It's the Little Things, Sometimes.

Confession: I'm notoriously bad at college football pick 'em and that hasn't changed much this season. In fact, one week, my confidence points went completely unsaved in all three pick 'em leagues in which I participate. That's the last time I try that 'import picks' trick, since all three leagues have different games slated for us to pick. Anyway, apparently, the stars aligned just the right way this weekend and I actually took first place for the week in TeamSpeedKills' league. For my impressive - and very, very lucky - performance, I've won a gift certificate to gamedaydepot.com. This really isn't that impressive, but I've felt like I was sleep walking on another continent all day today and this little shot of good news has helped brighten things up a little bit. Now for some cold beer and a scary movie...Happy Halloween, everybody!

Early Leans

I've gone 11-4 and 14-4 the last two weeks, bringing me to 91-25 on the year. It's not too shabby, and I've hit some of the big upsets, but I've been too hesitant with some of my upset alerts and it's cost me some wins. There's a lot on the slate this week, so let's get to it.

Tuesday


Toledo 31, Northern Illinois 28


Wednesday


Temple 29, Ohio 26


Thursday


Miami 30, Akron 10


Tulsa 34, UCF 23


Florida State 31, Boston College 17


Friday


Central Michigan 27, Kent State 16


USC 38, Colorado 13


Saturday


Iowa 24, Michigan 23


Texas Tech 27, Texas 26


West Virginia 30, Louisville 17


Stanford 44, Oregon State 20


Oklahoma 33, Texas A&M 19


Arkansas 31, South Carolina 17


Arizona State 27, UCLA 21


Oklahoma State 35, Kansas State 21


Oregon 32, Washington 25


Alabama 24, LSU 22


Sunday


Hawaii 30, Utah State 29

Sunday Evening QB

This is all I have for you today:

At Least Georgia Hasn't Done This...

...yet.

But don't think Blair Walsh isn't capable of pulling this Saturday.

It's Almost Halloween

Here's your dose of terrifying, straight from Kegs 'N Eggs:

Thanks

Weekly Picks

Football every night of the week, folks - let's get ready. Sun Belt tonight, Big East tomorrow, and a C-USA/ACC double-up Thursday. I don't even time for early leans, for fucks sake.

But make no mistake, I LOVE it. Except for that whole 3-18 record thing...

Tuesday

FIU 24, Troy 16 - The Trojans find themselves in a new situation this season: lacking any semblance of an offense. Usually, Troy makes even the big boys on their schedule a little nervous. This season, Even the Golden Panthers are favored over the boys in crimson.

Wednesday

Pittsburgh 27, UConn 17 - THIS CONFERENCE MAKES NO SENSE! I'm kinda glad it's dying.

This is how I feel about the Big East.

Thursday

Houston 44, Rice 31 - Case Keenum looks to keep piling on to his total yardage number. Rice is just looking to keep it competitive.

Friday

TCU 34, BYU 17 - This is a very angry Horned Frog squad. They should be more than up for hosting what can best be described as a streaking BYU team. It should be a good one early, but I like TCU to pull away in the second half.

Saturday

Nebraska 27, Michigan State 26 - Oddsmakers are favoring the Cornhuskers right now, and I don't blame them; this is still the same Sparty squad that was thumped by Notre Dame. True, that loss seemed to wake up the defensive coaches, but I still don't see State winning this one on the road. I'll take NU, but it'll be closer than the 6-point line.

Texas A&M 31, Missouri 24 - A&M better be very careful; Missouri is finally going to catch one of these favored teams one weekend soon. The Tigers can run the ball very well, and should be better matched-up defensively against the Aggies than they were against OK State last week. It should be hard fought through three, but Christine Michael should be enough for A&M to ice it late.

Oregon 51, Washington State 22 - The pain train continues towards it showdown with Stanford.

Oklahoma State 37, Baylor 24 - I keep waiting for the bottom to fall out for the Cowboys, but State just keeps winning. I've looked for losses against A&M, Texas, and Mizzou and been wrong every time. Well, I'm changing my tune a little here. I'd like to call for RGIII and his Bears to finally spring the trap, but I'll go with the undefeated Pokes. All of this is predicated upon Blackmon playing, however.

Oklahoma 51, Kansas State 19 - This is going to be a VERY angry Sooners team Saturday. I already didn't like this match-up, but given the venom factor, it could get ugly fast. The WIldcats can run the ball very well, but their passing game is a disgrace (110th in the country!). Even with Willie Martinez as DB's coach in Norman, the Sooners secondary should be more than ready to handle whatever Kelin can dish out. Beyond that, those big OU linemen and backers will just load up the box and stuff the run. Look for the Sooner offense to be on the field a lot, and a tired State D to get torched, time and time again. I wouldn't look for Stoops to pump the breaks any time early, either. If you're a Wildcat fan, you better pack a lunch, cuz it's gonna be a long day and a bad way to see an unbeaten season come to an end.

Penn State 24, Illinois 21 - Zook's slide will be complete and the Nits ascension will begin in earnest.

Florida 27, Georgia 17 - I don't want to talk about it.

Tennessee 23, South Carolina 22 - UPSET ALERT The first of four upset alerts to close out the picks. Tennessee has played the best halves anyone has so far against LSU and Alabama, they just couldn't keep it up after half time in either game. The Vols are also finally finding a running game, matching their season total against 'Bama - which was also the most the Tide had allowed all year, btw. Dooley burned Worley's redshirt late in last week's loss, so look for the highly touted freshman to get the start and maybe bring some new energy to the offense with him. Meanwhile, Spurrier is down to his second dtring QB and has lost Lattimore, the backbone of the Cock's offense. It'll be a close one, but I'm taking the Vols to get their first conference win.

Georgia Tech 31, Clemson 30 - UPSET ALERT I can't explain why I'm feeling this, just know I hate it with every fiber of my being. This is one week I'll be all for Clemson - it's just also the week I see them finally falling.

Stanford 29, USC 27 - UPSET ALERT Stanford better be very careful with this road trip to L.A. Luck and the Cardinal are on fire right now, but the Trojans might have just enough in them to put out the flame. In the end, I think maturity and leadership will pull Stanford through, but young and fiesty SoCal will make it a true test. Hopefully, with the national audience, this Cardinal squad will get some much deserved attention, too.

Wisconsin 27, Ohio State 24 - UPSET ALERT Wisconsin better not let the cloud of last week's loss hang around their heads for too long, because this Buckeye squad would love to catch the Badgers slipping. I'll call for a little sleepwalking in the first half, but Wilson, Ball, and Co. should be able to pull it out.

Monday Night QB and the Top-25

It's a two-fer, folks.

I didn't have a Georgia game to write-up a Sunday morning review of and their was too much excitement late to start getting my thoughts down clearly before the Falcons kicked-off yesterday (Rise Up, BTW). So, this week, you get the Sunday Morning QB and the weekly poll all wrapped up into one neat bundle. I'm going to take my rankings pretty much team-by-team, throw in some thoughts on a few un-ranked squads, then give you a quick top-25 cheat sheet at the end. Enjoy!

Dear god, did LSU look good destroying Auburn Saturday afternoon. I honestly thought that game would be pretty close, maybe even be a trap-ish game for the personnel-short Bayou Bengals. Damn, was I wrong. Tennessee hung around with Alabama for two impressive quarters, but somehow I think we all knew doom was inevitable. Both LSU and 'Bama get a week off to prepare for their Nov. 5th showdown - it should be a good one.

Stanford is an impressive, impressive football team. And, just because you're not watching them on TV doesn't mean it ain't so. The Cardinal racked up 450 yards rushing against a surging Washington team, have a top-5 defense, and Luck is the best QB in the nation. But, it won't do them any good. People think the Stanford schedule's too soft and tend to overlook the Cardinal when they're ranking the un-beatens. Hopefully for Luck and Co., more heads will turn when they beat USC and Oregon. Until then, at least I'll fight the good fight for them.

Clemson and Oklahoma State round out the top-5. I am not comfortable with either of these teams, honestly. It just keeps felling like the bottom's gonna fall out as soon as I put my faith into them. Maybe I'm unfairly judging them by past slides and disappointments, but I feel like Clemson will drop at least two before the ACC CG and OK State will get straight dropped in Bedlam.

Oregon got trounced by LSU. Arkansas was similarly thrashed by Alabama. But the more unbeatable those two juggernauts look, the more positively those losses to them can be interpreted. Texas A&M gets to hang around in the top-10 by the same principle. They do have two losses, but they're to the aforementioned Cowboys and Razorbacks. And, oh yeah, Kansas State's still undefeated. No, seriously.

Michigan State's defense was truly, truly impressive Saturday night. The Spartan's coaching staff threw more fronts and blitzes at Wisconsin than the Badgers could adjust to. I know I'm high on Wilson, Ball, Toon, and the O-line, but they need some help up top from the position coaches and coordinators. Put simply, the Spartans are one finely coached team. That - and the win, of course - is why they trump Boise for a top-10 spot.

Boise State will need to better than staving off Air Force to earn enough props to stay highly ranked. 

Wisconsin and Oklahoma dropped pretty far. I kept the Badgers over the Sooners mainly because OU really has no excuse losing in Norman. Texas Tech receives one of the biggest jumps in FTS poll history, debuting at no. 13. They do have two losses, but they're A&M and Kansas State, both top-10 teams, and I felt they deserved to be higher than the team they just beat. Of course, I think Wisky and OU will rebound - but they've got several weeks of poll left to climb back to their proper perch...or fall even farther.Nebraska's thrown in there for good measure at no. 13, appropriately behind Wisconsin, but not too far from their previous spot.

Michigan, South Carolina, and Arizona State did not play and are awarded by getting to hover near their previous ranks. Virginia Tech and Houston won, but not with great flair or over great competition; they, too, hover. BTW, Case Keenum is now the total yardage career leader - deal with it.

I can haz all the yrdz?

Penn State has very quietly gone 7-1, with their only blemish a fairly close - by comparison, anyway - loss to Alabama. Another win and I'll have to move them into the top-15.

I have to agree with Matt Barkley, it felt like Notre Dame quit. They should have used their timeouts, but chose not to, instead allowing the Trojans to drain over six minutes with running plays. For their win, SoCal gets a ranking. And, dare I say it, Kiffin did not seem completely, well, Kiffin-y. Things could be turning in L.A.

I know Washington got BLASTED by Stanford this past weekend. But, if I honestly believe what I wrote above about the Cardinal, I can't fault the Huskies too much for the loss can I?

Lastly, for lack of better options, Georgia and Texas get the last two spots. I know some people are going to rank Syracuse, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Southern Miss,  Georgia Tech, or Illinois, but not me. WVU lost to 'Cuse, who lost to Rutgers - that DQ's both those teams. Cincy got owned by Tennessee. Would you rank Tennessee? I didn't think so. SoMiss is the most likely of the bunch to get my vote, but not until they atone for that loss to Marshall with a few more wins. As for GA Tech and the Zookers? They're done until we see more dubs. Also, Wreck Tech, hahaha!

Any questions? Here's the poll:

1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Stanford
4. Clemson
5. Oklahoma State
6. Oregon
7. Kansas State
8. Arkansas
9. Texas A&M
10. Michigan State
11. Boise State
12. Wisconsin
13. Texas Tech
14. Nebraska
15. Oklahoma
16. South Carolina
17. Virginia Tech
18. Michigan
19. Arizona State
20. Penn State
21. USC
22. Houston
23. Washington
24. Georgia
25. Texas

Good News Out of Louisville

In last night's upset of Rutgers, Louisville ended a three-game losing skid but lost cornerback Anthony Conner. In tackling Knights' wideout Mohamed Sanu, Conner's head collided with Sanu's knee. The hit didn't look that bad at first, but Conner didn't move after the play; he had broken his neck. It's one of the more terrifying aspects of what is a very violent sport. At any moment, any player can have his career, mobility, or even his life, taken away from him. When it happens, like with Conner last night, you get a pit in your stomach and hope for the best...but fear the worst. Well, good news this morning: doctors are saying that paralysis will not be an issue in Conner's recovery. He most likely will never play again, but he will walk again. While it's always sad to see a career cut short, we can take solace in the fact that Conner will recover.

Weekly Picks

Lots of games to pick this weekend. I was 13-2 last week, with all my upsets hitting home, making me 66-18 on the year. I forgot to do early leans this week, but I've certainly changed my mind between Sunday night and now. There are some junk games on this slate, but I'm standing by my 'pick all the games' rule when it comes to non-Saturdays.

Thursday

UCF 30, UAB 16 - This will be a boring game in the lowly Conference-USA. Read: still better than baseball.The Knights have hit the skids this year, but the Blazers are completely off the tracks.

Arizona 33, UCLA17 - OUT ON A LIMB The Wildcats are 1-5 and replacing their coach. If anyone can fuck this up, it's Rick Neuheisel. I'm taking Nick Foles to gut it out over the Bruins.

Friday

West Virginia 44, Syracuse 20 - I think this one could be competitive early. 'Cuse is much improved this season and the Carrier Dome could be rocking with fans looking for good things from a 4-2 squad getting ready to jump to the ACC. It won't mean much by the third quarter, though. The 'Neers just have better athletes and once Geno Smith finds a rhythm, the Orange D is done.

Louisville 27, Rutgers 26 - UPSET ALERT Rutgers is 5-1, but barely. Louisville is only 2-4, but Strong just got an extension and the Cardinals are perched for a resurgence. Also, it's the Big East. Nothing makes sense there except that which makes no sense.

Saturday

Oklahoma State 31, Missouri 27 - UPSET ALERT I just don't trust the Pokes to keep it going. I do like Justin Blackmon, though. It'll be a great pass and catch that seals the deal for State over a Mizzou team looking to prove themselves to another conference.

Clemson 24, North Carolina 23 - Why do I keep tryin' these Tigers up? They crushed VA Tech, survived Maryland, and should be able to beat UNC thoroughly. But, they're Clemson. So, UPSET ALERT #DABO!

Kansas State 34, Kansas 19 - The Wildcats will be 7-0 and possibly in the top-10 after this one. /shudders

Arkansas 45, Ole Miss 17 - Why'd I even pick this one?

LSU 20, Auburn 10 - TIGERS TIGERS WEIRD SHIT TIGERS

Boise State 49, Air Force 20 - The Blue Turf will be ablaze with the Broncos' offensive firepower, as Kellen and the gang want to put on a show for anyone tuned in on Versus. The Falcons will not be able to keep up, but will add a late score to make it look better. Well, a little better.

Nebraska 44, Minnesota 13 - See: Arkansas at Ole Miss

Texas A&M 40,  Iowa State 21 - The Aggies have learned to play a complete game.

Georgia Tech 24, Miami 19 - Tech is coming off a loss in Charlottesville and Miami is coming off of two exciting games. Harris and Co. will look good on offense, but they'll give up some big plays early before their D settles in on the Jackets. A turnover will turn the tide in the third and Tech will eat up enough clock to keep the 'Canes from coming back.

Oregon 51, Colorado 20 - Even if they don't have James or Thomas, the Ducks should be able to fly all over the hapless Buffaloes.

Penn State 20, Northwestern 17 - Penn State will continue they're quiet roll.

Wisconsin 38, Michigan State 17 - Sparty has a great defense; they shut down Shoelace and Big Blue last week and are looking for a repeat this weekend. I don't think they find it. The Badgers have too many weapons, and though they may start slow, they'll eventually wear State down. Look for Ball and Wilson to put it out of reach in fourth.

Stanford 31, Washington 21 - This could be a game that comes down to QB's; Washington's found a true star in Kieth price, and Stanford has the best signal caller in the country.. I think the Huskies scrap early, but Cardinal pull it out late.

Sunday

Hawaii 33, New Mexico State 16 - The Warriors will not take kindly to that upset last week.

Williams, Gathers Suspended for Florida

Well, at least the first half, anyway. The SEC reviewed the game tape from last Saturday night's UGA - Vandy game in Nashville. Gathers was chop blocked form behind Logan Stewart in the third quarter and responded with by punching Stewart in the back of the helmet. It's the punch that drew the suspension. For his part, a pretty nasty back-of-the-knee clip, Stewart, the Commodores' center, has also been suspended for Vandy's game against Army. Williams drew personal fouls on two separate occasions but it's the second one that drew the suspension, a flagrant foul that violated NCAA Rule 9-1-4: “No player shall target and initiate contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, elbow or shoulder.”

Here's a clip showing Stewart's late, dangerous shot and Gathers' dumbass reaction:



Both of those are certainly suspension worthy, one for safety, one for sportsmanship. Here's Williams absolutely inexcusable hit on a defenseless receiver:



You know, I wonder why these Georgia guys play like this? Could it have anything to do with their DC, the man who's supposed to be responsible for teaching and disciplining these players? No, couldn't be; Grantham's a level-headed saint. /sarcasm

Mark Richt Says "Dumbass" and Grantham Re-visited

Nice.

A video from a local Nashville station captured what happened when James Franklin and Mark Richt finally met up after the game. Franklin recaps what happened immediately post-game - getting taunted by Williams, pointing that act out to Georgia staff, and the unfortunate Grantham altercation - and, honestly, Richt seems completely unsurprised. He must know that Williams is a "dumbass" and Grantham is a goddamn childish asshole.



I've caught some flack from other Georgia fans for criticizing Grantham. You can say maybe I'm not as big of a Georgia fan as someone who blindly supports him, but fuck that noise. I'll say I'd rather be a thoughtful, intelligent fan of my team and the whole game itself than be a simple homer. Grantham is completely inappropriate, from the Florida choke to the new Vandy hulk-out, he's shown he has no decorum or self control. That means he has no discipline. Raging out over a bad call or calling out reporters in press conferences is one thing, taunting kids and physically attacking other coaches is a whole new bag. And that bag is full of shit. And any Georgia fan who wants to carry that bag for Grantham is as big of a dumbass as the DC they admire so much.

Top-25

1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Oklahoma
4. Wisconsin
5. Stanford
6. Boise State
7. Oregon
8. Clemson
9. Oklahoma State
10. Arkansas
11. Nebraska
12. Kansas State
13. Texas A&M
14. South Carolina
15. West Virginia
16. Virginia Tech
17. Georgia Tech
18. Michigan State
19. Michigan
20. Arizona State
21. Auburn 
22. Washington
23. Illinois
24. Houston
25. Penn State 

The top-5 is unchanged here, but Oregon is on the rise, taking spot #7. With James and Thomas out, though, can they keep playing at this level? Clemson slips a bit, with Kellen Moore and Boise State taking a step ahead of the Tigers who almost dropped to Maryland. In a serving of counter-intuitiveness, Kansas State climbs by surviving their close scrape with Texas Tech. Arkansas and Nebraska get a bump with teams ahead of them finally losing. People need to keep an eye out for this Razorback squad; they're getting overshadowed by the West division big boys, but the Hawgs - and that pesky War Eagle - are dangerous, dangerous teams. Texas A&M is OK at 13 by product of their two losses being to top-10 teams. South Carolina takes one step forward, but that could be a big leap backward with Lattimore out and a tougher slate down the stretch. Georgia Tech and Arizona State are evening out. Auburn gets to stay in the 20-25 range with that win over Florida. Michigan State passes Michigan, but I need to see something besides a stout Sparty defense to get excited, so I'm keeping them low for now. Look at the Huskies staying tough; that loss to Nebraska still looks acceptable and the Dub is playing Tough right now. Illinois is coached by Ron Zook, 'nuff said. Houston's still Houston, getting a nod for obliterating ECU. Rounding out the poll, Penn State only has one loss, and that to Alabama, but those six wins seem shaky at best. Even though they won, Georgia has to kick rocks for that shitty display in Nashville.

Take a lesson

This is how you keep it real:



This is not:



That's two, Grantham. Do us all a favor and grow up. I get that Franklin singled out a player - but the player deserved singling out. Your defense played like dip-shit children the entire second half, taking out their own athletic failures to make stops with unnecessary roughness and personal fouls. Now whose fault is that? Um, YOURS. You're not making it better by then going out and acting like a child yourself. If you're not willing to get things straight then I hope Mark Richt is.

Sunday Evening QB

I don't see anyone on left on Wisconsin's schedule that looks like they can stop the Badgers. Wilson had a pedestrian day passing, going 12/17 for 170 and a TD, but he caught a Montee Ball half-back pass, remained the nation's leader in pass efficiency, and guided his team to a absolute crushing of Indiana. Ball went for 142 and White added 87 behind that big, corn-fed, cheese-bred offensive line. Michigan State looked pretty solid retaining the Paul Bunyan Axe, but it'll take more than that for the Spartans to top Wisky in two weeks. When do we start including the Badgers on equal footing with Oklahoma?

God, was that South Carolina - Mississippi State game boring. The last few minutes got kind of exciting, but it was 7-7 deep into the fourth. On a side note, I wish Marcus Lattimore a speedy recovery, he might have gouged Georgia two seasons in a row, but he's a beast, and I gotta respect that; he also seems like a pretty good kid. Let's hope the spraind diagnosis stands true and he gets better soon.

Texas A&M asserted themselves with a big win over Baylor. The Aggies do have two losses, but they're to Arkansas and Oklahoma State, both of whom are top-15 teams. If Texas stays as bad as they are right now, A&M really only has Oklahoma standing in the way of a 10-win season. Not a bad way to leave the Big-12.

Boise State pounded another hapless MWC foe, and still nobody cares. With each conference patsy they cream, voters get further and further away from the Georgia win in week one. In a week or two, The Broncos will slide to the bottom of the undefeateds in the polls.

After sleep walking through the first quarter, LSU woke up and pounded Tennessee. The Vols finally found a semblance of a run game, but it wasn't enough to even inconvenience the Tigers. That November 5 showdown with Alabama is getting bigger and bigger each week, but LSU needs to be careful not to overlook Auburn next week.


By the way, Trent Richardson is sickening. There should be a penalty for flagrant intentional embarrassment and he should have been called for it a few times against Ole Miss. He looked like a goddamn video game out there. Alabama could have scored a hundred if they wanted to.

And Rutgers is your Big East leader this week, folks. Oh, and a terrible UConn team beat previously ranked South Florida. Jesus, I hate trying to make sense of this league; it's like Les Miles if Les Miles were a conference.

What is about Georgia Tech and road trips to Chancellorsville? Something about Thomas Jefferson's architecture is like kryptonite to the Yellow Jackets. Still, though, LOL. Tech wrecked. While we're on hilariously ended undefeated seasons, let's talk about Illinois. Nathan Scheelhaas has finally been Zook'd. He doesn't know the score during the game and he called a punt from his opponents 30 yard line. Even the gutsiest of quarterbacks can't stand up to that kind of idiocy.

Why was Aubie wearing a tie-dyed shirt? Actually, scratch that, judging by the rest of the game, it makes perfect sense. 

I wish I had been able to watch Clemson-Maryland, it looked like it was a good one. Clemson tried to be all Clemson-y, but Sammy Watkins said 'no.' The Tigers winning ways continue. I hope they mouth rape Georgia Tech in two weeks. Kansas State also kept its streak alive, turning back a scrappy Texas tech team in Lubbock Saturday evening. With lowly Kansas next week, it looks like the Wildcats will be unbeaten when they host Oklahoma in two weeks.

Oregon kept rolling last night, thumping Arizona State. But in consecutive weeks they've lost LaMichael James and Darron Thomas. The Ducks are going to need all their pieces back and healthy for that showdown with Stanford.

Louisiana-Lafayette is 6-1. Their one loss? To Oklahoma State. The Ragin' Cajuns could probably best half the SEC East.

Escape From Nashville: Field Goals and Embarrasment

Reader Warning: Negativity Alert.

There's not a lot to be happy about from last night's game, but there's certainly a lot to try and figure out.

Isaiah Crowell had to serve a one-quarter suspension. When asked why the star freshman sat out the first period, Richt responded, "He didn't play because I love him." Cheesy, yes. But indicative of some minor infraction for which a small, hopefully maturing, punishment was needed. Since nothing showed up in the police blotter, I'm guessing missing class or breaking curfew; maybe something with alcohol or a girl - likely just typical college stuff. Maybe he wasn't focused for the game. Of course, if that was the problem, then Georgia wouldn't have been able to play anyone in the first quarter. We looked flat, lackadaisical, and just uninterested. Responsibility for that lands at the coaches' feet; they have to get the team up, even for Vanderbilt.

It's not just the coaches, though. Aaron Murray is still too uneven and Blair Walsh is becoming truly disappointing. Mike Bobo apparently went on record saying he loves Murray's "progress", and that he's a real "perfectionist." What QB is he watching? Murray stares down receivers, makes bad decisions, and is sometimes just downright careless with the football. Yes, he's a talented QB and can make great plays, but there's no difference between this Aaron Murray and the kid from last season. That might not be regression, but it's certainly not progress, either. And Walsh? What. The. Fuck. Blair? If you've given up, just quit the team so the coaches can get someone else out there for FG tries. Are Bogotay and Lindley just godawful kickers? There's no other reason I can think of for not trying someone else. I know he was the leading scorer last night, but that says more about our execution/play-calls than his talent.
 
Our old defensive friend, lack of discipline, showed up last night, too. James Franklin pulled out some gutsy calls and the 'Dores executed them near perfectly, but our D certainly helped them out, leaving people uncovered, making poor tackles, and, at times, just looking like we had no idea what we're doing. We were especially vulnerable against the run, allowing Rodgers and the Vandy backs to gash inside, through the linebackers, and into the secondary. We did deliver some monster hits, but overall, the D was very 'meh.' The long drive at the end of the third quarter and our inability to stop Rodgers in the 4th was the killer. It looked a hell of a lot like third-and-Willie again in Nashville last night. And, on a more personal note, Grantham needs to grow up a little. Sometimes he's just a childish douche bag and that certainly showed with that little end-of-game altercation. He should be ashamed.
 
Special teams was a little weak, too. How did they fall for that fake punt? Everyone and their brother knew something wasn't right there, with all the movement and shifting, why not drop into a blanket coverage? And what happened on that Vandy kickoff return for a TD? It looked like there was no coverage plan drawn up.
 
Going back to Bobo for a bit, why run the wildcat stuff? The play-calling was atrocious on that series and just didn't make any sense. I did like the playaction fake playcall, but the execution was terrible. Murray has a lot to learn to get to the Greene-level of PA passing. Also, we've got to address this O-line. They should be ashamed of themselves. They're the biggest line in football -college or pro - and they still can't open bigger holes for running backs or protect Aaron Murray. Will Friend needs to get on this, BIG time. I know I'm critical of Murray, but I will say he took that brutal shot to end the third like a champ.

I know some folks are happily watching the East standings with big dreams of an SEC Championship appearance, but we've got a long way to go to get there. We'll have to get by Florida and Auburn first, and judging by that turd we laid last night, that ain't gonna happen. Thank god we missed 'Bama, LSU, and Arkansas this year, or else we'd be suffering another losing season and the Richts would be getting ready to pack-up their shit. I just feel like I don't know what we're doing anymore, and it seems like that feeling is shared by the entire team, coaching staff, and support crew. Simply put, we are not a good football team and this game should be treated like a loss.

Weekly Picks

Thursday

San Diego State 23, Air Force 22 - Technically, this is an upset. The Falcons are favored by 6', but they got their wings clipped pretty bad by Notre Dame last week and the Aztecs are not the team to be careless against. Look for Air Force to come out angry, but the sunny style zen masters use it against them, judo-style.

USC 26, Cal 24 - Kiffin's getting ready to burn the redshirt off of George Farmer in hopes of finding an offensive spark of some sort. Cal's just hoping to find a way out of the downward spiral of the last two weeks. The Bears don't get it done this week.

Friday

Hawaii 41, San Jose State 19 - The Spartans don't have much going on. Not that Hawaii's much better, but the Warriors have enough to stuff SJSU.

Saturday

Michigan State 23, Michigan 21 - UPSET ALERT This isn't really an upset, though; Sparty's favored by 3 right now. I think they have the D to back it up. Denard and Co. think they've got the O to finally put State in their place. It's showdown time in the Pleasant Peninsula and, while I love Shoelace, I'm taking the Green and White to keep it real in East Lansing.

Texas A&M 31, Baylor 27 - A&M plays two full games in-a-row; Baylor loses two games in-a-row.

South Carolina 27, Mississippi State 17 - Connor Shaw was light's out last week and Spurrier showed no signs of letting up, calling for a deep passing TD in the last minute against hapless Kentucky. While the Bulldogs are better than the Wildcats, they're still susceptible enough to big plays for me to take the Gamecocks in this one. I've re-thought the margin of victory - 33 was a bit much - but still see it being decisive as SoCar tries to solidify their hold on the East race.

LSU 37, Tennessee 20 - Tennessee's going to have to pass to stand a chance here; their run game is non-existent. While Chris Simms is a backup, he's good enough to make some plays when necessary. None of that matters, though. The Vols are hosting a mystical voodoo tour, helmed by a mad-hatter petting a honey badger. Nothing you do against them is good enough and Tennessee will learn that the hard way.

Miami 31, North Carolina 24 - Does anyone care about this match-up? Wake up early, run some errands, eat lunch during Gameday, then switch to this for a nice mid-day nap.

Oklahoma State 30, Texas 20 - Texas showed no signs of life last week, rolling over like a prison bitch in Dallas last weekend. They'll show more signs of life Saturday, but they'll still be starting the same corners and neither of them will have an answer for Blackmon.

Ohio State 27, Illinois 26 - UPSET ALERT At some point, the Illini will get Zook'd. They have to! Scheelhaase cannot keep winning despite his coach's "coaching," eventually, things have to fall apart. While I don't like putting my faith in this particular Buckeye squad, fuck it. It's that kind of B1G this season, baby!

Alabama 34, Ole Miss 7 - THIS.

Clemson 24, Maryland 23 - UPSET ALERT I'm too scarred to call for the Terp win, but I will say the Tigers need to be careful. This trip to College Park is a trap game. it's trpp-y enough that normally I'd make this Admiral Akbar trap game of the week, but I just dropped a Star Wars reference in the last pick.

Texas Tech 31, Kansas State 30 - UPSET ALERT Kansas State feels a little like Illinois right now, in that a loss seems inevitable. Texas Tech, on the other hand, seems bound for a decent win. May as well be now.

Auburn 25, Florida 24 - I do not feel comfortable with this call. At all. Sure, it seems obvious enough. No Brantley and two ass-whippings in a row haven't made the Gators seem like a team bound for a win. But, this AUburn team hasn't shown me anything this year that makes me want to pick their games using any kind of 'trend' or 'facts.' It'll be ugly. And weird.

Oregon 41, Arizona State 29 - I hope LaMichael James is back. I also hope Vontaze Burfict slobber knocks Daron Thomas. I can't lose! The Skittles will be flowing on the Sun Devil sideline, but it won't be enough to slow the Ducks in Eugene.

My Favorite Players

I love college football. Hell, we all do. And chances are, if you love the sport at this level, you have a team that you are attached to beyond any separation. They can do no wrong in your eyes. You were dyed in the wool at an early age and the resolve has only steeled over time. They are "your" team; you use "we" when you discuss them. Their highlights give you goosebumps and their lowlights break your heart. You are, simply, a fan. But that little word belies how much emotion goes into that actual state of being. Of belonging to something as ethereal, yet as powerful, as a Dawg-nation or Tiger Nation. For your ears to prick up and your heart to race at a "Go Dawgs", "War Eagle", or "Roll Tide." When it comes to this team, everyone on the roster is special to you. They are all your favorites and you root for them every down, no matter what.

We all know what that's like. But this post isn't about that. This post is about something else, something beyond your team. Who do you really enjoy watching play football? Who do you pull for when your team is completely removed from the equation? Do you base it on their talent, the excitement when they take the field? Or are they an underdog, a walk-on, a sentimental story that tugs at your heart strings? Is it the swagger? The humbleness? What makes a player one you enjoy watching and want to see do well?

Well, I've thought about that and decided to compile my list for 2011. Sure, I could have filled it with Georgia Bulldogs, but that would defeat the purpose. I wanted to get down on paper (well, in pixels) the guys I pull for. The ones I enjoy watching for the sake of the game and would love to see succeed for no reason other than they appeal to me. And now, with no further ado, joaj34's favorite players in cfb:

1. "Shoelace" is the man, a human highlight reel as amazing as any I remember. He hasn't had the stability of some of the other greats, yet still he thrives. He's not a great traditional QB, especially mechanically, but he as instinctive of a playmaker as I can remember watching. He's over 80% of the team's overall offense and is a constant threat to score from anywhere on the field. And the dreads, man, the dreads.

2. I obviously love the dual threat QB. I also have always liked Wilson ans truly hoped he'd return from baseball and give his senior year a shot. When Tom O'Brien handed the star QB the "football or nothing" ultimatum, I immediately began rooting for him in earnest. I thought it was bullshit and that he should use the open door to transfer to a better program. He did, and. boy, did he pick a great place. I've always liked the Wisky style of football, and now he gives him the play-caller/maker behind center to reach the next level. E'ry day I'm Russell'n!

3. I mean, c'mon, he's a head-hunting, spleen-splitting, rib-rocking linebacker who eats Skittles on the sideline. That kind of swag is so unreal you can't help but love it. He's been criticized as a dirty player, but that kind of talk didn't keep Fairley from the NFL. I only wish he was a D-end; I have a soft spot for crazy-ass, freak show DE's. But linebacker is a close second.

4. His nickname says it all: Honey Badger just don't give a fuck. They say hidden yardage is a forgotten key to championship seasons. If that's true, then LSU is on a cakewalk to the crystal football and Mathieu is leading the way. Sure, he plays great covereage, ball hawks like Ed Reed, hits like Thomas Davis, and can shatter a sternum on a blitz, but he also is more responsible for Tiger field position than anyone else. He returns opponents' punts, but also has a knack for downing LSU punts inside the 20. In short, he's only 5'8", but does whatever the fuck he wants and I love it!

5. LaMichael James is on fire. He's topped 200 yards the last three games and he always seems to do it with such aplomb and grace. Not only that, but he's a leader who seems to genuinely be the heart of his Duck offense; especially more so than Darron Thomas. I also like how humble he is. He handles the press like a pro, even cracking jokes about his separated elbow like it was no thing. Probably because to him, it is no thing. If he can go, he'll go, If he can't, he'll help the next guy get ready. That's an underrated characteristic for a football player to have these days.

6. Fuck it, I cheated. Just one Bulldog, I promise. This kid's had my heart since signing day, but he's earned my respect on the field. He seems to want every carry, even though that demand has left him dinged and dented. And, even with the scrapes, pulls, and sprains, he goes right back at it, as hard as he can. It's a lot of pressure for a true freshman, but he seems OK with it. In fact, the only time I've seen him frustrated on the sideline has been in the wake of his own mistakes, a missed block or bad route. And each time he knows he could do better and all he wants is another chance to get on the field and show it. How can you not love this kid?

7. Luck showed up on everybody's radar last season, leading Harbaugh's boys to a one-loss, BCS-bowl winning season. He plays the role of the classic quarterback; a leader in the huddle, easy under center, and tough in the pocket. Luck has a Cardinal crew with a new head coach primed to make noise in the BCS and we all know they wouldn't be anywhere near here without him. He has the humble, quiet charisma of a natural leader, and you can't help but respect him. Oh yeah, the motherfucker catches passes, too. Baller.

8. Blackmon has always been fun to watch. And like LaMichael James, you just know that if a bigger school had taken him, he'd seem like a superstar. But they thought he was too slow.  Blackmon has proven them wrong by torching almost every defense he's been matched-up against. He's a big, physical guy, not afraid to bang around with corners and safeties, and that's my favorite kind of wideout. His hands are also just sick. It seems he has a nasty, high-light reel worthy catch every game. When State's on, do yourself a favor and watch. I don't even hold the DUI against him; everybody likes to have a little too much fun every know and then. And, don't even get me started on the College Gameday spot about leukemia patient Olivia Hamilton and her relationship with Blackmon. /choppingonions

9. I love fundamental football. It's why I enjoy watching teams like Wisconsin and Alabama - they'll gladly kill you with the run, but they do it my way. They don't need to rely on a cutesy system or retro run game, they do it out of a pro-set, one-back, or I-form. They do it up front with disciplined O-lines. They allow a responsible field general to head it up, and it all relies on powerful backs who can carry the workload. When one of these field-churners can also be a D-burner, then you've got lightning in a bottle, and that's exactly what Richardson is. He doesn't lead the nation in rushing, but he's got a 6.3 ypc, has topped 100 yards in five games despite sitting out big chunks of time in blowouts, and has gone for 200 all purpose three times. He's the best weapon in the Tide's offensive arsenal and may be the first offensive player from 'Bama to strike my fancy in the Saban era.

10. I'm gonna cheat again and make the tenth spot my honorable mention spot. Here are some other players from across the country that I've got a soft spot for. Tank Carder, LB, TCU - a wild man, a defensive MVP, an ALL-American, and when he was paralyzed from the waist down in a 7th grade car accident, he said, "well, I’ll just join the wheelchair Olympics." That's how you won that shit, son. Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor - until last week, he had more touchdowns than he did incomplete passes. That's some that's a stat that make's no normal sense, man. Also, he already sounds like the junior Senator from Texas; that's the kind of front-man we should all get behind. Alabama's/Wisconsin's O-lines - the defintion of Hawg-Maulies, baby! Nick Foles, QB, Arizona - this kid is a lot better than his team's record shows, and he's got more heart than Rudy, judging by the fact he keeps popping up after the beatings he's taking week-in and week-out. But he doesn't let it stop him, he just gets up, throws a TD pass, and keeps fighting, even into the waiting arms of defeat.

Tuesday Top-25

Completely stolen from EDSBS.

OK. This week it's LSU. I have a feeling it's gonna be a Tiger/Tide seesaw until November 5th. I know a lot of folks want to lump OU in there, but Texas sure did help the Sooners out on Saturday. I'm not trying to take anything from them, they're just a perfect number 3 to me right now. Call it homerism if you want. After that, I like Wisconsin and Stanford's finally convincing me they're top-5 good. Boise's on their downward skid down the polls due to the level of competition we see them play; it's getting herder and harder to remeber how good they looked opening night. I reluctantly elevate OK St, but await their two almost certain upcoming losses. Ditto for Shoelace and Co. who will run up against a talented Sparty D Saturday. Arkansas can keep their seat just outside the top-10 and I'm hesitant to just dump A&M considering who they lost to. The other surprise undefeateds are scattered among the one-loss teams by order of where I think they'd finish head-to-head. Except South Carolina. They're just 15 because that team screams fifteenth right now. Yes, I have allowed Washington into the poll. And 24. and 25. are two hard-to-predict, pretty close to mediocre SEC teams who will go head-to-head for the right to stay ranked next week. Say what you want about Florida, but this is the most brutal 3-week slate in the nation. Oh, and speaking of mediocre SEC teams who probably shouldn't be ranked, Georgia.

1. LSU
2. ALABAMA
3. OKLAHOMA
4. WISCONSIN
5. STANFORD
6. CLEMSON
7. BOISE STATE
8. OREGON
9. OKLAHOMA STATE
10. MICHIGAN
11. ARKANSAS
12. WEST VIRGINIA
13. ILLINOIS
14. NEBRASKA
15. SOUTH CAROLINA
16. KANSAS STATE
17. TEXAS A&M
18. ARIZONA STATE
19. BAYLOR
20. HOUSTON
21. MICHIGAN STATE
22. GEORGIA
23. WASHINGTON
24. AUBURN
25. FLORIDA

Early Leans - Upset-a-licious

I went 11-3 last week and am clocking in at a very respectable 53-16 on the season. There are some trap games this week, as well as some sure fire stumbling blocks for some of these still unbeaten upstarts. I don't have all of my ideas ready or my final picks locked in, but I do know that I like Sparty's defense and Zook's incompetence to finally pay off.

• San Diego State 23, Air Force 22
• USC 26, Cal 24
• Hawaii 41, San Jose State 19
• Michigan State 23, Michigan 21 - UPSET ALERT kinda, I guess
• Texas A&M 31, Baylor 27
• South Carolina 33, Mississippi State 17
• LSU 37, Tennessee 20
• Miami 31, North Carolina 24
• Oklahoma State 30, Texas 20
• Ohio State 27, Illinois 26 - UPSET ALERT
• Alabama 34, Ole Miss 7
• Clemson 24, Maryland 23 - UPSET ALERT
• Texas Tech 31, Kansas State 30 - UPSET ALERT
• Auburn 29, Florida 24
• Oregon 41, Arizona State 29

Peace, brah

"Yo, girl, can I crash at your place?...I don't know, till like December?"

 
And he walked out of our lives forever. Steve has dismissed Stephen. The embattled, oft-suspended QB was kicked-off the team for failing to do something that sounds official in some capacity, but really translates into "chemicals." My guess was that they found "Dude, Connor Shaw is a much better QB" or "Leading the nation in INT's" in Garcia's system. But, apparently, it was alcohol and marijuana. Why does the NCAA hate freedom so much, bro? Like, that's not what this country's about and stuff, man. /applies zinc oxide to nose /sex waxes surfboard

Sunday Morning QB

Another weekend of college football down, another round up of things that stood out to me:

• La Michael James is the man; I hope he gets healthy again quickly.

• I was wrong about Fresno State Friday night. Boise State finally broke out of the slump of relatively unimpressive wins they'd been in the last few weeks and took the west coast bulldogs behind the woodshed. Moore was his usual clinical self, finishing with a 175 rating and 3 TD's.

•  Unrelated to football, but I saw Donald Glover in downtown Athens Friday night. Awesome.

•  Somewhere in the third quarter, Oklahoma was started to play not just against Texas on the field, but also against LSU-Alabama in the minds of the pollsters. The Sooners had the 'Horns on the ropes all day, but Stoops never really let off the pressure and his starters were in very late. Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling him out for it. I'm just wondering how much good it did.

• Maybe Connor Shaw is the answer in Columbia. I know Kentucky is about as dumpster-y of a fire as you can get, but Shaw didn't make any mistakes

• We finally saw points taken off the board for taunting. Because of a punter. From Australia. Wow. The letter of the law says "egregious." That was NOT egregious. Oh, well.

• We might have seen Clemson's dream season carted off the field along with Tajh Boyd.

• It feels like Nathan Scheelhouse is undoing everything Ron Zook has tried to implement at Illinois. I mean, he wins and shit; that is not Zook-ball!

• Florida State has reverted back to the mean. I feel more comfortable that way.

• Kansas scored an early TD against OK State. Three minutes later, they were down 7-14 in a first half that saw the Cowboys put up 56 points.Wheedon was ruthlessly efficient, throwing 5 TD's on his way to a first half rating of 231 before sitting the rest of the game. Ri. Dic. U. lous.

• Yes, Pittbull, we all want to have a real good time, but bourbon'll get you there a lot faster than Dr. Pepper will. While we're on the topic of commercials, why the NAPA commercial, CBS? WHY?!

• That VA Tech game-Miami game turned out to be exciting. Not real sure how the Hokies let themselves blow that lead, but it made for a fun game. It seemed like every offensive player had their difficulty set to the lowest level. And Jacory didn't throw a pick all day. I know, right?

• Very childish, Texas Tech; I bet A&M can't wait to leave you behind. I'm glad they played the whole game and put the Raiders and their birther coach in their proper place. While we're in the Big-XII, Kansas State is 5-0. WTF?

• Shoelace threw three picks. But he also racked up 442 total yards and 4 TD's. I know Northwestern's not Wisconsin, but there was a statement made in Evanston tonight. I thought they'd lose and things would start evening out for this team, but i was wrong. The Wolverines can play through adversity and Hoke's doing a good job. An 8-4 year looks likely and that's a good thing.

• Arkansas-Auburn was not nearly as crazy as it was supposed to be. It actually wasn't crazy at all. Very disappointing; you guys are supposed to be the wacky ones. I guess I was surprised by how bad Auburn looked overall. We all knew Roof would get burned, but where were the points?

• Earlier I asked how much good Oklahoma pouring it on in the second half did. After seeing what LSU and Alabama did, I'd say not much. The Sooners looked good, but Texas did a lot of the damage to themselves; it won't be enough to overtake the SEC West schools.

• With Rutgers dominating Pitt, it's good to know that the Big East makes as much sense as ever.

No. 100

 Well, Richt has won one hundred games as the head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs. The centennial mark came in a hard fought game in Knoxville, Georgia struggling to put away the Vols late, threatening to keep the head man stuck at 99 for the moment.

The first half was an ugly affair, with both offenses plodding along, eating clock, and settling for field goals. It wasn't necessarily defensive; there was only one punt overall in the first two quarters and the only other possession that didn't end in points was a missed Tennessee FG in the first. In fact, both defenses looked a little shaky. The Dawgs could never really get a pass rush going and refused to cover the tight end for whole drives at a time. Tennessee played questionable coverage downfield, with safeties letting Georgia wideouts consistently get behind them. Lucky for them Aaron Murray's just not playing that well right now. He overthrew wide open receivers who had their men beat and when he finally connected on one, it was a terrible under-throw, forcing Mitchell to backtrack and killing the chance for the TD. At least he didn't throw a pick.

Going back to Mitchell for a moment; that kid plays nonstop balls-out and I love it. The 'Dream Team' kids have been great, not just for getting talent on the field, but for changing the attitude around the program a little. Mitchell's the leading receiver right now and another true frosh, Isaiah Crowell, is the leading rusher. He's also won SEC Freshman of the week three times already. Hell, Crowell's probably the MVP of the entire team so far this season. The problem is, without these kids, we don't have much on offense. That's a lot of pressure for true freshmen. It also means we have to play them a lot, which means they could get hurt. In fact, Mitchell had to leave the game in the third quarter after pulling a hammy on a long pass and Crowell was banged up from the first or second drive of the game. If we're not careful, we'll lose these guys for a game or two.

The defense picked up a little in the third, keeping an already anemic Vol run game stuffed and finally getting in Bray's face on two big third down stops. It would have been nice to see that paired with better coverage, but most of the mid level routes are linebacker responsibilities and we're a little thin at that position, so I guess it's understandable.

Something that's not understandable? 3rd & 57. That stretch of penalties early in the 4th was ridiculous. And they were followed with equally as ridiculous play calling. I get a screen or draw on 2nd, but a dive on 3rd down with over half the field to go? Seems a little yellow to me. The most frustrating thing about all of it is that drive felt like it was going to be the back-breaker. Another touchdown there would have put the game too far out of reach for the way Tennessee was playing. Instead, we got unfocused, undisciplined, and let the Vols hang around a little bit longer than they should have. This is something that has got to be addressed.

Overall, though, a win's a win and now we've had four-in-a-row. This is definitely an improvement from the past year or two. And, despite how unsatisfied I've been with certain aspects of Richt's tenure recently, I am glad he was able to reach win number 100. What would be great is if he got to 108 by season's end...

Same Old Genes, Brand New Pants

The Rock's paint job for UGA-UT,  from Clay Travis:

Weekly Picks

Thursday Night

Middle Tennessee 29, Western KY 13 - These teams are terrible and this game's gonna be ugly, but somebody has to. They have to.

Oregon 44, Cal 24 - Cal was having a decent little year until last week's trip to Seattle; I don't see the Bears bouncing back with a trip to Eugene. LaMichael James and Darron Thomas will have big games tonight - Fightin' Ducks roll.

Friday Night

Boise State 30, Fresno St. 20 - I've adjusted this pick a little from my early lean. I like Fresno to put up a bit of a fight. It'll be closer than people are thinking and the Broncos will look uncomfortable almost all night. Little Carr's having a solid season and might take the Bulldogs close, but Kellen Moore will be almost perfect in the fourth, sealing the Boise win.

Saturday

West Virginia 42, UConn 17 - Holgo's Hillbillies are looking to make statements. They made up for the LSU loss by shellacking Bowling Green and would love to keep the hurt rolling into this week's Big East opener. UConn had a shaky start and is coming off a loss to Western Michigan; they need this win to start piecing things back together. They won't get it.

Oklahoma 27, Texas 19 - I'd LOVE to see Texas win this game. I went back-and-forth on the 'Horns so much this summer, I'd feel a little validated with a UT win, even though I eventually did settle on OU. I still don't think the Longhorns can do it, though, and the Sooners will prove too much to contain in Dallas. You gotta love the RRR!

GA Tech 40, Maryland 30 - I don't see Maryland being the team that will stop Tech's offense. Orwin Smith is averaging a ridiculous 15 ypc and the passing game has clicked in every game so far. Maryland has been regressing since the opening weekend, following the opening win over Miami with two loses and a lackluster win over an FCS team. That kind of effort won't be enough for the Terps to stall the Jackets; come Saturday night, the nerds are gonna be 6-0./gag

LSU 31, Florida 13 - No Brantley? No chance. Hell, they barely had one with Brantley.

Missouri 27, Kansas St. 26 - The Tigers, fresh off their decision to start breaking up with their conference, are ready to make a statement. The better they look, the more attention they'll get from other suitors, like maybe a certain handsome gentleman from the southeast... Anyway, look for Mizzou to end K-State's run at four games...but the 'Cats will certainly make it interesting.

Arizona State 24, Utah 17 - My new adjective: Vontazious.

Arkansas 33, Auburn 31 - I'd like to think Malzhan learned his lesson last weekend: run the ball, rest your D, win games. But his hubris will be his undoing. The Hawgs won't be able to slow the Tigers early, and he'll just gash away and gash away, leaving Roof out to dry when the Arkansas O hits the field. It'll be close - and a little crazy - but Petrino comes out on top.

Northwestern 34, Michigan 27 - Denard just had quite the breakup. I already had the Wildcats picked to win here, but the drama made me even more confident of the pick. Sorry, UM, but actually competing for a B1G title is still a year or two off. Dan Persa out-passes Shoelace in the suburbs.

Texas A&M 31, Texas Tech 23 - I like A&M. I do not really care for Texas Tech. I guess that's it. Then I found five dollars...

Tennessee 27, Georgia 18 - Here's a change-up from my early leans. I was in a fever of Homer-ism Monday night when i made those picks. Now that it's time to lock it in, though, I'm gonna keep it real. Richt-ball won't quite get it done and Aaron Murray has not looked sharp enough to carry us to a win on the road. Look for a costly turnover by #11 late to make all the difference.

Nebraska 40, Ohio State 20 - The Huskers are a little angry after that beat down in Madison.

Early Leans

So far, I am a very respectable 42-13 on the season. Too bad this isn't reflected in any of my pick 'em leagues...

• Middle Tennessee 29, Western KY 13
• Oregon 44, Cal 24
• Boise State 33, Fresno St. 14
• West Virginia 42, UConn 17
• Oklahoma 27, Texas 19
• GA Tech 40, Maryland 30
• LSU 31, Florida 13
• Missouri 27, Kansas St. 26
• Arizona State 24, Utah 17
• Arkansas 33, Auburn 31
• Northwestern 28, Michigan 27
• Texas A&M 31, Texas Tech 23
• Georgia 26, Tennessee 18
• Nebraska 40, Ohio State 20

Top 25

Russell Wilson is a B1G reason that Wisconsin's so high in the rankings.#E'rydayI'mRussell'n

Well, we're headed into week 6 of this football season and it's time to for me to start posting my weekly Top-25. We've all had fun with the 'Why Not?' rankings, but now we need to get down to serious business. We've seen five weeks worth of football, quick starts die off, and a few teams establish themselves as conference front-runners and BCS contenders. I probably should have done this last week, but it just kinda slipped my mind. So, now, without further ado, here's the FTS poll:

1. Alabama
2. LSU
3. Wisconsin
4. Oklahoma
5. Boise State
6. Clemson
7. Stanford
8. Oregon
9. Georgia Tech
10. Oklahoma State
11. West Virginia
12. Florida*
13. Michigan
14. Arkansas
15. Texas A&M
16. Nebraska
17. Texas
18. Auburn
19. Illinois
20. South Carolina
21. Kansas State
22. Arizona State
23. Virginia Tech
24. Houston
25. Michigan State
26. Georgia

I added the extra spot just so I could throw in Georgia. #homer.

I think it's clear now that Alabama and LSU are the best two teams in the country and their Nov. 5 showdown will basically be to put the top spot on lockdown. Both teams need to be careful, however, of a pesky and unpredictable Auburn squad. Wisconsin is arguably just as good as Bama and LSU, but ti'll be hard for them to slide past the SEC West powers until we get deeper into conference play. Oregon and West Virginia are unbeaten save for their beatdowns at the hands of LSU and the Tigers are playing so strong that those losses are more and more forgivable. It's the same idea behind Arkansas and Florida in regards to Alabama. *The Gators have an asterisk because this high of a ranking is completely dependent upon John Brantley being able to play. If he's gone for the season - or even the next few weeks - there's no way UF can hold this spot. Georgia Tech has looked great- at least offensively - in every game so far, so until they're stopped, we have to treat the Jackets like a top-10 team (/shudders /gags). I know it seems odd to have two undefeated teams ranked so low compared to some one- and two-loss teams, but Texas and Illinois haven't quite sold me yet. South Carolina is a hot mess and K-State's sneakily on the rise; the rest of this is all guesswork.

Sunday Afternoon QB

This man is very happy...you just can't tell.

The college football weekend got started off with some UPSET FEVER Thursday night. Pitt demolished a what-had-been-impressive South Florida team, with Ray Graham gouging the Bulls for over 200 yards on the ground. It was an impressive win for sure, but you just never know what it actually means in the Big East. In an overlooked game, the Miners of UTEP took Case Keenum and the Cougars to the wire. Houston pulled it out, but barely. I haven't watched them play since week one and I don't think I'm alone in that. This will be a forgotten team soon - and a forgotten heisman cmapaign for Keenum.

What are the knocks on Wisconsin now? The Badgers absolutely crushed Nebraska last night in every facet of the game. Russel Wilson looked sharp but Montee Ball looked dominant. He slashed the vaunted Blackshirts for a buck-fifty and 4 TD's. Defensively, Wisky hounded Tyler Martinez all game long and picked him three times. I don't say this often, but I honestly think this Badger team could play with anyone in the country, even Alabama and LSU.

Texas A&M hates playing football in the fourth quarter.

Alabama once again steamrolled a very good opponent. It looked almost identical to the Arkansas game; suffocating defense, smart QB play, and a whole lotta Trent Richardson. I don't know if even LSU will be able to stop this team. On a more sour note, that injury that put John Brantley out of the game looked pretty terrible.I know he's a Gator, but I hope he's not seriously/permanently injured. The Gators need to be praying for his speedy return; without him, they'll struggle through the rest of the year.

I know it was just Minnesota, but damn, Michigan.


Auburn finally gave their defense some time off the field and guess what? It paid off. Dyer carried the ball, like, a million times (OK, really 41) and churned out 141 yards. It might only be a 3.4 ypc average, but it ate clock and gave Roof's D much needed breaks. It also helped that Stepehn Garcia played all Stephen Garcia-y.

Andrew Luck, wideout:



Is Clemson for real? I thought for sure the losses would be piling up soon, starting this weekend in Blacksburg. I was wrong. Dead wrong. The Tigers didn't just win, they dominated. The Hokies couldn't get anything going and once Clemson found its rhythm, it was ballgame. #DABO That GA Tech matchup at the end of the month is gonna be a big one. The Jackets' offense looks unstoppable (35 TD's through 5 games!) and if they figure Talh Boyd out, Tech could become a BCS lock.

Hey, Notre Dame won.

That Pacific Northwest is finally getting it's act together. It wasn't that long ago we were wondering if good football would return to the Evergreen State. Now the Apple Cuppers are a combined 8-2 after Wazzou beat Colorado and Washington drilled Utah in SLC. I bet the Huskies would like another shot at Nebraska now.

Richt-ball

Yesterday was a solid win. Solid, not great. Just acceptable; a satisfactory mark on a pass/fail scale, but the definition of average on grade scale. The first half was good, but the second half had more malaise than the Carter presidency. Yet, it seemed very familiar. Almost comfortably familiar. It was, almost to textbook specifications, Mark Richt football. Predictable, safe - sometimes cowardly -  playcalling, good defense (when was the last time we could say that?), and just sitting on a lead through the second half. No flash, no flair, no fun; just a win.

The defense looked really good most of the game. They were getting nickled and dimed for short passes early on, but made the appropriate adjustments and Sanders Commings played nasty coverage, finally getting a pick after being so close twice. Grantham dialed up blitzes at the right moments and Georgia sacked Relf five times and held the Other Bulldogs' offense to 3 points. It was like 2005 again.

Offensively, things felt a little less together. Crowell topped 100 yards again, but Murray looked flat out atrocious at times. He threw passes he had no business throwing and got picked three times. I just don't understand what's happening to him; how has he not progressed anymore than this? It almost seemed like we should have brought Mason in, just to try something different. If Murray keeps playing like this, we're gonna be screwed when it come to some of the tougher games.

Speaking of once reliable people becoming train wrecks, what the fuck's wrong with Blair Walsh? Another missed FG and another day of him apparently just not giving a shit. We have other kickers - maybe it's time to use them.

Beyond that, I could criticize the second half game plan, but a win's a win, and we haven't been getting enough of them the last few years to be too picky right now. At least Cornelius Wahsington knows how to celebrate. /idiot.