Week 11 Review & 3 Games

Well another week and a really bad week, lots of blowouts and just bad games.  Unfortunately as Rivalry Season begins, it doesn’t get much better this week.  I struggled to find what I learned, but I did finally come up with three things, and even more difficult I found 3 Games to Watch for Week 12.

THREE THINGS I LEARNED

1.  It isn’t that USC has fallen from grace, but the manner at which they have.  USC will have to really find a lot of courage and fortitude to finish this year that will end up in either San Diego or El Paso.  It will also be interesting to see how USC will act as the hunter instead of the hunted next year in the Pac-10.

2.  Alabama is looking really really good.  The thing that separates Alabama from the others in the top 4 is that they are by far the most balanced team in the nation.   If you can have balance on offense, you force defenses to choose to sell out on the run or pass.  If Alabama continues at this rate, 13 will become a very lucky number for the Crimson Tide (Alabama has 12 National Championships for those that don’t get the 13 reference.)

3.  TCU is for real, they may not have the talent level of a Alabama, Texas, or Florida, but collectively they can beat any one of those teams on a neutral site on any given day.  TCU will be a tough out in whatever BCS game they end up in.

3 GAMES TO WATCH

BIGGEST GAME

#25 California at #17 Stanford – Saturday, November 20 – Versus – 7:30 pm EST

This is the only matchup between ranked teams.  This a game amongst the impressive versus the lackluster.  I think this will show in the game.  In the big game (no pun intended), Stanford has brought the big stick and smacked both Oregon and USC.  In the big game (again no pun intended), Cal has floundered, and gave Arizona life when they shouldn’t have had life.  I know this is a rivalry game where the bizarre has happened, but I think Stanford will power their way to a victory.

STANFORD 27  CALIFORNIA 14

MOST INTRIGUING GAME

#8 LSU at Ole Miss – Saturday, November 20 – CBS – 3:30 pm EST

Ole Miss is coming off a big win and LSU is coming off a very lax victory over Louisiana Tech.  I think Houston Nutt is committed to giving “the rock” to Dexter McCluster, that will have an impact for Ole Miss and I think he is the playmaker of the game on both sides.  However, I think LSU will somehow pull this one off, provided Jordan Jefferson plays, if he doesn’t, then all bets are off.

LSU 30  OLE MISS 27

UPSET ALERT

#10 Ohio State at Michigan – Saturday, November 20 – ABC – 12:00 pm EST

Just to prepare everyone, I don’t care how you are ranked, in a rivalry game throw them out of the window, so look out Alabama and Florida next week.  Take one rivalry for instance, and say that the better team will play a very desperate team on their turf and you have the makings of a bizarre game.  I think Michigan will win because flat out they have more to play for than Ohio State.  What will Ohio State gain by beating Michigan other than bragging rights, nothing.  They have clinched the Rose Bowl and a share of the Big Ten.  What will Michigan gain, a bowl bid, which is very big for a program who hasn’t been to one since Rich Rodriguez has been coach.  Michigan will win but in a very very close battle.

Email me at alleningamenow@gmail.com.