Ten Questions

USC -v- Oregon is the marquee matchup, but there are a few other games to catch this Halloween weekend. Here are your ten (seven) questions:

1. Pac-10 Coach of the Year for Chip Kelly if Oregon beats USC?
Not that Oregon isn’t a good football team, they are. Following the implosion to start the season against Boise State, Chip Kelly has done a masterful job pulling the Ducks together (getting their ducks in a row if you will), with Oregon ripping off six straight wins.

USC and their 2011 Heisman Trophy winning Quarterback Matt Barkley come into Autzen Stadium to try and give Oregon their first conference loss.

In case you haven’t seen Oregon much this year, they’re a quality team, with a few exceptions.

The defense is solid, particularly their pass defense which will be tested early and often from Damian Williams and well…pretty much just Damian Williams. They’re getting a lot of pressure on quarterbacks ranking 10th nationally in sacks- the leader of that group is Kenny Rowe who’s getting a sack per game.

On offense the Ducks are very one-dimensional, getting lots on the ground and little through the air. Also, despite a decent turnover margin, Oregon is fumbling much more than they’d like to.

This game, just like the Oregon-Boise State game comes down to the lines and Jeremiah Masoli. Boise State manhandled Oregon on the offensive and defensive lines, putting the game in Masoli’s hands and forcing him to win by throwing. USC obviously has the athletes to do that, I’m just not sure yet they’ve got the heart. The USC defense in particular has played complacently at times the last couple weeks. They’ll have to play better than that to best an Oregon team that should be plenty motivated.

Oregon also will need a running back to step up and take pressure off Masoli. The best candidate for that is LaMichael James (translates to “the Michael” James) who has three 150 yard games this year including two in a row.

USC is favored by 3 but I like Oregon to win by the same.

2. What are the oddsmakers in Vegas smoking (besides weed, surplus stripper hand bills, and the deed to their value-less home)?
The current line on Ohio State -v- New Mexico State is 44 points. It started at 40 on Monday and has gone up by 4 which means gamblers weren’t originally willing to lay money on NMSU (or UNMS?).

This is a stunning fact considering that Ohio State has yet to score 40 points this season and continues to have injury issues at running back and on the offensive line.

The Buckeyes covered the spread with authority last week which could be part of the reason for the monster line this week. That, plus the fact that a 3-5 WAC team is coming into town. Not only a 3-5 WAC team, but a 3-5 WAC team that has won all three of their games by three points, and statistically the worst offense in Division I football. Still, 44 points is setting the bar awfully high.

Ohio State by 30.

3. I hear you’re a man and I understand you’re 40, but can you beat Texas without Dez Bryant?
Oklahoma State is a good team. They’re explosive and balanced on offense, they’re forcing turnovers on defense and they’ve got a quality veteran at quarterback. The one place they’re vulnerable unfortunately is passing defense. Not exactly the place to be vulnerable when Colt McCoy is playing for the other team.

Texas is going to score but I’m anxious to see if they can get the running game going against a good OSU rush d. Okie State will need to score often to keep up and I think they will do it- pulling off the upset over Texas by 4. Texas is favored by 9.

4. How much does Georgia miss Knowshon Moreno?
The 2009 Georgia Bulldog team is a shell of the ‘08 team, mostly because of the loss to Moreno to the NFL (and Matt Stafford). Georgia ranks 103rd nationally in rushing and dead last in the SEC. On top of that they’ve got a bad defense and are giving up way too many turnovers.

As much as I’d like Florida to lose, this isn’t the game for that to happen. In fact, after the bad outing Tebow had last week, I expect the Gators to rebound big winning by 20+. Florida is favored by 15 and Gators are favored by 2 over humans on land (by 19 in the water).

5. How can you not be intrigued by Michigan at Illinois?
If for no other reason than morbid curiosity, I’m going to watch this game Saturday. Michigan should still be wobbling after getting the business end of JoePa’s highwater sneakers last week in Ann Arbor. Meanwhile Illinois has been a complete disappointment this year and needs to win all five remaining games just to qualify for a bowl game (and a crappy one at that).

Baby Tate Forcier hit the wall last week going 13-of-30 for 130 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception. He’ll get an underperforming and Peep-like soft Illini defense to rebound, and I expect he will. Michigan should win by 10+. The Wolverines are favored by 7.

6. Might Penn State get tripped up at Northwestern?
Not bloody likely. With a Senior at Quarterback, a Senior at the Head Coaching position, and a blossoming run game, I’d like to think the Nits have the leadership and experience not to overlook an inferior opponent, even if it is the week before the showdown with Ohio State. Still, Northwestern can score points and has made a habit of winning close games. The Wildcat defense is putrid and Penn State should have no trouble scoring so it falls on the Nittany defense to shutdown Team Kafka in the purple and white.

Penn State is favored by 17 and I like them to win by at least that.

7. Are you ready for the Big East Fiesta?
With the exception of the love affair with Cincinnati, there’s been little reason to watch Big East football this year. That’s about to change, starting this week with West Virginia at South Florida (WVU is favored by 3). The remaining games in the Big East include:

West Virginia @ Cincinnati
West Virginia vs. Pittsburgh
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh vs. Notre Dame
South Florida vs. Miami
Louisville vs. Syracuse (basketball, not football. Sorry Greg Paulus).

Go Buckeyes.