Week 8 Rewind
By Judd Hall
Another Saturday in college football, another No. 1 team bites the dust. We’re seeing some shades of 2007 midway through the 2010 campaign as we find out who will wind up in Glendale in January.
Oklahoma opened up with the top spot in the first round of BCS standings, but were heading to Columbia for a battle with the unbeaten Tigers. The Sooners opened the game the same way Ohio State did as No. 1 last weekend in Madison, by giving up a opening kickoff for a touchdown by Gahn McGaffie.
As damning as that opening was, OU took a 21-20 lead into the fourth quarter. But a poor Landry Jones throw and a pair of three-and-outs helped Missouri score 17 points en route to a 36-27 win as a three-point home underdog.
That loss now helps the Ducks gain a stranglehold on the No. 1 ranking in the AP and USA Today polls. And it should help Oregon gain better traction in the BCS standings…especially after killing the Bruins 60-13 last Thursday.
Perhaps the Sooners can use the loss for motivation next week against Colorado. Ohio State was dominated by the Badgers on the road the week before. The Buckeyes took that frustration out on Purdue this week with a 49-0 whitewash at Ohio Stadium. This game could have been a lot worse considering OSU held a 42-0 lead at halftime, meaning a second half ‘under’ was one of the most obvious wagers to make ever. To give you an idea of how Jim Tressel took his foot off of the gas, the Bucks had 28 first downs against the Boilermakers…24 of those came in the first half. All wasn’t perfect for Ohio State though as Terrelle Pryor threw two of the laziest interceptions you’ll ever see.
Elsewhere in the Big Ten, the Spartans continued their charmed life with a 35-27 win as five-point road favorites against Northwestern. And they did it in comeback fashion to the Wildcats once again. Northwestern held onto a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter. But Michigan State kept itself in the game, when Aaron Bates found Bennie Fowler on a 21-yard pass via a fake punt in the fourth quarter. That special teams trickery helped Sparty rally for 21 points in the final quarter for the win and the cover. And with that win I will officially stop trying to convince myself that the Wildcats can cover a damn spread. This was the third time they killed off a cover in the final minutes for me after having them against Vandy to open the season and choking away against Central Michigan.
Wisconsin looked like they were primed for a letdown this weekend against the Hawkeyes as a 6 ½-point road underdog. It looked like they were at least going to cover the spread with a 30-24 deficit in the final 8:35. Turns out the Badgers had Iowa right where they wanted them by orchestrating a 15-play, 80 yard drive that took up 7:29 and ended with Montee Ball finding the end zone with just over a minute left in the game. And when all the dust cleared, the Badgers walked away with a 31-30 victory.
Out in the SEC, all eyes were on Jordan-Hare Stadium as LSU took on Auburn in a fight of unbeaten Tigers. What this game really was the Cam Newton Experience as he ran 28 times for 217 yards and a pair of touchdowns to cement his spot as a Heisman Trophy contender. It also doesn’t hurt that Auburn walked away from this game with a 24-17 win as a five-point home “chalk.” It’s the Tigers four ATS win in their last five games. While Gene Chizik’s crew is the lone unbeaten in the SEC, it’s a long road to Glendale. A trip to Ole Miss next week is a perfect spot for a let down. And you can’t forget about roadie to close out the regular season against the Crimson Tide. And then you have to wonder if they’ll take on South Carolina in the SEC Title Game, who came close to winning the regular season matchup. Nothing is certain for Auburn just yet.
When you look at the Big XII, the field is wide open after the Tigers taking down Oklahoma. Mizzou isn’t guaranteed anything in the North Division. The Cornhuskers bounced back with a 51-41 win on the road to Oklahoma State, which covered as six-point road favorites. Yet you get the feeling the Blackshirts are starting to get tired on defense. As far as the South Division is concerned, it’s wide open. Baylor is atop the division right now after dropping K-State 47-42 in Waco. The Bears will prove if they are for real with back-to-back road trips to Texas and Oklahoma. Given how the Cowpokes played and the Longhorns getting upset by Iowa State in Austin (How many f-bombs were dropped while dry clicking revolvers after that loss?), Art Briles’ team has to feel confident.
There has been a lot of grief given to the Big East due to the quality of play in the league. Or perhaps it’s the lack of quality that is drawn the ire of college football fans. The conference did nothing to dissuade that opinion as then 20th ranked West Virginia lost 19-14 to the Orange at home. Syracuse has a real shot at winning the Big East, which is like telling me that Joe Paterno kicks ass at “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.” Louisville is coming back fast under Charlie Strong with a 26-0 pasting of the Huskies, who have essentially given up this season. Regardless of who represents the conference, the Orange Bowl folks have to just be shaking their heads.
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