Now Things Get Interesting....
Well folks we've made it through a quarter of the season so far (roughly) and thus far we've had a pretty tame season. Some great games, but no real "upsets".
Things are actually starting to settle in place a bit - it's a perfect season for my dream scenario - no polls, of any kind, until after the fourth week of the season. After this weekend we'll have a more than solid idea of LSU and Oklahoma; we'll find out if Florida State really is a top 12 school, or a top 40 school; and finally, the overrated twins, Okie State and Texas A&M, will know MUUUUCH more about themselves and where they fall in the mix.
Let's do some speculating and general shit talking, shall we....
LSU at W. Virginia:
I've actually seen more WVA this year than I ever thought I would at this point - a bit of the Marshall game and a bit of the Maryland game - and here's what it seems: they don't run the ball as well as they have in past years (Pat White and Steve Slaton help of course). They do seem to have a pretty good QB though.
Here's the deal with W. Virginia - they need to score a minimum of 21 points if they want to have a chance in this game. Period. I'm not sure LSU can score 24 or more points to be honest, but I like what I'm seeing out of Jarrett Lee (feel better, Tigers fan?). The thing is though, they just don't have an explosive offense.
The great thing about this game is it will tell us so much about the Tigers - we know they have a good defense, but if they can shut down this W. Virginia offense on the road, that will huge. Plus, we'll know what we have in Mr. Lee. Can he steady the ship in a hostile environment without making big mistakes? Should be exciting.
(quick side note: no way this should be the prime time game...more on this below)
LSU - 22
W. Virginia - 20
Arkansas at Alabama:
Look, I want this to be a bigger, more fun game than this, but I just don't think it is. It comes down to this - if Arkansas can't get a good, strong rhythm going with the run, they don't have much chance. AND, I don't give them much chance of that with Bama's front 7.
I do think Alabama's offense will struggle a bit as I'm pretty sure Arkansas has the best defense they've faced all year, but Arkansas is going to have to play a near-perfect game to win this in Tuscaloosa.
Bama - 27
Arkansas - 12
Oklahoma State at Texas A&M:
Clearly the biggest game of the day. It would be fun to be at Kyle Field for this one. Don't think this conference bickering doesn't play at least some part in this - Okie State (and especially Mike Gundy, knowing his style) would love nothing more than to give A&M a good ass whuppin' on their way out the door.
I smell a barn burner in this one - neither team's defense is as good as they think it is, but their offenses are as good or better with veteran play makers all over the field.
As I touched on above, I'm not sure either one of these teams are on of the top 10 teams in the country - I don't know that they aren't either. I think this game will tell us a whole lot about both teams. I think both teams are pretty good - if I'm betting I'd say the Aggies field a better team, simply because Okie State can fold with the best of them down the stretch. The Cowboys haven't lost to the Aggies in a few years at least so I'm taking a slightly better A&M team (and probably better coached frankly) to edge this one out. Take the over if you're in Vegas....
(follow up side note: How about ESPN giving the middle finger to the Aggies? You telling me going to Morgantown, W. Virginia is a better venue than College Freaking Station? Hey, aren't these 2 top 10 teams (on paper)? Call me cynical, but I don't think this was unbiased judgment).
Aggies - 41
Cowboys - 33
Heading into a Bye Week:
Well I must say, I was wrong. And quite happy to be wrong. Part of me was just picking the Bruins out of spite, but who can blame me? Either way, it doesn't matter. Not to get overly optimistic, but I really like what I'm seeing in terms of growth and improvement from week to week. Haven't seen progress and growth like this with Texas youngsters in quite a while. The cutting down of mistakes from the BYU to this game was very nice to see, especially stupid penalties.
The offense is getting better, but they'll take their lumps against aggressive and athletic defenses (read: OU). But, the defense? Man, they look good and really, really quick. I'm excited to see this unit continue to get better. There's still quite a rough road ahead, but I'm feeling better and better about this group this year. I picked them to go 8-4 this year, and I still suspect that's about right, but a 9-3 season is not out of the question by any means. And after 5-7, that's a hell of an improvement. We shall see....
Other Quick Hits:
Still time to sponsor the Bearden Wonder in my half marathon in November. I'm running for a great cause - the Carino's Family Fund. I won't bore you with it again (details a few posts ago), but I'd appreciate any support you can give. I know times are tough, which is why I'm trying to raise a few bucks for a great cause.
We are reaching a whole new level of ridiculousness and absurdity around our "leaders" in Washington. Where are the leaders who have the balls to make tough decisions that are not popular, but essential?
Quick public service announcement to the people of the US - please don't elect Rick Perry. I'm not a die-hard democrat by any stretch of the imagination, but you're going to have to just trust me on this one....this will not end well if you do. I'm just saying....
Things are actually starting to settle in place a bit - it's a perfect season for my dream scenario - no polls, of any kind, until after the fourth week of the season. After this weekend we'll have a more than solid idea of LSU and Oklahoma; we'll find out if Florida State really is a top 12 school, or a top 40 school; and finally, the overrated twins, Okie State and Texas A&M, will know MUUUUCH more about themselves and where they fall in the mix.
Let's do some speculating and general shit talking, shall we....
LSU at W. Virginia:
I've actually seen more WVA this year than I ever thought I would at this point - a bit of the Marshall game and a bit of the Maryland game - and here's what it seems: they don't run the ball as well as they have in past years (Pat White and Steve Slaton help of course). They do seem to have a pretty good QB though.
Here's the deal with W. Virginia - they need to score a minimum of 21 points if they want to have a chance in this game. Period. I'm not sure LSU can score 24 or more points to be honest, but I like what I'm seeing out of Jarrett Lee (feel better, Tigers fan?). The thing is though, they just don't have an explosive offense.
The great thing about this game is it will tell us so much about the Tigers - we know they have a good defense, but if they can shut down this W. Virginia offense on the road, that will huge. Plus, we'll know what we have in Mr. Lee. Can he steady the ship in a hostile environment without making big mistakes? Should be exciting.
(quick side note: no way this should be the prime time game...more on this below)
LSU - 22
W. Virginia - 20
Arkansas at Alabama:
Look, I want this to be a bigger, more fun game than this, but I just don't think it is. It comes down to this - if Arkansas can't get a good, strong rhythm going with the run, they don't have much chance. AND, I don't give them much chance of that with Bama's front 7.
I do think Alabama's offense will struggle a bit as I'm pretty sure Arkansas has the best defense they've faced all year, but Arkansas is going to have to play a near-perfect game to win this in Tuscaloosa.
Bama - 27
Arkansas - 12
Oklahoma State at Texas A&M:
Clearly the biggest game of the day. It would be fun to be at Kyle Field for this one. Don't think this conference bickering doesn't play at least some part in this - Okie State (and especially Mike Gundy, knowing his style) would love nothing more than to give A&M a good ass whuppin' on their way out the door.
I smell a barn burner in this one - neither team's defense is as good as they think it is, but their offenses are as good or better with veteran play makers all over the field.
As I touched on above, I'm not sure either one of these teams are on of the top 10 teams in the country - I don't know that they aren't either. I think this game will tell us a whole lot about both teams. I think both teams are pretty good - if I'm betting I'd say the Aggies field a better team, simply because Okie State can fold with the best of them down the stretch. The Cowboys haven't lost to the Aggies in a few years at least so I'm taking a slightly better A&M team (and probably better coached frankly) to edge this one out. Take the over if you're in Vegas....
(follow up side note: How about ESPN giving the middle finger to the Aggies? You telling me going to Morgantown, W. Virginia is a better venue than College Freaking Station? Hey, aren't these 2 top 10 teams (on paper)? Call me cynical, but I don't think this was unbiased judgment).
Aggies - 41
Cowboys - 33
Heading into a Bye Week:
Well I must say, I was wrong. And quite happy to be wrong. Part of me was just picking the Bruins out of spite, but who can blame me? Either way, it doesn't matter. Not to get overly optimistic, but I really like what I'm seeing in terms of growth and improvement from week to week. Haven't seen progress and growth like this with Texas youngsters in quite a while. The cutting down of mistakes from the BYU to this game was very nice to see, especially stupid penalties.
The offense is getting better, but they'll take their lumps against aggressive and athletic defenses (read: OU). But, the defense? Man, they look good and really, really quick. I'm excited to see this unit continue to get better. There's still quite a rough road ahead, but I'm feeling better and better about this group this year. I picked them to go 8-4 this year, and I still suspect that's about right, but a 9-3 season is not out of the question by any means. And after 5-7, that's a hell of an improvement. We shall see....
Other Quick Hits:
- Conference realignment update you ask? In the words of Dr. Evil, "how about...nooo."
- Missouri and OU is an "on paper" game - OU is just too talented with too much experience.
- One more interesting note for Longhorn fans: they go to Ames, Iowa next week (which I hear is just beautiful this time of year). After that they don't go any farther than Dallas until November 12 when they visit Missouri. After OU weekend they get 3 straight home games with ANOTHER bye week mixed in (stupid Nebraska and Colorado). That's a nice way to break in some youth....without ever getting on an airplane.
- How in the world did Louisville get sucked into so many discussions about conference expansion?
- I know this sounds crazy, but if you can somehow tap into some dude's camcorder, try and catch the Rice at Baylor game. I think you're going to see some fireworks.
- Fantasy Update: I had Vincent Jackson AND Tom Brady last week. Great game for fantasy owner ME.
- I'm not going to say a whole lot, but I'm quietly rooting like hell for the Lions. I think we may just be seeing a.....no, I'm not going to say it.
- H-U-G-E game for the Texans in the Big Easy. They don't even have to win (New Orleans is desperate to avoid a 1-2 start), but they have to play well and they have to compete for 4 quarters.
- I've given Romo a lot of crap over the last few years....pretty much because he deserved it, but he nutted up big last weekend with a cracked rib and punctured lung. Not sure how bad all of that was, but sounded painful.
- The Giants are baaaaad.
- How good is Cam Newton? Don't want to get ahead of myself, but damn he's got a pretty throw. He's got a disaster game coming real soon I'm sure, but he looks good.
- Keeping with the "let's not get ahead of ourselves, but we probably will anyway" tone - could the Chiefs go 2-14 this year? I think they could.
- How fun is Buffalo? Not very, but the Bills sure look good. If they can knock off the Pats in Buffalo this weekend, look out because here....come.......nevermind.
- Lovely Wife fantasy update (fantasy football that is): So she's the only team in the league to score 200 points last week so she posts this on the smack talk wall: "hey bitches, look who's the only one over 2 hundy."
Still time to sponsor the Bearden Wonder in my half marathon in November. I'm running for a great cause - the Carino's Family Fund. I won't bore you with it again (details a few posts ago), but I'd appreciate any support you can give. I know times are tough, which is why I'm trying to raise a few bucks for a great cause.
We are reaching a whole new level of ridiculousness and absurdity around our "leaders" in Washington. Where are the leaders who have the balls to make tough decisions that are not popular, but essential?
Quick public service announcement to the people of the US - please don't elect Rick Perry. I'm not a die-hard democrat by any stretch of the imagination, but you're going to have to just trust me on this one....this will not end well if you do. I'm just saying....
posted by The Bearden Wonder at 10:03 PM
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