[NU Sports] todays games

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> Well, after watching Oregon contain ASU, in the
> desert at night, I can see
> just how far this year's team has to go to be
> considered 'great', though

Yeah - that surprised me a bit. I think ASU had a
really big USC hangover and just laid a big ole egg.

> Big 10 opponents.  Let's hope Purdue looks as
> inconsistent next week as
> they did this week, and both Baz and the D look as
> sharp as in the 3rd 

Purdue worries me because an 0-2 Big Ten team at home
is really a cornered dog waiting to attack. We're
gonna have to be real sharp and come out smoking like
we did out of the locker room Saturday (I'm still
amazed when I read the stats and all today).

> I think Penn State's real enough, I just don't know
> if any school in the
> Big 10 has the ability to go undefeated this year.  

Yup - facing Michigan in Ann Arbor after a loss when
Lloyd Carr has your number to begin with is a tough
task. Win that and they should be OK until the final
game at MSU, but it's gonna be tough in the Big Ten.

I really don't see anyone in the Big Ten or SEC making
it through unscathed this year (yet another reason
Auburn deserved to be in the title game last year --
anyone who makes it through the Big Ten or SEC
unbeaten and is not #1 or #2 is an outrage). But I'm
sure the old-guard would love to see a return to the
top 5 of Bama and PSU.

> The Big XII is looking like Texas and the 11
> dwarves, the only reason Texas
> Tech is still undefeated is they got a lucky break
> in Lincoln today when a

Yikes - saw that finish in O'Hare. Tough break for UNL
after that big loss last year at Tech. It's hard to
see anybody in the Little 12 knocking off Texas this
year. 

What could be interesting is that if VaTech and FSU
run the table (which is doubtful for both IMO) and
then play each other in a whopper of an opening for
the new ACC title game, does that give them the clout
to leap ahead of Texas ... especially since the Horns'
biggest win this year may wind up being OSU and the
Bucks may not win the Big Ten? Hmm ...

> Would somebody, ANYBODY (even N*D*) PLEASE knock off
> USC!!  

UGH - I hate this game every year. Who do you root
against more?:) My only fear is that if it's ND who
knocks off the Trojan machine, the Irish will be
vaulted up to #1 and we'll hear even more yakking in
the media about those darned leprechauns.

Personally, I hope for an SC pasting of the Irish and
a ND slip later (maybe Tennessee?) to keep them out of
the BCS and get someone else an open bid (it's bad
enough the Big Least will still get a bid).

As for SC, that December showdown with UCLA gets
bigger and bigger each week. The Bruins get ASU at
home and could roll into that LA showdown unbeaten as
well.

And as for the Sutton Heisman talk -- I think it's
safe to say he's not going to be invited to New York
(heck, Vince Young may be the only non-Trojan invited
at this pace). But he sure is a special kid and if he
continues to grow each week, we may have the national
freshman of the year in purple and something big to
build on for next year.

Gonna be a fun year ... the Big Ten race alone looks
like a lot of fun. And just think, if we'd have gotten
7 instead of 3 against PSU right now, we'd be alone
atop the league standings unbeaten!

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!


	
		
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