Week 10: And then there were six...

We are down to six undefeated teams and that number will drop by this time next week. Then OSU has a couple of tough match-ups and who knows what else could happen. We almost saw Stanford drop from the top tier but instead got a little credit for coming back in triple OT to beat un-ranked USC. Go figure.

As always there is some non-sense to the polls. Lets not even try to figure it out this week. Although, I gotta say... this late in the season polls should make more sense and even after years of watching the polls I can't figure out why late in the season they can have almost as much hubba-baloo as the pre-season polls.

Given a choice I wish we'd end up with six un-beatens at seasons end just to help push the issue of a playoff system. We could come close...technically we could end up with five un-beatens all claiming a right to the title game. But cries from Boise and Houston won't even be acknowledged leaving only one team out of college football's "championship" game. Whoever that might be (my guess is OSU) they can go bawl in the corner with the 2004 Auburn team... and we'll all bawl with them...'cause, dang it, it just ain't fair.

Yea, baby! The ref giving the high five
to Nelson after a 2-point conversion.

EndZone: Special Teams
I watched two games this weekend...both had really dismal, piss-poor play from Special Teams that were deciding factors. Game 1: BYU lost to TCU 38 -28. Of the five touchdowns TCU had three came on the heels of ST flubs by BYU (the other two were handed to them thansk to blown defensive coverage). Game 2: Georgia beat Florida 24 - 20. Although Georgia pulled out the win it was in no thanks whatsoever to their ST's.  Florida had a kickoff return for a touchdown and another that nearly was (but was flagged back). Georgia missed two gimme field goals and the every punt was high-schoolish. Both the kicker and punter were pre-season All-Americans after stellar seasons in 2010 - how did that happen? And to boot...Georgia does not have a Special Teams coach. What? Really? That might be worth the investment.

Week 9: The Selection Process has Started

There were 10 no-loss teams a week ago but the slow but steady selection process got underway this past Saturday. The voters get wiser (I don't know why they take so long), the injuries and weekly wear and tear begin to separate the men from the boys, and every opponent wants to bring down an un-defeated.

So now we have eight no loss teams, 12 1-loss teams and five 2-loss teams. There are still four no-loss teams that play each other so more chipping away is a given. November will have some great college football games - probably some of the best we'll see all year. Note of interest: the eight un-beatens not only won their games - they won them by a total of score of 410 to 174 (an average of 51 to 22). They all looked very dominant and worthy of their ranking.

End Zone: It does work...sometimes!

It's always great to see a Hail Mary work...and the best one in a while was the Michigan State last second throw in their take down of un-beaten Wisconsin. I'm sure it was even sweeter that it came against an un-beaten and conference opponent.

Week 8: Solidification?

The first BCS poll is out, the top teams are still winning, but the national championship picture is not really as clear as in years past this time of the season - too many undefeated teams that might stay that way. You can already here the rumblings of which undefeated team(s) gets left out of the big dance.

Usually by the BCS polls there are a few teams that look solid enough that we all begin narrowing down our picks for the champion. But this year there are still 10 undefeated teams, nine of which are in the top 11 with Houston not getting much credit for the teams they have played. However, some of those teams play each other which will leave a few 1-loss teams also vying for a shot at the championship game and claiming better schedules than the possibly-not-to-lose Boise and Houston and Clemson and Wisconsin. Oh, boy! Here we go again...strap in and hang on.

My post this week is late since a few buddies and I went to the BYU - Oregon State game in Corvallis. What a great time, beautiful scenery, fun fans on both sides, and a BYU win to make it all worth while. But - OS is obviously young but up and coming and will likely be a PAC-12 contender the next few years.

NOTE: Yes...I skipped form Week 6 to Week 8 in order to keep it straight with the numbering system used by the polls. I call pre-season "Week 0", they call it "Week 1" so i just skipped Week 7 to avoid any confusion.

Week 6: Let's Talk Over-Rated

Texas got throttled by Oklahoma. Florida was worked silly by LSU. Auburn got routed by Arkansas. Florida State lost (again). Were these really surprises to anyone? Not to me.

I claim no expertness - but I saw weeks ago that Texas and Florida were really not that good. They had only played second-rate teams yet they were getting the votes over teams with lesser records but notably tougher opponents. A decades long argument in college football, I know. Nonetheless, have the voters not learned anything from that argument? Have they not been listening? Maybe they just go by the mantra of "innocent until proven guilty" (or, "rank 'em high until they lose really bad").

Who is not over-rated IMHO? 'Bama, LSU, Oklahoma, Boise State, Wisconsin, Stanford, GaTech and maybe Clemson. These teams are not only winning but they are winning with dominance against worthy opponents. They look good on both sides of the ball, they don't let up when the score is "comfortable" and the play calling and coaching is an obvious notch above the rest. Who started out the season over-rated? Florida State as well as TCU and TA&M. I fell for all three of those, too. FSU is in a downward spiral, TCU is a real surprise as they have been so dominant the last few years and TA&M was looking good and still might pull out an above average season. So who was under-rated at season start? Clemson and GaTech as well as Baylor and maybe Illinois (no real contest yet except for the win against ASU).

EndZone: What is going on in the replay booth?
OK...my post a couple of weeks ago about the missed PAT called good was by far the worst replay call I have ever seen. But I have seen a couple others since that are dang close. Again...I'm no expert and I don't know what goes on up there, but when the one or two camera angles I get spells it out in black-and-white, and the announcers are already making the call, and then it goes the other way there has got to be something going on that the rest of us are not privy to (ie: the 1st quarter fumble by Tennessee and the obvious UGA recovery). Maybe they are focusing on the replays of the cheerleaders.

Week 5: Upsets

TCU falls; so does Baylor and South Carolina. South Florida and VaTech made poor showings for ranked teams. Texas A&M was "welcomed" to the SEC...after blowing another big lead. Florida not only showed some weakness but lost the starting QB. Clemson and GaTech are making the ACC look very good. And LSU and Alabama and Oklahoma look really, really tough to beat.

BYU found the problem with the offense (Heaps) as well as the answer (Nelson). Nothing against Heaps - he has a great skill set and moments of greatness. It just appears that he has been unable to settle down and do what he is really capable of doing. Kudos to the coaching staff for stepping up (albeit a little late IMHO) and letting Nelson hold the reins.

The football gods seem to be playing a very cruel game with Utah State. With the exception of a few ticks on the clock and the ball bouncing the other team's way (Auburn's on-side kick, BYU's last second deflected pass) they would be 4 - 0. I doubt any other team in the nation has more butterflies in the 4th quarter than the Aggies.



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