Saturday in Review 10/10/09

Another glorious day in the world of college football...let's take a gander at the games of interest. And the games of no interest (that's you, UNC/Georgia Southern!).

#1 Florida-13, #4 LSU-3

A defensive explosion coupled with 10,000 stories about Tim Tebow and his brain damage (or lack thereof). Timmy's head was fine, and I believe that the focus was on the wrong side of the ball: the story of this game was defense. Both these teams scored 20 or more points before this game, and neither one came that close in this game. Florida won because of a defense that stymied the Tigers at every turn, and even with the legendary loud crowd in Death Valley shouting and screaming with all they had, Florida was still in charge of this game, largely because of a vastly superior defense. Let's move on to something more interesting...

Colorado-14, #2 Texas-38

So Colorado, a team with 1 win and a streak of mediocrity running back to 2003 sticks with a Texas squad who has yet to play any real threats (Best win: Texas Tech at home. Hardly impressive this year). Texas could very realistically be in trouble against Oklahoma next week, especially since the Sooners, despite their rather unremarkable showings against BYU and Miami, have at least played someone.

Texas, it would seem, has trouble starting against these mediocre opponents. They struggled early against Wyoming and Colorado, something they can't afford to do against Oklahoma, especially with Sam Bradford back in the Sooners' lineup. Texas did look rather convincing in the second half of this game, though they did so against a team that is inferior to them in every facet of the game, so forgive me if I'm not that impressed. As stated earlier (like, 2 weeks ago), the Longhorns basically have to win out, since their schedule is pathetically weak.

If you're looking for analysis on Colorado, look elsewhere. Like a psychiatrist's office...

#3 Alabama-22, #20 Ole Miss-3

Remember last week when I made fun of Jevan Snead because he hasn't won anything? Yeah, he still hasn't. Ole Miss got a preseason Top 10 ranking, a Sports Illustrated cover, and a shot at a National Title (let's face it, if you're not in the preseason Top 25, you won't make the National Title game...) all based on a good coach, some decent players, and a long winning streak against mostly mediocre teams (exclusions: LSU and Texas Tech). Congrats, by the way, if you can decipher all of those parenthetical comments into a sentence. Let's go to a new paragraph...

Ole Miss reached heights reserved for elite (or at least good) teams based on pure conjecture. Boise State has much more business in the Top Five than Ole Miss ever did. Let's move to the good team, since we won't see the Rebels up here in the Top 25 for a good little while.

'Bama's been a good football team this year, and unless they stumble inexplicably (something Southern Cal normally does) (and you thought I wouldn't mention them this week. Ha!) I'd look for the Crimson Tide to go to the SEC Championship game again and play Florida. In short, this season's SEC looks a whole heck of a lot like last season's SEC. Not that that's a bad thing...

Boston College-14, #5 Virginia Tech-48

After the BC Eagles beat the Hokies the last two years during the regular season, Virginia Tech put the hammer to their old foes this year, since they won't be playing them in the ACC Championship Game. In fairness, the Eagles are a team in repair, and the game was in Blacksburg, so this isn't that impressive. Virginia Tech must win the game next week in Atlanta against Georgia Tech to really prove that they're top dog in the ACC. Boston College, meanwhile, has some serious issues to resolve, though they can still win their division of the ACC. It would seem that one side of the ACC has the lion's share of good teams, meaning that a 3rd straight BC/VT game is a realistic possibility for the ACC Championship. In fact, with no front runner in a division that Florida State was supposed to "dominate" this year, it's fair to say BC has as good a chance as any team to get to another ACC Championship game. And heaven help the conference if that happens...

Wisconsin-13, #9 (really?) Ohio State-31

Wisconsin's 5-1 now, so one might wonder why this game was such a laugher. Simply put, it's because Wisconsin reeled off all those victories by playing a weak nonconference schedule and 2 of the worse teams from their conference (apologies to Minnesota). Ohio State is the better of the two teams, and they're one of the 3 best squads in the Big 11.

So, you may ask, why do I have a problem with Ohio State's ranking? Because they've done nothing to earn it. I am so much more OK with Florida at #1 now because they beat LSU. Ohio State's lone loss came to their lone ranked foe. Granted, that was a good game, but it was still a loss. Ohio State is a one-loss team in the Top 10 because they've beaten Navy, Toledo, Illinois, Indiana, and now Wisconsin. I hate to keep knocking the crap out of this dead horse, but Miami has a road loss against a Top 10 team (before favoritism accusations are made, remember that I didn't put Virginia Tech there, the AP voters did), wins over 3 other ranked opponents (yes, 1 was Florida State. They could still beat Navy by more than 4), and the Hurricanes are ranked 2 spots below the Buckeyes. Please, someone explain this to me!

Ohio State does have to play Penn State and Iowa in consecutive weeks in November. They look to be undefeated up until that point, so those 2 games will provide a golden chance to show us if the Buckeyes deserve this ranking. Until then, the derision continues unabated!

#10 TCU-20 (purple font really doesn't show up well on this background), Air Force-17 (apparently neither does blue)

I have a hard time seeing TCU running the table against both BYU and Utah. If the MWC does want another BCS bid, though, they'll tell the Cougars and Utes to roll over for the Horned Frogs. TCU barely edged out Air Force, whose best win is a toss-up between a road win at New Mexico and a home win against San Diego State. Not gonna lie, I have a hard time seeing TCU just barely nudging themselves over Air Force, winning out, and beating a major conference champion in a BCS bowl game. I'm not saying it can't happen, I'm merely pointing out the unlikely nature of such an outcome.

Florida A&M-16, #11 Miami-48

Miami played 4 straight ranked teams. 3 of those teams actually deserved to be ranked. I hate cupcake games with a passion, but if any team in Division 1-A (FBS only if you're a loser) earned one, it's Miami. That's all I've got for this one.

Michigan-28, #12 Iowa-30

Dear Michigan,

Hi, it's me again. Look, I know I'm kind of cheating, writing you this letter when you're not technically a member of the Top 25 anymore, but I just couldn't help myself. You finally got an opportunity to play a good ranked team (No, Notre Dame still doesn't count, Coach Rodriguez) and you blew it. I respect you for sticking close with Iowa on the road, but it seems like Iowa enjoys playing close games. I'm not trying to say that they "perform under pressure" or similar nonsense, I'm just saying that the Hawkeyes are an incredibly schizophrenic team. Heck, they beat you guys by twice as many points as they beat Northern Iowa. That's not an insult! They only beat Northern Iowa by 1! They beat you by 2! Don't schedule any 1-AA foes, because we all know how well that turned out (click "turned out" if you forgot...). Wait, you have 1-AA Delaware State next week? Oh, well so much for that plan...
Let's look on the bright side: You'll probably beat Delaware State. Plus, since the AP Ranking committee is just about totally brain dead, if you beat them by enough, the committee will forget how you lost 2 straight games, and you'll come back into the Top 25. Then you can keep getting my letters! Won't that be great?!

Sincerely,
Bones

#13 Oregon-24, UCLA-10

Oregon keeps on rolling through its PAC-10 schedule. The most impressive bit about this game was Oregon's scoring on a kickoff return and an interception return. Teams that can score on special teams and defense are dangerous teams indeed. Oregon's game against USC on Halloween weekend looks like it is the de facto PAC-10 championship game. Unless the Trojans lay another egg along the way. (Hey, a guy can hope...)

As for the lesser of LA's football teams...UCLA is still playing second fiddle, and they will be until they can beat Southern Cal and win the PAC-10. This season, look for them to do neither. They could, however, beat the Oakland Raiders.

Eastern Illinois-3, #14 Penn State-52

I am going to sound like a broken record. If you're a regular reader, just keep going, because you've probably read this before...

Penn State plays in a conference that has been trashed (not without reason!) by college football pundits. Since Ohio State won their last title in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, the Big 11 has done absolutely nothing of note on the college football landscape. Heck, the Big 10 + 1, the Big East, and the ACC (yeah, I'll admit it) are the 3 conferences that make the BCS look like even more of a sham than it already is. So, to help prove that their conference is still relevant, Penn State (one of the flagship schools of said conference) is going to play against a team that pretty much defines cupcake. This simply does not make sense! Schedule someone good! Or at least a mediocre 1-A team. I would rather defend Penn State playing Florida Atlantic (thanks, Nebraska) than try to parse through a 49 point slaughter of a team that took a bullet to get a paycheck.

#15 Oklahoma State-36, Texas A&M-31

Oh my goodness! Oklahoma State beat a 1-A team away from home! (Kids, let's pause for a moment and think what it says about the Cowboys that I can write that sentence without one shred of sarcasm SIX FREAKIN' WEEKS INTO THE SEASON!!!) (Pause over, let's resume)

The Aggies stuck with Oklahoma State, and you can't convince me that the loss of Dez Bryant "hurt" OSU. They scored 36 points, and they play in the Big 12, where defense is optional for most teams. Yes, Bryant's a playmaker, but do you really need a playmaker against a team whose last conference win was against Colorado on November 1 of 2008? You shouldn't.

In fact, with Georgia losing to Tennessee this week, it's looking like Oklahoma State's best win is against Houst--oh, wait. Their best win is still Georgia, but that's becoming more and more of a pathetic statement. If you're an Oklahoma State fan and you want the mockery to stop, beat Missouri convincingly (you're at home), beat Texas, and close out the season with a win over Oklahoma. Good luck.

Iowa State-36, #16 Kansas-41

Further defense optional football from the Big 12. Riddle me this, how come Iowa held Iowa State to 3 points, and Kansas let them score 36? Short answer: Kansas hasn't played anyone. Long answer: Kansas seriously hasn't played anyone.

The Jayhawks, as stated last week, need to show up for the last half of their season. The games against Northern Colorado, UTEP, and Duke are in the past. We'll find out alot more about Kansas when they play Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Texas between now and the end of the season. Good luck.

#17 Auburn-23, Arkansas-44

Typical. I give a modicum of praise to Auburn and they perform pathetically against a team that no one thinks of as a threat in the SEC. Heck, aside from the 3rd Quarter, Auburn's offense was as non-extant as it was last year! Looks like the Tigers still have some work to do this year. Especially since they have LSU and Alabama remaining on the schedule. I think they'll do alright, and they should be bowl bound this season (they only need 1 more win to be eligible, draw your own conclusions regarding how much sense that makes).

#18 BYU-59, UNLV-21

Utah is a boring state.

Baylor-7, #19 Oklahoma-33

Boy, who thought we'd see Oklahoma clinging to a Top 20 position at this point? Sure, they have Bradford back, but the fact that they've lost 2 games before the Red River Shootout this coming Saturday says something about these Sooners. They can still win their conference, but they're going to have to beat 2 ranked teams to win their division of the Big 12. Since they're 0-2 against ranked teams thus far, I wouldn't hold my breath. Still, they have very little to lose, and those 2 ranked teams in the division are the Sooners' biggest rivals. Unfortunately for Oklahoma, they also have to beat Kansas and Nebraska who are in the other division of the Big 12, and who are also ranked. Let's hope the Sooner Schooner carries aspirin...

Speaking of injuries, while it was good to see Sam Bradford back, was it really fair to make that big of a deal over his return? Seriously, I'm glad he's healthy, college football is better with him rather than without him, but the game was against Baylor. Not exactly a powerhouse team. Look for the Texas game to be a bit more telling of Bradford's health.

#22 Georgia Tech-49, Florida State-44

Georgia Tech puts up another W, and this one on the road in a highly hostile environment. Good job by the Yellow Jackets and their scary option offense. This coming week's game against Virginia Tech will really decide the fate of that division of the ACC (Barring anything bizarre happening. Which, considering how screwy college football can be, you can never bar the bizarre). If Virginia Tech wins, their path to another ACC Championship game is fairly clear. If Georgia Tech wins, you can easily have a 3-way tie atop the division...

As for Florida State...O! How the mighty have fallen! It's a little sad to see Bobby Bowden's waning years spent being a glorified caretaker of a once-proud football program. Sure, Bowden's teams of the 90's were often filled with thugs and scum, but...well, I really don't have a point there.

In all seriousness, though, the guy's a coaching legend. Paterno in Penn State can at least hang his hat on good seasons in recent years, but Florida State hasn't been a National Championship threat for quite some time, and it's really not fair that Coach Bowden will probably be leaving after some sort of mediocre season, rather than a magical one. I suppose that's why they make sports movies; reality is often much less pleasant to watch.

Kentucky-26, #25 South Carolina-28

Steve Spurrier, whether you love him or hate him (Blogger's note: If you love him you are either his wife, mother, or on the University of South Carolina's payroll.) is a fairly good football coach. South Carolina might actually deserve to be ranked, thanks in large part to the fact that Spurrier, even though he's a jerk, can coach. He's also 17-0 against Kentucky. Mind you, most of those 17 wins came while Spurrier was at Florida, making that stat as impressive as if he were 17-0 against St. Mary's School for the Blind and Deaf (Blogger's note: That school probably is on Florida's schedule next year...). Still, good to see SC on a win streak. Don't look for it to continue, since they roll into Tuscaloosa to play the Crimson Tide next week. I'd say "good luck" but I hate Spurrier, too...

And now...Tales from the Bottom 95

UNC broke its 2 game losing streak this week. Mind you, they did so against Georgia Southern...Tennessee pulled of a huge win against Georgia this weekend. It's a huge win for the Vols...Houston beats Mississippi State to prove that they can still beat mediocre teams from big conferences...UVa has won 2 straight games. They might make it 3 straight since they play Maryland next week...Anyone else find it odd that 4 Top 10 teams got the week off this week? Just curious...Duke beat NC State, which might be less a commentary on how bad the Wolfpack is and more of a commentary on Duke's awesome win one, lose one pattern. If they keep the pattern all year, they'll be 6-6! A bowl for Duke! Imagine that! Then wake up...Idaho's 2-0 in the WAC. Do I smell a showdown with Boise? (No, the Broncos will probably be up 30 on the Vandals by halftime. Just throwing that out there)...


That's it for this week. Join us again later, probably for a Rankings Rant, coupled with coverage of the oddly timed Boise State/Tulsa game and the Cincinnati/South Florida duel which will determine the supreme team in the awesomely mediocre Big East!