1. Irish luck into another win! Don't mention that in the 4th qtr we outgained them 200+yds to like 20. But I get it, the game was at sudden death and Pitt flinched. I guess that's lucky and as my good friend Scott pointed out you need some good luck to win. This team has had some things bounce their way for sure, some very close calls, maybe this is a make up for all the incredible bounces that went against us last year. I have to say that I liked the way that Paul Chryst has brought Pitt along. He's missed at Wisconsin, and I think if he stays at Pitt for awhile they will be the same load pretty soon that Whisky has been for Big10 foes for awhile now. Everybody kept pointing to who they lost to early, but they have improved and Chryst is doing an excellent job in a tough situation where he's the 3rd coach in 3 years. 2. Alabama...escapes the hat. I watched this game going back and forth with USC/Oregon. It was like going from XBox360 to Atari. Bama looks so solid in all phases though now that they are past LSU I don't see them losing. Texas A&M maybe will give them a tussle, but in the end I'll bet they beat A&M by 21 points or more. 3. Oregon...wow is their offense really that good or is USC really that mediocre? I think we all know that the USC offense is very capable of scoring on anybody with Barkley and now 3 NFL WR's. But even though everybody is saying that this Oregon defense is the best they've had, I wonder how does any defense that is really good give up 50 points to a team that has scored 50 points only once and that was to Colorado...well they scored 49 on Hawaii? I'm sure they could have scored more in those games, but against a quality opponent in Arizona they only scored 36. Oregon gives up 51? I question the Oregon D, not the O though. 4. Longhorns...We're back baby! That was a soul cleansing win over Tech in Lubbock. I think at worst we'll beat Iowa State and TCU and we have a chance now at Manhattan against KState. We have more talent than all of those teams. Just need to cut it loose. Johnathon Gray....look out for him he's just getting going. 5. Aggies...great win for them over MSU, hammered them at their place. JFF great game. Sorry no chance against Alabama, I fear that JFF will not finish the game. Tide by 21 at least. No hangover for Saban coached Tide at home. 6. KState...just kept rolling along. Colin Klein didn't finish the game due to a head injury ...which of course means concussion. I hope he's ok I really like this kid. After Manti Te'o he's my Heisman candidate. 7. Gators...wtf with Gator offense, still? It's not like Missouri had been stuffing teams all season. I just can't believe with the talent that has been recruited to UF by Meyer and now Muschamp that you are this bad. I mean the Irish are struggling and we have a RS Freshman QB, but your QB is a Sophmore who played some as a true freshman and was amongst the highest rated QB's in his class. Gator defense top 5 all the way. Key now is beating FSU in Tally. I don't think you can do it without an offense though. 8. ACC...FSU all the way..probably a rematch with Miami for the BCS bowl bid. Other than Clemson, the Gators are the only team they will have played this year that is really much better than average. 9. Louisville...quietly Coach Strong and under rated Teddy Bridgewater are still undefeated. Louisville wins out and gets the Orange Bowl vs FSU. Many seats will be available. Stron will be a hot commodity for teams looking for a new HC and have money to spend....cough, cough...Tenn Vols. 10. BCS race. Alabama's to lose, the real battle will be between Oregon and KSU for #2. Irish will need some help to jump up to #2. I actually think Oregon who has the toughest closing schedule will not finish undefeated. KSU has to beat Texas. Irish unless we can get our offense going is going to need an epic level of defense to hold off USC like we did Oklahoma. 10.
I see Georgia losing to Bama, ND to USC, KState to Texas, Oregon to Oregon St and then.....wait for it........another huge controversy when Florida...fresh off beating FSU.... slides in to the title game with Bama much to the nation's chagrin. Really.... stranger things have happened but beating FSU in Tally is the first tall order. You're right in that the UF offense needs to gain an identity before trudging off to noleville. It would be strange if all of the above did happen or equally strange if none of the above happened. Actually I think it will be some sort of a mix. On the weekend......after watching a flat ND and UF struggle mightly coming off big games I think JFF will make it closer than the experts think for Bama. ND has been in several very close games.....and they have won so part of me says that USC will win by two TDs and the other part of me says "not so fast my friend"..... If Oregn and KState do in fact lose ND has a chance to face Bama but really....honestly I think it will be Oregon vs. Bama for all the marbles and that seems like a great match-up at this point. Would love to see ND and UF face off in the Sugar Bowl.... and really if asked before the season I would have been extremely happy with a 7-1 SEC record for the Gators and a chance to play in the Sugar Bowl.
Don, Your comment makes me wonder where the polls would be if Ohio St. was playing for all the marbles this season. It sure would make the BCS a mess...
hmmm who did I miss? I forgot the whole Big 10! AJ is going to kick my ass. 11. 10-0 Buckeyes. They will no doubt finish undefeated. Urban renewal is nearly complete, great recruiting class coming for you guys and next year no doubt in my mind that you will be the pre-season #1. Braxton Miller will be the pre-season favorite to win the Heisman. 12. Cornhuskers!!! Show grit and determination after AJ questioning the coaching staff's manhood. Go to Mich State and beat them in a tough hard fought game. I like the Huskers to win out from here and get to the Rose Bowl. 13. Michigan...quietly having a pretty good season. Losses to top 5 foes Alabama and ND aside and to the Huskers they have solid season. Probably will finish 8-4. Another team that is young, well coached and has a ton of new talent coming in next year. It will be interesting to see now how Hoke handles Devin Gardner, he had a good game vs Minnesota. Will he play Gardner more to get him ready for next year or will he stick with Denard Robinson?
Re: The Cardiac Cornhuskers They keep diggin' the same hole each and every week, and this makes the fourth, 4th quarter comeback of the year. Martinez keeps turning over the ball, but then he rips off 71, 56, 35 yard runs (2 for scores) and throws the game winner with 12 seconds left. We love to love to hate him... Re: Coach's OL keeps getting penalties, and couldn't run/pass block a Div III team = that's coaching. Thank God for Ahmeer Abdullah steppin up for Burkhead....we would be 4-5 without him.
I see the 8-4 Wolverines as a lock to play here in Tampa. May just have to get a ticket for that one.....
Ralph, {Your comment makes me wonder where the polls would be if Ohio St. was playing for all the marbles this season. It sure would make the BCS a mess} I agree Ralph.
I am a Buckeye fan as you know but their schedule is extremely favorable this year. Sooner or later that would have to figure into the equation.
I believe Ohio State is playing loose this year.....nothing truly at stake. Next year it counts......and Urban's gastorintestinal juices will be flowing freely! 8)
1. I listened to the first quarter on the radio in the car. It sounded like one of those games where I figured I'd catch the end on TV and it would be 35 to 3 for the Irish, having worn Pitt down. You guys got an ugly win when you planned and played poorly. Can't have the special season without it, at the end a W is a W! 2. Tough game. In the end... Les Miles outsmarts himself yet again. Some call him a mad genius... It think he's more of an idiot. He has SO MUCH TALENT... they overcome his "smarts" on a regular basis. Bama offense was nails on the last drive, but it's been shown now they are mortal, and I actually think Oregon would be a bad matchup for this version of the Tide. 3. The Oregon offense is amazing. The improved defense seems to be a little iffy. It might be better, but it's not an elite defense... What they do is get you down so fast, you have to scrap your gameplan to try to keep up and that leads to mistakes... 4. So you beat the dirt-monkeys and you're "Back"?? :roll: 5. Great road win for the Aggies in a game that we were supposed to be challenged. We weren't. It was worse than the score. 700 yards of offense? Actually had a TD taken away on what has to be one of the worst replay calls I've ever seen. Terry - if LSU couldn't put JFF out for one play, what makes you think Bama can? LSU has the better pass rush... Our OL is one of the best around, so I think he'll be OK. I suspect Bama's running game will wear down our thin Dline, but hopefully our offense keeps the pressure on them. 6. Snyder has sold his soul to the Devil... AGAIN. He doesn't have the talent of most of the other top 10 teams, but he sure gets a lot out of what he has. Beat OSU in a workman like effort that is becoming normal for them. 7. Didn't see this one. Seems like Florida is pressing or something. That offense has to get going sometime, right? 8. ACC...Yawn... do any of us care? Sorry Ralph... forgot about Miami being in there now. 9. Didn't see it. I wonder if Lville is actually good, or just a product of their sched? 10. BCS race. I'm ignoring it until we have the extra game. 11. Haven't seen them or much of the Big 10 this year. They are staying focused and winning even tho they have "nothing" but pride to play for. Gotta respect that. 12 Huskers... No comment so AJ doesn't get worked up into a Pelini rage! ;-)
Great comeback win by the Irish. ACC, I read that Miami is considering removing themselves from bowl consideration this year with what is coming down the road from the NCAA for them. That would also take them out of the ACC Championship game. Stay tuned. Gators, can't disagree with anything Terry said about us. However we are 8-1 with two easy games coming up so we are 99.9999999% sure of going to FSU with a 10 - 1 record. It's all the defense. Ohio State is unbelievable. They will go into next season ranked very high, I'm not sure as number 1 but very high. Agree with your thoughts as to has the inside track to the BCS. LSU blew the game against Bama Sat and I don't see anyone else challenging them this year. They should roll over Georgia in the SECG. I enjoy your reviews Terry. Whoever hasn't voted make sure and take the time to do that today. We were about to vote early with almost no line on the first day in North Carolina.
Some strength of schedule stuff compiled by a NDNation Poster. Sagarin: 16. ND 17. Alabama 33. Kansas State 47. Oregon Congrove: 6. ND 13. Kansas State 19. Alabama 61. Oregon FEI: 23. Notre Dame 33. Kansas State 63. Alabama 85. Oregon Anderson & Hester: 25. ND 30. Kansas State 31. Alabama 56. Oregon Billingsley: 7. ND 16. Kansas State 21. Alabama 43. Oregon Colley: 7. ND 14. Alabama 35. Kansas State 61. Oregon Massey: 9. ND 14. Alabama 22. Kansas State 42. Oregon FCS opponents played: Notre Dame: 0 Oregon: 1 (Tennessee Tech) Kansas State: 1 (Missouri State) Alabama: 1 (Western Carolina) Highest ranked team defeated (current BCS ranking): 7. Alabama (LSU) 12. ND & Kansas State (Oklahoma) 19. Oregon (USC) Number of ranked teams defeated (current BCS ranking): 2. ND (12 & 14), Alabama (7 & 21), and Kansas State (12 & 22) 1. Oregon (19) Performances against then-ranked teams: Notre Dame: Beat then-#10 Michigan State 20-3 on the road Beat then-#17 Michigan 13-6 at home Beat then-#17 Stanford 20-13 at home Beat then-#8 Oklahoma 30-13 on the road Alabama: Beat then-#8 Michigan 41-14 on a neutral field Beat then-#13 Mississippi State 38-7 at home Beat then-#5 LSU 21-17 on the road Oregon: Beat then-#22 Arizona 49-0 at home Beat then-#23 Washington 52-21 on the road Beat then-#18 USC 62-51 on the road Kansas State: Beat then-#6 Oklahoma 24-19 on the road Beat then-#17 West Virginia 55-14 on the road Beat then-#15 Texas Tech 55-24 at home
http://www.sagarin.com/sports/cfsend.htm UF's schedule #6 rated...... and the Gators are 3-0 vs. top ten Hey....since you brought it up!