GO FALCONS! Rise Up!

That was an exciting game last night; way more exciting than it should have been, actually. It looked like the Falcons were set, going up 20-7 late, but, like they tend to do, they tried to give it away, allowing the Ravens to come back and go up 21-20 with a minute left. But 65 seconds was enough for Matty Ice and Roddy White (who had two key drops) to win it. Go Falcons!

Dynasty Update: Overtime and Jet Lag

The 2021 season wrapped up the way it started, with Ace Journeyman's squad turning in Jekyll and Hyde performances in close games. The team that finally jelled after the Penn State game seemed off kilter going into their big annual showdown with Ohio State. The run game and defense - staples of Journeyman-led teams - failed miserably and the pass game couldn't keep up with the top-ranked Buckeyes, losing 31-38 in overtime. The game was sealed with an interception while Michigan was driving to tie the score in the first extra period. Two weeks later, the Wolverines made the long trip to Hawaii and never looked comfortable. The Warriors played well, coming up with big defensive stops early and scoring enough points to keep a dragging Big Blue on edge. Depth and conditioning saved the day, though, with the run game slowing everything down in the 4th and Michigan held on to win, 28-24. The #10 Wolverines 10-2 record and second in the Big Ten finish had earned them a bid in the Capital One Bowl, where they'll meet Tennessee for the second time in 4 years.

2021 Season (10-2)

#6 Notre Dame L 38-31
Indiana State W 77-17
at #12 Wisconsin W 42-6
at #16 Michigan State W 38-31 (2OT)
Minnesota W 31-7
#15 Penn State W 20-14
at Iowa W 42-7
at Northwestern W 34-0
Miami (OH) W 38-14
Indiana W 42-10
#2 Ohio State L 31-38 (OT)
at #24 Hawaii W 28-24

UPDATE:

Capital One Bowl
#20 Tennessee L 17-20

Weekly Picks

May as well...

Iowa 24, Northwestern 21 - The Hawkeyes win, bit it's close as the Wildcats put on a good show in Evanston.

Georgia Tech 28, Miami 27 - No Jacorry Harris, but Stephen Morris steps up...just not high enough. This might be my last time picking Tech to win a game this season, and I'm not that comfortable with it, to be honest.

Missouri 31, Kansas State 20 - The Wildcats won't outscore the Tigers without passing the ball, and that hasn't really been their bag this season. It won't quite be a Nebraska-style beat down, but Mizzou will certainly pull away.

Notre Dame 30, Utah 27 - UPSET ALERT - KEEPING IT. It's either going to be an upset squeaker for the Irish or a BLOW-out by the Utes. And, it's more fun to call upsets!

Auburn 41, Georgia 34 - I adjusted it to be a bit closer. Florida's defense is much better than Auburn's and we were able to drop 31, so I look for a shoot-out here...and we just won't have the firepower to keep up with Cam. However, a few key plays could turn this whole thing around, especially if the Tiger's are distracted. ALL the pressure is on Auburn here, and that could be advantageous to the Dawgs.

Ohio State 34, Penn State 17 - Bucks cruise, no 401 for JoePa...yet.

Virginia Tech 27, North Carolina 17 - UNC won't do it two weeks in a row. VA Tech continues their undefeated roll through the ACC after losing two game sin 5 days to open 0-2.

Texas A&M 36, Baylor 29 - Another high-scoring affair in the South division. If it were the PAC-10, dumb-ass fans would make fun of it, but because it happens in the Big-XII, it's just "quality football." Yeah, right.

Alabama 20, Mississippi State 17 - Close, but Saban's not dropping three.

Florida 41, South Carolina 24 - Who wants a piece of the Gators now? Now that the murderous stalker Chris Rainey's back, UF has found an offense and isn't afriad to use it.

Oregon 48, Cal 26 - Duck, brother, Duck, say Brother Duck's travelling point scoring show! Cal plays good at home, but not good enough.

USC 35, Arizona 30 - UPSET; Whatevs.

Nevada 31, Fresno State 30 - Int he end, I couldn't keep the upset here. It will be close, and the Bulldogs will give the 'Pack all they can handle.

Texas 26, Oklahoma State 24 - UPSET ALERT - KEEPING IT.

TCU 30, San Diego State 21 - The Aztecs are no pushover now. Hoke's got them 6 points away from undefeated and they'll be a handful for TCU.

Why Does Cam Newton Wear Number 2?

Because $200,000 wouldn't fit. BOOM! Let the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry weekend begin!

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h/t: a caller on the 960 the ref morning show.

Early Leans

Fifteen games for the Weekly Picks; here are my early leans:

• Iowa 24, Northwestern 21
• Georgia Tech 28, Miami 27
• Missouri 31, Kansas State 20
• Notre Dame 30, Utah 27 - UPSET ALERT
• Auburn 42, Georgia 24
• Ohio State 34, Penn State 17
• Virginia Tech 27, North Carolina 17
• Texas A&M 36, Baylor 29
• Alabama 20, Mississippi State 17
• Florida 41, South Carolina 24
• Oregon 48, Cal 26
• USC 35, Arizona State 17
• Fresno State 31, Nevada 30 - UPSET ALERT
• Texas 26, Oklahoma State 24 - UPSET ALERT
• TCU 30, San Diego State 21

What is the PAC-10 (12) Inheriting, Exactly?

We know Utah and Colorado will be joining the Pac-10 soon, but what exactly are they bringing to the table? Utah just got drilled by TCU and Colorado just fired their coach. So, either Utah isn't exactly the big time talent we thought when they thumped 'Bama, or TCU is more ready for prime time than any other mid-major ever. If it's the latter, OK. TCU can join an AQ league down the line and get their respect without it being an indictment of Utah. If it's the former, woe is the Pac-12. If Utah's not ready to compete week-in and week-out, what was all this off-season, expansion hassle for? It might be different if the other expansion team was a true "get", but it's a struggling Colorado team coming off 4 losing seasons and looking for a new head coach. If they don't hire up - and fast - they'll potentially bring less to the table than a busted Utes squad. Now I don't necessarily think these questions presented here fairly represent this expansion, but they need to be raised. In reality, I think Utah is a good program who will only get better against big-time competition and southern Cali exposure, I just think TCU might be better and deserves a shot somewhere in the ranks of the AQ. For Colorado, the right hire will make all the difference. Hawkins ran a clean program, with no scandal, academic fraud, or recruiting violations, but he didn't win. What the Buffs need is someone who can do both; an up and comer they can grab (relatively) inexpensively who can win. My suggestion: Brady Hoke. He worked wonders at Ball State and now at San Diego State and could be just the right fit in Boulder. And, if Colorado addresses this problem now, they - and the whole Pac-12 - will be better off.

Tuesday Top-25

Oregon's Death Star and Auburn's QB hold on to the top spots this week, but TCU jumps Boise State and Stanford takes the top one-loss spot. LSU's still lurking in the top-10, a place holder between the two best Big Ten teams, Wisconsin and Ohio State. The Buckeyes have looked better than the Badgers, but Wisky keeps the higher spot based on head-to-head. Nebraska and Oklahoma have very tenuous grips on the 9- and 10-spots. Alabama drops to 11, right above an Arkansas team they narrowly beat. Mississippi State moves to 13, as their only two losses are to top-10 teams. Next comes a questionable call: I have 2-loss Iowa over 1-loss Sparty due to head-to-head. That's mainly because I do not feel that State has "outplayed" their loss yet. Arizona sits ahead of both of them because of their win over Iowa. Utah plummets after the ass-smacking they suffered, followed by Missouri and South Carolina. Texas A&M enters the rankings ahead of a Sooner team they beat and a plucky San Diego State team that's 6 points away from undefeated slips in over resurgent Florida and lingering Nevada. Right now, this feels very balanced to me, considering overall resume and head-to-heads, but I know things will shake up big time in the next two weeks and it'll really come down to assessing each team individually at that moment. I mean, would Nebraska or Oklahoma State want to play Florida right now?

1. Oregon
2. Auburn
3. TCU
4. Boise State
5. Stanford
6. Wisconsin
7. LSU
8. Ohio State
9. Nebraska
10. Oklahoma State
11. Alabama
12. Arkansas
13. Mississippi State
14. Arizona
15. Iowa
16. Michigan State
17. Virginia Tech
18. Utah
19. Missouri
20. South Carolina
21. Texas A&M
22. Oklahoma
23. San Diego State
24. Florida
25. Nevada

Dynasty Update: Slow and Steady

Michigan has rebounded form the opening loss to Notre Dame to win five straight, though it hasn't been the prettiest bunch of wins. The first quarter against Indiana State found the Wolverines trailing 14-7, the starting tailback missed the entire Minnesota game, and Journeyman's boys needed overtime to beat rival Michigan State. On the surface, a 4-1 record looks good, but closer inspection reveals that there's tons of work to be done to get this team back on track, especially with #15 Penn State on deck next week.

UPDATE: The Penn State game was a close one, with Michigan pulling away in the 4th to win 20-14. Everything finally clicked against Iowa, as Journeyman's squad turned in their most complete performance to date, crushing the Hawkeyes 42-7.

2021 Season

#6 Notre Dame L 38-31
Indiana State W 77-17
at #12 Wisconsin W 42-6
at #16 Michigan State W 38-31 (2OT)
Minnesota W 31-7
#15 Penn State W 20-14
at Iowa W 42-7

Remaining games:
at Northwestern
Miami (OH)
Indiana
#2 Ohio State
at #24 Hawaii

Georgia-Auburn: Really Early Lean

Georgia cannot stop Cam Newton. He's too good and we're already soft against running QB's as it is. Richt has already said we're not going to use a spy, so I'm assuming we'll be relying on different fronts and disguised coverages to try and slow him down. Can it work? Yes. Will it? I say no. No matter what front we use, Newton's athleticism will carry him through. The coverages could help, hopefully forcing some turnovers, but Newton hasn't made a lot of mistakes. It'll have to be a combination of contained pressure and aggressive coverage that changes things, and I just don't see that happening against someone as physically imposing and athletic as CN. So look for Auburn to score some points.

Offensively, the Dawgs will have to light up the scoreboard if they want to win, which means shootout-mode. Georgia is not used to this type of game and they don't do well out of their comfort zone. Aaron Murray is talented enough to carry the offense here and Auburn's secondary is certainly suspect. But, will Bobo let him off the leash or deviate from our traditional game plan? And will the O-line be able to protect him all day, especially against Fairly? Some weapons we could use to our advantage on Saturday are screens and draws. If the Tiger front is going aggressive to get to Murray, they could be burned with these type of plays. Once they adjust, Murray will have the protection to make some big throws. What won't work is a steady diet of running the ball to set up PA.

A wildcard in the mix? Georgia's return game. A Smith or Boykin return could change the composure of a tight game. What's not a wildcard? Blair Walsh, as Byrum can match Georgia kick-for-kick. And Butler's a push because Newton can make magic out of any field position.

In the end, Auburn is an undefeated, top-ranked war-machine led by one of the greatest players in the game. Mix that in with the frustration of losing 4 straight in this series, and the Tigers could win big. Georgia has made most of their mistakes away from home, and I see that trend continuing in Jordan-Hare.

Early lean: Auburn 42, Georgia 27

Sunday Morning QB

We've had showdown, separation, and roadblock Saturdays so far. This must have been cupcake Saturday in the SEC, as Georgia, Auburn, and Kentucky took on the likes of Idaho State, Chattanooga, and Charleston Southern.

While we're near the subject of Auburn, I was pleasantly surprised how little I heard about the Cam Newton recruitment investigation yesterday. I know its a big story - even though I doubt it's some weird, high-level, anti-Auburn conspiracy - but since we don't have any new info, I was glad that every reporter, color man, and sports anchor didn't hash and re-hash the story.

Staying in the SEC: 'Bama got 'Hatted! A reverse and fake punt pushed the Bayou Bengals past an apparently uninterested Tide team. And, if the Moviegoer thought the halftime interview was great, how 'bout Les Miles' post-game comments? You really never know what he's about to say. Also, we learned where his powers come from: eating grass.

The loss puts Alabama out of the BCS chase...and probably put the business end of shotgun in Paul Finebaum's mouth.

The other 3:30 game was not as interesting, even though it was a match-up of top-5 teams. TCU murdered Utah, 47-7, and took a firmer hold of that BCS 3-spot. I wouldn't be surprised if the Frogs picked up a few more number one votes in the human polls, too. And, considering who Auburn played and what Oregon's first quarter looked like, this would be the weekend for TCU and Boise to step up.

LSU will most likely be the top one-loss team, but I think that should go to Stanford. They destroyed a good Arizona team and their only loss is to Oregon, and if that game had not been in Autzen, they might have held on to their 21-3 lead.

Joe Paterno got win no. 400 yesterday. Congrats to the dean of the FBS.

Michigan and Illinois met up for some football and a basketball game broke out. In a game with absolutely no defense, Michigan held on to deflect a 2-pt. try in OT and win, 67-65. That 65 is the most points the Wolverines have ever given up...and it was in a win. The Big Ten has been a lot of fun to watch this year.

Goodbye, Oklahoma. Like 'Bama, the Sooners were put out of the BCS race yesterday, falling to Texas A&M, 33-19. The dropped pass on the fake-FG has been the big highlight, but OU honestly just got outplayed by the Aggies. There were 14 minutes left in the game after that fake, and A&M owned them all.

Texas is terrible.

Charlie Strong is doing a great job at Louisville. Remember how bad they were? Now they're one win away from a bowl. Nicely done. Syracuse has had a resurgence, as well. Doug Marrone already has the Orange at 6-wins, though they did fall to Strong's Cardinals yesterday. Still, though, it looks like Pitt will win the Big East.

And now Maryland controls its own destiny in the ACC Atlantic division. Wouldn't that be an awesome BCS Bowl, Pitt-Maryland?

Oklahoma State beat Baylor thoroughly, making them look like the only team that really wants to win the Big 12. Missouri cannot handle their own success, dropping two straight after beating OU and Nebraska still has that nasty Texas loss hanging over their heads.  And Colorado? Well, Colorado looked poised to cruise right past pitiful Kansas, until they allowed 35 points in the fourth quarter. Oh, well.

Dynasty Update: Slow Start

The title defense for Ace Journeyman's Wolverines got off to a rocky start. Visiting the #6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Michigan fell behind 24-3 in the first half. After some half-time adjustments, Big Blue looked like they were finally getting it together, closing the gap to 24-17. The Irish offense responded in the fourth quarter, though, and Michigan came up short, losing 38-31.

It Gives Him His Powers

Your ACC Champion...

...lost to FCS James Madison. It's pretty much official: VA Tech will be in the ACC Title game, and I honestly think they'll win it. Are the Hokies going to rip off ten straight wins and storm undefeated through their conference to play in a BCS Bowl? Looks like it. There will be a team that lost to an FCS team playing in the BCS. Suck on that.

In all honesty, I can forgive the Hokies for the James Madison loss. They played a tough Monday night game with Boise State, had a short week to heal up, and had a tired, banged up team with which to host a pretty good FCS team jacked up to play their biggest game all year. It sucks, but it happens.

EDIT: Yes, I know, Florida State's still got a great chance...but that's not as much fun,

Say it ain't so, Cam

So now the NCAA turns it eyes to Cam Newton. It's way too early to really speculate anything past the basic story right now, but this could definitely throw a wrench in the works for Auburn.

Weekly Picks

Georgia Tech 27, Virginia Tech 24 - I'm not sure why, but I feel like a Jackets win here adds to the chaos and confusion of the ACC; like the Coastal version of the NC State upset last week. In reality, the talent leans heavily towards the Hokies, but I'm keeping the upset call...not sure why.

Clemson 28, NC State 27 - Keeping it. I know State's got 6 wins already and just knocked off FSU, but I think that's there undoing. Clemson has had an up-and-down season so far, and I think this weekend is an "up" before a crashing "down" in Tallahassee next week.


Oklahoma State 37, Baylor 30 - Here we go: I'm picking against Baylor again...even though I said I wouldn't. Can the Bears - or, more relaistically, Robert Griffin - keep this up? I know the Pokes aren't a top-level talent, but a win here makes a win against A&M seem likely and that means a nine win Baylor squad hosting OU at season's end.


TCU 30, Utah 20 - Oddly enough, Baylor is a good measuring stick here. Kansas State and Texas couldn't beat the Bears, but TCU did, woodshed-style. Utah had a nice, neat opening week win over Pitt, but that's their biggest win right now. There's a lot of talent on both teams, but I seems like significantly more in Ft.Worth. The game's at Utah, so look for the Utes to be pumped up enough to put up points on that stingy, stingy Frog D, but in the end, they won't stop Dalton.


Boise State 44, Hawaii 27 - Could be an upset, but I doubt it. My main thing is, if it's close, shouldn't Hawaii climb in the polls? I know it'll be a loss, but if everyone's got Boise in the top-3 and the Warriors are competitive, why shouldn't they be a top-25 team?


FSU 31, UNC 17 - I changed my initial call. The Seminoles are going to be ready to win after the disappointment with NC State. UNC will play tough early, but look for FSU to pull away in the second half.


Oklahoma 34, Texas A&M 17 - The Sooners want desperately to outplay that loss to Missouri.


South Carolina 30, Arkansas27 - Why not?


Alabama 31, LSU 16 - Alabama now begins their descent into Atlanta.


Stanford 33, Arizona 24 - This is a HUGE game. Now I know most of the SEC-centric homers and yokels won't care, but the outcome of this game could have a huge impact on the PAC-10 and the post-season.The winner could be an at-large BCS team, and if Arizona wins out, they'll win the league. Realistically, the 'Cats won't be able to hang with the Cardinal, especially as banged up as they are.

Dynasty Update: "Hail! to the Victors Valiant!"

"Hail! to the Conquering Heroes!"

Michigan Wins BCS, Downs 'Bama 49-35

Apparently there was one thing that both Michigan and Alabama forgot to bring to Miami for the BCS Title game: defense. It was a shootout from the first possession, with the Wolverines and Crimson Tide exchanging scoring drives for a 21-all tie at the half. Ace Journeyman's halftime adjustments proved to be the difference, though, as Big Blue jacked up the defense and tweaked their running game to eat up a bit more clock to force 'Bama out of their comfort zone. It worked, and the Tide failed to convert two long third downs in the third, allowing Michigan to score two unanswered TD's. Things gelled again for the Tide in the fourth, but it was too late, as the Wolverines kept pace to win a shootout, 49-35. As the last of the confetti fell and the Gatorade dried on the coaches shirts, a few celebrating fans began to wonder, "how long will this last?" The 2020 Wolverines were senior heavy and many fear that Ace Journeyman will be swooped up by another program sooner rather than later. But most kept right on partying, enjoying the rush of victory, watching Ace and the boys sing with the band: "Hail! Hail! to Michigan, the leaders and the best!"

2020 Season Recap:

at Miami (OH)       W 56-7
at #14 Notre Dame   W 38-0
Eastern Washington    W 77-14
Iowa State          W 35-0
#4 Wisconsin     W 31-14
at Indiana       W 31-7
Michigan State     W 41-7
Iowa        W 38-17
at Minnesota      W 47-14
at Illinois     W 45-14
Northwestern       W 35-10
at #12 Ohio State       W 24-7
 
BCS Championship Game:

#2 Alabama     W 49-35

Dynasty Update: ALL the Marbles

Ace Journeyman is on the cusp of one of his major career goals: A National Title. Meanwhile, his team is going to get something it's been after all season long: Redemption. And all of this be attained by defeating Alabama in the 2020 BCS Title Game in Miami. After being left out of last year's title game, despite a perfect record, the Michigan Wolverines have had a chip on their shoulder. They did everything they had to do they get here: blew out their Rose bowl opponent to cap off the disappointing previous season, put together a top-15 recruiting class, and went undefeated in impressive fashion, winning a second consecutive Big Ten title along the way. Now, with the brass ring in his reach, many wonder if Journeyman can finish the drill. Alabama has won three of the last five titles and no one has come close to beating them this year; they are a formidable last wall that Journeyman and the Wolverines have yet to scale. The players are ready, the fans have shown up in large numbers, and Journeyman's as focused as he's ever been; It's winner take all in Sun Life Stadium!

2020 Season
at Miami (OH) W 56-7
at #14 Notre Dame W 38-0
Eastern Washington W 77-14
Iowa State W 35-0
#4 Wisconsin 31-14
at Indiana W 31-7
Michigan State W 41-7
Iowa W 38-17
at Minnesota W 47-14
at Illinois W 45-14
Northwestern W 35-10
at #12 Ohio State W 24-7

Remaining Game:

BCS Championship Game
#2 Alabama

Tuesday Top-25

Oregon's offense tops Cam Newton. Boise holds the top mid-major spot, with 'Bama nudging out Utah. Honestly, my early lean has TCU beating Utah solidly enough to put the Utes out of the top-10...and my really early lean has 'Bama beating Auburn, but the Tigers hold the 2-spot over Boise...for now. Oklahoma remains low until they play past the loss to Missouri - much like Wisky's done with the loss to Sparty - or have Missouri play down enough to push the Sooners up. You get a bonus 26th team, mainly because it seems ludicrous to actually be ranking Baylor.

1. Oregon
2. Auburn
3. Boise State
4. TCU
5. Alabama
6. Wisconsin
7. Utah
8. Stanford
9. Ohio State
10. Nebraska
11. Arizona
12. LSU
13. Iowa
14. Michigan State
15. Missouri
16. Oklahoma
17. South Carolina
18. Oklahoma State
19. Virginia Tech
20. Arkansas
21. Mississippi State
22. NC State
23. Florida State
24. Hawaii
25. Baylor
26. Nevada

Early Leans

Georgia Tech 27, Virginia Tech 24

Clemson 28, NC State 27


Oklahoma State 31, Baylor30


TCU 30, Utah 20


Boise State 44, Hawaii 27


UNC 24, FSU 21


Oklahoma 34, Texas A&M 17


South Carolina 30, Arkansas27


Alabama 31, LSU 16


Stanford 33, Arizona 24

Dynasty Update: The Inside Track (BCS #2, 10-0)

Ace Journeyman has his team focused this season, and that focus is aimed at one prize: a National Title. After going 13-0 and being shafted for a BCS Title spot, the Michigan Wolverines have built their entire off-season around the quest to redeem themselves. Many criticized the coach for building everything around a goal as hard to reach as a National Title, but so far, it has paid off. The Wolverines have cruised through the regular season so far, defeating their conference opponents by an average score of 38-10, including yet another epic showdown with top-5 Wisconsin. Awaiting Michigan at season's end is a one-loss Ohio State team who would love to derail the entire year, but it will be hard to shake the Wolverines' workmanlike focus and effort. No, the biggest threat to Michigan is once again, the computers making up the BCS polls. Journeyman's squad held #1 for a few weeks, but have been passed by Alabama and USC is nipping at their heels in the 3-spot.

2020 Season
at Miami (OH) W 56-7
at #14 Notre Dame W 38-0
Eastern Washington W 77-14
Iowa State W 35-0
#4 Wisconsin 31-14
at Indiana W 31-7
Michigan State W 41-7
Iowa W 38-17
at Minnesota W 47-14
at Illinois W 45-14

Remaining Games
Northwestern
at #12 Ohio State