The Week 11 Run down

Between The Hashes - Week 10

Between The Hashes - Week 10

The Week 10 Run Down

It’s Week Number Ten SportzFanz! The Trojans reclaimed the throne of the BCS, the Longhorns pulled off their perfunctory come from behind victory over Oklahoma State, and the Big Ten race is actually starting to clear up. What a week it was –what a week it will be. The Vols look to earn some self respect this weekend up in South Bend. Meanwhile, Missouri and Colorado look to decide just who will take the Big 12 North Crown. Over in Happy Valley, it’s the Nittany Lions are hemmin and a hawin’ to the tune of “Badge’s, Badge’s, We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Badgers!”. And of course that’s little pigskin game set down in Blacksburg with the Hurricane’s whipping up a storm against the Marcus Vick led Hokies. Yessiree, it’s shaping up to be one hell of a weekend out on the college gridiron, so let’s just get right down to the games on in your area…


The Week 10 TV Schedule

Nov 3 Thu Pittsburgh @ Louisville 7:30P ESPN

Nov 4 Fri Toledo @ Ohio 8:00P ESPN2

Nov 5 Sat Iowa @ Northwestern Noon ESPN
Nov 5 Sat Minnesota @ Indiana Noon ESPN2
Nov 5 Sat Texas @ Baylor 12:30P FSN

Nov 5 Sat Tennessee @ Notre Dame 2:30P NBC
Nov 5 Sat N.C. State @ Florida State 3:30P ABC*
Nov 5 Sat Wisconsin @ Penn State 3:30P ABC*
Nov 5 Sat California @ Oregon 3:30P ABC*
Nov 5 Sat Missouri @ Colorado 3:30P ABC*
Nov 5 Sat Alabama @ Mississippi State 3:30P CBS
Nov 5 Sat Illinois @ Ohio State 3:30P ESPN
Nov 5 Sat Army @ Air Force 3:30P ESPN Cl.

Nov 5 Sat Houston @ UCF 6:00P iPAX
Nov 5 Sat Oregon State @ Washington 6:30P FSN*
Nov 5 Sat UCLA @ Arizona 6:30P FSN*
Nov 5 Sat Texas A&M @ Texas Tech 7:00P FSN*
Nov 5 Sat Miami, Fla @ VA Tech 7:45P ESPN

Nov 5 Sat Stanford @ USC 10:00P TBS

*Denotes Regional Action
NOTE: All times are CST.


The Week 10 Run Down

Nov 3 Thu Pittsburgh @ Louisville 7:30P ESPN
This Thursday night, Wanny and the Pitts travel to Papa John’s Stadium to try and extend their win streak to four. That’s right folks, Wanny’s finally got these boys playing some ball and one game out of the conference lead. Lining up on the other side of the ball to stop them, stands the league’s #1 and nation’s #8 rated offense. Aside from that South Florida aberration, these Cardinals haven’t scored less than 31 this season. Of course, on Thursday Brian Brohm and Michael Bush will be facing a Panther defense that has quietly crept up the charts to 20th in the nation overall and 5th against the pass. On a wild Thursday night in November, look for Wanny’s boys to let it all hang out while Petrino marshals his troops for a signature victory.
Cardinals.


Nov 4 Fri Toledo @ Ohio 8:00P ESPN2
With a run game firmly entrenched, Frank Solich has this Ohio club alive and kicking. They ride a two game win streak into this one and are looking to close out the season and claim a post season berth –something not even the Bobcat faithful thought possible to begin the year. Riding into Athens this week are the Toledo Rockets, with the MAC’s best defensive unit and led by QB Brad Gradkowski. If the Bobcats can open the run lanes against the talented Toledo line, that should free RB Kalvin McRae up to have another career day (he’s rushed for 489 yards in the past two weekends). Of course, they’ll still have to find a way to neutralize a shockingly quiet Gradkowski. As night games on the Deuce go, you’ve just got to love that Ohio has been there and done that already this season against Pittsburg.
Ohio - Solich is cooking up a storm in Athens


Nov 5 Sat Iowa @ Northwestern Noon ESPN
While the Big Ten title race finally started to clear itself up last week, neither of these two teams is completely out of it –well, at least until they smash helmets out on the grid iron on Saturday. Both teams are coming tough losses to Michigan, but Iowa should have the upper hand as the Wildcat defense has yet to stop anyone with a pulse (I still maintain the Spartans blew themselves). The unknown in this one is how the Hawkeye defense will fare against the Spread Attack. This will be their first exposure to that type of offense this season (they don’t play Michigan State or Penn State). If the Wildcats carry last week’s hangover into this one, it’ll be yet another disappointing day in front of the home crowd; however, if the freshman can put that game behind them, this one ought to be fun indeed.
Hawkeyes – They’ve had a week off to rest and will control their own destiny if the Badgers win this week.


Nov 5 Sat Minnesota @ Indiana Noon ESPN2
After getting past Michigan three weeks ago, the Golden Gophers have been in a bit of a free fall dropping back to back home games to Wisconsin and Ohio State. Fortunately, they get a reeling Hoosier team that has been outscored 46-125 the past three weeks. With a healthy Bryan Cupito under center, even if Indiana can find a way to slowdown the nation’s leading rusher (Laurence Maroney), they aren’t going to be able to keep pace with the Gophers.
Sota – leaving the ThunderDome it just what the doctor ordered.


Nov 5 Sat Texas @ Baylor 12:30P FSN
While this game has been nothing more than a laugher in recent years, this one should be much more interesting. Texas will definitely look to come out fast and make a statement, but the Baylor defense is fast enough and good enough to keep pace with these Longhorns –at least for a while. With Texas likely down to its fourth string running back (a Wide Receiver), if Baylor can keep this one close they might just tug on Superman’s Cape enough to put the Horns within reach of the Hokies. Of course, that fourth stringer is a dude by the name of Ramonce Taylor –if you haven’t heard of him before, that’s shocking: this guy’s a Reggie Bush in sophomore shoes.
Longhorns.


Nov 5 Sat Tennessee @ Notre Dame 2:30P NBC
Will Tennessee make the post season? At 3-4 and with games left to play against the Memphis, Vandy, and Kentucky there should be any reason to sound the alarm bells about that one just yet. Even so, the Volunteer Nation would just love to see the Purina Boys travel up to South Bend and hand the Golden Domers their third home loss of the year. Of course, in order to that they will have to (1) put their helmets on straight for the first time since traveling down to Baton Rouge in September, (2) find another ground threat with Gerald Riggs out, (3) get some real production out of the quarterback, and (4) find someway for their defense to stop Brady Quinn, Darius Walker, Travis Thomas, Maurice Stovall, and Jeff Smardzija.
Irish –yeah, that’s about 5 too many weapons for these Vols to stop.


Nov 5 Sat N.C. State @ Florida State 3:30P ABC
Unbelievably, it’s been the play under center that has led the Seminoles this season and not the thundering hooves out of the backfield. Drew Weatherford has been one of the biggest surprises of the ACC this year, leading the conference in total yardage with 2,142 on 176 of 284 passing. He did struggle a bit against the Terrapins tenacious pass defense last week and could easily have another bad outing against a very underrated Wolfpack defense. For NC State, the key will be how much production they can get out of Sophomore QB Marcus Stone. In relief of Jay Davis, Stone has been less than stellar, throwing for just 358 yards on 16 of 44 passing for 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
Seminoles – they should be able to tee off on the young quarterback with rabid abandon.


Nov 5 Sat Wisconsin @ Penn State 3:30P ABC
This should be the game that decides the Big Ten title –no really, we mean it this time. For the Nittany Lions, they just need to win this game to clinch at least a share of the title (if not the darn thing outright –I can’t keep all the tie break rules straight). For the Badgers, a win here and they’ll be in the driver seat with just Iowa left on their conference docket. While ordinarily I would love Barry’s Boys in a big bad, in-the-trenches Big Ten showdown, this season the Badgers defense just hasn’t been it’s usual self (rated 97th in the nation). Fortunately for them though, the offense has been an absolute god send this season (7th in the nation in scoring and 43rd overall). Of course, when you bounce all of that against Penn State’s offensive prowess (Michael Robinson, Deon Butler, and Tony Hunt) along with their defensive credentials (14th in the nation), it’s hard to find any tangible reason to think the Badgers will be able to pull this one out in Beaver Stadium. Of course, that’s just the type of game Barry Alvarez loves to play.
Nitanny Lions – they’ve just got too much mojo right now.


Nov 5 Sat California @ Oregon 3:30P ABC
What happened to the Golden Bears? After storming their way to 5-0, they stumbled against UCLA and Oregon State, but then eeked out the dubbya against a determined Washington State squad. For the Highlighters, they’ve quietly moved up the rungs into shouting distance of USC. Despite the lack of publicity, QB Kellen Clemens is quietly building one of the best resumes in college football with 2,406 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. On top of that, he’s proven to be a substantial dual threat quarterback with 228 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, Cal’s Joe Ayoob has regressed as of late, tossing 6 picks in his last 4 games after opening the season with just 1 pick in as many games. This game should come down to whichever quarterback can have a good game, and in the hostile environs of Autzen Stadium, I just don’t see Ayoob doing it.
The Mighty Ducks – Could they be angling for a post season rematch with the Air Raiders?


Nov 5 Sat Missouri @ Colorado 3:30P ABC
Take away games against #2 Texas and #5 Miami and the Buffalos are undefeated and arguably getting the votes necessary to be a Top 10 team. For the Tigers, it’s been more of the same this season as they’ve looked fantastic one week (creaming some Cornhuskers) and totally apathetic the next (losing miserably to the Jayhawks). Which team shows up this week is anyone’s guess, but if you look behind the numbers you’ll find that, in away games, the Tigers are very plain vanilla (They beat Arkansas State handily, but only managed to get past the Cowboys 38-31, and lost to Kansas 13-3). In the friendly confines of the Hilltop at Folsom Field, Buff QB Joel Klatt has thrown for 1,060 yards, nine touchdowns and just one interception while completing a hair under 70% of his passes. Will the Back’n’Gold Tiger D be able to put a dent in Klatt’s hometown success? I think not.
Colorado – they move one step closer to a rematch with the Horns.


Nov 5 Sat Alabama @ Mississippi State 3:30P CBS
Is it possible for the only undefeated team in the SEC to lose to the only winless team in conference play? Well, technically yes. But practically, no. If the Tide defense shows up at all for this one, it’ll take a near miracle for the Bulldogs to put points on the board in the first three quarters. Of course, this one is in Starksville and in front of a nationwide audience so anything can, and quite often does, happen.
Bama – but they won’t look nearly as impressive as they should.


Nov 5 Sat Illinois @ Ohio State 3:30P ESPN
While the Buckeye’s may have to rely on the rest of the Big Ten to get them a 2005 Conference Title, that doesn’t mean the fire has gone out of their belly. Look for the Buckeye’s to continue the offensive fireworks this weekend against one of the conference’s weaker defenses (and in this year’s edition of the Big Ten, that’s saying something).
Buckeyes.


Nov 5 Sat Army @ Air Force 3:30P ESPN Cl.
The command in chief trophy goes to round two this weekend as the Black Knights travel to Colorado Springs for a ground campaign with the Falcons. Air Force brings the nation’s 8th rated run game into this one, while the Cadets will be trying to find a way to get any kind of offense going against one of the nation’s worst defenses. Interesting fact of the week: After this weekend, Air Force just has one game left in its season while Army will still have three more to go.
Falcons.


Nov 5 Sat Houston @ UCF 6:00P iPAX
The Golden Knights host Houston on PAX’s CSTV coverage Saturday evening. After struggling to find any kind of success over the past couple of seasons, the Knights have finally caught a gear and are sitting pretty atop the C-USA East standings. A win this weekend against Houston should all but assure Central Florida the division crown as they just have UAB and winless Rice left to face. For the Cougars, they can turn the East Division upside down by beating the Knights here and Southern Miss next week. In order to do that, Kevin Kolb will have to find WR Vincent Moore and his rhythm.
Golden Knights – this one will make them undefeated at home on the season.


Nov 5 Sat Oregon State @ Washington 6:30P FSN
Last week, the Beavers were bushwacked by the Stoops Brothers at home. This week, they travel to Seattle for a ‘get well’ game against the 1-7 Huskies. While Ty should have his troops better prepared for this one than a lot of people would expect, the simple fact of the matter is, his secondary is going to have an extremely tough go of it containing Mike Hass, the nation’s top receiver. For the Beavers, they will have play much better on defense in order to steal this on out of Husky Stadium (they’re ranked 111th in the nation in defending the pass and 102nd overall).
OSU – This just isn’t Ty’s year is it?



Nov 5 Sat UCLA @ Arizona 6:30P FSN
Behind the play of Freshman QB Willie Tuitama, this Wildcat team has found renewed offensive punch –and they’re going to need it going up against 7th ranked UCLA. One has to wonder just how many times UCLA can continue to pull the rabbit out of the hat at the end of the game, but in this one the surprise might actually be that the Bruins run away with the victory. If this one was being played in Pasadena I would probably believe that, but since its out underneath the lights in the desert I fully expect the Drew Boys will have their hands full.
UCLA – Two Drews are better than two Stoops, at least this year.



Nov 5 Sat Texas A&M @ Texas Tech 7:00P FSN
Poor, poor Aggies. Their pass defense is reeling and their offense is trying to create any kind of continuity, so what happens? They have to travel out to Tumbleweed Central for a tussle with the Texas Air Raid. For the past couple of weeks, the Tech offense has largely been corralled by very good, fast secondaries; this week however, they should have a banner day against a vastly outmanned Wrecking Crew. It’s not that the Aggie defense is really all that bad, but the secondary just doesn’t have the top end speed necessary to make a read and react style defense work –at least, that’s the type of defense the Aggies appear to be playing lately.
The Air Raiders Shock’n’Awe the Aggies after two weeks of pent up frustration.


Nov 5 Sat Miami, Fla @ VA Tech 7:45P ESPN
It’s the ACC showdown game of the season as the Hurricanes travel to Blacksburg to have a knock down, drag out with Marcus Vick and the rest of the Hokies. Sure, VaTech has an awesome team. And sure, they’ve tagged Mighty Miami in the past. But do they have the physicality needed to stand up to a full blown Hurricane defense, swarming and hitting its way to the nation’s top ranking. Of course, the Hokies might not have to put too many points up on the board as they sport the nation’s #2 ranked defense and the Cane O has noticeably less punch than in season’s past. In a game like this, it might just come down to big plays on special teams. While the logical choice on special teams might be VaTech, Miami’s Devin Hester is one of the most dangerous men in the game.
Miami -- The toughest conference in the country loses its BCS bid.


Nov 5 Sat Stanford @ USC 10:00P TBS
In this week’s dessert game, the Trojans defend their 30 game win streak against a Stanford Cardinal squad that is finally hitting on all cylinders –at least offensively. While their pass defense will play their best game (and then some) to keep this one competitive, watch out for the Cardinal attack on offense with QB Trent Edwards, WR Mark Bradford, and RB Anthony Kimble. This game should give us a good indication as to whether the Trojan defense is finally starting to really gel.
Trojans.