Football
BCS Report
By Jeff Amey

Week 10 of the college football season was not a kind one for ranked teams. There were upsets of ranked teams by either unranked or lower ranked teams across the nation. None of the major conferences were immune except the Pac-10, which isn't really bound by the regular "college football rules" governing upsets, offense, or defense.

Heading into the last few games of the season, we are finally left with just two undefeated teams, and they are the two that seemed to be on a colision course for the Rose Bowl since early in the season. USC and Texas both won their games this week handily, and continue on their course to meet in Pasadena. If one of the two happen to slip up, it looks as if the Miami Hurricanes will be right there to snatch up the trip to the Rose Bowl on the strength of their 47-14 blowout of Wake Forest.

Alabama and LSU squared off in Tuscaloosa for a game to pretty much decide who will represent the SEC west in their Championship game, and the game lived up to the hype. If you are a fan of defense, this game was for you. Alabama stormed out to a 10-0 halftime lead, but in the second half, the LSU defense stifled the Crimson Tide offense, and allowed the Tigers to tie the score at 10 at the end of regulation. In overtime, Alabama only managed a field goal in their first possesion while LSU scored a touchdown to win the game 16-13 and put themselves in the driver's seat for a berth in the SEC championship game and eliminate Alabama from contention for the Rose Bowl.

The other half of the SEC was cleared up greatly by a couple of upsets this week. Auburn upset Georgia at Georgia 31-30 to remain in the hunt for the SEC west, but Georgia virtually locked up the SEC east despite the loss due to South Carolina's upset of the Florida Gators 30-22. It was South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier's first meeting with the Gators since returning to college football, and serves some notice that the Gamecocks might be a team to look out for in the coming seasons in the SEC. The loss eliminates Florida from any chance at the SEC championship game, and Georgia will clinch the berth over South Carolina with a win in either of their two remaining games.

Both Florida and Florida State will be limping into their rivalry game this week after losses after Clemson's beat down of the Seminoles 35-14 in Bowdenbowl XXXVIII (you know...the one with the beer bottles). Despite blocking their third punt in two games, the Seminoles are 0-2 in those games and are looking pretty bad on offense. Injuries have taken a pretty big toll on them and serve to make Florida State an underdog to whichever team they face in the innaugural ACC championship game.

The other upsets of the day both took place in Iowa. The Iowa Hawkeyes ended Wisconsin's chances of winning the Big Ten title with a 20-10 upset in Iowa City, but the bigger upset took place in Ames, where the Iowa State Cyclones beat Colorado 30-16 to deny the Buffaloes locking up the Big XII north title. Colorado can still clinch with a win over Nebraska on Nov. 25th, but Iowa State opened the door for themselves if the Buffs stumble.

In the conference races, USC locked up the Pac-10 with their win over California this week. The Big Ten title will be decided this week between Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan. The SEC championship game looks as if it will be Georgia vs. LSU again. The ACC championship game is shaping up to be a rematch of the Florida State-Miami game from the first week of the season. The Big East is now pretty much down to just West Virginia and South Florida. Finally, the Big XII is going to be Texas versus some team that will probably lose horribly to Texas in their championship game.

Big Games for Nov. 19

Alabama at Auburn

The Iron Bowl is always a fun game to watch, but it means more than just state bragging rights this season to the two teams playing. The winner of this game will have a chance at unseating LSU for the SEC west crown should the Tigers slip up in either of their last two games of the season. Alabama has been a team that has struggled on offense since the loss of WR Tyrone Prothro, and things didn't get any better last week against LSU. The Crimson Tide have an excellent defense that will hold the score down in this game, but it's hard to see Alabama having enough firepower on offense to win this game.

Auburn has played almost this entire season in obscurity since their season opening loss to Georgia Tech, but made a bit of a splash last week with their 31-30 win over Georgia in Athens. The Tigers have found themselves a running back in Kenny Irons, but he will probably find the sledding pretty tough against the Alabama defense this week. This will be a battle of the SEC's top offense against the top defense, but the advantage has to go to Auburn because the Alabama offense has been so awful. Look for Auburn to win their fourth straight game in this series with a low-scoring win.

Fresno State at USC

Fresno State might be the best team not named Notre Dame that USC plays this season, but that will probably be little consolation for the Bulldogs going against an offense as potent as the Trojan's. Fresno is coming off of a big win over WAC rival Boise State, and will probably win their conference. They will have to play an absolutely perfect game to have a chance against USC, however. The Bulldogs will probably score some points in this game, and might even keep it close early, but their defense will be unable to match up with the USC offense, so avoiding turnovers is a must.

USC, on the other hand, is riding a 32 game winning streak and should blow Fresno State out in this game. The Trojan offense is lighting up scoreboards this season to the tune of nearly 50 points per game, Matt Leinart has thrown for over 3000 yards, Reggie Bush and LenDale White have both gone over 1000 yards, and WR Dwayne Jarrett has over 1000 yards receiving. The Trojans have started slow in some of their games, and if a team with as good an offense as Fresno State has is able to build a big lead in the first half, this might get interesting, but look for the Trojans to pull away in the second half of this one, and the game to end up not even being close.

Penn State at Michigan State
Ohio State at Michigan

The Big Ten title will be decided in the state of Michigan this week between these two games. Ohio State and Michigan will square off first to decide who will be sitting in front of their televisions hoping for Penn State to lose in the second game. Ohio State heads into their game with the Wolverines with the better team offensively, defensively, and in Special teams, but Michigan will have the homefield and revenge motivation from last season's blowout in Columbus. After four straight games over 40 points, the Buckeyes finally run into a team that has a decent defense. This game will come down to which team will be able to run the ball better. The team with the most rushing yards at the end will probably win the game.

Seven weeks ago, the Penn State-Michigan State game looked as if it could be the game Michigan State capped off an improbable Big Ten season and come away with a conference crown, while the Penn State team might need a win in this game to just make a bowl game. What a difference seven weeks can make. Penn State comes into this game needing a win to clinch the Big Ten's automatic BCS berth, while Michigan State needs a win in this game in order to just make a bowl. The Spartans look as if they've packed up and gone home already, but if they do decide to play, they have an offense that could potentially put some points up against the Nittany Lions. Penn State has been riding the surprising play of QB Michael Robinson this season, and need him only to have one more mistake-free game to lock up a trip to a major bowl. Unfortunately for us Buckeye fans, the Spartans tank yet another one and the Nittany Lions take the Big Ten title.

Top Ten for Week 11

1) USC (10-0) Last: beat California 35-10 Next: vs. Fresno State

This will probably turn out to be a better game than the UCLA game to end the season.

2) Texas (10-0) Last: beat Kansas 66-14 Next: BYE

The Longhorns play in a pathetic conference this season, but may still be the best team in the nation.

3) Miami (8-1) Last: beat Wake Forest 47-14 Next: vs. Georgia Tech

The Hurricanes beat Tech 27-3 last season in Atlanta. This one will probably not even be that close.

4) LSU (8-1) Last: beat Alabama 16-13 OT Next: at Mississippi

The Tigers have two fairly easy games to end the season. Look for them in Atlanta on Dec. 3rd

5) Penn State (9-1) Last: BYE Next: at Michigan State

Paterno and company are only one win away from a return to a major bowl. Penn State fans had better soak it in, because the road will be rocky next season.

6) Virginia Tech (8-1) Last: BYE Next: at Virginia

What used to be a nice sectional rivalry has now become a conference, divisional rivalry. Look for this one to heat up a little bit in the next few seasons.

7) Alabama (9-1) Last: lost to LSU 13-16 OT Next: at Auburn

The Crimson Tide can go from undefeated and number three in the BCS to 9-2 and talking Capital One Bowl in two weeks if they lose this game to Auburn.

8) Ohio State (8-2) Last: beat Northwestern 48-7 Next: at Michigan

OK. I finally came to my senses and put the Buckeyes ahead of Notre Dame. Sorry about that. I won't let it happen again.

9) Notre Dame (7-2) Last: beat Navy 42-21 Next: vs. Syracuse

What looked like a pretty difficult schedule in the off-season has turned into a pathetic one with the collapse of Pittsburgh, Michigan State, Purdue, and Tennessee.

10) Oregon (9-1) Last: beat Washington State 34-31 Next: vs. Oregon State

The Ducks grace the Top Ten for the first time this season. They will likely hang around with a win over Oregon State this week.

On the Bubble: UCLA (9-1), West Virginia (8-1), TCU (10-1), Auburn (8-2), Georgia (7-2), Michigan (7-3), Texas Tech (8-2), Fresno State (8-1)

Rose Bowl Pick: USC vs. Texas

Heisman Favorites:

Vince Young QB Texas
Reggie Bush HB USC
Matt Leinart QB USC
Brady Quinn QB Notre Dame
Marcus Vick QB Virginia Tech

Return to O-Zone Column and and Features

Return to O-Zone Front Page