Wednesday, September 12, 2007

CFB Preview and Picks

Note: There will be no posts on Thursday and Friday this week. Have a great rest of your work week, everyone.

I think there's clearly a Top Game this weekend: No. 10 Ohio State at unranked Washington, which is off to one of "Those Years" type of starts under third-year coach Tyrone Willingham.

It goes without saying that the juxtaposition of Willingham beating a Top 10 team to run UW's record to 3-0 with Charlie Weis losing to Michigan to run Notre Dame's record to 0-3 would be insane.

I'm not saying that will happen, but merely for the POTENTIAL for that to happen makes this OSU-UW game a must-track. (That, and to see first-hand whether this RS freshman QB Jake Locker is the real deal.)

There are a couple other must-track games this weekend: Georgia Tech-BC, Florida-Tennessee, Arkansas-Alabama, Louisville-Kentucky. (Note: I don't include Michigan-Notre Dame.)

More questions:

*Will USC be derailed at Nebraska?

*Is Florida (finally) exposed as overrated vs. the Vols?

*Could Andre Woodson be even better than Brian Brohm?

*Is Georgia Tech-BC the de facto ACC Championship game?

*Is a home game vs. McFadden a must-win for Saban?

*Who drops to 0-3: Michigack or Notre Done?

This Week's Picks:
West Virginia (3) over at Maryland (Thu.)

USC (1) over at Nebraska (14)

LSU (2) over Middle Tennessee

Oklahoma (3) over Utah St.

Florida (5) over Tennessee (22) (DS IN-PERSON)

Texas (6) over at Central Florida

Cal (8) over LA Tech

Louisville (9) over at Kentucky

Washington over Ohio St (10) (UPSET SPECIAL)

UCLA (11) over at Utah

Penn St (12) over Buffalo

Rutgers (13) over Norfolk St

Georgia Tech (15) over BC (21) (GAME OF WEEK 2)

Arkansas (16) over at Alabama (Hmm...)


South Carolina (17) over S. Carolina St

Oregon (19) over Fresno St

Clemson (20) over Furman

Georgia (23) over W. Carolina

Hawaii (24) over at UNLV

Texas A&M (25) over LA-Monroe

BONUS: Michigan (UR) over Notre Dame (UR)

-- D.S.

22 comments:

Trayton Otto said...

Michigan-ND isn't a must track, yet you include it as a bonus prediction?

And GT-BC isn't a de facto ACC Championship game; it'd be a preview, seeing as they're in different divisions.

Enjoy UF-UT.

Natsfan74 said...

While it is technically an upset special, I think tOSU at UW should probably favor the home team (unranked team) anyway.

UW looks pretty good right now, but Ohio State is highly overrated. And I'm saying that as a huge Buckeye fan. The defense is solid -- so if they win it will be with a shutout. The offense is suspect, at best.

And, Saban will not ever win 10+ games at Alabama. First, he doesn't have the same ability to lock down his own state recruiting in Alabama (vs. Auburn) the way he did in Louisiana as the only big school. Second, he is not going to be able to recruit Florida because of the way he left that state. So, now you've got an SEC coach who can't recruit in Louisiana or Florida and won't dominate Alabama.... doesn't sound like a formula for success.

The heroin sheik said...

Thank god I found a portable tv I can take with me to watch the UF game at this wedding this weekend.

I think the game that will be a surprise this weekend is going to be the Texas UCF game. I think with the emotion of opening a new stadium that UCF will keep it close. Although I am not bold enough to proclaim that UCF will win I do think they will cover the 19 point spread.

Matt said...

OSU isnt overrated at all...the team is now playing foorball back to the way The Senator likes it...defense defense defense...think 2002 buckeyes.

close game buckeyes win

Ken Dynamo said...

yo dan - have fun at the game. i hope you manange to comport yourself with more dignity and class than those deplorable RU fans.

college football fans telling another college football team to go F. that is just discpicable.

seriously tho, enjoy the game dude.

Jen said...

I don't hear Ohio State being overrated at all...I always hear negative crap about them. The #10 ranking is surprising to me.

I wouldn't be surprised if UW won Saturday but, like Matt said, Ohio State has the defense and it will be close, but the Buckeyes win.

My Sunday upset is the Browns beating the Bengals. HAHAHA

Matt said...

browns win if brady plays///not as bad as a team that was on the field against the stoolers

Jen said...

Ugh, I have to root for the Vols this weekend!? It'll kill me, but I have to do it.

The heroin sheik said...

Thats fucked up jen. Didn't you male a comment the other day about not rooting for a team you dont like so that they were better when your team faced them? Although my alltime favorite bumper sticker is the one my dad got me when I went to my first UF/UGA game. Says my favorite team is the gators and whoever is playing the dawgs.

Unknown said...

Crappy news for Portland. Oden out for the year with microfracture knee surgery.

The heroin sheik said...

Im gonna laugh if Oden never can play. Don't get me wrong, I like Oden and think he might be a pretty good pro but sometimes you have to laugh at the bad luck some athletes have.

Jen said...

sheik- No, I always want the Gators to lose. I don't like Tennessee either. I am a Big 10 homer, so the Gators losing won't make Ohio State look better, it'll just make me smile that it'll get Dan all bent out of shape. HAHAHA

Jen said...

matt~ In all seriousness, do you think Quinn should start this early? I don't think it will be as bad as when Couch was thrown in there...Quinn is a different player and has a different mental attitude, etc.

mccargo said...

Saban will roll Ark this weekend. Have you seen there passing. And now they have lost there #1 receiver. Bama will just put 8 in the box and hold Mcfadden to "only" 150 yrds

About recruiting, the head of his recruiting dept is considered one of the best in the land and oh yea he is from Fla St. So I think the Fla boys will love to come and play for a proven coach. Urban is going to be his biggest rival in this dept but I know Saban will get the job done.

Natsfan74 said...

Too bad UM, ND, UF, and TEN can't all lose this week-end. At least 3 out of 4 lost on opening week-end.....

I agree that Saban is a good coach, but kids have to trust a coach too. Saban has zero credibility in Florida right now. And, don't think Dolphins fans (i.e., Florida kids) are going to be so quick to forget/ forgive just because some recruiter has a reputation in the state.

The heroin sheik said...

I think one of the biggest reasons why players from FL won't go to LSU is that most players don't like to leave the state. I know that a few of the guys I played with in high school and some of the guys my brother played with stayed in state and went to smaller schools rather than go away and play because they liked being able to be close to home. Plus when you are used to warm winters all the time why would you want to go play somewhere where you freeze your ass off come October. Hell it dropped down to the 50's the last few nights and I am already freezing here in Chicago. God I miss Florida.

Johnny b said...

Shiek, I work at a T-shirt shop that sells shirts with that "i have two favorite teams" on it

The heroin sheik said...

Another great one is a tshirt that says "F_CK FS_ Can I buy a u Pat" or the one that says "Directions to FSU: north on I75 til you smell it, West on I10 til you step in it."

You know WVU isn't really looking all that good tonite.

mirthywvu said...

WVU looks alright to me :) the D has only allowed 7 points so far...and NOEL DEVINE!! Check out the highlights if you aren't watching the game...3 carries over 120 yards, a 31 yarder, 76 yarder and another 20 some yarder. Some of the moves this guy makes...wow! I'm thrilled!

The heroin sheik said...

I will be damned. I made a mistake. there are 8 Div I-A teams in Florida. I keep forgetting that FAMU is in DIV I-A. I thought they weren't able to get the minimum amount of fans at games to move up.

WVU is looking a lot better in the second half. Noel Devine is pretty damn good. That long td of his was exceptional. He is averaging like 40 yards a carry tonite.

The heroin sheik said...

I really need to pay more attention to things. Devine's 76 yarder wasn't a td like I thought and more to the point he is from Florida. Regardless I will stick by my statement that for the most part football players would rather stay close to home and play at a state school.

Matt said...

jen,

yes i think brady should start. i dont believe the bullshit about not playing him against good d's because his feelings will be hurt.

hes a big boy he can handle it. he has to play against the best sometime...lets see him learn as he goes.

he is by far the best qb on the roster.