Week 5 Summary AND Week 6 Predictions

"Things are never quite as good as they seem, nor are they as bad as they seem, but somewhere in the middle is reality."

Defense?...hello...hello!...defense!?!:

Georgia, whew, that one got close, but the Dawgs made the plays defensively they had to make down the stretch to win. I was very impressed with the Georgia offense, while I'm still concerned about the Georgia defense going forward. Tennessee was doing anything they wanted, they ran the ball extremely well, moved the ball effectively and efficiently all night long. It was way too close and if Florida's defense is that much better than Georgia's, the East may get really interesting down the stretch. Tennessee needed this one to stay in the race for the SEC East, a loss to Florida and Georgia pretty much puts the Vols on the outside looking in. This is a much improved team and I'm excited to see how they do with the remainder of their schedule.

Texas A&M made it look very easy against the Hogs. It was the Johnny Manziel show and the Aggies finally break the losing streak against Arkansas, all it took was joining their conference. The Aggies needed to get that win under their belt, because the schedule's about to heat up, they go to Ole Miss, and to La Tech, both of which the Aggies should win, but won't be easy. Then they come home for LSU, then at Auburn, at Mississippi St, and at Alabama, a stretch they could easily go winless in. They wrap up with a W against Sam Houston St and the familiar Missouri Tigers at home. For the Hogs it's seriously getting ugly, I know there's logic to keeping John L Smith on the sideline, but if I'm Jeff Long I'm giving an up and coming coach the opportunity to prove he can right a sinking ship. Whatever happens in Fayetteville, it needs to happen soon, before the Hogs don't have a single W against a BCS opponent in a season that started with National Championship hopes.


Washington, was very impressive on Thursday night. All the attention on the QB to start the season, but to be blunt, Price hasn't impressed me at all, not even on Thursday night in an upset win. Kasen Williams, really looked good, Sankey, looked phenomenal, the Washington defense is much more physical than I thought they'd be, and Price was just out there. It's getting very difficult to call the runner-up in the Pac-12 North, could go to several teams, but Washington is definitely in the mix. Stanford, it's not nearly as bad as you think right now, your season rests on how you compete against Oregon, but don't go losing 'em all just focusing on the Ducks. I think everyone got a little too high on the Cardinal after the USC win, and it's tough to come back on a short week and reach that emotional level again. The Cardinal will be just fine, keep grinding and running the football like you do.


West Virginia, can't cover anyone...Louisiana Monroe covered up the Baylor receivers last week better than the Mountaineers on Saturday night. The Mountaineers should be embarrassed, not excited, Geno Smith for Heisman? Yeah, anyone that let's it fly 51 times is going to rack up some stats, I've got an idea, how about show your leadership ability and walk over to your defensive players and tell them to get a stop. Very few people enjoy football like I do, but that wasn't fun to watch, it was awful. It's going to be long year in Morgantown, literally a long year, with all those commercial breaks after scores that game must have taken four and half hours to play. Probably a record for a non-overtime game. Baylor, I'm surprised you hung in as long as you did, now go get a defense and stop pretending like you're ever going to stop anyone. There were only four punts in the entire game, and the Baylor Bears only made two stops in 13 possessions...that's terrible.


Ohio State, well, the only team that technically can't win the conference is separating from the rest of the league. The Big 10 is very, very bad, and I know the Ohio State President, Gordon Gee, is just glad the league didn't lose another to a "little sister of the poor" today. I'm going to get very bored watching the Big 10 this year, I'll still watch, but good grief it's ugly. Michigan State, it's starting to unravel a bit in East Lansing, but don't worry Spartan fans, no one in the Big 10 is going to run away with this thing this year. Well, Ohio State will, but they're not real this year.


South Carolina, was nervous at halftime, but the Ole Ball Coach got the troops together and South Carolina rolled in the second half. I'm so very ready for the South Carolina vs Georgia game, it's setting up to be a collision of greats, the great edge rushers and play action passing game of Georgia, against possibly the best, most athletic defensive end combo in the nation. Kentucky, came out with a fire playing for their head coach, but the emotion drained and the Kentucky vacancy is as obvious as the vacancy at Arkansas.


Alabama, is still rolling, but Ole Miss gave them about as good a game as anyone so far. It's obvious Hugh Freeze has the Rebel Black Bears headed in the right direction, if he gets some athletes in Oxford, lookout for the Rebels.


Oregon appeared to be asleep last night as Mike Leach's struggling Cougars racked up 402 yards of total offense, problem for the Cougars was the negative eight yards on the ground. Leach has never been one to pound the ball, but when your defense is on the field chasing Kenjon Barner for 195 yards, it's imperative to give them a few minutes on the bench to recover. Oregon is obviously good enough to sleepwalk their way to wins against the bottom of their conference, if it happens again, I doubt the Ducks stay unbeaten. Washington State, don't get too excited about the way you competed against the lame ducks, pun intended, but know that Mike Leach is going to make Wazu fans very happy until he does something stupid.


LSU has yet to prove they're the real deal yet, but next week in Gainesville they better show up with their best stuff or Driskel and Muschamp will embarrass them. The Tigers look like they're bored with their early slate of games, they got up for the Washington game and just beat down the Huskies. If that's the LSU team that shows up, it'll be tough to beat them, but if Lester doesn't have his team running on all cylinders, the Tigers have a lot of games left on the schedule they could lose.


Florida State is not getting off that easy after Saturday's less than stellar win, it's tough to imagine that offense could operate so efficiently against Clemson and then look so inept against Skip Holtz's defense. I was high on the Seminoles last week, not as high as most, but I let emotion get in the way of reality, and the reality is the Seminoles are a bit overrated. The athletes are definitely there, but it's the same old Florida State issues except this year there's no one on the schedule to expose them. It's time we recognize the Seminoles are not quite back yet, they'll be in a BCS bowl, possibly a National Championship, but I'm afraid it'll end in embarrassment for these Seminoles.


Texas, that was a big one late last week as the Cowboys crumbled in Stillwater. It was evident that David Ash is going to be just fine as the signal caller in Austin, he did a marvelous job guiding the Texas offense even as the coaching staff tried to lose it for the Horns. If I have to watch another Jet Sweep get stuffed in the backfield I'm going to throw up. Goodwin was handed the ball four times on the Jet Sweep and only gained five yards, call better plays and show your QB that's actually been playing pretty well that you have confidence in him throwing it down the field. Oklahoma State, needed Weeden and Blackmon last week, so either call 'em up and beg them to come back or start treating the guys you have like they're just as good and see if they rise to the occassion. Randle had 27 touches against the Horns...for a team that's usually so good at spreading it around, you're making it awfully easy on opposing D's going forward to know who they have to take away. It's time to see if anyone wants to step up and be the next Justin Blackmon, Dez Bryant, Rashaun Woods, etc... history would suggest there's someone else that can play on your roster.




SpecialEdTeams Top 20
1. Alabama - the schedule needs to warm up again to solidify this spot
2. Oregon - looked flat out of the gate, but flat Oregon is still very good
3. Georgia - hello Georgia offense, jury's still out on the d, but Murray can play
4. South Carolina - steady, smooth, big one tomorrow night, we'll know a lot more then
5. Florida State - we know you'll move back up at least one spot after this week by default
6. LSU - looked rough again, two in a row will cost you in the polls
7. Kansas State - needs more big games so people don't forget how good Klein is
8. Texas - huge win in Stillwater, suspect officiating, but it's take a little luck occassionally
9. Florida - is really coming together, a win tomorrow and I'll really believe in the Gators
10. West Virginia - am I the only one that doesn't think Geno can do that every game
11. Mississippi State - under the radar and slowly climbing
12. Notre Dame - needs OU and USC to be good and needs to beat them to get into the top 10
13. TCU - needs a meaningful win to get some momentum in the polls
14. Southern Cal - impressive win last night
15. Oregon State - just keeps winning
16. Rutgers - has made me a believer
17. Oklahoma - oh boy, haven't won in Lubbock since 2003...this one is big
18. Louisville - will Charlie be the coach after this year, he says yes
19. Northwestern - the K-State approach, play no one and win 'em all
20. Cincinnati - it's all about the uni's in Cincy!

SpecialEdTeams Conference Rankings
1. SEC - and the gap is widening
2. Pac-12 - maybe the most dense, but only one team at the top
3. Big 12 - needs OU to get the W in Lubbock, the Pac 12 is pulling away
4. Big East - thanks to USF, the Big East holds the #4 spot
5. Big 10 - it's really, really ugly, only team worth mentioning, doesn't count
6. ACC - when your best struggles like that against the Big East's worst, i yi yi


SpecialEdTeams Heisman Watch
1. Collin Klein (KSU) - is leading this race...no if, ands, or buts
2. Geno Smith (WVU) - too many records not to move up a spot
3. A.J. McCarron (BAMA) - steady, strong performances every week
4. Aaron Murray (UGA) - another big game, but needs to be even better to move up
5. Kenjon Barner (ORE) - how is Thomas even considered the guy, look at the numbers!!!

SpecialEdTeams Doak Walker Watch
1. Kenjon Barner (ORE) - stay healthy, accept the Walker award, it's that simple for Barner
2. Johnathan Franklin (UCLA) - needed a bigger game against Oregon St to keep the top spot
3. Le'Veon Bell (MSU) - show me something against a good defense
4. Joseph Randle (OSU) - huge night against Texas, he is the man in Stillwater
5. Mike Gillislee (FLA) - needs a big one against a great LSU run D

SpecialEdTeams Biletnikoff Watch
1. Marquise Lee (USC) - 5 weeks at #1 on this list...
2. Stedman Bailey (WVU) - system receivers bother me, this kid could play anywhere though
3. Terrence Williams (BAY) - needed a couple more plays to get past Geno and Dana
4. Cobi Hamilton (ARK) - only player on the Arkansas roster playing like he cares
5. DeAndre Hopkins (CLEM) - he is the man for the Tigers this year, that's saying something

SpecialEdTeams Mackey Watch
1. Chris Coyle (ASU) - stays in the top spot and pulling away
2. Dion Sims (MSU) - needed to show me more in the loss to OSU
3. Eric Ebron (UNC) - solid consistent performances thus far
4. Mychal Rivera (TENN) - big catches against Georgia
5. Zach Ertz (STAN) - big game as he upstaged Seferian-Jenkins, but the Huskies got the win



THE BIG ONES:


Northwestern goes to Penn St...I think the Nittany Lions are finding their identity and they send the Wildcats back to Chi-town with their first loss of the year. Penn St 21-17


Arkansas goes to Auburn, can the Hogs turn it around...short answer, NO, it gets ugly on the Plains for the Hogs and Frazier looks like a future Heisman trophy winner. Auburn 35-17


Arizona travels to Palo Alto and gets a frustrated Stanford team, I think the Cardinal control the line of scrimmage and Arizona struggles to matchup with the size of Stanford. Stanford 35-24


LSU goes to the Swamp and gets the fighting Muschamps who have been gaining confidence. I think it unravels for the Tigers in Gainesville, Florida pulls away late for a 24-13 victory.


Georgia Tech at Clemson, it's not going well in Atlanta, the team can play, but they keep losing close one's. Clemson's athleticism dominates, Tigers win 38-14


Iowa State at TCU - TCU has the best schedule in the world, they start with the worst Big 12 team and then play the league from the bottom up...I think the Horned Frogs struggle in October and get exposed in November, but I'm not sure the Cyclones have what it takes to score against the Frogs D. TCU 31-10


Oklahoma at Texas Tech, I've seen enough from Oklahoma to know if they don't win this one, they could go away for the rest of the year. Stoops doesn't let that happen, he gets 'em motivated and the Red Raiders don't have the pass rush that K-State did, the Sooners win early, gets close in the middle, and then pull away late. Bob Stoops 28-17


Washington State at Oregon State, we're going to find out a lot about the Beavers this week, they've had to get up for big games three weeks in a row, now with the lowly Cougars coming in surely they can waltz through this one...they don't. Leach has the Cougars fighting hard, but it's not enough. Oregon State wins late 28-24


Georgia at South Carolina, I saw Georgia's o-line struggle early against an athletic Missouri front. Missouri is not the second best front in the country, but Carolina is. Gamecocks win an ugly one, and win with big defensive plays late. Spurrier 17-13


West Virginia at Texas, I haven't seen the line on this yet, but I'm not convinced the Texas D can stop Geno, however, I'm certain the WVU D can't stop anyone. Texas wins a shootout 52-42


Vandy at Missouri, the Tigers have a shot to get a tally in the W column in the SEC...if they're not completely exhausted from all that emotion that was released like a semi tire blowout on the freeway, they win a tough one in Columbia. Missouri 28-14


Florida State at NC State, the Noles better come out with more fire than they did last week, this one could be close, but it won't be. Noles role 35-10


Nebraska at Ohio State, I'm in complete shock at how terrible the Big 10 is this year, Buckeyes have a shot to go undefeated in what has become a laughing stock of a conference. Buckeyes 31-20


Washington at Oregon, if you're willing to stay up all night you can watch the most dominant display of offense you may ever see. If Washington thought LSU was fast, buckle up Husky fans, it's going to be a long night of watching Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas go for over 300 on the ground. Ducks dominate 52-24


Enjoy the games