Week 6 Musings (Weekday)

Not going to get into last week at this point, since I have to get the heel out of here quickly, but I wanted to share with you some thoughts about the Thusday night games. Will obviously have the full complement at some point tomorrow.


1. Memphis -3 @UAB: UAB came through for us last week, one of the very very very few teams that I was on that didn't completely forget how to play football in the second half. (By the way, Tommy Bowden and the rest of that quivering band of wimps down in Clemson can go have relations with themselves for the rest of the year. Even if it's the most obvious game on the card, I am avoiding Clemson.When a pack of fags like Maryland come onto your turf and play the role of the local toughs, it's time to to look yourself in the mirror and come to grips with your femininity. And it's time for any of your potential backers to smash themselves over the skull with a hammer to knock out any thoughts of laying any more hard earned dollars your team). Anyway....back to UAB. They flopped around enough in Columbia to come within 27 of a weak offense...good for them. Now, in order to cover the number this week, they actually have to probably win the game outright, something they haven't done much of. Florida Atlantic, for example, is 1-4(granted, against very tough competition) and their only win was a laugher against UAB. UAB has played some very difficult competition, including the best passing offenses in the country in Tulsa, but they rank 118th in the country against the pass. Memphis comes in ranked 9th in passing offense. Memphis comes in only 2-3, but they have outgained all of their opponents, including Marshall on the road, and Arkansas St last week by more than 100 yards. They've lost some close one, mostly because of an nability to turn good drives into points, as they rank 14th in total offense, but only 62nd in scoring offense. UAB is bad enough on defense that they should be able to punch some more scores in this week. UAB might hang for awhile since they are at home and the competition level has come down a notch, but it hasn't come down to their level. Memphis should have no problem moving it at will on them. I see about a 38-21 game here.

2. Oregon St +11 1/2 @Utah: I'm afraid this might be a square play, since Oregon St is obviously coming off a huge win over USC, but I really think the Oregon St we saw last Thursday is a better indication of the Beaver squad we'll see the rest of the year than we saw when they got their collective skulls caved in in Happy Valley in week 2. I would be worried about them if I didn't have confidence in Mike Riley, who I think is a solid coach. Traditionally, OSU starts slow and then gets their stride throughout the rest of the year.They also have shown an abiliy to move the ball both through the air and on the ground, and really dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball against SC. Looking at Utah's schedule, this is one of the few games on their schedule that they could possibly slip up on, and I really don't think they are good enough to go through the year undefeated. They are solid in all phases, and have dominated the Utah St's and UNLVs of the world, but I just don't see them as an elite squad. In my opinion, this is a close matchup in talent. Situationally, there is some risk with Oregon St, but they have had a full week to prepare compared to only 4 days for Utah, who played a cupcake last Saturday. With that many points, I'll take my chances, since I think OSU has a reasonable chance to win the game outright.


No real opinion on the ESPN game...a lean toward South Florida since I think Pitt's D might collapse badly on the road, but 14 is a lot of points, and I'm tired of sweating out these significant favorites. I'll be back in the near future with more misguided crap.