CFB Week 10 Recap

What up everyone? Sorry for the recap being later than usual. It was a mix of being busy and being lazy. But it did give me some time to really think about the week that was. And what a week it was. A few upsets, a lot of near-upsets and a blowout that I'm pretty sure no one saw coming. On to the recap though...

THE BIG 10 THINGS I LEARNED THIS WEEK

1. Michigan State better lose... - Well, OSU did not play this past week but I will continue to put them in the recap top spot. The reason MSU has to lose is that if they win out and Penn State loses one game, they will win the Big Ten. Yes, despite the fact that OSU destroyed them 45-7, the Spartans would have the tiebreaker over PSU and OSU because they did not play a FCS team. It's a Big Ten rule that i agree with but wow, it better not happen. PSU and OSU deserve a BCS game in my mind. And to see MSU sneak in there would just be wrong.

2. Blake Gideon can't be sleeping well - This is directed at Texas DB Blake Gideon, who dropped the game-winning interception in the Texas Tech game. Just like when Ryan Hamby dropped the touchdown pass against Texas for OSU a few years ago, Gideon choked on the biggest stage. Now, the kid is just a freshman so I cut him some slack but when you play for Texas, you are expected to make that play. But instead, the ball went right through his hands, as did any hopes of a perfect season for Texas.

3. Georgia is an enigma - I don't get it. They looked amazing against LSU. The offense could nto be stopped. But for some reason, when they play a team of similar talent, the Dawgs start playing as if they are inferior. And in the end, get pounded. Georgia is a good team with great players. Many of whom will be playing on the next level. The exact same can be said about Florida. So why this game ended up 49-10....no one will ever know. What we do know is that UGA is out of the BCS title hunt. And that's a damn shame.

4. Oklahoma and USC are just playing for pride - Have you noticed how these two teams continue to demolish conference opponents but get no credit for it? They're not really moving up any poll and not getting any title talk. And frankly, their games have just to not really matter. Oklahoma is 8-1 but because the Big 12 is stacked and their loss to Texas already, they seem irrelevant. And USC's loss to Oregon State just looks worse and worse as they see their wins get them nowhere despite losses in front of them. These teams should start making plans for games other than in Miami because the title game is not in their future.

5. The non-BCS schools aren't going away - Mad props to Utah, Boise State and TCU. All 3 are staying in the conversation when it comes to the BCS. Utah and Boise are undefeated while TCU's lone loss is to Oklahoma. Plus, don't forget about Ball State, who enjoyed a week off, and BYU which snuck by Colorado State. The lone loser was Tulsa, which isn't a big deal in all honesty, considering no one cared. Utah-TCU is Thursday so one of those two will be bounced out of the talk but so far, nothing but impressed.

6. ACC...Who wants it? - It's kind of ridiculous. Each week, the team that seems to be leading and on its way loses. This time, it was Florida State losing to a good Georgia Tech team, that lost to Virginia the week before. And how about Virginia? Well, after winning 3 in a row, they fall to Miami. What about BC? Oh, well they lost to Clemson so forget about them. Wake did beat Duke but it took OT. UNC and VT were off this week but odds are, they'll lose soon too. Someone has to take charge at some point.

7. Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel should have stayed assistants - I don't really mean this. In fact, I was a big fan of both getting their opportunities at their respectative organizations. But man, talk about frustrating seasons. While Notre Dame's 5-3 may look good, it's actually disappointing considering their losses, especially this week's loss to Pitt. Outscored 21-7 in the second half. And in OT, couldn't muster up a TD (neither could Pitt) and missed a FG in the 4th OT to leave the door wide open for Pitt to win. The silver lining for the Irish is that once they get their 6th win, they know they will go to a bowl game cause well, they are Notre Dame.

8. Auburn and Tennessee are just pathetic - It just doesn't seem that long ago that these two were always in the national title conversation. Or at least in the SEC title mix. But now, both are stuck in long losing streaks and are bound to see their coaches fired at season's end, (Well, Tennessee did!). Just tough to see programs just fall apart like this. But hey, maybe this will help the image of the SEC, which is that they are God's gift to college football. Cause honestly, they sure haven't looked/played like it this season.

9. Alabama is not impressing me at all - Yeah, they are gonna be #1 but why? Because of one big win on the road. I've tried to see why people think they are so good but I don't see it yet. Their wins have been less than stellar, including this week's 35-0 win over Arkansas State. John Parker Wilson throwing for just 152 yards, no TD and an INT. A measly 14-0 lead at the half. And while their defense did shut them out, they also allowed 4.8 yds/carry to a Sun Belt runningback. Maybe it's just me but this is not the performance of the top team in the land.

10. Lloyd Carr is smiling right now - That's cause he doesn't have to coach this mockery of a Michigan team. Carr knew what he had left in the cupboard and well, let's just say he left Richie Rodriguez with scraps and spiderwebs. Michigan is 2-7 and have guarnteed themselves of a losing season, the first one in 40 years. And as much as I love to see this team struggle, I also know how much pressure this puts on OSU now to destroy their rival in three weeks. I don't like that feeling but after seeing Michigan play this season, I probably shouldn't be worried.

11. National Title Chase down to 7 - With their devastating loss to the Gators, Georgia is out of it. So in mind, the race is down to Bama, Tech, PSU, Okla, OKST, Texas and FLA. Again, I think USC is done regardless. And week-by-week, those Big 12 teams will eliminate themselves. FLA and Bama just need to stay away from the upset before the SEC Championship. And PSU needs some losses from others and convincing wins of their own. 5 weeks to go!

BEST GAME - Texas vs. Tech Tech
There's no need to even defend this decision. The game comes down to a dropped INT and a courageous pass that goes for a TD with one second left. Not to mention watching the Tech fans rush the field, not once, not twice, but three times was quite the scene.

WORST GAME - Florida vs. Georgia
For a Gator fan, it was great. For a Dawg fan, it was terrible. And for the viewer like me who was watching for entertainment, it was a disappointment. What was supposed to be an SEC shooutout tight to end was over when it began.

OVER/UNDER
Gonna have to say that TEXAS TECH is the UNDERRATED team this week. Despite their undefeated record, people jsut weren't sold on the Red Raiders. Well, maybe they will be now after the way they played Texas from start to finish.
As far as OVERRATED, I think it's safe to say SOUTH FLORIDA. For the second staright season, they have sputtered to the finish and proven they aren't among the elite. The fact that they were rated going into Thursday's loss showed voters' confidence but again, the Bulls come up short.

HE/SHE SAID WHAT?
"Some guys handle wet balls better than others." - David Norrie

"He stripped that like he was starting a lawnmower." - Mike Hogewood

"This is a guy who is a combination of great courage and nuts."- Steve Physioc

3 QUESTIONS
1. Now that UGA is out of the title hunt, does they cause Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno lean towards coming back for another shot next year or head to the greener (as in money green) pastures of the pros?

2. Since Graham Harrell beat Colt McCoy, does that make Harrell the new Heisman favorite?

3. When is ESPN gonna fire Pam Ward? She's god-awful on TV play-by-play.


Hakuna Matata.