2012-09-24 07:58

So, that's it. The Most-Of-The-Time-No-Conference-Games-Weeks are over. From next week on more and more conference games will come into the schedule and we will see classic matchups which are fought on an annual basis or at least (if the conference is too big and does a rotating) at least very often in a decade.
Some might think these games are the best of a college football season, some might think they are the most boring part.

I like the repeating, since it helps to put accomplished results in perspective. I also like the non conference stuff; since it helps to compare the conferences and how to judge the upcoming Bowls (two and a half month left ... LOL).

What I like most is that from the upcoming weeks on the teams do play for their conference standings and if you think this is not important, take a look into the Bowl seeding contract and you find such things as #1 Big Ten vs #1 PAC 12 (Rose Bowl) or #2 Big Ten vs #2 SEC (Capital One Bowl, known as Citrus Bowl) and so on.
I took these two examples, since the show the difference between #1 and #2 in the Big Ten.

Being #1 means:
You won the Big Ten Championship game (and are not ranked #1 or #2 in the BCS-Ranking, otherwise it gets complicated).
You also play the Rose Bowl in California, one of the most known Bowls of all, and the oldest one, played first time 1902!!
I think many Players dream of playing in it, period.
By the way, the cash out of that Bowl is around 18 mio $.

Being #2 means:
You LOST the Big Ten Championship game (and by that you most likely are NOT #1 or #2 in the BCS-Rankings).
You play in the Capital One Bowl in Florida, which is played since 1947.
This is NOT a shabby Bowl, by far, but it is by far not the Rose Bowl.
The cash out here is around 4.25 mio $.

Off course the players don't get the money and that way they could give a damn, right?
No.

First of all, the coaches will do their best to motivate them, since this cash does help to get those coaches THEIR loans.
But they also will motivate the players for the representation of the University.

Granted, the selection of a school is also motivated by playing times and ... other stuff (even money).
But once you are part of that bunch called football team, you normally are part of this bunch for the rest of you live.
You represent the University, also after you left as a pro or as a graduated student or both.

As a player you don't want YOUR school look bad. No Sir.
And here the annually games come into play.

If you meet every year ... you think those matches do not count?
Those matches, even if not hyped by the media, are all at least mini rivalries (and some are BIG, no VERY BIG rivalries).

So expect no down fall the upcoming weeks and great football games.

I did 3-2 this week with my pick and I think that was OK, so lets have a look at the BLOCK OF GRANITE TOP GAMES FOR WEEK 4
Missouri @ #7 South Carolina
Oh man, this was a wrong pick by a mile.
Mizzou had a down-quarter in the second and did get three TDs based on a big punt return for a very good field position, a fumble of Mizzou inside their own territories and a very good drive from the 50.
Mizzou did answer that with a field goal....
I'm curious what will happen when South Carolina will play the other SEC foes, but I still expect some defeats ahead of them.
Still, this week, they played good and Missouri did not.
The Gamecocks QB Shaw did play also very good and did not go down.
10-31 -> Jacks Score: 9-8

#18 Michigan @ #11 Notre Dame
Yeah, this one I did pick right.
It did not turn out to be an offensive battle; instead the defenses did take over.
Manti Te'o, the Irish Linebacker from Hawai'i did pick Denard Robinson twice and two other defenders did also pick him once.
I'm impressed by Te'o, since he really had a bad week last week, when his grandmother died and the next day his girlfriend passed away by leukaemia cancer.
He still played Michigan State and Michigan and did terrific.
I don't know what they told him or how they treated him in South Bend, but if I know I would have had a hard time in that situation and I don't know if I could have played ....
Back to the game: I think Michigan has a problem. This offense is hurting.
I don't know if all those DCs just found a way to stop Denard Robinson or if Hoke just changed something to the worse, but with this performance they won't survive the Big Ten in good shape.
6-13 -> Jacks Score: 10-8

#15 Kansas State @ #6 Oklahoma
For this game I love my wrong picking!
The Wildcats did win!
They played their TOP game and Oklahoma did not enough to avoid the loss.
I love underdogs and KSU was the underdog here.
I hope they can handle those other Big 12 opponents as well.
24-19 -> Jacks Score: 10-9

#10 Clemson @ #4 Florida State
If you don't know it, but one of the FSU Defensive Ends is from Germany.
Björn Werner did play for the Berlin Adler and I saw him playing the Cologne Falcons in the National Championship Game of the GFL juniors in Mönchengladbach (which the Berlin Adler won) a few year back.
I would never thought he would get such attention at FSU, but it looks like he has a good shot getting drafted at the end of his college career. Wow.
Well ... this Defense Line did basically step up in the third quarter and did shut down the Clemson offense for good.
The Seminoles are now a big favorit for the ACC Championship, period.
37-49 -> Jacks Score: 11-9

#22 Arizona @ #4 Oregon
This one did not turn out the way I thought. There were a lot of points, yes, but only on one side.
Who had thought the Ducks could not only score much more than the Wildcats, but would SHUT OUT ARIZONA THE WHOLE GAME?
No points by the Rich Rod Offense? I'm impressed.
By the way ... No Ninja Ducks were seen. LOL.
0-49 -> Jacks Score: 11-9

Some games of interest:

- Boise State did edge BYU 7-6. Funny thing, the high scoring offense of the Broncos did basically nothing, the TD was scoured by a BIG MAN WITH FOOTBALL, DT Michael Atkinson had a pick six!
BYU could have won, but the brave call for a 2-point-conversion did backfire.

- Baylor did play Louisiana Monroe and did barely win 47-42. For some time it smelled like UPSET. I'm really looking forward for those SBC-games.

- Wisconsin did lose Montee Ball with a head injury in their win over UTEP. If he is out for longer time, it will be interesting to see, if Wisconsin finds another RBs to fill the void.

- Central Michigan did win against Iowa. Man, looks like a Down-Year for the Hawkeyes. Do you think Kirk Ferentz is on a hot seat in his 14th season at Iowa?

- Ole Miss did win against Tulane. Hugh Freeze does seem to bring the Rebels in the right direction again in his first year, right?

- UTSA is a newcomer in the FBS-football circus and did start 4-0! Ok, they haven't played a single quality team yet, still impressive.

- Western Michigan did beat UConn. The MAC does make some noise this year.

- Miami (FL) win against Georgia Tech. Looks like the yellow jackets are in some trouble this year. The Hurricanes are not supposed to be competitive, so either they ARE competitive, or the yellow jackets are NOT.

- Upset of the week for me: Oregon State wins against UCLA. Wow. I never expected that. Are the Beavers that good, or are the Bruins that sloppy?

- Northern Illinois did win against Kansas. OK, let’s summarize this: The Huskies did win 3-1 and that one loss was by 1 point against Iowa. Kansas did win 1-3 and that one win was against a FCS-team.
Now the question: Did Charlie Weis turn the Kansas team around already? Last year they won 2 games the whole season. They won against a FCS-Team and - you guess right - Northern Illinois.
This year they lost that game and they now have to face all this Big 12 opponents in their remaining schedule. Anyone thinking the same as I do?

- Colorado did win against Washington State and gets its first win of the season.

- South Florida did lose against Ball State. OK, you remember my comment regarding the Bulls? Looks like it will be an awful year.

- LSU barely wins against Auburn. I'M not impressed and I can't see the LSU Tigers go the whole season undefeated.

- Rutgers defense did again good and helped beating Arkansas.

- Western Kentucky did beat Southern Miss and I just can repeat, I'm looking forward for those SBC-Games.

- New Mexico did win against New Mexico State the Rio Grande Rivalry, which is played since 1894!!!!!

- Louisiana Tech beat Illinois. Two thoughts on this: LT is destined to win the WAC and Illinois is destined to have a tough season.

- Nevada did crush Hawai'i 69-24. Imagine this: You fly thousands of miles to Aloha Stadium, having a jet lag and all that stuff, beat the shit out of the Warriors and then fly home. Sounds like fun, right?

Well, that's it.
I'm excited about the next weeks, and I hope are as well.

‘Til next time
Jack6 on BLOCK OF GRANITE

Tags: Block of Granite