College Football Notebook - Week Eight

What do you do about North Carolina?

They obviously have a talented team. They started 0-3 with three road games against teams who now have a combined record of 20-1 with the only loss being to one of the other three teams (Texas' loss against Oklahoma). UNC has now won five straight games including a win at Georgia Tech and this weeks drubbing of Clemson. It's time to start giving them a hard look. They will debut in my top twenty-five this week at No. 21.

The Colorado-Texas game showed how important a starting QB and emotional leader is to a team. The Buffalo team we had seen this year just didn't show up without QB Craig Ochs. His numbers aren't great, but he brings the intangibles that will a team to win. He missed the Texas game with recurring symptoms from a concussion. You could see in his eyes he wanted to be on that field Saturday. Simms was okay, but the story was the breakout game of Cedric Benson. Keep an eye on him.

Oregon's loss was a shock. They were ranked No. 5, they had the home winning streak, they had Heisman Harrington. It didn't matter. They didn't have a defense and Joey Harrington finally met the law of averages. Beaten by a second string QB...

That brings me to Penn State and Joe Paterno. I wrote last week that as bad as they are, Joe Pa can still get them ready for one big time game a year and this was it. Two minutes to go, down by four and your starting QB has just been knocked cold. What do you do? Easy, turn to a redshirt freshman who drives you down the field and throws the winning touchdown pass with 22 seconds left in the game. Penn State 38, Northwestern 35 and we have a tie for all time Div 1-A wins by a coach. Congrats to Coach Paterno, the Bear couldn't have a worthier man sitting beside him.

Tennessee beat Alabama for the seventh time in a row. That will be the measure of Francione as a coach. That and the Iron Bowl. Knowing that more than likely they are not bowling this year, the Tide staff should start focusing exclusively on the Alabama-Auburn game this year. The other two don't really matter. A 4-6 season with a win that knocks Auburn out of the SEC championship game could easily be seen as a first season success in Tuscaloosa. On another note, they have lost four games, those four losses are to teams with a combined record of 21-3. They lost by 3, 1, 3, and 11 points. Coach Fran's turnaround could be well on its way.

Hasn't Nebraska looked beatable this year? Why hasn't anyone been able to do it? They haven't played anybody. If you take out Rice and Iowa State, not exactly powerhouses, but their only losses have been to Nebraska, Nebraska's opponents are a combined 17-20. The rankings of their opponents in the Sagarin ratings are: 87, 88, 53, 55, 16, 73, and 39. The 16th ranked team is Iowa State, who I believe is up there on a wing and a prayer. You heard it here first: Nebraska will not go into a bowl undefeated.

UCLA's next three opponents, Stanford, Washington State, and Oregon, are 17-2. This is where UCLA usually looses its hope for a national championship. I get the feeling this may be different. Don't be shocked if UCLA sweeps those three. Then again don't be shocked if they lose two of them.

It's entirely possible that Illinois could go 9-2 and not be in the top fifteen at the end of the year. They are 6-1 and finish with games against Purdue, Penn State, Ohio State, and Northwestern. I could easily see them winning three out of four.

I hate to say it, but I will bet you that twelve out of the top fifteen at the end of next weekend are in the top fifteen as we go into the bowls. The voters have their minds set and barring any jarring scores (i.e. North Carolina 38, Clemson 3) they will just juggle amongst themselves.

This Week... (last week 3-4, season 13-8)

I took it on the chin last week with some big upsets. I hope to redeem myself this week as the schedule is chock full of quality games. This is the type of college football weekend we live for.

Oklahoma at Nebraska - No. 1 vs No. 2, at least in the BCS. At the beginning of the year, I thought that this could be the game Oklahoma loses, but with the disappearance of any Nebraska defense, it will hinge on how much rope Stoops gives Jason White. I think he will give him a lot, Sooners 30-24.

Georgia and Florida in Jacksonville -- Still my favorite game to go to. It looks like it could be a good game, but Spurrier loves to beat old 'Noles as new Bulldog coach Mark Richt will find out. Florida 38 Georgia 13.

Maryland at Florida State -- So are the Terps for real? Is this really the test? Three losses in one season for Bobby Bowden? Can you say, "End of an era?" I thought you could. Maryland 24, FSU 20.

South Carolina at Tennessee -- Can Lou work his magic again? This is the part of the season where the Gamecocks went 0-3 last year as their Cinderella season was tarnished a little. Repeat. Vols 20, USC 9.

Oregon at Washington State -- One of the Pac 10 elimination bouts on Saturday. A mad Oregon takes it out on the overmanned Cougars. Oregon 28 Washington State 13.

UCLA at Stanford -- The other elimination bout or should I say rout. UCLA pummels the boys from NoCal. Bruins 38 Stanford 16.

The Heisman Factor...

Apparently no one wants it. An undefeated Fresno State gives David Carr a chance. A loss to Boise State ends those hopes. A Heisman winner is never replaced in a losing game unless he is injured -- Goodbye Woody Dantzler. A Heisman winner does not fumble on the opponent's five-yard line as time runs out -- Goodbye Joey Harrington. So who does that leave...

1. DeShaun Foster - He has done everything asked of him and more. 2. Ken Dorsey - Maybe by default. 3. Julius Peppers - Defensive guys don't win this award, but he has been awesome. 4. Eric Crouch - He's good, but I don't think he's playing Heisman good.

Later...