Showing posts with label Baylor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baylor. Show all posts

Sunday, September 24, 2017

The Morning After - Survival Saturday

I called this weekend "sneaky good" and it delivered. A few upsets happened, beginning with Virginia knocking off Boise State Friday night on The Blue Turf, and many others were close to happening. My thoughts on the day that was college football Saturday.

1st Quarter
Kendall Joseph (34) was all over the field Saturday.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)
Sandwiched between two tough road games, Clemson came away with a 34-7 win over Boston College in the proverbial trap game. No, this game was not a blowout as the score indicates. And no, Clemson fans weren't thrilled about a 7-7 score in the fourth quarter. What I am pleased with was that this team faced some adversity (again - think Auburn) and overcame it in a big way (again). Kelly Bryant's passing was off. The defense was letting BC into Clemson territory all game, but stiffened up. The offense had starting field position inside its own 10 yard line half the game. At the end of the day, Clemson was the superior team and the athletic advantage swung in the Tigers' favor midway through the fourth quarter.

Bryant ran for 102 yards and scored twice. Freshman running back Travis Etienne rushed for 113 yards and scored twice in the fourth quarter, giving Clemson the spark it needed. The Tigers outgained the Eagles 482-238, rushed for 342 yards, converted half their third downs (8 for 16), and had 27 first downs to BC's 12. Those were some of the highlights that stood out and what I will try to remember about this game going forward.

Going into next week, though, things need to be cleaned up. An offensive performance like those first three quarters will result in a loss Saturday night in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech is fast and physical, much like Auburn. The difference? The Hokies have an offense. Clemson's defense will face its first team challenge. Stopping a one-man show (Lamar Jackson) is one thing, but slowing down the Hokies won't be easy. Beat Virginia Tech.

2nd Quarter
TCU waltzed into the house that T. Boone Pickens built and poked the Cowboys where it hurts most. See what I did there? The Horned Frogs put the Big 12 and the rest of the country on notice that not only does it have a defense that can slow down one of the most prolific offenses, but it has an offense that will contend with the best. Gary Patterson has TCU on the right track once again. I'd like to see a little consistency first before putting them in the Playoff. The Frogs have to go to K-State, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech, the latter two back-to-back. Long way to go.

As for OSU, that was a big bite of humble pie. Mike Gundy went on record as saying he didn't know how anyone was going to stop his offense. You've been served. But he's a man, he's 50! He can take it. His Cowboys now face the fact that they were beaten soundly at home and still have the entire Big 12 slate to go, including next week at Texas Tech, plus a late October-early November stretch at Texas, at West Virginia, and versus OU. And the blueprint for how to beat the Pokes is out there.

3rd Quarter
Georgia catapulted to the top of the SEC East with it's dominant win from start to finish over Mississippi State. BENched was wrong about which Bulldogs would show up to play. Kudos to Kirby Smart for making me look dumb. He had a great gameplan to stop MSU's Nick Fitzgerald. We saw freshman Jake Fromm grow up right before our eyes. I thought the big game atmosphere might get to him a bit. The opposite occurred. He was just 9-for-12 passing, but had 201 yards and two scores, including the beautiful flea-flicker for a 59-yard TD on the first play of the game.

Talk of Mississippi State being the team that could challenge Alabama in the West came to a halt. Now, the SEC is two teams - Bama in the West, and Georgia in the East.

4th Quarter
The Penn State Nittany Lions passed their first big test, one that many teams fail. Trace McSorley's touchdown pass as time expired gave college football the game of the year. It was an ugly game. No one will refer back to it as a season-defining win. The Lions will get credit, however, for winning a road game in a tough venue early in the season, something they failed to do twice last year (at Pitt and at Michigan). James Franklin's bunch showed resolve. They'll have a few more battles coming up, but Oct. 21 at home against Michigan is looming large.

On the Heisman front - and I hate to do this so early in the year - Saquon Barkley served notice to all the quarterbacks out there that he may be the most explosive player in the game. He juked, hurdled, and carried Hawkeye defenders all night. He won't get the glory of the game-winning score, but if not for him, it's likely PSU wouldn't have been in the game at all.

Overtime
After jumping out to a 28-10 lead, Oklahoma watched Baylor grab momentum and reel off 21 straight points to take a 31-28 lead in the third quarter. Baker Mayfield's third touchdown pass of the night gave OU the lead back and then the Sooners gave the Bears a Sermon, Trey Sermon that is. The freshman entered the game and carried the ball 12 times for 148 yards and two scores to put the game just out of reach enough. It was a scare OU fans didn't like to see, but Lincoln Riley gets a bye week to regroup before heading full steam into Big 12 play. ... NC State pulled off a shocker in Tallahassee, handing the Seminoles their second loss of the year in just their second game. The Wolfpack defensive front frustrated freshman QB James Blackman all game. FSU now goes back to the drawing board without a win and staring down an ACC schedule with current unbeatens Wake Forest, Miami, and Duke as their next three opponents, and of course Clemson down the road with Louisville and Florida as well. Serious question, will the Noles make a bowl game? Also serious question, is NC State Clemson's biggest threat in the Atlantic division? ... A&M and Arkansas produced a shootout in the Southwest Classic, with the Aggies winning another OT game against the Hogs, 50-43. Too bad all this game does is put one coach on the hotter seat and give the other fanbase reason to fret how their coach will screw up after this win. ... USC wasn't overly impressive in a win at Cal, but the Trojans forced six turnovers and pulled out a 10-point road conference victory. That's good enough for now. ... Michigan found its quarterback, John O'Korn, for now. The Wolverines had some offensive life at Purdue and get a bye week to get O'Korn more reps with the ones before hosting in-state rival Michigan State. ... I can't leave out the performance by Alabama. Man, that was scary. But just remember, that was a bunch of four- and five-stars beating up a bunch of afterthought recruits. No need to make this one bigger than it really is. ... Last but not least, #Pac12AfterDark gave us Washington doing to Colorado the same thing it did in last year's title game, Arizona State scoring an upset over the 24th-ranked Oregon Ducks, and Stanford racing past UCLA 58-34. Staying up late isn't easy, but it's usually worth it.

Tiger Tweets




































-BtW 
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Sunday, November 13, 2016

The Morning After... #Chaos

Sorry, Clemson fans. This won't be all sunshine and rainbows like what you've heard out of the locker room Saturday night. I'm a fan and as a fan, I have the right to be upset with what transpired in our home at the hands of Pitt.

1) Deshaun Watson needs to stop thinking about the NFL. He's pressured himself into thinking he's a legitimate Top 5 pick and is trying to prove it every week. He's forcing throws into tight windows. He's making poor decisions. He has 13 interceptions this season through 10 games. He had 13 all last season (15 games). All the trips this past spring and summer got to his head. He said at the beginning of the year that all that was a grind and it was uncomfortable for him, but he still had to go out and play. Well, he's pressing and it has nearly cost Clemson several times this season. It finally did against Pitt.
Yeah, yeah. Pitt's Chris Blewitt didn't blow it. The headline
writes itself. But Clemson did blow it.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

2) Clemson's offensive playcaller Tony Elliott out-coached himself at least twice. First, even after all I said about Watson in #1 of this post, you have the best player on the field with a 3rd and 1 AND a 4th and 1 with a minute to go in the game and you took the ball out of his hands. TWICE you pitched it back five yards to a running back that had less than 40 yards all game. This also goes into the players' hands for not being able to get one yard on two downs. But with a QB who has thrown for 580 yards, why go to the ground game there and why take the ball out of the hands of the best player on the field?

This is going to sound counter-intuitive, but on the previous drive why are we throwing the ball on 2nd and goal from the three after running for four yards on first down? There was 5:45 to play, you need to run clock and all you need to do is kick a field goal on that drive and you win. Just run the ball and game over. Hindsight is always 20-20, but coaches at this level have to make better decisions.

3) Pitt's offensive coordinator Matt Canada out-coached Brent Venables. Clemson had no answer for stopping the shovel pass, a wrinkle the Tigers hadn't seen and couldn't adjust to until it was too late. Canada exploited the Tigers' weakness - coverage by linebackers. It's been bad under Venables and has never gotten better. 

4) Blame the refs all you want, and there are plenty of opportunities to do so, but for every penalty thrown against Clemson, there were double the amount of bonehead mistakes by a Tiger player or coach. The refs play a part in every game. That's a fact. But they were not the reason for the outcome. That's one area where I agree with Dabo's postgame comments. 

5) Spent the early part of the day in Norman for the OU-Baylor game. Speaking of outcoaching themselves, Baylor ran for over 200 yards on Oklahoma, gaining five-plus yards on numerous plays right up the middle, but the Bears kept going to the air. They were picked off twice, including once on the goalline when Baylor was trying to cut the OU lead to 14-7. The pick allowed the Sooners to go up 21-0. For OU, the game seemed very ho-hum. There really wasn't much Baylor was doing to stop OU. After getting out to a 21-0 lead, the teams traded scores most of the rest of the way, tying the remainder of the game 24-24. It was a perfect afternoon for football and it was great to get back to a college game. BENched always enjoys his time in Norman.

6) OK, let's get the chaos out of the way. For the record, I sat on my couch following Clemson's loss and just started saying, "Chaos." I guess if you say it enough, it will happen. And it did, so allow BENched to explain what will likely happen these next few weeks with regards to the CFB Playoff rankings:

  • Nos. 2, 3 and 4 all lost Saturday. Aforementioned No. 2 Clemson fell to Pitt, 43-42; No. 3 Michigan also lost on last-second field goal 14-13 at Iowa; and No. 4 Washington was dominated by No. 20 USC on its home field, 26-13.
  • That leaves us with two unbeatens (Alabama and Western Michigan). It also leaves us with a jumbled mess between No. 2 and No. 6 in the rankings. Expect Ohio State to move to No. 2 behind No. 1 Alabama. That much should be clear and easy. There are five other Power 5 teams with one loss - Clemson, Louisville, Michigan, Washington, and West Virginia. The Mountaineers were No. 16 in last week's rankings and I don't see them jumping at least 10 spots after a close win over 5-5 Texas. 
  • The Playoff Committee has set a precedent that for the most part, teams with equal records who have played each other, the head-to-head winner will be ranked above. Therefore, I believe Clemson in some capacity will be ahead of Louisville. Clemson was also previously ahead of Michigan and with both teams losing, and Big Blue gaining 200 yards and scoring only 13 points, I can't see Clemson falling behind the Wolverines. Washington's loss was crushing for the Huskies, so here's how I see Nos. 3-6: Clemson, Michigan, Louisville, Washington.
    • Iowa's upset of Michigan was not so good for the Buckeyes.
    (Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)
  • If you want chaos, wait until Penn State wins out (Rutgers and Michigan State are all that remain) and Ohio State beats Michigan in the Horseshoe. The Nittany Lions will play for the Big Ten title, while both OSU and UM sit at home awaiting a potential Playoff fate.
7) Don't be shocked when what I just said is completely false. It's very plausible that Clemson falls out of the Top 4, Louisville is ranked third, and instead of one-loss Washington at No. 6, perhaps a two-loss Wisconsin or Penn State slides in. These rankings are fluid and will completely different anyway at the end of the season once conference championships are factored in. Even if Louisville is ahead of Clemson, if the Tigers win the ACC and are 12-1, they will be ranked ahead of 11-1 Louisville in the final Playoff ranking.

8) Two thoughts here: The Big 12 is dead. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and WVU are the only hope. Oklahoma is higher ranked and plays both teams in its final two games. Both OU and OSU have two losses, while the 'Neers only loss is to OSU. Even if one-loss WVU emerges, the Big 12 is so down it won't have enough quality wins to sniff the Playoff. Same goes for OU/OSU, who lost to Houston and Central Michigan, respectively.
Jake Browning's thoughts reflected those of Husky Nation.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

The Pac-12 is not dead. Washington might be out for now, but the Huskies will have ample opportunity to make up for the one loss. Colorado, USC and Utah are in a battle in the South. It's likely the winner of that division will be have Top 15 or better ranking entering the Pac-12 title game ... Where it will face either highly-ranked Washington or Washington State. The winner of the Apple Cup will in the North Division. Wazzu is 8-2 and has won eight-in-a-row. If the Cougs can win at Colorado and vs. Washington, plus the Pac-12 championship, they will see a big jump in the rankings. Washington can win on the road at Wazzu and then a Pac-12 title and be right back in the Playoff mix.

9) It's only Nov. 13 and we have chaos. Next week provides some relief. Most of the big teams face lesser opponents. Remember, this is the week the SEC takes a break from action to play the likes of Chattanooga, UT-Martin, The Citadel, etc. The SEC East could be decided if Florida beats LSU in the makeup game which was moved from The Swamp to Death Valley. Some big conference games are on tap in the ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12, but the big one of the weekend will be Oklahoma traveling to West Virginia. All this to say, expect more chaos in the next three weekends.

10) Clemson is down and not out. Here's where what the players/coaches said is true. The Tigers are facing adversity and it can either build them or break them. Clemson faces championship weekends in its next two games. Wins at each stop will add another trophy to the case in Tiger Town. It starts with winning at Wake Forest to clinch the ACC Atlantic Division. We are #ALLIN, Always. Beat Wake.

-BtW

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Friday, November 11, 2016

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 11

Not much changed after the first weekend in November. Well, aside from Texas A&M falling to Mississippi State. Much of the rest of the country watched as one team after another won in blowout fashion. We've already had one upset this weekend, with Duke taking down No. 17 North Carolina Thursday night, 28-27. This would be a surprise, but that No. 17 ranking has been cursed all season. Don't know if the Thursday upset will lead to anymore this weekend. All four Power 5 unbeatens are favored, and three of them - Alabama, Clemson and Michigan - are favored by 20 or more. Washington is a nine-point favorite over No. 20 USC, so even that line says a lot. Time for some picks!

2016 BENched PTF Record
Last Week: 11-2
Game of the Week Pick: 3-3
Overall: 89-38 (.701 win %)
*Rankings below reflect the CFB Playoff Top 25

Saturday

South Carolina at Florida (Line: Florida -11)
Who would've thought this game would help solve the SEC East puzzle? South Carolina enters "The Swamp" with another former Gator coach, Will Muschamp. The Gamecocks need a win and about a million other scenarios. Florida just needs to win this week and next. But this week first. Gators 27-17

Baylor at No. 11 Oklahoma (Line: Oklahoma -17.5)
Baylor is in disarray following a 62-22 loss to rival TCU amid all the allegations against the school and football team. OU is flying high with an offense that is showing no signs of slowing down. Plus, the Sooners get Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon back this week. Sooners 63-27

No. 10 Penn State at Indiana (Line: Penn State -7)
A tricky spot here for the Nittany Lions, who BENched doesn't believe is a top 10 team. Indiana gave Ohio State and Nebraska fits earlier. The early start on the road provides more reason to believe this could be the upset of the weekend. Key word: could. Nittany Lions 33-31

Kentucky at Tennessee (Line: Tennessee -14)
Like South Carolina-Florida, not many pegged this one as a potential SEC East division title bout. The winner doesn't claim the crown, but the loser would essentially be out of the race. It will be tough for the Wildcats to win in Knoxville, but the Vols' mettle will be tested. Vols 38-28

Mississippi State at No. 1 Alabama (Line: Alabama -29)
No reason to believe Nick Saban and Co. are overlooking a 4-5 Mississippi State squad. The Bulldogs upset of Texas A&M last week likely got the Crimson Tide's full attention all week. Nick Fitzgerald is the type of quarterback that gives Alabama trouble. But there's a reason this line is near 30 points. Bammers 49-13

No. 16 West Virginia at Texas (Line: Texas -2)
Hmm, the Big 12's most complete team is a two-point underdog to the Big 12's most Jekyll and Hyde team. Texas has rhythm on offense, but it will be facing someone with a defense for the first time since losing to K-State. WVU likes to control the game and will do so on the road. 'Neers 31-24

No. 9 Auburn at Georgia (Line: Auburn -10)
The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry takes a back seat this year, mostly due to the Dawgs' pitiful season. Auburn has turned a 1-2 start into a Top 10 ranking and controls its own destiny now in the SEC West. There's uncertainty surrounding quarterback Sean White and running back Kamryn Pettway, so that could factor into whether the Tigers get their first win "Between the Hedges" since 2005. Tigers 34-17

Pittsburgh at No. 2 Clemson (Line: Clemson -20.5)
The pressure is on for Clemson. Dabo Swinney confirmed speculatory reports that Deshaun Watson, Artavis Scott, Mike Williams and Wayne Gallman will all seek to turn pro via the NFL Draft next spring. That means this is now a do-or-don't season for the Tigers. Clemson played its best game a week ago, winning 54-0 over Syracuse. Pitt has given up 30+ points to seven teams this season. Doesn't look good for the Panthers in Death Valley. Tigers 47-20

Stanford at Oregon (Line: Stanford -3)
Remember when the winner of this game would win the Pac-12? Now, these two are combined 9-9. Yeesh. Trees 31-27

No. 24 LSU at No. 25 Arkansas (Line: LSU -7)
How LSU fell 11 spots after taking Bama into the fourth quarter tied 0-0 is beyond me. And how Arkansas found itself back in the rankings two games removed from a 56-3 beatdown by Auburn is also beyond me. Welp, these two battle for the Golden Boot and Arkansas plays well as the underdog in this series. No reason to believe they can't pull off the victory, especially after how spent LSU likely is after the battle with Bama. Hogs 23-17

Minnesota at No. 19 Nebraska (Line: Nebraska -7)
Minnesota is the forgotten team in the Big Ten West. The Gophers are 7-2 overall (4-2 in conference) and still plays Nebraska and Wisconsin in the final three weeks. Both games are on the road, however, so it won't be easy to win the division. We'll find out how the Huskers respond to the shellacking they took in Columbus last week. Corn Guys 37-30

GAME OF THE WEEK
Jake Browning and Washington put Oregon in its place earlier.
Can the Huskies do the same against USC?
(Photo courtesy Joshua Bessex)

No. 20 USC at No. 4 Washington (Line: Washington -9)
Washington hits the meat of its schedule just in time to defend its Top 4 ranking. The Huskies, led by Jake Browning, own the second-best offense in the country. USC finds itself in the Top 25 for the first time in a while after winning five straight. The Trojans have scored 40 or more in four of the five wins, but will be facing a tough UW defense that gives up just 17 points per game (11th best in the nation). All eyes will finally be on the West Coast and the Huskies can show their Purple Reign to the rest of the country. Dawgs 41-24

No. 3 Michigan at Iowa (Line: Michigan -21.5)
Michigan goes on the road for just the third time this season and only the second time outside state borders. Iowa was a preseason darkhorse to cause some havoc in the Big Ten, much like it did a season ago. Things haven't gone the Hawkeyes way, but a night game at Kinnick Stadium with a chance to knock off the Wolverines? That'll bring the best out of Kirk Ferentz's team. Too bad, it won't be nearly enough. Big Blue 40-17

-BtW
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Sunday, November 6, 2016

The Morning After... Blowout Saturday

Artavis Scott caught one of Nick Scheussler's two TD passes.
Scott saluted military personnel in the stands
on Military Appreciation Day at Clemson.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)
1) Clemson's 54-0 win over Syracuse was about as complete a performance you'll see. The Tigers's offense was in sync, gaining 195 yards on the ground and 370 through the air. The defense was fast, physical, and slowed down the Orange uptempo spread offense. Clemson pitched a shutout and scored a defensive TD with a pick-6 by redshirt freshman Tanner Muse, who isn't listed on the Tigers' depth chart. There were two areas of concern - first, Deshaun Watson left with a shoulder injury late in the second quarter. It's been reported his injury was just a bruise and Watson could have returned if needed. With a 30-0 halftime lead, it was unnecessary. In relief, Nick Schuessler was brilliant. The career backup was 11-of-17 for 177 yards and two touchdowns.

The second area of concern was special teams. Clemson missed a PAT, a FG, and allowed a long kickoff return. There may have been a lack of focus in some areas with the game out of hand, but the mistakes need to be corrected. It's hard to get upset with Greg Huegel missing a 40-yard field goal after he went 3-for-3 including a clutch 46-yarder last week at Florida State. Consistency needs to improve for the young kicker.

2) With little to discuss in a 54-0 game, I figured I'd give my take on the Ben Boulware suplex tackle. No whistles had blown, the offensive player was still fighting for yards, and Boulware was doing all he could to get the guy to the ground. Was it a forceful takedown? Sure. But the referee's reported explanation of why he was penalized was because "he tackled him too hard." What does that even mean, too hard? Is he supposed to hit him with a pillow and hope he falls? Look, I'm on the side of the medical analysts who are looking out for players and injuries to their heads because CTE is real, but to say a tackle was "too hard" and THAT be the reason for the flag is pitiful.

3) It's become clear that one of two scenarios is playing out with Clemson's running game. Either Wayne Gallman doesn't have his heart 100% into this season or the Tigers aren't very good at run blocking. In a game where everything went Clemson's way, the Tigers averaged just 4.4 yards per carry. Now, 4.4 yards per carry gets you a first down every three carries, I get that. But the Tigers are averaging 4.5 yards per carry on the entire season. Gallman averaged 6.3 yards per carry (10 rushes for 63 yards), but he had one 30-yard gain. In a shortened day, he had nine carries for 33 yards (3.7 ypc). Clemson's not getting it done on the ground and Gallman has had far too many games with only 10-12 carries.

4) The win sets up a chance for Clemson to accomplish several things next weekend when Pitt visits Death Valley. First, Clemson can win 10 games for the sixth straight season, matching only Alabama for current active streaks (assuming Bama beats Mississippi State next weekend). Second, Clemson will clinch the Atlantic Division title for the second straight season. And last, a win next week would assure the Tigers a spot in the AP Top 5 for the 20th consecutive poll. Previously, Clemson's longest streak inside the AP Top 5 was eight weeks during the 1981 season.

5) More impressive stats: Clemson has begun the season 9-0 for just the fourth time in school history and the second straight season. The other seasons were 1948 under Frank Howard when Clemson finished 11-0 and 1981 under Danny Ford, the Tigers' lone National Championship season when they finished 12-0. Last season, Clemson took a 14-0 record into the National Championship game before losing to Alabama, 45-40. ... Clemson has won 46 straight against unranked teams (AP Poll), 23 straight regular season games, 21 straight at home and 15 straight ACC games. ... Clemson is now 23-1 since the start of the 2015 season. That is tied with Alabama for the best record in that time.

6) It seems long ago - it was only Thursday - when Oklahoma won at Iowa State. Thursday games do that to you, but the Sooners went up to Ames on a short week and came away with a double-digit win over a team that had played Baylor, Oklahoma State and Kansas State all within a one-possession score. The reason to keep your eyes on the Sooners is two-fold: 1) OU could run the table and finish 10-2 with nine straight wins and be a conference champion. 2) Dede Westbrook is the best receiver in football. Over his past six games, he's hauled in 12 touchdown receptions, has 1,011 receiving yards, and has a punt return for a TD.

7) On a day when most of the games ended like Clemson's 54-0 rout, there were only a few things that stood out. Texas A&M losing at Mississippi State could not have been seen by anyone. The Aggies were 10-point favorites on the road and faced a 3-5 MSU team that had lost to South Alabama. Needless to say, A&M will be falling far from the CFB Playoff Top 4. ... Staying in the SEC, the East is about as muddled and less than mediocre as ever. Florida, the top team in the East, fell 31-10 at Arkansas. Kentucky had a chance to take over the top spot, but lost to middling Georgia at home. And somehow, South Carolina is technically in the SEC East race after beginning the season 2-4. The Gamecocks have to win at Florida this weekend and hope a lot of other things happen. But in a season when this is how we've gotten here, why not?

7B) Alabama and LSU were scoreless through three quarters, but it was evident the Crimson Tide were close to breaking through several times. Bama missed a field goal, was stuffed on fourth-and-goal from the one, and had several other chances in Tiger territory. The 10-0 isn't impressive in terms of blowout numbers, but Alabama was the much better team. Not hard to believe considering LSU is now 5-3 and very well could end up 5-6 with games against Arkansas, Florida, and Texas A&M still to come. For Alabama, all eyes are now on the Iron Bowl.

8) Texas outlasted Texas Tech on the road, enhancing the chances the Longhorns reach bowl eligibility. D'Onta Foreman had a career day with 341 yards and three touchdowns. Foreman has 1,446 yards on 206 carries (7.0 ypc) and 13 touchdowns. It's sad that he plays at Texas or he would likely be the frontrunner for the Heisman. ...  In other Big 12 action, Oklahoma State rallied to beat Kansas State, 43-37. The Cowboys (7-2) remain in control of their destiny in the Big 12, needing to win out against Texas Tech, TCU and Oklahoma to claim the conference crown. ... The black cloud over Waco got even darker this weekend. People inside the Baylor bubble might be some of the most idiotic. I feel sorry for Jim Grobe having to deal with the mess he's in. If I were him, I'd tell those people to shove it. Oh, Baylor lost at home to rival TCU, 62-22, while wearing all black uniforms and fans dressing in black to show support for Art Briles. YUCK!

9) Conference races are heating up with just a few weeks to go. Here are the teams with a realistic shot of winning their divisions/conferences:
ACC Atlantic - Clemson, Louisville
ACC Coastal - Virginia Tech, North Carolina
Big 12 - Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia
Big Ten East - Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State
Big Ten West - Wisconsin, Nebraska, Minnesota
Pac-12 North - Washington, Washington State
Pac-12 South - Colorado, USC, Utah
SEC East - Everyone except Vandy and Mizzou
SEC West - Alabama, Auburn

10) Pitt lost at Miami 51-28 Saturday and has back-to-back losses after starting the year 5-3, one win from bowl eligibility. Another long trip south for the Panthers. Give them another long trip back home. Beat Pitt.
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Sunday, October 30, 2016

The Morning After... Conquering the Unconquered!

Jordan Leggett's diving touchdown was the game-winner
and an incredibly athletic play.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)
I thought about being lazy and linking articles from ESPN, Fox, Yahoo!, USA Today and more. Because everything I've read this morning regarding Clemson's win last night is exactly what I have thought about the game. Instead, I'll encourage you to go read those articles and I'll try a different angle.

1) Clemson is 8-0 against what ESPN says is the No. 1 strength of record schedule to date. All 11 FBS teams on Clemson's schedule currently have a .500 record or better. Three of the Tigers' wins are against teams ranked in the Top 20, two of which were on the road (Auburn and FSU). The combined record of Clemson's seven FBS opponents it's faced so far is 37-18 (SC State is not factored into this). The Tigers' wins haven't been pretty, but the résumé cannot be compared.

2) Dabo Swinney's checklist is down to one. Of all the things he has accomplished at Clemson in his eight-plus years, there were only three things he hadn't done entering this season: Win at Georgia Tech, win Florida State and win a National Championship. Well, the first two have been crossed off.

3) Embrace the Target was the Tigers' motto entering the year. Dabo semi-stole this from the Chicago Cubs, and the idea is that coming into the year Clemson would be considered the favorite. The Tigers could either take everyone's best shot and eventually falter, or enjoy being on top of the college football world, take everyone's best shot and respond with the kind of resilience we've seen thus far.

4) Speaking of taking their best shots, Florida State gave Clemson its best. The Tigers led 20-14, but the Noles - playing at home - put the ball in their best player's hands. Dalvin Cook quickly turned a six-point deficit into an eight-point lead going into the fourth quarter. Clemson's D was gassed, the crowd was raucous and the Tigers needed to finish stronger than ever to overcome. Clemson did just that, silencing the crowd by outscoring FSU 17-6 in the fourth quarter to win on the road. That might be the most impressive stat I've seen from a Clemson football game/team in a long, long time.

5) There is no use arguing with anyone about how horrible the refs were. Both teams were on the wrong end of some awful calls or no-calls. But if you're Jimbo Fisher, you absolutely cannot place blame on the officials for the loss. The way you handled yourself following one of those calls (the chop block) is what cost you on that drive. You showed your true colors. Dabo Swinney could have easily done the same with the officials on several borderline pass interference calls, a missed facemask and a missed holding in the end zone that would have resulted in a safety and a tie ballgame at 28. Your offense was moving the ball well on the final drive and your offensive line literally blew the game. Two false starts to set you back 10 yards and two sacks on third and fourth downs. When it came down to it, YOUR players were the reason YOU lost. To throw a tantrum postgame is childish.

6) That was an October to remember. It began on the first day with an all day affair - College GameDay live from Bowman Field to the exhilarating last-second win over Louisville. It continued with a Friday night beatdown in Beantown. Then came the Wolfpack into Death Valley. They nearly walked out with the win, but instead left with a limp. The month closed with another thriller and a win in Tallahassee for the first time in a decade. The fun is in the winning, as Dabo likes to say. Well, October has certainly been most fun.

 7) On to the other games from the weekend, seven unbeatens played Saturday and only three survived. Alabama and Western Michigan were off, and Nos. 2 through 4 - Michigan, Clemson and Washington - were the only other teams to wake up Sunday unscathed. Nebraska had the best effort in a hard-fought overtime loss at Wisconsin. Boise State fell at Wyoming, knocking the Broncos out of NY6 consideration for now. And the Big 12 eliminated itself from the CFB Playoff as both West Virginia and Baylor went down to Oklahoma State and Texas, respectively.

8) Washington's win at Utah was big in many ways for the Huskies. First and most importantly, they remained undefeated. Secondly, it puts one more hurdle behind them. It also paves the path for the belief system that Washington is for real - both from the team standpoint and the nation's perspective. The Apple Cup showdown in Pullman on the last weekend in November is shaping up to be a classic.

9) For the first time this season, a spot on TMA is reserved for the South Carolina Gamecocks. There is a very little talent on the Gamecocks' roster. That much is clear when a kid who is supposed to be in his senior year of high school is your starting quarterback. Another caveat, the SEC East is downtrodden. It's horrible. And those words might not be strong enough to describe how bad it really is. But South Carolina picked up a monumental win in the beginning stages of the Will Muschamp era. Beating a ranked Tennessee squad which had an extra week to prepare is a pretty good win, no matter how lost Josh Dobbs and the Vols have looked the last three games. The win moves South Carolina to 4-4. With Mizzou and Western Carolina still on the schedule, it appears the Gamecocks will be going bowling. Quite an accomplishment for a three-win team a season ago.

 10) Everyone is penciling in Clemson into the Playoff already with four games to go. You cannot sit back and relax, Tigers. You have to bring it five more times. First, Saturday. Beat Syracuse.

-BtW
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Monday, October 17, 2016

Tigers fall in latest Ben Ten

We are now at the point in the season where preseason hype has run out and it's all about the performance. It is certain that at this point, Alabama has passed the eye test as well as the statistical test. After the Tide, there are myriad teams who could rank anywhere from 2-6. We'll continue to dwindle down the unbeaten teams, but for now it remains at 11.

Playoff Teams
Freshman Jalen Hurts has made his way into the Heisman discussion
with big performances like that against Tennessee.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

 1) Alabama
Last week: No. 1
Record: 7-0
Key win(s): USC, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee
This week: vs. Texas A&M
The Tide looked smooth on Rocky Top and added two more non-offensive TDs for a total of 11 this season. Alabama returns home to take on the Aggies for this week's biggest showdown.

2) Ohio State
Last week: No. 3
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Oklahoma, Wisconsin
This week: at Penn State
It took guts and heart, but the Buckeyes got it done in overtime at Wisconsin. JT Barrett continues to rise in Heisman talk. Ohio State trucks on to Happy Valley next.

3) Michigan
Last week: No. 4
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Colorado, Wisconsin
This week: vs. Illinois
Jim Harbaugh enjoyed his bye week in a way only Jim Harbaugh can. Don't anticipate any upset by Illinois this weekend.

4) Clemson
Last week: No. 2
Record: 7-0
Key win(s): Auburn, Louisville, NC State
This week: Bye
Had it not been for NC State's missed field goal, Clemson would have fallen much further. The Tigers are probably still one of the top four teams in the nation, but they need to prove it over their last five games.

Next in line

5) Washington
Last week: No. 5
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Stanford, Oregon
This week: vs. Oregon State
The Huskies remain put after the bye week. Washington might get caught looking ahead to next week's game at Utah, but Oregon State still won't have enough to trip up UW.

 6) Texas A&M
Last week: No. 6
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): UCLA, Auburn, Arkansas, Tennessee
This week: at No. 1 Alabama
If Texas A&M can find a way to slow down Jalen Hurts and Bama's offense, the Aggies will shoot up to No. 1 in the rankings. Winning in Tuscaloosa won't be easy, but at least they had a week off to get ready for it.

7) Louisville
Last week: No. 7
Record: 5-1
Key win(s): Florida State
This week: vs. NC State
Louisville complained about officiating after its loss to Clemson, but benefited greatly from the refs in a close win over Duke. How sorry the Wolfpack feels for itself will determine if the Cards win in blowout fashion or if they face another stiff test.

 8) Nebraska
Last week: No. 8
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Oregon
This week: vs. Purdue
With a win at Indiana in the rear-view and Purdue up next, the Huskers can officially look forward to the Wisconsin-Ohio State road trips in two weeks.

9) Boise State
Last week: No. 10 
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Washington State, Oregon State
This week: vs. BYU (Thursday)
Boise State held on to defeat Colorado State 28-23 after leading by 18 late in the game. The win over Washington State (4-2) looks better with every Cougar victory. BYU, fresh off an OT win over the SEC's Mississippi State Bulldogs, visits the Blue for an intriguing Thursday night affair.

10) West Virginia
Last Week: NR
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): Kansas State, Texas Tech
This week: vs. TCU
Welcome to the Ben Ten, Mountaineers. Extremely dominant performance by what may be the Big 12's most complete team. WVU has a Big 12 style offense and a legit defense. That gives the Mountaineers a leg up over their Midwestern brethren.

Dropped out: Tennessee (9)

 Four on the outside: Baylor, Houston, Wisconsin, Florida State
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Sunday, September 25, 2016

The Morning After... A Wild, Winning Weekend!

Dabo Swinney celebrates Clemson's first win at Georgia Tech since 2003.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Football)
1) When you haven't won at Historic Grant Field at Bobby Dodd Stadium since 2003, and you leave the 2016 game with a 19-point victory, you feel extremely great about yourself. Only, Clemson fans felt only half great. While the first half looked like what Tiger fans have come to expect - leading 23-0 at the break - the second half was ho-hum. Clemson struggled to finish. Clemson went vanilla at least on offense. Could the Tigers have been holding back with Louisville coming up next?

2) Clemson's defense looks better than I can remember, even the past two years where over 15 players have been drafted to the NFL. The Tigers have played 240 minutes of football so far this season and have had arguably 8-10 "bad" defensive minutes - the last three at Auburn, the last five vs. Troy, and the one scoring drive against Georgia Tech. Clemson has allowed five touchdowns in four games and is giving up 11 points per game.

3) Brent Venables is the second greatest thing at Clemson. Maybe the first. But the first is Deshaun Watson.

3B) Ray-Ray McCloud is emerging as a star. McCloud has been the most consistent receiver outside of Mike Williams through four games for the Tigers. He had a career-high eight catches for 101 yards at GT. He is tied with Williams to lead Clemson with 21 receptions and is 51 yards behind him in total yards.

3C) It was great to see tight end Jordan Leggett get involved. Leggett had one catch coming into Thursday, but produced four receptions and a TD. He has been a missing piece to the Tiger offense and will be needed the rest of the season.

4) How 'bout the little ole ACC? Outside of the conference games - Clemson-GT, Pitt-UNC - the conference went undefeated (8-0) on the weekend. The surprising wins were Duke knocking off Notre Dame in South Bend 38-35, Virginia beating Central Michigan 49-35, Syracuse won at UConn 31-24 and Wake Forest remaining unbeaten with a 33-28 win at Indiana. All four schools were 3-point underdogs or bigger, with Duke a 20.5-point dog to the Irish, and three of the games were on the road (UVa was home). Combined with big wins by Louisville, FSU and Virginia Tech, this was a great weekend for a conference on the rise.

5) Speaking of Louisville, the Cards romped past Marshall 59-28 in a game that wasn't that close. However, for the first time this season Lamar Jackson looked a little less like Superman. He still finished with seven touchdowns (5 passing, 2 rushing), but was 24-of-44 passing and threw an ill-advised interception. The Thundering Herd kept him in check on the ground, allowing him just 62 yards. Louisville only led 7-0 after one quarter. It was one of those games where the Cardinals dominated, but didn't necessarily look perfect doing so. The guess here is they had one eye looking toward Clemson.

6) Some of the wildness began Friday with Utah scoring with 55 seconds left to beat USC 31-27 and continued into Saturday. ... Tennessee finally got the monkey of its back by beating Florida after trailing 21-0. ... North Carolina trailed Pitt by 13 with under 10 minutes to go, but scored twice including the game-winner with two seconds on the clock. ... Les Miles' poor clock management skills bit him and LSU again. The Tigers needed a TD with no timeouts left. They failed to get out of bounds, were penalized and had a 10-second runoff, then did not have enough time to get a snap off - even though the refs initially allowed it and LSU scored the would-be go-ahead touchdown. After review, the clock was triple-zeroes and Auburn won 18-13. ... In the nightcaps, Stanford scored with under 30 seconds to go to take a three-point lead over UCLA. Keep in mind, Stanford was a 3.5-point favorite. UCLA QB Josh Rosen was sacked on the last play of the game and fumbled. Stanford ran it back for a TD to make the final score 22-13. A humongous play for Vegas betting. ... Arizona and Washington traded blows late in the fourth quarter for some amazing #Pac12AfterDark action. Zona scored with 4:50 to go to tie it at 21; Washington re-took the lead 40 seconds later; Zona scored with 27 seconds to go to send it to overtime; And the Huskies eventually won in OT, 35-28.

A wild weekend indeed.

7) There were skeptics about West Virginia and Baylor. Both undefeated, but both unproven. Until Saturday. The Mountaineers knocked off BYU in another entertaining game, 35-32. Baylor took down Oklahoma State to earn its first conference win, 35-24. The Bears and Mountaineers remain unbeaten and atop the Big 12 standings. Baylor should have little trouble next week at Iowa State. West Virginia hosts Kansas State in a tricky game, as the Wildcats are still coached by Bill Snyder which means they are vastly underrated and prime for an upset.

8) Quick hitters: Texas A&M served noticed to the rest of the SEC West that it will contend. The Aggies knocked off Arkansas 45-24. A&M goes to South Carolina before a big two-game stretch at home against Tennessee Oct. 8, then a bye week before going to Alabama Oct. 22. ... Wisconsin also served notice that it will not be overlooked in the Big Ten. Everyone thought the Big Three in the Big Ten were Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State. The Badgers had none of that, demolishing the Spartans on their home field 30-6. With Iowa struggling, it looks like Wisconsin may be the best team in the West division. Nebraska may have something to say about that, though. And the Badgers head to the Big House this weekend.

 9) Top 10 on tap: Next week will produce three top-10 matchups including No. 7 Stanford at No. 10 Washington (Friday), No. 8 Wisconsin at No. 4 Michigan, and No. 3 Louisville at No. 5 Clemson. Other big games include Oklahoma at TCU, North Carolina at No. 12 Florida State and No. 11 Tennessee at No. 25 Georgia. (Note: Rankings reflect current AP Poll)

10) All eyes, though, will be on Tiger Town next weekend. ESPN's College GameDay will be on hand to kickoff the morning live from Bowman Field. The game will be broadcast in primetime on ABC with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Sam Ponder on the call. It was one year ago when Notre Dame visited Clemson on the exact same weekend (Oct. 3, 2015). Get up. Get ready. Get loud. Get CLEMSON LOUD. Beat Louisville.

-BtW
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Thursday, September 22, 2016

PTT: Prediction Time Thursday - Week 4

First Thursday picks of the year, courtesy of a Clemson road game at rival Georgia Tech. BENched had an abysmal week last week. Time to get back to the winning ways.

 2016 BENched PTF Record
Last Week: 7-6
Overall: 26-12 (.684 win %)
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Thursday

No. 5 Clemson at Georgia Tech (Line: Clemson -9.5)
Jackets and Paul Johnson's option offense are one of just two ACC teams to have a winning record against Dabo Swinney. Clemson is looking to get on a roll, but it won't be easy in ATL. The Tigers have won 40 straight against unranked opponents, but haven't won at Bobby Dodd Stadium since 2003. Tigers 34-24

 Friday

 USC at No. 24 Utah (Line: Utah -3)
USC has problems. One of them is trying to win in Rice-Eccles Stadium against an underrated Utah team. Don't we say that about the Utes every year? Utes 37-17

 Saturday

 No. 11 Wisconsin at No. 8 Michigan State (Line: Michigan State -5.5)
Sparty proved its worth with a strong road win at Notre Dame. The Badgers already have an SEC skin on the wall. Power versus power in a Big Ten clash. Sparty 24-20

No. 13 Florida State at South Florida (Line: Florida State -5.5)
Lamar Jackson just scored on Florida State again. How will the Noles rebound against a fiery South Florida squad? They better be awake for this nooner, or look out. Noles 41-34

 No. 12 Georgia at No. 23 Ole Miss (Line: Ole Miss -7)
Uga has been on life support the past two weeks, escaping Nicholls by two points at home and needing a last-minute TD to knock off Mizzou. The Rebs' two losses are to FSU and Bama when they had 21+ point leads in each. Now, they're in a spot where 1-3 is a real possibility. Rebs 30-17

Pittsburgh at North Carolina (Line: North Carolina -7)
Underrated matchup of the week. This early-season ACC Coastal battle will go a long with for the division race. The Carolina offense is on a roll, but the Panthers have proven they can score too. Heels 47-38

BYU vs. West Virginia - at FedEx Field in Landover, Mary. (Line: West Virginia -7)
Future Big 12 conference game? Maybe. But what a difference in the fan bases! The Mountaineers look to remain unbeaten and are playing closer to home. The Cougs are struggling on offense, averaging 17 points per game. Not gonna fly in the Big 12. 'Eers 45-17

Penn State at No. 4 Michigan (Line: Michigan -19)
Harbaugh's boys got a scare from Colorado. Penn State ain't no Colorado. The Nittany Lions are too worried about restoring JoePa's statue - which is ridiculous. Wolverines 42-10

No. 19 Florida at No. 14 Tennessee (Line: Tennessee - 6.5)
Gone are the days when this was must-watch football. Florida has won 11 in a row against the Vols. Good news for Tennessee is this isn't Florida Tech or something. Vols 20-13

No. 18 LSU at Auburn (Line: LSU -3.5)
Another week for Auburn, another "hot seat" game. As in, both coaches are on the hot seat with the temperature getting warmer for the loser. Gus Malzahn is 0-1 so far this season. He's also 0-1 against opponents also named Tigers. Mostly because the offensive genius has an offense that isn't very, umm, offensive. Gold Tigers 23-17

Oklahoma State at No. 16 Baylor (Line: Baylor -7.5)
Baylor finally plays someone actually IN the Big 12, not someone lobbying to get in (SMU, Rice, etc.). Jim Grobe will probably just stand there and look like he's talking on the headset. Bears 45-35

No. 7 Stanford at UCLA (Line: Stanford -3)
The Rosen One or the #WildCaff? Oh please, why is this even a question. Trees 31-17

No. 17 Arkansas vs. No. 10 Texas A&M - at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (Line: Texas A&M -5.5)
Game of the day finally arrives. Kevin Sumlin and A&M have no problem winning in September. It's the rest of the season when the Aggies fall apart. It's been said before, but "this year looks different." We'll see. For now, can't pick against 'em in September. Ags 33-30
Trevor Knight (8) leads undefeated Texas A&M into the Southwest Classic with Arkansas.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)
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Sunday, September 18, 2016

The Morning After... The Much-Needed Win

1) As stated in last week's TMA, Clemson's lopsided win over SC State was fully expected. And the result didn't matter. Clemson may as well have been playing a high school team. The Tigers were superior at every position, led 31-0 after just one quarter, and held SC State to 102 total yards, most of which came in garbage time at the end of the game.

2) On the plus side, Clemson did look extremely loose and as close to what it was a season ago on offense as it has through three games this year. Deshaun Watson started 6-for-6 and finished with three touchdown passes. The receivers had a tremendous game, including Ray-Ray McCloud who scored twice and is looking like a dynamic threat to go alongside Mike Williams and Artavis Scott. And defensively, the Tigers' front seven harassed Bulldog QBs early and often.

3) The other positive was all the playing time young players received. Freshman sensation Tavien Feaster led Clemson with 12 carries for 83 yards and scored his first career touchdown. A total of 15 Tigers caught passes - sophomore Trevion Thompson and freshman Diondre Overton collected the first TD receptions of their careers. Clemson had 30 defensive players record a statistic. It was everything Dabo Swinney could have hoped for.

4) There's trouble brewing in Norman, Oklahoma. The preseason No. 3-ranked Sooners are now 1-2 with a bye week ahead of a road game at TCU and the Red River Showdown with Texas. I won't win over many of my OU friends with this statement, but the Sooners have become soft. In the past season plus three games when Oklahoma has faced a team that smacked it in the mouth, OU has rolled over. Texas did it. Clemson did it. Houston and now Ohio State. In fact, Oklahoma is 8-4 in its last 12 games. From my point of view, Oklahoma isn't throwing the first punch and asserting its dominance like the big boys in college football do. Nor is it responding to a few blows - like Alabama did yesterday with Ole Miss. Once the other team gets in a few shots, consider the Sooners done.

5) Over the course of the game with Ohio State, the Buckeyes showed a clear talent gap. OU at times looked lost defensively, which has led to many Sooner fans calling for the firing on defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. That's going to make it pretty awkward for brother Bob to make that call. Speaking of Bob, you have to wonder if his moniker "Big Game Bob" will ever return. Aside from stomping a weak Big 12 schedule, there have been few times when Oklahoma walked onto a big stage and walked away with a victory. Somethings gotta change, or we can continue to put OU in the top five during the preseason only to see the Sooners falter.

6) Can someone check Lamar Jackson for a birth certificate? Because he just doesn't even seem human. Or as my father-in-law put it, he has "Alien skills." With road games at Clemson and Houston remaining, the Cards have only a few hurdles to jump through before stating their case for a Playoff spot. Expect Oct. 1 at Death Valley to be a monster matchup.

6B) Speaking of "Alien skills," check out the photo below for not only the catch of the year, but arguably one of the top three catches in college football. Ever. How Ohio State's Noah Brown - who is barely seen here - caught this for a touchdown is beyond me.

(Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports)
7) The Gus Bus is getting lighter by the day. Gus Malzahn's time at Auburn may soon be up. The War Eagles looked pathetic on offense again, falling to Texas A&M 29-16 at home. Auburn (1-2) still has games against LSU (this weekend) and a home date with Arkansas, but has to travel to Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama. Chalk up at least four more losses for a 6-6 finish. People on The Plains won't be thrilled with playing in the Birmingham two years in a row.

 8) Conference watch: The Big Ten has depth. Michigan State opened a big lead at Notre Dame before holding on late. Michigan is where we thought it'd be at this point. Wisconsin already has a win over LSU. Nebraska beat Pac-12 power Oregon and is finding its rhythm on offense. And there's aforementioned Ohio State. ... On the flip side, the Big 12 is treading water. Only two teams are undefeated - Baylor (3-0) and West Virginia (2-0). The Bears have beaten Northwestern State, SMU, and Rice. The conference slate begins with Oklahoma State Saturday, and there's a three-game stretch at Texas, vs. TCU, and at OU. The Mountaineers had a bye, but so far have defeated a now 1-2 Missouri team and Youngstown State. In the way-too-early, but probably true department, it looks like the Big 12 will be out of the Playoff for the second time in three years. ... Elsewhere, the ACC looks to come down to the Clemson-Louisville game on Oct. 1. It's Alabama in the SEC, and then everyone else. And Stanford looks to be the class of the Pac-12 once again, but a Friday night date with Washington to close out September could change things there. ... Houston has the clear shot to lead the Group of 5 teams if it can finish undefeated with that win against Louisville in November.

9) Quick hitters: Don't schedule North Dakota State. Iowa found out the hard way, losing the game 23-21 to the Bison and losing $500,000 in the process. ... Arkansas meets Texas A&M in Arlington, Texas, this weekend. The winner will assert itself as next-in-line behind Alabama in the SEC West. In the SEC East, Florida takes an 11-game winning streak over Tennessee to Rocky Top. The winner there has the upperhand to take that division. ... It might be time to recognize that Bobby Petrino is one of the best coaches currently in college football. Aside from his legal issues, Petrino has taken Louisville to new heights two different times, and don't forget what he did at Arkansas pre-motorcycle accident. It'll be interesting to see if Petrino bolts Louisville a second time if say Auburn, LSU, or someone of the like calls.

 10) Clemson enters conference play and goes on the road to a place it hasn't won since 2003 - Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are primed for an upset on a Thursday night Whiteout game. The Tigers have won three of the last four in the series and seemingly have the upperhand in the talent area. Won't matter come Thursday in ATL. Beat Georgia Tech.

-BtW
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Monday, November 30, 2015

The Ben Ten - Eighth Edition

Editor's Note: The Ben Ten is my attempt to put together the Top 10 teams (plus three) as of right now. Each week, I play the role of solo Playoff Committee member and submit my own ballot.

It was status quo for the Top 4 after a closer-than-expected rivalry weekend. Behind that, multiple changes. Championship Weekend is upon us, so let's see how they stack up at the top before the final rankings are released next week.

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers are locked in to the top spot again.
(Photo courtesy TigerNet.com)
1) Clemson (12-0)
Previously: 1
Clemson closed out the regular season with a second consecutive win over in-state rival South Carolina. Deshaun Watson was healthy all year and because of that, the Tigers are 12-0 for the first time since 1981. Clemson faces surging North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game Saturday night in Charlotte.

2) Iowa (12-0)
Previously: 2
The Hawkeyes are the only other unbeaten team in the FBS, having secured their 12th win with a 28-20 victory at Nebraska. Iowa has quality wins on its schedule, but not a signature one. That could come against Michigan State in the Big Ten title game this weekend in Indianapolis.

3) Oklahoma (11-1)
Previously: 3
Baker Mayfield has the Sooners offense rolling. Behind the ground attack of Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon, Oklahoma has reeled off seven impressive wins in a row, the latter three coming against ranked teams Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State - two of which were on the road. Oklahoma is the outright Big 12 champion and awaits the final CFB Playoff Poll to find out its fate.

4) Alabama (11-1)
Previously: 4
Alabama survived its trip to the Plains for the Iron Bowl. The Tide have a wrecking ball at running back in Derrick Henry and he gashed Auburn's defense to the tune of 271 yards on 46 carries. Now, Alabama faces Florida for the SEC championship in Atlanta. The Gators are coming off a 27-2 defeat at home at the hands of Florida State. 

Playoff projection: Clemson vs. Alabama in the Capital One Orange Bowl;  Iowa vs. Oklahoma in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
*NOTE: The CFB Playoff Committee factors in many variables and does its best to send the No. 1 overall seed to its closest destination. Clemson is geographically closer to Miami, Fla., than to Arlington, Texas.


5) Michigan State (11-1)
Previously: 7
The Spartans emphatically defeated Penn State, 55-16, to clinch the Big Ten East Division and a matchup with Iowa in Indy. Connor Cook looked healthy over the weekend and that gives MSU a big advantage in the B1G Championship. Michigan State has wins over Oregon, Michigan and Ohio State, and would solidify its place in the Top 4 by knocking off currently undefeated Iowa.

6) North Carolina (11-1)
Previously: 8
Outside of Clemson and Iowa, there's only one team with 10-plus wins in a row ... that'd be North Carolina, which has 11 straight wins. The Tar Heels went up 35-7 in the first quarter over rival NC State on their way to a 45-34 win. UNC finished conference play 8-0 and set up one of the most intriguing championship games of the weekend against No. 1 Clemson. Can the Heels reach the Playoff with a win?

7) Ohio State (11-1)
Previously: 10
After looking offensively challenged against Michigan State, the Buckeyes bounced back and looked most dominant at Michigan in a 42-13 victory. The only question with this team is, where was that all year? Had the Buckeyes been that impressive, there'd be no questioning their ranking - and they might not have fallen to Michigan State. What could have been...

8) Stanford (10-2)
Previously: NR
Kevin Hogan and the Cardinal went blow-for-blow with Notre Dame and got in the last punch to knock off the Irish, 38-36. The win boosted Stanford's chances to reach the Playoff, should there be chaos at the top. In the Pac-12 Championship, Stanford will face four-loss USC, a team it beat way back in September, 41-31.

9) Florida State (10-2)
Previously: NR
Florida State's Dalvin Cook might be the most underrated running back in college. Cook carried the ball 26 times for 183 yards and two scores in helping FSU defeat the Gators in front of the largest crowd ever at The Swamp, 27-2. The Noles await the final poll for their destination - likely a NY6 Bowl.

10) Notre Dame (10-2)
Previously: 5
The Irish claim to fame right now? Two road losses to Top 10 teams by two points each. Notre Dame had its six-game winning streak snapped with a heart-breaking loss at Stanford and now has lost by two points to the Cardinal and Clemson. The problem is, other than a home win against USC, that's about all ND has to crow about. Still, the Irish are in a good position and will probably end up in the Fiesta Bowl

Next three up:
TCU (10-2)
In the cold and driving rain, TCU found a way in double OT to take down Baylor and come away 1-2 in its big November games. The Horned Frogs positioned themselves to grab a top-tier bowl game, but losing star receiver Josh Doctson (for the season) and quarterback Trevone Boykin (missed 1.5 games) ended championship hopes for Gary Patterson's squad.

 Baylor (9-2)
Like TCU, the Bears went 1-2 during their three-game swoon against the Big 12's best. And like TCU, it was injuries that did Baylor wrong. Quarterback Seth Russell was sorely missed in losses to OU and TCU. Baylor still has one game to play, a home game against Texas, to try to reach double-digit wins for the fourth time in the last five seasons. It appears the Bears would be headed to the Sugar Bowl, but that is not certain.
 
Oregon (9-3)
The Ducks have to be wondering what this season could've been if Vernon Adams Jr. stayed healthy. Oregon has won six straight since his return to the lineup and the offense looks lethal, almost like when Heisman winner Marcus Mariota led the Ducks. Oregon could land in the Alamo Bowl against one of the Big 12 powers.

Dropped out:
Baylor (6) and Oklahoma State (9)

-BtW



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Friday, November 27, 2015

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 13

We've arrived at Rivalry Week. After going 22-8 the past two weeks, I'm feeling some confidence as we enter the home stretch before bowl season. This week should be fun. Tons of great games, ranked matchups, and sure-to-be upsets with rivalries taking the stage. The slate is filled with both in-state and cross-border rivalry games (rivalry nicknames in italics below), so many more to choose from than normal. I'll give it my best!

Last week's record: 12-3
Overall: 57-22 (.722 win %)
*Rankings below are CFB Playoff Committee rankings

Friday
No. 15 Navy at Houston (Line: Navy -4)
No rivalry to speak of here, but an important game nonetheless. The first of several winner-take-all battles this weekend takes place in Houston. Navy, whose only loss is to Notre Dame, will earn its first trip to the AAC Championship Game with a win. Houston suffered a major setback with its loss at UConn last week, but can also clinch the AAC West title with a win. Keenan Reynolds has perfected the art of the triple-option offense and has the Midshipmen eyeing a unprecedented New Year's Six Bowl appearance. Navy 38, Houston 27

No. 4 Iowa at Nebraska (Line: Iowa -2)
Battle for the Heroes Trophy (Series: Nebraska leads 29-13-3)
Nebraska has won three of the four matchups since the Huskers joined the Big Ten, including an overtime thriller at Iowa a year ago. Iowa hopes to keep its perfect season alive and remain in contention for a Playoff berth. A loss in Lincoln would be tough to overcome (or would it Michigan State?). The Huskers could be the only team to knock off both the Hawkeyes and Spartans. Meh, maybe not. Iowa 35, Nebraska 20

No. 20 Washington State at Washington (Line: Washington -7)
The Apple Cup (Series: Washington leads 69-32-6)
This one has surprise written all over it, as the Cougars are 8-3 and poised for a 10-win season if they can beat Washington and win a bowl game. The game, however, is in Seattle and the Huskies are looking to becoming bowl eligible. WSU QB Luke Falk is questionable after suffering a concussion a week ago. Still, Mike Leach's teams love to sling it and UW has been flaky this season (flaky enough to give head coach Chris Petersen a two-year extension Thursday). Washington State 38, Washington 34

 Oregon State at No. 17 Oregon (Line: Oregon -36)
The Civil War (Series: Oregon leads 62-46-10)
The Ducks have looked much improved since the return of Vernon Adams Jr., winning five in a row to climb back into the rankings. Oregon knocked off Stanford two weeks ago and blew out USC last week. The line on this one is all you need to know. Oregon 62, Oregon State 17

No. 7 Baylor at No. 19 TCU (Line: TCU -1.5)
The Revivalry (Series: Baylor leads 52-51-7)
This one was circled on Big 12 calendars throughout Texas. And then Seth Russell went down. So did Trevone Boykin. And Josh Doctson. And both teams have lost (TCU twice). Baylor needs this more than the Frogs to keep its conference hopes alive. The Bears have won each of the past two meetings by three points, including last year's 61-58 barn-burner. Both teams have gone to their third-string quarterbacks, but Chris Johnson looks more like Cardale Jones. We'll see how good Boykin is in his return. Baylor 41, TCU 27

 Saturday
No. 1 Clemson at South Carolina (Line: Clemson -17)
The Palmetto Bowl (Series: Clemson leads 66-42-4)
On paper, this shouldn't be close. Clemson is one of the most balanced, dominant teams in the game. Meanwhile, South Carolina's only win since Steve Spurrier left is over Vanderbilt. However, the Gamecocks' four losses sans Spurrier have all been by 10 points or less. They're a feisty bunch, but facing a Heisman hopeful QB and a team determined to not let anyone get in its way is a monumental task. It's a rivalry game. It's at South Carolina. This will be Shawn Elliott's last game as SC's head coach. Throw out the record books. Yada yada. Closer than the experts think. Clemson 40, South Carolina 24

Georgia at Georgia Tech (Line: Georgia -4)
Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate (Series; Georgia leads 64-40-5)
Another in-state rivalry game that on paper looks like a mismatch. But Georgia Tech's triple option offense evens the scales a bit. Mark Richt could very well be coaching for his job in this one. After the season the Dawgs have had, losing a second straight game to the Yellow Jackets might be the end of a pretty good run at UGA for Richt. Georgia 34, Georgia Tech 28

Louisville at Kentucky (Line: Louisville -4.5)
The Governor's Cup (Series: Kentucky leads 14-13)
These two Bluegrass State schools are more known for their battle on the hardwood, but the fierce rivalry extends to the gridiron. Louisville is currently riding a four-game winning streak in the series. The Cats won four in a row prior to that, and the Cards won four in a row before that. Which Louisville team will show up Saturday? And can Kentucky get to bowl eligibility under Mark Stoops? Louisville 24, Kentucky 14

No. 8 Ohio State at No. 10 Michigan (Line: Ohio State -1)
The Game (Series: Michigan leads 58-46-6)
Ohio State had its 23-game winning streak snapped last week - and then all hell broke loose in the Buckeyes locker room. Now, they head to the Big House. Yikes. Michigan has won four in a row to keep its Big Ten East Division hopes alive. The Wolverines are perhaps the most complete team Ohio State will face this season. And we saw what Michigan State did to them last week. I'll take the coach who's smashing Buckeye nuts on Bo Schembechler's grave. Michigan 20, Ohio State 17

Virginia Tech at Virginia (Line: Virginia Tech -3.5)
The Commonwealth Cup (Series: VT leads 54-37-5)
Virginia Tech has won 11 in a row in this series and looks to send Frank Beamer out with one more win over the Cavaliers. Beamer is 19-9 against UVA. The Hokies are favored, but Virginia played its best game a week ago in a win over Duke. Sometimes you just have to go with history and history tells us this game belongs to Beamer. Virginia Tech 21, Virginia 10

Penn State at No. 5 Michigan State (Line: Michigan State -11)
Battle for the Land Grant Trophy (Series: Tied 14-14-1)
My how the Big Ten world turned with one kick. Ohio State was the defending champs and headed toward another College Football Playoff. Then, Sparty happened. Michigan State has defeated Michigan and Ohio State on the road and led for exactly 0:00 of game time. Don't expect the Spartans to get tripped up. MSU is on its way to Indianapolis and Mark Dantonio can proclaim he has the best program in the Big Ten. Michigan State 31, Penn State 13

No. 14 North Carolina at NC State (Line: North Carolina -5.5)
Carolina-State Game (Series: North Carolina leads 65-33-6)
North Carolina isn't getting a lot of respect for myriad reasons. But the Heels have looked as good as anyone in the country and Gene Chizik has done a 180 with the defense. Look out. NC State is much better than its 7-4 record. Remember, too, the Wolfpack dropkicked UNC last year, 35-7. This one's in Raleigh and the Pack can spoil a great season for the baby blues. NC State 38, North Carolina 35

No. 2 Alabama at Auburn (Line: Alabama -14.5)
The Iron Bowl (Series: Alabama leads 43-35-1)
Two years ago was the "Kick 6." Auburn went on to play for a national title and it appeared the tide (pun intended) had turned in the SEC West. Then, Alabama dropped 55 points on the Tigers last year and now Auburn limps in with a 6-5 record. Derrick Henry is a beast and Alabama's defense has been great against some mediocre offenses. But the Tide, in my eyes, aren't as other-worldly as everyone proclaims. Alabama 33, Auburn 26

No. 22 UCLA at USC (Line: USC -3)
The Crosstown Rivalry (Series: USC leads 44-31-7)
Figure these two teams out. UCLA starts the year 4-0 and looks like it could be a factor. Then, the Bruins went 4-3 with losses to Arizona State at home and at Stanford and Washington State. USC, on the other hand, lost early to Stanford, then Washington, then Notre Dame before reeling off four straight wins including a stunner against Utah. The Trojans, though, were blown out by Oregon last week, so who knows with these two teams. It's at USC, but the Bruins have won three in a row and none have been close. UCLA 41, USC 28

 No. 18 Ole Miss at No. 21 Mississippi State (Line: Ole Miss -1)
The Egg Bowl (Series: Ole Miss leads 62-43-6)
Aside from running into a brick wall against Alabama, Mississippi State has been on a roll on offense and Dak Prescott is at the center of it all. He's playing his final game in Starkville and is looking to atone for the upset that took place a season ago. Chad Kelly and Ole Miss picked up momentum with their win over LSU last week. The cowbells will be ringing loud in what could be another classic Egg Bowl. Mississippi State 43, Ole Miss 42

No. 13 Florida State at No. 12 Florida (Line: Florida State -2.5)
The Florida Cup (Florida leads 34-23-2)
FSU has won four of the last five in this series and goes up against an offensively-challenged Gator team in The Swamp. In two of its past three games, Florida needed a last-minute field goal to beat Vanderbilt, 9-7, and was taken to overtime by Florida Atlantic before prevailing 20-14. Dalvin Cook can up his Heisman candidacy with a solid game against the Gators' vaunted defense. Jim McElwain tried to light a fire under his team by calling them out for a lack of emotion. There will be plenty of that flowing in this one. Florida State 24, Florida 13

Texas A&M at LSU (Line: LSU -5.5)
(Series: LSU leads 30-20-3)
Could this be Les Miles' last game at Tiger Stadium? Who would've thought that before this season? Well, Miles has a way of getting the best out of his players when their backs are against the wall and questions are abound. Add in that the Aggies only wins since Oct. 17 are against South Carolina, Western Carolina and Vanderbilt, and it's easy to see Texas A&M is a fraud despite its 8-3 record. Leonard Fournette should have a big game. LSU 38, Texas A&M 20

No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 9 Stanford (Line: Stanford -4)
The Legends Trophy (Series: Notre Dame leads 19-10)
The game everyone has waited for to finally see whether Notre Dame is worth a darn or not. We know they barely lost to Clemson, but that's been about all the Irish can proclaim to this point. Stanford has been led by Heisman contender Christian McCaffrey, who looks the part of the best all-around football player. A win here and next week in the Pac-12 title game over UCLA or USC at the very least puts the Cardinal back in the conversation for a Playoff. They just need chaos to ensue ahead of them. Stanford 35, Notre Dame 28

When it comes to OU-OSU, expect, well, bedlam.
(Photo courtesy tvnooz.com)
No. 3 Oklahoma at No. 11 Oklahoma State (Line: Oklahoma -7)
Bedlam (Series: Oklahoma leads 84-18-7)
Four of the past five Bedlam games have produced some of the wackiest results. I guess that's why they call it Bedlam. The Sooners jumped into the Playoff Top 4 in this week's rankings and can solidify their spot with a third straight win over a ranked opponent (second on the road). OSU was exposed by Baylor last week and simply does not have a running game. The weather is expected to be cold and wet, possibly freezing rain/sleet/who knows what else. That bodes well for the Crimson and Cream machine of Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon. Oklahoma 27, Oklahoma State 21
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