tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74567512051142494932024-03-05T03:56:27.607-05:00Among Other ThingsHave it my waympdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-52083700383897558092009-02-28T12:37:00.001-05:002009-03-01T20:53:12.522-05:00DeFranks Rankings - Final College Football 2008I know it's a bit late but I just figured out hwo to compute my formula and rankings on the computer rather than by hand.<br /><br />Here the are:<br />1 Florida 140.0526826<br />2 Utah 110.2980132<br />3 Texas 106.9116775<br />4 USC 106.8969669<br />5 Oklahoma 99.56679894<br />6 Alabama 90.85704666<br />7 Boise State 87.83147773<br />8 Texas Tech 84.02393162<br />9 Penn State 79.25692308<br />10 TCU 77.11056395<br />11 Cincinnati 73.95294707<br />12 Ball State 73.01393728<br />13 Georgia 72.01117634<br />14 Ohio State 68.96402545<br />15 Virginia Tech 65.41770931<br />16 Pittsburgh 64.56181319<br />17 Oregon 62.11931729<br />18 Mississippi 61.88465622<br />19 Tulsa 60.87667888<br />20 Missouri 60.06409519<br />21 Oregon State 58.77053554<br />22 Georgia Tech 58.50112986<br />23 Iowa 54.9090482<br />24 Brigham Young 54.68989847<br />25 Rice 54.49530957<br />26 Boston College 54.38535311<br />27 Florida State 54.19314029<br />28 East Carolina 53.8551264<br />29 Michigan State 52.25014985<br />30 Oklahoma State 51.88421107<br />31 Maryland 51.55788727<br />32 North Carolina 50.19010989<br />33 Nebraska 49.44036566<br />34 California 49.11934732<br />35 West Virginia 48.56599058<br />36 Northwestern 45.03626374<br />37 Houston 44.68184389<br />38 Western Michigan 44.17272363<br />39 Rutgers 43.52893773<br />40 LSU 43.3710373<br />41 Wake Forest 42.60245304<br />42 Kansas 42.5451715<br />43 South Florida 40.48039216<br />44 Air Force 39.79147563<br />45 North Carolina State 38.98898908<br />46 Connecticut 38.2254902<br />47 Vanderbilt 38.20853617<br />48 Navy 37.95421245<br />49 Arizona 37.06068376<br />50 Troy 36.62744764<br />51 Buffalo 36.44652015<br />52 Central Michigan 34.5518074<br />53 Louisiana Tech 33.8367295<br />54 Clemson 33.83195286<br />55 South Carolina 33.07246172<br />56 Nevada 32.39163182<br />57 Hawaii 32.03075168<br />58 Miami (FL) 31.78761323<br />59 Wisconsin 31.57618065<br />60 Colorado State 31.43625558<br />61 Virginia 30.96234568<br />62 Fresno State 30.94624511<br />63 Minnesota 29.00711077<br />64 Florida Atlantic 28.45134408<br />65 Notre Dame 28.36223776<br />66 Kentucky 28.21455492<br />67 Southern Miss 26.2242735<br />68 Arkansas 26.17968988<br />69 Illinois 23.70539624<br />70 Colorado 22.31582106<br />71 San Jose State 21.89778567<br />72 Northern Illinois 21.81507896<br />73 Bowling Green 21.65350649<br />74 Stanford 20.67171581<br />75 Arkansas State 20.29378882<br />76 UTEP 19.47283899<br />77 Auburn 18.64505495<br />78 Louisville 18.31082924<br />79 Purdue 18.2592939<br />80 Memphis 18.1175355<br />81 Louisiana-Lafayette 17.35265306<br />82 Baylor 17.24021262<br />83 Arizona State 16.79701953<br />84 UNLV 16.55650794<br />85 Kansas State 16.09829236<br />86 Tennessee 15.73454715<br />87 Temple 15.58879994<br />88 Florida International 15.57955013<br />89 Duke 15.52680653<br />90 Marshall 14.34211451<br />91 Mississippi State 13.9197411<br />92 Indiana 13.66008985<br />93 New Mexico 13.26669222<br />94 UCLA 13.11701949<br />95 Syracuse 13.11267606<br />96 Utah State 13.09104859<br />97 Middle Tennessee State 12.77943791<br />98 Akron 12.59386508<br />99 Michigan 11.07593985<br />100 Wyoming 9.906914174<br />101 Texas A&M 9.181512605<br />102 Ohio 9.156765315<br />103 UAB 8.850455927<br />104 UCF 8.142857143<br />105 Louisiana-Monroe 5.269160998<br />106 Kent State 4.935180568<br />107 Eastern Michigan 3.899275166<br />108 San Diego State 3.331426392<br />109 Army 2.850938073<br />110 Idaho 2.457440476<br />111 Toledo 2.151626836<br />112 New Mexico State 1.222642938<br />113 Tulane 0.493173493<br />114 Washington State 0.489386929<br />115 Southern Methodist -0.354609929<br />116 Western Kentucky -0.436987818<br />117 Washington -2.012987013<br />118 Iowa State -2.046928916<br />119 North Texas -3.620621118<br />120 Miami (OH) -4.763392857<br /><br />This fall look for 2009 College Football Rankings. This winter, college basketball rankings will be available.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-75821151459330992232009-01-07T23:00:00.000-05:002009-01-08T23:01:51.993-05:00Oklahoma's Offense vs. Florida's DefenseThursday's BCS National Championship will feature 2 great offenses and 2 suspect defenses that will decide the game.<br /><br />What Oklahoma wants to do: Oklahoma's trademark thorughout the year has been their offense, but particulary their hurry-up offense. Every snap is quick. Every formation is quick. And every substitution is quick. In addition to wearing down the Gator defense, they plan to establish the run with 1,000-yard rusher Chris Brown. Without DeMarco Murray, Brown and Mossis Madu will have to carry the load against the fast Florida defense. Heisman winner Sam Bradford will get his stats, get his points and get his touchdowns. That is a given. Bradford, Jermaine Gresham, Joaquin Iglesias and Manny Johnson will contribute to the high-octane offense of OU. The Sooners also must protect Bradford in the pocket.<br /><br />What Florida wants to do: Florida only has to do one this on defense: pressure Sam Bradford. When Bradford has been pressured (as he was against Texas), the Sooners have not been as successful. Brian Orakpo had a few sacks that games and they held OU to 35 points, only 14 in the second half.<br /><br />How Florida stops Oklahoma: Florida should start out by placing 8 men in the box to stop the run that Oklahoma will try to establish early. Later in the game, when the Sooners go back to their bread-and-butter, the pass, the Gators should try t bring 6 or 7 guys to pressure Bradford into bad throws and sacks. And with Florida's speed, zone blitzes may work well, dropping defensive linemen into converage and blitzing with linebackers.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-3938932500692824662009-01-06T22:52:00.000-05:002009-01-06T23:00:39.064-05:00Florida's Offense vs. Oklahoma's DefenseThursday's BCS National Championship will feature 2 great offenses and 2 suspect defenses that will decide the game.<br /><br />What Florida wants to do: Florida wants to establish the run with Percy Harvin, Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps before opening up the pass for Harvin, Louis Murphy and tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Cornelius Ingram. Quarterback Tim Tebow will actually look to pass first rather than take off a bulldoze the Sooners. Tebow, although wanting to the win the title, will also want to prove to the NFL that he can be a quarterback in the pros. Florida's spread and speed will be their main weapons and advantages, using space to get the ball to their playmakers. Florida's offensive line keeps with this principle, while being lean but not fat. Florida's offense is built for screens with speed at skill positions and agility on the line.<br /><br />What Oklahoma wants to do: Oklahoma wants to (like every other team in every other game) wants to make Florida one-dimensional, preferably primarily using the pass as the first option. All-American Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is a key cog that clogs up the middle against the run for the Sooners. The OU defense also has been defending the pass most of the year, as the opposing offenses have been a) from the Big 12 and b) playing from behind. On the ground, Oklahoma has held Oklahoma State's Kendall Hunter and Missouri's Derrick Washington in check, both outstanding players. If Oklahoma does what they want to, stop the run, they may be able to somewhat control the Gator offense.<br /><br />How Oklahoma stops Florida: Oklahoma should go nickel (5 defensive backs) every series to match up with Florida wide reveivers and tight ends and only keep in 2 linebackers. The linebacking corps of OU has been continually dessimated and weakened, pushing freshman Austin Box into the spotlight. From the 4-2-5 formations on defense, Oklahoma should try to bring 5 or 6 guys to put pressure on Tebow to make a quick decision. If necesary, a QB Spy may be needed. When UF played Miami, the 'Canes were able to limit Tebow by bringing blitzes up the middle into his face. OU should try to do the same to stop it.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-74991161253831216622009-01-05T16:06:00.026-05:002009-01-06T22:14:19.081-05:00Will Ferrell = Playoff FootballWith the beginning of the playoffs and the elimination of four more teams, I thought it fitting for a comparison...to Will Ferrell characters. Ferrell, along with Seth Rogen and vintage Adam Sandler, is in the top tier of gloriously funny actors. The teams should feel honored to be compared to Mr. Will Ferrell. <br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5mOWtWgo3duL-_dHzJMRsOs3rV-hRqVKRfPmUyvivCsgE35AtCCuut_mZc8lWJZZpIAqEe6Cl0wosXwkz-mzISK26MWB3baCpoT5j7GaBI6oh1HCBfKKlPV4I3Hh7XdlN1Tayv3BJqhF/s1600-h/Ricky+Bobby.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5mOWtWgo3duL-_dHzJMRsOs3rV-hRqVKRfPmUyvivCsgE35AtCCuut_mZc8lWJZZpIAqEe6Cl0wosXwkz-mzISK26MWB3baCpoT5j7GaBI6oh1HCBfKKlPV4I3Hh7XdlN1Tayv3BJqhF/s200/Ricky+Bobby.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287919974311314306" /></a><strong>-Talladega Nights' Ricky Bobby</strong> <br />Cocky, confident race-car driver gets stiff competition from a man from a foreign culture (France).<br /><strong>-Tennessee Titans</strong> <br />Cinfident, resilient Titans face stiff competition from a foreign culture (Pittsburgh). <br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3RrIPd0FmwCS0CuSKcFUln1Ae7A8ZJ2Rde8jDSlpdXPYxQzegYS2oUPn_jx71OPLwyrupE6IODsIVMKIFva096eup6wqanF7B-O5H7rSPUKdphIjuO4XluAIWOpub17ruGVcQJwdjPUx/s1600-h/Brennan+Huff.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 107px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3RrIPd0FmwCS0CuSKcFUln1Ae7A8ZJ2Rde8jDSlpdXPYxQzegYS2oUPn_jx71OPLwyrupE6IODsIVMKIFva096eup6wqanF7B-O5H7rSPUKdphIjuO4XluAIWOpub17ruGVcQJwdjPUx/s200/Brennan+Huff.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287920275936929282" /></a><strong>-Step Brothers' Brennan Huff</strong> <br />Remains tough and friends with Dale, his newfound rival, even after getting beat up. <br /><strong>-Pittsburgh Steelers</strong> <br />Tough attitude remains from Cowher era and after the Titans' late season beatdown. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbD1ErarPwo_F4OGrLQ0y799UAHJeI8U5WhC653W29Rdihpnq-mNJf3H4efxvmh-FZCv77yjgFkToj3YVxMSuB5JufvH_-nzRed-Yc4hL-U1ChPJdGsZsa9Z4fCsZHv3pz_mAd1G3bwSM5/s1600-h/Chazz+Michael+Michaels.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbD1ErarPwo_F4OGrLQ0y799UAHJeI8U5WhC653W29Rdihpnq-mNJf3H4efxvmh-FZCv77yjgFkToj3YVxMSuB5JufvH_-nzRed-Yc4hL-U1ChPJdGsZsa9Z4fCsZHv3pz_mAd1G3bwSM5/s200/Chazz+Michael+Michaels.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287920699746176290" /></a><strong>-Blades of Glory's Chazz Michael Michaels</strong> <br />The flashy ice skater's late injury forces him to try the other role of the Iron Lotus, and succeeds. <br /><strong>-San Diego Chargers</strong> <br />Chargers' star running back LaDanian Tomlinson's injury forces Darren Sproles into the spotlight, and succeeds. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnjN5lYRlrLl8yfb9DL3LsF6EvmSZpkOaEGSHudVsmLPRie7EpmN8wbJl091MMsOD4zD44Cpi_N9Np8FtU0OHBYtxWmFlsE44vVnDmvOrT2eUhe7T7_7NsOOcV1FfpzXnxT3KXQ06NyQM/s1600-h/Chazz+from+Wedding+Crashers.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnjN5lYRlrLl8yfb9DL3LsF6EvmSZpkOaEGSHudVsmLPRie7EpmN8wbJl091MMsOD4zD44Cpi_N9Np8FtU0OHBYtxWmFlsE44vVnDmvOrT2eUhe7T7_7NsOOcV1FfpzXnxT3KXQ06NyQM/s200/Chazz+from+Wedding+Crashers.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287921011665978642" /></a><strong>-Wedding Crashers' Chazz</strong> <br />While trying to teach novice wedding crasher John his ways, all he wants his mom's meatloaf. <br /><strong>-Baltimore Ravens</strong> <br />While trying to teach rookie quarterback Joe Flacco the ropes, all they want is a title. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aV4blHXMDwj2m-pyde3soiOjKQipyMBII7fpO89mvYw_VVc15g7CaYJgFlg7xuV53Fgo-EIDcEftEq6P4xixW7gFCHr6DTbUrIvba4bBEijbWNahK45FkK9nsVfedP9NbfEus4dRCo8O/s1600-h/Phil+Weston.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 193px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aV4blHXMDwj2m-pyde3soiOjKQipyMBII7fpO89mvYw_VVc15g7CaYJgFlg7xuV53Fgo-EIDcEftEq6P4xixW7gFCHr6DTbUrIvba4bBEijbWNahK45FkK9nsVfedP9NbfEus4dRCo8O/s200/Phil+Weston.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287921223280671074" /></a><strong>-Kicking & Screaming's Phil Weston</strong> <br />Phil's team, the Tigers were soft and horrible before the arrival of Mike Ditka. <br /><strong>-New York Giants</strong> <br />Giants were horrible and soft before the arrival of tough disciplinarian Tom Coughlin. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7_VwTCZ_v9Im-0hLcAo9pXhLNn5gTfUI-j3ZeywGdD8qBXVW7SyB8SYj3M888Cc5ZKZjDLvhfr_qL-hg9q6vKs-DoglqyiYfzJ4rRnufZklfc7j3syVxRpBJM558ACQaBqxSi0vRh1AW/s1600-h/Frank+the+Tank.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 137px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7_VwTCZ_v9Im-0hLcAo9pXhLNn5gTfUI-j3ZeywGdD8qBXVW7SyB8SYj3M888Cc5ZKZjDLvhfr_qL-hg9q6vKs-DoglqyiYfzJ4rRnufZklfc7j3syVxRpBJM558ACQaBqxSi0vRh1AW/s200/Frank+the+Tank.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287921450110833330" /></a><strong>-Old School's Frank the Tank</strong> <br />Name says it all for Frank. <br /><strong>-Carolina Panthers</strong> <br />Jonathan Stewart and defense fit "tank" role for the Panthers. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXRCWh3NnVKFpsNafgE_NBm2MmkYMufJMYF6FYt9FpdOInQY1cq97MOkYCGVDQSAsgWisWbGrCUTDXgXMF7jQa_8JPqzLlRqAEw2JLFyYS0gnfiz0E4AYp1R_WAluuItjcig_-qi-Prfy/s1600-h/Buddy+the+Elf.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 144px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXRCWh3NnVKFpsNafgE_NBm2MmkYMufJMYF6FYt9FpdOInQY1cq97MOkYCGVDQSAsgWisWbGrCUTDXgXMF7jQa_8JPqzLlRqAEw2JLFyYS0gnfiz0E4AYp1R_WAluuItjcig_-qi-Prfy/s200/Buddy+the+Elf.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287921642630761986" /></a><strong>-Elf's Buddy</strong> <br />Unexpected surprise visitor from North Pole brings originality and spirit to New York. <br /><strong>-Arizona Cardinals</strong> <br />Unexpected surprise visitor from Phoenix brings cute and original passing offense not seen before in Arizona. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyqq3we17csMv8xHsULgNUWyxT_wIDJiluaCNCOQnXytQCHTMZ0ipwY2228W2xQ2kt_3Pfuelv6B3xrkPfoF1tAH3Kfboqt1o_DKumDTb7qQBrnE9hPSQWhVShD8ZIbsdPxMwrVk9ZJGG/s1600-h/Ron+Burgundy.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyqq3we17csMv8xHsULgNUWyxT_wIDJiluaCNCOQnXytQCHTMZ0ipwY2228W2xQ2kt_3Pfuelv6B3xrkPfoF1tAH3Kfboqt1o_DKumDTb7qQBrnE9hPSQWhVShD8ZIbsdPxMwrVk9ZJGG/s200/Ron+Burgundy.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287921895578521186" /></a><strong>-Anchorman's Ron Burgundy</strong> <br />The best ever before stumbling on a broadcast, insulting the city around him. Later rebounds to cover the panda story. <br /> <br /><strong>-Philadelphia Eagles</strong> <br />Started strong while looking like Super Bowl contenders but midseason swoon almost caused them to miss playoffs, but they made it.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-32243337436596630192009-01-04T22:00:00.000-05:002009-01-06T22:02:47.003-05:00Chargers, Cardinals Prove Playoff Structure Is RightOkay, so the 11-5 New England Patriots got left out. Go cry me a river.<br /><br />Okay, so the 9-7 Arizona Cardinals made the playoffs. Congratulations to them.<br /><br />Okay, so the 8-8 San Diego Chargers advanced to the postseason. They took care of business.<br /><br />And while many have been clammoring for a different playoff format, even proposing to combine the conferences for the playoffs. But like any other playoff talk (college football and baseball), this argument holds no water.<br /><br />By virtue of the "mediocre" Cards and Bolts wins on Saturday, they defied the critics and proved the the playoff structure is fine. They took down the mighty darling Falcons and red hot MVP-led Colts, respectively.<br /><br />And while the AFC East is obviously tougher than both the AFC and NFC West, its not Arizona's and San Diego's fault that the NFL divided the regions and divisions that way. They took care of business to secure spots in the playoffs.<br /><br />The Cardinals clinched in midseason, the first team to clinch actually, and subsequently took the rest of the season off.<br /><br />The Chargers on the other hand finished furiously after a slow start and with help from the Broncos, made the playoffs.<br /><br />And nothing is wrong with any of this.<br /><br />Why? Because if it ain't broke, don't fix it.<br /><br />And it ain't broke.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-31850666637539275592009-01-03T15:52:00.001-05:002009-01-05T16:03:25.930-05:00How Good Are Mid-Majors?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3YMTQG6duSf9kekx0XqU1y2NF-i9bQm6f-TiNcJ90BwNvh3NyCpIOi5pb8OGsallwg1fzm6m1D5c6JaLTpjDl52yWjPZdq5_OrKCsdaKkz_JVnsViiLTMUlviD_1uBr6dExdqJSNS6QR/s1600-h/utah+sugar+bowl.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 166px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc3YMTQG6duSf9kekx0XqU1y2NF-i9bQm6f-TiNcJ90BwNvh3NyCpIOi5pb8OGsallwg1fzm6m1D5c6JaLTpjDl52yWjPZdq5_OrKCsdaKkz_JVnsViiLTMUlviD_1uBr6dExdqJSNS6QR/s200/utah+sugar+bowl.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287918167539598706" /></a>I'm not talking about Villanova or George Mason or Davidson. I'm not talking about the Missouri Valley Conference or the Colonial Athletic Conference.<br /><br />But I am talking about Utah and Boise State and Hawaii. I am talking about the Mountain West and the WAC. And, yes, I am talking about mid-majors.<br /><br />Mid-majors, by name are only half a major, and thus only half a good, right? Right? Wrong.<br /><br />Just ask Alabama or Oklahoma or even Michigan. And Nick Saban, Bob Stoops and Lloyd Carr will tell you that these litte "Davids" are Goliaths.<br /><br />Many viewed these small little schools as just another win on the schedule, a mere bump in the road rather than a ten-car pile-up. But as Utah has proved, that is wrong.<br /><br />Utah absolutely manhandled and outplayed and outphysicaled Alabama, known for their toughness and physical play. They never trailed in an easy Sugar Bowl win over the vividly and obviously overmatched SEC team. Alabama never could get on track while the Utes' constant rush pressured John Parker Wilson into sacks and bad throws. So maybe not all the speed is in the SEC.<br /><br />And while Utah and Boise State are nice stories, lets still remember Hawaii. Hawaii's Sugar Bowl flop last year against the SEC's Georgia still reminds us not all schools are created equal.<br /><br />Even darling TCU, who defeated this year's undefeated Boise State, got blown out by powerhouse Oklahoma. So even if these mid-majors are a nice story, they still aren't in the top tier of the college football.<br /><br />Because that tier is reserved for the Big East, Big Ten and ACC.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-87607070884931848592009-01-02T17:25:00.002-05:002009-01-05T16:01:43.978-05:00Should USC Win The National Title?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gPHalr7xwxkiqo4XGrUcMegs85Jm5qOIqJRtfXcc9I0Itt10TTvQ8X5DZEWvNbNz1DGYAJcAmi46kdBIW4TKv28CIgFMO8KbcK-mcN7elt6esFIA4crv4tGNo3lMHXID812lbetcOvHN/s1600-h/pete+carroll.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gPHalr7xwxkiqo4XGrUcMegs85Jm5qOIqJRtfXcc9I0Itt10TTvQ8X5DZEWvNbNz1DGYAJcAmi46kdBIW4TKv28CIgFMO8KbcK-mcN7elt6esFIA4crv4tGNo3lMHXID812lbetcOvHN/s200/pete+carroll.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287917732347573074" /></a>"I don't think anybody can beat the Trojans. I think we can beat anyone we play," declared USC head coach Pete Carroll.<br /><br />And who's to say he's wrong?<br /><br />After dismantling Big Ten champion Penn State in the Rose Bowl, the Trojans look as impressive as ever. The USC defense, the best in the nation, held the Spread HD of Penn State to only 7 points inthe first half while virtually eliminating playmaker Derrick Williams. The Trojan offense was nearly unstoppable, led by Mark Sanchez's 4 touchdowns and Damian Williams' stellar receiving game, racking up 474 total yards of offense.<br /><br />If anyone questioned the Trojans, all doubt should be gone now. But a new question should be raised: Do the Trojans deserve the #1 spot?<br /><br />The big knock on USC throughout the season was that the Pac-10 was having a down year and wasn't as strong as power conferences SEC and Big 12. But in the bowl season, the Pac-10 went 5-0, with wins over the media darling Mountain West and the high-powered Big 12.<br /><br />Now with the conference's perceived weakness debunked, shouldn't USC receive more credit for their conference wins? USC's 34-point win over Oregon is the shining moment in USC's season (other than their 32-point win over Ohio State).<br /><br />The Trojans lone blemish was their road loss to Oregon State on an electric Thursday night in Corvallis. An early season road Thursday night conference game against a hungry team is far better than a home loss to Ole Miss (Florida).<br /><br />I still believe that Oklahoma is the best team in the nation and if they win the BCS Championship game on Thursday, they should be #1. And if they don't, USC should be.<br /><br />And if you disagree, ask Pete Carroll.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-66451860989525712802009-01-01T13:01:00.002-05:002009-01-01T13:04:08.087-05:0010 Bold Predictions for 2009With the new year comes new faces, games and championships. This is what I expect from 2009.<br /><br />· The BCS will cause controversy. <br /> <br />· Brett Favre will retire, I think. <br /> <br />· The New York Giants will win their second consecutive Super Bowl title. <br /> <br />· The Yankees big payroll will get them in the playoffs, but will not win the championship. <br /> <br />· The Spread offense will produce another Heisman winner. <br /> <br />· Chris Paul and Deron Williams will cement their spot among the elite with LeBron, Kobe and D-Wade. <br /> <br />· A game-winning shot will not be needed in the NCAA Basketball title game because North Carolina will be in it. <br /> <br />· Mixed Martial Arts will replace hockey and NASCAR in the "Big Four" of sports. <br /> <br />· John Daly will never win another PGA Tour event. <br /> <br />· Sean Avery will find another team, until he comments on his teammates fashion style.<br /><br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><em>Note: I took off the entire month of December because of more pressing issues. Thanks.</em>mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-74176155127015732232008-11-30T21:03:00.000-05:002008-12-01T23:05:35.196-05:00Only the RaidersCan we blame this on Al Davis? Please. Pretty please.<br /><br />He (and apparently, Tom Cable) is the only person stupid enough to do this. Only him. Only the Raiders.<br /><br />Maybe he called in the play from upstairs. Maybe he wanted this to be practiced during the week. Maybe he wanted some more "Raider magic" (read Raider stupidity).<br /><br />But there was no magic, only embarassment.<br /><br />But I bet the Raiders only imagined a touchdown when lining up for a field goal. The players knew the play, at least, I think they did. The play was a fake field goal, a play in which punter/holder Shane Lechler would catch the ball, fake that he is holding for a field goal attempt, then flip the ball to kicker Sebastian Janikowski, who will be running behind the holder to receive the lateral.<br /><br />And it had been done before, last year when LSU's Matt Flinn and Colt David executed it to perfection. But they are the Tigers, and these are the Raiders.<br /><br />These Raiders failed. Miserably.<br /><br />When Lechler attempted to pitch the ball to Janikowski, a Kansas City Chief (one of those terrible Chiefs) stepped in front of the lateral and took it to the house.<br /><br />In fact, the pitch wasn't even close. It was between his legs and short. But I guess we should have expected that.<br /><br />So when the Raiders lost to the Chiefs, by a touchdown, there was only one excuse.<br /><br />It's the Raiders.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-33526798547445945522008-11-29T09:57:00.001-05:002008-11-29T09:57:00.751-05:00Week 13 NFL PicksSan Francisco @ Buffalo - Bills hung half-a-hundred on the Chiefs last week and will pound the 49ers in cold Buffalo.<br /><br />The Pick: Buffalo<br /><br />Baltimore @ Cincinnati - At least this game isn't on Thanksgiving.<br /><br />The Pick: Baltimore<br /><br />Indianapolis @ Cleveland - Colts continue hot streak over Quinn-less Browns.<br /><br />The Pick: Indianapolis<br /><br />Carolina @ Green Bay - Surprising Panthers punish horrendous Packer D.<br /><br />The Pick: Carolina<br /><br />Miami @ St. Louis - Dolphins are OK, but Rams are bad.<br /><br />The Pick: Miami<br /><br />New Orleans @ Tampa Bay - New Orleans' offense is rolling after hanging 50+ on Green Bay.<br /><br />The Pick: New Orleans<br /><br />NY Giants @ Washington - Giants can't be stopped.<br /><br />The Pick: NY Giants<br /><br />Atlanta @ San Diego - Matt Ryan and the Falcons get a huge confidence boost with tin over struggling Chargers.<br /><br />The Pick: Atlanta<br /><br />Kansas City @ Oakland - The game is in Oakland. That's all I want to say about this game. <br /><br />The Pick: Oakland<br /><br />Pittsburgh @ New England - New England returns home after blowing out the Dolphins and looks to do the same against the Steelers.<br /><br />The Pick: New England<br /><br />Denver @ NY Jets - Jets are the hottest team in the AFC and Denver's sorry defense can't touch them.<br /><br />The Pick: NY Jets<br /><br />Chicago @ Minnesota - Adrian Peterson proves Bears' defense isn't insurmountable.<br /><br />The Pick: Minnesota<br /><br />Jacksonville @ Houston - Jags get important win over division rival.<br /><br />The Pick: Jacksonville<br /><br />Last Week: 10-6.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-37538109921161238612008-11-28T11:25:00.002-05:002008-12-01T14:20:29.891-05:00Week 14 College Picks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrLHRD-2zhQR6r2t2RUo3ATFaPB7R5IqU1_Fb6STbXRSVIgR0X3HX23HDL5OYpPgLbaTYKFAA9RCvr2UTg7hfuF94xPGXkcx3BdByllvd_1zPt4iazAOYHcGl_lZcfjdwWCWr4OR5pXN_/s1600-h/osu+ou.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 105px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrLHRD-2zhQR6r2t2RUo3ATFaPB7R5IqU1_Fb6STbXRSVIgR0X3HX23HDL5OYpPgLbaTYKFAA9RCvr2UTg7hfuF94xPGXkcx3BdByllvd_1zPt4iazAOYHcGl_lZcfjdwWCWr4OR5pXN_/s200/osu+ou.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274903707180608098" /></a>#3 Oklahoma @ #12 Oklahoma State - Sooners come off huge win over Texas Tech while Cowboys had 2 weeks to prepare. But so did Texas Tech. Texas Tech's two weeks culminated in a very humbling loss to OU by 44 points. Although the Cowboys won't lose by that much (because they're at home), they will lose. The Sooner offense is as close to unstoppable you can get, with QB Sam Bradford leading the aerial attack and RBs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown providing a second dimension on the ground. The Cowboys have a similar pair with QB Zac Robinson and RB Kendall Hunter. But Oklahoma's defense has improved so much over the last month or so and should be able to handle yet another Big 12 offensive show.<br /><br />Oklahoma, 59-24<br /><br />#4 Florida @ #20 Florida State - The Gators travel to Tallahassee to battle for the state title with the surprising and upcoming Seminoles. Florida comes in on a roll and poised for a spot in the national title game behind the spectacular play of Heisman winner QB Tim Tebow. Tebow along with Percy Harvin, Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps provide a formidable running attack against the stubborn 'Nole run defense. Through the air, Tebow can air it out, especially TE Aaron Hernandez, who has filled in nicely for the injured Cornelius Ingram. Florida State will look to first establish the run, then air it out with young Christian Ponder. The former won't happen, so the latter will be less successful.<br /><br />Florida, 48-27<br /><br />#22 Georgia Tech @ #11 Georgia - Possibly the most intriguing non-BCS affecting state rivalry of the weekend. The Jackets come of a thrashing of Miami, where they ran over the 'Canes to the tune of 472 yards. The Dawgs, on the other hand, have completed their tough SEC schedule and now must prepare for the unique and tough to defend triple option attack. GT had a chance to have 4 100 yard rushers in the game last Thursday, but showed mercy on Miami, inserting backup Jaybo Shaw into the game. And while the triple option gets all the pub (and deservedly so), Georgia has been quietly consistent on the ground as well, with steady RB Knowshon Moreno carrying the rock. In the end, the game is in Athens and the athletic and disciplined defensive ends of UGa will be able to control the option attack.<br /><br />Georgia, 28-20<br /><br />#23 Oregon @ #17 Oregon State - Oregon State is just one win away from winning the Pac-10 and earning a berth in the Rose Bowl. But state rival Oregon will look to end those aspirations and give USC the conference title. This year, the Civil War takes on a new meaning, with BCS implications at hand and, of course, bragging rights to be had. Beavers' Rodgers brothers Jaquizz and James will look to continue their hot streak with a huge offensive performance against the Ducks. The Ducks run the ball well, but it won't enough to keep the Beavers out of Pasadena.<br /><br />Oregon State, 30-23<br /><br />West Virginia @ #25 Pitt - The Backyard Brawl carries not onyl Big East title implications but also revenge for West Virginia after the Panthers knocked them out of the national title picture. This time around, Pitt is the favorite and the Mountaineers are the sneaky underdog. Pat White and Co. are coming off of a blowout win over struggling Lousiville and Pitt lost last week to Big East-leading Cincinnati. LeSean "Shady" McCoy should have no problem running the ball and keeping it out of the Mountaineers' hands.<br /><br />Pitt, 33-27<br /><br />Auburn @ #1 Alabama - Auburn is really bad and probably will be shut out of a bowl. And Alabama is really good and could go to the national title game. The Iron Bowl losing streak for the Tide will end behind the stellar play of RBs Glen Coffee and Roy Upchurch. And, oh yeah, Mount Cody is healthy.<br /><br />Alabama, 45-3<br /><br />Maryland @ #21 Boston College - Maryland has been the toughest team this year to get a gauge on. Their sporadic play has led to multiple losses and many doubters. Plus, they play bad when outside the friendly confides of their backyard. BC, meanwhile, has been the most consistent team in the ACC the last few weeks behind the stellar play of the their defense, particularly their linebackers, led by Mike Herzlich.<br /><br />Boston College, 21-16<br /><br />Notre Dame @ #5 USC - I would like to think that a Bush Push would decide this game. But who am I kidding? This game will be a blowout as Pete Carroll demolishes the Irish and takes full control of the cross-country rivalry.<br /><br />USC, 66-3<br /><br />Last Week: 6-2. Maryland's Jekyll and Hide characters hindered me.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-15690743810262607822008-11-27T11:14:00.000-05:002008-11-27T11:14:00.214-05:00Happy Thanksgiving! (Unless you're a Lions fan)First, a very Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, I hope you have a great day. But there are, as usual, football games on Thanksgiving. Well, they're called games, but they're not really.<br /><br />Tennessee @ Detroit - If not for the Titans' loss on Sunday, this matchup would be 11-0 vs. 0-11. Despite the records, still a great mismatch.<br /><br />The Pick: Tennessee<br /><br />Seattle @ Dallas - Cowboys are 2-0 since Tony Romo's return, plus T.O.'s happy.<br /><br />The Pick: Dallas<br /><br />Arizona @ Philadelphia - Cardinals come off close but humbling loss to Giants ready to take out anger on discombobulated Eagles.<br /><br />The Pick: Arizonampdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-50734730974132604052008-11-26T15:03:00.002-05:002008-12-01T14:18:24.155-05:00LeBron is Going to New York, but Do We Need to Talk About it Now?<a href="http://www.geocities.com/itz_all_gud/knicks1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 236px;" src="http://www.geocities.com/itz_all_gud/knicks1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>2010 is two years away. A lot can happen in two years. A lot can change.<br /><br />Just two years ago, we thought Dwyane Wade was Michael Jordan. And just last year, we thought he was done.<br /><br />And just two years ago, we would have never thought Eli Manning would win a title.<br /><br />And just two years ago, who had ever heard of the spread offense.<br /><br />And in just two years, LeBron James, the king of basketball, will be a free agent and be sure to test the market. And by test the market, I mean go to New York. So still two years away, LeBron has already created a buzz not matched or even challenged by the other stars of the free agent class of 2010: Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudamire, Steve Nash and Chris Bosh.<br /><br />So why do we need to hear about LeBron's love for New York now, when there is still the rest of this season and a whole other one? Once again, the media is to blame. After all, the Cavs are 11-3, best start in franchise history.<br /><br />But no one is talking about that. Everything is about 2010.<br /><br />The Knicks, Cavs, LeBron or the other stars have commented on the free agent situation, but still the media feels it necessary to analyze LeBron's every move in New York.<br /><br />Because we all know he will be there in the future.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-15212180321379500982008-11-25T16:04:00.000-05:002009-01-05T16:21:41.347-05:00No Playoff Will Ever WorkYou want one. I want one. Even the President-Elect wants one. But it won’t ever happen. A playoff will never happen because it won’t ever work. People are begging, clamoring, yelling for a playoff to celebrate the parity in today’s college football universe. But no format, other than Mike Leach’s 64-team proposal, will appease everyone.<br /><br />And in each proposed format, I think we can all agree that every BCS conference winner should be admitted and each undefeated team should be admitted. If undefeated teams are not admitted, there still will not be a clear-cut national championship, like in 2003 when Auburn went undefeated.<br /><br />A “plus-one” or four team playoff would take the top four teams in the nation, regardless of winning their conference. Regardless of what conference they’re in. If it is possible to have a national champion that isn’t a conference champion, why have conferences? If this format is adopted, there will be no need for conferences, let alone “BCS conferences.”<br /><br />And this year, a four team playoff would not work primarily because of the two undefeated mid-majors. Given the criteria (BCS conference champs and undefeated teams), there must be at least an 8-team playoff, this year including Florida, Oklahoma, USC, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Boise State and Utah. But this format still leaves out Alabama, Texas, Texas Tech and Ohio State.<br /><br />Given that, the only logical solution appears to be a 16-team playoff, which would require 4 victories to win the national title. With the twelve game regular season already in place, plus a conference championship game, plus four possible playoff games, that would make for a 17 game season for these student-athletes. And yes, these players are supposed to be students, with actual schoolwork. And these won’t be 17 games against weak competition. These are 17 games of rivalries and conference battles, hard-fought wins and heart-breaking losses, blowouts and nail-biters.<br /><br />And I haven’t even mentioned the money issue.<br /><br />Like everything else in sports, money motivates college football. From logo-printed Pop tarts to head coach buyouts, financial decisions far outweigh logical football ones. In a world where Notre Dame’s Charlie Weis keeps his job because of his $21 million buyout rather than his 9-15 record the last two years, dollars make sense. And why shouldn’t they? In the bowl games alone last year, a total of over $140 million was dished out to conferences. That number does not even figure in travel costs and hotel stays and ticket sales and food sales and endorsements and TV contracts. A ticket for this year’s championship game: $581 in the upper deck in row 24 in the end zone. Imagine 60,000 more tickets to be sold and 33 more games to be played during bowl season. Way too much money to be passed up by college football. The only bowls (out of 34) that aren’t sponsored by companies and corporations are Independence, Texas, and International Bowls.<br /><br />Then there are the conference championship games, a game that, for most teams, would be their 13th of a possible 17 games. Conference championships, much like bowl games are sponsored. Dr. Pepper sponsors the ACC, Big XII and SEC games while Marathon even sponsors the lowly MAC game. Under the proposed system, conference title games would likely be banished, upsetting sponsors and university presidents even more.<br /><br />Then there is the regular season, where tons of alumni would kill for season tickets, no matter who their team plays, partly due to the importance of the regular season. Under the current system, one loss could eliminate you from the title race, placing importance and relevance on each game played. If a playoff is adopted, the importance of the regular season would go down, and so would ticket sales, meaning a drop in revenue for the universities. And they do not want that.<br /><br />While the playoff system is ideal for deciding champions, unfortunately, it will never happen. Unless university presidents see the green on the field rather than the green in their wallet.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-45517788232528124242008-11-24T17:30:00.001-05:002008-12-01T14:15:32.300-05:00Heisman Race Tightened<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWf4xF1ftul93bm6Z9Fe8Hs1WnFby6IPG-I6ZwTZpZ-D8hFMCO2vHqXR8_l3g5mAF22iKkGQqvnQdzm0X12SuwOVQQnYZyq8q0LRw6K269uS8-zssDCb63edzkvHPqksRmHIKvvtGNB8L/s1600-h/bradford+mccoy+harrell.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 164px; height: 111px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWf4xF1ftul93bm6Z9Fe8Hs1WnFby6IPG-I6ZwTZpZ-D8hFMCO2vHqXR8_l3g5mAF22iKkGQqvnQdzm0X12SuwOVQQnYZyq8q0LRw6K269uS8-zssDCb63edzkvHPqksRmHIKvvtGNB8L/s320/bradford+mccoy+harrell.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274902419976454834" /></a>With Oklahoma's thrashing of Texas Tech, the Heisman Trophy race has been tightened, with another candidate taking the lead and a front-runner going down.<br /><br />1. Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford (68.2%, 3710 yards, 46 Total TDs, 6 INTs) - Sooners signal-caller took lead in Heisman race after picking apart Red Raiders defense for 4 passing TDs. Bradford has been the most consistent player this year, even throwing for 5 TDs in OU's lone loss to Texas. Bradford seems poised to each 50 TDs and 4000 yards.<br /><br />2. Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell (70.5%, 4438 yards, 45 Total TDs, 6 INTs) - Harrell was my preseason pick as the Heisman winner, mostly based on his offense (that I don't have a problem with). Down in Lubbock, Harrell should throw for over 5000 yards for the second consecutive year, a very impressive feat. The Red Raiders have also had their most successful year in decades.<br /><br />3. Texas QB Colt McCoy (77.2%, 3134 passing yards, 527 rushing yards, 38 Total TDs, 7 INTs) - McCoy was idle this weekend but has been in the race the whole season primarily because his dual-threat talents. McCoy has been the passing and rushing leader for the Longhorns for basically the entire year. He should reach 600 yards rushing and 3500 yards passing, putting the dynamic QB in the race till the end.<br /><br />4. Florida QB Tim Tebow (65.8%, 2114 passing yards, 427 rushing yards, 33 Total TDs, 2 INTs) - Defending Heisman winner still has one advantage that none of the other candidates have: the ability to vote for himself (all past Hiesman Trophy winners have a vote). His late surge in the last 5 or 6 games have vaulted Tebow past stud WR Michael Crabtree and others. His reputation and late push still won't be enough to overcome the high-powered Big 12 passing attacks.<br /><br />5. Iowa RB Shonn Greene (1729 rushing yards, 6.2 yards per carry, 17 TDs) - Greene has single-handedly carried the Hawkeyes through the season, from a below-average team to a mediocre team. He can still reach 2000 rushing yards and should reach 20 TDs, both impressive feats in the tough, hard-nosed Big Ten. Greene will be considered, but shouldn't win the award.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-33538453618481953832008-11-23T21:23:00.002-05:002008-12-01T14:16:41.740-05:00Sooner or Later, Oklahoma Will Be in Title Game<a href="http://crimsonokie.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/sam_bradford1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 223px;" src="http://crimsonokie.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/sam_bradford1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>This wasn't a game. This wasn't even a blowout. This was an obliteration. A display of sheer power and skill on one side, and on the other a display of premature hype.<br /><br />The score was 65-21, but that doesn't tell the whole story. Oklahoma had rolled up over 400...just in the first house. They ran for almost 300 yards. Quarterback Sam Bradford even threw for 4 TDs. The Sooner defense stifled the vaunted and powerful Texas Tech offense, holding them to 14 points through 59:49. They forced turnovers, even returning two of them inside the Red Raider five, making it just that much easier for the unstoppable OU offense to punch it in.<br /><br />And while this victory was impressive, very impressive, the Sooners still were #3 in the BCS Standings, behind undefeated Alabama and rival Texas. The win convinced the human polls, who put the Sooners in either the #2 or #3 slot, but all three had them ahead of the Longhorns.<br /><br />While some may argue Texas should be ahead of Oklahoma because they beat them, then another one-loss team, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, who beat Texas, should be ahead of the 'Horns. And there is a reason that the Big 12 South will be decided by the BCS: because none of the tiebreakers worked, including head-to-head. So why should this set of rankings be based on head-to-head?<br /><br />Oklahoma's non-conference schedule was also much better than that of the 'Horns -- and the Raiders, for that matter. And although the Sooners played Division 1-AA (FCS) Chatanooga, the also challenged Big East-leading and 9-2 Cincinnati and Mountain West heavyweight TCU. Texas' best non-conference game came against SEC cellar dweller Arkansas. Even the darling Red Raiders had a cupcake non-conference schedule with WAC also-ran Nevada as the highest profile team.<br /><br />Seeing as we're in November, just on the verge of December, every team should be playing their best football. And right now, there are two teams who are feared everywhere: Florida and Oklahoma. Since each suffered their first and only loss, they have been on a tear, scoring consistently in the 50s and 60s. I don't see Texas winning with as much ease as OU is. Not even close.<br /><br />Now maybe this is a little premature, with the Sooners final regular season game against #12 Oklahoma State this weekend. If the Sooners win at Stillwater, it will be tough for Oklahoma not to jump Texas. In fact, Texas needs Oklahoma to win so they still have a shot at the Big 12 South. If Oklahoma loses and Texas Tech wins (they play Baylor), Texas Tech, not Texas will be the South's representative. No matter what happens, it seems inevitable that the Longhorns will left out.<br /><br />This particular situation reminds me of 2000, when one-loss Florida State was inserted into the National Title game against Oklahoma, instead of one-loss Miami, who beat FSU. Although these two situations aren't exactly alike, the BCS has set precedent in these dilemnas.<br /><br />Oklahoma has proved to everyone that they are one of the best teams in the country, blowing out Texas Tech by 44 and their next stop: Miami.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-86803876096853092732008-11-22T23:46:00.000-05:002008-11-23T00:49:26.089-05:00Week 12 NFL PicksHouston @ Cleveland - Browns' Quinn continues on hot streak with home win over Texans.<br /><br />The Pick: Cleveland<br /><br />San Francisco @ Dallas - Tony Romo's return last week turned into a road win against the 'Skins. Now, they get bad 49ers in Dallas.<br /><br />The Pick: Dallas<br /><br />Tampa Bay @ Detroit - Lions are bad. Really bad.<br /><br />The Pick: Tampa Bay<br /><br />NY Jets @ Tennessee - Titans stay undefeated with hard fought victory over scrappy Jets.<br /><br />The Pick: Tennessee<br /><br />Buffalo @ Kansas City - Sliding Bills find solace with a win over sorry Chiefs.<br /><br />The Pick: Buffalo<br /><br />Chicago @ St. Louis - Bears' dismantling by Green Bay showed Chicago defense isn't invinceable. But the Ram offense isn't the Packers'.<br /><br />The Pick: Chicago<br /><br />New England @ Miami - Dolphins complete season sweep of Patriots and tie Jets for division lead.<br /><br />The Pick: Miami<br /><br />Minnesota @ Jacksonville - Adrian Peterson runs all over Jaguars to power Vikes to victory.<br /><br />The Pick: Minnesota<br /><br />Philadelphia @ Baltimore - Philly TIED the Bengals last week. Tied. The. Bengals.<br /><br />The Pick: Baltimore<br /><br />Oakland @ Denver - Broncs continue stranglehold on weak AFC West.<br /><br />The Pick: Denver<br /><br />Carolina @ Atlanta - Match-up of NFC South powers features good defenses and steady offenses. But Panthers have better of both.<br /><br />The Pick: Carolina<br /><br />NY Giants @ Arizona - Giants travel out west to challenge surprising Cards. Brandon Jacobs and Co. pound their way to a win.<br /><br />The Pick: NY Giants<br /><br />Washington @ Seattle - Redskins bounce back nicely after loss to Cowboys.<br /><br />The Pick: Washington<br /><br />Indianapolis @ San Diego - Streaking Colts terrorize struggling Chargers.<br /><br />The Pick: Indianapolis<br /><br />Green Bay @ New Orleans - Offensive and defensive showing last week against Bears shows up again for Pack.<br /><br />The Pick: Green Bay<br /><br />Last week: 12-3-1.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-65209513952905362182008-11-21T22:28:00.001-05:002008-12-01T14:13:07.907-05:00Week 13 College Picks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjT17-QUAfB0exwyPblIiPaOTQUA4Axjb8M1JukMv3FOUZJdXIp9ME8YXrcuCRkYAu3n-56UTG2zMHFoVLdYTRarGeRCLvyIaW5e9wzQm92tXEVye4GZS6LnTxD6YNvVWGFezidSHYAEF/s1600-h/tt+ou.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 270px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjT17-QUAfB0exwyPblIiPaOTQUA4Axjb8M1JukMv3FOUZJdXIp9ME8YXrcuCRkYAu3n-56UTG2zMHFoVLdYTRarGeRCLvyIaW5e9wzQm92tXEVye4GZS6LnTxD6YNvVWGFezidSHYAEF/s320/tt+ou.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274901799917641058" /></a>#2 Texas Tech @ #5 Oklahoma - Red Raiders have been impressive through their tough stretch, but now go on the road to face a hungry and motivated Sooner squad. Although the OU defense won't be able to stop Graham Harrell, they will slow him down. Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford will show the nation be belongs with Harrell in the Heisman talk.<br /><br />Oklahoma, 52-38<br /><br />#15 Michigan State @ #8 Penn State - Spartans magical season could culminate in a trip to Pasadena with a win and a loss by Ohio State. But that won't happen. Nittany Lions still could make a the Rose Bowl with a win over MSU. Lions' QB Daryll Clark should be able to pick apart the Michigan State D on the way to a home win and a Big Ten title.<br /><br />Penn State, 34-24<br /><br />#14 BYU @ #7 Utah - The Holy War came in with a lot of hype earlier in the year when both teams were undefeated and shaping up to be a Mountain West title game and a BCS elimination game. Since then, BYU has lost and Utah has prevailed. Utah barely beat TCU on a Thursday night game but the Utes' defense should be enough to lift them to a victory.<br /><br />Utah, 27-21<br /><br />#20 Pittsburgh @ #19 Cincinnati - Last big Big East game for each team figures to decide the conference championship. Cincinnati comes in hot hunting for a berth in the Orange Bowl. Pitt enters with LeSean "Shady" McCoy at running back, one of the top backs in the nation. I expect McCoy to run wild and Cincy to not have an answer to him.<br /><br />Pittsburgh, 31-20<br /><br />#21 Oregon State @ Arizona - Oregon State is only two wins away from an improbable Rose Bowl invitation and go down to Tucson to face a tough Wildcat team. Look for Pac-10 rushing leader Jaquizz Rodgers to have a big game to lead the Beavers to victory and one step closer to Pasadena.<br /><br />Oregon State, 33-23<br /><br />Michigan @ #10 Ohio State - One of the biggest mismatches in the history of the rivals gets worse because it's in Columbus. Beanie Wells and Terrelle Pryor demolish sad Wolverines to win fifth straight in series.<br /><br />Ohio State, 45-10<br /><br />Florida State @ #25 Maryland - Maryland is undefeated at home this year and have played their best against top competetion. Florida State surely qualifies as tough competition. Hence, Maryland comes out with a win.<br /><br />Maryland, 23-17<br /><br />Ole Miss @ #18 LSU - LSU almost lost to Troy last week after being down by 30. Meanwhile, Ole Miss has been quietly a good team in the SEC. The Rebels take care of business.<br /><br />Ole Miss, 30-20<br /><br />Last Week: 6-2. Weak slate kind to me.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-2556701807952546502008-11-20T17:59:00.000-05:002008-11-22T22:05:27.469-05:00Heavy Work LoadDue to an increased work load, I was not able to do much today other than handicap tonight's Cincinnati-Pittsburgh game.<br /><br />The next few days will also be light.<br /><br />Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh - Bengals travel to cold Pittsburgh only to get beat down by Big Ben and the Steeler D.<br /><br />The Pick: Pittsburghmpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-50500840355080857532008-11-19T20:23:00.003-05:002008-11-19T20:24:42.983-05:00Northwestern vs. Columbus Will Not Disappoint<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVbnAVK8_JqjGcM8PmtCCPfnkjL6SK_D4Xx-_hPyer23Gln2gFOaPZnRs7WR8at2RPXrBfzCdrA0zzHY4i1Ah8jfQKG5Pc8dmZu2GnTeobUENMP92srrLyAutka_QUOkZhtPlUipcpb0N/s1600-h/nw+col.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVbnAVK8_JqjGcM8PmtCCPfnkjL6SK_D4Xx-_hPyer23Gln2gFOaPZnRs7WR8at2RPXrBfzCdrA0zzHY4i1Ah8jfQKG5Pc8dmZu2GnTeobUENMP92srrLyAutka_QUOkZhtPlUipcpb0N/s320/nw+col.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270544543268904338" /></a>You would be angry, too. If the same kid always got higher grades than you. If your big brother always beat you up. If the same team knocked you out of the playoffs two years in a row.<br /><br />And this is what the Columbus football team is experiencing right now after eventual state champion Northwestern knocked them out each of the last two years, in ugly fashion. But those were to be expected. After all, Northwestern did have QB Jacory Harris and his gang of receivers including Aldarius Johnson and Tommy Streeter. Not to mention RB Antwain Easterling, Dade’s most feared rusher two years ago.<br /><br />But this time around, when Columbus takes on Northwestern (Friday 7:30, FIU), all those players are gone and a new cast of Bulls has stepped up. Among them is Sophomore QB Teddy Bridgewater, who has already thrown for over 400 yards, breaking the Northwestern passing record. Big-time recruit Daquan Hargrett is the leader for the Bulls in the backfield, along with Tyresse Jones and Corvin Lamb. Hargrett has already committed to West Virginia and will surely be looking for another state title.<br /><br />On defense, the Bulls are led by Todd Chandler, a run-stopper on the defensive line sure to change games and game plans. If any weakness on the defensive side, the linebacking corps is it. After losing star Sean Spence to graduation, the Bulls ‘backing corps is trying to recover. The secondary is the strength of this team, having the size to match up with any receivers in Dade. All of them are 5’9” or taller.<br /><br />Columbus, led by RB Jakhari Gore, is the last undefeated team left in 6A. Gore (1104 yards and 15 TDs) has been on a tear all lately, running for over 100 yards in five consecutive games, keying the comeback win over Killian. The highlight performance from Gore came against district rival Coral Gables, when he ran for 271 yards and 3 TDs, securing the Explorers’ district title.<br /><br />Through the air, Explorer QB Garrett Colao has spread the ball around to numerous receivers, including Division I-A recruits Gary Bush and Kenny Whittaker. Whittaker, in the Killian game (possibly Columbus’ only real test), caught two late touchdowns to bring Columbus from down 12-0 to a 20-18 victory.<br /><br />More impressive than the receivers in the Killian game was the defense. The Columbus defense stifled Dade’s leading rusher, Lamar Miller, holding him to 27 yards on 19 carries. The Explorer front seven has a habit of shutting down talented running backs, holding Palmetto standout Jaamal Berry to under 60 yards in a 49-0 win over the Panthers. The defense (withholding returns for touchdowns and safteys), has just allowed 4 points per game, but once again face the vaunted spread attack of the Bulls, which has picked apart the secondary again and again.<br /><br />If there will be a large difference on Friday, it will come on special teams, where Columbus has struggled and dynamic return man Corvin Lamb has excelled. Miller, although held in check on offense, returned a punt for a touchdown, giving Killian the early lead. If the Explorers can limit the return game, they will be poised for a successful game.<br /><br />Unlike past years, when the Bulls dominated and everyone else was marginalized, Columbus looks to be a real contender, in Dade and Florida.<br /><br />And with the talent Northwestern always possess, this game should not disappoint.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-45190409209344795532008-11-18T22:54:00.003-05:002008-11-19T20:15:52.321-05:00Dustin Pedroia is My Hero<a href="http://www.allsportsqueen.com/uploaded_images/dustin-pedroia-game-1-pl-400-765478.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 316px;" src="http://www.allsportsqueen.com/uploaded_images/dustin-pedroia-game-1-pl-400-765478.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>I would like people to think it's because he's a second baseman for the Red Sox that hits clean-up. Or maybe that he is a blue-collared, hard-working, tough player.<br /><br />But I love Dustin Pedroia because of his height. Yes, his height.<br /><br />Me, being as I am 5'6", admire overacheivers who happen to vertically challenged. Now Dustin Pedroia has been officially enshrined in my Hall of Fame (already inducted: Earl Boykins, Mugsey Boughes, the Notre Dame leprechaun, Darren Sproles and Trindon Holliday) with his new award, the American League MVP.<br /><br />Pedroia, listed at 5'9", is no where near that height but rather closer to 5'7" or 5'8". And I like that. I like that he uses his entire body to catapult the ball wherever he pleases. I like how every night his jersey is dirty. I like his scruffy, billy goat beard.<br /><br />And even though I don't completely agree with his selection (see one Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez), you can't tell me he hasn't worked hard enough for it. The pair of Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia in the Boston infield embody the city of Boston with their hard-working, lunch-pail attitude.<br /><br />Pedroia's chuga-chuga, never say quit approach single-handedly won him this award, or at least more than his height.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-71229979109211643682008-11-17T22:24:00.000-05:002008-11-18T21:19:11.190-05:00BCS Means More Than Ever this YearIt has happened in '00 and '01 and '03 and '04 and '06. It garners attention of President-Elect Barack Obama. It is hated by just about every college football fan. Yet it still decides the national championship match-up.<br /><br />And the BCS means now more than ever before.<br /><br />As part of the nation's most heated and competitive conference race, the Big XII's South division hinges on the decision of the BCS Standings. Because of 4 quality teams -- Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas, and Oklahoma State --, the South has been compacted into a tight, neck-and-neck dash to the finish. If Oklahoma beats Texas Tech on Saturday, there would be a three-way tie between Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech in the Big XII South. The first few tiebreaking procedures will do nothing to break the tie. So what is the deciding factor? The BCS. So, for one the first times, if not the first, the BCS will decide a conference race, an important conference race.<br /><br />With the emergence of non-BCS conference schools, the BCS has been thrown for a loop. Are they supposed to take an undefeated mid-major team or a once- or twice-beaten powerhouse? This year, unlike the last two years, there are multiple undefeated small school teams. Utah, from the Mountain West Conference, has been the most impressive so far, beating a respectable TCU team. From the WAC, Boise State's best win came against Oregon. And Ball State, hailing from the MAC, does not deserve to go to a BCS bowl primarily because their best win was against and 3-7 Indiana squad. But under BCS rules, only non-BCS teams in the top 8 are elgible for BCS bowls. So for two of these teams, the dream will be differed.<br /><br />Because the Big XII and SEC are elite conferences and the ACC, Pac-10, Big East are mediocre conferences, another question has arisen. Do those conferences deserve bids to BCS bowls, especially with whining mid-majors? The ACC has been shaken up week after week and rocked by upsets, giving the conference a bad reputation. The ACC is deep, but their highest ranked team, #22 North Carolina, is behind Utah, Boise State, Ball State, BYU and TCU, all mid-majors vying for a spot in a BCS bowl. In this case, the ACC Champion would land in the Orange Bowl while Boise State would land in the Roady's Humanitarian Bowl. Even though the Pac-10 has USC, the conference champion is likely to be Oregon State by virtue of their early season victory over the Trojans. So another bid would be stolen from the mid-majors. Thus the rankings, especially for the non-conference winners, are the most important in recent history.<br /><br />And it shouldn't come as a surprise that another controversy is among us. But this time, there will be two or three or four of them.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-68516262802007644462008-11-16T21:43:00.000-05:002008-11-16T21:44:37.337-05:00I Am Embarassed to Say I Watched NASCARWhen it is on TV, I usually vacate the room or run away. When it is on TV, I might even cry. But not today or even yesterday.<br /><br />NASCAR, not considered a sport by me, was in town this weekend, down south in Homestead. And even though I usually hate the activity, this weekend I felt compelled to watch it, even though the championship was all but decided.<br /><br />On Saturday, the Nationwide series -- the minor league of NASCAR -- wrapped up its season with Clint Bowyer as its champion. But that was not why I watched (sort of, you can't really watch 300 miles of cars going in circles again and again). The CEO of Camping World, an alum of Columbus High School, my high school, altered his car in order to pay tribute to Columbus' 50th anniversary.<br /><br />So for about an hour I looked patiently for the blue #33 car with a Chicago Bears-style "C" on the hood. And although, driver Ryan Newman failed to win, it was still exciting to see my high school represented on a national stage.<br /><br />Today, there was no personal interest for me, but some for my dad. You see, my dad is a Tony Stewart fan, and with about 15 laps to go, he was running low on fuel and still driving his brains out. It was exciting, until Stewart pitted and dropped back to 15th. Then a new excitement ensued. Carl Edwards, still mathematically in it to win the title, was low on fuel and now had a 13 second lead. So he coasted on turns and straightaways until the finish line when he exclaimed "That's it! We're out of fuel!"<br /><br />So for one day, just one, hopefully just one, NASCAR was semi-exciting. But still not a sport.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-69396367100129178682008-11-15T17:15:00.001-05:002008-11-15T17:23:16.127-05:00Week 11 NFL PicksDenver @ Atlanta - Matt Ryan chews up Broncos defense just like Brady Quinn did.<br /><br />The Pick: Atlanta<br /><br />Philadelphia @ Cincinnati - Eagles keep hapless Bengals winless.<br /><br />The Pick: Philadelphia<br /><br />Chicago @ Green Bay - Packers defense (and offense) has struggled lately while Bears played Titans tough.<br /><br />The Pick: Chicago<br /><br />Houston @ Indianapolis - Colts on the way back after slow start.<br /><br />The Pick: Indianapolis<br /><br />New Orleans @ Kansas City - Saints pass offense shreds Chiefs defense.<br /><br />The Pick: New Orleans<br /><br />Oakland @ Miami - Dolphins stay hot with big win over struggling and confused Raiders.<br /><br />The Pick: Miami<br /><br />Baltimore @ NY Giants - Manning and Jacobs neutralize Ravens defense.<br /><br />The Pick: NY Giants<br /><br />Minnesota @ Tampa Bay - Bucs defense slow down Adrian Peterson.<br /><br />The Pick: Tampa Bay<br /><br />Detroit @ Carolina - Jake Delhomme bounces back from career worst game against the Raiders with a career best against the Lions.<br /><br />The Pick: Carolina<br /><br />St. Louis @ San Francisco - 49ers looked good last week in barely losing to the Cardinals while Rams lost by 44 points to the Jets.<br /><br />The Pick: San Francisco<br /><br />Arizona @ Seattle - Arizona continues stranglehold on NFC West with another division win.<br /><br />The Pick: Arizona<br /><br />San Diego @ Pittsburgh - Chargers were a tipped pass away from losing to the Chiefs.<br /><br />The Pick: Pittsburgh<br /><br />Tennessee @ Jacksonville - Titans take care of division foe Jaguars with LenDale White and Chris Johnson.<br /><br />The Pick: Tennessee<br /><br />Dallas @ Washington - Tony Romo returns to a hostile environment in Washington and faces tough Redskin defense.<br /><br />The Pick: Washington<br /><br />Cleveland @ Buffalo - Brady Quinn draws the falling Bills in his second career start.<br /><br />The Pick: Cleveland<br /><br />Last Week: 10-4.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7456751205114249493.post-31543423209798549652008-11-14T23:19:00.001-05:002008-11-15T12:20:29.063-05:00Week 12 College Picks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR612ek9BoXKZkgFqBqZPP0Ls3uo6mZ09T8xi2IMnj70eYNndIRfJwcKuM0F2mQuv85DptgE8VJ3IQHbL20DVmMmyf0AlrDwwQd-h7VqyA5sBiRUx6by2oDbnQ63GVE1EI-70Yqhhv2SKQ/s1600-h/uf+scar.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 76px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR612ek9BoXKZkgFqBqZPP0Ls3uo6mZ09T8xi2IMnj70eYNndIRfJwcKuM0F2mQuv85DptgE8VJ3IQHbL20DVmMmyf0AlrDwwQd-h7VqyA5sBiRUx6by2oDbnQ63GVE1EI-70Yqhhv2SKQ/s200/uf+scar.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268935411296783394" /></a>#25 South Carolina @ #4 Florida - Florida has been the most explosive team in the nation in the last few weeks but South Carolina brings in a tough defense, allowing just 16 points per game. The Gamecocks also bring in head coach Steve Spurrier, who returns to the Swamp for the second time as a visitor. Last time he was there, 2 years ago, the Gators pulled out a late win against the Gamecocks after 3 field goals were blocked by UF. The late emergence of Heisman winner Tim Tebow has helped spark the offense along with quick sparkplugs Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey in the backfield. South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia has to look out for more than Brandon Spikes and the Gator defense but also umpires in the field.<br /><br />Florida, 51-13<br /><br />#19 Florida State @ Boston College - Because of a fight with a fraternity on campus, Seminoles have suspended 5 players from their game against the Eagles. Even without those players, FSU should be able to control the clock with their grind it out, smash mouth running game. FSU's stars on the ground, Antone Smith and Jermaine Thomas, should be able to pound the BC defense and put up more points than Notre Dame did last week. Florida State's defense should also be able to put pressure on the quarterback and pull out the home win.<br /><br />Florida State, 21-17<br /><br />#3 Texas @ Kansas - Longhorns head to Lawrence to battle the underacheiving Jayhawks. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy should have a field day against the 116th-ranked passing defense of Kansas. The vaunted Jayhawk offense, led by quaterback Todd Reesing and wide receiver Jake Sharp, has been subdued lately in big games against Texas Tech and South Florida. The Longhorns welcome back defensive end Brian Orakpo to the line that will put pressure on Reesing.<br /><br />Texas, 63-21<br /><br />#16 North Carolina @ Maryland - Key ACC matchup pits a UNC team coming off a big win against Georgia Tech while Maryland is coming off a thrashing by Virginia Tech. UNC was able to shut down the triple-option attack of GT, only allowing 7 points. Maryland, on ther other hand, wasn't able to slow down Hokie freshman running back Darren Evans, who ran for 253 yards. The Terps are a much better team at home than on the road and are figting for their ACC lives.<br /><br />Maryland, 24-23<br /><br />#11 Ohio State @ Illinois - Ohio State looks to avenge last year's loss to Illinois. Freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor has bounced back nicely after the Penn State game mostly remembered for Pryor's key fumble. Meanwhile, preseason Heisman hopeful Beanie Wells has quietly bounced back from and early season injury. At Illinois, it has been a tough season, missing Rashard Mendenhall more than expected.<br /><br />Ohio State, 45-13<br /><br />#10 Georgia @ Auburn - Bulldogs come off last second win at Lexington, Kentucky, winning 42-38. In Auburn, the offense has struggled to score 42 points in the last 5 games. In the end, Knowshon Moreno and A.J. Green are too much for Tiger defense.<br /><br />Georgia, 35-16<br /><br />#13 Oklahoma State @ Colorado - Pokes come into Boulder looking to bounce back from blowout loss in Lubbock. OK State's Zac Robinson and Kendall Hunter tandem are similar to West Virginia's Pat White and Noel Devine (who Colorado beat earlier this season). And although their offenses are similar, their defenses are not.<br /><br />Oklahoma State, 45-21<br /><br />Notre Dame @ Navy - Irish have not beaten a team with a winning record this year and are 1-16 in their last 17 games against such teams. Navy has a winning record.<br /><br />Navy, 23-13<br /><br />Last Week: 5-3. Thursday night games screwed up a promising Saturday.mpdefrankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05128910208061126683noreply@blogger.com0