Week Seven: The College Football "Playoffs" Continue

Let's be honest: If there was a real 16-team playoff, Texas vs. Oklahoma and Florida vs. LSU wouldn't mean jack this weekend.

Oh, we'd watch. The games would be good. They would count. But they wouldn't have a fraction of the juice.

Win or lose, all four teams would likely end up in the playoffs anyway.

At the end of the year everyone will be moaning that the National Championship isn't being "settled on the field."

Wrong. It's being settled on the field right now—during the regular season through virtual elimination "playoff" games like those I'm previewing today.

Texas (5) vs. Oklahoma (1)

This is the third time this year that two top eight teams have squared off in high drama. First, USC-Ohio State, then Georgia-Alabama, and now Texas-Oklahoma. This should be a great game. There's nothing like a showdown between traditional rivals when they're ranked in the top five together.

Oklahoma has to be slightly favored to go all the way to the NC because of an easier schedule. They don't have to play a ranked team on the road all year.

Texas has a tougher task. Unlike Oklahoma, they have to play Missouri this year, although they at least drew them at home. They also have to go on the road against currently ranked Kansas and Texas Tech.

I like Texas in this game. I am betting that Muschamp's defense is good enough to disrupt the timing of Oklahoma's passing game.

LSU (5) at Florida (11)

A classic SEC slugfest under the lights at the Swamp. Unfortunately, this game lost some mojo because Florida spit the bit against Ole Miss two weeks ago. Otherwise we would be having our fourth meeting of the year between top eight teams.

Florida's NC hopes and SEC Championship hopes are on the line. Not only that, a loss will make them 13-6 in their last 19 games. Those are Ron Zook numbers, folks. This game is an absolute must win for Urban Meyer.

Larry Coker won a National Championship at Miami in 2002. He was fired three years later. I bet the domain name www.fireurbanmeyer.com is taken already. Hey, isn't Spurrier looking for a new gig?

Meanwhile, all's well in Les Miles' world. LSU can survive a loss and still have a reasonable chance to climb back into the top two later on.

Oklahoma State (17) at Missouri (3)

I saw an over under quote on this at 79 1/2 points. Take the over on this one.

Although ranked way down at 17th, with their schedule Oklahoma State has a golden opportunity to contend for the top two spots. Of course, first they have to take down Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech. Nobody's going to be arguing their worthiness if they pull that off.

No. 3 Missouri, meanwhile, is in an ideal position. They are at Texas next week for what might be a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2. Wouldn't that be something? I've reserved the La-Z-Boy in my TV room for that one already.

Final note: I wonder who set the betting line that has Auburn as a 19-point favorite over Arkansas. Auburn's offense couldn't score 19 points in a game if they were on the field by themselves.

Enjoy everybody!

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