In a season with so many questions and surprises it's hard for someone trying to maintain an objective opinion and each week one must reevaluate all over again. I say this because after this Saturday I'm a believer in the Longhorns.
This weekend Texas proved to me that they can do the things they need to do as an offense oriented team. The D only has to play well enough for the offense to prevail. Last week's win over the Sooners was big, of course, vaulting Texas to #1. But the Missouri game showed me more. Texas handled the Tigers like this was any other season and made Missouri look like also-rans : and after observing the Tigers for two seasons we know they're better than that. Colt McCoy's ability to improvise is amazing. I underestimated him. Missouri did seem to make some questionable coaching decisions. After watching the UT/OU game last week I would have chosen my blitzing moments more carefully, however the Longhorns seem to handle a coverage type of D just as well, so what can you do... however a less aggressive defense might slow their game down a little. If Texas stays healthy, namely McCoy and the main cogs in their defense like Orakpo and Kindle, I can't see why Texas can't go all the way.
Alabama, in contrast, showed me that they can be vulnerable. Playing poorly in the second half again as they did last week (and really against Georgia as well) reenforced my belief that they'll probably falter, and probably in the SEC title game. The better teams usually adjust and dominate after halftime (see Penn State and Oklahoma this weekend). They have two 'easy' weeks to tune up for LSU by playing Tennessee and Arkansas State. The Vols might be playing for Fulmer's job but I don't see them competing with the Tide after the way they've played in the three games when I got to watch them.
Penn State showed me something this weekend too. Beating Michigan and their history and their recent success against the Lions after being down at halftime was admirable. Next week's showdown against OSU will be fascinating.
Speaking of which, Ohio State finally showed us something to get exceited about. Holding Michigan State's Ringer to 67 yards rushing was impressive, finally they dominated a reasonable opponent. Impressive rushing stats too for Both Pryor and Wells.
Georgia got the job done against Vandy. Not a pretty win but Vanderbilt was a ranked team and playing well. Forgive critics for staying on the fence with the Bulldogs, Georgia keeps failing to make that 'statement' game like Texas, Ohio State, and even Alabama (against Georgia themselves) have done. Best case scenerio is that they are the most balanced team in the country and will show it against an O happy big 12 team or a D dominated team in the N.C. game. They play LSU next and I still think the Tigers are powerful. If the Bulldogs win convincingly (and I think they will) they'll earn a lot of respect.
USC had the week off, essentially, by stomping Wash St. 69-0. (What's the matter, not good enough to score 70)? They dominated a weak Pac 10 team as they should and as their confidence grows they get more dangerous.
Wake Forest made a statement this weekend too, the wrong kind. Getting shut out by Maryland underlines the parity and weakness in the ACC. Georgia Tech is the highest ranked ACC team in the AP and they nearly lost to Gardner-Webb (who?) last week.
I was fairly happy with OU's win over Kansas this week even though they didn't dominate until the fourth quarter. I was worried they'd take it to overtime, they might still be playing. As it was, the Sooners played good enough defense for an offensive oriented team. Kansas had a late touchdown to give them 31 but the game was out of reach and the Sooners had not bothered to challenge a punt return call that I believe was a Jayhawks fumble. Even at 31, I believe the Oklahoma D was OK, giving up 45 last week was not.
My Top 10:
1: Texas
2: Alabama (undefeated, I've got to stay with them at this spot)
3: Penn State
4: Florida
5: USC
6: Georgia
7: Oklahoma
8: Ohio State
9: LSU
10: Texas Tech
Most likely to be overrated: Penn State. Why? It seems they are the only team in the list (other than #1 Texas) who's fans aren't whining about getting enough love in the polls. For that reason I'm pulling for them (if OU can't win it all).
That's all until preview in a couple of days.... Bones
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nicely done bones..
it doesn't thrill me to agree with you on the following, but their play on the field thus far compels me--texas is the real deal.
if they can stay healthy and defeat tech in lubbock, i dont see why they couldn't beat mizzou (or maybe even kansas) in the big 12 game and head to the bcs title game.
against?
penn st/ohio st will be the most intriguing game this sat. if great-grandpa joe can light up the buckeyes, the big 10 might be represented yet again in the title game.
i too think bama will not go unscathed.
sure, the sooners still stand a very decent chance...we all know anything can happen...but i don't know how well they would fare against even a penn st offense. i would hate to have to play USC again, just because...
and florida showed they can hang 50 on you when they're in the mood.
if tex wins out, and OU does as well, i'll take a bcs bowl invitation (a la kansas last year) elsewhere against bama or lsu...
be well
DoIt4Johnny
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I hope if the Big 10 gets another chance at the title that they make a game out of it. Maybe this year's Ohio State or Penn State is a better opponent, then again without playoffs we're all at the mercy of finding out relative conference strengths either in week 1 or 2 when noone is really fine tuned - or at Bowl time. So it goes.
I certainly get more out of what I watch than what I read and in the games I've seen so far Texas and Florida look like the closest to the real deal. Other people have said Florida looked awful other than in one game.(?) I don't see that. I think it was a Georgia fan who said it so that might explain the bias. Or maybe I saw them at their extreme best. If Georgia, USC, or Ohio State get hot and healthy any one of them could run the table. Perhaps OU too, but like you I'll be satisfied with a BCS game victory, I think they might pull that one off this year. One can only hope.
98Bones Football…
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