One of the major arguments in college football this season is whether a non-automatic qualifying conference team (primarily TCU and/or Boise State) deserve to be in the national championship race against the “big boys” from the BCS conferences. The big discussion has been, does an unbeaten TCU or Boise State go to the BCS Championship ahead of a one-loss SEC or Big Ten team?
With that as the background, TCU made a huge statement on Saturday. The Horned Frogs went on the road, facing unbeaten Utah in Salt Lake City, and crushed the hometown Utes, 47-7. As usual, TCU did it with defense, holding Utah to 199 total yards, and only 51 yards rushing.
I’ll admit, I’m a big school, BCS conference guy. I think the SEC is much better than any other conference (maybe not quite as much this year, but they are still better). However, I think that this could be the year that one of the non-AQ schools gets a shot at the BCS Championship. And after Saturday, that team is likely to be TCU.
If either Oregon or Auburn fall, it’s going to be tough to keep TCU out of the national championship game. But there’s a lot of football left, so let’s let the season play out.
Stock up
LSU – At some point, doesn’t Les Miles deserve credit? Sure, he seems to be making wreckless decisions in crucial situations. But the guy almost always pulls them off. And on Saturday, with virtually no one giving his team a chance, the Tigers beat Alabama 24-21. And now, guess who’s the highest-ranked one-loss team in the BCS Standings.
Stanford – The Cardinal stepped up big on Saturday, crushing Arizona 42-17 in Palo Alto. Quarterback Andrew Luck was strong again, and Stanford remains the best team in the Pac-10 not named Oregon.
Oklahoma State – Who’s at the top of the Big 12 South standings? Texas? Nope. Oklahoma? Nope. How about Mike Gundy’s Cowboys, who are now 4-1 in Big 12 play after Saturday’s beatdown of Baylor. Two tough games remain for the Cowboys, including visiting a reeling Texas team this weekend.
North Carolina – The Tar Heels season has been derailed by NCAA investigations and suspensions, but UNC got its sixth win of the season on Saturday, upsetting No. 24 Florida State in Tallahassee. Butch Davis’ squad is now bowl-eligible, and has three games remaining with a chance to make some noise.
Central Florida – The Knights did just enough on Saturday to win at Houston, 40-33. Central Florida is now 7-2 on the season and leads Conference USA’s East Division with a 5-0 conference record. And, for good measure, the Knights are nationally-ranked this week.
Stock down
Texas – It’s understandable for the Longhorns to be a little down this season, after losing Colt McCoy, Jordan Shipley and all of the outstanding players from last season. But Texas should NEVER go to Kansas State and get blown away like the Longhorns did on Saturday. Texas is now 4-5 on the season and will need to upset Oklahoma State or Texas A&M to become (gulp) bowl-eligible.
Oklahoma – The Sooners are not nearly in as bad of a shape as their rival Longhorns, but Saturday’s loss to Texas A&M was unexpected, and likely took away any chance that Oklahoma had of playing in the BCS National Championship Game. The Sooners control their own destiny in the Big 12 South, and they’ll need to bounce back to make the Big 12 Championship Game.
Missouri – Sticking with the Big 12 theme, the Tigers fell out of a tie for first in the Big 12 North after Saturday’s loss at Texas Tech. The disappointing part of this for Mizzou is that the Tigers built a 17-3 lead before being shut out in the second half.
N.C. State – This team has the Houdini-like quality to show up and disappear, it just seems to happen at the wrong times. The offense, led by quarterback Russell Wilson, should never be held in check as they were in the 14-13 loss at Clemson. The Wolfpack remain in the ACC Atlantic Division race, and they hold the tiebreaker over Florida State. But another loss could be costly.
Hawaii – The Warriors entered Saturday’s game at Boise State with hopes of an upset. A potent offense, led by quarterback Bryant Moniz and receiver Kealoha Pilares, figured to give Boise State problems. Or, maybe not. The Broncos held Hawaii to 196 total yards, including just 151 through the air in a 42-7 thumping in Boise. Consolation prize for the Warriors, they got to return to Hawaii after the game.
Statistical Studs – Week 10
Kellen Moore, Boise State – How about 30-of-37 passing for 507 yards and three touchdowns? Not bad, especially considering Moore did all of that in just about three quarters, as the Broncos thumped Hawaii, 42-7.
Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State – Blackmon caught 13 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys’ 55-28 win over Baylor. If that wasn’t enough, he also carried the ball once, rushing for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Roy Roundtree, Michigan – In a wild game in Ann Arbor, Roundtree caught nine passes for 246 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Wolverines downed Illinois 67-65 in triple overtime.
T.J. Yates, North Carolina – Yates had another big game on Saturday, hitting on 24-of-35 passing for 439 yards and three scores as the Tar Heels beat Florida State 37-35.
Montel Harris, Boston College – Harris hasn’t had the year that many expected in 2010, but Saturday was one of his best games of the season. Harris carried the ball 36 times for 183 yards and three touchdowns in a 23-13 win at Wake Forest.
Games I’ll Be Watching in Week 11
No. 17 Mississippi State at No. 11 Alabama
No. 22 South Carolina at No. 24 Florida
No. 1 Oregon at California
No. 16 Virginia Tech at North Carolina
No. 23 Texas A&M at Baylor
Showing posts with label Stanford Cardinal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stanford Cardinal. Show all posts
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
College Football Weekend Preview: Gators Visit Tide in SEC Clash
Florida against Alabama. The SEC East against the SEC West. Two of the nation’s premier programs. The past two national champions. And they meet on Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
Both teams are 4-0 on the season, and this game could determine which of these teams stays in contention for the BCS National Championship Game.
Alabama survived at Arkansas last week, ultimately winning on a Mark Ingram touchdown with 3:18 remaining. Florida looked much better last weekend against Kentucky, as freshman Trey Burton set a school record with six touchdowns in a game.
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has not lost as a starter since high school, and he hopes to keep that streak alive on Saturday. Handing the ball to Ingram or Trent Richardson have been effective options, as has passing to the outstanding wide receiver Julio Jones.
Florida quarterback John Brantley has been up-and-down for the Gators, but he is certainly surrounded by a plethora of weapons. Jeff Demps, Mike Gillislee and Emmanuel Moody have all contributed for the Gators, and Florida will need to spread the ball out to beat the Tide on Saturday.
This game can be seen at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Other games to watch
No. 9 Stanford vs. No. 4 Oregon (8 p.m. ET, ABC) – A huge clash in the Pac-10 takes place on Saturday, as Stanford visits Oregon. Both teams are off to fast starts, and both have eyes for at least the Rose Bowl, if not the BCS National Championship Game. Quarterback Andrew Luck has been solid for Stanford, and he’ll need to be on his game in this one. Oregon is averaging 57.8 points per contest, and running back LaMichael James has been huge for the Ducks.
No. 21 Texas vs. No. 8 Oklahoma (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) – The latest edition of the Red River Rivalry takes place on Saturday in Dallas. While it would have been more special had Texas not lost to UCLA last week, this game is always hard-fought. Oklahoma is unbeaten, and quarterback Landry Jones leads a potent offense. Texas needs to get things together in time for Saturday’s game, and Mack Brown will make sure that happens.
No. 11 Wisconsin vs. No. 24 Michigan State (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) – A pair of Big Ten unbeatens face off in East Lansing on Saturday. Wisconsin has survived a couple of challenges this season en route to a 4-0 start. Running back John Clay has been a stalwart for the Badgers thus far. Michigan State wasn’t expected to be in the national discussion, but a win in this game would make the Spartans serious Big Ten contenders.
No. 22 Penn State vs. No. 17 Iowa (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) – This game has turned into quite a rivalry, especially after the 2008 meeting when Iowa derailed Penn State’s run for the national title. This season, both have one loss to a ranked opponent, and both are trying to climb their way into the Big Ten race. Penn State freshman quarterback Rob Bolden has had his ups-and-downs, but running back Evan Royster has carried the load for the Nittany Lions. Quarterback Ricky Stanzi and running back Adam Robinson are the main offensive weapons for Iowa.
No. 16 Miami (Fla.) vs. Clemson (12 p.m. ET, ESPN2) – A pair of 2-1 ACC teams open conference play against each other on Saturday in Death Valley. Miami is the ranked of the two opponents, winning twice while only losing at second-ranked Ohio State. Clemson’s only loss was at nationally-ranked Auburn. Quarterback Jacory Harris needs to step up his game for the Hurricanes. Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker leads the Tigers’ offensive attack.
Five for the Heisman
Denard Robinson, Michigan – Robinson played less than a quarter before leaving with a knee injury in Saturday’s big win over Bowling Green. However, the Wolverine signal caller was still able to rush for 129 yards and two touchdowns, while going 4-of-4 through the air for 60 yards. For the season, Robinson has rushed 79 times for 688 yards and six scores, while connecting on 57-of-80 passes for 731 yards and four TDs. Michigan visits Indiana on Saturday, and Robinson is expected to play.
Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State – Pryor had a big day in the Buckeyes’ 73-20 win over Eastern Michigan. He rushed seven times for 104 yards and a touchdown, and he connected on 20-of-26 passing for 224 yards and four touchdowns. Through four games, Pryor has rushed 43 times for 269 yards and three scores, while hitting on 71-of-107 through the air for 939 yards and 10 touchdowns. Ohio State visits Illinois on Saturday.
Kellen Moore, Boise State – Moore stepped in a big game once again for the Broncos on Saturday. In a 37-24 win over Oregon State, Moore was 19-of-27 passing for 288 yards and three touchdowns. For the season, Moore has hit on 62-of-95 passes for 873 yards and eight touchdowns. Boise State visits New Mexico State on Saturday.
Mark Ingram, Alabama – The defending Heisman winner is not going to let the trophy go without a fight. In a huge win at Arkansas, Ingram carried the ball 24 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner. In two games since returning from knee surgery, Ingram has rushed 33 times for 308 yards and four scores. The Tide host Florida on Saturday.
Russell Wilson, N.C. State – Wilson joins the Heisman race for two reasons: one, his team is 4-0; and two, he continues to put up huge numbers. In Saturday’s 45-28 win at Georgia Tech, Wilson was 28-of-41 passing for 368 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 16 yards and a TD. For the 2010 campaign, Wilson is 85-of-142 through the air for 1,112 yards, with 11 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 84 yards and one score. N.C. State hosts Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Both teams are 4-0 on the season, and this game could determine which of these teams stays in contention for the BCS National Championship Game.
Alabama survived at Arkansas last week, ultimately winning on a Mark Ingram touchdown with 3:18 remaining. Florida looked much better last weekend against Kentucky, as freshman Trey Burton set a school record with six touchdowns in a game.
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has not lost as a starter since high school, and he hopes to keep that streak alive on Saturday. Handing the ball to Ingram or Trent Richardson have been effective options, as has passing to the outstanding wide receiver Julio Jones.
Florida quarterback John Brantley has been up-and-down for the Gators, but he is certainly surrounded by a plethora of weapons. Jeff Demps, Mike Gillislee and Emmanuel Moody have all contributed for the Gators, and Florida will need to spread the ball out to beat the Tide on Saturday.
This game can be seen at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Other games to watch
No. 9 Stanford vs. No. 4 Oregon (8 p.m. ET, ABC) – A huge clash in the Pac-10 takes place on Saturday, as Stanford visits Oregon. Both teams are off to fast starts, and both have eyes for at least the Rose Bowl, if not the BCS National Championship Game. Quarterback Andrew Luck has been solid for Stanford, and he’ll need to be on his game in this one. Oregon is averaging 57.8 points per contest, and running back LaMichael James has been huge for the Ducks.
No. 21 Texas vs. No. 8 Oklahoma (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) – The latest edition of the Red River Rivalry takes place on Saturday in Dallas. While it would have been more special had Texas not lost to UCLA last week, this game is always hard-fought. Oklahoma is unbeaten, and quarterback Landry Jones leads a potent offense. Texas needs to get things together in time for Saturday’s game, and Mack Brown will make sure that happens.
No. 11 Wisconsin vs. No. 24 Michigan State (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC) – A pair of Big Ten unbeatens face off in East Lansing on Saturday. Wisconsin has survived a couple of challenges this season en route to a 4-0 start. Running back John Clay has been a stalwart for the Badgers thus far. Michigan State wasn’t expected to be in the national discussion, but a win in this game would make the Spartans serious Big Ten contenders.
No. 22 Penn State vs. No. 17 Iowa (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) – This game has turned into quite a rivalry, especially after the 2008 meeting when Iowa derailed Penn State’s run for the national title. This season, both have one loss to a ranked opponent, and both are trying to climb their way into the Big Ten race. Penn State freshman quarterback Rob Bolden has had his ups-and-downs, but running back Evan Royster has carried the load for the Nittany Lions. Quarterback Ricky Stanzi and running back Adam Robinson are the main offensive weapons for Iowa.
No. 16 Miami (Fla.) vs. Clemson (12 p.m. ET, ESPN2) – A pair of 2-1 ACC teams open conference play against each other on Saturday in Death Valley. Miami is the ranked of the two opponents, winning twice while only losing at second-ranked Ohio State. Clemson’s only loss was at nationally-ranked Auburn. Quarterback Jacory Harris needs to step up his game for the Hurricanes. Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker leads the Tigers’ offensive attack.
Five for the Heisman
Denard Robinson, Michigan – Robinson played less than a quarter before leaving with a knee injury in Saturday’s big win over Bowling Green. However, the Wolverine signal caller was still able to rush for 129 yards and two touchdowns, while going 4-of-4 through the air for 60 yards. For the season, Robinson has rushed 79 times for 688 yards and six scores, while connecting on 57-of-80 passes for 731 yards and four TDs. Michigan visits Indiana on Saturday, and Robinson is expected to play.
Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State – Pryor had a big day in the Buckeyes’ 73-20 win over Eastern Michigan. He rushed seven times for 104 yards and a touchdown, and he connected on 20-of-26 passing for 224 yards and four touchdowns. Through four games, Pryor has rushed 43 times for 269 yards and three scores, while hitting on 71-of-107 through the air for 939 yards and 10 touchdowns. Ohio State visits Illinois on Saturday.
Kellen Moore, Boise State – Moore stepped in a big game once again for the Broncos on Saturday. In a 37-24 win over Oregon State, Moore was 19-of-27 passing for 288 yards and three touchdowns. For the season, Moore has hit on 62-of-95 passes for 873 yards and eight touchdowns. Boise State visits New Mexico State on Saturday.
Mark Ingram, Alabama – The defending Heisman winner is not going to let the trophy go without a fight. In a huge win at Arkansas, Ingram carried the ball 24 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner. In two games since returning from knee surgery, Ingram has rushed 33 times for 308 yards and four scores. The Tide host Florida on Saturday.
Russell Wilson, N.C. State – Wilson joins the Heisman race for two reasons: one, his team is 4-0; and two, he continues to put up huge numbers. In Saturday’s 45-28 win at Georgia Tech, Wilson was 28-of-41 passing for 368 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 16 yards and a TD. For the 2010 campaign, Wilson is 85-of-142 through the air for 1,112 yards, with 11 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 84 yards and one score. N.C. State hosts Virginia Tech on Saturday.
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