Rambling On...

I must admit that I like various types of musicians. One in particular group I am fond of is Led Zepplin. A song produced by them, that I like, is known as "Rambling On." The very title of that song deals with the latest addition to my sports site. During a "Rambling On" article I will say a few short sentences on whatever sports issues are on my mind. In this case I'll be talking about the NFL and the NBA.


NFL

-The final playoff spot in the AFC will be picked up by the Steelers who will crush the Lions. As for the NFC, the Redskins will struggle against the Eagles, but none the less win the game and grab the 6th and final playoff spot.


-The number one pick of the 2006 NFL Draft will be made by the San Francisco 49ers who will lose to the Texans on Sunday. Come draft day, San Fran will select (gasp!) Reggie Bush!

-The Sunday Night game between the Dallas Cowboys and St. Louis Rams will be Marshall Faulk's last game as a NFL running back.

-Priest Holmes will come back next year, but will never be the same. He'll injure himself again and most likely that will be the end of a fantastic career.

-Shaun Alexander will win the MVP.

-Come playoff time the most feared team will be the New England Patriots.

-The Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars will be one and done in the playoffs.

-The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the most surprising team of the 2006 Playoffs.


NBA

-Ron Artest will be traded to Denver or Minnesota.

-Yes, they had an excellent start to the season, but in the end, the LA Clippers will not be participating in the 2006 NBA Playoffs.

- LeBron will finally get the Cavs in the playoffs. His team will fall to defeat in the second round.

-Center Jerome James of the New York Knicks will never again put up double-doubles the way he did against the Sacramento Kings in last years playoffs as a Seattle SuperSonic.

-Isiah Thomas will lose patience and eventually trade NBA stud duck Stephon Marbury.

-The Indiana Pacers will do as much damage in the playoffs as last year.

-Talks about Al Harrington being shipped to Denver will heat up even more over the next few weeks.

-Something dramatic regarding coaches or players will occur if the Houston Rockets don't start turning there season around.

Post Bowl Thoughts

W (1-0) New Orleans Bowl- Yes, S. Miss. won, but I was surprised it was that close.

L (1-1) GMAC Bowl- Well I must admit I never would have imagined my hometown Rockets beating UTEP like they did.

L (1-2) Las Vegas Bowl- It was a big gamble. BYU came back, but still lost.

W (2-2) Poinsettia Bowl- I was on the money. Having a terrible Run D is what ultimately lead to CSU's defeat against Navy.

W (3-2) Fort Worth Bowl- I was correct on the Jayhawks winning, but by that much? Never imagined that.

L (3-3) Hawaii Bowl- UCF blew it. Up 14-0 early, but still nice rally when down by 10 under 2 minutes. Too bad that man shanked that PAT in OT.

W (4-3) Motor City Bowl- DeAngelo Williams like I said is awesome. The young man had 243 yards rushing against the Zips.

W (5-3) Champs Sports Bowl- The Clemson Tigers won just the way I expected. That was by using their defense to it's best and exposing the Buffalos' flaws.

W (6-3) Insight Bowl- That homefield advantage seemed to give the Sun Devils just enough of an edge to pull out a win...oh and think Rudy Carpenter's passing helped too.

L (6-4)MPC Computers Bowl- AAAAUUGGHH!!! I was so close to seeing one of the greatest comebacks!! Man oh man I can't believe Boise State blew that game! They were down by 6 points inside the 15 yard line! If BSU scored the team would have successfully rallied from an astounding 27-0 deficit.

L (6-5) Alamo Bowl- Great game. Nebraska's rally was awesome, but that finish? Wow wow wow. Ecker why not lateral it? Had he made the lateral that game would have had a better finish than the California/Stanford game.

L (6-6) Emerald bowl- In my opinion the worst bowl of the year. Why is it played so late in the bowl season? Well anyway, GTech is the most consistent inconsistent team. They beat Miami-Florida then lose to Utah..by a lot.

W (7-6)Holiday bowl- Everyone had Oklahoma winning...and well they did just that. The Ducks really feel lousy now. Is USC the only elite team in the PAC-10? Come next season, Oklahoma will be an elite program once again.

W (8-6) Music City Bowl- The outcome of this football game was just how I imagined. It would be close, but Virginia would ultimately prevail. They did just that.

W (9-6) Sun Bowl- This was certainly in the end a offensive shootout. The UCLA Bruins rallied from a 22 point deficit to claim victory. (Let's not forgot the two offsides kick touchdowns.)

L (9-7) Independence bowl- S. Carolina looked awesome...at first. Brad Smith ,the QB who doesnt earn the publicity he deserves, took the game over. What an athlete.

L (9-8) Peach bowl- I'll say I never thought LSU would play like that. I am still trying to comprehend the butt-kicking Miami was given. The Hurricanes had 3 yards in the 2nd half along with 0 first downs. Phenomenal.

L (9-9) Meineke Car Care Bowl- Miss! That's all I can say about my prediction on this game. NC State is a lot better than I thought and for that matter, USF isn't as good as I imagined.

L (9-10) Liberty Bowl- I am still in disbelief that Pat Hill's Bulldogs lost once again. Yet, Tulsa must get the credit they deserve. This school could be the new "Boise State."

W (10-10) Houston Bowl- Great game. The Horned Frogs were able to hold on right at the end. Terrific season for this TCU ball club. The only loss was to a 5-6 SMU team.

L (10-11) Cotton Bowl- Son of a gun. I changed this one at the last minute. I had Bama, but I must live with my decision. I can't believe Mike Shula's team shutdown the Tech offense so well. The Bama D will be just as strong, if not better next year.

L (10-12) Outback Bowl- Iowa has some lousy calls against them. The team rallied, but it wasn't enough. Leak played well and show signs of a very promising 2006 season.

W (11-12) Gator Bowl- This upset special fell just short. VTech was trailing a lot of the game. Luckily the team was able to rally and pull of a W. No kudos to Marcus Vick's cheap shot.

L (11-13) Capital One Bowl- Another mistake on my part. I had Wisconsin and switched it in the end. Well I must live with my dumb decision. A great win for the Badgers who sent Alvarez out on top.

W (12-13) Fiesta Bowl- This game wasn't nearly as close as the score suggested. Though the main factor in OSU's win was Troy Smith. He moved his game to a whole new level. Period.

L (12-14) Sugar Bowl- Well...WV is for real, and I guess UGA isn't as good as I thought. All in all, WV deserves so much credit for this win...especially that gutsy fake punt late in the game.

W (13-14) Orange Bowl- I was quite surprised how close this game was. It's amazing the Seminoles almost won the Orange Bowl with so many freshman. FSU is going to be back to a BCS game in the near future. The Nittany Lions pulled out the victory in the third overtime when a FG was finally made. I guess Joe Pa can still coach.

L (13-15) Rose Bowl- I knew Vince Young was amazing, but not that amazing. His team was down by 12 with about six and half minutes left. By the end of the night, it was clear that the Longhorns are indeed the better team.



Aftermath

Just like that another college football season is over. And come to think of it, what a season. The year couldn't have been capped off any better than the Rose Bowl showdown between USC and Texas. In the end, the game ultimately did live up to all the hype. As Vince Young held the trophy in the air one could only think about the magical year that just took place. The storybook Texas Longhorns team won their first National Championship in over 30 years by beating the Trojans of USC who were riding a 34 game winning streak. More importantly, my overall record in the bowl season was 13-15. That's a clear reminder that regardless of how much information you know about a sport, when it comes to predicting you are merely playing a game of chance.

Kobe Bryant Escalates Legandary Status

Since the day he was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, the American world has seen the young man Kobe Bryant grow up into the star he is today. At the age of 27 years old, Mr. Bryant already has 3 World Championships. Though all has not been so heavenly for this superstar the past couple years. From the rape charges, to the dreadful ending to the Shaquille relationship, the American viewer has slowly forgotten just how dominating this individual truthfully is. That all changed on December 20, 2005. Kobe Bryant put up an unimaginable 62 points against the Dallas Mavericks. Oh..and he didn't play one second of the 4th quarter. Take a second to comprehend this historical feat. 62 points in 33 minutes. To add on to that unthinkable feat, Kobe put up 30 of those points in the 3rd quarter. I remember hearing from my father about the time Isiah Thomas dropped 25 points in the 3rd quarter of a NBA Finals game. Yes, this was a regular season game, but none the less...30 points in one quarter is pretty darn good. The thing many NBA fanatics are left in the dust wondering is how many points could Bryant have scored if he played in the 4th quarter? You can pretty much guarantee the 100 points by the Big Dipper wasn't in jeopardy, but what about Thompson. That's right...David Thompson. That's a trip down memory lane. The man who seemed to walk on air is known for scoring 75 points in a game. I think Kobe could have easily passed that record. Let's be honest, if he can put up 30 in a quarter, I think 12 would have been a cinch. Regardless of what could have happened in the 4th quarter, Kobe Bryant displayed one vital quality of a legend that he apparently still has. To be a legend you have to have the ability to take a game into your own hands and do whatever it takes to win. Absolutely, no matter what the costs, whatever it takes. Jordan had it, Bird had it, Magic had it, and Kobe had it during the Lakers' reign of 3 straight titles. To many it was a question of whether or not, #8 could still dominate the way he use to. After Tuesday night, the only thing fans should be thinking now is, "Who's going to stop him?" 'Nuff said...

2005-2006 Bowl Season Predictions

Below are my predictions for all 200 bowl games. Keep in mind I am not the greatest on score predictions. I know my football, but as far as picking the score and who'll win...that's not a skill of mine. None the less, enjoy my predictions and happy holidays.


New Orleans Bowl Southern Miss (6-5) vs. Arkansas State (6-5)

It truthfully is remarkable that the Southern Mississippi ball club is even in a bowl this year. After all, the campus was hit badly by Hurricane Katrina. As far as Arkansas State goes, I don't know much about them. I know there preseason rank is the worst of any team participating in the bowl season. Southern Miss. has played tougher opponents and is just physically stronger than the Sun Belt Champs. This game should be an easy win.

38 Southern Mississippi 15 Arkansas State


GMAC UTEP (8-3) vs. Toledo (8-3)

Once again the GMAC Bowl will be a shootout. NFL Scouts will be there to watch Toledo's Bruce Gradowski and UTEP's Jordan Palmer. (Older brother is Cincinnati Bengals' quarterback Carson Palmer.) Mike Price's team will be victorious in this one because in my opinion I feel the Rockets are too inconsistent of a team. The Miners have at least been in the Top 25 this year.

40 UTEP 25 Toledo


Las Vegas BYU (6-5) vs. California (7-4)

This is most likely going to be that game where everyone thinks California will win. I for one think Tedford's team will be victorious, but I for some odd reason I am seeing that BYU upset happening. Call me crazy...

34 BYU 28 California


Poinsettia Colorado State (6-5) vs. Navy (7-4)

Here is another intriguing matchup where I only know information about one team. Navy uses that old option offense that was so common in the 1950s. Colorado State is back at a bowl after missing out last year with an awful record. The deciding factor is the Rams' 104th best rushing defense. Ouch!

41 Navy 33 Colorado State


Fort Worth Kansas (6-5) vs. Houston (6-5)

An evenly matched game when the Cougars' offense goes against the Jayhawks' D. Defense wins games so I will take the Jayhawks who've suprised their share of teams.

35 Kansas 23 Houston


Sheraton Hawaii Nevada (8-3) vs. UCF (8-4)

Nevada was a fun team to watch when they beat the Bulldogs of Fresno. UCF was 0-11 last year and now sit at an impressive 8-4. I like the turnaround story in Florida so I'm taking a rejuvenated UCF team.

42 UCF 30 Nevada


Motor City Memphis (6-5) vs. Akron (7-5)

Congraulations to the Zips for winning their first MAC Championship. Sorry, it will end there. Memphis has the best running back you've never heard of...DeAngelo Williams. He's definitely one of the Top 5 best running backs in the nation. This guy is going to be an NFL back who will be successful.

30 Memphis 17 Akron


Champs Sports Clemson (7-4) vs. Colorado (7-5)

Clemson could very well be in a January bowl had they not lost so many close games. The Tigers are 1-2 in overtime games this year. As for the Buffaloes they were just humilated on national television during the Big 12 Championship. 70-3. Wow. To add more salt to the wound Coach Gary Barnett was fired. Colorado is in such disarray.

38 Clemson 20 Colorado


Insight Arizona State (6-5) vs. Rutgers (7-4)

This will be one game I want to be watching just because the Scarlet Knights are actually in a bowl game. Last time this New Jersey school was participating in the bowl season the year was 1978. I would give Rutgers the victory if the game wasn't being played in Arizona. So much for a 'neutral' site.

36 Arizona State 24 Rutgers


MPC Computers Boise State (9-3) vs. Boston College (8-3)

The Broncos will be playing their last game for Coach Dan Hawkins. This impressive, young coach will be going to Boulder, Colorado to take over a struggling Buffalo team. BC was expected to have a better record this year, but the team fell apart too many times against tougher opponents. Boise wins this battle merely because the Broncos have a more powerful offense than the Eagles.

48 Boise State 28 Boston College


MasterCard Alamo Michigan (7-4) vs. Nebraska (7-4)

This will be the first time in 10 years the Wolverines won't be playing in January. Lloyd Carr's job is very much on the line. A poor performance by his squad, and a firing is even more likely. The Huskers lost some close ones this year, but still have a solid 7-4 record. A win here and Nebraska would go into next season with lots of convidence. The fact remains, Michigan has more talent, better players, and a better coach. Huskers will get beat both physically and mentally.

31 Michigan 14 Nebraska


Emerald Bowl Georgia Tech (7-4) vs. Utah (6-5)

Utah is not in a luxurious BCS Bowl like last year. The Utes are going against a roller coaster GTech team. The bad news for Utah is the roller coaster is going up. The Yellow Jackets are looking like the team they should of played like the whole season. Utes are going to get stung bad.

44 Georiga Tech 19 Utah


Pacific Life Holiday Oregon (10-1) vs. Oklahoma (7-4)

This bowl is one of the Top 5 best bowls not in January. It seems a shootout always takes place in the Holiday Bowl. Oregon is mad for being screwed out of a BCS bowl, which they have the right to be. Oklahoma has turned around this season after it started like a nightmare. Sooners should have only 3 losses, but unforunately for them refrees make mistakes. Everyone has that picture in their head of the Ducks getting jumped on by the Sooners. All I can say is I agree.

35 Oklahoma 20 Oregon


Gaylord Hotels Music City Minnesota (7-4) vs. Virginia (6-5)

Minnesota is back at the Music City bowl. I wonder if the Gopher players have the same hotel rooms? Doesn't matter. Mason's club is going against the Cavs of Virginia. Now that's a football team that is inconsistent. Look for this game to be matchup where Virginia is on.

38 Virginia 27 Minnesota


Vitalis Sun Northwestern (7-4) vs. UCLA (9-2)

The Sun Bowl is always a fun game to watch. Last year the Arizona State/Purdue game was right down to the wire. Northwestern has been up and down all season. What team will show up? I don't know. UCLA is a good football team, besides the two off days they had against Arizona and USC.

45 UCLA 36 Northwestern


Independence South Carolina (7-4) vs. Missouri (6-5)

Spurrier had his football team finish up the regular season pretty solid. South Carolina will be dangerous next year. Missouri may fire Coach Gary Pinkel after this season. Expectations haven't been reached. Only positive is Mizzou QB Brad Smith. He's amazing, but the Gamecocks know he's only one man.

31 South Carolina 21 Missouri


Chick-fil-A Peach Miami (9-2) vs. LSU (10-2)

LSU would be in the Sugar Bowl had the team not tripped up against the Bulldogs of Athens in the SEC Championship Game. The Hurricanes would also be in a BCS Bowl had GTech not beaten them. Very close matchup. The edge is the fact that LSU's starting QB JaMarcus Russell is banged up. For LSU to put up enough points to win, JaMarcus must be at full strength. He isn't. To make matters worse, Miami has a Top 5 defense.

34 Miami Florida 26 LSU


Meineke Car Care South Florida (6-5) vs. NC State (6-5)

Impressive job by Coach Leavitt on a successful season for the Bulls. Had his team not slipped up the final 2 games, a BCS bowl could be where his team would be going. NC State won a couple late season games to become bowl eligible. This Wolfpack team has been very inconsistent. If Andre Hall (star USF RB) gets lose then Amato's team will be in big trouble.

28 South Florida 17 NC State


AutoZone Liberty Tulsa (8-4) vs. Fresno State (8-4)

Tulsa really came around towards the end of the year. As for Fresno State? This team keeps falling and falling. Ever since the 8 point loss to USC, Pat Hill's team has been looking sloppy and beaten. I can't see a good Fresno State team losing 4 straight games. Pat Hill is too good of a coach for that.

38 Fresno State 21 Tulsa


EV1.net Houston TCU (10-1) vs. Iowa State (7-4)

TCU has had a terrific season. They beat Oklahoma to kick off the year, and dominated their opponents week in and week out. Ironically their only loss came to SMU. For the second straight year, the Cyclones blew their chances of going to the Big 12 Championship. The team is angry and will take it out on the Horned Frogs. Too bad that will not be enough for a ISU win.

42 TCU 26 Iowa State


AT&T Cotton Texas Tech (9-2) vs. Alabama (9-2)

This is the first time in a long time that the Crimson Tide are in a January bowl. The Tide were thinking undefeated season. That was until the Bayou Bengals beat them in Bama. To make matters worse, Bama lost the next week against Auburn. Texas Tech is having their best season under Mike Leach. The D is a lot better meaning the Red Raiders didn't have to win every game this year 60-59. As successful of a season as this year has been, people are still confused on how the heck an awful team like Oklahoma State beat a high-powered offense like Texas Tech's. All in all, Bama has the nation's #1 D, but an ineffective offense. Texas Tech is going to get their points, and obviously the Tide won't be able to keep up.

31 Texas Tech 20 Alabama


Outback Iowa (7-4) vs. Florida (8-3)

Once again the Hawkeyes start playing like a team at the end of the season. Urban Meyer's crew didn't have the first year he hoped for, but none the less the Gators finished the regular season strong. Iowa is a good bowl team and once again the nation will be able to agree with that.

30 Iowa 22 Florida


Toyota Gator Louisville (9-2) vs. Virginia Tech (10-2)

No easier way to say it. VTech screwed up big time when they lost to FSU. That loss cost the school a BCS bowl. As you all know a BCS bowl= millions of dollars. I might give Louisville a chance, but without starting QB Brian Brohm the team's chances of victory are slim to none.

45 Virginia Tech 18 Louisville


Capital One Wisconsin (9-3) vs. Auburn (9-2)

Probably the hardest pick for the bowl season. This is Alvarez's last game as a coach for the Badgers. You don't think the team will be motivated? The way Auburn is playing right now they are the best team in the SEC. Winner of this ball game is the team with the more succesful running back. Wisconsin's Brian Calhoun or Auburn's Kenny Irons?

24 Auburn 14 Wisconsin


Tostitos Fiesta Notre Dame (9-2) vs. Ohio State (9-2)

The Irish will take on the Buckeyes for the first time since 1995. Notre Dame is known more for it's offense, while Ohio State is known more for it's defense. One thing for sure is that if OSU goes up by at least 10 points, than a ND victory is out of the question. AJ Hawk leads a suffocating defense.

27 Ohio State 18 Notre Dame


Nokia Sugar West Virginia (10-1) vs. Georgia (10-2)

Nobody gave Georgia much of a chance of beating LSU. Great call on that one. It's quite evident that Coach Richt's Bulldogs are for real. A West Virginia victory is possible, but is not going to happen because of one thing. Speed. This game is on astro turf. The Mountaineers don't have nearly the speed the Bulldogs have.

41 Georgia 24 West Virginia

FedEx Orange Penn State (10-1) vs. Florida State (8-4)

How FSU got into this game? I don't know. In my opinion Oregon should have gotten this bid instead. FSU has 4 losses and is in a BCS bowl? Not right. None the less, it's a great game to watch because of Joe Pa and Bobby Bowden. These 2 old timers will be duking it out. Unforunately for Seminole fans, the Nittany Lions are truthfully for real. After all, the team was :01 second away from victory against Michigan. Wipe out that last second and you have a undefeated Penn State team. To add on to that, Seminoles are just a very young team. Experience is very valuable during bowl season.

38 Penn State 22 Florida State

Rose Bowl USC (12-0) vs. Texas (12-0)

This game has the same hype as the Oklahoma/USC National Championship. Hopefully the outcome will be closer than a 55-19 route. USC is on a 34 game winning streak. That is unbelievable. Take a second to think about that. 34 straight wins. Wow. To go undefeated for the second straight season, USC has to get through Mack Brown's Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns are lead by junior sensation Vince Young. This QB can throw and run, and best of all he does it while having fun. The deciding factor in this game is experience. USC players have been here before, Texas players have not.

40 USC 32 Texas

More and More Issues for the Saints...

This season for the New Orleans Saints is nothing short of Hell. As the season comes to a close, issues seem to get even worse. For one, Brooks has been benched the remainder of the season. So much for #2 leading the Big Easy squad to the Promised Land sometime in the future. Along with the QB dilemma, there also lies problems with Coach Haslett and Darren Howard. It has been reported that Jim Haslett requested to be fired. Owner Tom Benson denied this request, but don't look for this to be the end of Haslett's plea. Outside sources discuss the great possibility that after the conclusion of the season, Coach Jim Haslett will resign. Similar to Jim Haslett, Darren Howard also may be done with business in the Crescent City. The organization's franchise player has entered hot water with some fellow coaches. Tension between Darren Howard and the staff has gotten so ugly, that as early as last week the team complicated about flat out cutting Howard during the course of the season. 'Nuff said...



The information in this article above was due to the courtesy of NFL.com Squib Kicks.

Brooks Benched!!

I am sure you've heard about it. The inconsistent quarterback Aaron Brooks of the New Orleans Saints will be benched the remainder of the regular season. That is 3 straight weeks for a QB who has surprisely started 82 consecutive games. Through 14 weeks, Aaron has thrown 13 touchdowns along with 17 interceptions. This is the first time in his career the interceptions department has totaled more than the touchdowns. Starting in place of #2 will be long time veteran quarterback Todd Bouman. After 3 years of sitting on the sidelines, Bouman will make his first start as a Saint. The last time he started a NFL game was in Minnesota in the year 2001. I will admit that my frustration with Aaron Brooks is at an all time high. He continues to display an inability to thrive his skills to the fullest, yet I still think the decision by Coach Haslett to bench him now is quite ironic. Of all the forgettable games Brooks has had this year, Coach Haslett chooses to bench him the Sunday after he looked moderately good against ATL. Against ATL Brooks threw for 210 yards and a touchdown, but the most important stat is zero interceptions. Does it not seem more reasonable to have benched Brooks the week following his showing against Tampa in which he threw 4 interceptions? Or what about that 52-3 loss to the 3-10 Packers earlier in the year? All in all, this move by Haslett eliminates any future plans of Aaron Brooks ever taking another snap while in a Saints uniform. It is a sad ending for yet another disappointing Saints' quarterback. After having such an amazing first season with New Orleans, the physically talented Brooks has never grabbed that consistency his game has always needed. In the coming years, that Monday Night game in ATL will be remembered as the last time Aaron Brooks played for the men of black and gold. 'Nuff said...

Week 15 Rundown

I made it back to Ohio safely. During my 17 hour car ride I had plenty of time to think about the upcoming NFL games. Check it out!

Bucs vs. Pats

These 2 division leaders will be squaring off Sunday. Clearly the biggest factor of the game will be that the Pats will be playing at home. Chris Simms has done great so far, but he will be going against a Pats team everyone thought was a pushover.

28 Patriots 17 Bucs


Chiefs vs. Giants

KC shot themselves in the foot after choking against Dallas when up 14-3 early on. On a last ditch effort, Tynes missed a game tying 41 yard FG. This matchup will have plenty of points. Though in the end, the better offense will pull this one out.

35 Chiefs 24 Giants


Broncos vs. Bills

Oh by the way did you know that Denver is 10-3? This Mile High squad will continue there journey to a division title as they take on a frustrated Bills team. Deciding factor will be Losman's inexperience against a strong, solid D like Denver's.

29 Broncos 17 Bills


Cardinals vs. Texans

I'll admit Warner is suprising me with the yardage he's continuing to put up every weekend. Houston has been with every team they have played the past 4 weeks...and in each of those contests Houston manages to find a way to lose in the end. Why is that going to change?

22 Cardinals 20 Texans


Panthers vs. Saints

A lot has changed since that epic Saints' victory on opening day. Furthermore, a lot of attention will be on how Carolina responds after a crucial loss to Tampa. Aaron Brooks will be benched the rest of the season, so expect backup Todd Bouman to not have that luxurious day every backup dreams of.

34 Panthers 15 Saints


Jets vs. Dolphins

Dolphins have had some convincing wins these past two weeks. The team is well aware they screwed up San Diego's chances of a playoff berth. The Jets finally got a win after what seemed weeks and weeks of losing. NY might have a better chance if the man under center had better skills and awareness.

28 Dolphins 10 Jets


49ers vs. Jaguars

Jacksonville missed too many chances against Indy last week. None the less, the team only lost by 8 points. Del Rio knows his team isn't in the playoffs yet. San Fran will cause frustration and sloppy Jag play early, but in the end the feline cats will triumph.

24 Jaguars 16 49ers


Eagles vs. Rams

Remember when these 2 teams duked it out for the NFC Championship? Wasn't too long ago, but WOW! look at this matchup now. Haunted by injuries, Philly still manages to play hard every week. The Rams also have had there share of injuries, yet there bigger problem is the quarterback situation. We all know Mike McMahon isn't all pro, but who would you rather have McMahon or Fitzpatrick/Martin? I thought so.

29 Eagles 14 Rams


Steelers vs. Vikings

Pitt got a much needed win last week. Sunday, Cowher will once again get his troops pumped up for a strong showing. This time though, it is against a Minnesota team back from the dead...back from the dead on a fancy boat if I may add.

27 Steelers 22 Vikings


Chargers vs. Colts

San Diego was doing so dang well...then they tripped up against a Miami team they were better than. For a playoff berth, San Diego must win out. Tough? More like mission impossible. Marty's team will have to hand the Colts their first defeat of the season. At 14-0 the duty of LT and Brees will not be easy.

42 Colts 28 Chargers


Seahawks vs. Titans

Each week Seattle keeps on winning, and each week I realize that the Seahawks are even better than I thought. The Titans are very young, but have still managed to pull of their share of impressive performances. I want to think that Tennessee is going to scare Seattle big time...but then I realize I must be dreaming. That thought could only be a possiblity if McNair were to play injury-free. The chances of McNair being injury-free are as good as the Saints playing in the Superdome this year.

40 Seahawks 21 Titans


Bengals vs. Lions

Cincy seems to be getting better every week. The Lions are the exact opposite. Don't look for the Lions to surprise the NFL nation. Fat chance on that. Why? Nobody from Detroit can stop Carson Palmer.

35 Bengals 16 Lions


Browns vs. Raiders

Cleveland is not going to be in the playoffs, but they certainly are a team capable of screwing up someone else's chances of postseason glory. Oakland on the other hand really doesn't have much positive going on. To be honest, I don't think anything positive is going on at all for the black and sliver. For instance, Norv Turner will be fired, the organization is going to have yet another losing season, they lost by 16 to the Jets, and so on...

30 Browns 18 Raiders


Cowboys vs. Redskins

Parcells knows his crew is still PO'ed about that loss against Washington on MNF. A loss by either team and that postseason trip is pretty much cancelled. Key thing to watch for will be the play of the quarterback. Who's going to show up, Bledsoe or Brunell?

31 Cowboys 21 Redskins


Falcons vs. Bears

I look forward to watching this game. Vick is banged up and he'll be playing in cold weather. What's my point? Cold weather= a hard ground. A hard ground= a more slowed down game. A more slowed down game= The dangerous weapon of a scrambling Michael Vick is weakened. Regardless, the Orton lead offense of Chicago will only put up a mere amount of points.

26 Falcons 14 Bears


Packers vs. Ravens

Something tells me that the combined record of 7-19 for this week's MNF teams is not what America wants. Man the boys who schedule the matchups on MNF must be dying realizing what viewers will be forced to watch this Monday night.

18 Ravens 16 Packers

Wednesday the 14th

It is late Wednesday night. Tomorrow I have my Geography final then I am on Christmas Break for a month. I also have the joy of making a 17 hour trip home to Toledo where it's 20 degrees as oppose to Baton Rouge where it was 65 degrees today. Anyway I do not have a lot of time to write, but later in the week once I get back to Toledo I'll write some more articles. In the meantime why don't you go to www.mcubed.net

On this web site you'll find just about any sports score that has ever taken place. Here are some fun facts I read on LSU football. The first bowl the Tigers ever attended was known as the Bacardi Bowl. I wonder who sponsored it? Another interesting fact is that in 1907 LSU beat Havana University 56-0. Wait, you aren't getting that one? I mean Havana, as in Havana, Cuba. Oh and the Tigers won that game in Cuba. I mean winning in the Big House is sweet, but Cuba WOW! Those are just some examples. Well check it out, and I'll be back later this week!

MNF Aftermath

Well...it was a fun game to watch, yet in the end it finished just how I predicted. Once again Mr. Vick had some rushing touchdowns on the Saints' D. I for one don't agree with that touchdown call where Vick's hand "supposively" hit the pill on. First, I would like to say that the team was looking good in the first half. Hey I was pumped after that Brooks-to-Hakim TD right at the end of the second quarter! Compared to other games this year, Haslett really had the team visualizing victory. Though, once again we gave ATL some points with silly mistakes. (Horn's early fumble!) Despite all the grief he receives, Aaron Brooks does have one heck of a cannon. I mean when he wisps that ball threw the air, it's impressive. Too bad a lot of the times that action takes place, the play turns into an INT. Another thing dealing with Brooks is the offensive line. Don't get me wrong I think Brooks deserves the majority of the grief he gets, but sometimes the troubles are on the O-line. It seems the big ugly boys up front block occasionally like folding chairs. Like that safety ATL had on New Orleans. Brooks had absolutely no time. It is very frustrating for him to do anything when the instant the ball hits his hands, the opponent is driving into his chest. With all the events surrounding New Orleans and this team, I think Brooks and Haslett will definitely be back. I remember coming into this season I had playoff hopes for the team. That changed dramatically once I began to understand how difficult a situation this organization was in. If Benson were to fire Haslett after this season he would seem even more heartless. Haslett has really done a terrific job considering the tragedy his team has had to face. No NFL team has ever encountered what Jim's team has taken on this season. Morally, it wouldn't be right to fire a hardworking coach who has done his best with the worst conditions. Brooks will be back because attracting free agents to N.O. is not going to be easy whatsoever. The organization knows they'll have to stick with what they've got. Let's hope Adrian McPherson comes along during the 2006 season. I really want to see if he's that good. Plus, I'm tired of seeing Brooks under center. All in all, it has just been a rough year for the men in black and gold. At 3-10 the team is in the hunt for a very high draft pick. None the less, Coach Haslett has this team working their tails off every game. And just for that, Jim should be given another chance. 'Nuff said...

A Chance For Redemption...

I know every Saints fan remembers it. I for one haven't forgotten it one bit. I can still see that kick that ATL kicker Todd Peterson just hooked to the left. Yes! Saints were going to go to overtime! A week after losing by 7 touchdowns and Deuce McAllister, the Saints were in a position to beat a very good Atlanta team! Wait. Sorry. Take that all back. Flag on the play. Pull and shoot penalty on Saints' DE Tony Bryant. An irrelevant call to the outcome of the play. Rekick. Peterson's second attempt was perfect. You are kidding that did not just happen? As many times as the human being will say the phrase, "We lost the game because of the refs!" That last game against Atlanta is the first time I trully believe that. My father made a terrific point when he was giving me his thoughts about the game. "Chris I've seen that happen to the Saints so many times. I tell you, the refrees would never make a call like that against a team like the Cowboys." New Orleans' fans couldn't agree more. It's a good thing I am not Jim Haslett because I think I would have just punched that ref in the face. Heck, if Coach Haslett knew the season would turn out like this maybe he should have. That late flag, as Coach Haslett explained, was a chicken s*** call. Gutless. It makes me sick just thinking about it. Yet, the Saints have a chance for redemption. Oh, the joy of revenge! The Falcons have lost three out of their last four and are fighting for a chance to go to the postseason. Wouldn't that be something for the last place Saints to go into Atlanta on Monday Night and just beat the Falcons? Nothing pretty, or fancy. Just the fact the Saints would have more points than the Falcons in the end. As disasterous as this year has been, winning on Monday Night would be thrilling. I remember vividly the last time the Saints were on Monday Night Football. It was against the Rams in the year 2001. We lost 34-21. I like Jim Mora Jr. as a coach, I like Warrick Dunn as a running back, but I'll tell you who I do not like. Michael "Premadonna" Vick. I was a fan of him at Virginia Tech and a fan of him for Atlanta. That all changed when I begin to see the stuck up crybaby he is. He carries himself around like a god and expects the world to bow to him. It seems everytime they lose he's got an excuse. Against Tampa two weeks ago it was the refrees. (Don't get me started Mr. Vick on unfairness.) Last week against Carolina, after having lost to the Panthers for the first time, Vick replied that the streak of wins had to end someday. Earlier this year the Saints got after #7. He was being smothered all afternoon. Highlight of the day was when Vick tried scrambling and DE Will Smith grabbed him by the neck of his shoulders pads and slammed him to the ground. It was something that had to be seen by every football fan. Overall, I think Haslett's team will surprise people come tomorrow night. They'll hang with ATL and believe or not Brooks will play (I can't believe I'm saying this) well. Though, the season for ATL rides on every game here on out. The players know how important this game is. Coach Mora will have the team ready. New Orleans will be right with the Falcons for three quarters. ATL will pull away in the final period. Final score: ATL 42 NO 24

The Magical World of Ron Artest

I sometimes can not comprehend what is going through the mind of some professional athletes. Randy Moss's touchdown against the Packers last winter is a perfect example. Another athlete who has recently joined the stupidity department is the thuggish Ron Artest. Mr. Artest has always been a great defender. Along with his awesome defensive skills, he has a mouth that won't shut. Oh! And he happens to have this issue where he runs into the stands and punches fans! That's not a big deal though. Don't think anything of it... The newest issue surrounding this narrow-minded individual is his status in Pacer Town. Artest wants to be traded. Plain and simple. No hindering about his thoughts, he just came out and said it. He doesn't like playing for Carisle. Artest also explained the offense he is in right now doesn't let him shoot enough. "I'm so demanding of the ball. It's not my fault," Artest told the Star. "Every time somebody is on me it's a mismatch. It messes up the offense. I like Coach [Carlisle] as a person, but I don't like playing for Coach. I like my team, though." WOW! Do I have to say it? Do I? I mean are you kidding me? I don't even no where to begin. I have an idea! Hey Ron would you like us to fire Carisle so you can be happy? Here are the simple facts about this 'brillant man.' His ego is obviously gigantic (about the opposite size of his brain), and all he really wants is for himself to be happy. PERIOD. Nothing else. The guy wants to do whatever he feels like. Heck, maybe he'll want to make a music CD someday! Wait, oh I forget he did do that. Shucks. Mr. Artest wants to go to New York. The disrespect he is showing to the Pacers is unbeliveable. Is this the same man on the cover of SI with Larry Bird? I mean I am just so confused on how someone can think the way he does. Someone help me. All he wants is the ball and money. Nothing more...okay maybe the legalizing of punching specators. But that's it! 'Nuff said...

Week 14 Predictions

I have exams this upcoming week so my thoughts and predictions will be brief. Enjoy...

New England @ Buffalo

The Bills are coming off a really tough loss to the Dolphins. Unforunately for Buffalo fans do not expect this 3 game losing streak to end now. This time of the year is when Brady is at his best.

Pats 28 Bills 17


Cleveland @ Cincinnati

Cincinnati is having one heck of a season. Carson and Chad are go together like peanut butter and jelly. Browns are still a young team under Romeo. Going against a high powered offense such as Cincy's will be too much.

Bengals 38 Browns 19


Houston @ Tennessee

Both of these teams are not having the seasons they hoped for. Texans have really had it tough the last 3 weeks. Despite having leads late in the game, this Houston team has found a way to lose everytime. On Sunday, they will finally close one out.

Texans 29 Titans 24


St. Louis @ Minnesota

Rough year for STL. Injuries have plagued this team so much. For crying out loud a Harvard grad is playing QB for them. Mike Tice has surprised so many by turning the Vikings' season around. Brad Johnson has shown great patience.

Vikings 28 Rams 21

Oakland @ NYJ

Oakland can't play defense, and to be honest not even offense some times. The Jets are a great defensive team with a pathetic offense. I really don't know what to say. Not a lot of hype for this showdown.

Raiders 37 Jets 15


Chicago @ Pittsburgh

Bears' D is overtaking the league. They seemed to have not lost in quite a while. As for Pitt, Cowher's team is on a 3 game losing streak. Without an offense as consistent as Pitt, Chicago will fall for the first time in a while.

Steelers 25 Bears 17


Tampa Bay @ Carolina

The NFC South is always such a competitve division. Tampa and Carolina will be challenging each other for the division lead. I want to say the Panthers will come through, but for some reason this is just one of those game Gruden's Gang surprises America.

Bucs 28 Panthers 24


Indianapolis @ Jacksonville

This game would have had even more hype had Leftwich not gotten injured the other week. Jacksonville will keep it close, but a late TD by Indy will seal the 13th victory.

Colts 21 Jaguars 12


NYG @ Philadelphia

Giants seem to be running on all cylinders. SEEM. The Eagles have a different situation. They just got shut out on Monday Night Football. 42-0. Wow! I think the team won't be as fired up as you may think.

Giants 31 Eagles 18


Washington @ Arizona

Washington has lost so many down to the wire games this year. Joe Gibbs's team is really in a hole right now for the playoff race. Arizona is a roller coaster team. You never know what to expect.

Cardinals 35 Redskins 31


San Francisco @ Seattle

I think Seattle is going to be a bit relaxed heading into this game. San Fran will scare them. Being so much better, the Seahawks will easily be able to rebound.

Seahawks 27 49ers 24


Kansas City @ Dallas

Man oh man! What a big game! Whoever loses can pretty much kiss a postseason trip goodbye! KC is playing good ball mainly because Larry Johnson is a machine when pounding the ball. Dallas looked very disappointing last week. Bledsoe wants to prove that was a fluke.

Cowboys 30 Chiefs 22


Balitmore @ Denver

I am sure we all thought this would be a closer game. Not today. Boller may have had a 'game winning' drive against Houston, but Denver is no Houston. Besides the offense of Baltimore is so predictable.

Broncos 38 Ravens 17


Miami @ San Diego

Miami is playing well currently. They could sneak up on an unsuspecting Chargers team. Yet, Miami does have one problem. They do not have a good enough defense to stop LT.

Chargers 35 Dolphins 21


Detroit @ Green Bay

Well I am pretty sure that one of these struggling teams have to win. The Lions will not be as focused as they were earlier in the season. A lot of drama has risen with the Mooch firing and Bly bashing Harrington. Meanwhile, Green Bay has a 2-10 record, yet the whole team still plays their hearts out.

Packers 24 Lions 13


New Orleans @ Atlanta

ATL is really in need of some wins to get back in the playoff picture. N.O. on the other hand, has just lost another game by single digits. As a Saints fan I am hoping for a brillant showing, but Falcons know how important this game is. Mora's team will be fired up.

Falcons 42 Saints 24

Late Season Playoff Predictions

The regular season is almost over and that means one thing. The battle for a playoff spot heats up even more. A few teams are already gimmes on getting into the playoffs, but will they do anything? What about wildcards? Now there's a mess! Below are my predictions to get into the playoffs and what is going to happen in the playoffs. Prepare to be surprised. One more thing, I know my sports, but I am pretty awful as far as predictions go. Look at some of my previous posts. Enjoy.

AFC

Wildcard

3rd seeded Denver beats 6th seeded Jacksonville
4th seeded N.E. beats 5th seeded San Diego
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Divisional

1st seeded Indy beats 3rd seeded Denver
4th seeded N.E. beats 2nd seeded Cincy
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Conference

1st seeded Indy beats 4th seeded N.E.
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NFC

Wildcard

6th seeded Tampa beats 3rd seeded Chicago
5th seeded Dallas beats 4th seeded NYG
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Divisional

6th seeded Tampa beats 1st seeded Seattle
2nd seeded Carolina beats 5th seeded Dallas
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Conference

2nd seeded Carolina beats 6th seeded Tampa
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SUPER BOWL XL

1st seeded Indy defeats 2nd seeded Carolina
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Analysis

Yes, it does seem like a fairy tale. Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy finally win a Super Bowl. The most important thing during their run to the Super Bowl will certainly be home field advantage. Jon Gruden's ball club is going to make a run in the playoffs because Chris Simms is coming around, and the fact that their defense is a force to reckon with. Besides Chicago doesn't have a consistent offense and Seattle has not faced a speedy defense like Tampa's yet. Dallas will shatter a NYG Super Bowl trip just because Eli is still young and the playoffs will be a new experience for him. Denver is going to finally get by the first round, yet once again the Colts will beat them in Indy. New England over San Diego because Tom Brady is a winner and I don't think Brees and LT are use to New England weather. Even though they've had a rough season, the Pats will make noise in the playoffs. Going into Cincy during the cold will be an epic win. Though the ultimate fate of the 2x defending Super Bowl Champs will be decided when Indy finally prevails over N.E. John Fox's team will make yet another impressive run, but fall short...again. Panthers will have the defense to slow down the Colts, but eventually Indy is going to get scoring on offense. Indy will jump out to an early lead in which Carolina will slowly trim down quarter by quarter. In the end Colts will score a crucial touchdown to put the game out of reach. In a last ditch effort Dungy's D will intercept a pass and history will have been made.

Dem Saints

The greatest saying said regarding the New Orleans Saints was said by my father Thomas Ballay. "They are like babies Chris, you get mad at them, but always end up going back because you love them." That quote is so true for every fan out there who has suffered Sunday after Sunday watching the black and gold lose yet another game. Despite all the turmoil this franchise has gone through, the fans have always been there. Sure, the organization itself has only 1 playoff win, but none the less the fans are always there supporting the tam. Each year (I can relate to this very much) die hard Saints fans eagerly picture a Super Bowl trophy finally being won by their beloved team. That dream seems even farther than ever right now. The New Orleans Saints are in jeopardy of moving out of Louisiana FOREVER. My dream of one day saying "Saints are the champs!", is something that could quite possibly be wiped out from ever occurring. As much as us fans joke, if the Saints move to San Antonio, it will be impossible to ever bring home a Super Bowl trophy to New Orleans. It has come apparent to me that no longer are so many Saint fans worried about the team's record. Instead, like myself, a lot of fans are worried about whether or not this team will even stay in New Orleans. To think that the city of New Orleans is going to lose their franchise because of a natural disaster makes my stomach turn. Commissioner Paul Tagilibue helped schedule 4 home games for the New Orleans Saints in Tiger Stadium. After drawing 61,000+ fans to the first Baton Rouge home game it looked as it though the support for this team was going to be present. Yet, that is obviously not the case now. The past two games in Death Valley have drawn around 30,000+ fans a game. Looking in the stadium is like watching an Arizona Cardinals' home game. As frustrating as it is to see that image, I still disagree that that fact alone should be used as a reason the Saints should move. Don't tell me only 30,000 fans are going to Tiger Stadium because nobody cares about them. The New Orleans Saints have been heavily supported by the Big Easy since 1967 despite the team's little success. Are you telling me that the team might move because of poor attendence in 2 games? Shouldn't Paul Tagilibue look at the fact that for so many years fans have supported and supported this franchise? I am not saying that having a mere 30,000 fans at a NFL game is okay for a team. It is flat out pathetic, don't get me wrong. I am just saying that the ultimate fate of the Saints shouldn't be decided because of 2 recent games. This has been a nightmare of a year for so many people. Going to a football game isn't as important as finding a home, or getting a job. I hope when the decision in finally made in the future, Paul Tagilibue looks at the New Orleans Saints and sees a franchise that is destined for one thing. To remain in New Orleans no matter what it takes. 'Nuff said.

The Day After...

It is the Day After. The Day After Hell erupted for the LSU Nation. I went to the much anticipated game. The hype was unbeatable. LSU fans showed up and from my experiences were much louder than the Georgia fans. The activities that were arranged due to the SEC Championship game were numerous. Through all the tailgating, all the football activities, I kept thinking in the back of my mind about the fact that this Bulldog team was good. Georgia had 2 losses. One to the Gators because Shockley was out. The other, Auburn, resulted because the UGA defense couldn't make a play on 4th and 10. Once the game started the tension grew even greater inside the Georgia Dome. Going into the game, my friends and I knew that JaMarcus needed to put on a performance like he did against various teams during the course of the season. If he came out sloppy, then the crowd of UGA would become even more of a factor. I knew Georgia fans would outnumber LSU fans, but not 2:1. To get a delay of game, then a sack on our first offensive possession was not the way to start the game. JaMarcus was flat, but the score was still 0-0. That changed instantly once DJ Shockley nailed Sean Bailey for a long TD pass. To make matters worse, on the next possession JaMarcus threw an INT to a Bulldog. Not just any INT, an INT that made JaMarcus Russell come off to the United States of America as a quarterback with little experience. It immediately set the tone for the rest of the game. With the blink of an eye the Tigers were down 14-0 and Sean Bailey had 2 TDs. LSU didn't fall down. A long drive by the Tigers ended on a JaMarcus Russell QB sneak for 6 points. It was 14-7 and I was thinking LSU was back in this game. Our defense disappointed the LSU viewer once again as Georgia put up 6 more points. UGA 21 LSU 7. With under a minute left LSU was going to get the ball back and have a chance to do something right before halftime. For those of us who watched the game, that punt UGA booted was something I've never seen. On initial contact with the ground, the ball hit at the 1 yard line. You would think just like 99.999% of the time, the ball would roll into the endzone. Not today. The ball rolled back and was downed on about the 3 yard line. As I look back that punt play was a perfect picture of the day the Tigers had. After halftime the Tigers got the ball. LSU needed to score, something needed to be shown. Life was still there inside that Les Mile's football team. 3 and out. Georgia got the ball and BOOM! it's 24-7. I didn't give up then, but my thoughts of really winning dramatically decreased. To make matters even worse (it's possible) JaMarcus was injured. Number 4 had a nightmare of an evening for the first SEC Championship Game he started. When Matt Flynn came in the next series, the LSU fan was once again thinking that good things were going to happen. Sure it was 27-7 UGA, but we had Mr. Flynn under center now. (Hopefully he plays like Frank Reich.) Deep in our own territory Flynn threw an INT that was taken back for 6. All hope was officially shattered. Down 34-7, Les knew the Tigers had to score for pure dignity. LSU cut it 34-14, and then got an onsides kick. As silly as it was sounds, I still thought that the Tigers could pull out the amazing come from behind victory. Flynn was sacked on 4th and 10. Nevermind about that thought. Final score: UGA 34 LSU 14. It was a huge disappointment. The loss can't be thrown entirely on JaMarcus's shoulders. The WHOLE team looked bad. The defense and offense were both beat physically. Getting beat physically is the worst feeling because that's the point that every viewer knows you are at the mercy of your opponent's will. As lousy as LSU played, going to the Peach Bowl is still a raw deal. With only 2 losses you are telling me LSU is not good enough for a January bowl game? Wow. I don't know what to think or say. Nothing can be done. Though at least LSU is playing a very worthy opponent in Miami Florida. So many thoughts are racing through Tiger Nation. What happened? Are we that bad? What is going to happen on the 30th against the Hurricanes? All in all, my trip to Atlanta was enjoyable and fun, yet it ended in the way I only think is fitting for a nightmare. A nightmare were the Tigers of LSU were outplayed, outcoached, and flat out beaten by the Georgia Bulldogs. 34-14. Shivers are still shooting up my spine...

Championship Week

I am sorry to be late, but I am in ATL for the LSU/Georgia showdown. I don't have the time to give you my full thoughts on the games this weekend, but I will give you who I think will win.

BIG 12

#2 Texas vs.Colorado

Longhorns struggle in beginning, but win nicely. Hello Pasadena!

UT 40 Colorado 20

SEC

#3 LSU vs. #13 Georgia

I'm very superstitious so I'll be the one that will jinx LSU. Georgia is a really good football team. They lost to Florida because DJ was out and that Auburn loss was a result of a forunate 4th down conversion. Tigers almost blew it against a 4-7 Razorback squad. Thank goodness they didn't. The team will be ready tomorrow night. But my thoughts are LSU pulls together in the end...

LSU 28 Georgia 17

C-USA

UCF vs. Tulsa

Yes C-USA has a championship game. It's the league's first year with this new format. Coach O'Leary has to be given his props. UCF was winless last year and now they are 8-3. To be honest I don't know anything about Tulsa football. That could be a great advantage for the folks of Oklahoma.

UCF 33 Tulsa 28


ACC

#5 VTech vs. Florida State

Bowden's Crew was lucky to get in this game. Very young team in Florida and it will be shown Saturday. VTech is a great ball club very worthy of a BCS bowl. The team is full of speed, power, and excellence.

VTech 38 Florida State 22


and now the other games.....


Army vs. Navy

Always a classic. Fun game to watch no matter the records of each team. Navy is once again in the bowl picture, as for Army...not so much. Thoug Coach Ross is making progress. Don't be surprised if he pulls out a W against the Midshipmen.

Navy 34 Army 19


#1 USC vs. #10 UCLA

UCLA has got an offense to match USC. The problem is they don't have a defense. They will scare the Trojans, but as for finishing them off...not going to happen. Besides Carroll's team is determined for the Rose Bowl.

USC 41 UCLA 31


...wait one more!

Bucs @ Saints

Ah! The Saints vs. the Bucs in Tiger Stadium. Nice win for the Saints against an 'awesome' Jets team. I love them, but they just are having a rough year. Oh and by the way they aren't that good!

Bucs 27 Saints 18

Reply to a Comment

I recently received a question dealing with Arkansas's head football coach, Houston Nutt. The question dealt with whether or not LSU pursued Mr. Nutt once Coach Saban left for Miami. The simple answer is yes. Though it's much more detailed than that. Athletic Director Skip Bertman was interested in having Coach Nutt come to Baton Rouge. LSU had an interest. Not a strong desire. Also, Houston Nutt had recently turned down the Nebraska job. To pry him away from Fayetteville would have been quite difficult. It is that simple. Bertman was more interested in pursuing other coaches such as Les Miles before seriously considering Houston Nutt as the new LSU football coach. 'Nuff said.

Saints/Jets

It's about time the Saints won another game. I was starting to get sick of watching them lose every weekend. That six game losing streak needed to end. Not a better team to end it against than the New York Jets, who like the Saints are pretty much enduring a very forgettable season. Aaron Brooks was not himself Sunday night. He didn't throw any interceptions which is not like him at all. When the team needed a score, Mr. Brooks was able to succeed to the fullest. His third touchdown of the day that gave New Orleans the lead for good, was a 30 yard strike to Devery Henderson the former LSU Tiger. I could go on about the fact that the D looked better than usual or how the offense in general wasn't plagued with as many penalties. Though, let me be honest I would be happy if the Saints won 4-2. It's just nice to see the team get a much needed win during this disastrous season. I can only continue to hope that Haslett has the team playing it's hardest each and every week. Through all the turmoil he has been able to keep the team focused and competitive. Each week the Saints come out ready to win.

LSU/Arkansas Afterthoughts

After LSU held on for a 19-17 win against Arkansas I can say I am just pleased we were able to hold on. I am still baffled by the very fact that LSU put themselves in a situation of losing to a 4-6 ball club at Death Valley. Even though he has grown so much over this past season, JaMarcus Russell still displayed that inconsistency that causes every LSU Tiger fan to lose sleep. The way JaMarcus ran the offense in the late second half was just like that of the Tennessee game. The deep ball that was picked off sent shivers down my spine as I realized the great possibility of a Razorback victory. To blame the poor performance all on Mr. Russell is absolutely bogus. It did not help that numerous passes were dropped by the wide recievers or how Justin Vincent coughed up a fumble. As unimpressive as LSU looked, Arkansas has to be given credit for the great fight they put up. The more I watch Arkansas football, the more I realize that Houston Nutt is in fact a one of a kind coach. Coach Nutt brought a Razorback team to Baton Rouge ready to pull off the upset. Despite their losing record, Houston believed he could win. Being in a state such as Arkansas, it is quite evident Houston Nutt won't be getting the top athletes of the nation as opposed to schools like Texas and USC. None the less, Coach Nutt always seems to muster together teams that give the Bayou Bengals trouble. When down 19-3, Coach Nutt was able to pull the team together and give Les Miles a run for his money. Overall LSU did not look like the SEC West Champs at all this past Friday. Yet, do not forget that they still did win. I have watched many LSU/Arkansas games in the past where Houston Nutt ruined LSU's season. Two examples would be the 14-3 loss in 2000 and the 21-20 loss in 2002. That loss in 2002 kept LSU out of the SEC Championship Game. Looking back it was a rough game to watch. Just thinking how we blew a 16 point lead still causes my stomach to become uneasy. The Tigers will be ready come Saturday in Atlanta. Unlike Georgia this coming weekend, the team seemed a little bit too relaxed going into their season finale game against Arkansas. All the players realize they are quite forunate to have escaped Friday with a win. To prove it was nothing but a fluke, LSU will come out fired up to take on the Bulldogs of Athens. I don't know who will win this SEC Championship Showdown, but I do know the Tigers will be ready.

Thanksgiving Classics

I apologize for not having updated my web site recently. I've just gotten back to Ohio. Baton Rouge to Toledo, Ohio is not a walk down the street. Especially when you spend the night at the Atlanta airport. None the less, there are some GOOD matchups on Thanksgiving for once. Don't get me wrong if there are two 1-9 teams duking it out on Turkey Day, I'll still enjoy it. It's better though when you have a maturing Detroit Lions team taking on an up and down Atlanta Falcons team. Yet, the better matchup will be the Denver Broncos at the Dallas Cowboys. It will be the first time since 1979 two first place teams have played each other on Thanksgiving Day. Because I am so late with my predictions and with all the holiday hoopla going on I only had time to predict the games taking place on Thanksgiving Day....

Atlanta Falcons @ Detriot Lions

Storyline: Atlanta is on a 2 game losing streak, and the Lions are well....the Lions. Lions need to get some consistency from Mr. Harrington. Is that going to happen? Probably not. Vick seems to be fumbling quite a lot lately. On the contrary, Vick is throwing the ball nicely. First round pick Rod White is starting to come around.

Fantasy Star: Warrick Dunn. The Lions are not good against the run. Warrick is a shifty back who can run and catch the ball out of the backfield. Expect him to get loose a number of times against the Lions.

Prediction: Is ATL really going to lose 3 straight? I think Vick and Dunn will give Mooch a handful, but I still think Detroit will win this one. Why? It's Thanksgiving and Lions always play well on Turkey Day. Besides the Falcons are not looking great now. There motivation will be down with 2 tough losses. As for Detroit, they will be fired up once again to compete on Thanksgiving.

Lions 31 Falcons 29


Denver Broncos @ Dallas Cowboys

Storyline: This will a sort of playoff game for both teams. Cowboys have surprised everyone with their impressive record. Parcells really does know how to win. The Broncos are once again rolling through the season with a good record. But for once they actually seem like they are a team capable of doing some playoff damage. Lately, Shannan's teams have just fallen apart come playoff time. (Think Indy past two years.)

Fantasy Star: Mike Anderson. He was able to hold off Tatum Bell for the starting job. Anderson had an awesome 3 touchdowns last week, but the big question is this Thursday. Can Anderson be productive on a stingy defense that knows he is in fact the man who's in charge of carrying the offense? It'll be a tough job for Mike, but something tells me he is up for the challenge.

Prediction: I think who ever is the home team is the winner in a game like this. Cowboys are really starting to take command of the NFC. Parcells wants to continue to show America that these guys are for real. Shannan will catch Parcells off guard a few times, but not enough to beat Dallas.

Cowboys 28 Broncos 23

Oh Michael We All Love You!

Did anyone hear Michael Vick's postgame comments after the Buccaneer loss? Mr. Vick was complaining about the officiating. He was disgusted how the refs seemed to be favoring the Bucs. Favoring? Please don't tell me you said favoring. How about that Saints/Falcons game earlier in the year? Now Michael do you remember how Todd Peterson missed a chance at a game winning field goal? Was it not the refs who threw a silly flag that gave your team another chance? I thought so. Don't tell me about unfair refs because the following week the Saints got hosed again during the closing minutes at St. Louis. I could not have enjoyed the way the Falcons lost anymore. Vick had a key fumble that lead to the game winning points for Tampa. To ice it off, on a last ditch effort the Falcons missed a field goal. 'Nuff said.

NFL: 11/20/05

New Orleans 2-7 @ New England 5-4

Synopsis: The Patriots got a much needed win, while the Saints got a much needed Bye week. Saints have lost every possible way this year. Changing that is going to be very tough when you are going to play in the backyard of the two time defending Super Bowl champs.

Spotlight Player: Aaron Brooks. Being Saints fan I am obviously going to have a Saints player as the guy to watch. Brooks has thrown 7 TDs and 12 INTs. I think you can pretty much say this has been a nightmare season for him. Despite this forgettable season, Brooks is still the leader on the team. A 'W' can only be a remote possibility if #2 plays well.

Prediction: I would like to think the Saints will run the tables and finish 9-7. But let's be honest, they are going against Tom Brady in Foxboro. That's like fighting a crocodile in the water. Disaster is bound to happen. And happen it will. Plus, the Saints D is too weak to stop a winner like Tom Brady.

Patriots 37 Saints 17



Detroit 4-5 @ Dallas 6-3

Synopsis: Dallas is coming in off of an amazing come from behind win against the Eagles. The Lions on the other hand are coming off one of the few games Harrington looked good. Problem is Harrington always looks good against Arizona.

Spotlight Player: Joey Harrington. Once again I am going to have to go with a QB as being the spotlight player. Harrington has lost the fans and now the coach. Mooch prefers Garcia more than Joey. Even though he's as inconsistent as Aaron Brooks, Harrington will get yet another chance to prove his critics wrong come Sunday.

Prediction: This one may seem easy, but don't think so fast. If the game where in Detroit things would be different. It's not so I am going to go with a Dallas team that is starting to look like a real sleeper in the Super Bowl race.

Cowboys 30 Lions 18



Miami 3-6 @ Cleveland 3-6

Synopsis: The Fins have lost the past two weeks because their offense couldn't punch the ball in the endzone when they had it inside their opponents 10 yard line. Miami could easily be a 5-4 ball club, but the thing of it is...they aren't. Cleveland, as suspected, is having a tough season under Coach Romeo. Though more success has occurred than anticipated. Biggest issue for the Browns is the QB situation...again.

Spotlight Player: Trent Dilfer. In Cleveland's 3 wins he's thrown 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. In 6 losses, this Fresno State graduate has thrown a horrid 3 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He's no Peyton Manning, but Trent is a heck of a leader. Browns need him to help out as much as he can both mentally and physically.

Prediction: Matching up, the Fins are a bit better than the Browns. Matching up. Though, I think all that goes out of the window when the game is in Cleveland. The Dawg Pound can be an intense play for a visiting team. Also, Dolphins will still be down after last week's loss. I don't know what he has in plan, but Romeo is going to have some trick plays to help his team jump out to an early lead.

Browns 22 Dolphins 17



Carolina 7-2 @ Chicago 6-3

Synopsis: Carolina has won 6 straight, Chicago has won 5 straight. Both teams are at the top of their divisions. Not much respect is being given to the Bears so Sunday's game against the Panthers is going to be a big measuring stick on how good this Chicago team really is.

Spotlight Player: Adrian Peterson. This is the other Mr. Peterson. Don't get him confused with the RB at Oklahoma. With Cedric Benson out, and Thomas Jones banged up, Peterson will again be getting many looks. A lot of people are thinking big things for the young man considering he busted out for a 100+ yards against the 49ers. Was it a fluke or just the tip of the iceberg?

Prediction: This is a major game for Chicago. Everyone knows the Panthers are good, but the Bears? Not so much. They have a good defense, a smart quarterback, and can run the ball. Sorry I don't see this team being able to put up enough points on a top notch Carolina defense. This loss will only add more coating to the fact that the NFC North is only average at best.

Panthers 28 Bears 16


Pittsburgh 7-2 @ Baltimore 2-7

Synopsis: When this game was scheduled this was suppose to be a late season grudge match. Though the trouble with that is Steelers have a solid offense (with Big Ben) and a furious D. The Ravens have no offense and a slipping D. Baltimore's season is only going to get worse.

Spotlight Player: Kyle Boller. I was going to put who ever was the Steelers' QB, but this is bigger. Last week was Boller's first time on the field since Week 1. He was 19/33 142 yards and 3 interceptions. Oh and the Ravens finished with an astounding 3 points.

Prediction: For a second I was thinking that maybe Boller might come out and prove his doubters wrong. Yet, when I thought about it I realized Boller has really never lived up to his expectations. Even without Big Ben the Steelers will still get more offense with their backup than the Ravens can get with their first round draft pick.

Steelers 30 Ravens 14


Tampa Bay 6-3 @ Atlanta 6-3

Synopsis: Well nothing is better than a nice second place showdown. Tampa is going off an awesome win against the Redskins. Going for two like that was so gutsy and thrilling to watch. The Falcons are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Pack. Vick had 3 fumbles and the team lost by the score of 33-25.

Spotlight Player: Chris Simms. Who is this guy? Is he that guy who's lost 2 games and has thrown 2 TDs and 4 INTs? Or maybe he's that guy who threw for 279 yards and 3 TDs? Come Sunday people are going to start to see whether this guy can really be a quarterback. One thing is for sure. If he plays like he did last week, Mr. Griese will be out of the job...again.

Prediction: The NFC South is very unpredictable. Right now the Bucs, Panthers, and Falcons are all about even. One week it looks like Carolina is the best, and the next week Atlana looks awesome. Though just when you think you understand this division BOOM! the Bucs come out and beat a good Redskins team. I like Chris Simms. When he plays you saw what he can do.

Buccaneers 34 Falcons 27


Oakland 3-6 @ Washington 5-4

Synopsis: The Oakland Raiders are on a 2 game losing streak. This team seems to keep sinking each week after that epic Kansas City loss. The Redskins are coming off a loss to the Bucs in which they lost on a late two point conversion made by Tampa.

Spotlight Player: Randy Moss. Randy Moss has not had over 100 yards receiving since Week 4. With all this Terrell Owens hoopla you don't think Moss wants to show the media who's the real WR in the league and put up some All-Pro numbers?

Prediction: Coach Gibbs has been in control of this team long enough to the point where they are starting to become an elite club. Of Washington's 4 losses, 3 of them have come by an average of just over 3 points. Oakland on the other hand is in disarray. Norv Turner's coaching career for the Raiders is starting to look like former coach Bill Callahan's last year under Al Davis.

Redskins 27 Raiders 17


Jacksonville 6-3 @ Tennessee 2-7

Synopsis: The Jaguars are coming off a win in which they scored 30 points. Until last week Jacksonville had not scored 30 points or more in over 50+ games. Jacksonville is going against a young Titans team that is still maturing. Despite this, you never know what to expect with a coach like Jeff Fisher.

Spotlight Player: Chris Brown. This powerful Tennessee running back has yet to run over 100 yards this season. Criticism seems to be on the fact that Brown seems to be injured a lot. If he does not start performing better, than Travis Henry may be the go-to guy in the future.

Prediction: Jaguars are notorious for losing those easy games. I want to think that they will slip up again, but I think Del Rio is getting this team to notice it's potiential. Titans will keep it close, but in the end the defense of Jacksonville will ultimately seal the W.

Jaguars 28 Titans 23


Arizona 2-7 @ St. Louis 4-5

Synopsis: Kurt Warner is going to face his old team. The team he achieved the award of 2 MVPs along with a Super Bowl trophy. Arizona has been a huge disappointment this year. The Rams have gone through quite a bit of struggles this season. Coach Martz is unable to aid the team, and injuries to Bulger and Hort have really hindered this once offensive juggernaut.

Spotlight Player: Arizona running backs. The Cardinal have one rushing touchdown this season. Period. The offense can not be effective if everyone knows that Warner is going to be throwing the ball 90% of the time. Marcel Shipp and J.J. Arrington have to do something against a weak Rams D or the city of Phoenix can start getting use to a 2-8 record.

Prediction: Dennis Green's dream season is more like a nightmare. The Rams offense will overwhelm the Cardinals all day. Fitzgerald will be terrific, but the score is all that will matter in the end.

Rams 38 Cardinals 20


Philadelphia 4-5 @ NY Giants 6-3

Synopsis: Wow! Where do I start? The troubles in Philly are only getting worse. McNabb is done for the year and an inexperienced Mike McMahon is the QB who is suppose to save the season. Giants played awful last week against the Vikings. Eli Manning is going to come out and make a statement that last week was an absolute fluke.

Spotlight Player: Mike McMahon. He is being thrown in one tough situation. McMahon is not a savior, but he is not expected to be one. All he needs to do is HIS part. In order to accomplish this mission he'll have to do it against a hungry, underrated Giants D.

Prediction: I think the Eagles will suprise a lot of people on their performance Sunday. McMahon will do better than expected. Giants are still going to beat them because I can assure you Coach Tom Coughlin is still aggravated after the team's poor performance against Minnesota.

Giants 33 Eagles 21


Seattle 7-2 @ San Francisco 2-7

Synopsis: The Seahawks are really starting to play like an elite team. Shaun Alexander is a touchdown machine. I can't explain it any other way. The guy lives in the endzone. He has at least 15 TDs in 5 consecutive seasons. Phenomenal. San Francisco is seems to be running out of QBs. Don't worry Ken Dorsey is here to play.

Spotlight Player: Shaun Alexander. I think this one is pretty obvious. If Shaun Alexander can be hindered from his typical days of stardom then, and only then, will the 49ers have a chance. Fat chance on that considering San Fran is last in total defense.

Prediction: Seattle is looking good right now. I mean goooood. Hasselback is doing his part and Alexander is once again tearing run defenses apart. Even though San Fran has had it's upsets this year, don't look for it Sunday. The D the 49ers have is horrendous. Some NBA teams I think give up less points than the 49ers.

Seahawks 38 49ers 17


Buffalo 4-5 @ San Diego 5-4

Synopsis: San Diego is coming off of a bye week. Maybe this team is finally going to start winning week after week. They are going against a Bills team that is great on defense, but inconsistent on offense.

Spotlight Player: J.P. Losman. Losman got his starting job back when Holcomb went down with an injury last week. He was able to get the Bills a win over the Chiefs and to be honest he looked like he had the offense in control. Earlier in the year J.P. was having lots of difficulty, but during all that time on the bench he seems to have grown a better understanding of the game.

Prediction: Buffalo has the better D, and San Diego has the better offense. In the end, the main difference will be the run defense of both teams. San Diego has the best run defense and Buffalo has the second to worst run defense. Good news for LT, bad news for MaGahee.

Chargers 35 Bills 10

NY Jets 2-7 @ Denver 7-2

Synopsis: Herman Edwards is doing his best with a team that is QB-less. The season seems to only be getting more and more chaotic. To make matters worse the Jets have to play the Broncos in Denver.

Spotlight Player: Jets Offense. The D in NY is awesome, but you need an offense to put up points. When Pennington went down so did the team's season. The RB situation is a nightmare. Curtis Martin can't seem to get anything going. He has only one game this year of over a 100 yards. The WR position isn't much better. Offseason acquisitions Laveranues Coles and Doug Jolley are struggling to get in a consistent rhythmn of being productive every week.

Prediction: I know I haven't picked many upsets if any, but come on! I mean the Jets are hopeless right now. The QB situation as I stated is pathetic. The Broncos are going to pound the ball all game. By the time the game ends, the Jets's D will be exhausted and the Broncos offense will be grinning.

Broncos 32 Jets 13


Indianapolis 9-0 @ Cincinnati 7-2

Synopsis: (Drum roll) THE GAME YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR. THE UNDEFEATED INDIANAPOLIS COLTS TRAVEL INTO CINCINNATI TO PLAY IN THE JUNGLE AGAINST THE RAGING BENGALS. IT WILL BE A GAME OF GUTS, GLORY, AND DETERMINATION.

Spotlight Player: Chad Johnson. He loves the attention of the media like T.O. He just can't help giving his 2 cents on every issue. Chad didn't predict a win, but he did predict he'd have a big day. The whole Colts D is going to be doing everything they can to stop #85. If Chad can still achieve a big day than that is what I call backing it up.

Prediction: Everyone is thinking the Bengals will be victorious. Sorry, it ain't happening. Dungy is going to have the Colts ready. It'll be close, but in the end the play of #18 will crown the Colts the winners.

Colts 30 Bengals 27


Kansas City 5-4 @ Houston 1-8

Synopsis: I am going to have to agree with the fact that this is in fact a playoff game for Kansas City. They have a gruesome remaining schedule and if they lose to the Texans than kiss your playoff hopes good bye.

Spotlight Player: David Carr. This is not what we expected. 4-12, 5-11, 7-9 to a current record of 1-8? Where they not getting better? What has happened to this organization that looked to be a potiental playoff contender this season? As the losing continues so does the scrutiny of #1 draft pick David Carr. If Carr wants to keep his starting job for next year he better play these final 7 games with absolutely everything he's got.

Prediction: Hmmm. Quite the intriguing matchup. I am pondering of what I think shall happen in this unique matchup. KC rolls over the already steamrolled Houston Texans, or Houston wins in a classic fashion and KC's season has self-destructed. I have concluded that the Chiefs know just how important this game is and improve drastically on that weak 3 point performance against Buffalo last Sunday.

Chiefs 27 Texans 19


Minnesota 4-5 @ Green Bay 2-7

Synopsis: The Vikings are on a 2 game winning streak and Brad Johnson is playing well for the injured Daunte Culpepper. The Pack are coming of a big upset in Atlanta. Favre is showing that he can still muster wins out of a team plagued with injuries.

Spotlight Player: Brett Favre. Yes, you could say Brad Johnson, or Gado is more important, but I disagree. Favre is having a really rough year. He leads the league in INTs with 15. And his team has so many injuries that the towel boy might be playing come Sunday. Favre needs to have another complete game like he had last week to prove once again he is Da Master.

Prediction: Don't start talking about the Vikings turning around a disappointing season. Tice's crew is going into Lambeau against a Packers team that is coming together. Favre is going to be glorious on the Monday Night stage once again.

Packers 30 Vikings 20

College Football: 11/19/05

Last week I thought I did pretty good. My record was 5-3.

Analysis of Last Week's Picks
48 Ohio State/7 Northwestern----Yep that NW team is suuure consistent.
41 Michigan/14 Indiana----Michigan beat Indiana! No way!
35 Clemson/14 Florida State----I can't believe this one. Bobby got whooped.
35 USC/10 California----This was suppose to be an upset? HA!
16 LSU/13 Alabama OT----I hit this on the nose. Offense would ultimately choose the victor.
30 South Carolina/22 Florida----Auburn is better than we all thought. Nice away win.
31Auburn/30 Georgia----Wow. I mean I never thought Spurrier would actually pull this off.
20 Iowa/10 Wisconsin---- I was right about this one. Barry loses home finale.

Here's my picks for this week of intense grudge matches...

9 Ohio State Buckeyes @ 17 Michigan Wolverines

Story: The Buckeyes offense has been rolling these last few weeks. Troy Smith is finally becoming that quarterback Buckeye fans have been dreaming about. Michigan seems to have turned there season around after falling to 3-3 earlier in the year.

Matchup to Watch For: Troy Smith vs. Michigan DL. Troy Smith leads the Big Ten with an astounding passer rating of 160.27. He has already tossed 13 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. As productive as he's been, he'll be going against a rejuvenated Wolverine DL. In order to stop Troy Smith the Michigan defensive line has to force him to pass, and not let him scramble to the outside for huge gains. If Troy Smith is forced to throw more, the offense of Columbus will be greatly weakened.

Prediction: When these 2 teams play it is always a classic. In my mind, the greatest rivalry in sports will be yet another epic tale. The Buckeyes offense is looking mighty fine, and the Wolverines are doing pretty well after that awful start to the season. None the less, the game rests on Troy Smith's shoulders. This is a tough one, but I think Wolverines win because of the inexperience Troy Smith has in playing in hostile environments.

UM 26 OSU 17


8 Alabama Crimson Tide @ 11 Auburn Tigers

Story: I don't think the Iron Bowl has been this close of a matchup in a while. The Tide are coming off an emotioinal loss in which there dreams of a National Championship were shattered. (Geaux Tigers!) Auburn on the other hand, is coming on an impressive win @ Georgia.

Matchup to Watch For: Brodie Croyle vs. Auburn D. How will Croyle respond after a devastating loss to LSU? His play will dictate the mood of the team. Croyle will be going against yet another top SEC defense. If Auburn is able to get the penetration on Croyle like the Tigers did than you can expect an Auburn win.

Prediction: Alabama is still bummed out about that LSU loss, but none the less the team will be ready to play in the Iron Bowl. Problem is, Alabama is going against a very underrated Auburn team. Auburn is coming off a big win, while Bama is coming off a tough loss. Do the math.

Auburn 29 Alabama 20


5 Penn State Nittany Lions @ Michigan State Spartans

Story: I'll admit I thought Joe Pa was done. I thought we should have retired 4 years ago. The coach still has it. He is one win aways from a BCS game. One game. He'll be going against a disappointing MSU team. Hopefully Paterno is aware that many refer to the Spartans as the Spoilers.

Matchup to Watch For: Michigan State D vs. Penn State offense. Yes, that is a vague matchup to watch for, but this Spartans D is horrendous. MSU is giving up about 30 points per game. Most wins for this club are offensive shootouts. The Spartans are going to have to stop a Penn State offense putting up 36 points a game! Oh dear, oh dear...

Prediction: We all know how the Spartans are the Spoilers, but not Saturday. Penn State a focused ball club with an explosive offense and a hard hitting defense. More importantly, is the fact that the Spartans don't have a defense.

PSU 41 MSU 21


Oregon State Beavers @ 10 Oregon Ducks

Story: The Ducks are the most popular one loss team that nobody knows about. After their loss to USC, Oregon has slowly been creeping back up the rankings. If they can win the Civil War game against arch rival Oregon State, then the possibility of an Oregon BCS bowl is very likely.

Matchup to Watch For: Dennis Dixon vs. the Beavers D. Dixon is taking over for Kellen Clemens who suffered a season ending injury. Dixon showed great potential when he drove the Ducks down for a winning score against Washington State last week. Dixon can really get going as he will be taking on a defense giving up an average of 30 points per game. Oregon State is already a big underdog, but if they can't disrupt Dixon's timing at all then it will be a long day for Coach Riley.

Prediction: I want to say the Beavers pull out the upset, but the game is in Eugene. Oregon is an even better football team at Autzen Stadium. Besides, Oregon State hasn't won at Autzen since 1993.

Oregon 44 Oregon State 28


Clemson Tigers @ 19 South Carolina Gamecocks

Story: Coach Spurrier is coming off a win against his former team. Gamecocks are looking good right now. Once again, Clemson is the team nobody understands, once again. Last week I had them losing to Florida State. I still am shocked on the convincing win Coach Bowden handed to his dad.

Matchup to Watch For: Charlie Whitehurt vs. the South Carolina D. My friend Jonny Mahoney tells me, "Charlie Whitehurt has the prettiest pass in college football." Mr. Whitehurst has fallen off the map since the disappointing season he had last year. Whitehurst is now back on the map with an impressive FSU win. His stats were 21/32 269 yards and 2 TDs. To make matters even worse for Spurrier's D, Whitehurst is 3-0 against the Gamecocks and has thrown for 740 yards, 4 TDs, and 2 INTs. All in all, look for Spurrier to once again throw some surprises at the Clemson offense.

Prediction: This is a big rivarly and the Gamecocks frankly haven't been winning in it much. Huge win last week for both universities. The Gamecocks are hot right now, and aren't inconsistent like Clemson.

South Carolina 31 Clemson 28


4 LSU Tigers @ Mississippi Rebels

Story: The Tigers are coming of an amazing win that shattered Alabama's hopes of a National Championship. LSU controls their own destiny to Atlanta. As for Ole Miss they haven't had nearly the type of season they anticipated. Perfect ingredients for an upset?

Matchup to Watch For: Ethan Flatt vs. LSU D. Ethan is the latest QB for the Rebels. He'll quickly be under the spotlight as his goes against a Bayou Bengal defense that is a force to be reckoned with.

Prediction: LSU just had an emotional victory against the Crimson Tide. The Rebels just might be able to pull off the upset of the season. This a big rivalry and destroying LSU's SEC Championship hopes would be a thrill for the people of Oxford. Though, Ole Miss has a new QB under center and they have only scored over 20 points this season once. (Vanderbilt)

LSU 31 Ole Miss 14


Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ 3 Miami (FL) Hurricanes

Story: The Hurricanes have slowly climbed up to #3 in the BCS. A USC or Texas loss and Miami Florida will get it's shot at the Rose Bowl. They are battling a GTech team that has been very unpredictable throughout the season.

Matchup to Watch For: Reggie Ball vs. Hurricane D. Reggie Ball has completed a mere 47% of his passes. He has taken a step back from his great success last year. Ball will be going against the best defense in the ACC. Reggie Ball + A Hungry Hurricane D= Trouble!

Prediction: Miami Florida looked like they were going to slip against the Demon Deacons last week. Coker's team which was down 17-14 turned the game around and won 47-17. They'll be focused come Saturday.

Miami Florida 45 Georgia Tech 19


16 Fresno State Bulldogs @ 1 USC Trojans

Story: It's going to happen, right? USC hasn't lost in 779 days, but they will be facing an underrated Fresno State football team. The Bulldogs only loss this season was to Oregon. In order to pull off the upset of a lifetime Pat Hill will have to find a way to stop the 3-headed monster known only as Matt LenDale Bush.

Matchup to Watch For: Paul Pinegar vs. USC D. He came in after David Carr and was said to be better. He currently has thrown 18 TDs and 5 INTs this season. He leads an offense averaging over 40 points a game. Despite his impressive college career, that will be nothing if he doesn't come to play against the Trojans. If this upset is going to happen Mr. Pinegar can't play a good game or a great game. He has to play an unforgettable game.

Prediction: Yes this looks like an upset in the making into you realize that USC is the team some think might lose. They won't. Why? Matt Leinert is such a tremendous leader and athlete who makes plays game in and game out. Oh and there is also that unstoppable RB who seems to average a TD every blink of an eye. Sorry Bulldog fans, but it ain't happening.

USC 48 Fresno State 23