Week 2: Um, Yeah... Weekend!
It's week 2, which we all know is the week that comes between week 1 and week 3. And there are some games this week! Woohoo!
Georgia Tech @ Boston College
Don't laugh now, but ACC title position could be at stake here. OK, go ahead and laugh.
Analysis: I don't even want to think about what this atrocity is going to look like.
Pick: not the fans. Maybe BC?
BYU @ Washington
If you're a BYU fan, this one matters. Yep.
Jake Locker is going to run rampant on this defense.
Pick: Washington
Oregon State @ Penn State
Meh. Ehhhhh. This is one of those games where, if they played it ten times, one of them would be good. Are you feeling lucky, punk? I'm not.
Oregon State's last trip to the Midwest didn't go so great.. and that was Cincinnati. (when does a trip to Cincy ever get described as "great" though? by going there, you've already lost something) PSU is a superior defensive team and without Morelli they won't throw enough picks to lose this one.
Pick: Penn State
Sandy Eggo State @ Notre Dame
It never gets old writing San Diego like that. You know what else never gets old? Watching Jimmy Claussen take shot after shot when this line can't hold long enough to take a three-step drop. I don't know if Notre Dame is bad enough to lose to SDSU, but... maybe.
Realistically, neither team's offense is going to look great, but Charlie Weiss will have just enough of a "decided schematic advantage" drawn up for the Domers to win by two TDs.
Pick: Notre Dame, dammit
Cincinnati @ Oklahoma
This game appears relevent because Cincinnati beat Oregon State, Rutgers, USF, and UConn last season in addition to winning 10 games. In reality, it's not. The Bearcats pull off a couple conference upsets each season, but on the road at Oklahoma they're going to get massacred.
It'll go something like this: Oklahoma scores on every drive, Cincy gets a lucky TD in the third quarter.
Pick: Oklahoma
Cal @ Washington State
This is only an interesting game if both teams are 1-0, or if you care deeply about who finishes #5 in the Pac 10.
These teams should both be mediocre, but Cal has an advantage at QB and is generally a well-coached team.
Pick: Cal
Northwestern @ Duke
Last season, Northwestern made history by giving Duke their only win in two seasons. Along with Clemson, the Wildcats are one of just two division FBS teams Duke has beaten in the last four years. Don't watch this, but have the jokes ready to send to Big 10 fans should the Devils beat the same opponent in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1998-99 (Wake Forest).
Can Cutcliffe make the difference at Duke? Who cares - I'm picking the result based on how comic it would be.
Pick: Duke
Dear god, there are no games worth caring about in week 2 either. Worse still, the best chance for an "upset" is if Oregon State wins in Happy Valley. OU/Cincy becomes something a little more worth caring about if Mauk somehow is granted eligibility in the next week... which, um, no. And really it wouldn't even matter. *sigh*
Projected ESPN/USA Top Ten
1. Georgia
2. USC
3. Ohio State
4. Oklahoma
5. Florida
6. Missouri
7. LSU
8. Clemson
9. West Virginia
10. Texas
