You Can't Win 'em All...

So I went 17-10 this weekend and consider myself lucky. This was one ridiculous weekend of college football. Unfortunately, I only got to see two games and the last play of one. Still, I've done my homework and I watch Sportscenter, so I can comment. If you disagree because you actually saw the game, let me know.

Before I get to the games, I would also like to say I got some negative feedback on the Notre Dame article. Apparently, some feel I was unfairly criticizing the Irish. I have two things to say to that. First, that was not the point of the article. I believe Notre Dame to be one of the best teams in the country and have said so on numerous occasions. And second, what I said was correct. People want Notre Dame to win because it's Notre Dame. It has tradition, and people love tradition. The world is right when Notre Dame, Penn State, and Bama are all rock solid. That bias comes through in the polls no matter what.

Now, on to the games. As usual, we'll start with the losses, of which I have plenty to chose from this week.

Better Late Than Never: Oklahoma State 24 - Texas Tech 17. Texas Tech proves again that it's just not that good. Before this game, at least it could claim that it could handle inferior opponents. And then there's OK-State, who either 1) is a lot better than it showed the first seven games of the season, or 2) only plays well against ranked teams from Texas. Too bad that's the last one on their schedule.

You Live by the QB, You Die by the QB: Clemson 35 - Florida State 14. It was only a matter of time. FSU QB Drew Weatherford continues to regress. He was pretty bad on a day when Clemson QB Charlie Whitehurst was pretty darn good. Whitehurst torched FSU for 269 yards and 3 touchdowns. If only I knew which Clemson team was going to show up each week.

I'm a Believer: South Carolina 30 - Florida 22. I knew Spurrier was gonna have the Gamecocks in contention for the East soon, but I certainly didn't think it'd be this soon. This guy is good. I'm convinced and officially on the Spurrier bandwagon. If he can do this with Lou Holtz's players, I can't wait to see what he can do with his own.

Where'd You Come From?: Kentucky 48 - Vandy 43. Kentucky's offense has apparently woken up. After scoring a total of 72 points in five games against the likes of Indiana, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, and Florida, the Wildcats have put up 75 in the last two against Auburn and Vanderbilt. RB Rafael Little and QB Andre Woodson have a great tag-team effort going on right now. Georgia should be able to outscore Kentucky, like Auburn did, but Tennessee better look out.

At Least I Was Right: LSU 16 - Bama 13. I saw the last play on this game and it irked me greatly. My new pet peeve is coaches that elect to rush only three or four and drop seven or eight on 3rd and long in key situations. Auburn did it to LSU; Bama did it to LSU. The results--two losses by three in overtime. When you have a young quarterback like Jamarcus Russell in the backfield on third and long, you better bring some heat. Make him make a quick decision to beat you, because he's athletic enough to elude a three or four man rush and then has all the time in the world for his very fast LSU recievers to break free. Defensive coordinators need to force the hand of these young QB's instead of making their secondary hold in coverage for thirty seconds. So there.

On to the notable wins.

Told Ya So: Missouri 31 - Baylor 16. QB Brad Smith ran for 161 yards on 21 carries and the Mizzou rushing attack netted 298 yards. I'd say I called this one pretty well.

Iowa is Hotter Than Colorado: Iowa State 30 - Colorado 16. I really don't know if there's any truth to this. I would have to look closely to even find Iowa on a map, but I hear Colorado is pretty cold. Iowa State is making a charge in the Big 12 North. Unfortunately, the odds of them pulling it off is quite slim. Both Colorado and Mizzou will have to drop their next game. Still, it's been a good run.

The Bruins are Back: UCLA 45 - Arizona State 35. QB Drew Olsen was ridiculous in this game, throwing for 510 yards and 5 touchdowns. Wow. Bring that A-game against USC and we'll have ourselves a game. The Bruins have almost a month to prepare for the showdown.

Upset Anyone?: Arkansas 28 - Ole Miss 17. Arkansas freshman QB Casey Dick looked good this week against Ole Miss. He threw for 175 yards and three touchdowns. He is making good progress, and if he is able to balance the Hogs attack, this team could be dangerous. Meanwhile, Ole Miss tried a QB-shuffle, as well. They elected to start Ethan Flatt who responded by throwing for 309 yards. Granted, Ole Miss still has no running game--and both QB's put up these numbers against two average secondaries. Regardless, the reason I spotlight this game is because both of these teams have a legitimate shot of upsetting LSU. LSU has already beaten division rivals Bama and Auburn (both in OT), so it sees its path to the SEC West crown as being pretty clear. However, both Ole Miss and Arkansas have improved greatly as the season has progressed. LSU has not. LSU's offense is still very inconsistent, though it has cut down on its mistakes. Ole Miss' defense is good enough to throw a cramp in LSU's offense. If it's defensive line can get pressure to QB Jamarcus Russell, he may make mistakes that even the Ole Miss offense can turn into points. Arkansas, meanwhile, may be developing a balanced offense. That's definitely dangerous because this team scores points even if they don't throw. LSU has to be very careful through this stretch.

Nailed It: Boston College 30 - NC State 10. So my score was a little low, but the break-down was perfect. BC plays QB Matt Ryan, who has an effective day (8/16, 185 yds, 1 TD). Meanwhile, the BC rush defense shuts down NC State RB Andre Brown (12 yards on 13 carries). I seem to do well with BC. I don't know why that is. Maybe they're just predicatable.

What A Game: Auburn 31 - Georgia 30. Very little can be said about this game. Fantastic. Both teams were clutch when they had to be. Neither defense played exceptionally, but the offenses played quite well. This game made me forget that everyone rags on the SEC for having horrible offenses. Georgia QB D.J. Shockley looked great. He absolutely diced up the Auburn defense, even eluding pressure and slipping up-field for big gains on occasion. TE Leonard Pope also had a fantastic game, and Auburn's linebackers and corners (and anybody else who could get up that high) had their hands full all night. Meanwhile, Auburn RB Kenny Irons continues to explode through defenses. This guy runs with the same level of intensity as Carnell. He's just fun to watch. And the best part of the game was Auburn kicker John Vaughn hitting the game-winning field goal with eight seconds left. Redemption could not have come any easier, as the kick was basically an extra point, but pressure is pressure. From goat to hero just like that. I love this game, and next week's should be just as good--only meaner.