the fewer hits we can take, the better. The last time the Buckeyes went to College Park, they escaped with a one point win 52-51. This time, I don't see the numbers that high, but the Bucks need to shut the door early. There's no reason for Stroud, Harrison, any RB, etc. to be in the game in the 4th. Get in, get the win, stay healthy, and turn your attention fully to TTUN. <b>OSU: 48--Mary: 13</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Say hello to November Maryland. Since joining the Big Ten, November Maryland's crowning achievement was either euthanizing the Brady Hoke era the week before the Buckeyes desecrated its corpse back in 2014, or putting up 51 points to fall just short of Dwayne Haskins's all-time great performance back in 2018. The passing attack, expected to be the backbone of this team, no longer works, and no other aspect of the team has stepped up to make the Terps competitive. Yes, Maryland is bowl eligible, but those six wins came against Buffalo, Charlotte, SMU, Michigan State, Indiana, and Northwestern. I suspect their truer colors shone through last week in Happy Valley in a 30-0 dismantling at the hands of the Big Ten's perennial B-tier representative. The Terrapins put up fewer total yards in their whole game against Penn State than the Buckeyes did in the <i>fourth quarter</i> of the Jaylahn Tuimoloau game. Play this one close to the vest, keep everyone healthy, and the second the clock hits 0:00, it's on to Rivalry Week. <b>OSU: 45--Mary: 6</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Schweinfurth: </b>Oh the running back room. I'm just gonna say it, you should not need Miyan or TreVeyon this week to beat Maryland. Dallan Hayden, Chip Trayanum, and Xavier Johnson are more than capable of toting the rock of decent yards in this game. Defensively, just keep building. Taulia hasn't been the same since spraining this MCL. Get the running back room somewhat healthy, get this one over with, and let's get on to my favorite/least favorite week of the year. <b>OSU: 49--Mary: 20</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">A couple weeks ago this game looked like it might have a bit of intrigue as the Terrapins were 6-2. Since then, however, they've mustered 10 points combined in two weeks including an awful shutout loss at Penn State. Granted, Ohio State didn't arrive in State College until the 4th quarter, but the turtle never made it. It feels like Mike Locksley is a solid recruiter but the development portion of his staff is an issue as the reasonably talented roster has stagnated. Bad news when a supremely talented and developed team rolls into College Park. Back home Maryland may score a time or two, and the Buckeyes still have lots of injury questions that need answering in advance of The Game, but we could likely roll our 2s out and still win this one by multiple scores. Keep rolling, PLEASE get healthier, and we'll see you next week in the 'Shoe. <b>OSU: 52--Mary: 17</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Miami over Clemson</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">West Virginia over Kansas State</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Navy over UCF</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /><b>Seeberg: </b>Kentucky over Georgia</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-78649644622506067132022-11-12T01:39:00.002-05:002022-11-12T01:39:47.875-05:00Week 11: November Is For Contenders<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Hoying 34-13 (3-7 upset)<br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;">1.) Draper 34-13</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;"> (0-10 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">3.) Seeberg 32</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">-15</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;"> (0-10 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">4.) Schweinfurth 30</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">-17</span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> (4-6 upset)</span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">The (slightly revised) big three have solidified their spots for now and earned a few relative breathers before the titanic clashes to come. But while we wait for those shoes to drop, multiple Playoff hopefuls on the precipice are looking to make statement wins to keep themselves in the running.</p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Alabama Crimson Tide @ Mississippi Rebels</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This is (surprisingly). Bama has shown multiple chinks in the armor this year. While they're certainly more talented than Lane Kiffin's squad, there have been VERY few road wins of note this year. The Grove is a tough place to play, but a quick review of Ole Miss's schedule shows they've played....no one outside of LSU (to whom they lost). Bryce Young is a very talented player that has hidden a lot of the flaws in the Tide, but the RB is very good and will be the X-factor. Bama may be (more or less) out of the running, but if they have a little pride, I think they leave with a win. <b>Ala: 38--Miss: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hot take: I don't think the Tide are that good this season. Yes, they're a last-second field goal in Knoxville and a 2-point conversion in Baton Rouge away from still being undefeated, but they're a late field goal in Austin and 2 yards in Tuscaloosa against the Aggies away from just as easily being 5-4. They've been particularly bad on the road, not that Tennessee or LSU would be an easy out no matter where you play them. Not only is the Bama offense frustratingly inconsistent, especially through the air, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThUyloK2Gkk" target="_blank">the defense is running some truly bizarre schemes, which led to them getting gashed late against LSU</a>. The pieces are on the table to Alabama to get got again, but unfortunately their remaining schedule may save them. Ole Miss is basically a worse version of Bama: the secondary is atrocious rather than bad, and the passing game has really dropped off after Matt Corral left. The Rebels have essentially played one good team, LSU, and got blown away a lot worse than the Tide did. Look out for a potential bowl game loss for Alabama, but I wouldn't bet on them losing before then. <b>Ala: 34--Miss: 31</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>Schweinfurth: </b>Bama feels ripe for another upset here. The Tide can score with anyone, especially with Bryce Young pulling the trigger. The Tide defense just hasn't looked the part. There is still a ton of talent on that side of the ball that they should be able to get enough stops to pull away late. But this won't be pretty. <b>Ala: 38--Miss: 35</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Well whatever shine was still on this game has been unceremoniously removed by LSU. The Tide are puzzlingly pedestrian this year and Ole Miss is competent, but against a largely meh schedule save for their drubbing at the hands of the Tigers. The post-Matt Corral era has seen Lane Kiffin pivot to a run-heavy attack, to his credit, attempting to play to the strengths of his roster. Bama, however, is far weaker against the pass and the Rebels aren't the team to exploit it. It would be fun to see Kiffin win this one and taunt Saban for 12 months, but it just doesn't feel likely. Tide late. <b>Ala: 38--Miss: 24</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Central Florida Knights @ Tulane Green Wave</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I just can't get excited for this one. Tulane has a win over KSU which has appreciated greatly, but a lot of sweet garbage otherwise. UCF has the sweet garbage but 2 losses to boot. Good chance for Tulane to put a stamp on the Group of 5 representation in the New Year's 6 here...or for the Knights to snatch it away. Since I know nothing about these teams other than the results of the games, I'll go with the home team who has beaten a good team. Roll Wave. <b>UCF: 17--Tulane: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Who's excited to see the G5 representative in the New Year's Six this year? Just wait until a few years from now when games like this will determine a Playoff participant to go to Madison or Eugene or some other far-flung location to get blasted. UCF features a potent offense led by dual-threat former-Ole Miss Rebel QB John Rhys Plumlee, but it tends to go bye-bye at the worst times, putting up a total of 27 points in the Knights' two losses. Tulane features the better defense, famously shutting down Kansas State for probably the G5's best win this year. It'll be enough to frustrate UCF for the third time this season and put the Green Wave in the driver's seat for a spot at the big boy table. <b>UCF: 20--Tulane: 24</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'll be honest, the most AAC football I have watched this year is as I am typing this. From what I have found, UCF seems to be the better team here. Let's go with that. <b>UCF:28--Tulane: 24</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Here's a mind-boggling stat, Tulane is 0 for it's last 60 against AP-ranked opponents. One such team travels their way this Saturday in UCF. The Knights' QB situation is uncertain, and that uncertainty may prove to be the Green Wave's undoing as they've been forced to prepare for both quarterbacks. Tulane's defense is solid, but that second-guessing may prove to be just enough to make them 0 for their last 61 against ranked teams. Knights take the pole position for the G5NY6 spot. <b>UCF: 26--Tulane: 21</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Washington Huskies @ Oregon Ducks</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Oregon has been a machine since the drubbing to UGA in Week 1. Bo Nix is priiiimed for Bo Nixing, but, similar to my argument above, the Ducks are at home. Michael Penix has been flying under the radar in Seattle, but this is a tall order to enter Autzen Stadium with a talent discrepancy. Penix almost pulled it off in the Shoe, but everyone gets one. The ground attack of the Ducks is enough to keep pace with the big guns at the top of the CFP. <b>UW: 27--UO: 40</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Don't be surprised if this year marks the Pac-12's triumphant return to the Playoff after a 5-year hiatus. Washington's a bit out of the conversation at this point but Oregon is primed to jump Tennessee and the Ohio State/Michigan loser if it can take care of business, starting with what's become quite the one-sided rivalry in the Ducks' favor. Washington looked like they got off to a hot start to the season before we learned that Michigan State was terrible, and then UCLA effortlessly blew through them. It doesn't help that the Huskies have no running game to help out Michael Penix's spectacular passing attack. Oregon has the balanced attack, scoring more than 40 points in each of their last 7 games (helps not to have to play in a tornado) and they should move past the Huskies to set up a huge rematch of last year's embarrassing losses to Utah. <b>UW: 24--UO: 38</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'm not sure Washington has the firepower to keep up with Oregon here. Bo Nix and the Ducks have been on an absolute heater since getting thumped by UGA. I honestly can't see how this one is close. <b>UW: 24--UO:49</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'm not wasting any time on this one. Washington is a competent side this year but Oregon is simply not the same team that got roasted by UGA in week one. In Autzen? No shot for the Huskies. Ducks big. <b>UW: 20--UO: 41</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Texas Christian Horned Frogs @ Texas Longhorns</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">TCU can't keep getting away with this....can they????? I believe TCU has either faced a backup QB or knocked the opposing QB out in the last 6 or so games (which is crazy!). I don't think they're dirty, but they've been touched from on high. Now, Quentin Johnston is that dude and Max Duggan has been orchestrating the offense at a high level....but I just can't see it continuing forever. Texas is the darling of the power ratings despite their losses, but, once again, the game is in Darrell K Royal (and Texas has their own WR stud in Worthy). The athletes in burnt orange are better than those at all the other ranked teams TCU has seen thus far. Can the former Buckeyes QB erase the Hypnotoad from the rearview mirror? I've been wrong repeatedly, but...I'll do it again! Hook 'em. <b>TCU: 24--UT: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I have tremendous respect for TCU this year. The Big 12 is a meatgrinder without a chump team to provide breather weeks here and there, and the Frogs haven't slipped up once. Then again, there aren't really any standout teams in the conference either. The most talented team is probably...Texas. And now the Horned Frogs have to travel to Austin to try to make the magic happen for the 10th time this season. I feel like road wins have been tougher to come by than usual this year, and with the hot starts that Texas has been dishing out this year, I'm not confident in TCU's ability to outlast them (and knock out Ewers on the way). <b>TCU: 27--UT: 31</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Everyone is down on TCU, but they win. It's not pretty and they have that strange ability to rise from the dead in the second half. Here's the other thing, I don't trust Texas. They can put up points, but they also crap games away late. I can totally see that happening here. <b>TCU: 35--UT: 31</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'm not much of a fan of hyperbole, but TCU is easily one of the most- if not <i>the</i> most- fortunate 9-0 team in college football in a long time. They've faced, to paraphrase Lebron, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, but SIX backup QBs during their games, which is the primary reason that TCU has such sterling second-half defensive statistics and comebacks. A healthy four quarters of Quinn Ewers, however, is likely why the 3-loss Longhorns (2 of which were with Ewers out, it bears mentioning) are touchdown favorites against an undefeated squad. Horned Frogs' luck runs out. <b>TCU: 28--UT: 38</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>Indiana Hoosiers @ THE Ohio State Buckeyes</i></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Was it the weather or a more systematic problem? I think the answer is: yes. The weather in Evanston played a monumental part in the struggles last week, but the lack of dominance on the Oline and the running game consistently failing to pick up short yardage when needed is incredibly concerning. The Buckeyes offense is dependent on the pass setting up the run (and the pass). If the passing game is removed and the threat of going over the top is gone, some flaws were shown. The weather isn't going to be great, but I don't think the wind will be the nullifier it was this past week. CJ rights the ship with a nice efficient day orchestrating the offense while the RBs look a little better when the boxes are lighter. I don't expect vintage Stroud, but 350 and 3 should take place. Marv continues his personal dominance and Miyan gets another 2 on the ground. It won't be the most lopsided win, but it will get us back on track. <b>IU: 13--OSU: 48</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The age of excuses is over. Road game? Bad weather? Opponent with decent defense? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioGoPOAxkCg" target="_blank">Not this time</a>. It's not time to sound the warning bells yet; rather, ready the air raid sirens as the Bucks prepare to bomb away on another outmatched opponent. That being said, if Ohio State can't move the ball against Indiana, it may be time to worry. Or not: in 2014 the Hoosiers led the Bucks deep into the second half before Jalin Marshall put the team on his shoulders. And I shouldn't have to remind you what a constant heart attack November 2002 was. As long as the results keep going in the W column, there's hope for this team to achieve greatness. I think we'd all just like to see it return sooner rather than later. I expect it will. <b>IU: 6--OSU: 52</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Bucks are back in the Shoe and really, this team has played much better at home. I think last week was needed in a way that Day can show the video and work on the run game even more. This team is near unstoppable when they can be balanced and the lack of an aerial attack really put this team in a bind. Look, Ohio State does not lose to Indiana. It's not gonna happen this week. I really think last week was the wake up call this team needed. Time to get that train rolling toward The Game. <b>IU: 14--OSU: 52</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Well last week was dreary in just about every sense of the word. I don't know if there was a prop bet on any site that would've allowed you to put money on CJ Stroud having more rushing yards than passing yards, but I'm guessing a $10 bet would've netted you something in the vicinity of the recent powerball windfall. Regardless, now what's a Hoosier anyway? comes to town and this team has been a thorn in the side of the Buckeyes, at least during Urban Meyer's tenure. Two 40+-point wins sandwiched around the weird COVID year (where the Buckeyes were up 35-7 before falling asleep at the wheel) and it's clear that Ryan Day hasn't taken the Hoosiers lightly. This particular IU team is in a down cycle, starting 3-0 (including a now-baffling win over Illinois) before dropping six straight against the likes of Rutgers and Nebraska. Yeesh. Get points, get turnovers, and PLEASE continue to try to get healthy. <b>IU: 10--OSU: 45</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Purdue over Illinois</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Mississippi State over Georgia</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Nebraska over Michigan</span><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /><b>Seeberg: </b>Arkansas over LSU<b> </b></span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-27229251557064774252022-11-09T10:43:00.003-05:002022-11-09T10:43:24.621-05:00Perfection and The Game<p>Ohio State and Michigan first squared off in 1897, and have played each other every year (more or less) since 1918. But it wasn't until 1935 that The Game was moved to the end of each year's schedule and became the climax that would define each team's season. Whether the teams are ranked #1 and #2, like in 2006, or enter at 3-4-1 and 3-5, like in 1959, The Game is a one game season all its own.</p><p>In some years, however, The Game is the crown jewel topping an otherwise flawless season for one or both teams. And there's nothing more excruciating than seeing your rival kneecap you on the precipice of perfection. But what has The Game looked like for the Buckeye and Wolverine teams blessed with otherwise immaculate regular seasons? Apropos of nothing (as there is still <i>plenty</i> of meaningful football to be played between now and zero hour), let's take a look.</p><p>Since 1935, Michigan has put its perfect record on the line against Ohio State nine times, in 1947, 1948, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 (what a streak!), 1997, and 2006. The Wolverines are 4-4-1 in these games, including a 3-0-1 mark in Ann Arbor and a 1-4-0 record in Columbus. Notably, UM parlayed victories into national championships in 1947, 1948, and 1997 (kind of).</p><p>In the same timespan, Ohio State has brought a perfect record into the Michigan game fifteen times, in 1944, 1954, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1979, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2013, and 2019. The Buckeyes are 11-3-1 in these games, including a 7-1-0 mark in Columbus and a 4-2-1 record in Ann Arbor. OSU was able to ride wins over the Wolverines to national titles in 1954, 1968, 1970 (kind of), and 2002.</p><p>As you may have noticed, both teams entered The Game with perfect records on three separate occasions:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1970: #5 Ohio State defeated #4 Michigan 20-9</li><li>1973: #1 Ohio State tied #4 Michigan 10-10</li><li>2006: #1 Ohio State defeated #2 Michigan 42-39</li></ul><p>The only road team to ever knock off an undefeated Ohio State or Michigan in The Game was the Wolverines, in their colossal 13-9 upset of #2 Ohio State in 1996.</p><p>Go Bucks. Beat Blue. Whether either team is undefeated or not.</p><p></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-21018377004569674132022-11-04T23:50:00.001-04:002022-11-04T23:50:19.564-04:00Week 10: Look Away! Look Away!<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Hoying 31-10 (3-6 upset)<br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;">2.) Draper 30-11</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;"> (0-9 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">3.) Seeberg 29</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">-12</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;"> (0-9 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">4.) Schweinfurth 28</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">-13</span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> (3-6 upset)</span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">We wish we were in Dixie this week for what could be the game of the year (other than The Game) and another top ten (*sigh*) matchup to boot. Whatever you do, don't stare too closely at what the Buckeyes are going to do to Northwestern in Evanston. Viewer discretion is advised.</p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Tennessee Volunteers @ Georgia Bulldogs</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The eyes of the college football world descend on Athens this week to see if the defending National Champs can take out the resurgent Vols. One thing that needs to be discussed early, very few of the wins in big marquee matchups have gone to the away team (OSU over PSU, UT over LSU, and Bama over Texas are about it). Granted, the Vols have one of those, but I'm not ready to welcome LSU into the Top 10 fahmuhlee (very odd ranking). Georgia is salivating to have a big game between the hedges and they'll get it. If they can knock Tennessee and Hooker off schedule early, I think they slowly/methodically squeeze the life out of them. This just feels like a hyped game for the ages, but those usually come crashing down as duds. I'm going with the Dawgs to reclaim the top spot. <b>UT: 20--UGA: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Remember those halcyon days before the Haskinsing in Ann Arbor, when it looked like Georgia and Ohio State could be on a collision course for the Playoff? And we knew Ohio State's defense was trash but we thought that our vertical passing game would be enough to challenge Georgia in a way no other team could? Well, here's basically that matchup, only instead of at a neutral site we're squarely between the hedges. The Bulldog defense is <i>slightly </i>worse than last year's, but they still have the same ultra-efficient offense, as long as they're not playing Missouri. Tennessee was built to challenge Alabama's suspect secondary, but Georgia will be a tougher rock to crack. On the other side of the ball, nobody's going to mistake Stetson Bennett for CJ Stroud, but he should feast against Tennessee's awful pass defense, and Georgia's rush attack is a credible enough threat to keep the Vol D honest. It's been fun, Tennessee. Let's see what another year of development can do. <b>UT: 24--UGA: 28</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This Tennessee offense is something to behold. Hendon Hooker has gone from transfer "meh" QB to a Heisman front runner. Then along come the Dawgs. Georgia is a bit beat up, but this is still one of the best defenses in the country. I've gone back and forth on this game all week. It keeps coming back to the Vol's defense. If they can get some stops, they have a chance. I'm just not sure they can get enough. Georgia wins an entertaining game. <b>UT: 28--UGA:31</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">First off, I'm astonished the CFP didn't put these two at 1/2 to make this matchup perfection. Bravo to them for staying marginally impartial. That said, what a doozy between the hedges. My other alma mater is way ahead of schedule with Heupel at the helm. Love him as an offensive mind but didn't expect him to be this good as a head coach. The Dawgs, as we know, bring an excellent D and a great crowd. However, Hendon Hooker is actually 24(!) years old and a seasoned vet. And UGA is missing two defensive starters down for the year, including one in the secondary. I SO want to see UT/OSU for the natty in January...but just not quite yet. Stetson Bennett may actually be the difference, and a big stop late seals it for the new #1 come next week. <b>UT: 27--UGA: 34</b></span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Clemson Tigers @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'm intrigued by this game. Notre Dame has 2 of the worst losses you'll see this year (Stanford and Marshall in South Bend), but they certainly showed some juice against the Orange last week. Clemson has been living on the edge all year, but Dabo loooooves the underdog 'us against the world' mentality. The Irish have been written off, but there's a change Marcus Freeman wakes up those echoes and dethrones the Tigers. Heck with it. I'm going with the upset. Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame. Heavy dose of Mayer gets it done. <b>Clem: 24--ND: 27</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Usually there's one team a year that seems to be on a Playoff trajectory but with zero chance of making noise once they get there. And in an interesting twist, this year's team is NOT Notre Dame; it's this week's opponent! Clemson really impressed the Playoff committee with their unconvincing wins over a few teams ranked outside the top 15 (that won't be ranked much longer) but I don't think anyone paying close attention to the Tigers' inconsistent offense and overrated defense has much faith in them to beat an elite team this year. Good news for Clemson: their Cincinnati-esque schedule doesn't include any elite teams, as the best team left on their schedule is either a hyped-up South Carolina, or possibly a one-loss North Carolina in the ACC Championship. And that one loss was to...Notre Dame. Good luck figuring the Irish out this year. Beating Syracuse, hanging with Ohio State, and losing to bad bad bad Marshall and Stanford. The offense has never really recovered from losing QB Tyler Buchner against Marshall (not that he was doing much of anything before he was knocked out), which doesn't bode well for trying to move the ball against the Tiger front. Also, as you may have noticed in the season opener, Notre Dame's rush defense isn't that good, and while Travis Etienne isn't going to magically reappear on the Tiger sideline, they'll be able to find more than enough room to run to outpace the anemic Irish attack. Please, Buckeyes, get the #1 seed so we can thrash these clowns in the semifinals. <b>Clem: 27--ND: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Notre Dame has turned it around and even got a quality win last week at Syracuse. Unfortunately, I don't think the Irish have an offense capable of consistently moving the ball on the Tiger defense. <b>Clem: 17--ND: 14</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Props to Marcus Freeman this season. After the 0-2 start, and the staggering loss to Stanford sandwiched in there as well, this season could easily have gone off the rails for the Fighting Irish. But the buy-in seems to be there as the offense miraculously awoke in a dominant win over the Orange last week. In to town comes another, better orange-clad crew in Clemson. DJ is still their QB, as he probably should be as Cade only threw 4 passes in Clemson's escape vs. Syracuse two weeks ago. The defense, however, is a couple notches above what ND has seen since, well, since us. It's hard to imagine the golden domers getting much going on that side of the ball, and Clemson should be able to do enough-ish on offense to stay unimpressively undefeated. <b>Clem: 27--ND: 17</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Alabama Crimson Tide @ Louisiana State University Tigers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Here we go. Let's give Brian Kelly another shot at Bama. As stated above, I think the world was pretty surprised to see LSU in the top 10, but that just helps Bama. The Tigers seem to be hitting their stride and buying into Kelly's system, but they don't have the horses to keep up with the Tide. If Bryce Young is healthy, even the raucous crowd in Death Valley won't be enough. Death, taxes, and Bama. <b>Bama: 38--LSU: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Has anyone else noticed that Bama kind of stinks on the road this year? No shame to losing to Tennessee on a last-second field goal, but the Tide are another late field goal away from another road loss to good-not-great Texas. Then again, they're </span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">essentially a 2-point conversion try</span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">to losing to bad Texas A&M at home, so maybe the Tide just aren't quite up to the Saban death machine standard overall this season. Conversely, though, are we sure that Death Valley is the house of horrors it's so often been this century? Yeah, Ole Miss got thrashed there but Tennessee didn't seem to have any problems dispatching the Tigers. Brian Kelly deserves all the credit for dragging LSU up from the pit that Coach O fell into after losing Joe Burrow, but this team has that 2012 Ohio State feeling of a hard ceiling just below elite level. We wouldn't have beaten Bama that year, and I don't think LSU will this year either. But they could, so buckle up. <b>Bama: 28--LSU: 24</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This is a top 10 match up because the CFP committee wants it to be so. Bama is gonna thrash LSU. Maybe the home crowd keeps LSU in it for a bit, but LSU is not a top 10 team. <b>Bama: 42--LSU: 21</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">In an attempt to be fair to the CFP committee, I do get that LSU beat Ole Miss and they wanted to put the TIgers ahead of Kiffin's krew. That said, LSU has an extra loss so...mulligan? In any event, Bama now has another resume-bolstering opponent to beat. The Tigers are better than anticipated in Brian Kelly's first year, and Bama is more flawed than most of us thought as well. But the gap is still too wide. Tide rolls in to Baton Rouge and rolls out with a W. <b>Bama: 34--LSU: 23</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Texas Longhorns @ Kansas State Wildcats</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">As per usual, Texas is in the 'we have better athletes, but we love choking games away' mode. They aren't a polished team, but the spurts are there. Manhattan is an underrated tough place to play. It's going to be the glitz and glamour of Ewers, Robinson, and Worthy against the blue-collar Deuce Vaughn. If Texas can keep the tempo up, I think they get it done, but it's going to be a barn-burner. Hook 'em outlasts the slowplaying Wildcats and reenters the edges of the Big 12 race. <b>UT: 27--KSU: 24</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Remember when it seemed like Kansas State beat Texas every year? I had to look it up: Texas has now beaten the Wildcats 5 straight times, and a 6th would mark the longest streak by either team in the series. It's become kind of a meme to rag on the Longhorns' back-or-not status at this point, but they've been a bit snakebitten this season, losing by 1 to Alabama on a late field goal, fumbling an overtime game away against Texas Tech, and whatever the hell they did last week to give the game away to Oklahoma State. Kansas State seems to be peaking at the right time, and might even get their usual starter Adrian Martinez back this week, but I still think Texas has the higher ceiling. At some point the switch will flip (think of the Oklahoma game) and Texas will be back...to just outside relevance. Texas justifies the Committee's faith. <b>UT: 31--KSU: 27</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Kansas State looks the part. Shutting out a high powered Ok State last week was impressive. And here comes Texas. The Longhorns have been up and down with the QBs, but they aren't quite back yet. <b>UT: 28--KSU: 38</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I didn't believe much in the Wildcats heading into last week. Swing and a miss there after they absolutely boatraced a top 10 team 48-0. Now they welcome to town the inexplicably ranked 3-loss Texas squad with probably more talent but less idea how to utilize it. Still, it's tough to imagine K-State getting into the 40-point range again with Bijan Robinson, in theory, helping the Longhorns control the ball. I have no idea who the second-best team in the Big 12 is right now, and this game will make it that much harder to determine. Longhorns late. <b>UT: 31--KSU: 23</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Wake Forest Demon Deacons @ North Carolina State Wolfpack</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Not much to say about this one. The Wolfpack have been a total shell of themselves without Leary under center. I know the Deacs had a turnover bout for the ages last week with 6 in a quarter (!), but it's tough to see that happening again. Lean toward the team with the better QB. <b>WF: 27--NCSU: 17</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Sometimes you just need to burn the game film after a particularly rough week, and Wake Forest - Louisville is one of those games. Turnovers can be kind of luck and context dependent, and I don't expect even an above-average NC State defense to victimize Wake QB Sam Hartman for the second week in a row. Unfortunately for the Pack, there's no waking up from their nightmare, as Devin Leary isn't getting better anytime soon, and they don't really have another viable option at QB. I watched them play Virginia Tech. I don't have high hopes for them the rest of the season. <b>WF: 31--NCSU: 13</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Woof, was that an implosion last week by Wake. They are a better team than that and I think they rally and recover this week. <b>WF: 35--NCSU: 24</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I have no idea what happened to the vaunted Wake offense last week. Six turnovers in a quarter has to be some sort of record (I hope). Before that I would have trusted Sam Hartman more than anyone else on the field in this game. My guess is he might start out a bit gun-shy but that many giveaways has to be an aberration. Deacons bounce back. <b>WF: 37--NCSU: 31</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>THE Ohio State Buckeyes @ Northwestern Wildcats</i></b></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">After last week going into the fourth, this should be a palate cleanser. Northwestern is B-A-D, bad. There is no reason this shouldn't involve OSU going up and down the field while NW punts periodically. Stroud should help solidify Harrison as the Biletnikoff front runner while Miyan and TreVeyon do work on the ground. Depending on how the UGA game goes, Stroud could find himself back on top of the Heisman standings. Big games all around for the Bucks as we mark time until Nov. 26. <b>OSU: 58--NW: 10</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">The Ryan Day era of Ohio State football presents an interesting contrast against our prior two legendary coaches. While they each had their safety blanket suite of plays, Day is always tinkering, like he's trying to figure out which of his and Kevin Wilson's creations will work on the field against a real live opponent. This is a good thing, as we haven't seen a loss in the Day era from the offense refusing to adapt (the defense, on the other hand...). I predict a multitude of experiments this week, most of which will work because the team on the opposite sideline is stocked with players worse than Ohio State's scout team. Even if the weather is bad, that will mostly just create chaos, which, as we have seen over the last couple of weeks, heavily favors the Silver Bullets and their opportunistic ways. We're on to Indiana. <b>OSU: 42--NW: 0</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Guys, Northwestern's offense is BRUTAL. If this is the weather game everyone is predicting, the Cats are gonna be in a world of hurt. The Bucks run defense has been very good this year. Day is going to have the offense run the ball and do his best Herb Brooks imitation (AGAIN!). In all honesty, get up big and get the starters out before the 4th quarter. <b>OSU: 42--NW: 6</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Prepare for a sloppy noon (11 AM local, bleh) kick, Buckeye Nation. 25 MPH winds and long natural grass aided by rain today and tomorrow will make for a gross track, all in an effort to conspire against the Buckeyes to...maybe allow Northwestern to cover? (The spread, if you were curious, is currently 38 points). Northwestern is just plain bad this year, having won exactly 1 game...and 0 on this continent. Iowa managed to score 33 points- all on the offensive side of the ball- against them, and that's not exactly a positive omen. The conditions may make things uncomfortable at times, but the talent gap is just too vast. Run it, stay healthy, and get out of Evanston as quickly as possible. <b>OSU: 45--NW: 10</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> Indiana over Penn State</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Texas Tech over TCU</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;">Michigan St. over Illinois<br /><b>Seeberg: </b>Tulsa over Tulane</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-41832742772360993812022-10-28T17:27:00.011-04:002022-10-29T01:19:45.197-04:00Week 9: All Your Base Are Belong To Us<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Hoying 28-10 (3-5 upset)<br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;">2.) Draper 28-10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;"> (0-8 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">3.) Seeberg 27</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">-11</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;"> (0-8 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">4.) Schweinfurth 25</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">-13</span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> (2-6 upset)</span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">In Toaplan's cult 1991 scrolling shooter <i>Zero Wing</i> for the Sega Mega Drive, the player character faces off against the overwhelming invasion of the mysterious CATS, who gleefully declares that "All your base are belong to us." This Saturday, the script is flipped as cats from the Little Apple to Happy Valley hope to defend their bases from various invading OSU forces, with a few invading Kentucky Wildcats sprinkled in for variety.</p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Oklahoma State Cowboys @ Kansas State Wildcats</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">What to do with the Big12. It seems like no one really sucks (except maybe Iowa State or WVU), but no one is truly great. Kansas State has been thriving off their transfer QB, but no one really believes they are true contenders. The loser of this game is likely out of the championship, so the importance cannot be understated. I still believe that Gundy and company are the best team in the conference so even though they dropped one at the last purple team they faced, redemption abounds for the Pokes. <b>OkSt: 35--KSU: 31</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">It's a broken record at this point, but this one may depend on the health of the quarterbacks for Kansas State. Last week, even after losing Big Ten legend Adrian Martinez early, backup Will Howard still did more than enough to build a giant lead against Big 12 frontrunner TCU. Then he, too, fell off, and so did the wheels for the Wildcats. This week, Martinez is still a game-time decision, but Howard should be back in any case. Either way, moving the ball against the Cowboys shouldn't be the tough sledding the Wildcats faced in the second half last week. Jim Knowles isn't in Stillwater anymore, and the defense has been suffering without him. Okie State particularly suffers against the run, which is KSU's bread and butter. I'm going to bank on healthy Wildcat QB play, and Kansas State to throw another curveball into the Big 12 race. <b>OkSt: 31--KSU: 35</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">At first glance, I was ready to pick OkSt. They still have the remnants of Jim Knowles' defense, I thought. Then I looked at the numbers, woof. Back to a typical Big 12 defense I guess. After seeing that, I like the Adrian Martinez redemption tour to continue. <b>OkSt: 35--KSU: 42</b> <br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Ah yes, the 2022 "we blew a big lead against TCU" bowl. To their credit, the Cowboys bounced back with an upset(?) win over Texas last week. How will the Wildcats recover? My guess is not well. TCU loss aside, the Cowboys have been respectable on D with the remnants of Jim Knowles' work. The offense has been solid as well, and it's hard to imagine the Wildcats keeping pace for four quarters. Cowboys keep their ultra-slim CFP hopes alive. <b>OkSt: 30--KSU: 23</b><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Kentucky Wildcats @ Tennessee Volunteers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Can the Wildcats get back to early season heroics and derail the Vols magic season? I actually think this could be a trap game for the Vols with Will Levis and the Wildcats throwing a little defense at the Heisman hopeful, but going to Knoxville on the high they are experiencing is a tough pill to swallow. I think UK goes up early and makes the Vol Nation sweat it out, but Hyatt keeps the magic going as the Vols look to UGA. <b>UK: 35--UT: 42</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Oh, man, get Admiral Ackbar all over this one. The Vols have been terrific so far this year, with an offense as good as anyone not wearing scarlet and gray, but the big dog defending national champs are looming next week, and all that stands between now and then is a team practically tailor-made to exploit the Vols' weaknesses. Suspect secondary? Meet Will Levis, in the running for next year's overall top draft pick and probably back to fighting form after missing a game and being at less than 100% for another. Tennessee didn't slow down Alabama in the slightest, and they barely put up a fight against Florida, either. If Kentucky can play a solid 60 minutes of football, they can definitely catch the Vols sleeping before Footballpocalypse next week. But...that's not really UK's style. Turnovers and other mistakes doomed Big Blue two weeks in a row and kept an otherwise dominating performance against Mississippi State closer than it needed to be. I would love to pull the trigger on this but I just don't think the stars are going to align for the visitors. Mark your calendars for a possible #1 vs. #2 next Saturday. <b>UK: 38--UT: 42</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Kentucky is a decent team this year. I honestly can't see the Wildcats winning here. Hendon Hooker is just playing too well right now and I'm not sure the Cats can keep up. <b>UK: 35--UT: 45</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Side note: Remember kids, James Franklin was deciding between Sean Clifford and Will Levis in 2020 and went with Clifford and not the 1st-round talent. Yikes. Regardless, Levis is back and near 100% against the Vols. Under circumstances from 20 years ago, when UK was awful and UT was still relevant, this could be considered a trap game for the Volunteers before going to play top dawg Georgia. Kentucky's offense, however, isn't catching anyone napping as it's top notch. A let down last week might have also aided the visitors, but UT-Martin was the perfect post-Bama opponent for a safe W to ease back into SEC play. Well done schedule gods! Hendon Hooker feels like Stroud's only legitimate threat for the Heisman, and looking good while beating UGA next week would certainly warrant it. In the mean time, however, expect lots of stats and points on both sides again, but the Vols just feel destined to make it to Athens unscathed. Tennessee late. <b>UK: 31--UT: 41</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i>THE Ohio State Buckeyes @ Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions</i></b></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Much of the national media is downplaying this game as the Lions were blasted by Michigan and the OSU juggernaut doesn't look to be stopped. I'm a little concerned as Happy Valley seems to send the Saturday Scaries at the Bucks. They tend to pull it out, but it's usually close. In a position by position comparison, there is no reason for this to be close. They only people starting for the Lions that would sniff the field for the Bucks would be the corners so the talent disparity certainly exists. Stroud and Co. need to take control of the B1G by sending a message. While the corners at PSU are quite good, our receivers are better. In addition, the running game should make noise with a below average rush defense that was decimated by the Wolverines. On the other side, I don't really see Clifford consistently orchestrating drives against the Silver Bullets. The safeties should be able to limit the big plays and the Bucks cruise to 8-0. <b>OSU: 52--PSU: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">There are three Big Ten opponents that Ryan Day's Buckeyes have never beaten by more than two scores. The Illini, whom Day has never faced (a crime hopefully rectified at season's end). The Gophers, whom Day only saw in C. J. Stroud's coming out party. And our erstwhile not-rivals. Yes, despite playing the Lions every year, the Buckeyes haven't found a way to pound them into the pavement since 2015. Even the 2019 juggernaut Bucks caught the fumble bug in the second half and took their closest victory of the year against Penn State at home. Last year, in the Buckeyes' pajama game (never again), Penn State revealed Ohio State's red zone and 3rd down rushing struggles that would plague them for the remainder of the season. This year we got to meet those problems a week early, but I'll gladly take a 54-10 clunker of a win (in my day, the Buckeyes struggling would mean Sickos-quality 10-7 wins). The good news is that the Buckeyes didn't let their lackluster first half dictate the game, and this should come as no surprise. Wilson and Knowles have been brilliant this year at halftime adjustments; the Buckeyes lead the nation in 3rd quarter offense and 3rd quarter scoring margin. That's bad news for the Nittany Lions, as I don't see a lot of positions at which they hold a talent or scheme advantage. Either the Buckeyes get out to a quick lead and never look back, or they have to struggle for a half and turn on the jets after the bands take the field. Sean Clifford is not good enough to take advantage of any problems Ohio State may have at corner, and they don't have the receivers this year for the standard Penn State "Five Hundred!" offense to work. And our favorite maize and blue villains have shown that playing the Lions could very well be good for whatever ails your running game. Buckeyes limit their mistakes and cruise to 8-0. <b>OSU: 41--PSU: 20</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">What is Penn State this year? They still have Sean Clifford and a defense that got bullied by TUN. So, it appears to be a typical James Franklin team. Yes this game is on the road in a very hostile environment, but one gets the sense this Buckeyes team welcomes it. Overall, the Buckeye offense is just too much to handle. </span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b>OSU: 45--PSU: 17</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Looks good on paper doesn't it? #2 vs. #13. #2 on the road in a notoriously hostile environment against a 1-loss conference foe? All the makings of an excellent game. But I just don't see it. The Nittanies had their doors blown off by UM to the tune of 418 rushing yards in a game they lost by 24 and it honestly wasn't that close. The strength of their defense is the pass D and it should be a decent challenge for Stroud and his litany (look at me rhyming with Nittany!) of receivers, but the run game HAS to get going after being largely thwarted by Iowa last week. I know Day's instinct is to chuck it all over the yard, but the PSU linebackers are largely suspect and a heavy dose of Henderson and Williams is just what the OC should order. Also, did you know the Buckeyes have SEVEN pick-6s since 2002 against Penn State? Twice they had two in one game! Somehow, Clifford hasn't been a victim...yet. He already threw an awful one week one against Purdue, I think it's time for a second. Run the ball, keep everyone healthy, and do your best to get out of that podunk Happy Valley before dusk. <b>OSU: 38--PSU: 13</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> West Virginia over TCU</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">California over Oregon</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;">Notre Dame over Syracuse<br /><b>Seeberg: </b>Nebraska over Illinois</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30878534.post-69683194659984621332022-10-21T22:39:00.003-04:002022-10-22T11:48:32.586-04:00Week 8: Color Rush<p><u style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><i><b>Standings:</b></i></u></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1.) Hoying 25-9 (3-4 upset)<br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;">2.) Draper 24-10</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;"> (0-7 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">3.) Seeberg 23</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">-11</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12.61px;"> (0-7 upset)</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">4.) Schweinfurth 21</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.61px;">-13</span><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> (2-5 upset)</span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;">The hits keep coming in this midseason of football. The Buckeyes continue to play garbage teams but across the landscapes are marquee games to decide who is the superior orange and the premier purple, and whether blue and gold can equal green.</p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Syracuse Orange @ Clemson Tigers</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Syracuse got the big win last week which was thought to answer the question 'Is Syracuse good?' The problem was that NCState's QB was out and no one really believed in them that strongly. Now I'm comfortable saying that a win this week will answer the question in the positive. With that in mind, I think the answer is still no. Clemson isn't the world beater of the past, but they're quite good and easily the dominant force in the ACC. The Orange can grab a strangle hold on the Atlantic here, but I don't see it in Death Valley. The talent disparity is too great. Also, how can you defeat the 'bus slowly driving around the stadium for no reason' entrance? ....chills.... <b>Syr: 13--Clem: 27</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Color me surprised. Syracuse pulled out a great game last week against NC State. Yes, the Wolfpack have no offense (still better than another team in this week's previews) but the Orange were able to break through the brick wall that had been the NC State defense over the last few weeks. Now they'll have to do it again, against a team with not only an even better defense but also the actual ability to move the ball. And in Death Valley. The Tigers, meanwhile, looked vulnerable for a bit last week and actually surrendered a fair bit of yardage to a resurgent Florida State, but they haven't really been challenged in the second half since their offensive awakening 2OT win over Wake Forest. It's smooth sailing back to Charlotte after the Tigers dispatch the Orange, with a nice cushy game against Notre Dame (sigh) to break up the monotony along the way. <b>Syr: 20--Clem: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">I'm honestly shocked Syracuse pulled that one off last week. Dino Babers' squad has been a major surprise, but they are about to face a different beast here. DJ has finally figured out how to be a serviceable QB and that's a scary thought with that defense. Clemson should win this fairly easy. <b>Syr: 13--Clem: 35</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Don't adjust your TVs for this one. No, not just for the insane amount of orange, but the fact that BOTH teams still have a 0 in the loss column. The 'Cuse handled NC State pretty easily last week, the likes of which we haven't seen since, well, Clemson dispatched them by 2 scores. <strike>Jim Boeheim</strike> Dino Babers has things humming along nicely for the Orange, rewarding them for their patience in retaining the head coach now in his 7th(!) season there. Unfortunately for Dino, Dabo does not have a short memory and the TIgers' upset loss to the Orange in 2017 likely still does not sit well. The Clemson D is a notch below what it's been, but DJ has shown some signs of improvement and that should be enough to win this neon showdown. <b>Syr: 17--Clem: 31</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>California Los Angeles Bruins @ Oregon Ducks</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">UCLA has come out of (seemingly) nowhere to be the standard in the Pac12 this year. Chip Kelly took a bit, but he seems to have the Bruins on an upward trajectory, but that's for the fan to decide. Oregon has rebounded nicely after the week 1 drubbing to UGA, but can they keep the Pac12 train running. DTR is one of the top QBs in efficiency this year, but I don't really see the explosion. BoNix is a slot machine QB, but I do know that Autzen will be a madhouse. This is a statement game for both teams as a win places UCLA as the standard bearer for the Pac12 in the playoff (maybe USC) and a loss puts Oregon into the 'please ignore week one' category. This is about the time of year when the Pac12 graciously bows out of the playoff conversation, so it's time for the Ducks to shine. <b>UCLA: 27--Ore: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Welcome to the Chip Kelly bowl. And you can see the effects he has had on these programs: this is the first time in the history of these two schools that they have met as top 10 teams. That's no small feat in such a top-heavy year for rankings, either; we're well into late October and these teams have a combined one loss between them. UCLA keeps facing off against supposedly superior competition and feeding them a steady diet of DTR and Michigan castoff Zach Charbonnet on the way to convincing wins. Sure, the defense hasn't been quite up to snuff, but it's not like Oregon has held any FBS teams under 20 points this year, either. And they still have Bo Nix taking snaps for them. Other than their win over BYU, who, spoiler alert, might actually be pretty bad this year, the Ducks are most famous for having the doors blown off them by Georgia in the opener, on a day when they somehow turned 7 for 15 on third down and 2 for 3 on fourth into 3 points. Eugene is a tough, tough place to win, and UCLA's only road trip to date this year was at shambling blob Colorado, but the Bruins are just the more consistent team all around. <b>UCLA: 41--Ore: 34</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Oregon has looked very solid since losing to Georgia in week one. UCLA has good offense, but I'm not sure if they can get enough stops to win this. Should be a fun one to watch. <b>UCLA: 35--Ore: 42</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">For seemingly the millionth week in a row, it's another "are these teams for real?" game out west. UCLA found a QB and Chip Kelly has utilized DTR wonderfully to the point that a big game here could give him a Hooker-esque vault into Heisman contention. Meanwhile, Bo Nix has remembered he's throwing to guys in green now (or pink, or whatever Phil Knight has the Ducks trotting out in this Saturday) and the Ducks have been excellent on offense since that bashing by UGA in week one. It may not be the classic that Utah and USC provided last week, but there should be lots of points in a close contest. I don't trust Bo Nix much, but I do trust Autzen Stadium enough to see the Ducks sneak out a W late. <b>UCLA: 38--Ore: 44</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /></div></div></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Kansas State Wildcats @ Texas Christian Horned Frogs</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Can TCU keep getting away with this? Close win over upstart Kansas; OT win over an injured Oklahoma State team (with a sandwich drubbing of doormat OU) and the hits keep coming. Quinten Johnson is a stud receiver and Duggan needs to continue to feed him for results. I feel like the Cinderella Story needs to end sometime soon, but I'm not sure Adrian Martinez is the one to deal the blow. Midnight hasn't struck yet as the magical TCU season rolls on. <b>KSU: 20--TCU: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Ah, prime time on Fox Sports 1, just the place you'd expect to find what may be the decisive tilt in the battle for the regular season Big 12 championship. TCU's been living dangerously the past few weeks, needing a spectacular catch to get by Kansas and a furious rally and overtime heroics to best Oklahoma State, but that's part and parcel of facing a murderer's row, as Kansas State will be the fourth straight ranked opponent the Horned Frogs have faced (yes, I know Oklahoma and Kansas aren't ranked anymore, shhhhh). The Wildcats, on the other hand, seem to be more of a product of their schedule. A close win over Oklahoma isn't as impressive as it may have once been, and beating Iowa State by 1 isn't going to impress anyone, especially when you're scoring the same 10 points that earned you a loss at home to Tulane (at least that's now a ranked loss, I suppose). TCU, in contrast, hasn't scored fewer than 38 points in a game all season (yes, I know they needed 2 OTs against Oklahoma State to get there, shhhhh), and which Kansas State's defense is good, they aren't going to be able to slow the Frogs down enough for the anemic Wildcat offense to keep up. Hmmm...will we see any other games like that this weekend? <b>KSU: 17--TCU: 30</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">This one comes down to the fact that TCU is just better. They also have a shirt with Hypnotoad. All hail Hypnotoad. <b>KSU: 14--TCU: 33</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Violet, you're turning violet, Violet! Still better than that purple and red combination the Horned Frogs sported last weekend in a double-OT escape against the Cowboys. Regardless, TCU is a far cry from the Gary Patterson days of tough D and decent offense. It's full-on Big XII scoring now! Kansas State, meanwhile has exactly 0 marquee wins after the Sooners have proved to be a dumpster fire. TCU outscored a couple of other excellent offenses in the Jayhawks and Cowboys, and the Wildcats' offense is...less-than-excellent. Frogs hop away late. <b>TCU: 34--KSU: 16</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b><i>Iowa Hawkeyes @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes</i></b></div><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><div style="font-size: 12.61px;"><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">OSU circled this as one of the 5 marquee games on this year's slate...unfortunately, 3 of the 5 (maybe 4????) have turned out to be real duds. This matchup is a true rarity of the nation's #1 offense vs. the nations #130 offense. For those counting at home, that's the best and worst of ALL teams. Yeah, Iowa sports a decent defense, but don't focus on the limited yards per game they've surrendered. Considering the offenses they were facing, the defense is fine, but nothing that should scare the Bucks. Stroud needs to lead a bit of a clinic to remind the Heisman voters than Hendon Hooker isn't the chosen one. Since the schedule never picks up until TTUN, CJ needs to keep dismantling everyone from start to finish as he's been doing. Throw in a dose of Williams or Henderson with a touch of Biletnikoff frontrunner and stud receivers and this should get ugly fast. Maybe we'll even see the supposed #1 WR in the country this week (but I don't think we will or it would matter). The goal here is for the defense to continue the growth and shut down the ineptitude on the black and gold sideline. Heck, we even have a better punter than the kings of the punt! Bucks by a million. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. <b>Iowa: 9--OSU:45</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Faithful readers, I have good news and bad news. And they're the same: Ohio State's schedule is bad. Really bad. Yes, there's one mountainous roadblock at the end, but if you watched that roadblock play last week, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the supposed <i>other</i> good opponent remaining for the Buckeyes are a bunch of chumps. But enough about next week; let's focus on the chumps at hand. Iowa cannot score. I would say "the end" here, but the last time I wrote a preview like that was for the 2020 Big Ten Championship, and while Northwestern didn't do anything on offense that game, they were able to frustrate the Buckeye O for the better part of 3 quarters until Ryan Day got it through his head to run the damn ball. Now, 2022 Iowa is much, much worse than 2020 Northwestern, but they still do have some weapons on defense Ohio State will have to account for. The problem for the Hawkeyes is that Kevin Wilson has had two weeks to account for these problems. The Buckeyes are not going to be caught napping, especially when Ryan Day still carries the scars of 2017's debacle close to the windbreaker. The Buckeyes should have more healthy options on offense during this game than any other this season, including the opener, and they're going to put on a clinic for how to pick apart an elite-level defense. Just don't turn the ball over 5 times and don't get too stubborn with the play calling and this one should be easy, m'kay. <b>Iowa: 3--OSU: 38</b></span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Iowa's defense has shown to be their best offense this year. I don't know what that says about the Hawkeye's offense other than, it's bad. That defense will get some stops. They are good enough to keep the Bucks under 40. JSN should be back this week. Just in time to give other d coordinators more heartburn. Ryan Day brought up the scars of the last time these two teams played. There's no overlooking this one. Bucks win. <b>Iowa: 3--OSU: 35</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Seeberg: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Honestly, I truly wish I had the guts to predict a shutout here. Iowa has literally, no exaggeration, the worst offense in the FBS. 131st out of 131 teams. It's laughable. Unfortunately, Ryan Day is a nice guy to the point that Ohio State has actually only covered the spread in half of its games this season. The spread this week is 30. THIRTY! Against a top 10 defense! That's how pitiful the Hawkeye offense is. Five years since the baffling demolition in Kinnick- in Day's first year as OC- and Ryan still wants to make amends. I hope the late TD I'm predicting doesn't come to fruition, but I suspect it will. Stay healthy (fingers crossed), stay disciplined on D, and cruise to a W. <b>Iowa: 10--OSU: 38</b></span></div></div></div></span></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.61px;"><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;"></span><b style="font-size: 12.61px;"><i><u>Upset Special</u></i></b><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Draper:</b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;"> UT-Martin over Tennessee </span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Hoying: </b><span style="font-size: 12.61px;">Memphis over Tulane</span><br style="font-size: 12.61px;" /><b style="font-size: 12.61px;">Schweinfurth: </b><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12.61px;">Minnesota over Penn State<br /><b>Seeberg: </b>Mississippi State over Alabama (some men just want to watch the world burn)</span></p>Steven Hoyinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10230686253504883093noreply@blogger.com0