Let's Go Bucks!

Friday, November 07, 2008

Week 11

Well the Bucks are back after a needed bye and they travel to the typically friendly confines of Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois. I, along with many fellow brethren will be in attendance on Saturday cheering on the Bucks in what should be a great game in perfect football weather (40's, rain, wind). Records so far: Gomer (70-34) Chief (73-31)

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. North Carolina Tarheels

Gomer: Georgia Tech shocked a lot of people by pounding the FSU defense on the ground (to the tune of 288 yards). Many pundits believe that the Tarheels defense will be the difference in this ACC Coastal tilt, but I, like my colleague, believe that the 'Noles have the best defense in the conference. Georgia Tech will pound the Heels on the ground and the Tech D-line will beat up UNC QB Cam Sexton forcing him to make mistakes, making this more lopsided than expected. GT: 31 - UNC: 16

Chief: Another crucial game in the ACC in which nearly everyone is still in the hunt for a conference title. Watching some ACC games this year, I’ve come to the conclusion that the conference is getting a bad rap (this year). There are no dominant teams in the conference, but they truly are beating each other up yielding mediocre records. This game will most likely determine the Coastal division. Butch Davis has done a number in his second year, getting the Tarheels back onto the national stage, thanks largely to all-around player Branden Tate. On the flip side, Paul Johnson has worked a miracle at GT in one year (thanks to a gift-wrapped win last week). The triple option has stumped great defenses, and I don’t think UNC is a great defense. Look for Tech to ride the wave to another victory (and perhaps the Noles can earn a chance for revenge). GT: 27—UNC: 17

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. LSU Tigers

Gomer: LSU's defense has shown that they struggle to stop an offense with a pulse (see vs. Florida and vs. Georgia). Alabama's offense has been powerful, but lacks that extra spark seemingly. This is also the homecoming of LSU turncoat Nick Saban, but I don't think it will have a huge impact on this game. While getting stomped by the Gators and 'Dogs, LSU's D has not allowed more than 72 yards to any other opponent. If Alabama struggles to put some points on the board early, LSU has a chance to pull of the huge upset. 'Bama: 17 - LSU: 9

Chief: Ah, sweet homecoming. Many are curious as to the reception Mr. Saban will get when entering his old stomping grounds considering he bolted for the NFL but led the Tigers to the championship in 2003. Remember one thing about college football fans, they are stupid and have no memory at all. This crowd will have no remorse at tearing into Saban and his (now) ‘dirty’ tactics and will make the Tide face a truly hostile environment. Wait, what happened the last time they went to the Bulldawgs House? Oh yeah, they blew out a Georgia team that is much better than the Tigers (remember UGA killing LSU last week in Baton Rouge). I don’t like Alabama, but I dislike LSU even more. The return of Mount Cody will stuff the LSU running game and Bama should score once or twice which should be enough. Could the Les Miles in Ann Arbor days be approaching? SEC fans could care less about what happened a year ago (see Phil Fulmer). Bama: 13—LSU: 3

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Gomer: The Raiders were able to win a thriller vs. the #1 Longhorns last week, and are due for a letdown. Oklahoma State is just talented enough to hang with the Raiders but lacks the defensive prowess needed to slow down their attack. The Raiders seem to have an unlimited amount of points to score, and won't be slowed down this week (the let down is looming however). OSU: 45 - TTU: 56

Chief: Sweet victory. After one of the most exciting games in the history of the sport in which Texas Tech took down the juggernaut of Texas (called by this guy), the Red Raiders try to replicate the monumental win against another top 10 team. The Pokes are one of the teams flying under the radar in the Big 12 because of all the tradition powers hogging the headlines. Offensive Coordinator/Head Coach Mike Gundy is indeed a man and keeps the OSU offense churning out points, but Texas Tech under OC/HC Mike Leach also knows how to light up the scoreboard. The true key to the TT success lies, not in their superstars (Crabtree and Harrell), but in their monstrous offensive line. That was my key to the upset last week, and I believe it holds suit again this week. All eyes descend on the 2 best wide receivers in the country: Michael Crabtree and Dez Bryant (get ya popcorn ready!). The big-uglies provide all the time in the world to continue the Heisman campaigns of Crabtree/Harrell, while the Pokes take another loss that’s closer than the score indicates. OSU: 31—TT: 41

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Northwestern Wildcats

Gomer: The Buckeyes are back at it after a needed bye week. The loss to Penn State still looms in the back of the memories of the Bucks, and while the fans sure don't give two hoots about this week's game, hopefully the team has had enough time to stew on the two losses so far this season. Northwestern's offense is dangerous enough to make the Buckeye defense pay if they're caught sleeping. Mike Kafka not only threw for 143 yards (that's a lot compared to Terrelle Pryor) but ran for a whopping 217 yards. In the past, mobile QB's have given Ohio State lots of trouble (see Illinois, Ohio, Florida, etc...), and I expect that struggle to continue. On the flip side, the Buckeyes need to pound the ball with Beanie Wells. The coaching staff has squandered away the season (no Nat'l Title, no Big Ten Title = Failure) by not utilizing him effectively. The 'Cats have the nations 26th ranked run D but hopefully the Bucks will keep them off balance by effectively using TP and the PA pass. OSU: 27 - NU: 17

Chief: The Wildcat backup QB Mike Kafka looked like a different player last week against the Gophers as he kept his team in the game almost single handedly until the defense dropped the hammer. I don’t know who starts for Northwestern (Baucher or Kafka), but it appears either option is ok. The Bucks hope to break that nasty streak of losing after bye weeks and I think we can end the pain. The PSU game provided a framework to beat OSU: stuff the run with 11 people and make Pryor throw. The Bucks decided to keep banging their collective heads against the brick wall that was the Nittany Lion D and failed (thanks to 1 freaking mistake). While I believe that OSU can stick to the run game more or less exclusively and come out with a win (NW front seven is nowhere near as good as Penn State’s), I hope we try more of the short passing game. Pryor showed last week a propensity to underthrow every deep ball, but looked pretty good on the few quick slants, flats, and hitches. Stick with what works and the Bucks win easily. Look for the Bullets to control the ranked (?) Wildcats and cruise to victory. OSU: 27—NW: 10

Purdue vs. Michigan State, Gomer: MSU - Chief: MSU
Penn State vs. Iowa, Gomer: PSU - Chief: PSU
Clemson vs. Florida State, Gomer: Clemson - Chief: FSU
Cincinnati vs. West Virginia, Gomer: WVU - Chief: WVU
California vs. USC, Gomer: USC - Chief: USC

Monday, November 03, 2008

Friday, October 31, 2008

Week 10

A disappointing defeat at the hands of the Nittany Lions. If the Buckeye coaching staff had nto abandoned the run so easily, the Bucks would have had a better chance at pulling the upset, but unfortunately they did not do a good job convincing the Lions they would actually try and pass. The coaches deserve as much blame as one Terrelle Pryor who tried his best, and will learn and grow from the mistakes. Updated records: Gomer (67-30) Chief (70-27) It seems that no matter what I pick I just can't make up any ground.

Northwestern Wildcats vs. Minnesota Gophers

Gomer: Northwestern went down in defeat last weekend to the Hoosiers effectively putting them out of the Big Ten Title race. Reason I mention it is because not only did Northwestern lose, but they lost QB CJ Bacher and RB Tyrell Sutton, obviously this is a huge blow to the Wildcats. Minnesota must win to keep their slim chance of a Big Ten Title alive. Adam Weber and Eric Decker have been the top QB-Receiver duo in the Big Ten this season, but the big story for the Gophers this season has been the surprise emergence of the defense. The Gophers lead the nation in turnover margin and will take advantage of the Wildcat injury situation. NU: 17 - UM: 41

Chief: I don’t see this one as being close at all. Northwestern was riding high in the Big 10 until last week’s loss to inept Indiana. In NW’s defense, key injuries are the reason for the downfall as RB Tyrell Sutton and QB C.J. Bacher are out. Last week, backup QB Mike Kafka looked unbelievably bad. Even if he improves this week, I like the Gophers. The Wildcats will fight hard, but Weber and the Gophers take another step closer to a potential BCS bowl??? NW: 17—UM: 31

Florida Gators vs. Georgia Bulldogs

Gomer: Tim Tebow has struggled when the spotlight is on him. Although he is a freak of nature athlete, his record isn't so stellar and unfortunately for the Gators, he doesn't play defense. Matthew Stafford and the Bulldogs have rebounded from the disaster against 'Bama and look to continue the success the established against the Gators last year. Speaking of that, I would not be surprised if Meyer's team did something even more extreme than what the Bulldogs did last year, either that, or put a smackdown on the 'Dogs. I'm going with the upset in this edition of the Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, UGA wins with a solid run game, and defense. UF: 17 - UGA: 28

Chief: Time for another edition of ‘the game formally known as the World’s Largest Cocktail Party’. Tensions should be extremely high after last year’s genius ploy by Georgia coach Mark Richt to get an unsportsmanlike penalty after the first touchdown to fire the team up. Yes, UF scored on the next possession, aided by the penalty, but the fire never left the Dawg’s eyes. Everyone is completely sold on the Gators after the LSU and Kentucky blowouts, but 2 words come to mind—“Ole Miss”. Georgia was beat down by a fired up Bama team, but is playing good sound ball now. This game will be nasty. Tebow will have a good game, but the UGA defense will knock him down enough to let Moreno shine. Dawgs in the ‘upset’ with a last second FG. UGA: 30—UF: 28

Florida State Seminoles vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Gomer: The Noles are in the thick of the ACC Title chase when seemingly a team gains control of their destiny, they immediately try to pass it off, kinda like a long drawn out game of hot potatoe. Tech has began to struggle as of late, but I'm not sure if it's because teams are getting better at defending the triple option, or because they're running into some hot teams. Either way, FSU is on track to an ACC title if they can win in Atlanta. Expect a defensive struggle. FSU: 16 - GT: 13

Chief: The Noles are back baby. Last week’s win over VT was huge in the ACC race as well as the return to prominence. As Bobby Bowden said, this team will not be confused with the great teams of the 90s, but it’s moving in the right direction with knockdown smash-mouth defense and an offense that is starting to click. Tech plays tough in Bobby Todd and Paul Johnson has implemented his triple option extremely fast in Atlanta (Note to Michigan: who says you need to wait to get the athletes to implement a new system?). Last week’s loss to the Wahoos really hurt the Jackets in the ACC race, but a win here gets the train back on track. I see FSU taking control by stuffing the run (one of the top in the country against the run) and scoring just enough to take down a better than advertised Jacket defense. Just keep chugging along Noles. FSU: 30—GT: 17

Texas Longhorns vs. Texas Tech Raiders

Gomer: The Red Raiders have been red hot as usual on offense and surprisingly, have started to play some defense. Problem is while they're run defense is one of the best in the nation, their pass defense is below average which could lead to a big day for Colt McCoy. The Horns were able to slowdown potent attacks from Oklahoma and Missouri enough to get a decent lead and ride it out. Mack Brown's bunch will finish the brutal 4 game stretch unscathed and will come out as the favorites to win the National Title and Heisman trophy. UT: 47 - TTU: 27

Chief: Once again, Texas enters the week with another huge game. The Longhorns beat the Sooners in a shootout, dominated the Tigers early and coasted, but were taken to the final moments by the Pokes last week. I think Texas is getting tired (finally). Don’t get me wrong, OSU is very good, but the Longhorns should have put up more in Austin. Tech on the other hand began the Kansas game by trading 2 early TDs a piece and then decided the rout was on. While Texas limps into Lubbock beat up and tired, the Red Raiders are salivating to take down big brother. The biggest battle in this game will be the Tech O-Line (only given up 3 sacks in a pass happy offense all year) and the beast Brian Orakpo on the Horn D-Line. I think Leach’s team gets it done at home in a great game. UT: 34—TT: 38

Washington vs. USC Gomer: USC (+52) - Chief: USC (+36)
Tulsa vs. Arkansas Gomer: Tulsa - Chief: Tulsa
Oregon vs. California Gomer: Cal - Chief: Cal

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Week 9

Put-up or shut-up week. Gameday returns to Columbus for the first time since "The Game of the Century" (#1 OSU vs. #2 Michigan, November 2006) in which the Buckeyes were victorious. Here are the records so far: Gomer (60-27) Chief (62-25)

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Kansas Jayhawks

Gomer: This game will probably be a shootout much like Oklahoma State/Missouri was a couple weeks ago. Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree will have another statistically big day and will put up just enough to get by the talented Jayhawks and Todd Reesing. TT: 51 - KU: 42

Chief: This is probably the most underrated matchup of the weekend. Texas Tech puts their top 10 ranking and video game offense on the field against slow and steady Kansas. Kansas does not make mistakes which has been their shining star under the Mark Mangino era. Reesing is coldly efficient and let’s not forget that they hung with OU for most of the game last week. Harrell to Crabtree, early and often, is the TT slogan and it works, but that has just barely been enough to beat so-so Nebraska and Texas A&M in the last few weeks. Tech and their contest winning kicker go down in a shootout (but become extremely dangerous in the future). TT: 35—KU: 38

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Texas Longhorns

Gomer: Texas has owned this series as of late and I look for that to continue today. Colt McCoy is the real deal and Oklahoma State does not have a defensive answer to counter the Texas attack. With Dez Bryant leading the OSU attack the Pokes will put up points, but the Texas D-line will get enough pressure to force some 3-and-outs and turnovers to seal the deal. OSU: 28 - UT: 45

Chief: Oklahoma State is a very, very good team and their coach is a man…he’s 41! But they are running into a buzzsaw that is Texas. Colt McCoy has been almost perfect, but watching them against Missouri, I saw that his efficiency is purely due to short, dump-down passes that make up, I’d guess, 80% of his throws. Don’t get me wrong, he’s been phenomenal at managing the game, but his unbelievable accuracy is due to the play selection. Ogbonnaya totes the rock very well, the lines block extremely well, and the Will Muschamp defense led by monster Brian Orakpo is extremely tough. The Poke defense looked pretty good against Mizzou, but the offense led by the ground game in tandem with QB Zac Robinson and WR Dez Bryant is fun to watch. I think the Longhorn D comes up big to end this OSU’s title run in Austin—the only thing that can stop Texas is the brutal schedule. OSU: 24—UT: 34

Georgia Bulldogs vs. LSU Tigers

Gomer: I can't really peg how I feel about this game. LSU was shredded by Florida's run game, and that isn't saying much. Knowshon Moreno has a good chance to get back into the thick of the Heisman talk with a big performance. The LSU D-Line should have Jean-Francois back and should help put pressure on Stafford, however Stafford isn't your typically rattled QB and could very possibly lead the Bulldogs in an overtime upset. UGA: 31 - LSU : 27

Chief: Oh boy, another SEC game. Let’s slobber all over them as usual. Note to college football fans: The SEC is not the best conference this year. That honor is bestowed on the Big 12. The SEC this year is living off media hype alone and thriving. The offenses stink which make the defenses shine, and the non-conference schedules are putrid. The SEC is afraid to exit the southern confines and the media is content to bolster their strength by supporting this saying “Why should they have to play anyone when the conference features the top 12 teams in the nation?” More proof was provided on Thursday night as former top 10 Auburn started strong and petered out against a mediocre West Virginia squad. Don’t worry Tommy, you’ll be back in the South soon and not have to play running QBs (or decent offenses) anymore. Ok, now that that’s out, let’s look at this game. All the focus is on LSU playing in Baton Rouge—a place where the Bayou Bengals traditionally take care of business. The big difference is that this year’s squad is not earth-shatteringly good. I like Georgia to establish the run early with Moreno and mix in some timely passes to freshman star A.J. Green. LSU has a strong defense, but giving up 17 last week to an anemic Gamecock offense is nothing to be proud of. The LSU offense led by Hatch or Lee is nothing special either. The Tigers will need Scott to pound the ball, but I think UGA jumps on them early forcing Mr. Miles to throw the ball….not in the LSU gameplan. Advantage Dawgs and Richt on the road. UGA: 27—LSU: 17

Penn State Lions vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

Gomer: For weeks and weeks I have looked at this looming matchup and could not see a way that the Buckeyes would be able to get by the Lions. Penn State is ranked ahead of the Buckeyes in just about every statistical category in the Big Ten. My biggest worry is Pryor's reaction to severe pressure, the OSU O-Line could make us all feel how we did during the USC game, but there is something special about Beanie on the big stage that makes me confident. I look for this to be an epic clash of titans that will come down to field position and turnovers. We Are... OHIO STATE! PSU: 28 - OSU: 30

Chief: Welcome back Bucks! The game in East Lansing was what every true Buckeye fan expected coming into this year. Beanie and Pryor ran all over the Spartans while the defense shut down the leading rusher in the big 10. Efficiency and excellence was the name of the game. That being said, Penn State is very balanced. PSU’s main strength is their exceptional line play on both sides. The Lions hope is to establish Royster on the ground, get a big play or 2 out of Clark and/or Williams, and rattle Pryor early. The Bucks need to get Beanie going up the middle and take some safe intermediate passes to get Pryor in the zone. Defensively, the OSU plan is stick with what’s been working. The last 2 games the Bullets have been firing strong: stuff the run, bother the QB, and get turnovers. PSU is solid, but coming into the Shoe at night is a tall order, especially when the team hasn’t faced adversity this year (100th strength of schedule) and old man Joe ‘Oops, I crapped my pants’ Paterno hasn’t won in Columbus since 1978. Edge OSU for home field, better schedule so far, and experience in handling adversity. OSU wins a close one to scare the nation—can the Bucks still go to Miami? (I still think ‘slim to no chance’, but it’s a step in the right direction.) PSU: 13—OSU: 20

Virginia Tech vs. Florida State, Gomer: VT Chief: FSU
Michigan State vs. Michigan, Gomer: UM Chief: MSU
Alabama vs. Tennessee, Gomer: Bama Chief: Bama
Notre Dame vs. Washington, Gomer: ND Chief: ND
Oregon vs. Arizona State, Gomer: UO Chief: UO
USC vs. Arizona, Gomer: USC Chief: USC

Monday, October 20, 2008

Rankings

These rankings are comprised of the old BCS formula, with one minor tweak of my own, I add in Collegefootballnews.com rankings. Something to note about their rankings, unlike AP and Coaches, CFN looks at how the team is playing, not necessarily how they could end up.

Update: All computer and human polls have been released

1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. Oklahoma
4. Penn State
5. Oklahoma State
6. USC
7. Georgia
8. Ohio State
9. Florida
10. Texas Tech
11. Utah
12. Boise State
13. TCU
14. LSU
15. Missouri
16. Georgia Tech
17. South Florida
18. Pittsburgh
19. Tulsa
20. Ball State
21. Michigan State
22. Kansas
23. Minnesota
24. Brigham Young
25. Boston College

A few notes:
-The gap between #1 Texas has a sizeable lead over #2 Alabama, which actually has grown from last week(1.64-7.60)
-This week's most overrated team is: #14 LSU rated #10 by human polls and 18.6 by the computer polls.
-The most underrated teams is: #20 Ball State rated #26 by human polls and 18.3 by the computer polls.
-The Buckeyes have climbed to #8 in this "mock" BCS and are ranked #10 by the humans and as high as 3 and as low as 9 by the computers, another significant improvement from last week's rankings.
-Any chance at participating in the BCS National Championship game is at risk for both Ohio State and Penn State this Saturday. If the Buckeyes win it will put them in a good position to move up should more upsets occur. If Penn State wins the quality win should catapult them into the Championship game.

If the BCS selected today:

Rose Bowl (Big Ten vs. Pac-10)
Penn State vs. USC

Sugar Bowl (SEC)
Ohio State vs. Georgia

Fiesta Bowl (Big 12)
Utah vs. Oklahoma

Orange Bowl (ACC)
Pittsburgh vs. Georgia Tech

BCS Championship (#1 vs. #2)
Alabama vs. Texas

Not sure how I feel about some of those. The ACC and Big East are really struggling to have a "second" team even get considered to make the BCS so I am almost tempted to put two undefeated "mid-majors" in there. Here is how it would be in a perfect world with a play-in game to help satisfy those who demand a "play-off"

#1 Texas vs. #4 Penn State... Spread power vs. balance and smashmouth
#2 Alabama vs. #3 Oklahoma... Talk about coaching, Saban vs. Stoops

#5 Oklahoma State vs. #6 USC... Still not sure if OSU is a pretender or contender

#7 Georgia vs. #8 Ohio State... Yet another strong match-up

#9 Florida vs. #10 Texas Tech... I would pay to watch

Friday, October 17, 2008

Week 8

Buckeye Boredom! Now that the easy game versus Purdue is past... wait, that wasn't easy. Now that the Bucks have struggled with the lowly Boilers the rest of the season is seemingly a toss-up (minus the game with The School Up North) The Buckeyes begin a run of the gauntlet right now with the trip to MSU (6-1) , welcoming PSU (7-0), traveling to Evanston (5-1), and Champaign (Juice Williams anyone). The Buckeyes can win out and make the Rose Bowl or lose one or two and go Captial One/Outback Bowling. Records so far: Gomer (53-27) Chief (57-23)

Kansas Jayhawks vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Gomer: This could get ugly, Todd Reesing and the rest of the Jayhawks are walking into a potential blowout at OU. The Sooners are coming off the heartbreak against Texas, so they will look to take out some frustrations on the 'Hawks. Sam Bradford didn't fall far out of the Heisman race so this game could be a nice rebound to get the bid going to pass Colt McCoy. KU: 17 - OU: 41

Chief: Kansas gets the distinct honor of playing the Sooners after a loss. Let’s not forget that Sam Bradford was brilliant last week against the Longhorns throwing 5 TD passes. Reesing and the Jayhawks are the epitome of smart play—they don’t turn it over or make dumb mistakes (penalties) very often. Regardless, the Sooners are really good. I think the Jayhawks are in for a major butt-whooping. Remember, Bob Stoops doesn’t call off the dogs. KU: 17—OU: 41

Missouri Tigers vs. Texas Longhorns

Gomer: The Rising Star's fall from glory will continue this week. I've said for a few weeks that Chase Daniel would arguably be one of the worst Heisman winners EVER, and thank the Lord for last week's clunker against the Cowboys (bang bang). Texas was able to pull out a thriller against the Sooners and are now in the driver's seat for a spot in the BCS National Championship Game against either 'Bama, USC, or Florida. The question of the day will be if Colt McCoy will be able to handle last weeks success and pick apart the average Mizzou defense. The other glaring question is if Texas will bring the pressure that the Pokes brought on Chase Daniel to help force him to make poor decisions. This should easily be the best game of the week. UM: 28 - UT: 38

Chief: Boy, those first picks were boring…well, I need to have an upset somewhere and here it is. The number 1 team in the country after an epic rivalry win last week will not hold sway in week 8. The Chase Daniel/Jeremy Maclin led Tigers enter DKR with a bad taste in their mouths after being beaten by a man…he’s 41. The Pokes beat the Tigers on the scoreboard, but Mizzou couldn’t get out of their own way last week. I think this week we see another Clash of the Titans with both quarterbacks doing everything to keep their teams’ dreams alive, but Chase Daniel has just enough to outduel Colt McCoy with that last second comeback everyone expected last week. Mizzou in my upset special squeaker of the week. UM: 31—UT: 30

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan State Spartans

Gomer: The Bucks come into East Lansing with the defense showing some signs of life but struggling mightily on offense. The O struggled to put up any yardage on the 95th worst defense in the nation (Purdue, giving up 400yds/game) while offensive statistics have plummeted to make OSU the 94th worst offense in the nation (averaging 320yds/game). Michigan State has been solid in all aspects of the game... almost. Brandon Hoyer has matured throughout the last two seasons but consistenly shows poor decision making when pressure is on, problem is, the OSU d-line can't generate pressure (75th in the nation in sacks, 97th in tackles for loss). While the defense isn't getting the necessary pressure and the offense is sputtering, the Bucks tend to play much better on the road in the Big Ten the last few years than they do at home. I would not be surprised if Dantonio gets his first signature win as the head man in East Lansing, he is the D-coordinator I would do anything to have back on the side lines with Coach Tressel. If Ringer gets his Heisman groove on, we should worry, if he has less yards than Beanie, all is well for another week in Buckeye land. OSU: 19 - MSU: 17

Chief: Welcome back to 2003 Buckeye Nation! Last week, the offense couldn’t get a thing going while the defense remembered how good they were supposed to be. Malcolm Jenkins finally had a coming out party as the Bullets held the Purdue offense to 3 points on their longest field goal in school history. That being said, MSU is another animal. Javon Ringer leads the Spartan attack and this guy is good. The defense will have their hands full, but I think the edge at QB actually stays with the Bucks. Hoyer is terrible, and Pryor, while not perfect, is slowly getting better (if the coaches would start calling better plays (quick slants please!!!). MSU clobbered NU last week, but looked very suspect against a bad Iowa at home 2 weeks ago. I like Beanie and the Bucks to awaken on offense and Laurinaitis to hold Ringer to a mediocre day. This won’t mark the traditional MSU meltdown, but OSU take another step to the 3rd consecutive outright Big 10 title. OSU: 24—MSU: 13

Michigan vs. Penn State - Gomer: PSU - Chief: PSU
LSU vs. South Carolina - Gomer: LSU - Chief: LSU (close)
Virginia Tech vs. Boston College - Gomer: VT - Chief: VT
California vs. Arizona - Gomer: UA - Chief: Cal

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Thursday Night Special...

Florida State Seminoles vs. North Carolina State Wolfpack

Gomer: I've had quite the run of good luck picking the Wolfpack as the spoiler many times in the past, but I really can't even begin to justify it here. The Seminoles have played outstanding defense for the most part this season and finally showed some life in their offense in the rivalry game with the 'Canes. Christian Ponder should continue to improve and will help lead his team to victory in another nail-biter with versus the pack. FSU: 17 - NCST: 9

Chief: Bobby’s Noles enter Raleigh after a bye week following an ugly yet very satisfying win over arch-rival Miami. Yes, Miami put up 39 points on FSU, but the defense was much better than that. Miami only scored on turnovers and gadget plays. Whenever faced with a short field, FSU takes care of business. This week will be no different because while Miami is a team on the rise, the Wolfpack is dropping fast. That win over ECU is a distant memory as the Pirates have fallen off the map. Look for Ponder to shore up the mistakes (I’ll still say 2 turnovers), Smith to pound the ball, and the Nole defense to shut down the Pack on Thursday night. FSU: 31 - NCST: 6

BYU vs. TCU - Gomer: BYU - Chief: BYU

Monday, October 13, 2008

Rankings

These rankings are comprised of the old BCS formula, with one minor tweak of my own, I add in Collegefootballnews.com rankings. Something to note about their rankings, unlike AP and Coaches, CFN looks at how the team is playing, not necessarily how they could end up.

Update: One week until the official BCS standings are released

1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. Penn State
4. USC
5. Oklahoma
6. Oklahoma State
7. Florida
8. Texas Tech
9. Ohio State
10. Georgia
11. Utah
12. Boise State
13. BYU
14. Missouri
15. Michigan State
16. Virginia Tech
17. North Carolina
18. LSU
19. Kansas
20. Wake Forest
21. South Florida
22. TCU
23. California
24. Ball State
25. Vanderbilt

A few notes:
-The gap between #1 Texas has a sizeable lead over #2 Alabama (1.88-7.47)
-This week's most overrated team is: #18 LSU (11.50 rating by the human polls and 27.80 from the computers, a difference of 16.3)
-The most underrated teams is: #24 Ball State (28.25 rating by the human polls and 19.20 from the computers, a difference of 9.05)
-The Buckeyes have climbed to #9 in this "mock" BCS and are ranked either 11, 12, or 13 by the humans and as high as 5 and as low as 15 by the computers, a significant improvement over last week.
-Beating the Spartans will be a tough task for the Buckeyes but if they accomplish it will give them huge points in both the computers and humans leading into next week's showdown with #3 PSU

If the BCS selected today:

Rose Bowl (Big Ten vs. Pac-10)
Penn State vs. USC

Sugar Bowl (SEC)
Florida vs. Ohio State

Fiesta Bowl (Big 12)
Oklahoma vs. Utah

Orange Bowl (ACC)
Virginia Tech vs. South Florida

BCS Championship (#1 vs. #2)
Alabama vs. Texas

Not bad match-ups all around, of course there is the dumb rule of a maximum of 2 teams from any conference, here is how it would be in a perfect world with a play-in game to help satisfy those who demand a "play-off"

#1 Texas vs. #4 USC... Nice rematch, probably a very good game
#2 Alabama vs. #3 Penn State... Power house programs with a ton of history

#5 Oklahoma vs. #6 Oklahoma State... We get to see this game later this season

#7 Florida vs. #8 Texas Tech... Shootout for teams that don't play very good defense

#9 Ohio State vs. #10 Georgia... The early BCSNCG prediction but a nice consolation match-up

Friday, October 10, 2008

Week 7

What a thriller! The Buckeyes survived a scary road trip to Camp Randall and rode on the arms and legs of freshman QB Terrelle Pryor. I've started just going with my gut instinct for most games rather than use logic, because hey, it doesn't really matter. Records so far: Gomer (48-22) Chief (50-20)

Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Gomer: Bradford vs. McCoy in the Red River Shootout. This game will have a huge impact on the national title picture and the Heisman race. If the Horns are able to pull off the win they will have a lot of momentum heading into the toughest stretch of the schedule (OU, Mizzou, OSU, TT). I have heard a lot of knocks on UT's schedule thus far but looking at who the two teams have played the only major difference is the win over TCU for the sooners. The biggest reason OU should win is their balance on offense, between Bradford and Murray, OU is diverse where they need it. If McCoy gets hot this could get really interesting and vault him to the top of the Heisman list. UT: 24 - OU: 31

Chief: With all the great games this week, the Red River Shootout tops most peoples’ lists. The Big 12 this year has been a bastion of great QB play and this game has 2 of the best in McCoy and Bradford. Both of these QBs should be invited to the Heisman ceremony at year’s end. I like OU in this matchup as the Horns have played no one this year. OU’s schedule is not anything special, but TCU provided a little tune up. While the Horned Frogs will never be mistaken for the Horns, Bradford and Murray will be enough to stop McCoy and….McCoy. Texas doesn’t have the variety of weapons OU has and it will show in Dallas. UT: 20—OU: 38

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Missouri Tigers

Gomer: Mike Gundy and the Pokes look to shock the country in probably the most underrated match-up of this weekend. These are two of the very best offenses in the country and two average-ish defenses, so in a sense this should look like a Pac-10 game. The best hope for the Cowpokes is to hope for a Mizzou lookahead to next week's game with the Horns. Both teams will put up ridiculous numbers, Chase Daniel will look good and probably solidify his chances at winning the Heisman (I might kill something or someone if he wins). I just have some funny feeling about the Pokes being the underdog and being nameless to the majority of the nation. OSU: 45 - Mizzou: 42

Chief: This Big 12 matchup should be one of the most exciting games of the year. Maybe the reason for the political correct change of the Red River Shootout is because the shootout of the week is in Columbia. The Pokes and Tigers has 2 of the most dynamic offenses in the country with Heisman frontrunner Chase Daniel and relative unknown Zac Robinson (also in the top 5 in passer rating), not to mention the stellar highlight reels Jeremy Maclin and Dez Bryant. Remember the Bengals/Browns game from a few years ago where TDs were scored every minute? Don’t blink in this one or you may miss 3 TDs. I like Mizzou for now in a close win because the Cowboys are still fairly unknown. Chase Daniel leads a game winning drive to keep the dream alive. “Get your popcorn ready!” OSU: 48—Mizzou: 52

LSU Tigers vs. Florida Gators

Gomer: Anything I've read speaks to the strength from the Tiger lines on both sides of the ball. While LSU should be able to dominate where it counts the real question is, which Tim Tebow will show up? So far this season we have not seen the Heisman Trophy winner of last year, it's not like he's been bad, but he hasn't been Heisman caliber. This game should be a classic and has huge national title implications because whoever wins will be in the drivers seat to make it to the BCS championship (A 1-loss SEC champion gets in over any other 1-loss team). Another tidbit; under Meyer and Tebow's leadership the Gators have never made a 4th quarter comeback. LSU: 27 - UF: 21

Chief: Does one of these teams have to win??? I would be just fine seeing both lose. This game has huge national title implications as a win for UF puts them back in the hunt and a loss ends all hope. LSU could always use another big road win to solidify their status as Auburn is petering out. Darnell Scott has been getting the hype, but 1 good half by LSU QB Jarrett Lee isn’t enough to make me a believer. For the Gators, look for Tebow to Harvin, Tebow to Harvin, Tebow to Harvin as usual. I’m pulling the trigger here. The Swamp, at night, is a brutal place to play. The Gators will be pumped and Tebow will run the show himself--just enough for an enormous win for Florida. LSU: 17—UF: 20

Penn State Lions vs. Wisconsin Badgers

Gomer: This game could easily be a trap game for the Lions. Wisconsin has fallen from National Title hopes to Rose Bowl hopes to just salvaging the season. Losing to lowly Michigan and a superior Buckeye squad in the final minutes can really do that to you. Is it possible we're looking at the "new MSU"? I don't think Wisconsin will become the team of yearly collapses but they are definitely backed into a corner at 0-2 in conference play staring 0-3 in the face. On the other hand the Lions have roared through their first 6 games but still can't quite crack the top 5 nationally. A win here for JoePa's possibly last squad, will solidify the collision course with 1-loss Ohio State in two weeks. Penn State's D-line will put lots of pressure on Evridge and the Badger running game and this game will not be as close as expected. PSU: 34 - UW: 20

Chief: Yikes…Can I pull it twice? Here’s a game of incredible proportions for these teams for 2 very different reasons. Penn State needs to keep winning to keep the national love affair with Joe Pa alive. Also, they enter a murderer’s row with games at Wisconsin, home vs. Michigan (don’t laugh, PSU hasn’t beaten Michigan since 96) and at Columbus. Wisconsin has become the cornered badger who is by nature going to be extremely dangerous. If Wisconsin learns to run the ball consistently and stops putting the game into Alan Evridge’s hands they have a chance. Bielema needs to circle the wagons and impart the urgency of this game. As the last big game on the schedule, the Badgers need this...but PSU is good when they’re on. I think they do just enough to crush the Badgers hopes for another year. This game will be much closer than the expert’s think, but the Lions put the finishing blow on the Badgers. Deciding factor? PSU’s band will be in Camp Randall. Wisconsin is questionable…God Speed Blue Band! PSU: 24—UW: 23 (Editor's note: PSU's band will not be allowed in the game as of 3:30pm Friday)
(Editor's note: Wisconsin's band WILL BE at the game as of 3:40pm Friday, which means PSU's pep band should be allowed in the game as well)

Purdue Boilermakers vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

Gomer: It's almost a pity that this is Joe Tiller's final hurrah and his team is so terrible. The Boilers benched Senior QB Curtis Painter in last weeks joke against Penn State. The Buckeyes continue to struggle to put meaningful pressure on opposing QB's and will continue to struggle this week, not necessarily because of lack of effort but Painter is really good at getting rid of the ball quickly (for better or for worse). The Buckeyes have given up the most sacks in the Big Ten, even with Pryor, but with Beanie getting limited work and Boom out, this will be closer than expected (Bucks are favored by 19) because of both offensive struggles and JT's unwillingness to send out Tiller with a black eye. PU: 17 - OSU: 31

Chief: After all those great game that should run down to wire, it’s nice to have an easy one. The Bucks come off an epic win in Madison while Purdue continues to be an exercise in futility in West Lafayette. OSU is hitting their stride with the steady Beanie Wells grinding out chunks of yards and the flashy playmaker Terrelle Pryor. At season’s beginning, I had zero expectations of the boy from Jeanette. While the masses were calling for Mr. Pryor on Day 1, I expected no such changing of the guard. Even I have come to the side of the boy wonder. This guy is simply amazing, and with Beanie as another threat (not to mention some receivers who hopefully are prepared to explode), expect OSU to trample the hapless Boiler rush defense (last in the Big 10). It’s gonna be a short game in which the Bucks run, run, run while Painter enjoys the fine turf of Ohio Stadium. Bucks roll. PU: 7—OSU: 38

***On a personal note, if you happen to attend the Clash in Columbus, hang around for halftime as I was privileged enough to assist in the designing of the band’s halftime show—TV Land. See Stewie, Homer, crashing boats, and a salute to the bar where everyone knows your name, and more.***

South Carolina vs. Kentucky - Gomer: UK, Chief: USC
Notre Dame vs. North Carolina - Gomer: UNC, Chief: UNC
Michigan State vs. Northwestern - Gomer: MSU, Chief: MSU

Monday, October 06, 2008

Rankings

These rankings are comprised of the old BCS formula, with one minor tweak of my own, I add in Collegefootballnews.com rankings. Something to note about their rankings, unlike AP and Coaches, CFN looks at how the team is playing, not necessarily how they could end up.

Update: This week incorporates the first week of the Anderson & Hester Computer Poll

1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Missouri
4. Texas
5. Penn State
6. LSU
7. Georgia
8. Southern Cal
9. Utah
10. Vanderbilt
11. Texas Tech
12. Ohio State
13. Boise State
14. Brigham Young
15. Florida
16. Virginia Tech
17. Oklahoma State
18. Michigan State
19. North Carolina
20. Kansas
21. Georgia Tech
22. California
23. Wake Forest
24. South Florida
25. Northwestern

A few notes:
-The gap between #4 Texas and #5 Penn State is large (10.47-)
-This week's big time overrated teams are #6 LSU (3 by the humans, 12.6 by the computers), #11 Texas Tech (8.75 by the humans, 19.4 by the computers), #14 BYU (9.5 by the humans, 20.2 by the computers), #15 Florida (10.25 by the humans, 23.8 by the computers), #20 Kansas (16.5 by the humans, 32.8 by the computers)
-The most underrated teams is #21 Georgia Tech (28.75 by the humans, 19 by the computers)
-The Buckeyes are ranked either 11 or 12 by the humans and as high as 7 and as low as 24 by the computers

If the BCS selected today:

Rose Bowl (Big Ten vs. Pac-10)
Penn State vs. USC

Sugar Bowl (SEC)
LSU vs. Ohio State

Fiesta Bowl (Big 12)
Missouri vs. Utah

Orange Bowl (ACC)
Virginia Tech vs. South Florida

BCS Championship (#1 vs. #2)
Alabama vs. Oklahoma

Not bad match-ups all around, of course there is the dumb rule of a maximum of 2 teams from any conference, here is how it would be in a perfect world with a play-in game to help satisfy those who demand a "play-off"

#1 Oklahoma vs. #4 Texas... Hey lucky for us, we get to see that match-up this weekend!
#2 Alabama vs. #3 Missouri... Very intriguing matchup, high-power offenses, blood-thirsty defense (from Bama), I'd pay to watch.

#5 Penn State vs. #6 LSU... Good match-up, class of the Big Ten vs. the mad hatter

#7 Georgia vs. #8 USC... What everyone thought would be the national title game when the season began, good matchup

#9 Utah vs. #10 Vanderbilt... Very interesting, I'd watch, but not many other than the NCAA FB diehards would.

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Full Day of Football...

I finally was able to spend a complete day in front of the TV watching parts of many of the great games that went on this Saturday. From yesterdays docket I watched parts of: Penn State vs. Purdue, Michigan State vs. Iowa, Indiana vs. Minnesota, West Virginia vs. Rutgers, Notre Dame Stanford, Alabama vs. Kentucky, Illinois vs. Michigan, Florida State vs. Miami, Vanderbilt vs. Auburn, Texas vs. Colorado, Oklahoma vs. Baylor, North Carolina vs. Connecticut, Arizona vs. Washington, Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, and Missouri vs. Nebraska... shew, it was a fun and full day for sure.

The Buckeyes looked good when they needed to. Wisconsin is a much better team than their record shows and they are staring 0-3 in the Big Ten in the face with undefeated Penn State coming to town next Saturday. The tandem of Pryor and Wells in the backfield, when used effectively, makes the Buckeye offense almost unstoppable. There are still far too many issues with the wide receivers and the defense. On the topic of defense, there were moments of brilliance, but more moments of "oh no" than anything else last night. While making stops when it really counts is what really matters, it is unnerving that the likes of Hill, Beckum, Evridge, and Clay were able to move almost at will in, out, and around the OSU D. It all comes down to the lack of pressure generated by the d-line that continues to be an issue this year.

Friday, October 03, 2008

Week 6 Picks

Another exciting weekend of college football awaits, we can only hope that it is half as exciting as last weekend. Yet again I fall back another game from Chief, what can you do, but keep making stupid picks? Gomer (40-21) Chief (42-19)

Illinois Illini vs. Michigan Wolverines

Gomer: Michigan got real lucky in what was one of many stunners last weekend. In the second half of the game versus Wisconsin, the Wolverines came out down 19-0 and were able to come back and win in the greatest comeback in Big House history, the second half is enough reason to give every remaining opponent on Michigan's schedule a shudder (yes even Ohio State). While RichRod would like to continue the momentum generated with the win over the Badgers, Juice Williams and the Illini are the antithesis of Wisconsin football and the Wolverine's will struggle to stop them, and Steven Threet will continue his mediocrity. UI: 34 - UM: 23

Chief: I don’t think the country has enough understanding how terrible the Michigan/Wisconsin game was. I did gain some respect for the Wolverine defensive line, but the secondary was helped immensely by an awful Badger QB. This game is very intriguing because Illinois is fighting to stay relevant while Michigan hopes to prove they’ve reloaded and not rebuilt. Illinois hung with PSU well, and UM can’t hold the ball. I expect the Illini to get an elusive road win in the Big House. UI: 20—UM: 10

Florida State Seminoles vs. Miami Hurricanes

Gomer: Knowing that my colleague is an alum of one of these two schools, I won't be too mean to the Seminoles. This used to be a game that had national title implications but until Bowden gets out of Tallahassee and Shannon's recruits mature, this game will not matter on a championship level. However this game is pivotal in the ACC race with both teams looking for their first conference victory. Miami's young talent led by Robert Marve will manage to score enough to keep down the typically inept FSU offense. FSU: 10 - UM: 13

Chief: Literally, a matchup for the ages. Remember the 90s when this was the annual game of the year? My how they’ve fallen, but both teams are looking to climb back into the spotlight. The Hurricanes lost on a last second pick in the endzone versus the Tarheels but looked good in the effort. FSU’s defense, in my opinion, is one of (if not the) best in the country. The Nole offense figured out last week vs. Colorado to pass to the guys in the red so they didn’t hand the game to the opposition. Look for the Seminole defense to smother the Cane offense and Christian Ponder to do just enough for a win in Miami (where wins for FSU are fleeting). FSU: 13—UM: 10

Auburn Tigers vs. Vanderbilt Commodores

Gomer: In doing some reading for this match-up it's amazing to believe that Vandy has not started a season 5-0 since 1941, well Commodores, here's your chance. Vandy has come through in two very close games while the Tigers have lost one really close game giving up the big play at the end when they needed a defensive stand most. So far my colleague and I have tossed around the idea if it's SEC Defenses that are so amazing, or if the offenses are really that bad. Well in this games case, we're gonna see a good bit of both. For little good reason other than playing at home, Vanderbilt makes a statement beating the Tigers for the first time since 1955. AU: 9 - Vanderbilt: 13

Chief: Gameday is in Vanderbilt. Let me say that again unless you think you misheard. Gameday is in Vanderbilt. The Dores are ranked for the first time in a long time and hope they continue their dominance of the SEC (again, never thought I’d say that). Auburn’s defense is very very good and their offense is…well the defense is very good (Taken from CFN). Vandy will have the energy to slow the Auburn ‘offense’, but the Tiger defense will end the Vandy dreams. AU: 10—Vandy: 3

Oregon Ducks vs. Southern Cal Trojans

Gomer: Typical Pac-10 game, Oregon has a decent offense (granted all their QB's are dead or dying), USC has an outstanding offense. Oregon has a terrible defense that can't stop the run or pass, USC doesn't know how to stop runs straight up the middle. Look for the Ducks to hang with the Trojans early but defensive pressure and the likes of Sanchez and McKnight will put the Ducks down with ease. If they don't, the Trojans can say goodbye to any chance at the BCS Championship or the Pac-10 crown. UO: 21 - USC: 38

Chief: The Trojans come off an epic loss in Corvallis (becoming a biannual event). Not to mention that the Ducks defeated USC last year. Talk about payback on their minds. Pete Carroll’s squad looked totally vulnerable last week (if only we played them last week) but UO got blasted by a mediocre Boise team in Autzen. USC looked mortal, but this is a week for revenge. UO: 17—USC: 55

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Wisconsin Badgers

Gomer: The Badgers currently are on a tear in night games winning 21 of their last 22, home and away including winning 11 straight nighttime victories. The last time the Bucks visited Camp Randall it was 2003 and a night game in early October and the Bucks were looking to repeat as National Champions but were met with a raucous crowd, pouring rain, driving wind, and a load of smashmouth football they could not match. Tomorrow night much of the previously mentioned will be present but most importantly what's missing is a veteran QB with a National Championship on his resume, what the Bucks do have instead is one of the best running backs in the country that should help keep the pressure off of Pryor for most of the game. Unlike SoCal the Badgers do not have 5-star athletes at every position, so I like this match-up better than the Trojans, but I do not like our line play, on either side of the ball. If the D-line is unable to generate pressure on inexperienced QB Allan Everidge, it could be a long day of Everidge to Beckum and PJ Hill running up the middle. OSU: 17 - UW: 14

Chief: The game of the week still resides in Madison. Refer to my comments above about the UM/UW game. The commentators need to stop calling the UM win a Badger 2^nd half collapse. They weren’t anything special in the 1^st half, coming away with FG’s after the myriad Wolverine turnovers. The Buckeyes looked good last week, but doing it on the road at Camp Randall will be tough. Pryor and Wells need to be sharp and they will, Everidge (Wisconsin’s QB) will be the offensive star (for the Buckeyes), and Pryor will continue to impress—if Steve Threet can break off a big run, Pryor will hit multiple. OSU: 27 - UW: 17

Stanford @ Notre Dame: Gomer: ND - Chief: ND
Texas @ Colorado: Gomer: UT - Chief: UT
Connecticut @ North Carolina: Gomer: UNC - Chief: UNC
Washington @ Arizona: Gomer: Arizona - Chief: Arizona