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

[MikefromOhio]

It's getting ugly


GT 24

Virginia 0

[Petronski]

I'm thinking this might be a pretty bad week for Penn State.

Sadly, that's my impression too.

[MikefromOhio]

Hey man

I got a moral dilemma here...

the line I used for this game adjusted down today and I didn't catch it (BetUS.com on sports.yahoo.com)....

They list the line that I normally use at -16 and right now the game is at -17 which is what I listed....

Should I count it?

[MikefromOhio]

Sadly, that's my impression too.

There's nothing sad about it :)

[JeffAtlanta]

I think that Penn State really played over their heads in that game. It was at home, at night and they had the white out going.

If I were an elite team like OSU, I would avoid away games at night if I could as they are ripe for upsets but they might not have control over that - I imagine the BIG 10 has a contract with ESPN the way that the SEC does.

OSU moved the ball well and to me seemed to be the dominant team but PSU came up with the big plays. PSU's defense played lights out that night, but some of that talent is in the NFL now so I don't know if they can repeat something like that again - especially since OSU's offense seems even better this year and it is at OSU.

I would put money on it, but I think their may be a 30 point difference in this game unless OSU just comes out totally flat or Joe Pa comes up with a defensive scheme like he did against Miami in 1985.

[MikefromOhio]

I'm pretty sure OSU won't come out flat....that was last week.

But I wouldn't be surprised of Paterno has a few wrinkles up his sleeve for the game.

He needs something to spark his team.

[Petronski]

Don't be smug. It's unbecoming.

[MikefromOhio]

Don't be smug. It's unbecoming.

I'll take that as a compliment from a Squeeler fan :)

[lepton]

I'll be stuck at my sister inlaws wedding

She's your sister-in-law now?

[MikefromOhio]

She's your sister-in-law now?

??? My wife's sister is my sister in law the last time I checked...

[Petronski]

Okay, be smug. But you sound like a . . .


. . . wait for it . . .


Cowboy fan.

[cue scary segue music]






;OD

[lepton]

I'll have a small radio in my coat pocket with an earpiece and my dad is bringing his small TV to we can watch the game...

Innappropriate cheering can be worse than not showing up at all... :)

[Petronski]

Believe me...take the Acorns, give the points.

[MikefromOhio]

Those are almost fighting words, except I'm a Browns fan and won't cheer for lesser teams....

:)

[MikefromOhio]

LOL

Oh it'll go off during the ceremony (I'm doing pictures for it), but right before and then right after....

[MikefromOhio]

Final Score:

Georgia Tech 24

Virginia 7

The bastards gave me a push.....the game wasn't nearly as close as the score might indicate. It was never in doubt.

[lepton]

??? My wife's sister is my sister in law the last time I checked...

Ah, right. I was thinking like "brother's wife."

[catholicfreeper]

YEah WAC games are cool. I love Louisiana Tech. Perhaps it is our year lol

[Wyatt's Torch]

Have to disagree on the Auburn-Buffalo score. We won't keep the starters in long enough to score 58. Kenny Irons isn't playing at all. We have a short week and go to Columbia next Thursday night to play Darth Visor. I'll be surprised if we get to 40.

[mainepatsfan]

You can only be held against what info you had at the time of the pick.