NFL 2022 Week 13 picks

 Lots of home teams are favorites, so I might have another strong week.

Thursday night

Buffalo Bills at Carolina Panthers : The Bills play their third straight road game and their second consecutive Thursday game.  They've done well on the road, and the Panthers defense isn't stiff enough to slow down the powerful Bills offenses.  BILLS, 34-16

Sunday early games

Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans : The Browns are underachieving, but the Texans just stink.  BROWNS, 20-10

Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens : The Ravens defense will frustrate the Broncos struggling offense.  RAVENS, 20-13

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears : Justin Fields will be back, and he developing nicely.  The Pack was just starting to find some receivers, but injuries have limited them again.  Can the Bears broken defense hold them back?  BEARS, 26-24

Jacksonville Jaguars at Detroit Lions : The Jaguars have great games and then downers.  They won last week, so are they due for a letdown this week?  Maybe, but the Lions can't seem to close games this season.  JAGUARS, 27-23

New York Jets at Minnesota Vikings :  The Jets blew away the Bears last week, but they will find the Vikings offense tougher to stop and a tougher defense to overcome.  VIKINGS, 28-20

Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons : Pickett still needs some work.  The Falcons haven't been the most consistent this season, but they should outplay the Steelers.  FALCONS, 24-16

Tennessee Titans at Philadelphia Eagles : The Eagles have the best record in the league, and that comes from an excellent balance of offense and defense.  The Titans defense is good, but their offense has been inconsistent.  I think the Eagles defense will expose some holes.  EAGLES, 31-23

Washington Commanders at New York Giants : The Giants wire thumped by Dallas last week, and now they face another divisional opponent.  The Commanders are improving, so will they throw a surprise into the Giants?  I think the Giants know what they are facing, and will prepare just well enough to survive.  GIANTS, 27-23

Sunday late games

Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals : Is the Bengals defense good enough to slow down the Chiefs?  Maybe a little, but I don't think enough.  CHIEFS, 27-20

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders : The Chargers defense is looking sharp again, and the Raiders still can't execute smoothly.  CHARGERS, 16-10

Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers : Either team could really win this game, but I think the on-field intensity will charge up the 49ers.  49ERS, 24-23

Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams : The Rams are just not defending their title well this season.  The Seahawks can be an enigma, sometimes playing above themselves and then sometimes falling flat.  Given the struggles of the Rams, even if the Seahawks don't soar, they should escape with a win.  SEAHAWKS, 23-17

Sunday night

Indianapolis Colts at Dallas Cowboys : The colts had a change to win on Monday but fell short.  Their defense couldn't hold, and that will make it hard against the Cowboys offense;.  COWBOYS, 27-17

Monday Night Football

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Bucs : Both of these teams have been underperforming, especially on offense. Brady and his receivers are not on the same wavelength, and the Saints are playing way too conservatively.  That scheme seems to benefit their opponent.  BUCS, 23-20

NFL 2022 Week 12 results

 We had shake-ups in the Power Rankings as teams faced off against each other.  

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  BUFFALO BILLS (8-3) [1]

2.  Philadelphia Eagles (10-1) [2]

3.  Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) [3]

4.  Dallas Cowboys (8-3) [4]

5.  San Francisco 49ers (7-4) [6]

6.  Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) [7]

7.  Miami Dolphins (8-3) [9]

8.  Baltimore Ravens (7-4) [5]

9.  New York Jets (7-4) [12]

10. Minnesota Vikings (9-2) [10]

11. New England Patriots (6-5) [8]

12. New York Giants (7-4) [14]

13. Tennessee Titans (7-4) [11]

14. Seattle Seahawks (6-5) [13]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC East [1]

2.  NFC East [2]

3 (tie). AFC North [3]

3 (tie). AFC West [4]

5.  NFC West [5]

6.  NFC South [6]

7.  AFC South [7]

8.  NFC North [8]

NCAA Football 2022 Championship Week

 Rivalry week often produces some unexpected results, and we got a bunch this year!  Some of them impacted the Top 25, so we have some interesting rankings going into Championship Week.

Top 25 [Last week's position]

1.  GEORGIA BULLDOGS (12-0) [2]

2.  Michigan Wolverines (12-0) [3]

3.  Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1) [1] : Yes, they looked bad against Michigan, but overall this season they accumulated lots of statistical points.  This shows the massive gap between the Top Three and the rest of the top teams

4.  USC Trojans (11-1) [4]

5.  TCU Horned Frogs (12-0) [5]

6.  Penn State Nittany Lions (10-2) [6]

7.  Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2) [7] : They struggled a bit in the Iron Bowl

8.  Tennessee Volunteers (10-2) [10]

9.  Utah Utes (9-3) [11]

10. Florida State Seminoles (9-3) [12]

11. Washington Huskies (10-2) [13]

12. Clemson Tigers (10-2) [8]

13. Texas Longhorns (8-4) [16]

14. Oregon Ducks (9-3) [9]

15. UCLA Bruins (9-3) [15]

16. Oregon State Beavers (9-4) [22]

17. UTSA Roadrunners (10-2) [17]

18. Tulane Green Wave (10-2) [20]

19. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-4) [19]

20. LSU Tigers (9-3) [14]

21. Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-4) [21]

22. Illinois Fighting Illini (8-4) [23]

23. Boise State Broncos (9-3) [26]

24. Mississippi State Bulldogs (8-4) [27]

25. Kansas State Wildcats (9-3) [29]

Dropped off: Cincinnati Bearcats [#18], Ole Miss Rebels [#24], Louisville Cardinals [#25]

Upsets and Surprises

 Well, we certainly had a large share of those!  It started on Friday, when Nebraska blasted Iowa, and continued to plague the Big Ten as Michigan nearly blanked the powerful Ohio State offense in the second half.  South Carolina came back to beat Clemson, handing them their second loss and knocking the ACC from playoff contention.Liberty finished their season with three straight losses, James Madison completely blasted Coastal Carolina, and Oklahoma State was shocked by West Virginia.

The MAC provided a couple of upsets, as Buffalo fell to Kent State and Akron prevented being the worst team in the conference by beating Northern Illinois.  After that, the day calmed down, as some surprising results weren't too surprising, given the nature of the rivalries.  For instance, the Oregon State Beavers beat Oregon, but they've done that before, with even weaker teams than they had this year.

Big Ten Report

The Game produced the Wast division winner, but it was the West division that got exciting.  When Nebraska beat Iowa on Friday, that opened the door for the two teams who had seemingly lost their chance the previous week: Purdue and Illinois.  When Purdue trailed at halftime, and the Illini were destroying Northwestern, it looked like Illinois would get their chance to play in the conference championship. And imagine how that would be?  The Illini almost beat Michigan in the Big House earlier this season.  On neutral territory, could they have actually prevailed, and won the conference?

Well, now we will never know, as Purdue got themselves together in the second half and won that game, so now the Boilermakers will lose to Michigan on Saturday night to propel the Wolveerines into the playoffs.  Let's hope they do better than last year.

Conference Championship picks

I'll tackle the games in the order that they occur, but we have to pick one rescheduled game first.

Akron Zips at Buffalo Bulls : Akron won their first conference game, and prevented being the doormat.  Will they make it two in a row?  Certainly Buffalo has been alarmingly underperforming in the final weeks of the season, so an upset is ripe.  However, I think Akron may have overextended themselves in their win, so I'll stick with the Bulls.  BUFFALO by six

CONFERENCE USA : North Texas Mean Green v #17 UTSA Roadrunners : The Roadrunners made mincemeat out of every Conference USA opponent they have met over the past two seasons.  It just seems appropriate that they will do that to North Texas.  UTSA by 16

PAC-12 : #9 Utah Utes v #4 USC Trojans : USC is playing for a position in the playoffs, but they may find that hard.  Utah beat them earlier in the season, and the Trojans have had a pretty easy time beating opponents since.  The Trojans may think the Utes' victory was a fluke, or that the Trojans have improved since then.  Yet USC was already a powerhouse before the Utah game, and they haven't really changed their scheme.  Utah beat them by doing some unexpected things, and I think they might engineer that again.  An upset here is likely, but I will give a slight nod to USC, as the chance for the playoffs may be enough incentive to overcome the sneaky Utes.  USC by four

BIG XX : #25 Kansas State Wildcats v #5 TCU Horned Frogs : The Frogs don't win glamorously, but they do win.  They specialize in wearing down their opponents, and the thin Wildcats bench is ripe for wearing down.  TCU by 15

MAC : Toledo Rockets v Ohio Bobcats : Here's where momentum benefits a team.  Which squad has the better talent?  Toledo.  However, Toledo, like Buffalo, has been underachieving lately.  Ohio has been improving, and ride a seven-game winning streak into this game.  Let's make that eight.  OHIO by eight

SUN BELT : Coastal Carolina Chanticleers v Troy Trojans : James Madison completely cleaned the Chanticleers' clock last week.  That huge loss may wake them up and force them to prepare for this game.  On the other hand, Troy may use the footage to come up with a plan to beat Coastal.  This game could go either way, but I'll give the Chanticleers a chance to clear their palette.  COASTAL CAROLINA by six

SEC : #20 LSU Tigers v #1 Georgia Bulldogs : LSU fell last week, and that will happen again.  GEORGIA by 20

AMERICAN ATHLETIC : UCF Golden Knights v #18 Tulane Green Wave : The Knights have been here before, and they know how to handle the emotions of playing in a conference championship.  Tulane has never been in a conference championship game, one of two newbie teams among the championships.  Tulane certainly has the better team, but will they handle the pressure?  I think they will prevail, but it'll be a tight one.  TULANE by three

MOUNTAIN WEST : Fresno State Bulldogs v #23 Boise State Broncos : Let's face it, the Broncos are the stronger team.  However, Fresno State has mostly flown under the radar this season.  Will the Broncos give them enough respect and properly prepare for this game?  I think so.  BOISE STATE by 14

ACC : #12 Clemson Tigers at North Carolina Tar Heels : Both teams lost in rivalry week, so they both come into this game with something to prove.  North Carolina lost in their only previous ACC Championship Game appearance, so they have that additional baggage.  However, I do not think the Tar Heels defense can deal with Clemson.  CLEMSON by 16

BIG TEN : Purdue Boilermakers v #2 Michigan Wolverines : Purdue made it!  Unfortunately this game will be decided early, as Michigan wants to return to the playoffs and redeem themselves from their utter embarrassment last year.  MICHIGAN by 24

Big Ten Focus #12 - Rutgers and Maryland

 The most recent expansion, prior to the one announced before the start of this season, was the addition of Rutgers and Maryland.  To football fans, these additions seemed odd.  The conference was adding two schools that you barely heard anything about.  Wouldn't it diminish the image of the conference?  Only if the only sport you are following is football.

Remember, for many of the schools in the Midwest that are represented in this conference, football is NOT the most avid and followed sport -- basketball is.  Basketball has a bigger focus in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and parts of Ohio.  Hockey is a large focus in Wisconsin and Minnesota.  If you look at the entire gamut of college sports, those two additions make more sense.

Maryland certainly was a significant power in college basketball.  Although they were slightly down when they joined the Big Ten, the history of Maryland basketball is quite large and impressive.  

When you consider how strong a role tradition plays in the Midwest, the addition of Rutgers makes more sense, too.  In Rutgers you have one of the oldest college football programs in the nation. For one of the oldest conferences to obtain one of the oldest programs, that was significant.

Ironically, Rutgers holds a unique distinction among the expansion teams.  Of all four, they are the only team that has actually IMPROVED their record since joining the conference.  The first couple of years were rough, but the added exposure of nationally televised games, and the prestige of playing in the Big Ten conference, has bolstered recruiting, and the quality of Rutgers athletic programs are rising.  In football, they have certainly embraced the emphasis on tough defenses, and the Scarlet Knights are developing a good defensive strategy.

NFL 2022 Week 12 picks

 It's Thanksgiving week, and the NFL takes center stage on Turkey Day!

Thanksgiving Day

Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions : The Bills have spent the week in Detroit, and so they will be comfortable with the field.  Despite a surging Lions offense, they will not be able to outscore the powerful Bills offense.  BILLS, 31-20

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys : The Giants have a great team this year, but the Cowboys are not sloughes, either, and you should never bet against the Cowboys at home on Thanksgiving Day.  COWBOYS, 24-20

New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings : The Patriots defense will make things a bit tough for the Vikings, but I think they will prevent from losing two games in a row.  VIKINGS, 24-23

Sunday early games

Atlanta Falcons at Washington Commanders : Here is a sentence I never though I'd write this season -- one of the hottest teams right now is Washington.  New QB Taylor Heineke has sparked this team, and they produce impressive results.  They should continue to do that here.  COMMANDERS, 24-17

Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars : Despite early success, the Jags have fallen back to their typical mediocrity, albeit playing closer games.  RAVENS, 16-13

Chicago Bears at New York Jets : The Jets rested last week, so they will be ready to suppress the suddenly surging Bears offenses.  The normal foundation of the Bears, their defense, stinks this year, which is resulting in most of their losses.  JETS, 27-24

Cincinnati Bengals at Tennessee Titans : This should be an exciting game.  Both teams are strong, and both mix a capable offense with a stiff defense.  Either team could win this game, Time for a coin flip.  BENGALS, 27-26

Denver Broncos at Carolina Panthers : The Broncos have not been good, but they've had a few decent performances.  For the most part, Carolina has been a disappointment this season.  BRONCOS, 20-13

Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins : Speaking of disappointing, that describes the Texans very well.  DOLPHINS, 24-13

Tampa Bay Bucs at Cleveland Browns : The Browns offense has stumbled, but their defense is good.  The Bucs have faltered under tight defenses this season, so will the Browns stuff them?  The Bucs are starting to improve, so I think they will get a couple of big plays past them.  BUCS, 20-13

Sunday late games

Las Vegas Raiders at Seattle Seahawks : The Raiders are struggling this season, and the Seahawks are strong at home.  SEAHAWKS, 23-16

Los Angeles Chargers at Arizona Cardinals : The Chargers defense will make things tough for the Cardinals. CHARGERS, 23-17

Los Angeles Rams at Kansas City Chiefs : The Rmas offense cannot keep pace with the Chiefs, and their defense won't stop them.  CHIEFS, 31-17

New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers : Jimmy G has sparked the 49ers offense, and their defense is a strong force, too.  49ERS, 27-20

Sunday night

Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles : The Pack has started to improve over the past two weeks, but they are not ready to compete with the red hot Eagles.  EAGLES, 27-17

Monday Night Football

Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts :Neither team has been too impressive this season, but the Steelers have more problems than the Colts.  Their new QB is still learning, and their once-vaulted defense has shriveled.  COLTS, 17-13

NFL 2022 Week 11 results

 Some interesting results moved teams among the Power Rankings, but the top teams remained the same.

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  BUFFALO BILLS (7-3) [1]

2.  Philadelphia Eagles (9-1) [2]

3.  Kansas City Chiefs (8-2) [3]

4.  Dallas Cowboys (8-3) [6]

5.  Baltimore Ravens (7-3) [5]

6.  San Francisco 49ers (6-4) [10]

7.  Cincinnati Bengals (6-4) [7]

8.  New England Patriots (6-4) [8]

9.  Miami Dolphins (7-3) [12]

10. Minnesota Vikings (8-2) [4]

11. Tennessee Titans (7-3) [14]

12. New York Jets (6-4) [11]

13. Seattle Seahawks (6-4) [13]

14. New York Giants (7-3) [9]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC East [1]

2.  NFC East [2]

3.  AFC North [3]

4.  AFC West [3]

5.  NFC West [5]

6.  NFC South [6]

7.  AFC South [8]

8.  NFC North [7]

Big Ten Focus #11: Nebraska

 The conference seemed content with eleven teams after the addition of Penn State, until the SEC and Pac-10 began expanding.  In order to stay competitive, the Big Ten decided to grow as well.  In 2011 they added Nebraska.  No team more exemplifies the comparative strength of the Big Ten Conference than Nebraska.  Prior to joining the conference, the Cornhuskers had won 46 conference championships and give national championships.  They were competing for the conference title nearly every year, alongside Oklahoma and Texas.  Since moving to the Big Ten, they have won no championships, and won a division title in only their first season.

The team certainly had a history of success before, though.  They have 15 Heisman Trophy winners, including names like Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, Lawrence Phillips, Tommy Frazier, Eric Crouch, and Ndamukong Suh.  The focus on offensive players and positions is endemic in the Big Eight/Big XII, as nearly all of their All-Americans before 2000 were offensive players.  The Connhuskers can still produce dynamic offense, but that offense has trouble with the stiffer defenses found in the Big Ten.  As the attitude and game plans evolve, I think Nebraska will become more competitive within the conference.  Despite their lack of top achievements, the team still plays well.  They have had only two losing seasons since joining the Big Ten, and rank seventh in overall record in the past twelve years.

NCAA Football 2022 Week 13 picks

 For most teams; it's their last week of game until a bowl game (or last period, for those who fail to be eligible).  That often produces some unusual results.

Tues Nov 22

Ball State Cardinals at Miami Ohio Redhawks : It's been a tough season for the Redhawks.  I'm sure they'd like to end on a high note, but I think the Cardinals are too strong.  BALL STATE by 13

Bowling Green Falcons at Ohio Bobcats : This game decides the division's representative to the conference championship.  Both teams will fight hard, and I expect the lead to change several times.  It could come down to who holds the ball at the end of the game.  That's time management, and I think the Bobcats do that a little bit better.  OHIO by four

Thurs Nov 24

Mississippi State Bulldogs at #24 Ole Miss Rebels : When these two in-state rivals meet, records often don't matter.  This year, both teams performed well, so the possibilities are wide open.  The Revels play very well, but they also stumble badly sometimes.  The Bulldogs are more consistent, but sometimes miss the mark.  The intensity of playing a rival should keep both teams on their toes, so I give an edge to the Revs.  OLE MISS by eight

Fri Nov 25

#20 Tulane Greem Wave at #18 Cincinnati Bearcats : This might be the tightest game of the day.  Cincinnati can score quickly, but their defense also allows big plays.  Tulane has plenty of talent on both sides of the ball.  I think Tulane might lead going into the fourth quarter, but Cincy will pull off a great comeback.  CINCY by six

Baylor Bears at #16 Texas Longhorns : Baylor's defense is strong, but I don't think it's strong enough to slow the powerful Longhorns offense.  TEXAS by 11

Utah State Aggies at Boise State Broncos : The Aggies can be a fierce competitor, but many teams find it hard to compete on the blue turf of Boise.  BOISE STATE by 16

Central Michigan Chippewas at Eastern Michigan Eagles : The Chippewas have pulled off some surprises this season, but I don't think this game will be one.  EASTERN MICHIGAN by ten

Toledo Rockets at Western Michigan Broncos : After losing last week, Toledo will double down and emerge victorious this week.  TOLEDO by 12

NC State Wolfpack at North Carolina Tar Heels : It's always crazy when these two get together.  The Wolfpack started the season very well, but they faded.  Battling North Carolina would inspire them to play well, so the Tar Heels cannot get complacent.  NORTH CAROLINA by six

Nebraska Conrnhuskers at Iowa Hawkeyes : Iowa's defense should hold the Huskers offense in check, allowing Iowa to win the division and face the East winner.  IOWA by ten

#15 UCLA Bruins at Cal Golden Bears : This should be an easy win for the Brions.  UCLA by lots

Florida Gators at #12 Florida State Seminoles : The Battle for Florida is always intense, but this year things are a bit different -- the Seminoles have the most consistent and tougher competitor.  The Seminoles also have the better offense, which is definitely a rarity in this matchup.  FLORIDA STATE by 18

Sat Nov 26

Top 25

#3 Michigan Wolverines at #1 Ohio State Buckeyes : This is it!  The Big Game, and it will decide who represents the East division in the Big Ten Conference Championship.  Illinois kncoked out Michigan's most potent players, so they come into the Hoursehoe lacking Blake Corum.  That puts too much pressure on the Wolverines' young quarterback.  OHIO STATE by 20

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at #2 Georgia Bulldogs : The Yellow Jackets have been pretty weak this season, so this is Georiga's game to win.  GEORGIA by lots

#19 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at #4 USC Trojans : The Irish have steadily improved since a poor start to the season, but the Trojans have shown themselves to be a strong force all season long.  USC by 13

Iowa State Cyclones at #5 TCU Horned Frogs : TCU is definitely the star of the Big XII conference.  They have a chance to go to the playoffs, and they won't let Iowa State stop them.  TCU by 20

Michigan State Spartans at #6 Penn State Nittany Lions : This game will be decided early.  PENN STATE by lots

Auburn Tigers at #7 Alabama Crimson Tide : Most years, the Iron Bowl helps determine the seeding for the playoffs.  Not so this year.  Still, it will be just as competitive and emotional for the players.  ALABAMA by 17

South Carolina Gamecocks at #8 Clemson Tigers : After what they did to Tennessee last week, the Tigers should watch out for South Carolina!  I think Clemson will win, but it will be closer than they want.  CLEMSON by four

#9 Oregon Ducks at #22 Oregon State Beavers : The Beavers always play their in-state rivals tough, especially at home.  Oregon has a powerful offense, and the Beavers cannot keep pace with them.  The key question is whether the Beavers defense can slow that offense.  OREGON by 14

#10 Tennessee Volunteers at Vanderbilt Commodores : I don't think Vandy can pull off two upsets in a row.  TENN by lots

#11 Utah Utes at Colorado Buffaloes :Colorado is a weakling in the conference, so this will be an easy win.  UTAH by lots

#13 Washington Huskies at Washington State Cougars : The Huskies should outplay their state rivals, although you can never discount the Cougars.  Their defense could force a turnover at a key time.  WASHINGTON by ten

#14 LSU Tigers at Texas A&M Aggies : This game will be decided early.  LSU by 26

UTEP Miners at #17 UTSA Roadrunners : UTSA once again proved to be the star of the conference.  UTSA by 23

#21 Minnesota Golden Gophers at Wisconsin Badgers : Wisconsin can be tricky, so Minnesota had better watch their back.  The best advantage to Minnesota might have been losing last week, as they will be more focused this week.  MINNESOTA by nine

#23 Illinois Fighting Illini at Northwestern Wildcats : The Illini defense found life again last week, even in a loss.  That defense will finish the season strong.  ILLINOIS by 13

#25 Louisville Cardinals at Kentucky Wildcats : These teams get really intense when they play.  Louisville has been improving as the season progressed, while Kentucky's best performances were early.  Still, they have the ability to beat Louisville, so this game could go either way.  I'll give a slight edge to Louisville, as they come into this game with more confidence.  LOUISVILLE by six

Big Ten

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Maryland Terrapins : As the Terrapins proved last week against Ohio State, they still have a potent offense.  They should overwhelm the Knights.  MARYLAND by 16

Purdue Boilermakers at Indiana Hoosiers : By this time, Purdue will know that they have no chance at the conference title.  How will that impact them, especially since they have already become bowl eligible? Indiana is not eligible, but they have played spoiler in the past.  They could surprise here.  PURDUE by six

MAC

Kent State Golden Flashes at Buffalo Bulls : The Bulls ahve waited two weeks to play, so they'll be ready to score quickly and often.  BUFFALO by 24

Akron Zips at Northern Illinois Huskies : It has been a disappointing season for the Huskies, but the Zips have been atrocious.  NORTHERN ILLINOIS by 13

Other Games of Interest

New Mexico State Aggies at Liberty Flames : The Flames have lost two games in a row, but I think they'll finish strong.  LIBERTY by 18

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at James Madison Dukes : This game will decide who wins the Sun Belt East.  James Madison was hot early in the season, but they've cooled a bit.  How much momentum did Coastal Carolina lose by having their game canceled last week?  COASTAL CAROLINA by six

Kansas Jayhawks at Kansas State Wildcats : Kansas was a force early on, but they couldn't keep pace with the stronger teams in the conference.  KANSAS STATE by 20

NCAA Football 2022 Week 12 results

 Some of the top teams struggled, but they held on.  Upsets plagued other teams, so we have some new developments in the lower portion of the Tip 25.

Top 25 [Last week's position]

1.  OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (11-0) [1]

2.  Georgia Bulldogs (11-0) [2]

3.  Michigan Wolverines (11-0) [3] : Illinois knocked Blake Corum out of the game, setting them up poorly for Ohio State this week

4.  USC Trojans (10-1) [4] : They beat their rival to win the division

4.  TCU Horned Frogs (11-0) [5]

6.  Penn State Nittany Lions (9-2) [7] : Perhaps the strongest team with no shot at the playoffs

7.  Alabama Crimson Tide (9-2) [9] : Should we even COUNT a win over Austin Peay?

8.  Clemson Tigers (10-1) [10]

9.  Oregon Ducks (9-2) [11] 

10. Tennessee Volunteers (9-2) [6] : They were blown away by South Carolina

11. Utah Utes (8-3) [8]

12. Florida State Seminoles (8-3) [15]

13. Washington Huskies (9-2) [17] : Mammoth win for the Huskies!

14. LSU Tigers (9-2) [14]

15. UCLA Bruins (8-3) [12]

16. Texas Longhorns (7-4) [20]

18. Cincinnati Bearcats (9-2) [19]

19. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-3) [25]

20. Tulane Green Wave (9-2) [24] : Way to bounce back!

21. Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-4) [16]

22. Oregon State Beavers (8-3) [29]

23. Illinois Fighting Illini (7-4) [22] : Great job of holding Michigan back

24. Ole Miss Rebels (8-3) [13]

25. Louisville Cardinals (7-4) [NR]

On the Cusp : Boise State Broncos (8-3), Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-4), Washington State Cougars (7-4), Kansas State Wildcats (8-3)

Dropped off: North Carolina Tar Heels [#18], UCF Golden Knights [#21], Duke Blue Devils [#23]

Upsets and Surprises

The SEC was the source of many of this week's upsets.  First,Vanderbilt surprised the Florida Gators.  Then Tennessee suffered the offensive fury of Gamecocks QB Spenser Rattler.  To top it off, Ole Miss fell to Arkansas.

Both Tennessee  and Ole Miss were ranked, but they weren't the only ranked teams to face the upset bug.  UCF lost their Top 25 ranking by losing to Navy and then North Carolina fell to Georgia Tech, which also dropped them from the Top 25.

Big Ten Report

While both Illinois and Maryland played their Top Five opponents tough, the favorites emerged victorious.  The only two surprises were Iowa and Indiana.  Iowa's win gives them an interesting advantage, as will be discussed later.

MAC Attack

Once again,lots of unexpected results, including a loss to the conference leader Toledo.  Due to a snowstorm, Buffalo has postponed their game, so there are some interesting question marks about the conference standings.

Conference and Division races

I'll only discuss the races that were clinched or still up for grabs, although I will list known matchups for conference title games.

AMERICAN:  UCF's loss will award the title to the winner of the Cincinnati - Tulane battle this week

ACC:  Clemson vs North Carolina

BIG TEN EAST: It will be decided by the Big Game, which now clearly favors Ohio State over a Corum-less Michigan team

BIG TEN WEST: Iowa now holds the lead, as they have the tiebreaker over Purdue.  A win, or a Purdue loss, puts Iowa into the conference title game.

MAC EAST:  This one has gotten easy.  The winner of the Bowling Green - Ohio game this week wins the division

MOUNTAIN WEST MOUNTAIN: BOISE STATE has clinched

MOUNTAIN WEST WEST: FRESNO STATE has clinched

PAC-12:  USC is done with conference play and leads the conference.  However, they didn't play Oregon, so if the Ducks beat Oregon State the two face off in a Conference Championship.  If Oregon loses, USC wins the title outright, regardless of the then "pseudo"championship.

SEC: Georgia v LSU

SUN BELTEAST:  With the cancellation of the Chanticleers game this past week, this division will be awarded to the winner of the Coastal Carolina - James Madison game this week

SUN BELT WEST: Troy wins the division with a win or a South Alabama loss.  If the Trojans lose and the Jaguars win, South Alabama wins

BigTen Focus #10 -- Penn State

 After decades of stable existence as the Big Ten Conference that most sports fans know, in 1990 they extended an invitation to Penn State.  At the time, Penn State played in the Atlantic 10 in basketball and an independent in football.  A strong football team, the Nittany Lions came into the conference with a rich history of success, having completed 12 unbeaten seasons and achieving two national champion titles.  Hopes were high that Penn State would increase the competitiveness of the conference.  While that has been true, it has been more challenging to the Nittany Lions.  They have had only one unbeaten season since joining the conference, when they won their first conference title in 1994.  They have achieved three more conference titles, but have found it hard since being placed in the same division as both Ohio State and Michigan.

One thing that hasn't changed for Penn State is their defense.  Penn State is often called "Linebacker U" for the quality of linebackers produced by this school.  Penn State and Ohio State usually produce linebackers and other defensive backs that are highly treasured by NFL teams.  Ironically, perhaps the two most impactful players from Penn State in the NFL were not linebackers but running backs:  CurtWarner and Franco Harris.

Many teams have a "color war", where all the fans in the stands wear one of the team colors or a color opposite a key rival.  Penn State was one of the early originators of this trend, with the "White Out".  Although it became a nationally recognized act in 2004, it dates to earlier.  Although an exact date is unknown, large groups of students and fans have "whited out" sections since 1997.

NFL 2022 Week 11 picks

 The home teams look good this week, although that didn't help much last week.

Thursday night

Tennessee Titans at Green Bay Packers :The Packers finally found a rhythm in the second half last week, but I think the Titans defense will push it back.  TITANS, 23-17

Sunday early games

Carolina Panthers at Baltimore Ravens : The Panthers don't have a chance against the Ravens defense.  RAVENS, 20-13

Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons :The Bears have a real chance of pulling this one out, but probably not if I pick them, so I won't.  FALCONS, 24-23

Cleveland Browns at Buffalo Bills : This will be an offensive showcase, which gives a MASSIVE edge to Buffalo.  BILLS, 34-20

Detroit Lions at New York Giants : The Lions are finding life, but they won't overpower the strong Giants.  GIANTS, 24-16

Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints : The Saints have been pretty inconsistent this year, but when they play well, they play very well.  The Rams haven't played well most of the season.  SAINTS, 27-16

New York Jets at New England Patriots : These two tams always play a tight battle, and it is often an offensive showdown.  I think it will be again, and that might give the Patriots a slight edge.  PATS, 27-24

Philadelphia Eagles at Indianapolis Colts : The Colts can sneak up on an opponent, but I don't think the Eagles will be surprised.  The strength of the Eagles offense will overpower the weakened Colts defense.  EAGLES, 27-17

Washington Commanders at Houston Texans : At this point, you can pick against the Texans.  An added bonus is the strength of the play of Washington lately.  COMMANDERS, 28-16

Sunday late games

Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers : The Bengals offense is rolling, while the Steelers can't really count on their offense.  Can they count on their defense?  BENGALS, 20-13

Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings : The Cowboys were knocked off by the Packers last week, and now they face the cream of the NFC North.  The Vikings offense is tough to stop,and their rush might keep the Cowboys offensive line on their toes.  VIKINGS, 30-27

Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos : The Raiders are underachieving this season, although the Broncos are inconsistent.  The home crowd might help inspire them.  BRONCOS, 16-13

Sunday night

Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers : The key question in this game is can the Chargers defense slow the Chiefs, as their offense cannot outscore the Chiefs on their own.  CHIEFS, 27-13

Monday Night Football

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals : Given new life after the injury to Trey Lance, Jimmy G is playing great ball.  He will propel them past the Cardinals.  49ERS, 26-20

NFL 2022 Week 10 results

 It turned out to be a harsher week than I thought, with plenty of upsets.  It threw some fits into the Power Rankings, as three of the top five teams lost.

Power Rankings [Last week's ranking]

1.  BUFFALO BILLS (6-3) [2] : Despite a loss, the Bills return to the top after the Eagles suffered a worse loss

2.  Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) [1]

3.  Kansas City Chiefs (7-2) [3]

4.  Minnesota Vikings (8-1) [4] : The Vikings are bridged the previously huge gap between #3 and #4.

5.  Baltimore Ravens (6-3) [6]

6.  Dallas Cowboys (6-3) [5]

7.  Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) [7]

8.  New England Patriots (5-4) [8]

9.  New YorkGiants (7-2) [12]

10. San Francisco 49ers (5-4) [11]

11. New York Jets (6-3) [10]

12. Miami Dolphins (7-3) [13]

13. SeattleSeahawks (6-4) [9]

14. Tennessee Titans (6-3) [14]

Divisional Rankings [Last week'srank]

 1.  AFC East [1]

2.  NFC East [2]

3 (tie).  AFC North [3]

3 (tie).  AFC West [3]

5.  NFC West [5]

6.  NFC South [6]

7.  NFC North [7]

8.  AFC South [8]

NCAA Football 2022 Week 12 picks

 In the past, the week after a series of upsets is much calmer with few upsets.  Let's see if that continues...

Tues Nov 15

Bowling Green Falcons at Toledo Rockets : Having already clinched their division, could Toledo relax in this game? Maybe, but I think Toledo has a point to make, so they'll still play hard.  TOLEDO by ten

Ohio Bobcats at Ball State Cardinals : Ohio knows they need to win to put themselves into position to play fot the conference title.  Ball State is out of contention, but will they play spoiler?  OHIO by eight

Wed Nov 16

Eastern Michigan Eagles at Kent State Golden Flashes : Kent State pulled off an upset last week, but this is a new week.  EASTERN MICHIGAN by 12

Miami Ohio Redhawks at Northern Illinois Huskies : It has not been Northern Illinois' year.  MIAMI OHIO by 13

Western Michigan Broncos at Central Michigan Chippewas : The Broncos are really struggling.  CENTRAL MICHIGAN by 16

Thurs Nov 17

SMU Mustangs at #24 Tulane Green Wave : Tulane needs a great game to bounce back from last week's upset.  SMU will not make that easy, but I think the Green Wave will find a way to win this.  TULANE  by six

Fri Nov 18

San Diego State Aztecs at New Mexico State Aggies : The Aztecs still have a shot at the divistion, so they wnat every win.  SAN DIEGO STATE by 20

Sat Nov 19

Top 25

#1 Ohio Sate Buckeyes at Maryland Terrapins : Can Maryland pull off the upset>  I don't think so.  OHIO STATE by 26

#2 Georgia Bulldogs at Kentucky Wildcats : Kentucky suffered an emabarrassing loss last week, and they'll get another one.  GEORGIA by 26

#22 Illinois Fighting Illini at #3 Michigan Wolverines :  It'll be three straight losses for the Illini,costing them their Top 25 position and their West division chances.  MICHIGAN by 17

#4 USC Torjans at #12 UCLA Bruins :This crosstown rivalry is always intense, and the stakes of this game makes it even more interesting.  USC needs the win to keep pace in the division, while the Bruins are coming off a costly loss.  I think the Trojans will win, but the Bruins will make it tough.  USC by four

#5 TCU Horned Frogs at Baylor Bears : After a loss last week,nothing would thrill the Bears more than to play spoiler.  They will make it rough for TCU, but I don't think they'll systain it.  TCU by eight

#6 Tennessee Volunteers at South Carolina Gamecocks : South Carolina shouldn't give Tennessee any problems.  TENN by 24

#7 Penn State Nittany Lions at Rutgers Scarlet Knights:  Easy win for the Lions.  PENN SATE by lots

#8 Utah Utes at #11 Oregon Ducks :The worst thing for the Utes may be that Oregon lost at home last week.  They will be driven to win this game, and they have the offensive power to do it.  OREGON by six

Miami Hurricanes at #10 Clemson Tigers : Clemson hits the Top Ten and aching to show why they should have been there earlier.  CLEMSON by 24

#13 Ole Miss Rebels at Arkansas Razorbacks : Ole Miss will bounce back from their loss last week with a strong win here.  OLE MISS by 17

UAB Blazers at #14 LSU Tigers : Not much of a challenge for the Tigers.  LSU by lots

Louisiana Ragin Cajuns at #15 Florida State Seminoles : Another easy win.  FLORIDA STATE by lots

Iowa Hawkeyes at #16 Minnesota Golden Gophers : Iowa has kicked up their game recently.  Are they ready to face one of the top teams in the division?  MINNESOTA by six

Colorado Buffaloes at #17 Washington Huskies : Unless the Huskies let themselves down after their amazing defeat of Oregon, this should be an easy win.  WASHINGTON by lots

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at #18 North Carolina Tar Heels : This game should also be one-sided and decided early.  NORTH CAROLINA by 31

#19 Cincinnati Bearcats at Temple Owls : Cincy should win this one easily, but they have been finishing much closer than they should.  CINCY by eight

#20 Texas Longhorns at Kansas Jayhawks : Texas may lose this game, as Kansas is doing very well.  However, after their tough loss last week, I think they will tighten themselves up this week.  TEXAS by four

Navy Midshipmen at #21 UCF Golden Knights : With the Knights rush defense, Navy may be shut down.  UCF by lots

#23 Duke Blue Devils at Pitt Panthers : Duke should prevail, but I think the home team will give them some difficulty.  DUKE by 13

Boston College Eagles at #25 Notre Dame Fighting Irish : The Irish have all of the advantages in this one.  NOTRE DAME by 27

Big Ten

Wisconsin Badgers at Nebraska Cornhuskers : The Badgers were crushed by Iowa last week, but they won't let that bring them down.  Wisconsin will bounce back strongly this week.  WISCONSIN by 16

Northwestern Wildcats at Purdue Boilermakers : The Boilermakers have taken the lead in the West, and a likely Illinois loss will give them a boost.  Beating the Wildcats, who are still searching for their second win.  PURDUE by 23

Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan State Spartans : The Spartans have found life to conclude the season, and that streak will continue.  MICHIGAN STATE by nine

MAC

Akron Zips at Buffalo Bulls : Akron is in the basement, and they are likely to stay there.  BUFFALO by lots

Other Games of Interest

Virginia Tech Hokies at Liberty Flames : Liberty stumbled last week, but they will redeem themselves against the Hokies.  LIBERTY by 16

UTSA Roadrunners at Rice Owls : Easy victory for the Roadrunners.  UTSA by lots

Washington State Cougars at Arizona Wildcats : The Wildcats won last week, but they may have overextended themselves.  The Cougars will bring them back to Earth.  WASHINGTON STATE by 26

Oregon State Beavers at Arizona State Sun Devils : The Beavers will chew up the Sun Devils.  OREGON STATE by 23

Boise State Broncos at Wyoming Cowboys : The Cowboys have done well this season, and could compete here, but I think the Broncos offense will prove too much.  BOISE STATE by 13

NCAA Football 2022 Week 11 results

 We had plenty of upsets happen, and some of those affected the Top 25

Top 25 [Last week's position]

1.  OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (10-0) [1]

2.  Georgia Bulldogs (10-0) [2]

3.  Michigan Wolverines (10-0) [3]

4.  USC Trojans (9-1) [4]

5.  TCU Horned Frogs (10-0) [5]

6.  Tennessee Volunteers (9-1) [8]

7.  Penn State Nittany Lions (8-2) [9]

8.  Utah Utes (8-2) [11]

9.  Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2) [12]

10. Clemson Tigers (9-1) [17]

11. Oregon Ducks (8-2) [6]

12. UCLA Bruins (8-2) [7]

13. Ole Miss Rebvels (8-2) [10]

14. LSU Tigers (8-2) [14]

15. Florida State Seminoles (7-3) [20]

16. Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-3) [16]

17. Washington Huskies (8-2) [23]

18. North Carolina Tar Heels (9-1) [18]

19. Cincinnati Bearcats (8-2) [19]

20. Texas Longhorns (6-4) [13]

21. UCF Golden Knights (8-2) [24]

22. Illinois Fighting Illini (7-3) [15]

23. Duke Blue Devils (7-3) [26]

24. Tulane Green Wave (8-2) [21]

25. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-3) [25]

On the Cusp: Boise State Broncos (7-3). UTSA Roadrunners (8-2), Washington State Cougars (6-4), Liberty Flames (8-2)

Dropped off: Mississippi State Bulldgos [#22]

Upsets and Suprises

The week started calmly, but when the upsets started, they came with a torrent.  Vanderbilt kicked it off, lnocking off Kentucky.  Then West Virginia thumped Oklahoma and UConn beat Liberty.  It relaxed a bit, but then NC State fell to Boston College.  Iowa shocked Wisconsin, and UAB shocked North Texas.

The evening was even crazier.  Washington keep pace, then beat, the Oregon offense.  Kansas State blanked Baylor, and Kansas fell to a Texas Tech comeback.  Arizona overcame UCLA, and San Jose STate fell to rival San Diego State.

Big Ten Report

Except for victories by Purdue and Iowa, the conference results were fairly normal and expected.  Our two upsets have thrown the West division race, with Purdue holding a slight lead.  Our new feature piece, the Conferece and Division Races, will detail this.  Indiana and Nebraska have joined Northwestern among those ineligible for bowl play.

MAC Attack

Tuesday and Thursday had expected results, while Wed was full of surprises.  Toledo has clinched the West division, while Ohio has now taken the lead in the East.

Conference and Division Races

AMERICAN: UCF holds the lead and tiebreakers over most contenders.  They didn't play Houston, but one more win clinches the title for the Golden Knights.

ACC ATLANTIC:  CLEMSON has clinched

ACC COASTAL: NORTH CAROLINA has clinched

BIG XII: TCU has clinched

BIG TEN EAST:  Only Ohio State and Michigan are contenders.  This one will be decided in the Big Game

BIG TEN WEST: Purdue holds the lead, but four teams have a 4-3 conference record, and Wisconsin is also in the mix with a 4-4 conference record.  This one has gotten messy. 

CONFERENCE USA: UTSA has clinched

MAC EAST: Ohio has a one-game lead and a tiebreaker over Buffalo.  The Bulls can only win if they win out and Ohio loses both of their next games.  The bigger threat to Ohio is Bowling Green, who they play in the last week o the season.  Ohio needs to win this week and Bowling Green to lose, otherwise that final game will decide it.

MAC WEST:  TOLEDO  has clinched

MOUNTAIN WEST MOUNTAIN: Boise State can clinch by beating Wyoming this week.  If Wyoming wins, Boise would need to win the final week AND Wyoming lose

MOUNTAIN WEST WEST: Fresno State leads and holds the tiebreaker over both San Jose State and San Diego State.  One more win for Fresno clinches it.

PAC 12: This one gets tricky.  Three teams have only one conference loss.   Utah holds the key.  They hold tiebreaker over USC, and if they beat Oregon this week, then the Utes clinch.  If Oregon wins, and then beats Oregon State, they have an interesting situation with USC, who they didn't play this season.  If the Trojans beat UCLA, and both USC and Utah finish 8-1 in conference, then those two will face each other in a conference championship to decide the winner.

SEC EAST: Georgia holds a one-game lead and tiebreaker over Tennessee.  If the Bulldogs win one more game, they clinch

SEC WEST: LSU has clinched

SUN BELT EAST: Coastal Carolina leads by a game.  The only other contender is James Madison, who plays Coastal at the end of the season.  If results remain like this, that game will determine the winner.  Coastal can come into that game as the division champ if they win this week and James Madison loses.

SUN BELT WEST: Troy and South Alabama are tied, but Tory holds the tiebreaker.  Unless Troy wins this week and South Alabama loses, then this division won't be clinched until the final week.

 

NFL 2022 Week 10 picks

 I had a good week last week, and now I've picked lots of home teams.  Looks good!

Thursday night

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers : The Falcons have quietly been doing well, while the Panthers have collapsed this season.  FALCONS, 24-13

Sunday morning

 Seattle Seahawks at Tampa Bay Bucs : The Bucs won last week, but they shouldn't have.  Seattle won't let them pull off a similar last minute miracle.  SEAHAWKS, 20-16

Sunday early games

Cleveland Browns at Miami Dolphins : The Dolphins defense fell apart this week, but they should recover.  The Browns can be a tricky challenge, but they have been underachieving this season.  With renewed pressure from a resparked Dolphins defense, I think the Browns will be shut down.  DOLPHINS, 30-20

Denver Broncos at Tennessee Titans : Defense will rule the day here, and the Titans are better at that.  TITANS, 20-16

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears : The Lions just beat the Packers, and they will still be celebrating that.  The Bears offense came alive last week, and I think that will continue into this week.  After all, it was just a matter of time until those youngsters started to get on the same page.  BEARS, 20-13

Houston Texans at New York Giants : The Texans have fallen apart this season, while the Giants have been a surprisingly success team.  GIANTS, 24-10

Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs : This one should be an offensive explosion, as both teams like to score lots of points.  It is a challenge for anyone to outscore Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, however.  CHIEFS, 34-23

Minnesota Vikings at Buffalo Bills : Perhaps the worst thing for Minnesota is the fact that Buffalo lost last week.  The Bills will be more determined to reverse that result and win this week.  The Vikings have a dynamic offense, but no team has a better offense this season than Buffalo.  The difference may be the defense,  Can the Vikings low down Buffalo enough?  Maybe, but I'll stick with the holme team here.  BILLS, 27-24

New Orleans Saints at Pittsburgh Steelers : Both teams have stunted offenses this year.  The surprise is the loss of defense on the part of Pittsburgh.  SAINTS, 16-13

Sunday late games

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams : The Rams have been a bit of a disappointment this season, but so have the Cardinals.  The Rams defense stuffed the Bucs for most of the game until they got lax.  Against Arizona, it won't matter if they get lax late.  RAMS, 17-13

Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers : The Pack have fallen apart this season.  COWBOYS, 27-13

Indianapolis Colts at Las Vegas Raiders : It is usually not a good idea to change coaches in the middle of the season.  The disruption to the offensive scheme alone can be a killer.  However, the Colts offensive scheme STUNK!  A change can only make it better.Their defense was already good, and I don't think that one will change too much under the new coach, who will focus more on the offense.  Watch out, the Colts might be back!  COLTS, 20-13

Sunday night

Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers : The Chargers defense is stiff, and could give the 49ers some fits.  They had a bye week to get a little healthier, and that might help them.  They'll need to rotate offensive stars to stay competitive.  49ERS, 20-17

Monday Night Football

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles : The Eagles are the only unbeaten team in the league.  I don't thinkthe Commanders are strong enough to knock them off, even with some of the magic being conducted by Taylor Heineke.  EAGLES, 28-17

NFL 2022 Week 9 results

 We have a new Top Team!

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-0) [2]

2.  Buffalo Bills (6-2) [1]

3,  Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) [3]

4,  Minnesota Vikings (7-1) [4]

5.  Dallas Cowboys (6-2) [5]

6.  Baltimore Ravens (6-3) [6]

7.  Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) 

8.  New England Patriots (5-4) [11]

9.  Seattle Seahawks (6-3) [9]

10. New York Jets (6-3) [10]

11. San Francisco 49ers (4-4) [7]

12. New York Giants (6-2) [12]

13. Miami Dolphins (6-3) [13]

14. Tennessee Titans (5-3) [14]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  AFC East [1]

2.  NFC East [2]

3 (tie). AFC North [3]

3 (tie). AFC West [4]

5.  NFC West [5]

6.  NFC South [6]

7.  NFC North [8]

8.  AFC South [7]

 

Big Ten Focus #9 : Michigan State

 The Michigan State Spartans joined the conference in 1950, four years after the University of Chicago departed.  That restored the conference's roster to ten teams, revived the title "Big Ten", and established the lineup most fans are familiar with.

The Spartans enjoyed early success, winning the conference for the first time in 1953.  They won the conference twice in the 1960s, once in the 70s and 80s, and won it again in 1990.  They then went 20 years before winning in 2010, and followed that with titles in 2013 and 2015.  2010 was the last year before a conference title game was played, and they entered the first Big Ten Championship Game as defending champion and winner of the Legends Division.  They lost to Wisconsin that year, but won both of their next two Big Ten Championship Game appearances.  Both of those teams were led by QB Connor Cook, who was the Player of the Game in both of those championships.

What most people forget is that Alabama coach Nick Saban previously was the head coach of the Spartans.  Saban took the Alabama job after failing as head coach of the Miami Dolphins.  The job he LEFT to take the Miami job was the head coach of Michigan State.  In his five years as the Spartans coach, he amassed a 58.5% record, at the time the third best record among coaches since the team joined the conference.  Two of the most successful coaches have been their last two:  current coach Mel Tucker (65%) and previous coach Mark Dantonio (66.7%), the coach of their last three conference titles.

There have been a few significant players from Michigan State that graduated into the NFL.  The current Vikings QB Kirk Cousins is one, but perhaps the greater quarterback was the engineer of the only unbeaten team in NFL history -- Earl Morrall of the 1972 Miami Dolphins.  One of the most iconic defenders of all time, Bubba Smith, was also a Spartan.  Other significant players:  WRs Andre Rison and Charles Rogers, RB Lorenzo White, OLs Tony Mandarich and Flozell Adams, DB Brad Van Pelt, and punter Brandon Fields.

NCAA Football 2022 Week 11 picks

 Tues Nov 8

Eastern Michigan Eagles at Akron Zips : Eventually the Zips are likely to win their first conference game, but I certainly won't pick it.  EASTERN MICHIGAN by ten

Ohio Bobcats at Miami Ohio Redhawks : The Bobcats now have the advantage in their division, and they know they need to keep winning to maintain that advantage.  This game is important, and should be a win.  OHIO by 16

Ball State Cardinals at Toledo Rockets : This game could go either way, but I think the bye week last week will help Toledo.  They will be more ready to play this game.  TOLEDO by six

Wed Nov 9

Northern Illinois Huskies at Western Michigan Broncos : Neither team is looking good this season, but the Huskies are absolutely abyssmal.  WESTERN MICHIGAN by nine

Buffalo Bulls at Central Michigan Chippewas : The Bulls need a strong win to make up from last week's performance.  The porous Chippewas defense will give them that chance.  BUFFALO by 16

Kent State Golden Flashes at Bowling Green Falcons : The Falcons are chasing a division title, so every game is important.  Kent State is just not a tough competitor.  BOWLING GREEN by 20

Thurs Nov 10

Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Memphis Tigers : One nice thing about Thursday night games is that you get to watch teams that aren't normally broadcast nationally.  Tulsa is struggling badly this season.  Not that Memphis is doing very well, but they doing better.  MEMPHIS by eight

Fri Nov 11

East Carolina Pirates at #19 Cincinnati Bearcats : Cincy may have some early problems with the Pirates defense, but they will come alive in the second half.  CINCY by 13

Colorado Buffaloes at #4 USC Trojans : Easy win.  USC by lots

Sat Nov 12

Top 25

Indiana Hoosiers at #1 Ohio State Buckeyes : After stumbling last week, you know Ryan Day will have them playing sharper, especially on defense.  That bodes ill for the Hoosiers.  OHIO STATE by 26

#2 Georgia Bulldogs at #22 Mississippi State Bulldogs : The Bulldogs are a good team, but they don't have the same level of talent that Georgia has.  GEORGIA by 20

Nebraska Cornhuskers at #3 Michigan Wolverines : Another easy win.  MICHIGAN by lots

#5 TCU Horned Frogs at #13 Texas Longhorns : This is the greatest challenge the Horned Frogs have faced all season.  The Horns certainly have the ability to pull off the upset, but I think TCU will establish just too large an early lead for Texas to overcome.  TCU by four

#23 Washington Huskies at #6 Oregon Ducks : Oregon is on a mission -- they want a rematch against Georgia in the national championship playoffs.  At this rate, they may get it.  OREGON by 20

Arizona Wildcats at #7 UCLA Bruins : Both USC and UCLA get easy opponents this week.  UCLA by lots

Missouri Tigers at #8 Tennessee Volunteers : The Vols will get a chance to bounce back from their Georgia loss.  TENNESSEE by 20

Maryland Terrapins at #9 Penn State Nittany Lions : Maryland has some offensive juice, but their defense is lacking something.  PENN STATE by 17

#212 Alabama Crimson Tide at #10 Ole Miss Rebels : Who might benefit the most from LSU's victory?  Ole Miss.  Not only did they have a bye week to help prepare, but they can watch the film from the LSU game to know how to overpower the Tide.  OLE MISS by three

Stanford Cardinal at #11 Utah Utes : Utah has a powerful offense, and it will overwhelm the Cardinal defense.  UTAH by 24

 #14 LSU Tigers at Arkansas Razorbacks : And the Tigers continue to roll.  LSU by 16

Purdue Boilermakers at #15 Illinois Fighting Illini : Both teams suffered tough losses last week.  Who will be more prepared to turn that around?  That depends upon the coaching, and that's where Illinois has the edge.  ILLINOIS by six

Northwestern Wildcats at #16 Minnesota Golden Gophers :  The Wildcats are looking for their first conference win.  They may have used up the surprise of their new offensive scheme on Ohio State, so do they have anything left?  I don't think so.  MINNESOTA by 18

Louisville Cardinals at #17 Clemson Tigers : Louisville is a good team.  If the Tigers continue to relive their embarrassing loss to the Irish, they find themselves on the losing end twice in a row.  Somehow, though, I think they'll pull it out, but they may be behind at the half.  CLEMSON by six

#18 North Carolina Tar Heels at Wake Forest Demon Deacons : The Demon Deacons are strong enough to pull off the upset, but I think the Tar Heels will hold on to win, but it will take a great defensive stance.  NORTH CAROLINA by four

#20 Florida State Seminoles at Syracuse Orange : The Seminoles have been improving as the season progresses, while Syracuse has been declining.  FLORIDA STATE by 13

#24 UCF Golden Knights at #21 Tulane Green Wave : This could be an exciting game!  Both are strong teams, and both lean on their defense.  UCF has a better offense, but the Green Wave defense is even better.  TULANE by six

#25 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Navy Midshipmen : The Irish defense should hold back the ground attack of Navy.  IRISH by 13

Big Ten

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Michigan State Spartans : The Spartans found life last week, but I don't think they'll sustain it.  If the Illini defense had been awake, there were plenty of opportunities to stop the Spartans.  Rutgers will use them.  RUTGERS by eight

Wisconsin Badgers at Iowa Hawkeyes : Both teams found their offense last week.  For Wisconsin, that ground game will be easier to repeat.  WISCONSIN by ten

Other Games of Interest

Boston College Eagles at NC State Wolfpack : The Eagles are stuggling, so the Wolfpack get a nice win.  NC STATE by 18

Boise State Broncos at Nevada Wolf Pack : Unfortunately, the other Wolf Pack will not be so fortunate.  The Broncos are fierce, and they will overpower the talented but undermanned Nevada defense.  BOISE STATE by 16

San Jose State Spartans at San Diego State Aztecs : These two often play close, but this year I think it will be pretty well decided by the start of the fourth quarter.  SAN JOSE STATE by 18

NCAA Football 2022 Week 10 results

 Several upsets and surprising results really shook up the Top 25!

Top 25 [Last week's position]

1.  OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (9-0) [1] : Their offense struggled a bit, but in a week like this, a double-digit win was good

2.  Georgia Bulldogs (9-0) [2] : Smashed the Volunteers

3.  Michigan Wolverines (9-0) [3] : Slow start, killer finish

4.  USC Trojans (8-1) [6] : Into the Top Four with a strong win

5.  TCU Horned Frogs (10-0) [8] : The only team with ten wins moves into the Top Five

6.  Oregon Ducks (9-1) [12] : Man, have they wiped away that embarrassing loss to Georgia!  Maybe they can teach the Vols something.

7.  UCLA Bruins (8-1) [11] : Conglomeration of Pac-12 in the Top Ten, but they top teams are yet to play each other

8.  Tennessee Volunteers (8-1) [4] : They were never really in the game against Georgia

9.  Penn State Nittany Lions (7-2) [13] : The Lions return to the Top Ten with an impressive win

10. Ole Miss Rebels (8-1) [10] : A bye week may have been the best thing for the Rebs

11. Utah Utes (7-2) [14] 

12. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-2) [5] : The Tide drop out of the Top Ten

13. Texas Longhorns (6-3) [18] : Another team successfully wiping away the memory of a tough loss, they send the Kansas State Wildcats packing

14.  LSU Tigers (7-2) [20] : A gutsy 2-point conversion in overtime propels them over Alabama and jumps them in the rankings

15. Illinois Fighting Illini (7-2) [9] : It looks like they suited up a high school team instead

16. Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-3) [17]

17. Clemson Tigers (8-1) [7] : Owners of the biggest drop within the rankings, they were thoroughly demolished by the Irish

18. North Carolina Tar Heels (8-1) [21]

19. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-2) [19]

20. Florida State Seminoles (6-3) [29]

21. Tulane Green Wave (8-1) [25]

22. Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-3) [22]

23. Washington Huskies (7-2) [23]

24. UCF Golden Knights (7-2) [24]

25. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-3) [NR] : After an 0-2 start and a crushing defeat of Clemson, the Itish finally reach the Top 25 this season

On the cusp: Duke Blue Devils (6-3), Liberty Flames (8-1), NC State Wolfpack (7-2), Baylor Bears (6-3), San Jose State Spartans (6-2), Boise State Broncos (6-3), Washington State Cougars (5-4), Wisconsin Badgers (5-4)

Dropped off: Kansas State Wildcats [#15], Syracuse Orange [#16]

Upsets and Surprises

Man, we had quite a few, and most affected the Top 25.  I'll discuss one in the Big Ten in that part of the column.  The only other non-ranked upset was Georgia State's drubbing of Southern Miss.  Now let's examine some of the other upsets, and especially the implications they have:

• LSU over Alabama : That eliminated Alabama from playoff contention.  It also showed how to beat Alabama -- play full out in all four quarters.  Alabama struggled in two other games this season, but came back in fourth quarter comebacks when the opposing team slowed down.  LSU kept pounding away, and they won
• Notre Dame over Clemson:  There will not be an ACC team in the playoffs.  While North Carolina has a great record, they have not had impressive wins.  This loss will eliminate Clemson, even if they win out
• Georgia over Tennessee : Not an upset for me, as I picked Georgia, but it may leave Georgia as the only SEC team in contention for the playoffs.  Yes, Tennessee is a good team, but the last time they started off so well in the season, and got highly ranked, their first loss, which was also a bad one like this week's loss to Georgia was, threw them off, and they struggled the rest of the season.  If the Vols cannot right themselves after this game, they will fade, as they have some tough opponents left on their schedule.
• Texas over Kansas State : Also not an upset for me, but it may keep K State out of the Top 25 for the rest of the season
• Pitt over Syracuse : This is the second game where Syracuse's offense disappeared, so it looks like the Orange are fading.  I don't expect them back in the Top 25, either.

 Big Ten Report

The East division played as expected.  The West had weird results.  Iowa finally found an offense and destroyed Purdue.  That left the door open for Illinois to take a commanding lead, but they couldn't find any rhythm and let a defensively-devastated Spartan team, with mostly second-string players, push them around.  Illinois still leads the division, and a win over Purdue next week would give them tiebreaker leads over all of the other contenders, but it tightened the divisional race.  Wisconsin joined that race this week, too, as they showed up running all over the field, looking like the Badger teams of old.  There are four teams with 3-3 conference records behind the 4-2 Illini, so this race could go down to the wire.

MAC Attack

The MAC took care of their games early.  Buffalo's loss makes it a three-team tie for the division, with Ohio holding the edge.  Ball State trails the Rockets, who had a bye week, by only one game.  They still play each other, so Toledo can basically seal the division by beating the Cardinals.

Big Ten focus #8: Ohio State

 Of all of the teams in the Big Ten conference, this one probably LEAST needs a focus column.  Due to their consistent recent success, I think everyone knows about this school and its program.  It certainly features half of one of the most heated and longest-running rivalries in college football, and the only one to earn the nickname "The Game" -- their annual season-ending contest against Michigan.

Ohio State was the third school to join the Western Conference, raising its membership to nine teams (my previously focussed seven teams plus the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago.  At the time they joined, Michigan was not a member).  It was the entrance of Ohio State that led to the conference being renamed the Big Ten.

Ohio State joined the conference in 1912.  They won their first conference title in 1916.  That achievement angered their rival Michigan, who had left the Western Conference in 1907.  They rejoined the next year and have remained a member since.  The conference was renamed the Big Ten conference in 1919.

Ohio State has been the second-most successful conference team, trailing only Michigan in the number of conference titles (40 to Michigan's 43).  The Buckeyes have more outright titles than any other school, winning the title outright 29 times.  The Buckeyes have also been the most successful team on the national stage (to the massive chagrin of Michigan), winning 15 national titles and generating 7 Heisman Trophy winners, including the only player to win two consecutive Heisman Trophies (Archie Griffin). Although recently awarded toi quarterbacks, six of Ohio State's Trophy winners were primarily running backs.

The truly astounding thing about Ohio State is their consistent level of success.  Since joining the conference, they have not had a full-time coach with a losing record (Luke Fickell, who coached in 2011 after the departure of Jim Tressel, was considered only an "interim coach").  The last coach with a losing record left the school in 1897 -- a streak of 125 years with winning coaches!  No other school, not even Alabama or Notre Dame, can make that claim.

And those coaches just seem to get better.  The team joined the Western Conference in the midst of the coaching tenure of John Wilce, who accuimulated a winning record of 68.8%.  He was followed for four years by Sam Willaman, who amassed a 69.5% winning record.  The 70.5% Francis Schmidt was next, then iconic Ohio coach Paul Brown, who achieved a 68.5% winning record in four years with the Buckeyes.

After short stints (all less than four years) by three coaches, the legendary coach Woody Hayes took over in 1951.  The team had already won the conference eight times and even won a national championship under Paul Brown, but Woody really boosted the program.  Hayes led the team to 13 conference titles and five more national championships during his 27 years.  He won an astounding 76% of his games and propelled the Buckeyes into national prominence.  The only thing Woody Hayes couldn't do well was win bowl games, losing more than he won.

Earl Bruce followed Woody Hayes. In his eight years as coach, he added four more conference titles.  He nearly matched the success of his predecessor, winning 75.5% of his games.  John Cooper was next, who coached the Buckeyes into the 21st Century.  He added three more conference championships, but was the worst of the post-1949 coaches with a record of 71%.

The three most success ocaches follow.  Jim Tressel won 81% of his games, amassing eight conference titles and another national championship.  Urban Meyer was next, winning over 90% of his games, three more conference titles, and their most recent national title.  His successor Ryan Day, the current coach, has won nearly 90$ of his games and gained two more conference titles.

NFL 2022 Week 9 picks

 Another week with many visiting teams picked.  That doesn't bode well for me.

Thursday night

Philadelphia Eagles at Houston Texans : Well, this is a visiting team pick that I am VERY comfortable with!  We have one of the top teams in the league playing one of the worst teams in the league.  No contest.  EAGLES, 34-13

Sunday early games

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets : The Jets have been pretty good this season, but the Patriots showed that they still need some work.  On the other hand, the Bills are strong, owners of the best offense in the league.  Their defense isn't shabby, either.  BILLS, 34-17

Carolina Panthers at Cincinnati Bengals : The Bengals collapsed on Monday night.  They will be looking to put that game in the rear-view window, and this will be an excellent opportunity.  The Panthers just can't get it together, and the Bengals defense will make that even harder.  BENGALS, 20-10

Green Pay Packers at Detroit Lions : Here is a possible upset, but I don't have the heart to go for it.  The Lions, although capable, cannot close out a game.  The Pack are struggling mightily, but they usually find a way to beat divisional opponents.  I have to pick Green Bay here, but this game will be close.  PACKERS, 17-13

Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots : Bailey Zappe is really turning into a great prize for the Patriots.  I'll admit, I wasn't sure how well the Western Kentucky grad would do in the pros, but he's doing just fine.  PATS, 23-16

Las Vegas Raiders at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Jags, after a tremendous start to the season, have slipped back to their old ways.  Even though, I think they'll win this game, as the Raiders are really struggling.  Their offense cannot find a rhythm. Their defense isn't bad, but generating turnovers is not a strong emphasis, and that's what the defense really needs to do to support their offense.  JAGS, 20-10

Los Angeles Chargers at Atlanta Falcons : Like the Raiders, the Chargers are struggling as well.  At least they have a defense to fall back upon.  That defense might keep them in this game, but I still favor the home team here.  FALCONS, 24-16

Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears : I'd love a home team upset here, but I'm not counting on it.  DOLPHINS, 23-17

Minnesota Vikings at Washington Commanders : Taylor Heinicke has been a great boon for the Commanders.  He has brought precision and intelligence to their offense.  The Commanders defense still needs a bit of work, and that side of the ball is going to give them problems in this game, as the Vikings offense is quite strong.  VIKINGS, 30-17

Sunday late games

Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Bucs : The Bucs are another team, like Green Bay, whose offense is struggling despite some talent.  New players in key positions have thrown off the synergy and timing, and leading to miscues, drops, and turnovers.  The Rams have a similar problem, but their problems are due less to new players than to changes in their scheme.  They could play well enough to win here, but I have enough visitor picks.  I think the Bucs will pull this one out.  BUCS, 20-17

Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals : Arizona is playing so poorly I cannot pick them to win here, even though Seattle doesn't play as well away from home.  SEAHAWKS, 17-13

Sunday night

Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs : Wow, here's a game where either team could win.  The Chiefs have the talent, but they can get sloppy.  The Titans are a good team who play very disciplined.  I need more home team picks, but watch for the upset here.  CHIEFS, 27-20

Monday Night Football

Baltimore Ravens at New Orleans Saints : The Ravens play so well in the national spotlight, I am adverse in picking the home team, even though I am picking lots of home teams.  The Saints are such an inconsistent team it is very hard to know how they will play.  They certainly could win this game, but I am not confident enough to pick them.  RAVENS, 23-20

NFL 2022 Week 8 results

 Some interesting results this week threw the power rankings into chaos.

Power Rankings [Last week's rank]

1.  BUFFALO BILLS  (6-1) [1]

2.  Philadelphia Eagles (7-0) [2]

3.  Kansas City Chiefs (5-2) [3]

4.  Minnesota Vikings (6-1) [4]

5.  Dallas Cowboys (6-2) [8]

6.  Baltimore Ravens (5-3) [9]

7.  San Francisco 49ers (4-4) [10]

8.  Cincinnati Bengals (4-4) [6]

9.  Seattle Seahawks (5-3) [12]

10. New York Jets (5-3) [7]

11. New England Patriots (4-4) [11]

12. New York Giants (6-2) [5]

13. Miami Dolphins (5-3) [13]

14. Tennessee Titans (5-2) [14]

Divisional Rankings [Last week's rank]

 1.  AFC East [1]

2.  NFC East [2]

3.  AFC North [4]

4.  AFC West [3]

5.  NFC West [5]

6.  NFC South [7]

7.  AFC West [6]

8.  NFC North [8]