College Football Thoughts, after the games on 10/25

[jdcord]

1.    I'm not sure what to think of the Big 12, because their out of conference schedule has been so weak.  Other than Missouri's close game against Illinois in week 1, and other than their games against each other, the rest of the teams have only played the Tennessee-Chattanooga's of the world - and Mizzou's victory over Illinois doesn't look near as good now as it did back in week 1 (the Illini have since proven that they weren't all that good to begin with).  So is Texas really the best team in the country??  I have no idea, since the Big 12 has thus far avoided anything resembling a measuring stick against non-conference opponents.  ........ oh yeah, I forgot one other non-conference game:  Kansas lost to South Florida, a slightly above average team that got manhandled by Louisville over the weekend.  Hmmmmmmmm... me thinks that Kansas may have been a tad bit overrated.  I guess we'll have to wait for the bowl games to see how the Big 12 stacks up against decent competition, and how good they really are (or perhaps aren't).


2.    I think that as things stand right now, I would take Alabama and/or Penn State in a neutral field matchup against Texas.  I think their defenses are way more impressive (and dominating) than anything the Big 12 has to offer this season - and IMO nasty tempered, hard hitting defenses still win championships.


3.    Considering what Oregon State's otherwise non-distinctive running back was able to do in their upset victory against USC, I'd really like to see how that week 1 matchup of USC at Virginia would go if it were played now.  I think that Cedric Pearman would pound USC's defense for over 200 yards rushing, and that Al Groh's team would pull off the upset.


4.    I think that Alabama vs. Penn State would be a much better (and a much more compelling) BCS title game matchup, than that of Texas against either one of them.


5.    Virginia Tech at Florida State:  the Hokies were down by 10 with something like 1:40 left in the game, with no time outs left, and they were faced with a 4th down .......... so, of course, out came the punting unit.         .... WHY ARE YOU PUNTING??  Upon hearing of this on the play-by-play, I became quite the driving hazard as I screamed bloody murder at my car's poor, innocent radio - but don't worry, I apologized to it later.   *L*    Seriously though, any trace of Frank Beamer's manhood disappeared the very moment he decided to call for the punting team.  What in the world was he thinking, "throwing in the towel" like that??