Best and Worst of the NFL - Week 5

Let's call it Opposite Day!  It's easy to call the Lions and the Bills the worst teams in the league and it's easy to name the Saints, the Steelers, and the Packers the most talented, but what about the worst of the best and the best of the worst?  Now, that's fun!

BEST team with 1 win: Dallas Cowboys
The Vikings are a very close second here, but the Cowboys we all saw in the first two weeks won't show its face again.

WORST team with 3 wins: Chicago Bears
Even with Jay Cutler, the Bears have some major issues...and now they don't even have him.

BEST team without a win: San Francisco 49ers
Almost went with the Panthers here, but the 49ers just have too much talent to keep this losing streak - plus, they get to play every team in the NFC West...twice.

WORST team with 2 wins: Arizona Cardinals
Take your pick of first-place teams in the NFC West - Seattle, St. Louis, and Arizona all aren't getting it done, but the Cardinals have the most question marks.

BEST team with 2 wins: Indianapolis Colts
This one was easy.  Peyton Manning will bring this team back from their temporary lull.

Some notes on the upcoming games for the above teams:

• The Cardinals will have a very tough time with the Saints this weekend starting an undrafted rookie in Max Hall at quarterback.  This will definitely test the resolve of Arizona's struggling defense.
• Who would have thought that the Chiefs would be the undefeated of the two teams in the Colts-Chiefs matchup (and the Colts at just .500).  Incredible.
• Dallas-Tennessee should be a great matchup, but if the Titans aren't careful, I could see Romo ripping them up after beating a very good Houston team.
• The Bears are last in rushing and allowed double-digit sacks last week - not good when going up against an angry Panthers team that needs to play well as not to get booed out of their own stadium.
• The football Gods have taken pity on the 49ers by making Kevin Kolb the starter in this game.  Vick would have given them fits.  Instead, I think they come out the victors here.

How the Arizona Cardinals match-up with: the Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 1 - @Jacksonville, Jacksonville Stadium
Sunday, Sept. 20th, 1:00 PM, FOX

All-time series: Jacksonville 2 - Arizona 0
Last 10 games: Jacksonville 2 - Arizona 0

Interesting Stat: In two games, Jacksonville has outscored Arizona 68-27

Quarterback
Jaguars - Let's just say that if David Garrard gets injured for any amount of time, the Jags are in big trouble. After releasing Cleo Lemon so they didn't have to pay a back-up quarterback $3 million a year to ride the pine, the Jaguars were left with, well, nothing. Todd Boeckman didn't even play that much in college, nonetheless the pros, and Todd Bouman is 106 years old. To make matters worse, Garrard's not even all that good.
Cardinals - If you ask me if I want Garrard or Warner, I pick Warner. If you ask me if I want Garrard or Leinart, I pick Leinart.
Edge: Cardinals, because their back-up is better than the Jags starter.

Running Back
Jaguars - Much like the quarterback position, the Jaguars are sparse at running back. This being the first year in a good while that the Jacksonville fans won't be able to see Fred Taylor on the field, Maurice Jones-Drew will have to become a 30-carry back for the first time as well. The question then becomes, "Can he do it?" I think he can, but as is the case with most shared-carry backs that move into the featured roll, I expect his production (per carry) to go down. If a solid back-up can be found in rookie Rashad Jennings, Alvin Pearman, or Chauncey Washington, there is a chance the run game won't suffer the loss of Taylor too much...but don't count on it.
Cardinals - "Lean" and "Mean," Tim Hightower and Chris "Beanie" Wells. have huge potential, but as you will hear me reiterate again and again before the season starts, they are wholly unproven. Potential in no way equals production and I cannot in good objective standards annoint them...yet.
Edge: Jaguars, if Maurice Jones-Drew stays healthy.

Wide Receiver
Jaguars - Another trouble area for the Jaguars, although landing veteran Torry Holt does help matters at least. Without Holt, this write-up would be very easy: they're bad. However, there is a lot of youth here, and like the Cardinals run game, has a lot of potential. Reggie Williams is solid, but not mind-blowing (he didn't have over 55 yards in any game last year); Mike Thomas was a stud at the University of Arizona and should see playing time quickly if he pays attention in training camp; the other Mike, Mike Walker, had some games last year that looked promising, so he could easily become Garrard's second or third option; and the rest will be figured out in the pre-season, with the young receivers battling it out (all with a chance to play).
Cardinals - This comparison is kind of sad, really. I mean, c'mon, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston vs. Holt, Williams, and Thomas? Let's just say that if you add all the receiving yards of the wide receivers currently on the Jaguars roster (not counting Jones-Drew, a running back), it is less than Larry Fitzgerald or Anquan Boldin by themselves.
Edge: Cardinals, with no explanation needed.

(continued)

For the rest of the article, go to: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-15203-Arizona-Cardinals-Examiner~y2009m7d8-How-the-Arizona-Cardinals-matchup-with-the-Jacksonville-Jaguars

Krag Klages is the Arizona Cardinals Examiner

The Big 12 - My Question Answered

Back at the end of October, I posed a semi-rhetorical question about the Big 12. Could the Big 12 quarterbacks (and Big 12 offenses) really be THAT good, or is it possible that the Big 12 secondaries (and Big 12 defenses) are just that bad? At the time, I truly didn't have an answer to that question. But since the bowl games, I feel like I have some statistics that make the answer to that question a little clearer...Read on.

Below are the average regular season points and total yards of each Big 12 bowl-eligible team:
Oklahoma - 54.0 / 562.1
Texas Tech - 44.6 / 536.2
Texas - 43.9 / 476.4
Missouri - 43.2 / 497.5
Oklahoma State - 41.6 / 489.3
Kansas - 32.7 / 431.3
Nebraska - 36.2 / 458.3

Now, let's take a look at the points scored and total yards of each team in their bowl game:
Oklahoma vs. Florida (SEC) - 14 / 363
Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss (SEC) - 34 / 469
Texas vs. Ohio State (Big Ten) - 24 / 468
Missouri vs. Northwestern (Big Ten) - 30 / 311
Oklahoma State vs. Oregon (PAC-10) - 31 / 469
Kansas vs. Minnesota (Big Ten) - 42 / 446
Nebraska vs. Clemson (ACC) - 26 / 361

Now the difference between their averages and their bowl game performances:
Oklahoma - (-40) / (-199.1)
Texas Tech - (-10.6) / (-67.2)
Texas - (-19.9) / (-8.4)
Missouri - (-13.2) / (-186.5)
Oklahoma State - (-10.6) / (-20.3)
Kansas - +9.3 / +14.7
Nebraska - (-10.2) / (-97.3)

Every team in the Big 12 except one, when playing other top tier teams from the SEC, Big Ten, PAC-10, and ACC, fell dramatically in their offensive production.

The average drop in points was 13.6 (a HUGE double-digit decrease).
Their average drop in yards was 80.6.

You can draw your own conclusions from these stats, but as far as I'm concerned, the drop in offensive production against good teams outside the Big 12 gives far more credibility to the argument that the Big 12 defenses just simply weren't that good.

Not to take everything away from the talent that exists at quarterback in the Big 12 (because there IS talent), but I still believe Tebow got hosed out of his second Heisman because of McCoy and Bradford's inflated stats against weak secondaries.

So did the BCS get it right? How about the AP?

After all was said and done, if we all take a step back and look at this thing from what we have to work with, did the BCS get it right? How about the AP poll, which doesn't necessarily have to agree with the BCS (although in this case it did)?

Here is the final AP poll:
1. Florida (48)
2. Utah (16)
3. USC (1)
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. Alabama
7. TCU
8. Penn State
9. Ohio State
10. Oregon
11. Boise State
12. Texas Tech
13. Georgia
14. Mississippi
15. Virginia Tech
16. Oklahoma State
17. Cincinnati
18. Oregon State
19. Missouri
20. Iowa
21. Florida State
22. Georgia Tech
23. West Virginia
24. Michigan State
25. Brigham Young

From top-to-bottom, in my opinion, I think this is pretty darn close to how the teams stack up.

Here's my own FINAL top 25:
1. Florida
2. USC
3. Utah
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. Alabama
7. Penn State
8. Ohio State
9. TCU
10. Boise State
11. Oregon
12. Texas Tech
13. Georgia
14. Mississippi
15. Oklahoma State
16. Virginia Tech
17. Cincinnati
18. LSU
19. Oregon State
20. Missouri
21. Iowa
22. Florida State
23. Georgia Tech
24. West Virginia
25. Brigham Young

Added: LSU
Dropped: Michigan State

When you really look at it, there's not a whole lot of changes. I think Georgia Tech is a good team and LSU absolutely crushed them, and seeing as LSU's schedule was one of the toughest in the country, I have them FAR above the AP. Because of LSU's addition, someone had to get kicked out and I think Michigan State is the worst of the other 25 teams. I also dropped TCU below Penn State and Ohio State. Other than that, the only other changes were flip-flopping Virginia Tech-Oklahoma State, Oregon-Boise State, and the big one, Utah-USC. This last one I struggled with, but in my mind, put those two teams on the field and USC comes out victorious.

Bottom-Line: The BCS got the National Champion right, even if it didn't get the National Title game right, but in no way does that excuse the fact that a playoff in some sort would be beneficial for the fans, the media, and the sport in general. I don't care what it is...a plus-1, a four-team system after the bowl games, an 8-team system instead of bowl games, Ksquared's new conferences and playoff system, anything! Look at the top four teams in the AP and my poll - Florida, Utah, USC, Texas...Give or take Oklahoma and you've got a pretty sweet semi-finals, no matter how you cut it.

One last note: I predicted Florida to have 446 total yards with 1 turnover, Oklahoma to have 374 yards with 2 turnovers, and Florida winning the Title. In the end, Florida had 480 total yards with 2 turnovers, Oklahoma had 363 yards with 2 turnovers, and Florida won the Title. How's that for ending the year on a high-note?

As we close out the College Football season, thank you to everyone who follows and reads this blog...You are the reason I do this, truly. Though it is obvious my first love is college football, I will find other things to write about going forward (including college recruitment and Spring games), so stay tuned!!!

Ksquared's BCS National Championship Bowl Prediction

FINALLY!

Doesn't it seem like we've waited for a year and a day for this game!?! I'm already starting to look at recruiting classes for next year and we don't even have a National Champion in college football yet...So, without further ado...

January 8, 2009 - Fedex BCS National Championship Game - Miami, FL
#2 Florida vs. #1 Oklahoma - 8:00 pm ET
The Good: What's not to like? Two Heisman trophy quarterbacks, two explosive offenses, and two very disciplined defenses. This is the right matchup for the Championship, regardless of what you read in the media (wait, I am the media, aren't I?)...Anyhow, There aren't two more balanced teams in football and their major common denominator is leadership at quarterback, which just can't be argued. Look for a VERY physical game and a game dominated by speedy special teams play and hard-hitting defense.

The Bad: USC and Utah are left on the outside looking in...And they shouldn't be. I point especially to Rick Reilly's nicely written column about any argument against Utah being the National Champion (and the fact that there isn't one). Other than that, with the BCS being what it is, this game is the best we've g0t, which really isn't all that bad.

The Ugly Prediction: I am siding with the rest of the country on this one. Florida will make Oklahoma pay for a soft secondary and the Gator D will make enough big plays to limit Bradford to a less-than-Heisman performance. Oklahoma keeps it close with an offensive line that continues to create gaps for it's fast running backs, but special teams rules the night and Florida wins that matchup, hands-down.

Florida
Rushing: 122 yards
Passing: 324 yards
Turnovers: 1

Oklahoma
Rushing: 164 yards
Passing: 210 yards
Turnovers: 2

Florida 31 - Oklahoma 26

Ksquared's Dumbest-Day-To-Have-A-Bowl-Game Bowl Prediction

After USC manhandled Penn State, there's no doubt that the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl went to the top of the list as the next most anticipated bowl game. When all's said and done, I truly believe this will be the second most exciting BCS bowl game next to the Florida-Oklahoma matchup. And I can't wait. So, without further ado...

January 5, 2009 - Tostito's Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, AZ
#10 Ohio State vs. #3 Texas - 8:00 pm ET
The Good: These two teams have recently battled twice in a very memorable home/away regular season matchup, with both teams coming away victorious on one occasion. The quintessential rubber match is now...and it should be a good one. Beanie Wells is healthy, Colt McCoy is more confident than ever, Terrelle Pryor is more experienced, both defenses have multiple impact players who will be playing on Sunday next year, Coach Tressel is finally comfortable with the new system under Pryor, Coach Brown is raving mad after another BCS snub.......shall I go on? What's not to like about this matchup? TCU proved Boise State doesn't belong here (the only argument against the game I considered when this matchup was announced) and I can't imagine a better Fiesta Bowl than this one. Because I am in Phoenix, and as is customary in my many sports endeavors, I will be attending this game. I expect a showdown.

The Bad: I have to work the entire day because the stupid television execs and BCS decision-maker big wigs (NOT the Fiesta Bowl) decided it should played on Monday, January 5th. Dumb. That said, it is the only thing I don't like about this game. These teams are evenly matched and though most people expect Texas to dominate this game, I just don't see that happening.

The Ugly Prediction: Ohio State has started FAST the last three big games they've played in (Ginn touchdown return against Florida, Wells run for touchdown against LSU, and a fluid first-drive against USC) and they have lost BIG in all three. I expect an opposite turn-of-events in this game. Pryor's nerves will probably get the best of him early on and the Longhorns' D will come out angry, making for some Ohio State stumbling and bumbling. On the flip side, McCoy's newfound experience and maturity will do well for Texas at the start and they should be able to gain some yards early. And then the fun will truly begin. Texas leads 10-0...Everyone settles into the game and the real battle ensues...It's 17-14 at half-time (either way)...The dog fight is on...It comes down to a few key plays in the fourth quarter (for the sake of a truly ugly prediction, I will go with a rare McCoy interception and a HUGE return by Ray Small)...Drum roll please...
Ohio State 27 - Texas 24

Ksquared's Day After New Year's BCS Bowl Predictions

Maybe the most lopsided bowl game (at least on paper), here's a rundown and prediction for what could also be the biggest upset of the year.

January 2, 2009 - Allstate Sugar Bowl - New Orleans, LA
#4 Alabama vs. #6 Utah - 8:00 pm ET
The Good: Utah is undefeated and could top Boise State's upset of Oklahoma with a win here, which will keep people watching for the first half. And if it stays close, nobody will change the channel. Utah got it's Christmas gift late as it was announced that Alabama's top offensive lineman, Andre Smith, has been suspended for this game...and though Alabama has more depth than most teams, his dissapearance could be a huge factor in opening holes for RB Glen Coffee and protecting QB Parker Wilson. Also, Utah has everything to play for and Alabama, after an amazing run that ended in dissapointment, might have trouble getting up for a less than National Championship finish. It's almost like the football Gods want this to be a close game. Because Alabama is good enough to be in the National Championship (and is just unlucky that it plays in the SEC), if Utah does somehow pull this out, there is definitely an argument that Utah is the best team in the country...Interesting case for the non-BCS schools.

The Bad: All that said, this will likely still NOT be a close game. Even with Andre Smith out, Alabama has star players at every position, including the aforementioned Coffee and Wilson, as well as the true freshman stand-out Julio Jones (can you believe we will see at LEAST two more years of this kid?). More importantly, Utah is overmatched at almost every position on the other side of the ball, too. If Utah gets over 200 yards of offense, I will be surprised. This one could end up VERY lopsided.

The Ugly Prediction: No Boise State-like love, no non-bcs school supporting argument, no David beats Goliath storyline...This won't be pretty from the get-go. Not only will Saban have his kids up for this game, but when you piss off the God of football (which Florida did), you're going to get the wrath of something evil and nasty. Utah, I pity you...May Saban have mercy on your soul.
Alabama 41 - Utah 14

Ksquared's New Year's Day BCS Bowl Predictions

As we watch bowls that take longer to say than can keep us awake (like the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl), the anticipation for the big games grows every day. And since every bowl game is almost wholly unpredictable, I will naturally try and predict them...at least, the ones that matter. First off, here are the up-and-coming New Year's Day bowls.

January 1, 2009 - The Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi - Pasadena, CA
#8 Penn State vs. #5 USC - 4:30 pm ET
The Good: If asked which bowl game people are most looking forward to, besides the National Championship, this is usually the first game out of their mouths...and for good reason. USC and Penn State have both only lost one game and this classic Big Ten/Pac-10 matchup actually does have all the interworkings of a great game. Penn State's "Spread HD" offense has been pretty flawless and USC's linebacker-stacked defense has been called the best of all time by some experts. Not to mention the fact that Penn State is the "real" Linebacker-U and USC's offense has shown signs of mortality at times. Taking all of that into account with the fact that Penn State beat the team that beat USC, 45-14, and this game may surprise everyone a bit.

The Bad: Penn State barely beat an Ohio State team that got CRUSHED by USC and both of these teams lost to conference foes in very weak conferences. This game could go either way: a high-scoring game with both offenses clicking or a low-scoring game with both defenses playing up to their potential...and nobody wants to see the latter in the Rose Bowl. But it could be worse...It could go exactly as most experts think and USC could completely blow out an oversized, overmatched Penn State, just like they did to the Buckeyes. Big Ten fans, pray to the football Gods that this doesn't happen, or if it does, that Ohio State can find a way to beat Texas. Otherwise, Big Ten respect will be at a premium throughout the 2009 season.

The Ugly Prediction: To steal a line from the flamboyant Lee Corso, "Closer than the experts think!" Penn State will come to play, but since USC is basically playing a home game and in no way will overlook this Penn State team, the offense will make a couple of big plays and the defense, though giving up more points than usual, will play well enough to win. Anytime Pete Carroll has had this much time to prepare, you are asking for trouble.
USC 30 - Penn State 24

January 1, 2009 - Fedex Orange Bowl - Miami, FL
#12 Cincinnati vs. #18 Virginia Tech - 8:30 pm ET
The Good: These two teams are coming off very impressive finishes, with Virginia Tech winning one of the most topsy-turvy conferences of all time and Cincinnati surprising everyone in the country with their number-one status in the high-powered Big East. This is a great matchup on paper, as Cincinnati's offense can score at will at times and Virginia Tech's defense and special teams can give opposing teams absolute fits. Don't expect Virginia Tech to have too much success on offense, but as is the usual against ACC teams, it might not matter. This could be a very close game, and one that should be fun to watch.

The Bad: Tickets to this Orange Bowl have gone for as low as $1 on Ebay and many people may decide to go to bed early to recover from their New Year's Eve hangovers rather than watch this game. Also, if Cincinnati plays as well as it can and Virginia Tech has one of those "ACC breakdowns," this game could end-up being hugely lopsided. For the simple fact that I will be watching, I hope that's not the case.

The Ugly Prediction: "The Bad" happens and Virginia Tech is embarrassed. Cincinnati has too much firepower and too much time to prepare schemes for the Tech defense and the Hokies offense will sputter the entire game. I think the Bearcats want this game more than Virginia Tech does and it should show come New Year's evening.
Cincinnati 28 - Virginia Tech 10

Ksquared's New College Football Regular Season/Playoff Scenario - PART II

Now that we have all of the new conferences set, the next step is to determine how the scheduling works so that every team has as much chance as every other team at making the playoffs. And actually, this is fairly straightforward.

First off, because there are 12 new conferences and we are looking for an easy 12-team playoff system (very similar to the way the NFL does it), it goes to reason that the winner, and ONLY the winner, of each conference will qualify for the playoffs. In order to make sure we have a TRUE winner for each conference, every team must play every other team within their conference.

This is scheduling point #1.

Secondly, because there are ten teams to a conference and it is a true round robin, the least amount of games a team can play is nine. Obviously, this is not enough, as a regular season in college football is usually 12 (without a conference championship). I submit that instead of 12, each team play 11 games, giving each team two games that are nonconference.

This is scheduling point #2.

With only 11 games in a season instead of 12 or 13, the season can end a little earlier (or at least at the same time in late November or early December) and the playoffs can begin sooner.

This is scheduling point #3.

The layoff between the end of the season and the continuation of play is now a much smaller window and every team will end their season at exactly the same time.

This is scheduling point #4.

The playoffs will then continue throughout December and end at the beginning of January, keeping the season the same length it is now.

This is scheduling point #5.

So let's recap. With this new regular season/playoff scenario, we have done 5 things to the scheduling of college football:

1. Every team plays every other team in their conference, giving each team the same chance to make the playoffs as every other team (money, recruiting, and size of school aside...more on that later).
2. Every team gets two nonconference games in which to continue rivalries, keep renewed interest in big games between big names not in the same conference, and create new rivalries (note that these non-conference games will have an effect on three-way tie-breakers, so they DO matter...more on that later).
3. The playoffs begin in early December, keeping the window between the end of the regular season and playoffs small, in turn keeping fan and media hype high with very little break.
4. Every team ends at the same time and thus has the same time to prepare for every game (except for teams with BYE weeks, which they will earn and deserve the extra time to prepare...more on that later).
5. The entire season, from first kick to naming a National Champion, will be the same length it is now, as most fans and pundits agree that the length is fine as it is and I don't think it needs to be messed with.

The questions that arise from this new system are many, I know, and I will get to them in good time, but for now, keep rolling with me in Part III as I explain exactly how the playoff system works and how conference champions are determined when ties are present.

Ksquared's New College Football Regular Season/Playoff Scenario - PART I (continued)

As promised, below are my 12 new college football conferences.

As you will see, I kept a very even distribution of BCS and non-BCS teams, which was the top priority. Also, where it was possible to do so, I tried to keep rivalries intact by putting the two rival teams in the same conference. Lastly, I focused on location and did my best to keep all of the teams fairly close to their specific region.

This was my criteria, in order of priority:
- Ten teams to a conference
- Even ratio of BCS to non-BCS throughout all conferences
- Traditional rivalries
- Location of school

Here are the 12 new conferences, in no particular order:

North Pacific Conference (NPC)
Oregon
Oregon State
Washington
Washington State
Stanford
Boise State
Idaho
Fresno State
San Jose State
San Diego State

Pacific Mountain Conference (PMC)
USC
UCLA
California
Arizona State
Arizona
Hawaii
Nevada
Utah
Utah State
UNLV

Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC)
Texas
Texas Tech
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Colorado
Colorado State
New Mexico
New Mexico State
Brigham Young
Air Force

American Plains Conference (APC)
Kansas
Kansas State
Nebraska
Baylor
Texas A&M
Missouri
Tulsa
Wyoming
Arkansas
Arkansas State

Gulf Coast Conference (GCC)
LSU
Florida
Mississippi
Mississippi State
South Florida
UTEP
Houston
Rice
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe

Middle South Conference (MSC)
Alabama
Auburn
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Kentucky
TCU
North Texas
Tulane
Louisiana Tech
Southern Methodist

South Atlantic Conference (SAC)
Georgia
Georgia Tech
Miami (FL)
Florida State
South Carolina
Clemson
Southern Mississippi
Alabama-Birmingham
Troy
Middle Tennessee State

Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC)
Virginia
Virginia Tech
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Duke
East Carolina
Florida Atlantic
Florida International
Central Florida
Memphis

Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC)
Penn State
Cincinnati
Louisville
West Virginia
Wake Forest
Western Kentucky
Akron
Kent State
Marshall
Miami (OH)

Northeastern Conference (NEC)
Connecticut
Maryland
Rutgers
Boston College
Army
Navy
Pittsburgh
Syracuse
Temple
Buffalo

Great Lakes Conference (GLC)
Ohio State
Michigan
Michigan State
Indiana
Purdue
Notre Dame
Ohio
Bowling Green
Toledo
Ball State

Midwestern Conference (MWC)
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Iowa
Iowa State
Illinois
Northern Illinois
Northwestern
Eastern Michigan
Western Michigan
Central Michigan

This is definitely a work in progress (I even switched some teams and titles of conferences while transferring from paper to computer), so any feedback is welcomed and appreciated. Let me know what you think.

Ksquared's Fearless College Football Predictions - Championship Week

The culmination of an entire season comes down to this day for many teams and there has never been more on the line as far as the National Championship is concerned. Here's who I think parties the night away:

#1 Alabama vs. #4 Florida - 4:00 pm ET - Atlanta, GA
My Take: Percy Harvin's loss is a MUCH bigger impact than the critics are making it out to be. His speed and athleticism is unmatched...I don't care who else is on the Gators roster. That said, Florida is playing all around football better than anyone in the country right now, even better than Alabama. If Florida can hold Alabama to under 125 total yards rushing, they will win. If not, and Coffee and Ingram go nuts, Parker Wilson will have passing lanes and Alabama scores more points on Florida than anyone has this year.
My Prediction: Alabama shocks the nation, Coffee runs like a madman, and Saban assures himself a spot in Alabama history
Alabama 32 - Florida 28

#20 Missouri vs. #2 Oklahoma - 8:00 pm ET - Kansas City, MO
My Take: Missouri is PUMPED for this game as nobody in the country is giving them a chance to win this one.
My Prediction: I agree with the country
Oklahoma 41 - Missouri 30

#5 USC at UCLA - 4:30 pm ET
My Take: The best behind-the-scenes story in this game is both rival coaches giving up one timeout so USC is able to wear dark-color jerseys. The reason that's the biggest story of the game is because it's already been decided.
My Prediction: UCLA gets off the bus...and then gets back on
USC 49 - UCLA 7

#13 Cincinnati at Hawaii - 11:30 pm ET
My Take: Cincinnati can't be looking past this game. Hawaii may not have Colt Brennan, but if they're game is clicking, they can still put up points, especially at home. I sense a possible upset here.
My Prediction: Brian Kelly will have his boys ready to play...No upset
Cincinnati 38 - Hawaii 24

#17 Boston College vs. #25 Virginia Tech - 1:00 pm ET - Tampa, FL
My Take: Great game...maybe the second best game of the day. Two stout defenses and two quarterbacks with low expectations at the beginning of the season who have come on strong as of late. FINALLY, this conference is decided!
My Prediction: Both defenses win their battles, but Boston College gets one more field goal
Boston College 13 - Virginia Tech 10

#23 Pittsburgh at Connecticut - 12:00 pm ET
My Take: Two of the best running backs in the country go head-to-head and both should have big days. This will be a fun game to watch and really could go wither way. Too bad for Pitt that it's in Connecticut.
My Prediction: Brown outruns McCoy as Connecticut's offensive line has it's best blocking game of the season
Connecticut 29 - Pittsburgh 21

BONUS PICKS

East Carolina at Tulsa - 12:00 pm ET
My Take: The fact that this game is even relevant speaks volumes about these two programs. It truly could go either way here, but I think home field advantage makes a difference.
My Prediction: Tulsa gets the crowd into it early and East Carolina ends the season 180-degrees from how they started
Tulsa 52 - East Carolina 38

Navy vs. Army - 12:00 pm ET - Philadelphi, PA
My Take: Army wants this SO bad...
My Prediction: Too bad...Navy runs for over 250 yards...again
Navy 28 - Army 17

Arizona State at Arizona - 8:00 pm ET
My Take: This was supposed to be a battle for second or third place in the PAC-10...Instead, ASU's just trying to get into a bowl game. No matter, this will be a total dog-fight, as this is one of the most bitter rivalries in college football. If Rudy Carpenter can actually complete a pass, the Sun Devils have a chance.
My Prediction: Arizona State saves their offense for the last game of the season and actually moves the ball. Arizona plays well, but can't finish and misses a last-second field goal
Arizona State 23 - Arizona 21

South Florida at West Virginia - 8:00 pm ET
My Take: Just like the Duel in the Desert, this was supposed to be a HUGE game with big conference implications. Nope. People across the nation are pissed off that they have to decide between Arizona State-Arizona and South Florida-West Virginia for their Saturday night game.
My Prediction: Even though nobody is watching from home, there is a lot of excitement in Morgantown and South Florida ends a bad season on a bad note
West Virginia 24 - South Florida 17

Okay everyone, that's it for the regular season! I hope you all enjoyed the predictions and the witty banter. Come on back for my bowl predictions once they are announced. And as always, be safe...Cheers!

Ksquared's New College Football Regular Season/Playoff Scenario - PART I

Okay, I know there are a lot of opinions out there on the topic of a playoff system in college football, but I have a problem with all of them for one simple reason: they are all based on the current college football landscape. There's no way we can figure out this crazy season we call college football using today's normal thought processes. Hence, my playoff system (and yes, it is a playoff system) is based on a whole mess of changes, beginning with the conferences themselves and moving to change the way we see the regular season.

If I had the power, here's what I would do:

1. NEW CONFERENCES
First and foremost, with the way the conferences are broken out, we have too much segregation of "good" and "bad" conferences (BCS vs. Non-BCS). I would lump all of these teams together.

Currently, we have 11 conferences with 1 independent bundle (12 conferences total, technically). Half (6) of these conferences are BCS teams, while half (6) are not for a total of 65 BCS teams and 55 non-BCS teams.

Now, let's make ALL of them BCS teams. This is where it gets a little complicated. Take the 55 non-BCS teams and distribute them as follows:
- ACC gets 8 teams
- Big 12 gets 8 teams
- Big East gets 12 teams
- Big Ten gets 9 teams
- PAC-10 gets 10 teams
- SEC gets 8 teams

If you do the math, EVERY conference has 20 teams.

Now, let's make these conferences more manageable. Create 12 NEW conferences that each have 10 teams, with each conference getting a very similar ratio of the BCS teams and the non-BCS teams (though we do NOT refer to teams this way anymore since all teams are created equal from now on).

What we have just done is even the playing field. I understand that there are many considerations to be figured in with this new system of conferences (size of schools, location of schools, money, recruiting, etc.), but this can be overcome with the right coaching and administrative backing (see Boise State).

In fact, at first glance, it may seem like this new system hurts the non-BCS teams, but in reality, coaches and alumni from the BCS schools would probably be more upset, as they can no longer play the "Big Conference-Big Money-Big TV exposure" card on the recruiting trail and will now have to seriously compete against "smaller" schools.

Let's look at an example of two of the new conferences (I will publish ALL of Ksquared's new conferences later):

Ksquared's MSC (Middle South Conference)
Alabama
Auburn
Vanderbilt
Tennessee
Kentucky
TCU
North Texas
Tulane
Louisiana Tech
Southern Methodist

Ksquared's GCC (Gulf Coast Conference)
LSU
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Florida
South Florida
UTEP
Rice
Houston
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe

At this point, I can already sense the skepticism, but just hold your horses...It will all begin to become clear how this system is beneficial in the long run as the new breakdown continues. Stay tuned for the next new element, scheduling.

Part II will go over the new regular season schedule with these new conferences in play.

42-7??? At the Half???

Unbelievably, Oklahoma is absolutely dominating Texas Tech on EVERY front:

• running game
• passing game
• special teams coverage
• offensive line
• defensive line
• wide-receiver coverage (man-to-man and zone)
• scheming
• coaching
• pressure on the quarterback
• protecting the quarterback
• yards after catch
• yards after first contact

And one VERY important aspect of the game not measured with statistics, but always the most influential:

• PASSION

I have seen a lot of football games in my life, but I have never seen a game so unbalanced with two teams so closely matched. Most coaches will tell you that when you're down like Texas Tech is, the only thing you can do is GET BACK TO BASICS.

Everyone needs to do their assignment and do no more. If everyone does their job, they have a chance. If they can dig deep and find a passion that didn't exist in the first half, they have a chance. This Texas Tech team can score a lot and in a hurry, so they have a chance. But they HAVE to play with passion.

We will see if the Red Raiders come out in the second half with any emotion at all. This will truly test their will, their heart, and their character both as individuals and as a team. This is when the real personality of a team is shown...Adversity shows all.

Fundamentals and Passion...That's it. And that's only to have a chance. Good luck.

Ksquared's Fearless College Football Predictions - Week 13

The semi-snoozer that was Week 12 has come and gone - Now on to Week 13, which is slated to be a hurricane of big games. The Michigan-Ohio State rivalry never ceases to please and the Texas Tech-Oklahoma game looks to be an incredible offensive shoot-out, not to mention all of the bowl game implications.

Without further ado...

#2 Texas Tech at #5 Oklahoma - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Texas Tech 38 - Oklahoma 32

Citadel at #4 Florida - 1:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Florida 63 - Citadel 3

#14 Brigham Young at #7 Utah - 6:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Brigham Young 23 - Utah 21

#15 Michigan State at #8 Penn State - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Michigan State 18 - Penn State 17

#9 Boise State at Nevada - 4:05 pm ET
My Prediction: Boise State 38 - Nevada 21

Michigan at #10 Ohio State - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Ohio State 40 - Michigan 10

Air Force at #16 TCU - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: TCU 17 - Air Force 10

#17 Ball State at Central Michigan - Friday, 7:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Ball State 32 - Central Michigan 24

Mississippi at #18 LSU - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: LSU 32 - Mississippi 17

#20 Pittsburgh at #19 Cincinnati - 7:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Cincinnati 27 - Pittsburgh 20

#21 Oregon State at Arizona - 7:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Arizona 21 - Oregon State 17

North Carolina State at #22 North Carolina - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: North Carolina 31 - North Carolina State 10

#23 Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech - Thursday, 7:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Georgia Tech 17 - Miami (FL) 9

Florida State at #25 Maryland - 7:45 pm ET
My Prediction: Florida State 24 - Maryland 17

So here's how it shakes down:

• Texas Tech owns their destiny after a HUGE win in Norman
• BYU answers Boise State's (and the BCS Panel's) prayers
• Michigan State pulls out a squeaker in Happy Valley
• Ohio State clinches a Rose Bowl berth (with the PSU loss)
• Cincinnati takes care of business to put them in total control of the Big East
• Arizona gives USC their deserved Rose Bowl shot (a USC-OSU rematch)
• Georgia Tech eliminates Miami from the Top 25 (and puts themselves back in)
• and Maryland continues their schizophrenic persona.

There you have it. Enjoy this awesome action-packed Saturday and be safe! Cheers!

The Path(s) to the NCAA Football National Championship

Every fan of a team in the top 10 still has aspirations of a National Championship; some are delusional, and yet some are justified. Here's a breakdown of how each team could find themselves in Miami come January.

1. Alabama
- Win out the season and beat Florida in the SEC Championship. Most pundits are picking Florida to win that game, and I have to agree with them, but Alabama's still in good position.

2. Texas Tech
- Win in Norman and then wipe the floor with Missouri in the Big 12 Championship...That's it. Easy. Their destiny is in their hands.

3. Texas
- Oklahoma beats Texas Tech and then loses to Oklahoma State...Texas wins out and beats Missouri in the Big 12 Championship. This is not a likely turn of events. Though the Longhorns are ranked above the Sooners, they are not in control of their own destiny, nor are they in good position, as referenced by the above scenario. Texas is an interesting phenomenon at #3.

4. Florida
- Win out the season and beat Alabama in the SEC Championship. Florida actually has a pretty easy path...that is, if you consider King Saban an easy path.

5. Oklahoma
- Beat Texas Tech at home and wipe the floor with Missouri in the Big 12 Championship. Sitting at number 5, Oklahoma is actually in pretty good position to jump #3 Texas and has control of their own destiny.

6. USC
- This is where it gets complicated. USC's chances hinge on the Big 12 and SEC falling within their conferences down the stretch, in addition to USC winning out the season. Here are some of the possibilities:

Big 12 Falters #1 - Texas Tech loses to Oklahoma AND Baylor, Texas loses to Kansas, and Oklahoma loses to Missouri in the Big 12 Championship.
Big 12 Falters #2 - Texas Tech loses to Oklahoma, Texas loses to Kansas, Oklahoma loses to Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech loses to Missouri in the Big 12 Championship.
Big 12 Falters #3 - Texas Tech loses to Oklahoma, Oklahoma loses to Oklahoma State, and Texas loses to Missouri in the Big 12 Championship.

SEC Falters #1 - Alabama loses to Mississippi State or Auburn and then beats Florida in the SEC Championship AND two of the three Big 12 teams ranked above USC lose one more game.
SEC Falters #2 - Florida loses to South Carolina or Florida State and then beats Alabama in the SEC Championship AND two of the three Big 12 teams ranked above USC lose one more game.

Two words: not likely.

7. Utah, 8. Penn State, 9. Boise State, and 10. Georgia
Three words: not a chance.

And there you have it - A heavyweight fight between the SEC and Big 12. And if everyone beats each other up so bad that no one is left standing, USC has a chance.

Other than that, if I'm #7-#10, I'm just hoping I don't lose to a lesser opponent and fall out of BCS contention...forget the National Championship.

Ksquared's Fearless College Football Predictions - Week 12

No earth-shattering games this weekend (it's all being saved for next weekend), but there are some games that are closely-matched, which lends itself to a tough week of picks. If I want to hit my .800 goal, this needs to be a big week, so without further ado...

Mississippi State at #1 Alabama - 7:45 pm ET
My Prediction: Alabama 34 - Mississippi State 10

#3 Texas at Kansas - 12:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Texas 45 - Kansas 28

#25 South Carolina at #4 Florida - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Florida 32 - South Carolina 17

#6 USC at Stanford - 7:00 pm ET
My Prediction: USC 55 - Stanford 6

#7 Utah at San Diego State - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Utah 30 - San Diego State 17

Indiana at #8 Penn State - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Penn State 24 - Indiana 17

#9 Boise State at Idaho - 5:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Boise State 42 - Idaho 10

#10 Georgia at Auburn - 12:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Georgia 31 - Auburn 17

#11 Ohio State at Illinois - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Ohio State 32 - Illinois 17

#12 Missouri at Iowa State - 6:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Missouri 49 - Iowa State 24

#13 Oklahoma State at Colorado - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Oklahoma State 40 - Colorado 20

#14 Ball State at Miami (OH) - FINAL
What Happened: Ball State 31 - Miami (OH) 16
What It Means: Absolutely nothing, which is why I didn't even bother to pick it. I love this Ball State team, but there isn't a thing anyone can do about that schedule.

#16 North Carolina at Maryland - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: North Carolina 17 - Maryland 16

#17 Brigham Young at Air Force - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Brigham Young 38 - Air Force 28

Boston College at #19 Florida State - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Florida State 24 - Boston College 21

Troy at #20 LSU - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: LSU 47 - Troy 7

#22 Cincinnati at Louisville - Friday, 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Louisville 30 - Cincinnati 28

#23 Tulsa at Houston - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Tulsa 35 - Houston 14

#24 Wake Forest at North Carolina State - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Wake Forest 24 - NC State 13

Both the Boston College-Florida State and North Carolina-Maryland games are giving me fits. North Carolina and Maryland are about as even as two teams can be in almost every offensive and defensive category and Boston College's defense is the perfect antithesis to Florida State's offense. North Carolina leads Maryland in one category and it is the most important one: points scored per game, hence my prediction. And I think the young Florida State offense will put together another good game at home to pull out a close one.

Happy weekend watching! Cheers!

Are The 9-0 Tennessee Titans For Real?

I'm going to break this down very simply. Usually, I like to give an opinion one way or another on this team or that, but this time will be different. This time, the facts will tell the story for me.

Let's start with the "weakness" - Offense:
Points/game - 10th
Rush Yards/game - 6th

Now, the fun begins - let's do Special Teams and Intangibles:
Penalty Yards - 12th
Kick Touchbacks - T-5th
Punts inside 20 - T-1st
Avg. Kick Return - 1st

And the clincher - Defense:
Rush Yards/game - 8th
Sacks - 7th
Total Yards/game - 5th
Interceptions - T-2nd
Points/game - 1st

I think we're done here...

Ksquared's Revised College Football Bowl Predictions

New Mexico Bowl:Colorado State vs. Nevada

St. Petersburg Bowl: West Virginia vs. Marshall

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl: TCU vs. Arizona

Eagle Bank Bowl: Miami (FL) vs. Navy

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Troy vs. UTEP

San Diego Cty. Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: Air Force vs. Hawaii

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: Stanford vs. Fresno State

Motor City Bowl: Iowa vs. Central Michigan

Meineke Car Care Bowl: Boston College vs. Cincinnati

Champs Sports: Virginia vs. Northwestern

Emerald Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Oregon State

Independence Bowl: Kansas State vs. Tennessee

PapaJohns.com Bowl: South Florida vs. Kentucky

Valero Alamo Bowl: Illinois vs. Missouri

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl: San Jose State vs. Wake Forest

Texas Bowl: Colorado vs. Rice

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Oregon

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: BYU vs. East Carolina

Brut Sun: Nebraska vs. California

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl: Maryland vs. Ole Miss

Insight Bowl: Minnesota vs. Kansas

Chick-fil-a Bowl: North Carolina vs. Auburn

Outback Bowl: Michigan State vs. South Carolina

Capital One Bowl: Ohio State vs. LSU

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Notre Dame

AT&T Cotton Bowl: Georgia vs. Oklahoma

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Tulsa vs. Vanderbilt

International Bowl: Connecticut vs. Western Michigan

GMAC Bowl: Houston vs. Ball State

Rose Bowl presented by Citi: Penn State vs. USC

Fedex Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Pittsburgh

Allstate Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Boise State

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Texas vs. Utah

Fedex BCS National Championship Game: Florida vs. Texas Tech

Notes: Two non-BCS teams in BCS games...Texas Tech, who was ranked 14th in the Preseason Coaches Poll, has a chance to win it all...The Orange Bowl would be a snoozer, so hopefully I'm wrong...Ohio State-LSU would actually be a fun Capital One Bowl and Georgia-Oklahoma would be a sweet Cotton Bowl.

Ksquared's Revised College Football Top 25

Time for a little shuffle, shuffle...

1. Texas Tech - Alabama is playing well, but NOBODY is playing better than the Red Raiders.
2. Florida - They are playing the most balanced football on both sides of the ball than anyone up to this point.
3. Alabama - Many people have them number one, but head-to-head, I don't see even Saban beating Florida or Tech right now.
4. Texas - I can't see them beating any of the top three teams. Funny that their fate rests in the hands of Oklahoma...And yet, if Oklahoma wins, could jump Texas in the BCS standings and take the Big 12 South anyway.
5. Oklahoma - The Sooners are NOT better than Texas, but if they beat Texas Tech, voters will have a hard time not leap-frogging them above Texas.
6. USC - Still playing solid ball, but their offense has not been impressive at all. Just go to the Rose Bowl already.
7. Penn State - This was bound to happen...Cold, rainy weather can kill a spread offense - even a spread HD - and guess what, it's November.
8. Boise State - Top-to-bottom, I truly believe Boise State is better than Utah...Too bad we'll never know.
9. Ohio State - Buckeye fans across the nation will be rooting for Michigan State to do what Ohio State couldn't - beat Penn State. PSU wins, PSU goes to the Rose Bowl, MSU wins, OSU goes to the Rose Bowl...Pretty simple.
10. Utah - Utah definitely has some good wins, but I'm still not convinced they are a top-eschelon team - Michigan and TCU does not a tough schedule make.
11. Oklahoma State - They showed signs of brilliance and I think everyone was rooting for them to make a run...Alas, it was not to be.
12. Georgia - If Georgia had some defense, they would be a heck of lot better...Unfortunately, they don't.
13. Missouri - Same as Georgia.
14. LSU - It is tough to see LSU this far down, but they've earned it. They've lost twice to ranked teams at home.
15. Ball State - After watching a full game of Davis throwing the ball, I have to drink a little of the Dave Letterman kool-aid...This team matches up with almost anybody.
16. Michigan State - Sure you're in the Top 25, but anyone below Ball State should be looking towards next year. Anyone except ACC teams, of course, who are still battling for an Orange Bowl bid.
17. Florida State - Bobby Bowden is back! Now, Florida State fans, it is finally time to start cheering. The Seminoles look like a renewed team right now with a very young offense.
18. Pittsburgh - Which team will show up this week - the team that beat South Florida or the team that lost to Rutgers?
19. North Carolina - Wouldn't a Florida State-North Carolina ACC Championship matchup be great?
20. Cincinnati - What a great story this is...With a win over Pitt, the Bearcats could be looking at a Big East title.
21. TCU - Just 3 points from giving Boise State a clear shot at a BCS bowl bid...And now TCU is on the outside looking in.
22. Brigham Young - BYU is still overrated in most polls, but they are definitely a scoring machine.
23. Virginia Tech - I have to give Mr. Beamer some respect...Virginia tech is playing some good football right now. It's not going to be enough, but they are better than I gave them credit for earlier this season, if it's any consolation.
24. Tulsa - Who else do I put here?
25. South Carolina - and here? There aren't enough teams that are worthy.

And there you have it. Again, note that I never made a pre-season poll and that I pick my Top 25 fresh from the current conference standings alone and who I think would win in head-to-head match-ups. If you disagree, tell me why I'm wrong...I'd love to hear from you.

Coming up next: Ksquared's Week 12 Predictions.

Cheers!

Going Over Ksquared's Week 11 College Football Predictions

Not my best week, by any means, but still solid. More importantly, one team solidified themselves as a true National Title contender (Texas Tech) and another dropped out of the race altogether (Penn State). Oh, and Nick Saban is still God.

#1 Alabama at #16 LSU - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Alabama 32 - LSU 17
What Happened: Alabama 27 - LSU 21 (OT)
What it Means: Miles is losing his reputation as the overtime King and Saban is establishing himself as one of the most talented college coaches of our time. Alabama is now set up for an easy run to the SEC Championship and is he can pull out a victory there (probably against Florida), he will have taken 'Bama to the National Championship game in his SECOND season!

#9 Oklahoma State at #2 Texas Tech - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Texas Tech 38 - Oklahoma State 30
What Happened: Texas Tech 56 - Oklahoma State 20
What it Means: Texas Tech is legit. I expected them to win, but Oklahoma State is a pretty darn good team and I didn't expect it to be a blowout. When my revised Top 25 comes out in a bit, I have to put them number one, even above God Saban. They just look too dominant on offense. Somebody tell me, who can possibly stop that passing attack?

#3 Penn State at Iowa - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Penn State 30 - Iowa 14
What Happened: Iowa 24 - Penn State 23
What it Means: Everyone who is not a Penn State fan can breathe a collective sigh of relief - the chances of seeing a Big Ten team in the National Championship game after Penn State's loss is nearly nil. Barring a loss to Michigan State, Penn State looks like a lock for the Rose Bowl where they will probably get a shot against USC.

Baylor at #4 Texas - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Texas 48 - Baylor 21
What Happened: Texas 45 - Baylor 21
What it Means: Nothing. Ho hum.

#5 Florida at Vanderbilt - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Florida 28 - Vanderbilt 3
What Happened: Florida 42 - Vanderbilt 14
What it Means: Vanderbilt continues to prove how overrated they were at the beginning of the season and Florida continues to win in an impressive fashion. Florida is going to be looking forward to facing Alabama in the SEC Title game...They better not look too far ahead, though, as they've had trouble with Spurrier and South Carolina in the past.

#6 Oklahoma at Texas A&M - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Oklahoma 45 - Texas A&M 21
What Happened: Oklahoma 66 - Texas A&M 28
What it Means: Bob Stoops has no mercy and Oklahoma wants style points. Style points, however, won't matter if they can't take care of business against Texas Tech next week. And, yet again, the game of the century is happening next week. How many "Games of the Century" can there be in two seasons?

#21 California at #7 USC - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: California 24 - USC 21
What Happened: USC 17 - California 3
What it Means: USC's offense is overrated (reference Arizona and California), but they're defense is for real. Cushing and Maualuga are by far the best DB tendem in the league and they will both be playing on Sunday. It's a good thing, too, because the USC offense has sputtered as of late.

#12 TCU at #8 Utah - Thursday, 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: TCU 31 - Utah 17
What Happened: Utah 13 - TCU 10
What it Means: I underestimated the Utah defensive front. This team can definitely step it up when it needs to. The TCU defense did it's job, but because the offense couldn't produce, they can wave bye-bye to a BCS bid (and Boise State can wave with them).

Utah State at #10 Boise State - 2:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Boise State 35 - Utah State 10
What Happened: Boise State 49 - Utah State 14
What it Means: Nada. Boise State, who may be a better team than Utah, has less quality wins (wins like this one), and will miss out on a BCS bid, even going undefeated.

#11 Ohio State at #24 Northwestern - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Ohio State 28 - Northwestern 3
What Happened: Ohio State 45 - Northwestern 10
What it Means: Pryor is not going away any time soon. His first real taste of failure (in football and in college) did nothing but make him stronger. Talk about domination...Ohio State wiped the floor with what looked like a pretty good Northwestern team.

#13 Georgia at Kentucky - 12:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Georgia 38 - Kentucky 13
What Happened: Georgia 42 - Kentucky 38
What it Means: Georgia continues to unimpress. They're defense is like swiss cheese, with holes all over the place. This is a Kentucky team that Florida beat 63-5. Sorry Georgia, maybe next year.

Kansas State at #14 Missouri - 7:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Missouri 50 - Kansas State 35
What Happened: Missouri 41 - Kansas State 24
What it Means: As much as Texas' victory over Baylor.

San Diego State at #15 BYU - 2:00 pm ET
My Prediction: BYU 32 - San Diego State 24
What Happened: BYU 41 - San Diego State 12
What it Means: Surprisingly little. BYU already punched it's ticket to obscurity.

Northern Illinois at #17 Ball State - Wednesday, 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Ball State 42 - Northern Illinois 21
What Happened: Ball State 45 - Northern Illinois 14
What it Means: In the one game critics truly thought Ball State could lose after beating Indiana, they didn't. They won huge. I think everyone's kind of wondering just how good this team is. We'll never know.

Purdue at #18 Michigan State - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Michigan State 32 - Purdue 20
What Happened: Michigan State 21 - Purdue 7
What it Means: Michigan State has a bye and one more big game to prove they are deserving of a Top 25 spot and a big bowl bid. However, even if they beat Penn State, they need Ohio State to lose another game, which doesn't seem likely at this point.

#20 Georgia Tech at #19 North Carolina - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Georgia Tech 17 - North Carolina 13
What Happened: North Carolina 28 - Georgia Tech 7
What it Means: Who knows what the heck anything means in the ACC?!? Georgia Tech looks good, then they look horrible. North Carolina looks horrible, then they look good. Maryland looks horrible, then good, then bad, then great, then amazing, then horrible again. Everyone in this league is schizphrenic. Go ahead, I dare you to predict who goes to the Orange Bowl in January.

Clemson at #22 Florida State - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Florida State 26 - Clemson 17
What Happened: Florida State 41 - Clemson 27
What it Means: Florida State continues to impress, but as stated above, this conference is as unstable as Brittany Spears and FSU has two tough games upcoming which will determine who plays in the ACC Championship. I have to say, a Florida State-North Carolina Championship game would be a good one.

#23 Maryland at Virginia Tech - 7:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Maryland 34 - Virginia Tech 10
What Happened: Virginia Tech 23 - Maryland 13
What it Means: Anything can happen on any given day in the ACC. My worries with the Terps were put at ease at the start of the game when Scott ran onto the field. And then they got outmuscled for the rest of the game. I give up.

Cincinnati at #25 West Virginia - 7:00 pm ET
My Prediction: West Virginia 25 - Cincinnati 18
What Happened: Cincinnati 26 - West Virginia 23
What it Means: Cincinnati played a great game and put themselves in a pretty good position in the Big East. The fate of the Bearcats is in their hands and if they can beat Pittsburgh at home in a couple of weeks, they are looking at taking the conference. Kudos to Brian Kelly for making believers out of his squad.

My worst week yet, I went 13-6, bringing my season total to 87-26 (.770). Again, nothing to shake a stick at, but for me to hit my goal of .800, I am really going to have kick some butt next week...and I expect to.

Stay tuned for my revised Top 25 as well as my revised Bowl Projections. Cheers!