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Posted on 11/09/2006 12:14:16 PM PST by MikefromOhio
Weekend Ten gave us one of the more exciting games this year with West Virginia going down valiantly against Louisville 44-34. Louisville has silenced the doubters as to whether it belonged in the National Title hunt with a resounding win that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. Michigan and Ohio State both won very close and competitive games against inferior opponents, which has set the national sports media abuzz about the possibilities that neither is truly the best team in the nation. Louisville is no stranger to the match up of the week as they are traveling to Piscataway, New Jersey to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in what is now a game for control of the much improved Big East.
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The game of the year in the Big East last week has been replaced this week by the Game of the year in the Big East. With a win, Louisville will virtually clinch the conference. A Rutgers win here would mean that their showdown with West Virginia on December 2nd will be for their outright Big East crown. Louisville showed last week that their offense might be the very best in the nation. At times they looked completely unstoppable. Rutgers might have the best defense in the conference, but will they have enough offense to keep the high-powered Louisville offense on the sidelines?
Rutgers coach Greg Schiano has done an absolutely great job bringing Rutgers back from the dead in college football. They are nationally ranked, they have qualified for a bowl game now 2 years in a row, and they are in the position of holding their own destiny within the Big East. Unfortunately for Rutgers, Louisville is on a roll. They might be a bit flat coming out of the gate, but Rutgers just does not have the passing game on offense to win this game.
Wyoming at (25) BYU (-18)
BYU has a chance to gain a legit foothold within the TOP 25 for the first time in nearly a decade. Too bad virtually no one outside of the MWC will get to see this game.
BYU 45 – Wyoming 20
(1) Ohio State (-23) at Northwestern
Ohio State 35 – Northwestern 10
(2) Michigan (-19) at Indiana
Michigan 35 – Indiana 14
(4) Texas (-17) at Kansas St.
Texas 38 – K State 17
Georgia at (5) Auburn (-12.5)
Auburn 28 – Georgia 20
South Carolina at (6) Florida (-13.5)
Florida 24 – South Carolina 20 ****UPSET WATCH****
(21) Oregon at (7) USC (-8)
USC 27 – Oregon 14
(8) Cal (-13.5) at Arizona
Cal 30 – Arizona 14
(9) Notre Dame (-11.5) at Air Force
ND 30 – Air Force 20
Cincinnati at (10) West Virginia (-18.5)
WVA 34 – Cincy 20
(13) Tennessee at (11) Arkansas (-5.5)
Tennessee 31 – Arkansas 24 ****UPSET ALERT****
Alabama at (12) LSU (-18)
LSU 38 – Alabama 10
(14) Boise State (-14) at San Jose St.
Boise State 34 – San Jose St. 17
(16) Wisconsin at Iowa (Pick)
Wisconsin 14 – Iowa 6
Texas Tech at (17) Oklahoma (-9)
Oklahoma 21 – Texas Tech 20 ****UPSET WATCH****
(18) Wake Forest at Florida State (-8.5)
Florida State 24 – Wake Forest 22 ****UPSET ALERT****
(19) Georgia Tech (-13.5) at North Carolina
Georgia Tech 28 – UNC 10
Kent State at (20) Virginia Tech (-30)
VT 38 – Kent State 10
Duke at (22) Boston College (-28)
BC 38 – Duke 7
Miami (FL) at (23) Maryland (-3.5)
Miami 25 – Maryland 21 ****UPSET ALERT****
Nebraska (-1) at (24) Texas A&M
Nebraska 24 – A&M 14
New Mexico 31 – TCU 27
Nebraska (-1) at (24) Texas A&M
This is the most winnable game left on A&M’s schedule with Texas being their final game the day after Thanksgiving. I think that Nebraska is also the better team here, but I think A&M peaked earlier this season. With the crushing loss against Oklahoma last week, I look for A&M to be a bit flat coming out. That will make all the difference.
Nebraska 24 – A&M 14
(18) Wake Forest at Florida State (-8.5)
At first glance, I was wondering why FSU was favored by more than a TD. Then I remembered that since they have put Xavier Lee back at Quarterback, the FSU offense has been much more potent than in previous games. That and I think Wake may have finally exhausted their momentum. Wake has definitely improved the football program and everything past last weekend is a great addition to a great year. Look for FSU to surprise everyone and win this game.
Florida State 24 – Wake Forest 22 ****UPSET ALERT****
Thanks for the ping! Just what I need! Cannot take one more word about politics....
OK State needs one more win in order to go bowling!
GO POKES!!
Butkis Finalists announced:
James Laurinaitis - Ohio St.
Paul Posluszny - Penn St.
Patrick Willis - Ole Miss
Good to see Willis make it, Ole Miss doesn't get much publicity but he's a great player and well deserving.
Because of the actions of the idiots at that game, now no one can have an open container at ANY tailgate at OSU grounds.
maybe, but I think A&M has been living on the edge all year long.
Not funny :)
That could work.....
They'll get it I think at some point.
Now THAT'S a list.
I'd give the edge to Posluszny, but Laurinaitis and Willis are both worthy candidates.
LOL
and your BCS candidate didn't even get into conference play before losing....
Not good.
They SHOULD...against Baylor. But it would be sooooo sweeeeet to beat the Gooners. :-)
LOL
Baylor has some pretty good offense and absolutely NO defense.
That could be one of those 55-49 classics.
I think the score might be different tonight, but yeah, the Scarlet Knights are looking good and the 'Ville definately can't afford to look past them. Plus "Scarlet Knights" is a really cool mascot--almost as good as "Dreadnoughts."
I'm going for Oregon over USC, or at least it will be razor close. They not ready for prime time yet.
Knights? Who are the Knights?
It depends on if Oregon is able to run the ball. If they are forced to pass it, USC will win easily.
LSU 38 – Alabama 10
LSU is playing for postseason position now. 'Bama is playing for Dave Shula's job after laying an egg against Ole Miss and they always give the Tigers fits in Baton Rouge. If the Tide tanks this one, Shula could well be out the door after the Auburn game. The problem for 'Bama is they don't match up well with LSU, and the talent factor is hard to overcome.
USC doesn't seem to win easily very often this year......
As a Horn fan, I'm pulling for Rutgers. I'd like to see Texas back in the NCG against either OS or Michigan. Of course, We need to win all remaining games.
Exactly. And they don't have the offense to keep this game close. Their defense will be on the field for nearly 40 minutes in this one.
But if Alabama fires Shula, that would be a bad thing. They need stability.
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