Grading the Bucks: Week 11--Illinois

Offense: B

JT returns with a thoroughly mediocre performance.  Some of that is attributable to one of the worst offensive line performances I've seen in while.  They actually run-blocked pretty well, but the pass pro was atrocious.  Chase Farris was getting embarrassed at RT routinely.  I'll give some credit to the Illini D-line, but OSU should be better than that.  Zeke was pretty beastly as normal so no complaints there (except with the media ignoring or minimizing his Heisman status).  While JT was affected by poor line play, he also showed some issues with some fundamentals and decisions.  The JT difference was the 4th and 13 scramble for the first.  Even with a bad game for him, the proof is in the pudding, but next week must be better.  Trust in Thomas and Co. and good things will happen in the passing game.  Suggestion: get Miller more down field routes and bring Curtis Samuel in for some more scat back reception work.  Be careful with those sloppy turnovers.

Defense: A

Holding any offense to 3 points in today's game is a fantastic performance, no matter the opponent (albeit a 5-4 team that few--including me--don't give much credit to).  The defensive line was absolutely phenomenal.  Bosa was routinely double/triple teamed and still got pressure (just ridiculous).  Washington and Hubbard also added to hurrying the QB.  No real worries in the game when the defense shut down the Illini offense.  

Special Teams: Sigh...

I'll give credit to Cameron Johnston who had a nice rebound performance in windy Champaign, but another chippy FG missed? What else is new? We are almost at the point of going for every 4th down on the opponent's side of the field (not kidding).  This is freaking Ohio State! How can we not find one guy who can effectively kick a football.

Coaching: B

I sound like a parrot: defensive coaching was great, but... Special teams are still useless and the offensive playcalling is still shaky.  Watching the O-line get beat up (especially on the right side) seems to necessitate more running plays (particularly read options), but the game plan never seemed to adapt.  Zeke routinely got 8-10 yards a carry, and there wasn't a concerted effort to continue to feed him on early downs.  Finally, I'm baffled by the lack of Braxton Miller running routes down field.  He's proven the ability to make really nice catches, but most of the time, he's relegated to quick screens.  He's no longer a QB, throw him the ball--and stop the stupid wildcat garbage.

Overall: B
Illinois may not be great, but the record says 5-5 which isn't terrible.  OSU won comfortably, but we still haven't hit the stride.  I think the world is waiting for the Buckeyes to finally reach a glimpse of their potential.  This wasn't it, but it wasn't a Bengals style collapse on MNF either.  Next week is a test.  Time to step up and pass with flying colors.

Officials: Woof
Two horrible reviews that weren't overturned that were CLEAR.  JT was clearly in the endzone which cost the Bucks 7 early (no excuses...score on the next play and don't be stupid--like we were) and an obvious Zeke fumble in which the replay official (and on field official) didn't see the ball on the ground with Zeke still upright.  I have no clue how these people have jobs.

Week 11 - In Which Ohio State Plays Illinois

Standings
1) Draper                37-14    (4-6 upset) 
1) Seeberg              37-14    (1-9 upset)
3) Hoying               32-19    (1-9 upset)
3) Schweinfurth     32-19    (1-9 upset)

As Ramzy at Eleven Warriors so eloquently pointed out, The Grind is nearly at a close. Not just for Ohio State, but for the entire college football landscape. We've had a few clashes between heavyweights throughout the season, but next week is when the rubber really hits the road and the playoff field will really start to take shape. This week's slate should serve as a nice palate cleanser in the interim.

#6 Alabama Crimson Tide @ #22 Mississippi State Bulldogs
Draper: Welcome to Stark Vegas.   Dak Prescott has been very good this year, but as the Bulldogs aren't undefeated, there has been very little discussion.  Derrick Henry is the work horse that was fantastic last week vs. LSU.  The question is: will they show up when the stage isn't nearly as big?  As I said, MSU has been very good lately and is really clicking at the right time.  The bad news is: so is Bama. Saban knows that the Tide cannot afford another hiccup (yes, even they can't survive another loss.  Bama bell cow (Derrick Henry) > MSU cowbell.  Bama: 27--MSU: 20
Hoying: OMG ALABAMA IS SO GOOD WHY ARE THEY NOT RANKED #1 YET???? Yes, Alabama had a great win last week But as Ole Miss showed a few weeks ago in Tuscaloosa, the Tide is mortal, and the Bulldogs catch the Tide at a dangerous time after a huge emotional win. MSU certainly can beat Alabama, but will they? The Tide have never been swept by the two Mississippi schools, and their combination of a solid power run game and stifling defense (that stuffed Leonard Fournette with 7 in the box). The Bulldogs will be motivated after their loss to the Tide last season, and Dak Prescott is still quite good, but it won't be enough. Don't be surprised if Alabama jumps off the top of the rankings completely next week. Bama: 24--MSU: 23
Schweinfurth: I am like a lot of people who said the Saban dynasty is over. I still believe this to be true on a national stage. However, the Crimson Tide still look to be the kings of the SEC. Lane Kiffin finally realized he has a beast and Derrick Henry. The Tide will ride that horse as far has he will carry them. Bama: 42--MSU: 13
Seeberg:  OK, disclaimer time:  I picked LSU last week over 'Bama on the (so-far correct by all accounts) assumption that Lane Kiffin would be too cutesy in his play-calling to just give the damn ball to Derrick Henry and get the heck out of the way.  38 carries and a 2-TD win later, I will not be picking against the Tide again until such time as Lane Kiffin forgets to just give the damn ball to Derrick Henry.  It really is just that simple.  Bama: 31--MSU: 20

#17 Memphis Tigers @ #17 Houston Cougars
Draper: Memphis finally hit the stumbling block at a terrible time (chop-block-o-clock).  Teams have a tendency to collapse the week after facing an option offense.  I could certainly see the same here, but I'm not sure about Tom Herman's boys.  They're undefeated, yet completely untested.  The schedule is simply poo.  That, of course, is not the team and/or Herman's fault, but the best wins are vs. 5-4 Cincinnati and 5-4 Louisville (and both were 3 points games). Memphis's schedule isn't appreciably better, but Navy and Ole Miss are much better squads.  I'm gonna roll with Justin Fuente to ensure the Group of Five is 'defeated'.  Mem: 31--Hou: 24
Hoying: What could've been the biggest mid-major showdown since Boise State - TCU back in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl was ruined by Navy and their cut blocking voodoo. Houston's done their part, blowing out awful awful opponents before nearly succumbing to a decent Cincinnati team last week. Memphis will be the best team the Cougars have faced, but playing Navy takes a lot out of a team (ask a squad a little closer to home how the following week goes). Tom Herman continues to build his resume toward a big boy job. Mem: 31--Hou: 41
Schweinfurth: The Houston Cougars and Touchdown Tom Herman look almost like Ohio State South. Memphis was exposed a little bit against a run heavy offense last week against Navy. Between that and the Navy "body blow" theory, I'll take the Cougs at home. Mem: 27--Hou: 35
Seeberg:  Navy's victory over Memphis last week certainly took some luster away from this game, but it's still a huge one in the Group of 5 Race for New Years' Day More Money (TM).  Unfortunately for the Cougars, they can't really take much away from Navy's triple option attack that worked virtually all night, scoring 45 points.  More fortuitously, however, is that Navy's defense also did well against the Tigers, and Houston is likely to study that game film in-depth and employ some similar tactics to keep Memphis's offense as one-dimensional as possible.  Go Houston Hermans!  Mem: 31--Hou: 38

#17 Oklahoma Sooners @ #5 Baylor Bears
Draper:  This game is very very interesting.  Last week, we saw the chink in the Bear armor as the freshman QB was simply not at the level of Sean Russell. KSU was annihilated by Oklahoma in Manhattan but the Cats almost pulled of the upset vs. Briles' squad.  Baylor (like Houston) has feasted on the Little Sisters of the Poor.  OU has played a decent amount of crap as well, but the win at Tennessee was a nice gut check win.  I know the Sooners can rise up on the road, but can Baylor rally?  Baylor presses on the big stage.  BOOMER!!.... OU: 52--Baylor: 40 
Hoying: Has Baylor been exposed? KSU used all its wizard magic blowing a giant lead against TCU, and Baylor still struggled to put them away. The passing game is still working with true freshman Jarrett Stidham, but they're not the juggernaut they were with Russell slinging the ball. A true freshman hasn't led a team to a national title since Jamelle Holieway did it for...Oklahoma, back in 1985. On the other sideline, Oklahoma seems to be peaking at the right time, though this will be by far their biggest test. The Sooners are equal to the task, and Oklahoma State leaves the weekend as the Big 12's One True Playoff Hope. OU: 42--Bay: 38
Schweinfurth: Baylor has play no one this year and has yet to really be tested. Kansas State showed the blueprint on how to slow down the Bear offense. The difference between Oklahoma and K-State is talent. Oklahoma also has the guns to put up points with Baylor. OU: 52--Bay: 35
Seeberg:  Only two things you need to know about this game:  Baylor squeaked by Kansas State in Manhattan last week 31-24 with their shiny new backup QB.  Oklahoma dismantled KSU so badly (55-0, also in Manhattan) that head coach Bill Snyder wrote a letter of apology to the Wildcats' fan base.  Oklahoma is finally running the ball more, primarily with Samaje Perine, and quite frankly I might've picked the Sooners even with a healthy Seth Russell at QB for Baylor.  At least we won't have to hear Art Briles whining any more about how lowly his team is ranked due to playing glorified high school teams in their out-of-conference slate.  Boomer Sooner rolls out of Texas 9-1 and squarely in the CFP hunt.  OU: 48--Bay: 38

THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Illinois Fighting Illini
Draper: The Bucks are finishing with the appetizer and preparing for the meat.  Last week allowed the team to fight through a little adversity with Mr. Barrett not in the wings looking to save them. Now it's time to get everything firing on all cylinders.  Let's start the pain train a week early. The Illini put it on Purdue last week...but OSU is no Purdue.  There is the questions of the 'wind tunnel' in Champaign, but does it matter?  I think this is a game to refine the ground game, improve the blocking, and get back into the read option game.  Zeke and JT each rush for 150+ and JT also throws for 150+.  The nice thing is that whenever JT returns, he seems to have never missed a beat. Another get in, work on a few things, win, and go home.  OSU: 48--Ill:10
Hoying: As odd as it seems, losing JT for the Minnesota game might have helped the Buckeyes a bit. There's not much danger of a letdown coming from behind center; it seems like every time JT steps onto the field, he's completely rust-proof. And the excitement of him returning to the starting job might be the spark this team needs to avert what could be the trap game of trap games. Make no mistake, this is a good Illinois football team that can run the ball nearly as well as the Bucks when their star RB Josh Ferguson is on the field. Ohio State is still much, much better, though, and as long as they stay focused, they should bring The Grind to a satisfying conclusion and put themselves in prime position to begin The Chase anew. OSU: 49--Ill: 13

Schweinfurth: So it's time to get back to the basic JT offense this week. The offense just moves so much better with JT. Despite the "wind factor" in this game, I think we see a concerted effort to force the ball down field and challenge the Illini secondary. Zeke is due for a big game and he breaks out for 150+. I also expect the Silver Bullets to keep turning up the heat and I expect at least 2 turnovers by the Bullets. Bucks win big.  OSU: 45--Ill: 13
Seeberg:   J.T. is back...again.  Last time these two met in Champaign it was an unbelievably entertaining game I was fortunate enough to take in in person.  A huge 47-14 Buckeye lead suddenly became 47-35...until the offense came back from hiatus and the final was 60-35.  I wouldn't expect quite so many points this week (particularly from Illinois- although they did light up Purdue last week), but a similarly comfortable win, hopefully without the 4th-quarter mini-scare.  Hyde destroyed the Illini two years ago, look for a big day from Zeke to get him creeping up in the Heisman talk. OSU: 49--Ill: 17

Upset Special
Draper: Washington State over UCLA
Hoying: Indiana over Michigan
Schweinfurth: Arkansas over LSU
Seeberg: NC State over Florida State

Grading the Bucks: Week 10 - Illinois

Another game...another yaaaawwwwnnn.

Offense: B
Let's be clear: Illinois sucks.  While the Bucks indeed put up a ton of points, the offense wasn't as crisp as I would like (especially early).  I know I'm super tough here, but the Illini are so terrible, there is a high bar set.  JT threw some nice balls, but missed some easy ones as well.  No room for error next week.  Also, the complacency late was disappointing.  You only play football in college for 4 years, so might as well make it count.  Blowout game? Doesn't matter to me. Too much screwing around that just doesn't work against good teams.  One other thing, for all the 4th downs we're going for, we aren't converting.  I never thought I'd miss the Dave play or Tresselball.  I'm ok with the aggressive playcalling, but not the dumb playcalling.  If you want to go on 4th and 1, man up and hit em in the mouth. O-line play was good but the competition ramps up a ton next week.  Also, Cardale had the best tackle/hit of the week, so there's that.

Defense: A-
Still like the progression I'm seeing in this unit.  The linebackers are getting better every week (albeit against garbage).  McMilllan, Lee, and even Grant and Perry are playing some good football.  Joey Bosa is still a man possessed but I'd like a little more pressure from the other big men.  Bosa is attracting a lot of attention so the others (Washington, Miller, and Bennett) need to make a bigger splash on the stat sheet. I still need more fire out of this unit when the game's in hand.  The game is over, but the team didn't show much desire to preserve the shutout.  I want my defense to be bloodthirsty and angry when they give up points, no matter the score.  I want Chris Spielman to infuse these kids with killer instinct and desire to achieve perfection.

Special Teams: B
Nuremberger was fairly solid, but Urban shows that he doesn't really trust him...or just refuses to give him chances.  My memory just isn't good enough to remember the intricacies of special teams (no a 13 second block doesn't intrigue me).  Cameron Johnston is still good.  This unit has to be flawless next week.  That opening kickoff though....woof.  Bury it deep.

Coaching: C
Tressel is turning in his grave (if he was dead).  Going for it every 4th down with dumb play calls?!? It's ok to punt.  It's ok to kick field goals.  Hopefully this was just to give more for MSU to look at (although it didn't seem to phase them last year).  Aggressive: Good; Stupid: bad.  Let's just hope they learned their lesson and GIVE IT TO HYDE!! (er.....a.....Elliot)

Overall: B 
51-14 and I give a B?!? Look at the competition.  I want perfection.  I want swagger.  I want a team with pride to never yield an inch.  This team was a little loose as the game went on.  Play until zeros.  No....Quarter...


Bring on the Spartans!

Week 10 - The Playoff Eliminator

Standings

1) Draper               27-14    (4-5 upset)

1) Seeberg              27-14    (1-8 upset)
3) Hoying               26-15    (3-6 upset)
4) Schweinfurth     24-17    (3-6 upset)

Even after a few more upsets last week, only one Power 5 team, Minnesota, made the dreaded drop from 1 to 2 losses, essentially falling out of playoff contention. Eighteen Power 5 teams are sitting on fewer than 2 losses, but this week's slate guarantees the demise of at least 2 more.

#5 Auburn Tigers @ #6 Ole Miss Rebels

Draper: Auburn has kind of become the forgotten team in the SEC West after the loss to Mississippi State.  Let's not forget they played for the Championship last year.  Nick Marshall runs Gus Malzahn's system extremely well and they are a truly solid team.  But...Ole Miss finally got Bad Bo and faceplanted against a so-so LSU team.  Granted, it was in Death Valley, but LSU is not as good as it's been in the recent past.  Now the tables turn as the Rebels get the Tigers on their home field where memories of the big Bama win still echo.  I'm sticking with the home team taking care of business.  Good Bo returns and more importantly, the landsharks defense holds Malzahn to a modest game.  Aub: 20--Ole Miss: 24
Hoying: Even though these two teams share a division (the ALMIGHTY INVINCIBLE SEC WEST), they share only one common opponent, LSU. Ole Miss puffed and sputtered all over Death Valley on the way to a puzzling 10-7 loss, while Auburn steamrolled the Tigers 41-7 at Jordan-Hare. Is there a huge gap between these teams, or is home field really a monster factor in the SEC? After all, Ole Miss upset Bama and home and obliterated every other visitor to Oxford, and Auburn's road trips led to a squeaker over Kansas State and a solid loss to Mississippi State. Auburn QB Nick Marshall has 0 INTs in 5 home games and 3 INTs in 2 road games. That's not a good weakness to expose to the nation's top defense. Tonight's forecast: a FREEZE is coming! Aub: 24--Ole Miss: 28
Schweinfurth: Ah yes, two teams from the most overrated division in college football.  Ole Miss is reeling from that loss to LSU last week and is highly ranked based on a win over Alabama (who has really beaten no one).  Auburn runs the ball, and does it well with Nick Marshall.  I'm not sure that the Land Shark D can stop that run game. I also believe that Ole Miss was exposed last week and drops another one here.  Aub: 31--Ole Miss 17
Seeberg:  This game, already huge, has suddenly become even bigger as both teams are in the top four of the inaugural playoff era poll (it will be 16 teams by 2030, mark my words).  Auburn waxed LSU at home, scoring 34 more than the Rebels managed in Death Valley.  The Ole Miss D, however, is still allowing a measly 10.5 ppg and Auburn struggled to score in its only other road game of consequence.  I believe the Tigers will be forced to throw more than they would like, and the Rebels will get back on track after that debacle INT at the end of last week's game.  Aub: 13--Ole Miss: 21

#4 TCU Horned Frogs @ #16 West Virginia Mountaineers
Draper: Don't want to be a couch in Morgantown these days.  WVU is rolling with former Nole Clint Trickett slinging the rock around like Larry Fine/Phil Collins/Dana Holgorson likes.  Kevin White has been a stud at wide receiver keeping up with the likes of Amari Cooper.  TCU, since suffering the horrible meltdown in Waco, has done nothing but destroy.  Last week's beatdown was just ridiculous with Boykin breaking records left and right.  The atmosphere will be nuts, but TCU is a sound football team that has their eyes on the prize.  Expect the Mountaineers to take an early lead and TCU just slowly take control away after momentum dies down.  TCU: 38--WVU: 27
Hoying: If not for a bizarre 24 point 4th quarter collapse at Baylor, TCU would be sitting at 7-0 and have a serious case to be #1 in the rankings. Instead they travel to the Baylor-slaying Mountaineers to face possibly the nation's hottest player, QB Clint Trickett, and the terrific West Virginia offense. Unfortunately for the home team, TCU's offense is even more formidable, averaging more than 50 points a pop and showing no signs of slowing down. Thank goodness poor Chris Spielman isn't calling this one, or he'd be retching in the studio by the end of the first quarter. TCU: A WHOLE BUNCH--WVU: STILL A LOT BUT NOT AS MUCH
Schweinfurth: What in the world is going on in the Big 12?  TCU put up 82 points last week?!? Who could have predicted that in any game.  That Horned Frog offense is something to marvel at but WVU isn't a slouch either.  Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, you have to be able to make at least ONE stop a game to win. I'm gonna take Trevon Boykin and the Frogs.  You may want to divert your eyes if you are a fan of defensive football.  This score is going to look like a video game.  TCU: 70--WVU: 63
Seeberg:  This one should be a very interesting watch.  WVU may have shaken their habit of playing down to their competition, handling Oklahoma State easily.  Maybe feeding off the confidence of the Baylor win?  TCU, meanwhile, dropped 82 points- no that's not a typo- last week, equaling their men's BASKETBALL team from a year ago who also managed just one game above 80 points.  West Virginia should use a Baylor-esque game plan to put some significant points on the board, but TCU is too good across the board to let another collapse happen to a team they need to (and should) beat.  TCU: 41--WVU: 34

#19 Utah Utes @ #14 Arizona State Sun Devils
Draper: Utah loves living on the edge.  They squeak out victories vs. USC, UCLA, and Oregon State, but they defeat that Wolverine 'juggernaut' by a billion.  ASU has also lived on the edge with the Hail Mary victory over USC and the closer than the score would indicate win over Washington.  That being said, the Sun Devils return to Tempe and have looked pretty good at home (other than the UCLA debacle.  Todd Graham should go back to Berkovici in my opinions but either way, I expect a Sun Devil victory. Utah: 21--ASU: 31
Hoying: Although these two teams currently lead the Pac-12 South, the only thing that comes to mind when I think about either of them is "borrowed time." Utah has squeaked by good teams in 3 consecutive weeks after a head-scratching home loss to Washington freaking State, while Arizona State beat one LA team on a Hail Mary and got plastered by the other. At least the Sun Devils can be forgiven for breaking in a backup QB, Mike Bercovici, who has become ASU's J.T. Barrett. We'll know more after Sparky hosts the Irish next week, but Arizona State stays alive in the South hunt, barreling toward a season-ending showdown in Tucson. Utah: 13--ASU: 31
Schweinfurth: I'm really not to sure about either team, mostly because Pac 12 games are played after 10PM and I like my sleep.  Just for kicks, I'll take the home team (and higher ranked) team in ASU. Utah: 20--ASU: 35
Seeberg:  Anybody have this game circled on their schedules in the preseason?  Not likely.  The Sun Devils have looked particularly impressive since their aberrational beatdown at the hands of UCLA by winning at USC and scoring a whopping 26 points against the defensive juggernaut of Stanford.  Utah, meanwhile, went on the road and beat UCLA and just squeaked out a home win over that same USC squad.  Utah runs it a ton, but they may become even more one-dimensional as their senior star wideout Dres Anderson- who has over 2,000 yards receiving in his career- is out the rest of the year with a knee injury.  Look for Utah to try to shorten the game by keeping it on the ground, but obvious passing downs will become virtual locks for the Sun Devil D.  Gotta love those tridents on the helmets!  Utah: 17--ASU: 27

Illinois Fighting Illini @ #15 THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Alert the presses! Illinois won a conference game! JT Barrett is hurt so we're ripe for an upset....wait, it's in the Shoe...at night? Nevermind.  Illinois CRASHES hard back to earth as the Buckeye's reassert their case for B1G supremacy and national attention.  Barrett will be somewhat coddled for the knee so expect a heavy dose of Zeke (please, Tom).  The D-Line is looking forward to beating the Illini down.  Can the defense keep the momentum from the PSU performance? I think so.  The offense will be somewhat pedestrian as Urban protects the QB and keeps some in his pocket for East Lansing.  Take it easy, get the win, and make next week count.  Ill: 13--OSU: 41
Hoying: FINALLY, the B1G basement dwellers are starting to rise above 1-11 or 2-10 status. For the first time since the conference expanded beyond 11 teams, each member is going to finish with at least 3 wins, including our beloved rivals, the Fighting Illini. Somehow, Illinois lost the dynamic leader of its offense and got better, rising up to snakebite Minnesota in Champaign. The Orange and Blue were actually outgained by a significant margin, but used turnovers to stay in the game until they could pull off the upset with a late score. Sound a bit similar to another game from last weekend? The good news: Illinois doesn't feature one of the nation's top run defenses, or a great defense at all, or even a bad defense. They won't capture lightning in a bottle twice, as long as J.T. can avoid pick sixes and daydreams of sweet revenge against that other team up north. Ill: 17--OSU: 59
Schweinfurth: I really don't know who this Ohio State team is, and I think that is a product of the schedule.  I think the Bucks roll to a 20+ point victory last week if not for the pick 6, but that offensive line...come on man!  I thought you guys had it fixed.  Run blocking? No problem.  Pass protection...very hit or miss.  As for this week, it's another feel good game before the Sparty showdown next week.  I expect to see very few J.T. runs out of the offense and it won't really be needed.  I don't need to say anything about the Silver Bullets (yea, they are real close to being back) as they have looked aggressive and talented this year.  Bucks roll, bring on Sparty!! Ill: 13--OSU: 52
Seeberg:  Well, last week went as scripted- for two quarters at least.  Apparently our massively paid offensive coaching staff has never heard of a 'Plan B' as the offense sputtered when J.T. tweaked his knee.  Luckily, Joey Bosa is an absolute beast, and we get mediocre Illinois off a surprising win against Minnesota that will likely keep them fat and happy for a couple weeks at least.  Get ahead early, keep J.T. healthy, and pray Michigan State isn't using their bye week well (I still think a conspiracy theory is afoot with that scheduling).  Ill: 13--OSU: 38

Upset Special
Draper: Iowa State over Oklahoma
Hoying: Louisville over Florida State
Schweinfurth: Arkansas over Mississippi State (CHAOS!!!)
Seeberg:  Pitt over Duke

Grading the Bucks--Week 12: Illinois

Offense: A-
Not too much to be concerned about here.  Hyde is an absolute beast and would definitely be in the thick of the Heisman race if he hadn't had the off the field issue.  I think his best quality is that he seems to run harder as the game goes on. You could notice a slight difference with no Jack Mewhort, but the drop wasn't significant (he will be good to get back).   The O-line is still wearing teams down physically which is good to see. Miller is running fabulously, but his passes have not been as sharp as they should be.  Yes, it was windy, but he was missing too many looks.

Defense: C-/D+
And now Buckeye Nation is reminded that this defense isn't very good.  They did score a TD but giving up 35 is unacceptable to any opponent let alone hapless Illinois.  Scheelhouse has had flashes, but he shouldn't have looked competent against the Buckeye defense.  Roby has simply not been the same player and the loss of Christian Bryant (I can't believe I'm saying this) is a problem.  The secondary can not cover which will most likely be exploited in a bowl game vs. a talented opponent.  IU will score, but not enough; UM sucks; MSU offense sucks; but a Oregon or FSU...yikes.  Noah Spence and Joey Bosa have been phenomenal rushing around the ends but can our line win a 'blue collar' game vs. Bama.  I'm not sure.  This unit is what it is--mediocre.  Not the Bullets of old.  I like what I've seen from Shazier, Bose, and Spence--that's about it.

Special Teams: D-
This was a horrendous special teams game.  I'm keeping them out of F land because Cameron Johnston was punting very well, but the breakdown on the punt coverage was just plain awful.  Maybe our coverage unit has been spoiled since Johnston has only allowed 2 returns coming into the day.  Can't forget the missed PAT as well.  This unit played the worst they've played all year.  I think it was probably due to a lack of mental focus, but that is no excuse.

Coaching: C-
Offensively, I'm still flabbergasted at the number of designed runs called by Tom Herman for Braxton.  Miller is made of glass...perhaps we should utilize his special talents more sparingly to avoid another needles injury.  The playcalling was OK other than that, but I still say FEED THE BEAST in short yardage situations.  Carlos needs more carries--he's averaging an eyepopping 7.9 yards a carry.  I was surprised to see he had 24 carries last week, but they were mostly in the second half.  If he can take the beating (I think he can since the line blocks so well), stop these finesse pass plays on 3rd and short.  Go for the bowling ball.  Defensively, the bigger problem is the players than the coaches, but that being said, the coaches need to utilize the players they have and 'coach them up'.  I'd like to see some more creative blitzes to rush the QB because our secondary gets picked apart is the QB has too much time.

Overall: B-
As opposed to what ESPiN would like you to think, the Bucks were never in any danger of losing this game, but they didn't play near to their capabilities.  Great teams bring it every week, and we're not there.  The defense absolutely needs to improve to compete at the highest level.  The good news going forward is that the offense is getting better and can hide some defensive flaws. The bad news is we'll have to stop a high-powered offense in the bowl game at some point. Time to get better.

Week 12 - Another week of 'eh...'

Standings
1) Schweinfurth    32-15      (4-7 upset)
2) Draper               31-16      (2-9 upset)
2) Hoying              31-16      (1-10 upset)


Oklahoma State Cowboys @ Texas Longhorns
Draper: Pokes vs. Horns.  Is Texas morphing into the team they were supposed to be?  Can they overcome the curse of GERG Robinson? Mike Gundy is a man, but can the Pokes take on a 'real' (maybe) team?  This is the toughest game of the week to pick as these teams are pretty even in their mediocrity.  OSU has beat up on the Little Sisters of the Poor and UT has taken down a strong Sooner squad.  I'm going with the home team and the resurgence of the Mack Brown led Longhorns.  Darrell K Royal stadium is the difference.  OSU: 30--UT: 34
Hoying: So...much...orange...This game always makes me think of Texas's monster comeback against the Pokes during the Vince Young era, when he made a pump fake about 15 yards past the line of scrimmage and the linebacker jumped like he was Patrick Ewing trying to block Scottie Pippen in NBA Jam. Ah, memories. After an ugly, ugly start, the Longhorns are finally starting to live up to the preseason hype, rattling off 6 wins to start conference play. Oklahoma State has also been rolling merrily along after an ugly loss to West Virginia. The problem inherent in assessing these two teams is the same problem that plagues all Big 12 matchups: the good teams played all the crappy teams first, so it's hard to get a feel for how good the conference leaders really are. I see Oklahoma State as a slightly better version of Texas Tech: inflated record due to crappy opponents. Texas is battle-tested and ready for a fight.  The Big 12 race shrinks to Texas vs. Baylor after a Longhorn victory. OSU: 27--UT: 30
Schweinfurth:  Texas just isn't the Texas of old. I really don't think much of these two teams to be honest.  While I do believe the Longhorns are still playing for Mac Brown's job, I just don't think Texas can score with the Cowboys.  This will be entertaining but I'll take the other OSU.  OSU: 42--UT: 38

Georgia Bulldogs @ Auburn Tigers
Draper: I'm gonna do it.  I don't know why, but I have a feeling.  UGA's defense is awful, but is Auburn ready for the pressure to mount? UGA is almost back to full strength and has been playing well over the last few weeks.  I think Auburn is starting to look to the Iron Bowl but forgetting that Murray, Gurley, and Co. can score.  The Bulldogs would be well advised to slow the game down and force Auburn into a knock-down drag-em-out fight.  Auburn took down A&M but UGA (even though it's terrible) has a better D than the Aggies.  Johnny Football lost with flash; can Gurley win with a blue-collar mentality? UGA: 30--Aub: 27
Hoying: Old man football's broken hip hasn't quite recovered enough to handle the hottest team in the SEC (yes, yes, other than Bama). I'm not sure Georgia would even win this game at full strength. In the year of the quarterback, Auburn has taken the SEC by storm with a punishing rushing attack, putting up at least 35 points against their last 5 opponents. In four of those matchups, the Tigers reached 45 (way to break the streak, Bert). That's bad news for a suspect Dawg defense. It doesn't matter what happens on the other side of the ball. Georgia simply can't stop Auburn or hope to keep up. Old and busted...new hotness. UGA: 24--Aub: 38
Schweinfurth: This is a game of the walking dead versus a very hot (possibly good) team.  Let's face it, Georgia isn't the same team they were before that Tennessee game.  Auburn has had a rejuvenation under Gus Mahlzon and I do believe in what he is building offensively.  Georgia wasn't good on defense before the injuries and that continues into this week.  Georgia keeps it close for a while but Auburn continues to roll towards the Iron Bowl.  UGA:28--Aub: 40

Michigan State Spartans @ Nebraska Cornhuskers
Draper: Leaders on the line for real.  A Spartan win essentially seals the Green and White's trip to Indy.  The defense is for real, but the offense is showing signs of life.  Don't get too excited; the Walrus still reigns, but Nebraska is not the answer to stop Sparty.  Nebraska may have beaten UM (ha) but MSU is much better.  Look for a suffocating Sparty YES win. MSU: 27--Neb: 10
Hoying: The B1G Leaders division race was over after the first game, with Ohio State grinding out a win over Wisconsin (shocker) to make for one of the most boring division races of the BCS era. The Legends, however, has just begun to clear up, and it seems that the winner of this matchup will be facing the Buckeyes in Indianapolis. Who has the edge?  Both teams made Michigan's offense look pathetic, incompetent, lost, uninterested, weak, hopeless, and bad.  But so did Akron.  And UConn. Nebraska coach Bo Pelini salvaged his team's season from Bo Pelini land with a ridiculous Hail Mary reception against Northwestern, while Michigan State has been quietly mopping the floor with their B1G opponents (except the freaking Boilermakers for some reason). Normally, Lincoln has a magic force field around it that protects the Huskers from losing, but UCLA shattered it and Minnesota devoured the remains. You don't need to be a good QB to score on this Blackskirt defense. MSU: 24--Neb: 10
Schweinfurth:  Question: What does Michigan State do really well at on defense? Answer: Stop the run.  What does Nebraska do best on offense? Run the ball.  It is really that simple.  I know Michigan State's offense isn't great but it is effective enough (Spartyball?).  This will be close only because of the Spartan offense is that bad.  Sparty wins and sets up an OSU/MSU B1G Championship Game.  MSU: 17--Neb: 9

Stanford Cardinal @ USC Trojans
Draper: Stanford is living large after taking down the Ducks, but the Trojans are quietly winning without any talk.  Ed Orgeron is trying (desperately) to hang on while he can.  The Trojans will jump out to an early lead as Stanford is really built to beat a small team like Oregon.  When Stanford realizes they're in trouble, their will be just enough time to come back and squeak out the win over the horrible QB play in LA.  Trojans fight, but Cardinal escape with their eyes locked on a potential Pac12 title. Stan: 27--USC: 24
Hoying: Seeing this matchup always puts a smile on my face as I'm transported back to that monumental upset in 2007. That was also the year that Michigan lost to Appalachian State (hot hot hot), but the Stanford-USC upset was arguably even bigger and easily the worst of Carroll's career. Since then, USC has beaten Stanford exactly once, in 2008, and the Trojans are in the midst of their first-ever 4 game losing skid to the Tree. Looks like a lock for 5 in a row, right?  Not so fast.  USC might be the most underrated and overlooked team in the country. Only the really puzzling loss to a not-as-bad-as-usual Washington State team sticks out on an otherwise decent resume. The defense has been great (outside of the Arizona State game) and interim (or is he?) coach Ed Orgeron seems to have the team believing they can live up to the recruiting hoopla. Stanford will still win; they're an excellent team on both sides of the ball and their backup center has The Shining (or something like that). But don't be surprised to see the Trojans put up quite a fight and catch some experts off-guard. Stan: 20--USC: 17
Schweinfurth: Stanford is fresh off the big win at Oregon and has had an extra few days to prepare for the Trojans. The Trojans, while looking better under a competent coach, are still bad.  Stanford wins.  Stan: 28--USC: 21

THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Illinois Fighting Illini
Draper: OSU almost always has trouble scoring in Champaign.  Even if this is the case, the Illini have shown an aversion to scoring in Champaign as well.  That being said, the ground game will take center stage as the Bucks steamroll a horribly overmatched foe.  Nathan Scheelhouse has never lived up to the hype and this will be no different.  3 Buckeyes rush for 100 yards (let's go Miller, Hyde, and...Elliot I guess) and Illibuck retains a home in Columbus. OSU: 45--Ill: 13
Hoying: Whoo boy, another nail-biter. The Buckeyes don't traditionally score a lot of points in Champaign (under 30 every game since 1998) but they don't traditionally have Urban Meyer as their coach, either. This Illini defense is legendarily bad (think Purdue) and the Buckeyes have had two whole weeks to prepare...for Michigan, but they probably spent a day getting ready for Illinois, too. They should've watched game film of Indiana instead. Bucks win the Donatello trophy and keep rolling toward 13-0.  OSU: 52--Ill: 10
Schweinfurth: Look, Illinois is bad.  I mean "haven't won a game in the B1G since 2011" bad.  Yes, their passing offense has shown signs of life but 600+ yards against a meh defense and 2 (!) touchdowns is just sad.  If the wind is a factor Hyde and Miller run for 200 apiece.  Even if the wind is a factor, Braxton still throws for 250.  Buck keep on rolling.   
OSU:63--Ill: 17

Upset Special
Draper: Duke over Miami (FL)
Hoying: Texas Tech over Baylor
Schweinfurth: Houston over Louisville

Grading the Bucks: Illinois

Short post this week.  Summary: Illinois sucks and the Buckeyes did what they were supposed to.

Offense: A
Not much to nitpick here.  Braxton is improving, Hyde has been a bulldozer, and we finally did what we should have to an inferior opponent.  I'm loving the running game.  Passing looked better, but the opponent sucks.  Braxton gives plays that show you the amazing potential...and then the converse 'duh' moments.  Not many 'duh' moments this weekend.  Let's hope he keeps it up.  The receivers really need to step up.  Stoneburner has been a real disappointment this year.  Outside of 1 deep TD vs. PSU, I haven't been impressed.  Smith has shown moments of brilliance followed by killer drops.  Passing game needs work, but 52 points in a rout makes me happy.

Defense: B+
The only reason I'm avoiding the A is the number of points surrendered.  That being said, I really liked what I saw.  Shazier is playing like a man possessed, Roby is shutting the opposition down, and Boren is stepping it up.  Christian Bryant is regressing back into the 'blow em up' tackling and missing which is very concerning.  Undisciplined play is a concern with the penalties, but most of those penalties were ridiculous.  I love the attack mentality we're starting to see with the defense.  Again, let's hope it continues against a real opponent.

Special Teams: C
The downgrade here is purely with respect to the kickoff coverage.  Maybe it's brought to the forefront when we score more points because we kickoff more, but we're giving up good starting field position on kickoff returns.  I'm starting to wonder why Basil doesn't bury the kickoffs in the endzone.  The piranhas are starting to get out of their lanes and miss tackles.  Kicking was nice, but I really get nervous on punt and kick coverage now.

Coaching: B
Eh...nothing special, but no problem.  No beefs, but nothing to 'wow' me.

Overall: B+/A-
Nice to win in a rout (1st time since Nebraska or Miami).  Room for improvement, but definite strides forward after the last month of questionable play.

Week 10: Rematch!

Standings
1) Schweinfurth  30-7   (4-5 upset)
2) Hoying           25-12  (3-6 upset)
3) Draper            24-13  (3-6 upset)
4) Auer               20-13  (1-7 upset)

All 4 upset specials happened this week.  Kudos to Auer and Draper for picking top 10 upsets.  Weak sauce by Hoying picking a Vegas favorite (Nebraska over Michigan) and Schweinfurth for picking the pillow fight in Madison (sad but true).

Alabama Crimson Tide @ Louisiana State Tigers
Draper: Here's hoping for a little more scoring this year.  These teams are 2 of the best in the country once again, but LSU is not near the juggernaut that Bama is.  That being said, the Tigers own the longest active home win streak (and it's not close).  LSU has a very good defense (especially the line), but Bama's is better (moreso in the secondary).  This is the first test for Alabama and it's a doozie simply because it's in Death Valley.  I see McCarron managing the game well and tossing enough keep passes for the road team to win this epic battle 2 years in a row.  LSU's offense is just not strong enough to hang. Bama: 20--LSU: 10
Auer: Quite the test awaits the Fightin' Les Miles. AJ McCarron has yet to be intercepted this year, Alabama has yet to lose this year, and LSU has yet to lose at home. Something has got to give. Two of the best defenses in the country clash in this sure-to-be defensive struggle. Bama is a much better team, and will show it. Bama: 21--LSU: 9
Hoying: I think I'm going to throw up in my mouth a little every time I watch this game from now on.  Back to business...Both teams feature stellar defenses, but that's where the similarities end.  Alabama features unsung Heisman-good A.J. McCarron behind center, lighting up every team he faces, while LSU's Zach What-a-burger has the Purple and Geauxld wishing they had Jordan Jefferson's pass accuracy back.  Alabama hasn't really been tested yet (no, Mississippi State), but LSU is slogging through a brutal slate of 5 games against excellent opponents.  Can their battle-tested toughness overcome the enormous talent and coaching gaps?  No.  Just...no.  Bama: 24--LSU: 10
Schweinfurth: To be perfectly honest hear, I really don't think highly of LSU this year.  The Tigers lost a lot on offense when Jordan Jefferson graduated, and that really wasn't all that much to begin with.  LSU is without their best weapon in Tyron Mathieu.  Alabama on the other hand, has to look of a top team.  A.J. McCarron is an efficient, but not great quarterback and the Tide defense is just sick.  I see this game going the same way last year's title game went: lots of 'Bama and not much LSU.  The Bayou helps keep it from being a laugher. Bama: 35--LSU: 9

Oregon Ducks @ University of Southern California Trojans
Draper: The Pac-12 is taking it on the chin for the Trojans recent struggles.  I still believe the Trojans have the talent to compete with the top teams, but they aren't showing it.  Oregon has steamrolled everyone on their schedule thus far (including a Rich Rod Zona team that snake bit the Trojans).  The Duck offense is a finely tuned machine and the defense has really stepped up their game.  The pure athleticism of Barkley and Lee could make this interesting but the flash and zip of the Ducks keep the dream matchup of Oregon/Bama alive.  Beware of a potential rematch in the Pac12 title... OU: 38--USC: 24
Auer: These are the kind of games I love. Teams known for having douchebag players and douchebag coaches... karma's a you know what. USC's season collapsed a few weeks ago, and Lane Kiffin hasn't been able to right the ship yet. Oregon is seemingly an unstoppable offensive juggernaut, and will continue the tour de force this weekend. UO: 58--USC: 32
Hoying: Poor Pac-12, there goes your marquee match-up of the year.  Well, there's always the Civil War...What's wrong with USC?  Everyone's trendy non-SEC preseason #1 has looked downright mediocre this season.  But they're still ranked (why?) so I guess this game has some importance.  Meanwhile, Oregon is once again cramming touchdown after touchdown down their opponents' throats, and this year they have some semblance of a defense to go with it.  The sad part is, the Trojans' defense, the feature that made them stand out in the squishy Pac-12, is...WORSE...than Oregon's.  If USC can play up to their mythical talent level, and throw to Marqise Lee about 20 times, they might have a chance of keeping up.  But I don't see it.  UO: 48--USC: 24
Schweinfurth: Is there a scarier offense in the county than Oregon right now? I don't think so.  Kenjon Barner has been an absolute monster so far this year.  Pair that offense with a defense that at least has a pulse and Oregon is a scary team.  USC can put up some numbers too.  Marquise Lee had himself a day last week (Rich Rod has had the number 9 in his nightmares all week after that display) and Robert Woods is no slouch on the other side.  This game will come down to who can make the defensive stop first.  UO: 42--USC: 38



Texas A&M Aggies @ Mississippi State Bulldogs
Draper: Mississippi State was exposed last week, but then again, Bama exposes everyone.  The cowbells will be going bananas in Starksville which is not an easy place to play when the Bulldogs are playing well.  That being said, the A&M offense and Johnny Football are running up and down the field against everyone. The record for MSU justifies a high ranking, but the lack of quality wins/opponents are catching up fast.  Aggies get a big SEC road win.  TAMU: 38--MSU:24
Auer: Two teams that just can't get over the hump. A&M is coming off of a 63-21 romp of Auburn, MSU is coming off their first loss of the season. MSU should be able to spring a trap if they're out for redemption this week. A&M is 5-20 in November road games and that alone could spell disaster for the Aggies. TAMU: 28--MSU: 31
Hoying: Texas A&M's athletic director needs to be slapped.  Your team already has to travel to Alabama, Auburn, and Mississippi State, and you schedule road games at lowly SMU and Louisiana Tech?  The upshot of this is that A&M is now playing their 4th road game in the last 5 (and they go to Alabama next week).  Odd thing is, the only game they lost of those five was the one at home (against LSU).  Mississippi State is fresh off getting the Alabama treatment (no shame there) and needs a big win to prove their record isn't a fluke.  Too bad they're a mirage.  Texas A&M is the real deal this season and will easily provide the second gut-punch of MSU's Alabama-A&M-LSU back-to-back combo. TA&M: 31--MSU: 17
Schweinfurth: Which of these two teams is for real?  A&M has held it's own against a brutal SEC road schedule but has lost all of their games against higher ranked teams.  Mississippi State hasn't been tested at all.  Coming off a game against 'Bama, I think the Bulldogs are a beat up group and Johnny Manziel has enough to beat the Dogs.  Watch out for those cowbells though! TAMU: 24--MSU:21



Illinois Fighting Illini @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Illini sucks...that's just a fact.  OSU got a huge road win against the hot Nittany Lions, but no one will confuse PSU for Bama, Oregon, or any real contender.  With that, the Buckeyes seemed to get some needed confidence after the near miss vs. Purdue.  The Silver Bullets (yeah...I'll give them the moniker for now) have been MUCH improved (granted against mediocre competition, but it's a start).  Miller needs to settle and let the game come to him.  We have other weapons and once he is able to utilize them through the passing game and running game, watch out.  This should be a cakewalk (even though the Bucks been exceptionally good at playing to the level of the competition).  Look ahead is a slight worry, but the bye week is a nice buffer.  Thus should be a beatdown.  Ill: 10--OSU: 41
Auer: Echoing my other bloggers, Illinois is horrible, but the Buckeyes have been an up and down, Jekyll and Hyde type of team. One would hope that Braxton has a big game and keeps himself in the Heisman talk. This will be interesting for a half. Ill: 20--OSU: 38
Hoying: Illinois is BAD.  I could end the write-up there, but let's take a look at the Buckeyes, coming off their best win since Nebraska.  The defense has finally figured out how to stop predictable B1G offenses, and Braxton still isn't dead.  Maybe Urban should rest him so he's 100% for Wisconsin.  Ah, but that's what the bye week is for.  Oh, by the way, Illinois is BAD.  Ill: 6--OSU: 34
Schweinfurth: I want to pick Ohio State to blow Illinois out of the water.  I mean, they should right?  The Bullets looked like they were back flying around last week but the offense actually looked, at times, to be a first year offense.  The Buckeyes need to make a statement at home against a bad team.  No more close ones.  I think the Bucks pull away late but we need to see A LOT more out of the passing game.  Expect some 3 and out drives early due to Urban trying to get Braxton throwing the ball a bit more.  This game is closer than the experts think but Urban gets Illibuck for the first time.  Ill: 23--OSU: 41


Upset Special
Draper: Iowa State over Oklahoma
Auer: Okie State over Kansas State
Hoying: Michigan State over Nebraksa
Schweinfurth: TCU over West Virginia

Grading the Bucks Week 5--Illinois

Way to close Buckeyes. Sloppy game and yet...5-0

Offense: C
After having their way against Eastern Michigan (which they should have), the Buckeyes looked a bit shellshocked on the road. After I emphasized practicing the run against suck MAC opponents, we saw Saturday why I wanted that so badly. Tressel decided it was time to prove we can run in the Big Ten...and he failed. Our offensive line is exceptional at pass blocking (as we've seen all year) but looks like a bunch of old women when run blocking. They can't move defenders backward; they can't open holes; it's just no good for Big Ten play. We saw that the lack of run game development (including the runningbacks as Saine and Herron didn't do the line any favors) could cost the Bucks in the Big Ten. I fully expect Tressel to go back to the pass first offense in the future. Look for a more west coast offense as dropback passing game seemed successful (except when Posey drops easy passes) and the shotgun scramble is the best option running too--Pryor is our only runningback. We also saw that if Pryor goes down, it's 'bad news bears'. Kenny Guiton needs more reps for backup potential if the turf monster returns. It was on the road, but c'mon man.

Defense: B-
Many spoke to the defense as the focal point of the Buckeyes win, but I wasn't terribly impressed. Many of the defense's successes were directly caused by Illini failures. The Bullet secondary gave up some open passes but it seemed that Illinois had a case of the dropsies to help out. The adjustments were not made very well to cover number 11 (Fayson) when it was clear that he was the only serious receiving threat. Also, the run defense wasn't nearly as solid as we've come to expect. They were opportunistic and presented the bend-don't-break mentality that seems to be the norm, but I'd prefer the shut 'em down mentality. Illini showed that OSU will get every teams best shot, and they'd better be ready. Next week might actually be a tougher test so bring the wood. IU can throw the ball very well but we're back at home.

Special Teams: B
And the best grade goes to....the special teams?!? What happened? Well, to be honest, nothing happened...and that's a big time improvement. No missed kicks, no blocked kicks, no big returns. I'll take it. Why not an A for this unit? Can anyone answer? It has nothing to do with our mediocre return game...it's Jim Tressel's most important position, that is simply not very good. Ben Buchanan had a bad day punting which is not good for any Tressel team. He had a few punts that went about 30 yards which is just not acceptable. This is a big time concern for the unit. Buchanan has had better days but he needs to get it going in a hurry.

Coaching: B-
It's a week late coaches. I've been telling you to practice the run because it didn't work in the 20 or so carries a game vs. the MAC. The kinks had to be worked out before Big Ten play because you can't fix problems on the road in the Big Ten...even against the Illini. It's plainly clear that it's time to go 70-30 in passing plays to run plays--where Pryor scrambles/runs on 15% or so of the dropbacks. The O-Line blocks so well for Pryor so keep pushing. Defensively was a little timid, but no real problems. Injuries are certainly tough on this D.

Week 4 - Big Ten Football

Ole Miss vs. South Carolina

GOMER: The Gamecocks seem to be the year in, year out, team that always disappoints. With Spurrier as the coach everyone's expectations were extremely high, and they haven't gotten much of they expected. Tonight I think they do. Ole Miss has 16 returning starters but looked shaky in a blowout of Memphis, yes that sounds funny, but they struggled to pull away from a bad team. Jevan Snead is good, but not great, the SC defense is all around outstanding and should be able to take care of business at home and at night. Ole Miss: 17--USC: 21

CHIEF: Ole Miss was the sexy pick in the SEC this year as the return a sizeable portion of the only team to defeat UF last year. The Rebels have been revived by Houston Nutt and Jevon Snead is one of the best pro prospects in the league. Their schedule is spongy soft as all the tough teams in the SEC West come to Oxford and they miss the Gators this year. This is why this is a perfect reason why they'll drop this one to the Gamecocks. I thought I'd be the only one picking this upset, but apparently it's rampant. The Cocks are tough at home and have shown that they can score (against UGA) and play defense (against NCState). Tonight, they put it together and stun the number 4 team in the country. OleMiss: 24--USC: 34

California vs. Oregon

Gomer: Frankly I don't think Oregon is very good, the same reasoning could be said for arguing against the Cal Bears. Oregon was looked at to me a high-flying offense with lots of power, and they've come out of the rut after the clunker against the Smurf Turf Boys. Cal's offense has been nearly unstoppable, considering they have the most talented RB in the land (Jahvid Best) they better be unstoppable. The underrated aspect of Cal is their defense, while they allowed 21 points at Minnesota last weekend, they have come up big when necessary. The Bears will win this surprisingly good game. Cal: 31--UO: 27

Chief: I believed this would be a telling game for the Pac 10 that would determine a likely champion. Oregon may have lost Blount and been embarassed in week one, but they'll bounce back. Going to Autzen is a tall order for any team, but the loss of Blount is going to be just enough for Riley to overcome the Ducks. UO will load the box to slow Jahvid Best, and even though he'll get his yards, he won't win the game. The game rides on the Bear's QB. Tedford's QBs are always solid once they mature and this will be his defining moment (before the SC game). Big road win by a hair to keep the Best Heisman candidacy alive. Cal: 38--UO:31

Miami vs. Virginia Tech

Gomer: So far Miami has proven themselves on the road at FSU and against the triple option attack of GT. Jacory Harris has been the pleasant surprise of the season thus far helping to lead the Hurricanes when they need it most. Virginia Tech was controlled and subdued against the Crimson Tide and needed last second heroics to come out on top against Nebraska. Really, I'm not impressed with VT, Tyrod Taylor has not been the QB the Hokies have needed. I think this is when Miami asserts its control over the ACC Coastal division and takes another big step towards the BCS Championship Game. UM: 19--VT: 13

Chief: Miami has rocketed to the top of many polls with their electric 2-0 start. I expected them explode out of the gate, but they're very quickly being blown into the next great thing. While VT has been unimpressive to say the least, I think they bring the Canes down to earth. Let's not forget that the Canes are one dropped pass from being 1-1 and an also-ran. The Cane defense will hold a mediocre Hokie squad under wraps, but Jacory Harris shows some chinks and his youth by committing a few key turnovers. I just can't bring myself to pick the Canes. F-the U. UM: 17--VT: 20

Illinois vs. Ohio State

Gomer: We looked good last week, without a doubt. There are still some serious lingering issues though. When is TP going to become the QB we all have expected and looked for the last year? His bone-headed picks blow my mind, but the Silver Bullets have done an outstanding job helping the turnover's not destroy the Bucks chances each game. If you think I'm just going after Pryor, he's thrown 4 TD's and 4 INT's this season (at least 1 per game) whereas last season he threw 4 INT's ALL SEASON. I believe in the Buckeye D, and if they are successful stopping Juice Williams and Daniel Dufrene this year, I will officially be sold on them. I expect to be investing in the OSU Defense this week. UI: 18--OSU: 33

Chief: Not a lot to say here. The Buckeyes exploded last week as I expected. No carryover from the painful loss. Time to move forward and they did in a big way. I don't take a lot of information out of the offense as Toledo's defense is atrocious, but the Bullets completely shackled the number 1 offense in the nation and pitched the shutout. Because the Illini don't have their main guys healthy (like Benn), I don't think they can score enough on this defense to make a difference. Time for Pryor to continue to mature and learn that running is OK. The line can't block for the backs, but Pryor can still run. A few questionable throws last week, but the defense wins this one. Hey, Jimmy T realized the QB sneak is legal last week!! So we got that going for us. UI: 10--OSU: 31

Missouri vs. Nevada: Gomer: Mizzou Chief: Mizzou
North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech: Gomer: GT Chief: GT
Indiana vs. Michigan: Gomer: UM Chief: UM
TCU vs. Clemson Gomer: Clem Chief: Clem
Pittsburgh vs. NC State Gomer: Pitt Chief:Pitt
Arizona State vs. Georgia Gomer: UGA Chief: UGA
Iowa vs. Penn State Gomer: PSU Chief: PSU (close)
Notre Dame vs. Purdue Gomer: ND Chief: ND

Texas Tech vs. Houston Gomer: TT Chief: TT(by a hair--could be the best game of the weekend)

Week 12

Texas Longhorns vs. Kansas Jayhawks
Gomer: I like Texas to re-assert themselves to get back in the national title picture. UT: 38 - KU: 21

Chief: The Longhorns look to continue their hopes for a Big 12 south title, but they don’t control their own destiny with the multitude of tie-breaking scenarios. The Jayhawks have been disappointing of late, but a win against UT would turn the season around. Reesing is still pretty good, but Kansas is a blah team. While that may work against mediocre teams, they need some fireworks to defeat the mighty Horns. Colt McCoy will continue to impress and keep himself a solid number 2 in the Heisman race. KU lost to Nebraska last week and Texas needs style points so I see a blow out. Orakpo will wreak havoc while McCoy to Cosby racks the points up. UT: 48—KU: 17

Boston College Eagles vs. Florida State Seminoles
Gomer: I really like the 'Noles in this ACC night tilt. The FSU defense has been stout all season (for the most part) and the Eagles are a shell of their former selves. Not to mention I get to be there! BC: 17 - FSU: 28

Chief: Gameday comes to Tallahassee…for the FAMU game down the road? Unfortunately for ESPN, the much bigger (and better) game is in Doak Campbell. Both I and my colleague will be attending the night time black-out in Tallahassee. I’m expecting a great game where the Nole defense continues to hold sway. Ponder is coming into his own with targets like Surrency, Carr, and Easterling, while Smith continues to tote the rock. BC has been mediocre all year but is on a high after shutting out the Irish. This week, their lack of Matt Ryan will be more than the difference. The Noles hit much harder than anyone the Eagles have played thus far and the night atmosphere will shake them to the core. Everette Smith might knock the BC QB to the sideline early. Send Bobby out with a conference title…the way it should be! BC: 10—FSU: 31

South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Florida Gators
Gomer: I completely expect this to be a blowout. South Carolina's quarterback play is terrible, and the Gator defense is stout at home in "The Swamp". Timmy Tebow will have a big day further getting him back into the Heisman talk. USC: 16 - UF: 45

Chief: As Florida is the media-proclaimed juggernaut that cannot be stop, we might as well hand them the hardware now. I can think of a team in 2006 that was unstoppable and this same Gator team ended their magical wire-to-wire run. The Gators are a very good team, but South Carolina has an excellent defense (best in the SEC) and let’s not forget the whole intrigue factor of Spurrier’s return to The Swamp. In 2006, the Old Ball Coach entered the Swamp and came within a blocked field goal of a monumental upset. This year will be very interesting and not without its charm, but I think the Gator’s pull out a victory that is closer than the experts think. USC:10—UF:13
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Illinois Illini
Gomer: When you continuously put your offense in a position to fail, it is bound to happen eventually. The coaching staff hung the offense out to dry with atrocious play calls on 1st and 2nd down to force what seemed like 50 3rd and longs for Pryor and the offense. Luckily for the Bucks the Terrelle decided to make some miraculous runs and keep the drives going all day in Evanston. I don't think that happens this week. When the Illinois D holds the Bucks to 1 or 2 yards on first down, worry, big time. The playbook to stop Ohio State is the same, load up against the run, and make Pryor beat you through the air, which I'm still not 100% convinced he can (last week against Northwestern was a huge improvement in my mind). Illinois still has Juice, Dufrene, and Benn who all tore up the Bucks last year. Some will say without Mendenhall they don't have a chance, he accounted for only 88 yds on the ground while Dufrene and Williams combined for 176. The game will come down to Pryor's ability to throw, and for the first time ever (and mostly because I'm down by a BAJILLION games to Chief) I'm gonna pick the Illini. OSU: 21 - UI: 28

Chief: The rematch of the lone regular season blemish for the Bucks returns as the prep for the Big Game. Juice Williams had his way last year, but he had current Steelers bench warmer Rashard Mendenhall to carry the load and grind out the tough yards. This year has been one of supreme disappointment for the Zooker and the Juice capped off by the upset by Western Michigan threatening to keep the Illini at home this holiday season. Wells has found his game again and TP is playing very well. The passing game is starting to work in Columbus, and once the coach’s realize that, the Bucks will start lighting up scoreboards. Silver Bullets squeeze the Juice in some payback to take back the Illibuck. OSU: 37—UI: 17

Georgia vs. Auburn, Gomer: Aub Chief: UGA
North Carolina vs. Maryland, Gomer: Mary Chief: UNC
Brigham Young vs. Air Force, Gomer: UAF Chief: BYU
California vs. Oregon State, Gomer: OSU Chief: OSU
USC vs. Stanford, Gomer: USC Chief: USC

Week 6 Picks

Another exciting weekend of college football awaits, we can only hope that it is half as exciting as last weekend. Yet again I fall back another game from Chief, what can you do, but keep making stupid picks? Gomer (40-21) Chief (42-19)


Illinois Illini vs. Michigan Wolverines
Gomer: Michigan got real lucky in what was one of many stunners last weekend. In the second half of the game versus Wisconsin, the Wolverines came out down 19-0 and were able to come back and win in the greatest comeback in Big House history, the second half is enough reason to give every remaining opponent on Michigan's schedule a shudder (yes even Ohio State). While RichRod would like to continue the momentum generated with the win over the Badgers, Juice Williams and the Illini are the antithesis of Wisconsin football and the Wolverine's will struggle to stop them, and Steven Threet will continue his mediocrity. UI: 34 - UM: 23

Chief: I don’t think the country has enough understanding how terrible the Michigan/Wisconsin game was. I did gain some respect for the Wolverine defensive line, but the secondary was helped immensely by an awful Badger QB. This game is very intriguing because Illinois is fighting to stay relevant while Michigan hopes to prove they’ve reloaded and not rebuilt. Illinois hung with PSU well, and UM can’t hold the ball. I expect the Illini to get an elusive road win in the Big House. UI: 20—UM: 10

Florida State Seminoles vs. Miami Hurricanes
Gomer: Knowing that my colleague is an alum of one of these two schools, I won't be too mean to the Seminoles. This used to be a game that had national title implications but until Bowden gets out of Tallahassee and Shannon's recruits mature, this game will not matter on a championship level. However this game is pivotal in the ACC race with both teams looking for their first conference victory. Miami's young talent led by Robert Marve will manage to score enough to keep down the typically inept FSU offense. FSU: 10 - UM: 13

Chief: Literally, a matchup for the ages. Remember the 90s when this was the annual game of the year? My how they’ve fallen, but both teams are looking to climb back into the spotlight. The Hurricanes lost on a last second pick in the endzone versus the Tarheels but looked good in the effort. FSU’s defense, in my opinion, is one of (if not the) best in the country. The Nole offense figured out last week vs. Colorado to pass to the guys in the red so they didn’t hand the game to the opposition. Look for the Seminole defense to smother the Cane offense and Christian Ponder to do just enough for a win in Miami (where wins for FSU are fleeting). FSU: 13—UM: 10

Auburn Tigers vs. Vanderbilt Commodores
Gomer: In doing some reading for this match-up it's amazing to believe that Vandy has not started a season 5-0 since 1941, well Commodores, here's your chance. Vandy has come through in two very close games while the Tigers have lost one really close game giving up the big play at the end when they needed a defensive stand most. So far my colleague and I have tossed around the idea if it's SEC Defenses that are so amazing, or if the offenses are really that bad. Well in this games case, we're gonna see a good bit of both. For little good reason other than playing at home, Vanderbilt makes a statement beating the Tigers for the first time since 1955. AU: 9 - Vanderbilt: 13

Chief: Gameday is in Vanderbilt. Let me say that again unless you think you misheard. Gameday is in Vanderbilt. The Dores are ranked for the first time in a long time and hope they continue their dominance of the SEC (again, never thought I’d say that). Auburn’s defense is very very good and their offense is…well the defense is very good (Taken from CFN). Vandy will have the energy to slow the Auburn ‘offense’, but the Tiger defense will end the Vandy dreams. AU: 10—Vandy: 3

Oregon Ducks vs. Southern Cal Trojans
Gomer: Typical Pac-10 game, Oregon has a decent offense (granted all their QB's are dead or dying), USC has an outstanding offense. Oregon has a terrible defense that can't stop the run or pass, USC doesn't know how to stop runs straight up the middle. Look for the Ducks to hang with the Trojans early but defensive pressure and the likes of Sanchez and McKnight will put the Ducks down with ease. If they don't, the Trojans can say goodbye to any chance at the BCS Championship or the Pac-10 crown. UO: 21 - USC: 38

Chief: The Trojans come off an epic loss in Corvallis (becoming a biannual event). Not to mention that the Ducks defeated USC last year. Talk about payback on their minds. Pete Carroll’s squad looked totally vulnerable last week (if only we played them last week) but UO got blasted by a mediocre Boise team in Autzen. USC looked mortal, but this is a week for revenge. UO: 17—USC: 55

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Wisconsin Badgers
Gomer: The Badgers currently are on a tear in night games winning 21 of their last 22, home and away including winning 11 straight nighttime victories. The last time the Bucks visited Camp Randall it was 2003 and a night game in early October and the Bucks were looking to repeat as National Champions but were met with a raucous crowd, pouring rain, driving wind, and a load of smashmouth football they could not match. Tomorrow night much of the previously mentioned will be present but most importantly what's missing is a veteran QB with a National Championship on his resume, what the Bucks do have instead is one of the best running backs in the country that should help keep the pressure off of Pryor for most of the game. Unlike SoCal the Badgers do not have 5-star athletes at every position, so I like this match-up better than the Trojans, but I do not like our line play, on either side of the ball. If the D-line is unable to generate pressure on inexperienced QB Allan Everidge, it could be a long day of Everidge to Beckum and PJ Hill running up the middle. OSU: 17 - UW: 14

Chief: The game of the week still resides in Madison. Refer to my comments above about the UM/UW game. The commentators need to stop calling the UM win a Badger 2^nd half collapse. They weren’t anything special in the 1^st half, coming away with FG’s after the myriad Wolverine turnovers. The Buckeyes looked good last week, but doing it on the road at Camp Randall will be tough. Pryor and Wells need to be sharp and they will, Everidge (Wisconsin’s QB) will be the offensive star (for the Buckeyes), and Pryor will continue to impress—if Steve Threet can break off a big run, Pryor will hit multiple. OSU: 27 - UW: 17

Stanford @ Notre Dame: Gomer: ND - Chief: ND
Texas @ Colorado: Gomer: UT - Chief: UT
Connecticut @ North Carolina: Gomer: UNC - Chief: UNC
Washington @ Arizona: Gomer: Arizona - Chief: Arizona