Is This Turnaround Saturday ..?

[Cane from the Bend]

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Or Disparity Day .?.

Miami / Texas A&M - If I'm being honest, this game has humble me written all over it. So I won't try to get too cute, here.

On one hand, you have Miami looking to get over that hump, and finally win a Big Game in a Large Venue on National TV. Strategically scheduled 2 and a half hours after the Michigan St / Washington game, also an hour and a half before the USC / Fresno St game. There will be an upwards of 10+ 5 Star recruits at the stadium. If Miami loses, then they are the team that lost a team, who lost to App State. Which means we'll be back to hearing the binary argument = Same old Miami, they're just are pretenders [overrated] + Miami needs more time, it's year one under Cristobal. A win for the `Canes, and we will hear that (a.) Miami is finally showing they are for real - (b.) Texas A&M really isn't as good as we thought.

On the other hand, you have Texas A&M, who needs to win this game, after losing at home vs Appalachian State. There will be excuse makers, in the event of a win; "Oh, they didn't take App State serious enough." "They were just looking ahead to Miami, and got caught flatfooted." However, a loss in tonight's game would have Aggie Nation in an uproar. "The sky is falling." "We paid $75 million for this?!" "What are we paying recruits for, if this is the end result?!"

Both teams need to win ... neither one can afford a loss.

Oklahoma / Nebraska - Uhg! If this were a different kind of start for the Huskers, I'd be saying they need to keep this one close, or pull off the upset to show where their improvement lies.

This would have been a potential turnaround day. But Nebraska is such a congealed mess of a program, that their keeping it relatively close will seem like a step in the right direction.

Oklahoma truly has nothing to gain by winning this game. They get a win over a downtrodden former conference rival. It's still a fan base rivalry, at heart. Yet, losing would be a massive eyebrow raiser. It's a No Excuses, have to win game for the Sooners.

BYU / Oregon - Talk about a row of Dire Straights. Did Georgia just hunting season the Ducks out of the Sky.

Oregon could turn their year around with this win. They really cannot lose this, and have a successful season. Which is pretty bad, since this isn't even a conference game. Sure, the Ducks could win the Pac-12 [though unlikely with Utah & USC]. It would set something right, and grab themselves a New Year's 6 Bowl. Even then, people will simple look at the Pac, knowing USC & UCLA are on the way out, and say; "Who cares?" Winning against a really strong looking Cougars team gives them a bright spot to build from.

BYU could propel their season with a win. Here, the Ducks have been ranked #25 [I suspect to increase game time ratings]. They look tough, and are coached extremely well. Losing would put them behind in a race for a New Years 6 Bowl. But, to defeat Oregon, they would put down another Pac-12 Power5 Opponent, legitimizing their perception Nationally. They may even start getting the "Should they be a Playoff Contender?" talk.

Nevada / Iowa - How did we get here, even?

Seriously, Nevada was a team who had a trajectory that could compete with the Big Boys, in a one off game. I never believed them to be a potential contender for a New Year's 6 Bowl, let alone the Playoff picture. Still, they have had a solid foundation, that, up until last week, had them competing at a high level, and a threat to their conference. Losing to Incarnate Word? Allowing a FCS team put 55 points on you?? What in the world happened? ---- Okay, now that things seem so bleak, they are getting a chance to redeem themselves vs a Power5 team, who looks vulnerable enough to beat. Winning against Iowa could really boost the morale of this team. They have a chance to go into a rather wild environment, and take a W home with them. I don't know if they can do it. But if they do, it very well could be the confidence booster to feed life back into the season going forward. Losing this game, may not be as devastating, so long as they keep things close. Should they lose by a large margin, to this Hawkeyes anemic offense, and they might just cash in on the year.

Iowa needs to win this game. Not just because they lost for the first time to Iowa State during the Campbell era. But because they need to prove, especially to themselves, that their offense can function. They've scored Once, offensively, in two games, this season. Twice if you count the field goal against South Dakota St. Their sole touchdown came on a 2 play drive that started on Iowa State's 16 yards line, following a blocked punt. Their only Field Goal, was against South Dakota St, where Iowa started their drive on the Jackrabbits' 33 yard line. The Hawkeyes gained 5 yards on 3 plays, and kicked a 46 yarder for 3 points. Iowa Needs to win, because they are on the brink of falling to Nebraska bad. If they ey win, and do it with offense, then they may be able to evaluate just what did finally work, and build around that, going into conference play.

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[billybud]

at least the ACC has had some exciting Games....

Syracuse in the last minute this week, FSU in last seconds last week, FSU INT with 35 seconds to win the game last night...

Miami's turn..

[Cane from the Bend]

at least the ACC has had some exciting Games....

Syracuse in the last minute this week, FSU in last seconds last week, FSU INT with 35 seconds to win the game last night...

Miami's turn..

The ACC is shaping up to be very entertaining this year.

Even in the Group of 5 competition, NC coming within a whisky of losing the App ST, only to have those Mountaineers invade College Station and nab a Victory [here's hoping Cristobal & Company took notes].

Virginia Tech losing to Old Dominion, then the Monarchs giving the Cavaliers about all they could handle, today.

However, the close calls are mostly going in favor of the ACC, rather than against us.

I'm beginning to get the feeling, the Big 10 West might be the most deficient division in the Power5.

Nebraska is in shambles, and Northwestern, who beat the Huskers in the Week Zero Dublin game, lost to [FCS] Southern Illinois 31-24.

I think Nebraska might be the Big 10's version of Georgia Tech, this year.

I don't have it in me to talk about that other game, until kickoff.

I never really think of myself as superstitious ... until game day comes around. Then I suddenly seem to have a whole new set of "rituals" or "precautions" I had previously been unfamiliar with.

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