Saturday Six-Pack Week 5: Baylor-West Virginia Preview & A Pair of Big Ten Contender Clashes

September 22, 2012; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller (5) scores a diving touchdown over UAB Blazers safety Jake Ganus (4) and Lamar Johnson (6) at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-US PRESSWIRE

September concludes with a slate of games Saturday that appear underwhelming, at least on the surface. Take the destination of College Gameday. The ESPN flagship program is in East Lansing to showcase teams coming off near-misses against UAB and Eastern Michigan.

Gauging the calendar in August would have led one to believe this was a marquee weekend for the Big Ten. And indeed, it may still be. Wisconsin travels to Nebraska for a meeting of two 3-1 teams that could conceivably win the conference’s Rose Bowl bid. Then again, everyone in the conference could conceivably win the conference. Except maybe Illinois. Or Iowa.

Ohio State definitely cannot win the Big Ten; at least, not technically. The Buckeyes have exhibited flashes of brilliance that suggest they are the best of the Big Ten bunch, NCAA sanctions be damned. But then there are those moments when Cal is slashing through the Ohio State front seven, or UAB is containing Braxton Miller and the Buckeye offense that leave one befuddled.

OHIO STATE AT MICHIGAN STATE

So which offense is the real Buckeye offense? Urban Meyer gave Miller quite the vote of confidence with a glowing comparison to Tim Tebow after Miller’s outstanding fourth quarter against Cal. And then against UAB, the sophomore quarterback had a pedestrian showing that delayed the mounting Heisman chatter that was just beginning.

The Michigan State defense is Ohio State’s first major test. Cal brought a decent, not great defense into Columbus. In Sparty, Miller is lined up opposite a truly great unit.

Le’Veon Bell should get rolling early against a Buckeye rush defense that surrendered big plays to both UAB and Cal, resulting in nearly 370 total rush yards from the two opponents combined. Bell is coming off a career high day of 253 yards against EMU, Sparty’s offensive bright spot from an otherwise dismal day. Michigan State needed every inch late in a game that was much too close for the 183 total yards of offense its defense allowed, and therein lies Ohio State’s best hope.

Michigan State has struggled capitalizing on offensive opportunities because of Andrew Maxwell’s slower than expected acclimation at starting quarterback. The Spartan receiving corps leaves much to be desired, so Luke Fickell is likely to load up on rush defenders early to force Maxwell’s hand. Maxwell won’t beat the Buckeyes with the long ball, and OSU knows it.

Finding any gap in the stout Michigan State is challenging, but keeping it on the field as much as possible is the greatest potential boon the Buckeye offense has, similar to how Washington wore down Stanford on Thursday night.

BAYLOR AT WEST VIRGINIA

There could be no more apropos Big 12 introduction for the Mountaineers than Baylor, an offensively explosive team capable of putting up points en masse behind its quarterback’s arm. Bear Nick Florence has stepped in effectively in his second season as BU starter, but first since 2009, throwing over 1000 yards and scoring 11 passing touchdowns in just three games. Florence has even shown glimpses reminiscent of his predecessor, rushing at a nearly 8 yard per carry pace for more than 150 yards on the campaign.

BU will need every point Florence can squeeze out of his offense, because WVU is certain to put up some of its own.

West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen’s air raid offense was cultivated in the Big 12 at Oklahoma State, so Art Briles and BU defensive coordinator Phil Bennett at least know what to expect Saturday in Morgantown. Stopping it is a whole different proposition.

Quarterback Geno Smith has emerged as the favorite to succeed Robert Griffin III in Heisman lineage. Smith has been efficient and prolific in spreading the ball among nine different receivers for 1072 yards and 12 touchdowns without an interception.

In a contest featuring two dynamite quarterbacks, this may come down to the running game. Each team has used its rushers as effective complements to the passing attack, and the unit that can add the most potent combination punch on Saturday will make the difference. Might this be the week we see ballyhooed prospect Lache Seastrunk be integrated into the offense? He has only five carries on the year, but one went for a touchdown and he’s rolling off better than a first down on each touch.

NC STATE AT MIAMI

Lo and behold, the Hurricanes are 2-0 in the ACC and suddenly look like they have some dark horse potential in the conference race (just don’t ask Miami to play any more games in Manhattan, Kan.).

NC State has yet to journey into league play, the Wolfpack instead getting four non-conference opportunities to sharpen its collective fangs in preparation for what I wrote in the off-season could be a surprise ACC run. If Tom O’Brien is going to make me look good, his Pack must look a lot better than it has through those four contests. NC State could not contain Tyler Bray and Tennessee in Week 1 with the Vol quarterback brazenly challenging what was college football’s best turnover-forcing secondary a season ago. The Pack sputtered offensively against Connecticut in Week 2, and faced over-matched FBS transitional program South Alabama and FCS member The Citadel in Weeks 3 and 4.

This is an opportunity for the Pack to reestablish its offense against a Hurricane defense that’s surrendered 52, 36 and 32 points in its three outings vs. FBS competition. Mike Glennon has put up pedestrian numbers in this, his second season as the Pack’s starting quarterback.

NC State has seemingly regrouped defensively, though Miami will present a more accurate measure than the Pack’s last three opponents. Stephen Morris looks much more comfortable behind center and is coming off a career best outing. Mike Archer cannot game plan primarily on stopping running back Mike James, as was the case when NC State faced Lyle McCombs and Connecticut.

TEXAS TECH AT IOWA STATE
September 1, 2012; Ames, IA, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Steele Jantz (2) points out signals against the Western Illinois Leathernecks at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-US PRESSWIRE
Undefeated vs. Undefeated. Whoda thunk it? Iowa State blew into Lubbock a season ago, the first opponent after Tech’s upset of Oklahoma, and routed the Red Raiders to send them into a tail spin. ISU propelled from the victory to a strong finish and bowl appearance. This season’s installment could have similar implications for two of the unknowns in the Big 12.

There couldn’t be a greater juxtaposition in styles than these two: Tech a team content to air the football out 60 times a game, ISU a defensively stout and more run-based offense. However, the Cyclones have gotten some added aerial punch from Steele Jantz. Jantz lost his starting job in Lubbock last fall, and reserve Jared Barnett had an outstanding showing. But Barnett’s struggles since opened the door for a Jantz return, and he’s capitalized on his opportunity with 731 yards on better than 70 percent completions.

Forcing Jantz into turnovers is the Red Raiders’ best defensive hope, as the Cyclone quarterback is still struggling somewhat in that phase of the game. Jantz has four interceptions on the year. Compared to Tech quarterback Seth Doege’s 12 touchdowns and just one interception, ISU is at a seemingly obvious disadvantage at the position. Doege is indeed well suited to the air raid offense, but has yet to face stiff competition in 2012. Last season, he had a miserable outing against the tough Cyclone defense: two interceptions, no touchdowns and just 171 yards.

VIRGINIA TECH VS. CINCINNATI

Sep 6, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Munchie Legaux (4) runs for yardage during the first half against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-US PRESSWIRE
Virginia Tech didn’t fare too well its last time against a Big East opponent, getting pasted against Pitt. And Pitt? The Panthers came into that 35-17 defeat of a top 20 Hokie team fresh off a 34-10 to this very Cincinnati team. Transitive property would dictate the Bearcats storm into FedEx Field and repay the 2009 Orange Bowl defeat VPI handed UC.

Then again, if transitive properties actually applied to football, the ACC-winning 2010 Hokies would have been a mid-level CAA team given Tech’s loss to James Madison. Frank Beamer-coached teams have had a habit of losing in September, sometimes in perplexing fashion. The Pitt contest two weeks ago might be this season’s version of that.

Logan Thomas must live up to his lofty billing for the Hokies to meet their potential. Thomas has struggled through the early phases of 2012, the offense obviously suffering with star running back David Wilson gone for the NFL. The Bearcat defense poses an intriguing challenge to Thomas. Cincinnati has held opponents to a combined 13 points this season, but has a microscopic sample size. Saturday’s tilt is just the third game of UC’s season, and Delaware State is the only competition aside from Pitt the Bearcats have seen — competition being used lightly.

The UC defense was particularly stiff in the red zone against Pitt, an about-face from a season ago when the Bearcats were among the less effective teams nationally from inside the 20. Stifling Ray Graham was a key in that game, and Virginia Tech comes in having failed to establish a consistent rushing approach. That means Thomas forced to pass inside the red zone, which is precisely what Tino Sunseri was forced to do against UC.

Sunseri didn’t get going at all this season until he faced the typically stingy Hokie defense. Has Bud Foster’s perpetually powerful unit finally weakened? Munchie Legaux will test that theory. The Bearcat quarterback hasn’t been dazzling throwing the ball, but his wheels are rolling off yards at a healthy rate.

WISCONSIN AT NEBRASKA

Overshadowing the potentially major conference implications of Wisconsin’s first Big Ten visit to Lincoln is that both teams are wearing adidas-designed alternate uniforms. The giant block N and W embroidered across the players’ torsos have been compared to everything from the old Domino’s spokestoon The Noid, to Pokemon villains Team Rocket. And yes, that was a Pokemon reference on SaturdayBlitz.com, hopefully the last.

The Cornhuskers and Badgers of 2012 have been described as a lot of things, but none of them Husker or Badger teams of old. Nebraska is far removed from its days of the Blackshirt defense, and Wisconsin is failing to establish the run. The former might gain some redemption via the latter on Saturday, with UW coming in not just struggling, but with health concerns about top rusher Montee Ball. The Badgers will need a performance from James White similar to Johnathan Franklin’s against the Nebraska defense, but don’t hold your breath.

The onus will ultimately fall on the UW defense, which has been very good. The Badgers are allowing just 80.8 rushing yards a contest, but a returned Rex Burkhead is poised to challenge that. Despite their initial underwhelming starts, the winner here has a leg up on its respective Big Ten division. And who knows? Maybe this game will be worthy of more discussion than just…oh hey, look! Shiny shoes!

SATURDAY’S SIX-PACK: Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier

Our Bavarian brethren are celebrating Oktoberfest, and while we may root on Baylor as opposed to Bayern Munich, we stateside can still join in. I tried the Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier on tap at The Tavern in downtown Encinitas, Calif. and highly recommend it. It’s not heavy, making it adequate for slugging from a massive German stein if that’s your style.