The Breaking Point
October 1st, 2002
Well, it is now at the point in the season when I believe we now have a select group that are still Fiesta Bowl bound. They are the following in no particular order: NC State, Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas, Miami, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Air Force, Florida, Georgia, USC, Washington, Michigan, and Oregon.
I will keep this list and take off teams each week for the rest of the year.
Now, back to last week. As I said, Nebraska lost badly and were knocked out of the AP poll for the first time since 1981. They were not only beaten on the offensive side of the ball due to a total lack of a passing game but they also were drilled on the defensive side. The pink shirts showed up and decided to put on skirts to see if that would do anything. Well, it may have done something behind the scenes, but it didn't help them on the field and they got run over like an armadillo(or however you spell it) trying to cross an Interstate Freeway. The dynasty may not have crumbled like Brent M. said on TV but it certainly now has foundation rot. The only way to save the dynasty (that is as strong as a leper on a bungee cord) is too get a real quarterback, get a real coach, and stop only running the option when you are down 20 and in the fourth quarter.
Florida State lost in Tropical Storm Isisdor to Nashville or was it Louisville. It doesn't matter, FSU does not have a good quarterback or defense and will be lucky to win their conference.
Iowa beat Penn State, which I didn't think would happen in Happy Valley but would in Iowa City. Iowa is a good team and I think will win the Big Ten. USC will win the PAC TEN, Oklahoma or Kansas State will win the Big 12, NC State will win the ACC, and Va Tech will win the Big East.
Speaking of USC, they beat Oregon State pretty easily and I was way wrong about Oregon State. Anderson looked like he had never thrown a football against the Trojan defense and the offensive line didn't know where to stand. They still have a good defense, but will need to fix their corners if they want to go to a bowl game this year.
On the other side of the ball, USC is now beginning to believe in themselves. They didn't want to win the game against Kansas State until 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter and by then they were to far down to make a comeback. Carson Palmer now has the confidence and is getting better each game. Watch out for the USC, they are still National Championship qualified.
OK now for this week. Florida State will lose for the second straight game because he has beaten his sons teams so much I figure it is time his son to win. Stanford will get blown away by Notre Dame after Tyrone left the Cardnial in a coaching disconbobulation (or however you say it). California is a much better team this year, but so is the PAC TEN. They should have beaten Air Force if they wanted to have a winning record this year. They lose to Washington this week. Penn State beats a poor Wisconsin team, and USC beats Washington State in a horrible place for a visiting team to go to. The Pullose has been known to throw dung on the opposing players bench. But mostly during the Apple Cup. Possible upsets Alabama(which is favored over a top ten Georgia, which makes perfect sense since the pollsters have no brain cells to rank Georgia in the teens or twenties), Arkansas, and possibly Colorado(but it would take a snowstorm).
Joey Harrington has been fed to the wolves, and instead of being eaten he has eaten the wolves. In just his two first starts in the Pros after leaving Oregon's team (who destroyed the Big 12's best team last year Colorado) has over 500 yards passing and is 1-1. Oh and by the way he is playing for a feble Detroit Loin team that won 1 game last year. And just the other day when I bought my Playstation 2 I noticed he was on the cover of NCAA football 2003. At least they knew who was the heisman winner last year.
I'm Out
Mark Jaeger
