Well, we’re coming down the home stretch and another unbeaten team, Oklahoma State, fell victim on the road. Last night, the 2nd ranked OSU Cowboys lost in double overtime, 37-31, to Iowa State. Oklahoma State blew a 24-7 third quarter lead and quite possibly a chance to play in the BCS National Championship game. There are now two unbeaten teams in FBS, LSU & Houston. LSU plays at Ole Miss, while Houston entertains intrastate rival SMU at home. This week’s slate of games is “ho-hum”, so you might want to rake leaves or clean out the gutters today! Since the Gamecocks are playing their annual in-state FCS program, the Gamecocks do not make my list of contests, but let’s see which games do make my list of top 10 games.
#18 Southern Cal @ #4 Oregon: The “Quack Attack” has blistered their Pac – 12 brethren from the city of Angels over the last two years by scoring 100 points combined against USC-W. Last week, the Ducks pounded Stanford and will clinch the Pac – 12 North Division by beating its rivals to the south. The fightin’ Phil Knights (Nike) have won 21 straight home games at Autzen Stadium while also winning 19 straight league contests.
Prediction: Make it 22 straight at raucous, rowdy Autzen Stadium, quack, quack, 48-35.
#16 Nebraska @ #18 Michigan: The Cornhuskers make their first visit to the Big House since the JFK administration. If you like running quarterbacks (NU’s Taylor Martinez & UM’s Dernard Robinson) then tune into this match-up. Both of these teams are still viable options to win the Big 10’s Legends Division title with Nebraska in a better position than the Wolverines.
Prediction: The Maize & Blue are better post-Rich Rod era, but children of the corn in a squeaker, 27-23.
#5 Oklahoma @ #22 Baylor: Four weeks ago, Oklahoma’s aspirations for the BCS title game went up in smoke after a devastating home loss to Texas Tech. Well in less than one week, three undefeated teams (Stanford, Boise State & Oklahoma State) have fallen and now give the Sooners a real chance to play their way back into the BCS title picture. It’s always fun to watch Baylor quarterback, Robert Griffin III, RG III.
Prediction: Boomer Sooner is 20-0 all-time versus Baylor, make it 21-0 and Sooners roll 44-34.
#10 Boise State @ San Diego State: The BSU Broncos are coming off an upsetting loss at home to TCU last week, 36-35, on a missed late field goal. This is the first-ever meeting between these two schools. Will there be a hangover with the Broncos now that their BCS title hopes are gone? The Aztecs can score and will make this game interesting.
Prediction: Sunny Southern California will perk up the Broncos, BSU 42-30.
#13 Kansas State @ Texas: After back-to-back losses to Oklahoma & Oklahoma State, the KSU Wildcats are glad to be playing a non-Sooner state university. Now the Wildcats set their sights on Big 12 big brother, Texas. KSU beat UT last year. The Longhorns lost at home to Missouri last week.
Prediction: Kansas State is enjoying a dream season & the dream continues in Austin, TX, KSU 45-27.
Mississippi State vs. #6 Arkansas (Little Rock, AR): The Hogs cannot be looking ahead to next week’s potential top five BCS match-up against LSU. Arkansas has won 14 of the 16 previous contests against MSU. Arkansas has won six games in a row since it lost to Alabama.
Prediction: The Bulldogs don’t have much “bite” this year, Arkansas 48-13.
Vanderbilt @ Tennessee: The battle for supremacy in the Volunteer State is on the line tonight in Knoxville. Vanderbilt is favored by one point (shocker!). If Vanderbilt wins the Tennessee state title tonight, the Commodores are bowl eligible. Vanderbilt QB Jordan Rodgers has been the biggest difference in the Commodores offensive turnaround this year and could lead Vanderbilt to a win for the second time (2005) in four trips on Rocky Top.
Prediction: The Commodores ship is steering toward bowl eligibility, Vanderbilt 27-20.
Cincinnati @ Rutgers: Last week, Cincinnati not only lost a game to West Virginia but also lost its starting quarterback, Zach Collaros, for the year. The Rutgers defense will get to feast on the new Bearcats QB, Munchie Legaux, as the Scarlet Knights defense is one of the most opportunistic in all of college football. The Bearcats still control the Big East and have won the conference’s automatic BCS berth three out of the last four seasons.
Prediction: Rutgers defense munches on a new quarterback, Scarlet Knights 27-23.
Virginia @ # 25 Florida State: Two streaking A-She-She teams meet up in Tallahassee tonight. FSU has won five straight while UVA has won three in a row. The Cavaliers can win the Coastal Division if they beat FSU and intrastate rival Virginia Tech next weekend. FSU has won five straight versus the Wahoos.
Prediction: Florida State pops UVA’s Coastal crown’s bubble, FSU 34-20.
#21 Penn State @ Ohio State: Two of the more admired teams in the Big 10 now form a twosome that not a single FBS program would trade places. OSU is facing severe NCAA infractions for the Jim Tressel and tattoo-gate fiasco while Penn State is embattled in even greater turmoil with its scandal. Penn State leads the Leaders Division by one game with a trip to Madison, WI next weekend to decide the division crown. Both teams are coming off tough three-point losses.
Prediction: The “Horror show at the Horseshoe” will be a defensive struggle; the Buckeyes tattoo PSU 23-10.
My next blog will be Monday afternoon as I review the USC/Citadel contest and preview the biggest game in USC/Clemson history.
Go Gamecocks!
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