CigarSmokinFootball

Week 3 Preview

Cigar Butts

In this section will be quick reviews of last week’s games.

The week began Thursday night when Arizona State kicked off their season by dismantling Sacramento State, 55-0. Not a big surprise but a great way to start the season, if you’re a Sun Devil.

Also on Thursday night the University of North Alabama took on Miles College. Why is the score of a Division II important? Because UNA is where I played football so UNA wins are always great. The Lions won 42-7. Roar Lions!

Boston College scored a major win in defeating Wake Forest 24-10. Could this be the start of BC improving?

Kentucky redeemed itself from losing to Western Kentucky by beating Miami (OH) 41-7. Now they take on Louisville.

Michigan State proved that a passing game was not necessary in beating South Florida, but a defense is invaluable.

Penn State beat up on E. Michigan 45-7. It’s possible that the Nittany Lions could beat up everyone in the Great North Conference, not that Eastern Michigan was a big test.

Cincinnati started off great but Tommy Tuberville’s team ran into a buzzsaw called Illinois where they lost 45-17

One of the best games of the weekend was Miami (FL) rising up and beating Florida 21-16. What a great game! Florida didn’t help the SEC out, but it was nice seeing the “U” win a big game again.

Oregon traveled all the way across the United States to take on Virginia. Take it from someone who has made that trip multiple times, it takes a lot out of a person, but it didn’t matter. The Ducks ran all over the Cavilers 59-10.

The other great game of the weekend was South Carolina and Georgia. Georgia needed this win after losing to Clemson, South Carolina needed this game to continue on to national prominence. The Bulldogs took an early lead only to have South Carolina come storming back in the second quarter. Halftime the score was tied. Second half USC(south) was only able to score 6 points which would have been great for the lead but UGA scored 17. Dwags won.

Duke traveled to Memphis and was able to remain undefeated, 28-14.

Main Cigar Time:

Football season is moving right along, we have now reached week 3! My, oh, my, how time flies when you’re having fun. Some teams are still playing warm up games, some coaches are already sweating because their seat has gotten hot, (Yes, Coach Kiffin, this is aimed at you). Some teams have redeemed themselves;- way to go, Georgia. Most of the teams are just starting to gel and get things together. The games are going to get a whole lot more competitive as conference play is kicking off. So, light up your cigars, and get ready for Saturday! Actually Texas Tech and TCU kickoff this weekend on Thursday night.

First game to preview is Ole Miss vs. Texas. Last year the Longhorns went into Oxford, MS, and just beat the snot out of the Rebels. Then to add insult to injury some of the Texas players saw the women at Ole Miss and asked them out on dates. To their defense, if you’ve ever seen the women at UM you can’t blame Texas, there’s no place on earth that has such a concentration of knock-out beautiful woman as Ole Miss. But, still, it wasn’t cool. After that game these two teams took opposite directions. The horny UT players got worse, and didn’t play up to expectations, while the Rebels got much better and exceeded expectations. Now, it’s time to see how they do head-to-head again. Have the Rebels gotten that much better? Has Texas fallen, and, if so, how far? First, Texas;- this was supposed to be the year that the Burnt Orange Team made amends for past sins of omission and commission. Coach Mac Brown was going to prove he had’t lost it and that he’s still the man in Texas. The Horns’ performance in week 2 has cast a HUGE shadow over all of that. BYU ‘em like a rented mule, they ran the ball to the left, and Texas couldn’t stop them, then BYU ran the ball to the right and Texas couldn’t stop them. After that BYU got cocky and ran the ball up the middle and Texas couldn’t stop that, either. So BYU ran the ball all day long and Texas never, didn’t even come close, to stopping them. So Coach Brown fired Manny Diaz, Defensive Coordinator, and replaced him with Greg Robinson, former head coach at Syracuse. The Orange were never really known as a mighty D, but a lamb had to be sacrificed. How many more sacrificial lambs before the root of the problem, Mack Brown, sheds his Teflon coat and comes under fire? Offensively, UT is going to have to do better as well. Yes, they beat up on New Mexico State, 56-7, and that pads their numbers. Right now, in rushing the ball, they rank 29th; ;- passing, 16th , and points, 36th . Defensively, they rank 54th in the nation, thank goodness for NM State, otherwise they would be much, much lower. So now the Longhorns will host the Rebels and try to do everything they can to resurrect their season.

They say that revenge is not part of this game, it’s just another game. Yeah, Right! Ole Miss comes in ranked 25th, first time they’ve been ranked in…let’s just say it’s been a few years. Head Coach Hugh Freeze is said to have been studying tape of Texas games all summer. Remember, this game is not about revenge. I’m sure he’s watched the BYU game, too. The Rebs’ faithful will admit that UT has better talent, more depth, but what UT doesn’t have is the fighting spirit that Ole Miss has. Last year The Rebels never quit, they fought and fought no matter what, they still have that fighting spirit, only this year they do have more talent. It’s young, raw, and needs to mature. Ole Miss brought in a great recruiting class. The Rebels’ offense, led by Bo Wallace, will try and improve from last season. They have gotten better in every category, they’re 44th in passing, but they have a great freshman receiver in Evan Engram who has shown that he’s a game changer. This guy can catch the ball like nobody’s business. If Ole Miss runs the ball like BYU, if ANYBODY runs the ball like BYU, plus has a passing game, look out Texas. Defensively the Rebels show need for improvement, they gave up a lot against Vanderbilt and they weren’t able to shut out SE Missouri. Now,, they’re going to test their mettle. Yes, Texas may not be that great, but the Longhorns need this game if they want to salvage their season. Ole Miss needs it to continue their rise. Texas should win, they have the home field, they have more talent, but something is missing. What’s missing is what Ole Miss has, that fighting spirit. Ole Miss will not quit, and that’s what should allow them to win. After the game the Ole Miss players are more than welcome to ask the Longhorn cheerleaders out on dates. Good Trade.

The late game this week, at least, late for Central Time Zone dwellers, will be Wisconsin vs. Arizona State. Neither of these teams has allowed a score …yet. But, let’s be honest, the Badgers have played Massachusetts and Tennessee Tech, both times racking up over 40 points. Arizona State played Sacramento State, not a powerhouse, but both the Badgers and the Sun Devils did well. Wisconsin is breaking in a new coach, Gary Andersen, who proved himself at Utah State and so far has fit right in to the northern country. Since this weekend is a first for getting tested, why not take a team accustomed to freezing, freakin, cold, and make them play in the desert? Good plan. Besides UW being concerned with executing their assignments, they’re going to be worried about…well…melting. It’s like having the Ice Meister go into the desert, which is what’s happening. Wisconsin has not allowed a touchdown in 11 straight quarters, going all the way back to 2012, and before that they crushed Nebraska in the Great White North Championship game. Offensively they run the ball, and, heck, who wouldn’t when the team has three, count them, three, 100-yard rushers in each of their games? It’s a sure bet they’re going run. That’s not a surprise. Passing has proven to be a challenge. They’re ranked 75th in the nation, bummer, ok, maybe not a bummer, they haven’t had to pass. Against ASU, the Badgers are gonna need a pass here and there. If the keepers of the cold north crown are one dimensional, they’ll lose, unless their three running backs gain a hundred yards each.

The Sun Devils are off to a great start as they build on their momentum from last year. Coach Todd Graham has stuck around for another year, major plus, and Defensive Tackle Will Sutton, (for some reason we here at CigarSmokinFootball.com like that last name!) returning for his senior year was an absolute gift from the Guardians of Football. ASU’s defense is ranked right behind Wisconsin, by 4.5 yards. Wisconsin has allowed 162.5 yards and ASU has given up 167 yards. The strength of the Sun Devils is on this side of the ball. Coach Graham has made it a point to improve the D and it appears to be paying off. If they continue to improve and actually stop Wisconsin’s running game, they’ll have the game in the bag. Offensively, the passing game has provided the push as Arizona State ranks 9th in the nation. They don’t follow UW’s lead of running the ball, ranking 71st, but they do love scoring. In 2012 they put up points and they appear to be on the same track this season. Since ASU only has one game under its belt, it’s a little difficult to judge how they will do. They have beaten Wisconsin in head-to-head meetings twice, and the last time they met, in 2010, the Badgers had to block an extra point attempt to win the game, 20-19. Should be one of the best games of the weekend. ASU has the edge, they’ll have the heat and they need to bring it to the field.

Now it’s time for The Big Game of the weekend. Number One Alabama against Number Six Texas A&M. Who isn’t psyched about this game? If you know someone who isn’t up for this one, check their pulse and give ‘em CPR. In the Sutton household there is more on the line than just winning or losing. Thanks to Alabama losing last year, my daughter, the A&M fan, had bragging rights all year! If you don’t have a teenage daughter then it’s just not possible to know how aggravating it is for her to have bragging rights. So if St. Nick Saban is reading this, “for all that is holy in this world don’t lose to A&M again, my daughter should not have that much power.” Now that we’ve got that out of the way let’s break the game down.

Texas A&M is having some trouble and his name is Johnny Manziel. Fortunately for the Aggies, most of the problems he’s causing are off the field;- on the field he’s been great. But as everyone knows those problems off the field always find a way onto the field. Not sure it will be this game but, sooner or later, everyone pays the Piper. Offensively A&M hasn’t missed a beat, ranked 6th in passing, 4th in points and in rushing they’re 38th. Ok, maybe the last one isn’t where they want to be. But so far they’ve had no problems whatsoever moving the ball up. It took them awhile to get the wheels greased and get going against Rice, the first game of the season, but since then nothing has stopped them. Rice and Sam Houston State did what they could, but they didn’t have a chance. Johnny Football made sure of that, throwing touchdown after touchdown. Of course he showed his attitude in those games, so much so that even Charles Barkley, an Auburn graduate, has stated that for this game he’s yelling, “Roll Tide!” For the uninitiated, considering the animosity between Alabama and Auburn, this is huge! The biggest problem with A&M, on the field, is its defense. Rice ran the ball down their throat, Sam Houston Stated passed the ball all day with success (38 points’ worth – or was it 45?). The argument can be made that A&M was missing several star players because they were serving a two game suspensions, but the fact remains, the Aggies “D” needs help. Side thought, what did these guys do to deserve a two game suspension but Manziel got to play? Must have been something terrible. If there is ever a week for the defense to come through, it’s now.

St. Nick Saban is not known for losing to the same team twice, like never, but he’ll be the first to tell you this game is not about revenge. Everyone on the entire Alabama team will tell you it’s just another game, just business. And, if you believe that, you probably bought the Brooklyn Bridge sometime in the past. Alabama has had two weeks to get ready. Maybe this will work in the favor of the Tide, maybe not. They’ve only had one contest so far, against Virginia Tech. Alabama won, 35-10 thanks to special teams, two touchdowns, and a pick six from the defense. The offense struggled. AJ McCarron went 10-23 for 110 yards and a touchdown. That’s a bit short of Manziel’s 34-49 for 497 yards and 6 touchdowns. On top of that, the Tide gained 96 yards rushing the ball! 96 YARDS! TJ Yeldon gained 75 yards the entire game. He’s used to doing that in one quarter. Where was that vaunted Alabama rushing game? It wasn’t there. Where was the problem? It was the offensive line. They didn’t knock people around and they didn’t win the battles in the trenches. They’re young, they’re only replacing one of the greatest offensive lines in the history of college football, so maybe a let-down was expected, but not that much. They’re going to be tested again by the Aggies. Hopefully, this extra week has allowed them to improve. If not, it’s going to be a long day in College Station. Defensively, the Tide did great. A&M has struggled against smaller schools. If the Tide is going to win, the defense needs to be lights out. Not an easy task, granted, but they’ve got to do it. In all probability, the game will be decided in the trenches, where Bama’s offensive line has to blow Aggie defenders off the ball and the Tide defense has to contain Manziel. Alabama is favored, but that might be due to hype (and hopes). It certainly wasn’t from their performance against VA Tech. CSF is picking Alabama to win only because I can’t go through another year of my daughter bragging on the Aggies. Come on, Bama, help me out here.

Short Smokes:

In this section we’ll present a short synopsis of other games

Tennessee is going to the Nike state to meet the Ducks. Against Western Kentucky Tennessee needed every turnover the Hilltoppers gave them to win, and there were a lot of turnovers. Oregon had no problem with anyone. Oregon runs all over the Vols.

Ohio State takes on California, the Buckeyes might or might not have their starting QB, Braxton Miller, due to a knee injury. California has already taken on a Great White North team in Northwestern, and lost. Ohio State wins.

Stanford travels to Michie Stadium to face the Black Knights of the Hudson. Who at Army scheduled this game? Not a good move. Stanford should win.

LSU meets Kent St. The way LSU has been playing, it won’t be much of a test. Tigers win.

Louisville and in-state rival Kentucky. UK lost to W. Kentucky so their track record of playing schools in Kentucky is not good. It won’t get better.

Scandal-plagued Oklahoma State plays Lamar. Good team to play against when the Cowboys are in the news, but not in a good way. Shouldn’t be that much trouble.

Nebraska will host UCLA. Both teams are undefeated. UCLA needs the win to prove they are for real. Nebraska just needs to win. Coach Bo Pelini still wears his hat funny, which causes the Cornhuskers to lose when they shouldn’t. Bruins win.

Vanderbilt travels to South Carolina. The Gamecocks are licking their Dawg wounds. If the Commodores can capitalize on this they could pull an upset. Vandy isn’t bad. Don’t think they’ll win, but the stage is set.

Oklahoma takes on Tulsa, good time to break in the “Bell-Dozer” as the starter. Should be a good game for the Sooners.

Western Michigan will fight the Wildcats of Northwestern. The Purple team has the advantage.

#19 Washington takes on undefeated Illinois. Might be a good game. Illinois pulling an upset would go a long way in propelling them to a great season.

Boise State, (the school of CSF’s SmokinHotModel) will host the cadets of Air Force Friday night. Broncos win.

Fresno State, 2-0, visits the Colorado Buffalos. Each team is on the rise, Fresno State comes into this game with momentum, but don’t count out the Buffs.

In the battle of the Egghead schools, Georgia Tech meets Duke. The Yellow Jackets triple option will prove too much for the Blue Devils to figure out.

Iowa plays intrastate rival Iowa State. Iowa would usually be favored, but, heck, who knows this year?