College Football Week 11 Preview

Our first game of the week, TCU-Utah was previewed yesterday.

Georgia Tech @ North Carolina, Saturday 12pm
Mike: What stands out when looking at the results for these 2 teams? They each have 2 losses. They each have lost to Virginia Tech and Virginia. In fact, they lost in consecutive weeks to Virginia Tech 20-17. Both teams need this game equally. The winner keeps pace with the top of the Coastal division. It’s difficult to predict Georgia Tech games. There is no way of predicting how the opponents defense will handle their offense. The Georgia Tech QB Josh Nesbitt may be out, leaving the job to Freshman Jayboo Shaw. Nesbitt threw 5 passes against Florida State, Shaw threw 1. So does the QB really matter. I think it’s a tossup without the QB issue. However if Nesbitt isn’t 100% or the Freshman starts I give the edge to North Carolina. Pick: North Carolina
Evan: Georgia Tech surprised me with how they played last week against FSU. UNC rolled over a weaker BC team. There is more momentum going for the Yellow Jackets. Pick: Georgia Tech
Matt: Both of these teams have been surprises this year, and it should be a good battle. Does the winner decide the ACC? We shall see. Ga. Tech was lucky to escape with a win last week. The fumble into the endzone at the end of the game cost FSU the win. That Ga. Tech player was fortunate to recover it seeing as he tried to pick it up and run with it. Just fall on it! I like what I have seen from UNC this year more than Ga. Tech. Pick: North Carolina
Ahad: UNC

Alabama @ LSU, Saturday 3:30pm
Mike: I will do my best to not let my desire for an Alabama loss to cloud my judgment. There is much talk about the Saben element. I’m not sure how much that will influence the outcome. This isn’t like the pros, the same players aren’t around. The crowd will be more interested than the people down on the field. The LSU crowd will already be nuts so adding the Saben part won’t make much difference. It’s been a few weeks since Alabama has been tested. Arkansas State and Tennessee don’t count. Close games against Mississippi and Kentucky, which shouldn’t have been close do. LSU’s loss to Georgia 2 weeks ago concerns me. Pick: Alabama
Evan: I’ll be glued to the tv for this game. I think it will be a battle royale, back and forth, up and down, in and out, etc… Too bad for LSU this is a day game. I gotta root for Bama to stay undefeated until the SEC championship game, and this is the toughest test they have left. Pick: BAMA
Matt: As much as an Alabama loss would be nice, it is not going to happen this week. LSU has struggled this year against the top teams in the SEC, getting blown out by Florida and Georgia. This game will be closer than those, but I am still feeling an Alabama win. Pick: Alabama
Ahad: LSU

Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech, Saturday 8pm
Mike: This looks to be an outstanding game. I would have expected a letdown from Oklahoma State after the Texas game, but they had Iowa State next up on the schedule. Will this be the letdown delayed a week? I don’t think so. It will just be that Texas Tech is the better team is playing at home. I think Texas Tech will be rolling into Oklahoma next week undefeated, but not coming out that way. Pick: Texas Tech
Evan: Texas Tech was introduced to the country last week as a major player. They still have no defense. These kids aren’t ready for the spotlight yet. Pick: Oklahoma State
Matt: Oklahoma State will have to run the ball to keep the Tech offense off the field and drain some clock. The OSU defense will have to step up and get some stops. Hard game to call. I am excited to get to watch Crabtree and Bryant, probably the top two wideouts in the country, do their thing. I am saying it comes down to a final play, Dez Bryant for the touchdown with 1 second left. Pick: Oklahoma State
Ahad: Texas Tech

Notre Dame @ Boston College, Saturday 8pm
Mike: An interesting choice for this week, neither team is in the Top 25. Boston College has lost 2 straight, including 1 to Clemson. Should a decent team be losing to Clemson this year? Notre Dame is coming off a 4OT loss to Pittsburgh where they forgot how to score when it got to OT. I’m going with Notre Dame learning a lot from that loss last week. Pick: Notre Dame Is it odd for Notre Dame to be playing a night game? I don’t pay close enough attention to Notre Dame to know this. I kind of remember an early season night game at Georgia Tech not too long ago.
Evan: The last time I remember watching a Notre Dame night game was the “Bush Push” game against USC a few years ago. I’ve always like to watch this battle of the Catholics, even when neither team is having a great season. I like ND to come out of this one with a last minute field goal.
Matt: Wasn’t the PSU-Notre Dame game last year a night game, with the all stadium white out? I don’t feel that BC is all that strong of a team, and I feel that Notre Dame is just a little bit better, so I like Notre Dame in a close one. Pick: Notre Dame
Mike: I believe the USC-Notre Dame game Evan is speaking of was a 3:30 game. That was the same day as the Penn State game at Michigan I was at, which started at 3:30. I remember because we were at a rest stop in Ohio when Notre Dame fans started coming in, looking nearly as depressed as we were. The ND game at PSU last year started at 6 I believe. Close enough to night.
Ahad: BC