CFB Week 7 Recap

Well, you knew the college football season was gonna start picking up soon and in my mind, this was the week. Because now, we are seeing the best of teams. Not the worst like OSU, USC, FLA, and UGA but the absolute best from teams like TEX, OKST, and PSU. Starting to find out which teams are really legit for this national title race as well. And while I hate early Heisman hype, some players are starting to emerge as favorites and a select few are still darkhorses hoping to make a leap in the second half.

(Also, I forgot to post my pick for OU game this week. For the record, I had OU winning 24-20. Why? Because both teams stink and I figured go with the team I love. And hey, they won.) - Thanks to Glasser for pointing that out

THE BIG 10 THINGS I LEARNED THIS WEEK

1. Becoming business as usual with Ohio State again - It was the kind of game Ohio State fans are used to. Defense dominating while the offense just plods around and settles for field goals. Brought back memories of the 2002 Penn State game where a Gamble pick 6 and a couple Nugent field goals were enough to move the Bucks to 9-0 en route to a national title. Well, just like that game, no offensive touchdowns were necessary. And while it is an ugly and boring game to watch, it has to be a good sign for Ohio State that the defense can play so well despite the offense not being able to move the ball. And the best OSU teams are ones built around defense and special teams, NOT explosive offenses. It may not make any highlight reels but this was a good game for Ohio State.

2. OU-Texas may have been the National Title game in week 7 - It sure had that feel at least. I can't remember the last non-OSU game that I could not turn away from beginning to end. Plays were made by both teams on both sides of the ball. The neutral atmosphere meant every play would be cheered and the terrible officiating was exposed more than ever because of the magnitude of the game. It was a great game and it's a shame that a team had to lose. But if the national title game is anything like that one, we're all in for a treat.

3. Penn State is the real deal - Time to put them in the title talk. While it may be true that the Wisconsin team they played today was the best team they have played (and that's not saying much), this team just looks too strong on offense and defense to not get some serious consideration. If this is JoePa's swan song, this is the way to go out. Now, PSU still has some tests ahead. A game vs. Michigan shouldn't seem intimidating but when the Nittany Lions haven't beaten the Wolverines in the past 3 years and beyond, it makes for an interesting game.

4. Vandy...it was fun while it lasted - I think Vandy got USC fever. They heard about how good they were all week that they neglected to remember that any team in the SEC can beat any team any week. And Mississippi State is known for these kind of wins. Vandy just never got the offense going in this one. What hurts the most for them though is that an SEC loss was bound to happen. But one to the MSU Bulldogs is not one anyone was expecting. It only gets worse for the 'Dores. They're heading to Athens, GA to face better Bulldogs on the road. Yikes.

5. USC's cruise control starts now - I know, they have learned from the Oregon State loss but really, this team should not even come close to stumbling the rest of the way. Arizona State tried their best to provide a test but to no avail. USC remains the only ranked team in the Pac-10 and the rest of their schedule is very favorable. Home games against their "toughest" competition such as Notre Dame and Cal. And their away games are against cupcakes like Washington State and Stanford. Will it be enough to convince voters they deserve a title shot? That's the question.

6. Mike Gundy is a MAN...and a damn good coach - I normally would dog a coach who doesn't even watch/coach when his defense is on the field but when it comes to Mike Gundy, all I have is praise. His team was a huge underdog who hadn't played anyone near good before Mizzou. And yet, they drop the Tigers 28-23 and may have stolen their title hopes too. And I give a lot of credit to Gundy because it takes a good coach to get his team ready for a game on the road against an explosive offense like Mizzou. It also takes a good coach to make up a great gameplan on offense and defense and by the looks of Daniel's stats and the final score, looks like it worked.

7. How far is too far for BYU and Utah? - It dawned on me that BYU is #9 and Utah is #14 earlier today and that at the rate the top teams are losing, BYU or Utah could move to #1 if voters just drop teams like rocks for these losses. So the question is how far up in the poll is too far for these two teams? Think about it. Below BYU are teams like #10 Georgia, #11 Florida, and #12 Ohio State and below Utah, teams like #16 Kansas and #17 OK State are there. I don't think either BYU or Utah would have a chance against these teams but again, they are undefeated. So it makes me wonder..how far does Oklahoma fall? Below an undefeated BYU squad? What about Mizzou and LSU? Should be fun to see.

8. No BCS team is going unbeaten - Yeah, I'm gonna say it now. I was waiting for Mizzou to lose cause in my mind, they had the most realistic shot but now that they lost, I'm putting it out there. There are only 5 teams left from BCS conferences that are undefeated. Three are in the Big 12 (Texas, Texas Tech and OK State) so 2 will get knocked out though I think all 3 will lose at some point. Bama still has Ole Miss, LSU, Auburn and an SEC championship game against a team like UGA or FLA. Penn State may have the easiest road but again, still have games against MICH, OSU, and MSU. I'll make a bet they choke in one those games.

9. The SI jinx continues - When Sports Illustrated made their College Football Preview Issue, they didn't feature just one team on the cover. Instead, they decided to jinx five teams by doing regional covers. Those teams: UGA, OSU, USC, MIZZOU, and FLA. What do those teams have on common halfway through the year? Have all already been upset. And as if that wasn't enough, the only SI top ten team still undefeated is Texas Tech (#8). That's right. SI had Texas at #13, BYU at #17, Penn State at #22, Utah at #25, Bama at #29, and Oklahoma State at #43. And how do these "writers" keep their job?

10. There's trouble for Tommy - I'm talking about two coaches here. First, Clemson's Tommy Bowden is 3-3. Started the year ranked in the top 10 and now, they are nowhere to be found. Why? The team is just playing with no energy. Their QB Cullen Harper was picked as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year. A day after their past 12-7 loss to Wake Forest, Harper was benched. Bowden may have signed an extension but he may be in the hot seat again. Secondly, Auburn's Tommy Tuberville is sure to get some heat. Mid-week, he fires his offensive coordinator, the 5th in his 9 years. Now, O-Coordinator #6 is in but the team still stinks. And for proof, just look at today's 25-22 home loss to Arkansas. And Arkansas is really, really bad. Auburn was lucky enough to still be ranked before the loss. Now, Tuberville will just be lucky to not receive more than 50 e-mails from fans demanding he quit.

11. All hail the MAC! - First off, OU won their first MAC game. Hopefully, it will not be the only one. Second, Ball State is ranked 25th and is bound to move up after yet another impressive win this week. And finally, Toledo gets the MAC some air-time with a win at the Big House over Michigan. Good to see the MAC get a mention and some props.

BEST GAME - Texas vs. Oklahoma
The Nebraska-Texas Tech is a close second here but since it didn't mean as much as this one, the Red River Rivalry wins. This game had it all. Lot of scoring, controversial calls, plays from both sides, and national title implications. Could have done without Brent Musberger but that's every week. It's no instant classic or anything but it was a game that was just fun to watch from beginning to end.

WORST GAME - Penn State vs. Wisconsin
I guess if you're a Penn State fan, it was amazing. But for an average college football fan that wanted to see a close game in the primetime slot, this did not satisfy. Penn State was just dominant and Wisconsin just stunk. OSU/Purdue and Florida/LSU were considered for this but again, I expected a lot more out of this game and didn't get it.

OVER/UNDER
Well, it was something that I think most people knew but LSU was OVERRATED by a landslide. Their signature win was over Auburn and with each week, that win looks like nothing special. So to see them get stomped by Florida wasn't much of a surprise. The real surprise was that voters had them in the top 5. Maybe now, they will be where they really belong. In the 15-20 range.
And this one may be obvious too but OKLAHOMA STATE was clearly UNDERRATED. Count me as one of those people who gave them zero chance to beat Mizzou but they proved doubters wrong. They showed they have a QB that's pretty good and deserves some talk in Big 12 country. And they have a defense that bends but doesn't break. This team may not win 'em all, but they'll win their fair share this season.

HE/SHE SAID WHAT?
"Colt McCoy's numbers are better than Vince Young's when he won the Heisman." - Lou Holtz (Vince Young never won a Heisman)

3 QUESTIONS
1. Has the Big 12 bypassed the SEC as the best conference in the country? Cause it sure feels like it...

2. How the heck is Minnesota 6-1? They had just one win a year ago?

3. Will Notre Dame win a road game? Their next shot is in two weeks at Washington and no Jake Lockard at QB. After that, not really sure.