WBN College Football Wrap Up
Cool Uniforms do not Inspire Victory
As the Wildcats took the field in their all black uniforms for the first time ever, there was a sense of excitement in the air. The Cats looked determined in the first couple of series until Mississippi State put in Chris Relf and that was all she wrote. Relf has historically given Kentucky threats (as has every single duel quarterback ever) with the option game.
But not all was lost on Saturday night. Maxwell Smith took the reigns as Morgan Newton was put out of the game with an ankle injury. Newton was actually playing well up until that point, completing some mid-level and short passes and running for first downs. But it was not to be his night, as he first injured his right shoulder and then his ankle.
Maxwell Smith came into the game without much expectation. He had looked dreadful in very limited play this season. But Smith completed 15 of 17 passes for 126 yards and zero turnovers. He was sacked and roughed up multiple times but looked effective and more comfortable in the pocket than Newton.
Matt Roark had a career night with 13 receptions for 116 yards. Running backs Johnathan George and Coshik Williams shared carries and gained 105 yards on the ground and one touchdown between them.
As UK goes into this next game, Joker is going to have to make a decision. Does he stay with Smith or does he go with the horse he has been betting with the whole time in Morgan Newton. He has said that both players will split snaps at practice and they may share QB duties in the game. I for one think that rotating QBs in a game is an awful idea and I hope that Joker can just pick a guy and go with him.
Louisville could win the Big East. No, Really.
Riddle me this…Which team is one of the worst in college football but has a legit chance of winning their conference and go to a BCS game? The Louisville Cardinals.
The Dirty Birds are now 2-1 in the joke that is the Big East after they pounded Syracuse 27-10 on Saturday afternoon. Teddy Bridgewater is coming of age and had his best game of the season going 17-24 for 198 yards and two touchdowns. The kid has the goods and is going to be a star.
Louisville is now in a three way tie with West Virginia and Pitt for second place. Can Bridgewater continue to improve while the Cardinal defense continues to hold teams to low point totals? With only four games left, Louisville will play their toughest stretch of the season by visiting West Virginia and then hosting Pitt in the pizza box. I know, I chuckled when I saw that their toughest stretch of the season was going to be against those teams as well.
The sooner the Big East goes away, the better.
The World Awaits the Show Down
While Oklahoma State continued to roll, Georgia took care of business against Florida, and Stanford held off USC in a great triple overtime game, the rest of the college football world had it’s sites set on probably the biggest non-championship regular season game in years.
Of course I am talking about LSU vs. Alabama this Saturday. The game has an NFL aura around it and many believe that the winner of this game will be crowned the BCS champ eventually. Some even think that these two teams could face each other again in the BCS championship game. After all, this is the BCS. Stranger things have happened.
There were also some wacky upsets this weekend as Iowa State throttled Texas Tech, Ohio State took down Wisconsin and Georgia Tech blew the doors off of Clemson. Arkansas barely avoided a huge upset as Vanderbilt hooked a game tying field goal wide right and Michigan State floundered at Nebraska.
There are about four elite teams left in college football and two of them did not play this past Saturday.
BCS Top 10
Clemson exits as Oklahoma reenters the top 10. Stanford also moves ahead of Boise State (thankfully) and Nebraska is also welcomed back into the top 10.
1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Oklahoma State
4. Stanford
5. Boise State
6. Oklahoma
7. Arkansas
8. Oregon
9. South Carolina
10. Nebraska
Conference Count: SEC has 4 teams, Big 12 has 2 teams, Big 10 has 1 team, Pac 12 has 2 teams and Boise State. There is no doubt who the Big Dog of the BCS is.
Picks
I went 3-3 on the week as I wrongly picked the Gators and the Patriots to win and I picked the Cardinals to lose. I am now 29-14 on the season. Still, very respectable.
NFL Note: Tim Tebow could not repeat last Sunday’s magic as he looked dreadful against the Lions. But to be fair, the entire Bronco team is horrid and Tebow got zero protection from his offensive line. He will have his growing pains but maybe one day he will be a pro bowl NFL quarterback. Maybe the new Tebowing should be laying down flat on your back in public because that was where Tebow was during most of the game yesterday afternoon.
The Week to Come
Kentucky welcomes Ole Miss for the battle of the worst in the SEC. If Kentucky loses this game then don’t expect them to win one the rest of the year and also expect the calls for Joker’s job to grow to an all time high. If he botches this QB controversy and loses to Ole Miss, then I don’t see anyway he can save his job.
The Cards travel to Morgantown to take on the Mountaineers of West Virginia. Louisville fans thinking of going on this trip to see your team play should stay home. The fans from West Virginia are steamed about Louisville trying to sabotage their Big 12 acceptance and the result will not be pretty. Those people are insane. haven’t you seen Deliverance?
Alabama and LSU play Saturday. No big deal.
Have a good Halloween morning. I will be back later with headlines and then even later tonight with my take on Coach Cal’s big problem. It’s a busy Monday.
Warren Zevon wants you to have a safe Halloween, kids:
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