Ah yes, these were much happier times for Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow at last year's Heisman Ceremony. But this year, things have changed. While Florida is still the nation's #1 team looking for a repeat, Tim Tebow has a tenuous grasp on his health and Heisman chances. Sam Bradford's Week 1 injury derailed his chances for a Heisman repeat, as well as the Sooners title hopes. But, he returns this week to face Colt McCoy in the Red River Shootout, looking for redemption of his own. The biggest week of College Pig to date, right here, Hot off the Grill!
Big Kielbasa's Game Of the Week - #3 Texas (5-0) vs. #20 Oklahoma (3-2)
Once again, the Red River Shootout (or Rivalry, depending on how PC you're feeling today) has national title implications. Of course, the matchup would be more tantalizing if not for Oklahoma's two losses and QB Sam Bradford's return from injury. Still, there's nothing more the Sooners would love than to keep Texas from going undefeated. While the beginning of the season would have cast this as a glamour QB matchup, the game will really be up to the defenses. Oklahoma has had injury issues all year, and their defense has been especially hit. However, Colt McCoy has struggled this season (compared to last) and the real Heisman candidate in this game might be Texas WR/KR Jordan Shipley (above). Shipley was the player of the game in last year's installment, and should have another huge week.
Meanwhile, Texas' top 5 defense will be going against a patchwork Oklahoma offensive line that has already let Sam Bradford get injured once this year. I have a feeling Bradford might be wondering why he came back from injury in time for this game after he spends most of Saturday staring up at the Cotton Bowl stands. PICK-Texas
Beer Brat's Spotlight Game Of the Week - #6 USC (4-1) @ #25 Notre Dame (4-1)
Our spotlight game takes us to the shadows of TouchDown Jesus and the campus of Notre Dame. USC comes to South Bend looking to keep their BCS title hopes alive while ND is looking to just get into the BCS for the first time since 2006. USC is coming into the game healthy for the first time in weeks. Even though they are without Stafon Johnson, who thankfully was released from the hospital this week, they still boast a remarkable amount of talent around freshmen QB Matt Barkley, who should face a much more friendly defense than he did at Columbus earlier this season. And, Notre Dame is still without their #1 offensive threat, WR Michael Floyd. So, all the signs are pointing towards a USC victory, right...WRONG! There's some strange magic surrounding Notre Dame this season. More importantly, Charlie Weis admitted the Irish finally "believe" they can beat USC for the first time in the Weis era (good job coaching your players, Charlie!) Jimmy Clausen will lead another late-second score and catapult himself to the front of the Heisman Watch. PICK-ND
Chorizo's Upset Of the Week - #11 Iowa (6-0) @ Wisconsin (5-1)
The bloom will finally be off the rose this week for the Hawkeyes. Wisconsin really should have done better against Ohio State, but it's hard to win on the road when you give up 21 points to the opposing defense and special teams. At home, the Badgers should be much more comfortable. For Iowa, this will be the first legitimate team they have played all year, outside of Penn St. who forgot to show up at home. While Iowa is a 3 point favorite, Wisconsin will win by double digits, book it! PICK-Wisconsin
Andouille's Under the Radar Game - #4 Virginia Tech (5-1) @ #19 Georgia Tech (5-1)
Our underrated game of the week is in the ACC where Va. Tech takes on Ga. Tech in a battle for Coastal Division superiority (I've just realized how bad Coastal Division sounds, what's wrong with directions?) Va. Tech has been playing well all season because QB Tyrod Taylor hasn't made mistakes. Meanwhile, Ga. Tech also seems to have righted the ship after their hiccup against the Hurricanes. This should be a hard-fought, defensive affair, but Taylor makes the difference with his dual-threat ability. PICK-Va. Tech
Hot Dog Of The Week - Todd Reesing - QB Kansas
With all the big name quarterbacks in the Big 12 over the last two years, one man has been consistently overlooked, Kansas QB Todd Reesing. Reesing leads an offense that is Top 5 in the nation in both scoring and yards, and last week he found former QB turned WR Kerry Meier a school-record 16 times and fellow WR Dezmon Briscoe 12 times. While the Jayhawks undefeated record should take a hit at some point this season, Colorado won't be the one to do it this week. Expect Reesing to have another huge day Saturday.
Extra Toppings -
-What a win for Cincinnati last night at South Florida. Even after losing QB Tony Pike to injury, backup Zach Collaros made enough plays with his feet to pad the lead and let a ferocious defense shut down USF.
-The one bad thing for the Bearcats is the injury to Pike. There goes another Heisman hopeful. But, it doesn't look like a serious injury, so the fans of Cincinnati shouldn't worry too much, he should be healthy for the big games at the end of the season.
-One more Big East note, I can't disagree enough with the lazy talking heads at ESPN who say an undefeated Cincinnati doesn't deserve a national title shot. That's complete BS. West Virginia, facing the same competition, with a weaker out-of-conference schedule, was in position two years ago to make the national title game, and I didn't hear anyone complaining. Is this an Ohio bias at the WWL? Is it because Cincinnati is a "basketball" school? Who knows, but if an undefeated UC is beat out by a one-loss Va. Tech or Texas, you can bet the BCS will once again be a national pinata.
-Boise did just enough to beat Tulsa Wednesday night in one of their stiffest remaining tests of the season. As they keep winning will they stay stagnant in the polls or move past teams that lose?
-While the games we profiled will be huge, there aren't very many more appetizing games the rest of the way. This week's high profile matchups will be looked at towards the end of the season to determine the championship contenders.
-More picks from our friends at Rumors & Rants as they profile even more of the games across campus this week.
-How much do you want to bet you'll see a stat about Matt Barkley becoming the first Freshman to ever win in Columbus and South Bend if he beats ND?
-Please, someone play like you want to win the Heisman Trophy.
Randall's Got His Eye On You... Terrelle Pryor
The biggest recruit in the history of college football is now under a lot of pressure. Pryor's performances this season have been lackluster this season. He's hesitant to use his skilled running ability, his passing has been somewhere in the JaMarcus Russell territory, and now the critics and skeptics are out in full force. Folks forget that he's a sophomore, but in the win right now society, people want more out of the lad. He's got a stretch of easy games to get things right before the showdowns with Penn St, Iowa, and Michigan starting this week at Purdue, so he needs to start playing well before the walls close in for good.
Hot Off The Grill is back with our look ahead at Week 6 in the National. Football. League. Y1's Saints are coming...
No comments:
Post a Comment