Football Future-see 2015: Championship Week

It's Championship Week here at the blog, but other news is trying to overshadow the title games. Georgia has fired their head coach, Mark Richt. More on that at the end of this post. Four of the Power 5 (ACC, SEC, Big Ten, and PAC-12) will decide their champion this weekend.

But more important than any of that...your humble blogger is getting married this weekend. That's right, God sent a very incredibly awesome woman into my life, and we're saying the vows and exchanging rings this Saturday. Life is good. I love you, Kathryn!

RECORD

Week One	9-1
Week Two	4-1
Week Three	3-2
Week Four	2-3
Week Five	2-3
Week Six	3-2
Week Seven	5-0
Week Eight	3-2
Week Nine	4-1
Week Ten	4-1
Week Eleven	3-2
Week Twelve	5-0
Week Thirteen	0-0
Championships	0-0
Bowls	0-0
OVERALL	47-18	.723

The Games:

American Athletic Conference Championship Game

22 Temple vs 19 Houston (Saturday, Noon, ABC)

Houston absolutely crushed Navy. The Cougars offense has been on a roll lately. Temple, meanwhile, just hasn’t been the same since losing their undefeated season to Notre Dame. I wish I knew more about Houston and Temple, but from what I have seen, I have to believe that Houston is simply going to steamroll the Owls. Cougars win.

Final Score:  Houston 42, Temple 20

SEC Conference Championship Game

2 Alabama vs 15 Florida (Saturday, 4:00pm, CBS)

Wherever the Gators offense has gone, they had better find it before their date with the Tide in the Georgia Dome. Alabama is simply the best team in the country at the moment. Sure, the Tide wasn’t exactly dominant against Auburn, but rivalry games tend to bring out the best in both teams. Just look at what South Carolina was able to do against Clemson, even in a losing effort. Florida has played good defense all season, but they’ll need to find the endzone if they want to overcome Alabama. The Crimson Tide, even with one loss, has climbed all the way up to #2 in the nation, and may even be able to lay claim to the top spot once the playoff begins. I’m looking for the Gators to put up a fight in the first half, but I think Alabama shuts them down completely in the second half and pulls away. Roll Tide!

Final Score: Alabama 31, Florida 14

PAC-12 Conference Championship Game

20 USC vs 7 Stanford (Saturday, 5:00pm, ESPN)

Stanford and USC meet in what amounts to Stanford’s back yard. The PAC-12 looked like a shoo-in for the playoff just a few weeks ago, but things happened and teams lost and now the conference is on the outside looking in. Stanford is their best shot at the playoff, but they need several teams to lose, including both participants in the Big Ten championship game. USC has been on a rollercoaster this year, and only recently announced the hiring of Clay Helton as their new head coach. I like Stanford to win here and lock down a spot in the Rose Bowl against most likely either Iowa or Ohio State.

Final Score:  Stanford 27, USC 17

ACC Conference Championship Game

1 Clemson vs 10 North Carolina (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

Clemson very nearly stumbled against in-state rival South Carolina, scraping by the rather hapless Gamecocks, 37-32. The Tigers are still in the playoff discussion, but the pressure of being at the top might be getting to them. North Carolina, meanwhile, is on a heck of a run. Offensively, the Tar Heels are one of the hottest teams in the nation. Unless Clemson can get their act together, UNC very well may sneak out a win here. But I think Clemson will get it together. They’ve had plenty of opportunities to “Clemson” so far, and they’ve not done so. QB Deshaun Watson should rally the Tigers to the call of reaching the playoffs with an unblemished record. UNC will make it tough, but Clemson should win. Tigers win.

Final Score:  Clemson 34, North Carolina 28

Big Ten Conference Championship Game

4 Iowa vs 5 Michigan State (Saturday, 8:00pm, Fox)

Iowa is still undefeated. They struggled a bit against Nebraska, but it feels like one of those games that made the team battle-hardened. Michigan State absolutely cake-walked over Penn State to reach the conference title game. Sparty is still riding high after beating Ohio State, and they’ll use that momentum to their advantage. Iowa will fight them close, and I won’t be surprised if the Hawkeyes win. But for the sake of the picks, I’m going with Michigan State. If Connor Cook is able to play, then Sparty will have better QB play (no offense, C.J. Breathed). Iowa’s defense is stout, but so is Michigan State’s. I’ll take the Spartans, but the more I think about it, the more this game feels like a coin-flip.

Final Score: Michigan State 26, Iowa 21

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Eight of the poll features some things changing and some things staying the same.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: Navy Midshipmen, Oklahoma State Cowboys

15. Northwestern Wildcats (NR)

14. Houston Cougars (NR)

13. Michigan Wolverines (-4)

12. Florida Gators (-2)

11. Baylor Bears (-3)

10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-5)- Notre Dame lost to Stanford, and it dropped them down the polls.

9. Florida State Seminoles (+4)- Florida State has been a bit under-the-radar, and they just held Florida to a total of 2 points during Rivalry Week.

8. Ohio State Buckeyes (+3)- Ohio State’s late season loss probably cost them any chance at the playoff.

7. Stanford Cardinal (+7)- Stanford knocked off Notre Dame, but the PAC-12 is basically out of the playoff, barring some chaotic calamity in college football.

6. Michigan State Spartans (+1) – Michigan State took down Ohio State and Penn State, leaving only Iowa standing between them and a likely playoff spot.

5. North Carolina Tar Heels (+1)- North Carolina may have a chance to make a move in the playoff standings with a win over Clemson…if they can beat Clemson.

4. Oklahoma Sooners (NC)- Oklahoma is playing as good as anyone in the nation, and they demolished Oklahoma State just to prove it.

3. Iowa Hawkeyes (NC)- The quietest undefeated team in the country gets a chance to make a huge statement against Michigan State this weekend.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (NC)- Alabama is possibly the best team in the nation, and they now face a Florida team that’s forgotten how to score.

1. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson faces the toughest challenge they’ve faced all year, and it may bring their season crashing to a halt. North Carolina is the best offense the Tigers have seen all season.

Some Words about Georgia and Mark Richt

On Sunday word broke that Mark Richt was out at UGA after 15 season. He is the second all time in wins at UGA, behind only the legendary Vince Dooley. Richt would have started his 16th season next year. In an odd turn of events, it took Vince Dooley 17 seasons to finally bring a national championship to Georgia.

But the Dawgs parted ways with Mark Richt after a 9-3 season, with a bowl game still remaining, that should have been so much more. Georgia continually brings in top five or top ten recruiting classes, yet they’ve not reached the SEC Championship Game since 2012, and they’ve not won that game since 2005.

Mark Richt departs as one of the most loved coached in Georgia history. And in all honesty he’s a coach I would love for my son to play for, if I had a son. Richt’s has a proven track record of caring just as much about making the young men that play for him better human beings, as well as players. He’s strongly religious and enforces stout morals on his players.

He’ll end up coaching somewhere else, and that school will be lucky to have him. He’s interviewing with Maryland, Miami, and possibly Missouri.

Georgia, meanwhile, is already on the hunt for a new coach. Alabama DC Kirby Smart is the obvious front-runner. Mississippi State’s current coach, Dan Mullen, is also in the running. The Dawgs could go in-house and promote current DC Jeremy Pruitt. Whatever they do, the Georgia faithful are both happy for the change, but sad to see the old coach go.

UPDATE: Georgia reportedly has a deal in place with Alabama DC Kirby Smart. Since the Tide will be playing in the SEC Championship Game this Saturday, Smart cannot make anything official until after the game. A rumor has begun that Kirby Smart strongly wants to bring in Auburn DC Will Muschamp to serve in the same capacity at UGA.

Mark Richt, meanwhile, has been hired by the University of Miami as their new head coach.

Current UGA DC Jeremy Pruitt is apparently in the running for the head coach job at South Carolina. It's also possible, I would assume, that Pruitt follows Richt to Miami.

Football Future-see 2015: Week Twelve

Get ready for a load of Big XII games over the coming weeks. That conference will make a massive impact on the playoff race. Consider that, barring a miracle, only the PAC-12 has completely dismissed itself from the playoff discussion. So long as Clemson keeps winning then they get in. The winner of Alabama and Florida, should they only have one loss, will get in. Ohio State, should they keep winning, will get in. That’s three of the four spots sewn up. Now it appears the Big XII wants in, seeing as they were shut out last year. The American Athletic Conference, now Houston’s for the taking, likely won’t get in, but you never know with the committee.

This week we have the obligatory Georgia pick, plus two Big XII games, an ACC tilt, and an SEC West match-up.

RECORD

Week One	9-1
Week Two	4-1
Week Three	3-2
Week Four	2-3
Week Five	2-3
Week Six	3-2
Week Seven	5-0
Week Eight	3-2
Week Nine	4-1
Week Ten	4-1
Week Eleven	3-2
Week Twelve	5-0
Week Thirteen	0-0
Championships	0-0
Bowls	0-0
OVERALL	47-18	.723

The Games:

17 North Carolina at Virginia Tech (Saturday, Noon, ESPN)

Somewhere along the line, the Tar Heels discovered how to play offense at a very high level. After scoring 26 points in back-to-back games, the Heels have since scored 66 and 59, against a rising Duke and a struggling Miami, respectively. The question now is, can the Tar Heels keep up such a pace? They have to travel to Blacksburg to face a Hokie squad intent on sending their head coach out a winner in conference play. As Frank Beamer departs the college football scene, he would love nothing more than to slow the high powered UNC team down. I just don’t think he can do it. Tar Heels win.

Final Score: North Carolina 31, Virginia Tech 17
CORRECT: North Carolina won 30-27 in OT

15 LSU at 22 Ole Miss (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

LSU has tumbled since their loss to Alabama. A subsequent loss to Arkansas brought the Tigers down yet another notch. Ole Miss, similarly, took a tumble, but they managed to beat Alabama. The Rebels, though, lost to Memphis, which is a definite blemish. This will still be a good game, though. I’m looking for LSU to rebound, and for RB Leonard Fournette to re-establish his presence. But I don’t think it will be enough. Ole Miss can score on pretty much anyone. This might not be the shootout that Ole Miss vs Arkansas was, but it’ll be fun to watch, and it’ll be close. Ole Miss wins, but not by much.

Final Score: Ole Miss 28, LSU 24
CORRECT: Ole Miss won 38-17

Georgia Southern at Georgia (Saturday, 7:00pm, ESPNU)

Is the ship righting at Georgia? Or is this just a calm before a final storm? Mark Richt has faced an increasingly warming seat in Athens ever since the team lost 3 out of 4 in October. Since then, the Dawgs have taken down Kentucky and Auburn. Defeating the Tigers is always a soothing balm to an anxious fan base, but the Dawgs still have in-state foe Georgia Tech, and a loss there will re-ignite the fire under Richt’s chair. The Dawgs usually schedule a team like Georgia Southern, who runs the option offense, before playing Tech every year, as a means of tuning up the defense. I like Georgia to win here, but they better keep winning, or the pitchforks will come out in Athens. Dawgs win.

Final Score: Georgia 31, Georgia Southern 14
CORRECT: Georgia won 23-17 in OT

10 Baylor at 6 Oklahoma State (Saturday, 7:30pm, Fox)

Oklahoma State needs only to win out to win the Big XII and likely claim a spot in the playoff. Baylor’s chances took a massive hit last week in a ten point loss to Oklahoma. The Cowboys are poised to take the Big XII to a place it’s never been before, seeing as the “Co-Champions” fiasco last year didn’t play out for them. That’s a lot of pressure on relatively young athletes. And for that reason, I’m taking Baylor here. The Bears have nothing left to lose. They can actually still reach the playoffs, if things break right for them. Oklahoma State has to win out. I don’t think they will. Baylor wins.

Final Score: Baylor 35, Oklahoma State 28
CORRECT: Baylor won 45-35

18 TCU at 7 Oklahoma (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

Oklahoma stomped down Baylor last week, opening the door for them to take the Big XII. TCU suffered their lone loss two weeks ago, but what they lost last week may be more important. QB Trevone Boykin suffered an ankle injury against Kansas, and that might keep him on the sideline for this game. The Horned Frogs are still a stout offense, and they’ll put up points, but it won’t be enough. Oklahoma is on the roll, and their QB, Baker Mayfield, is making a strong Heisman case. The Sooners took down Baylor last week. This week I think they’ll take down TCU. Boomer Sooner.

Final Score: Oklahoma 38, TCU 28
CORRECT: Oklahoma won 30-29

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Six of the poll features all sorts of changes.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: LSU Tigers

15. Stanford Cardinal (-11)

14. Michigan State Spartans (NC)

13. Michigan Wolverines (+2)

12. Houston Cougars (NR)

11. North Carolina Tar Heels (NR)

10. TCU Horned Frogs (+3)- TCU may be with their QB, which hurts their chances in the conference.

9. Florida Gators (+3)- Florida has climbed the rankings to that spot where it’s difficult to move higher without other teams faltering.

8. Baylor Bears (-5)- The Bears face Okie State in a huge Big XII game this week.

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+3)- The only blemish on the Irish’s record is a 2-point loss at #1 Clemson. That likely bodes well for them in the playoff discussion.

6. Iowa Hawkeyes (+1)- Iowa is still undefeated…just sayin’...

5. Oklahoma Sooners (+3)- Oklahoma is primed to make a run at the playoffs.

4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+2)- The Cowboys face Baylor in a huge Big XII game this week.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes (+2)- Alright, Ohio State, I’ve finally put you in the top three…prove me right.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (NC)- Alabama would probably be favored over anyone in the country.

1. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson just needs to keep winning, and an ACC Title game with North Carolina could be there only trap.

Right Wing Bowl Predictions

Playoffs

Cotton Bowl: Clemson vs Oklahoma

Orange Bowl: Alabama vs Ohio State

Top Tier Bowls

Peach Bowl: LSU vs Notre Dame

Sugar Bowl: Florida vs Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl: Iowa vs Stanford

Fiesta Bowl: Houston vs Utah

Second Tier Bowls

Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs Georgia

TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl: Mississippi State vs Penn State

Outback Bowl: Michigan State vs Ole Miss

Football Future-see 2015: Week Eleven

Alright, we’ve reached the home stretch for this season. The big games are starting to roll around for the Big XII, as evidenced by Oklahoma and Baylor being on our slate this week. Georgia makes their customary appearance, even though they fell from the ranks of the ranked long ago. A big match-up in the American Athletic Conference bring Memphis and Houston to our slate. Alabama has to travel to Starkville to face Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs of Mississippi State. Bama’s opponent last week, LSU, plays host to the Razorbacks of Arkansas. Should be a fun week.

Also, this week, we debut our bowl predictions.

RECORD

Week One	9-1
Week Two	4-1
Week Three	3-2
Week Four	2-3
Week Five	2-3
Week Six	3-2
Week Seven	5-0
Week Eight	3-2
Week Nine	4-1
Week Ten	4-1
Week Eleven	3-2
Week Twelve	0-0
Week Thirteen	0-0
Championships	0-0
Bowls	0-0
OVERALL	42-18	.700

The Games:

Georgia at Auburn (Saturday, Noon, CBS)

It was rather fitting that Georgia got off the schneid by beating Kentucky 27-3, especially after Florida made the Dawgs look awful in their own 27-3 win over Georgia the week before. The Dawgs employed a “wild-dog” offense that kept Kentucky guessing all day. Auburn has been disappointing all year, but they just handed Texas A&M an upset loss that shook up the SEC West. This game is always close. This series has always been close. Every now and then one team will blow out the other, but usually it’s close, usually the underdog sneaks out a win, and often the road team comes away victorious. Georgia really needs to win out in order to play “damage control” with the coaching staff and the fans. Auburn will put up a fight, but the Wild-Dog offense and an invigorated Nick Marshall and Sony Michel should bring Georgia a close win in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. Dawgs win.

Final Score: Georgia 27, Auburn 21
CORRECT: Georgia won 20-13

2 Alabama at 17 Mississippi State (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

Alabama already has a loss, yet they’re #2 in the nation in the eyes of the playoff committee. And I think they may be right. I’m not sure there is anyone in the nation who would be favored over Alabama on a neutral field right now. Mississippi State still has QB Dak Prescott. That counts for a lot, but it doesn’t count for enough to win over Alabama. The Tide is on a roll, an RB Derrick Henry is making great strides toward winning the Heisman this year. I like Alabama in this one, and it won’t be as close as the score indicates.

Final Score: Alabama 28, Mississippi State 17
CORRECT: Alabama won 31-6

21 Memphis at 24 Houston (Saturday, 7:00pm, ESPN2)

Houston has won five straight games in this series, but Memphis has inched closer each time. The Tigers have a really good offense, as evidenced by their win over Ole Miss. But they just had a very-much down game against Navy. Houston has the better defense between these two, and will try to exercise that against the Tigers offense. This game could very well decide the winner of the American Athletic Conference West Division. Memphis has the better wins on the season, but I like Houston to win here in a close game.

Final Score: Houston 24, Memphis 20
CORRECT: Houston won 35-34

Arkansas at 9 LSU (Saturday, 7:15pm, ESPN)

LSU, and more specifically, LSU’s RB Leonard Fournette, were made to look mortal against Alabama last week. Fournette was regularly going for 150 or 200 yards per game. Alabama held him to 31. Meanwhile, the LSU defense gave up much to Tide’s offense. Arkansas, on the other hand, is coming off a thrilling overtime win over Ole Miss, in which the Razorbacks offense put up 53 on the proud Land Shark defense. LSU will have to shape up defensively, and they have to refocus on offense in order to stay in playoff contention. I like LSU to win here, but I think the Razorbacks keep it uncomfortable for LSU basically all day. Tigers win close.

Final Score: LSU 26, Arkansas 21
INCORRECT: Arkansas won 31-14

12 Oklahoma at 6 Baylor (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

How insulted does Baylor have to feel now? Iowa just jumped them in the playoff poll. Iowa? Over Baylor? The biggest thing going for Baylor right now is that they are just entering the meat of their schedule. The Bears have several ranked opponents left. Oklahoma is gaining momentum after an off loss to Texas, but it may be too late for the Sooners. Baylor, even without QB Seth Russell, is still on fire. This game has shootout written all over it. The Big XII, unfortunately, is not known for its defenses. I like Baylor to outscore Oklahoma, but it’ll be close. Bears win.

Final Score: Baylor 38, Oklahoma 34
INCORRECT: Oklahoma won 44-34

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Five of the poll features all sorts of changes.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: None

15. Michigan Wolverines (NC)

14. Michigan State Spartans (-6)

13. TCU Horned Frogs (-8)

12. Florida Gators (+2)

11. LSU Tigers (-9)

10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+3)- The Irish may very well wind up crashing the playoff party, given their brutal schedule.

9. Utah Utes (+2)- Utah still has a chance to go to the PAC-12 Championship Game.

8. Oklahoma Sooners (+2)- Oklahoma is still very much alive in the Big XII.

7. Iowa Hawkeyes (+2)- Iowa is still undefeated. I will repeat that…Iowa is still undefeated.

6. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+6)- Oklahoma State put a very serious beating on TCU, making their presence known in the Big XII.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes (+2)- Ohio State is still not that high on my list, but they are getting better and better each week.

4. Stanford Cardinal (+2)- Stanford would be much higher were it not for that early loss to Northwestern.

3. Baylor Bears (NC)- Baylor was not impressive against Kansas State, but they’re still undefeated. TCU cannot say that anymore.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (+2)- Alabama might have one loss, but they would probably be favored against almost anyone in the nation. They are that good.

1. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson just proved that they can take a hit to the mouth and keep going. You need to be that tough to win a championship.

Right Wing Bowl Predictions

Playoffs

Cotton Bowl: Clemson vs Baylor

Orange Bowl: Alabama vs Ohio State

Top Tier Bowls

Peach Bowl: LSU vs Notre Dame

Sugar Bowl: Florida vs Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl: Iowa vs Utah

Fiesta Bowl: Temple vs Stanford

Second Tier Bowls

Outback Bowl: Michigan vs Mississippi State

TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl: Georgia vs Penn State

Football Future-see 2015: Week Ten

Well, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee has released their first set of rankings. Just as I’ve been saying for a couple weeks now, Clemson is on top. The surprise is that neither TCU nor Baylor is in the Committee’s top four. Instead, one-loss Alabama is already crashing the party, thanks to some impressive wins after falling to Ole Miss. This week the picks feature the standard Georgia game (more on that below), two Big XII games, an ACC match-up featuring now-#1 Clemson, and the big game of the week, LSU at Alabama.

Now that the CFPSC's rankings are out, the Playoff Prediction is gone.

RECORD

Week One	9-1
Week Two	4-1
Week Three	3-2
Week Four	2-3
Week Five	2-3
Week Six	3-2
Week Seven	5-0
Week Eight	3-2
Week Nine	4-1
Week Ten	4-1
Week Eleven
Week Twelve
OVERALL	39-16	.709

The Games:

6 Baylor at Kansas State (Thursday, 7:30pm, FoxSports1)

If I’m Baylor right now, I’m feeling insulted by the Committee. They blew us off last year in leaving the Big XII out altogether, even though we won the conference outright (forget that co-champion stuff). Now they’ve dropped us down to #6, leaving us out once again, as things stand now. The good thing for Baylor is they are just now coming into the meat of their schedule. The Bears have three straight games against ranked opponents after this battle with K-State. That might make this a trap game to some, but I think Baylor finds a way to roll. The loss of their QB may just be the rallying point they need to claim to the Big XII. I like Baylor here, but I won’t be surprised if K-State finds a way to keep things close.

Final Score: Baylor 42, Kansas State 24
CORRECT: Baylor won 31-24

Kentucky at Georgia (Saturday, Noon, SEC Network)

Georgia needs to do something and fast. The season has spiraled out of control, and a disappointing and humiliating loss to Florida has done nothing to ease the pain and frustration of their fan base. The calls for the coach’s job are getting louder. Georgia should, theoretically, roll over Kentucky. They have more talent than the Wildcats ever seem to field. But this season has not been kind to the Dawgs. They’ve gone nearly nine quarters since their last touchdown. No QB can seemingly get the offense pointing in the right direction. I think they get out of the touchdown-less rut this week, but Kentucky will keep it close. Georgia wins, but unless they win by more than three TDs the unrest in Athens will grow.

Final Score: Georgia 21, Kentucky 14
CORRECT: Georgia won 27-3

16 Florida State at 1 Clemson (Saturday, 3:30pm, ABC)

Back when the season started, Clemson-FSU seemed like a big match-up. Clemson, though, has made their way to the top spot in the Committee’s initial ranking. The Tigers look like the real deal. They’ve taken down Notre Dame. They’ve scored 114 points in the last two games. They beat Miami, in Miami, by 58 points. The Seminoles, meanwhile, are coming off a rough loss to Georgia Tech, in a game they should’ve won. I like Clemson here, and I think it may get ugly. Clemson’s offense is clicking right now, and I’m not sure anyone can stop them. Tigers win.

Final Score: Clemson 35, Florida State 20
CORRECT: Clemson won 23-13

8 TCU at 14 Oklahoma State (Saturday, 3:30pm, Fox)

If I’m TCU right now, I’m feeling insulted by the Committee. They blew us off last year in leaving the Big XII out altogether. Now they’ve dropped us down to #8. TCU has a harder schedule this week than primary opponent Baylor, but both teams are focused on a Thanksgiving weekend meeting that will possibly decide the Big XII. TCU has, in my mind, the inside track in the conference, as Baylor has lost their QB. Oklahoma State is a stout offense, and should put up a heck of a fight against the Horned Frogs, but I don’t expect them to win. TCU should take care of business here, and carry on their good fight for the Big XII crown. Frogs win.

Final Score: TCU 42, Oklahoma State 30
INCORRECT: Oklahoma State won 49-29

2 LSU at 4 Alabama (Saturday, 8:00pm, CBS)

The biggest game of the weekend pits the second ranked Tigers of LSU against an Alabama team already poised to crash the undefeated-party that is the playoff. This game tends to decide the SEC West winner every season, and this game once again seems to carry that weight. An Alabama win would almost cement their spot in the playoffs, barring some catastrophic breakdown of the natural order in the SEC (we’re lookin’ at you, Ole Miss). LSU, meanwhile, is making their case for a playoff spot, and needs a big win over the Tide to lock up their own claim. If this game were in Death Valley, I would pick the Tigers. But being in Tuscaloosa, I have to lean toward Alabama. Tide wins a close one.

Final Score: Alabama 31, LSU 27
CORRECT: Alabama won 30-16

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Four of the poll features almost no changes.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: None

15. Michigan Wolverines (NC)

14. Florida Gators (NC)

13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-1)

12. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+1)

11. Utah Utes (NC)

10. Oklahoma Sooners NC)- Oklahoma is wanting to make a push in the Big XII.

9. Iowa Hawkeyes NC)- Anyone else realize that Iowa is still undefeated?

8. Michigan State Spartans (NC)- Sparty hasn’t been playing to their potential lately, and it has cost them in this poll.

7. Ohio State Buckeyes (NC)- Ohio State is finally playing like a top-ranked team.

6. Stanford Cardinal (NC)- Stanford might be the best team in the PAC-12., but Washington State once more made them seem mortal.

5. TCU Horned Frogs (NC)- Can TCU claim the Big XII, or will Oklahoma and Baylor still have something to say?

4. Alabama Crimson Tide (NC)- After this week either Alabama or LSU will tumble down the ranking a bit.

3. Baylor Bears (NC)- How long can Baylor stay near the top without their starting QB?

2. LSU Tigers (NC)- After this week either LSU or Alabama will tumble down the ranking a bit.

1. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson had a rough sort of week against NC State, but they’re still the best team in the nation.

Thoughts on Georgia

Oh, how this season has gone off the rails for Georgia. I remember hearing that Nick Chubb had blown out his knee on the first play against Tennessee, but I didn’t realize then that it was the beginning of the downward spiral for the Dawgs. Since that time Georgia has lost to Tennessee, narrowly beaten Missouri, and been humiliated by Florida. It’s brought about the most intense pressure and scrutiny on Mark Richt that I’ve seen in years.

Richt, while a fantastic human being, and the type of coach I would want my son to play for should I be blessed with a son one of these days, is not the type of coach who brings you national championships. He’s simply too nice.

And now the calls for his head, figuratively, have started coming in louder and more frequently. The Dawgs are already at three losses on the year, meaning it would take winning out and winning their bowl match-up. That might be a problem. Georgia has not scored a touchdown since the start of the fourth quarter against Tennessee. That was October 11. It’s now November.

The offense has simply disappeared without Nick Chubb. The problems have becomes so ingrained in the public perception that talk has now shifted to recruits possibly pulling out of commitments and going elsewhere. How Georgia turns this trend around I don’t know. But they need to sort it out quickly.

Time may be running out for them.