Week 4 Precap

It's an interesting week this week, as most of the interesting matchups are between teams that seem to be in the decent to good range. Unfortunately, all of these teams are still hazy and out of focus. Is Washington good, or just the accidental benefactor of a USC letdown? Is Miami really that great, or are they just bolting out of the gate against teams that aren't solidified yet? Is Mississippi a top-10 team, or are they still riding on reputation from last year? This may not necessarily be a week of surprises, but I think it will be a week in which we get a much better idea of where these teams really stand. Which means we will probably clean out a few extra parts.

However, I would like to say that this has been the most interesting, most compelling season I've seen in the last few years. Instead of the usual batch of blowouts by top teams to start the season, there have been several good matchups every week, and the national scene has been impacted relentlessly. I know that this will slow down as the top of the rankings clears out and settles down, but I would like to point out just how good things have been so far this season.

Mississippi vs. South Carolina

An untested Ole Miss team is playing a South Carolina team that passed one test and failed another. I have barely seen either team play, so I can't provide much insight other than the fact that I assume the voters know something&mdashwhich we all know is frequently not the case. I'll take Mississippi to win, but I'm going to whine about it.

Miami vs. Virginia Tech

I know a lot of people have been saying a lot of nice things about Miami and Jacory Harris. But I'm still not entirely sold. This early in the season, the teams playing are not yet in their final form. Miami has earned a high ranking, but I don't know that I expect them to stay there. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech has been punchless on offense, but that is nothing new for them. Their defense and special teams will have to keep them in this game as they hope that their offense finally figures something, anything out. What that means is Miami wins, because the game ain't long enough for Virginia Tech's offense to figure anything out.

TCU vs. Clemson

Think of Clemson like home prices. Everyone keeps thinking that they should do well all the time, but they don't. Then people think things must have hit rock bottom, but I don't think most people understand just how low rock bottom really is. It's a good thing neither one ever really does hit rock bottom, because that is a level of ugliness that nobody really wants to see. Anyway, TCU wins because they still have hope for the future, and Clemson has an injured running back.

Arkansas vs. Alabama

The thing about Alabama this year is that they don't have a whole lot of big games on the schedule. The SEC West has three teams that are probably going to end up somewhere in the range of #22 to Also Receiving Votes. Mississippi is a question mark, but even if they aren't all they are cracked up to be, they are still probably a top-15 team. The problem is that the only easy game in that division is Mississippi State. Alabama is the best team in the division, in my estimation, but they are reconstituting the core of their team after losing key players (and leaders) from last year. What that means is that they might not be able to put everything together when they run up against an unexpected dogfight from one of the junior members. Like they might against a solid, but unremarkable, unranked team with a good quarterback who is hitting a hot streak. Like the Arkansas team I'm picking to win this game despite all sense or logic.

South Florida vs. Florida State

I would have picked Florida State even if Matt Grothe wasn't injured; they are much more complete than South Florida. But I do have to say that I'm going to miss the guy. He played with such relentless abandon and love for the game that I really enjoyed watching him play it. I'm going to miss him. South Florida will too.

Arizona State vs. Georgia

This seemed like such an exciting game last year. This year, it is getting surprisingly little press. I think that probably has something to do with Georgia losing to Oklahoma State this year, and Arizona State losing to everybody last year. Anyway, Georgia will win in a game that should have gotten more buildup.

North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech

It's games like this that make me wish I could spend more time on this sort of thing. North Carolina has been pretty good in their opening games, and now they are taking on a Georgia Tech team that has been pretty up-and-down from one week to another; heck, one half of a game to another. If I knew more about UNC, I'd feel better about making a pick here, but I have not been able to see them play all year. Which stinks. It also means I've changed my pick three times since I started this paragraph. But I'll go on the record as saying that I am picking Georgia Tech.

Ohio State vs. Illinois

A few folks have mentioned that Illinois and Juice Williams are returning to the scene of their huge upset of #1-ranked Ohio State in 2007. That they are. But J Leman and Rashard Mendenhall are not, and they were the biggest keys to that game. I'm taking Ohio State because they are better than Illinois. But I would also like to point out that Ohio State is going to be largely disappearing from the national scene for the next month or so after this game. This is because they are entering a part of the schedule where they don't have any big games against major names. But once November starts, it gets very interesting for the Bucks, with games against Penn State, Iowa, and Michigan. It seems that they will have a few more chances to show whether they can win big games.

Southern Mississippi vs. Kansas

I like Kansas in this one. Mostly because I know little about Kansas and almost nothing about Southern Mississippi.

California vs. Oregon

So let me get this straight, Cal justified their top-10 ranking by beating a team that is expected to finish somewhere around fifth in the Big Ten? You know what, I'll take a pissed-off Oregon team to beat a California team that keeps hearing about how it can beat USC this year.

Pittsburgh vs. NC State

How about Pittsburgh? Sure, Pittsburgh!

Notre Dame vs. Purdue

Purdue wasn't pretty, but they were looking kind of sexy and dangerous... right up until they lost to Northern Illinois. Notre Dame it is!

Iowa vs. Penn State

After an offseason that was so long, it actually stretched into the first three games of the season, Penn State finally plays a game! The closest they have gotten so far was their game against Syracuse, which they won only 28-7. And their first game is against the team that knocked them off of the undefeated pedestal last season, keeping them from playing for a national championship. Iowa, after a lackluster and very lucky win over Northern Iowa, stomped Iowa State, then convincingly knocked off Arizona. I think Penn State is better overall, but they haven't been put through the fire like Iowa. But Penn State is at home, didn't need luck to post any of their wins, and they are well-rested. I'll go with Penn State.

Washington vs. Stanford

Can a team that was the trap game for a team last weekend have a trap game the following weekend? And if so, can the team that trapped another team then be trapped themselves? While I'm pondering all that, I'll pick Stanford.

Texas Tech vs. Houston

I'll take Texas Tech simply because I feel like it.