Commentary:
-I don't even know where to start with the stuff going on at Penn State. It's incredibly messed up. As of writing this, Joe Paterno has been fired as well as the Penn State Athletic Director and a bunch of others. This whole thing is just messed up, I can't even begin to describe all my feelings on it.
-Quite a few good games on this week. Just about every time slot has something worth watching to an average fan (okay, the after 10pm games don't do much for me, but give it a rest!).
Cheering for:
-Wake Forest: for having the smallest enrollment in the FBS, the team is in a position to take control of the ACC Atlantic division with a win this week. It's against Clemson so it won't be easy, but still possible. Jim Grobe is a good coach who surprises me when he doesn't take a bigger job.
Laughing at:
-Indiana: I know the school hasn't been known for its success on the football field, but you fired the entire coaching staff at the end of the year last year (a 5-7 finish) for this? 1-9 with losses to MAC (Ball State) and Sun Belt (North Texas) teams?
Feeling sorry for:
-New Mexico: UNLV visits this week. If New Mexico doesn't win this one, the odds of finishing 0-12 are pretty close to 100%. Trips to Wyoming and Boise State are pretty close to guaranteed losses.
-Florida Atlantic: Florida International, this week's opponent, has five wins. The three opponents after that (Troy, UAB, Louisiana-Monroe) have a combined five wins. If FAU finishes 0-12 with that coming up, they may very well be the worst team in the country. I'll have to check.
Top 25:
-#1 is LSU and it isn't close. Oklahoma State jumped up by beating 7-2 Kansas State while Boise State dropped by beating 2-6 UNLV. Stanford's opponents are not helping them out at all, Stanford's SoS dropped like a rock this week.
1) LSU
2) Oklahoma State
3) Boise State
4) Houston
5) Stanford
6) Oregon
6) Alabama
8) Penn State
8) Arkansas
10) Virginia Tech
11) Clemson
12) Texas
12) Kansas State
14) Georgia
15) Tulsa
16) Oklahoma
17) USC
18) South Carolina
19) Louisiana-Lafayette
20) Arkansas State
21) Washington
22) Michigan State
23) Wisconsin
24) Michigan
25) TCU
Others Receiving Votes: Nevada, Georgia Tech, Nebraska,
The picks:
-Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech: Every year the winner of this game goes on to the ACC Championship game. Paul Johnson's offense gives Bud Foster's defense fits and this year will be no different. The biggest thing is that both teams were off the past weekend so both will be rested, ready, and prepared. I think Virginia Tech will put some points up on Georgia Tech, and the option offense won't be able to score enough. VT by 4.
-Nebraska at Penn State: This game has way too many variables to list right now. Nebraska got pantsed last week at home against Northwestern. Penn State has had a week from hell. I wonder if the coaches have even planned much at all. Then again its been said that Paterno barely coaches anymore, the assistants do most of the work. If so Penn State should be fine. This is the first of three really tough games for Penn State (@Ohio State and @Wisconsin to finish). This will be the last home game for Penn State, and it may be enough. Penn State by 3.
-Wake Forest at Clemson: Clemson can wrap up the Atlantic division with a win here, Wake Forest is still in it as well but has to win here. Clemson is too much for Wake to handle though. Clemson by 14.
-Michigan State at Iowa: Iowa has been easy to figure out. They're undefeated at home even playing good teams like Pitt and Michigan, winless on the road even playing bad teams like Iowa State and Minnesota. This game is at home, so Iowa wins by 3.
-Florida at South Carolina: Last year South Carolina went limping into this game a bit after getting blown out by Arkansas, and beat the living crap out of Florida to secure the SEC East. While this year the circumstances are a little different (the cocks need UGA to lose one) the results will be the same. South Carolina by 10.
-Oklahoma State at Texas Tech: Texas Tech is fading fast after winning at Oklahoma a few weeks ago. While Tommy Tubberville can get his team up for a big game like this, I think it will be too much to ask to contain Oklahoma State this week. Also Oklahoma State may be looking to prove a point by beating the team that the in-state rival couldn't! Oklahoma State will be too much here, wins by 14.
-Washington at USC: One of the things that steve Sarkisian has been able to do since leaving USC for Washington, is beat USC. Two years running so far. Look for three this time around. Washington by 3.
-Florida State-Miami Rivalry; Miami at Florida State: The road team has won the past four years. FSU has won four straight games overall, but only NC State out of that bunch has a winning record (5-4). The other two wins by FSU so far are against teams with a combined two wins. Miami has at least beaten a couple of decent opponents (GT, UNC, and Ohio State). Overall the teams are fairly even. I'll go with the trends and pick Miami by 3.
-Deep South's Oldest Rivalry; Auburn at Georgia: These two teams are having surprising good years given the preseason predictions. Auburn may have lost three games, but all three were on the road against top 10 teams. UGA has lost two games, one a home game and the other a virtual home game. Given that, I say Auburn wins this one on the road by 4.
-TCU at Boise State: Not to dismiss SDSU and Wyoming, but this is Boise State's last real good team to face. TCU has had some struggles this year compared to the past few but is still a very good team. With this game being in Boise, I don't see the upset occuring. Boise State by 10.
-Michigan at Illinois: Michigan's division hopes took a big hit last week with the loss at Iowa. Illinois is pretty much out of it with three conference losses but would love to get a win here to turn around a three game losing streak. Illinois was off last week, and I believe the rest will do them well. Illinois by 3.
-Oregon at Stanford: Stanford could clinch a division title here, Oregon could virtually do it (would have to lose against USC and Oregon State). This game was fun and exciting last year with Oregon winnning it with a big second half performance. I don't think Stanford will get shut out again in the second half, but won't have enough to keep up. Oregon by 7.
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