College Football Questions and Answers: Week 7

Another breathtaking weekend of college football. I’m not even sure where to start so I’ll start at the top and work my way down:

** If you only looked at the final score between Ohio State and Michigan State, and didn’t see the game, you’d think Ohio State escaped with a close win over an evenly matched opponent. You’d be half-wrong. Ohio State did escape with a close win over an evenly matched opponent, but that opponent Saturday was themselves. Ohio State completely dominated a 5-2 Michigan State team at home, holding a potent Spartan offense to 185 total yards and 3 points, including holding the nation’s (formerly) # 7 rusher Javon Ringer to 49 yards on 18 carries. Ohio State held Javon Ringer so far below his average that he went from # 7 on the rushing list to # 13.

Also impressive was that Ohio State rushed for 220 net yards against a team that was only giving up about 100 yards per game coming in.

It almost came unwound during 60 consecutive seconds at the end of the third corner when Ohio State Quarterback Todd Boeckman threw a pick 6 to Otis Wiley and then on the very next play, an Ohio State lineman missed a block which resulted in a sack and fumble for Ohio State and a 25-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Sir Darean Adams.

Everybody in America needs to put the outcome of last year’s National Championship game behind them. This year’s Ohio State team is a different group of kids, and make no mistakes about it- that defense is special. Also know that turnovers are becoming a problem for Ohio State. Of the top 10 BCS teams, Ohio State has the worst turnover margin at +0. Here’s the BCS top 10 and their current turnover margin:

OSU +0
BC +11
LSU +11
ASU +6
Oregon +5
Oklahoma +4
WVU +7
Va Tech +3
Kansas +10
S. Fl. +10

If Ohio State is going to make a return trip to the National Championship this year, they must correct the turnovers. Losing the turnover margin at Penn State or at Michigan will translate into losses.

** Boston College didn’t play Saturday but moved up to # 2 with South Florida’s loss on Thursday. BC has a Thursday night matchup this week at Virginia Tech which should be their first stiff test (and probably only). Lucky for the Eagles, their weakness (pass defense # 105), is also Virginia Tech’s weakness (pass offense, # 101).

** Les Miles is one crazy bitch. His play-call gambling is getting a lot of credit while LSU is winning, but eventually that gambling is going to cost them a game somewhere. It almost did against Auburn this weekend:

Miles gave further proof of his intellectual prowess in the post-game interview with Holly Rowe:

Holly: Tell us about that last call, coach.

Les: (looking like he’s trying to solve long division in his head) Which call?

Holly: (looking as if she’s shocked Miles is able to feed himself) The touchdown call to win the game. Tell us a little about that.

Holly: Weren’t you worried about the clock?

Les: (cognition providing verbal momentum as if it were a snowball made of stupid rolling down a snowy hill) We didn’t use our last time out, we could have called time out after that. Absolutely not. We felt like with 18 seconds, 16 seconds on the clock we were in great shape.

I can’t find the video anywhere but here’s a funny recap of the interview courtesy of www.edsbs.com

** As I foreshadowed in the Ocho on Thursday, South Florida’s field goal percentage (58%) was a problem Thursday night in Piscataway against Rutgers. South Florida Kicker Delbert Alvarado went 2-4 Thursday night including one that was blocked in the 3-point loss for the Bulls. Also a problem for South Florida was Rutgers Running Back Ray Rice. Rice put up 181 yards on 39 carries. Despite the win, Rutgers Quarterback Mike Teal was below average throwing for 179 yards on 11/29 passing (completion). Teal missed open receivers on several occasions which kept the game as close it was.

** I have questioned LSU Quarterback Matt Flynn’s ability to take a team on his shoulder and win the game. He answered that question resoundingly on Saturday against Auburn. Flynn was 22/34 (65%) for 319 yards and 3 touchdowns in the win over a pretty decent Auburn pass defense. The win wasn’t all roses for LSU- specifically on defense. I know, I know- how dare I question LSU’s defense? Consider this- Auburn put up 24 points and 296 yards against the LSU D. Auburn came into the game as the 98th ranked offense (by YPG) averaging 335 yards per game. Including the game this weekend, Auburn is ranked # 58 in rushing offense, # 106 in pass offense, and # 70 in scoring offense. That’s not the kind of dominating defense we expect from LSU, but you won’t hear that mentioned from anyone on television…

** South Carolina’s Steven Baldwin offense (no talent, living on a name) finally caught up with them Saturday in a 17-6 loss to a 4-3 Vanderbilt team at home. Nice job coach. This game is the biggest indication to me that the SEC is getting too much credit for “quality of conference”. Vanderbilt and South Carolina are two average teams and neither of them should have been # 6 coming into the game (I’m looking at you Spurrier). I had South Carolina at # 8 in the Ocho and needless to say, they be making a hasty exit this week.

** USC may be slightly underachieving but at least they’re still good for a supreme Notre Dame ass-kicking. The Notre Dame offense continued to amaze with their lack of any playmakers whatsoever with 117 yards passing and 48 yards rushing. 80,795 people were on hand to witness the beating.

** Who has the most difficult strength of schedule in the country? I would have said Notre Dame as their 1-7 record is due in part to playing some very good teams. I was wrong, Notre Dame is # 2 S.O.S. According to Sagarin, the Washington Huskies have the # 1 S.O.S. Fortunately for Tyrone Willingham, the Seattle press are bit more rational than the press and alumni in South Bend that ran him out of town.

Pouty looks are on sale in Seattle.

** Oklahoma is getting a complete pass in the polls this week. Oklahoma remained at # 4 in both the AP and USA Today polls, despite a 17-7 win against a hapless Iowa State team. How hapless? Iowa State came into the game with a 1-6 record and an average margin of defeat of 20 points. Any team in the Big Ten gets dropped for 10-point win over a 1-6 team.

** Oregon’s offense is sick. Second in the nation in scoring and second in total offense. Their behind Texas Tech in both categories but Oregon has put up those numbers against the # 26 S.O.S. vs. # 111 for Texas Tech. I can’t wait to see USC at Oregon this weekend.

You’re welcome.