LSU – For real???
Are the Tigers for real? Was their early season dominating defense courtesy of weak offense or the real deal. After three straight weeks of down to the wire games and squeaking two out of three in the powerful SEC, it is definitely a question worthy of an answer. Although that answer will have to wait at least two weeks and perhaps all the way to December in Atlanta. We think they wil answer those bells and the biggest of all in early January. Ohio State, Oklahoma, or whoever they face better be thinking the same thing.
Upset Weekend 2007
With 6 of the top 13 teams being upset, this weekend will go down as the underdog weekend of the year. Starting Friday night as Souther Florida took care of West Virginia the Big 12 North took care of the Big 12 South as Colorado and Kansas State take down Oklahoma and Texas. Auburn kicks a last second field goal twice to beat the Gators as Maryland tops Rutgers and Georgia Tech beats Clemson. The Oregon Ducks join these top ranked teams in defeat at the hands of the 6th ranked California Golden Bears.
Were the Sooners and Longhorns looking to next weeks showdown in Dallas, while Florida and a slow starting LSU Tigers looking to their meeting in Baton Rouge? Or does this show the continuing parity in college football? Perhaps a little of both. With USC sqeaking out a win in Seattle, we could have a season with no major conference teams running the table.
Game of the week
Oh what a difference a week makes. We could be looking at two games featuring undefeated top 10 teams this week, but Colorado, Kansas State and Auburn took three of these four teams down last week. With all three looking for redemption the stakes are possibly even higher for all. We will pick the SEC showdown in Baton Rouge as the #2 Tigers take on Florida in what has to be a must win game for the Gators to keep a slim chance at defending their national championship. LSU can take a commanding lead in the SEC title hunt by whipping the Gators and go a long way to avoiding having to beat them again for the SEC title. LSU’s defense frustrates the Gators with a 9 point win.
Don’t dismiss the Dallas beat down. One of these teams will keep BCS hopes alive while the other will have to look toward other incentives to call this season a success. We pick OU bouncing back and winning by 4.
LSU hosts Virginia Tech for the Game of the Week
The Hokies come into Tiger Stadium ranked 9th in the AP poll and sporting one of the best defenses in the country.  They hope the second ranked Tigers’ offense starts as lackluster as they did last week against Miss. State. LSU’s shutout and 6 interceptions showed they know how to defend the endzone. We pick LSU at home 13 to 6.
Week 1 Roundup
Twenty-two of the Sportscrossfile.com Top 25 take care of business. Appalachia State carried the 1AA title into Ann Arbor, and stunned Michigan allowing critics to suggest the Big Ten would have trouble competing in that division. Our hats are off to the football players and coaches of Appalachian State University.
Clemson welcomed Florida State into Death Valley for Bowden Bowl 9 and stunned Dad and company through the beginning of the third period. By the time the Seminoles realized this was a real game, the time remaining was too little to complete the comeback. They join Michigan outside this week’s top 25.
Tennessee, the other top 25 to begin 0-1, put up 31 on California yet gave up 45 points including a punt return for a TD in the loss. Auburn survives a scare from Kansas State scoring with 2:01 left in the 4th quarter to take the lead. The remainder of the Top 25 took care of business mostly with lopsided scores. Here are some notables or should we say embarassments for both the losers and those setting the schedules:
Penn State 59 – Florida International 0
Oklahoma 79 – North Texas 10
Nebraska 52 – Nevada 10
Hawaii 63 – Northern Colorado 6
Florida and LSU meet for the SEC Title
With a favorable home conference schedule, LSU, sporting the best defense in the country, will win the SEC title game on it’s way to New Orleans for the NCAA National Championship Football game.
Oklahoma to win the Big 12
While the South continues to dominate the North in Big 12 football, Oklahoma outlast Texas for the right to whip Missouri for the conference title.
BCS At Large Bids
In the second year of the five BCS game format, the six conference winners will be joined by six at-large additions. This will include Florida, Texas, Wisconsin and California.
USC Splits Pac-10 Title (again)
USC is loaded and will have the opportunity to run the table and head to New Orleans to compete for the National Championship. The Trojans, seemingly invincible at home, have occasionally struggled on the road. Oregon State and UCLA were able to get it done last year, but think back to the Bush Push at Notre Dame a few year ago as well. Needing to go to Oregon, Cal and Arizona State to remain undefeated in the Pac-10, USC will have a tough time of it. We predict they will not make it and the title will be split once again. USC will be the BCS representative playing somewhat closer to home rather than bing in New Orleans as they would prefer.
West Virginia outruns Rutgers and Louisville
The Mountaineers rack up the ground yardage in route to the Big East title. Still looking for recognition as a major football conference, the Mountaineers will barely miss an opportunity to play for The National Championship.
Penn State will win Big 10
Attempting to shake off the “most overated conference” label, the Big 10 bangs away at each other and Division 1 AA schools in 2007 only to find Ohio State and Michigan falling behind Wisconsin, Penn State and Iowa as Penn State wins the conference title. A visit to New Orleans to play for the crystal football will elude the conference this go round.
Our ACC Champion Prediction
Virginia Tech will win the conference. Florida State will surprise if not impress as they win the Atlantic Division and play for the title.