The gauntlet continues...

[RumpleForeskin]

Texas is 2-0 through perhaps the toughest stretch of games in CFB history. Okay, maybe not THE toughest, but its gotta be up there.

Who is left?

Oklahoma St. (Home)
Taco Tech (Away)
Baylor (does it matter?)
Kansas (Away)
Texas A&M (Home)

Breakdown of each game:

Ok State has one of the better running games in the nation and Texas has one of the better run defenses in the nation. It is one of those irresistible forces against an immovable object scenarios. So, which one wins that battle? My money is on UT. They will want Ronbinson to beat them in the air. The more he drops back, the more opportunities that UT d-line has to put him on his back. Problem is, Ok State has some decent receivers and UT is very green in the secondary. We'll see. As for the UT offense vs the OK State defense, well, this will be the difference of the game. Obinnaya is now oozing with confidence after the last two games and I still haven't seen a defense completely shutdown McCoy as a dual threat. Even in the OU game, the numbers may have not been there, but he had a couple of key runs for first downs. Shipley and Cosby are not flashy at all. They don't have world class speed, their strength is average, and they are average in physique. The one thing they do posess is heart. These guys make plays when they have to. You can't teach that. UT by 10.


IMO, the Taco Tech game in Lubbock under the lights will be the ultimate test for the 'horns....well duhhhh. Tech is a shaky 7-0. They have not blown away the competition with that high powered offense. Crabtree and Harrel have been good, but not great. What Tech has managed to do when that offense wasn't clicking on all cylinders is win a game with the bend, not break defense that they have been lacking over the past decade. Tech's defense will be pumped up for that game, no doubt, but I think Texas will overcome the initial hostility of the crowd and turn this game into a shootout. I don't know who is going to win, but it will come down to who has the ball last. If you put a gun to my head, then I would have to go with Tech by a slim margin.

Baylor will make noise in a year or two. They will no longer be the bottom feeders in the south once Briles gets all of his players in there. Sure, the offense is gimmicky, by Robert Griffin IS the real deal. However, they are young and overmatched. Texas by a billion.

Kansas is still thinking about that lame offensive pass interference call against the 'horns back in '04. They are pissed and want revenge. They might get it too. If Texas were to get by Tech, then this game could be the one that bites them in the ass. KU played 3 quarters of decent football against OU. I know, I know....they were lucky in the first half, but they hung in there for a while; in Norman mind you. Unfortunately for KU, they have nobody on defense who will stop McCoy. He will destroy that defense with his dual threat capabilities. It will be close, but McCoy won't let them lose.

A&M - rivalry game but it won't even be close.

Does one loss still get them in the MNC considering their schedule?

[Ken]

Does one loss still get them in the MNC considering their schedule?

Sure. The conference champs of the B12 and the SEC should play for the national championship.

... IF there are no other undefeated teams from other conferences, that is.

[King Crimson]

Does one loss still get them in the MNC considering their schedule?

Sure. The conference champs of the B12 and the SEC should play for the national championship.

... IF there are no other undefeated teams from other conferences, that is.

and the Big XII team is the southern div. winner. the only BCS game scenario for a North winner (since MU has two losses) is KU to win at Tech and UT in Lawrence and then win through (beat MU) to the conf. championship game and beat a 1 loss UT again (maybe Tech again or OSU for the first time).

there are some other mathematical possibilities if UT stumbles at Tech and permutations with Tech and/or OSU still being a 1 or no loss team...but they are a reach IMO.

i'm not sure i see a 1 loss Kansas making the BCS game over a 1 loss tOSU, PSU or USC.

[Goober McTuber]

Does one loss still get them in the MNC considering their schedule?

Sure. The conference champs of the B12 and the SEC should play for the national championship.

jsc once again showing his lack of knowledge regarding college football. Shocking.

[RumpleForeskin]

Schedule strength will put Bama and UT in the game, though.

You think so?

I think Penn St. has a tougher schedule. Sure, 'Bama blew out Clemson and Georgia, but if Clemson keeps losing, then that game will look weaker and weaker on the SOS. Penn St. keeps winning the way they are, you have to give them the nod over 'Bama IMHO.

Honestly, what I would love to see is all of these teams lose one game (even Texas). I want a scenario that absolutely corners the BCS into a full blown conundrum. How can you honestly choose who goes to the MNC when you have one loss OU, one loss PSU, one loss Texas, one loss Ok State, one loss 'Bama, one loss USC, one loss OSU, and undefeated Tulsa?

[Goober McTuber]

Goobs, how long you gotta wear that damn Hawkeye avatar?!

One hellish month.

[Goober McTuber]

Schedule strength will put Bama and UT in the game, though.

You think so?

I think Penn St. has a tougher schedule. Sure, 'Bama blew out Clemson and Georgia, but if Clemson keeps losing, then that game will look weaker and weaker on the SOS. Penn St. keeps winning the way they are, you have to give them the nod over 'Bama IMHO.

Honestly, what I would love to see is all of these teams lose one game (even Texas). I want a scenario that absolutely corners the BCS into a full blown conundrum. How can you honestly choose who goes to the MNC when you have one loss OU, one loss PSU, one loss Texas, one loss Ok State, one loss 'Bama, one loss USC, one loss OSU, and undefeated Tulsa?

Obviously you take tOSU and the SEC champ. It's worked out pretty well the past two years.

[Cuda]

Texas is 2-0 through perhaps the toughest stretch of games in CFB history. Okay, maybe not THE toughest, but its gotta be up there.

Who is left?

Oklahoma St. (Home)
Taco Tech (Away)
Baylor (does it matter?)
Kansas (Away)
Texas A&M (Home)

The only possible trap game I see is Kansas. If Texas over-celebrates the ass kicking they lay on Baylor and let it influence them going on the road, the Jayhawks could give them a scare- maybe even upset them, but probably not. Nobody else on the schedule is going to beat the Longhorns

[PSUFAN]

I doubt a 1 loss PSU team would get a shot at things.

PSU has a huge game this weekend. Winning @ the Shoe is a pretty tall order for the Lions. If they succeed, then I think they will probably be in the MNC title game, because I'll feel confident that they can win anywhere.

Honestly, though...I still see PSU as a 2 loss team - playing in and winning a BCS game.

Big 12 and SEC teams have a tough schedule - and Conference Championship Games. I don't see any team going through those gauntlets without any losses - maybe UT.

[RumpleForeskin]

I don't know about that. PSU is playing with a swagger right now. Those kids are taking care of business. That was evident in the second half of the Michigan game. Whatever was said in the locker room during the half woke'em up. They can play with anyone and I think they will give OSU all they can handle in the 'shoe this weekend. PSU is the front runner to get in the MNC if they win this weekend.

[Goober McTuber]

jsc once again showing his lack of knowledge regarding college football. Shocking.

Relax, sweetie. I was just trying to stir the pot.

Sorry. You’ve made so many bone-headed statements in here, it’s hard to tell when you’re trolling.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

If PSU wins on Saturday, I have a feeling we'll see a PSU-USC MNC. I think Texas and Bama are the two best teams right now, but agree that both will stumble at some point given the strength of their schedules from here on out including potential conference champ. games. OU is still somewhere in the mix as well. And I guess Florida, but I'm really not sold on them.

[Goober McTuber]

Sagarin already has USC up to #2, partly I’m sure because they have 4-3 Oregon State at #18. I like Texas to win out, though, and face also undefeated PSU in the championship.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

the only BCS game scenario for a North winner (since MU has two losses) is KU to win at Tech and UT in Lawrence and then win through (beat MU) to the conf. championship game and beat a 1 loss UT again (maybe Tech again or OSU for the first time).

there are some other mathematical possibilities if UT stumbles at Tech and permutations with Tech and/or OSU still being a 1 or no loss team...but they are a reach IMO.

i'm not sure i see a 1 loss Kansas making the BCS game over a 1 loss tOSU, PSU or USC.

Kansas already has 2 losses - USF & OU.

[campinfool]

You got it all wrong. Texas will lose in the next two weeks, but it won't be at Texas Tech. The front 4 will harass Harrell all day and I really don't think this game will be close. Tech has not really looked good all year. The game I've been fearing since early in the seaon is Okie State. For the past few years they have jumped out to big leads over Texas only to piss them away. While their offense is probably the most balanced Texas will see all year, it is the Cowboy Defense that worries me. They are vastly improved and will be a huge factor this weekend. As much as I would love to see Texas put it to them, I'm pretty nervous. I did not anticipate Texas being this good this year and after huge wins over Oklahoma and Missery I just have a vibe that a let down is about to happen. Hope I'm wrong as always.

[King Crimson]

The front 4 will harass Harrell all day and I really don't think this game will be close. .

this is the thing i like about Texas. the ability to get pressure with 4. not all the time, but enough of the time...which is invaluable with the Big XII QB position as it is this year. you don't have to sell out to the blitz but can mix it up...

edit: my bad on the KU record above. I remember SF winning that game....but seemed to forget about KU actually losing it.

[PSUFAN]

If PSU beats tOSU, then Iowa and MSU are in great positions to have their Triumphant Upsets. Each and every week - like the avatars say...

[RadioFan]

I'd love to see an OU-Tex rematch in the MNC game. If both run the table, that's very plausible.

[RumpleForeskin]

Wow, OSU had a momentum changing turnover, but Sexton fucked it up by shoving McCoy up around the helmet. What a fucking moron.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

If PSU beats tOSU, then Iowa and MSU are in great positions to have their Triumphant Upsets. Each and every week - like the avatars say...

Iowa is very much flying under the radar right now. They're much stronger than their record indicates.

[Shoalzie]

Iowa is very much flying under the radar right now. They're much stronger than their record indicates.

Greene has been a badass...second only to Ringer in the Big Ten.

[King Crimson]

Wow, OSU had a momentum changing turnover, but Sexton fucked it up by shoving McCoy up around the helmet. What a fucking moron.

that was a pretty big play....McCoy had already thrown the ball when the Poke went up on the face with his hands. totally unnecessary. good game.

[RumpleForeskin]

Yeah, McCoy made two bonehead plays that would have put the game out of reach, but luckily, the defense stepped up when they had to and bailed his ass out. I thought Ok State used the right approach by blitzing from all directions. It definitely took the big play away. I was a little surprised Davis didn't call for more north/south running plays. Everything was pretty much lateral with the running game for UT. The play calling was average for the 'horns. Same goes for Gundy and the Cowboys, they did not stick with the run when it was clearly working.

Overall, the game was played kinda tight. Oh well, Texas took care of business and I don't see any reason why they shouldn't still be the clear-cut #1 no matter what happens in the 'Shoe tonight. After all, they did beat the #6 team in the country. The way they handled Missouri last week, I'm sure there are some critics out there thinking this was a let down game. I couldn't disagree more.