No big upsets this week. some games maybe closer than we thought but things went pretty much according to form. 1. Texas and OU tuned up for the Red River War by beating the snot out of lesser opponents. The big problem I see for Texas is their running game, inspite of Macks incredible recruiting there is no Ricky Williams or Cedric Benson or Jamall Charles on this team. Colt McCoy is our biggest running threat and our top TB seems to be Chri Obyana (I can't spell his name) who was not a highly recruited player and I don't think he was even a TB in HS at Houston Strake Jesuit, but I could be wrong. Anyway OU has a much better running game. I think Colt McCoy is as good as Sam Bradford but just doesn't have the total weapons that Sam has. That could be the difference. Or of course Mack could out coach Stoops. 2. That B10 race is likely to be a lot more hotley contested than everybody thought when it was assumed OSU would just roll through the B10. OSU, Penn State, Wisc, Illinois all could have shots at the end. I'd have Penn State as the fav except they have to go to Columbus this year. 3. Missouri, wow what an offense. If they had wanted to they could have easily hung 70 on Neb at Lincoln. They just physically manhandled the Huskers. The Huskers had no quit in them that's for sure and I love the way Joe Ganz plays qB, he brings it every play. 4. Irish had a nice win, I thought Charlie took his foot off the gas a little to early. In the NFL it might have been the right time to start running the clock, but it's different in college. Up 28-7 I would have recommended he not stop trying to score until he was up 42-7, after that sure run some clock play some 2nd teamers etc. But the game is still too close at 28-7 in college unless you have the old Steel curtain for a defense. 5. Vols 13 NIU 9 at home, probably doesn't have Tom saying >.oh what the heck honey put Phil back on the Christmas card list. 6. Vandy, for real? Maybe I still don't think they'll win more than 8 games or so but that is pretty damn good. They were helped a lot by an Auburn team who's offensive staff left the building during the 1st quarter. That offense didn't seem to have a clue what it was trying to do. Tommy Tubesteak needs another new OCoord I guess. 7. Arkansas. I think Bobby Petrino needs about 5 more of those 30 point enema's as far as I'm concerned. I didn't see the game but after Texas and Alabama put up 50+ points on them I was expecting UF to do even more. Did Urban call off he dogs early on them? 8. Non Conference for the Mtn West has been terrific for them. They have dominated a BCS conference in the PAC10. Their conference champ, likely either Utah or BYU should definitely get a BCS bid. 9. Rutgers fans were telling ND fans, we don't need you, we are better than you now you are in decline we are ascending. Play you in Giants stadium??? No way. Fine you are now 1-4 and back to being the old Rutgers and New Joisey's best players are going to Penn State, Notre Dame and the ACC. 10. Suprising UK vs Alabama game. Most likely Saban wasn't going to try and get his team way high for this game knowing how hard it is to maintain a "high", saving it for some big games down the road. 11. USC looks like they have righted the ship in the PAC10 and Washington looks like they haven't just sprung a leak but have hit an iceberg and the nose is up and the ship slipping beneath the waves. Arizona, has the hard work of Mike Stoops finally started to pay dividends? I guess we'll find out when they go to the Farm this weekend. I wonder if Stoops is on some what the same plan as Gary Pinkel at Missouri who probably was on the hotseat for his 4th and 5th years but who did turn the program ...just took a little longer. 12. Huskers travel to Lubbutt this weekend and I fear that if Mizzou could put 52 up on them, that Mike Leach will have no such mercy as calling off the dogs..he'll go for 70 if he can. Of course Tech defense is an oxymoron so maybe the Huskers can get into a shoot out with them.
Good re-cap <t>about #4: If we make any one of those GD FGs, then this game is iced. We missed 3 chances to put this game away because we can't make a FG. The weird thing is that Walker isn't hitting ducks, he's blasting the ball, but they are all wide or pulled..Maybe hitting the road might help him? The ND-UNC game is pretty big. The winner sets up nicely for a run on the rest of the year and a potential BCS bowl birth, while the loser will have to right the ship to get to a 10+win season.<br/> <br/> From checking the 'Heel boards, they are VERY confident of a win over the Irish.<br/> <br/> #10-Not so surprising. Alabama struggled with Tulane. They have quite a few older starters, but all in all, they are a young team and they often play like it.<br/> <br/> #11-This is a crappy year for the pac10, but I wouldn't be shocked to see USC not win it. People forget that Cal has one loss. One very, very bad loss. In that game they traveled cross country for what worked out to be a 8 or 9am start for them. They shot themselves in the foot time and time again. Still, in the end they finished furiously scoring on Maryland at will. They simply ran out of time.</t>
Nick was given a chance and he showed great potential. However, Phil will not give up on the G-Gun offense. The line is not living up to its experience level. The receivers drop passes that hit them between the numbers. Chavis will not give up on the Mustang defense. Until those things happen, we will have marginal wins and bad losses. Phil is not off the hot seat.
Also I forgot to mention that FSU/Miami game. What the hell happened there? Must have been quite a shoot out. As far as UNC, I don't really blame them for feeling confident. It's at home for them, I'm sure they feel like Butch Davis is a much better coach than Charlie (maybe he is, I don't know). They are a top 25 team, having only lost to a pretty good Va.Tech team. They are bound to be pretty young as well though so we'll see. No doubt it sets up as a very big game for the Irish, we need to get our first road win. As far as the Pac10, goes I can't believe CAL will win the PAC10. Finish 2nd sure, have a good year sure, but it seems like the Beavers sort of woke up the Bear and they'll be on a mission the rest of the season to punish their PAC10 brudders severely to garner votes in the BCS polls. Bama...couldn't agree more, they are a pretty young team. But looking at that schedule and giving a nod to the ole on any given Saturday, they really only have 1 team that should challenge them left to play. LSU.
I enjoy these weekly posts Terry. Interesting that Illinois is on your list. I can't help but root for Zook to be successful there. Missouri has become a powerhouse that's for sure. I agree completely. I'm not sure that win is enough for Fulmer to be back on the McCords Christmas card list. An 8 win season by Vandy is a complete success for them. That would get them to a bowl game, a situation they are not used to. Actually we scored on long runs on both of our last two possessions. This Gator team doesn't seem to be able to put those big scores up at this time. If Saban can control that well when his teams have a high he will have a very good season. I'm anxious to see what happens when they play LSU. Bama had a late fumble that lost the game for them against LSU last year. With all love and admiration for AJ, I need the TT QB to keep putting up big numbers. He's the only reason I won in our Fantasy league this week.
I also like your weekly wrapups, Terry. Maybe you are finding yourself a second career. Don't quit your day job quite yet, though. :lol: Re: the Big 10. Don't forget to include Michigan State as a contender until they perform their annual ritual of hitting the wall.
Since we weren't even on radio, I'll give a quick summary of the Aggies self-immolation. 5 turnovers. Yep... that just about says it all.
Sid you're right about MSU, they do belong in the mix. They almost hit the wall this weekend a close 16-13 win over Iowa. Ringer is a great back, but their QB is just ok and it will eventually catch up with them. BTW: Did you see that the Wisconsin band was suspended and didn't appear at the Ohio State game? That could have been the difference!!
Scott this is setting up to be your worst year ever. Having just come through a 3-9 season with the Irish I feel your pain. Is recruiting at least going your way?
Hmmm...as a former member of the band, I don't remember carrying the ball too many times. Nor do I remember all the hijinks that got the UW band in trouble. :shock:
Assuming we hold the class together, it's pretty much been done for a month or two. It's not stellar with regard to Rivals "Stars", but it has a bunch of "football guys" that Sherman wanted. He's going after speed first and foremost. I do have a little silver lining with respect to the current team. Reports from friends at the game said we actually frustrated the heck out of OSU's offense, and that the defensive guys are getting in the right place at the right time. Unfortunately, a few of them just aren't capable enough to make the play and it's costing us in long TD's. Without the turnovers and special team gaffs we easily beat the Cowboys. I realize just about anyone can say that on any given week, but for us it means at least we were in the game rather than being run out of the house from the start. We will probably be a much impoved team by the end of the year, but you won't be able to tell because our sched gets very tough at the end...
I see the Ag's are #8 in the Scout rankings and #17 in the Rivals rankings...that's alot of difference for rating the same 24 players. Interesting.
Corey this is from a blog on the Seattle Times site. Seems to backup what I said about USC being the clear top team in the PAC10, the comments about every other team in the PAC10 make them all look like potential .500 teams. Very down year for the PAC10 apparently.
I am sorry to say this, but it has been a long time since anyone in Washington saw good football, let alone be able to identify it. As I've said many times before.. that is a gross misrepresentation of that Cal game and it serves as a perfect example of what I refer to constantly. If an SEC team came back to make it close, or a Big10/12 team... its a case of 'they showed spirit..fight...they showed why they are one of america's premier program that just wont quit... those would all be things you'd read. Instead, you hear that they suck... Here is a far more factual account of that game..if anyone watched it: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recap?gid=200809130005 Cal outgained Maryland 461 to 297. More first downs 26-19. They outscored them 21-7 in the 4th. I believe it was Scott who, on that game day, made the great point that Tedford went for an onside too soon. . . . which gave the Terps their only scoring drive of that qtr...and basically provided the winning margin....but how is that 'dominated'??? If anything, that blows up all credibility to me. Hats off to Maryland.. They did what they did.. I hope when the Bears drop 50+ on them in their next meeting, no one whines about Cal 'covering weaknesses by running up the score' BTW-Is this the same guy doing the ND/UW comparisons last year about this time?
Corey, don't forget they travelled across 3 time zones to play the game.....always tough regardless the foe.
True, but fault the coaches for traveling the day before the game. They should have gone out on Thursday.
I think the jury is out on the optimum travel schedule.....go early and adapt better to the time change and wear and tear of travel whilst risking a greater disruption of team schedule/routine -v- go later with less disruption. There are advocates of both schools.....I'm not sure who is right? Probably depends alot on the kids, experience, staff, etc. I would think. Who knows for certain? :?
Yep, that was me that questioned Tedford's strategy that day. With respect to travel, I'd suggest that Tedford may not have had the option of traveling two days early. Not everyone has Ohio St's athletic budget, and keeping the travel squad fed and sheltered for an extra day ain't chicken feed!
All good points guys. Still, Cal should have clocked that team badly but they missed their chance. My contention is that the writer of the article claimed they were 'dominated'. Read the article. Check the stats. Cal won everywhere but the scoreboard. To me, that is fine. Cal paid for their mistakes.. but I continually see this mentioned as a huge blowout, when the reality is... if this game was 3 minutes longer..or we didn't have these new crappy rules that kill the last 2 minutes of a game, Cal probably keeps scoring and winning. But they didn't..they lost..but 'dominated?' blah..