Write On Sports LLC - "Football Week 11" by Tom Zuck

Football Week 11

2007-11-08 09:37:12 | By: Tom Zuck

So last week's Highlands-Blackhawk ended up being one of the weekend's best. Highlands came back and scored with under a minute to go to pull the upset, a #11 beats a #6 seed.

This week it's off to the Montour-Trinity game. Some of you will remember that awful ESPN show a few years back when Dick Butkus was supposed to be the coach of Montour. It ended in disaster for the Spartans and now they are finally getting away from that and pose a serious threat to win the Class-AAA title. We shall see, but it is official, Tom's High School Football Mediocrity Tour 2007 is over.

As for the college games there were some really good ones last week. Pitt did just enough to win against a very bad Syracuse team. Penn State did what I thought because Purdue is not very good. Ohio State did the same.

Matt Ryan officially lost the Heisman Trophy last Saturday with a bad performance against Florida State. It wasn't so much that they lost but they also had a few of the other regional games switch to BC-FSU. So that means a lot of people who cast ballots got to see Ryan throw interceptions and not lead his team to victory. Fair or not, it happened.

My Heisman list as we head into the final month of the season: 1. Darren McFadden (Arkansas), he is just amazing and would look pretty darn nice in Black & Gold; 2. Dennis Dixon (Oregon), others have numbers similar but there is just something that lifts him above the fray; 3. Pat White (WVU), as he goes so go the Mounties; 4. Colt Brennan (Hawaii), he has all the tools for the NFL and he is pretty good right now; 5. Chase Daniel (Missouri), he won't win but he is having an amazing season; 6. Mike Hart (Michigan), the recent injuries will probably take him out of the running but Hart is the key behind UM turning around its season; 7. Timmy Tebow (Florida), a sophomore isn't going to win, but Tebow will be the frontrunner next year.

Last season I said that I thought Adrian Peterson was the best back in the nation and that he deserved the Heisman. I feel better about that after seeing what he has done in his rookie season so far. He's been amazing for the Vikings.

How about Michigan State being all "disrespected" by the mock Moment of Silence held at midfield by some of the Michigan players after State blew yet ANOTHER game to the Wolverines? Remember it was Sparty coach Mark Dantonio, who when told that UM had lost the opener to Appalachian State, jokingly asked at the press conference if there should be a moment of silence.

It's a rivalry dummy! That is what happens. I thought that was pretty darn original by the UM guys.

How about Jamaal Charles for Texas? He is single-handedly saving the season for the Longhorns. I watched the score of the Nebraska - Kansas game with glee, 76 points is a lot to score but there were more than a few times that Nebraska did that to people. So turnabout is fair play.

I made great sport concerning some of the student behavior at the Penn State - Ohio State game at State College. The video of the "tool" throwing the beer can from point-blank range was all over the internet and the cable news shows; it turns out the idiot is a Pitt student. I will spin this as yet another reason that Pitt and Penn State need to resume the series.

(sarcasm on) There is no way that a Pitt student should be tailgating with Penn State students and then ganging up on a Buckeye. That would not have happened when many of use were in school. (sarcasm off)

The bottom line is that the kid should have his behind kicked, repeatedly.

Last week's record was not too bad, 14-4. That puts me at 105-47 for the season. There are some tricky games this weekend so I am hoping for some more luck.

As I get ready to watch Louisville at West Virginia I decided to check my e-mail and there was a little note from Commander CX Kennedy. I have mentioned this fellow before and he was flabbergasted by the slight mention about last week's game. Actually there really was no mention of the Naval Academy breaking the 43-year losing streak to Notre Dame.

CX asked if I was still pissed about the Midshipmen beating Pitt a few weeks back. The answer to that is no. And I must say I was happy to see Navy win last week, even though I picked Notre Dame.

I was completely baffled by Charlie Weis deciding NOT to go for the field. So now I will address the game. I was a kicker. And I think I was pretty good too. My farthest field goal as a senior in high school was 48-yards. Of course the four fused vertebrae made it so I never got a chance to see what I would have done in a "live" situation. I can't say for sure what would have happened but I know I had the leg for it.

I'm not the only one either. The Internet boards are buzzing still. It's all pretty funny.

So how is it that Notre Dame does not have a kid on campus, either in a football uniform or on the soccer team, who can kick a 45-yard field goal? Charlie Weis did not go for it because 40-41 yards was too far! Now I have been on the field at Notre Dame during games. I have seen the grass reasonably short and also very long. The grass looked long Saturday. So maybe CX will tell us how the grass was Saturday.

I'm not going to say it was the jungle that Tony Dorsett had to run through in the 1976 opener but, the grass was long. That could have had something to do with that decision. Think of trying to chip a golf ball out of high grass.

When Weis made that passive call I was pulling for Navy. I was pulling even more for Navy after the bogus interference call on the two-point conversion (think Ohio State vs. Miami in the BCS Championship Game). So when Ram Vela, all 5'9", 196 pounds of him, flew through the air to disrupt Evan Sharpley's drop on fourth down I was happy.

And another thing about Notre Dame; is it truly possible that they don't have anyone who can run the ball on that play other than a kid who has flipped back and forth from offense to linebacker to offense his whole career. Travis Thomas is a great kid (a Pittsburgher) but holy cow!

In the game ND had two players run extremely well. Aldridge ran for 124 and Allen added 91. They had 48 carries between them. Thomas had 3..THREE.

Notre Dame fans should thank their lucky stars that Weis stuck with Sharpley because if Jimmy Clausen had been in the game Navy would have blown them out.

I watched the end of the game with my mom and dad. My mother summed it up best. She said, "That's what I expect my military to do. Win."

Anchors Aweigh!

Now about the final college game ever in the Orange Bowl, the Miami - Virginia game...I'm waffling..

Have a great weekend folks!

Louisville (2-2, 5-4) at #7 West Virginia (2-1, 7-1)
7:30 p.m. Thursday

Is there a more disappointing team than Louisville this season? I'd say nope. Quietly WVU has put itself back in the BCS picture. If Louisville couldn't stop Shady McCoy they aren't going to stop Pat White AND Steve Slaton. WVU in a romp.

#12 Michigan (6-0, 8-2) at #29 Wisconsin (3-3, 7-3)
Noon Saturday

Along with Louisville put Wisconsin in the major disappointment category. The Badgers are extremely banged up too, but so is Michigan. Mike Hart missing a couple games has cost him a shot at the Heisman. But he still has a shot to lead Michigan back to a big bowl game. PJ Hill has not been healthy all year and that pretty much wrecked Wisconsin's offense. This week it will be Michigan's defense doing that job. Go Big Blue, Michigan wins.

#35 Wake Forest (4-2, 6-3) at #21 Clemson (4-2, 7-2)
Noon

Wake really pissed me off last week, sorry Pat, sorry Matt. But each time I pick them they lose. I like Clemson but they tend to disappoint in big games too. This one is at Death Valley and I still love the Clemson running game. So this pick goes for the home team. Clemson wins.

#23 Penn State (4-3, 7-3) at Temple (3-3, 3-6)
Noon

Temple used to be the laugher on everyone's (except Pitt's) schedule. They Owls are much better this season but not enough to beat Penn State. This game will not be easy but State wins.

Michigan State (1-5, 5-5) at #36 Purdue (3-3, 7-3)
Noon

Michigan St. can't hold a lead. Purdue hasn't beaten anyone good. The last two games for the Boilermakers will make or break the season. Even though the Spartans are in a freefall I am going to go for an upset here, even though it will probably blow-up in my face. Sparty Wins.

#28 South Florida (1-3, 6-3) at Syracuse (1-3, 2-7)
Noon

If South Florida would quit giving the other team the ball this season would be much different. But they do it each week and now the Bulls have lost three straight; so Syracuse comes at the right time. The Orange(men) made a change at QB last week after the anemic first half and it almost helped pull out the game. But soon to be former SU head coach Greg Robinson said he is going back to last week's starter, Andrew Robinson..BIG mistake. Get ready for the running of the Bulls, USF wins.

#33 Arkansas (2-3, 6-3) at #24 Tennessee (3-2, 6-3)
12:30 p.m.

Can Darren McFadden duplicate what he did last week against South Carolina? He and Felix Jones will have to because the QB position for the Hogs still lacks a punch. The Vols are another traditional power that has underperformed of late. I picked them over Alabama and they got smoked. I think the Tennessee offense might have enough to counter the Arkansas running game, especially at home. Wish that I was on ole Rocky Top, Vols win.

Air Force (5-2, 7-3) at Notre Dame (1-8)
2:30 p.m.

Wow, Charlie doesn't try for a field goal to attempt to win the game because 40-41 yards is TOO FAR. People are starting to get antsy in South Bend. First it was Ty Willingham couldn't recruit, but Charlie won with his players. Now that Charlie has his own players he is losing. It could get very ugly if the Air Force wins this weekend. After a few years of struggles the Air Force is back on track and running the ball. The Falcons have seven players with 30 or more attempts this year. I was born on a USAF base so I say..Aim High! Air Force wins.

#18 Auburn (4-2, 7-3) at #10 Georgia (4-2, 7-2)
3:30 p.m.

Knowshon Moreno has been awesome the past two weeks. The problem this week is an Auburn defense that held Darren McFadden and Felix Jones to a combined 85 yards. Look for the Auburn defense to get to Moreno and QB Matt Stafford. Auburn will have to run the ball against an improving Georgia defense. That takes pressure off Brandon Cox. I have another bet with Abi Wall on this one. I want to win so I am picking Auburn in a thriller Between the Hedges. War Eagle, Auburn wins.

#26 Florida State (3-3, 6-3) at #11 Virginia Tech (4-1, 7-2)
3:30 p.m.

Florida State showed marked improvement last week in the win over Boston College. I think Tech is a little better than BC at this point. The Seminoles still don't have the offense clicking. Nor is the Tech running game. If Xavier Lee doesn't play for FSU look for the Tech defense to get all over Drew Weatherford. Defense rules this game and Tech's defense is better right now. Va. Tech wins.

Texas Tech (3-3, 7-3) at #14 Texas (4-2, 8-2)
3:30 p.m.

Texas Tech puts up ridiculous numbers. Graham Harrell has thrown for 4,412 yards and 38 touchdowns already. BUT, he has thrown some bad interceptions and that is something Texas must do, force turnovers. Tech has lost the three most difficult games so far on its schedule so this is a big test. UT can't afford to fall behind like they have been doing. Luckily for the Longhorns they have Jamaal Charles who has rushed for 470 yards the past two games. This one is in Austin. Hook 'em Horns; Texas in a crazy one.

#9 Arizona State (5-1, 8-1) at UCLA (4-2, 5-4)
3:30 p.m.

This is the chance for the Sun Devils to prove they belong in the top-10. UCLA is one game terrific and in the next they lose to Notre Dame. The heat is on Karl Dorrell, some is warranted but some is not because the Bruins have been killed by injuries this year. Dennis Erickson doesn't care about that and he will have ASU ready to play, but the O-line better play well for that to happen. I say the Sun Devils keep pace with Oregon and look for a spot in the Rose Bowl. ASU wins.

#31 Illinois (4-2, 7-3) at #1 Ohio State (6-0, 10-0)
3:30 p.m.

The window for Illinois to wrest control of the Big Ten closed with its loss at Iowa and then to Michigan. Now the Illini is playing for third-place. A loss here and they fall into a tie with PSU. Ohio State has taken heat for its schedule. But the Buckeyes have shown improvement just about each week. They are not unbeatable but they have the combination of a tenacious defense and a very efficient offense. Dave McNally wants to dot the "I". Buckeyes win.

#13 UConn (4-0, 8-1) at #30 Cincinnati (1-2, 6-2)
3:30 p.m.

A one-point loss at UVA is all that is keeping UConn from being undefeated so far. The Huskies have beaten Louisville, Rutgers and South Florida in succession. You keep waiting for the glass slipper to fall off. This week it can happen. Cincy is the type of team that can force mistakes, like they did to USF last week. This one is in the Queen City too and that makes me want to go for another upset. So I will; Cincy in an upset.

#19 Virginia (5-1, 8-2) at Miami (Fla.) (2-3, 5-4)
7:15 p.m.

How bad are the Hurricanes right now? Pretty bad. Despite rushing for over 300 yards against NC St. the Canes couldn't overcome a truly awful performance from QB Kirby Freeman (1 for 14 with 3 INT). Coach Randy Shannon has to be ready to pull his hair out because, to borrow a phrase from my cousin Fritz, the Canes are "all talk, no shock". This game will be decided by the Virginia defense against the Miami running backs. If they perform well the Cavs will win because Miami is no longer Quarterback U. Virginia needs this win because it holds a half-game lead over the Hokies. My date from the senior prom went to UVA, and we are still friends, so I am picking the Cavs.

#15 Florida (4-3, 6-3) at #34 South Carolina (3-4, 6-4)
7:45 p.m.

Florida hasn't run the ball too well this year, enter USC. The Gamecocks haven't stopped the run this year. Look for Florida's defense to force mistakes it still confounds me why Steve Spurrier relies more on his tandem of so-so mistake-prone quarterbacks instead of a big strong back like Cory Boyd (who would look pretty nice in Steelers Black & Gold). The Gamecocks have allowed 29 sacks. That number will increase by more than a few Saturday. Timmy Tebow breaks 100 yards rushing and the Gators win.

#4 Kansas (5-0, 9-0) at Oklahoma State (3-2, 5-4)
8 p.m.

This one could get crazy. Kansas is really on a roll, especially on offense. The Jayhawks have scored 49 touchdowns this season and allowed 14. But in two games against solid teams, Colorado and Texas A&M, Kansas scored 19 against both. Oklahoma State puts up crazy offensive numbers too. But the Cowboys can't stop anyone. I say Kansas makes more stops on defense. Even though this game is at Oklahoma State the collapse against Texas is probably weighing them down. Who would have thought Kansas fans would be talking about football in November? They are and will be; Jayhawks win.

#8 Boston College (4-1, 8-1) at Maryland (1-4, 4-5)
8 p.m.

The Eagles blew a huge chance last week and took itself out of the BCS title game hunt. The lack of a running game was exposed by FSU. Maryland could be just what the doctor ordered for BC. Look for Matt Ryan to get back in gear too. Maryland is another team that teases its fans, one good game then a cruddy one. Eagles win and start thinking about a possible rematch with Va. Tech.

#17 USC (4-2, 7-2) at #27 California (3-3, 6-3)
8 p.m.

Cal hasn't recovered from beating Oregon. That's right; since beating the Ducks Cal has played some bad football, losing three of four. It won't get any easier this week because USC has just three games to improve its BCS standing. This week will be the first step. John David Booty is back on the field and that alone makes USC a better team. Tommy Trojan slays the Bears. USC wins.

11-08 Thu. Louisville @ West Virginia 7:30 p.m. ESPN
11-08 Thu. TCU @ BYU 9:00 p.m. Versus
11-09 Fri. Bowling Green @ Eastern Michigan 7:00 p.m. ESPNU
11-09 Fri. Rutgers @ Army 8:00 p.m. ESPN2
11-10 Sat. Michigan @ Wisconsin Noon ESPN
11-10 Sat. Wake Forest @ Clemson Noon ESPN2
11-10 Sat. Indiana @ Northwestern Noon ESPN Classic
11-10 Sat. Penn State @ Temple Noon ESPNU
11-10 Sat. Michigan State @ Purdue Noon BigTen (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Minnesota @ Iowa Noon BigTen (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. North Carolina @ N.C. State Noon LFS/GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. South Florida @ Syracuse Noon GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Texas A&M @ Missouri 12:30 p.m. FSN
11-10 Sat. Kansas State @ Nebraska 12:30 p.m. Versus
11-10 Sat. Colorado @ Iowa State 12:30 p.m. FSN Regional
11-10 Sat. Alabama @ Mississippi State 12:30 p.m. LFS/GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Arkansas @ Tennessee 12:30 p.m. LFS/GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Air Force @ Notre Dame 2:30 p.m. NBC
11-10 Sat. Colorado State @ New Mexico 3:00 p.m. The Mtn
11-10 Sat. Boise State @ Utah State 3:00 p.m. GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Auburn @ Georgia 3:30 p.m. CBS
11-10 Sat. Florida State @ Virginia Tech 3:30 p.m. ABC/GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Texas Tech @ Texas 3:30 p.m. ABC/GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Arizona State @ UCLA 3:30 p.m. ABC/GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Illinois @ Ohio State 3:30 p.m. ABC/ESPN (reverse mirror)
11-10 Sat. UConn @ Cincinnati 3:30 p.m. ESPNU
11-10 Sat. Wyoming @ Utah 3:30 p.m. CSTV
11-10 Sat. Baylor @ Oklahoma 6:30 p.m. FSN
11-10 Sat. Stanford @ Washington State 6:30 p.m. FSN Regional
11-10 Sat. Virginia @ Miami,Fla 7:15 p.m. ESPN2
11-10 Sat. UCF @ UAB 7:30 p.m. CSTV
11-10 Sat. Florida @ South Carolina 7:45 p.m. ESPN
11-10 Sat. Kansas @ Oklahoma State 8:00 p.m. ABC/GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Boston College @ Maryland 8:00 p.m. ABC/GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Southern California @ California 8:00 p.m. ABC/GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Louisiana Tech @ LSU 8:00 p.m. GP (Ch. TBA)
11-10 Sat. Washington @ Oregon State 10:15 p.m. FSN
11-10 Sat. Fresno State @ Hawaii 11:00 p.m. ESPN2
11-10 Sat. San Diego State @ UNLV 11:00 p.m. CSTV

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