A giant weekend of college football coming up – and we’re poised to potentially see some serious shake-up in the College Football Playoff Rankings. Here are some things to keep an eye on this weekend:
Game of the Week – Ohio State vs Michigan State
Finally the defending national champion Buckeyes get a serious contender on their schedule, in the form of an injury-affected Michigan State Spartans squad. This, then, marks the game where we get a proper indication of how good the Buckeyes are in 2015. Their offensive output is down on a season ago, but, to counter that their defense has improved in most of the major categories of measurement. Sooner or later, surely, the Buckeye offense has to click into gear, right? Aside from Ezekiel Elliott at running back, they haven’t been great.
This becomes a giant test for Michigan State. Not just because QB Connor Cook is no certainty to play after an injury in the Maryland game last week – and if he doesn’t play, I can’t see Sparty getting close – but for the team to prove that they can survive through key injuries and put a complete game together against a good team. It’ll be tough sledding against that Buckeye defense.
I’m waiting to see whether Braxton Miller, Ohio State’s quarterback-turned-receiver, can return to his opening night form, when he had a catch and a run each of more than fifty yards. He hasn’t quite been able to replicate that sort of production, but, surely, it’s gotta happen sooner rather than later?
Prediction: Ohio State by a touchdown. Even if Cook plays, I’m not sure that he and the rest of the Spartans offense can play at a high enough level to overcome a very, very good OSU defense.
Game of the Week II – Baylor vs. Oklahoma State
The Bears really need a win, after not really quite being in touch with Oklahoma at home last week. Yes, they only lost by ten points, but the Sooners, especially in the second half, always seemed to have a reply for whatever the Bears offense did.
Speaking of that offense, it hasn’t quite looked the same since Seth Russell went down with injury in the Iowa State game. Freshman Jarrett Stidham – because he is a freshman – has struggled in his two starts (Kansas State and Oklahoma), which was to be expected. It was unreasonable for people to expect to just plug him in and have him start reeling off yards like Russell did. To that, Baylor’s total offense output, per game, is down, and Stidham will probably be under pressure from an Oklahoma State defense that has recorded an impressive 34 sacks
Oklahoma State, meanwhile, need to get better against the run game, or Stidham’s inexperience throwing the football won’t even be an issue. Because he’ll be able to simply hand the football off to his talented stable of running backs. The Cowboys were gouged by Iowa State last week – and needed yet another crazy comeback rally on this season – giving up 249 yards. This is Iowa State’s offense were’ talking about. Not exactly the Sooners or Bears. So, Baylor have a chance to exploit OSU in the running game.
Prediction: I think Baylor narrowly wins this one, sending a message after the Oklahoma game. Both teams will score a lot of points and the Cowboys will probably fall behind and roar back into contention – it seems to be their season blueprint, after all – but fall short on this occasion.
Louisiana State
A from-out-of-the-blue report doing the rounds this week said that Les Miles’ future in Baton Rouge might be decided by the next two games – the Tigers have Ole Miss this week and Texas A&M after that – and I find it a little crazy that there’s pressure on a team that debuted snugly inside this year’s initial College Football Playoff rankings.
After two losses in a row will start people speculating, and this report might actually do Miles’ team some good. There’s no doubt that they need a win, but entertaining thoughts of canning a coach who is 110-31 at the school is a little bit of an overreaction. Maybe it’ll spur on a disappointing offense, and that can only be a good thing. Keep an eye on the Tigers this week; it might be ‘statement game’ time.
UCLA and Utah
As much as I delighted at watching the Bruins lose at home to Washington State, I must say I was shocked. Doubtless, Jim Mora was, too. Did you know, for all the hoopla surrounding him, that UCLA are only 22-13 in Pac-12 games in the Mora era? UCLA get a chance to right the ship somewhat this week.
Because they’re taking on a Utah squad who’ve lost four straight games, including a last-start loss to Arizona that saw them fall out of first place in the Pac-12 South Division. They’ve been incredibly disappointing since being bludgeoned by USC at the Coliseum last month, losing their No. 2 ranking in the process.
There’s still a mathematical chance that both of their recently-disappointing teams can win their way into a Pac-12 Championship Game, and still (most likely) get to a Rose Bowl Game after that, so it’s not like there isn’t plenty at stake in this one. And, as a result, it could be a classic.
Texas Christian
After a little medical back and forth, star receiver Josh Doctson is done for the year and quarterback Trevone Boykin is hobbled by injury – and no certainty to play. The Horned Frogs have Oklahoma coming off that big road win against Baylor, and I don’t see how TCU stays with them without both Boykin and Doctson. The final word on Boykin will be a very big piece of this week’s puzzle.
Boise State
The Broncos lost at home last week for the first time in eighteen games at home. They’ve lost only four times on the blue turf since 2001 – and have a pretty good Air Force Falcons squad coming in to try and continue their winning ways, which would net them a Mountain West’s Mountain Division with a victory at Boise, and then against New Mexico next weekend.
Though they’re – deserving – underdogs in this one, I expect the Broncos to be really fired up for this one, and look to make amends for last week’s loss, one that seriously hindered their Mountain West Conference championship chances. To win, though, they’ll need to eradicate their turnovers. In their two losses over the last month, they’ve turned the ball over twelve times. You can’t do that and hope to win.
Boise arguably boasts the best quarterback in the Mountain West (Brett Rypien) and the best receiver (Thomas Sperbeck) to go along with a great defense. They should bounce back and surprise Air Force.
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