Jadeveon Clowney is One Scary Dude

Check out this highlight video of South Pointe High School (Rock Hill, South Carolina) product Jadeveon Clowney terrorizing anybody and everybody. This kid is ridiculous. I have never seen someone dominate in such a way that has the quarterback peeing his pants before the ball is even snapped to him.

Do you understand why he is the number one rated recruit this year? Clowney has yet to decide where he is going to school, but he has narrowed the list down to Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami (FL), North Carolina, Ohio State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas Tech, and USC. In other words, all of the huge, storied programs that only get blue chip recruits year after year. Is it too late for him to add Boise State to the list? Send Coach Pete to South Carolina!

The most impressive thing is how fast he gets off the line. The tackle is sitting there watching his quarterback is getting a face mask buried in his rib cage before he even has the chance to fully come out of his stance and block Clowney. Basically, he looks like a once in a generation man/beast/yeti/monster/terror/player that anybody would be happy to have. It will be interesting to see where he decides to "further his education."

All Bowl Team

There isn’t much criteria for picking who gets the nod here other than performing really well in a bowl game. I didn’t take whether or not their team won or lost into consideration unless it was really close between two players. The winner always trumps the loser. Let me know if there is anybody that you feel I have left off the list or how you feel about those that are on it.

Offense:
*QB* - Landry Jones, Oklahoma Sooners: 34-49, 429 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT in win over UConn in the Fiesta Bowl
*RB* - Ronnie Hillman, San Diego State Aztecs: 28 carries, 228 yards, 3 TD in win over Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl
*RB* - Mikel Leshoure, Illinois Fighting Illini: 29 carries, 184 yards, 3 TD in win over Baylor in the Texas Bowl
*WR* - Marcus Sales, Syracuse Orange: 5 catches, 172 yards, 3 TD in win over Kansas State in the Pinstripe Bowl
*WR* - Austin Pettis, Boise State Broncos: 12 catches, 147 yards, 1 TD in win over Utah in Las Vegas Bowl
*TE* - Coby Fleener, Stanford Cardinal: 6 catches, 173 yards, 3 TD in win over Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl
*OL* - Mike Pouncey, Florida Gators: Win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl
*OL* - Marcus Cannon, TCU Horned Frogs: Win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl
*OL* - Nate Potter, Boise State Broncos: Win over Utah in Las Vegas Bowl
*OL* - Michael Brewster, Ohio State Buckeyes: Win over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl
*OL* - Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin Badgers: Loss to TCU in the Rose Bowl

Defense:
*DL* - Nick Fairley, Auburn Tigers: Win over Oregon in the National Championship Game
*DL* - Billy Winn, Boise State Broncos: Win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl
*DL* – Antoine Carter, Auburn Tigers: Win over Oregon in the National Championship Game
*DL* - Brandon Jenkins, Florida State Seminoles: Win over South Carolina in the Chik-fil-A Bowl
*LB* - Casey Matthews, Oregon Ducks: Loss to Auburn in the National Championship Game
*LB* - Tank Carder, TCU Horned Frogs: Win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl
*LB* - Owen Marecic, Stanford Cardinal: Win over Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl
*DB* - Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech Hokies: Loss to Stanford in the Orange Bowl
*DB* - Jamell Fleming, Oklahoma Sooners: Win over UConn in the Fiesta Bowl
*DB* - Winston Venable, Boise State Broncos: Win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl
*DB* - Greg Reid, Florida State Seminoles: Win over South Carolina in the Chik-fil-A Bowl

Special Teams:
*PK* - Wes Byrum, Auburn Tigers: Win over Oregon in the National Championship Game
*P* – Dan Bailey, Oklahoma State Cowboys: Win over Arizona in the Alamo Bowl
*KR* - Rishard Matthews, Nevada Wolfpack: Win over Boston College in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

There you are. It gets pretty difficult to pick offensive lineman because they don't produce stats. I just had to think about the elite defensive players that they went up against and whether or not they shut them down. Again, let me know if there was anybody I missed or if you think someone does not deserve to be on the list.

Gene Chizik Thanks God for National Championship, Humiliates Third Commandment

"First of all, I can't be more blessed to be part of a whole team like this. Man, God was with us."
-Gene Chizik, head coach at Auburn

Such blasphemy must have had over-zealous Christians all over the country gawking in disbelief and anger. Religion is always a touchy subject outside of church or any other spiritual location, community, or event. Yet it always seems to find its way into the mouths, thoughts, and writings of individuals outside of said holy situations, oftentimes at the strangest and most inappropriate moments. Obviously, this was the case for Auburn's head coach Gene Chizik moments after his team dispatched of the Oregon Ducks in the National Title Game.

Is it possible that a higher being did indeed determine the outcome of the National Championship, giving the Tigers the win? It could be. Maybe God, along with the rest of the world, was visually offended by the uniform atrocity that the Ducks were wearing, especially those Day-Glo colored cleats on their webbed feet. Maybe it was transcendent karma for the legal infractions committed by current and past members of the Oregon team. But that can't be the case. Auburn has had it's own share of problems in regards to its student athletes, namely one Cameron Jerrell Newton. His heavily documented pay-for-play scheme, for which father Cecil took the fall, is enough to level out an alleged deity-aided playing field. If not, then let's go ahead and throw in the academic cheating scandal back in Gainesville to turn the table a little more.

Or maybe God had absolutely nothing to do with football, including this game. After all, there was a tragic shooting down the I-17 just two days before. It is guaranteed that there are plenty of reasons why His aid and comfort would be needed in Tucson. How selfish and self-absorbed of Chizik to infer that God had helped his team win when there are other more pressing, more imperative matters going on so close to the stadium. Sure, he may be thankful that the Diety gave him the ability and talent to coach and his players the skill and athleticism that they have to play, but that's as far as it goes.

Vain:
–adjective, -er, -est.
1. excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements, etc.; conceited: a vain dandy.
2. proceeding from or showing personal vanity: vain remarks.
3. ineffectual or unsuccessful; futile: a vain effort.
4. without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless: vain pageantry; vain display.
5. Archaic . senseless or foolish.
Oh, so kind of like claiming that God made your team win while ignoring the guys on the other side of the field. Really, why did Oregon even show up and try and play this one?

How about this: Auburn won because Chip Kelley made some very poor coaching decisions and his players made a few mental errors that cost them the game. How about kicking a field goal on fourth-and-goal with 2:26 left in the third quarter? How about using your time out at the end to assure that your Ducks would get the ball back with time left on the clock late in the fourth quarter? How about Cliff Harris finish the tackle on Michael Dyer and not let him scamper off for 30 more yards? As Coach Petersen of Boise State said, "One play can't lose a game, but one play can win a game." Agreed, but a number of poor plays (and decisions) can add up and eventually become too much for your team to overcome. Such was the case in Glendale, Arizona on Monday night.

There are many motives and causes for which humans strive to reach their full potential, regardless of their chosen path or direction. Division 1 football coaches are no different. A belief in God or being a faithful member of a certain religion can indeed guide someone in their preferred quest. But when it comes to individual athletic events and competitions, you are on your own. A higher entity does not choose sides or tilt the advantage one way or the other, even if you are BYU...or Gene Chizik.

Auburn Beats Oregon, Completes Purchase of BCS Championship

The Tigers of the University of Auburn outlasted the Ducks of the University of Oregon to win the BCS Championship last night in Glendale, Arizona. The final score was a measly 22-19, considering the ridiculous productivity of both offenses during the regular season. All in all, the game was a defensive battle and for those who are not football junkies like Bronco Chase, the only exciting part was at the end. Indeed, the last 3 minutes or so were as much fun to watch as anything that has happened this season. There was a beautiful two point conversion, an almost tackle that led to a 37 yard back-breaking run, and a game winning field goal. Yet again the SEC wins the title. This is their 5th in a row and as we found out yesterday, we will never hear the end of it from SEC d-bag elitist Mark May.

As I mentioned, both of these teams had been lighting up the scoreboard all season long. Yet last night, we had a TCU/Wisconsin like final score. What happened? Auburn had a rough-ish night and Oregon's offense was stifled by Nick Fairley and company. Check out the yardage totals, they seem highly unlikely:

Auburn: 519 (265 passing, 254 rushing)
Oregon: 449 (374 passing, 75 rushing)

LaMichael James got stoned repeatedly. The Tigers did a great job shutting him down. Darron Thomas had a career night for yards and completions (27). As you can see, the yards didn't mean much. It did seem like Auburn's were at least a little more important. The biggest part was trying to keep the other team's offense off the field, and that meant eating up the clock and methodically moving down the field. Auburn just happened to do a better job at it than Oregon.

The best play of the night came from Auburn's freshman running back Michael Dyer. With 2 minutes to go, he broke through the line for what appeared to be a casual 6 or 7 yard gain. But Duck tackler Eddie Pleasant didn't finish the play. Dyer rolled over the top of Pleasant and raced down the sideline deep into Oregon territory and ended up with a 37 yard gain. Dyer's run set up the game winning field goal that sent the Tigers back to Alabama victorious.

The Ducks were held to under 100 yards rushing for the first time since September 4, 2009. Guess who they played that night. I'll give you a clue, the field that they played on was blue turf...

Here's the deal. I did not have a dog in the fight. I stated adamantly that I would be reluctantly cheering for the Ducks because anybody who plays the SEC is going to get that courtesy from me. Yet, during the course of the game, I found myself pulling for Auburn. I guess my hate for the Oregon Ducks is seeded even deeper than I had originally presumed. That's not a bad thing. I was just surprised and a little bit upset with myself. Sometimes you can't explain emotions that come out in the heat of the moment, but they are indeed your true feelings. Still, I got sick to my stomach every time ESPN showed a close up of Cam Newton's cheating face. I felt similar when Chip Kelley's arrogant crater-marked face was on my TV screen.

That leads me to this; Congratulations to the Oregon Ducks who will be named the National Champions retroactively after Auburn gets the title taken away from them due to NCAA violations. It sucks to be a cheater. But of course, the excuses are plentiful from Oregon. Read this article on ESPN. I will quote my favorite part.

'(Darron) Thomas felt it was Ducks miscues that hurt them more than what Auburn did: "I don't think Auburn stopped us from winning the game. We stopped ourselves."'

You keep telling yourself that. So here we are, everybody outside of a portion of the state of Alabama feeling let down, cheated, and unhappy with the results of the college football season. Life goes on, but not in the South when football is involved. Let's let si.com's Stewart Mandel take care of this one for us. The title is "SEC's run of titles obscures its dark side." That speaks for itself. I'm done talking about this for now.

With the victory last night, I went 5-0 in picking the BCS Bowl Games. Here are the final numbers for year:

Bowl totals: 23-12
Season total: 88-29

A great season, if I do say so myself. As far as I know, what I started this football season will continue next year. For now, it's Bronco Basketball season. I will have plenty on that. I am also preparing my all-bowl team. It will included the best players from each position that participated in the bowl season. Check back in for that. Until then, go Broncos!

Bronco Chase's Bowl Picks, 7th Edition

Now that's more like it! As you already know, I started off this bowl season going about .500. That was before I reeled off and took home the "W" in 13 of the last 14 match ups. I had won eleven in a row before LSU snapped my streak much like Boise State did to Utah. All good things must come to an end. The most important and impressive thing is that I am 4-0 in BCS games.

Anyway, I come to you today with a heavy heart, reminiscing of days past. As soon as I click "Publish Post" today, I am done with actual games to write about on my blog. The season will be over. But do not fret my friends, Leon Rice has the Bronco mens basketball team cooking up something special in Taco Bell Arena. Let us go over the recap of my last batch of picks, and then I will unveil the winner of the National Championship game tonight.

Discover Orange Bowl
My prediction was Stanford wins 24 to 21
Final score: Cardinal 40, Hokies 12






AllState Sugar Bowl
My prediction was Ohio State wins 31 to 24
Final score: Buckeyes 31, Razorbacks 26






GoDaddy.com Bowl
My prediction was Miami (OH) wins 28 to 24
Final score: Redhawks 35, Blue Raiders 21






AT&T Cotton Bowl
My prediction was Texas A & M wins 24 to 21
Final score: Tigers 41, Aggies 24






BBVA Compass Bowl
My prediction was Pittsburgh wins 31 to 21
Final score: Panthers 27, Wildcats 10






Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
My prediction was Nevada wins 28 to 21
Final score: Wolfpack 20, Eagles 13






Batch total: 5-1
Bowl totals: 22-12
Season total: 87-29
_____________________________________

As a reminder: if the word "prediction" has stars, then it is an upset. It will look like this:

*Prediction*:

Also, I have analyzed some of the games with a write up, but not all of them. I wrote on all the bowls were WAC teams are involved and the BCS Bowls. The others just have when, where, the bowl name, who's playing, and a score prediction. Finally, I am including these bowls in my season long record.

January 10th at 6:30 PM
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game
Glendale, Arizona

(12-0, 9-0 Pac 10)
vs.

(13-0, 8-0 SEC)




Line: Auburn favored by 3
This one is for all the marbles. Two of the most prolific offenses in the history of the NCAA and two of the worst defenses ever will face off with the National Title on the line. Cam Newton, is fresh off of buying, er winning the Heisman and is playing extremely well. Oregon is led by perma-lisped, and convicted criminal running back LaMichael James. The Tigers score an average of 42.7 point per game and the Ducks put up 49.3. Defensively, Oregon gives up 18.4 and Auburn allows 24.5. On paper, this looks like a fairly easy win for the Ducks. However, Oregon’s schedule has been JV compared to what Auburn has had to go through. Cal showed the world how to beat the Ducks. It involves an athletic, powerful defensive line that can get pressure on quarterback Darron Thomas and limit James in his yards per carry. Fortunately for the Tigers, they have just that, led by the man-yetti known as Nick Fairley.

It’s too bad we couldn’t see one of these great offenses versus a great defense in TCU or Boise State. Instead we will see a fast paced, high scoring affair in which many people will wish that there was a way for both teams to lose, blow up, die, or cease to exist in some crazy way. If you can’t tell, I don’t like either of these teams. If Auburn wins, Newton will feel even more entitled than he already does and it will teach our children that cheating, lying, and being dishonest pays off as long as you are a freak athlete and can will a team to win all by yourself. Also, we’ll have to hear for another year how amazing the SEC is. That fire will be fueled for a long time. If the Ducks win, we’ll have to sit here and hear it from their ridiculous, cocky, blow-hard fans about how awesome the Ducks are. Eugene will finally be known for something else besides being the place where “Animal House” was filmed. I don’t know if I want to live in a world where Oregon fan has free reign to talk as much junk as they will if their team wins. They easily forget that this is basically the same squad that lost to Boise State two years in a row, and it is basically the same Bronco team that beat/destroyed them.

In other words, the college football landscape will either be populated with SEC elitists, jumping on their soap boxes, throwing their Bibles to the side, brandishing their red necks and farmer tans in their overalls, and through missing teeth and gingivitis infected gums proclaim the flawed gospel that is football in the South. “We live, breathe, eat, and dream this stuff year round! Nobody can stop us!” Only to make things worse, Mark May will have a fit of pleasure in his pants just as he has the last 4 years when other SEC teams have won it all. I just can’t take his seeing ugly, elitist face on my TV screen building up that conference any more than he already has. Or we will see hemp bracelet-wearing, lucha libre mask-donning, unfounded cockiness-weilding Duck honk tooting his own horn and in the most condescending way imaginable talk smack to any other team that even looks at them, all in between lengthy bong hits and making the “O” with their hands (that looks strangely similar to another sign that symbolizes a part of the female anatomy…). It will be like the d-bag boyfriend who picks fights with another dude for thinking about looking at his girl. That is Oregon in a nutshell. This is the world we live in and unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. So here’s to hoping that a sniper perches himself in the rafters or press box of University of Phoenix Stadium and does us all a favor.

Anyway, the game will be high scoring. I think Auburn’s defense is better than it shows on paper and what was seen against some pretty good offenses in the regular season. Nick Fairley owns LaMichael James for most of the game. The lesser of two evils here is Oregon, I guess. I will be reluctantly rooting for the Ducks in Glendale tonight. I still do not like their chances. The main reason for my decision is my complete and utter loathing for all things SEC and Mark May related. I don't know if it will be this close.
Prediction: Tigers 45, Ducks 38

Bowl totals: 22-12
Season total: 87-29

Well there we have it. Make sure you are tuned into ESPN tonight to catch this one. It should be a high-scoring affair. Sit back and relax. But make sure you check back in tomorrow to get my take on the whole shebang.

The Sugar Bowl Wasn't all that Sweet

Don't get me wrong, it was a great game to watch, filled with pendulum-like momentum changes, sorrow, heartbreak, joy, anxiety, cocky, privileged athletes, and of course a sweater vest. I had absolutely no problem with what happened on the field last night in New Orleans. It was the off-field shenanigans and hypocrisy that I am upset about. Let's go back to the beginning, Quentin Tarantino-like, and set the stage for my grievance(s).

In June 2010, the NCAA lowered the boom on the University of Southern California for "lack of institutional control" stemming from the Reggie Bush improper benefit saga. You all know the story; the Trojans were penalized big time for their egregious infraction. They were banned from post season play for 2 years, gave up 30 scholarships, and had to forfeit their 2004 National Championship. Bush voluntarily forfeited his Heisman Trophy so as to prevent the huge mess and headache that would ensue if the trust were to try and take it from him. A precedent was set.

We all thought the governing college sports body was setting an example. Yet here we are two-plus years later and the NCAA is allowing players and schools to get away with murder. Cam Newton played the "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" card and let his dad take the fall for a pay-to-play scheme. I cannot stand to see that huge grin on Newton's smug face, knowing that there was an obvious violation from his camp and yet he is still allowed to play. I have already stated my case for the utter ridiculousness of the situation, so there is no need to rehash it here. The point is there was a huge loophole that was found through the Cam and Cecil Newton case that shouldn't have been there in the first place. All of the sudden the serious, sheriff-like, punishment-dealing NCAA that ate USC's lunch became the soft, docile, lenient person who wants to be cool with their friends and therefore gives them what they want, even at their own expense. The NCAA ruled that because Cameron was not aware of the transgressions of his father, then he was not in violation and therefore was allowed to play (even though initially they ruled him ineligible). Think about it this way-Any cash or sustenance that his dad received would directly benefit Cameron, i.e. purchasing needed school supplies, books, food, clothes, helping pay rent, spending money, and/or transportation. Therefore, they are improper benefits, regardless of who is directly receiving them.

Next came tattoo gate. Five of Ohio State's top players were getting free or cheap tattoos in exchange for autographs and memorabilia. Not just that, but quarterback Terrelle Pryor and a few others had sold their Big 10 championship rings and some gold pants (that they receive for beating Michigan). Read all about it here. Remember, Georgia's star wide receiver A.J. Green was suspended for the first four games of this season for selling a game-worn jersey. Here's where things get tricky. To stay consistent, the NCAA suspended Pryor, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams, and Solomon Thomas for five games. Great. The problem is they were still allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl last night. In other words, the suspension was suspended until the beginning of the season next year. What? There were obvious violations that these Buckeyes were involved in and yet they were still allowed to play in the biggest game of the season? Asinine. The reasoning behind the delay in suspension is "the acknowledgment the student-athletes did not receive adequate rules education during the time period the violations occurred." Right...

Here's the deal-Had the Buckeyes not been in a BCS Bowl and had Auburn not been in contention for the National Championship, the NCAA would have dropped the hammer on both of those teams much like they did the USC Trojans in 2008. There is a clear double standard here. Kevin Lennon, the NCAA's vice president of academic and membership affairs, has no problem penalizing players and teams for violations that took place a long time ago, when those players are no longer at the university in question. But if it's a current situation where him and his college governing entity are at risk of losing money, they go easy or delay the consequences. Everything is done in a way that will benefit them and their cash-cow sport. That is what has me so upset.

I know that had Arkansas won last night, they would have wanted to do it against a prepared and full strength Ohio State team. The Razorbacks would have rolled easily if their opponent had been missing those 5 key players. Then the NCAA would have had another Fiesta or Orange Bowl snoozer on hand with a lopsided score and the audience tuning out by halftime. There go the ratings. The NCAA can't afford that, nor did they want to even risk it. The game was very entertaining and for that I am happy, but knowing the sketchy NCAA-allowed condition of some of the players involved taints the overall feeling and joy of such a contest. I don't have an answer for this, but how do the Arkansas players feel about it? If the anti-playoff BCS system is already robbing fans of a true college football championship experience, then the NCAA and their double standards are polluting the best part of the sport. The only thing that we have left to call our own are those glorious fall and winter Saturdays, sitting on the edge of our seats, living and dying by the on-field, in-game successes and failures of our favorite team, letting the amateur kids decide the winner, all for the love of the game. I don't know about you, but I have no desire to let the NCAA take that away from us.

WAC Weekend Recap, Week 14

I cannot believe that the season is over. It has gone by way too fast, as it always does. But we still have bowl season to look forward to! The WAC got four teams bowl eligible and all of them have accepted invites to play. As you all know, the WAC Champion is actually a three way tie this year: Boise State, Hawai'i, and Nevada. That means that the Broncos have won the title 8 out of the past 9 years. That is just ridiculous. Congrats to them and good luck in their upcoming move to the Mountain West. Anyway, let's get going recapping the weekend.

Illinois Fighting Illini at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Fresno State wins 35 to 31
Final score: Bulldogs 25, Fighting Illini 23
Fresno State got off to a quick start in this game and then did just enough to hold off Illinois at the end to take the "W." It was 16-0 by the time the first quarter ticked away its last second. This was a big win for Pat Hill and the Bulldogs because it got them to 8 wins for the year and silenced some of their critics, at least for the moment. Illinois is a very young team and will have plenty of success here in the next few years. Both teams are going to bowl games. Illinois takes on Baylor of the Big 12 in the Texas Bowl, which takes place on December 29th. Fresno State takes on Northern Illinois of the MAC in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl on December 18th. Let's hope Fresno actually shows up this year for their bowl game...

Nevada Wolfpack at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
My prediction was Nevada wins 38 to 35
Final score: Wolfpack 35, Bulldogs 17
The Wolfpack was destined for a letdown after the emotions of beating Boise State the week before, and it happened. Well, it lasted for approximately the duration of the first half before pulling away and winning. Kaepernick and Taua both had huge games on the ground and were just too much for the Bulldogs. It has been an up and down season for Louisiana Tech and they will be watching bowl season from their own couches yet again. I think Sonny Dykes has something brewing down in Ruston. We will see in the next couple of years. Nevada earned themselves a date with the Boston College Eagles in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco on January 9th. That should be an interesting match up.

San Jose State Spartans at Idaho Vandals
My prediction was Idaho wins 42 to 28
Final score: Vandals 26, Spartans 23 (OT)
Idaho probably didn't deserve to win this game. Remember the weekend before when they were the more motivated team against Fresno State and narrowly came away with the upset? They were on the other side of things this time. San Jose State played better and actually had the lead at halftime. In overtime, San Jose State got a field goal and Idaho ended it with a touchdown. Too bad neither of these teams is going to a bowl game this year. The Vandals have 6 wins, but one came against an FCS opponent in North Dakota. Better luck next year.

UNLV Runnin' Rebels at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 45 to 21
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 59, Runnin' Rebels 21
This game went exactly as I expected it to go. Hawai'i was obviously the better team and took it to UNLV from the start. The Runnin' Rebels, however, did put a couple of touchdowns up on the board late, most likely against the Rainbow Warriors' second and third stringers. Quarterback Bryant Moniz had a modest 380 yards passing. The heavy lifting was done by running back Alex Green, who had 136 yards on 15 carries. UNLV will not be going to a bowl this year as they have only two wins to their name. Too bad. Hawai'i, however, accepted their bid to the Hawai'i Bowl about a month ago. They will take on Tulse of Conference USA and it all goes down on Christmas Eve. It should be a good one because both teams are among the highest scoring in the nation.

Oregon Ducks at Oregon State Beavers
My prediction was Oregon wins 52 to 24
Final score: Ducks 37, Beavers 20
Oregon State hung around a lot more than I thought they were going to. Of course, Oregon still came out on top, but it wasn't as pretty as some of their other wins have been. What did the Beavers in was quarterback Ryan Katz's 3 interceptions. That and the fact that they couldn't stop LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner, who rushed for 134 and 133 yards respectively. Unfortunately for the Beavers, they will not be playing in a bowl game this year. That's too bad because they are actually a good team. They just ran into some tough competition early and lost a huge part of their offense when James Rodgers went down against Arizona. The Ducks have earned their spot in the National Championship Game and will face Auburn in Glendale, AZ on January 10th. I hope no one likes defense because there won't be much of it in this game!

Auburn Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
My prediction was Auburn wins 42 to 38
Final score: Tigers 56, Gamecocks 17
Auburn absolutely pasted South Carolina to win the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, Georgia. It wasn't even a game, although it was disguised and promoted as one. Scam Newton played incredibly well, throwing for 335 yards and rushing 73 more. He is the team. Their defense can afford to gamble and basically suck because they know that Newton will just score and bail them out. The Gamecocks just had a really bad game, especially quarterback Stephen Garcia, he threw 2 interceptions. They will take on Florida State (another vanquished conference champion game opponent, this one from the ACC) in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia on December 31st. Maybe the Gamecocks can win in Atlanta this time around!

Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 38 to 31
Final score: Hokies 44, Seminoles 33
Virginia Tech is really good. Imagine if they would not have lost to James Madison in their second game of the season...They probably would have ended up in the Orange Bowl anyway as the ACC Champion. The Hokies became the first team in FBS history to win 11 straight games after starting the season 0-2. I hope people are noticing this. Boise State beat Virginia Tech...Tyrod Taylor is amazing. I don't understand why he isn't getting more Heisman love for all that he has done this year and what he means to his team. Unfortunately for Florida State, their regular starting quarterback Christian Ponder wasn't able to play with an elbow injury. Back up EJ Manuel threw 2 interceptions. They can avenge themselves against South Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia on December 31st. As I mentioned, Virginia Tech will play in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida on January 3rd against the Stanford Cardinal.

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
My prediction was Nebraska wins 35 to 34 in an upset special
Final score: Sooners 23, Cornhuskers 20
I really don't like Oklahoma, mainly because their coach Bob Stoops is a giant d-bag. Anyway, they managed to hold of Nebraska and score enough points to earn the win. I will give them credit for that. For the second year in a row, the 'Huskers fall short of the Big 12 title and are on their way to the Holiday Bowl. It's hard to pick an upset special when all the favored teams win. Oh well. Nebraska will face the Washington Huskies, whom they slaughtered earlier in the season in Seattle 56-21. The Holiday Bowl takes place in San Diego on 30th. Oklahoma will play Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona on January 1st. Let's see if Stoops can finally win a BCS Bowl Game. Here's to hoping he doesn't.

Record coming in: 57-16
This week (including Boise State's win over Utah State): 8-1
Total: 65-17

The regular season has ended, as you may have heard. I will be picking winners for all 35 bowl games. The first one takes place on December 18th, which is a Saturday. Look for the picks on either the 16th or the 17th. Make sure you check back in tomorrow and the rest of this week for more Boise State information. Let's go Broncos!

Cam Newton Ruled Eligible to Play...What?

Word has officially come down from the NCAA that Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is an eligible amateur athlete and can compete for the 1st-ranked Tigers in the SEC Championship game and whatever bowl game they end up playing in. That is good news for Auburn, and even better news for the SEC, which is always looking to maintain their "we are better than everyone else, especially non-AQ teams" egotistical, self-glossed, media-hyped reputation. During the whole period of allegations against and investigation of Newton and his father, I withheld judgment and decided to wait for the NCAA to complete what they were doing. I am fine with their recent decision and I would have been as well had it gone the other way for Cam. With that said, not all is well in the land of college football. Read the Idaho Statesman's story on it here, and I will go ahead and highlight a few parts that I have found to be a little fishy.

From the second paragraph we read:

"The NCAA released its finding in a statement on Wednesday. The college sports governing body had concluded on Monday that a violation of Newton's amateur status had occurred. Auburn quietly declared Newton ineligible on Tuesday and requested his eligibility be reinstated."

Continuing:

"Newton now has been cleared to compete without conditions, after weeks of questions about whether he would be allowed to continue playing."

Wait what? So he's ruled ineligible, Auburn requests it to be reinstated, and 3 seconds later the NCAA says "OK, sounds good. He can play." Just like that, huh? I don't understand. Here is more:

"The NCAA said Auburn and NCAA enforcement staff agreed that Newton's father and an owner of a scouting service worked together to on a pay-for-play scam."

They are aware that this had happened but yet he is still allowed to play?! Sounds pretty absurd to me. Here is the explanation given from Kevin Lennon, NCAA vice president for academic and membership affairs:

"Based on the information available to the reinstatement staff at this time, we do not have sufficient evidence that Cam Newton or anyone from Auburn was aware of this activity, which led to his reinstatement."

Then why even rule him ineligible in the first place? I am flabbergasted! Regardless if he is innocent or not, the NCAA screwed up big time, discrediting themselves as well as college football (even more than it already is with the BCS in place). The NCAA makes obscene amounts of money from the SEC and even more when teams from that conference go to BCS Bowl games. They made sure that was going to continue. Here's the part that kills me, if Auburn wasn't a National Title contender then the hammer would have been dropped big time on Newton. Guaranteed. The conspiracy theorists (you know, the guys who wear tin foil on their heads so that satellite beams can't penetrate their brains and read their thoughts) will chalk it up to an elaborate hoax to keep TCU out of the National Championships. I don't want to take it that far, but the NCAA's decision will keep their own pockets full and maintain the system how it currently is; corrupt.

I'm confused as well Cam.

I wish the best of luck to Cam Newton and his Auburn Tigers against South Carolina this Saturday and then against Oregon in the NC Game (especially against Oregon). While you are out there torching defenses with your powerful arm and quick legs, just know that you have contributed to the defamation of something that we as fans hold dear, something that didn't need any more blemishes on its already mangled reputation.

Weekend Picks, Special Turkey Day Edition (13th Week of the Season)

Happy Turkey Day everyone! Make sure you go back and look at yesterday's post in which I let you all know about the things that I am grateful for. But for today, we have an extra special weekend pick off! There are tons of good games and I am going to choose winners for all three big games that are happening tomorrow. That is six ranked teams in three games. I have mentioned this before, but there is absolutely no reason why you should even leave your couch tomorrow. With that said, let's get on with it and pick some games for this holiday weekend!

Saturday, November 27 at 1 PM

(8-3, 6-1 WAC)
at

(2-9, 1-6 WAC)

The Rainbow Warriors took care of business last week against the San Jose State Spartans in blow out fashion. In fact, the only team in the WAC that they can't beat is Boise State. Anyway, Hawai'i is bowl eligible and has already accepted an invite to play in their home town Hawai'i Bowl. Quarterback Bryant Moniz was named offensive player of the week after throwing for 560 yards against the Spartans. The team would still like to improve their record. New Mexico State on the other hand, has absolutely nothing to play for other than pride, which can sometimes be a great motivator. They are anemic offensively and suck on defense. What else is there to say about them? Better luck next year Aggies. This game won't be close.
Prediction: Rainbow Warriors 45, Aggies 14

Saturday, November 27 at 6 PM

(4-6, 3-3 WAC)
at

(1-10, 0-6 WAC)

Louisiana Tech finds itself on the cusp of bowl eligibility. All they have to do is win their next two games, including this one. Unfortunately for them they finish the season at home against a Nevada team that will be pissed off after getting blown out by Boise State (a little foreshadowing for later on in the post). The Bulldogs have some athletes, there is no doubt about that. They recruit in the talent-saturated south. They have improved greatly this season and should be even better next year. They can not play their best game and still beat the lowly Spartans. Not only is San Jose State the worst team in the WAC, they are also up for consideration for worst team in the country (Akron currently holds the title with a 0-11 record). This game will not change that.
Prediction: Bulldogs 35, Spartans 17

Saturday, November 27 at 8 PM

(5-6, 2-4 WAC)
at

(6-4, 4-3 WAC)

This game is very intriguing. On one hand, you have an Idaho team that is fighting to become bowl eligible after pulling out an impressive win over Utah State last week. On the other hand, Fresno State just got absolutely shellacked at Boise State last week and is still hurting. They are going to a bowl game, but would like to finish strong and save some face. Which Bulldog team will show up? The one that nearly upset Nevada or the one that embarrassed itself in Boise? By the same token, which Vandal team is going to show up? The decent squad that beat the Aggies last week or the one that laid down and died against Colorado State earlier in the season? Both quarterbacks will need to play much better than they have been. A little defense wouldn't hurt either. Fresno State has the skill and athletes to take Idaho to the woodshed, but only if they want it. That's why this match up is intriguing and tough to pick a winner for. Who wants it more?
Prediction: Bulldogs 35, Vandals 28

Friday, November 26th at 8:15 PM

(10-0, 6-0 WAC)
at

(10-1, 5-1 WAC)

It is finally here! We have all been looking forward to this game with child-like anxiousness. That excitement took a bit of a nose dive when the Wolfpack lost to Hawai'i, but has since built back up nicely. Nevada is ranked 19th and Boise State is 4th. Let's look at this match up logically and rationally, breaking it down into comparisons between positions and units.

Kellen Moore > Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick
Enough said. Our guy can throw, there's can't He can run, ours kind of can. Good thing that's what running backs are for.
Vai Taua > Doug Martin
This is only true because the Wolfpack use him a lot more than the Broncos use Martin. Personally, I would take either, but Taua gets the nod due solely to the fact that he gets the rock early and often.
Bronco Defense > Wolfpack Defense
This was the easiest one to choose. Boise State is much better than Nevada on defense by a long shot.
Boise State Offense > Nevada Offense
It is close, but the Broncos are more balanced and therefore get the nod.
Boise State Special Teams = Nevada Special Teams
Normally, the Broncos excel on special teams, but this year has been a bit of a downer, especially on kick off coverage. So there is no way to say which one is better than the other.
Boise State Coaching >>>>>>>>>>> Nevada Coaching
Do you think I put enough emphasis in this one. Chris Ault is known for choking in big games. Chris Petersen is known for excelling in big games and seizing the moment. Besides that, Coach Pete has his players more than prepared mentally every single week this season. There is no reason to believe that this won't happen again this week.
Boise State Intangibles > Nevada Intangibles
Bear with me here. the Broncos are playing for a BCS Bowl bid, possibly the National Championship Game, their final WAC title, pride, and respect nationally. The Wolfpack are playing for a share of the WAC title, at home, a chance to upset one of the best Boise State teams in history, and a Humanitarian Bowl berth. Who do you think has the upper hand here? That's what I thought.

Out of seven categories, Boise State holds the clear edge in 5 of them, breaks even on one, and gives up one to Nevada (as I said, the only reason I put Vai Taua over Doug Martin was due to the amount of work he gets. Both running backs average the same amount of yards per carry at 6.2). Looking at it that way, you would think that this game won't be that close. But Nevada always seems to find a way to hang around with the Broncos. Still, this is a different Boise State team, having improved considerably on both offense and defense. The defensive unit is playing lights out. Kaepernick better be scared, Taua as well. The Wolfpack will gain some yards and score, but it won't be close to enough. The only way I see Boise State losing is if they meltdown completely. Trust me, that won't happen.
Prediction: Broncos 49, Wolfpack 24

Friday, November 26th at 5 PM

(7-3, 4-3 Pac-10)
at

(10-0, 7-0 Pac-10)

The California Golden Bears have given the nation a blueprint to beat the Oregon Ducks and their potent offense. They key is to have the athletes to execute it. The Wildcats have those kinds of athletes and will be looking to try their hand at it. Unfortunately for Arizona, the Ducks have had two weeks to tweak and change their offense enough to combat that blueprint. I still think that this will be a very good game, and I would even go as far as to say that Arizona has a chance to pull off the upset. As long as their quarterback Nick Foles can play well and their defense can give them a chance, they could take this one. But, it is at Autzen Stadium in Eugene and Oregon is really good. Their defense still leaves a lot to be desired, but if you can outscore your opponents then you tend to win (right Auburn?!). The Ducks are still in the driver's seat for a National Championship and it is going to take a lot to knock them off. I don't think the Wildcats have quite enough to get it done.
Prediction: Ducks 51, Wildcats 35

Friday, November 26th at 12:30 PM

(11-0, 7-0 SEC)
at

(9-2, 5-2 SEC)

Here we go! The Iron Bowl in all its glory. This will be the best one in years. Auburn's embattled quarterback Cam Newton is the best player in college football. He has single-handedly beaten LSU, South Carolina, and Arkansas by himself. The Tigers' defense is not that good, but Newton and the offense has been able to outscore everybody so far, averaging 42.8 points in each contest. The Crimson Tide has one of the best defenses in the nation, giving up only 12.8 points per game. Something here has to give. Also, Alabama's offense isn't too shabby in its own right. Auburn is playing for a berth in the National Championship Game, while Alabama could still make it to the Sugar Bowl. Even if the Tigers lose, they could win the SEC Championship Game against South Carolina and still find themselves ranked 1st or 2nd in the nation. This should be a great game. I have to give the edge to Alabama solely because it is at Bryant Denny Stadium.
UPSET SPECIAL!
Prediction: Crimson Tide 35, Tigers 34

Well there we have it! This should be a great weekend of college football. I am getting excited/nervous/anxious for the Nevada game on Friday. Make sure you come back tomorrow and take a gander at my Weekly PTW. Let's get it done Broncos!

Can Boise State Pass TCU by the End of the Year?

The answer is; yes. Yes they can. Obviously they have to win out and do it in convincing fashion. A blow out of Fresno State on Friday is a good start, but then they have to travel to Reno for a match up with the Wolfpack that is yet again looking like it will be a fantastic game. The final game of the year is at home against a terrible Utah State Aggie team and I am not worried about it at all. That means that we, as Boise State Broncos fans, have to do our part and more to cheer the team on to victory.

With that said, we all know that the BCS Rankings were released on Sunday and the Horned Frogs stayed in third. However, the Broncos cut their lead in half and have positioned themselves to jump in front by season's end if everything goes right. As easy as that sounds, it is much more complicated. One of my favorite blogs is obnug.com. It's ran through sbnation and you can write your own fanshots and read all the blogs and information on it. It is quite amusing oftentimes and also very informative. On the subject of BCS Rankings and where Boise State may end up, one of the followers (named MyDadTeachesatBSU) created a very educated post about the computers and how they work. Read through it here, probably more than once so as to take in as much as you can. I will take some parts that I find interesting and shed my own personal light on them.

Richard Billingsley's computer is ridiculous. The whole system where you only get points if you win, and you get more if it is deemed to be a "good win," is asinine. It does not take anything else into account, including how your opponents do in their past and future games. MyDadTeachesatBSU tells us "Billingsley's computers are not retroactive, meaning that he does not adjust point totals based on performance after a game is played, so Utah's loss to ND did nothing to hurt TCU, even though their large lead is based almost entirely on that win." That sucks. In the end, the writer gives us only a 10% chance of getting ahead of TCU in this particular computer. Lame.

Kenneth Massey's seems to be pretty fair. His numbers are based on a strength of schedule system. That means that with one game left for TCU (against a terrible New Mexico team), they have less to help themselves out than Boise State, who has three games left, one of which is a top 25 program in Nevada. "If Fresno can beat Cinci, VT keeps winning, and Baylor loses to Oklahoma, we will pass TCU in the Massey rankings." Good enough for me. Come on Hokies!

There is seriously something wrong with Jeff Sagarin's computer. The fact that it has Boise State ranked 12th is off the chart absurd! It is based on the performance of opponents and yet seems to take no account for what the team in question actually does on the field, other than saying "W" or "L." Just like Massey, we need Virginia Tech to win out, take the ACC Championship game, and for Baylor and Utah to continue to bite the dust. Fortunately, there is a good chance that exactly that happens.

Then there is Peter Wolfe. His disparity in what Boise State and TCU are ranked is preposterous. As MyDadTeachesatBSU tell us, "From what I have read and what I can tell, his rankings are based mostly off of performance against expected performance. So if you win a game you were supposed to win, then it doesn't do much for you. This is bad for BSU because we are supposed to win every game." While I agree with that, I want to add that TCU is supposed to win all of their games as well. But if it really is based on performance against expected performance, then why are the Broncos ranked so low compared to the Horned Frogs? According to this, Boise State has actually done better against the spread than TCU has. Something is definitely wrong with the Sagarin and Wolfe computers. This just adds fuel to the anti-BCS fire, especially since Wolfe is so secretive about his equations and logarithms that determine the rankings.

As I have mentioned, Boise State got a huge boost when they jumped TCU in the human polls on Sunday. But remember, those polls only account for 1/3 of the BCS standings. I also need to point out that only three of the six computers have Virginia Tech ranked, and that is keeping the Broncos so low in many of them. If the Hokies keep winning, including in the ACC Championship Game, all six will show them and it will boost the Broncos up even higher. Nevada being ranked so highly is great as well, as long as Boise State beats them. There is one last thing to add; the highest and the lowest computer rankings are thrown out for each team and they remaining four standings, coupled with the human polls, are averaged out to get the BCS Rankings (absurd, I know). The writer on obnug.com says, "If we are ahead in 3 computer polls and close in the other 3, then the voters will ultimately determine who is the highest non-AQ team, and since we just jumped them and we have 3 games left against better competition than their last game, I would say that we have about a 70-90% chance of finishing ahead of TCU." I like those odds. On the comment section of the same post, TheRooster13 gives us this;

"So let’s guess where TCU and BSU will end up in each computer.

(…in the order listed above.)
BSU: 4, 4, 4, 5, 9, 6
TCU: 5, 3, 5, 6, 8, 4

Taking out the top and bottom for each team we end up with
BSU: 4, 4, 5 ,6
TCU: 5, 5, 6, 4

I’m totally guessing here, but my point is, it doesn’t really matter which school is ahead in more computers, what matters is the relative position."

My conclusion; Boise State wins out and ends up third in the BCS Standings at the end of the season. If Auburn or Oregon lose, Boise State finishes 2nd. If both teams lose, we still finish 2nd, being jumped by LSU. If this is the case, the Broncos will play in the National Championship Game against either Auburn, Oregon (oh please yes!), or LSU. All I'm saying, is that this is for real folks. There is a definite possibility that this could happen. Enough teams behind the Broncos have lost and taken themselves out of consideration that we find ourselves on the cusp of a possible NC Game berth. I never thought it would be possible given the bias against non-AQ teams. We still need a little bit more of that chaos, but it could happen. Don't get your hopes up to high, but cheer for who we need to win, and against who we need to lose.

Also, did anyone see Kellen's pistols after the long bomb to Titus? Priceless!


This week is going to be a little different as far as my posts are concerned. Since I will be in Boise Friday getting ready for the game, I will not be able to put up anything. That means that instead of doing my Weekend Picks on Thursday, I will do them on Wednesday (which happens to be tomorrow!). Naturally, that means the Weekly PTW will be up on Thursday instead of its normal Friday spot. So check back in tomorrow and get yourself ready for the weekend!

WAC Weekend Recap, Minus Boise State Edition

Gues what followers of Bronco Chase? I went 7 for 7 on my weekend picks! That is amazing! I am doing great on my upset specials. Good thing I didn't follow what Stewart Mandel on si.com said. He picked Utah State to upset Hawai'i. I was not as foolish. There were some decent games this time around, but we all were left with a huge void in hearts because Boise State had the weekend off. But do not fret my friends, they get going on Tuesday against Louisiana Tech in a very intriguing match up. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. The weekend in review starts now!

New Mexico State Aggies at Idaho Vandals
My prediction was Idaho wins 41 to 21
Final score: Vandals 37, Aggies 14
You know what? New Mexico State did not play too bad at all up in Moscow. Sure they were out-gained in yardage and first downs, but they held their own against a better team. In fact, the Aggies were able to gain 289 total yards including a stout 155 on the ground. Quarterback Matt Christian only completed 8 of his 29 pass attempts, but 2 of them went for touchdowns. The most impressive stat line from New Mexico State was one from their defense. They held the Vandals to 392 yards. This means one of two things; The Aggies are getting better, or Idaho is not that good. I think both have some truth to them. Idaho still could not get anything going on the ground, gaining a mere 88 yards, most of which came from Princeton McCarty. This was a big win for the guys up north as they had just gotten smoked at Louisiana Tech the weekend before. At 4-3 Idaho is not looking to bad for becoming bowl eligible. I would wager money that they end up in the Humanitarian Bowl again against a MAC team, possible Toledo. Anyway, the Vandals will need to find some sort of running game if they want to beat Nevada, Hawai'i, or Boise State. They can start doing that next week when they travel to the islands. New Mexico State hosts San Jose State in the pillow fight of the century.

Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors at Utah State Aggies
My prediction was Hawai'i win 34 to 28
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 45, Aggies 7
Well what can I say. Utah State continues to unimpress me. I at least gave them a chance to win this game. Hawai'i had just come off of an emotional victory over a ranked Nevada team and they were bound for a let down in the cold, unforgiving land of northern Utah. But this was not the case. The Aggies came out flat and got owned! 181 yards of offense is not going to get it done. Hawai'i's defense is not even that good. Utah State's quarterback Diondre Borel went 7 for 23 for 2 interceptions. Granted, the Rainbow Warrior's front man Bryant Moniz also threw two interceptions, but he at least made up for it by tossing for 389 yards and a touchdown. It appears that they may have also found a rushing game. Either that or the weather was so bad that they had to throw it more than they wanted to. Alex Green carried 14 times for 172 yards and 4 touchdowns. Hawai'i is looking more and more dangerous as the weeks go by. They will host Idaho next weekend and Utah State goes on the road to Reno to get beaten badly yet one more time this year.

Fresno State Bulldogs at San Jose State Spartans
My Prediction was Fresno State wins 38 to 13
Final score: Bulldogs 33, Spartans 18
Just like fellow bottom-dweller New Mexico State, the San Jose State Spartans showed marked improvement this week. This game was actually pretty close in the first half, as Fresno State was only ahead 10-0 at the break. But then the Bulldogs poured it on in the second half. It wasn't until mid to late fourth quarter that San Jose State started putting up some points. Spartan quarterback Jordan La Secla played pretty well, completing 19 of 31 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw 2 interceptions, however. The problem with San Jose State is still their rushing attack. 12 yards against Fresno State really sucks. The most interesting stat of the night, total yards. Fresno State had 353 and San Jose State had 339. That is really close, especially when you think that the Bulldogs are supposed to be a top-tier WAC team. FSU quarterback Ryan Colburn did not throw a touchdown pass. In fact, he only had 125 yards through the air. Pat Hill is still trying to establish the run game and make it the Bulldog identity like it has been for many years in the past. They did get 185 on the ground, mainly from Robbie Rouse. Here's to thinking that Fresno State will get crushed at Bronco Stadium. Anyway, San Jose State goes to New Mexico State next weekend (again, pillow fight) and Fresno State has the week off before traveling to Louisiana Tech in what is turning out to be an interesting game.

UCLA Bruins at Oregon Ducks
My prediction was Oregon wins 45 to 21
Final score: Ducks 60, Bruins 13
I do not need to go into much detail about this game as I already did last Friday. Thursday games are cool most of the time. So I will spare my fingers the unnecessary typing and you the unnecessary reading. Let's save our bodies for some more rants later on down the road.

Wyoming Cowboys at BYU Cougars
My prediction was BYU wins 35 to 20
Final score: Cougars 25, Cowboys 20
I have mentioned the term "pillow fight" when referring to football games two times already in this post. That blast comment was just the third time, and I will use it again to describe this game. The BYU Cougars won the Mountain West Conference pillow fight against the Wyoming Cowboys. It was a very ugly night all around for both teams and so I will not bore you with recounting numbers, stats, or stories. Just look here if you want to see the box score for yourself and let's move on to something more interesting.

LSU Tigers at Auburn Tigers
My prediction was Auburn wins 28 to 24
Final score: Tigers (of Auburn) 24, Tigers (of LSU) 17
Auburn has yet again brought itself closer to the National Championship game. It is usually hard to say that one person has done more to get a team to where it is now, but Cam Newton has done just that. The Tiger quarterback ran freely through a LSU defense that had only given up an average of 80 yards per game on the ground. Auburn gained 440, 217 of which came from Mr. Newton and his big yet fast legs. That is ridiculous. I am aware of the possibility that by talking about how amazing this play was that I am at risk of sounding as ridiculous as Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson of CBS. That said, I almost crapped my pants when I saw Cam Newton complete this touchdown run! I counted four missed tackles. He is just so big and hard to take down. when Newton accelerated into the end zone, one of the two commentators went into a fit of pleasure hysteria that can only be described by a song from "The Lonely Island." Just watch the video and hear it for yourself. This win should earn him the Heisman single-handedly. He was already at the top of most lists as it is. This game also sends LSU back to where they belong. They were not the 7th best team in the country. Their offense plays too poorly. Anyway, enjoy the video. I think it is just a matter of time before Auburn jumps Boise State. That is, unless they lose at some point. Remember, the Iron Bowl against Alabama is coming up!

Kansas State Wildcats at Baylor Bears
UPSET SPECIAL FULFILLED!!!!
My prediction was Baylor wins 35 to 28
Final score: Bears 47, Wildcats 42
This was an upset yes. Kansas State was ranked and Baylor was not. That has changed now ad the Bears were able to hold off the Wildcats and get the "W." I picked this upset because of two words that I saw when poking around on espn.com's page dedicated to Baylor; Robert Griffin. Baylor's quarterback is a beast and he's really freaking good. He ended the game having thrown for 4 touchdowns and 404 yards. That is all I need to say.

Previous week's totals: 25-10
This week: 7-0
Overall: 32-10

Here is the AP Top 25 Poll just released for this week. It looks just about as I expected it to. Auburn is rising fast as is Missouri for their upset of #1 ranked Oklahoma (I cannot tell you how happy I am about that one for many reasons!). As long as number one's keep losing, things will look great for Boise State. Oregon better be careful when they head to Los Angeles next week to take on USC. Let's get ready for the Broncos to take on Louisiana Tech on Tuesday and go from there! Check back in tomorrow for my incredible breakdown of that match up!

Weekend Picks, 4th Edition (7th Week of the Season)

We are now looking at nothing besides WAC conference games and therefore my total number of contests to pick weekly is very low. Therefore, in order to have a larger post (and possibly to pad my stats by giving myself a better chance to get more right), I am going to choose some other match ups across the country and pick them as well. The game of the week has to be Nevada at Hawai’i. My decisions on other games will be based on what I think are interesting games and maybe teams that I like. Either way, there are some contests from which I must choose winners, so let’s get going!

Saturday, October 16 at 2 PM.

3-2 (0-0 WAC)
at

2-4 (1-1 WAC)

The Vandals are coming off of a bye week and will be refreshed, healthy, and excited to get back in action. At 3-2 and with bowl aspirations, they cannot afford to throw away any games that they are supposed to win. This week is one of those games. By all means Idaho has the better team, better players, and has been more consistent. They have somewhat struggled away from the comfy confines of the Kibbie Dome. However, they exercised their road demons against Western Michigan in their last game. Quarterback Nathan Enderle needs to stop throwing the ball to the other team in order for the Vandals to maintain success. On the other side of the field, the Bulldogs are coming off of an overwhelming upset of the Utah State Aggies. Their stats seem to be getting better as they have settled on Ross Jenkins handling the ball. But the big story is running back Lennon Creer tearing up the Aggies defense. Unfortunately for Louisiana Tech, Idaho is more consistent and a better squad than Utah State. They should pick up their second consecutive road victory of the season.
Prediction: Vandals 38, Bulldogs 21

Saturday, October 16 at 8:30 PM

1-4 (0-1 WAC)
at

3-2 (1-1 WAC)

The Aggies are riding high after finally winning a game this year. It was even sweeter as they triumphed over in-state rival New Mexico. Coach DeWayne Walker inserted freshman Andrew Manley at quarterback to spark his team to life. It worked as Manley lead his squad down the field for a game winning drive that ended in a field goal. The defense is still bad, but so is that of the Lobos. However, Fresno State is not New Mexico. Plus the Bulldogs are ready to go Hulk on their next opponent after getting smoked by Hawai’i at home last weekend. The Bulldogs have gotten away from what has traditionally been their identity; the running game. The offense has been Ryan Colburn pass-happy. I think the issue is that they don’t have a physical Ryan Mathews-like back to run through the middle. Expect Pat Hill to balance out the offense with a few more rushes against a poor Aggie defensive front. At home and with a lot to prove, Fresno State should win this game pretty easily.
Prediction: Bulldogs 42, Aggies 17

Saturday, October 16 at 9:30 PM

6-0 (1-0 WAC)
at

4-2 (2-0 WAC)

All of the sudden this one appears to be much more of a contest than what we expected at the beginning of the season. Nevada had a poor performance at home against San Jose State last weekend and will need to be a lot sharper if they want to take this one. I think they will be. Hawai’i has a poor defense and “Bird Leg” Kaepernick will be able to expose it using the zone read. Vai Taua will have another big game. As poor as the Rainbow Warrior’s secondary is, there will be some passes flying through the humid island air on Saturday night. At first thought, this game looks like a shoot out. In many ways it will be; there will be plenty of points scored. But Nevada has an OK defense this year and should be able to at least slow down QB Bryant Moniz and his group of outstanding receivers. A few turnovers one way or the other could be the difference in this contest. I think Nevada has enough defensive pride to not let there season be spoiled this early.
Prediction: Wolfpack 45, Rainbow Warriors 35

Saturday, October 16 at 6 PM
The moment of truth!

5-0 (1-0 WAC)
at

1-5 (0-1 WAC)

Historically San Jose has been an extremely tough place for the Broncos to play. Whether it’s Ian Johnson puncturing a lung or a tougher than normal Spartan defense forcing some Kellen Moore turnovers, San Jose State has been able to give Boise State all that it could handle. Remember the first Fiesta Bowl year when it took a late touchdown, an amazing catch on a two-point conversion, and a field goal as time expired for the Broncos to leave with the W? That will not be the case this year. This is a different Spartan team and a different Bronco team. They have gone in opposite directions. Coach Mike MacIntyre is in his first year as head coach and it has been rough. The Spartans have been decimated by injuries and rank dead freaking last in the nation in points scored per game. They average 10.3 a game. That is not enough to beat anybody. Quarterback Jordan LaSecla has played poorly and it is possible that MacIntyre may start looking for something different at that spot. At the same time the defense gives up almost 32 in each contest. Kellen Moore and his offensive line are unstoppable. They have only given up one sack and are reading and picking up blitzes perfectly. Plus Moore has gotten really proficient at disguising plays and who actually has the ball. As new wrinkles are added weekly (i.e. the “Wild Avery” that netted three touchdowns last week), the Boise State offense is nearly impossible to stop. On the other side of the ball, I contend that there is not a better starting front four in the nation than Baker, Winterswyk, McClellin, and Winn. They are ferocious and are racking up sacks and tackles for loss week in and week out. The one weakness of the defense has been the secondary. Kyle Wilson played a huge role that has not been completely filled yet. Still, they will get better as the season speeds ahead. Basically what I am saying is that San Jose State stands absolutely no chance of beating the third ranked Broncos. This will be a different game than it has been at Spartan Stadium in years past. It will get ugly fast and crescendo into a lopsided score-fest in favor of Boise State only paralleled by the events of two weeks ago in Las Cruces. It may even eclipse that. There is just too much fire power for the boys from Boise and not enough talent, wit, smarts, desire, or attitude to counter. The Broncos could play the worst game of their lives and it wouldn’t matter. I would be surprised if Boise State is not ahead by at least 21 points after the first quarter. It’s too bad San Jose State is having a down year; the WAC desperately needs quality competition. It won’t get it from the Spartans.
Prediction: Broncos 55, Spartans 7

Bonus Picks:

Thursday, October 14 at 5:30 PM

4-1 (1-1 Big 12)
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2-3 (0-1 Big 12)

The Wildcats are coming off of a disappointing loss at home to Nebraska. Not only did they lose, they barely fielded a competitive team out there, getting pummeled 48-13. It was surprising because it counted for their first loss of the season. For the Kansas State offense, they don’t pass the ball very well with Carson Coffman at quarterback. Running back Daniel Thomas is the bulk of their offense, having scored 6 touchdowns already. Kansas has appeared in my weekend picks before when they smoked New Mexico State 42-16. But the Jayhawks have been very up and down this year. Baylor owned them last weekend in Waco, but yet they beat a ranked Georgia Tech team early on in the season. There are problems all around. They can’t pass, run, or defend very well. Even though this game is at home, I don’t think Kansas has what it takes to pull off the upset over an angry Kansas State squad.
Prediction: Wildcats 28, Jayhawks 20

Saturday, October 16 at 1:30 PM

4-1 (1-1 SEC)
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6-0 (3-0 SEC)

Arkansas comes into this game having only lost once to the former number one team in the nation Alabama. They threw the game away with some ugly late interceptions. Still, quarterback Ryan Mallett is one of the top players in the nation and can do some damage with a group of great wide receivers. The offensive fault is their run game, which has not been very well thus far. Defensively, they rank 13th in the nation only giving up 15 points a game. They will have to be at their very best to win this contest. Auburn’s quarterback Cam Newton is well on his way to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. He probably won’t win it, but he will have earned it by his great play this season. His offense scores almost 37 points a game and is relentless. However, the Tigers’ defense has not been on par. Giving up 22 points a game will catch up to you eventually in the tough SEC. I think that this is the game that it happens. Still, why do I get the feeling that I am guessing this one totally wrong? Let's hope my upset special mojo is still alive!
Upset Special!
Prediction: Razorbacks 24, Tigers 21

Record coming into this weekend: 22-7

Make sure you come back tomorrow and catch my player to watch for Boise State’s game against the San Jose State Spartans!