Post by Uncle on Oct 14, 2021 17:19:25 GMT -6
After a fantastic Week 6 of action and shake-up of the Top 25, it will be interesting to see how some of the fresh faces at the top handle being at or near the top of the college football mountain. There are a few other interesting games sprinkled in the Week 7 schedule that should keep the weekend interesting throughout.
The release of the first CFP rankings is Tuesday, 11/2, so teams have three more weekends before the playoff picture becomes clearer. Unlike Zimmer with a lead, you don't want to take your foot off the gas pedal once you have the momentum.
Friday, 10/15
Clemson @ Syracuse - 7PM ET
The Tigers were ranked #3 to open the season and now they're unranked entering Week 7. And this game at Syracuse is far from a gimme for them. Clemson has had trouble scoring points this season and the Orange have a decent defense. They started the season real slow - even losing to Rutgers at home, but ever since they beat Malik Willis (Liberty) during a Friday night ESPN game last month, they've turned a corner. Yes, they lost 2 games in a row after that, but their offense has come alive and they took undefeated Wake Forest to OT last week. Clemson needs a strong win, but I'm not sure they're going to get it in the Carrier Dome.
Saturday, 10/16
UCF @ #3 Cincinnati - Noon ET
There are probably only two teams that can trip up Cincy: #23 SMU on 11/20 and UCF on Saturday - fortunately for the Bearcats, both games are at home. Even though UCF isn't nearly as strong this season as they were in previous years, they're still a solid team that could give Cincinnati trouble if they have a bad game. This is one of those games where the score might be closer than it should as the Bearcats won their biggest game of the season/program last week @ Notre Dame and with their #3 ranking, they might take their foot off the pedal. Let's see if they have that CFP instinct.
#12 Oklahoma St @ #25 Texas - Noon ET
Texas was on the receiving end of that stunning comeback by Oklahoma last weekend in the Red River Rivalry game, so they need a bounce back game. I don't know much about Ok St other than their defense seems to be their calling card in 2021 when their offense was in previous years. The Cowboys are undefeated and have had 3 solid wins in a row: @ Boise St, vs Kansas St and vs Baylor. Texas and Sark discovered they have a solid passing game and weapons on the outside in their game last weekend and won't have to rely solely on RB B Robinson. This should be a solid game.
#20 Florida @ LSU - Noon ET
The only reason I mention this game is because LSU could be "on the ropes" a bit: they lost 1st CB prospect D Stingley Jr and they lost two other starters on defense for the year this week. Florida is getting back their 1st Rd CB prospect in time for this game and would like nothing better at getting revenge after they lost a heartbreaker to LSU last season (due to the Marco Wilson "shoe incident"). I think if Florida wins and wins by a few scores, the seat for Ed Orgeron will start to get pretty warm, which is ironic because it wasn't that long ago they won w/ the National Title behind Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson.
Auburn @ #17 Arkansas - Noon ET
Arkansas has lost 2 straight to Georgia and Ole Miss and need a win to stay in any sort of battle for the SEC West where everyone has at least 1 loss - including 'Bama. I still think Auburn is a tough out, even after getting beaten at home by Georgia last week and @ Penn St earlier this year. This should be a solid game.
#11 Kentucky @ #1 Georgia - 3:30PM ET
No off-week for the new #1 team in the nation as undefeated Kentucky comes to Athens. Like many teams this season, Kentucky's strength is their defense, but they'll need a massive game from their QB prospect, Will Levis, if they want to pull off this upset. Georgia is missing a few interior OL for this game and Kentucky does have a solid DL led by DE Josh Paschal. Georgia is coming off a big win at Auburn last weekend and has an upcoming rivalry game vs Florida (on 10/30) so they could possibly be looking past the Wildcats. Like Cincinnati, let's see if the Bulldogs can remain focused.
Pittsburgh @ Virginia Tech - 3:30PM ET
This is the game I'll probably be watching (if I'm watching football on Sat afternoon that is) mainly for one thing: Pittsburgh Senior QB Kenny Pickett. The 2022 QB class is anyone's guess at this point and it got ever more messy after Spencer Rattler was benched last weekend in favor of a Freshman who led their comeback and looked better than Rattler has all season. Enter Pickett who is the hottest QB in the country at the moment, throwing 15 TD's, 1 INT, and over 1,100 yds in the last 3 games. Much has been written about Pitt Coach Pat Narduzzi "believing" Pickett is "NFL material". If Pickett can continue to perform at that level during crucial ACC road games (like Virginia Tech for example, especially when the ACC Coastal Division is wide open), he could start generating some serious Round 1 buzz. I watched Pickett a few years back when they played Louisville and came away thinking he's just "Ok" and likely a Day 3 pick trying to eek out a QB3 spot for an NFL team, so I'm interested to see where he is now.
#22 NC State @ Boston College - 7:30PM ET
The only reason I mention this one is there are several 2022 Draft prospects that will be on the field for this one. The game will be won in the trenches and that's where I'll be watching: Boston College OG Zion Johnson is a fringe Day 1/Day 2 prospect and NC State's OT Ikem Ekwonu are the two names to watch. Boston College OC Alec Lindstrom is another one to keep an eye on.
The release of the first CFP rankings is Tuesday, 11/2, so teams have three more weekends before the playoff picture becomes clearer. Unlike Zimmer with a lead, you don't want to take your foot off the gas pedal once you have the momentum.
Friday, 10/15
Clemson @ Syracuse - 7PM ET
The Tigers were ranked #3 to open the season and now they're unranked entering Week 7. And this game at Syracuse is far from a gimme for them. Clemson has had trouble scoring points this season and the Orange have a decent defense. They started the season real slow - even losing to Rutgers at home, but ever since they beat Malik Willis (Liberty) during a Friday night ESPN game last month, they've turned a corner. Yes, they lost 2 games in a row after that, but their offense has come alive and they took undefeated Wake Forest to OT last week. Clemson needs a strong win, but I'm not sure they're going to get it in the Carrier Dome.
Saturday, 10/16
UCF @ #3 Cincinnati - Noon ET
There are probably only two teams that can trip up Cincy: #23 SMU on 11/20 and UCF on Saturday - fortunately for the Bearcats, both games are at home. Even though UCF isn't nearly as strong this season as they were in previous years, they're still a solid team that could give Cincinnati trouble if they have a bad game. This is one of those games where the score might be closer than it should as the Bearcats won their biggest game of the season/program last week @ Notre Dame and with their #3 ranking, they might take their foot off the pedal. Let's see if they have that CFP instinct.
#12 Oklahoma St @ #25 Texas - Noon ET
Texas was on the receiving end of that stunning comeback by Oklahoma last weekend in the Red River Rivalry game, so they need a bounce back game. I don't know much about Ok St other than their defense seems to be their calling card in 2021 when their offense was in previous years. The Cowboys are undefeated and have had 3 solid wins in a row: @ Boise St, vs Kansas St and vs Baylor. Texas and Sark discovered they have a solid passing game and weapons on the outside in their game last weekend and won't have to rely solely on RB B Robinson. This should be a solid game.
#20 Florida @ LSU - Noon ET
The only reason I mention this game is because LSU could be "on the ropes" a bit: they lost 1st CB prospect D Stingley Jr and they lost two other starters on defense for the year this week. Florida is getting back their 1st Rd CB prospect in time for this game and would like nothing better at getting revenge after they lost a heartbreaker to LSU last season (due to the Marco Wilson "shoe incident"). I think if Florida wins and wins by a few scores, the seat for Ed Orgeron will start to get pretty warm, which is ironic because it wasn't that long ago they won w/ the National Title behind Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson.
Auburn @ #17 Arkansas - Noon ET
Arkansas has lost 2 straight to Georgia and Ole Miss and need a win to stay in any sort of battle for the SEC West where everyone has at least 1 loss - including 'Bama. I still think Auburn is a tough out, even after getting beaten at home by Georgia last week and @ Penn St earlier this year. This should be a solid game.
#11 Kentucky @ #1 Georgia - 3:30PM ET
No off-week for the new #1 team in the nation as undefeated Kentucky comes to Athens. Like many teams this season, Kentucky's strength is their defense, but they'll need a massive game from their QB prospect, Will Levis, if they want to pull off this upset. Georgia is missing a few interior OL for this game and Kentucky does have a solid DL led by DE Josh Paschal. Georgia is coming off a big win at Auburn last weekend and has an upcoming rivalry game vs Florida (on 10/30) so they could possibly be looking past the Wildcats. Like Cincinnati, let's see if the Bulldogs can remain focused.
Pittsburgh @ Virginia Tech - 3:30PM ET
This is the game I'll probably be watching (if I'm watching football on Sat afternoon that is) mainly for one thing: Pittsburgh Senior QB Kenny Pickett. The 2022 QB class is anyone's guess at this point and it got ever more messy after Spencer Rattler was benched last weekend in favor of a Freshman who led their comeback and looked better than Rattler has all season. Enter Pickett who is the hottest QB in the country at the moment, throwing 15 TD's, 1 INT, and over 1,100 yds in the last 3 games. Much has been written about Pitt Coach Pat Narduzzi "believing" Pickett is "NFL material". If Pickett can continue to perform at that level during crucial ACC road games (like Virginia Tech for example, especially when the ACC Coastal Division is wide open), he could start generating some serious Round 1 buzz. I watched Pickett a few years back when they played Louisville and came away thinking he's just "Ok" and likely a Day 3 pick trying to eek out a QB3 spot for an NFL team, so I'm interested to see where he is now.
#22 NC State @ Boston College - 7:30PM ET
The only reason I mention this one is there are several 2022 Draft prospects that will be on the field for this one. The game will be won in the trenches and that's where I'll be watching: Boston College OG Zion Johnson is a fringe Day 1/Day 2 prospect and NC State's OT Ikem Ekwonu are the two names to watch. Boston College OC Alec Lindstrom is another one to keep an eye on.
... and neither is this Chris guy.