College Football Week 6 Recap

1. Cal knocks off Utah to take lead in Pac-12 race

Utah survived this one, 30 - 24, helped out by Cal QB Jared Goff's 5 interceptions.  The Utes' earlier win over Oregon lost a bit of its luster, as the Ducks fell to Washington State in double overtime, but nonetheless, Utah takes the lead in the Pac-12 race as the only remaining undefeated squad in that conference.

2. Georgia Tech stuns Clemson in Death Valley

Clemson didn't show any signs of a letdown after their win over Notre Dame, and just plain dominated the Yellow Jackets, 43 - 24.  Georgia Tech looked every bit as bad as their last few losses suggested, and now face an uphill battle to even get bowl-eligible after once holding a top-15 ranking.

3. Ohio State wins the turnover battle vs Maryland

The offense finally resembled the championship unit from a year ago, as they piled 49 points on the Terps.  The biggest difference? Zero turnovers and 6 for 6 in the red-zone (all touchdowns).  The Buckeyes tried something new on offense, with Jones still starting but Barrett coming in for red-zone snaps.  It worked well against Maryland, but Penn State's defense will provide a better measuring stick as to whether the approach will work long term.  Also worth monitoring is the Silver Bullets' struggles with mobile quarterbacks.  They gave up big plays for the second straight week against elusive QBs, though that aspect of the game was probably not a big part of the defensive game-plans coming into either of these match-ups.  Regardless, the offense clicked well enough and limited mistakes, resulting in a +2 turnover margin and a 49 - 28 win for Ohio State.

4. Less than four offensive touchdowns scored in battle between Michigan and Northwestern

It wasn't exactly the defensive struggle I anticipated, but I still got this one right as Michigan scored touchdowns on a kick return and pick-six and recorded a third-straight shutout, beating Northwestern 38 - 0.  The Wolverines' defense looks legit, but a bigger test will come next week against rival Michigan State.  The Spartans have looked sloppy in recent wins and are dealing with a slew of injuries, but should still give Michigan their toughest game since the week 1 loss to Utah.  That game will show exactly how far Harbaugh has brought this program in his first year as head coach in Ann Arbor.

5. UConn gets UCF coach to recognize totally real rivalry

UConn may have tapped in to their supposed hatred for UCF, as they delivered a 40 - 13 beat-down in Orlando.  But if it was anything more than a bad loss to a conference opponent for the Knights, their coach didn't let on about it.  Winless so far this year, maybe UCF could use some made-up rivalries, as it's clear this team needs something to get them fired up.  The misery likely continues against Temple next week, especially if they continue to make plays like this.

Week 6 record: 2 - 3
Overall record: 8 - 22

Other headlines from week 6:

Coaching changes across the nation

I've never been a big fan of schools firing coaches in the middle of the season, unless there's a very good reason.  There was a very good reason for USC, where stories continue to emerge related to Steve Sarkisian's substance abuse issues.  The Trojans parted ways with the head coach, who is now seeking help for his problem.  I hope he gets the help he needs.  Maryland also fired their coach after a poor start to the 2015 season, a move I thought was a bit premature.  There were coaching changes down south as well, as Steve Spurrier announced his resignation as South Carolina's head coach after the team struggled over the course of the last season and a half.  Additionally, North Texas dismissed their head coach after getting blown out by Portland State and stumbling to a dismal 0 - 5 record.

Two SEC East contenders lose key players on offense

Georgia and Florida are teams thought to be top competitors for the SEC East title (and maybe more) this year.  But both teams' paths to that title got a little tougher this week as they learned that they will have to continue without key pieces of their offense.  Georgia running back Nick Chubb was injured on the first play from scrimmage in the Bulldogs' game against Tennessee, and will likely miss the rest of the season.  Sony Michel stepped in for the injured Chubb, and recorded a respectable 145 yards on 22 carries, but Georgia still lost to the Volunteers.  Florida faces problems as well, after finding out that quarterback Will Grier will be suspended for an entire calendar year for taking an over-the-counter supplement that contained a performance-enhancing substance.  It sounds like an honest mistake (though avoidable), but it's one that could cost the Gators dearly.  Florida is undefeated but will turn to back-up Treon Harris at QB for possibly the biggest game of the year for the Gators, at 6th ranked LSU.

Bret Bielema (Bert) initiates contact, flops, draws flag, celebrates like cartoon villain

During Saturday's game against Alabama, the Arkansas head coach showed once again why he is the undisputed slimeball of college football.  Not only did he come onto the field (for no reason except to get in the face of Alabama OL Cam Robinson), then insert himself between the referee and Alabama player (again, for no apparent reason), but then he fell backward, flailing as if pushed, when it's clear that Robinson didn't touch him.  The result was a 15-yard penalty against Alabama on a drive that eventually led to a touchdown score for the Razorbacks.  Arkansas ultimately lost the game (because that's what Bert does), but it doesn't make the move by this coach any less disgraceful.

Ohio State of Mind: Maryland

Enough is enough. It's time to play like we know we can.

We didn't come here to be OK or good enough. We came here to be the best.  Yes, we're 5-0. But we know we can be better.  Because when we face real adversity, we can't rely on pure talent alone. Our ability has gotten us this far. The rest is hard work and it starts now.

Enough is enough.  It's time to make it known that this is our turf.

We've had teams come into our house and push us around.  We've struggled before finally digging deep to pull out the victory.  It's time to make our opponents struggle.  It's time to force them to dig deep.  But they won't find any victory.  They will only find pain and defeat.

Enough is enough.  It's time to silence the critics.

Every week the voices grow louder.  The doubters continue to gain ammunition.  The fake "fans" throw their insults at us.  We don't need them.  Let them doubt us.  It will only make us stronger.  It will only make us hungrier.  Feed off the hate.

Enough is enough.  It's time to break the rock.

We're close.  It's time to make that final push.  We will not stop until we prove we're the best.  Again.  One play at a time.  One game at a time.  We will not give in to pain or fatigue.  We will not lose.

Enough is enough.  It's time to let loose.  It's time to break through.  It's time.

Go Bucks.  Beat Maryland.

College Football Week 6 Bold Predictions

1. Cal knocks off Utah to take lead in Pac-12 race

California and Utah enter this game as the last remaining undefeated teams in their conference.  They have both been surprises this year, but most people are pegging the Utes as the winner of this match-up after their dismantling of Oregon two weeks ago.  But the Golden Bears have some nice victories to their name as well, including a win over a Washington team that just upset USC in the Coliseum.  Utah shone bright as the underdog, but how will they fare when the pressure's on, in the spotlight with a number 5 ranking?  I think they falter, as Cal leaves Salt Lake City still perfect, with a huge 35 - 34 upset over Utah.

2. Georgia Tech stuns Clemson in Death Valley

The Tigers appear to be on the rise, while the Yellow Jackets have just lost their third straight game.  But Georgia Tech was in a similar place last year, after dropping back-to-back games to Duke and North Carolina before ripping off 5 straight wins, including a dominating 28 - 6 victory over Clemson.  A lot will depend on how focused the Tigers will be after their big win over Notre Dame.  I think history repeats itself, as the Tigers struggle to contain Tech's triple-option attack, falling 24 - 17 to the Yellow Jackets.

3. Ohio State wins the turnover battle vs Maryland

One of the biggest problems plaguing the Buckeyes this year has been turnovers.  They are ranked 117th in the nation in the category, with 13 total giveaways, and lost the turnover battle in every game but one (against Hawaii - a team among the worst in the country in turnover margin at -7).  But there's hope for OSU on Saturday, as the Terrapins mosey into Columbus with an abysmal 127th ranking in the same category, with 17 total turnovers.  And Meyer admitted that he was a "raving lunatic" in practice this week when it came to ball security.  The Buckeyes hold on to the ball, and their undefeated season, as they finally look like a championship football team against Maryland, winning 42 - 10.

4. Less than four offensive touchdowns scored in battle between Michigan and Northwestern

Points will be in high demand in Ann Arbor this weekend, as these teams boast the top two scoring defenses in the country.  I expect more field goals than touchdowns in a hard fought, physical match-up that should be very close throughout.  The Wolverines have the edge, though, in my opinion, despite the Wildcats' perfect 5 - 0 record.  Michigan wins this showdown of ranked teams, 19 - 13, to send the Harbaugh hype train full steam ahead.

5. UConn gets UCF coach to recognize totally real rivalry

This summer, UConn announced that they have a rivalry with Central Florida, whether the Knights like it (or know about it) or not.  And the Huskies are sticking to their word, bringing the trophy for this not-made-up rivalry to the game on Saturday.  The history between these two teams goes back all the way to 2013, and the series remains dead even with both teams notching a win.  But will UCF coach George O'Leary recognize the Civil Conflict ConFLiCT or see this as just another game?  It might depend on how the 0 - 5 Knights do against the Huskies, who have won games this year.  Everyone Someone will be watching this epic duel between UConn and UCF (which might not be meaningless in the AAC conference race) and wondering whether or not UCF even cares enough to try to win.  I think the Central Florida players will be fueled by their everlasting brand new hatred for UConn and come away with the upset, 22 - 14, as O'Leary proclaims: "WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF THE GREATEST RIVALRY THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN!"

College Football Week 5 Recap

Let's examine my Week 5 Bold Predictions to see how I did:

1. Underdogs prove victorious in at least 3 out of 5 clashes between ranked teams

There were a number of upsets in the top 25, including four in the top 10.  Three of those qualified for this prediction, as Georgia and Ole Miss were easily handled by Alabama and Florida, respectively, and Clemson held on to beat Notre Dame.  Oklahoma and Texas A&M cruised to double-digit wins against their respective lower ranked opponents, but the aforementioned games were enough to get this one right.

2. Eastern Michigan keeps Leonard Fournette under 200 rushing yards

So much for LSU having an easy time with the Eagles.  The Tigers were only up by 8 points heading into the fourth quarter, and leaned heavily on Fournette throughout the entirety of the game.  The result was 26 carries for 233 yards for the running back, foiling this prediction.

3. Ohio State puts up 50+ points on the Hoosiers

For the second straight week I got half the score prediction exactly right for the weekly OSU prediction, as Indiana scored 27 on the Buckeyes.  But for the other half of the score, and the main part of the prediction, I was way off.  Ohio State's offensive struggles continued, as they managed only 6 points in the first half.  They came away with a victory behind Elliott's huge second half, but it wasn't pretty.  There are three major issues plaguing this team right now, in my opinion: turnovers, penalties (on offense and defense), and poor red-zone offense (mostly due to turnovers and penalties).  If Meyer gets these problems addressed, the Buckeyes should be fine.

4.  Big Ten openers feature blowouts, with average margin of victory exceeding 20 points

This was another one where I was way off.  Michigan won big at Maryland, and Northwestern had a surprising blowout win over Minnesota, but the rest of the Big Ten's conference games were all decided by a touchdown or less.  Top dogs Ohio State and Michigan State both struggled against teams from Indiana, while Iowa and Illinois notched close upset victories.  With so many of these games being closer than expected, the resulting average margin of victory was only 11.7 points.

5. Oregon finally figures out who fielded that punt

I think it's safe to say they now know it was Boobie Hobbs who caught the ball and took it back for a touchdown in Utah's blowout win over the Ducks.  But did Oregon know they still had a game to play Saturday against Colorado?  The Buffaloes brought the game within 7 points in the 4th quarter before Oregon finally pulled away, closing out the game with 10 unanswered points.  The Ducks still have time to salvage their season, but will need flawless play from here on out, and I just don't see that happening after getting embarrassed by Utah.

Week 5 record: 2 - 3
Overall record: 6 - 19

Other headlines from week 5:

Virginia Tech continues free-fall with loss to Pittsburgh

Things haven't been the same for the Hokies since quarterback Michael Brewer got injured in the season opener against Ohio State.  They rebounded after the loss to the Buckeyes with wins over Furman and Purdue, but have now dropped back-to-back games to East Carolina and Pittsburgh.  To make matters worse, their All-American cornerback, Kendall Fuller, will miss the rest of the season.  Brewer might be back in the lineup as early as this week, so things may be looking up for Virginia Tech.  But if his return doesn't provide a spark for this team, they may be looking at another 7-6 season... or worse.

Extra points are kind of a big deal at Iowa State

The Cyclones' placeholder gets really excited for every successful PAT.  Like, really excited.  Good for him - I doubt there's much else to get pumped about at Iowa State.

This is why we can't have nice things, UCLA

Arizona State clinched their victory over the previously unbeaten Bruins on Saturday with a ridiculous touchdown run by Kalen Ballage.  UCLA players were obviously trying to strip the ball, rather than tackle the ball carrier, but the play still deserves mention, as Ballage traveled a good 20 yards after contact... backwards.

Ohio State of Mind: at Indiana

This is when the real season starts. This is the time to step up. This is Big Ten football.

The first four games are done and over with. We should learn from the mistakes of those imperfect victories but not dwell on the past, good or bad.  We have gotten better but the journey is only beginning.  The margin for error gets smaller and smaller from here on out.

This is over 100 years of tradition.  This is the melding of old and new.  This is Big Ten football.

We've played Indiana a total of 87 times. They've won 12 of those games. Their last win was in 1988.  How badly do you think they want to beat us?  5 of those games ended in ties, and the other 70 games were Ohio State victories.  Let's make it 71.

This is 4-0 vs 4-0. This is win or go home.  This is Big Ten football.

1942 was the last year we met as unbeatens. Only one team can leave that stadium still unbeaten.  Let's make sure that team is the one wearing Scarlet and Grey.

This is power vs power.  This is speed vs speed.  This is Big Ten football.

Don't think for a second that they're not as strong us as.  Don't doubt their speed or talent.  This is a physical team that will hit us in the mouth if we aren't ready.  They will blow past us if we don't stay 100% focused.  They've almost knocked us off before.  This time, we will be ready.

This is Buckeyes vs Hoosiers.  This is college football at its finest. This is Big Ten football.

Go Bucks. Beat Indiana.

College Football Week 5 Bold Predictions

1. Underdogs prove victorious in at least 3 out of 5 clashes between ranked teams

This week, there are five showdowns between ranked teams, and I think the lower ranked guys come out on top in the majority of them.  #15 Oklahoma and #23 West Virginia are both undefeated and I could see that one going either way.  You certainly can't count out #13 Alabama against #8 Georgia.  #25 Florida has its work cut out with #3 Ole Miss coming to the swamp, but I think it's only a matter of time before the Rebels falter - why couldn't it be against the undefeated Gators?  I feel the same way about #14 Texas A&M as they get ready to play #21 Mississippi State.  And finally, we've got #6 Notre Dame taking on #12 Clemson, another one that I wouldn't be surprised to see go down to the wire.  My picks for these games: West Virginia over Oklahoma, 37 - 35; Alabama beats Georgia, 42 - 30; Ole Miss survives Florida, 28 - 20; Texas A&M hangs on against Mississippi State, 31 - 24; Clemson downs Notre Dame in OT, 34 - 31.

2. Eastern Michigan keeps Leonard Fournette under 200 rushing yards

The LSU running back and Heisman front-runner has totaled 631 yards on the ground in just three games this year, and that number could explode this Saturday.  The reason?  Eastern Michigan ranks 128th (out of 128) in the FBS in terms of rushing yards allowed, giving up an astonishing 1493 yards over the course of four contests.  The only chance that I get this prediction right is if the Tigers get a huge lead early and rest their bruising back, which is certainly possible.  LSU wins easily either way, something like 48 - 10.

3. Ohio State puts up 50+ points on the Hoosiers

This is the week it finally all comes together on offense.  It seemed like the Buckeyes were on the verge of breaking out last week, and with Jones solidifying the starting job I think his confidence and the overall potency of the entire offense skyrockets against Indiana.  The Hoosiers aren't exactly known for their defense, either, and the school announced yesterday that DT Darius Latham, the cornerstone of their defensive line, has been suspended indefinitely.  On the other side of the ball, IU boasts a dangerous ground attack, spearheaded by UAB transfer Jordan Howard, who leads the nation in rushing yards.  Quarterback Nate Sudfeld is also back for his senior year, making this game a potential challenge for Ohio State's defense.  But I think the Buckeye offense outperforms all other units (for a change), as Cardale drops a bomb on Indiana in a 52 - 27 victory.

4.  Big Ten openers feature blowouts, with average margin of victory exceeding 20 points

The average margin of victory (by week) during the B1G conference slate last year was about 16 points.  On only three occasions did that average top 20 points.  However, one of those occasions was the first week of conference play.  Vegas is predicting closer games; if results match the current lines it would yield only a 12.7 average margin of victory.  But I think the disparity between the top and bottom of the Big Ten becomes clearly evident from the start, much like it did last year.  Penn State and Rutgers are left out from this prediction, since they opened their conference schedules against each other last week.  Rutgers is on bye this week and Penn State faces Army, which amounts to virtually the same thing.  I already gave my Ohio State vs Indiana score prediction, but here are my others: Michigan 35, Maryland 13; Michigan State 41, Purdue 17; Northwestern 23, Minnesota 16; Wisconsin 39, Iowa 17; Nebraska 38, Illinois 14.

5. Oregon finally figures out who fielded that punt

Last week, Utah pulled off an amazing fake during a punt return in the third quarter of their 62 - 20 obliteration of the Ducks.  The Utes fooled just about everyone, including 9 out of 11 of the Oregon players on the field.  It's now been determined that Britain Covey did not in fact catch the punt.  Oregon has their top special-teams experts dedicated to figuring out exactly where the ball went, and who may have caught it.  I'm confident that they'll find out what happened.

Cardale Jones, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Before the 2015 season started, I thought J.T. Barrett should be the starter.  I was sure it was going to be Barrett.  It seemed like a no-brainer to me.  Barrett is the more experienced leader, he's more accurate, and he runs the read option (a bread-and-butter play for the 2014 Buckeyes) to perfection.  He beat out Jones last year; why wouldn't he do it again?  And then Meyer named Cardale Jones the starting quarterback for the season opener against Virginia Tech.

I was surprised, but not upset.  To me, there was no wrong choice.  They both have their pros and cons and while I thought Barrett had more stuff in the "pros" column, I didn't think he was overwhelmingly better.  And then the offense struggled, and through the first 3 weeks they looked worse and worse each game.  People started to question the decision, myself included.  Sure, Barrett didn't look much better, but he was never really given a fair shot to get in a rhythm in any game.  After the Northern Illinois scare, when Meyer said he was going to reevaluate the QB position, I was again sure it would be Barrett taking the reins.  And I was again surprised when Meyer named Jones the starter.

At that point I at least accepted that Jones would be the starter.  And I was hopeful that we would just stick with him, as I thought the switching was not helping either one's confidence.  I also knew that the offensive issues went way beyond the quarterback position, and I was optimistic that those would get fixed regardless of who was playing quarterback.  And on Saturday, against Western Michigan, the offense did look better.  Still not great, but better.  Jones looked better too, though he still made some mistakes and under-threw countless open receivers (my biggest complaint about him as a passer).  But throughout the game, and shortly after, it started to dawn on me: why Meyer is going with Jones over Barrett.  He's playing the long game.


Urban Meyer wants YOU... to trust him.

Meyer wasn't and isn't building this team for a September/October run through mid-majors and subpar Big Ten teams.  He's planning for November, December, and January.

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J.T. Barrett might be the better overall quarterback.  Right now.  But Jones has a higher ceiling in terms of his raw ability.  The areas where Barrett has an advantage are things that Jones can get better at with experience.  He can improve his accuracy.  He can learn to be a leader.  He can fix the under-thrown deep balls.  Barrett can't grow 4 inches and transform his arm into a rocket-launcher.

Meyer wasn't and isn't building this team for a September/October run through mid-majors and subpar Big Ten teams.  He's planning for November, December, and January.  He's thinking about Michigan State and Michigan and the postseason.  He won't admit it, but he knows that no one else on the schedule will threaten us.  Northern Illinois was a scare, and I think he panicked a bit during that game.  But think about what we can take away from that experience:  NIU is no pushover and could probably beat at least half the teams in the Big Ten.  We turned the ball over 5 times, only scored one offensive touchdown, and still won.  Our defense is good enough now to let our offense grow and mature with Jones at QB.

A lot of people talked about Ohio State needing to find an identity on offense.  I think Meyer knows what he wants to do and it was evident against Western Michigan.  With the speed we have at receiver, we will be able to torch defenses play after play.  If Jones connected on just half of the under-thrown passes on Saturday, the Buckeyes score closer to 60 than 40.  Think about what happens when he starts hitting those deep targets consistently.  Think about what Zeke will be able to do once defenses really see Jones stretch the field and the offensive line and receivers start blocking better.  We don't need all that to happen right now.  But when it all comes together, it will be scary to watch.

Once the OSU offense gets going, it will be like unleashing the Doomsday Machine

People want the Buckeyes to be perfect now.  They forget that Ohio State was hardly perfect last year, even at the end of the season.  They criticize the play-calling because they only remember what we did and how we looked in the last three games of last year (which still wasn't perfect).  Elliot will get his inside runs, when we need him to.  Braxton Miller will start giving defenses nightmares running and throwing out of the wildcat, when we need him to.  Jones will make the big plays, when we need him to.  We will start scoring 60 points, when we need to (although, hopefully we'll never actually need to).

Of course, this is just my opinion.  Maybe I'm wrong about Urban Meyer's long-term vision for this team.  But either way, Meyer picked his quarterback, and it's Jones.  If you disagree with the three-time national championship coach, who boasts a 42 - 3 record at Ohio State, that's you're right.  But on behalf of Buckeye Nation, whose mantra (since before last year's playoff run) has been "In Urban We Trust", and for the sake of your own sanity, I suggest you make a choice.  Either you can be a fan of The Ohio State University Buckeyes and back your team, your coach, and your quarterback, or you can go root for someone else.  It's that simple.

There is no longer a "Team J.T." and a "Team Cardale".  There's only "Team OSU" and you're either on it or you're not.

I was at the Western Michigan game, and there was a guy behind me who epitomized what I hate about some "fans" during quarterback controversies.  He was bashing Jones relentlessly after every incompletion and every scramble that didn't pick up a first down.  Now, to be fair, I was expressing my fair share of frustration at some of the particularly bad passes.  But for this guy, every single missed pass was proof that J.T. should have been playing, and he didn't hesitate to vocalize that each and every time.  He wondered out loud "how much they're paying Urban to start Jones" (I don't know who "they" are and what their incentive is, but I'm sure this made sense in his simple little mind).  He even went as far as wishing that Jones break his leg (and I secretly hoped for the same fate for this "fan" as he begrudgingly left the stands, moments after Barrett threw an interception on his first drive of the game).

There is no longer a "Team J.T." and a "Team Cardale".  There's only "Team OSU" and you're either on it or you're not.

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Now, I realize that the knucklehead behind me is an extreme case.  Most fans, even the ones griping about Jones being the starter, are better than that.  But it shows the absurdity of this pessimistic and ultra -critical viewpoint that so many people seem to have regarding this team.  We are 4 - 0.  Our team isn't perfect, quarterback included, but they're getting better.  The people who are slamming Jones are the same people who were screaming "Fire Fickell" at the top of their lungs a short time ago.  Now we boast one of the best defenses in the country, headlined by quite possibly the best group of linebackers in the nation.  Those same people are now all aboard the Silver Bullet Express.  Did they forget that Luke Fickell is the engineer of this QB-devouring pain-train?

There will always be fans who find something to complain about.  We're 4 - 0.  If you want to question every coaching decision and whine and moan and generally feel bad about your team, go root for the Cleveland Browns.  And don't come crawling back when we are sucker-punching Michigan State and roundhouse kicking that team up north and bludgeoning anyone else on our path to playoff trophy number two.

As for me?  I'll be enjoying the ride, waving my cowboy hat in the air, yelling "Waaaahoooo!" as Jones drops another bomb at the doorstep of our enemies.  Well... except for the cowboy hat part.  This isn't the damn Big 12.