Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Texas. Show all posts

Friday, October 13, 2017

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 7

Happy Friday the 13th! Be careful out there, they're predicting an upsetting weekend with no ranked-vs.-ranked matchups. Will the big boys fall, or will the gap between the top and bottom widen a bit more?

2017 Record
Overall: 77-23 (.783 win %)
Last Week: 12-5
Game of the Week Pick: 3-3
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

AP Top 10
Arkansas at 1 Alabama
Saturday, 7:15 pm ET, ESPN
Alabama -31.5
The Crimson Tide looked mortal last weekend. Texas A&M hung around long enough to make the Bama faithful almost nervous. That spells doom for Arkansas. Tide 55-6

2 Clemson at Syracuse
Friday, 7 pm ET, ESPN
Clemson -23
Clemson travels to Central New York for an all orange battle. Last season, the Tigers hung 56 on the board on a Friday night in Boston. Not sure this squad will get that high, but I'm anticipating a blowout. Tigers 45-14 

3 Penn State - BYE

Missouri at 4 Georgia
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET, SEC
Georgia -29.5
Georgia's Nick Chubb and Sony Michel are good enough that any quarterback could run the Bulldogs' offense. So far, Jake Fromm is playing well and he won't be tested by Mizzou. Dawgs 49-17

5 Washington at Arizona State
Saturday, 10:45 pm ET, ESPN
Washington -17.5
This one gets started late, much to the disdain of Chris Petersen. Washington shouldn't have any trouble, but the Sun Devils can score in a hurry. Other Dawgs 38-20

6 TCU at Kansas State
Saturday, Noon ET, FS1
TCU -6
With Jesse Ertz out, it feels like the Kansas State train is headed down the wrong tracks. TCU is looking to keep ahead of the rest of the Big 12 pack. Don't see this one being as close as the line predicts. Frogs 41-21

7 Wisconsin vs. Purdue
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, Big Ten
Wisconsin -17
Raise your hand if you can name Wisconsin's starting quarterback and running back. No one? Well, start paying attention to the Badgers. With an easy schedule the rest of the way, it's possible Wisconsin will reach the Big Ten title game undefeated. Badgers 38-14

8 Washington State at Cal
Friday, 10:30 pm ET, ESPN
Washington State -15
Luke Falk and the Cougars were impressive in the second half at Oregon. The more folks doubt Mike Leach, the better Wazzu seems to play. A late Friday night in NoCal might be hazardous to some, but not this team. Washington State's defense is surprisingly good. Cougars 42-24

9 Ohio State at Nebraska
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET, FS1
Ohio State -24.5
Oh look, Ohio State is scoring points against the bottom of the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are back in the Top 10 by default. As long as JT Barrett and company don't have to face teams with a pulse, take OSU big. Buckeyes 45-17

10 Auburn at LSU
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, CBS
Auburn -7
The Tigers versus the Tigers. Since not scoring a TD at Clemson and struggling with Mercer, the Auburn offense has found its rhythm. The Bayou Bengals are hard to figure out. Get blown out by Mississippi State (who since has been labeled a fraud), squeak by Syracuse (who lost to Middle Tennessee State), lose at home to Troy (who lost Wednesday to South Alabama), then beat Florida in the Swamp. War Eagle 31-10

Must Watch
Georgia Tech at 11 Miami
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ABC
Miami -5.5
Miami was dealt a big blow with starting running back Mark Walton's injury putting him out the rest of the year. The Canes finally picked up an emotional win at Florida State and now must prove they can prevent a letdown. Georgia Tech is right in the thick of the ACC Coastal race. The winner here has the inside track to the division title. Canes 35-30

GAME OF THE WEEK
It's known as "The Split" 'round these parts.
Burnt orange and Crimson split the Cotton Bowl at the 50-yard line.
12 Oklahoma vs. Texas (Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas)
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ESPN
Oklahoma -8
With the Texas State Fair as its familiar backdrop, the Red River Showdown is second to none. Oklahomans hate Texas and the hate is reciprocated south of the Red River. A new era begins as Texas' Tom Herman and OU's Lincoln Riley etch their names in the books of this historic rivalry. Herman has been known to have his teams play up to their opponents and freshman quarterback Sam Ehlinger has taken the reins under center. The Horns are 2-0 in conference play with back-to-back weeks against OU and Oklahoma State. A win over their crimson-colored rivals would signal the official "TEXAS BACK, Y'ALL!" However, Baker Mayfield and the Sooners are licking their wounds from a humbling loss to Iowa State. So far, OU has allowed 79 points in two Big 12 games, a far cry from the defensive effort put up in Columbus against the Buckeyes. Oklahoma is out to prove the ISU loss was a fluke. Make sure you're tuned in for this one. Sooners 41-37

 Utah at 13 USC
Saturday, 8 pm ET, ABC
USC -13
Utah suffered a heart-breaking loss last week at home to Stanford, which put a damper on this game. Now, both teams have a loss to a North Division foe. Still, this Pac-12 South battle will give the winner a leg up in the division. Sam Darnold needs a big game to restore his credibility. Utah just needs to bounce back after giving up 152 yards to Heisman candidate Bryce Love. In the Coliseum, the Trojans have the slight edge. Trojans 31-23

Keep An Eye On
24 Texas Tech at West Virginia
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPNU
West Virginia -3.5
Texas Tech has improved ever-so-slightly defensively, but the Red Raiders are not close to respectable on that side of the ball. West Virginia came close to taking down TCU last week. The Mountaineers love early home games against their Big 12 brethren, all of whom reside in Central Time. Mountaineers 45-37

Oregon at 23 Stanford
Saturday, 11 pm ET, FS1
Stanford -10.5
The good ole days of Stanford and Oregon being must-see Pac-12 action are gone. The Cardinal seem to be holding up their end of the bargain at 3-1 in the conference. The Ducks are 1-2 with this one and road games at UCLA and Washington still to come. Stanford's Love will be the difference maker and continues his march to the Heisman. Cardinal 30-20

 -BtW
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, September 17, 2017

The Morning After - Leaving No Doubt

Dabo Swinney doesn't like the term "defending" champions, rather he thinks of his new team as "attacking" champions. As in, they are attacking another championship. In Swinney's words, the Tigers left no doubt that they will be in the hunt once again this season.

1st Quarter
Kelly Bryant outplayed the reigning Heisman winner in his first road start.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)
Y'all starting to believe that Clemson is more than Deshaun Watson? Look, this program has been built to last. There's a reason the Tigers have won 10+ games six straight seasons - and are headed for a seventh. There's a reason Clemson is one of the few teams that "looks like Alabama" when it steps on the field with Alabama. There's a reason Swinney continues to say, "The best is yet to come."

The Tigers dismantled Louisville, who admittedly is probably very much overrated at this point. The Lamar Jackson effect swept the nation, but the pundits let that cover up the fact that the Cardinals aren't very good anywhere else. Clemson showed up and showed out. The Tigers out-manned the Cards at every position on the field, including quarterback. Brent Venables schemed brilliantly against Jackson in his second try. Clemson left no doubt in its 47-21 win.

Unsung hero: Hunter Renfrow, who once again made several clutch catches.
Big Play of the Game: Dorian O'Daniel's 44-yard pick-six
Big Play of the Game II: Ray-Ray McCloud's 79-yard TD reception
Big Play of the Game III: Travis Etienne's 81-yard TD run

Kelly Bryant was sharp. His downfield accuracy is incredible. His vision and ability to keep his eyes downfield while scrambling reminds me so much of Watson. Several times this year he's scrambled, found an open receiver, squared up his shoulders and delivered a bullet on the numbers. That takes talent. And Bryant is showing he's a talented quarterback.

Watch out, world. Clemson may have lost Watson. And Gallman. And Williams. And Boulware. And Leggett. And Tankersley.

But they have Bryant. And Feaster. And Cain. And McCloud. And Joseph. And O'Daniel.

And the list goes on. Clemson is here for the long haul. Too much can happen between now and December, but a third straight Playoff trip is not a stretch. Let's take it one at a time, shall we? Beat Boston College.

 2nd Quarter
For three-and-a-half quarters, I was falling asleep watching a 1930s re-run of a Tennessee-Florida game. By some miracle, the game auto-switched to 2017 and got exciting late in the fourth quarter. Seriously though, neither team looked like its offense knew what a football or a goalline was. Then, fireworks.

Tennessee's comeback from down 10, twice, was lucky in itself. Florida was headed in for a 20-3 lead, but a Vol player stripped the ball just before the touchdown resulting in a touchback, not a touchdown. Tennessee proceeded to score to make it 13-10. Florida finally got its first offensive TD to extend the lead back to 10, but Tennessee stormed back to tie the game with about 40 seconds to go.

Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks chucked the ball 70 yards in the air and found Tyrie Cleveland on the other end sliding into the end zone for a most improbable Hail Mary at the buzzer for the win. I have to say, I felt good for the Gators after what they and the rest of the state of Florida has been through this past few weeks. The Miami-FSU game was postponed this weekend, so the Gators carried the proverbial Florida flag for the weekend. A win like that was very uplifting. It was also fun to watch.

3rd Quarter
Speaking of fun, man, can Texas and USC play every year? I didn't think Texas would go on the road and put up a fight against Sam Darnold and the Trojans. The Horns did and and it led to another classic between the two blue blood programs. Credit Tom Herman for having his team hyped up as a big underdog once again. He was notorious for doing that at Houston and it translated over to Austin.

But Darnold was clutch when he needed to be. After Texas took a three-point lead with 45 seconds to go, Darnold led the Trojans into scoring position with no timeouts in his pocket. In overtime, he fired a perfect pass on the first play to give USC the lead. In the second OT, he didn't need to do much except keep USC in field goal range.

For all Texas did well, it was a costly double-overtime fumble at the goalline that was the game-changer. With two losses and a conference slate still to go, it'll be difficult for Texas to get bowl eligible. The Horns may not be back yet, but Saturday night it looked like they are well on their way.

On the other hand, we all might have been a little premature in calling USC a Playoff team. The Trojans can certainly still get there. Todd Helton is a heckuva coach and there's talent all over the field. The road to the Playoff will be filled with bumps and how the Trojans navigate it will determine their fate.

4th Quarter
A pair of upsets gave the Pac-12 a bit of a black eye this weekend. UCLA went on the road to Memphis and fell to the Tigers 48-45 in a back-and-forth affair. Josh Rosen made one too many mistakes for a player many regard as one of the top QBs in the upcoming NFL Draft. In the nightcap, San Diego State dropped Stanford, 20-17, meaning the Cardinal have yet to win a game in the US this season. Remember, Stanford's lone win came against Rice in the season opener in Australia way back on August 26. Stanford has fallen twice now in Southern California - last week at USC and this week at SDSU.

Northern Illinois also pulled off an upset, this one perhaps more impressive because it came on the road. The Huskies went into Lincoln and scored a win against Nebraska. The Huskers have to be wondering if the Mike Riley hire was a big mistake. In his third year, Riley's Huskers haven't created an identity and now have a home loss to Northern Illinois, the same team that was beat by Boston College. Yikes.

 Overtime
It's only mid-September, but I cannot wait until Nov. 4. Why? Bedlam, that's why. Oklahoma State, led by Mason Rudolph, has one of the most prolific offenses this season. Rudolph ripped apart an awful Pitt secondary to the tune of 423 yards and five TDs in the first half! Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield continues to solidify his Heisman candidacy. Mayfield threw four more touchdowns in a blowout win over Tulane. He's yet to throw an interception this season. The showdown in Stillwater will be can't miss TV. ... Penn State notched its second shutout of the young season with a 56-0 win against overmatched Georgia State. The Nittany Lions are headed into Big Ten play with a ton of confidence on both sides of the ball. Everyone knew about Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley, but PSU has a stifling defense. ... Virginia Tech got off to a slow start against nemesis East Carolina. The Hokies turned it on in a hurry, turning a 17-7 deficit at the end of the first quarter into a 64-17 thrashing of the Pirates. Tech QB Josh Jackson threw for 372 yards and five TDs. The Hokies get a tuneup game against Old Dominion next week before hosting Clemson on Sept. 30. Blacksburg is going to be insane.

 Tiger Tweets




































-BtW
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, August 31, 2017

PTT: Prediction Time Thursday - Week 1

A weekend of college football has already come and gone. In case you missed it, the season opened with Colorado State thumping Oregon State 58-27 and concluded with Stanford destroying Rice 62-7 down under, with a few other minor results in between.

A newer-ish format for my weekly picks, but I hope you still enjoy the content. Sometimes this will come out Thursday and sometimes Friday, pending the impact of the Thursday games. Keep in mind, the "Must Watch" games of course include Top 10 teams, but will be listed separately. With an official opening weekend filled with bigtime matchups, let's get right to it.

2016 Record Recap
Overall: 140-59 (.704 win %)
Bowl Picks: 16-4
Game of the Week Pick: 7-4
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

 AP Top 10
GAME OF THE WEEK
1 Alabama vs. 3 Florida State (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia)
Saturday, 8 pm ET, ABC
Alabama -7.5
(EDIT: I read the line wrong. It is Bama -7.5)
With all that Bama does return on offense - QB Jalen Hurts, RB Bo Scarbrough, WR Calvin Ridley - and knowing Nick Saban doesn't lose in season openers, I have a hard time going against the Tide (as much as I want to and hope FSU wins). It is a clash of two titans in college football this year and arguably the most anticipated opener of all-time. The ACC is the better conference, but Alabama is the better team. Plus, Alabama doesn't lose in Atlanta - new stadium or not. Tide 23-17

2 Ohio State at Indiana
Thursday, 8 pm ET, ESPN
Ohio State -21
Offensive guru Urban Meyer had to do some soul searching following a 31-0 beatdown in the Fiesta Bowl. He went out and hired former Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson, who never found much success at IU. Doesn't matter now. He has a depth chart stacked with talent. I wouldn't be surprised if the Buckeyes score often and don't stop. Bucks 58-17

4 USC vs. Western Michigan
Saturday, 5:15 pm ET, Pac-12
USC -27
If PJ Fleck were still at Western Michigan, I'd give the former boat rowers a chance. Sam Darnold is atop nearly every preseason Heisman list for good reason. Expect the Trojans to have a field day here. Trojans 47-13

 5 Clemson vs. Kent State
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN
Clemson -40
The Kelly Bryant era begins. Dabo Swinney and Co. are in search of 10-win season No. 7 in a row, but this will be the first without Tajh Boyd or Deshaun Watson. It'll be the Tigers defense that is the strength this season. The Golden Flashes shouldn't put up much of a fight. Tigers 38-6

6 Penn State vs. Akron
Saturday, Noon ET, ABC
Penn State - 30.5
Between Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley, the Nittany Lions ought to be a fun team to watch. Like many in the Top 10, this is a tune-up game for next weekend when Pittsburgh comes to Happy Valley. Lions 45-10

 7 Oklahoma vs. UTEP
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, Fox
Oklahoma -43
Sooner Nation officially welcomes in the Lincoln Riley campaign. Baker Mayfield is back for his senior season, but he'll have to find new playmakers to help his cause. Bob Stoops won 10 Big 12 titles in 18 seasons at OU. What's in store for his protégé? Sooners 63-21

8 Washington at Rutgers
Friday, 8 pm ET, FS1
Washington -27.5
The Huskies were knocked for their out-of-conference schedule a season ago. Going on the road in the Big Ten is generally a step up. At Rutgers, though, might be going in the opposite direction. Jake Browning is fun to watch. U-Dub could be on a crash course to play USC for the Pac-12 title. Huskies 55-13

9 Wisconsin vs. Utah State
Friday, 9 pm ET, ESPN
Wisconsin -27
Finally, Wisconsin opens the season against a non-SEC West opponent (Bama 2015, LSU 2016). The Badgers are a sleeper to crash the Playoff party this season. BENched isn't sold on Bucky just yet, but they'll have no trouble with Utah State. Badgers 38-16

10 Oklahoma State vs. Tulsa
Thursday, 7:30 pm EDT, FS1
Oklahoma State -18
How long will Mike Gundy let his mullet grow? Sadly, that may get more attention than his team, which actually has a chance to run through the Big 12 and reach Playoff status. Mason Rudolph and his main target James Washington are sure to give the Pokes some fire power. OSU has had success, however, when its defense makes plays. Don't be surprised if Tulsa gives the Cowboys fits. Pokes 48-24

Must Watch
Colorado State vs. Colorado (Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado)
Friday, 8 pm ET, Pac-12
Colorado -5.5
The Rocky Mountain Showdown gained intrigue when the Rams head-butted Oregon State out of the newly-opened CSU Stadium last Saturday. Colorado State now plays its second-straight Pac-12 foe with in-state rival Colorado in Denver. The Buffs were the Pac-12 South champion a year ago, but stumbled in the postseason, looking non-competitive in the title and bowl games. This is an underrated rivalry that is must-watch TV on Friday night (if you have Pac-12 Network). Buffs 34-30

 11 Michigan vs. 17 Florida (AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas)
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ABC
Michigan -3.5
Who's starting at quarterback? Neither has announced its starting quarterback in a game of "Let's see who can be the most annoying team." Regardless, we know the Gators will be without at least eight players who have been suspended and Michigan is looking at replacing nearly its entire starting roster from a season ago. Which Jim are you siding with - Harbaugh or McElwain? Wolverines 20-14

 Texas A&M at UCLA
Sunday, 7:30 pm ET, Fox
UCLA -4.5
The Hot Seat Game seems to be starting earlier and earlier each year. A&M's Kevin Sumlin and UCLA's Jim Mora can ill-afford a poor start to the season, making this game all-the-more interesting. The Bruins trailed 24-9 entering the fourth quarter in College Station before sending the game to overtime, where the Aggies pulled out the win a season ago. Is Josh Rosen really the "Rosen One?" Can the Aggies start AND finish a season? Bruins 27-24

 22 West Virginia vs. 21 Virginia Tech (FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland)
Sunday, 7:30 pm ET, ESPN
Virginia Tech -4.5
What used to be an intense Big East rivalry, was halted in the mid-2000s, and is now being resurrected as a neutral site game. The Mountaineers and Hokies don't like each other, plain and simple. Justin Fuente took VT back to 10 wins and showed promise as a first-year coach. But the Hokies must fill a lot of holes on offense. Will Grier, the former Florida QB suspended for PEDs, has won the starting job in Morgantown. Expect a battle to the finish. Hokies 33-27

 25 Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia)
Monday, 8 pm ET, ESPN
Tennessee -3
Paul Johnson loved bragging about being 3-0 against the SEC East in 2016, beating Vandy, Georgia, and Kentucky. The Jackets get a crack at another to open 2017 with Tennessee making the trip to Atlanta as the second game of the Labor Day extravaganza to open the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. I don't know what to think about either team. They both are starting new quarterbacks and neither ever lives up to preseason hype. I'll give UT the edge for having all summer to figure out how to slow down Johnson's triple-option offense. Vols 26-20

Keep An Eye On
Maryland at 23 Texas
Saturday, Noon ET, FS1
Texas -18
Not dire, but eager to see Texas under Tom Herman. Horns 31-20

NC State vs. South Carolina (Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina)
Saturday, 3 pm ET, ESPN
South Carolina -4.5
NC State will be physical on defense. South Carolina has playmakers on offense. A good one to have for the "last channel" button. Pack 27-24

Appalachian State at 15 Georgia
Saturday, 6:15 pm ET, ESPN
Georgia -14.5
Last season, the Mountaineers took another SEC East favorite (Tennessee) to overtime. Could they do the same here? Dawgs 38-17

 16 Louisville vs. Purdue (Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana)
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET, Fox
Louisville -24.5
Look, I firmly believe Deshaun Watson was the best player in CFB last year. But Lamar Jackson was a close second. Any chance to see his electrifying style of play can't be passed up. Cards 59-27

 BYU vs. 13 LSU (Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana)
Saturday, 9:30 pm ET, ESPN
BYU -14
The game has been moved from Houston to New Orleans, so it will be even more pro-LSU than before, though to no fault of LSU's. BYU struggled with Portland State in the opener, winning 20-6. Were they looking ahead? Also, Derrius Guice will remind a lot of folks of Leonard Fournette in a hurry. Tigers 27-20

-BtW
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, November 4, 2016

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 10

The College Football Playoff Poll is out. That means we've reached November and the final full month of regular season play. With four weekends to go until Championship Saturday in December, plenty is still on the line. Only five unbeatens remain - four from Power 5 conferences. As the saying goes, "They remember November." Time to make your mark.

2016 BENched PTF Record
Last Week: 6-6
Game of the Week Pick: 2-3
Overall: 78-36 (.684 win %)
*Rankings below reflect the CFB Playoff Top 25

Saturday

No. 7 Louisville at Boston College (Line: Louisville -25)
Things haven't come easy the recently for Lamar Jackson and the Cards. A game at noon at sleepy Chestnut Hill could produce another lackluster performance. But ESPN will find a 12-yard first down pass and claim it's his new Heisman moment anyway. Cards 33-10

No. 4 Texas A&M at Mississippi State (Line: Texas A&M -13)
Something about this game has me on edge. A&M somehow ended up at No. 4 in the Playoff Poll and no one knows how. Starkvegas will bring the clanga-clanga of the cowbells and this might be closer than the experts think. Aggies 31-20

No. 8 Wisconsin at Northwestern (Line: Wisconsin -6.5)
The City of Chicago will be hungover from the Cubs World Series victory. The party through the weekend could end with an upset bid by Northwestern. The Wildcats came close to knocking off Ohio State last weekend. The Badgers escaped another overtime game. Close, but the cheeseheads get it done. Badgers 27-17

Texas at Texas Tech (Line: Texas -3.5)
After the Longhorns upset over Baylor, Charlie Strong is eyeing a bowl bid. This will probably be another Big 12 shootout. Expect points and not very much defense. Horns 47-44

Georgia Tech at No. 21 North Carolina (Line: North Carolina -10.5)
North Carolina needs a win to keep pace with Virginia Tech in the Coastal race. Georgia Tech needs a win to become bowl eligible a season after winning just three games. The Jackets don't get it in Chapel Hill. Heels 38-27

Syracuse at No. 2 Clemson (Line: Clemson -26.5)
Dabo Swinney calls November the "Championship Phase" of the season. The first marker is the Atlantic Division championship. Clemson can't clinch it here, but expect the Tigers to play their best game. Syracuse will put up points with its uptempo offense, but not enough to take down Deshaun Watson. Tigers 49-24

 Maryland at No. 3 Michigan (Line: Michigan -31)
Michigan is playing another home game? This is my shocked face. Harbaugh's boys cruise against a Maryland team that started 4-0, but is 1-3 in its last four games with losses to Minnesota and Indiana. Big Blue 41-10

 No. 11 Florida at Arkansas (Line: Florida -4)
The Gators have a stout defense, but are lacking in the offense department. Florida has some wiggle room should it lose here, but really needs a win against one of its two SEC West opponents. Meanwhile, Bret Beliema and the Hogs had a bye week to think about their 56-3 whoopin' at Auburn. Arkansas will play better and could pull the upset. Hogs 20-17

 TCU at No. 17 Baylor (Line: Baylor -7.5)
Once a budding rivalry in the Big 12, now an afterthought. TCU is on the verge of not making a bowl this season, while Baylor needs a win to remain in conference title contention. The Battle on the Brazos will be fun to watch, but the implications are lacking. Bears 45-38

Iowa at No. 12 Penn State (Line: Penn State -7.5)
Penn State finds itself ranked much higher in the CFB Playoff Poll than any other poll. I guess a 62-point outburst against Purdue will do that for you. The Hawkeyes are in the middle game of playing Wisconsin, at Penn State and Michigan. They lost to the Badgers at home two weeks ago and got a bye week to prep for the trip to Happy Valley. James Franklin has called for an impromptu whiteout. Nittany Lions 23-13

No. 10 Nebraska at No. 6 Ohio State (Line: Ohio State -17)
After Nebraska's overtime loss on the road in Madison, it's somewhat shocking to see such a large spread for the Huskers' trip to Columbus. Maybe the tank is on empty. Maybe the Buckeyes are that much better. But Ohio State hasn't shown much the past few weeks needing OT to win at Wisconsin, falling to Penn State on the road, then struggling in a 24-20 win at home against Northwestern. Vegas knows something... Buckeyes 34-14

GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 1 Alabama at No. 13 LSU (Line: Alabama -7.5)
Louisiana boy Ed Orgeron can become the state's
favorite son by leading LSU to a win over Alabama.
(Photo courtesy The Advocate)
Arguably the best coach in the game vs. arguably the best interim coach in the game. Nick Saban vs. Ed Orgeron. The headlines surrounding Alabama at LSU are plentiful, and Oregeron has made sure LSU is at its best when the Crimson Tide come to Baton Rouge. Jalen Hurts has been in a few hostile environments this season, but LSU's Death Valley will be the toughest venue the freshman has entered. Leonard Fournette was swallowed up in last year's game, gaining just 31 yards on 19 carries. Fournette is coming into his own at the right time this year. I'm not calling the upset because I just can't pick against Bama, but don't be surprised if the Tigers take down the Tide. Bammers 30-20

No. 5 Washington at Cal (Line: Washington -17)
Through three road games, the Huskies have an OT win at Arizona, a seven-point win at Utah which was won on a late, controversial punt return, and a blowout at Oregon (70-21). How angry is U-Dub that it didn't make the initial Top 4 of the Playoff Poll? And how will that translate to the field? On the other side, Cal is unbeaten at home this season with wins over Texas, Utah and Oregon. Davis Webb and the offense can hang with Jake Browning and the Huskies. I just don't see that lasting too long. Dawgs 37-23

-BtW
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, October 9, 2016

The Morning After... The Blow Out Weekend

BENched presents The Morning After... My weekly college football observations, where this weekend you were either blown out by your opponent or by Hurricane Matthew.

 1) Halfway through the 2016 schedule, we like to welcome the real Clemson Tigers to the season. Just six days removed from a huge emotional win over No. 3 Louisville, Clemson traveled to play Boston College, a place where wins have been a struggle. There was no struggle Friday night. Clemson clicked on all cylinders and led 21-3 after one quarter. When the backups entered the game in the fourth quarter, it was evident the talent gap between the two squads. Clemson's 56-10 win was the first time Clemson scored 50+ points since Oct. 31, 2015, at NC State (56-41 win).
The Tigers were able to rise above and soar past the Eagles Friday night.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)
2) For the third time this season, Clemson's balanced offensive attack gained over 200 yards both rushing and passing. Wayne Gallman only needed nine carries to reach 100 yards rushing (109 to be exact). His 59-yard touchdown run was the first Tiger play over 50 yards this season. On the ensuing drive, Deshaun Watson hit Mike Williams for a 50-yard pass in which Williams dove and stretched out entirely to make a spectacular grab. The next drive, tight end Jordan Leggett went 56 yards to paydirt, giving Clemson three consecutive drives of 50+ yard plays after having zero such plays in the five previous games. It's safe to say the Tiger offense is gaining momentum.

3) BC's offense is abysmal, that much is clear. But Clemson's defense was able to get pressure with little blitzing. Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins and a host of other D-linemen ravaged the Eagle backfield all night. Like last year, Clemson's defense is ahead of the offense. With more depth, however, it appears the trudge toward the end of the season won't be a factor. It was made well known in 2015 that the defensive Tigers were worn down come season's end. This unit appears to be picking up steam with six regular season games to go.

 4) Statistically speaking: Clemson has now won 44 straight games against unranked opponents. ... The Tigers are 6-0 for the fourth time in the last six years. Clemson had been 6-0 only four times in the previous 78 seasons. ... CU is 77-0-1 when gaining 200 yards passing and rushing. ... Watson is 24-2 as a starter. One of the losses came to Georgia Tech in 2014 when he was injured in the first quarter and didn't return. The other is to Alabama in last season's National Championship Game. ... Gallman has 15 career games with over 100 yards rushing. That ties a Clemson record with Raymond Priester. ... Deon Cain had two more TD receptions, the second consecutive game he's hauled in two scores. He leads the team with six touchdown catches.

 5) The Red River Showdown was once called the Red River Shootout. While the name won't change back, the game itself turned into a shootout. Oklahoma's offense had little trouble solving Charlie Strong's defense, gaining 672 yards in the 45-40 win. Samaje Perine bulldozed his way to 214 yards and two scores, while receiver Dede Westbrook had 10 catches for 232 yards - a Sooner record - and three touchdowns. The trouble for the Crimson and Cream came on defense. Longhorn freshman quarterback Shane Buechele threw for 245 yards and three TDs. OU couldn't stop D'Onta Foreman on the ground either, allowing 159 yards and two TDs to the Horns runner.

It was the defense, however, that came up with two crucial stops late in the third and early in the fourth quarters. When OU took a 28-27 lead, the Sooners forced a 3-and-out. Westbrook then hauled in his third score of the game to put the Sooners on top 35-27. Another 3-and-out gave OU the ball back and again they scored for what ultimately proved to be too much for Texas to overcome.

With TCU and Texas behind them, OU has a clear shot at the Big 12 title. Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma State must visit Norman. Oklahoma travels to West Virginia late in the year, but the conference title may be wrapped up before then.

6) No. 8 Texas A&M and No. 9 Tennessee produced a classic. It seems that most games the Vols are involved in these days turn out to be classics. The Aggies led 28-7 early in the third quarter, and 35-21 late in the fourth. But don't count out Big Orange. Tennessee scored twice in the final three minutes to send the game to overtime. Both kicked field goals in the first frame, but Texas A&M prevailed 45-38 after scoring and then intercepting Josh Dobbs. The next two weeks see both teams facing No. 1 Alabama - Tennessee on Oct. 15 at home; Texas A&M on Oct. 22 at Bama.

7) Saturday Stunners: No. 6 Houston was the second Top 10 team to go down. The Cougs lost on the road to Navy 46-40. Houston's dream of crashing the Playoff party ended in Annapolis. ... No. 10 Miami became the third Top 10 team to fall, as the Canes dropped their seventh straight to No. 23 Florida State when the Noles blocked a potential game-tying extra point. ... Other Top 25 teams to go down were: No. 17 North Carolina getting blown away in Hurricane Matthew by No. 25 Virginia Tech, 34-3; No. 21 Colorado lost 21-17 at USC; No. 16 Arkansas lost big to No. 1 Alabama (not surprising here); And Washington State drop-kicked No. 15 Stanford on The Farm, 42-16.

8) Notre Dame is off to its worst start (2-4) since 2007 following a 10-3 loss at NC State. The Irish and Wolfpack played amidst the hurricane conditions in Raleigh. The field was more fit for slip-and-slide, but no excuses as both teams dealt with the problematic conditions. The Irish still have Stanford, Miami, Navy, Virginia Tech and USC still on the schedule. It's very possible Notre Dame won't make a bowl game this season.

9) There are now only 11 unbeaten FBS teams remaining. Nine are from Power 5 conferences and two Group of 5 teams.

Power 5
ACC - Clemson
Big 12 - Baylor and West Virginia
Big Ten - Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio State
Pac-12 - Washington
SEC - Alabama and Texas A&M

 Group of 5
MAC - Western Michigan
MWC - Boise State

Some games to keep an eye on next week - Alabama at Tennessee, Nebraska at Indiana, West Virginia at Texas Tech, and Ohio State at Wisconsin.

10) The schedule finally becomes a little more routine. Six games to go, all on Saturdays, one bye week, and four home games. One at a time. Beat NC State.

-BtW
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, October 7, 2016

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 6

The first weekend of October provided some amazing finishes. On the second weekend of October, rivalries renew. Not your typical end-of-season rivalries, but some rather big ones. There are four matchups between Top 25 teams. Enough of the banter. On with the picks!

2016 BENched PTF Record
Last Week: 8-5
Game of the Week Pick: 0-1
Overall: 45-19 (.703 win %)
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Friday

No. 3 Clemson at Boston College (Line: Clemson -17)
Friday Night Lights for the No. 3 team in the land. Some things should just never happen. Lots of emotion in this one with the Eagles playing their annual "Red Bandanna Game." The Tigers are coming off the huge win over another bird type last week. The thought here is that Clemson has found its stride and is about to turn it up about 10 notches. Tigers 34-10

 Saturday

Texas vs. No. 20 Oklahoma (Line: Oklahoma -11.5) - Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas
Big Game Bob takes on Charlie "Save My Job Again" Strong. The Burnt Orange and Crimson split at the 50 of the Cotton Bowl is a spectacle. OU will be without several key defenders, including a couple on the defensive line. No way the Longhorns overpower the Sooners again. Right? Ponies and Wagons 38-30

 Notre Dame at NC State (Line: NC State -2)
NC State playing a non-conference Power 5 opponent? Say whaaaat? Anyway, Notre Dame lacks a defense. NC State lacks the ability to have anything better than a mediocre season. The line flipped from ND -2.5 to State -2. There could also be potential weather issues from Hurricane Matthew. Take your pick. Irish 28-24

LSU at No. 18 Florida (GAME POSTPONED)
What could have been a 3-2 type ballgame has ended up 0-0 before it ever got started. The question now becomes what happens if either of these teams ends the SEC portion of their schedule 6-1? Hurricane Matthew 1, Gators and Gator Hunters 0

 Indiana at No. 2 Ohio State (Line: Ohio State -29)
Look, the Hoosiers upset Michigan State last week, and that might have been worse for them heading into the Horseshoe. Now the Buckeyes can't not take them seriously. Bucks 52-21

 No. 25 Virginia Tech at No. 17 North Carolina (Line: North Carolina -1.5)
Some people are high on the Hokies. Some, like me, have looked at their schedule and seen who they've beaten. The Heels are a tested bunch. And that kicker is savage. That's enough for me. Heels 37-28

 BYU at Michigan State (Line: Michigan State -6)
Sparty, as mentioned, is sulking from the loss to Indiana. Probably not good for any team coming to East Lansing this week. Taysom Hill hasn't looked the same as he did pre-injury for the Cougars. Sparty 20-14

 GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Texas A&M (Line: Texas A&M -7)
Things sure are rocky on Rocky Top. Of Tennessee's five wins, four have been after trailing by double-digits and the other was a nine-point win over Ohio (Bobcats, not State) after only leading by two going into the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Aggies should be at full strength and are out to prove a 5-0 start for the third straight year will lead to bigger things. Expect another insane atmosphere at Kyle Field, much like that at Death Valley last week in Clemson. Aggies 41-31
How many more miracles do the Vols have in them?
(Photo courtesy Tennessee Athletics)
No. 21 Colorado at USC (Line: USC -4.5)
Last week, then 1-3 USC was a 10-point favorite over then 4-0 Arizona State. I questioned it. USC answered it. Final score: Trojans 41, Sun Devils 20. So once again, here we are with the sub-.500 Trojans facing a 4-1 and ranked Colorado squad. The Buffs are legit. But what does Vegas know? They can't be right about this. Buffs 34-30

 No. 1 Alabama at No. 16 Arkansas (Line: Alabama -14)
Tricky trip for the Tide up to northwest Arkansas.  Bret Bielema's teams have played Bama tough the past few years. This Tide team is different with Hurts receiving the snaps. Tide 31-17

 No. 5 Washington at Oregon (Line: Washington -9)
The Huskies haven't beaten Oregon in 12 years. Seriously, George W. Bush was wrapping up his FIRST TERM as President. A loss by the Ducks at home to end this streak and you can fully expect that Phil Knight will be phoning his best bud, Chip Kelly. Huskies 48-24

 No. 23 Florida State at No. 10 Miami (Line: Miami -3)
I love this rivalry. It's how it's supposed to be. How much this game also gets affected by Hurricane Matthew could play a huge factor. Miami seems to be on the path back to glory, but hasn't played a worthy opponent yet. Don't fault the Canes for that, though. They've just beaten everyone on their schedule. However, they were out-gained by Georgia Tech and only defeated the Jackets by 14, a margin solidified by two defensive touchdowns. Take those away and Miami's offense tied GT's 21-21. On the flip side, this game is make or break for the Noles. A loss dooms the season (three losses before mid-October). A win gets FSU back on track for a decent bowl. Canes 23-17

Washington State at No. 15 Stanford (Line: Stanford -7.5)
How do the Trees react to being smoked by Washington last week? And did you see the Cougs wallop Oregon 51-33, beating the Ducks for the second straight season? Not real sure about the spread in this one. I like the upset! Cougs 41-35

-BtW
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, September 30, 2016

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 5

BENched is back to its winning ways after an 11-2 week. There's another exciting weekend on tap with three top 10 games and a new feature on PTF - the GAME OF THE WEEK will be highlighted in this weekly post. This week it involves Clemson, so yours truly hasn't slept a wink. On to the picks!

2016 BENched PTF Record
Last Week: 11-2
Overall: 37-14 (.725 win %)
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Friday

 No. 7 Stanford at No. 10 Washington (Line: Washington -3.5)
Stanford pulled out a win at UCLA by the skin of its teeth. This may be Chris Peterson's best chance to bring Washington back to prominence. The Huskies gotta go through the reigning conference champs and All-World All-Purpose King Christian McCaffrey. Huskies 26-23

Saturday

 No. 14 Miami at Georgia Tech (Line: Miami -7)
BENched wonders if anyone in Atlanta cares to tell Paul Johnson that it is 2016 and only the service academies still run the triple-option offense. No? Suits me - and Brent Venables - just fine. Former Georgia coach and current head Cane Mark Richt is something like 78-2 against Georgia Tech. Canes 41-17

 No. 22 Texas at Oklahoma State (Line: Oklahoma State -2.5)
The road team has won seven straight in this series. Yet somehow Oklahoma State, the home team, is favored to win. C'mon, Vegas. You're better than that! Horns 34-30

North Carolina at No. 12 Florida State (Line: Florida State -11)
Wonder if UNC's receivers will show up wearing robes again - and nothing underneath! No one would want to sleep on them anymore ... HA! Sometimes I make myself laugh. You know who doesn't? Future LSU head coach Jimbo Fisher. Noles 49-34

No. 11 Tennessee at No. 25 Georgia (Line: Tennessee -3)
How is Georgia still ranked? I mean, are the voters even watching the Dawgs? If not for a 35-point second half last week, we'd be talking about Tennessee being the most overrated team ... again. Also, how did UT give up 28 points to Florida? Mind-boggling. Vols 27-13

 No. 8 Wisconsin at No. 4 Michigan (Line: Michigan -11)
Big one at the Big House. Wisconsin has already beaten LSU on a not-so-neutral field and manhandled Sparty in East Lansing. A second straight trip to the mitten state might not be so kind. The Speight kid's alright. Jabrill Peppers - better than alright. Big Blue 35-24

Wake Forest at NC State (Line: NC State -11)
Undefeated Wake Forest. I'll let that sink in because it probably won't last long. Although, NC State did lose to East Carolina who got beat by offensively-challenged South Carolina and had its pirate ship blown apart at Virginia Tech. Devil Pastors 24-17

Kansas State at West Virginia (Line: West Virginia -3)
"Country roads take me home to the place I belong..." Any excuse to sing that song is a good one. Also, there's this: How do you know the toothbrush was invented in West Virginia? Because if it had been invented anywhere else it'd be called the TEETHbrush! I'll be here all week. I really wanna pick the SnyderCats in this one, but... One-toothers 31-27

 Oklahoma at No. 21 TCU (Line: Oklahoma -3.5)
September was rough for the Sooners, but hey, they've had the best week of practice ever, according to sources. TCU led SMU 6-3 at halftime last week and for much of the year hasn't looked like a contender. Of course, neither has OU. Ponies and Wagons 52-44

Memphis at Ole Miss (Line: Ole Miss -14.5)
Revenge of the ner ... umm, Mississippians are not nerds. I'll need to come up with a different angle for that. Memphis laid it on the Rebels last year. No chance that happens again. Not nerds 47-20

Missouri at LSU (Line: LSU -13)
The turf at Tiger Stadium gets to live its life without fear! No more grass-eating Les Miles on the sidelines. Ed Orgeron takes over and has vowed to change up the offense. There's talent on the LSU sidelines including that Leonard Fournette guy. Bayou Bengals 35-17

 GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 3 Louisville at No. 5 Clemson (Line: Louisville -2)
I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this. Am I really gonna do this? Cards 37-33 **BENCHED ENTERS WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM**
Clemson needs to figure out how to stop this guy from attending the volleyball match Friday night.
Oh, and how to stop the guy in the football uniform on the field Saturday night.
(Photo courtesy Charleston Gazette-Mail)
Arizona State at USC (Line: USC -10)
Before I go off the grid, one more pick. Arizona State is 4-0. USC is 1-3. Vegas has USC by 10. DID THEY TURN OFF THE OXYGEN IN THOSE CASINOS? Pitchforks 41-30
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, September 16, 2016

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 3

New format, same idea. No need to delve into too many details on every team. Hey, I never claimed to be an expert. 

 Big week on tap as the top three teams in the rankings are all on the road at a ranked opponent. Will we find out a lot on this "Shakeup Saturday?"

2016 BENched PTF Record
Last Week: 10-3
Overall: 19-6 (.760 win %)
*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Saturday

No. 25 Miami at Appalachian State (Line: Miami -3.5)
What a fun atmosphere it will be in Boone, N.C. I'm reluctant to do this, but give me Miami. Canes 26-20

 No. 2 Florida State at No. 10 Louisville (Line: Florida State - 1)
FSU's defense took a hit and will miss Derwin James. That Lamar Jackson kid is something special. Call me a Bird-liever. Cards 31-27
Louisville QB Lamar Jackson is a can't miss act right now.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

South Carolina State at No. 5 Clemson (No Line)
Deshaun Watson and Clemson's offense has to get on a roll soon, right? RIGHT?! Tigers 56-10

 No. 22 Oregon at Nebraska (Line: Nebraska -3.5)
Interesting B1G-Pac-12 battle in Lincoln. Oregon looks fast (again) and Nebraska looks improved. The difference in this one? Rolls Royce Freeman. Ducks 41-28

Pittsburgh at Oklahoma State (Line: Oklahoma State -4.5)
OSU got #MACtioned last week. How will they respond? Meanwhile, one of the best stories in the land is the return of James Conner. Pitt looked solid last week against Penn State. Can they take their show on the road? Panthers 34-27

No. 1 Alabama at No. 19 Ole Miss (Line: Alabama -11)
Surely, Bama won't lose for a third time to the Rebs. Jalen Hurts brings a new dynamic to Lane Kiffin's offense. Chad Kelly won't be the best QB on the field. Tide 49-24

No. 17 Texas A&M at Auburn (Line: Auburn -3.5)
The only answer we'll get out of this one is which coach has the seat warmer turned up another notch afterward. Tigers 33-24

Mississippi State at No. 20 LSU (Line: LSU -14)
Looks like LSU has something that resembles a quarterback in the Etling kid. Mississippi State won't have enough cowbell for Leonard Fournette. Tigers 23-7

No. 12 Michigan State at No. 18 Notre Dame (Line: Notre Dame -7.5)
Sparty has played one game and per usual, looked simplistic in it. DeShone Kizer is the real deal for Notre Dame. Irish 37-20

No. 3 Ohio State at No. 14 Oklahoma (Line: Ohio State -1)
Should be a Top 4 match-up and could be a high-scoring affair on the plains. This is the first test of the season for JT Barrett and company. Typically, Big Game Bob shows up in September against the big boys. Sooners 38-35

USC at No. 7 Stanford (Line: Stanford -9)
David Shaw is perhaps the most underrated coach in America. Oh, and Stanford has that McCaffrey guy. Trees 44-17

UCLA at BYU (Line: UCLA -3)
BYU suffered a tough loss to Utah last week, so their psyche will be tested. Josh Rosen probably should just keep his mouth shut and play football. He's pretty good when he does. Bruins 28-24

No. 11 Texas at Cal (Line: Texas -7)
"Texas is back, folks!" All due respect to Joe Tessitore, I would've only believed it if he said, "Texas is back, y'all!" But Texas does look like it is back. Or at least on the way back. Shane Buechele is purdy darn good. Let's just see him perform on the road. Horns 45-31

 -BtW
Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, September 11, 2016

The Morning After... That? What was that?

Hunter Renfrow's acrobatic touchdown catch was one of the
few bright spots for the Clemson offense Saturday.
(Photo courtesy TigerNet.com)
1) There will be no sugar-coating in this blog - this Clemson team has not looked like a Top 10 team so far this season, much less the No. 2-ranked team. I fully expect the Tigers to drop a couple spots in the polls in a few hours. No offensive rhythm, dropped passes, nine carries for 34 yards by a running back who had over 1,500 yards last season, lack of QB protection, questionable play-calling, unfathomable mistakes, terrible third down conversion rate ... and that's just the offense. Luckily, Clemson's defense has looked somewhat the part of the past two seasons, but even they gave up two late scores that turned a 27-10 ballgame into an onside kick recovery away from a major scare.

2) About that third down conversion rate. Against Auburn and Troy, Clemson converted 14-of-37 tries on the money down. The Tigers were 8-of-20 against Troy. The 38 percent conversion rate is nearly 10 percent less than that of the 2015 team, when it finished the season with an over 47 percent conversion rate. Staying on the field and running more plays does a few things. One, it allows your offense to get into rhythm. Two, it deflates a defense trying desperately to get off the field on third down. Three, it allows your own defense to rest a few more plays instead of sending them out there after another three-and-out. This area needs to get better ASAP.

3) We've all seen it one too many times, and I've made it a point before to say this when it happens: Run the ball through the back of the end zone if you can and hand it to a referee after you score.

3B) Seriously, how hard is that? Run the ball past the goal line 10 more yards to the back of the end zone and give it to the ref. That way, you KNOW you scored.

4) Not everything that has happened offensively this season is Deshaun Watson's fault, but he simply does not look like the same guy from a season ago. I don't know if it was all the travel for awards and camps and appearances at ESPN or the 300 hours of courses he took between the end of last season and now or what. But this is not the same guy who had aspirations of winning a Heisman and getting a national championship before he left Clemson. If you read between the lines of all the quotes from Watson, Dabo Swinney, and co-offensive coordinators Jeff Scott and Tony Elliott, they are all searching for answers.




Among others, Scott said, "We're just not clicking the way that we know we can. We know what we have in that room and for whatever reason we're just not on the same page right now."

Elliott noted, "We've got to find rhythm on offense. ... We tried to establish an early rhythm in the running game, but they came out with some different structure where they were going to take some chances. They were geared up to stop our bread and butter, so we had to find some complimentary schemes we had to get to. ... We felt like we could make some plays in the passing game until we could figure out what were our best schemes."

You mean the opposing team game-planned to stop what you do, and you weren't prepared for that and had to spend time figuring out what would work? Yikes.

5) I'm moving on. I could spend all morning writing about how bad this team has looked. Luckily, Clemson is 2-0 and that is ultimately what matters. If they put it together over the next 10 games and the offense clicks, this will be a minor blip on the radar. For now, it appears there are myriad problems needing fixing.

6) The Sooners bounced back to the tune of 459 yards in the first half in a dominant win over UL-Monroe. This was expected, as the Warhawks were no match for Oklahoma. The air raid offense was wide open and OU pretty much was able to do whatever it wanted. Backups played the entire second half, which prevented any injuries as the Sooners get set to host a big one next weekend in Norman. Ohio State (I refuse to call them "The") comes calling in what should be a fantastic heavy-weight matchup.

7) So much for a ho-hum Saturday with zero games involving two ranked teams. Non-Power 5 teams pulled off more upsets of Power 5 teams for the second straight week. ACC - NC State lost to East Carolina. Big Ten - Cincinnati beat Purdue and FCS Illinois State knocked off Northwestern. Big 12 - Central Michigan stunned Oklahoma State (albeit, the last play should have never happened, thought it did and thus, as a Top 25 team, you don't put yourself in that position to begin with) and Ohio beat Kansas ... well, that's not an upset. Pac-12 - San Diego State defeated Cal and Boise State held on against Washington State, although that, like Ohio-Kansas, wasn't so much an upset, but still a non-Power 5 taking down a Power 5. SEC - Well, there were no upsets in the SEC this week, but Nicholls gave Georgia a close call.

8) Texas might be the Big 12's saving grace. Oklahoma fell to Houston last week, then Oklahoma State was upset by Central Michigan and TCU lost a heartbreaker to Arkansas Saturday. That means the top three Big 12 teams heading into the season all have a loss. None are technically out of the Playoff hunt, but the Longhorns have looked sharp early on. With momentum in their favor, the Horns may be the best shot for the Big 12 to get a team into the Top 4 of the initial Playoff rankings.

9) Quick thoughts - In case your thumb wasn't fast enough to change channels, or you fell asleep early, you missed some wild ones last night. Arkansas-TCU had a crazy finish including two blown leads, a blocked game-winning field goal and double overtime, ending in a Hog victory. Boise State almost blew a 17-point lead, but held on to knock off Washington State 31-28. Utah thwarted a BYU comeback by stuffing a would-be game-winning two-point conversion. San Diego State held on against Cal on the West Coast. And some guy name Kalen Ballage scored a FBS record-tying eight touchdowns to help Arizona State win a shootout against Texas Tech 68-55. ... On Friday, Louisville blew the doors of Syracuse and the Carrier Dome, 62-28. Cards quarterback Lamar Jackson is the immediate front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. Against the Orange, Jackson had 411 passing yards and 199 rushing yards to become the first QB in college history to pass for over 400 and rush for over 175. He's accounted for 13 touchdowns in the Cards' two games, despite only playing half a game in the first one. Look out, Florida State. The Noles go to Louisville this weekend in what should be a gargantuan matchup.

10) I don't care if the offense scores a touchdown on every possession and puts up 100 points this week. That does not mean they have it all figured out. Clemson is playing a MEAC school and should do that. Just a two years ago, the Tigers beat SC State 73-7. It'd be nice to see that again, but I won't be convinced that all is right in TigerTown. I'll need to see it again the following Thursday in Atlanta. That said, one game at a time. Beat SC State.

 -BtW
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)