Daniel’s Life

So once again the BCS gets a pass, as there is no longer the possibility of a 3rd undefeated BCS school. Bleh. And now this week’s random thoughts…

*Even I have to admit that Texas Tech is pretty impressive. And I apparently thought too much. I still think Texas beats them at a neutral site with a month to prepare nine times out of ten. Oh, and they still have to play Oklahoma and someone from the north. Having said that, I’d have to rank them above Alabama right now. Why? Their body of work is more impressive. Not that it matters. Alabama and Texas Tech both control their own destiny.
*Alabama can overcome adversity. All year long Alabama has lead (cast aside a minute and some seconds in the 1st quarter against Ole Miss). This week, they had to prove that they could keep their poise when they were behind or in danger of going behind. No, it wasn’t pretty. But they were able to do it. And they came through in the clutch when they needed to. The good news for them is they weren’t even playing as well as they can and have. When they do, they can play with any other team in the country. Seriously.
*I sincerely hated to see Penn State upset. I wanted to see JoePa get that one last chance. Of course, who’s to say they won’t be back at the top next year.
*Will Texas really get screwed the way some people suggest they may? Remember. They faced three teams in the top 15 before losing by 1 point in Lubbock. Now people suggest Oklahoma (whose getting a two week break to prepare - last week against Texas A&M then a bye this week), who they beat on a neutral field, may deserve to jump them if they beat Texas Tech? Heck, the Coaches Poll already has Oklahoma ranked higher. I fully support the position of the editors at PollSpeak.com. USA Today needs to release the ballots from the Coaches Poll every week. We need to expose the morons that are screwing up the polls. The short memory and tunnel vision of some of these people absolutely kills me.
*The BCS appears to be spared this year, as the Big 12 and SEC Championship games will likely act as de facto playoff games for the National Championship Game. Still, we need some sort of playoff for the times when things don’t work out perfectly like this. Especially with the growing number of teams in NCAA FCS.
*The ACC is still a huge mess. There’s a three-way tie in the Coastal. North Carolina would have the inside track, but they lost to Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech and Miami are playing each other tonight, so one of them will take the lead over the other. Georgia Tech and Virginia are still close enough to still have a chance. The Atlantic isn’t really any clearer. Florida State and fledgling Wake Forest are tied at the top there, with Maryland and Boston College hanging close behind. It’s difficult to speculate who will emerge at the top at this point, but North Carolina and Florida State seem to be headed in the right direction.
*Here’s something random. How about the MAC West? Yes, the MAC west, replete with directional Michigan schools and Ball State. Granted, I believe Ball State is overrated in the polls. But, you have to give some of these teams credit for their record against Big 10 teams (Ball State and Central Michigan both over Indiana, Western Michigan over Illinois, Central Michigan giving Purdue all it wanted). Just an observation.
*Based on their remaining regular season schedules, I will not move Ball State, Boise State, Utah, or TCU any higher in my rankings. Based on the outcome of their bowl games, I may move them higher if they prove they can play with the big boys.

Now, the DL Top 25 for Week 11, again only through action ending on Sunday.

Ranking. Team (Record), Last Week’s Ranking
1. Texas Tech (10-0), 3
2. Alabama (10-0), 2
3. Florida (8-1), 4
4. Texas (9-1), 5
5. Oklahoma (8-1), 7
6. Penn State (9-1), 1
7. USC (8-1), 8
8. Oklahoma State (8-2), 6
9. Ohio State (8-2), 9
10. Missouri (8-2), 11
11. Georgia (8-2), 12
12. LSU (6-3), 13
13. Utah (10-0), 14
14. TCU (9-2), 10
15. Boise State (9-0), 15
16. North Carolina (7-2), 16
17. South Carolina (7-3), 18
18. Pittsburgh (7-2), 20
19. BYU (9-1), 19
20. Michigan State (9-2), 22
21. Georgia Tech (7-3), 21
22. Florida State (7-2), 25
23. Ball State (10-0), 23
24. California (6-3), 24
25. Virginia Tech (6-3), NR

Dropped: Kansas (17)
Next in: Miami FL, Northwestern, Cincinnati, Oregon State, Oregon

Okay, so I got really behind this week because I was busy doing actual things that I’m required to do. And yeah, I don’t really have time to make those long predictions every week. Of course, it’s not like I would have been able to provide anything particularly useful. Last weekend was sort of a pie-in-my-face type of week, given Texas Tech’s big upset of Texas. So without further ado, last weekend’s thoughts:

*So, I guess it doesn’t matter how good the defense is if it’s tired, in a hostile enviroment, and facing a potent passing attack. I unleashed on Texas Tech last week, but I didn’t put much into the fact that Texas is coming off three straight games against top 11 teams. That will do in anybody. I will point out, I still don’t think Texas Tech is the best team in the Big 12. Again, I point back to the grueling stretch of the schedule Texas was finishing at Lubbock. I do love the story about the place-kicker though. And Michael Crabtree is a beast, no doubt.
*Is there any question that Florida is for real? To some extent this was a case of Georgia’s defense being exposed again. But this is a rivalry game, and both teams are ranked in the Top 10. This large of a margin isn’t supposed to happen. Tim Tebow is a man on a mission, and Urban Meyer just scares me.
*Which team from the state of Washington sucks the most? Let’s go ahead and include FCS and Division II/III teams. I guarantee you its still either Washington or Washington State. The Apple Cup is going to suck so bad this year. No one should show up to promote the crappiness that will ensue in that game.
*The ACC kills me. Just when I think they’re going to act like a normal conference one week, they continue their usual shenanigans. Oh, Florida State is getting a bit too far ahead of everyone else. So lets let them cough the ball up right as they’re about to score the go-ahead TD to beat Georgia Tech. Oh, and Virginia has a few too many votes. They could accidentally sneak into the Top 25, so let’s make sure Miami beats them. Oh, and Boston College is threatening too, so let Clemson knock them off. I swear. Maryland and North Carolina were off this week, but I’m shocked they didn’t find some way to lose anyhow.
*Ooops, Tulsa gave up their chance to be a BCS buster with a flop in Fayetteville. Personally, I still think TCU is the most deserving of a shot. Utah struggled to another win this week.
*The use of point margins between common opponents to say a particular team is better is naive. Teams change throughout a season. Some get worse. Some get better. People get injured. Different teams have different offenses and defenses.

And now the Week 10 DL Top 25 (through Sunday games)

Ranking. Team (Record), Last Week’s Ranking
1. Penn State (9-0), 2
2. Alabama (9-0), 3
3. Texas Tech (9-0), 5
4. Florida (7-1), 4
5. Texas (8-1), 1
6. Oklahoma State (6-1), 6
7. Oklahoma (7-1), 7
8. USC (7-1), 9
9. Ohio State (7-2), 10
10. TCU (9-1), 12
11. Missouri (7-2), 11
12. Georgia (7-2), 8
13. LSU (6-2), 13
14. Utah (8-0), 14
15. Boise State (8-0), 15
16. North Carolina (6-2), 21
17. Kansas (6-3), 22
18. South Carolina (6-2), 23
19. BYU (8-1), 19
20. Pittsburgh (6-2), 25
21. Georgia Tech (7-2), NR
22. Michigan State (8-2), NR
23. Ball State (9-0), 24
24. California (6-2), NR
25. Florida State (6-2), 17

Dropped: Tulsa(16), South Florida(18), Minnesota(20)
Next in: Northwestern, West Virginia, Minnesota, Virginia Tech, Oregon State

I briefly mentioned the Twinkle Cavanaugh campaign signs in a post a week or two ago. Remember - the ones that make it appear she might be running with John McCain and Sarah Palin?

Well, she has a new ad out on TV. And I suppose she is now telling us that her opponent Lucy Baxley is running with Barack Obama and… Jeremiah Wright?

Gotta love local politics.

I think we learned more this past weekend than most of the pundits would point out. I wanted to wait until after the Tulsa game last night to make my new poll, but I guess the real voters didn’t care too much about that game. Anyhow, here are some of my thoughts:

*Texas is human. Oklahoma State confirms that they are as good as some thought they are. The fact that they fell so far in some of the polls is appalling to me.
*This Penn State team is special. They have consistently proven this all year, whether it was overcoming the losing streak against Michigan or overcoming the losing streak in Columbus this week.
*Oklahoma’s defense really is that questionable.
*Florida is, as I suspected, the best 1-loss team.
*USC isn’t, as I suspected, the best 1-loss team.
*The media has very, very, very short term memory. Texas Tech slaughtered a demoralized Kansas team and suddenly they aren’t the defenseless beatable team everyone said they were just last week. I’ll admit, I expected more out of Kansas, and I was wrong. But I don’t think this is some crazy revelation about Tech. Texas Tech deserves credit for putting up that many points against a higher-tier team, but they are the same team that gave up 24 points to Eastern Washington and 14 points to Massachusetts. Mark my words. This Texas Tech team will lose when they finally face a legitimate defense. So far, they’ve played 2 FCS teams, Nevada (94th total defense in FBS), SMU (119th total defense), Kansas State (109th total defense), Texas A&M (103th total defense), and Kansas (88th total defense). The highest ranked defense they’ve played against? Nebraska, who is 66th. They almost lost to the Cornhuskers in overtime. Texas is 43rd. All of this garbage from the media about Texas Tech suddenly being a good team is just good fodder to make this Texas/Texas Tech game seem more interesting. Booo at bandwagons.
*LSU has been exposed again. But Georgia isn’t that bad either.
*Boise State eliminated themselves from any consideration as a BCS buster (consideration by me, I mean)
*TCU may have improved their chances for consideration, but they have a big game in a week and a half.
*Virginia has mounted a fascinating second-half turn around this year. Rutgers is on to something too. It’s always impressive when a team starts out bad and then improves. Much more impressive than the other way around.
*The ACC still sucks. Once again this week, some of their best teams, which still appear to be mediocre, beat some of their other best teams…thus ensuring continued conference-wide mediocrity. Florida State does deserve credit for an excellent defense and only being on the bad side of one of these ACC suicide games once.

And now, the DL Top 25, Week 9

Ranking. Team (Record), Last Week’s Ranking
1. Texas (8-0), 1
2. Penn State (9-0), 2
3. Alabama (8-0), 3
4. Florida (6-1), 6
5. Texas Tech (8-0), 5
6. Oklahoma State (7-1), 4
7. Oklahoma (6-1), 7
8. Georgia (7-1), 10
9. USC (6-1), 8
10. Ohio State (7-2), 9
11. Missouri (6-2), 18
12. TCU (8-1), 15
13. LSU (5-2), 11
14. Utah (8-0), 14
15. Boise State (7-0), 17
16. Tulsa (8-0), 20
17. Florida State (6-1), 24
18. South Florida (6-2), 12
19. BYU (7-1), 16
20. Minnesota (7-1), NR
21. North Carolina (6-2), NR
22. Kansas (5-3), 13
23. South Carolina (5-2), 22
24. Ball State (8-0), 25
25. Pittsburgh (5-2), 19

Dropped: Boston College, Virginia Tech
Next in: Michigan State, Oregon, Boston College, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame

We’re now getting into the second half of the college football season, and we have yet another week of exciting match ups, including four games between ranked teams, two of which are between Top 10 foes, plus two more ACC games that are -almost- between ranked teams. National title and conference championship spots are still very much up for grabs at this point in the season.

(7)Oklahoma State at (1)Texas - 2:30pm on ABC (Regional)
The grueling Big 12 schedule continues for the Cowboys and the Longhorns. And who would have looked at this game from the start of the year and expected it to be a match up between #1 and #7? I mean, maybe you could have seen Texas coming on strong, but even they were a preseason 11 - right behind Clemson and Auburn. Hahaha! Anywho, after surviving the Oklahoma game, Texas made easy work of Missouri last week. As impressive OK State has looked thus far, it’s hard to not go with the Longhorns again this week. After all, it would appear they have the better defense. If Texas does survive its third straight game against a team in the top 11, Texas Tech is awaiting next weekend. What a brutal schedule!
My Picks… SU: Texas, ATS (Texas -12.5): Texas

(2)Alabama at Tennessee - 6:45pm on ESPN
Alabama has been continuing the very dangerous trend of letting teams stay in the game in the second half. Granted, Ole Miss probably deserves more credit than they receive for being a decent team. It’s not mere coincidence that they upset Florida and gave Alabama all they wanted. Of course, there is the added pressure of this being a huge rivalry game. It particularly means a lot to Tennessee Coach Phil Fulmer, with several rumors flying about the security of his coaching job as Tennessee continues to have a disappointing season. If UT wants to get to a bowl this year, a win over Wyoming is probably a safe bet, but the rest of the schedule is very much a question mark. Games against South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky will be no cake walk. You better believe the Vols will be fired up for this one. The bad news for them is that this Alabama team seems to get up the most for road games.
My Picks… SU: Alabama, ATS (Alabama -6.5): Tennessee

(3)Penn State at (10)Ohio State - 7pm on ABC
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… the unofficial Big Ten Championship Game. Sorry, Michigan State, you surrendered your chance to participate in your disappointing flop last week. Minnesota, you already lost to OSU too. This game is much more interesting now that Ohio State really broke out last week against Michigan State. Bad news for them, it’s too little too late. This Penn State team is for real, and they proved it last week when they broke out of the first half doldrums and put away Michigan for the first time in nine games. Sure, Michigan is having a down year. But a rivalry is a rivalry. And Penn State. Well, they are…
My Picks… SU: Penn State, ATS (Penn State -2.5): Penn State

(4)Oklahoma at Kansas State - 11:30am on FSN
Where has Oklahoma’s defense gone? Kansas State isn’t that great of a team, but they can put up some points. Oklahoma will win, but it may be closer than most expect it to be.
My Picks… SU: Oklahoma, ATS (Oklahoma -18.5): Kansas State

Kentucky at (5)Florida - 11:30am on Raycom Sports
Injuries are killing Kentucky, with more Wildcats falling off the wagon by the week. Florida, meanwhile, has hit its stride. They’re coming off a bye week after the big LSU blowout. Even with the big game against Florida coming up, I expect the Gators to be focused in this game.
My Picks… SU: Florida, ATS (Florida -24.5): Florida

(6)USC at Arizona - 9:15pm on FSN
With Cal losing to Arizona last week, both Arizona and USC are now part of a four-way tie atop the Pac 10. Though USC has bigger aspirations. Earlier in the season, a lot of people were pointing to this game as a potential upset. That was before Oregon State happened. Now, USC is coming off a huge rout of Washington State. Arizona is riding high too, but they have been inconsistent this season with losses to New Mexico and Stanford along the way. I think USC may struggle a bit but will ultimately take care of things.
My Picks… SU: USC, ATS (USC -16.5): USC

(8)Texas Tech at (19)Kansas - 11am on ESPN
Lost in all of the hoopla surrounding Oklahoma’s win over Kansas was the fact that Kansas actually competed for 3 quarters and Oklahoma didn’t really have the game in hand until late. Texas Tech continues to live life on the wild side. After needing overtime to beat Nebraska, they struggled for much of the game against Texas A&M. There’s little question that a lot of points will be scored. The question is who will score the most. I think Kansas’ defense (don’t laugh) gives them the edge.
My Picks… SU: Kansas, ATS (Kansas -1.5): Kansas

(9)Georgia at (11)LSU - 2:30pm on CBS
This is a good match up between fairly comparable teams. Neither have really blown any BCS teams out but both have been embarrassed by a BCS team at some point in the year. It should definitely be a close game. I’ll take LSU by the skin of their chinny-chin-chin.
My Picks… SU: LSU, ATS (LSU -2.5): Georgia

(12)Utah bye

(13)Boise State at San Jose State - Friday 8pm on ESPN2
This is an important game to determine the front-runner in the WAC. It should turn out to be a defensive battle between the two teams. I’ll take the spread - Boise by a touchdown.
My Picks… SU: Boise State, ATS (Boise State -7): Boise State

(14)South Florida at Louisville - 2:30pm on ESPN GP/360
Well, the loss against Pitt doesn’t sting quite as bad as it did a few weeks ago. Maybe they weren’t so bad after all. Louisville is off to a 4-2 start, but they haven’t really gotten any quality wins. They do have home field advantage, and USF has played a lot of close games. I’ll take another close win for the Bulls.
My Picks… SU: South Florida, ATS (South Florida -4): Louisville

Wyoming at (15)TCU - 5pm on The Mtn
TCU is riding high following a big upset victory over BYU last week. Wyoming is now on a 4-game losing streak that hasn’t been helped by facing pretty tough competition. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, the competition will be just as tough this week. The Horned Frogs should have an easy one this weekend.
My Picks… SU: TCU, ATS (TCU -31): Wyoming

Colorado at (16)Missouri - 5:30pm on FSN
The last two weeks have pretty much gone as bad as they could for Missouri. Colorado is coming off a nail-biter of a win against Kansas State. Missouri still has Chase Daniel and a high-powered offense, though. I think some people underestimate Colorado’s defense. I’ll take Mizzou straight up, but not with that spread.
My Picks… SU: Missouri, ATS (Missouri -22): Colorado

Rutgers at (17)Pittsburgh - 2:30pm on ESPN 360
Pitt continues to impress and is now one game away from bowl eligibility. Rutgers has actually been efforting to salvage an otherwise wasted season. I actually wouldn’t be shocked to see this game stay pretty close. Rutgers has been scrappy ever since the West Virginia game. Granted, I don’t equate Pitt to Cincy or UConn, but I still think Greg Shiano’s crew won’t give up on him.
My Picks… SU: Pittsburgh, ATS (Pittsburgh -9.5): Pittsburgh

UNLV at (18)BYU - 1pm on The Mtn.
BYU’s hopes of being a BCS buster are now shot, but they still will have a shot at the Mountain West title…if they get a little help. With the surprising loss at TCU still fresh on their minds, the Cougars will bounce back against UNLV this weekend.
My Picks… SU: BYU, ATS (BYU -22): UNLV

Eastern Michigan at (20)Ball State - 11am on CollegeSportsDirect
How about Ball State? The Fighting Lettermans are now 7-0 and appear to be unstoppable. Too bad they play in the MAC and are unlikely to get much more respect than they are receiving now. This game is looking like a blow out.
My Picks… Ball State, ATS (Ball State -24.5): Ball State

Virginia at (21)Georgia Tech - 2:30pm on ESPNU
So Georgia Tech survived a few tough weeks and now they seem to be on a roll despite some recent close games. But wow, where has Virginia come from? After being embarrassed by USC, UConn, and Duke, they suddenly look like a formidable opponent in the ACC cesspool. Georgia Tech seems to have the defensive edge, though. So, I’ll take the Yellow Jackets.
My Picks… SU: Georgia Tech, ATS (Georgia Tech -12): Georgia Tech

UCF at (22)Tulsa - Sunday 7pm on ESPN
If you’re a fan of offense, Tulsa should be one of your favorite teams. In last weeks game against UTEP, there was a combined 56 points… in the first quarter alone!!! Needless to say, it will look like another arena football game, and a whole bunch of points will be scored. Tulsa will continue to try to impress the world as a potential BCS buster.
My Picks… SU: Tulsa, ATS (Tulsa -23.5): Tulsa

(23)Boston College at North Carolina - 11am on Raycom Sports
Boston College is coming off a big win against their first real opponent of the season. North Carolina is coming off a disappointing loss at Virginia. But does this mean anything in the ACC? It may be best for me to flip a coin. I’ll go with the underdog.
My Picks… SU: Boston College, ATS (North Carolina -3): Boston College

Virginia Tech at (24)Florida State - 2:30pm on ABC/ESPN2 (Regional)
The ACC continues to fumble over itself. Here we are at week 9, and there’s a four-way tie in the Atlantic division. Florida State seems to be poised to make a run for the division thanks to Wake Forest’s collapse last week and continued disappointing second-half. Virginia Tech got their first conference loss at BC last week. As wildly inconsistent as the ACC has been, I’m almost tempted to just take the underdog by default. But I’ll go against my gut, and go with the favorite because Florida State has gotten the offense going over the past few weeks. Consequently, since I went with the underdog in the BC/UNC game, VaTech will probably win.
My Picks… SU: Florida State, ATS (Florida State -5): Florida State

(25)Minnesota at Purdue - 11am on ESPN Classic
Minnesota looks to continue it’s improbable run in the top tier of the Big 10 following a bye week. Purdue, meanwhile, has had a rather disappointing season, and highly-touted QB Curtis Painter has been a huge letdown. Although, to their credit, it’s been a pretty tough stretch of games including Oregon, Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State, and Northwestern. And they’ve played some of those teams (Oregon, Penn St, Ohio St) pretty tough. Still, after the loss to Northwestern last week, I have a hard time believing Purdue will turn things around against Minnesota.
My Picks… SU: Minnesota, ATS (Purdue -1): Minnesota

Other Relevant Match ups…

North Carolina State at Maryland - 2:30pm on ESPN 360
Stupid Maryland. They answered my question last week, and in resounding fashion. Now, which Maryland will show up this week? I’m afraid to pick against them.
My Picks… SU: Maryland, ATS (Maryland -11): NC State

Wake Forest at Miami FL - 11am on ESPNU
Despite Wake’s better attempts to stink up the place, this game is still relevant by virtue of the fact that rest of the ACC is so mediocre. Yes, Wake is tied for the lead in the ACC Atlantic, although Maryland now has a head-to-head edge over them. Miami may actually be one of the more consistent teams in the ACC. It turns out their three losses have come against teams that seem to be doing pretty well. They did struggle against UCF, but hey, that team is in state and had it out for them. Given recent trends, I’m going with the Canes this week.
My Picks… SU: Miami FL, ATS (Miami FL -3): Miami FL

Cincinnati at Connecticut - 11am on ESPN+
This game actually matters because Cincinnati shares a lead of the Big East. Granted, they’ve only played one game. But still. It’s actually pretty hard to make a case for the Bearcats, with very close wins against the likes of Akron and Rutgers. And UConn actually lost to Rutgers! Okay, maybe we should give Rutgers a little credit. But still. I’ll take Cincinnati as the “least bad” team.
My Picks… SU: Cincinnati, ATS (Cincinnati -1.5): Cincinnati

Central Michigan at Toledo - 11am on ESPN+
Why do we care about Central Michigan and Toledo? But of course, Central Michigan is tied with Ball State atop the MAC West. The Chippewas really aren’t that bad this year. They gave Purdue a heck of a fight. This game should be a struggle against a conference foe, but I’ll still with the pride of Mount Pleasant.
My Picks… SU: Central Michigan, ATS (Central Michigan -3.5): Central Michigan

Oregon at Arizona State - 9pm
Oregon is part of a four-way tie atop the Pac 10. Arizona State is in the midst of a down year, although the road to this point in the season has been a tough stretch including battles against Georgia, Cal, and USC. That’s why this should be a better game than the win/loss records indicate. Oregon’s defense should be the difference in this game.
My Picks… SU: Oregon, ATS: (Oregon -4): Oregon

Troy at North Texas - 6pm on CollegeSportsDirect
And who isn’t excited for this big Sun Belt match up between the league’s best and one of the league’s worst. The Mean Green have already lost their chance at a bowl game. Troy is tied at the top with Louisiana Lafayette. They seem to be doing well enough so far without Tony Franklin. This game shouldn’t even be close as Troy continues to fight for Sun Belt supremacy.
My Picks… SU: Troy, ATS (Troy -24.5): Troy

Well, it’s been a loooong loooong looong presidential campaign. I can’t wait for it to be over. Although, I look forward to election night. It’s always fun to watch the results come in and keep score, regardless of whose side you’re on.

This year, I’m pretty sure I’m not on a side. I’m unashamedly conservative, but I’m tired of seeing the Republicans being so fiscally liberal. They’ve been pandering to their so-called conservative base by throwing out red meat social issues. This is why so many people think the Republicans have gone too far to the right, when in reality, they’ve just spread themselves out too much in both directions. I’ll be honest with you. Even though I’m conservative socially and fiscally, I’m much more concerned about Washington’s spending problems and our weakening economy than any of those social issues. And given McCain’s support of the Wall Street bail out, I see no advantage in voting for a continuation of more of the irresponsible spending of our tax money. His last chance for my vote was when the bailout proposal was made. He, and the rest of the Republican ilk in Congress, could have scored big points with me by standing up against it. Sure, they would have taken a lot of heat from the Dems and the media. But, all of the proof I need that the bailout was a huge gimmick was they way they pushed the second version of the bailout as some huge improvement over the first one. So call it a protest - a protest in hopes that Republicans will learn to become fiscally conservative again. As things stand right now, for the first time in my life, I’m not voting for the Republican ticket.

Of course, all of this means I would never dream of voting for the Democrat ticket as long as they stand for…everything they stand for. I could never ignore the socialist tendencies of the Democrats enough to vote for them. No, I’m not in the highest earning tax bracket, but I don’t believe in the concept that you can tax America into prosperity. I don’t believe in government spreading around the wealth. I do believe the rich should be responsible stewards of their money and spread it around to the less fortunate. And even though I said all of the social stuff doesn’t mean as much to me right now, I’m very strictly against abortion. Plus, Obama has proposed way more than he could possibly pay for. Though I don’t care about all of the William Ayers stuff and I wish the Republican ticket wouldn’t waste so much time not talking about the issues, I do think it is proof that Obama isn’t the innocent noble change that he promises. He’s a politician just like everyone else. He hasn’t been one as long, so he doesn’t have as many battle scars like the rest of them. Give it time. Perhaps one of the biggest thing that irks me about Obama was his decision go back on his word and decline public financing. The mainstream press gave him a total free pass on it, and they continue to oogle over how much money the campaign as raised. As Time’s Mark Halperin pointed out, “this is a case of a clear, unambiguous double standard.” The media is so afraid to touch Obama, it’s sickening.

So, who am I going to vote for if I’m not picking one of the big two? My other options in the great state of Alabama are Chuck Baldwin, Bob Barr, and Ralph Nader. IF I choose one of those three, it will be Bob Barr. I like both Barr’s and Baldwin’s disapproval of the bailout, but Baldwin has some somewhat kooky ideals. Barr seems like someone I could agree with more, but I still don’t know enough about him to say that I’m voting for him.

In local races of interest, our long-time House Congressional representative is stepping down. Bud Cramer has done so many great things for North Alabama, and it’s quite possible I wouldn’t have the awesome job that I have if it wasn’t for his efforts to bring the National Weather Service back to Huntsville. The negative campaigning between Republican Wayne Parker and Democrat Parker Griffith has been very discouraging. I don’t mind negative ads that talk about issues. But Wayne Parker’s ads would have you to believe that Griffith was running for some sort some sort of job as a doctor, because all of them have been about his past as an oncologist. I understand that it’s an attempt to show us all how much Griffith lacks character. But good grief, am I supposed to be assume Wayne Parker has never done anything bad before. I’d rather hear what they have in mind for North Alabama, but we’ve only heard some vague promises about how they will protect defense jobs. Generally, for these local US House and Senate races, I don’t worry too much about party. The Democrats around here can’t afford to be extremely liberal, because they would see substantial backlash from the generally conservative population. I try to key in more on local issues. What are they going to do for us? Anywho, Parker and Parker are set to debate next week on WHNT. I hope to watch the debate, and then maybe I’ll be able to formulate some kind of decision about who to vote for.

Well, it was a pretty predictable, yet unpredictable, day. Predictably, some of the teams in the AP Top 25 struggled against inferior opponents. Predictably, the ACC continued to destroy itself from within. What I didn’t expect: (1) How good Texas really is, or how bad Missouri really is. By the way, the final score doesn’t tell the story. Texas owned Missouri…completely. (2) How good Kansas really is. True, OU ran away with things toward the end of the game, but Kansas showed a stout defense and capable offense even against the Sooners. By the way, I think a little less of Oklahoma too. (3) Ohio State appears to be back. I don’t think this is such an indictment of Michigan State. Hoyer left the game with an injury, and I think they just got OSU at the wrong time.

9 of the AP Top 25 teams lost this week - which ties as the most Top 25 losses in a single week this season. 4 of these losses were inevitable by virtue of two ranked teams playing each other.

And now the new, the very first, DL Top 25.

1. Texas (7-0)
2. Penn State (8-0)
3. Alabama (7-0)
4. Oklahoma State (7-0)
5. Texas Tech (7-0)
6. Florida (5-1)
7. Oklahoma (6-1)
8. USC (5-1)
9. Ohio State (7-1)
10. Georgia (6-1)
11. LSU (5-1)
12. South Florida (6-1)
13. Kansas (5-2)
14. Utah (8-0)
15. TCU (7-1)
16. BYU (6-1)
17. Boise State (6-0)
18. Missouri (5-2)
19. Pittsburgh (5-1)
20. Tulsa (7-0)
21. Boston College (5-1)
22. South Carolina (5-2)
23. Virginia Tech (5-2)
24. Florida State (5-1)
25. Ball State (7-0)

Next in (no particular order): Minnesota, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Michigan State, Vanderbilt

It’s another make or break week in college football. I suppose every week is, and actually there aren’t as many exciting games as last week. But, there are still enough good ones to motivate you to keep your butt glued to the couch all Saturday long. Let’s go through some of the match ups…

(11)Missouri at (1)Texas - 7 PM on ABC
The Longhorns come into this game riding high after a huge win in the Red River Shootout (I refuse to acknowledge the name change, much like I refuse to say ‘FBS’ and ‘FCS’). Missouri is smarting after a let down against Oklahoma State. So, what now? Can Texas handle the pressure for a second week in a row? Missouri will have the motivation, but can they come up with enough stops on defense to outscore Texas in a shoot out (ooops)? If Texas can keep the intensity up for a second week in a row, I’ll have a hard time seeing them losing again this season. Obviously, it will be a high-scoring game. I think this will be a nail-biter, and I wouldn’t be shocked if Missouri comes out of Austin with the upset.
My Picks… SU: Texas, ATS (UT -5.5): Missouri

Ole Miss at (2)Alabama - 2:30pm on CBS
Both of these teams are coming off a bye week. Alabama held off Kentucky in their last game, while Ole Miss is coming off a disappointing loss against South Carolina. This has been a close game the last few years, but this is a different year. This Alabama team is for real. Still, with Houston Nutt at the helm and a very talented Javan Snead, this is also a very different Ole Miss team. If 1st-half-against-UGA Alabama shows up, this game won’t be close. If the Alabama team that played two weeks ago shows up, it could go down to the wire. The Crimson Tide have been listening to the pundits talk about their sub par performance against Kentucky for two weeks. I think they’ll come out charged up on Saturday.
My Picks… SU: Alabama, ATS (UA -13): Alabama

Michigan at (3)Penn State - 3:30pm on ESPN
On the surface, this game seems like it’s already in the bag for the Nittany Lions. Michigan is coming off one of the worse defeats in recent history (well, if you don’t count App State, but nevertheless…). But you have to remember, Michigan has taken 9 straight from Penn State, including a very controversial last second win in 2005 that still has many PSU fans steaming. The runup to that particular game was eerily reminiscent of this season, with Michigan struggling and Penn State undefeated. And we must keep in mind that Michigan upset Wisconsin just a few weeks ago. However, we must remember that this Penn State team exposed that Wisconsin team just last week. I think a lot of people underestimate rivalries, but this year, the streak ends.
My Picks… SU: Penn State, ATS (PSU -23.5): Michigan

(16)Kansas at (4)Oklahoma - 2:30pm on ABC (Regional)
Oklahoma is coming off a very tough loss against Texas. Kansas is coming off a win against Colorado, but they’ve struggled the last two weeks. Oklahoma is going to be pissed, and Kansas has been asking for it lately. I’ll take OU in a rout.
My Picks… SU: Oklahoma, ATS (OU -20.5): Oklahoma

(5)Florida bye

(6)USC at Washington State - 2:30pm on FSN
What an ugly year for Paul Wulff’s team. They’ve lost their last three games by an average of over 42 pts/game. The only win this year came against Portland State. USC probably has some more trap games ahead, but this Washington State team is no Oregon State. The Trojans should have no trouble.
My Picks… SU: USC, ATS (USC -42.5): USC

(7)Texas Tech at Texas A&M - 11am on FSN
The Aggies continue to struggle through a rebuilding year under near coach Mike Sherman. Troubles with Stephen McGee fighting injuries at the QB position haven’t helped. Texas Tech had been cruising through the season begging for respect, until last week when they nearly laid an egg against Nebraska. They needed overtime to remain undefeated. The Red Raiders will be looking to regain some respect this weekend, before begin a grueling stretch of games that will really determine where they stand in the thick of things. I think they should have little trouble in this one.
My Picks… SU: Texas Tech, ATS (TTU -21): Texas Tech

Baylor at (8)Oklahoma State - 2pm
Texas Tech has complained about not getting any respect. How about this Oklahoma State team? At least they beat somebody. The Cowboys have a high-powered offense that should be able to put up plenty of points against the Bears. But, they’ve got a #1 Longhorn team coming up next week. And they are coming off a huge win against Missouri. Don’t be shocked if Oklahoma State gets off to a slow start. They’ll recover with the leadership of QB Zac Robinson and take care of Baylor.
My Picks… SU: Oklahoma State, ATS (OSU -17): Oklahoma State

(24)TCU defeated (9)BYU 32-7 tonight. Thank goodness, because there’s no good reason BYU has given us to keep them in the BCS discussion this year.

(22)Vanderbilt at (10)Georgia - 11:30am on Raycom Sports
Georgia rebounded from the Alabama loss with a win against Tennessee this past week, but they have yet to come up with an impressive-looking win against a quality opponent. Vanderbilt showed their youth and inexperience with handling success last week in an upset loss to Mississippi State. It was an upset on paper, but just about everyone in America predicted it. Georgia has Vandy easily outnumbered in the talent department, but this is a scrappy Vanderbilt team. I look for another relatively close, ugly win for Georgia.
My Picks… SU: Georgia, ATS (UG -14.5): Vanderbilt

(12)Ohio State at (20)Michigan State - 2:30pm on ABC/ESPN2 (Regional)
This has turned out to be a very interesting Big Ten matchup. Ohio State hasn’t exactly taken off with the return of Beanie Wells as much as some in the media expected (hoped for). The last two weeks, they’ve struggled offensively in wins against Wisconsin and Purdue, a theme that has carried through the entire season. Michigan State is on a 6-game winning streak since a close loss at Cal to start the season. Michigan State has been mostly flying under the radar all season long. This looks like one of the better upset picks this week. I’ll take it.
My Picks… SU: Michigan State, ATS (OSU -3): Michigan State

(13)LSU at South Carolina - 7pm on ESPN
Just seven days ago, this didn’t appear to be an exceptionally interesting game. Then Florida exposed LSU. Meanwhile, South Carolina extended their winning streak to four against a respectable Kentucky team. This looks to be an ugly defensive struggle. Who’s going to win? Flip a coin.
My Picks… SU: South Carolina, ATS (LSU -2.5): South Carolina

Colorado State at (14)Utah - 1pm on mtn
With BYU losing against TCU, Utah now has the inside track in the Mountain West and being a potential BCS buster. Of course, they still have to play both BYU and TCU, so a lot still has to be determined. Colorado State is 3-3 so far this year. They aren’t having *that* bad of a year. They’ll probably give Utah more than they want, but the Utes will prevail.
My Picks… SU: Utah, ATS (UU -21): Colorado State

Hawaii at (15)Boise State - Friday 7pm on ESPN
With all of the talk about Mountain West teams being potential BCS busters, Boise State is wondering when anyone will give them some credit. Considering that teams like Hawaii and Fresno State are down this year, don’t expect that to change any. After some more embarrassing games earlier in the season, Hawaii has been keeping things fairly close at least. They did beat Fresno State. Expect Boise State to win this one but it probably won’t be a blowout.
My Picks… SU: Boise State, ATS (BSU -24.5): Hawaii

(17)Virginia Tech at Boston College - 7pm on ESPN2
The Hokies and the Eagles have had very similar seasons thus far. The only head to head matchups we can compare are against Georgia Tech. VT beat GT, BC didn’t. Otherwise, BC hasn’t proven themselves very much to me. They won in a close game against NC State. They beat a host of mediocre teams. Virginia Tech has at least shown us they can beat times like North Carolina and Nebraska. Look for a close game. It may come down to the relatively inexperienced quarterbacks. VT’s Tyrod Taylor has stood out a running threat, but the passing game isn’t really there. BC’s Chris Crane had a breakout performance in the NC State game. For this reason, I give BC the edge.
My picks… SU: Boston College, ATS (BC -3): Boston College

(18)North Carolina at Virginia - 2:30pm on ABC/ESPN2 (Regional)
This game has gotten much more interesting over the past few weeks. A little less than three weeks ago, Virginia was 1-3 and coming off a stinging loss to Duke. But over the last two weeks, they’ve turned things around and shut down Maryland (who had showed signs of greatness other times in the season) and East Carolina (remember them? the media’s darling in the first couple weeks?). North Carolina has won some impressive games of their own, including last week’s win against Notre Dame and a dominating performance against UConn a week before. Needless to say, it looked like this would be an easy win for UNC before. Now, it’s looking like it will be more of a battle. I’ll take the Tar Heels by a field goal.
My picks… SU: North Carolina, ATS (UNC -4.5): Virginia

Syracuse at (19)South Florida - 11am on ESPN+
USF is finally back in action after being upset by Pitt two weeks ago. Meanwhile, the Orange continue to struggle through another losing season, with the axe just waiting to come down on embattled coach Greg Robinson. One thing is interesting, though. If you look beyond the records, USF has been struggling against some teams they shouldn’t have been. Syracuse, on the other hand, has been challenging some teams they probably shouldn’t have been. They lead during much of the Pitt game. And West Virginia didn’t exactly blow them out of the water. Still, South Florida should be able to take care of business.
My picks… SU: South Florida, ATS (USF -23.5): Syracuse

(21)Wake Forest at Maryland - 11am on Raycom Sports
Wake Forest hasn’t exactly been an offensive machine the last few games. Thankfully for them, the defense has stepped up. At least Wake Forest has been somewhat consistent, though. Maryland is like Jekyll and Hyde, or maybe worse. After upsetting then-ranked Clemson, they laid an unexplainable egg in Charlottesville. They’ve had a week off to think about it. Will the real Maryland please stand up? This game could be a huge blowout either way. I’ll take my chances on a more predictable Wake Forest.
My picks… SU: Wake Forest, ATS (WFU -2): Wake Forest

(23)Pittsburgh at Navy - 2:30pm on CBS College Sports
Pitt has won four straight and edged its way onto the national scene after an opening game loss against Bowling Green. They’re most impressive win was at South Florida two weeks ago. Navy’s only losses have come against very respectable Ball State and Duke teams. Yes, I said Duke was respectable this year…for Duke. Plus, the Midshipmen have a win over Wake Forest on their resume. This should be a very close, hard-fought game, but I’ll take Pitt.
My picks… SU: Pittsburgh, ATS (Pitt -3): Pittsburgh

(24)Ball State bye

(25)California at Arizona - 9pm on FSN (Regional)
Cal has quietly accumulated a pretty impressive first half to the season. The win over Michigan State in Week 1 is looking better by the game. They did suffer a loss at Maryland (see psycho disclaimer above), but otherwise things have gone fairly smoothly. Arizona was thought to be a more formidable team earlier this season. That was before losses to New Mexico and, more recently, Stanford. Now, they’re just another in the long list of mediocre Pac 10 teams. Cal should take this one, even though they’re playing at Arizona.
My picks… SU: California, ATS (Cal -2.5): California

Stay tuned Sunday for my own top 25 and some thoughts after the games.

1. What’s the deal with the Twinkle Cavanaugh campaign signs I’ve been seeing around Madison? I’ve seen a ton of signs with Twinkle Cavanaugh in the middle, then ‘MCCAIN’ at the top and ‘PALIN’ at the bottom. There’s no indication of what office she’s running for. I started to wonder if maybe she’s supposed to take over as Palin’s VP if McCain is elected and something goes wrong. For that matter, what’s the deal with the name Twinkle?

2. Overrated…politicians. Underrated…reality.

3. I update this blog software more often than I post on it. *Insert generic ‘I will start posting more’ statement here*

4. You never realize how much you use a refrigerator until you don’t have one for a few weeks.

5. I decided to quit caffiene a few weeks ago because I was having a difficult time sleeping. I never realized how easy it would be. I haven’t missed the soft drinks at all. I do miss sweet tea, though.

On Thursday, I turned 24. In honor of me getting old, one of my favorite Switchfoot songs, ‘24′…