CigarSmokinFootball

Week 3

(5) Oklahoma vs Iowa State – In 2017 lowly Iowa State came into Norman, Oklahoma, and found themselves down, 24-10, early in the game. Then someone handed the Cyclones a figurative sling and a matching figurative rock and the little figurative David of the Big 12 that only has ten teams slew the figurative mighty Goliath of literal Baker Mayfield Sooners. Very few were giving Iowa State a chance, and they pulled off the biggest upset of the year. This is after OU had taken down Ohio State at the Horseshoe! It’s 2018 and we find ourselves right back in the same situation that we were in last year. ISU underdog, OU projected conference champions, concensus pick, Sooners of course. It would be a lot of fun for the Cyclones to pull another rabbit out of their hat and win, but that would be a risky bet, at best. Pulling for the Cyclones, but picking the Sooners.

Hawaii vs Army – The Rainbow Warriors, or, just Warriors, have taken a very long plane trip for this game. Hopefully they’ve gotten over the jet lag and enjoyed the tour of the campus. I hear it’s a beautiful place. Hope they’re all seeped in history, because the Black Knights are about to roll over the UH’s defense. GO ARMY!

(12) LSU vs (7) Auburn – just using the “Eye Test Method” to predict this game, one has to go with LSU. I know, I know, at the start of the season I would have gagged on those words, but the Bayou Bengals have earned it. Both teams played legit contenders to start the season. Auburn struggled against Washington. LSU chewed up Miami and spat out the feathers (because they have that bird mascot “Sebastian the Ibis”). AND, Auburn lost to LSU last year when they should have won! Now, LSU should win, knocking the Alabama Tigers right out of the Top Ten. Some might think I’m picking this cause I’m a Bama fan, and I don’t want Auburn in the Top Ten. Nonsense! I love other SEC schools in the Top Ten, the more the merrier. I’d like for Auburn and LSU to both be Top Tenners, er, just remember who’s Number One!

(1) Alabama vs Ole Miss – One thing we know for sure, there will be a lot of points scored in this game. Both teams have crossed a lot of goal lines. The biggest problem, for the Rebels, anyway, is that Alabama can, and does, play defense. No, really, the Alabama defense is pretty darn good at stopping people. Ole Miss has a defense, too, only they haven’t stopped other teams from scoring. Last week UM allowed Southern Illinois to score 41 points! And the Salukis, (Which is an Arabian sighthound, we looked it up) were ahead until the fourth quarter. Hard to imagine the Rebels stopping the Crimson Tide. Not that hard to picture Bama stopping the Rebs, periodically, anyway. Probably not going to be a shutout. Roll Tide!

(4) Ohio State vs (15) TCU– It is possible that the Horn Frogs upset the Buckeyes. It’s possible, but, not very likely. TCU plays great, except when they get on a neutral field against big time teams. Every time they do, the Horned Frogs appear to be ready to hop and register an upset, only to fall apart. Everything is in place for the Froggies to upset the Buckeyes, Game is in Texas,- check, Ohio State does not have Urban Myer on the sidelines (does it really matter?),- check, TCU has been racking up a bunch of points- check. Big game the nation will be watching,- check, and then it all crumbles. OSU (who should hang their heads in shame at how they handled that matter with Meyer) will more than likely walk out of this stadium a winner. But, there’s always hope the Texas team can do it toit. What’s that about hope not being a course of action? Like, it’s not a good one. No, it’s not one at all, but I still HOPE TCU beats OSU!!!!

(22) USC vs Texas – At the start of the season this game was circled. Now, not so much. Neither squad has done much to favorably impress anyone. They are each 1-1, both have had a struggle win, and both have gotten their clocks cleaned. The Trojans, however, got beat by a higher class of team in Stanford. IF Texas wins, it would jumpstart their season, turning a negative into a positive. For a week, at least. IF USC wins, it won’t mean much, the Trojans are expected to win, and it’s doubtful it would do much to affect the rest of the season. Texas has to have this game, they have to! If they go down in flames, the fan base in Austin will start drinking a lot of adult beverages. They’ll start drinking a lot MORE adult beverages.

(10) Washington vs Utah – This might be one of those games that only interests me east of the Rocky Mountains. Both teams are beginning their conference games. Washington recovered enough last week to stomp North Dakota. How much recovery did that take? Utah has won both their games, but they struggled against Northern Illinois. If Washington has any hope of recapturing their preseason dreams, now is the time to start. Not only do they need to win, but they need to win big. Need has little to do with Utah’s planning. Want, the Utes have want;- they want to beat Washington. Not this year.

North Alabama vs North Dakota State – The year was 1985, the NCAA Division II National Championship game was being televised. It pitted the Bisons of North Dakota State against the Lions of North Alabama. UNA was the favorite and it did not go well as NDS won, 35-7. I watched that game with my leg in a cast because of an ankle injury earlier in the season. I never knew then that, come August of 1986, I would be running out onto the practice field in Florence, Alabama, as a member of the Lions’ football team. Now these two universities face each other again on the football field. North Dakota has made a name for themselves in Division 1-AA by winning a handful of National Championships. North Alabama is having its first season in Division 1-AA. The odds are against us, all signs are pointing to us losing. THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN!!! Lions pull the upset!!! Now, mind you, I’ve been told I’m a bit biased toward my school and only see what I want to see. To which to that I reply, “Poppycock!” Roar Lions!

Short Smokes

Penn State snuffs out the Golden Flashes of Kent State

Boston College takes down Wake Forest, most likely

Nebraska, and Coach Scott Frost, gets their first win against Troy

Florida State could have a bad year if they lose to Syracuse, too

Can Kansas extend its winning to TWO against Rutgers? Anybody want to bet on the Jayhawks?

Tennessee will win against UTEP, but it might be the last win they’ll have in 2018.

Pitt claws back into the win column by dropping Georgia Tech and the triple option.

Stanford kicks UC Davis

Come on, Vanderbilt, beat Notre Dame…SEC! SEC! SEC!

Georgia Southern could give Clemson a game, for, like, a half.

Wisconsin, who has yet to leave their field, much less the state, Badgers BYU

Boise State will find the Big 12 that has only ten teams a different breed from Mountain West opponents. Picking Oklahoma State.

Michigan will win against winless SMU. Big whoop. I’m impressed. But not much.

Duke and Baylor are each 2-0. Picking the Texas school. That’s Baylor, for the unwashed.

Can Colorado State upset another SEC school, Florida?….no, no they can’t.

Texas A&M will cause The Daughter to smile as they beat UL Monroe. Ain’t too impressed by this one, either. Wait’ll next week;- then I’ll be impressed.

Arizona State makes the short trip over to San Diego State and wins. Come on, jump on the “Herm Train.”