Big Weekend of College Football

Saturday, November 1st is a HUGE day of football....but as far as I'm concerned, only 4 games matter:

1. Rice Owls (4-1 conference, 5-3 overall) at UTEP Miners (3-1 conf., 3-4 overall)

Overview: Why is this game huge? Well, because I'm a proud Rice grad ('97) and this could be our most successful Rice season in nearly a decade. Besides, the Owls are a fun team to watch. They are ranked 9th nationally in passing yards (308.3ypg), 16th in total offense (445.0ypg) and 10th in points per game (40.1). Of course, they also give up 36.5 per game which ranks them 112th in the country. In other words, a LOT of points are going to be put up on the scoreboard.

The Teams: Currently projected by ESPN to go to the Armed Forces bowl in Fort Worth, Rice has only had two rough games this year: a 52-10 shellacking at #1 Texas (though they had many opportunities early on to make a game of it) and a disappointing 63-28 loss at #19 Tulsa. Their only other loss was a 38-21 defeat at Vandy in a game that was tied at the half. UTEP is traditionally tough at home, and is coming off a 77-35 shellacking at Tulsa in which the Golden Hurricane (really the Golden Hurricane? You can't add an "S" onto that? Also, how the hell is anything associated with Tulsa called the Hurricanes? There's a reason Tulsa isn't in the top 25 academically I think.) racked up 791 yards of offense.

If Rice wins, they're bowl-eligible at 6-3, play their last 3 games (Army, (We are) Marshall, and Houston (Give me a "U", give me an "H", what does it spell? "Uh" Stupid Cougar High)) all at home and should be favored in each.

Prediction: Rice 45 UTEP 38...Rice heads onwards to a 9-3 year.

2. Notre Dame (5-2) hosting Pittsburgh (5-2)

Overview: A win for each school gets them bowl-eligible, and gets them to a solid 6-2 record moving forward. Notre Dame is coming off a 33-7 domination of Washington that would be impressive except for the nagging fact that Washington really, really sucks. Pittsburgh just got boat raced by a remarkably below average Rutgers team 54-34 (at HOME no less), a game that served as additional proof that Dave Wannstedt fails to prepare his team on a regular basis. Hey Dave, not sure if you knew this or not, but Rutgers blows! Oh wait, so does your team apparently. Except for sweet, sweet LeSean McCoy. If he was a Longhorn he would have to issue restraining orders to keep my man crush away from him.

The Teams: Notre Dame. What the hell do I make of this team? My wife went there and after seeing a game there (and spending $200 in the greatest on-campus store in the country) I'm partial to the Irish as well...but they should just be better than this. They barely beat an absolutely god-awful San Diego State team at home; They beat Michigan - but then again, who hasn't this year?; They got handled easily by Michigan St. and blew a game they were in control of at North Carolina. So basically they could easily be 6-1, but could also be 3-4. Their frosh wideouts are incredible, but scattershot arm Claussen continues to have problems getting them the ball. More alarming is that Charlie Weis actually looks to be getting fatter. Pittsburgh. Same thing. Ranked in the preseason, then you go out and lose to Bowling Green. You battle back, get ranked again, and then get blown out at home by the University of Mediocrity.

Prediction: Notre Dame 27 Pittsburgh 24. The Irish continue to stagger and start to a 9-2 record, getting all of the millions of Irish fans excited going into USC...and then they lose by 30. Again.

3. #8 Georgia (7-1) at #6 Florida (6-1) in Jacksonville.

Overview: The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party once again has national title implications. After laying a huge dump for 30 minutes in the Georgia Dome against Alabama, the Bulldogs have looked pretty solid. They almost managed to come back against Alabama (not enough attention has been paid to the fact that Alabama nearly gave that game away), then put together two workmanlike victories against Tennessee and Vanderbilt. They blew out LSU last week, but this isn't your 2007 LSU. Bottom line, they are a very talented team that still isn't playing up to their talent. Florida on the other hand, looks terrifying. They laid an inexplicable egg against Ole Miss, but while it was an unacceptable loss, Ole Miss is a VERY underrated squad. They are 4-4, but their losses have been by 2, 6, 7 and 4 points. So it's not like they lost to a Big Ten team or anything. Since then though....good grief. 38-7 at Arkansas, 51-21 hosting LSU and a 63-5 home win over Kentucky. Also, Tim Tebow is good and stuff.

The Teams: Everyone knows the names, the faces, and the traditions. And while bulletin board material only goes so far, I wouldn't underestimate the added desire on Florida's sideline to make up for the perceived unsportsmanlike conduct of Georgia's "Let's everyone dance in the endzone after our first TD" last year. I think in terms of talent getting drafted the teams are even, but in terms of performance at the college level...Georgia has a ways to go to catch up to the Gators. And this is coming from a person who hates all Florida schools with a passion (though since my boy Kosak went to Florida, I hate Florida less than the others). Let's look at the pros and cons of each:

Georgia: Pros - Uga is the best mascot in the country. Period. I will not argue this with anyone. Hot undergrads. Cool uniforms. The name "Matthew Stafford" is a great QB name. They beat LSU - my third least favorite university in the country (I'm looking at you OU and A&M).

Cons: I'm not sure it's an actual "institution of higher learning."

Florida: Pros - Kosak went to school there. Hot undergrads.

Cons: Uniforms are horrible (it makes them look like wussy cartoon characters). The "Gator Chop" is annoying (though still 1000 times better than Florida St.'s Chop. God I hate Florida St.). "Tim Tebow" sounds like the kid in little league that eats his own boogers.

Prediction: Florida 38, Georgia 31. Gators will be making a case for the BCS title game after beating Bama later this season.

4. #1 Texas (8-0) at #6 Texas Tech (8-0).

Overview: As Keith Jackson would say....ohhhhhhh doctor! In the middle of Tech's best season in two decades, here comes the battle tested #1 team in the country and ESPN Gameday to town for an epic showdown. (or as Texas fans call it these days, "just another game") If Texas wins, they have their path to the title game laid out in front of them. If Tech wins, they are finally on the map with the biggest win in school history.

The Teams: For Texas, this is game #4 in the toughest 4 game stretch anyone has played in my lifetime. #1 Oklahoma? Check. #11 Missouri? Check. #6 Oklahoma St.? Check. Now another #6 team, but this time on the road. For Tech, it's the first of 3 HUGE games - Oklahoma State comes to town next week, and then it's off to Norman to do battle with the #4 Sooners and roughly 80,000 degenerate fans. Tech almost always plays UT tough, and this week promises to be no exception. You cannot play the level of competition the Horns have played the last 3 weeks and not be physically beaten down a bit. Tech meanwhile, has only played one ranked opponent this year, and that was last week against a Kansas team that looked like they borrowed their defense from a local Lawrence high school team. So while the 63-21 game was duly impressive, I'm still not sure if it was because of how good Tech is, or how horrid Kansas' defense was.

Tech will be fighting nerves knowing the eyes of the country are on them, while UT has already been through 3 of these games the past 3 weeks, and nerves shouldn't be a problem. The winning QB will undoubtedly be the Heisman favorite after the week to boot. To me, the key to the game is simple: If UT tackles well and limits YAC they win the game. If Crabtree and Company are turning 8 yard slants into 50 yard gains...Tech wins. UT is going to score. A lot. Can Tech keep up?

Prediction: Texas 52, Texas Tech 42. UT then pounds Baylor, Kansas and A&M and gets a rematch with a pissed off Missouri in the Big 12 title game.

2008 College Football Season Recap

As always, a college football season promises upsets and this season has been no exception, although some of the "upsets" (Alabama 34, Clemson 10) no longer look like upsets in hindsight. That being said here are the teams I think are the ten best in the nation with a few comments on each:

(1) Texas - obviously the clear cut #1 and is now 3/4 of the way through winning 4 straight games against top 11 teams in a row. I'm not sure if it's unprecedented, but I can't imagine a more rugged stretch of football being heaped upon one team in a row. I think this past Saturday said much more about Oklahoma St. than it did about UT - though UT didn't play their "A" game, they simply had to beat a very, very underrated football team. Anyone who thinks the SEC is the best league in the nation this year is nuts.

(2) Alabama - I have to vote them #2 because they're undefeated, but basically that's because of one half of great football (first half against Georgia en route to a 41-30 win). They beat an overrated Clemson team, eeked by teams like Ole Miss (24-20), Tulane (20-6) and Kentucky (17-14). While Ole Miss has turned out to be decent, my Rice Owls destroyed Tulane 42-17 AT Tulane last week and Florida squeaked by Kentucky 63-5. The Tide are back...but I don't see them getting by Georgia or Florida in the SEC title game.

(3) Oklahoma - Basically they are not #1 because UT got one stop when they needed it and Oklahoma didn't. They've been inconsistent for stretches of games, but their offense is deadly and their second closest game has been their 45-31 win against Kansas in which they never trailed. Still have two HUGE tests against Texas Tech at home and on the road at Okie St. My guess is they lose one of the two and possible end up outside the BCS.

(4) Florida - Ole Miss? Really?? How much of an aberration does that game look like now? The last 3 weeks they've looked as good as any team in the country. Their defense looks much improved and their offense is flat-out first rate. The winner of this weekend's contest at Georgia wins the SEC. Mark it down.

(5) Texas Tech - Tell me how this 8-0 team is ranked below Penn St. Please? They beat up on cupcakes primarily so far...but so has Penn St. But after absolutely pants-ing a solid Kansas team by 42 AT Kansas, they are legit. Of course, they could be 8-3 after the next 3 weeks (hosting UT, hosting Oklahoma St., at Oklahoma), but I think they win 1 maybe 2 of the games. Bottom line...this isn't a gimmick team.

(6) Georgia - Speaking of aberrations, what the hell happened in the Georgia Dome last month? This team is arguably the most talented team in the SEC and has almost gone under the radar since the Alabama game. Again, the winner of this week's game against Florida wins the SEC. Sorry Tide.

(7) USC - I have no idea what to think of this team. One thing their season definitely has shown me is that the Big Ten really, really sucks. They DOMINATED Ohio St., and since then have only dominated arguably the worst team in the country (Washington St.). Nobody has more talent than USC - others may have as much, but nobody has more. That being said, they've struggled at times to put people away (Arizona St.), and struggled to win period (Arizona). They could beat UT or lose to an unranked team and I would be equally unsurprised. Weird team.

(8) Oklahoma St. - I really had this team underrated until this past Saturday. When I would see them earlier in the year I would just yell "I am a man!" at nobody in particular. I hadn't given toolface the credit he deserves for building a heck of a squad. Trips to Texas Tech and a home game against Oklahoma will go a long way towards determining their final ranking, but it doesn't mean they aren't a top 10 team. The Big 12 South is really that good this year.

(9) Penn St. - "But they're undefeated, how can you rank them so low?" Easy, the Big Ten sucks. I think the Mountain West is as tough a conference top to bottom, maybe tougher. That's how lousy the Big Ten is. I know conference strength is cyclical, but it's time for Big Ten backers to realize and admit how mediocre their conference is this year. Ohio St. was bitch slapped at USC, and then proceeded to play possibly the ugliest game ever against Penn St. Beating Ohio St. 13-6 isn't exactly a #3 in the country endorsement. You couldn't pay me to rank this team over Texas Tech. The Spread HD works against crappy teams. If Penn St. played any of the top teams in the Big 12 they lose by 20. Listen, I love JoPa as much as the next guy, but Penn St.'s only decent win was at an Ohio St. ballclub that might be the most pathetic offensively in the Top 25. Yes, they have a good defense, but you still have to score points.

I would have no problems voting a team with one loss ahead of Penn St. into the NCS. We do it with teams like Boise St., and right now they are about the same as Penn St. Sorry Nittany Lions. Right now, if the NCS was UT/Florida/Georgia/Alabama/Oklahoma/Texas Tech vs. Penn St., you're looking at a score around 45-21.

(10) Utah - I think if they play at Michigan right now they win by 20. First game of the year jitters, but this is a darn good ballclub. If they get by TCU and BYU, they deserve a shot at the NCS just as much as Penn St. does. Won't happen mind you, but still.