MY FAB FIVE:
1. Alabama: The Crimson Tide finally got its chance to face a top-10 team in Mississippi State and it absolutely destroyed the Bulldogs. The final score was 38-7, but the difference in talent, coaching and execution showed the nation why the Tide is in a league all its own.
2. Oregon: The Ducks have to be scratching their heads. They are beating everyone by upwards of 30 or 40 points per game but continue to drop in the BCS polls. With USC having two losses and Oregon State falling, Oregon’s back third of the schedule isn’t looking as tough as Chip Kelly would like.
3. Kansas State: All the Wildcats have to do is win out and they should make it into the championship game, barring some mix up with the standing. Kansas State has a realistic shot to have the Heisman trophy winner, national coach of the year and a chance to play in the title game.
4. Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish may have the toughest road to the BCS championship. Not because of remaining schedule, but because its remaining schedule doesn’t feature any truly tough games. Notre Dame will need help if it wants to make a trip to Miami.
5. LSU: The Tigers have an opportunity most teams only dream of. LSU has an opportunity to knock off the No. 1 team in the nation at home on national television Saturday. A win over Alabama could see LSU jump some of the unbeatens.
Just get it over with:
The fate of Gene Chizik’s job may have been sealed when his Tigers allowed Texas A&M to score 63 points, including 42 in the first half. Luckily for Chizik, the Aggies called off the dogs in the third quarter or it would have been a lot worse. Chizik’s large buyout may be the only thing saving him from being fired now.
Bold prediction:
Alabama will travel to Death Valley and defeat LSU 24-6 and it won’t even be that close. Alabama is just on a completely different level, led by a quarterback that doesn’t make mistakes, a defense that is ranked No. 1 in the country in all four major statistical categories, and a coach that demands perfection from everyone on the staff, the players, the administration and the fans. Sorry LSU, but the buck stops here.
Injuries are inevitable, but still hurt:
South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore’s injury saddens me, as I’m sure it does everyone. Here’s a guy that most scouts had as a better NFL prospect than Trent Richardson when he was healthy. His career may not be over, but the chances he comes back at his previous level are not that high. He left it all on the field and hopefully he’ll be able to return and continue to play the game he loves at a high level.
Maybe next year:
Florida’s postseason hopes took a huge hit against Georgia this past Saturday. The Gators were a favorite going into the game, but six turnovers later, Florida may be completely eliminated from the national championship race and the SEC championship game.
Heisman Trophy Race:
Front-runners: Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein – Klein is still the leader after scoring four total touchdowns in a route of Texas Tech, 55-24.
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o – Te’o is always around the ball and has a huge impact on Notre Dame’s 30-13 win over Oklahoma.
Gaining ground: Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron – McCarron has the chance to have a big game against a top-5 team in LSU on Saturday. A nice showing could move him higher up the board.
Good job, good effort: USC quarterback Matt Barkley – Barkley is still putting up stellar numbers, but his team continues to struggle. A loss to Oregon will all but destroy his campaign, but a win will have him sitting pretty once again.
