Standings
1) Schweinfurth 4-4 (1-1 upset)
1) Draper 4-4 (1-1 upset)
1) Hoying 4-4 (0-2 upset)
1) Seeberg 4-4 (0-2 upset)
In case you missed this past weekend's action, here's a quick recap:
1. Michigan was shut out for the first time in 30 years, losing by 31.
2. Michigan State and Ohio State flirted with competence before losing by multiple scores.
3. Purdue was crushed at home by a MAC team that almost lost to Chattanooga.
4. Northwestern lost at home to another MAC team.
5. Iowa needed two touchdowns in the game's final 3:00 to avoid losing to yet another MAC team.
6. Nebraska needed a last-minute touchdown to avoid overtime with a D1-AA school.
7. Maryland needed a fourth-quarter comeback to beat an AAC team that went 2-10 last year.
8. Illinois needed a fourth-quarter comeback to beat a C-USA team at home (actually not bad for Illinois).
9. Penn State, Rutgers, Wisconsin, and Minnesota managed to avoid crapping the bed.
10. Indiana didn't play.
All in all, not a banner day for the conference that we play in. It sucked more than anything has ever sucked before. We at Let's Go Bucks! are not SEC hive-minders, but we understand that a poor conference perception might limit Ohio State's chances to make the inaugural College Football Playoff after they win their next 11 games.
With that out of the way, let's turn to the snore-fest that is Week 3. The B1G conference season kicks off on the east coast, two blue-chip programs meet in Norman, and the presumptive SEC East favorites butt heads (huh huh).
Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks
Draper: Two words: Todd Gurley. SEC folk want to tout the toughness of the Gamecocks, but nothing on the field has supported that. The Dawgs, however, are led by a grown a$$ man in Todd Gurley who look absolutely beastly in week 1 over a tough Clemson team. It's in Columbia, but A&M handles the Cocks in their house. I expect UGA to follow suit and cruise to a fairly easy win. UGA: 48--SCar: 20
Hoying: I know, faithful readers, you'd rather hear our thoughts on the weekend's showdown between two undefeated SEC teams, Kentucky and Florida. But the inconsequential AP still inexplicably has South Carolina ranked after getting spanked by Kenny Football and a newly-functioning Aggie defense, so you'll have to suffer through this analysis instead. After their aforementioned loss, Cocky almost laid another egg against their directional rival, East Carolina. The Bulldogs looked fantastic in their only showing this season, dominating Clemson behind Todd Gurley and an imposing O-line (sigh). I imagine this game will play out about as you'd expect. UGA: 45--SCar: 24
Schweinfurth: We can keep this one short. South Carolina was exposed by TAMU. Yes, that was a spread system vs. a pro system but the Dawgs have the Gurley man. I fully expect Georgia to hop out to an early lead and not look back. UGA: 38--SCar: 17
Seeberg: On the surface, this looks like a solid game. Two ranked, divisional SEC foes doing battle. Unfortunately looks (and rankings) can be deceiving. The Gamecocks are still ranked solely because voters were slightly uncomfortable taking them from #9 all the way out after their debacle against A&M. Thankfully, that won't be an issue after this week. Gurley, Mason & Co. will pull away after the SC home crowd keeps them in it early. UGA: 41--SCar: 21
Penn State Nittany Lions @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Draper: Blech...scraping the bottom of the barrel here. This matchup faces the 2 programs with the most impressive out of conference wins for the B1G (UCF and Washington State....yeah....). Can Hackenburg not suck it up like he did last week? I'd say yes. I have no faith that the undefeated juggernaut of the State School of New Jersey will continue to press on. Why is this a thing? Thanks Jim Delany. PSU: 34--RSUNJ: 20
Hoying: Ah, Big Ten football the way it was meant to be played: between the flagship state programs of two original American colonies. Good news: the B1G will get a victory out of this game. Better news (or not): the NCAA burned a chicken's entrails and decided not to care anymore about child molestation negligence, paving the way for a brighter future for Penn State football, chock full of bowl appearances and full scholarship rosters. The Nittany Lions sport the most extreme road win of the young season, beating a Bortles-less UCF in...Ireland...but they've looked terribly one-dimensional so far, relying far too heavily on QB Christian Pick, er, Hackenberg. The Scarlet Knights don't feature a great pass defense, but they showed great balance in wins against Washington State and Howard (don't laugh). Let's see how long Rutgers' B1G reign of terror can last (spoiler alert: next four conference games are against Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska, and Wisconsin). PSU: 20--RSUNJ: 24
Schweinfurth: It's time for Rutgers to become B1G. This is time for Franklin and Freeze to work on that grudge match that's been brewing in the off season as well. The Knights are going to come hard at the Penn State O-Line to rattle Hackenberg. If Hackenberg stays vertical, the Lions will pull of the win. PSU: 28--RSUNJ: 24
Seeberg: Fifteen years ago, this would have been a pretty rude welcome to the B1G for the Scarlet Knights. Now, however, the Lions have been tamed somewhat. An upset by Rutgers is a distinct possibility here, but the Nittanys will be buoyed by the recent news that they can actually head to a bowl this year (what're they calling the Alamo Bowl now? Still, better than spending the Christmas holiday in Happy Valley, the most misnomered place in the known universe). Hack-a-Shaqberg avoids just enough disasters to squeak out a win. PSU: 20--RSUNJ: 13
Tennessee Volunteers @ Oklahoma Sooners
Draper: I expect this to be another blood bath. OU has absolutely demolished their first 2 foes and UT was simply OK. Where is this game? Norman? Good God. Stoops should have no problem with the Vols at home. Knight has looked fantastic. Expect the Sooner Schooner to get tired out early. UT: 17--OU: 41
Hoying: Oklahoma entered the 2014 season as an overwhelming favorite to storm through the B12G and secure a spot in the playoffs. The Sooners have looked the part so far, plastering Louisiana Tech and Tulsa by a combined score of 100-23. Will the undefeated Volunteers provide a stiffer test? Last year's squad also started 2-0, then got shellacked by Oregon on the way to a 5-7 skid of a season. A trip to Norman this Saturday won't be any more forgiving. UT: 17--OU: 38
Schweinfurth: This is an SEC suck team versus one of the best teams in the country. It's gonna show too. Big Game Bob has the best QB in this game and that offense is gonna make a SEC defense look like swiss cheese. Oklahoma in a rout. UT: 10--OU: 45
Seeberg: Ah yes, my alma mater- at least for my master's degree. The Vols have been supposedly on the upswing for years, yet have middled around .500 for nearly a decade now. This looked like a banner matchup when it was scheduled in probably 2008 or so, but now OU is still solid and UT has fallen by the wayside. UT has some skill talent, but their O-line is as inexperienced as tOSU, and we all saw what happened there. Boomer Sooner big. UT: 13--OU: 42
Kent State Golden Flashes @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Time to bounce back. KSU is just what the doctor ordered. The O-line should not (and better not!) have any problems here. Time to work on fundamentals and get back to winning individual battles. If this is close, time to panic in Columbus. The defensive line should absolutely smoke the Flashes and harry the QB all day. JT throws for 250+, Zeke/Marshall/Wilson run for 150+ and the d shuts it down. Big bounceback win that really means nothing. KSU: 10--OSU: 48
Hoying: How bad was last week? Our offensive line was embarrassed so completely that one of the linemen quit the team. Fortunately, our beloved Bucks get a chance to regroup against a truly awful squad. Dr. Lou's alma mater has already lost to D-1A newcomer South Alabama and an Ohio team that got blasted by Kentucky. Look for the Buckeyes to try to establish the run with anybody but Barrett, given that they only have about 5 or 6 running backs from which to choose. Look for the receivers to bring their hands closer together when the ball arrives, to better counteract the downward force the Earth puts on it. Look for the D-line to play containment and get a few stops on third down. Look for signs this team won't end up 7-6 after a bowl loss to a MAC school. KSU: 10--OSU: 38
Schweinfurth: Man I did not see that one coming last week. We all knew the offensive line would be a work in progress but 7(!) sacks. That is just horrendous. What also worries me is the offensive play calling. It's like the coaching staff writes scripts the entire game and won't deviate from that plan. This has been going on for the last two years, it's just Braxton and El Guapo masked the issues. Herman and Urban need to make adjustments other than throw bombs to a wide out who dropped every thing thrown at him. The Silver Bullets will be fine. The play calling on first and second down was great...third down was same old, same old. Time to bring some pressure and get in the QB's face. There is talent there, it just needs to be put in a better place to succeed. I expect these changes to be made. An inferior opponent will help that as well and give that offensive line time to gel. I feel bad for the Golden Flashes. Urban's boys are mad as hell and are going to take that anger out on the rest of the teams on the Buckeye schedule. KSU: 14--OSU: 52
Seeberg: Well, despite how horrendous we looked for 3.25 quarters or so last week, we were STILL within one possession with the ball with less than two minutes to play. There is another silver lining: The D-line looked much more solid than in the Navy run-game gashing we took the first week. J.T. Barrett actually handled himself reasonably well- it's not his fault we couldn't seem to run a single screen pass, or slant, or 5-yard out, or any pass play not requiring a 7-step drop for that matter. At this time last year, this game could have been a bit scary with Dri Archer running the ball and returning kicks. He's gone, and the Golden Flashes are pretty flashless again. Urban's message to the team after the loss? That tOSU can still accomplish everything it set out to at 11-1. With no discernable threats on the schedule until PSU in late October, it is still not out of the realm of possibility. OSU: 38--KSU: 13
Upset Special
Draper: UCF over Missouri
Hoying: Iowa State over Iowa
Schweinfurth: Central Michigan over Syracuse
Seeberg: UMass over Vanderbilt
Showing posts with label South Carolina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Carolina. Show all posts
Friday, September 12, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Week 1 - PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Welcome to the 2014-15 season edition of Let's Go Bucks! Now that D-1A football has entered the PLAYOFF ERA, the expert analyses of your four favorite football forecasters should be more exciting and less controversial than ever. Join us every week to learn in advance precisely how the SEC's top four teams will position themselves for a shot at the national championship.
Here are the week's four top matchups, based on what what a few coaches and writers think about the quality of teams that they've never seen play.
Texas A&M Aggies @ South Carolina Gamecocks
Draper: Sigh....SEC. SEC. These teams are ok, but they won't be as good as last year's installment. Manziel and Clowney would have made this an epic matchup, but I can't really think of anyone on either of these teams. Even though the Cocks generally weak in the early season, I'll give them the edge at home. The SEC defenses have been a shadow the past few years but A&M has just been terrible. Let's kick this season off with a little SEC fizzle. TAMU: 24--SoCar: 41
Hoying: Why do teams allow conference games to be scheduled for week 1? Exiting the offseason, a team's growing pains may hamper it even against a garbage-level opponent. Ask Michigan. Imagine having to find your footing against Sumlin's offense or Spurrier's defense...Both teams enter the season with new faces at quarterback, after the departures of Johnny Manziel and Connor Shaw (both to the Browns). The Cocks are missing our favorite Wolverine decapitator, Jadeveon Clowney, but they retain the advantage, seeing as how the Aggies were missing an entire defense last season and aren't likely to have instantly righted the ship. The Ol' Ball Coach knows offense, and without Johnny Clipboard to bail out the awful awful A&M defense, South Carolina should start their playoff push on a high note. TAMU: 20--SCar: 38
Schweinfurth: Well, this game officially kicks off the college football season. I really think this game will be a showcase of what the SEC will be all about this year: defense-dominated. Look, all of the "big name" SEC quarterbacks are gone and it's gonna show. So before we get into the whole "SEC is all about defense" conversation, just remember ALL OF THE QBS ARE NEW!!!! Oh yea, this game? South Carolina's gonna win. TAMU: 13--SCAR: 31
Seeberg: This is a battle of who-can-manage-to-still-function-after-losing-a-crapton-of-talent game. The Gamecocks are without Clowney and 4th string Browns quarterback Connor Shaw. Similarly, TAMU has lost 5th string Browns quarterback Johnny Money-Signing, Bird-Slinging Manziel (ok, I know he's actually the Browns' backup, but really, does it matter?). A&M also lost Mike Evans, and still has a lackluster D, so the cupboard is at least a lot less bare in Columbia. TAMU: 17--SCar: 34
Clemson Tigers @ Georgia Bulldogs
Draper: I remember last year when Clemson was a pretty good football team...and then this year they're...a team. UGA has no Aaron Murray, but Todd Gurley is a beast who, in my opinion, is the most likely non-QB Heisman contender. Last year, Clemson rode the backs of Watkins and Boyd to an explosive offense, but they're gone. Bulldogs start strong and wait until midseason to crap out. Clem: 17--UGA: 38
Hoying: Answer: Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins, Roderick McDowell, Martavis Bryant. Question: who are (1) the top four skill position players on the 2013 Clemson team, and (2) four players no longer playing for the Tigers? Yup, that buzzsaw that shredded through an overrated Georgia squad and a depleted-though-already-awful Buckeye defense has been de-toothed. Meanwhile the Gurleyest man in college football is all healed up and ready for revenge. The loss of Georgia QB Aaron Murray will hurt, but the wounds won't show in this mismatch. Hey Bulldog! Clem: 17--UGA: 31
Schweinfurth: Clemson lost their offense last year with Boyd and Watkins gone (I still have nightmares of Watkins catching screen passes). Georgia get's Todd Gurley back and he is a load. I really expect Gurley to literally carry the load for the Bulldogs all year and could be a darkhorse Heisman candidate. Clem: 10--UGA--24
Seeberg: Seemingly, Georgia has been on the precipice for quite some time. This year wouldn't seem to be the year they get over the hump as Aaron Murray- who appeared to be UGA's QB about as long as the rest of the world seemed to think Aaron Craft was the Buckeyes' point guard- is finally gone. However, assuming Todd Gurley can make it through at least one game healthy, he will see the ball almost as much as Georgia's quarterback. Meanwhile, Clemson is far from the offensive juggernaut that burned through much of their schedule last year. It's gonna be a good day, Tater. Clem: 13--UGA: 28
Wisconsin Badgers vs. Louisiana State Tigers
Draper: LSU is a nice consistent program that everyone's favorite grass-eating lovable doofus keeps at the forefront. The Badgers look to have a nice season in the wide open B1G West but they can't figure out who to start at QB. This could get ugly and start the SEC over B1G nonsense early. Wisconsin is not the Wisconsin of old, and LSU full of studs. Could get ugly early on the Bayou. Wisc: 13--LSU: 30
Hoying: Once again, our beloved conference gets a chance to make a B1G statement against an SEC opponent to kick off the season. If there's one team on which we can rely to carry the flag in a marquee out-of-conference showdown, it's the Badgers. Stop laughing. I mean it, cut it out! They could win! Really! Wisc: 10--LSU: 27
Schweinfurth: For once I want to see the B1G give a big, Johnny Football-esque finger to the SEC. Unfortunately, I don't think Wisconsin will be the team to do it. Yes, Melvin Gordon is a good player, but he was best with White in the backfield and running the fly sweep. This will be a good game but Wiscy falls just short. Wisc: 14--LSU: 17
Seeberg: Alright, let's be clear, I despise Wisconsin...darn near as much as TTUN. The Badgers became suddenly relevant in the two most glamorous college sports (football, men's basketball) in the late 90's and they have been insufferable ever since. Still, I picked them to get to the Final Four this past March, thus salvaging a rough bracket year, and it wouldn't be a stretch to see them come out of the oh-so-loaded B1G west (this realignment is just atrocious- post proving this point coming next week). Even further, I would still like to see them force-feed Les Miles some freshly fertilized grass. LSU may have trouble scoring with Mettenberger and their top 2 wideouts gone from a season ago. Unfortunately, LSU hasn't lost much from a solid D and are likely to stifle a Wisconsin team that has named Tanner McEvoy (man that is a boy-band sounding name if I've ever heard one) over previous starter Joel I-only-throw-to-Abbrederis Stave. If McEvoy has the goods, this may be a huge upset, particularly for ESPN after just launching the SEC Network. Sadly, I don't see that happening. Wisc: 13--LSU: 24
THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Navy Midshipmen
Draper: Oh Braxton, wherefore art thou Braxton. The Glass QB went down earlier than expected this year which has put the pundits on alert. You don't lose an athlete of Braxton's caliber (not to mention Carlos Hyde) and get better, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. This team is still full of talent and the schedule is total garbage. I feel that Ezekiel Elliot will tote the rock admirably and J. T. Barrett will step in just fine (the last 2 years saw a redshirt freshman win the Heisman so......... Navy is perhaps the worst team anyone can schedule in the 'preseason'. They run a gimmick offense and cutblock like crazy. That being said, OSU's defensive weakness was the passing game...and the Midshipmen can't pass. This should be a solid drubbing that allows JT to get his feet wet. The Bucks will be just fine this year. OSU: 48--Navy: 10
Hoying: After an awful end to a promising season, the Bucks are finally back and ready to see if a new face can fill the void left by the unfortunate departure of our best offensive player. Sophomore running back Ezekiel Elliott did average 8.7 ypc last year, but most of that was garbage time against garbage teams...what?...you want me to talk about the QB situation? Very well...regardless of what Braxton's mind-bogglingly stupid haters continue to aver, the Buckeyes will almost undoubtedly suffer a giant step backward at quarterback after the injury to arguably the greatest athlete ever to take snaps under center at Ohio State. Make no mistake, J. T. Barrett is ready to play football (and hopefully play school too, unlike backup Cardale Jones), and he'll get a nice soft test from a middling Midshipmen defense. But a freshman is a freshman, and a QB's first year under center is usually a rough one (see 2004 Troy Smith, 2008 Terrelle Pryor, 2011 Braxton Miller). Let's hope the senior receivers are finally ready to step up. On the other side of the ball, we won't learn much this week about the development of last year's sieve of a defense. Navy QB Keenan Reynolds can throw, I guess, but that's not really Navy's style. Expect big plays from the experienced and talented Buckeye D line, and look for indications that Chris Ash is smart enough to plan for misdirection plays. If not, expect Michigan to hang 40 on us again at season's end. OSU: 31--Navy: 16
Schweinfurth: For the record, I'm writing this while watching the previous OSU/Navy game. My goodness, STOP THE QB FOLLOW!!! But I digress. The Buckeyes have so many question marks coming into this season and an even bigger question mark at the QB position. There are weapons and skill all over the field for the Bucks and I am excited to see what Wilson, Elliot, and company can do. I expect a lot more passing but fewer big plays. I am very nervous about the defense. I mean, they can't get any worse than last year right? RIGHT?!? Navy will move the ball, that rushing attack is just too good, but I don't foresee may trips into the endzone. This one won't tell much about the "improved" pass defense but the Bucks should be able to get some young pups valuable experience. OSU: 38--Navy: 20
Seeberg: I hate to admit it, but I am somewhat concerned about this game. As pointed out above, Navy's old-school attack is a nightmare to plan for at any point in the season. Our D should be very stout up front, but the back seven? No Shazier, no Roby, no Barnett, no Bryant, that means lots of question marks. Obviously the offense suffered an enormous setback with Braxton's injury (2015 Heisman campaign already in full swing). The receivers are another big unknown, so I expect a game plan Woody Hayes would be proud of...except a lot of the runs will be around end instead of up the middle. I'll be high up in the Ravens *gag* stadium on the 50, hoping to see our new offensive line gel together and open up some holes for Elliot, Barrett and Co. It may not be pretty, but 1-0 is 1-0. OSU: 34--Navy: 20
Upset Special
Draper: Penn State over UCF (I know, weak)
Hoying: Appalachian State over Michigan
Schweinfurth: North Dakota St. over Iowa State
Seeberg: Georgia Southern over NC State
Here are the week's four top matchups, based on what what a few coaches and writers think about the quality of teams that they've never seen play.
Texas A&M Aggies @ South Carolina Gamecocks
Draper: Sigh....SEC. SEC. These teams are ok, but they won't be as good as last year's installment. Manziel and Clowney would have made this an epic matchup, but I can't really think of anyone on either of these teams. Even though the Cocks generally weak in the early season, I'll give them the edge at home. The SEC defenses have been a shadow the past few years but A&M has just been terrible. Let's kick this season off with a little SEC fizzle. TAMU: 24--SoCar: 41
Hoying: Why do teams allow conference games to be scheduled for week 1? Exiting the offseason, a team's growing pains may hamper it even against a garbage-level opponent. Ask Michigan. Imagine having to find your footing against Sumlin's offense or Spurrier's defense...Both teams enter the season with new faces at quarterback, after the departures of Johnny Manziel and Connor Shaw (both to the Browns). The Cocks are missing our favorite Wolverine decapitator, Jadeveon Clowney, but they retain the advantage, seeing as how the Aggies were missing an entire defense last season and aren't likely to have instantly righted the ship. The Ol' Ball Coach knows offense, and without Johnny Clipboard to bail out the awful awful A&M defense, South Carolina should start their playoff push on a high note. TAMU: 20--SCar: 38
Schweinfurth: Well, this game officially kicks off the college football season. I really think this game will be a showcase of what the SEC will be all about this year: defense-dominated. Look, all of the "big name" SEC quarterbacks are gone and it's gonna show. So before we get into the whole "SEC is all about defense" conversation, just remember ALL OF THE QBS ARE NEW!!!! Oh yea, this game? South Carolina's gonna win. TAMU: 13--SCAR: 31
Seeberg: This is a battle of who-can-manage-to-still-function-after-losing-a-crapton-of-talent game. The Gamecocks are without Clowney and 4th string Browns quarterback Connor Shaw. Similarly, TAMU has lost 5th string Browns quarterback Johnny Money-Signing, Bird-Slinging Manziel (ok, I know he's actually the Browns' backup, but really, does it matter?). A&M also lost Mike Evans, and still has a lackluster D, so the cupboard is at least a lot less bare in Columbia. TAMU: 17--SCar: 34
Clemson Tigers @ Georgia Bulldogs
Draper: I remember last year when Clemson was a pretty good football team...and then this year they're...a team. UGA has no Aaron Murray, but Todd Gurley is a beast who, in my opinion, is the most likely non-QB Heisman contender. Last year, Clemson rode the backs of Watkins and Boyd to an explosive offense, but they're gone. Bulldogs start strong and wait until midseason to crap out. Clem: 17--UGA: 38
Hoying: Answer: Tajh Boyd, Sammy Watkins, Roderick McDowell, Martavis Bryant. Question: who are (1) the top four skill position players on the 2013 Clemson team, and (2) four players no longer playing for the Tigers? Yup, that buzzsaw that shredded through an overrated Georgia squad and a depleted-though-already-awful Buckeye defense has been de-toothed. Meanwhile the Gurleyest man in college football is all healed up and ready for revenge. The loss of Georgia QB Aaron Murray will hurt, but the wounds won't show in this mismatch. Hey Bulldog! Clem: 17--UGA: 31
Schweinfurth: Clemson lost their offense last year with Boyd and Watkins gone (I still have nightmares of Watkins catching screen passes). Georgia get's Todd Gurley back and he is a load. I really expect Gurley to literally carry the load for the Bulldogs all year and could be a darkhorse Heisman candidate. Clem: 10--UGA--24
Seeberg: Seemingly, Georgia has been on the precipice for quite some time. This year wouldn't seem to be the year they get over the hump as Aaron Murray- who appeared to be UGA's QB about as long as the rest of the world seemed to think Aaron Craft was the Buckeyes' point guard- is finally gone. However, assuming Todd Gurley can make it through at least one game healthy, he will see the ball almost as much as Georgia's quarterback. Meanwhile, Clemson is far from the offensive juggernaut that burned through much of their schedule last year. It's gonna be a good day, Tater. Clem: 13--UGA: 28
Wisconsin Badgers vs. Louisiana State Tigers
Draper: LSU is a nice consistent program that everyone's favorite grass-eating lovable doofus keeps at the forefront. The Badgers look to have a nice season in the wide open B1G West but they can't figure out who to start at QB. This could get ugly and start the SEC over B1G nonsense early. Wisconsin is not the Wisconsin of old, and LSU full of studs. Could get ugly early on the Bayou. Wisc: 13--LSU: 30
Hoying: Once again, our beloved conference gets a chance to make a B1G statement against an SEC opponent to kick off the season. If there's one team on which we can rely to carry the flag in a marquee out-of-conference showdown, it's the Badgers. Stop laughing. I mean it, cut it out! They could win! Really! Wisc: 10--LSU: 27
Schweinfurth: For once I want to see the B1G give a big, Johnny Football-esque finger to the SEC. Unfortunately, I don't think Wisconsin will be the team to do it. Yes, Melvin Gordon is a good player, but he was best with White in the backfield and running the fly sweep. This will be a good game but Wiscy falls just short. Wisc: 14--LSU: 17
Seeberg: Alright, let's be clear, I despise Wisconsin...darn near as much as TTUN. The Badgers became suddenly relevant in the two most glamorous college sports (football, men's basketball) in the late 90's and they have been insufferable ever since. Still, I picked them to get to the Final Four this past March, thus salvaging a rough bracket year, and it wouldn't be a stretch to see them come out of the oh-so-loaded B1G west (this realignment is just atrocious- post proving this point coming next week). Even further, I would still like to see them force-feed Les Miles some freshly fertilized grass. LSU may have trouble scoring with Mettenberger and their top 2 wideouts gone from a season ago. Unfortunately, LSU hasn't lost much from a solid D and are likely to stifle a Wisconsin team that has named Tanner McEvoy (man that is a boy-band sounding name if I've ever heard one) over previous starter Joel I-only-throw-to-Abbrederis Stave. If McEvoy has the goods, this may be a huge upset, particularly for ESPN after just launching the SEC Network. Sadly, I don't see that happening. Wisc: 13--LSU: 24
THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Navy Midshipmen
Draper: Oh Braxton, wherefore art thou Braxton. The Glass QB went down earlier than expected this year which has put the pundits on alert. You don't lose an athlete of Braxton's caliber (not to mention Carlos Hyde) and get better, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. This team is still full of talent and the schedule is total garbage. I feel that Ezekiel Elliot will tote the rock admirably and J. T. Barrett will step in just fine (the last 2 years saw a redshirt freshman win the Heisman so......... Navy is perhaps the worst team anyone can schedule in the 'preseason'. They run a gimmick offense and cutblock like crazy. That being said, OSU's defensive weakness was the passing game...and the Midshipmen can't pass. This should be a solid drubbing that allows JT to get his feet wet. The Bucks will be just fine this year. OSU: 48--Navy: 10
Hoying: After an awful end to a promising season, the Bucks are finally back and ready to see if a new face can fill the void left by the unfortunate departure of our best offensive player. Sophomore running back Ezekiel Elliott did average 8.7 ypc last year, but most of that was garbage time against garbage teams...what?...you want me to talk about the QB situation? Very well...regardless of what Braxton's mind-bogglingly stupid haters continue to aver, the Buckeyes will almost undoubtedly suffer a giant step backward at quarterback after the injury to arguably the greatest athlete ever to take snaps under center at Ohio State. Make no mistake, J. T. Barrett is ready to play football (and hopefully play school too, unlike backup Cardale Jones), and he'll get a nice soft test from a middling Midshipmen defense. But a freshman is a freshman, and a QB's first year under center is usually a rough one (see 2004 Troy Smith, 2008 Terrelle Pryor, 2011 Braxton Miller). Let's hope the senior receivers are finally ready to step up. On the other side of the ball, we won't learn much this week about the development of last year's sieve of a defense. Navy QB Keenan Reynolds can throw, I guess, but that's not really Navy's style. Expect big plays from the experienced and talented Buckeye D line, and look for indications that Chris Ash is smart enough to plan for misdirection plays. If not, expect Michigan to hang 40 on us again at season's end. OSU: 31--Navy: 16
Schweinfurth: For the record, I'm writing this while watching the previous OSU/Navy game. My goodness, STOP THE QB FOLLOW!!! But I digress. The Buckeyes have so many question marks coming into this season and an even bigger question mark at the QB position. There are weapons and skill all over the field for the Bucks and I am excited to see what Wilson, Elliot, and company can do. I expect a lot more passing but fewer big plays. I am very nervous about the defense. I mean, they can't get any worse than last year right? RIGHT?!? Navy will move the ball, that rushing attack is just too good, but I don't foresee may trips into the endzone. This one won't tell much about the "improved" pass defense but the Bucks should be able to get some young pups valuable experience. OSU: 38--Navy: 20
Seeberg: I hate to admit it, but I am somewhat concerned about this game. As pointed out above, Navy's old-school attack is a nightmare to plan for at any point in the season. Our D should be very stout up front, but the back seven? No Shazier, no Roby, no Barnett, no Bryant, that means lots of question marks. Obviously the offense suffered an enormous setback with Braxton's injury (2015 Heisman campaign already in full swing). The receivers are another big unknown, so I expect a game plan Woody Hayes would be proud of...except a lot of the runs will be around end instead of up the middle. I'll be high up in the Ravens *gag* stadium on the 50, hoping to see our new offensive line gel together and open up some holes for Elliot, Barrett and Co. It may not be pretty, but 1-0 is 1-0. OSU: 34--Navy: 20
Upset Special
Draper: Penn State over UCF (I know, weak)
Hoying: Appalachian State over Michigan
Schweinfurth: North Dakota St. over Iowa State
Seeberg: Georgia Southern over NC State
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Week 14--Rivalry Week
Standings
1) Schweinfurth 40-18 (4-9 upset)
2) Hoying 39-19 (1-10 upset)
3) Draper 38-20 (3-10 upset)
Alabama Crimson Tide @ Auburn Tigers
Draper: Huge implications in the Iron Bowl. I hear every talking about the first top 5 matchup in this 'storied' rivalry...while surprising, this doesn't do wonders for the argument of 'best' rivalry. Give Auburn credit for a phenomenal turnaround under Gus Malzahn, but they have one win of note (TAMU). The miracle at Jordan-Hare crushed my pick chances, but reinforces my belief in a strong Bama win. Saban's squad seems to shine in the spotlight games and limp through the layups. YJ Yeldon will run all over the Tiger defense and the Tide will pressure Nick Marshall into enough mistakes to keep the train rolling. Cam Newton ain't walkin through that door. Sorry Bucks. Bama: 27--AU: 13
Hoying: Earn your title, Tide. The debate isn't settled as to whether Ohio State or Florida State has the tougher overall path to 13-0 this season, but neither faces the murderer's row Alabama has to deal with this week and (possibly) the next. Back in September, we picked Auburn-LSU as an afterthought, the token fourth game. None of us could have foreseen that tilt providing Auburn's only loss to date. What a difference not having Gene Chizik makes. The Auburn offense has roared to life behind dual-threat QB Nick Marshall, but he's developed as more of a runner than a passer as the season has progressed. The Tide defense has been slowly choking opponents all season long, only cracking against...the other dual-threat QB they faced. Nick Marshall isn't Johnny Manziel, but with the friendly Jordan-Hare crowd behind him, he'll do just enough to pull off the upset. Bama: 27--AU: 28
Schweinfurth: It's weird but the numbers are actually against Alabama winning this game. If I remember correctly, Nick Saban has never beaten a 10 win Auburn team. Well coming into this game, Auburn is 10-1. Alabama has problems with mobile quarterbacks and Auburn seems to have found Cam Newton lite in Nick Marshall. I know all of this is stacked against 'Bama and my heart says that Auburn will do Ohio State (and the rest of the college football world) a favor and roll the Tide. My brain says Bama is better. Bama: 24--AU: 21
Seeberg: Disclaimer: I want Auburn to win this game with every fiber of my being. Florida State’s schedule is too soft the rest of the way, so an Alabama slip is virtually OSU’s only chance to get into the BCS title game. That aside, this is not a good match-up for Auburn. Auburn runs the ball, ‘Bama stops the run; classic strength against strength. ‘Bama’s weaker on pass D, but not tip-the-ball-straight-to-a-WR-on-4th-and-18 weak. If Auburn can force an early turnover or two and get a lead, they may be able to shorten the game and keep it interesting. In the end, however, ‘Bama will score touchdowns and limit Auburn to a couple of field goals, allowing the Tide to, regrettably, pull away late. Bama: 35--AU: 20
Clemson Tigers @ South Carolina Gamecocks
Draper: Can the Tigers keep the streak of vanquishing SEC foes going? Clemson has had 2 games of note--squeaking out a win against a fully-healthy UGA and getting run off the field vs. the Noles. The Gamecocks haven't lived up to expectations but that will happen when your best player can easily be taken out of the game via double-team/scheme. Connor Shaw vs. Tajh Boyd...who fails less. I don't think the Cocks have enough on offense to keep up. I'm hoping that Clemson keeps it going with standout wide receiver Sammy Watkins because it hurts the SEC (and ESPN narrative) and helps the Noles. Huge game in an underrated rivalry for Dabo and the Tigers. Clem: 38--SoCar: 24
Hoying: Is there a more overrated team in the country than Clemson? The opening win over Georgia was nice, although it hasn't matured well. Other than that, the schedule has left something to be desired. Nothing like a win over Missouri over UCF stands out on Clemson's schedule. South Carolina's been winning ugly, but they've been winning. Now that Connor Shaw is back behind center for Cocky, the Tigers will have more of a problem stopping a balanced South Carolina attack. Tajh will be terrific, but Clemson will fall short. Clem: 27--SoCar: 31
Schweinfurth: South Carolina has slowly creeped up this rankings after a sluggish start to the season. Clemson has held on to a sure BCS berth behind Sammy Watkins and Tajh Boyd. I honestly believe that the SEC is severely over valued this year (especially the east). With that said, I expect a big day out of Boyd and more useless talk about Jadavion Clowney. Clem: 45--SoCar: 35
Seeberg: It’s official, the world is ending: The cheapest Clemson/South Carolina tickets are going for more than twice as much as the cheapest OSU/TTUN tickets on a ticket brokerage site. Find your bomb shelters now. Clemson has quietly snuck back near the top five, primarily because they’ve been beating a lot of nobodies since getting waxed by FSU. Also amazingly, South Carolina’s vaunted defense is actually allowing more points per game than OSU. “But the SEC is SO tough they can’t help it!”- every SEC fan. Yeah, that 28-spot that SEC-bottom feeder Kentucky scored on them really makes me trust the Gamecock defense. If UK can score 28 at South Carolina, Clemson will score more, and it will be enough to win. Clem: 41--SoCar: 31
Texas A&M Aggies @ Missouri Tigers
Draper: Johnny Football...my how the mighty has fallen. What a face plant on Saturday in a huge moment. Mizzou has it on the table for this Big 12...er...SEC showdown. The Tigers are a team that simply takes care of their business without fanfare. The Aggies will score with a return of Johnny Manziel 'greatness' but the A&M defense is a total sieve. Maty Mauk/James Franklin (whoever is the starter) will keep step for step with TAMU. The difference is the Tiger defense which will get one stop and take the shootout on the way to the SEC Championship. TAMU: 38--Mizzou: 41
Hoying: If not for James Franklin's injury against Georgia, this game may have decided the all-SEC QB in a stacked conference. Thankfully, Franklin and Manziel will still get the chance to go head-to-head, but the game is going to suuuuuuck. Remember LSU's dismantling of A&M a week ago? Use that as a starting point, add a better opposing quarterback and a much better defense, and you get a Missouri beatdown. Don't expect the Tigers to blink at home with an SEC East title within their grasp. TAMU: 17--Mizzou: 48
Schweinfurth: My goodness did the Aggies look horrible last week. Les Miles must keep some sort of Johnny Football kryptonite in his pocket for those games. James Franklin kept the Tigers chugging on all cylinders last week and that offense has been a nightmare for the mighty SEC defenses. I definitely expect this game to devolve into an old fashioned Big 12 shootout. TAMU: 38--Mizzou: 42
Seeberg: At the start of the season, a lot of people probably assumed this game would have SEC West title implications. SEC East? Not so much. James Franklin is back for Mizzou (taking over for Kenton-bred backup Maty Mauk) and that’s bad news for an A&M defense that gives up over 30 a game. Incidentally, does anyone remember that A&M and Mizzou joined the conference just two years ago and everybody thought they would be cannon fodder? Perhaps the SEC isn’t the gauntlet we all perceive it to be. In any event, onto the title game for Mizzou. TAMU: 27--Mizzou: 42
UCLA Bruins @ USC Trojans
Draper: This one is for Coach O. A win here would make it really hard to let him go. The Trojans have been playing really good football lately and no one is noticing. Beating Stanford (but were they playing Stanford football?) was huge when the Cardinal had everything on the line. The Bruins, on the other hand, have limped down the stretch. I'll go with the hot hand and the Trojans re-institute the football monopoly in LA. UCLA: 20--USC: 24
Hoying: Don't call it a comeback, but USC has recovered nicely from the cancer that plagued their program for three and a half seasons. The Trojans are on a roll, winners of their last 5, which included a nice home win over a very good Stanford team. UCLA is no slouch, either, but they haven't impressed down the stretch, scraping by Arizona and Washington and falling to Arizona State. This game will come down to which quarterback can have success. Both Brett Hundley and Cody Kessler are superb slingers, but Hundley has to face a tough Trojan D, while Kessler will have a little more room for error. Fight on. UCLA: 20--USC: 27
Schweinfurth: I really know nothing about these two teams other than Lane Kiffin was a terrible coach and Ogeron has that team going good again. Other than Keith Price, I know nothing about UCLA. USC is at home? Good enough for me. UCLA: 17--USC: 21
Seeberg: This is likely Ed Orgeron’s last game as USC’s head coach, which is a shame, given how well he has revived the life-support squad he inherited from Lane Kiffin. He seems to have galvanized a pretty talented team, and they should send him out with a win against their in-city rivals. The Bruins go as Brett Hundley goes, and USC’s defense will give him fits. UCLA: 16--USC: 27
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Stanford Cardinal
Draper: This is a ranked matchup but.... Notre Dame has been taking care of business lately, but Stanford was recently given a shot in the arm thanks to the choke job by the Ducks. This isn't a conference game, but now that they have the Rose Bowl back on the horizon, I expect a focused team on the Farm vs. a historical contender. The Cardinal defense should make Tommy Rees's life a living hell while the running game churns up a solid win over a ranked team. If they play 'Stanford football', do they jump OSU? ND: 13--Stan: 31
Hoying: Let's play the road and home game. Notre Dame on the road: 2-2, beating terrible terrible Purdue and Air Force, and losing at bleh Michigan and bleeeeh Pitt. Stanford at home: 6-0, beating Arizona State, Washington, UCLA, and Oregon. Uh-oh. ND: 17--Stan: 27
Schweinfurth: Again, two teams I have paid next to no attention to. Stanford's better, I do know that much. ND: 10--Stan: 19
Seeberg: #25 Notre Dame at #8 Stan…wait, Notre Dame is ranked again? Granted, they do have a W over Michigan State and another one over Arizona State, but this team is just not that good. Stanford is likely pretty angry after USC took away their PAC-12 (it’s still difficult to refrain from calling it the PAC-10) title hopes, as well as their slim hopes to squeeze into the national championship. Further, the Cardinal does not want a repeat of last year’s OT loss which is why this game will not be nearly close enough for that to be an issue for the dancing tree. Stan: 31--ND: 10
THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ That School Up North
Draper: Ah....The Game is here. Tough to get excited with the struggles in Ann Arbor, but there will be no lack of motivation. Urban has the boys locked onto TSUN with laser focus. Michigan is in a tailspin, but will certainly put up a fight...it won't be enough. Gardner will be on the ground courtesy of Bosa, Spence, and Co. while Shazier cleans up. The OSU secondary will give up too much (as we've come to expect), but the offense should have a field day. Expect 300+ on the ground as the passing game is being left by the wayside. Herman will try to get Braxton going with the passing game, but it won't work until he starts utilizing some quick slants and screens. The deep ball is there but Braxton has been hesitant to throw vertically--preferring to trust his feet. Hopefully, he can develop the confidence over the next 3 games/year. Bucks roll. OSU: 51--TSUN: 31
Hoying: There's always a quickening of the heart when I see the Scarlet and Gray take the field against the Maize and Blue. Unfortunately, that won't happen this year (stupid all-white uniforms) but The Game is a HUGE deal nonetheless. No matter how hapless the Wolverines are, this is always the most important game of the season. Fortunately, the Buckeyes seem to get this, and there's no chance of a look-ahead to that other northern team. As Tony Gerdeman at TheOzone pointed out, the team that wins the rushing battle has won the last 12 iterations of the rivalry. Does anyone see Devin Gardner, Derrick Green, and Fitzgerald Toussaint outperforming Braxton Miller, Carlos Hyde, and Dontre Wilson? Really? OSU: 45--TSUN: 13
Schweinfurth: We have finally arrived at The Game. For some reason I have been having flashbacks to the 90's. Visions of Desmond's Heisman pose and Tim Biakabatuka have been haunting my dreams all week. So much failure, that decade. Then I look at the sideline and see Urban Meyer, who ownes (pwns?) in rivalry games. The man takes these games personally and it shows in the way his teams play. It also helps that the Silver Bullets' defensive line is full of studs versus an offensive line that operates as a sieve. In a way I feel for Gardner (but not really). At least he will have some friends in the backfield. And by friends I mean Noah Spence and Joey Bosa charging with bad intentions. On offense Ohio State has this Braxton Miller guy along with the wrecking ball that is El Guapo. Ohio State hasn't won by more than 11 points at that POS stadium since 1962. Throw that one out the window and bring on the Spartans!!!
OSU: 60--TSUN: 14 (with negative rushing yards)
Seeberg: OK OSU fans, if you were born after about 1991, you may not understand this, but Buckeye faithful tend to get nervous around this time of year, particularly when we have the objectively superior team. Our dominant 90s squads routinely underperformed against TSUN, and it ultimately got Cooper fired. In a 4-year span we had a Heisman winner in Eddie George and TWO first overall draft picks in Big Daddy Dan Wilkinson and Orlando Pace. In that span from 1993-96, OSU went just 1-3 against TSUN. Tressel changed all of that with his stellar 9-1 record; that one blemish? Ten years ago, at the big house, and I was in attendance. I am going up to Ann Arbor for the second time ever this weekend, so I sincerely hope it wasn’t my fault a decade ago. As for the game itself? A LOT of things have to go wrong for Ohio State to lose (turnovers, injuries, a cameo by Batman at QB for TSUN). A few of them will go wrong, but not enough of them to stop the Buckeye train. Onto MSU unblemished. OSU: 38--TSUN: 17
Upset Special
Draper: Pittsburgh over Miami (FL)
Hoying: Washington State over Washington
Schweinfurth: Oregon State over Oregon
Seeberg: Arizona over Arizona State
(Heads up: Carolina is favored over Duke)
1) Schweinfurth 40-18 (4-9 upset)
2) Hoying 39-19 (1-10 upset)
3) Draper 38-20 (3-10 upset)
Alabama Crimson Tide @ Auburn Tigers
Draper: Huge implications in the Iron Bowl. I hear every talking about the first top 5 matchup in this 'storied' rivalry...while surprising, this doesn't do wonders for the argument of 'best' rivalry. Give Auburn credit for a phenomenal turnaround under Gus Malzahn, but they have one win of note (TAMU). The miracle at Jordan-Hare crushed my pick chances, but reinforces my belief in a strong Bama win. Saban's squad seems to shine in the spotlight games and limp through the layups. YJ Yeldon will run all over the Tiger defense and the Tide will pressure Nick Marshall into enough mistakes to keep the train rolling. Cam Newton ain't walkin through that door. Sorry Bucks. Bama: 27--AU: 13
Hoying: Earn your title, Tide. The debate isn't settled as to whether Ohio State or Florida State has the tougher overall path to 13-0 this season, but neither faces the murderer's row Alabama has to deal with this week and (possibly) the next. Back in September, we picked Auburn-LSU as an afterthought, the token fourth game. None of us could have foreseen that tilt providing Auburn's only loss to date. What a difference not having Gene Chizik makes. The Auburn offense has roared to life behind dual-threat QB Nick Marshall, but he's developed as more of a runner than a passer as the season has progressed. The Tide defense has been slowly choking opponents all season long, only cracking against...the other dual-threat QB they faced. Nick Marshall isn't Johnny Manziel, but with the friendly Jordan-Hare crowd behind him, he'll do just enough to pull off the upset. Bama: 27--AU: 28
Schweinfurth: It's weird but the numbers are actually against Alabama winning this game. If I remember correctly, Nick Saban has never beaten a 10 win Auburn team. Well coming into this game, Auburn is 10-1. Alabama has problems with mobile quarterbacks and Auburn seems to have found Cam Newton lite in Nick Marshall. I know all of this is stacked against 'Bama and my heart says that Auburn will do Ohio State (and the rest of the college football world) a favor and roll the Tide. My brain says Bama is better. Bama: 24--AU: 21
Seeberg: Disclaimer: I want Auburn to win this game with every fiber of my being. Florida State’s schedule is too soft the rest of the way, so an Alabama slip is virtually OSU’s only chance to get into the BCS title game. That aside, this is not a good match-up for Auburn. Auburn runs the ball, ‘Bama stops the run; classic strength against strength. ‘Bama’s weaker on pass D, but not tip-the-ball-straight-to-a-WR-on-4th-and-18 weak. If Auburn can force an early turnover or two and get a lead, they may be able to shorten the game and keep it interesting. In the end, however, ‘Bama will score touchdowns and limit Auburn to a couple of field goals, allowing the Tide to, regrettably, pull away late. Bama: 35--AU: 20
Clemson Tigers @ South Carolina Gamecocks
Draper: Can the Tigers keep the streak of vanquishing SEC foes going? Clemson has had 2 games of note--squeaking out a win against a fully-healthy UGA and getting run off the field vs. the Noles. The Gamecocks haven't lived up to expectations but that will happen when your best player can easily be taken out of the game via double-team/scheme. Connor Shaw vs. Tajh Boyd...who fails less. I don't think the Cocks have enough on offense to keep up. I'm hoping that Clemson keeps it going with standout wide receiver Sammy Watkins because it hurts the SEC (and ESPN narrative) and helps the Noles. Huge game in an underrated rivalry for Dabo and the Tigers. Clem: 38--SoCar: 24
Hoying: Is there a more overrated team in the country than Clemson? The opening win over Georgia was nice, although it hasn't matured well. Other than that, the schedule has left something to be desired. Nothing like a win over Missouri over UCF stands out on Clemson's schedule. South Carolina's been winning ugly, but they've been winning. Now that Connor Shaw is back behind center for Cocky, the Tigers will have more of a problem stopping a balanced South Carolina attack. Tajh will be terrific, but Clemson will fall short. Clem: 27--SoCar: 31
Schweinfurth: South Carolina has slowly creeped up this rankings after a sluggish start to the season. Clemson has held on to a sure BCS berth behind Sammy Watkins and Tajh Boyd. I honestly believe that the SEC is severely over valued this year (especially the east). With that said, I expect a big day out of Boyd and more useless talk about Jadavion Clowney. Clem: 45--SoCar: 35
Seeberg: It’s official, the world is ending: The cheapest Clemson/South Carolina tickets are going for more than twice as much as the cheapest OSU/TTUN tickets on a ticket brokerage site. Find your bomb shelters now. Clemson has quietly snuck back near the top five, primarily because they’ve been beating a lot of nobodies since getting waxed by FSU. Also amazingly, South Carolina’s vaunted defense is actually allowing more points per game than OSU. “But the SEC is SO tough they can’t help it!”- every SEC fan. Yeah, that 28-spot that SEC-bottom feeder Kentucky scored on them really makes me trust the Gamecock defense. If UK can score 28 at South Carolina, Clemson will score more, and it will be enough to win. Clem: 41--SoCar: 31
Texas A&M Aggies @ Missouri Tigers
Draper: Johnny Football...my how the mighty has fallen. What a face plant on Saturday in a huge moment. Mizzou has it on the table for this Big 12...er...SEC showdown. The Tigers are a team that simply takes care of their business without fanfare. The Aggies will score with a return of Johnny Manziel 'greatness' but the A&M defense is a total sieve. Maty Mauk/James Franklin (whoever is the starter) will keep step for step with TAMU. The difference is the Tiger defense which will get one stop and take the shootout on the way to the SEC Championship. TAMU: 38--Mizzou: 41
Hoying: If not for James Franklin's injury against Georgia, this game may have decided the all-SEC QB in a stacked conference. Thankfully, Franklin and Manziel will still get the chance to go head-to-head, but the game is going to suuuuuuck. Remember LSU's dismantling of A&M a week ago? Use that as a starting point, add a better opposing quarterback and a much better defense, and you get a Missouri beatdown. Don't expect the Tigers to blink at home with an SEC East title within their grasp. TAMU: 17--Mizzou: 48
Schweinfurth: My goodness did the Aggies look horrible last week. Les Miles must keep some sort of Johnny Football kryptonite in his pocket for those games. James Franklin kept the Tigers chugging on all cylinders last week and that offense has been a nightmare for the mighty SEC defenses. I definitely expect this game to devolve into an old fashioned Big 12 shootout. TAMU: 38--Mizzou: 42
Seeberg: At the start of the season, a lot of people probably assumed this game would have SEC West title implications. SEC East? Not so much. James Franklin is back for Mizzou (taking over for Kenton-bred backup Maty Mauk) and that’s bad news for an A&M defense that gives up over 30 a game. Incidentally, does anyone remember that A&M and Mizzou joined the conference just two years ago and everybody thought they would be cannon fodder? Perhaps the SEC isn’t the gauntlet we all perceive it to be. In any event, onto the title game for Mizzou. TAMU: 27--Mizzou: 42
UCLA Bruins @ USC Trojans
Draper: This one is for Coach O. A win here would make it really hard to let him go. The Trojans have been playing really good football lately and no one is noticing. Beating Stanford (but were they playing Stanford football?) was huge when the Cardinal had everything on the line. The Bruins, on the other hand, have limped down the stretch. I'll go with the hot hand and the Trojans re-institute the football monopoly in LA. UCLA: 20--USC: 24
Hoying: Don't call it a comeback, but USC has recovered nicely from the cancer that plagued their program for three and a half seasons. The Trojans are on a roll, winners of their last 5, which included a nice home win over a very good Stanford team. UCLA is no slouch, either, but they haven't impressed down the stretch, scraping by Arizona and Washington and falling to Arizona State. This game will come down to which quarterback can have success. Both Brett Hundley and Cody Kessler are superb slingers, but Hundley has to face a tough Trojan D, while Kessler will have a little more room for error. Fight on. UCLA: 20--USC: 27
Schweinfurth: I really know nothing about these two teams other than Lane Kiffin was a terrible coach and Ogeron has that team going good again. Other than Keith Price, I know nothing about UCLA. USC is at home? Good enough for me. UCLA: 17--USC: 21
Seeberg: This is likely Ed Orgeron’s last game as USC’s head coach, which is a shame, given how well he has revived the life-support squad he inherited from Lane Kiffin. He seems to have galvanized a pretty talented team, and they should send him out with a win against their in-city rivals. The Bruins go as Brett Hundley goes, and USC’s defense will give him fits. UCLA: 16--USC: 27
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Stanford Cardinal
Draper: This is a ranked matchup but.... Notre Dame has been taking care of business lately, but Stanford was recently given a shot in the arm thanks to the choke job by the Ducks. This isn't a conference game, but now that they have the Rose Bowl back on the horizon, I expect a focused team on the Farm vs. a historical contender. The Cardinal defense should make Tommy Rees's life a living hell while the running game churns up a solid win over a ranked team. If they play 'Stanford football', do they jump OSU? ND: 13--Stan: 31
Hoying: Let's play the road and home game. Notre Dame on the road: 2-2, beating terrible terrible Purdue and Air Force, and losing at bleh Michigan and bleeeeh Pitt. Stanford at home: 6-0, beating Arizona State, Washington, UCLA, and Oregon. Uh-oh. ND: 17--Stan: 27
Schweinfurth: Again, two teams I have paid next to no attention to. Stanford's better, I do know that much. ND: 10--Stan: 19
Seeberg: #25 Notre Dame at #8 Stan…wait, Notre Dame is ranked again? Granted, they do have a W over Michigan State and another one over Arizona State, but this team is just not that good. Stanford is likely pretty angry after USC took away their PAC-12 (it’s still difficult to refrain from calling it the PAC-10) title hopes, as well as their slim hopes to squeeze into the national championship. Further, the Cardinal does not want a repeat of last year’s OT loss which is why this game will not be nearly close enough for that to be an issue for the dancing tree. Stan: 31--ND: 10
THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ That School Up North
Draper: Ah....The Game is here. Tough to get excited with the struggles in Ann Arbor, but there will be no lack of motivation. Urban has the boys locked onto TSUN with laser focus. Michigan is in a tailspin, but will certainly put up a fight...it won't be enough. Gardner will be on the ground courtesy of Bosa, Spence, and Co. while Shazier cleans up. The OSU secondary will give up too much (as we've come to expect), but the offense should have a field day. Expect 300+ on the ground as the passing game is being left by the wayside. Herman will try to get Braxton going with the passing game, but it won't work until he starts utilizing some quick slants and screens. The deep ball is there but Braxton has been hesitant to throw vertically--preferring to trust his feet. Hopefully, he can develop the confidence over the next 3 games/year. Bucks roll. OSU: 51--TSUN: 31
Hoying: There's always a quickening of the heart when I see the Scarlet and Gray take the field against the Maize and Blue. Unfortunately, that won't happen this year (stupid all-white uniforms) but The Game is a HUGE deal nonetheless. No matter how hapless the Wolverines are, this is always the most important game of the season. Fortunately, the Buckeyes seem to get this, and there's no chance of a look-ahead to that other northern team. As Tony Gerdeman at TheOzone pointed out, the team that wins the rushing battle has won the last 12 iterations of the rivalry. Does anyone see Devin Gardner, Derrick Green, and Fitzgerald Toussaint outperforming Braxton Miller, Carlos Hyde, and Dontre Wilson? Really? OSU: 45--TSUN: 13
Schweinfurth: We have finally arrived at The Game. For some reason I have been having flashbacks to the 90's. Visions of Desmond's Heisman pose and Tim Biakabatuka have been haunting my dreams all week. So much failure, that decade. Then I look at the sideline and see Urban Meyer, who ownes (pwns?) in rivalry games. The man takes these games personally and it shows in the way his teams play. It also helps that the Silver Bullets' defensive line is full of studs versus an offensive line that operates as a sieve. In a way I feel for Gardner (but not really). At least he will have some friends in the backfield. And by friends I mean Noah Spence and Joey Bosa charging with bad intentions. On offense Ohio State has this Braxton Miller guy along with the wrecking ball that is El Guapo. Ohio State hasn't won by more than 11 points at that POS stadium since 1962. Throw that one out the window and bring on the Spartans!!!
OSU: 60--TSUN: 14 (with negative rushing yards)
Seeberg: OK OSU fans, if you were born after about 1991, you may not understand this, but Buckeye faithful tend to get nervous around this time of year, particularly when we have the objectively superior team. Our dominant 90s squads routinely underperformed against TSUN, and it ultimately got Cooper fired. In a 4-year span we had a Heisman winner in Eddie George and TWO first overall draft picks in Big Daddy Dan Wilkinson and Orlando Pace. In that span from 1993-96, OSU went just 1-3 against TSUN. Tressel changed all of that with his stellar 9-1 record; that one blemish? Ten years ago, at the big house, and I was in attendance. I am going up to Ann Arbor for the second time ever this weekend, so I sincerely hope it wasn’t my fault a decade ago. As for the game itself? A LOT of things have to go wrong for Ohio State to lose (turnovers, injuries, a cameo by Batman at QB for TSUN). A few of them will go wrong, but not enough of them to stop the Buckeye train. Onto MSU unblemished. OSU: 38--TSUN: 17
Upset Special
Draper: Pittsburgh over Miami (FL)
Hoying: Washington State over Washington
Schweinfurth: Oregon State over Oregon
Seeberg: Arizona over Arizona State
(Heads up: Carolina is favored over Duke)
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Week 9--Last call for undefeated teams?
Standings
1) Schweinfurth 23-10 (3-5 upset)
2) Draper 22-11 (1-7 upset)
3) Hoying 20-13 (1-7 upset)
UCLA Bruins @ Oregon Ducks
Draper: The premier game resides in Eugene. Oregon's one win came over a very good, but beat up, Washington Huskies squad. Can they do it against another up and coming program? In Autzen, I think they are the big favorites. UCLA stubbed their toe against Stanford last week which seems to be the formula for good teams playing Oregon (get softened up by Stanford first). Mariota and Hundley will both have good games, but the road environment will be too much to overcome for the Bruins. The football monopoly may be over in LA, but not so much in the Pac 12. UCLA: 28--UO: 48
Hoying: Stanford ruins everything. First they lose to Utah to spoil an undefeated Stanford-UCLA game, then they beat UCLA to spoil an undefeated UCLA-Oregon matchup. Bruin QB Brett Hundley has finally come down to earth after a hot start, and I don't see him getting much more breathing room against a punishing Duck D. On the other side of the ball, the UCLA defense doesn't have the horses to keep up with Super Mariota and company. I don't see this being close. UCLA: 20--UO: 52
Schweinfurth: I gotta keep these short this week due to personal time constraints. I think this will turn into a second half blow out. UCLA will stick with Oregon in the first half, but just too many offensive weapons for the Ducks.
UCLA: 24--UO: 45
Texas Tech Red Raiders @ Oklahoma Sooners
Draper: Texas Tech is another one of those 'yeah we're undefeated, but...' teams. The schedule has been soft but Oklahoma hasn't faced a premier opponent yet either. Big game Bob is really tough to beat in Norman and I don't think this year is any different. The cinderella story with Kliff Kingsbury is a good one, but I think this game is above the ceiling for this year. The future is bright in Lubbock, but the future is not now. TT: 24--OU: 31
Hoying: Savor these next three days, Red Raider fans. Savor the fantasy of going undefeated and playing for a national championship before you fall flat on your face and slip to the middle of the Big 12 pack. Texas Tech has looked impressive so far against the Little Sisters of the Poor, but it's time for big boy football, with 4 of the next 5 games coming against the top 4 teams in the conference. And the most talented squad is up first. Oklahoma has already proven themselves decent with a nice road win over Notre Dame, and they will continue to get stronger as QB Blake Bell continues to develop. Sooners in a close one. TT: 27--OU: 28
Schweinfurth: Texas Tech has come a long way but as I said previously, I think Oklahoma is the second best team in the Big XII. Fortunately for the Sooners, it's not the Red Raiders. TT: 21--OU: 34
South Carolina Gamecocks @ Missouri Tigers
Draper: Missouri is on the rise and the Gamecocks are falling fast. Looks like this could be a battle of backup QBs with Connor Shaw's knee. Mauk was impressive last week against a stout Gator defense. The backup for South Carolina has experience, but Missouri is riding the wave. This is a tough one, but I'm going with the hot hand in a really close game. HBC loses another heartbreaker on the road. SoCar: 17--Mizzou: 20
Hoying: How long can Missouri weather the absence of James Franklin? The Florida defense is no slouch, and Mauk and the Tigers carved them up worse than any opponent the Gators have yet faced. Missouri appears to be for real this year, while South Carolina has struggled at times. It's hard to see them getting better after losing QB Connor Shaw. A Tiger win virtually seals the SEC East for Mizzou and puts them on a collision course with the winner of the Iron Bowl. SoCar: 24--Mizzou: 34
Schweinfurth: Mizzou is rolling right now and Maty Mauk looked good this past week. Blah, blah, Jedeveon Clowney, blah, blah, he won't be a factor. SCAR: 20--Mizzou: 40
Stanford Cardinal @ Oregon State Beavers
Draper: I wanted this for an upset special. I have not been particularly impressed with Stanford this year and I've made that clear with my picks. Oregon State is the forgotten team in the Pac 12 after an early loss to FCS Eastern Washington. Mannion has been fantastic and the passing game in general has been unstoppable. Stanford can match up on the lines, but this west coast dink and dunk offense will give them fits. Corvallis is usually home to one upset a year and this is it (even though OSU is pretty good). Stan: 30--OSU: 34
Hoying: There's only one reason to consider picking the Beavers in this game: QB juggernaut Sean Mannion. The junior leads all NCAA passers and is a true difference maker. However, let's look at the defenses he's seen. Eastern Washington. Hawaii. Utah. San Diego State. Colorado. Washington State. California. You may recognize 1 of these as an FCS team, and 2 of the others made Ohio State's backup quarterback look like Peyton Manning. What will Mannion do when he faces not just the first competent defense he's seen all year, but an excellent one? The Beavers get blasted, that's what happens. Stan: 45--OSU: 24
Schweinfurth: Oregon State has recovered nicely from that week 1 upset. Remember, this team almost went undefeated a year ago. I expect Stanford's slide to continue. Stan: 14--OSU: 31
Penn State Nittany Lions @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: The Buckeye defense stepped up in the 2nd half last week and they'll need to be on this week vs. Hackenburg. PSU has been somewhat of a yo-yo team, but the scholarship reductions and sanctions are beginning to show. This is Urban and the Buckeyes stage to turn some heads. Penn State has the name recognition to make a big win here mean something. Time to unleash Braxton and Carlos to show the nation the Bucks are for real. Style points don't matter any more, but they certainly don't hurt. The defense will be good enough and the offense will (finally) have their way. The most important part is the halftime show this week (I helped design it). Hope everyone enjoys! PSU: 20--OSU: 45
Hoying: Another year, another scrappy Penn State quarterback with lots of moxie. Here's how this one will play out. Hackenberg will come out and throw for 200 yards in the first half as Penn State keeps it close. Then Carlos Hyde will start eating defenders, starting with the scrawny DBs and working up to the meaty linemen. When he's sated, he'll leave Jekyll behind completely and enter full-on beast mode, scoring repeatedly and at will. Meanwhile, Hackenberg will throw 3 or 4 pick-sixes and Brent Musberger will feign sympathy as he thanks his lucky stars that his bet on Ohio State to cover won't result in his legs getting broken. Then, Mark May and Gary Danielson will lambaste the Buckeyes for another lackluster win over a weak opponent, while Lou Holtz desperately tries to juthtify Ohio Thate'th exthellent thschedule and Brackthton Miller's athtounding talent. PSU: 17--OSU: 38
Schweinfurth: This game is a bit scary for me. The Ohio State secondary has been just shy of gawd awful at times. But then I remember it's PSU (Pick Six University) and it's in the 'Shoe at night. If the Silver Bullets come out flying like they did against Wisconsin, this is over in a hurry. Roby gets the pick six and Buckeye nation will finally exhale about his play. Braxton FINALLY throws for 300+ yards and El Guapo goes for 150+. It's a big night for the Buckeye offense and The Chase rolls on. PSU: 24--OSU: 50
Upset Alert
Draper: Minn over Nebraska (but the real one is Oregon State)
Hoying: Tennessee over Alabama
Schweinfurth: NCSt over Florida State (sorry Chief, I called this on Monday)
1) Schweinfurth 23-10 (3-5 upset)
2) Draper 22-11 (1-7 upset)
3) Hoying 20-13 (1-7 upset)
UCLA Bruins @ Oregon Ducks
Draper: The premier game resides in Eugene. Oregon's one win came over a very good, but beat up, Washington Huskies squad. Can they do it against another up and coming program? In Autzen, I think they are the big favorites. UCLA stubbed their toe against Stanford last week which seems to be the formula for good teams playing Oregon (get softened up by Stanford first). Mariota and Hundley will both have good games, but the road environment will be too much to overcome for the Bruins. The football monopoly may be over in LA, but not so much in the Pac 12. UCLA: 28--UO: 48
Hoying: Stanford ruins everything. First they lose to Utah to spoil an undefeated Stanford-UCLA game, then they beat UCLA to spoil an undefeated UCLA-Oregon matchup. Bruin QB Brett Hundley has finally come down to earth after a hot start, and I don't see him getting much more breathing room against a punishing Duck D. On the other side of the ball, the UCLA defense doesn't have the horses to keep up with Super Mariota and company. I don't see this being close. UCLA: 20--UO: 52
Schweinfurth: I gotta keep these short this week due to personal time constraints. I think this will turn into a second half blow out. UCLA will stick with Oregon in the first half, but just too many offensive weapons for the Ducks.
UCLA: 24--UO: 45
Texas Tech Red Raiders @ Oklahoma Sooners
Draper: Texas Tech is another one of those 'yeah we're undefeated, but...' teams. The schedule has been soft but Oklahoma hasn't faced a premier opponent yet either. Big game Bob is really tough to beat in Norman and I don't think this year is any different. The cinderella story with Kliff Kingsbury is a good one, but I think this game is above the ceiling for this year. The future is bright in Lubbock, but the future is not now. TT: 24--OU: 31
Hoying: Savor these next three days, Red Raider fans. Savor the fantasy of going undefeated and playing for a national championship before you fall flat on your face and slip to the middle of the Big 12 pack. Texas Tech has looked impressive so far against the Little Sisters of the Poor, but it's time for big boy football, with 4 of the next 5 games coming against the top 4 teams in the conference. And the most talented squad is up first. Oklahoma has already proven themselves decent with a nice road win over Notre Dame, and they will continue to get stronger as QB Blake Bell continues to develop. Sooners in a close one. TT: 27--OU: 28
Schweinfurth: Texas Tech has come a long way but as I said previously, I think Oklahoma is the second best team in the Big XII. Fortunately for the Sooners, it's not the Red Raiders. TT: 21--OU: 34
South Carolina Gamecocks @ Missouri Tigers
Draper: Missouri is on the rise and the Gamecocks are falling fast. Looks like this could be a battle of backup QBs with Connor Shaw's knee. Mauk was impressive last week against a stout Gator defense. The backup for South Carolina has experience, but Missouri is riding the wave. This is a tough one, but I'm going with the hot hand in a really close game. HBC loses another heartbreaker on the road. SoCar: 17--Mizzou: 20
Hoying: How long can Missouri weather the absence of James Franklin? The Florida defense is no slouch, and Mauk and the Tigers carved them up worse than any opponent the Gators have yet faced. Missouri appears to be for real this year, while South Carolina has struggled at times. It's hard to see them getting better after losing QB Connor Shaw. A Tiger win virtually seals the SEC East for Mizzou and puts them on a collision course with the winner of the Iron Bowl. SoCar: 24--Mizzou: 34
Schweinfurth: Mizzou is rolling right now and Maty Mauk looked good this past week. Blah, blah, Jedeveon Clowney, blah, blah, he won't be a factor. SCAR: 20--Mizzou: 40
Stanford Cardinal @ Oregon State Beavers
Draper: I wanted this for an upset special. I have not been particularly impressed with Stanford this year and I've made that clear with my picks. Oregon State is the forgotten team in the Pac 12 after an early loss to FCS Eastern Washington. Mannion has been fantastic and the passing game in general has been unstoppable. Stanford can match up on the lines, but this west coast dink and dunk offense will give them fits. Corvallis is usually home to one upset a year and this is it (even though OSU is pretty good). Stan: 30--OSU: 34
Hoying: There's only one reason to consider picking the Beavers in this game: QB juggernaut Sean Mannion. The junior leads all NCAA passers and is a true difference maker. However, let's look at the defenses he's seen. Eastern Washington. Hawaii. Utah. San Diego State. Colorado. Washington State. California. You may recognize 1 of these as an FCS team, and 2 of the others made Ohio State's backup quarterback look like Peyton Manning. What will Mannion do when he faces not just the first competent defense he's seen all year, but an excellent one? The Beavers get blasted, that's what happens. Stan: 45--OSU: 24
Schweinfurth: Oregon State has recovered nicely from that week 1 upset. Remember, this team almost went undefeated a year ago. I expect Stanford's slide to continue. Stan: 14--OSU: 31
Penn State Nittany Lions @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: The Buckeye defense stepped up in the 2nd half last week and they'll need to be on this week vs. Hackenburg. PSU has been somewhat of a yo-yo team, but the scholarship reductions and sanctions are beginning to show. This is Urban and the Buckeyes stage to turn some heads. Penn State has the name recognition to make a big win here mean something. Time to unleash Braxton and Carlos to show the nation the Bucks are for real. Style points don't matter any more, but they certainly don't hurt. The defense will be good enough and the offense will (finally) have their way. The most important part is the halftime show this week (I helped design it). Hope everyone enjoys! PSU: 20--OSU: 45
Hoying: Another year, another scrappy Penn State quarterback with lots of moxie. Here's how this one will play out. Hackenberg will come out and throw for 200 yards in the first half as Penn State keeps it close. Then Carlos Hyde will start eating defenders, starting with the scrawny DBs and working up to the meaty linemen. When he's sated, he'll leave Jekyll behind completely and enter full-on beast mode, scoring repeatedly and at will. Meanwhile, Hackenberg will throw 3 or 4 pick-sixes and Brent Musberger will feign sympathy as he thanks his lucky stars that his bet on Ohio State to cover won't result in his legs getting broken. Then, Mark May and Gary Danielson will lambaste the Buckeyes for another lackluster win over a weak opponent, while Lou Holtz desperately tries to juthtify Ohio Thate'th exthellent thschedule and Brackthton Miller's athtounding talent. PSU: 17--OSU: 38
Schweinfurth: This game is a bit scary for me. The Ohio State secondary has been just shy of gawd awful at times. But then I remember it's PSU (Pick Six University) and it's in the 'Shoe at night. If the Silver Bullets come out flying like they did against Wisconsin, this is over in a hurry. Roby gets the pick six and Buckeye nation will finally exhale about his play. Braxton FINALLY throws for 300+ yards and El Guapo goes for 150+. It's a big night for the Buckeye offense and The Chase rolls on. PSU: 24--OSU: 50
Upset Alert
Draper: Minn over Nebraska (but the real one is Oregon State)
Hoying: Tennessee over Alabama
Schweinfurth: NCSt over Florida State (sorry Chief, I called this on Monday)
Thursday, September 05, 2013
Week 2 Picks: UGA should fire the football scheduler
Standings
1) Draper 4-0 (1-0 upset)
1) Hoying 4-0 (0-1 upset)
1) Schweinfurth 4-0 (0-1 upset)
South Carolina Gamecocks @ Georgia Bulldogs
Draper: The Gamecocks always seem to have Mark Richt's number. This is a very interesting game which can help answer the eternal question about scheduling big games. Will the Dogs be banged up after the clash in Clemson or will the experience help push them to victory? South Carolina was somewhat lackluster in their opener, but Clowney should step up on the big stage. I saw something from Todd Gurley that leads me to have faith in the home team this week. The Cocks didn't look particularly impressive against UNC, but they'll step up. The hedges make the difference. SoCar: 17--UGA: 20
Hoying: Last year I picked Georgia to win and they got flattened, courtesy of Clowney & Co. thoroughly disrupting the Bulldog offense. Marcus Lattimore isn't around anymore to anchor the Gamecock rushing attack, but most of the other pieces are still in place for both teams, minus a great deal of Georgia's personnel on defense. Someday, Bulldog QB Aaron Murray will have a shining moment to justify the hype he receives, but it can't happen with the entire South Curalina line pounding him between the hedges. SoCar: 27--UGA: 16
Schweinfurth: Man did Georgia get beat up by Clemson last week or what? That game took a lot out of the Bulldogs and this will make the game interesting. Georgia has the superior offense and Gurley is a magne. Clowney will have a bit more success this week with maybe a sack or two. After seeing him gassed on the sideline, one has to wonder if Clowny can stand up to a big time offensive line. SoCar: 20--UGA: 28
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Michigan Wolverines
Draper: Historically, this game was of huge importance, but it's still not back to close to the level of the past. Devin Taylor looked good in week 1 as did Tommy Rees but they were against subpar teams. I really don't know how this game will turn out as these teams are fairly well matched. Therefore, I'll lean to the home team. Expect a shootout. ND: 34--UM: 38
Hoying: How sad that such a fantastic rivalry will have to go on hiatus after next year's matchup. Notre Dame and Michigan will only have, like, 26 rivals apiece now. It's hard to see Corn and Blue blowing this one at home without Shoelace the Invisible Oatmeal Muncher tossing his usual 3 picks. However, Irish QB Tommy Rees has the potential to carve up a SEVERELY overrated Wolverine secondary if he remembers not to suck. Too bad he won't. Fred beats Barney and reclaims his Fruity Pebbles. ND: 20--UM: 28
Schweinfurth: Hey look, it's the rivalry Mark May grew up watching (or not). Brian Kelly stirred up the natives by going John Cooper on the rivalry between these too. In a way, this will be a proving grounds for both teams. Is Devan Gardner the real deal and is Tommy Rees still an interception machine. Both quarterbacks will play well and both will throw a few picks. This one goes back and forth. ND: 35--UM: 38
Florida Gators @ Miami Hurricanes
Draper: This game is simply on the list to round out the games. Florida is the far superior team and it shouldn't be close. Miami is still trying to get back to prominence, but they still have a ways to go. Florida had a solid week one win over Toledo, but I don't expect a whole lot out of them this year. Driscoll will lead the Gators to an easy instate win. UF: 38--UM: 17
Hoying: The greatest property of games like this is the necessary loss by one of these teams. The 'Canes dodged a major bullet in the offseason due to the NCAA bungling their investigation, but they still haven't recovered from their falI from the ranks of the elite at the hands of our beloved Bucks 11 years ago. I have the feeling we'll all be gradulating the Gators for being the finer athletic school by the time this laugher is over. UF: 24--UM: 13
Schweinfurth: I honestly don't know much about either team outside of Muschamp's personal vendetta against Urban Meyer and the U got off easy. Florida has the better defense so I'll let it ride on them. UF: 24--UM: 7
San Diego State Aztecs @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Last week was a convincing win, but there is still much work to be done. The Aztecs, on the other hand, had a complete disaster losing to Eastern Illinois. SDSU was certainly looking forward to OSU, but there is no excuse. Braxton will continue to improve, but the focus of the game will be watching the defense and the impact of having a full roster. The return of Roby and full time Shazier will be very important to the future. This should be another blowout that tells us nothing. SDSU: 10--OSU: 55
Hoying: Coming into the season, some looked at Ohio State's Wisconsin-esque non-conference slate and pointed to this weekend as the trap game to watch out for. Look out, Buckeyes, it's everybody's second-favorite too-good-for-the-AAC team, the team that pushed Ohio State to the brink of defeat in 2001 and 2003. . . and then they got blasted at home by a BAD 1-AA school. This game is more properly characterized as a nice tune-up for Cal (although, do we really need to tune-up for Cal and their skinny twig QB?). Roby and Barnett will get a chance to energize the Silver Bullets against a team that threw 63 passes and 4 INTs last week, and we might just learn whether Khalil Mack was really that good or if Taylor Decker is really that hapless. Buckeyes win BIG or Buckeye Nation gets restless. SDSU: 9--OSU: 63
Schweinfurth: Everyone is talking about a lackluster performance last week. In reality, the Bucks just went to sleep and got conservative after the first quarter (why show your playbook when the game isn't in doubt). Taylor Decker did struggle a bit at right tackle, but not as bad as what was initially perceived). With that said, I expect Urban to send a message that taking the foot off the gas pedal is unacceptable. Braxon will have more called runs this week. The addition of Roby will be big for Bullets. I expect this one to be over by the end of the first quarter and we get some sweet Kenny G in the fourth quarter. SDSU: 13--OSU:48
Upset Special
Draper: Buffalo over Baylor
Hoying: BYU over Texas
Schweinfurth: Western Kentucky over Tennessee
1) Draper 4-0 (1-0 upset)
1) Hoying 4-0 (0-1 upset)
1) Schweinfurth 4-0 (0-1 upset)
South Carolina Gamecocks @ Georgia Bulldogs
Draper: The Gamecocks always seem to have Mark Richt's number. This is a very interesting game which can help answer the eternal question about scheduling big games. Will the Dogs be banged up after the clash in Clemson or will the experience help push them to victory? South Carolina was somewhat lackluster in their opener, but Clowney should step up on the big stage. I saw something from Todd Gurley that leads me to have faith in the home team this week. The Cocks didn't look particularly impressive against UNC, but they'll step up. The hedges make the difference. SoCar: 17--UGA: 20
Hoying: Last year I picked Georgia to win and they got flattened, courtesy of Clowney & Co. thoroughly disrupting the Bulldog offense. Marcus Lattimore isn't around anymore to anchor the Gamecock rushing attack, but most of the other pieces are still in place for both teams, minus a great deal of Georgia's personnel on defense. Someday, Bulldog QB Aaron Murray will have a shining moment to justify the hype he receives, but it can't happen with the entire South Curalina line pounding him between the hedges. SoCar: 27--UGA: 16
Schweinfurth: Man did Georgia get beat up by Clemson last week or what? That game took a lot out of the Bulldogs and this will make the game interesting. Georgia has the superior offense and Gurley is a magne. Clowney will have a bit more success this week with maybe a sack or two. After seeing him gassed on the sideline, one has to wonder if Clowny can stand up to a big time offensive line. SoCar: 20--UGA: 28
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Michigan Wolverines
Draper: Historically, this game was of huge importance, but it's still not back to close to the level of the past. Devin Taylor looked good in week 1 as did Tommy Rees but they were against subpar teams. I really don't know how this game will turn out as these teams are fairly well matched. Therefore, I'll lean to the home team. Expect a shootout. ND: 34--UM: 38
Hoying: How sad that such a fantastic rivalry will have to go on hiatus after next year's matchup. Notre Dame and Michigan will only have, like, 26 rivals apiece now. It's hard to see Corn and Blue blowing this one at home without Shoelace the Invisible Oatmeal Muncher tossing his usual 3 picks. However, Irish QB Tommy Rees has the potential to carve up a SEVERELY overrated Wolverine secondary if he remembers not to suck. Too bad he won't. Fred beats Barney and reclaims his Fruity Pebbles. ND: 20--UM: 28
Schweinfurth: Hey look, it's the rivalry Mark May grew up watching (or not). Brian Kelly stirred up the natives by going John Cooper on the rivalry between these too. In a way, this will be a proving grounds for both teams. Is Devan Gardner the real deal and is Tommy Rees still an interception machine. Both quarterbacks will play well and both will throw a few picks. This one goes back and forth. ND: 35--UM: 38
Florida Gators @ Miami Hurricanes
Draper: This game is simply on the list to round out the games. Florida is the far superior team and it shouldn't be close. Miami is still trying to get back to prominence, but they still have a ways to go. Florida had a solid week one win over Toledo, but I don't expect a whole lot out of them this year. Driscoll will lead the Gators to an easy instate win. UF: 38--UM: 17
Hoying: The greatest property of games like this is the necessary loss by one of these teams. The 'Canes dodged a major bullet in the offseason due to the NCAA bungling their investigation, but they still haven't recovered from their falI from the ranks of the elite at the hands of our beloved Bucks 11 years ago. I have the feeling we'll all be gradulating the Gators for being the finer athletic school by the time this laugher is over. UF: 24--UM: 13
Schweinfurth: I honestly don't know much about either team outside of Muschamp's personal vendetta against Urban Meyer and the U got off easy. Florida has the better defense so I'll let it ride on them. UF: 24--UM: 7
San Diego State Aztecs @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Last week was a convincing win, but there is still much work to be done. The Aztecs, on the other hand, had a complete disaster losing to Eastern Illinois. SDSU was certainly looking forward to OSU, but there is no excuse. Braxton will continue to improve, but the focus of the game will be watching the defense and the impact of having a full roster. The return of Roby and full time Shazier will be very important to the future. This should be another blowout that tells us nothing. SDSU: 10--OSU: 55
Hoying: Coming into the season, some looked at Ohio State's Wisconsin-esque non-conference slate and pointed to this weekend as the trap game to watch out for. Look out, Buckeyes, it's everybody's second-favorite too-good-for-the-AAC team, the team that pushed Ohio State to the brink of defeat in 2001 and 2003. . . and then they got blasted at home by a BAD 1-AA school. This game is more properly characterized as a nice tune-up for Cal (although, do we really need to tune-up for Cal and their skinny twig QB?). Roby and Barnett will get a chance to energize the Silver Bullets against a team that threw 63 passes and 4 INTs last week, and we might just learn whether Khalil Mack was really that good or if Taylor Decker is really that hapless. Buckeyes win BIG or Buckeye Nation gets restless. SDSU: 9--OSU: 63
Schweinfurth: Everyone is talking about a lackluster performance last week. In reality, the Bucks just went to sleep and got conservative after the first quarter (why show your playbook when the game isn't in doubt). Taylor Decker did struggle a bit at right tackle, but not as bad as what was initially perceived). With that said, I expect Urban to send a message that taking the foot off the gas pedal is unacceptable. Braxon will have more called runs this week. The addition of Roby will be big for Bullets. I expect this one to be over by the end of the first quarter and we get some sweet Kenny G in the fourth quarter. SDSU: 13--OSU:48
Upset Special
Draper: Buffalo over Baylor
Hoying: BYU over Texas
Schweinfurth: Western Kentucky over Tennessee
Friday, November 23, 2012
Week 13 Picks: THE Game (and other rivalries)
Standings
1) Schweinfurth 39-10 (5-7 upset)
2) Hoying 34-15 (3-9 upset)
3) Draper 31-18 (3-9 upset)
4) Auer 25-20 (1-10 upset)
Florida Gators @ Florida State Seminoles
Draper: Everyone sees the rankings and thinks this is an easy win for the Gators, but the Noles enter as a 7 point favorite. The home field advantage of Doak is minimal compared to the Swamp, but the lack of the home-field to the Gators is huge. The Noles have only one win of note because Clemson is the only good team they've played while the Gators have 3 big wins (TAMU before they figured how to play, home of offenseless LSU, and home vs. South Carolina after they had a huge win). With that said, Florida has seemed to win games without understanding how. The defense is solid, but the Noles defense is even better with Carradine and Werner. I think the Noles will be 'up' for this more than anything and play with nothing held back. Gaytors fall on the road when they play a solid offensive team. UF: 13--FSU: 23
Auer: Florida started off hot, got flakey, and is looking to finish strong with an "upset" win in Tallahassee. A lot of frustration has mounted for the Seminoles this season. They were the odds-on favorite to be in the national championship game against the seemingly unbeatable Crimson Tide, then the real FSU showed up and they lost one they shouldn't to NC State (shocker, right?... not really). Florida is poised to claim a spot in the BCS National Championship game, but must win this one against a vengeance-filled, nothing-to-lose Seminole squad playing at home. UF: 24--FSU: 22
Hoying: All you who don't want to see another SEC-SEC title game, root like hell for the Noles in this one. Yeah, it's a moot point if Notre Dame takes care of business, but a Florida State win derails the conversation before it begins. This is probably the best match-up of the weekend. Both teams feature outstanding defense, which could be especially problematic for the weak Gator passing game. QB Jeff Driskel will be back for the tilt, but how long will he last against a punishing Seminole defense? Don't write Florida off-their resume matches up well with anyone's-but Florida State has barely been stopped all season, and the Gators don't have the Swamp to help them. UF: 10--FSU: 17
Schweinfurth: This game is tricky. The Gators have been good, not great, all season. Jeff Driskall has managed the offense this year. The Gator defense is indeed stout and is truly a "Will Muschamp" defense. Florida State has been a bit of a mystery to me all season. This team has looked like a national championship contender one week, and then a middle of the road ACC team the next. This game will be a down right slugfest. Bring your big boy pants for this one. E.J. Manuel eliminates the Gators from the championship picture. UF: 10--FSU: 17
Oregon Ducks @ Oregon State Beavers
Draper: Ducks came up with the most spectacular choke job of the season last week to all but remove them from the National Championship debate (or did they?). The Ducks will be HUGE fans of UCLA this week, but it's safe to say that a win here will send the Ducks to a BCS bowl. There's chance this game may be for a BCS game for either team but Oregon State is not nearly as attractive. The Beavers play solid fundamental football (which doesn't move the dial). I expect Mariota, Barner, and Thomas (not to mention Kelly) to go crazy in Corvallis. I don't expect another offensive failure by the Ducks. Ducks win the Civil War easily. UO: 48--OSU: 17
Auer: Yeah it may be a rivalry, but this one should not be close. State has played a more competitive slate of games, but Oregon has done as they usually do and been a impossible-to-stop avalanche in most games. The Ducks may take a little longer to get rolling, but the result will be the same. UO: 51--OSU: 34
Hoying: Oregon is reeling but their Rose Bowl hopes aren't over yet. All they need is a win in the Civil War and a Stanford loss to UCLA. Problem is, they're facing a team brandishing the same brand of tough D that doomed them last weekend. Oregon State is two heartbreaking losses from being a title contender themselves, carried by their staunch defense and steady QB play from Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz. There may be some fear that the Beavers now know the formula for smacking the Ducks, but anyone who's been paying attention to Oregon has known it for the last 4 years (ask Boise State, LSU, Ohio State, and Auburn). Executing is another matter. I love the Beavers this year, but they've stumbled a bit down the stretch, and I don't think they're quite tough enough to take down the Ducks. UO: 27--OSU: 20
Schweinfurth: Oh how one game can change the outlook of a season. Oregon was flat rolling until running into the wall that was Stanford. The Cardinal made Mariota look like a true freshman for the first time this year and bottled up Barner and Thomas. The Beavers are very strong on defense and have an offense that can move the ball well enough. I expect less scoring this week, as the Beavers try to control the clock. I just don't think the Ducks can be contained two weeks in a row. UO: 42--OSU: 31
Oklahoma State Cowboys @ Oklahoma Sooners
Draper: Bedlam doesn't have the meaning of the past years as neither team is close to National Championship talk. KSU remains in the drivers seat for the Big 12 driver sheet but the heavily preseason favorite Sooners could sweep in a steal the championship at the buzzer. The Pokes stand in the way with their dynamic offense. Norman has been a death trap for many teams in the past, but not so much this year. I'm riding Mike Gundy to keep the Sooners reeling. Stoops on the hotseat? OSU: 34--OU: 30
Auer: The Sooner defense showed more than a few holes in their defense last week and if they're not plugged against the Cowboys, this could be a shoot out. Both teams are peaking at the right time, and this could be one of the best games of the day. OSU: 42--OU: 47
Hoying: The Cowboys ended 8 years of futility last year, beating the Sooners to cap getting screwed out of the BCS title game. The Sooners have underwhelmed as of late, struggling to put away Iowa State, Baylor, and West Virginia after getting walloped by Notre Dame. The Cowboys are the usual Mike Gundy offensive juggernaut, but their defense has been exposed a bit in their three losses. And Oklahoma's Landry Jones is more than capable of taking advantage. I expect this game to look quite like last week's Oklahoma-West Virginia showdown, coming down to a late score or a missed conversion. Can Bob Stoops really lose 3 games at home in a year? Not this time. OSU: 34--OU: 35
Schweinfurth: The Cowboys are still in a rebuild mode after losing most of their offense to the NFL. The Sooners have most of their offense in tact, for now. Gotta go with Big Game Bob at home. OSU: 28--OU: 38
South Carolina Gamecocks @ Clemson Tigers
Draper: Clemson has been a complete juggernaut since the loss to the Seminoles whereas the Cocks have slowly declined all season (highlighted by the tragic loss of Marcus Lattimore to injury). I think Sammy Watkins and Tajh Boyd end the season with a HUGE victory over their hated rivals. Connor Shaw has been pretty decent all year, but after the Lattimore injury, the team is not the same. The defense is scary good (led by Clowney), but the Clemson offense is way better than all of the offenses in the SEC. Dabo gets a big win in Death Valley on the way to a BCS bowl (most likely). SCar: 20--Clem: 31
Auer: Clemson at home against Spurrier's up-and-down Gamecocks? Shouldn't be a contest. The Lattimore-less USC 'Cocks will have a hard time in this one. SCar: 17--Clem: 42
Hoying: Everyone has been all over Clemson as of late, and it's easy to see why. I mean, just look at that quality win over...Georgia Tech? Duke? Ball State? Clemson teams are notoriously flaky, but this squad hasn't even been given a chance to lose to a reasonably inferior opponent. The Tigers are a complete and total mirage, and QB Tajh Boyd is about to get a rude awakening at the hands of the Ol' Ball Coach and the battle-tested Gamecocks. SCar: 28--Clem: 17
Schweinfurth: Every year I make the mistake of picking Clemson in a big game. Can you fault me? Look at the offensive talent they have. That defense though...yuck. South Carolina on the other hand is sound in both phases. I've seen enough of Clowney to know that Boyd better wear extra padding. I learn from my mistakes and the Gamecocks win. SCar: 31--Clem: 28
Stanford Cardinal @ UCLA Bruins
Draper: Stanford comes off a huge OT win over the Ducks on a major high. UCLA would be well served to completely tank this game and save it up for a rematch with the Cardinal (I don't see them beating a refocused Duck squad), but I don't think Jim Mora will take his foot off the pedal after ending the football monopoly in LA. Johnathan Franklin and Brett Hundley have been spectacular all season. The Stanford D left it all on the field vs. the Ducks which gives the Bruins something for which to prepare. Need to make up some ground, and I don't believe in the Cardinal so Bruins it is! Stan: 23 UCLA: 24
Auer: After both teams pulled surprising upsets last week, this game has actually garnered some interest. The Stanford D faces a tough test with the UCLA O, and this game should come down to the wire. Stan: 34--UCLA: 26
Hoying: This game is the reason I hate conference championship games. UCLA could literally not show up to this game, come back 6 days later, and play the same opponent for the Pac-12 Championship. No one looks at the NFL during week 17 and says, "Wow, it was fun to see that playoff-bound team play their second string." Let's hope there's enough pride left in the college game for UCLA to actually put in an effort in this one. But come on, does anyone expect UCLA to be better motivated than Stanford here? Really? Stan: 28--UCLA: 17
Schweinfurth: Both of these teams are coming off huge upset wins. Stanford's defense was excellent against the Ducks and UCLA did just enough to hold on last week. With that said, I have to go with the defense that has looked the best all year. Stan: 17--UCLA: 10
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ USC Trojans
Draper: The Domers have navigated their difficult schedule admirably, but there has been a few too many close calls. I've watch ND a lot this year, and they astound me how they keep winning. Many talk about how KSU was living on the edge, but ND barley beat Purdue, MSU, Stanford, and Pitt (Stanford being the only decent team). Manti T'eo has been nice, but not deserving of the extreme hype. USC provides a unique challenge as they have a truly elite offense (yes, OU had a good offense, but not elite). The backup QB provides a major issue for the Trojans, but the Irish can't matchup up with receivers of Troy. UCLA was able to beat USC in a shootout, but I don't see ND winning a shootout. Low scoring favors the Domers, but I expect a shootout where the Notre Dame defense is exposed a bit. Look out for another SEC/SEC title game....sigh. ND: 24--USC: 28
Auer: The Irish travel out west for what was expected to be the biggest game of the weekend. Matt Barkley got hurt and made this much more likely to be a competitive game. USC has some very talented players, but I don't believe they have the TEAM aspect that Notre Dame has shown this year. I hate it, but ND really shouldn't lose this one. ND: 20--USC: 19
Hoying: So USC is without its "Heisman caliber" quarterback. It's not like they were lighting up the world with him. And besides, as long as Marqise Lee is still running around in the secondary, it doesn't really matter who's tossing the ball his way. Meanwhile, the Irish are sporting the nation's top scoring defense against one of the nation's toughest schedules. But can they handle the pressure of being #1? Maybe more importantly, can Lane Kiffin avoid letting his Trojans completely crumble? 1. Yes. 2. No. ND: 27--USC: 21
Schweinfurth: I really didn't know what to make of this game...then Barkley got hurt. Marqise Lee is my Heisman favorite but there is a problem. He is a wide receiver. This means someone has to throw the ball. That someone is a red shirt freshman starting his first game against one of the top defensive units. Yea, that will go well. The only thing SC has going for them is home field. That won't be enough. Man, I hate waking up to the ND fight song on Mondays (thanks Golic). ND: 28--USC: 24
M!ch!g@n Wolverines @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: This is it. 11-0 (even with a team that isn't elite in my opinion) is nice, but it's all for naught if we can't finish. The Wolverines enter with a new QBat the helm which has actually bolstered their passing attack. Brady Hoke certainly has Blue Nation believing...but Urban Meyer has done the same with Buckeye Nation. Braxton needs to play better than last week and feed the beast in Carlos Hyde. Send these seniors out in the right way. This is the LAST time they'll ever sport the scarlet and gray and they deserve nothing but the best. Simon, Hankins, Roby and the resurgent LB corps show up to stifle the Wolverines and Miller, Hyde and Stoneburner win going away to add that asterisk onto whichever team wins the crystal ball. GO BUCKS!! BEAT BLUE!! UM: 13--OSU: 31
Auer: Unfortunately Michigan realized that Denard was more useful as a RB than a QB that threw about 50 interceptions per game. Urban Meyer will be looking to win-over the rest of the Buckeye faithful with a win tomorrow afternoon in frigid Columbus, and will need Braxton, Carlos, and oh yeah Simon and Hankins to come through in a big way to shutdown the Wolverine attack and send out the embattled seniors as winners. Lose tomorrow and Urban's (and his entire staff) ability to lead this team to future success remains a question mark, because 11-1 is great, except when that 1 comes against the evil Maize and Blue. UM: 21--OSU: 27
Hoying: 11-0 is nice, but since the loss in Ann Arbor last year and the imposition of the postseason ban, only one game has been on Buckeye Nation's mind. These teams are similar in a number of ways, featuring good defenses and dynamic quarterback play. However, Corn and Blue's defense ranks better against the pass, while the Silver Bullets focus on stopping the run. Since neither team throws the ball, this gives the advantage to the Buckeyes. The game may come down to Miller's decision making. If he can play smart, not turn the ball over, and remember to hand the ball off to Hyde a few times, the Bucks should roll. Start the streak again and leave Brady Hoke crying in his Fruity Pebbles. Not OSU: 17--OSU: 31
Schweinfurth: This is the game at the end of the world (season). I have been looking forward to this game since Devan Smith dropped the winner last year. Urban lives and breathes this rivalry. He has said it himself. I get that scUM is gonna roll out 2 QBs and they have had success with it...against Iowa and Minnesota. Yea. Those are good teams...NOT. I have faith that, when Denard touches the ball, he will be greeted rather rudely by Shazier or Simon. On offense, you will not see another game like last week. The meat chicken defense couldn't stop Braxton last year and they won't stop him this year either. If they do, Carlos will be waiting in the wings. Hyde gets his 1,000 yards, Brax runs for 150 and throws for 250 more. Jon Simon eats Denard's insides for Thanksgiving desert with a side of Gardner as Brady Hoke drools while watching on. He may need to channel his inner Matt Foley after this one. scUM: 21--OSU: 43 (Urban goes for two late)
Upset Special
Draper: TCU over Texas
Auer: Pitt over Rutgers
Hoying: Georgia Tech over Georgia
Schweinfurth: Washington State over Washington
1) Schweinfurth 39-10 (5-7 upset)
2) Hoying 34-15 (3-9 upset)
3) Draper 31-18 (3-9 upset)
4) Auer 25-20 (1-10 upset)
Florida Gators @ Florida State Seminoles
Draper: Everyone sees the rankings and thinks this is an easy win for the Gators, but the Noles enter as a 7 point favorite. The home field advantage of Doak is minimal compared to the Swamp, but the lack of the home-field to the Gators is huge. The Noles have only one win of note because Clemson is the only good team they've played while the Gators have 3 big wins (TAMU before they figured how to play, home of offenseless LSU, and home vs. South Carolina after they had a huge win). With that said, Florida has seemed to win games without understanding how. The defense is solid, but the Noles defense is even better with Carradine and Werner. I think the Noles will be 'up' for this more than anything and play with nothing held back. Gaytors fall on the road when they play a solid offensive team. UF: 13--FSU: 23
Auer: Florida started off hot, got flakey, and is looking to finish strong with an "upset" win in Tallahassee. A lot of frustration has mounted for the Seminoles this season. They were the odds-on favorite to be in the national championship game against the seemingly unbeatable Crimson Tide, then the real FSU showed up and they lost one they shouldn't to NC State (shocker, right?... not really). Florida is poised to claim a spot in the BCS National Championship game, but must win this one against a vengeance-filled, nothing-to-lose Seminole squad playing at home. UF: 24--FSU: 22
Hoying: All you who don't want to see another SEC-SEC title game, root like hell for the Noles in this one. Yeah, it's a moot point if Notre Dame takes care of business, but a Florida State win derails the conversation before it begins. This is probably the best match-up of the weekend. Both teams feature outstanding defense, which could be especially problematic for the weak Gator passing game. QB Jeff Driskel will be back for the tilt, but how long will he last against a punishing Seminole defense? Don't write Florida off-their resume matches up well with anyone's-but Florida State has barely been stopped all season, and the Gators don't have the Swamp to help them. UF: 10--FSU: 17
Schweinfurth: This game is tricky. The Gators have been good, not great, all season. Jeff Driskall has managed the offense this year. The Gator defense is indeed stout and is truly a "Will Muschamp" defense. Florida State has been a bit of a mystery to me all season. This team has looked like a national championship contender one week, and then a middle of the road ACC team the next. This game will be a down right slugfest. Bring your big boy pants for this one. E.J. Manuel eliminates the Gators from the championship picture. UF: 10--FSU: 17
Oregon Ducks @ Oregon State Beavers
Draper: Ducks came up with the most spectacular choke job of the season last week to all but remove them from the National Championship debate (or did they?). The Ducks will be HUGE fans of UCLA this week, but it's safe to say that a win here will send the Ducks to a BCS bowl. There's chance this game may be for a BCS game for either team but Oregon State is not nearly as attractive. The Beavers play solid fundamental football (which doesn't move the dial). I expect Mariota, Barner, and Thomas (not to mention Kelly) to go crazy in Corvallis. I don't expect another offensive failure by the Ducks. Ducks win the Civil War easily. UO: 48--OSU: 17
Auer: Yeah it may be a rivalry, but this one should not be close. State has played a more competitive slate of games, but Oregon has done as they usually do and been a impossible-to-stop avalanche in most games. The Ducks may take a little longer to get rolling, but the result will be the same. UO: 51--OSU: 34
Hoying: Oregon is reeling but their Rose Bowl hopes aren't over yet. All they need is a win in the Civil War and a Stanford loss to UCLA. Problem is, they're facing a team brandishing the same brand of tough D that doomed them last weekend. Oregon State is two heartbreaking losses from being a title contender themselves, carried by their staunch defense and steady QB play from Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz. There may be some fear that the Beavers now know the formula for smacking the Ducks, but anyone who's been paying attention to Oregon has known it for the last 4 years (ask Boise State, LSU, Ohio State, and Auburn). Executing is another matter. I love the Beavers this year, but they've stumbled a bit down the stretch, and I don't think they're quite tough enough to take down the Ducks. UO: 27--OSU: 20
Schweinfurth: Oh how one game can change the outlook of a season. Oregon was flat rolling until running into the wall that was Stanford. The Cardinal made Mariota look like a true freshman for the first time this year and bottled up Barner and Thomas. The Beavers are very strong on defense and have an offense that can move the ball well enough. I expect less scoring this week, as the Beavers try to control the clock. I just don't think the Ducks can be contained two weeks in a row. UO: 42--OSU: 31
Oklahoma State Cowboys @ Oklahoma Sooners
Draper: Bedlam doesn't have the meaning of the past years as neither team is close to National Championship talk. KSU remains in the drivers seat for the Big 12 driver sheet but the heavily preseason favorite Sooners could sweep in a steal the championship at the buzzer. The Pokes stand in the way with their dynamic offense. Norman has been a death trap for many teams in the past, but not so much this year. I'm riding Mike Gundy to keep the Sooners reeling. Stoops on the hotseat? OSU: 34--OU: 30
Auer: The Sooner defense showed more than a few holes in their defense last week and if they're not plugged against the Cowboys, this could be a shoot out. Both teams are peaking at the right time, and this could be one of the best games of the day. OSU: 42--OU: 47
Hoying: The Cowboys ended 8 years of futility last year, beating the Sooners to cap getting screwed out of the BCS title game. The Sooners have underwhelmed as of late, struggling to put away Iowa State, Baylor, and West Virginia after getting walloped by Notre Dame. The Cowboys are the usual Mike Gundy offensive juggernaut, but their defense has been exposed a bit in their three losses. And Oklahoma's Landry Jones is more than capable of taking advantage. I expect this game to look quite like last week's Oklahoma-West Virginia showdown, coming down to a late score or a missed conversion. Can Bob Stoops really lose 3 games at home in a year? Not this time. OSU: 34--OU: 35
Schweinfurth: The Cowboys are still in a rebuild mode after losing most of their offense to the NFL. The Sooners have most of their offense in tact, for now. Gotta go with Big Game Bob at home. OSU: 28--OU: 38
South Carolina Gamecocks @ Clemson Tigers
Draper: Clemson has been a complete juggernaut since the loss to the Seminoles whereas the Cocks have slowly declined all season (highlighted by the tragic loss of Marcus Lattimore to injury). I think Sammy Watkins and Tajh Boyd end the season with a HUGE victory over their hated rivals. Connor Shaw has been pretty decent all year, but after the Lattimore injury, the team is not the same. The defense is scary good (led by Clowney), but the Clemson offense is way better than all of the offenses in the SEC. Dabo gets a big win in Death Valley on the way to a BCS bowl (most likely). SCar: 20--Clem: 31
Auer: Clemson at home against Spurrier's up-and-down Gamecocks? Shouldn't be a contest. The Lattimore-less USC 'Cocks will have a hard time in this one. SCar: 17--Clem: 42
Hoying: Everyone has been all over Clemson as of late, and it's easy to see why. I mean, just look at that quality win over...Georgia Tech? Duke? Ball State? Clemson teams are notoriously flaky, but this squad hasn't even been given a chance to lose to a reasonably inferior opponent. The Tigers are a complete and total mirage, and QB Tajh Boyd is about to get a rude awakening at the hands of the Ol' Ball Coach and the battle-tested Gamecocks. SCar: 28--Clem: 17
Schweinfurth: Every year I make the mistake of picking Clemson in a big game. Can you fault me? Look at the offensive talent they have. That defense though...yuck. South Carolina on the other hand is sound in both phases. I've seen enough of Clowney to know that Boyd better wear extra padding. I learn from my mistakes and the Gamecocks win. SCar: 31--Clem: 28
Stanford Cardinal @ UCLA Bruins
Draper: Stanford comes off a huge OT win over the Ducks on a major high. UCLA would be well served to completely tank this game and save it up for a rematch with the Cardinal (I don't see them beating a refocused Duck squad), but I don't think Jim Mora will take his foot off the pedal after ending the football monopoly in LA. Johnathan Franklin and Brett Hundley have been spectacular all season. The Stanford D left it all on the field vs. the Ducks which gives the Bruins something for which to prepare. Need to make up some ground, and I don't believe in the Cardinal so Bruins it is! Stan: 23 UCLA: 24
Auer: After both teams pulled surprising upsets last week, this game has actually garnered some interest. The Stanford D faces a tough test with the UCLA O, and this game should come down to the wire. Stan: 34--UCLA: 26
Hoying: This game is the reason I hate conference championship games. UCLA could literally not show up to this game, come back 6 days later, and play the same opponent for the Pac-12 Championship. No one looks at the NFL during week 17 and says, "Wow, it was fun to see that playoff-bound team play their second string." Let's hope there's enough pride left in the college game for UCLA to actually put in an effort in this one. But come on, does anyone expect UCLA to be better motivated than Stanford here? Really? Stan: 28--UCLA: 17
Schweinfurth: Both of these teams are coming off huge upset wins. Stanford's defense was excellent against the Ducks and UCLA did just enough to hold on last week. With that said, I have to go with the defense that has looked the best all year. Stan: 17--UCLA: 10
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ USC Trojans
Draper: The Domers have navigated their difficult schedule admirably, but there has been a few too many close calls. I've watch ND a lot this year, and they astound me how they keep winning. Many talk about how KSU was living on the edge, but ND barley beat Purdue, MSU, Stanford, and Pitt (Stanford being the only decent team). Manti T'eo has been nice, but not deserving of the extreme hype. USC provides a unique challenge as they have a truly elite offense (yes, OU had a good offense, but not elite). The backup QB provides a major issue for the Trojans, but the Irish can't matchup up with receivers of Troy. UCLA was able to beat USC in a shootout, but I don't see ND winning a shootout. Low scoring favors the Domers, but I expect a shootout where the Notre Dame defense is exposed a bit. Look out for another SEC/SEC title game....sigh. ND: 24--USC: 28
Auer: The Irish travel out west for what was expected to be the biggest game of the weekend. Matt Barkley got hurt and made this much more likely to be a competitive game. USC has some very talented players, but I don't believe they have the TEAM aspect that Notre Dame has shown this year. I hate it, but ND really shouldn't lose this one. ND: 20--USC: 19
Hoying: So USC is without its "Heisman caliber" quarterback. It's not like they were lighting up the world with him. And besides, as long as Marqise Lee is still running around in the secondary, it doesn't really matter who's tossing the ball his way. Meanwhile, the Irish are sporting the nation's top scoring defense against one of the nation's toughest schedules. But can they handle the pressure of being #1? Maybe more importantly, can Lane Kiffin avoid letting his Trojans completely crumble? 1. Yes. 2. No. ND: 27--USC: 21
Schweinfurth: I really didn't know what to make of this game...then Barkley got hurt. Marqise Lee is my Heisman favorite but there is a problem. He is a wide receiver. This means someone has to throw the ball. That someone is a red shirt freshman starting his first game against one of the top defensive units. Yea, that will go well. The only thing SC has going for them is home field. That won't be enough. Man, I hate waking up to the ND fight song on Mondays (thanks Golic). ND: 28--USC: 24
M!ch!g@n Wolverines @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: This is it. 11-0 (even with a team that isn't elite in my opinion) is nice, but it's all for naught if we can't finish. The Wolverines enter with a new QBat the helm which has actually bolstered their passing attack. Brady Hoke certainly has Blue Nation believing...but Urban Meyer has done the same with Buckeye Nation. Braxton needs to play better than last week and feed the beast in Carlos Hyde. Send these seniors out in the right way. This is the LAST time they'll ever sport the scarlet and gray and they deserve nothing but the best. Simon, Hankins, Roby and the resurgent LB corps show up to stifle the Wolverines and Miller, Hyde and Stoneburner win going away to add that asterisk onto whichever team wins the crystal ball. GO BUCKS!! BEAT BLUE!! UM: 13--OSU: 31
Auer: Unfortunately Michigan realized that Denard was more useful as a RB than a QB that threw about 50 interceptions per game. Urban Meyer will be looking to win-over the rest of the Buckeye faithful with a win tomorrow afternoon in frigid Columbus, and will need Braxton, Carlos, and oh yeah Simon and Hankins to come through in a big way to shutdown the Wolverine attack and send out the embattled seniors as winners. Lose tomorrow and Urban's (and his entire staff) ability to lead this team to future success remains a question mark, because 11-1 is great, except when that 1 comes against the evil Maize and Blue. UM: 21--OSU: 27
Hoying: 11-0 is nice, but since the loss in Ann Arbor last year and the imposition of the postseason ban, only one game has been on Buckeye Nation's mind. These teams are similar in a number of ways, featuring good defenses and dynamic quarterback play. However, Corn and Blue's defense ranks better against the pass, while the Silver Bullets focus on stopping the run. Since neither team throws the ball, this gives the advantage to the Buckeyes. The game may come down to Miller's decision making. If he can play smart, not turn the ball over, and remember to hand the ball off to Hyde a few times, the Bucks should roll. Start the streak again and leave Brady Hoke crying in his Fruity Pebbles. Not OSU: 17--OSU: 31
Schweinfurth: This is the game at the end of the world (season). I have been looking forward to this game since Devan Smith dropped the winner last year. Urban lives and breathes this rivalry. He has said it himself. I get that scUM is gonna roll out 2 QBs and they have had success with it...against Iowa and Minnesota. Yea. Those are good teams...NOT. I have faith that, when Denard touches the ball, he will be greeted rather rudely by Shazier or Simon. On offense, you will not see another game like last week. The meat chicken defense couldn't stop Braxton last year and they won't stop him this year either. If they do, Carlos will be waiting in the wings. Hyde gets his 1,000 yards, Brax runs for 150 and throws for 250 more. Jon Simon eats Denard's insides for Thanksgiving desert with a side of Gardner as Brady Hoke drools while watching on. He may need to channel his inner Matt Foley after this one. scUM: 21--OSU: 43 (Urban goes for two late)
Upset Special
Draper: TCU over Texas
Auer: Pitt over Rutgers
Hoying: Georgia Tech over Georgia
Schweinfurth: Washington State over Washington
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