College Football Week 5: What 2 Watch 4

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With bye weeks looming for both of my teams this week, I thought I'd take a more expansive look at what's happening around the country this weekend, starting with College. I'll share any and all thoughts I have for this weekend's run of games. Quick note: It's going to be tough for any team to out-impress Nebraska's 17-3 victory over South Dakota St. last week. They completely dominated the Jackrabbits.

On to the games (teams ranked according to Dirkness Top 25):

11am- Kansas at Baylor- The Bears have been steady so far, blowing out three lesser teams and getting blown themselves by their big little brother, TCU. The Jayhawks have been anything but stable, somewhere between this guy and this guy. They tend to show up on even numbered weeks (beat GT, blow out NMSU) and fall flat on their face on odd numbered weeks (losses to NDSU and S-Miss). That's good news for lil' Baylor, who's Robert Griffin (III!) is rounding back into form after missing all of last year. KU might be set up for the future with a freshman quarterback and running back leading the way, but they ain't there yet. Predirktion: Baylor 27-17.

2:30- (22)Texas vs (8)Oklahoma- This game lost a lot of its luster after the Longhorns crapped the bed against UCLA (who had already lost to K-State and to Stanford 35-0). Oklahoma has three different one-score victories to their credit over mediocre teams (Utah St, Air Force, Cincinnati) coupled with a stomping of Florida St, who should prove to be the toughest of those teams. So is motivation the problem? Or did they just play over their heads that one game? Something tells me both of these teams are overrated in one of the worse Red River Shootouts we've seen in a while. If that's true, then the Big 12 is headed for a down season (good news for the Huskers!), its last in existence. I think Texas comes out fired up, but this game rarely produces upsets, which makes it a relatively overrated rivalry in my books, so I'm going chalk. Predirktion: Oklahoma 20-19.

7:00- (9)Florida at (2)Alabama- The Gators have improved every week after (literally) fumbling 15 snaps in its first game. That decision to cancel fall practice so the team could watch Tim Tebow preseason highlights may have backfired. Alabama expended a lot of energy in their comeback victory over Arkansas last week (and it doesn't get easier traveling to South Carolina next week). Will that play a factor? I say yes. Their defense looked vulnerable, and if Arkansas would've kept their foot on the gas they would have come away victorious. The Tide rolls with RB's Mark Ingram (averaging an astonishing 9.3 yards per carry) and Trent Richardson (7.6 ypc). The Gators counter with the 11th ranked rush defense in the country. Strength vs. strength. Florida has been looking forward to this game all offseason. They want to be the team to spoil Alabama's shot at a repeat, much like 'Bama did to them last season. Florida has to manufacture points to win which puts this game squarely on Urban Meyer's shoulders. I think he's been saving just enough. Predirktion: Florida 20-17.

7:00- (3)Stanford at (4)Oregon- Possibly the Dirkness Game of the Year. Regular season Dirkness-favorite Stanford travels to the renowned Autzen Stadium, home of preseason Dirkness-favorite Oregon.  The Mighty Ducks gave up 597 total yards to Arizona St. last week, and probably would've lost if they hadn't forced 7 turnovers, which solicited a demotion in the Dirkness 25. Meanwhile, Stanford is crushing opponents (on the road nonetheless) at an impressive, albeit nationally unknown, rate. If I were in charge, and the first rankings didn't come out until three weeks had been played, Stanford would be properly rated in the Top 5 right now. The other top storyline of this game is the rise of the Pac-10, with three Top 10 teams in my latest poll (most of any conference). The Cardinal are led by Andrew Luck, who has defaulted his way to the top of my Quarterback list (after Jake Locker and Ryan Mallett's failures- might just be his turn this week). This game should be a shootout with two of the Top 4 scoring offenses in the country (Oregon-1st, Stan-4th). The difference will be Jimmy Harbaugh's stout defense. This game is MUST SEE TV! Predirktion: Stanford 34-30.

His Dirkness

2010 College Football Preview: Big 12 South Edition

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Baylor~~12 Returning Starters

This year could be their best chance to break a 16 year streak with no bowl games. It's impossible not to cheer for Lil' Baylor.

Quarterback: Robert Griffin- Back after missing all of last year with a torn ACL. He excelled as a freshman in 2008, accounting for 28 touchdowns. He is as exciting as anybody in the conference.

Player to Watch: Derek Epperson, P- Must be something in the water in Waco, because Baylor always has awesome punters.

Oklahoma~~11 Returning Starters

Hard to believe a team could be ranked so high after losing 3 Top-5 draft picks last year, especially when that team lost five games. Common sense alert! However, the Sooners reload each and every year, and their questions might not be any louder than the other top teams in the conference.

Quarterback: Landry Jones- Thrusted into the lineup as a freshman last year when Samuel Bradford went down with injuries. Fared well against the bad teams, but shaky against the good teams. Lee Corso picked him to win the heisman (lowercase).

Player to Watch: Travis Lewis, LB- The junior led the Sooner defense in tackles as a freshman and a sophomore.

Oklahoma St~~5 Returning Starters

We should find out just how much of a man head coach Mike Gundy is this year, as an exodus of starters leave the program. Yoda says...Get the program back to the level it was, and a good coach they may have.

Quarterback: Brandon Weeden- A 26 year old former baseball player. Yet to be determined how much Weinke he has in him.

Player to Watch: Kendall Hunter, RB- The senior Running Back was hurt throughout much of last year, but ran for 1,555 yards as a sophomore in 2008.

Texas~~10 Returning Starters

Word has it the Longhorns are abandoning the spread offense for a more prototypical running offense, with an emphasis on setting up the playaction pass. One of the teams with a lot to replace, including Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley on offense and Sergio Kindle and Earl Thomas on defense.

Quarterback: The man, the myth, the legend: Garret Gilbert- You remember him from last year's National Championship. He has won his last 30 starts at QB, winning Texas state high school titles in 2007 and 2008.

Player to Watch: Curtis Brown, CB- Senior leader of what should be a dominating secondary.

Texas A&M~~16 Returning Starters

Seems like everybody is anointing the Aggies as the surprise team of the league this year. The same question is raised as with Colorado, with ten starters back from a terrible defense: Is that a good thing?

Quarterback: Jerrod Johnson- Most people's selection for all-conference QB. He's big, strong, and fast, and put up good numbers last year with most of his weapons back in tact this season.

Player to Watch: Von Miller, OLB- Switches from Defensive End to Outside Linebacker in the new 3-4 defense. He had 17 sacks last year. Will be a top draft pick next year in a coveted position (hear that Chiefs?).

Texas Tech~~13 Returning Starters

So ol' Mikey Leach got fired. Word is they're talking about running the ball and actually playing defense this year. I dunno how the fans are gonna feel about that down in Lubbock. Or how this guy is gonna feel….

Or this guy…

How do I sign up to become the Texas Tech bell ringer?

Quarterback: Taylor Potts- The moustached man won the job over girly man, Steven Sheffield. Is any position in the country going to be less predictable than the new Texas Tech Quarterback? I say no.

Player to Watch: Adam James- New coach, Tommy Tuberville, better make sure to tuck James in every night and read him a bedtime story, or else his daddy might get him fired too. 

Big 12 College Basketball Postseason

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All Big 12 First Team

G Sherron Collins, Kansas
G Jacob Pullen, Kansas St.
F James Anderson, Oklahoma St.
F Damion James, Texas
C Ekpe Udoh, Baylor

Player of the Year: James Anderson, Oklahoma St.

All Big 12 Second Team

G LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor
G Donald Sloan, Texas A&M
F Marquis Gilstrap, Iowa St.
F Curtis Kelly, Kansas St.
C Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Coach of the Year: Scott Drew, Baylor

Big 12 Tournament Predictions

1st Round
Colorado over Texas Tech
Missouri over Nebraska
Oklahoma St. over Oklahoma
Iowa St. over Texas

2nd Round
Kansas over Colorado
Missouri over Texas A&M
Kansas St. over Oklahoma St.
Baylor over Iowa St.

Semifinals
Kansas over Missouri
Baylor over Kansas St.

Finals
Kansas over Baylor

NCAA Tournament Seed Projections

Kansas - 1st overall
Kansas State - 2
Baylor - 4
Texas A&M - 6
Missouri - 7
Texas - 8
Oklahoma State - 8

Mucho more coming the next couple weeks on the Conference and NCAA Tournaments, including reactions to the field, predictions for the tournament, and breakdowns of Kansas games as they come.

'Dirkness

2010 College Basketball Rankings

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His Dirkness' Top 10 (AND 1!):

1. Kansas- Sherron Collins will be the most feared guard in the country come tournament time- Don't want to be the favorite going into tournament given past history but they are right now
2. Syracuse- Developed a case of the first half struggles lately but really developing a knack for winning- Wes Johnson is a stud
3. Kentucky- DeMarcus Cousins might be the most feared big man come tournament time- Can Calipari handle an upset John Wall?
4. Villanova- Top 4 teams have really separated themselves- Love Lil' Scottie Reynolds' game- Do they have the necessary bigs to win come March?
5. West Virginia- The Big East is good- One of the two best rebounding teams in the country (both intimately touched by Bobby Huggins-look at those threads)- It would be awfully fun if they were to play each other
6. Kansas State- The other of those two teams- Proof that you can be mediocre in all areas yet superior in rebounding and be a top 6 team- Denny Clemente is the most overrated player in the country
7. Ohio State- Should only be judged on games that Evan Turner (who is my Player of the Year right now) has played in
8. Michigan State- In BIG trouble if Kalin Lucas' ankle injury was as serious as it appeared to be- Top 5 team with him at full health
9. Georgetown- Put the beatdown on Duke that I thought they would- Greg Monroe and his beard could continue the tradition of G-Town big men
10. Baylor- Maybe a bit too high for them but it's time for my annual smitten time with Baylor basketball- The most underrated team in the country
11. Connecticut- What? They're on the bubble? Nah, I'm talking about the women's team here- Could beat Duke any day of the week- Take that Duke!

Dirkness