College Football - Live Thread - Week Two

ESPN.com Scoreboard ^ | From September 7th to September 9th

[MikefromOhio]

Week Two – College Football

Week One finally brought some much needed intensity to the summertime months for most of us. It was a relief for some (Ohio State, Notre Dame) and a crushing time for others (Colorado and Cal especially). Now that we’ve seen most every team in action, now we have something to go on other than perceptions when making picks.

As always, all rankings are from the ESPN.com Scoreboard page. I will also list any games of interest (FReepmail me if you want your team included and I will include them from here on out) and any other games listed in my Yahoo league.

GAME of the WEEK

Saturday, September 9th, 2006

(1) Ohio State at (2) Texas (-2.5)

Ohio State’s offense is fine. Their defense remains a question mark. Texas looked ok on offense and their defense is seemingly solid. Might we have another #1 after this week? Yes, probably. While there was quite a bit of holding in the Northern Illinois game, there was more of an issue of the Ohio State defenders getting off of blocks and making tackles. Now sure Garrett Wolfe would PROBABLY start on a team like Texas (he’s that good), NIU doesn’t have the offensive line that Texas does. Going into a hostile environment with a young and unproven defense isn’t quite as bit a hinderance as going in with a young and unproven offense, but Texas as a relatively experienced offense, just a redshirt freshman QB. Assuming he makes no mistakes, which is a hard thing to do in a game like this, Texas will win outright. Ohio State’s offense won’t make very many mistakes either, but their defense is the major question mark of this game.

Ohio State 25 – Texas 22

Thursday September 7th, 2006 (ESPN Thursday Night Game)

Oregon State at Boise State (-8)

This game should be a shootout. Neither team is especially known for defense. And we get to see that horrible blue turf they have in Boise very early this year.

Saturday September 9th 2006 (in ranking order)

(19) Penn State at (4) Notre Dame (-8)

The Prediction:

Penn State 21 – Notre Dame 17**** UPSET ALERT

(4) Auburn (-20) at Mississippi State

Auburn 38 – Miss St. 10

Eastern Washington at (6) West Virginia (NL)

WVU 56 – Eastern Washington 7

UCF at (7) Florida (-23)

Florida 40 – UCF 14

Arizona at (8) LSU (-16)

LSU 32 – Arizona 10

Troy at (9) Florida State (-30)

FSU 55 – Troy 3

Central Michigan at (10) Michigan (-28)

Michigan 35 – Central Michigan 14

Air Force at (11) Tennessee (-20)

Tennessee 43 – Air Force 7

(12) UGA (-3) at South Carolina

UGA 28 – South Carolina 10

(13) Louisville (-40.5) at Temple

Louisville 70 – Temple 3

(14) Iowa (-20) - Syracuse

Iowa 45 – Syracuse 17

Washington at (15) Oklahoma (-17)

Oklahoma 34 - Washington 14

(16) Virginia Tech (-12) at North Carolina

VT 32 – North Carolina 10

(18) Clemson (-2.5) at Boston college

Clemson 17 – BC 14

(20) Oregon (-11) at Fresno State

Oregon 34 – Fresno State 18

Nicholls St. at (21) Nebraska (-20.5)

Nebraska 45 – Nicholls State 0

Minnesota at (22) California (-8.5)

Minnesota 32 – Cal 28*****UPSET ALERT

UC Davis at (23) TCU (NL)

TCU 54 – UC Davis 10

(24) Texas Tech (-7) at UTEP

Texas Tech 59 – UTEP 16

Nevada at (25) Arizona St. (-14.5)

ASU 43 – Nevada 12

20-1 Straight UP
19-2 Against the Spread

[Tall_Texan]

Congratulations to the Buckeyes. They were clearly the better team tonight. They played mistake-free football and made the plays when they had to.

But it doesn't end there. Texas took last year's win and beat "the best college football team in history"(ESPN's words, not mine) at the end. We'll see if Ohio State can get through the rugged Big Ten unscathed and win it all this year.

I said when Texas won the Rose Bowl that I could accept a 9-3 season this year as long as I could celebrate winning it all last year. They actually look like they could do better than that and a non-conference loss in September can still be overcome over the next three months.

FWIW, my pick for the National Championship remains West Virginia - not because I think they're the best team but because I think the red carpet is rolled out for them in their schedule and all they'll need to do is not lose any games and have a high enough BCS ranking to get into the title game.

[JeffAtlanta]

In 3 weeks this is a much better game, probably with Texas winning it.

Even though it is exciting for the fans, it isn't too wise for a contending team to schedule such a big game this early. Even ND almost got knocked by GT.

I think you will see less and less of these type of games in the first 2 or 3 weeks in the future.

[JeffAtlanta]

FWIW, my pick for the National Championship remains West Virginia

I agree that they have a really good chance at making it to the BSC championship game but I don't see them beating whoever they are matched up with.

They beat UGA last year, but non championship bowls are pretty meaningless as teams are out partying and learning new schemes for the next year.

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

FWIW, my pick for the National Championship remains West Virginia - not because I think they're the best team but because I think the red carpet is rolled out for them in their schedule and all they'll need to do is not lose any games and have a high enough BCS ranking to get into the title game.

Speaking of red carpet, get a load of FSU's schedule....8 home games and no tough out of conferenc egames except the standard UF match-up...which is a t home.

Jeeeeesh, we almost pitch the season away at home against a POS 2A Alabama team.

[MikefromOhio]

It would definitely be a better game though....

[Lakeshark]

I don't think OSU will end up undefeated in spite of the Buckeye romp tonight.....and yes, their QB is great. The Big Ten is too difficult to run the table without a great defense, and watching their tackling on defense tonight was really surprising; that is simply not that good a defense and when they hit someone good on one of those off days........they will lose.

[MikefromOhio]

While I agree with what you said, Troy became D1-A two or three years ago....

[Tall_Texan]

Actually, the head-to-head between Texas and Ohio State was planned 10 years ago when both schools were in the doldrums and neither probably thought this would have National Championship implications or they probably would have schedule it later.

Go back 10 years and the BCS computers would making strength-of-schedule almost as important as actually winning (much like the basketball tournament has become) so schools were dissed for playing a bunch of cupcakes outside of conference (see Nebraska and Auburn). Since then, Texas has always had one strong non-conference game although you just don't know what their fortunes would be like in 10 years.

[MikefromOhio]

I think Ohio State's next big challenge is Penn State, and then, a week later, AT Iowa.

[MikefromOhio]

Actually, the head-to-head between Texas and Ohio State was planned 10 years ago when both schools were in the doldrums

Ohio State wasn't in the doldrums then....They went something like Rose bowl, Cap One Bowl, Sugar Bowl Rose Bowl from 1995 to 1998....

[A message]

Oh this game was pretty good. It's not like last week when we scored 28 points in the first 16 minutes. Texas has a very good and fast team and I was fretting over our defense stopping them off the corner.

With Tressel ball it's sometimes refreshing not to have to chew off my fingernails in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. :-)

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

Well the thing about FSU is that they will struggle in a game against Troy and then come back and rip teams like NC State, Maryland and Clemson...

I'll give them the hangover gang let down this time......if the run does not improve, Weatherford and Bobby will have a long year.

[MikefromOhio]

TELL me about it :)

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

Troy became D1-A two or three years ago....

I stand corrected, but would not have believed it unless I checked.....TROY??????

[MikefromOhio]

I'll give them the hangover gang let down this time......if the run does not improve, Weatherford and Bobby will have a long year.

Very true. As much as the spread offense is the "IN" thing in college football, you need to be able to run the ball when it's required.

[MikefromOhio]

yep

I believe they are a member of the Sun Belt conference...

I think the move stemmed from them winning the D-1AA a couple years ago and wanting to go against the big boys....

[misterrob]

I would have to agree with you to a point. Richt showed his true colors in the 2002 chamionship game when Oklahoma shut his offense down completely. Guess he had his mind on other things.

West Virginia has a running attack that few teams out there have the D speed to deal with. On turf they are frightening to play against.

[Richard Kimball]

I think you will see less and less of these type of games in the first 2 or 3 weeks in the future.

I heard on the radio yesterday that UT isn't going to schedule a bunch of tough non-conference games anymore. I feel sorry for teams like North Texas State and some of the other small schools that get scheduled against these power houses. The schools make a lot of money, but the players need to play against schools they match up against.

[misterrob]

As long as you play some top 20 teams that are a part of your conference then you can get away with a chump program. However, if you conference doesn't have solid teams then you get hosed in the BCS rankings and the coaches and writers will also look badly upon you.

No excuse for playing Div 1AA or Div 2 schools

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

They went something like Rose bowl, Cap One Bowl, Sugar Bowl Rose Bowl from 1995 to 1998....

97 was FSU.