Ignorant College Football Pics*

Be advised, this post includes pictures of scantily clad women showing school pride, among other things.

Last week my picks were 7-7, bringing my season total to 40-34-1. Here are my selections for this weekend's games:

Louisville -3.5 vs. Cincinnati
Tight race atop the Big East. Nobody cares.

Texas -19 @ Kansas
Longhorns should roll in Lawrence.

South Carolina -13.5 @ Tennessee
Cocks should repeatedly violate the Vols.

Arkansas -6 vs. Ole Miss
Home field advantage.

North Carolina -7.5 vs. NC State
I finally believe in the Tar Heels. So they'll probably lose.

Maryland +2 @ Boston College
BC hasn't beaten an FBS team.

Duke +27.5 @ Florida State
Has the looks of a scare game, FSU wins but doesn't cover.

Texas Tech +7.5 @ Kansas State
Tech's only loss was to Oklahoma. And they crushed WVU just like K-State did.

Oklahoma State -7 vs. TCU
TCU will learn how hard the road is in the Big XII.

Wisconsin -6 vs. Michigan State
Tough to win in Madison.

USC -6.5 @ Arizona
Why not?

Georgia +7 vs. Florida (Jacksonville)
Yes. Upset in Jacksonville.

Ohio State +1 @ Penn State
Rare time I'll be rooting for OSU, so they'll likely lose.

Vanderbilt -32.5 vs. UMass
The Minutemen are struggling to adjust to FBS.

Syracuse +2.5 @ South Florida
Vomit.

Michigan +2 @ Nebraska
Interesting divisional races in Big Ten.

Oklahoma -11.5 vs. Notre Dame
When they win, OU tends to win by a decent margin.

Mississippi State +24 @ Alabama
The Bulldogs are a legit threat to win the SEC West and Bama might be thinking a week ahead to LSU. Could be close.

Oregon State -3 @ Washington
I like Beavers.

Even God Felt Bad for Savannah State

The Savannah State Tigers were losing 55-0 to Florida State in the 3rd quarter Saturday when both coaches agreed to end the game due to weather. The game had already been delayed by lightning, and more storms lingered in the area. It was in essence a Mercy Rule ending from God/Mother Nature for the Tigers.

The Seminoles were up 35-0 after the 1st quarter, and had already amassed 255 yards of offense. It was a 48-0 game at half-time, and 55-0 with 8:59 left in the 3rd when the game was called.

A week earlier, Savannah State was the victim of an 84-0 pounding from Oklahoma State.

In the two losses Savannah State allowed 1,095 total yards and only managed to gain 167, a difference of more than half a mile.

But don't feel too bad for the Tigers. They were paid for being sparring partners with two heavyweight programs. A total of $860,000 to be exact. That's a nice haul for a modest athletic program's financial needs.

And Savannah State were never anywhere near the all-time record for biggest college football blowouts. In 1916 Georgia Tech annihilated Cumberland College 222-0.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Steve Cannon

Bowl Previews: Monday's Games*

With the NFL playing on New year's Day, the traiditional bowl games for that day will be played Monday.

Monday - 12:00 PM - ESPNU
Ticketcity Bowl - Dallas, TX
#19 Houston Cougars (-7) vs. #22 Penn State Nittany Lions
PSU won 9 games and had the same conference record as Wisconsin. Then again they didn't have to play Michigan or Michigan State. Houston won 12 games, but the best team they faced was Southern Miss, and that was the one game they lost. This is a good matchup of offense against defense. Houston scored 50.1 per game (1st in the nation), Penn State held opponents to 15.7 per game (5th best). I think PSU will win.

Penn State +7

Monday - 1:00 PM - ABC
Outback Bowl - Tampa, FL
#17 Michigan State vs. #16 Georgia Bulldogs (-3.5)
Both these teams made their conference title games. MSU was just shy of a BCS bid. Georgia's only losses came to Alabama, Boise State, and South Carolina. I'm more impressed with Michigan State's resume. They beat Michigan. They beat Wisconsin. The best team Georgia beat was Auburn, or maybe Georgia Tech.

Michigan State +3.5

Monday - 1:00 PM - ESPN
Capital One Bowl - Orlando, FL
#20 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. #9 South Carolina Gamecocks (-2)
South Carolina lost to Auburn and Arkansas and beat Georgia and Clemson. Nebraska also has a good record. They beat Michigan State and Penn State. SC put up 30.1 points per game in the SEC, which is pretty good. They also have a solid defense that should clamp down on Nebraska's one dimensional offense.

South Carolina -2

Monday - 1:00 PM - ESPN2
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl - Jacksonville, FL
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Florida Gators (-2)
Normally these teams meeting would be a tantalizing matchup. Instead, it's a pair of 6-6 teams with 3-5 conference records. OSU was able to beat Wisconsin, then lost to every other quality team they played. Florida's wins were against Furman, UAB, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt. The game is in Florida's backyard, but I have to pick Ohio State.

OSU +2

Saturday - 5:00 PM - ESPN
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Vizio - Pasadena, CA
#10 Wisconsin Badgers vs. #5 Oregon Ducks (-6)
If not for their October hiccups against Michigan and Ohio State, Wisconsin could be in the title game. If not for a 3 point loss to USC, the Ducks would be in the title game. Wisconsin's defense might be able to slow down the Ducks just enough to allow their offense to keep up. The Badgers can rush the ball and shorten the game. I think that's what they'll do.

Wisconsin +6

Saturday - 8:30 PM - ESPN
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, AZ
#4 Stanford Cardinal vs. #3 Oklahoma State Cowboys
How awesome would it be if a game like this was part of a playoff? Both these teams lost 1 game. And they have a legit gripe for being left out of the title game. Both these teams can score points. Oklahoma State is one of the best passing offenses in the nation. Stanford's offense isn't as explosive, but their defense is much more solid. This should be a fun game to watch. I think the Cowboys will come out on top.

Oklahoma State -4

LSU vs. Oklahoma State... Unless...*

Stanford lost. Boise State lost. The only unbeatens left are LSU, Oklahoma State, and Houston. With Houston's schedule, they're not going to get a national title shot without lots of help. So the Championship game will be LSU's stifling defense (allowing 10.7 points per game), against Oklahoma State's relentless offense (scoring 51.7 per game). Unless either of them lose, of course.

And that's possible. LSU still has to play #6 Arkansas. Oklahoma State must face #5 Oklahoma. If either team fails to win these big games (or any other game), then the BCS becomes a mess. And based on the history of the BCS, I think we're destined for a mess.

If Oklahoma beats Oklahoma State, how do you shut them out of the title game? How about Oregon, who only lost to LSU? What about Alabama, who only lost to LSU? Then again, if your only loss is to LSU, doesn't that mean you had an opportunity to win a title shot and failed? Is it more damaging to lose to a contender than it is to lose to a random team like Texas Tech? Should it be more damaging?

If LSU and Oklahoma State run the table, then the BCS has done its job. If not, then a playoff would be the only answer to solve the National Championship puzzle.

BCS Standings

Alabama might be the 3rd best team in the country, maybe the 2nd best. I like Alabama. But they've had their shot. And they blew it. They missed field goals, ran a foolish trick play and couldn't score a touchdown in the biggest game of their season. Maybe they're better than Stanford, and certainly better than Boise State. But the Tide had a shot and lost. Other teams deserve a shot.

Here's the BCS rankings after this weekend's games:

1. LSU Tigers - Can't argue against this, but there's still one AP voter that selected Boise State as #1. What the fuck?

2. Oklahoma State Cowboys - 50.1 points per game, they still have to get through Iowa State, Texas Tech, and #6 Oklahoma.

3. Alabama Crimson Tide - They've beaten #8 Arkansas, #12 Penn State, but they have no offense apart from Richardson.

4. Stanford Cardinal - If they beat #7 Oregon this weekend, how can you argue against them rising to 3rd?

5. Boise State Broncos - As #15 Georgia rises in the rankings, Boise State starts looking legitimate.

6. Oklahoma Sooners - They can spoil Oklahoma State's title hopes but they lost Ryan Broyles, so that will be tough.

7. Oregon Ducks - They've only lost to the #1 team in the country.

8. Arkansas Razorbacks - They've only lost to the #3 team in the country. If they can beat LSU on 11/25, then the SEC West will have eliminated itself from the National Championship.

9. Clemson Tigers - Can clinch the ACC Atlantic with a win on Saturday.

10. Virginia Tech Hokies - Their only loss came to Clemson. Who says the ACC isn't that good?

Imagine this playoff:
#1 LSU vs. #8 Arkansas
#2 Oklahoma State vs. #7 Oregon Ducks
#3 Alabama vs. #6 Oklahoma
#4 Stanford vs. #5 Boise State

It's too bad we won't see that play out.

College Football Preview: Big XII*

The Big XII now has ten teams in it. Which is an X in Roman numerals. So maybe they should change their name to the Big "X" (pronounced 'ex'). Anyway, the Big XII no longer has a title game, so all the teams will be facing each other every year.

1. Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners' pass-happy offense would make any coach smile. QB Landry Jones finally started to mature last season, and he has weapons like All-American WR Ryan Broyles (131 catches, 1622 yards, 14 TDs) among others. The defense has some soft-spots, but it's good enough for the Big XII. The biggest challenge will be winning tough games on the road. OU's only 2 losses alst year came in Columbia, MO and College Station, TX. This year they have games in Tallahassee, FL and Stillwater, OK to deal with.

But this team is really, really good.

Key Games:
9/17 @ Florida State
9/24 vs. Missouri
11/5 vs. Texas A&M
12/3 @ Oklahoma State

Prediction: 11-1, Big XII winner, National title game contender

2. Texas A&M Aggies

The Aggies bring back 18 starters from a 9 win team. They're strong at all offensive positions. For example, WR Jeff Fuller was the first Aggie in history with a 1,000+ yard season. They do need the defense to step up just a bit if they want to win the conference. Because Oklahoma's offense is simply that good. In a slugfest against OU, the Aggies come up just a bit short. So if that defense can gel, and they can slow down the Sooners a bit, they'll win their first conference title since 1998.

Key Games:
9/29 vs. Oklahoma State
10/1 vs. Arkansas (in Arlington, TX)
10/29 vs. Missouri
11/5 @ Oklahoma

Prediction: 11-1, 2nd in Big XII

3. Oklahoma State Cowboys

The Cowboys might have the best offense in the Big XII. They were 3rd in the country last year. QB Brandon Weeden threw 4,277 yards and 34 TDs. WR Justin Blackmon caught 111 passes for 1,782 yards and 20 TDs. The Cowboys' Achilles heel is their defense. Their front 7 is young. Ultimately, their defense will let them down, and keep them out of a BCS bowl. I do think they'll beat Oklahoma, but they'll lose 2 conference games before then.

Key Games:
9/24 @ Texas A&M
10/22 @ Missouri
12/3 vs. Oklahoma

4. Missouri Tigers

The Tigers bring back 9 offensive starters from a unit that was already solid last year. Whoever they find to step up as quarterback will be blessed with riches. They'll be good receivers to throw to, good RBs to hand-off to, and a good line to protect him. The Tigers also bring back 7 defensive starters from a unit that was better than solid last year. They're a dark horse to win the Big XII, although they have some tough road games to endure.

Key Games:
9/9 @ Arizona State
9/24 @ Oklahoma
10/22 vs. Oklahoma State
10/29 @ Texas A&M

Prediction: 9-3

5. Baylor Bears

If you haven't been able to watch QB Robert Griffin, you've been missing out. Last year he threw for 3,501 yards and 22 TDs, and also ran for 625 yards and 8 more TDs. He should have a good 2011 as Baylor boasts some quality WRs. They do need to find some RBs to move the ball on the ground. And unfortunately, their defense will be their undoing. They'll be fun to watch, because games will be high scoring, back-to-back slugfests, but they'll wind up on the wrong end of those against the better teams in the conference.

The Big XII needs teams like Baylor to step up and become solid programs. And in case the Big XX disintegrates, Baylor needs to impress new potential conferences.

Prediction: 7-5

6. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Tech's up-tempo offense will struggle unless they figure out who is going to throw the ball and who'll catch it. They simply don't have the horses this year. And their defense continues to be a mess. They'll be using their 3rd coordinator in 3 years. They'll beat the weak teams of the conference with ease, but will then be casually brushed aside by the powerhouses.

Prediction: 7-5

7. Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns have turnover problems, and no clear QB. Their entire offense is a one big question mark. However, their defense is something to be proud of. They've got a core of good LBs, and they should keep Texas in games until the start of the 2nd quarter. What's ironic is that everyone gets to watch UT's rebuilding process on TV, thanks to the new Longhorn Network. That channel and the football program might have been better off if it started broadcasting in 2012, instead of 2011.

Prediction: 7-5

8. Kansas State Wildcats

K-State has no clue who their QB will be. They have no clue who their RB will me. And the RB mystery is worse because they relied heavily on the run last year. Even the offensive line is full of holes. The defense will likely improve thanks to its linebackers. But still, this is simply an untalented team without any sense of direction.

Prediction: 3-9

9. Iowa State Cyclones

There really isn't any talent in the skill positions, whatsoever. At least the defense will improve and mount some pressure on opposing QBs.

Prediction: 3-9

10. Kansas Jayhawks

If KU is going to be a contender again, it certainly won't be this year. They've got some talent in the pipeline, but it will take time to develop it. The defense lost its best pass rusher, and looks to be worse than it was last year. Which sucks because it was the 103rd scoring defense in the country.

Prediction: 2-10