Tuesday, October 7, 2008

College Football Week 6 Recap


So 6 weeks into the college football season and the Big 12 is looking for bragging rights as the best conference in the nation.

Not only does the Big 12 boast 4 teams in the top 7, but the conference has 4 leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy.

1. Chase Daniel-Mizzou
2. Sam Bradford-Oklahoma
3. Colt McCoy-Texas
4. Graham Harrell-Texas Tech

If Kansas doesn't blow their Week 3 game at South Florida, the Big 12 would have 5 teams in the top 10.

Two weeks ago, the SEC had 5 teams in the top 10.

The difference here? The SEC started playing conference opponents in Week 2. The Big 12 just opened up conference play last week. Sure, Kansas had South Florida scheduled and Mizzou opened up at a neutral sight against Illinois. But now Big 12 teams will be tested and we'll soon see who's a contender or pretender.

Texas won a tough road game at Colorado this past week. Folsom Field is always a tough place to play and come away with a W especially when Colorado has a decent team. Now the stage is set for the game of the week in the Cotton Bowl for the Red River Shootout vs. No. 1 Oklahoma.

The road doesn't get any easier for the Longhorns. After OU, they welcome Missouri at home, followed by Oklahoma St in Austin and then have to travel to Lubbock to play Texas Tech. No way the Longhorns win all 4 games.

Texas Tech silenced their critics last week by going on the road and crushing Kansas St. The Red Raiders are a scary team and know look like serious contenders in the Big 12.

Missouri blew through Nebraska and got their first win in Lincoln since 1978. Coming into this game, Mizzou's defense seemed to be the team's Achilles heal, but after only allowing the Cornhuskers 17 points in a night game at Lincoln, the Tigers just might have the complete package. Missouri hasn't had the lead for a total of 13 seconds this season!

As for the SEC?

So far, Alabama has shown Nick Saban is worth every penny. Saban has taken a young Crimson Tide team to the top of the nation's best conference. With one of the best offensive lines, Glen Coffee has been solid, running for 218 yards against Kentucky. Yeah the narrowly escaped Kentucky at home, but in the SEC, no game is a give me.

Vanderbilt had the biggest win it's school's history by beating Auburn Saturday night. The Commodores are 5-0 for the first time since the FDR administration, 1943!

Auburn might want to rethink the team's plans for offensive coordinator Tony Franklin. Franklin was brought in to bolster the offense with the spread attack. However the Tigers' offense has had problems putting up points. Remember the 3-2 victory over Mississippi St.? Franklin reminds me a lot of Bill Callahan coming to Nebraska to run the West Coast Offense. Didn't work out so much.

Auburn's lack of scoring is a complete waste of a dominant defense. War Eagle!

Don't look now, but Ohio St. is back in the BCS hunt. After a 20-17 win in Mad Town, the Terrelle Pryor experience seems to be working out. And Pryor will be running the Buckeye offense for the next 3+ years.

Pryor had his signature drive leading the Buckeyes from behind on the road in the fourth quarter. Pryor lead the Buckeyes on a 12 play, 80 yard drive and capped off Ohio St.'s win with an 11 yard touchdown run with 1:08 left in the game. Believe the hype with this kid. Already showing glimpses of one Tommie Frazier.

One game to mark on your calender-Utah at BYU November 22. Chances are both these teams will be undefeated and the winner of this game will receive a BCS bid. However, don't expect the winner to play for the National Championship.

I'll guarantee the teams in the BCS Championship will at least have one loss. One team might even have two losses.

The SEC and Big 12 will beat each other up and may not even have a representative in the Championship game. Penn St. has looked solid in the Big 10, but have yet to play a credible opponent.

Still, I don't see Utah or BYU going undefeated and jumping a power conference team with one or two losses.

What's this mean? It looks pretty good for an Ohio St. and USC. Championship matchup.

Wow! Could you believe that? This time the Buckeyes will have a healthy Beanie Wells and an experienced Terrelle Pryor. It still won't prevent Ohio St. from getting manhandled in another title game.

Go figure. Neither the Pac 10 or Big 10 have a Conference Championship game, you know, an extra game against a top 10 team.

But the door's still wide open for Bama, LSU, Florida and Georgia in the SEC.

And I think Oklahoma is solid, but they always seem to beat themselves somewhere down the road.

1 comment:

notorious DEK said...

Even if USC finishes out with one loss... The Pac-10 schedule will fuck them against any Big 12 or SEC school with the same record... No way the y make it to the championship game...

A loss by any of the top Big 12 or SEC teams to one another is still better than losing to Oregon State...