EVENTUAL 2022 2023 NATIONAL CHAMPION MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 35, Maryland 27
On the bright side, I get more free time this Christmas season!
Methchicken 24, Iowa 7
I am not sold on the Meatchicken passing game as yet. They do have a beast on the ground, and while their defense showed some signs of having issues in their post-St. Anselm School for Disturbed Children part of their schedule, Maryland does have a pretty good passing attack. Iowa won a game this year with a field goal and a safety, so I am thinking we really are not going to get a read on the quality of the D quite yet.
The 52, Rutgers 17
You can sort of brag about The beating down Wisconsin if you want, they are not Toledo after all. Especially with the defense playing the run the way it did. I think The has so much going for it on offense that normal teams will be hard pressed to shut it down, even if either the run or the pass does not click on an individual game. Cannot wait to see them against a first-rate defense, which this will not be. And nobody cries for dear old Rutgers.
the Pennsylvania State University 27, North by Northwestern 13
There was a certain amount of luster lacking in the CMU game, and Singleton was pretty much held in check. I suppose down the road it will be interesting to see if the the PSU offense is the real deal, but NW has been so bad this year.
Kansas 31, the Iowa State 28
Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Does that apply to football as well as basketball? I may not know my sports terminology as well as I think I do. Anyway, I like that the KU Fog is lifting from their football program. And I regret that I could not find a way to insert Yourself into that joke.
Old Mississippi 35, Kentucky 21
Five games involving ranked teams this week. Or maybe three. Outside of the Florida game, I am not sure KY jelled in any of their games. I mean, you should beat a Youngstown State, even in its Tressell heyday, more convincingly. Old Mississippi has been as under the radar as a God apostrophe s Conference unbeaten can be. If they play the game I will take Old Mississippi.
Woke Forrest 31, the Florida State 28
Is the Florida State even going to play this week? Can they prepare? I suppose if Ivan heads more towards Tampa there will not be an issue. Anyway, are they back? They aced their one big test this year, though the Louisiana State is not quite up to the level they should be. I did like the way Woke FU moved the ball against a good ClemSIN defense.
Baylor 21, the Oklahoma State 17
I am kind of embarrassed to confess that of all the leagues, Pure Prairie League games are the most likely to lose my interest quickly. I am not sure why, but the OSU in particular puts me on snooze every time, every year. So I am just winging it here.
Alabama 42, Arkansas 14
It seems like every year we go through a stretch where we see Alabama not play as great as we think they are for a game or two, and I start to think, maybe this is the year they get that fifth slot in the bowl lineup and play in the Mercari Texas Bowl or something. It has not happened yet, and it will not happen this year.
ClemSIN 31, the North Carolina State University 17
The SIN are better offensively then last year, but still not all there, and the defense has not been as standout as I thought it would be. The NC State has not been impressive at all this year. How they are ranked at 10 above unbeatens like Washington or Minnesota who have both beaten one truly great team is a mystery to me.
Washington 35, University of California * 21
While not a battle of two unranked teams, it is a battle of unbeatens! UCLA remains unranked, though, I suppose because it needed a come from behind win against South Alabama. Washingtons signature win is looking less lustrous as time goes on, but I think they take this.
University of California** 35, the Arizona State University 2
I expected USC to pound the Beavers last week, but they could not penetrate the Beavers defense. They did manage to keep them in check offensively, though, which is a nice development. The the ASU post Edwards fumigation has only just begun.
Minnesota 31, Purdue 28
Minnesota has put up a lot of points this year, and Purdue has mostly not been stingy on defense. I am not convinced Mini is the Beast of the West, check with me after the the PSU game in three weeks, but they could enter the last two games of the season, against Iowa and Wisky, with the West in their back pocket.
Georgia 31, Missouri 3
22 points to Kent State? I suppose I am not alone in thinking this was a focus issue, not a talent one. After all, Georgia did hold KSU to less than 300 yards in total offense, and their biggest issue appears to have been turnovers. Back on track against a pretty bad Misery.
* at Los Angeles
** Southern