The Big Game
#4 Texas Tech - at - #8 Oklahoma
Texas Tech walks into this game undefeated and hopeful of a Big XII South title and a place in the BCS National Championship game. The Red Raiders know full well, however, that their biggest challenge of the season awaits them in Norman this weekend. Texas Tech is coming off consecutive home wins over Texas and Oklahoma State. However, they are yet to face a team as potent as the Sooners on the road. Mike Leach's group has won on the road, however. In fact, they are 4-0 away from home this season. Those wins have come against Nevada, Kansas State, Texas A&M, and Kansas. Those environments are a far cry from what they will see in Sooner country.
Oklahoma may be the best team in college football. However, mistakes and missed opportunities failed them in the Red River rivalry game, as they lost 45-35 to Texas. Since that game, the Sooners have won four straight, with an average score of 58-31. They are absolutely blowing the doors off their opposition. Still, one thing that should be noted is that the OU defense is giving up a lot of points. Teams like Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska, and Texas A&M haven't been able to light up the scoreboard enough to keep pace with Oklahoma, but Texas Tech certainly can.
Both teams have a lot on the line this weekend. For each, the dream of a national championship is still alive. To get to that point, however, they must first win the toughest division in college football this year ... the Big XII South. This game will go a long way towards determining who that team will be. Texas Tech should be able to exploit OU's suspect defense enough to keep this one tight. However, Oklahoma's explosiveness and home field advantage will be the key to a Sooner win.
Prediction: Oklahoma (38), Texas Tech (36)
Games To Watch
#13 Michigan State (9-2) at #9 Penn State (10-1)#18 Pittsburgh (7-2) at #19 Cincinnati (8-2)
#16 BYU (10-1) at #7 Utah (11-0)
#30 Air Force (8-3) at #17 TCU (9-2)
#10 Ball State (10-0) at #24 Central Michigan (8-2)
(Dis)Honorable Mention
#99 Indiana (3-8) at #95 Purdue (3-8)#113 Iowa State (2-9) at #91 Kansas State (4-7)
#118 Washington (0-10) at #117 Washington State (1-10)
#112 Miami, Ohio (2-8) at #105 Toledo (2-8)
#109 Eastern Michigan (2-8) at #94 Temple (3-7)
#120 North Texas (1-9) at #92 Middle Tennessee (4-6)
Bowl Watch
The following 37 teams are bowl eligible:#1 Texas, 10-1 (6-1), Big XII, SOS: 3
#2 Alabama, 11-0 (7-0), SEC, SOS: 91
#3 Florida, 9-1 (7-1), SEC, SOS: 9
#4 Texas Tech, 10-0 (6-0), Big XII, SOS: 72
#5 USC, 9-1 (7-1), Pac-10, SOS: 55
#6 Boise State, 10-0 (6-0), WAC, SOS: 114
#7 Utah, 11-0 (7-0), Mountain West, SOS: 107
#8 Oklahoma, 9-1 (5-1), Big XII, SOS: 52
#9 Penn State, 10-1 (6-1), Big Ten, SOS: 88
#10 Ball State, 10-0 (6-0), MAC, SOS: 120
#11 Ohio State, 9-2 (6-1), Big Ten, SOS: 14
#12 Georgia, 9-2 (6-2), SEC, SOS: 7
#13 Michigan State, 9-2 (6-1), Big Ten, SOS: 57
#14 Missouri, 9-2 (5-2), Big XII, SOS: 46
#15 Oklahoma State, 9-2 (5-2), Big XII, SOS: 58
#16 BYU, 10-1 (6-1), Mountain West, SOS: 117
#17 TCU, 9-2 (6-1), Mountain West, SOS: 83
#18 Pittsburgh, 7-2 (3-1), Big East, SOS: 48
#19 Cincinnati, 8-2 (4-1), Big East, SOS: 62
#20 North Carolina, 7-3 (3-3), ACC, SOS: 15
#21 Oregon State, 7-3 (6-1), Pac-10, SOS: 32
#22 Western Michigan, 9-2 (6-1), MAC, SOS: 115
#23 Oregon, 8-3 (6-2), Pac-10, SOS: 82
#24 Central Michigan, 8-2 (6-0), MAC, SOS: 104
#25 Nebraska, 7-4 (4-3), Big XII, SOS: 21
#26 Miami, 7-3 (4-2), ACC, SOS: 37
#27 Tulsa, 8-2 (5-1), C-USA, SOS: 119
#28 LSU, 7-3 (3-3), SEC, SOS: 50
#29 Boston College, 7-3 (3-3), ACC, SOS: 70
#30 Air Force, 8-3 (5-2), Mountain West, SOS: 98
#31 Rice, 7-3 (5-1), C-USA, SOS: 95
#32 Connecticut, 7-3 (3-2), Big East, SOS: 74
#33 Northwestern, 8-3 (4-3), Big Ten, SOS: 97
#37 Maryland, 7-3 (4-2), ACC, SOS: 79
#38 South Carolina, 7-4 (4-4), SEC, SOS: 30
#39 Iowa, 7-4 (4-3), Big Ten, SOS: 54
#47 Minnesota, 7-4 (3-4), Big Ten, SOS: 78
The following 23 teams are conditionally bowl eligible:
#34 California, 6-4 (4-3), Pac-10, SOS: 13
#35 Florida State, 7-3 (4-3), ACC, SOS: 65
#36 Vanderbilt, 6-4 (4-3), SEC, SOS: 22
#40 Wake Forest, 6-4 (4-3), ACC, SOS: 29
#41 Georgia Tech, 7-3 (4-3), ACC, SOS: 75
#42 Virginia Tech, 6-4 (3-3), ACC, SOS: 20
#43 Ole Miss, 6-4 (3-3), SEC, SOS: 23
#44 West Virginia, 6-3 (3-1), Big East, SOS: 84
#45 Wisconsin, 6-5 (3-5), Big Ten, SOS: 17
#46 Notre Dame, 6-4, Independent, SOS: 64
#48 Buffalo, 6-4 (4-2), MAC, SOS: 61
#49 Navy, 6-4, Independent, SOS: 51
#50 Arizona, 6-4 (4-3), Pac-10, SOS: 109
#51 East Carolina, 6-4 (4-2), C-USA, SOS: 94
#52 Nevada, 6-4 (4-2), WAC, SOS: 90
#53 Kansas, 6-5 (3-4), Big XII, SOS: 24
#54 Troy, 6-4 (4-1), Sun Belt, SOS: 103
#55 Houston, 6-4 (5-1), C-USA, SOS: 100
#56 USF, 6-4 (1-4), Big East, SOS: 87
#57 Fresno State, 6-4 (3-3), WAC, SOS: 113
#58 Kentucky, 6-5 (2-5), SEC, SOS: 33
#61 Louisiana Tech, 6-4 (4-2), WAC, SOS: 108
#72 San Jose State, 6-5 (4-3), WAC, SOS: 106
32 schools are already out of bowl consideration. Of the other 28 schools, 13 currently project to be eligible for a bowl game. That would put the total number of eligible schools at 73, 5 more than needed to fill the 34-game bowl schedule.
Current bowl projections have Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Utah, Alabama, Cincinnati, Boston College, Boise State, Penn State, and USC in the BCS. Akron, Northern Illinois, UNLV, Arkansas State, and San Jose State are projected to miss bowl games despite being eligible.
All rankings are based on the latest Rogers Poll.
