Calling Our Shot: Upset Games of 2013
October 26, 2012; Louisville, KY USA; Cincinnati Bearcats running back Ralph Abernathy (1) runs for a touchdown against the Louisville Cardinals during the second half of play at Papa John
KYLE KENSING, EDITOR
1. Louisville at Cincinnati, Dec. 5
Picture an unbeaten Louisville, standing atop the smoldering wreckage of other teams with at least a loss. The Cardinals enter the final week of the regular season, needing only to win and book its ticket to Pasadena for the BCS championship game.
Then, along comes Cincinnati.
In the last installment of the Keg of Nails rivalry (for now), the Bearcats could be playing for more than the trophy — they could carry the hopes of every one-loss team in college football.
2. Ohio State at Northwestern, Oct. 5
Ohio State is in the unenviable position of having to go what amounts to 25-0 in order to play for the BCS championship. Last season, the Buckeyes were Div. I’s sole unbeaten, but have those victories were by single digits. Conversely, Northwestern fell just shy of its best season in program history. Two of the Wildcats’ losses were by a touchdown or less, and they led in the fourth quarter of all three defeats.
The Buckeyes are loaded, but this year’s Northwestern team might be the best since head coach Pat Fitzgerald was manning linebacker duties for a Rose Bowl squad in 1995. The pendulum that swung in Ohio State’s favor and away from Northwestern last year could swing the other way.
3. Clemson at Maryland, Oct. 26
Clemson’s last time in College Park, it needed Sammy Watkins to put on one of the most impressive individual performances of the season to erase two separate double-digit deficits.
This is a much better Maryland team than the 2011 version. The Tigers cannot afford a similar early letdown — and one week removed from a heavyweight showdown with Florida State, a letdown is a real possibility.
4. Florida State at Pittsburgh, Sept. 2
Pittsburgh makes its debut in the Atlantic Coast Conference by playing its defending champion, in its nationally televised, holiday spotlight game. The Panther defense is talented, and likely facing a freshman quarterback in his debut game.
Expect Pitt, all hopped up on Mountain Dew, to come out at the Seminoles like spider monkeys.
5. Stanford at USC, Nov. 16
Stanford has a win streak dating back to 2009 against the Trojans. Those four games hang like a millstone on USC, indicative of the program’s drop-off from nationally elite status. The conditions are right for USC to stop the skid against Stanford, because the Cardinal visits the Coliseum off the emotional high of hosting Pac-12 North rival Oregon the week prior.
6. Texas A&M at Ole Miss, Oct. 12
A&M returns to the scene of one of its closer calls in the Aggies’ debut SEC season. The Aggies needed to rally from a 10-point, fourth quarter deficit and six turnovers.
This A&M team is younger and less experienced; Ole Miss is older and more experienced. The Grove will be rocking when Johnny Manziel and Co. comes to town.
7. Florida at Missouri, Oct. 19
November 3, 2012; Gainesville FL, USA; Missouri Tigers offensive and Florida Gators defense line up on the line of scrimmage during the first quarter at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Florida’s run to the Sugar Bowl nearly came to a screeching halt last November against a Missouri team, sputtering in its first season of SEC play. The two were locked in a defensive stalemate that ended in a 14-7 Gator victory.
UF pays its first visit to Columbia against a Tiger team that should be much better offensively.
8. Texas at TCU, Oct. 26
Mack Brown has his most talented roster since 2009. Will this year’s team produce similar results? The Longhorns will certainly have to earn it against a very deep Big 12 Conference. One of the many talented opponents Texas faces is TCU, a team that knocked off the Horns in 2012.
TCU also did so in Austin. This time around, Texas must visit the Frogs’ home in Fort Worth.
9. Oregon at Arizona, Nov. 23
Oregon visited Tucson in 2009 with the winner moving ahead in the race for the Rose Bowl. The two teams went into overtime, with the Ducks winning the second in a streak that has since grown to five games. UO has taken Arizona to the woodshed in the three contests since.
Should Arizona move the ball into the red zone as effectively as it did in the first half at Autzen last year, and actually cash in on its opportunities, a different game unfolds. Oregon has been susceptible to BCS-busting, November losses; this is a potential Admiral Ackbar Special for the Ducks in 2013.
10. Notre Dame at Purdue, Sept. 14
The Fighting Irish walked a tightrope so thin in 2012, Nik Wallenda would have struggled traversing it. Nevertheless, Notre Dame played for the BCS championship and returned to national prominence. But it was nearly derailed very early against a Purdue bunch that has a history of challenging the Irish.
Make no mistake: Notre Dame has the decided talent advantage. But Darrell Hazell is a great coach, and if his team can grind down the pace, the Boilermakers could cook up something special in Week 3.