Week Eight Newsletter: Look For BCS Rankings To Be Released Sunday

Sexy Seven (teams whose stock increased last week)

1. Texas (6-0)—In prime position to play for Big 12 title following win over Oklahoma
2. Florida (5-1)—Resounding win against LSU after struggling the last two weeks
3. Minnesota (5-1)—Impressive win at Illinois; best turnaround in the nation this season
4. North Carolina (5-1)—Continued to play well with win over promising Notre Dame
5. Michigan State (5-1)—Avoided trendy upset pick at Northwestern; Buckeyes next
6. Penn State (7-0)—Dominant in Wisconsin, arguably the best team in the country
7. Stanford (4-3)—Now 3-1 in conference after Arizona win, manageable schedule left


Falling Five (teams whose stock decreased last week)

1. Michigan (2-4)—No excuse for loss to Toledo at home; record stands at 2-4
2. Wisconsin (3-3)—High expectations coming into season but are very disappointing
3. Clemson (3-3)—Like Wisconsin, high expectations but struggling; fires Tommy Bowden
4. Auburn (4-3)—Following road loss at Vandy, compounds problem with loss to Arkansas
5. Illinois (3-3)—Yet to beat any team of note, as evidenced by home loss to Minnesota


My Top Five

1. Penn State  2. Alabama  3. Texas  4. USC  5. Oklahoma


Game of the Week: Missouri at Texas

This game determines which team has the inside track for the Big 12 South division title. If Texas wins, it has a one-game lead on both Missouri and Oklahoma. If Missouri prevails, however, the three teams already mentioned will have one conference loss each, which will set up a battle to the finish for the outright title.

Heisman Trophy leading candidates

1. Texas QB Colt McCoy
2. Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford
3. Penn State QB Darryl Clark
4. Michigan State RB Javon Ringer
5. Alabama RB Glenn Coffey


This Week’s Shame On....Vanderbilt (lost 17-14 at Mississippi State)

It’s tempting to pick Georgia Tech for this ‘honor’ because they beat Gardner-Webb by only 3 points. But at least they won. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, spent last week attracting the support of the country after a gutsy win at home versus Auburn. They appeared to be having a special season only to disappoint by losing on the road against Mississippi State.


Upset Pick of the Week....Navy over Pittsburgh

Note that I am picking other notable upsets such as South Carolina over LSU and Missouri over Texas. But I am more convinced that Navy will win. Pittsburgh had lofty expectations during the preseason but stumbled at home in Week One versus Bowling Green, which took them off the radar.

Pittsburgh is playing well as of late, evidenced by an impressive victory at South Florida and a current five-game winning streak. Navy, however, is very balanced offensively and with the support of the home crowd, it should be able to upend the No. 24-ranked Panthers.


Team on Upset Alert....Nebraska

The Cornhuskers play Iowa State. Both teams are notorious for scoring and giving up a lot of points. Nebraska travels to Ames as a decent favorite. An upset could unfold if Iowa State gets an early lead and if the game turns into a shootout. Look for the Cyclones to steal a close one from Nebraska


Over or Under....27 points (Penn State margin of victory versus Michigan)

The 2-4 Michigan Wolverines square off against the unbeaten Penn State Nittany Lions. Upset at home last weekend, Michigan looks to rebound and get back on track.

Unfortunately, it is no easy task as Penn State is playing as well as any team in the country. At home, expect a blowout win by the Nittany Lions, who haven’t beat Michigan in more than a dozen years.