College Football - Live Thread - Week Four

ESPN.com Scoreboard ^ | Thursday September 21st to Saturday September 23rd 2006

[MikefromOhio]

Week Four – College Football

Week Three was dubbed “Separation Saturday” by all of the big media outlets, but, sadly, only really three of the games lived up to the billing. Oklahoma-Oregon, Tennessee-Florida and especially LSU Auburn were the exceptions to this. As has been the norm for the past few years, a few of these games were not without their controversy and blown calls. Thankfully another week of college football is upon us. The Big Ten, Big East and Big XII conference schedules begins this week, while some of the SEC heavyweights take a week from conference competition.

As always, all rankings are from the ESPN.com Scoreboard page. The betting lines (used sorely for the basis of predictions) are from Yahoo.com. I will 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. I have a new feature this week. In each game that I do not have any confidence, or any game that I think a team could have an unexpected struggle, I will post a picture of a landmine for illustration.

GAME of the WEEK

Saturday, September 23rd, 2006 – 3:30 PM on FSN (Subject to change)

(20) Arizona St. at (22) Cal (-7.5)

This happens to be a make or break game for Cal. For a team that was a sleeper pick to be in the national title game, having 2 losses coming out of September would be a major disappointment. Now for Arizona St, this is a yardstick game. They will be able to see where they stand with one of the supposed elites of the Pac-10. Look for Cal to try to stop the passing attack of ASU and look for ASU to try to hit Cal as much as possible, which is exactly what Tennessee did. The betting line just doesn’t look quite right to me. It will be closer than a TD.

Cal 33 – ASU 30

Thursday September 21st, 2006 (ESPN Thursday Night Game)

Virginia at Georgia Tech (-17)

Virginia is a major disappointment this year. Georgia Tech had a shot to beat Notre Dame and be easily in the top 15 had they done so (given that they would be 3-0 at this point).

Georgia Tech 35 – Virginia 10


Saturday September 23rd 2006 (in ranking order)

(24) Penn State at (1) Ohio State (-16.5)

Ohio State 27 – Penn State 7

Buffalo at (2) Auburn (-42)

Auburn 58 – Buffalo 3

(3) USC (-21.5) at Arizona

USC 44 – Arizona 13

(4) West Virginia (-21) at East Carolina

West Virginia 47 – ECU 16

Kentucky at (5) Florida (-24)

Florida 34 – Kentucky 7

Wisconsin at (6) Michigan (-14)

Michigan 23 – Wisconsin 13

Iowa St at (7) Texas (-24.5)

Texas 43 – Iowa St. 10

(8) Louisville (-14) at Kansas State

Louisville 38 – K-State 10

Colorado at (9) UGA (-27)

UGA 28 – Colorado 7

Tulane at (10) LSU (-36)

LSU 45 – Tulane 6

Cincinnati at (11) Virginia Tech (-26.5)

VT 38 – Cincy 8

(12) Notre Dame (-3.5) at Michigan St

Michigan St. 34 – Notre Dame 27

(14) Iowa (-21) at Illinois

Iowa 34 – Illinois 3

Marshall at (15) Tennessee (-22)

Tennessee 42 – Marshall 9

Middle Tennessee St. at (17) Oklahoma (-28.5)

Oklahoma 48 – Middle Tenn. St. 14

Rice at (18) Florida State (-30.5)

FSU 41 – Rice 7

North Carolina at (19) Clemson (-16.5)

Clemson 24 – North Carolina 7

(20) Boston College (-7) at NC State

BC 26 – NC State 6

Troy at (23) Nebraska (-23.5)

Nebraska 28 – Troy 7

Hawaii at (25) Boise State (-14.5)

Boise St. 52 – Hawaii 27

52-8 Straight UP
40-19-1 Against the Spread

[mainepatsfan]

A single game choke no matter how bad (like the Oilers gag against the Bills in 1992) can't compare to blowing a series lead.

[mainepatsfan]

A lead is only as big as compared to the time left on the clock.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

You're right, but if I'm a MSU fan who loves the G-d Damned Yankees, I'd be on the suicide hotline after last night...

[mainepatsfan]

If one is a MSU fan they should be used to heartache by now.

[Boston Blackie]

TD MSU. This is the most entertaining game of the day by far! LOL!

You're right. It was the most entertaining game of the day.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

What possessed John L. Smith to go into the prevent-the-win offense AND defense? It's like Mike Shula going with the same kicker, who's brain is already frazzled with his wide-right misses, in OT in the Bama-Arkansas game. You have another kicker standing there, use him to kick the PAT.

Somewhere there needs to be a Hall of Shame for coaches who either outthink themselves, or are just too stubborn to realize they're blowing a game they should have already won...

[mainepatsfan]

There are some coaches who can teach players how to play the game well, come up with darn good game plans but for some reason they cannot manage a game to save their life.

[dc27]

Is there a Week #3 NFL Live Thread? I couldn't find it with the search. Looking foward to Bengals vs. Steelers

[mainepatsfan]

There'll be one up later this morning.

[dc27]

Thanks. I don't think there will be any changes to the AP Poll this week. All the top 10 teams won.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

You might see Georgia slide a notch or two after barely beating Colorado at home.

[FreeAtlanta]

What is this?

[socal_parrot]

Last week I joked about the Michigan-Ohio State game being this season's fifth "Game of the Century". On Thursday's ESPN Sports Center, they hyped the game already and asked "could this game be not only for the Big 10 title, but also for the National Championship?" It's still almost two months away.

[lepton]

Im a buckeye fan for one. And two, this isnt ESPN boards so leave the childish namecalling for elsehwere.

If you understood me to be referring to you as the doofus, please accept my apology. I was referring to the player. He made an excellent return and then nearly spoiled it by throwing the ball down as he approached the end zone. I'm sure Tressel will have words for him about it too.

[scott says]

Mike came up with that.....
Its a landmine. It indicates a game that is hard to predict, or a challenge,potential hazard, ect.....

[lepton]

Herbie mentioned that the Buckeyes had better watch out for the Spartans on their trip to East Lansing.

I still remember the team (98?) that the buckeyes brought in that hadn't given up a single point all season to an unranked team, and then lost to MSU.

[Nasher]

Yep. 1998 game in Cols. Wish John L was coaching back then. :)

[smith288]

If you understood me to be referring to you as the doofus, please accept my apology. I was referring to the player. He made an excellent return and then nearly spoiled it by throwing the ball down as he approached the end zone. I'm sure Tressel will have words for him about it too.

Yea, i mistook you for calling me the doofus. Whoops. Jenkins was the doofus. Sorry about that.

[LA Woman3]

Week 5 Rankings

[phoenix0468]

funny how quickly things can change. Especially when you suck like the Buffaloes do.