Week 2 - Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

Standings
1) Schweinfurth     4-1    (1-0 upset)
1) Draper                 4-1    (0-1 upset)
1) Seeberg              4-1    (0-1 upset)
4) Hoying              3-2    (0-1 upset)

The good news: our beloved Bucks are still holding down the #1 spot. The bad news: the remaining 24 spots are occupied by SEC teams. At any rate, we've scraped together a few matchups that may have an impact on whom OSU might face if the GRIND continues to succeed.

Oregon Ducks @ Michigan State Spartans
Draper: A nice top ten matchup to get things really going.  Oregon was able to pull away last year in Eugene but this is a whole new animal.  Welcome to East Lansing where the Spartans return most of their skill players and the Ducks...not so much.  I'm not sold on the Ducks being the steamroller of the recent past.  There offense will be ok, but that defense was hot garbage last week.  I think Sparty gets some revenge and stakes their claim as one of the top teams in the country. Ore: 20--MSU: 34
Hoying: Last year, in Eugene, Sparty put quite the scare into the Autzen faithful for about 3 quarters, until Super Mariota proved to be too much. This year, Oregon has another very good QB, Vernon Adams, but he's not quite the world-beater that M&M was. The No-Fly zone seems to have been grounded since their landmark 2013, but State has managed to work Walrusball into a high-powered offense behind the arm of Heisman dark horse Connor Cook. Oregon struggles with big, physical offenses like Michigan State. Look for the Spartans to score early and often and the defense to get just enough stops with the home team roaring in Adams's ears. Ore: 31--MSU: 38
Schweinfurth: Michigan State plays defense, Oregon does not. Oregon plays offense, Michigan State has Jim Bollman running the offense. With as much disdain as I have for Bolman, I do respect what Mark Dantonio has built on the banks of the Red Cedar. The Spartan defense knows how to slow down these spread offenses (see the 2nd half of the Cotton Bowl).  Let's face it, Oregon couldn't slow down Eastern Washington last week. I think that trend continues and the Spartans get their revenge on the Ducks.  ORE: 36--MSU: 49
Seeberg:  Both of these teams looked surprisingly meh in their openers.  Oregon gave up a whopping 42 points to the 1-AA program whose QB they pilfered.  Meanwhile, MSU looked quite pedestrian (and oddly out of place in a MAC stadium) in a lackluster 13-point win over Western Michigan.  The Spartans will likely be in a shootout which is typically not their forte.  However, their massive comeback against Baylor might give them the confidence to win another high-scoring battle.  I honestly believe this game is an outright toss-up, so I'm going with the home team.  ORE: 38--MSU: 42

Oklahoma Sooners @ Tennessee Volunteers
Draper:  Speaking of hot garbage on defense, hello Vol fans.  The Volunteers look like they may have turned the corner offensively with some positives on the near horizon, but that defense got scorched by BG.  I'm very leery about pick Oklahoma in any road game, but Samaji Perine is a beast.  Expect a high scoring affair with the Sooners staying in the hunt in a rare big road win.  OU: 48--UT: 41
Hoying: Here comes another sucker non-conference foe ready for a beating at the hands of the Soon...wait, this game isn't in Norman? The shroud of invincibility tends to get torn away when Oklahoma leaves the friendly confines. But after a few years of top-notch, is Tennessee finally ready to perform? The Vol defense wasn't anything special against Bowling Green and they'll need to reach another level to stop the Baker Mayfield passing attack. I think their time has finally come. Neyland will be rocking, and Tennessee takes their first big step back toward national relevance. OU: 27--UT: 31
Schweinfurth: I feel like Tennesse is getting a pass this year and is way overrated.  Yes, Butch Jones is doing a good job turning that program around, but it is still a work in progress. Oklahoma isn't what they used to be, but they will never be out of games with Samaje Perine.  I'll take Oklahoma. OU: 35--UT: 28
Seeberg:  Well, there's good news and bad news on Rocky Top, my graduate school alma mater.  The good news?  The Vols hung half a hundred on Bowling Green, and then nine more points for good measure.  The bad news?  They gave up 30, and much like the OSU-VT game, it was competitive into the 3rd quarter before their superior talent finally won over.  Oklahoma, however, has similar- if not better- talent.  Samaje Perine and Co. will run all over the Vols, wearing them down late.  OU: 41--UT: 31 

Louisiana State Tigers @ Mississippi State Bulldogs
Draper:  LSU gets ready for game 1 after the rainout last week so there will be some jitters, but I'm not buying Mississippi State this year.  Dak Prescott runs well, but LSU is looking to return to real National contention.  Leonard Fournette is really really good (drawing comparisons to AD) and I think he silences the glorious din of the cowbell.  Les drinks a victory bourbon chasing a fescue salad.  LSU: 31--MSU: 27 
Hoying: Last year, Mississippi State splashed their way into the playoff chase with a big win in Death Valley in which they hung 34 on the vaunted LSU defense. The Tigers are a sexy pick to represent the league at the end of this year's slate, but MSU still has Dak Prescott and LSU still has...Leonard Fournette, who is a terrific RB, but not enough by himself to deliver a win in Starkville. LSU: 27--MSU: 30
Schweinfurth: LSU has big questions marks at QB, and I mean big questions. LSU was okay last year, but not a great team. The Bulldogs came out of nowhere and Dak Prescott along with them. I will go with the team that knows who is behind center. CLANGA!!! LSU: 24--MSU: 38
Seeberg:  This is almost a week-one style game to predict as LSU didn't play last week and it's tough to figure out what to make of the Bulldogs.  MSU's all-purpose QB Dak Prescott is back but they only return less than half of the starters from their overacheiving squad of a year ago.  LSU is almost the exact opposite, with a big question mark at QB but a largely veteran team otherwise.  The Hat starts off 1-0.  LSU: 31--MSU: 17

Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Wooooooo....this...is gonna be gross.  Welcome back Joey, Dontre, Jalin, and Korey.  While Joey will certainly be on the field, are we convinced that the others will make an impact? The crowd of WRs (led by Braxton) looked just fine.  Suspensions might relegate these guys to the pine for more than a game.  Jalin will be there to return (fumble?) punts but other than that, I'm good with what we have.  I need a shored up D-line and O-line, but this is the opponent that is good for what ails you.  Will JT start just to screw with us? Don't count it out.  Either way, we should get some Steven Collier in the blowout.  Zeke will be limited in that he'll be taken out early.  Bucks roll.  Haw: 10--OSU: 66
Hoying: A home game against an awful Group of Five opponent. It's finally September in Columbus. After defying Let's Go Bucks! and starting Cardale Jones at QB, Urban faces the task of psyching 12 Gauge up for a craptastic opponent in his home starting debut. Don't expect any rust. After being frustrated on the ground and through the air by a sound Hokies defense (yet still racking up almost 600 yards), Cardale and Co. must be itching to turn the offense loose and showcase its full potential, especially with Wilson, Marshall, and Smith returning. Not that the Bucks need them with Braxton making defenses look silly by himself once again. The best part: we should get to see PLENTY of JT this week, as garbage time should be at least 40 minutes long. How about a nice Hawaiian punch? Haw: 10--OSU: 70
Schweinfurth: The only concern I have with this game is the quick turn around. Hawai'i gets two extra days to rest and the Buckeyes had a physical game Monday night. Outside of that, this game shouldn't be close. The Buckeyes could put up 60 without batting an eye. I can't wait to see some Bosa shrugs this week. Urban will use this week to pad Zeke's stats.  This is over after the first quarter and we get to see plenty of Cardale and JT.  HAW: 14--OSU: 63
Seeberg:  The best part about being 1-0?  The chance near-certainty to go 2-0.  Hawaii grabbed a respectable win over Pac-12 bottom-feeder Colorado last week but in case you haven't noticed, the Buckeyes dropped 42 on the road against a top 15 defense with three primary offensive weapons sidelined.  Oh, and Joey Bosa has had an extra week to gather his Thor-like hair and muscles to unleash them on a suspecting-but-unable-to-do-anything-about-it Hawaii team.  The offense gets better, the defense gets better, the special teams can scarcely get worse.  The only trepidation I have about this game is finding some place in North Carolina with BTN to watch it.  HAW: 20--OSU: 52

Upset Special
Draper: BYU over Boise
Hoying: Toledo over Arkansas
Schweinfurth: Oregon St. over TTUN
Seeberg:  Nevada over Arizona

Week 3 - I Just Figured Something Out, Beavis...huh huh...This Sucks

Standings
1) Schweinfurth     4-4    (1-1 upset)
1) Draper                4-4    (1-1 upset)
1) Hoying               4-4    (0-2 upset)
1) Seeberg              4-4    (0-2 upset)

In case you missed this past weekend's action, here's a quick recap:

1. Michigan was shut out for the first time in 30 years, losing by 31.
2. Michigan State and Ohio State flirted with competence before losing by multiple scores.
3. Purdue was crushed at home by a MAC team that almost lost to Chattanooga.
4. Northwestern lost at home to another MAC team.
5. Iowa needed two touchdowns in the game's final 3:00 to avoid losing to yet another MAC team.
6. Nebraska needed a last-minute touchdown to avoid overtime with a D1-AA school.
7. Maryland needed a fourth-quarter comeback to beat an AAC team that went 2-10 last year.
8. Illinois needed a fourth-quarter comeback to beat a C-USA team at home (actually not bad for Illinois).
9. Penn State, Rutgers, Wisconsin, and Minnesota managed to avoid crapping the bed.
10. Indiana didn't play.

All in all, not a banner day for the conference that we play in. It sucked more than anything has ever sucked before. We at Let's Go Bucks! are not SEC hive-minders, but we understand that a poor conference perception might limit Ohio State's chances to make the inaugural College Football Playoff after they win their next 11 games.

With that out of the way, let's turn to the snore-fest that is Week 3. The B1G conference season kicks off on the east coast, two blue-chip programs meet in Norman, and the presumptive SEC East favorites butt heads (huh huh).

Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks
Draper: Two words: Todd Gurley.  SEC folk want to tout the toughness of the Gamecocks, but nothing on the field has supported that.  The Dawgs, however, are led by a grown a$$ man in Todd Gurley who look absolutely beastly in week 1 over a tough Clemson team.  It's in Columbia, but A&M handles the Cocks in their house.  I expect UGA to follow suit and cruise to a fairly easy win.  UGA: 48--SCar: 20
Hoying: I know, faithful readers, you'd rather hear our thoughts on the weekend's showdown between two undefeated SEC teams, Kentucky and Florida. But the inconsequential AP still inexplicably has South Carolina ranked after getting spanked by Kenny Football and a newly-functioning Aggie defense, so you'll have to suffer through this analysis instead. After their aforementioned loss, Cocky almost laid another egg against their directional rival, East Carolina. The Bulldogs looked fantastic in their only showing this season, dominating Clemson behind Todd Gurley and an imposing O-line (sigh). I imagine this game will play out about as you'd expect. UGA: 45--SCar: 24
Schweinfurth: We can keep this one short.  South Carolina was exposed by TAMU.  Yes, that was a spread system vs. a pro system but the Dawgs have the Gurley man.  I fully expect Georgia to hop out to an early lead and not look back.  UGA: 38--SCar: 17
Seeberg:  On the surface, this looks like a solid game.  Two ranked, divisional SEC foes doing battle.  Unfortunately looks (and rankings) can be deceiving.  The Gamecocks are still ranked solely because voters were slightly uncomfortable taking them from #9 all the way out after their debacle against A&M.  Thankfully, that won't be an issue after this week.  Gurley, Mason & Co. will pull away after the SC home crowd keeps them in it early.  UGA: 41--SCar: 21

Penn State Nittany Lions @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Draper: Blech...scraping the bottom of the barrel here.  This matchup faces the 2 programs with the most impressive out of conference wins for the B1G (UCF and Washington State....yeah....).  Can Hackenburg not suck it up like he did last week?  I'd say yes.  I have no faith that the undefeated juggernaut of the State School of New Jersey will continue to press on.  Why is this a thing?  Thanks Jim Delany.  PSU: 34--RSUNJ: 20
Hoying: Ah, Big Ten football the way it was meant to be played: between the flagship state programs of two original American colonies. Good news: the B1G will get a victory out of this game. Better news (or not): the NCAA burned a chicken's entrails and decided not to care anymore about child molestation negligence, paving the way for a brighter future for Penn State football, chock full of bowl appearances and full scholarship rosters. The Nittany Lions sport the most extreme road win of the young season, beating a Bortles-less UCF in...Ireland...but they've looked terribly one-dimensional so far, relying far too heavily on QB Christian Pick, er, Hackenberg. The Scarlet Knights don't feature a great pass defense, but they showed great balance in wins against Washington State and Howard (don't laugh). Let's see how long Rutgers' B1G reign of terror can last (spoiler alert: next four conference games are against Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska, and Wisconsin). PSU: 20--RSUNJ: 24
Schweinfurth: It's time for Rutgers to become B1G.  This is time for Franklin and Freeze to work on that grudge match that's been brewing in the off season as well.  The Knights are going to come hard at the Penn State O-Line to rattle Hackenberg.  If Hackenberg stays vertical, the Lions will pull of the win.  PSU: 28--RSUNJ: 24
Seeberg:  Fifteen years ago, this would have been a pretty rude welcome to the B1G for the Scarlet Knights.  Now, however, the Lions have been tamed somewhat.  An upset by Rutgers is a distinct possibility here, but the Nittanys will be buoyed by the recent news that they can actually head to a bowl this year (what're they calling the Alamo Bowl now?  Still, better than spending the Christmas holiday in Happy Valley, the most misnomered place in the known universe).  Hack-a-Shaqberg avoids just enough disasters to squeak out a win.  PSU: 20--RSUNJ: 13

Tennessee Volunteers @ Oklahoma Sooners
Draper: I expect this to be another blood bath.  OU has absolutely demolished their first 2 foes and UT was simply OK.  Where is this game? Norman? Good God.  Stoops should have no problem with the Vols at home.  Knight has looked fantastic.  Expect the Sooner Schooner to get tired out early.  UT: 17--OU: 41
Hoying: Oklahoma entered the 2014 season as an overwhelming favorite to storm through the B12G and secure a spot in the playoffs. The Sooners have looked the part so far, plastering Louisiana Tech and Tulsa by a combined score of 100-23. Will the undefeated Volunteers provide a stiffer test? Last year's squad also started 2-0, then got shellacked by Oregon on the way to a 5-7 skid of a season. A trip to Norman this Saturday won't be any more forgiving. UT: 17--OU: 38
Schweinfurth:  This is an SEC suck team versus one of the best teams in the country.  It's gonna show too.  Big Game Bob has the best QB in this game and that offense is gonna make a SEC defense look like swiss cheese.  Oklahoma in a rout.  UT: 10--OU: 45
Seeberg:  Ah yes, my alma mater- at least for my master's degree.  The Vols have been supposedly on the upswing for years, yet have middled around .500 for nearly a decade now.  This looked like a banner matchup when it was scheduled in probably 2008 or so, but now OU is still solid and UT has fallen by the wayside.  UT has some skill talent, but their O-line is as inexperienced as tOSU, and we all saw what happened there.  Boomer Sooner big.  UT: 13--OU: 42

Kent State Golden Flashes @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Time to bounce back.  KSU is just what the doctor ordered.  The O-line should not (and better not!) have any problems here.  Time to work on fundamentals and get back to winning individual battles.  If this is close, time to panic in Columbus.  The defensive line should absolutely smoke the Flashes and harry the QB all day.  JT throws for 250+, Zeke/Marshall/Wilson run for 150+ and the d shuts it down.  Big bounceback win that really means nothing.  KSU: 10--OSU: 48
Hoying: How bad was last week? Our offensive line was embarrassed so completely that one of the linemen quit the team. Fortunately, our beloved Bucks get a chance to regroup against a truly awful squad. Dr. Lou's alma mater has already lost to D-1A newcomer South Alabama and an Ohio team that got blasted by Kentucky. Look for the Buckeyes to try to establish the run with anybody but Barrett, given that they only have about 5 or 6 running backs from which to choose. Look for the receivers to bring their hands closer together when the ball arrives, to better counteract the downward force the Earth puts on it. Look for the D-line to play containment and get a few stops on third down. Look for signs this team won't end up 7-6 after a bowl loss to a MAC school. KSU: 10--OSU: 38
Schweinfurth: Man I did not see that one coming last week.  We all knew the offensive line would be a work in progress but 7(!) sacks.  That is just horrendous.  What also worries me is the offensive play calling.  It's like the coaching staff writes scripts the entire game and won't deviate from that plan.  This has been going on for the last two years, it's just Braxton and El Guapo masked the issues.  Herman and Urban need to make adjustments other than throw bombs to a wide out who dropped every thing thrown at him.  The Silver Bullets will be fine.  The play calling on first and second down was great...third down was same old, same old.  Time to bring some pressure and get in the QB's face.  There is talent there, it just needs to be put in a better place to succeed.  I expect these changes to be made.  An inferior opponent will help that as well and give that offensive line time to gel.  I feel bad for the Golden Flashes.  Urban's boys are mad as hell and are going to take that anger out on the rest of the teams on the Buckeye schedule.  KSU: 14--OSU: 52
Seeberg:  Well, despite how horrendous we looked for 3.25 quarters or so last week, we were STILL within one possession with the ball with less than two minutes to play.  There is another silver lining:  The D-line looked much more solid than in the Navy run-game gashing we took the first week.  J.T. Barrett actually handled himself reasonably well- it's not his fault we couldn't seem to run a single screen pass, or slant, or 5-yard out, or any pass play not requiring a 7-step drop for that matter.  At this time last year, this game could have been a bit scary with Dri Archer running the ball and returning kicks.  He's gone, and the Golden Flashes are pretty flashless again.  Urban's message to the team after the loss?  That tOSU can still accomplish everything it set out to at 11-1.  With no discernable threats on the schedule until PSU in late October, it is still not out of the realm of possibility.  OSU: 38--KSU: 13

Upset Special
Draper: UCF over Missouri
Hoying: Iowa State over Iowa
Schweinfurth: Central Michigan over Syracuse
Seeberg: UMass over Vanderbilt

Week 3 Picks--Another snoozefest

Stats
1. Schweinfurth  7-1   (2-0 upset)
2. Draper             6-2   (1-1 upset--because PSU missed 4 FGs and a PAT!!!)
3. Hoying            5-3   (1-1 upset)
4. Auer                3-1   (0-1 upset really 1-0 because Tyler stole mine and deleted it :-))

Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Michigan State Spartans
Draper:  This is the year.  It's time for the Spartans to finally take the B1G.  OSU can't so this is their only shot.  I know this isn't a B1G game, but MSU is a really good team.  They only need to NOT remember that they're Sparty.  Notre Dame had an explosive win in week 1 and were able to pull off a tough win behind 10 year old Tommy Rees against upset minded Purdue, but the Spartans are a different animal.  Le'veon Bell and William Gholston make mincemeat of the Irish in East Lansing and win by 2 scores. ND: 16--MSU: 27
Auer: Brian Kelly is a sack of crap and karma will help make sure the Golden Domers go down in flames in this great rivalry. 9 of the last 12 ND-MSU games have been decided by single digits, and this  will be no different. The old addage: "when you've got two quarterbacks, you don't have one" will hold true this day as Kelly will flip-flop again and put in Tommy Rees to seal the deal for the Spartans. ND: 19--MSU: 23
Hoying: Back to reality for the Fighting Irish.  In all fairness, the Purdue team Notre Dame scraped by last week isn't as deserving of the initials P U as some other recent Boilermaker squads, but a true road game against an elite opponent is more than the Irish can handle.  The Spartan defense is probably (almost definitely) the best the B1G has to offer, spelling doom for whoever ends up taking the snaps for the golden domers.  Sparty moves into the national title discussion with a big win.  ND: 13--MSU: 28
Schweinfurth: This is a big test for the Irish and for Sparty.  Michigan St. has plenty of questions in the passing game and Le'Veon Bell can only take the Spartan offense so far.  Michigan State's defense is probably the best Notre Dame will see until USC and will be an excellent test for Brain Kelly's offense.  I expect Sparty to come out and blow the Irish off the ball and set the tone for an impressive performance.  This one will not need a fake field goal to win it.  ND: 17--MSU 28

USC Trojans @ Stanford Cardinal
Draper: While this is a matchup of ranked teams, I expect a monster blowout.  The Trojans were said to be a little shaky on the road vs. Syracuse, but the weather had a lot to do with that.  Stanford has no reason to be ranked as Andrew Luck is in the NFL.  It's not in the friendly confines of the Coliseum, but the Torjans are simply better.  SC took a 3OT loss to Andrew Luck last year and look forward to serving their revenge on Saturday. USC: 51--Stanford: 13
Auer: Classless Lane Kiffin will be looking for his Trojan squad to make a statement against the annual thorn-in-the-side Cardinal. USC struggled a bit to shutdown Syracuse, but Matt Barkley was once again stellar and will continue to pile up votes for the Heisman Trophy. By the way, Andrew Luck plays on Sundays now... sorry Stanford. USC: 68--Stanford: 23
Hoying: Which Stanford is going to show up?  The one that squeaked by San Jose State or the one that thrashed Duke?  USC's defense has been a little suspect for a title contender, but this only becomes a problem if your opponent has a viable weapon.  With no Andrew Luck slinging the football and no John (Jim?  John?  Jim.)  Jim Harbaugh calling the plays, this figures to be an easy win for Lane and Co.  USC: 38--Stanford: 10 
Schweinfurth: The Cardinal is ranked, but without Andrew Luck this just isn't the same team.  USC has too much fire power on offense and can be down right explosive at times.  I expect a lot of Barkley to Woods with a little bit of Silas Redd as the cherry on top.  This one isn't close.  USC: 45--Stan: 10

Florida Gators @ Tennessee Volunteers
Draper: I love what I've seen so far from the Vols. The Gators looked pretty good in the 2nd half of the TAMU game but the Aggies had a new QB in his first start.  Tyler Bray has looked pretty good.  Going with the Orange Power in Knoxville.  Derek Dooley tries to ruin the game, but the Gators turn the ball over at the end sealing a statement win for Mike Stewart and the Vols. UF: 17--UT: 23
Auer: I had no idea Tennessee was even relevant again until I saw that ESPN College GameDay was going to Knoxville. Florida has two wins that have warmed them up well for this match-up, and should mean an easy win. This is UT's first real test, and I'm calling for the upset here as the Gators will be caught with a hangover after last week's big win in College Station. UF: 24--UT: 26
Hoying: The Gators may be better than I previously gave them credit for.  Winning at Kyle Field is not an easy task, and Florida will not be intimidated by the atmosphere in Knoxville.  Yet, the Gators still have not found a passing game, and Tennessee QB Tyler Bray will be all over an untested Gator secondary.  One....two three four five.  Man, them Gators gonna take a dive.  UF: 13--UT: 30
Schweinfurth: Talent wise, I think the Gators are just the better team and it will show.  I get the feeling that the Gators will use the big second half at TAMU last week and build off of it.  Tennessee will hang with Florida but this will be a fairly low scoring game.  UF: 17--UT: 10

California Golden Bears @ THE Ohio State Buckeyes
Draper:  This could (and should) get ugly.  UCF was a decent opponent, but Cal (while in a BCS conference) is a punching bag.  I hope the coaches listen to me and stopping running Braxton so much.  The return of Jordan Hall happens at the perfect time with Hyde banged up.  This is a game the B1G absolutely needs and should get easily.  Cal will get a score or two, but the offense absolutely needs to go nuts.  Urban's boys roll.  Cal: 13--OSU: 51
Auer: This preview will be just as exciting as the game... not worth your $75. The Buckeyes will annihilate there ONLY BCS opponent in the "pre-season". Contrary to my fellow posters: no amount of points by the Buckeyes will help the Big Ten's image, nor discounting that the Bucks lost to the only good Pac 10 opponent they played in the last 30 years, plus this team is so bad that we don't need to worry about being down to our 3rd RB. Cal: 13--OSU: 56
Hoying:  Just what the doctor ordered for the B1G: a home game against a bunch of hippies from a top conference.  This is the same Cal team that had trouble putting away Southern Utah last week.  The Silver Bullets looked slightly less than sharp against UCF, and the secondary will continue to struggle against a decent Cal attack, but good, sweet, crap, this offense should not be stopped.  Time to try a balanced offense and give Braxton a freaking break.  Fun fact: Ohio State hasn't lost at home to a team from the Pac-12 other than USC since 1982 (12 straight).  Cal: 20--OSU: 48
Schweinfurth: I have a few alarm bells going off with this one.  The Buckeyes are down to the bottom two running backs (assuming Jordan Hall is out again) and the defense has looked anything but dominating.  Add in that the B1G has had trouble with the Pac-12 this year and this game could be a little unsettling.  The good news is, Cal is not good.  Urban met with all the coaches Sunday and, hopefully, lit a fire under their seats.  I expect a much cleaner game with the Buckeyes finding a way to keep Braxton to under 15 rushes this week.  Keenan Allen will get a touchdown or two, but the Bucks keep rolling on.  Cal: 17-OSU: 63

Upset Special
Draper: Utah State over Wisconsin (everyone will have this one...)
Auer: UT over Florida
Hoying: North Carolina over Louisville
Schweinfurth: Utah over BYU
 

Week 3 - The Long and Winding Road

Georgia Tech vs. Miami

Gomer: Georgia Tech has won the last 4 meetings of these two ACC contenders and both teams have a real chance to take a firm grasp on the Division lead. GT is coming off a Thursday night thriller where the Yellow Jackets blew a huge lead in momentum and score to let Clemson retake the lead, only to escape with a win in the end. The Hurricanes have been able to rest and recover since the slugfest with the Seminoles on Labor Day night. I really like both of these teams as sleepers to make their way to the BCS National Championship game, and from what I've seen I have a hard time deciding which has the better defense. I trust Paul Johnson's coaching ability a little more than Randy Shannon's and I'll look for the option attack to manage the game and escape Miami with a win. GT: 24--UM: 20

Chief: This is the toughest game of the week to pick. Miami looked very good against FSU, but FSU seemed inept the following week against lowly Jacksonville State. I believe Jacory Harris will show up in this game, but I have to keep riding the Jacket wagon. The U requested this game to be on a Thursday to 'pay the Jackets back' for last years loss, but GT's option was unstoppable vs. Miami last year. Many say that Miami will work to stop the run exclusively, unfortunately, that's easier said than done. Nesbitt/Dwyer outscore Harris/Cooper in a photo finish. GT: 31--UM:30

Nebraska vs. Virginia Tech

Gomer: Too bad this isn't a night game, because this would be worth the trip to Blacksburg on a weekend lacking a premiere match-up. A night game is a must-see when the VT faithful get jacked up and they definitely will be for this game trying to make amends in the national spotlight for the game they had against Alabama. This will be Nebraska's Quarterback's first road start and that could spell bad news for the Huskers. Tech will roll in this one with conference pride helping push them to a strong showing for the natives. UN: 20--VT: 42

Chief: Beamer looks to bring his team back to the national stage after dropping a close one to Bama in the opener (closer than the score would seem). VT has a stellar ground game, but very little passing game. I don't think that will hurt them this weekend. The Hokies will rely on the defense and Tyrod Taylor's running ability to take care of the Huskers in Blacksburg. While the Cornhuskers are certainly improving following the Bill Callahan era, they're not there yet. The Hokies keep the Huskers in Bo Pelini land as they roll to victory. UN: 16--VT: 34

Florida State vs. Brigham Young

Gomer: The once proud Seminoles were to be on the upward swing this season, but the offense has been inconsistent at best making me seriously question the hiring of "coach-in-waiting" Jimbo Fisher. I would definitely prefer to see FSU get the win here, but the defensive pressure the Cougars bring will be too much for Christian Ponder and the 18-game home win streak for BYU will prove too much in their home opener. FSU: 14--BYU: 31

Chief: Oh my Noles... They looked very sharp (not perfect) against a very underrated UM squad on Labor Day only to struggle with garbage on Saturday. Perhaps it was the lull game between the two huge games. I think the Noles show up to fight here, but Max Hall led BYU has certainly been firing on all cylinders lately. I don't think BYU beats OU with Bradford, but it's still very close. They rolled last week, but it's time for the midmajor to show they're a midmajor--can they handle the pressure of success. The Noles wake up and take care of business. Ponder breaks out and leads the Noles to steal one over Mendenhall and the Cougs in a close one. FSU: 31--BYU: 30

Cincinnati vs. Oregon State

Gomer: So far this season Cincinnati has been unstoppable destroying Rutgers and I-AA Opponent SE Missouri State. On the other side of the ball Oregon State has looked average beating up on Portland State and scraping by at UNLV. Both teams are young, but the key to this game will be the location... very very far away from southwestern Ohio. Cincy has lost their last 6 road games to non-conference BCS schools by an average of 21ppg. Another interesting stat: in the 2nd home game the Beavers have come up BIG, they have won 4 straight 2nd home games with an average score of 39-14... yes that does look like some stupid random stat, but I'll tell you why its important, 2 of the 4 victories have come against USC and Boise State, got your attention now? This might be the most underrated game of the weekend. UC: 29--OSU: 33

Chief: UC has looked phenomenal in their quick start (granted against questionable competition--but that's their whole schedule in the Big East). The Beavers have always played well at home but Jacquizz is a little banged up. The last time I saw the Beavers, they were in the biggest snoozer of a bowl game ever (3-0 victory in the Sun Bowl). Lyle Moevao and the Rodgers brothers are very good, but I think Tony Pike and the Bearcats continue their run. Two teams with little to no defense but a heck of a lot of offense. Ohio's only Orange Bowl losing team comes away victorious. UC: 42--OSU: 38

Tennessee vs. Florida

Gomer: I would peg this game as highest potential to be a laugher this weekend. Florida is favored by 28.5 and I would not be surprised if they won by more than that. Of course a Florida victory means another round of hearing how great Tim Tebow is especially after beating up on the vaunted Tennessee Defense, the same vaunted defense that was unable to secure a win against a lowly Pac 10 team like UCLA. Florida will win, by a lot, and Tebow will have 6 touchdowns. UT: 9--UF: 62

Chief: I wanted to talk about this one because it's going to happen. Everyone has been talking about how Urban Meyer, Tim Tebow, and 'Gaytor Nation' have circled this game as revenge to take out Lane Kiffin. Not so fast my friend! Kiffin in his eminent wisdom, threw the game vs. UCLA to lull the gators into a false sense of security. Crompton will toss all over that 'vaunted defense' for 5 TDs while the Monte Kiffin defense shows the nation the Eric Berry is clearly the best defensive player in the nation and knocks Tebow out of the Heisman race. Wait...the Vols are terrible. UT: 6--UF: 42

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Toledo Rockets

Gomer: The Bucks could be in for a real big emotional let down this week. I don't need to re-hash the offensive struggles from last week's heart-breaker, but if the Terrelle Pryor led offense isn't clicking, the Bucks will still win, but it could mean bad news bears down the road in the Big Ten. The other worry here is that the Rockets could expose some sort of weakness in the pass defense, because they will move the ball, but it will be a matter of when the Bucks force a turnover or other big defensive stop. Toledo won't be out of the game until late unless the Bucks come up with some early quick strikes, it'll be a better game than anyone expects. OSU: 39--UT: 20

Chief: After throwing all they had emotionally, physically, and mentally against the Trojans and coming up short (due to horrendous playcalling), the Bucks look to rebound against a surprising Toledo Rocket team. The Silver Bullets returned last week and I believe are here to stay. This is a major turning point game for the season...lie down and take it or stand and fight. I believe the Buckeyes have too much pride to quit now. I saw the pride last week and I think they fire out of the gate this week. Toledo smashed Colorado and put some points up on Purdue (while giving up a ton). OSU will put the hammer down in this one early. At first, I thought the letdown would keep it close, but the pride of the Buckeyes will not allow a fallback. Bucks continue to roll against Ohio teams. OSU: 41--UT: 10

Other games...

Boise State vs. Fresno State: Gomer: Boise Chief: Boise
USC vs. Washington: Gomer: USC Chief: USC
Michigan State vs. Notre Dame: Gomer: ND Chief: ND
Arizona vs. Iowa: Gomer: Iowa Chief: Iowa (close)
Navy vs. Pittsburgh: Gomer: Pitt Chief: Navy
Northwestern vs. Syracuse: Gomer: Syr Chief: NW
Texas Tech vs. Texas: Gomer: UT Chief: UT (BIG)

Week 2 - Put up or Shut Up

Clemson vs. Georgia Tech

Gomer: In the power conference that is the ACC, Clemson, without a doubt, has been the biggest disappointment year in and out for the last 2-4 seasons. Whether it was misused talent or poor coaching, they have been the perennial let down (but not as publicly as Ohio State or Oklahoma). However, it doesn't take a long look through the history books to see that the Ramblin' Wreck was exactly the same mess a few years ago too (Remember Reggie Ball trying to pass to Calvin Johnson?). Until watching this past Monday night's classic between Miami and FSU, I was ready to go with my gut and call the ACC for VT, but that game certainly threw a wrench in my expectations, much as I think this game will do too. I like Paul Johnson's crew to get it done. Clem: 21--GT: 38

Chief: In a battle of 2 ACC teams that actually won last week, we might actually have a good Thursday night game on our hands. Clemson is lead by C.J. Spiller and hopes to get back some respect after falling on their faces last year when hopes abounded. Unfortunately, the Jackets (my ACC preseason pick) have used the triple option extremely well. Jonathan Dwyer will lead Paul Johnson's antiquated attack and his 2 TD 150+ yard performance will be the difference. Clemson should show up (tonight and this year), but the Jackets have another great year while defense struggle to figure out how to stop the option. Clem: 13--GT: 24

UCLA vs. Tennessee :

Gomer: I really like the attitude and swagger that is back with the Vols after the firing of Fat Phil and hiring of Lane Kiffin. But I like Neuheisel and what he's done with UCLA even more. Last season the Bruins were not good, but somehow pulled off the upset of the Volunteers in Westwood. I look for the more experienced Bruin squad to bull a mild upset here and stop the "SEC" chanting for at least one game. UCLA: 27--UT: 24

Chief: Ah, the game of last year that was meant to be so much and led to so little. Don't expect more this year. Lane Kiffin had the Vols firing last Saturday against the coolest mascot ever (Big Red from WKU if you had to ask), and I don't see the Bruins providing much of a problem. I had high hopes for the Pac 10, but UCLA was not included. UT better get a win this week because is Florida time next week. UCLA: 17--UT: 31

Notre Dame vs. Michigan

Gomer: Suddenly this game is intriguing with a dominating win by Big Blue in week one and a surprisingly big win by the Irish in a game many expected an upset. Yes this is one of those games where we root for a stadium to collapse, but I've got to go with conference pride in this one, the Big Ten has taken a huge beating for the last three years, and if there's any hope in regaining some swagger, it begins here on Saturday afternoon. Rich Rod, love him or hate him, is turning Michigan around. I for one am thankful for the health of the conference and the Rivalry. Without a huge tangent here, I believe a competent and successful Michigan team is imperative to retaining all the importance The Game has held over the years. Go Blue!!! ND: 34--UM: 44

Chief: An extremely intriguing game enters Ann Arbor this weekend. I don't think these programs are "back", but they certainly are taking giant steps forward. The Wolverines played with more energy than I've seen up there in nearly 3 years (aside from Capitol One Bowl vs. UF) against a nobody MAC school and Notre Dame looked to wake up the echoes against a terrible pass defense. I still think Notre Dame is further along and stopping Colin Kaepernik was a good start. UM jumps on top early but emu-boy Jimmy Clauson takes the pressure and sends Dick Rod home crying. Weis just wants to know what's for dinner. ND: 27--UM: 21

USC vs. Ohio State

Gomer: USC's gameplan is simple; run, run, and run some more. The O-Zone writer "BCast" had an excellent article saying that in the last 7 games the Trojans have lost the common denominator is shutting down the running game. Over those 7 losses the Trojans average roughly 84 ypg on the ground. It really comes down to 2 things, do you trust our D to shut down the Trojan O and subsequently running attack and how does Pryor perform when all the weight is squarely on his shoulders. I for one am not overly optimistic about the chance of a Buckeye victory, our D-line, as good as it is, is not better than the USC O-line protecting Barkley and allowing McKnight and company to have a field day running over the Buckeyes. If Pryor is forced to be one dimensional either all running or all passing, and as much as it pains me to types this... without a perfect storm in OSU's favor, there is no way the Bucks can prevail in this match-up. USC: 25--OSU: 19

Chief: Here we go again. After falling flat on our faces last year, it's come down to this. Don't let last week fool you, Navy is a very good team who will win 9-10 games this season. Defending the triple option is tough for any normal defense (ask the ACC), but OSU cannot struggle on the O-Line this week as they did last week. The embarrassment of the day was the ineptitude of the OSU O-Line. While the O-line was scary bad, the D-Line was scary good. I think OSU's defense will rattle Matt Barkley (even though he says it won't matter) and the USC stellar running game will be slowed, but if there is no protection, it could be a long day. Pryor needs to have a huge statement game passing and running. Yes, USC handle perennial doormat San Jose State, but this is Ohio State and it's time to make a statement. You knew I wasn't picking the Trojans didn't you. USC: 17--OSU: 20

South Carolina vs. Georgia: Gomer: UGA Chief: UGA
Purdue vs. Oregon: Gomer: UO Chief: UO
North Carolina vs. UConn: Gomer: UNC Chief:UNC
Fresno State vs. Wisconsin Gomer: Wisconsin Chief:Wisconsin
Iowa vs. Iowa State: Gomer: Iowa Chief: Iowa
Texas vs. Wyoming: Gomer: Texas Chief: Texas
BYU vs. Tulane: Gomer: BYU Chief: BYU
East Carolina vs. West Virginia: Gomer: WVU Chief: WVU

Week 4 of Gomer & Chiefs Picks

Gut check week... Records so far: Gomer (25-13) Chief (25-13)

Louisiana State Tigers vs. Auburn Tigers
Gomer: I'm picking the Tigers in this one... ha... ha ... ha. Okay really, we've all heard that the home team has won this match-up for a bazillion years in a row, and I don't expect that to change. Auburn has the defense that "wins championships" and I think that talk will get started this week. Their offense isn't overly potent, which is probably the only reason they aren't getting any talk, if Auburn is not careful LSU's attack could pull away late. LSU: 17 - AU: 23

Chief: The game of the week coming out of the SEC is at Jordan Hare stadium. The home team has won this game 8 years straight with most games being ‘defensive struggles’ (or maybe just crappy offense). Last year, Miles pulled his crap at home and got reeeeeeal lucky. Auburn will return the favor in another snoozer in which points will be at a premium. LSU: 6—UA: 7

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Arizona State Sun Devils
Gomer: Not no way, not no how, this upset will not happen. Knowshon Moreno will run all over the Sun Devils. ASU just lost to UNLV, the easy excuse is they were looking ahead, the real reason is they suck. I'm okay with a Georgia win here mostly because I don't want a 3rd Pac-10 team to become ranked. Moreno and Stafford will have a field day with the overmatched Sun Devils. UGA: 34 - ASU: 10

Chief: This looks to be a bounceback week for both teams as UGA struggled mightily against the offense challenged Spurriers (weird huh?) and ASU dropped an embarrassing one to UNLV. This is the first time the Bulldogs have headed west of the Mississippi since 1968 and they couldn’t have picked a better time/team to take on. Carpenter has the skills, but no talent around him. UGA will dominate this game leading to some more undeserved credit for the SEC as ASU just isn’t that good this year. UGA: 38—ASU: 17

Florida Gators vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Gomer: Unfortunately what I want to happen and what I think will happen are two completely different things. Tennessee struggled with and lost to a BAD UCLA team in an instant-classic. Meanwhile the Gators were facing a team with a pulse (Miami) and didn't look good themselves. It seems the Florida defense is improved significantly but most defenses have the Fightin' Tebow's figured out. UF: 14 - UT: 6

Chief: The Vols need this one bad for respectability, but UF is still an excellent team looking for another championship. After the debacle in LA and last weeks exposure of the Bruins’ mediocrity, Crompton and the Orange need more than hope to win this one. The Gators will expect to show the full offense and that they have moved to more than just Tebow and Harvin, but the offense will boil down to….Tebow and Harvin. It won’t matter as the Gators win in Knoxville again setting Fulmer’s seat on fire. UF: 41—UT: 24

Notre Dame Irish vs. Michigan State Spartans
Gomer: The Irish were able to capitalize on the mistakes of the Wolverines last week but the Spartans are of a different breed. Dantonio's system and philosophy are well in place and MSU will look to roll over a porous Irish defense and make the most out of mistakes by Jimmy Clausen. Javon Ringer should be getting Heisman talk and this game should help get that going. ND: 10 - MSU: 27

Chief: Wow…The Irish won. And it only took 6 turnovers in the mush to get it. No seriously, the Domers completely exposed Michigan last week and for that I give them credit. This week, they meet Javon Ringer. The Ohio native is slobbering at attacking this Irish team. Look for another 200 yards for Ringer on the ground. ND: 13—MSU:28

Wake Forest Deacons vs. Florida State Seminoles
Gomer: I expect this to be a classic showdown. FSU has not beaten the Demon Deacons since 2005 and have been embarrassed in two straight losses (home and away). FSU may be undefeated, but their wins have come against 2 I-AA opponents. Wake has looked good in the early stages of the season and should be firing on all cylinders. Look for the Noles to use emotion and brute strength to overpower Florida State in a classic. WF: 17 - FSU: 20

Chief: This will be the first real test for the new Noles after 2 tune-ups against FCS competition (sad I know). Wake snuck away with one 2 weeks ago vs. Ole Miss and would love nothing more than to embarrass the perennial power FSU 3 years straight as the Noles drubbed them for so many years. Not so fast my friend. Christian Ponder is the real deal and the return of Preston Paker will bring the Noles to the forefront of the ACC and out of the depths or mediocrity. The Noles haven’t forgotten the last few beatings and are out for revenge this year. WF: 17—FSU: 31

Troy Trojans vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
Gomer: I don't know what to say after last week's embarrassment in California. Since the Bucks seem to do the exact opposite of whatever I predict I think the real score of this game is gonna be 38-13, but since we struggled last week with 6th year senior and "captain" Todd Boeckman throwing to wide open USC defenders, our defense cannot generate pressure, and when they do, they usually whiff on the tackle, and Troy runs a spread offense (they passed to 15 different players last week), and Troy's QB is mobile. Wow, I honestly want to pick the Bucks to implode on this one, but I cannot do that in good conscience being an alum and bleeding scarlet and gray, and all that jazz. Pryor will rush for at least 50, and throw for at least 100, count it. Troy: 20 - OSU: 24

Chief: Alright Bucks…put up or shut up. I’ve had enough of this crap. Being one of the few in scarlet in gray who traveled to the Crushing in the Coliseum, I was amazed at the pure ineptitude of the play calling. No passes further than 10 yards when the coverage was soft? Stopping the platooning QBs when it was working? Pryor isn’t the complete answer until he can throw decently. We’ll see him play, but hopefully the O-Line will realize that blocking is a benefit. I think the Bucks grow a pair this week and take it out on these Trojans. No Beanie means no blowout, but the Bucks win handily here to remind the nation that it’s still The Ohio State University and we won’t tolerate second best. Troy: 13—OSU: 31


Other Games:
East Carolina @ NC State Gomer: NCST Chief: ECU
Ohio @ Northwestern Gomer: NW Chief: NW
FAU @ Minnesota Gomer: UM Chief: UM
Iowa @ Pittsburgh Gomer: Iowa Chief: Iowa
Boise State @ Oregon Gomer: Oregon Chief: Oregon
Virginia Tech @ North Carolina Gomer: VT Chief: VT
Miami @ Texas A&M Gomer: TAMU Chief: UM

Living for the Weekend...

Perfect time for a long weekend followed by a short week. I certainly hope you stayed up to see UCLA's thrilling victory over the Tennessee Volunteers. I'm waiting for the excuses to come flying as to how an SEC team lost to a mid-level Pac 10 team starting its third string QB.

Speaking of said 3rd string QB; I cannot say enough about Bruin QB Kevin Craft, he started off very well 4/6 only to then throw 4 INTs in the remainder of the 1st half, including a Pick-6 to end the half. It looked like the Vols had finally seized momentum heading into halftime with a 14-7 lead, but the fact that the lead wasn't bigger with 4 huge turnovers benefitting them, I had a hunch that Neuheisel's Bruins would make things interesting, and interesting they did make it. UCLA cut into the Vol lead immediately with a 43 yd FG and in last half of the final quarter took the lead 17-14. Tennessee was then able to drive down and retake the lead 21-17 forcing Craft to start a drive with under 2 minutes remaining. He lead the Bruins to retake the lead with only 27 seconds remaining. The Rose Bowl erupted, it was awesome, everything college football should be, to add even more intrigue the Vols were able to drive down, and tie the game at 24 a piece to send it to overtime! The Vols won the toss and deferred, forcing UCLA to play offense first, when they managed only 3 points I'll admit my certainty of a Bruin victory started to fade dramatically. UCLA's defense made an amazing stand forcing the Vols to take the 3 points and go to double OT.... "Not so fast my friend" Tennessee Kicker Daniel Lincoln missed his 3rd kick of the night giving the game to the Bruins.

There certainly is a disappointing slate of games for this upcoming weekend:

Ohio University @ OSU
Georgia Tech @ Boston College
Miami (OH)@ Michigan
Central Michigan University @ Georgia
Cincy @ Oklahoma
Oregon State @ PSU
Ole Miss @ Wake Forest
WVU @ East Carolina
Texas A&M @ New Mexico
USF @ UCF
Northwestern @ Duke
Minnesota @ BG
Miami @ Florida

There isn't a single match-up of ranked teams which is disappointing but week 1 and week 3 will help make up for it.... Predictions to come later this week