Thursday, November 25, 2010

NCAAF Week 13 Weekend Preview

Hopefully you've gorged yourselves on good food today, because you're going to want an excuse not to get off the couch starting tomorrow afternoon. It's an uncommon occurence that some of the most important college football games of the week will be taking place on a Friday. That's right; Oregon, Auburn, and Boise State (or, numbers one, two, and four in the BCS rankings) will all be taking to the field on Black Friday. Not only are the teams playing, but they are up against some potentially dangerous teams, making the games all the more interesting. By the time Saturday rolls around, we may already have chaos on our hands depending on how these teams fare tomorrow.

5 Games to Pay Attention To

West Virginia at Pittsburgh (Friday, 12 PM EST)

Not surprisingly, the Backyard Brawl will be crucial in deciding the winner of the Big East Conference. Currently, Pitt holds the lead at 4-1 in the conference, but if West Virginia is able to beat the Panthers, then both teams will sit at 4-2 with one game left (West Virginia, by way of head-to-head competition, would be placed ahead of Pitt in the standings. However, if West Virginia wins, they would have to hope for a UConn loss in order to win the conference). This year's installment of the Backyard Brawl will likely come down to who is better prepared on defense. Neither team has an overly explosive offense (West Virginia averages 363.6 yards per game on offense, compared with Pitt's 362.1), which will make every opportunity to score important for both teams. Both defenses will have to key on the opposing team's running game; for Pitt, the job will be stopping Noel Devine, and West Virginia will look to contain Dion Lewis. Due to Devine's issues this year because of injuries, I believe Pitt holds the upper hand in this one.

My Prediction: 24-17 Pitt


#2 Auburn at #9 Alabama (Friday, 2:30 PM EST)

This is possibly the most anticipated game of the year, let alone this weekend. Alabama, despite having suffered two losses, is still a slight favorite against the visiting Tigers. It is no secret that the Crimson Tide will be looking to stop Cam Newton and his duel threat abilities. Many times this season, Auburn has been in tight games with teams entering halftime, only to blow the game wide open in the second half on the way to somewhat comfortable victories. However, that probably won't be the case against Alabama. Although the Crimson Tide defense may not be as dominant and unbeatable as once thought, they still have the ability to shut down players like Newton. Alabama has the chance to play spoiler here, and there is reason to believe that they have something at stake too. If the Crimson Tide can pull out a win, they still may have a shot at receiving a BCS bowl bid. By late afternoon tomorrow, I believe that the result of this game will have the college football world in as chaotic a state as that of the malls tomorrow morning.

My Pick: 33-30 Alabama


#20 Arizona at #1 Oregon (Friday, 7 PM EST)

A few weeks ago, I predicted that the Oregon vs. California game would be a lot closer than many people expected, because Cal has the tendency to play well on a hit or miss basis. While my prediction proved to be correct, there may have been more than just "blind luck" behind their close game with the Ducks. Cal has the second best defense in the Pac-10, behind Oregon, and was able to hold the Ducks to their lowest point total of the season by twenty seven points. Arizona has the third best defense in the Pac-10, giving up just 3.3 more yards per game than Cal. Unlike Cal, Arizona has an offense capable of scoring with about as much ease as Oregon does. If it weren't for Cal's inability to move the ball late in the game, they may have been able to beat Oregon. Thanks to Nick Foles and the rest of the Wildcat offense, Arizona may be able to close the deal that their defense creates.

My Pick: 28-23 Arizona


#3 Boise State at #19 Nevada (Friday, 10:15 PM EST)

This is, hands down, the best WAC game of the season. Boise State has a great opportunity to make a good final impression with the voters by beating a solid Nevada team. For the last few years, the Wolfpack have been the toughest test in the WAC for the Broncos, with the 2007 game being decided in the 4th overtime, and the 2008 game being decided on the final play of regulation. Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick has yet to beat the Broncos in his career, but he is the main reason why Boise State has had so much trouble with Nevada the past three years. Kaepernick will have to play the game of his life in order to beat the Broncos tomorrow night, but don't put it past the fifth year senior. He has come within a play of knocking off Boise State, and he would love nothing better than to spoil the Broncos national title hopes in front of his home crowd. This is probably the biggest game of Kellen Moore's as well. He will know going into the game how the top two teams in the nation fared earlier in the day, which could be added pressure for the spectacular junior quarterback. Expect an exciting, high scoring affair in this one, with the play of the quarterbacks likely being the difference maker.

My Pick: 49-41 Boise State


#11 Michigan State at Penn State (Saturday, 12 PM EST)

This game could ultimately decide whether or not the Big Ten championship is shared by three teams or two. It is far less likely that Wisconsin will lose at home to Northwestern, or that Ohio State will lose at home to Michigan, but Penn State is a potential trap game for Michigan State. This year, Michigan State has drifted away from the usual Dantonio game plan that relies heavily on the run, and instead leans on Kirk Cousins to move the ball with a short passing attack. The Nittany Lions, however, have a defense capable of stopping that type of offense. They are second in the Big Ten, behind Ohio State, in pass defense, giving up just 189.7 yards per game through the air. If the Nittany Lions can stop Cousins and find ways to score themselves, then they could spoil what has been as close to a dream season as possible for the Spartans. Considering the way Michigan State has found ways to win games this year, I would not be surprised if this game ended up being decided in overtime.

My Pick: 35-34 Michigan State


5 More to Flip To

Michigan at Ohio State (Saturday, 12 PM EST)

Ohio State fans probably hope that Rich Rod will stay in Ann Arbor forever. Or, at least, that the Wolverines continue to have one of the worst defenses in college football.

Florida at #22 Florida State (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)

The Seminoles haven't beaten the Gators since three years before Tim Tebow arrived in Gainesville. This year is a great chance for the Seminoles to get a win against their rivals.

#6 LSU at #12 Arkansas (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)

This is arguably one of the five biggest games of the weekend. If things work out right, LSU may not play for the SEC championship, yet be in position to play for the National Championship. And there are still people out there that support the current system...

Oregon State at #7 Stanford (Saturday, 7:30 PM EST)

If Arizona doesn't beat Oregon, then the Beavers are the last line of defense for those in favor of parody. How they look against Stanford could be an indicator of how much of a shot they have against Oregon next weekend.

#14 Oklahoma at #10 Oklahoma State (Saturday, 8 PM EST)

This game decides the Big 12 South representative in the Big 12 Championship game. Again, arguably one of the top five games this weekend, but there aren't really any national title implications in this one.


Storylines for the Weekend

Gee-Whiz

On Wednesday, Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee told ESPN that teams like Boise State and TCU don't deserve to play for the national championship. Well, President Gee, whether you think they deserve it or not, they may be in the driver's seat for a title bid after this weekend. If things go the way I think they will, then the only two undefeated teams left in the nation will be the Broncos and the Horned Frogs. Gee may have a point; in most years, Boise State and TCU probably don't have a team capable of being one of the best in the nation. However, that doesn't give anyone the right to cast them aside when they do have a team talented enough to beat anyone they play. Also, since when did being President of Vanderbilt (a.k.a. Perennial Bottom Feeder of the SEC) give you the authority to comment on "running the gantlet" in that conference?

"It's dawg eat dawg, down heyre for au Bowyz"

After this weekend, we could have a situation in the SEC that is something like this: Auburn, currently the team with the best shot at a national championship, loses to Alabama is and thus out of the race. LSU, the team who would become the highest ranked SEC team in the BCS rankings, doesn't get a chance to play for the SEC Championship because they lost to Auburn earlier in the season, and is thus second in the SEC East. Alabama, the only team of the three with multiple losses, could still end up being arguably the best team of the three. This potential scenario would prove that the SEC beats each other up, and teams in the conference knock each other out of a chance to play for the national championship. Meanwhile, a team from a "lesser" conference waltzes in by playing seemingly easier competition. If this were to happen, you can bet Boise State and TCU wouldn't be the only teams voicing their support of a playoff.

Defense Wins Championships

I think that we will truly get to find out if Oregon is for real or not. Up to this point, they have really only played one team that has had a defense that the Little Sisters of the Poor (man, I'm really ripping on Gee's comments) wouldn't be able to score on; California. Cal was able to stop Oregon, and you can be sure that Arizona has the tape of that game, and has identified what Cal did to stop the Ducks offense. I think that tomorrow evening, the entire country will realize what I have suspected is the case for most of the season. The Pac-10 just doesn't have that many teams that can play good defense, and when Oregon actually faces one that does, they don't play like the best team in the nation.



- K. Becks

Saturday, November 20, 2010

NCAAF Week 12 Weekend Preview

Since Oregon, Auburn, and TCU don't play this weekend, and Boise State just got done wrapping up another easy victory over Fresno State, there is very little that could potentially send a shockwave through the world of college football this weekend. In other words, if there was a weekend to step away from the action and do something other than watch college football on a Saturday, this would be it. Of course, true fans don't do that, right? Here are five games that should be interesting, even if they don't have that much bearing on the national title.

5 Games to Pay Attention To

Pittsburgh at South Florida (Saturday, 12 PM EST)

Does the Big East really deserve an automatic bid to a BCS bowl? It is a very realistic possibility that the Big East representative in a BCS bowl game could have four or more losses. In fact, no one in the Big East has less than three losses, and Pittsburgh, the current leader, is 5-4. As much as it seems like Pitt has stumbled through their entire season, they have actually done relatively well in conference play. Other than a loss at Connecticut last Friday, the Panthers have rolled through their conference schedule. South Florida has been playing well as of late, too. After failing to score in the double-digits in two straight games (losing both), the Bulls have reeled off three straight wins. It's really going to come down to which team shows up for both squads. Both have shown the ability to play well, but both have also had instances of looking completely flat in losses.

My Pick: 28-20 Pittsburgh


#14 Virginia Tech at #24 Miami (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)

Both of these teams had national title aspirations at the beginning of the season. Although that is gone, they both have a considerable amount to play for. Virginia Tech, after dropping their opener against Boise State and then being embarrassed the next week against FCS opponent James Madison, has been on a tear, going undefeated since that point. Miami, who has had an up and down season and has experienced some issues at quarterback, are still in the hunt for the ACC Coastal Division title. The Hurricanes would have to beat Virginia Tech and then hope that the Hokies drop another one against Virginia in order to pull into a tie atop the standings (and thus receive the right to play for the ACC Championship game by way of the tie-breaker), but it isn't completely out of reach. Hurricanes coach Randy Shannon could also feel the heat at the end of the season if the Hurricanes don't pull off a big win.

My Pick: 30-17 Virginia Tech


#8 Ohio State at #21 Iowa (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)

The Buckeyes have beaten Iowa in eleven of the last twelve meetings between the two teams, but this may be the most difficult game yet for Coach Tressel. Iowa is coming off of a loss against Northwestern, a game in which they should have won. Although their record is only 7-3, the Hawkeyes pummeled a good Michigan State team, came within one point of beating Wisconsin, and has really only looked out of it in one game this entire season, at Arizona back in September. The balanced Hawkeye offensive attack could be a handful for the Buckeye defense, which had trouble against Wisconsin's heavy running attack. This game will probably end up coming down to two things; one, how motivated is Iowa? Two, will the Buckeyes make the necessary adjustments to stop Iowa's balanced offensive attack, or will they get behind early and not be able to make up the difference in the second half?

My Pick: 28-24 Iowa


#16 Oklahoma at Baylor (Saturday, 8 PM EST)

For some reason, I seem to have taken a liking to Baylor. Oklahoma has looked inconsistent at times this year, which is why I am giving the Bears a chance in this one. With that being said, Baylor has also had their moments of inconsistency this season. This is a battle for third place in the Big 12 South, and the winner could potentially finish second in the South if Texas A&M loses their final two games. Baylor will need to find a way to stop Oklahoma's offense, which has the ability to score at will on questionable defenses like Baylor's. However, if Baylor can match the Sooners on the offensive end, then an offensive shootout with plenty of highlight worthy footage should ensue.

My Pick: 48-38 Oklahoma


#9 Nebraska at #18 Texas A&M (Saturday, 8 PM EST)

Texas A&M, after choosing to start quarterback Ryan Tannehill, has apparently taken my advice from the Week 7 Preview and turned their season around. However, they did it without Jerrod Johnson, which surprised me. Like the Oklahoma game two weekends ago, this is a game where Tannehill can continue to make a name for himself with a big performance. It will be a tough task, however. Nebraska has the second best pass defense in the nation, giving up just over 140 yards per game through the air. Aggies running back Cyrus Gray will also have to have a big game in order to open up the passing game if Texas A&M wants to have success on offense. On defense, Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez will be the main focus. I'm sure that the Aggies would love if they had an actual 12th Man on the field, because stopping Martinez with just eleven has been difficult for other teams this season.

My Pick: 35-24 Nebraska


5 More to Flip To

North Carolina State at North Carolina (Saturday, 12 PM EST)

It's a little shocking that NC State is the one battling for an ACC Championship game berth...

#7 Stanford at Cal (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)

I predict that Stanford will have far less trouble with Cal than Oregon did last weekend.

Illinois at Northwestern (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)

Only because it's being played at Wrigley Field. Without Dan Persa, the Wildcats aren't that fun to watch...

Army at Notre Dame (Saturday, 7 PM EST)

This one isn't just on the list because it's being played at Yankee Stadium. I think some Notre Dame fans will be unpleasantly surprised at how much better Army football has gotten when this game is over.

#20 USC at Oregon State (Saturday, 8 PM EST)

Oregon State enters possibly one of the toughest late season stretches of any team in the country. They have the potential to pull off upsets in two of them...



- K. Becks

Monday, November 15, 2010

Happy 100th!

If you don't understand the title of this post, here's the explanation: this post is my 100th on the blog. Although I only get about six views per week, and there are only about four die-hard readers of the blog, I can honestly say that it's those six views and four die-hard readers per week that have kept me writing. So, I'd like to extend a big thanks to you guys, and to anyone who has read even one of my posts. Hopefully my writing stimulates your mind, and keeps you interested in the many stories that are constantly developing in the sports world. That's really what opinionated journalism is all about. So, here's to 100 more, and hopefully bigger and better things in the future!

This weekend was an interesting one in college football. While I wasn't overly surprised about Oregon's close game with Cal, I think it finally opened the eyes of many people who are already placing the Ducks in the national championship game. They are beatable, and while Arizona and Oregon State may not instill the utmost confidence that number one will go down, we saw this weekend that it is possible. With every win, the pressure amounts for the Ducks. I honestly think that the Oregon State game will be the toughest of the year for Chip Kelley's team. The game will be played in Corvallis, and I think that Oregon State will be up for the game. It could make what has been an overly disappointing season for the Beavers little bit more bearable heading into the offseason if they could upset the Ducks.

Although people's eyes were opened to the fact that Oregon may not be untouchable, people still seem to be ignoring another team out West that may be just as good, if not better, than the Ducks. Last Friday, Boise State manhandled in-state rival Idaho, beating the Vandals 52-14. At one point, the Broncos were up 28-0...in the first quarter. It truly looked like a game in NCAA Football 11; the Broncos could do no wrong early on. Idaho isn't exactly a total slouch, either. Although the Vandals do have some defensive issues, this is a team that went to Nebraska earlier this season and gave the Cornhuskers fits the entire first half, before bowing out 38-17. I don't want to get into the cliché argument about Boise State's strength of schedule, but I am getting pretty sick and tired of hearing from all the Boise bashers that haven't even watched Boise State play other than against Virginia Tech. I know that most people have lives and don't watch the Friday night WAC battles, but thanks to my inability to get a date now and again, this source of entertainment is my best friend. The bottom line is, it doesn't matter who Boise State is playing; they look like a team capable of playing heads up with anyone in the country. Also, Boise has a date in a couple of weeks with a very solid Nevada team, who earlier this season took it to that same Cal team that gave Oregon fits this past weekend. One more thing; with every passing week, Boise’s win over Virginia Tech continues to look better. Since their 0-2 start, the Hokies are undefeated, and look to be headed for an ACC championship.

In other news, I think I may actually watch the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Homestead this weekend. This is really one of the first races this season that I've actually been interested to watch. If you would have told me that three years ago, I would have said you were crazy. However, I think that sums up the state of NASCAR right now. Jimmie Johnson not being in the lead, yet having a chance, is the best thing that could have happened to the sport. Since Johnson began his tear of consecutive Spring Cup championships almost five years ago, the sport has lost a significant portion of its fan base, for multiple reasons. Although it's doubtful that one race will turn the tide in the right direction for NASCAR, ending the season with a potential thrilling points finish can't hurt the sport. When NASCAR implemented the Chase for the Cup system back in 2005, I'm sure that they thought this type of excitement at the end of the season would be the norm. Although it has been anything but (with the void-of-personality Jimmie Johnson racking in the titles with ease), it will be nice to see what we thought we were getting every year with the Chase for the Cup format.

Now that college basketball has begun, I thought that I'd mention one of my favorite events of the entire year. Starting November 16th (that's tomorrow) at 12 a.m., the College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon will begin. Basically, ESPN will be broadcasting games all day, until 12 a.m. the next day. That's right; you can be sipping your morning coffee while determining whether the Monmouth team you're watching will be able to make it into the NCAA Tournament. Not only is this a cool event in that it is out of the ordinary, but it also gives teams (such as Monmouth) a chance to play on national television, which is an opportunity they may not have again until February, when ESPN does their Bracket Buster Weekend.



- K. Becks

Saturday, November 13, 2010

NCAAF Week 11 Weekend Preview

Thank you, Cam Newton. For weeks, I have been getting blasted for calling you a "poor man's Terrelle Pryor". Well, it seems that I was wrong after all. You're actually a rich man's Terrelle Pryor. Although, I can't say that I'm too surprised that people are coming out of the woodwork now about your situation. Sure, with Auburn fighting for a national championship bid, it seems natural. But you also have to figure that Kenny Rogers felt a little neglected. I mean, come on; how many of you are thinking "Kenny Rogers' Jackass" when you hear that name? I know I do. In all seriousness though, when the FBI gets involved in things, you're usually in trouble, and there is usually truth to the statements being made. Auburn fans, you may want to familiarize yourselves with the name Barrett Trotter.

After two weeks away, I'm back to give you a run-down of the top five games to watch this weekend.

5 Games to Pay Attention To

Georgia at #2 Auburn (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)

If you have been reading my Weekend Preview's throughout this season, then you know that I am a big fan of Georgia's A.J. Green, and not such a big fan of Cam Newton. As I kept saying, Georgia, with Green, is a completely different team. That has been proven correct, as Georgia has done almost a complete 180 from where they were at five games into the season. Granted, they haven't played any outstanding opponents, but their improvement is as clear as day. Auburn will be dealing with the Cam Newton saga, as well as the pressure that comes with being an undefeated team this late into the season. Call me crazy, but this game could be the one that sends college football fans and voters alike into a tizzy.

My Pick: 44-41 Auburn


#23 Texas A&M at Baylor (Saturday, 7 PM EST)

Baylor apparently did not want to be in the top 25, surrendering to Oklahoma State 55-28 less than a week after cracking the Top 25 for the first time since 1993. However, now that they have fallen out of the rankings, I'm sure that they feel it is okay to resume playing like a team capable of winning the Big 12 South. Robert Griffin has been everything that was advertised when he came to the program two years ago. Now, if he can lead the Bears to a win over a Texas A&M team that has been streaky all season (but who also has a capable quarterback in Jerrod Johnson), Baylor can stay in the hunt for a Big 12 Championship game berth. Who would have predicted that three years ago?

My Pick: 38-31 Baylor


#22 South Carolina at #24 Florida (Saturday, 7:15 PM EST)

At first glance, this doesn't look like a particularly intriguing matchup. South Carolina, while knocking off Alabama earlier this season and receiving kudos from fans across the country, has been streaky all season. Florida, while being slightly overrated to start the season, is just a couple of games removed from a three game losing streak in which everyone was wondering (and not all that jokingly) if Urban Meyer would collapse. However, the winner of this game controls their destiny in the SEC East. South Carolina has never been to the SEC championship game, but the confidence in Florida isn't really there for me. I think this game is a toss-up, with the winner still at risk of losing control of the SEC East lead considering how inconsistent both teams have been this season.

My Pick: 30-20 Florida


#17 Mississippi State at #11 Alabama (Saturday, 7:15 PM EST)

"We could have been a contender. We could have been somebody." Maybe that's what Mississippi State is saying after everything that has been revealed about Cam Newton and his father. I'm sure that the Bulldogs are happy with Chris Relf, though. Relf and the rest of the Mississippi team have been a pleasant surprise in the SEC this year, even though they are only 5th in the stacked SEC West. However, even as improved as they've looked this season, beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa will be a tall task for the Bulldogs. Coming off of a loss that squashed any chance of Alabama returning to the national title game, it is unlikely that the Crimson Tide will be caught off guard. However, if the Mississippi State defense can make Greg McElroy commit errors similar to ones that LSU forced last weekend, then they have a fighting chance against the Tide.

My Pick: 34-21 Alabama


#1 Oregon at California (Saturday, 7:30 PM EST)

So, it is a known fact that Cal is never for real in football. Often times they may fool us by starting off well, but then losing many games down the stretch that you couldn't have possibly seen them losing when they were ranked number two earlier in the season. This season, however, Cal did not try to fool college football fans into thinking they were a top team. That is what makes them so dangerous this weekend, in my opinion. At certain times this year, Cal has shown the ability to be strong on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Of course, they have yet to put both together in one game, but the potential is definitely there. With nothing to lose, and becoming bowl eligible if they win, Cal may give Oregon a scare. Since I think we're still in the dark as to whether Oregon is truly the top team in the nation, any team has the potential to give them a scare, and Cal at home is as good as any.

My Pick: 48-38 Oregon


5 More to Flip To

#13 Iowa at Northwestern (Saturday, 12 PM EST)

If Iowa plays like they did last weekend, then Northwestern won't let a win slip through their hands like Indiana did...

#16 Virginia Tech at North Carolina (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)

At the beginning of the season, these teams were a mess. Just another example of the parody in the ACC...

Penn State at #8 Ohio State (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)

I'm not exactly sure why College GameDay is in Columbus this weekend. I guess this game could be interesting...

#12 Oklahoma State at Texas (Saturday, 8 PM EST)

Texas will be competitive in this game. Anyone who thinks that Mack Brown is on the hot seat is crazy.

#21 Nevada at Fresno State (Saturday, 10:30 PM EST)

A couple of WAC teams who, along with Boise State, would be able to hold their own in a bigger conference. One of the more hyped games in the WAC.


The storylines of the weekend have really been played out on SportsCenter the past couple of days. This weekend has the potential to be huge. I'll try get back into my regular schedule of posting once per week; however, if I am unable to, remember that you can still interact by joining the conversation on the "Around The Corn Sports Blog" Facebook fan page. Thanks everyone.



- K. Becks