Two weeks of NHL action is in the books and what a two weeks it has been. There are still some undefeated teams out there, some complete surprises and some utter disappointments early in the season. Let’s break it all down in Dave B’s bi-weekly edition of the NHL Power Rankings.
NFL Power Rankings – Where Every Team Sits After Week 6
Week 6 of the NFL season is done – a few more teams fell from the undefeated ranks – only two unbeaten teams remain and of course, they are your top 2. There has been some movement in the Rankings since last week – some continue to plummet like the Texans and the Falcons while others continue to ascend like the Chiefs.
The Week 8 AP Top 25 college football rankings were released on Sunday. Stanford’s loss on Saturday knocked them right out of the top 10, while Georgia suffered the same fate. Florida State moved into the top 5, while UCLA and Miami climbed into the top 10.
Battle of the Unbeatens Headlines NHL Tuesday Night Schedule
Two of the most impressive teams in the NHL so far this young season meet in St. Louis Tuesday night with one team headed for their first loss of the year.
The Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns will travel to the Bluegrass State to take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in a Tuesday evening affair. The game will have major implications in the Sun Belt standings.
No one needed a bye week as badly as the 0-4 Pittsburgh Steelers. Head coach Mike Tomlin will surely have his troops ready to play some better football, but they might be running into a buzzsaw in the form of a New York Jets team coming off a big win on Monday night, or the Jets could be in for a letdown.
It’s been a roller coaster ride in Cincinnati as the Bengals arrive in Buffalo to take on a Bills team that’s without their starting quarterback.
Seahawks Return Home to Take on Titans
The Seattle Seahawks lost a heartbreaker on the road last week in Indianapolis but return home this week to take their frustrations out on the surprising Tennessee Titans.
Redskins Visit Dallas in Crucial Week 6 Matchup
Raise your hands if you thought that that the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys would be a combined 3-6 this year and both would still be in the hunt for the NFC East crown. Liars!
The Kansas City Chiefs have to be the most surprising 5-0 team in the league, as they are keeping pace with the Denver Broncos in the AFC West. Sure Andy Reid is a good coach and QB Alex Smith is an upgrade but nobody could have seen these kinds of results coming.
***(Write-up assumes…AP plays —- with the terrible news we’ve learned Friday)
Both of these teams have struggled so far this season, especially Minnesota who made the playoffs last year and has been totally flat all season long. The trouble has been at the quarterback spot which is why they acquired Josh Freeman after he was jettisoned by the Bucs…anything is an improvement over Christian Ponder.
This game is a great contrast in styles. Indiana loves to throw the ball and has one of the most productive offenses in the nation, maybe the best in the conference, while Michigan State is all about defense and putting the clamps on you whether you like to run or throw it.
Remember when Akron almost took down Michigan a couple of weeks back? Well they didn’t win that one and haven’t won any of the three after that either so how good are they. I think the answer is not very which would explain their 1-5 record.
The Iowa State Cyclones are looking to get off the mat after a close and controversial loss to Texas a couple of weeks ago. They are not likely to be a factor in the B12 race this season but they could put certainly a dent in someone else’s chances by grabbing a game somewhere.
The Red River Rivalry. An annual game that splits the stadium down the center into two categories: Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns. Entering this year’s battle between the two rivals, the game lacks the luster of the past, as Texas is a 14-point underdog.
The Oregon State Beavers and the Washington State Cougars are set to face off in a battle of two teams who have incredibly potent passing attacks.
These two squads combine for 780.3 yards per contest through the air, which should create a ton of excitement for fans. Both of these teams have surprised a number of people in 2013, and a good one could be in store for Week 7.
Oregon State (4-1, 2-0 Pac-12) @ Washington St. (4-2, 2-1 Pac-12)
Saturday, Oct. 12 10:30 PM ET @ Martin Stadium
Moneyline: N/A
Spread: Washington St. -1.5
O/U: 63
[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
ATS Matchup Stats | Betting Insight!
Check out our in-house Handicapper!!! Buy Razor Ray’s COLLEGE FOOTBALL Picks!
The Beavers may have lost their first game of the year to an FCS opponent, but they’ve redeemed themselves nicely, going 4-0 in their four games since. Now they’re up against a team that will fight fire with fire when it comes to the passing attack.
Washington State is ninth in the country in yards per contest. It throws the ball for 359.7 yards per game, and it is scoring 30.8 points per contest as a result. If you’re the Beavers, getting pressure on Connor Halliday is going to be crucial. The quarterback has thrown for 13 touchdowns on the year, but he’s far from perfect, as he’s tallied 11 interceptions as well.
Offensively, Oregon State has to continue doing what it’s been doing. It is second in the country in passing, as it has thrown for 420.6 yards per game, and it is scoring 41.6 points per contest—a much better number than it put up most of last season. Unfortunately, defense has been a problem, as the Beavers are giving up 31.6 points each outing.
Washington State needs to stick to what it has done well thus far. Against a struggling defense, there’s no need to try and get fancy by running the ball. The Cougars are throwing for 359.7 yards per contest, compared to just 58.7 yards on the ground. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Washington State has to take care of the football. Oregon State hasn’t been the dominant defensive force it was a year ago, but it still has veteran players who know how to take advantage of given opportunities. Holliday has to be smart and not rush things if the passing game is going to be effective.
The bad news is that Oregon State is coming off of a bye week and it appears to be healthy. The Beavers have been banged up all season, and now Washington State draws the short straw when it comes to taking on a unit at full strength.
The good news for both teams is that they have winning records. That’s the first time we can say that in this matchup since 2003.
The bad news is that one team has to lose, and while Washington State is a 1.5-point favorite, it is far from a long shot.
This one should be a lengthy, entertaining battle between two pass-happy teams. Oregon State and Washington State will put on quite a show, but don’t be shocked if it’s the Beavers sneaking away with the upset win when it’s all said and done.
They have two of the best players on the field between Sean Mannion and Brandin Cooks, and that tandem should do some serious damage in Pullman this weekend.
Score Prediction: Oklahoma 41 – Texas 24
