College Football Rankings 2011: Three Potential Trap Games for Ranked Teams
By on September 17, 2011
190 reads
Rob Carr/Getty Images
One thing that coaches hope to avoid are the letdowns, the trap games that make you pay after a well-earned victory the weekend before.
Avoiding and overcoming those hurdles can be the difference between playing in a bowl game before Christmas and one after the New Year.
Here are three potential trap games this weekend for ranked teams.
No. 2 LSU at No. 16 West Virginia
The Tigers have two wins against ranked opponents so far in 2011. Their third potentially rests with West Virginia when LSU travels to Morgantown to take on the Mountaineers.
Dana Holgorsen's prolific passing offense he brought from Oklahoma State has translated well, as Geno Smith has eclipsed 1000 yards passing with seven touchdowns to date. Overall, the Mountaineers' passing offense ranks seventh in the FBS with 356 yards per game.
Defensively, West Virginia isn't LSU's equal, but if the game turns into a shootout, the Mountaineers are well-equipped for those circumstances.
North Carolina at No. 25 Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech runs that triple-option that thwarts many of college football's best defenses.
But North Carolina has run relatively under the radar through three games, utilizing a balanced attack on offense and fielding a formidable defense allowing just 16.3 points per game.
The Yellow Jackets just cracked the top 25 as they open conference play in the ACC, but the Tar Heels are nipping to swap places with their conference opponents.
No. 23 USC at Arizona State
The Trojans, after reclaiming a spot in the top 25, open their Pac-12 schedule at Arizona State.
The Sun Devils dropped a heartbreaker to Illinois 17-14 over the weekend, dropping them from the polls. Nevertheless, behind the 17th ranked passing offense, they are every bit as potent as the next team.
USC hasn't been totally impressive through three games, despite entering conference play with an undefeated mark.
In a bend-but-don't-break situation, which defense will hold up if the game turns into an air war.
Most recent updates:
What is the duplicate article?
Why is this article offensive?
Where is this article plagiarized from?
Why is this article poorly edited?
3 Comments
Loading comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete