Week 13 College Football Recap: Rankings, Heisman, BCS Projections

After another week hiatus (and attending a horribly frustrating self-inflicted Nebraska loss to Michigan State), I return with my Week 13 Recap. The top two offenses in the nation get smashed on the road. A couple teams put up 80 on weak opponents. Florida is going to finish the year with four wins after an amazing loss to Georgia Southern, who didn’t even complete a pass. I love college football. Check out the fallout below and the carnage that happened to the BCS and Heisman projections…

Top 25 Poll

Others receiving votes: East Carolina, Minnesota, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Texas

Dropped from the rankings: Minnesota (21)

25 (NR). Washington (7-4) – This is not just because the team put up 69 points at the one place in the Pac-12 that weird stuff happens, but their only losses are to top 20 teams, only one of which got out of hand. They are still among the most talented teams in the nation and could put on quite a show in the closing weeks of the year.

24 (25). Oklahoma (9-2) – The Sooners are still hanging onto a top 25 ranking. There is not really anything that the team is great at. They are just Oklahoma and get their wins. Their two losses were both blowouts, though.

23 (23). USC (8-3) – This USC team is confusing. If Pat Haden and company have not seen enough from Orgeron to know that he should coach the Trojans next year, then he should be fired.

22 (22). Duke (9-2) – It just feels weird to have Duke on this list two weeks in a row and not have it be a joke. Who is feeling better going into the Duke-UNC game next week? The 9-2 team or the team that scored 80 points in the game’s first 45 minutes?

21 (14). Texas A&M (8-3) – It appears that Johnny Football’s kryptonite is LSU’s defense. They just cannot win the big games in conference. They can upset teams and blow out teams, but when they need a win, pressure gets to them.

20 (12). UCLA (8-3) – Jim Mora suffered his first loss at home as head coach of the Bruins. It was an ugly one too, with a third consecutive Pac-12 South title on the line.

19 (24). LSU (8-3) – The Tigers are still holding strong and are clearly the best 3-loss team out there. They have the wins to make them a top 10 team, but that loss to Mississippi still confuses me.

18 (17). South Carolina (9-2) – This team just somehow keeps slugging along. You look at the record and the conference, and you think they are a stout team. They are not. Their league is weak, and they are…sort of average. I do not understand the Cocks.

17 (18). Northern Illinois (11-0) – This is one of the toughest cases in the nation. Jordan Lynch looks like he could beat anyone, but we saw last year in the BCS that they actually cannot. They are unbeaten, though. Let’s just hope that the BCS doesn’t take both the Huskies and Fresno State and pit them against each other a la 2010 Fiesta Bowl.

16 (16). Louisville (10-1) – The Cardinals seems to have the exact same format to every game they play. They are probably a lot better than this ranking, but we just do not have the evidence to prove that. I wish they were in the ACC this year.

15 (15). UCF (9-1) – After a near disaster and minor miracle against Temple, UCF got back to what they are best at. I would be surprised if they lose again this year.

14 (19). Michigan State (10-1) – The Spartans have taken care of business in every game this year, except against Notre Dame. That and Oklahoma State’s loss in Morgantown are two of the most confusing losses in recent memory.

13 (20). Arizona State (9-2) – The Sun Devils are hot, and I would not at all be shocked to see them take out Stanford in the Pac-12 Title Game.

12 (13). Fresno State (10-0) – You gotta love Fresno State and Derek Carr. They are just pure offense. I want to see them take on the big boys in a BCS game.

11 (5). Oregon (9-2) – I guess motivation is everything with Oregon. “We want Bama.” “Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl…been there, done that.” The Duck players are idiots. Have fun in the Sun Bowl.

10 (11). Stanford (9-2) – After that loss to USC, Stanford puts up 63 points in the Big Game against one of the worst defenses in college football history. Nice.

9 (10). Wisconsin (9-2) – This is appearing to be one of the toughest teams out there. The wins against run-based and physical BYU and Minnesota are as impressive as anything they have done this year.

8 (3). Baylor (9-1) – I do not think anyone saw that coming. Oklahoma State is talented and definitely good enough to win the conference, but completely shutting them down like that is shocking. There were injuries that played a part, no doubt. But that was a complete shellacking.

7 (9). Missouri (10-1) – This is exactly the type of team that Alabama does not want to see in the SEC Championship Game. I think they are better with Maty Mauk in there too. They might want to think about making him the permanent starter, but no way will they do that with their Senior Day coming up against the Aggies.

6 (8). Auburn (10-1) – It is amazing how much a miracle last second touchdown can change the outlook of a season. They are playing for perhaps a BCS Championship Game berth next week against the Crimson Tide.

5 (7). Clemson (10-1) – This team was riding a similar wave last year into the Palmetto Bowl, and they disappointed. I cannot see that happening again.

4 (6). Oklahoma State (10-1) – The Cowboys are one of the most balanced and scary offenses out there. Beating Baylor the way they did is one of the two or three most impressive wins of the year in all of college football. The Big 12 just cannot get an unbeaten team…Oklahoma State losing in Ames, K-State losing at Baylor, and now Baylor losing in Stillwater. I loved that conference…

3 (4). Ohio State (11-0) – Urban Meyer is in such a frustrating spot right now. Can one of the premiere college football programs out there have back-to-back undefeated seasons and not even get a chance at a national title? Yeah, the BCS will be missed…sure…

2 (2). Alabama (11-0) – The Iron Bowl is going to be quite a show. I can’t wait to see that scene.

1 (1). Florida State (11-0) – As long as Winston stays eligible, this team will not lose again. They just need to stay focused against a horrible Florida team and presumably Duke, and they will get their shot at Bama.

Top 5 Games for Next Weekend

5. Minnesota at Michigan State (#14), 9:00AM BTN – This will be a physical and ugly game in probably terrible conditions. Can Sparty avoid looking ahead to Ohio State? PREDICTION: Michigan State 20-13

4. Notre Dame at Stanford (#10), 4:00PM FOX – Notre Dame has beaten Michigan State and Arizona State this year, so they are more than capable of pulling an upset. Stanford has to have a bit of revenge on its mind after the overtime controversial loss last season. This could be a classic. PREDICTION: Stanford 31-28

3. UCLA (#20) at USC (#23), 5:00PM ABC – The Battle for LA may not have any real implications as far as the conference goes, but this will not be the beatdown that it was a season ago. Both teams are playing at or near their best at this point in time, making for a highly entertaining matchup. PREDICTION: USC 41-35

2. Clemson (#5) at South Carolina (#18), 4:00PM ESPN2 – South Carolina prevailed last season, but Clemson still only has that one loss. I bet they want this game even more than whatever BCS game they end up in. PREDICTION: Clemson21-10

1. Alabama (#2) at Auburn (#6), 12:30PM CBS – If you do not want to watch this, then you obviously are not a college football fan. This is going to be one of the most interesting games of the season. There is always something strange that happens in this game. Last year was an absolute raping, but that will not happen to this Auburn team. There is something a little quirky about them. I think they got a shot. PREDICTION: Alabama 24-16

Heisman Trophy Watch

5. AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama – He is one of the most successful QBs in recent memory. If there is an award for a career, then it is his. They might just do that with Winston’s investigation going on.

4. Andre Williams, RB, Boston College – Williams is the first player in conference history to rush for 2000 yards in a season, and many people forget the tough games BC gave Florida State and Clemson. He is the real deal.

3. Jordan Lynch, QB, Northern Illinois – Lynch absolutely should be invited to the ceremony. He is the most exciting player in the nation, and he puts the team on his back just like Colin Klein, Tim Tebow, and other great dual threat QBs before him. His numbers are staggering, as well.

2. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson – Boyd seemed to be out of it earlier, but now with Mariota and Manziel faltering, he is right there as the best senior QB in the nation and in the driver’s seat to secure at least an invite.

1. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State – Cam Newton still won despite his controversy. Winston, barring a terrible upset in the next couple weeks, will be the winner.

BCS Projections

Rose Bowl – Ohio State over Stanford

Orange Bowl – Baylor over Clemson

Sugar Bowl – UCF over Missouri

Fiesta Bowl – Oklahoma State over Fresno State

BCS Championship Game – Florida State over Alabama

What did you think of this weekend? Rankings? Heisman predictions? Let me know below!

Week 7 College Football Recap: Rankings, Heisman, BCS Projections

So, this was the most eventful week of the season so far. I may have jumped the gun a bit on Baylor, but one of the great equalizers in college football is the revenge factor. Last year, Baylor ended K-State’s BCS Title run, and the Wildcats nearly returned the favor on Saturday. Washington proved that they can go blow-for-blow with Oregon, but a couple of late scores and miscues turned the score into a lopsided venture. Marcus Mariota was really the only difference between the teams talent-wise. Oklahoma had a very Sooner-like embarrassing upset loss in the middle of the season. Stanford got stunned in Utah. A few others struggled to avoid bad losses on the road. Check out the aftermath below!

Top 25 Poll

Others receiving votes: East Carolina, Michigan, Northwestern, Oregon State, UCF

Dropped from the rankings: Michigan (19), Northwestern (20), Florida (24)

25 (NR). Michigan State (5-1) – With how bad their offense has been, there is no way that I thought they could be 5-1. You have to commend D’Antonio, though. He is one of the best in the business.

24 (NR). Houston (5-0) – They have not lost yet, but their conference is just terrible. They may have a battle of unbeatens in Louisville November 16^th.

23 (13). Oklahoma (5-1) – The Sooners had another classic confusing loss in a season that was so promising. I love it.

22 (23). Northern Illinois (6-0) – The Huskies continue to win in unimpressive fashion. Wins are wins, though…

21 (22). Nebraska (5-1) – Blowing out Purdue is nothing special, but they seemed to have really shored up that defense that got torched early in the year.

20 (21). Oklahoma State (4-1) – IDLE. Next week: vs TCU.

19 (12). Georgia (4-2) – Their injuries finally caught up to them. They still deserve a ton of credit for taking down most of the teams throughout the toughest part of their schedule.

18 (NR). Missouri (6-0) – They got it done against Georgia in their first test of the season. Their starting QB is also now out for the year. This will probably be their peak ranking this season.

17 (25). Virginia Tech (6-1) – Looking at their wins, none of them are overly impressive. Looking at who they lost to and how, it is clear that they deserve a bit more respect.

16 (18). South Carolina (5-1) – The Cocks obliterated Arkansas on the road. This team, more than any I can remember, wins in different ways each week. I don’t understand them.

15 (9). Washington (4-2) – They suffered a painful loss against Oregon with everyone in the country watching. They are still a fine team, but they may still be a year or two away from really competing for a Rose Bowl in the nation’s toughest conference.

14 (17). Fresno State (5-0) – IDLE. Next week: vs UNLV.

13 (16). Texas Tech (6-0) – They won with a different quarterback, which seemed to reignite the offensive attack. They are going to be a tough out.

12 (15). Miami (5-0) – IDLE. Next week: at North Carolina.

11 (4). Stanford (5-1) – I knew that Utah would give them all they could handle, but I didn’t think they could actually pull it off. There is no shame in losing that game, but their title hopes are all but gone. This seems similar to their loss in Seattle last year.

10 (14). Texas A&M (4-1) – The Aggies took the best shot in a road test against desperate Ole Miss. Johnny Football came up big again, this time in the running game. That offense is so ridiculously dynamic…

9 (11). LSU (6-1) –LSU continues to impress after a sluggish win over Florida.

8 (10). Louisville (6-0) – I told you that those Thursday games are always a little weird. Rutgers nearly pulled off the stunner when Louisville finally had the national stage. They are going to get every AAC team’s best shot week in and week out. I am not sure if they are good enough to withstand it.

7 (8). UCLA (5-0) –The Bruins looked strong against the putrid California defense. No one is talking about their championship hopes, but they are right there in the running with Oregon in the Pac-12.

6 (7). Ohio State (6-0) – IDLE. Next week: vs Iowa.

5 (6). Florida State (5-0) – IDLE. Next week: at Clemson.

4 (5). Clemson (6-0) – BC gave both Florida State and Clemson tough tests leading up to their long-awaited matchup next week. Clemson was able to get by…barely.

3 (2). Baylor (5-0) – The Bears had to gut out a victory against an inspired team on the road. The long touchdowns will not be available against everyone, but if this offense withstood this test, then they might not lose at all.

2 (3). Alabama (6-0) – Alabama had another cruising win in the weak part of the SEC. They finally opened it up on offense, though. They are looking unbelievably strong.

1 (1). Oregon (6-0) – The Ducks look absolutely unstoppable. I can only think of a few teams in the nation that could possibly upset them, unless they just have an off day and turn it over. That doesn’t seem likely at this point, however.

Top 5 Games for Next Weekend

5. Auburn at Texas A&M (#10), 12:30PM CBS – We really don’t know too much about Auburn just yet. Can they show up on the road against the toughest offense in the conference? My pick: Texas A&M

4. UCF at Louisville (#8), Friday 5:00PM ESPN – UCF has proven that they are a viable opponent, and Louisville has the national stage once again. Can they survive their toughest test of the season so far? My pick: Louisville

3. BYU at Houston (#24), 12:30PM ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU – BYU has the talent and offense to upset anyone. Houston will receive their first true test of the year. I am intrigued by this one. My pick: BYU

2. UCLA (#7) at Stanford (#11), 12:30PM ESPN2 – This will be a battle. Stanford cannot afford a second loss in conference. UCLA has been rolling, especially on the road. This should be a tremendous game. My pick: UCLA

1. Florida State (#5) at Clemson (#4), 5:00PM ABC – Obviously, this is the biggest game of the week and one of the biggest of the season. They both withstood BC’s inspired upset-minded efforts leading into next week. Who takes the next step toward the BCS Title Game? My pick: Florida State

Heisman Trophy Watch

5. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA – Hundley may be the top quarterback taken in the draft whenever he comes out. When they finally get a big game next weekend, the nation will take notice of this phenomenal talent.

4. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson – He has another huge game next weekend to show the nation that he is the best QB in the country. Can he keep up the pace in that unique offense?

3. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State – He had the week off, but playing against the senior Boyd on the road next week will really show if he has a real chance to win this.

2. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – If he can take his team to a one-loss season the way they have been going, then he needs to be right there at the top of everyone’s ballot once again.

1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon – The early season favorite normally cannot keep up the pace all year, but he is the exception, I suspect. He is clearly the best player on whatever field he steps onto.

BCS Projections

Rose Bowl – UCLA over Ohio State

Orange Bowl – Clemson over Louisville

Sugar Bowl – Alabama over Fresno State

Fiesta Bowl – Baylor over LSU

BCS Championship Game – Oregon over Florida State

What did you think of this weekend? Rankings? Heisman predictions? Let me know below!

Week 4 College Football Recap: Rankings, Heisman, BCS Projections

It was a fairly lame weekend for matchups, so the top 25 does not have too much shifting this week. Most teams were either playing cupcakes in preparation for conference games coming up, or they just took the week off. Next week starts the beginning of the games that matter. Check out my recap of week 4 below.

Top 25 Poll

Others receiving votes: Florida, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame

Dropped from the rankings: Notre Dame (25)

25 (23). Miami (3-0) – Savannah State is always a good team to schedule if you need some confidence. They have an easy ACC schedule with the exception of Florida State. They need to look impressive every week if they really want to get back to being a legitimate title contender.

24 (NR). Fresno State (3-0) – They showed off their high-octane offense against Boise State in a thriller. This team probably will not lose this year.

23 (22). Oklahoma (3-0) – Oklahoma definitely has their quarterback. They head to Notre Dame next weekend, which will likely be his stiffest test this year.

22 (20). UCF (3-0) – They had a perfectly-timed idle week before South Carolina goes to Orlando.ThaIt is an intriguing matchup for sure.

21 (16). Michigan (4-0) – How exactly does a team go from unstoppable to squeaking out wins against 2 of the 5 worst teams in the nation? Watch the 2013 Michigan Wolverines.

20 (24). Wisconsin (3-1) – Their running game is absurd, averaging close to 10 yards per rush seemingly every game. They might be the best team in the conference.

19 (15). Arizona State (2-1) – The Sun Devils had a tough loss against the physically-superior Stanford team, but they still look like a team to be reckoned with in the Pac-12 South.

18 (21). Northwestern (4-0) – They had maybe the toughest non-conference schedule to manage of any team, but they now get a big week off before they welcome Ohio State to town.

17 (18). Mississippi (3-0) – How good is Ole Miss? We do not know yet. But we will after Saturday when they travel to Tuscaloosa.

16 (14). South Carolina (2-1) – The Gamecocks would be unwise to look past an upset-minded and very talented UCF team before conference schedule really kicks in. It is even a road game. I kinda like UCF in that one…

15 (19). Texas Tech (4-0) – The Red Raiders get their first week off next weekend. It seems like very good timing so that their young QB can regroup and prepare for a tough Big 12 schedule.

14 (13). Oklahoma State (3-0) – We will see what kind of guts Oklahoma State has in their next few games against substandard teams.

13 (12). Georgia (2-1) – The Bulldogs have a quality loss, but they need to basically go undefeated in conference to play for an SEC title. That journey takes another step when LSU comes to town next weekend in a monster matchup.

12 (11). LSU (4-0) – That game at Georgia is huge for this team. The offense has improved, but we will see if they can win a shootout in Athens.

11 (19). Texas A&M (3-1) – This team seems unstoppable on offense. With a lack of overly dominant teams this year, that might just be enough to make a title run.

10 (10). Louisville (4-0) – There is not a game remaining on their schedule that they should lose / be favored by less than 17 points. It will be a massive disappointment if they do not run the table.

9 (8). UCLA (3-0) – The Bruins have a couple easy games before heading to Stanford and Oregon in consecutive weeks. Let’s see if they can avoid looking too far ahead.

8 (7). Ohio State (4-0) – Yeah, it seems foolish now thinking that Miller’s injury would hurt this team. Guiton is just a better player.

7 (9). Baylor (3-0) – 69, 70, 70…those are point totals for Baylor. They have given up 23 points this year. No one wants any part of this scary team.

6 (6). Washington (3-0) – This team looks like it could be the most complete and balanced team in the nation. We will see how much they have grown up as the brutal 4 game stretch commences against Arizona next week.

5 (5). Florida State (3-0) – The Seminole offense is looking just as good as its defense. That does not bode well for the defense-deficient ACC.

4 (4). Clemson (3-0) – Clemson flirted with a predictable trap game loss at NC State, but they were able to take over. Their schedule is soft until they play Florida State, but they cannot overlook anyone.

3 (3). Stanford (3-0) – Stanford looked impressive in a physical win over Arizona State. The Cardinal have finally shown up.

2 (2). Alabama (3-0) – Alabama has not really been lighting up the scoreboard, but they are still hammering teams. They get a nice test next week in Ole Miss.

1 (1). Oregon (3-0) – The Ducks got the week off to prepare for the worst defense in the country when the Golden Bears head to Eugene. Can they score 100?

Top 5 Games for Next Weekend

5. Oklahoma (#23) at Notre Dame, 12:30PM ABC/ESPN2 – This seems like a game that will tell us a great deal about both teams. I cannot even begin to make a pick here.

4. South Carolina (#16) at UCF (#22), 9:00AM ABC – This is one of those weird games where a powerhouse travels to a non-AQ team’s building. I love this matchup on paper. Hopefully it lives up to it.

3. LSU (#12) at Georgia (#13), 12:30PM CBS – This is the big SEC headliner, but not the most intriguing matchup on the slate. Neither team has much of a defense, so this will be one of those offensive shows that the “experts” think are myths in the SEC.

2. Mississippi (#17) at Alabama (#2), 3:30PM ESPN – Alabama has not played a spread attack like Ole Miss yet this year. If there is a team that could jump out to a lead on them, it is the Rebels. This one smells like an upset.

1. Wisconsin (#20) at Ohio State (#8), 5:00PM ABC – This has become one of the better rivalries in the country. Both teams have been putting up huge offensive numbers. The winner probably takes the conference.

Heisman Trophy Watch

5. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville – Their 70+ point win proved that they just do not care who or where they are playing, they are going to run up the score whenever they can. That bodes well for the preconceived #1 QB on the big board.

4. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor – His rushing numbers are just silly in that offense. I cannot even fathom what his numbers will look like by season’s end.

3. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson – He has had the signature wins already. If he continues to put up these kinds of numbers in the ACC, then he could give the trophy a run.

2. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – He is going to be able to do whatever he wants all year. He needs to avoid losing a couple more games for him to have a real chance at being the second two-time winner ever.

1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon – He had the week off, yet no one was able to hop up and take the top spot. He could be here for the long haul.

BCS Projections

Rose Bowl – Stanford over Wisconsin

Orange Bowl – Florida State over Louisville

Sugar Bowl – Alabama over Oklahoma

Fiesta Bowl – Texas A&M over Baylor

BCS Championship Game – Oregon over Clemson

What did you think of this weekend? Thoughts? Give me your rankings in the comments!