Weekly Thoughts and Predictions

*Which is more surprising, that Detroit Lions home game will be blacked out locally for the first time in seven years because the Lions game is not sold out, or that the people of Detroit have actually gone to see that team play on a regular basis loyally for seven straight seasons? I’m going with #2 on that one.

*The big game this week is once again being hosted in Texas, when Oklahoma State travels south to Austin. But the game that is getting all the hype and attention is Penn State at Ohio State. The hype and coverage of this game is a little surprising to me. Lets take a closer look at both of these teams to see if we can figure out what all the hype is about.

• PENN STATE:
  * Undefeated at 8-0, looking to go to 9-0 for the 10th time under Joe Paterno.
  * Ranked #3 in AP, Coaches and BCS, #4 in T3R
  * Offensive rankings nationally 11th in ypg (482.1), 10th in rushing ypg (234.6) and 7th in points per game (45.38)
  * Defensive rankings nationally 8th in ypg (263.25), 11th in passing ypg (159.4) and 6th in points allowed per game (11.8)
  * 4-0 in Big Ten outscoring opponents 152-54
  * 2-0 on the road, outscoring opponents 75-19
  * 0 games played against ranked teams
  * 2 wins against teams with winning records
  * 15-31 (.326 winning %) record of opponents vs other D1A teams
  * Strength of Schedule according to NCAA stats 100 of 119 D1A teams
• OHIO STATE:
  * One loss, five game winning streak, 7-1 for the season
  * Ranked #9 in BCS, #10 in AP, Coaches and T3R
  * Offensive rankings nationally 92nd in total offense (322.25), 108th passing ypg (140.13)
  * Defensive rankings nationally 10th in passing defense (97.63) and total defense (265.38), 12th in scoring defense (13.38 ppg)
  * 4-0 in Big ten outscoring opponents 115-48
  * 5-0 at home outscoring opponents 147-48
  * 2 games versus ranked opponents with a 1-1 record in those games
  * 3 wins against teams with winning records
  * 28-20 (.583 winning %) record of opponents vs other D1A teams
  * Strength of schedule according to NCAA stats 17 of 119 D1A teams
  

So, what is all the hype about? To me it looks like two overrated teams battling it out for bragging rights in a over rated conference this year. One team has not been challenged at all this year because it schedule is full of more crème puffs then a Crispy Crème. And the other team has a true freshman quarterback that is leading the 92nd best offense in the country.

Based on these numbers you would think that Penn State should have their way with the Buckeyes. The game is played in Columbus however, a place that Penn State has not won at since joining the Big Ten. Here is my prediction on this game: DISAPPOINTMENT! There is no way that this game will live up to all of this unwarranted hype.

One more thing about this game. This matches up the two teams with arguably the dumbest cheers. One school chants the first two letters of their state name and follows it by the last two, "O-H...I-O", thus helping people spell throughout the state I guess. And the other school reminds the each other who "We are...Penn State." Please someone make them stop!!!!

* Just when you thought that Texas Tech might be worthy of some respect in the college football world, head coach Mike Leach goes out and does this. Leach has reached out to Tech student, Matt Williams, who made a 30-yard kick between quarters of the Tech UMASS game Sept.30th and invited him to kick for the team. Let me remind you that Mike Leach is the head coach of the 13th ranked team in the country. Leach, who has watched his kickers miss 4 FG’s and 6 PAT’s, apparently sees something special in this kid. "I've seen that guy try one kick," said Leach. "But the difference between his and the others is that they barely got off the ground. His got up right away." Hey Coach, the kid used a tee! The ball tends to get up a little quicker with those!

* West Virginia seems to have gotten a little swagger back in its step after running up and down the field on the stingy Auburn defense last night. Noel Devine running for over 200 yards and a TD, and Pat White throwing 3 TD’s puts WVU right back atop all the Big East conference race talks. (By “all the Big East Conference race talks,” I mean between my friends and I, because no one nationally talks about the Big East.) The Tigers had been only giving up 13 ppg, so when they jumped out to a 17-3 lead midway through the 2nd quarter it looked like lights out in Morgantown. The Mountaineers offense came to life running for 271 yards. Auburn defense had been giving up a TOTAL of 272 ypg this year, and Devine and Co. ran for 271. Throw in the 174 that Pat White passed for and it was a long flight home for the Tigers.


On to the picks!!!!


THIS WEEKS PICKS:
4-0 last week before I missed my upset pick bye 30 some odd points. So for the week I finished 4-1 putting my season record to 29-11, not to shabby!

Alabama goes to Rocky Top and pushes Phil Fulmer closer to the edge, with a big win.

Oregon wins in Tempe vs Arizona State

Missouri gets back on the winning ways and beats up Colorado in Boulder

In a preview for the ACC Championship game, the Seminoles beat Va. Tech

LSU beats Georgia in what will REALLY be the best game of the day.

Wisconsin gets back on their winning ways and beats Illinois in an ugly battle between two of the most overrated teams this past preseason.

Kansas hands Texas Tech and rookie kicker their first loss of the year, there will be many more by the time the season ends.

Pitt in an ugly, defensive battle defeats Rutgers, pulling away in the 2nd half to win easily.

THE BIG GAME (oozing sarcasm) Ohio State does just enough to beat a stingy Penn State defense at the Horseshoe.

UPSET OF THE WEEK:
The Big East picture begins to get a little clearer as UCONN gets beat for the second week in a row, this time versus Cincinnati.