Top 25 and Heisman Ballots - After Week 10

After a two year hiatus, rankings make a triumphant return to Let's Go Bucks! The Committee will weigh in soon enough with their opinions; get the real scoop here first.

Rankings, as always, are based on what teams have done so far, not how we believe they will finish.

Let's Go Bucks Index
1. Louisiana State
2. Ohio State
3. Alabama
4. Penn State
5. Clemson
6. Georgia
7. Oregon
8. Baylor
9. Minnesota
10. Florida
11. Utah
12a. Oklahoma
12b. Auburn
14. Michigan
15. Wisconsin
16. Notre Dame
17. Kansas State
18. Cincinnati
19. Iowa
20. Memphis
21. Indiana
22. Wake Forest
23. Boise State
24. SMU
25. Navy

Others receiving votes: San Diego State

Let's Go Bucks Heisman Index
1. Joe Burrow (QB--LSU)
2. Chase Young (DE--OSU)
3. Jalen Hurts (QB--Okla)

Others receiving votes: JK Dobbins (RB--OSU)

Draper Top 25

1. Ohio State

2. Louisiana State

3. Alabama

4. Clemson

5. Penn State

6. Georgia

7. Oregon

8. Baylor

9. Minnesota

10. Oklahoma

11. Florida

12. Michigan

13. Auburn

14. Utah

15. Cincinnati

16. Wisconsin

17. Notre Dame

18. Iowa 

19. Kansas State

20. Memphis

21. Indiana

22. SMU

23. Wake Forest

24. Boise State

25. Navy

Draper Heisman Ballot

1. Chase Young (DE--OSU)
2. Joe Burrow (QB--LSU)
3. Jalen Hurts (QB--Oklahoma)
Honorable Mention: J.K. Dobbins (RB-- OSU)

Hoying Top 25

1. Louisiana State

2. Ohio State

3. Penn State

4. Clemson

5. Alabama

6. Baylor

7. Minnesota

8. Georgia

9. Florida

10. Auburn

11. Michigan

12. Oregon

13. Wisconsin

14. Notre Dame

15. Utah

16. Iowa

17. Kansas State

18. Oklahoma

19. Wake Forest

20. Memphis

21. Indiana

22. Cincinnati

23. Southern Methodist

24. Boise State

25. San Diego State

Hoying Heisman Ballot
1. Joe Burrow (QB--LSU)
2. Jalen Hurts (QB--Okla)
3. JK Dobbins (RB--Ohio St)

Schweinfurth Top 25
1. LSU

2. Ohio State

3. Penn State

4. Alabama

5. Clemson

6. Utah

7. Baylor

8. Georgia

9. Oregon

10. Minnesota

11. Oklahoma

12. Florida

13. Auburn

14. Wisconsin

15. Michigan

16. Notre Dame

17. Kansas State 

18. Memphis

19. Cincinnati

20. Indiana

21. Wake Forest

22. Boise St.

23. Navy

24. San Diego St. 

25. SMU

Schweinfurth Heisman Ballot
1. Joe Burrow (QB--LSU)

2. Chase Young (DE--OSU)

3. JK Dobbins (RB--OSU)

4. Jalen Hurts (QB--Okla)

I feel like I need to justify this because it seems homerish. Oklahoma lost and Hurts looks more like a system beneficiary. He played okay in their loss, but JK and Chase Young have been dominant in games. Young has a play every week that makes my jaw drop. If not for the lopsided blowouts all year, Dobbins yardage numbers would be more impressive. As impressive as Tua has been all year, the injury eliminates him in my mind.

Seeberg Top 25
1. LSU
2. Ohio State
3. Alabama
4. Penn State
5. Clemson
6. Oregon
7. Georgia
8. Oklahoma
9. Utah
10. Florida
11. Auburn
12. Michigan
13. Minnesota
14. Baylor
15. Wisconsin
16. Notre Dame
17. Kansas State
18. Iowa
19. Cincinnati
20. Boise State
21. Indiana
22. Wake Forest
23. Memphis
24. Navy
25. SMU

Seeberg Heisman Ballot
1. Joe Burrow (QB--LSU)
2. Chase Young (DE--OSU)
3. Jalen Hurts (QB--Okla)

Two Playoff Teams from the Same Conference?

You've heard the same steady drumbeat from all the usual sources since before this season even began. "Don't be surprised to see two teams from the same conference in the playoff this year." It's not a total stretch. We've already seen it happen (2017), even in the BCS days (2011), when the playoff only included two teams. Why can't it happen this year, particularly when one conference has so many standout teams at the top? Why should one of them get left out for taking an acceptable loss to another title contender? Particularly if the team taking the loss is...well, you know the one.

That team.

The one that's in the playoff discussion every year, and no stranger to playoff controversy. That team has a good chance to avoid the drama this year, as even though they aren't quite atop the polls right now, they're still undefeated, they've destroyed everyone on their schedule to date, and they'll be favored in every game from here through the conference championship. That is, if they make it that far. One of their division rivals (no, not the rival, but an annoying one just the same) is right atop the undefeated pile with them, and the rival's coming to town for a massive November showdown. A loss would leave that team on the outside looking in on championship weekend. It wouldn't be a death knell to their playoff hopes, as that team has made the playoff once before despite not winning their division. But the champion of this conference will virtually be a lock for the playoff, so it seems the only way for that team to make the playoff with a loss would be for their conference to get two teams in.

"Would that be such a shame?" the narrative queries. Every team in the Pac-12 enters November with a blemish, with only 2 teams having avoided their dreaded playoff-eliminating second loss. Baylor's not going undefeated, and one-loss Oklahoma's the only other Big 12 team still in the playoff picture. Notre Dame won't be reprising their appearance from last year, and Clemson's one Clemsoning away from having a Group of 5-esque resume and knocking the ACC out of the playoff hunt as well. In a year with such a weak playoff field, why should that team be punished for playing in a tough conference and coming out mono-scathed?

You know what team I'm talking about, right? Maybe not. The above description actually fits two different teams. For purposes of blind comparison, we'll call them Borealis and Australis.

In November, Borealis, after hosting the undefeated showdown mentioned above, goes on the road to face their rivals in another possible top 10 matchup. Borealis already has another conference win over a ranked team, and though they didn't face a Power 5 opponent out of conference, they picked up another ranked win over a tough Group of 5 team who hasn't lost since.

In November, Australis, after hosting the undefeated showdown mentioned above, goes on the road to face their rivals in another possible top 10 matchup. Australis has played a hot load of trash so far in conference, and while they beat a (bad) Power 5 team to start the year, they're not going to pick up any quality wins out of conference. Their November stretch run even includes a nice FCS breather.

By now I don't have to tell you that Borealis and Australis are Ohio State and Alabama. And I don't have to tell you that Alabama has been one of the "two playoff teams from the same conference" since the pundits started publishing their preseason playoff predictions. But I will ask you: how many projected playoff fields have you seen with two teams from the B1G? You know, the conference with 3 undefeated teams?

On the one hand, the Buckeyes could take this as a compliment. Perhaps the narrative is that Ohio State's rampage is obviously going to continue, and the destruction will be so total that the playoff committee couldn't possibly countenance putting another Big Ten team in the playoff. But why is a 1 loss Penn State, with wins over Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota, less deserving than, say, a 1 loss Georgia, or LSU, or yes, Alabama? Now's not the time to split hairs over these teams' relative playoff resumes (that will come later). For now, just question why all the love is being heaped on one conference and their standard-bearer while another is being ignored.

Week 10: Go Bye Bye!

Standings:
1.) Schweinfurth 28-4 (2-7 upset)
2.) Hoying 27-5 (4-5 upset)
3.) Seeberg 25-7 (1-8 upset)
4.) Draper 24-8 (1-8 upset)

Welcome to another thrilling week of NCAA division 1-A football! See all your favorite teams* in action this Saturday**.





*Offer not applicable to LSU, Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, San Diego State, Texas, or any of 25 other teams on byes this week.



**Yes, we know some teams play on Thursday or Friday. Shut up.

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Florida Gators

Draper: Hooray for the Cocktail Party! (The only game that doesn't suck this week!) After faceplanting against South Carolina, Georgia cannot afford to drop another game (not to mention the need to earn a quality win after ND entered free fall).  A touch of shine has been taken off the Gators in Death Valley, but they're still a pretty good team (at least defensively).  Georgia is more complete.  I'm expecting a close game, but one in which the team with more experience at QB (Jake Fromm State Farm) will take the game.  This will likely solidify a reappearance of the Dawgs in the SEC Championship.  UGA: 24--UF: 16

Hoying: If you listen carefully, you can hear all the head coverings hitting the ground. Each quality win on which these teams were hanging their hats took it on the chin last weekend. At least Florida's vanquished foe, Auburn, looked somewhat respectable in Death Valley against LSU. But Notre Dame? The less said, the better, and suddenly Georgia's resume doesn't look so good. Remember when the Bulldogs lost to South Carolina? Since that masterpiece, the Cocks have lost to Florida and Tennessee. Yiiiikes. Hope you enjoyed the 90's and 2017, SEC East fans. The winner of this game isn't taking down LSU or Bama. And that winner will be...Georgia. The Gator D is good but the Bulldog D is better. UGA: 20--UF: 14

Schweinfurth: I have watched a little of both these teams this year. Let me start by saying, I'm not real impressed with either. Georgia is a team that can't get out of its own way and Florida is just a head scratcher. Both teams do have good defenses, but QB play has been suspect. I'm gonna go with the Gators for some odd reason. UGA: 17--UF: 21

Seeberg: A few weeks ago, it wouldn't have even crossed my mind to do any work on this game, Bulldogs by a mile.  Now?  These squads feel like mirror images of each other.  Largely solid defenses with woefully underperforming offenses.  Unfortunately for the visitors, despite the high hopes to start the season, a trip into the Swamp is rarely the cure for an offense that is struggling to find rhythm against opponents with a pulse in recent weeks.  Hard to imagine Fromm springing back to life in Jacksonville.  Gators officially enter the "multiple SEC teams should get into the playoff!" discussion.  UGA: 13--UF: 20

Southern Methodist Mustangs @ Memphis Tigers

Draper: Wheeeeee!!!! No one cares! Yeah, SMU is now in the driver's seat to snag the NY6 bid from the Group of 5 after App State took it on the chin, but they're dogs vs. Memphis.... Are you really deserving if you are fairly deep dogs to Memphis? Well, perhaps they just need to play the 'no one trusts us' card, but Memphis is no slouch.  I'm leaning on Tigers to keep the Group of 5 a complete and abject mess.  Go Tigers.  SMU: 28 -- Mem: 34

Hoying: I believe this is a first at Let's Go Bucks! We've never been forced to write about SMU before. But they've become impossible to ignore. After taking the reins (heh) from Chad Morris a couple of years ago, Sonny Dykes has turned the ponies into a serious NY6 contender. They even took one of Texas's castoff quarterbacks, Shane Buechele, and pulled off a victory against TCU! Not even the QB Texas kept could do that this season. As for their opponent, the Tigers have been playing with fire since their opening season win over Ole Mississippi. It burned them against Temple but ultimately not against Tulsa, as a last second shank delivered Memphis from a crippling loss. Yes, that Tulsa, the one that SMU needed a 21 point 4th quarter comeback and three overtimes to beat. The AAAAAAAC has been the most fun conference in America this season, except for maybe the Pac-12, and the race to face Cincinnati for the conference crown isn't slowing down anytime soon. It's just that, after this weekend, Memphis will be in the lead. A slightly better D, along with the home crowd, dooms the Mustangs' perfect season. SMU: 31--Mem: 34

Schweinfurth: With all the "Texas is back" talk last year, someone forgot about the woebegone Mustangs. The only school to ever receive the NCAA death penalty. Let's be honest here, I only watched 2 AAC games this year and one involved Ohio State. I truly know nothing about either team. Why not, SMU stays undefeated. SMU: 38--Mem: 35

Seeberg: SMU is undefeated and somehow avoids Cincinnati on their schedule.  Honestly it feels like a season simialr to those Northwestern teams in the mid-90s that "won" back-to-back B1G titles by virtue of having neither Ohio State OR TTUN on their docket.  Not sure how that was legal, but back to the present.  Memphis has a penchant for playing close games and there's no reason to suspect this one will be any different.  The Tigers' schedule is massively backloaded, however, finishing with games at Houston and at home against Cinci.  My guess is they will be amped up enough for this one to sneak by before falling flat late.  Enjoy Beale Street.  SMU: 34--Mem: 41

Upset Special

Draper: Vandy over South Carolina

Hoying: Kansas over Kansas State

Schweinfurth: USC over Oregon

Seeberg: Virginia Tech over Notre Dame

Week 9: Big Nude Saturday

Standings:
1.) Schweinfurth 25-3 (2-6 upset)
2.) Hoying 24-4 (4-4 upset)
3.) Seeberg 23-5 (1-7 upset)
4.) Draper 22-6 (1-7 upset)

Thanks to Wisconsin's faceplant in Champaign, the Buckeyes won't get to participate in the biggest game of the regular season to date. And they probably won't get to in the future either (Penn State @ Ohio State is after LSU @ Alabama). But Gus Johnson is still coming to town, and the Bucks still get to kick off a pretty good day of football all around. Savor it (you won't believe what a hellscape next week is).

Auburn Tigers @ Louisiana State Tigers

Draper: Man, I wish this game was in Jordan Hare.  The Tigahs have been rolling behind Joe Burrow through some tough matchups, but can they keep it going through the brutal SEC West? Auburn and freshman QB, Bonix (better as one word), got a little shock to system when facing the Gators and a stout defense.  I think they rebound a bit in this game, but LSU is significantly better than UF on the offensive side of the ball.  While I don't think the Tigers are offensive world beaters (like the national media does), they should have enough fire power to outscore a teetering Auburn squad.  The visiting tigers keep it close early, but Death Valley and Coach O prove too much.  Aub: 16 -- LSU: 27

Hoying: Y'all are once again Tiger bait. The LSU version are this year's hot team to unseat Bama atop the SEC West (but actually with a chance this time). They're a veritable offensive juggernaut, the kind that makes Auburn long for the salad days of Cam Newton. BoNix doesn't have a prayer of hanging with Joey Turncloak, even against a somewhat vulnerable LSU defense. The TigAUrs have failed to crack 30 four times out of seven tries, and that's not going to get it done in Death Valley. Aub: 20--LSU: 42

Schweinfurth: LSU is flat rolling teams right now. How Auburn is still top 10 is beyond me (thanks Oregon, I guess). I have doubts as to whether or not LSU will actually run the table this year; their schedule is just ridiculous down the stretch. However, I don't think Auburn has the horses to keep up with the Joe Burrow offensive machine LSU tosses out there. Aub: 17--LSU: 35

Seeberg:  For those of you unaware, this is still actually a top 10 matchup as Auburn is still riding largely on the strength of their Oregon win (and the Ducks have looked very good since).  Unfortunately for the visiting Tigers, they will likely drop below Nike's trial-and-error (mostly error) uniform squad after this contest.  LSU is arguably executing better than the Buckeyes on offense, and though their D seems to have taken a half-step back this season, it's still an upper echelon unit.  War Eagle faceplanted on offense in their first road test at Florida, and the not-so-friendly confines of Death Valley aren't likely to be much more forgiving.  (Home) Tigers win. Aub: 20--LSU: 34

Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Michigan Wolverines

Draper: Did the Wolverines find the secret sauce in the 2nd half vs. Penn State? Maybe....but I think they just found some flaws in an overrated Lion team.  The Irish are still floating around the periphery of national relevance after that close loss to UGA, but I don't have much faith there either.  This should be a really good game since it's in the Big House.  The X-factor is Shea Patterson...in a negative way.  If he can put a consistent performance together, the Maize and Blue have a real shot.  The problem is: I don't think he can.  More gut-wrenching losses for the Wolverines are always a good thing, but the farewell tour for Jim Harbaugh has been a disappointment (to some).  ND: 20 -- UM: 17

Hoying: Revenge Tour! Oh wait, wrong season. The Wolverines have had some tough sledding against top teams this season, but they're a different beast at home under Harbaugh (except against Little Brother). The offense turned a bit of a corner in the second half in Happy Valley, but the knuckleheads still haven't figured out that the best way to exploit their advantages is just to chuck it deep every play. Maybe they need a bit of a dose of Mike Leach. Of course, that offense doesn't work in nasty weather (see last year's Pac-12 Championship) so the Wolverines are likely going to have to get things done on the ground. And unlike Justin Fields (see below), Michigan QB Shea Patterson doesn't really like to keep the ball, even though he's a mobile enough dude to be a threat on the zone read. Bad news for the Maize and Blue is that the Domers already have an offensive identity this year, one with a potent ground game. I just don't trust Michigan to put together a solid 60-minute performance until I see it (no, not against Rutgers). ND: 24--UM: 20

Schweinfurth: When do we stop acting like both of these teams are elite? How about this week? The only way I see the Wolverines winning this game is if they stop the run and force Ian Book to throw down field. I really can't see Harbooger's offense doing anything. Yes, the second half gave some optimism last week, but I feel like that was more of Penn State taking their foot off the gas. This game stays close but the Irish actually know how to win games. ND: 24--UM: 16 

Seeberg:  Well it pains me to say it, but TTUN looked like a solid, dare I say, near-elite team for a half against Penn State last weekend.  Unfortunately, two halves are required make a whole, and that 21-0 deficit was too much to overcome.  However, we're less certain how good the Fighting Irish Lou Holtz's are since their "good loss" to Georgia suddenly appears much less so.  Typically, the "is Harbaugh gone after this season?" speculation doesn't begin until November, but 2 losses and a home underdog game later and the train has arrived ahead of schedule.  Oh, and they opened at -2.5, so the fact that they're now +1 in Vegas is a really bad sign.  IF they can string together 4 quarters of quality football like the second half in Happy Valley, they can win this game.  But quite frankly there are only two teams operating at that kind of level right now...and both have Buckeye quarterbacks at the helm #developedhere.  Sadly, somebody has to win this game.  Happily, it won't be the maize and blue.  At least they'll finally be out of the rankings.  ND: 24--UM: 20

North Dakota State Bison @ South Dakota State Jackrabbits

Draper: The fact that College Gameday went to South Dakota over Columbus is a nice slap in the face.  Yes, these teams are highly ranked in the FCS division, but OSU/Wisc (even after the Badgers pooped the bed) is the game of the week.  Usually, throwing the bone to FCS comes later, but a game on FOX and having attended a B1G game last week likely sealed the fate.  Oh well, I'm sure these teams are good... SDSU almost took down Minnesota and NDSU gave us Carson Wentz.  Let's lean on the home team that has been tested.  Go Jackrabbits.  NDSU: 27--SDSU: 30

Hoying: On the surface, you'd look at this matchup and say, "Hey, NDSU is undefeated and SDSU isn't. Let's go with the away team." Not so fast, my friend, as the Bison ain't played nobody, and that loss that SDSU suffered? Was at the hands of undefeated Big Ten juggernaut...Minnesota, by one score, in a game the Jackrabbits led deep into the fourth quarter. Oddly enough, though these teams both play in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (hi Jim Tressel), they have played zero common opponents so far. One thing to look out for in this game: South Dakota State's been having some kicking problems this year, as Chase Vinatieri (yes, that Vinatieri) has only made 4 of 8 attempts so far. Could this make the difference? NDSU: 31--SDSU: 30

Schweinfurth: Yea, I don't watch much (any) FCS football outside of bowl season. I have no clue on this so go Bison? NDSU: 31--SDSU: 28

Seeberg:  Hey, bonus 1-AA game!  (I maintain that it is NOT the FCS).  Admittedly this is a big matchup, #1 vs. #3.  Only one loss between them, and that was SDSU's 7-point loss to undefeated Minnesota.  The Bizon (that's how they insist on pronouncing it for whatever reason) ripped off several titles in a row (2011-15) and the last two as well.  Their neighbors to the south have been excellent for the last few years as well, frequently in the top 10, just never able to get over the hump and win a title.  The presence of College GameDay might amp the home crowd up and make an already intense contest even more fever-pitched.  I wouldn't be surprised if a rematch pits these two against each other deep in the playoffs.  ND may get their revenge then, but the home crowd wins the day for the Jackrabbits.  ND: 23--SD: 24

Wisconsin Badgers @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes

Draper: I'd say I was upset with Wisconsin faceplanting before this game, but that would be a lie.  The Badgers are habitually fantastic at beating teams of lesser talent (last week excluded), but struggle against teams with better athletes....uh oh.  The main benefit for the Badgers is the potential poor weather to 'muck up the game'.  The bad news? The Buckeyes have the better running back in yards/att...by a full yard!  JK Dobbins puts on a show to wake up the national media to the completeness of the Buckeyes while Chase Young continues his dominance over unsuspecting QBs.  The Bucks need to slow Jonathan Taylor (Thomas?) down which will be a test for the linebackers, but the lack of an outside passing game should make that task a touch easier.  If Fields can avoid the mistakes and the receivers can eat (even a little), this shouldn't be close.  I'm calling my shot on a blowout.  Wisc: 17 -- OSU: 40

Hoying: Is it possible for the biggest game of the year to be a letdown game? Everyone in Buckeye Nation was looking forward to #3 vs. #6, but now it's just a game against a mid-ranked opponent. And a nasty one at that. The only thing I liked about the whole Legends/Leaders fiasco was that the Buckeyes got to play the Bucky's every year, as this had turned into one of the grittiest knock down drag out fights in the Big Ten. Sure, Ohio State's won 6 in a row, but all (except one, lol) were very close, and undefeated Buckeyes have fallen to the Badgers before, even in this very decade. I would feel a lot better about this game if it weren't raining, as I think we could have success with a "Five hundred!" offense much in the way Illinois did, only with some accuracy and pass protection. On the other hand, Jonathan Taylor's had fumble problems in the past, and this ball-hawking defense may have some opportunities with a slippery rock. I still think our running attack is superior to Wisconsin's: Dobbins/Teague vs. Taylor is about a dead heat at running back, while Fields can run circles around the Wisconsin's plain vanilla QB Jack "Ice Cream" Coan. Perhaps we should embrace the rain. Think more Ohio State - Illinois 2009, and less Ohio State - Michigan State 2015. If the Bucks win this one in a blowout, it's time to start thinking about putting them up on the Mount Rushmore of greatest Buckeye teams of all time. Wisc: 13 -- OSU: 24

Schweinfurth: Say what you will about Ohio State's schedule this year, but Wisconsin's hasn't been much better. Common opponents in MSU and Northwestern are kind of a wash but consider this - Bucky played MSU THE WEEK AFTER Ohio State beat the crap out of them. I watched a bit of the Illinois game from last week on replay and is just seemed like Wisconsin's secondary and linebackers looked slow. Take that as you will, but Fields, Dobbins, and company all fly. The only thing that really scares me about Wisconsin is Johnathan Taylor, and only when he is in the open field. This game looks close on the rankings page and really that's as far as it goes. UW is a second quarter explosion away from getting smoked like everyone else. Go Bucks, Beat the Badgers! UW: 13--OSU: 42

Seeberg:  Well the shine is certainly off this game.  To be honest, I thought the Badgers had the best regular-season chance of upending the Buckeyes, but any team capable of losing to Illinois just flat out should not beat this team this season.  The offense is flawlessly balanced, capable of hurting any opponent right up the gut all the way out past the numbers.  The Silver Bullets are back on D, gang tackling, creating turnovers again, and *fingers crossed* not whiffing on tackles left and right like a season ago.  Unfortunately, the weather forecast (50s and continual rain) is a bit of a concern, but honestly it may be worse for the visiting squad.  An offense that already trends one-dimensional will have 0 ability to throw the ball in the wind and rain, but Fields' arm strength, coupled with his phenomenal corps of receivers, should still be able to make short and intermediate routes happen. I expect Wiscy to be ready, and angry after last week's dismal showing, but it still won't be enough.  Fields and Dobbins haven't even played a full four quarters yet, so there's no reason they can't pull away late and win convincingly.  OSU: 31--Wisc: 10 

Upset Special

Draper: Washington State over Oregon

Hoying: California over Utah

Schweinfurth: Maryland over Minnesota

Seeberg: Michigan State over Penn State

Week 8: Kickin' in the Front Seat, Sittin' in the Back Seat

Standings:
1.) Schweinfurth 21-3 (2-5 upset)
2.) Hoying 20-4 (3-4 upset)
3.) Seeberg 19-5 (1-6 upset)
3.) Draper 19-5 (1-6 upset)

Games on Friday are no fun, fun, fun, fun. But with the Saturday slate that follows, you'll still be looking forward to the weekend.

Oregon Ducks @ Washington Huskies

Draper: What to do with the Pac12? Sadly, I don't know much about this matchup, and quite frankly, I don't really care.  Justin Herbert is supposedly one of the top picks in the upcoming draft, but I haven't seen much to get excited about (in all fairness, I only saw him vs. Auburn). This game is likely for control of the North (and one of the top games out west this season).  Interestingly enough, these teams actually play defense.  I think I'll roll with the Huskies at home here, but spin the Pac12 week of destiny (suck).  Ore: 17 -- Wash: 20

Hoying: #PacAfterDawn? For once there's a game of consequence on the West Coast that won't be put to bed before I am. After the USC juggernaut exited with Pete Carroll these two programs have played hot potato with the Pac-12's not so serious championship hopes. Yes, believe it or not, the Pac-12 used to go to the playoff and even made it to the title game in its inaugural year (I forget what happened then). Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich would be aghast at what passes for football in Eugene these days, as the Ducks lead the nation in the advanced metrics...on defense?!? The Huskies are no slouch on D either, giving up only 20 and 23 points in their 2 losses, but this hints at another problem: they scored less than 20 and 23 points in those losses. And now they're facing the nation's top D.... Washington QB Jacob Eason has been a pleasant surprise so far this year but I don't think he's going to outduel Oregon's Justin-somehow-more-draftable-than-Tua-Herbert. Ore: 20--UW: 13

Schweinfurth: This comment will apply to this and the game below: PAC-12 games start too late for me to care about them. I have no reason to get invested in a game if it ends after midnight eastern. With that said, Oregon's only loss (and it seems everyone forgot) was to Auburn (who everyone has overrated all year). I honestly have no feel for this game, simply because I haven't watched either team this year. I guess I'll take the Ducks. Ore: 24--UW: 21

Seeberg:  Along with Utah (see below) these two were seen as the class of the league entering 2019.  UW has struggled significantly and Oregon has been all but forgotten after a tragic Clemsoning-esque loss to Auburn in week 1.  Believe it or not, the Ducks haven't allowed anyone more than 7 points since that loss, including a 45-3 pasting of Colorado last week.  Meanwhile, the Huskies are surprisingly inconsistent for a Chris Pedersen coached squad and have already dropped a home game to Cal last month.  Oddly, supposed top-10 pick Justin Herbert hasn't done much to improve his draft stock this seaosn.  However, defense travels kids, and the Ducks will back south with a win Saturday night.  Ore: 24--UW: 13

Arizona State Sun Devils @ Utah Utes

Draper: Another Pac12 game? I'm not buying into Herm Edwards's Devils, but he does play to win the game.  Utah was the early favorite in the south and they likely remain so.  USC snuck one on the Utes on a weird Friday game but the maroon and gold doesn't really inspire fear (even if they are the Devils).  Utah is at home so I'llstick with the home team again.  ASU: 17 -- Utah: 31 

Hoying: #PacAfterDinner? Yes, I know there's a lot of West Coast Bias at Let's Go Bucks! this week, but the conference is actually really fun and balanced, without a real clunker in the mix (except you, UCLA). And these two teams, much like the ones described above, are defensively minded, especially Herm Edwards's Sun Devils, who seem to play every possession with an NFL mindset. Utah was the trendy Pac pick before the season started, and they've looked the part outside of a strange loss at USC that nobody could've seen coming (*cough*). They've also played a hot bag of farts so far (USC excepted, maybe), whereas ASU has already made the tough trip to East Lansing and visited Berkeley and escaped with wins both times. I think the edge here is a lot closer than people think but I'm still riding with the home team. ASU: 17--Utah: 19

Schweinfurth: Hey look, a PAC-12 team I have actually watched play. Unfortunately that team was Arizona State. The Sun Devils know how to muck up a game and make their opponents play their style. This game just has more of an OSU vs. MSU feel too it. I'll take the Utes pulling away late. ASU: 13--Utah: 35

Seeberg:  Oh, great, another PAC-12 game with...implications?  Utah may have as good a chance as any team out west of sneaking into the playoffs if everybody east of the Mississippi begins to beat each other down, but it's still unlikely.  Is it time to trust the Devils?  Honestly if this game were being played there I might pick the upset.  I just don't see it though.  ASU has two wins better than anything Utah can produce, but with their goals still technically in front of them I don't see the Utes dropping one at home.  They get Cal and Washington after this, and we all know they'll slip in one of those, but keep those playoff hopes flickering for your conference for now!  ASU: 16--Utah: 27

Michigan Wolverines @ Penn State Nittany Lions

Draper: Can Michigan pull out some hope for the Maize and Blue faithful? Even though they have played like a high school team lately, I truly don't believe in PSU in the long run.  Can Shea Patterson lead the resurgence against an overrated Nittany Lion squad? Wait, you're counting on Shea Patterson....on the road....in a white out...  No.  I think the narrative is going to continue to gain traction that PSU is the biggest threat to the Buckeyes after this week but I'd put them behind the Badgers and the Wolverines even though I think the home field advantage is enough to make up for the gap in talent.  While Michigan went back to the smiling side of the scoreboard over the last few weeks, no one is impressed with the play.  I think Mount Nittany is too much and the Wolverines continue the age old mantra of "there's always next year".  UM: 10 -- PSU: 20 

Hoying: How about that Big Ten? Four 6-0 teams for the first time since 1904! Three of them are off this week (Ohio State visits Northwestern; Wisconsin travels to Illinois, and Minnesota descends upon Rutgers) but the 4th is looking for some sweet revenge against a truly frustrating opponent. For all of Michigan's struggles over the last decade or so the only UM coach to have any trouble with the Lions was RichRod (0-3). That being said, Saquon & Co. crushed the Wolverines in their White Out game two years ago. Penn State's team was decidedly better in 2017 (see, again, Saquon Barkley, also Trace McSorley, Mike Gesicki), but I'm not sure about Meatchicken. On the plus side, no John O'Korn this time, but we still haven't seen any spark from this offense other than running all over hapless Illinois. I'll believe Michigan is ready to turn their season around when I see it, and I don't think I'm going to see it anytime soon. Cheer up, UM fans. Only 3 weeks until the Maryland game. UM: 13--PSU: 20

Schweinfurth: I really feel like Penn State is ripe for an upset here. If the Wolverines had a pulse I would pull the trigger. Penn State struggled against Pitt and Iowa but managed to do just enough. I think that trend will continue. I can't wait to see how Shea Patterson turns the ball over this week. Penn State, but close. UM: 9--PSU: 14

Seeberg:  Dare I say it?  Have the maize and blue improved the past few weeks?  Tough to say.  After the flat-out embarassment against Wiscy they throttled Buttgers, slipped past Iowa (in a game not all that dissimilar from the one Penn State played against the Hawkeyes) and inexplicably went up 28-0 on Illinois before finding themselves in a game late.  I don't know if that signals improvement, but I do know that at night in Not-So-Happy Valley is not a place a mediocre team wants to find itself.  This Nittany Lion squad can't score it like they used to, but they can sure stop you, easily as well as TTUN.  Time for the new-new UM offense to show itself.  I know, I laughed at that sentence too.  First to 17 wins!  UM: 10--PSU: 17 

THE Ohio State Buckeyes @ Northwestern Wildcats

Draper: Oh boy....a Friday night game... Why...WHY would you agree to this if you're Ohio State? Not because it's a concern, but because it's just dumb.  There is no reason for this other than a gimmick money grab or seeking TV exposure.  OSU doesn't need a gimmick to command the nation.  Ok, now that I've finished my old man rant, on to the game.  There is no reason for this to be anything different from the past 30 years (sans the 04 debacle).  The talent disparity is enormous and Buckeye Nation will still travel, even on a Friday. Northwestern had their nice fluky season last year, but the hopes and dreams of a repeat have all but been squelched.  Can Day keep the kids focused? I think so.  Fields reminds the national press that there is another QB outside of Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, and Norman to be watching for the Heisman as he continues his dual threat campaign.   Fitzgerald won't let his guys quit, so I'll expect a late score, but it will be after most of the nation has turned off the TV for the night.  Oh yeah, the last Buckeye game ended with the backdoor cover to end all others with Joey Bosa mauling Northwestern on the last play.   I wonder if we have a guy that can do that this time....to break 50? Chase Young gets 2.5 sacks and a FF to continue his push to the number 1 NFL prospect in 2020.  OSU: 52--NU: 10

Hoying: Unless you are one of 47,130 very unlucky individuals on the evening of October 2, 2004, or you've been going to OSU games since the early 1970's, you haven't seen Ohio State lose to Northwestern without a screen between you and the game. If you're making the trip to Evanston this Friday, don't expect that to change anytime soon. This is not a trap game; traps have to have the potential to be sprung. And this Wildcat offense is deep in hibernation, averaging an anemic 14.4 points per game and clawing above 20 points just once, against UNLV. Jim Tressel lost a total of one game like this in his tenure (2009 Purdue) and Urban never did (neither did Fickell for that matter). This is a game you don't lose without boatloads of turnovers and flat out falling down on defense, and the Buckeyes don't seem to be doing either of those this year. Worry about Maryland if you're desperate to find a trap game. Worry about Wisconsin and Penn State if you want a game this team might actually lose. This ain't it, chief. OSU: 38--NU: 0

Schweinfurth: The outcome of this game shouldn't be a doubt. The Bucks are healthy and rested after the physical game against MSU. Why am I confident? This defensive coaching staff has shown the ability to make changes on the fly and minimizing the big plays. The Wildcat's offense is just flat bad. I could see the first quarter going similar to last week with Fields and Co. struggling to get points. This Buckeye team is just too talented and motivated to let this be a let down game. I'll give Northwestern a garbage TD but this game should never be in doubt. OSU: 42--NU: 7

Seeberg:  Again, a night game on the road against an inferior-in-every-way-on-paper conference opponent.  What could possibly go wrong?  Oh yeah, every GD thing.  This season, this team, however, feels different.  The kind of guarded optimism this team is professing to possess is working wonders.  Dobbins tore MSU up and Jonathan Taylor struggled (a stat that bodes well for our matchup with the Badgers next week).  Fields is humming right along, still holding the ball too long on occasion but rarely forcing the action because he knows he doesn't have to with this group of WRs.  Northwestern, meanwhile, has a very good defense and, well, technically by rule they are fielding an offense but it scarcely qualifies.  Just getting to double digits against this Buckeye squad would be a win- but don't hold your breath purple nation.  Lots of scarlet and gray in the Chicago area will make their presence known.  With two weeks to prepare, there is 0 reason this game should be competitive for the majority of the second half.  Bucks big.  OSU: 38--NU: 6

Upset Special

Draper: South Carolina over Florida

Hoying: Brigham Young over Boise State

Schweinfurth: Louisville over Clemson (CLEMSONING IS BACK!)

Seeberg: Oklahoma State over Baylor

Week 7: Red Rivers and Crimson Tides

Standings:
1.) Hoying 17-3 (3-3 upset)
1.) Schweinfurth 17-3 (2-4 upset)
3.) Seeberg 16-4 (1-5 upset)
3.) Draper 16-4 (1-5 upset)

No Buckeyes this week, which is actually a blessing in disguise as the slate of games is terrific. The day kicks off with Big Noon Saturday in the Cotton Bowl and closes under the lights in Death Valley. Those two games alone feature 4 teams with a combined record of 20-1, with the one loss (Texas's) coming from another team within the group (LSU). And another national contender makes a visit to Iowa City at night.

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns

Draper: This has the potential to be a really good game in the middle of an extremely boring Big 12 slate this year.  Obviously, these are the 2 big dogs fighting for supremacy every year, but can Oklahoma continue their stranglehold? The most interesting aspect of this game is that this is essentially Oklahoma's first game of the year.  I've learn nothing from the Sooners' dominance over high school teams thus far.  Yes, Jalen Hurts looks like a world beater under the tutelage of Lincoln Riley, but consider the competition.  Texas fought hard but failed their first test against the Fighting Orgerons.  Either way, I'm expecting a tight game for 4 quarters here.  The Sooners just seem to have the Longhorns number in recent memory and while the I'll be saying 'Ok cool, Hook Em', I see Boomer Sooner emerging victorious.  OU: 45 -- UT: 38

Hoying: Lost in the shuffle of the Heisman coronation tour for this year's Oklahoma quarterback is the fact that the Sooners have played a quintet of wet paper bags so far this year. FCS teams? The worst team in the Pac-12? Kansas? You're not going to move the needle with wins like these. Texas going to Death Valley and taking the Tigers to the wire is far more impressive than any 50 point pasting these Sooners have put together in this young season. Does that mean that the Sooners can't do it against a real opponent? I wouldn't go that far; it's not like the Longhorns have any kind of formidable defense themselves. And Jalen Hurts is no stranger to big games. It might not have been smart for Jalen to downplay the Red River Shootout in favor of the Iron Bowl, even if he was right (neutral site games are stupid). And Texas Tom thrives on underdog situations like these. But Texas's defense is just too bad to contain another nasty Oklahoma offensive juggernaut. Horns down. OU: 51--UT: 43

Schweinfurth: Hey look a decent test for Oklahoma's "rebuilt" defense. Excuse my cynicism but a historically bad defense doesn't get fixed over night. Let's face it, Texas is going to move the ball against Oklahoma and Jalen Hurts is actually going to have to make some throws. Remember, he was benched for Tua because his throwing ability was a liability against decent defenses. Good news for the Sooners is that the Longhorn defense is bad. The Golden Cowboy Hat is on it's way to Norman. OU: 52--UT: 45

Seeberg:  The spread in this game (OU -10!!) is scaring me a LOT.  I've gone back and forth on this one all week, but I really don't think either team is 10 points better than the other.  Like my colleagues I expect a lot of points, but this just might be Texas Tom's calling card.  So much for 3 straight Heismans in Norman.  Longhorns pull the upset.  OU: 42--UT: 48

Alabama Crimson Tide @ Texas A&M Aggies

Draper: This is just stupid.  A&M has wins over Texas State, Lamar, and hapless Arkansas.  Yes, their losses are against good teams, but they have accomplished nothing on the field to warrant a vote let alone a ranked spot.  Then again, what has Alabama done? Also nothing, but they have laid waste to all who would defy them and, oh yeah, have built up some credibility over the last 10 years.  This was everyone's preseason stumbling block for the Tide, but I can't see it.  The Aggies best hope here is that 'college football' happens and they pull a random Purdue over OSU blow out for no reason.  Bama: 45 -- TAMU: 10

Hoying: This is a ranked matchup for some reason. Texas A&M may be the only ranked team with two losses (and ahead of Minnesota in both polls) but that's OK because those losses were to Clemson and Auburn. And we know Clemson and Auburn are good because they beat Texas A&M. Quod erat demonstrandum. On the other sideline we'll see a team that ain't played nobody yet, Pawwwwwl, but has been dropping the million on their opponents every week just the same. No, Alabama doesn't have problems on defense; giving up 31 points to Ole Miss doesn't count when the last 21 points come after you've gone up 45-10 in the second half. All the same, the Tide have kind of flown under the radar this season, as much as being current consensus #1 can allow, as all the chatter follows the struggles of defending champion Clemson and the stellar play upstarts Georgia and LSU (and some northern team). That means no rat poison and that's bad news for a mediocre A&M crew that needed everything in the bag to sneak by awful awful Arkansas last week. Don't watch this game. Watch Clemson lose to Florida State instead (see upset pick below). Ala: 52--TAMU: 13

Schweinfurth: A (questionable) ranked matchup in the SEC!!! These don't come around every week folks...oh wait. Bama is just better in all aspects. Bama is better than Clemson and they crushed the Aggies. Yawn. Ala: 42--TAMU: 20

Seeberg:  I'll give decent analysis on the rest of the games, but I'm absolutely punting on this one as there's 0 reason for TAMU to be ranked.  Back to Bama by a million.  Ala: 45--TAMU: 17

Penn State Nittany Lions @ Iowa Hawkeyes

Draper: I have no idea what to do with this game.  Both teams in my mind are a mirage.  Penn State looked strong the past few weeks, but I think it's more a factor of schedule and luck.  Iowa had last week's wacky snoozefest vs. the Wolverines so who knows what to expect.  Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised by any outcome in this game.  PSU has the slight edge in talent but the Hawkeyes are at home and that place is usually tough to conquer (see OSU 2017).  I guess I'll pull for the kid's. Go Hawks.  PSU: 17 -- Iowa: 20

Hoying: Every time I see this matchup on the college football schedule my heart warms as I recall that B1Ggest of B1G games in Happy Valley in 2004: Iowa 6, Penn State 4. I don't think that's going to happen this year. Iowa's defense is for real but Penn State's O isn't quite the "speed in space" clown show that we saw take the field against the Hawkeyes last week in Ann Arbor. Still, weird things happen in Kinnick at night (or at noon), and the last time the Lions visited they needed every second to wring out a 21-19 win. And that was with Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley. This Penn State team is no slouch, either, but against Pitt, the one team that bothered to put actual defenders out on the field to face PSU, the Lions flopped around on the field before a late PSU TD and a questionable FG attempt by Pitt helped the bad guys escape with a victory. These teams are pretty evenly matched except that Penn State has an upside for offensive explosion that the Hawkeyes just don't. This could be another Iowa City nightmare where the visitors fall flat on their faces, but Iowa doesn't have the horses to finish the job this year. PSU: 24--Iowa: 23

Schweinfurth: This is an interesting game. Penn State has looked like world beaters, but Pitt punched them in the mouth and they barely escaped. Iowa looked like hot garbage against a Wolverine team that only won because they somehow found the endzone. I do think Iowa can play enough defense against the Nittany Lions to keep it close. The Hawkeyes just don't have the big play ability of the Lions. It's at Kinnick at night and weird things happen there. I just think Penn State makes that one big play (like the Harbugers did last week) to pull this out. I want Iowa to win, but Penn State keeps rolling. PSU: 21--Iowa: 20

Seeberg:  Well so much for Iowa heading up to TTUN and cementing the beginning of the end of the Harbaugh reign of...meh.  Now they come back home and get what is likely a better all-around squad in Penn State.  The Nittany Lion D isn't quite as stout as the one scUM possesses.  That defense proved that Nate Stanley- who feels like the Aaron Craft of B1G football in that I believe he's been Iowa's QB for roughly 9 years now- still hasn't learned how to NOT take a sack, going down 8 times.  That yardarge contributed significantly to Herbie's boys earning a grand total of 1 yard (1 yard?  That's all we got?  1 G__damn yard?).  Bob Uecker parodies aside, the talent disparity is still a bit too much for the Hawkeyes to overcome in this one unless one of those miraculous evenings occurs, but after last week's debacle it's tough to imagine they have an all-cylinders-firing performance to pull this one out. Lions late.  PSU: 23--Iowa: 14

Florida Gators @ Louisiana State Tigers

Draper: And now we come to the game of the week (although the Red River Shootout is up there).  Is Florida for real? I'm still not buying top tier for real.  They shut down Bo Nix with that awesome D-line, but Auburn under Malzahn has always featured more lateral movement and smaller O-lineman.  Down in the Bayou under Farmer Fran, dem boys stand der ground.  Joe Burrow has been an honest surprise to this Buckeye fan. I knew he was ok, but he's balled out.  It comes down to the offensive line for LSU giving time for Burrow and the LSU defense swallowing up the mediocre UF offense.  It's going to be a tall order, but coming to Death Valley in this situation is going to be a monstrous task for Trask.  I don't think he'll have enough.  UF: 13--LSU: 17

Hoying: Though Florida is in the SEC East and LSU the West, this is one of the SEC's protected crossover games, which means these two play every season. That's good news, because it means one of them always has to lose. And that's a novel concept for both teams this year, as each one is still undefeated. The Tigers are putting the Coach O in offense while the Gators prefer to clamp down on D. Joe Burrow may have had his way with the DBU (eyes roll out of head) Longhorns, but Florida is fresh off a pantsing of BoNix and the other SEC Tigers in the Swamp. The last two times these teams met, Joey Carpetbagger was completely lost, tossing two picks and taking five sacks. I'm still not totally sold on Florida QB Kyle Trask, but I think that Lamical Perine and the Gator ground game can do just enough to pace another smothering day by the Florida D, and my dream of an Ohio State - Florida rematch can survive for another week. UF: 20--LSU: 19

Schweinfurth: Hey look another overrated SEC team against a really good SEC team. I thought I already picked this game above. All joking aside, I really don't know how the Gators are still undefeated. That game last week was entertaining because it was a ton of turnovers and made me laugh. This game is in Baton Rouge, at night. Good luck with that. Joe Burrow has the Tiger offense flat rolling. Florida's D will give the LSU offense some problems. LSU score a TD late to win by two scores. UF: 14--LSU: 24

Seeberg:  Admittedly, I was dead wrong about the Gators last week.  I thought Auburn's defensive front would further befuddle an already mediocre offense and the Tigers' freshman QB would make enough plays to get the W.  Nope.  Auburn's chances look Nixed (see what I did there?).  Now with both squads undefeated this matchup gets bigger still.  This one is definitely strength on strength with Florida's vaunted defense against...wait, is that LSU's offense?  Your eyes do not deceive you as Athens, OH native Joe Burrow has thrown for approximately as many yards this season than I believe the Tigers managed from 2010-16 combined.  Burrow has looked pristine this season, and has extra motivation to make up for his trainwreck of a performance in the Swamp last year.  Home Cajun cooking does just enough to keep the other-other Tigers undefeated.  UF: 17--LSU: 27 

Upset Special

Draper: (you suck Hoying) Michigan State over Wisconsin

Hoying: Florida State over Clemson

Schweinfurth: Houston over Cincinnati

Seeberg: USC over Notre Dame