Ten (three) Questions I Can’t Wait to be Answered this Weekend

Ahhhhh…Championship weekend. A time when the fate of playoff seeding hinges on conference games decided by the slimmest of margins. Yeah, not so much.

Instead, we’ve got a three-loss team playing a four-loss team in the ACC, neither of which are in the top 15 of the BCS, playing for an automatic BCS bid. We’ve got two teams playing each other in the Big XII with Oklahoma getting a NC birth should they win, but both of whom lost to one-loss Texas in the regular season. And we’ve got a PAC-10 team playing their cross-town rival in what amounts to the PAC-10 Championship due to tie-breakers, but the spread is 30 1/2.

Unfortunately, chaos isn’t on the menu since the SEC and Big XII games have already been determined to be the “de facto national semifinals”, despite USC, Texas, and Penn State not being invited to the soiree.

1.) Is Florida as good as I think they are? I detailed this week what I don’t like about Alabama. Most analysts this week have hedged their bets by saying they like Florida to win, but in a close game over Alabama. I like Florida to win big. The only thing that I think will keep it close to the 10 point spread is the injury of Percy Harvin. Florida has loads of playmakers, but Harvin is the guy that most of the offense is built off of. It’s more than the fact that he’s the second-leading rusher and leading receiver on the team; he sets up almost as much production for other players because he garners so much attention. If he’s not playing quality minutes, the Gators will look different on offense, the effect of which could go either way.

2.) Can the Missouri defense make a stop? Oklahoma State tried to match scores with Oklahoma last week, and they ran out of bullets in the 4th quarter. Missouri will have to do the same, and will come up short as Okie State did unless their defense can come up with a couple key stops in the 2nd half. Missouri QB Chase Daniel will also need to play out of his mind to keep the Tigers close. He’s been the odd man out in the Big XII QB lovefest this year, and is also a fiery guy, so expect him to play really well, or really bad. Oklahoma is going to win but for the sake of a good game, I’m hopeful Missouri can cover the 16.5 point spread.

3.) Will USC hold UCLA to negative points? You may recall this little gem earlier in the season (to which the USC fan response is at the top of the post):

One look at the statistics below and it’s hard to imagine UCLA will be able to do anything positive on offense or defense against big brother. That’s why Vegas made USC more than a four-touchdown favorite and yet 55% of the money still has gone to USC. Here’s hoping Rick Neuheisel has saved a couple dozen tricks for the game that will define his career at UCLA. I’ll consider it a victory if the Bruin offense crosses the 50.

While I still have nightmares from my September trip to the Coliseum, it would be too neat and tidy for USC to lose, so in addition to expecting USC to win big, I’ll be rooting for them to do so as well.

You’re welcome.