West
1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Rockets
4. Suns
5. Spurs
6. Jazz
7. Blazers
8. Mavs
East
1. Celtics
2. 76'ers
3. Cavs
4. Heat
5. Pistons
6. Raptors
7. Magic
8. Hawks
MVP - LeBron James (Amare Stoudemire sleeper)
ROY - Beasley
COY - Nate McMillan
DPY - Marcus Camby
MIP - Danny Granger (i like Devin Harris as well)
East Finals
76'ers v Cavs - Cavs win
West Finals
Suns v Hornets - Suns win
Finals - Suns over Cavs
This year and next are the last good years PHX will have in bball for a while...This needs to be the year though. Next year our younger players will be more developed, but everyone needs to play as if the whole valley will be blown up on July 1st and nothing matters but this year. Their top 8-9 guys are more talented than any other teams. Once they figure out who they are (and this BRUTAL first month will be a painful help) they should be tough to beat.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
BYU, the polls, etc
- So I'm pretty bitter that FSU can jump TEN spots after beating an UNRANKED team AT HOME by only TEN points! This jump proves the biased nature of voters...they realized how horrible the ACC was but needed one of the teams to start climbing faster than these non-BCS teams.
- Also...Minnesota jumped SEVEN spots for beating a HORRIBLE Purdue team by only 11 points! How is this possible?
- I know I'm biased but UNLV is better than Purdue by a mile and BYU only jumped ONE spot. Yeah the Cougars got to play in Provo and the only won by 7 but come on...this is a joke. When 3 teams DIRECTLY ahead of you lose and you win, you should move up more than just one spot. Especially when no one behind you had convincing victories.
- BSU still is not very impressive, I don't see them losing another game, and a 12-0 BSU team will get SLAUGHTERED, just like Hawaii did last year. They aren't a bad team, but they are not approaching the top 10, and they would lose to BYU, UT, and TCU.
- BYU's offense looked awesome. They were well balanced, Max made his reads and they spread the ball all over the field. Granted, UNLV's D is not that good, but if they keep improving they'll be able to put up points on anyone
- BYU's D seems to be getting worse. Our 3rd down D has to be the worst in the country. How we give up 3rd and long EVERY SINGLE TIME, is so maddening. How is this not fixable? If we improve this, and this alone, we will go 12-1. If we could have stopped them just a few times, we would have won by 20, not 7.
- Overall it was a good win. To win a close game and make the big plays when it mattered most is pretty impressive given that just a few days earlier their whole season seemed to come crashing down. It takes a lot of mental maturity to be able to overcome a loss like that and recover and play well. BYU did that. If their D doesn't improve they'll lose to UT. If we can hold the Utes under 21 points I really like our chances to win.
- Also...Minnesota jumped SEVEN spots for beating a HORRIBLE Purdue team by only 11 points! How is this possible?
- I know I'm biased but UNLV is better than Purdue by a mile and BYU only jumped ONE spot. Yeah the Cougars got to play in Provo and the only won by 7 but come on...this is a joke. When 3 teams DIRECTLY ahead of you lose and you win, you should move up more than just one spot. Especially when no one behind you had convincing victories.
- BSU still is not very impressive, I don't see them losing another game, and a 12-0 BSU team will get SLAUGHTERED, just like Hawaii did last year. They aren't a bad team, but they are not approaching the top 10, and they would lose to BYU, UT, and TCU.
- BYU's offense looked awesome. They were well balanced, Max made his reads and they spread the ball all over the field. Granted, UNLV's D is not that good, but if they keep improving they'll be able to put up points on anyone
- BYU's D seems to be getting worse. Our 3rd down D has to be the worst in the country. How we give up 3rd and long EVERY SINGLE TIME, is so maddening. How is this not fixable? If we improve this, and this alone, we will go 12-1. If we could have stopped them just a few times, we would have won by 20, not 7.
- Overall it was a good win. To win a close game and make the big plays when it mattered most is pretty impressive given that just a few days earlier their whole season seemed to come crashing down. It takes a lot of mental maturity to be able to overcome a loss like that and recover and play well. BYU did that. If their D doesn't improve they'll lose to UT. If we can hold the Utes under 21 points I really like our chances to win.
Lucky 13, Week 9
1. Texas - If they can win next week in Lubbock they will have just finished the most impressive streak of tough games I think I've ever seen!
2. Penn St - They proved me wrong! That was a huge win for them, and they seem like the team with the best chance now to go 12-0.
3. Florida - They just beat a UK team by 58, that only lost to 'Bama by 3...it took them 7 weeks, but they are looking like the team I started the season of at #1.
4. Oklahoma - 55 points in a half! Geez...and TX beat these guys! They still will give the Longhorns all they can handle in the Big-12 championship game.
5. Ok St - You can't fall too far back after playing toe-to-toe with the unanimous #1 in the country. Amazingly balanced on offense and very skilled and physical on D.
6. 'Bama - Good road win, but this team is still too inconsistent to like a lot. They'll lose to UF and end up around 6-10 after that game.
7. Georgia - They looked really good against LSU, but most O's have looked good against LSU's porous defense. They get Florida at home and could a big win would really make people forget their debacle against 'Bama earlier this year.
8. USC - I know I have them low, but they have not shown ON THE FIELD that they belong any higher. Whomping on WSU looks pretty bad when you lose to Oregon State, and barely beat UofA
9. TCU - This game was just as telling on how bad WY is, but if their O can score a few points TCU could beat almost anyone given their fast, stingy, physical D.
10. Utah - Gotta stick to my rule...you can't move on a bye week. They cannot overlook a good UNM team on the road as they prepare for the biggest game of the year so far for them against TCU next week.
11. TT - Ok...I'm convinced. Their offense is unstoppable. They still haven't played against a great D, but man, these guys are like the Suns of CF! I still think they'll lose at least 2 of their next 3.
12. Ohio St - Disappointing loss, but this team is good and will be for awhile. Let Pryor get a year's experience and they'll be in the NC talk while he is there.
13. Missouri - Really any team from Mizzou to NC could go here. It's hard to distuingish them all at this point. But the Tigers had the best win on Saturday so they make the cut. (It's actually been bad luck to be here at #13, the team here usually ends up losing.)
2. Penn St - They proved me wrong! That was a huge win for them, and they seem like the team with the best chance now to go 12-0.
3. Florida - They just beat a UK team by 58, that only lost to 'Bama by 3...it took them 7 weeks, but they are looking like the team I started the season of at #1.
4. Oklahoma - 55 points in a half! Geez...and TX beat these guys! They still will give the Longhorns all they can handle in the Big-12 championship game.
5. Ok St - You can't fall too far back after playing toe-to-toe with the unanimous #1 in the country. Amazingly balanced on offense and very skilled and physical on D.
6. 'Bama - Good road win, but this team is still too inconsistent to like a lot. They'll lose to UF and end up around 6-10 after that game.
7. Georgia - They looked really good against LSU, but most O's have looked good against LSU's porous defense. They get Florida at home and could a big win would really make people forget their debacle against 'Bama earlier this year.
8. USC - I know I have them low, but they have not shown ON THE FIELD that they belong any higher. Whomping on WSU looks pretty bad when you lose to Oregon State, and barely beat UofA
9. TCU - This game was just as telling on how bad WY is, but if their O can score a few points TCU could beat almost anyone given their fast, stingy, physical D.
10. Utah - Gotta stick to my rule...you can't move on a bye week. They cannot overlook a good UNM team on the road as they prepare for the biggest game of the year so far for them against TCU next week.
11. TT - Ok...I'm convinced. Their offense is unstoppable. They still haven't played against a great D, but man, these guys are like the Suns of CF! I still think they'll lose at least 2 of their next 3.
12. Ohio St - Disappointing loss, but this team is good and will be for awhile. Let Pryor get a year's experience and they'll be in the NC talk while he is there.
13. Missouri - Really any team from Mizzou to NC could go here. It's hard to distuingish them all at this point. But the Tigers had the best win on Saturday so they make the cut. (It's actually been bad luck to be here at #13, the team here usually ends up losing.)
Monday, October 20, 2008
Perfect Week
RIP BCS...
This post won't really be necessary anymore since I can sum up BYU's hope from here on out for the season rather than week-to-week.
#1 - I do believe BYU is better than what they showed on Thursday night.
#2 - I do believe they would beat TCU in Provo, and if they showed some heart and excitement in that game. BYU looked scared and nervous from the get go. Had Max (or rather Anae) not thrown the INT on the 11 yard line we would have beat them in the 2nd half 14-9.
#3 - Anae's playcalling and Bronco's attitude BUG.
#4 - NEXT year is actually the more realistic year to go 12-0. (they get UT, TCU, AF and FSU at home...tough game @ASU)
#5 - I think they'll go 12-1 which IS a step closer in their QUEST to PEFECTION.
Best scenario possible...
- TCU loses on the road at UNLV (possible given the Rebels propensity this year to play well in big games, and the UofU game is the following week...look ahead?)
- Utah rallies behind a rowdy crowd in SLC to beat TCU!
- Utah wins out and moves up to 6, 7, or 8 in the BCS polls. (Pretty likely)
- BSU loses at least once. Their best shot is SJSU this weekend on the road. (They could lose at NV and MAYBE at home against FSU. We need one, but two would make all Cougar fans breath easier)
- Tulsa loses at least one game (they play 3 of their last 4 on the road...good luck!)
- Ball St loses at least one game (@ Central Michigan and Western Michigan are their last two games...they lose at least ONE!)
- BYU wins out. Since in our Hypo UNLV is beating TCU, a beatdown this weekend at the Rebels expense would be nice. We also have to win in SLC and stay perfect in a tough MWC.
If all this happens, BYU would share the MWC. Their only loss would be to a good TCU on the road. If they win out and these other losses pan out as planned, they would be somewhere around 15-16 when they play at Utah. If they beat them, it's conceivable that they move into the top 12 and ACTUALLY MAKE A BCS BOWL!
GOOD LUCK Cougars...and remember your best shot at 12-0 is actually NEXT year.
This post won't really be necessary anymore since I can sum up BYU's hope from here on out for the season rather than week-to-week.
#1 - I do believe BYU is better than what they showed on Thursday night.
#2 - I do believe they would beat TCU in Provo, and if they showed some heart and excitement in that game. BYU looked scared and nervous from the get go. Had Max (or rather Anae) not thrown the INT on the 11 yard line we would have beat them in the 2nd half 14-9.
#3 - Anae's playcalling and Bronco's attitude BUG.
#4 - NEXT year is actually the more realistic year to go 12-0. (they get UT, TCU, AF and FSU at home...tough game @ASU)
#5 - I think they'll go 12-1 which IS a step closer in their QUEST to PEFECTION.
Best scenario possible...
- TCU loses on the road at UNLV (possible given the Rebels propensity this year to play well in big games, and the UofU game is the following week...look ahead?)
- Utah rallies behind a rowdy crowd in SLC to beat TCU!
- Utah wins out and moves up to 6, 7, or 8 in the BCS polls. (Pretty likely)
- BSU loses at least once. Their best shot is SJSU this weekend on the road. (They could lose at NV and MAYBE at home against FSU. We need one, but two would make all Cougar fans breath easier)
- Tulsa loses at least one game (they play 3 of their last 4 on the road...good luck!)
- Ball St loses at least one game (@ Central Michigan and Western Michigan are their last two games...they lose at least ONE!)
- BYU wins out. Since in our Hypo UNLV is beating TCU, a beatdown this weekend at the Rebels expense would be nice. We also have to win in SLC and stay perfect in a tough MWC.
If all this happens, BYU would share the MWC. Their only loss would be to a good TCU on the road. If they win out and these other losses pan out as planned, they would be somewhere around 15-16 when they play at Utah. If they beat them, it's conceivable that they move into the top 12 and ACTUALLY MAKE A BCS BOWL!
GOOD LUCK Cougars...and remember your best shot at 12-0 is actually NEXT year.
Lucky 13, Week 8
Remember that these ranking are based on who is the best team NOW. Less and less will be based on what happens in each individual week, and more and more will be based on who would beat who. Obviously Wins and Losses are important, but there is quite a shake-up this week...
1. Texas - HOLY CRAP! I think we learned a lot about the Longhorns and the Tigers in that game. Mizzou's season is done and Texas looks awesome. Colt McCoy should be getting every Heisman vote right now. (Big 12 not as good as we thought?...Mizzou and TT)
2. Ok St - I still think they would beat any team below them right now. If (and it's a big IF) they win AT TX, they move to #1 EASY!
3. Ohio State - I don't want to see them in the BCS NC game either, but these guys are for real. With Pryor blossoming before us and Beanie healthy this Buckeye team would BEAT USC if they played again...in the Rose Bowl? That would be the sweetest Rose Bowl game.
4. Oklahoma - Their last game against OkSt could be for the Big-12 AND NC game! Who would have thought that 8 weeks ago?
5. USC - The have shown how to rebound from a disappointing loss (Take notes BYU!). They are starting to look scary good on both sides...they also benefit from playing in a conference that is worse than the MWC, SEC, Big-12 and Big-10 and possibly the ACC!
6. Penn St - Really good, but their struggles against Michigan were somewhat troubling...were they looking ahead to Columbus? Understandable, but I don't think they come out of there with a W.
7. Florida - If I had to pick a team to win the SEC right now I would pick them. They've only had one GREAT game this year, so this might be premature, but if their O continues to evolve into what we all hoped it would be...the Gators will be really good.
8. 'Bama - Their inconsistency still make me nervous, but their only really tough game remaining is at LSU, so they could legitimately go undefeated...until they play Florida!
9. TCU - If they played like they did on Thursday against OU, the Sooners would have TWO losses. They had been waiting for that game for a year, can they keep up that intensity?
10. Utah - I think TCU would beat them right now, but they still are a very balanced, disciplined team. They get the Horned Frogs at home and then will play the Cougars for potentially a MWC championship and a BCS birth!
11. Georgia - They've looked defeated ever since the 'Bama game. They are talented, but they wouldn't beat anyone ranked above them.
12. LSU - Talented, but very suspect D. I do believe they'll win either the 'Bama game or the UG game, both of which they get at home, which means they'll only end up with one loss and in the SEC that's still pretty dang good.
13. GT - They are a made field goal away from being 8-0. They are young, but good, and I believe will win the ACC.
(TT has SERIOUS issues, when they play against a Defense not ranked at the bottom of the NCAA they'll get pounded)
1. Texas - HOLY CRAP! I think we learned a lot about the Longhorns and the Tigers in that game. Mizzou's season is done and Texas looks awesome. Colt McCoy should be getting every Heisman vote right now. (Big 12 not as good as we thought?...Mizzou and TT)
2. Ok St - I still think they would beat any team below them right now. If (and it's a big IF) they win AT TX, they move to #1 EASY!
3. Ohio State - I don't want to see them in the BCS NC game either, but these guys are for real. With Pryor blossoming before us and Beanie healthy this Buckeye team would BEAT USC if they played again...in the Rose Bowl? That would be the sweetest Rose Bowl game.
4. Oklahoma - Their last game against OkSt could be for the Big-12 AND NC game! Who would have thought that 8 weeks ago?
5. USC - The have shown how to rebound from a disappointing loss (Take notes BYU!). They are starting to look scary good on both sides...they also benefit from playing in a conference that is worse than the MWC, SEC, Big-12 and Big-10 and possibly the ACC!
6. Penn St - Really good, but their struggles against Michigan were somewhat troubling...were they looking ahead to Columbus? Understandable, but I don't think they come out of there with a W.
7. Florida - If I had to pick a team to win the SEC right now I would pick them. They've only had one GREAT game this year, so this might be premature, but if their O continues to evolve into what we all hoped it would be...the Gators will be really good.
8. 'Bama - Their inconsistency still make me nervous, but their only really tough game remaining is at LSU, so they could legitimately go undefeated...until they play Florida!
9. TCU - If they played like they did on Thursday against OU, the Sooners would have TWO losses. They had been waiting for that game for a year, can they keep up that intensity?
10. Utah - I think TCU would beat them right now, but they still are a very balanced, disciplined team. They get the Horned Frogs at home and then will play the Cougars for potentially a MWC championship and a BCS birth!
11. Georgia - They've looked defeated ever since the 'Bama game. They are talented, but they wouldn't beat anyone ranked above them.
12. LSU - Talented, but very suspect D. I do believe they'll win either the 'Bama game or the UG game, both of which they get at home, which means they'll only end up with one loss and in the SEC that's still pretty dang good.
13. GT - They are a made field goal away from being 8-0. They are young, but good, and I believe will win the ACC.
(TT has SERIOUS issues, when they play against a Defense not ranked at the bottom of the NCAA they'll get pounded)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Lucky 13 Week 7
1. Texas - Beating a VERY good OU team on the road qualifies them, and only them as #1
2. Penn St - They are legit. Wisconsin is pretty bad, but they absolutely killed them. That game in Columbus will be crazy exciting.
3. OkSt - I know, this is crazy, but they looked that good on Saturday. Mizzou was legitimately at #2 last week and the Cowboys beat them on the road!
4. 'Bama - new policy...a team should never move (up or down) on a bye week. It's unfair to everyone involved. Hopefully they come out a little more spirited against an Ole Miss team that has proven it can beat the "big boys".
5. Oklahoma - I still think they would beat any team listed 6-13. Until they prove otherwise, losing to #1 in a classic game isn't that bad.
6. BYU - They rank #2, (no that's not a typo) IN THE COUNTRY in points allowed per game! Their D is hugely underrated and their offense will average 30+ for the season...not a bad combo!
7. Florida - They finally showed up! These are the Gators I've been waiting for all year. Or are my astute observations about LSU's D (see previous weeks) seeing fruition against a talented offense that finally played well? The game in Athens will really show what they are made of.
8. TTU - I am now convinced that if they played BYU they would lose. After needing OT to beat a hopeless Nebraska team (at home no less), they've got to move down.
9. Utah - Another solid win. Their offense for whatever reason seems very sporadic though...this will haunt them against TCU or BYU.
10. USC - a 28-0 win against ASU is good, but not worthy of the 5-6 spot jump they received in the other polls. ASU is falling fast and knows it, plus their best player shouldn't have even played. If they had won 49-7, then I'd move them up. Still waiting for the "it" factor/game with these guys
11. Missouri - Their weaknesses were brutally exposed. A quick, athletic team will beat them everytime. Their secondary is vulnerable and Chase Daniel can be flustered by a good D-line and blitz packages.
12. Ohio State - Their win against Purdue was less than convincing. After a big win against a good Minnesota team, they've sort of sputtered. We'll learn how tough they are this week.
13. Michigan State - I really like this team. They're tough, physical and I believe have a great shot at beating the Buckeyes on Saturday.
I didn't rank LSU because their game against UF confirmed my worries. I knew I ranked them too high. When Auburn is so frustrated they fire their OC you know their offense SUCKS. And who was their season high against (until last week)? Oh...LSU! No wonder UF (a team previously having struggles of their own) posted 50 on them!
Starting next week I am going to instigate a pretty strict policy of ranking a team based on who they can and can't beat. In other words the rankings will be less and less based on which team had a great week and looked good, and what teams are really actually GOOD. Many times this goes hand in hand. However wherever I rank a team can be interpreted as: Team X would probably beat any team ranked below them and would probably lose to any team above them. I believe 8 weeks gives me a good enough gage to make these kinds of assessments. What does "probably" mean...that's open to interpretation, but for someone who is the 95th percentile in the ESPN college Pick 'em, I'm pretty confident in my judgment.
2. Penn St - They are legit. Wisconsin is pretty bad, but they absolutely killed them. That game in Columbus will be crazy exciting.
3. OkSt - I know, this is crazy, but they looked that good on Saturday. Mizzou was legitimately at #2 last week and the Cowboys beat them on the road!
4. 'Bama - new policy...a team should never move (up or down) on a bye week. It's unfair to everyone involved. Hopefully they come out a little more spirited against an Ole Miss team that has proven it can beat the "big boys".
5. Oklahoma - I still think they would beat any team listed 6-13. Until they prove otherwise, losing to #1 in a classic game isn't that bad.
6. BYU - They rank #2, (no that's not a typo) IN THE COUNTRY in points allowed per game! Their D is hugely underrated and their offense will average 30+ for the season...not a bad combo!
7. Florida - They finally showed up! These are the Gators I've been waiting for all year. Or are my astute observations about LSU's D (see previous weeks) seeing fruition against a talented offense that finally played well? The game in Athens will really show what they are made of.
8. TTU - I am now convinced that if they played BYU they would lose. After needing OT to beat a hopeless Nebraska team (at home no less), they've got to move down.
9. Utah - Another solid win. Their offense for whatever reason seems very sporadic though...this will haunt them against TCU or BYU.
10. USC - a 28-0 win against ASU is good, but not worthy of the 5-6 spot jump they received in the other polls. ASU is falling fast and knows it, plus their best player shouldn't have even played. If they had won 49-7, then I'd move them up. Still waiting for the "it" factor/game with these guys
11. Missouri - Their weaknesses were brutally exposed. A quick, athletic team will beat them everytime. Their secondary is vulnerable and Chase Daniel can be flustered by a good D-line and blitz packages.
12. Ohio State - Their win against Purdue was less than convincing. After a big win against a good Minnesota team, they've sort of sputtered. We'll learn how tough they are this week.
13. Michigan State - I really like this team. They're tough, physical and I believe have a great shot at beating the Buckeyes on Saturday.
I didn't rank LSU because their game against UF confirmed my worries. I knew I ranked them too high. When Auburn is so frustrated they fire their OC you know their offense SUCKS. And who was their season high against (until last week)? Oh...LSU! No wonder UF (a team previously having struggles of their own) posted 50 on them!
Starting next week I am going to instigate a pretty strict policy of ranking a team based on who they can and can't beat. In other words the rankings will be less and less based on which team had a great week and looked good, and what teams are really actually GOOD. Many times this goes hand in hand. However wherever I rank a team can be interpreted as: Team X would probably beat any team ranked below them and would probably lose to any team above them. I believe 8 weeks gives me a good enough gage to make these kinds of assessments. What does "probably" mean...that's open to interpretation, but for someone who is the 95th percentile in the ESPN college Pick 'em, I'm pretty confident in my judgment.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Perfect Week for BYU
It should be a fun Saturday...here's what will make it perfect for the Cougars.
1. Oklahoma kills UT. If it's a tough battle BYU will not jump either. How could you penalize TX for losing by a touchdown on the road against the #1 team in the country? People won't so a big win by OK (or TX, which seems impossible) would drop UT below us and lower their confidence that they can compete with the big boys.
2. OkSt beats Missouri - this would drop them below us and I don't think OkSt would jump ahead of us.
3. Wisconsin beats Penn St. - The Badgers are playing at home after a disappointing loss to the Buckeyes. With 2 losses they are out of it anyway, so the win doesn't make them look that good, it makes Penn St. look bad.
4. LSU beats UF - This would give Florida two losses, and they wouldn't jump an undefeated BYU team. LSU has chances to lose to 'Bama and UG later, let's get UF out of the picture as quick as possible.
5. TCU wins big at CSU - this would undoubtedly move the Horned Frogs into the top 25 again and would create more national buzz surrounding Thursday night's showdown with BYU.
6. Hope Sanchez can't go against ASU and that the Sun Devils actually show up to play a game for once, giving the Trojans two losses. USC would probably still win the Pac-10 but have 2 losses, thus limiting the Pac-10's BCS invites to ONE team. (A one-loss USC is way to tempting for BCS homers to not take in the NC game meaning the Pac-10 would get TWO bids including the Rose-Bowl)
I could see all, or none of these happening. That's why this week is so exciting. IF they all did, BYU would jump to #6 or #5 in the polls!
Pray that the snow/cold/wet weather doesn't play a role in the game on Saturday. Another 30 point win would look really good!
1. Oklahoma kills UT. If it's a tough battle BYU will not jump either. How could you penalize TX for losing by a touchdown on the road against the #1 team in the country? People won't so a big win by OK (or TX, which seems impossible) would drop UT below us and lower their confidence that they can compete with the big boys.
2. OkSt beats Missouri - this would drop them below us and I don't think OkSt would jump ahead of us.
3. Wisconsin beats Penn St. - The Badgers are playing at home after a disappointing loss to the Buckeyes. With 2 losses they are out of it anyway, so the win doesn't make them look that good, it makes Penn St. look bad.
4. LSU beats UF - This would give Florida two losses, and they wouldn't jump an undefeated BYU team. LSU has chances to lose to 'Bama and UG later, let's get UF out of the picture as quick as possible.
5. TCU wins big at CSU - this would undoubtedly move the Horned Frogs into the top 25 again and would create more national buzz surrounding Thursday night's showdown with BYU.
6. Hope Sanchez can't go against ASU and that the Sun Devils actually show up to play a game for once, giving the Trojans two losses. USC would probably still win the Pac-10 but have 2 losses, thus limiting the Pac-10's BCS invites to ONE team. (A one-loss USC is way to tempting for BCS homers to not take in the NC game meaning the Pac-10 would get TWO bids including the Rose-Bowl)
I could see all, or none of these happening. That's why this week is so exciting. IF they all did, BYU would jump to #6 or #5 in the polls!
Pray that the snow/cold/wet weather doesn't play a role in the game on Saturday. Another 30 point win would look really good!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Lucky 13 week 6
1. Oklahoma - looked dominate as ever...if they go 11-0 in the regular season could we argue this being one of the best teams EVER?
2. Missouri - That win in Lincoln was incredible. They absolutely killed a decent UN team on the road...one of the biggest statement games of the year.
3. Texas - Dominated a decent Colorado team on the road before the biggest game of the year for them...something the "almighty" Trojans couldn't do, and they were #1.
4. 'Bama - Right now they are the best team in the SEC, although they're "let up" after the biggest win of the season so far was a little to big for me to keep them top 2.
5. TTU - Followed suit in the Big-12 in that they creamed a potential "trap-game" opponent. They do give up a team's average in pts allowed, will that haunt them later?
6. LSU - I drop them mostly because the Big-12 was so awesome on Saturday. The Tigers are definitely good, but their win against Auburn is going to look worse and worse so I feel that this game against UF is a must win for them to stay in the upper echelon of teams.
7. BYU - After jumping ahead 24-0 after the first quarter, the Cougars hit the "off" switch and it was still enough to win by 20 on the road. They need to improve their road play if they want to make a BCS game though...they have to play AT TCU, UT and AF still!
8. Penn St. - Beating Purdue on the road was nice...although it did make them look human after absolutely killing everyone.
9. Utah - Continue to beat good teams, who happen to upset ranked opponents which is great for their SOS. Showed toughness in their comeback (something USC couldn't do) but also showed some flaws...which team will prevail?
10. Vanderbilt - Great win for the program. Auburn is SOOOO overrated it's sick, but these kind of wins will create confidence and the belief in their players. They won't win the SEC but they'll surely cause havoc! (and deserve some credit for what they've done so far)
11. OSU - Beating a conference rival on the road is always a huge plus (even if they are horribly overrated), especially when you consider Pryor's psyche and confidence.
12. USC - They looked like their dominate selves again against Oregon...but why does it take poor performance to motivate them? Would they win in a rematch with OSU right now with Wells back and Pryor gaining confidence each week? I doubt it!
13. OkSt. - I don't think Mizzou thought this game next week would be so hard. I think the first to 60 wins! This should be a fun game to watch, I think Missouri wins, but OkSt is demolishing everything in their path right now and confident that while they probably won't win the Big 12 they'll probably have a big say in who does.
2. Missouri - That win in Lincoln was incredible. They absolutely killed a decent UN team on the road...one of the biggest statement games of the year.
3. Texas - Dominated a decent Colorado team on the road before the biggest game of the year for them...something the "almighty" Trojans couldn't do, and they were #1.
4. 'Bama - Right now they are the best team in the SEC, although they're "let up" after the biggest win of the season so far was a little to big for me to keep them top 2.
5. TTU - Followed suit in the Big-12 in that they creamed a potential "trap-game" opponent. They do give up a team's average in pts allowed, will that haunt them later?
6. LSU - I drop them mostly because the Big-12 was so awesome on Saturday. The Tigers are definitely good, but their win against Auburn is going to look worse and worse so I feel that this game against UF is a must win for them to stay in the upper echelon of teams.
7. BYU - After jumping ahead 24-0 after the first quarter, the Cougars hit the "off" switch and it was still enough to win by 20 on the road. They need to improve their road play if they want to make a BCS game though...they have to play AT TCU, UT and AF still!
8. Penn St. - Beating Purdue on the road was nice...although it did make them look human after absolutely killing everyone.
9. Utah - Continue to beat good teams, who happen to upset ranked opponents which is great for their SOS. Showed toughness in their comeback (something USC couldn't do) but also showed some flaws...which team will prevail?
10. Vanderbilt - Great win for the program. Auburn is SOOOO overrated it's sick, but these kind of wins will create confidence and the belief in their players. They won't win the SEC but they'll surely cause havoc! (and deserve some credit for what they've done so far)
11. OSU - Beating a conference rival on the road is always a huge plus (even if they are horribly overrated), especially when you consider Pryor's psyche and confidence.
12. USC - They looked like their dominate selves again against Oregon...but why does it take poor performance to motivate them? Would they win in a rematch with OSU right now with Wells back and Pryor gaining confidence each week? I doubt it!
13. OkSt. - I don't think Mizzou thought this game next week would be so hard. I think the first to 60 wins! This should be a fun game to watch, I think Missouri wins, but OkSt is demolishing everything in their path right now and confident that while they probably won't win the Big 12 they'll probably have a big say in who does.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Perfect Week
Well I missed last week, but anything I could have put on my list happened, with the exception of TCU losing to OU. I believe that game alone will keep BYU out of the NC game. Sorry Cougars. Not that I don't think they could compete, they can, but the MWC is still wrongfully perceived as a weak conference. TCU winning and then us beating them would make BYU look better than any Big-12 team, if OU won the conference championship which is likely. Here are the big games for the Cougars this week that aren't in Logan...
1. Root for the Ute! - Yes, we must root for the Runnin' Utes tonight! If they beat OSU, and we can beat UT, there is NO WAY that USC jumps BYU in the polls. THIS IS HUGE! Put on your red for one day Cougar fans...
2. Pitt upsets USF - The Bulls are getting a lot of national attention and have climbed within a few spots of BYU. Hopefully the overlook a 3-1 Pitt team and revive the "Big LEast" conversation again.
3. Texas loses to Colorado - This is highly unlikely, but TX is on the road and the two games after this saturday...Oklahoma and Missouri! Colorado "upset" a WV that somehow re-emerged in the rankings, but then got spanked by an average FSU team. (Thus proving, how bad the Big East really is)
4. KSU shocks TTU - This is even less likely than #3, because KSU has not played anyone even though they have a 3-1 record...but neither has TTU. They are on the road, against a team that at least knows how to win a football game, which is more than can be said of their previous opponents.
5. Ohio State loses to Wisconsin - Voters are going to be quick to forgive OSU's loss to USC if the Trojans keep winning and OSU continues to look re-born with Pryor running the show. A Wisconsin win makes UT look even better considering they beat Mich, who beat Wisconsin, and would really cast a dark cloud over the Big-10. However part of me wants OSU to win out because the voters wouldn't put a one-loss OSU team ahead of BYU mostly because of OSU's inability to play well in the big games. (especially if UT beats Oregon State, who beat USC, who beat OSU) The perfect scenario is OSU losing this game in a tight one, and then beating upstart PSU at home in a few weeks thus dropping them a few spots.
I really don't think 2-4 are likely. The Wisc/OSU game is a toss up, and either way is not a huge deal. Even if OSU wins out, as long as UT beats Oregon State, there is no way voters take OSU or USC over BYU...
I've never been such a huge UT fan! (only for about 3 hours this evening!)
As a side note...BYU cannot let all this press and NC talk get to their heads. They cannot come out flat. They need to POUND Utah State. This is almost a lose/lose situation for BYU. Unless they kill them, it won't look good. Utah State is perceived as one of the worst CF programs in the country and anything less than a 30-40 win will be move the Cougars down in the polls.
1. Root for the Ute! - Yes, we must root for the Runnin' Utes tonight! If they beat OSU, and we can beat UT, there is NO WAY that USC jumps BYU in the polls. THIS IS HUGE! Put on your red for one day Cougar fans...
2. Pitt upsets USF - The Bulls are getting a lot of national attention and have climbed within a few spots of BYU. Hopefully the overlook a 3-1 Pitt team and revive the "Big LEast" conversation again.
3. Texas loses to Colorado - This is highly unlikely, but TX is on the road and the two games after this saturday...Oklahoma and Missouri! Colorado "upset" a WV that somehow re-emerged in the rankings, but then got spanked by an average FSU team. (Thus proving, how bad the Big East really is)
4. KSU shocks TTU - This is even less likely than #3, because KSU has not played anyone even though they have a 3-1 record...but neither has TTU. They are on the road, against a team that at least knows how to win a football game, which is more than can be said of their previous opponents.
5. Ohio State loses to Wisconsin - Voters are going to be quick to forgive OSU's loss to USC if the Trojans keep winning and OSU continues to look re-born with Pryor running the show. A Wisconsin win makes UT look even better considering they beat Mich, who beat Wisconsin, and would really cast a dark cloud over the Big-10. However part of me wants OSU to win out because the voters wouldn't put a one-loss OSU team ahead of BYU mostly because of OSU's inability to play well in the big games. (especially if UT beats Oregon State, who beat USC, who beat OSU) The perfect scenario is OSU losing this game in a tight one, and then beating upstart PSU at home in a few weeks thus dropping them a few spots.
I really don't think 2-4 are likely. The Wisc/OSU game is a toss up, and either way is not a huge deal. Even if OSU wins out, as long as UT beats Oregon State, there is no way voters take OSU or USC over BYU...
I've never been such a huge UT fan! (only for about 3 hours this evening!)
As a side note...BYU cannot let all this press and NC talk get to their heads. They cannot come out flat. They need to POUND Utah State. This is almost a lose/lose situation for BYU. Unless they kill them, it won't look good. Utah State is perceived as one of the worst CF programs in the country and anything less than a 30-40 win will be move the Cougars down in the polls.
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