NCAA Week 9 College Football: Bill Snyder's Messy Diaper

I took Tech and 8 yesterday afternoon. I feel very good about it. Take Okie State and thank me later.

 

The Bulldogs always play Alabama tough when they've got any talent at all, but MSU's 7-0 record this year is about as flimsy as you can get.

Their 7 wins are over Tennessee, Auburn and Kentucky (which are a combined 0-14 in the SEC), three Sun Belt teams (Troy, South Alabama and Middle Tennessee) and Jackson State.

 

Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette would like to remind you that Week 8 doesn't end until tonight.

 

That's a Week 9 game.

 

Since upsetting Stanford, Washington has disappeared (see Oregon, Arizona games). Then again, Oregon State has been looking kinda ugly in recent wins (see WAZZU, Utah games).

 

People expecting OU to roll over Notre Dame are obviously forgetting Landry Jones shits the bed in anything even resembling a big game. OU could still win because Notre Dame may not score on offense. But it'll be close.

Unless there are some uncharacteristic turnovers, KState will dumptruck Texas Tech. TTech will likely lose at least three and possibly four of its remaining games.

I think the only way KState loses a game on its remaining schedule is if Klein gets hurt.

As for Okie State, I think the freshman is healthy enough to reclaim his starting spot. I also think they cover at home.

 

It wouldn't even be close if Blake Bell were starting. Slow-arm Jones is going to get beat up, though.

That's really not how college football works. It's not the NFL. Not-great teams lose to worse teams all the time. Kansas State plays Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Texas at home and at Baylor and TCU. Those teams are all capable of upsets.

 

Not-great teams lose to worse teams when they make mistakes and beat themselves. KState usually doesn't make those mistakes. That's why they are able to consistently beat teams with more recognized talent.

Besides, I think Klein makes this a great team. He makes the right decision 99 percent of the time and has the ability to make it matter (at this level).

 

The Wildcats haven't made those mistakes. That doesn't mean they won't. Obviously, we will see. I don't think they will win all five games, but I also don't know which team will upset them.

 

History says yes, especially at that number.

 

On Duke, it depends on what you think of Florida State in Tallahassee. The Seminoles will be dying to prove a point, to prove that Duke, while better, isn't that much better. 27.5 points? I'll let you and Vegas hash out that one.

As for NCSU, word in Chapel Hill is this is being treated as a big one ... near bowl game level. UNC hasn't beaten the Wolfpack in years. NCSU has leaky defense and the pass defense cost them against Tennessee and Miami, and should have cost them against Maryland in College Park. Question is, if Chapel Hill can adjust to NCSU stacking to stop Gio Bernard, can they take advantage of the pass defense?