Week 7 Key Games and Picks

 

Week 7 Key Games and Picks

    It's hard to believe that the 2013 College Football season is half over. I know, I know..... Some of you could have done without the reminder. But don't worry, there is some good news here too. The later we get into the season, the better the matchups get. That being said, let's see what matchups make the cut for this week's Key Games and Picks. My Current Record 29-8 on the season.

   Rutgers at Louisville.

This will be the Cardinals first real test of the season, and that feels weird just saying that because even after this weekend, the Cardinals will still not have played a ranked team. Louisville will be the heavy favorite, just like they have been all season. Unless Rutgers has something we haven't seen before, I am pretty confident Louisville wins this game. And really, they need to win convincingly. My Pick: Louisville

    Arizona at USC

This is a game I would love to stay away from in my picks, but I just can't, seeing as how USC no longer has Lane Kiffin. In fact, in case you missed the big announcement, Lane Kiffin will appear on College Game Day on ESPN Saturday morning. Hmmm, if it was at Arizona, I could maybe swing for Arizona...... But I will stick with USC at home. My Pick: USC

    Oregon at Washington

The Huskies proved they are a legit threat last week. However, Oregon is a different animal. Washington may keep it close for a half, but eventually Oregon will take control and win by a few scores. My Pick: Oregon

    Florida at LSU

This is a pretty interesting matchup. Florida looks like they have evolved since their loss to Miami..... Driskel is out with a season ending injury, and from what I've heard, Florida fans are pretty excited that Driskel isn't the starter. The Gators seem to have found an offensive spark with Murphy at QB. Playing at LSU won't be easy, though. Murphy will truly be tested on the road this weekend... But let's put the spotlight on the Gators' defense. This defense has been very solid, and this will be a true test for them. I like LSU, but when a team 'Ds' them up, they struggle and make mental mistakes. It's almost like Aaron Murray with Georgia, but this season he has proved he can play in the big games. I want to see LSU play in the big games and play well. The Tigers know that a loss would all but end their SEC title hopes. This game doesn't get enough attention, in my opinion. This is a huge SEC matchup. It could effectively ruin the season for one team, or it could turn a season around for the other. If this was in the Swamp, I would go Gators all the way..... Ahhh, who am I kidding, I think Florida's defense will be the difference in the game. My Pick: GATORS

     Missouri at Georgia

Okay, so Georgia survived last week, but came away with fewer weapons on offense. I still think Georgia has what it takes to win the SEC East, but they will depend on a couple different players going forward. If I was a Georgia fan, I would be pretty nervous about this game. And I know you don't want to see that after what almost happened last week in Knoxville. Wow, I have to admit I really like the upset alert here.... But it's in Athens, and Georgia plays really well at home. And there is no doubt that Mark Richt is using last week's game as a 'wake up call' for his team. I just can't have TWO upset picks in a row. It will be a good game though.

My Pick: Georgia

    Texas A&M at Ole Miss

Well, we saw that Alabama could handle Ole Miss with little to no problem, and I wouldn't expect anything less from the Aggies here. It might even get worse than what Bama did to Ole Miss. No brainer here. My Pick: Texas A&M

    California at UCLA

The Bruins get a chance to continue their rise in the ranks. We saw what Ohio State did to Cal, now we want to see how UCLA handles them. The Bruins have looked strong, but they are just starting to get into the real meat of their schedule. I really like the Bruins as a 'Dark Horse' in the PAC-12. After this week, we will get a real good idea of where the Bruins matchup with the elite teams in the PAC-12. They play Stanford and Oregon in back-to-back weeks. Some might worry that UCLA will be looking ahead, but I think they feel like they have to prove themselves every week.

My Pick: UCLA

    Oklahoma at Texas.

Ah yes, the much anticipated rivalry game. The storyline on this game is all about Mack Brown. Will he be fired after the game if Texas falls to the Sooners again? How much longer does Mack Brown have left at Texas? Questions that fans desperately want answers to... An upset here almost fully saves his job, however. Do Texas fans want Mack Brown to stick around? After all, this is the guy who coached the Longhorns to a BCS Title. I think there are a few fans out there ready for him to leave. Sadly for those fans, I think the only way he gets fired after this game is if it turns into a blowout, like it has been the last 4 years. Even then, I find it hard to believe that Texas would fire their coach in the middle of the season. And you know what? I respect Texas if that is the approach they take. Nobody really thinks about what it does to a program to fire a coach in the middle of a season. The student athletes, the assistant coaches...... It's a tough process to go through. Okay, enough with the soft approach here..... Oklahoma is going to run the ball down the Longhorns' throat. My Pick: Oklahoma

    Northwestern at Wisconsin.

Wow, what a game last week for Northwestern. They had their shot at stealing the fame and spotlight from Ohio State, and they fell just a little short. Now, the question is, how do they respond? Wisconsin won't roll over them, so they better come out angry. I am going to stick by Northwestern, even after the tough loss.

My Pick: Northwestern

    Michigan at Penn State

It has been a very tough road for Penn State this season. But I think that is what makes them dangerous. Michigan fans have to wonder, especially after what they have shown the last 3 to 4 weeks. I wouldn't want Penn State on my schedule this year, simply because they can make their season a so called 'success' with ONE signature win. I don't know if Penn State get's that ONE this week, but they will be fighting pretty hard to get it. My Pick: Michigan

    South Carolina at Arkansas

So, is Clowney going to play? Only one person knows the answer to that, and that is Clowney. Spurrier started a brush fire by using the words "if he wants to play, then he will play". Regardless, I think South Carolina is in for a tough game. Arkansas is right on the edge of being a fairly good team, and they too, are looking for that signature to win. I tell you what, this might be an upset special weekend. I am taking the Razorbacks. My Pick: Arkansas

    Virginia at Maryland

How does Maryland respond after they were beat into the ground by Florida State last week? Virginia has been up and down, but mostly down. I see Maryland getting back on track this weekend and taking down Virginia. The Cavaliers just give up too many points in games they should be able to control. Last week comes to mind, 48 points given up to Ball State. My Pick: Maryland

   Boston College at Clemson.

Don't read too much into this game if Clemson smokes Boston College. And by that, I mean it wouldn't be a good comparison to compare this game with FSU vs Boston College from earlier this season. A: It was AT Boston College. B: FSU clearly was playing a little more vanilla on defense. Say what you want, but it's true. At the same time though, Clemson has to be careful to not overlook the Eagles this weekend. The Tigers have their sights set on next week's FSU matchup, but they have to get through Boston College first. Clemson should win easily here..... But remember, don't read too much into this game. My Pick: Clemson

   It was a big list of games to hit this week, which means there will be lots of football to watch this weekend. Enjoy the games starting tonight with Louisville vs Rutgers.

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Week 7 College Football Discussion

Week 7 College Football Chatter

   There is a lot to tackle today..... So let's get it started with a look at the updated AP Poll.

AP POLL

1. Alabama

2. Oregon

3. Clemson

4. Ohio State

5. Stanford

6. Florida State

7. Georgia

8. Louisville

9. Texas A&M

10. LSU

11. UCLA

12. Oklahoma

13. Miami

14. South Carolina

15. Baylor

CollegeFootball2Day's Poll

1. Alabama

2. Oregon

3. Clemson

4. Stanford

5. Florida State

6. Ohio State

7. Georgia

8. Louisville

9. UCLA

10. Miami

11. LSU

12. Texas A&M

13. Oklahoma

14. Baylor

15. South Carolina

   I think Georgia might be in a little bit of trouble with a couple injuries suffered in the game against UT. It will be interesting to see if Georgia can hang around and keep winning.

   Ohio State slipped some in my ranks, but not because of their game against Northwestern. It was a good win, no doubt, over a ranked team, but I put into question the strength of schedule for Ohio State. The B1G Ten used to be pretty well respected, but that is not the case anymore.

   Baylor is the biggest surprise, in my opinion. I haven't watched hardly any of their games this season..... Then I watched their game this past week. Anybody see a defense slowing down Baylor's offense? Now, don't misunderstand me, they are beatable.... But it's going to take a lot of points.

   Louisville is in a tough place half way through the season. There is not much more they can do to move up. Yes, they have to keep winning, and they have to do it convincingly, but I don't think they will get to the top 3 or 4 without some teams losing 1 or even 2 games. Like it or not, that's the way it is when you play in the AAC, formerly the BIG EAST. 

  Conference Power Rankings

1. SEC

2. PAC-12

3. BIG 12

4. ACC

5. B1G Ten

6. AAC (Formerly the Big East)

Let the debate begin. Send me your teams rankings and conference rankings. Disagree with my rankings? Hey, that's fine.... Tell me why they are wrong. Send anything and everything college football to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com ; post to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day

Reader Questions

 Tim Shay writes: How much do you think Michigan should play Jake Ryan this week at Penn State? Clearly the Nittany Lions aren’t quite as strong as we might have thought at the beginning of the season – though certainly Michigan cannot take that approach again or they will lose this time – but Ryan was the Wolverines’ best defender a year ago, and the Wolverines could definitely use some help on that side of the ball.

   Thanks for the question Tim. I think Michigan has to play him, no doubt. They have to get him back in the groove before bigger games come along.....like Ohio State. I would give him a couple drives in each half. I don't think playing him on every drive in the first half and then sitting him in the second is really the best approach. I think he has to get a feel for playing in all 4 qtrs, but play every other drive or in certain situations in the redzone, etc. I think ultimately it comes down to how Jake Ryan feels. If he gets out there and doesn't feel real good about pushing himself, then sit him. If Michigan can play to their potential, then they should be able to handle Penn State without Ryan. Thanks again Tim.

     These next questions/comments comes from Bill Ritchie. He and I have had some interesting debates on various topics, but this last one has me scratching my head and wanting to hear from more fans.

Bill: Once again Louisville takes care of business and wins easily while Georgia needed luck and an OT to beat a bad UT team and OSU has to come from behind to beat Morthwestern. Yet they still remain above us in these polls that don't even come close to actually ranking teams based on skill but on hype.

Jeremy: Louisville played Temple. OSU played a ranked team.... When can Louisville say that outside of a Bowl Game?

Bill: Rutgers and UCF will be ranked in the top 25 by seasons end. Cincy may be too, be that as it may I don 't think it should be a popularity contest. You have the best record you should have a shot at the championship without regard to "strength of schedule" which is all in the minds of the imbeciles that do the rankings.

Jeremy: It's sad really.... Just sad. I guess everyone should try to schedule the weakest teams out there just so they can go undefeated.... That's not how it works... Nor even should it work that way.... Sad... Strength of schedule is everything... You must play the best if you want to beat the best... It's as simple as that.

Bill: Bama does. Their nonconference schedule is embarrassing.

Jeremy: Alabama plays some ranked teams from the SEC.... However, I certainly agree that their Non-conference schedule is a joke.

Bill: Again ranked by people who have an SEC bias. We beat the SEC every time we play them. We could beat Bama, Georgia, or A&M with no problems just like we did Florida.

Jeremy: Bill, you certainly are entitled to your opinion, and while I agree that Louisville could beat a few SEC teams, I don't think they could do it every week. Boise State is a great comparison to Louisville. Boise State could win that one big game every season but I don't think they could handle playing 3 or 4 big games like that over a 5 or 6 week stretch. Louisville will get more respect after they join the ACC. Sure, the ACC has its flaws, but when you bring your Cardinals to play Miami, Clemson, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and play in a conference championship, I promise Louisville would get more respect.

Thanks Bill, I always enjoy the discussions on Facebook. I would love to hear from more Louisville fans and maybe some other fans who want to weigh in on this. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day Join in on the debate, or bring another topic in.... Anything College Football.

James in Tallahassee writes: I think you are right about FSU holding back on defense. They will show a little more against Maryland, but I think they are saving something for Clemson. Having not yet seen the Maryland game yet, what are your thoughts about the Clemson game? Will FSU be ready?

Thanks James, and sorry that the Reader Question segment was postponed last week. I think we can both agree that maybe we still haven't seen FSU's TRUE defense. They ended up shutting out Maryland. I don't care what people say about Maryland being overrated. Maryland is now 4-1, and I still think Maryland is going to win 8 games. Maybe they don't end up in the top 25 at the end of the year, but shutting them out proves we weren't seeing the whole picture with FSU. To be fair, the shutout against Maryland may be a little skewed too.... If Maryland's starting QB doesn't get hurt in the first half, you think they would at least found the end-zone once, right? And I don't have to keep saying this, but all of the college football world is pointing to that Clemson game. My thoughts on Clemson? Yikes, I hate to even start speculating on a game that is 11 days away. Honestly, at this point I see a game similar to last year's game in Tallahassee. Clemson is going to try to use FSU's aggressive approach against them. I think this game will be a shootout for a little longer than it was last year. There again, unless there is something we are missing about FSU's defense. Give me a week before you want me to speculate anymore about this game.... Those around me know I don't handle games like this very well....and it's not the 'during the game' that bothers me. It's the days and hours leading up to the game that bother me....

Thanks again, everyone.

Week 6 Recap

Week 6 Recap

    Whoa, there were some close calls this weekend for a few top 10 teams. My picks held up pretty well, minus Arizona State falling to Notre Dame. To top off the weekend, there weren't any real surprises (other than how close some games were). All the big teams that were supposed to win, got their win. Here is a look back at some of the action from week 6.

Best Game(s) of Week 6

 

    
     It's hard to tell which game was the most exciting to watch. There was Georgia at Tennessee that went to OT, Ohio State  coming back in the 4th qtr to beat Northwestern, and Stanford hanging on to beat Washington. All three of those games were intense from start to finish. But I think I have to give the Georgia at Tennessee game the tag of "Best Game of Week 6". It was a game that Georgia should have won by 20+, but it turned into a struggle in the second half. And if the last 5 minutes of the game weren't the most exciting 5 minutes of football in week 6, then I don't know what is...... The Vols converted 2 fourth downs on their final drive and took the lead. Tennessee looked like they had this game won..... But Aaron Murray proved once again, that he is an elite passer. He kept his cool and took Georgia down the field and tied the game to put it into OT. Wow, then there's OT.... And UT had things going again..... until the tough fumble that rolled out of the end-zone for a touchback. It was a very close call, but it was the right call. Georgia took advantage and won the game...... and it came at a high price. RB Keith Marshall and WR Justin Scott-Wesley suffered season-ending ACL injuries. We will find out just how resilient Georgia is over the coming weeks. They still have a big game with Florida left, but the rest is manageable. 

   Ohio State didn't disappoint. They took every punch Northwestern had and kept fighting. Eventually Ohio State wore them down, and that was the difference in the game. Depth and endurance kept Ohio State from losing a close game.  Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes have now extended their winning streak to 19, and it shouldn't come to an end any time soon. In fact, I never realized how soft a schedule Ohio State had until I started checking who they have left. Really Michigan is the biggest threat Ohio State has left, minus the B1G Ten Championship game. I would even go as far as saying that an undefeated ACC team would get into the BCS Title game before an undefeated Ohio State. Ouch B1G Ten.... just OUCH!

     Stanford has the toughest road ahead of these three. Stanford took care of Washington, and they still have some big games ahead. UCLA, Oregon, California, and Notre Dame. None of those teams are going to lay down for Stanford. And yes, USC is another team they have to play, but I figure USC has checked out for the season.

    All three of those games were fun to watch. Georgia's game didn't go as planned, but that's what made it fun.

Surprise of the Week

   Speaking of games not going as planned (or at least in the media's eyes)..... Florida State destroyed 25th ranked Maryland. All week long, ESPN talked this game up. There were sports writers that thought this game would be a shoot-out. After the FSU vs Boston College game last week, who wouldn't? The Noles struggled on defense a week prior, and many people took that as FSU's defense would be exposed even more by a team averaging 38 points a game. Well, this game couldn't have been any farther from the expectation of what the score would be at the end. Florida State scores 63 points and Maryland didn't find the end-zone the entire game. 
  
    While ESPN insists on throwing up 'Famous Jameis' highlights, the real highlight has to be the defense. Complete and total domination from FSU's defense. Winston was great but the defense was even better. Now, which is which with Florida State? Is the defense we saw in the first 4 games a better measurement of what FSU's defense really is? Or was FSU pacing themselves the first 4 games and trying to hold back? What are the Noles hiding? Many of us were hoping that the Maryland game would answer some of those questions, but now that has left us wondering even more. And the scary part is, I don't think we have seen the 'fireworks' that Jimbo Fisher has talked about over the last few weeks. Both Fisher, and the players have said numerous times, "you haven't seen everything, yet" or "there's so much we haven't shown yet".  Sure, it's talk, but there has to be some truth to it. And Florida State now has two weeks to prepare for their toughest game of the season. Clemson looks like a machine right now. FSU looks pretty solid too. Both teams will be put to the test on October 19th.

    Reader Question Segment is coming tomorrow. I have about 5 questions on tap for tomorrow, but if some of you want to add to it, then send them to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day And don't forget to join the discussion at www.fans25.com  

Week 6 Key Games and Picks

Week 6 Key Games and Picks

 

   As conference match-ups begin to really heat up, it's sure to be an interesting weekend of college football. 

  

Biggest Games of Week 6

   A couple of ACC match-ups make up this list.

Georgia Tech at Miami.  

   The Yellow-Jackets are looking to get back on track with a big road win over the Canes. Simply put, Georgia Tech has their work cut out for them. The Hurricanes are gaining momentum each week, and they are looking more and more like the Canes we all used to know. I just don't see Georgia Tech being able to run their offense consistently enough against Miami.... On the other side of the ball, I think Miami has a huge advantage with a very experienced offense that can light up the scoreboard. 

My Pick: Miami

Maryland at Florida State.

  The Terps are 4-0 and ranked 25th in the AP Poll. The Noles are 4-0 and have played a tougher schedule than the Terps thus far. The story in this game will be FSU's defense. Was last week a fluke? Is this just the beginning of some growing pains for the Noles' defense? And maybe an under the radar story is "Are the Terps for real?" So many questions surrounding this game, and so much riding on this game for both programs. On paper, FSU has the athletes all over the field to control this game.....However, the Noles' defense has looked pretty shaky in their new system under first year coordinator Jeremy Pruitt. The biggest key for FSU is to start fast. When FSU gets on a run, they are unstoppable. And they could break Maryland early if Winston can start fast. The same can be said for FSU's defense, which has started slow in each of their first 4 games. I still think, even with FSU's defensive struggles, the Noles have enough firepower to win. 

My Pick: Florida State

Other Key Games this Week

 

LSU at Mississippi State. 

   The Tigers are coming off a tough loss to Georgia. This one could get ugly if the Tigers let out all their frustration from last week. No question here, LSU gets the win.

My Pick: LSU

Washington at Stanford.

  Stanford looks to continue their success with a win over the Huskies. Should be no problem here. The Cardinal at home? Yeah, it will be business as usual for Stanford. 

My Pick: Stanford

Georgia at Tennessee.

   

    I don't think it's a question of who will win in this game, so much as it is how many points will Georgia put up? If UT wants to keep it respectable, they need to sustain some drives and work the clock. Try to keep Georgia's offense off the field for as long as possible, and don't cough up the ball. 

My Pick: Georgia

TCU at Oklahoma.

    This is an intriguing match-up. Maybe the sleeper game of the week. TCU likes to play really tough in key games, much like they did against LSU at the start of the season. There is only one key problem for TCU, though..... They are playing in Oklahoma. The Sooners are pretty solid at home, and when they get a lead, they don't take their foot off the gas. Home field advantage is all that is keeping me from picking TCU to upset the Sooners. 

My Pick: BOOMER! SOONER!

Ohio State at Northwestern.

  Keep an eye on this game. A lot like Maryland, Northwestern has yet to prove that they are for real but they will have their shot this weekend. Urban Meyer has the Buckeyes off to another impressive start and I don't think they will slow down this weekend. 

My Pick: Ohio State

SNOOZER GAMES OF THE WEEK:

Georgia State at Alabama.

  What in the world is Alabama doing? Why even schedule this game? It's games like this that make me wish the 2014 play off system was already in place. Games like this should be a thing of the past here pretty soon.

Louisville at Temple.

  Am I the only one who thinks that every one of Louisville's games should be considered a snoozer this season? I mean, really.... Let me know when they play a game that they aren't favored by double digits.

 Reader Question Segment is postponed until Monday. If you have a question or comment, send to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day

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A Closer Look at Florida State

Grading Florida State 

    Jimbo Fisher and the Noles are 4-0 thus far. Jameis Winston has been amazing. The offense appears to be some type of three headed monster. Running-backs Freeman and Wilder Jr have been solid....and even recently converted safety, Karlos Williams, has been strong for the Seminoles' run game. The offensive line might be the best it's been since coach Fisher arrived at Florida State. And the WRs have been incredible. So the offense is what fans have been hoping for, but what about the other side of the ball?

    In each of their four games, the defense has started slow and given up a lot of yards. The best comparison I can make for some of the casual fans out there is that so far this season, the Noles have given up over 600 yards rushing. Compare that to last years defensive total, and it should start to worry FSU fans a bit. Last season their defensive unit only gave up about 1,200 yards rushing FOR THE SEASON. So, through just four games, the Noles have given up half of what they gave up all last season. That has to stand out to the coaching staff.

   So was last week's game against Boston College a fluke? I would like to think so. I also think it is still a possibility that Defensive Coordinator Jeremy Pruitt is keeping the play-calling very bland and simple. Fisher even admitted after the game against Pitt, that they would keep it very plain. Obviously being in a new defensive system, you don't want to show all your new tricks and schemes early in the season against weaker foes. You want to save the better plays and different looks for a more difficult opponent......like Clemson. However, it may be that we see some of that when the Noles face the Terps this weekend. Maryland has been the surprise thus far in the ACC. They are 4-0 and they look a lot like Clemson on offense. So FSU should really use this game as a 'tune up' for their upcoming battle with Clemson, which is just over a couple weeks away. 

    Fisher has down played the performance of the defense thus far. He insists that it's just a couple of miscues and misreads. Sure, the new aggressive style is very different from Stoops' style of defense.....but is it too complex for this group of players at this point? They have had one spring and fall camp to learn the system. That's not long to learn a scheme that took a couple of seasons and a couple recruiting cycles at Alabama before you could see the results. My guess is that by this time next season, we will see a much stronger and aggressive defense at Florida State......but that's the problem. FSU needs this defense now. The offense can hold its own with anybody in the country right now, but that defense won't make it any easier on the offense if they can't stop anybody.

    Through four games, we have seen flashes of that great defense. We have seen a few wild blitzes, and a couple interceptions forced because of pressure, but we haven't seen the consistency it will take to win the ACC again, and make a trip to a BCS Bowl. Maybe it's just fans being impatient.... Maybe Fisher is telling the truth and this defense is holding back a little bit; not trying to show all of their cards early in the season. Or it could really be that reality has set in a little bit at FSU and when it comes to replacing six or seven key defensive players that entered the draft.....it's not easy. And of course, how could we forget about the SIX NEW COACHES on staff this year?

   At this point, FSU has every reason to not look as good as they were a year ago. They lost a dozen players to the draft (including their starting QB).... Six new coaches, and a new defensive scheme.... FSU shouldn't be expecting to win the ACC, or even be in the running for it.... right? Well, not exactly. The fact is, the Seminoles have found a star QB to plug into a loaded offense, and the defense is learning a new system in which plays right into their players abilities. This team is very young and they are 4-0. Maybe there are some problems with the defense, but there were problems under Stoops' first year running the defense too. It's a learning curve, and by season's end, this defense will be great again. It's just a matter of time before it clicks..... and believe me, I am like many FSU fans out there and I want it to click now. Until Coach Fisher and Coach Pruitt pull out all the stops and we see what the new defense can do (or not do) against an opponent like Clemson, Miami, or Florida, I will reserve judgment. 

     

     Is Maryland for real? Is Florida State who we think they are? Many questions will be answered this weekend.

    Check back for Key Games and Picks later this week. Don't forget to send in your questions and comments for this week's Reader Question Segment. Send to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day 

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Week 5 Recap College Football

Week 5 Recap

 

   So much to get to today after a big weekend of football. I'll start with a comment that was left on last week's "Key Games and Picks" segment. 

"You blew it big time on the Georgia Tech pick! The ACC is weak again this year.. Florida State and Clemson seems to be the cream of the crop. Florida State has yet to be tested. Clemson? Well they played a Georgia team thats good offensively. Georgia has a very young and undisciplined defense and probably makes them a bit overrated .I think Maryland will upset Clemson and Clemson will beat Florida State."

-Anonymous 

   Let me start by saying, I understand why you didn't leave a name with this comment. I wouldn't have left a name with such a horrible slew of comments either. So I missed on the Virginia Tech vs Georgia Tech game. I'm sure there are plenty of people who missed this game and many others.... And if I am understanding your comment correctly, because my pick was blown, that means the ACC is weak? Or maybe you just meant that in a pretty general way. This another phrase that I wouldn't leave my name attached to because it couldn't be more wrong. Let me check the stats at this point.... The ACC has a few teams worth mentioning at this point. Miami, Maryland, Clemson, and Florida State are off to great starts. The conference has made some big statements thus far. Not that it's a fair argument, but how may undefeated teams does the SEC have right now? How many undefeated teams does the BIG 12 have? The PAC-12? The B1G Ten? I'm not saying the ACC is the best, but they certainly aren't the weakest thus far. Wins over Georgia and Florida. Maryland is undefeated (which I get that the Terps haven't played the toughest schedule, but a win over West Virginia is looking more respectable now that the Mountaineers have knocked of 11th ranked Oklahoma State). Moving on.... Your next few statements are pretty bad too...... Georgia being overrated? How do you feel about that now? Georgia knocks off possibly the best LSU team in the last 5 or 6 seasons. Yeah, they are overrated alright..... Please...  Last but not least, you say Maryland will upset Clemson. If Maryland is 'for real', then yes, I could see that being a possibility.... And making the Clemson pick over FSU is not a bold move at all. Clemson is favored. And honestly, if FSU doesn't improve defensively, then FSU could end up losing 3 or 4 games. But thanks for posting your comments anyway. Next time have the guts to own your comments. At least the fans who submit their questions and comments for my Reader Question Segment each week aren't afraid to own theirs.... What's trash talking if you don't put a name with it? 

Game of the Week

   Okay, moving on..... How did my picks hold up this weekend. I was 22-7 heading into week 5, and I have come out the other side with a 28-9 record. My losses this weekend came from Virginia Tech beating Georgia Tech, and West Virginia upsetting Oklahoma State. 

   The big win this weekend had to be Georgia over LSU. Aaron Murray played amazing. The supporting cast was every bit as good, too. And, of course, you can't ignore the game LSU had either. Both teams played hard and played great.... Georgia just made a couple more plays down the stretch. If there was a few more minutes left, we might have seen a different outcome.....

   At this point in the season, it is safe to put Georgia in the National Title discussion. This game didn't just boost Georgia, though. Think of what this game did for Clemson. The Clemson Tigers have beaten both of these teams in the last 6 games. Clemson beats LSU in their bowl game last season, and then Clemson starts off with a huge win over Georgia..... Clemson now has to be taken very seriously in the National Title discussion. 

Biggest News of the Weekend

     Lane Kiffin was fired early Sunday morning. It may be some of the biggest news coming out of Week 5, but it certainly is no surprise, right? We all knew this would come if USC had another horrible showing. So, it looks like USC gets the head start over Texas at finding their next coach. Although, I think Texas already has their next coach. That being said.... Can Mack Brown save his job? If Mack Brown finds a way to win the BIG 12, does he keep his job? That remains to be seen, but I think his replacement could still steal the job from Mack Brown even if Texas finds a way to win 9 or even 10 wins. 

Biggest Disappointment of the Week

  Well, it was business as usual for Alabama, but it was boring. If Ole Miss could have thrown up at least one TD, it would have been a lot better to watch. Instead, the Crimson Tide just won with brute strength. Also, I am still not sold on Alabama this year. They are good, but they are clearly not has good as the previous Crimson Tide teams that have won the title the last couple seasons. It will be interesting to see how this team takes care of LSU. And, that all Alabama has to do the rest of the regular season. No more tests outside of the LSU game. Just business. 

Statement Games of the Week

 

    Ohio State passes their first test of the season with a convincing win over Wisconsin. Fun fact about the Buckeyes? Their first and second string QBs are very talented, and that could be proven to be very useful down the stretch.  Urban Meyer is on a roll, but could he be on the outside looking in at the end of the season? If Ohio State goes undefeated, and two other teams already ahead of the Buckeyes stay undefeated, what happens? Well, Ohio State could find themselves left out of the Title game in back-to-back seasons. Both for very different reasons, but how frustrating could it be if it goes that way for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes?

   West Virginia upsets Oklahoma State in a very tight game. Look, this could easily go down as the upset of the week, but I really think West Virginia is as good as they looked this weekend. At the same time, I have thought that Oklahoma State has been overrated based on their body of work thus far. This was a huge game for the Mountaineers. It showed that this team still has some character to respond this way after a huge loss to Maryland the week before.

   Oklahoma took care of Notre Dame. Bob Stoops has to like what his young but talented team has shown thus far. Notre Dame may not be the best test for Oklahoma, but it was still a good win for the Sooners. Are the Sooners a dark horse for the BCS Title game? Mmmmm, I don't think so. Not yet, anyway. But they are getting better every week, and maybe they sneak into that discussion in a few weeks.

   Georgia beating LSU was the game of the week, but it has to be one of the statement games of the week as well. Aaron Murray usually struggles against top ranked opponents, but not this season. He has been pretty solid this year in big games. Against LSU, he a was near perfect. The question for Georgia, now, is can they get to the SEC Title game and take the next step and win? Can Georgia get to that elite level? They have been pretty good for years, but now they have a shot at being great. 

Reader Questions Segment Week 6

   Don't forget to send in your questions or comments this week. Each week I tackle your questions here and give you my thoughts on anything college football. Send to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day. Join the discussion at www.fans25.com Check back for more College Football discussion.    

               

Week 5 Reader Questions

 

   This segment is on YOU. If you are a new readers to CollegeFootball2Day, this segment is dedicated to the readers and followers of CollegeFootball2Day. I tackle your questions, comments, predictions, or anything college football here. If you want in, just send to Jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com, or post to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day) And now you can join the discussion at www.fans25.com

    I stirred up some good questions this week. In a post earlier this week, I mentioned the case at Penn State, and how I thought that the NCAA needs a 'little reform'.  Specifically, I put the attention on the fact that the NCAA had decided to reduce the scholarship penalty against Penn State's football program. If you want a refresher, it's in the Archives (NCAA Reform).

    Here are a couple questions that stemmed from that post.

   Burns Mullins from Virginia writes:  Sorry Jeremy I have to disagree with you on Penn. St. They have changed all their  top positions including president and on  down plus the football players and coaches that are there now weren’t there when all that was going on. The present football players and coaches should not be punished for several yrs. because of something they didn’t have anything at all to do with. I’m not condoning what happened in the least bit but do think it’s time to let the present players and coaches get rewarded for what they are doing. 

    Thanks for reading and the comments. I have to agree, somewhat.... I certainly think it is terrible that whenever a school is caught with something that happened years earlier, the current players and coaches are the ones left with the penalties. This has happened numerous times over the last decade. Schools, players, and coaches have been penalized for violations committed 3, 4, or even 5+years earlier. My complaint with the NCAA over the Penn State issue, is that USC has complied with the NCAA and been very cooperative through that whole process. So... where is there reduction in penalties for good behavior? Unless the NCAA truly feels that they were too harsh on Penn State for something that potentially wasn't even under their jurisdiction. The NCAA took away wins, scholarships, and bowl eligibility from Penn State. I have to ask, though, What NCAA violation did Penn State commit? Yes, crimes were committed and law enforcement officials got involved and the investigation was underway. No ineligible players played football, no academic violations, no recruiting violations, no players were receiving money to play, the list goes on of all the things that they were doing right..... But yet the football program was punished, and punished harshly I might add. At the end of the day, though, I totally agree with your view on the Penn State issue. My problem is that I think other programs who "behave" while on probation should be treated same. I may not like USC, or Lane Kiffin, but the program has done everything right since they were put on probation. Where is their reward for making the right moves?  Thanks for your thoughts and comments.

   Nikki from Kentucky writes: I read your NCAA Reform Post, and I have to agree with most of what you wrote. The NCAA needs to be more Universal in the ways they handle programs that commit violations. One thing that I am shocked you didn't mention through that whole post, though.... Paying college players? Should that be something talked about when NCAA Reform is mentioned? Your thoughts.

    Yeah, you know, I left that out intentionally because it almost needs its own segment, and it's a VERY controversial topic.... but since you asked.... Paying players has to be the ABSOLUTE LAST RESORT. There are alternatives to paying players, and I think it's worth looking into, and implementing at some point. How about a stipend? Not a huge amount, obviously.... But how about $2,000? And let me clarify, EVERY Student Athlete should be eligible for it.... not just players of the major sports. Sure, there are the fans out there that feel very strongly that the 'free' education is enough. Well, I want to ask those fans... Were you a college athlete? Did you try to balance school and sports through college? I have not, but I have spoken with a player at a high profile program who feels like he missed out on having much of a college life because of the demand that is put on these players. He couldn't work a job because he didn't have time. He didn't have any other form of income. There was simply no time for anything like that. The NCAA has pretty much surrounded these college athletes with a false sense of freedom, and the NCAA makes MILLIONS off these student athletes, but yet these students don't ever see a dime from it. I won't listen to the argument that some people will make saying: "these guys go on to make millions after college in the NFL, or NBA....." Look, if you really believe that, I hate to stomp on your beliefs, but the percentage of college players going pro and making thousands, or millions is SO SMALL. And after that small percentage goes pro, what about all the players that don't get that shot at the next level? And I'm totally against the "pay to play" because it would ruin college sports. The smaller programs would go under, and it would be about 10 programs across the country that could afford it.... But the stipend is something every school could handle, especially if the NCAA gave some money back to the programs... I realize that I might have stirred up some more questions and controversy with this one, but you asked for my thoughts.....

Thanks for the question and comments, Nikki.

 Someone sent a question in with no name attached, and I won't post their email..... But thanks for the question anyway.....

Interesting views on the NCAA Reform issue. However my question is not about that. You posted about the coaches you think are on the hot seat. I think Mack Brown is gone after the season. Who do you think replaces him? Same with Lane Kiffin.... Who replaces him?

    WOW... Isn't it a little early to speculate on the replacements for these guys? Oh well,  I can give it a shot. I think the most obvious replacement for Mack Brown might be Will Muschamp. Now, I am not saying he will take the job. Florida is taking pretty good care of him right now, but I could see him leaving Florida. After all, he was the 'coach in waiting' at Texas before he went to Florida. Outside of him, I think Chad Morris (offensive coordinator at Clemson) has to be on the radar at several programs. He won't stay at Clemson forever, and it is very common to see a coordinator get some big job offers after a few years of consistent success. He has to be on the list. As far as USC goes? Hmmmm I can't see anybody from the eastern side of the country wanting to go out there to USC. Chad Morris might get a phone call, but he wouldn't take that job. You know, I think that remains a mystery. I can't think of anybody who would want that job out there... Sure, it's a high profile program, but it has a dark cloud hanging over it right now. What about Mike Leach? He is at Washington State right now, but that can't be where he really wants to stay. OH WAIT... I got it. It would be a perfect fit... Bobby Petrino. (And come to think of it, Petrino makes sense at Texas too)  Okay, you got me.... I really don't have a serious answer for you about replacing Lane Kiffin. 

Thanks for the curve ball question, but I liked it. It's always fun to speculate about coaching changes.

    Thanks for the questions and comments. Enjoy the games this weekend, and CollegeFootball2Day will be back on Monday with the Week 5 Recap. Don't forget to send in your questions each week.