Football Future-see 2015: Week Thirteen: SuperSized Edition

Going 5-0 last week, and seeing the huge slate of games this week, meant that I simply can’t pick just five games. This week, you the reader get a full slate of ten games. Georgia makes their obligatory appearance for Good Old-Fashioned Hate. The Iron Bowl make an appearance, as do rivalry games between Florida State and Florida, Ohio State and Michigan, and several Big XII games. Enjoy.

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	7-3
Championships	0-0
Bowls	0-0
OVERALL	54-21	.720

The Games:

15 Navy at Houston (Friday, Noon, Fox)

This game lost some luster when the committee stopped caring so much about Houston. As the Cougars dropped, the Midshipmen rose. Navy is making a strong case for the Group of Five spot in the New Years Six bowl games. Houston’s defense should keep Navy in check, but I expect Navy to overpower the Cougars and finally put them away. Navy wins.

Final Score: Navy 33, Houston 23
INCORRECT: Houston won 52-31

4 Iowa at Nebraska (Friday, 3:30pm, CBS)

Iowa is undefeated, so they finally get to appear on the picks. Sorry for being so tardy to the party, Hawkeyes fans. Nebraska, meanwhile, has been a rollercoaster. They’ve lost games they should have won, and won games they should have lost. Now they play host to a strong Iowa team looking to reach the Big Ten championship game with an unblemished record. Nebraska will put up a fight, but I like Iowa to win.

Final Score:  Iowa 30, Nebraska 20
CORRECT: Iowa won 28-20

7 Baylor at 19 TCU (Friday, 7:30pm, ESPN)

Way back when the season started, this was the game everyone was looking forward to in the Big XII. Now, with both teams suffering injury and loss, this game isn’t as important as it once was. In fact, this game may not even impact the Big XII championship. Baylor has injuries. TCU has more injuries. Right now, I’m taking the healthier team. Baylor wins.

Final Score:  Baylor 42, TCU 34
INCORRECT: TCU won 28-21 in 2OT

8 Ohio State at 10 Michigan (Saturday, Noon, ABC)

Ohio State finally played a ranked team when they faced Michigan State, and Sparty sent them home with a loss. Last season, Michigan took Ohio State to the brink before the Buckeyes won, and now Michigan is even better. Ohio State has to play better than last week if they hope to win at the Big House. I’ve been saying all season, though, that Michigan would take down the Buckeyes. I’m still calling for it (why turn back now?). Wolverines win.

Final Score:  Michigan 24, Ohio State 18
INCORRECT: Ohio State won 42-13

Georgia at Georgia Tech (Saturday, Noon, ESPN2)

Georgia’s season went down the tubes a long time ago. Now all they have left to play for is pride. Mark Richt might be coaching for his career, but a simple firing of the Dawgs current Offensive Coordinator would probably quiet the rowdy faithful. Georgia Tech’s season went down the tubes before Georgia’s did, so they have almost nothing left to play for. In fact, the Yellow Jackets may even send their coach, Paul Johnson, packing after this season. Georgia should win this game, but I think it’ll be close. Dawgs win.

Final Score:  Georgia 24, Georgia Tech 21
CORRECT: Georgia won 13-7

2 Alabama at Auburn (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

The Iron Bowl definitely does not have the luster it typically has, seeing as Auburn was never as good as the preseason hype said they were. Alabama is, I think, the most dangerous team in the country right now. I think they could beat anyone out there. Auburn might put up some fight, seeing as this is their biggest rival of the season, but I can’t see them lasting long against a stout Bama team. Roll Tide. Alabama wins.

Final Score: Alabama 37, Auburn 17
CORRECT: Alabama won 29-13

Penn State at 5 Michigan State (Saturday, 3:30pm, ESPN)

Can Penn State upset Michigan State? Yes, at this point, anyone can beat anyone… Will they? No, no they won’t. Sparty wins and clinches the Big Ten East.

Final Score:  Michigan State 34, Penn State 14
CORRECT: Michigan State won 55-16

6 Notre Dame at 9 Stanford (Saturday, 7:30pm, Fox)

Stanford has a chance to make a statement here. They’ve scratched and clawed their way back from some nasty loses. They could still make the playoff, if things break their way. Notre Dame is a study in overcoming adversity. No team has been as hampered by injury as the Irish this year. They’re still at #6, according to the committee, but I think the injuries are catching up. I like Stanford here, but I think ND keeps it close.

Final Score: Stanford 28, Notre Dame 24
CORRECT: Stanford won 38-36

13 Florida State at 12 Florida (Saturday, 7:30pm, ESPN)

Which Florida team shows up for this game? The team that made a hot run and won the SEC East, or the team that nearly lost to Florida Atlantic? Florida State is playing good football right now, and that should give them the edge over a suddenly mortal Gators team. It’s a rivalry game, and that means Florida should step up, but I like the Seminoles here. FSU wins.

Final Score: Florida State 28, Florida 20
CORRECT: Florida State won 27-2

3 Oklahoma at 11 Oklahoma State (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

The winner of Bedlam may very well punch a ticket to the playoff. No one wants to play Oklahoma right now. The Sooners are hot. Oklahoma State suffered a loss to Baylor that took some of the shine off them, but they can regain that magic if they can top Oklahoma. I just don’t think they can. Baker Mayfield has the Sooner offense in top form, and he can sling it anywhere. Sooners win, but Okie State keeps it close.

Final Score: Oklahoma 35, Oklahoma State 27
CORRECT: Oklahoma won 58-23

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Seven 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: TCU Horned Frogs, Houston Cougars

15. Navy Midshipmen (NR)

14. Stanford Cardinal (+1)

13. Florida State University (NR)

12. Oklahoma State Cowboys (-8)

11. Ohio State Buckeyes (-8)

10. Florida Gators (-2)- Florida was taken to overtime by Florida Atlantic. Now the Gators must face Florida State and Alabama in back-to-back weeks.

9. Michigan Wolverines (+4)- Michigan has a big game with Ohio State this week, with an outside chance of reaching the Big Ten title game.

8. Baylor Bears (NC)- Baylor took down Oklahoma State, but they’re still on the outside looking in concerning the playoffs.

7. Michigan State Spartans (+7)- Sparty proved who Ohio State really was. Now they need to beat Penn State to claim a spot in the Big Ten title game.

6. North Carolina Tar Heels (+5)- UNC is playing as good on offense as anyone else in the nation, and they’ll look to knock off Clemson in the ACC Title Game.

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+2)- How Notre Dame keeps overcoming all these injuries, I’ll never know… But now they have to face Stanford in Palo Alto.

4. Oklahoma Sooners (+1)- Oklahoma is one of those teams that, even though they have a loss, no one wants to play them right now.

3. Iowa Hawkeyes (+3)- Iowa is still undefeated, and is making every possible case they can for a playoff spot.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (NC)- Alabama would probably be favored over anyone else in the country…the Iron Bowl won’t make a dent in that mystique.

1. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson should have an easy walk against South Carolina, but that doesn’t mean they should overlook the Gamecocks on their way to an ACC title game against North Carolina.

Right Wing Bowl Predictions

Playoffs

Cotton Bowl: Clemson vs Oklahoma

Orange Bowl: Alabama vs Michigan State

Top Tier Bowls

Peach Bowl: LSU vs Notre Dame

Sugar Bowl: Florida vs Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs Stanford

Fiesta Bowl: Navy vs Baylor

Second Tier Bowls

Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs Georgia

TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl: Mississippi State vs Penn State

Outback Bowl: Iowa vs Ole Miss

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.

Football Future-see 2015: Week Nine

This is one of the most chaos-filled college football seasons in recent memory. There is still no true #1 team in the nation, but Ohio State is finally starting to look like the top ranking that the AP and Coaches insist on giving them. Now we’re approaching the home stretch for the season, and playoff resumes are beginning to take shape. It’ll be interesting, though, to see how the playoffs shape up. Anyway, this week, we have conference games from the Big XII, the SEC, and the Big Ten. We also have Notre Dame vs Temple, and the first ever appearance on the blog by William & Mary.

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
Week Eleven
Week Twelve
OVERALL	35-15	.700

The Games:

West Virginia at 5 TCU (Thursday, 7:30pm, ESPN)

The door has opened in the Big XII for TCU to take control, due to the unfortunate injury of Baylor’s starting QB. West Virginia, meanwhile, simply has not played up to the level they grew accustomed to over the last few years. TCU should be able to make a statement here. Trevone Boykin might very well put up some big numbers here, as the Mountaineers have lost three straight conference games. The only trick here is, TCU has to face a possibly Top Ten ranked Oklahoma State next week, so this has trap game written all over it. Still, I think TCU rolls, especially in the second half.

Final Score: TCU 40, West Virginia 24
CORRECT: TCU won 40-10

11 Florida vs Georgia (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

While I really hope Georgia can find a way to win this game, I’m just not sure they can. Now, it’s a rivalry game, so the stats don’t really matter ( see Texas vs Oklahoma from earlier this year). But ever since Nick Chubb went down with one of the more gruesome injuries in college football history, the Dawgs have been totally deflated. They ended up losing to Tennessee and then playing a field goal battle with Missouri. Florida, meanwhile, has been playing well, their loss to LSU notwithstanding. The Gators are back, and they can put their stamp on the SEC East with a win in the World’s Largest Outdoor Non-Alcoholic Fun-For-The-Whole-Family Party. I hope Georgia wins, but I just cannot make that call right now. Florida wins.

Final Score: Florida 21, Georgia 14
CORRECT: Florida won 27-3
***There may be a scathing Georgia post coming soon...***

(FCS #9) James Madison Dukes at (FCS #16) William & Mary Tribe (Saturday, 4:00pm, NBCSN)

Why James Madison vs William & Mary? Why not James Madison vs William & Mary? The slate for the FBS is not all that great this week, and this game features two fairly strong lower-tier teams. James Madison is coming off a tough loss to Richmond, in which they lost QB Vad Lee for the remainder of the year, but they’re still tough. I’m looking for the Dukes to roll over the Tribe, especially after halftime. JMU wins.

Final Score: James Madison 38, William & Mary 24
INCORRECT: William & Mary won 44-41

9 Notre Dame at 21 Temple (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

Notre Dame has overcome every injury they’ve faced. Now they must travel to Temple to face an Owls team that is simply on fire. ESPN’s College GameDay is going along for the ride. Can Notre Dame keep up their run? Or is this the game in which the Irish throw away their playoff chance? Is this the game in which Temple announces itself as a major player in the Top 25? I’m leaning toward Notre Dame, as they seem to have a sort of magic this year. Their biggest remaining test, barring next week’s match-up with potentially-ranked Pitt, is a season ending date at Stanford. Irish win, but Temple may keep it close.

Final Score: Notre Dame 24, Temple 20
CORRECT: Notre Dame won 24-20 (Nailed it!)

15 Michigan at Minnesota (Saturday, 8:00pm, ESPN)

Michigan should’ve beaten Michigan State, but now they get a chance to rebound with a conference game against Minnesota. The Wolverines are still playing at a high level, and one miscue should not be enough to doom them in the conference. They still have a big date with Ohio State to come. Minnesota, meanwhile, is 4-3, but they’ve lost to every ranked team they’ve played, and Michigan is better than every opp
CORRECT: Michigan won 29-26

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Three of the poll features some big changes.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: Florida State, Texas A&M

15. Michigan Wolverines (NR)

14. Florida Gators (NR)

13. Oklahoma State Cowboys (-1)

12. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+1)

11. Utah Utes (-10)

10. Oklahoma Sooners (+4)- Oklahoma just put a beating on one of the better offenses in the Big XII.

9. Iowa Hawkeyes (+1)- Anyone else realize that Iowa is still undefeated?

8. Michigan State Spartans (-1)- Sparty hasn’t been playing to their potential lately, and it has cost them in this poll.

7. Ohio State Buckeyes (+2)- Ohio State is finally playing like a top-ranked team.

6. Stanford Cardinal (+2)- Stanford now has the rightful claim to the title of best team in the PAC-12.

5. TCU Horned Frogs (+1)- TCU has an rather unfortunate opening to claim the top spot in the Big XII, now that Baylor has lost their starting QB.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide (+1)- Alabama is looking at next week as their chance to reclaim the SEC’s throne.

3. Baylor Bears (NC)- Baylor has a great offense, but they just lost their starting QB, Seth Russell, to injury for the remainder of the season.

2. LSU Tigers (+2)- LSU is playing good football, but a big game next week with Alabama will tell the story of their season.

1. Clemson Tigers (+1)- Clemson just went to South Beach and laid the worst beating in history on Miami. It was so bad Miami fired their coach, so Clemson gets the top spot this week.

Right Wing Playoff Prediction

This prediction comes from the way in which the teams are currently ranked, and how I think the rest of the season will play out. This is what I think the committee will present as their playoff field.

Orange Bowl

#1 Ohio State  vs   #4 TCU Horned Frogs

Cotton Bowl

#2 Clemson Tigers  vs   #3 Alabama Crimson Tide

Football Future-see 2015: Week Eight

A perfect week last week is nice, even if certain teams did not look all that well (lookin at you, Georgia). Florida stumbled against LSU, Alabama knocked off Texas A&M, and USC fell against Notre Dame. In the “heartbreaker of the year”, Michigan bobbled the snap on a punt as time expired, and the ball seemed to fly magically into the hands of a Michigan State defender, who ran it back for the game winning touchdown. In the “make you so mad at the stupidity of people” moment of the year, Michigan fans have sent death threats to the Wolverines punter. Pathetic.

This week we’ve got two SEC conference games, one PAC-12 conference game, one Big XII conference game, and an ACC conference game, all for my good buddy Dale. (He likes the U.)

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
Week Ten
OVERALL	31-14	.689

The Games:

6 Clemson at Miami (Saturday, Noon, ABC)

Miami is 4-2, but their losses are interesting: a near blowout loss to Cincinnati and close loss to Florida State. Clemson, meanwhile, is distancing itself from the rest of the ACC. The Tigers have two close wins over Louisville (3 points) and Notre Dame (2 points) and their other four victories have come by an average of 26.5 points. I have a strong feeling that this game will go more like the other four than the first two. Miami is, I think, on the rise, but like other teams, they’re just not there yet. I’m looking for a big game from Deshaun Watson and the Clemson offense. Tigers win.

Final Score: Clemson 35, Miami 14
CORRECT: Clemson won 58-0

Tennessee at 8 Alabama (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

Alabama is back. That’s right, they’re back. That loss to Ole Miss is looking like a distant memory. The Tide is rolling, coming off a huge win over Texas A&M. Tennessee, meanwhile, is coming off a big rivalry win over a much deflated Georgia team, and a bye week. The Vols still aren’t at the top of their game, and a fierce Crimson Tide team will probably exploit that. Alabama rolls.

Final Score: Alabama 42, Tennessee 14
CORRECT: Alabama won 19-14

Texas Tech at 17 Oklahoma (Saturday, 3:30pm, ABC)

Texas Tech has a high-octane offense, averaging nearly 50 points per game. The Sooners, meanwhile, just exorcised some demons from the loss to Texas by shutting out Kansas State 55-0. Those numbers make this a very interesting, and likely entertaining, game. Sooners QB Baker Mayfield has played well, and leads a stout Oklahoma offense. Cliff Kingsbury’s Texas Tech offense will be looking for a big conference win. They lost close to TCU (55-52) and not-so-close to Baylor (63-35). Oklahoma is still in the running for the Big XII title, and that will push them to overcome the Red Raiders offensive firepower. Close game, and high scoring, but Oklahoma wins.

Final Score: Oklahoma 38, Texas Tech 34
CORRECT: Oklahoma won 63-27

15 Texas A&M at 24 Ole Miss (Saturday, 7:00pm, ESPN)

The SEC West is still in the process of cannibalizing itself, like it does every year. Ole Miss suffered a bad loss last week, losing a non-conference game to Memphis. The Aggies are still a good team, but last week’s loss to Alabama had to have some sort of demoralizing effect on them. I don’t believe it will be enough to get Ole Miss over the hump against the Aggies, but it will serve to keep this game close. If this were in College Station, I would say that A&M would win by a much larger margin, but since it is in Oxford, I think the Rebels keep it close. Aggies win, perhaps on a late touchdown.

Final Score: Texas A&M 28, Ole Miss 24
INCORRECT: Ole Miss won 23-3

3 Utah at USC (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

Personally I believe Utah is the best team in the country. They’ve faced some tough tests lately, and they’ve overcome every hurdle before them. The wins aren’t necessarily pretty, but they’re defeating some fairly hefty competition. Now, they face one of their toughest tests of the season. USC might not be ranked, but they are loaded, talent-wise, and they would love to take down the #3 team in the country. Utah needs this win to continue making their case for a playoff spot. That being the case, I think Utah comes ready fight and takes a close one over the Trojans. Utes win.

Final Score: Utah 31, USC 24
INCORRECT: USC won 42-24

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Two of my rankings comes with a new feature to the blog, showing which teams have moved in the poll, and what direction they’re going.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: Michigan, Florida

15. Texas A&M Aggies (-9)

14. Oklahoma Sooners (NR)

13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (NR)

12. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+3)

11. Florida State Seminoles (+3)

10. Iowa Hawkeyes (+3)- Iowa is quietly putting together one heck of a season.

9. Ohio State Buckeyes (NC)- I still don’t think Ohio State is the best team in the nation.

8. Stanford Cardinal (+4)- Stanford may not have a chance to claim the title of best in the PAC-12 until a possible date with Utah in Levi’s Stadium on December 5.

7. Michigan State Spartans (+1)- Michigan State got the better of Michigan on a fluke play. The Spartans need to play better on the whole if they want to reach the playoff.

6. TCU Horned Frogs (-2)- TCU drops for no other reason than LSU and Alabama had better weeks than they did.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide (+6)- Alabama steamrolled a Texas A&M team that just last week I said might be the best team in the SEC.

4. LSU Tigers (+1)- LSU overcame a feisty Florida team and, at least for now, has to be considered the best team in the SEC.

3. Baylor Bears (NC)- Baylor distances itself from TCU this week, seeing as they have the better offense and are probably the frontrunners in the Big XII.

2. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson is still pushing to proclaim itself as the best team in the ACC. A November 7 date with Florida State looms large on their calendar.

1. Utah Utes (NC)- Utah faces the toughest test they’ve faced all year, and it’s a huge opportunity for them to prove they are the best team in the country.

Right Wing Playoff Prediction

This is not based off how the polls currently sit, but rather how I think the Playoff committee will decide the four teams that reach the playoff round.

Orange Bowl

#1 Ohio State  vs   #4 Utah Utes

Cotton Bowl

#2 Baylor Bears  vs   #3 Alabama Crimson Tide