BIG SATURDAY FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL

BIG SATURDAY FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL

It will be a big day for college football this Saturday as the picture will start to become a little clearer on the haves and have nots, the pretenders and the real deals. A couple of teams will be trying to salvage a season of frustration with one big win.

First we'll mention #5 Boise State keeping on track for a BCS Bowl bid with a 28-21 win over Tulsa on Wednesday night. This might have been the Broncos last big test of the year. They will just have to win out in all winnable games and yet again Boise State will show how unfair the system is and will not play for a National Championship but will be in a BCS bowl. Remember this is the same team that dropped Oklahoma a few years back in a BCS Bowl. Major college football needs a playoff. Write Obama a letter. If he can pull off the Nobel Peace Prize he can get this done.

Anyway, #20 Oklahoma can redeem it's season when it takes on #3 Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. Sam Bradford is back in the line-up and has one game under his belt to get back into game shape. Oklahoma would like nothing more than to ruin the Longhorns chance at a National Championship and Colt McCoy's shot at Heisman Trophy. Texas has looked beatable though this season and struggled for a half against Colorado last week. If Texas does win and wins with some style they will probably leap frog over Alabama is the Tide have any trouble with South Carolina.
MY PICK: OKLAHOMA

Want to know the problem with South Carolina and why no one is paying that much attention to them, even though they are ranked #22 in the country. They are a boring football team. That's right I said a Steve Spurrier coached team is boring. The Gamecocks rely heavily on their defense and have all season. As of late Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia has found a rhythm and the offense has come alive some, they will still count on the defense to shut down #2 Alabama this weekend. That is what poses the problem for Carolina, because the Tide will also be bringing a stout defense and but a more potent offense. Many are calling Bama the best team in SEC, yes, better than Florida and that they might be the best team in the country. A win for Bama and they must avoid any pitfalls the rest of the way and they will set themselves up for a clash with Florida in the SEC Championship game. If the Gamecocks should win Spurrier will have finally been able to get over the hump that has stalled the program for years, getting that big marquee win when they need it most.
MY PICK: ALABAMA

Throw out all the past records and stats. While the #6 USC- #25 Notre Dame game has lots of history this year the Irish are playing to show that they are back and should be considered in any BCS Bowl talks. Jimmy Claussen, the Domer's QB , has a hot hand right now. Both teams are coming off of bye weeks. This will be another big test for USC freshman QB, Matt Barkley on the road. Notre Dame is riding a seven game losing streak to the Trojans and have lost six straight games to opponents ranked in the top-ten. USC does bring to South Bend the 6th ranked defense in country. Notre Dames weak point this year has been its defense and we all know Southern Cal can score some points. A win on Saturday and the Irish get right into the thick of the BCS. A loss and USC considers the season a failure.
MY PICK: NOTRE DAME

The ACC has a marquee match-up this weekend with #4 Virginia Tech and #19 Georgia Tech. Frank Beamer and Bud Foster will have the Hokies ready to stop the vaunted Yellow Jacket option game. Georgia Tech has been able to move the ball almost at will against the teams they have played this year, but hey, Josh Nesbitt, this ain't FSU, this is Virginia Tech. The Jackets will test the Hokie D but come up short. The Yellow Jackets defense is as porous as a sponge and Hokie QB Tyrod Taylor will have a big day.
MY PICK: VIRGINIA TECH

The Big East also has a big game tonight on ESPN as #8 Cincinnati travels to Tampa to take on the #21 University of South Florida Bulls. The Bearcats have a QB that's being mentioned on the Heisman talk in Tony Pike. The Bulls are without start QB Matt Groethe who has been lost for the season with a knee injury. The Bulls are now being led by freshman B.J. Daniels who has responded to the call by leading the Bulls in wins over Florida State and Syracuse. In those two games Daniels has thrown for 423 yards and four touchdowns against two interceptions. Cincy's pass defense is suspect and if Daniels has a big day could mean trouble for the Bearcats and hopes of a BCS Bowl.
MY PICK: CINCINATTI

Keep your eye on #11 Iowa heading to Camp Randall to take on Wisconsin. Iowa is playing for chance at a Big 10 Championship and may be looking ahead to a Nov. 14 match-up with Ohio State. Wisconsin is coming off a big loss to Ohio State. The Badgers were able to move the ball and out gain the Buckeyes in yards but couldn't get it done on the scoreboard. It's a game Wisconsin thought they should have won.
MY PICK: WISCONSIN