College Football Weekend Preview

From now on, The College Football Weekend Preview will appear on Wednesdays. The College Football portion of my audience probably feels a bit neglected by all of the baseball playoff talk, but that's not really what's been happening. My wife works Thursday and Friday evenings, so I'm watching the kid as soon as I get home from work, and while I can usually find time to trot out a little BAP entry, there isn't a chance to do the more extensive Preview until Saturday morning, when a lot fewer people will see it, and virtually no one will read it before the games start. On top of that, big games for this weekend have already been played, as TCU survived on the road, and the poseur Gophers of Minnesota were bounced from ECF competition by a Michigan team that looked to be DOA. Proceeding further in this manner could be accurately considered a textbook example of Ass-Backwards, so Wednesday Nights it will be.

And if you are a College Football fan, you're excited this morning. There are games with huge BCS and ECF implications today, games that people circle on the schedule before we even get off of the beach. So let's get started.

ECF Playoff Games
Oklahoma -3.5 Texas Oklahoma is the closest thing to the Real Deal so far this season, and Texas has been, well, Texas. Still looking for that win that propels them into serious playoff contention, I think it would surprise everyone if it came today.

Air Force -7 UNLV - Air Force hasn't played anyone yet, and is coming off of a loss to Navy. Normally, this is a game I would look to tease down, but I like this Rebel team.

At Va Tech -18 Syracuse - Say goodbye to the Orangemen.
At USC -21 Stanford - Say Goodbye to the Cardinals.

Games Between Two ECF Teams
Georgia -2 at Tennessee - Georgia has been bashed here, there and everywhere as a team that can't win the Big One, almost a Texas East. But did you know that Mark Richt's squad has beaten the Vols three straight years? Add in the fact that Tennessee is coming off of a loss, and had to go into OT to beat a South Carolina team that the Bulldogs pounded,
and I'll go with Georgia.

Ohio State -2.5 at Wisconsin - We keep waiting for the Buckeyes to fall, and maybe this is the place. The Badgers have played better as on late, and can get back in the thick of things with a win here. Wisconsin.

At FSU -7 Miami Even though these teams are ranked highly, this game doesn't carry the weight of previous seasons. A 7-point spread is a surprise as well. Is this a trap? I would stay away from this one.


ECF Underdogs
At Kansas +6.5 Colorado - No one is talking much about the Jayhawks, but coach Mark Mangino has some interesting things going on in Lawrence. Kansas has impressive wins over UNLV and Missouri. Colorado has given up over 40 points four times, while Kansas is averaging 37 a game, and is coming off a week's rest. This is the first real road test for the Jayhawks, but I love them here.

At Ok St +3.5 KSU - KSU played much better against Texas last week, and the Cowboys have yet to be tested. I'd pass, not liking to give points on the road in conference matchups, but I'd take KSU before the home team.



ECF Favorites
Mich St -3.5 Illinois
Virginia -4.5 at Clemson
At Arkansas -6 Auburn
Nebraska -7 at Missouri - If Nebraska is for real, they'll crush the Tigers here.
Bowling Green -9 at W. Michigan
At Pitt -9 Notre Dame - I love Pitt on a tease.
At Utah -9.5 SD St
At LSU -10 Florida - My poor Gators.
At Purdue -12 Penn St - Will Joe ever win another game?
At Texas Tech -16 Iowa St
N Illinois -17 at C. Michigan
At Boise St -22 Tulsa
At Louisville -32 Army
At MiamiOH -36 Buffalo

The College Football Weekend Wrapup will appear Monday morning.

ECF Championship Rules

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