Standings
1. Hoying (3-1, 0-1 upset)
2. Draper (2-2, 0-1 upset)
3. Schweinfuth (2-2, 0-1 upset)
4. Seeberg (2-2, 0-1 upset)
Auburn Tigers @ Clemson Tigers
Draper: Auburn has been one of those 'hot' teams in the off season but I'm not quite sold. I love how Clemson is playing the 'disrespect' card while sitting in the top 5. Clemson will be just fine but I don't know if they can surmount the Bama challenge again. But the Auburn challenge in Death Valley? Yeah, I think they'll be fine. Maybe Jarrett Stidham will return to his glory days at Baylor, but I think the Tigers (of Clemson) have more than enough firepower on both sides to take care of business. Aub: 17--Clem: 34
Hoying: How much talent can a team lose and stay elite? Asking for a friend. No Deshaun Watson, no Mike Williams...no problem. Dabo has built a consistent winner at Clemson, while Auburn has been a year of Cam Newton, a string of miracle finishes, and a load of mediocrity over the last decade. There's no more to this than meets the eye. Aub: 16--Clem: 27
Schweinfurth: I predict the Tigers will win this game. Not good enough? I have no love for either of these teams. Mostly because one is an overrated SEC team and the other likes to violate other teams (ask Curtis Samuel). Auburn hasn't been the all powerful offense since Cam Newton graduated. Even with the questions Clemson had on offence entering the year, the defense is still more than capable of carrying this team to the playoffs. Aub: 17--Clem: 28
Seeberg: I also laugh at the purported disrespect flying around Death Valley as Clemson sits in the top five. They are, begrudgingly, reloading year in and year out a la Bama and the Bucks. Meanwhile, Auburn is a solid squad considering it isn't even the best team in its own state and took Clemson to the brink of Clemsoning at home last year, but Death Valley will prove a different story. Aub: 13--Clem: 27
Georgia Bulldogs @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Draper: Is Notre Dame 'back'? Have we realized how stupid making those claims are as of yet? No Jacob Eason for the Dawgs seems like the Irish could be poised to pounce, but Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are still healthy. I don't think we're at the crash point for UGA yet so I'll roll with Kirby Smart for another week. UGA: 27--ND: 17
Hoying: Ah, the has-beens get a visit from the never-really-were. But for a late Amari Cooper TD to lifting Alabama over UGA in the 2012 SEC Championship game, this could've been a nice national championship matchup (because Alabama-Notre Dame sure as hell wasn't). This game won't get Georgia any closer to their first SEC title since 2005, but it would be a nice signature win for the young Kirby Smart era, no matter how much of a mirage Notre Dame turns out to be (again). Georgia can't lose their first visit north in 50 years (unless you count a visit to Colorado, which I don't), or else the other SEC teams will re-barricade themselves in Confederate territory until they finally add Ohio State and Michigan in the next round of expansion. UGA: 41--ND: 24
Schweinfurth: 1-0 over with the win being over a total mismatched team makes ND good again? Righhhht. This is a team coming off of a losing season and questions around Brian Kelly. Last I checked, Nick Chubb still has NCAA eligibility and he is really, really good. I will laugh as he has a monster day over a very overrated Irish team. UGA: 35--ND: 10
Seeberg: Intriguing matchup of recent underachieving teams...if only considered so by their rabid fan bases as the rest of the nation sees these programs as second-tier these days. Nevertheless, the Bulldogs are a class above the Golden Domers just about everywhere across the board (remember Nick Chubb? Yeah he's been there for like 17 years now). UGA pulls away in the second half. UGA: 38--ND: 20
Stanford Cardinal @ USC Trojans
Draper: USC was certainly tested (surprisingly?) by a resilient Western Michigan team while Stanford just steamrolled Rice in Australia. There's been an awful lot of love for the Cardinal, but I think the Trojans will be fine after a little growing pains. Sam Darnold may not be the second coming, but he'll pull things together in week 2. USC is like their fans and don't really get interested (somewhat) until a bigger game comes up so they'll be ready to go on Sat. Fight On. Stan: 30 -- USC: 37
Hoying: USC is back...again. Yeah, you can jump all over the Trojans for starting slowly last week, but at least they didn't get smoked by 46 like they did to open last season. USC has grown up and came of age on the big stage last year in Pasadena (no, not against UCLA). Unfortunately for them, Stanford has shown zero signs of slowing down, and the Cardinal smacked last year's Rose Bowl champs up in Palo Alto. Will another year of experience for star QB Sam Darnold and a change of venue make a difference? Nah. Stan: 21--USC: 20
Schweinfurth: So Sam Darnold for Heisman? Not so much. He looked absolutely average last week and USC barely squeaked by. Stanford has owned USC in this matchup because they play great defense and control the ball. David Shaw just has some voodoo curse over the Trojans. Darnold throws 2 picks again and the Cardinal win. Stan: 28--USC: 24
Seeberg: USC forgot to play for about 2.5 quarters last week so it's difficult to gauge just how good they might be. The talent is not in question, only their ability to gel cohesively. If they do, Darnold can still rip through the Pac-12 and hang out in New York for an important trophy presentation in a few months. If not? Well, the Cardinal will show us what that may look like on Saturday. Fight off. Stan: 34--USC: 24
Oklahoma Sooners @ THE Ohio State Buckeyes
Draper: Do we get the repeat beatdown of last year, or are the chinks in the Buckeye Armor too much for a hot Sooner team? Last week was a fantastic benchmark test for the Buckeyes getting them up to game speed a little early while OU simply walked over the Little Sisters of the Poor. Baker Mayfield looked great last week, but doing that in the Shoe is another thing all together. I don't have faith that OU's defense will stop Barrett, Dobbins, Weber, and co., but by the same token, the Sooners will score. The hyped battle is OSU's D-line vs. the Sooner's O-line. I actually think the reverse may be more impactful to see if the OSU running game can get work done. The Sooners will have revenge on their minds, but the Buckeyes have their eyes on the prize. 4+ sacks for OSU enroute to high scoring victory. OU: 38 -- OSU: 41
Hoying: To win the big games, you need great players and/or great coaching. At what point do we face the harsh truth that Oklahoma doesn't really have either? Bud Elliott of SBNation has been tracking a stat he calls the "Blue Chip Ratio," or what percentage of a team's signees are 4 or 5 star recruits. If you're not above 50%, you're not winning a national championship. The Buckeyes are sitting pretty at 71%, while Oklahoma sits right around the top of the Big 12 at 45%. Yeah, Baker Mayfield is special, and the OU O Line is pretty good, but the Bucks can pretty much outclass them at every other position (yeah, maybe even wide receiver). And the Sooners are still breaking in a brand new coach who suddenly succeeded to the throne a few short months before the season started. When in doubt, pick the team with the better players and the better coach, especially when they're playing at home. The Buckeyes wore down Indiana in the second half, and the same will happen to Oklahoma. The Bucks exorcise some prime time non-conference home game demons (Texas, USC, Virginia Tech...). Even if this one does make me extremely nervous. OU: 27--OSU: 38
Schweinfurth: Last week I asked a bunch of questions and not many were answered. Yes, Paris Campbell and Johnnie Dixon hit some home runs, but Zone Six still can't take the top off a defense (yes, Paris should have caught the ball and it would have satisfied the requirement). The chart I saw showed only like two deep shots the entire game. It's understandable because the Hoosiers were giving up the mid-range routes, but you HAVE to hit one in this game. J.K. Dobbins is a beast and it will be good to have Weber back to take some of the load off the freshman. Defensively, the lack of experience showed last week, but adjustments were made. I think the Indiana WRs played over their skill set in the first half. Oklahoma won't run that tempo in the offense so the defensive backs should't be as gassed. The defensive line is as advertised. I think we see a repeat of last week. Oklahoma will move the ball in the first half, but adjustments will be made and the D-Line will take over. Dobbins and Weber combine for 150+ and JT throws for 300 again. Should be a fun one to watch. Go Bucks!
OU: 28--OSU: 31
Seeberg: OOOOOOOOOOklahoma where we forget that we have to play D. However, even that beleaguered half of the ball looked good for the Sooners against UTEP last week. Actually, several teams looked better than I'd hoped last week *cough Penn State cough* but alas, here we are with another huge early season matchup. Lincoln Riley is presumably the next "big thing" in coaching, but he already has the Oklahoma gig and there aren't too many any better. Will his brilliant play-calling win the day? Sure will...except it's a night game. By mid-second quarter last week our new offensive minds finally figured out that RUNNING to set up the pass is better than PASSING to set up the pass and it was a 35-7 second-half deluge on the Hoosiers. And hey, 45-24 worked well last year, why not again? Bucks big. OU: 24--OSU: 45
Upset Special
Draper: Cincinnati over Michigan
Hoying: Boise State over Washington State
Schweinfurth: Pitt over Penn St.
Seeberg: Western Michigan over Michigan State
Showing posts with label Stanford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stanford. Show all posts
Friday, September 08, 2017
Friday, November 27, 2015
Week 13 - One Ga_e Season
Standings
1) Seeberg 44-18 (2-10 upset)
2) Draper 42-20 (5-7 upset)
3) Hoying 40-22 (1-11 upset)
4) Schweinfurth 39-23 (2-10 upset)
It's rivalry week at Let's Go Bucks! With Ohio State's playoff hopes on life support, we turn our focus toward our first showdown with Captain Crazy (and a few other schools that happen to be playing as well).
#13 Navy _idship_en @ #20 Houston Cougars
Draper: Led by the greatest coach ever who never erred by ignoring a RB, Houston finally tripped up vs. a so-so at best Uconn squad. Houston has had a pretty nice year, but they're still Houston. Navy is chugging along with the only hiccup vs. the Irish. I like Keenan Reynolds to keep the train a-rolling as the Cougs suffer a second straight defeat, this one at Chop-block-o-clock. Navy: 28--Houston: 24
Hoying: Take a good look, Buckeye Nation. Our previous offensive guru, your panacea for everything ailing the Ohio State O, just racked up all of 17 points in Houston's loss to the UConn Huskies. 17 points isn't going to get the job done against the NCAA's historic TD leader, Keenan Reynolds, and the devastating triple option. Navy has parlayed its first year in a conference into its best season since 1963 and it shows no signs of slowing down. Look for the streak to continue, setting up an AAC title showdown ahead of everyone's favorite rivalry. Navy: 31--Houston: 27
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. Navy: 24--Houston: 35
Seeberg: Well, the Houston Hermans looked every bit like the Buckeyes last week, dropping an uninspired game to the UConnwomen's basketball team football Huskies by a field goal. My guess? A combination of lousy weather and looking ahead to their showdown with Navy. Navy has showed up big in conference play all season and it's likely Keenan Reynolds and Co. will do so again. However, the Cougars are likely to play some extra-inspired to make up for last week's dismal effort. Had Houston coasted into this one undefeated (see: Memphis) Navy likely would've anchored them down (see what I did there?), but off a loss the Cougars rise up and put up enough points to outscore the devastating triple option. Navy: 38--Houston: 42
#7 Baylor Bears @ #17 TCU Horned Frogs
Draper: Don't look now, but Baylor appears to be raising a little stink after that OU loss. Yeah, they're essentially too little too late (again), but they've essentially guaranteed playoff victory by tur:ning to a 3rd string QB. 100% of the squads in the playoffs led by a 3rd string QB have won the whole thing (it's science). TCU put it all on the table last week and fell just short. Nothing left in Fort Worth...and they're only on the second string...pfft. Briles keeps alive for a New Year's Six bowl. BU: 48--TCU: 35
Hoying: And here we have the 2014 Nearly Relevant Bowl. TCU's playoff hopes are officially dead after a furious rally against OU fell just short, while Baylor's are on life support after Gundy and the Pokes failed to score 40 against the Bears. We could possibly see a battle of the deep deep backup QB's, depending on how quickly Trevone Boykin recovers, but TCU's second-stringer has looked passable in his appearance last week, and Baylor churns out battle-ready QBs without losing a beat. Despite their effort last week, the Frogs are trending downward, while the Bears are unlikely to choke with a possible playoff berth in their sights. BU: 52--TCU: 45
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts lets week. Lots of points, though. BU: 52--TCU: 55
Seeberg: This is practically a war of attrition given the injuries on both sides of the ball. The Bears are officially down to their 3rd-string QB but keep cranking out points and had an impressive win at Oklahoma State last week. Tough to imagine TCU winning without both of their playmakers at full strength (Boykin may go but will be limited, and Doctson is probably still out). I'm shocked myself, but Baylor may finish the regular season with back-to-back one-loss squads. BU: 45--TCU: 34
Penn State Nittany Lions @ #4 _ichigan State Spartans
Draper: Who will start for the Spartans? Cook wasn't needed this week (the Bucks saw to that), but he could be needed this week. Saquon Barkley needs to show up in a big way, but in a cruel twist of fate, the Buckeye fate lies in the hands of Christian Hackenberg. He's had a few flashes of brilliance, but a lot of 'huh?' plays. This is the situation for Hackenberg to show the world why NFL scouts still (inexplicably) see the franchise QB of their future. The weather allows for a passing attack and Lions reset the Buckeye train. PSU: 24--Sparty: 21
Hoying: OK, Christian Hackenberg. You've sucked for a solid 3 years after showing a flash of talent as a first year. Do you have enough in the tank to pull off one consequential upset? The Lions have crapped the bed against the real live opponents they've seen so far this year (the Owls, the Buckeyes, the Wolverines), while the Spartans have petered along before scoring the knockout punch against our beloved Bucks. Cook is questionable once again, and the result of this tilt could depend on his availability, as well as Suckenberg's ability to find holes in a suspect Spartan secondary (sigh). Back in 2008, Buckeye Nation was rooting hard (in vain) for Penn State to fall flat on their face against Sparty in Happy Valley so that Ohio State could go to the Rose Bowl. Expect to be disappointed once again. PSU: 17--Sparty: 27
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. I will pick this how I want it to end. PSU: 17--Sparty: 14
Seeberg: If ever there were a day when Hackenburg needed to fulfill all that potential, it's this Saturday for all of Buckeye Nation...but don't hold your breath Buckeye brethren. The Spartans had their garbage game of the season and it still took a blown call for Nebraska to squeak out a win. It's at home, and there's too much on the line for them not to be focused. If Cook can't go or struggles, this one will stay close, but too much Sparty sack party does the Nittany Lions in. PSU: 13--Sparty: 21
#17 Florida State Se_inoles @ #11 Florida Gators
Draper: Florida has dodged bullet after bullet sent by suck opponents. Enter the Noles. FSU had the inexcusable loss loss to Tech and an 'yeah, expected it' loss to the Tigers. The Noles season expectations have changed for this year, but the focus on the Gators won't. Cook and the Noles will be happy to oblige the Gators in their desire to practice losing before the SEC title. Cook finally awakens those voters that forgot to be 'talkin bout the noles!'. FSU: 27--UF: 10
Hoying: One, two three four five six...those Gators just about lost to Florida Atlantic. Such a loss would have been nearly as bad as falling to terrible terrible Georgia Tech. Is Florida losing its focus looking ahead to a titanic clash with the INVINCIBLE TIDE? Or have they truly been focused this week's contest against their rival? Treon Harris is still horrible, but the Gator D is as tough as ever. If Dalvin Cook can have a big day, expect the Noles to win. Florida doesn't have a Deshaun Watson to follow Cook blow-for-blow. The Gators couldn't stop Fournette, and they won't stop Cook either. FSU: 24--UF: 14
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. FSU: 28--UF: 13
Seeberg: All right ladies and gentlemen, it's time for another game of "Will Florida score in the first half against an in-state opponent?" Last week the answer was no...against 2-9 Florida Atlantic. My guess is, even with an oddly unsettled quarterback position, the Seminoles will be just a smidge better. Expect lots of Dalvin Cook to secure him an invite to NYC for the bronze stiff-arm, and another W for Jimbo and the 'Noles. FSU: 24--UF: 6
#6 Notre Da_e Fighting Irish @ #12 Stanford Cardinal
Draper: The contest has huge playoff consequences, but I just don't care. Stanford has been slogging through their schedule winning ugly and boring. ND on the other hand...has done no different. The difference is the huge injuries on the Irish side of the ball. David Shaw finds a way to line up 11 on the line as the Cardinal end the Irish hopes. Irish eyes will be crying in Palo Alto. ND: 17--Stan: 20
Hoying: Could this really be a year in which the Playoff features Sparty, the fighting Dabo Swinneys, AND the Irish??? Surely at least ONE of those has to choke before season's end. The Irish have been coasting on their road loss to #1 and a slew of AAC wins (over decent schools, to be fair), while the Cardinal have continuously been battle tested since week 1's loss at Northwestern. Stanford's star RB could be quietly working his way toward a few trophies at season's end, and a big effort in a win over a fellow Playoff contender will certainly help his case. ND: 24--Stan: 31
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. ND: 28--Stan: 35
Seeberg: To be honest, I was leaning pretty strongly toward the Cardinal before the news that C.J. Prosise was out for this game. Now? Too much Stanford D that can feast on a one-dimensional Irish passing attack, and too much balance when the Tree takes the ball. McAffrey and Hogan slice and dice the Golden Domers and officially (thankfully) knock them out of playoff talks. ND: 17--Stan: 31
#5 Oklaho_a Sooners @ #8 Oklaho_a State Cowboys
Draper: The Pokes finally returned to Earth after rocking to a 10-0 record without anyone paying attention outside Stillwater. We can all appreciate the offensive fire thanks to Gundy, but that defense is trash. This contest is always good for an exciting couple of hours but the Sooners always tend to find a way to end on top. Stoops was close to being snake bitten last week, but I don't expect a letdown here. The OU defense isn't exactly spectacular, but they'll be enough with Baker leading the way. OU: 51--OSU: 42
Hoying: I was fooled. It looked like this would finally be the year the Cowboys finished a season, after crashing and burning in 2011 (and getting hosed by the voters). Now the Pokes need a big win over OU and a big loss by Baylor either this week or the next. OU's stud QB took a tough shot to the head in the win over the Horned Frogs, but he'll be back to lead what's turned into one of the nation's top offenses. I feel like I've seen the Sooners play out this story before, in which they need only reach out and grasp the opportunity at hand, but You-Know-What Bob chokes it away. I have that feeling again. OU: 38--OSU: 41
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. OU: 35--OSU: 42
Seeberg: Man, this one seems WAY too easy on paper. The Sooners are playing well on both sides of the ball save for about a quarter defensively against TCU, and Oklahoma State crashed and burned (again) losing to Baylor's we-found-this-QB-in-poli-sci-101-last-month 37th-string signal caller. I'm fairly certain I could throw for 300 yards and 3 TDs per game in that system (remember, that's a below average day for their QBs). Still, Stoops and Gundy can't both lose this game simultaneously. It's a rivalry so anything can happen, but I just can't imagine the Sooners crapping away a playoff birth this late in the season...they already thought they'd accomplished that against the Longhorns. Boomer Sooner indeed. OU: 49--OSU: 35
#16 Ole _iss Rebels @ #23 _ississippi State Bulldogs
Draper: Woooo!! Egg Bowl!! Never know what's going down here. Both the Dogs and the Rebels have been SUPER flaky this year. The Dak Attack vs. the Landsharks should be quite fun. The Rebs and Bulldogs both arrive off big wins (LSU and Bert respectively), but I honestly don't know what to expect. It's in Stark Vegas, so gotta go with CLANGA in this one because those cowbells are so sweet...or annoying. Rebels: 27--Bulldogs: 31
Hoying: Nothing says "Second-Tier Rivalry" like the Egg Bowl. This year's version retains a little significance, in the unlikely event that the Tide totally collapses against Auburn and the Rebels take their place in Atlanta, but it will probably only affect which school goes to the TaxSlayer Bowl and which one goes to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The Bulldogs are likely frauds, with their best wins being over their state's top directional school and Louisiana Tech. Ooooohhhh. On the other sideline is a squad that, legend has it, was able to topple the Tide this very season (nobody told the Playoff selection overlords about it, though). Good Bo/Bad Bo has been replaced by Chad Kelly, but the Landsharks are still out in force. In honor of The Force Awakens opening in a few weeks, here's to a Rebel victory. Rebels: 31--Bulldogs: 24
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. Rebels: 31--Bulldogs: 17
Seeberg: I have given up on predicting all things Ole Miss related since I somehow nailed their upset win of Bama. The Bulldogs put up a billion yards against the Razorbacks last week (I'm too lazy to look up the actual number, but I know for a fact they had more yards in the first QUARTER than the Bucks did all game last week, so I'm guessing a billion is close) so Dak is back up and running after getting thumped by the Tide. Given the nature of this nearly relevant rivalry both teams are likely to be up for this one, but that tends to lead to some errors from the mercurial Chad Kelly. Prescott and Co. take advantage and take the egg bowl...presumably to make me an omelet later. Rebels: 24--Bulldogs: 28
#9 THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ #10 That School Up North
Draper: There's only one thing that would be surprising...a close contest. Will the Bucks rally under adversity to squelch the hated rival? Will the go quietly into that good night? I expect either a flat defeated Buckeye squad waiting to get out and head to the NFL or a disrespected angry group ready to avenge the loss and take it out on the hated Wolverines. Could a squad with the prodigious talent of the Buckeyes lay two eggs? I lean to no. The line plays with renewed vigor, Zeke busts a few, JT actually throws a few passes for big gains, and the defense shuts down the crazy one on the other side. Get the lights on Harbaugh, Saturday will lead to a nice breakdown or two. It ain't worth winning if you can't win big. OSU: 42--TTUN: 17
Hoying: I can recall a day when the Buckeyes were the consensus #1 squad but their bitter rivals were the nation's hottest, fresh off 3 straight shutouts. How the Spartans do shatter expectations in this conference. After a baffling total offensive failure, do the Buckeyes still have the will to give 100% in the biggest showdown of the season? Urban's boys always shine the brightest under the brightest lights (last week notwithstanding), especially when the Bucks are underdogs. And lookie, lookie, Ohio State is sitting at +1.5 going into this weekend. These are still two very good squads, but look for the OSU D-Line to get after Rudock and the Wolverine rushing attack after a subpar effort against Sparty. And it's possible that Zeke could actually get a few carries this week and run with a bit of purpose when given the chance. A win over Harbaugh caps a good season regardless of what happens in East Lansing, though not exactly a successful one. OSU: 28--TTUN: 20
Schweinfurth: This is the contest that counts this week. There are two ways these Buckeyes can go, galvanize together and win, or devide and get crushed. I have gone back and forth on which Buckeye offense will show up and I have settled on the one we expected to see. Urban is going to get involved this week and that usually signals a turnaround. After Zeke's little spat last week, he will run possessed. There is nothing quite like a butt whooping to cleanse the soul. The soul has been cleansed. The Bullets are still there and Jack Rudock is just a guy. The Bullets get two picks and the Bucks in another close one up north. OSU: 21--TTUN: 17
Seeberg: Let's be honest, Buckeye Nation, we all knew that the Khaki Eclipse was going to bring ttun back to at least national respectability, but nobody expected them to be this good this fast. How I LONG for Brady Hoke again. If you had told me BOTH teams would be in the top ten for the 2015 version of The Game I would've laughed you out of town. On paper it should be a 2-TD coast for the Bucks, but we haven't performed up to our paper status all year, and after the outbursts following the Sparty debacle, there's less reason to think we'll start now. Plus, I'll let you in on a little secret: I picked against the Bucks four times last year, and we went 4-0. In all honesty? I thought we would win two of them, but I didn't wanna ruin the mojo. Time to recover last year's magic and inspire our Buckeyes by picking the stinkpile in Ann Arbor. OSU: 17--TTUN: 20
Upset Special
Draper: South Carolina over Cle_son (screw it, go big or go ho_e)
Hoying: Illinois over Northwestern
Schweinfurth: Auburn over The Tide (I want to see the college football world burn)
Seeberg: Auburn over Alaba_a...KIDDING. Let's go Georgia Tech over Georgia
1) Seeberg 44-18 (2-10 upset)
2) Draper 42-20 (5-7 upset)
3) Hoying 40-22 (1-11 upset)
4) Schweinfurth 39-23 (2-10 upset)
It's rivalry week at Let's Go Bucks! With Ohio State's playoff hopes on life support, we turn our focus toward our first showdown with Captain Crazy (and a few other schools that happen to be playing as well).
#13 Navy _idship_en @ #20 Houston Cougars
Draper: Led by the greatest coach ever who never erred by ignoring a RB, Houston finally tripped up vs. a so-so at best Uconn squad. Houston has had a pretty nice year, but they're still Houston. Navy is chugging along with the only hiccup vs. the Irish. I like Keenan Reynolds to keep the train a-rolling as the Cougs suffer a second straight defeat, this one at Chop-block-o-clock. Navy: 28--Houston: 24
Hoying: Take a good look, Buckeye Nation. Our previous offensive guru, your panacea for everything ailing the Ohio State O, just racked up all of 17 points in Houston's loss to the UConn Huskies. 17 points isn't going to get the job done against the NCAA's historic TD leader, Keenan Reynolds, and the devastating triple option. Navy has parlayed its first year in a conference into its best season since 1963 and it shows no signs of slowing down. Look for the streak to continue, setting up an AAC title showdown ahead of everyone's favorite rivalry. Navy: 31--Houston: 27
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. Navy: 24--Houston: 35
Seeberg: Well, the Houston Hermans looked every bit like the Buckeyes last week, dropping an uninspired game to the UConn
#7 Baylor Bears @ #17 TCU Horned Frogs
Draper: Don't look now, but Baylor appears to be raising a little stink after that OU loss. Yeah, they're essentially too little too late (again), but they've essentially guaranteed playoff victory by tur:ning to a 3rd string QB. 100% of the squads in the playoffs led by a 3rd string QB have won the whole thing (it's science). TCU put it all on the table last week and fell just short. Nothing left in Fort Worth...and they're only on the second string...pfft. Briles keeps alive for a New Year's Six bowl. BU: 48--TCU: 35
Hoying: And here we have the 2014 Nearly Relevant Bowl. TCU's playoff hopes are officially dead after a furious rally against OU fell just short, while Baylor's are on life support after Gundy and the Pokes failed to score 40 against the Bears. We could possibly see a battle of the deep deep backup QB's, depending on how quickly Trevone Boykin recovers, but TCU's second-stringer has looked passable in his appearance last week, and Baylor churns out battle-ready QBs without losing a beat. Despite their effort last week, the Frogs are trending downward, while the Bears are unlikely to choke with a possible playoff berth in their sights. BU: 52--TCU: 45
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts lets week. Lots of points, though. BU: 52--TCU: 55
Seeberg: This is practically a war of attrition given the injuries on both sides of the ball. The Bears are officially down to their 3rd-string QB but keep cranking out points and had an impressive win at Oklahoma State last week. Tough to imagine TCU winning without both of their playmakers at full strength (Boykin may go but will be limited, and Doctson is probably still out). I'm shocked myself, but Baylor may finish the regular season with back-to-back one-loss squads. BU: 45--TCU: 34
Penn State Nittany Lions @ #4 _ichigan State Spartans
Draper: Who will start for the Spartans? Cook wasn't needed this week (the Bucks saw to that), but he could be needed this week. Saquon Barkley needs to show up in a big way, but in a cruel twist of fate, the Buckeye fate lies in the hands of Christian Hackenberg. He's had a few flashes of brilliance, but a lot of 'huh?' plays. This is the situation for Hackenberg to show the world why NFL scouts still (inexplicably) see the franchise QB of their future. The weather allows for a passing attack and Lions reset the Buckeye train. PSU: 24--Sparty: 21
Hoying: OK, Christian Hackenberg. You've sucked for a solid 3 years after showing a flash of talent as a first year. Do you have enough in the tank to pull off one consequential upset? The Lions have crapped the bed against the real live opponents they've seen so far this year (the Owls, the Buckeyes, the Wolverines), while the Spartans have petered along before scoring the knockout punch against our beloved Bucks. Cook is questionable once again, and the result of this tilt could depend on his availability, as well as Suckenberg's ability to find holes in a suspect Spartan secondary (sigh). Back in 2008, Buckeye Nation was rooting hard (in vain) for Penn State to fall flat on their face against Sparty in Happy Valley so that Ohio State could go to the Rose Bowl. Expect to be disappointed once again. PSU: 17--Sparty: 27
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. I will pick this how I want it to end. PSU: 17--Sparty: 14
Seeberg: If ever there were a day when Hackenburg needed to fulfill all that potential, it's this Saturday for all of Buckeye Nation...but don't hold your breath Buckeye brethren. The Spartans had their garbage game of the season and it still took a blown call for Nebraska to squeak out a win. It's at home, and there's too much on the line for them not to be focused. If Cook can't go or struggles, this one will stay close, but too much Sparty sack party does the Nittany Lions in. PSU: 13--Sparty: 21
#17 Florida State Se_inoles @ #11 Florida Gators
Draper: Florida has dodged bullet after bullet sent by suck opponents. Enter the Noles. FSU had the inexcusable loss loss to Tech and an 'yeah, expected it' loss to the Tigers. The Noles season expectations have changed for this year, but the focus on the Gators won't. Cook and the Noles will be happy to oblige the Gators in their desire to practice losing before the SEC title. Cook finally awakens those voters that forgot to be 'talkin bout the noles!'. FSU: 27--UF: 10
Hoying: One, two three four five six...those Gators just about lost to Florida Atlantic. Such a loss would have been nearly as bad as falling to terrible terrible Georgia Tech. Is Florida losing its focus looking ahead to a titanic clash with the INVINCIBLE TIDE? Or have they truly been focused this week's contest against their rival? Treon Harris is still horrible, but the Gator D is as tough as ever. If Dalvin Cook can have a big day, expect the Noles to win. Florida doesn't have a Deshaun Watson to follow Cook blow-for-blow. The Gators couldn't stop Fournette, and they won't stop Cook either. FSU: 24--UF: 14
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. FSU: 28--UF: 13
Seeberg: All right ladies and gentlemen, it's time for another game of "Will Florida score in the first half against an in-state opponent?" Last week the answer was no...against 2-9 Florida Atlantic. My guess is, even with an oddly unsettled quarterback position, the Seminoles will be just a smidge better. Expect lots of Dalvin Cook to secure him an invite to NYC for the bronze stiff-arm, and another W for Jimbo and the 'Noles. FSU: 24--UF: 6
#6 Notre Da_e Fighting Irish @ #12 Stanford Cardinal
Draper: The contest has huge playoff consequences, but I just don't care. Stanford has been slogging through their schedule winning ugly and boring. ND on the other hand...has done no different. The difference is the huge injuries on the Irish side of the ball. David Shaw finds a way to line up 11 on the line as the Cardinal end the Irish hopes. Irish eyes will be crying in Palo Alto. ND: 17--Stan: 20
Hoying: Could this really be a year in which the Playoff features Sparty, the fighting Dabo Swinneys, AND the Irish??? Surely at least ONE of those has to choke before season's end. The Irish have been coasting on their road loss to #1 and a slew of AAC wins (over decent schools, to be fair), while the Cardinal have continuously been battle tested since week 1's loss at Northwestern. Stanford's star RB could be quietly working his way toward a few trophies at season's end, and a big effort in a win over a fellow Playoff contender will certainly help his case. ND: 24--Stan: 31
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. ND: 28--Stan: 35
Seeberg: To be honest, I was leaning pretty strongly toward the Cardinal before the news that C.J. Prosise was out for this game. Now? Too much Stanford D that can feast on a one-dimensional Irish passing attack, and too much balance when the Tree takes the ball. McAffrey and Hogan slice and dice the Golden Domers and officially (thankfully) knock them out of playoff talks. ND: 17--Stan: 31
#5 Oklaho_a Sooners @ #8 Oklaho_a State Cowboys
Draper: The Pokes finally returned to Earth after rocking to a 10-0 record without anyone paying attention outside Stillwater. We can all appreciate the offensive fire thanks to Gundy, but that defense is trash. This contest is always good for an exciting couple of hours but the Sooners always tend to find a way to end on top. Stoops was close to being snake bitten last week, but I don't expect a letdown here. The OU defense isn't exactly spectacular, but they'll be enough with Baker leading the way. OU: 51--OSU: 42
Hoying: I was fooled. It looked like this would finally be the year the Cowboys finished a season, after crashing and burning in 2011 (and getting hosed by the voters). Now the Pokes need a big win over OU and a big loss by Baylor either this week or the next. OU's stud QB took a tough shot to the head in the win over the Horned Frogs, but he'll be back to lead what's turned into one of the nation's top offenses. I feel like I've seen the Sooners play out this story before, in which they need only reach out and grasp the opportunity at hand, but You-Know-What Bob chokes it away. I have that feeling again. OU: 38--OSU: 41
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. OU: 35--OSU: 42
Seeberg: Man, this one seems WAY too easy on paper. The Sooners are playing well on both sides of the ball save for about a quarter defensively against TCU, and Oklahoma State crashed and burned (again) losing to Baylor's we-found-this-QB-in-poli-sci-101-last-month 37th-string signal caller. I'm fairly certain I could throw for 300 yards and 3 TDs per game in that system (remember, that's a below average day for their QBs). Still, Stoops and Gundy can't both lose this game simultaneously. It's a rivalry so anything can happen, but I just can't imagine the Sooners crapping away a playoff birth this late in the season...they already thought they'd accomplished that against the Longhorns. Boomer Sooner indeed. OU: 49--OSU: 35
#16 Ole _iss Rebels @ #23 _ississippi State Bulldogs
Draper: Woooo!! Egg Bowl!! Never know what's going down here. Both the Dogs and the Rebels have been SUPER flaky this year. The Dak Attack vs. the Landsharks should be quite fun. The Rebs and Bulldogs both arrive off big wins (LSU and Bert respectively), but I honestly don't know what to expect. It's in Stark Vegas, so gotta go with CLANGA in this one because those cowbells are so sweet...or annoying. Rebels: 27--Bulldogs: 31
Hoying: Nothing says "Second-Tier Rivalry" like the Egg Bowl. This year's version retains a little significance, in the unlikely event that the Tide totally collapses against Auburn and the Rebels take their place in Atlanta, but it will probably only affect which school goes to the TaxSlayer Bowl and which one goes to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The Bulldogs are likely frauds, with their best wins being over their state's top directional school and Louisiana Tech. Ooooohhhh. On the other sideline is a squad that, legend has it, was able to topple the Tide this very season (nobody told the Playoff selection overlords about it, though). Good Bo/Bad Bo has been replaced by Chad Kelly, but the Landsharks are still out in force. In honor of The Force Awakens opening in a few weeks, here's to a Rebel victory. Rebels: 31--Bulldogs: 24
Schweinfurth: There is only one contest that counts this week. Rebels: 31--Bulldogs: 17
Seeberg: I have given up on predicting all things Ole Miss related since I somehow nailed their upset win of Bama. The Bulldogs put up a billion yards against the Razorbacks last week (I'm too lazy to look up the actual number, but I know for a fact they had more yards in the first QUARTER than the Bucks did all game last week, so I'm guessing a billion is close) so Dak is back up and running after getting thumped by the Tide. Given the nature of this nearly relevant rivalry both teams are likely to be up for this one, but that tends to lead to some errors from the mercurial Chad Kelly. Prescott and Co. take advantage and take the egg bowl...presumably to make me an omelet later. Rebels: 24--Bulldogs: 28
#9 THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ #10 That School Up North
Draper: There's only one thing that would be surprising...a close contest. Will the Bucks rally under adversity to squelch the hated rival? Will the go quietly into that good night? I expect either a flat defeated Buckeye squad waiting to get out and head to the NFL or a disrespected angry group ready to avenge the loss and take it out on the hated Wolverines. Could a squad with the prodigious talent of the Buckeyes lay two eggs? I lean to no. The line plays with renewed vigor, Zeke busts a few, JT actually throws a few passes for big gains, and the defense shuts down the crazy one on the other side. Get the lights on Harbaugh, Saturday will lead to a nice breakdown or two. It ain't worth winning if you can't win big. OSU: 42--TTUN: 17
Hoying: I can recall a day when the Buckeyes were the consensus #1 squad but their bitter rivals were the nation's hottest, fresh off 3 straight shutouts. How the Spartans do shatter expectations in this conference. After a baffling total offensive failure, do the Buckeyes still have the will to give 100% in the biggest showdown of the season? Urban's boys always shine the brightest under the brightest lights (last week notwithstanding), especially when the Bucks are underdogs. And lookie, lookie, Ohio State is sitting at +1.5 going into this weekend. These are still two very good squads, but look for the OSU D-Line to get after Rudock and the Wolverine rushing attack after a subpar effort against Sparty. And it's possible that Zeke could actually get a few carries this week and run with a bit of purpose when given the chance. A win over Harbaugh caps a good season regardless of what happens in East Lansing, though not exactly a successful one. OSU: 28--TTUN: 20
Schweinfurth: This is the contest that counts this week. There are two ways these Buckeyes can go, galvanize together and win, or devide and get crushed. I have gone back and forth on which Buckeye offense will show up and I have settled on the one we expected to see. Urban is going to get involved this week and that usually signals a turnaround. After Zeke's little spat last week, he will run possessed. There is nothing quite like a butt whooping to cleanse the soul. The soul has been cleansed. The Bullets are still there and Jack Rudock is just a guy. The Bullets get two picks and the Bucks in another close one up north. OSU: 21--TTUN: 17
Seeberg: Let's be honest, Buckeye Nation, we all knew that the Khaki Eclipse was going to bring ttun back to at least national respectability, but nobody expected them to be this good this fast. How I LONG for Brady Hoke again. If you had told me BOTH teams would be in the top ten for the 2015 version of The Game I would've laughed you out of town. On paper it should be a 2-TD coast for the Bucks, but we haven't performed up to our paper status all year, and after the outbursts following the Sparty debacle, there's less reason to think we'll start now. Plus, I'll let you in on a little secret: I picked against the Bucks four times last year, and we went 4-0. In all honesty? I thought we would win two of them, but I didn't wanna ruin the mojo. Time to recover last year's magic and inspire our Buckeyes by picking the stinkpile in Ann Arbor. OSU: 17--TTUN: 20
Upset Special
Draper: South Carolina over Cle_son (screw it, go big or go ho_e)
Hoying: Illinois over Northwestern
Schweinfurth: Auburn over The Tide (I want to see the college football world burn)
Seeberg: Auburn over Alaba_a...KIDDING. Let's go Georgia Tech over Georgia
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Week 9 - Smell My Feet
Standings
1) Seeberg 30-11 (0-8 upset)
2) Draper 29-12 (4-4 upset)
3) Hoying 27-14 (1-7 upset)
3) Schweinfurth 27-14 (1-7 upset)
After an abysmal round of picks last week, we turn our attention to a few better matchups around the nation. Florida State and Utah proved that no undefeated team is safe in any given week, except the Buckeyes (and the Tigers, and the Spartans, and the Bears, and the Rockets), because they're not playing.
Georgia Bulldogs vs. #12 Florida Gators
Draper: While the Cocktail Party has lost luster over the past 5 years, this one should be a good one. The Gators should be reeling after the dismissal of Will Grier, but they showed up in a big way in Death Valley in a close loss to the Tigers. The Dawgs had super high hopes that crashed early, but are slowly resurging. This game has a good chance of determining the SEC East. While I believe UGA will be playing tough, no Nick Chubb and a surprisingly resilient Gator squad keeps the dream alive in a close one. Be honest, Richt is known for blowing games like this on a regular basis. UGA: 20--UF: 27
Hoying: Which Georgia is going to show up in Jacksonville: the one that lost a heartbreaker to Tennessee or the one that got emasculated by Alabama? It's not like Georgia to get outclassed in the World's Largest Drunken Whatever, but this one will depend whether Treon Harrisuspension is able to put last season's nightmarish production behind him. Will Muschamp isn't around to keep the Gators from scoring this time. UGA: 17--UF: 27
Schweinfurth: Interesting that this is an under performing team and an over performing team. To me, these two teams are mirror images of each other. This well be kept close, but I think the Dogs kick a field goal to win. UGA: 20--UF: 27
Seeberg: Ah yes, somebody pass me a cocktail. Florida's offense was surprisingly productive in Death Valley, managing 28 points in a loss to LSU. Greyson Lambert, meanwhile, has been dreadful against the two elite defenses he has played, though one was a set-the-game-back-50-years 9-6 win at Missouri. Nick Chubb has remained excellent, but the Gator D can feast on a largely one-dimensional offense so the Bulldogs are likely in trouble yet again. Anybody have 3 losses for Georgia this early in the season? Well, it's about to be a reality. UGA: 17--FLA: 28
#14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ #15 Temple Owls
Draper: Another team left for dead when the quarterback was lost for the season...and they refuse to comply. Yeah, the Irish lost to Clemson in a monsoon, but acquitted themselves quite well versus a team that is steamrolling most competition. Temple on the other hand is quietly undefeated with a few decent wins. Can they keep it going when the national eyes are focused on them as Gameday visits Philly? While Temple has been surprising people all year, I don't think they quite have the horses to take that next giant step as of yet. It will be a good game, but the better athletes outlast the emotions of the upstarts. ND: 30--Tem: 20
Hoying: Finally ready for primetime, it's the Temple Owls on ESPN 2, 5, and 6! It would sure be a treat for the Owls to take down the mighty Irish, but they might need a few tricks to do so. Notre Dame has rolled merrily along after a hard-fought comeback fell just short in Death Valley. Temple has the formula for success against Power 5 (+1, sorry BYU) opponents: get to the QB early and often. ND backup DeShone Kizer has been serviceable, but if he goes down 10 times like Sackenberg did, it'll be a long night for the Irish. Somehow I don't think ND's O-line is quite that bad. ND: 27--Tem: 16
Schweinfurth: Temple, as an undefeated team, has been a nice story this year. I just don't see them finishing the season unbeaten (Houston and Memphis will see to that). The Irish have endured a tone of injuries, but are just a deeper team. Notre Dame is much stronger on the O-line so don't expect Temple's pass rush to reek havoc in this one. ND: 35--Tem:21
Seeberg: Remember when we all buried Penn State in week one after that horrendous loss against Temple? Might not have been so bad after all (although nearly losing to Maryland was). At any rate, Temple hasn't played any notable programs since (sorry, Cinci), and the Owls are 7-0 as a result. Meanwhile, the Golden Domers have thrived with backup QB DeShone Kizer filling in quite nicely. However, this game needs to be about C.J. Prosise. Temple's proven pass rush may cause issues at times for the Irish, but I expect Prosise to have a big day and wear the Owls down in the second half despite their nocturnal proclivities. Wake up the echoes again (sigh). ND: 35--Tem: 21
North Carolina Tar Heels @ #23 Pittsburgh Panthers
Draper: Wheeeeeeee...classic ACC showdown between 6-1 teams. Are either of these teams any good...probably not, but someone's gotta win. Winner of this game has a great chance to represent the ACC Coastal in Charlotte if they can defeat the Duke juggernaut. I'll be honest, I know very little about these teams, but neither is anything special. Usually, I lean to the home team in such cases, but Pitt has squeaked out all their wins. Yes, the Panther loss is better (last second FG loss to Iowa) but the wins...trash. Who cares! UNC: 27--Pitt: 24
Hoying: And you thought the ACC Atlantic division race was exciting, with Clemson and...Clemson vying for a spot in Playoffs 2: The Search for More Money. No, dear readers, the Coastal division is where the real action is! See powerhouses like North Carolina and Pittsburgh square off in forgotten Thursday night games for the right to face THE DUKIES in a de facto divisional championship. We know that UNC is B1G caliber, thrashing Illinois at home, and Pitt is not, losing to Iowa on a 80 or so yard FG in Iowa City. Still, I picked Pitt to win the Coastal before the season started and I'm much too stubborn to change my mind now. UNC: 20--Pitt: 21
Schweinfurth: ACC ROFLcopter game of the week. Pitt's been playing well so I'll roll with them. UNC: 17--Pitt: 28
Seeberg: In case you haven't noticed (and judging by the attendance, you haven't- thanks Bob), both of these squads have just one blemish and the 2 combined losses are by just 7 points. Both teams have road wins at Georgia Tech and home wins against Virginia by relatively similar scores as well, so it's likely there won't be much separating these two teams. Both have well-balanced offensive units and the Tar Heels move the ball a bit better but have done so against slightly inferior competition than Pitt has faced (2 FCS programs vs. 1, Pitt's lone loss was at undefeated Iowa). Quite frankly, I think this game is a toss-up no matter how you look at it, so I literally flipped a coin. UNC wins! UNC: 31--Pitt: 28
#10 Stanford Cardinal @ Washington State Cougars
Draper: Stanford has really come into their own after the early loss to Northwestern dominating the ground game in the Pac 12. Mike Leach has finally developed the Wazzu team into a viable threat in the Pac 12 due to his deep thoughts about mystery of life. With that being said, the Cougs haven't faced a defense or a ground game of this caliber. I wish game day would have shown up to WSU after the years and years of flying their colors in the background, but Stanford should grab total control of the North this week. Stan: 38--WSU: 24
Hoying: From ACCtion to PACtion. Stanford might need a few more points than the 6 they trotted out against Northwestern to start the season, but that shouldn't be a problem as long as they play Stanford Football (TM). Cap'n Leach will do his best to make the Stanford D walk the plank in Pullman with his efficient Cougar offense, but the Cardinal have stepped up big in 2 consecutive prove-it games over the past two weeks. Kevin Hogan has a big day against a suspect Wazoo D, and the Cougs are left to wonder if having Gameday on campus would've provided the boost they needed to return to their 2002-03 peak of relevance. Stan:45--WSU: 23
Schweinfurth: The Stanford Steamroller is chugging along again. Hogan looks like the QB we all though he was at the start of the season. Mike Leach is known for offense, not defense and it will show through. Stanford keeps on (steam)rolling. Stan: 42--WSU: 21
Seeberg: I have 11 misses on the season and without going back through all of my picks I am positive at least half involved a PAC-12 team. Can't figure out what's going on out west this season. I do know that WAzoo has played better than expected this season, but Stanford has been basically lights out since their abysmal start against Northwestern. The Cougars have some offensive firepower to keep it close for awhile, but the Cardinal pull away comfortably in the second half. Stan: 45--WSU: 27
Upset Special
Draper: Texas Tech over Oklahoma State
Hoying: West Virginia over TCU
Schweinfurth: Auburn over Ole Miss
Seeberg: UMass over Ball State
1) Seeberg 30-11 (0-8 upset)
2) Draper 29-12 (4-4 upset)
3) Hoying 27-14 (1-7 upset)
3) Schweinfurth 27-14 (1-7 upset)
After an abysmal round of picks last week, we turn our attention to a few better matchups around the nation. Florida State and Utah proved that no undefeated team is safe in any given week, except the Buckeyes (and the Tigers, and the Spartans, and the Bears, and the Rockets), because they're not playing.
Georgia Bulldogs vs. #12 Florida Gators
Draper: While the Cocktail Party has lost luster over the past 5 years, this one should be a good one. The Gators should be reeling after the dismissal of Will Grier, but they showed up in a big way in Death Valley in a close loss to the Tigers. The Dawgs had super high hopes that crashed early, but are slowly resurging. This game has a good chance of determining the SEC East. While I believe UGA will be playing tough, no Nick Chubb and a surprisingly resilient Gator squad keeps the dream alive in a close one. Be honest, Richt is known for blowing games like this on a regular basis. UGA: 20--UF: 27
Hoying: Which Georgia is going to show up in Jacksonville: the one that lost a heartbreaker to Tennessee or the one that got emasculated by Alabama? It's not like Georgia to get outclassed in the World's Largest Drunken Whatever, but this one will depend whether Treon Harrisuspension is able to put last season's nightmarish production behind him. Will Muschamp isn't around to keep the Gators from scoring this time. UGA: 17--UF: 27
Schweinfurth: Interesting that this is an under performing team and an over performing team. To me, these two teams are mirror images of each other. This well be kept close, but I think the Dogs kick a field goal to win. UGA: 20--UF: 27
Seeberg: Ah yes, somebody pass me a cocktail. Florida's offense was surprisingly productive in Death Valley, managing 28 points in a loss to LSU. Greyson Lambert, meanwhile, has been dreadful against the two elite defenses he has played, though one was a set-the-game-back-50-years 9-6 win at Missouri. Nick Chubb has remained excellent, but the Gator D can feast on a largely one-dimensional offense so the Bulldogs are likely in trouble yet again. Anybody have 3 losses for Georgia this early in the season? Well, it's about to be a reality. UGA: 17--FLA: 28
#14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ #15 Temple Owls
Draper: Another team left for dead when the quarterback was lost for the season...and they refuse to comply. Yeah, the Irish lost to Clemson in a monsoon, but acquitted themselves quite well versus a team that is steamrolling most competition. Temple on the other hand is quietly undefeated with a few decent wins. Can they keep it going when the national eyes are focused on them as Gameday visits Philly? While Temple has been surprising people all year, I don't think they quite have the horses to take that next giant step as of yet. It will be a good game, but the better athletes outlast the emotions of the upstarts. ND: 30--Tem: 20
Hoying: Finally ready for primetime, it's the Temple Owls on ESPN 2, 5, and 6! It would sure be a treat for the Owls to take down the mighty Irish, but they might need a few tricks to do so. Notre Dame has rolled merrily along after a hard-fought comeback fell just short in Death Valley. Temple has the formula for success against Power 5 (+1, sorry BYU) opponents: get to the QB early and often. ND backup DeShone Kizer has been serviceable, but if he goes down 10 times like Sackenberg did, it'll be a long night for the Irish. Somehow I don't think ND's O-line is quite that bad. ND: 27--Tem: 16
Schweinfurth: Temple, as an undefeated team, has been a nice story this year. I just don't see them finishing the season unbeaten (Houston and Memphis will see to that). The Irish have endured a tone of injuries, but are just a deeper team. Notre Dame is much stronger on the O-line so don't expect Temple's pass rush to reek havoc in this one. ND: 35--Tem:21
Seeberg: Remember when we all buried Penn State in week one after that horrendous loss against Temple? Might not have been so bad after all (although nearly losing to Maryland was). At any rate, Temple hasn't played any notable programs since (sorry, Cinci), and the Owls are 7-0 as a result. Meanwhile, the Golden Domers have thrived with backup QB DeShone Kizer filling in quite nicely. However, this game needs to be about C.J. Prosise. Temple's proven pass rush may cause issues at times for the Irish, but I expect Prosise to have a big day and wear the Owls down in the second half despite their nocturnal proclivities. Wake up the echoes again (sigh). ND: 35--Tem: 21
North Carolina Tar Heels @ #23 Pittsburgh Panthers
Draper: Wheeeeeeee...classic ACC showdown between 6-1 teams. Are either of these teams any good...probably not, but someone's gotta win. Winner of this game has a great chance to represent the ACC Coastal in Charlotte if they can defeat the Duke juggernaut. I'll be honest, I know very little about these teams, but neither is anything special. Usually, I lean to the home team in such cases, but Pitt has squeaked out all their wins. Yes, the Panther loss is better (last second FG loss to Iowa) but the wins...trash. Who cares! UNC: 27--Pitt: 24
Hoying: And you thought the ACC Atlantic division race was exciting, with Clemson and...Clemson vying for a spot in Playoffs 2: The Search for More Money. No, dear readers, the Coastal division is where the real action is! See powerhouses like North Carolina and Pittsburgh square off in forgotten Thursday night games for the right to face THE DUKIES in a de facto divisional championship. We know that UNC is B1G caliber, thrashing Illinois at home, and Pitt is not, losing to Iowa on a 80 or so yard FG in Iowa City. Still, I picked Pitt to win the Coastal before the season started and I'm much too stubborn to change my mind now. UNC: 20--Pitt: 21
Schweinfurth: ACC ROFLcopter game of the week. Pitt's been playing well so I'll roll with them. UNC: 17--Pitt: 28
Seeberg: In case you haven't noticed (and judging by the attendance, you haven't- thanks Bob), both of these squads have just one blemish and the 2 combined losses are by just 7 points. Both teams have road wins at Georgia Tech and home wins against Virginia by relatively similar scores as well, so it's likely there won't be much separating these two teams. Both have well-balanced offensive units and the Tar Heels move the ball a bit better but have done so against slightly inferior competition than Pitt has faced (2 FCS programs vs. 1, Pitt's lone loss was at undefeated Iowa). Quite frankly, I think this game is a toss-up no matter how you look at it, so I literally flipped a coin. UNC wins! UNC: 31--Pitt: 28
#10 Stanford Cardinal @ Washington State Cougars
Draper: Stanford has really come into their own after the early loss to Northwestern dominating the ground game in the Pac 12. Mike Leach has finally developed the Wazzu team into a viable threat in the Pac 12 due to his deep thoughts about mystery of life. With that being said, the Cougs haven't faced a defense or a ground game of this caliber. I wish game day would have shown up to WSU after the years and years of flying their colors in the background, but Stanford should grab total control of the North this week. Stan: 38--WSU: 24
Hoying: From ACCtion to PACtion. Stanford might need a few more points than the 6 they trotted out against Northwestern to start the season, but that shouldn't be a problem as long as they play Stanford Football (TM). Cap'n Leach will do his best to make the Stanford D walk the plank in Pullman with his efficient Cougar offense, but the Cardinal have stepped up big in 2 consecutive prove-it games over the past two weeks. Kevin Hogan has a big day against a suspect Wazoo D, and the Cougs are left to wonder if having Gameday on campus would've provided the boost they needed to return to their 2002-03 peak of relevance. Stan:45--WSU: 23
Schweinfurth: The Stanford Steamroller is chugging along again. Hogan looks like the QB we all though he was at the start of the season. Mike Leach is known for offense, not defense and it will show through. Stanford keeps on (steam)rolling. Stan: 42--WSU: 21
Seeberg: I have 11 misses on the season and without going back through all of my picks I am positive at least half involved a PAC-12 team. Can't figure out what's going on out west this season. I do know that WAzoo has played better than expected this season, but Stanford has been basically lights out since their abysmal start against Northwestern. The Cougars have some offensive firepower to keep it close for awhile, but the Cardinal pull away comfortably in the second half. Stan: 45--WSU: 27
Upset Special
Draper: Texas Tech over Oklahoma State
Hoying: West Virginia over TCU
Schweinfurth: Auburn over Ole Miss
Seeberg: UMass over Ball State
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Week 7 - That Rivalry Up North
Standings
1) Seeberg 24-7 (0-6 upset)
2) Draper 22-9 (4-2 upset)
3) Hoying 21-10 (1-5 upset)
4) Schweinfurth 20-11 (1-5 upset)
As we approach the season's halfway point, 16 undefeated teams are still in the playoff chase, with another 14 Power 5 teams floating around with just one loss. This week's action should go a long way toward determining who we'll see in Miami and Dallas on New Year's Eve, particularly from our own beloved B1G.
UCLA Bruins @ Stanford Cardinal
Draper: After the anomaly in Evanston, Stanford has really come together and started to look like a real football team. UCLA on the other hand, started super hot and now has come crashing back to earth. Stanford has much more experience at QB but Josh Rosen is the flavor of the month. The loss of Myles Jack is huge, but I'm expecting a rebound from the Bruins. Stanford tries to muck it up, but UCLA gets enough flash to escape Palo Alto with a win. UCLA: 31 -- Stan: 28
Hoying: With all the turmoil that's engulfed the Pac-12 over the last couple of weeks, it's odd that these teams aren't getting more hype as potential playoff contenders. Each is sitting on only one loss and has looked pretty good the rest of the time. Age meets beauty behind center as Stanford senior QB Kevin Hogan and UCLA freshman QB Josh Rosen continue to have excellent seasons slinging the ball. But in big games, experience counts, and Stanford has been the hot team after losing their opener to better-than-expected Northwestern. Cardinal get the win in front of all 50 of their fans at home. UCLA: 20--Stan: 24
Schweinfurth: I can honestly say I really don't know much about these two teams (thanks to after 10 PM PAC-12 games and the whole east coast bias thing). What I do know is that both teams have good QBs. Unfortunately, UCLA is without Miles Jack and Stanford have a senior QB. Advantage Cardinal. UCLA: 28--Stan: 31
Seeberg: Stanford is averaging 35 ppg on offense. That may come as a shock to some of you who only remember their 16-6 opening week debacle at Northwestern. Meanwhile in SoCal, UCLA was the toast of the Pac-12 for about 47 minutes and then lost badly to Arizona State at home last week. Both teams run it well and have talented QBs, though Kevin Hogan has far more experience. I think UCLA will be poised for this game, knowing a second conference loss all but ruins their plans for the year, but Stanford is playing just a little too well at the moment. Dance hideous tree, dance. UCLA: 24--STAN: 31
Iowa Hawkeyes @ Northwestern Wildcats
Draper: Is Iowa for real? Is Northwestern decent or will they fold after their first adversity of the year. Michigan took the wind out of the Wildcats sails, but we need to see if Northwestern folds after the first bad game like they have so often in the recent past. Iowa is undefeated but they haven't played anyone of note (before you give me Wisconsin...you obviously didn't watch that poor excuse of a 'game' in Madison). I think Northwestern rebounds at home in a tight low scoring affair. Iowa: 10 -- NW: 13
Hoying: Michigan ruins everything. What could've been a showdown between two undefeated B1G West heavyweights is...still actually really important. Sure, Northwestern got blasted, but they still control their destiny and a win over the Hawkeyes would put them in the driver's seat. But do the 'Cats have anything left in the tank? In 2013, Ohio State broke undefeated and ranked Northwestern and it took them 2 years to recover. The loss to Michigan wasn't quite as heartbreaking (NW was probably at peace with it by about the 4th quarter) but they'll need to be at full power to handle an Iowa team that continues to have success on the ground and on defense. Northwestern is the better team, but don't underestimate the hangover effect. Iowa: 16--NW: 13
Schweinfurth: You have to think that Northwestern is reeling after the beating they took last week. This seems to happen every year. Northwestern gets off to a great start and then puts all their energy into one game, get their hearts ripped out, and then crash the rest of the year. It looks like it might happen again this year. Iowa is just bullying teams with their defense and physical run game. The Wildcat defense was totally shut down last week and I don't see much changing this week. The Northwestern crash begins. Iowa: 20--NW: 3
Seeberg: Let's be honest here, both teams are already playing with house money at 6-0 (Iowa), 5-1 (NW) and in the top 20. However, NW basically collapsed after their last nationally relevant game ended in defeat against the Buckeyes in Evanston two years ago. The 38-0 scoreline against TTUN was a touch misleading as 14 points came off of returns (kick and INT), but Northwestern still got exposed and they haven't scored more than 27 against an FBS opponent this season. This is the biggest test for Iowa to date, but after winning ugly against an albeit down Wisconsin team at their hellhole of a stadium, I don't expect the Cubbie-crazy Chicago suburb to be too into this game after the loss at UM. Hawkeyes ugly their way to 7-0. IOWA: 17--NW: 10
Alabama Crimson Tide @ Texas A&M Aggies
Draper: Bama seemed to have rebounded with a monster of a game vs. UGA but the Arkansas game was clearly a little scary for 3 quarters for those in Tuscaloosa. A&M is another of those teams just hanging around. Are they good? I have no idea, but I think Bama, when at their peak, is solid. I fear for my life too much to pick against Saban, even at Kyle Field. Bama: 31--TAMU: 21
Hoying: It's possible that the SEC's best team is playing in this game, and that they'll be wearing the home maroons. After thrashing Arizona State in the season opener, the Aggies have quietly strung together 4 more wins behind the excellent play of QB Kyle Allen. Meanwhile, Alabama struggled to do anything for 3 quarters against Bert before pulling away. Stopping the Arkansas offense is one thing; can Saban shut down Texas A&M? Ole Miss needed every trick in the book and every favorable bounce to bounce Alabama, and I don't think lightning is going to strike twice until Bama's opponent has a bit more thunder in the tank. Bama: 38--TAMU: 28
Schweinfurth: One gets the feeling that Alabama has been escaping more games this year than in the past. This isn't the Alabama of the last few years. Saban still hasn't figured out how to stop a good spread offense and relies on guys who are on the large, slower side. It does seem that Lane Kiffin has pulled his head out of his backside (Saban's edict?) and has begun to rely on that strong running game lead by Derrick Henry. The Aggies always give the Tide fits and this is another close one. Henry and the Tide run game are the difference. Bama: 42--TAMU: 38
Seeberg: Bama is 5-1 this season despite not really looking much like Bama for long stretches with the exception of their thrashing of Georgia. They were down 7-3 in the 3rd quarter against we-lost-to-Toledo Arkansas before waking up to win 27-14. In a slightly darker shade of Crimson, the Aggies haven't really faced any adversity whatsoever in their 5-0 start except against- that's right- we-also-lost-to-Texas-Tech Arkansas. The Aggies needed OT to escape the Razorbacks. The difference? The Aggies could not run the ball at all and needed Kyle Allen heroics (358 pass yds) to win. Bama has an improving Jay Coker and Derrick Henry to hand the ball to. That balance will, combined with Bama's D shutting down the run like Arkansas did, give the Crimson Tide a close win. BAMA: 27--TAMU: 20
Michigan State Spartans @ Michigan Wolverines
Draper: This game all of a sudden got realllllll interesting. Michigan is arguably the hottest team in football with 3 straight shutouts. MSU has been limping along all season similar to OSU. The question is: Is MSU (and OSU) bored, or do they have chinks in the armor? I imagine it's a little of both. In my opinion, Michigan is playing at their maximum level and we have yet to see the best of MSU. Being in the Big House, the Wolverine faithful will be strutting their stuff up until kickoff. Something tells me, this is the week in which MSU puts it together. Cook, and Scott steadily wear down the vaulted Wolverine defense and the Spartan defense exposes Jake Rudock as the worthless QB he is. Close game, but the Blue go home crying after another beat at the hands of 'little brother'. MSU: 20 -- UM: 13
Hoying: Remember when the hot talk was whether Ohio State and Michigan State could both make the playoff after blowing through their easy conference slates? Suddenly, the hot takes aren't talking about either team representing the B1G. Three straight shutouts will do wonders for a team's reputation, even when that team has done this to us before in recent memory, starting 4-0 in 2009 (finished 5-7), 5-0 in 2010 (finished 7-6), and 5-0 in 2013 (finished 7-6). What's the mark of Michigan being back for real? Knocking off Little Brother. The Maize and Blue owned the Green and White before Lloyd left, but it's been incredibly rough sailing since. Part of it is the constant coaching changes, especially since a first-year Wolverine coach hasn't beaten their #2 rivals since Bennie Oosterbaan in 1948. This year, the evil empire has the better defense and maybe even the better running game. This one will come down to how well the Spartan front can rattle Rudock and force him to make mistakes. Sparty's struggled to put away worse teams, and after seeing Utah pick off Cal QB Jared Goff 5 times, it looks like maybe Jake's not the turnover machine Buckeye Nation thought they could ridicule all year. Be glad we have another 6 weeks to prepare, because the Harbaugh victory train keeps right on rolling. MSU: 20--UM: 24
Schweinfurth: I really don't know what to make of these two teams. TUN defense actually looks legit, but I have serious questions about Jake Rudock as a decent QB. I feel like he just hasn't done much and the Wolverines rely way too much on the run game. On the other side, the Spartans have been playing uninspired football the last few weeks and barely escaped Piscataway with a win last week. We know Dantonio can coach up that defense and I think the Spartans have been looking forward to this game all year to this point. We finally see the Spartan team that rolled Oregon in week two and L.J. Scott has a big day chewing up clock. All hail Little Brother. MSU: 17--UM: 14
Seeberg: If anyone tells you they had the Wolverines favored by a full touchdown in this game at the start of the season, then they have taken a quantum leap in the field of compulsive lying. Yet somehow, that's where we find ourselves. I think the Spartans are probably the better team assuming both squads are at even strength, but a laundry list of injuries has Sparty looking quite pedestrian. Meanwhile, Jake Rudock has looked positively competent since his disastrous 3 INT performance against Utah, although I do think the 38 points put up against NW last week is a bit misleading (kick return TD and a pick-6 account for 14 of those points). Nonetheless, the hideous maize and blue are the better team right now. The shutout streak ends, but L.J. Scott is really all MSU has on offense, and it won't be enough. Sorry Sparty. MSU: 13--UM: 20
Florida Gators @ Louisiana State Tigers
Draper: A sexy matchup in the Bayou...before Will Grier was suspended for the year. The Gators were a pleasant surprise through the first half of the year (even with the close call vs. UK) but this is the straw that broke the Gator's back...and oh yeah, there's a guy named Leonard Fournette on the other sideline. With Grier, the Gators had a chance (still not a great one), without him, I don't see this being close. Death Valley is really tough to win in at night, even for full teams. This could be over by half. UF: 10--LSU: 27
Hoying: A league of terrible quarterbacks just got terribler. Florida's Will Grier, a virtual lock for all-SEC QB, peed in the wrong cup and now he'll have to watch Treon Harris bumble and stumble his way against a fearsome Tiger D in Death Valley. That is, if Harris himself doesn't get suspended again before Saturday. It's not like LSU is going to be any better through the air, but when you have Leonard Fournette, you don't really need a two-dimensional offense. It's like having a 16 oz prime rib and complaining that your salad doesn't have enough croutons on it. Florida, like a crouton, is toast, and not even the Ol' Ball Coach could save them. It's not possible to lose your superstar QB for the season and compete for the national title. Fla: 17--LSU: 31
Schweinfurth: What happens when you don't check the label on your over-the-counter supplements? You get suspended for using a PED (oops). So now both teams have huge question marks at the QB position. It's also put up or shut-up time for Fournette. I think he will provide all the offense LSU needs in this game, but doesn't rip off the big one he has had the last few weeks. Fla: 13--LSU: 14
Seeberg: Can LSU throw the ball? I honestly have no idea. What's scarier is that LSU has no idea either, averaging a paltry 122 yards per game. If Fournette runs all over the Gators he is a likely shoe-in for the Heisman but I don't see that happening. He'll certainly get near/over 100 yards, but it will probably take 20-25 carries. Florida's offense isn't exactly a juggernaut either, but they did put up 38 on Ole Miss which is more than I would expect LSU to score against the Rebels. Oddly, Florida doesn't run the ball particularly well, so both offenses are one-dimensional. In short, the squad I trust most on the field is the Florida D, having faced better competition than LSU and giving up 8 fewer ppg. Fournette might make enough plays to win it, but if he doesn't do it by himself, the Gators will rule the day. STOP THE PRESSES: Will Grier was just suspended for the season for testing positive for PEDs. I had Florida before that news, but that just might be the break LSU needs to pull out a low-scoring win. FLA: 10--LSU: 17
Penn State Nittany Lions @ THE University of Cincinnati Bearcats
Draper: Penn State was to be the second biggest threat to the Buckeyes after the Spartans. Now, I'm not really concerned at all. Christian Hackenberg was once the NFL darling, but he folds under pressure...uh oh. The front seven will be giving him fits all day (I'm saying 5 sacks). I haven't seen a single thing out of Happy Valley that should worry the Buckeyes. This is a rebound game for the defense after a subpar performance vs. craptastic Maryland. Offensively, there were some good things that need to continue. This whole redzone QB thing bothers me (if JT is the best making decisions in the red zone, he's the best option period) but we should have plenty of time to work out the kinks. Game goals: , no turnovers for the offense, utilize the short passing game effectively but take a few shots deep, and the usual 100+ for Zeke. Defensively, at least 3 sacks, zero big plays, and run defense. Another tune-up game that SHOULD be done by half. PSU: 10 -- OSU: 38
Hoying: FINALLY. That's the #1 Buckeye team we've been waiting to see since Labor Day. No turnovers? Check. Perfect in the red zone? Check. Contain the QB? ......well, it's a good thing we don't have to worry about facing another mobile QB for a while (bring it on, Cook & Rudock). Last year, this was the game that I thought would solidify OSU's resurrection from their awful loss to VT, but it instead showed that they could handle adversity and come together when it mattered most. This season, I'm not really worried. Hackenberg continues to struggle when put under pressure (dear Lord...) and the two-headed monster should shred an overrated Nittany Lion D. Make no mistake, Penn State is a complete mirage, and if the Bucks keep their current trajectory, they might steal a few first place votes back on Sunday morning. PSU: 13--OSU: 35
Schweinfurth: Ahh yes, Pick Six University is rolling into town this week to face off the Men of the Black and...What are our school colors again? The two headed monster of Cardale and J.T. looked good and the coaching staff did a very good job of playing to both QBs' strengths. I expect this to continue with some J.T. sprinkled in to other areas of the field as well (probably some short yardage packages). This is going to be a pass first game as the Nittany Lions are going to load up to stop Zeke. Is this the week we see Braxton throw a pass? Maybe if it is the jet sweep tap pass. Otherwise, he stays on the outside. I expect Braxton and Thomas to have huge games (100+ yards each). We also get to see Christian Sackenberg and boy will he take a beating. Yes, the Lion offensive line has looked better since that Temple game, but they haven't faced a D-Line like this since last year's OSU game and they gave up 4 sack. Lewis, Washington, Bosa, and Lee all get at least one sack in this game. PSU lives up to expectations this year and Powell gets the pick six. PSU: 10--OSU: 45
Seeberg: SO many games this week that seem as if they will be closely contested, this is the only one I can pick with a good amount of confidence. The offense seemed to take a step forward last week. Still too many penalties but no turnovers is definitely a plus. J.T. in the red zone was unexpected but highly effective. We just have to hope that one week of tape isn't enough for teams to put a package together to thwart our sudden red-zone efficiency. Our previously highly touted defense apparently refuses to use a spy on a running quarterback, but thankfully good ole' Sackenburg is a relatively stagnant target in the pocket. I'm still concerned about the receiving corps- only Michael Thomas appears to be getting separation with any consistency. I also think Samuel needs more touches to compliment Zeke and Braxton in the backfield. Still, in the 'Shoe and not the confines ofDrunkard Happy Valley for a night game, the Bucks should win going away. PSU: 17--OSU: 38
Upset Special
Draper: Kansas State over Oklahoma
Hoying: Arizona State over Utah
Schweinfurth: West Virginia over Baylor
Seeberg: Louisville over Florida State
1) Seeberg 24-7 (0-6 upset)
2) Draper 22-9 (4-2 upset)
3) Hoying 21-10 (1-5 upset)
4) Schweinfurth 20-11 (1-5 upset)
As we approach the season's halfway point, 16 undefeated teams are still in the playoff chase, with another 14 Power 5 teams floating around with just one loss. This week's action should go a long way toward determining who we'll see in Miami and Dallas on New Year's Eve, particularly from our own beloved B1G.
UCLA Bruins @ Stanford Cardinal
Draper: After the anomaly in Evanston, Stanford has really come together and started to look like a real football team. UCLA on the other hand, started super hot and now has come crashing back to earth. Stanford has much more experience at QB but Josh Rosen is the flavor of the month. The loss of Myles Jack is huge, but I'm expecting a rebound from the Bruins. Stanford tries to muck it up, but UCLA gets enough flash to escape Palo Alto with a win. UCLA: 31 -- Stan: 28
Hoying: With all the turmoil that's engulfed the Pac-12 over the last couple of weeks, it's odd that these teams aren't getting more hype as potential playoff contenders. Each is sitting on only one loss and has looked pretty good the rest of the time. Age meets beauty behind center as Stanford senior QB Kevin Hogan and UCLA freshman QB Josh Rosen continue to have excellent seasons slinging the ball. But in big games, experience counts, and Stanford has been the hot team after losing their opener to better-than-expected Northwestern. Cardinal get the win in front of all 50 of their fans at home. UCLA: 20--Stan: 24
Schweinfurth: I can honestly say I really don't know much about these two teams (thanks to after 10 PM PAC-12 games and the whole east coast bias thing). What I do know is that both teams have good QBs. Unfortunately, UCLA is without Miles Jack and Stanford have a senior QB. Advantage Cardinal. UCLA: 28--Stan: 31
Seeberg: Stanford is averaging 35 ppg on offense. That may come as a shock to some of you who only remember their 16-6 opening week debacle at Northwestern. Meanwhile in SoCal, UCLA was the toast of the Pac-12 for about 47 minutes and then lost badly to Arizona State at home last week. Both teams run it well and have talented QBs, though Kevin Hogan has far more experience. I think UCLA will be poised for this game, knowing a second conference loss all but ruins their plans for the year, but Stanford is playing just a little too well at the moment. Dance hideous tree, dance. UCLA: 24--STAN: 31
Iowa Hawkeyes @ Northwestern Wildcats
Draper: Is Iowa for real? Is Northwestern decent or will they fold after their first adversity of the year. Michigan took the wind out of the Wildcats sails, but we need to see if Northwestern folds after the first bad game like they have so often in the recent past. Iowa is undefeated but they haven't played anyone of note (before you give me Wisconsin...you obviously didn't watch that poor excuse of a 'game' in Madison). I think Northwestern rebounds at home in a tight low scoring affair. Iowa: 10 -- NW: 13
Hoying: Michigan ruins everything. What could've been a showdown between two undefeated B1G West heavyweights is...still actually really important. Sure, Northwestern got blasted, but they still control their destiny and a win over the Hawkeyes would put them in the driver's seat. But do the 'Cats have anything left in the tank? In 2013, Ohio State broke undefeated and ranked Northwestern and it took them 2 years to recover. The loss to Michigan wasn't quite as heartbreaking (NW was probably at peace with it by about the 4th quarter) but they'll need to be at full power to handle an Iowa team that continues to have success on the ground and on defense. Northwestern is the better team, but don't underestimate the hangover effect. Iowa: 16--NW: 13
Schweinfurth: You have to think that Northwestern is reeling after the beating they took last week. This seems to happen every year. Northwestern gets off to a great start and then puts all their energy into one game, get their hearts ripped out, and then crash the rest of the year. It looks like it might happen again this year. Iowa is just bullying teams with their defense and physical run game. The Wildcat defense was totally shut down last week and I don't see much changing this week. The Northwestern crash begins. Iowa: 20--NW: 3
Seeberg: Let's be honest here, both teams are already playing with house money at 6-0 (Iowa), 5-1 (NW) and in the top 20. However, NW basically collapsed after their last nationally relevant game ended in defeat against the Buckeyes in Evanston two years ago. The 38-0 scoreline against TTUN was a touch misleading as 14 points came off of returns (kick and INT), but Northwestern still got exposed and they haven't scored more than 27 against an FBS opponent this season. This is the biggest test for Iowa to date, but after winning ugly against an albeit down Wisconsin team at their hellhole of a stadium, I don't expect the Cubbie-crazy Chicago suburb to be too into this game after the loss at UM. Hawkeyes ugly their way to 7-0. IOWA: 17--NW: 10
Alabama Crimson Tide @ Texas A&M Aggies
Draper: Bama seemed to have rebounded with a monster of a game vs. UGA but the Arkansas game was clearly a little scary for 3 quarters for those in Tuscaloosa. A&M is another of those teams just hanging around. Are they good? I have no idea, but I think Bama, when at their peak, is solid. I fear for my life too much to pick against Saban, even at Kyle Field. Bama: 31--TAMU: 21
Hoying: It's possible that the SEC's best team is playing in this game, and that they'll be wearing the home maroons. After thrashing Arizona State in the season opener, the Aggies have quietly strung together 4 more wins behind the excellent play of QB Kyle Allen. Meanwhile, Alabama struggled to do anything for 3 quarters against Bert before pulling away. Stopping the Arkansas offense is one thing; can Saban shut down Texas A&M? Ole Miss needed every trick in the book and every favorable bounce to bounce Alabama, and I don't think lightning is going to strike twice until Bama's opponent has a bit more thunder in the tank. Bama: 38--TAMU: 28
Schweinfurth: One gets the feeling that Alabama has been escaping more games this year than in the past. This isn't the Alabama of the last few years. Saban still hasn't figured out how to stop a good spread offense and relies on guys who are on the large, slower side. It does seem that Lane Kiffin has pulled his head out of his backside (Saban's edict?) and has begun to rely on that strong running game lead by Derrick Henry. The Aggies always give the Tide fits and this is another close one. Henry and the Tide run game are the difference. Bama: 42--TAMU: 38
Seeberg: Bama is 5-1 this season despite not really looking much like Bama for long stretches with the exception of their thrashing of Georgia. They were down 7-3 in the 3rd quarter against we-lost-to-Toledo Arkansas before waking up to win 27-14. In a slightly darker shade of Crimson, the Aggies haven't really faced any adversity whatsoever in their 5-0 start except against- that's right- we-also-lost-to-Texas-Tech Arkansas. The Aggies needed OT to escape the Razorbacks. The difference? The Aggies could not run the ball at all and needed Kyle Allen heroics (358 pass yds) to win. Bama has an improving Jay Coker and Derrick Henry to hand the ball to. That balance will, combined with Bama's D shutting down the run like Arkansas did, give the Crimson Tide a close win. BAMA: 27--TAMU: 20
Michigan State Spartans @ Michigan Wolverines
Draper: This game all of a sudden got realllllll interesting. Michigan is arguably the hottest team in football with 3 straight shutouts. MSU has been limping along all season similar to OSU. The question is: Is MSU (and OSU) bored, or do they have chinks in the armor? I imagine it's a little of both. In my opinion, Michigan is playing at their maximum level and we have yet to see the best of MSU. Being in the Big House, the Wolverine faithful will be strutting their stuff up until kickoff. Something tells me, this is the week in which MSU puts it together. Cook, and Scott steadily wear down the vaulted Wolverine defense and the Spartan defense exposes Jake Rudock as the worthless QB he is. Close game, but the Blue go home crying after another beat at the hands of 'little brother'. MSU: 20 -- UM: 13
Hoying: Remember when the hot talk was whether Ohio State and Michigan State could both make the playoff after blowing through their easy conference slates? Suddenly, the hot takes aren't talking about either team representing the B1G. Three straight shutouts will do wonders for a team's reputation, even when that team has done this to us before in recent memory, starting 4-0 in 2009 (finished 5-7), 5-0 in 2010 (finished 7-6), and 5-0 in 2013 (finished 7-6). What's the mark of Michigan being back for real? Knocking off Little Brother. The Maize and Blue owned the Green and White before Lloyd left, but it's been incredibly rough sailing since. Part of it is the constant coaching changes, especially since a first-year Wolverine coach hasn't beaten their #2 rivals since Bennie Oosterbaan in 1948. This year, the evil empire has the better defense and maybe even the better running game. This one will come down to how well the Spartan front can rattle Rudock and force him to make mistakes. Sparty's struggled to put away worse teams, and after seeing Utah pick off Cal QB Jared Goff 5 times, it looks like maybe Jake's not the turnover machine Buckeye Nation thought they could ridicule all year. Be glad we have another 6 weeks to prepare, because the Harbaugh victory train keeps right on rolling. MSU: 20--UM: 24
Schweinfurth: I really don't know what to make of these two teams. TUN defense actually looks legit, but I have serious questions about Jake Rudock as a decent QB. I feel like he just hasn't done much and the Wolverines rely way too much on the run game. On the other side, the Spartans have been playing uninspired football the last few weeks and barely escaped Piscataway with a win last week. We know Dantonio can coach up that defense and I think the Spartans have been looking forward to this game all year to this point. We finally see the Spartan team that rolled Oregon in week two and L.J. Scott has a big day chewing up clock. All hail Little Brother. MSU: 17--UM: 14
Seeberg: If anyone tells you they had the Wolverines favored by a full touchdown in this game at the start of the season, then they have taken a quantum leap in the field of compulsive lying. Yet somehow, that's where we find ourselves. I think the Spartans are probably the better team assuming both squads are at even strength, but a laundry list of injuries has Sparty looking quite pedestrian. Meanwhile, Jake Rudock has looked positively competent since his disastrous 3 INT performance against Utah, although I do think the 38 points put up against NW last week is a bit misleading (kick return TD and a pick-6 account for 14 of those points). Nonetheless, the hideous maize and blue are the better team right now. The shutout streak ends, but L.J. Scott is really all MSU has on offense, and it won't be enough. Sorry Sparty. MSU: 13--UM: 20
Florida Gators @ Louisiana State Tigers
Draper: A sexy matchup in the Bayou...before Will Grier was suspended for the year. The Gators were a pleasant surprise through the first half of the year (even with the close call vs. UK) but this is the straw that broke the Gator's back...and oh yeah, there's a guy named Leonard Fournette on the other sideline. With Grier, the Gators had a chance (still not a great one), without him, I don't see this being close. Death Valley is really tough to win in at night, even for full teams. This could be over by half. UF: 10--LSU: 27
Hoying: A league of terrible quarterbacks just got terribler. Florida's Will Grier, a virtual lock for all-SEC QB, peed in the wrong cup and now he'll have to watch Treon Harris bumble and stumble his way against a fearsome Tiger D in Death Valley. That is, if Harris himself doesn't get suspended again before Saturday. It's not like LSU is going to be any better through the air, but when you have Leonard Fournette, you don't really need a two-dimensional offense. It's like having a 16 oz prime rib and complaining that your salad doesn't have enough croutons on it. Florida, like a crouton, is toast, and not even the Ol' Ball Coach could save them. It's not possible to lose your superstar QB for the season and compete for the national title. Fla: 17--LSU: 31
Schweinfurth: What happens when you don't check the label on your over-the-counter supplements? You get suspended for using a PED (oops). So now both teams have huge question marks at the QB position. It's also put up or shut-up time for Fournette. I think he will provide all the offense LSU needs in this game, but doesn't rip off the big one he has had the last few weeks. Fla: 13--LSU: 14
Seeberg: Can LSU throw the ball? I honestly have no idea. What's scarier is that LSU has no idea either, averaging a paltry 122 yards per game. If Fournette runs all over the Gators he is a likely shoe-in for the Heisman but I don't see that happening. He'll certainly get near/over 100 yards, but it will probably take 20-25 carries. Florida's offense isn't exactly a juggernaut either, but they did put up 38 on Ole Miss which is more than I would expect LSU to score against the Rebels. Oddly, Florida doesn't run the ball particularly well, so both offenses are one-dimensional. In short, the squad I trust most on the field is the Florida D, having faced better competition than LSU and giving up 8 fewer ppg. Fournette might make enough plays to win it, but if he doesn't do it by himself, the Gators will rule the day. STOP THE PRESSES: Will Grier was just suspended for the season for testing positive for PEDs. I had Florida before that news, but that just might be the break LSU needs to pull out a low-scoring win. FLA: 10--LSU: 17
Penn State Nittany Lions @ THE University of Cincinnati Bearcats
Draper: Penn State was to be the second biggest threat to the Buckeyes after the Spartans. Now, I'm not really concerned at all. Christian Hackenberg was once the NFL darling, but he folds under pressure...uh oh. The front seven will be giving him fits all day (I'm saying 5 sacks). I haven't seen a single thing out of Happy Valley that should worry the Buckeyes. This is a rebound game for the defense after a subpar performance vs. craptastic Maryland. Offensively, there were some good things that need to continue. This whole redzone QB thing bothers me (if JT is the best making decisions in the red zone, he's the best option period) but we should have plenty of time to work out the kinks. Game goals: , no turnovers for the offense, utilize the short passing game effectively but take a few shots deep, and the usual 100+ for Zeke. Defensively, at least 3 sacks, zero big plays, and run defense. Another tune-up game that SHOULD be done by half. PSU: 10 -- OSU: 38
Hoying: FINALLY. That's the #1 Buckeye team we've been waiting to see since Labor Day. No turnovers? Check. Perfect in the red zone? Check. Contain the QB? ......well, it's a good thing we don't have to worry about facing another mobile QB for a while (bring it on, Cook & Rudock). Last year, this was the game that I thought would solidify OSU's resurrection from their awful loss to VT, but it instead showed that they could handle adversity and come together when it mattered most. This season, I'm not really worried. Hackenberg continues to struggle when put under pressure (dear Lord...) and the two-headed monster should shred an overrated Nittany Lion D. Make no mistake, Penn State is a complete mirage, and if the Bucks keep their current trajectory, they might steal a few first place votes back on Sunday morning. PSU: 13--OSU: 35
Schweinfurth: Ahh yes, Pick Six University is rolling into town this week to face off the Men of the Black and...What are our school colors again? The two headed monster of Cardale and J.T. looked good and the coaching staff did a very good job of playing to both QBs' strengths. I expect this to continue with some J.T. sprinkled in to other areas of the field as well (probably some short yardage packages). This is going to be a pass first game as the Nittany Lions are going to load up to stop Zeke. Is this the week we see Braxton throw a pass? Maybe if it is the jet sweep tap pass. Otherwise, he stays on the outside. I expect Braxton and Thomas to have huge games (100+ yards each). We also get to see Christian Sackenberg and boy will he take a beating. Yes, the Lion offensive line has looked better since that Temple game, but they haven't faced a D-Line like this since last year's OSU game and they gave up 4 sack. Lewis, Washington, Bosa, and Lee all get at least one sack in this game. PSU lives up to expectations this year and Powell gets the pick six. PSU: 10--OSU: 45
Seeberg: SO many games this week that seem as if they will be closely contested, this is the only one I can pick with a good amount of confidence. The offense seemed to take a step forward last week. Still too many penalties but no turnovers is definitely a plus. J.T. in the red zone was unexpected but highly effective. We just have to hope that one week of tape isn't enough for teams to put a package together to thwart our sudden red-zone efficiency. Our previously highly touted defense apparently refuses to use a spy on a running quarterback, but thankfully good ole' Sackenburg is a relatively stagnant target in the pocket. I'm still concerned about the receiving corps- only Michael Thomas appears to be getting separation with any consistency. I also think Samuel needs more touches to compliment Zeke and Braxton in the backfield. Still, in the 'Shoe and not the confines of
Upset Special
Draper: Kansas State over Oklahoma
Hoying: Arizona State over Utah
Schweinfurth: West Virginia over Baylor
Seeberg: Louisville over Florida State
Friday, October 17, 2014
Week 8 - Game of the Century?
Standings
1) Draper 23-10 (4-3 upset)
2) Seeberg 22-11 (0-7 upset)
3) Hoying 21-12 (3-4 upset)
4) Schweinfurth 19-14 (3-4 upset)
3) Hoying 21-12 (3-4 upset)
4) Schweinfurth 19-14 (3-4 upset)
Now that the first half of the season has crowned the state of Mississippi as the be-all and end-all of the college football world, we can turn our attention to the other conferences around the nation, with games ranging from a reiteration of one of the most significant showdowns of all time to the return of the Buckeyes to the gridiron against an unfamiliar opponent.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Florida State Seminoles
Draper: FSU continues their unbeaten streak while suffering the slings and arrows from every direction due to the lack of intelligence (and somewhat of a witch hunt) from their QB. On the field, the Noles have been moving along quite well. Many point to the 'struggles' but that's very normal when you get every team's best shot. The 2013 Seminoles were, without question, better than this edition, but the 2014 Noles are still very very good. The Irish have been struggling even more than the Seminoles but the narrative hasn't focused on that side of the coin. Golson is a very good QB, but I believe Tally is ready to explode. This Irish squad is a far cry from the 1993 squad that defeated the Noles in South Bend. FSU makes a statement and takes care of business. ND: 20--FSU: 34
Hoying: In 1993, the #1 Florida State Seminoles visited the #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in what was called the "Game of the Century." The Irish won but later suffered an upset and ended the season ranked #2, as Florida State rebounded to win their first national title. Nobody is going to confuse either of these year's teams with those juggernauts, but both have managed to weather the first half of their seasons without a loss. The Noles were tested in both their matchups against ranked teams, including a near loss to Clemson. But now that Jameis Pryor...er, Winston, is back and in freshman year form, the Noles are going to be tough to tackle, even if the defense isn't quite as suffocating as last year's squad. Irish QB Everett Golson's immaculate regular season record comes crashing down in Tallahassee. ND: 24--FSU: 31
Schweinfurth: Both of these teams have shown flaws over the last few weeks. Notre Dame squeaked by an inferior North Carolina squad and Florida State just doesn't look like the same team this year. I'm just excited that one of these teams have to lose this week (more chaos). In the end, it comes down to Jameis' eligibility. If he can go, the Noles win. If not, well, just remember the Clemson game. ND: 30--FSU: 35
Seeberg: Let's be honest here, people, ND went all "La Suerte de los Tontos" (for you non-Spanish speakers that loosely translates as the luck of the foolish) in beating Stanford - at home - the only team of consequence they have played all season. Florida State, though not as dominant on either side of the ball as last year, is still a much better team. The golden domers gave up 43 points to a lackluster UNC squad, but of course ESPiN is invoking the titanic battles between FSU and ND in the late 80's and early 90's. Sorry about your ratings, but this one won't be that close. ND: 21--FSU: 38
Stanford Cardinal @ Arizona State Sun Devils
Draper: The Sun Devils' ranking relies on what? Getting blown out by UCLA? Beating USC with the worst Hail Mary defense in history? I just don't see it with Mike Bercovici. Stanford doesn't have any great wins of note, but the win over Washington is pretty good, not to mention being very competitive vs. Notre Dame and USC (barring a last minute collapse). It's in Tempe, but I think the Cardinal are simply better. HOGAAAAANNN!! Stan: 20--ASU: 13
Hoying: Where resides the best defense in the country? I'll forgive you if you said Ole Miss, because their defense is spectacular, but the top lockdown crew is actually found in Palo Alto. The Cardinal are allowing a measly 10 points per game, surrendering 13 and 17 points in their 2 losses and giving up 20 points to NOBODY. The Stanford rushing attack has been lackluster, and QB Kevin Hogan has been good-not-great, but the Cardinal should be able to move the ball against a squishy Sun Devil defense. This game should come down to whether ASU QB Mike Bercovici replicates his UCLA performance (bad) or USC performance (good). I don't think he can navigate this stifling D. Stan: 17--ASU:16
Schweinfurth: Ahh yes, another Pac-12 game that I really don't know much about. I do know that Stanford is pretty good. From what I have seen and read, I'm just not sold on the Sun Devils. It's a Stanford game so it's gotta be a low scoring affair. Stan: 20--ASU: 14
Seeberg: This is a bizarre matchup to analyze. It's strength on strength (Cardinal D vs. ASU O) and weakness on weakness (Cardinal O vs. ASU D). In comparing common opponents, Stanford gave up 13 to USC while ASU gave up 34. Then again, ASU won, 38-34, and Stanford only mustered 10 points against the Trojans. It's tough to imagine this game getting into even the 20s where the Sun Devils would have good odds to win this one. Stanford just squeezes into the 20s and gets another win. Stan: 23--ASU: 13
Kansas State Wildcats @ Oklahoma Sooners
Draper: Kansas State's best performance of note this year is...a loss. They fought valiantly against Auburn at home but couldn't get it done. I'm still a believer in OU. They have tons of talent and back home in Norman? Watch out. This is just what the doctor ordered after a tough loss at TCU followed by a middling performance in a big rivalry. Texas held the Sooners down, but I don't think the Wildcats will be able to recreate the magic. Boomer!?!? ... KSU: 20--OU: 34
Hoying: Oklahoma struggled mightily against the Longhorns last week, accumulating only 232 yards of offense. This doesn't bode well for the Sooners, as they face a Wildcat defense that held a terrific Auburn offense to 20 points, nearly pulling off the upset. Kansas State has feasted on a steady diet of cupcakes so far this season and fell short in their only shot at glory to date. Normally, "Big Game Bob" is untouchable in Norman, but TCU fought their way to purple victory, a tradition the Wildcats should continue this week. KSU: 31--OU: 27
Schweinfurth: This one smells of an upset. Oklahoma did not look good against Texas last week and Trevor Knight was held in check for almost all of that game. Add in a porous pass defense and you have some trouble brewing. Kansas State can chuck the ball all over, especially with Lockett running downfield. KSU: 35--OU: 28
Seeberg: The Sooners have looked pretty, well, average in the last two weeks, losing to TCU and struggling mightily on the offensive side of the ball against Texas. The judgment that must be made is whether those were aberrations or if there are serious issues with Stoops' squad. I choose the latter. The Wildcats take the Longhorns' blueprint and do enough to shut down Oklahoma's offense and get back to the Little Apple with their biggest win of the year. KSU: 27--OU: 21
Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Ho hum...Another game with no benefits for a win and crushing implications for a loss (sorry Michigan). Rutgers QB Gary Nova has put together a fine season for the Scarlet Knights intro to the B1G, but OSU is sneaking around the chicken coop...quietly murdering everyone in their path on the way to the showdown in East Lansing. JT has been phenomenal all year and I don't expect anything different here. Rutgers will fight hard, but this is no Wolverine squad. The Bucks aren't going to mess around here. Take care of business and keep the hopes alive. RU: 20--OSU: 48
Hoying: Despite both programs football histories dating back to at least 1890, this week features the first ever Scarlet Knights/Scarlet & Gray showdown. Raise your hand if you foresaw this game as a potential showcase of All-B1G QB candidates. Both Nova and Barrett rank in the top 5 in the nation in pass efficiency, and puzzling one-game chokes aside, both have been the unquestioned leaders of their respective offenses. Here's the big difference: Barrett can run, Nova can't. Rutgers may have been able to contain Devin Gardner, but JT has already surpassed the senior Wolverine in virtually every way (except maybe ability to play while broken in half). If the winner of this game can knock off Michigan State in East Lansing, they're a virtual lock to represent the B1G East in Indianapolis. Somehow, I don't see that contender being the Scarlet Knights. Wait your turn, Queens. RU: 24--OSU: 45
Schweinfurth: Finally, another Ohio State game (and there are no more bye weeks until bowl/playoff season). JT Barrett has been on fire the last three games and leading the Buckeye offense at a record setting pace. Now look, I know the competition hasn't been the best, but that is still something to marvel at. Rutgers is a fine program and "the Birthplace of College Football," but Ohio State is just better at every single position. Joey Bosa is a man and he will see plenty of double and maybe even triple teams from here on out. That is gonna open the door for Michael Bennett and Adolphus Washington to do very bad things to QB Gary Nova. I expect to see more of the same out of this team, get an early lead and put the pedal down until the end of the game. 4th straight game with 50+? It might just happen! Rut: 17--OSU: 52
Seeberg: My colleagues have very similar opinions on what will shake down in this game...and I'm no different. Rutgers is remarkably 5-1 with two of the conference's biggest non-conference wins in Washington State and Navy. It won't be nearly enough on homecoming in Ohio Stadium, however. This team is a 180-degree departure from Cooper's days when the team would peak in September, blowing out big non-conference opponents, then stumble down the stretch. The improvement week-to-week is visible to even a casual fan, and with two weeks to prep for Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights will understand what Scarlet on the football field is really supposed to look like. RU: 17--OSU: 45
Upset Special
Draper: Northwestern over Nebraska
Hoying: Arkansas over Georgia
Schweinfurth: Boston College over Clemson
Seeberg: West Virginia over Baylor
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