Another great and crazy week! I love NCAA College Football for it's predictable unpredictability! Here are ten thoughts that struck me during the weekend's game!
1. Oklahoma State seem to have problems hanging on to a Top 5 National Ranking. In two previous trips inside the Top 5 (once in the 1980's and once in the 1990's) they lost both times and dropped straight out. That trend continued on Saturday with a shock loss to Houston at home. Didn't see that one coming!
2. Matt Barkley is the absolute real deal! They will be talking about that drive for a long time to come. It's one of the greatest modern-era moments for Southern California athletics. To do it in front of a record crowd at Ohio State makes it even more impressive.
3. It must be the season - or at least the week - for true freshman quarterbacks. Tate Forcier, for the Michigan Wolverines, had an outstanding game against Notre Dame in the Big House. Sure, he had the crowd on his side, unlike Barkley in Ohio, but his performance was just as outstanding to beat a ranked opponent, and a hated one, too, in Notre Dame. His 31-yard touchdown run from scrimmage was incredible. Talk about a much-needed victory for Michigan. Suddenly, Rich Rodriguez doesn't seem like such a bad hire in Ann Arbor.
4. Blame Terelle Pryor all you want, Buckeye fans. Sure, he didn't move the football nearly enough. He also didn't run enough, and that is mostly due to the incredibly conservative - and mind-numbingly boring - play calling from Jim Tressell. Blame your defense, too - just like OU fans had to blame theirs vs. BYU last week. QBs don't play defense and can't be held responsible. The Buckeyes crumbled on the wrong side of the ball at the most inopportune moment. Once Barkley and McKnight had a sniff, it was as good as over. The Buckeyes choked yet again on the national stage, and they did it in the worst way, after having momentum and the run of the game for most of the 60 minutes. Does this throw OSU out of NAtional Championship contention? It should. What does it say about the Big Ten, in light of the pasting the Trojans put on Penn State at the Rose Bowl in January. Nothing good, that's for damned sure!
5. It's not hard to see why Pete Carroll saw the second coming of Joe McKnight when he recruited the star RB from out of Louisiana a few years back. McKnight's two giant plays in the final, match-winning drive for USC against Ohio State reminded me of Reggie, too.
6. That crowd at Ohio Stadium was insane. It's the loudest I've heard any crowd for any sporting event, period!
7. Charlie Weis showed a little humility after the Michigan loss. Only a little, mind you, but it's a good start. Maybe he's a little worried about his footing at Notre Dame. Jimmy Clausen was the better QB, only by a small margin, and ND probably should have won. But they didn't, and the discontent amongst the Irish faithful gets another week to stew and grow. Weis needs a win next week at home against Michigan State like I need a million dollars. And maybe more!
8. In terms of Big Game Performance, there aren't many better football teams than USC. Pete Carroll has them charged up for the blockbusters. Now he needs to stop their mind-blowing letdowns against lesser teams in lesser games (read Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA).
9. Another good week for our two front-running BCS busters. BYU and Boise State both had easy wins. If they remain undefeated, it'll be a mighty tough choice for the BCS pollsters as to who gets the at-large berth, probably for the Fiesta Bowl.
10. Say what you will about the MAC, but Dan LeFevour, QB for the Central Michigan Chippewas, is the real deal.
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