The eighth week of the 2011 NFL Season takes place this weekend with 13 exciting games.
BIG GAME OF THE WEEK:
New England Patriots (5-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)
Pick: New England 31, Pittsburgh 21
UPSET PICK OF THE WEEK:
Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) at Seattle Seahawks (2-4)
The Bengals have not done well after the bye week, historically. To add insult to this flesh wound, they are playing at Qwest Field. The Bengals have the edge with rookie receiver A.J. Green and second-year tight end Jermaine Gresham, over Seattle's unknown secondary, who have not had many big plays, except for Brandon Browner, who victimized Eli Manning for a 94-yard interception return for a touchdown in New York a few weeks back. Last week, the Seahawks failed to show up in a snoozefest of a game in Cleveland. If the Seahawks play like that against the Bengals, look for Andy Dalton to have a BIG day, and if the game was in Cincinnati instead of Seattle, the game would be blacked out, but the Seahawks secondary would be shredded. This could be a riveting trap game for the Bengals, who have the Titans, Steelers, Ravens, Browns, Steelers, and Texans, up next- in that order.
Pick: Seattle 24, Cincinnati 21
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK:
Dallas Cowboys (3-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-4)
Pick: Philadelphia 27, Dallas 19
OTHER GAMES THIS WEEK:
Arizona Cardinals (1-5) at Baltimore Ravens (4-2)
Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald are reunited, but on opposite sidelines.
Pick: Baltimore 33, Arizona 13
Minnesota Vikings (1-6) at Carolina Panthers (2-5)
Pick: Carolina 35, Minnesota 3
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) at Houston Texans (4-3)
Pick: Houston 38, Jacksonville 10
Miami Dolphins (0-6) at New York Giants (4-2)
Pick: NY Giants 31, Miami 6
Indianapolis Colts (0-7) at Tennessee Titans (3-3)
Don't worry, Colts fans. After that 62-7 bloodbath in the Bayou on Sunday Night Football, it's only six months until the Colts draft Andrew Luck.
Pick: Tennessee 30, Indianapolis 3
New Orleans Saints (5-2) at St. Louis Rams (0-6)
Rams took a giant leap backwards from last year's almost-run to the playoffs. The Saints, pounded the Colts in the most lopsided game since the NFL-AFL merger 42 years ago. Drew Brees will not show the Rams any mercy. Someone get Steve Spagnuolo a drink.
Pick: New Orleans 41, St. Louis 0
Washington Redskins (3-3) at Buffalo Bills (4-2)- at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
Pick: Buffalo 34, Washington 17
Detroit Lions (5-2) at Denver Broncos (2-4)
Last week, Tim Tebow became a hero, leading the Broncos back from a 15-0 deficit, as the Broncos scored 18 unanswered points to win over Miami in overtime. This week, he has a tougher test with an improved Detroit team.
Pick: Detroit 27, Denver 23
Cleveland Browns (3-3) at San Francisco 49ers (5-1)
A long flight back to Lake Erie for the Browns.
Pick: San Francisco 37, Cleveland 14
Monday Night Football:
San Diego Chargers (4-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (3-3)
Pick: San Diego 30, Kansas City 16
This blog is a spin-off of A Man and His Awards, and hosts weekly football predictions as well as predictions for the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
2011 Central Ohio H.S. Football- This is It- Week # 10
I can't believe that this is the end of the high school football season. Where have the last ten weeks gone? On Sunday, 192 high schools from across the state will receive their Golden Tickets, courtesy of the OHSAA when the playoff pairings are officially announced.
According to Joe Eitel of JoeEitel.com, these area schools have already received their tickets in.
(Division I- Region 3)
Hilliard Davidson Wildcats [8-0; plays Hilliard Darby tomorrow night)
Dublin Coffman Shamrocks [8-1; plays Upper Arlington tomorrow night)
(Division II- Region 7)
Marion-Franklin Red Devils (9-0; locked up # 1 seed; plays Columbus South tomorrow night)
New Albany Eagles (7-2; plays Mount Vernon tomorrow night)
Big Walnut Golden Eagles (7-2; plays Franklin Heights tomorrow night)
Beechcroft Cougars [8-1; plays Northland tomorrow night)
(Division III- Region 10)
St. Francis DeSales Stallions (5-3; currently # 1; plays Cleveland Benedictine tomorrow night)
Eastmoor Academy Warriors (7-2; plays Africentric Early College tomorrow night)
(Division III- Region 12)
Jonathan Alder Pioneers (9-0; currently # 1; plays defending D-III State Champ Bishop Watterson tomorrow night)
Logan Elm Braves (9-0; plays Amanda-Clearcreek tomorrow night)
(Division IV- Region 14)
Bishop Hartley Hawks [8-0; defending D-IV State Champs & # 1 in Region 14, plays Bishop Ready tomorrow night)
North Union Wildcats [8-1; plays Ridgedale tomorrow night)
(Division IV- Region 15)
Johnstown-Monroe Johnnies (9-0; plays Northridge tomorrow night)
Amanda-Clearcreek Aces (7-2; plays Logan Elm tomorrow night)
(Division V- Region 20)
Marion Pleasant Trojans (9-0; plays Galion Northmor tomorrow night)
Fighting for their Playoff Lives:
(Division I)
- Region 3:
# 4 Westerville Central Warhawks (7-2; plays Dublin Jerome tomorrow night)
# 5 Pickerington Central Tigers (6-2; plays Reynoldsburg tomorrow night)
# 6 Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions (7-2; plays Groveport Madison tomorrow night)
# 7 Olentangy Orange Pioneers (7-2; plays Delaware Hayes tomorrow night)
# 8 Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-2; plays Dublin Coffman tomorrow night)
# 9 Pickerington North Panthers (7-2; plays Grove City tomorrow night)
# 10 Westerville South Wildcats (6-3; plays Olentangy Liberty tomorrow night)
# 12 Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-3; plays Pickerington Central tomorrow night)
# 13 Olentangy Liberty Patriots (5-4; plays Westerville South tomorrow night)
# 14 Hilliard Darby Panthers (7-2; plays Hilliard Davidson tomorrow night)
(Division II)
- Region 7:
# 8 Mifflin Punchers [8-1; plays Brookhaven tomorrow night)
# 10 Canal Winchester Indians (6-3; plays Circleville tomorrow night)
# 13 Zanesville Blue Devils (5-4; plays Marietta tomorrow night)
# 14 Brookhaven Bearcats (6-3; plays Mifflin tomorrow night)
# 15 West Cowboys (6-3; plays Briggs tomorrow night)
(Division III)
- Region 10:
# 8 River Valley Vikings (6-3; plays Sparta Highland tomorrow night)
# 11 Independence 76ers (5-4; plays Walnut Ridge tomorrow night)
# 12 Bishop Watterson Golden Eagles (3-6; plays Jonathan Alder tomorrow night)
# 13 Whitehall-Yearling Rams (5-4; plays Bexley tomorrow night)
# 14 Bexley Lions (5-4; plays Whitehall tomorrow night)
# 16 Buckeye Valley Barons (5-4; plays Elgin tomorrow night)
- Region 11:
# 10 Granville Blue Aces [8-1; plays Columbus Academy tomorrow night)
- Region 12:
# 7 Jackson Ironmen (9-0; plays Gallia Academy tomorrow night)
(Division IV)
- Region 14:
# 11 Galion Tigers (7-2; plays Ontario tomorrow night)
(Division V)
- Region 19:
# 4 Grandview Heights Bobcats (9-0; plays Liberty Union tomorrow night)
# 9 Jeromesville Hillsdale Falcons (9-0; plays Creston Norwayne tomorrow night)
# 10 Centerburg Trojans (7-2; plays Utica tomorrow night)
# 11 Liberty Union Lions [8-1; plays Grandview Heights tomorrow night)
- Region 20:
# 6 West Jefferson Roughriders (7-2; plays Berne Union tomorrow night)
# 8 Triad Cardinals (7-2; plays West Liberty Salem tomorrow night)
# 11 Fairbanks Panthers (6-3; plays DeGraff Riverside tomorrow night)
(Division VI)
- Region 23:
# 3 Danville Blue Devils (6-3; plays East Knox Saturday night)
# 11 Newark Catholic Green Wave (4-5; plays Hebron Lakewood tomorrow night)
# 13 Fairfield Christian Knights (6-3; plays Grove City Christian tomorrow night)
The other area schools not mentioned have all been Mathematically Eliminated from the playoffs.
Coming up later tonight...Picks. Who will get in? Who will win big games in Grandview, Upper Arlington, Pickerington, Gahanna, Easton, and others? Who will be disappointed? Can Hillsdale be 10-0 and miss the playoffs? Which 9-1 teams will fail to make the cut- Grandview Heights? Granville? Mifflin? Can Newark Catholic do what DeSales has done twice and make it in at 5-5? Can Watterson get in at 4-6? Can Hartley wrap up their first perfect regular season and a # 1 seed? Find out....later.
Sports Corner Top 10 (+ 15) for Week 10:
1) Hilliard Davidson Wildcats [8-0)
2) Marion-Franklin Red Devils (9-0)
3) Jonathan Alder Pioneers (9-0)
4) Grandview Heights Bobcats (9-0)
5) Bishop Hartley Hawks [8-0)
6) Johnstown Johnnies (9-0)
7) Logan Elm Braves (9-0)
8] Marion Pleasant Trojans (9-0)
9) Granville Blue Aces [8-1)
10) Beechcroft Cougars [8-1)
---------------------------------------------------------------
11) Dublin Coffman Shamrocks [8-1)
12) Pickerington North Panthers (7-2)
13) Pickerington Central Tigers (6-2)
14) Liberty Union Lions [8-1)
15) Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions (7-2)
16) New Albany Eagles (7-2)
17) Eastmoor Academy Warriors (7-2)
18] North Union Wildcats [8-1)
19) Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-2)
20) Big Walnut Golden Eagles (7-2)
21) Mifflin Punchers [8-1)
22) Westerville Central Warhawks (7-2)
23) Olentangy Orange Pioneers (7-2)
24) Hilliard Darby Panthers (7-2)
25) Westerville South Wildcats (6-3)
Dropped Out: Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-3), Brookhaven Bearcats (6-3)
Honorable Mention: Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-3), Brookhaven Bearcats (6-3), West Cowboys (6-3), Centerburg Trojans (7-2), Independence 76ers (5-4), St. Francis DeSales Stallions (5-3), Whitehall-Yearling Rams (5-4), Fairfield Christian Academy Knights (6-3), Danville Blue Devils (6-3)
BIG GAME OF THE WEEK:
Liberty Union Lions (8-1, 6-0) at Grandview Heights Bobcats (9-0, 6-0)
You can't script this any better. Winner takes all. Loser calls it a season. Winner gets in the playoffs. Loser calls it a season. Region 19 is so packed with talent, that there could be two 9-1 schools not make the final cut on Sunday. Grandview is looking for their first 10-0 season in School History, while Liberty Union is looking to win and hopefully get into the playoffs. This will be an interesting match.
Pick: Find out at Anderson Field in Grandview tomorrow night....
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 1 (The Battle of the Bishops):
Bishop Hartley Hawks [8-0) at Bishop Ready Silver Knights (4-5)- at Dublin Scioto
This is the South Columbus version of the Watterson-DeSales rivalry. The Hawks are looking for their first-ever perfect regular season, just one year after winning it all. The Knights, who are already out of the playoff hunt, are looking to play spoiler. But, they'll have issues stopping the Hawks' run, which has been non-stoppable all year.
Pick: Hartley
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 2 (The Battle of Main Street):
Bexley Lions (5-4, 2-4) at Whitehall-Yearling Rams (5-4, 3-3)
Pick: Whitehall
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 3 (Devil-Dog Night- SATURDAY):
East Knox Bulldogs (3-6, 3-3) at Danville Blue Devils (6-3, 3-3)
Pick: Danville
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 4 (The Battle of 256):
Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-3, 4-2) at Pickerington Central Tigers (6-2, 6-0)
Last week, the playoffs began for the Raiders, and will end against Pick Central in the battle of these East Side suburbs connected by State Route 256.
Pick: Pick Central
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 5 (The Battle of Hilliard):
(Hilliard) Davidson Wildcats [8-0, 6-0) at (Hilliard) Darby Panthers (7-2, 4-2)
The staunch Davidson defense will make the Panthers pay for their cake schedule by knocking them out of the playoffs in the 4th Annual Battle of Hilliard.
Pick: Davidson
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 6 (The Battle of Worthington):
Thomas (Worthington) Cardinals at (Worthington) Kilbourne Wolves (both 3-6, 2-4)
Kilbourne has won all three meetings against Thomas, whose football program never recovered from the arrival of Kilbourne in 1991.
Pick: Kilbourne
OTHER "WIN OR GO HOME" GAMES THIS WEEK:
Dublin Coffman Shamrocks [8-1, 5-1) at Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-2, 5-1)
Last week, the Golden Bears seven-game win streak was snapped as they ran into a "brick wall" known as the Hilliard Davidson defense. It doesn't get any better as they host Coffman.
Pick: Dublin Coffman
Brookhaven Bearcats (6-3, 5-1) at Mifflin Punchers [8-1, 5-1)
The Punchers hold on to the eighth and final slot in Region 7, which has a few teams waiting in the wings, including the team that Punchers coach Gregg Miller coached for 17 years- the Brookhaven Bearcats. Could this be the final Brookhaven game ever? Can the Bearcats go all the way to Easton and punch Mifflin out of the playoffs? Can Mifflin beat a team above .500 for the first time this season?
Pick: Brookhaven (Upset Special)
Westerville Central Warhawks (7-2, 4-2) at Dublin Jerome Celtics (4-5, 4-2)
The Warhawks were upset by Olentangy Liberty last week, and need to win at Jerome to make their first-ever playoff appearance in the school's nine-year history. The Celtics have already upset another Westerville school (South, 34-31 in overtime) this season, and would like to complete a season sweep of the Westerville City School district.
Pick: Dublin Jerome (Upset Pick)
Groveport Madison Cruisers (3-6, 1-5) at Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions (7-2, 5-1)
Last year, Gahanna knocked Groveport out of the playoffs in Week 10. This year, the Cruisers are looking for a little deja vu. However, Gahanna is a stronger team, having quality wins over Pickerington North, Reynoldsburg, and playoff-bound DeSales.
Pick: Gahanna
Granville Blue Aces [8-1, 6-0) at Columbus Academy Vikings (5-4, 3-3)
The Blue Aces, currently 10th in Region 11, are looking for a win, plus a little help to get into the playoff race. The Blue Aces will keep up their part of the bargain, but will need fate to intervene.
Pick: Granville
West Jefferson Roughriders (7-2, 4-2) at Berne Union Rockets (2-7, 2-4)
Pick: West Jefferson
Circleville Tigers (2-7, 2-4) at Canal Winchester Indians (6-3, 4-2)
The Indians need a win badly to get into the playoffs, plus help from the Mifflin-Brookhaven game, among contests.
Pick: Canal Winchester
Utica Redskins (2-7, 1-5) at Centerburg Trojans (7-2, 4-2)
Pick: Centerburg
Westerville South Wildcats (6-3, 5-1) at Olentangy Liberty Patriots (5-4, 4-2)
Last year, Liberty upset playoff-bound South at South, and last week, Liberty upset Westerville Central. The Patriots (like Dublin Jerome) are looking to go 3-0 against the city of Westerville this season. But, the Wildcats have too much power on their side.
Pick: Westerville South
Grove City Greyhounds (3-6, 2-4) at Pickerington North Panthers (7-2, 4-2)
Pick: Pickerington North
Independence 76ers (5-4, 3-3) at Walnut Ridge Scots (4-5, 4-2)
It is a miracle that the Sixers are still in the playoff hunt, but they are, ranked 11th in Region 10, ahead of last year's D-III champs, Watterson.
Pick: Independence
Bishop Watterson Golden Eagles (3-6) at Jonathan Alder Pioneers (9-0)
There will be a new Division III State Champion, because the Eagles will be officially grounded by Alder. Flashback to last week, when the Eagles lost to St. Charles for the first time in 11 years, putting another nail in the Eagles' disappointing season. The playoff-bound Pioneers will give the Eagles the final knockout punch.
Pick: Jonathan Alder
ALL GAMES THIS WEEKEND:
(Central Catholic League)
Bishop Hartley Hawks [8-0) at Bishop Ready Silver Knights (4-5)
(OCC Capital)
Olentangy Orange Pioneers (7-2, 5-1) at Delaware Hayes Pacers (2-7, 1-5)
Big Walnut Golden Eagles (7-2, 5-1) at Franklin Heights Golden Falcons (1-8, 0-6)
New Albany Eagles (7-2, 5-1) at Mount Vernon Yellowjackets (3-6, 3-3)
Watkins Memorial Warriors (4-5) at Hilliard Bradley Jaguars (6-3, 3-3)
(OCC Cardinal)
Westerville Central Warhawks (7-2, 4-2) at Dublin Jerome Celtics (4-5, 4-2)
Westerville North Warriors (0-9, 0-6) at Olentangy Braves (4-5, 3-3)
Westerville South Wildcats (6-3, 5-1) at Olentangy Liberty Patriots (5-4, 4-2)
Dublin Scioto Irish (2-7, 1-5) at Marysville Monarchs (4-5, 2-4)
(OCC Central)
Thomas Worthington Cardinals at Worthington Kilbourne Wolves (both 3-6, 2-4)
Hilliard Davidson Wildcats [8-0, 6-0) at Hilliard Darby Panthers (7-2, 4-2)
Dublin Coffman Shamrocks [8-1, 5-1) at Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-2, 5-1)
Westland Cougars (1-8, 0-6) at Central Crossing Comets (0-9, 0-6)
(OCC Ohio)
Grove City Greyhounds (3-6, 2-4) at Pickerington North Panthers (7-2, 4-2)
Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-3, 4-2) at Pickerington Central Tigers (6-2, 6-0)
Newark Wildcats (0-9, 0-6) at Lancaster Golden Gales (4-5, 2-4)
Groveport Madison Cruisers (3-6, 2-4) at Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions (7-2, 5-1)
(City League South)
Independence 76ers (5-4, 3-3) at Walnut Ridge Scots (4-5, 4-2)
Marion-Franklin Red Devils (9-0, 6-0) at Columbus South Bulldogs (0-9, 0-6)
West Cowboys (6-3, 3-3) at Briggs Bruins (4-5, 2-4)
Africentric Early College Nubians (2-7, 1-5) at Eastmoor Academy Warriors (7-2, 5-1)
(City League North)
Linden McKinley Panthers (2-7, 2-4) at East Tigers (1-8, 0-6)
Centennial Stars (2-7, 1-5) at Whetstone Braves (1-8, 1-5)
Brookhaven Bearcats (6-3, 5-1) at Mifflin Punchers [8-1, 5-1)
Northland Vikings (4-5, 4-2) at Beechcroft Cougars [8-1, 6-0)
(Mid State League Buckeye)
Teays Valley Vikings (4-5, 3-3) at Fairfield Union Falcons (0-9, 0-6)
Hamilton Township Rangers (4-5, 2-4) at Bloom-Carroll Bruins (3-6, 2-4)
Circleville Tigers (2-7, 2-4) at Canal Winchester Indians (6-3, 4-2)
Logan Elm Braves (9-0, 6-0) at Amanda-Clearcreek Aces (7-2, 5-1)
(Mid State League Cardinal)
Liberty Union Lions [8-1, 6-0) at Grandview Heights Bobcats (9-0, 6-0)
West Jefferson Roughriders (7-2, 4-2) at Berne Union Rockets (2-7, 2-4)
Harvest Prep Warriors (5-4, 2-4) at Millersport Lakers (0-9, 0-6)
Saturday- Licking Heights Hornets (4-5, 3-3) at Lancaster Fisher Catholic Irish (1-8, 1-5)- at Lancaster H.S.
(Mid State League Ohio)
Hebron Lakewood Lancers (1-8, 0-6) at Newark Catholic Green Wave (4-5, 3-3)- at Newark H.S.
Bexley Lions (5-4, 2-4) at Whitehall-Yearling Rams (5-4, 3-3)
Granville Blue Aces [8-1, 6-0) at Columbus Academy Vikings (5-4, 3-3)
Heath Bulldogs (3-6, 2-4) at Licking Valley Panthers (6-3, 5-1)
(Mid Buckeye Conference)
Fredericktown Freddies (5-4, 4-2) at Loudonville Redbirds (3-6, 2-4)
Northridge Vikings (3-6, 0-6) at Johnstown-Monroe Johnnies (9-0, 6-0)
Utica Redskins (2-7, 2-4) at Centerburg Trojans (7-2, 4-2)
Saturday- East Knox Bulldogs (2-7, 2-4) at Danville Blue Devils (6-3, 3-3)
(Mid Ohio Athletic Conference)
Cardington-Lincoln Pirates (5-4, 5-3) at Mount Gilead Indians (4-5, 3-5)
Buckeye Valley Barons (5-4, 4-4) at Elgin Comets (4-5, 3-5)
Morral Ridgedale Rockets (1-8, 1-7) at North Union Wildcats [8-1, 7-1)
Galion Northmor Golden Knights (0-9, 0-8] at Marion Pleasant Trojans (9-0, 8-0)
Sparta Highland Fighting Scots (3-6, 3-5) at River Valley Vikings (6-3, 6-2)
(South Central Ohio League)
Washington Court House Blue Lions (4-5, 3-2) at Miami Trace Panthers (5-4, 4-1)
Hillsboro Indians (1-8, 1-4) at Greenfield McClain Tigers (1-8, 0-5)
Madison Plains Golden Eagles (3-6, 1-4) at London Red Raiders (3-6, 3-2)
(Others)
Marion Harding Presidents at St. Charles Cardinals (both 3-6)
Westfall Mustangs (7-2, 4-2) at Huntington Huntsmen (0-9, 0-6)
Fairfield Christian Academy Knights (6-3) at Grove City Christian Eagles (4-5)
DeGraff Riverside Pirates (1-8) at Fairbanks Panthers (6-3)
According to Joe Eitel of JoeEitel.com, these area schools have already received their tickets in.
(Division I- Region 3)
Hilliard Davidson Wildcats [8-0; plays Hilliard Darby tomorrow night)
Dublin Coffman Shamrocks [8-1; plays Upper Arlington tomorrow night)
(Division II- Region 7)
Marion-Franklin Red Devils (9-0; locked up # 1 seed; plays Columbus South tomorrow night)
New Albany Eagles (7-2; plays Mount Vernon tomorrow night)
Big Walnut Golden Eagles (7-2; plays Franklin Heights tomorrow night)
Beechcroft Cougars [8-1; plays Northland tomorrow night)
(Division III- Region 10)
St. Francis DeSales Stallions (5-3; currently # 1; plays Cleveland Benedictine tomorrow night)
Eastmoor Academy Warriors (7-2; plays Africentric Early College tomorrow night)
(Division III- Region 12)
Jonathan Alder Pioneers (9-0; currently # 1; plays defending D-III State Champ Bishop Watterson tomorrow night)
Logan Elm Braves (9-0; plays Amanda-Clearcreek tomorrow night)
(Division IV- Region 14)
Bishop Hartley Hawks [8-0; defending D-IV State Champs & # 1 in Region 14, plays Bishop Ready tomorrow night)
North Union Wildcats [8-1; plays Ridgedale tomorrow night)
(Division IV- Region 15)
Johnstown-Monroe Johnnies (9-0; plays Northridge tomorrow night)
Amanda-Clearcreek Aces (7-2; plays Logan Elm tomorrow night)
(Division V- Region 20)
Marion Pleasant Trojans (9-0; plays Galion Northmor tomorrow night)
Fighting for their Playoff Lives:
(Division I)
- Region 3:
# 4 Westerville Central Warhawks (7-2; plays Dublin Jerome tomorrow night)
# 5 Pickerington Central Tigers (6-2; plays Reynoldsburg tomorrow night)
# 6 Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions (7-2; plays Groveport Madison tomorrow night)
# 7 Olentangy Orange Pioneers (7-2; plays Delaware Hayes tomorrow night)
# 8 Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-2; plays Dublin Coffman tomorrow night)
# 9 Pickerington North Panthers (7-2; plays Grove City tomorrow night)
# 10 Westerville South Wildcats (6-3; plays Olentangy Liberty tomorrow night)
# 12 Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-3; plays Pickerington Central tomorrow night)
# 13 Olentangy Liberty Patriots (5-4; plays Westerville South tomorrow night)
# 14 Hilliard Darby Panthers (7-2; plays Hilliard Davidson tomorrow night)
(Division II)
- Region 7:
# 8 Mifflin Punchers [8-1; plays Brookhaven tomorrow night)
# 10 Canal Winchester Indians (6-3; plays Circleville tomorrow night)
# 13 Zanesville Blue Devils (5-4; plays Marietta tomorrow night)
# 14 Brookhaven Bearcats (6-3; plays Mifflin tomorrow night)
# 15 West Cowboys (6-3; plays Briggs tomorrow night)
(Division III)
- Region 10:
# 8 River Valley Vikings (6-3; plays Sparta Highland tomorrow night)
# 11 Independence 76ers (5-4; plays Walnut Ridge tomorrow night)
# 12 Bishop Watterson Golden Eagles (3-6; plays Jonathan Alder tomorrow night)
# 13 Whitehall-Yearling Rams (5-4; plays Bexley tomorrow night)
# 14 Bexley Lions (5-4; plays Whitehall tomorrow night)
# 16 Buckeye Valley Barons (5-4; plays Elgin tomorrow night)
- Region 11:
# 10 Granville Blue Aces [8-1; plays Columbus Academy tomorrow night)
- Region 12:
# 7 Jackson Ironmen (9-0; plays Gallia Academy tomorrow night)
(Division IV)
- Region 14:
# 11 Galion Tigers (7-2; plays Ontario tomorrow night)
(Division V)
- Region 19:
# 4 Grandview Heights Bobcats (9-0; plays Liberty Union tomorrow night)
# 9 Jeromesville Hillsdale Falcons (9-0; plays Creston Norwayne tomorrow night)
# 10 Centerburg Trojans (7-2; plays Utica tomorrow night)
# 11 Liberty Union Lions [8-1; plays Grandview Heights tomorrow night)
- Region 20:
# 6 West Jefferson Roughriders (7-2; plays Berne Union tomorrow night)
# 8 Triad Cardinals (7-2; plays West Liberty Salem tomorrow night)
# 11 Fairbanks Panthers (6-3; plays DeGraff Riverside tomorrow night)
(Division VI)
- Region 23:
# 3 Danville Blue Devils (6-3; plays East Knox Saturday night)
# 11 Newark Catholic Green Wave (4-5; plays Hebron Lakewood tomorrow night)
# 13 Fairfield Christian Knights (6-3; plays Grove City Christian tomorrow night)
The other area schools not mentioned have all been Mathematically Eliminated from the playoffs.
Coming up later tonight...Picks. Who will get in? Who will win big games in Grandview, Upper Arlington, Pickerington, Gahanna, Easton, and others? Who will be disappointed? Can Hillsdale be 10-0 and miss the playoffs? Which 9-1 teams will fail to make the cut- Grandview Heights? Granville? Mifflin? Can Newark Catholic do what DeSales has done twice and make it in at 5-5? Can Watterson get in at 4-6? Can Hartley wrap up their first perfect regular season and a # 1 seed? Find out....later.
Sports Corner Top 10 (+ 15) for Week 10:
1) Hilliard Davidson Wildcats [8-0)
2) Marion-Franklin Red Devils (9-0)
3) Jonathan Alder Pioneers (9-0)
4) Grandview Heights Bobcats (9-0)
5) Bishop Hartley Hawks [8-0)
6) Johnstown Johnnies (9-0)
7) Logan Elm Braves (9-0)
8] Marion Pleasant Trojans (9-0)
9) Granville Blue Aces [8-1)
10) Beechcroft Cougars [8-1)
---------------------------------------------------------------
11) Dublin Coffman Shamrocks [8-1)
12) Pickerington North Panthers (7-2)
13) Pickerington Central Tigers (6-2)
14) Liberty Union Lions [8-1)
15) Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions (7-2)
16) New Albany Eagles (7-2)
17) Eastmoor Academy Warriors (7-2)
18] North Union Wildcats [8-1)
19) Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-2)
20) Big Walnut Golden Eagles (7-2)
21) Mifflin Punchers [8-1)
22) Westerville Central Warhawks (7-2)
23) Olentangy Orange Pioneers (7-2)
24) Hilliard Darby Panthers (7-2)
25) Westerville South Wildcats (6-3)
Dropped Out: Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-3), Brookhaven Bearcats (6-3)
Honorable Mention: Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-3), Brookhaven Bearcats (6-3), West Cowboys (6-3), Centerburg Trojans (7-2), Independence 76ers (5-4), St. Francis DeSales Stallions (5-3), Whitehall-Yearling Rams (5-4), Fairfield Christian Academy Knights (6-3), Danville Blue Devils (6-3)
BIG GAME OF THE WEEK:
Liberty Union Lions (8-1, 6-0) at Grandview Heights Bobcats (9-0, 6-0)
You can't script this any better. Winner takes all. Loser calls it a season. Winner gets in the playoffs. Loser calls it a season. Region 19 is so packed with talent, that there could be two 9-1 schools not make the final cut on Sunday. Grandview is looking for their first 10-0 season in School History, while Liberty Union is looking to win and hopefully get into the playoffs. This will be an interesting match.
Pick: Find out at Anderson Field in Grandview tomorrow night....
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 1 (The Battle of the Bishops):
Bishop Hartley Hawks [8-0) at Bishop Ready Silver Knights (4-5)- at Dublin Scioto
This is the South Columbus version of the Watterson-DeSales rivalry. The Hawks are looking for their first-ever perfect regular season, just one year after winning it all. The Knights, who are already out of the playoff hunt, are looking to play spoiler. But, they'll have issues stopping the Hawks' run, which has been non-stoppable all year.
Pick: Hartley
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 2 (The Battle of Main Street):
Bexley Lions (5-4, 2-4) at Whitehall-Yearling Rams (5-4, 3-3)
Pick: Whitehall
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 3 (Devil-Dog Night- SATURDAY):
East Knox Bulldogs (3-6, 3-3) at Danville Blue Devils (6-3, 3-3)
Pick: Danville
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 4 (The Battle of 256):
Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-3, 4-2) at Pickerington Central Tigers (6-2, 6-0)
Last week, the playoffs began for the Raiders, and will end against Pick Central in the battle of these East Side suburbs connected by State Route 256.
Pick: Pick Central
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 5 (The Battle of Hilliard):
(Hilliard) Davidson Wildcats [8-0, 6-0) at (Hilliard) Darby Panthers (7-2, 4-2)
The staunch Davidson defense will make the Panthers pay for their cake schedule by knocking them out of the playoffs in the 4th Annual Battle of Hilliard.
Pick: Davidson
RIVALRY GAME OF THE WEEK # 6 (The Battle of Worthington):
Thomas (Worthington) Cardinals at (Worthington) Kilbourne Wolves (both 3-6, 2-4)
Kilbourne has won all three meetings against Thomas, whose football program never recovered from the arrival of Kilbourne in 1991.
Pick: Kilbourne
OTHER "WIN OR GO HOME" GAMES THIS WEEK:
Dublin Coffman Shamrocks [8-1, 5-1) at Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-2, 5-1)
Last week, the Golden Bears seven-game win streak was snapped as they ran into a "brick wall" known as the Hilliard Davidson defense. It doesn't get any better as they host Coffman.
Pick: Dublin Coffman
Brookhaven Bearcats (6-3, 5-1) at Mifflin Punchers [8-1, 5-1)
The Punchers hold on to the eighth and final slot in Region 7, which has a few teams waiting in the wings, including the team that Punchers coach Gregg Miller coached for 17 years- the Brookhaven Bearcats. Could this be the final Brookhaven game ever? Can the Bearcats go all the way to Easton and punch Mifflin out of the playoffs? Can Mifflin beat a team above .500 for the first time this season?
Pick: Brookhaven (Upset Special)
Westerville Central Warhawks (7-2, 4-2) at Dublin Jerome Celtics (4-5, 4-2)
The Warhawks were upset by Olentangy Liberty last week, and need to win at Jerome to make their first-ever playoff appearance in the school's nine-year history. The Celtics have already upset another Westerville school (South, 34-31 in overtime) this season, and would like to complete a season sweep of the Westerville City School district.
Pick: Dublin Jerome (Upset Pick)
Groveport Madison Cruisers (3-6, 1-5) at Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions (7-2, 5-1)
Last year, Gahanna knocked Groveport out of the playoffs in Week 10. This year, the Cruisers are looking for a little deja vu. However, Gahanna is a stronger team, having quality wins over Pickerington North, Reynoldsburg, and playoff-bound DeSales.
Pick: Gahanna
Granville Blue Aces [8-1, 6-0) at Columbus Academy Vikings (5-4, 3-3)
The Blue Aces, currently 10th in Region 11, are looking for a win, plus a little help to get into the playoff race. The Blue Aces will keep up their part of the bargain, but will need fate to intervene.
Pick: Granville
West Jefferson Roughriders (7-2, 4-2) at Berne Union Rockets (2-7, 2-4)
Pick: West Jefferson
Circleville Tigers (2-7, 2-4) at Canal Winchester Indians (6-3, 4-2)
The Indians need a win badly to get into the playoffs, plus help from the Mifflin-Brookhaven game, among contests.
Pick: Canal Winchester
Utica Redskins (2-7, 1-5) at Centerburg Trojans (7-2, 4-2)
Pick: Centerburg
Westerville South Wildcats (6-3, 5-1) at Olentangy Liberty Patriots (5-4, 4-2)
Last year, Liberty upset playoff-bound South at South, and last week, Liberty upset Westerville Central. The Patriots (like Dublin Jerome) are looking to go 3-0 against the city of Westerville this season. But, the Wildcats have too much power on their side.
Pick: Westerville South
Grove City Greyhounds (3-6, 2-4) at Pickerington North Panthers (7-2, 4-2)
Pick: Pickerington North
Independence 76ers (5-4, 3-3) at Walnut Ridge Scots (4-5, 4-2)
It is a miracle that the Sixers are still in the playoff hunt, but they are, ranked 11th in Region 10, ahead of last year's D-III champs, Watterson.
Pick: Independence
Bishop Watterson Golden Eagles (3-6) at Jonathan Alder Pioneers (9-0)
There will be a new Division III State Champion, because the Eagles will be officially grounded by Alder. Flashback to last week, when the Eagles lost to St. Charles for the first time in 11 years, putting another nail in the Eagles' disappointing season. The playoff-bound Pioneers will give the Eagles the final knockout punch.
Pick: Jonathan Alder
ALL GAMES THIS WEEKEND:
(Central Catholic League)
Bishop Hartley Hawks [8-0) at Bishop Ready Silver Knights (4-5)
(OCC Capital)
Olentangy Orange Pioneers (7-2, 5-1) at Delaware Hayes Pacers (2-7, 1-5)
Big Walnut Golden Eagles (7-2, 5-1) at Franklin Heights Golden Falcons (1-8, 0-6)
New Albany Eagles (7-2, 5-1) at Mount Vernon Yellowjackets (3-6, 3-3)
Watkins Memorial Warriors (4-5) at Hilliard Bradley Jaguars (6-3, 3-3)
(OCC Cardinal)
Westerville Central Warhawks (7-2, 4-2) at Dublin Jerome Celtics (4-5, 4-2)
Westerville North Warriors (0-9, 0-6) at Olentangy Braves (4-5, 3-3)
Westerville South Wildcats (6-3, 5-1) at Olentangy Liberty Patriots (5-4, 4-2)
Dublin Scioto Irish (2-7, 1-5) at Marysville Monarchs (4-5, 2-4)
(OCC Central)
Thomas Worthington Cardinals at Worthington Kilbourne Wolves (both 3-6, 2-4)
Hilliard Davidson Wildcats [8-0, 6-0) at Hilliard Darby Panthers (7-2, 4-2)
Dublin Coffman Shamrocks [8-1, 5-1) at Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-2, 5-1)
Westland Cougars (1-8, 0-6) at Central Crossing Comets (0-9, 0-6)
(OCC Ohio)
Grove City Greyhounds (3-6, 2-4) at Pickerington North Panthers (7-2, 4-2)
Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-3, 4-2) at Pickerington Central Tigers (6-2, 6-0)
Newark Wildcats (0-9, 0-6) at Lancaster Golden Gales (4-5, 2-4)
Groveport Madison Cruisers (3-6, 2-4) at Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions (7-2, 5-1)
(City League South)
Independence 76ers (5-4, 3-3) at Walnut Ridge Scots (4-5, 4-2)
Marion-Franklin Red Devils (9-0, 6-0) at Columbus South Bulldogs (0-9, 0-6)
West Cowboys (6-3, 3-3) at Briggs Bruins (4-5, 2-4)
Africentric Early College Nubians (2-7, 1-5) at Eastmoor Academy Warriors (7-2, 5-1)
(City League North)
Linden McKinley Panthers (2-7, 2-4) at East Tigers (1-8, 0-6)
Centennial Stars (2-7, 1-5) at Whetstone Braves (1-8, 1-5)
Brookhaven Bearcats (6-3, 5-1) at Mifflin Punchers [8-1, 5-1)
Northland Vikings (4-5, 4-2) at Beechcroft Cougars [8-1, 6-0)
(Mid State League Buckeye)
Teays Valley Vikings (4-5, 3-3) at Fairfield Union Falcons (0-9, 0-6)
Hamilton Township Rangers (4-5, 2-4) at Bloom-Carroll Bruins (3-6, 2-4)
Circleville Tigers (2-7, 2-4) at Canal Winchester Indians (6-3, 4-2)
Logan Elm Braves (9-0, 6-0) at Amanda-Clearcreek Aces (7-2, 5-1)
(Mid State League Cardinal)
Liberty Union Lions [8-1, 6-0) at Grandview Heights Bobcats (9-0, 6-0)
West Jefferson Roughriders (7-2, 4-2) at Berne Union Rockets (2-7, 2-4)
Harvest Prep Warriors (5-4, 2-4) at Millersport Lakers (0-9, 0-6)
Saturday- Licking Heights Hornets (4-5, 3-3) at Lancaster Fisher Catholic Irish (1-8, 1-5)- at Lancaster H.S.
(Mid State League Ohio)
Hebron Lakewood Lancers (1-8, 0-6) at Newark Catholic Green Wave (4-5, 3-3)- at Newark H.S.
Bexley Lions (5-4, 2-4) at Whitehall-Yearling Rams (5-4, 3-3)
Granville Blue Aces [8-1, 6-0) at Columbus Academy Vikings (5-4, 3-3)
Heath Bulldogs (3-6, 2-4) at Licking Valley Panthers (6-3, 5-1)
(Mid Buckeye Conference)
Fredericktown Freddies (5-4, 4-2) at Loudonville Redbirds (3-6, 2-4)
Northridge Vikings (3-6, 0-6) at Johnstown-Monroe Johnnies (9-0, 6-0)
Utica Redskins (2-7, 2-4) at Centerburg Trojans (7-2, 4-2)
Saturday- East Knox Bulldogs (2-7, 2-4) at Danville Blue Devils (6-3, 3-3)
(Mid Ohio Athletic Conference)
Cardington-Lincoln Pirates (5-4, 5-3) at Mount Gilead Indians (4-5, 3-5)
Buckeye Valley Barons (5-4, 4-4) at Elgin Comets (4-5, 3-5)
Morral Ridgedale Rockets (1-8, 1-7) at North Union Wildcats [8-1, 7-1)
Galion Northmor Golden Knights (0-9, 0-8] at Marion Pleasant Trojans (9-0, 8-0)
Sparta Highland Fighting Scots (3-6, 3-5) at River Valley Vikings (6-3, 6-2)
(South Central Ohio League)
Washington Court House Blue Lions (4-5, 3-2) at Miami Trace Panthers (5-4, 4-1)
Hillsboro Indians (1-8, 1-4) at Greenfield McClain Tigers (1-8, 0-5)
Madison Plains Golden Eagles (3-6, 1-4) at London Red Raiders (3-6, 3-2)
(Others)
Marion Harding Presidents at St. Charles Cardinals (both 3-6)
Westfall Mustangs (7-2, 4-2) at Huntington Huntsmen (0-9, 0-6)
Fairfield Christian Academy Knights (6-3) at Grove City Christian Eagles (4-5)
DeGraff Riverside Pirates (1-8) at Fairbanks Panthers (6-3)
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
2011 College Football- Week 9
Where has this season gone by? October is winding down, but that doesn't mean that the collegiate gridiron action will be cooling down. Contrary, things will be heating up, as the race for Conference Titles and the BCS begins in Division I-FBS.
Big Game of the Week & Upset Pick of the Week:
# 15 Wisconsin Badgers (6-1, 2-1) at Ohio State Buckeyes (4-3, 1-2)
GO BUCKEYES: Can the Buckeyes take Wisconsin to the Cleaners on Saturday night? Recent history has proven otherwise.
Can the Buckeyes beat Wisconsin? It seems like in recent years, that the Badgers have had the Buckeyes number. Last year, the then-undefeated Buckeyes got behind early at Camp Randall, and never recovered from a 21-3 hole, losing 31-18, their only loss of the season before the Buckeyes vacated it (last season), due to Tattoogate (and other indiscretions).
The Badgers were heartbroken on the final play of the game last week against Michigan State as Kirk Cousins heaved a 44-yard Hail Mary to Keith Nichol to upend the Badgers 37-31, after the Badgers came from behind to tie the game up at 31 even.
Two weeks ago, the Buckeyes gave Illinois their first loss of the year, upending the Illini 17-7. Illinois since dropped out of the Top 25 after losing at Purdue last Saturday.
The Buckeyes are looking to make spoiler for the Badgers, in this nationally-televised game. Can Braxton Miller use his magic to pull off another big upset? Or will, the run of the Badgers be just too much? Or will the underrated Bucks shock the world once again?
Pick: Ohio State 20, Wisconsin 17
A teaser for next week, next week's Big Game is # 1 vs. # 2 (LSU vs. Alabama), both of whom are idle this week, and that game will be on CBS next Saturday night.
Rivalry Game of the Week- "The Largest Cocktail Party in the World":
# 22 Georgia Bulldogs vs. Florida Gators (at EverBank Field)
This game is oft-referred to as "The Largest Cocktail Party in the World", and with that, earns DJBC Sports Corner's status as the Rivalry Game of this week.
Pick: Georgia 24, Florida 19
The Other Rivalry Game of the Week:
Navy Midshipmen at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Irish won 43 straight against Navy. Since then, the Midshipmen have won three of the last four meetings. Can Notre Dame turn back momentum their way in this historic rivalry?
Pick: Notre Dame 38, Navy 21
Other Big Games This Week:
# 11 Michigan State Spartans (6-1, 3-0) at # 14 Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-1, 3-1)
Last week, Kirk Cousins found magic out of a hat, and Keith Nichol wide open as time expired, as Michigan State knocked off Wisconsin. Can the Spartans find some magic in Lincoln?
Pick: Michigan State 33, Nebraska 27
Purdue Boilermakers at # 18 Michigan Wolverines (6-1, 2-1)
Last week, Purdue upset then-ranked Illinois 21-14 after jumping out to a 21-0 lead. Two weeks ago, Michigan State proved that Michigan is anything but invincible. The last two years, the Michigan State game proved to be a downward spiral for the Maize and Blue. But, that was when Rich Rodriguez was coaching Michigan. One of Michigan's two wins late in the season was against Purdue (27-16, after back-to-back losses in 2008 and 2009 for the first time since 1966 & 1967). Can the Wolverines get back on track at home against the Boilermakers, or will Purdue spoil this Happy Homecoming?
Pick: Michigan 31, Purdue 27
Missouri Tigers at # 16 Texas A&M Aggies
Pick: Texas A&M 41, Missouri 21
Northwestern Wildcats at Indiana Hoosiers
Pick: Northwestern 16, Indiana 13 (OT)
# 12 Virginia Tech Hokies at Duke Blue Devils
Pick: Virginia Tech 35, Duke 0
# 10 Arkansas Razorbacks at Vanderbilt Commodores
Pick: Arkansas 37, Vandy 3
Otterbein Cardinals (2-5, 1-5) at Mount Union Purple Raiders (7-0, 6-0)
The last time that Otterbein beat Mount Union was in 1977. This game will be more lopsided than the Rhine River Cup. The Purple Parrots hand Otterbein their first losing season since 2006.
Pick: Mount Union 76, Otterbein 0
Washington State Cougars at # 7 Oregon Ducks
Pick: Oregon 67, Washington State 7
Baylor Bears at # 3 Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys (the real OSU) are ranked as high as their are for the first time in 27 years. The Cowboys will probably lasso these Bears out of Stillwater.
Pick: OSU 45, Baylor 7
# 9 Oklahoma Sooners (6-1, 3-1) at # 8 Kansas State Wildcats (7-0, 3-0)
The Sooners, after a surprising loss to Texas Tech, took a small hit in the polls, but face a Kansas State team ranked in the Top 10 for the first time in 11 years.
Pick: Oklahoma 32, Kansas State 29
Illinois Fighting Illini (6-2, 2-2) at # 19 Penn State Nittany Lions
Tic-tac-toe, three in a row (losses) for Illinois...
Pick: Penn State 30, Illinois 13
Colorado Buffaloes (1-7, 0-4) at # 21 Arizona State Sun Devils (5-2, 3-1)
Colorado is mathematically eliminated from Bowl Eligibility after mustering only a safety against Oregon in a 45-2 shellacking. The Buffs will wish that Rashaan Salaam and Kordell "Slash" Stewart had some eligibility left in them.
Pick: Arizona State 38, Colorado 3
# 5 Clemson Tigers [8-0, 4-0) at Georgia Tech Yellowjackets (6-2, 2-2)
After their first 6-0 start in 45 years, the Jackets dropped two and dropped out of the Top 25. Can the Jackets give # 5 Clemson their first loss of the year, or will they drop their third in a row?
Pick: Clemson 21, Georgia Tech 14
# 6 Stanford Cardinal at USC Trojans
Pick: Stanford 52, USC 20
Rice Owls at # 19 Houston Cougars
Pick: Houston 66, Rice 14
Virginia Cavaliers at Miami Hurricanes
Pick: Miami 27, Virginia 13
BYU Cougars at TCU Horned Frogs
Pick: TCU 28, BYU 22
Boston College Golden Eagles at Maryland Terrapins (2-5)
Pick: Maryland 20, BC 10
NC State Wolfpack at Florida State Seminoles
Pick: Florida State 49, NC State 14
Arizona Wildcats at Washington Huskies
Pick: Washington 27, Arizona 3
Cal Golden Bears at UCLA Bruins
Pick: Cal 20, UCLA 14
Kansas Jayhawks at # 24 Texas Longhorns
Pick: Texas 40, Kansas 10
Wake Forest Demon Deacons at North Carolina Tar Heels
Pick: Wake 23, UNC 21
Capital Crusaders (3-4, 3-3) at John Carroll Blue Streaks (4-3, 4-2)
Pick: John Carroll 21, Capital 14
Big Game of the Week & Upset Pick of the Week:
# 15 Wisconsin Badgers (6-1, 2-1) at Ohio State Buckeyes (4-3, 1-2)
GO BUCKEYES: Can the Buckeyes take Wisconsin to the Cleaners on Saturday night? Recent history has proven otherwise.Can the Buckeyes beat Wisconsin? It seems like in recent years, that the Badgers have had the Buckeyes number. Last year, the then-undefeated Buckeyes got behind early at Camp Randall, and never recovered from a 21-3 hole, losing 31-18, their only loss of the season before the Buckeyes vacated it (last season), due to Tattoogate (and other indiscretions).
The Badgers were heartbroken on the final play of the game last week against Michigan State as Kirk Cousins heaved a 44-yard Hail Mary to Keith Nichol to upend the Badgers 37-31, after the Badgers came from behind to tie the game up at 31 even.
Two weeks ago, the Buckeyes gave Illinois their first loss of the year, upending the Illini 17-7. Illinois since dropped out of the Top 25 after losing at Purdue last Saturday.
The Buckeyes are looking to make spoiler for the Badgers, in this nationally-televised game. Can Braxton Miller use his magic to pull off another big upset? Or will, the run of the Badgers be just too much? Or will the underrated Bucks shock the world once again?
Pick: Ohio State 20, Wisconsin 17
A teaser for next week, next week's Big Game is # 1 vs. # 2 (LSU vs. Alabama), both of whom are idle this week, and that game will be on CBS next Saturday night.
Rivalry Game of the Week- "The Largest Cocktail Party in the World":
# 22 Georgia Bulldogs vs. Florida Gators (at EverBank Field)
This game is oft-referred to as "The Largest Cocktail Party in the World", and with that, earns DJBC Sports Corner's status as the Rivalry Game of this week.
Pick: Georgia 24, Florida 19
The Other Rivalry Game of the Week:
Navy Midshipmen at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Irish won 43 straight against Navy. Since then, the Midshipmen have won three of the last four meetings. Can Notre Dame turn back momentum their way in this historic rivalry?
Pick: Notre Dame 38, Navy 21
Other Big Games This Week:
# 11 Michigan State Spartans (6-1, 3-0) at # 14 Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-1, 3-1)
Last week, Kirk Cousins found magic out of a hat, and Keith Nichol wide open as time expired, as Michigan State knocked off Wisconsin. Can the Spartans find some magic in Lincoln?
Pick: Michigan State 33, Nebraska 27
Purdue Boilermakers at # 18 Michigan Wolverines (6-1, 2-1)
Last week, Purdue upset then-ranked Illinois 21-14 after jumping out to a 21-0 lead. Two weeks ago, Michigan State proved that Michigan is anything but invincible. The last two years, the Michigan State game proved to be a downward spiral for the Maize and Blue. But, that was when Rich Rodriguez was coaching Michigan. One of Michigan's two wins late in the season was against Purdue (27-16, after back-to-back losses in 2008 and 2009 for the first time since 1966 & 1967). Can the Wolverines get back on track at home against the Boilermakers, or will Purdue spoil this Happy Homecoming?
Pick: Michigan 31, Purdue 27
Missouri Tigers at # 16 Texas A&M Aggies
Pick: Texas A&M 41, Missouri 21
Northwestern Wildcats at Indiana Hoosiers
Pick: Northwestern 16, Indiana 13 (OT)
# 12 Virginia Tech Hokies at Duke Blue Devils
Pick: Virginia Tech 35, Duke 0
# 10 Arkansas Razorbacks at Vanderbilt Commodores
Pick: Arkansas 37, Vandy 3
Otterbein Cardinals (2-5, 1-5) at Mount Union Purple Raiders (7-0, 6-0)
The last time that Otterbein beat Mount Union was in 1977. This game will be more lopsided than the Rhine River Cup. The Purple Parrots hand Otterbein their first losing season since 2006.
Pick: Mount Union 76, Otterbein 0
Washington State Cougars at # 7 Oregon Ducks
Pick: Oregon 67, Washington State 7
Baylor Bears at # 3 Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys (the real OSU) are ranked as high as their are for the first time in 27 years. The Cowboys will probably lasso these Bears out of Stillwater.
Pick: OSU 45, Baylor 7
# 9 Oklahoma Sooners (6-1, 3-1) at # 8 Kansas State Wildcats (7-0, 3-0)
The Sooners, after a surprising loss to Texas Tech, took a small hit in the polls, but face a Kansas State team ranked in the Top 10 for the first time in 11 years.
Pick: Oklahoma 32, Kansas State 29
Illinois Fighting Illini (6-2, 2-2) at # 19 Penn State Nittany Lions
Tic-tac-toe, three in a row (losses) for Illinois...
Pick: Penn State 30, Illinois 13
Colorado Buffaloes (1-7, 0-4) at # 21 Arizona State Sun Devils (5-2, 3-1)
Colorado is mathematically eliminated from Bowl Eligibility after mustering only a safety against Oregon in a 45-2 shellacking. The Buffs will wish that Rashaan Salaam and Kordell "Slash" Stewart had some eligibility left in them.
Pick: Arizona State 38, Colorado 3
# 5 Clemson Tigers [8-0, 4-0) at Georgia Tech Yellowjackets (6-2, 2-2)
After their first 6-0 start in 45 years, the Jackets dropped two and dropped out of the Top 25. Can the Jackets give # 5 Clemson their first loss of the year, or will they drop their third in a row?
Pick: Clemson 21, Georgia Tech 14
# 6 Stanford Cardinal at USC Trojans
Pick: Stanford 52, USC 20
Rice Owls at # 19 Houston Cougars
Pick: Houston 66, Rice 14
Virginia Cavaliers at Miami Hurricanes
Pick: Miami 27, Virginia 13
BYU Cougars at TCU Horned Frogs
Pick: TCU 28, BYU 22
Boston College Golden Eagles at Maryland Terrapins (2-5)
Pick: Maryland 20, BC 10
NC State Wolfpack at Florida State Seminoles
Pick: Florida State 49, NC State 14
Arizona Wildcats at Washington Huskies
Pick: Washington 27, Arizona 3
Cal Golden Bears at UCLA Bruins
Pick: Cal 20, UCLA 14
Kansas Jayhawks at # 24 Texas Longhorns
Pick: Texas 40, Kansas 10
Wake Forest Demon Deacons at North Carolina Tar Heels
Pick: Wake 23, UNC 21
Capital Crusaders (3-4, 3-3) at John Carroll Blue Streaks (4-3, 4-2)
Pick: John Carroll 21, Capital 14
Saturday, October 22, 2011
NFL 2011: Week 7
In less than 12 hours, the early games for Week 7 will have already kicked off. Among those early bird games is the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Wembley Stadium (The Glazers, who own the Bucs, also own Manchester United- one of soccer's big dynasties).
Among the later games is the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs. Why this is a game of note is, on Tuesday, Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown finally listened to Carson Palmer and Bengals fans everywhere by trading the disgruntled quarterback to the Oakland Raiders, in exchange for a few high draft picks in 2012 and 2013, which could give Cincinnati as many as nine first-round picks the next two drafts (with the added picks from the Chad Ochocinco trade as well). Palmer is the starting QB in Oakland, after Jason Campbell broke his collarbone in Oakland's win over the Cleveland Browns, where they used special teams to help them beat the Brownies. Even WKYC in Cincinnati will be airing this game. It's that big of a deal, and with that, is DJBC Sports Corner's "Big Game of the Week".
Another big late game is an NFC North rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. One would not have to ponder on why this is an important match, because rookie QB Christian Ponder will make his first NFL start against the NFL's lone unbeaten team.
Speaking of unbeatens, the Detroit Lions fell to the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday, but that's not what the game will be remembered for. It's what happened at the END of the game, when the two coaches were shaking hands, which will now be know as "Handshakegate".
In other games of note, Tim Tebow returns to his home state of Florida to play the Miami Dolphins as he will start as quarterback for the Denver Broncos. The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Arizona for a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII against the Cardinals. The winless (and Peyton-less) Colts travel to the Superdome for a rematch of Super Bowl XLIV against the Saints on Sunday night.
And now, Today (and tomorrow's) games:
Early Games:
Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2)- at Wembley Stadium
Pick: Tampa Bay 27, Chicago 17
Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns (both 2-3)
Pick: Cleveland 23, Seattle 13
Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions (5-1)
Pick: Atlanta 28, Detroit 24
Washington Redskins (3-2) at Carolina Panthers (1-5)
Pick: Washington 27, Carolina 20
Denver Broncos (1-4) at Miami Dolphins (0-5)
Pick: Denver 31, Miami 6
San Diego Chargers (4-1) at New York Jets (3-3)- LT Bowl
Pick: San Diego 30, NY Jets 20
Houston Texans (3-3) at Tennessee Titans (3-2)
Pick: Tennessee 31, Houston 14
Late Games:
Big Game of the Week: Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) at Oakland Raiders (4-2)
Pick: Oakland 27, Kansas City 16
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) at Arizona Cardinals (1-4)
Pick: Pittsburgh 35, Arizona 10
St. Louis Rams (0-5) at Dallas Cowboys (2-3)
Pick: Dallas 35, St. Louis 3
Green Bay Packers (6-0) at Minnesota Vikings (1-5)
Pick: Green Bay 31, Minnesota 0
Sunday Night Football:
Indianapolis Colts (0-6) at New Orleans Saints (4-2)
Pick: New Orleans 30, Indianapolis 3
Monday Night Football:
Baltimore Ravens (4-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5)
Pick: Baltimore 33, Jacksonville 8
Bye Weeks: Buffalo Bills (4-2), Cincinnati Bengals (4-2), New York Giants (4-2), New England Patriots (5-1), Philadelphia Eagles (2-4), and San Francisco 49ers (5-1)
Among the later games is the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs. Why this is a game of note is, on Tuesday, Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown finally listened to Carson Palmer and Bengals fans everywhere by trading the disgruntled quarterback to the Oakland Raiders, in exchange for a few high draft picks in 2012 and 2013, which could give Cincinnati as many as nine first-round picks the next two drafts (with the added picks from the Chad Ochocinco trade as well). Palmer is the starting QB in Oakland, after Jason Campbell broke his collarbone in Oakland's win over the Cleveland Browns, where they used special teams to help them beat the Brownies. Even WKYC in Cincinnati will be airing this game. It's that big of a deal, and with that, is DJBC Sports Corner's "Big Game of the Week".
Another big late game is an NFC North rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. One would not have to ponder on why this is an important match, because rookie QB Christian Ponder will make his first NFL start against the NFL's lone unbeaten team.
Speaking of unbeatens, the Detroit Lions fell to the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday, but that's not what the game will be remembered for. It's what happened at the END of the game, when the two coaches were shaking hands, which will now be know as "Handshakegate".
In other games of note, Tim Tebow returns to his home state of Florida to play the Miami Dolphins as he will start as quarterback for the Denver Broncos. The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Arizona for a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII against the Cardinals. The winless (and Peyton-less) Colts travel to the Superdome for a rematch of Super Bowl XLIV against the Saints on Sunday night.
And now, Today (and tomorrow's) games:
Early Games:
Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2)- at Wembley Stadium
Pick: Tampa Bay 27, Chicago 17
Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns (both 2-3)
Pick: Cleveland 23, Seattle 13
Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions (5-1)
Pick: Atlanta 28, Detroit 24
Washington Redskins (3-2) at Carolina Panthers (1-5)
Pick: Washington 27, Carolina 20
Denver Broncos (1-4) at Miami Dolphins (0-5)
Pick: Denver 31, Miami 6
San Diego Chargers (4-1) at New York Jets (3-3)- LT Bowl
Pick: San Diego 30, NY Jets 20
Houston Texans (3-3) at Tennessee Titans (3-2)
Pick: Tennessee 31, Houston 14
Late Games:
Big Game of the Week: Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) at Oakland Raiders (4-2)
Pick: Oakland 27, Kansas City 16
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) at Arizona Cardinals (1-4)
Pick: Pittsburgh 35, Arizona 10
St. Louis Rams (0-5) at Dallas Cowboys (2-3)
Pick: Dallas 35, St. Louis 3
Green Bay Packers (6-0) at Minnesota Vikings (1-5)
Pick: Green Bay 31, Minnesota 0
Sunday Night Football:
Indianapolis Colts (0-6) at New Orleans Saints (4-2)
Pick: New Orleans 30, Indianapolis 3
Monday Night Football:
Baltimore Ravens (4-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5)
Pick: Baltimore 33, Jacksonville 8
Bye Weeks: Buffalo Bills (4-2), Cincinnati Bengals (4-2), New York Giants (4-2), New England Patriots (5-1), Philadelphia Eagles (2-4), and San Francisco 49ers (5-1)
Thursday, October 20, 2011
2011 Central Ohio High School Football: Week 9
Tomorrow night, the penultimate week of high school football takes place for all but 192 football programs in Central Ohio. Teams that are above .500 are inching towards playoff contention, while other schools are winding down seasons were teams fell so short.
Big Games of the Week/Rivalry Games of the Week: Eastmoor Academy Warriors (7-1, 5-0) at Marion-Franklin Red Devils (8-0, 5-0) and Brookhaven Bearcats (6-2, 5-0) at Beechcroft Cougars (7-1, 5-0)
Could this be the final Haven-Croft match? On Tuesday, it was reported that Columbus City Schools is considering closing Brookhaven High School, which would put an end to one of the state's inner-city sports dynasties, winning State Titles in Football, and Boys and Girls Basketball. The Bearcats, in fact, are the ONLY high school in the Columbus City School District to do all that, and win a State Title in Football. This could be a huge loss in the City League, but could other schools (Beechcroft, Mifflin, Northland, Whetstone, East, Linden) in the City League North benefit?
Picks: Marion-Franklin and Brookhaven
Rivalry Game of the Week: Brookhaven at Beechcroft & Eastmoor Academy at Marion-Franklin
Upset Pick: Brookhaven over Beechcroft (See Above)
OTHER BIG GAMES THIS WEEK:
Coshocton Redskins (7-1) at Bishop Hartley Hawks (7-0)
If the Hawks hadn't moved to Region 14, these two could might as well meet again, but that's not going to happen, because the Hawks would eventually have to get past those pesky Kenton Wildcats in the playoffs in order to do that.
Pick: Coshocton
St. Charles Cardinals (2-6, 0-1) at Bishop Watterson Golden Eagles (3-5, 0-1)
This is do-or-die time for the Eagles, who need to win both of their final games for a slim sliver of a shot to get into the playoffs. This season has been disappointing for the defending Division III state champs, who lost all but four starters to greener pastures (graduation). But, the Eagles get it done in their home finale.
Pick: Watterson
Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-1, 5-0) at Hilliard Davidson Wildcats (7-0, 5-0)
This could be a long trek across the Scioto for the Bears, because Davidson has pitched four consecutive shutouts, including a defensive game last week against Coffman.
Pick: Hilliard Davidson
Licking Valley Panthers (5-3, 4-1) at Bexley Lions (5-3, 2-3)
The only Bexley win in recent history against the Panthers was by forfeit, so that means the Panthers will claw past Bexley in the Lions' home finale.
Pick: Licking Valley
Fredericktown Freddies (4-4, 3-2) at Centerburg Trojans (6-2, 3-2)
Pick: Centerburg
Dublin Jerome Celtics at Dublin Scioto Irish
Pick: Dublin Jerome
West Cowboys (5-3, 2-3) at Independence 76ers (5-3, 3-2)
Remember that 74-71 shootout a couple years ago? That was fun.
Pick: Independence
St. Francis DeSales Stallions (4-3) at Cincinnati LaSalle Lancers (6-2)
Do or die time for DeSales, who holds the longest-active playoff appearance streak in the state with 16 straight trips in the postseason. Not a good time to travel down Interstate 71.
Pick: LaSalle
Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions at Reynoldsburg Raiders (both 6-2, 4-1)
These two East Side suburban rivals are only minutes apart, but both need this win to get in. The host Raiders desperately need it, because they close out the year with Pick Central.
Pick: Gahanna
Liberty Union Lions (7-1, 5-0) at West Jefferson Roughriders (7-1, 4-1)
Can the Lions do what Grandview did in Week 4, and that is go out into West Jefferson and come out with a "W"? NO. But the Lions do play Grandview next week, coincidentally.
Pick: West Jefferson
Olentangy Braves (4-4, 2-3) at Westerville South Wildcats (5-3, 3-2)
Pick: Westerville South
Columbus Academy Vikings (5-3, 3-2) at Whitehall-Yearling Rams (4-4, 2-3)
Pick: Columbus Academy
The Greatest Pumpkin Show on Earth: Logan Elm Braves (8-0, 5-0) at Circleville Tigers (2-6, 2-3)
Pick: Logan Elm
"We're Playing for Pride Games":
East Tigers at Centennial Stars (both 1-7, 0-5)
Pick: Whomever scores the most points (Centennial)
Marysville Monarchs (4-4, 2-3) at Westerville North Warriors (0-8, 0-5)
Pick: North makes it 34 straight (Marysville)
Hilliard Darby Panthers (6-2, 3-2) at Westland Cougars (1-7, 0-5)
Pick: Westland gets swept by the City of Hilliard (Hilliard Darby)
Central Crossing Comets (0-8, 0-5) at Thomas Worthington Cardinals (2-6, 1-4)
Pick: Thomas Worthington
SPORTS CORNER TOP 10 (plus 5) for Week 9:
1) Hilliard Davidson Wildcats (7-0)
2) Marion-Franklin Red Devils (8-0)
3) Jonathan Alder Pioneers (8-0)
4) Grandview Heights Bobcats (8-0)
5) Bishop Hartley Hawks (7-0)
6) Johnstown Johnnies (8-0)
7) Eastmoor Academy Warriors (7-1)
8] Westerville Central Warhawks (7-1)
9) Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-1)
10) Logan Elm Braves (8-0)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
11) Marion Pleasant Trojans (8-0)
12) Granville Blue Aces (7-1)
13) Beechcroft Cougars (7-1)
14) West Jefferson Roughriders (7-1)
T-15) Dublin Coffman Shamrocks (7-1)
T-15) Pickerington North Panthers (6-2)
17) Pickerington Central Tigers (5-2)
18] Liberty Union Lions (7-1)
19) New Albany Eagles (6-2)
20) North Union Wildcats (6-2)
21) Brookhaven Bearcats (6-2)
22) Mifflin Punchers (7-1)
23) Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-2)
24) Big Walnut Golden Eagles (6-2)
25) Olentangy Orange Pioneers (6-2)
PLAYOFF PICTURE:
Who Is In?: Only Marion-Franklin (8-0) at this point, according to Joe Eitel (http://www.joeeitel.com) has clinched from all the Central Ohio schools
Who's Basically Done Based on Schedule: Watterson (3-5), DeSales (4-3), Olentangy (4-4), Marysville (4-4), Reynoldsburg (6-2), Hilliard Darby (6-2), West (5-3), Independence (5-3), Bexley (5-3), Liberty Union (7-1), Upper Arlington (7-1), the Brookhaven (6-2)/Beechcroft (7-1) loser, Mifflin (7-1), and due to sanctions- Harvest Prep (5-3)
Who Can Clinch This Week With A Win: Westerville Central (7-1), Hartley (7-0), Hilliard Davidson (7-0), Eastmoor Academy (7-1)
Who Will Eventually Get In: New Albany (6-2), Pickerington North (6-2), Pickerington Central (5-2), Grandview Heights (8-0), West Jefferson (7-1), Dublin Coffman (7-1), Eastmoor Academy (7-1), Hilliard Davidson (7-0), Westerville Central (7-1), Hartley (7-0), Gahanna Lincoln (6-2), Johnstown (8-0), Olentangy Orange (6-2)
Big Games of the Week/Rivalry Games of the Week: Eastmoor Academy Warriors (7-1, 5-0) at Marion-Franklin Red Devils (8-0, 5-0) and Brookhaven Bearcats (6-2, 5-0) at Beechcroft Cougars (7-1, 5-0)
Could this be the final Haven-Croft match? On Tuesday, it was reported that Columbus City Schools is considering closing Brookhaven High School, which would put an end to one of the state's inner-city sports dynasties, winning State Titles in Football, and Boys and Girls Basketball. The Bearcats, in fact, are the ONLY high school in the Columbus City School District to do all that, and win a State Title in Football. This could be a huge loss in the City League, but could other schools (Beechcroft, Mifflin, Northland, Whetstone, East, Linden) in the City League North benefit?
Picks: Marion-Franklin and Brookhaven
Rivalry Game of the Week: Brookhaven at Beechcroft & Eastmoor Academy at Marion-Franklin
Upset Pick: Brookhaven over Beechcroft (See Above)
OTHER BIG GAMES THIS WEEK:
Coshocton Redskins (7-1) at Bishop Hartley Hawks (7-0)
If the Hawks hadn't moved to Region 14, these two could might as well meet again, but that's not going to happen, because the Hawks would eventually have to get past those pesky Kenton Wildcats in the playoffs in order to do that.
Pick: Coshocton
St. Charles Cardinals (2-6, 0-1) at Bishop Watterson Golden Eagles (3-5, 0-1)
This is do-or-die time for the Eagles, who need to win both of their final games for a slim sliver of a shot to get into the playoffs. This season has been disappointing for the defending Division III state champs, who lost all but four starters to greener pastures (graduation). But, the Eagles get it done in their home finale.
Pick: Watterson
Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-1, 5-0) at Hilliard Davidson Wildcats (7-0, 5-0)
This could be a long trek across the Scioto for the Bears, because Davidson has pitched four consecutive shutouts, including a defensive game last week against Coffman.
Pick: Hilliard Davidson
Licking Valley Panthers (5-3, 4-1) at Bexley Lions (5-3, 2-3)
The only Bexley win in recent history against the Panthers was by forfeit, so that means the Panthers will claw past Bexley in the Lions' home finale.
Pick: Licking Valley
Fredericktown Freddies (4-4, 3-2) at Centerburg Trojans (6-2, 3-2)
Pick: Centerburg
Dublin Jerome Celtics at Dublin Scioto Irish
Pick: Dublin Jerome
West Cowboys (5-3, 2-3) at Independence 76ers (5-3, 3-2)
Remember that 74-71 shootout a couple years ago? That was fun.
Pick: Independence
St. Francis DeSales Stallions (4-3) at Cincinnati LaSalle Lancers (6-2)
Do or die time for DeSales, who holds the longest-active playoff appearance streak in the state with 16 straight trips in the postseason. Not a good time to travel down Interstate 71.
Pick: LaSalle
Gahanna Lincoln Golden Lions at Reynoldsburg Raiders (both 6-2, 4-1)
These two East Side suburban rivals are only minutes apart, but both need this win to get in. The host Raiders desperately need it, because they close out the year with Pick Central.
Pick: Gahanna
Liberty Union Lions (7-1, 5-0) at West Jefferson Roughriders (7-1, 4-1)
Can the Lions do what Grandview did in Week 4, and that is go out into West Jefferson and come out with a "W"? NO. But the Lions do play Grandview next week, coincidentally.
Pick: West Jefferson
Olentangy Braves (4-4, 2-3) at Westerville South Wildcats (5-3, 3-2)
Pick: Westerville South
Columbus Academy Vikings (5-3, 3-2) at Whitehall-Yearling Rams (4-4, 2-3)
Pick: Columbus Academy
The Greatest Pumpkin Show on Earth: Logan Elm Braves (8-0, 5-0) at Circleville Tigers (2-6, 2-3)
Pick: Logan Elm
"We're Playing for Pride Games":
East Tigers at Centennial Stars (both 1-7, 0-5)
Pick: Whomever scores the most points (Centennial)
Marysville Monarchs (4-4, 2-3) at Westerville North Warriors (0-8, 0-5)
Pick: North makes it 34 straight (Marysville)
Hilliard Darby Panthers (6-2, 3-2) at Westland Cougars (1-7, 0-5)
Pick: Westland gets swept by the City of Hilliard (Hilliard Darby)
Central Crossing Comets (0-8, 0-5) at Thomas Worthington Cardinals (2-6, 1-4)
Pick: Thomas Worthington
SPORTS CORNER TOP 10 (plus 5) for Week 9:
1) Hilliard Davidson Wildcats (7-0)
2) Marion-Franklin Red Devils (8-0)
3) Jonathan Alder Pioneers (8-0)
4) Grandview Heights Bobcats (8-0)
5) Bishop Hartley Hawks (7-0)
6) Johnstown Johnnies (8-0)
7) Eastmoor Academy Warriors (7-1)
8] Westerville Central Warhawks (7-1)
9) Upper Arlington Golden Bears (7-1)
10) Logan Elm Braves (8-0)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
11) Marion Pleasant Trojans (8-0)
12) Granville Blue Aces (7-1)
13) Beechcroft Cougars (7-1)
14) West Jefferson Roughriders (7-1)
T-15) Dublin Coffman Shamrocks (7-1)
T-15) Pickerington North Panthers (6-2)
17) Pickerington Central Tigers (5-2)
18] Liberty Union Lions (7-1)
19) New Albany Eagles (6-2)
20) North Union Wildcats (6-2)
21) Brookhaven Bearcats (6-2)
22) Mifflin Punchers (7-1)
23) Reynoldsburg Raiders (6-2)
24) Big Walnut Golden Eagles (6-2)
25) Olentangy Orange Pioneers (6-2)
PLAYOFF PICTURE:
Who Is In?: Only Marion-Franklin (8-0) at this point, according to Joe Eitel (http://www.joeeitel.com) has clinched from all the Central Ohio schools
Who's Basically Done Based on Schedule: Watterson (3-5), DeSales (4-3), Olentangy (4-4), Marysville (4-4), Reynoldsburg (6-2), Hilliard Darby (6-2), West (5-3), Independence (5-3), Bexley (5-3), Liberty Union (7-1), Upper Arlington (7-1), the Brookhaven (6-2)/Beechcroft (7-1) loser, Mifflin (7-1), and due to sanctions- Harvest Prep (5-3)
Who Can Clinch This Week With A Win: Westerville Central (7-1), Hartley (7-0), Hilliard Davidson (7-0), Eastmoor Academy (7-1)
Who Will Eventually Get In: New Albany (6-2), Pickerington North (6-2), Pickerington Central (5-2), Grandview Heights (8-0), West Jefferson (7-1), Dublin Coffman (7-1), Eastmoor Academy (7-1), Hilliard Davidson (7-0), Westerville Central (7-1), Hartley (7-0), Gahanna Lincoln (6-2), Johnstown (8-0), Olentangy Orange (6-2)
College Football 2011: Week 8
Big Game of the Week: # 6 Wisconsin Badgers (6-0, 3-0) at # 16 Michigan State Spartans (5-1, 2-0)- Which could be a preview of the inaugural Big Ten Championship on Dec. 3 in Indianapolis
Rivalry Game of the Week: "The Third Saturday in October"- Tennessee Volunteers (3-3, 0-3) at # 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0, 4-0)
Big Games This Weekend In Division I:
# 15 West Virginia Mountaineers (5-1, 1-0) at Syracuse Orangemen (4-2, 0-1)
Pick: West Virginia 31-21
# 20 Auburn Tigers (5-2, 3-1) at # 1 LSU Tigers (7-0, 4-0)
Pick: LSU 33-7
Tennessee Volunteers (3-3, 0-3) at # 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0, 4-0)
Pick: Alabama 45-7
Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-2, 1-2) at # 3 Oklahoma Sooners (6-0, 3-0)
Pick: Oklahoma 56-7
# 4 Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-0, 3-0) at Missouri Tigers (3-3, 1-2)
Pick: Oklahoma State 42-13
Air Force Falcons (3-3, 0-2) at # 5 Boise State Broncos (6-0, 3-0)
Pick: Boise State 31-0
# 6 Wisconsin Badgers (6-0, 3-0) at # 16 Michigan State Spartans (5-1, 2-0)
Pick: Wisconsin 27-21
# 25 Washington (5-1, 3-0) at # 8 Stanford (6-0, 4-0)
Pick: Stanford 49-21
North Carolina (5-2, 1-2) at # 7 Clemson (7-0, 4-0)
Pick: Clemson 37-14
# 10 Oregon (5-1, 3-0) at Colorado (1-6, 0-3)
Pick: Oregon 59-0
# 9 Arkansas (5-1, 1-1) at Ole Miss (2-4, 0-3)
Pick: Arkansas 41-6
# 13 Nebraska (5-1, 1-1) at Minnesota (1-5, 0-2)
Pick: Nebraska 55-7
# 17 Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1) at Iowa State (3-3, 0-3)
Pick: Texas A&M 28-10
# 21 Penn State (6-1, 3-0) at Northwestern (2-4, 0-3)
Pick: Penn State 31-10
Marshall (3-4, 2-1) at # 19 Houston (6-0, 2-0)
Pick: Houston 52-17
# 22 Georgia Tech (6-1, 3-0) at Miami (3-3, 1-2)
Pick: Georgia Tech 35-14
# 23 Illinois (6-1, 2-1) at Purdue (3-3, 1-1)
Pick: Illinois 34-21
Rutgers (5-1, 2-0) at Louisville (2-4, 0-1)
Pick: Rutgers 27-19
Cincinnati (5-1, 1-0) at South Florida (4-2, 0-2)
Pick: Cincinnati 32-25
Maryland (2-4, 1-2) at Florida State (3-3, 1-2)
Pick: Florida State 24-3
Ohio (4-3, 1-2) at Akron (1-5, 0-2)
Pick: Ohio 34-6
Temple (5-2, 3-1) at Bowling Green (3-4, 1-2)
Pick: Temple 30-20
Miami of Ohio (2-4, 1-1) at Toledo (4-3, 3-0)
Pick: Toledo 28-26
Army (2-4) at Vanderbilt (3-3)
Pick: Vanderbilt 31-13
New Mexico State at Hawaii (both 3-3, 1-1)
Pick: Hawaii 27-10
Rivalry Game of the Week: "The Third Saturday in October"- Tennessee Volunteers (3-3, 0-3) at # 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0, 4-0)
Big Games This Weekend In Division I:
# 15 West Virginia Mountaineers (5-1, 1-0) at Syracuse Orangemen (4-2, 0-1)
Pick: West Virginia 31-21
# 20 Auburn Tigers (5-2, 3-1) at # 1 LSU Tigers (7-0, 4-0)
Pick: LSU 33-7
Tennessee Volunteers (3-3, 0-3) at # 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (7-0, 4-0)
Pick: Alabama 45-7
Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-2, 1-2) at # 3 Oklahoma Sooners (6-0, 3-0)
Pick: Oklahoma 56-7
# 4 Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-0, 3-0) at Missouri Tigers (3-3, 1-2)
Pick: Oklahoma State 42-13
Air Force Falcons (3-3, 0-2) at # 5 Boise State Broncos (6-0, 3-0)
Pick: Boise State 31-0
# 6 Wisconsin Badgers (6-0, 3-0) at # 16 Michigan State Spartans (5-1, 2-0)
Pick: Wisconsin 27-21
# 25 Washington (5-1, 3-0) at # 8 Stanford (6-0, 4-0)
Pick: Stanford 49-21
North Carolina (5-2, 1-2) at # 7 Clemson (7-0, 4-0)
Pick: Clemson 37-14
# 10 Oregon (5-1, 3-0) at Colorado (1-6, 0-3)
Pick: Oregon 59-0
# 9 Arkansas (5-1, 1-1) at Ole Miss (2-4, 0-3)
Pick: Arkansas 41-6
# 13 Nebraska (5-1, 1-1) at Minnesota (1-5, 0-2)
Pick: Nebraska 55-7
# 17 Texas A&M (4-2, 2-1) at Iowa State (3-3, 0-3)
Pick: Texas A&M 28-10
# 21 Penn State (6-1, 3-0) at Northwestern (2-4, 0-3)
Pick: Penn State 31-10
Marshall (3-4, 2-1) at # 19 Houston (6-0, 2-0)
Pick: Houston 52-17
# 22 Georgia Tech (6-1, 3-0) at Miami (3-3, 1-2)
Pick: Georgia Tech 35-14
# 23 Illinois (6-1, 2-1) at Purdue (3-3, 1-1)
Pick: Illinois 34-21
Rutgers (5-1, 2-0) at Louisville (2-4, 0-1)
Pick: Rutgers 27-19
Cincinnati (5-1, 1-0) at South Florida (4-2, 0-2)
Pick: Cincinnati 32-25
Maryland (2-4, 1-2) at Florida State (3-3, 1-2)
Pick: Florida State 24-3
Ohio (4-3, 1-2) at Akron (1-5, 0-2)
Pick: Ohio 34-6
Temple (5-2, 3-1) at Bowling Green (3-4, 1-2)
Pick: Temple 30-20
Miami of Ohio (2-4, 1-1) at Toledo (4-3, 3-0)
Pick: Toledo 28-26
Army (2-4) at Vanderbilt (3-3)
Pick: Vanderbilt 31-13
New Mexico State at Hawaii (both 3-3, 1-1)
Pick: Hawaii 27-10
Friday, October 14, 2011
2011 NFL Predictions: Week 6
Big Game of the Week:
Philadelphia Eagles (1-4) at Washington Redskins (3-1)
Pick: Philadelphia 27, Washington 21
Upset Pick of the Week # 1:
Indianapolis Colts (0-5) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)
Curtis Painter is playing like a seasoned veteran, and eventually he might get his due. Unfortunately, only people in the Indianapolis market will get to see this game.
Pick: Indianapolis 28, Cincinnati 20
Biggest Game of the Week/Upset Pick of the Week # 2:
San Francisco 49ers (4-1) at Detroit Lions (5-0)
The Lions are 5-0 for the first time since 1956, and in 1956, they got to 6-0 by beating the San Francisco 49ers? Can karma strike 55 years later? Um, after the whipping the 49ers gave Tampa Bay- their most lopsided win since Super Bowl XXIV, it's apparent that the 49ers of old have been resurrected from the dead.
Pick: San Francisco 38, Detroit 28
Sunday Early Games:
Carolina Panthers (1-4) at Atlanta Falcons (2-3)
Pick: Atlanta 31, Carolina 27
St. Louis Rams (0-4) at Green Bay Packers (5-0)
Pick: Green Bay 42, St. Louis 0
Buffalo Bills (4-1) at New York Giants (3-2)- "Super Bowl XXV: 20 Years Later"
Both of their games were decided by deflected interceptions (NYG: Eli Manning's pass intended for Victor Cruz was tipped into the hands of Canadian football player and Seahawk Brandon Browner for a 94-yard touchdown return). The Bills are the surprise of the NFL (other than the Lions). Can they keep it up?
Pick: Buffalo 35, NY Giants 31
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)
The Jags, after catching the Bengals secondary nap, took a 20-16 lead, only to surrender that lead, following a 22-yard punt, which led to a Bernard Scott 3-yard run and a 23-20 lead. Then rookie Jags QB Blaine Gabbert looked away from the football, causing a fumbled snap, which Bengals corner Nate Clements recovered. Bengals defensive lineman Geno Atkins put the final nail in the coffin, recovering a lateral fumble for a touchdown at time expired. In other words, expect Ben Roethlisberger to pick up where he left off against the Tennessee Titans, as the Steelers face their fourth (and final) AFC South opponent in a row.
Pick: Pittsburgh 35, Jacksonville 3
Late Games:
Cleveland Browns (2-2) at Oakland Raiders (3-2)
The Raiders, won an emotional game at the end in Houston, one day after the death of team owner Al Davis, one of the most influential leaders in professional sports history. The Raiders have an easier task this week, as the well-rested Browns fly into the Bay Area...to get beat. WBNS 10TV in Columbus, Ohio will be wishing that they picked the Colts-Bengals game instead of this snoozefest.
Pick: Oakland 35, Cleveland 17
Houston Texans (3-2) at Baltimore Ravens (4-1)
Pick: Baltimore 41, Houston 14
Dallas Cowboys (3-1) at New England Patriots (4-1)
Pick: New England 31, Dallas 16
New Orleans Saints (4-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
Last week, the 49ers schooled the Bucs. It gets worse as Drew Brees comes to town.
Pick: New Orleans 37, Tampa Bay 17
Sunday Night Football:
Minnesota Vikings (1-4) at Chicago Bears (2-3)
Pick: Chicago 20, Minnesota 10
Monday Night Football (or Tony Sparano: The End?):
Miami Dolphins (0-4) at New York Jets (2-3)
Tony Sparano's job seems safe, but will it be on Tuesday morning? Jets end their three-game schneid.
Pick: NY Jets 33, Miami 14
Bye Weeks: Arizona Cardinals (1-4), Seattle Seahawks (2-3), Tennessee Titans (3-2), San Diego Chargers (4-1), Denver Broncos (1-4), and Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)
Philadelphia Eagles (1-4) at Washington Redskins (3-1)
Pick: Philadelphia 27, Washington 21
Upset Pick of the Week # 1:
Indianapolis Colts (0-5) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)
Curtis Painter is playing like a seasoned veteran, and eventually he might get his due. Unfortunately, only people in the Indianapolis market will get to see this game.
Pick: Indianapolis 28, Cincinnati 20
Biggest Game of the Week/Upset Pick of the Week # 2:
San Francisco 49ers (4-1) at Detroit Lions (5-0)
The Lions are 5-0 for the first time since 1956, and in 1956, they got to 6-0 by beating the San Francisco 49ers? Can karma strike 55 years later? Um, after the whipping the 49ers gave Tampa Bay- their most lopsided win since Super Bowl XXIV, it's apparent that the 49ers of old have been resurrected from the dead.
Pick: San Francisco 38, Detroit 28
Sunday Early Games:
Carolina Panthers (1-4) at Atlanta Falcons (2-3)
Pick: Atlanta 31, Carolina 27
St. Louis Rams (0-4) at Green Bay Packers (5-0)
Pick: Green Bay 42, St. Louis 0
Buffalo Bills (4-1) at New York Giants (3-2)- "Super Bowl XXV: 20 Years Later"
Both of their games were decided by deflected interceptions (NYG: Eli Manning's pass intended for Victor Cruz was tipped into the hands of Canadian football player and Seahawk Brandon Browner for a 94-yard touchdown return). The Bills are the surprise of the NFL (other than the Lions). Can they keep it up?
Pick: Buffalo 35, NY Giants 31
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)
The Jags, after catching the Bengals secondary nap, took a 20-16 lead, only to surrender that lead, following a 22-yard punt, which led to a Bernard Scott 3-yard run and a 23-20 lead. Then rookie Jags QB Blaine Gabbert looked away from the football, causing a fumbled snap, which Bengals corner Nate Clements recovered. Bengals defensive lineman Geno Atkins put the final nail in the coffin, recovering a lateral fumble for a touchdown at time expired. In other words, expect Ben Roethlisberger to pick up where he left off against the Tennessee Titans, as the Steelers face their fourth (and final) AFC South opponent in a row.
Pick: Pittsburgh 35, Jacksonville 3
Late Games:
Cleveland Browns (2-2) at Oakland Raiders (3-2)
The Raiders, won an emotional game at the end in Houston, one day after the death of team owner Al Davis, one of the most influential leaders in professional sports history. The Raiders have an easier task this week, as the well-rested Browns fly into the Bay Area...to get beat. WBNS 10TV in Columbus, Ohio will be wishing that they picked the Colts-Bengals game instead of this snoozefest.
Pick: Oakland 35, Cleveland 17
Houston Texans (3-2) at Baltimore Ravens (4-1)
Pick: Baltimore 41, Houston 14
Dallas Cowboys (3-1) at New England Patriots (4-1)
Pick: New England 31, Dallas 16
New Orleans Saints (4-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
Last week, the 49ers schooled the Bucs. It gets worse as Drew Brees comes to town.
Pick: New Orleans 37, Tampa Bay 17
Sunday Night Football:
Minnesota Vikings (1-4) at Chicago Bears (2-3)
Pick: Chicago 20, Minnesota 10
Monday Night Football (or Tony Sparano: The End?):
Miami Dolphins (0-4) at New York Jets (2-3)
Tony Sparano's job seems safe, but will it be on Tuesday morning? Jets end their three-game schneid.
Pick: NY Jets 33, Miami 14
Bye Weeks: Arizona Cardinals (1-4), Seattle Seahawks (2-3), Tennessee Titans (3-2), San Diego Chargers (4-1), Denver Broncos (1-4), and Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)
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