Great action!

Coach Talk: Week #5

by Coach Jon Cacchione

There were some exciting games last week in college football. Notre Dame edging Pitt at Heinz Field, Oklahoma outlasting Florida St. in Tallahassee, and Oklahoma St. edging Texas A&M in College Station were close and hard fought. This week’s schedule has a few more games that should prove to be “nail-biters.” Nearly every team in the FBS will have at least one conference played at the completion of this week’s games. A few notable conference battles this week take place between Alabama and Florida in the Swamp; Michigan St. and Ohio St. at the Horseshoe; South Florida and Pitt at Heinz Field; Clemson and Virginia Tech in Blacksburg; and my personal favorite, Nebraska and Wisconsin at Camp Randall on Saturday night. These games have potential to be great conference battles, and they may have some strong implications as to who wins their respective conferences.

Week #4 also brought to us our first of several, coaching dismissals. Mike Locksley, the head coach of New Mexico. Locksley was 2-26, and lost last week to FCS Sam Houston St. Trust me, there will be more firings in the ensuing weeks.

Finally, let me give you my 5 front-runners in the Heisman Trophy race after 4 weeks. My list contains 4 QB’s and 1 RB. Here is my list, with the leader atop, so far:

Heisman Watch:

1. Andrew Luck, QB Stanford 57-85 for 786 yds; 8 TD’s, 1 Int; 3 games played.
2. Kellen Moore, QB Boise St. 83-105 for 995 yds; 12 TD’s, 2 Int.; 3 games played.
3. Russell Wilson, QB Wisconsin 69-91 for 1136 yds.; 11 TD’s, 1 Int.’ 4 games played.
4. Robert Griffin, QB Baylor 70-82 for 962 yds.; 13 TD’S, 0 Int.; 3 games played.
5. Marcus Lattimore, RB South Carolina 107 carries for 611 yds.; 8 TD’s; 4 games played.
   

Top 15: Week #5

1. Alabama (4-0) Beat Arkansas (3-1) 38-14. At #14 Florida (4-0), a 48-10 winner over Kentucky. (HUGE CONFERENCE GAME)
2. Oklahoma (3-0) Beat Missouri (2-2) 38-28. Home vs. Ball St. (3-1), a 48-21 winner over Army.
3. LSU (4-0) Beat West Virginia 47-21. Home vs Kentucky (2-2), a 48-10 loser to Florida.
4. Boise St. (3-0) Best Tulsa (1-3) 41-21. Home vs. Nevada (1-2), a 35-34 loser to Texas Tech last week. Nevada was BSU’s only loss a year ago.
5. Stanford (3-0) Off last week. Home this week vs. UCLA (2-2), a 27-19 winner over Oregon St. last week.
6. Wisconsin (4-0) Beat FCS South Dakota 59-10. Home vs. #7 Nebraska (4-0), a 38-14 winner over Wyoming last week. (HUGE CONFERENCE GAME)
7. Nebraska (4-0) Beat Wyoming 38-14. At #6 Wisconsin (4-0), a 59-10 winner over South Dakota. (HUGE CONFERENCE GAME)
8. Oregon (3-1) Beat Arizona (1-3) 56-31. Off this week, next up vs. California on Thursday, October 6th.
9. Oklahoma St. (4-0) Edged Texas A&M (2-1) 30-29. Off this week, next week vs. Kansas.
10. South Florida (4-0) Beat UTEP (2-2) 52-24. Play Thursday night at Pittsburgh (2-2), a tough luck loser at home last week to Notre Dame, 15-12. (HUGE CONFERENCE GAME)
11. Virginia Tech (4-0) Beat Marshall (1-3) 30-10. Home vs. #15 Clemson (4-0), a 35-30 winner over Florida St. last week. (HUGE CONFERENCE GAME)
12. South Carolina (4-0) Beat Vanderbilt (3-1) 21-3. Home this week vs. Auburn (3-1), a 30-14 winner over Florida Atlantic. (BIG CONFERENCE GAME)
13. Texas A&M (2-1) Lost to #9 Oklahoma St. (4-0) at home, 30-29. This week vs. Arkansas (3-1), a 38-14 loser to Alabama last week.
14. Florida (4-0) Beat Kentucky (2-2) 48-10. Home this week vs. #1 Alabama (4-0), a 38-14 winner over Arkansas last week. (HUGE CONFERENCE GAME.)
15. Clemson (4-0) Beat Florida St. (2-2) last week 35-30. This week at Virginia Tech (4-0), a 30-10 winner over Marshall last week. (HUGE CONFERENCE GAME)
    

Dropped out of the Top 15:
Florida St. (2-2): Lost to Clemson 35-30; Arkansas (3-1): Lost to Alabama 38-14.

Nearing the Top 15:
Georgia Tech (4-0); Illinois (4-0); Baylor (3-0); Michigan (4-0); Houston (4-0); West Virginia (3-1); Arkansas (3-1)

Interesting games for Week #5. (Last week: 9-6 against the spread) After 4 weeks: 35-25
Thu.
South Florida –3 @ Pitt (I like the Bulls on the road.)
Fri.
Utah St. +8 @ BYU (USU can score; BYU has trouble scoring – Going with the Aggies)
Sat.
Air Force @ Navy –3 (I like the Middies. I love their QB!)
Penn St. -17 @ Indiana (Indiana lost to a FCS school last week)
Baylor –3 1/2 @ Kansas St. (This one may be a trap; going with the Bears anyway)
UCLA @ Stanford –20 1/2 (Sticking with Andrew Luck and the Cardinal)
Texas @ Iowa St. +10 (Too many points and extra time to prepare for the Cyclones.)
Michigan St. +3 @ Ohio St. (I think OSU is below average)
Alabama –5 @ Florida (I think ‘Bama is the best team in the country)
Texas A&M –3 vs. Arkansas @ Cowboy Stadium (I think the Aggies are the better team.)
Washington @ Utah -7 1/2 (The Huskies have too many injuries)
Mississippi St. +7 @ Georgia (I like the Bulldogs with the points in Athens)
Clemson +7 @ Virginia Tech (Like the Hokies to win, but not by 7)
North Carolina –6 1/2 @ East Carolina (I like the Tarheels a lot!)
Nebraska +9 1/2 @ Wisconsin (Too many, Badgers win 27 –21)