Wildcard Weekend 2012

It seems like a distant memory wondering if there would be an NFL season this year. A quick 6 months later, after a record-setting 17 weeks of great football- it’s time for this year’s edition of the NFL Playoffs. First on the agenda: Wildcard Weekend. There are 4 great match-ups on the schedule for this weekend with two games Saturday and two on Sunday. The Patriots, Ravens, Packers, and 49ers will enjoy watching these games from the comfort of their own homes as they all earned byes. Lucky them? Well, it all depends how you look at it. Since the NFL expanded it’s playoffs to 12 teams in 1990, only 6 Super Bowl Champions have played (and won) on Wildcard Weekend (i.e. haven’t had a bye). That’s roughly 29% of the past 21 Super Bowl Champions. However, those 6 Super Bowl Champs have all come in the last 14 seasons, which equals roughly 43% of the past 14 champions. Not too shabby if you ask me. Wonder Why?  Well, the word Parity has been consistently thrown around when debating the competitive nature of the NFL, and Parity is alive more than ever if you ask me. This NFL playoff field is arguably the most wide open it’s ever been. That being said, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we see a team playing on this Wildcard Weekend make a more than wild run to become the Super Bowl XLVI Champ.

Wild trends on Wildcard Weekend:

Not only have the Cincinnati Bengals been cursed in recent regular season history, they’ve been equally cursed on Wildcard Weekend. The Bengals are 1-2 playing on Wildcard Weekend, have lost two in a row in this opening round of the playoffs, and are looking for there first playoff win since ‘91. That’s a perfect example of a trifecta of playoff misery. Their opponent, the Houston Texans, are making their playoff debut and come in riding another wild trend; since the NFL expanded it’s playoff to 12 teams, the 3 expansion teams (Panthers, Jaguars, and Ravens) are a whopping 10-3 playing on Wildcard Weekend. On top of that, the two that made their playoff debuts in this first round of the playoffs (Jaguars, Ravens) are undefeated. History and numbers look to be pointing in the direction of the Texans in this one.

If I didn’t decide to write these trends based on the times of each game, I would’ve went with this trend first. Reason being: the only team that triumphs the Bengals in the cursed category, the Detroit Lions. Since the playoff expansion the Lions are 0-5 playing on Wildcard Weekend, the only thing good about that stat is that it’s consistent with their overall success in the past two decades. Consistency has to count for something. No? Anyways, the Lions are looking for their first playoff win since George H. W. Bush was in office (’91), and the Lions have a trend that could help reverse the dark spell cast over Motor City Sports. Their opponent, the New Orleans Saints, haven’t had much luck on Wildcard Weekend either, going 1-4 since the 1990 playoff expansion. I’m sure the Seahawks upset over the Saints last year is still fresh on everybody’s minds; I know I’ll never forget that game for the simple fact of Marshawn Lynch’s performance.

The Atlanta Falcons come into their match up with the New York Giants at a standard .500, going 2-2 on Wildcard Weekend since the 1990 playoff expansion. The only trend that follows, the Falcons are 0-2 in the Divisional round following a Wildcard Weekend victory… The Giants limp into this game with a 2-4 Wildcard Weekend record since the 1990 playoff expansion. And like the Falcons, not too many trends follow. Except one very positive one; the last time the Giants won on Wildcard Weekend they took one wild ride en route to being crowned Super Bowl XLII Champions, a.k.a. David Tyree’s 15 seconds of fame (as Patriots fans cringe everywhere).

This weekend’s final game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos is the clear-cut David vs. Goliath of the first round. That’s problematic for the Steelers seeing as Tim Tebow is the last person you want playing the role of the underdog, let alone David. The Steelers are 3-2 when playing on Wildcard Weekend since the 1990 expansion. However, they too are one of the 6 teams in the last 21 years that have won on Wildcard Weekend and gone on to become Superbowl Champions. The kicker, the Denver Broncos are one of those teams too. How much weight you put on that is up to you, John Elway quarterbacked that Denver team to the first of what would be back to back Super Bowls. Other than that win, Denver has lost all 4 of the other games they’ve played on Wildcard Weekend since the 1990 expansion, bringing them to 1-4 in that span. A Bronco’s win would uphold the crazy, unexpected, or better yet wild nature of this weekend’s match-ups.

My Picks:

Texans 24 Bengals 20

• Battle of the Rookie QB’s, Andy Dalton’s rookie campaign has much more substance and statistical backing to it but T.J. Yates has stepped up and far exceeded most expectations. I see the Texans establishing a run game and taking the pressure of Yates and they come out on top. Maybe next year Cincy will get a chance to end the curse.

Saints 45 Lions 42 OT

• I’m predicting this as an instant classic. Shootout city written all of this; prolific offenses, Two 5K yard passers, multiple freakish athletes. The Saints squeak this one out on the leg of John Kasay in OT

Falcons 38 Giants 27

• This game has a few interesting match-ups to look at. Both teams pass offense and receiving core cleary edges the opposition's secondary. Who has the bigger field day? Matt Ryan or Eli Manning? I give the Falcons the edge and think they have the ability to get a better ground game going. However, this to me is the toughest game of the weekend to pick. If the Giants D-Line comes out firing, they could present problems all day and in turn give themselves the best chance.

Broncos 23 Steelers 21

• Call me crazy because this week I’m in the minority backing the Tebow-lead Broncos. I had to do it, I have a gut feeling and there are a few indicators that write UPSET in capital letters all over this. Just run through the Steelers timeline as of late: Big Ben get’s banged up and clearly isn’t 100%, Starting RB Rashard Mendenhall out for the season, Starting Safety Ryan Clark out for this game due to a blood condition, Starting Center Maurkice Pouncey out for this game with an ankle injury, Running Backs coach Kirby Wilson was burned in a house fire and will not attend this weekend’s game. Take all that and add it to the fact that Denver is 12-3 all time in home playoff games, add that to the fact that they’ve been under dogged all season and have come from behind multiple times, and you get another "Tebow Time" victory. Which then leaves everybody talking about him, the Broncos, and religion for even longer, and I love every second of it!

Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed, and hope you enjoy this weekend’s action as well!

Heisman Road Map- Directions to the 74th member of the club

With the college football regular season coming to an end, the presentation of the 76^th Heisman Trophy has got college football fans sitting anxiously on the edge of their seats. I have a good memory of the past 15 Heisman races and I can’t remember a race that has brought about this many quality finalists. In past Heisman races there seemed to be a huge front runner or a mono y mono match-up between two top dogs. The Heisman race this year, to me, quite possibly has the most legitimate finalists in the history of the award. A great case can be made for every player and each has their own unique set of skills and statistics to bode- but obviously only one will get the stage to deliver a victory speech and then receive entry into the most sacred sports fraternity known to man-who will it be??? Here are the candidates and the case I present for each on why they should and should not win the coveted hardware.

Andrew Luck- The front runner from day one, Luck and the Stanford Cardinal cruised through the first 7 games of their season before a 3 overtime scare from USC. That game for Luck wasn’t simply a roller coaster in and of itself; it was also a turbulent ride in terms of his Heisman candidacy. He arguably went from the leader in the Heisman race at the first whistle- to 3^rd or 4^th after that pick 6 that almost cost them the game. After hovering at the 3.5 spot he then jolted back up to 1^st after leading his team in a game tying 2 minute drill and winning in triple overtime. No questions asked, Luck was a shoe-in to win the 25 pound chunk of cast bronze after that game, but a trip to Eugene, Oregon the following week turned out to be the biggest blow to his Heisman candidacy. Luck played his worst game of the season, recording his lowest QB rating of  the year at 132.7 and throwing 2 interceptions  in a 53-30 Cardinal loss that also ended their hopes at a National Title and Pac 12 championship berth. Luck doesn’t lead the country in any individual passing statistic and actually had a better year last season (only by a slight margin). Although I really admire the intangibles Luck holds and his high level of character, he frankly was not the best College Quarterback this season, let alone “Most Outstanding” player in College Football.

Robert Griffin III “RG3”- The journey of RG3 has been nothing less than amazing. A world class sprinter turned into a dual threat Quarterback, matures and grows into the odds on front runner for the Heisman Trophy? Yes, it is in fact the truth. Griffin has come a long way in his four years at Baylor, maturing from a one dimensional runner into a speedster, rocket armed Quarterback with great decision making ability. RG3 led the FBS in QB rating at 192.3 and yards per pass attempt at 10.8 yards, and ranked 2^nd in touchdown to interception ratio at 6 to 1 behind only Case Keenum who was 9 to 1. To me, Griffin III does standout as a great Quarterback accounting for 45 total touchdowns this season. However, two games highlight why RG3 shouldn’t and may not be the 74^th Heisman trophy winner. Game one was his worst “Non-Heisman” moment of the season, on the road against Kansas State. RG3 threw a costly interception on what would have been the game sealing drive, which allowed Kansas State to come down and kick a field goal to beat RG3 and Baylor 36-35. Game two was his worst performance of the season and it again came against a top notch opponent on the road in Oklahoma State. RG3 recorded his lowest QB rating of the season at 136.0 and threw 2 interceptions (the only time he did that this season), in a 59-24 loss. I truly believe that this Heisman race is so close- individual, highly competitive games and moments like these need to be broken down critically in order to determine who the most qualified candidate to win is. And those two performances don’t lead me to believe RG3 was the “Most Outstanding” player in College Football this season.

Montee Ball- I like to refer to Mr. Ball as the “Montee Plain and Tall” of this year’s Heisman race. He’s settled in as the background guy who had zero notoriety until about 2 weeks ago, when most of the sports world was stunned to hear: Wisconsin’s stud running back was on the verge of tying Barry Sander’s record. Despite that, Ball still had his back against the wall. Playing at Wisconsin-which rarely penetrates major market’s prime-time television slots, and the fact that a Heisman front runner (Russell Wilson) was his Quarterback and drew much of the attention from the beginning of season, are legitimate reasons as to why the public eye was never fully focused on Ball.  However, due diligence is a must when examining Montee Ball’s Heisman candidacy- when you start to dive into the numbers, there’s no denying this kid is having one fairy tale of a season.  Ball led the FBS in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns racking up 1,759 yards on the ground and steamrolling into the end zone 32 times. Despite the freakish statistical outpouring Ball has had, the reason he should win the Heisman is because he literally “Balled” in every game this season. He played from whistle to whistle in all 13 games for Wisconsin and scored 2 or more touchdowns in every game. Yes, multiple touchdowns in every game. Is that even possible?  Of course it is, and it doesn’t stop there. Ball actually did something more astonishing; he scored 4 touchdowns on 4 separate occasions this season. Three of his tetra-touchdown games were all against quality, conference opponents; Michigan State (5^th ranked “D” in the nation), Penn State (10^th ranked “D” in the nation), and Nebraska (36^th ranked “D” in the nation). Talk about a “Gamer”- Montee Ball personifies this term and literally didn’t disappoint in one single game this season. Frankly, that cannot be said for any of the other 4 Heisman finalists (as I point out throughout this piece). The cherry on top came last week in the inaugural Big Ten Championship game, where Wisconsin was looking for revenge against Michigan State after losing on a last second Hail Mary earlier in the season. Montee “I’m always gonna” Ball rushed for 137 yards with 3 touchdowns on the ground and one touchdown through the air, and Wisconsin pulled off an impressive 42-39 come from behind victory in the Big Ten Championship. I been looking long and far and still can’t find one legitimate reason as to why this kid is not the “Most Outstanding” Player in College Football.

Trent Richardson- One of the most exciting players I’ve seen play the game, Trent Richardson spent most of the season atop the Heisman race, as most people’s 1a or 1b to win the award- I admittedly was one of those people. That was, until an early November night when “TRich” had the Heisman spotlight exclusively on himself in a 1 vs. 2 SEC match-up against LSU. Although he accounted for 169 total yards (89 rushing, 80 receiving) Richardson failed to find the end zone, which was the only time that happened this season. Add to that, in the last 3 drives when the game was tied 6-6 and a trip to the SEC and National Championship was on the line, Richardson had 4 total yards with a crucial drop in overtime, and was non-existent in his “Heisman moment”. LSU would go on to win the game 9-6, the loss, coupled with Alabama’s weak and dull schedule from there on out really knocked Richardson off the top of the Heisman race. Richardson still does present a great case and had 11 outstanding games of the 12 he played in this season. He rushed for over 100 yards in 9 games tying former teammate and Heisman winner Mark Ingram’s school record. Also, Richardson scored multiple touchdowns in 7 of 12 games this season, and accounted for 23 total touchdowns on the year. Although many will argue he played the toughest schedule week in and week out against quality SEC defenses. That reasoning isn’t enough to justify Trent Richardson ranking 6^th in the FBS in rushing yards, 5^th in rushing touchdowns, and not leading the FBS in any individual rushing category. You can’t be the “Most Outstanding” player in College Football if you fail to accomplish this, and be the clear cut best player at your position, and not score in your team’s toughest game and seize your “Heisman Moment”. Richardson isn’t even the “Most Outstanding” at his position this season let alone in all of College Football. I firmly believe “TRich” will have a great career on Sunday’s and is one of the rarest combination’s of speed, agility, and strength in years. However, his inability to stay in the lead during his campaign and truly standout, combined with the x-factor of his team losing some attention after the LSU loss is what keeps him from giving a victory speech tonight.

Tyrann Mathieu- If you don’t know or haven’t caught on, the reason I’ve put Most Outstanding in quotations throughout this piece is because those words are the cornerstone of the Heisman Trophy Winner. Not only is the “Honey Badger” the best defensive player in the nation in many opinions, outstanding is the first word you think of when you watch him roam the football field. This kid has instincts that are just as rare as painite gem and a 1909 Honus Wagner card. You just don’t see any of them all that often. When you combine Mathieu’s instincts, non-stop motor, and play-making ability you get the synergistic result of multiple jaw dropping plays. The “Honey Badger” forced 6 fumbles (3^rd in the nation) recovered 5 fumbles (1^st in the nation) and scored 4 touchdowns (2 on fumble recoveries and 2 on punt returns). Mathieu just kept on producing outstanding results in the hardest parts of the game. He forced turnovers (arguably the hardest thing to do in the game), he created constant “sudden change” with his play-making ability (arguably the most important factor in college football for momentum and crowd energy), and he’s so dangerous he changed opponents game plans on both offense and special teams (extremely beneficial to the team as whole). The reasons why Mathieu won’t win the Heisman are; he plays defense, he’s a sophomore, and he was suspended for one game for failing a drug test. A brief explanation for each of these reasons ; Of the 73 winners only one, Charles Woodson was a primary defensive player and a kick returner, Of the 73 winners only three have been  sophomores and all three played offense, and obviously you can’t miss a game because of a failed drug test and win the Heisman-not happening. I want this kid to win the Heisman believe me, I think he's the best player to watch in all of College Football, he constantly makes people miss, and turns boring 3 yard dives into touchdowns going the other way- but this year it’s just not realistic. The good thing is he’ll be back next year and you can count on him being a front runner from start to finish and hopefully becoming the second defensive player to win the Heisman in 2012.

Voting Breakdown- Despite ESPN’s constant airing of their poll that shows RG3 as the runaway favorite, the voting system for the Heisman is much more complex. There are a total of 870 media voters, 56 past winners, and 1 vote for the fans based on an online poll. Needless to say, the ESPN poll doesn’t represent a significant percentage of the voters- so anything is still possible. Each voter ranks the top 3 candidates with a 1^st place vote equaling 3 points, a 2^nd place vote equaling 2 points, and a 3^rd place vote equaling 1 point. Without question it should be another close race and could top last years race as the closest margin of victory, only time will tell…  

My Ballot

1^st Montee Ball

2^nd Robert Griffin III

3^rd Tyrann Mathieu

 * This is the 76^th Heisman Trophy Presentation. There have been 74 individual winners with Archie Griffin being the lone two time recipient of the award and Reggie Bush being the only award winner to vacate his award, leaving 73 recipients of the Heisman Trophy.

*All statistics were derived from ESPN.COM

http://espn.go.com/college-football/statistics

Once again College Football delivers the unexpected...

After years of being an anti-BCS spokesperson, I awoke from my slumber this morning to find out BCS officials sent a memo to the Superdome titled: "New Orleans we  have a problem!" (alright, I made that up). What I won't make up is the fact that the BCS is in one its most confused states that I've seen it in, and that's saying a lot. A few weeks ago the BCS was on the up. We had a nice pack of contenders at the top and speculation as to who would face off against the mighty LSU Tigers. Would it be Oklahoma State, Stanford, Boise State, or a rematch with Alabama (which was the long-shot at the time)? Now, all of a sudden, that LSU vs. Alabama rematch in the BCS title game looks like the front-runner in deciding who will be this year's National Champion of College Football. The question that lies within, is whether or not Oregon will get a stab at an undefeated LSU over Alabama? The last time this scenario presented itself in the BCS, that highly touted SEC rematch didn't happen... Does the fact that Alabama and LSU had an epic game earlier this season that was decided in overtime, by field goals, 5 of them to be exact- make any difference in their rematch hopes? Only time will tell, but I will say one thing: "A 4 team playoff would solve everything...When will the fans get what they deserve?"

What I'm Watching- College Football Slate 10/22

Another great Saturday of college football is upon us, and the chill in the air indicates this season is growing old. Despite the fact that most teams have already passed the mid-point of their season, college football has yet to reach it's apex. Ironically, the current BCS rankings ( if the top 4 teams don't change) would provide two de facto semifinal games. The first of those games is slated for Nov. 5 when LSU and Alabama go to battle with the winner pretty much becoming a shoe-in for the SEC championship game. The winner will then most likely face a much weaker SEC East opponent and with a win, waltz right into the BCS title game. In order for other de facto semifinal to take place, Oklahoma and Oklahoma St. have to stay undefeated until Dec. 3 when they face off in their final game of the season. If they both do in fact run the table, this games winner will also most likely waltz into the BCS title game. However, there is of course a "kicker". Due to the fact that Colorado and Nebraska left the Big 12 this season, there will  be no Big 12 Championship game. On the other hand, all the other Major BCS conferences will play a championship game, which  will inevitably result in one of two outcomes. 1) The winner in the Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State game could get to the BCS Title by not playing a conference championship game and create yet again another controversial bowl season. 2) Another undefeated team that wins their conference championship game could catupult into the BCS Title game and leave the winner of Oklahoma/Oklahoma St. in the dust. The moral of this story is clear, fasten your seatbealts for a turbulent ride through the rest of the College Football season! Now, without further ado here's What I'm Watching!

North Carolina @ (7) Clemson ESPN 12PM

The "high noon" slot is just flat out miserable today. I wouldn't be surprised if every game is lopsided, and if it's not lopsided it'll most likely be a sloppy one and in turn very boring game. Anyways, I can guarantee one thing. Tune into this game for kickoff and you're bound to see some serious action (especially if Clemson receives the first kick). Clemson freshman Sammy Watkins is the biggest "Freshman Phenom" I've seen since Maurice Clarret. Watkins has made many contributions to this Clemson team that's looking to match their best start since 2000, when they started the season with 8 consecutive wins. Last week Watkins recorded 345 all-purpose yards, breaking C.J. Spiller's single game school record. This kid is every word that analysts use to describe a play-maker. He's got lighting speed, explosiveness, great vision, and freakish agility. Watkins reminds me of a more physical, bigger bodied Desean Jackson. He embodies that same prototype as well. Big play receiver, blinding speed, and a great kick returner. I suggest you get aquainted with Mr. Watkins, his Quaterback Mr. Boyd, and the rest of this Clemson Tigers team, they're about as exciting as they come in college football. 

(13) UNH vs. (22) UMass @ Gillette Stadium 3:30 PM CSN-NE

It doesn't get much better than this, the 74th meeting between two of New England's premiere State Universities, on top of that it will the last meeting in this rivalry as UMass moves to the FBS and Mid-American Conference next season. I'll be lucky enough to be at this game for the 5th consecutive year, and have been fortunate enough to see the the last ten meetings. It's tough to put into words what this game means to me; growing up in New England as a football fan on top of being a UMass alumnus. I'll miss this rivalry like nothing else along with the spirit and great brand of football that comes along with it. This game dates all the way back to 1897, which means if you do the math you'll conclude- a lot of people have been involved in and impacted by this game and they will all undoubtedly miss it dearly.

USC vs. Notre Dame 7:30 PM NBC

I  almost tossed my TV out the window earlier this week when I heard someone raise the question  "Does USC vs. Notre Dame still meant anything" wait....what? You've got to be kidding me right? I wish I was in the same room as that guy so I could have asked him if he remembers what happened the last 3 times USC has been to South Bend. Then he would have done his research and  stayed stuck in awkward silence for a few moments. The last three times the Trojans have come to Notre Dame Stadium it's been pretty ugly. There was  the whole favorable clock management by the refs, followed by Matt Leinart getting illegally pushed into the endzone by an ineligible Reggie Bush for the win. Next, there was Mark Sanchez participating in what looked like an early NFL pro-day workout, and embarrassing the Irish  38-0! And the last time, in what could have possibly bought Mr. Weiss' another year or two on his tenure (very glad it didn't), the Irish lost a close one 34-27. In which the Irish failed to score on the goal line with three consecutive incomplete passes as time ran out. So to say this game doesn't still mean anything is ludacrious. Brian Kelly is looking for his second straight win against a rival, and first win against USC at home, add to that it's under the lights! This game means everything to Notre Dame fans and that's why it's the only game on my list tonight!

You can follow me on twitter @ KMHJr  for all the latest news and analysis surrounding College Football 

What I'm Watching- College Football Slate 10/15

Despite my disgust with the FBS/BCS bowl system I will admit, I anxiously await the first BCS rankings which are released this Sunday. And to be quite honest, this is about the only time something positive comes out of the BCS rankings. The reason being- we finally have some clarity in trying to figure out who the best teams in the country are. With so much disagreement between the AP and coaches polls, fans have been stuck waiting, debating, and wondering. The most recent Coaches Poll has Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama, Wisconsin, and Stanford as their top 5. On the other hand, the most recent AP poll has LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Boise State as their top 5.  Almost an identical mix of teams, however, the only rank they agree on is Wisconsin’s. I think LSU is the best team in the country right this second and I believe their track record is most deserving of #1. I have ‘Bama coming in at a very close #2, which is fine by me because they face off three weeks from today. If both stay undefeated a ranking will be determined like it should be, in a head-to-head match up. At #3 I have Oklahoma whose biggest win was @ (then #5) Florida State and who still has 4 ranked opponents left on their schedule. They don't have enough quality wins in my opinion despite their big numbers. At #4 I’ agree with both polls and put Wisconsin in that slot, again, the hardest chunk of their schedule has yet to come and they have a lot of work ahead of them. And #5 is the team flying under everybody’s radar who could take the #4 spot in the BCS- the Oklahoma State Cowboys. This team is high octane and hopefully runs the table to setup a Dec. 3 showdown with their in state rival the Oklahoma Sooners.

(11) Michigan v. (23) Michigan St. 12 PM ESPN

Quite possibly the most on the line in the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy as the winner gains an inside track to win the Big Ten Legends division. Michigan State has won the last 3 games of this series.  MSU executed well in stopping Michigan QB Denard Robinson last year, intercepting him 3 times and holding him to 86 yds rushing. They’re calling for a windy one in East Lansing today with 25-30 mph winds. How does this affect Denard Roninson’s ability to throw the football? I think the wind is very problematic for Michigan’s offense and Sparty wins a close, defensive battle.

(20) Baylor v. (21) Texas A&M 12 PM FX

Longtime in-state, conference rivals will battle for the 108th time in the “Battle of the Brazos”. I’ll admit this is the recall game for the noon slot. By that I mean whenever it’s a commercial, challenge, or PAT in the Michigan/Michigan St. game I’ll hit the last button on the remote. Just the way it is in the game, no hard feelings to the residents of Texas or fellow Big12 members. Although this stat may cause some hard feelings for Baylor fans, Baylor is winless in their last 12 trips to College Station (0-11-1). Hey at least they got a tie, because they haven’t won @ Texas A&M since 1984. Ouch! Can RG3 continue to add to his magical season? Most likely, due to the the fact Texas A&M loves a good ole’ shootout. More importantly, can Baylor get the 27 year winless streak @ Texas A&M off their backs? It’s a tough omen to shake, for that reason I like the Aggies in this one. 

UMass v. Delaware 3:30 PM CSN-NE

UMass heads down to Newark, DE to face longtime CAA foe and #8 Delaware. UMass has had a rough time on the road in the CAA the last few seasons and has always had a tough time playing @ Delaware. In fact, Delaware is 13-3 against the Minutemen in games played in Newark. UMass recorded their last win @ Delaware in 2005, and undoubtedly would like to leave the CAA on a high note beating a conference rival that’s had their number. Expect to see a lot of points in this one that’s for sure.

Ohio St. v. (16) Illinois 3:30 PM ABC/ESPN

Illinois is off to a blazing start and looking to go (7-0) for the 1st time since 1951. Talk about bringing a program back from the dead, head coach Ron Zook is on the verge of doing just that with a win against the Buckeyes. The Fighting Illini will have their hands full against an embattled Ohio State team that has yet to win a Big Ten game (0-2). History is on the Buckeyes side in this match up as they’ve won 8 straight @ Illinois. Keep an eye on Illinois QB Nathan Scheelhaase (Sheel-house) who owns the 5th highest QB rating in nation, and you’ve probably never heard his name before, let alone knew how to pronounce it.

Florida v. (24) Auburn 7:00 PM ESPN

Good ole’ SEC battle in the night slot where the Gators will give freshman QB Jacoby Brisset his first start in a must win game for them. Bottom line, Florida loses they can kiss there chances at the SEC East goodbye. This is the first meeting between these two teams since 2007 and is always a must watch, the fact the last four games in this series have been decided in the last minute makes it that much more exciting. (Auburn won 3 of those 4) I am so confused by this game I can only hope it’s a competitive game that comes down to the last minute…again

(18) Arizona St. v. (9) Oregon 10:15 PM ESPN

Biggest headline in this Pac-12 (weird writing 12) match up, is Oregon will be without their RB and leading rusher in the nation LaMichael James who is out with an elbow injury. Arizona State leads the all-time series 16-15 dating back to 1966. The Ducks have won the previous six meetings, and Arizona State's last win over the Ducks game in 2004.Arizona State is in the same boat as Baylor and Illinois. All three teams are off to great starts and face a team they haven’t been able to beat in ages. If Arizona State wins this game look for them to make some serious noise and most likely win the Pac-12 South, this is by far the toughest game they have left on their schedule. 

What I'm Watching- College Football Slate 10/8

Here we stand at week 6 of the college football season with plenty of highlights, headlines, and by my count... 13 legitimate national championship contenders. Yes you heard right, out of the one hundred and twenty-six football bowl subdivision (FBS) teams only 13 of them have legitimate national championship hopes, and that's with me being extremely generous. I know, what a bleak future! For someone like myself who eats, sleeps, and breathes college football I've reached a boiling point. The fact that not even halfway through the college football season less than 10% of the FBS has a legitimate national title shot is flat out ludicrous. However, the seasoned politician that has become the FBS has shifted the attention and in turn conversation to conference realignments. Hey, what better strategy to re-shape the controversial discussion of college football then change the main talking point and hope that it will drown out the voice of the people. Nice try but it won't be that easy. Without getting too in depth, there's only one argument I need to justify the necessity for an FBS/BCS playoff and it comes in the form of a small phrase-TAKE A LOOK AROUND, AND BECOME AWARE! The Bowl system continues to  be exposed (see- every Sunday sports page, every Sunday), the people (fans, college administrations, and politicians) will always be chomping at the bit for the last piece of the puzzle in American organized sports, and the fundamental one of course- playoffs are the essence of sport. What more does a sports fan want than a tournament of champions between the best of the best, and for the cherry on top- the inevitable David v. Goliath match up where the underdog  prevails and turns into the Cinderalla. A look at this year's MLB playoffs shines a bright light on the competitive brilliance playoffs bring along with them. Last weeks episode of HBO's Real Sports (must watch) motivated me to take a look at this perpetual sports debate but for different reasons than in the past, and I still come to the same conclusion as millions of others. I hope it's only a matter of time before the top takes action by listening to the majority of their constituents as oppose to serving their financial  best interests.With that being said, here's What I'm Watching for this week's college football slate.

(3) Oklahoma v. (11) Texas High Noon ABC

Red River Rivalry. Both teams are undefeated and it's the 6th straight meeting both teams are ranked in the top 25.Voted top Rivalry Game in College Football by FBS coaches. Are the McCoy and Shipley families cloning their children? OU (-11) these games are always close, expect Landry Jones to have a day.... OU 31 Hook em' Horns 24

(17) Florida v. (1) LSU 3:30pm CBS

Always a great SEC match up- I think it's highly unlikely that it plays out that way this year. LSU (-14) is running on all cylinders right now and the Gators got rocked last week after scoring on their first play from scrimmage and proceeding to put up a dOnut thereafter. Remember when LSU was the talk of the town with a plethora of suspended players one being their staring QB??? Well they've silenced those critics and now the only talk they garner has to do with being the best team in the country. LSU rolls in this one, I might watch it sparingly with the hopes of seeing a nice Les Miles special teams trick play (it will be here soon, trust me).

(19) Maine v. (7) James Madison 3:30 CSN

Since I think the LSU v. FLA game will be a dud, and being wholeheartedly fed up with the FBS/BCS- I'm gonna make a statement here and go back to my FCS roots were college football is pure, natural, and there is in fact a playoff. The CAA is no question the SEC of the FCS (at least until they started dealing with attrition and realignment) anyways, this will be a great game with huge CAA implications. Both teams come in undefeated in conference play and I think James Madison is a national title contender but Maine always comes hard and prepared. JMU 28 Maine 24

(15) Auburn v. (10) Arkansas 7pm ESPN

Huge SEC match up with two evenly matched teams, this game is huge for Arkansas after already suffering a conference loss. Auburn has continued to show the resiliency and ability to finish football games that led them to an undefeated national championship last year. This game to me is a huge tone setter- Arkansas looses and they pretty much remove themselves from competing for the SEC West, Auburn is a 10 point underdog and a loss for them spells big trouble as they host Florida and then head to LSU in the next two weeks! This is literally a must win for both teams but I think Auburn's ability to close games gets them the win and stirs up talks about them being back on the radar. Auburn 38 Arkansas 35

(12) Michigan v. Northwestern 7pm Big Ten Network

It's the first test for Denard & Co. since the Fighting Irish came to town. Big Blue comes in with their highest rank since the 2007 preseason poll and a win will most likely catapult them to right around 9 or 10 in the next AP poll. Talk about leaps and bounds for a program? Right around this time last year I was at "The Big House" watching the Wolverines almost hand a game over to my FCS alma mater UMass. Northwestern is for real and will come in with their field general Dan Persa who is coming off a torn achilles last season. You rarely see this Northwestern team unprepared and expect them to be geared up after losing a tough one last week to Illinois. Northwestern 45 Big Blue 42

What I'm Watching- College Football Slate 10/1

(14) Tex A&M v. (18) Arkansas 12pm ESPN

Both teams are coming off tough losses in their conference openers last week. Texas A&M's aggressive defensive front will look to slow Arkansas' high powered offense and end the Razorback’s 12 game non-conference win streak. I like the Aggies in a close one.

Auburn v. (10) S. Carolina 3:30pm CBS

South Carolina will look to fix the scoring problems they’ve had the past two weeks, and Auburn is the prefect fit for that. Auburn ranks 110 out of 120 FBS teams in total defense, yielding 477.5 yards per game. Marcus Lattimore has lead the South Carolina offense Rushing for 611 yards and 8 TD's in 4 games. Rest assured you’ll see a heavy workload placed on Lattimore, and I think he continues to carry the Gamecocks. Auburn won 35-27 at home last September, and has won six straight in the series- South Carolina and the ole ball coach get revenge, finally.

(13) Clemson v. (11) V-Tech 6pm ESPN2

Clemson has been tested the past two weeks, and has passed with flying colors beating Auburn & Fla. St. Can they continue to play at a high level against a formidable ACC opponent in V-Tech, in one of the most hostile and toughest college football stadiums in the country? V-Tech is always tough at home and Beamer ball has been quite effected in past ACC battles, Clemson is for real though but this will be their toughest test yet- Tajh Boyd and Co. come out on top by 1 play.

(17) Texas v. Iowa St. 7pm FX

Both teams come in undefeated overall and in Big 12 play. Iowa St. pulled off the upset last year in Texas and since then there program has mad leaps and bounds. Texas has squeaked out a couple victories and has a lot of question marks on a young team. Coach Paul Rhodes has built up a lot of confidence in his program and got a huge win over Iowa in overtime. I like Iowa St. to stay unbeaten and win a close one.

(3) Alabama v. (12) Fla. 8pm CBS

Another great SEC rivalry takes place in the Saturday night primetime slot. ‘Bama takes their third ranked rush defense at 45.8 yards to Gainesville, FL. They'll rely on that stout defense in order to stop the Gators high powered rushing attack of Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey. Demps rushed for 157 yards and Rainey 105 last week in their win over Kentucky. Bama has made them self right at home at the Swamp going 7-2 in the last nine games there. ‘Bama will have their hands full with Florida’s speedy offense but they are too sound in all 3 phases of the game. ‘Bama wins a close one.

(8) Neb v.(7) Wisc. 8pm ABC

First Big Ten game for Nebraska and wow is it a good one! This is a match up the college football world has been anticipating since Nebraska moved from the Big 12 to the Big Ten last year. The tail of the tape is focused on two of the best quarterbacks and Heisman hopefuls Russell Wilson of Wisconsin and Taylor Martinez of Nebraska. This has all the makings to be an instant classic and is the first big Heisman interview on national television. The Badgers are tough at home and Nebraska has only won 2 games against top 10 teams. Badgers take it and Russell Wilson gets loose.

ND v. Purdue 8pm ESPN

Notre Dame has an NCAA high 15 turnovers in their first four games, with 6 coming in the red zone. On top of that Quarterback Tommy Rees is looking to play his first game without a turnover. This is a big game for Notre Dame to show they can protect the football, get over the .500 mark, and win on the road. Notre Dame has won the last 3 against Purdue and rolls to their fourth straight against the Boilermakers.

UCLA v. (6) Stanford 10:30

A couple reasons this game is on my radar. First, you can’t dispel the intestate=Pac 12 X-Factor. It has made for some epic games between in-state rivals even when it looks to be a one sided match-up…. (just like this one does). Stanford will be playing their first game after losing star linebacker Shayne Skov who was undoubtedly the Cardinal's best defensive player and anchor of the defense. UCLA comes in @ 2-2 but is no slouch on offense ranking second in the conference in rushing at 214 yards a game. UCLA won 5 straight before Andrew Luck took over as the big man on campus; he has guided the Cardinal to the last two wins in the series. UCLA knows how to pull off the upset though, knocking off then No.7 Texas on the road last year. My buddy “The Tiny Guru” says Andrew Luck has a career day, only thing is he hasn’t made a correct prediction since Clinton was in office. I think Stanford wins but it could be a close one.