It's So Neat To Meet Your Baby Where The Action Is

Duke's David Cutcliff gets the business

Last week it was Baylor in the headlines.  This week it's Duke, and not for basketball.  Though not in the BCS rankings, the Blue Devils debut at #25 in the AP poll and #24 in USA Today following their decisive victory over The U.  The last time that happened was in 1976 when the teams squared off for the very first time.  The Dookies have won eight games for the first time since 1994 and, with wins over Wake Forest and North Carolina, will capture the Coastal Division of the ACC.  This means a likely spot in the ACC championship game vs. Florida State. At least the Devils would be invited to the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, at best looms a trip to the Orange Bowl for the first time since 1958.

As for Week #13, a bit of an early start but nothing The Smack can't handle.  Here's the way it looks from out here on the left coast:

Thursday Early Bird Special

Falcon frying some Rebel worms

Air Force (2-8) vs. UNLV (5-5). The Rebels can't stop the run, and that's what The Academy does best (I mean, besides preparing steely-eyed fighters of the blue).  Yet Falcon QB Nate Romine also has found his way to four passing TDs and a 60% completion rate, so UNLV can't go to sleep on pass defense.  Game is being played in C-Springs, and I think this will give an advantage to the otherwise smallish Air Force defense.  Allthough Rebels have a possible bowl looming if they win, I am absolutely going with my heart on this one. PICK:  Air Force.

 

 

Friday Nite Lightweights

Navy (5-5) at San Jose State (6-4).  In something of an anomaly, only five wins got Navy an invite to play in the Armed Forces Bowl.  Must be because the other service academies stink.  I meant Merchant Marine and Coast Guard...who did you think I was talking about?  I guess if you have service academies you have to let them play in a bowl named after the armed forces.  Both teams have beaten Hawaii (no great shakes) but SJS has had the tougher overall schedule by far.    Navy's defensive focus will be to contain State's QB David Fales, because the Spartans' running game is abysmal.  Last week Nevada rolled up 500 yds. against the Joes, so once again Navy will try to dominate time of possession with its triple option.  Again, listening to my heart, I don't think any self-respecting Midshipman wants a gift invitation to a bowl game.  Like Smith Barney, they prefer to do it the old-fashioned way:  earn it.  PICK:  Navy.

Saturday Action

Is this what's meant by "parade rest"?

Army at "Pa-hraaaaaade HRST"; next 11/30 at Hawaii.

BYU (7-3) at Notre Dame (7-3).  Nothing that has happened this season makes Notre Dame a prohibitive favorite in this game, even at home in South Bend.  BYU has a more explosive offense.  BYU's defense allows fewer yards.  Notre Dame turns the ball over too much.  While QB Tommy Rees has pereformed well in place of the suspended Everett Golson, Golson applied for re-admission this past week.  Will he play (maybe even start) if he's fast-tracked to acceptance?  Listening to my heart again, I'm feeling a BYU upset (which according to the above wouldn't seem much of an upset at all).  PICK:  BYU.

Colorado's front four

#23 USC (8-3) at Colorado (4-6).  Both teams beat Cal in the past two weeks.  That's where the similarities end.  Alhough USC ranks in the middle of the Pac-12 in offense, they have more than enough weapons to push the Buffs around the field.  If they can establish a running game, they can overcome the altitude factor and control time of possession and keep the tandem of QB Sefu Liufau and WR Paul Richardson off the field.  The Trojan defense which, during the Ed Orgeron era has been superb, won't have to worry much about the Buffalo rushing game, whose starting RBs have been unable to produce 1,000 yards between them in ten games so far.  PICK:  USC.

Charles Durning as Coach Johnson

Boston College (6-4) at Maryland (6-4).  The game between two teams looking for their 7th win shapes up to be a battle between the Maryland defense and the BC offense.  For some reason, Eagle QB Chase Rettig has gradually regressed to a point where he threw for only 8 completions and 53 yards last week against NC State.  On the other side of the line sits a Terp defense that held Virginia Tech to 264 yds. in total offense and sacked the QB five times.  Also a factor will be turnoveers, from which BC doesn't usually suffer.  Game is being played in College Park, where head coach Randy Edsall has been rumored to be on the hot seat.  This is one of those games that could be a lot of fun to watch.  I'm reminded of the scene in North Dallas Forty where Jon Matuszak sniggers at the notion of an assistant coach remarking, "When I played college ball at Maryland...".  Since emotion is ruling my picks this week, I'll take the Eagles.  PICK:  Boston College.

Oregon (9-1) at Arizona (6-4).  Game will be influenced by last week's USC upset of Stanford more than anything the Wildcats can throw at the Ducks.  Stanford's loss puts Oregon back in the driver's seat for the northern division spot in the upcoming Pac-12 championship game and a shot at the Rose Bowl.  Arizona has lost to both UCLA and Washington State, two teams Oregon handled with ease.  None of Arizona's receiving corps has had a 100-yd. game so far this season.  But on the other side of the ball, their defensive backs have logged 13 interceptions.  Not putting too much effort into calling this one, seems obvious.  Then again, so did the Ducks against Stanford.  PICK:  Oregon.

Homecoming weekend in Jonesboro

Georgia State (0-10) at Arkansas State (6-4).  Time is running out for the Panthers.  With only two games remaining on the schedule, they may be thinking ahead to next week when they'll play at home against a South Alabama team with a losing record.  This week they get the ArkState Jaguars at home.  GSU gives up a lot through the air, meaning Red Wolves' QB Adam Kennedy and his gaudy 69% completion rate could have a fun afternoon.  The Arkansas State defense has yielded only 17 pts./game over the past three weeks, forces turnovers, and is sack-happy.  Nothing here that suggests a change in fortune for the Panthers.  PICK:  Arkansas State.

BONUS COVERAGE

#3 Baylor (9-0) at #11 Oklahoma State (9-1).  There's no question:  this game will be decided by which offense can score the most points.  Get ready for a whale of a show.  Amazingly, Oklahoma State scores over 40 points/game and yet is outdone by a Baylor squad that scores 21 points/game more than the Cowboys.  Each defense has been an outstanding compliment to their offenses, with the two allowing between 17 and 19 points each.  The Oke State receiving corps is a little banged up, meaning QB Clint Chelf, a player promoted at mid-season, may have trouble locating the open man.  Although the Bears don't get a lot of sacks, they go get a lot of tackles-for-loss, so Chelf may be on the run.  Watching last week's victory over Texas Tech, I was amazed at the adjustments Baylor made at halftime, after which they broke open an 8-point game and cruised to a win by 29.  Expect more of the same this week; the Bears are for real.  PICK:  Baylor

Can't Forget D-III!  

Apologies to those of you who saw the selection show on ESPNU last Sunday from Indianapolis.  I know I'm covering ground already familiar to you.  But for those less enlightened, here's the way things work in D-III.

• Twenty-four conferences receive automatic-qualifying berths.
• Three berths are reserved for true independents and those teams that are members of conferences that do not receive automatic qualification.
• The remaining five berths are awarded to teams from either automatic qualifying conferences that do not win an automatic berth, or the remaining true independent teams and teams in non-automatic qualifying conferences.

You know, a way to choose a national champion that makes perfect sense.

The top four seeds this year are defending champion Mount Union (OH), Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX), University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Bethel (MN).  2013 will be Mount Union’s 25th consecutive NCAA appearance.  In 2012, Mount Union defeated St. Thomas (Minn.) 28-10 for the title.

The first round of the championship will be played Nov. 23 at the host institution’s campus or at an alternate site approved by the football committee. The Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the national championship game, will be played Dec. 20, at Salem Stadium in Salem, Va. The game will be broadcast live on ESNPU at 7 p.m. ET.

Why all this BCS nonsense when we have a perfectly workable blueprint right there in front of our noses?  No hand-wringing necessary.  No need to discontinue those swell postseason bowls.  Just play the games.

I'm out.