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

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

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

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

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

#11 Texas Tech at #16 Kansas
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN)
Texas Tech hasn’t played anybody up to this point, and they have been sloppy since entering Big XII play. Kansas is just the kind of team that can knock off the Red Raiders. Not only is Todd Reesing and his excellent (now healthy) receiving corps capable of matching Tech point-for-point, they are also a smart team that will take advantage of all of Mike Leach’s coaching mistakes. The Kansas defense will hold the Red Raiders to their lowest point total and knock them from the ranks of the unbeaten.
J.Pike’s Pick: Kansas 36, Texas Tech 27

Wyoming at #13 TCU
(Saturday, 5 pm, The Mtn.)
The Horned Frog defense should have no problems holding Wyoming under 10 points – four other defenses have done it already this year and TCU might be the best defense the Cowboys have played. Jeremy Kerley is one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the Mountain west, but TCU won’t even need him to win this one. How did Joe Glenn’s coaching stock fall so far so fast?
J.Pike’s Pick: TCU 35, Wyoming 3

Colorado at #15 Missouri
(Saturday, 5:30 pm, FSN)
Don’t make the mistake of assuming Missouri will bounce right back from their two-game losing streak and destroy Colorado. The Buffaloes are a smart team with some good young players and they are definitely capable of compounding Gary Pinkel’s troubles. But Colorado’s problem is that they often start games aggressively and grab early leads, but then go into safe mode. Missouri will take advantage of that habit and pull out of their nose dive with a win.
J.Pike’s Pick: Missouri 38, Colorado 24

Central Florida at #17 Tulsa
(Sunday, 7 pm, ESPN)
Tulsa boasts one of the most explosive offenses in the nation, but they’ll be facing one of the best defenses in Conference USA here. UCF is still struggling offensively due to a quarterback controversy, but honestly, neither Michael Greco nor freshman Rob Calabrese could really make a difference against Tulsa. David Johnson-to-Brennan Marion will provide the fireworks as they lead the Golden Hurricane to 8-0.
J.Pike’s Pick: Tulsa 41, Central Florida 20

UNLV at #18 BYU
(Saturday, 1 pm, The Mtn.)
How will BYU respond coming off their first loss of the season? UNLV has faded of late, but Frank Summers is still capable of chewing up yards and clock with his running. That means BYU can’t be feeling too sorry for themselves or they could be looking at a second consecutive loss. I expect this one to be a dogfight throughout, but in the end Max Hall will find a way to get the win.
J.Pike’s Pick: BYU 28, UNLV 21

#19 Boston College at North Carolina
(Saturday, 11 am, Raycom/ESPN360.com)
BC quarterback Chris Crane is finally starting to play well. He’s not throwing nearly as many terrible interceptions as he did in the early part of the year, which is allowing him to utilize his strong arm more effectively. The running of freshman Montel Harris has also been a pleasant surprise as he balances out the offense by chipping in an average of 88 yards the last four games. North Carolina lost quarterback T.J. Yates to injury four weeks ago and has been hanging on for dear life ever since. The Tar Heels have a ton of talent, but it’s looking more and more like 2009 will be the year it all comes together. In the mean time, Mark Herzlich and the BC defense will be enough to slow down Carolina’s incocnsistent offense and get the Eagles to 6-1.
J.Pike’s Pick: Boston College 27, North Carolina 17

Virginia at #20 Georgia Tech
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ESPN U)
Virginia is on a roll. After sputtering to a 1-3 start, the Wahoos are now on a three game winning streak that included victories over Maryland, East Carolina, and North Carolina – all respectable foes. Marc Verica has finally settled in as the quarterback after a revolving door at the position in the early part of the year, but nothing has helped the team more than the healthy return of running back Cedric Peerman. Peerman has invigorated the offense by forcing defenses to worry about the run again instead of pinning their ears back and teeing off on Verica. But Virginia’s winning streak could be in jeopardy against Georgia Tech. Josh Nesbitt is back in the lineup so the triple option offense is once again firing on all cylinders. Paul Johnson’s troops will find a way – as they always seem to do – to douse the flames of a hot Virginia team and continue their climb up the rankings.
J.Pike’s Pick: Georgia Tech 24, Virginia 19

#21 South Florida at Louisville
(Saturday, 2:30 pm)
This matchup pits a USF team that appears to have peaked and is now just treading water against an up-and-coming Louisville team that doesn’t yet have the horses to consistently win games like this – yet. Be patient Louisville fans. If you give Steve Kragthorpe just one more year I guarantee you’ll see Louisville take a big step up in the Big East.
J.Pike’s Pick: South Florida 30, Louisville 24

Rutgers at #22 Pittsburgh
(Saturday, 2:30 pm)
After falling to Bowling Green out of the gate it looked like Pittsburgh was on their way to yet another disappointment-filled season. But since that loss Pitt has won five straight and grabbed an early lead in the Big East race thanks to their victory over South Florida. Now a disappointing Rutgers team comes to town with more talent than their 2-5 record indicates. This is exactly the kind of game Pitt would have blown a year ago, but Rutgers is in a more giving mood this year. The Scarlet Knights will give this game away just as they have been giving games away all year.
J.Pike’s Pick: Pittsburgh 23, Rutgers 18

#23 Virginia Tech at Florida State
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC/ESPN 2)
When was the last time Florida State was 5-1 and unranked? That fact demonstrates just how far the Seminoles have fallen from grace recently. Bobby Bowden is but a figurehead now who doesn’t even seem to pretend to coach anymore. On the other sideline, Frank Beamer has a young team and is struggling with his traditionally strong special teams. But the Hokies have enough on defense to rattle Christian Ponder into turnovers. Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor doesn’t get rattled because it’s a rare feet when a defender actually catches him. Hokies win in a defensive struggle.
J.Pike’s Pick: Virginia Tech 18, Florida State 16

#24 Minnesota at Purdue
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN Classic)
This game will go one of two directions: either Purdue will come together as a team and start playing up to their talent level, or they’ll completely fall apart and throw in the towel for the season. There has been a lot of talking in the press from Kory Sheets and even head coach Joe Tiller about the sub-par play of Curtis Painter so far. Both happen to be right – especially Sheets, who needs to get the ball more for the Purdue offense to be effective. Minnesota has been a pleasant surprise so far this season, but I still think it all depends on which Purdue shows up. If Purdue can Boiler Up, they’ll win. Despite all the bickering and in-fighting, I think that’s exactly what will happen.
J.Pike’s Pick: Purdue 30, Minnesota 27

#25 Michigan State at Michigan
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC/ESPN 2)
Look out Spartans. I know you think this is the year you finally exert your dominance over the state of Michigan football, but think again. Even with the coaching change, Michigan still has the edge in this game. In big games like this, the Michigan State offense can be rather one dimensional. Yeah, Javon Ringer is an excellent one dimension to have, but I think the Michigan defense will more than be up to the challenge of limiting MSU’s scoring opportunities. On the other side of the ball, Michigan quarterback Steven Threet has improved his accuracy enough this year to give the spread offense some balance. Threet will hit enough timely passes to keep drives alive and give Michigan an upset win over their in-state rivals.
J.Pike’s Pick: Michigan 22, Michigan State 20

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

*An already thin Utah defensive line took another blow this weekend as Lei Talamaivao broke his fibula and will miss the rest of the season. He joins fellow lineman Kenape Eliapo in the operating room, who broke his foot in the first week of the season. It looks like top recruit Dave Kruger will be forced out of his planned redshirt to provide depth.

*Nebraska defensive end Barry Turner broke a bone in his left leg in the victory over San Jose State on saturday and will probably sit out the rest of the year. Pierre Allen stepped in and played well, but losing a leader like Turner off a defense that needs players won't help matters with loaded offenses at Missouri and Oklahoma looming on the schedule.

*As if things couldn't get any worse for Penn State, now comes word that defensive end Jerome Hayes has a torn ACL and is out for the rest of the season. A defensive line that has been decimated by suspensions and injuries already can't afford many more setbacks if the Nittany Lions are going to make a legitimate run at the Big Ten title.

*Arizona's sophomore wide receiver Terrell Reese has been suspended from the team indefinitely by coach Mike Stoops after a DWI arrest.

*Pittsburgh linebacker Adam Gunn will miss the rest of the season after suffering a broken neck. The senior collided with Scott McKillop (he tackles everybody!) in the season opening loss to Bowling Green.

WEEK TWO - Preview

Southern Miss @ #9 Auburn
(Saturday, 11:30am, ESPN360.com)
Why it could happen: Auburn didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard last weekend against Louisiana-Monroe. In fact the defense and special teams scored almost as many points as the offense did. Auburn is still trying to figure out their quarterback situation, but Southern Miss has a potent offense that amassed 633 yards and 51 points last week.
Why it won’t happen: The Auburn defense is significantly than the Ragin’ Cajuns defense. USM will score, but it will be much tougher going against Tuberville’s unit. Ben Tate should also have plenty of room to run the ball against the Golden Eagle defense.
J.Pike’s Pick: Auburn 26, Southern Miss 16

#25 BYU @ Washington
(Saturday, 2pm, FSN)
Why it could happen: Husky Stadium isn’t an easy place to play. BYU has high expectations this season and are favored in this game. Even though Washington doesn’t look very good this year, this looks like a classic “trap” game.
Why it won’t happen: Jake Locker doesn’t have a good enough arm to keep Washington from being one dimensional on offense. BYU is good enough defensively to slow down Washington, and good enough offensively to score points in a difficult environment.
J.Pike’s Pick: BYU 33, Washington 20

#10 West Virginia @ East Carolina
(Saturday, 3:30pm, ESPN)
Why it could happen: East Carolina did it to Virginia Tech last week. Patrick Pinkney played a very good game against a Hokie defense that is far superior to what West Virginia is going to field. East Carolina has a solid defense too, and West Virginia didn’t show off the same potent running game they had last year, running for “only” 149 yards last week.
Why it won’t happen: Pat White will find a way to win. Even though they didn’t run the ball as well last week, White threw a career high 5 touchdown passes.
J.Pike’s Pick: West Virginia 27, East Carolina 20

Buffalo @ Pittsburgh
(Saturday, 5pm, ESPN360.com)
Why it could happen: Pitt was upset by Bowling Green last week, and Buffalo might be an even tougher opponent. Turner Gill’s Bulls routed UTEP last week to the tune of 42-17.
Why it won’t happen: Pitt has to circle the wagons and get a win for coach Dave Wannstedt here … don’t they?
J.Pike’s Pick: Pittsburgh 24, Buffalo 22

Ole Miss @ Wake Forest
(Saturday, 2:30pm, ABC)
Why it will happen: Houston Nutt has the Rebels on the upswing while Wake and the ACC appear to be declining. Wake looked good against Baylor, but this isn’t Baylor. Look for the Ole Miss defense to contain the Demon Deacon running game and force Riley Skinner to beat them. Dexter McCluster will rack up some big plays for the Rebel offense and ice this game late.
J.Pike’s Pick: Ole Miss 27, Wake Forest 24


Alright, so I lied. After picking only four games against the spread last week (and going 2-2), I see even more games I want to pick against the spread this week. We'll see how this goes.

Southern Miss (+17½) over Auburn
(Saturday, 11:30am, ESPN360.com)
Auburn’s offense isn’t quite up to speed yet and won’t break the 30 point mark. The defense is really good but new head coach Larry Fedora has the Southern Miss offense humming already, and they’ll score enough to keep it close.

Ole Miss (+8) over Wake Forest
(Saturday, 2:30pm, ABC)
Congratulations Demon Deacons - you smacked around Baylor. Houston Nutt comes to town with a vastly improved Ole Miss squad that plays enough defense to possibly pull off the upset.

California (-13½) over Washington State
(Saturday, 5:30pm, FCS-Pacific)
Washington State simply doesn’t have enough players to compete this season. Cal on the other hand seems to have new life on offense thanks to the move from Nate Longspare to Kevin Riley at quarterback. Cal wins big.

Tulsa (-21½) over North Texas
(Saturday, 6pm)
Tulsa has one of the best offenses in the nation. Head coach Todd Graham has scored points everywhere he’s been, and North Texas coach Todd Dodge is in over his head here. Tulsa might go for 60 points in this one.

Western Michigan (-6) over Northern Illinois
(Saturday, 6pm)
Western Michigan tested their mettle in Lincoln last week and came out looking like they might be able to do some damage in the MAC. Northern Illinois on the other hand blew it against a Minnesota team that is one of the worst in the nation. Western wins handily at home.

Other games I like, but don’t feel good enough about to give them “Lock” status:
Oklahoma (-21½) over Cincinnati
Air Force (+3) over Wyoming
Buffalo (+13) over Pittsburgh
South Florida (-14) over Central Florida
Iowa State (-7) over Kent State
Miami (+21½) over Florida
Arizona State (-14) over Stanford

Big East Preview

Favorite: West Virginia

Despite a coaching change, the Mountaineers are the most well-equipped team to make a run at the Big East title. Pat White and the offense will again be one of the most difficult to defend in the nation. The defense has some holes to fill, but since when has defense mattered in Morgantown? The Big East title will be decided in the last two weeks of West Virginia’s season when they travel to Pitt and host USF. Pitt upset the Mountaineers last season and knocked them out of a potential spot in the national title game. I believe West Virginia will only need to split those two games to earn their third BCS bowl berth in four years.

Sleeper: Pittsburgh
If Pitt is able to build on their season capping upset over West Virginia at the end of 2007, they might have a realistic shot at the Big East title. All the pieces seem to be in place, highlighted by the fantastic running of LeSean McCoy on offense and tackling machine Scott McKillop on defense. If Dave Wannstedt can coach the Panthers up, only an early road trip to South Florida will stand in the way of the Backyard Brawl with West Virginia deciding the Big East champion.

On the Rise: Louisville
Poor Steve Kragthorpe. If he had known the mess Bobby Petrino left this program in, he might have reconsidered leaving Tulsa prior to last season. In addition to the rash of off-the-field issues that led to dismissals of several former Petrino players, many of the players that stuck around quit on the Kragthorpe last year, presumably because he introduced an element of discipline to the program that was clearly lacking. Former Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English was brought in to fix the defense and it appears Kragthorpe might be in for one more difficult season at Louisville - but the clouds will part soon. Once he gets a core of his own players in place, you’ll see marked improvement in effort and cohesion and Louisville will once again be in the thick of the Big East race.

Declining: Cincinnati
Brian Kelly is no Mark Dantonio. Kelly inherited a good team and won, but his inattention to detail (Kelly openly admits to not caring about finishing last in the Big East in penalties) will catch up with him this season when they won’t be able to sneak up on teams anymore. Cincinnati will still be a bowl team with a potent offense, but they won’t win 10 games again.

PROJECTED STANDINGS & RECORDS

1. West Virginia	10-2 (6-1 conference)
2. South Florida	9-3 (5-2)
3. Pittsburgh	8-4 (4-3)
4. Rugters	8-4 (4-3)
5. Connecticut	7-5 (3-4)
6. Cincinnati	8-5 (3-4)
7. Louisville	6-6 (3-4)
8. Syracuse	2-10 (0-7)

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Offense: Pat White (QB, West Virginia)
Defense: George Selvie (DE, South Florida)
Special Teams: Pat McAfee (K/P, West Virginia)

NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES
Noel Devine (RB, WVU) – Sayers
Matt Grothe (QB, USF) - Frazier
LeSean McCoy (RB, Pitt) – Bo Jackson, Sayers, J.Pike’s Fave
Mike Mickens (CB – Cincy) – Deion
George Selvie (DE, USF) - Arrington
Pat White (QB, WVU) – Bo Jackson, Frazier
Gold Wrenches:
West Virginia offensive line
Rutgers defensive line

Big East - RB Rankings

1. LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh
If you don't know who LeSean McCoy is yet, you will soon. The sophomore running back is one of the best in the land with an excellent combination of speed, agility, and vision. There isn't anything he can't do.

2. Noel Devine, West Virginia
Noel Devine grabbed all the headlines with his high school highlight reel, but he proved those were no flukes by providing highlight reel runs as a freshman at West Virginia last season. His rare speed and agility seems to be unmatched on the college level right now, and he'll be an upgrade over the departed Steve Slaton - who was possibly the most overrated college player of the last decade.

3. Donald Brown/Andre Dixon, UConn
These two split time and are both solid backs.

KEEP AN EYE ON
* Kordell Young/Mason Robinson, Rutgers - Just because Ray Rice is gone doesn't mean Rutgers isn't going to run the football any more. Both of these backs will have the opportunity to fill his shoes this season.
* Curtis Brinkley/Delone Carter, Syracuse - These two highly touted backs have missed most of their careers so far because of constant injuries. If one or both can stay healthy, they'll have the opportunity to save coach Greg Robinson's job by providing the offense with at least the threat of a weapon.

BP25- #25 Pittsburgh Panthers

Well here is my first post in my list of my Top 25. Jason has already started this blog with a bang and I will just follow in his vapor trail so here goes.

Offense: If this team could just get decent play at the QB position it would be a potential BCS team this year but the controls again this year go to the mediocre Pat Bostick and Bill Stull with some competition from Juco Greg Cross. But luckly for the QB position all they need to be is average per this team is loaded at the skill positions, and it all starts with LeSean McCoy, he had over 1300+ and 14 TD's and could be this year's McFadden with the Panthers using some of the Wildcat Package.(per the horrible QB situation). They also return two fantastic wideouts in Derek Kinder(not the next Fitzgearld by the way) and Oderrick Taylor. Also with three returning OL starters( the loss of Jeff Otah hurts) they should continue to lead the way for McCoy

NFL Bound- McCoy

Difference Makers: WR Derek Kinder, WR Oderick Turner, TE Nate Bynum

Watch 4: OT Jason Pinkston

Defense:
In a conference with Pat White, Matt Grothe, Mike Teel, Hunter Cantwell and Tyler Lorenzen(no, not pudgie) lining up every Saturday you need to have a playmaker on the D and that is where Scott McKillop comes in. He led the team last year with 151!!! doubling the second leading tackler on the team Shane Murray with 60. He is a 3rd team AA and will continue to be a machine all over the field. The secondary with Aaron Berry and Eric Thatcher looks to be solid but the potential achilles heal will be the DL they lose the big man Joe Clermond and Chris Mckillop and only return two potential players in Greg Romeus(Prime) and Rashaad Duncan, but they will need help to get Pitt over the top.

NFL Bound: McKillop

Diff Makers: DE Greg Romeus, CB Aaron Berry, FS Eric Thatcher

Watch 4: DE Tony Tucker could step up this year and provide the DL help needed.

Big East's Top QBs

1. Pat White, West Virginia

If it's possible, Pat White might be underrated. He gets a lot of props for his running ability (1,335 yds, 14 td, 6.8 yards per carry), but what often gets overlooked is how well he involves others in the offense. He did such a great job getting Steve Slaton the ball in open space that many actually believed Slaton was a top flight running back. He also has good enough accuracy in the passing game (66.7%) to make the passing game a viable weapon. Pat White is one of the best college quarterbacks in America.

2. Mike Teel, Rutgers

Mike Teel was often the "question mark" heading into games in 2007. According to the announcers Ray Rice was the strength of the offense on the ground, but Teel was questioned repeatedly. Well, Rutgers won 8 games and produced not one but two 1,000-yard receivers. Mike Teel is no question mark, and with uncertainty at tailback he is now the strength of the offense. His underrated arm and poise will keep the offense going in 2008.

3. Matt Grothe, USF

He's six-foot nuthin' and a hundred-and nuthin'. Yet Matt Grothe just keeps taking hits and winning games. As the only weapon in the Bulls' offense, he is always the focal point of opposing game plans. Yet somehow he still managed to produce 2,670 passing yards, 872 rushing yards, and 24 total touchdowns on his way to leading the team to 9 wins, and at one point a #2 ranking in the polls. He's back for only his junior season, and as long as he's on the field you can count on getting everything he's got.

Others To Watch:

Demetrius Jones, Cincinnati

With the departure of Ben Mauk, the quarterback job is up for grabs. That opens the door open for Notre Dame transfer Demetrius Jones. Jones started game one for the Irish last season and was yanked when Charlie Weis realized he couldn't bear to look at Jimmy Clausen's spiked hair on the sidelines anymore. Jones has fantastic athleticism, and the size and strength to excel in this offense if given the chance.

Bill Stull, Pittsburgh

Stull looked great in game one as the Panther starter in 2007, but unfortunately he was injured in the game and had to sit out the remainder of the season. Despite the improvement of true freshman Pat Bostick over the course of the season, Stull won the job in the spring and will be the opening day starter once again in 2008. He has an experienced group around him that includes top receiver Derek Kinder who was injured all of '07.

JP25 - Outsiders

Before I get too far into this, here are the three teams that just missed making my preseason top 25:

#26 BYU

Bronco Mendenhall has brought toughness to this program with consistently solid play on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Max Hall and running back Harvey Unga pace the offense behind the lead blocking of tackle Dallas Reynolds. The underrated defense - Mendenhall's specialty - loses a lot of key players, especially in the secondary. They'll continue to perform though thanks to solid recruiting and a front seven led by returnees Jan Jorgensen (DE) and David Nixon (MLB).

#27 Michigan State

Here's a prediction: Michigan State WILL be in next year's preseason top 25. Mark Dantonio is a fantastic coach and has this program on the rise. The loss of playmaker Jonal Saint-Dic on defense will be tempered by the addition of Cincinnati transfer Trevor Anderson. Also consider that Dantonio is a defensive specialist and many backups gained experience in 2007 due to a liberal substitution pattern. Offensively, you can bet on Javon Ringer getting in the end zone more than 6 times again. He's the bell cow on offense and Dantonio learned from Jim Tressell about how far a good, time-burning running game can take you. Ringer is one of the best backs in the land.

#28 Pittsburgh

To round out this trifecta of teams to watch outside the top 25, I'll inject yet another team paced by a fantastic running back and a defensive minded head coach. Dave Wannstedt enters his fourth year needing a winning season, and this looks like the team to do it. Sophomore LeSean McCoy dazzled as a freshman in 2007 with his vision and agility. He'll carry the load again, but there will be much better balance offensively in '08. Whoever wins the quarterback derby (Junior Bill Stull is the front-runner) will benefit from the return of wideout Derek Kinder, who led the team in receiving in 2006, but missed all of '07 with an injury. Defensively the Panthers have to replace departed sack-man Joe Clermond (10.5 sacks in '07), but that will be made all the easier due to the return of tackling maching Scott McKillop (151 tackles in '07) in the middle of the linebacking corps. They do lose defensive coordinator Paul Rhodes, who took the same job at Auburn, but replace him with the more than capable Phil Bennet. Don't forget that before he was the head coach at SMU he was Bill Snyder's defensive coordinator at Kansas State.