Week 10 Saturday Six-Pack: TCU, Oregon Roll Into Hostile Environments

Yes, there are games this weekend in addition to that one you may have heard or read about going on in Tuscaloosa. There’s actually a very interesting slate ahead, with a pair of western UWs hosting reigning two-time conference champions, SEC teams fighting to keep their bowl hopes alive, and even another pair of top 10 squads from the nation’s best conference.

Your Saturday may be centered around LSU-Alabama, but best believe from kickoff until bedtime, the slate is jammed with action. Read on for the week’s Six-Pack.

South Carolina at Arkansas

One-loss SEC teams squaring off in November? Seems strange this game isn’t generating more buzz, even with another conference clash dominating the spotlight. But the Gamecocks and Razorbacks have reached mirroring 7-1 records in unimpressive fashion, it prompted the below tweet from always-insightful CollegeFootballNews.com columnist Matt Zemek:

Indeed, with gift-wrapped wins over Vanderbilt and Texas A&M, Arkansas has certainly survived to reach its No. 7 ranking. Survival mode, luck, whatever it may be, the Hogs should be able to extend it against the Gamecocks. South Carolina has been forced to win ugly since dropping Stephen Garcia for Connor Shaw — but more importantly, since losing Marcus Lattimore to injury. Lattimore’s absence is readily apparent in a pair of 14-point outputs the Gamecocks’ last two times out.

Arkansas has a decent enough defense that even scoring 14 could be an uphill battle for the Gamecock offense, and certainly Tennessee with a freshman quarterback and struggling Mississippi State are no comparison for Tyler Wilson and the Razorback offense.

Rating: 2 Brews

The wheels are coming off the Gamecocks. USCEast has an impressive defense, but the offense isn’t likely to give it enough opportunity for rest to contain an explosive Arkansas attack. UA should roll as the Gamecocks’ shot at a second straight SEC Championship game slips away.

Kansas State at Oklahoma State

Oklahoma exposed glaring flaws in Kansas State’s defense, and Oklahoma State possesses the weapons to attack those very flaws. The laundry list of statistics Brandon Weeden, Justin Blackmon and Joseph Randle have compiled are astounding, and reported ad nauseum. OSU really flexed its championship muscle a week ago though, stifling Robert Griffin III’s Baylor offense completely out of the game.

That blowout win was a defining moment for the Pokes, and there is little standing between OSU and an 11-0 mark going into the Bedlam Game. The wind is out of K-State’s sails, but a league championship is salvageable. Oklahoma’s offense clicked, and the defense prevented Bill Snyder’s bunch from playing its ball control style. While the BU game was a marquee showing from the Cowboy defense, OSU has been susceptible to big outputs.

The Wildcats won’t necessarily score in bunches, but keeping the ball away from the Pokes via a multifaceted run game could keep OSU from doing likewise.

RATING: 3 Brews

Had K-State even kept it close vs. OU, this game would have a lot more luster. OSU’s high-powered offense should prove too much for the Wildcats to handle. However, K-State did outgun high-powered offenses in Baylor and Texas Tech so if Collin Klein can keep it away from Weeden the Wildcats have a chance.

Notre Dame at Wake Forest

These two teams sporting matching records at this juncture is definitely a surprise, on both ends. Wake was again pegged for the ACC cellar, while UND was supposed to be in pursuit of a BCS bowl. Wake Forest’s surprising start was snuffed out last week in a road rout vs. North Carolina. Though the Tar Heels put a sizable knot on the Demon Deacons’ heads, Wake isn’t a doormat for the Irish because Saturday’s game is being played in Winston-Salem. The Deacs are unquestionably a better home team this season, having defeated Florida State there.

Wake has a potent passing attack with sophomore quarterback Tanner Price whipping around passes to Chris Givens at a 116 yard per game clip, and spreading it out among five different receivers at least 11 times. Running back Josh Harris’ absence from the lineup has taken some of the starch out of the Deacon offense, however, and that plays directly into Notre Dame’s strength. The defensive-minded Irish can set the tone early. If Wake Forest doesn’t score on one of its first two drives, look out.

Struggling Navy afforded the Irish an opportunity to regroup after beating itself against USC. Tommy Rees is facing a defense that has giving up approximately four touchdowns per game, but he has to avoid the self-imposed blunders that cost Notre Dame big against Michigan and USC. Wake beat Florida State with a five-turnover differential.

Rating: 3 Brews

Notre Dame’s independence always leads to interesting match-ups such as this. Wake needs one more win to reach bowl eligibility, and will presumably get it. But this probably isn’t the week. As mentioned, Tommy Rees can be turnover prone. The Demon Deacons need to pressure him into mistakes, then capitalize if afforded short fields. Otherwise, Saturday could turn into a repeat of the Virginia Tech.

Vanderbilt at Florida

Vanderbilt has been knock-knock-knocking on the door against SEC competition. James Franklin’s well ahead of the curve in his first year coaching the Commodores, but the curve at VU is below .500. Bowl eligibility is a real possibility for this team, and to reach that magic number of six the ‘Dores need to steal one on the road. Time to stop knocking and just kick the door down.

Vandy draws a vulnerable Florida. The Gators have been bruised and battered, playing three of the nation’s very best defenses in the last five weeks. A stretch that includes Georgia, LSU and Alabama is going to do nothing to aid an offense, particularly not one as young and inexperienced as UF’s.

Typically Vanderbilt is the quintessential slumpbuster within the SEC, but this VU team has been impressive defensively. Vandy ranks No. 33 in points yielded, so things get no easier for the Gator offense. John Brantley’s return to the lineup buoyed the Gators a bit against a very good Georgia, but not to the level UF needs.

Rating: Four Brews

This should prove to be a competitive contest pitting the future of the SEC against one another, James Franklin and Will Muschamp. Neither team has established an offensive identity, though Jordan Rodgers’ effort against Arkansas showed signs of life for the Commodores. Both offenses should perform better than they have in recent weeks with each having its clear-cut quarterback. Nevertheless, defense, and homefield advantage, should prove critical in a direly needed win for both sides.

TCU at Wyoming

No FBS venue is higher above sea level than Wyoming’s 7220-foot War Memorial Stadium. The thin air provides UW a decided advantage, albeit one the Cowboys have struggled to take advantage of in recent seasons. Dave Christensen has something special in the works this season though, riding high off a surprising road defeat of San Diego State.

TCU comes to Laramie a winner of its last 21 Mountain West games and scoring points in bunches. But the Frog defense is decidedly down from where it’s been in recent years, so expect freshman phenom quarterback Brett Smith to be able to force the issue somewhat.

Smith has been most in his element when he can freelance. He’s a dangerous dual threat option, and is surrendered with capable backs Ghaalil Muhammad, Brandon Miller and Alvester Alexander. None is the decided No. 1, which actually makes UW tougher to defend. No one ball carrier is the guy to key in on in order to stifle the Cowboys.

TCU can score too, though. Casey Pachall may be a better individual player than Andy Dalton. Pachall has thrown 19 touchdowns with just four interceptions, completing 68.2 percent of his attempts for over 1700 yards. Reserve quarterback Matt Brown has seen increasing minutes, providing a ground-based complement. Brown has five rushing touchdowns, backing up Matt Tucker (seven), recently returned from injury Ed Wesley (four) and Waymon James — all of whom have over 400 yards on the season.

So much talent provides the UW defense a decided challenge. The Cowboys have given up big points on occasion this season, and even last week holding San Diego State to 27 were the beneficiaries of the Aztecs committing self-inflicted mistakes.

Rating: 4 Brews

Two teams unbeaten in conference play meeting in November is always an exciting prospect, and when the underdog has as notable a homefield advantage as Wyoming’s, it ups the intrigue. Ultimately TCU is still more talented across the board, and even in a “down” defensive year is giving up only 22 points per game.

Oregon at Washington

UO-UW is one of the great, if not under-appreciated interstate rivalries. There’s genuine vitriol between the fan bases, but in the last decade Dawg fans have had little about which to gloat. Steve Sarkisian has UW on the road back to its past glory, and no win thus far in his tenure would be bigger than knocking off No. 8 rival Oregon.

The Ducks are susceptible to upset. Injuries have taken their toll on the offense — relatively speaking. OK, that isn’t exactly the case. Without Darron Thomas and LaMichael James limited, the Ducks have still rattled off 41, 45 and 43 consecutively. So yeah, UO has been just fine despite injuries. And Washington isn’t necessarily the defense to exploit that.

The Huskies did limit Arizona to two offensive touchdowns a week ago, a decided win after surrendering over 60 points to Stanford the game prior. Nick Holt is working with a young unit, and at times it shows. UW’s best opportunity for an upset is to try an outgun the Ducks in a good ol’ fashion shootout. Even if James if 100 percent, the best running back at Husky Stadium is arguably in purple-and-gold. Chris Polk has gone for 189, 117, 144 and 144 yards rushing in the Huskies’ last four, while tacking on another 137 yards receiving.

Polk’s the kind of hard-charging power back that fans will see in the LSU-Alabama game vis a vis Trent Richardson. Should he get going early, that will soften the Oregon secondary for Keith Price to sling the long ball, which he does effectively.

Rating: 6 Brews

Washington football isn’t quite back, but it’s close. Oregon is a very good team — perhaps a great team. There’s weakness to be exposed though, namely on the defensive side. That plays into what Washington needs to pull off an upset. Husky Stadium at night is an ominous atmosphere, and the joint will be jumping. Expect an exciting, high scoring game decided in the fourth quarter.

ADMIRAL ACKBAR’S TRAP OF THE WEEK

Michigan’s hot start was derailed a season ago when the Iowa Hawkeyes came into Ann Arbor and brutalized Denard Robinson. The Hawkeyes are coming off an ugly loss to lowly Minnesota, the kind of loss that results in a week featuring many sprints ran and butts chewed.

Indeed, Iowa should take the field angry and looking to hit someone. The Wolverines were impressive returning from their first loss at Michigan State, routing upstart Purdue with a defensively stout effort. Greg Mattison has his unit playing infinitely better than it performed a season ago under Greg Robinson, but a low scoring contest benefits an Iowa team more apt for the style.

Michigan has had a habit of starting slowly this season, even in lopsided victories. The last thing the Wolverines want is for the Iowa City crowd that has lost some of its faith to regain hope. When it’s rocking, Kinnick Stadium is one of the Big Ten’s more ominous venues. Al Borges must counter the Iowa defense early and establish the run game.

Robinson’s efforts will be crucial, but the X-factor is tailback Fitzgerald Toussaint. Toussaint has settled into the feature back role, becoming a vital weapon to complement Robinson and keep defenses from keying on the quarterback as was so prevalent a season ago.

FLUENT ENGLISH

A non-AQ game worthy your attention this weekend pits Eastern Michigan against Ball State, two teams in the hunt for the MAC Championship game despite their low billing pre-season. EMU’s 5-3, 3-1 conference run is particularly noteworthy, as the Eagles-by-way-of-Hurons have been one of the most consistently awful programs of the last 25 years. The program’s last bowl game was in 1987. At 6-5, 1995 was its last winning season.

Ron English has EMU in line to snap both dubious streaks, and Saturday is a huge step in that direction. A win over Ball State won’t give the Eagles bowl qualification — with two wins over FCS programs, EMU must win seven to become eligible. That this conversation is even occurring is a testament to all English has accomplished, and the play of his team.

EMU poses BSU a serious challenge, ranking among the nation’s 50 best defensively allowing only 24.5 points per game. Last time out, the Eagles held explosive Western Michigan to just 10 points. Defensive teams have been problematic for the Cardinals this year. In their four losses, Ball State has averaged 12 points per game. Thirty-five of those 48 were scored in a single outing against WMU, in which the Cardinals surrendered 45 points.

EMU doesn’t score a whole lot, averaging just 20 PPG. However, the double rushing dose of Dominique White and Javonti Greene combines for over 1000 yards and each averages better than than five per carry.

SATURDAY’S SIX-PACK: KILTLIFTER SCOTTISH ALE

In honor of the author’s alma mater, the University of Arizona, this week’s brew is Arizona-born Kiltlifter Ale. The Four Peaks Brewery produces this hefty amber-hued ale, that at 6.2 ABV lives up to its name.

Kiltlifter is great for the late autumn weather settling in now. It’s richness is warming, and it goes well with a hearty November food. Should you choose some barbecued beef for your football viewing, Kiltlifter will complement it nicely.

Bottoms up on a great week!