Hindsight is 20/20 - Week 11

Last Week's Record: 8-2
More Man than Machine (7-3)
2010 Overall Record: 73-37 (66.4%)


Tied for best week of the year!

Week 11 Stream of Consciousness: Missouri took command of second place in the Big 12 North thanks largely to 4 KSU turnovers. The Tigers can still win the division if Nebraska loses its last two games... What on earth was that, Utah? Notre Dame? Seriously... There are plenty of boosters out there willing to give $200,000 for their team to get to the BCS. Just my opinion... The computer very nearly guessed the score of OSU-PSU. Joe Pa scored the most points he's ever scored at Ohio Stadium, then simply stopped scoring... OU is just barely over 0.500 in away games the last three years, and  exactly 1.000 in home games... The best team in the ACC is Virginia Tech. Who lost to James Madison, lest we forget... Texas A&M has really come on in the last three weeks. Now for the biggest-test of the year. Nebraska... Bama has a chance to knock off rival Auburn and deny the Tigers a chance at the National Championship. Carit ask for much more in a Rivalry game... I got the upset pick (USC over Arizona)! Suck it, computer!

Week 11 WTF?!? 
WTF, Wisconsin? Scoring 83 points? Fact. Wisconsin's kicker got more points in extra points (11) than Texas Tech and Utah had combined (7+3).
WTF, upset-minded teams?  Oregon, TCU and Auburn all trailed at some point this weekend. Their would-be upsets were all derailed. There are still 4 undefeated teams.
WTF, LSU? You won 51-0 over UCM, gaining... just over 250 yards total offense.


This Week's Sign of the Apocalypse:
There is a distinct possibility that a major conference champion does not finish with a winning record. Read that again.
...
OK got it? "No way," you say? Well, the conference is the Big East (really, where else???) and the champion is Pittsburgh. It could all shake out like this:

• Pittsburgh finishes 4-3, with wins over USF, Rutgers, Louisville, and Syracuse.
• Syracuse is 4-3, but finishes behind Pitt due to its head to head loss
• USF finishes 4-3, but behind Pitt due to its head to head loss
• Louisville finishes 4-3, but behind Pitt due to ITS head to head loss
• WV, Connecticut, Rutgers, and Cincinatti all finish 3-4.

Then Pitt goes to (presumably) the Fiesta Bowl. With a 4-3 record. Which, coupled with a 2-3 OOC record, means that the Panthers will face the 1-or-2-loss top 10-ranked Big 12 champion at 6-6 needing a win to go to 7-6. Yes, that's right. If (when???) the Panthers lose in the bowl, they finish at 6-7, but champions of a major conference and get a payday of $12 to 14 million.

If that is the sound of the four horsemen, here is the breaking of the seals:

It is virtually assured now that someone is going to be left out of the BCS this year, and be very upset about it (rightfully so) (all anger may be directed at the Big East and ACC). The most likely scenario means that the following teams finish in BCS contention:

•  Undefeated TCU (currently highest-ranked non-AQ team)
•  Big East Champion: One of 5 teams (9-3, 8-4, 7-5, or 6-6)
•  PAC-10 Champion: Oregon (12-0)
•  Stanford (11-1)
•  SEC Champion: Auburn (12-1, 11-2, or 13-0) or South Carolina (10-3 or 9-4)
•  Other SEC team (LSU, Alabama)
•  ACC Champion: Florida State, Maryland, NC State, Virginia Tech, or Miami
•  Big 12 Champion: Oklahoma State (12-1), Oklahoma (11-2), or Nebraska (11-2 or 12-1)
•  Big Ten Champion: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State
•  Other Big Ten team
•  Boise State (12-0, top 12 in BCS, higher ranking than major-conference champ)

That is 11 teams. For 10 spots. The bowl pecking order is thus:

1. NCG - #1 (let's say Oregon) vs #2 Auburn
2. Rose - TCU vs. Big Ten Champion (Wisconsin or Michigan State most likely)
3. Sugar - At-Large SEC team (LSU) vs. At-large Big Ten team (Wisconsin or Ohio State)
4. Orange - ACC Champion (spin the wheel of destiny...) vs. At-Large***
5. Fiesta - Big 12 Champion (Nebraska or Ok State most likely) vs. Big East Champion (6-6 Pitt)

Who gets the starred At-Large bid? We have left Stanford or Boise State. Now neither team has a huge fan base, and both schools are across the country from Miami. There is a possibility that the Orange takes the Big East Champion, but honestly who wants to see Maryland vs. Syracuse? ... That is the sound of TV execs having night terrors. The Orange could go traditional and pick a Big 12 Power Nebraska or Oklahoma, as both schools boast huge traveling fan bases (=$$$). But the problem remains. Any way you slice it, either Boise State, Stanford, or both will be left out of the BCS, while a potentially repugnant 6-6 Pitt team makes it in.

Let the horrors be released...

Game of the Week: South Carolina 36, Florida 14.

GOTW Record: 7-4

Why I was very very wrong:

• South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore put up huge numbers against the Gators, rushing for over 200 yards. This kept the Gamecock offense on the field and Florida off. Which didn't really matter, because....
• Florida's offense just plain stinks. The QB doesn't even have enough sense to bat down his own batted pass. Are these guys TRYING to lose yards???
• Steve Spurrier came home to the Swamp to win his first SEC division title at South Carolina (the school's first, too). Ahh poetic justice.