Week 10 in Review

So it begins. The race to the national championship. This is the point in the season where it will be the team that wants it the most who will step up. Two teams already fell from that position. Yet neither should be counted out just yet.
Starting in Massachusettes. Boston College coming in 8-0 and number 2 in the nation, with hopes to surprise a nation. Plans to go 12-0 win a conference title and then perhaps the national title. Yet Florida St. had other plans in the nasty weather. Weatherford and the Seminoles had other plans. Florida State would come out strong and get up 10-0. Yet then the Eagles would respond and make it 10-7 before the half. Then with 6:43 left Boston College scored to make it 20-17, no worry their defense will step up and get the ball back to the Eagle's quarterback Matt Ryan. Which did happen. So we should see a repeat of last week as with a few minutes left Ryan lead the game winning drive over Virginia Tech. Well, on a pass play looking for Geno Hayes... wait a second that's a Florida St. cornerback. That can't be right, well it is as Geno Hayes picked Matt Ryan off, giving him three interceptions thrown, taking it back with a minute left making the score 27-17. Which would be the final score as Florida St. came out on top. In what was a slugfest. But this was a Lee Corso prediction. What can you say that guy knows his picks. Boston College's national championships are all but gone and Matt Ryan's heisman hopes may be out the door now. Now B.C. must win out and hope for some help. As they won't be the first 1 loss team to get in to the national title. This sets up a number 2 spot for LSU or Oregon.
We'll start with LSU as they traveled to Tuscaloosa to play Alabama and their old football coach who lead them to a national title a few years ago, Nick Saban. I know State fans recognize that name... we'll also get to that game later. But back to this SEC west game. Alabama wasn't going to let LSU just get out easy either as they were hoping to be able to make it to the conference championship game. But to do that they'd have to get past a good LSU team. They started the game with a field goal giving them a 3-0 lead over the Tigers early. But it would only be a matter of time for LSU and Matt Flynn. As they jumped up 17-3 over the Crimson Tide. So this games over right. So much for a good game that'll go to the end. Not exactly as Alabama would come storming back before half time to take a 20-17 lead going into the locker room. Now the game was set up for an exciting second half. Both teams would score a touchdown in the 3rd quarter. Then a field goal by LSU to start the exciting 4th quarter would make it 27-27. Then four minutes later a punt return for a touch down by Alabama's return man Javier Arenas would make it 34-27. Then with a little over two minutes it could have been Alabama's shot to put the game in the books but on 4th down and 4 at the Alabama 32 yard line should end this if Alabama can stop. Yet they have to remember that this team went 5 for 5 on 4th downs against Florida earlier in the year. Well sure enough Doucet would get the first and run it to the endzone. Tying it up. Then on Alabama's pursuing drive they'd turn the ball over on their own 3. Which would lead to an LSU touchdown which would give us our final score of 41-34. For LSU this should mean a number two spot in the polls. Especially if Oregon loses to Arizona St.
Well this looked like a normal game for the undefeated Sun Devils as they fell behind 21-3. Which all season they've had slow starts but then been able to comeback. It started looking like that as Arizona St. scored a touchdown and two field goals to make it a 21-16 game right after the half. But then it wouldn't take long for the explsoive Duck's offense to respond. As they would score two straight making it 35-16. Which going into the fourth did not put Arizona St. and Rudy Carpenter in a good position. As now they knew they'd have a big deficit to make up and quickly. Well on a positive note they wouldn't have to worry about Dennis Dixon in the 4th quarter as he went out with an injury. But we quickly found out that wouldn't make a difference although they kept Oregon scoreless in the 4th quarter. But they only managed to score a single touchdown in the quarter. It all came crashing down after Carpenter's turnover in Duck's territory at the end of the game. If Arizona St. could have broken down the Oregon defens it may have had a different out come but because they couldn't it left only 3 teams unbeaten, with their 35-23 loss. So now Oregon believes that they should be the number 2 team as they have beaten USC and Arizona St. in back to back games. Especially as since it was the number 4 team in the nation they beat and it surprising fashion.
Now for the team all of these other teams our chasing. Number 1 Ohio St. for the second season in a row is looking to redeem themselves after last year. They've lost a few to Wisconsin in previous meetings in the Horseshoe. Well they looked strong at first as the Buckeyes played it out to a 10-3 halftime score. So Wiscosin not letting them get away in the game. Making it look like perhaps this Number 1 team might be a little over rated. Well they have another 2 quarters to make their move and shock the nation if they want to. But they'll have to step it up. Well to start the second half even with out PJ Hill they made it look like that was their intent as they came out and took a lead over Ohio State 17-10. Shocking right? Well then the Buckeyes would comeback and score again to make it 17 all. Well but then Beanie Wells took over for the Buckeyes and this game was as good as over with the way he would take off. Making leading Ohio St. to 3 more touchdowns, while the defense kept the Badgers in check making the final score 38-17. How much more could you ask of a number 1 team then a 38-17 point victory over a good conference opponent like Wisconsin. Wisconsin will get one more shot to ruin a perfect big 10 match up brewing this year as Michigan is 8-2 and undefeated in conference play to. If Michigan beats Wisconsin and Ohio St. beats Illinois. The battle in the Big House will be set up for the Big 10 championship. But lets not go to fast here we still have to know if Michigan could survive instate rival Michigan St.
In East Lansing at 3:30 Danantonio Looked to turn the ship around against Michigan. The Spartan senoirs have never beaten Michigan and the Wolverine senoirs looked to keep their perfect record against the Spartans intact. Well this one is for 6 in a row. The question is if Michigan St.'s defense will be able to contain Michigan's offense and more importantly Mike Hart who was back. In the first half it looked like the only offensive plan by either team was get the ball to Mike Hart. As the Spartans scored first to make it 3-0, Michigan's Mike Hart would have two long runs to make it 14-3 at half time. So one third down conversion by the two teams in the first half. How disturbing. Not only that but Mike Hart limped off. Which would set up Michigan State's gameplan. Which was to run, run, run. They did a very good job of it too. But then a Javon Ringer run would set up a Michigan St. touchdown making it 17-14. Michigan State fans were pumped now as their green and white were looking to get a win in the game. Well they'd have to keep it up for another quarter. Which they made it seem like they were as they made it 24-14 with 5 minutes left in the game. Then Mike Hart would get his final rushing yards as he picked up a Mallet fumble for an 18 yard gain on what looked like the final mistake for the Wolverines. Then Hart wouldn't come back in again. Also Henne would comeback and lead the drive that would end in a touchdown pass to Greg Mathews. Now a 24-21 game. So now what will Michigan do since they've had trouble stopping the Michigan St. running attack. Well this time they'd have no trouble. Getting the ball back into Henne's hands. Then into Manningham's hands on a third down for a 28-24 lead. Now Michigan St looked to comeback. But on a 4th and 18 they failed to get past that yellow line on the tv. Which doesn't exsist for those of you wondering. Which then Michigan went into the gamewinning formation since State had no time outs left. Making it six in a row over the Spartans. Michigan and Ohio St. are looking like they may have the dream matchup this year.
Now a team both the Spartans and the Wolverines beat this year. Who 5 other teams also had beaten coming into this weekend. Any guesses? That's right Notre Dame surprising isn't it? Well Notre Dame was looking to keep a 43 game winning streak alive against Navy. Then longest win streak ever in NCAA history. Well this game was long so will go ahead and skip right to the end of the fourth. Where Notre Dame decided to go for it on fourth down instead of attempting a game winning field goal. Well Navy's defense would get Sharpley in an amazing leap. No really the sacker leaped over the Irish blocker. So now the game would go into over time. Well through two it was still tied. In the 3rd overtime you have to go for two if you score a touchdown. Well Navy made their two now it is time for Notre Dame's two. Now lets think about this streak for a while. Last time they loss to Navy gas costed about 30 cents. now it costs about 10 times that. Also Notre Dame has been really bad before but they just don't lose this game. How can it start now. Well after a pass fell to the ground making it seem like the streak was over, well a pass interference gave the Irish one more shot to get their two point conversion. Well on a run play that looked like it might get in at first but ended up having no luck as Navy would stuff the run. Ending the game in a 46-44 final. The streak was over and now Navy fans can celebrate again. While Notre Dame fans now have to wonder and hope they can beat Air Force to keep it from two Academys beating them.
Else where in the nation one of the other two unbeatens Kansas had to play Nebraska. While Hawaii got the week off. Well it had been a while since Kansas had beaten Nebraska. This game started off exciting as Nebraska and Kansas would trade touchdowns. Starting the game off 14-14. Nebraska was actually scoring first up til that point too. But then Kansas had other plans as this turned in to a basketball kind of scoring game. As they took over and by the half the score was 48-24. The final score was 76-39 in favor of Kansas. This was the most points ever scored against Nebraska. As for the southern Big 12 rival Texas, they'd have to make a comeback to beat Oklahoma St. 38-35. Which has been traditional in this game that no matter how far down Texas falls they come back and win. With Vince Young and now with out him. As they were down 35-14 this week. But then would score 24 unanswered to win. Then in the ACC Virginia would survive over Wake Forest 17-16 as the Deacons would miss a last second field goal. To keep the Cavaliers in the ACC race with Virginia Tech.

Well until next time. My poll comes on Tuesday... once again I apologize for last week.