Showing posts with label Florida State. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Florida State. Show all posts

Sunday, October 8, 2017

The Morning After - Sluggish Saturday

A few ranked teams fell while others didn't look their sharpest. Yes, the calendar flipped to October and the race to the CFB Playoff is finally heating up. Conference matchups give us a much better indicator of who the real contenders and pretenders are. Let's take a deep dive into this weekend's action!

1st Quarter
Deon Cain torched WF early for a 28-yard score.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)
After getting off to a very impressive start with two touchdowns in the first nine minutes of the game, Clemson's offense sputtered to the finish line. It's happened in the past where it seems the first series or two of "scripted plays," as they say, work to perfection. Then, it's as if offensive play-caller Tony Elliott scrambles to find plays that work. Usually, things begin to click and everything works out, as was the case Saturday against Wake Forest. It's still bothersome and something I hope doesn't come back to bite us later.

As for the rest of the game, the best defense in the nation did its thing again, shutting out Wake through three quarters before giving way to the backups who allowed the Demon Deacons to score. Kelly Bryant getting hurt didn't help matters offensively. Backup Zerrick Cooper looked slightly lost and ill-prepared to enter the game. Hunter Johnson showed he was ready on his first drive, going 4-for-4 with a couple passes to fellow freshman Tee Higgins and a TD toss to tight end Cannon Smith.

The win gives Clemson a 6-0 record for the third straight season. It was the 20th straight over an ACC Atlantic division foe. It was the 11th straight overall, now the nation's longest active winning streak. And it assures the Tigers a spot in the AP Top 5 for a school-record 31st consecutive poll.

Tiger fans, these are the glory days. Enjoy them while they last. And beat Syracuse.

2nd Quarter
Speaking of not being able to finish, for the second straight game, the Oklahoma Sooners raced out to a double-digit lead only to see it slip away. Against Baylor, OU saw the Bears score 24 straight to take a 34-31 lead before rallying and pulling out a 49-41 win. It was a different story at home against the Iowa State Cyclones. OU's 24-10 lead turned into a 31-24 ISU lead. OU managed to tie it, but the Cyclones scored the game-winner and prevented the Sooners from rallying again.

It was a shocking upset of the No. 3 team in the land, but The Athletic's Matt Fortuna revealed this was the seventh straight season Oklahoma has lost as a game as a double-digit favorite. In most years, the Sooners have recovered and gone on to play in New Year's Six Bowls, or at least prevent the season from flopping completely. This, however, is a new squad with a new coach.

I told several folks prior to the season that I'd be interested to see how OU responds to adversity under new leadership. Can Lincoln Riley right the ship quickly, as Bob Stoops did so many times? Sooner Nation better hope he does because it is officially Texas Week.

On a grander scale, the Big 12's Playoff hopes now fall to TCU, the remaining unbeaten in the conference. The Horned Frogs have already knocked off Oklahoma State and West Virginia, meaning OU is their last major hurdle. As proven Saturday, though, no one in the Big 12 can be overlooked.

3rd Quarter
Of course Miami-Florida State came down to the wire. This time it wasn't decided by the kicking units. Florida State drove the field and scored with 1:24 to go to take a 20-17 lead. It was the first time James Blackman has looked like a capable quarterback. The Noles apparently left too much time, as Miami went 75 yards in 1:18 and scored on a wild pitch and catch to the front corner of the end zone.

With :11 to go and the ball inside the 20, the Canes decided they had time for one shot at a touchdown. Malik Rosier placed a perfect ball over the shoulder of Darrell Langham, who barely got across the goalline before his knee touched. The play was reviewed for quite some time. Several angles showed maybe it was a TD and maybe not. In the end, the play stood as called and the Canes ended a seven-game losing streak to FSU.

The win further pushes Miami into discussion of being a team to beat in the ACC Coastal Division. Florida State, on the other hand, is now 1-3 with games against Louisville, Clemson and Florida still remaining. Because of their cancelled game due to Hurricane Irma, three more losses would put FSU's final record at 5-6. Unless the NCAA grants some kind of waiver - or they benefit from not having enough teams bowl eligible and their APR scores are high enough - the Noles would be ineligible for a bowl. Quite the fall for a team that began the season No. 3 in the AP Poll.

4th Quarter
Luke Falk is the best player only about a third of the country knows. The Washington State quarterback is lighting up the Pac-12 and running Mike Leach's offense to perfection. Falk had another impressive night in Autzen Stadium against Oregon. He threw of 282 yards and three scores to lead Wazzu to a 6-0 record for the first time since 2001.

But the big story might be the Cougs' defense. WSU has looked impressive on that side of the ball. Last week, it was USC and Heisman hopeful Sam Darnold who were shut down (327 total yards, 164 pass yards, 0 TDs and 1 INT). This week, the Ducks were held to 278 total yards and 10 points at home. Oregon was averaging over 49 points per game and nearly 540 yards per game going in.

The opponents keep lining up, the analysts keep doubting, and Wazzu keeps knocking 'em off. Slowly but surely we're finding out that we need to take Washington State seriously. With a couple Top 10 losses this week, the Cougs will move into the Top 10, giving the Pac-12 - and the state of Washington - two highly-ranked teams.

It's also conceivable that Wazzu will be 9-0 (upcoming games against Cal, Arizona, and Colorado, each hovering .500) when the Cougs host Stanford on Nov. 4. If they get past the Cardinal, two road games at Utah and the Apple Cup at Washington loom large. That Apple Cup is going to be juicy.

Overtime
As for Washington, the Huskies quite simply are the class of the Pac-12. Washington has yet to be really tested and may not be for several more weeks. Up next is a road game at Arizona State, then home dates with UCLA and Oregon before a Friday night trip to Stanford. ... The Big Ten took a couple blows this weekend. First was the OU loss to Iowa State. Wait, OU is in the Big 12. Yes, but remember the Sooner team you saw that couldn't handle Iowa State is the same one that manhandled Ohio State at the Horseshoe. Later in the night, Michigan fell victim to "little brother" Michigan State at home. The Wolverines were at least expected to compete in the East Division, but games at Penn State and at home against Ohio State are still to come. The offensive struggles finally caught up to UM and are glaring going forward. ... NC State picked up a huge win Thursday night against Louisville, essentially knocking Lamar Jackson out of the Heisman race before it ever heated up. The win also asserted the Wolfpack as the hands-down contender to knock off Clemson in the Atlantic Division. NCSU hosts the Tigers on Nov. 4 in what could turn into the de facto division title game. ... As aforementioned, TCU is now the only undefeated team remaining in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs have a slightly easy road to travel until Nov. 11 when they visit Norman. TCU will likely be the favorite in all except the OU game, and even then they might be the favorite in that one.

Tiger Tweets





















































-BtW
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Thursday, October 5, 2017

PTT: Prediction Time Thursday - Week 6

Much better week by my standards, but disappointed that I picked against Clemson. That won't happen again. Getting the picks started early this week since there is intriguing action beginning tonight (Thursday). Here's where things stand heading into October.

2017 Record
Overall: 65-18 (.783 win %)
Last Week: 10-2
Game of the Week Pick: 2-3
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

AP Top 10
1 Alabama at Texas A&M
Saturday, 7:15 pm ET, ESPN
Alabama -26
Alabama stomped Vandy and Ole Miss by a combined 125-3. While Texas A&M presents a slightly tougher challenge, the Aggies are far from being worthy competition for the Crimson Tide. It seems like this Bama team is on a mission. Jalen Hurts is playing at an extremely high level and showing why he was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman. Tide 42-13

Wake Forest at 2 Clemson
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN2
Clemson -21.5
In three conference games plus the game with Auburn, Clemson has looked much more impressive on the road than at home. Here comes Wake Forest, limping after a close but no cigar loss to Florida State. The Deacons' confidence might be shook, but they won't roll over in Death Valley. Kelly Bryant needs to prove the Tigers passing game should be taken seriously. Tigers 35-10 

 Iowa State at 3 Oklahoma
Saturday, Noon ET, Fox
Oklahoma -30
Baker Mayfield has been as close to perfect as one can be this season. He's yet to turn the ball over and is averaging just over four TD passes a game. Nothing changes here. Sooners 52-20

4 Penn State at Northwestern
Saturday, Noon ET, ABC
Penn State -13.5
Saquon Barkley is doing it all for the Nittany Lions. He'll get another chance to showcase his skills against a scrappy Northwestern squad. The Wildcats always play Penn State tough in Evanston. This PSU team is a little different. Lions 40-10

5 Georgia at Vanderbilt
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN
Georgia -17.5
The Dawgs are en fuego right now, having taken down Mississippi State and Tennessee by a combined 72-3. Alabama proved Vandy was a fraud, as all should've expected. Now Georgia gets to have its way with the Dores. Dawgs 35-6

Cal at 6 Washington
Saturday, 10:45 pm ET, ESPN
Washington -27.5
Cal is playing teams close, but sits 0-2 in Pac-12 play. Washington had a slow start at Oregon State, but pulled away big in the second half. Jake Browning can sling it and his main target Dante Pettis is fun to watch. At night in Husky Stadium, this shouldn't be close. Other Dawgs 48-14

Michigan State at 7 Michigan
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET, ABC
Michigan -10.5
The last time these two got together in the Big House, all heck broke loose. Sparty pulled off the improbable victory on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown as timed expired. John O'Korn was second string to begin the season for a reason, but the Wolverines are simply better than their in-state rival. Wolverines 34-21

GAME OF THE WEEK
Kenny Hill has TCU in the Top 10 as we enter October,
a spot not many predicted the Horned Frogs would be.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)
23 West Virginia at 8 TCU
Saturday, 3:30 ET, FS1
TCU -13.5
This is a surprise for Game of the Week. Following WVU's loss to Virginia Tech, the Mountaineers have put up 56, 59, and 56 points to get the offense rolling (albeit against East Carolina, Delaware State, and Kansas). Last we saw TCU, the Horned Frogs walked out of T. Boone Pickens Stadium with a 13-point win over then-No. 6 Oklahoma State. The Frogs behind Kenny Hill are looking like the Big 12 offense many thought they'd be. Defensively, Gary Patterson's team is living up to the expectation as well. That will be the difference Saturday. Frogs 41-27

9 Wisconsin at Nebraska
Saturday, 8 pm ET, Big Ten
Wisconsin -10.5
The Badgers keep chugging along while all the eyes are focused on the Big Ten East at the moment. Wisconsin hasn't received near enough praise, but they're probably OK with that. Nebraska needs a win bigtime. It'll be a great atmosphere to start, but once Big Red Nation realizes they can't compete with the big boys of the Big Ten, things will turn sour in Lincoln. Badgers 34-17

Maryland at 10 Ohio State
Saturday, 4 pm ET, Fox
Ohio State -31
Can anyone figure out Maryland? The Terps go on the road and put 51 points on Texas, then they lose at home 38-10 to UCF (who is a very good team, by the way). But it didn't stop there. Maryland knocked off an unbeaten Minnesota team on the road. Meanwhile, JT Barrett is looking better against weak competition, which is how Urban Meyer gets the respect back to his club. This may be close for a while, but Maryland can't hang that long with the Buckeyes. Bucks 45-17

Must Watch
17 Louisville at 24 NC State
Thursday, 8 pm ET, ESPN
Louisville -3
The atmosphere at Carter-Finley Stadium should be electric with the Wolfpack looking to assert themselves as the No. 2 team in the ACC Atlantic behind Clemson. Lamar Jackson still runs the show at Louisville, which means the Cards will put up some points. But NC State's defense can disrupt that just enough to get a big win. Pack 27-24

 13 Miami at Florida State
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ESPN
Miami -3
Hurricane Irma forced this game to be moved here from what was supposed to be a Week 3 matchup. Now, the Noles look vulnerable and the Canes look like a Coastal Division contender. Whenever these two get together, it's fun to watch. There will be trash talk. There may be a scrum or two. And for some reason, this game loves to come down to the field goal units. Canes 24-23

11 Washington State at Oregon
Saturday, 8 pm ET, Fox
Washington State - 2.5
Luke Falk led Washington State to a huge win over USC last week at home. Now, the Cougars go on the road to a difficult place to play, Autzen Stadium. Mike Leach might think there are louder environments, but he didn't help his team out by calling out the Ducks faithful. I'm really excited for this one and hope it lives up to its billing. Cougs 44-35

 Stanford at 20 Utah
Saturday, 10:15 pm ET, FS1
Stanford -4.5
Bryce Love might be these best running back in the country west of Saquon Barkley. Love already has over 1,000 yards and has given Cardinal fans a good reason to forget about life without Christian McCaffrey. Rice-Eccles Stadium is no easy place to play, so I'm surprised to see the line this much in Stanford's favor. In fact, I'm buying undefeated Utah right now over two-loss Stanford. Utes 30-24

Keep An Eye On
Boise State at BYU
Friday, 10:15 pm ET, ESPN
Boise State -7.5
These two go back a long ways and the games are always hard-fought and down to the wire. They are two of the most recognizable non-Power 5 programs of the last decade. Even though BYU hasn't had quite the season it'd hoped for, they Cougars won't lay down at home. Boise State lost a stunner to Virginia two weeks ago, so the Broncos had time to regroup for the remainder of the season. What else are you gonna do on a Friday night? Broncos 31-17

LSU at 21 Florida
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, CBS
Florida -2
Ah, finally LSU goes to Florida. Should be good times in Gainesville after last year's bicker-fest. Neither team is fun to watch, but the hatred from Gators fans toward LSU will make it enjoyable. Gators 20-10

 Kansas State at Texas
Saturday, 7 pm ET, FS1
Texas -4.5 
Is Texas back yet? It seems like every week we are hearing about the Horns and whether they are back or back to being meh. Kansas State hasn't played like many thought they would early on. The SnyderCats have a road loss at Vandy and a closer than expected win over winless Baylor. Can they go on the road and beat a fickle Tom Herman Texas team that is offensively-challenged? Honestly, who knows? Cats 24-20

-BtW
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Friday, September 29, 2017

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 5

BENched took a few chances and they went awry. It's early in the season, so that was expected. You live and learn and move forward. Going to try something a little different this week with the picks. Let's do it!

2017 Record
Overall: 55-16 (.775 win %)
Last Week: 9-8
Game of the Week Pick: 2-2
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

AP Top 10
Ole Miss at 1 Alabama
Saturday, 9 pm ET, ESPN
Alabama -27
Remember when the Rebels were a thorn in Nick Saban's side? They won't be again for a long, long time. Tide 51-12

GAME OF THE WEEK
Can the Tigers survive Lane Stadium?
2 Clemson at 12 Virginia Tech
Saturday, 8 pm ET, ABC
Clemson -7.5
We've arrived at the exact week of the season when I picked against Clemson one year ago. I took Louisville to down the Tigers last season. Fortunately, I was wrong. A year later, you'd think I'd've learned my lesson. I simply feel like this Hokie team is different. Yes, Josh Jackson is a freshman quarterback going against the best defensive line in the country. Yes, Clemson is battle-tested, having already defeated two Top-15 teams. Yes, Kelly Bryant played cool, calm, and collected in his first road start. But something feels much different than two weeks ago at Louisville. Maybe I'm being too pessimistic about my team. I don't have an Xs and Os breakdown of why I think Virginia Tech will win. To be honest, Clemson making it through September 4-1 would be a really good thing. If they are 5-0 after Saturday night, we could really be in for Bama-Clemson III. For now, I'll pull the reins back. Hokies 20-17

 (NOTE: After I typed this Thursday evening, I received my IPTAY package in the mail Friday afternoon and am having serious second thoughts. Perhaps that was a good omen? We'll see.)

3 Oklahoma - BYE

Indiana at 4 Penn State
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, Big Ten
Penn State -18
It would not be surprising to see Penn State have a bit of a hangover following last week's thrilling win at Iowa. Getting Indiana at home for that hangover game helps. Lions 31-16

5 USC at 16 Washington State
Friday, 10:30 pm ET, ESPN
USC -5
I'm sensing either a wild shootout on the Palouse or a Friday night stinker. Wazzu is the trendy pick. I like Luke Falk slightly more than Sam Darnold right now. Statistically, Falk's having a much better season than the guy that's getting the Heisman love. I'm just not convinced the Cougs are ready to show out in primetime. Trojans 38-28

6 Washington at Oregon State
Saturday, 8 pm ET, Pac-12
Washington -26.5
Can't see this one being much of a game. The Huskies took it to Colorado last week. Expect even worse for the Beavs. Dawgs 52-7

7 Georgia at Tennessee
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, CBS
Georgia -7.5
The Georgia-Tennessee game has been decided by eight points or less each of the past six years. Expect it to be close. Tennessee is winless in its last 24 games against teams ranked in the Top 10 since 2008. Expect Georgia to make it 0-25. Other Dawgs 34-27

8 Michigan - BYE

9 TCU - BYE

Northwestern at 10 Wisconsin
Saturday, Noon ET, ABC
Wisconsin -14.5
Somehow, this game will be low scoring and close because Big Ten football. Badgers 21-9

Must Watch
14 Miami at Duke
Friday, 7 pm ET, ESPN
Miami -6.5
Get your weekend started with an enticing matchup between two undefeated ACC Coastal schools. The Hurricanes found new life in the second half last week against Toledo. Duke used a balanced attack to knock off rival North Carolina. Both teams are looking to get a leg up in the standings. As much as I'd like to pick Duke and think David Cutcliffe has this team squarely in contention, Miami has too many weapons. Canes 34-20

 15 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech
Saturday, 8pm ET, Fox
Oklahoma State -10.5
It seems like no matter what, Oklahoma State can't lose to Texas Tech. A night game in Lubbock is no cakewalk, though. Tortillas will be flying as will the football through the air. I'm guessing this one will be pretty high-scoring. Get your popcorn ready. Pokes 58-45

Keep An Eye On
Florida State at Wake Forest
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ABC
Florida State -7.5
How odd is it that we have winless Florida State visiting undefeated Wake Forest? FSU's troubles are highly concerning. No one can block up front and I wasn't overly impressed with freshman quarterback James Blackman. Wake may be able to get a steal here, but I'm sticking with the Noles to finally get a W. Noles 27-20

 24 Mississippi State at 13 Auburn
Saturday, 6 pm ET, ESPN
Auburn -9
So maybe Mississippi State isn't that good after all. And maybe Auburn's offense just needed to be completely healthy. Either way, this one could get ugly on the Plains. Auburn 40-17

 Cal at Oregon
Saturday, 10:30 pm ET, FS1
Oregon -15
Cal took USC to the brink and Oregon had trouble stopping Arizona State. It is full-on #Pac12AfterDark in Eugene. Ducks 45-42

-BtW
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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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Friday, September 22, 2017

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 4

Conference play is virtually in full swing now. The days of Power 5 vs. Mid-major are nearly over. After a strong start to the year, BENched is ready for the challenge of picking these tougher matchups. There's no real marquee game this week, but the slate is full of intrigue. Here we go!

2017 Record
Overall: 46-8 (.852 win %)
Last Week: 14-4
Game of the Week Pick: 2-1
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

AP Top 10
1 Alabama at Vanderbilt
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, CBS
Alabama -18.5
Confidence is sky high in Nashville, as the Dores are set to host the Crimson Tide. Vandy is off to a 3-0 start, including a win last weekend over ranked Kansas State. No upset this weekend. Tide 27-9

Boston College at 2 Clemson
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ESPN2
Clemson -34
Good chance this one is over by halftime. Clemson is riding a big wave of momentum after knocking off Auburn and Louisville in consecutive weeks. The Tigers are probably looking ahead to taking on Virginia Tech next week. BC gave up over 500 yards rushing to Notre Dame a week ago. Clemson's stable of backs and QB Kelly Bryant will have a field day. Tigers 45-3

 3 Oklahoma at Baylor
Saturday, 6:30 pm ET, FS1
Oklahoma -27.5
Will Baker Mayfield and the Sooners be able to name their own score? Probably. For some reason, I think this will be closer than most expect ... at first. Oklahoma rolls. Sooners 50-17

4 Penn State at Iowa
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET, ABC
Penn State -11.5
Plenty of teams have stumbled in Iowa over the years. Just ask Michigan last year. Penn State is a different animal. The Nittany Lions seem to be one of the most complete teams in the country. Saquon Barkley is going to go off. Lions 45-13

5 USC at Cal
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ABC
USC -17
An underrated matchup between the Trojans and Golden Bears. Cal has already taken down an ACC and SEC team en route to a 3-0 start. USC needed a bit of a miracle to come back against Texas, but still remains the team to beat in the Pac-12. This one kicks off at 12:30 local time. Consider the Trojans on upset alert. Trojans 34-31

16 TCU at 6 Oklahoma State
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ESPN
Oklahoma State -12.5
The high-powered Pokes are one of the scariest offenses in the nation. Through three games, OSU has outscored its opponents 59-0 IN THE FIRST QUARTER! TCU gave up 36 to SMU last weekend. Good luck, Frogs. Pokes 49-24

7 Washington at Colorado
Saturday, 10 pm ET, FS1
Washington -12
A rematch of last year's Pac-12 title game, the Huskies look to remain in the Top 10 and the firm leader in the North. Colorado has other plans and is upset it's not getting respect in the rankings. Phillip Lindsay will go over 140 yards for the third time this year and the Buffaloes score the upset. Buffs 33-28

8 Michigan at Purdue
Saturday, 4 pm ET, Fox
Michigan -10.5
Jeff Brohm has reinvigorated the Boilermakers to the point that this is actually a tricky spot for Michigan. The Wolverines are struggling mightily on offense. If Purdue can create a turnover or pile on some points early, watch out. Boilers 31-27

9 Wisconsin - OFF

UNLV at 10 Ohio State
Saturday, Noon ET, Big Ten
Ohio State -40
One of the few matchups this weekend to turn your eyes away from. Buckeyes 56-10

 Must Watch
NC State at 12 Florida State
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN2/ABC
Florida State -11.5
The Noles are back on the field for the first time since falling to Bama in Atlanta. FSU endured Hurricane Irma and its effects. In case you need a reminder, quarterback Deondre Francois is out for the season and in steps freshman James Blackman. Preseason expectations were squashed for NC State when the Wolfpack dropped their opener against South Carolina. Despite playing Marshall and Furman since, it hasn't been all rainbows and unicorns. Will FSU be sluggish? Can NC State score an upset in Tallahassee? Noles 26-17

 GAME OF THE WEEK
UGA (right) is the most well-known of the Bulldogs.
But Bully hay have something to bark about this weekend.
17 Mississippi State at 11 Georgia
Saturday, 7 pm ET, ESPN
Georgia -4
The battle of the SEC Bulldogs should be a good one. Mississippi State pulled off a stunner last week against LSU, not so much beating the Tigers, but how they did so: 37-7. Nick Fitzgerald's veteran leadership will be relied upon for MSU going Between the Hedges. That's where MSU has the advantage. Georgia, despite playing at home, has freshman Jake Fromm under center. He impressed in the road win at Notre Dame and has five TDs to one INT on the year. There's a good chance UGA lets its Big Dawgs eat and tries to play keep-away. Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are averaging over six yards per carry. If Georgia can't put it in the end zone, though, it could be a long night in Athens. MSU Bulldogs 30-24

 20 Florida at Kentucky
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET, SEC
Florida -2.5
Why are you tuning in? Because Kentucky is 3-0 and Mark Stoops may have his best Wildcats team yet. Oh, and Florida has won 30 straight games against UK. That seems impossible. Will the streak continue? Cats 17-13

UCLA at Stanford
Saturday, 10:30 pm ET, ESPN
Stanford -7.5
Two Pac-12 teams walked into Group of 5 stadiums a week ago and stumbled away with deflating losses. UCLA, which lost to Memphis, and Stanford, which fell at San Diego State, now face off in a must-win California battle. The Bruins need a defense to back Josh Rosen (and they need Rosen to be sharper than he has been). The Cardinal are probably just happy to be home after spending the first three weeks in the air and on the road (vs. Rice in Australia, at USC, and at SDSU). Since Stanford already has a conference loss, this game holds slightly more importance for the Cardinal. If UCLA does go down, the heat will be turned all the way up on Jim Mora. Cardinal 35-30

Keep An Eye On
Texas Tech at Houston
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN2/ABC
Houston -7
Texas Tech is brutal on defense yet again. The Red Raiders gave up 45 points to Arizona State. Luckily, the Sun Devils are equally as bad on D and Tech got the win, 52-45. On the road at Houston in an early game (11 AM kick local time), against a Coug team hungry for another Big 12 win, this could spell the end of the Kingsbury era in Lubbock. Cougars 55-45

 Texas A&M vs. Arkansas (AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas)
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN
Texas A&M -2.5
Like their West Texas counterparts, the Aggies too could see the beginning of the end of their head coach if they go down in Jerry World. When these two get together, it's always an exciting game. Arkansas had the week off to regroup following its loss to TCU. A&M needed a second half comeback to take down Louisiana-Lafayette, and even then Kevin Sumlin's seat hasn't cooled. The quarterback battle will be interesting to watch. Austin Allen is one of the league's better passers. Kellen Mond is trying to prove his worth for the Aggies. Arkansas is due in the series. Hogs 27-20

Duke at North Carolina
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ESPNU
Duke -1
If it was basketball, this is Must Watch material, probably Game of the Week. Alas, the Tobacco Road Rivalry doesn't quite have the same shine on the field as it does on the court. Duke has impressed early on, while North Carolina picked up its first win a week ago. Daniel Jones is the next David Cutcliffe prodigy and he has Duke on the rise in the ACC. Blue Devils 44-37

 Notre Dame at Michigan State
Saturday, 8 pm ET, Fox
Notre Dame -3
Another big game that is usually the game to be watching, ND and MSU have taken quite a few steps backward from their recent glory days. The oddsmakers have the Irish as a road favorite, which is surprising only because that tells me they don't have faith in Mark Dantonio anymore. Irish 24-21

-BtW
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Friday, September 8, 2017

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 2

Time for some more predictions! This weekend packs a big punch with great action all day and late into the night. Pour a cup or two of coffee and expect to be up late Saturday night. On with the picks!

2017 Record
Overall: 17-2 (.895 win %)
Game of the Week Pick: 1-0
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

AP Top 10
Fresno State at 1 Alabama
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ESPN2
Alabama -43.5
Alabama gets a chance to work on its offense with Fresno State in town. What will be interesting is if Jalen Hurts continues to struggle throwing the ball. Freshman Tua Tagovailoa impressed during the spring game and will likely get his first chance at live action on Saturday. Could quarterback controversy begin brewing in Tuscaloosa? Tide 48-0

GAME OF THE WEEK
The QB battle between Baker Mayfield and JT Barrett
is a dandy in the marquee game of the weekend.
5 Oklahoma at 2 Ohio State
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET, ABC
Ohio State -7.5
After getting thumped by the Buckeyes a season ago, the Sooners visit Ohio State with revenge on their minds. This is an intriguing coaching matchup with first-year coach Lincoln Riley against veteran Urban Meyer. Baker Mayfield looked terrific in the opener. Oklahoma appeared to find a few answers to who will step up at running back and wide receiver. Abdul Adams was shifty and quick out of the backfield. Jeff Badet and Mark Andrews are go-to targets for Mayfield. The question is, does OU have an answer for the nasty defensive front for the Buckeyes? The advantage lies with Ohio State's defense. I trust Mayfield more than JT Barrett, even on the road. But I believe the Sooners are behind on the defensive side. Barrett has plenty of speed around him and it will be tough for OU to keep up with the talented Buckeyes. Bucks 37-27

13 Auburn at 3 Clemson
Saturday, 7 pm ET, ESPN
Clemson -5
Kelly Bryant and Jarrett Stidham each get their first real test as new starters. Stidham has the tougher challenge going on the road in a night game at Death Valley. Both defenses are elite. Clemson will try to use its speed and chaotic backfield against a stout Auburn defensive front. Auburn has a more straight forward running game with Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway. However, Johnson suffered a hamstring injury last week and likely won't play, while Pettway was suspended and will get his first action of the season at Clemson. He'll be fired up, no doubt. But so will the Clemson defense, Clemson offense, and Clemson crowd. ACC Tigers 24-17

Pittsburgh at 4 Penn State
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ABC
Penn State -21.5
The Nittany Lions are on a mission to prove many of the doubters wrong. The loss to Pittsburgh a season ago kept Penn State out of the College Football Playoff. Despite the weapons returning on offense, many have Penn State behind Ohio State in the Big Ten East. Before getting to the Buckeyes, PSU needs to avenge this loss. With Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley leading the way in front of a raucous sold out, white out Happy Valley, Penn State gets it done big. Lions 44-17

14 Stanford at 6 USC
Saturday, 8:30 pm ET, Fox
USC -5.5
I've been back and forth on this one, mostly because of how good Stanford looked two weeks ago in the opener and how mediocre USC looked last week against Western Michigan. Bryce Love filled in the shoes left by Christian McCaffrey extremely well, rushing for 180 yards and a score on just 13 carries. Stanford had two weeks to prepare for this one and USC dropped in the polls after it struggled. However, this is destined to be an early Heisman campaign type game for Trojan quarterback Sam Darnold. If USC was simply keeping it vanilla last week and still scored 49 points, then watch out. Trojans 38-35

Montana at 7 Washington
Saturday, 8 pm ET, Pac-12
No Line 
Well, there's not much to say about this. Washington needed a big second half to put away Rutgers (yes, that Rutgers!). But the Huskies and Jake Browning are fine. For now. Huskies 55-10

Cincinnati at 8 Michigan
Saturday, Noon ET, ABC
Michigan -34
Wilton Speight nearly cost himself his starting job and Michigan the game last week against Florida. Speight was able to redeem himself and led the Wolverines to a big win over the Gators to open the season. Michigan steps back this week and should roll over a Cincy team that struggled with Austin Peay. Wolverines 52-6

Florida Atlantic at 9 Wisconsin
Saturday, Noon ET, Big Ten
Wisconsin -33
The Badgers looked good against Utah State. Scary good. Another ho-hum game means another big Wisconsin win. The only reason to tune in is to see Lane Kiffin exploding on the sidelines for the Owls. Badgers 49-13

10 Florida State - OFF
The Noles' game against Louisiana-Monroe was cancelled due to Hurricane Irma. Other games throughout the state and affecting teams from Florida have also been cancelled. BENched sends his thoughts and prayers to the people of the state of Florida as they brace for one of the worst storms to hit the US.

Must Watch
17 Louisville at North Carolina
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN
Louisville -9.5
Lamar Jackson totaled 485 yards in a close win over Purdue and all he did was "hurt" his Heisman stock. Sheesh, people. The guy is electric. It's just a shame the team he has around him is just OK. Meanwhile, North Carolina lost at home to Cal, despite the Bears playing in the morning hours Pacific Time - I guess they didn't have an issue with their body clocks like Stanford did a few years back. I think this line might be a little too close and Jackson puts on another show ahead of Louisville's showdown with Clemson next week. Cards 41-24

 23 TCU at Arkansas
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, CBS
TCU -3
These two produced a epic finish last year with TCU storming back to force overtime, but the Hogs escaping Ft. Worth with a double-OT win. Now, the scene flips to Fayetteville. Kenny Hill threw four TDs and the TCU offense showed some major firepower, albeit against Jackson State. Likewise, the Razorbacks sleep-walked through their win over Florida A&M. BENched expects a shootout with the team with the ball last getting the victory. Frogs 47-42

 Nebraska at Oregon
Saturday, 4:30 pm, Fox
Oregon -13.5
Oregon couldn't get out of its own way in Lincoln last year, failing several two-point conversions en route to a three-point loss. Under new leadership, the Ducks won't be quite as finesse in these type of games. Nebraska nearly coughed up its win last week against Arkansas State. Autzen Stadium is no easy place to play and Royce Freeman is eager to put his own name into the hat for early-season Heisman candidates. Ducks 40-27

 15 Georgia at 24 Notre Dame
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET, NBC
Notre Dame -5.5
A fun one in South Bend as two historic teams face off for just the second time ever. The Dawgs will go with freshman Jake Fromm to lead the charge. Fromm steps in for the injured Jacob Eason. The youngster looked sharp in UGA's win over Appalachian State. Going on the road in the hallowed Notre Dame Stadium is a little different, though. The Irish will counter with a first-year starter themselves. Brian Kelly has given redshirt sophomore Brandon Wimbush the nod. Notre Dame crushed Temple to open the season. At home, under the lights, this one goes to ND. Irish 31-24

Utah at BYU
Saturday, 10:15 pm ET, ESPN2
Utah -2.5
The Holy War. One of the more underrated rivalries in football. BYU hasn't come close to looking good this season. The Cougars needed all four quarters to put away Portland State and then were blanked by LSU, 27-0. The Utes, meanwhile, have a quarterback in Tyler Huntley who took over for Troy Williams - last season's starter. Huntley's dual-threat ability will cause problems for many teams this year, starting with BYU. It's a late one, but this game tends to go down to the wire. You'll be happy you stayed up for the finish. Utes 23-20

 Keep An Eye On
Iowa at Iowa State
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN2
Iowa -3
Crazy things happen at Jack Trice Stadium. If you're looking for a little rivalry action early on Saturday, this one will do it. Iowa trounced the Cyclones last year. Can ISU turn the tables? Hawkeyes 34-28

 Wake Forest at Boston College
Saturday, 1 pm ET, ESPN3
Even
No, this one isn't exciting. In fact, it's not even on TV! You'll have to pull up ESPN3 to find it. But the Deacs and Eagles generally produce close games and the winner will have some kind of momentum going in conference play. Remember, Wake Forest was in the division hunt mid-November last year. Deacons 20-14

 South Carolina at Missouri
Saturday, 7 pm ET, ESPN2
Missouri -2.5
There could be points. Lots and lots of points in the battle of Columbias. Missouri and Drew Lock have already hung 70 on the board. South Carolina and Jake Bentley are on the upswing and took down NC State, scoring 35 points despite going against a tough defensive front. In between Ohio State-Oklahoma and Clemson-Auburn, check this one out. Gamecocks 48-44

Boise State at 20 Washington State
Saturday, 10:30 pm ET, ESPN
Washington State -10
Any chance to get to watch the pirate himself is great. Mike Leach has Washington State as a legit Top 25 program. Quarterback Luke Falk is the real deal. Wazzu will be out for revenge after falling on the blue turf last year. Cougs 37-31

-BtW
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Sunday, September 3, 2017

The Morning After - Winning the Opener

Welcome back to The Morning After, a Sunday staple of BENched. TMA began as a way for me to provide my thoughts on the previous day's Clemson game. It morphed into writing about the national landscape.

A new season is upon us and I'm going with a new format. There will be four quarters and an overtime, followed by "Tiger Tweets."  The first quarter will be all Clemson. The second through fourth quarters will be a look at the most important games from the weekend. Overtime will be some quick hits of the other action. Tiger Tweets will be a condensed game thread of some of my personal favorite tweets about the game.

There are still a few games to go over the holiday weekend. None should really impact the Playoff race, but a couple could turn the burner a little higher on some already hot seats.

1st Quarter
If you read my season-opening post, you know I'm high on my Tigers. It all stems from knowing Dabo Swinney loves the underdog role. With all the offensive firepower gone, pundits across the nation are hesitant to pick Clemson for a third straight Playoff run. That's understandable, but Swinney plays that chip on his shoulder better than most.

Kelly Bryant showed off his arm and his wheels
to lead Clemson in a blowout win over Kent State.
(Photo courtesy AP)
I realize Kent State is not a barometer for this team, but as Swinney mentioned during postgame this team played a relatively clean game. It was good to see Kelly Bryant lead the offense to three straight scoring drives. One of Clemson's strengths is its offensive line (returning four of five starters). Bryant had time to throw and the lanes were wide open to run through. The Tigers were very balanced and played 91 players in the game. Getting the youth playing time will pay dividends down the road. Clemson scored 56 points, gained 665 yards (312 passing, 353 rushing), all four running backs scored a rushing touchdown along with Bryant, and the passing game was on point.

Kent State managed 120 total yards and threw just five passes, completing one for one yard. I don't know why the Golden Flashes stuck to the running game against one of the best defensive front sevens in the country, but it's hard to get a read on the Tiger D when a team is voluntarily one-dimensional.

There is lots of promise for this team. The talent is there, but these next four games to close September are a different animal than what these youngsters have seen at the collegiate level. Clemson has Auburn visiting Saturday, then travels to Louisville, home vs. Boston College, and at Virginia Tech. Buckle-up, Tiger fans.

As always, one game at a time. Beat Auburn.

2nd Quarter
The GOAT (Greatest Opener of All-Time) was quite the DUD. Early on, it looked like we'd have a competitive game. But as it wore on, it was clear the Alabama was a step above Florida State. The Tide stuffed the Noles running game, holding FSU to 40 yards on the ground. Ultimately, offense and special teams blunders doomed the Seminoles. Good teams, like Alabama, take advantage of those mistakes.

Where FSU was impressive was on defense. Despite being put in terrible situations much of the second half, the Noles stiffened up and kept the deficit from growing. Alabama outgained FSU by just 19 yards. Jalen Hurts only threw 18 passes, completing 10 for 96 yards and a TD - seven of those completions and the TD were to playmaker Calvin Ridley. But Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough, and Hurts combined for 39 rushes for 168 yards (4.3 yards per carry).

FSU would have had a long way to go to reach an ACC Championship this year before Deandre Francois got hurt. If his knee injury is serious, the Noles may be in rebuild mode with a young backfield. I feel bad for Francois. He's done nothing but get pounded into the ground since he put on that uniform. I hope his career isn't ruined because FSU can't block for him.

I'm also not completely sold that Alabama looks like the best team in the country just yet. In year's past, they destroyed their opening week competition. On Saturday, they struggled and were practically gifted some points off turnovers.

Still, I think both teams will be in the conversation in November.

3rd Quarter
Another team that impressed many but I'm holding back on is Michigan. The Wolverines had a hard time getting things going against a stout Florida defense. Starting QB Wilton Speight threw two pick-sixes that would have sunk Michigan against any other opponent with an offensive pulse. Lucky for the Maize and Blue, this was Florida. Quarterbacks not named Tim Tebow or Danny Wuerffel, umm, aren't good. Somehow, the Gators put up 181 passing yards, but only ran for 11.

Yes, Florida was without a lot of suspended players, including its starting running back and star wideout. However, at a place like Florida it's inexcusable not to have backups ready to fill in and take over.

On the other sideline, the stats show Michigan dominated this game. The scoreboard told me it was a nine-point game late in the fourth quarter. How do you only give up three offensive points and find yourself needing a defensive score to seal the deal? Michigan is a young squad and this win will go a long way for confidence-building. I still think Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin are above them in the Big Ten right now.

4th Quarter
I dislike preseason predictions and prognostications (despite myself picking the Playoff teams last week). I think it places expectations on teams that haven't stepped on the field yet. Then, we judge a season-opening game based on those expectations and that's simply not fair. Take USC and Sam Darnold for example. Many anointed Darnold as the Heisman favorite based on last year. They have USC pegged as the Pac-12 representative for the Playoff. Maybe that got to the Trojans heads a bit, as they were deadlocked at 28 midway through the fourth quarter with Western Michigan.

Ohio State is another example. The preseason No. 2 team and favorite to win the national championship by many, trailed 14-13 at halftime at Indiana. The Buckeyes won going away, 49-21. Despite holding the Hoosiers to 17 rushing yards, OSU allowed 420 through the air. It took the offense three quarters to hit its stride, but that happens.

Let's hold off on the hot takes for another couple weeks until we see some of these teams against better competition. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Overtime
Most of the top teams played cupcake games. However, there were some other interesting results. I'll start with South Carolina knocking off NC State. The Wolfpack doubled the Gamecocks' yardage output 504-246, but shot themselves in the foot too many times. Deebo Samuel made some huge plays for USC and Jake Bentley showed off his skillset. But once again, hold your horses. South Carolina got the win, but there are plenty of question marks. NC State took the loss, but much like a season ago, one play here or there can turn this team into a conference contender.

The conference debate was a major talking point in the offseason. The ACC finished 2016 on top, but that quickly went south. Aforementioned FSU and NC State lost to SEC schools, North Carolina lost at home to Cal, Pittsburgh needed overtime to pull out a win against Youngstown State, and Louisville squeaked by Purdue. The Big Ten had the best weekend, getting out of conference wins away from home over Florida and Texas by Michigan and Maryland, respectively. Purdue's loss to the Cards looked respectable and even Rutgers managed to hang with No. 8 Washington for a half.

Like I said, it's a marathon still. Lots can happened between now and conference championship weekend.

Tiger Tweets












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