FINALISTS - Gale Sayers Award

In the highlight reel age, we figured we should have an award for the most elusive skill player. Ironically it is named for a player who made his living quite some time before the highlight reel age. The award goes to the most elusive skill player in America - a guy that defenders just can't seem to wrap up. Obviously, having a strong highlight package will play into the voting.
2008 Winner - Jahvid Best (RB, California)

Last year's winner was dropped from consideration when he added one of the most gruesome injuries I have ever seen to his highlight reel. Best is a great player, but now I can't think about him without remembering that awful concussion he suffered after leaping into the end zone against Oregon State.

I have whittled the list of finalists down to the final five. Here is the pertinent info for each of them, in alphabetical order.

2009 Finalists:

DEZMON BRISCOE (Jr. WR, Kansas)

A relative unknown on this list, Briscoe has been one of the best go-to receivers in the nation for the past couple seasons. He can make the big catch AND has the speed to take it the distance.
2009 Stats:
84 receptions for 1,337 yards (15.4 avg) and 9 touchdowns;
1 kickoff return touchdown;
1 rushing touchdown

Highlights:


MARDY GILYARD (Sr. WR, Cincinnati)

Gilyard has the knack for making his biggest plays when the team needs it most. See the 99-yard kickoff return for touchdown late in the first half when trailing by 21 against Pittsburgh on the last day of the regular season for evidence.
2009 Stats:
80 receptions for 1,150 yards (14.4 avg) and 11 touchdowns;
34 kickoff returns for 1,074 yards (31.6 avg) and 2 touchdowns;
16 punt returns for 202 yards (12.6 avg) and 1 touchdown

Highlights:


JEREMY KERLEY (Jr. WR, TCU)

Sure, Kerley might not get nearly as many touches as the other guys on this list, but that only means he has a higher percentage of highlights per touch. The chances of Kerley winning the Sayers isn't high, but his punt return for touchdown against Colorado State this year is enough by itself to make him a finalist.
2009 Stats:
38 receptions for 467 yards (12.3 avg) and 2 touchdowns;
34 punt returns for 487 yards (14.3 avg) and 2 touchdowns;
17 kickoff returns for 457 yards (26.9 avg);
50 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns

Highlight:


JACQUIZZ RODGERS (Soph. RB, Oregon State)

You should probably get used to seeing Rodgers' name on the list of Finalists for the Sayers Award. Only a sophomore, Rodgers is already putting together quite a string of impressive plays and drawing comparisons to the one and only Barry Sanders.
2009 Stats:
255 carries for 1,377 yards (5.4 avg) and 20 touchdowns;
74 receptions for 509 yards (6.9 avg) and 1 touchdown;
1 passing touchdown

Highlights:


C.J. SPILLER (Sr. RB, Clemson)

I'm not the biggest Spiller fan in the world, but there is no way you can ignore his sheer athleticism. He practically defines what this award is about. When Spiller gets his hands on the ball in the open field, there isn't a defender alive (other than maybe Fred Smoot) who thinks he has a good chance at taking him down.
2009 Stats:
201 carries for 1,145 yards (5.7 avg) and 11 touchdowns;
21 kickoff returns for 708 yards (33.7 avg) and 4 touchdowns;
33 receptions for 445 yards (13.5 avg) and 4 touchdowns;
8 punt returns for 210 yards (26.3 avg) and 1 touchdown;
1 passing touchdown

Highlight:

JP Top 25 - Week 10

With apologies to Nevada and San Jose State, who are set to play later tonight, here is my top 25 following an exciting week ten.

1. Texas (Record: 9-0, Last Week: 1)
The Longhorns continue to look like the best team in the nation, with the best balance of offense, defense, and special teams.

2. Alabama (9-0, LW: 2)
A gutty performance by the Crimson Tide showed this team has what it takes to fight through tough times and still come out victorious.

3. Florida (9-0, LW: 3)
Offensively, Florida is easily the worst team among the top teams in the nation. Allow me to be the first to predict the Gators will be BETTER on offense in 2010 when John Brantley takes over the QB spot. He's got a much better arm and will really help open things up. Whether he can win like Tebow or not will be the real discussion in the offseason.

4. TCU (9-0, LW: 4)
I'm making the road trip to Fort Worth to watch the game of the week in person next weekend. TCU hosts Utah, their last big test of the season.

5. Georgia Tech (9-1, LW: 6)
Paul Johnson's gutsy call to go for it on fourth down late in the fourth quarter while trailing Wake Forest shows the confidence he has in his offense right now.

6. Cincinnati (9-0, LW: 7)
The Bearcats had to hang on tight to beat UConn, which shined a spotlight on a defense that might not be as good as we previously thought. And I now firmly believe Brian Kelly can plug any quarterback on his roster into the lineup and score points. Kelly clearly prepares his quarterbacks better than just about anybody in America.

7. Boise State (9-0, LW: 8)
Boise had another mid-week close call, but I still believe the defense on this team ranks them as a legitimate top 10 team. The Broncos nearly jumped Cincinnati in my poll this week.

8. Pittsburgh (8-1, LW: 11)
The next time I hear Pitt mentioned in the national conversation will be the first. Right now, the gap in the Big East between Cincinnati and Pitt is razor thin. Bill Stull and Dion Lewis have the offense humming, and the defense - a Wannstedt specialty - is coming together nicely as well. Don't be surprised if the Panthers end up with the Big East's BCS bowl bid.

9. Oregon (7-2, LW: 9)
Looks like Oregon isn't what everybody thought they were. I kept having flashbacks to that opening night game where they looked like a bottom ten team (not a top ten team) against Boise State, which prevented me from raving about this team as much as everybody else did.

10. USC (7-2, LW: 12)
The Trojans looked absolutely average in defeating Arizona State on the road Saturday night. Maybe Oregon's big win wasn't as big as it first seemed.

11. Ohio State (8-2, LW: 14)
12. LSU (7-2, LW: 10)
13. Virginia Tech (6-3, LW: 15)
14. Miami (7-2, LW: 16)
15. Iowa (9-1, LW: 5)
16. Penn State (8-2, LW: 13)
17. Arizona (6-2, LW: 19)
18. Utah (8-1, LW: 20)
19. Oregon State (6-3, LW: 24)
20. Houston (8-1, LW: 22)
21. Oklahoma State (7-2, LW: 23)
22. South Florida (6-2, LW: 21)
23. Stanford (6-3, LW: NR)
24. Tennessee (5-4, LW: NR)
25. BYU (7-2, LW: NR)

Just missed the cut:
Wisconsin, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Auburn, West Virginia, Clemson

Big East Preview

Projected Records & Standings

1. CINCINNATI          8-4  (5-2)
2. RUTGERS             9-3  (5-2)
3. WEST VIRGINIA       8-4  (5-2)
4. PITTSBURGH          7-5  (4-3)
5. CONNECTICUT         6-6  (4-3)
6. SOUTH FLORIDA       5-7  (2-5)
7. LOUISVILLE          5-7  (2-5)
8. SYRACUSE            3-9  (1-6)

Co-Champions: CINCINNATI, RUTGERS, WEST VIRGINIA

It’s only fitting that the worst of the BCS Conferences ends in a three-way tie. None of the trio of Cincinnati, Rutgers, or West Virginia are solid enough to win the conference outright, but each has the potential to.

Cincinnati is probably the safest bet, with senior Tony Pike returning at quarterback along with weapons like WR/PR Mardy Gilyard and RB Isaiah Pead. But there are huge question marks on defense, especially in the secondary.

Rutgers has the least experience among skill position players, but they have the easiest schedule and have potentially the best offensive and defensive lines in the conference.

West Virginia has arguably the most talent, including senior quarterback Jarrett Brown, who has patiently waited his turn to take over for Pat White. But the Mountaineers still seem to be in a transitional period after the coaching change a year ago. If Bill Stewart can regain the consistency the program had under Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia will be the team to beat in the Big East.

Question the Hype: CINCINNATI
Head coach Brian Kelly was the hot name all offseason. He was mentioned for most of the big openings on the coaching carousel and was recently been named one of the top five best head coaches by The Sporting News. But Cincinnati loses 10 starters off a defense that held the team together while the Bearcats offense suffered through injury after injury at the quarterback position. Isaiah Pead should be an upgrade in the running game, and Mardy Gilyard is a threat to score whenever he touches the ball, but Cincy will need to score more than the 25.9 points they averaged in 2008 in order to keep their spot atop the Big East.

Could Surprise: LOUISVILLE
I’ve been tooting the horn of Steve Kragthorpe for the past two years, urging Louisville fans to be patient – Kragthorpe had quite the house-cleaning project upon arriving in the wake of the Bobby Petrino mess. Well, it’s Year 3 now and so far, not-so-good. But I still have faith in Kragthorpe. He’s gotten rid of just about all the excess baggage and trimmed the roster down to guys who actually want to play football for him. With RB Victor Anderson and a decent receiving corps, I am keeping my eyes on Louisville as a team that could make a significant jump up the Big East standings if a couple breaks fall their way.

Bo Jackson Trophy Candidates:
Top 3:
RB-Noel Devine, West Virginia
WR-Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati
OT-Anthony Davis, Rutgers

Ten to Watch:
RB-Victor Anderson, Louisville
RB-Antwon Bailey, Syracuse
WR-Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
WR-Doug Beaumont, Louisville
QB-Jarrett Brown, West Virginia
RB-Delone Carter, Syracuse
QB-Matt Grothe, South Florida
QB-Tony Pike, Cincinnati
OT-Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh
WR-Mike Williams, Syracuse

Arrington Trophy Candidates:
Top 3:
DE-George Selvie, South Florida
DT-Arthur Jones, Syracuse
DT-Mick Williams, Pittsburgh

Ten to Watch:
FS-Nate Allen, South Florida
NT-Scooter Berry, West Virginia
LB-Ryan D’Imperio, Rutgers
LB-Adam Gunn, Pittsburgh
LB-Scott Lutrus, Connecticut
CB-Devin McCourty, Rutgers
DE-Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh
LB-Reed Williams, West Virginia
LB-Kion Wilson, South Florida
LB-Lawrence Wilson, Connecticut

Sproles/Sauerbrun Award Finalists

SPROLES/SAUERBRUN AWARD

The Sproles/Sauerbrun Award was founded to recognize excellence in special teams. It gets its name from Kansas State return man Darren Sproles and legendary West Virginia punter Todd Sauerbrun. The award can be given to a kicker, a punter, a return man, or even a player that displays a special ability to run down and make hits on kick coverage.

This award has the longest list of finalists due to its all-inclusive criteria, but all eight of the following candidates warrant being considered finalists.

J.Pike's Finalists

JOE BURNETT
(Senior KR/PR, Central Florida)
Key Stats
KR: 26 returns for 745 yards;
28.7 avg, 2 td (long 91);
PR: 26 returns for 378 yards;
14.5 avg, long of 36;
1,123 total return yards, 2 touchdowns


MARDY GILYARD
(Junior KR, Cincinnati)
Key Stats
KR: 32 returns for 897 yards;
28.0 avg, 2 td (long 100);
Huge game against Oklahoma - 5 returns for 246 yards, 1 td



BRANDON JAMES
(Junior PR/KR, Florida)
Key Stats
PR: 36 returns for 509 yards;
14.1 avg, 2 td (long 78);
KR: 29 returns for 687 yards;
23.7 avg, long of 52;
1,196 total return yards, 2 touchdowns


A.J. JEFFERSON
(Junior KR, Fresno State)
Key Stats
KR: 31 returns for 908 yards;
29.3 avg, 1 td (long 92);
One of Fresno's main scoring threats




JEREMY MACLIN
(Sophomore KR/PR, Missouri)
Key Stats
KR: 41 returns for 987 yards;
24.1 avg, 1 td (long 99);
PR: 19 returns for 188 yards;
9.9 avg, long of 46;
Excellent speed - a threat to score every time he touches the ball;
1,175 total return yards, 1 touchdown

JACOB RICHARDSON
(Senior P, Miami-OH)
Key Stats
52 punts, 45.4 avg (4th nationally);
17 punts of 50+ yards, long of 74;
18 punts inside 20 yard line;
6 fair catches, only 7 touchbacks



LOUIE SAKODA
(Senior K/P, Utah)
Key Stats
115 total points (7th nationally);
21/23 FGs, 52/53 XPTs;
8/10 FGs over 40 yards, long of 53;
Hit game winning field goal on last play against Oregon State;
50 punts, 41.7 avg, long of 81;
21 punts inside 20 yard line;
16 fair catches, only 9 touchbacks

DERRICK WILLIAMS
(Senior KR/PR, Penn State)
Key Stats
KR: 18 returns for 486 yards;
27.0 avg, 2 td (long 94);
PR: 18 returns for 169 yards;
9.4 avg, 1 td (long 63);
655 total return yards, 3 touchdowns;
Averaged one touchdown every 12 returns


J.Pike's Honorable Mention

BRANDON TATE
(Senior PR/KR, North Carolina)
Key Stats
PR: 7 returns for 158 yards;
22.6 avg, 1 td (long 82);
KR: 11 returns for 305 yards;
27.7 avg, long of 56
Tate was well on his way to a fantastic senior season when he tore up his knee in the sixth game of the season. Although he isn't technically considered a finalist for the Sproles/Sauerbrun Award, his play through six games warrants at least a mention here because he was one of the favorites to win the award at the time of his injury.

WEEK FIFTEEN - Preview

#19 Pitt (8-3) at UConn (7-4)
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN)
Pittsburgh seems to be finding their stride of late, but winning in Storrs, Connecticut is never easy. This matchup features two of the best running backs in the Big East Conference in Pitt's LeSean McCoy and UConn's Donald Brown. I like UConn to upset the ever-underachieving Panthers here on the shoulders of their defense and Brown's running.
J.Pike's Pick: UConn 27, Pitt 24

Army (3-8) vs Navy (7-4)
@ Philadelphia, PA
(Saturday, 11 am, CBS)
Sure, Navy has won six games in a row by a commanding average score of 40-12; and the records look to be lopsided yet again in 2008. But since Stan Brock called out his team early this season, the Cadets have been playing a lot better. This game also happens to feature the bottom two ranked passing attacks in Division 1A. The two teams combined average a paltry 109.2 yards per game through the air; both have played a full game in the 2008 season without completing a pass; and both teams have attempted fewer than five passes in a game four times. Don't be surprised if you don't see a single pass thrown today. What that means is that this game will come down to who wants it more. Army has been blown out six years in a row, and even though it looks on paper like they'll get blown out again, I think this is the year they break the streak.
J.Pike's Pick: Army 20, Navy 17

Washington (0-11) at #24 California (7-4)
(Saturday, 2 pm, FSN)
Cal shouldn't have any problems putting the capper on Washington's winless season.
J.Pike's Pick: California 42, Washington 12

#6 USC (10-1), at UCLA (4-7)
(Saturday, 3:30 pm, ABC)
I really wish people would quit blaming the Bruins awful season on Karl Dorrell. For one thing, he's not the coach anymore, and secondly, at least he made it to a bowl game with this team last year. UCLA isn't bad because Karl Dorrell "couldn't recruit", they are bad because they ran a perfectly good coach out of town to hire that dirtbag Rick Neuheisel. Have fun going 4-8 for the next three years, Bruins.
J.Pike's Pick: USC 36, UCLA 6

#21 Missouri (9-3) vs #3 Oklahoma (11-1)
@ St. Louis, MO
(Saturday, 7 pm, ABC)
I'd like to point out that I didn't include this game in the writeup for the conference championship games because I don't recognize this as a conference championship game. It's hard for me to understand how the winner of this game can be considered the Big XII Champ when there is team sitting at home that beat both of these teams during the regular season, and has an equal or better record than both of them. So call me a hater if you must, but I'm considering this just another regular season Big XII matchup and handing the de-facto Big XII title to Texas, no matter what the outcome here is.
J.Pike's Pick: I hope it snows.

#11 Cincinnati (10-2) at Hawaii (7-5)
(Saturday, 10:30 pm, ESPN 2)
Big East champion Cincinnati has a BCS bowl berth locked up and a Heisman hopeful at quarterback, but they are no lock to win on the island. The Warriors had a rough start to the season but they have finally settled on a quarterback. Junior Greg Alexander has started the last five games and played well, leading the team to a 4-1 record over that stretch. But Cincinnati has secret weapon Tony Pike in the shotgun. Pike will be able to lead a late Bearcat touchdown drive to win the game if necessary.
J.Pike's Pick: Cincinnati 27, Hawaii 25

Tony Pike is headed to the BCS

After clinching a BCS bowl last week with the win over Pittsburgh, Tony Pike and the Cincinnati Bearcats set out to win the Big East Championship outright with a win over Syracuse on Saturday.

Pike led the Bearcats to their 10th win of the season, tying a school record. Cincinnati looks downright unstoppable right now thanks to the steady play of its junior quarterback.

Next up for the Bearcats is a trip to the islands to face Hawaii. One more chance for Tony Pike to perform in front of the Heisman voters and get his name on the list early for next season.

The Tony Pike Stat Line
Passing: 28/44 (63.6%) for 272 yards, 2 td, 1 int
Rushing: 9 attempts for -2 yards

See sidebar for season stats

WEEK FOURTEEN - Top 25 Preview (Part I)

#6 Penn State (11-1) is IDLE
NEXT: BCS Bowl game (completed regular season)

#8 Utah (12-0) is IDLE
NEXT: BCS Bowl game (completed regular season)


#17 Georgia Tech (8-3) at #9 Georgia (9-2)
(Saturday, 11 am, CBS)
The Peach State rivalry wasn't expected to be this up in the air. Georgia was the preseason #1 team in the land and Georgia Tech was supposed to suffer the growing pains that go along with breaking in a new head coach. Now it looks like Georgia Tech is the team on the rise and Georgia is the program treading water. Georgia has a couple elements that give them the edge here though. One is obviously running back Knowshon Moreno. Moreno is the antidote to Georgia Tech's excellent defensive line, and I think he'll eventually get the better of that matchup. The second is the speed and experience the Bulldogs possess on the defensive side of the ball. Whereas Miami struggled to stay disciplined against Paul Johnson's triple option attack, Rennie Curran and company will be in the right place at the right time to slow down Josh Nesbitt and Jonathan Dwyer.
J.Pike's Pick: Georgia 28, Georgia Tech 24

#10 Ohio State (10-2) is IDLE
NEXT: Bowl game (completed regular season)

#12 TCU (10-2) is IDLE
NEXT: Bowl game (completed regular season)

Kansas (6-5) vs #13 Missouri (9-2)
@Kansas City, MO
(Saturday, 11:30 am, FSN)
There isn't nearly as much pizzazz in this matchup as there was a year ago when a tickets to both the Big XII and National Title games were on the line for both teams. To put it quite simply, Kansas isn't as good as they were a year ago. Without players like Aqib Talib and Brandon McAnderson, the Jayhaks are without any legitimate weapons. Missouri has proven themselves to be overrated as well, but with Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin there is still enough firepower on hand to score points in a hurry.
J.Pike's Pick: Missouri 38, Kansas 27

Fresno State (7-4) at #14 Boise State (11-0)
(Friday, 5 pm, ESPN 2)
Boise's perfect season is on the line against Fresno State. The defense fell apart down the stretch against Nevada last week - nearly blowing second half leads of 31-10 and 41-24. Now that a BCS Bowl berth looks unlikely for the Broncos (Utah will likely take their spot), how much do they have to play for? Fortunately for Boise, Fresno State quarterback Tom Brandstater has been playing poorly all season and doesn't appear to be capable of leading an upset charge.
J.Pike's Pick: Boise State 30, Fresno State 27

#23 Oregon (8-3) at #15 Oregon State (8-3)
(Saturday, 6 pm, Versus)
If you can believe it, the Pac-10 title is on the line north of the California border Saturday night. The Oregon State Beavers hold the tie breaker advantage over USC thanks to their head-to-head win early in the season. So if Mike Riley's troops can win this game, the Beavers - not the Trojans - will be getting the automatic BCS bid. Mighty Mite freshman Jacquizz Rodgers is questionable for the game, but I don't care. Oregon State is fired up and still has plenty of speed to spare in James Rodgers and Sammie Stroughter.
J.Pike's Pick: Oregon State 35, Oregon 28

Syracuse (3-8) at #16 Cincinnati (9-2)
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN360.com)
Tony Pike and the Bearcats can clinch the Big East title and a BCS bowl berth with a win over Syracuse Saturday. Pike has Heisman eyes watching, so expect him to take full advantage of an outmanned Syracuse team and put up another 300-yards passing.
J.Pike's Pick: Cincinnati 27, Syracuse 13

Maryland (7-4) at #18 Boston College (8-3)
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC/ESPN 2)
Welcome to the ACC where chaos reins supreme. Boston College enters this contest ranked and favored - which means you can count on Maryland for the win. Quarterback Chris Crane is out for the season with a broken collarbone, which means Dominique Davis will get the starting nod. Davis led the game winning drive against Wake Forest a week ago and brings a lot more athleticism to the position. But he doesn't have the same grasp of the offense that Crane developed over the course of the season, so the playbook will be limited. Maryland quarterback Chris Turner generally plays his best against ranked opponents, so look for the Terps to make up for their poor showing against Florida State last weekend with a win on the road over the Eagles.
J. Pike's Pick: Maryland 20, Boston College 14

#19 California (7-4) is IDLE
NEXT: vs. Washington (0-11)

#21 Michigan State (9-3) is IDLE
NEXT: Bowl game (completed regular season)

#22 West Virginia (7-3) at Pittsburgh (7-3)
(Friday, 11 am, ABC)
West Virginia's national title dreams were squashed by a Pitt in an upset last year. This year there won't be nearly as many national viewers because neither team is really all that good. Mountaineer speed, in the form of Pat White and Noel Devine, will get their revenge though.
J.Pike's Pick: West Virginia 27, Pittsburgh 24

Mississippi State (4-7) at #24 Ole Miss (7-4)
(Friday, 11:30 am, Raycom)
The Egg Bowl is an underrated rivalry. It's not always the best football, but for some reason I still watch it. Houston Nutt has Ole Miss on the rise in the SEC, and they have a lot more offensive firepower than Mississippi State will be able to muster.
J.Pike's Pick: Ole Miss 24, Mississippi State 13

#25 Ball State (12-0) is IDLE
NEXT: MAC Championship Game vs. Buffalo (7-4)

Tony Pike is Unstoppable

In the thick of races for both the Big East title and the Heisman, Tony Pike played the best game of his career in a huge victory over rival Pittsburgh on Saturday. Pike led the Bearcats to their first victory over Pitt in the school's history, and inched closer to clinching the Big East title.

Pike was nearly perfect throwing the ball (only 6 incomplete passes in 32 attempts), but most impressive were his rushing attempts. Despite playing with a broken left arm, Pike was called on to run a handful of quarterback draws. Pitt had no answer. Take it from Dave Wannstedt:

"We had no answer fot that quarterback. He was incredible."

That's right, Pike was "incredible." That's no surprise to us here at Pikes Picks though.

A win over Syracuse next week will guarantee Cincinnati a slot in the BCS, which means a Pike will finally get to play in a BCS game.

The Tony Pike Stat Line
Passing: 26/32 (81.3%) for 309 yards, 3 td, 0 int
Rushing: 9 attempts for 33 yards

See sidebar for season stats

WEEK THIRTEEN - Top 25 Preview (Part I: 11-25)

#11 Boise State at Nevada

(Saturday, 3 pm)
This should be a great game out in the WAC. Nevada is on the rise thanks to the play of quarterback Collin Kaepernick, but Boise's unsung defense will be the difference.
J.Pike's Pick: Boise State 27, Nevada 23

#12 Oklahoma State is IDLE

#14 Missouri is IDLE

#15 Pittsburgh at #19 Cincinnati
(Saturday, 6:15 pm, ESPN 2)
Let's see, we've got a wildly inconsistent Pittsburgh team with a wildly inconsistent LeSean McCoy at running back going up against Tony Pike and and the surging Cincinnati Bearcats. The Big East title will probably go to the winner, so look for Tony Pike to make another Heisman statement with a huge game.
J.Pike's Pick: Cincinnati 24, Pittsburgh 20

Air Force at #16 TCU
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, Versus)
This is a full blown upset alert here. With all the talk about Gary Patterson leaving TCU to coach somewhere else, will the TCU players be fired up to play this game? I have my doubts. What I don't doubt is the Air Force Academy's ability to keep this game close and turn an Andy Dalton mistake into the game winning points down the stretch.
J.Pike's Pick: Air Force 19, TCU 16

#17 Oregon State at Arizona
(Saturday, 6 pm, Versus)
Oregon State is flying under the radar right now, but they actually control their own destiny in the Pac-10. Win out, and the Beavers will get the nod for a BCS game ahead of USC. Winning in the desert isn't as difficult as it once was, and I think the speed of the Rodgers' brothers will be too much for Arizona to match. Get ready to land back on that hot seat, Mikey.
J.Pike's Pike: Oregon State 31, Arizona 20

N.C. State at #18 North Carolina
(Saturday, 11 am, Raycom/ESPN360.com)
N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson has a bright future leading the Wolfpack. But in 2008 the Tar Heels are still the better team.
J.Pike's Pick: North Carolina 24, N.C. State 14

Ole Miss at #21 LSU
(Saturday, 2:0 pm, CBS)
After last week's gut check against Troy, LSU might be ready to finally grow up as a team this season. Houston Nutt has had an immediate impact on Ole Miss, turning them into a pesky up-and-comer in the SEC. The quarterback play in this game will be anything but stellar, so it will probably come down to who can control the line of scrimmage. LSU has the advantage there.
J.Pike's Pick: LSU 27, Ole Miss 20

#22 Boston College at Wake Forest
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC/ESPN 2)
I'm glad people are finally starting to see Riley Skinner for what he is: an average quarterback with a flimsy arm. The Demon Deacons are trailing off just as I expected this season because they lost too many key weapons. Conversely, Boston College is proving they still have life after Matt Ryan. Mark Herzlich is a big part of the Eagles' success. The linebacker is fantastic in coverage, and he's even a menace on special teams.
J.Pike's Pick: Boston College 21, Wake Forest 6

Florida State at #25 Maryland
(Saturday, 6:45 pm, ESPN)
Keep me away from the ACC. These games tend to go exactly the opposite of what I expect. Since I'm expecting Maryland to continue their dominance at home this season, and quarterback Chris Turner to continue playing his best against top opponents, I'll go with the Seminoles. As a side note, starting FSU safety Myron Rolle will miss most of this game because he is interviewing to become a Rhodes Scholar. Impressive.
J.Pike's Pick: Florida State 23, Maryland 17

Tony Pike Update

Surprise surprise. Cincinnati finally got a Pike at quarterback and they won the Keg of Nails for the first time in six years.

It was a soggy Friday night, but that didn't stop junior quarterback Tony Pike from throwing for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns against rival Louisville. Despite trailing 17-14 at halftime, Pike and the Bearcats dominated the second half en route to a 28-20 win.

Unfortunately Pike was knocked out of the game in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury.

The Tony Pike Stat Line
Passing: 19/33 (57.6%) for 250 yards, 2 td, 1 int
Rushing: 3 attempts for 2 yards

See sidebar for season stats

WEEK TWELVE - Midweek Games

#19 Virginia Tech @ Miami

(Thursday, 6:30 pm, ESPN)
Miami’s group of super-frosh encounter yet another hurdle tonight with the 19th ranked Hokies coming to town. Virginia Tech has a freshman phenom of its own in running back Darren Evans. Evans ripped off 253 yards on the ground a week ago in the Thursday night win over Maryland. He’ll need to keep up the production because both Tyrod Taylor and Sean Glennon are suffering through nagging injuries. In fact, Taylor might have to sit out his second straight game thanks to an injured ankle. In the end it won’t matter which quarterback plays though. Miami’s Sean Spence and Marcus Fortson will be more than enough to slow down Evans and the Hokie offense. Also look for dazzling freshman return man Travis Benjamin to exploit the sub-par Virginia Tech special teams with a big punt return to break the game open at some point.
J.Pike’s Pick: Miami 26, Virginia Tech 13

#20 Cincinnati @ Louisville
(Friday, 7 pm, ESPN 2)
Don’t ever bet against a Tony Pike-led team. Not even on the road. Cincinnati is finally hitting their stride now that they have a healthy quarterback to stabilize the offense. Pike led the Bearcats to a big win at West Virginia a week ago. Louisville on the other hand has not looked good during its current two game losing streak. The Cardinals got hammered by Pitt last week 41-7, and lost to cellar dwelling Syracuse two weeks ago.
J.Pike’s Pick: Cincinnati 27, Louisville 20

Tony Pike Update

Tony Pike led Cincinnati into Morgantown and beat Big East leader West Virginia in overtime Saturday night. The win propelled the Bearcats into a tie for first place in the conference and proved Pike has the moxie to lead his team through thick and thin. Despite allowing 13 points in the final 1:11 of regulation, Pike maintained his poise and found Kazeem Alli in the end zone for the game winning touchdown in overtime. Pike also ran for a touchdown late in the second quarter. His left arm is getting better every day, but so is Dustin Grutza's broken leg. Will Pike remain the starter when Grutza returns? Stay tuned.

The Tony Pike Stat Line
Passing: 16/30 (53.3%) for 178 yards, 1 td, 0 int
Rushing: 7 attempts for -9 yards, 1 td

See sidebar for season stats

WEEK ELEVEN - Top 25 Preview (Part I: 11-25)

Utah State @ #11 Boise State

(Saturday, 2 pm)
Utah State is one of the worst teams in Division 1-A and Boise is fighting for a slot in the BCS. This is a no brainer.
J.Pike’s Pick: Boise State 39, Utah State 7

#12 Ohio State @ Northwestern
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN 2)
Northwestern can’t seem to catch a break, even when they catch a break. Coming off a big win at Minnesota a week ago that featured a game winning interception return for touchdown in the final minute, the Wildcats learned they will have to take on Ohio State without the services of tailback Omar Conteh. Conteh was filling in for Tyrell Sutton, who is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Backup quarterback Mike Kafka filled in nicely for C.J. Bacher (also injured), but I doubt he’ll run for over 200 yards against the Ohio State defense like he did against Minnesota. That doesn’t leave a lot of scoring options for Northwestern.
J.Pike’s Pick: Ohio State 24, Northwestern 13

Kansas State @ #14 Missouri
(Saturday, 6 pm, FSN)
Now that the Wildcats know Ron Prince won’t be their head coach next season, will they step up or fade away? If they decide to step up and play for their lame duck coach they have the offensive weapons to make this a game. If they don’t, Missouri, who is struggling with regaining national respect after back to back losses to Oklahoma State and Texas earlier this year, will blow them off the field. I’ll give the benefit of the doubt to Jeremy Maclin and Chase Daniel.
J.Pike’s Pick: Missouri 52, Kansas State 27

Purdue @ #15 Michigan State
(Saturday, 11 am, Big Ten Network)
What do you know? If you take Curtis Painter out of the lineup and give the ball to Kory Sheets 30 times Purdue wins. After struggling to score all season, Joe Tiller made the move to Justin Siller at quarterback (because Painter was “injured”) and gave Sheets his carries and the Boilermakers scored 48 points on Michigan. They won’t produce the same against a superior defense, but if Tiller goes with the same formula I give Purdue a realistic shot at knocking off 15th ranked Spartans - especially if they can slow down Javon Ringer the way Wisconsin did a week ago (54 yards on 21 carries).
J.Pike’s Pick: Michigan State 24, Purdue 17

#18 Georgia Tech @ #16 North Carolina
(Saturday, 11 am, Raycom/ESPN360.com)
Neither of these teams were considered top 25 teams in the preseason. Now it’s November and Butch Davis and Paul Johnson each appear to have their teams in the ACC Coastal Division race to stay. That means this could develop into an interesting rivalry over the next few years. This year’s matchup will come down to which offense is able to move the ball the most consistently. Georgia Tech has the best defensive line in the conference. 6-foot-7 Michael Johnson is a beast off the edge and Vance Walker is a major disruptor in the middle. North Carolina isn’t bad up front either because sophomore tackle Marvin Austin is one of the best young players in the ACC. So which offense is better suited to keep the chains moving? At first glance it would appear to be Georgia Tech. Johnson’s triple option offense has been grinding up ACC foes all year and the Yellow Jackets are healthy for the most part. North Carolina on the other hand is without their top playmaker Brandon Tate, who is out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury. Quarterback T.J. Yates has also missed the last several games with an ankle injury, but Cam Sexton has filled in admirably. Look for the UNC defense to stay disciplined and keep the Ramblin’ Wreck from breaking a long run in this game, as wide receiver Hakeem Nicks steps up on offense to provide a big play or two in the passing game.
J.Pike’s Pick: North Carolina 23, Georgia Tech 20

Louisville @ #19 Pittsburgh
(Saturday, 11 am, Big East Network)
Here we go again – another weak Big East matchup to pick. For those of you out there complaining about Utah potentially getting a BCS bowl bid, you need to refocus your argument. The Mountain West Conference actually deserves to get a team into the BCS this year. The Big East on the other hand does not. Who in the Big East is capable of beating any of the top three teams (Utah, TCU, BYU) in the Mountain West? West Virginia? Pitt? South Florida? Cincinnati? UConn? Louisville? I’d say none of the above. So quit complaining about Utah making a BCS game and start complaining about the Big East getting an automatic berth.
J.Pike’s Pick: Pittsburgh 33, Louisville 27

Michigan @ #23 Minnesota
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN)
Has Michigan given up on this season? From the looks of last week’s defensive meltdown against Purdue one might think so. Minnesota is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Northwestern on their home field, but the Gophers are still a surprising 7-2. Tim Brewster must be doing something right, so I think they rebound and pick up a win over the floundering Wolverines.
J.Pike’s Pick: Minnesota 24, Michigan 21

#24 Cincinnati @ West Virginia
(Saturday, 6 pm, ESPN U)
Tony Pike is back and playing with a broken arm. He’s got playmaking wideout Marshawn Gilyard at his disposal, but unfortunately the junior superstar doesn’t play defense. Cincinnati will struggle to keep up with Nimble Noel Devine. Pat White and new offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen have slowly been adapting to one another, but finally seem to be on the same page. Pat White being on top of his game is bad news for Cincinnati.
J.Pike’s Pick: West Virginia 30, Cincinnati 28

San Diego State @ #25 BYU
(Saturday, 1 pm, the mtn.)
Here’s some fun stats: BYU is 8-1, SDSU is 1-8.
BYU scoring offense: 35.7 points per game;
SDSU scoring defense: 35.7 points per game;
BYU quarterback Max Hall averages 305.9 passing yards per game;
SDSU allows 292.8 rushing yards per game;
I’ll save you the trouble – it all adds up to a big BYU win.
J.Pike’s Pick: BYU 35.7, San Diego State 10

Tony Pike Update

Playing with a soft cast on his broken left arm, Tony Pike played one of the best games of his career in leading Cincinnati to a 24-10 win over South Florida Thursday night. Despite taking several crushing hits, Pike hung in there and steadied the offense while leading the Bearcats to their 6th win.

The Tony Pike Stat Line
Passing: 20/28 (71.4%) for 281 yards, 2 td, 1 int
Rushing: 2 attempts for -15 yards

WEEK TEN - Thursday Night Game

South Florida @ Cincinnati
(Thursday, 6:30 pm, ESPN)
Talk about hobbling into a game. Both of these teams have suffered significant injuries this season. South Florida will be playing without leading rusher Mike Ford and linebacker Brouce Mompremier on Thursday night. Ford is an important cog in the offense because without him the Bulls struggle to get production from the ground game. Mompremier is a solid linebacker and vocal leader on defense. Safety Danny Verpaele, offensive lineman Zach Hermann, and kicker Justin Teachey also are likely to miss the game. Cincinnati is in no better shape as they have gone through several quarterbacks already this year. Dustin Grutza started the season strong but broke his leg in the first half against Oklahoma. Tony Pike took over as the starter and later broke his arm. He attempted to come back last week against UConn but lost feeling in the injured arm and had to be taken out. That leaves freshman Chazz Anderson to man the position, where he’ll face the awesome pass rush abilities of USF defensive end George Selvie. You know Selvie will be coming too because Cincinnati isn’t much of a threat to run the ball. Go ahead and pencil in at least one sack for the All American. Cincinnati won the game last year in Tampa, Florida, but I’ll give the edge to South Florida this year. Cincy isn’t forcing nearly as many turnovers as they did a year ago, therefore they don’t play enough defense to keep Matt Grothe out of the end zone.
J.Pike’s Pick: South Florida 26, Cincinnati 23

Tony Pike Update

After missing the last two contests with a broken left arm, Tony Pike got the start for Cincinnati on Saturday against Connecticut. Unfortunately his return didn't last long. After leading Cincy to a 13-10 halftime lead, he lost feeling in his left hand and had to sit out the second half. With Pike out of the lineup, the Huskies home field advantage kicked in and UConn reeled off the final 23 points of the game to secure a 40-16 victory.

The Tony Pike Stat Line
Passing: 10/27 (37%) for 136 yards, 1 td, 1 int
Rushing: 3 attempts for -15 yards

Tony Pike Update

All systems go for launch. Tony Pike's broken left forearm is healed enough for the super-human to take the field wearing a protective pad around his cast. Cincinnati (5-1) will get their star quarterback in the lineup to face Connecticut. Head coach Brian Kelly said his junior Heisman candidate will "do the things we ask him to do within our offense and we won't change anything. It's a green light." That means UConn's scoreboard operator had better be prepared because he is going to get a workout on Saturday.

Wed/Thur/Fri Games

Louisiana Tech @ Boise State
(Wednesday, 7 pm, ESPN)
Boise State and their cheap shot artist safeties [LINK] are knocking on the door of the top 25. Derek Dooley’s Bulldogs have been playing well this year thanks to Georgia Tech transfer Taylor Bennett, but I’m not sure they have enough to win on the blue turf. After a tough battle, Boise will put them away with a late touchdown.
J.Pike’s Pick: Boise State 34, Louisiana Tech 20

Pittsburgh @ #12 South Florida
(Thursday, 6:30 pm, ESPN)
Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt needs a win here. After losing to Bowling Green in the season opener, the Panthers have built up some momentum thanks to a reliable running game. But now they must go up against George Selvie and the strong USF defense. Pitt will keep it close, but they don’t appear to be ready to take that next step in the Big East yet.
J.Pike’s Pick: South Florida 27, Pittsburgh 20

Oregon State @ #13 Utah
(Thursday, 8 pm, VERSUS)
Coming off the big upset win over #1 USC a week ago, the Beavers must now leave Corvallis to face yet another top 15 team. Utah is 5-0 and looks like a potential BCS buster thanks to the play of quarterback Brian Johnson. Johnson has been the Faulk Trophy favorite all season long so you know he’ll show up Thursday night. Oregon State was able to beat USC by playing physical football and running the ball right down their throats. But Utah’s defense is a physical unit that, unlike the Trojans, won’t back down when somebody punches them in the mouth. Paul Kruger, Stevenson Sylvester, and Company are good enough to slow down Quizz Rodgers and the running game which means quarterback Lyle Moevao will have to to make plays in the passing game. Wide receiver Sammie Stroughter is fantastic, but overall I don’t think Moevao is good enough to balance out the offense, especially against Utah’s secondary. Robert Johnson headlines a big, athletic unit that will make it difficult for the inconsistent Moevao to find open receivers. The biggest concern for the Utes is their penchant for committing penalties. If they don’t get that problem under control they could easily give this game away.
J.Pike’s Pick: Utah 31, Oregon State 27

#10 BYU @ Utah State
(Friday, 7 pm)
BYU has been rolling this year - hence their #10 ranking. Utah State is one of the worst teams in Division 1-A. There is no reason for this game not to be over by halftime.
J.Pike’s Pick: BYU 48, Utah State 14

Cincinnati @ Marshall
(Friday, 7 pm, ESPN)
Marshall has actually been playing good football so far this season. They are 3-2, have a win over Southern Miss under their belt, and gave Wisconsin everything they could handle in a loss. Now they host a Cincinnati team with serious injury issues at quarterback. Dustin Grutza and Tony Pike are both out for this game, so it will be up to one of the redshirt freshmen to lead the Bearcats (where’s Demetrius Jones? Was he sacrificed in one of the many Ben Mauk medical hardship appeals?). Luckily whoever the QB is will have tremendous receivers Dominick Goodman and Marshawn Gilyard at his disposal. Marshall’s Darius Passmore will make sure he isn’t overshadowed by that group though. Make no mistake about it – this is going to be a dog fight. The experienced Herd defense will do everything in their power to get after Cincy’s young quarterback, and maybe with a little Friday night home crowd magic they’ll be able to pull off the upset.
J.Pike’s Pick: Marshall 26, Cincinnati 25

News & Notes

*Just when you thought Georgia’s injury situation couldn't get any worse, there's this. Running back Knowshon Moreno suffered a severely bruised elbow against Alabama and might have to miss the game against Tennessee in two weeks.

Tight end Tripp Chandler is also doubtful for the Tennessee game due to an aggravating shoulder problem. He also has an aggravating habit of dropping passes, but that’s another story. Backup tight end Bruce Figgins didn’t play against Alabama thanks to a separated shoulder that will likely require surgery. That leaves redshirt freshman Aron White and converted tackle Kiante Tripp to man the position in their absence.

If that isn’t enough, stud linebacker Dannell Ellerbe injured his knee in the first quarter against Alabama. Mark Richt said he “has an outside shot to play in the next game,” but he won’t be 100%.

*Cal running back Jahvid Best dislocated his elbow in the third quarter against Colorado State so he’ll be out of this week’s game against Arizona State. His 215.5 all-purpose yards per game (#3 nationally) will be missed, especially now that Jeff Tedford is giving Nate Longspare another chance to win the starting quarterback job.

*Undefeated UConn will be without their starting quarterback for at least the next 6 weeks. Tyler Lorenzen broke his foot against Louisville and will be replaced in the lineup by Zach Frazier. That means you can expect running back Donald Brown to continue getting the ball 30 times a game for the next several weeks. Tight end Steve Brouse is also expected to miss the next 6-8 weeks due to a broken leg.

*Thanks to Jonathan Crompton’s awful play so far this season, Phil Fulmer has opened up the quarterback job at Tennessee. Crompton was 8/23 for 67 yards against Auburn last week, and has only thrown 2 touchdown passes all season (both against lowly UAB). Nick Stephens will get more opportunities in practice and will probably see significant action against Northern Illinois in the hopes that one of the quarterbacks will step up in time to lead the offense against Georgia in two weeks.

*Cincinnati Heisman candidate and Pikes Picks favorite Tony Pike broke his left (non-throwing) forearm against Akron. Luckily he will probably only miss the next two games, which means redshirt freshmen Zach Collaros and Chazz Anderson only have to hold down the fort against Marshall and Rutgers until Pike gets back for the matchup with UConn at the end of October.

*Colorado lost starting offensive tackle Ryan Miller for the season. Miller suffered a broken left fibula in the loss to Florida State and will apply for a medical redshirt for this season. That doesn’t leave Colorado in good shape up front against a Texas team that racked up 7 sacks a week ago.

*Washington quarterback Jake Locker suffered a broken right thumb against Stanford and will probably miss the next 6-8 weeks recovering. Ronnie Fouch will start in his place as Washington looks to avoid their first 0-5 start in 39 years. One interesting note: Locker has expressed interest in playing another position once he has a cast for his right (throwing) hand if it will help out the team. You can’t question the guy’s heart, that’s for sure.

Tony Pike Update

Tony Pike's Heisman hopes took a serious blow Saturday when he broke his left arm in the 17-15 win over in-state rival Akron. Luckily it was his non-throwing arm so he should only be out for three to four weeks, but missing that many games will mean he'll have to take his already super-human numbers to another level when he returns if he wants to stay in the minds of Heisman voters. Prior to leaving the game, Pike posted these numbers:

23/34 (67.6%) for 320 yards, 2 tds, 0 ints
Rushing: 2 attempts for 6 yards

See the sidebar for his season stats to date. Obviously with the broken arm, Pike is doubtful for next week's game at Marshall. Pike's are a tough breed though, so don't be surprised if you see Tony in the lineup anyway.