Texas has won 2 straight and the main reason is their 11th ranked rushing offense that has racked up over 400 yards on the ground in each game. Missouri is under .500 and they have lost 2 of their last 3 games, but all of their losses this season have come to teams that are currently ranked or have been in the top 25 this season.
Both these Big 12 teams have struggled lately losing their last 2 games and Texas A&M heads into this game shorthanded with leading rusher Christine Michael, who is out with a knee injury.
With the grave, nightmarish allegations swirling around the Penn State football program, the nation’s attention is focused on that arena, but the show must go on for all the other FBS teams this week.
So, with the quite possibly the biggest game of the 2011 college football season right around the corner, I have flip flopped more times than a presidential candidate during a primary debate on picking the winner of Saturday’s match up between the No. 6 Oregon Ducks at No. 2 Stanford Cardinal.
This season has not gone according to plan with these 2 teams from the Sunshine State, as Miami is still one win away from being bowl eligible at 5-4 and FSU is at 6-3 and had legit BCS hopes this season.
If there was ever any doubt about the importance of a quarterback to his team in the NFL, then this weekend’s matchup between the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins is the perfect illustration to reinforce that theory.
Last time Penn State Nittany Lions played a football game, the game ended with everyone celebrating Joe Paterno’s record-setting 409th career victory.
This weekend Joe Paterno won’t be a part of the Penn State football program for the first time in 61 years.
Beaver Stadium
Saturday November 12, 12:00 PM EST
NCAA Football Odds from BetOnline
Moneyline: Nebraska (-170) Penn State (+150)
College Football Spread: Nebraska -3.5 (-110) Penn State +3.5 (-110)
Over/Under: 43
The last week has seen allegations of heinous crimes against children that has rocked an entire community. The last thing from most people’s minds right now is a football game. Even though it does seem so much smaller now than it did before, this weekend’s game against Nebraska is a crucial game in the Big Ten.
Penn State is the only team unbeaten in the Big Ten, and Nebraska is still fighting for the Big Ten Legends Division crown.
Bo Pellini and the Cornhuskers will look to rebound after a disappointing home loss at the hands of Northwestern last weekend. The Huskers were 17.5 point home favorites in that game, but they trailed all game and couldn’t quite pull out a comeback victory. Taylor Martinez had a great game throwing the football, but that really isn’t the team’s strength. Nebraska is at their best when they are running the football early and often. The Cornhuskers only picked up 122 yards on 35 carries last week. Rex Burkhead is a workhorse in the backfield, and it would be hard to find a runner who fights harder for every extra yard. Nebraska’s offense averages 35 points per contest.
The big disappointment this year has been the Nebraska defense. This unit was expected to be one of the best in the nation, but they haven’t been very good. Especially troubling is the fact that they are allowing 161 yards per game on the ground. The front seven will need to step up in this one. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
The whirlwind that has gone on around Happy Valley over the last few days has to have affected the players in some way, but only time will tell how they will react. The Nittany Lions are 8-1 at this point in the season, and the defense is definitely the unit to thank for that impressive record. The defense ranks eighth in the nation in total defense. They are only giving up 12.4 points per game so far this year.
What about the Nittany Lions offense? Matt McGloin seems to have taken hold of the quarterback spot of late. McGloin is completing just 56% of his passes, but he has a nice touchdown/interception ratio of 7 to 3. Penn State relies heavily on the running game. Silas Redd has emerged as the team’s primary runner. Redd has already topped 1,000 yards on the season, and he is averaging 5.2 yards per carry. The offense should benefit from a healthy Derek Moye being ready to go for this one.
Emotions will be running high at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. I think both defenses will have the upper hand in this one. Look for a fairly low scoring contest.
Free College Football Pick: Under 43
Score Prediction: Nebraska 20 Penn State 17
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After gutting out an ugly 24-17 win last week at Wake Forest, Notre Dame travels to FedEx Field to take on Maryland. The Irish shut out the Demon Deacons in the second half last week to claim the win and move to 6-3 on the season.
There’s ample of history in this game for two teams who have never been in the same conference before… and will only be in the same conference for this single season, since TCU will head to the Big 12 next year.
The Sooners moved up to #2 in the BCS polls with Alabama losing last week and to stay there they will have to beat Texas Tech in their house.
In a battle between two teams in desperate need of a win to keep pace in their division race, the Buffalo Bills and the Dallas Cowboys square-off this Sunday afternoon at Cowboys Stadium.
The Arizona Cardinals will look to win back-to-back games for the first time this season when they square-off against the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
NFC supremacy is on the line on Sunday when the 6-2 New York Giants head west to take on the 7-1 San Francisco 49ers. Both teams have been pleasant surprises this season and both need to keep winning in order to stabilize their place at the top of their respective divisions.
It is not hard to believe that a game between Jacksonville and Indianapolis is creating a bit of a buzz. What is hard to believe is the fact that the buzz surrounds the possibility of the Colts getting their first win of the season in Week 10!
The Baltimore Ravens will be riding a wave of good fortune into Seattle to take on the Seahawks on Sunday on the heels of an impressive comeback win against Pittsburgh on Sunday night.
This game is a HUGE ACC match up, as the winner will be in the driver’s seat to win the Coastal Division and in an interesting fact the winner of the Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech game has represented that division in the ACC title game in the last 5 seasons.
