So lets get this out of the way early. The biggest game of the weekend is Nebraska at Ohio State!! AJ's boys will throw a scare into the Buckeyes. This is an odd week. There are games on Tues night, Wed night, Thursday night and Friday night. Thursday Night Temple at UCF ...actually a pretty big game. UCF is undefeated of course, but Temple has been playing really well and have a shot at ending the streak. Friday Night ; A couple of intersting games. Pitt at UVA ...Pitt after a hard fought loss at Notre Dame followed it up with a good win over Duke and UVA after upsetting Miami has won 2 more games and are looking good in coach Bronco Mendenhall's second year. Col at Arizona ...Everyone except Utah has 3 losses in the Pac12 South. So the loser here is definitely out. Colorado after winning the 1st 5 games of the season has lost 3 in a row, and Arizona after a terrible start beat Oregon last weekend and pre-season Heisman candidate Khalil Tate finally looked like he was expected to look. Sumlin noted for Nov swoons at A&M. Saturday: For the CFP contestants every game is huge, for 1 loss teams it's an elimination if they pickup the 2nd loss, for the undefeated teams will a late season loss cause them to slip below a team whose loss was much earlier in the season? Alabama at LSU ...Tide are 2 touchdown favorites and rightly so, they are a machine on offense and a very good defense. LSU is a good defense but far from a machine on offense. If LSU defense can't shutdown Tua then the Tide will be up by 14 points at halftime. I was unimpressed with the LSU offense vs Miss State, and Alabama is way better. This game might not even be close. Penn State at Michigan....UM has been getting better every week, the talking heads are saying they are better than Notre Dame at this point, so ignore that they lost to the Irish in the 1st game. Still UM has to win out, it's at home, even though James Franklin has declared Trace McSorley the best player in college football, it's going to take some luck for the Nittany Lions to beat UM at this point in the season. Notre Dame at Northwestern. Irish are a team, like Michigan, that really has to win out. Loss in Nov will allow other 1 loss teams to jump them. Northwestern is a solid team, could end up winning the B1G West. Irish will need to play very well. Nebraska at Ohio State....Ohio State like UM has to win out, no 2 loss team will make the CFP. They have had a week off to lick their wounds and get their heads on straight. I kept reading about how Haskins isn't a good runner, but hell he has 2 NFL caliber RB's so why does it make a difference if he isn't. If the OL does well they can run the ball. Neb is an improving squad, so they might give OSU a game for the 1st half but I can't see the upset here and even AJ has conceded. Louisville at Clemson ...the new guy at QB, for Clemson, seems to be OK, they decimated FSU last week, I expect more of the same this week. 50+ points and very few for Louisville. I wonder if Pitino is now on the hot seat? West Virginia at Texas....Longhorns out of the CFP, but West Virginia if they win out could be knocking on the door, esp if the Irish can't close the deal in Nov. They have to beat Texas and then they have to beat OU twice, a tough road for sure, but have to beat Texas first. I don't think they can, Longhorns should've beaten OSU last weekend, but at home they won't lose to WVU. I think they give Will Grier a headache. Oklahoma at Texas Tech... Another have to win out senario, OU with 1 loss could make it to the CFP, the teams ahead of them are all going to have a tough time winning out. LSU is going down this weekend, Georgia will likely not win the SEC , and Mich going to Columbus...well that's not an easy task. So OU better be ready, Texas Tech is likely to put up some points on their defense, I could see this as being a big time shootout. Georgia at Kentucky ... Georgia has to win just to make the SECCG much less the CFP. That said, Kentucky has had a great season by their standards but they were gifted that win last weekend and Georgia hammered a pretty good Gator team. I doubt if this game is even close. Wash State at CAL ...first of 3 winnable game for Wazzu, CAL is a good not great team. It is a road game, sure. But they only scored 12 points v Washington last week in the win, that won't cut it vs Wash State. WSU another team that has to keep winning and hope for some chaos to get to the CFP, even as a 1 loss team. Syracuse at Wake Forrest. So this is an important game for the Irish, as our Nov schedule isn't loaded with top 10 teams. Not that anybody's is but still it's a common criticism ( Joel for one). So Syracuse continuing to be ranked is good for the ND schedule. Dino Babers is a fun coach to watch in the locker room after at win! Just don't want to see him smiling after the ND game in Yankee Stadium. Texas A&M at Auburn. Now Scott complained about Aggie DB's, but they won't need them v Auburn. For some reason ( OL?) Jarett Stidham has been awful this year, and I would have thought he'd have had a great year. But Auburn after beating UW has not lived up to expectations. Aggies need a SEC W road win. Iowa at Purdue ...this is a big game for the B1G West. Both have 2 losses and chasing 1 loss Northwestern. So that 3rd loss is an elimination. Both teams coming off of losses last weekend. Maybe the Boilermakers have recovered from that Ohio State hangover. Boston College at Va.Tech BC had a good win over Miami last weekend while Va.Tech had a bad loss to Ga.Tech. BC has a really good RB in AJ Dillon and that could spell trouble for the Hokies. BC has Clemson in a couple of weeks, hopefully they aren't looking ahead, but has no chance at winning their Division (Atlantic) while Va.Tech is in the race for the Coastal but can't lose again if they want to stay up. Missouri at Florida ...Gators soundly beaten by UGA, Missouri was ref whipped last weekend vs Kentucky. Gators defense is too good for Drew Lock and the Tigers, then there is the swamp. Utah at Arizona State ...Utes are having a really good season, having lost only to Wash and Wash State. Arizona State is one of many 3 loss teams in the Pac12 South. Could still win or tie for the Division, as the Utes have 2 losses, in fact beat the Utes and they have the tie breaker. Can Utah play well in the desert at sea level? Charlotte at Tenn....Vols need this game, not because they have any chance to win the SEC East, or a big bowl game, but just to get the win and maybe get a little closer to .500 in year 1 of the new regime. Progress. Houston at SMU...Cougars can win the AAC West and get a shot at UCF (presumably) in the AAC championship game and a really good bowl game. Duke at Miami...2 teams that are reeling. Duke when they went to Northwestern and won with a backup QB was looking like a team that would win a lot of games. But they have lost 3 of their last 4 including a shootout with Pitt last weekend. Miami was a preseaon top 10 team, looked bad losig to LsU but got on a roll a little bit and then hit the wall in back to back road losses to UVA and then to BC. Both teams need the win, just to get back to winning. UCLA at Oregon ...The Ducks another team that was looking good until the bottom fell out in Pullman and then at Arizona State. UCLA was never going to be really good this year, but had a little streak going till they hosted Utah last weekend and got hammered. Chip Kelly probably won't win another game this year. Stanford at Washington. Everybody thought this would be a huge game, well it still is to their fans but both teams have lost 2 out of their last 3 games and while it's possible they could still win the division. It would take Wash State falling flat for that to happen and after reading the story on Gardner Minshew I don't think that kid will let them Coog it. USC at Oregon State...again my only interest here is that USC be a team when we roll in to L.A. Thanksgiving weekend that a win (if we get one) has some meaning to the Committee. Other than that USC is like all the other 3 loss teams in the Pac12 South, they are just hoping to win out and that somebody takes out Utah. Utah State at Hawaii ...so why include this? Utah State is the forgotten Group of 5 team. Everybody is so focused on UCF while the Aggies are on a 7 game winning streak after a narrow opening loss on the road to Mich State. The Mountain West Champ will likely be either Utah State or Fresno State So it's a big game in the Mtn West. Fresno State at UNLV....Fresno is also ranked like Utah State, their only loss also a close road loss to a B1G team, Minn. Jeff Tedford getting another chance at being a HC after getting canned awhile ago at CAL.
Something to think about when trying to decide if this is the greatest Alabama team ever. Rat Poison. http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/25091096/where-does-2018-alabama-team-rank-all-greats
We will have to wait and see. There is a lot to the season left. I have seen a lot of great Alabama football teams. In the mid 60's we almost won 3 straight NCs. In the 70's I think.we won more games in that decade than any other school had ever won in a decade. The 1992 team beat a Miami team that was considered very much better and they beat them decisively. The last 10 years have had several very good teams with great defenses. This.weekend will be a.good test against another very good defense. If our offense is able to execute against LSU then I will be very happy, but we still have MSU and Auburn and then the SECCG to.go so it's early to talk about greatest of all time.
Sad to lose to Georgia but glad the Gators don't have to face Alabama this season because the Tide is playing like one of the all time greatest teams of CFB. UF has a legit shot to win out and finish 11-2 with a bowl win and probably a top 7 ranking. That would be an awesome comeback season and set them up well for next season and recruiting..
Pitt @ UVA – both Pitt and UVA both currently control their own destiny in the ACCC (so does VT). This game is absolutely crucial to get the head-to-head tiebreak under their belt. Pitt has losses to better teams (PSU, UCF, ND). With the home field advantage, UVA would appear to have the inside track. CU @ UA – interestingly enough, every team in the P12, both North and South are mathematically alive in their division with each team having played at least 5 of their 9 conference games. To stay alive in the P12S, CU MUST beat UA. After starting 5-0 against teams without a pulse to share, CU is hitting the meat of their schedule. Early in the season, it looked like UA would be one of their last chances to get a win, with games against WSU, UU, and Cal to close the season. After last week’s destruction of UO, that opportunity looks like it may no longer be available. Not only do I think UA takes down CU, but I predict they don’t get to a bowl. Bama @ LSU – I know Nick has to do everything to provide motivation to his team, but there is no way this is not his most dangerous team to date. Give the points and watch the Heisman be renamed the Tag. PSU @ UM – Mathematically, PSU can still win the B10E. UM (and OSU) control their own destiny. UM has a loss to give to everyone but OSU and still win the B10E. At this point in the season, UM is the better team, and they’re at home. UM by a TD. ND @ NW – NW is in control of the B10W. ND is not in that division. ND shouldn’t have a problem getting up for this game. NU @ OSU – NU is improving, but going into Columbus and pulling out the win? That would be catastrophic for Urban and I don’t think possible. Louisville @ Clem – Louisville needs to win out to get bowl eligible, with Clemson, Syr, NCSU, and UK on the docket. They may not win another game this year. They’re surely not going to beat Clemson. WV @ tu – WV is the better team, but it is in Austin. And expectations are low for tu after self-destructing against OkSU last weekend. They may give Grier a headache, but tu will need a lot of help to win the ever-elusive 4th B12CG after this weekend. UGA @ UK – how is UK still in position to win the SECE?? Oh yeah, that win over UF. And the rest of the SECE is pretty much little sisters of the poor to the big bully SECW (SCAR? Vandy? Mizzou? Tenn?) This game determines the SECE, and it won’t be pretty. UGA big. Cal @ Wazzu – T, this is @ WSU, not Cal. If uw wins out, the P12N comes down to the Apple Cup. If uw loses one leading up to the AC, the Cougs have one to give and still go to the P12CG. And this is where a longtime Coug starts developing twitches. After the team has shown such poise in gritting out win after win, the easy part of the schedule is upon them and the collective Crimson and Gray nation is holding their breaths. WSU should dismantle each and every one of them, starting with Cal this weekend. WSU is 8-0 against the spread this year. They are undefeated at home in 2017 and 2018. But, that was also true when they went to Berkley last year, ranked #8, and they were destroyed 37-3 in an absolute nightmare. (WSU’s possessions were INT on the 3rd play, missed FG, fumble on the 1st play, 3 & out, FG, INT in the endzone, 4 & out, INT on the 4th play, INT on the 6th play, 3 & out, fumble on the 3rd play, fumble on the 6th play returned for a TD, INT on the 4th play, EOG THANK GOD!) Record holder of everything Luke Falk threw 5 INTs and fumbled twice (one lost) in addition to each RB getting into the act with another fumble each (one lost). So, there is good reason for us up on the Palouse to be nervous about “gimme†games because there’s a reason “Coug it†was coined. This team has not shown the capability to play that poorly, but there is always the buzzing in the back of our head that it could happen. I don’t think it will, so the Cougs should win by 10 to stay in firm control of the P12N. Syr @ WF – I wouldn’t even pause in taking Syr in this one, except it’s @ WF. Syr should push WF out of even mathematical contention by at least a FG. A&M @ AU – A&M should be able to get pressure on Stidham and nullify their lack of a secondary. AU has wins over the two bottom dwellers of the SECW, but since they’re the third-worst in that division, chalk this up as another loss. Iowa @ PU – Iowa still has their showdown with NW coming up, but lost to Wisc. PU has already lost to NW, but has Wisc coming up. This game will remove one of them from the round robin of teams hoping NW drops one more to get back in the mix. Both of these guys are good teams. Iowa really lost an opportunity last week in a close game to PSU. PU probably comes out of this one the victor due to being at home. BC @ VT – VT controls their own destiny and to keep pace in the ACCC, VT needs this win (even though BC is in the ACCA). BC still controls their own destiny with their game against Clemson coming a couple weeks. I just don’t buy VT as a very good team. BC has a pretty good defense. I’m thinking BC goes on the road and takes the mask off VT. Mizzou @ UF – the Gators still have a pretty good defense, even if UGA made it look like a Taiwanese boygirl. Mizzou is easily the worst of the woeful bottom of the SECE. UF gets healthy and might even pretend to have an offense again now that UGA has left the neighborhood. UU @ ASU – both teams control their own destiny in the P12S. UU historically has been an up and down team since joining the P12. They show flashes and typically have a pretty good defense, but QB play generally does them in. After their loss to uw, and in the battle with WSU, something seems to have changed and they are confident, with Huntley really running and throwing the ball better than he has since he was handed the starting role. ASU is in their first year and have potential. But UU is about two touchdowns better on any given day, even on the road in Tempe. And there are enough gorgeous women in SLC waiting for the Utes that they won’t be too distracted from the talent to play well. Char @ Tenn – Really? Come on Vols, it’s yours. Duke @ Miami – Miami is only a game back in the ACCC with the only damaging loss so far to UVA. Duke, by dint of losing to the three 1-loss teams in the division, have been eliminated. Miami is the better team when both are playing to their potential. Miami is the better team when both are self-destructing. I find it hard to believe that Duke will play to their potential and Miami will self-destruct with the game in Miami, so Miami by 5. UCLA @ UO – UCLA was really punished by their schedule this year going 0-5 early against solid competition (except CU) while they were still trying to figure themselves out. Then, although the schedule got a bit easier, it still included the contenders for both divisions late. UCLA really isn’t a bad team, even though they won’t get to a bowl. UO’s will to live was broken two weeks ago, and Khalil Tate had his inevitable breakout game at the wrong time. UO will have a fight with UCLA, but will add to the misery of UCLA, the original school where football players go to get soft. That being said, I think UCLA gets two more wins this year. Stan @ uw – uw controls their own destiny, even though they’re a game back of WSU. Stanford can change that. Of the two losers last week, Stanford was the better team. The sweet sounds of the fan boards going insane, ready to fire Chris Peterson, is also greatness. As a result, Stanford goes in and rips the puppies a new hole. And the puppies enjoy it, because that’s how they like to roll. USC @ OrSU – Even though OrSU is mathematically alive, doesn’t mean they are good. Even though they beat CU last weekend, doesn’t mean they are good. USC isn’t very good, either, but their talent level should get the win, even without a gameplan. Expect OrSU to score points, but I gotta believe USC will gut it out.
I caught some SEC Network coverage today and to hear them tell it, only Clemson and Oklahoma could possibly even make a showing against Alabama this year.
Seeing as how they have only won it 5 out of the last 10 years and only 6 out of the last 20 years that Alabama should first worry about just winning the SEC Championship...... :wink:
Corey, That's ********. A couple of turnovers and any team is in trouble. I do agree that if Alabama is playing its best then we are very hard to beat. Whoever we are playing cannot make a mistake. MCG, winning the conference championship is great but those national championships are really enjoyable☺
I could see why they think Clemson might have a shot, they have a NFL defensive line and with the new kid at QB they seem to have ramped up the offense. For Oklahoma I guess they think that Kyler Murray can maybe outscore the Tide, I don't think they can. OU offense is great, but it was held in check by a good Texas defense to a certain degree and I think the Alabama defense is better than the Texas defense. I see that Wash State was fined 25K for it's fans rushing the field after the Oregon victory. I'm guessing nobody in the Wash State AD is complaining about paying the fine. BC fans rushed the field last week after they beat Miami. It wasn't the same though, first the stadium was half full no doubt due to the Sox game and well Miami isn't a great team this year so it's not like they beat Clemson. Now they will get that shot at Clemson this month. Trouble in South Central? Clay Helton has taken the play calling duties away from OCoord Tee Martin. Helton was the OCoord for Sark before he was named interim HC. The Tua Heisman Trophy contest ..remains the same. But Wash State QB Gardner Minshew is now in the top 5.
Yes Kp..... I know... those three NCs by Florida since '96 are what we remember most.... much more so than the several SEC Championships won in that time. But 6 of 20 for such a hugely dominant program as Alabama has been nationally shows you that winning the SEC Championship is a pretty damn good accomplishment. ( p.s. just trying to get you mildly interested in watching Bama take on LSU Saturday night.... :wink: 8) )
DJ Durkin is apparently going to be back on the field for Maryland this Saturday vs Michigan State. I assumed that the delay was all about working out how to get rid of him and his contract without paying him some big dollar payout. I'm pretty shocked.
Urban Meyer was questioned today about his return to Ohio State next year, and he said he was absolutely planning on coming back and continuing to coach the Buckeyes. https://sports.yahoo.com/urban-meyer-addresses-retirement-health-speculation-plan-coaching-165219830.html edit: He also talked quite a bit about his health issues, the brain surgery and all that.
I really do not envy some of the choices Coach Meyer is dealing with at the moment. Of course, he wants to continue coaching, that has been pretty much his whole life up to this point. On the other hand, he is going to be forced to make some kind of a decision down the road. I do not know what the outcome will be, but I sincerely hope he can be wise and walk away when the time arrives.
Don if Urban steps down after the season who do Buckeye fans like? Ryan Day ...has he got enough experience? Matt Campbell ...seems to be doing a great job at Iowa State, but that's not Columbus. Luke Fickell...certainly knows the Buckeyes. Tom Herman ...now has 4 years as a head coach...as a Texas fan I'd be shocked though if somebody could hire our coach away. Brian Kelly...more than a couple Irish fans would hope you'd take him!
I don't mean to sound arrogant but right now if we're not playing for (and winning) a National Championship then the season is a little bit of a disappointment. It shouldn't be that way but at least for now it is for me.
Terry, My first choice would be Ryan Day, no idea about other fans at the moment. Kp, you are very arrogant! :lol: I pity the coach who takes over at some point for Saban. He will never be able to match the success of Coach Saban?
Don, I know. I couldn't believe I was saying it and you're right. I'm not sure we will be able to find anyone to even take the job after Saban. :shock: