After Oregon State's incredible upset of USC on Thursday there will be many teams auditioning for the top spot in the polls on Saturday. #2 OU hosts #23 TCU, #3UGA hosts #10 Alabama, #4 Florida hosts Ole Miss, and #6 LSU hosts Mississippi State. Here are the games I'll be keeping an eye on during Saturday's action.
MORNING
Maryland at Clemson, 12:00 PM, GamePlan Ch. 790
Virginia at Duke, 12:00 PM, ESPNU
Mississippi at Florida, 12:30 PM, GamePlan Ch. 792
AFTERNOON
Purdue at Notre Dame, 3:30 PM, NBC
Wisconsin at Michigan, 3:30 PM, ABC
Tennessee at Auburn, 3:30 PM, CBS
EVENING
TCU at Oklahoma, 7:00 PM, Fox College Sports Atlantic
Mississippi State at LSU, 7:30 PM, ESPN2
Alabama at Georgia, 7:45 PM, ESPN
Virginia Tech at Nebraska, 8:00 PM, ABC GamePlan Ch. 790
Illinois at Penn State, 8:00 PM, ABC, GamePlan Ch. 790
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
What I'm Watching - September 20
MORNING
Mississippi State at Georgia Tech, 12:00 PM, Gameplan 788 - There are a couple of good games early on Saturday, but I will be watching Sly Croom try and right the ship against Paul Johnson's Yellow Jackets. Mississippi State was on the losing end of a 3-2 error filled defensive struggle with Auburn a week ago and will try and actually get something out of the offense in Atlanta. Unfortunately for fans of big plays this could be another defensive struggle.
AFTERNOON
Virginia Tech at North Carolina, 3:30 PM, ABC GamePlan 792 - The winner of this ACC clash will be in the driver's seat for the Coastal Division crown after VT beat GT last weekend. UNC looked great against Fresno State last week, but horrible against McNeese State the first weekend of the season. Virginia Tech has done the same thing with a much better week 3 than week 1. Of course with the Hokies a lot of that had to do with Tyrod Taylor no longer redshirting. Look for Taylor to take advantage of a Butch Davis team that still might be a year away.
Florida at Tennessee, 3:30 CBS - If UF is as good as so many are saying they should be able to go into Tennessee and get a win. The Vols have had 2 weeks to stew over their embarassing loss at UCLA Labor Day weekend. If they want any chance of turning this season around it might rely on winning this game as a loss could set them into a downward spiral like in 2005.
Notre Dame at Michigan State, 3:30 PM, ABC - Can Notre Dame really start our 3-0? Sure beating SDSU was ugly, and Michigan is bad, but this is a power running MSU squad and Notre Dame's first road game of the year. Look for the Irish to struggle against this tough MSU offensive line.
EVENING
Wake Forest at Florida State, 7:00PM, ESPN2 - With Clemson looking less like a championship team, this might be the championship game for the ACC Atlantic division. FSU has looked good the last two weeks, but they haven't played anyone with a pulse. Wake needed everything they had to beat a not-that-great Ole Miss team. The ACC really needs someone to step forward and give the conference a bright spot.
LSU at Auburn, 7:45 PM, ESPN - The home team has won the last eight...look for that to change. This game is always wacky, so I can't even guess what will happen. If Charles Scott keeps running like a man possessed and LSU wins, look for him to jump to the top of many Heisman lists come Sunday.
Georgia at Arizona State, 8:13 PM, ABC - This was the premier game of the weekend until UNLV stunned ASU a week ago. UGA has gone from preseason number 1 all the way to #3 without suffering a loss. A big win in Tempe could help them steal votes from idle Oklahoma.
Mississippi State at Georgia Tech, 12:00 PM, Gameplan 788 - There are a couple of good games early on Saturday, but I will be watching Sly Croom try and right the ship against Paul Johnson's Yellow Jackets. Mississippi State was on the losing end of a 3-2 error filled defensive struggle with Auburn a week ago and will try and actually get something out of the offense in Atlanta. Unfortunately for fans of big plays this could be another defensive struggle.
AFTERNOON
Virginia Tech at North Carolina, 3:30 PM, ABC GamePlan 792 - The winner of this ACC clash will be in the driver's seat for the Coastal Division crown after VT beat GT last weekend. UNC looked great against Fresno State last week, but horrible against McNeese State the first weekend of the season. Virginia Tech has done the same thing with a much better week 3 than week 1. Of course with the Hokies a lot of that had to do with Tyrod Taylor no longer redshirting. Look for Taylor to take advantage of a Butch Davis team that still might be a year away.
Florida at Tennessee, 3:30 CBS - If UF is as good as so many are saying they should be able to go into Tennessee and get a win. The Vols have had 2 weeks to stew over their embarassing loss at UCLA Labor Day weekend. If they want any chance of turning this season around it might rely on winning this game as a loss could set them into a downward spiral like in 2005.
Notre Dame at Michigan State, 3:30 PM, ABC - Can Notre Dame really start our 3-0? Sure beating SDSU was ugly, and Michigan is bad, but this is a power running MSU squad and Notre Dame's first road game of the year. Look for the Irish to struggle against this tough MSU offensive line.
EVENING
Wake Forest at Florida State, 7:00PM, ESPN2 - With Clemson looking less like a championship team, this might be the championship game for the ACC Atlantic division. FSU has looked good the last two weeks, but they haven't played anyone with a pulse. Wake needed everything they had to beat a not-that-great Ole Miss team. The ACC really needs someone to step forward and give the conference a bright spot.
LSU at Auburn, 7:45 PM, ESPN - The home team has won the last eight...look for that to change. This game is always wacky, so I can't even guess what will happen. If Charles Scott keeps running like a man possessed and LSU wins, look for him to jump to the top of many Heisman lists come Sunday.
Georgia at Arizona State, 8:13 PM, ABC - This was the premier game of the weekend until UNLV stunned ASU a week ago. UGA has gone from preseason number 1 all the way to #3 without suffering a loss. A big win in Tempe could help them steal votes from idle Oklahoma.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
What I'm Watching - Saturday, September 13, 2008
MORNING
NC State at Clemson, 12:00 PM, Raycom GamePlan Ch. 789 - NCST is horrible, but Clemson looked bad against Alabama two weeks ago and not much better against The Citadel last week. Clemson needs this win to get their ACC championship hopes back on track, and NCST needs the win just to keep this season from being an absolute disaster.
Cal at Maryland, 12:00 PM, ESPN or ESPN2 - Cal has looked fantastic so far and I expect nothing more than the same offensive output this weekened. Maryland is not a good football team (a trend with ACC teams it seems) and probably won't score more than 7 points in this one.
AFTERNOON
Georgia at South Carolina, 3:30 PM, CBS - The SCAR defense will be fantastic, but the UGA running game will be good enough to put points on the board while Spurrier's offense will sputter and not do anything. Look for this one to be low scoring but ugly...something like 20-3 UGA.
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech, 3:30 PM, ABC GamePlan Ch. 789 - Can the Paul Johnson era get off to a 3-0 start for the Jackets? GT was supposed to be the one at 1-1 while Virginia Tech was supposed to be undefeated coming into this game. Instead the Ramblin' Wreck pulled off the upset last weekend against BC while VT is still smarting from their loss to ECU. Look for a game similar to that GT/BC game a week ago where the defenses are stifling and the offense who makes the least amount of mistakes wins by a field goal.
Michigan at Notre Dame, 3:30 PM, NBC - This game feels eeriley like last season's matchup between these two squads. The course of the season for both teams will hinge on this game with the loser likely spiriling down into a 3-4 win season and a nightmare for fans. Michigan hasn't looked great against Utah and Miami (OH), but Notre Dame looked much, much worse against San Diego State. The Rich Rod era at Miiiiiiiichigan gets their first marquee win (if a win over a bad ND team can be considered such) while Notre Dame loses their 3rd straight to the Wolverines for the first time in over a century. Skip Holtz to the Irish?
EVENING
Auburn at Mississippi State, 7:00 PM, ESPN2 - Auburn was "Croomed" a season ago, and this year the game is in Starkville. Mississippi's best bet is to jump on the tigers early and hope to catch them looking ahead to next weekend's massive game with LSU. Auburn fumbled 5 times a week ago, and MSST will need a similar number of mistakes by the Auburn offense to get the job done.
Ohio State at USC, 8:00 PM, ABC - I'll be keeping an eye on the SEC clash in Starkville in addition to Oklahoma traveling up to play Washington and also North Texas at LSU, but the true game of the night will be Ohio State going out to LA to play USC. The way some are talking USC will beat this Ohio State team by 40+. I just can't see USC being so much better than a top 5 team, even at home. Beanie Wells is doubtful for the game, but I feel this young man will find his way onto the field. Look for Tressell to have to use his dynamic freshman QB Pryor both as a running and passing threat. I do think USC wins the game, but much closer than some of the madness being spewed on message boards the past few weeks. Look more for a 21-13 type of game.
EXTRA: North Texas at LSU, 8:00 PM, Gameplan GamePlan Ch. 78 - LSU needs to play this game to give its young QBs some experience before going on the road to play Auburn in a week. North Texas has a pourous defense that will give up gobs of yards to the home Tigers and LSU will do their best to end this one early. It won't be in doubt past the first quarter.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
What I'm Watching - 9/6/08
So the first weekend of games is in the books, and there were a number of upsets already. This weekend doesn't have the firepower of what is coming up on 9/13, but this weekend still has a few games worth tuning in for (picks in red).
MORNING
AFTERNOON
MORNING
Georgia Tech at Boston College, 12:00 PM, Raycom - As bad as the ACC looked last weekend it appears that anyone could be in the championship game come Decemeber. Paul Johnson's first game in Atlanta was a win over overmatched Jacksonville State, but is the "perfect option" ready for the touch run defense of Boston College?
Southern Mississippi at Auburn, 12:30 PM, Raycom - Auburn had no difficulties in crushing ULM last weekend, but the passing game was very inefficient and the offense didn't score a touchdown until well into the 3rd quarter. Southern Miss is sure to pose a bigger threat this weekend as Auburn begins preparing for LSU in 2 weeks.
AFTERNOON
Ole Miss at Wake Forest, 3:30 PM, ABC - With Clemson losing to Alabama last Saturday Wake Forest has emerged as the front runner for the ACC crown. Houston Nutt always seems to pull the crazy upsets, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them pull this off in North Carolina, but Wake Forest will cause Ole Miss to make just enough mistakes to win.
West Virginia at East Carolina, 4:30 PM, ESPN - ECU knocked off Virginia Tech on Saturday, but West Virginia is not inept on offense like the Hokies were. WVU wasn't incredibly sharp in their opening day win, but Pat White showed he can pass by throwing for a career high in TDs. Look for more running against ECU, and WVU to keep lightening from striking twice for the Pirates.
EVENING
Sept 6: Louisiana Tech at Kansas, 7:00 PM, FSN - Louisiana Tech and transfer QB Taylor Bennett knocked off Mississippi State in Ruston for their first home victory over a BCS school in the history of the program. Now they look to knockoff a BCS team from a year ago an a hopeful for the Big 12 title. Louisiana Tech had to take advantage of a number of MSU miscues to get the win, and they'll have to play MUCH better on the offensive side of the ball to keep this one close. Sorry, Bulldogs, the Jayhawks might be overrated but they'll get the win at home against the overmatched WAC team.
Sept 6: U Miami at Florida, 8:00 PM, ESPN - Is Miami back? Well, probably not quite yet. This would be a massive win for the ACC and for the Miami program, both of which are reeling the last few seasons. Florida steamrolled Hawaii, but they've had a number of injuries during Spring/Fall practice that could start showing effects against a team of Miami's talent level. The Hurricanes have talent, but it is all freshman so probably another two years away from dreaming this big.
Sept 6: Stanford at Arizona State, 10:00 PM, FSN West - Is Stanford ready to be a bowl team again? Is Arizona State ready to be an actual contender to USC for the Pac10? Oregon State isn't going to be very good this year, but it was still a big win for the Cardinal. A win in the desert would be huge for this program, almost on par with the USC thriller a season ago, but again I think we're looking at a team that's a year away. Dennis Erickson wins games like this, which is why he's been a successful coach for so long.
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