Saturdays BCS Implications
Covers.com
In this crazy season of upsets, the BCS Championship matchup is far from set! In fact, with so many teams left in the race it is important to look at where teams sit in the chase and compare where they are positioned as we near the end of the regular season.
West Virginia and Florida go into Saturday’s matchups as huge home favorites but with slightly different circumstances.
The Mountaineers will face a tough Connecticut squad out to prove they have arrived but West Virginia has not only been playing great football lately, it knows it sits in a great position for a title game appearance if it wins and a team ahead falters. The Huskies have been good but we don’t see them being able to stay with the Mountaineers for the full 60 minutes as West Virginia has way too much at stake to not keep the pedal to the metal. Certainly, the Mountaineers could be worth a look for the cover.
The Gators know they have slim hopes of playing for the title but being in the Swamp against in-state rival Florida State is all the hype they will need! That said, Florida might roll to a big win as well considering the Seminoles have been unable to put any consistent play together this year.
Georgia might be the hottest team in the country over the last four weeks and although its chances are not great of battling for the BCS title, dominating wins this week over Georgia Tech and in the SEC Championship might be enough to get the Bulldogs in the game if the cards fall correctly for them. The Georgia Tech rivalry has a history of being a very low-scoring contest but the Dawgs are barking on both offense and defense and Tech just does not seem to have the personnel on either side of the ball to stay with the Bulldogs. Indeed, Georgia may be worth a look to easily cover the small points.
Two teams that less than a week ago looked like they had the table set to get to the title game are now in a world of hurt, both figuratively and literally. Oklahoma and Oregon were not only upset last week but both lost their starting quarterbacks. We see both clubs in trouble as they will not only have to fight through the let-down of a BCS hangover, but also try to get by with backup quarterbacks.
These teams are also in real bad situations based on their opponents. The Sooners face their in-state rival Cowboys who have shown flashes of being a very dangerous team this year and won’t feel sorry in the slightest for the Sooners as they will certainly smell a wounded dog. The Ducks will be on the road for the second straight week and will face a UCLA team looking to get over .500 on the year. Also, the Bruins could very well be playing for the coaches' jobs. This one does not have the in-state rivalry like some of the games we have already looked at but the emotional let-down for the Ducks will be huge and probably too much to overcome.
College Football Weather Forecast
Saturday, November 24th
South Florida at Pittsburgh, 12:00 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 40.
Connecticut at West Virginia, 3:30 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the South at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 45.
Texas El-Paso at U-C-F, 2:00 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 75.
Missouri at Kansas, 8:00 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 30.
Duke at North Carolina, 3:30 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 50.
Wake Forest at Vanderbilt, 2:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Southeast at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 45.
Maryland at NC State, 12:00 p.m.
Mostly Sunny Mostly sunny. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 45.
Clemson at South Carolina, 7:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 50.
Buffalo at Kent State, 1:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 40.
Tulane at East Carolina, 1:00 p.m.
Mostly Sunny Mostly sunny. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 50.
Tennessee at Kentucky, 1:30 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing from the South at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 45.
Miami-Ohio at Ohio, 2:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 45.
Utah at B-Y-U, 2:00 p.m.
Sunny Sunny. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 35.
S-M-U at Memphis, 2:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 50.
Tulsa at Rice, 3:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy with a 80-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 10-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 55.
Oregon at U-C-L-A, 3:30 p.m.
Sunny Sunny. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 15-25 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 70.
Alabama at Auburn, 8:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing from the East at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 45.
Georgia at Georgia Tech, 3:30 p.m.
Mostly Sunny Mostly sunny. Winds blowing from the East at 5-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 50.
Florida State at Florida, 5:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 10-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 65.
Oklahoma State at Oklahoma, 3:30 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the East at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 45.
Nevada at San Jose State, 4:00 p.m.
Mostly Sunny Mostly sunny. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 65.
Ball State at Northern Illinois, 4:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of snow. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 15-25 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 40.
U-A-B at Marshall, 4:30 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing from the Southeast at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 45.
Kansas State at Fresno State, 5:00 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from the South at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 60.
U-N-L-V at New Mexico, 5:30 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing from the East at 10-20 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 35.
Washington State at Washington, 7:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy with a 60-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing from the East at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 45.
Temple at Western Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of snow. Winds blowing from the Southwest at 10-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 30.
Miami-Florida at Boston College, 12:00 p.m.
Sunny Sunny. Winds blowing from the West at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 35.
Virginia Tech at Virginia, 12:00 p.m.
Mostly Sunny Mostly sunny. Winds blowing from the Southeast at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 40.
Notre Dame at Stanford, 3:30 p.m.
Mostly Sunny Mostly sunny. Winds blowing from the North at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 65.
T-C-U at San Diego State, 8:00 p.m.
Mostly Clear Mostly clear. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 10-20 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 60.
Arkansas State at Southern Mississippi, 3:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy with a 50-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 5-10 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 55.
UL-Monroe at UL-Lafayette, 7:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy with a 80-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing from the Northeast at 10-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 55.
Florida Atlantic at Florida International, 7:00 p.m.
Mostly Cloudy Mostly cloudy. Winds blowing from the East at 10-15 m.p.h. Game-time temperature: Around 75.
College football weather report: Thunderstorms in the Gulf
COVERS.com
Thunderstorms likely
Houston
A pair of games in Houston this afternoon have a 100 percent chance of being played in the rain. Tulsa at Rice kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET, the same time as Texas Southern at Houston.
The city’s Saturday afternoon forecast calls for isolated thunderstorms as well as consistent light showers. Both games will feature a northeasterly wind measuring between 12-15 mph.
Potentially miserable conditions
Kansas City
The game of the year between Missouri and Kansas won’t be played in ideal conditions for the passing game. The temperature at Arrowhead Stadium should dip below freezing by the 8 p.m. ET kickoff and there is even a chance of a light snow falling.
Norman
The 3:30 p.m. ET game between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will feature higher temperatures than the Big 12 showdown in K.C. tonight, but an equal chance of light rain or light snow falling through the game. The wind, however, will be negligible and temperatures should stay in the low 40s.
DeKalb
The MAC showdown between Ball State and Northern Illinois won’t be played in rain or snow, but the temperature will remain below 40 degrees throughout the afternoon and the southwesterly wind will consistently top 10 mph.
Albuquerque
UNLV and New Mexico kick off at 5:30 p.m. ET. The temperature throughout the game will stay above freezing, but just barely. A 10 mph wind will blow during the early stretches of the contest, but is forecast to slow as the game progresses. There is also a 20 percent chance of light rain throughout the game.
Decent chances of rain
Auburn
Tonight’s Iron Bowl should be dry for the 8 p.m. ET kickoff but there is a 90 percent chance Alabama and Auburn will be playing in the rain in the second half. The wind will also pick up as the game continues, projected to reach double digits later in the evening.
Hattiesburg
Arkansas State at Southern Mississippi kicks off at 3 p.m. ET and there is a 40 percent of rain throughout the afternoon. An easterly wind will reach and exceed 10 mph throughout the game as well.
Seattle
The Apple Cup between Washington State and Washington has a 40 percent chance of being played in light rain. But really, this is Seattle, so no one should be overly shocked. Wind won’t be a factor and the temperature will be in the 40s. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. ET.