#osu vs tcu

[seakicker]

Without a doubt I am dissapointed but not surprised - OH anon

YOU GUYS PUT UP AN INCREDIBLE FIGHT!!!!! without a doubt OSU was the best matchup for georgia and it was certainly a very intense and interesting game— a much more interesting matchup than georgia vs TCU! you guys lead the entire game until now which is certainly commendable and i am very happy to have enjoyed this game with you 🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️❤️🖤🤍

[mikeisafighter]

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Ohio State v.s. Michigan game turned out to be a mismatch blowout of sorts. Just, not the way you expected it.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ohio-state-vs-michigan-score-takeaways-wolverines-destroy-buckeyes-for-second-straight-rivalry-win/live/

A 22 pt win on the road by Michigan? Maybe Ohio State is NOT as good as we once thought? If there was any chance of them getting a backdoor shot back into the playoff, that went out the window today. So now it’s gonna be LSU, USC or even....ALABAMA? they will be joining Michigan, Georgia and TCU in the playoff.

Right? https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/35116043/doubt-osu-deserves-cfp-spot Yeah right. Given how the game went in the 2nd half, I just don’t see OSU getting in.

Come back tomorrow and we’ll try to make sense of this all. Because who the hell knows at this point who is the best team.

[thecollegefootballguy]

The Real 2020 Season: Week 7

Welcome back to The Real 2020 Season! We’re imagining how things would have gone in the 2020 football season if COVID hadn’t ruined everything.

Check out the previous weeks here if you’d like a bit of context: Week 0, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6

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The Rankings

Week 7 AP Poll

1. Alabama 6-0 (3-0) 2. Clemson 6-0 (5-0) 3. Oklahoma 5-0 (2-0) 4. Oregon 5-0 (2-0) 5. Notre Dame 6-0 6. Texas A&M 6-0 (2-0) 7. Georgia 5-1 (1-1) 8. Texas 4-1 (1-1) 9. Ohio State 4-1 (2-0) 10. LSU 5-1 (2-0) 11. Auburn 5-1 (2-1) 12. Florida 5-1 (3-1) 13. Indiana 5-0 (2-0) 14. Cincinnati 5-0 (1-0) 15. Washington 4-1 (1-1) 16. Iowa 5-1 (2-1) 17. Penn State 4-1 (2-0) 18. Oklahoma State 4-1 (1-1) 19. Wake Forest 5-1 (2-0) 20. Liberty 6-0 21. Stanford 4-1 (3-0) 22. Boston College 5-1 (2-1) 23. Miami FL 5-1 (1-1) 24. Tulsa 4-1 (1-0) 25. Tennessee 4-2 (2-1)

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The Narrative

We seem to be sprinting towards a likely Playoff scenario. #3 Oklahoma and #4 Oregon have cleared their biggest hurdles in conference play, #2 Clemson has a date with #5 Notre Dame still coming up, but the Tigers are expected to win. Similarly, #1 Alabama still has several big opponents left on their schedule but so far the Tide seem up to the task. It’s not likely that all of these teams will go 13-0, but it wouldn’t surprise anybody to see these four squads make the field.

Cincinnati leads the G5 race as the final remaining undefeated team in the AAC. Should the Bearcats fall, things will get interesting as the Sun Belt is holding on to three currently undefeated teams, though Coastal Carolina travels to Louisiana this week.

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The Games

There are several ranked vs ranked games this week. None featuring two top ten teams, so it’s uncertain how much they’ll impact the Playoff race. The top rated game is #6 A&M at #11 Auburn, but those teams are going to have to beat Alabama to crash the party.

Winning teams are highlighted in bold.

Hawaii at Air Force Utah State at Boise State Nevada at New Mexico San Diego State at Wyoming New Mexico State at Fresno State UNLV at San Jose State #4 Oregon at California Washington State at #21 Stanford #15 Washington at Utah USC at Arizona UCLA at Colorado #12 Florida at Ole Miss #7 Georgia at Missouri Vanderbilt at Kentucky Mississippi State at #1 Alabama #10 LSU at Arkansas #6 Texas A&M at #11 Auburn Appalachian State at Georgia Southern Coastal Carolina at Louisiana Georgia State at Arkansas State Louisiana-Monroe at Troy Texas State at South Alabama Eastern Michigan at Army Houston at BYU #20 Liberty at Syracuse Massachusetts at Akron #5 Notre Dame at Pittsburgh #14 Cincinnati at #24 Tulsa Navy at East Carolina UCF at Memphis SMU at Tulane South Florida at Temple NC State at #2 Clemson #19 Wake Forest at Florida State North Carolina at Duke Virginia at Georgia Tech Baylor at Texas Tech #3 Oklahoma at Iowa State #18 Oklahoma State at Kansas Kansas State at TCU West Virginia at #8 Texas #13 Indiana at Rutgers Maryland at Northwestern Michigan at Minnesota #9 Ohio State at Michigan State #16 Iowa at #17 Penn State Purdue at Illinois FIU at Charlotte Louisiana Tech at Marshall North Texas at Middle Tennessee Old Dominion at UTSA Western Kentucky at UAB Southern Miss at UTEP Bowling Green at Toledo Kent State at Buffalo Ohio at Miami OH Northern Illinois at Ball State Western Michigan at Central Michigan

Turns out #6 Texas A&M beating #11 Auburn on the Plains wasn’t the biggest story of the week. It was a surprise Playoff bloodletting as two of the top four teams fell on the road. #3 Oklahoma lost by a touchdown to Iowa State and #4 Oregon couldn’t muster enough offense to beat Cal. This is a huge shakeup to the system.

The Big 12 and PAC-12 have both been thrown into disarray. Both leagues may now miss the Playoff, which is especially likely in the PAC-12′s case as there doesn’t appear to be any team capable of making a great case aside from the Ducks. Perhaps if Oregon wins out they can make a case over Ohio State, but the Ducks are looking much more mortal. OU can certainly rally back and go 12-1 to make a case for the top four, but now that the Sooners have been taken down a peg it opens the door for #8 Texas and #18 Oklahoma State. Iowa State already has two losses and likely can’t make the Playoff even if the Cyclones can somehow manage to win out. With these leagues suddenly without undefeated contenders, the door has opened back up for the Big Ten champion to make the Playoff, especially if it’s #9 Ohio State.

The rest of the top 5 did well. #1 Alabama, #3 Clemson and #5 Notre Dame all tore through their opponents with ease. Combined with #6 A&M’s win over #11 Auburn, we’re looking ahead to two crucial matchups in November as the Tigers travel to South Bend and the Aggies travel to Tuscaloosa.

#14 Cincinnati managed to scrape by #24 Tulsa to keep their undefeated season alive. Meanwhile, Coastal Carolina edged past Louisiana to continue their undefeated run at the expense of the Ragin’ Cajuns’.

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The Standings

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The Big Picture

A lot can happen in a week. The Playoff race has been upended with the defeats of both #3 Oklahoma and #4 Oregon. #1 Alabama and #2 Clemson will have to respectively face #6 Texas A&M and #5 Notre Dame before the season is out, effectively a quarterfinal in the regular season. A back door has opened for more than one team to make the field with one loss if they can win out. Suddenly things are looking a lot more interesting.

As far as the conference races go, the ACC now appears to be the only safe bet. Clemson should win the league easily, as they have every year since 2015. #9 Ohio State is starting to round into form, so the Buckeyes are once again appearing to be the real favorite. #16 Iowa’s win over #18 Penn State gives the Hawkeyes a boost in the West Division but they’ve already lost the head to head matchup against OSU, it’s hard to imagine they’ll win the rematch. #13 Indiana is still undefeated, who knows how long the Hoosiers can keep rolling. They have yet to face the best competition in their division. The SEC should still be Alabama’s to lose, but the Tide still have to prove themselves against #6 Texas A&M and #10 LSU, as well as the SEC Championship Game against either #12 Florida or a rematch with #7 Georgia.

The Big 12 is in chaos with Oklahoma’s loss. OU is still likely the best team on paper but Iowa State has shown everybody the blueprint to defeat them. The PAC-12 is probably out of the Playoff picture already. IF Oregon can rally to 12-1 they could force the issue, but the rest of the league is pretty much out of Playoff prospects especially now that #15 Washington suffered their second loss.

#14 Cincinnati passed their toughest test in the regular season. I still wouldn’t say that they’re a shoo-in to go undefeated, they still have tough dates against SMU, Memphis, and UCF in the coming weeks. Should they fail, undefeated Coastal Carolina or Troy could make a case for the NY6 spot.

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The New Rankings

Week 8 AP Poll

1. Alabama 7-0 (4-0) 2. Clemson 7-0 (6-0) 3. Texas A&M 7-0 (3-0) 4. Notre Dame 7-0 5. Georgia 6-1 (2-1) 6. Ohio State 5-1 (3-0) 7. Texas 5-1 (2-1) 8. LSU 6-1 (3-0) 9. Florida 6-1 (4-1) 10. Oregon 5-1 (2-1) 11. Indiana 6-0 (3-0) 12. Oklahoma 5-1 (2-1) 13. Cincinnati 6-0 (2-0) 14. Iowa 6-1 (3-1) 15. Oklahoma State 5-1 (2-1) 16. Auburn 5-2 (2-2) 17. Wake Forest 6-1 (3-0) 18. Stanford 5-1 (4-0) 19. Liberty 7-0 20. Boston College 5-1 (2-0) 21. Miami FL 5-1 (1-1) 22. Tennessee 4-2 (2-1) 23. Iowa State 5-2 (3-1) 24. USC 5-2 (4-1) 25. California 5-2 (2-2)

There was a very big shakeup in the rankings in the wake of Oklahoma’s and Oregon’s defeats. The SEC is once again beginning to dominate the top ten. Texas A&M moves into the third spot after their road win over Auburn. Georgia is cracking the top 5 again even after suffering a defeat to Alabama in Week 3.

Washington, Penn State, and Tulsa fell out of the rankings following their losses, and are replaced by Iowa State, USC, and Cal.

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We’re now halfway through the regular season! Tune in next time as we sprint towards the Playoff!

[alboo]

2013 Oklahoma - Oklahoma State so many Sooner Magic moments in a game we were not supposed to win.

The end of that season was winning games we weren't supposed to, but this had the most Sooner Magic. Tapper's stop at the goal. The composure of Blake Bell being demoted to third time then comes in - calmly recovers bad snap in our own end zone and takes the length of the field for the win.

I swear if Heupel had used Blake Bell in 2014 when he turned offense into 3 yds and a cloud of dust with Perrine, Bell could have salvaged OSU game. Maybe KState or TCU? But Heupel put his own neck in the guillotine when the Big 12's first air raid qb had no passing game. Heupel could maybe have saved his job by replacing Knight with Bell mid season. When Trevor would throw a pick six that year it felt to me like the fans and players list all hope and the "here we go again" feeling set in.Watch "12/07/2013 Oklahoma State vs Oklahoma Football Highlights" on YouTube

[big12pickparty]

Week 8 Big 12 Picks: It’s AG-STRAVAGANZA week!

Photo cred: Pistols Firing.

Glad to be writing about football again. The Big 10 is back this weekend, as is the Mountain West. The Big 12 has five games on its slate. It’s almost like we have a normal weekend of football in front of us!

A few interesting matchups outside the Big 12: Nebraska at No. 5 Ohio State, No. 23 NC State at No. 14 North Carolina are both in the morning slot. No. 18 Michigan at No. 21 Minnesota, No. 9 Cincinnati at No. 16 SMU are the best non-Big 12 games in the evening, though if you haven’t seen Zach Wilson play yet, staying up for No. 12 BYU vs. Texas State might be worth your while. Wilson is a compelling watch even with the inferior competition.

I’m also curious, in the extremely unlikely event that Nebraska opens its season by beating Ohio State--the Buckeyes are 26-point favorites--how high the Huskers climb. The hype would be unbearable. NU hasn’t beaten Ohio State since first joining the Big 10 in 2011, losing five straight since.

Last week: 1-0 (1.000)

Overall: 12-10 (.545)

Kansas 0, No. 20 Kansas State 45. K-State recently lost Skylar Thompson for the year to injury, which severely dampens the Wildcats’ hopes of challenging for the conference crown. KU, on the other hand, lost Pooka Williams, which severely dampens their hopes of scoring points in this game or any other.

Oklahoma 34, TCU 30. OU is about as likely to lose this game - it would be their third in a row - as a pig would be to voluntarily attend a barbecue. The Frogs are just 1-8 against the Sooners since joining the Big 12. That lone victory came in 2014--not, as I recall, Bob Stoops’s best year. Nevertheless, OU is only a 6.5-point favorite, and I don’t think the Sooners cover here.

No. 17 Iowa State 21, No. 6 Oklahoma State 31. I saw someone on Twitter suggest that these two schools need their own trophy for this game. I think it was an ISU fan. I like the idea, but what would the trophy be, and what would the game be called? I think the trophy should be a tractor. (Call the game the AG-STRAVAGANZA!) Mike Gundy played it coy with the media this week, saying that both Shane Illingworth and Spencer Sanders could both see meaningful playing time this week. A good move on his part. They’re such different quarterbacks. Despite the win over OU, I’m not entirely sold on Iowa State. Brock Purdy has played a lot of hero-ball, at least when I’ve been watching, and that will not fly with this OSU secondary. Vegas is expressing very little confidence in the Pokes this weekend (-3), and I can see why. OSU has lost quite a few of these type games over the past four years. Plus, this series has developed the feel of an actual rivalry game in that time: since 2015 not a single game between these two has been decided by more than a touchdown. ISU only won one of those games, however. The Pokes own a 32-19-3 edge all-time. I see them making this the first non-one-score affair between these two Land Grant schools in awhile. Also, don’t miss this opportunity to look back on Tylan Wallace on the same play destroying not one, not two, not three, but four (four!) different Iowa State defenders last year. May all four of them rest in peace.

Baylor 38, Texas 37. I don’t like picking Baylor. Picking Baylor to win makes me grind my teeth. Makes me want to throw up on the nearest Southern Baptist I can find. Worse, picking these particular Baptists to score an upset makes me want to roll around on the ground and eat grass Nebuchadnezzar-style. But I’ll take Baylor in the upset this week. I guess I’ll book a trip to the dentist. In any case, I think Tom Herman is either oblivious or he just says things that make him sound that way when he’s nervous. Earlier this week he said that “I think the general pulse of the team is that we're in as good a place as we've ever been right now as a team”. When you consider he said this less than a week after losing to OU. When you consider his team is 2-2, and should be 1-3. All I can say is that these are the words of a man who is either scared, or an idiot, or both. Anyway: Baylor and UT have met every year since 1923, and a total of 109 times. Texas owns a 78-27-4 advantage. The Horns lost 24-10 last year in Waco. This is the kind of game that, if Texas loses it, may very well get Herman a pink slip. Baylor hasn’t played since the third of this month. I haven’t researched it much, but here’s my position on the Eyes of Texas. If the band that has to play the fucking song doesn’t want to play it, because they think it’s racist, and if the players who play for the team that the fans cheer for don’t want to hear it, because they, the players, think it’s racist, then why on earth would you play the fucking song?

West Virginia 26, Texas Tech 21. Tech showed no signs of life in their recent 31-15 loss to Iowa State. WVU has a pretty good defense. Should be good enough in Lubbock, too, I think.

...

PS: I spent most of the past week working on finishing a long piece about Belmont University’s ties to private prisons and the most successful human trafficker in American history. It went live yesterday, and if you want to read it, you can here. 

[auburnfamilynews]

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s forget last week happened

Record Last Week: 2-3 ATS; 3-2 Totals; 5-5 overall Record for the Season: 67-54-1 overall

No harm, no foul last week. Nothing to get excited about, but if you’ve ever been to Vegas, you know that stepping away from the table at a net zero is pretty good. However, when you’re sitting at a table in the desert, they bring you free cocktails. You get to enjoy the company of random strangers from all over the world. Meanwhile I had to sit and watch Arkansas give up on another season while drinking Kewrs Light I bought with my own money. Chad Morris needs to send our tailgate a keg of Rocky Mountain refreshment with all that buyout money. I earned it with my successful reverse jinx of the tahd last week.

No G5 games in the ledger this week, but we do have some intrigue from outside the SEC as well as the highest line for a road favorite I’ve ever seen.

Florida (-7) @ Missouri (O/U 51)

SP+ Pick: Florida -7.6

Kelly Bryant should be back, and Missouri is a much better team at home. Florida got a glorified scrimmage against Vanderbilt last week, so they should be well rested. I think Florida is hitting their stride, but I’m not sure about backing a road favorite with how the Other Other Tigers have been playing at home. Florida 26, Missouri 20 (Florida wins; Missouri covers; under)

Jack: Missouri 20 vs Florida 27 (Florida wins; push...I...ok buddy; under) Josh Black: Florida 34 Mizzou 14 (Florida covers; under) Josh Dub: Missouri 24, Florida 38 (Florida covers; over) Drew: Gatas 38-17 (Florida covers; over) Ryan: Florida 38-17 (a popular score...Florida covers; over) Crow: Florida 30 miz 22 (Florida covers; over) Nerd: UF 34 MIZZOU 21 (Florida covers; over) Chief: Gators 31, Tigers 23 (Florida covers; over) Dr Will: Florida 31 Missouri 20 (Florida covers; a push on the total...you know they don’t pay you double for that, right?)

Minnesota @ Iowa (-3) (O/U 44.5)

SP+ Pick: Minnesota -2.6

I’ll admit I was wrong on the Gophers last week. Tanner Morgan was fantastic through the air, and their defense made plays when they needed to make them. Those defensive plays usually involved uncalled DPI, but if you know they’re calling the game a certain way, you might as well take advantage.

This week the show goes on the road to a Standard Iowa. This is an Iowa with a pretty good defense, enough offense to score against mediocre to bad defenses, and a home crowd that makes them tough to beat. SP+ and Vegas are on different sides of this one. I’ll go with the confident Gophers and the math. Minnesota 24, Iowa 21 (Minnesota wins outright; over by the hook)

Staff Picks

Jack: Iowa 17 vs Minnesota 24 (Minnesota wins outright; under) Josh Black: Iowa 24 Minnesota 20 (Iowa covers; under by the hook) Josh Dub: Iowa 24, Minnesota 22 (Iowa wins; Minnesota covers; over) Drew: Minnesota 24-14 (Minnesota wins outright; under) Ryan: Minnesota 24-13 (Minnesota wins outright; under) Crow: Minnesota 28 iowa 20 (Minnesota wins outright; over) Nerd: Gophers 23 Hawkeyes 17 (Minnesota wins outright; under) Chief: Minnesota 24, Iowa 21 (Minnesota wins outright; over) Dr Will: Minnesota 27 Iowa 20 (Minnesota wins outright; over)

Navy @ Notre Dame (-7) (O/U 54.5)

SP+ Pick: Navy +4.2

This has been a great bounce-back year for the Midshipmen. Not only are they the favorites to reclaim the Commander In Chief’s Trophy, they stand an excellent chance of being the highest rated G5 team. That honor would come with a New Year’s 6 bowl bid. Winning this game could lock it up, but even playing the Irish close could be enough to keep them ahead of others if things break their way. I just don’t think they have the athletes to keep up with a solid Notre Dame team. I think the lack of big-play-ability from the Irish keeps this thing close to the number and under the total though. Notre Dame 26, Navy 16 (Notre Dame covers; under)

Staff Picks Jack: Notre Dame 31 vs Navy 26 (Notre Dame wins; Navy covers; over) Josh Black: Notre Dame 35 Navy 27 (Notre Dame covers; over) Josh Dub: Notre Dame 24, Navy 31 (Navy wins outright; over) Drew: ND 20-17 (Notre Dame wins; Navy covers; under) Ryan: Navy 31-28 (Navy wins outright; over) Crow: Navy 20 Nd 19 (Navy wins outright; under) Nerd: Irish 31 Navy 21 (Notre Dame covers; over) Chief: Catholics 33, Seamen 26 (Willingly and knowingly selected push; over) Dr Will: Notre Dame 27 Navy 21 (Notre Dame wins; Navy covers; under)

Oklahoma (-10) @ Baylor (O/U 67)

SP+ Pick: Baylor +7.7

Both of these teams have been playing with fire. Oklahoma has already lost once, and they needed to stop a 2-point try from Iowa State to keep from losing their second game last week. Baylor trailed 9-0 and needed multiple overtimes to get past a TCU team that might not make a bowl (though I admit that rivalry games can get hairy). I just don’t think Baylor’s offense can take advantage of Oklahoma’s porous defense. The Bears have struggled along the line, and if there’s one thing Oklahoma can do on defense, it’s rush the passer. Oklahoma 41, Baylor 20 (Oklahoma covers; under)

Staff Picks

Jack: Baylor 28 vs Oklahoma 45 (Oklahoma covers; over) Josh Black: Oklahoma 41 Baylor 24 (Oklahoma covers; under) Josh Dub: Baylor 45, Oklahoma 52 (Oklahoma wins; Baylor covers; over) Drew: Oklahoma 23-21 (Oklahoma wins; Baylor covers; under) Ryan: Oklahoma 45-38 (Oklahoma wins; Baylor covers; over) Crow: Ou 35 bu 20 (Oklahoma covers; under) Nerd: Oklahoma 48 Baylor 31 (Oklahoma covers; over) Chief: OU 34, Bears 27 (Oklahoma wins; Baylor covers; under) Dr Will: Oklahoma 41 Baylor 28 (Oklahoma covers; a nice little over)

Ohio State (-52) @ Rutgers (O/U 62)

SP+ Pick: Rutgers +46.1

This one is in here because the line fascinates us. In order to push the line and the total, in other words “what do they think the final score will be?”, the Vegas pick is Ohio State 57, Rutgers 5. This is also the largest spread I can ever remember. There have been bigger mismatches. There have even been bigger mismatches this season. But those are in paycheck games. This is a conference game. More importantly for the line, this is a conference game involving one of the worst P5 teams in history against a team that seems hell-bent on lighting every house on fire and walking away from the ashes as they stroll to the playoffs. In some places this line has gotten as high as 53. To be honest, I think it would have to get into the 60s for me to consider placing money on Rutgers. I just wouldn’t feel comfortable until then. Ohio State 62, Rutgers 7 (Ohio State covers; over)

Staff Picks

Jack: Rutgers 7 vs Ohio State 55 (OSU wins; Rutgers covers; push...I swear sometimes I can’t help these guys) Josh Black: Ohio State 63 Rutgers 0 (OSU covers; over) Josh Dub: Ohio State 84, Rutgers 0 (OSU covers; over) Drew: An OSU 63-3 (OSU covers; over) Ryan: Ohio State 55-9 (OSU wins; Rutgers covers; over) Crow: Buckeyes 70 Rutgers 7 (OSU covers; over) Nerd: Ohio State 69 Rutgers 10 (OSU covers; over) Chief: Suckeyes 63, Knights 3 (OSU covers; over) Dr Will: Ohio State 66 Rutgers 0 (OSU covers; over)

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2019/11/16/20966386/staff-picks-college-football-week-12

[livioacerbo]

OSU vs. TCU football: Kickoff time, betting odds, matchup breakdown

OSU vs. TCU football: Kickoff time, betting odds, matchup breakdown

TCU at OSU. When: 2:30 p.m., Saturday. Where: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater. TV: ESPN (Cox 29). Radio: KXXY-FM 96.1. Line: Oklahoma State …

[junker-town]

Why Oklahoma could be a better CFP choice than Ohio State

This could be really close, if both teams win on Saturday.

Heading into Rivalry Week, it was not guaranteed that an Ohio State win over Michigan would give the struggling Buckeyes win-and-in Playoff status.

The Buckeyes might’ve erased that doubt by destroying the previous No. 4 team 62-39, shades of that time the Buckeyes booked a 2014 CFP ticket by blasting Wisconsin far worse than anyone predicted.

But don’t forget about Oklahoma.

If Bama and Clemson win their conferences, they’ll join Notre Dame in the field (though it should be noted that OSU destroying ND’s best win was bad for the Irish). With the Pac-12 QUITE out and UCF hopeless, that’d leave the Big Ten and Big 12 champs.

Despite Ohio State putting up one of the year’s most shocking results — I’m aware OSU has owned Michigan for years, but we’re talking within the context of 2018 — OU still has the inside track, ranking No. 5 and one spot ahead of the Buckeyes in Tuesday night’s penultimate rankings.

But with OU squeaking one out at West Virginia amid OSU’s historic win, that gap closed greatly.

The following are guesses on how things could look on Selection Sunday if OSU beats Northwestern to win the Big Ten and OU beats Texas to win the Big 12.

These are factors similar to the kinds of things the committee talks about in public. I’m guessing on all the final CFP rankings here.

Highest-ranked win

Ohio State: No. 8 (?) Michigan by 23

Oklahoma: No. 15 (?) Texas by ?

Second highest-ranked win

Ohio State: at No. 12 (?) Penn State by 1

Oklahoma: at No. 16 (?) West Virginia by 3

Third highest-ranked win

Ohio State: No. 24 (?) Northwestern by ?

Oklahoma: No. 21 (?) Iowa State by 10

Loss excuse

Ohio State: Lost at 6-6 Purdue by 29 because Purdue beat the hell out of Ohio State.

Oklahoma: Lost to 9-4 Texas by 3 despite dominating yards-per-play, then avenged it in the (pending) Big 12 Championship. If OU wins the Big 12, OU fans should hammer this comparison all night. Public arguments won’t sway the committee, but it feels nice to win them anyway.

Record vs. ranked teams

Ohio State: 3-0 (plus unranked loss)

Oklahoma: 3-1

Record vs. .500-plus teams

Ohio State: 7-1

Oklahoma: 7-1

Performance against common opponents

This shouldn’t decide the entire thing, but is one of the committee’s stated tiebreakers. Per S&P+ (and the memories of anyone who watched), one win over TCU was significantly more decisive, though committee chair Rob Mullens curiously called them “comparable.”

Ohio State vs. TCU: 40-28 in Arlington, Texas (59 percent S&P+ win expectancy)

Oklahoma vs. TCU: 52-27 in Fort Worth, Texas (100 percent S&P+ win expectancy)

Both were before TCU’s injury bug bit hard, so this should boost Oklahoma. TCU head coach Gary Patterson isn’t on the committee, but he agrees with the numbers (which would happen to benefit his conference, but still):

Texas is going to get an opportunity again this next Saturday. I can just tell you guys right now: I don’t want to [face Oklahoma again]. [...]

I played Ohio State. I saw what they did to Michigan today. I’m telling you, I played both. I know who I would rather play again. And who I wouldn’t.

Strength of schedule

“Oklahoma has a little bit stronger schedule than Ohio State at this point,” said the committee’s Mullens, and that particular gap can only grow on Saturday.

SOS is another stated committee tiebreaker. There are a million ways to judge it. Let’s use a couple that incorporate how each team performed, but in different ways.

Here’s Resume S&P+, which gauges how the average Playoff-worthy team would’ve likely fared against each schedule:

Ohio State: No. 9

Oklahoma: No. 8

And here’s CPI, a raw win percentage metric similar to basketball’s RPI:

Ohio State: No. 8

Oklahoma: No. 6 (plus OU beating Texas next week would count for more than OSU beating Northwestern)

Advanced rankings (overall, offense, and defense in S&P+)

The committee doesn’t use math quite as smart as opponent-adjusted S&P+, but this is still a good snapshot.

Ohio State: 8th, 4th, 35th

Oklahoma: 4th, 1st, 84th

That “1st” undersells Oklahoma’s offense. S&P+ judges it to be 10 adjusted points per game better than Ohio State’s. S&P+, which tends to beat the spread, would pick Oklahoma by 3.3 on a neutral field. Vegas would probably favor OU by a little as well:

Ed Salmons, head football oddsmaker at the SuperBook, said he'd make Oklahoma a 1-point favorite over Ohio State on a neutral field. "Maybe Pick 'em. The total would be 100 (joking)." With wins this weekend, the Sooners and Buckeyes will be vying for the fourth playoff spot.

— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) November 26, 2018

There’s a chance this all comes down to Oklahoma’s defense.

Does the committee, largely populated by older citizens, trust a team that ranks No. 103 in yards per play allowed? Is this what Frank Beamer wants football to be? It’s repeatedly indicated it prefers “balanced” teams without glaring issues. While the Buckeyes have given up a ton of big plays, that’s not a terrible overall defense.

OU, however, would have the biggest weakness of any Playoff team. (Theoretically, the Horns could knock OU out of the Playoff just by forcing a huge shootout.)

Committee chair Mullens has described Ohio State as also being “carried” by its offense, though.

However, there’s a chance this all comes down to Ohio State’s horrific loss. It probably should!

OU is a bounce or two against a top-15 team away from being undefeated.

Ohio State is absolutely not.

“Every game matters,” right? I would pick Oklahoma based largely on this, but I’m not in charge of anything.

One of Mullens’ first points about OU when asked was that the Sooners’ “only loss is to a ranked Texas at a neutral site.”

The committee isn’t supposed to think about a (potential) OU win over Texas as REVENGE, rather just another data point. It’s hard to deny beating the only team that beat you would be a hell of a closing argument, though.

Assuming OSU and OU win their conferences, the Buckeyes will have been a part of literally every Playoff final four controversy ever.

2014: Ohio State over Baylor and TCU at the buzzer

2015: There were no true controversies, but here was the closest thing: Ohio State was pretty clearly better than the Big Ten teams ahead of it in the CFP rankings (as bowl results helped confirm)

2016: Ohio State became the first team to make the Playoff despite not winning its conference, passing a Penn State that’d won the Big Ten East

2017: Ohio State missed out, thanks to Bama pulling the ole 2016 Ohio State trick

2018: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma, one-loss Power 5 champs

[podcastpalace]

Episode 135: A.J. Green Great vs. Ravens, Week 2 NFL Preview, Week 3 College Preview by CBS Sports Podcasts .... Kanell and Bell react to the Bengals' Thursday night victory over the Ravens, A.J. Green's great performance and Cincy's chances to compete this season. Then, they preview Week 2 in the NFL including looks at the Vikings-Packers, Patriots-Jags and Giants-Cowboys. Next, the guys lookahead to Week 3 in college football, chatting OSU-TCU, LSU-Auburn, USC-Texas and Alabama-Ole Miss. Danny and Raja make their weekend picks and update us on what's socially relevant in the world of sports. Finally, Leftovers with a focus on lopsided scores and hungover golfers.

[gizedcom]

Guerin Emig: A vote of conscience, confidence for Chuba Hubbard as Big 12 Offensive Player of Year | OSU Sports Extra

Sam Ehlinger will likely be the Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, scheduled to be announced this week, which is both sensible and predictable given Ehlinger’s accomplishments and the fact he plays the most important position on the league’s most scrutinized team.

I believe he will be first team All-Big 12 quarterback at the end of 2020, assuming there is a 2020 season.

I also believe Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard will be Offensive Player of the Year.

Consider this a vote of conscience, Hubbard having joined basketball coach Mike Boynton as the moral compass of OSU athletics the past several weeks.

Consider this primarily a vote of confidence.

I like Hubbard because I’m confident he is going to be as active in OSU’s offense as he was last year when he touched the ball 351 times.

Wait, you say. Remember what Mike Gundy said last January before the world went insane?

“I don’t see Chuba getting 30 carries a game like he did last year.”

I also remember Gundy saying five minutes later: “We need to have Chuba more involved in the throwing game. It makes us a better offense.”

What’s more likely to happen this season — Gundy giving No. 2 running back LD Brown more carries? Or Hubbard adding to his 23 receptions total from 2019?

I doubt Hubbard equals Joseph Randle’s 43-catch production out of OSU’s 2011 backfield. Surely, though, he can get in the 30s. He caught seven passes at West Virginia alone last fall.

Gundy and newly-installed offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn want Spencer Sanders targeting Tylan Wallace, Dillon Stoner and Landon Wolf downfield, no doubt. They want Sanders handing off to Hubbard more than flipping him screen passes.

I’m confident handing off to Hubbard will be just as effective this year as it was last. Meaning, I’m confident of the following…

* That OSU will figure out a way to play a couple non-conference games.

Hubbard rushed for 477 yards and six touchdowns against Oregon State and Tulsa. It was man barreling over boys.

It would have been the same this September, only now Oregon State isn’t playing in Stillwater and who knows whether the Big 12 will join the Pac-12 and Big Ten in wiping out non-conference games?

* That OSU will figure out a way to fortify an offensive line missing Johnny Wilson, Marcus Keyes and Dylan Galloway from the one that blew open holes a year ago.

Hubbard will be depending on Teven Jenkins and Bryce Bray, the two full-time returning starters, primarily, but also on West Virginia transfer Josh Sills, who should be a starter, and on coach Charlie Dickey, who is charged with rebuilding half his line.

* That Tylan Wallace stays healthy.

With Wallace out wide, defenses must play OSU’s run game honestly. That happened the first half of 2019, before Wallace tore up his knee. Then defenses cheated a little closer to the box and Hubbard’s production dipped.

* That Hubbard stays healthy.

“Chuba was beat up the last part of the season and didn’t practice much,” Gundy also said last January.

He’s going to get beat up again this season. It’s the life of a 2,000-yard running back, no matter how carefully he is protected.

Hubbard still cleared 100 yards in his last three regular-season games of 2019, but he didn’t have the same burst. He got a month of rest before the Texas Bowl, then averaged 8.2 yards per carry against Texas A&M.

I have confidence Hubbard will pick up where he left off when he gets his first touch of 2020, that he’ll keep getting touches both in the run and pass game, that he’ll keep cutting back into wide swaths created by his replenished line, that he and Wallace will be healthier deeper into the season, and that the end result will make him 2020 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Here’s my Preseason All-Big 12 ballot

Spencer Rattler, Spencer Sanders, Brock Purdy, Charlie Brewer, Alan Bowman and Skylar Thompson make this the deepest position in the conference. No quarterback is more proven, or valuable, than Ehlinger.

Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State

Hubbard is obvious. I went with Brooks over Pooka Williams and Breece Hall because of opportunities. Brooks should get plenty of touches with Trey Sermon now at Ohio State.

Wallace is also obvious. I have no idea about the second receiver. Brennan Eagles of Texas? T.J. Vasher of Texas Tech? Charleston Rambo of OU? I sort of think Rattler spreads it around. Parchment should get 15 targets a game at KU.

Charlie Kolar, Iowa State

Wanna drive Big 12 defensive coordinators crazy? Ask them about trying to cover Kolar.

Jack Anderson, Texas Tech

Start with Humphrey and then draw names out of a helmet, honestly.

Wyatt Hubert, Kansas State

Darius Stills, West Virginia

JaQuan Bailey, Iowa State

The Sooners’ Ronnie Perkins would get consideration were he not suspended for the first five games of the upcoming season.

Three triple-digit tacklers from a year ago. OSU’s Amen Ogbongbemiga is a fourth. He narrowly misses the cut.

Anthony Johnson, Iowa State

A leap of faith here on Brown, assuming Grinch’s defense is ready to take the ball twice as much as it did a year ago.

Iowa State safety Greg Eisworth is my nickel.

Austin McNamara, Texas Tech

Joshua Youngblood, K-State

Watch now: Thurman Thomas among former Cowboys interested in showing Mike Gundy, OSU a better way

A look at OSU running back Chuba Hubbard’s career so far

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard (30) carries the ball up the middle against against the Texas A&M Aggies during the fourth quarter of the 2019 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX, Dec 27, 2019. ERIK WILLIAMS/for the Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard (30) looks to block Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Demani Richardson (26) while carrying the ball during the second quarter of the 2019 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX, Dec 27, 2019. ERIK WILLIAMS/for the Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (right) was named to the Preseason Walter Camp 2020 All-American first team. ERIK WILLIAMS/for the Tulsa World, file

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (left) tries to avoid Oklahoma’s DaShaun White during the bedlam football game in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, November 30, 2019. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Chuba Hubbard breaks free for a touchdown during Oklahoma State’s football game vs. TCU on Nov. 2, 2019 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. DEVIN LAWRENCE WILBUR/For the Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (30) carries the ball during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against West Virginia in Morgantown, W.Va., on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Chris Jackson)

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (30) runs with the ball during the first half of the NCAA college football game against Texas Tech, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Brad Tollefson)

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard blows a kiss to the Oklahoma State fans after their 34-27 win over Iowa State after an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (left) and Hunter Anthony (right) celebrate a touchdown against Kansas’ during a football game in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, November 16, 2019. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (left) is hit by Baylor’s JT Woods (right) during a football game in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, October 19, 2019. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard warms up against Baylor during a football game in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, October 19, 2019. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Chuba Hubbard celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during Oklahoma State’s football game vs. No. 24 Kansas State in Stillwater, Oklahoma at Boone Pickens Stadium, on September 28, 2019. DEVIN LAWRENCE WILBUR/For the Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (center) is brought down just short of the goal line by Texas defenders during a football game in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, September 21, 2019. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard (30) stiff arms Tulsa Golden Hurricane safety Cristian Williams (3) during the NCAA football between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium in Tulsa, Okla. on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. IAN MAULE/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (left) runs downfield against McNeese State at a football game in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, September 7, 2019. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard (30) poses for a portrait during the Oklahoma State Football media day in Stillwater on August 3, 2019. Tulsa World File photo

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard (30) runs the ball during Oklahoma State’s Spring Weekend at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. on Saturday, April 20, 2019. IAN MAULE/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2019

Running back Chuba Hubbard makes a catch at football practice during Oklahoma State’s first day of fall camp at the Sherman E. Smith training center in April 2019. DEVIN LAWRENCE WILBER/For the Tulsa WOrld

Chuba Hubbard in 2018

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard raises his arms as he scores a touchdown during a football game against Missouri State at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., on Thursday, August 30, 2018. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2018

Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard (30) runs through an attempted tackle by Boise State Broncos safety DeAndre Pierce (4) during the NCAA football between the Boise State Broncos and the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. on Saturday, September 15, 2018. IAN MAULE/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2018

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (bottom) is brought down by Iowa State’s Will McDonald during a football game at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, October 6, 2018. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2018

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (center)heads downfield against Texas during a football game in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, October 27, 2018. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2018

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard (center) runs downfield under pressure from Oklahoma’s Curtis Bolton (right) at the Bedlam football game in Norman, Okla., on Saturday, November 10, 2018. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2018

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard runs past a pack of West Virginia defenders including Dravon Askew-Henry (right) during a football game at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, November 17, 2018. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2018

Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard runs breaks away from Missouri linebacker Cale Garrett during the first half of the Liberty Bowl NCAA college football game in Memphis, Tenn., Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. JOE RONDONE/The Commercial Appeal via AP

Chuba Hubbard in 2017

Running Back, Chuba Hubbard, 30, runs a pass during a drill at Oklahoma State’s first practice at the Sherman E. Smith practice center in Stillwater on Sunday July 30, 2017. Tulsa World file

Chuba Hubbard in 2017

Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard warms up against Texas Christian during a football game at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, September 23, 2017. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Chuba Hubbard in 2017

Justice Hill (left) and Chuba Hubbard sign autographs during Fan Appreciation Day at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, August 4, 2018. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

Video: Eric Bailey and Guerin Emig break down Bedlam

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The post Guerin Emig: A vote of conscience, confidence for Chuba Hubbard as Big 12 Offensive Player of Year | OSU Sports Extra appeared first on GIZED - Breaking News Worldwide.

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[thecollegefootballguy]

2019 Top Games of the Week: Week 6

Conference play is starting to ramp up and the conference races have taken shape. Week 6 offers us what could be the best single slate of games so far in 2019. The SEC and Big Ten spearhead a great mixture of Playoff relevant contests, while most other leagues have their fair share of intrigue. Not really in the ACC, but you can’t have everything.

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The Top Ten Games of the Week

10. Pittsburgh 3-2 (0-1) at Duke 3-1 (1-0)

Hell, as far as I know this will decide the ACC Coastal. Virginia aside this division is a weird mix of teams and most of them are still in play except Georgia Tech. Pitt and Duke (but mostly Duke) has shown real promise this year. Somebody will challenge the Cavaliers, it might as well be these guys.

9. #11 Texas 3-1 (1-0) at West Virginia 3-1 (1-0)

I’ll admit I didn’t buy Texas as early as I should have. That’s not to say that I think the Longhorns will make the Playoff or anything, just that they’re clearly the #2 team in the Big 12 as far as I can tell. And if they beat Oklahoma again, well who knows? As for West Virginia, they Mountaineers seemed like they were headed in the wrong direction thanks to graduation attrition. But so far WVU has done a good job and has looked solid enough. Tom Herman’s achilles heel has been losing games he shouldn’t have, and a trip to Morgantown is never easy.

8. TCU 3-1 (1-0) at Iowa State 2-2 (0-1)

Two of the Big 12 dark horses are starting to look like they’re in a real bind. TCU’s loss to SMU was a nice black eye for the Horned Frogs. I get that the Mustangs are having a year but TCU usually beats them no matter what. Meanwhile, Iowa State was the popular choice in preseason to challenge mighty OU and UT as an outside bid for the conference crown. So far the Cyclones haven’t impressed. For both teams, it will be important to see if their slow starts are just a stumble out of the gate or a larger issue.

7. #21 Oklahoma State 4-1 (1-1) at Texas Tech 2-2 (0-1)

Oklahoma State is trying to separate itself from the rest of the pack in the Big 12. The Cowboys barely lost to Texas and looked good handling Kansas State. Texas Tech shouldn’t be the biggest hurdle OSU faces between now and Bedlam, but the wins have to keep coming to stay abreast in this very dense conference.

6. Baylor 4-0 (1-0) at Kansas State 3-1 (0-1)

The middle of the Big 12 is still sorting itself out. I’m not sure either of these teams are going to be the league dark horse, but at this point we have to just let the teams play and see what happens. This conference has a lot going on and my advice is to keep tabs on most Big 12 games when you can.

5. #18 UCF 4-1 (1-0) at Cincinnati 3-1 (0-0)

The rare G5 appearance in the Top 5 is worth it because this one will probably decide the AAC East. Unlike the West division, which is looking very much up for grabs at the moment, the East’s two best teams are clearly defined and face off Friday night. UCF suffered a major embarrassment at the hands of Pitt, but the Knights still are the major favorites in the conference. Meanwhile, Cincinnati has been quietly building a solid program. The Bearcats might not have enough firepower to take down Central Florida, but they blew up C-USA favorite Marshall last week which is very encouraging.

4. California 4-1 (1-1) at #13 Oregon 3-1 (1-0)

The PAC-12 is very much a conference in flux. The race isn’t about making the Playoff, but more just who’s going to come out on top with so many programs headed in different directions. Cal had a tough time scoring against Arizona State after QB Chase Garbers went down. Regardless of who is behind center this week, facing Oregon at Autzen is a daunting task. The Ducks have been the favorite for many, but so far their only challenging opponent beat them.

3. #25 Michigan State 4-1 (2-0) at #4 Ohio State 5-0 (2-0)

A team of Michigan State’s caliber will probably just be a speedbump for Ohio State, who have so far torn apart every squad unfortunate enough to face them. However, the Spartans aren’t governed by the laws of man or nature, and make every game way closer than it perhaps should be, for better or worse. It’s actually a bit scary now that Sparty has shown a bit of offense. That might not be enough to best the Buckeyes, but it could really throw off Michigan or Penn State down the line.

2. #14 Iowa 4-0 (1-0) at #19 Michigan 3-1 (1-1)

I think this is the most interesting matchup in Week 6. Iowa has looked very competent so far, albeit very untested. Michigan completely failed their test against Wisconsin, but the Wolverines reminded us what they’re capable of when they beat Rutgers so bad they fired their coach. I am really curious to see what happens here.

1. #7 Auburn 5-0 (2-0) at #10 Florida 5-0 (2-0)

The Auburn-Florida rivalry(?) has another matchup full of intrigue. The Tigers so far have one of the better resumes in this young season, having taken down PAC-12 favorite Oregon and SEC dark horse Texas A&M. Florida, meanwhile, has one of the least impressive resumes of any undefeated Power conference team. The Gators scraped by Miami and Kentucky and only blew out a reeling Tennessee squad. Now that UF is getting their first real test, let’s see how good they really are. Both of these teams have bigger games down the schedule, but a loss here would cripple their prospective Playoff aspirations.

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5 G5 Games of the Week

5. Troy 2-2 (0-1) at Missouri 3-1 (1-0)

It’s the annual Troy special. The Trojans upset Nebraska last season and LSU in 2017. Let’s see if Troy can pull off the hat trick.

4. Tulsa 2-2 (0-0) at #24 SMU 5-0 (1-0)

SMU has emerged as a real contender for the AAC West. The Mustangs are off to their best start since the death penalty. Tulsa isn’t exactly a world beater at this point, but the Mustangs have to prove they’re consistent before they can even attempt to claim the AAC crown.

3. Tulane 3-1 (1-0) at Army 3-1

This game was scheduled back when Tulane and Army were doormat programs getting shoved around by every kid on the playground. Look at how far they’ve come. The Green Wave and Black Knights feature two of the most innovative option attacks in college football and already have claim to two of the most exciting games in this young season (Tulane’s comeback over Houston and Army’s near upset of Michigan).

2. Air Force 3-1 (1-1) at Navy 2-1 (1-1)

The first leg of the three-way Service Academy rivalry kicks off this weekend. Air Force and Navy both look like they’ve rebounded from pretty dismal seasons last year. This should be the most fierce competition for the Commander-in-Chief Trophy that we’ve seen in decades.

1. Western Michigan 3-2 (1-0) at Toledo 3-1 (0-0)

The MAC West might be decided pretty early. Western Michigan and Toledo have been the favorites and it’s likely that landscape hasn’t changed unless EMU or NIU wants to throw their hats into the ring. As far as I can tell nobody is winning the MAC East, so this game might could very well decide the whole conference.

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FCS Games of the Week

4. #18 Youngstown State 4-0 (0-0) at #13 Northern Iowa 2-2 (0-0)

The MVFC will probably put about 4 teams into the Playoff, and these two are currently angling for that last spot. Youngstown State has been one of the nice stories so far, but the Penguins haven’t faced any hard competition like the battle tested Northern Iowa Panthers.

3. #2 James Madison 4-1 (1-0) at #24 Stony Brook 4-1 (1-0)

The CAA remains as stacked as ever. Surprisingly we only get one ranked vs ranked game from that league this week even though a full 6 out of 12 conference teams are in the top 25. James Madison probably wins here.

2. #11 Central Arkansas 3-1 (1-0) at #16 Nicholls State 2-2 (1-0)

Apparently Nicholls State is going by Nicholls now. Idk that feels weird to me. Any way, these are the two conference favorites, the winner here has a good chance to claim the Southland title this year.

1. #1 North Dakota State 4-0 (0-0) at #10 Illinois State 3-1 (0-0)

North Dakota State travels to Normal to face off against the top ten ranked Redbirds. I doubt the Bison lose here, but it’s foolish to pick them losing in any one particular game.

[alboo]

Baylor will stack the box, bring pressure and try to stop Oklahoma from beating them in the run game.

1. Bringing constant pressure on Hurts will not only make it difficult for him to run

2.  is going to really takeaway his passing game.  He doesn’t make quick reads, he doesn’t have a quick release. 

3. His passing ability has been limited lately anyway.  While many use the explanation it is because we have won using the run game, chewing up clock, and tiring out defenses

4.  You don’t have your worst pass completion% in a game where you barely pass and have your fewest pass attempts in the last two games without something being wrong with passing ability.

5.  extending the previous thought.  You don’t take a player like CeeDee Lamb, If he is healthy and let him have 2 catches vs. TCU and 4 against OSU.  but yes we do have a lot of great receivers.

[big12pickparty]

Week 8 Big 12 Picks: Tarp-Time

Pictured: Baylor’s old tarp. Link to Baylor’s new tarp below.

My evil plan has been initiated: now that OU has beaten Texas, I’m sticking to my prediction that the Sooners will fall to the Cowboys in Bedlam. For now, though, the Sooners have to be feeling good about themselves after their Big Lengthy-Horned Beef Barbecue last weekend at the fair. 

Not a great week of games nationally: aside from Oregon vs. Washington, Arizona State vs. Utah, and Michigan vs. Penn State--which I bet will be about as exciting as as a trip to the tag agency--there’s not much.

Last week: 3-0 (1.000)

Overall: 32-13 (.711)

West Virginia 10, No. 5 Oklahoma 56. If you’re reading this blog you likely already know what OU did last weekend, the biggest story being the performance of Alex Grinch’s defense. Nine sacks. Fifteen tackles for loss. Holding the Horns to just over 300 yards. The rest of the league, I suppose, might be cheered by the fact that UT kept them under 40 points for the first time all season, but the reality is that these Sooners keep getting scarier by the week. They head to Morgantown as 33.5-point favorites. For West Virginia’s part, backup Jack Allen performed admirably after Austin Kendall left the game in WVU’s 38-14 loss to the Cyclones, but the game quickly got out of hand in the second half and West Virginia was never in it. As I write this, I don’t know if Kendall (who is an OU transfer) will play this Saturday, but I can’t see as how it will matter, particularly in Norman. The Mountaineers have not beaten the Sooners a single time since joining the Big 12, falling to a miserable tune of 0-7.

Iowa State 28, Texas Tech 30. I, for one, as an OSU fan, was cheered to see how tough Tech was on defense last week at Baylor. It appears there’s some real improvement underway in Lubbock, even if it’s going to be awhile before it comes to fruition. Vegas has ISU at -7, but I'm taking the Red Raiders at the Jones.

TCU 19, Kansas State 17. These two teams are still almost complete mysteries to me. K-State has been both pretty good (at Mississippi State) and really bad (at OSU). TCU has been okay (at Purdue) and also really, really bad (at Ames). The only difference is K-State’s been blown out twice in a row while TCU has only been blown out once in a row. Something tells me to go with TCU, so I’m going to do that. Another thing tells me that this game will produce a safety. I like safeties. Who doesn’t? They’re like finding a $20 in your winter coat the first time you put them on. Unless it’s your team that commits it. In that case a safety is kind of like stepping in dogshit on your way to work.

No. 18 Baylor 34, Oklahoma State 38. Baylor may be 6-0, but they were lucky to emerge with a double-overtime home win against Tech--a game which, were it not for a bad call on a muffed snap that Tech recovered, that the Bears should have lost. Despite OSU owning a 20-17 all-time record against the Divine Tarpists, the Pokes have dropped four of their last five in this series, including a baffling game last season that saw OSU piss away a late lead, displaying a pronounced lack of urgency. I see a hard-fought battle here, but think the Cowboys jump on the Bears early and often, ultimately pulling away with a homecoming victory. Also, though it’s slightly more subtle than the one at Baylor’s old stadium, did you know that McClane also has a tarp?

Kansas 20, No. 15 Texas 42. Welp, Texas finds itself in familiar territory this week. Two losses. Playoff hopes dashed by the midway point in the season. There’s still a path to the Big 12 title game, but that, too, will be a challenge: trips to Fort Worth, Waco, and Ames remain. The Horns should be grateful to be playing at home this weekend, even if the opponent is lowly Kansas.

[livioacerbo]

OSU vs. TCU football: Kickoff time, betting odds, matchup breakdown

OSU vs. TCU football: Kickoff time, betting odds, matchup breakdown

TCU at OSU. When: 2:30 p.m., Saturday. Where: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater. TV: ESPN (Cox 29). Radio: KXXY-FM 96.1. Line: Oklahoma State …