The State of Sports Nov. 18th

-College Football

-Best BCS conference of the season
You have to love the SEC this year. This weeks matchup of Auburn and Alabama only is one of the countless matchups we have seen from this power-football conference. With the SEC's best offense in #11 Auburn, and the best defense in #8 Alabama. The only only problem? Alabama is near the bottom of the conference in scoring offense. They are like the Baltimore Ravens of the conference, except they have a decent running game. Auburn on the other hand also has a good defense. It could make for a college classic football game. My prediction is Auburn. A game of field goals in the beginning, and a game of field position for the last possesion. Thats the way these defensive games usually go. I will point to the Tennessee-Bama game. The 6-3 game went down to who really had the last possesion.

Other great games in this conference are South Carolina and Clemson. I pick South Carolina, because Spurrier seems to know what hes doing this year. They have beaten a highly ranked Florida team, but played the bottom of the SEC for the rest of their schedule, excluding losses to Georgia and LSU. Vandy is having a good season too. I pick them over a slumping and underacheving Tennessee team. The interresting thing about the Vols is they are the only team to beat LSU, whos only got one loss, and beaten a ranked Florida, Georgia, and Bama (last week). Florida, who may be a year or two away from taking the SEC (with coach Urban Meyers Spread Option offense), plays Florida State next week. Too bad they lost too many games vs. ranked opponents.

The SEC is hands down the best conference in football. With six teams ranked in the top 20, it really doesnt get any better than that. I think this conference may dominate when its bowl season this year.


-Worst BCS Conference of the season
Two teams out of the Big 12 are ranked. Texas and Texas Tech are two very high powered offenses in a conference that just hasnt played up to par. A conference that boasted four teams in the top 25, three in the top 20, has just not played well at all. Texas has dominated, and it might just cost Vince Young the Hiesman, because of the conference he plays in.

Texas Tech has a good offense, but very little defense. Tech dominates because they control the clock on their possesions. They have lost to Texas and Oklahoma State, who second to last in scoring defense and offense. Texas Tech plays Oklahoma this week. Oklahoma was preseason ranked #7, and then got beat in the opener to Mountain West winner TCU. Oklahoma has gotten beaten by UCLA, and Texas, but played well in the rest of conference play. The only team with one loss, may still get an end of the year ranking and a good bowl bid, if they win out. I honestly dont see this happening vs Texas Tech this week.

Iowa State opened well by beating a overrated Iowa team and went 3-0. But then dropped three strait to Big 12 North opponents Missouri, and Nebraska. And then lost to a very bad Baylor University team, as they went 3-3. Iowa State looked promising but hasnt played vs the competition. They close with Kansas. I predict a victory for Kansas. Speaking of Kansas, they beat Nebraska. The cornhuskers ususally dominate Big 12 play. This year, they are 4-3 in conference play loosing to Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Mizzou. And Kansas has also beaten Mizzou. Its just very disappointing to see a basketball school, manhandle good Big 12 football oriented schools.

A Colorado-Texas Big 12 matchup would be dissapointing, because you really want to see someone good warm up Texas, who is prob playing USC for the championship. But that just isnt going to happen.


-Other top 25 matchups
-USC vs Fresno State- Bosoxguy told me USC was going to blow Fresno State away. I disagreed with him and said that Fresno State plays a good defense, and the game would be a close one. Im not talking a 21 point close game, but maybe a 7 point close game. USC will win, but Lienhart just might have a game, because I think they will stop Reggie Bush/White.

-Ohio State-Michigan- Michigan will win this game because they want the Big 10 title more. I would love to see Ohio State win this thing, but at home, Michigan plays well. Michigans defense will step it up for its only game this season. I thought the defense was bad, but then when I mis-predicted the Northwestern game, it made me reconsider my opinion on Michigan. Ohio State might make it a close one though. I still predict a Michigan victory. A rareity for me because I like to rag on my Woverines friend, who is a die hard, going to tomorrow game.


-Penn State-Michigan State- Will Penn State beat Michigan State? Will Joe Paterno finally get the respect he deserves? I think they will. I think that Michigan State just lost it. They beat Notre Dame, and that was their season. And then they just dug themselves into a hole. If you beat someone good in the Big 10, it means you have to play up to the competition. Michigan State didnt do so here, and wont do so tomorrow.

-Im hoping BC closes out beating a dangerous ball control Maryland team. Va Tech is going to creme Virgina. LSU is gonna hopefully clinch beating Mississippi. And Oregon State will loose to Oregon.

-In other non-top 25 action, I dont know much about UTEP, but they will beat UAB. In Sun Belt action Louisiana-Monroe (4-1 in conference and 4-5 overall) will beat North Texas. the Sun Belt is an absolute joke of a conference that doesnt even use the instant replay system. They get one bowl bid a year, and usually get beaten 9 out of 10 times.


Pictures courtesy of Yahoo! Sports