Five Things We Learned This Weekend

2008-11-21T12:40:13-05:00

2008-11-16T16:49:34-05:00

751

2008-11-16T16:49:55-05:00

2008-11-21T12:40:13-05:00

1728

CharMit

Las Vegas 24671

759 for LSUROX - I read from Fowler on ESPN that OK's betting spread continues to grow, to more than being a touchdown favorite. But many may wake up Sunday morning wishing they had followed your advice. What is interesting to me is that the commentaries are simply which defense could slow the other offense down enough to win, with the choice of most being OK. TexTech plus 8 pts sounds like a good deal if I had to choose, but I will follow your advice on this one. 3410182

2008-11-20T18:35:47-05:00

1728

CharMit

Las Vegas 24671

757 for LSUROX - I don't know the last time OK won a big game although they have done well in the Big 12 title when the NC was still at issue. I call that a big game when you know if you win you have a shot at the title. There are big games, like TTech vs Texas & OK St, but I think there is a big difference between a big game when you know you have major work to be done, and big games when you know the road is relatively clear ahead. With the bad press Mizzou has been getting I doubt that anyone in the Big 12 South thinks they are truly threatened by Mizzou. This will be the game for TTech when they know if they win the biggest hurdles are gone. I have been reading analyses and they all pretty much say the same. OK will be in a friendly environment playing against a team that might be as talented, but won its big games at home. Does anyone really think TTEch would have beaten Texas in Austin? If TTech overcomes the adversity and OK they will have earned their title. This is their third big game in a row, and actually of the season, and I am still of the opinion that OK St, like Mizzou last season, has benefitted greatly from a weak schedule. They have lost their biggest games and nearly were defeated by Mizzou, a team that allowed over 40 pts to a sub-par Illinois team. But that is why they play the games. 3402977

2008-11-21T11:12:21-05:00

LSUROX

Atlanta 484604

for LSUROX - I don't know the last time OK won a big game although they have done well in the Big 12 title when the NC was still at issue. I call that a big game when you know if you win you have a shot at the title. There are big games, like TTech vs Texas & OK St, but I think there is a big difference between a big game when you know you have major work to be done, and big games when you know the road is relatively clear ahead. With the bad press Mizzou has been getting I doubt that anyone in the Big 12 South thinks they are truly threatened by Mizzou. This will be the game for TTech when they know if they win the biggest hurdles are gone. I have been reading analyses and they all pretty much say the same. OK will be in a friendly environment playing against a team that might be as talented, but won its big games at home. Does anyone really think TTEch would have beaten Texas in Austin? If TTech overcomes the adversity and OK they will have earned their title. This is their third big game in a row, and actually of the season, and I am still of the opinion that OK St, like Mizzou last season, has benefitted greatly from a weak schedule. They have lost their biggest games and nearly were defeated by Mizzou, a team that allowed over 40 pts to a sub-par Illinois team. But that is why they play the games.

758 Well said, and I disagree. Head to head means everything, and after that one looks at common opponents. Tech beat Texas which beat OK. Tech beat OK last year. These two together don't mean everything, but I wouldn't discount them either. Besides, this is a conference opponent. The teams know about each other, and the fact that Tech cleared the hurdle of catching up to then beating OK is significant. Does Tech have enough defense to hold down the Sooner offense? They did last year with what looks like similiar personnel on both sides of the ball. Texas's offense looks better than OK's, and Tech did well enough against them. Does OK have enough defense to hold down Tech's offense? They couldn't last year, and this year's looks better. My advice to the bettors, skip this one. Too close to call. 3408703

2008-11-20T18:35:47-05:00

1728

CharMit

Las Vegas 24671

2008-11-20T16:03:06-05:00

1728

CharMit

Las Vegas 24671

754 It will be an interesting game, but it is the first game TTech has ever played for national implications. They are walking into the lion's den and I have to believe that Stoops will know better how to prepare a team for a game of this magnitude. I was a bit surprised to read so few articles predicting that TTech would win. They can win, but it seems doubtful. In any case I think Mizzou will fare better against TTech in the Big 12 title game than they would against Texas again. Mizzou seems to have gotten over its illusions that no one can stop them and is now a more serious team in any case. The Big 12 title game may not be a blow out this year. 3400843

2008-11-20T17:40:21-05:00

LSUROX

Atlanta 484604

It will be an interesting game, but it is the first game TTech has ever played for national implications. They are walking into the lion's den and I have to believe that Stoops will know better how to prepare a team for a game of this magnitude. I was a bit surprised to read so few articles predicting that TTech would win. They can win, but it seems doubtful. In any case I think Mizzou will fare better against TTech in the Big 12 title game than they would against Texas again. Mizzou seems to have gotten over its illusions that no one can stop them and is now a more serious team in any case. The Big 12 title game may not be a blow out this year.

756 This may be TTU's first really big game, but Oklahoma's record in its last 5 (10?) really big games hasn't been all that good. Have they won a really big game since losing to LSU in 2003? 3402425

2008-11-20T16:03:06-05:00

1728

CharMit

Las Vegas 24671

2008-11-20T16:16:18-05:00

1595

Klee Irwin

Nome 582256

It will be an interesting game, but it is the first game TTech has ever played for national implications.

755 Huh? the Texas-Texas Tech game didn't have national implications? What planet are you living on anyway? 3401018

2008-11-20T16:03:06-05:00

1728

CharMit

Las Vegas 24671

2008-11-20T14:39:33-05:00

LSUROX

Atlanta 484604

751 I had forgotten that TX TECH had a healthy lead over OK for most of the second half before OK scored with less than a minute left. Even with this one at Norman, I'm saying that an OK win should not be a foregone conclusion. In last year's game, OK was undefeated and had everything to play for. TX TECH was having a good season, but nothing on a national scale. This year's TECH team is better. I think they'll win. 3399490

2008-11-20T15:25:51-05:00

Nashville_Nate

Nashville 535847

I had forgotten that TX TECH had a healthy lead over OK for most of the second half before OK scored with less than a minute left. Even with this one at Norman, I'm saying that an OK win should not be a foregone conclusion. In last year's game, OK was undefeated and had everything to play for. TX TECH was having a good season, but nothing on a national scale. This year's TECH team is better. I think they'll win.

753 Agree LSUROX. TTU will, improbably, win this game. 3400242

2008-11-20T15:24:40-05:00

1595

Klee Irwin

Nome 582256

752 watch Charmit tell us in this forum if Oklahoma ends up beating Texas Tech (which I also predicted long ago) that he was all knowing and omniscient because he studies history and ignores the hype and his long years as a PhD researcher means he is eminently qualified to make such bold predictions, and then watch him launch into Charmit's theme song, "I touch Myself". 3400185

2008-11-20T14:39:33-05:00

LSUROX

Atlanta 484604

2008-11-20T14:24:34-05:00

1728

CharMit

Las Vegas 24671

748 ... 3399228

2008-11-20T14:26:11-05:00

1595

Klee Irwin

Nome 582256

...

750 Charmit's brain magnified 100 billion times sitting next to his ballz (actual size) 3399218

751

<div class="photo_container image_center" style="width: 615px;"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://img.fannation.com/upload/si_blog_post_images/sweep.troy.ap.jpg" alt="Sweep" width="614" height="300" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align: left;">Troy nearly upset LSU one week after Wyoming won at Tennessee. AP</div> </div> 1. That the SEC was vastly overrated this year. It's funny to think that just a few months ago, people were asking me whether the SEC would ever relinquish its spot as the nation's preeminent conference. If you've been reading me for any period of time, you know I preach that conference strength is cyclical (see: preseason preview) and that every league has its ups and downs from year to year. The SEC has two fantastic teams this year in Alabama and Florida. But remember when there were five SEC teams in the Top 10? Umm ... not anymore. First Auburn and Tennessee fell to pieces. Now we're seeing with each passing week that Georgia and LSU aren't what we thought they'd be. For all the Dawgs' talent, their injuries (and perhaps their damaged psyche from the Florida game) have caught up to them. For the second straight week, Georgia struggled to beat an inferior foe on the road, this time 17-13 at Auburn. Then there was LSU, falling behind 31-3 on its home field to ... Troy. Most telling of all: South Carolina, blown off the field at Florida, may still wind up in a New Year's bowl -- by default. 2. That Vanderbilt is going to a bowl! At least there's one great story amongst the SEC's mediocre middle. At long last, the Commodores' 26-year bowl drought is over. With a 31-24 win at Kentucky, Bobby Johnson's team broke a four-game losing streak and improved to 6-4. They should make it seven next week against woeful Tennessee. Even if they don't, Vandy is all but guaranteed a bowl slot. Barring a miracle finish by Auburn or Arkansas, the league will only produce eight bowl-eligible teams for nine spots (not including a likely second BCS berth). While the 'Dores' offense has been anemic at times this season, their defense has been a constant, holding the Wildcats to 241 total yards Saturday. Leading the charge was potential All-American CB D.J. Moore, who had two interceptions, including a game-saver at the Vandy 17. Moore also played offense and made the first two catches of his career in the first quarter -- both for touchdowns. Finally, Johnson earns a tangible reward for taking a program that has now produced as many SEC wins the past four seasons (10) as it had in the decade prior to his arrival. 3. That Oregon State is inching closer to Pasadena. Facing their first formidable foe since early October, the Beavers (7-3, 6-1 Pac-10) dispatched Cal 34-21 to push their winning streak to five and now stand two wins away from earning their first Rose Bowl berth since 1965. The more games they play, the less fluky that USC upset seems. Just as it did against the Trojans, Oregon State rode RB Jacquizz Rodgers (144 yards on 27 carries) and a surprisingly stingy defense that held the Bears to 232 yards and QB Kevin Riley to 11-of-25 completions. The Beavers are a solid, top-20 caliber team that got off to a slow start (2-3, including an opening loss to Stanford and a 45-14 blowout at Penn State). If in fact the Rose Bowl is on the line when Oregon State hosts the Civil War against Oregon in two weeks, I can't imagine the Beavers won't win. Their biggest roadblock will come next week at 6-4 Arizona, where the Wildcats have won six of their past seven home games. Arizona mounted a near-miraculous comeback at Oregon on Saturday, rallying from a 48-17 deficit to 48-45 before falling. If OSU wins there ... watch out. 4. That Colt McCoy is not down for the count. Over the past few weeks, the Texas quarterback has been beaten, bloodied (a split upper lip suffered in the Texas Tech game that has required antibiotics) and suddenly overshadowed in the Heisman race by Big 12 rivals Graham Harrell, Sam Bradford and Michael Crabtree. He suffered four sacks and threw a costly interception against the Red Raiders and threw two picks in a game for just the second time this season in last week's tougher-than-expected win over Baylor. But the junior responded Saturday with one of his most complete performances of the season, going 24-of-34 for 255 yards, two touchdowns and no picks while rushing for 78 yards on a season-high 16 carries in a 35-7 win at Kansas. McCoy will still have trouble overtaking Harrell and Bradford, who square off next week. Of the three, he has the fewest passing yards (3,134) and touchdowns (30). But it's worth nothing that he remains on pace to shatter the NCAA record for completion percentage (currently 77.2) and remains his team's leading rusher (527 yards). 5. That Maryland is the new ACC frontrunner (for this week). The ACC race has become downright stupefying, with nine of the 12 teams still within a game of first place in their respective divisions, and the Terps are undoubtedly its strangest team. With a 17-15 win over No. 17 North Carolina on Saturday, Maryland not only took the lead in the Atlantic Division (thanks in part to losses by Florida State and Wake Forest) but became the only team in the country to beat four ranked foes. Never mind that they've also lost to Virginia (31-0) and Middle Tennessee. The Terps don't exactly wow you -- they won Saturday despite going the last 43 minutes of the game without a touchdown -- but they control their own destiny heading into next week's game against 7-3 Florida State. Meanwhile, in the other division, Miami moved into first with its win over Virginia Tech, but the 'Canes will be hard-pressed to win at Georgia Tech this week. That division could well wind up in a four-way tie, in which the Hokies (provided they beat Duke and Virginia at home) would emerge the victor. Check back next week when this all changes again. 23821 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/940/61/thumb/mandel_stewart.jpg 2 NY

Stewart Mandel

New York 94361