I’m a bit discouraged on how off my picks for last week were, so instead of previewing a few games this week, we’re going to be reviewing conference performance thus far this season.
In order from best to worst:
1.) Big 12
Schools from Tornado Alley have been tearing up the rest of the country so far. Even after the series of blowouts that shed light on the Big 12’s hierarchy, the most recent series of games showed the less talented teams making some adjustments to demonstrate that they are no doormats. Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State are still undefeated, while one-loss Oklahoma is still in the top 5 and Kansas and Missouri in the top 20. It has also become the marquee quarterback conference: eight are in the nations top 20 for completion percentage, and seven in the top 20 in yards per game (4 of them in the top 5). Don’t be surprised if Kansas State, Nebraska or Iowa State takes down one of their ranked opponents in the near future.
2.) SEC
Southeast schools are again in the thick of the national championship hunt, but some teams are looking weaker with each game. Auburn’s spread offense has failed to produce, and the pollsters have therefore failed to rank them. Alabama remains the sole undefeated, and with the newly-exposed LSU as the only remaining ranked team on the schedule, could very well finish that way. With either the Tide or Tigers taking the West, we just have to wait to see if either Vanderbilt or Georgia are real enough to challenge the Gators for the East. This conference isn’t quite as wide-open.
3.) Big Ten
Penn State is back, and it makes me happy. The media has treated Paterno’s stay at Penn State questionably the last few years, and this year, one of the greatest college football minds is proving the detractors dead wrong with his new HD offense. Ohio State still isn’t the dominant team they could be. The Pryor/Wells combo was incredibly effective against a surprisingly strong Minnesota team, but the Buckeyes’ No. 12 rank suits them perfectly. Wisconsin is winless in the conference after showing so much promise, but Javon Ringer of Michigan State and Northwestern’s rejuvenated defense have brought a new life to teams that normally sit in the middle or bottom of the pack.
4.) ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference looked horrible the first two weeks of the season, but has collectively improved in a manner that seems impossible for an entire conference. Clemson and North Carolina State are now the only two unproven teams. Duke is no longer the laughing stock it once was, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Maryland and Miami (FL) have all had key wins against relatively strong opponents, and North Carolina, and Wake Forest have proven themselves rankable, with Georgia Tech not far behind. If the top of the conference stays strong, expect a fun championship game and a possible BCS bowl win, depending on the match-up.
5.) Mountain West
That’s right, bitches. The Mountain West beats out the Pac-10 and the Big East. And with two top-15 teams, who can say they wouldn’t? BYU suffered a heart-breaking loss to TCU Thursday night, but they still have one of the most dominant offenses in the country (winning their first six games by a total of 227-61, and average victory of 28) and one of the most underrated quarterbacks in Max Hall (oh, how we wish he was still down here in Sun Devil country). The MWC dominated Pac-10 teams in non-conference play, and – in my mind – have earned their conference winner a spot in a BCS bowl, even if Utah doesn’t go undefeated.
6.) Big East
Everyone’s got South Florida on their radar this year, but at No. 19 they are the highest ranked team in the conference. Pitt is this conference’s Cinderella story, and Dave Wannstedt is happy nobody is calling for his head as in years past. West Virginia is a decent team (better than Rich Rodriguez’s new school, anyway) and they – along with UConn and Cincinnati – have a legitimate shot at challenging for that prized automatic BCS bid that goes to the champ. The Bearcats’ lack of performance versus Oklahoma and Connecticut’s unconvincing win over Baylor, and WV’s OT loss versus the Colorado Buffaloes, however, have proven how wimpy this conference really is, especially considering the meltdown of a recently-powerful Rutgers squad that has joined Greg Robinson’s Syracuse team as the scum of BCS football.
7.) Pac-10
The Atlantic 10 might have better football teams than the Pacific 10 this year. James Madison vs. Washington State? I’ll put my money on the Dukes, thank you very much. The only team worth watching is USC, and even their No. 6 AP rank is inflated. Cal is the only other Pac-10 school in the top 25, but they are far from untouchable; if on their game, Arizona or Oregon could topple them. The rest of the conference isn’t playing to make it into a bowl game, but simply to avoid ridicule from now until next August.
…Since I can’t help myself, here’s who I’ve got for this weekend’s games:
(11) Missouri at (1) Texas: The Longhorns proved just how good they were last week in Dallas against the Sooners. Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin are great players, but if McCoy is on his game, they can have as great of a game as Sam Bradford did last week (387 yards and 5 TDs) and lose by even more. The Missouri Tigers are a great team, but there’s no way they win in Austin. A December re-match is more than possible, however.
Winner: Texas Longhorns
(16) Kansas at (4) Oklahoma: The pollsters only penalized Bob Stoops’ squad three rankings for losing to Texas last Saturday, and I think this is fair. Expect them to have no trouble at home against a Jayhawk team that squeaked by a young, yet inspired, Iowa State Cyclone. Todd Reesing will perform, no doubt, but Kansas is not a BCS-worthy team.
Winner: Oklahoma Sooners
Baylor at (8) Oklahoma State: The Cowboys are coming off a great victory over Missouri, but Mike Gundy is looking for more. Robert Griffin, however, will show the rest of the Big 12 that OSU is not the best team in the South division. He will throw his first interception of the year, but it won’t matter. Oklahoma State is too busy either celebrating last week’s win or prepping for next week’s game at Texas.
Winner: Baylor Bears
(12) Ohio State at (20) Michigan State: Javon Ringer has been thanking the offensive line all year for providing great protection, and he’ll need it from NFL-caliber linebackers like James Laurinaitis. Each team will play to their ranking. The Buckeyes will win, but only comfortably enough to keep a spot in the top 12.
Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes
Team I would love to see win: (14) Utah Utes
Utah is the great hope of the Mountain West. Screw Boise State, I’m cheering for the truly little guy. If Utah stays undefeated through two more games, (which they should: vs. Colorado State and at New Mexico) the last games against TCU and BYU will provide more excitement. Plus, who doesn’t want to see a BCS buster?
Team I would love to see lose: (6) USC Trojans
As a fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, I understand what it’s like to have people hate your team because you are just flat-out good. I have never felt that way toward USC. I admire Pete Carroll’s work. But this year, they just aren’t that good. At least, not No. 6 good. As an added bonus, they are playing Washington State. If the Cougars could pull off this upset, it would be monumental. I would enjoy that slap in the face to all those who voted based on tradition and not talent. Texas Tech, though they narrowly escaped against my Huskers, did not struggle and should have moved up with the win, especially considering half the teams in front of them won. Down with the Trojans.
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Terrific photos–make the fantasy part stand out, nice reporting
Sheri