2008 College Football: Week 11 Preview

The Big Game

#11 Oklahoma State- at - #6 Texas Tech


So last week's prediction proved to be true. Texas Tech did indeed unseat the Texas Longhorns and now control their own destiny. However, Tech is about to find themselves in a brutal stretch of games similar to what Texas had to endure in the weeks leading up to last week's Big Game.

Oklahoma State is a great team, sitting at 8-1, and is still in the hunt for the Big XII South title. The Cowboys will definitely have their hands full this weekend against the Red Raiders. However, they have already proven this season that they are definitely capable of competing on the road against elite competition. They went to Missouri on October 11th and upset the Tigers, 28-23. Two weeks later, they traveled to Austin and pushed the Longhorns to the limit, falling 28-24 for their only defeat in the 2008 campaign.

Texas Tech was largely untested prior to two weeks ago. In fact, many expected them to stumble on their trip to Lawrence after being pushed to overtime at home against Nebraska a couple weeks earlier. However, the Raiders made a big statement as they destroyed the Jayhawks 63-21. They followed that up with the program's biggest win ever when they downed Texas this past Saturday on a last second touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree.

Both of these teams have proven themselves worthy of elite status in 2008. I expect this game to come down to the wire, much like last week's Big Game. In the end, however, I think the home field advantage will give Texas Tech the slight edge they need to overcome the challenge from the Cowboys.

Prediction: Oklahoma State (34), Texas Tech (35)

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Games To Watch

#1 Alabama (9-0) at #25 LSU (6-2)
#14 Ohio State (7-2) at #23 Northwestern (7-2)
#27 Georgia Tech (7-2) at #20 North Carolina (6-2)
#19 California (6-2) at #9 USC (7-1)
#24 Cincinnati (6-2) at #30 West Virginia (6-2)
#12 TCU (9-1) at #8 Utah (9-0)

The new #1 team in the land will look to stay perfect in a tough road trip to Baton Rouge to face LSU. I'll take Bama, 28-23. Ohio State looks to keep its BCS dreams alive against a very tough Northwestern squad. I'll take the Buckeyes, 27-24 in overtime. Georgia Tech and UNC meet in a pivotal game that could decide the division. I'm taking the Heels, 24-22. Cal and USC meet with the Pac-10 on the line. Trojans win, 32-22. Similarly, Cincinnati travels to West Virginia in attempts to wrestle the Big East away from the Mountaineers. I like WVU at home, 24-21. In this week's runner-up for the Big Game, TCU and Utah will battle with a potential BCS at-large berth on the line. TCU will pull the upset, 27-24.

(Dis)Honorable Mention

#96 Arizona State (2-6) at #115 Washington (0-8)
#87 Memphis (4-5) at #116 SMU (1-8)
#90 Southern Miss (3-6) at #107 UCF (2-6)
#118 North Texas (1-8) at #86 FAU (3-5)
#106 UL Monroe (3-6) at #101 Middle Tennessee (2-6)

Washington will get a rare opportunity to end its winless drought. However, I expect Arizona State to win, 31-21. Conference USA, experiencing a big down year, puts two games on the list this week. Memphis should win, 34-27. Southern Miss showed how much they hated being on this list last week, posting a 70-14 win over UAB. Though it will be closer this week, I still expect the Eagles to win, 31-24, against UCF. The Sun Belt also puts two games on the list this week. FAU will end North Texas' win streak at one game, 35-24. UL Monroe, however, will build off last week's surprising win and upend MTSU, 26-25.

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Bowl Watch

The following 23 teams should be in a bowl game:

#1 Alabama, 9-0 (5-0), SEC, SOS: 72
#2 Texas, 8-1 (4-1), Big XII, SOS: 2
#3 Penn State, 9-0 (5-0), Big Ten, SOS: 84
#4 Florida, 7-1 (5-1), SEC, SOS: 14
#5 Boise State, 8-0 (4-0), WAC, SOS: 99
#6 Texas Tech, 9-0 (5-0), Big XII, SOS: 83
#7 Oklahoma, 8-1 (4-1), Big XII, SOS: 33
#8 Utah, 9-0 (5-0), Mountain West, SOS: 110
#9 USC, 7-1 (5-1), Pac-10, SOS: 68
#10 Ball State, 8-0 (4-0), MAC, SOS: 120
#11 Oklahoma State, 8-1 (4-1), Big XII, SOS: 82
#12 TCU, 9-1 (6-0), Mountain West, SOS: 105
#13 Michigan State, 8-2 (5-1), Big Ten, SOS: 44
#14 Ohio State, 7-2 (4-1), Big Ten, SOS: 15
#15 Georgia, 7-2 (4-2), SEC, SOS: 11
#16 Missouri, 7-2 (3-2), Big XII, SOS: 27
#17 BYU, 8-1 (4-1), Mountain West, SOS: 116
#21 Tulsa, 8-1 (5-0), C-USA, SOS: 119
#22 Minnesota, 7-2 (3-2), Big Ten, SOS: 67
#23 Northwestern, 7-2 (3-2), Big Ten, SOS: 85
#26 Air Force, 7-2 (4-1), Mountain West, SOS: 113
#28 Central Michigan, 7-2 (5-0), MAC, SOS: 100
#29 Western Michigan, 7-2 (5-1), MAC, SOS: 112

The following 17 teams are eligible for a bowl game:

#18 Pittsburgh, 6-2 (2-1), Big East, SOS: 46
#19 California, 6-2 (4-1), Pac-10, SOS: 59
#20 North Carolina, 6-2 (2-2), ACC, SOS: 34
#25 LSU, 6-2 (3-2), SEC, SOS: 76
#27 Georgia Tech, 7-2 (4-2), ACC, SOS: 86
#30 West Virginia, 6-2 (3-0), Big East, SOS: 93
#31 Miami, 6-3 (3-2), ACC, SOS: 23
#34 Oregon, 6-3 (4-2), Pac-10, SOS: 77
#37 Maryland, 6-2 (3-1), ACC, SOS: 104
#38 Rice, 6-3 (5-1), C-USA, SOS: 79
#39 Connecticut, 6-3 (2-2), Big East, SOS: 49
#40 Kansas, 6-3 (3-2), Big XII, SOS: 56
#41 Kentucky, 6-3 (2-3), SEC, SOS: 52
#42 South Carolina, 6-3 (3-3), SEC, SOS: 69
#43 Navy, 6-3, Independent, SOS: 42
#48 USF, 6-3 (1-3), Big East, SOS: 90
#56 San Jose State, 6-3 (4-1), WAC, SOS: 114

The following 21 teams are one win away from being eligible:

#24 Cincinnati, 6-2 (2-1), Big East, SOS: 64
#32 Wake Forest, 5-3 (3-2), ACC, SOS: 21
#33 Florida State, 6-2 (3-2), ACC, SOS: 78
#35 Oregon State, 5-3 (4-1), Pac-10, SOS: 30
#36 Vanderbilt, 5-3 (3-2), SEC, SOS: 43
#44 Nebraska, 5-4 (2-3), Big XII, SOS: 13
#45 Virginia Tech, 5-3 (2-2), ACC, SOS: 35
#46 Arizona, 5-3 (3-2), Pac-10, SOS: 87
#47 Notre Dame, 5-3, Independent, SOS: 75
#49 Ole Miss, 5-4 (3-3), SEC, SOS: 9
#50 East Carolina, 5-3 (3-1), C-USA, SOS: 96
#51 Virginia, 5-4 (3-2), ACC, SOS: 6
#52 Troy, 5-3 (4-1), Sun Belt, SOS: 107
#53 Iowa, 5-4 (2-3), Big Ten, SOS: 54
#54 Boston College, 5-3 (2-3), ACC, SOS: 106
#55 Illinois, 5-4 (3-3), Big Ten, SOS: 28
#57 UL Lafayette, 5-3 (4-0), Sun Belt, SOS: 118
#58 Fresno State, 5-3 (2-2), WAC, SOS: 117
#59 Northern Illinois, 5-3 (4-1), MAC, SOS: 109
#60 Stanford, 5-4 (4-2), Pac-10, SOS: 71
#61 Louisville, 5-3 (1-2), Big East, SOS: 102

14 schools are already out of bowl consideration. Of the other 45 schools, 10 currently project to be eligible for a bowl game. That would put the total number of eligible schools at 71, 3 more than needed to fill the 34-game bowl schedule.

Current bowl projections have Texas, Penn State, Oklahoma, Alabama, Florida, West Virginia, Florida State, Boise State, Ohio State and USC in the BCS. New Mexico, Temple, and Buffalo are projected to miss bowl games despite being eligible.

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All rankings are based on the latest Rogers Poll.