-The top 4 all impressed in dominating fashion. The 1st quarter of the Florida State was a scary showing in which they had to take their foot off the gas because they were ruining their own defense. Alabama is a murder machine. Ohio State just keeps pounding on you until you break. Oregon is similar to watching a wrestling match. At first, you think it's a draw but once they have their opponent vulnerable the slaughter is on. -The ACC had some pretty poor showings with Pitt losing to Navy and Virginia Tech losing to Duke. Miami had a close win against Wake, but Wake does that to people at times. The important thing for the young Canes is that they keep finding ways to win. There's a lot to be said for that. -The Big12. You can keep ignoring Baylor, but they are another mechanized weapon on mass destruction. In the coming weeks, the rubber really meets the road in this conference so we'll see where everyone really stands. -The SEC. Missouri finally decided to show their new conference brothers what they are really famous for. It's good that some traditions are maintained in this day and age of the BCS. Auburn is flying high at 7-1 and that will continue on for another week before things get interesting. -The Pac12. The South is wide open. The North looks to be Oregon and Stanford which is no surprise to anyone. The only thing I can't figure is how Oregon State lost that opening game. I've watched them a few times now and that's a really good (not great) team. There's something like 7 teams in this conference hanging on the cusp on bowl eligibility with Stanford, Oregon and Oregon State already there. The only 2 teams who appear to have no hope are Colorado and Cal. -In the B1G, Michigan State has quietly snuck out to a 7-1 record. I have no idea what the hell is going on in Nebraska. There's some big games coming up in the Legends Division that will tell us who is really who there. All I know is Minnesota is currently next to last in the division, but they are bowl eligible unlike the 3rd and 4th place teams ahead of them. -Overall, there are some divisions that are wide open at this point. The SEC East, Pac12 South, B1G Legends, ACC Coastal and the entire Big12 are up for grabs at this point. However, the National Title picture is becoming ever so clear. History has taught us that this most likely won't happen entirely, but there's a chance that we have 4 unbeaten at the end of the regular season. For those team's sake, I hope that doesn't happen. At the same time, if it does, it would be a fitting parting shot for the BCS.
Miami has barely escaped two teams that are terrible in UNC and Wake Forrest, and unless you apply Dave's SEC theory that every SEC game is a war, how do they rocket up the polls with those two games? Is Gary Danielson that influential?
Terry unless Miami has been holding something back for 7 games I expect FSU to roll this weekend. Our QB Morris who was mentioned as a possible pre-season Heisman candidate has had possibly the worst season of his career as a senior. My guess is we may see something similar to the UCLA/Oregon game this weekend. Emotional close rivalry game where its pretty close for 2 quarters but the depth of FSU pulls ahead off Miami miscues. I have mentioned more than once that we are not playing worthy of our ranking as Miami is the poster child for the unworthiness of college football rankings. But a win is a win at the end of the day, at least it used to be that way before sports media "experts" decided that was not enough. Since I am ranting about Miami I might as well mention that in reality next weeks game against Virginia Tech is more important because whoever wins that will play FSU in the ACC championship....Hell, who knows, it could be Duke playing in the championship game...
-The top 4 all impressed in dominating fashion. The 1st quarter of the Florida State was a scary showing in which they had to take their foot off the gas because they were ruining their own defense. Alabama is a murder machine. Ohio State just keeps pounding on you until you break. Oregon is similar to watching a wrestling match. At first, you think it's a draw but once they have their opponent vulnerable the slaughter is on. Well we are down to the part of the season where the first team to blink loses. So they all will (or should be) coming to each game with laser focus. This is where the playoff starts in College Football. Exciting till the end. Anybody remember when last year a certain former Super Power was certain to be left out till a couple of teams ahead of them blinked? Or what year was it that RichRod had the BCS game in hand just had to finish the season vs a .500 Pitt team? Ooops. Lots of slips even for a Murder Machine are possible! -The ACC had some pretty poor showings with Pitt losing to Navy and Virginia Tech losing to Duke. Miami had a close win against Wake, but Wake does that to people at times. The important thing for the young Canes is that they keep finding ways to win. There's a lot to be said for that. Really? Wake does that to people all of the times? Don't they usually start the dumpster fire? I just hope the ACC Championship game is a sellout this year! -The Big12. You can keep ignoring Baylor, but they are another mechanized weapon on mass destruction. In the coming weeks, the rubber really meets the road in this conference so we'll see where everyone really stands. Mark my words, Texas has risen from the ashes and is going to win out and take the B12. Mark it down you heard it here first. -The SEC. Missouri finally decided to show their new conference brothers what they are really famous for. It's good that some traditions are maintained in this day and age of the BCS. Auburn is flying high at 7-1 and that will continue on for another week before things get interesting. Gus is an interesting coach, he's figured out how to use the talent on hand about as well as anybody I've seen. He has a system, but the systems seems very elastic. Auburn has a brutal running game and their QB is very effective. Is it possible that Gus is really a top coach and will have Auburn doing this every year or is this a 1 year bump? -The Pac12. The South is wide open. The North looks to be Oregon and Stanford which is no surprise to anyone. The only thing I can't figure is how Oregon State lost that opening game. I've watched them a few times now and that's a really good (not great) team. There's something like 7 teams in this conference hanging on the cusp on bowl eligibility with Stanford, Oregon and Oregon State already there. The only 2 teams who appear to have no hope are Colorado and Cal. Oregon has a tough road ahead no doubt, but they do look well equipped to handle it. I would really like to see an Oregon vs Alabama NC game. Although I was hoping that Stanford would stay undefeated and beat Oregon and then have the Irish pull off a Miracle in Palo Alto and end their BCS hopes. Still want to beat those suckers of course. I have to say UCLA is a mystery team, everybody seems to love them, but they are 5-5 in their last 10 games and their losses are all beatings. They seem to either beat you down or get beat down. Hundley looked awful vs Stanford. I have to say that I just love the Ducks uniforms, I used to hate them but they have really got it down (pun intended) and they are way cool -In the B1G, Michigan State has quietly snuck out to a 7-1 record. I have no idea what the hell is going on in Nebraska. There's some big games coming up in the Legends Division that will tell us who is really who there. All I know is Minnesota is currently next to last in the division, but they are bowl eligible unlike the 3rd and 4th place teams ahead of them. Michigan State looks like they have developed into the 2nd best team in the BIG to me. The game this weekend should be a good one. -Overall, there are some divisions that are wide open at this point. The SEC East, Pac12 South, B1G Legends, ACC Coastal and the entire Big12 are up for grabs at this point. However, the National Title picture is becoming ever so clear. History has taught us that this most likely won't happen entirely, but there's a chance that we have 4 unbeaten at the end of the regular season. For those team's sake, I hope that doesn't happen. At the same time, if it does, it would be a fitting parting shot for the BCS.
SEC East scenario: http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/tony-barnhart/24151222/five-lessons-we-learned-sec-east-race-blown-open-duke-keeps-winning
I don't see Missouri winning out now that they've got a loss. They will struggle mightily with Johnny Football, hell they couldn't contain a gimpy Connor Shaw. So it looks like the winner of the Fla/So Carolina game could win it all.
Uh.... there is the little matter of Ga-Fla first. Then Mo. would have to lose twice if UF beats SC.... And after all that the only prize is going to Atlanta to get your clock cleaned by the Tide.... unless of course it's SC and Spurrier..... Spurrier has beaten Bama in the past for the title..... and came very close in the Bama NC year 1992 under Stallings. I know kp would rather play his rival Florida for the title but I think it's going to be South Carolina and the Evil Genius.
I enjoy these topics. I don't have a lot to add except to agree with Dave and think S. Carolina is going to win the East. I think I said that last week also. As far as it being the winner of the Florida - S. Carolina Game that only works for the Gators if we Beat Georgia and S. Carolina and Mizzou loses 2 games. Most likely scenario is that neither of those things happen. I am hoping for a Alabama and Oregon BCS Championship game.
Next week should be very interesting to B1G followers. (UM-MSU) The thought was that maybe this year tOSU and Michigan would each win their division title and thus play each other in the conference championship...meaning two games in a row. Now it looks as if Michigan State may have the inside track on the Legends Division...and UM will surely have the chance to say something about that this weekend. Meanwhile...Ohio State is gonna hafta face up against OUR NEW BLACK HELMETS this week!!! Good luck to them Buckeyes. No pictures yet...they are keeping them under wraps...this is as close as we can come; note the train track stripe.
Unfortunately for Purdue, if the helmets had spikes sticking out, it wouldn't help them. Purdue simply is not a good team this year. I hope there is some serious rebuilding going on behind the scenes.
There were a bunch of teams wearing black helmets last weekend, starting with Miss State on Thurs night. The all had their mascots painted on the side in Silver...but the painting was terrible, even though I know the MSU mascot is a bulldog (or bulldawg) I couldn't recognize it. The Oregon State helmets of course had a beaver which I thought looked a lot like a bulldawg. I like most of these special uniforms, but sometimes they miss the mark. That Purdue Helmet looks like it might be spot on though.
So Terry, if Texas wins out does that mean Alabama can keep our coach? Oh please, please let us keep our coach. We all know that if Texas calls, he will go, so please, please let Texas win out. 8) I am now thinking that Alabama may only lose one game. We have had two nearly flawless outings against weaker teams so we have stopped making so many costly mistakes. IF we are to lose one game, I pray it is to LSU and not that other school down the road.
FSU-Miami has the biggest point spread ever between two top 10 teams, currently at 22 points. Previous to that a Texas/Ok State game was 12 points and the Ohio State/Miami game for the BCS NC was an 11 point spread.