This Week in College Football 10/13 - 10/15

[Bored 0]

Network/Basic Cable TV Schedule

 

THURSDAY

Clemson at N.C. State, 7:30/4:30 PM, ESPN

 

FRIDAY

UTEP at Tulane, 8:00/5:00, ESPN2

 

SATURDAY

#7 Alabama at Mississippi, Noon/9:00 AM, CBS

#15 Michigan State at #17 Ohio State, Noon/9:00 AM, ABC*

Kansas State at #13 Texas Tech, Noon/9:00 AM, ABC*

#23 Wisconsin at #22 Minnesota, Noon/9:00 AM, ESPN

Northwestern at Purdue, Noon/9:00 AM, ESPN2

#6 Miami at Temple, 1:00 PM/10:00 AM, FSN

 

#1 USC at #8 Notre Dame, 3:30/12:30 PM, NBC

#12 Florida at #10 LSU, 3:30/12:30 PM, CBS

#9 Penn State at Michigan, 3:30/12:30 PM, ABC*

#24 Colorado at #2 Texas, 3:30/12:30 PM, ABC*

#19 Louisville at #25 West Virginia, 3:30/12:30 PM, ABC*

Oregon State at #16 California, 3:30/12:30 PM, ABC*

 

#11 UCLA at Washington State, 6:00/3:00 PM, FSN

San Diego State at Utah, 7:00/4:00 PM, ABC*

Oklahoma at Kansas, 7:00/4:00 PM, TBS

#4 Georgia at Vanderbilt, 7:15/4:15, ESPN2

#5 Florida State at Virginia, 7:45/4:45, ESPN

 

Other Cable/PPV Games

 

THURSDAY

Louisiana-Lafayette at Arkansas State, 7:30/4:30 PM, ESPNU

 

SATURDAY

Wake Forest at #14 Boston College, Noon/9:00 AM, JP

Rutgers at Syracuse, Noon/9:00 AM, GamePlan

Indiana at Iowa, Noon/9:00 AM, ESPNU

Kent State at Navy, 1:30 PM/10:30 AM, CSTV

South Florida at Pittsburgh, 2:00 PM/11:00 AM, GamePlan

New Mexico at Wyoming, 3:00 PM/Noon, GamePlan

Georgia Tech at Duke, 3:30/12:30 PM, ESPNU

Memphis at Houston, 5:00/2:00 PM, CSTV

 

Other Division I-A Games

 

Oklahoma State at Texas A&M

Ohio at Central Michigan

Bowling Green at Buffalo

Iowa State at Missouri

Akron at Miami of Ohio

Colorado State at BYU

UNLV at Air Force

Toledo at Ball State

East Carolina at SMU

Troy at Louisiana-Monroe

Washington at #20 Oregon

Tulsa at Rice

Connecticut at Cincinnati

Middle Tennessee State at Florida Atlantic

Louisiana Tech at Nevada

Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois

UAB at Marshall

North Texas at Florida International

#18 Auburn at Arkansas

Stanford at Arizona

Nebraska at Baylor

Central Florida at Southern Miss

Army at TCU

San Jose State at Boise State

Utah State at Fresno State

New Mexico State at Hawaii

[Bored 0]

The first BCS rankings come out next Monday but I have the unofficial rankings from CollegeBCS.com, which are as close to official as you can get right now. All but one computer ranking is making their ratings public at the moment. Here's the current Top 15 overall:

 

1. USC .9616

2. Texas .8852

3. Virginia Tech .8838

4. Florida State .8776

5. Georgia .8695

6. Alabama .7874

7. Penn State .7492

8. Miami .7480

9. LSU .6099

10. Florida .5643

11. UCLA .5533

12. Texas Tech .5496

13. Notre Dame .4641

14. Boston College .4029

15. Oregon .3466

 

As you see Texas has a very slim margin over Virginia Tech as the Hokies hold the edge in the computers. Also interesting to see Notre Dame much lower than their poll ratings as they are only #24 overall according to the computers.

 

Now here's the Top 10 in each computer rating except the one that isn't available yet, the Wolfe Ratings. You are going to notice a very interesting trend.

 

Anderson-Hester

 

1. Florida State

2. Penn State

3. USC

4. Georgia

5. Alabama

6. Virginia Tech

7. Texas

8. UCLA

9. Miami

10. Texas Tech

 

Billingsley

 

1. USC

2. Georgia

3. Virginia Tech

4. Texas

5. Florida State

6. Penn State

7. Wisconsin

8. Miami

9. Texas Tech

10. LSU

 

Colley

 

1. Penn State

2. Florida State

3. Alabama

4. Georgia

5. Virginia Tech

6. USC

7. Oregon

8. Texas

9. Minnesota

10. UCLA

 

Massey

 

1. Penn State

2. Alabama

3. Florida State

4. Georgia

5. USC

6. Virginia Tech

7. Miami

8. Texas

9. Florida

10. Oregon

 

Sagarin

 

1. Penn State

2. Florida State

3. USC

4. Georgia

5. Alabama

6. Virginia Tech

7. Miami

8. Texas

9. Oregon

10. Florida

 

As you see Penn State is dominating the comptuer ratings right now. As a Rose Bowl purist I love it as I'm still clinging to that small hope of a Pac-10/Big Ten title game but that will probably raise a few eyebrows.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

USC vs Penn State for the title? Eh I could live with that.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Let's see i've got a wedding to attend on Saturday afternoon. So i'll miss about an hour + of the 2:30 games. Luckily the reception isn't until like 6:00, so I should be able to catch about an hour or so of the games.

 

I'd like a traditional Rose Bowl. I don't think Penn St. is in USC's class though.

[Guest Ether]

I know I'm biased here, but how the hell in Penn State #1 in 3 computers and #2 in another?

 

Oregon and Minnesota are pretty questionable also. No wonder I cringe when anybody says just take the top 4/8/16 rated teams for the BCS or potential playoff.

[Urban Warfare 0]

No, you aren't biased, you just know what your talking about. Penn State is not good.

[nogoodnick 0]

As awesome as Penn State vs USC would be it wont happen, and if it did it would be an ass raping. PSU just doesnt have the talent of USC, Texas, Va Tech, and Georgia.

[iggymcfly 0]

Don't worry. I think Penn State's computer rankings will be hurt significantly when they lose to Michigan this weekend.

 

The thing about the computer rankings that people always forget is that they're not allowed to take into account margin of victory. Basically, it means that they can't objectively evaluate which teams are better between undefeateds, only who played a tougher schedule.

 

Compare, for example, Sagarin's real rankings to his official BCS version:

 

Real rankings:

1. USC

2. Virginia Tech

3. Texas

4. Miami

5. Penn State

6. Florida State

7. LSU

8. Minnesota

9. Oregon

10. Alabama

 

BCS Version:

1. Penn State

2. Florida State

3. USC

4. Georgia

5. Alabama

6. Virginia Tech

7. Miami

8. Texas

9. Oregon

10. Florida

 

Obviously, you can't expect any computer rankings to be perfect at this time of year, with the lack of decent comparison between teams. However, I think that when margin of victory is factored in, the rankings much more closely approximate agreed upon opinions as to where various teams stand.

[cabbageboy 0]

Michigan has been struggling this year though, is it possible that they might have quit on the season to some degree? It wouldn't shock me if Michigan beat Penn St. this weekend but Penn St. has way more to play for.

 

U of L vs. WVU this weekend. Talk about a must win for the Cards. We cannot under any circumstances start off 0-2 in the friggin Big East. The main thing is that WVU doesn't pass much, which is our big weakness (giving up big pass plays). I'm hoping U of L stops the run.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Yeah, PSU-USC would be even more disgusting than last year's Championship Game, with the same outcome. Here's to hoping both teams lose somehow throughout the course of the season. I'd like to see Texas in the Rose Bowl for some reason.

[Damaramu 0]

When did Mark May develop such a hard on for USC? Not only does he defend them against everything but he does it in such a smarmy assholish way.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I'd like to see Texas in the Rose Bowl for some reason.

 

If this happens, feel free to shoot me.

[Vern Gagne 0]

I want the best matchup. That would be Texas-USC imo. Not a fan of Texas, but if they can keep playing like this than they deserve to play for the National Championship.

[Guest]

It's not the best matchup, but the more games I watch, the more I'm thinking USC-Florida State.

[cabbageboy 0]

I think the best matchup right now would be USC vs. Va Tech, but maybe that's me. Va Tech is in a bit better conf. so if they run the table and win the conf. title game vs. FSU I think they'd get that #2 spot in the BCS.

[Vern Gagne 0]

I wouldn't mind it. Don't think FSU can stay with USC. You have question how good the defense is when they allowed over 400 yards offense against Wake Forest.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Shoulda gone with my gut on that Clemson/NC State game instead of picking the Wolfpack. Tigers are laying an ass-whoopin' in their first not-close game of the year.

[Guest]

I wouldn't mind it. Don't think FSU can stay with USC. You have question how good the defense is when they allowed over 400 yards offense against Wake Forest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think USC would roll over FSU, but FSU is good enough to get through their schedule undefeated and wind up in Pasadena.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Shoulda gone with my gut on that Clemson/NC State game instead of picking the Wolfpack.  Tigers are laying an ass-whoopin' in their first not-close game of the year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Same here. Maybe it's me but the road teams seem to win alot games in the ACC.

[therealworldschampion 0]

I want the best matchup. That would be Texas-USC imo. Not a fan of Texas, but if they can keep playing like this than they deserve to play for the National Championship.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah it would really suck for Mack Brown if he goes undefeated, finally winning against Oklahoma and gets shut out of the Rose Bowl.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Another strange stat to consider this weekend. On October 15th, 1988, Notre Dame played the defending champion and #1 team in the country, Miami, in South Bend, a team that had won the last 3 meetings by a total of 93 points. On October 15th, 2005, Notre Dame will play the defending champion and #1 team in the country, USC, in South Bend, a team that has won the last 3 meetings by a total of 93 points.

 

Is that fucking strange or what?

[Guest]

Yeah, pretty crazy. I hope to God that the coincidence doesn't carry over to Saturday.

[gWIL 0]

USC: 35 Notre Dame: 42 ...I wish. Going to be something like USC:48 ND:21.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Don't knock ND. They're better than even Texas.

[nogoodnick 0]

Those stats are the exact reason I know Notre Dame will lose. Its too perfect for them to win. USC is probably looking to blow someone out on national tv to stop the doubters and who better than an overrated Notre Dame team.

[Gert T 0]

I think the best matchup right now would be USC vs. Va Tech, but maybe that's me.  Va Tech is in a bit better conf. so if they run the table and win the conf. title game vs. FSU I think they'd get that #2 spot in the BCS.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Nah, Mack Brown would pimp up Colorado-Missouri-Nebraska-Kansas State or whoever they play in the Big 12 title game to sway some votes.

 

I guess there is no point to get excited on October 14th, but it would be great to have USC, Texas, VA Tech & Florida State all be undefeated going into that ACC title game.

 

I just would be surprised if FSU will be by then.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Yeah, cause FSU's losing tomorrow. </homer> I'll be there in orange, futile as it might be.

 

Notre Dame should put up a fight but I'm not sure their weak defense is going to cut it. On paper this game doesn't look much different from USC/Oregon or USC/Arizona St.

[Sass 0]

Fuck the conservative win bullshit.

 

USC by 3 TD's.

[Damaramu 0]

Yeah well I'm hoping USC loses but I don't know if it'll be this game. I still say the "turning it on" bullshit will get them in trouble.

I can't watch the game though. I have to go cover an OU volleyball game. Whoo-fucking-hoo.

[Guest]

I know this sounds stupid, so flame away..........

 

Colorado will beat Texas tomorrow, and UCLA's game with Washington State is going to be extremely close.