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Posted on 11/02/2006 3:06:56 PM PST by MikefromOhio
Weekend Nine brought one of the “Big 3” down. USC went into Corvallis, Oregon with their BCS destiny in their hands. Had they won out, they were assured of playing for the mythical National Championship. Unfortunately for USC, the Oregon State Beavers had other ideas. After getting out to a 33-10 lead, Oregon St. survived a ferocious comeback attempt by John David Booty to hold on. The loss by USC opened the door for yet another unbeaten team to hold destiny in the palm of their hand. West Virginia takes the spotlight this weekend in the Thursday Night Showdown with Louisville.
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This game will easily be the toughest game that either team has experienced this year. West Virginia features a devastating running game headed by RB Steve Slaton. While you may not know the name now, as a sophomore, he still has time to make a name for himself in college. Louisville features a tough dependable Quarterback in Brian Brohm. 5 weeks after having surgery on a ligament in his throwing hand, Brohm is back guiding the Cardinal offense with the efficiency that was predicted early on this year. The winner of this game has the inside track to the BCS National Title game. The loser is still in the BCS hunt, but can’t afford another slip up.
Louisville is a good team, but West Virginia is the class of the Big East. Slaton and QB Pat White will show why their running game is one of the best in the nation. This won’t be a blowout, but I think that by the end of the game, everyone will know exactly who is the top dog in the Big East race.
(1) Ohio State (-24) at Illinois
Ohio State 45 – Illinois 6
Ball St. at (2) Michigan (-33.5)
Michigan 34 – Ball St. 3
Oklahoma St. at (4) Texas (-18)
Texas 38 – Oklahoma St. 27
Arkansas St. at (6) Auburn (-30)
Auburn 37 - Arkansas St. 3
(7) Florida (-17) at Vanderbilt
Florida 35 – Vandy 10
(13) LSU (-3.5) at (8) Tennessee 
LSU 21 – Tennessee 17
(9) USC (-28) at Stanford
USC 37 – Stanford 10
UCLA at (10) Cal (-17)
Cal 42 – UCLA 21
North Carolina at (11) Notre Dame (-24.5)
ND 38 – North Carolina 7
(12) Arkansas (-2.5) at South Carolina
Arkansas 24 – South Carolina 17
Fresno St. 21 at (14) Boise State 45 from Wednesday
(15) Rutgers BYE
(16) Boston College (-3.5) at (22) Wake Forest
BC 30 – Wake 24
Penn State at (17) Wisconsin (-7)
Wisconsin 25 – Penn State 22
(18) Oklahoma (-2) at (21) Texas A&M
Oklahoma 45 – Texas A&M 28
Maryland at (19) Clemson (-20)
Clemson 32 – Maryland 24
(20) Georgia Tech (-5) at N.C. State
Georgia Tech 38 – NC State 16
(23) Virginia Tech (-2.5) at Miami
VT 23 – Miami 17
(24) Oregon (-16.5) at Washington
Oregon 32 – Washington 28
Arizona at (25) Washington State (-16)
A&M is entering a tough stretch of their schedule. After putting away Baylor late, they enter a brutal stretch in the Big XII where they will face Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas in consecutive weeks.
Oklahoma 45 – Texas A&M 28
Memphis is one of the worst teams in D-1A this year. Southern Miss tends to play down to its competition, but I think they will win this game easily.
Southern Miss 38 – Memphis 13
Major conferences don’t usually play on Tuesday nights. That said Tuesday night games are great exposure for the MAC. Northern Illinois should be the favorite in this game. Can Garrett Wolfe look like the guy who was on pace for nearly 4000 yards on the ground? That’s the key here.
Northern Illinois 32 – Toledo 28
yea I had a soft spot for the state university of NJ myself then I watched them play that last game they aren't all that really
Good Catch!!
Louisville 37
WVA 21
I'd add Malcolm Jenkins as well! He's da bomb!
Puhlease. I am not one of those beatdown the Big (L)East guys, but Loiusville is a very good club when they are fully clicking, I would take them against any team out there. IF they win or WVU wins they deserve to stay where they are or rise in the rankings if need be. Like I said earlier, WVU shut up alot of people except the so called experts last year when they pasted the SEC champion. But go on continue making magnonomous statements like they dont deserve or what have you.
To start with sure. Then after they're loosened up they'll hit them with the two hammers.
That TD should just about do it for Louisville. They'll probably score another one just for good measure.
Well, neither are Louisville and WVU. Rutger can't do any worse. Although, I don't want to jinx them. LOL!!
No I was thinking that maybe they'll go 4 wide and run with Dillon and Maroney against the 5 man front they will face....
Rutgers will be an elite team soon, mark my words. With PSU continued fealty and no other competitive major college team, a good recruiter and a good coach could create a great team.
Wake me up when one of these defenses actually does something.
LOL!
I don't know about that....
They need to be able to keep the NJ kids there, but that hasn't quite happened yet.
Penn State is close to building some really big I think.
They have changed their recruiting philsophy and will be a much faster team from here on out....
They'll probably do both. The real chess match will be Manning vs. the Pats D.
Well WV isn't giving folks a reason to turn the channel.
just about.......
The Big East is better this year, but they aren't in the top 4 for conferences....
I think Manning will have a good day, but I don't think the Colts will win. The Colts need to run the ball to beat the Pats. They haven't been able to do it in the past and they won't Sunday.
TD WVU
Even an injured team like WVU can move the ball, its the sytem. The spread option is a great equalizing offense and almost impossible to defend. Think Nebraska of old, you know they are going to run and you know cant stop them.
TD WVU but they screwed up the 2 point conversion attempt...
Louisville 37
WVU 27
That and I just don't think their defense will be able to stop Brady and Co.
It was the right decision to go for two there.
IMHO, no ran it better than Tommy Frazier at Nebraska. Anyhoo, this game is tremendously entertaining for those that usually have to suffer through defensive struggles. No such issue in this game. Hehe!
How sad do you think Virginia Tech is tonight watching this game?
EXTREMELY LOL
Face it the scUM vs OSU game is now the official BCS championship game come Nov 18 whoever wins that is a lock now for the Title and we all know Ohio State is gonna rain all over Meeechigans parade they own Loyd Carr the only good thing of this season is Michigan won enough games this year to not be fired at the end of the season as most Michigan Alumni wanted to starting the season!
I'm hoping ND somehow gets to the title game just because I'd love to beat that pillsbury doughboy they call a coach yet again :) But not likely as USC lost I don't think they can make it up I see the end of the year it's gonna be florida and the two quarterbacks giving us a little trouble but not winning either!
As we used to say I want to smell the roses before all this BCS crap
the truth is Ohio State and Michigan are the two best teams no matter what happens on the 18th and if anyone had any real balls they would rematch them for the championship game but it won't happen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxSoB0CZu5w
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