Where have you gone Brooks Bollinger: Week 5 CFB running thread

Disagree with you a bit about ND. Clausen does very much have it. He's coming into his own as a top-flight quarterback. Against Purdue, he really seemed to be hampered by his turf toe. A lot of his throws were off because he couldn't work his feet right. He also had to deal with life without ND's two offensive weapons, Floyd and Allen. That's why Clausen didn't look like all that (until the final drive) against Purdue. If ND had a competent backup qb (you know, one who the coaches actually trusted to throw the ball), he probably wouldn't have played at all because of his injury.

 

Well, obviously I disagree. It's a standard BCS schedule, just front-loaded a tad.

As far as the Huskies go, people got too caught up in the 0-12 from 2008. Had Locker been healthy, and had Ty not suspended AJ Savannah, they would have won 4-5 games because they had 4-5-win talent.

Just as they do now, with Locker back and Savannah reinstated.

The Pac-10 does not have any outstanding THROWING QBs this season, which is a rarity in the league that has producted so many outstanding NFL quarterbacks. The best QBs in the Pac-10 - probably Locker and Masoli (depending on the week) will not be NFL quarterbacks.

 

So facing No. 18, No. 14, No. 11 and No. 8 at the time they are playing the game, all in a row without a week off, is a piece of cake?

 

The team I cover is off Saturday so I'm headed home to Athens to watch the UGA-LSU game. Should be a great one, and I think LSU wins 27-24.

I'm also interested in seeing how the Auburn-Tennessee game goes. It's quite a contrast in first-year coaches — one can't keep his yap shut and the other has barely been heard from since he was hired.

The Tigers have been good so far, but I believe this is their first road trip.

 

Not at all, but it's not "brutal" because 3 of those 4 are conference teams they'd play at one time or another anyways. And after this week Miami's schedule is incredibly favorable. It all balances out.

And on the whole, Miami's schedule is average for a BCS-conference program of its national stature.

 

Miami beats OU in a close game

Washington over ND

Cal over USC

Georgia over LSU

Auburn over Tenn

West Va. dumptrucks Colorado

Arkansas outscores A/M

Florida State beats BC

 

A desperate Michigan State team scares me more than anything in the world. Always has, always will.

 

Washington v. Notre Dame ... Washington is still learning how to win, and all the pitfalls that come with the journey. Notre Dame should win by a few touchdowns.

Cal v. USC ... Will be a low-scoring slugfest won by USC in the 4th quarter. Maybe 17-13 or 20-17. Something like that.

Georgia v. LSU ... Good game. Bulldogs knock Tigers from unbeaten ranks.

Colorado at West Virginia ... Both will have had 2 weeks off, so both will be fresh. I think it'll be a close game. Buffs stick around then win on a last-second field goal.

Arkansas v. Texas A&M ... Aggies stay unbeaten.

Florida State v. Boston College ... Ehh, who knows. Florida State is disappointing.


Now for some other games ...

Ohio State at Indiana ... Can the Buckeyes make it 3 shutouts on the trot? No. In fact, Hoosiers rebound to win by a TD.

Kent State at Baylor ... Baylor will win, but Griffin is out the rest of the season with a torn knee he suffered on the first drive against Northwestern State, even though he played on it till halftime.

Auburn at Tennessee ... Vols.

Oklahoma at Miami ... Sooners by 3 touchdowns.

Michigan at Michigan State ... Great game won by the Spartans. I hope it's on TV.



For betting purposes: The first one that sticks out like a sore thumb is New Mexico at Texas Tech. Whatever the spread is, take Tech because the Lobos are horrible this year.

 

Am I reading this right that you are picking IU to win at tOSU by a touchdown?

 

It's at Indiana.

 

It might as well be at tOSU, considering it will sound like a Buckeye home game.

 

Coach Tim Brewster, leader of Gopher Nation, suspends two players

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/62338607.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4OW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUac8HEaDiaMDCinchO7DUs