Congratulations to Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore who passed former-Texas quarterback Colt McCoy as the NCAA's all-time winningest player by getting his 46th career win tonight in Las Vegas 41-14 against UNLV. Again, Moore did not play in the fourth quarter and finished 18-of-31 for 219 yards and five touchdown passes.
As you know, I've been on the Boise Bus for a few years now and want the Broncos to keep winning, but it's bittersweet for me to have Boise win but Colt McCoy lose his spot as college football's all-time winningest quarterback to Kellen Moore. Moore wasn't facing the Big 12 schedule every year though, that's the only shot I'll take at Boise State's schedule, they can't help who they play as long as another conference doesn't extend an invitation to them for them to join.
Houston quarterback Case Keenum also set more records tonight as he passed Timmy Chang for the most passing yards of all-time. Houston is currently ranked No. 13 in the BCS and look to crack the Top 12 in the next BCS Standings, which is the coveted ranking to crash into the BCS, except for Houston, there's Boise State blocking the way. The biggest difference between Houston and Boise State is defense. Boise State has it, Houston doesn't exactly.
Boise State continues to state its case for a national championship bid, mostly with the play of its defense and as we saw tonight, defense is what really counts.
The highly anticipated LSU-Alabama lived up to all of the hype in a battle of the nation's two best defenses. LSU won the game 9-6 in overtime on a Drew Alleman 25-yard field goal. Not only were these the two best defenses, but I think quite clearly the nation's two best teams. So it's time to start talking rematch for the national championship. Well, actually the talk of the rematch started a month ago and I'm tired of it. We might very well be headed towards a rematch but I'll just say it right now that I'm against it.
Yes, Alabama missed four field goals and simply making any one of them would have won the game for the Tide but seriously, you can't say the better team didn't win tonight. On paper, LSU is better and they won. Special teams are a part of the game and it's a phase where LSU is significantly better than Alabama. You don't think special teams plays a role in games? Just ask West Virginia who lost to Louisville today on a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown. You want to win games, you have to play all three phases of the game. So I don't want to hear Alabama should have won if that field goal wasn't missed.
South Carolina and Nebraska are two other top ten teams that lost today. South Carolina was expected as it faced a loaded Arkansas team that gets LSU to finish the regular season. I think this is where South Carolina's late-season plummet begins without Stephen Garcia and Marcus Lattimore and also having Alshon Jeffery missing in action. The Gamecocks get Florida to finish the SEC schedule and finish the season with Clemson.
Nebraska had a shocking loss to Northwestern at home in Memorial Stadium. Taylor Martinez threw for 289 yards and Nebraska lost. Why? Because Northwestern stopped the run. They stopped Rex Burkhead and kept Martinez from beating them with his legs. Nebraska gets Penn State next and what can Penn State do? Stop the run. Nebraska must win out to capture the Big Ten Legends Division title.
Still alive in that division is Iowa, surprisingly. Thanks to the Hawkeyes' upset of Michigan today, they control their own destiny en route to Indianapolis. The Hawkeyes have both Michigan State and Nebraska left on the schedule and need to beat them both.
In the Leaders side, don't count out Ohio State who controls its destiny along with Penn State being in the driver's seat. Ohio State beat Indiana 34-20 today while Penn State was on its bye week.
The big shocker to me today was Arizona State's loss late to UCLA 29-28. Rick Neuheisel was clinging for dear life to his chair in his office but now all of a sudden his UCLA team controls its destiny in getting to the inaugural Pac-12 Championship Game. And for an Arizona State team ranked No. 21 in the BCS that I have been so high on putting them at No. 13 in my rankings, it has to be very disappointing. A win today would have clinched the Pac-12 South Division but now the Sun Devils need to win out and have UCLA lose (which they likely will. Rick Neuheisel will find a way).
Now that LSU-Alabama is over, it's almost easy to just look past the rest of the season and move on, but there's still a lot to play out and Oklahoma State and Stanford have to lose before a rematch becomes remotely close to reality. The losing could start this upcoming week: Stanford hosts Oregon in a top ten matchup. Penn State is undefeated in conference and will host Nebraska in a Top 15 matchup. Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech will also face off on Thursday night in a Top 20 battle. And there's more big games like Florida-South Carolina, Michigan State-Iowa, West Virginia-Cincinnati, Texas-Missouri, Washington-USC and Boise State-TCU.
It's looking to be another great Saturday but until then, let's rest easy with my new rankings.
My New Top 25
(x) = last week's ranking.
1. LSU (1) – beat Alabama 9-6 in overtime; Next: vs. Western Kentucky
2. Alabama (2) – lost to LSU 9-6 in overtime; Next: at Mississippi State
3. Stanford (4) – beat Oregon State 38-13; Next: vs. Oregon
4. Oklahoma State (3) – beat Kansas State 52-24; Next: at Texas Tech
5. Boise State (5) – beat UNLV 48-21;Next: vs. TCU
6. Oklahoma (6) – beat Texas A&M 41-25; Next: at Baylor (Nov. 19)
7. Oregon (7) – beat Washington 34-17;Next: at Stanford
8. Arkansas (8) – beat South Carolina 44-28; Next: vs. Tennessee
9. Clemson (10) – off week; Next: vs. Wake Forest
10. Virginia Tech (11) – off week; Next: at Georgia Tech (Thursday)
11. Wisconsin (14) – beat Purdue 62-17; Next: at Minnesota
12. Nebraska (9) – lost to Northwestern 28-25; Next: at Penn State
13. Penn State (15) – off week; Next: vs. Nebraska
14. Michigan State (16) – beat Minnesota 31-24; Next: at Iowa
15. Houston (18) – beat UAB 56-13; Next: at Tulane
16. USC (19) – beat Colorado 42-17; Next: vs. Washington
17. South Carolina (12) – lost to Arkansas 44-28; Next: vs. Florida
18. Georgia (21) – beat New Mexico State 63-16; Next: vs. Auburn
19. Arizona State (13) – lost to UCLA 29-28; Next: at Washington State
20. Texas (23) – beat Texas Tech 52-20; Next: at Missouri
21. Florida State (NR) – beat Boston College 38-7; Next: vs. Miami
22. Michigan (17) – lost to Iowa 24-16; Next: at Illinois
23. Southern Miss (24) – beat East Carolina 48-28; Next: vs. Central Florida
24. Cincinnati (25) – beat Pittsburgh 26-23; Next: vs. West Virginia
25. Ohio State (NR) – beat Indiana 34-20; Next: at Purdue
Out: West Virginia, Texas A&M
Notes:
-Chris Owusu suffered a concussion for Stanford, would be huge for him to miss time. Stanford's only big-time target.
-Oklahoma leading receiver Ryan Broyles is out for the season with a torn ACL. That could have a huge impact in the Bedlam game and the BCS.
-Not saying we should have a rematch, I'm just saying clearly LSU and Alabama are still the top two teams.
Review of my Upset Picks this week: 3-3
Northern Illinois over Toledo ….. Won 63-60
Iowa over Michigan ….. Won 24-16
Syracuse over UConn ….. Lost 28-21
Troy over Navy ….. Lost 42-14
Pittsburgh over Cincinnati ….. Lost 26-23
LSU over Alabama ….. Won 9-6 (OT)
AP2011
As you know, I've been on the Boise Bus for a few years now and want the Broncos to keep winning, but it's bittersweet for me to have Boise win but Colt McCoy lose his spot as college football's all-time winningest quarterback to Kellen Moore. Moore wasn't facing the Big 12 schedule every year though, that's the only shot I'll take at Boise State's schedule, they can't help who they play as long as another conference doesn't extend an invitation to them for them to join.
Houston quarterback Case Keenum also set more records tonight as he passed Timmy Chang for the most passing yards of all-time. Houston is currently ranked No. 13 in the BCS and look to crack the Top 12 in the next BCS Standings, which is the coveted ranking to crash into the BCS, except for Houston, there's Boise State blocking the way. The biggest difference between Houston and Boise State is defense. Boise State has it, Houston doesn't exactly.
Boise State continues to state its case for a national championship bid, mostly with the play of its defense and as we saw tonight, defense is what really counts.
The highly anticipated LSU-Alabama lived up to all of the hype in a battle of the nation's two best defenses. LSU won the game 9-6 in overtime on a Drew Alleman 25-yard field goal. Not only were these the two best defenses, but I think quite clearly the nation's two best teams. So it's time to start talking rematch for the national championship. Well, actually the talk of the rematch started a month ago and I'm tired of it. We might very well be headed towards a rematch but I'll just say it right now that I'm against it.
Yes, Alabama missed four field goals and simply making any one of them would have won the game for the Tide but seriously, you can't say the better team didn't win tonight. On paper, LSU is better and they won. Special teams are a part of the game and it's a phase where LSU is significantly better than Alabama. You don't think special teams plays a role in games? Just ask West Virginia who lost to Louisville today on a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown. You want to win games, you have to play all three phases of the game. So I don't want to hear Alabama should have won if that field goal wasn't missed.
South Carolina and Nebraska are two other top ten teams that lost today. South Carolina was expected as it faced a loaded Arkansas team that gets LSU to finish the regular season. I think this is where South Carolina's late-season plummet begins without Stephen Garcia and Marcus Lattimore and also having Alshon Jeffery missing in action. The Gamecocks get Florida to finish the SEC schedule and finish the season with Clemson.
Nebraska had a shocking loss to Northwestern at home in Memorial Stadium. Taylor Martinez threw for 289 yards and Nebraska lost. Why? Because Northwestern stopped the run. They stopped Rex Burkhead and kept Martinez from beating them with his legs. Nebraska gets Penn State next and what can Penn State do? Stop the run. Nebraska must win out to capture the Big Ten Legends Division title.
Still alive in that division is Iowa, surprisingly. Thanks to the Hawkeyes' upset of Michigan today, they control their own destiny en route to Indianapolis. The Hawkeyes have both Michigan State and Nebraska left on the schedule and need to beat them both.
In the Leaders side, don't count out Ohio State who controls its destiny along with Penn State being in the driver's seat. Ohio State beat Indiana 34-20 today while Penn State was on its bye week.
The big shocker to me today was Arizona State's loss late to UCLA 29-28. Rick Neuheisel was clinging for dear life to his chair in his office but now all of a sudden his UCLA team controls its destiny in getting to the inaugural Pac-12 Championship Game. And for an Arizona State team ranked No. 21 in the BCS that I have been so high on putting them at No. 13 in my rankings, it has to be very disappointing. A win today would have clinched the Pac-12 South Division but now the Sun Devils need to win out and have UCLA lose (which they likely will. Rick Neuheisel will find a way).
Now that LSU-Alabama is over, it's almost easy to just look past the rest of the season and move on, but there's still a lot to play out and Oklahoma State and Stanford have to lose before a rematch becomes remotely close to reality. The losing could start this upcoming week: Stanford hosts Oregon in a top ten matchup. Penn State is undefeated in conference and will host Nebraska in a Top 15 matchup. Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech will also face off on Thursday night in a Top 20 battle. And there's more big games like Florida-South Carolina, Michigan State-Iowa, West Virginia-Cincinnati, Texas-Missouri, Washington-USC and Boise State-TCU.
It's looking to be another great Saturday but until then, let's rest easy with my new rankings.
My New Top 25
(x) = last week's ranking.
1. LSU (1) – beat Alabama 9-6 in overtime; Next: vs. Western Kentucky
2. Alabama (2) – lost to LSU 9-6 in overtime; Next: at Mississippi State
3. Stanford (4) – beat Oregon State 38-13; Next: vs. Oregon
4. Oklahoma State (3) – beat Kansas State 52-24; Next: at Texas Tech
5. Boise State (5) – beat UNLV 48-21;Next: vs. TCU
6. Oklahoma (6) – beat Texas A&M 41-25; Next: at Baylor (Nov. 19)
7. Oregon (7) – beat Washington 34-17;Next: at Stanford
8. Arkansas (8) – beat South Carolina 44-28; Next: vs. Tennessee
9. Clemson (10) – off week; Next: vs. Wake Forest
10. Virginia Tech (11) – off week; Next: at Georgia Tech (Thursday)
11. Wisconsin (14) – beat Purdue 62-17; Next: at Minnesota
12. Nebraska (9) – lost to Northwestern 28-25; Next: at Penn State
13. Penn State (15) – off week; Next: vs. Nebraska
14. Michigan State (16) – beat Minnesota 31-24; Next: at Iowa
15. Houston (18) – beat UAB 56-13; Next: at Tulane
16. USC (19) – beat Colorado 42-17; Next: vs. Washington
17. South Carolina (12) – lost to Arkansas 44-28; Next: vs. Florida
18. Georgia (21) – beat New Mexico State 63-16; Next: vs. Auburn
19. Arizona State (13) – lost to UCLA 29-28; Next: at Washington State
20. Texas (23) – beat Texas Tech 52-20; Next: at Missouri
21. Florida State (NR) – beat Boston College 38-7; Next: vs. Miami
22. Michigan (17) – lost to Iowa 24-16; Next: at Illinois
23. Southern Miss (24) – beat East Carolina 48-28; Next: vs. Central Florida
24. Cincinnati (25) – beat Pittsburgh 26-23; Next: vs. West Virginia
25. Ohio State (NR) – beat Indiana 34-20; Next: at Purdue
Out: West Virginia, Texas A&M
Notes:
-Chris Owusu suffered a concussion for Stanford, would be huge for him to miss time. Stanford's only big-time target.
-Oklahoma leading receiver Ryan Broyles is out for the season with a torn ACL. That could have a huge impact in the Bedlam game and the BCS.
-Not saying we should have a rematch, I'm just saying clearly LSU and Alabama are still the top two teams.
Review of my Upset Picks this week: 3-3
Northern Illinois over Toledo ….. Won 63-60
Iowa over Michigan ….. Won 24-16
Syracuse over UConn ….. Lost 28-21
Troy over Navy ….. Lost 42-14
Pittsburgh over Cincinnati ….. Lost 26-23
LSU over Alabama ….. Won 9-6 (OT)
AP2011
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