Posted on 11/16/2006 2:36:27 PM PST by MikefromOhio
Weekend Eleven threw the entire BCS mess into an even bigger mess if that is possible. No fewer than 3 one loss teams lost (Texas, Auburn, Cal) while another one (Florida) needed to block 3 kicks to win their game 17-16 against South Carolina. This week is the week that just about everyone in the national media has been waiting for. The greatest rivalry in college football renews and that game finds that Ohio State is #1 and Michigan is #2 for the first time in the 102 game history of this game.
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It doesn’t get any better than this. For the FIRST time ever, an 11-0 Ohio State team will play an 11-0 Michigan team. For the FIRST time ever, the teams are ranked 1 and 2 in every major poll. For the FIRST time ever, the loser of this game will end up in the Rose Bowl. This is the best rivalry in college football, and this one clearly has the best setup of any of those previous 102 games.
Ohio State and Michigan have both played dominant defense and very well on offense. Ohio State has a Heisman candidate in Troy Smith and Michigan has a Heisman candidate in Mike Hart. Ohio State has a coach that has brought a new focus to this rivalry whereas Michigan has the coach who was so dominant in this rivalry that Ohio State was forced to make a change. Does it sound like I’m having issues picking this game? Really I’m not. Every comparison for these teams shows that Ohio State is better on offense while Michigan is better on defense except for scoring defense. In the end, this game will come down to who makes the bigger plays. I think Troy Smith, who has burned Michigan each of the previous two years, will make enough plays to allow Ohio State to win this game.
Western Carolina at (3) Florida (NL)
Florida 53 – Western Carolina 3
(17) Cal at (4) USC (-5.5) ****UPSET WATCH****
USC 38 – Cal 31
(5) Arkansas (-15) at Mississippi St.
Arkansas 39 – Mississippi St. 12
Army at (6) Notre Dame (-28.5)
Army 70 – ND 6
Just kidding….
ND 42 – Army 10
(7) Rutgers (-6.5) at Cincinnati ****UPSET ALERT****
Cincinnati 23 – Rutgers 20
Mississippi at (9) LSU (-27)
LSU 38 – Mississippi 13
South Florida at (10) Louisville (-16.5)
Louisville 44 – South Florida 20
(11) TEXAS BYE
Buffalo at (12) Wisconsin (-38)
Wisconsin 53 – Buffalo 0
Utah St. at (13) Boise State (-37.5)
Boise St. 34 – Utah State 10
(19) Virginia Tech at (14) Wake Forest (PICK) ****UPSET WATCH****
Wake 22 – VT 18
(15) Auburn (-3) at Alabama
Auburn 23 – Alabama 17
(16) Oklahoma (-20.5) at Baylor
Oklahoma 38 – Baylor 14
Duke at (18) Georgia Tech (-26.5) ****UPSET WATCH****
Georgia Tech 21 – Duke 3
(21) Maryland at (20) Boston College (-7)
BC 24 – Maryland 21
(22) Tennessee (-8.5) at Vanderbilt
Tennessee 31 – Vandy 17
New Mexico at (23) BYU (-26.5)
BYU 42 – New Mexico 20
(24) Nebraska BYE
(25) Clemson BYE
New Mexico hasn’t disappointed yet this year. I pick them, they lose. I pick against them, they win. I paper this one doesn’t look like it will be very close. Let’s see how this prediction goes….
BYU 42 – New Mexico 20
Texas A&M BYE
Western Michigan at Florida State (-16)
I never thought I would see the day that Florida State would be ONLY a 16 point favorite against a directional school. Now the good news for FSU fans is that Jeff Bowden has been canned resigned, but the bad news is that he’s still there the rest of this season.
FSU 41 – Western Michigan 12
Let's Gooooooo Mountaineers!
They still have a chance, as I said.
It would be significantly better had they been able to beat Louisville, but they along with Rutgers truly hold their futures in their hands....
It's great they still have a chance with this not quite together team. I think most WVU fans think we're a year away but I'd sure be happy to get there sooner (even if the Big Ten champ beats us up).
Go Cal!!!!
Well, Roll Tide! And Go Blue!
(I'm not really a Michigan fan, but since my f-i-l went there, I will cheer for them. Not to mention that hubby loves 'em.)
I think Western Michigan can beat FSU.
>> Duke at (18) Georgia Tech (-26.5) ****UPSET WATCH****
Georgia Tech 21 – Duke 3 <<
I went to Tech. I root for Tech.
But this is exactly the kind of game where they underperform - I'd take Duke and 26 points in a heart beat.
Ohio State ("Across the Field"):
Fight the team across the field
Show them Ohio's here,
Set the earth reverberating
With a mighty cheer,
Rah! Rah! Rah!
Hit them hard and see how they fall,
Never let that team get the ball,
Hail, hail, the gang's all here,
So let's win that old conference now.
University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) ("Hail to the Victors")
Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan
The leaders and best!
Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan,
The champions of the West!
I think Ohio State wins 28-20.
This is shaping up to be a very interesting season. If Michigan should win this weekend (unlikely, I think) and Notre Dame should beat USC (also pretty unlikely), it sets up a rematch of these two teams for all the marbles.
Rutgers
"The Bells Must Ring"
March, men of Rutgers,
Down the field today,
March to another score,
Foward to the fray,
Fight! men of Rutgers
As in days gone by,
Fight! for the Scarlet flag
Over the rest must fly.
(Chorus)
Keep Rutgers colors to the fore,
For they must win so fight, fight, fight!
And we'll advance some more to score,
The Rutgers flag flies high tonight, alright, alright.
We'll fling the Scarlet banner out,
And Rutgers men will fight, fight, fight!
The bells of Queens each victr'y shout,
The bells of Queens must ring tonight.
RU Rah Rah!
RU Rah Rah!
Hoorah! Hoorah!
Rutgers Rah!
Upstream Redteam!
Redteam Upstream!
Rah Rah Rutgers Rah!
I don't know about that.
well maybe now that I think about it. That defense needs to be better before they'll get the respect they deserve.
that should be a fun game although I'll be a bit too sloshed by then either way to care :)
I don't think so, at least not this time around.
They could yes.
Although I believe that one or the other will end up being rather boring.
Great minds and whatnot....
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