About two-thirds of the way through the season, we’ve decided to honor some of the best teams and players in college football by handing out (figuratively) awards based solely on merit. You’ll find no hype or bandwagons here. These are awards based on what a player or team has accomplished to this point. Continue reading ‘NCAA Mid-Late Season Awards’
For the third consecutive week, a team ranked #1 in one of the major polls lost. Oklahoma was beaten by a determined Missouri squad who were lifted by the best football home crowd we’ve seen this season. Our #1, Oregon, continued to dominate, rolling over Pac-10 opponent UCLA by 47 points. Auburn and Wisconsin joined Missouri as teams with huge victories this week. Boise State, as usual, is on the outside looking into the BCS top two. After Auburn used its 24-17 over LSU to pole vault into the #1 spot in the BCS rankings, Boise State remained at #3, no doubt wondering if winning will ever be enough.
Ray Legend in the building:
This is the one. This is the game that will separate the men from the boys. #6 LSU is on the road today against #4 Auburn. You could not ask for a bigger game in the SEC this year. LSU’s defense is one of the nation’s best. Auburn’s quarterback Cam Newton is a Heisman front-runner. But that’s just one of the interesting plots of this game.
Auburn’s defense, particularly its secondary, has been generous so far this season. Can LSU’s dual quarterback system take advantage? The Tigers offense will have to put points on the board because it is unrealistic to ask the defense to hold Newton under 20 points. Sure Mississippi State held Auburn under 2o, but that was early in the season. LSU will have to score at least 28 to win this game. That means a special teams or defensive score is required to win this game.
I would love nothing better to see LSU go to 8-0 today. I’m going to go with my heart and not my head and pick LSU, 28-27. Another Les Cardiac Tigers effort today. I just have a feeling. Maybe even a Patrick Peterson punt return for a touchdown. Here we go!
When I visited Portland, Ore., earlier this week, everyone I met seemed excited about Oregon’s first ever No. 1 ranking in the AP polls. And with good reason. It’s a hard accolade to obtain. The Ducks will have to block out all the hoopla that comes with being No. 1 to avoid being the third straight No. 1 (Alabama, Ohio State) to lose in as many weeks. Tonight’s primetime contest is a great showcase for not just Oregon, but its running back LaMichael James. I expect Oregon’s soffense to be too powerful. My pick is Ducks, 45-28. Let’s get started.
Last week’s upsets of Ohio State and Nebraska opened the door wide for BCS Busters Boise State and TCU to have an opportunity to play for the national championship. There is still the potential other teams such as Auburn, LSU or Michigan State could jump Boise but it would be tougher for those major conference schools to finish undefeated. Oklahoma, which is ranked No. 1 in the BCS, just has to continue winning, although that might be easier said than done. The same goes for Oregon, the No. 2 team in the inaugural BCS. Boise, the No. 3 ranked team, would need one of those two to lose and a host of other schools directly behind it to falter to earn a trip to the title game in Glendale, Ariz. It is definitely possible. Continue reading ‘Week 8 College Football Top 25′
With top-ranked Alabama losing to South Carolina, the door is now open for new blood to assume the role of lead dog. Ohio State is the traditional candidate, while Oregon and Boise State are right on the Buckeyes’ heels. Oklahoma also has a legitimate claim to #1, while TCU, Nebraska and LSU haven’t impressed enough in their wins to earn that distinction.
Ray and Jordy discuss LSU’s win over Florida in the Swamp, Jordy’s experience in Gainesville, Les Miles’s hot-seat status, the struggling Saints and 49ers, Minnesota’s playoff chances, and more!
by Jordy Pujol
For four years now, Boise State (5-0, 1-0 WAC) has been mentioned as a BCS National Championship contender. Seemingly every year, they plow through the divisional schedule and beat a BCS-conference opponent or two. They win big and show off. This year, they are beating opponents by an average of 32.6 points per game. They have a Heisman candidate in QB Kellen Moore and several All-American candidates. They have beaten two ranked teams in Virginia Tech and Oregon State.
Boise’s strength of schedule always works against them. Every year, they lack the big wins necessary to push them into the top 2 of the BCS standings, securing a place in the championship game. The WAC is simply too weak, which motivated the program to switch alliances to the Mountain West Conference in the future. This year, however, is different. Every football fan in the state of Idaho is hoping and praying for the Nevada Wolfpack (6-0. 1-0 WAC) to remain undefeated until their November 26th showdown with Boise State. Beating an undefeated, ranked team would work wonders for Boise’s chances in the BCS race. It may be what the Broncos need to finally push them over that hump. Boise State’s fans have become de facto fans of Nevada, licking their chops for the sacrificial lamb to host the Broncos as an undefeated team. There is only one thing everyone seems to be forgetting. Continue reading ‘Boise Beware’
Good afternoon everybody,
Ray Legendre, present. I’m sitting on my couch, drinking Grape gatorade and eating reduced fat Cheez-Its. No 100 percent fat Cheez-Its for me. That’s not the way to get True Blood abs. And I am working toward True Blood abs. That’s why I ate hamburgers off the Foreman today, instead of from one of Retirement City’s thousand fast food crack spots.
Today is Week 5 in the NFL. The 3-1 Saints are playing on the road against the 2-2 Cardinals. Second straight week New Orleans plays a rookie quarterback making his first start. Cards undrafted rookie Max Hall takes over for ineffective starter Derek Anderson. This should be a game where the Saints get a comfortable victory. Should be is the key term. Anyway, I’m going with the Saints, 34-20. This is the same Arizona team that got waxed by the San Diego Chargers, 41-10, last week.
For the second time in as many weeks, a new AFC North team is atop my NFL Power Rankings. This week it’s the Baltimore Ravens, who topped last week’s No. 1, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on a last-minute touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Flacco to wide receiver T.J. Houshmanzadeh. The Ravens own victories over both the Steelers and New York Jets, the No. 2 and No. 3 teams, respectively, in this week’s rankings. You’ll also notice change at the top of the NFC. After the 2010 season’s first quarter of games, I am not convinced the New Orleans Saints are the best NFC team. The Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons leapfrogged the Saints. The defending Super Bowl champions have been beset by injuries at running back and in the secondary. But even so, I expect them to play better against a hapless Carolina Panthers team starting a rookie quarterback.
Continue reading ‘New AFC North team claims top spot in Power Rankings’