Top Ten teams
1. Green Bay Packers (11-0) : They are looking more and more unbeatable
2. New Orleans Saints (8-3) : Potent offense that nobody can stop
3. Houston Texans (8-3) : Best defense in the AFC, and the offense still moves under Matt Leinhart
4. San Francisco 49ers (9-2) : Stumbled against Baltimore, but still dangerous as owners of the stingiest defnese in the league
5. New England Patriots (8-3) : Best offense in the AFC and looking like the dangerous Patriots that won three Super Bowls in four years
6. Baltimore Ravens (8-3) : With both offense and defense clicking, this is a tough team to beat
7. Detroit Lions (7-4) : A three-game losing streak is knocking the luster off this team, and they have some tough opponents remaining
8. Chicago Bears (7-4) : Bad showing for Hanie's premiere, but he should get better. Still nearly won the game. With a favorable schedule ahead, the Bears still look playoff bound
9. Dallas Cowboys (7-4) : If they can avoid their traditional December slide, they should easily win the NFC East
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) : Big Ben is having a good year, and the defense remains stiff
Divisional rankings
1. NFC North : If Detroit can slow their skid, this division can remain on top. Both the Bears and Lions are showing fragility, but we'll see if it lasts.
2. AFC North : They may lack a Top Five team, but with three teams among the top twelve, and the Browns the second-best division cellar (behind Washington), this is a tough division from top to bottom.
3. AFC East : The Dolphins are the only team with a negative difference between points scored and points allowed, and it's shrinking. Only the Patriots are outstanding, but each team is still a threat to win any week, especially since Buffalo's offense finally woke up last week.
4. NFC East : Nobody is dominant, but each team has strengths. Philly needs to play better in the fourth quarter and Washington needs consistency, but they are a threat each week.
5. NFC South : Atlanta's coming back and Carolina is winning some games, so this division looks better.
6. AFC South : Tennessee is improving, and Houston hasn't fallen yet with Leinhart under center, so there is still some hope for this division.
7. NFC West : San Francisco basically won the division this week, and they LOST their game! No other team is worth paying any attention to, although Seattle can sometimes generate a good game.
8. AFC West : No team has a positive point differential. Oakland beat a Hanie-led Bears, but they aren't impressive.
Thursday night:
Philadelphia Eagles (4-7) at Seattle Seahawks (4-7) : Seattle can get up for certain games, and this might be one of those, but I'll pick the team with more talent, and that's Philly. EAGLES, 23-17
Sunday early games:
Atlanta Falcons (7-4) at Houston Texans (8-3) : The rejuvenated Matt Ryan offense faces the toughest defense in the league. This will be a real battle! The Falcons are hot right now, and you have to wonder how much Matt Leinhart can really accomplish. If the Texans get behind, they will lose. Even if they lead in the fourth, if they lead by less than a score, Matty Ice could pull this one out. I like the upset here. FALCONS, 24-23
Carolina Panthers (3-8) at Tampa Bay Bucs (3-8) : The Panthers are looking good, while the Bucs are collapsing. The only thing hurting Carolina is their porous offense, but I don't think the Bucs will be able to exploit that well enough. PANTHERS, 26-20
Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) : The Steelers were swept by Baltimore; they want to sweep Cincy. That won't be an easy task, especially with the way Andy Dalton is leading this offense, but I'll give them a chance. Cincy's defense has sputtered the last couple of weeks, and the way Big Ben and Rashad Mendenhall are playing, that gives Pitt the edge. STEELERS, 23-20
Denver Broncos (6-5) at Minnesota Vikings (2-9) : Tebow's stats aren't good, but his spirit has inspired the team. The Vikings are already defeated emotionally, so becoming defeated on the field is a short trip. BRONCOS, 24-20
Indianapolis Colts (0-11) at New England Patriots (8-3) : This one won't be pretty. PATS, 34-13
Kansas City Chiefs (4-7) at Chicago Bears (7-4) : I think Hanie will reduce his interceptions, and the stiff defense will frustrate KC. Hanie will gain his first win as a Bear, and that might help boost his confidence. BEARS, 24-13
New York Jets (6-5) at Washington Redskins (4-7) : Washington is in disarray, which is precisely the way the Jets like their opponents. Their defense hasn't been confusing teams much, but they can exploit an already confused team. JETS, 24-13
Oakland Raiders (7-4) at Miami Dolphins (3-8) : Miami is improving, but the Raiders proved that they can still shake up offenses. They will frustrate young Matt Moore, although he is improving. It may not be as easy a win as Oakland would hope. Miami will keep it close enough that the Raiders will STILL have a negative point differential, despite a 67% win percentage. RAIDERS, 23-19
Tennessee Titans (6-5) at Buffalo Bills (5-6) : The Bills offense showed flashes of the brilliance demonstrated earlier in the season, but can they sustain it? The Titans are definitely playing well. Matt Hasselbeck has found some new targets and they've found a new premier runner, so the Titans can move the ball. If the Bills offense doesn't fully come back to early season form, I don't think they can win. TITANS, 26-23
Sunday late games:
Baltimore Ravens (8-3) at Cleveland Browns (4-7) : The "old Browns" have held the upper hand against the new Browns since Cleveland rejoined the league, and that will continue. There are grumblings that Colt McCoy will be out of Cleveland come the off-season. RAVENS, 24-16
Dallas Cowboys (7-4) at Arizona Cardinals (4-7) : The Cowboys are winning (four in a row), but they've had weak opponents. They get another one. If they can prevent their typical December collapse, they should win this one. COWBOYS, 24-17
Green Bay Packers (11-0) at New York Giants (6-5) : It's interesting how one game can change national opinion. Last week, many of the national analysts were saying the most likely team to beat Green Bay and stop their unbeaten season would be the Giants. After getting slaughtered by New Orleans, another powerful offense, the Giants are now two touchdown underdogs. I won't go that far, but they won't stop the Pack. PACK, 31-20
St Louis Rams (2-9) at San Francisco 49ers (9-2) : The 49ers have a long week to stew and obsess over their loss to Baltimore. If they don't get so upset that they make stupid penalties, they ought to redeem themselves in this game. 49ERS, 24-10
Sunday night:
Detroit Lions (7-4) at New Orleans Saints (8-3) : The Lions defense isn't as stout as they were earlier in the season, and they face the most dangerous offense in the league behind Green Bay. We saw what Green Bay did in Detroit, and New Orleans are 5-1 at home. Make that 6-1. SAINTS, 34-26
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL -- San Diego Chargers (4-7) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-8) : The Jags might have had a chance to win this game, but the front office sabotaged that by firing Jack Del Rio. We know the interim coach will come from the Jags staff, so there is some consistency, but this will affect the team. CHARGERS, 24-16
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
NCAA 2011 Week 14 picks
Not many games, but I won't list them all. I will pick more than I usually do
Thurs Dec 1
West Virginia Mountaineers at South Florida Bulls: The only chance the Mountaineers have for the Big East title is a victory. Even if they miss the title, they can still score a decent bowl game with a 9-3 record. WEST VIRGINIA
Fri Dec 2
A couple of conference title games, including the FIRST EVER Pac-12 title game!
MAC CHAMPIONSHIP -- #22 Ohio Bobcats v Northern Illinois Huskies: First conference game, and I have to pick an upset! Yes, the Bobcats made the Top 25, but it won't last. The Huskies weren't great outside the conference, but they were nearly unbeatable against conference opponents. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP -- UCLA Bruins at #9 Oregon Ducks: This one won't even be close! If the Trojans weren't under probation, the game would be more interesting, featuring a rematch of the Ducks and Trojans. As it is, the Bruins backed in with a 6-6 record and will get slaughtered. OREGON
Sat Dec 3
Syracuse Orange at Pittsburgh Panthers: Neither can win the conference, but the winner becomes bowl eligible. That's a reason to fight! This will be a close game, but I like the way Pitt has been playing in recent weeks. I'll give them the slight nod. PITT
UConn Huskies at #24 Cincinnati Bearcats: The Bearcats will know if a three-way tie happens, or they win the Big East with a win. Either way, expect them to beat down the Huskies, especially if they need to build "style points" in a three-way contest for the conference. CINCY
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP -- #18 Southern Miss Golden Eagles v Houston Cougars: The Golden Eagles have the talent to engineer the upset, but Houston's offense is pretty strong. I have to pick the Cougars, but the Eagles defense won't make it easy. HOUSTON
Iowa State Cyclones at #20 Kansas State Wildcats: Iowa State has had good weeks and bad weeks, but the Wildcats had an extra week to prepare, so don't expect them to slip up. KANSAS STATE
Wyoming Cowboys at Colorado State Rams: The Cowboys are already heading to a decent bowl game. A win here gives them a bigger paycheck. WYOMING
UNLV Rebels at #14 TCU Horned Frogs: No BCS busting this year, but the Horned Frogs could still get a Dec 31st bowl. TCU
Troy Trojans at #21 Arkansas State Red Wolves: The Red Wolves already have the Sun Belt title, so their bowl trip is set. Will they rest key players? I don't think so; there's enough time until the bowl game. ARKANSAS STATE
Texas Longhorns at Baylor Bears: The Longhorns have better outscored their opponents, but I think Baylor will have the upper hand in this game. BAYLOR
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP -- #17 Georgia Bulldogs v #1 LSU Tigers (12-0): Can Georgia pull off the upset of the year? Maybe, but I doubt it. LSU has gotten stronger as the season wore on, so they are as powerful now as they've ever been. LSU
New Mexico Lobos at #7 Boise State Broncos: The Broncos add to their new home winning streak by brutalizing the Lobos. BOISE STATE
BYU Cougars at Hawaii Warriors: Hawaii is tough to beat at home, but I think BYU has the strength to do it. BYU
BIG XII CHAMPIONSHIP -- #8 Oklahoma Sooners at #5 Oklahoma State Cowboys: Let's face it, this game basically IS the Big XII Championship, as the winner claims the title. This intense rivalry can go either way, especially this year. Okie State has a potent offense, but Oklahoma/s offense is no slouch. Add in the speed of Oklahoma's defense, and you get an upset potential. I think the Cowboys will pull this one out, but they may actually be behind at one point in the fourth quarter. OKLAHOMA STATE
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP -- #12 Virginia Tech Hokies v #23 Clemson Tigers: Earlier in the season, I would have picked Clemson. Now, however, Clemson is on the skids, while Tech has shown tenacity and strength. VIRGINIA TECH
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP -- #6 Wisconsin Badgers v #11 Michigan State Spartans: In their first meeting, the Spartans defense held the Badgers to one of their lowest point totals of the year. The Spartans, though, won on a lucky last second Hail Mary that bounced off two people before being caught. Wisconsin wants to prove that, without luck, the Spartans can't beat them. They get their chance, and I like their chances. WISCONSIN
Thurs Dec 1
West Virginia Mountaineers at South Florida Bulls: The only chance the Mountaineers have for the Big East title is a victory. Even if they miss the title, they can still score a decent bowl game with a 9-3 record. WEST VIRGINIA
Fri Dec 2
A couple of conference title games, including the FIRST EVER Pac-12 title game!
MAC CHAMPIONSHIP -- #22 Ohio Bobcats v Northern Illinois Huskies: First conference game, and I have to pick an upset! Yes, the Bobcats made the Top 25, but it won't last. The Huskies weren't great outside the conference, but they were nearly unbeatable against conference opponents. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP -- UCLA Bruins at #9 Oregon Ducks: This one won't even be close! If the Trojans weren't under probation, the game would be more interesting, featuring a rematch of the Ducks and Trojans. As it is, the Bruins backed in with a 6-6 record and will get slaughtered. OREGON
Sat Dec 3
Syracuse Orange at Pittsburgh Panthers: Neither can win the conference, but the winner becomes bowl eligible. That's a reason to fight! This will be a close game, but I like the way Pitt has been playing in recent weeks. I'll give them the slight nod. PITT
UConn Huskies at #24 Cincinnati Bearcats: The Bearcats will know if a three-way tie happens, or they win the Big East with a win. Either way, expect them to beat down the Huskies, especially if they need to build "style points" in a three-way contest for the conference. CINCY
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP -- #18 Southern Miss Golden Eagles v Houston Cougars: The Golden Eagles have the talent to engineer the upset, but Houston's offense is pretty strong. I have to pick the Cougars, but the Eagles defense won't make it easy. HOUSTON
Iowa State Cyclones at #20 Kansas State Wildcats: Iowa State has had good weeks and bad weeks, but the Wildcats had an extra week to prepare, so don't expect them to slip up. KANSAS STATE
Wyoming Cowboys at Colorado State Rams: The Cowboys are already heading to a decent bowl game. A win here gives them a bigger paycheck. WYOMING
UNLV Rebels at #14 TCU Horned Frogs: No BCS busting this year, but the Horned Frogs could still get a Dec 31st bowl. TCU
Troy Trojans at #21 Arkansas State Red Wolves: The Red Wolves already have the Sun Belt title, so their bowl trip is set. Will they rest key players? I don't think so; there's enough time until the bowl game. ARKANSAS STATE
Texas Longhorns at Baylor Bears: The Longhorns have better outscored their opponents, but I think Baylor will have the upper hand in this game. BAYLOR
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP -- #17 Georgia Bulldogs v #1 LSU Tigers (12-0): Can Georgia pull off the upset of the year? Maybe, but I doubt it. LSU has gotten stronger as the season wore on, so they are as powerful now as they've ever been. LSU
New Mexico Lobos at #7 Boise State Broncos: The Broncos add to their new home winning streak by brutalizing the Lobos. BOISE STATE
BYU Cougars at Hawaii Warriors: Hawaii is tough to beat at home, but I think BYU has the strength to do it. BYU
BIG XII CHAMPIONSHIP -- #8 Oklahoma Sooners at #5 Oklahoma State Cowboys: Let's face it, this game basically IS the Big XII Championship, as the winner claims the title. This intense rivalry can go either way, especially this year. Okie State has a potent offense, but Oklahoma/s offense is no slouch. Add in the speed of Oklahoma's defense, and you get an upset potential. I think the Cowboys will pull this one out, but they may actually be behind at one point in the fourth quarter. OKLAHOMA STATE
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP -- #12 Virginia Tech Hokies v #23 Clemson Tigers: Earlier in the season, I would have picked Clemson. Now, however, Clemson is on the skids, while Tech has shown tenacity and strength. VIRGINIA TECH
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP -- #6 Wisconsin Badgers v #11 Michigan State Spartans: In their first meeting, the Spartans defense held the Badgers to one of their lowest point totals of the year. The Spartans, though, won on a lucky last second Hail Mary that bounced off two people before being caught. Wisconsin wants to prove that, without luck, the Spartans can't beat them. They get their chance, and I like their chances. WISCONSIN
NCAA 2011 Week 13 Top 25
The upsets weren't many, and they didn't affect the Top 25, but they were there. Colorado won their first Pac-12 conference game, and knocked Utah out of division title contention. Boston College shocked Miami. Struggling conference opponents Minnesota and Vanderbilt blew away their competition, Illinois and Wake Forest, respectively. Finally, UConn threw the Big East title race into further chaos by beating Rutgers.
This week's Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. LSU Tigers (12-0) [1] : Overpowering victory this week
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) [2] : Unless LSU is upset in the SEC Championship, it seems like the BCS National Championship game will be a rematch
3. Stanford Cardinal (11-1) [3]
4. Houston Cougars (12-0) [5] : The only other unbeaten team still has the Conference USA title game
5. Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-1) [4] : Their bye week hurt, but they should regain their #4 spot if they beat Oklahoma
6. Wisconsin Badgers (10-2) [6] : Next stop - Indianapolis for the first ever Big Ten football championship game
7. Boise State Broncos (10-1) [8]
8. Oklahoma Sooners (9-2) [7]
9. Oregon Ducks (10-2) [11] : Strong victory against their in-state rival propelled them to the Pac-12 title game
10. Michigan Wolverines (10-2) [10]
11. Michigan State Spartans (10-2) [12] : They are looking for an upset over Wisconsin, hopefully not relying on a late second Hail Mary this time
12. Virginia Tech Hokies (11-1) [13] : Slaughtered Virginia to reach the ACC Championship game
13. Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2) [9] : Manhandled by LSU
14. TCU Horned Frogs (9-2) [14]
15. USC Trojans (10-2) [15]
16. South Carolina Gamecocks (10-2) [16] : Big win over Clemson
17. Georgia Bulldogs (10-2) [17] : They have to face LSU next
18. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (10-2) [NR]
19. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-4) [18]
20. Kansas State Wildcats (9-2) [22]
21. Arkansas State Red Wolves (9-2) [23]
22. Ohio Bobcats (9-3) [25] : Confirmed spot in the MAC Championship
23. Clemson Tigers (9-3) [19]
24. Cincinnati Bearcats (8-3) [NR] : Still playing for the Big East title
25. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-4) [20]
Dropped: Penn State Nittany Lions [#21], Tulsa Golden Hurricanes [#24]
Best of the Rest: West Virginia Mountaineers (8-3), Texas Longhorns (7-4), Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3), Northern Illinois Huskies (9-3), Temple Owls (8-4), Baylor Bears (8-3), BYU Cougars (8-3)
Conference races
Only two titles remain: The Big XII will be determined by the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State rivalry game. The Big East is a three-way race. Louisville is done, and leads by half a game. If both West Virginia and Cincinnati win, there is a three-way tie for the top, and each have a 1-1 record against the others. If South Florida upsets West Virginia and Cincy wins, they win because they beat Louisville. If West Virginia wins and Cincy loses, Louisville takes the title. The Mountaineers only chance is a major win over South Florida and hope for a better ranking than the other two (which seems likely).
This week's Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. LSU Tigers (12-0) [1] : Overpowering victory this week
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) [2] : Unless LSU is upset in the SEC Championship, it seems like the BCS National Championship game will be a rematch
3. Stanford Cardinal (11-1) [3]
4. Houston Cougars (12-0) [5] : The only other unbeaten team still has the Conference USA title game
5. Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-1) [4] : Their bye week hurt, but they should regain their #4 spot if they beat Oklahoma
6. Wisconsin Badgers (10-2) [6] : Next stop - Indianapolis for the first ever Big Ten football championship game
7. Boise State Broncos (10-1) [8]
8. Oklahoma Sooners (9-2) [7]
9. Oregon Ducks (10-2) [11] : Strong victory against their in-state rival propelled them to the Pac-12 title game
10. Michigan Wolverines (10-2) [10]
11. Michigan State Spartans (10-2) [12] : They are looking for an upset over Wisconsin, hopefully not relying on a late second Hail Mary this time
12. Virginia Tech Hokies (11-1) [13] : Slaughtered Virginia to reach the ACC Championship game
13. Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2) [9] : Manhandled by LSU
14. TCU Horned Frogs (9-2) [14]
15. USC Trojans (10-2) [15]
16. South Carolina Gamecocks (10-2) [16] : Big win over Clemson
17. Georgia Bulldogs (10-2) [17] : They have to face LSU next
18. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (10-2) [NR]
19. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-4) [18]
20. Kansas State Wildcats (9-2) [22]
21. Arkansas State Red Wolves (9-2) [23]
22. Ohio Bobcats (9-3) [25] : Confirmed spot in the MAC Championship
23. Clemson Tigers (9-3) [19]
24. Cincinnati Bearcats (8-3) [NR] : Still playing for the Big East title
25. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-4) [20]
Dropped: Penn State Nittany Lions [#21], Tulsa Golden Hurricanes [#24]
Best of the Rest: West Virginia Mountaineers (8-3), Texas Longhorns (7-4), Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3), Northern Illinois Huskies (9-3), Temple Owls (8-4), Baylor Bears (8-3), BYU Cougars (8-3)
Conference races
Only two titles remain: The Big XII will be determined by the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State rivalry game. The Big East is a three-way race. Louisville is done, and leads by half a game. If both West Virginia and Cincinnati win, there is a three-way tie for the top, and each have a 1-1 record against the others. If South Florida upsets West Virginia and Cincy wins, they win because they beat Louisville. If West Virginia wins and Cincy loses, Louisville takes the title. The Mountaineers only chance is a major win over South Florida and hope for a better ranking than the other two (which seems likely).
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
NFL 2011 Week 12 picks
Top Ten Teams
1. Green Bay Packers (10-0) : They show no signs of slowing down
2. San Francisco 49ers (9-1) : Fiercest D in the league
3. Houston Texans (7-3) : Enjoy the top five while you can, Houston, because with Leinhart under center, it won't last
4. New Orleans Saints (7-3) : 2nd best offense, behind Green Bay
5. New England Patriots (7-3) : Best offense in the AFC
6. Detroit Lions (7-3) : They're stumbling recently, but they're still a threat
7. Chicago Bears (7-3) : This team has it together!
8. Baltimore Ravens (7-3) : They just proved that they rule the AFC North
9. Dallas Cowboys (6-4) : In a reversal of recent years, the Cowboys IMPROVED in November!
10 (tie). Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3)
10 (tie). Cincinnati Bengals (6-4)
Division rankings
1. NFC North : Three teams in the top ten? This division is clearly the most impressive in the league
2. AFC North : This division ALSO has three teams in the top ten, but we expected the type of power we are seeing; expected it from Baltimore and Pittsburgh, at least
3. AFC East : Buffalo's offense is collapsing, but Miami is improving
4. NFC East : Dallas and the Giants are strong
5. NFC South : Atlanta's looking good, and the Saints offense crush opponents
6. AFC South : Tennessee is improving, but the Texans are on the verge of collapse under Matt Leinhart
7. NFC West : San Fran is the only worthwhile team in this division
8. AFC West : No team with a positive point differential and no team ranked in the top half of the league; this division is a joke
This week's games - Thanksgiving Day games:
Green Bay Packers (10-0) at Detroit Lions (7-3) : You have to pity the Lions. After years of hosting Thanksgiving games when the team stunk, they have a strong enough team to win one this year. Unfortunately, the cruelty of NFL league scheduling pits them against the unbeaten Packers. What a Thanksgiving Day present! PACK, 31-24
Miami Dolphins (3-7) at Dallas Cowboys (6-4): Dallas, on the other hand, gets a nice favor. While Miami is improving, the Cowboys are a hot team right now. They always give something extra on the Thanksgiving Day game, and this year they don't even need it. COWBOYS, 27-17
San Francisco 49ers (9-1) at Baltimore Ravens (7-3): The Harbaugh brothers face each other. Baltimore is known for their stout defense, but the 49ers have the better defense. Jim Harbaugh is an offensive guru (which is why Alex Smith is having a banner year), so this defense must be a legacy of his predecessor, former Bear defensive front-runner Mike Singletary. Wherever it came from, it's yielding results. 49ERS, 24-20
Sunday early games:
Arizona Cardinals (3-7) at St Louis Rams (2-8): Arizona is having offensive problems. The Rams haven't been stellar, but they seem in better shape than the stumbling Cardinals. RAMS, 17-13
Buffalo Bills (5-5) at New York Jets (5-5): Okay, I'm convinced. The Bills' offense, the squad that propelled them to their excellent start, has officially proven that they have collapsed. Facing a defense like the Jets, that's bad news. JETS, 23-13
Carolina Panthers (2-8) at Indianapolis Colts (0-10): The key to this game is offense: the Panthers can move the ball and the Colts cannot. The weak Colts defense doesn't help them, either. PANTHERS, 28-13
Cleveland Browns (4-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-4): Cincy may have problems beating Pitt and Baltimore, but the Browns are a divisional opponent they CAN overpower. BENGALS, 24-17
Houston Texans (7-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7): The Texans will tumble with Leinhart under center, but they don't have to worry too much for this game. The Jags offense sputters against a weaker defense; the Texans will stuff them. The defense will likely cause a score through a turnover, which will be needed. TEXANS, 13-10
Minnesota Vikings (2-8) at Atlanta Falcons (6-4): Atlanta is rising, as their offense finds their wings again. Christian Ponder is still learning the ropes in Minnesota, so the Falcons prevail here. FALCONS, 27-17
Tampa Bay Bucs (3-7) at Tennessee Titans (5-5): With Houston's anticipated decline, the Titans know they have a chance to win the division. They know they need to win to do that, and this game is the start. TITANS, 23-17
Sunday late games:
Chicago Bears (7-3) at Oakland Raiders (6-4): With Cutler out, the Bears are in a dangerous situation. However, they still have a defense that forces turnovers, a stout offensive line to protect their new QB, a running back with one of the top yardage totals of the league, and a dangerous special teams threat in Devin Hester. I think the Bears will win, but it'll be a tough one. BEARS, 23-20
Denver Broncos (5-5) at San Diego Chargers (4-6): Tim Tebow is moving the team, even if his numbers aren't impressive. He has breathed life into the team. Philip Rivers, on the other hand, is bringing his team down. His interceptions and lackluster performance brings down the team. Since the defense isn't strong enough to carry the Chargers, I have to favor the surging Broncos. BRONCOS, 23-20
New England Patriots (7-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (4-6): Well, all talk about a "Dream Team" has evaporated as the Eagles have failed to live up to that bill. With Vick out, it is now up to Vince Young to lead the team. He had some decent drives last week, but fell short. I expect a similar performance this week. PATS, 27-13
Washington Redskins (3-7) at Seattle Seahawks (4-6): Truthfully, either team could reasonably win this one. I had to pick against a spread, I wouldn't. However, since I'm not a betting man, I'll throw out a guess. Washington is having QB problems and has a lackluster running game. Without much offense, that might give the Seahawks, whose offense is limited but works (sometimes), a chance to win. SEAHAWKS, 17-16
Sunday night:
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-6): Coming off a bye, the Steelers are well rested and well prepared for this game, not that they'll need it. The Chiefs are struggling with a new QB, and Big Ben is having one of the best years of his career. STEELERS, 24-13
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: New York Giants (6-4) at New Orleans Saints (7-3): The Giants offense is okay; they should score against the Saints defense. The key will be how well the Giants defense plays. Normally a strong point of this team, the defense is down this season, and that's a problem when you're facing an offense as potent as New Orleans'. SAINTS, 30-23
1. Green Bay Packers (10-0) : They show no signs of slowing down
2. San Francisco 49ers (9-1) : Fiercest D in the league
3. Houston Texans (7-3) : Enjoy the top five while you can, Houston, because with Leinhart under center, it won't last
4. New Orleans Saints (7-3) : 2nd best offense, behind Green Bay
5. New England Patriots (7-3) : Best offense in the AFC
6. Detroit Lions (7-3) : They're stumbling recently, but they're still a threat
7. Chicago Bears (7-3) : This team has it together!
8. Baltimore Ravens (7-3) : They just proved that they rule the AFC North
9. Dallas Cowboys (6-4) : In a reversal of recent years, the Cowboys IMPROVED in November!
10 (tie). Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3)
10 (tie). Cincinnati Bengals (6-4)
Division rankings
1. NFC North : Three teams in the top ten? This division is clearly the most impressive in the league
2. AFC North : This division ALSO has three teams in the top ten, but we expected the type of power we are seeing; expected it from Baltimore and Pittsburgh, at least
3. AFC East : Buffalo's offense is collapsing, but Miami is improving
4. NFC East : Dallas and the Giants are strong
5. NFC South : Atlanta's looking good, and the Saints offense crush opponents
6. AFC South : Tennessee is improving, but the Texans are on the verge of collapse under Matt Leinhart
7. NFC West : San Fran is the only worthwhile team in this division
8. AFC West : No team with a positive point differential and no team ranked in the top half of the league; this division is a joke
This week's games - Thanksgiving Day games:
Green Bay Packers (10-0) at Detroit Lions (7-3) : You have to pity the Lions. After years of hosting Thanksgiving games when the team stunk, they have a strong enough team to win one this year. Unfortunately, the cruelty of NFL league scheduling pits them against the unbeaten Packers. What a Thanksgiving Day present! PACK, 31-24
Miami Dolphins (3-7) at Dallas Cowboys (6-4): Dallas, on the other hand, gets a nice favor. While Miami is improving, the Cowboys are a hot team right now. They always give something extra on the Thanksgiving Day game, and this year they don't even need it. COWBOYS, 27-17
San Francisco 49ers (9-1) at Baltimore Ravens (7-3): The Harbaugh brothers face each other. Baltimore is known for their stout defense, but the 49ers have the better defense. Jim Harbaugh is an offensive guru (which is why Alex Smith is having a banner year), so this defense must be a legacy of his predecessor, former Bear defensive front-runner Mike Singletary. Wherever it came from, it's yielding results. 49ERS, 24-20
Sunday early games:
Arizona Cardinals (3-7) at St Louis Rams (2-8): Arizona is having offensive problems. The Rams haven't been stellar, but they seem in better shape than the stumbling Cardinals. RAMS, 17-13
Buffalo Bills (5-5) at New York Jets (5-5): Okay, I'm convinced. The Bills' offense, the squad that propelled them to their excellent start, has officially proven that they have collapsed. Facing a defense like the Jets, that's bad news. JETS, 23-13
Carolina Panthers (2-8) at Indianapolis Colts (0-10): The key to this game is offense: the Panthers can move the ball and the Colts cannot. The weak Colts defense doesn't help them, either. PANTHERS, 28-13
Cleveland Browns (4-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-4): Cincy may have problems beating Pitt and Baltimore, but the Browns are a divisional opponent they CAN overpower. BENGALS, 24-17
Houston Texans (7-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7): The Texans will tumble with Leinhart under center, but they don't have to worry too much for this game. The Jags offense sputters against a weaker defense; the Texans will stuff them. The defense will likely cause a score through a turnover, which will be needed. TEXANS, 13-10
Minnesota Vikings (2-8) at Atlanta Falcons (6-4): Atlanta is rising, as their offense finds their wings again. Christian Ponder is still learning the ropes in Minnesota, so the Falcons prevail here. FALCONS, 27-17
Tampa Bay Bucs (3-7) at Tennessee Titans (5-5): With Houston's anticipated decline, the Titans know they have a chance to win the division. They know they need to win to do that, and this game is the start. TITANS, 23-17
Sunday late games:
Chicago Bears (7-3) at Oakland Raiders (6-4): With Cutler out, the Bears are in a dangerous situation. However, they still have a defense that forces turnovers, a stout offensive line to protect their new QB, a running back with one of the top yardage totals of the league, and a dangerous special teams threat in Devin Hester. I think the Bears will win, but it'll be a tough one. BEARS, 23-20
Denver Broncos (5-5) at San Diego Chargers (4-6): Tim Tebow is moving the team, even if his numbers aren't impressive. He has breathed life into the team. Philip Rivers, on the other hand, is bringing his team down. His interceptions and lackluster performance brings down the team. Since the defense isn't strong enough to carry the Chargers, I have to favor the surging Broncos. BRONCOS, 23-20
New England Patriots (7-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (4-6): Well, all talk about a "Dream Team" has evaporated as the Eagles have failed to live up to that bill. With Vick out, it is now up to Vince Young to lead the team. He had some decent drives last week, but fell short. I expect a similar performance this week. PATS, 27-13
Washington Redskins (3-7) at Seattle Seahawks (4-6): Truthfully, either team could reasonably win this one. I had to pick against a spread, I wouldn't. However, since I'm not a betting man, I'll throw out a guess. Washington is having QB problems and has a lackluster running game. Without much offense, that might give the Seahawks, whose offense is limited but works (sometimes), a chance to win. SEAHAWKS, 17-16
Sunday night:
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-6): Coming off a bye, the Steelers are well rested and well prepared for this game, not that they'll need it. The Chiefs are struggling with a new QB, and Big Ben is having one of the best years of his career. STEELERS, 24-13
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: New York Giants (6-4) at New Orleans Saints (7-3): The Giants offense is okay; they should score against the Saints defense. The key will be how well the Giants defense plays. Normally a strong point of this team, the defense is down this season, and that's a problem when you're facing an offense as potent as New Orleans'. SAINTS, 30-23
Sunday, November 20, 2011
NCAA 2011 Week 13 picks
There are several divisions and conferences already set, but most of the others will be decided this week. In fact, only the Big XII will not be decided. Next week features many conference title games.
Tues Nov 22
Miami Ohio Redhawks at #25 Ohio Bobcats: The Bobcats already won the division title, but they won't slack off. They want to be ready for the conference title game. OHIO
Thurs Nov 24
Texas Longhorns at Texas A&M Aggies: The traditional Thanksgiving night battle has a rarity -- neither team is ranked. That happened last year, too. This could be a close game; both teams are talented. I like the Longhorns chances, but an Aggie victory would not surprise me. TEXAS
Fri Nov 25
The day after Thanksgiving is dominated with college football. We've got some interesting games, including the Game of the Week. I'll work this one in chronological order, starting with...
Eastern Michigan Eagles at Northern Illinois Huskies: The Huskies know a division title is on the line here, so I think they'll get up for this game. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Louisville Cardinals at South Florida Bulls: The vaulted Bulls defense has been pathetic this season. They might get up for their last home game, but I think the Cardinals will prove a bit too much and capture their first Big East title in years. LOUISVILLE
#5 Houston Cougars at #24 Tulsa Golden Hurricanes: Tulsa should enjoy their first week in the Top 25, because it may be their last. While Tulsa can capture the Conference USA West title with a win, Houston looks too strong to unseat. At least Houston is being an agreeable unbeaten, and not screaming that they deserve a shot at the BCS title. If they win impressively here, and then win the conference game, they might get a shot after all, considering the number of one loss contenders who lost this week and face tough games in the next two weeks. HOUSTON
Iowa Hawkeyes at Nebraska Cornhuskers: Nebraska has handled the minefield of the Big Ten pretty well in their first season; let's see how the basketball team does. By numbers, the Huskers should win this one. However, Iowa is a team that defies numbers sometimes. Iowa will make it tough, and could pull off the upset, but I think Nebraska's grouond game will maintain control late in the fourth, maintaining a slim lead. NEBRASKA
Toledo Rockets at Ball State Cardinals: Toledo will know at game time whether they have a shot at winning the division. Even if they don't, they want to position themselves for a bowl (especially since some of the SEC's reserved slots are up for grabs), so they'll battle the dangerous Cardinals. TOLEDO
Pittsburgh Panthers at West Virginia Mountaineers: West Virginia had an extra week to prepare for this game, so I don't expect an upset. WEST VIRGINIA
California Golden Bears at Arizona State Sun Devils: Cal nearly beat Stanford last week. While that was an intense rivalry game (just ask the "stare-down" participants about the intensity of that rivalry!), I think that'll boost the confidence of the Bears, who showed they have the talent to win. The Sun Devils are questioning themselves. Cal should be dangerous next year, as most of their starters return. CAL
GAME OF THE WEEK: #9 Arkansas Razorbacks at #1 LSU Tigers: This is an exciting game. Not only does it decide the SEC West title, but it could impact the BCS title game. LSU is certainly more used to pressure games like this, but Arkansas has an SEC title under their belt, won when a conference title game existed, so they know this type of pressure game. LSU has been impressive recently, but Arkansas has been consistently tough. I acknowledge LSU for what they have created, but wathc out for the Razorbacks. We had lots of upsets last week, especially affecting BCS contenders, and it could continue into this week. LSU
Sat Nov 26
Let's start with the Top 25 who play...
#2 Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers: The Auburn defense isn't what is usually is, and the Tide has supposedly fixed their kicking woes that cost them the game against LSU. There is too much going for Alabama here. ALABAMA
#18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at #3 Stanford Cardinal: The Irish might have wished Stanford had an eaiser time against Cal. After fighing hard in that game, a game following a loss to Oregon, will force them to adjust their game plan to shore up exposed weaknesses. That won't help Notre Dame pull off the upset. STANFORD
#21 Penn State Nittany Lions at #6 Wisconsin Badgers: The winner of this game wins the Leaders division and advances to the first ever Big Ten football championship game (not counting all of those years that the Ohio State - Michigan game basically served as that!). Wisconsin was an early favorite, but they lost a couple of tough games. However, that offense is potent, more potent than the Lions can stop. Penn State still has some offensive problems, so they won't be able to keep up. WISCONSIN
Iowa State Cyclones at #7 Oklahoma Sooners: Can the Cyclones pull off two upsets in a row? No, I don't think they're that strong, although they did show moves previously unseen this season. OKLAHOMA
Wyoming Cowboys at #8 Boise State Broncos: This game is not for the Mountain West title, but there are decent bowl slots on the line. Wyoming would love to win this game, but it's tough to win at Boise (only TCU has done that in the last three years). BOISE STATE
Ohio State Buckeyes at #10 Michigan Wolverines: It's been quite a few years since Michigan has been favored in this game, but Ohio State is facing a possible 6-6 season while Michigan wants a New Year's Day bowl. They should get it. MICHIGAN
Oregon State Beavers at #11 Oregon Ducks: This in-state rivalry can be intense, but the Ducks have something to prove after their upset loss this past week. OREGON
#12 Michigan State Spartans at Northwestern Wildcats: The Spartans already won the division, but they have to thinking ahead. Specifically, what if they don't win the Big Ten championship game? They want to win to margin a strong bowl game. MICHIGAN STATE
#13 Virginia Tech Hokies at Virginia Cavaliers: The Cavs have proven to be upset winners this season, so the Hokies have to be concerned. They SHOULD win this, but the Cavs are ALSO playing for the division title, so this will be a major battle. VIRGINIA TECH
UCLA Bruins at #15 USC Trojans: This game is always a major battle, and with the division title on the line, the Bruins will be hot. USC has shown that their postseason probation has not diminished their resolve, and they have plenty of resolve to beat the Bruins. USC
#19 Clemson Tigers at #16 South Carolina Gamecocks: The Gamecocks warned up by beating up on a FCS team. Clemson lost a game but won a division title. Now the question: Since Clemson has won a spot in the ACC title game, will they sit and relax for this game? Against a bitter state rival? Not a chance. This will be a game whose lead changes a few times, but I think Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks will emerge victorious. SOUTH CAROLINA
#17 Georgia Bulldogs at #20 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: This game may not mean much for division titles, but it means a great deal for bragging rights and recruitment in the state of Georgia. Tech has been inconsistent this season, usually winning by "just enough". Georgia surprised people and won their SEC division, so we know they have more toughness than expected. I like that. GEORGIA
Big Ten
Purdue Boilermakers at Indiana Hoosiers: Purdue needs a win to be bowl eligibile. The Hoosiers are the worst team in the conference, so the Boilermakers should make that. PURDUE
Illinois Fighting Illini at Minnesota Golden Gophers: The Illini have lost five games in a row, but this game should redeem their season. ILLINOIS
Best of the rest
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at UConn Huskies: Rutgers doesn't have much of a chance to win the conference, but there are some decent bowl spots open since the SEC won't make all of theirs. I'm not sure the chance of a Big East team claiming many, as they haven't been very impressive this season, but a 9-3 record would help. RUTGERS
Cincinnati Bearcats at Syracuse Orange: Cincy has lost two in a row and basically gave away the Big East title. They want a win to reverse this slide. Syracuse could make that a problem, though. Cincy is the better team, but if they can't stop their mistakes, Syracuse will pull this one out. CINCY
Texas Tech Red Raiders at Baylor Bears: Baylor began the season with an impressive win, and they bookended those last week against Oklahoma. Tech has collapsed, so a win here shouldn't be too hard. BAYLOR
Memphis Tigers at Southern Miss Golden Eagles: Southern Miss gained their division title by backing in; I'm sure they're not happy about that. They want a strong victory to propel them into the Conference USA title game, and Memphis should offer that chance. SOUTHERN MISS
Tues Nov 22
Miami Ohio Redhawks at #25 Ohio Bobcats: The Bobcats already won the division title, but they won't slack off. They want to be ready for the conference title game. OHIO
Thurs Nov 24
Texas Longhorns at Texas A&M Aggies: The traditional Thanksgiving night battle has a rarity -- neither team is ranked. That happened last year, too. This could be a close game; both teams are talented. I like the Longhorns chances, but an Aggie victory would not surprise me. TEXAS
Fri Nov 25
The day after Thanksgiving is dominated with college football. We've got some interesting games, including the Game of the Week. I'll work this one in chronological order, starting with...
Eastern Michigan Eagles at Northern Illinois Huskies: The Huskies know a division title is on the line here, so I think they'll get up for this game. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Louisville Cardinals at South Florida Bulls: The vaulted Bulls defense has been pathetic this season. They might get up for their last home game, but I think the Cardinals will prove a bit too much and capture their first Big East title in years. LOUISVILLE
#5 Houston Cougars at #24 Tulsa Golden Hurricanes: Tulsa should enjoy their first week in the Top 25, because it may be their last. While Tulsa can capture the Conference USA West title with a win, Houston looks too strong to unseat. At least Houston is being an agreeable unbeaten, and not screaming that they deserve a shot at the BCS title. If they win impressively here, and then win the conference game, they might get a shot after all, considering the number of one loss contenders who lost this week and face tough games in the next two weeks. HOUSTON
Iowa Hawkeyes at Nebraska Cornhuskers: Nebraska has handled the minefield of the Big Ten pretty well in their first season; let's see how the basketball team does. By numbers, the Huskers should win this one. However, Iowa is a team that defies numbers sometimes. Iowa will make it tough, and could pull off the upset, but I think Nebraska's grouond game will maintain control late in the fourth, maintaining a slim lead. NEBRASKA
Toledo Rockets at Ball State Cardinals: Toledo will know at game time whether they have a shot at winning the division. Even if they don't, they want to position themselves for a bowl (especially since some of the SEC's reserved slots are up for grabs), so they'll battle the dangerous Cardinals. TOLEDO
Pittsburgh Panthers at West Virginia Mountaineers: West Virginia had an extra week to prepare for this game, so I don't expect an upset. WEST VIRGINIA
California Golden Bears at Arizona State Sun Devils: Cal nearly beat Stanford last week. While that was an intense rivalry game (just ask the "stare-down" participants about the intensity of that rivalry!), I think that'll boost the confidence of the Bears, who showed they have the talent to win. The Sun Devils are questioning themselves. Cal should be dangerous next year, as most of their starters return. CAL
GAME OF THE WEEK: #9 Arkansas Razorbacks at #1 LSU Tigers: This is an exciting game. Not only does it decide the SEC West title, but it could impact the BCS title game. LSU is certainly more used to pressure games like this, but Arkansas has an SEC title under their belt, won when a conference title game existed, so they know this type of pressure game. LSU has been impressive recently, but Arkansas has been consistently tough. I acknowledge LSU for what they have created, but wathc out for the Razorbacks. We had lots of upsets last week, especially affecting BCS contenders, and it could continue into this week. LSU
Sat Nov 26
Let's start with the Top 25 who play...
#2 Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers: The Auburn defense isn't what is usually is, and the Tide has supposedly fixed their kicking woes that cost them the game against LSU. There is too much going for Alabama here. ALABAMA
#18 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at #3 Stanford Cardinal: The Irish might have wished Stanford had an eaiser time against Cal. After fighing hard in that game, a game following a loss to Oregon, will force them to adjust their game plan to shore up exposed weaknesses. That won't help Notre Dame pull off the upset. STANFORD
#21 Penn State Nittany Lions at #6 Wisconsin Badgers: The winner of this game wins the Leaders division and advances to the first ever Big Ten football championship game (not counting all of those years that the Ohio State - Michigan game basically served as that!). Wisconsin was an early favorite, but they lost a couple of tough games. However, that offense is potent, more potent than the Lions can stop. Penn State still has some offensive problems, so they won't be able to keep up. WISCONSIN
Iowa State Cyclones at #7 Oklahoma Sooners: Can the Cyclones pull off two upsets in a row? No, I don't think they're that strong, although they did show moves previously unseen this season. OKLAHOMA
Wyoming Cowboys at #8 Boise State Broncos: This game is not for the Mountain West title, but there are decent bowl slots on the line. Wyoming would love to win this game, but it's tough to win at Boise (only TCU has done that in the last three years). BOISE STATE
Ohio State Buckeyes at #10 Michigan Wolverines: It's been quite a few years since Michigan has been favored in this game, but Ohio State is facing a possible 6-6 season while Michigan wants a New Year's Day bowl. They should get it. MICHIGAN
Oregon State Beavers at #11 Oregon Ducks: This in-state rivalry can be intense, but the Ducks have something to prove after their upset loss this past week. OREGON
#12 Michigan State Spartans at Northwestern Wildcats: The Spartans already won the division, but they have to thinking ahead. Specifically, what if they don't win the Big Ten championship game? They want to win to margin a strong bowl game. MICHIGAN STATE
#13 Virginia Tech Hokies at Virginia Cavaliers: The Cavs have proven to be upset winners this season, so the Hokies have to be concerned. They SHOULD win this, but the Cavs are ALSO playing for the division title, so this will be a major battle. VIRGINIA TECH
UCLA Bruins at #15 USC Trojans: This game is always a major battle, and with the division title on the line, the Bruins will be hot. USC has shown that their postseason probation has not diminished their resolve, and they have plenty of resolve to beat the Bruins. USC
#19 Clemson Tigers at #16 South Carolina Gamecocks: The Gamecocks warned up by beating up on a FCS team. Clemson lost a game but won a division title. Now the question: Since Clemson has won a spot in the ACC title game, will they sit and relax for this game? Against a bitter state rival? Not a chance. This will be a game whose lead changes a few times, but I think Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks will emerge victorious. SOUTH CAROLINA
#17 Georgia Bulldogs at #20 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: This game may not mean much for division titles, but it means a great deal for bragging rights and recruitment in the state of Georgia. Tech has been inconsistent this season, usually winning by "just enough". Georgia surprised people and won their SEC division, so we know they have more toughness than expected. I like that. GEORGIA
Big Ten
Purdue Boilermakers at Indiana Hoosiers: Purdue needs a win to be bowl eligibile. The Hoosiers are the worst team in the conference, so the Boilermakers should make that. PURDUE
Illinois Fighting Illini at Minnesota Golden Gophers: The Illini have lost five games in a row, but this game should redeem their season. ILLINOIS
Best of the rest
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at UConn Huskies: Rutgers doesn't have much of a chance to win the conference, but there are some decent bowl spots open since the SEC won't make all of theirs. I'm not sure the chance of a Big East team claiming many, as they haven't been very impressive this season, but a 9-3 record would help. RUTGERS
Cincinnati Bearcats at Syracuse Orange: Cincy has lost two in a row and basically gave away the Big East title. They want a win to reverse this slide. Syracuse could make that a problem, though. Cincy is the better team, but if they can't stop their mistakes, Syracuse will pull this one out. CINCY
Texas Tech Red Raiders at Baylor Bears: Baylor began the season with an impressive win, and they bookended those last week against Oklahoma. Tech has collapsed, so a win here shouldn't be too hard. BAYLOR
Memphis Tigers at Southern Miss Golden Eagles: Southern Miss gained their division title by backing in; I'm sure they're not happy about that. They want a strong victory to propel them into the Conference USA title game, and Memphis should offer that chance. SOUTHERN MISS
NCAA Week 12 Top 25
There were many upsets this past weekend, so many that I will not list them all. I will focus on those that affected ranked teams. It started Thursday evening, as Southern Miss delayed their chance to win the division by losing to UAB. Unbeaten Oklahoma State then likely lost their chance to play in the BCS title game as Iowa State shocked them in a double overtime thriller. The thrills continued on Saturday, as both contenders for the ACC Atlantic division title suffered upsets. Florida State was toppled by Virginia, who stayed alive in the race for the Coastal division title. Clemson fell to NC State, but still won the division thanks to Virginia.
The loss to Oklahoma State opened a door for Oklahoma, but Baylor prompted slammed that door by beating the Sooners for the first time in team history! Now a victory by the Sooners when the two in-state rivals meet would leave every team in the Big XII with at least two losses.
This week's Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. LSU Tigers (11-0) [2] : The Tigers are one of only two unbeaten teams, making them the undisputed top team
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1) [3] : Could the BCS title game be a rematch of the five field goal snoozer from a couple of weeks ago?
3. Stanford Cardinal (10-1) [5] : They survived a struggle against Cal
4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-1) [1]
5. Houston Cougars (11-0) [7] : The Cougars are the other remaining unbeated team
6. Wisconsin Badgers (9-2) [8]
7. Oklahoma Sooners (8-2) [4]
8. Boise State Broncos (9-1) [9]
9. Arkansas Razorbacks (10-1) [10] : Their success sets up the Game of the Week
10. Michigan Wolverines (9-2) [11]
11. Oregon Ducks (9-2) [6] : The Ducks tumble but still have a shot to win their division
12. Michigan State Spartans (9-2) [16] : HUGE victory for the Legends leader
13. Virginia Tech Hokies (10-1) [13]
14. TCU Horned Frogs (9-2) [14]
15. USC Trojans (9-2) [17] : They knocked Oregon from BCS title contention and can't play for the conference title
16. South Carolina Gamecocks (9-2) [15]
17. Georgia Bulldogs (9-2) [21] : Beast in the SEC East
18. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-3) [24]
19. Clemson Tigers (9-2) [12]
20. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-3) [22] : Has to face Georgia this week
21. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-2) [NR]
22. Kansas State Wildcats (9-2) [25] : Still battling in the Big XII
23. Arkansas State Red Wolces (9-2) [NR]
24. Tulsa Golden Hurricanes (8-3) [NR]
25. Ohio Bobcats (8-3) [NR]
Dropped: Nebraska Cornhuskers [#18], Southern Miss Golden Eagles [#19], Cincinnati Bearcats [#20], Florida State Seminoles [#23]
In contention: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-3), West Virginia Mountaineers (7-3), Texas Longhorns (6-4), Texas A&M Aggies (6-5), BYU Cougars (7-3), Northern Illinois Huskies (8-3), Baylor Bears (7-3), Iowa State Cyclones (6-4)
Conference races:
ACC Atlantic: Clemson and Florida State each lost, but Clemson still emerged victorious
ACC Coastal: This division will be decided by the Virginia - Virginia Tech game this week
Big XII: As stated last week, this one will be decided Dec 3rd when the Sooners face the Cowboys
Big East: Cincy has pretty much lost this one. Louisville actually holds the edge, as they beat both Rutgers and West Virginia. If Louisville wins this week, they win the conference.
Big Ten Legends: Since they beat Michigan, the Spartans have already won this division, no matter what happens against Indiana
Big Ten Leaders: This one gets decided this weekend, as Penn State faces Wisconsin
Conference USA East: Southern Miss lost this week but still wins the division, because Marshall plays one less conference game.
Conference USA West: This one will be decided by the Tulsa - Houston game
MAC East: Ohio owns the tiebreaker, so they win the division
MAC West: If the Huskies win, they win the division. If the Huskies lose and Toledo wins, it belongs to Toledo
Mountain West: Won by TCU
Pac-12 North: Oregon holds the tiebreaker, so if they win this week they win the division. If the Ducks lose their second in a row, Stanford advances
Pac-12 South: If UCLA beats USC, they win the division (since USC's probation prevents them from playing for the title). However, USC may make that difficult. If the Bruins lose, it opens the door for Utah. They play Colorado, so they aren't likely to lose. Arizona State has a slim chance; both Utah and UCLA would have to lose and the Sun Devils win
SEC East: Won by Georgia
SEC West: This one will be decided by the Game of the Week
Sun Belt: won by Arkansas State
WAC: If Louisiana Tech beats New Mexico State, they win. If Tech loses and Nevada wins, they gain the title
The loss to Oklahoma State opened a door for Oklahoma, but Baylor prompted slammed that door by beating the Sooners for the first time in team history! Now a victory by the Sooners when the two in-state rivals meet would leave every team in the Big XII with at least two losses.
This week's Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. LSU Tigers (11-0) [2] : The Tigers are one of only two unbeaten teams, making them the undisputed top team
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1) [3] : Could the BCS title game be a rematch of the five field goal snoozer from a couple of weeks ago?
3. Stanford Cardinal (10-1) [5] : They survived a struggle against Cal
4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-1) [1]
5. Houston Cougars (11-0) [7] : The Cougars are the other remaining unbeated team
6. Wisconsin Badgers (9-2) [8]
7. Oklahoma Sooners (8-2) [4]
8. Boise State Broncos (9-1) [9]
9. Arkansas Razorbacks (10-1) [10] : Their success sets up the Game of the Week
10. Michigan Wolverines (9-2) [11]
11. Oregon Ducks (9-2) [6] : The Ducks tumble but still have a shot to win their division
12. Michigan State Spartans (9-2) [16] : HUGE victory for the Legends leader
13. Virginia Tech Hokies (10-1) [13]
14. TCU Horned Frogs (9-2) [14]
15. USC Trojans (9-2) [17] : They knocked Oregon from BCS title contention and can't play for the conference title
16. South Carolina Gamecocks (9-2) [15]
17. Georgia Bulldogs (9-2) [21] : Beast in the SEC East
18. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-3) [24]
19. Clemson Tigers (9-2) [12]
20. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-3) [22] : Has to face Georgia this week
21. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-2) [NR]
22. Kansas State Wildcats (9-2) [25] : Still battling in the Big XII
23. Arkansas State Red Wolces (9-2) [NR]
24. Tulsa Golden Hurricanes (8-3) [NR]
25. Ohio Bobcats (8-3) [NR]
Dropped: Nebraska Cornhuskers [#18], Southern Miss Golden Eagles [#19], Cincinnati Bearcats [#20], Florida State Seminoles [#23]
In contention: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-3), West Virginia Mountaineers (7-3), Texas Longhorns (6-4), Texas A&M Aggies (6-5), BYU Cougars (7-3), Northern Illinois Huskies (8-3), Baylor Bears (7-3), Iowa State Cyclones (6-4)
Conference races:
ACC Atlantic: Clemson and Florida State each lost, but Clemson still emerged victorious
ACC Coastal: This division will be decided by the Virginia - Virginia Tech game this week
Big XII: As stated last week, this one will be decided Dec 3rd when the Sooners face the Cowboys
Big East: Cincy has pretty much lost this one. Louisville actually holds the edge, as they beat both Rutgers and West Virginia. If Louisville wins this week, they win the conference.
Big Ten Legends: Since they beat Michigan, the Spartans have already won this division, no matter what happens against Indiana
Big Ten Leaders: This one gets decided this weekend, as Penn State faces Wisconsin
Conference USA East: Southern Miss lost this week but still wins the division, because Marshall plays one less conference game.
Conference USA West: This one will be decided by the Tulsa - Houston game
MAC East: Ohio owns the tiebreaker, so they win the division
MAC West: If the Huskies win, they win the division. If the Huskies lose and Toledo wins, it belongs to Toledo
Mountain West: Won by TCU
Pac-12 North: Oregon holds the tiebreaker, so if they win this week they win the division. If the Ducks lose their second in a row, Stanford advances
Pac-12 South: If UCLA beats USC, they win the division (since USC's probation prevents them from playing for the title). However, USC may make that difficult. If the Bruins lose, it opens the door for Utah. They play Colorado, so they aren't likely to lose. Arizona State has a slim chance; both Utah and UCLA would have to lose and the Sun Devils win
SEC East: Won by Georgia
SEC West: This one will be decided by the Game of the Week
Sun Belt: won by Arkansas State
WAC: If Louisiana Tech beats New Mexico State, they win. If Tech loses and Nevada wins, they gain the title
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
NFL 2011 Week 11 picks
Top Ten teams
1. Green Bay Packers (9-0) : Still unbeaten, and clobbering opponents
2. San Francisco 49ers (8-1) : Best defense in the league, and the offense is looking good, too. Frank Gore is one of the most productive runners in the league right now
3. Houston Texans (7-3) : Best team in the AFC, but that may not last with Matt Schaub injured and underachieving Matt Leinhart taking over QB duties
4. New Orleans Saints (7-3) : Offensive output just one point shy of Green Bay, this is a dangerous team to opposing defenses
5. Detroit Lions (6-3) : They're starting to fall, as they are showing weaknesses
6. New England Patriots (6-3) : Despite some miscues, they are still dangerous
7. Baltimore Ravens (6-3) : They've had two ridiculous losses, but never count them out
8. Chicago Bears (6-3) : After two colossal wins, the Bears are a force! Their offense line is the best in years, and that gives Cutler time to work his magic
9. Cincinnati Bengals (6-3) : Andy Dalton has the offense moving, and the defense compares with Baltimore's
10 (tie). Dallas Cowboys (5-4) : Tony Romo has the offense moving, but we're the time of the season when the Cowboys melt down
10 (tie). Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) : The Steelers have trouble winning in their division, but they are 6-1 outside
Division rankings
1. NFC North : Now with three teams in the Top Ten, if Detroit can regain their power, this division might produce half of the NFC playoff teams.
2. AFC North : They'd be better if Baltimore wouldn't give away easy games, but this is still a frightening division, especially on defense.
3. AFC East : Miami is improving, and Buffalo still has talent. If the Bills can prevent an outright freefall, this division will be interesting. I don't think they can prevent the AFC North providing both wildcard teams, though.
4. NFC East : Philly is spiralling downwards, and an injured Michael Vick might destroy them. Rex is back to being Rex, so Washington is faltering. If Dallas can hold off their usual late season collapse, this division might still be viable for a couple more weeks. They are on their way down, though.
5. NFC South : New Orleans is carrying this division, but Atlanta has a chance to rebound.
6. AFC South : With Houston likely to fall with Leinhart under center, could Tennessee become the frontrunner?
7. NFC West : Two wins and San Fran wins this division. Seattle is capable of surprising opponents, but basically this division is toothless outside of the Bay City.
8. AFC West : There isn't a single team with a positive point differential in this division. It's the closest, as only one game separates first place from fourth place, but nobody outside of this division really fears these teams.
Thursday night game:
New York Jets (5-4) at Denver Broncos (4-5) : Tim Tebow's numbers stink, but he motivates the team. Denver could surprise, but I'll still pick the Jets. A Rex Ryan-led team is dangerous, no matter how tricky their opponent. JETS, 27-21
Sunday early games:
Buffalo Bills (5-4) at Miami Dolphins (2-7) : The Bills have been in freefall the past two weeks, and the Dolphins have been on an upswing. Matt Moore seems to have found his footing, and he's leading the offense well. I still believe the Bills can right themselves. If they lose here, though, it might be all over for them. BILLS, 27-21
Carolina Panthers (2-7) at Detroit Lions (6-3) : Detroit has faltered against stout defenses, but Carolina's is far from that. Cam Newton has the offense working, but the Panthers get outscored because they can't stop opponents. It'll happen again. LIONS, 30-20
Cincinnati Bengals (6-3) at Baltimore Ravens (6-3) : Here's an interesting battle! These two teams are very evenly matched. This one will likely come down to the final minutes, pehaps the final seconds. Baltimore's ground game gives them a better chance to control the ball late, so I'll go with them. RAVENS, 19-16
Dallas Cowboys (5-4) at Washington Redskins (3-6) : Rex is back to throwing the ball to the other team, and John Beck doesn't release quickly enough. If Romo and the offense doesn't self-destruct, they should win here. COWBOYS, 27-20
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6) at Cleveland Browns (3-6) : Boy, this game could really go either way. Blaine Gabbert is coming on for the Jags, and Maurice Jones-Drew is returning to form. The Browns have some weapons, too, but I like what Jacksonville can do. JAGS, 17-13
Oakland Raiders (5-4) at Minnesota Vikings (2-7) : Christian Ponder is still learning, and the Raiders love to attack a weak opponent. RAIDERS, 23-17
Tampa Bay Bucs (3-6) at Green Bay Packers (9-0) : The 2011 edition of the Battle of the Bays will be pretty one-sided, as the Pack are moving the ball quite well while Josh Freeman and the Bucs are inconsistent and out of rhythm. PACK, 35-17
Sunday late games:
Arizona Cardinals (3-6) at San Francisco 49ers (8-1) : The stiff 49ers defense will frustrate John Skelton, while the offense will continue to get better. 49ERS, 24-13
San Diego Chargers (4-5) at Chicago Bears (6-3) : Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense have been struggling of late. Worse, they play a coordinated passing attack, which is exactly the type of offense the Bears defense breaks up. The Bears are poised to continue their streak of poweful victories, securing themselves a spot among the top teams in the league. BEARS, 27-17
Seattle Seahawks (3-6) at St Louis Rams (2-7) : The Rams are winners to two in a row, but Seattle tends to get "up" for important games. Nothing is more important than a divisional battle. The Seahawks will take this one. SEAHAWKS, 20-16
Tennessee Titans (5-4) at Atlanta Falcons (5-4) : Despite some woes, the Falcons still have lots of talent. Most of it is on the offensive side of things, but the Titans offense has sputtered, so all the Falcons have to do is outscore them. They are certainly capable of that. FALCONS, 24-20
Sunday night:
Philadelphia Eagles (3-6) at New York Giants (6-3) : Without Vick, how effective will the Eagles' offense be? Vince Young has not been very impressive in his stints replacing Vick, and he doesn't move the way Vick does. The offense will need to be revamped, which I don't think they'll have enough time to do before this game. Eli and the Giants offense are moving quite well, which makes things worse. At least the Eagles won't have a fourth quarter lead to blow -- they'll already be behind. GIANTS, 27-16
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL -- Kansas City Chiefs (4-5) at New England Patriots (6-3) : The Pats haven't been stellar recently, but they are still a dangerous team. Dismissing Albert Haynesworth and soliciting trades for Ochocinco eliminates the discipline problems and distractions that might be affecting team unity, and this team is dangerous when they are united. PATS, 24-16
1. Green Bay Packers (9-0) : Still unbeaten, and clobbering opponents
2. San Francisco 49ers (8-1) : Best defense in the league, and the offense is looking good, too. Frank Gore is one of the most productive runners in the league right now
3. Houston Texans (7-3) : Best team in the AFC, but that may not last with Matt Schaub injured and underachieving Matt Leinhart taking over QB duties
4. New Orleans Saints (7-3) : Offensive output just one point shy of Green Bay, this is a dangerous team to opposing defenses
5. Detroit Lions (6-3) : They're starting to fall, as they are showing weaknesses
6. New England Patriots (6-3) : Despite some miscues, they are still dangerous
7. Baltimore Ravens (6-3) : They've had two ridiculous losses, but never count them out
8. Chicago Bears (6-3) : After two colossal wins, the Bears are a force! Their offense line is the best in years, and that gives Cutler time to work his magic
9. Cincinnati Bengals (6-3) : Andy Dalton has the offense moving, and the defense compares with Baltimore's
10 (tie). Dallas Cowboys (5-4) : Tony Romo has the offense moving, but we're the time of the season when the Cowboys melt down
10 (tie). Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) : The Steelers have trouble winning in their division, but they are 6-1 outside
Division rankings
1. NFC North : Now with three teams in the Top Ten, if Detroit can regain their power, this division might produce half of the NFC playoff teams.
2. AFC North : They'd be better if Baltimore wouldn't give away easy games, but this is still a frightening division, especially on defense.
3. AFC East : Miami is improving, and Buffalo still has talent. If the Bills can prevent an outright freefall, this division will be interesting. I don't think they can prevent the AFC North providing both wildcard teams, though.
4. NFC East : Philly is spiralling downwards, and an injured Michael Vick might destroy them. Rex is back to being Rex, so Washington is faltering. If Dallas can hold off their usual late season collapse, this division might still be viable for a couple more weeks. They are on their way down, though.
5. NFC South : New Orleans is carrying this division, but Atlanta has a chance to rebound.
6. AFC South : With Houston likely to fall with Leinhart under center, could Tennessee become the frontrunner?
7. NFC West : Two wins and San Fran wins this division. Seattle is capable of surprising opponents, but basically this division is toothless outside of the Bay City.
8. AFC West : There isn't a single team with a positive point differential in this division. It's the closest, as only one game separates first place from fourth place, but nobody outside of this division really fears these teams.
Thursday night game:
New York Jets (5-4) at Denver Broncos (4-5) : Tim Tebow's numbers stink, but he motivates the team. Denver could surprise, but I'll still pick the Jets. A Rex Ryan-led team is dangerous, no matter how tricky their opponent. JETS, 27-21
Sunday early games:
Buffalo Bills (5-4) at Miami Dolphins (2-7) : The Bills have been in freefall the past two weeks, and the Dolphins have been on an upswing. Matt Moore seems to have found his footing, and he's leading the offense well. I still believe the Bills can right themselves. If they lose here, though, it might be all over for them. BILLS, 27-21
Carolina Panthers (2-7) at Detroit Lions (6-3) : Detroit has faltered against stout defenses, but Carolina's is far from that. Cam Newton has the offense working, but the Panthers get outscored because they can't stop opponents. It'll happen again. LIONS, 30-20
Cincinnati Bengals (6-3) at Baltimore Ravens (6-3) : Here's an interesting battle! These two teams are very evenly matched. This one will likely come down to the final minutes, pehaps the final seconds. Baltimore's ground game gives them a better chance to control the ball late, so I'll go with them. RAVENS, 19-16
Dallas Cowboys (5-4) at Washington Redskins (3-6) : Rex is back to throwing the ball to the other team, and John Beck doesn't release quickly enough. If Romo and the offense doesn't self-destruct, they should win here. COWBOYS, 27-20
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6) at Cleveland Browns (3-6) : Boy, this game could really go either way. Blaine Gabbert is coming on for the Jags, and Maurice Jones-Drew is returning to form. The Browns have some weapons, too, but I like what Jacksonville can do. JAGS, 17-13
Oakland Raiders (5-4) at Minnesota Vikings (2-7) : Christian Ponder is still learning, and the Raiders love to attack a weak opponent. RAIDERS, 23-17
Tampa Bay Bucs (3-6) at Green Bay Packers (9-0) : The 2011 edition of the Battle of the Bays will be pretty one-sided, as the Pack are moving the ball quite well while Josh Freeman and the Bucs are inconsistent and out of rhythm. PACK, 35-17
Sunday late games:
Arizona Cardinals (3-6) at San Francisco 49ers (8-1) : The stiff 49ers defense will frustrate John Skelton, while the offense will continue to get better. 49ERS, 24-13
San Diego Chargers (4-5) at Chicago Bears (6-3) : Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense have been struggling of late. Worse, they play a coordinated passing attack, which is exactly the type of offense the Bears defense breaks up. The Bears are poised to continue their streak of poweful victories, securing themselves a spot among the top teams in the league. BEARS, 27-17
Seattle Seahawks (3-6) at St Louis Rams (2-7) : The Rams are winners to two in a row, but Seattle tends to get "up" for important games. Nothing is more important than a divisional battle. The Seahawks will take this one. SEAHAWKS, 20-16
Tennessee Titans (5-4) at Atlanta Falcons (5-4) : Despite some woes, the Falcons still have lots of talent. Most of it is on the offensive side of things, but the Titans offense has sputtered, so all the Falcons have to do is outscore them. They are certainly capable of that. FALCONS, 24-20
Sunday night:
Philadelphia Eagles (3-6) at New York Giants (6-3) : Without Vick, how effective will the Eagles' offense be? Vince Young has not been very impressive in his stints replacing Vick, and he doesn't move the way Vick does. The offense will need to be revamped, which I don't think they'll have enough time to do before this game. Eli and the Giants offense are moving quite well, which makes things worse. At least the Eagles won't have a fourth quarter lead to blow -- they'll already be behind. GIANTS, 27-16
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL -- Kansas City Chiefs (4-5) at New England Patriots (6-3) : The Pats haven't been stellar recently, but they are still a dangerous team. Dismissing Albert Haynesworth and soliciting trades for Ochocinco eliminates the discipline problems and distractions that might be affecting team unity, and this team is dangerous when they are united. PATS, 24-16
Sunday, November 13, 2011
NCAA 2011 Week 12 picks
Once again we start the week with the MAC
Tuesday, Nov 15
Ball State Cardinals at Northern Illinois Huskies: A Huskies win here knocks Ball State from any division title possibilities, and solidifies their bid. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Wed Nov 16
Ohio Bobcats at Bowling Green Falcons: Ohio seals their division title bid with a win here. OHIO
Thurs Nov 17
North Carolina Tar Heels at #13 Virginia Tech Hokies: The Hokies continue their battle for the division title. This should be an easy victory to propel them into their showdown against Virginia next week. VIRGINIA TECH
#19 Southern Miss Golden Eagles at UAB Blazers: Southern Miss wins the division with this victory. SOUTHERN MISS
Friday Nov 18
#1 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Iowa State Cyclones: The Cyclones would love to play spoiler, but the Cowboys offense is too strong. I think the Cowboys will be playing in the BCS Championship Game, provided they don't stumble against Oklahoma. OKLAHOMA STATE
Toledo Rockets at Central Michigan Chippewas: Toledo can continue to pressure Northern Illinois with a win here. TOLEDO
Top 25
#2 LSU Tigers at Ole Miss Rebels: This should be an easy win for the top SEC team. LSU
Georgia Southern at #3 Alabama Crimson Tide: Alabama gets to beat up on a top FCS team. ALABAMA
#4 Oklahoma Sooners at Baylor Bears: Baylor might give them a serious challenge, although they haven't been as dominant as they were at the start of the season. The Sooners can use this as a good warmup for the Cowboys. OKLAHOMA
California Golden Bears at #5 Stanford Cardinal: Cal has played spoiler before, but they don't have the offense of the Ducks, so Stanford should get back to their winning ways. STANFORD
SMU Mustangs at #7 Houston Cougars: Houston continues to be an unbeaten team with no chance of being a BCS Buster. HOUSTON
#8 Wisconsin Badgers at Illinois Fighting Illini: The Illini have lost four after starting 6-0, and this one will be another loss. The Illini need to salvage their season with a win next week. WISCONSIN
#9 Boise State Broncos at San Diego State Aztecs: The Broncos no longer have a shot at the BCS Championship Game, and likely no chance at the Mountain West title, but they are still playing for a good bowl game. They will get back on track in this game. BOISE STATE
Mississippi State Bulldogs at #10 Arkansas Razorbacks: The Razorbacks need a win to possibly steal the division title from LSU. The Bulldogs can be a tough team to beat, but Arkansas seems to have a team of talented tools this season. ARKANSAS
#18 Nebraska Cornhuskers at #11 Michigan Wolverines: This contest decides who can challenge Michigan State for the division title. Nebraska hasn't been overly dominant in their conference games, but they tend to play well. Michigan has been more impressive in their victories, and it's tough for visitors to play in the Big House, especially if they aren't used to it. MICHIGAN
#12 Clemson Tigers at NC State Wolf Pack: A win here clinches the division title for Clemson. They won't let that slip away. CLEMSON
Colorado State Rams at #14 TCU Horned Frogs: TCU wins the conference with a win here. With the state of the Rams, that shouldn't be a problem. TCU
The Citadel at #15 South Carolina Gamecocks: There are three FCS v FBS games this week - quite a few for this late in the season. SOUTH CAROLINA
Indiana Hoosiers at #16 Michigan State Spartans: The Spartans play the weakest team in the conference. Nice easy win here. MICHIGAN STATE
#20 Cincinnait Bearcats at Rutgers Scarlet Knights: This is a "do or die" game for Cincy's chances at the conference title. A loss here puts them practically out of the race. Rutgers is good, but too inconsistent. I think Cincy will diagnose what happened last week and bounce back. CINCY
Kentucky Wildcats at #21 Georgia Bulldogs: Georgia has already won their division, but they won't slow down. GEORGIA
#22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Duke Blue Devils: With basketball season beginning, the Duke fans attention shift to a winning team. Good thing, as this won't be a pretty game. GEORGIA TECH
Virginia Cavaliers at #23 Florida State Seminoles: The Cavs need a victory to keep pace with the Hokies, but the Seminoles are pressing Clemson. They are also chasing a good bowl game. I'd love to see the upset, as I'd like to see the Cavs play in the conference title game, but I'm afraid the Seminoles are too good. FLORIDA STATE
Boston College Eagles at #24 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: BC bounced back last week, but the Irish will slap them back down. NOTRE DAME
#25 Kansas State Wildcats at Texas Longhorns: Amazingly, all Top 25 teams are playing this week! The Wildcats need a win to remain in the Top 25. They might, but Texas is also strong. This will be a massive battle, which could go to overtime. Can K-State win TWO lengthy games in a row? Maybe. KANSAS STATE
GAME OF THE WEEK: #17 USC Trojans at #6 Oregon Ducks: Oregon puts themselves in the Pac-12 title game with a win here. Truthfully, given USC's postseason ban, this is truly the Pac-12 Championship Game. USC plays well in championships, but I think Oregon's offense will prove too much for the Trojans. OREGON
Best of the rest
New Mexico Lobos at Wyoming Cowboys: The Cowboys are hoping to maintain pace with TCU for the conference title. Even if they can't, they want a good record for a good bowl game. Wyoming is having a good year, and they certainly have the tools to overwhelm the Lobos. WYOMING
Arkansas State Red Wolves at Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders: Arkansas State has already won the Sun Belt, but they want to finish with an unbeaten conference record. Middle Tennessee is one of the bottom teams, so they should win this one. ARKANSAS STATE
Kansas Jayhawks at Texas A&M Aggies: Kansas fought hard last week, but the Aggies are still a strong team, despite a 5-5 record. TEXAS A&M
Tulsa Golden Hurricane at UTEP Miners: Tulsa is chasing Houston, and they want to remain unbeaten in conference play. They should be able to do that against the struggling Miners. TULSA
Tuesday, Nov 15
Ball State Cardinals at Northern Illinois Huskies: A Huskies win here knocks Ball State from any division title possibilities, and solidifies their bid. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Wed Nov 16
Ohio Bobcats at Bowling Green Falcons: Ohio seals their division title bid with a win here. OHIO
Thurs Nov 17
North Carolina Tar Heels at #13 Virginia Tech Hokies: The Hokies continue their battle for the division title. This should be an easy victory to propel them into their showdown against Virginia next week. VIRGINIA TECH
#19 Southern Miss Golden Eagles at UAB Blazers: Southern Miss wins the division with this victory. SOUTHERN MISS
Friday Nov 18
#1 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Iowa State Cyclones: The Cyclones would love to play spoiler, but the Cowboys offense is too strong. I think the Cowboys will be playing in the BCS Championship Game, provided they don't stumble against Oklahoma. OKLAHOMA STATE
Toledo Rockets at Central Michigan Chippewas: Toledo can continue to pressure Northern Illinois with a win here. TOLEDO
Top 25
#2 LSU Tigers at Ole Miss Rebels: This should be an easy win for the top SEC team. LSU
Georgia Southern at #3 Alabama Crimson Tide: Alabama gets to beat up on a top FCS team. ALABAMA
#4 Oklahoma Sooners at Baylor Bears: Baylor might give them a serious challenge, although they haven't been as dominant as they were at the start of the season. The Sooners can use this as a good warmup for the Cowboys. OKLAHOMA
California Golden Bears at #5 Stanford Cardinal: Cal has played spoiler before, but they don't have the offense of the Ducks, so Stanford should get back to their winning ways. STANFORD
SMU Mustangs at #7 Houston Cougars: Houston continues to be an unbeaten team with no chance of being a BCS Buster. HOUSTON
#8 Wisconsin Badgers at Illinois Fighting Illini: The Illini have lost four after starting 6-0, and this one will be another loss. The Illini need to salvage their season with a win next week. WISCONSIN
#9 Boise State Broncos at San Diego State Aztecs: The Broncos no longer have a shot at the BCS Championship Game, and likely no chance at the Mountain West title, but they are still playing for a good bowl game. They will get back on track in this game. BOISE STATE
Mississippi State Bulldogs at #10 Arkansas Razorbacks: The Razorbacks need a win to possibly steal the division title from LSU. The Bulldogs can be a tough team to beat, but Arkansas seems to have a team of talented tools this season. ARKANSAS
#18 Nebraska Cornhuskers at #11 Michigan Wolverines: This contest decides who can challenge Michigan State for the division title. Nebraska hasn't been overly dominant in their conference games, but they tend to play well. Michigan has been more impressive in their victories, and it's tough for visitors to play in the Big House, especially if they aren't used to it. MICHIGAN
#12 Clemson Tigers at NC State Wolf Pack: A win here clinches the division title for Clemson. They won't let that slip away. CLEMSON
Colorado State Rams at #14 TCU Horned Frogs: TCU wins the conference with a win here. With the state of the Rams, that shouldn't be a problem. TCU
The Citadel at #15 South Carolina Gamecocks: There are three FCS v FBS games this week - quite a few for this late in the season. SOUTH CAROLINA
Indiana Hoosiers at #16 Michigan State Spartans: The Spartans play the weakest team in the conference. Nice easy win here. MICHIGAN STATE
#20 Cincinnait Bearcats at Rutgers Scarlet Knights: This is a "do or die" game for Cincy's chances at the conference title. A loss here puts them practically out of the race. Rutgers is good, but too inconsistent. I think Cincy will diagnose what happened last week and bounce back. CINCY
Kentucky Wildcats at #21 Georgia Bulldogs: Georgia has already won their division, but they won't slow down. GEORGIA
#22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Duke Blue Devils: With basketball season beginning, the Duke fans attention shift to a winning team. Good thing, as this won't be a pretty game. GEORGIA TECH
Virginia Cavaliers at #23 Florida State Seminoles: The Cavs need a victory to keep pace with the Hokies, but the Seminoles are pressing Clemson. They are also chasing a good bowl game. I'd love to see the upset, as I'd like to see the Cavs play in the conference title game, but I'm afraid the Seminoles are too good. FLORIDA STATE
Boston College Eagles at #24 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: BC bounced back last week, but the Irish will slap them back down. NOTRE DAME
#25 Kansas State Wildcats at Texas Longhorns: Amazingly, all Top 25 teams are playing this week! The Wildcats need a win to remain in the Top 25. They might, but Texas is also strong. This will be a massive battle, which could go to overtime. Can K-State win TWO lengthy games in a row? Maybe. KANSAS STATE
GAME OF THE WEEK: #17 USC Trojans at #6 Oregon Ducks: Oregon puts themselves in the Pac-12 title game with a win here. Truthfully, given USC's postseason ban, this is truly the Pac-12 Championship Game. USC plays well in championships, but I think Oregon's offense will prove too much for the Trojans. OREGON
Best of the rest
New Mexico Lobos at Wyoming Cowboys: The Cowboys are hoping to maintain pace with TCU for the conference title. Even if they can't, they want a good record for a good bowl game. Wyoming is having a good year, and they certainly have the tools to overwhelm the Lobos. WYOMING
Arkansas State Red Wolves at Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders: Arkansas State has already won the Sun Belt, but they want to finish with an unbeaten conference record. Middle Tennessee is one of the bottom teams, so they should win this one. ARKANSAS STATE
Kansas Jayhawks at Texas A&M Aggies: Kansas fought hard last week, but the Aggies are still a strong team, despite a 5-5 record. TEXAS A&M
Tulsa Golden Hurricane at UTEP Miners: Tulsa is chasing Houston, and they want to remain unbeaten in conference play. They should be able to do that against the struggling Miners. TULSA
NCAA 2011 Week 11 Top 25
Plenty of upsets this week, including the collapse of two unbeaten teams. Boise State experienced deja vu as they lost to TCU on a two-point converstion and missed field goal. Stanford was simply outplayed by Oregon as they fell from the ranks of the unbeaten. West Virginia ensured Cincy has a rough road to capture the Big East crown, while Purdue pulled off an amazing overtime victory over Ohio State. Missouri toppled Texas from the ranks of the Top 25, while Boston College gained only their second conference victory. Lastly, Colorado gained their first Pac-12 victory in the largest offensive display they've had all season.
This week's Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-0) [3] : The Cowboys leapfrogged LSU with an utter destruction of Texas Tech
2. LSU Tigers (10-0) [2]
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (9-1) [5] : After a slow start, they clobbered Mississippi State
4. Oklahoma Sooners (9-1) [6] : Up two positions in a bye week? THAT'S the result of Upset Saturday!
5. Stanford Cardinal (9-1) [1]
6. Oregon Ducks (9-1) [8]
7. Houston Cougars (10-0) [7]
8. Wisconsin Badgers (8-2) [9]
9. Boise State Broncos (8-1) [4] : No BCS busting this year!
10. Arkansas Razorbacks (9-1) [10] : One of their most impressive victories of the season
11. Michigan Wolverines (8-2) [13] : Scored more points against my Illini than anyone else this season
12. Clemson Tigers (9-1) [11] : Showed signs of weakness
13. Virginia Tech Hokies (9-1) [12]
14. TCU Horned Frogs (8-2) [17] : Colossal win over Boise
15. South Carolina Gamecocks (8-2) [15]
16. Michigan State Spartans (8-2) [16]
17. USC Trojans (8-2) [20] : That postseason ban must be starting to burn
18. Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-2) [19]
19. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (9-1) [21] : A missed extra point saved them
20. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-2) [14] : Still the best in what is a wide open Big East race
21. Georgia Bulldogs (8-2) [25] : Won the SEC East with a colossal beatdown of Auburn
22. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-3) [18]
23. Florida State Seminoles (7-3) [26]
24. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-3) [NR]
25. Kansas State Wildcats (8-2) [24] : Outlasted A&M in the conference's first quadruple overtime
Dropped: Texas Longhorns [#22], Penn State Nittany Lions [#23]
Top contenders: Ohio Bobcats (7-3), Arkansas State Red Wolves (8-2), West Virginia Mountaineers (7-3), Tulsa Golden Hurricane (7-3), Northern Illinois Huskies (7-3), Texas A&M Aggies (5-5), Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-3)
Conference races
ACC Atlantic: Clemson holds a one-game edge and the tiebreaker over Florida State. All they have to do is win this week
ACC Coastal: Virginia Tech holds the lead, but Virginia is hot on their heels. Unless the Cavs lose this week, this one will be decided when the two in-state rivals battle on Nov 26
Big XII: The Cowboys hold a one-game advantage over Oklahoma. This one will be decided on Dec 3
Big East: Cincy holds a one-game lead, but they face Rutgers this week. If they lose, the advantage in a three-way swings to West Virginia, who beat both Cincy and Rutgers. Louisville and Pittsburgh have chances, too, and UConn is still mathematically in it. This conference is wide open.
Big Ten Legends: Michigan State holds the lead with a favorable schedule, with games against Indiana and Northwestern remaining. It looks like they will win. Nebraska is hoping to win out and Northwestern beats them, as they hold the tiebreaker.
Big Ten Leaders: Penn State holds the lead, but they still play Ohio State and Wisconsin. If the Badgers win out, they win the division.
Conference USA East: Southern Miss leads by two games. Marshall beat them, so all the Golden Eagles need to win this week to capture the title.
Conference USA West: Both Houston and Tulsa remain unbeaten in the conference. Even if Tulsa loses this week, if they upset Houston next week they win the division. This one will be decided Nov 26
MAC East: Ohio leads, and they've beaten Temple and Kent State. Miami Ohio is the only team with a viable shot. They need to win both of their remaining games (one against Ohio) in order to do it, though.
MAC West: Northern Illinois and Toledo are tied atop the division. The Huskies beat the Rockets, so Northern Illinois holds the tiebreaker. That means they must do at least as well as Toledo over the next two weeks.
Mountain West: TCU beat Boise and Wyoming. Holding the tiebreaker means they win the conference with one win in their next two weeks.
Pac-12 North: Oregon made this interesting. All the Ducks need to do is win one more game.
Pac-12 South: USC leads, but they cannot play in the title game. That makes it an interesting contest among UCLA, Utah, and Arizona State. Each of them hold a 1-1 record against the other two, so a tiebreaker makes things interesting. Utah is one game behind the other two, though. UCLA holds the tiebreaker over the Sun Devils, but USC could play spoiler. It could come down to that, as both UCLA and Arizona State seem likely to win their games this week.
SEC East: won by Georgia
SEC West: Unless Arkansas loses this week, this game will be decided by the LSU-Arkansas contest in two weeks
Sun Belt: won by Arkansas State
WAC: If Nevada beats Lousiana Tech this week, the conference is theirs.
This week's Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-0) [3] : The Cowboys leapfrogged LSU with an utter destruction of Texas Tech
2. LSU Tigers (10-0) [2]
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (9-1) [5] : After a slow start, they clobbered Mississippi State
4. Oklahoma Sooners (9-1) [6] : Up two positions in a bye week? THAT'S the result of Upset Saturday!
5. Stanford Cardinal (9-1) [1]
6. Oregon Ducks (9-1) [8]
7. Houston Cougars (10-0) [7]
8. Wisconsin Badgers (8-2) [9]
9. Boise State Broncos (8-1) [4] : No BCS busting this year!
10. Arkansas Razorbacks (9-1) [10] : One of their most impressive victories of the season
11. Michigan Wolverines (8-2) [13] : Scored more points against my Illini than anyone else this season
12. Clemson Tigers (9-1) [11] : Showed signs of weakness
13. Virginia Tech Hokies (9-1) [12]
14. TCU Horned Frogs (8-2) [17] : Colossal win over Boise
15. South Carolina Gamecocks (8-2) [15]
16. Michigan State Spartans (8-2) [16]
17. USC Trojans (8-2) [20] : That postseason ban must be starting to burn
18. Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-2) [19]
19. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (9-1) [21] : A missed extra point saved them
20. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-2) [14] : Still the best in what is a wide open Big East race
21. Georgia Bulldogs (8-2) [25] : Won the SEC East with a colossal beatdown of Auburn
22. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-3) [18]
23. Florida State Seminoles (7-3) [26]
24. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-3) [NR]
25. Kansas State Wildcats (8-2) [24] : Outlasted A&M in the conference's first quadruple overtime
Dropped: Texas Longhorns [#22], Penn State Nittany Lions [#23]
Top contenders: Ohio Bobcats (7-3), Arkansas State Red Wolves (8-2), West Virginia Mountaineers (7-3), Tulsa Golden Hurricane (7-3), Northern Illinois Huskies (7-3), Texas A&M Aggies (5-5), Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-3)
Conference races
ACC Atlantic: Clemson holds a one-game edge and the tiebreaker over Florida State. All they have to do is win this week
ACC Coastal: Virginia Tech holds the lead, but Virginia is hot on their heels. Unless the Cavs lose this week, this one will be decided when the two in-state rivals battle on Nov 26
Big XII: The Cowboys hold a one-game advantage over Oklahoma. This one will be decided on Dec 3
Big East: Cincy holds a one-game lead, but they face Rutgers this week. If they lose, the advantage in a three-way swings to West Virginia, who beat both Cincy and Rutgers. Louisville and Pittsburgh have chances, too, and UConn is still mathematically in it. This conference is wide open.
Big Ten Legends: Michigan State holds the lead with a favorable schedule, with games against Indiana and Northwestern remaining. It looks like they will win. Nebraska is hoping to win out and Northwestern beats them, as they hold the tiebreaker.
Big Ten Leaders: Penn State holds the lead, but they still play Ohio State and Wisconsin. If the Badgers win out, they win the division.
Conference USA East: Southern Miss leads by two games. Marshall beat them, so all the Golden Eagles need to win this week to capture the title.
Conference USA West: Both Houston and Tulsa remain unbeaten in the conference. Even if Tulsa loses this week, if they upset Houston next week they win the division. This one will be decided Nov 26
MAC East: Ohio leads, and they've beaten Temple and Kent State. Miami Ohio is the only team with a viable shot. They need to win both of their remaining games (one against Ohio) in order to do it, though.
MAC West: Northern Illinois and Toledo are tied atop the division. The Huskies beat the Rockets, so Northern Illinois holds the tiebreaker. That means they must do at least as well as Toledo over the next two weeks.
Mountain West: TCU beat Boise and Wyoming. Holding the tiebreaker means they win the conference with one win in their next two weeks.
Pac-12 North: Oregon made this interesting. All the Ducks need to do is win one more game.
Pac-12 South: USC leads, but they cannot play in the title game. That makes it an interesting contest among UCLA, Utah, and Arizona State. Each of them hold a 1-1 record against the other two, so a tiebreaker makes things interesting. Utah is one game behind the other two, though. UCLA holds the tiebreaker over the Sun Devils, but USC could play spoiler. It could come down to that, as both UCLA and Arizona State seem likely to win their games this week.
SEC East: won by Georgia
SEC West: Unless Arkansas loses this week, this game will be decided by the LSU-Arkansas contest in two weeks
Sun Belt: won by Arkansas State
WAC: If Nevada beats Lousiana Tech this week, the conference is theirs.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
NFL 2011 Week 10 picks
Top Ten teams
1. Green Bay Packers (8-0) : The Pack look unbeatable - they are yet to play a close game
2. Detroit Lions (6-2) : Owners of the best defense in the division? Strangely, yes
3. New Orleans Saints (6-3) : Despite a couple of bad games, Brees has this offense rolling; it's tops in the league
4. San Francisco 49ers (7-1) : Jim Harbaugh is known as an offensive coach, but the defense is tops in the league
5. Houston Texans (6-3) : Their defense is strong, but their offense has been the story recently
6. Baltimore Ravens (6-2) : They swept the Steelers, which they've never done before
7. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) : This team has stats nearly identical to Baltimore's
8. Buffalo Bills (5-3) : The best of the three-way tie atop the AFC East, at least in terms of point differential
9. New England Patriots (5-3) : Two consecutive losses isn't good, but the Pats are still a force
10. New York Jets (5-3) : The defense is toughening up, which makes them a tough opponent again
Division rankings
1. NFC North : With the two best teams in the league and a Chicago team on a two-game winning streak, this division is strong
2 (tie). AFC East : Three top ten teams and a no-longer winless Dolphins team makes this the toughest division in the AFC
2 (tie). AFC North : Except for this one, of course. With the two toughest defenses in the AFC and Andy Dalton doing great things with Cincy's offense, this division has captured everyone's attention
4. NFC East : They may not have any top ten teams, but each of these teams are a threat on any given Sunday
5. NFC South : Atlanta's back on track, and any division with the Saints' powerful offense is a threat
6. AFC South : Houston is the only team worth attention
7. AFC West : The only division lacking a team with a winning record
8. NFC West : While not mathematically clinched, the 49ers win this division, simply because no other team is close to playing well
Thursday night football is back, and it opens with an intense division rivalry!
Thursday game
Oakland Raiders (4-4) at San Diego Chargers (4-4): The Raiders are always a threat in the division, but Rivers and the offense seems to be righting the ship. They nearly engineered a comeback against the unbeaten Packers, for heaven's sake! I have to give the nod to them. CHARGERS, 27-23
Sunday early games
Arizona Cardinals (2-6) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-5): The Eagles haven't been consistent, but they've done better than Arizona. There is a revenge factor for Cards QB Kevin Kolb, but I still think Philly will coast. EAGLES, 26-16
Buffalo Bills (5-3) at Dallas Cowboys (4-4): The Cowboys' defense isn't strong enough to significantly slow Buffalo. The key will be whether the offense keeps moving without collapsing. I think the Cowboys know there is too much at stake to slack off, so they'll at least keep scoring, but it won't be enough. BILLS, 30-21
Denver Broncos (3-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-4): The winning streak is over for KC, and Tim Tebow is starting to post the numbers the Denver fans hoped. If last week wasn't a fluke, the Broncos could win this one. I'll go for the upset. BRONCOS, 23-17
Houston Texans (6-3) at Tampa Bay Bucs (3-5): This may not be as easy for Houston as they think, but their offense is better than the Bucs', and their defense is slightly better, so things look favorable for them. TEXANS, 24-17
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) at Indianapolis Colts (0-9): Neither one of these teams are doing well on either side of the ball. This won't be a pretty game, but I'll pick the Jags just to see what happens if Indy has top claim on Andrew Luck. JAGS, 17-13
New Orleans Saints (6-3) at Atlanta Falcons (5-3): Atlanta's offense is starting to get back on track, but the key is whether their defense can slow the behemoth that is the Saints offense. I don't think so. SAINTS, 30-20
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-2): Pittsburgh has lost all of their division games this season. They have only faced Baltimore, but the Bengals look fairly similar this year. If anything, Andy Dalton's offense is more potent. Pitt might win, but I have to favor the Bengals. BENGALS, 26-21
St Louis Rams (1-7) at Cleveland Browns (3-5): The Browns haven't been impressive this season, but the Rams have basically stunk. BROWNS, 20-13
Tennessee Titans (4-4) at Carolina Panthers (2-6): Cam Newton and the Panthers offense is working, it's the defense that has killed them. Tennessee doesn't have a strong offense. Is this a game the Panthers can win? I'd love to say so, but somehow the Titans find ways to win. I'll pick them, but watch for Carolina to get their third win. TITANS, 20-17
Washington Redskins (3-5) at Miami Dolphins (1-7): The Dolphins won their first game of the season, but don't expect a two-game winning streak. John Beck is inconsistent, but he can move the Redskins. The defense hasn't been strong recently, but injuries account for part of that. Replacements are getting better, and some injured players might return. I have to give Washington a chance to right themselves. REDSKINS, 16-13
Sunday late games
Baltimore Ravens (6-2) at Seattle Seahawks (2-6): This one won't be in doubt. RAVENS, 27-13
Detroit Lions (6-2) at Chicago Bears (5-3): Chicago's defense will hound Matt Stafford, and Cutler still has intriguing targets. Chicago will keep this game close, but unfortunately the Lions are too strong for them. LIONS, 27-23
New York Giants (6-2) at San Francisco 49ers (7-1): The Giants are improving, and look like the strongest team in the NFC East right now, but they face the tough 49ers defense. This defense looks like the Giants defenses of old. Manning and the offense will be thoroughly challenged, and might put the Giants defense on the field too long. A weary defense makes mistakes, and Alex Smith is getting a good enough sense of the field to capitalize on that. 49ERS, 23-17
Sunday night
New England Patriots (5-3) at New York Jets (5-3): These games are always exciting, and frequently high-scoring extravaganzas. The Jets defense is toughening, as they held the Bills to 11 points last week. However, I still think the Pats will put up the points, and make this one another exciting offensive game. PATS, 30-27
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL -- Minnesota Vikings (2-6) at Green Bay Packers (8-0): This will be the most one-sided game of the week, as the league-leading Pack face a team still getting used to a rookie QB. PACK, 30-13
1. Green Bay Packers (8-0) : The Pack look unbeatable - they are yet to play a close game
2. Detroit Lions (6-2) : Owners of the best defense in the division? Strangely, yes
3. New Orleans Saints (6-3) : Despite a couple of bad games, Brees has this offense rolling; it's tops in the league
4. San Francisco 49ers (7-1) : Jim Harbaugh is known as an offensive coach, but the defense is tops in the league
5. Houston Texans (6-3) : Their defense is strong, but their offense has been the story recently
6. Baltimore Ravens (6-2) : They swept the Steelers, which they've never done before
7. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) : This team has stats nearly identical to Baltimore's
8. Buffalo Bills (5-3) : The best of the three-way tie atop the AFC East, at least in terms of point differential
9. New England Patriots (5-3) : Two consecutive losses isn't good, but the Pats are still a force
10. New York Jets (5-3) : The defense is toughening up, which makes them a tough opponent again
Division rankings
1. NFC North : With the two best teams in the league and a Chicago team on a two-game winning streak, this division is strong
2 (tie). AFC East : Three top ten teams and a no-longer winless Dolphins team makes this the toughest division in the AFC
2 (tie). AFC North : Except for this one, of course. With the two toughest defenses in the AFC and Andy Dalton doing great things with Cincy's offense, this division has captured everyone's attention
4. NFC East : They may not have any top ten teams, but each of these teams are a threat on any given Sunday
5. NFC South : Atlanta's back on track, and any division with the Saints' powerful offense is a threat
6. AFC South : Houston is the only team worth attention
7. AFC West : The only division lacking a team with a winning record
8. NFC West : While not mathematically clinched, the 49ers win this division, simply because no other team is close to playing well
Thursday night football is back, and it opens with an intense division rivalry!
Thursday game
Oakland Raiders (4-4) at San Diego Chargers (4-4): The Raiders are always a threat in the division, but Rivers and the offense seems to be righting the ship. They nearly engineered a comeback against the unbeaten Packers, for heaven's sake! I have to give the nod to them. CHARGERS, 27-23
Sunday early games
Arizona Cardinals (2-6) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-5): The Eagles haven't been consistent, but they've done better than Arizona. There is a revenge factor for Cards QB Kevin Kolb, but I still think Philly will coast. EAGLES, 26-16
Buffalo Bills (5-3) at Dallas Cowboys (4-4): The Cowboys' defense isn't strong enough to significantly slow Buffalo. The key will be whether the offense keeps moving without collapsing. I think the Cowboys know there is too much at stake to slack off, so they'll at least keep scoring, but it won't be enough. BILLS, 30-21
Denver Broncos (3-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-4): The winning streak is over for KC, and Tim Tebow is starting to post the numbers the Denver fans hoped. If last week wasn't a fluke, the Broncos could win this one. I'll go for the upset. BRONCOS, 23-17
Houston Texans (6-3) at Tampa Bay Bucs (3-5): This may not be as easy for Houston as they think, but their offense is better than the Bucs', and their defense is slightly better, so things look favorable for them. TEXANS, 24-17
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) at Indianapolis Colts (0-9): Neither one of these teams are doing well on either side of the ball. This won't be a pretty game, but I'll pick the Jags just to see what happens if Indy has top claim on Andrew Luck. JAGS, 17-13
New Orleans Saints (6-3) at Atlanta Falcons (5-3): Atlanta's offense is starting to get back on track, but the key is whether their defense can slow the behemoth that is the Saints offense. I don't think so. SAINTS, 30-20
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-2): Pittsburgh has lost all of their division games this season. They have only faced Baltimore, but the Bengals look fairly similar this year. If anything, Andy Dalton's offense is more potent. Pitt might win, but I have to favor the Bengals. BENGALS, 26-21
St Louis Rams (1-7) at Cleveland Browns (3-5): The Browns haven't been impressive this season, but the Rams have basically stunk. BROWNS, 20-13
Tennessee Titans (4-4) at Carolina Panthers (2-6): Cam Newton and the Panthers offense is working, it's the defense that has killed them. Tennessee doesn't have a strong offense. Is this a game the Panthers can win? I'd love to say so, but somehow the Titans find ways to win. I'll pick them, but watch for Carolina to get their third win. TITANS, 20-17
Washington Redskins (3-5) at Miami Dolphins (1-7): The Dolphins won their first game of the season, but don't expect a two-game winning streak. John Beck is inconsistent, but he can move the Redskins. The defense hasn't been strong recently, but injuries account for part of that. Replacements are getting better, and some injured players might return. I have to give Washington a chance to right themselves. REDSKINS, 16-13
Sunday late games
Baltimore Ravens (6-2) at Seattle Seahawks (2-6): This one won't be in doubt. RAVENS, 27-13
Detroit Lions (6-2) at Chicago Bears (5-3): Chicago's defense will hound Matt Stafford, and Cutler still has intriguing targets. Chicago will keep this game close, but unfortunately the Lions are too strong for them. LIONS, 27-23
New York Giants (6-2) at San Francisco 49ers (7-1): The Giants are improving, and look like the strongest team in the NFC East right now, but they face the tough 49ers defense. This defense looks like the Giants defenses of old. Manning and the offense will be thoroughly challenged, and might put the Giants defense on the field too long. A weary defense makes mistakes, and Alex Smith is getting a good enough sense of the field to capitalize on that. 49ERS, 23-17
Sunday night
New England Patriots (5-3) at New York Jets (5-3): These games are always exciting, and frequently high-scoring extravaganzas. The Jets defense is toughening, as they held the Bills to 11 points last week. However, I still think the Pats will put up the points, and make this one another exciting offensive game. PATS, 30-27
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL -- Minnesota Vikings (2-6) at Green Bay Packers (8-0): This will be the most one-sided game of the week, as the league-leading Pack face a team still getting used to a rookie QB. PACK, 30-13
Sunday, November 6, 2011
NCAA 2011 Week 11 picks
It's November, and we're facing the home stretch for many teams. Some division and conference leads (even a couple of titles!) are on the line this week, so let's get started...
Tuesday, Nov 8
Northern Illinois Huskies at Bowling Green Falcons: A Huskies win helps solidify their lead in the MAC West. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Western Michigan Broncos at Toledo Rockets: Toledo needs to win to maintain pace against Northern Illinois. The Broncos won't make it easy, but I think Toledo will prevail. TOLEDO
Wed Nov 9
Miami Ohio Redhawks at Temple Owls: This is basically the battle for second place in the MAC East. Both teams will battle hard. I think the Owls have a better ball control offense, and that could become crucial late in a close game. TEMPLE
Thurs Nov 10
Ohio Bobcats at Central Michigan Chippewas: A Bobcats win further solidifies their MAC East lead, especially if Temple wins on Tuesday. OHIO
#12 Virginia Tech Hokies at #18 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: A Hokies win gives them a strong foothold on the ACC Coastal lead. Virginia is rooting for Georgia Tech, as the Cavs already beat them. These teams will battle hard, but I like the talent on the Hokies squad just a bit more. This will be a tough road game, though, so watch for an upset. VIRGINIA TECH
#7 Houston Cougars at Tulane Green Wave: Tulane is pitiful this year, so this is an easy win to continue propelling Houston to the Conference USA championship game. HOUSTON
Friday Nov 11
South Florida Bulls at Syracuse Orange: Neither team can win the Big East, but this is a pride game for the Bulls, who are yet to win a conference game. I'm afraid they'll have to keep looking. SYRACUSE
Top 25
#8 Oregon Ducks at #1 Stanford Cardinal: Runner-up for Game of the Week, this game essentially determines the winner of the Pac-12 North. Oregon had a week off to prepare for this game, but the Beavers may have stuck it to their in-state rivals. By challenging Stanford this week, they will review and revise their game plan, setting up a tougher approach against the Ducks. STANFORD
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at #2 LSU Tigers: The Tigers get a easy battle after the defensive tug-of-war last week. This game might actually hurt them in the BCS computer rankings. Can Stanford or Oklahoma State grab the BCS #1 spot? LSU
#3 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas Tech Red Raiders: Tech can play tough, but the Cowboys offense is too strong. Even if Tech gets their offense rolling like it has in previous seasons, they won't keep pace with the Cowboys. OKLAHOMA STATE
#5 Alabama Crimson Tide at Mississippi State Bulldogs: The Tide want a strong performance to wash away the sting of the close loss to LSU. The Bulldogs are a good team this season, but they will struggle against the defensive colossus of the Tide. ALABAMA
#9 Wisconsin Badgers at Minnesota Golden Gophers: The Gophers have already engineered one conference upset this year; I think that's their limit. WISCONSIN
Tennessee Volunteers at #10 Arkansas Razorbacks: I don't think the Razorbacks will experience a letdown after their strong defeat of South Carolina. ARKANSAS
Wake Forest Demon Deacons at #11 Clemson Tigers: Wake is the only team who can up-seat Clemson for the division title. I don't see them doing it. CLEMSON
#13 Michigan Wolverines at Illinois Fighting Illini: The Wolverines come in angry after a close loss to the Hawkeyes. They want a win to get back into the running for the Legends division title. Honestly, I don't think they'll do it. Illinois had a bye week to get healthy and prepare for this game, their defense is fierce, and they are at home. Illinois has played much better at home this season than on the road. They sent this game to three overtimes last year, and that was in the Big House. I pick an upset against their hated rivals to return Illinois to their winning ways. ILLINOIS
West Virginia Mountaineers at #14 Cincinnati Bearcats: It hasn't been the prettiest conference season for the Mountaineers, and it gets rougher. Cincy hasnt' been overly dominant against most of their opponents, but they are tenacious scrappers. The Mountaineers are too used to having things go easy in the Big East - I don't think they know what went wrong against Louisville. That confusion will carry over to this game. CINCY
Florida Gators at #15 South Carolina Gamecocks: The Gamecocks want to bounce back from their loss to Arkansas, and Steve Spurrier wants to beat his old school. More importantly, a win here helps them in the divisional race, as this is their last SEC game (games against the Citadel and Clemson remain). SOUTH CAROLINA
#16 Michigan State Spartans at Iowa Hawkeyes: Iowa upset the Wolverines, and they host the other Michigan team. I'm not sure they have two consecutive upsets in them, especially since these teams are composed differently. Michigan focusses on offense, especially the spread. Michigan State is more defensively oriented; their offense is run-based. The Hawkeyes are susceptible to a tough defense, which should swing the game in favor of the Spartans. MICHIGAN STATE
#19 Nebraska Cornhuskers at #23 Penn State Nittany Lions: Penn State does not have the offense to outscore the Cornhuskers, but they have a tough defense. This is the type of defense which should be a challenge to the 'Huskers. They got past Ohio State and Michigan State, but the Buckeyes were reeling then and the Spartans were a bit over-confident. Penn State knows what's at stake, and they don't get complacent. PENN STATE
Washington Huskies at #20 USC Trojans: The Huskies still have a mathematical chance for the North division, but it's basically a pipe dream. That won't stop them from playing for a good bowl game. The Trojans have nothing to play for except pride and draft position, and that's propelled them so far this season. It's always tough to play the Trojans in the Colisseum, and that is true this season as well. USC
Central Florida Golden Knights at #21 Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles: It's a flood of gold this week! Southern Miss needs this victory, as Marshall beat them and hold a tiebreaker over them. The Eagles are proving tough to beat after a slow start in the conference, and Central Florida has shown too many holes to predict an upset. SOUTHERN MISS
#22 Texas Longhorns at Missouri Tigers: Texas may have two losses, but the Big XII is the most powerful conference this year. The Longhorns would be the conference leader in most other conferences, so don't let their record fool you. TEXAS
Texas A&M Aggies at #24 Kansas State Wildcats: The Wildcats offense came alive last week. If they don't fall back, they should win this game fairly easily. However, the Aggies are a dangerous team, despite three losses, so this will be a struggle. The Wildcats might pull it out, but I wouldn't be surprised by an Aggies win. KANSAS STATE
Auburn Tigers at #25 Georgia Bulldogs: South Carolina fans find themselves rooting for Auburn this week, as the Bulldogs put their division-leading record on the line. Auburn had an extra week to prepare for this game, which makes them dangerous. I've already picked two upsets this week, but I guess I haven't used up my quota. AUBURN
GAME OF THE WEEK: #17 TCU Horned Frogs at #4 Boise State Broncos: The Mountain West title is on the line here. TCU is a strong team, but Boise has consistently knocked down opponents this season. Granted, TCU is the toughest opponent they've faced, but I still like their chances to win this. BOISE STATE
Best of the Rest
Miami Hurricanes at Florida State Seminoles: This is an intense rivalry game that could go either way, but the Seminoles are playing well. Miami knows a loss takes them out of contention for the division, but the situation is more important for Florida State. If Wake loses to Clemson, Florida State can take sole possession of second place in the division. If Wake upsets Clemson, will that deflate Florida State, since they have lost to both teams and a three-way tie for the division hurts them? I think the coaching staff will ensure the players do not have updates from that game so that they can focus on this one. FLORIDA STATE
Baylor Bears at Kansas Jayhawks: Baylor should roll over the struggling Jayhawks. BAYLOR
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns at Arkansas State Red Wolves: The winner of this game captures the Sun Belt title. Both have been tough competitors this season, but the Red Wolves have been more impressive. Given that this is a home game for them, I definitely have to favor them. ARKANSAS STATE
Maryland Terrapins at Notre Dame Fighting Irish: No matter what uniform the 'Terps wear, the Irish should overpower them. NOTRE DAME
Tuesday, Nov 8
Northern Illinois Huskies at Bowling Green Falcons: A Huskies win helps solidify their lead in the MAC West. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Western Michigan Broncos at Toledo Rockets: Toledo needs to win to maintain pace against Northern Illinois. The Broncos won't make it easy, but I think Toledo will prevail. TOLEDO
Wed Nov 9
Miami Ohio Redhawks at Temple Owls: This is basically the battle for second place in the MAC East. Both teams will battle hard. I think the Owls have a better ball control offense, and that could become crucial late in a close game. TEMPLE
Thurs Nov 10
Ohio Bobcats at Central Michigan Chippewas: A Bobcats win further solidifies their MAC East lead, especially if Temple wins on Tuesday. OHIO
#12 Virginia Tech Hokies at #18 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: A Hokies win gives them a strong foothold on the ACC Coastal lead. Virginia is rooting for Georgia Tech, as the Cavs already beat them. These teams will battle hard, but I like the talent on the Hokies squad just a bit more. This will be a tough road game, though, so watch for an upset. VIRGINIA TECH
#7 Houston Cougars at Tulane Green Wave: Tulane is pitiful this year, so this is an easy win to continue propelling Houston to the Conference USA championship game. HOUSTON
Friday Nov 11
South Florida Bulls at Syracuse Orange: Neither team can win the Big East, but this is a pride game for the Bulls, who are yet to win a conference game. I'm afraid they'll have to keep looking. SYRACUSE
Top 25
#8 Oregon Ducks at #1 Stanford Cardinal: Runner-up for Game of the Week, this game essentially determines the winner of the Pac-12 North. Oregon had a week off to prepare for this game, but the Beavers may have stuck it to their in-state rivals. By challenging Stanford this week, they will review and revise their game plan, setting up a tougher approach against the Ducks. STANFORD
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at #2 LSU Tigers: The Tigers get a easy battle after the defensive tug-of-war last week. This game might actually hurt them in the BCS computer rankings. Can Stanford or Oklahoma State grab the BCS #1 spot? LSU
#3 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas Tech Red Raiders: Tech can play tough, but the Cowboys offense is too strong. Even if Tech gets their offense rolling like it has in previous seasons, they won't keep pace with the Cowboys. OKLAHOMA STATE
#5 Alabama Crimson Tide at Mississippi State Bulldogs: The Tide want a strong performance to wash away the sting of the close loss to LSU. The Bulldogs are a good team this season, but they will struggle against the defensive colossus of the Tide. ALABAMA
#9 Wisconsin Badgers at Minnesota Golden Gophers: The Gophers have already engineered one conference upset this year; I think that's their limit. WISCONSIN
Tennessee Volunteers at #10 Arkansas Razorbacks: I don't think the Razorbacks will experience a letdown after their strong defeat of South Carolina. ARKANSAS
Wake Forest Demon Deacons at #11 Clemson Tigers: Wake is the only team who can up-seat Clemson for the division title. I don't see them doing it. CLEMSON
#13 Michigan Wolverines at Illinois Fighting Illini: The Wolverines come in angry after a close loss to the Hawkeyes. They want a win to get back into the running for the Legends division title. Honestly, I don't think they'll do it. Illinois had a bye week to get healthy and prepare for this game, their defense is fierce, and they are at home. Illinois has played much better at home this season than on the road. They sent this game to three overtimes last year, and that was in the Big House. I pick an upset against their hated rivals to return Illinois to their winning ways. ILLINOIS
West Virginia Mountaineers at #14 Cincinnati Bearcats: It hasn't been the prettiest conference season for the Mountaineers, and it gets rougher. Cincy hasnt' been overly dominant against most of their opponents, but they are tenacious scrappers. The Mountaineers are too used to having things go easy in the Big East - I don't think they know what went wrong against Louisville. That confusion will carry over to this game. CINCY
Florida Gators at #15 South Carolina Gamecocks: The Gamecocks want to bounce back from their loss to Arkansas, and Steve Spurrier wants to beat his old school. More importantly, a win here helps them in the divisional race, as this is their last SEC game (games against the Citadel and Clemson remain). SOUTH CAROLINA
#16 Michigan State Spartans at Iowa Hawkeyes: Iowa upset the Wolverines, and they host the other Michigan team. I'm not sure they have two consecutive upsets in them, especially since these teams are composed differently. Michigan focusses on offense, especially the spread. Michigan State is more defensively oriented; their offense is run-based. The Hawkeyes are susceptible to a tough defense, which should swing the game in favor of the Spartans. MICHIGAN STATE
#19 Nebraska Cornhuskers at #23 Penn State Nittany Lions: Penn State does not have the offense to outscore the Cornhuskers, but they have a tough defense. This is the type of defense which should be a challenge to the 'Huskers. They got past Ohio State and Michigan State, but the Buckeyes were reeling then and the Spartans were a bit over-confident. Penn State knows what's at stake, and they don't get complacent. PENN STATE
Washington Huskies at #20 USC Trojans: The Huskies still have a mathematical chance for the North division, but it's basically a pipe dream. That won't stop them from playing for a good bowl game. The Trojans have nothing to play for except pride and draft position, and that's propelled them so far this season. It's always tough to play the Trojans in the Colisseum, and that is true this season as well. USC
Central Florida Golden Knights at #21 Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles: It's a flood of gold this week! Southern Miss needs this victory, as Marshall beat them and hold a tiebreaker over them. The Eagles are proving tough to beat after a slow start in the conference, and Central Florida has shown too many holes to predict an upset. SOUTHERN MISS
#22 Texas Longhorns at Missouri Tigers: Texas may have two losses, but the Big XII is the most powerful conference this year. The Longhorns would be the conference leader in most other conferences, so don't let their record fool you. TEXAS
Texas A&M Aggies at #24 Kansas State Wildcats: The Wildcats offense came alive last week. If they don't fall back, they should win this game fairly easily. However, the Aggies are a dangerous team, despite three losses, so this will be a struggle. The Wildcats might pull it out, but I wouldn't be surprised by an Aggies win. KANSAS STATE
Auburn Tigers at #25 Georgia Bulldogs: South Carolina fans find themselves rooting for Auburn this week, as the Bulldogs put their division-leading record on the line. Auburn had an extra week to prepare for this game, which makes them dangerous. I've already picked two upsets this week, but I guess I haven't used up my quota. AUBURN
GAME OF THE WEEK: #17 TCU Horned Frogs at #4 Boise State Broncos: The Mountain West title is on the line here. TCU is a strong team, but Boise has consistently knocked down opponents this season. Granted, TCU is the toughest opponent they've faced, but I still like their chances to win this. BOISE STATE
Best of the Rest
Miami Hurricanes at Florida State Seminoles: This is an intense rivalry game that could go either way, but the Seminoles are playing well. Miami knows a loss takes them out of contention for the division, but the situation is more important for Florida State. If Wake loses to Clemson, Florida State can take sole possession of second place in the division. If Wake upsets Clemson, will that deflate Florida State, since they have lost to both teams and a three-way tie for the division hurts them? I think the coaching staff will ensure the players do not have updates from that game so that they can focus on this one. FLORIDA STATE
Baylor Bears at Kansas Jayhawks: Baylor should roll over the struggling Jayhawks. BAYLOR
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns at Arkansas State Red Wolves: The winner of this game captures the Sun Belt title. Both have been tough competitors this season, but the Red Wolves have been more impressive. Given that this is a home game for them, I definitely have to favor them. ARKANSAS STATE
Maryland Terrapins at Notre Dame Fighting Irish: No matter what uniform the 'Terps wear, the Irish should overpower them. NOTRE DAME
NCAA 2011 Week 10 Top 25 and conference races
I begin my first analysis of conference and division title races, as there are some crucial games this week that can determine who plays for conference titles. Those analyses are always difficult, as you have to consider the possibility of upsets. God knows that had to be considered this past week, as there were several upsets, many which affected Top 25 teams. The Big Ten saw two of those, as both Michigan and Nebraska fell. The Wolverines lost to Iowa, who at least have a reasonable shot for their division title. Nebraska lost to Northwestern, who is basically out of contention for the Legends division title. They beat Nebraska in a similar fashion to the way Wisconsin beat them - overwhelming them with offense. That seems counter-intuitive, as that's the way many Big XII teams play. We figured the tougher Big Ten defenses would be the Cornhuskers' undoing, yet they've been able to find ways to move the ball.
The eastern part of the country featured most of the other upsets. Louisville continued to battle for the Big East title by beating West Virginia, and UConn played spoiler to Syracuse, knocking them from a shot at the title. The ACC wasn't immune to upsets, either, as NC State beat their in-state rival and killing whatever remote chances the Tar Heels might have had for a shot at the title.
The Pac-12 saw the other upset, as UCLA beat Arizona State to take a tiebreaker lead over them in the South division. With USC on probation, it doesn't matter whether the Bruins beat their hated rivals or not. If they win out, or at least match Arizona State's remaining conference record, the first Pac-12 South title goes to UCLA.
This week's Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Stanford Cardinal (9-0) [1] : As expected, Oregon State gave the Cardinal some problems, but Stanford remains unbeaten and on top
2. LSU Tigers (9-0) [3] : LSU won the defensive battle that saw NO touchdowns scored by either team
3. Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-0) [4] : The Cowboys won the shoot-out against Kansas State and placed themselves in good position to play in the BCS National Championship Game, provided they can get past Oklahoma
4. Boise State Broncos (8-0) [5]
5. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-1) [2] : They may have lost to LSU, but they're still the best one-loss team in the country
6. Oklahoma Sooners (9-1) [6] : And here's the 2nd best one-loss team in the country
7. Houston Cougars (9-0) [7]
8. Oregon Ducks (8-1) [8]
9. Wisconsin Badgers (7-2) [9] : A strong victory seals the title of best two-loss team in the country
10. Arkansas Razorbacks (8-1) [14] : They got past Stever Spurrier and the Gamecocks, but they still have tough games ahead
11. Clemson Tigers (8-1) [11]
12. Virginia Tech Hokies (8-1) [12]
13. Michigan Wolverines (7-2) [9] : A tough loss to Iowa sends them to Champaign
14. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-1) [16]
15. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-2) [10] : Couldn't find a rhythm against Arkansas
16. Michigan State Spartans (7-2) [19] : The losses by Michigan and Nebraska put them back atop the Legends division
17. TCU Horned Frogs (7-2) [17]
18. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-2) [18]
19. Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-2) [13]
20. USC Trojans (7-2) [20]
21. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (8-1) [NR] : The leader in the OTHER division of Conference USA gains a foothold in the Top 25
22. Texas Longhorns (6-2) [NR]
23. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) [23]
24. Kansas State Wildcats (7-2) [22] : Wouldn't go away against the Cowboys
25. Georgia Bulldogs (7-2) [NR] : The Dawgs now lead the SEC East
Dropped off: West Virginia Mountaineers [#21], Arizona State Sun Devils [#24], Texas A&M Aggies [#25]
Top contenders: Florida State Seminoles (6-3), Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-3), Ohio State Buckeyes (6-3), Iowa Hawkeyes (6-3), Ohio Bobcats (6-3), Arkansas State Warhawks (7-2), Florida Gators (5-4)
Conference races
ACC Atlantic: unbeaten Clemson rules this division. All they need to do is beat Wake Forest this week and they have the division title
ACC Coastal: Virginia Tech leads this one, but they still must face both Georgia Tech and Virginia, the two teams tied for second place. Miami has a remote chance.
Big XII: Unbeaten Oklahoma State holds the lead, but they still must face Oklahoma on Dec 3rd. It may take until that week to determine a champ, as neither is likely to lose again (Oklahoma facing Baylor on Nov 19th is the only opponent with less than four conference losses). Kansas State and Texas have outside chances, but since both Oklahoma and the Cowboys hold tiebreakers over them, their chances are small.
Big East: Cincy holds the lead, and the tiebreaker over runner-up Louisville. The Cardinals better control their destiny, though, as they have faced (and beaten) both West Virginia and Rutgers, the only other teams with a reasonable chance at the title. Cincy still needs to face both of them.
Big Ten Legends: Michigan State leads this division, and only Iowa remains as a tough challenge. They win this week, and they are likely to win the division. Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa each have two conference losses, so an Iowa upset puts THEM in the driver's seat, with wins over Michigan and the Spartans and a battle against Nebraska to close the season.
Big Ten Leaders: Penn State leads the division by two games, but they must still play both Ohio State and Wisconsin, who are tied for second place. They also face Nebraska this week. That's three tough games remaining. Wisconsin actually has the better schedule (Minnesota and Illinois before closing by hosting Penn State), so I like their chances to win. Ohio State still has Penn State and arch-rival Michigan.
Conference USA East: Southern Miss leads and has beaten their toughest opposition. Two of their three remaining games are against the worst teams in the division. A win this week basically assures them the title.
Conference USA West: Both Houston and Tulsa are unbeaten in division, and they close the season against each other. Both have relatively easy games until then, so the Nov 26th matchup will likely determine the winner.
MAC East: Ohio leads, and has two fairly easy contests until the face co-leader Miami Ohio on Nov 22nd. The Redhawks need to get past Temple this week to remain co-leader.
MAC West: Northern Illinois leads, and holds the tiebreaker over co-leading Toledo. Both face almost the same teams, so the Huskies look likely to take this.
Mountain West: Although Wyoming has lost only one conference game, this contest will basically be decided by the winner of this week's TCU - Boise State contest.
Pac-12 North: If Stanford beats Oregon this week, they clinch the title. Oregon needs to beat Stanford and then one of either USC and arch-rival Oregon State.
Pac-12 South: USC is ineligible for the title, so the tiebreaker goes to UCLA. The Bruins face conference newcomers Utah (2-4 conference record) and Colorado before closing at USC, so they stand a good chance to take the title. The Trojans can play spoiler if Arizona State wins out.
SEC East: Division leader Georgia and runner-up South Carolina are the only ones who can win it at this point. Georgia lost to the Gamecocks, so South Carolina has a tiebreaker to use, if needed. The Gamecocks have only one conference game remaining, this week against Florida. Georgia has Auburn and Kentucky remaining. The Wildcats won't be much of a challenge, but if Auburn upsets them this week and South Carolina wins, this division belongs to South Carolina.
SEC West: LSU leads and has beaten both Alabama and Auburn. If they beat Ole Miss next week, the season ender against Arkansas could decide the division. LSU could already win it if Mississippi State upsets the Razorbacks on Nov 19th.
Sun Belt: This week's contest between Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette decides the title
WAC: Nevada leads, but still has four conference games remaining. This conference has too many candidates still to discuss yet.
The eastern part of the country featured most of the other upsets. Louisville continued to battle for the Big East title by beating West Virginia, and UConn played spoiler to Syracuse, knocking them from a shot at the title. The ACC wasn't immune to upsets, either, as NC State beat their in-state rival and killing whatever remote chances the Tar Heels might have had for a shot at the title.
The Pac-12 saw the other upset, as UCLA beat Arizona State to take a tiebreaker lead over them in the South division. With USC on probation, it doesn't matter whether the Bruins beat their hated rivals or not. If they win out, or at least match Arizona State's remaining conference record, the first Pac-12 South title goes to UCLA.
This week's Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Stanford Cardinal (9-0) [1] : As expected, Oregon State gave the Cardinal some problems, but Stanford remains unbeaten and on top
2. LSU Tigers (9-0) [3] : LSU won the defensive battle that saw NO touchdowns scored by either team
3. Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-0) [4] : The Cowboys won the shoot-out against Kansas State and placed themselves in good position to play in the BCS National Championship Game, provided they can get past Oklahoma
4. Boise State Broncos (8-0) [5]
5. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-1) [2] : They may have lost to LSU, but they're still the best one-loss team in the country
6. Oklahoma Sooners (9-1) [6] : And here's the 2nd best one-loss team in the country
7. Houston Cougars (9-0) [7]
8. Oregon Ducks (8-1) [8]
9. Wisconsin Badgers (7-2) [9] : A strong victory seals the title of best two-loss team in the country
10. Arkansas Razorbacks (8-1) [14] : They got past Stever Spurrier and the Gamecocks, but they still have tough games ahead
11. Clemson Tigers (8-1) [11]
12. Virginia Tech Hokies (8-1) [12]
13. Michigan Wolverines (7-2) [9] : A tough loss to Iowa sends them to Champaign
14. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-1) [16]
15. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-2) [10] : Couldn't find a rhythm against Arkansas
16. Michigan State Spartans (7-2) [19] : The losses by Michigan and Nebraska put them back atop the Legends division
17. TCU Horned Frogs (7-2) [17]
18. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-2) [18]
19. Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-2) [13]
20. USC Trojans (7-2) [20]
21. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (8-1) [NR] : The leader in the OTHER division of Conference USA gains a foothold in the Top 25
22. Texas Longhorns (6-2) [NR]
23. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) [23]
24. Kansas State Wildcats (7-2) [22] : Wouldn't go away against the Cowboys
25. Georgia Bulldogs (7-2) [NR] : The Dawgs now lead the SEC East
Dropped off: West Virginia Mountaineers [#21], Arizona State Sun Devils [#24], Texas A&M Aggies [#25]
Top contenders: Florida State Seminoles (6-3), Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-3), Ohio State Buckeyes (6-3), Iowa Hawkeyes (6-3), Ohio Bobcats (6-3), Arkansas State Warhawks (7-2), Florida Gators (5-4)
Conference races
ACC Atlantic: unbeaten Clemson rules this division. All they need to do is beat Wake Forest this week and they have the division title
ACC Coastal: Virginia Tech leads this one, but they still must face both Georgia Tech and Virginia, the two teams tied for second place. Miami has a remote chance.
Big XII: Unbeaten Oklahoma State holds the lead, but they still must face Oklahoma on Dec 3rd. It may take until that week to determine a champ, as neither is likely to lose again (Oklahoma facing Baylor on Nov 19th is the only opponent with less than four conference losses). Kansas State and Texas have outside chances, but since both Oklahoma and the Cowboys hold tiebreakers over them, their chances are small.
Big East: Cincy holds the lead, and the tiebreaker over runner-up Louisville. The Cardinals better control their destiny, though, as they have faced (and beaten) both West Virginia and Rutgers, the only other teams with a reasonable chance at the title. Cincy still needs to face both of them.
Big Ten Legends: Michigan State leads this division, and only Iowa remains as a tough challenge. They win this week, and they are likely to win the division. Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa each have two conference losses, so an Iowa upset puts THEM in the driver's seat, with wins over Michigan and the Spartans and a battle against Nebraska to close the season.
Big Ten Leaders: Penn State leads the division by two games, but they must still play both Ohio State and Wisconsin, who are tied for second place. They also face Nebraska this week. That's three tough games remaining. Wisconsin actually has the better schedule (Minnesota and Illinois before closing by hosting Penn State), so I like their chances to win. Ohio State still has Penn State and arch-rival Michigan.
Conference USA East: Southern Miss leads and has beaten their toughest opposition. Two of their three remaining games are against the worst teams in the division. A win this week basically assures them the title.
Conference USA West: Both Houston and Tulsa are unbeaten in division, and they close the season against each other. Both have relatively easy games until then, so the Nov 26th matchup will likely determine the winner.
MAC East: Ohio leads, and has two fairly easy contests until the face co-leader Miami Ohio on Nov 22nd. The Redhawks need to get past Temple this week to remain co-leader.
MAC West: Northern Illinois leads, and holds the tiebreaker over co-leading Toledo. Both face almost the same teams, so the Huskies look likely to take this.
Mountain West: Although Wyoming has lost only one conference game, this contest will basically be decided by the winner of this week's TCU - Boise State contest.
Pac-12 North: If Stanford beats Oregon this week, they clinch the title. Oregon needs to beat Stanford and then one of either USC and arch-rival Oregon State.
Pac-12 South: USC is ineligible for the title, so the tiebreaker goes to UCLA. The Bruins face conference newcomers Utah (2-4 conference record) and Colorado before closing at USC, so they stand a good chance to take the title. The Trojans can play spoiler if Arizona State wins out.
SEC East: Division leader Georgia and runner-up South Carolina are the only ones who can win it at this point. Georgia lost to the Gamecocks, so South Carolina has a tiebreaker to use, if needed. The Gamecocks have only one conference game remaining, this week against Florida. Georgia has Auburn and Kentucky remaining. The Wildcats won't be much of a challenge, but if Auburn upsets them this week and South Carolina wins, this division belongs to South Carolina.
SEC West: LSU leads and has beaten both Alabama and Auburn. If they beat Ole Miss next week, the season ender against Arkansas could decide the division. LSU could already win it if Mississippi State upsets the Razorbacks on Nov 19th.
Sun Belt: This week's contest between Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette decides the title
WAC: Nevada leads, but still has four conference games remaining. This conference has too many candidates still to discuss yet.
Friday, November 4, 2011
NFL 2011 Week 9 picks
As ever, let's start with the rankings...
Top Ten teams
1. Green Bay Packers (7-0)
2. Detroit Lions (6-2) : A strong performance last weekend propels them back to #2!
3. San Francisco 49ers (6-1) : The team with the second best record continues to torment opponents with the best defense in the league
4. New Orleans Saints (5-3) : An uncharacteristic poor performance by Drew Brees allowed St Louis their first victory of the season
5. Buffalo Bills (5-2) : Best team in the AFC! Who would have thunk it?
6. Houston Texans (5-3) : A dangerous defense and an offense that's working, too
7. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) : Best defense in the AFC
8. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) : With a better offense AND better defense than Pittsburgh, the Bengals will be a tough divisional opponent
9. New England Patriots (5-2)
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
Divisional rankings
1. NFC North : With the two best teams in the league, Chicago holding their own, and Minnesota improving, this is a tough division
2. AFC North : Three Top Ten teams, three teams with only two losses and Cleveland only one game down from .500. Recordwise, this is the best division
3. AFC East : Two of the top offenses makes this division exciting
4. NFC East : Records aren't the greatest here, but this division produces some interesting games
5. NFC South : All of these teams can still be a threat to opponents
6. AFC South : This division is not as interesting without Indy doing well, but at least Houston gets to shine
7. AFC West : With San Diego's collapse and KC's four-game winning streak, this division has opened up, but their teams are too streaky and inconsistent
8. NFC West : San Fran is the only team of interest here
Sunday early games
Atlanta Falcons (4-3) at Indianapolis Colts (0-8) : The Falcons have struggled offensively, but not as badly as the Colts have. Through in a porous Colts defense and Matt Ryan and company can boost their numbers this game. FALCONS, 27-13
Cleveland Browns (3-4) at Houston Texans (5-3) : With Adrian Foster feeling better, the Texans offense gets a great boost. That doesn't help Cleveland, whose sporadic offense will face a brick wall against the stingy Texans' defense. TEXANS, 23-13
Miami Dolphins (0-7) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) : A four-game winning streak after an 0-3 start indicates that KC has fixed their problems and can start to fulfill their preseason promise. CHIEFS, 23-13
New York Jets (4-3) at Buffalo Bills (5-2) : The Jets defense isn't the collossus it has been the previous few years, so the Bills high-powered offense will move. Sanchez and the Jets will attempt to keep up, but they won't. BILLS, 27-23
San Francisco 49ers (6-1) at Washington Redskins (3-4) : The 49ers have the better defense and the smoother offense, as John Beck gets used to things. In a couple of weeks the Redskins might be a force, but not this week. 49ERS, 20-13
Seattle Seahawks (2-5) at Dallas Cowboys (3-4) : All the national analysts are harping on Tony Romo again, but they've done that each of the last four years, and Romo rebounds. Against a struggling Seahawks team, Romo and the Cowboys should rebound nicely. COWBOYS, 21-17
Tampa Bay Bucs (3-4) at New Orleans Saints (5-3) : Drew Brees had a bad week last week, and the Bucs exploit teams having a bad day. However, it is rare that Brees has two bad weeks in a row, so I think the Saints will not give the Bucs a chance to take control. SAINTS, 27-21
Sunday late games
Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) at Tennessee Titans (4-3) : Tennessee's struggling offense against the stingy Bengals defense? This game isn't in doubt. The only question is how much offense will the Bengals generate? BENGALS, 26-20
Denver Broncos (2-5) at Oakland Raiders (4-3) : The Broncos are sticking with Tim Tebow, but that makes him a target for the Raiders rushing defense. Tebow can't throw on the run well, and he'll be running for his life in this game. RAIDERS, 23-16
Green Bay Packers (7-0) at San Diego Chargers (4-3) : Philip Rivers is struggling right now, which does not help the Chargers in their attempt to unseat the unbeaten Packers. I think Rivers and the Chargers will get up for this game, but it won't be enough. PACK, 31-20
New York Giants (5-2) at New England Patriots (5-2) : Eli Manning is posting good numbers right now, but Brady's are better. The Giants defense is good, but not as threatening as they've been in years past. This will be a close game, but I have to favor the Pats. PATS, 27-23
St Louis Rams (1-6) at Arizona Cardinals (1-6) : I'm not picking this game, because there is one crucial variable - will Kevin Kolb play? His replacement has no experience, so the recovering Sam Bradford and the Rams should win if Kolb is sidelined. If Kolb plays, though, I think the Cards can generate enough offense to overcome the wimpy Rams defense.
Sunday night
Baltimore Ravens (5-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) : The Steelers get a chance to avenge the pasting administered by the Ravens earlier this season. Then, Big Ben was struggling, and the Steelers offense was a mess. Now Ben is posting impressive numbers, the running game is working, and the defense is better rested, since they have more time off the field. This will be a close defensive game, but the Steelers will gain the victory. STEELERS, 21-17
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL -- Chicago Bears (4-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) : Everyone is touting how well Sean McCoy is running. The Bears have a good run defense, but they've allowed a couple of 100 yard rushers this season. McCoy will be another. However, the rushing Bears defense will frustrate Michael Vick. If this was ANY OTHER time but Monday Night Football, I'd easily favor Chicago, but the Bears have a TERRIBLE record on Monday Night Football. They will make mistakes, turn over the ball at crucial points, and give the game to the Eagles. EAGLES, 24-17
Top Ten teams
1. Green Bay Packers (7-0)
2. Detroit Lions (6-2) : A strong performance last weekend propels them back to #2!
3. San Francisco 49ers (6-1) : The team with the second best record continues to torment opponents with the best defense in the league
4. New Orleans Saints (5-3) : An uncharacteristic poor performance by Drew Brees allowed St Louis their first victory of the season
5. Buffalo Bills (5-2) : Best team in the AFC! Who would have thunk it?
6. Houston Texans (5-3) : A dangerous defense and an offense that's working, too
7. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) : Best defense in the AFC
8. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) : With a better offense AND better defense than Pittsburgh, the Bengals will be a tough divisional opponent
9. New England Patriots (5-2)
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
Divisional rankings
1. NFC North : With the two best teams in the league, Chicago holding their own, and Minnesota improving, this is a tough division
2. AFC North : Three Top Ten teams, three teams with only two losses and Cleveland only one game down from .500. Recordwise, this is the best division
3. AFC East : Two of the top offenses makes this division exciting
4. NFC East : Records aren't the greatest here, but this division produces some interesting games
5. NFC South : All of these teams can still be a threat to opponents
6. AFC South : This division is not as interesting without Indy doing well, but at least Houston gets to shine
7. AFC West : With San Diego's collapse and KC's four-game winning streak, this division has opened up, but their teams are too streaky and inconsistent
8. NFC West : San Fran is the only team of interest here
Sunday early games
Atlanta Falcons (4-3) at Indianapolis Colts (0-8) : The Falcons have struggled offensively, but not as badly as the Colts have. Through in a porous Colts defense and Matt Ryan and company can boost their numbers this game. FALCONS, 27-13
Cleveland Browns (3-4) at Houston Texans (5-3) : With Adrian Foster feeling better, the Texans offense gets a great boost. That doesn't help Cleveland, whose sporadic offense will face a brick wall against the stingy Texans' defense. TEXANS, 23-13
Miami Dolphins (0-7) at Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) : A four-game winning streak after an 0-3 start indicates that KC has fixed their problems and can start to fulfill their preseason promise. CHIEFS, 23-13
New York Jets (4-3) at Buffalo Bills (5-2) : The Jets defense isn't the collossus it has been the previous few years, so the Bills high-powered offense will move. Sanchez and the Jets will attempt to keep up, but they won't. BILLS, 27-23
San Francisco 49ers (6-1) at Washington Redskins (3-4) : The 49ers have the better defense and the smoother offense, as John Beck gets used to things. In a couple of weeks the Redskins might be a force, but not this week. 49ERS, 20-13
Seattle Seahawks (2-5) at Dallas Cowboys (3-4) : All the national analysts are harping on Tony Romo again, but they've done that each of the last four years, and Romo rebounds. Against a struggling Seahawks team, Romo and the Cowboys should rebound nicely. COWBOYS, 21-17
Tampa Bay Bucs (3-4) at New Orleans Saints (5-3) : Drew Brees had a bad week last week, and the Bucs exploit teams having a bad day. However, it is rare that Brees has two bad weeks in a row, so I think the Saints will not give the Bucs a chance to take control. SAINTS, 27-21
Sunday late games
Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) at Tennessee Titans (4-3) : Tennessee's struggling offense against the stingy Bengals defense? This game isn't in doubt. The only question is how much offense will the Bengals generate? BENGALS, 26-20
Denver Broncos (2-5) at Oakland Raiders (4-3) : The Broncos are sticking with Tim Tebow, but that makes him a target for the Raiders rushing defense. Tebow can't throw on the run well, and he'll be running for his life in this game. RAIDERS, 23-16
Green Bay Packers (7-0) at San Diego Chargers (4-3) : Philip Rivers is struggling right now, which does not help the Chargers in their attempt to unseat the unbeaten Packers. I think Rivers and the Chargers will get up for this game, but it won't be enough. PACK, 31-20
New York Giants (5-2) at New England Patriots (5-2) : Eli Manning is posting good numbers right now, but Brady's are better. The Giants defense is good, but not as threatening as they've been in years past. This will be a close game, but I have to favor the Pats. PATS, 27-23
St Louis Rams (1-6) at Arizona Cardinals (1-6) : I'm not picking this game, because there is one crucial variable - will Kevin Kolb play? His replacement has no experience, so the recovering Sam Bradford and the Rams should win if Kolb is sidelined. If Kolb plays, though, I think the Cards can generate enough offense to overcome the wimpy Rams defense.
Sunday night
Baltimore Ravens (5-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) : The Steelers get a chance to avenge the pasting administered by the Ravens earlier this season. Then, Big Ben was struggling, and the Steelers offense was a mess. Now Ben is posting impressive numbers, the running game is working, and the defense is better rested, since they have more time off the field. This will be a close defensive game, but the Steelers will gain the victory. STEELERS, 21-17
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL -- Chicago Bears (4-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) : Everyone is touting how well Sean McCoy is running. The Bears have a good run defense, but they've allowed a couple of 100 yard rushers this season. McCoy will be another. However, the rushing Bears defense will frustrate Michael Vick. If this was ANY OTHER time but Monday Night Football, I'd easily favor Chicago, but the Bears have a TERRIBLE record on Monday Night Football. They will make mistakes, turn over the ball at crucial points, and give the game to the Eagles. EAGLES, 24-17
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
NCAA 2011 Week 10 picks
Illness prevented me from completing this in time for Tuesday's game, but let's continue from there...
Wed Nov 2
Temple Owls at Ohio Bobcats: Temple battles Ohio for the lead in the MAC East. I like the Owls, although they have faded slightly in the past couple of weeks, while Ohio has shown strength. The Bobcats have the momentum and the home crowd, but I'll give a slight nod to the Owls. Either team stands a good chance to win this game. TEMPLE
Thurs Nov 3
Florida State Seminoles at Boston College Eagles: Clemson's loss opens a window for the Seminoles, and they will try to exploit that. The Seminoles are helped by a struggling BC team. FLORIDA STATE
Fri Nov 4
#20 USC Trojans at Colorado Buffaloes: Colorado is the worst team in the Pac-12, while USC just finished a near-upset over Stanford. USC
Top 25
#1 Stanford Cardinal at Oregon State Beavers: The Cardinal just finish a tough battle against USC, and now they have to travel to Oregon to face the Beavers. Oregon State has a habit of upsetting a team at home each year. Is it Stanford's turn? Perhaps, but I'll stick with my top team. STANFORD
#22 Kansas State Wildcats at #4 Oklahoma State Cowboys: After looking pathetic against the Sooners, the Wildcats get another chance to be embarrased by an Oklahoma team, as the high-powered Cowboys offense should overwhelm the Wildcats defense. OKLAHOMA STATE
#5 Boise State Broncos at UNLV Rebels: UNLV is not much of a threat to Boise State, or practically any team in the Mountain West. BOISE STATE
#25 Texas A&M Aggies at #6 Oklahoma Sooners: A&M can be tough, but I think the Sooners offense will prevail, knocking the Aggies out of the Top 25. OKLAHOMA
#7 Houston Cougars at UAB Blazers: The Blazers are the worst team in Conference USA, so this will be a breeze for the Cougars. HOUSTON
#8 Oregon Ducks at Washington Huskies: These are the two teams competing with Stanford for the Pac-12 North division title. That means both teams will be fighting hard to win this game. I think Oregon has an edge in hard-fighting battles, but don't count out the Huskies. OREGON
#9 Michigan Wolverines at Iowa Hawkeyes: If Michigan can prevent the same stumbles experienced by Michigan State and Wisconsin, they should win this game. However, Iowa is good enough to take advantage of any Wolverine miscues. MICHIGAN
#10 South Carolina Gamecocks at #14 Arkansas Razorbacks: This game could literally go either way. Arkansas is very consistent, but the Gamecocks can be unbeatable when things are going their way. For this game, I think they'll be up. SOUTH CAROLINA
Northwestern Wildcats at #13 Nebraska Cornhuskers: Northwestern doesn't have much of a defense, so no matter how many points they score against Nebraska, the Cornhuskers will score more. NEBRASKA
Purdue Boilermakers at #15 Wisconsin Badgers: After facing the two toughest defenses in the conference, Wisconsin is happy for a chance to let their offense explode. WISCONSIN
#16 Cincinnati Bearcats at Pittsburgh Panthers: The Bearcats begin a tough conference stretch, with three of their next four on the road. If they can survive the challenge of Pitt, they host West Virginia for what may be the battle for the Big East title. CINCY
#17 TCU Horned Frogs at Wyoming Cowboys: The Cowboys will be a good warmup for TCU's showdown with Boise State. It will also show that the 5-2 Cowboys aren't quite at the same level as TCU and Boise. TCU
Minnesota Golden Gophers at #19 Michigan State Spartans: Sparty will bounce back from last week's upset, as the Gophers' heads are still spinning over their upset victory over Iowa. MICHIGAN STATE
Louisville Cardinals at #21 West Virginia Mountaineers: The Cardinals are a true threat in the Big East, but their toughest games still remain. This is probably the worst of them, made more difficult because it is on the road. WEST VIRGINIA
#24 Arizona State Sun Devils at UCLA Bruins: A win here clinches the Pac-12 South division for the Sun Devils. I'll have to start my division and conference races next week. ARIZONA STATE
Big Ten
Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes: Ohio State continues their reversal of fortunes, this time for the better. Their defense will overwhelm the offensively challenged Hoosiers. OHIO STATE
GAME OF THE WEEK: #3 LSU Tigers at #2 Alabama Crimson Tide: Of course, this HAD to be the Game of the Week! These two tough teams face each other for establishing the likely opponent for Stanford in the National Championship Game (I'm still betting on Oklahoma State to lose to the Sooners). Alabama has the better defense and the more consistent offense. They also have the running game to control the clock, so I have to favor them. ALABAMA
Best of the Rest
Texas Tech Red Raiders at Texas Longhorns: Both teams have strong offenses; Tech's is a little better. However, Tech doesn't have a strong defense, which gives the edge to the Longhorns. TEXAS
Syracuse Orange at UConn Huskies: Syracuse needs to win to maintain at least a chance for the Big East title. UConn would love to play spoiler. I think Syracuse has the power and talent to win this game, but UConn may not make it easy. SYRACUSE
New Mexico State Aggies at Georgia Bulldogs: The SEC East runner-up plays an easy non-conference opponent. GEORGIA
Southern Miss Golden Eagles at East Carolina Pirates: A Southern Miss victory here basically assures them a slot in the Conference USA title game. SOUTHERN MISS
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Wake has played some tough games, but their losses have been monumental. The Irish have the power to cause another massive loss to the Deacons. NOTRE DAME
Wed Nov 2
Temple Owls at Ohio Bobcats: Temple battles Ohio for the lead in the MAC East. I like the Owls, although they have faded slightly in the past couple of weeks, while Ohio has shown strength. The Bobcats have the momentum and the home crowd, but I'll give a slight nod to the Owls. Either team stands a good chance to win this game. TEMPLE
Thurs Nov 3
Florida State Seminoles at Boston College Eagles: Clemson's loss opens a window for the Seminoles, and they will try to exploit that. The Seminoles are helped by a struggling BC team. FLORIDA STATE
Fri Nov 4
#20 USC Trojans at Colorado Buffaloes: Colorado is the worst team in the Pac-12, while USC just finished a near-upset over Stanford. USC
Top 25
#1 Stanford Cardinal at Oregon State Beavers: The Cardinal just finish a tough battle against USC, and now they have to travel to Oregon to face the Beavers. Oregon State has a habit of upsetting a team at home each year. Is it Stanford's turn? Perhaps, but I'll stick with my top team. STANFORD
#22 Kansas State Wildcats at #4 Oklahoma State Cowboys: After looking pathetic against the Sooners, the Wildcats get another chance to be embarrased by an Oklahoma team, as the high-powered Cowboys offense should overwhelm the Wildcats defense. OKLAHOMA STATE
#5 Boise State Broncos at UNLV Rebels: UNLV is not much of a threat to Boise State, or practically any team in the Mountain West. BOISE STATE
#25 Texas A&M Aggies at #6 Oklahoma Sooners: A&M can be tough, but I think the Sooners offense will prevail, knocking the Aggies out of the Top 25. OKLAHOMA
#7 Houston Cougars at UAB Blazers: The Blazers are the worst team in Conference USA, so this will be a breeze for the Cougars. HOUSTON
#8 Oregon Ducks at Washington Huskies: These are the two teams competing with Stanford for the Pac-12 North division title. That means both teams will be fighting hard to win this game. I think Oregon has an edge in hard-fighting battles, but don't count out the Huskies. OREGON
#9 Michigan Wolverines at Iowa Hawkeyes: If Michigan can prevent the same stumbles experienced by Michigan State and Wisconsin, they should win this game. However, Iowa is good enough to take advantage of any Wolverine miscues. MICHIGAN
#10 South Carolina Gamecocks at #14 Arkansas Razorbacks: This game could literally go either way. Arkansas is very consistent, but the Gamecocks can be unbeatable when things are going their way. For this game, I think they'll be up. SOUTH CAROLINA
Northwestern Wildcats at #13 Nebraska Cornhuskers: Northwestern doesn't have much of a defense, so no matter how many points they score against Nebraska, the Cornhuskers will score more. NEBRASKA
Purdue Boilermakers at #15 Wisconsin Badgers: After facing the two toughest defenses in the conference, Wisconsin is happy for a chance to let their offense explode. WISCONSIN
#16 Cincinnati Bearcats at Pittsburgh Panthers: The Bearcats begin a tough conference stretch, with three of their next four on the road. If they can survive the challenge of Pitt, they host West Virginia for what may be the battle for the Big East title. CINCY
#17 TCU Horned Frogs at Wyoming Cowboys: The Cowboys will be a good warmup for TCU's showdown with Boise State. It will also show that the 5-2 Cowboys aren't quite at the same level as TCU and Boise. TCU
Minnesota Golden Gophers at #19 Michigan State Spartans: Sparty will bounce back from last week's upset, as the Gophers' heads are still spinning over their upset victory over Iowa. MICHIGAN STATE
Louisville Cardinals at #21 West Virginia Mountaineers: The Cardinals are a true threat in the Big East, but their toughest games still remain. This is probably the worst of them, made more difficult because it is on the road. WEST VIRGINIA
#24 Arizona State Sun Devils at UCLA Bruins: A win here clinches the Pac-12 South division for the Sun Devils. I'll have to start my division and conference races next week. ARIZONA STATE
Big Ten
Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes: Ohio State continues their reversal of fortunes, this time for the better. Their defense will overwhelm the offensively challenged Hoosiers. OHIO STATE
GAME OF THE WEEK: #3 LSU Tigers at #2 Alabama Crimson Tide: Of course, this HAD to be the Game of the Week! These two tough teams face each other for establishing the likely opponent for Stanford in the National Championship Game (I'm still betting on Oklahoma State to lose to the Sooners). Alabama has the better defense and the more consistent offense. They also have the running game to control the clock, so I have to favor them. ALABAMA
Best of the Rest
Texas Tech Red Raiders at Texas Longhorns: Both teams have strong offenses; Tech's is a little better. However, Tech doesn't have a strong defense, which gives the edge to the Longhorns. TEXAS
Syracuse Orange at UConn Huskies: Syracuse needs to win to maintain at least a chance for the Big East title. UConn would love to play spoiler. I think Syracuse has the power and talent to win this game, but UConn may not make it easy. SYRACUSE
New Mexico State Aggies at Georgia Bulldogs: The SEC East runner-up plays an easy non-conference opponent. GEORGIA
Southern Miss Golden Eagles at East Carolina Pirates: A Southern Miss victory here basically assures them a slot in the Conference USA title game. SOUTHERN MISS
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Wake has played some tough games, but their losses have been monumental. The Irish have the power to cause another massive loss to the Deacons. NOTRE DAME
NCAA 2011 Week 9 Top 25
It wasn't a full-blown upset Saturday, but it seemed like it. Two unbeaten teams fell, and only two of the six favored Big Ten teams won, and one of those (Penn State) needed a late fourth quarter rally to do it. The Nittany Lions were the lucky ones. The Michigan State Spartans couldn't muster a fourth quarter rally, the Wisconsin Badgers' rally was too late, and Iowa faced the comeback rally of Minnesota.
Aside from the Big Ten, the Big XII contributed many upsets. Missouri beat ranked Texas A&M, Iowa State knocked Texas Tech, who the previous week had beaten unbeaten Oklahoma, from the ranks of the Top 25, and Game of the Week Oklahoma versus previously unbeaten Kansas State was a Sooner showcase. K State was one of the two unbeaten teams who fell -- the other was Clemson, who was defeated by Georgia Tech.
This week's Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Stanford Cardinal (8-0) [1] : The Cardinal also faced a scare from USC, but won in triple overtime
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) [2] : Toughest defense in the country
3. LSU Tigers (8-0) [3]
4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (8-0) [4] : The only remaining unbeaten Big XII team, but they face some tough opponents in the weeks ahead
5. Boise State Broncos (7-0) [5]
6. Oklahoma Sooners (8-1) [12] : Their huge victory over Kansas State propelled them back into the Top Ten
7. Houston Cougars (8-0) [7] : Aside from Boise, perhaps the team with the best chance to finish unbeaten
8. Oregon Ducks (7-1) [9]
9. Michigan Wolverines (7-1) [11] : Michigan is the only Big Ten team right now winning impressively
10. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-1) [15]
11. Clemson Tigers (8-1) [6] : Although no longer unbeaten, they still stand the best chance to represent the Atlantic Division in the ACC Championship Game
12. Virginia Tech Hokies (8-1) [16] : They lead Georgia Tech by only half a game in the Coastal Division, but they hold the tiebreaker.
13. Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-1) [19] : They seem to have gotten used to the Big Ten defenses, as they found ways to score against the toughest one
14. Arkansas Razorbacks (7-1) [14]
15. Wisconsin Badgers (6-2) [8] : Two consecutive losses have put their Big Ten Championship hopes in jeopardy
16. Cincinnati Bearcats (6-1) [18] : The best of the Big East
17. TCU Horned Frogs (6-2) [25]
18. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-2) [22] : Their defeat of Clemson keeps them on track to grab the Coastal Division title from Virginia Tech
19. Michigan State Spartans (6-2) [10]
20. USC Trojans (6-2) [20] : They forced Stanford to triple overtime before giving up the ball
21. West Virginia Mountaineers (6-2) [24]
22. Kansas State Wildcats (7-1) [13] : Oklahoma exposed how weak this previously unbeaten team truly was. They have two tough conference games remaining - their future as a Top 25 team is in jeopardy
23. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) [23]
24. Arizona State Sun Devils (6-2) [NR]
25. Texas A&M Aggies (5-3) [17]
Dropped out: Texas Tech Red Raiders [#21]
In Contention: Texas Longhorns (5-2), Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (7-1), Florida State Seminoles (5-3), Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-3), Ohio State Buckeyes (5-3), Georgia Bulldogs (6-2), Iowa Hawkeyes (5-3), North Carolina Tar Heels (6-3)
Aside from the Big Ten, the Big XII contributed many upsets. Missouri beat ranked Texas A&M, Iowa State knocked Texas Tech, who the previous week had beaten unbeaten Oklahoma, from the ranks of the Top 25, and Game of the Week Oklahoma versus previously unbeaten Kansas State was a Sooner showcase. K State was one of the two unbeaten teams who fell -- the other was Clemson, who was defeated by Georgia Tech.
This week's Top 25 [Last week's position]
1. Stanford Cardinal (8-0) [1] : The Cardinal also faced a scare from USC, but won in triple overtime
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0) [2] : Toughest defense in the country
3. LSU Tigers (8-0) [3]
4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (8-0) [4] : The only remaining unbeaten Big XII team, but they face some tough opponents in the weeks ahead
5. Boise State Broncos (7-0) [5]
6. Oklahoma Sooners (8-1) [12] : Their huge victory over Kansas State propelled them back into the Top Ten
7. Houston Cougars (8-0) [7] : Aside from Boise, perhaps the team with the best chance to finish unbeaten
8. Oregon Ducks (7-1) [9]
9. Michigan Wolverines (7-1) [11] : Michigan is the only Big Ten team right now winning impressively
10. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-1) [15]
11. Clemson Tigers (8-1) [6] : Although no longer unbeaten, they still stand the best chance to represent the Atlantic Division in the ACC Championship Game
12. Virginia Tech Hokies (8-1) [16] : They lead Georgia Tech by only half a game in the Coastal Division, but they hold the tiebreaker.
13. Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-1) [19] : They seem to have gotten used to the Big Ten defenses, as they found ways to score against the toughest one
14. Arkansas Razorbacks (7-1) [14]
15. Wisconsin Badgers (6-2) [8] : Two consecutive losses have put their Big Ten Championship hopes in jeopardy
16. Cincinnati Bearcats (6-1) [18] : The best of the Big East
17. TCU Horned Frogs (6-2) [25]
18. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-2) [22] : Their defeat of Clemson keeps them on track to grab the Coastal Division title from Virginia Tech
19. Michigan State Spartans (6-2) [10]
20. USC Trojans (6-2) [20] : They forced Stanford to triple overtime before giving up the ball
21. West Virginia Mountaineers (6-2) [24]
22. Kansas State Wildcats (7-1) [13] : Oklahoma exposed how weak this previously unbeaten team truly was. They have two tough conference games remaining - their future as a Top 25 team is in jeopardy
23. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) [23]
24. Arizona State Sun Devils (6-2) [NR]
25. Texas A&M Aggies (5-3) [17]
Dropped out: Texas Tech Red Raiders [#21]
In Contention: Texas Longhorns (5-2), Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (7-1), Florida State Seminoles (5-3), Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-3), Ohio State Buckeyes (5-3), Georgia Bulldogs (6-2), Iowa Hawkeyes (5-3), North Carolina Tar Heels (6-3)
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