It was a very interesting and telling week for some upper tier teams and the picture of the best teams in each conference continues to clarify as we head into conference schedules for all leagues.
Thursday, September 20th, 2012:
BYU at #24 Boise State, 8:00 pm ESPN, This was an ugly game for both teams and a game that showcased the
limitations that we've seen out of both teams this year in early season losses.
Inefficiencies on offense will hamper the success of these teams but both
should have shots at double digit win seasons. P.S. Boise isn't a top 25 team. Winner: 1-0 ATS: 1-0
Baylor at ULM, 7:00 pm ESPN, I think the last three weeks have shown us that, A) ULM is a
pretty solid team, and B) Arkansas should be a little less ashamed of what
happened a couple weeks back. This game was close but Baylor got out by two
scores and did a nice job finishing. ULM should be the class of the Sun Belt
this season which should provide us with a good amount of fun. Winner: 2-0 ATS: 2-0
Maryland at #8 West Virginia, 11:00 am FX, Is Maryland better than we thought, and based on the first
4 weeks I think we have to say yes, or was this an anomalous game for a
talented West Virginia team? I'm gonna go with both being true but we will know
more after WVU's Big XII opener this weekend against Baylor. Maryland won't be
pretty to watch but i suspect should cause some trouble in the ACC. Winner: 3-0 ATS: 2-1
Kentucky at #14 Florida, 11:00 am SECN, This was everything we thought it would be and it was just
awful from Kentucky. Winner: 4-0 ATS: 3-1
UAB at #16 Ohio State, 11:00 am BTN, There is definitely reason for concern in Columbus, because the
words shut down by UAB should never have been written about Braxton Miller. Winner: 5-0 ATS: 4-1
Virginia at #17 TCU, 11:00 am ESPN, What happened at Virginia this year, strides had been taken
the last few years at Virginia to the point where they were challenging for a
division crown. This years story is much different and there seems to be if not
regression some stagnation of progress for the Cavaliers. TCU is churning out
victories but doesn't have one that makes you stop and stare. As Big XII
competition churns into gear we should get a better bearing on Gary Patterson's
ball club. Winner: 6-0 ATS: 4-1
Missouri at #7 South Carolina, 2:30 pm CBS, Missouri has a good team but they
don’t have the horses to keep up with top teams in the SEC on offense nor the
studs to give their offense a chance to put up enough. South Carolina will be a
tough out for Georgia this season and the Old Ball Coach has a shot a division
and conference title. Winner: 7-0 ATS: 5-1
Oregon State at #19 UCLA, 2:30 pm ABC/ESPN2, First off, I was wrong. Oregon State
is legit on defense especially in the front 7 where they dominated this game.
UCLA is much improved this season so far under Mora but still have some flaws
with depth and talent.Winner: 7-1 ATS: 5-2
Eastern Michigan at #21 Michigan State, 2:30 pm BTN, Michigan State fans have much to
worry about coming into this game as they needed another Herculean performance
out of Le’Veon Bell. The Big Ten is down but Michigan State may not be as
equipped as once thought to win this conference. Winner: 8-1 ATS: 5-3
Florida Atlantica at #1 Alabama, 4:00 pm ESPN3, ‘Bama’s good, a 50 point spread is a
major tease. Winner: 9-1 ATS: 6-3
California at #13 USC, 5:00 pm Pac-12, USC wasn’t
flashy again and maybe this should have been a warning sign two weeks ago
against Syracuse. Depth is the major issue in LA and there is no amount of
coaching that can fix that or the luck of injuries. Cal is what Cal is, they
are a solid team that doesn’t do enough to win the games they shouldn’t but
enough to win 80% of the games they should. Winner: 10-1 ATS: 7-3
#2 LSU at Auburn, 6:00 pm ESPN, I’m willing to give LSU a pass on this
one as they have looked dominant, especially in the Washington game. Auburn
isn’t good, but they have the talent to bother some people; LSU can’t really
afford to stumble against such an average opponent if they want to keep the
benefit of the doubt. Winner: 11-1 ATS: 7-4
#20 Louisville at Florida International, 6:00 pm ESPN3, FIU isn’t
spectacular but this win marks another step in Charlie Strong’s tenure at the
‘Ville. They are winning when they should and now just need to show they can
win convincingly against a quality opponent. Winner: 12-1 ATS: 7-5
South Alabama at #23 Mississippi State, 6:00 pm ESPN3, Is it possible that we were a
year early on the maturation of the Mississippi State program. They asserted
themselves as a thorn to LSU & Alabama in the west with their pipe laying
against Auburn. Winner: 13-1 ATS: 8-5
#18 Michigan at #11 Notre Dame, 6:30 pm NBC, This Golden Domers defense is
definitely for real as they have now beat up on three straight opponents and
have played well sideline to sideline. Montae Ta’o is an absolute beast and may
be the best linebacker in the nation. Michigan may end up being this season’s
biggest disappointment as we all jumped the gun on this squad improving coming
into the year. They still have a shot to win the Big Ten, because I’m pretty
sure someone has to. Winner: 13-2 ATS: 8-6
Vanderbilt at #5 Georgia, 6:45pm ESPN2, The SEC has a significantly dominant
upper tier of teams and a soft squishy center. Georgia has proven that it has
the team to be the favorite to have the shot to beat LSU or Bama in Atlanta.
Vanderbilt is disappointing in their worst loss in half a decade. They can
still be around .500 because the middle of the SEC is that weak but I think it
falls short of expectations.Winner: 14-2 ATS: 8-7
#15 Kansas State at #6 Oklahoma, 6:50 pm FOX, Nobody messes
up a chance to cement themselves as National Champ contenders quite like the
Oklahoma Sooners. Kansas State is indeed better than we thought they were, a
great road win for Bill Snyder’s team sets them apart from any other Big XII
team. Winner: 14-3 ATS: 9-7
#1 t0 Clemson at #4 Florida State, 7:00 pm ABC, Speaking Could we see Jimbo Fischer’s FSU turning a corner this year, a
talented defense has matured and is a real force for the ‘Noles. Clemson is a
good team this year, maybe even a very good team but they are not an elite team
this year and that was born out in the second half against Florida State, they
were outscored by 21 after holding a 31-21 lead and failed to show what many
expected of this iteration of the Tigers. Winner: 15-3 ATS: 10-7
#22 Arizona at #3 Oregon, 9:30 pm ESPN, I think at the moment we can say that Oregon is the second best team in
the country and might be the best Oregon team we have seen in the best couple
years. Arizona will be a good team and is clearly better than Washington and
the much of the rest of the middle of the Pac-12 but they aren’t close to
Oregon, Stanford or USC right now. Winner: 16-3 ATS: 10-8
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