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.

[Pharmboy]

Nice TD throw...

[aft_lizard]

I m ready for a top 5 upset, maybe I can watch one tonight.

[MikefromOhio]

yeah that was a good drive

[MikefromOhio]

maybe maybe...

we have a top 20 upset already

[GOP_Raider]

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

That would be a nice idea. I went to the Spring Game in March where the seating was wherever the hell you wanted and sat on the west side in the chairbacked red seats. I said to myself "Damn, these are great seats." Then I found out how much I'd have to pay for them and decided to sit in general admission. Oh, well.

[Pharmboy]

I just heard that my Mets lost Pedro Martinez due to a calf injury for the entire post season. Yikes--this was supposed to be our year...

[MikefromOhio]

yeah that's not good.

Pedro was going to be your 3rd starter in the postseason...now you have to put in a guy like Maine or someone who hasn't exactly been there before.

[LisaMalia]

S. Carolina is looking good, but the "pundits" keep harping about how tired their defense is. They don't look too tired to me..:)

Wonder if after the game, if Auburn wins (and I'm sure they will), they'll get trashed by the post game commentators, like Ohio State did last week, for not blowing out the competition.

[MikefromOhio]

I doubt it...

Having watched the OSU game 3 or 4 times (TIVO is wonderful), I'm glad I missed that first half because of the wedding.

[LisaMalia]

The first half was rough, but our defense pulled it out. And since our lack of defense has been talked about, ad nauseum, by the press, I would think we would have gotten a bit more kudos for their impressive performance.

On the other hand, I've given up on the Buckeyes getting any breaks from the MSSM.

[MikefromOhio]

Not worried.

like in 2002, I want the Buckeyes to get it done on the field.

They are respected enough to be getting over 90% of the 1st place votes from the AP, so I'll take that :)

[MikefromOhio]

Upset Watch


Auburn 24

South Carolina 17

South Carolina has the ball with about 4 minutes left......

[Dog Gone]

OH hell, what network is it on?

[TexasNative2000]

Texas Tech 45
Texas A&M 22

You read it here first.

[aft_lizard]

I am actually kind of pulling for the Gamecocks.

[MikefromOhio]

ESPN

[MikefromOhio]

4th and ballgame

[MikefromOhio]

I'll say it again

Forth and ballgame

[scott says]

ESPN HD! Good game...can SC pull it out?

[LisaMalia]

Besides our Buckeye games, this is the best game of the season, hands down.