This season continues to live up to being unpredictable as the Titans of college football fell last week when #1 LSU lost to #17 Kentucky 43-37 and #2 California was upset by unranked Oregon St. 31-28 but that is why they play the games.
Here is what to watch for in week 8:
Who’s Hot
Well, we have reached the half way mark in this wild season. So who is hot? College Football! Can anyone recall a wilder season than the one we are watching this season. Here are some defining moments: Appalachian St. shocking Michigan at the Big House and Notre Dame’s 33-3 loss at home to Georgia Tech making it the first time ever both teams lost there season opener on the same day!
Then Notre Dame goes on to a gut wrenching 0-5 start for the first time in history.
What happened to Louisville? The Cardinals started the season national title contenders now they’re fighting to keep a nine-year in a row bowl appearance intact. Wisconsin has been another disappointment.
There have also been some pleasant surprises along the way.
South Florida may be the ugliest undefeated team I have ever seen play, but they keep winning, and after the top two teams losing last week South Florida finds themselves in the #2 seat. Who’d a thunk that!
What a surprise Ron Zook has brought to Illinois in freshmen WR Arrelious Benn and work horse running back Rashard Mendenhall puts the “paign” in Champaign with his smash mouth style of running that ensures the Illini’s first bowl bid since 2001 and a chance at a Big Ten title.
At South Carolina, coach Steve Spurrier handed the keys to a redshirt freshman whose improving passing just might lift the Gamecocks to their first SEC title.
Who’s Not
Stanford was 41 point underdogs two weeks ago when they upset USC 24-23 in the biggest upset of the season that has become the Year of the Upset, but the stunner could just be the beginning of a downward spiral for the Trojans. The Trojans have games at Oregon, Cal and Arizona St. that may leave them eating more pieces of humble pie and the way this season has been going USC traveling to South Bend to fight the Irish of Notre Dame could get interesting.
Upset Watch:#13 USC vs. Notre Dame
I know it’s crazy! There is really no reason to make this pick. In fact, you have to be one slice of bread short of a sandwich to even consider it, but something tells me USC is going to get the scare of their life in South Bend this weekend. Even though this should be a game that the Trojans win easily.
However, the way this season has gone is it really that much of a stretch? Is it.
Plus, who is going to be USC’s quarterback? And how effective will he be? If John David Booty gets the start, one has to wonder how the broken finger will effect his accuracy. It wasn’t too pretty in the Stanford game. If it is Mark Sanchez who gets the start, how will he react in his first road start in a tough situation? He didn’t look that good last week in a win over Arizona.
Let’s not get it twisted. I am no fool. There is no way that I think the Notre Dame defense can take control of this football game. The reality is USC should win by two or three touchdowns, but if the Trojan offense gives away a few turnovers and gives the Irish offense short fields the game changes. Winning this rivalry game also saves the Irish’s season, and the way this season is going nothing is that much of a stretch.
Prediction: #13USC 12 vs. Notre Dame 14
Other games to watch for upsets in:
#20 Tennessee 24 vs. Alabama 28
Illinois 24 vs. #24 Michigan 17
Now the rest of the top 25:
#23 Cincinnati 17 vs. Pittsburgh 14
#19 Texas 24 vs. Baylor 10
Vanderbilt 10 vs. #6 South Carolina 24
Mississippi St. 14 vs. #9 W. Virginia 28
Michigan St 21 vs. #1 Ohio St. 38
#14 Florida 31 vs. #8 Kentucky 42
#10 California 21 vs. UCLA 10
#22 Texas Tech 28 vs. #15 Missouri
#16 Kansas 34 vs. Colorado 21
#25 Kansas St 17 vs. Oklahoma St 10
#7 Oregon 38 vs. Washington 19
#18 Auburn 35 vs. #5 LSU 37
#2 S. Florida 31 vs. Rutgers 24
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