Week 6: Spartan Swill

Standings:
1.) Hoying 15-2 (2-3 upset)
1.) Schweinfurth 15-2 (1-4 upset)
1.) Seeberg 15-2 (1-4 upset)
4.) Draper 14-3 (1-4 upset)

Ah, back to the friendly confines on the banks of the Olentangy. Where the Buckeyes win by 45 points per game instead of 41. 

Auburn Tigers @ Florida Gators

Draper: Look, I've been to the Swamp when the Gators are highly ranked and good and it is among the toughest places in the country to play.  The 2019 Gators are highly ranked...moving on.  I see a monster talent disparity in this game on the offensive side with Bo Nix leading Auburn to far better things than we expected.  This game may feature 2 of the best defensive lines outside of Columbus, OH.  The difference will be Malzahn and the Tiger offense.  There will be enough creativity and speed to keep Florida off balance while the Gator offense struggles to mount a comeback.  The Swamp makes it closer than expected...but not much.  Aub: 27 -- UF:17

Hoying: What's going on at Florida? They lost their only good non-suspended-for-PEDs quarterback since Tim Tebow and their offense got...better? Yes, their backup QB has seemed up to the Trask in leading a big comeback against Kentucky and dismantling Tennessee and Towson. Now he gets a bit stiffer challenge. The Tigers have looked pretty sharp on both sides of the ball, and while freshman QB Bo Nix isn't wowing anyone with his 7.8 YPA, he's done a fine job (at least since Oregon) of getting out of the way of a formidable Auburn rushing attack. I really want Florida to win this game because I want to play them (and crush them) in the Playoff, but I think their quick start hits a speed bump (good thing they play in the conference of third chances). Aub: 20--Fla: 17

Schweinfurth: So this will be fun. Two teams who are rated pretty highly just because. Auburn is that team that finds a way to win games and looks like poo. Florida just looks like poo. Bo Nix seems to be at least competent running the Tiger offense. I just haven't seen it from Florida. Auburn wins but this is going to be painfully laughable. Aub: 21--UF: 20

Seeberg:  Not gonna do a ton of analysis here.  Quite frankly I don't trust any second-tier SEC teams, but at least Auburn has beaten a couple of decent teams and seems to be solid on both sides of the ball where as Florida, well, offense isn't exactly their thing.  The hostile environment might keep them at bay for awhile but I expect the Tigers to come through this one.  Aub: 24--Fla: 13

Iowa Hawkeyes @ Michigan Wolverines

Draper: Now that Michigan has been exposed for the mediocre mess they've been for years, this is the time where they usually provide a snippet of hope for the Maize and Blue faithful.  Is Iowa good? I don't know, but I don't really think so.  I'm expecting another 9-3 campaign for the Hawks that Kirk Ferentz is known for.  While Harbaugh is beginning to feel a little heat (no, shutting out Rutgers doesn't help), these are the games he usually wins back the hearts and minds of the Wolverine faithful.  I'm feeling a game in which UM inexplicably has success on the offensive side and wins comfortably.  Iowa: 13 -- UM: 24

Hoying: Here lies Rutgers. He never scored...against either of these teams. Good for what ails ya, but did last week's dominating win over the Scarlet Knights set the Wolverines back on track or just provide one last gasp of hope before the season totally implodes? The key to this game will be what happens when Iowa has the ball. We know Michigan's offense is lost, frightened, and confused (good) and that they don't really have much hope against another stout Iowa defense. But the Wisconsin game also showed us that the Wolverine defense is bad. Like, almost hopeless against any team that can line up and smash you in the mouth, especially if they have a speedy running back (do we know any teams like that?). This does not describe Iowa. Against Iowa State, the only team they played with a pulse (other than the fearsome Miami RedHawks), the Hawkeyes churned out a whopping 112 yards rushing in a game that featured a literal punt to win. This one is going to be ugly, and not just because it's in Ann Arbor. But I'd be a fool to trust Iowa on the road. Iowa: 13--UM: 16

Schweinfurth: So TTUN is a mess (but look at that shiny win against Buttgers!) and Iowa is a huge question mark. The last time the Fighting Harbugers lined up against a competent team they got smoked by the Badgers. It's funny to think that they still believe Patterson is the answer. Unfortunately, the Wolverines are the more talented team. Don't get me wrong, I think Iowa will move the ball. I just don't think Iowa will get the ball in the end zone. This one, too, will be painfully laughable. Iowa: 12--UM: 14

Seeberg:  What's funny about this matchup is that the team-who-must-not-be-named is probably riding inexcusably high after dismantling B1G doormat Rutgers last week.  Meanwhile, Iowa trots along undefeated, thanks mostly to a weak schedule and a narrow escape to retain the CyHawk (it's like a mohawk but, you know, uglier).  That said, it's not as if the maize and blue have beaten anybody of consequence either.  Wisconsin's O-line bullied Harbaugh's boys for four quarters, and although Iowa doesn't have an RB anywhere near the caliber of Taylor, there should still be some holes to find.  The Wolverines, however, typically find a way to stay relevant until November, so it's tough to piece this one together.  Do you trust Shea Patterson in a close game?  Yeah, me neither.  Ferentz ramps up another B1G Coach of the Year campaign with a "big" road win.  Iowa: 24--UM: 16

Michigan State Spartans @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes

Draper: The Buckeyes have been an absolute juggernaut thus far, and there is no reason to expect anything different.  Dantonio has been a habitual thorn in Urban's side, but Urban's not here any more.  Lewerke in the green and white has been the habitual 'eh' while the running game is nothing special.  On the other side, the Bullets seem to be on their way back with absolutely stellar D-line and cornerback play (albeit a few blips in the secondary).  Now, the Buckeye offense has thus far been an enigma for opposing defenses and I can't imagine that a hyped up stadium, at night, in black (GROSS) will lead to anything but Sparty NOOOO!  Fields continues his Heisman run with 4 total TDs while Dobbins and Teague add another 2.  Keep watching the most underrated part of this Buckeye offense.  The WRs are exceptional and only continue to grow.  Bucks big.  MSU: 17 -- OSU: 48

Hoying: I've been a pretty avid Buckeye fan for about 20 years now, and I'm having trouble remembering a team starting as hot as this 2019 squad. The 2016 team that blew out Oklahoma on the road? The 2007 team that skated backwards through their schedule until Juice Williams started stringing 10-minute touchdown drives together? The 2006 team that throttled Colt McCoy and Texas in DKR and returned two pick-sixes against Penn State? Honestly, I'd take this team, at this point, against any of those (which is good, because they all went to the championship and lost). This year's crew seems to be without any glaring weaknesses, with the possible exception of secondary. It's night and Day better than the last couple of years, but a few timely penalties and turnovers have bailed them out and made this defense look a bit more impermeable than it actually is. And as those 2006 and 2016 teams could tell you, living off of turnovers is great until it's not (hello, 41-14 and 31-0). Why am I talking about all of this instead of the game at hand? Because on paper this matchup against the Spartans is a laugher. Michigan State is ranked #25 and they're getting 20 points in Vegas right now. On paper, every game the Buckeyes have left is a laugher, with the possible exception of Wisconsin (though Northwestern may have exposed their offense a bit). This team doesn't play another road game of import until you-know-who Thanksgiving week. Ryan Day continues a great Buckeye tradition of first year coaches starting red hot, and the backups get another half's worth of action. MSU: 10--OSU: 45

Schweinfurth: Welcome to your nightmare. An monster of an Ohio State team going up against an overmatched Michigan State team in Ohio Stadium. This has never happened before...Oops, my brain erased 1998 and 2015. That's not the nightmare I'm talking about though. That nightmare would be these all black uniforms. Gross. Speaking of nightmare, last time I checked, Lewerke is a statue in the pocket and here comes Chase Young. It's only a matter of time before a QB is turned into red mist by a Young sack. Let's get real here. MSU's offense is just bad and the Silver Bullets are just breaking teams' will to play. The Spartan D will be the biggest test for Fields and Co. MSU may hang for a quarter or more while the offense gets the feel of how to handle Dino's D. Fields may even throw his first pick, but it won't matter. The Bucks are playing too well, and MSU can't handle the size of the Buckeye receivers. MSU: 13--OSU: 42

Seeberg:  And here we are, facing the NEW team from up north that's a thorn in the Buckeyes' side.  Those of us who grew up during the Cooper years (that would be everybody at Let's Go Bucks, in case you were curious) will always have a twinge of worry about the final regular game of the season because of their maddening ability to defeat Buckeye squads with often superior talent.  MSU has taken that mantle in the last decade, however, winning ugly (17-14, 10-7 ring a bell?) and often against our beloved Scarlet and Gray.  The last two seasons may have shown a shift in this trend.  MSU hasn't found the endzone since 2016, getting thumped 48-3 in 2017 and then inexplicably 26-6 at their place last year despite our defense doing frequent disappearing acts.  Meanwhile- and this stat is flat-out stunning- Ohio state has amassed a whopping 109 touchdown PASSES since the start of 2017, good for  *checks notes*  #1 in all of college football.  If you had told me any 2.5-year stretch of OSU stats would be #1 in touchdown passes at any point in my lifetime I would've checked you into an asylum, yet here we are.  Meanwhile, this year's iteration of the Buckeyes is absolutely rolling on both sides of the ball and MSU is down at least 3 starting offensive linemen.  Quite honestly it'd be a minor shock if they found the endzone this season as well.  Enjoy the black out everybody.  MSU: 6--OSU: 42

Upset Special

Draper: West Virginia over Texas

Hoying: Cincinnati over Central Florida

Schweinfurth: Texas Tech over Oklahoma St.

Seeberg: Cal over Oregon

Week 5: Frosted Flakes

Standings:
1.) Hoying 12-2 (2-2 upset)
1.) Schweinfurth 12-2 (1-3 upset)
1.) Seeberg 12-2 (0-4 upset)
4.) Draper 11-3 (1-3 upset)

ESPN's College Gameday is in Lincoln this week to see the Buckeyes take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers. You know what that means: the rest of the games must really suck this week if that's the best they can come up with. Maybe so, but here are a few worth a read for our dozens of loyal fans:

Virginia Cavaliers @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Draper: I entered last week's ND/UGA showdown with absolutely no faith in the Irish, but they played a nice game.  I still think Georgia shot themselves in the foot too often, but alas, the Irish showed that they have a reason to be mentioned in the top 10-15 discussion.  Virginia got lucky to beat FSU....yeah..... I think this is a game in which the Irish make a big national splash...with no substance as the Cavaliers are, like the nonClemson ACC, poo.  The media will fall over themselves giving Notre Dame a huge ranked win, but it won't mean much to me.  UVA: 13 -- ND: 27

Hoying: One of these teams put up a good fight against Georgia for a few quarters (and covered, as only one writer here predicted) and has the passing game and the defense to put a decent season together. The other came out two weeks ago and just about lost to a Florida State team that has been a steaming pile of you-know-what for the better part of 3 years now. Look for Virginia to screech to a halt again in this one, as the ND doesn't stand for "No Defense" anymore. UVA: 10--ND: 20

Schweinfurth: Notre Dame surprised me last week. I really didn't expect the Irish to go toe to toe with the Dawgs for four quarters like that. Ultimately, the lack of talent depth cost them. Enter the Virginia "we struggled against FSU" Cavaliers. I fully expect the Domers to bounce back this week, but the first quarter or so could be a slog.  UVA: 17--ND: 27

Seeberg:  Before last week's game against the Bulldogs, I stated that I thought the Fighting Irish were slightly better than last season, which seemed to pan out as they were very much up to the task of competing with UGA, but couldn't finish the job.  Now enter Virginia who (good news!) is ranked, but (bad news!) needed 4 quarters to put away Old Dominion.  By the end of the season this will be a mediocre win for the Golden Domers as the Cavaliers are destined to go 8-4, but for now it keeps their slim playoff hopes alive.  UVA: 20--ND: 31

University of Southern California Trojans @ Washington Huskies

Draper: This is a tough one.  I really liked Hoying's upset last week and I think the Trojans are a nice scrappy little bunch, but the Huskies really have no excuse reestablishing dominance on their home turf.  Yes, Cal waltzed into Seattle and took out the Huskies...but it was in the midst of a typhoon and huge weather delay.  I'm guessing that was a fluke (and maybe the Bears are decent??).  I'm expecting a bit of a resurgence from the Purple and Gold to remind USC that they're not back in the days of Pete Carroll (and bag dropping).  USC: 24 -- UW: 37

Hoying: USC is currently on something like their third quarterback, and dropped an early season game to a questionable non-conference foe. Might as well pencil them into the CFP championship now! On the other sideline is a Washington team that might as well be 4-0 because nobody stayed up until 4 AM to watch them lose to Cal (including the poll voters). And they play something not usually seen in the Pac-12 called "de fense". I could say that USC coach Clay Helton is on the hot seat if he loses this game and the Trojans threaten to tumble out of the Pac-12 title chase, but the only way he gets the ax at this point is if there's an Urban renewal in the works out on the west coast. USC: 20--UW: 28

Schweinfurth: I really can't see a scenario where USC wins this game. Washington is still one of the "better" teams in the Pac-12. USC seems to be in the middle to upper tier of the Pac-12. Not where they should be. This will be close and fun to watch regardless. Washington puts it away late. USC: 28--UW: 38

Seeberg:  And now, onto the conference that is definitely #5 of the power 5.  Everyone is taking turns pooping the proverbial bed out west, so this game will be a middling win not unlike Notre Dame beating Virginia.  Home field seems to mean very little out there, and with a new QB, third-stringer Matt Fink, who hasn't put much on tape yet, the Huskies defense may be in trouble.  All that said, however, I trust Chris Petersen more than Clay Helton in a game with at least conference title implications on the line.  Huskies pull out a close one.  USC: 27--UW: 31

THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Nebraska Cornhuskers

Draper: Everyone's favorite Buckeye landmine game from the preseason has taken a bit of a nosedive, yet Gameday is coming because why not? On paper, there is nothing to concern yourself with, but the games aren't played on paper.  That being said, the Buckeyes have had the Huskers' number since they joined the B1G, especially in night games (let's forget about the Bauserman experiment).  Frost may be building something in Lincoln, but I don't know how he can turn a team of pure 'eh' and make it great in a year.  Martinez is a fine QB, but he has a lot of room to grow.  I'm hoping the Buckeyes get the old kick in the butt from the coaches after the slow start last week and blow it open early.  If the rest of the Buckeye defensive line plays this week (everyone was 'hurt' last week), I expect fantastic performance on D.  They'll give up one big TD, but that's it.  On offense, I want to see the continued growth of the receivers and Fields.  When Fields misses, he misses high so hopefully, that will abate.  Dobbins hits the century mark and Master Teague continues to look like the 3rd best back in the B1G (I'll give Taylor some props).  Bucks big.  OSU: 45 -- Neb: 16

Hoying: Time for the game everyone was pooping their pants about preseason. A night game on the road against a middling Big Ten West opponent! The Buckeyes always lose those, right? Not really. In 7 years under Urban Meyer, Ohio State lost exactly 2 conference night games (both on the road): the 2016 Penn State fluke, and last year's Purdue debacle. R-E-L-A-X. The Buckeyes lost to Iowa and Purdue the last two seasons because their defense wasn't prepared for some gimmick the opposing offense had. For Purdue, it was a 5'9" receiver (Rondale Moore) as fast as Parris Campbell. For Iowa, it was...having a tight end. What does Nebraska have? Mobile quarterback Adrian Martinez (bad news) and deep threat receiver JD Spielman (more bad news). This will be the week we determine if the Silver Bullets can pass a hard test after acing the easy ones. But even if they can't, I don't see the Ohio State offense slowing down for the likes of the erstwhile blackshirts. And here's the kicker...is something Nebraska can't say because their starting kicker got hurt in the preseason and they've had to turn to their backups and their safety, who (spoiler alert) can't kick. Buckeyes won big last time they visited 2 years ago, and I expect more of the same. OSU: 42--Neb: 13

Schweinfurth: Freak out everyone. It's a night game on the road against an overmatched appointment. It's time for this year's version of Iowa or Purdue...or not. What's the difference this year? Defensive scheme and coaching. Nebraska has not faced a defensive line like the Buckeyes are going to roll out there. Chase Young is a one man offense wrecking crew. Add in the guys who sat out last week and this line is fresh and down right nasty. Not sure that special teams will get kick block number 4 this week. Offensively, the two headed monster of Dobbins and Teague is going to hammer the Nebraska defense. I expect lots of runs and then play action over the top. Chris Olave could have a big game yet again. Nebraska will probably start quick, but roll with the punch and then throw the haymaker. OSU: 45--Neb: 21

Seeberg:  OK, here's the thing about these two teams:  We've seen Ohio State's ceiling at times, and it is insanely, national-title-worthy high.  However, the lows can get pretty dicey too (see: the last 3 quarters vs. FAU, first 8 minutes vs. Miami).  Meanwhile, Nebraska's low cost them a game against Pac-12 also-ran Colorado, but we haven't seen their high...but it's likely to emerge under the lights of College Gameday Saturday night.  How long it can be sustained depends on how well the Buckeyes- specifically the Silver Bullets- perform.  I don't expect a ton of resistance from the Husker D, but if their offense is clicking they are dangerous enough to pull the upset.  I truly hope for an Indiana-like game plan.  Just hammer Dobbins for four quarters if necessary, watch him gash a tired defense in the second half, give Fields as much time as possible on play-action passes against a defense stuffing the box.  I don't expect it to be pretty, but I do expect the final scoreline to look good enough to keep the haters at bay.  OSU: 38--Neb: 20

Upset Special

Draper: Maryland over Penn State

Hoying: Indiana over Michigan State

Schweinfurth: Washington State over Utah

Seeberg: Arizona State over Cal

Grading the Bucks: Week 4 -- Miami University

Sorry for the late and brief post, but not much to say.

Offense: A
MVPs: Yes
Nothing needed here.  Team was ridiculous.  Dobbins was bullrushed into Fields on the safety, but other than that, nothing to see here.

Defense: A-
MVP: Chase Young (DE)
The downgrade was for the abject poop they looked like in the first few minutes.  The secondary was out of position on every single play for 5-10 minutes and it was incredibly frustrating.  After the coaches reminded the players that they were indeed playing a football game, the talent disparity was obvious.  Chase Young is an absolute beast and I love him.

Special Teams: A-
Broke the longest string of consecutive made PATs in the last minutes. That sucks.  Other than that? Good to go.

Coaching: A-
Adjustments were key (and not the X's and O's adjustments).  The cranial removal from the rectum was a necessity early in the game which was accomplished swimmingly.  The downgrade is for the slow start.

Overall: A
Miami is butt and we made them look like butt.  Go Ohio! Beat the Cornhuskers!

Week 4: Bienvenido a Miami

Standings:
1.) Schweinfurth 9-1 (0-3 upset)
1.) Seeberg 9-1 (0-3 upset)
3.) Hoying 8-2 (1-2 upset)
3.) Draper 8-2 (1-2 upset)

Y'all know that the games last week were not terribly interesting. The top 8 teams or so proved that they're chasing forever, while the next tier...I'd advise you don't say nothin' about the abysmal efforts they turned in. Buckeyes, I loved you and your performance against Indiana. Unfortunately (or fortunately, to hell with conference pride), the rest of the B1G did not particularly inspire confidence. Wisconsin, sometimes I feel like it's just the two of us holding the conference together. But as long as the Bucks get another win this week against Miami, it's all good. And yes yes y'all, it should be like taking candy from a baby.

Michigan Wolverines @ Wisconsin Badgers

Draper: Has the sheen worn off of the Wolverines yet? The shiny toy that Harbaugh trots out every year got some stink on it with the poor showing against Army...but that's why the number one rule in college football is NEVER SCHEDULE SERVICE ACADEMIES!  That being said, I think the flaws in the Michigan roster are being exposed.  Of course the raw physical talent exists, but the big uglies haven't been great (if you can't blow Army off the ball on offense, you have problems) and the defense looked suspect against the run...uh oh.  Wisconsin has essentially played paper bags to this point, but Jonathan Taylor is a very good running back who should give the Maize and Blue fits.  Add to that the Camp Randall atmosphere and it's primed for an 'upset'.  All the signs point to a Badger win...which makes me think a UM victory is in store.  That being said, I dislike these teams immensely, and I'll pick what with what the number suggest.  Hail to the Badgers.  UM: 13 -- UW: 20

Hoying: Ah, another ranked road matchup for the mighty Wolverines. Last season, the Wolverines snapped a 12-year losing streak in road games against ranked opponents, beating the mighty Michigan State Spartans (who ended up going 7-6 and not scoring more than 24 points in a single game for the rest of the season). The Wolverines have only visited one ranked road opponent since then and...well, you know how that turned out. Is there any reason to expect a different outcome this week? Not on paper, no. Wisconsin has been the one B1G team that has looked closer to invincible than our beloved Bucks in this young season, outscoring their opponents by an average margin of 55-0. Michigan's offense has looked somewhat less than spectacular, putting up a whopping 14 points on 9 regulation time possessions in their last outing against Army. 5 of those possessions ended on either a fumble or a turnover on downs, which indicates that Michigan might be able to look a little scary if they could get out of their own way. But I've heard that said about Illinois and Rutgers too. Sorry, Wolverines, this isn't your year (for what?) UM: 16--UW: 24

Schweinfurth: Wisconsin has played nobody so far and has looked unreal, as per tradition. TTUN hasn't really played anyone other than Army, a team they should have been able to pound the ball on. To be honest, I'm not sold on either of these teams. I laugh at the fact Harbaugh isn't on the hot seat. Because why have standards and expectations when you can be mediocre? The rumor going around is that Shea Patterson has been dealing with an injury (why was he playing week 1?). Add to that Charbonnet may not play, TTUN's offense is just sad, and the Badgers have Johnathan Taylor and this one is going to be as sad day for Wolverine fans.This will be a straight up slopfest. UM: 13--UW: 17

Seeberg:  At the start of this season, this should've been a massive game in the landscape of the B1G, if not all of college football.  Now?  Well U-Dub has yet to allow a point en route to a combined 110-0 point differential over it's first two contests.  Meanwhile, Meat-chicken needed two overtimes to outlast Army after needing 45-50 minutes to put away Middle Tennessee.  The maize and blue have been supposedly ready to "take the next step" since year two of Harbaugh's reign, yet they seem to have forgotten how to walk as he's now in year five and the program is merely marking time.  The Badgers are easily the class of the west yet again, and a big win over a supposed East power will cement them in the playoff conversation.  In short, a defense that hasn't allowed a point, at home, with a bye week, against an offense that scored a whopping 14 points in regulation against a service academy is a very poor recipe for the visiting team.  By third quarter's end, Camp Randall will be jumping around on the corpse of yet another scUM season before we enter October.  UM: 10-- UW: 27

Auburn Tigers @ Texas A&M Aggies

Draper: Auburn got a nice win out of the gate vs. Oregon in friendly SEC land while Texas A&M got waxed in Clemson (the score wasn't indicative of the pace of the game).  The issue is that A&M is a different team at home.  I think they're going to snakebite a team or two this year and poop away a few easy ones. I think the 12th man will be up for this one and bring the NO TOUGH GAMES IN THE SEC chants into the night.  Auburn has a solid front four, but I don't know if the secondary can hang or if the offense can get the points required to win a tough road game.  Gig em.  Aub: 17 -- TAMU: 34

Hoying: It may be a little early for the Aggies to start their annual collapse, but unfortunately for them, it looks like they have to face the good version of Auburn this year. Yeah, the opening season win over Oregon was kind of underwhelming, but that Oregon team did hang 77 on Nevada the following week. You know, the Nevada that knocked off Purdue. Where was I going with this? Oh right, Auburn is like a box of chocolates, and it's been 6 years or so since we've seen Good Auburn (shut up, 2017 Auburn, you lost to UCF), so maybe it's time to make some noise in the SEC west again. Sure, they have a freshman QB in Bo Nix, but it seems these days that teams are hard pressed to win a title without one (see: Lawrence, Trevor; Tagovailoa, Tua; Winston, Jameis). Then again, A&M did give Clemson a bit of a fit for a quarter or so, and the Tigers (the orange ones...er, the purple ones...er, the orange and purple ones) are still the reigning hyperdeath squad across the landscape of college football. Jimbo is desperate for a splashy win to justify his absurd paycheck, but he'll have to continue to hang his hat on that 74-72 oddity against LSU last season for now. Aub: 23--TAMU: 20

Schweinfurth: What do we know about these teams? Well, Auburn got lucky to beat Oregon in week 1 and TAMU got wrecked by Clemson. Okay, not great. What do I think? A&M is better and Auburn is riding one play to a top 10 spot. College Station is a tough place to play in games like this. Aub: 20--TAMU: 28

Seeberg:  Fun fact:  Auburn, currently ranked #8, is the FIFTH LOWEST RANKED TEAM on the Aggies' schedule.  Amazingly, Jimbo's squad has #1, #2, #3, and #4 all on it's itinerary this season (already having lost to #1 Clemson).  Now obviously the SEC will cannibalize itself to some degree but that's still a terrifying gauntlet, and it makes this one a must-win.  Auburn does have a win over a good Oregon team- a win it had NO business getting.  However, Oregon and Sparty seem to be dueling every week to take over the "Clemsoning" role in college football.  Should the Tigers manage another miraculous escape it may very well be another charmed season for them, but I can't see it happening on the road under the watchful eye of the 12th man.  Time to start justifying that $75 mil Jimbo!  Aub: 20--TAMU: 26

Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Georgia Bulldogs

Draper: Are the Irish going to do this to us again? The recipe is clear: win the one tough game on the schedule, sleep walk through a bunch of crap, make the playoff, get waxed by Clemson.  The Georgia game this year is 'between the hedges' at Sanford so I'm guessing no.  Georgia is interesting in that they've been mildly impressive in their first games but against the literal sisters of the poor.  I wonder if they're worth the hype.  I think they'll be good enough on the ground to steamroll the Irish, but I just don't have any faith in Notre Dame.  Sure, they'll have a nice 9 win year, but I cannot think of them in the same breath of the Powered Elite anymore.  Let's be honest, can anyone envision a team outside of Clemson, Bama, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, or LSU winning the whole thing? Contender knocks out pretender.  Time for the Dawgs to feast.  ND: 17--UGA: 31 

Hoying: Notre Dame is something of a national punchline considering how they've looked in their last 2 national championship/playoff appearances. But what if the Irish were Actually Pretty Good last year and Clemson was just at another level entirely? It's not like Alabama was able to put up any better of a fight against the Tigers a week later in the title game. People like to complain that the Irish don't have to win a conference to make the playoff, but it's not like their schedule is any easier than any other Power 5 contender. For every cupcake like Florida State or USC on the docket, there's a tough matchup against a Northwestern or a Syracuse. And this year, the defense looks fine, and the offense too, as long as they don't have to run the ball. How is Georgia's run defense...oh (5th in the nation). How's their scoring defense...ah (3rd in the nation). Maybe I shouldn't overthink this. Georgia is still really good, and they're at home, and that's about it. Closer than the experts think, but with the same outcome. ND: 21--UGA: 27

Schweinfurth: Which team has more talent? Georgia. Which team has a QB? Georgia. Ian Book looked pitiful the last two weeks. Where is this game being played? Athens. The deck is stacked up against the Domers for this one. The depth of talent just isn't there. Look at Notre Dame's track record against top teams not TTUN and it is just sad. Dawgs all day. ND: 14--UGA: 35

Seeberg:  To be fair to both teams in this one, I think ND isn't quite as bad this year as their recent reputation suggests, and UGA may not be quite as good.  That said, UGA would likely have been favored by nearly double-digits had this matchup occurred last season, and ND just hasn't made up that much ground yet.  Ian Book hasn't looked quite up to snuff either, and unless they're saving a TON of stuff for this one (CC: Ryan Day vs. Cinci), I fear the superior southern talent will eventually carry the day.  UGA pulls away late.  ND: 20--UGA: 35

Miami RedHawks @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes

Draper: Another day, another Ohio team to fall by the wayside.  Not much to say here as this shouldn't be an issue in the slightest.  Ohio State is truly firing on all cylinders now.  Fields, Dobbins, Olave, Hill,...pick your poison.  Miami's coach mentioned this game is like at recess where the opponent gets the first 85 picks....he's not wrong.  I don't expect to see the starters end much more than a half.  Chase Young will continue to dominate defensively.  I need to see continued growth out of the LBs and secondary.  They have been leaps and bounds better this year compared to last, but the only chance for the Redhawks is to dink, dunk, dodge, dip, duck, dive, and dodge down the field.  I anticipate a little frustration, but no real issue.  This is a game in which the coaches will be tested.  How do you keep the athletes focused on today's challenge.  I expect Day to refer to the FAU game in which the foot came off the gas after the initial barrage.  Bucks big unless Big Ben faked that injury to come back to college....the Bucks slightly less big.  Miami: 10 -- OSU: 55

Hoying: Cincinnati may be the hot (okay, barely lukewarm) team now, but historically it's been the RedskinsHawks that have held down the strong #2 spot in the Buckeye state. And strangely, this group has very rarely headed up to Columbus to take on our beloved Bucks: this will be just the teams' 6th meeting in the last 115 years, with the last matchup kicking off the Urban Meyer era (and his opening 24-game win streak) back in 2012. What should we expect this time? Well, Ohio State has never lost to Miami (this Miami, anyway), and beat the RedHawks 56-10 in that aforementioned 2012 game. That's pretty good, but I'm hoping for something a bit more like the first time these teams met, back in 1904, when OSU won 80-0. And that might happen, as Miami may be the worst non-Rutgers (heck, we might not even need that qualifier) team that Ohio State will see this year. They can't move the ball and they can't stop anyone else from doing the same. That UC team that the Bucks steamrolled 42-0 a couple of weeks ago? It turned right around, let Miami hang around for a half, then blew their doors off for their 14th straight win in that rivalry (sounds like another rivalry I know). If we can combine the FAU start with the Indiana finish, 81-0 might not be out of the question. MU: 6--OSU: 52

Schweinfurth: There isn't much to break down here. This is a name your score and don't get hurt game. I hope Dobbins and Fields only see the field for the first half and let Hoak and Chugs fight for the backup spot the rest of the day. Defensively, this should just be a FAU style game of all base defense. MU: 14--OSU: 59

Seeberg:  First off, RIP to Hopalong Cassidy, 1955 Heisman Trophy winner who led Woody Hayes' squad as a junior to his first of 5 national titles.  He left OSU in 1955 as the school's all time leader in rushing yards, all-purpose yards and even scoring.  Now, to far more trivial matters, the game tomorrow.  To begin the 2019 campaign I was my usual, cautiously pessimistic self.  Two dominant performances over respectable teams later?  I'm changing my tune.  The rest of the country appears to be as well.  The Bucks opened a whopping 37-point favorite over Miami, and that line has actually gone UP to 39 points since.  Even the Redhawks own coach acknowledges they have little hope, likening the game to a schoolyard recess game in which one team has "the first 85 picks".  Honestly, that analogy may not be too far off.  When even your head coach is resigned to his fate, you can expect a game that's ugly to start, ugly at the end, and lots of hideous in between.  Enjoy your 25 minutes off in the second half, Fields, Dobbins and Co.  Miami: 3--OSU: 56

Upset Special

Draper: Tennessee over Florida

Hoying: USC over Utah

Schweinfurth: Colorado over ASU

Seeberg: Air Force over Boise State

Grading the Bucks: Week 3 -- Indiana

Another week, another beatdown.  Very short (late) write-up this week because we had another nearly flawless performance.

Offense: A
MVP: J.K. Dobbins (RB)
This just wasn't fair.  Yeah, there was a little struggle early on, but very minor.  The Buckeye's had their way with the hapless Hoosiers.  Normally, Olave and Fields would be the highlights but Dobbins was fantastic.  The TD run was textbook and showed that this team is ready for any challenge.  Chris Olave continues to impress me in all phases weekly.  Look out for Master Teague in the future of this Buckeye backfield.  He looked great.

Defense: A
MVP: Chase Young (DE) and Damon Arnette (CB)
I'm the furthest person in the world from a Damon Arnette supporter in general, but I'll give credit when he has a good game a stellar play.  The 96 yards to the house on a pick six in which he baited the QB into the throw was beautiful.  In case you haven't heard the call, here it is .  He stayed in school!  Chase Young is a locked and loaded top 5 pick in the 2020 NFL draft (barring injury).  Once again, the quick strike offense gave the Bullets a little trouble.  It will be interesting how they fair against a more competent offense, but they are currently doing everything they need to do to show monstrous growth from last year's dumpster fire.

Special Teams: B+
MVP: Chris Olave (WR)
Another blocked punt for Olave (see Michigan 2018) has this unit on absolute fire.  The downgrade is for the missed chip shot field goal early on which simply can't happen.  Momentum and setting the tone are crushed when a drive (particularly an early one) yields nothing.

Coaching: A
What is there to say here? Dominant plan and execution.  Props to Day and Co. for keeping the team focused and prepared.

Overall: A
Huge road win that shows this team is going to be a factor in the playoff race all year.  Dominant in all phases.  It was an overmatched opponent, but they performed as they should have.  Keep it rolling.

Week 3: Tape-leg

Standings:
1.) Schweinfurth 6-0 (0-2 upset)
1.) Seeberg 6-0 (0-2 upset)
3.) Hoying 5-1 (1-1 upset)
3.) Draper 5-1 (0-2 upset)

I can guarantee you, man, that none of these games is a tape-leg. Some of the players might have a piece of tape on their leg or their shoe, but their legs are not made of tape.

Anyway, college football scheduling gods, send us some good ones next week. You know, some good ones?

Iowa Hawkeyes @ Iowa State Cyclones

Draper: Gameday is in Ames this week....let that sink in.  That should tell you how crappy these games are this week.  I'm sure the CyHawk rivalry is really big for the 100 people in Iowa, but it's very difficult to get excited for a game who's rivalry trophy once had a guy giving corn to a child.  Is Iowa good? eh....maybe? They certainly took care of ....Rutgers.... Is Iowa State good? Probably not after a 3OT squeaker over Northern Iowa.  Who knows? Let's just hope Iowa trucks someone else on a national stage this time.  Iowa: 30 -- ISU: 17

Hoying: Riddle me this: Iowa State goes to triple overtime with Northern Iowa in the season opener, and stays ranked in the top 25. Then last week they don't play at all and fall out of the rankings. It doesn't really matter (early season polls are meaningless and the AP and Coaches' Polls are all meaningless, all the time), but it would have been nice to have at least one ranked matchup in the bucket of slop that is week 3. As stated above, Iowa State is bad, but they've been known to look clueless against lower competition and jump up and bite an Oklahoma or West Virginia. Oddly enough, they haven't done this to the Hawkeyes lately like they always did in the earlier 2000's, so are the Cyclones due? Probably not. Iowa dominated last week's game against Rutgers (I know, I know, Rutgers, but again, Northern Iowa), forcing turnovers and generally frustrating the hapless Scarlet Knight offense. Considering the 'Clones put up a whopping 13 on Northern Iowa before extra time started, I wouldn't be too worried were I Iowa. Iowa: 27--ISU: 10

Schweinfurth: Ahh, the CyHawk. One of the craziest rivalry games around. While this game can get interesting, this is one I will turn on late just to watch the insanity. It always seems that when Iowa feels like they have a great team, the Cyclones come out of nowhere and bag tag the Hawkeyes. As funny as it would be to see Iowa State leg drop Herky, I just don't see it happening. I'll take the coaching genius (and infinite time B1G coach of the year) of Kirk Ferentz's squad this year. Iowa: 24--ISU: 17

Seeberg:  This one is, oddly, even more difficult to predict than most early-season rivalry games.  The Cyclones were hot garbage for the better part of half a century but still played the usually respectable Hawkeyes well.  This year, both squads were expected to be pretty solid, and the black and yellow have held up their end of the bargain while ISU needed a lot of OT to beat an FCS opponent (yay abbreviations!).  The Cyclones get this one at home, and given the awful slate of games this week, even College Game Day will be there!  With two weeks to prepare this one should be another nail-biter, but the Hawkeyes should sneak out of Ames with the CyHawk Trophy again.  Iowa: 27--ISU: 24

Arizona State Sun Devils @ Michigan State Spartans

Draper: And not for the battle between one of college football's most outspoken coaches and one of the most boring.  I don't see much from MSU on the offensive side of the ball, but the defense has been great.  Arizona State is a bit of mess...and they're coming to East Lansing.  Look for Sparty to have a workmanlike win that no one will see or care about.  ASU: 10 -- MSU: 24

Hoying: Last year Sun Devil coach Herm Edwards scored his signature victory of the year in the desert, kicking a last second FG to send the Spartans home losers. This year? Don't count on it. ASU needed all 4 quarters to put away Sacramento State last week, and their red zone offense is just atrocious. At least the defense is working. But Michigan State's defense is working just as well, and they have something resembling an offense Lewerking as well. This one should be over quickly. ASU: 13--MSU: 24

Schweinfurth: What looks worse the Spartans' offense or those atrocious Oregon wannabe uniforms they wore last week. I think it's a toss up. MSU needed a full scale rehire on the offensive coaching staff and all they did was reshuffle the deck. I guess it's good that the Walrus isn't calling plays anymore? As much as the Spartan offence offends me, Dantonio's defenses are always legit. The PAC-12 is bad and ASU is toward the mid-bottom of that conference. It won't matter if Herm is playing to win the game, the Spartans should pull this out. Another loss to ASU and Dino's seat may start getting warm. ASU: 10--MSU: 20

Seeberg:  Despite their conference being a perennial dumpster fire the last few years, the ASU squad managed an upset of Sparty out west last year.  Lightning doesn't strike twice in a row, however, and western teams aren't much of a fan of traveling three time zones east.  I doubt this game will be aesthetically pleasing- especially if Sparty breaks out those nausea-inducing highlighter green pants (with a WHITE stripe...just...why??) again so I wouldn't flip over to this one.  Just watch the scoreboard on the bottom line and see Dantonio and Co. steadily pull away.  ASU: 17--MSU: 34

Florida Gators @ Kentucky Wildcats

Draper: Can the Wildcats do it again after slaying the UF beast? Sadly, they've lost a lot of talent but the Gators were a laughing stock vs. Miami...except for the D-line.  The Gator pass rush was tenacious and should get after Kentucky's QB (no I don't want to find his name).  Mark Stoops has the Cats believing but I think the talent on the other side will be too much, but I think it will be a little close for comfort.  Florida falls backwards into another shaky win and stays highly ranked for some reason.  UF: 13 -- UK: 10

Hoying: Finally, FINALLY, last year, after 31 years of futility, the Wildcats broke through against the Gators. What are they going to do to Dan Mullen in Gainesville if he starts 0-2 against the SEC's erstwhile joke team? Kentucky was Actually Pretty Good last year (you may remember them knocking off Penn State in the Citrus Bowl, lol) but they practically lost their entire offense with the departure of RB Benny Snell. Good thing Florida looks like poo this year, winning a sloppy opener against Miami leaving Gator fans to wonder if they'll ever find another competent QB again after the ascension of St. Tebow (and Will Grier getting run out of town on a rail). As time goes by, the stats tend to regress to the mean, and the mean in this series looks a lot more like 31 in a row for Florida than 2 in a row for Kentucky. UF: 27--UK: 24

Schweinfurth: Kentucky lost a lot off a decent 2018 team. Gone is Benny Snell and in comes??? Yea. Look last year was a miracle season for the Wildcats. Florida is coming to ruin that this year and put the basketball school back in their place. UF: 35--UK: 20

Seeberg:  So are either of these teams...crap, what's the word I'm looking for...good?  We know the Gators were supposed to be and the weight of expectations has not suited UF well the last several seasons down in Gainesville.  Meanwhile, UK lost approximately 94.3% of its offense after Benny Snell left, but what a year it was, beating Florida for the first time since the FIRST George Bush was VICE President.  The boys in blue will be charged up to start a new streak of their own, but they just don't have enough offensively to overcome a more talented Gator team.  Could be close, but a new streak begins nonetheless.  UF: 27--UK: 17

THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Indiana Hoosiers

Draper: OSU played a nearly flawless game last week as we enter conference schedule a little early.  Weird stuff happens in Bloomington (not to cost the game, but to make it close) every once in awhile.That being said, I'm not terribly worried this year.  Michael Penix (IU's QB) may miss the game which would normally be a boon, but backup QBs have a tendency to come out and torch the Bucks.  Regardless, I don't see the Hoosier defense stifling Fields, Dobbins, and Co.  The WRs this year have been exceptional for the Bucks and I think the trend continues here.  The biggest question for the passing game will be if there is enough to go around (I think the Dobbins/Teague eats well this week).  OSU hasn't faced any adversity this year so there's always a chance, but I don't think this is the week.  Keep the train rolling.  OSU: 42 -- IU: 13

Hoying: The Buckeyes continue their slog against crappy out of conference opponents this week...wait, what? Another one of these? Didn't Ohio State go to Indiana to open the season two years ago? Oh well, here we go again. You may remember that game as JK Dobbins's coming out party. I mean, yeah, JT threw for 300 yards and 3 TDs, too, but the Buckeyes leaned heavily on Dobbins as he racked up 180 yards in his first game for the Scarlet and Gray. Expect to see more of that after last week's solid performance. You may also remember that 2017 game for the circus catches the IU receivers were making to pick on our secondary, showing the cracks in the Silver Bullet edifice that threatened to bring the whole house down last year. Expect to see less of that now that Greg Mattison and Al Washington spontaneously burst into existence this year to reshape the Buckeye D into something workable. Indiana has a new dual threat quarterback, which might give Buckeye fans nightmares to a few other showdowns with the Hoosiers in recent memory, but this game should follow a familiar script: IU comes out with a few surprises, catches the Buckeyes sleeping for a little while, then Dobbins or KJ Hill or Chase Young makes a huge play and the Bucks never look back. OSU: 34--IU: 20

Schweinfurth: It's always fun to return to where we started. Just ask JK Dobbins. What might make Dobbins scarier is this offense looks way more dangerous than the one he set Buckeye freshman rushing records two years ago. But enough about Dobbins, the Bullets look like an actual defense this year and not the Silver BBs of last year. Arnett still needs better ball awareness when thrown at, but has been serviceable for the most part. The linebacker play has been much, much better. It's amazing what happens when you don't have the backers' heads turned at the snap and they can locate the ball immediately. Indiana's starter is questionable, but the Hoosiers are the B1G chaos team. This is close for a half and then Chase Young breaks their will. OSU: 42--IU: 24

Seeberg:  Well, last week was phenomenal.  All of us here at Let's Go Bucks expected a closer contest and what we got was more akin to a no-contest.  Now this young Buckeye team hits the "road" for the first time (albeit in a stadium typically with more Buckeye than Hoosier fans) against IU.  Make no mistake, this IS your older brother's IU team.  They have two talented QBs, several respectable offensive weapons, a bowling ball of a running back...and a defense?  Dobbins and Fields need to rule the day at high 11 AM central time.  A heavy dose of J.K. will open up play-action passes and, more importantly, keep Fields from getting field turf all over him.  Running to set up the pass sounds, well, Tressel-esque and boring, but Ryan Day actually prefers touchdowns to field goals (see: 6 TDs, 0 FG attempts last week), so in Day's hands it's actually an effective philosophy.  Keep everything in front as a defense, shut down red zone trips, and get out of recently-hairy Bloomington with a solid conference W.  OSU: 38--IU: 17

Upset Special

Draper: Temple over Maryland

Hoying: Stanford over Central Florida

Schweinfurth: Florida State over UVA

Seeberg: Pitt over Penn State

Grading the Bucks: Week 2--Cincinnati

I always love grading a performance like this.  This will be a short writeup due to the dominance we saw on Sat.  I hope that Cincy is as good as I thought (top tier of Group of 5) because that would mean great things for this Buckeye team.  Please don't faceplant, Fick.

Offense: A
Co-MVPs: Justin Fields (QB), J.K. Dobbins (RB)
Fantastic play all day.  I was pleasantly surprised to see some life on the O-line.  They were pushing people around and creating holes all over the place.  Fields was very sharp and threw the ball away most of the time needed.  Dobbins neared 150 on the ground and was workmanlike.  On top of all this, I think receiving corps is sneakily one of the best in the country.  As Fields matures mentally, look out.  Here's hoping the O-line can keep this level of intensity.

Defense: A+
MVP: Chase Young (DE)
Shutting out a decent team like UC even with the 2 gifts in the redzone is a monster feat.  Keeping an opponent, any opponent, scoreless through 60 minutes is very difficult and this defense got it done.  Most of us already knew what to expect out of Chase Young and he continues to impress.  Malik Harrison has brought some nice linebacker play that we haven't seen in years.  The secondary still has some holes/room to improve, but the growth from last year's train wreck is amazing.

Special Teams: A
MVP: Chase Young (DE)
Oh so close to another A+ but another random kickoff out of bounds for no reason.  Chase Young with the monster block to preserve the shutout early and keep little brother in their place.  Other than the kick out of bounds, I can't remember anything else (which usually means a nice showing by special teams.

Coaching: B+
Ah...the lone blemish.  One would think that you can't possibly downgrade a staff whose squad thoroughly dominated a decent opponent, but I can't get over the 3rd/4th down playcall early in the game.  The decision to go on 4th was fine (wonderful even).  The decision to throw for the endzone on 3rd down was fine.  Not my choice, but I can respect it given that you are going for it on 4th.  Then, the sweep run out wide on 4th....yuck.  The O-line was controlling the point of attack early on in the game.  To get a foot, a sneak, QB power, RB dive, anything up the gut was a virtual guarantee (flashback to "give it to Hyde" in the 2013 B1G Championship...).  I don't like when the top dogs get cute.  Exert your will and dominate.

Overall: A
Nothing wrong with a huge shutout win over the in state...other team.  People outside of OSU won't care, but this was an incredibly positive sign for the Buckeyes moving forward.

Week 2: Nasty Boys

Standings:
1.) Draper 2-0 (0-1 upset)
1.) Hoying 2-0 (0-1 upset)
1.) Schweinfurth 2-0 (0-1 upset)

1.) Seeberg 2-0 (0-1 upset)

FINALLY some games of import: Little Brother comes knocking for the first time in 5 years, and two SEC teams deign to play true road games against elite opponents. But first...

Syracuse Orange @ Maryland Terrapins

Draper: Does the hurt that Maryland put on Howard last week mean anything? What about what Syracuse did to Liberty with a coach literally coaching from a hospital bed in the press box? Short answer: no.  Long answer: noooooooooooo. I really don't put any stock in last week's results given the competition.  The fact that these defenses have given up a total of 0 points is kinda cool, I guess.  I have slightly more faith in Dino Babers than anything happening in College Park.  I really don't care about this game or know anything of value.  I'll slight lean to the Orange.  Why? I don't know.  SU: 28 -- Mary: 20

Hoying: You may laugh, but in each of the last two seasons, Maryland has risen up and bitten an early season "why are they ranked" team. 2 years ago their vanquished foe stumbled along to a .500 season, while last year they ended up winning a New Year's Six game. Did you remember that both times, this sub-Maryland team was the Texas Longhorns? More on them later. This year the Terps got to pound on some poor guy named Howard to the tune of 79-0 to warm up for this one. Meanwhile the Orange were ganging up on some poor team with no conference and their coach in a hospital bed (in the stadium for some reason). What did we learn from those contests? Nothing, they were playing Howard and Liberty. But somebody must know something, because this game opened at Syracuse -5 and has since swung all the way around to Maryland -2. The Terrapins still have that tiny nightmare Anthony McFarland that burned us for 300 yards or so last year, and Syracuse is still kinda fake good. Go B1G or go home (maybe just go home). SU: 24--Mary: 28

Schweinfurth: I'm doing the abbreviated version of picks this week. We'll go Maryland at home. Just have that feeling. SU: 28--Mary: 35

Seeberg:  Is this a surprisingly intriguing September game?  Absolutely.  Will it matter in the grand scheme of college football?  Not one damn bit.  Still, remarkable that the Terrapins could have dropped 100 on their opponent last week had they felt the need.  Both squads pitched shutouts last week but the Orange offense looked, well, lousy in comparison to McFarland and Co.  The fact that Maryland is actually favored against a ranked team under ANY circumstance is eye-opening.  It's another September to remember for the TMNT squad before collapsing in the B1G as per usual.  SU: 20--Mary: 26

Texas A&M Aggies @ Clemson Tigers

Draper: The spread in this game is insane.  I think it opened at 17...against a top 12 foe.  That's nuts.  Even with all the hype surrounding the Aggies this year and how they're going to be the one to knock off Bama (I'll believe it when they have Johnny Football again), I can't see Clemson dropping this one.  Clemson is just a machine at this point.  While TAMU is the biggest roadblock on their schedule (by a wide margin), I don't see this being particularly interesting.  I don't foresee a blowout, but I also don't think it will be in doubt.  Trevor Lawrence keeps the train rolling and Clemson continues the run of dominance. TAMU: 24--Clem: 42

Hoying: What's the opposite of rat poison? Whatever it is, that's what's being fed to the Tide this year as everyone has hopped off their bandwagon and set sail with Dabo and the Tigers. And if Clemson stomps everyone's favorite September SEC team on Saturday it'll really ramp up, and before you know it you'll get idiots with blogs writing about how Clemson is unstoppable and going to beat everyone they play by a million. And why not? Clemson QB and RB Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne haven't gone anywhere. The Clemson defense is still no slouch, holding the new-look Georgia Tech offense to a measly 14 points last week. The only reason this game was close last year was because the Tigers took their foot off the gas and the 12th Man spurred the Aggies to a furious late comeback that came up just short. I know it's a little early in the year for the standard Texas A&M collapse but any crazy fantasies of greatness will need to put on hold for another season. TAMU: 17--Clem: 31

Schweinfurth: I don't expect this to be the great game it was last year. A&M got tons of juice from their crowd. The 12th man can't help on the road. TAMU: 13--Clem 35

Seeberg:  Do my eyes deceive me?  Are TWO top 15 SEC teams playing TRUE road games against two OTHER top 15 teams?  Pardon me while I visit my optometrist.  TAMU heads to Death Valley in a remarkably entertaining week 2 matchup.  Extreme talent everywhere in this one, particularly on both sides of the line of scrimmage for both teams.  Clemson lost approximately 18,394 defensive linemen to the draft last year and still boast a top 10 D-line unit nationally.  The Aggies feel just a skill position player or two short of competing for a title this year, however, and if you aren't competing for the golden lipstick, you aren't good enough to hang with Clemson for four quarters.  Sorry Jimbo.  TAMU: 23--Clem: 38

Louisiana State Tigers @ Texas Longhorns

Draper: Where's Tessitore to proclaim Texas's "backness".  I heard the pundits already chiming that a win here would indicate that Texas is indeed back...but I've heard that before....many times.  Sam Ehlinger is a very good QB that runs Herman's system to a tee, but the defense of LSU is crazy good as per usual.  Joe Burrow leads the Tigahs into Darrell K Royal which....doesn't frighten anyway.  On top of that, Big Game Tom Herman seems to win big games and crap away a stupid one midseason (see: Urban Meyer?).  This would be a marquee Texas win, but I just don't see it.  It will be close, but y'all's Tigah Bait.  Coach O stays running high before Bama causes the traditional crash and burn.  LSU: 31--Tex: 27

Hoying: This is the part when I'm supposed to talk about how I'm pulling for LSU because that's where Joe Burrow ended up. That's not going to happen. You leave this program, you're dead to me. Had he stayed, perhaps we wouldn't have had to turn to a transfer of our own (though Mr. Fields seems to be working out just fine so far). Digressions aside, there's no denying that Joey Carpetbagger has provided an instant upgrade to the usual slop behind center we've been accustomed to seeing at LSU ever since Matt Flynn left. The defense is as good as ever (74 points in 7OT losses notwithstanding) and LSU would be primed to make a run at an SEC title if not for, well, you know. Buuuuuut, it's Texas Tom, in a big game, as a home dog. The Longhorns have their own experienced QB, Sam Ehlinger, and one of the better defenses in the Big 12 (lol). The SEC's early season meltdown ramps up to 3.6 roentgen (not great, not terrible). LSU: 27--UT: 30

Schweinfurth: I'm not sold on either of these two teams. The bonus for LSU is that Texas plays Big 12 defense. LSU: 35--UT: 31

Seeberg:  Ah yes the annual tradition:  The "is Texas back?" September game.  Mind you, they lost to the vaunted Maryland Terrapins (see above) two years in a row, so the answer has been, rather emphatically, NO.  They do get the TIgers at home, however, but LSU's typically dreadful offense is on the verge of respectability and, well, the Big 12-2 all but ignores defense in general.  A real road test for a good SEC squad is nearly unheard of, but with a barely capable offense, that should be enough in the conference filled with kids who played 7-on-7 as much as full-tilt high school football.  Play that Tiger Rag.  LSU: 27--UT: 23

Cincinnati Bearcats @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes

Draper: Is it finally time for Ohio's Only BCS Team from 2010* (*Warranty void in Tennessee) to unseat the big dog in the state? That's a no from me dawg.  OSU showed a few chinks in the armor last week, but the effort level after the opening barrage was not the same (to be expected).  Fickell returns to the Shoe with one of the top Group of 5 teams in the nation (perhaps the best?) but if you come at the King, you'd better not miss.  Against these athletes, OSU should be able to establish dominance on the ground with ease.  Fields needs to be quicker on the trigger and all will be fine (in fairness, the receivers were solid last week).  Defense will provide the real information as I really don't know what to expect.  Larry Johnson always has the D-line at a supreme level, but what will the secondary look like against a team with a pulse.  I'm excited for the chance to see it.  I think this will be a little closer than Buckeye Nation would like, but we didn't cover many spreads last year (except perhaps TTUN).  Buckeyes earn a hard fought solid win and Fields takes a step forward.  UC: 24-- OSU: 38

Hoying: Welcome back, wannabes. I always look forward to this matchup because each time this century the Buckeyes face the Bearcats we always give them the stiff-arm on the way to a title run (except you, 2004, shhhhh). And since the 2002 heart attack that kicked off a 2-year parade of heart-stopping wins, the Ohio State has been able to dispatch the Nasty Nati with relative ease. Oh, but this time there's a former Buckeye national champion defensive coordinator taking the 'Cats into battle? Didn't matter much in 2004 or 2006 when Mark Dantonio was doing the same, and we've seen his ability to give our beloved Bucks fits when commanding a competent team. Maybe Fick has it in him to frustrate the Buckeyes as well, but it won't be this Saturday with this squad. The Buckeye defense seems to have turned a corner and have too many weapons at their disposal for an admittedly decent Cincinnati D to keep at bay. Justin Fields isn't Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and the Buckeye O line isn't quite the sieve that UCLA trotted out last week. Enjoy Fickell while you can, Cincinnati. Either he'll crash and burn and you'll fire him, or he'll succeed like every other Bearcat coach in the last 15 years (except you, Senator Tuberville) and be on to bigger and better things. Still sUCks to be a stepping stone. UC: 17--OSU: 34

Schweinfurth: So I watched more of UC's game last week than the Buckeyes (sorry was out of town). I am not sold on their QB. From what I did see, the Silver Bullet secondary looks up to par. I see this staying close into the third quarter, but the Bucks are just better all over the field. UC: 14--OSU: 38

Seeberg:  If you'll kindly check last week's predictions, you'll note I had the final margin of victory dead-on, and barely missed the actual point totals themselves.  Though it's better to be lucky than good, the game ended essentially where I figured it would.  A decent-looking-if-somewhat-vanilla offense that flashed brilliance at times but still struggled to dominate via the run like ANY Ohio State team should be able to do against inferior competition.  A decent-looking-if-somewhat-vanilla defense that surrendered some points late with inexperienced backups in, but also flashed brilliance nonetheless (how Chase Young was only credited with 1.5 sacks simply boggles the mind).  The O-line clearly has the most room for improvement, but unfortunately for UC, so does there's with two freshmen starting right next to each other.  Fickell's D is too good to let the game get out of hand, but OSU is too talented to not salt it away late with the help of a turnover or two.  Enjoy Fickell while you have him, Bearcats fans, because when he takes the Minnesota gig in 2 years' time you'll be back to those 5-7 seasons you're so fond of and with which you're quite familiar.  UC: 13-- OSU: 31

Upset Special

Draper: Nevada over Oregon

Hoying: Colorado over Nebraska

Schweinfurth: Army over M*ch*g@n

Seeberg: Ohio U. over Pitt

Grading the Bucks: Week 1--Florida Atlantic

Talk about a tale of 2 games.  The first only lasted 8 min and 10 secs, but man was it explosive.  Plenty of things need shoring up, but there were positives as well.

Offense: B-
Grade seems low but I have my reasons.  First, the grade out of the gate was an A+++.  Everything was clicking beautifully.  The receivers looked crisp, Fields was decisive, and it was just plain easy.  Much of this was tempered in my mind with the fact that FAU was absolutely horrible.  Missed assignments, falling down...it was a comedy of errors.  Then reality set it.  For his first start Fields did pretty well but he needs to make quicker decisions.  When confident in the throw, he delivered a nice ball on time.  Even when Victor broke completely open, he made sure to hit the receiver when many QBs get excited and overthrow.  After the 4 TD barrage wore off, he had happy feet in the pocket (more to come) and simply held the ball too long.  It seemed that he expected the receivers to always be completely open like the beginning and he waited for it.  The major point of concern (other than the fumbles) was some lackluster offensive line play.  It was clear early on in the game that FAU was physically overmatched.  There was no reason for them to get ANY pressure based on the athletes, especially when not sending extra guys, and yet Fields was consistently diving out of the pocket.  The push in the running game was also missing.  The line play is very concerning moving forward.

Defense: A-
While all this is taken with a grain of salt (see above that FAU is horrible), the defense played quite well (as they should have).  The dink-and-dunk was the only success as the QB had to get rid of the ball very quickly due to the pressure.  Any time you can enter halftime holding the offense to negative yards, you have to be doing something right.  The second half was a bit more lackadaisical, but that's what happens in games like this.  The secondary was out of position a bit, but it was tough to truly gauge the improvement/lack thereof of the defense against this opponent.  Given the circumstances, I'm pleased.

Special Teams: B+
FAU did a nice job avoiding McCall which led to him getting into trouble on the sidelines (and replaced).  I thought it was just nice directional punting.  No missed kicks or problems in the return game.  There's also a little shake in the return game which I think will be important in the future.

Coaching: A-
Ryan Day and Co. dialed up a brilliant beginning to the era.  Can't fault much in the on field coaching, but I certainly hope the drop off in performance isn't the norm.  When the Owls started to fight back, I was a little concerned with the response of the Scarlet and Gray.  Instead of shutting the upstarts down, they played content.  A mental shift needs to occur to prevent this in all games.  The killer instinct must be at full capacity to compete with the best.  I think the coaching staff is going to keep them ready, but the laziness was noticed.

Overall: B+
Line play, line play, line play.  Perhaps the style is a more strategic attack rather than a physically dominant one, but can't it be both?  Fields needs to maintain confidence in his arm and receivers.  I've seen many a talented QB wait for the wide open receiver.  In today's game, risks are a necessity.  I trust in the offense and the offensive staff, but the growth needs to continue.  As for the defense, I'm still waiting for the next test.  I think Cincy will provide a nice measuring stick next week.