Week Thirteen

MAD SCRAMBLE NEAR THE TOP … several weeks ago, folks were openly lamenting the great number of unbeaten teams in the country. Well, we’re now down to two: LSU and Houston. While LSU can assure itself of a spot in the BCS championship game simply by winning out, Houston will never get to the title game against a cupcake schedule that includes such lightweights as Rice (73-34), Tulane (73-17), Georgia State (56-0), UTEP, UAB and North Texas, among others. Not a national power among them. Not a single ranked team. Everyone above the Cougars could lose and Houston will still be left out in the cold. Still, it’s an interesting scramble. LSU has an incredibly difficult date with No. 3 Arkansas this weekend, and if it wins that one, an SEC title bout the next weekend against surging Georgia. But what if LSU loses to Arkansas? That would put Arkansas into the picture, for sure, but suppose the Razorbacks turn around and lose the SEC title game to Georgia? The Bulldogs have two losses and are seemingly out of any BCS consideration. Stanford is still hanging around with just one loss, as are Alabama, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech and Boise State. Of those, Alabama seems to have the easiest path to a championship game bid, ironically because it lost to LSU several weeks ago. Because of that loss, Alabama will not be in the SEC title game, meaning all it has to do is beat Auburn this weekend and pretty much wrap up the No. 2 BCS ranking, assuring itself of a spot in the title game. Right now, the SEC West division, made up of just six teams, has the top three ranked teams in the country.

BOB CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (BCS) STANDINGS … 1) LSU, 2) Alabama, 3) Arkansas, 4) Stanford, 5) Oklahoma State, 6) Houston, 7) Virginia Tech, 8) Houston, 9) Boise State, 10) USC, 11) Oregon, 12) Oklahoma, 13) Michigan State, 14) Georgia, 15) Wisconsin, 16) Kansas State, 17) Michigan, 18) TCU, 19) South Carolina, 20) Penn State, 21) Baylor, 22) Clemson, 23) Notre Dame, 24) Virginia, 25) Southern Mississippi.

BOTTOM OF THE BARREL … 120) Tulane, 119) Memphis, 118) New Mexico, 117) UNLV, 116) Idaho, 115) Arizona State.

This week’s picks are as follows:

STANFORD over NOTRE DAME … after pounding everyone in sight the first nine weeks of the season, Stanford had its eyes squarely on the national championship, not to mention a Heisman Trophy for Andrew Luck. Now, however, the Mighty Tree is struggling, first in a lopsided loss to Oregon, then last week in a nail-biter with so-so Cal. A win over a good, but not great, Notre Dame team will almost certainly assure the Cardinal of a BCS bowl bid, and who knows, if everyone ahead of them loses, a national title game. Tree by 10.

LSU over ARKANSAS … you can’t accuse LSU of playing a weak schedule. First, Alabama on the road and now Arkansas at home, plus the SEC championship game next weekend. If the Bengals win out, they’ll rightly claim a spot in the national championship game. Bayou Bengals by 14.

OREGON over OREGON STATE … the Ducks are down after last week’s heartbreaking loss to USC robbed them of an almost-certain bid to the BCS championship game, but they’ll still have enough juice to whip the Beavers. Ducks by 30.

USC over UCLA … the Trojans have emerged from their two-year probation to the point where they are clearly a top 10 team. They almost blew a 24-point lead against Oregon, but they’ll have no trouble in the Battle of Los Angeles. And come next year, look out. USC is back. Trojans by 21.

WASHINGTON over WASHINGTON STATE … the Cougars were locked out of bowl consideration in a heartbreaking overtime loss to Utah last week, but the Huskies will not have an easy time of it in the annual Apple Cup. Huskies by 3.

MICHIGAN over OHIO STATE … remember when this was the biggest game of the year? Wolverines by 8.

UTAH over COLORADO … wow, after struggling in the early season and losing its first four Pac-12 games, the Utes have emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Colorado, meanwhile, is still looking for someone its own size. Utes by 28.

HOUSTON over TULSA … saving the best for last, Houston will have to bring its “A” game to subdue a talented Tulsa squad. For sure, the scoreboard will get a workout when these two tee it up. And no, despite being one of just two unbeaten teams in the country, the Cougars will not be invited to the Big Dance. Blame a weak schedule for the Cougars’ lack of respect. Houston by 17.

GEORGIA over GEORGIA TECH … how bout them Dawgs? Georgia by 11.

PURDUE over INDIANA … the battle for the Old Rotten Bucket as two of the worst teams in the Big 10 do battle in a game one of them has to win. Boilers by 20.

ALABAMA over AUBURN … suddenly, the Crimson Tide seems perfectly set up for a shot at the national title. Auburn may be the defending national champion, but it’s a mere shadow of its former self. Tide by 24.

OKLAHOMA over IOWA STATE … sorry Cyclone fans, lightning doesn’t strike twice. Sooners by 17.

UPSET OF THE WEEK: Cal over Arizona State … two programs headed in opposite directions. A loss to the Bears might just seal Dennis Erickson’s fate with the Sun Devils, who are dearly disappointed with this season’s sudden tailspin. Bears by 4. (Upset record: 4-8).

ROUT OF THE WEEK: Boise State over Wyoming … another one of those teams still hoping for a BCS bid, the Broncos will have no trouble once the coin flip is completed. Boise by 35. (Rout record: 11-1).

DON’T BET ON IT, BUT: Virginia Tech over Virginia … the Hokies keep hanging around, but there’s virtually no chance they’ll be invited to the BCS championship game. Then again, don’t discount any possibility in this craziest of BCS years. Hokies by 10. (Don’t bet record: 4-8).

FIVE EASY PICKS: There are no easy picks this week. (FEP season record: 57-3).

OTHER GAMES: Northern Illinois over Eastern Michigan, Nebraska over Iowa, Temple over Kent State, Western Michigan over Akron, Toledo over Ball State, Michigan State over Northwestern, Rutgers over Connecticut, North Carolina State over Maryland, Wisconsin over Penn State, Illinois over Minnesota, Missouri over Kansas, North Carolina over Duke, Southern Miss over Memphis, Baylor over Texas Tech, Florida State over Florida, South Carolina over Clemson, San Diego State over UNLV, Mississippi State over Mississippi, Air Force over Colorado State, Hawaii over Tulane, and Nevada over Utah State. 

Last week: 32-12, season: 384-108, percentage: .780.