College Football: Week 11 matchups to watch

The regular season begins to get closer and closer to the end and we once again have another weekend of trap games for the top four undefeated teams in the country. #1 Alabama hosts #15 Texas A&M in a game that could give the Crimson Tide a spot in the SEC Championship game. #2 Kansas State will travel down to TCU in what could be the toughest of their three remaining games. The Wildcats could potentially be without Heisman frontrunner quarterback Collin Klein and this could provide the Wildcat offense serious problems. #3 Oregon will travel down to Berkeley to take on a Cal team that is already out of bowl contention. The Ducks seem to always struggle when they play in Berkley and what better way for Cal to save their season then to pull the upset. #4 Notre Dame will travel to Boston College in what should be an easy victory. After last weekend though, you just never know how the Irish will play in this game. In other games, the #5 Georgia Bulldogs play at Auburn in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry Game. A win for the Dawgs would give them the SEC East and clinch them a spot in the SEC Championship game. #11 Oregon State will play at #14 Stanford in a game that will most likely eliminate one of these teams from having the opportunity to win the Pac-12 North Division. USC and UCLA will look for wins over Arizona State and Washington State, so they can battle it out next week at the Rose Bowl for a chance to win the Pac-12 South Division. Lastly, who would have thought that a game between Wisconsin and Indiana could potentially decide who moves on to the Big Ten Championship game.

ESPN College GameDay will be live from Aboard the USS San Diego 

matchup: Air Force @ San Diego State 

Saturday, November 10th

1. Wisconsin @ Indiana  12:00 PM ET ESPN2

- Ok, we all knew Wisconsin would probably win the Big Ten Leaders Division. We all just thought the Badgers would be battling it out with Purdue or Illinois. It is the Indiana Hoosiers that are in fact the contender, and will be playing their biggest home game since 2007. The Badgers have named senior Curt Phillips and junior transfer Danny O'Brien co-starters at the quarterback position. The big matchup in this game will be the the Badger's rushing attack against the Hoosiers defense. The Montee Ball and James White tandem is going to be a big problem for an Indiana defense that is giving up an average of 212.5 rushing yards per game. The good thing for the Hoosiers is that they are averaging 33.1 points per game. I think Wisconsin finds it within themselves to win this game and clinch the Big Ten Leaders Division. 

Prediction: Wisconsin 31, Indiana 17

2. #24 Northwestern @ Michigan  12:00 PM ET ESPN

- As of now, we are not sure if Denard Robinson will be starting. Michigan should be happy that Devin Gardner returned to quarterback from the wide receiver position and passed for 234 yards and two touchdowns last week against Minnesota. Head Coach Brady Hoke will no longer give injury updates on his quarterback. The Michigan defense continues to have the seventh best defense in the country, but has struggled to defend the run. Northwestern relies heavily on their running game with Venric Mark and Kain Colter. The Wildcats are currently averaging 236.4 rushing yards per game. The Wolverines need to win this game to have a chance at winning the Big Ten Leaders Division. On the flip side, the Wildcats are trying to stay in the race, but are most likely out as they have already lost two conference games with one coming against division leader Nebraska. If Denard Robinson can't go again, expect this to be a much closer game.  

Prediction: Michigan 24, Northwestern 19

3. #11 Oregon State @ #14 Stanford  3:00 PM ET FOX

- This game will most likely knock one of these teams out of the Pac-12 North Division race. Both teams have a lot in common. Both teams have had quarterback controversies and it is official that the Beavers will start junior Cody Vaz and the Cardinal will start redshirt freshman Kevin Hogan. Both quarterbacks were not starters midway through the season. Both teams also have the two top rushing defenses in the country. The only thing that separates these two teams is that the Beavers have quick wide receivers in Markus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks and the Cardinal have a strong physical running back in Stepfan Taylor. This should be a very good game and it will come down to which defense can convert more turnovers and give their offense better field position.  

Prediction: Stanford 26, Oregon State 23

4. #15 Texas A&M @ #1 Alabama  3:30 PM ET CBS

- The Alabama Crimson Tide are coming off a dramatic win at LSU and look to lock up the SEC West Division with a win over the Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies still have a chance to win the SEC West Division if they can somehow pull the upset in Tuscaloosa. This game will pit the number one defense in the country against the number two offense in the country. The Crimson Tide gave up 17 points last week at LSU, which is the most points they have given up in a single game this season. The Crimson Tide defense gives up an average of 9.1 points per game and only 228.9 total yards per game. The Aggies offense led by Johnny Manziel continues to make this one of the most dangerous offenses in the country. The Aggies are currently averaging 573.5 yards per game. The Aggies played tough against LSU three weeks ago and will need to be able to run the ball and put points on the board if they expect to defeat the Crimson Tide. The Aggie defense will also have to contain a tough Crimson Tide offense led by AJ McCarron.

Prediction: Alabama 27, Texas A&M 20

5. Penn State @ #16 Nebraska  3:30 PM ET ABC/ESPN2

- Nebraska had an important come from behind victory last weekend at Michigan State to keep their lead in the Big Ten Legends Division. Penn State could be the second best team in the Big Ten and this game will prove if they are or not. The Huskers are currently averaging 255.1 rushing yards per game and are putting up 38 points per game. The Nittany Lion defense is giving up 122.4 rushing yards per game and only 17.1 points per game. Taylor Martinez will need to use his legs like last week to spread the Nittany Lion defense out. Martinez is currently averaging 215.6 passing yards per game and 74 rushing yards per game. The Huskers defense will have their hands full in this one as they face a solid Penn State offense led my Matt McGloin. This is going to be a tough home game for the Huskers and will likely be the last game where the Huskers will be challenged. This is going to be really close, but I give the Huskers an edge in this one because they are at home. 

Prediction: Nebraska 31, Penn State 27

6. #5 Georgia @ Auburn  7:00 PM ET ESPN2

- It's the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry and a lot is on the line for the Georgia Bulldogs. If the Dawgs win this game they are the SEC East Division champions and will head to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game. The Auburn Tigers snapped their five game losing streak last week as they defeated non-conference foe New Mexico State 42-7. The Georgia offense is putting up 36.8 points per game. The struggling Auburn defense is going to have to contain quarterback Aaron Murray and an offense that continues to improve. Running back Todd Gurley has averaged 117.5 yards in the past two games and looks to do it again against an Auburn defense that is giving up almost 200 yards per game. As every statistic points towards the Dawgs winning big, I feel Auburn gives the Dawgs a better game than we all think. It is a huge rivalry game and Head Coach Gene Chizik is on the hot seat and is desperate for an SEC win this season. I think the Tigers surprise the country and make the Dawgs work for their SEC East title. 

Prediction: Georgia 31, Auburn 20

7. #21 Mississippi State @ #7 LSU  7:00 PM ET ESPN

- LSU is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Alabama and is now out of contention for the the SEC West Division. LSU still has a chance to be a BCS at-large team though. Mississippi State has finally faced reality these past two weeks as they were outscored by Alabama and Texas A&M 76-20. The Bulldogs will get their last difficult test of the SEC schedule this weekend and look to stay competitive in a hostile Death Valley atmosphere. LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger played his best game of the season last week against Alabama by passing for 298 yards and one touchdown. The Bulldogs offense is going to have to score on the 2nd best defense in the country and they only put up seven points on Alabama. It could be another long game for the Bulldogs. 

Prediction: LSU 35, Mississippi State 14

8. #2 Kansas State @ TCU  7:00 PM ET FOX

- The real question coming into this game will be if Heisman frontrunner Collin Klein will be the starting quarterback when the Wildcats take the field. The Wildcats have taken care of business all season long on offense and defense. If Collin Klein is not able to go it will be up to redshirt freshman Daniel Sams to run the offense. Sams was five of six for 45 yards last week when he came in for Klein against Oklahoma State. Sams is unfortunately very inexperienced in game situations. The TCU Horned Frogs come off a big double overtime victory at West Virginia and look to make it two in a row. The Horned Frogs are currently averaging 33.9 points per game and the tough Kansas State defense will need to shut them down, especially if Klein is not able to go. Will this finally be the week the Wildcats fall?

Prediction: Kansas State 40, TCU 28 (If Collin Klein starts)
                    TCU 34, Kansas State 26 (If Collin Klein is out)

9. #4 Notre Dame @ Boston College  8:00 PM ET ABC

- This game should be easy for the Irish as the Eagles are just 2-7 on the season, right?  Did anyone see the Irish struggle to beat Pittsburgh at home last weekend? You can't count any team out against the Irish now. The Irish defense, which is led by linebacker Montee Te'o, continues to be the heart and soul of this team. The offense struggled for a majority of the game last week and finally clicked in the remaining minutes of the fourth quarter. Boston College has been terrible this season with their only wins coming against FCS-Maine and Maryland. An interesting fact about the Eagles is that they are currently averaging 289.2 passing yards per game. The Boston College passing game led by Chase Rettig is the only thing that will give them a chance of upsetting the Irish.

Prediction: Notre Dame 27, Boston College 12

10. #3 Oregon @ Cal  10:30 PM ET ESPN

- The Ducks are coming off a crazy and emotional victory over USC. Most teams come in hungover after a game of that magnitude, but not these Ducks. In recent years, The Ducks have struggled against the Golden Bears in Berkeley. A disadvantage that Cal has going into this game is that starting quarterback Zach Maynard will most likely be out. This Cal team is also probably the worst they have had this decade. Look for Heisman candidate Kenjon Barner to run all over this Golden Bear defense and put on another huge performance. You also can't say enough about redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota, who continues to put up solid performances each game and is not fazed by anything. This game might be over by halftime. I just can't see the Cal defense playing like they did two seasons ago.

Prediction: Oregon 48, Cal 21

College Football Week 10 Recap

My overall Record: 70-30
My Record in Week 10: 6-4

Best game from Week 10: #1 Alabama 21, #5 LSU 17

All four BCS National title contenders were challenged this past weekend. #5 LSU gave rival #1 Alabama all they could handle. The Tigers were ahead of the Crimson Tide 17-14, until Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron marched his team down the field from their own 28 yard line and threw the go ahead touchdown pass to T.J. Yeldon with 51 seconds remaining in the game. The Crimson Tide escaped an always hostile Death Valley 21-17 and snapped the Tigers 22-game home winning streak. The Crimson Tide appear to be a lock for the SEC Championship game now, but still host a very dangerous Texas A&M football team this Saturday.

Kansas State had the least amount of trouble. The Cowboys gave the Wildcats a tough first half, but the game was over when Cowboy quarterback Wes Lunt threw a pass into the hands of Wildcat defender Allen Chapman for a pick-six at the end of the second quarter to go up 31-17 . In the second half, Wildcat quarterback Collin Klein appeared to have been injured on a play and it could potentially be a factor going into the TCU game. Klein still stayed in for his one yard rushing touchdown and was then replaced by backup Daniel Sams. The Wildcats stay at number two in the BCS rankings and will have a real challenge when they travel down to Forth Worth to take on the TCU Horned Frogs Saturday.

Notre Dame appeared to have an easy task at home against a struggling Pittsburgh team that had been up and down all season long. The Panthers were up to a 20-6 lead going into the fourth quarter, but they let it slip away with two minutes remaining in the game. The Fighting Irish climbed back into the game when quarterback Everett Golson threw an 11 yard pass to TJ Jones, and then converted a two-point conversion to tie the game up at 20 a piece. It took three overtimes as Pittsburgh missed a chip shot field goal to win in the second overtime after Notre Dame running back Cierre Wood fumbled on the 1 yard line. In the third overtime, Notre dame gave up a field goal, but Everett Golson piled his way into the end zone for another dramatic Irish win. The Irish moved back to the four spot in the BCS rankings after a close game, but the luck of the Irish continues. The Irish will travel to another struggling team in Boston College this Saturday and attempt to play much better football. The Irish cannot play down to their competition if they want any chance of moving up in the BCS rankings.

Oregon @ USC

The Oregon Ducks went into the Coliseum with revenge on their minds after losing to USC last season 38-35. This turned into one of the most offensive games in recent history as the Ducks and Trojans punted just once the entire game. Both punts happened to occur in the fourth quarter. The Ducks were up to an early 21-3 lead, but the Trojans came storming back and eventually cut the lead to ten going into the half. The score was 34-24 going into the half and both teams fumbled the ball in the red zone in the last two minutes of the half. The second half, apparently playing defense was not an option for either squad. The Ducks and Trojans went back and forth scoring touchdowns until the Duck defense finally made a stop at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Ducks went on to win 62-51 and gave the Trojans their third loss of the season. Oregon running back Kenjon Barner had 38 carries for 321 yards and five touchdowns. USC wide receiver Marqise Lee had 12 receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns. The Oregon offense put up an astounding 730 yards, the most given up in USC history, and USC had 615 yards. It was a flat out track meet between these two teams and there could be a very good chance we see a rematch in Eugene on November 30th. The Ducks moved to number three in the BCS rankings and will travel to Cal this Saturday.

In other games this past weekend, Arizona looked to take control of the Pac-12 South Division, but was humiliated on the road at UCLA 66-10. The Bruins put up 611 total yards on the Wildcats defense and Bruin running back Johnathan Franklin became the all-time career rusher at UCLA, as he ran for 162 yards and two touchdowns. If UCLA wins this weekend at Washington State and USC defeats Arizona State we will have ourselves a dandy at the Rose Bowl in two weeks. West Virginia lost their third straight game against TCU in double overtime and Texas finally decided to show up and play defense as they defeated in-state rival Texas Tech in Lubbock 31-22. Lastly, Oregon State took care of Arizona State at home 36-26 to continue their quest of a Pac-12 North Division title and San Diego State upset Boise State 21-19 to eliminate them from a BCS at-large spot.

College Football: Week 10 matchups to watch

The two big ones this weekend are #1 Alabama @ #5 LSU in Death Valley and #4 Oregon @ #17 USC in the Coliseum. The Alabama Crimson Tide come in undefeated and are looking to get a big victory to secure the SEC West Division. On the other hand, the LSU Tigers want revenge after being shutout in last season's National Championship game and look to extend their 22-game winning streak.
The Oregon Ducks season starts here against USC and they will come in with revenge on their minds after being upset last season at home 38-35. The USC Trojans look to bounce back after being upset last weekend at Arizona. Other games between ranked teams are #16 Texas A&M at #15 Mississippi State, #23 Texas at #18 Texas Tech, and #24 Oklahoma State at #2 Kansas State.

This Saturday, I will be at the LA Memorial Coliseum to watch #4 Oregon face #17 USC. The Ducks get their first true test of the season and this will potentially be the hardest game the Ducks will have this season. The Ducks are averaging 53.4 points on opponents this season and this is the best defense the Ducks have had under Head Coach Chip Kelly. The Trojans come in after an upset loss at Arizona. We will see what the Trojans have left in the tank, and if the struggling Trojan defense can hold off one of the most explosive offenses in the country. This game will be a rather high scoring affair.

#4 Oregon @ #17 USC  7:00 PM ET FOX

ESPN College GameDay will be live from Baton Rouge, LA (Live at 10:00 AM ET)

matchup- #1 Alabama @ #5 LSU  

Thursday, November. 1st

1. Virginia Tech @ Miami (FL)  7:30 PM ET ESPN

- This is a big game for these ACC Coastal Division foes. Both teams are tied with Duke for the top spot in the division and this game could eliminate one of these two teams from winning the division. Hokie quarterback Logan Thomas has thrown ten interceptions this season and has put the Hokies in position as one of the leading teams in interceptions thrown this season. The Hurricanes have lost three straight games and need this home win to get back on track. The offense has struggled since the month of October averaging just 12.3 points per game and the defense is the fourth worst in the country giving up 520.4 yards per game. Both teams are struggling and desperately need this game.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 28, Miami (FL) 24       
Result: Miami (FL) 30, Virginia Tech 12

Saturday, November 3rd

2. #16 Texas A&M @ #15 Mississippi State  12:00 PM ET ESPN

- Texas A&M and Mississippi State are the two most surprising teams in the SEC this season. The Aggies are coming off a win at Auburn where they put up 63 points. Lethal quarterback Johnny "Football" Manziel was 16 of 23 for 260 passing yards and two touchdowns. Manziel also rushed for 90 yards and three touchdowns. The Aggie offense has been averaging 42.0 points per game. The Bulldogs are coming off their first loss of the season to Alabama, where they were defeated 38-7. The Bulldog offense has been above average this season, but the defense has been the key by giving up just 18.6 points per game. The matchup in this game will be the Bulldog defense, who is giving up 149.1 rushing yards per game, as they defend an Aggie offense that is averaging 233.7 rushing yards per game. It will be interesting to see if Dan Mullen's Bulldogs can bounce back after a blowout loss last weekend.

Prediction: Texas A&M 34, Mississippi State 23

3. TCU @ #21 West Virginia  3:00 PM ET FOX

- This is going to be one of the most interesting games of the day. No one knows what to expect from each team. TCU has lost their last two games and are basically out of the Big 12 race with a tough remaining schedule. West Virginia is coming off of a much needed bye week after being humiliated by Texas Tech and Kansas State in consecutive weekends. The TCU offense led by new quarterback Trevone Boykin and receiver Josh Boyce are averaging 30.0 points a game. A TCU defense that was supposed to be one of the best in the Big 12 has given up 92 points in their last two games. The West Virginia offense, who was one of the best in the country prior to playing Texas Tech and Kansas State, is trying to get back on track. Quarterback Geno Smith needs to get the ball into the hands of wide receivers Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin, otherwise it is going to be another long day. The Mountaineer offense not putting points up is a guaranteed loss because the Mountaineers have the third worst overall defense in the country. The Mountaineer defense gives up 525.8 yards per game, 44.5 points per game, and gives up 10.6 passing yards per play. If the Mountaineers come out flat at home again and don't show any improvement on both sides of the ball, it is going to get real interesting in Morgantown. I'll give West Virginia one more chance to come out and play better football on Saturday.

Prediction: West Virginia 48, TCU 42

4. #23 Texas @ #18 Texas Tech  3:30 PM ET ABC/ESPN2

- Texas Tech was able to hang with Kansas State for awhile, but were eventually blown out in the fourth quarter. Texas struggled the whole game against a 1-7 Kansas team last weekend, but scored a touchdown with 12 seconds remaining in the game to win 21-17. Backup quarterback Case McCoy replaced starter David Ash in the fourth quarter and led the Longhorns to two consecutive touchdown drives. There again is a quarterback controversy in Austin, even though David Ash has been named the starter for this game. The Red Raiders offense is averaging 40.0 points per game and 507.9 total yards per game. Quarterback Seth Doege is averaging 317.5 passing yards and 3.75 touchdown passes per game. This Red Raider offense is going to cause a lot of problems for this weak Texas defense that is giving up 32.8 points per game and 447.2 total yards per game. The Longhorns have won the last eight of ten games against the Red Raiders. We will see if the Longhorn defense can hold down one of the best offenses in the country.

Prediction: Texas Tech 42, Texas 24

5. #20 Nebraska @ Michigan State  3:30 PM ET ABC/ESPN2

- Nebraska and Michigan State are both coming off wins where defense had to win them the game. The Huskers are now the team to beat in the Big Ten Legends Division as they defeated Michigan last Saturday 23-9. This is going to be another one of those games for the Huskers. Field position is going to be key in this game and the Husker offense are going to need crucial field goals from senior kicker Brett Maher again. This may be the toughest defense the Huskers face this season. The Spartans have the fifth best overall defense in the country. The Spartans are only giving up 15.0 points per game and only 91.2 rushing yards per game. Husker quarterback Taylor Martinez may need to rely much more on wide receiver Kenny Bell then he has had to all of this season. The Spartans will need to keep this a low scoring game as usual, because their offense has only averaged 14.0 points in their past three games. It is going to be a very low scoring affair and defense will be crucial to winning this game.

Prediction: Nebraska 20, Michigan State 16

6. #4 Oregon @ #17 USC  7:00 PM ET FOX

- The Oregon Ducks get their first challenge of the season when they travel to Los Angeles to take on the USC Trojans. The Ducks are undefeated and have been hitting on all cylinders this season. The Trojans have been mediocre at best this season and have already suffered two Pac-12 losses. The Duck offense led by Freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota and senior running back Kenjon Barner is averaging 53.4 points per game, which is first in the country. This offense should be able to put up big numbers on a Trojan defense that gave up 588 total yards against Arizona last weekend. The real question in this game will be the USC offense facing the Oregon defense. The Trojan offense has looked inconsistent under senior quarterback Matt Barkley, as the Trojans have struggled with penalties and turnovers. Barkley needs wide receivers Marqise Lee and Robert Woods to come up big again like last year when the Trojans upset the Ducks in Eugene. The Oregon defense has not faced wide receivers of this caliber and we will find out if the defensive backs consisting of Avery Patterson and Ifo Ekpre-Olomu can shut them down. If the Ducks want to take control of this game, they are going to need to put a lot of pressure on Matt Barkley and cause him to make bad decisions when he is passing the football. The Ducks are currently averaging three takeaways a game, which is first in the country. This is going to be a lot like the game from two years ago, when the Ducks went into the Coliseum and beat the Trojans 53-32. The Trojans play the Ducks close in the first half, but can't defend the explosive Duck offense in the second half.

Prediction: Oregon 45, USC 28

7. #24 Oklahoma State @ #2 Kansas State  8:00 PM ET ABC

Heisman front-runner Collin "Optimist" Klein and the Wildcats get their fourth ranked opponent in a row, as they host the # 24 Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Wildcats have been strong on both sides of the ball this whole season, but have made statements these past two weekends. The Wildcat offense is averaging 44.4 points per game and the defense is holding opponents to just 17.1 points per game. The Cowboys have won their last three games and are looking to stay in the race for the Big 12 title. The Cowboys have one of the most explosive offenses in the country and are averaging 570.2 yards per game and 44.3 points per game. The Cowboys will need to rely heavily on their air attack, and not so much on star running back Joseph Randle, because the Wildcats defense led by linebacker Arthur Brown is giving up only 101.7 rushing yards per game. Look for most of the first half to be close, but the Wildcats pull away and win by at least two touchdowns when it's all said and done.

 Prediction: Kansas State 41, Oklahoma State 26

8. #1 Alabama @ #5 LSU  8:00 PM ET CBS

- Here we go again! Hopefully this will be the only time these two teams meet this season. The Crimson Tide come in with one of the best offenses in the country led by a potential Heisman quarterback AJ McCarron and the best overall defense in the country. The Crimson Tide defense continues to only give up an average of 8.1 points per game. The LSU Tigers are back in the BCS hunt are the highest ranked one loss team in the country. LSU looks to extend the longest home winning streak in the country at 22 in Death Valley and knock off the Crimson Tide to gain control of the SEC West Division. The Tiger offense has improved since losing at Florida and the Tiger defense continues to be the second best defense in the country. The real questions in this game will be the play of LSU junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger and if running back Jeremy Hill can hit any holes for big gains. This game is going to be another battle in the trenches. There will be very physical play on both sides and both teams will battle for field position the entire game.

Prediction: Alabama 20, LSU 10

9. Arizona State @ #11 Oregon State  10:30 PM ET ESPN2

- Last weekend, Arizona State lost on a last second field goal to UCLA and Oregon State lost to Washington on a field goal with 1:20 remaining in the game. The Oregon State Beavers need to win this game to keep themselves in the Pac-12 North Division race. Quarterback Cody Vaz will replace Sean Mannion for this game and hopefully give the Beaver offense a boost it did not have a week ago at Washington. The Arizona State Sun Devils have lost two straight games and have given up 43 points in both of them. The Sun Devils will need more production out of their passing game to put points on the board against a Beaver defense that gives up 260.7 passing yards per game. The Beavers should have no trouble defending the Sun Devil rushing attack led by D.J. Foster and Cameron Marshall, because the Beavers are the fifth best defense in the country giving up just 83.4 rushing yards per game. The Beaver defense needs to hold the Sun Devil offense out of the end zone, because if the Sun Devils start putting points up it will be impossible for the Beaver offense to keep up.

Prediction: Oregon State 27, Arizona State 24

10. #22 Arizona @ UCLA  10:30 PM ET Pac-12 Network 

- The Wildcats and Bruins are coming off big wins. This game is important for both teams, because if one of these teams lose they are pretty much out of the Pac-12 South Division race. Both teams have good offenses and defenses that struggle. Arizona averages 534.3 yards per game and 36.7 points per game. UCLA averages 503.0 yards per game and 25.1 points per game. This is going to be a showdown between Wildcat quarterback Matt Scott and Bruin quarterback Brett Hundley. The defenses are going to have trouble shutting each other down. Especially the Wildcat defense, who must try and defend running back Johnathan Franklin, who has already rushed for over 1,000 yards this season and has seven total touchdowns. This should be a very close game for the most part and I think in the end the Wildcats get the job done.

Prediction: Arizona 38, UCLA 31


Sources: espn.com & teamrankings.com

College Football Week 10: Thursday night matchup

Thursday, November. 1st

1. Virginia Tech @ Miami (FL)  7:30 PM ET ESPN

- This is a big game for these ACC Coastal Division foes. Both teams are tied with Duke for the top spot in the division and this game could eliminate one of these two teams from winning the division. Hokie quarterback Logan Thomas has thrown ten interceptions this season and has put the Hokies in position as one of the leading teams in interceptions thrown this season. The Hurricanes have lost three straight games and need this home win to get back on track. The offense has struggled since the month of October averaging just 12.3 points per game and the defense is currently the fourth worst in the country giving up 520.4 yards per game. Both teams are struggling and desperately need this game.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 28, Miami (FL) 24

College Football Week 9 Recap

My overall Record: 64-26

My Record in Week 9: 4-6 

Best game from Week 9: Arizona 39, #9 USC 36

We got "Separation Saturday" alright. It was one of the toughest weekends of picking games I have ever had. What started out as a normal day became very interesting by night. #3 Kansas State looked good again and beat #14 Texas Tech at home 55-24. The #4 Ducks ran all over Colorado and won big 70-14. Things became crazy though when #10 Georgia knocked off #2 Florida 16-9 in Jacksonville to put them in good position to win the SEC East Division. Then Arizona had a comeback victory and beat #9 USC 39-36. At night, #5 Notre Dame took down a tough #8 Oklahoma team in the last few minutes 30-13 to keep their undefeated season alive. #22 Michigan went into Lincoln in a crucial game for the Big Ten Legends Division and looked awful. Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson was injured late in the first half and did not return. This left Michigan with no offense and the Huskers went on to win 23-9. Nebraska is now the leader of the Legends Division. The night eventually ended with Washington pulling off an upset at home against another Top 10 opponent. The Huskies upset #7 Oregon State 20-17 with a late 30-yard field goal. This had to be one of the most interesting and important weeks of the college football season.

What we learned: 

Notre Dame proved themselves at Oklahoma and are a legit national title contender.

- The Irish did the unthinkable on Saturday night in Norman. A majority of the country felt this was going to be the end of their undefeated season. The Irish defense stepped up again and held the Sooners to just 15 rushing yards. I can't say enough about the play of star linebacker and Heisman contender Monte Te'o, who had 11 tackles and the key interception that led to the Irish's 46-yard field goal that iced the game. What was so surprising was the Irish offense. The Irish put up 403 yards on a physical Sooner defense. Sophomore quarterback Everett Golson played great and showed great maturity in his biggest game as a starter. Golson made a clutch 50 yard pass to wide receiver Chris Brown right after the Sooners had tied the game up. Golson then ran it in for the game winning touchdown. The Irish are now third in the BCS, and have a very good chance of going undefeated. The problem for the Irish is that if Kansas State and Oregon continue to go unbeaten they will most likely be left out of the national title game. They do not have a strong schedule down the stretch and do not have a conference championship game like Oregon. 

Do not overlook the Georgia Bulldogs.

- Just when everyone was counting the Dawgs out, they came out and shut down the #2 Florida Gators to gain control of the SEC East Division. The Georgia offense didn't look great with Aaron Murray throwing three interceptions, but Florida looked even worse with six turnovers. The Georgia defense lived up to what they were supposed to be this season. The Dawg defense gave up only 75 yards to a team that has relied heavily on the run the whole season. The defense also put pressure on Gator quarterback Jeff Driskel the entire game. The Dawg defense caused Driskel to throw two interceptions and put the ball on the ground three times, with one being recovered by the Dawgs. Two key plays that helped Georgia win was when Jeff Driskel's pass from the five-yard line was intercepted in the end zone by Georgia safety Bacarri Rambo as time expired in the first half. The other key play came late in the fourth quarter when Georgia was up 17-9. Florida tight end Jordan Reed caught a 13 yard pass from Jeff Driskel and tried to get into the end zone, but Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones knocked the ball loose and it went out of the end zone for a touchback. All the Bulldogs have to do is win this week at home against Ole Miss (5-3) and at Auburn (1-7) to clinch a spot in the SEC Championship Game.

The USC Trojans are in big trouble.

- The Trojans disappointed again and lost their 2nd Pac-12 game of the season. The Trojan offense put up 618 total yards and Matt Barkley threw for 493 passing yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Marqise Lee had a career day and set records with 345 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions. These statistics looked great, but there is simply no discipline for this Trojan team. The Trojans turned the ball over five times and had 13 penalties for 117 yards against Arizona. Arizona quarterback Matt Scott threw all over the Trojan defense and Scott, along with running back Ka'Deem Carey, rushed for 100 plus yards on the Trojan defense. I can't emphasize how bad the play calling was for the Trojans in the remaining minute of the Arizona game. Matt Barkley threw a deep ball, instead of spiking the ball or throwing a short pass to get into field goal position. It wasted precious time off the clock and caused them to have to throw a hail mary to win the game. That was just bad football in my opinion. For a team that was supposed to be a national title contender, they might not even win their own division. If USC loses at home against #4 Oregon this weekend, there is a very good chance they don't make the Pac-12 Championship. I think it's fair to say that if the Trojans make the Pac-12 Championship game they will be going on the road.

The Arizona Wildcats control their destiny in the Pac-12 South Division.

- The Wildcats are said to be one of the best 5-3 teams in the country. I am not even sure how you can say you're a good 5-3 team, unless you are settling for mediocrity. I will just go along with it though. The Arizona Wildcats had a statement win this past Saturday against #9 USC 39-36. With this win, the Wildcats control their destiny and have a chance to play in the Pac-12 Championship. The Wildcats were blown out 49-0 on the road at Oregon and had two heartbreaking losses to Oregon State and Stanford. The Wildcats could easily be 7-1, but couldn't come up with wins when the game was on the line. Quarterback Matt Scott continues to look impressive in Rich Rodriguez's system and is leading the Wildcat offense to an average of 354.4 passing yards per game. Arizona must travel to Pasadena this weekend to take on the UCLA Bruins. If Arizona beats UCLA, USC loses to Oregon, and Arizona State loses to Oregon State this weekend, watch out for the Cats. Arizona would now win in a tiebreaker with USC. The Wildcats would need to beat weak opponents Colorado and Utah, as well as a season ending rivalry game at home against Arizona State to win the Pac-12 South Division.

Final Thought:

- I am going to discuss the BCS again. After Notre Dame won a tough road game at Oklahoma, they passed Oregon in the BCS rankings. What is a little bit surprising is that the Irish are still not very much higher than the Ducks in the rankings. Here are the four finalists in the BCS Championship race.

1. Alabama       .9759

2. Kansas State .9400

3. Notre Dame  .9147

4. Oregon          .9136

http://espn.go.com/college-football/bcs

If Alabama goes into Death Valley and beats LSU, I am almost positive we will see the Crimson Tide in the national title game. The Kansas State Wildcats have key wins and will play another ranked team #24 Oklahoma State at home Saturday night. The Wildcats will also play a few quality teams after this game, such as TCU and Texas. The problem for Kansas State is that they do not have a conference championship and it could hurt them on the last weekend of the season. Notre Dame may have had a great win Saturday night, but will be passed by Oregon if they defeat USC on Saturday. The Fighting Irish have to easy of a remaining schedule and could end up playing a three loss USC squad in their only remaining quality game. It's hard to believe, but the Irish may go undefeated and be left out of the title game. Lastly, the Oregon Ducks may feel like they are not getting any love, even though they are probably the 2nd best team in the country. What is great for Oregon is that they have quality games remaining that could help them reach 2nd place in the BCS Standings. Oregon travels to #17 USC this weekend and a win would leap them over Notre Dame. If Stanford can beat Oregon State the week before they travel to Oregon, it could put Stanford in the Top 10. That will be a quality win for the Ducks. If Oregon State can stay at one or two losses that will be helpful when the Ducks travel to Corvallis for the Civil War. The fact that Oregon has a conference championship will help them as well. The Ducks have the best chance to make the BCS Championship game if they can win out.

sources: espn.com & teamrankings.com

College Football: Week 9 matchups to watch

We all thought "Separation Saturday" took place three weeks ago. That doesn't even compare to what we have on our hands this weekend. National Title and Conference Championship implications are leaning on this weekend's games. There are four matchups that consist of teams ranked in the Top 15. A big non-conference game between the #5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the #8 Oklahoma Sooners headlines this weekend's games. There is also the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party game  between rivals #2 Florida and #10 Georgia in Jacksonville. This game right here will pretty much decide who represents the East in the SEC Conference Championship game. The other two ranked matchups consist of the surprisingly undefeated #11 Mississippi State traveling to #1 Alabama and #3 Kansas State playing another ranked opponent in #14 Texas Tech in Manhattan. This weekend will also play as "Separation Saturday Part 2" for the Big Ten. Northwestern will host Iowa and #22 Michigan will play a crucial game at Nebraska in a game that could decide who wins the Legends Division.

This Saturday, I will be at the Oregon-Colorado game, which should be called the "The Grateful Dead Game." Just think about it.  The Ducks won big last year in Boulder by a score of 45-2. There isn't much to analyze for this game, because it is going to get ugly very quickly. The Ducks may not let up on the gas until the fourth quarter because of the whole BCS situation. The Buffalo defense is giving up an average of 42.6 points per game, which is the second-worst in the country.

Colorado @ #4 Oregon  3:00 PM ET Pac-12 Network

ESPN College GameDay will be live from Norman, OK

matchup: #5 Notre Dame @ #8 Oklahoma

Saturday, October 27th

1. #14 Texas Tech @ #3 Kansas State  3:30 PM ET FOX

- Kansas State is coming off another impressive road win against a ranked opponent and Texas Tech won an overtime thriller at TCU. The Wildcats are playing good football and the offense headed by Heisman front-runner quarterback Collin Klein is averaging 233.9 rushing yards and 42.9 points per game. The Kansas State defense is also playing great and have given up just 16.1 points per game. Tommy Tuberville's Red Raiders are off to their best start since the 2008 season. Quarterback Seth Doege has the fifth highest quarterback rating in the country with 169.6. The offense is also averaging 42.9 points per game and the defense is in the Top 15 in the country giving up 315.0 total yards per game. This will be the Wildcats toughest game they have the rest of this season and their defense must be able to contain the explosiveness of the Red Raider offense.

Pick: Kansas State 

2. #2 Florida vs #10 Georgia (Jacksonville)  3:30 PM ET CBS

- Heading into the season it was the Georgia Bulldogs who were the favorite to win the SEC East Division. Now it is the Florida Gators who are the team to beat in the East after beating #4 LSU and #7 South Carolina. Georgia has had a big wake up call in their past two of games. The Bulldogs were blown out in Columbia to South Carolina 35-7, and then struggled to beat a Kentucky team that is now 1-7 on the season. The Georgia offense led by senior quarterback Aaron Murray is going to have to continue to make smart decisions in the pocket, because this is the best defense he will play this season. The Gators defense is giving up just 12.1 points per game and have converted eight turnovers in their last three games. The Gator offense has turned the ball over just two times in their past three games. The Bulldog defense will need to be able to contain a lethal rushing attack led by running back Mike Gillislee and quarterback Jeff Driskel. The Gators have owned this series for the past decade winning seven of the past ten meetings. I see the Gators taking another one from the Bulldogs and clinching the SEC East Division title.

Pick: Florida 

3. #9 USC @ Arizona  3:30 PM ET ABC/ESPN2

- The USC Trojans are coming off a blow out win at home against a struggling Colorado team, but now must go on the road where they have been tested all season. The Trojans travel to Tucson where they have won the last two meetings by only a combined total of ten points. The Trojans have struggled on the road all season to mediocre teams. Syracuse and Washington gave them tough games and Stanford beat them. Arizona blew out Washington this past weekend at home 52-17 and are currently putting up 352.3 passing yards per game. The problem for the Wildcats is that their defense is thin. The Wildcats will struggle to cover wide receivers Marqise Lee and Robert Woods, but if the Wildcats can get their passing game going against the Trojan defense this could be a close game once again. I think USC wins, but that the Wildcats give the Trojans a scare before they host Oregon next weekend.

Pick: USC

4.  Duke @ #12 Florida State  3:30 PM ET ESPNU

- Duke football is included in a must watch game. Is this real life? This may have been an interesting game to watch after Duke won a thriller last weekend against North Carolina and became bowl eligible, but now is even more intriguing with Seminole star running back Chris Thompson out with a season ending ACL injury. Duke quarterback Sean Renfree is the true leader of this Blue Devil team and will need to be almost perfect to beat the Seminoles on the road. The Seminoles are one of the best rushing teams in the country and now many of the duties will be given to running back James Wilder Jr. The Seminoles offense is currently averaging 44.4 points per game and the Seminole defense is giving up just 12.6 points per game. It is going to be difficult for the Blue Devils, but if they can find a way to pull the upset they will be in a good position to win the ACC Coastal Division.

Pick: Florida State 

5.  Michigan State @ #25 Wisconsin  3:30 PM ET ABC/ESPN2

- Wisconsin and Michigan split games last season. Michigan State won on a hail mary pass as time expired during the season and Wisconsin won in a close game in the Big Ten Championship game. This season, Wisconsin started off to a rough start, but have bounced back. A win over Michigan State could guarantee them the Leaders Division and a chance to win the Big Ten again. Michigan State started the season with high hopes, but are now out of the Legends Division race. The Spartans have lost three of their last four conference games. The Spartan defense is still one of the best in the country, but the offense has not been able to produce points. The Badgers offense has consistency looked better each week and running back Montee Ball is averaging 155.5 yards and 2.5 rushing touchdowns per game in Big Ten play. The Badger defense headed by linebackers Mike Taylor and Chris Borland, who have a combined 151 tackles this season, will prevent one of the worst offenses in the country to put up enough points to win. The Badgers take this one in Madison and put themselves in a great position to win the Leaders Division.

Pick: Wisconsin  

6. Ohio State @ Penn State  5:30 PM ET ESPN 

- What is so sad about this game is it probably includes the two best teams in the Big Ten, yet neither can become bowl eligible because of NCAA sanctions. This is more of a statement game for both universities. The Buckeyes pulled an overtime thriller out against Purdue last weekend and also lost quarterback Braxton Miller to an injury. Miller is said to be ready for this weekend's game though. Penn State's offense led by senior quarterback Matt McGloin is averaging 37.3 points per game in Big Ten play. The Nittany Lion defense is also only giving up 15.7 points per game this season. The Ohio State offense will struggle if Miller is not completely healed for this game and it could give a huge advantage to the Nittany Lion defense. The Buckeye defense, who have given up an average 36.3 points in their past three games, could have trouble defending a rather tough Nittany Lion offense.

Pick: Ohio State 


7. #5 Notre Dame @ #8 Oklahoma  8:00 PM ET ABC

- This will be the biggest non-conference game of the season. This game has National Title implications for both teams. If the Fighting Irish can go into Norman and win, this will put them in a very good spot to go undefeated, as well as move up in the BCS rankings. If Oklahoma wins, the Sooners jump in the BCS rankings and put themselves in a good position to stay in the race to make the title game. The Sooners have caught fire at the right time of the season by playing great offense and defense. Sooner quarterback Landry Jones is finally playing up to his potential and is helping the Sooners put up 44.7 points per game. Notre Dame is coming off two very close games against Stanford and BYU. The Fighting Irish defense plays lights out week in and week out giving up an average of only 9.4 points per game. The real question coming into this game is how the Notre Dame offense will do against a good Sooner defense. The Fighting Irish will have quarterback Everett Golson back this week and it will be interesting to see how he handles pressure in a tough OU Memorial Stadium environment. I feel this is the game where the Irish finally get exposed this season. Sooners win 24-13.

Pick: Oklahoma 

8. #22 Michigan @ Nebraska  8:00 PM ET ESPN2

- This is the game at the beginning of the year we had marked on our calendars. This will most likely be the game that decides who wins the Big Ten Legends Division. The Michigan Wolverines and Nebraska Cornhuskers are coming off late fourth quarter come-from-behind victories. Denard Robinson continues to be the catalyst for the Wolverine offense and Taylor Martinez has made strides in his passing game. The Husker defense has struggled this season and has had trouble containing mobile quarterbacks. The Huskers are currently 102nd in the country in defending the run, but are ninth in defending the pass. The Wolverine defense has come back after struggling early in the season and are currently the ninth best overall defense in the country. Denard Robinson will present the Husker defense with a lot of problems like last season, but it will come down to the Wolverine defense. If the Wolverine defense can defend the running game and put pressure on Taylor Martinez for all four quarters the Wolverines should come out with the win. I think this is going to be a close game that comes down to the very end.

Pick: Michigan 

9. #11 Mississippi State @ #1 Alabama  8:30 PM ET ESPN

- The Mississippi State Bulldogs come into this game undefeated and are looking to give the #1 Crimson Tide a run for their money. Bulldog quarterback Tyler Russell has currently thrown 15 touchdown passes and just one interception. Running back LaDarius Perkins has rushed for 724 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Wide receiver Chad Bumphis also has 479 yards and six touchdown receptions this season. The offense has looked solid and the defense has been even better. The defense is giving up just 14.4 points per game. The Crimson Tide offense continues to reload even with all of the injuries they have had this season. Not only is quarterback A.J. McCarron in the Heisman discussion, but running backs Eddie Lacey and T.J. Yeldon have been a dual threat in the backfield as well. Now true freshman wide receiver Amari Cooper is causing defenses all sorts of problems. Cooper had seven receptions for 162 yards and two touchdown receptions at Tennessee this past weekend. The Crimson Tide defense continues to be the best in the country in points per game and in yards per game. The Crimson Tide are giving up just 8.3 points per game. I expect the Crimson Tide to get their first real challenge of the season, but will slowly pull away from the Bulldogs in the 2nd half.

Pick: Alabama

10. #7 Oregon State @ Washington  10:15 PM ET Pac-12 Network

- The Beavers moved up in the BCS after beating Utah in part to their defense causing big turnovers. The Huskies were blown out at Arizona and are now currently 0-3 on the road and losing by an average of 34.6 points a game. At home though, the Huskies have been a much different story. The Huskies upset #8 Stanford in September and two weeks ago tested #11 USC, but turned the ball over four times and lost 24-14. The Beavers will start quarterback Sean Mannion, after Cody Vaz started these past two weekends because of an injury Mannion suffered on October 6th against Washington State. The defense continues to be the main reason why the Beavers win and last week the defense simply beat Utah. The Beaver defense converted two turnovers on Utah's 16 and 10 yard line. It set up short scores for the Beaver offense in the red zone. Washington is one of the most bipolar teams in college football this season. They play awful on the road and play very tough at home. The Huskies will give the Beavers a tough game and the Husky defense will play well at home as usual. The Beavers do escape though, because the Huskies will turn the ball over at least twice in this game and leave points off the scoreboard.

Pick: Oregon State 

Sources: teamrankings.com, espn.com, UWBadgers.com

College Football Week 8 Recap

My overall Record: 60-20
My Record in Week 8: 9-1

Best Game from Week 8: #17 Texas Tech 56, #23 TCU 53 (3OT)

We finally had a weekend where no team was bit by the upset bug. The #2 Florida Gators took care of business in "The Swamp" as they chomped up the #7 South Carolina Gamecocks 44-11. The #4 Kansas State Wildcats went into Morgantown and laid a smack down on the #13 West Virginia Mountaineers. Wildcat Heisman front-runner Collin "Optimus" Klein accounted for all seven touchdowns and racked up 323 passing yards on an inferior Mountaineer defense. The Oregon Ducks went into Arizona State looking to be tested and scored 43 unanswered points in a matter of 18 minutes. The Ducks checked out of Tempe four minutes into the second quarter and ended up winning the game 43-21. #5 Notre Dame found themselves in a tussle with BYU and held on in the fourth quarter to win 17-14. #6 LSU also found themselves in a tough game in College Station against the #18 Texas A&M Aggies and were able to hold on 24-19.

What we learned: 

The West Virginia Mountaineers are finding out what life is like in a tougher Big 12 Conference. 

- It happened again. The West Virginia Mountaineers were blown out once again to another Big 12 Conference opponent. In West Virginia's last two games, the Mountaineers have been outscored 104-28. The Mountaineer defense has given up 1,155 yards in two games and quarterback Geno Smith threw his first two interceptions this past Saturday against Kansas State. The Mountaineers get a bye this upcoming weekend and then host an offensively explosive team in TCU on November 3rd. Everything about the Mountaineers has to get better, especially the defense which is giving up an average of 39.9 points per game.

The Big Ten is starting to sort itself out.

- Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Nebraska, and Northwestern all went into the weekend needing to get wins to separate themselves from one another in the Big Ten Legends Division. The Michigan Wolverines finally snapped their four game losing streak to in-state rival Michigan State on a game-winning 38-yard field goal by Brendan Gibbons with just seconds remaining. This gave the Wolverines their 900th win in program history. The Michigan State Spartans are now pretty much out of the picture as they have already lost three conference games. The Iowa Hawkeyes hosted a surprisingly tough Penn State team in Iowa City and were completely outplayed. The Hawkeyes were down 38-0, until they were able to get 14 points in the fourth quarter. Iowa looked awful and I'm not sure they will be able to bounce back this weekend at Northwestern. The Nebraska Cornhuskers and Northwestern Wildcats played a barnburner in Evanston. The Wildcats appeared to be wide awake and were leading the Huskers 28-16 with 8:31 left in the fourth quarter. The Huskers found it within themselves to comeback and took the lead with 2:08 left in the game with a touchdown pass from Taylor Martinez to Ben Cotton. Northwestern then came down and missed a 52-yard field goal that went wide right with 1:10 remaining. The Huskers found a way and escaped with the victory. Right now it appears that the game between Michigan and Nebraska this upcoming weekend could decide who wins the Legends Division. If Michigan wins in Lincoln that will put them in a good position and they will be in the driver's seat with a 4-0 conference record. If Nebraska wins, it will be a battle until the very end of conference play with Michigan.

Duke is in the ACC Coastal Division hunt.

- This was one of the biggest stories of Saturday. The Duke Blue Devils are bowl eligible for the first time since 1994. It took a fourth down touchdown pass from Sean Renfree with 13 seconds left in the game to get the win. Duke had to comeback and beat Tobacco Road rival North Carolina after they had  blown a ten point lead with 3:12 left in the game. Not only did Duke become bowl eligible, but they are now in the ACC Coastal Division race. The Blue Devils are currently in first place with a 3-1 conference record. Virginia Tech has struggled this season and was the the pre-season heavy favorite to win the division. The Blue Devils do have to play at #12 Florida State this weekend and then host #18 Clemson the following weekend. If Duke does not win one of these games, their hopes of winning the division will most likely be over.

Last Thought:

- There is so much discussion over the current BCS rankings and why the Oregon Ducks are not getting the respect they deserve. Kansas State and Notre Dame are also the two other teams in this discussion. There is no debate that Alabama is number one and that Florida is number two. This is not a big deal, because if these two teams happen to go undefeated one of them will lose in the SEC Championship game. The problem is what separates Kansas State, Oregon, and Notre Dame if all of them happen to go undefeated, which I highly doubt will happen. I assume that only one of these teams stays undefeated. Here are the résumés of all three teams.

#3 Kansas State

                                     Key wins: at #6 Oklahoma and at #13 West Virginia
                                     Oklahoma is currently 5-1 and 8th in the BCS
                                     West Virginia is currently 5-2 and 19th in the BCS

Kansas State also has a home win over ACC opponent Miami (FL) and beat a ranked Iowa State team on the road. Kansas State will play their third straight ranked opponent this weekend at home against #14 Texas Tech. Texas Tech's only loss this season was at home against Oklahoma. Kansas State will finish their season with games against teams that have .500 or better records. Oklahoma State and TCU are both currently 5-2, while Texas is ranked 23rd with a 5-2 record.

#4 Oregon

Key wins: vs #22 Arizona and vs #23 Washington

Arizona is currently 4-3 and unranked

Washington is currently 3-4 and unranked

Oregon destroyed an unranked Arizona State team, who lost on the road to a now 3-4 Missouri team with their backup quarterback playing. It doesn't help the Ducks that they didn't play any teams from a BCS automatic qualifier in non-conference play. The Ducks will get #9 USC on the road in two weeks and that should really help them in the computers if they can win that game. If Stanford and Oregon State continue to win that will help the Ducks as well. 

* Yes, I am aware Kansas State backed out of a home-and-home series with the Ducks, but it allowed the Ducks to play in Arlington against LSU last season.

#5 Notre Dame

Key wins: at #10 Michigan State, vs #18 Michigan, and vs #17 Stanford

Michigan State is currently 4-4 and unranked

Michigan is currently 5-2 and ranked 22nd in the BCS

Stanford is currently 5-2 and 17th in the BCS

Notre Dame has other wins against Purdue, Miami (FL), and BYU, but these teams have a combined record of 11-12. The Fighting Irish played close against Purdue and BYU and only won by a combined total of six points. Their only other games that could help them get in the BCS National Title is a win at Oklahoma this weekend and a win at USC at the end of the season. Playing at home against Pittsburgh and Wake Forest, as well as traveling to Boston College will not help the Irish out one bit. 

I realize if there was an eye test Oregon would be the number three team in the country, but their schedule has weakened them tremendously. It's tough playing in a conference where only two or three of the nine teams you play in conference are up to your skill level. The Big 12 gives Kansas State that edge of being higher in the BCS, even though they probably are the fourth best team in the country. As for Notre Dame, this team has a great defense, but their offense is not very good. Their schedule is not as impressive either because of the lack of consistency of Big Ten teams. Notre Dame wins games ugly against teams that to be honest are not very good.