Two headliners provide extent of prime BCS poll positioning
Even with two big games on the schedule this week, this is one of the weakest slates of November games I can ever remember.
Lucky for us, the two big games are on at different times. CBS gets us started in the afternoon with the event formerly known as The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. The name was changed because it turns out beer isn't technically a cocktail. Florida, eighth in the BCS, faces No. 6 Georgia in Jacksonville and both teams are hot going into the game. Georgia smashed LSU in Baton Rouge last week, and the Gators have outscored their last three opponents 152-33.
The winner will have a chance to clinch the SEC East title next week, but the loser won't be entirely out of the BCS picture. Yes, their national and conference championship dreams will be dashed, but a 10-2 Florida or Georgia would be a strong BCS at-large candidate.
The nightcap features No. 1 Texas traveling to undefeated -- and mostly untested -- Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are one of four major conference schools to have played two I-AA teams, and when you throw in 1-8 SMU, they have one of the worst non-conference schedules of anyone this year. They get their chance to prove themselves this week, though. They were impressive in dismantling Kansas on the road last week, but the Longhorns are at a whole 'nother level.
For Texas, the question is, can it get up for its fourth straight top 10 opponent? All the emotion seems to favor Tech, but emotion only carries you so far.
The rest of the top 12 in the BCS standings are taking it easy. Ohio State and Penn State are off, and Alabama, USC, Oklahoma State and Boise State might as well be. Oklahoma will face Nebraska in a game that used to be the one everybody looked forward to, but the Huskers are just another also-ran.
Utah might get a test at New Mexico if the Utes are looking ahead to Thursday's game with TCU. The defense is good enough to keep the Lobos in the game if Utah isn't focused on the task at hand.
The lack of action at the top gives us a chance to pay attention to the bloodletting going on in the ACC and the Big East.
Ten of the 12 teams in the ACC have either one conference loss or two. That means there are big games every week. Florida State is looking to return to dominance in the league and can take another step in that direction by winning at Georgia Tech. The Seminoles are currently the highest-rated ACC team in the BCS standings, but that hasn't been a good thing lately. The last two weeks, the highest-rated ACC team has lost.
That has already happened in the Big East this week. South Florida was the top rated team at No. 23 in the BCS, but the Bulls went down at Cincinnati on Thursday. Connecticut is the only other Top 25 team from the Big East, but it hosts league leader West Virginia on Saturday.
The only other conference school with a BCS score (meaning at least one vote in one poll or two Top 25 computer rankings) is Pitt, which travels to South Bend to face Notre Dame. Last week, all three Big East schools with BCS scores lost.
Don't overlook the 5-2 Irish in the BCS picture. Until they pick up their fourth loss, they are a factor. Road trips to Boston College and USC later on are the biggest obstacles for them.
