Rankings: Week 5

Draper Top 25
1. Bama
2. FSU
3. Oregon
4. Kansas State
5. Florida
6. Georgia
7. South Carolina
8. Texas
9. Notre Dame
10. LSU
11. West Virginia
12. Ohio State
13. Oregon State
14. USC
15. Northwestern
16. Oklahoma
17. Rutgers
18. Louisville
19. Cincinnati
20. Stanford
21. UCLA 
22. Nebraska
23. Washington
24. Clemson
25.  TCU

Hoying Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Florida State
4. Georgia
5. Notre Dame
6. Kansas State
7. Oregon State
8. Florida
9. Texas
10. West Virginia
11. Ohio State
12. Texas Tech
13. South Carolina
14. LSU
15. TCU
16. Louisiana Tech
17. Rutgers
18. Northwestern
19. Mississippi State
20. Stanford
21. Cincinnati
22. Louisville
23. UCLA
24. Ohio
25. Washington

Schweinfurth Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Florida State
3. Oregon 
4. Georgia 
5. South Carolina
6. LSU 
7. Kansas State
8. Florida
9. West Virginia 
10. Texas
11. Notre Dame
12. Clemson
13. Ohio State
14. Stanford
15. USC
16. Oklahoma  
17. TCU
18. Oregon State
19. Louisville 
20. Northwestern 
21. Nebraska
22. Rutgers 
23. Mississippi State 
24. Ohio
25. Cincinnati

Week 6 Picks: SEC!!!!!

Standings
1. Schweinfurth        16-4  (3-2 upset)
2. Draper                  13-7  (2-3 upset)
2. Hoying                 13-7  (2-3 upset)
3. Auer                      9-7   (0-4 upset)

LSU Tigers @ Florida Gators
Draper: Everyone....EVERYONE is going to jump on the Gators this week.  Ben Hill Griffin stadium is the most insane stadium I've ever been in when the Gators are on top, but I just don't see a great Florida team.  They continually prove me wrong, but I'm going for it again.  LSU looked horrid against Towson (who?) but I'm going with that being a look ahead game.  The Tiger D-line is studly.  Their offense is not good but neither is Florida's.  This should be a slugfest but LSU will play their best game of the year to come out with a big road win. LSU: 13--UF: 10
Auer: The Gators are at home, coming off a bye, and Will Muschamp has "made hay while the sun shines" for Florida. LSU hasn't been impressive and hasn't faced the competition that the Gators have. I expect the pretender to be exposed as the Gators' balanced attack gets it done on the home field. LSU: 17--UF: 31
Hoying: I keep picking against the Gators, and I keep getting proven wrong.  Florida has traveled to two of the toughest venues in the game, Kyle Field and Neyland Stadium, and come away with victories.  Meanwhile, the Tigoueauxrs have struggled of late against pedestrian competition.  Florida QB Jeff Driskel is still developing as a passer, but LSU QB Zach Mettenberger has the purple and gold faithful missing the likes of...Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson.  Yikes.  The Swamp will be rocking, and Florida's absence from the ranks of the elite ends Saturday night.  LSU: 17--UF: 20
Schweinfurth: LSU has definitely struggled the last few weeks and, most recently, Towson.  Will Muschamp has shown the ability to make huge adjustments during halftime. Gators QB Jeff Driskel has improved every week and has brought home some big wins in some very difficult environments.  I expect the Tigers to jump out to a modest lead and the Gators to come roaring back in the second half for the win.  LSU: 10--UF: 17

Georgia Bulldogs @ South Carolina Gamecocks 
Draper: Both teams avoided gagging last week on the road to set up what should be a battle for the SEC East.  I expect a very close game in which one big play sways it.  These SEC defenses are superbly overrated but their offenses have been humming.  Aaron Murray has looked like the best QB in the SEC and the UGA defense has shown flashes (of brilliance and crap). Marcus Lattimore is a stud running the ball and Shaw has looked remarkably confident behind Spurrier's tutelage.  I'm so torn on this one because I could see it fall either way.  I'll go with the home team (begrudgingly) in a very close battle. UGA: 24--USC: 27
Auer: Last year South Carolina squeaked out a win over the 'Dogs scoring 4 defensive and special team touchdowns. I don't see them getting that lucky again as the Gamecocks have struggled against subpar competition thus far. UGA: 35--USC: 27
Hoying: The Bulldogs and the Gamecocks have been able to live up to their preseason hype, setting up the biggest matchup of the year so far.  SC QB Connor Shaw has been an absolute beast after recovering from his early injury, and Georgia slinger Aaron Murray has been terrific as well.  If you loved not seeing any defense last weekend, tune into this one, as both squads will be powerless to stop each other's attack.  Ummm...Dawgs win, I guess.  UGA: 49--USC: 42
Schweinfurth: South Carolina looks like the real deal this year.  Marcus Lattimore is an absolute beast as a running back who does a great job taking the pressure off of Connor Shaw.  Georgia looked a little shaky last week and is without one of their top receivers.  Both teams have good offenses, but this will be lower scoring than a lot of people think.  The Gamecocks win on a late field goal.  UGA: 21--USC: 24

West Virginia Mountaineers @ Texas Longhorns
Draper: Everyone loved the scorefest by Geno Smith and the Mountaineers last week, but Baylor's (and WVU's ) defense is...non-existent.  Texas doesn't have a world beater defense, but they are better.  The Neers attack is very good with the Holgo scheme, but Texas at DKR will get just enough key stops.  The Longhorns are humming behind David Ash and the WVU 'defense' shouldn't stop a thing.  Look for another shootout with Bevo taking out the hillbillies. WVU: 34--UT: 41
Auer: Yeah yeah yeah, WVU looked so awesome last week.... wait, you're supposed to actually play defense and cover guys? Frankly I don't think WVU has a chance against a team with a pulse, but that's just me. The Longhorns surprised me with their win against Oklahoma State last week, and will continue to garner attention from the pollsters as they shutdown the Mountaineers. WVU: 21--UT: 42
Hoying: While the media swooned over Geno Smith's performance against Baylor, I watched in horror and wondered how so many scholarships could be wasted on flatfooted defenders.  West Virginia is an offensive juggernaut, but defense wins championships, and there is none to be found in Morgantown.  The good news for WVU is Texas doesn't have much of a defense either, and their attack isn't quite as strong.  No athlete on the field in this matchup is capable of stopping or outdueling Smith.  Texas is improving, but they have reached their ceiling.  WVU: 49--UT: 38
Schweinfurth:  Texas has been sneaky good this year and is quietly undefeated.  However, the Longhorns are still in a rebuilding phase.  The Longhorns play better defense than Baylor, but it's still a Big 12 defense. Geno Smith is good, but I could have hit some of the receivers last week (especially if they don't have a defender within 10 yards).  West Virginia has no defense.  This is the week Geno comes down to earth (and throws for 4 TDs).  WVU: 35--UT: 31

Nebraska Cornhuskers @ THE Ohio State Buckeyes
Draper: Martinez is not a great passer--advantage OSU.  Sad thing is, he may be the best passer left on the Buckeye's schedule.  The run defense was spectacular last week against a traditional attack, but the outside runs (QB and RB) have flustered the Buckeyes of late.  I expect Martinez and Burkhead to exploit the screen game to pick on the weak Buckeye secondary, but Hankins will totally eat up the inside run game.  Look for the turnovers to be cleaned up on offense and a fairly efficient attack as Miller and the Bucks return to the friendly confines.  The crowd will be rocking and will be the deciding factor in a 2 score win.  Neb: 24--OSU: 34
Auer: The Buckeyes come into this one after an unlikely win in East Lansing. For whatever reason night games have been hit or miss for the Bucks, losing 3 of the last 5 home night games, and overall going 5-5 in night games over the last 4 seasons. After the emotional and physical toll the win over Michigan State took out on the Bucks, this could be a bit of a let down for Ohio State. This game will come down to Braxton Miller learning from last week's HORRIBLE reads and some questionable passing decisions. Neb: 35--OSU: 37
Hoying: Revenge!  The Cornhuskers roll into Columbus with a terrific rushing attack but not much in the way of a passing game.  Yeah, Martinez looked great against Southern Miss, Arkansas State, and Idaho State, but he hasn't been able to deliver through the air when it counts.  What happened to the last team of this makeup that faced the Buckeyes?  Make no mistake, the Buckeye secondary is still horrible, but that may not matter the rest of this season.  Last year we learned that the Nebraska can't stop Miller, so once again: as goes Braxton, so go the Buckeyes.  NU: 20--OSU: 31
Schweinfurth: Tackling for the Buckeyes has been an issue and shifty running backs seem to give the Silver Bullets issues.  Enter Nebraska's Abdullah, who is a quick shifty back.  The Buckeyes will need another big game out of Big Hank to control the middle of the line and good gap control by Sabino and Shazier.  On offense, the Huskers couldn't stop Braxton in a very boring, vanilla offense last year.  Only Bauserbombs allowed Nebraska back into the game.  If Braxton stays healthy and plays for more than 2 1/2 quarters, the Buckeyes win easy.  These are not the Blackshirts of old and it's Urban's first night game.  As Jay Cutler says, "Good luck!" NU: 17--OSU: 35

Upset Special
Draper: Purdue over Michigan
Auer: Arizona over Stanford
Hoying: Texas Tech over Oklahoma
Schweinfurth: Washington State over Oregon St.

 

 

Grading the Bucks--Week 5: MSU

That's better.  Still plenty of issues, but this was the best executed game since Miami (OH) and this one was against a team with a pulse.  The Bucks are certainly not ready for the big time, but they're on the way.

Offense: B
Pedestrian play calling but Braxton is this offense. This might become a real issue as Buckeye nation holds their collective breath whenever he goes down.  Carlos Hyde really ran well, but there's still an aversion to I-formation smack-em in the mouth at times.  The biggest knock for this game was clearly turnovers.  The interception was just awful and the fumbles need to go (I know Miller was in pain...but you can't drop the ball inbounds).  I believe all 3 turnovers happened on the MSU side of the field which was the only reason this game was close.  I will say this: the pass from Miller to Smith was absolutely perfect.  The O-line has improved by leaps and bounds which leads me to think things are moving in the right direction.  The only knock on the receivers is that Smith isn't blocking particularly well--he should take notes from Corey Brown who had a career day catching the ball and blocks exceptionally well.

Defense: B
Yes. We held a beast of a runner to almost nothing.  This shows where the athletes are on this defense. Luckily, there isn't a QB/offense remaining on the schedule that can hurt us downfield, which leads me to believe we'll be favored from here on out.  I love Nathan Williams at rush linebacker.  Hankins and Roby are NFL ready right now...unfortunately, that's it.  Simon needs to live up to the hype and the rest of the secondary needs to learn how to tackle.  If I were Urban, Christian Bryant would be riding the pine until he learns to tackle with his arms and not his shoulder (2 horrendous missed tackles).  Johnson had a nice game, but not without flaw.  The worry is that Maxwell who had done nothing thus far, played a solid game because our secondary can hang.  The run stuffers were fantastic so I wish we played no one but pro style offenses.


Special Teams: B+
Thankfully, the special teams wasn't in the forefront this week like last.  The blocked punt was a thing of beauty (hence the upgrade).  No missed kicks and some nice punts....that's enough.

Coaching: B
Good scheme on defense but the corners are still playing in left field on every play (15 yards off the line) which will be exploited over and over again.  The offensive playcalling is so predictable and that has to change.  Everything is from the gun, but sometimes, you have to smack them in the mouth (especially with an unpolished QB and a better-than-advertised O-line).

Overall: B+/B
Win on the road is always a plus vs. a ranked opponent.  It was close, but that's nice for the coaches as we don't fall into a sense of complacency.  This is a very good team with aspirations of greatness.  Probably not this year, but we're moving in the right direction. Get rid of the turnovers and this is an A- performance. Keep it rolling.

Week 5 Picks: Where are the good games?

Standings
1. Schweinfurth    12-4   (3-1 upset)
2. Draper              10-6   (1-3 upset)
3. Hoying              9-7    (2-2 upset)
4. Auer                  6-6     (0-3 upset)

Baylor Bears @ West Virginia Mountaineers
Draper: Baylor has taken a dose of reality after RGIII and most of their receiver talent headed to the greener pastures of the NFL.  Baylor's a nice little team and WVU is a little flaky with insane head coach Holgerson, but Geno Smith is solid.  The Mountaineers high powered offense will simply out score the Bears in their first visit to the backwoods.  BU: 20--WVU: 45
Auer: Not sure this is a real game... but the Morgantown faithful will help the Mountaineers earn their first ever home Big 12 win... relatively easily. BU: 10--WVU: 46
Hoying: There is one reason Baylor snuck into the rankings, and you might have seen him losing to the Bengals last Sunday.  Give credit to the Bears for not pulling an Arkansas against ULM last Saturday, but the lack of defense is troubling.  Meanwhile, West Virginia's Geno Smith may be this year's RGIII, racking up 12 TD's in 12 quarters this year.  This game looks like bad news Bears for Baylor.  BU: 24--WVU: 48
Schweinfurth: The West Virginia offense is humming along against very inferior opponents so far this year.  Baylor is another inferior opponent.  This isn't the RGIII Baylor Bears from last year.  That missing element and the first home Big 12 game for WVU equals a blowout with some points piling up.  BU: 31--WVU: 56
 
Oregon State Beavers @ Arizona Wildcats

Draper:  Rich Rod's offense looked good in weeks 1-3...then they played a real team in Oregon and got shut out.  I'm shocked.  The Beavers are a solid team but not flashy at all.  Oregon State will hope for a boring low scoring game while the Cats want high scoring and flash.  This should be a very good game that flies under the radar.  I think the home field advantage makes the difference.  Zona couldn't get in the endzone on any possessions last week, but I think a few big plays will beat the grind that the Beavers want.  OSU: 17--Zona: 20
Auer: After an ugly loss for the Wildcats last week (getting shutout 49-0 at Oregon), RichRod's troops will be looking to make a statement against the upset specialist of the 2012 season. OSU is 11-2 in their series with Arizona, and have won 5 straight in Tuscon. Arizona is going to put up a great fight, but the Beaver train keeps on rolling OSU: 24--Zona: 21
Hoying: Few teams have a win over a ranked opponent in this young season.  Oregon State has two.  In two games.  Of course, this was before we knew Wisconsin was horrible, but the Beavers were the first to show that the world-beating Montee Ball running game could be stopped.  Shutting down a hot UCLA offense was even more impressive.  Now the famed DickRod offense steps up to the plate after getting horribly embarrassed by the Pac-12 fashion models.  We all remember how DickRod squads perform in these games, right?  Right?  OSU: 21--Ariz: 20
Schweinfurth: The Beaver defense has been sneaky good this year.  The Beaver's D held Wisconsin's (albeit Jim Bollman-esque anemic) offense in check and looked impressive doing so.  The Wildcat's offense is a different animal than UCLA or Wisky.  I don't know much about the players that Arizona is running out there, but I still do not trust in a Rich Rod offense without White and Slaton (see Michigan). Arizona struggles with another team from Oregon. OSU:24--Ariz: 10 

Texas Longhorns @ Oklahoma State Cowboys
Draper: Texas is undefeated and no one is talking about them (see what happens when you take a year off and aren't in the SEC?).  David Ash has played extremely well.  Look for a big performance on the road vs. a weak Cowboy defense.  Wes Hunt, the true freshman QB for the Pokes, will not be prepared for the big home stage and the Longhorns will take the shootout.  UT: 45--OSU: 38
Auer: After countless comeback wins by the Longhorns over the Pokes, the Fightin' T. Boone Pickens' have a battle on their hands. OSU is coming off a bye and waiting to head on another, while Texas is waiting to face-off against West Virginia and Oklahoma. The deciding factor could be that OSU is breaking in a new QB, JW Walsh in lieu of injured Wes Lunt, but the extra prep time could make the difference. Going for the OSU winning trifecta. UT: 31--OSU: 34
Hoying: The Cowboys have put up ridiculous numbers against the poor, poor defenses they've played so far, but DickRod's Destroyers managed to fight back and hang 59 on them in Tucson two weeks ago.  Will the Texas offense have similar success?  QB David Ash seems to be getting comfortable handling the Texas attack, directing the Longhorns to a great victory over Ole Miss of the mighty SEC, and he should continue to improve in this matchup.  Oklahoma State has had Texas's number lately, but a total lack of defense will be their downfall.  UT: 41--OSU: 35
Schweinfurth: Mike Gundy is known for his offense, and has had the perfect storm the last few years with Weeden and Blackmon running the offense.  This year is a major offensive rebuild for the Cowboys.  This Texas team is very under the radar this year.  The Longhorns are quietly undefeated and are not getting the press like the flashy teams (FSU, Alabama, LSU) are.  I expect lots of points and Texas pulls away late.  UT: 45--OSU: 35

THE Ohio State Buckeyes @ Michigan State Spartans
Draper: After watching the atrocity in the Shoe this weekend, I feared that this was the first time I'd have to pick against the Bucks...then I went home and watched the MSU game.  Woof.  The B1G is so bad that we honestly could win all of our games....and that's sad.  Le'Veon Bell is an absolute beast but the one-dimensional nature of the Green and White will fail to exploit the Buckeye's weak secondary.  Bell will get his, but the safeties and corners will be able to cheat up and limit his effectiveness.  On the other side, Braxton needs to be Braxton.  We've seen what can happen, now we just need to make that the norm.  Good news is the tough running Hyde should be back to balance the offensive threats.  I like the Bucks to steal a close one on the road by limiting the Spartan attack.  OSU: 24--MSU: 20
Auer: Well, we realized our team isn't quite what they are. The defense is average at best (not a surprise when you hire a defensive coordinator because you want to be nice), and Urban doesn't want to set Braxton loose like he should. This game is setting up perfectly for a defensive struggle, but the first meeting between Meyer and Dantonio should bring out the best in both coaches. This game has to be about making statements on both sides, both for the remainder of the season and for the ensuing recruiting battles into the future. Urban gets the wake-up call and turns Braxton loose and relaunches his Heisman campaign. OSU: 35--MSU: 20
Hoying: Buckeye Nation is collectively vomiting after another poor showing against a hapless opponent.  But lost in all the postgame doom and gloom was the equally poor showing Michigan State put on against...Eastern Michigan.  The Spartans, despite the outstanding effort of Le'Veon Bell, have no offense, which is good news for our Silver Slugs (the slimy kind, not the bullet kind).  Braxton is more than enough to counter Bell all by himself.  It's simple: if Braxton carries the ball and doesn't die, the Buckeyes win.  Next question.  OSU: 20--MSU: 17
Schweinfurth: Everyone is talking about the match up between OSU offense and the MSU defense (I'll get to that in a sec).  The real match up is OSU's D and MSU's offense.  If the Buckeyes can stuff Le'Veon Bell and force Andrew Maxwell to throw the ball, the Bucks will be in this game until the end.  The corners need to get in the receiver's faces and give the pass rush some time to get to Maxwell.  On the other side of the ball, the Spartan defensive front seven is very, very good.  The secondary can be beat deep and Devin Smith can stretch the field.  If the OSU coaches stop scripting the first however many plays and take the running "handcuffs" off Miller, this offense can be explosive.  I don't expect the 10-7, defensive slugfest we saw last year but this won't be a barn burner either.  The OSUMB will be there and, as Woody said, they are good for three points on the road.  OSU: 24--MSU: 21

Upset Special
Draper: Washington over Stanford
Auer: Wisconsin over Nebraska
Hoying: Tennessee over Georgia
Schweinfurth: South Florida over Florida State 
 

Top 25 Votes

Our bloggers would like to put our top 25 ballots out for consumption.  Enjoy!

Draper Top 25

1. Bama
2. Florida State
3. Oregon
4. LSU
5. Kansas State
6. Georgia
7. Stanford
8. South Carolina
9. Notre Dame
10. West Virginia
11. USC
12. Florida
13. Texas
14. Ohio State
15. Oregon State
16. Louisville
17. Northwestern
18. Oklahoma
19. Clemson
20. TCU
21. Rutgers
22. Nebraska
23. Michigan State
24. Ohio
25. Mississippi State

Hoying Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Florida State
4. Georgia
5. Notre Dame
6. Kansas State
7. Stanford
8. Oregon State
9. Florida
10. LSU
11. South Carolina
12. Texas
13. Rutgers
14. TCU
15. Texas Tech
16. Louisville
17. Mississippi State
18. Northwestern
19. West Virginia
20. Ohio State
21. UCLA
22. Ohio
23. Minnesota
24. Iowa State
25. Louisiana Tech

Schweinfurth Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Florida State
3. Oregon
4. Georgia
5. LSU
6. South Carolina
7. Stanford
8. Kansas State
9. Florida
10. West Virginia
11. Texas
12. Notre Dame
13. Clemson
14. USC
15. Oklahoma
16. Ohio State
17. TCU
18. Louisville
19. Oregon State
20. Northwestern
21. Michigan State
22. Rutgers
23. Mississippi State
24. Nebraska
25. Ohio

Grading the Bucks--Week 4: UAB

This was not a good game.  Yes, we won, but UAB is AWFUL.  The good news is that the B1G has become a total dumpster fire and we still have a chance.  Let's hit it.

Offense: C-
 Ok. Braxton one of the most explosive players in the country, but he looks scared.  He (or the coaches) has decided not to run him unless absolutely needed.  When needed (end of the half), we carved the Blazers up for  2 quick TDs, yet were anemic the rest of the game.  Jordan Hall has a very quiet nice game, but the WRs are going backwards.  I still notice beautiful downfield blocking (which begs the question why we don't run more screens/options) but the ability to catch the ball has disappeared.  Yes, they're young, but this is basic.  Oh yeah, did I mention it was UAB! This team is unbelievably awful and we let them hang around.  This offense should have been running and throwing over around and through this team...and UAB looked more like the bully.  Lack of football maturity is apparent.

Defense: D
Hard to bang a D for not giving up a TD, but, did I say this? It was UAB!!! They exploited our weak corners and nullified our pass rush with their swing/screen plays that they ran every play (hmmmm...maybe we could learn something).  Travis Howard is still a mess and the lack of Bradley Roby was very noticeable (thankfully, he should be back this week).  Sabino whiffed on WAY too many tackles (as did the rest of the team).  Tackling fundamentals are still very weak.  I notice a major lack of intensity on defense as well.  We have more talent, but it appears the team is going through the motions.  I'm not seeing the killer instinct needed to be a top team.  The stupid penalties (especially the personal foul on Bryant) are unacceptable.  Leveon Bell is a beast and will certainly be a handful next week even though we've been pretty good against the run.  Bell is a different animal.

Special Teams: D-
This unit better thank Ben Buchanan for keeping them out of the F----- grade.  Buchanan was very very good placing a couple punts inside the 5.  Other than that, I've never seen a unit more clueless.  The first 4 plays on special teams were: 1) running into the kicker giving a first down, 2) giving up a blocked punt (before it hit the foot), 3) blocked PAT (Yay!) and 4) muffed kickoff return to the 12.  Also, they gave up a return to midfield and tacked on a stupid foul onto the end.  For all the import Urban says he places on special teams, I don't see it.  This unit has to shore up every part of their game.  I saw the seas part for that blocked punt and it was just embarrassing (he wasn't touched and nearly took the snap!). 

Coaching:D+
You can't fix stupid....but you're supposed to be able to coach it.  The dumb penalties are not going away and this is a coaching issue.  Miller seems to be in handcuffs in the pocket and the odd playcalling starting with 3 passes followed by 15 or so runs are confusing to say the least.  On defense, I don't know why there appeared to be no adjustments to the swing /screen. 0 sacks against this team that is in the tops in the country giving up sacks? No excuses.

Overall: D
UAB sucks....we suck.  There are so many things to fix.  I could see the team looking ahead, and I'm hoping that's what it was...otherwise, this will be a long season.  Thankfully, we enter Big Ten play and we miss the juggernauts of Northwestern and Minnesota!

Week 4 Picks--Here we go!

Stats
1. Schweinfurth 9-3 (3-0 upset)
2. Draper            7-5 (1-2 upset--stupid kickers!! 2 weeks in a row!)
3. Hoying           6-6 (1-2 upset)
4. Auer               4-4 (0-2 upset)

Clemson Tigers @ Florida State Seminoles
Draper:  This is a big time game in Tallahassee.  The expectations are enormous as FSU has a fairly simple schedule.  Getting by Clemson would be huge for the national title hopes of the Noles.  Thus far, the Noles have been essentially perfect against subpar competition.  Clemson has monster speed and superstars at the skill positions.  Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins are explosive, but I expect the stout Nole defense led by Bjoern Werner to shut the door.  EJ Manuel becomes firmly entrenched in the Heisman race with a big emotional win at home.  Clem: 17--FSU: 31
Auer: FSU's first real test. So far they have been BEYOND impressive and annihilated each of their opponents thus far. Clemson has talent, but their O-line is very young and probably won't give Boyd the protection necessary to make it a good game. The 'Noles will look to make a statement! Clem: 16--FSU: 45
Hoying: It's not the Bowden Bowl anymore, but the stakes have rarely been higher.  The Noles have been getting fat off of a steady diet of Little Sisters of the Poor, and America is waiting for a real test of whether Florida State is really back.  Clemson looks to take the inside track to a second consecutive ACC title.  No one else in the ACC looks at all competent, especially after last weekend's poor showing, so the winner here could make a decent run at a 13-0 record and a title game berth.  So who wins?  Florida State has looked disgusting on defense, and Clemson star QB Tajh Boyd will not have the level of success he enjoyed in last year's tilt.  Don't look for another shutout, but the Noles will give an A-level performance as they stay in the lottery to get annihilated by Alabama.  Clem: 13--FSU: 27
Schweinfurth: This is the game where we find out if The Seminoles are for real or not. Clemson has some serious firepower on offense with Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins.  FSU's defense has been stout so far, but it really hasn't been tested so far.  The domination of Wake Forest is one thing but this Clemson team is another. Clemson will get some points but E.J. Manuel will have the 'Noles' offense rolling as well.  Clemson will keep it close, but Florida State's D wins this one for Noles.  Clem: 20--FSU: 31

Michigan Wolverines @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Draper: Who's back?  Michigan got slaughtered in week 1, but pretty much every team in the nation would have been embarrassed in that game.  Notre Dame was very impressive in East Lansing over a tough (yet always flaky) Sparty.  Revenge will be on the minds of the Irish for the shootout last year which will let Michigan take an early lead.  The special part of this Irish team is the defense.  It's no 'world-beater', but it's a much improved crew led by Mante T'eo.  The Wolverines defense on the other hand...bad.  Notre Dame beats the Irish and the echoes begin to awaken.  UM: 24--ND: 34
Auer: I love being the only guy to hate a team so much I'll (almost) never pick them to win. This series has been highlighted by 3 straight upsets, and ND has yet to find a way to contain Denard. Notre Dame made a statement in East Lansing, and will look to avenge last year's loss in The Big House, but will fall short as the Heisman hype is rekindled for Shoelace. UM: 38--ND: 37
Hoying: Notre Dame concludes its B1G tour with the big kahuna.  After scraping by Purdue and embarrassing Michigan State, the Irish have worked their way into the BCS at-large discussion, while Michigan is still looking for a little respect heading into, let's face it, a soft Big Ten slate.  I maintain that the Wolverines are still the best squad in the conference (barf) and the dynamic Denard will have a much better chance moving the ball on a surprisingly good Irish defense than the plodding, predictable Spartan attack.  If only they had the defense to match.  Notre Dame's high-powered attack will be just enough to outscore Meeeeechigan as the B1G continues to suck.  UM: 27--ND:28
Schweinfurth: The Big Ten needs this game.  After looking like a second tier conference against some Pac-12 foes, UM can send a statement that the B1G isn't all terrible.  After watching Notre Dame dismantle MSU last week, Michigan has a rough climb ahead.  Michigan will need a big game from Denard, but I just don't see that happening.  I expect Denard to launch a few ducks again this week and, this time, it will be different.  There is no Junior Hemingway to bail Robinson out this year. UM: 14--ND: 35

Kansas State Wildcats @ Oklahoma Sooners
Draper: Is this the shocker of the week? Last year, Collin Klein led the wildcats to a sneaky good season.  Bill Snyder showed that 'old people, while slow and dangerous behind the wheel, still serve  a purpose'.  The Sooners have limped out of the gate, but they usually get up for the big games at home.  Landry Jones has a nice steady performance that, while not flashy, will win the game.  Klein will also have a sneaky good game to make it much closer than people expect...and no one will care because it's KSU.  KSU: 27--OU:31
Auer: I don't know a lick about either team, but I do remember that KSU seems to be in the habit of getting a pretty high-up in the rankings, and then running up against real competition. Enter Oklahoma. Look for Whaley and Williams to overpower a yet-to-be-tested Wildcat defense. KSU: 9--OU: 45
Hoying: RGIII jump-started his Heisman campaign with a big performance against the Sooners, and Wildcat QB Collin Klein is talented enough to start down the same path with a victory in Norman.  Klein should run all over a soft Oklahoma run defense, but will the Wildcat defense be able to contain Landry Jones and the Oklahoma passing attack?  Bill Snyder will be working his geezer magic, but Big-Game Bob Stoops doesn't lose games like this at home.  Sorry, Kansas State.  Enjoy another almost great year.  KSU: 30--OU: 38
Schweinfurth: The Wildcats are ranked (mostly because there are no good middle tier teams this year) and are off to a good start this year.  Oklahoma is one of the few "good" this year and is much better than Kansas State.  I don't expect a close one, but Bill Snyder always gets his teams up for games.  KSU: 13--OU: 35

UAB Blazers @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Maybe this is the game I expected last week because UAB is TERRIBLE.  There are no excuses this week.  This absolutely has to be a solid blow out.  The secondary needs to get to tackling fundamentals, and Miller needs to become more consistent.  The offense looked confused last week and that can't happen.  This is a tune-up to the B1G opener at MSU so I hope Urban puts the hammer down. Note to defensive players not named Roby, Simon, or Hankins: GET BETTER!  UAB: 10--OSU: 51
Auer: I had the distinct benefit of NOT watching last week's game, so I'm assuming everything is a-okay in Buckeye land and Urban will have the troops ready to punish the Blazers.... btw, what the heck is a Blazer? Is their mascot a dress jacket? The Bucks shouldn't have any trouble in this one, and every back-up should get some meaningful playing time. UAB: 10--OSU: 43
Hoying: This Buckeye squad needs to watch some 2002 game film of Mike Doss, so they can learn to WRAP PEOPLE UP.  Last week featured an unacceptable defensive outing against a bad Cal squad, with linebackers bouncing off third-string running backs and DB's covering big empty zones between receivers.  The good news is an effort like that can still beat UAB.  The bad news is that this offense is going to have to become Michigan if the Buckeyes are going to outscore anyone else this year.  One more chance to find a balanced offense, Bucks.  Otherwise, we can sit back and wait to see how long it takes for Braxton to break in half.  UAB: 13--OSU: 31
Schweinfurth: Tackling should be the name of the game this week.  The linebackers and safeties of OSU (specifically Shazier and Bryant) need to stop going for kill shots and just tackle guys.  I think we will see guys get pulled if this doesn't happen for a series or two.  On offense, I expect that Braxton will take about 10 runs and continue to work on the passing game.  UAB scores a TD late but this is a blowout from the start.  UAB: 13--OSU: 56

Upset Special
Draper: Missouri over South Carolina

Auer: Virginia over TCU
Hoying: Oregon State over UCLA
Schweinfurth: Temple over Penn State

Grading the Bucks--Week 3: Cal

This was a sloppy sloppy game.  OSU has some major issues to fix on BOTH sides of the ball.  Cal is straight up bad. This shouldn't have been close and the Bears had a late lead.  This is unacceptable.  The lack of fundamentals and maturity is concerning.  A win is a win, but this isn't good enough to win down the road (although the B1G is a train wreck).  I gave a pass for UCF as I think they have talent.  With Cal, no excuses.

Offense: C-
 The loss of Hyde was painfully apparent.  There was no clear running threat on the inside which certainly hurt Braxton's ability to both run and throw.  There were some sparks (Miller's run was incredibly well executed), but more issues than there should have been.  Miller still looks tentative and indecisive throwing the ball.  The interception was just atrocious; 10 seconds in the pocket and he threw it right to a wide open corner.  The horror of that play wipes out the explosive run in my book.  The WRs let Braxton down in the first, but stepped up later--when Braxton started missing big.  Nevada and Southern Utah had no issues scoring...yet we couldn't consistently move the chains...ouch.  The yards are nice to look at, but the lack of a consistent offensive gameplan is a major sticking point.

Defense: D+
Cal....Cal for God's sake.  Fundamentals were horrendous by 8 of the defenders.  Missed tackles abounded.  Note to Curtis Grant: when you finally get on the field, you probably shouldn't leave a steaming pile of crap in your wake if you want more playing time.  Spielman had to be punching a hole through the concrete wall watching this defense.  Our secondary spends more time trying to line a guy up and blow him into the next zip code than fundamental tackling.  I'm really questioning if Travis Howard knows proper tackling technique as every hit is geared at making Sportscenter (even if he doesn't bring the ball carrier down).  I would be remiss if I didn't applaud the perform of 3 individuals: Jon Simon was double teamed all game and he still affected the outcome, Jon Hankins absolute controls the middle of that line, and Bradley Roby had a spectacular game.  Beyond those 3, this defense has major major issues.

Special Teams:C-
Missed PAT...enough said.  It almost cost us the game.  Punting/returns were fine, but can't have a failure in the kicking game like that.

Coaching: C
The offensive and defensive gameplans were bland.  Still no throws downfield early to stretch the defense (but Braxton is clearly iffy with the deep ball).  The loss of Hyde should have seen more Zach Boren pounding the rock inside but we saw none of that.  Hall still had some tentative running after the injury.  Defensively, I'm more frustrated with the lack of fundamental tackling than gameplan.  5 sacks show that the D-line is starting to affect the game, but the secondary isn't improving (other than Roby).

Overall: C-
Get. Better.

Week 3 Picks--Another snoozefest

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grading the Bucks--Week 2 UCF

Many were frustrated with the 15 point win against the Golden Knights, but I would posit that UCF was the 4-5 toughest opponent on our schedule.  With that being said, there are still many issues that need to be worked out.  I think the game was better than most starry-eyed Buckeye fans thought, but this is not a world beater of a team.  It's a very good team, but not elite...yet.

Offense: B

The Knights made Braxton put on a show to beat them which is not what OSU needed.  I still firmly believe that the backs are being criminally under-utilized.  Braxton has learned the safe underneath throws, but he needs to be able to challenge the safeties deep to keep the secondary honest (the interception was just gross).  I haven't seen enough of that which will lead to some jumped routes against a better team.  Receiver execution was good enough.  The run-blocking (both the line and the second level blocking of the receivers) has been fantastic.  This appears to be our strength which is why I'm confused that we don't run a little more.  Finally, the dynamism of Miller's running ability is unquestioned...but he cannot tote the rock that often.  His 'ouchy' nature will catch up with us if we don't start to take it easy on him.

Defense: C+

Only 16 points given up, but we were fortunate.  Orhian Johnson played a spectacular game, and probably single-handedly cost UCF another 7-10 points.  The secondary still has plenty of issues and it just gets thinner with no Travis Howard (even though, I don't have much respect for his abilities).  I'm more concerned about the defensive line.  We have total studs on the line, but we're getting little to no pressure.  More concerning to me, was the lack of strong tackling that allowed the Golden Knights to develop a running game.  That can't happen if these lineman are as strong as advertised.  I gave a pass against Miami (OH) because of the game-plan.  UCF ran a more traditional offense and we needed turnovers to keep a 2 score lead--can't happen at THE Ohio State University vs. this UCF team.

Special Teams: A-

Good punting, good coverage, good kicking.  The blocked PAT pushes them to an A-.  Not too much to discuss but I liked what I saw.

Coaching: B-

I get what Urban is doing, but going for a 4th and 1 is a bit risky on your side of the field early on.  Yes, we're Ohio State.  Yes, we should get it. Yes, it's a culture change.  But if you go,  you better have a good playcall and you'd better get it.  UCF is not a scrub team (no matter what the media tells you).  I'm ok rolling the dice, but that went a little far.  The second time we went for it, I firmly believe Meyer did it as a message.  I'm convinced that, had we not converted, the entire backup offense would have been in next series.  Sending messages is one thing...against Miami (OH), but this is not a nobody team.  Also, if you go for it and you want to change the old culture, don't run a simple off tackle run.  Be creative!  Braxton's use is a major coaching issue as well.  Meyer said this week that he didn't want Miller running more than 12-13 times in a game (on a called play).  Miller has QB runs on 27 plays! This is way too high for a guy who has never played a complete season in his high-school or college career.  He is our best player, and you have to use him; just don't overuse him.  He won't be able to take those hits from MSU.

Overall: B

Many locals have crushed the Buckeyes for the 'tight' win.  I still think it was a nice hard-fought win, but there are things that need to be cleaned up.  The margin isn't the concern in my mind.  The concern was the overall level of execution.  I don't see any issues over the next 2 weeks so A performances are expected.  If we play like we did this week, we won't be Sparty.  Please, stop talking about these ridiculous national championship scenarios and focus on each game at a time. 

Week 2 Picks: BOOOOOORRRIIIIINNNNGGG!!!

After a relative snoozefest in week 1 that showed the Wolverines getting trounced and essentially limited those in serious national title contention to about 7 teams, one would think that this week must be more exciting....nope.  The 'big games' this week are some of the weakest I've ever seen.  Here's hoping for one GT-VT thriller because these games look awful.

Standings
1. Draper                     4-0 (1-0 upset)
1. Schweinfurth            4-0 (1-0 upset--he copied me)
3. Hoying                     3-1 (0-1 upset)
4. Auer                        0-0 (0-0 upset)

Games
Florida Gators @ Texas A&M Aggies
Draper: The epic Gameday matchup that no one cares about.  Yes, it's TAMU's intro to the SEC, but Florida was embarassing in week one.  This being on the picks shows how much these games suck.  The Aggies week 1 game was postponed so we know very little about what to expect.  I do know, however, that the Gators looked terrible.  I expect the Aggies to win the SEC opener against a hapless UF offense. Which team will suck more? UF: 10--TAMU: 20
Auer: UF was able to earn valuable experience in last week's close win over Bowling Green. A&M will have a tough time game-planning for a team without a quarterback too. With an inexperienced QB for the Aggies playing at home under the microscope, it will not be an easy game. UF: 31--TAMU: 13
Hoying:  Two teams, no quarterback.  If you watched football last week, you saw a Florida team with no offense almost lose to a Bowling Green juggernaut with no kicker.  You also probably wondered where Texas A&M was.  (Just kidding, no one cares about Texas A&M.)  This strikingly mediocre program is going to get a rude awakening after jumping conferences to the SEC, but it's not going to be at the hands of the Gators.  Freshman Aggie QB Johnny Manziel leads his team to a victory and adds another burning coal under Florida coach Will Muschamp's hot seat.  UF: 13--A&M: 20
Schweinfurth: We are about to see if a team built to play in the Big 12 can survive in the SEC.  Texas A&M's offense over the last few years has been meh and the defense is a Big 12 defense.  I expect emotions to carry TAMU for a while, but in the end the Gators will prevail in the end (and maybe give the UF media something to talk about other than Urban).  UF: 35--TAMU: 14

Purdue Boilermakers @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Draper: Notre Dame had a great week one showing in Ireland, but Purdue is a sleeper in the Big Ten (for the hundredth straight year).  That being said, I believe the talent on the Irish is just simply better than Purdue.  The QB situation for the Boilers is a mess.  I expect the Irish to capture a convincing win that will propel them into the Top 5 (in Lou Holtz's rankings) before they face the Spartans. PU: 20--ND: 37
Auer: Admittedly not going with logic here. Notre Dame put the smack down on Navy WITHOUT their starting QB and RB... the Boilers put the smack down on EKU without their starter... but used former starter Marve. I hate Notre Dame, and somehow Marve will start and pull of the HUGE upset. PU: 23--ND: 21
Hoying:  This is a dangerous game for Purdue, mostly because they're vastly inferior to Notre Dame.  Don't get me wrong; the Boilermakers were one of five B1G teams (Ohio State, Nebraska, Illinois and Michigan State) to not embarrass themselves last weekend, but the globetrotting Irish are not exactly Eastern Kentucky.  Senior Purdue QB Caleb TerBush will pose a bigger threat to the Irish defense than Navy's non-existent pass game, but Notre Dame's balanced attack is more than capable of piling even more points on a weak Purdue defense.  PU: 17--ND: 34
Schweinfurth: I guess Notre Dame is good (for Notre Dame as of late).  The Irish offense has another year under Brian Kelly and should be making strides.  It showed last week in the drubbing Navy took last week.  Purdue is a bit better than Navy and it will show on the field.  Purdue's offense put up impressive numbers against Eastern Kentucky but Robert Marve (yes, I expect Marve to start) won't fare as well against the Irish D.  Notre Dame wins in a bit of a shootout.  PU:28--ND:45

Nebraska Cornhuskers @ UCLA Bruins
Draper: Martinez had a solid 5 TD performance against Southern Miss but the Black Shirts were a little soft.  UCLA showed last week that their young team behind Brett Hundley can score some points.  I think the Bruins will put up some points but the Huskers snag the last score.  Expect a score fest in LA with the B1G grabbing a nice close win.  Neb: 41--UCLA: 38
Auer: Nebraska's flakiness may start to rival that of what used to belong to the Spartans. Offensively they were impressive against Southern Mississippi, but the defensive spunk was missing. UCLA is not without talent, starting QB Brett Hundley was impressive in the first win of the season (and he's really good in the video game), and this is the home opener for the Bruins. Nebraska must come ready to play, this will quite possibly be the best game of the weekend. Neb: 34--UCLA: 32
Hoying:  Is UCLA back?  The Bruins managed to turn some heads after piling up 646 yards in their last game.  However, that was against...Rice.  And UCLA also gave up 24 points to...Rice, none of which occurred during garbage time.  To be fair, Nebraska had a similar performance last week against Southern Mississippi, but Nebraska's been pretty solid the last few seasons.  The burden of proof is on UCLA, and it'll take a win against an opponent of this level to put them back on the map.  Problem is, Nebraska's offense is going to be tough to stop, even if star RB Rex Burkhead isn't ready to go.  Huskers win close.  Neb: 38--UCLA: 34
Schweinfurth: Both Nebraska and UCLA's offenses showed up big time last week.  Martinez with his 5 TDs and UCLA with 600+ yards of offense.  No Burkhead means this game will be closer than it should be.  This one will be high scoring and very entertaining to watch.  Neb: 49--UCLA: 35

UCF Golden Knights @ THE Ohio State Buckeyes
Draper: The Bucks looked pretty solid in week one but the secondary remained a little questionable.  That being said, Dysert for the Redhawks was a pretty savvy experienced QB.  UCF is a sexy pick as a threat but I don't see them hanging with the Bucks.  They're a nice CUSA team, but they're not ready for the big time.  Miller's passing can only improve and his running has already been electric so I see 4 TDs (3 passing, 1 rushing) with Hyde chipping in 2.  Guiton comes in late to mop up.   The defense will relax here and there leading Coach Coombs to kill a kitten on the sideline--never let it happen again...  UCF: 16--OSU: 48
Auer: With the rainy forecast, and UCF's somewhat existent run game, this will possibly be a bit closer than anyone expects. Ohio State is a superior team all-around, but after a great opening weekend, there is bound to be a bit of a hangover. UCF: 22--OSU: 37
Hoying:  Welcome to the Ineligi-bowl.  Buckeye Nation is breathing a little easier after last week's coming out party, and the cream puff feast rolls merrily along with fellow bowl-ineligible UCF coming to town.  The Golden Knights are fresh off a dismantling of terrible terrible Akron, but don't look for them to put up too much of a fight.  If the UCF receivers can hang onto a pass, the game might be close for a quarter, but this game should be ugly.  Like "ESPN's sideline eye candy now that Erin Andrews is gone" ugly.  UCF: 13--OSU: 48
Schweinfurth: It's said that a team's biggest improvement happens between weeks 1 and 2.  We are about to find out if that is true for the Buckeyes.  Miami's pass happy offense moved the ball well against the Bullets but UCF is not a pass happy offense.  This should be a good time for the defensive line to flex their muscles.  I would expect the OSU D to force 1 or 2 more turnovers and more special teams chaos created by the "Freak Show."  I also expect there to be a bit of jitters to start the game on offense again. But, like last week, once the O gets rolling, Miller and the boys are going to put up some numbers.  OSU is better and it will show.  UCF: 14--OSU: 52

Upset Special:
Draper: Out on a limb--Penn State over Virginia
Auer: Missouri over Georgia
Hoying: Iowa State over Iowa
Schweinfurth: Oregon State over Wisconsin

Grading the Bucks: Week 1--Miami (OH)

The Urban Meyer era kicked off with a whimper for a quarter then an explosion for the remainder of the game.  There were many positives, but this team is by no means perfect or near the level of Bama or USC.  There is always work to be done, but I'll take a week 1 46 point win.

Offense: B+
Overall, there was a lot of excitement in the sense that we ran more than simple Dave off-tackle runs.  Miller is an explosive runner, but he's clearly still working to pick up the spread option attack.  He's extremely dangerous in the open field as the hapless Miami defender found out.  The first quarter was atrocious offensively as Miller looked like he reverted to high school thinking that he had to be the focus on every play.  Once he started distributing the ball to the backs and receivers, it opened the game up immensely.  I'm a little disappointed with the improvement (or lack thereof) in the passing game.  Braxton is continually throwing over receivers when he gets excited, but when he settles down, I see great potential.  The biggest positives on this side of the ball were the emergence of Hyde as a legitimate threat and more importantly, some actual receivers.  The receivers were a major question mark entering 2012 and they answered quite well.  56 points is hard to scoff at, but we can be much more efficient.

Defense: B
The line failed to get much pressure but I believe that was due to the dink-and-dunk offense run by a savvy experienced QB and the lack of a steady blitz.  I liked the run stopping ability of our D-line and linebackers when needed.  The biggest question continues to loom in the secondary.  Miami should have had an EASY 10 point cushion is not more if their receivers could catch a ball.  Roby looked pretty competent, but Howard continues to suck (don't give me the 2 INTs--he was burned all day).  I'm very concerned about the regression of Christian Bryant and C.J. Barnett as they were studs a few years back but they've seemed to lost most of their step.  The linebackers also have work to do in pass coverage.  Thankfully, we don't play a lot of experienced pass-happy QBs on the schedule, but it's a major concern going forward.

Special Teams: B+
A good special teams performance as nothing really shocking on special teams.  Yes, they scored a TD due to an errant snap but that was more a factor of Miami suck than OSU special teams.  The kicking game was fine, Buchanan looked good, kickoff coverage was fine.  Nothing flashy but nothing problematic.

Coaching: B+
Many will point to the loss of points with the decision to go for the TD at the end of the half.  I would have preferred a different play (I wanted a 5-wide; QB power run up the gut), but the decision was fine with the solid lead.  I felt the game was called pretty well offensively after the adjustment was made in the 2nd quarter to take the onus off Miller. Once he realized he had plenty of talent around him, he settled into a groove.  The defensive playcalling was to sit in coverage with 8 people and send 3 to help the less talented secondary.  I think the future will see more blitzing schemes to rush the QB as we saw more people in coverage didn't necessarily translate into better D. Urban's first game was a solid performance on both sides but he must love the fact that there is plenty on which to work.

Overall: B+
Not giving the A because I saw plenty of room for improvement, but I like what I saw from the 2nd quarter on after the debacle of last season.  Let's hope this continues in the future again better teams.  Don't sleep on the Golden Knights.  They're much better than most will give credit.