SEC – Big Ten Challenge

While I was living at the DePaul library last week, one of the few hours I took off of studying was to watch the Badger Basketball team take on UNC in Chapel Hill.  This game was part of the highly touted, Big Ten – ACC challenge that has taken place over the past 11 years.  Each season, NCAA basketball fans have this challenge to look forward knowing that it will contain compelling games.  It makes up for cupcake contests early in the season such as Wisconsin vs. Keensaw State.

Two of the top Guards in the country
played each other thanks to the Big Ten - ACC
Challenge.  

This challenge has been so successful that the Big East and SEC have started their own challenge that takes place at the beginning of the season.  As I was watching the UNC-Wisco game, I was talking to a former college roommate about the challenge in general. We were both mentioning how great it would be if football had a similar challenge with a conference such as the Big 12 or even the SEC. 

Since then, I have thought on this topic more and more and really question why this has not happened yet.  Now, I do not understand contracts and what it takes to schedule college football games but I must imagine athletic directors and conference commissioners have thought of this idea before.  Other than just setting up the schedule, I really see no other problem with this.

Each game would be a highly anticipated match as there is a good chance the opposing teams have not played each other in past or in recent history.  Fan bases would want to flock to away games for a chance to attend a game at a historical college football sight.  It would also draw a great deal of national attention and positive attention at that.  It is the type of attention that is desperately needed for a conference like the Big Ten. 

Yah, there is a chance we could lose a number of these games but eventually we will win.  Even if we do lose, one of the biggest knocks as of late has been how weak the non-conference schedules have been of Big Ten teams.  Throw in a challenge with the SEC and no one will be able to make that argument again.

Imagine the scene that would take place at Camp Randall as LSU comes to town and they have to play under the lights as the country watches on.  Or an Urban Meyer Buckeye team heads back to the Swamp to play his former team.  The storylines and potential matchups are endless and even if it was not the SEC, a Big 12/Pac 10/ACC challenge would be just fine.  Yet, if you’re going to take on a bully on the playground, you might as well go after the biggest and strongest. 

So Mr. Delany, take the necessary actions to recapture the respect that our beloved conference has lost.  Yes I understand this type of deal might take time but it is a deal that would be well worth it.  It would allow college football fans to know that the 3^rd Saturday of every college football season (hypothetical) will contain a set of games that is must watch TV.  What the hell, let’s kick this weekend off with a Thursday night game to get even more national attention.  

What Could Be…

Earlier in the season, I explained my hatred of the current BCS system and what I believe could be a proposed solution.  To recap, I fully support an 8-team playoff.  At the most, it would require an additional two extra games from the two teams who have the honor to play in the national title game.  It is a small price to pay for a fair solution to the biggest problem that resides in American Sports. 

Now that the end of the season has arrived, and the bowl schedule has been completely released, let me describe to you the scenario I envision.  To start, wipe out the four major BCS bowl games including the national title game.  These bowls no longer exist and replacing them will be the games in the 8 team playoff. 

The 8 teams that comprise the playoff will be the 6 major conference champions followed by the two highest BCS ranked schools that did not win their conference.  The seeding would also be determined by the BCS rankings so the playoff seeding for the current year would look like this:

1)  LSU – SEC champion

                   2)  Alabama – 1^st At large Bid            

                    3) Oklahoma State – Big 12 Champion

       4)  Stanford – 2^nd At large Bid

        5) Oregon – Pac 12 Champion

          6)Wisconsin – Big 10 Champion

       7)  Clemson – ACC Champion

                  8) West Virginia -  Big East Champion

Sorry Boise, you would not be included in this year’s BCS playoff.  Yet in most other years, a Non-AQ school would have been in the playoff system which would have solved this whole Non-AQ problem years ago.  Regardless of that, tell me how much a college football fan would salivate at the sight of that lineup.

The first four games would each be played in a BCS bowl site.  During a four year rotation, each bowl site would have a chance to pick 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th for the respective quarterfinal game.  The bowls would also rotate the semi-final games as well as the national championship game over the four year period.  

In regards to dates and times, there would be at least ten days off in between each playoff game.  The quarterfinal games would happen before Christmas.  The Semi-final games would occur on January 1^st (the 2^nd this year) to keep the New Year’s Day bowl game tradition alive and the final game would occur on the first Saturday after the Tenth of January.  This timing structure would give teams plenty of time to recover from injuries and prepare for the next game.  So taking into account a few hypothetical situations, here is what the bracket would look like. 

Take a look at that bracket.  You want rematches; you have great rematches that start in the first round.  You want your one loss team to still have a shot at title, you now have that shot.  BCS Bowls you want money, tell me that system won’t double the amount of money you already make.  Yes, I am sure that there might some potential flaws that could be wrong with my system, but nothing the professionals couldn’t iron out.  With an 8 team playoff system, we keep the intensity of the regular season alive, make championship Saturday extremely relevant and give conference champions and one loss teams, a chance to play for the crystal ball.  This is it; this could compete with the NFL as the greatest sport out there.   

The Nightmare that Bloomed Roses

Saturday night felt all too familiar to October 22^nd as the Badgers duked it out with the Spartans in Indianapolis for the first ever Big Ten Championship.   Yet the prize in this game was a little different compared to when these two teams battled in East Lansing.  A berth to the Rose Bowl was on the line and the prize had significant meaning for both teams. 

Montee Ball had no problem running over the Spartan
defense in the first quarter.  

The Spartans have not been to Pasadena since 1988 and had a roster full of seniors teething for a BCS bowl after coming so close last year.  Then there were the Badgers, who lost a heartbreaker to TCU last year and were looking for Rose Bowl redemption.  Not to mention, there was the transfer of Russell Wilson and the expectation to be uncommon, anything less than the Rose Bowl would be considered a failure. 

Watching the first quarter, it was clearly evident the leaders on the Badger team had redemption on their mind, not only for the Rose Bowl but also to settle the score with Michigan State for the loss earlier in the year.   Montee Ball was a wrecking machine racking up over 100 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter as our offensive line was opening up holes similar to dynamite in an excavation site.  After racing out to a 21 – 7 lead, it felt as if the Badgers would not look back. 

Then Peyton Manning (aka what our defense makes Kirk Cousin look like) took the field and once again the Badgers faltered in the second quarter.  Kirk Cousins shredded our secondary and looked as if he was the hall of fame quarterback that had played in Indy all these years.  In the game on October 22^nd, Michigan State went on a 21 – 0 run to take the lead at half.  This game was no different; the Spartans scored 23 unanswered points to take a 29 – 21 lead at the end of the second quarter. 

Kirk Cousins ended his career with one of the
best games of his career, however his effort fell short. 

How could this Wisconsin football team allow this to happen again against Michigan State?  Once again, our offense dried up with a total of – 4 yards during the second quarter.  That wasn’t even the worst part, whenever the Michigan State offense came on the field it was a scary sight because our defense could not stop them.  I hate to say it but I blame this on the coaching staff.  They need to be able to keep up the intensity amongst the players and call the correct plays when they feel the momentum turning astray.

 I know Bielema likes to keep his cool yet I would like to see some passion every now and then.  I want to see him scream at his defense for playing such awful football.  I want to see him get in the refs face when there was an awful call.  Seeing this will inspire players and it is exactly what teams need in moments similar to where the Badgers found themselves in the 2^nd quarter on Saturday night.  I do not want him to turn into Bo Pelini nor do I know how he acts in the locker room yet I wouldn’t mind seeing a little emotion on the sidelines during big games. 

Russell lead another fourth
quarter comeback, and this time
it resulted in a W against Michigan State. 

Similar to the first meeting, it took the Badgers to feel a sense of urgency to get their offense rolling again. The Badges went punch for punch with the Spartans in the third quarter as Montee Ball’s third touchdown of the game drew the Badgers within 2.  Afterwards, our defense was finally able to hold the Spartans to a field goal on a scoring drive.  Once again, the Badgers needed a touchdown with only minutes left in the game.  Russell Wilson took the field and just as he had done all night, he came up with brilliant play after brilliant play including a 4^th and 6 34 yard bomb to QUACK QUACK QUACK Mr.Ducksworth (Tyler Duckworth).  This was followed by Montee Ball’s fourth touchdown of the game leading to a dazzling two point conversion executed by Wilson.

Yet with 3:45 left in the game, every Badger fan was speechless because we knew we had left way too much time on the clock for Kirk Cousins and the Spartans offense.  The Badgers, to the shock of many, were able to hold the Spartans (thanks to an overruled catch) and get the ball back with a chance to run the clock out.  However after a three and out, Brad Northman came into punt deep in Badger territory.  With two minutes left, it seemed to be a perfect opportunity for a special team’s nightmare similar to what we saw earlier in the year between these two teams. 

Wilson got what he came for, a trip to a BCS Bowl.  

The nightmare seemed real once again as Keshawn Martin returned Northman’s punt all the way down to the five yard line guaranteeing a tie but everyone knew the Spartans would be able to deliver a win.  Just as Badger heads were about to hang, a blatantly obvious running into the kicker penalty was called on a Spartan player.  This negated the play and gave the Badgers the ball back allowing them to take the victory formation and seal the win. 

The penalty lead to a truly ironic ending to what was a spectacular night for Badger fans and the Big Ten.  In State’s win earlier in the season, they had no penalties yet it was a penalty that cost them the game in this one.  It also happened on a punt, a play which changed the course of the Badger loss earlier in the season.  And it was only a few plays earlier in which the Badgers had a replay review ruled in their favor, something that cost them the game in East Lansing.  Ironic or not, the Badgers were able to clench the roses in their teeth at the end of this one.  Yet the Badgers have a lot of work to do before their date with the Ducks in Pasadena.  Michigan State was able to put up 471 yards on 23 first downs, numbers Oregon will double if our defense does not play significantly better. 

Game day projections

The final weekend of the college football season has arrived and for some, the outcry of a playoff has never been louder.  Very rarely do we come to a championship weekend that has no effect on the title game no matter the outcome.  That’s right, even if LSU loses, they will still face Alabama in the title game (99%).  That would mean that neither team in the national title game would be a conference champion and they would be from the same conference.  That would be fine with me if they met each at. Although the title game cannot be affected, there are still some major bowl games up for grabs, such as the Rose Bowl. 

Wisconsin vs. Michigan State: A rematch of one of the most memorable games this season takes place on a neutral site this time, advantage Badgers.  Russell had one of his worst games statistically in East Lansing, making more mistakes compared to any other game.  I would imagine that Russell learned from his mistakes during this game and will use them to his advantage this time around.  Add in a healthy Montee Ball for an entire game and I do not think the Spartans will be able to hold the Badgers scoreless in any quarter.  The Badger defense has also been playing much better the past 6 quarters and I would expect our front four to be able to get enough pressure on Kirk Cousins to force turnovers.  Oh and I do not expect the Spartans to go the entire game without a penalty in this one.  Wisconsin 34 – Michigan State 21 

Virginia Tech vs. Clemson: These two teams faced off earlier in the year and at that time, it was Clemson who was looking like a top five team in the country with a Heisman hopeful.  Oh how the tables have turned since then.  Clemson has lost 3 out of their last 4 and the Hokies have won seven straight.  Also, VT running back, David Wilson, emerged as a long shot for the Heisman during that time.    Wilson along with quarterback Logan Thomas should help the Hokies be able to get in the end zone this time around.  Yet, I think Tech is overrated, they play in the ACC (I know so do the Tigers) and have only played one ranked team since their meeting with the Tigers.  I am calling the upset because I think Clemson pair of Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins will connect on more than one occasion.  Clemson 31 – Virginia Tech 28  

Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State:  A few weeks ago, this game had serious national title implications but after a few major upsets, only the Big 12 title is at stake.  The winner will head to the Fiesta bowl and the loser most likely will be left out of the BCS party.  The Cowboys have had one of the most explosive offenses all season but they have not played a defense compared to the Sooners.  The Sooners will put a tremendous amount of pressure on Cowboy QB, Brandon Weeden, and send him to the turf at least five this this game.  Oklahoma State has also had trouble on defense letting up over 27 points a game.   Even though Ryan Broyles, star Sooner WR, is out with a season ending injury, Landry Jones will still have no trouble spreading out the Cowboy secondary.  I smell another upset.  Oklahoma 38 – Oklahoma State 28

Baylor @ Texas:  Baylor is a week off from their emotional win against the Sooners while the Longhorns are coming off a similar one against Texas A&M.  This game has no title implications but every Heisman voter will be watching this one to see how RG3 does.  Griffin was a frontrunner for the race until he got knocked out of the game last week.  Although he will have a few touchdowns tomorrow, it will not be enough to get him the Heisman as he throws a few picks as well which cost Baylor the victory.  Both David Ash and Case McCoy will see playing time and each will help lead the Longhorns to a win in their last game of a mediocre season.  Texas 34 – Baylor 31

Georgia vs. LSU: The SEC championship, typically this game has had major national title implications over the past few years.  Yet, it seems that even if LSU loses, they will still play for the crystal ball on January 9^th.  The only interesting outcome of this game is if Georgia wins, it will be the first time three teams from the same conference will be in a BCS bowl game since the BCS era started.  As much as I want to see that happen, I do not think it will.  The Bulldogs have been one of the hottest teams in the last ten weeks but they have not faced a defense like LSU.  Georgia quarterback, Aaron Murray, will lead the dogs to an early lead but they will not be able to sustain it.  LSU’s defense will make major plays including a defensive touchdown by the honey badger, Tyrann Mathieu.  This will be crucial because the Georgia defense has been fabulous as of late and the Tigers will have trouble scoring for most of the game.  LSU 27 – Georgia 21 

Urban Meyer’s effect on the Badgers

Listen, no one wanted to see the Buckeyes suffer more than me.  With the firing of Jim Tressel and NCAA sanctions knocking on the door, it seemed like Ohio State was in for a few years of misery.  Not only that, it would pretty much guarantee the Badgers a spot in the Big Ten Title game each year.  Illinois, Purdue and Indiana are three programs which are not on the rise.  Penn State was a top contender but then there was Jerry Sandusky.  Finally, we have the Buckeyes, who seemed like they would turn into an afterthought yet with the hiring of Urban Meyer, they are back to being a perennial powerhouse. 

The hiring of Urban Meyer will propel Ohio State
into the national title race each year.  

Yet, this hiring is the opposite of negative for the Big Ten.  The Big Ten’s biggest problem in the past five years is respect.  If Wisconsin were to make it to the Big Ten Title game each year by winning our division, I can assure you they would still have none.  However, add Urban Meyer into the mix and the Big Ten can quickly become the SEC.  After-all, the SEC bias was not in full force five years ago, it only came to be after a few national titles by Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators.

 

This is exactly what could happen in the Big Ten and is exactly what the Big Ten needs.  With Urban calling the shots, Ohio State automatically becomes a national title contender. Before Meyer even signed, recruits were signing with the Buckeyes with the chance to play for Meyer.   Four and Five star recruits from all over the country will flock to OSU for a chance at another national title with Meyer. 

National attention will shift slowly back to the Big Ten which is exactly what a team like Wisconsin needs.  It was clear this year that the Big Ten was not thought highly of both with the media and the BCS computers.  Had Ohio State not hired Meyer, Ohio State would have been just another mediocre team Wisconsin had on their schedule.  Yet, add a top five team in the country and your strength of schedule increases significantly.  Not only that, Wisconsin – Ohio State has become one of the most heated rivalries in the past decade so any game between the two will always draw national attention.   

The main concern that Badger fans have is beating Ohio State.  Without Urban Meyer’s hire, Wisconsin would have had dominance over the Buckeyes for the foreseeable future since our program is on the rise.  Yet, let’s not forget what has happened over the past decade when Ohio State had a coach by the name of Jim Tressel. 

Year in and Year out, Tressel had Ohio State as a national title contender and had some of the best recruits in the land.  However, since 1999, the Badgers have gone 5 – 6 against Ohio State including the horrific hail-mary this year in the horse shoe.  So as you can see Badger fans, just because Ohio State has a great coach does not mean they will control the Big Ten or control us.  As long as Bielema continues to get great recruits, we should not have to be too concerned with Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes. That being said, when we have a season where we are a national title contender, a win over Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes will go a lot further than Luke Fickell’s.  I am not concerned, we will beat them.  On Wisconsin!  

Weekend Rewind 4 – 1

After a wild set of games last week, this past weekend delivered no chaos, just clarity to the national title race.  Many teams won in impressive fashion which was much needed for some fans bases before championship Saturday.  It also caused my predicted scores to be slightly off though I did go 4 – 1 bumping up my overall tally to 15 – 10.  One suggestion I will take into account for next year; picking against the spread. 

Ball punished Penn State's defense all game long
racking up over 150 yards on the ground.  

Prediction Wisconsin 48 – Penn State 20:  To start, it seemed like Badger fans were going to be in for another day of pulling their hair out as Penn State scored on their first drive due to defensive miscues.  However, Wisconsin ended up playing one of their best games all season putting 45 points up on the board, the most against Penn State all season.  Montee Ball continued to tack onto his Heisman numbers racking up 156 yards and four touchdowns. The defense had a nearly flawless performance which will hopefully continue into next week’s rematch with Sparty.  Wisconsin 45 – 7

Prediction Arkansas 27 – LSU 24:  At first, it seemed like this was going to be a great pick by me.  Arkansas found themselves in the lead by two scores just three minutes into the second quarter.  However, in the last 6 minutes of the half, LSU scored three touchdowns and did not look back.  LSU’s playmaker, Tyrann Mathieu helped propel this onslaught with a 92 yard punt return for a touchdown.  LSU proved once again that it is the best team in the land and it seems like they will be getting a spot in the national title game regardless of what happens against Georgia on Saturday.  LSU 41 – Arkansas 17

Prediction Michigan 28 – Ohio State 10:  In what was a much closer game than many anticipated, Michigan was still able to come out on top for their first win against OSU in seven games.  Both quarterbacks played their best ball all season yet it was Denard Robinson who stole the show.  He combined for five touchdowns with 170 yards on the ground to accompany 167 yards in the air.  Now Michigan must hope for a little help this Saturday in order to get a BCS bowl berth.  They are currently ranked 16^th in the BCS standings and need to move up to 14, I see it happening.  Michigan 40 – Ohio State 34

Bama's defense played one of their most
impressive outings all season long not
allowing a single offensive point.  

 Prediction Stanford 34 – Notre Dame 24: Due to Stanford’s loss to Oregon, this was Luck’s last chance to make a case for the Heisman.  223 yards and 4 touchdowns, overall not a bad performance considering it helped him pass John Elway’s all time touchdown record at Stanford. Three of his touchdowns came in the first half and were unanswered by the Irish.  Notre Dame once again played both their quarterbacks as Tommy Rees threw a pick and lost a fumble early in the game and rode the bench for the rest of it.  Stanford will now sit back and wait to see what BCS bowl they get an invite to.  Stanford 28 – Notre Dame 14

Prediction Alabama 28 – Auburn 24: Alabama played with a vengeance on Saturday as the taste of last year’s loss still stung in the mouth of some Bama players.  The Tide rolled to an early 14 – 0 lead thanks to two AJ McCarron touchdown passes of over 35 yards.  The Tigers struck back late in the first quarter but Trent Richardson stopped any chance of a comeback as he caught a five yard pass from McCarron.  Although there was a lot of talk about Richardson since he had over 200 yards, most of the praise should go to the defense.  Alabama let up zero points on the defensive end as Auburn scored a defensive touchdown and scored on a punt return.  They allowed only 9 first downs and 140 total yards.  It looks like we will have a defensive style national championship game this year.  Alabama 42 – Auburn 14

On the Indy Train

The Nittany Lions had the start they talked about all week.  They needed a quick strike to gain the momentum and take out the rowdy crowd in Camp Randall stadium.  That is exactly what they got after a sloppy running into the kicker penalty kept their first drive alive.  A few plays later, Matthew Mcgolin launched a 44 yard bomb to put six points on the board.   Yet, the seven points Penn State scored during that drive would be the last points they would score all game.

Russell Wilson continued his historic run this season
with 2 touchdowns and 186 yards on Saturday.  

The Badgers rolled through the Nittany Lions scoring 45 unanswered points to secure a spot in the inaugural Big Ten Championship game.  Russell Wilson demonstrated a flawless performance keeping drives alive with both his legs and his arm.  He helped the Badgers obtain 27 first downs converting over half of their third downs. 

Oh and then there was Montee Ball, rushing for 156 yards and FOUR touchdowns!  Even with this performance, he still might not get the amount of Heisman love he deserves.  Yet there is one thing he is in control of and that is helping the Badgers win a Big Ten championship.  He is running with a purpose and will not be denied of the end zone this Saturday or the championship. 

The defense finally lived up to it's ranking
of being fourth in the country.  

It is clear that Montee and Russell have one thing on their mind, Pasadena.  Yet, 28 and 16 were not the only Badger players who were having Rosey thoughts; numerous Badgers played some of their best games including Nick Toon and Jared Abbrederis.   The two receivers combined for over 130 yards and two touchdowns.  

The defense also had one of their best overall performances on Saturday.  After the careless penalty and the broken coverage on the hail mary pass at the beginning of the first quarter, it seemed like it might be another ugly performance by the Badger D.  Yet, they were able to shake off the early touchdown and dominate the Nittany Lion offense from that point on.  They forced four turnovers and allowed less than 175 yards for 3 ½ quarters of play. 

A Badger fan could not have asked for a more solid performance for the last game of the regular season. Our defense has been incredibly inconsistent and has had a problem making tackles.   However with the performance on Saturday, I could not be more confident going into Saturday’s game.  Our offense is unstoppable and now our defense looks to be ready to take on Kirk Cousin’s and the Spartans. 

**Posts will be light this week due to my CFA exam on Saturday. I will have my take on Urban Meyer, new BCS rankings, Championship matchups etc...

Game Day Predictions

Conference rivalries. National title implications. Conference championship implications.  Heisman race. Iron Bowl.  Michigan Ohio State.  Need I say more, this weekend in college football is jam packed with must see games that will produce monstrous moments.  After last weekend’s wild outcomes, who knows what we are in store for and what top teams will fall. 

Penn State @ Wisconsin: A winner takes all match in Camp Randall for a trip to Indy to play in the first ever Big Ten Championship game.  Penn State boasts the third best defense in the country and has not given up more than 24 points all season.  Then there is Wisconsin, who has been averaging over 50 points a game while playing at Camp Randall.  Expect Montee Ball and Russell Wilson to be on a mission in this one as they don’t want to give up another chance for a crack at Michigan State.   Maybe after Montee’s four touchdowns in this one, he will get a little more Heisman love.  Wisconsin 41 – Penn State 20 

Arkansas @ LSU: Talk about controversy.  Even if Arkansas wins this game, there is a chance that they might not jump LSU in the BCS rankings and lose out on a shot at the BCS title game.  LSU’s offense is nothing to write home about but Arkansas has a quarterback, Tyler Wilson, who is.  Part of Wilson’s success is owed to his outstanding receiver core which will face its toughest match yet. LSU’s secondary is the best in the country and whoever wins this matchup I can see winning the game.  LSU will put up points but not enough to pull completely away.  Wilson will lead a late fourth quarter drive to deliver the Razorbacks a victory yet there will be no title game because of it.  Arkansas 27 – LSU 24

Ohio State @ Michigan: 8 years, it has been 8 years since the Wolverines have had a victory over the Buckeyes but the fans can smell blood this year.  If Brady Hoke wants to be the long term coach at Michigan, this is the game he needs to win.  Whether he wins a bowl game or not will be irrelevant compared to this game.  Denard is coming off one of the best games of his career and expect this game to be very similar.  Ohio State let up over 200 yards on the ground last week and it might not be that much this week but Robinson will have over 50 yards including two scores.  Due to this win, Michigan will most likely get a bid to head to the Sugar Bowl.  Michigan 28 – Ohio State 10

Notre Dame @ Stanford: The Andrew Luck train has slowed down significantly over the past two weeks yet he is still one of the top vote getters for the Heisman. My take is he is getting votes for his name compared to his performance this season.  The Cardinal should not overlook the Irish as they have been playing great football as of late.   Notre Dame’s QB, Tommy Reese, has the ability to make game changing plays but even if he does, I do not think the Irish defense will be able to contain Andrew Luck.  Luck will have a good game throwing for three TDs but with the lack of an appearance in the Pac 12 championship game, I do not think it will be enough to win him the Heisman.  Stanford 34 – Notre Dame 24

Alabama @ Auburn: The Iron Bowl, one of the fiercest rivalries in all of college sports.  Last year, Cam Newton marched into Bryant – Denny Stadium and erased a 24 point Crimson Tide lead on their way to a national championship.  The tables are turned this year as the Tigers now stand in front of the Tide for a bid to the national championship game.  Based on pure talent this game should not be close.  The Alabama line should be able to control Auburn’s front four and open up plenty of holes for Trent Richardson.  Barring a LSU loss, this will be Trent’s last chance to state his case for the Heisman as well.  His case will be very strong after this one as he puts up 150 yards and 2 touchdowns.  However, due to this being a rivalry game and the game being played in Auburn, I think this one will be closer than people think and I would not rule out a possible upset.  Alabama 28 – Auburn 24

Weekend Rewind: 3 -2

Fans from Norman, Eugene, Greenville, and Stillwater
were all devastated as their national title hopes were dashed. 

For how crazy this past weekend was, I am glad I was above .500. I am slowly increasing my winning percentage and am now 11 – 9.  Needless to say, I will have a lot of work to do next year.  There were many games that seemed to be gimmes this weekend but that was not the case.  Just ask the people in Norman, Eugene and Greenville.  Even Wisconsin’s game was a little too close for comfort.

Prediction Wisconsin 38 – Illinois 10:  It seemed like the Illinois’ players did not want their coach to go out without a fight and that is exactly what Wisconsin was in store for (Zook will most certainly be fired at the end of the season).  The Illini came out of the gates roaring to a 17 – 7 lead at half with the help of missed tackles on Wisconsin’s end.  But then it seemed like Bielema must have given a speech similar to Coach Yoast.  The defense did not allow any points in the second half and recorded four turnovers.  Oh yah, and then there was Montee Ball.  224 yards and three touchdown was just another day at the office for the most underappreciated Heisman candidate.   Wisconsin 28 – Illinois 17 

Denard played one of the best games of his career
as Michigan kept their BCS hopes alive. 

Prediction Nebraska 24 – Michigan 17: I could not have been more wrong about a game this weekend.  Denard took over this game both with his feet and his arm.  He threw for 190 yards while tacking on an additional 80 yards with his legs.  All in all he contributed to four touchdowns on the day as Nebraska had no answer for the Michigan offense. Nebraska’s dynamic duo on the ground, Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead, were held to a combined 85 yards and no touchdowns. Well, welcome to the Big Ten Huskers, you guys have some work to do.  Michigan will look to beat OSU this weekend for the first time since 2002 and earn a BCS at-large bid.  Michigan 45 – Nebraska 17

Prediction Ohio State 20 – Penn State 14: The score was right on, the teams were not.  At first, it looked like this game could have been uncharacteristically high scoring as the score at half was, PSU 20 – OSU 14.  However neither team was able to find the end zone in the second half giving Penn State its first win without Joe Pa at the helm since 1965.  The ground game controlled the fate of this one as each team had almost triple the amount of rushing yards as they did passing yards.  Penn State’s win set up a winner take all match in Camp Randall this Saturday for a bid to the first ever Big Ten championship game.  Penn State 20 – Ohio State 14

Prediction Kansas State 34 – Texas 28: This one was a close one but it was not as high scoring as anticipated.  Although the Texas defense dominated the game, Colin Klein and company still found a way to get the job done.  The Wildcats amassed only 121 yards of total offense but was able to find the end zone twice to barley pull this one out.  And who found the end zone, no one other than Mr. Klein.  He threw a 16 yarder in the second quarter and then rushed for another TD in the third after a David Ash interception.  The Wildcats have put themselves into a position for a BCS at large bid but will need a little help from the Buckeyes to get there.  Kansas State 17 – Texas 13

Case kept his BCS and Heisman hopes alive
with another flawless performance. 

Prediction Houston 58 – SMU 27: As expected, Case Keenum and company rolled the Mustangs last weekend yet it was the Cougar defense that dominated the game instead of the high power offense.  The defense held SMU to only 93 yards in the first half and did not allow any points on the board until the fourth quarter.  Keenum also had a great day throwing for over 300 yards and a score.  Houston is the most recent addition of the Non-AQ teams with hopes of crashing the BCS party.  They sit in a perfect spot at number 8 in the BCS standings right now yet have to face a tough Tulsa team this week and then conference foe Southern Mississippi in the CUSA championship game.  I wouldn’t be surprised, if they lose one of those games.  Houston 37 – SMU 7

Happy Turkey Day

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Enjoy the time with family, friends and of course the food but most of all enjoy the football.  The next five days will keep all fans on the edge of their seats with college rivalries, conference deciding games, NFL grudge matches and of course turkey football.

Football and Turkey, need i say more.  

Finally, we have three great games on Thanksgiving.  The combined record of the three teams playing today is 42 - 18, you cannot ask for better football.  For over a decade, we were always plagued with a terrible game due to the horrendous Lions, but they are back!  They host the undefeated Packers and are looking for their first Thanksgiving win since 2003 when they beat who else, the Packers.  We then have the Cowboys who are fighting for the division lead and play a hot Dolphin's team who have won the last three.  To cap off the night we have the Harbaugh bowl when Niners travel east to face the Ravens.

 The fun starts in an hour with the kickoff of the Lions - Packers.  I am calling in now, the Packers will lose their first game today and Lions fans will have something else to be thankful for on this great holiday.  The Cowboys will dominate at home as Romo plays his best ball in November and then the Harbaugh parents will be calling to console Jim, as his brother John and his Ravens take down the 9 - 1 49ers.  Have a great holiday everyone and check back later tonight for my college picks of the week.

Oh Hey Jared Berggren

The biggest question going into this year’s Badger basketball season was who would fill the absence of the big man following the departure of Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil.  At 6’ 10” and 6’ 8” respectively, those are some big shoes to fill.  Although, the Badgers are only four games into the season, they seem to have found their man to fill the void in the paint and at the arc, Jared Berggren. 

Berggren has done a great job of stepping up
as the big man for this year's Badger BBall team. 

The 6’ 10” junior has been the biggest surprise to Badger fans this season averaging 13.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game this season.  To some fans, this is somewhat of a shock while others will boast he has had the capability all along and just needed his chance.  Well, he most certainly has it now averaging 23.5 minutes a game. 

Although Leuer and Nankivil were two of the biggest guys on the court they had one talent that is not a typical characteristic of men of their size, three point shooting.  Last season, Nankivil shot 45.7% beyond the arc and Leuer did even better with a 46.2%.  Apparently Berggren knows he has to fill that void as well as he has shot a 41.2% from down town including a 4 – 4 performance in last night’s game.  

Hopefully a feature Berggren will add to the team this year is a bigger presence in the paint.  Currently he is averaging 1.5 blocks a game where Leuer and Nankivil combined for 1.3 blocks a game last season.

But Badger fans; let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  It is very impressive how Berggren has started and how the team as a whole has started, yet we have played cupcakes.  This is a great sign but let’s see how Berggren progresses throughout the season as he faces tougher opponents. Say next week when the Badgers travel to Chapel Hill to take on the number one team in the land.  

Tale of Two Halves

Watching the first half of Illinois game was some of the most frustrating football I have watched all year.  Illinois, a team who failed to score in the first half in their previous four games put up 17 points and 224 yards on the badgers.  A Wisconsin that was once dubbed as national title hopeful barley looked like Outback Bowl contenders in the first half of Saturday’s game.

Missed tackles plagued the Badgers
the entire first half on Saturday.

It was not so much the offense as it was the defense.  We knew defense wasn’t our strongest point but I did not think they were that bad.  The Illini moved the ball with ease against the Badger defense that had a major issues getting off the field.  One of the more important stats that every Badger fan should take notice to is time of possession.  

Our offense can be our best defense at times controlling the tempo of the game and keeping the opposition’s offense on the sidelines.  Yet in the first half, Illinois held the ball for 60% of the time.  The major cause to the lack of possession was missed tackles.  Every time it seemed like the Badgers were about to get the ball back, another missed tackle lead to a five yard gain keeping Ball and Wilson off the field for that much longer. 

An uncharacteristic fumble by Wilson in Illinois territory kept the Badgers under double digits in the first half.  In fact, had it not it not been for a special teams play, the Badgers might have been held to a goose egg in the first half.  Thankfully this time around, a botched punt led to points for Badgers rather than points against.  Had the Badgers not put these points on the board, I fear the second half would have been the continuation of the first half.

Montee Ball sparked a much needed
flame for a Badger comeback.  

Yet, that was not the case.  The Badgers looked like a different team in the second half and it started with Montee ball.  He ran with tenacity in the second half raking up 164 yards and two scores.  His performance in this game should move him into the top five Heisman candidates (although no one in Wisconsin gets any love).    Ball’s performance trigged a defensive performance that marked one of their best halves all season.  They forced four turnovers and held Illinois to 13 rushing yards after allowing over 130 in the first half.

So every Badger fan is asking the same thing, why we can’t play this style of football the entire game, especially on the road?  Why is it that when we play a good team, it takes us to be down by two scores to turn on the jets?  This cannot happen from here on out.  Sure we might be able to be able to come back against a sub-par offense like Penn State but we do not want to give Michigan State any momentum in the Big Ten championship game.  Even more important, our likely opponent in a possible Rose Bowl game would be the Oregon Ducks.  They have a high flying offense no Badger team has ever seen before.  The Ducks can score 21 points in five minutes even if a defense is not inept in tackling.   I hope Bielema knows tackling should be item number one in practice this week.   

Mid-Day Rant: BCS Computers

I am sick and tired of the BCS computers.  Earlier on, their hate of the Big Ten was somewhat justified, but now it is downright outrageous.   Please tell me how a four loss Texas team has a higher computer ranking compared to a two loss Wisconsin team.  Nebraska, a team who has three losses who Wisconsin stomped on earlier in the season has a higher ranking than the Badgers.

It is not only my Badger bias that hates the BCS computers.  Fan bases around the country should have beef with the CPUs.  Oklahoma State, a 24.5 point favorite, just lost to Iowa State.  Granted it was on the road, they were still a heavy favorite and should have at least dropped four or five spots in the polls. In the human polls, they dropped from two to sick, however in the average computer ranking, they dropped one spot to two. Oklahoma, suffered their second loss to a double digit underdog weekend, yet the computers still have them at 6.  

Are we not over this Big Twelve love yet CPUs?  The Big Twelve is looking identical to the Big Ten with no dominant team and extreme parity.  I would like to see the exact formulas for the computer rankings because I see no reason why the Big Twelve should be the favored conference.  If it was the Big Ten who was favored over the Big Twelve, we could be in the fight for a national title spot if the chaos continues which it most certainly will.  

The Perfect Weekend

Friday night as I was boarding my flight home, I expected a mild weekend ahead of me.  Hours of studying at the library complimented with a college football weekend that was average at best.  Two hours later I stepped off my flight to a flurry of tweets, #UPSETALERT.  By the time I crossed the New York – Connecticut state line, Brandon Weeden had thrown his third interception, this time in overtime.  It put the Cyclones within striking distance of being the next BCS buster.

Iowa State's upset win on Friday night triggered
a weekend of madness for college football.

 A few minutes later, Jeff Woody crossed the goal line trigging eruptions of euphoria for fans in Eugene, Norman and Tuscaloosa.  24 hours later, two of those cities were joining the fan base from Stillwater in utter disbelief.  The loss of the Cowboys was already stirring up the BCS rankings, yet the losses of the Ducks and Sooners sent the BCS system into a downwards spiral at warped speed.      

If you are a hater of the BCS system, like me, you were going off your rocker all day on Saturday as one top team lost after another.  This had to be one of the most memorable weekends of upsets in recent history.  National championship bids and Heisman hopeful dreams were all dashed at the hands of under dogs this weekend.   As long as it was not your team going down, you could not have asked for a better weekend.

We are now only five losses away from utter chaos for the BCS system (if there wasn’t enough already).  Within the next two weeks, the top five teams in the BCS rankings could all lose.  As of now, LSU is One, Bama Two, Arkansas Three, Oklahoma State Four, and Virginia Tech Five. I want to stress how insane this could be.  I know I wrote about this on Friday but imagine the following scenario.

USC quarterback, Matt Barkley, had one of the
best games of his career in Saturday's upset
win at Oregon.  

 Currently, it is very clear who will be in the national championship game, Alabama – LSU.  Yet it is very possible that both of these teams go down next week.  Bama travels to their most hated rival, Auburn and LSU has to play Arkansas followed by a matchup with Georgia in the SEC championship game if they can get past the Razorbacks.    I see LSU winning at Arkansas handing them their second loss but losing to Aaron Murray and the Bulldogs in Atlanta handing.  This would give LSU only one loss but it would happen in the last game of the season.  Also that weekend, Oklahoma State will lose to Oklahoma on the last game of the season receiving its second loss.  Lastly, Virginia Tech, the most overrated team in the top ten, will lose in the ACC championship game for a second time this season.

So in case you did not follow, LSU would have one loss that but that loss would come in the last game of the season.  Arkansas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, and Virginia Tech would all have two losses. The only other team with one loss would be Stanford, who barely survived a home game last night against Cal.  Then there is undefeated Houston and one loss Boise State.  Go ahead; pick your national championship because I have no idea who it should be.  This weekend was exactly what every college football fan needed, hope.  Who knows what will happen next, but it is bound to keep fans on the edge of their seats.  Either way, a playoff is looking more and more appealing to the BCS officials.  

Game Day Predictions

For many, this weekend is the calm before the storm before the last two weeks of College football.  Ranked matchups are few and far between and an upset of a top ten team this weekend seemed to be unlikely (Hey Cyclones!).  Even the College Gameday crew travels to Houston for the first time ever, as a pair of Conference USA teams battle and the Cougars try to keep their BCS hopes alive.  However with what just went down in Ames, who knows what this weekend will hold for CFB fans. 

Wisconsin @ Illinois:  Six weeks ago, this looked to be the Badgers toughest test on their schedule.  Yet the season took a turn for the worse for both these teams and only one has been able to right the ship since.   Illinois’s offense has completely fallen off the map in their four game losing streak averaging about 10 points a game.  Even if they put up 20, I do not see them being able to contain the Badgers.  Russell is in complete command at the helm of the 4^th ranked offense in the country.  I expect to see Montee pass the 30 TD mark tomorrow with both 16 and 28 getting more Heisman love after Weeden’s loss tonight.  Wisconsin 38 Illinois 10

Nebraska @ Michigan: If either of these teams has any hope of going to a BCS bowl, they must win to stay in the hunt.  Both teams have very similar offenses with a quarterback who can be magical on the ground but will make you cringe when they go to the air.   This will be a typical Big Ten game that is decided by the little things such as turnovers and penalties.  Denard has been a little bit more reckless with the football this season throwing six more interceptions than Martinez.  Expect Robinson to be flushed from the pocket forcing the ball and throwing a few late game turnovers.  This will allow Nebraska Back, Rex Burkhead, a chance to pack on the yards and close the game out for the Huskers.  Nebraska 24 – Michigan 17

Penn State @ Ohio State: The game of scandals!  The loser of this one will be officially eliminated from the Legends division race.  I personally do not think it will matter because Wisconsin will take care of business yet it could give the Badgers a little breathing room if the Buckeyes pull off a victory. I would be surprised to see more than 40 points in this one as Ohio State’s offense is 74^th in the country and Penn State’s is 102^nd.  Herron will bounce back from his performance last week and eclipse 100 yards for the fourth time in five weeks and get two scores to help lead OSU to the victory.  Ohio State 20 – Penn State 14

Kansas State @ Texas:  How Texas is still a ranked team is a mystery to me but then again so is Baylor.  The BCS computers seem to love these Big 12 teams but maybe that will change after this weekend.  That being said, I also don’t understand how Kansas State is getting 9.5 points in this game.  Apparently most of America has not been watching Colin Klein the past couple of weeks.  If I had not been making a case for Russell and Montee for Heisman over the past few weeks it would have been most certainly for Klein.  He leads the nation in rushing TDs so expect him to scurry in the end zone for at least a pair tomorrow.  Yes, you heard me right, Kansas State’s QUATERBACK leads the nation in rushing touchdowns and he is not too bad at throwing the ball either.  He is a hell of a leader and will be the X factor in the game tomorrow. Kansas State 34 – Texas 28

SMU @ Houston: College Gameday’s crew heads down to Houston for the first time in the show’s history. It just happens to be a historic time for the Cougars as well as they are on pace to attend their first ever bowl game.  This would be a huge boost for the football program in Houston as they have only won one bowl win in the past 30 years.  In fact, they have only attended 20 bowl games in school history.  The Cougars are led by Heisman hopeful Case Keenum who is shattering every record possible for quarterbacks.  It will be just another day in the office for Case tomorrow as the Mustangs an offensive weapon like Keenum.  The Cougars continue their undefeated run with a C-USA championship looming in the future with Southern Mississippi.  Houston 58 – SMU 27   

**On a side note, I also expect Iowa to lose tomorrow at Purdue. 

Bring on the Chaos

2013 will mark a pivotal moment not only for the die-hard college football fans but even the casual ones.  2013 will mark the last season of the current BCS contract out of the most recent four year deal.  Earlier this week, officials of the BCS met to discuss possible structural changes to the current system.  A number of different ideas were put out on the table including a playoff system, yet that did not seem to be the most popular idea.  

It is time for a new system.  

The majority of sources were stating the idea of getting rid of the qualifying BCS conferences.  This would allow the national championship game be up for grabs.  Essentially, this would give Houston, a current undefeated team with strength of schedule equivalent to the Little Giants, a chance to raise the crystal ball.  Sound ridiculous, I think so too. The way I see it, we would be rewarding a Conference USA team for playing a cupcake schedule all year long, it just doesn’t seem right.

 If the BCS system is so keen on giving these schools a chance to play for the national title, than the correct thing to do would be to set up a playoff system.  Although they might play a bunch of daisies during the season, they would have to face the gauntlet in the postseason playing the likes of Alabama and USC.  In my mind as well as many others, a playoff system would make so much sense.  Then why is this not being considered as a number one option?

Maybe in their eyes, they have always gotten the right matchups and never had a problem with two teams who have played for the national championship.  Looking back in the 13 years of the BCS, there have been only two years of real controversy. The first was the 2004 – 2005 college football season when Oklahoma was demolished by USC in the national title.  Both teams were undefeated yet there was a third, Auburn, who ended up finishing the season undefeated after winning the Sugar bowl.  I know shocking, an undefeated SEC team not being picked for the title game.  That scenario in the past couple of years would be unheard of.  The second year of dispute was the 2007 – 2008 season when there was no undefeated team and people were wondering who would be selected to play Ohio State in the title game.  It ended up being a two loss LSU team that took it to the Buckeyes triggering the fall from grace for the Big Ten.

A playoff system would prevent any discrepancy
in the future in who should play in the national title game. 

That being said, I think we know what needs to happen.  We need to give the BCS officials a reason to push for the playoff.  The media, celebrities, and fans have all stated their case for a playoff but it will never get done if it doesn’t come from the source, the BCS.  For this type of push, every fan needs to pray for chaos.  We need a scenario that the BCS formula cannot handle and the servers end up short circuiting.  Then and only then will we see a push from the BCS officials.  

 Although we are 11 weeks into the season, it is still very likely that this could happen this year. There could be a possible scenario where everyone would be scratching their head with who to place in the national title game.  Let’s start with the top two teams, because if they win out, it is certain they will be playing on January 9^th.  I have never bought into Oklahoma State as they do not have a great defense nor have they faced one.  I think we see them losing to the Sooners on the last game of the season which would knock them out of the race.  LSU still has to play Arkansas which is the 6^th team in the country and most likely a red-hot Georgia team in the SEC championship game.  If LSU knocks off Arkansas that would knock the Razorbacks out of the title talk but then if LSU loses to Georgia, they would most likely not get a bid.

Alabama Auburn is a fierce rivalry and no game
is a guaranteed win for either team in any season. 

So if those two teams lose, who would replace them?  Right now, 99% of America would say it would be an Alabama-Oregon championship game.  Many people are overlooking Bama’s last game of the season, at Aubrun.  Although, Auburn is nothing what it was last year, Roll Tide/War Eagle is one of the most intense rivalries in all of college sports and it is on the Tiger’s turf.  Out of the top four teams, Oregon has the easiest route to New Orleans.  Their toughest opponent left is USC at home but if they the Ducks do not come to play, they could easily be upset and see their title hopes dashed.  If the above scenario happens, 5 of the top 6 teams in the country could go down in the last three weeks, and then who do you pick?

Maybe it would be an undefeated Houston team to get the bid, but many think they will lose to Southern Mississippi at the end of the season?  How about Oklahoma who lost to a 28 point underdog earlier in the season? I personally don’t think the voters want to see Oklahoma get clobbered in another national title game.  Then there is Clemson but I see them losing at South Carolina next week. How about Virginia Tech, the only other top ten ACC team? Well they have to face Clemson in the ACC title game.  They lost by three touchdowns to them earlier in the year.  

Try and tell me you would not have fun filling out
this bracket in your office pool. 

As you can see, there are possibilities for chaos to occur in the remaining three weeks.  7 out of the top 8 teams could lose by the first weekend in December.  If this scenario would occur, I have no idea who I would want to see in the national title game.  I also have no idea how the computers would come up with the top two teams, hopefully the servers would overheat from the madness and crash.  Yet, in the end, we would need the top two teams to cause a national outcry for a playoff.  We need controversy, we need anarchy and then once we have it, the BCS officials will seriously consider a playoff. 

Weekend Rewind 3 -2

What was arguably one of the most exciting weekends in College Football this season has brought me above the .500 mark (8 -7).  My biggest weakness is the game of the week as I am 0-3 since the start of the blog.  That being said, bet against me when it comes to the Saturday night games.  

Prediction Wisconsin 51 – Minnesota 14:  Wisconsin did everything right in this game with the exception of special teams, go figure.   Russell Wilson had a flawless performance and boosted his case for Heisman.  He should not be the only one getting Heisman love, as Montee Ball broke the Big Ten touch down record against the Gophers.  Everything outside of the Badgers control also went perfectly on Saturday as both Penn State and Ohio State lost setting us up for a rematch with the Spartans on December 3^rd.   As long as Konz can get healthy and we have no other injuries, Badger fans should begin to look for flights to LAX.  Wisconsin 42 – Minnesota 13

Both the fans and the players showed an impression
sign of unity on Saturday in State College.  

Prediction Nebraska 20 – Penn State 10:  One of the best sights of the whole weekend was before kickoff in this game as players from both sides said a prayer for the victims in the Sandusky case.  Yet, other than an attempted come back at the end of the game, that was one of the only bright spots for Penn State fans.  Rex Burkhead was able to find the necessary holes running for 121 yards along with a touchdown in the third quarter to give the Corn Huskers a 17 – 0 lead.  Stephfon Green was able to find the end-zone late in the game but it was too little too late for the Nittnay Lions.  With a visit to Camp Randall in the future, Penn State fans can kiss their Big Ten Championship hopes goodbye.  Nebraska 17 – Penn State 14

Prediction Iowa 23 – Michigan State 21: I would first and foremost like to apologize to my readers.  All week I was thinking Michigan State but I let Iowa fans get the best of me.  It was a rookie mistake and I will not let any Iowa fan (especially John May) sway my opinion again.  Michigan State had control of this game right from the get go storming to a 31 – 7 halftime lead.  This was a first for the Spartans as they had only scored a total of 13 points in each of their three previous road trips.  Marcus Cocker had his worst performance all year gaining less than 100 all-purpose yards.  This has only happened once before in the first game of the season, however he was benched in that game for a first quarter fumble.  The Spartans have two easy games ahead of them and then a likely date with Bucky in Indy.    Michigan State 37 – Iowa 21. 

Prediction Georgia 31 – Auburn 20:  Do Georgia fans have a reason to smile or what!  Aaron Murray is getting better with each week and he still has two more years of eligibility.  He threw four touchdowns on 14 of 18 passes for 224 yards as the Bulldogs thrashed the Auburn Tigers.  Although Aaron Murray was magnificent it was the Bulldog defense that was completely dominant and gave Auburn no chance in this game.  They held the Tigers to only seven points and 195 yards of total offense which are two season lows for the Tigers, including the game with LSU.  Speaking of LSU, if I were them I would be worried with this Georgia team in my future for a potential match-up in the SEC championship game.    Georgia 45 – Auburn 7

LaMichael James was electric for the Ducks
all night long running for 146 yards and three touchdowns.

 Prediction Stanford 41 – Oregon 37:  This game was an offensive slug fest yet it was a different team and a different Heisman hopeful that stole the show compared to my prediction.  For the first eight minutes I was thinking to myself , “Maybe this will not be as high scoring as I thought”, after four consecutive punts.  Then an Andrew Luck interception lead to a quick touchdown followed by two point conversion and the Ducks were flying.  Lead by the revived Heisman hopeful, LaMichael James, the Ducks had a dominant ground attack racking up 232 yards.  Andrew Luck looked extremely average throwing two interceptions and fumbling once.  The Ducks have now put themselves back in the national title hunt yet will need some help to get there.  Oregon 53 - 30