#3 West Virginia at #5 Louisville

[NEZCardsfan]

HUGE GAME!! I think the winner of this game goes onto the BCS Championship game, against OSU/UM winner.

In Louisville, but I think in the end Slaton makes the difference. WVU in a high scoring shootout......41-38

Any chatter about this??

 

[NEZCardsfan]

Anyway either of these two lose to Rutgers or Pittsburgh??

If the winner of this game loses to Pitt or Rutgers....it will open up a mess of 1 loss teams to the BCS Champ Game.

 

[Russ Smith]

I figure West Virginia wins because they run the ball so much they will shorten the game in terms of time of possession for Louisville.

Could be a great game but I don't think Louisville's defense can force WVU to throw.

It does appear the winner of this game plays the winner of Ohio State and michigan for the NC unless there's a huge upset somewhere along the line,

 

[NEZCardsfan]

Louisville could lose at Rutgers.

Florida and Texas still have Conference Championship games ahead of them.

The loser of the OSU/UM game is too late in the year to get back in the Title Game.

The winner of Cal/USC could still sneak back in there. I'd like to see that as a Pac10 fan.

 

[Russ Smith]

Louisville could lose at Rutgers.

Florida and Texas still have Conference Championship games ahead of them.

The loser of the OSU/UM game is too late in the year to get back in the Title Game.

The winner of Cal/USC could still sneak back in there. I'd like to see that as a Pac10 fan.

If Cal blew out USC, and USC blew out Notre Dame, I could see Cal moving up but most of the voters have only seen Cal against UT and they stunk that day. I am a big Cal fan but they have nobody to blame but themselves for being on the outside this time. I don't see any way they can vault enough teams to get into a NC game.

A guy I know of via an email list(but have never met) has his own computerized ranking system and he actually has Cal ranked 2nd behind Ohio State. I don't buy it but here's the link to his rankings. http://www.marsee.net/06rnk.txt

 

[NEZCardsfan]

If Cal blew out USC, and USC blew out Notre Dame, I could see Cal moving up but most of the voters have only seen Cal against UT and they stunk that day. I am a big Cal fan but they have nobody to blame but themselves for being on the outside this time. I don't see any way they can vault enough teams to get into a NC game.

A guy I know of via an email list(but have never met) has his own computerized ranking system and he actually has Cal ranked 2nd behind Ohio State. I don't buy it but here's the link to his rankings. http://www.marsee.net/06rnk.txt

I get what you are saying, but I think it is stupid.

Cal is playing as tough as anybody in the Nation right now. They bombed ASU right out of the water, and did the same thing to Oregon.

Tennessee isn't a bad team, and it is never easy to win there, much less to start the season. If they can't get recognition for trying that game....then what reason is there for Pac10 teams to go on the road and play Top Tier programs??

 

[Russ Smith]

I get what you are saying, but I think it is stupid.

Cal is playing as tough as anybody in the Nation right now. They bombed ASU right out of the water, and did the same thing to Oregon.

Tennessee isn't a bad team, and it is never easy to win there, much less to start the season. If they can't get recognition for trying that game....then what reason is there for Pac10 teams to go on the road and play Top Tier programs??

Oh I can make a strong case for Cal being better than their ranking I really think they are better than that. But they played so poorly against UT and that's what most people remember.

It was such a weird game, they went in with a backup CB starting due to injury, the backup had a cast on one hand and twice in the game failed to tackle a UT WR short and the guy scored on both plays completely changing the game. Longshore you read these stories that he was still in shock from his dad dying(several months earlier) and just went into a shell early in the game and Tedford was just trying to get him through the game and eventually went to Ayoob. I still say Tedford made a huge mistake his gameplan early seemed to be use Marshawn as a decoy and throw and I think he should have understood it was only the 2nd start for Longshore, first on the road(other start was Sac State I think the game he got hurt last year), in such a hostile place to play. He should have got Lynch into the game early but he barely saw the ball the first 2 drives.

UT dominated that game, won't even try to say they got lucky or anything but Cal is a much better team now than they were then. But they lost that game on national tv and looked terrible in doing it, so they really have only themselves to blame.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

Back to that UL-WVU game....I'm really looking forward to this.

There has been some absolutely great matchups this year. A great reason NOT to have a playoff. Every game has meant so much. I love this sport...probably my favorite even over the NFL.

 

[boisesuns]

yeah, this will be a good one to watch. I do think a playoff would make even more interesting matchups though. It would also make winning your conference important!

 

[Skkorpion]

The closer we get to this game, the more I shift to thinking Louisville will win. West Virginia hasn't been really tested by anyone. I wonder how they will respond.

I must admit, I'm pulling for Rutgers to go undefeated. If they do, that coach will have performed the greatest program turnaround since I've been watching football.

Russ - Cal's loss was in their opener. Weird things happen in openers. Bear Bryant had a long history of being upset in openers. Since then, Cal has been as good as anybody not named Ohio State.

 

[Russ Smith]

Russ - Cal's loss was in their opener. Weird things happen in openers. Bear Bryant had a long history of being upset in openers. Since then, Cal has been as good as anybody not named Ohio State.

Yeah I'm not saying Cal is overrated or anything of the sort, I'm just saying in past years I thought they got screwed over in terms of bowl game bids, but this year their ranking is their own fault because if they'd come out and played well against UT and won, they'd be much higher in the rankings now.

If they win that game I don't see anyway WVU is ahead of them, and quite possibly not Michigan either.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

The closer we get to this game, the more I shift to thinking Louisville will win. West Virginia hasn't been really tested by anyone. I wonder how they will respond.

I must admit, I'm pulling for Rutgers to go undefeated. If they do, that coach will have performed the greatest program turnaround since I've been watching football.

Russ - Cal's loss was in their opener. Weird things happen in openers. Bear Bryant had a long history of being upset in openers. Since then, Cal has been as good as anybody not named Ohio State.

This is the game I have been looking forward too. I think WVU has to be able to withstand the obvious UL onslaught and crowd noise for the 1st quarter. After that I think WVU wins going away...

I do believe both teams will put up some points, I just dont know how UL can stop WVU. They might be able to stop Slaton but White will eventually get to them.

The onyl concern I have is if they are in a tight one, how will White respond? So far they have not been tested (and I have become spoiled as I was complaining a few weeks ago that they look awful in their last game which they won by 26 on the road) but UL is a good team.

Rutgers could throw a wrench into the Big East but honestly they are so one dimensional with Rice they can stay with either UL or WVU for 4 quarters imo.

I am getting really nervous about this game. Vegas has UL as a -1.5 to -2 point favorite.....interesting

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Anyway either of these two lose to Rutgers or Pittsburgh??

If the winner of this game loses to Pitt or Rutgers....it will open up a mess of 1 loss teams to the BCS Champ Game.

Possible but unlikely. I am glad Rutgers is doing well andthey have looked dominant at times, but they are very one-dimensional and after stopping Rice their QB is borderline awful.

Defense is quick though. Pitt is ok, but as Palko goes, so does Pitt. I think all 4 go to bowl games and 2-3 go to major bowls.

 

[ajcardfan]

Possible but unlikely. I am glad Rutgers is doing well andthey have looked dominant at times, but they are very one-dimensional and after stopping Rice their QB is borderline awful.

Defense is quick though. Pitt is ok, but as Palko goes, so does Pitt. I think all 4 go to bowl games and 2-3 go to major bowls.

It just goes to show that things can turn around quicker in college football now than they used to. It was just a couple of years ago people were complaining about the Big East getting an automatic berth. Then, when Miami and Boston College bolted, there was talk they might get dropped eventually. Now, it's the most interesting conference race going.

 

[boisesuns]

My prediction:

Louisville 42
WVU 35

 

[mjb21aztd]

Man i'm pumped for this game and i'm not a fan of eaither team lol I just think this will be one of the most exciting college football games this season till the Ohio State Buckeyes and Wolveriens matchup that is my prediction for this game is

Louisville 38

WV 31

 

[AZCB34]

WVU 37
UL 31

This game is going to be electric. Perfect college game.

 

[boisesuns]

College football is so much better than the NFL!

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

College football is so much better than the NFL!

Not if these two teams are among the Top 5 in the country.

 

[devilfan02]

There's gonna be some couches burning in the streets of WVU. That was a pretty bad loss

 

[Skkorpion]

Tackling? Defense?

Slaton is great but he's a fake. After his second fumble, he faked that hand injury.

 

[boisesuns]

My prediction:

Louisville 42
WVU 35

Wow, Pretty close!

44-34 Louisville!

 

[ajcardfan]

Not if these two teams are among the Top 5 in the country.

There was a lot of sloppy play in the game. Both teams were probably too pumped up for the game. However, I don't think Ohio St. or Michigan are shaking in their shoes.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

Tackling? Defense?

Slaton is great but he's a fake. After his second fumble, he faked that hand injury.

Absolutely agree. This kid's lack of toughness cost WVU the game. Louisville couldn't stop him.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

College football is so much better than the NFL!

The quality of play definitely is not.

But part of what I like is the fact that 85% of these kids....this is it. I see a lot more heart at the college level....which leads to excitedness and sloppy play. You either like it or you don't.

I follow all of college football....with the NFL it's just the Cards.