The Biggest Rivalries in College Sports

Before I even begin, let me get this part out of the way: I will forget/omit/leave out/ignore/not care about/miss some rivalries, by accident or on purpose. That's the nature of these lists and exactly what prompts discussion. That said, if you think there's one I've missed, definitely leave your comment, but don't get all riled up about it...Simply leave your comment, with your argument as to why, and be ready for someone else to tell you why you're wrong.

Secondly, I have not decided on a certain total number (like Top 10 or Top 20) and we'll see how long it goes, but they ARE ranked in order of most storied/most hated/most traditioned/most whatever I decide. Because there are so many ways to measure this sort of generalized topic, I have no real metric (or conglomeration of metrics) that I am using...just my own intuition and opinion, so once again, you are welcome to let me know where I've gone wrong.

Now, without further ado, the list...

1. Duke-North Carolina (basketball) - This rivalry is so big, I'm guessing someone from North Carolina will come on here mad because I've written Duke first (and some Duke fan will use that fact to support his argument of Blue Devil superiority). It is certainly the most bitter in-state rivalry ever known.

2. Ohio State-Michigan (football) - If you disagree with me on this one, read "The Ten Year War," by Joel Pennington and then tell me it isn't the most heated rivalry in college football. At one point, in 1968, #2 Ohio State scored a touchdown against #4 Michigan late in the fourth quarter to go up 50-14 and Woody Hayes sent his team onto the field to go for TWO points. Michigan was obviously furious and after the game, when Woody was asked why he did it, he famously replied, "Because I couldn't go for three." Now that's cold...

3. Alabama-Auburn (football and baseball) - After the first two rivalries, the list gets tight, but the hatred between these two schools is palpable before gameday. This is one of the experiences on my checklist-for-life...I've heard of wars more amicable than this.

4. Army-Navy (football) - Not only is this one of the most storied rivalries in football, but the series is almost dead even, which just adds to the tradition of this great game. Plus, Lee Corso LOVES this game and who can argue with Lee Corso!

5. Harvard-Yale (football and rowing) - Okay, the rowing part is kind of a joke (although it IS officially the oldest collegiate athletic competition), but the football part is not. This is the third-oldest football game ever played and is still a bloody battle on the field. I don't think there's a series with more 6-3 finals in all of college football, which means defense (and vicious hitting) rules the day more often than not. It's know as "The Game" for goodness sake.

6. Minnesota-Wisconsin (hockey) - It's hard to put any hockey rivalry ahead of most football and basketball matchups simply because of the sport's more limited fanbase, but if there is one, this is it. These two teams have been playing each other a long time and have hated each other just as long. If you want to see the best hockey game ever played, watch this game every year. And if that doesn't convince you, check this out: Minnesota believes they lead the series 142-74-15, while Wisconsin has it down as 142-75-15...they can't even agree on their records. Also, both schools have 5 NCAA titles to their name, an even-steven tie.

7. Oklahoma-Texas (football) - The "Red River Shootout," as it is commonly known, is not called so because it is played near the Red River. In fact, the game is played in Dallas, almost exactly half-way between the two schools, making it one of the few rivalries in college sports that is played at a truly neutral location. No, it is called the "Red River Shootout" because technically, whichever team's state wins the game, well, um, they own the Red River that separates the two states for that year. I think that's bigger than a trophy...but that's just me.

8. Kentucky-Louisville (basketball) - Many rivalries occur due to location and this matchup is no different. The only two major higher learning institutions in the state, these two teams are bitter rivals. So much so, that from 1959-1983, these two teams didn't even play due to the hatred...Now that's hate. Add to that the recent Rick Petino fiasco (he coached for Kentucky and then went to Louisville) and you've got fuel for the blazing fire that rages inside the state of Kentucky.

9. Florida-Georgia (football) - I almost had this as an honorable mention, but a story that broke earlier this year made me put it back into the mix. When schools are closing due to sports, it's a big deal, and when it occurs during a regular season game, well, it's a rivalry.

That'll do it. I guess nine is the magic number. In my mind, these are in a league of their own and when I think of who might be next on my list, I can think of a boat-load that all kind of tie as "next." Hence, I think it's the top 9 and then "the rest."

For the sake of those that are left, here are some honorable mentions, this time in no particular order: Notre Dame-USC (football), USC-UCLA (football), Indiana-Purdue (basketball), Florida State-Miami (football), California-Stanford (football), Mississippi State-Ole Miss (football), and Clemson-South Carolina (football).

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 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!

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 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!

Ksquared's Fearless College Football Predictions - Week 11

Here we go again...And before anyone gets up in arms, I know I have not done a recap of my last predictions (I just didn't want to brag too much). My overall record now is 74-20 (.787), which is not quite at my goal of .800.

Texas Tech made my upset of the week happen, but can they sustain their spot in the top 2? They have a couple of tough games in a row, starting with Oklahoma State this week. Alabama also gets it's first test while holding on to the #1 spot and playing at LSU is no easy task.

#1 Alabama at #16 LSU - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Alabama 32 - LSU 17

#9 Oklahoma State at #2 Texas Tech - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Texas Tech 38 - Oklahoma State 30

#3 Penn State at Iowa - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Penn State 30 - Iowa 14

Baylor at #4 Texas - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Texas 48 - Baylor 21

#5 Florida at Vanderbilt - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Florida 28 - Vanderbilt 3

#6 Oklahoma at Texas A&M - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Oklahoma 45 - Texas A&M 21

#21 California at #7 USC - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: California 24 - USC 21

#12 TCU at #8 Utah - Thursday, 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: TCU 31 - Utah 17

Utah State at #10 Boise State - 2:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Boise State 35 - Utah State 10

#11 Ohio State at #24 Northwestern - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Ohio State 28 - Northwestern 3

#13 Georgia at Kentucky - 12:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Georgia 38 - Kentucky 13

Kansas State at #14 Missouri - 7:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Missouri 50 - Kansas State 35

San Diego State at #15 BYU - 2:00 pm ET
My Prediction: BYU 32 - San Diego State 24

Northern Illinois at #17 Ball State - Wednesday, 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Ball State 42 - Northern Illinois 21

Purdue at #18 Michigan State - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Michigan State 32 - Purdue 20

#20 Georgia Tech at #19 North Carolina - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Georgia Tech 17 - North Carolina 13

Clemson at #22 Florida State - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Florida State 26 - Clemson 17

#23 Maryland at Virginia Tech - 7:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Maryland 34 - Virginia Tech 10

Cincinnati at #25 West Virginia - 7:00 pm ET
My Prediction: West Virginia 25 - Cincinnati 18

Taking a closer look at some of the big games, I think Alabama and Texas Tech both do their duty this weekend; Tech winning at home on a high and Bama with great momentum after a solid win the week before.

The big upset of the week is of another USC loss (this time at home, which is almost unheard of), but I just think California is playing well enough to score some points early and take the game. Another semi-upset is Georgia Tech over North Carolina, though some would argue that it isn't too much of an upset. North Carolina just has too many question marks right now.

And there you have it...Have fun, be safe. Cheers!

Ksquared's Week 10 NCAA Football Predictions

So far, if you've bet my teams to win, you've made money in Vegas...Let's see if I can step it up a notch this week. Also, as some very astute folks pointed out, I did not have many upsets picked last week, which is sometimes how it goes, but this week is a different story...Read on.

#1 Texas at #7 Texas Tech - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Texas Tech 47 - Texas 45

Arkansas State at #2 Alabama - 3:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Alabama 38 - Arkansas State 10

Nebraska at #4 Oklahoma - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Oklahoma 52 - Nebraska 21

Washington at #5 USC - 6:30 pm ET
My Prediction: USC 48 - Washington 10

#6 Georgia vs. #8 Florida, in Jacksonville, FL - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Florida 26 - Georgia 20
(Florida dances in the Bulldog endzone)

Iowa State at #9 Oklahoma State - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Oklahoma State 48 - Iowa State 24

#10 Utah at New Mexico - 9:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Utah 30 - New Mexico 10

#11 Boise State at New Mexico State - 7:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Boise State 32 - New Mexico State 13

#13 TCU at UNLV - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: TCU 27 - UNLV 10

#14 Missouri at Baylor - 3:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Missouri 48 - Baylor 30

#15 Florida State at Georgia Tech - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Georgia Tech 21 - Florida State 20

Northwestern at #17 Minnesota - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Minnesota 17 - Northwestern 14

#18 Tulsa at Arkansas - 2:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Tulsa 62 - Arkansas 21

Tulane at #19 LSU - 8:00 pm ET
My Prediction: LSU 42 - Tulane 10

#20 Brigham Young at Colorado State - 6:00 pm ET
My Prediction: BYU 34 - Colorado State 13

Wisconsin at #21 Michigan State - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: Michigan State 34 - Wisconsin 28

#23 South Florida at Cincinnati - Thursday, 7:30 pm ET
My Prediction: South Florida 41 - Cincinnati 24

#24 Oregon at California - 3:30 pm ET
My Prediction: Oregon 45 - California 20

West Virginia at #25 Connecticut - 12:00 pm ET
My Prediction: West Virginia 32 - Connecticut 30

Just like last week and the week before that, the game of the century is happening this week! Enjoy your college ball this weekend...And be safe. Cheers!

Ksquared's NCAA Football Top 25

And revised once again...Here it is.

The Top 25 as seen through the eyes of Ksquared
1. Texas - God Saban is good, but Texas just beat Oklahoma AND Missouri, back-to-back...That's unnatural in this day and age.
2. Alabama - Saban, period.
3. Oklahoma State - They have had more impressive victories than Penn State and though they will be tested this weekend, a loss does not do too much damage (and I think they will finally lose).
4. Texas Tech - What? Three Big 12 teams in the Top 5??? Yes, that is correct. Harrell has proved me wrong and I am now drinking the Kool-Aid.
5. USC - Who knows truly how good this team is, but I do know they're better than Ohio State, hence the #5 ranking.
6. Ohio State - No one wants to to see them here, but this is where they belong. They are better than Penn State right now (and will prove it this weekend) so why should I wait to put them here. USC, you better hope they don't face you again in the Rose Bowl with an experienced Pryor and a healthy Wells.
7. Oklahoma - They are still a great team, but they could be the most volatile within the Top 25, looking at their schedule...It is grueling.
8. Florida - And their climb will continue...Their loss was a bad one, but if they win out, watch out. They could climb their way back into the National Title picture.
9. Penn State - Spread HD is looking very sharp. We'll see if they can stay in the picture this weekend...I am not so confident.
10. Georgia - I am now waivering a little with this Bulldog team. This weekend could speak volumes, but winning in Louisiana is never easy.
11. Utah - The Utes and the Broncos are neck and neck...What I wouldn't give to see them play each other.
12. Boise State - They have looked like the Boise State that beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl not so long ago. I repeat, I wish I could see them play Utah.
13. LSU - I like this team, but they have some growing to do...Next year should be their year.
14. Tulsa - Still putting up gaudy numbers, albeit against sub-par teams. Still, it's impressive.
15. Pittsburgh - This is a different team than what started the season...I expect them to make a nice little run here at the end and possibly be in BCS bowl contention.
16. Kansas - Even if they lose again this week, I still can't drop them much farther because they are playing top echelon teams.
17. South Florida - If they hadn't lost to Pittsburgh, they'd be higher, obviously, but that loss doesn't look so bad right now.
18. Missouri - Another team that could lose two more games and still be in the top 20 simply because of the conference.
19. TCU - Great win against an overrated BYU team. This defense can run with the best in the country.
20. Boston College - The ACC is beating itself up, but BC looks solid.
21. Minnesota - Their only loss? Ohio State. Adam Weber has this team looking VERY good right now. The Northwestern game will be interesting.
22. Georgia Tech - Again, who knows who's best in the ACC. They've all lost to each other and there's no rhyme or reason to it...All I know is they are ALL middle-of-the-pack type teams.
23. Arizona - Huh? They finally put together a couple of good wins? Hold strong against USC this weekend and even if they lose, I might move them UP the rankings. Too bad about that Stanford loss...
24. BYU - Now, this is where they OUGHT to be. They are still a great team, but they are NOT top 10 material.
25. Northwestern - I'm not totally sold that this is a legit top 25 team, but their wins are wins and I can't put anyone else here.
26. Florida State - they haven't proved enough yet...I need to see some more quality wins. The next two weeks will be very telling.

Added: Florida State (#26), Northwestern, Arizona, Georgia Tech, Minnesota, Boston College, TCU

Dropped: California, Ball State, North Carolina, Michigan State, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt

I was wrong about Vanderbilt, as they have dropped two in a row, but I maintain my stance on Virginia Tech and Auburn, both overrated. I will soon be going over my predictions and looking into the future to next week...Stay tuned.

Thank you to the anonymous blogger who pointed out that I had mistakenly left USC out of the mix...I felt bad deleting Florida State since they became odd-man-out, so they get kudos at #26.

All changes are in italics.

Week 8 Top 25 College Football Predictions - Short Version

Another Short Version - I figured you all didn't want to hear my ramblings anyway!

#11 Missouri at #1 Texas - 8:00 pm ET
Missouri 44 - Texas 42

Mississippi at #2 Alabama - 3:30 pm ET
Alabama 32 - Ole Miss 14

Michigan at #3 Penn State - 4:30 pm ET
Penn State 31 - Michigan 10

#16 Kansas at #4 Oklahoma - 3:30 pm ET
Oklahoma 34 - Kansas 30

#6 USC at Washington St. - 3:30 pm ET
USC 50 - Washington St. 21

#7 Texas Tech at Texas A&M - 12:00 pm ET
Texas Tech 36 - Texas A&M 28

Baylor at #8 Oklahoma State - 3:00 pm ET
Oklahoma State 45 - Baylor 16

#9 Brigham Young at TCU - Thursday, 8:00 pm ET
TCU 23 - BYU 20

#22 Vanderbilt at #10 Georgia - 12:30 pm ET
Georgia 24 - Vandy 10

#12 Ohio State at #20 Michigan State - 3:30 pm ET
Ohio State 30 - Michigan State 20

#13 LSU at South Carolina - 8:00 pm ET
LSU 35 - South Carolina 17

Colorado State at #14 Utah - 2:00 pm ET
Utah 28 - Colorado State 18

Hawaii at #15 Boise State - Friday, 8:00 pm ET
Boise State 38 - Hawaii 24

#17 Virginia Tech at Boston College - 8:00 pm ET
Virginia Tech 17 - Boston College 10

#18 North Carolina at Virginia - 3:30 pm ET
North Carolina 25 - Virginia 24

Syracuse at #19 South Florida - 12:00 pm ET
South Florida 41 - Syracuse 14

#21 Wake Forest at Maryland - 12:00 pm ET
Maryland 24 - Wake Forest 20

#23 Pittsburgh at Navy - 3:30 pm ET
Pittsburgh 28 - Navy 21

#25 California at Arizona - 10:00 pm ET
Arizona 32 - California 20

It all starts with a great game tonight, and remember, the top team has fallen lately on Thursday night and it could happen to BYU against TCU. Counting the Friday game in Week 3, 5 out of the 7 early week games have resulted in the higher seed losing, and twice they were top 10 teams. Let the games BEGIN!

College Football Week 6 Top 25 Overview

Here we go, another wild week of college football. How can anyone predict the madness that happens on a weekly basis? The answer is no one can, but I am going to attempt it anyway.

I love college football more than any other conglomeration of sports teams for the simple fact that constant chaos ensues...and the fans that support this chaos are some of the most passionate in the world. Without further ado, here goes nothing...

#1 Oklahoma at Baylor - 12:30 pm ET
Not this time Mr. Non-ranked Team. The target on the back of Sooner Nation can be seen from space, I've been told...and Baylor doesn't have the firepower to hit that target.
Prediction: Sooners 45 - Bears 10

Kentucky at #2 Alabama - 3:30 pm ET
Tide Country is MAD with football-fever right now and I would hate to be the team walking into their house this week...sorry Kentucky (you beat Middle Tennessee by 6 points). Saban will have his kids ready and the fans will be brutal. Tide rolls on.
Prediction: Tide 34 - Wildcats 3

#4 Missouri at Nebraska - 9:00 pm ET
This one could be interesting. Pelini is starting to bring back the old Nebraska ways and though they had a tough week with a close loss to V. Tech, they are looking better every game. Allowing 35 points to Tech is never a good sign (which means the "Blackshirts" are a long way off), but I expect this game to be competitive. Top-5 upset here is a possibility, but not probable.
Prediction: Tigers 43 - Huskers 35

#5 Texas at Colorado - 7:10 pm ET
Another top-5 upset possibility. Notice I said possibility. Last year's Colorado probably had a better shot than this year's Colorado. Especially against this year's Texas. "Baby" McCoy finally looks like a man and is throwing and running like that other Texas quarterback that won a National Championship. Even at #5, Texas may be underrated.
Prediction: Longhorns 52 - Buffaloes 10
note: Texas has won 52-10 three times out of four games - I have to go with the odds here.

#6 Penn State at Purdue - 12:00 pm ET
Big Ten matchups always mean upset alert, but Penn State showed it's true colors against Illinois and they were pretty. Curtis Painter has fully underachieved this year and with Penn State's freak-like defense, it won't get any better this week. Penn State BIG.
Prediction: Lions 42 - Purdue 17

#7 Texas Tech at Kansas St. - 3:30 pm ET
I may be out of mind for saying this, but I think Texas tech is one of the most overrated teams in the country. Sure, their offense is VERY dangerous, but one bad game by Harrell could be curtains for the Red Raiders' title hopes...and I am predicting that bad game here. Crazy, I know, but I think the 'Cats will be up for this game and so will the crowd. The score might end up 532-485, but someone will turn the ball over one too many times and I think that someone is Harrell.
Prediction: Wildcats 52 - Raiders 49

#8 Brigham Young at Utah St. - Friday, 8:00 pm ET
Sorry Utah St...Nothing really needs to be said. The locker room pep talk should be, "Let's not get skunked tonight! Now go run around on the field!" No one on Utah St. will earn their scholarship this Friday, but at least they won't get shutout.
Prediction: Cougars 65 - Aggies 10

#23 Oregon at #9 USC - 8:00 pm ET
This should be a fun game to watch, but there is no doubt USC is going to be PISSED. And if you're the dirt in front of that bulldozer this week, God help you. A fun game, but I don't hink a close one. Oregon will wish they hadn't left Eugene.
Prediction: Trojans 40 - Ducks 6

Pittsburgh at #10 South Florida - Thursday, 7:30 pm ET
I've got nothing good to say about Pittsburgh except that everyone liked them before the season started. Too bad the season started. They may be 3-1, but that does not tell the story - loss to Bowling Green, sneaking by lowly Buffalo, and barely beating nothing Syracuse. South Florida has looked great thus far and I expect them to make make the Panthers look silly.
Prediction: Bulls 33 - Panthers 13

#12 Florida at Arkansas - 12:30 pm ET
Urban Meyer will have no mercy and Arkansas will mourn the loss of McFadden and Jones for one more week. If Arkansas even scores a point, I will be surprised...and I am predicting likewise.
Prediction: Gators 31 - Razorbacks 0

#13 Auburn at #19 Vanderbilt - 6:00 pm ET
I am definitely drinking the Vandy Kool-Aid. This may be their best chance in years to be a contender. On the other side of this game, I do not like Auburn's look this year...they've been sloppy and inconsistent. Auburn's defense is Tuberville-classic, but in this game, if the D doesn't score, Auburn might not either. Vanderbilt has had two weeks to prepare, on top of the fact that their win over Ole Miss looks even better now.
Prediction: Commodores 19 - Tigers 10

#14 Ohio State at #18 Wisconsin - 8:00 pm ET
Wells and Pryor in the same backfield is SCARY. What do you defend? Stop Beanie and you open holes for Pryor...Stop Pryor and open holes for Beanie...Stick eight in the box and stop them both and Pryor will beat you deep. I would hate to walk into Camp Randall after their tough loss to Michigan last week, but I don't think the Badgers defense will be able to handle the tandem backfield. If Wisconsin's not careful, they could start the Big Ten season 0-3 (Penn State next week)...I think they will.
Prediction: Buckeyes 35 - Badgers 10

Oregon State at #15 Utah - Friday, 9:00 pm ET
Before last week, this looked like a ho-hum game for Utah. Now, it looks like a major trap game. We all saw Rodgers run through, yes THROUGH, USC's stout defense, including Utah. I fully expect the Utes to take away the running lanes this week, so it will come down to whether or not Moevao can throw the ball downfield with accuracy. Look for Moevao to struggle in the first half, giving Utah even more reason to plug the middle, and then watch him light up the scoreboard in the second half...and still come up short. This is another game that could be a triple-digit combined score.
Prediction: Utes 48 - Beavers 38

#16 Kansas at Iowa State - 12:30 pm ET
Oh, poor cyclones...Let me take this lopsided opportunity to give another reason why I love college football. Even though there isn't a chance of Iowa State winning this game, the stands will be rocking for kickoff. But then again, shortly there-after, they will be silent. Quothe the Cyclones nevermore.
Prediction: Jayhawks 52 - Cyclones 3

Louisiana Tech at #17 Boise State - Wednesday, already happened
I couldn't even type as fast as Boise State killed Tech.
Score: Broncos 38 - Bulldogs 3

Western Kentucky at #20 Virginia Tech - 1:30 pm ET
Virginia Tech has not looked great this year, but Western Kentucky is one of the worst teams in football, in my opinion. Hokies will win and win big...and Beamer's Special Teams won't even be needed.
Prediction: Hokies 21 - Hilltoppers 3

Texas A&M at #21 Oklahoma State - 7:05 pm ET
None of Oklahoma State's wins this year have been over quality opponents, so you would expect them to struggle in their fifth gam eof the season. However, A&M is not a quality opponent. Oklahoma State goes to Missouri next week 5-0.
Prediction: Comboys 45 - Aggies 23

Hawaii at #22 Fresno State - 10:00 pm ET
I think Fresno State is a bit overrated and that a team like Michigan State deserves to be in the top 25 more so than they do, but compared to Hawaii, Fresno looks like the best team in football. They at least will be the best team on the field.
Prediction: Bulldogs 34 - Warriors 17

#24 Connecticut at North Carolina - 7:00 pm ET
Oddly enough, this was the hardest pick for me of any of the games this week. If my Texas Tech upset happens, I'll feel pretty confident about the rest. This one, however, should be close. These are two up-and-coming programs and two fanbases that are expecting a lot out of their teams. If it was in Connecticut, I would give it to Connecticut by ten points. With it being in Carolina, I'll have to give Connecticut the slight edge and say the eke out a victory.
Prediction: Huskies 24 - Tarheels 23

Well boys and girls, there you have it. Feel free to give me the business with any games you just KNOW I have wrong. Texas Tech fans, I expect some noise. Utah State fans, I suggest you stay quiet.

To the roar of a college football game,
Ksquared