Thoughts from Seattle

Quick hitting thoughts from my trip to Seattle this weekend:

It has already been said by many people, but let me reiterate that Seattle is an incredible town. In fact, the entire region seems quite picturesque and, at least in the downtown area, there is no shortage of great bars, restaurants and other great attractions.

Likewise, I was favorably impressed with the University of Washington and the whole University District. Beautiful campus, friendly people and plenty of quality drinking establishments.

From an aesthetics and atmosphere standpoint, Husky Stadium is an impressive and unique setting for college football. Although I was not fortunate enough to know any boat owners in Washington, I was enthralled with the sailgating phenomenon (and I assume that this is equally cool at Neyland Stadium). In addition, the parking lot, though somewhat small in area, was a quality setting for tailgating.

As opposed to the tailgating environment, the actual viewing experience inside the stadium was somewhat disappointing. Even if your seats are relatively close to the field, as were mine, the giant track around the outside of the field makes it difficult to follow the action. Consequently, I ended up having to watch a bunch of the plays on “Huskytron,” which was annoying.

I did appreciate the small “offense” and “defense” scoreboards containing pertinent team stats (e.g., passing and rushing yards, sacks, first downs). Then again, when I looked up and noticed that Notre Dame had gained 350 yards compared to 50 yards for Washington, it was hard not to be pleased.

The Husky faithful, much like Notre Dame supporters, are often labeled (usually pejoratively) as a “wine and cheese” crowd. While some Notre Dame fans can be tame by comparison to other schools, I have often felt that this reputation is somewhat overblown. By contrast, the Washington fans -or should I call them “patrons”- are quite befitting of this description. This could be a product of the miserable season, but I have never seen so many people drinking wine at tailgates. Even I, an admitted enthusiast of Washington Cabernets and Oregon Pinots, would never even entertain the thought of consuming wine before a game. Come on Husky fans: football is made for shotgunning beers and downing hard alcohol with reckless abandon, not quaffing a glass of Riesling.

As expected, Washington patrons were generally depressed about their team and angry about Ty. Accordingly, it did not take long for the boos to start raining down in Husky Stadium after things started to go south for Washington. My favorite shirt: “A Ty is as good as a loss.” Unfortunately, I could not find this shirt for sale.

In keeping with the Willingham theme, I assume that it is a happy day in Seattle now that Ty has officially “resigned.” Of course, given the Huskies’ 0-7 record, it was only a matter of time. On the other hand, because it was such a glorious and unexpected event, Notre Dame fans will never forget where they were when Willingham was fired. In fact, I still think November 30th should be a day of observance at Notre Dame.

I am a hardcore doughnut aficionado and I consider myself to be a tough grader, but my discriminating palate was no match for the fine pastries made at Top Pot Doughnuts on Fifth and Blanchard. If there are any other doughnut connoisseurs reading this blog who are located in the Pacific Northwest, you should strongly consider making the trip to Seattle to visit this place. After my experience at Top Pot on Saturday, I actually returned on Sunday to sample a more diverse range of doughnuts and I was not disappointed with any of my selections.

On a side note, why can’t I find an independently owned, homemade doughnut shop in Rochester? Since Donuts Delite closed in 2005, this city has been a doughnut ghost town outside of the boring chains like Dunkin Donuts and Tim Hortons. If things don’t improve in several years, I may pack up and head west in search of better times.

Finally, from personal experience, don’t pick a fight with the Seattle pavement. It hits back hard…and leaves a mark.

Redshirt Freshman Fire Sale!!!!

I have never made any attempt to hide the fact that Tyrone Willingham is an inept coach and recruiter but I never felt he was a bad person until now. I am blown away by the scorched earth tactics that Willingham is using at Washington with Termination staring him in the face.

As a freshman player I wanted to play, and get in a game very badly. But I knew that, 1. I was not ready mentally 2. Not Ready physically 3. The coaches would never put me in unless I was ready and that wouldn't happen my freshman year.

Your coach is the one that has to protect you from yourself. Kids come to college with a dream to play, some dreams are delayed until the following season or a few years down the road. My dream was to play football at Notre Dame and win a National Championship. The later never came true but I did play football and enjoyed every minute of it. Coach Davie told me that they were going to redshirt me and I wouldn't be playing that season. I was content with that decision, I wasn't ready and they were not going to use me that season. I was working out everyday and getting bigger and stronger and taking my lumps on the scout team. Learning, Learning, Learning, that is what a redshirt year is for.

Without redshirts we would not have had the '93 season with Kevin McDougal, our 10-3 season in '02 never would have happened. In 2002 we had 7 redshirt senior starters on Offense and Defense and 8 true seniors that were 5th year eligible. That team was very senior and 5th year heavy, that was the reason for our success. Guys were not thrown into the fire and told to deal, Davie and Co. knew what they wanted to do in the long term. Say what you want about Davie, at least he knew football. Redshirts were very important to the development as a team.

I read an article in the Seattle Times that really made me angry. Willingham in a move that made people in Washington very upset, put in freshman wider receiver Cody Bruns during a lopsided blowout to Arizona. Bruns played a total of 3 plays in that game burning his redshirt, catching ZERO passes. He was one of eight other receivers to take the field for Willingham and the Huskies that night. Did Ty need to use Bruns? An emphantic NO! Now Bruns sits on the sideline watching while he recovers from a hamstring injury. The possibility of never playing again this season looming heavy over his head. Willingham should have known better. But it seems he doesnt care, he is content with doing what ever he wants and never answering any questions. In his usual dodging of questions he said, "If people want to debate it, let them debate it" when asked about his decison to putting Bruns in the game.

Cody Bruns is not the only freshman to play for the Huskies this year. At present count Twelve true freshman have played for the Huskies this season. And what has their effort brought them? A 0-6 record going into this weekends game against Notre Dame, a team that Ty threw under the bus.

Tyrone Willingham is very close to becoming a modern day William Tecumseh Sherman. Leaving nothing behind the rebels can use to make war... or in Willingham's case leave nothing behind so I can't be blamed when no one else can fix the program.

At least Sherman could lead. I think the answer for Willingham has been decided.
Ty you have lost my respect forever...

Friday Book Recommendation: Boys Will Be Boys

Continuing with the semi-regular series of Friday Book Recommendations, I wanted to put in a plug this week for Jeff Pearlman's highly-entertaining new book, Boys Will Be Boys. This book has had a lot of hype and is already having a ton of commercial success (#1 on Amazon for sports books), so I was really looking forward to reading it. Plus, I really enjoyed Pearlman's other critically-acclaimed book about the 1986 New York Mets World Series team titled "The Bad Guys Won."

First the positives. This book follows the same type of formula as the Mets book, so it's a very informative and well-researched book. He starts the book by laying the groundwork for the Dallas dynasty with Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson and steadily introduces the key components of those Cowboy teams (Aikman, Irvin, Emmitt, Novacek, Haley, Deion, etc). You see the team come together during the rebuilding years, and then he takes you through their eventual rise and fall as a championship football team. Between the Jones-Johnson feud, Emmitt's ego, Irvin being Irvin, the Herschel Walker trade, the Leon Lett fiascos, the White House, the 3 Super Bowl championships, the legendary party reputation, and Barry freaking Switzer, there is a lot of material to cover. It was definitely a hard book to put down.

I don't know how gets the information that he does, but it's almost as if Pearlman was on the team. It's an insider's account of the Dallas Cowboys in every way, and the amount of detail that he puts into this book is incredible. He has quotes and interviews with every relevant Cowboy figure of the 90s, and I can't even imagine how he manages to find out some of the stories that are in this book. Either he made half of this stuff up (which I doubt) or he's just a really thorough reporter.

For you Bengal fans out there, believe it or not, there is a VERY informative chapter in the book about David Shula's brief tenure as offensive coordinator in Dallas prior to Norv Turner. According to this book, Shula was a complete joke of a coordinator who didn't have the respect of Aikman or anyone on the Cowboys (including Jimmy Johnson who only agreed to hire Shula as part of a package deal to get Dave Wannstedt from the Dolphins). Pearlman was practically mocking him in the book. Jimmy Johnson couldn't have fired him fast enough after seeing him in action as the offensive coordinator. I literally started getting upset while reading the chapter even though it had nothing to do with the Bengals simply for the fact that we were subjected to 4.5 years of David Shula as the head coach of the Bengals even though he was clearly a joke in Dallas. It confirms what many of us have known for 18+ years. Bengals owner Mike Brown is completely incompetent and borderline deceitful. He is literally STEALING money from the taxpayers of Cincinnati and the season ticketholders, and anyone who continues to support his "regime" (that's the only word that I can use for him at this point since he has become a Stalin-like figure in Cincinnati) should take a peek at this David Shula chapter and see for themselves how Mike Brown has been conning the city for almost 20 years by deliberately putting out a crappy product. Ok, I need a walk now. I digress.

Now to a few drawbacks for the book. I enjoyed everything about this book and in many ways it lived up to the hype with one exception. THE SUBJECT. The Dallas freaking Cowboys. I sort of forgot how much I hated those guys back in the 90s, and the book brought back many memories of me rooting against them on a weekly basis. I remember being happy when Leon Lett touched the live football in the Thanksgiving game against Miami that gave Miami another chance at the winning field goal, and that feeling came rushing back when I was reading about it in the book. It was sort of hard to read a 400 page book about the Dallas Cowboys and feel compassion or joy for them when I rooted so feverishly against them back in the day. I remember being HAPPY when Jimmy Johnson left the Cowboys, so it was hard for me to really feel sympathy for Aikman when he started getting upset about the Dallas dynasty spiraling out of control in the post-JJ era.

It also doesn't help that Pearlman almost goes out of his way to make the major players of the 90s Dallas organization look like bad dudes. Just going through the portrayals of some of the key figures:

Jerry Jones - egomaniac, insecure, in over his head, wanted credit for building the Cowboys even though he knew nothing about personnel, habitual drunk, adulterer

Jimmy Johnson - control-freak, petty, jerk, egomaniac, completely neglected his family, backstabber, picked on the trainers and "little people"

Emmitt Smith - completely self-absorbed, not a good teammate

Michael Irvin - drug addict, crazy, womanizer,

Charles Haley - certifiable nutjob

Deion Sanders - lazy, self-absorbed, bad teammate

Barry Switzer - stumbling drunk, in over his head, not respected by his players or coaches

Either the 90s Cowboys were just not very redeeming people or Pearlman makes them out to be worse than they actually were. Aikman comes off ok in the book, but that's about it. It's just hard to buy into the idea that was as much dissension and tension within the Cowboys when they were winning as many games as they were. The team would be like 8-1 and Pearlman was acting like they were coming apart at the seams. Try saying that to a Bengal fan!!

Finally, "Boys will be Boys" is pretty salacious and downright raunchy at times. Between all the "cheating on wife with 8 strippers" stories, the "found in a hotel room with coke and prostitutes" stories, the drug stories, the "reserving an entire limo of bimbos to be transported from Dallas to the Super Bowl" stories, the DUI stories, the gun stories, and the stories about Charles Haley's....ummmm...third leg, I legitimately felt dirty after finishing the book. Just know that there is a lot of off-the-field stuff (many of which is obviously highly entertaining), and I was actually sort of fatigued by it by the end of the book.

All in all, even though I felt a little dirty reading it and wasn't a huge fan of those Cowboy teams, I'd highly recommend "Boys will be Boys" if you are looking for an entertaining book that reads quickly and has a lot of great stories and great reporting. If you love football and grew up watching the NFL (even if you hated the Cowboys), this book is a must read.

Big East Media Day

Since Wednesday was Big East media day, I wanted to post the preseason Big East coaches standings. Interesting stuff.

1. UConn
2. Louisville
3. Pittsburgh
4. Notre Dame
5. Villanova
6. Marquette
7. Georgetown
8. Syracuse
9. West Virginia
10. Providence
11. Cincinnati
12. Rutgers
13. Seton Hall
14. St. John’s
15. DePaul
16. USF

Some quick thoughts:

-- As far as the Irish are concerned, I can live with 4th even though some folks are talking about us as one of the four best teams in America let alone the Big East. I'm pretty comfortable in my skin with Notre Dame basketball, so I'm not going to get all bent out of shape about media perceptions of this program. I know that we are never going to get a lot of preseason hype because we don't LOOK like your typical great basketball team. We start a lot of white guys who don't jump out of the gym or look like great players when you first see them. I get that, so I am not surprised that we are "only" fourth in the polls even though we have been a better team than UConn in the Big East the last couple years. If anything, I'm ok with a little lower ranking because our guys might use it as motivation and play with a chip on their shoulder. ND hoops has done better when we are flying under the radar, so excess preseason hype doesn't really do anything special for us.

And let's be honest, we probably need to get over the hump and make a Sweet 16 or a run to the BET Finals to really cement our reputation in this league to the point where we would be projected in the preseason to win the Big East. The great thing about college basketball is that we will get that opportunity during the season and in the postseason. You prove it on the court in college hoops unlike college football.

ND has a ton of big nonconference and conference games lined up this year, so we are going to get a chance to see how we do against the "heavyweights" of college basketball. Great work by Coach Brey to line up this schedule. We are a veteran team, so this is the perfect year to challenge ourselves. If we do well, we're in line for a top 2 seed. If we don't, then we weren't going to get there anyway with a weak schedule.

-- UConn at #1 is surprising and not surprising. It's not surprising because UConn has been getting a TON of preseason hype and has been ranked as high as #2 in a lot of national polls. However, it's surprising to me simply because I'm not buying this current version of UConn basketball. That's no knock on Jim Calhoun as a basketball coach, and his record of winning championships speaks for itself. But this group of UConn players has been through the ringer for a couple years, and I still haven't seen anything resembling consistent basketball out of them. Hasheem Thabeet is overrated and not as big of a factor in games as he is made out to be, and the same could be said for guys like Jeff Adrien and AJ Price. I'm not ready to buy in on UConn just yet. Calhoun has done it in the past, but I think his "material" this year is not as good as advertised.

-- I raised an eyebrow when I saw Pitt at #3, but then I saw who they still have on their roster. Sam Young is still on the Pitt roster?? Are you kidding me?? How is that even possible?? I feel like he was playing for Pitt in the Ben Howland era. He needs to be called Sam Young 2.0 this year or something like that.

I have all the respect in the world for Pitt basketball, so it's hard for me to dispute a poll that has them as the #3 team in the league. It's not pretty and they will always have some weaknesses (perimeter shooting), but they win games with defense, toughness, and rebounding. They might never win a national title with that type of formula, but it has won them a lot of games and they pretty much own the Big East Tournament. Between Levance Fields, Sam Young, and DeJuan Blair, they have the foundation to be a typical really good Pitt team.

Jamie Dixon is a class act, and I'm glad to have him in the Big East. I'm also glad he's around because Sean Miller wants his job, and he's not going to have a crack at it unless Dixon leaves. I would love to see Sean Miller stay at Xavier forever.

-- For my money, the best team in the Big East this year is Louisville, and I'd probably put them as my #2 team in America behind North Carolina. With Earl Clark, Terrence Williams, Jerry Smith, Ed Sosa, Andre McGee, and this freshman Samardo Samuels guy, they are absolutely LOADED. Throw in Mr. Richard Pitino pacing the sideline, and the Cards are the class of the Big East if you ask me.

-- Possible overrated team: Marquette - I know they have all their best players back (James, McNeal, Matthews, Hayward), but color me nervous about that coaching change. I don't know anything about Buzz Williams and his reputation as a Crean/Gillespie disciple is probably a good sign, but I feel like I have to put them down as the possible overrated team. It can be a good thing for a new coach to have a veteran team, but it might also morph into a situation where guys like James and McNeal are looking to get "theirs" to get to the next level and not going to rally together with Crean no longer around. I'm assuming that they will be a tournament team, but I'm a little leery of the talk about them as a top 10 team.

Sorry Mike, but my other one is Syracuse. Just call me the Debbie Downer of Syracuse basketball, but I've been on this for a couple years. Jim Boeheim is DONE. I know it's blasphemous and I expect some heated words in the commentary, but he has lost his way with the terrible zone defense and the laziness that it breeds. I just don't trust Boeheim anymore, and I think he's wasting a lot of talent. Unless he pulled a Paterno/Bowden in the offseason and turned over the reins of the Xs and Os to an assistant, I'm not on board with the Cuse.

And I'm saying that as someone who has always liked Syracuse basketball and consider Lawrence Moten one of my favorite college basketball players of all time.

-- Most underrated team: Georgetown - Cmon, I know they lost Roy Hibbert and Wallace and others, but Georgetown at seventh??? Where is the respect??? They still have Dajuan Summers and tons of young guards and now they have the #1 big man in the country coming in, Greg Monrore. JTIII is not letting this program fall to seventh in the Big East. I think Gtown will finish minimum in the top 5 in the Big East, and I would not be surprised if they were were one of the best teams in the league by Big East Tournament time.

And I would be doing you readers a disservice if I didn't put in my annual "NEVER COUNT OUT A BOB HUGGINS COACHED TEAM" paragraph into any preseason college basketball discussions. I honestly don't even know who WVU has back, but Huggins is taking that team to the Big Dance this year. Mark it down. Bob Huggins wins college basketball games. That's what he does.

-- How loaded is the Big East this year?? You could make a real good argument that there are 8 Top 25 caliber teams in the Big East this year.

All you ACC or Big Ten or Big 12 fans out there, BRING IT. The Big East is the best basketball conference in the country. I will not give in. Fire away.

-- Here was their All Big East preseason team

2008-09 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

ALL BIG-EAST TEAM
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati
AJ Price, UConn
Hasheem Thabeet, UConn
DaJuan Summers, Georgetown
Terrence Williams, Louisville
Jerel McNeal, Marquette
Kyle McAlarney, Notre Dame
Sam Young, Pittsburgh
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova

HONORABLE MENTION
Jeff Adrien, UConn
Earl Clark, Louisville
Dominic James, Marquette

Can't really argue with too many of those picks. I'd have to sit down and think about some names that may have been omitted, but I like that list. I think Harangody has a great shot to repeat as Big East Player of the Year

That's all I got for now. Stay tuned for more Big East discussion as we head into the college basketball season.

Week 9: The Picks

After a relatively tame week eight in college football, week nine roars back with a vengeance with three top ten matchups and a host of other interesting conference matchups.

There are almost too many good college football games this Saturday. Think about this day as you gear up for Saturday.

noon - Texas Tech at Kansas
3:30 pm - Georgia-LSU, Oklahoma State-Texas
8:00 pm - Alabama-Tennessee, Notre Dame-Washington, Ohio State-Penn State
10:15 pm - USC-Arizona

Man, color me disappointed that all these games are overlapping. Would have loved for some of these games to have been last week.

Unless you are going to one of these games, Saturday looks like the kind of day where you are going to want to end up a sports bar to tune into all these games.

Should be a great weekend and hopefully the last game of the Ty Willingham era.

Auburn +3 at West Virginia (ESPN 7:30pm)

Dan: West Virginia -3

Before the season began, this game looked like it could have potential national championship implications at the beginning of the year. Now, Auburn is in shambles and West Virginia is stuck vying for a Big East title. While West Virginia could get caught tripping in non-conference game, I don’t think so for two reasons. One is that Big East teams are used to Thursday night games, while SEC teams tend to under-perform in week night games. Secondly, Auburn is bad. They lost to Arkansas. At home. Put a fork in them.

West Virginia 24 Auburn 16

Matt: West Virginia -3

I remember being pumped about this game when I first saw it on the schedule. Not so much any more. It's still commendable that both these teams scheduled a nonconference game of this magnitude as the calendar is about to flip to November. But neither of them have been able to live up to their preseason billing. I wonder if the good people of West Virginia are happy with the thought of Bill Stewart for another few years. What the heck is he thinking trying to convert the 'Neers into a passing team with Pat White and Noel Devine in the backfield? Nevertheless, Auburn is an absolute mess right now, and I think West Virginia wins this one at home in front of the Morgantown faithful.

West Virginia 24 Auburn 13

Mike: Auburn +3

When I purchased my copy of Phil Steele’s College Football Preview back in July, this game jumped off the page as an incredible Thursday night matchup with potential National Championship implications. Unfortunately, Tommy Tuberville’s ill fated spread experiment has placed him on an ever growing hot seat and Bill Stewart has looked completely lost at the helm for the Mountaineers. The difference in this game is that Auburn still knows how to play defense. As such, the Tigers should have no problem controlling a West Virginia attack that only mustered of 268 yards of offense (90 of which came on a Noel Devine run in the 4th quarter) against Syracuse. Yes, that Syracuse.

Auburn 20 West Virginia 10

Doug: Auburn +3

Thursday night games have been leaning toward the home teams all year, and West Virginia fans have been gearing up for this game as their marquee home game all year. Both these teams (and programs) really need this game badly. Auburn is in a full-fledged tailspin, but I feel like the week off will give them a chance to circle the wagons and go into this game looking to play Auburn football: tough defense and power football. That is the Auburn football that I know, and I hope they get back to playing that type of football. The Big East is wide open, and WVU would probably like to use this game as a springboard toward a strong second half of the year.

I have no reason to pick Auburn here, but oh well. Give me the Tigers. I'll happily take an SEC team over a Big East team any day. Auburn has played in tougher environments than Morgantown, West Virginia, so they will not be intimidated. I like the Tigers to win straight up on the road.

Auburn 20 WVU 17

Wake Forest (+3) at Miami (ESPNU 12pm)

Dan: Wake Forest +3

No chance I’m gambling on this games. Both teams have been gambling nightmares all year. Grobe has turned his team into the Demon Unpredictables. Miami has outscored its opponents in the last 10 quarters 105 – 62. I would lean towards the home team here, but since being at home doesn’t mean much for Miami, I’ll take the points. I think Leavitt gets his team re-focused (again) and they show up to beat the once vaunted Canes.

Wake Forest 17 Miami 14

Matt: Miami -3

I'm officially off the Wake Forest bandwagon. Are you kidding me getting shut out at Maryland. Something has been seriously wrong with the offense going back to that upset win in Tallahassee over a month ago in which the offense mustered only 4 Sam Swank field goals. A lack of a running game seems to be the main culprit, as their two running backs Josh Adams and Brandon Prendergass have barely 350 yards total and a miserable 2.6 yards per carry. Miami may not be the Miami of old, as evidenced by giving up 31 last week to Duke in a blowout win, but I remain convinced that they are on the right track, and they definitely will have more athletes on the field. Miami gets the home W.

Miami 31 Wake 21

Mike: Wake Forest +3

Miami had a nice win at Duke (can’t believe I just typed that) last week, but every time the Canes appear to be on the verge of a breakthrough, they seem to take a big step backward. Although Wake has some serious problems, especially with its inexperienced and banged up offensive line, I trust that Jim Grobe will make the necessary corrections this week. By contrast, I have no confidence that Randy Shannon, whose “musical quarterbacks” policy has already created a genuine controversy, will build on his team’s success in Durham. Look for a bounce back win for the Demon Deacons on the road over the inexperienced Canes.

Wake Forest 21 Miami 20

Doug: Miami -3

Wake has taken a major step back in recent weeks, but the question in this game is whether Miami is capable of stepping up and dominating this game. They have the talent to do it, but still seem to be feeling their way through the season and trying to figure out who they are. Randy Shannon can't seem to decide on a QB and continues to shuffle Robert Marve and Jacory Harris in and out of the game.

Wake is a sitting duck and has lost their offensive mojo. If Miami has any aspirations of becoming a great program again, they need to start winning games like this one. I'm not sure how great I feel about this pick, but I'll go with the Canes.

Miami 23 Wake 14

BC +3 at North Carolina (Raycom 12pm)

Dan: BC +3

These ACC teams are very hard to get a read on this year. North Carolina’s defense is good, but its offense lost its third offensive starter (even if it is just the fullback) from a line-up that wasn’t all that strong to begin with. BC on the other hand is playing pretty good football having just taken down the Hokies to move into first place in its division. Despite playing at home, I think UNC will have a tough time getting points, and BC will keep the ball on the ground to avoid turnovers. BC’s quarterback has an almost 1 to 2 TD to interception ratio, so if they are forced to throw against the superb UNC pass defense, watch out! However, I think BC manages to have just enough success on the ground to pull off the upset on the road.

BC 14 UNC 10

Matt: UNC -3

So nice of UNC to go out and lose last week to UVA. Really made us ND fans feel good about that loss in Chapel Hill. Neither of these teams are that good - I see both of them about 8-4 or 7-5.

By the way, as I am typing this, the Backstreet Boys are singing the National Anthem in Tampa before Game 1 of the World Series. Are you kidding me Tampa? The freaking Backstreet Boys. And you expect us to take you seriously as a sports town. What a joke. I'll say this - if the Phillies trotted out the Backstreet Boys before Game 3 there would be a legitimate riot. Fans would charge the field and physically assault those fools.

UNC 27 BC 21

Mike: North Carolina -3

Well, I was wrong about BC last week. By “wrong,” of course, I mean that I was wrong about the final score, but not about BC being a second rate program. The latter assertion was completely valid and, accordingly, the Tar Heels will start BC on its well trodden path to mediocrity this week.

UNC 24 BC 21

Doug: North Carolina -3

I am picking UNC to win this game, but it's not meant as a knock on BC. I watched most of the second half of the BC-VT game, and BC is a pretty darn good football team. It's a typical BC team. They have a ton of seniors, they tackle well, they pursue well even though they don't have a lot of speed, they don't miss a lot of assignments defensively, they stop the run, they are physical, they are just savvy enough offensively to put some points on the board, and they are tough. That's BC football for the last 15 years, and nothing seems to change with them no matter how many head coaches they go through. They don't have enough top end talent or speed to win 10+ games or go to BCS bowls, but they do enough things well to be a consistent 7-9 win team depending on their schedule. BC is not pretty, but they find ways to wear you out and grind out wins. We can create some matchup problems for BC with Clausen and our receivers, but BC will be a formidable opponent for the Irish again this year.

I'm going with UNC to win this week because they are a little more talented than BC, Hakeem Nicks is a matchup problem for BC, they are at home, they will be looking to get the bad taste out of their mouths from the loss to Virginia, and Butch Davis is a quality coach. Crain has gotten a little better for BC, but I don't trust him on the road against an opportunistic defense like UNC.
The ACC is so wide open this year that just about every team in the league could conceivably win it. Should be an interesting second half of the season in the ACC. A win for either of these teams in this game would be a big boost in the league standings.

By the way, if you are looking for a great college football show to listen to, check out Bomani from 850 The Buzz in Raleigh. We listened to his show on the drive to Chapel Hill, and it is a treat.

UNC 27 BC 21

Kentucky (+24.5) at Florida (Raycom 12:30pm)

Dan: Kentucky +24.5

Kentucky is not a very good football team, but they haven’t lost an SEC game by more than 7 points this year. Meanwhile, I think UF is due to come out sluggish after a big win and a bye week, particularly against a week opponent. Expect Meyer to remind his players that Kentucky kept it extremely close against Alabama, and that’s enough for a good win, but not by 25 points.

Florida 38 Kentucky 17

Matt: Florida -24.5

I'm really going out on a limb here with this one. 24.5 is a ridiculous line in the SEC. I just feel like the Gators are rounding into form and have finally ironed out their problems on offense. Chew on these numbers: Percy Harvin is averaging 7 yards a carry and 16 yards a catch. Chris Rainey is averaging 7 yards a game. Jeff Demps is averaging 13 yards a carry. 13 yards a carry! In fact, I'm going out on a limb right now. The University of Florida will be playing for the National Championship this year. Mark it down.

Florida 45 UK 20

Mike: Kentucky +24.5

Florida appears to be as good as, if not better than, any other team in college football and they are also coming off a bye. In recent years, however, the Gators have struggled in the week that immediately precedes the game formerly known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Nonetheless, it’s tough to feel comfortable about picking Kentucky in this spot because the Wildcats have been ravaged by injuries to key performers in recent weeks. Still, I think the Gators will play to their historical “look ahead” trend, thus allowing a depleted Kentucky squad to cover this monster spread in Gainesville.

Florida 31 Kentucky 13

Doug: Kentucky +24.5

I think Billy Gillespie will have his troops fired up heading down to the O-Dome to take on Billy Donovan and the Gators. He's gotta find a way to get the ball to Patrick Patterson and hope that Jodie Meeks doesn't turn the ball over. Oh wait...

24 points in the SEC is too much for my blood. Florida is real good when they are hot, but that's a lot of points to give them. UK's defense is solid, and I don't see any reason why they can't cover a 3 td spread.

Florida 27 Kentucky 13

Alabama -6.5 at Tennessee (ESPN 7:45pm)

Dan: Alabama -6.5

Alabama has not been winning games by many points lately. In fact, its margin of victory in the last 3 games averages only about 6 points. Fulmer is desperate for a statement win, lest the faithful in Tennessee get even more frustrated. Also, while Saban has coached some good teams, he has never had an undefeated season. Can he finally pull it off? I don’t think so, but I think they get the win and cover this week. However, this definitely seems like a nice little 6 point teaser opportunity, just to be safe. (Note: My last teaser recommendation could have not been more wrong, so please take this with a grain of salt).

Alabama 27 Tennessee 13

Matt: Alabama -6.5

Alabama is just a weird team. They get out and dominate in the first half and then seemingly go to sleep in the second half. I watched their game last week against Ole Miss and they were lucky to come out of there with the W. They just played like crap in the second half. I don't know what is going on down there, you would think that Saban would find a way to get them playing 60 minutes of football. I have all but given up on UT this year, but I think they have one more valiant effort this weekend at home on Rocky Top, but Alabama survives.

Alabama 24 UT 17

Mike: Alabama -6.5

Terrence Cody is out for the Tide, which is a mild concern, but I can’t foresee any scenario that involves Tennessee’s anemic offense scoring more than 14 points in this game. On the road, Nick Saban will rely upon the time tested blueprint of running and defense to grind out a workmanlike victory.

Alabama 24 Tennessee 14

Doug: Tennessee +6.5

UPSET ALERT!! Calling it right now. Tennessee is going to shock the world and win this game. Alabama is a real good team, but they are living a little on borrowed time. I just feel like they are due for a loss. Everyone in Tuscaloosa is talking about that November 8 showdown in Baton Rouge, but I have a feeling that they are going down on Saturday night in Knoxville. It is almost impossible to go through the SEC undefeated these days unless you have incredible depth and experience, and I don't think Bama has enough of either trait to do it. Mike Patrick will bring you the action, and I am already hearing the shrieking in his voice.

The coaching matchup is admittedly a little terrifying for the Vols (Saban and Fulmer...yikes), but I think Tennessee wil rise up off the mat and give the Orange Nation one last hurrah before fading off into the sunset at the end of the year.

Tennessee 20 Alabama 17

Oklahoma State +12 at Texas (ABC 3:30pm)

Dan: Texas -12

The Longhorns seem like a team on a mission this year. They looked dominant while trouncing Missouri last week. While I think the Cowboys are a good team, I also have this slight feeling they are still playing above there level a little bit. The only way Texas doesn’t come out and beat them by 2 touchdowns is if the Longhorns beat themselves. My newfound faith in Mack Brown says that it will not happen this week. I like Texas in another rout.

Texas 41 Oklahoma State 24

Matt: Texas -12

I love that Oklahoma State is a legitimate team this year. From Eskimo Joe's to Coach Gundy to Big Country Reeves, I have no reason not to like Oklahoma State and the city of Stillwater. Maybe they'll even end up on our schedule one day. But I just really think that Texas at home will be ready for them. Mack Brown seems to have Texas so focused that I don't see them looking past the Cowboys at all. Speaking of which, here is my Top 7 heading into this weekend:

1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. Florida
4. USC.
5. Penn State
6. Oklahoma State
7. Oklahoma

39 Notre Dame

81 Temple (Did anyone see Bill Cosby on the intro to ESPN 2's coverage of the Temple - Ohio game on Tuesday night? Youtube it if you didn't. I think he referred to Ohio as the Chitlin Legs, he called it ESPN 7 and made some weird noises with his mouth that sounded like a cross between bad freestyle rap and coughing. Big comeback win for Philly's own Temple Owls in front of hundreds of rabid fans)

118 Washington
119 Washington State - Worst team in Division 1 history. And that is inarguable. The Apple Cup Pillow Fight will be must see TV to see just how bad college football can be played.

Texas 47 Oklahoma State 34

Mike: Texas -12

Can Texas possibly maintain an incredible level of intensity and execution for another week? Perhaps not, but they can afford a slight decline in both departments against an Oklahoma State team that is just waiting to be exposed as a complete fraud. Unless T. Boone Pickens can bribe enough of the Texas players to take a dive, the Pokes have no chance in Austin against this Longhorn juggernaut.

Texas 45 Oklahoma State 23

Doug: Oklahoma State +12

Well, Oklahoma State is a better team than Missouri, but how good are they compared to Texas?? I don't know, but I like them to cover the 13 points. Texas is playing their third straight "huge" game in a row. Are they going to be able to sustain this level of play week after week after week?? I think Texas is clearly an elite team with elite talent and an elite staff of coaches, but asking them to cover the 13 number seems a little much.

I like Texas to pull this game out, but I think it will be a very competitive game. Mike Gundy has done an outstanding job building up that Oklahoma State program into a dynamic offensive team, and I don't see any reason why they will get blown out here.

Texas 37 Oklahoma State 30

Georgia +2 at LSU (CBS Sports 3:30pm)

Dan: LSU -2

Georgia is in for a tough couple weeks. They play at LSU followed by the World’s Largest Cocktail Party (forever so shall it be named). They Tigers bounced back from their destruction at the hands of the Gators to handle a decent South Carolina team on the road. I really have not been all that sold on Georgia this year. Moreno is great, but their O-line is young, and could have trouble dealing with LSU’s talented front four. In a defensive struggle, I think the Tigers pull off the win and keep the pressure on Bama in the SEC West.

LSU 20 Georgia 17

Matt: Georgia +2

Hmmmm, this is an intriguing game. Something just seems a little off to me about LSU this year. The offense has never really gotten into sink, and the defense isn't nearly as ferocious as it has been in years past. By no means am I sold on Georgia and Mr. Overrated himself, Matthew Stafford, but I'll take them to pull a huge road upset.

BTW, these two teams are exactly the reason why I think the SEC is a little overrated this year. I know, that's blasphemy, and those thoughts are coming from an SEC apologist who believes that it's not a national championship game if someone from the SEC isn't involved. I just think that this year the Big 12 has a slight edge in terms of overall quality. I'll have to respectfully disagree with my colleague Doug that these SEC defenses could stop the Big 12 offenses. While I think they would slow them down, I don't know what SEC offense besides the Gators and maybe the Sabans is scoring enough to keep up with Colt McCoy or Sam Bradford. Maybe I'm out of line for even suggesting such a thing. We'll see as the season goes on.

Georgia 20 LSU 17

Mike: LSU -2

I questioned LSU’s talent level last week, but after a gutty win in Columbia, I confess that I was wrong to doubt The Hat. My penance: picking the Bayou Bengals at home against the inconsistent Matthew Stafford.

LSU 27 Georgia 17

Doug: LSU -2

Something is bothering me about this game. Either I am completely underestimating Georgia or everyone else just hasn't realized that they aren't that good. I think LSU is clearly the better team and they are at home, and yet the line is only 3. In other words, if they were playing on a neutral field, the line would be a pick em. Maybe I'm completely wrong about Georgia, but they haven't impressed me this year. I don't get the feeling that they are a complete team. I can't shake that Alabama result from my mind. They got completely dominated up front in that game, and I think LSU can do the same thing to them.

I will never doubt the power of motivation in a big game (especially down in the SEC when it seems that the team with a bigger chip on its shoulder tends to win), so I do expect Georgia to be fired up and looking to make a statement that the Alabama game was a fluke. I am not all that sure about my pick because Georgia might just jump up and surprise me.

I just happen to think that LSU is the better team. They still have QB issues, but the LSU formula wins games. They pound you and wear you down with their physical style for 3 quarters and then win the game in the fourth quarter. In many ways, LSU has become like the Pittsburgh Steelers of college football. It's not a pretty formula, but it wins games. They play physical but add just enough wrinkles and bold playcalls to mix it up on offense, and they come after you on defense. I can't tell you how many times the Bengals have played the Steelers tough for three quarters thinking that they had a shot in the fourth quarter, but then the bottom falls out in the fourth and then suddenly those 3-4 yard runs are turning into steady 7-8 yard gains on the ground and opening up big plays in the passing game. The whole time when you think you are hanging around, you are playing right into the Steelers hands.

Throw in a raucous environment down in Baton Rouge, and it should be a good one. Looking forward to it.

LSU 23 Georgia 17

Virginia Tech +5 at Florida State (ABC 3:30pm)

Dan: FSU -5

This Virginia Tech team just isn’t the same on the road. Meanwhile, the Seminoles should have plenty of motivation to avenge the blow out loss from last year. While you can’t count Beamer out of any big game, I have started to lose confidence in Tyrod’s ability to score touchdowns. The Seminole offense, however, has been scoring points in bunches. Bert Reed, FSU’s second leading receiver, is suspended for the game, but don’t expect them to slow them down too much. Bobby gets his revenge.

Florida State 28 Virginia Tech 16

Matt: FSU -5

I feel terrible about this pick, but if Tech isn't winning at BC, I don't see them doing anything special down in Tallahassee. I guess I have to begrudgingly give the Noles credit for the way they have rebounded and finally established some semblance of an offense. I still don't think that Ponder is the long term answer at QB, but this weekend he'll be enough with Antone Smith and his 10 TD's leading the way.

FSU 30 VT 20

Mike: Virginia Tech +5

Interesting matchup here. While Virginia Tech’s paucity of talent at the offensive skill positions finally caught up to the Hokies last week, I refuse to write off a team coached by Frank Beamer and Bud Foster. On the other sideline, Florida State has shown signs, particularly on defense, that it may be able to reclaim the ACC this year. I expect Foster’s defense to cause myriad troubles for the mistake prone Christian Ponder, which will help Va. Tech overcome its offensive shortcomings. This game should come down to the wire and, although I like Florida State to win, I would not be surprised by a Virginia Tech victory.

Florida State 24 Virginia Tech 23

Doug: Florida St -5

Another big ACC game this week where the winner could really make a move in the standings and the loser could be headed toward a lower tier bowl. Perhaps it is time to start giving Florida State a little bit of respect after running off three straight wins. Their offense is really coming around all of the sudden. Meanwhile, VT has to be kicking themselves after a tough loss at BC.

My first instinct on this game was to put down VT and not look back, but I really think that we are witnessing a possible reformation of the Florida State brand under Jimbo Fisher (Bobby Bowden is no longer the head coach of this team). They have rediscovered their running game under Jimbo Fisher, which is always a sign that your offense is on the road to recovery if you run a conventional offense. FSU has always had the talent. They just lacked discipline and a competent scheme. Fisher has given them that much.

I could end up regretting this pick since I had VT down at first and know that they will be hungry to bounce back, but I think the Noles might be hitting their stride.

FSU 20 VT 10

Michigan State -4 at Michigan (ABC 3:30pm)

Dan: MSU -4

It sure feels like it is time for the perennial mid to late season slide, doesn’t it? Yet, Michigan is so terrible and capable of self destructing at any point in any game that I simply cannot in good faith pick them. Their run defense, which should have been good this year, has been really bad. It has given up an average of about 190 yards per game in Michigan’s last 3 Big 10 games. I am thinking Javon Ringer can keep that coming and Michigan State can handle UM’s inept offense.

Michigan State 27 Michigan 13

Matt: Michigan State -4

History says that Ohio State game was the beginning of the season ending downward spiral for the Spartans. I say that a terrible Michigan team will put off that march to 8-4 for one more week.

Michigan State 31 Michigan 14

Mike: Michigan +4

As much as I hate picking Michigan and as much as I think that the Wolverines are terrible this year, I just cannot disregard Sparty’s dubious history. Given Michigan State’s talent edge and its tremendous opportunity to defeat its mouthy rival, this will be a critical test of whether Mark D’Antonio has indeed changed the culture in East Lansing. In other words, if this is truly a new era for Michigan State, they will shake off any effects of an embarrassing home thrashing at the hands of Ohio State and defeat an undermanned Michigan team. Unfortunately for Spartan fans, I’m guessing that it will be business as usual for MSU.

Michigan 20 Michigan State 17

Doug: Michigan +4

I don't know why I continue to put my faith in this Michigan team, but I've picked them for what feels like 10 weeks in a row and feel like they have to come through at some point. I've only watched bits and pieces of Michigan this year, but I always seem to be watching them when they are playing well. The story for Michigan this year has been turnovers and carelessness with the ball. When you put the ball on the ground, it is hard to overcome (especially when you are as fragile as Michigan has been this year). They seem to implode at the worst possible times.

And yet when I watch them, I see talent. There is talent on that team, and their scheme can be dangerous when they are executing. Michigan State is a moderately talented team with a few real good players, but they don't have Michigan's talent. Michigan State has weaknesses on defense, and their offense is one-dimensional. If Michigan can actually put together 60 minutes of sound football, they will win this game.

Michigan 30 MSU 27

Virginia +12 at Georgia Tech (ESPNU 3:30pm)

Dan: Virginia +12

I’m not sure Georgia Tech is ready to start beating decent teams by two touchdowns. Virginia has had some bad losses this year, but they have really turned it around the last 3 games. I love Paul Johnson and really think he can have some great success at Georgia Tech, but this one feels more like a 7 – 10 point game.

Georgia Tech 21 Virginia 12

Matt: Georgia Tech -12

UVA is one of those George Costanza 'spotting dimes / eating onions' teams. Who the hell are they? They lose 31-3 to Duke but beat Maryland 31-0 and beat UNC? I have no clue what to expect from them this week. I'll just go with GT to lay a beat down on Virginia with no confidence whatsoever.

Georgia Tech 38 UVA 13

Mike: Georgia Tech -12

Virginia has enjoyed a nice little turnaround in the last few weeks, but it is about time for the Cavaliers to deal with their success by turning in a terrible performance like the rest of their ACC brethren have done this year (see, e.g., Maryland, Wake Forest, UNC, Miami). By contrast, Georgia Tech is the only team that exhibited consistency on a week-to-week basis and I expect another sound performance this week from Paul Johnson’s crew. The Yellow Jackets defensive line should make life miserable for Marc Verica and the Hoos’ offense, who will find Bobby Dodd Stadium to be far less accommodating than their venue for their last 3 victories.

Georgia Tech 27 Virginia 7

Doug: Georgia Tech -12

While I was driving down to Winston-Salem a couple weeks ago, I stumbled upon a Virginia sports radio station broadcasting live from the Richmond area. Anyway, the host of the show was absolutely killing Al Groh and openly speculating on who would be the next head coach at UVA. The show made a lasting impression on me partially because I had no idea that Virginia had a passionate fanbase and partially because Virginia has now reeled off back to back to back wins over Maryland, East Carolina, and North Carolina to push their record to 4-3. Al Groh is not only making a push to save his job, but he is probably 1 or 2 more big wins away from putting himself into the conversation for the ACC Coach of the Year race. Quite a turnaround in the span of a few weeks.

On that note, I think they are going to get annhilated down in Atlanta. Georgia Tech is proving to be a really good team this year, and they have been dominant at home. Virginia is coming off a huge win, and I expect them to have a letdown and get throttled in this game. Paul Johnson is arguably one of the 2-3 best candidates for national coach of the year at this point.

Georgia Tech 31 Virginia 3

South Florida -4 at Louisville (Check local listings 3:30pm)

Dan: USF -4

Louisville has gone 4-1 since opening the season with that disastrous game against UK. During that time, the Cardinal offense has been an impressive machine in that time frame. On top of that, USF’s defense is missing two starters for this game. On the other side of the football, the Louisville defense has not been very impressive and the USF offense leads the Big East. Combine these two facts and it sounds like we could be in for a shoot out. I think the weakened USF defense pulls off just enough plays to win by a touchdown and get the cover.

USF 41 Louisville 34

Matt: South Florida -4

The Big East is so wide open, even more so when a Dave Wannstedt led team is the leader at the halfway post. I still think that USF is going to find a way to win the league, and therefore I must believe that they get a win at Papa John's Stadium. What a college football stadium name - Death Valley, the Coliseum and Papa John's. Legendary.

USF 34 Louisville 20

Mike: Louisville +4

Louisville, despite its inconsistencies, has certainly shown enough explosiveness on both sides of the ball to suggest that it can compete with any team in a weak Big East, including South Florida. Just a hunch, but I think that the Cardinals will finally put together a complete game against the visiting Bulls, who have been similarly up and down in 2008.

Louisville 34 South Florida 27

Doug: Louisville +4

How has Louisville only played one conference game so far this year?? That wacky Big East conference schedule always throws me for a loop. Louisville has already played 6 games, but it's tough to get a feel for them this year.

Meanwhile, South Florida continues their tradition as the most Jekyll and Hyde team in the Big East. They occasionally look incredible, but they also look mediocre on a regular basis as well.

I don't have a good feel for this game at all, so I'll take Louisville and the points. They are piling up some impressive stats, and they have shown life on the ground. USF couldn't stop LeSean McCoy a couple weeks ago. I think Louisville will follow the same formula and get a win.

Louisville 24 USF 21

Texas Tech +1 at Kansas (ESPN 12pm)

Dan: Texas Tech +1

In another shoot out, two high powered Big 12 offense square off in Lawrence. Kansas has played tougher competition, which would actually lead me to take them at home in this match up. However, Texas Tech has been playing the shoot out game longer than Kansas. As such, I think Texas Tech (read: Michael Crabtree) scores last, and in this type of game, he who scores last, scores most.

Texas Tech 41 Kansas 38

Matt: Texas Tech +1

Let me say right now for the whole world to read: I am no longer a Texas Tech supporter. Last week with 20 seconds left and the W in hand, Mike Leach tried to stuff it into the endzone. They were stuffed, but he challenged the call. He challenged the freaking call. When the replay upheld the decision, he ran it again to tack on another 6. I was embarrassed watching from 2000 miles away. Shameful nonconference schedule and shameful sportsmanship. I don't think they lose in Lawrence this week though.

Texas Tech 41 KU 38

Mike: Kansas -1

Mike Leach was up to his old pathetic tricks last week in College Station, as he decided to run a play from scrimmage with 24 seconds left to score a meaningless touchdown. Am I the only one who still cares about sportsmanship? Perhaps, but I think that karma will catch up to Leach and the Red Raiders this week. And by karma, I mean a superior Kansas team.

Kansas 34 Texas Tech 27

Doug: Kansas -1

Wow, Texas Tech is ranked in the top 10, and they are a dog in this game?? Probably for good reason because I think Kansas will win here. Texas Tech is not a a top 10 team, and I am going to pick against them every week just on principle. I refuse to believe that you can be a top 10 team with no defense. What is the over/under on this game?? Gotta think it is going to be in the 80s.

Speaking of teams that I don't believe in, how about the Browns suspending Kellen Winslow for essentially speaking the truth?? Let me get this straight. The Soldier gets a staph infection, the Browns hide the information out of fear of discontent in the locker room over constant staph infection problems, The Soldier points that out to the press, and he gets suspended for it?? WHAT?!? That's insane. The Browns have had numerous problems with staph infections in recent years (even to the point where it ruined LeCharles Bentley's career), and I think the Soldier was just frustrated about his illness. No need to suspend the guy.

Kansas 40 Texas Tech 37

Penn State -2.5 at Ohio State (ABC 8pm)

Dan: Penn State -2.5

Both of these teams looked dominant last week. This Penn State team looks like JoePa’s best team in almost 10 years. Ohio State, on the other hand, has still looked unimpressive at times. The Nittany Lions have not had much success against Ohio State in recent years. Other than the win against Michigan State, the Buckeyes have not been overly impressive in any of their wins actually. Pryor has flashes of brilliance, but then looks lost. This is Penn State’s only real chance to make a statement on a national level. They are going to come out fired up from the first whistle and take it to the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes may have more talent, but Penn State is playing like the better team this year.

Penn State 24 Ohio State 20

Matt: Ohio State +2.5

I don't know what was going on with Penn State for the first 40 minutes of that game last week against Michigan, but it was some ugly football. If they perform anything like that in Columbus, they can kiss their BCS hopes goodbye. Great night of sports all around with this game, ND-UW and Game 3 of the World Series. In case you were wondering, I am torn on the World Series. Being a Braves fan, I find it hard to root for the Phillies. Plus, my American League team the Rays is involved. But being from Philadelphia, I wouldn't mind seeing the 25 year titleless streak broken. I was just hoping it would be the Sixers or Eagles. So I will be Switzerland on this one and just sit on the sidelines and hope for some good baseball.

I'm sure Doug broke this game down from every angle so I'll just give my pick.

Ohio State 28 Penn State 24

Mike: Penn State -2.5

I realize that the Horseshoe has been a personal house of horrors for Penn State, but with Halloween looming, it’s high time for the late, great Joe Paterno to be the haunter, rather than the haunted. Ohio State benefitted from a plethora of turnovers last week against Sparty, but Darryl Clark and Evan Royster will be less accommodating this week. Also, Terrelle Pryor is long overdue for a traditional freshman (read: error filled) performance.

Penn State 31 Ohio State 21

Doug: Ohio State +2.5

Wow, big time showdown in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday night. Someone pinch Brent Musberger!! With a game time temperature that could creep down into the high 30s by late in the evening on Saturday, I am expecting to see Musberger break out the old tweed hat during the ABC telecast.

This game is basically the de facto Big Ten Championship Game, so there's obviously a lot riding on it. And for Penn State, they have three very winnable games after this one (at Iowa, Indiana, Michigan State), so they could be in the driver's seat for a spot in the national title game with a win on Saturday (whether or not they would deserve it is another story).

Before I get to the game, one quick thought for the Big 10 in the future. If they really wanted to restore some of their credibility as a league, why not match the Pac 10 and add a 9th conference game?? Or why not go one step further and add a 10th game?? Wouldn't that send a message that the Big 10 is proud of the quality in the league and not afraid to put together a quality schedule?? For example, Ohio State doesn't play Iowa or Indiana this year. Wouldn't it have made sense for them to play Iowa and Indiana instead of Troy and Youngstown State?? Same goes for Penn State. They don't play Northwestern or Minnesota this year. Wouldn't those games be better for their reputation than Coastal Carolina and Temple?? The Big 10 schedule is never going to be as strong as the SEC schedule, but at least they could puff their chests about having the guts to play 9-10 league games a year. It certainly beats the current formula of 8 Big 10 games, 3 absolute dogs, and MAYBE one quality OOC game.

I think it's awfully tough to make a call on this game because there are strong arguments for both sides. Penn State has looked like the dominant team in the Big 10 this year, they have a strong running game, they have a veteran line, they have a veteran QB who has given them a lift, they have a stout defense, their assistant coaches are doing a great job, and they are really hungry. While they have not won in Columbus since they joined the Big 10, this current version of the Nittany Lions is probably the best team they have had since the mid-90s. I personally thought they were going to struggle in Madison, and yet they dominated that game from start to finish. They faced a little adversity against Michigan, but still found a way to take command of that game in the second half. Penn State is no fluke this year, and I think they deserve all the accolades that are being fed their way. In all the years that Penn State has come to Columbus, I never really felt like they had a real chance to win. I feel differently this year.

The key for Penn State is going to be their running game. Ohio State has been susceptible to the run against power football teams, and I think that's how Penn State needs to attack in this game. Pound the run if they can and then hit the play action. They can score points on this Ohio State defense.

For the Buckeyes, it all comes down to this: Jim Tressel and the Horseshoe. Ohio State is going to hang their hat on the idea that Jim Tressel always seems to find a way to win the big games in the Big 10. It's not pretty, but Tressel wins games. If you had to put your money down on Jim Tressel or Joe Paterno in a big game these days between two pretty evenly matched teams, where are you putting your money??

Penn State does not fear the road like they have in the past, but let's not kid ourselves. They would much rather be playing this game in Happy Valley. The Horseshoe and all its surrounding areas will be an absolute circus on Saturday, and every person walking into that stadium wearing scarlet and gray is going in there with the expectation of winning that game. Ohio Stadium will be an intimidating environment with this much on the line. How Penn State responds will be interesting.

I think Penn State is going to have some success on the ground against Ohio State, and I honestly would not be surprised if they score 25-30 points. The question for Ohio State will be whether or not Terrelle Pryor can make some plays through the air and answer Penn State. There is a lot on Pryor's shoulders, and he's going to have to play well again this week. I think Ohio State needs to get Pryor out on the perimeter and give him some run-pass options. While I think Tressel will be conservative at times in this game, I think he knows that he is going to have to take some calculated strikes to get some points on the board.

If you put a gun to my head, I think I'd say Penn State is the better team. However, there is NO WAY I am betting against Jim Tressel at home in a big game like this one.

Ohio State 31 Penn State 28

USC -16 at Arizona (FSN 10:15pm)

Dan: USC -16

Since the predictable tumble against Oregon State, USC has been on a mission. I don’t think Carroll is ready to call off the dogs yet. Arizona, despite the win over Cal last week, is not a good team. As with any gambling decision regarding USC, it’s all about whether or not the Trojans show up. There is no question that USC has the ability to win by 3 touchdowns. The question is will they? I think they show up for this one and win easily.

USC 41 Arizona 17

Matt: USC -16

If betting on sports were legal and I had placed a few bets last week and lost them all, I definitely would have been interested in making up for it and taking Cal to beat Arizona in the late night West Coast Gambler's Special. I thought that was easy money. So imagine my surprise when I woke up the next morning and found out a Mike Stoops led team actually won a somewhat big game. Thank goodness gambling is illegal and the whole aforementioned scenario never occurred.

USC wins this one...BIG.

USC 45 Arizona 19

Mike: Arizona +16

I always thought that it was customary to schedule a cupcake for homecoming, yet Arizona apparently felt compelled to schedule a de facto NFL team. Nonetheless, this year’s Wildcats have more talent than previous Arizona teams and USC should be brimming with arrogance at this point. Also, while Mike Stoops’s teams have often blown easy wins (and 2008 is not exception), Arizona does tend to rise to the level of their competition and Tucson is already buzzing about this game. This one should be surprisingly entertaining.

USC 45 Arizona 31

Doug: Arizona +16

Night game in Tucson, crowd should be jacked up, U of A appears to be finally turning the corner as a program, they are coming off a huge comeback win over Cal, and now is probably about that time for USC to try to sleepwalk through another game. Just has one of those wacky FSN telecast feels to it. It seems like one of those games that will start popping up at sports bars on the East coast at around midnight when all the big 8 pm games are over, and Big 10/ND/ACC/SEC fans across the East will bond over watching USC struggle down in the desert.

I can't pick USC to lose this game, but I do think Arizona can hang around to make it interesting.

USC 31 Arizona 24

Notre Dame at Washington (ESPN2 8pm)

Dan: Notre Dame

I am insulted. Notre Dame may have beaten 4 bad teams and lost to 2 mediocre teams. I still don’t know what to expect from this team. I do, however, know what to expect from Washington. They stink. They suck. They are probably 1 of the 3 worst teams in Division I football (2 of which are on the schedule this year and 1 of which is on the schedule next year – just shoot me). If we can’t win this game by 2 touchdowns, then I don’t even want to watch. This doesn’t even need any analysis.

Notre Dame 31 Washington 10

Matt: Notre Dame

I will be one disappointed Notre Dame fan if we don't win this game by 3 td's. Pardon me Denny Green, but if ND is who we think they are, then this game should be in hand by halftime and there should even be an Evan Sharpley sighting. Washington is turrible. Locker is hurt. Their players have mailed it in. Willingham has mailed it in. No excuses Charlie - make it happen.

Notre Dame 42 Washington 14

Mike: Notre Dame:

As an initial matter, I will be heading to the Emerald City this week to watch our beloved Irish and, while there, I plan on drinking extremely heavily. Thus, any bar recommendations in the comments section will be warmly appreciated.

As for the game, the importance of a Notre Dame win cannot be overstated. In the short run, Washington is one of the weakest remaining opponents on the schedule (possibly the weakest, though Syracuse denizens might disagree), so an Irish loss would be a devastating blow for a young team that could still accomplish some commendable goals. More importantly, with regard to the overall health of the program, a loss to this pathetic Washington team would provide compelling evidence that Weis is unfit to lead Notre Dame back to its rightful place atop the college football world. Likewise, a Willingham victory would force ND alumni and fans to deal with an outpouring of scorn and derision from the legions of Notre Dame haters in the media who are currently lying in wait. I can see the headlines already: “Wronged Coach Enacts Revenge Against Racist Former Employer” (not really, but the headlines will be vitriolic nonetheless). Finally, from a personal standpoint, a loss means that I will probably just throw some weights on my body and plunge to the bottom of Lake Washington for a permanent nap.

Having said all that, I think ND will throw the ball at will against a horrendous Washington secondary. I also believe that the Irish will be able to run around a plodding Husky offensive line to disrupt young quarterback Ronnie Fouch. There is simply no reason that this game should be close and I hope- and expect- that the young Notre Dame backups will receive some valuable experience in a blowout Irish win.

Notre Dame 38 Washington 14

Doug: Notre Dame

The second half of the ND schedule begins on Saturday, and who better to get the second half of the season going but a terrible Washington team coached by the man who almost singlehandedly destroyed Notre Dame football??!? How crazy is it that we are going to have Weis on the sideline, Willingham on the sideline, and Bob Davie in the booth?!? WOW. Davie should get to coach the special teams for both schools or something.

This game is similar to the San Diego State game in that I really am not concerned about the opponent but more interested in Notre Dame and how we play. I am not going into this game wondering whether or not we are going to win. We are going to win this game. I would just like to play well. Don't get me wrong, I'll take any win even if it's a one point win, but I would love to see the Irish play 60 minutes of great football on the road and really start building towards a strong finish to the 2008 season.

I know there is a little bit of a feeling like this game is a no win situation for ND, but I'd rather focus on this game as an opportunity to come out of the bye week with a vengeance. I hope the guys have been circling the wagons after that UNC game, and that they come out of the tunnel ready to explode.

It is unfortunate that Washington is so bad this year because this game could have been a real marquee game on the schedule for the Irish and a big game nationally. Oh well, I just want to get through this one and start gearing up for Pitt and BC.

Some keys to the game:

1) The ND air attack - The trademark of any Willingham defense since I have been watching his teams has been absolutely no pass defense. It has been a staple of his teams forever. ND is going to have an opportunity to torch Washington through the air all day long in this game. Expect heavy doses of Floyd, Tate and Kamara with some Rudolph sprinkled in. Clausen is going to be fired up and looking to redeem himself for the UNC game.

Washington is really slow and soft on defense. Should be a big day through the air for the Irish. I don't see any reason why we can't score 30+ against Washington without breaking a sweat.

2) Are we building toward eventual championship football? - The 2008 ND team is a work in progress of course, but we have gotten steadily better as the season has gone along. I'm interested to see how we look coming out of the bye week. The second half of this season might give us some indicators about how close we are to becoming a great team, so keep an eye on how the defense looks and how the running game looks and how Clausen looks and whether or not we develop that killer instinct that can put away teams.

If those things start to emerge in the second half of the season (even if they only appear occasionally), that would be a great sign for 2009 and 2010 when this team is more experienced.
3) Which D will show up?? - While I think ND will have all kinds of opportunities to put points on the board, I am less sure about the defense. If the defense that has come out and played inspired at times against Michigan, Purdue, and Stanford shows up on Saturday, it would be a great sign. We should be looking to get pressure on Fouch and force him into bad throws. Washington's o-line is absolutely horrific, so I wouldn't be surprised if even our d-line is getting in there and wreaking havoc. I hope that Brian Smith and Bruton and some of the other leaders of this defense have been rallying the troops during the bye week. If we want to win our big games down the stretch (Pitt, BC, USC), the defense is going to have to play better and start dominating games.

Of course, if ND shows up lethargic after the bye week and not ready to play defense in this game, we could easily let Washington hang around on Saturday.

4) Intangibles - The obvious Willingham-Weis-ND triangle is going to be played up, but I don't really know how much that is going to be a factor in this game. Washington is not going to be motivated by the fact that Willingham used to be at ND. Willingham coached at ND four years ago. He's already coached against ND in 2005 and got his butt whipped. Washington is a broken team. They have given up. Willingham is gone, and the players know it. Willingham will never be a head coach again after this year, so he has to be down in the dumps. If we get on them early, they are going to pack it in. It's no different than the Willingham-led ND team of 2003 that packed it in almost at will (i.e. the 38-12 Syracuse debacle, the FSU game, etc). The fact that their coach used to be at ND is going to be of no value to them now that they are 0-6 or whatever. If we show up ready to play, they will fold.

ND is starting to take pride in results. I know we haven't seen it on the field yet with any big victories, but it sounds like the team was steaming mad about blowing that game at UNC. Good to see. It's still a very young team that hasn't quite found their identity. If this team develops a mentality of hating to lose, it would be a great sign for the future.

5) Life on the Road - Probably the only thing that gives me pause for the Irish is that we have been shaky on the road this year. The Washington crowd is going to be ambivalent at best, but we can't come out flat and give them a reason to get into this game. ND seems comfortable in the 5 wides formation to start the game, so let's come out with that style and try to put this game to bed in the first quarter.

The Irish won a road game at Stanford last year, so they are certainly capable of going on the road and winning. It's not something I'm particularly concerned about, but I would like to see the Irish come out focused right from the start.

There's really not a whole lot to this game. Washington is a terrible team that we should be looking to jump all over. If ND shows up ready to play on Saturday night, we are winning this game. I know there's some drama here, but that drama ends as soon as the ball is kicked. Then it becomes about football, and we are a much better team than Washington.

Go Irish.

ND 35 Washington 20

Last week:

Dan: 5-10
Matt: 5-10
Mike: 7-8
Doug: 8-7

Season:

Dan: 46-41-3 (.528)
Matt: 60-58-3 (.508)
Mike: 61-57-3 (.517)
Doug: 62-56-3 (.525)

Making the Grade

Some encouraging news drifted in during the bye week involving all Notre Dame student-athletes. The University ranks #1 overall in the country in terms of graduating its student-athletes. According to the graduation success rate (GSR), Notre Dame graduates 98% of its student-athletes offered financial aid within 6 years of enrolling. Among strictly football players, ND follows only Navy with a 94% GSR.

While some may pine for the ability to recruit and bring in the same athletes dotting the rosters of Florida, LSU, Texas and USC, what cost does the school ultimately pay? Notre Dame aspires to and upholds the importance of student-athletes. They assume responsibility for the kids matriculating through their halls, which honestly cannot be said at other top 25 schools. These players earn their degrees and, consequently, are better equipped to make a difference in the world. Can we have our cake and eat it too? Of course. But a pattern of graduation success should always be established first, not the other way around. I'm sure there may be plenty of opinions one way or the other on this subject and I welcome a good discourse. Frankly, it's not talked about enough.

On the topic of bearing responsibility for graduating players, I came across an intriguing article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. A snippet of the nuts and bolts from the two University of Oklahoma professors proposal reads:

We propose measuring coaches' success in recruiting student-athletes who succeed academically in college. We call that measure the Coaches' Graduation Rate. The CGR, determined by tracking the graduation rate of every athlete whom a coach recruits, would establish a standard of accountability for coaches...colleges and universities can make it clear that the academic life of the student is a central, not tangential, part of his or her life on the campus. Monitoring athletes' academic performance would signal that the institutional fit of a potential recruit is a real consideration, in addition to the student's athletics prowess.

A Coaches' Graduation Rate. Wow, that would make for a great PTI debate. Though it's hard to envision the NCAA endorsing something like this, it's thought-provoking nonetheless. I'll defer to Doug, Kevin and other esteemed esquires for an interpretation of the legality of such a policy. Would this consitute an invasion of privacy on any level? If the NCAA put their dollar-centric mode of thinking aside and actually passed legislation, this could become a reality.

I can't help but wonder what Bob Huggins' CGR would've been 5 years ago. He would have been unhirable. Would this tarnish the legacy of championship coaches like Dennis Erikson, Bob Stoops and Pete Carroll? I realize there's a difference between a kid flunking out or not earning enough credits with that of a player leaving school early for the pros. It's the equivalent of a pharmaceutical company swooping in and luring a 4.0 chemical engineering student before they graduated to work at the best labs in the world. The student would be a fool for not jumping at the opportunity. But, something tells me those pharma companies value a degree a wee bit more than the NBA or NFL. At the very least, a school would take on the onus of everyone in the country knowing they were selling their soul to the devil when they brought in retread coaches with a proven track record for not caring about the student part of the equation.

You know who would rank at the top of any historical CGR? The incomparable taskmaster Robert Montgomery Knight. A parting present for all you Knight fans - The General at his best.

Coach Knight probably just heard Greg Graham failed his biology quiz. Or Todd Lindeman turned in an English paper two days late. Perhaps Tom Coverdale fell a credit short of graduating. Or maybe the mere thought of Ted Valentine crept into his head. Sorry for the tangent.

Around the Nation - Week 8

Some thoughts from week 8 of the football season.

11) Michigan State and UNC....seriously?? Couldn't you have at least humored us and played well for a few more weeks?? The 2008 "Tashard Choice Award" for "mediocre team that ND loses to and then gets talked up as a potential top 15 team only to end up at 7-5" is probably going to end in a tie between Michigan State and North Carolina. Then again, you could just call it the "Michigan State Award," and I'd be fine with that.

Hopefully the days of handing out a "Tashard Choice Award" will be over starting in 2009.

10) William “Montgomery” Muschamp and Major “Montgomery” Applewhite. That's all that needs to be said!

9) It’s probably a little early for speculation about his job, but one guy to keep an eye on over the next year or two might be Bret Bielema. Tough times up in Madison this year, and I wonder if their great run might be ending to some degree. Let’s be honest, Barry Alvarez MADE that program up in Wisconsin. You could argue that Barry Alvarez was a historically great college football coach considering where that program was when he took over and what he did there (3 Big Ten titles, 3 Rose Bowl win, 8-3 bowl record). Alvarez singlehandedly put Wisconsin on the map and made them a player on the national scene. I sort of fell into the trap of thinking that they would continue to roll along under Bielema (who admittedly did have success his first two years), but it will be interesting to see where Wisconsin goes now that the transition phase is over and the program is entirely in the hands of Bielema. He’s still a young guy and may end up righting the ship, but I think it’s worth keeping an eye on the situation. If Wisconsin takes a step back into the Iowa/Minnesota class of the Big 10, it will be interesting to see who fills that void in the upper middle class of the Big 10 (my money would be on Michigan State).

By the way, Wisconsin is seeking out some games at NFL stadiums (Soldier Field and Lambeau Field appear to be likely destinations). Just a thought, but I would love to see ND drop Purdue for one of these years and offer to play one of these games against Wisky. ND-Wisconsin at Soldier Field or Lambeau Field would be awesome.

8) Maybe it’s just the contrarian in me coming to the forefront, but I think everyone needs to calm down a little bit about the Big 12. Don’t get me wrong. The league is good and Texas and OU are legit, but historically good?? Cmon. No one is playing any defense in the Big 12!! Every time I turn on a Big 12 game, I’m amazed at how little defense is being played. It’s like everyone is playing against air. There are obviously good QBs and some real good offensive schemes in the Big 12, but these 49-41 “shootouts” are just as much a product of bad defense as they are incredible offenses. No one tackles in the Big 12, and it seems like the QBs have 2-3 WIDE OPEN receivers (like no one within 10 yards of them) to throw to at all times. The "defenses" in the Kansas-OU game should be ashamed of themselves.

The Big 12 may very well be the best league in the country, but I really want to see some of these Big 12 teams against the SEC teams. Something tells me that the Texas Techs and Oklahoma States of the world wouldn’t be scoring 45 points a game against the SEC defenses.

And yes, before any angry Big 12 fans email me, I’m well aware that Texas put up 50 on Arkansas and that Mizzou put up 50 on Illinois. I'm willing to admit that I'm probably completely wrong and that the Big 12 really does have 5 top 10 teams or whatever, but I'm holding them back in my rankings for now.

7) Gotta say that I am really looking forward to this World Series. I like both these teams and would be happy for either of them. I’m rooting for Philly because their fans deserve it, but the Baby Rays are a great story and a likeable team. Scary to think how good the Rays are going to be over the next few years (especially after watching David Price mow down the Red Sox in the last inning).

The Minnesota Twins have had their share of great trades in the last decade, but I would imagine that they would love to have that Matt Garza-Delmon Young trade back. Garza has looked great in this postseason.

Pick: Rays in 5. Unless Hamels throws this team on his back and wins 3 games or something, I can’t see them hanging around with the Rays.

6) A few thoughts on Ty Willingham heading into the “Weis-Willingham Bowl”

a) Has an entire fanbase ever been more dead on right about a person than ND fans were about Ty Willingham?? It has to be one of the better vindications of a fanbase in sports history.

b) What are the odds that the same folks who killed ND after firing Ty (Dennis Dodd, Jim Rome, Pat Forde, Chris Fowler, John Saunders, even Kirk Herbstreit) will now come out and pen an apology to ND for being 100% right for firing Ty Willingham??

c) Speaking of apologies, where is the apology from Monk Malloy and Kevin White for publicly excoriating ND on the day that we fired Ty Willingham??

5) Heisman poll week 8

10) Zac Robinson
9) Evan Royster
8) Percy Harvin
7) Beanie Wells
6) Mark Sanchez
5) Graham Harrell
4) Percy Harvin
3) Tim Tebow
2) Sam Bradford
1) Colt McCoy

If I had to list 10 guys who still have a shot to win it, that would be my list. This list will be slowly pared down over the next few weeks, but I think any of these guys has a shot if they keep playing well and their team is winning. Obviously, Colt McCoy is winning this thing if Texas goes undefeated. The Missouri guys are eliminated at this point, and I can’t take Javon Ringer as a serious candidate after getting overshadowed by Beanie Wells.

My sleepers here if Texas falters and OU loses again are Mark Sanchez and Beanie Wells. Sanchez is quietly on pace for almost 40 td passes, and Beanie has some big games coming up that could put him back into the race.

4) I’m sort of fearful that Roger Goodell will stumble on this blog and shut down the blog for daring to speak a bad word about his precious league, but I’ll say it anyway. The NFL has jumped the shark. I can’t really put my finger on why it has happened, but my interest in the NFL has steadily waned in the last 10 years, and now I barely even pay attention to the league any more. It’s become an afterthought to college football. And I’m saying this is as someone who used to be a huge NFL fan. After all the great college football action that you get on Saturday, the NFL just doesn’t compare anymore. I’ll still probably get sucked into a good game or the playoffs and will no doubt get excited for the NFL Draft, but it’s more of a rarity than a regular occurrence for me to be geared up about the NFL these days.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my declining interest in the NFL has coincided with the huge explosion of 24-7 coverage of the NFL in the media. Too much of one thing is never a good thing, and that’s the way the NFL has become for me. From "Mike and Mike" to the NBC ND halftime shows to Sportscenter, it is NFL all the time everywhere. I couldn’t be less interested in that much coverage.

Another trend that I’m not particularly fond of that is everyone and their mother (literally, I can think of some mothers who are playing) is playing NFL fantasy football these days. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing either. It has become so mainstream in the sports world that I’m just bored with it (although this financial high rollers league featured in the Wall Street Journal caught my eye). College fantasy football is going to be the next big thing in fantasy sports, but right now it is the best kept secret out there.

And yes, I would be saying this even if the Bengals weren’t currently 0-7 and my NFL fantasy football team wasn’t 1-5 at the moment. I was a HUGE NFL fan in the 90s, and the Bengals were unquestionably the worst team of the 90s. It really has nothing to do with the Bengals (although it hasn’t helped).

With the news that Carson Palmer is likely headed down to see Dr. James Andrews in the near future, there is a real possibility of an 0-16 season in Bengal Land. I am praying that they get it. Already looking forward to Draft Day 2009. In a wierd way, it's actually kind of refreshing to be the old Bengals again. At least the Bengals are relevant for one day of the year (Draft Day). You couldn't even say that about the Bengals over the last couple years when we were riding the 7-9/8-8 train. I am actually looking forward to hearing the old "Bungle" jokes that will inevitably be trotted out by Chris Berman before our top 3 pick next year.

January 6, 1991 – The last time the Bengals won a playoff game. They have only appeared in one playoff game since.

3) We’ll find out more on Saturday, but reports of Ohio State’s demise (and I’ll put myself down as one who had written OSU off) may have been greatly exaggerated. Michigan State is by no means a great team (and maybe not even a good team), but they were “up” for that game and got absolutely mauled by Ohio State. That was the best game the Buckeyes have played in a long time.

As is the case with most college teams, it all starts up front with Ohio State. When their d-line is getting pressure and making plays, their defense can be really good.

Ohio State has no shot to get back into the title game picture after getting plowed by USC, but it would be a great achievement for them to get off the mat and find a way to win the Big 10. Should be a real interesting game on Saturday night between the Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions. Penn State might be the class of the Big 10 this year, but the Big 10 title runs through Columbus, Ohio until proven otherwise.

2) When Kevin White decided earlier this year to schedule Washington State for the 2009 schedule, what was his thought process behind scheduling this game?? Did he scan through his list of available BCS conference teams and say “who is the worst team I can find for a game?? Washington State!!” The Cougars will probably be in the midst of a 20 game losing streak or something like that when we play them in San Antonio next year.

Take a look at this 2009 schedule.

S05 NEVADA
S12 @ Michigan
S19 MICHIGAN ST.
S26 @ Purdue
O03 WASHINGTON
O17 SOUTHERN CAL
O24 BOSTON COLLEGE
O31 Washington St. (SA)
N07 NAVY
N14 @ Pittsburgh
N21 CONNECTICUT
N28 @ Stanford

How many ranked teams are we going to play next year?? I’m seeing USC and maybe BC, and that’s it.

We already had 3 Pac 10 teams lined up before the WSU, and 2 of those teams are bad. Why Washington State as well? Was Kevin White trying to establish beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are clearly one of the 6 best teams in the Pac 10?? If he insisted on playing 4 Pac 10 teams (which is an abomination if you ask me), why not challenge Oregon or Cal instead??

Not our fault of course that Michigan and Washington are both in the doldrums, but there is some room there on the 2009 schedule for better opponents. Using WSU’s space for a solid home and home series would have been nice to see.

I actually like this 2008 schedule. It hasn’t turned out to be especially tough (again due to the problems at Michigan and Washington), but the effort to make a good schedule was there. We are playing 6 road games this year (5 if you don’t count the Navy game as a true road game), there’s a team on there from the south (UNC), there’s good balance throughout, a good mix of teams from different leagues, several good road trips for alumni and students, and a nice easy opener to give the team a breather before the Michigan game. I am in favor of all those things.

The decline of Washington has really been a killer for the 2008 and 2009 schedules. Washington should be a traditional top 15 type team and probably has the second best tradition in the Pac 10. If they had made a good hire instead of Willingham, we would be heading to Washington this weekend for a big game with a top 20ish type team. Now we’re in a position where we’ll get no credit for beating a winless Washington team even though that type of win would have been a huge statement as recently as 7 or 8 years ago.

1) The WEISND week 8 power poll

7) Oklahoma
6) LSU
5) Penn State
4) USC
3) Florida
2) Bama
1) Texas

Not a whole lot of movement last week. Call me SEC biased or whatever with three SEC teams in my top 6, but that’s how I see it so far. Oklahoma State and Georgia are not on this list as of now, but they can obviously put themselves on this list with wins on Saturday.

USC is quietly in great shape as this season goes along. The rest of their schedule is a cake walk. They can win every game remaining on their schedule by 2-3 touchdowns just by bothering to showing up. If the SEC starts cannibalizing itself, they are in prime position to sneak back into the title game picture.