1. LSU - Looks like the Tigers will be minus a few players with Auburn coming to town Saturday afternoon (3:30 CBS). Tyrann Mathieu (CB), Tharold Simon (D-back) and Spencer Ware (RB) will be sitting this one out. Don't sleep on Chizik. Will Michael Dyer (RB) and Emory Blake (WR) be enought against a stout LSU defense? Crazy enough, this could be a good thing for LSU. I see them getting in some good reps for the backups building better depth, who could very easily be starting elsewhere.
2. Alabama - Bama hosts TN Saturday night. Without Tyler Bray the Volunteers are looking very thin at QB. Look for Sims to be dismantled, and somebody better warm up the 3rd string QB. Could be a really, really long night for Dooley and company. Saban is 16-1 since October '07.
3. Oklahoma - Nation's longest home winning streak plays center stage Saturday night in Norman (39 straight home W's for Oklahoma). OU is tuning up for next week's matchup against a Kansas State team which is in the midst of a revival.
4. Oklahoma State - Noon kick in Columbia as talk of the SEC swirls. This one is on upset alert. Missouri is banged up, and Gundy has Oklahoma State out to a 6-0 start. Can they stay focused? The tigers in loosing efforts gave Oklahoma and K-State a run for their money. Weeden + All-American Blackmon = Dangerzone. Weeden is completing almost 73% of his passes with 16 TDs.
Blackmon has caught 7 of those.
5. Boise State - At home, heavy favorites. Last time Boise lost a home conference game was 1998 - that's 46 straight conference home game wins.
6. Wisconsin - 8:00 PM in East Lansing will be a sight to see. Two heavyweights in the B1G square off, and these 2 could be squaring off again for the B1G Championship Game at the end of the season. The Spartans are coming off an emotional thrashing of in-state rival, Michigan, and Coach Dantonio will have them on point for a home game against The Badgers - just without #2, William Gholston. He's the 2nd leading tackler on the team - a difference maker. I'm just not sure how long Michigan State's defense can hold up with bone crushing style Wisconsin has been flexing all year.
7. Clemson - Clemson is some of the hottest action in the country right now. They have reeled off 7 straight wins and are enjoying being the BCS limelight. Boyd, Sammie Watkins and Ellington have absolutely been sensational. Between the 3 they have racked up 2012 passing yards & 19 TDs (Boyd), 740 rushing yards (Ellington) and 728 receiving yards & 8 TDs (Sammie Watkins).
8. Stanford - The Cardinals (6-0) host Washington (5-1) Saturday night (8:00 ABC). The Huskies remain right on Stanford's heels. Their only loss of the season came to Nebraska, and they will have thier hands full against Andrew Luck. He has 18 TDs and just 3 interceptions. With Coach Harbaugh gone and causing a stir in the NFL, one has to wonder if anyone can derail Stanford's season.
9. Arkansas - Coming off a bye week, Arkansas (5-1) heads to Oxford to face a 2-4 Ole Miss squad that is reeling. The Razorbacks will descend upon the Grove. How Ole Miss has won an SEC game this year is beyond me. They are not very good - at all. Look for Petrino to make life miserable for Coach Houston Nutt.
10. Oregon - Oregon (5-1) heads into Boulder, CO to enjoy a nice road game at Folsom Field. Too bad for Colorado - they are a grease fire. They are 1-6 this year ,and they have yet to even sniff a PAC-12 victory. Look for the trend to continue for the Buffaloes. They will be 1-7 come Saturday evening.
Showing posts with label Wisconsin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisconsin. Show all posts
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
WEEK 5 PREVIEW
As we head into October and the second month of the 2011 college football season, there are a handful of games that you really just can’t miss this weekend. Conference standings are starting to shape up, and the pretenders are being exposed. Who had Clemson undefeated midday on October 1st? They travel to a very tough Blacksburg, VA, and many are tuning in for the Tajh Boyd – Sammie Watkins show. And there’s one thing for sure The Swamp will be off the charts Saturday night with Alabama in town as two undefeated SEC teams face off.
Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas will be the site for the Texas A&M (#14) – Arkansas (#18) matchup. The Aggies will have to put last week’s devastating loss to Oklahoma State out of their mind. Last week Oklahoma State just had more in the tank down the stretch. Great coaching shows and it rose to the top just before halftime and out of the second half gates. And Oklahoma State showed in the 3rd quater how to get it done. A&M went into the half up 20-3 only to see the most unbelievable 3rd quarter imaginable where they gave up 21 points and scored none themselves, the Aggies will have to learn the lessons and just flush the bad from memory. Arkansas is in the same boat coming off a tough loss to Alabama. This should be a good early October test determining who can bounce back and who continues to fall from grace. A&M’s ground game has the edge here, but don’t ever count out Bobby Petrino’s passing attack. I’m positive The Razorbacks came away from Tuscaloosa with a number of things to work on during this week's practices.
Mississippi State at Georgia will be another noon kickoff where we’ll find out who this Georgia team really is. Georgia is currently favored by a touchdown. Last week’s win on the road in Oxford was a largely unimpressive win. The kicking game specialized in missing and the offense should have blown out the Rebels. In a game where the backups should have played almost the entire 4th quarter and received some solid reps (working toward the future), the starters were in late trying to hang on to the lead. Sure the Georgia Defense is showing some great progress and picking it up big time, gravitating towards the upper half of the SEC’s Defensive elite. But it is hard to miss - UGA's red zone offense is pathetic. For a team with tons of tight end talent you would think Mike Bobo would bring out the big boys down in the red zone and punch in for a couple TDs with Crowell or play action to some wide open sure handed tagets. So for Georgia: expect the unexpected. In a season where many were pumped for Miss. State it’s hard for State fans to come to grips with an 0-2 SEC start. Question: Can Georgia plug the middle and keep State off the edge? Question: Can Coach Bobo stop popping the clutch and let this offense just turn it loose? If not, it’s going to be another tough pill to swallow in A-town.
It’s a big day for football in the state of South Carolina. The Gamecocks (#10) host Auburn, and this will be a great barometer as Clemson took care of business beating Auburn at home back in week 3. South Carolina is currently favored by 10, but things are not all good in Columbia. The dysfunction is rising up and boiling over. Spurrier’s headset is taking a beating and his visor is in tatters. Thank goodness he has Lattimore and one of the most exciting defenses around to carry the load. That combination is tough to beat despite Garcia’s bumbling. Look for the Gamecocks to expose Auburn this year. Both teams have yet to lose an SEC match, but something has got to give. Queue up Sandstorm and look for Lattimore on the national stage to really make his mark for the Heisman.
Clemson (#13) at Virginia Tech is a big time cross divisional ACC clash. These two teams could easily be seeing each other again, squaring off in Charlotte for the December 3rd ACC Championship game. Bud Foster has no doubt been watching countless hours of new on the scene Chad Morris and Clemson’s revved up offense. Coach Morris is the right fit for Clemson at Offensive Coordinator, and his offensive scheming is the breath of fresh air that this team needed. Virginia Tech is favored by 7, but I’m just not seeing it. VA Tech has struggled this year – just pop in the tape of the East Carolina game, and I like Clemson’s run defense. Look for Dabo and company to keep the Boyd-Watkins-Ellington-Hopkins show rolling. Bottom line, there are too many Clemson weapons for Virginia Tech to stop them all. Plus I see Logan Thomas having trouble on 3rd and long situations, but Blacksburg...at night. Look for a really close one.
Alabama #3 travels to The Swamp to square off against #12 Florida. This is far and away the marquee game of the day. Coach Will Muschamp has this Florida squad back on track and he’s playing to his team's strengths. The run game is on point again, and the defense is playing really, really good. The Florida defense only gave up 36 points for the entire month of September. On the other side, you’ve got Alabama, who has been playing great defense with a solid run game, and a fairly unproven passing game. The Crimson Tide only surrendered 32 points in December. The matchups to watch in this one are Florida’s run game against The Tide D, and Florida’s QB play from John Brantley against The Tide secondary. And finally how will AJ MacCarron perform on 3rd and long situations? Because, to me, it is clear that Alabama’s Offense has not seen a defense all year with this kind of prowess.
Another primetime game of the night is the Nebraska (#8) at Wisconsin (#7) game. Good luck getting a ticket to this one. Two of the best rushing programs in the country square off in this new found Big 1G rivalry. Both teams have laid waste to their competition. A cross divisional game, all chips will be on the table come Saturday night. Look for Taylor Martinez to take a beating against the Wisconsin defense. Wisconsin has only given up 34 points in the month of September, and that’s nothing to shake a stick at regardless of who you’re playing. These guys are BCS grade. I expect Wisconsin to get into the red zone behind the Russell Wilson - Montee Ball – James White ground game, and punch in TDs in the redzone via the tight ends. Look for a close one early, but Wisonsin to pull away late.
Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas will be the site for the Texas A&M (#14) – Arkansas (#18) matchup. The Aggies will have to put last week’s devastating loss to Oklahoma State out of their mind. Last week Oklahoma State just had more in the tank down the stretch. Great coaching shows and it rose to the top just before halftime and out of the second half gates. And Oklahoma State showed in the 3rd quater how to get it done. A&M went into the half up 20-3 only to see the most unbelievable 3rd quarter imaginable where they gave up 21 points and scored none themselves, the Aggies will have to learn the lessons and just flush the bad from memory. Arkansas is in the same boat coming off a tough loss to Alabama. This should be a good early October test determining who can bounce back and who continues to fall from grace. A&M’s ground game has the edge here, but don’t ever count out Bobby Petrino’s passing attack. I’m positive The Razorbacks came away from Tuscaloosa with a number of things to work on during this week's practices.
Mississippi State at Georgia will be another noon kickoff where we’ll find out who this Georgia team really is. Georgia is currently favored by a touchdown. Last week’s win on the road in Oxford was a largely unimpressive win. The kicking game specialized in missing and the offense should have blown out the Rebels. In a game where the backups should have played almost the entire 4th quarter and received some solid reps (working toward the future), the starters were in late trying to hang on to the lead. Sure the Georgia Defense is showing some great progress and picking it up big time, gravitating towards the upper half of the SEC’s Defensive elite. But it is hard to miss - UGA's red zone offense is pathetic. For a team with tons of tight end talent you would think Mike Bobo would bring out the big boys down in the red zone and punch in for a couple TDs with Crowell or play action to some wide open sure handed tagets. So for Georgia: expect the unexpected. In a season where many were pumped for Miss. State it’s hard for State fans to come to grips with an 0-2 SEC start. Question: Can Georgia plug the middle and keep State off the edge? Question: Can Coach Bobo stop popping the clutch and let this offense just turn it loose? If not, it’s going to be another tough pill to swallow in A-town.
It’s a big day for football in the state of South Carolina. The Gamecocks (#10) host Auburn, and this will be a great barometer as Clemson took care of business beating Auburn at home back in week 3. South Carolina is currently favored by 10, but things are not all good in Columbia. The dysfunction is rising up and boiling over. Spurrier’s headset is taking a beating and his visor is in tatters. Thank goodness he has Lattimore and one of the most exciting defenses around to carry the load. That combination is tough to beat despite Garcia’s bumbling. Look for the Gamecocks to expose Auburn this year. Both teams have yet to lose an SEC match, but something has got to give. Queue up Sandstorm and look for Lattimore on the national stage to really make his mark for the Heisman.
Clemson (#13) at Virginia Tech is a big time cross divisional ACC clash. These two teams could easily be seeing each other again, squaring off in Charlotte for the December 3rd ACC Championship game. Bud Foster has no doubt been watching countless hours of new on the scene Chad Morris and Clemson’s revved up offense. Coach Morris is the right fit for Clemson at Offensive Coordinator, and his offensive scheming is the breath of fresh air that this team needed. Virginia Tech is favored by 7, but I’m just not seeing it. VA Tech has struggled this year – just pop in the tape of the East Carolina game, and I like Clemson’s run defense. Look for Dabo and company to keep the Boyd-Watkins-Ellington-Hopkins show rolling. Bottom line, there are too many Clemson weapons for Virginia Tech to stop them all. Plus I see Logan Thomas having trouble on 3rd and long situations, but Blacksburg...at night. Look for a really close one.
Alabama #3 travels to The Swamp to square off against #12 Florida. This is far and away the marquee game of the day. Coach Will Muschamp has this Florida squad back on track and he’s playing to his team's strengths. The run game is on point again, and the defense is playing really, really good. The Florida defense only gave up 36 points for the entire month of September. On the other side, you’ve got Alabama, who has been playing great defense with a solid run game, and a fairly unproven passing game. The Crimson Tide only surrendered 32 points in December. The matchups to watch in this one are Florida’s run game against The Tide D, and Florida’s QB play from John Brantley against The Tide secondary. And finally how will AJ MacCarron perform on 3rd and long situations? Because, to me, it is clear that Alabama’s Offense has not seen a defense all year with this kind of prowess.
Another primetime game of the night is the Nebraska (#8) at Wisconsin (#7) game. Good luck getting a ticket to this one. Two of the best rushing programs in the country square off in this new found Big 1G rivalry. Both teams have laid waste to their competition. A cross divisional game, all chips will be on the table come Saturday night. Look for Taylor Martinez to take a beating against the Wisconsin defense. Wisconsin has only given up 34 points in the month of September, and that’s nothing to shake a stick at regardless of who you’re playing. These guys are BCS grade. I expect Wisconsin to get into the red zone behind the Russell Wilson - Montee Ball – James White ground game, and punch in TDs in the redzone via the tight ends. Look for a close one early, but Wisonsin to pull away late.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
HERE COME THE GOOD BOWLS: Part III
New Year's Day! Definitely the best time of the year for college football fans. We've got 6 great looking games to day and an absolutely sexy Rose Bowl game. I can't remember a more compelling match up than this Rose Bowl right here. Let's jump in.
Saturday January 1st
#1 Northwestern vs Texas Tech in the TicketCity Bowl
(1/1) Noon ESPNU
The battle of the 7-5's. This makes back to back New Year's Day bowls for Northwestern. This one is being played in the Cotton Bowl, and it should be a doosy for Texas Tech. Persa is out for Northwestern and he's the heart & soul for that squad. So goes Persa so goes Northwestern. Tubs gets a bowl win for his first year in Lubbock.
#2 Florida vs Penn State in the Outback Bowl
(1/1) 1:00 PM ABC
Now we're talking! It would not be New Year's without JoePa. We get crusty old JoePa, a living legend, and a Coach leaving the game before his time. Story lines abound in this one. I'm curious how Florida will play against a Penn State team that made great strides in righting the ship this year. It was a bumpy road, but if they can find a way to get the ball to #6 Derek Moye, they should be able to move the sticks. Who knows what Florida will do with their QB rotation. Its a circus back there, and its so maddening to watch that Urban had to step back from the program. They say if you got 2 quarterbacks, you don't have 1. I guess, if you got 3 quarterbacks, start shopping for a new coach. Think JoePa will snag a W, and then step aside? Don't hold your breath. He's coaching forever. God bless him. He's press conferences have become the most surreal experiences I can recall. Gators pull out the W, and Urban goes out with a W...for now.
#3 Alabama vs Michigan State in the Capitol One Bowl
(1/1) 1:00 PM ESPN
A great match up. I am curious which BAMA team will show up. I have a feeling Alabama is frustrated from this year, and I have a feeling the Spartans are walking into a beat down. How will Greg McElroy respond to being body slammed in that Auburn game? He did not look good walking off the field that day, but I think he'll bounce back and be able to hand off to Ingram and Richardson. Hitting Julio on the slant should be open on that D too. Saban is not wanting to go into the off season with a loss. While 9-4 is not too bad, you know he's eyeing 10-3. MSU has won a ton of close games this year, and they done so on grit, hard work, and some good old fashioned trickery. Don't be surprised if the Spartans fake a punt or field goal to stay in the game. Saban gets another bowl victory in the books. I have to send out a Coach of the Year nod to Coach Dantonio. He guided the Spartans to one of their best seasons in the modern era, and he suffered from heart attack after the Notre Dame game victory. Great year, Coach!
#4 Mississippi State vs Michigan in the Gator Bowl
(1/1) 1:30 PM ESPN2
If Rich Rodriquez can pull this one out, Michigan fans and alum might cut him some slack. Nah. They'll be calling for his head rain or shine because he's not a Michigan man. Well let me ask you this Michigan, if he's not a Michigan Man, then why did you hire him in the first place? Seems a bit odd that you'd bring him in, if he did not fit your Primary Job Hiring Criteria. Coaching aside, the kicking game is awful for Michigan. The defense is awful for Michigan, and those are 2 critical components to the game of football. Look for Mississippi State to run it all over this Michigan Swiss cheese defense. Dan Mullen is off to great start.
#5 Wisconsin vs TCU in the Rose Bowl
(1/1) 5:00 PM ESPN
Talk about good looking day of football. This is a the T-Bone Steak you've been waiting for. What a great matchup. Wisconsin is 11-1 and TCU is 12-0. If this game does not get you pumped, something is up. I'm curious how John Clay will run on TCU. I've said all year Wisconsin has one of the best Offensive Lines in the country and how they square up against TCU's outstanding defense is where the game will be won. Andy Dalton and company have an opportunity to go 13-0 and ask "Why not us". That's a debate for another, but this game could be huge in the national historic debate of post season college football. Let's say TCU does win. The "Plus 1" crowd will be chirping. And if TCU does win, I'll be chirping too. More football? Hey I'm in. Badgers style football is what its all about, but I have to say I'm rooting for TCU. Bring on the Plus 1. Remember '04 when Auburn was left standing. If we go back and drop in the Plus 1, we would have had the luxury of seeing undefeated Southern Cal vs undefeated Auburn. How in the world can you not like that match up? Yeah, go horned frogs.
#6 UCONN vs Oklahoma
(1/1) 8:30 PM ESPN
Thank the automatic bowl tie-in's for this one. UConn rolls in with an 8-4 record, and the Sooners are 11-2. Not much to say here, except that the Sooners, if they come like they should, will roll big.
Happy New Year!!!
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Saturday January 1st
#1 Northwestern vs Texas Tech in the TicketCity Bowl
(1/1) Noon ESPNU
The battle of the 7-5's. This makes back to back New Year's Day bowls for Northwestern. This one is being played in the Cotton Bowl, and it should be a doosy for Texas Tech. Persa is out for Northwestern and he's the heart & soul for that squad. So goes Persa so goes Northwestern. Tubs gets a bowl win for his first year in Lubbock.
#2 Florida vs Penn State in the Outback Bowl
(1/1) 1:00 PM ABC
Now we're talking! It would not be New Year's without JoePa. We get crusty old JoePa, a living legend, and a Coach leaving the game before his time. Story lines abound in this one. I'm curious how Florida will play against a Penn State team that made great strides in righting the ship this year. It was a bumpy road, but if they can find a way to get the ball to #6 Derek Moye, they should be able to move the sticks. Who knows what Florida will do with their QB rotation. Its a circus back there, and its so maddening to watch that Urban had to step back from the program. They say if you got 2 quarterbacks, you don't have 1. I guess, if you got 3 quarterbacks, start shopping for a new coach. Think JoePa will snag a W, and then step aside? Don't hold your breath. He's coaching forever. God bless him. He's press conferences have become the most surreal experiences I can recall. Gators pull out the W, and Urban goes out with a W...for now.
#3 Alabama vs Michigan State in the Capitol One Bowl
(1/1) 1:00 PM ESPN
A great match up. I am curious which BAMA team will show up. I have a feeling Alabama is frustrated from this year, and I have a feeling the Spartans are walking into a beat down. How will Greg McElroy respond to being body slammed in that Auburn game? He did not look good walking off the field that day, but I think he'll bounce back and be able to hand off to Ingram and Richardson. Hitting Julio on the slant should be open on that D too. Saban is not wanting to go into the off season with a loss. While 9-4 is not too bad, you know he's eyeing 10-3. MSU has won a ton of close games this year, and they done so on grit, hard work, and some good old fashioned trickery. Don't be surprised if the Spartans fake a punt or field goal to stay in the game. Saban gets another bowl victory in the books. I have to send out a Coach of the Year nod to Coach Dantonio. He guided the Spartans to one of their best seasons in the modern era, and he suffered from heart attack after the Notre Dame game victory. Great year, Coach!
#4 Mississippi State vs Michigan in the Gator Bowl
(1/1) 1:30 PM ESPN2
If Rich Rodriquez can pull this one out, Michigan fans and alum might cut him some slack. Nah. They'll be calling for his head rain or shine because he's not a Michigan man. Well let me ask you this Michigan, if he's not a Michigan Man, then why did you hire him in the first place? Seems a bit odd that you'd bring him in, if he did not fit your Primary Job Hiring Criteria. Coaching aside, the kicking game is awful for Michigan. The defense is awful for Michigan, and those are 2 critical components to the game of football. Look for Mississippi State to run it all over this Michigan Swiss cheese defense. Dan Mullen is off to great start.
#5 Wisconsin vs TCU in the Rose Bowl
(1/1) 5:00 PM ESPN
Talk about good looking day of football. This is a the T-Bone Steak you've been waiting for. What a great matchup. Wisconsin is 11-1 and TCU is 12-0. If this game does not get you pumped, something is up. I'm curious how John Clay will run on TCU. I've said all year Wisconsin has one of the best Offensive Lines in the country and how they square up against TCU's outstanding defense is where the game will be won. Andy Dalton and company have an opportunity to go 13-0 and ask "Why not us". That's a debate for another, but this game could be huge in the national historic debate of post season college football. Let's say TCU does win. The "Plus 1" crowd will be chirping. And if TCU does win, I'll be chirping too. More football? Hey I'm in. Badgers style football is what its all about, but I have to say I'm rooting for TCU. Bring on the Plus 1. Remember '04 when Auburn was left standing. If we go back and drop in the Plus 1, we would have had the luxury of seeing undefeated Southern Cal vs undefeated Auburn. How in the world can you not like that match up? Yeah, go horned frogs.
#6 UCONN vs Oklahoma
(1/1) 8:30 PM ESPN
Thank the automatic bowl tie-in's for this one. UConn rolls in with an 8-4 record, and the Sooners are 11-2. Not much to say here, except that the Sooners, if they come like they should, will roll big.
Happy New Year!!!
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Thursday, October 21, 2010
WEEK 8: BIG GAMES OF THE WEEK
As Week 8 approaches there are a couple of really important and standout games. Let's take a look at the best of Saturday.
LSU (7-0) AT AUBURN (7-0)
3:30 PM - CBS
The prime time game of the day features one of the luckiest men in college football, Les Miles going up against the current best player in the country, Cam Newton. Cam has 13 TDs in the passing game and 12 rushing TDs this year. Those are some stout numbers as we enter Week 8.
Auburn's defense has been shaky, but they are still very capable of stepping up when needed. Auburn's Offense can score so quick that their defense is back on the field before they have time to sit down.
As for LSU, they have one of the very best players in the country in Patrick Peterson (CB). He could have a very big day if Newton puts it in the air too often. So far he has 8 career interceptions at LSU. I think Chizik will have a run-heavy attack planned with a couple tricks to keep LSU on its heels.
When it comes to stats, look no further than these:
1. Auburn leads the SEC in points per game with 40.7 (LSU is near the bottom of the SEC with 26.7)
2. Auburn is 3rd in the SEC on 3rd Downs with almost 50% (LSU is middle of the pack with 40%)
3. LSU's defense is allowing just 14.4 a game which is 2nd best in the SEC (Auburn is allowing 24.4)
4. Auburn has 1986 yards on the ground versus LSU's 1318.
Coach Chizik has it going in the right direction on The Plains, and the success Auburn is seeing is directly attributed to Cameron Newton coming to town. He's a winner, and I think Les Miles' luck runs out this Saturday. Look for Auburn by 7.
(Auburn photo courtesy of Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(LSU photo courtesy of Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune)
WISCONSIN (6-1) AT IOWA (5-1)
3:30 PM - ABC
Wisconsin is coming off a big time win as they knocked #1 Ohio State off its perch. That #1 spot is really tough to hold this year, as Bama fell from that spot the previous week.
Starting the game off with a kickoff return for a touchdown really set the tone. Then holding off Ohio State in the 4th Quarter and putting them away really sealed the deal. That win was no fluke.
Bret Bielema has a really solid team this year, in my opinion led by John Clay at running back. He epitomizes what this team is all about: Big, Physical, and Tough.
This match up is so good because Iowa's defense matches up pound for pound. They are big and physical too. Iowa's front 4 on Defense is probably the best D Line in the country. They get it done. With leaders like Broderick Binns, Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard and Karl Klug clogging things up and making life miserable for opposing offenses, it is easy to understand why.
Currently the Iowa defense is 6th overall allowing their opponent to just 13.2 points a game. Make no mistake, this Defense can shut it down.
LSU (7-0) AT AUBURN (7-0)
3:30 PM - CBS
The prime time game of the day features one of the luckiest men in college football, Les Miles going up against the current best player in the country, Cam Newton. Cam has 13 TDs in the passing game and 12 rushing TDs this year. Those are some stout numbers as we enter Week 8.Auburn's defense has been shaky, but they are still very capable of stepping up when needed. Auburn's Offense can score so quick that their defense is back on the field before they have time to sit down.
As for LSU, they have one of the very best players in the country in Patrick Peterson (CB). He could have a very big day if Newton puts it in the air too often. So far he has 8 career interceptions at LSU. I think Chizik will have a run-heavy attack planned with a couple tricks to keep LSU on its heels.
When it comes to stats, look no further than these:
1. Auburn leads the SEC in points per game with 40.7 (LSU is near the bottom of the SEC with 26.7)2. Auburn is 3rd in the SEC on 3rd Downs with almost 50% (LSU is middle of the pack with 40%)
3. LSU's defense is allowing just 14.4 a game which is 2nd best in the SEC (Auburn is allowing 24.4)
4. Auburn has 1986 yards on the ground versus LSU's 1318.
Coach Chizik has it going in the right direction on The Plains, and the success Auburn is seeing is directly attributed to Cameron Newton coming to town. He's a winner, and I think Les Miles' luck runs out this Saturday. Look for Auburn by 7.
(Auburn photo courtesy of Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(LSU photo courtesy of Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune)
WISCONSIN (6-1) AT IOWA (5-1)
3:30 PM - ABC
Wisconsin is coming off a big time win as they knocked #1 Ohio State off its perch. That #1 spot is really tough to hold this year, as Bama fell from that spot the previous week.Starting the game off with a kickoff return for a touchdown really set the tone. Then holding off Ohio State in the 4th Quarter and putting them away really sealed the deal. That win was no fluke.
Bret Bielema has a really solid team this year, in my opinion led by John Clay at running back. He epitomizes what this team is all about: Big, Physical, and Tough.
Currently the Iowa defense is 6th overall allowing their opponent to just 13.2 points a game. Make no mistake, this Defense can shut it down.
But let's be honest: Who has Iowa really played this year? Arizona? I guess, but in a close one they ended up losing that game.
I'm taking Wisconsin and John Clay in a punishing ball controlled game plan. I like the Badgers by a field goal.
(Wisconsin photo courtesy of Morry Gash/AP)
(Iowa photo courtesy of Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
I'm taking Wisconsin and John Clay in a punishing ball controlled game plan. I like the Badgers by a field goal.
(Wisconsin photo courtesy of Morry Gash/AP)
(Iowa photo courtesy of Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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Tuesday, August 31, 2010
SO CLOSE YOU CAN ALMOST TASTE IT - PART V
Over the past week or so, we have covered upcoming games for this monster opening weekend of college football. Dubbed "So Close You Can Almost Taste It", read below and you will see why. Below are links to the previous articles, in case you need to catch up:
Thursday Night - 9/2/2010
Friday Night - 9/3/2010
Saturday Afternoon - 9/4/2010
Saturday Early Evening - 9/4/2010
Now that you're caught up let's jump into the night caps for Saturday (9/4/2010).
Thursday Night - 9/2/2010
Friday Night - 9/3/2010
Saturday Afternoon - 9/4/2010
Saturday Early Evening - 9/4/2010
Now that you're caught up let's jump into the night caps for Saturday (9/4/2010).
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