Week 13 Recap and Week 14 Preview

Well it’s Championship Week in college football, but we already know who’s playing for the BCS Championship. Enough has been ranted and debated about the Alabama/LSU rematch, but I really don’t see any scenario where that doesn’t happen. And, I’m fine with that. Sort of. To steal a line from a caller into a Chicago sports talk radio show – it’s kinda like Thanksgiving dinner. The dinner is incredible, and while there’s high hopes for the leftovers, the second time around isn’t ever as good as the first. Or, similar to movie sequels (well, except for Back to the Future II and III of course, and a close second with Karate Kid II and III).

The BCS continues to expose itself as a joke, using computer formulas that are not know to anyone inside college football, and using “coach’s” polls as a big chunk of its rankings. If karma truly exists, we’ll have 7-5 Louisville win the Big East spot, Georgia win the SEC spot, Oklahoma win the Big-12 spot, UCLA win the PAC-12 game, Clemson win the ACC, and Michigan State win the Big Ten spot. With LSU/Alabama already decided as the title game, that would mean Boise and Stanford get screwed out of BCS games.

I was a huge 6-0 in big games this past weekend, and moved up to 39-17 overall on the year, which ain’t too shabby. No Top-10 recap this week, as quite honestly, I’m hung over from the fact that we have two weeks of games before bowls start, and we already know who the #1 and #2 teams will be.

Now on to the Top-10 in the standings:

#1 LSU (12-0) – 12-0 for the first time in school history.

#2 Alabama (11-1) – Lay off the Tide. They did nothing to deserve this criticism, except miss 4 FGs against LSU. It’s not their fault that since their loss, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Stanford, Boise State, and Arkansas all lost…

#3 Oklahoma State (10-1) – Don’t like the system? Well, don’t lose to Iowa State.

#4 Oregon (10-2) – Favored by 32.5 in the inaugural PAC-12 Championship against a team that fired their coach (and UCLA had to petition for bowl eligibility when they lose and wind up 6-7: how can you make a conference championship and not even be bowl eligible?!!?!).

#5 Stanford (11-1) – As much as I think you should be given more serious consideration to be ~#2, you did lose at home to a 2-loss team, and needed triple O.T. at home to beat a USC team that’s on probation.

#6 Arkansas (10-2) – In any other conference this year, you’re 12-0.

#7 Boise State (11-1) – Two missed kicks = two missed chances to get to #2 in the last two years.

#8 Virginia Tech (11-1) – Let’s see, favored by 7 on a neutral field against an opponent you lost to by 20 at home a few weeks ago? This is the ACC…

#9 Oklahoma (10-2) – The thing I’ll miss most without a true Big 12 Championship game is the 5 million references to Dr. Pepper.

#10 Houston (12-0) – Just don’t blow it against Southern Miss, and your undefeated dream is a reality (and I called this in week 1)!

Rising Fast:

Coaching Resumes – 12 coaching vacancies in D1, not even counting the recently filled jobs at Ohio State, Washington State, and UofSuck.

Falling Faster:

Illinois – Losing six straight is one thing; but losing to Minnesota? That’s just embarrassing!

Heisman Watch:

Case Keenum, Houston – 300+ yards passing in every game this season (despite sitting for large chunks of the fourth quarter in 9 of 12 games), 43 TDs, and only 3 INTs. And, Houston is one win away from a BCS berth.

BCS Title Game Prediction:

LSU v. Alabama – Meh. I don’t see any way this match up doesn’t happen, and quite honestly I probably won’t watch. I’ve seen it already. And of course the BCS cop-out will be “the system works great! It always gives us the #1 and #2 matchup.” Yawn.

Week 14 Big Games:

Southern Miss v. Houston – Can the C-USA winner get the Big East’s automatic bid? Houston’s dream season continues – 44 to 20

Virginia Tech v. Clemson – Va. Tech is 2-0 in the ACC Championship when facing an opponent they lost to on the regular season. Clemson’s struggling, losing 3 of their last 4, and Va. Tech has reeled of seven straight since losing to Clemson in Blacksburg. Va. Tech is 7^th in the nation in scoring defense, while coming off that statement win 38-0 on the road @ Virginia last week. Va. Tech is the better team, and will win this one handily 27 to 17

Wisconsin v. Michigan State – Wisconsin’s two hail mary’s away from undefeated. They boast the 4^th best scoring offense and 4^th best scoring defense in the country. Michigan State’s two losses (Notre Dame and Nebraska) were away from home. Indianapolis won’t be friendly to the Spartans. Wisconsin to the Rose Bowl: 38 to 24

Georgia v. LSU – LSU is in the national championship with a win or a loss here, and Georgia needs a win to go to a BCS game. Georgia’s rattled off ten straight, following those first two loses to Boise State and South Carolina, but let’s not kid ourselves here; LSU is not taking this game lightly. Les knows he has a chance to cement this team in as one of the best ever in college football. Yes, I said that. Look at their resume so far: 7-0 v. ranked teams, 3-0 v. teams ranked #2 or #3. A win against Georgia and another win against Alabama would make them an amazing 14-0 with wins against nine ranked teams, including conference champs (well, likely conference champs) from two other BCS conferences. Amazing. No let down here: LSU 41 Georgia 27.

Week 14 Games of the Week:

Oklahoma v. Oklahoma State – Bedlam, winner wins the Big 12. Tons of passing offense (both in the top 5) and scoring (both in the top 10) and very little defense. Oklahoma has owned the Cowboys, winning eight straight in this series. And keep an eye on the skies – cold weather and lots of rain could increase the turn over total for one team, or both. It pains me to say this; cold, nasty weather will create an ugly game; and that favors the Sooners. Oklahoma 37 Oklahoma State 31

Until next time…