Last Friday was possibly the worst day of the year for me. Well, actually, it was the worst day of the year. Starting with Alabama's complete meltdown against Auburn, and ending with Boise State's similar meltdown against Nevada, I realized that a dream had died. The outside chance that Boise State would meet TCU in the national championship, and thus become a catalyst for the progression of a playoff for college football, dissolved as quickly as Alabama's lead in the second half. While it is unlikely that there will be mass chaos in college football this year, my hope was renewed on Tuesday morning when TCU announced their intentions to leave the Mountain West Conference for the Big East starting in 2012. While this weekend may prove to be nothing more than going through the motions of conference championship games, let it be known that the dream has not completely, and never will, die.
5 Games to Pay Attention To
#1 Oregon at Oregon State (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Before the beginning of the season when I gave my predictions for every college football team, I predicted that Oregon would end the season at 9-3. While that prediction was obviously off-base, one of the games I felt Oregon would lose was the annual Civil War battle against in-state rival Oregon State. After an entire season of observation of both teams, I no longer feel that is going to be the case. Oregon is only going to be beat by a team that can stop their high octane offense. In some of my previous Weekend Previews, I have felt confident about a few teams' chances against the Ducks (California, Stanford, Arizona, and Arizona State). Those teams have the best defenses in the Pac-10, and were the only teams in that conference, in my opinion, capable of bringing down the Ducks. Unfortunately, Oregon State has a defense that gives up a little over 400 yards per game, and ranks behind all the aforementioned teams in that category. With that being said, the only thing that supporters of chaos in the BCS can hope for is that the intensity of an in-state rivalry will motivate a sub-par Beavers defense to play far better than they have all season. While I'm in that category of fans, I wouldn't hold my breath on that happening.
My Pick: Oregon 49-35
#2 Auburn vs. #18 South Carolina (Saturday, 4 PM EST)
To start, let it be known that is it much tougher to beat a team the second time around. This game may not be as much about South Carolina being able to stop Auburn as it may be about them being able to exploit Auburn's defense. When Auburn has been in trouble this season, it has been because teams have picked on Auburn's weak defensive secondary. Alabama did it with Julio Jones, Georgia did it with A.J. Green, and South Carolina has already done it once this season with Alshon Jeffery. If Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia can hook up with Jeffery early and often, we may see something similar to last Friday to start the game. That will open up the running game, and could put Auburn in a precarious position in the second half. Alabama had the game against Auburn won; they just beat themselves. If South Carolina can start off similarly, it will be up to them not to self-destruct.
My Pick: 37-34 South Carolina
#20 Florida State vs. #12 Virginia Tech (Saturday, 7:45 PM EST)
Talk about a game featuring a couple of programs that have turned it around. Jimbo Fisher, in just his first season as head coach of Florida State, has led the Seminoles back to where fans in Tallahassee feel they should be every year. Virginia Tech, on the other hand, has quietly reeled off ten straight wins since dropping their first two games of the year, which included a loss against FCS opponent James Madison. While this game has no implications other than a trip to the Orange Bowl, it is still an interesting matchup. Virginia Tech is still a team that relies heavily on the run, even though quarterback Tyrod Taylor is a duel threat that can beat you through the air. Florida State's chances of success will likely hinge on how senior quarterback and leader Christian Ponder plays. He has the ability to play like an All-American, but is unpredictable. If we get to see Ponder at his best, then this will be a great game.
My Pick: 28-20 Virginia Tech
#13 Nebraska vs. #10 Oklahoma (Saturday, 8 PM EST)
Like the ACC championship game, this matchup has no real implications other than a trip to a BCS bowl for the winner. For Nebraska, it would be a storybook ending to their time in the Big 12; a win against rival Oklahoma that would give them their first overall Big 12 title since 1999, just as they head off for the Big Ten next season. For Oklahoma, this game could be somewhat of a redemption game. After reaching number one in the BCS rankings late in October, the Sooners promptly fell from the top spot after a loss to Missouri. Then, Oklahoma was largely forgotten after a loss against Texas A&M two weeks later left them in danger of not even qualifying to play for the Big 12 Championship. If Oklahoma can get a win against the Cornhuskers, some of the sentiment that they are inconsistent against quality teams this season could go away. Nebraska, on the other hand, would like to prove that they do in fact bring an offense with them to games against quality opponents. Expect this to be a close one.
My Pick: 31-27 Nebraska
Connecticut at South Florida (Saturday, 8 PM EST)
You may be wondering why this is a top five game to pay attention to this weekend. Well, believe it or not, one of these teams is playing for an outright Big East crown. If Connecticut can win this weekend against the Bulls, they will be the Big East champions. At 7-4. With an automatic bid to a BCS bowl. While Michigan State, at number seven and 11-1, will likely not play in a BCS bowl. As unfair as it may seem, it isn't a sure thing that UConn will even win this game. South Florida has been competitive in all but one game this season, and even made their case as arguably the third best team in Florida by beating Miami last weekend. If the Bulls do happen to beat the Huskies, then they have the slim chance of being tied atop the Big East standings with four other teams. And you thought the BCS formula was a mess...
My Pick: 28-24 Connecticut
5 More to Flip To
#24 Northern Illinois vs. Miami (OH) (Friday, 7 PM EST)
The RedHawks have been the turnaround story of the season, after going 1-11 in 2009. Northern Illinois isn't your average MAC team, though...
SMU vs. UCF (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
See what kind of looks people give you if you tell them you're going to watch the SMU vs. UCF game. Seriously, try it...
Utah State at #9 Boise State (Saturday, 3 PM EST)
You thought Wisconsin ran up the score? I wouldn't want to be the team that has to play Boise State after the loss they endured last Friday.
Washington at Washington State (Saturday, 7 PM EST)
The Huskies can become bowl eligible for the first time in Jake Locker's career if they can beat rival Washington State for the Apple Cup. That would make a whopping four Pac-10 teams bowl eligible.
USC vs. UCLA (Saturday, 10:30 PM EST)
I honestly just ran out of games I thought were interesting.
Storylines for the Weekend
The Cam Newton Rule
The general feeling from people associated with college football is that the ruling on Cam Newton's eligibility sets a bad precedent. Assuming that college football does not realize this would be ignorant. If the NCAA were to rule Newton ineligible, then you can bet that there would be lawsuits filed by both the Newton family and the University of Auburn. Rather than deal with that mess, the NCAA just decided that it would be better to let Newton play, then institute a rule (which we'll dub "Cam's Rule" for now) that prevents such actions from occurring in the future. So, to all you fathers out there making calls to your "agent buddy" to discuss how much your son is worth this very moment, sorry. It's not going to be allowed next season.
My Conference Re-Alignment Predictions, Part II
My prediction as to what the college football landscape will look like in the near future in order to accommodate a playoff will be posted soon. Check back tomorrow, as I will hopefully have it posted by then. If you haven't seen my original prediction, you can read it here. However, be warned that my original predictions are pretty off-base with TCU's recent announcement to join the Big East.
- K. Becks
Showing posts with label auburn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label auburn. Show all posts
Friday, December 3, 2010
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
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 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
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
Friday, October 22, 2010
NCAAF Week 8 Weekend Preview
Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, depending on how you look at it) I don't really have the kind of time to break down the "5 Games to Pay Attention To" like I have been the past few weeks. Instead, the analysis will more closely resemble that of the "5 More to Flip To" section. Who am I kidding? About three people on average read this blog anyway, and I went 0-5 in picking games last weekend. If anything, I shouldn't be allowed to have an extended analysis on games, because Cam Newton keeps making them look bad. All right, here we go.
5 Games to Pay Attention To
#8 Michigan State at Northwestern (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
Each game gets harder to win when you're undefeated this late into the season. Northwestern can be a tricky team to play, especially at home. Also, this is the first time this season that the Spartans will be playing outside of the state of Michigan. Michigan State has one of the better offensive attacks in the Big Ten this season (with 447.6 yards per game), which should be to their advantage. Northwestern hasn't exactly been shutting down opposing teams' offenses this season. At the end of the day, the Spartans should be one step closer to their goal of a Big Ten Championship and possibly more.
My Pick: 35-21 Michigan State
#10 Wisconsin at #13 Iowa (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Ohio State fans can blame the special teams, the offensive line, or just Terrelle Pryor, but the real reason that the Buckeyes lost last weekend in Madison isn't even on the field. What is the problem then, you ask? The problem is defensive coordinator Jim Heacock. How many times will you insist on playing teams with equally or close to equally talented players straight up, Jim? With this being said, Iowa should be able to see what Michigan State saw when they were able to upset the Badgers; stop the run, and you will be in good shape. The Buckeyes couldn't do it, but should have been able to. The Hawkeyes can and will, and that will be the difference in the game.
My Pick: 28-17 Iowa
#14 Nebraska at #17 Oklahoma State (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Nebraska may have been exposed last weekend, but let's not forget that the Texas team they played is no pushover. The Longhorns came out with an intensity that the Cornhuskers couldn't match, and the early lead that Texas got out to ended up being the difference. I find it hard to believe that Nebraska will be caught off guard in consecutive weeks. Also, let's remember that while Oklahoma State is undefeated, they could very well have lost to Texas A&M earlier in the season, and were basically handed the win late in the fourth quarter. Unless Nebraska is a real pretender (kind of contradictory, right?), I see them spoiling the party in Stillwater tomorrow.
My Pick: 31-21 Nebraska
#6 LSU at #5 Auburn (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Who would have guessed that these would be the two highest ranked SEC teams at this point in the season? Not me, that's for sure. I've been saying for weeks that Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is a "poor man's Terrelle Pryor", and he keeps making me sound like a fool. Granted, I still don't have total confidence in Newton's throwing ability, but he hasn't really been forced to rely on his arm so far. Also, calling anyone a "poor man's Terrelle Pryor" is a total slam after Pryor's performance last weekend in Madison. For the first time this season, I actually think that Auburn can win a game featured on my "5 Games to Pay Attention To" list. Auburn's suspect pass defense shouldn't really hurt them, since LSU doesn't have much of a passing game. On the offensive side, Newton should once again look like a hero in leading Auburn to yet another big win. Sorry Auburn fans, for disrespecting you like that for all those weeks.
My Pick: 35-24 Auburn
#3 Oklahoma at #18 Missouri (Saturday, 8 PM EST)
So, if you want to get technical, the answer to "will the number one team in the nation go down for a third consecutive week?" has already been answered. Oregon is number one in the AP and coaches poll, and those are the only polls we had until Monday of this week. Since Oregon obliterated UCLA last night, the answer would be no. If you want to call Oklahoma number one since they are at the top of the BCS rankings, fine. The answer to the original question is still no. Other than Texas A&M (and Illinois, if you really want to stretch it), Missouri doesn't really have any marquee wins this season. So their conference best 10.8 points per game given up must be noted with that in mind. Oklahoma, on the other hand, while not looking great against less than stellar opponents Cincinnati and Utah State, has wins over Florida State, Air Force, and Texas. While this has the potential to be an interesting game, I don't expect a shocker here.
My Pick: 38-24 Oklahoma
5 More to Flip To
Notre Dame at Navy (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
Notre Dame fans no longer consider the Navy game a give-me. For good reason; I think that Navy has the upper hand in this one.
Rutgers at Pittsburgh (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
The team that wins this game should be the team with the best shot at challenging West Virginia for the Big East Championship.
Purdue at #11 Ohio State (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
The Boilermakers do lead the Big Ten right now. However, like Nebraska, I doubt that the Buckeyes will be caught off guard in consecutive weeks...
North Carolina at #25 Miami (Saturday, 7:30 PM EST)
Now that the dust has begun to settle after the fiasco at North Carolina earlier this season, they still find themselves with a chance at making it to the ACC title game. This game is crucial for both teams' chances to make it to Charlotte in December.
Air Force at #4 TCU (Saturday, 8 PM EST)
Other than the TCU vs. Utah showdown at the end of the season, this is the next best game in the Mountain West Conference.
Storylines for the Weekend
The Cat or the Hat?
The SEC is pretty much relying on one of three scenarios in order to get a team into the National Championship game; either Auburn or LSU runs the table, or enough teams lose so that a one loss team (presumably Alabama, considering their current ranking) can sneak in. This weekend will likely narrow it down to two possible scenarios. In possibly the biggest SEC game featuring schools not named Florida or Alabama in two years, Auburn and LSU will square off to try to keep their national title dreams intact. The team that wins will have a tough, but manageable road to Glendale, while the loser will likely be out of the conversation for the remainder of the season.
Will Boise State even try to run up the score?
It is common for teams such as Boise State (or Utah, or Hawaii, or whoever is undefeated in the WAC or Mountain West in any given year) to run up the score against lesser opponents for "style points". That is, to convince the voters that they are a legitimate team worthy of receiving first place votes, if they are high enough in the rankings. However, it has been speculated that Boise has reached the ceiling as far as how high they can climb in the rankings. The voters are very reluctant to vote the Broncos number one, and style points mean nothing when the BCS formula is calculated. With this being said, will Boise continue to try to pick up "style points" by beating their WAC opponents by forty points or more? Or will they throw up the white flag until the Nevada game, where they can potentially gain respect from voters by beating a Wolfpack team who could very well be undefeated as well when the two teams square off November 26th.
- K. Becks
5 Games to Pay Attention To
#8 Michigan State at Northwestern (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
Each game gets harder to win when you're undefeated this late into the season. Northwestern can be a tricky team to play, especially at home. Also, this is the first time this season that the Spartans will be playing outside of the state of Michigan. Michigan State has one of the better offensive attacks in the Big Ten this season (with 447.6 yards per game), which should be to their advantage. Northwestern hasn't exactly been shutting down opposing teams' offenses this season. At the end of the day, the Spartans should be one step closer to their goal of a Big Ten Championship and possibly more.
My Pick: 35-21 Michigan State
#10 Wisconsin at #13 Iowa (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Ohio State fans can blame the special teams, the offensive line, or just Terrelle Pryor, but the real reason that the Buckeyes lost last weekend in Madison isn't even on the field. What is the problem then, you ask? The problem is defensive coordinator Jim Heacock. How many times will you insist on playing teams with equally or close to equally talented players straight up, Jim? With this being said, Iowa should be able to see what Michigan State saw when they were able to upset the Badgers; stop the run, and you will be in good shape. The Buckeyes couldn't do it, but should have been able to. The Hawkeyes can and will, and that will be the difference in the game.
My Pick: 28-17 Iowa
#14 Nebraska at #17 Oklahoma State (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Nebraska may have been exposed last weekend, but let's not forget that the Texas team they played is no pushover. The Longhorns came out with an intensity that the Cornhuskers couldn't match, and the early lead that Texas got out to ended up being the difference. I find it hard to believe that Nebraska will be caught off guard in consecutive weeks. Also, let's remember that while Oklahoma State is undefeated, they could very well have lost to Texas A&M earlier in the season, and were basically handed the win late in the fourth quarter. Unless Nebraska is a real pretender (kind of contradictory, right?), I see them spoiling the party in Stillwater tomorrow.
My Pick: 31-21 Nebraska
#6 LSU at #5 Auburn (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Who would have guessed that these would be the two highest ranked SEC teams at this point in the season? Not me, that's for sure. I've been saying for weeks that Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is a "poor man's Terrelle Pryor", and he keeps making me sound like a fool. Granted, I still don't have total confidence in Newton's throwing ability, but he hasn't really been forced to rely on his arm so far. Also, calling anyone a "poor man's Terrelle Pryor" is a total slam after Pryor's performance last weekend in Madison. For the first time this season, I actually think that Auburn can win a game featured on my "5 Games to Pay Attention To" list. Auburn's suspect pass defense shouldn't really hurt them, since LSU doesn't have much of a passing game. On the offensive side, Newton should once again look like a hero in leading Auburn to yet another big win. Sorry Auburn fans, for disrespecting you like that for all those weeks.
My Pick: 35-24 Auburn
#3 Oklahoma at #18 Missouri (Saturday, 8 PM EST)
So, if you want to get technical, the answer to "will the number one team in the nation go down for a third consecutive week?" has already been answered. Oregon is number one in the AP and coaches poll, and those are the only polls we had until Monday of this week. Since Oregon obliterated UCLA last night, the answer would be no. If you want to call Oklahoma number one since they are at the top of the BCS rankings, fine. The answer to the original question is still no. Other than Texas A&M (and Illinois, if you really want to stretch it), Missouri doesn't really have any marquee wins this season. So their conference best 10.8 points per game given up must be noted with that in mind. Oklahoma, on the other hand, while not looking great against less than stellar opponents Cincinnati and Utah State, has wins over Florida State, Air Force, and Texas. While this has the potential to be an interesting game, I don't expect a shocker here.
My Pick: 38-24 Oklahoma
5 More to Flip To
Notre Dame at Navy (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
Notre Dame fans no longer consider the Navy game a give-me. For good reason; I think that Navy has the upper hand in this one.
Rutgers at Pittsburgh (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
The team that wins this game should be the team with the best shot at challenging West Virginia for the Big East Championship.
Purdue at #11 Ohio State (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
The Boilermakers do lead the Big Ten right now. However, like Nebraska, I doubt that the Buckeyes will be caught off guard in consecutive weeks...
North Carolina at #25 Miami (Saturday, 7:30 PM EST)
Now that the dust has begun to settle after the fiasco at North Carolina earlier this season, they still find themselves with a chance at making it to the ACC title game. This game is crucial for both teams' chances to make it to Charlotte in December.
Air Force at #4 TCU (Saturday, 8 PM EST)
Other than the TCU vs. Utah showdown at the end of the season, this is the next best game in the Mountain West Conference.
Storylines for the Weekend
The Cat or the Hat?
The SEC is pretty much relying on one of three scenarios in order to get a team into the National Championship game; either Auburn or LSU runs the table, or enough teams lose so that a one loss team (presumably Alabama, considering their current ranking) can sneak in. This weekend will likely narrow it down to two possible scenarios. In possibly the biggest SEC game featuring schools not named Florida or Alabama in two years, Auburn and LSU will square off to try to keep their national title dreams intact. The team that wins will have a tough, but manageable road to Glendale, while the loser will likely be out of the conversation for the remainder of the season.
Will Boise State even try to run up the score?
It is common for teams such as Boise State (or Utah, or Hawaii, or whoever is undefeated in the WAC or Mountain West in any given year) to run up the score against lesser opponents for "style points". That is, to convince the voters that they are a legitimate team worthy of receiving first place votes, if they are high enough in the rankings. However, it has been speculated that Boise has reached the ceiling as far as how high they can climb in the rankings. The voters are very reluctant to vote the Broncos number one, and style points mean nothing when the BCS formula is calculated. With this being said, will Boise continue to try to pick up "style points" by beating their WAC opponents by forty points or more? Or will they throw up the white flag until the Nevada game, where they can potentially gain respect from voters by beating a Wolfpack team who could very well be undefeated as well when the two teams square off November 26th.
- K. Becks
Saturday, October 16, 2010
NCAAF Week 7 Weekend Preview (And MLBCS Preview)
It's been two weeks since I have done a weekend preview for college football. I come back at a crucial time in the season; we're close to the first BCS rankings being revealed, and we already have some surprises. Alabama has gone down, Auburn is the highest ranked team in the SEC, Florida and Texas are both on two game losing streaks, and it has been rumored that had the BCS rankings come out this week, Boise State (gasp!) would hold the top spot in the rankings. Depending on how this weekend plays out, we could have even more parody in season that, like previous years, looks headed to make the BCS system look completely flawed.
5 Games to Pay Attention to This Weekend
Illinois at #13 Michigan State (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
I picked Michigan State to be a team that could surprise in the Big Ten, but I didn't expect them to be doing as well as they are. They don't have either an outstanding offense or defense, but have played very well under pressure, and have the guts that a team needs to have a special season. This weekend's game may be the toughest test for the Spartans thus far, though. Illinois, evident in their close game with Ohio State and then their beatdown of Penn State in Happy Valley, is not that bad. At least, not on defense. They rank next to last in total yards per game on offense, ahead of only Penn State. For the Illini to win, they will need to shut down Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins and hope they can muster enough points on offense to squeak out a close one. For the Spartans, a balanced offensive attack, and just not giving up any easy points on defense will be key if they want to keep their undefeated season intact.
My Pick: 24-17 Illinois
#21 Missouri at Texas A&M (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
If you wanted to truly evaluate how good the 2010 Missouri Tigers really are, their next three games would be a good thing to keep an eye on. After facing Texas A&M this weekend, the Tigers get to play Oklahoma at home, and then travel to Lincoln to play Nebraska the following week. Not only are these three games important to Missouri, but they are important to determining the entire Big 12 race. If Texas A&M has anything to say about it, Missouri will be an afterthought by this time next weekend. The Aggies have suffered tough losses in consecutive weekends to Oklahoma State and Arkansas, teams that are now both ranked, and also teams that Texas A&M had legitimate shots at beating. The season is slowly starting to slip away for the Aggies, so quarterback Jerrod Johnson needs to step up big in this game and re-start the success train. Starting 0-2 in the Big 12 South usually doesn't garner approval from fans, especially if you're a team from Texas.
My Pick: 38-31 Texas A&M
Texas at #5 Nebraska (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Texas has to be angry. After being easy handled by UCLA, the Longhorns were unable to pull a big upset over rival Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. After the loss to the Sooners, Texas dropped out of the top 25 for the first time in ten years. Now, after having an off week to think about all this, Texas gets to face yet another Big 12 power, Nebraska, in Lincoln. Mack Brown has the ability to get his players ready for big games such as this one, and all the other factors mentioned before should just add fuel to the fire for the Longhorns. However, they are going to have to play very well in a hostile Lincoln environment in order to pull off the upset. Many people are not aware of just how good Nebraska's defense is, and emotions alone are not going to win the game for Texas. It should be interesting to see how Texas responds in this one.
My Pick: 28-24 Nebraska
#12 Arkansas at #7 Auburn (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Arkansas probably should have beaten Alabama two weeks ago. Unfortunately for Arkansas, Ryan Mallett made some key mistakes late in the game, and now the Razorbacks may be left wondering what could have been if they make it through the rest of the season with just that one loss. In this high profile matchup between two highly ranked SEC teams, it should be a battle of the quarterbacks, so Mallett will get his chance for redemption. On the other side, Auburn's Cam Newtown continues to play well and make my analysis that he is a "poor man's Terrelle Pryor" sound foolish. However, Newton will be going up against a defense much better than anything he's faced this season thus far. Of the defenses he has faced so far, Mississippi State ranks the best in yards per game allowed, giving up 328, good for 36th best in the nation. Arkansas gives up 302, good for 19th best. I highly doubt Arkansas will let Newton run for almost 200 yards and four touchdowns, but we'll have to see.
My Pick: 35-24 Arkansas
#1 Ohio State at #18 Wisconsin (Saturday, 7 PM EST)
Of their last 44 home games, Wisconsin had managed to win 40 of them. In other words, Camp Randall Stadium is where teams' winning streaks go to die. The Buckeyes are hoping to keep their winning streak intact when they travel to Madison to play the Badgers in a night game, which only adds to the hostility already present at Camp Randall during football games. If Wisconsin wants to win this game, they will need to be less predictable on offense. Two weeks ago, Michigan State found that containing the Badger running attack (as well as going for it on fourth down three times) was a recipe for success. Although it is highly unlikely that Jim Tressel will go for it on fourth down that many times (if at all) on the road, he will definitely be aiming to stop Wisconsin running backs John Clay and James White. If Wisconsin can't find a balance between the run and passing attack, they will have a hard time not losing their fifth game in 45 tries at home.
My Pick: 35-31 Ohio State
5 More to Flip To
N.C. State at East Carolina (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
N.C. State has been a major surprise this year. East Carolina is always tough at home, though.
#15 Iowa at Michigan (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
If Michigan can't win this game either, then you have to start to wonder if people were too quickly proclaiming the Wolverines as being "back".
#20 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
There will undoubtedly be a lot of scoring in this game. When is the Tommy Tuberville we all came to know and love at Auburn going to show up at Texas Tech?
Mississippi State at #22 Florida (Saturday, 7 PM EST)
Urban Meyer would probably have to take off a few weeks for chest pains if the Gators were to drop this game too...
#19 Nevada at Hawaii (Saturday, 11:30 PM EST)
How good is Nevada? Well, better than Cal, that's for sure.
The next portion of this post features my predictions for the MLB's ALCS and NLCS. If you have actually read this entire post up to this point, I thank you.
ALCS (New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers
The Rangers have home field advantage, which I'm sure that the Yankees would like to have. The Rangers also have Cliff Lee, which I know the Yankees would like to have. Of the two, one seems to be more important than the other, and Cliff Lee may end up being one of the most important parts of this series. Home field advantage hasn't meant much to the Yankees, as they were able to beat Minnesota twice at Target Field en route to sweeping the Twins in the ALDS. In the Texas vs. Tampa Bay ALDS, neither team won a single game at home. However, Cliff Lee did manage to win two games for the Rangers, and in order to beat the Yankees, will likely have to do so again in this series. Remember that two game series back in early August between the Rangers and the Yankees? The Rangers showed true tenacity in those games, winning in ten innings in the first and only losing by one run in the second. After that series, I thought "if this team gets a chance against the Yankees in the playoffs, they may be able to surprise some people". With Cliff Lee as their trump card, I still think they can.
Prediction: Rangers in seven
NLCS (Philadelphia Phillies vs. San Francisco Giants)
Unfortunately, the National League's Championship Series isn't as intriguing as the American League's, which isn't something I thought I'd hear myself saying about a month ago. Both teams have extremely good starting pitching, but the Giants have very little offensive firepower. I am one to preach the quote "defense wins championships", but at some point, you also need to acknowledge that to win games, you need to put runs up on the board. With the Giants averaging just three runs per game so far in the playoffs, I don't see how they can stay with the Phillies, even with their great pitching. Remember, not only does San Francisco have offensive issues, but they will have to face the trio of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels. A threesome like that can shut down even the best offenses in the game.
Prediction: Phillies in six
- K. Becks
5 Games to Pay Attention to This Weekend
Illinois at #13 Michigan State (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
I picked Michigan State to be a team that could surprise in the Big Ten, but I didn't expect them to be doing as well as they are. They don't have either an outstanding offense or defense, but have played very well under pressure, and have the guts that a team needs to have a special season. This weekend's game may be the toughest test for the Spartans thus far, though. Illinois, evident in their close game with Ohio State and then their beatdown of Penn State in Happy Valley, is not that bad. At least, not on defense. They rank next to last in total yards per game on offense, ahead of only Penn State. For the Illini to win, they will need to shut down Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins and hope they can muster enough points on offense to squeak out a close one. For the Spartans, a balanced offensive attack, and just not giving up any easy points on defense will be key if they want to keep their undefeated season intact.
My Pick: 24-17 Illinois
#21 Missouri at Texas A&M (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
If you wanted to truly evaluate how good the 2010 Missouri Tigers really are, their next three games would be a good thing to keep an eye on. After facing Texas A&M this weekend, the Tigers get to play Oklahoma at home, and then travel to Lincoln to play Nebraska the following week. Not only are these three games important to Missouri, but they are important to determining the entire Big 12 race. If Texas A&M has anything to say about it, Missouri will be an afterthought by this time next weekend. The Aggies have suffered tough losses in consecutive weekends to Oklahoma State and Arkansas, teams that are now both ranked, and also teams that Texas A&M had legitimate shots at beating. The season is slowly starting to slip away for the Aggies, so quarterback Jerrod Johnson needs to step up big in this game and re-start the success train. Starting 0-2 in the Big 12 South usually doesn't garner approval from fans, especially if you're a team from Texas.
My Pick: 38-31 Texas A&M
Texas at #5 Nebraska (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Texas has to be angry. After being easy handled by UCLA, the Longhorns were unable to pull a big upset over rival Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout. After the loss to the Sooners, Texas dropped out of the top 25 for the first time in ten years. Now, after having an off week to think about all this, Texas gets to face yet another Big 12 power, Nebraska, in Lincoln. Mack Brown has the ability to get his players ready for big games such as this one, and all the other factors mentioned before should just add fuel to the fire for the Longhorns. However, they are going to have to play very well in a hostile Lincoln environment in order to pull off the upset. Many people are not aware of just how good Nebraska's defense is, and emotions alone are not going to win the game for Texas. It should be interesting to see how Texas responds in this one.
My Pick: 28-24 Nebraska
#12 Arkansas at #7 Auburn (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
Arkansas probably should have beaten Alabama two weeks ago. Unfortunately for Arkansas, Ryan Mallett made some key mistakes late in the game, and now the Razorbacks may be left wondering what could have been if they make it through the rest of the season with just that one loss. In this high profile matchup between two highly ranked SEC teams, it should be a battle of the quarterbacks, so Mallett will get his chance for redemption. On the other side, Auburn's Cam Newtown continues to play well and make my analysis that he is a "poor man's Terrelle Pryor" sound foolish. However, Newton will be going up against a defense much better than anything he's faced this season thus far. Of the defenses he has faced so far, Mississippi State ranks the best in yards per game allowed, giving up 328, good for 36th best in the nation. Arkansas gives up 302, good for 19th best. I highly doubt Arkansas will let Newton run for almost 200 yards and four touchdowns, but we'll have to see.
My Pick: 35-24 Arkansas
#1 Ohio State at #18 Wisconsin (Saturday, 7 PM EST)
Of their last 44 home games, Wisconsin had managed to win 40 of them. In other words, Camp Randall Stadium is where teams' winning streaks go to die. The Buckeyes are hoping to keep their winning streak intact when they travel to Madison to play the Badgers in a night game, which only adds to the hostility already present at Camp Randall during football games. If Wisconsin wants to win this game, they will need to be less predictable on offense. Two weeks ago, Michigan State found that containing the Badger running attack (as well as going for it on fourth down three times) was a recipe for success. Although it is highly unlikely that Jim Tressel will go for it on fourth down that many times (if at all) on the road, he will definitely be aiming to stop Wisconsin running backs John Clay and James White. If Wisconsin can't find a balance between the run and passing attack, they will have a hard time not losing their fifth game in 45 tries at home.
My Pick: 35-31 Ohio State
5 More to Flip To
N.C. State at East Carolina (Saturday, 12 PM EST)
N.C. State has been a major surprise this year. East Carolina is always tough at home, though.
#15 Iowa at Michigan (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
If Michigan can't win this game either, then you have to start to wonder if people were too quickly proclaiming the Wolverines as being "back".
#20 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (Saturday, 3:30 PM EST)
There will undoubtedly be a lot of scoring in this game. When is the Tommy Tuberville we all came to know and love at Auburn going to show up at Texas Tech?
Mississippi State at #22 Florida (Saturday, 7 PM EST)
Urban Meyer would probably have to take off a few weeks for chest pains if the Gators were to drop this game too...
#19 Nevada at Hawaii (Saturday, 11:30 PM EST)
How good is Nevada? Well, better than Cal, that's for sure.
The next portion of this post features my predictions for the MLB's ALCS and NLCS. If you have actually read this entire post up to this point, I thank you.
ALCS (New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers
The Rangers have home field advantage, which I'm sure that the Yankees would like to have. The Rangers also have Cliff Lee, which I know the Yankees would like to have. Of the two, one seems to be more important than the other, and Cliff Lee may end up being one of the most important parts of this series. Home field advantage hasn't meant much to the Yankees, as they were able to beat Minnesota twice at Target Field en route to sweeping the Twins in the ALDS. In the Texas vs. Tampa Bay ALDS, neither team won a single game at home. However, Cliff Lee did manage to win two games for the Rangers, and in order to beat the Yankees, will likely have to do so again in this series. Remember that two game series back in early August between the Rangers and the Yankees? The Rangers showed true tenacity in those games, winning in ten innings in the first and only losing by one run in the second. After that series, I thought "if this team gets a chance against the Yankees in the playoffs, they may be able to surprise some people". With Cliff Lee as their trump card, I still think they can.
Prediction: Rangers in seven
NLCS (Philadelphia Phillies vs. San Francisco Giants)
Unfortunately, the National League's Championship Series isn't as intriguing as the American League's, which isn't something I thought I'd hear myself saying about a month ago. Both teams have extremely good starting pitching, but the Giants have very little offensive firepower. I am one to preach the quote "defense wins championships", but at some point, you also need to acknowledge that to win games, you need to put runs up on the board. With the Giants averaging just three runs per game so far in the playoffs, I don't see how they can stay with the Phillies, even with their great pitching. Remember, not only does San Francisco have offensive issues, but they will have to face the trio of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels. A threesome like that can shut down even the best offenses in the game.
Prediction: Phillies in six
- K. Becks
Friday, September 24, 2010
NCAAF Week 4 Weekend Preview
The common belief is that the teams in the SEC are always beating each other up, thus knocking each other out of contention for a national championship. This weekend is the start of the beatings that will likely ensue for the rest of the season in that conference. High profile SEC matchups (Alabama vs. Arkansas and South Carolina vs. Auburn, to name a couple) will result in at least two of the SEC's seven currently undefeated teams to suffer their first loss of the season. At least one Top 15 team will go down. Thanks to the top teams in the conference beating on each other this weekend, there will likely be a major shakeup in the rankings come Sunday. They branded two weekends ago Monster Saturday, but this weekend could be as monstrous as any in the SEC. After tomorrow, we will have a much clearer picture of who are the contenders and who are the pretenders down South.
Top 5 Games to Pay Attention to This Weekend
#1 Alabama at #10 Arkansas (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
Last year, the Alabama defense shut down Ryan Mallett on their way to a 35-7 drubbing. This year the Razorbacks should be in a much better position to challenge the Tide. For Arkansas, it all starts with the turnaround on defense. A team that ranked last in total yards per game given up last year now ranks second in the SEC, behind only Alabama. Alabama is still very strong on defense, which should make it hard for Ryan Mallett to do a whole lot more than he was able to last year. If the defense for Arkansas is as improved on defense as the statistics suggest, they should keep this game close enough for Mallett to give them a shot at winning.
My Pick: 27-17 Alabama
#12 South Carolina at #12 Auburn (Saturday, 7:45 PM ET)
I was pretty sure that Clemson was going to be able to knock off Auburn last weekend, and if it hadn't been for Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker being injured the entire second half, they may have won that game. That is why am very confident that South Carolina will be able to do what their rivals could not last Saturday night. I don't think it was Clemson's defense that lost them the game. They just couldn't find a way to score points in the second half when they needed to. South Carolina has the tendency to have the same problem, but I believe that they won't even need to score that much in order to beat the Tigers.
My Pick: 24-13 South Carolina
#24 Oregon State at #3 Boise State (Saturday, 8 PM ET
Oregon State was able to keep the game against TCU close thanks to a couple of interceptions thrown by Andy Dalton. If the Beavers want to upset the number three team in the nation, they are going to have to force turnovers yet again. Boise's Kellen Moore was able to lead Boise over Virginia Tech thanks in part to the fact that he took good care of the football. If he is able to do that again, then the talent on the Broncos roster will probably be the difference in this game. Oregon State has gone as far as to practice on a blue field this week in preparation for the Smurf Turf, so if that doesn't say anything about the impact of playing in Boise for opposing teams, I don't know what does.
My Pick: 44-28 Boise State
#22 West Virginia at #15 LSU (Saturday, 9 PM ET)
Although they are 3-0, LSU doesn't really look like one of the best teams in the SEC this season. Even though they average over 28 points per game scoring, their passing game hasn't been all that productive. West Virginia, on the other hand, has had a surprisingly good passing game so far. This game will likely be a battle between LSU's defense (which has been solid) and West Virginia's offense, in particular the passing game. If this game were in Morgantown, I may go the other way with my pick. However, at home, LSU is going to need a collapse similar to the one they had against North Carolina in the second half in order to lose this game.
My Pick: 30-17 LSU
#5 Oregon at Arizona State (Saturday, 10:30 PM ET)
Arizona State did a nice job in Madison last weekend, coming within a blocked extra point of overtime with Wisconsin. This weekend the Sun Devils face an entirely different offensive attack. Oregon has been putting the pedal to the metal offensively in all three of their games this season, scoring an average of sixty-three points per game. It would be one of the shockers of the entire season if the Sun Devils were able to beat Oregon, and I'm not saying that it's going to happen. Just keep an eye on this game if Arizona State is still hanging around in the second half.
My Pick: Oregon 44-17
5 More to Flip To
#16 Stanford at Notre Dame (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
I think Charlie Weis could have started 1-3 with this schedule too...
Temple at #23 Penn State (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
Temple looks to be the class of the MAC. They have the capability of making this one interesting.
UCLA at #7 Texas (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
UCLA handled a Texas team last week. Can they make it two in a row?
Kentucky at #9 Florida (Saturday, 7 PM ET)
If this game wasn't being played at The Swamp, I would give Kentucky a much better chance of winning this game. Still, I think they at least have as much of a chance as Tennessee did last week.
California at #14 Arizona (Saturday, 10 PM ET)
The Pac-10 is weird. Arizona looked great last weekend, and Cal looked terrible. It could be the exact opposite this weekend, and I wouldn't even be all that surprised.
Storylines for the Weekend
North Carolina is cooked
Oh, how the tables have turned on the Tar Heels. Three weeks ago, they were getting ready for a game with the LSU Tigers, hoping that a win would be a proving point that they were one of the better teams in college football this season. Now, thanks to multiple suspensions handed out by the NCAA, the Tar Heels may just want to make it a goal to finish with a winning season. If North Carolina loses this weekend at Rutgers (which I believe they will), they will have a hard time not thinking of the 2010 campaign as a lost season. This is a sad but good example of what can happen when players receive improper benefits and are caught.
The Heisman race will begin to take shape
Right now, the Heisman bubble is still very fluid. After this weekend, we should have a better sense of who is really competing for college football's top individual prize. Ryan Mallett and Mark Ingram face off, which will undoubtedly result in one gaining a leg up on the other. Kellen Moore will get his second (and possibly last) shot to perform in front of a national audience to make his case as a Heisman contender. Terrelle Pryor has a chance to pad his stats against an Eastern Michigan team that is just plain bad. We're still weeks away from really knowing who is fighting for the bronze bust, but the conversation is becoming more relevant.
- K. Becks
Top 5 Games to Pay Attention to This Weekend
#1 Alabama at #10 Arkansas (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
Last year, the Alabama defense shut down Ryan Mallett on their way to a 35-7 drubbing. This year the Razorbacks should be in a much better position to challenge the Tide. For Arkansas, it all starts with the turnaround on defense. A team that ranked last in total yards per game given up last year now ranks second in the SEC, behind only Alabama. Alabama is still very strong on defense, which should make it hard for Ryan Mallett to do a whole lot more than he was able to last year. If the defense for Arkansas is as improved on defense as the statistics suggest, they should keep this game close enough for Mallett to give them a shot at winning.
My Pick: 27-17 Alabama
#12 South Carolina at #12 Auburn (Saturday, 7:45 PM ET)
I was pretty sure that Clemson was going to be able to knock off Auburn last weekend, and if it hadn't been for Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker being injured the entire second half, they may have won that game. That is why am very confident that South Carolina will be able to do what their rivals could not last Saturday night. I don't think it was Clemson's defense that lost them the game. They just couldn't find a way to score points in the second half when they needed to. South Carolina has the tendency to have the same problem, but I believe that they won't even need to score that much in order to beat the Tigers.
My Pick: 24-13 South Carolina
#24 Oregon State at #3 Boise State (Saturday, 8 PM ET
Oregon State was able to keep the game against TCU close thanks to a couple of interceptions thrown by Andy Dalton. If the Beavers want to upset the number three team in the nation, they are going to have to force turnovers yet again. Boise's Kellen Moore was able to lead Boise over Virginia Tech thanks in part to the fact that he took good care of the football. If he is able to do that again, then the talent on the Broncos roster will probably be the difference in this game. Oregon State has gone as far as to practice on a blue field this week in preparation for the Smurf Turf, so if that doesn't say anything about the impact of playing in Boise for opposing teams, I don't know what does.
My Pick: 44-28 Boise State
#22 West Virginia at #15 LSU (Saturday, 9 PM ET)
Although they are 3-0, LSU doesn't really look like one of the best teams in the SEC this season. Even though they average over 28 points per game scoring, their passing game hasn't been all that productive. West Virginia, on the other hand, has had a surprisingly good passing game so far. This game will likely be a battle between LSU's defense (which has been solid) and West Virginia's offense, in particular the passing game. If this game were in Morgantown, I may go the other way with my pick. However, at home, LSU is going to need a collapse similar to the one they had against North Carolina in the second half in order to lose this game.
My Pick: 30-17 LSU
#5 Oregon at Arizona State (Saturday, 10:30 PM ET)
Arizona State did a nice job in Madison last weekend, coming within a blocked extra point of overtime with Wisconsin. This weekend the Sun Devils face an entirely different offensive attack. Oregon has been putting the pedal to the metal offensively in all three of their games this season, scoring an average of sixty-three points per game. It would be one of the shockers of the entire season if the Sun Devils were able to beat Oregon, and I'm not saying that it's going to happen. Just keep an eye on this game if Arizona State is still hanging around in the second half.
My Pick: Oregon 44-17
5 More to Flip To
#16 Stanford at Notre Dame (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
I think Charlie Weis could have started 1-3 with this schedule too...
Temple at #23 Penn State (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
Temple looks to be the class of the MAC. They have the capability of making this one interesting.
UCLA at #7 Texas (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
UCLA handled a Texas team last week. Can they make it two in a row?
Kentucky at #9 Florida (Saturday, 7 PM ET)
If this game wasn't being played at The Swamp, I would give Kentucky a much better chance of winning this game. Still, I think they at least have as much of a chance as Tennessee did last week.
California at #14 Arizona (Saturday, 10 PM ET)
The Pac-10 is weird. Arizona looked great last weekend, and Cal looked terrible. It could be the exact opposite this weekend, and I wouldn't even be all that surprised.
Storylines for the Weekend
North Carolina is cooked
Oh, how the tables have turned on the Tar Heels. Three weeks ago, they were getting ready for a game with the LSU Tigers, hoping that a win would be a proving point that they were one of the better teams in college football this season. Now, thanks to multiple suspensions handed out by the NCAA, the Tar Heels may just want to make it a goal to finish with a winning season. If North Carolina loses this weekend at Rutgers (which I believe they will), they will have a hard time not thinking of the 2010 campaign as a lost season. This is a sad but good example of what can happen when players receive improper benefits and are caught.
The Heisman race will begin to take shape
Right now, the Heisman bubble is still very fluid. After this weekend, we should have a better sense of who is really competing for college football's top individual prize. Ryan Mallett and Mark Ingram face off, which will undoubtedly result in one gaining a leg up on the other. Kellen Moore will get his second (and possibly last) shot to perform in front of a national audience to make his case as a Heisman contender. Terrelle Pryor has a chance to pad his stats against an Eastern Michigan team that is just plain bad. We're still weeks away from really knowing who is fighting for the bronze bust, but the conversation is becoming more relevant.
- K. Becks
Friday, September 17, 2010
NCAAF Week 3 Weekend Preview
They called last weekend Monster Saturday in reference to the number of big matchups being played around the country. Although no one has coined a name for this weekend, there are a lot of interesting games this weekend as well. Here is a list of my top five games to pay attention to this weekend, as well as some storylines that I'd like to address.
Top 5 Games to Pay Attention to This Weekend
#12 Arkansas at Georgia (Saturday, 12 PM ET)
Georgia has never started 0-2 in the SEC under Mark Richt, but they have a tough test this weekend if they want to keep it that way. I put Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett on my preseason Heisman watch for a reason; he has the ability to pick defenses apart, even in the most hostile atmosphere. Georgia has had trouble scoring the ball this season, putting just six points on the board in a loss to South Carolina last weekend, which is not a recipe for success against a Razorbacks team known for their offensive firepower. The Bulldogs are missing wideout A.J. Green more and more every week.
My Pick: 31-17 Arkansas
#10 Florida at Tennessee (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
This is the most interesting matchup this weekend in my opinion. Tennessee looked good against Oregon last weekend for about a quarter and a half, and then went totally flat on offense for the rest of the game. Florida has not been overly impressive on offense this season either, so barring some sort of career day by John Brantley, Tennessee will probably not give up forty-five unanswered to the Gators like they did against Oregon. Florida is 5-0 against the Vols under Urban Meyer, but those wins were during the Chris Leak and Tim Tebow eras. Add the fact that Florida may be a little overrated, and that the game is being played in Knoxville, and we may be looking at the first Top 10 upset of the season.
My Pick: 27-24 Tennessee
Clemson at #16 Auburn (Saturday, 7 PM ET)
The ACC looked awful as a whole last weekend, so this is a game where they can attempt to regain some of the respect they lost. Clemson may be the class of the ACC, but then again, they may not be. Regardless, I think that Auburn is a little bit overrated, much like their SEC counterpart Florida. Cameron Newton is kind of like a poor man's Terrelle Pryor, but unlike Pryor, Newton routinely has to rely entirely on himself to make plays. Auburn will need to be more unpredictable against Clemson if they want to win this game, because Clemson has the playmakers on defense to contain Newton.
My Pick: 34-27 Clemson
#6 Texas at Texas Tech (Saturday, 8 PM ET)
Last time this game was played in Lubbock, Michael Crabtree was able to score a late touchdown to lead the Red Raiders over the Longhorns, which proved to be the only loss Texas would suffer that year. Crabtree is no longer there to help the Red Raiders out, and as usual, Texas Tech has a questionable defense. Currently, Texas Tech averages 43.5 PPG on offense, and they're definitely going to need to score a lot tomorrow night if they want to beat the Longhorns. Even then, it may not be enough. Texas has had some trouble offensively early on in games this year, so Texas Tech will need to hope that happens and take advantage of it. As for the Longhorns, playing catch up against a team like Texas Tech, who can score at will, is not recommended.
My Pick: 41-31 Texas
#9 Iowa at #24 Arizona (Saturday, 10:30 PM ET)
This is the only game this weekend featuring two ranked teams, so naturally it is one to watch. Iowa has cruised in their first two games, but their first real test will be against the Wildcats, who will test a Hawkeye defense that gives up a Big Ten best 216 yards per game. The Wildcats will need a balanced offensive attack, and cannot rely on Nick Foles to carry to offense. Arizona will need to find a way to contain Iowa's defensive line, or this game could have an end result similar to the 2009 Holiday Bowl, which the Wildcats lost 33-0 to Nebraska.
My Pick: 28-13 Iowa
5 More to Flip To
California at Nevada (Tonight, 10 PM ET)
Cal's defense should be too much for Nevada. Should...
Georgia Tech at North Carolina (Saturday, 12 PM ET)
Both teams are in dire need of this win, if only to instill some confidence, which both have lost a lot of.
East Carolina at Virginia Tech (Saturday, 1:30 PM ET)
Who would have guessed that the Hokies could start the season 0-3?
Air Force at #7 Oklahoma (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
The Falcons are probably a little too undersized to beat the Sooners, but they looked really good in a win over BYU. This one could be interesting.
Notre Dame at Michigan State (Saturday, 8 PM ET)
Notre Dame has had trouble in East Lansing as of late. Could the Irish go 0-2 against Michigan teams yet again?
Storylines for the Weekend
Georgia's Mark Richt is NOT on the hot seat
I was listening to the Paul Finebaum Radio Network yesterday, and a lot of people were calling in speculating on whether or not Georgia head coach Mark Richt is on the hot seat if he loses to Arkansas this weekend. The answer, quite simply, is no. The Bulldogs have a redshirt freshman starting at quarterback, and are without their star wideout until the fifth game. Once A.J. Green returns and Aaron Murray gets some game experience under his belt, the Bulldogs will turn it around, and probably finish the season on a high note. There are clear reasons why the Bulldogs offense has been bad so far, and Richt isn't one of them.
Don't Stop Living In The Red
You think Boise State's field is bad? If you do, you're really going to get a kick out of this. There's no editing or Photoshop work there. No, that's actually the University of Eastern Washington's field, which will be played on for the first time this weekend. I like Boise's field, but I think that the red could quickly become an eyesore. Also, you won't be able to make the joke that birds dive into it thinking it is water like you can with Boise's field. I wouldn't expect any big name programs to try this any time soon.
Time for the Pac-10 to make a statement
Last weekend, the ACC made a statement, but in a bad way. The Pac-10 has a chance to look really good on the national stage. As far as underdogs are concerned, Arizona is at home against Iowa, Washington is at home against Nebraska, and UCLA is at home against Houston. These are all games that the Pac-10 can realistically win and use as ammunition against critics who believe that the conference is weak. If the Pac-10 doesn't want to become an afterthought as the ACC may have become after last weekend, then they need a big weekend from not only the top of their conference, but from the middle as well.
Thanks to my dad, I now have an easier way for you all to get to the blog. By typing in www.aroundthecorn.com, you will now be directed to the page. It should be much easier for you all to tell people how to get to the blog. I am aware that saying around the corn sports blog dot blogspot dot com is a mouthful, and even harder to remember. As always, thanks to everyone that has ever taken the time to read my work.
- K. Becks
Top 5 Games to Pay Attention to This Weekend
#12 Arkansas at Georgia (Saturday, 12 PM ET)
Georgia has never started 0-2 in the SEC under Mark Richt, but they have a tough test this weekend if they want to keep it that way. I put Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett on my preseason Heisman watch for a reason; he has the ability to pick defenses apart, even in the most hostile atmosphere. Georgia has had trouble scoring the ball this season, putting just six points on the board in a loss to South Carolina last weekend, which is not a recipe for success against a Razorbacks team known for their offensive firepower. The Bulldogs are missing wideout A.J. Green more and more every week.
My Pick: 31-17 Arkansas
#10 Florida at Tennessee (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
This is the most interesting matchup this weekend in my opinion. Tennessee looked good against Oregon last weekend for about a quarter and a half, and then went totally flat on offense for the rest of the game. Florida has not been overly impressive on offense this season either, so barring some sort of career day by John Brantley, Tennessee will probably not give up forty-five unanswered to the Gators like they did against Oregon. Florida is 5-0 against the Vols under Urban Meyer, but those wins were during the Chris Leak and Tim Tebow eras. Add the fact that Florida may be a little overrated, and that the game is being played in Knoxville, and we may be looking at the first Top 10 upset of the season.
My Pick: 27-24 Tennessee
Clemson at #16 Auburn (Saturday, 7 PM ET)
The ACC looked awful as a whole last weekend, so this is a game where they can attempt to regain some of the respect they lost. Clemson may be the class of the ACC, but then again, they may not be. Regardless, I think that Auburn is a little bit overrated, much like their SEC counterpart Florida. Cameron Newton is kind of like a poor man's Terrelle Pryor, but unlike Pryor, Newton routinely has to rely entirely on himself to make plays. Auburn will need to be more unpredictable against Clemson if they want to win this game, because Clemson has the playmakers on defense to contain Newton.
My Pick: 34-27 Clemson
#6 Texas at Texas Tech (Saturday, 8 PM ET)
Last time this game was played in Lubbock, Michael Crabtree was able to score a late touchdown to lead the Red Raiders over the Longhorns, which proved to be the only loss Texas would suffer that year. Crabtree is no longer there to help the Red Raiders out, and as usual, Texas Tech has a questionable defense. Currently, Texas Tech averages 43.5 PPG on offense, and they're definitely going to need to score a lot tomorrow night if they want to beat the Longhorns. Even then, it may not be enough. Texas has had some trouble offensively early on in games this year, so Texas Tech will need to hope that happens and take advantage of it. As for the Longhorns, playing catch up against a team like Texas Tech, who can score at will, is not recommended.
My Pick: 41-31 Texas
#9 Iowa at #24 Arizona (Saturday, 10:30 PM ET)
This is the only game this weekend featuring two ranked teams, so naturally it is one to watch. Iowa has cruised in their first two games, but their first real test will be against the Wildcats, who will test a Hawkeye defense that gives up a Big Ten best 216 yards per game. The Wildcats will need a balanced offensive attack, and cannot rely on Nick Foles to carry to offense. Arizona will need to find a way to contain Iowa's defensive line, or this game could have an end result similar to the 2009 Holiday Bowl, which the Wildcats lost 33-0 to Nebraska.
My Pick: 28-13 Iowa
5 More to Flip To
California at Nevada (Tonight, 10 PM ET)
Cal's defense should be too much for Nevada. Should...
Georgia Tech at North Carolina (Saturday, 12 PM ET)
Both teams are in dire need of this win, if only to instill some confidence, which both have lost a lot of.
East Carolina at Virginia Tech (Saturday, 1:30 PM ET)
Who would have guessed that the Hokies could start the season 0-3?
Air Force at #7 Oklahoma (Saturday, 3:30 PM ET)
The Falcons are probably a little too undersized to beat the Sooners, but they looked really good in a win over BYU. This one could be interesting.
Notre Dame at Michigan State (Saturday, 8 PM ET)
Notre Dame has had trouble in East Lansing as of late. Could the Irish go 0-2 against Michigan teams yet again?
Storylines for the Weekend
Georgia's Mark Richt is NOT on the hot seat
I was listening to the Paul Finebaum Radio Network yesterday, and a lot of people were calling in speculating on whether or not Georgia head coach Mark Richt is on the hot seat if he loses to Arkansas this weekend. The answer, quite simply, is no. The Bulldogs have a redshirt freshman starting at quarterback, and are without their star wideout until the fifth game. Once A.J. Green returns and Aaron Murray gets some game experience under his belt, the Bulldogs will turn it around, and probably finish the season on a high note. There are clear reasons why the Bulldogs offense has been bad so far, and Richt isn't one of them.
Don't Stop Living In The Red
You think Boise State's field is bad? If you do, you're really going to get a kick out of this. There's no editing or Photoshop work there. No, that's actually the University of Eastern Washington's field, which will be played on for the first time this weekend. I like Boise's field, but I think that the red could quickly become an eyesore. Also, you won't be able to make the joke that birds dive into it thinking it is water like you can with Boise's field. I wouldn't expect any big name programs to try this any time soon.
Time for the Pac-10 to make a statement
Last weekend, the ACC made a statement, but in a bad way. The Pac-10 has a chance to look really good on the national stage. As far as underdogs are concerned, Arizona is at home against Iowa, Washington is at home against Nebraska, and UCLA is at home against Houston. These are all games that the Pac-10 can realistically win and use as ammunition against critics who believe that the conference is weak. If the Pac-10 doesn't want to become an afterthought as the ACC may have become after last weekend, then they need a big weekend from not only the top of their conference, but from the middle as well.
Thanks to my dad, I now have an easier way for you all to get to the blog. By typing in www.aroundthecorn.com, you will now be directed to the page. It should be much easier for you all to tell people how to get to the blog. I am aware that saying around the corn sports blog dot blogspot dot com is a mouthful, and even harder to remember. As always, thanks to everyone that has ever taken the time to read my work.
- K. Becks
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
NCAAF: SEC Preview
The college football preview is underway again, after a little weekend break. For those of you that were waiting for the next preview to be on Monday (I said in my Thursday post that Monday would be the next day that I did a preview post), sorry for the delay. However, I did a post about my weekend at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, and I would really appreciate it if you gave that a read as well. It's the post right under this one, if you're wondering.
Overview
Arguments aside, the SEC has been more or less the conference to beat throughout the past decade. The conference has had five BCS national championships, twelve BCS bowl game wins, and the best winning percentage in BCS bowl games during that time span. This year, the debate over which conference is the strongest will re-surface, and this time people may not be blowing hot air. The Southeastern Conference has the reigning National Champions in Alabama, who also boast the reigning Heisman winner in tailback Mark Ingram. However, conferences such as the Big 10 may have closed the gap that has seemed to separate the SEC from the rest of the pack throughout the last ten years. Like always, this year's Southeastern Conference will have powerhouse teams, All-American players, and primetime matchups. Only time will tell if anyone else can keep up with them.
Team(s) With the Best Shot at a National Championship Bid
Alabama
No surprise here. The best team with the best player from last year is probably a favorite to make it back to the national title game yet again. Quite honestly, the only team that can beat the Alabama Crimson Tide this year is the Alabama Crimson Tide. They have a potential trap game versus Penn State early in the year, and as always Florida and LSU (who the Tide have to play at Death Valley) will not be give-me games. However, with almost all of the essential pieces from last year's title winning team returning on offense and a promising defense, only a lapse in concentration or poor execution can bring the Tide down.
Florida
I'm not completely sold on the Gators, but you can't really ever count out an Urban Meyer coached team these days. Obviously, the biggest hole that the Gators will have to fill is the one left by quarterback Tim Tebow. Although John Brantley is touted as a great replacement, he will have to fill the shoes of Tebow rather quickly, as the Gators have to travel to Knoxville to face Tennessee on September 18th. I'll be surprised if Florida remains undefeated by the middle of October, but you never know.
Watch Out! (Team That Could Surprise)
Georgia
They may not look all that impressive the first few weeks of the season as redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray adjusts during his first few games, but the good news is that he doesn't have to go up against any extremely tough defenses in those games. The Bulldogs schedule is favorable (no game against LSU, at home against Arkansas, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech), and the defense should be much better than last year. After several years of disappointment, this could be the year that Georgia finally exceeds expectations.
Out-Of-Conference Game To Watch
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (October 9th)
There aren't really any national title implications here, but the star power is definitely there. Ryan Mallet (Arkansas) and Jerrod Johnson (Texas A&M) are two of the best quarterbacks in college football, and both could be strong Heisman candidates by the end of the season. Both of these gunslingers should have a field day against questionable defenses, so the game should be a fun one to watch from an offensive standpoint. This game could end up being one, big highlight reel.
In-Conference Game To Watch
Alabama vs. Florida (October 2nd)
Chances are, both of these teams will be undefeated and probably in the Top 5 when this game is played. Might this be only Part I of II in the Alabama/Florida saga of 2010? Although one team's national title hopes will take a serious hit after the conclusion of this game, the SEC title game may be a chance for the loser to exact their revenge.
Conference Predictions
East Division
1. Florida (11-1, [7-1])
2. Georgia (10-2, [6-2])
3. Tennessee (7-5, [4-4])
4. South Carolina (6-6, [3-5])
5. Kentucky (6-6, [3-5])
6. Vanderbilt (1-11, [0-8])
West Division
1. Alabama (12-0, [8-0])
2. Arkansas (10-2, [6-2])
3. LSU (9-3, [5-3])
4. Auburn (6-6, [3-5])
5. Mississippi (5-7, [2-6])
6. Mississippi State (2-10, [0-8])
Championship Game (Alabama vs. Florida)
Winner: Alabama
Considering that most of my readers are from the Midwest, you'll be happy to know that the next college football preview is the Big Ten Conference.
- K. Becks
Overview
Arguments aside, the SEC has been more or less the conference to beat throughout the past decade. The conference has had five BCS national championships, twelve BCS bowl game wins, and the best winning percentage in BCS bowl games during that time span. This year, the debate over which conference is the strongest will re-surface, and this time people may not be blowing hot air. The Southeastern Conference has the reigning National Champions in Alabama, who also boast the reigning Heisman winner in tailback Mark Ingram. However, conferences such as the Big 10 may have closed the gap that has seemed to separate the SEC from the rest of the pack throughout the last ten years. Like always, this year's Southeastern Conference will have powerhouse teams, All-American players, and primetime matchups. Only time will tell if anyone else can keep up with them.
Team(s) With the Best Shot at a National Championship Bid
Alabama
No surprise here. The best team with the best player from last year is probably a favorite to make it back to the national title game yet again. Quite honestly, the only team that can beat the Alabama Crimson Tide this year is the Alabama Crimson Tide. They have a potential trap game versus Penn State early in the year, and as always Florida and LSU (who the Tide have to play at Death Valley) will not be give-me games. However, with almost all of the essential pieces from last year's title winning team returning on offense and a promising defense, only a lapse in concentration or poor execution can bring the Tide down.
Florida
I'm not completely sold on the Gators, but you can't really ever count out an Urban Meyer coached team these days. Obviously, the biggest hole that the Gators will have to fill is the one left by quarterback Tim Tebow. Although John Brantley is touted as a great replacement, he will have to fill the shoes of Tebow rather quickly, as the Gators have to travel to Knoxville to face Tennessee on September 18th. I'll be surprised if Florida remains undefeated by the middle of October, but you never know.
Watch Out! (Team That Could Surprise)
Georgia
They may not look all that impressive the first few weeks of the season as redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray adjusts during his first few games, but the good news is that he doesn't have to go up against any extremely tough defenses in those games. The Bulldogs schedule is favorable (no game against LSU, at home against Arkansas, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech), and the defense should be much better than last year. After several years of disappointment, this could be the year that Georgia finally exceeds expectations.
Out-Of-Conference Game To Watch
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (October 9th)
There aren't really any national title implications here, but the star power is definitely there. Ryan Mallet (Arkansas) and Jerrod Johnson (Texas A&M) are two of the best quarterbacks in college football, and both could be strong Heisman candidates by the end of the season. Both of these gunslingers should have a field day against questionable defenses, so the game should be a fun one to watch from an offensive standpoint. This game could end up being one, big highlight reel.
In-Conference Game To Watch
Alabama vs. Florida (October 2nd)
Chances are, both of these teams will be undefeated and probably in the Top 5 when this game is played. Might this be only Part I of II in the Alabama/Florida saga of 2010? Although one team's national title hopes will take a serious hit after the conclusion of this game, the SEC title game may be a chance for the loser to exact their revenge.
Conference Predictions
East Division
1. Florida (11-1, [7-1])
2. Georgia (10-2, [6-2])
3. Tennessee (7-5, [4-4])
4. South Carolina (6-6, [3-5])
5. Kentucky (6-6, [3-5])
6. Vanderbilt (1-11, [0-8])
West Division
1. Alabama (12-0, [8-0])
2. Arkansas (10-2, [6-2])
3. LSU (9-3, [5-3])
4. Auburn (6-6, [3-5])
5. Mississippi (5-7, [2-6])
6. Mississippi State (2-10, [0-8])
Championship Game (Alabama vs. Florida)
Winner: Alabama
Considering that most of my readers are from the Midwest, you'll be happy to know that the next college football preview is the Big Ten Conference.
- K. Becks
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