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Football
Tony's Tip Sheet
By Tony Gerdeman

If you saw the AP poll this past week you noticed that there are now two one-loss SEC teams in front of the Buckeyes. Voters didn't even wait until Ohio State was 12-0 before deciding that they weren't going to give the Buckeyes a shot at an AP National Championship.

I guess that trophy case will just have to stay empty. Aside from all of other trophies in it, of course.

Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame all play this weekend, and all three could lose. Kansas State and Oregon could lose because of their opponents, and Notre Dame could lose simply because they're not that good. (But they won't.)

Only one game matters this week, and it's the battle for the Leaders Division Trophy, which I believe is a bucket with Paul Bunyan's wooden pig inside of it.

It's a pretty big bucket.

Thursday November 15

Teams:  North Carolina (6-4) at Virginia (4-6)
Time (TV):  7:30 pm (ESPN)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  Virginia

This will be the first time either North Carolina or Virginia are seen on television by more then 25 people this season, which is a tragedy. You know they will be fretting about their hair and what not. Whatever you do, however, do not watch this game. Unless, of course, you are in the middle of a home invasion and the only way to get the intruders to leave is to turn this game on. "ACC Football, undefeated against home invasions since 1973!" North Carolina 24 – Virginia 23

Friday November 16

Teams:  Hawaii (1-8) at Air Force (5-5)
Time (TV):  9:30 pm (ESPN2)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  Air Force

Does Hawaii still throw the ball all over the place? They would if they could, but they're terrible on offense. They're also not very good at defense. Hawaii football is about as quality as a CSI show written by three six-year olds and a shoe. Air Force will run the ball like a greased-up assembly line. I would rather watch eight hours of DVR'd car insurance commercials than watch Hawaii football right now. Air Force 42 – Hawaii 10

Saturday November 17

Teams:  Iowa (4-6) at #21 Michigan (7-3)
Time (TV):  12:00 pm (ESPN)
Interest:  2.5
Cheer For:  Michigan

No matter what you might think of Michigan, you should think much less of Iowa. The Hawkeyes have no chance in this game. Russell Bellomy could start at quarterback AND center for Michigan, and the Wolverines would still win 2-0. I'm not sure how Iowa does anything that results in any type of positive outcome in this one. Michigan 31 – Iowa 3

Teams:  Northwestern (7-3) at Michigan State (5-5)
Time (TV):  12:00 pm (ESPN2)
Interest:  3.5
Cheer For:  Michigan State

Michigan State needs this win very badly. If they don't win they won't go to a bowl game because they will somehow Sparty one away next weekend at Minnesota. Northwestern comes into this game heartbroken over their idiocy from last week. It's a strange world when Michigan State can expect an opponent to blow the game before they get a chance to. In all three of Northwestern's losses this season they have led in the fourth quarter. That is both the sign of a good team and an unfortunate team. The fourth quarter of this game may feature both squads falling over eachother to see which team can fall over eachother quickest. Last week was a bad loss for Northwestern and I can't forgive them for it. Michigan State 27 – Northwestern 26

Teams:  #10 Florida State (9-1) at Maryland (4-6)
Time (TV):  12:00 pm (ESPNU)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  Maryland

Maryland is starting Ricky D'Angelo this week at quarterback. D'Angelo won a raffle at a Wal-Mart to be named Maryland's starting quarterback. In his professional life D'Angelo is a house painter during the summer. Obviously, he won't have a great understanding of the playbook, but his understanding of how to enter a raffle makes him the ideal candidate to lead Maryland football. Florida State 41 – Maryland 10

Teams:  Indiana (4-6) at Penn State (6-4)
Time (TV):  12:00 pm (BTN)
Interest:  2
Cheer For:  Penn State

Remember the good old days when Indiana “controlled their own destiny”? Good times, good times. Last week they gave up 564 yards rushing to Wisconsin, a team that was held to nearly a quarter of that against Utah State. The only thing Indiana controlled was whether or not they were happy to be repeatedly receiving a Mack truck in their face. Penn State 37 – Indiana 20

Teams:  #22 Rutgers (8-1) at Cincinnati (7-2)
Time (TV):  12:00 pm (Gameplan)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  Cincinnati

Rutgers is 0-1 against teams from Ohio this season, having already lost to Kent State. Of course, Cincinnati is barely Ohio, but I still expect this trend to continue. Rutgers was in a battle with Army last week, which means they're not actually that good at football. I'm taking the Bearcats, the Lynyrd Skynyrd of Ohio college football. Cincinnati 28 – Rutgers 17

Teams:  Western Carolina (1-9) at #4 Alabama (9-1)
Time (TV):  12:00 pm (SECN)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  Western Carolina

I'm going to warn you ahead of time, cheering for Western Carolina might not do much good. They have lost nine games in a row, and their lone win came against Mars Hill, which is a Division II team with a 6-4 record. Still, whatever you might think, this isn't a farce of a game. Alabama plays an incredibly difficult schedule, as their TWO GAMES against Top 20 BCS teams shows. They are 1-1 in those games, and needed a last-minute touchdown to get that one win. But yeah, the SEC is a grind which justifies scheduling Western Carolina in November. Alabama 59 – Western Carolina 0

Teams:  Wofford (8-2) at #9 South Carolina (8-2)
Time (TV):  1:00 pm (Gameplan)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  Wofford

Now you might not think much of Wofford because they're an FCS school, but what if I told you that they defeated the Division II Lincoln Lions 82-0? That's pretty impressive, right? And so what if Lincoln lost to the Division II Livingstone College Blue Bears – that's neither here nor there. What IS important is that South Carolina's schedule deserves a break this week. Especially when you consider that they're 1-2 against the three ranked teams they've played this year. Such justifiable scheduling, this. South Carolina 42 – Wofford 10

Teams:  Jacksonville State (6-4) at #6 Florida (9-1)
Time (TV):  1:00 pm (Gameplan)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  Jacksonville State

The Gators won't be able to take this game lightly because Jacksonville State is a quality team. They are currently in fifth place in the Ohio Valley Conference. You know you're a tough conference when you're in a valley. You have no high ground. Plus, the enemy can just roll boulders down onto your village. And don't even get me started about the flooding. You think it's easy to play football in a flood? It ain't. Florida 31 – Jacksonville State 21

Teams:  Georgia Southern (8-2) at #5 Georgia (9-1)
Time (TV):  1:30 pm (Gameplan)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  Georgia Southern

This game is intriguing for a number of reasons, the first of which is that these are two in-state schools who frequently engage in recruiting battles for average students who aren't quite sure they're ready to leave their parents' homes yet. The other reasons are too numerous to mention here. As far as the game goes, I don't want to hear about how you think Georgia Southern is weak because they lost to a 6-4 Citadel team. That game was on the road and happened way back in September! It should barely count anymore. Anyway, Georgia Southern is coming into this game off of a 69-26 victory over Howard, who began the season with a huge one-point win over Division II Morehouse. SO DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP! Georgia 48 – Georgia Southern 17

Teams:  #18 USC (7-3) at #17 UCLA (8-2)
Time (TV):  3:00 pm (FOX)
Interest:  3
Cheer For:  UCLA

We're cheering for UCLA because we're haters. It's okay to admit it. USC is a three-point favorite, and this is exactly the type of game that Lane Kiffin loves to lose. It feels strange to want to pick UCLA in this one, but quarterback Brett Hundley is playing very well right now, throwing for at least 260 yards in his last three games. Add in 1,200-yard rusher Johnathan Franklin, and I think the Bruins will have enough offense to score on the Trojans. If they can contain USC receiver Marqise Lee, this one shouldn't be too tough. UCLA 31 – USC 27

Teams:  USF (3-6) at Miami (FL) (5-5)
Time (TV):  3:00 pm (Gameplan)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  USF

The tragedy in the downfall of Miami football is that players don't get first dibs on all of the sweet spots in the local clubs anymore. Now it's just second dibs at second-rate clubs, stale pretzels, and hanging with local celebrity family the Kandishians. Miami 35 – USF 17

Teams:  Ole Miss (5-5) at #7 LSU (8-2)
Time (TV):  3:30 pm (CBS)
Interest:  1.5
Cheer For:  Ole Miss

LSU is 2-2 against opponents who are currently in the BCS Top 25. The sad part is that they're not a great team, but they're going to pound whichever unworthy Big Ten team shows up against them. This game will sort of be like that bowl game. LSU 31 – Ole Miss 10

Teams:  Wake Forest (5-5) at #3 Notre Dame (10-0)
Time (TV):  3:30 pm (NBC)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  Wake Forest

Another huge game on Notre Dame's outrageously difficult schedule! No, this isn't an Oklahoma or a Stanford, but Wake Forest has scholarship players too. Granted, those scholarship players aren't as good as Oklahoma's or Stanford's, but they still all have legs and arms. Sure, those legs and arms may not be as strong or as fast as Oklahoma or Stanford's, but they still have all of the chromosomal makeup of Oklahoma or Stanford's players. Notre Dame 26 – Wake Forest 6

Teams:  North Carolina State (6-4) at #11 Clemson (9-1)
Time (TV):  3:30 pm (ESPN2/ABC)
Interest:  1.5
Cheer For:  North Carolina State

I tend to neglect the ACC around here. Clumson 35 – Noth Carolina Sate 2P

Teams:  #23 Texas Tech (7-3) at #24 Oklahoma State (6-3)
Time (TV):  3:30 pm (FCSC)
Interest:  3
Cheer For:  Oklahoma State

The Pokes beat West Virginia 55-34 last week with their third-string quarterback. Things will be a bit more difficult against Texas Tech, who actually travels with a defense. Granted, it's not a great defense. It's more of a, “Hey, look out, that's dangerous!” type of defense. Tech needed overtime to beat Kansas last week. Overtime! If that won't convince you to take Oklahoma State in this one, then nothing will. Oklahoma State 37 – Texas Tech 28

Teams:  Purdue (4-6) at Illinois (2-8)
Time (TV):  3:30 pm (BTN)
Interest:  1
Cheer For:  Purdue

Two coaches on the hot seat. Winner gets fired. Loser has to take the other's job. Incredibly high stakes. Nobody wants to lose this one. Purdue 28 – Illinois 10

Teams:  Minnesota (6-4) at #14 Nebraska (8-2)
Time (TV):  3:30 pm (BTN)
Interest:  2
Cheer For:  Nebraska

The Gophers are bowl bound thanks to wins over teams who view peeing themselves as a good day's work. Their best win is over 5-5 Syracuse. Nebraska, meanwhile, doesn't have time for this crap. They've got a Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin to prepare for. Nebraska 38 – Minnesota 17

Teams:  Sam Houston State (8-2) at #8 Texas A&M (8-2)
Time (TV):  3:30 pm (Gameplan)
Interest:  1.5
Cheer For:  Sam Houston State

We are rooting for Sam Houston State because the semifinals have begun in my fantasy league and I'm starting Johnny Manziel. Basically, I need Sam Houston State to play well enough to allow Manziel to play for at least three quarters. And why shouldn't I have faith in Sam Houston State? They beat Division II Incarnate Word 54-7! Anyway, Johnny Football, baby. Texas A&M 48 – Sam Houston State 17

Teams:  #12 Oklahoma (7-2) at West Virginia (5-4)
Time (TV):  7:00 pm (FOX)
Interest:  3
Cheer For:  West Virginia

Before the season started, this was looked at as one of the three best games of the season along with Alabama at LSU and Oregon at USC. Now, it resembles just another should-be shootout in the Big XII, which still isn't all that bad. West Virginia has lost four games in a row, and hasn't given up fewer than 39 points since September 22nd. Both of those streaks will continue this week because I think West Virginia realizes that this isn't their year. Oklahoma 45 – West Virginia 42

Teams:  Tennessee (4-6) at Vanderbilt (6-4)
Time (TV):  7:00 pm (ESPN2)
Interest:  2
Cheer For:  Tennessee

Like most other SEC schools this week, Vanderbilt is also playing a gimme, and they should be ashamed. Whatever happened to the days of challenging yourself and always striving to be the best? That's how the Empire State Building was built. They didn't sit around and say, 'You know what, let's just make this one story, but spread it out over 75 city blocks.' That would have been the easy thing to do. That would have been the SEC thing to do. But that was America back then – carrying steel beams up the stairs on your back like a man! Anyway, Vandy is taking the chicken's way out – wait, that's not a proper phrase. The “chicken's way out” today means getting your beak burned off and your feathers plucked before finally being ground into a slurry and cast into molds. Perhaps a better phrase would be “taking the Japanese cow's way out”, and getting fed beer and grass. And does anything describe the SEC better than “beer and grass”? I didn't think so. Tennessee 38 – Vanderbilt 37

Teams:  #13 Stanford (8-2) at #2 Oregon (10-0)
Time (TV):  8:00 pm (ABC)
Interest:  4
Cheer For:  Stanford

Stanford is 12th in the nation in points allowed, giving up 17.2 points per game. Oregon has scored 30 or more points in 23 consecutive games, and if they don't make it 24, I think they'll lose. However, if they don't score at least 30 points in this game, I'll be shocked. Quarterback Marcus Mariota has thrown for 681 yards on 47-57 (82%) passing in the last two games and has thrown 10 touchdowns to zero interceptions. Stanford has a nice defense, but this is a different world for them. Oregon 42 – Stanford 31

Teams:  #1 Kansas State (10-0) at Baylor (4-5)
Time (TV):  8:00 pm (ESPN)
Interest:  2
Cheer For:  Baylor

Welcome to your new BCS #1 team – Kansas State. Just like everyone predicted to start the season. Now they are just two games away from playing for a National Championship. They have this game and then Texas comes to Manhattan on December 1st. I don't think they'll overlook Baylor because the Bears have close losses to Texas and Oklahoma, both on the road. This time, Baylor is at home and they have enough offense to do some damage. I don't think this is a game that Kansas State is particularly interested in playing. Plus, it's a certainty that Alabama is going to play in the BCS National Championship Game, so eventually two of the top three BCS teams have to lose. Though I'll wait until December to pick against the Wildcats. Kansas State 41 – Baylor 38 (OT)

Teams:  Ohio State (10-0) at Wisconsin (7-3)
Time (TV):  3:30 pm (ABC/ESPN2)
Interest:  5
Cheer For:  Ohio State

Wisconsin leads the Big Ten in rushing defense, allowing just 103.4 yards per game. However, that number jumps up to 118.5 yards per game in Big Ten play. In Big Ten games, Ohio State leads the conference in rush defense, allowing 101.5 yards rushing per game. It's safe to say that whichever run defense outdoes the other will come away with the win in this game. The Badgers will be starting Curt Phillips at quarterback, and he has thrown all of seven passes and played in two games this season. The Buckeyes will attempt to stop the run and force Wisconsin to pass. If they don't succeed, however, then it's difficult to see Ohio State coming away with the win, though I guess they could hold out hope for a shootout. They've done pretty well in those.

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