The biggest game in the 2011 season may have failed to live up to all its hype, but it certainly was an entertaining game to watch. #1 LSU defeated Alabama (now ranked #3) 9-6 in a game that was decided in overtime. Three field goals for the LSU Tigers and two for the Alabama Crimson Tide were the only points scored. Everybody knew that these two teams had incredible defenses, but I don’t think anybody expected that neither team would score a touchdown.
While that was being played, there were two other contests going on that had national championship implications but got lost in the ‘Bama-LSU game coverage. Oklahoma State defeated Kansas State and Arkansas won big time against South Carolina. With Oklahoma State’s win they moved up to #2 in the rankings and #8 Arkansas’s victory showed they could still win the SEC Championship.
It’s been four weeks since I’ve last covered the national college football scene and a lot has changed. Here’s a breakdown of each conference.
-rankings are according to the BCS Rankings.
Atlantic Coast Conference
-teams play eight conference games
Atlantic Division: #9 Clemson (8-1, 5-1), Wake Forest (5-4, 4-2), Florida State (6-3, 4-2), North Carolina State (5-4, 2-3), Boston College (2-7, 1-5), Maryland (2-7, 1-5)
It has been known for awhile, but the Atlantic Division is Clemson’s to lose. Don’t quote me, but I’m pretty sure if Clemson beats Wake Forest this weekend they clinch the Division title. The Tigers are a good team and deserve their #9 ranking, but they don’t have the talent to beat any of the Top 5 teams.
Coastal Division: #10 Virginia Tech (8-1, 4-1), #21 Georgia Tech (7-2, 4-2), Virginia (6-3, 3-2), Miami (5-4, 3-3), North Carolina (6-4, 2-4), Duke (3-6, 1-4)
Can you believe that the Virginia Cavaliers have a shot at winning this division? The chances of that are slim, but it’s possible. The Cavaliers would need Virginia Tech to lose to Georgia Tech this Saturday, and then they would have to beat Virginia Tech on Nov. 26th. As for Va. Tech and Ga. Tech, the Coastal Division title will likely be decided in their game on Saturday.
It’s pretty much a given that Clemson will win their division. Whoever wins the Coastal will face Clemson in the ACC Championship.
Big 12
-teams play nine conference games
Standings: #2 Oklahoma State (9-0, 6-0), #6 Oklahoma (8-1, 5-1), #14 Kansas State (7-2, 4-2), #21 Texas (6-2, 3-2), Texas A&M (5-4, 3-3), Baylor (5-3, 2-3), Iowa State (5-4, 2-4), Texas Tech (5-4, 2-4), Missouri (4-5, 2-4), Kansas (2-7, 0-6)
It’s pretty much a given that either Oklahoma are Oklahoma State will win this conference. It just so happens that these two teams will play each other the last week of the season. Their annual rivalry game is nicknamed “Bedlam”. According to dictionary.com, “bedlam” is defined as a scene or state of wild uproar and confusion. That is exactly what the atmosphere will be like when those two teams meet. There’s a decent chance that Oklahoma State will not only be playing for a conference championship but a shot at a national championship.
Before I move on to the next conference I have two things to say about the Big 12. First, congrats to the Kansas State Wildcats. Excluding this season, the Wildcats have a combined record of 23-26 since 2007. They have finally hopped off the average train and seem poised to finish this season with ten wins. Second, the Missouri Tigers announced they will move to the SEC Conference in all sports next July. The Tigers move from a conference where sometimes excelled but were mostly average to a conference where they will be mediocre all the time. So why did the Tigers want to move? Money.
Big East
-teams play seven conference games
Standings: #23 Cincinnati (7-1, 3-0), Louisville (5-4, 3-1), Rutgers (6-3, 3-2), #24 West Virginia (6-3, 2-2), Pittsburgh (4-5, 2-2), Connecticut (4-5, 2-2), Syracuse (5-4, 1-3), South Florida (4-4, 0-4)
Conference play is still in its infancy in the Big East compared to the other conferences. Nearly every team besides Syracuse and South Florida still has a shot at winning the title. Realistically though, it will come down to the first four teams that are listed. The Cincinnati Bearcats control their own destiny and if they win their final four games they will win the Big East. But if they do lose, any of those other teams will be ready to jump to the top. This will be an interesting conference to watch play out.
Big Ten
-teams play eight conference games
Legends Division Standings: #17 Michigan State (7-2, 4-1), #15 Michigan (7-2, 3-2), #10 Nebraska (7-2, 3-2), Iowa (6-3, 3-2), Northwestern (4-5, 2-4), Minnesota (2-7, 1-4)
Leaders Division Standings: #12 Penn State (8-1, 5-0), Oho State (6-3, 3-2), #20 Wisconsin (7-2, 3-2), Illinois (6-3, 2-3), Purdue (4-5, 2-3), Indiana (1-9, 0-6)
I’ll have a more in-depth look at the Big Ten and all of its craziness in another post.
Pacific-12 Standings
-teams play nine conference games
North Standings: #4 Stanford (9-0, 7-0), #8 Oregon (8-1, 6-0), Washington (6-3, 4-2), California (5-4, 2-4), Oregon State (2-7, 2-4), Washington State (3-6, 1-5)
This division is gonna come down to this weekend’s game between the Stanford Cardinal and the Oregon Ducks. Whoever wins will have an easy road to a division championship and then a conference championship. The Cardinal are led by their future NFL quarterback Andrew Luck and the Ducks by their future NFL running back LaMichael James. I know I picked the Ducks to win the Pac-12 but I think the Cardinal are going to win the game and the Pac-12 conference championship.
While we’re talking about Stanford, I’d like to voice my displeasure with the so called “experts” that officially rank each team. Stanford is #4 in the country behind #3 Alabama. I know Alabama only lost to LSU by a field goal in overtime, but the Crimson Tide had absolutely NO offense the entire game. Plus they were playing at home. The Tide should have fallen at least behind Stanford. Hopefully Stanford wins this weekend and jumps ‘Bama. I also believe that Stanford is better than #2 Oklahoma State.
South Standings: #21 USC (7-2, 4-2), #19 Arizona State (6-3, 4-2), UCLA (5-4, 4-2), Utah (5-4, 2-4), Colorado (1-9, 0-6)
The UCLA Bruins, the west coast’s version of Virginia, control their own destiny and if they win out they can win the division. In a division that has not had a clear cut favorite all season; it would not surprise me to see the Bruins win it. They took down tumultuous Arizona State last weekend and have two winnable games before a finale at USC.
I don’t know why, but I have soft spot in my heart for the UCLA Bruins (maybe because there isn’t much to choose from in the Pac-12 South Division). It would be incredible for the Bruins to finally have a solid accomplishment after a decade of mediocrity.
Southeastern Conference
-teams play eight conference games
East Division Standings: #18 Georgia (7-2, 5-1), #9 South Carolina (7-2, 5-2), Florida (5-4, 3-4), Kentucky (4-5, 1-4), Vanderbilt (4-5, 1-5), Tennessee (4-5, 0-5)
Well look who is leading the standings. Way back in September the Georgia Bulldogs lost two straight and all hell broke loose. Everybody in the state of Georgia was calling for head coach Mark Richt to be fired. I thought those calls were a little premature, and it appears they were. If the Bulldogs win their next two games against Auburn and Kentucky they will win the East Division. However, if they lose either of those and South Carolina wins next week then South Carolina wins the East. It’s not as complicated as it sounds.
West Division Standings: #1 LSU (9-0, 6-0), #3 Alabama (8-1, 5-1), #7 Arkansas (8-1, 4-1), #20 Auburn (6-3, 4-2), Mississippi State (5-4, 1-4), Ole Miss (2-7, 0-6)
This division was a two-horse race before last weekend, but after LSU beat Alabama, the LSU Tigers move until a solid number one spot. All LSU has to do is win their next two conference games and they’ll clinch the division. Watch out for Arkansas though. The two teams play each other November 25th in what could be as big of a game as last weekend’s was.
I made a lot of predictions before the season, and not many of them are holding true. Shocking right? With just four weeks left in the college football regular season, I will make these predictions.
ACC: Clemson and Georgia Tech will win their respective divisions and play for the conference championship. There Georgia Tech will win
Big 12: Oklahoma State beats Oklahoma to win the conference championship. I hate to predict OSU to play for the national championship because I don’t believe they belong there.
Big East: I said before the season that it would be just as easy to predict this conference champion if you put all the teams’ names in a hat and drew one out. I’ll go with the current leader Cincinnati to win the conference, but who really knows.
Big 10: This conference is just as hard to predict as the Big East. In the Legends Division, there are four teams that are capable of winning the division. In the Leaders there are three. I’ll go with Michigan State to win the Legends and Ohio State to top Penn State and win the Leaders.
PAC-12: Whoever wins between Stanford and Oregon win the North Division and should eventually win the conference championship. I’ll go with Stanford. In the South, I think it will come down to USC or UCLA. Can you imagine if the two teams meet in the final week, with the winner of the game winning the division? I’ll go with UCLA just because I hate USC.
SEC: I’ll stick with my preseason pick of South Carolina to win the East Division. I’m picking LSU after their win against Alabama to win the West. LSU will beat South Carolina in the conference championship and play for the national championship.
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