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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
It was the right decision, but they screwed up the play...
They need quick scores like that and they need someone to play a LITTLE defense....
No way the Colts stop Brady and the Pats this weekend....
Let's not forget Miami. I'm sure they're equally as sad.
If Schiano stays consistent the kids will want his program.PSU hasnt been getting prime talent as of late, I am not to sure if there rebirth is happening anythime soon. I hope they do because they always were the spoiler for any Big 10 teams NC hopes.
I feel like I'm watching a WAC game. Do either of these teams know how to stop anyone?
And here comes Louisville again. WV just can't stop them.
If the Pats don't turn the ball over they should be fine.
must admit tho I don't like pro football as much as I do the college game Indy looked great at denver last week
yeah but I think they were destined for the ACC. It was a better fit for them.
As a Nebraska fan I dearly miss those memories. Now Solich, the coach that was fired has turned around the Ohio Bobcats in his second year and they are now in the lead for the MAC title.
I think it's coming together. They've struggled this year because it was Morelli's first year starting. All those freshman who keyed their resurgence last year are hitting a sophmore slump this year....
They'll be back.
of course they don't they are over rated this whole season it's been in the ESPN's and the BCS's best interest to hype these teams to pretend to include the lesser conferences in the mix follow the money :)
I thought they gave him the hook too soon.
I think you're right. Brady won't turn the ball over though and neither will the RBs.
WVU needs to start pulling people out of the stands to stop Louisville.
I thought they gave him the hook too soon.
I have no doubt about that!
It's good to see the Big East and other conferences rising. It makes the BCS folks sweat.
I know that a few USC Trojans fans are really up in arms tonight watching this game. Should've beaten those Beavers. LOL!
It's nice that ESPN is showing the Air Force - Army game.
Nope.
It really does feel like a WAC game...
or the USC-Fresno State game from last year...
I don't disagree with any of your picks.
Yeah....ESPN does try to get the service academies in whenever they can....without that, virtually no one would see Army or the Air Force play...
That's scary, my picks usually suck :)
yeah but they are going to lose to either Cal or ND or both....they just got it out of the way early....
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