College Football: Week 10

Well, we're heading into November and it's great to see that there is plenty still to figure out. 4 BCS teams undefeated. 6 of the top 20 in the BCS rankings are non-BCS schools. And the best part, Ohio State is out of the title hunt so I can truly enjoy every game now (trying to see the glass half-full here).

The slate of games this week is kind of weak overall but the top games are big and should be fun to watch. Thankfully, they are on at different times and will be nationally seen, unlike last week's OKST-Texas game. Speaking of last week, I went 8-7 in my picks. Considering I picked a lot of upsets, it makes sense. But it's a new week....here we go!

(And reminder, I am using the AP Poll rankings, NOT the BCS standings. I hate it when ESPN changes halfway through the season)

TOP 15 GAMES (Last Week: 8-7, Season 88-50)

GAME OF THE WEEK
1. #1 Texas @ #6 Texas Tech - No doubt this is the biggest game of the week. Battle of unbeatens in the best conference in the nation. The Longhorns struggled late in the OKST game while Tech started and ended very strong against Kansas on the road. Both teams have amazing quarterbacks and offenses in general. This one will come down to defense. Texas hasn't exactly played great defense while Tech proved just how great theirs can be when they held KU to 14 points last week. In the end, I am gonna base my pick on the fact that Texas has played 3 tough games leading to this one and Tech playing at home. I am going with TEXAS TECH to knock off #1.

REST OF THE BEST
2. #8 Georgia vs. #5 Florida (Jacksonville) - A huge SEC East Showdown. Winner pretty much punches their ticket to the SEC Championship vs. Bama. Georgia is coming into this game smoking on offense, scoring 52 points on LSU's defense. Florida comes in pretty hot too, putting 63 points on Kentucky. Gators also come in with a grudge from last year's loss to the Dawgs and the infamous endzone celebration. This game is a true toss-up in my book but after watching both teams the past few weeks, I think the Dawgs have a slight edge. So I'll take GEORGIA to come away with a close victory. Bulldogs 38-31

3. Wisconsin @ #22 Michigan State - Big game for not only MSU but for Penn State. So far, PSU has beaten just one ranked team in OSU. When they face MSU in 4 weeks, they need them to be ranked and fairly high. Wisconsin bounced back from their 4 game losing streak last week but they still shouldn't win this game. My pick is MICHIGAN STATE and hopefully for Penn State, a healthy move up the polls.

4. #16 Florida State @ Georgia Tech - Well, it was a short stay in the top 25 for Georgia Tech. They lost to Virginia (who should be in it now) late to fall to 6-2. But the ACC Coastal division title is still in reach. They have to beat an improving FSU team though. The 'Noles are 6-1 and have won their last 4. But they have not really been tested yet. I think this is the week. In my APPY pick, I'm taking GEORGIA TECH to come away with win number 7.

5. #24 South Florida @ Cincinnati (THU) - Right when I think USF has it figured out and will make the Big East look easy, they lose again, this time to Louisville. Now with two Big East losses, they need help to make the BCS. They are clearly the most talented team in the conference so it would be a shame if they did not. As for Cincy, it's just been a rough go this season. Injuries have killed them from the start. I know it's a road test but I'm picking SOUTH FLORIDA.

6. Pittsburgh @ Notre Dame - Just like USF, Pitt lost a Big East game they should have won. Their loss was much worse though, coming against Rutgers. Doesn't get easier for Pitt as they travel to South Bend to take on an Irish team with their sights set on cracking the Top 25. A win over Pitt may finally do it but no guarantees. As much as I think Notre Dame is going to win, every time I pick against Pitt, they end up winning. So I'll go against my gut and go with PITTSBURGH.

7. #23 Oregon @ California - I know, any Pac-10 game not involving USC doesn't mean anything. But look at it this way. A win over Oregon gives Cal some much-needed confidence going into their game next week versus the Trojans. And Cal may represent the biggest test for the Trojans. But they have to get by Oregon first. I don't see that happening. OREGON wins.

8. #12 TCU @ UNLV - If you look at the 3-5 record of UNLV, then you probably think this won't be close. But UNLV has played pretty good the past two weeks. Losing to a 6-2 Air Force team 29-28 and last week, fought with #17 BYU until the end before falling 42-35. So don't expect the Runnin' Rebels to just roll over. Add onto that the fact that TCU has a huge game at #10 Utah on Thursday. Still gonna go with TCU though.

9. West Virginia @ UConn - This game is big for the Big East standings. Right now, WVU leads with a perfect 2-0 record. UConn stands at 2-1. So you see why this deserves to be in the top 15. Neither team is really that good in the whole scheme of things though. I like Pat White so I'll pick WEST VIRGINIA to get the W.

10. Washington @ #7 USC - I love the fact that USC keeps winning but doesn't move in the Top 25. In fact, they've fallen. And the reason is that they are stuck playing teams like Washington. Big news coming from Seattle this week was Ty Willingham's decision to step down at the end of the year. The big thing to look for in this game is if the Huskies score a point, unlike Washington State did. USC wins big.

11. Nebraska @ #4 Oklahoma - With every game, Oklahoma needs to win impressively as they continue to hope for two Texas losses. If they end with one win and Texas loses in the reg. season and conference championship, they may sneak in. But again, they need to keep winning by good numbers. Even a slim win over the Huskers runs the risk of seeing the winner of UGA-FLA jump them. I like Bo Pelini to keep his Huskers in this game early but OKLAHOMA will pull away late and win easily.

12. #10 Utah @ New Mexico - Only makes the list because it is a possible trap game. With TCU looming on next Thursday, the Utes probably have been planning for TCU and New Mexico. The Lobos shouldn't pose much of a threat but with the quick turnaround for the Horned Frogs, you just never know if the Utes will be fully ready for the Lobos. UTAH is still my choice because they are just too talented to lose to this team.

13. Northwestern @ #20 Minnesota - Nice to see the Gophers in the Top 25. With a 7-1 record, they sure deserve it. But Northwestern won't be an easy win. The Wildcats are a scrappy bunch and it's not like the Metrodome is a huge home field advantage for Minnesota. If the Gopher D plays like they did last week against Purdue, this game won't be a problem. I'll go with MINNESOTA.

14. #14 Missouri@ Baylor - Good to see Chase Daniel and the Tigers scoring points again. They are a fun offense to watch but against Texas and OKST, they were almost non-existent. Baylor provides another chance to pile on the points but something tells me the Bears are gonna be tough to blowout in this one. It's at home and they are dying for a marquee upset win. And they have some young talent to play with the Tigers. I still think MISSOURI will win but I'll say this will be within 10 points

15. Miami (FL) @ Virginia - Like I said earlier, I think UVA deserves a Top 25 spot. yeah, they are 5-3 but no doubt in my mind, they are one of the best 25 teams in the nation right now. They have taken on some good ACC teams and beat 3 of them. In fact, they have beaten #25 Maryland, #22 UNC, Georgia Tech and East Carolina. Those are some quality wins in my book. I don't see them slowing down for the U. VIRGINIA wins and cracks the Top 25 afterwards.

2008-09 NBA Predictions

Hard to believe that the NBA season is starting right now. No, not because it seems like yesterday when it was here but because I know that the season won't end until June! There's all this talk about how long the baseball season is but really, the NBA season is longer, spanning 9 months (all but Jul-Sept). That's just sick.

Now, I'm not the biggest NBA fan. In fact, I rarely sit through a full game unless it's the Pacers (my childhood fave team) or Hornets (my fave West team). But I still keep tabs on the Association so I feel qualified enough to give some decent predictions. So without further adieu, here's what I think:

(Conference standing in parentheses)

ATLANTIC

1. Boston (1) - One year older but still the best in the East. Loss of Posey can be made up for by better overall play by Rajon Rondo
2. Philadelphia (5) - Great addition in Elton Brand to the young core already there. Give them a year to gel and they'll be dangerous in 2009-10.
3. Toronto (6) - This all hinges on the play of new acquisition Jermaine O'Neal. If he stays healthy, he and Bosh will make for a tough tandem down low.
4. New Jersey (13) - Big fan of Devin Harris running the point. Too bad the only player worthy of getting the ball from him is Vince Carter.
5. New York (15) -Mike D'Antoni has his work cut out for him here. Trying to turn around this dysfunctional team quickly won't be easy at all.

CENTRAL

1. Cleveland (2) - Mo Williams makes this team better immediately. Best chance Cavs have had yet of winning an NBA title with Lebron James.
2. Detroit (4) - New coach in Michael Curry but same old cast of characters. Rodney Stuckey is the future of this team that may have one more run left in them.
3. Indiana (7) - Danny Granger is a stud and will carry this team to respectability. The addition of T.J. Ford could be a huge risk/reward too.
4. Chicago (10) - They don't have a real frontcourt, hence the low ranking. But I'm glad to see Vinny Del Negro get a job. Always loved his last name.
5. Milwaukee (12) - Richard Jefferson joins Michael Redd in 'Sconsin but that's not nearly enough to make any kind of noise in the conference.

SOUTHEAST

1. Orlando (3) - Plenty of scorers on this team, making them formidable against any team. Should cruise to division title like last season.
2. Atlanta (8) - If last season's postseason was a sign for this season, then they'll be amazing. But was it a sign or just an inspired playoff performance?
3. Washington (9) - Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison will keep this team in the playoff mix but without Gilbert Arenas, they are not a threat.
4. Charlotte (11) - Such a weird mishmash of players on this team but if I've learned something in my life, it's to never bet against Larry Brown.
5. Miami (14) - D-Wade looks to back in fine form and he's got Michael Beasley to help him score now. But this is not a good team.

NORTHWEST

1. Utah (5) - Nothing but props for how Jerry Sloan always has the Jazz in the mix. This year's team should be just as good if not better than last season.
2. Portland (6) - The "youngens" of the Western Conference are ready to show their stuff. Too much talent to not make the playoffs this season.
3. Denver (9) - Hard to say 'Melo and AI won't make the playoffs but the West is so stacked, that this team may the odd man out this season.
4. Minnesota (14) - Remember the days when KG was on this team and they never got over the hump? Well, T'wolves fans probably want those days back.
5. Oklahoma City (15) - There are some great fans in OK City. It's too bad they don't have a great team to cheer for.

SOUTHWEST

1. New Orleans (2) - Now that they've had their playoff experience, time for this team to turn the corner. Addition of James Posey is nice too.
2. San Antonio (3) - It's funny. They don't really rebuild or reload. They just stay stagnant in the offseason but are contenders every season.
3. Houston (4) - Don't be surprised to see them win the West. Yao and T-Mac are good enough but adding the defense of Artest makes them that much better.
4. Dallas (8) - Not sold that Rick Carlisle has enough pieces to keep them in the upper echelon of the West. Lot of weight on Dirk's shoulders this season.
5. Memphis (12) - Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley mean this team will be good...down the road. Growing pains this season though for all.

PACIFIC

1. LA Lakers (1) - Tough to go against Kobe, Pau and Odom. Not to mention also Andrew Bynum for a full season makes this team real tough to stop.
2. Phoenix (7) - Won't be the flash and dash of a Mike D'Antoni team but this team of proven vets will make the playoffs under Terry Porter.
3. LA Clippers (10) - Baron Davis makes this team better for sure but they don't have quite enough to jump into the West playoff picture
4. Golden State (11) - Nearly made the playoffs last season. This season, they won't be near the playoffs. Monta Ellis' 30-game suspension is huge.
5. Sacramento (13) - If you don't know who Kevin Martin is, you'll find out soon. He's the only good player on this team stuck in neutral.

East Finals - Boston over Orlando
West Finals - New Orleans over LA Lakers
NBA Finals - New Orleans over Boston

Postseason Awards
Rookie - Greg Oden, POR
Defensive Player - Ron Artest, HOU
Sixth Man - Leandro Barbosa, PHX
Improved - Andrew Bynum, LAL
Coach - Nate McMillan, POR
MVP - Chris Paul, NO

NFL Week 8 Power Rankings

Yep, it's official. This NFL season makes no sense. Last this week, I will have a special Trick-or-Treat post about the NFL so I'll leave the small talk for that and move to the rankings.

1. Tennessee (7-0) - They're doing it all with defense...and Kerry Collins. The Penn State magic must be rubbing off on him. (Next: vs. GB)
2. Pittsburgh (5-2) - Yeah they lost but in this confusing AFC, they still deserve this spot near the top. (Next Mon: @ WAS)
3. Buffalo (5-2) - Another team that lost but they have proven that they are gonna be a force all season in this conference. (Next: vs. NYJ)
4. New England (5-2) - All the talk about no Brady maybe can quiet now. The team is 5-2 and tied for the division lead. (Next: @ IND)
5. Baltimore (4-3) - Hard to ignore their performance this season. Looks eerily similar to Super Bowl winning squad. (Next: @ CLE)
6. Jacksonville (3-4) - Didn't know Jaguars could lay eggs but they sure did against the Browns. Two 0-7 teams next though. (Next: @ CIN)
7. Denver (4-3) - Not sold completely on this team. The offense is amazing. But it's the defense that has to step up in the final 9 games. (Next: vs. MIA)
8. Indianapolis (3-4) - This is not the same Peyton Manning from previous years. If it is, they'll fight back from this start. (Next: vs. NE)
9. San Diego (3-5) - I would say that a 3-5 start kills their playoff chances but not this season in the AFC. Bye Week should help. (Next: Bye Week)
10. Miami (3-4) - Good confidence-boosting win over a good Bills team. Pickup of Pennington has been great for them. (Next: @ DEN)
11. NY Jets (4-3) - They haven't played like a team over .500 and Favre has just been flat-out reckless with the ball. (Next: @ BUF)
12. Houston (3-4) - The 0-4 hole is tough to climb out of but 3 wins in a row almost does it. Not out of the playoff hunt at all. (Next: @ MIN)
13. Cleveland (3-4) - They have two quality wins to hang their hats on. 4 of next 5 games at home. Time to make their move. (Next: vs. BAL)
14. Kansas City (1-6) - Thigpen and the Chiefs played admirably to move up to #14. Adding Culpepper would be a great move for this team. (Next: vs. TB)
15. Oakland (2-5) - Just another bad showing by the Raiders. Why would anyone take this job, even on an interim status? (Next: vs. ATL)
16. Cincinnati (0-7) - The prognosis on Palmer doesn't sound good. And as he goes, so does this team. (Next: vs. JAX)

1. NY Giants (6-1) - They don't look as good as last year in my mind but the record is better. So maybe it's just me. (Next: vs. DAL)
2. Carolina (6-2) - At some point, FOX will have to realize that this team deserves prime billing and not the NFC East. (Next: Bye Week)
3. Washington (6-2) - Surprise of the season for me in the NFC. The change from Joe Gibbs to Jim Zorn has been seamless. (Next Mon: vs. PIT)
4. Tampa Bay (5-3) - Ran into an inspired Dallas team at the wrong time. Should rebound nicely though against the lowly Chiefs. (Next: @ KC)
5. Philadelphia (4-3) - When Westbrook is healthy, this team is scary good. Defense needs to step up a bit more though. (Next: @ SEA)
6. Dallas (5-3) - They needed the win and got it. But a lot of talk about lack of confidence in Brad Johnson. Stay tuned to the saga. (Next: @ NYG)
7. Arizona (4-3) - We know this team can score. What we also know is that this defense has to get better if they wanna be true contenders. (Next: @ STL)
8. New Orleans (4-4) - Huge win across the pond for a team that has playoff talent but a record that says otherwise. (Next: Bye Week)
9. Green Bay (4-3) - They come off the bye week and have three of the next 4 on the road. Week off was probably good for Rodgers' health. (Next: @ TEN)
10. Chicago (4-3) - Also coming off a bye week. Kyle Orton should have a field day with the Lions before a tussle with the Titans. (Next: vs. DET)
11. Atlanta (4-3) - Tough to place them this low but it's frankly because of their lack of big-game experience. (Next: @ OAK)
12. St. Louis (2-5) - Despite the loss, the Rams have to be encouraged with how they stayed in the game with no Steven Jackson. (Next: @ NYJ)
13. Minnesota (3-4) - Bye Week came at a good time for them. Chance to figure things out on both sides of the ball after a sketchy start. (Next: vs. HOU)
14. Seattle (2-5) - I never thought Seneca Wallace would ever win a game in the NFL. Guess dreams do come true. (Next: vs. PHI)
15. San Francisco (2-5) - I really do think Mike Singletary is ready to be an NFL head coach. Too bad he starts with the Niners. (Next: Bye Week)
16. Detroit (0-7) - Their next five games: CHI, JAX, CAR, TB, TEN. Seriously, they could go 0-16 this season. (Next: @ CHI)