Five of Taylor’s seven rushing touchdowns this season have come with eight or more defenders in the box.
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Michigan State and Michigan seem to be headed in opposite directions right now, but when it comes to a rivalry game, anything can happen.
Who’s in the College Football Playoff puzzle and discussion? They have no clear weaknesses and have a fantastic defense that can play against anybody.
We kick of judgement week in Palo Alto, CA on Thursday night.
Ucla (+6½) over STANFORD: The home team may be the nation’s hottest outside of Ann Arbor, but the Bruins still have the higher ceiling. The 15 wins in such games are seven more than any other coach has over that span. He has won three bowl games, including a Rose Bowl (against Stanford) and a Cotton Bowl (against Baylor). It’s also easy to envision an upset at Notre Dame.
Teams trying to replicate the Baylors, TCUs and Oregons of the college football world shouldn’t. He’s already over 1,000 yards for the year (1,022), and although the schedule toughens late, 2,000 isn’t out of his reach. McElwain’s managed to win despite an offensive line that looked in the spring like it could be one of the SEC’s worst, plus a youngster at quarterback. The Aggies, on the other hand, have not lost and do not face near-outright elimination as Alabama does.
It’s been a brutal first half of the season where injuries are concerned, but these three probably dealt the biggest blows to the team.
TEXAS A&M (+4) over Alabama: On their most recent road trip, the Crimson Tide were underdogs for the first time in more than five years and destroyed Georgia, ensuring Nick Saban will stay a favorite for the foreseeable future. The pressure has worked for Michigan, allowing a Big Ten-best 2.3 yards per dropback when blitzing. Next: at No. 12 Michigan, Saturday.
The Spartans however come into Saturday with a less encouraging narrative. The biggest knock on Utah is that they aren’t winning by big margins, so one could argue that they’ve been a bit lucky so far. However, bright spots exist.
Does anyone Ohio State fan have a problem with beating Michigan? I don’t think Utah has the best team in the nation, so I’m not going to put them at number one. Michigan State, it’s time to show you’re for real. Michigan is improved, but their blinding confidence is arrogant.
No. 4 Utah (5-0) did not play. Next: vs. Boston College, Saturday.
Michigan’s defense has fueled its five-game winning streak. Since going 11-2 and finishing tied for second in the Big Ten in 2009, it’s averaged 6.8 wins a season while usually fielding mediocre, frustrating offenses.
The Tigers took care of South Carolina in what we will now remember as Steve Spurrier’s last game as head coach of the Gamecocks.
Three upset alerts jump off this Saturday’s schedule, and they cover three conferences. It’s legitimately possible that the players rally around Helton and help USC complete a respectable finish to the season, a la 2013 when Orgeron took over for the fired Kiffin, but it’s at least as likely that the outside noise, combined with the disappointing start to the season, proves too much to overcome and the Trojans bottom out.
Pac-12: C Utah is the class of the Pac-12 and a popular No. 1 in many projected playoff polls. But as an added bonus, here’s a team to keep an eye on: Stanford.
Ole Miss, the early season cinderella, has fallen on slightly harder times ever since their implosion in Gainesville two weeks ago. UCLA had to ditch the run when they got down big and fast against Arizona State. Nonetheless, this game could be a good padding to their resume. No. 2 (now No. 10) Alabama, one of the modern dynasties of the playoff era, lost at home to Ole Miss. Inquire with a magic eight ball on this one.
As a 29-year-old former safety and packaging engineer at Kellogg’s, not to mention a recipient of a Michigan State Distinguished Young Alumni Award, Key can spot the larger picture. I sure don’t. Ohio State has dominated Michigan in recruiting for going on 12 years now. Don’t be surprised if this is a 10-7 game.
We can start with the black-out of Penn State in Columbus. Blah. TCU continues to score points in carnival style, but the Horned Frogs don’t play a lick of defense. Urban Meyer said Monday in his press conference that he believes the Buckeyes will stick with the J.T. Barrett-led red zone approach, but obviously thought highly of Cardale’s play against Maryland too giving him the co-offensive player of the week award with Barrett.
“That’s the fun of the rivalry, they’ve referred to us as their little brother”, said Kirk Cousins, the Redskins quarterback from Michigan State (2008-11). But for the rest of his career – maybe life? – he will have to own last year’s Michigan State game. Let Michigan State and Michigan be judged now; the Buckeyes will just sit back and observe as all kings do. There is no such thing as a meaningless game and every loss for any title contender is costly, if not fatal to its playoff chances.
The numbers suggest teams should slow it down in order to perform more efficiently – particularly on defense. I’m starting to penalize Ohio State more severely as well.
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The unbelievable thing about the Rockets’ 5-0 record is that they have amassed it largely without star running back Kareem Hunt. Next game vs. Alabama.
