Posted on 11/16/2006 2:36:27 PM PST by MikefromOhio
Weekend Eleven threw the entire BCS mess into an even bigger mess if that is possible. No fewer than 3 one loss teams lost (Texas, Auburn, Cal) while another one (Florida) needed to block 3 kicks to win their game 17-16 against South Carolina. This week is the week that just about everyone in the national media has been waiting for. The greatest rivalry in college football renews and that game finds that Ohio State is #1 and Michigan is #2 for the first time in the 102 game history of this game.
at 
It doesn’t get any better than this. For the FIRST time ever, an 11-0 Ohio State team will play an 11-0 Michigan team. For the FIRST time ever, the teams are ranked 1 and 2 in every major poll. For the FIRST time ever, the loser of this game will end up in the Rose Bowl. This is the best rivalry in college football, and this one clearly has the best setup of any of those previous 102 games.
Ohio State and Michigan have both played dominant defense and very well on offense. Ohio State has a Heisman candidate in Troy Smith and Michigan has a Heisman candidate in Mike Hart. Ohio State has a coach that has brought a new focus to this rivalry whereas Michigan has the coach who was so dominant in this rivalry that Ohio State was forced to make a change. Does it sound like I’m having issues picking this game? Really I’m not. Every comparison for these teams shows that Ohio State is better on offense while Michigan is better on defense except for scoring defense. In the end, this game will come down to who makes the bigger plays. I think Troy Smith, who has burned Michigan each of the previous two years, will make enough plays to allow Ohio State to win this game.
Western Carolina at (3) Florida (NL)
Florida 53 – Western Carolina 3
(17) Cal at (4) USC (-5.5) ****UPSET WATCH****
USC 38 – Cal 31
(5) Arkansas (-15) at Mississippi St.
Arkansas 39 – Mississippi St. 12
Army at (6) Notre Dame (-28.5)
Army 70 – ND 6
Just kidding….
ND 42 – Army 10
(7) Rutgers (-6.5) at Cincinnati ****UPSET ALERT****
Cincinnati 23 – Rutgers 20
Mississippi at (9) LSU (-27)
LSU 38 – Mississippi 13
South Florida at (10) Louisville (-16.5)
Louisville 44 – South Florida 20
(11) TEXAS BYE
Buffalo at (12) Wisconsin (-38)
Wisconsin 53 – Buffalo 0
Utah St. at (13) Boise State (-37.5)
Boise St. 34 – Utah State 10
(19) Virginia Tech at (14) Wake Forest (PICK) ****UPSET WATCH****
Wake 22 – VT 18
(15) Auburn (-3) at Alabama
Auburn 23 – Alabama 17
(16) Oklahoma (-20.5) at Baylor
Oklahoma 38 – Baylor 14
Duke at (18) Georgia Tech (-26.5) ****UPSET WATCH****
Georgia Tech 21 – Duke 3
(21) Maryland at (20) Boston College (-7)
BC 24 – Maryland 21
(22) Tennessee (-8.5) at Vanderbilt
Tennessee 31 – Vandy 17
New Mexico at (23) BYU (-26.5)
BYU 42 – New Mexico 20
(24) Nebraska BYE
(25) Clemson BYE
New Mexico hasn’t disappointed yet this year. I pick them, they lose. I pick against them, they win. I paper this one doesn’t look like it will be very close. Let’s see how this prediction goes….
BYU 42 – New Mexico 20
Texas A&M BYE
Western Michigan at Florida State (-16)
I never thought I would see the day that Florida State would be ONLY a 16 point favorite against a directional school. Now the good news for FSU fans is that Jeff Bowden has been canned resigned, but the bad news is that he’s still there the rest of this season.
FSU 41 – Western Michigan 12
Ugh Dallas I hope not
Perhaps you were thinking of today's game, 28-14 against State?
I live about a block north of Wittenburg's campus :)
Who did ARk have a tough time with. I was thinking Bama and Ole Miss. I might be thinking Auburn had a tough tine for a while with Ole Miss
rematch
Won't happen unless USC, Florida and Arkansas all lose a game.
How I think the human polls will work out tomorrow:
1) Ohio State
2) USC
3) Florida
4) Michigan
5) Arkansas
6) ND
Won't happen unless USC, Florida and Arkansas all lose a game.
How I think the human polls will work out tomorrow:
1) Ohio State
2) USC
3) Florida
4) Michigan
5) Arkansas
6) ND
well it is nearly 4 hours after the game :)
I was damn near useless for much of the first two hours of that :)
Florida could lose to FSU, then beat Ark. That would leave me in the awful position of having to root for ND against USC. Today's OSU/UM game was awesome. BTW, the PAC 10 is overrated.
IF ND beats USC impressively, they might bump them past Michigan in the computers.
That said, I don't think Florida is losing to FSU. I think the FSU fans would agree with me too.
Perhaps there will be a rematch on neutral ground. I think that would be far more of a "championship" matchup than you guys having to play USC, or the DivAA-playing Florida. Your side gets to make sure they don't make turnovers, our side gets to make sure to not commit costly penalties and high tackles.
If not, see you next year. At the Big House.
And then, if Michigan wins, we can have a third game to serve as the rubber match.
ND pass Mich? Come on. Michigan handed their a##es to them in SOUTH BEND by FOUR TDs. No way.
Troy Smith cemented the Heisman today. Colt McCoy does NOT deserve the Heisman, but it is amazing how similar their numbers are (and why Colt should be one of the Heisman frontrunners for next year):
RANK - NAME - CMP - ATT - YDS -- CMP% - YDS/A -- TD - INT -- SACKS - RATING
4. Colt McCoy --- 174 - 250 - 2102 ------ 69.6 -- 8.4 ------ 27 - 4 ------ 12 --- 172.67
6. Troy Smith ---- 170 - 256 - 2191 ------ 66.4 -- 8.6 ------ 26 - 4 ------ 12 --- 168.69
Note that Colt did it in 11 games vs. 12 for Troy. And if any Buckeye homer's start blabbing about how OSU had a tougher schedule, look again. The Big Can't Count Conference has 5 of their 11 teams over .500, the Big 12 has 9 of their 12 with winning records. The Big 10 (sic) has a max of 7 teams with a shot at bowl eligibility, the Big 12 has 9 potentially. So relax and take this for what it is, an interesting tidbit that the 2 QB's are so close statistically. Stats don't always tell the entire story.
But stats do make a compelling case why Hawaii's Colt Brennan should be invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony (invited, not win):
1. Colt Brennan -- 275 -380 - 3753 ------ 72.4 -- 9.9 ------ 43 - 7 ------ 13 --- 188.98
Brady Quinn has moved up, but still is only the 13th-rated passer. He has no business being invited to New York, but is going for one reason and one reason only: He plays for Notre Dame. What a steaming crock of ____.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/sortables?stat=pass&sort=rat&season=2&year=2006&group=80
What a game!
I couldn't be more proud of our Buckeyes...
OBTW, Colt Brennan's numbers in post #236 are for just 10 games, they are only in the 2nd quarter right now (with 8-2 Hawaii leading 6-3 San Jose St. 20-7.)
You forgot one: How could Ohio State have 3 turnovers and still win??????
Father, Senator, Gov. Tressel sure has that mojo working when he needs it!!!!
5-1-----NOTHING ELSE REALLY MATTERS!!!
I don't even want to think about BCS rankings right now. Next weekend will be plenty soon enough for that.
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