College Football - Live Thread - Week Five

ESPN.com Scoreboard ^ | 28 September to 30 September 2006

[MikefromOhio]

Week Five – College Football

wasn’t supposed to be a weekend that gave us great games, yet it gave as many as “Separation Saturday” did. Between the instant classic that was Notre Dame vs. Michigan State(or an epic choke job if you listen to this clip, to the shocking upset of Boston College by NC State, to the near heart attack that Georgia gave it’s fans against Colorado, the weekend was absolutely spectacular. This week features one real marquee matchup. #1 Ohio State visits Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City to play #13 Iowa. This should be an excellent game. Other notable games are #24 Georgia Tech at #11 Virginia Tech and Alabama at #5 Florida.

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 30th, 2006 – 8:00 PM on ABC

(1) Ohio State (-6.5) at (13) Iowa

Ohio State faces easily it’s biggest in conference challenge until the Michigan game in November. This is a tough game with an Iowa team that dominated Ohio State the last time they played (33-7 in 2004) in Iowa City. That was then and these are both very different teams. Iowa, having escaped Syracuse and played two consecutive uninspired games against Iowa State and Illinois, have a chance to make a lot of noise in the Big Ten and nationally. Ohio State has a chance to keep the dream season going. The key of this game comes down to the battle of the Quarterbacks. If Troy Smith throws 2 interceptions like he did against Penn State, Ohio State will struggle to win this game. Same goes for Iowa and QB Drew Tate. If he struggles or gets rattled like what happened last year against Ohio State, then Iowa will struggle to win this game. In the end I think Ohio State’s defense will continue to play well enough to put this team in position to win the game. Iowa will keep it close, but this Ohio State team went into Austin and won. Iowa can win this game, but I think Ohio State will win this game.

Ohio State 29 – Iowa 17

Thursday September 28th, 2006 (ESPN Thursday Night Game)

(2) Auburn (-14) at South Carolina

Carolina as a 2TD underdog at home on a Thursday night ESPN game (when crazy things tend to happen)? No way. Auburn wins, but it will be closer than expected.

Auburn 23 – South Carolina 16

Saturday September 30th 2006 (in ranking order)

(3) USC (-17) at Washington State

USC 28 – Washington St. 17

(4) West Virginia BYE

Alabama at (5) Florida (-16)

Florida 32 – Alabama 10

(6) Michigan (-9.5) at Minnesota

Michigan 35 – Minnesota 18

Sam Houston St. at (7) Texas (NL)

Texas 56 – Sam Houston St 6

(8) Louisville (-14) BYE

Mississippi St. at (9) LSU (-33)

LSU 48 – Tulane 7

(10) UGA (-18) at Mississippi

UGA 20 – Mississippi 10

(24) Georgia Tech at (11) Virginia Tech (-10.5)

Virginia Tech 26 – GT 18

Purdue at (12) Notre Dame (-14)

Purdue 43 – Notre Dame 33

(14) Oregon at Arizona St (-1.5)

Oregon 33 – Arizona St. 24

(15) Tennessee (-13) at Memphis

Tennessee 35 – Memphis 21

(16) Oklahoma BYE

BYU at (17) TCU (-6.5)

No pick – The game started before I got to this point. Judging from the score so far, I don’t think TCU has gotten to the game yet either.

LA Tech at (18) Clemson (-33.5)

Clemson 52 – LA Tech 13

(19) Florida State BYE

(20) Cal (-9.5) at Oregon St

Cal 42 – Oregon St. 16

Kansas at (21) Nebraska (-23)

Nebraska 38 – Kansas 12

(22) Boise State at Utah (-5.5)

Boise St. 28 – Utah 17

(23) Rutgers (-4) at South Florida

Rutgers 24 – South Florida 19

Colorado at (25) Missouri (-16)

Mizzou 32 – Colorado 15

BY REQUEST

New Mexico at Air Force (-13.5)

Air Force is a good enough team to take Tennessee to the limit. Although New Mexico surprised me last week and kicked UTEP off of the field, I don’t think they will do that to this Air Force team.

Air Force 32 - UNM 17

71-12 Straight UP
48-33-2 Against the Spread

My straight up picks are doing ok, but I got annihilated by the spread last week.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Guns Up Red Raiders! ;^)

[aft_lizard]

TCU must have let that top 25 ranking get to there head. I dont see them coming back, they just have a defense this year not a really impressive O.

[MikefromOhio]

yeah

did you just see that play by Auburn and Carolina?

LOOL

[GOP_Raider]

Boise St. 28 21 – Utah 17 28. Thought I'd fix that for ya Mike. GO UTES!

[demsux]

Go Mizzzzou

[MikefromOhio]

LOL

just seein if you are awake :)

[MikefromOhio]

At the 4th Quarter

BYU 17

TCU 10

[MikefromOhio]

Mizzou is in a nice spot to challenge Nebraska for the Big XII North

[MikefromOhio]

The curtains are opening and that fat lady is stepping up to the center of the stage

BYU 24

TCU 10

12 minutes to go in the 4th Quarter.

[GOP_Raider]

Here's the funny thing about this game for me personally.

I'm a Ute fan, but I live in Boise. I bought season tickets this year, so I have a five hour drive in one direction to go to Ute games. I finally got my season tickets sent to me the last week of August--after I had ordered them in June--and I'm all stoked about this.

...Until I sat in my seat for the first home game against Northern Arizona. My giddyness turns to bitterness like *that*. Why you ask?

Take a look of this pic of the north endzone of Rice Eccles Stadium, where my seat is located:

That black "box" you see in the foreground is the play clock. Guess where my season ticket is? Yep, N25, Row 2, Seat 9 DIRECTLY BEHIND THE FRICKIN' PLAY CLOCK!! Thank God it only set me back $75 for the whole season.

[GOP_Raider]

The curtains are opening and that fat lady is stepping up to the center of the stage

The female byU student asks for seconds--sorry that was too easy.

[Pharmboy]

Isn't anyone watching the Gamecocks giving Auburn what for?

[MikefromOhio]

LOL

$75 for the entire season?

Wow.

[MikefromOhio]

Oh I'm watching it....

South Carolina is competitive, but I don't think they have the horses to get it done.

[MikefromOhio]

The longest winning streak in the nation is done.

BYU 31

TCU 10

About 6 minutes left in the 4th Quarter.

Now West Virginia and Ohio State own the longest winning streaks at 11 games.

[Dog Gone]

Oh man, no wonder those season tickets became available.

Least they could to is put a TV monitor on the backside.

[aft_lizard]

If SC can figure away to get a TD they may be able to hange for awhile.

[MikefromOhio]

yeah...

This game could be quirky for several reasons...

Spurrier is there

It's the ESPN Thursday Night game and we haven't had a weird one yet

There is something about South Carolina games in general

[GOP_Raider]

Yep, it's a general admission season ticket with about a dozen or so friends because we all wanted to sit together and also have it be cost effective. The red seats in the pic require a donation to the Crimson Club--the U of U's athletic booster club--on top of the price of the season ticket.

Does seem kind of crummy that I am driving five hours one way to sit in an obstructed view seat like this, but I suppose you get what you pay for.

[MikefromOhio]

yeah...

Ohio Stadium has that problem on the A deck underneath the C deck. Sometimes there is a support beam in your view.