Record
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Week 1
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8-2
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Week 2
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5-0
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Week 3
Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 |
2-3
4-1 2-3 2-8 4-1 3-2 | |
Total
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30-20
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0.600
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4-1 sure feels a whole lot better than 2-8. Last week went well for me. I could give myself nothing but cupcake picks and really inflate my stat line, but I’d rather go after the hard games and challenge myself. Hence our slate of games for this week. There is no easy pick here.
For the picks, I’m still using the AP Poll.
The Games:
14 Kansas State vs 11 Oklahoma (Saturday, Noon, ESPN)
K-State lost to Auburn. Oklahoma lost to TCU. Neither loss is a bad loss. Neither team is out of the Big XII race, but right now the Big XII looks like Baylor’s to lose. This one being in Norman shifts things toward the Sooners, but this is the same Sooner team that nearly gave away the game to Texas. I like Oklahoma to win here, but it will be incredibly close, maybe even a last second field goal. Sooners win.
Final Score: Oklahoma 30, Kansas State 28
INCORRECT: Kansas State won 31-30
21 Texas A&M at 7 Alabama (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)
Offensively, Alabama is doing a little worse each game since the middle of September. The recently lost to Ole Miss 23-17 and then beat Arkansas 14-13. The Tide is reeling, if 5-1 overall and #7 in the nation can be called “reeling.” The Aggies, meanwhile, have lost their last two games by at least two touchdowns. This is the crazy, mixed-up world of the SEC West. I think ‘Bama gets back on track, but not as much as Saban would prefer. The Aggies will be left looking for answers after this one. ‘Bama wins.
Final Score: Alabama 24, Texas A&M 14
CORRECT: Alabama won 59-0
10 Georgia vs Arkansas (Saturday, 4:00pm, SEC Network)
For Arkansas, this is a chance to finally get over the hump against an SEC opponent. For Georgia, it’s a chance to continue doing what they need to do to get to Atlanta. The absence of Todd Gurley didn’t seem to slow the Dawgs one bit against Missouri. Arkansas just held Alabama to a season-low 14 points, even though the Hogs lost. Georgia has a better quarterback and better RBs, especially if Gurley returns. Arkansas’s offensive line may actually be more physical than UGA’s. I look for a close game through three, but Georgia pulls away in the fourth. Dawgs win.
Final Score: Georgia 31, Arkansas 21
CORRECT: Georgia won 45-32
5 Notre Dame at 2 Florida State (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)
Hands down, this is the biggest game of the week. Notre Dame is riding a little lower after not-so-easily dispatching of North Carolina. Florida State, meanwhile, has yet to look truly impressive against anyone, which caused the voters and the coaches to drop the ‘Noles to #2. Now, FSU quarterback Jameis Winston is being investigated for selling autographs (sound familiar?), and the school could be looking at suspending him again. That will not help their case against the Irish, but here’s the thing…I’m not sold on Notre Dame just yet. I think, with or without Winston, FSU should win this one.
Final Score: Florida State 34, Notre Dame 26
CORRECT: Florida State won 31-27
23 Stanford at 17 Arizona State (Saturday, 10:30pm, ESPN)
This week’s PAC-12 action comes from Arizona State, where the Sun Devils are ranked #17 and hosting the #23 Stanford Cardinal. Both of these teams have been a bit up and down this year. ASU was annihilated by UCLA, 62-27. Stanford has lost two close games (USC 13-10 and Notre Dame 17-14) by a total of 6 points. Even with this game being at Arizona State, I don’t see the Sun Devils winning. Stanford wins a close game.
Final Score: Stanford 27, Arizona State 23
INCORRECT: Arizona State won 26-10
The Right Wing Top Ten
The Associated Press Poll and the Amway Coaches Poll both feature a Preseason version. I even posted a “Preseason Top Ten,” or something to that effect, a while back. I never intended to use that poll as a basis for the Right Wing Top Ten, though.
15. Arizona State (last week: NR)
14. East Carolina Pirates (last week: NR)
13. TCU Horned Frogs (last week: 11)
12. Kansas State Wildcats (last week: NR)
11. Oklahoma Sooners (last week: 12)
10. Alabama Crimson Tide (last week: 7)
Why: I watched ‘Bama sneak by Arkansas 14-13. Given the way Arkansas’s QB was playing, this game should not have been close. For that reason, I’m dropping the Tide to #10.
9. Georgia Bulldogs (last week: 10)
Why: Gurley who? Georgia proved that they didn’t need Todd Gurley to take down their main rival in the SEC East. Georgia now has the inside track at playing in the SEC Championship Game.
8. Auburn Tigers (last week: 1)
Why: You can’t lose by 15 to Mississippi State and remain atop the polls. Auburn was exposed by Dak Prescott and the Bulldog offense.
7. Oregon Ducks (last week: 9)
Why: Oregon put a hurt on UCLA to claim their spot atop the PAC-12…for now…
6. Michigan State Spartans (last week: 8)
Why: Sparty looks to be the top dog in the Big Ten. A later-season date with Ohio State will tell the tale, though.
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (last week: 6)
Why: The Irish are undefeated and play a tough schedule. We’ll learn a lot more about them this week, when they face FSU.
4. Baylor Bears (last week: 2)
Why: Baylor drops from #2 to #4 on account of giving up 58 points in regulation and still winning. You can’t win a championship like that. Bryce Petty is a scary good QB, though.
3. Florida State Seminoles (last week: 2)
Why: This is me still giving FSU a bit of credit for last season. Otherwise, the Seminoles are undefeated but have yet to be thoroughly impressive.
2. Ole Miss Rebels (last week: 5)
Why: Ole Miss has, without doubt, the best defense in the country. They just made the Aggies look silly.
1. Mississippi State Bulldogs (last week: 4)
Why: I thought Auburn was the best team in the country. Then, Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs welcomed the Tigers to Starkville and laid a beating them that changed my mind. Mississippi State, in the AP Poll, rose from unranked to #1 in the shortest amount of time ever in history.
If the Playoff Started Today
I started this section last year, knowing that the College Football Playoff was coming. This is what I think the selection committee will do. This has nothing to do with my Top 15 poll, or with the current AP or Coaches Poll. If the playoff started today, who would the committee select?
The Four Teams In
These four teams would make up the playoff field if it all started today. #1 would play #4, #2 would play #3. I’ve ranked them as such, because I believe the Selection Committee will move to limit two teams from the same conference reaching the championship game. Of course, the Egg Bowl later this year will sort out the Mississippi schools.
1 Mississippi State
2 Florida State
3 Baylor
4 Ole Miss
The First Four Teams Out
5. Notre Dame
6. Oregon
7. Alabama
8. Michigan State
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