College Football -- Week 11

And, another #2 goes down. Let the official crying begin. We lost two more undefeated teams in BC and ASU this weekend. Frankie and Jen have my sympathies. The question of who should be number two has a lot to do with one's own regional biases. Easterners and Southerners are more likely to say LSU while Westerners like myself would say Oregon. If Oklahoma or Missouri runs the table, each would have a good claim too from those plains people. Despite still getting little recognition publicly, Kansas would have a decent case by being undefeated and winning neutral site games against Missouri and Oklahoma. And, many people believe that Michigan will defeat Ohio State in two weeks to further cloud the picture.

The one thing that I do like about the teams that are being debated over right now is that the arguments mostly are coming down to quality of the teams and who they won. People are not making the "but they lost to a bad team x" argument. Certainly, LSU, UO, OU, BC, and WVU all have similar caliber losses. Only Missouri and ASU can claim an "excellent loss." BC and ASU are most hurt by losing last of those seven and have to be considered extreme longshots. Despite having a similar loss like the aforementioned squads, UConn is by definition an extreme longshot.

If I actually had money to bet, I'd put it on LSU and UO playing for the BCS title. My pecking order though in terms of if they all win out is (1) tOSU, (2) LSU, (3) UO, (4) OU (5) KU, (6) WVU, (7) MU, (8) BC, (9) ASU, (10) UConn (but I think a 2-loss team could jump them).


0 losses: #1 Ohio State, #4 Kansas (2)

1 loss: #2 Louisiana State (#25 Kentucky), #3 Oregon (#27 California), #5 Oklahoma (#43 Colorado), #6 Missouri (#5 Oklahoma), #7 West Virginia (#28 South Florida), #8 Boston College (#26 Florida State), #9 Arizona State (#3 Oregon), #13 Connecticut (#19 Virginia) (8)
And "#16" Hawaii doesn't count when their wins are #93, #100, #101, #107, #119, #120, and two FCS schools.

Here are the updated conference races. Miami by virtue of getting one completion in the entire game falls out of the ACC race. BC loses but still controls its destiny. However, this opened the door for Clemson. Oklahoma is now in the driver's seat alone in the Big 12 thanks to OSU collapsing to Texas. I have not researched a three-way tie for the Big 12 South title and wish to avoid that for at least a week. Stunningly, despite losing to Arizona, UCLA still controls its Pac-10 destiny. I'm sure that the Dump Dorrell crowd has ignored that fact. ASU now does not have control. LSU has almost clinched the SEC title and needs only one more win.


ACC (Orange Bowl)

Boston College (4-1): Win out OR 1 loss, not in the ACC Championship Game, to someone other than Clemson (at Maryland, at Clemson, Miami, ACC Championship)

Clemson (4-2): Win out (Wake Forest, Boston College, [at South Carolina], ACC Championship)

Virginia (5-1): Win out OR 1 loss, not in the ACC Championship Game, to someone other than Virginia Tech (at Miami, Bye, Virginia Tech, ACC Championship)
Virginia Tech (4-1): Win out OR 1 loss, not in the ACC Championship game, to someone other than Virginia (Florida State, Miami, at Virginia, ACC Championship)
One-loss Atlantic/Coastal teams needing help: None
Two-loss Atlantic/Coastal teams needing help: Wake Forest (4-2, two Boston College losses)

Big 12 (Fiesta Bowl)
Kansas (5-0): Win out OR 1 loss, not in the Big 12 Championship Game, to someone other than Missouri (at Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Missouri at Kansas City, Big 12 Championship)
Missouri (4-1): Win out (Texas A&M, at Kansas State, at Kansas at Kansas City, Big 12 Championship)
Oklahoma (4-1): Win out OR 1 loss, not in the Big 12 Championship Game, to someone other than Oklahoma State (Baylor, at Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Big 12 Championship) [I don't want to think about a three-way tie at 6-2 for OU, OSU, and UT.]

One-loss North/South teams needing help: None
Two-loss South teams needing help: Texas (4-2, two Oklahoma losses), Oklahoma State (4-2, one Texas loss)

Big East (At-large)
Connecticut (4-0): Win out OR 1 loss to someone other than West Virginia (at Cincinnati, Syracuse, at West Virginia, Bye)

West Virginia (3-1): Win out (Louisville, at Cincinnati, Connecticut, Pittsburgh)

One-loss teams needing help: None

Big Ten (Rose Bowl)
Ohio State (6-0): Beat Michigan (Illinois, at Michigan, Bye, Bye)
Michigan (6-0): Beat Ohio State (at Wisconsin, Ohio State, Bye, Bye)
One-loss teams needing help: None

Pacific-10 (Rose Bowl)
Oregon (5-1): Win out (Bye, at Arizona, at UCLA, Oregon State)
UCLA (4-2): Win out (Arizona State, Bye, Oregon, at Southern California)

One-loss teams needing help: Arizona State (5-1, one Oregon loss)
Two-loss teams needing help: Southern California (4-2, two Oregon losses)

Southeastern (Sugar Bowl)
Tennessee (3-2): Win out (Arkansas, Vanderbilt, at Kentucky, SEC Championship)
Louisiana State (5-1): Win out OR 1 loss, not in the SEC Championship Game ([Louisiana Tech], at Mississippi, Arkansas, SEC Championship)
Two-loss West/East teams needing help: Georgia (4-2, one loss by Tennessee), Auburn (4-2, two losses by Louisiana State), Alabama (3-2, two losses by Louisiana State)

Three-loss East teams needing help: Kentucky (2-3, one loss by Florida), Florida (4-3, two losses by Georgia)

Action on Saturday has been covered mostly. As for other games, we saw USC's defense play up to its expectations against the Beavers. (Let's not talk about the offense.) Bauer had a nasty taste in his mouth as Northwestern only played three quarters in an ugly loss to Iowa. A 6-6 NU team is likely not to go bowling, so Bauer has gotten interesting. Indiana did get eligible as was the goal of Terry Hoeppner before he died. I am still rooting for the Hoosiers. My Blue Devils actually led 7-3 at the end of the first, before Clemson 40 unanswered points to win 47-10. Almost no one could see Ohio state rally against Wisconsin. Virginia squeaked by again with a defeat of Wake Forest. I don't know if there's a luckier team in America. Florida pounded Vandy. K-State embarrassed themselves in Ames. Kansas put up 76 points against "Hey Didn't You Used to Be Nebaska?". Navy ended the 43-year losing streak to Notre Dame. Just think about how old your parents were in 1963. Cincinnati almost blew a 31-point first quarter outburst, but they did beat South Florida. LSU held off Alabama in Saban Bowl I. (I'm assuming that Toledo and Michigan State never played when Saban led the Spartans, nor Michigan State and LSU.) Missouri was great against Colorado. Oregon just dominated Arizona State. Alex got another nice outburst from his Rockets as they beat EMU. Oklahoma demolished A&M. And Cal just squeaked by Wazzu.

This week will feature Cal and USC at 5 in our living room for anyone who is interested. I don't think Nancy will let Alex come over for all of the mid-week MAC games. Lincoln would get to watch his Cougs if they somehow got Versus in Canada.

The morning gives us Michigan and Wisconsin. While Michigan doesn't need this win to win the Big Ten, they do if they want to go to the Rose Bowl as an at-large. Wake Forest and Clemson hook up in a battle to determine the second best team in the ACC Atlantic. Bauer gets my Indiana sympathies against his Cats. Missouri gets to show how much better it is than the mediocre South teams when the Tigers host A&M. And Tennessee, in control of its Sugar Bowl dreams, can fuck up against Arkansas. It should be a good morning.

The afternoon has the next stage of the nightmare as Air Force goes to South Bend. Remember, the Irish have not hit rock bottom. That comes in another week when Duke beats them. ABC regional coverage gives us Ohio State's last tuneup before the de facto Big Ten championship. This is against a good Illinois team that certainly will give the Buckeyes a decent game (at least for a while). We on the west coast will watch ASU try to rebound against UCLA. TTU and Texas hook up, but as Tech has played so poorly recently and UT has been mediocre all year, this isn't going to be exciting outside of Texas. Auburn and Georgia form the SEC game of the week. I do love that hatred.

The evening gives us USC as noted above. Miami will have to play spoiler after losing control of its destiny to prevent an all-Commonwealth ACC Coastal championship game. Spurrier Bowl III will occur in Columbia. Kansas will again prove that its far better than the South teams not named Oklahoma with a visit to Stillwater.

May all your teams do well.

Available Games

Tuesday, November 6
4:30 -- Central Michigan at Western Michigan (+3) (ESPN2 HD)

Wednesday, November 7
4:30 -- Ohio at Akron (+3) (ESPN2 HD)

Thursday, November 8
4:45 -- Louisville at #6 West Virginia (-15) (ESPN HD)
6:00 -- Texas Christian at Brigham Young (-7.5) (Versus)

Friday, November 9
4:30 -- Bowling Green at Eastern Michigan (+4) (ESPNU)
5:00 -- Rutgers at Army (+18) (ESPN2 HD)

Saturday, November 10
*9:00 -- #13 Michigan at Wisconsin (+2.5) (ESPN HD)
*9:00 -- Wake Forest at #20 Clemson (-8) (ESPN2 HD)
9:00 -- Penn State at Temple (+24) (ESPNU)
*9:00 -- Indiana at Northwestern (+1.5) (ESPN Classic)
9:00 -- South Florida at Syracuse (+16) (ESPN GamePlan/ESPN Plus)
9:00 -- North Carolina at North Carolina State (- 3.5) (ESPN GamePlan/LFS)
*9:30 -- Texas A&M at #7 Missouri (-18.5) (FSN HD)
9:30 -- Kansas State at Nebraska (+7.5) (Versus)
9:30 -- #21 Alabama at Mississippi State (+4) (ESPN GamePlan/LFS)
*9:30 -- Arkansas at #22 Tennessee (0) (ESPN GamePlan/LFS)
11:00 -- #25 Kentucky at Vanderbilt (+3) (ESPN GamePlan/Big Blue Sports)
*11:30 -- Air Force at Notre Dame (+2.5) (NBC HD)
12:00 -- #19 Boise State at Utah State (+24) (ESPN GamePlan/KTVB/KJZZ)
12:30 -- Florida State at #11 Virginia Tech (-6.5) (ESPN GamePlan/ABC HD/ESPN HD)
*12:30 -- Illinois at #1 Ohio State (-15) (ESPN HD/ABC HD)
*12:30 -- Texas Tech at #15 Texas (-6.5) (ESPN GamePlan/ABC)
*12:30 -- #9 Arizona State at UCLA (+6.5) (ABC/ESPN GamePlan)
*12:30 -- #18 Auburn at #10 Georgia (-1) (CBS HD)
12:30 -- #16 Connecticut at Cincinnati (-5.5) (ESPNU)
1:00 -- New Mexico State at San Jose State (-4) (ESPN GamePlan/AggieVision)
4:00 -- Baylor at #4 Oklahoma (- 37.5) (FSN HD)
*4:15 -- #23 Virginia at Miami (Florida) (-3.5) (ESPN2 HD)
*4:45 -- #17 Florida at South Carolina (+6.5) (ESPN HD)
5:00 -- #8 Boston College at Maryland (+5.5) (ESPN GamePlan/ABC)
*5:00 -- #5 Kansas at Oklahoma State (+5.5) (ESPN GamePlan/ABC HD)
*5:00 -- #12 Southern California at #24 California (+4) (ABC HD/ESPN GamePlan)
5:00 -- Louisiana Tech at #2 Louisiana State (-36) (ESPN GamePlan/PPV)
7:15 -- Washington at Oregon State (NL) (FSN HD)
8:00 -- Fresno State at #14 Hawaii (-17) (ESPN2 HD/KFRE/Oceanic Cable PPV)


Unavailable Games

Saturday, November 10
9:00 -- Michigan State at Purdue (-4.5) (BTN HD)
9:00 -- Minnesota at Iowa (-14.5) (BTN HD)
9:30 -- Colorado at Iowa State (+5) (FCS Central)
12:00 -- Colorado State at New Mexico (- 9.5) (the mtn.)
12:30 -- Wyoming at Utah (-14) (CSTV)
1:00 -- Kent State at Northern Illinois (+3.5) (Comcast SportsNet Chicago)
1:30 -- Memphis at Southern Mississippi (- 15.5) (CSS Southeast)
1:30 -- East Carolina at Marshall (+7) (WITN/MASN)
3:30 -- Stanford at Washington State (-10.5) (FSN Northwest/FSN Bay Area)
4:30 -- Central Florida at Alabama-Birmingham (+20.5) (CSTV)
8:00 -- San Diego State at Nevada-Las Vegas (- 2.5) (CSTV)


Games Not on TV

Saturday, November 10
10:00 -- Georgia Tech at Duke (+13.5)
12:00 -- Houston at Tulsa (-2)
12:00 -- Rice at Southern Methodist (NL)
12:30 -- Louisiana-Lafayette at Middle Tennessee (-14)
1:00 -- Arkansas State at Florida Atlantic (-7.5)
1:00 -- Navy at North Texas (+15.5)
2:00 -- Grambling at Louisiana-Monroe (Shame on the Warhawks)
2:00 -- Troy at Western Kentucky (NL)
4:00 -- Texas-El Paso at Tulane (+5)

Open Dates: Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Miami (Ohio), Ball State, Toledo, Arizona, #3 Oregon, Mississippi, Florida International, Idaho, and Nevada.