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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's always fun when the second string goes in with 9 minutes left in the 4th. ;^)
Prayers for JoePa!
Yep Prayers for Joe...
But horros, I've been so involved in the LSU Tennesee game that I'm just figuring out there appears to be no way to see the Georgia Tech NC STate game in Atlanta.
Here's to hopefully seeing two first halves tonight... :)
Go Pokes!!!
(118-0... Horns over Cowboys... in second half, last three games. ouch!)
Give Gundy another year...I'm hoping for a good show at least.
God bless the Vets!
Speaking of which...you've been awfully quiet about your Buckeyes today.
Well, well, well, Ohio State 17, Illinois 10. That's a 2-8 Illinois.
What was that Buckedye talk about an 8-point Michigan win exposing the Wolverines to be a hoax....
THis LSU game is about to make throw up lol
Tigers on da move, baby!
Geaux Tigers!
What a messy game in the slop at Illinois. The Illini save a timeout at the end there and we could have seen OT against a 3-7 team
LSU 28 - Tennessee 24
6 seconds left
LSU wins! Geaux Tigers! 28-24 over TN.
But like I noted earlier, virtually every nat'l champion has had at least 1 close call, and most had at least one against a mediocre team during their season. Bottom line, OSU won and is undefeated.
Wow, what a great finish for LSU at Tennessee! Another 1-loss team goes down, will Texas be next?
COngrats
And thank you JaMarcus!!!!!
Good ol Michigan D came back to life at the end and thank god.
Michigan needs to grow a passing D and and a passing O and learn how to score touchdowns when they are in the red zone.
But, looks like OSU caught what ever virus Michigan had. Smith held to 107 yards passing. Ill had more total yards than OSU.
It all comes down to NOV 18th. I can't wait. I hope Michigan tears the phuckeyes a new buckhole (even though OSU is the better team).
By the way have you noticed how ole Herbie, yalls greatest defender to play in the NC, in a period of 2 weeks has changed his tune. Ahh its something when Mickey Mouse calls down from the Board Room tells Herby to get with the ratings program lol
As lousy as Russell has been, he was nails on that drive. I guess he learned something at Auburn and Florida. Arkansas better be ready, because LSU finally woke up this afternoon...
Yes, Michigan played mediocre football on purpose so that it fits the template of a mythical National Championship team. All is going according to design.
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