Monster Weekend Part II

Well, "Monster Weekend" has officially ended, but with a plethora of story lines.

Aside from what I covered earlier (See Monsters Weekend Part I) it was business as usual for most of the remaining Top 25.

(1) Oklahoma @ (11) Missouri

Right now, I don't think any team wants to be the BCS #1. For the third straight week, the number one team in the country has lost. Interceptions, kicks returned for TDs, penalties, and the inability to stop the run doomed the Sooners from the get-go. The Oklahoma defense allowed a season high 178 rushing yards and the Missouri running game kept them on their heels for most of the evening. The score might not reflect it, but Missouri's defense owned up today. The Tiger defense allowed less than 100 yards rushing, and picked off Landry Jones twice. Like the Sooner defense, Jones looked frustrated throughout much of the second half.

Oklahoma will look to rebound next week against Big-12 pushover, Colorado. Landry Jones has impressed this season, and is on the fast track to stardom. This loss is just a minor setback for a very promising team.

Missouri has a much tougher task net week as the travel to Nebraska to face "The Big Red Machine." I doubt they will repeat their success next week against a team who rebounded well from a loss to Texas, but you never know, Youngstown State did beat Virginia Tech. Sorry Hokie fans.

(4) Auburn (Home) vs. (6) LSU (Previous blog)

(5) TCU (Home) vs. Air Force

I thought this game would be much closer than it was. I actually thought that AFA had an outside chance at winning this game. Boy was I wrong. The TCU ground game went gang-busters and gave the Academy a shot of their own medicine. The Frogs ran for 377 yards and 4 touchdowns. TCU running back Ed Wesley proved his Heisman worth and went off for 209 yards and 2 scores. TCU quarterback, Andy Dalton, passed for 184 yards and a touchdown which might have been a quarterback clinic as far as AFA quarterback, Tim Jefferson is concerned. Jefferson went 3/7 for 47 yards and no TDs. I know that Air Force runs an option offense, but 47 yards?!?! At least challenge the secondary, fellas. All was not lost for the Falcons as their reliable running game rattled off 184 yards, but only punched it in one time.

TCU looks to improve their record to 9-0 when they travel to UNLV (1-6, 1-2) next week. UNLV might be coming off a bye week, but Rebs head coach, Bobby Hauck, will need to pull some serious magic out of his rear end to have any hopes of keeping this close.

Unfortunately, it doesn't get any easier for the Falcons when Utah comes to town. Now Air Force could win this game if they can buckle down on defense and stick to a balanced offensive attack. Either way, it will be a test for AFA, and a cake walk for the Utes.

(7) Michigan State @ Northwestern

The collective population of East Lansing, Michigan has no more fingernails. The Michigan State Spartan offense looked frail as fell behind early to the Northwestern Wildcats. The Wildcats went up 17-0 on Sparti before MSU felt like scoring. Michigan State hung around in the third quarter, but kicked it into overdrive in the fourth scoring 21 points including a fake punt that resulted in one of their TDs. I am sure that State fans are happy this one is over, and I am sure Northwestern wants another crack at MSU. If there is one thing we can take away from this game, it has got to be: Northwestern still doesn’t know how to play with a lead against a better team.

Sparti travels to Iowa next week in hopes of cementing themselves in the BCS title conversation. They have an outside chance at making the big game, but they need big performances against Iowa and Penn State (both on the road) to be a legitimate title contender when the Big Ten championship rolls around.

Northwestern will look to put this loss behind them, or take out their frustration against Indiana next week. The ‘Cats are only 1-2 in the Big Ten, but disaster looms as the travel to Penn State and Wisconsin and have Iowa come to town. Winning one of those games could change their entire season.

(8) Alabama @ Tennessee
I didn’t watch too much of this game, and judging by the final score, I didn’t miss much. Tennessee has started the season 0-4 in conference play in over two decades, and after the drubbing put on them by The Tide, it is easy to see why. The Vols could not get anything going after a first quarter 59-yard TD rush by Tauren Poole. Alabama was out to prove that their loss to South Carolina was fluke, and did so in impressive fashion. The ‘Bama rushing attack pounded the rock for over 210 yards including Trent Richardson’s 119 and a TD. Mark Ingram rushed for over 80 yards and two scores, and there was little Derrick Dooley’s defense could do to stop it.

Alabama heads into their bye week walking tall, and has to direct their focus to conference foe LSU (also heading into bye week). This one is sure to be a good one as
Nick Saban travels to LSU to face the hostel Tiger faithful, and a reeling LSU team looking for revenge after a heartbreaker last year in Tuscaloosa.

Tennessee travels to South Carolina, and early predictions are the Vols have no chance. I have to agree.

(9) Utah (Home) vs. Colorado State
I don’t know why I even bother mentioning Utah football in any blog post. The Utes are grossly overrated, and their ranking just exposes more BCS computer flaws. Sure they blow out their opponents week in and week out, but isn’t that what Mountain West teams are supposed to do their weak-ass conference opponents? I am so tired of seeing these guys in the top 10 week in and week out just because they can put up 60+ on a team from BFE. I cannot wait for them TCU to come to town and give the Utes what they deserve, an ass-whooping.

Anyway…

Not much to report here. The Utah rush offense exploded for over 220 yards, and the quarterbacks passed for over 400. Colorado State looked totally outmatch in this contest. The rushed for a combined 28 yards and their quarterback looked uncomfortable the whole game going 19 for 28 for 185 yards and a pick.

Utah travels to Air Force next week, and I think that the Falcons will give them more than the Utes bargained for.

CSU goes to lowly New Mexico (0-6, 0-2) to face a team that ranks in the bottom five in the nation in every major offensive statistic. CSU should walk away a winner.

(10) Ohio State (Home) vs. Purdue
It was business as usual for Terrelle Pryor and the gang as they smoked Purdue like a Thanksgiving turkey. I don’t think we would have expected anything else from a team who got throttled in their first week at number 1. Terrelle Pryor and Joe Bauserman combined to throw for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns and the ground game rushed for 184 yards and 3 scores. Purdue was held to under 50 yards rushing and just seemed to not want to be playing today.

Ohio State looks to regain their swagger as the travel to Minnesota to play the laughable Minnesota Golden Gophers, who have now started 0-1 since the firing of Tim Brewster. This is essentially a televised practice this weekend.

Purdue travels to Illinois to take on the Fighting Illini. Not much at stake here for either team…unless you count bragging rights as something big.

(12) Standford (Home) vs. Washington State
I am slightly disappointed in the Cardinal right now. Only beating a team who has won only one game in the last year and a half? Andrew Luck was not too bad today. Completing a respectable 20 of 28 passes for a measly 190 yards and somehow threw 3 touchdowns. The real story was WSU’s quarterback, Jeff Tuel. He scorched the Stanford secondary for almost 300 yards and 4 touchdowns, but his 2 interceptions downed the Wildcats. Stanford’s rushing attack blew up for 249 yards and 2 scores, both by Stepfan Taylor who added 142 yards of his own.

Stanford travels to Washington next week in what could be an upset waiting to happen. It all depends on which Jake Locker shows up.

Dub-State goes to Arizona State for a game of non-epic proportions. I don’t think anyone outside of Sun Devil Stadium or Seattle really cares who wins or loses this one.

(13) Wisconsin @ (15) Iowa
Next to the LSU/Auburn game, I was really looking forward to this one. This was one helluva contest. Iowa quarterback, Ricky Stanzi, lit up the Wisconsin defense for 3 touchdowns, but it was the Wisconsin ground game that won this one. The Badger backfield accounted for 142 yards and three touchdowns en route to a 31-30 squeaker. This was the perfect example of hard fought effort by both teams, but in the end, the better team did prevail.

Wisconsin goes into a much deserved bye week feeling good which doesn’t bode well for Purdue and the Badgers travel to Ross-Ade Stadium on November 6.

Iowa gets Michigan State at home next week in what is sure to be the game of the week. If Iowa wants to prove that they are better than their record, the must take it to the Spartans next week.

(16) Nebraska @ (14) Oklahoma State
Can you say, “Barn-burner?” These two teams erupted to score over 90 total points in this one, and defense took a back seat as both quarterback combined to throw over 600 yards and seven touchdowns. Taylor Martinez rebounded nicely from the loss to Texas going 23 for 35 for 323 yards and 5 touchdowns. He enters back into the Heisman discussion, but it might be a little too late for the young freshman. Still, outstanding effort. The Oklahoma State backfield made a statement today and answered their critics by rushing for 212 yards and three touchdowns. The Cowboy offense is not to fault here. They did everything they needed to do, but the defense looked like a wet paper bag today.

Nebraska gets Missouri at home next week, and ESPN’s College GameDay would do well to just mosey on over to Memorial Stadium for next week’s contest. No clear winner here, but Nebraska is tough to beat when Martinez plays well.

Oklahoma State goes up to Kansas to play the #22 ranked WIldcats. K-State is good at home, so OK State should be on their toes and ready for anything.

Here are a few stats to remember from this one:
Combined 606 passing yards
Combined 7 passing TD’s
Combined 429 yards rushing
Combined 308 kick return yards

Next week is World Series week. All posts will be directed to the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers. NFL recap on Monday.

WHO DAT
Kenny “Mo”