College Football (2023) Midseason Takes and a Question for Basketball Fans

[Jon Joseph]

The Keystone Poster, PA Duck, has a post up that projects 2023 bowl games for the Pac-12. As always, thank you, PA.

 

Here is a projection from Stewart Mandel of The Athletic.

 

ROSE BOWL - 1. Michigan vs. 4. FSU - Michigan will not play a ranked team before it faces Penn State in Happy Valley on 11/11. This speaks for itself regarding the quality of 2023 B1G teams. As well as for Michigan's crummy OOC schedule.

 

SUGAR BOWL - 2. Georgia vs. 3. Washington - All-World TE Brock Bowers is out for 4 to 6 weeks after undergoing 'tightrope surgery' on his ankle.

 

The remaining slate for UGA is not as easy as predicted in the preseason. BYE, Florida, (QB Mertz had his best game of the season last week in UF's victory over South Carolina,) 20. MIZZOU, 13. Ole Miss, at 17. Tennessee, and at Georgia Tech. Without CFB's best non-QB player, this could be a tough stretch for the Dawgs.

 

Cotton Bowl - OREGON vs. Oklahoma - I believe there is still a very good shot for the Ducks making the final Final 4. But this would be a nice consolation prize. Although it would be a game in a hostile environment. 

 

Independence Bowl - WAZZU vs. Oklahoma State - Even from Pullman, is playing a bowl in Shreveport, LA. a reward?

 

LA Bowl - UCLA vs. Fresno State (Air Force Academy predicted to go to the Fiesta Bowl and play Texas.)

 

Las Vegas Bowl - Arizona vs. Wisconsin

 

Holiday Bowl - Oregon State vs. Miami

 

Alamo Bowl - USC vs. Kansas State - USC's 6 wins to date have come against opponents with a combined record of 13-26. USC is no longer in Jon Wilner's AP Top 25.

 

Sun Bowl - Utah vs. VA Tech - I'd flip Utah and SC. I don't see the SC D stopping the Utes run game on Saturday.

 

This projection has 8 Pac-12 teams going bowling. If correct, this would be one heck of a swan song.

 

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Ranking the Undefeated P5 Teams -

 

Bill Connolly - ESPN+

 

1. Michigan 

2. Ohio State 

3. Washington 

4. Georgia 

5. Penn State 

6. Oklahoma 

7. FSU 

8. North Carolina 

 

Tom Fornelli - CBS Sports

 

1. Penn State

2. Ohio State

3. Washington

4. Michigan

5. FSU

6. North Carolina

7. Georgia 

8. Oklahoma

 

Connelly and Fornelli are not using the same crystal ball.

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Week 8 Game of the Week - 7. Penn State at 3. Ohio State -5.5

 

Penn State coach James Franklin is 1-8 vs. Ohio State and 0-9 vs. Top 10 teams on the road. Penn State QB Drew Allar has thrown but 8 passes of 20+ yards this season. Allar is 1 of his last 6 'deep ball' attempts.

 

Lee Corso picked against mascot favorite Puddles last Saturday. Will he also stiff the beloved Brutus?

 

Pac-12 Game of the Week. 14. Utah at 18. USC -3.5. 

 

It's all good within the dome of Lincoln Riley. Lincoln tells us that the game at Notre Dame was an anomaly and that USC has the talent to win the rest of its games. Right?

 

Last week against Cal, Utah safety Sione Vaki played both ways. In 15 carries from the RB position, Vaki put a shellacking on the Golden Bears with 158 yards and 2 TDs. 

 

Is USC's defense going to stop the Runnin' Utes run game? I don't think so. The O best come back to life or Troy is in for a long Saturday evening.

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Vegas Insider - Current Odds to Win the  2023 Pac-12 Title (Vegas Insider shows odds from 7 sites. Below are the best odds (lowest payout) for Pac-12 teams in the hunt.

 

Washington +125

 

OREGON +240

 

USC +320

 

Oregon State +750

 

Utah +1000

 

OREGON and UW are odds on to rematch in the conference champ game. Make It So!

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College Basketball (CBB) Fans please help a former hockey player out.

 

The CBB preseason Top 25 has only 3 B1G teams ranked: 3. Purdue, 4. Michigan State, and 25. Illinois. 

 

USC at 21. is the only Pac-12 to the B1G team ranked. No UCLA. No OREGON.

 

Is this a poll-era all-time low for the B1G? For a CBB outlier, this seems to be very low for a conference that always sends 6+ teams to the Tournament. And is OREGON going to have another year of missing the Tourney?

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GO DUCKS - TCB vs. WAZZU! I like the Ducks to win but -20 seems like a big spread.

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2023 by Jon Joseph