The Obnoxious UGA

The UGA band plays the fight song every time a UGA player steps on the field, which happens a lot in the pregame.

Up to the Second Bowl Projections

BCS- WVU v. Missou/Kansas winner
Sugar- LSU v. Hawaii
Orange- BC v. Okla
Fiesta- Missou/Kansas loser v. Oregon
Capital One- Tenn. v. Illinois
Gator- V-Tech v. UConn
Emerald- G-Tech v. Cal

Weekend's Best- Buy or Sell- BCS, Also Tech/UGA preview

As we move towards the two biggest weeks of the college football season it is time to examine which teams have a real chance to make to the Super Dome and which ones will be trolling on Bourbon Street:

You think LSU’s got the clearest path to the BCS? Think again. While they are definitely better than anybody else they will face the rest of this season, they will be take on the nation’s best player in Darren McFadden. While they have the tools to stop him, you never know when he may go off. This is a critical point for LSU. Then they will take on Tenn or UGA. UGA will obviously give them a tougher match-up but they won’t likely be there. If UT can play tough defense and keep the score low; they have a shot at the upset. They won’t be able to do that. LSU’s offense and defense will be too tough down the stretch. Buy

It’s an amazing story, but they are about the face the two toughest games of the season, in the two biggest games in the program’s history. This is assuming they make it pass Missouri. They are also the number two team in the nation. This is a bad spot for them, as it has been a bad spot for every team this season. I love Reesing, love the defense. I enjoyed watching them dismantle Nebraska, but . . . Sell

I think they have a little more experience in this situation. They have had a few big games in their history and have a team, led by Chase Daniel with a steady amount of talent. I think they get by Kansas, then I’m going to go out on a limb and say that they take Oklahoma as well. Call it the ghost of James Brown and the 1996 Texas team, but really call it OU’s tendency to fall apart at the end of the season. Unfortunately, OU’s lost to Texas Tech didn’t just sack them, it sacked a whole conference. There’s isn’t enough value in a win over Oklahoma. Sell

Left for dead in the shadows of the pirate ship down in Tampa, West Virginia has rose up and won ever game since. Now Pat White and the boys are almost in the driver’s seat to go to the BCS Bowl. As is the case for the other teams, it won’t be easy. Their next two games are against UConn and rival Pitt. This is the big leagues for UConn. On the road, in a hostile environment, conference title on the line. While WVU has laid an egg at home before, I don’t think they will today. Pitt could challenge because of the rivalry and what’s on the line, but I think this is West Virginia’s year. Buy

- The most important thing to consider in this game is the sense of urgency. It has been a determining factors in most games this season for the Jackets and the Dogs. UGA looked pass UT in the middle part of the season and got waxed. Then the gimmicks came out; excessive celebration against UF, black jerseys against Auburn. While hokey, they lit a fire under the Dogs and made them into a hot team. The problem is, their’s nothing at stake for them. This game doesn’t affect their SEC status and probably not their bowl status. They also don’t consider Tech a rival.

For Georgia Tech, a lack of urgency is the sole reason why they aren’t playing in Jacksonville next week. The only big game they have played with any sense of urgency was against Clemson, another team that has a tendency to not show up in big games. BC and Virginia Tech were complete duds. Both teams came on to the Flats with something to prove. Georgia Tech sorta sat there and watched. Now Tech has something to play for. A win means having a ton of fans see you at a bowl game in Nashville versus having no fans in San Francisco. They also lost their last six to UGA, their fans are hungry for this, much the same way that UGA fans were hungry to see them beat Florida.

- For Tech it will come down to two areas that have been horribly inconsistent this season. The passing game with Taylor Bennett and the defense. Taylor Bennett has to successfully get passes down the field. He needs to have at least two passes of 10 yards or more on each drive and he’s got to take at least three shots down the field. This will open it up for Tashard Choice. Choice has the ability to run on just about any defense.

Tech’s defense is the strength of the team and when their on, they are spectacular. Unfortunately, when they are off, it’s devastating. They have given up a huge play in every lost this season. There was the pass in the back of the end zone by Ryan, the Stanton Jobe catch in the lost to Virginia. Maryland’s Chris Turner has burned them, Sean Glennon has burned them. The defense has to play the game of their lives on Saturday because UGA has better weapons on offense with Matthew Stafford and Know----shon Moreno. They are capable of playing that game, but they have to come out firing, play with a sense of urgency and not get down on themselves, if they drop a big play. The crowd, unfortunately, won't be that big a help.

In the end, I like that sense of urgency and having something to play for to prevail:

G-Tech 17, UGA- 10

Buy/Sell- College Football Top 5

Ohio St.- People feel a lot better about them since that big win against Penn State. However, they still got a very long way to go. They have Wisconsin at home on Saturday, a team that could surprise them. Follow that up with Illinois, and then Michigan in two weeks. Michigan always beats them win they have something in stake. Sell

Boston College- After the Thursday night miracle, will BC have anything left for FSU? That's a home game, so I think they should win. The rest of way though. . . Nothing but booby-traps. At Maryland, at Clemson, then finishing at Miami. They will lose to Clemson so Tommy Bowden doesn't get fired, they should win the rest. The timing of that lose will be critical, even with a trip to the ACC Championship pending. Sell

LSU- Everybody wants them to be there so bad and they are probably the best team in the nation. I think they will be able to put Bama away pretty easily and they don't tend to have many let downs, Kentucky excluded. The biggest stroke of luck took place last week win UGA ran all over UF. This means UGA, Tenn, or South Carolina will join them in the Georgia Dome. They would be a favorite over any of those teams. Buy

Ariz. St./Oregon- The winner of this game will have a great opportunity to get to the national champoinship. Let's say for the sake of argument that the Ducks win, this is not a for gone conclusion, btw, their toughest remaining test is at UCLA. With no conference championship? Buy

Oklahoma is in the mix as well. If they can win out they will face either Kansas or Missouri in the Big 12 Championship. Both teams will be new to the stage and very likely to wet the bed against an experienced Sooner team. It will come down to how much voters respect the win.

This week in College Football and Life- Thursday Edition

- We begin this post with a stunning development. This from the G-Tech sports information office:

Four Virginia Tech players, all starters, may be wearing white Georgia Tech road jerseys tonight. When members of the Virginia Tech equipment staff arrived at Bobby Dodd Stadium this afternoon, they reported that four of their players' jerseys were missing.

The missing jerseys area a mystery at this point. There is no evidence of any breaki-in. A representative of both Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech looked over the video surveillance tape and saw nothing suspicious. All entrances to the locker room have either remained locked, manned by security or under video surveillance.

There is a chance that replacement jerseys will arrive before or during the game. Until that time, Georgia Tech has loaned the Hokies white road jerseys for those four players.

The four Virginia Tech players missing jerseys:

#5 Tyrod Taylor, QB
#7 Sean Glennon, QB
#17Kam Chancellor, ROV
#18Brandon Flowers, BC

And there's something wrong with my seat!

-There is a definete vibe surrounding the game, I mean Big Boi's here for Christ sake!
-Tashard Choice does all the PSA's.