Puddles Playoff Flight Plan - Week 5

[Jon Joseph]

 

It's already Week 5! Does anything go slower than College Football's (CFB) off-season or faster than the CFB season?

 

I am reminded of the time Albert Einstein visited FDR in the White House.

 

'Doctor Einstein,' the President inquired, 'please help me to understand why Time is relative to the observer?' 

 

'Mr. President,' Einstein responded, 'have you ever attended a boring lecture where one minute felt like an hour?' FDR smiled and nodded his agreement.

 

Einstein continued, "Mr. President, have you ever spent an hour with a beautiful woman that felt like a minute?" 

 

To this interrogatory, the President of the United States not only nodded his consent but LOL while doing so.

 

Close to half of the regular season is gone for many CFB teams. Hard to believe, is it not? 

 

To date, Puddles Playoff Flight Path has encountered unexpected turbulence.

 

Week 1 - 'The pump don't work because the Vandals stole the handle.'  

 

Week 2 - You never, ever, NEVER, schedule Boise State!

 

Week 3 - Pac-2, 6, 8, or 12, it's still G5 so what the hell? 

 

Week 4 - Please, respect the Do Not Disturb sign on Puddles Nest. 

 

Week 5 - A flight to LA for Puddles' first B1G game. Against a team that OBD has played 72 times! 

 

Have to love the irony attached to these mega-conference schedules. OBD 32 - 40 versus the Bruins all time but 4-0 against UCLA in the last four meetings. 

 

Thanks to Darren Perkins, 30 Duck and other Forum Friends who have previously looked into B1G conference and other Week 5 Games with a Playoff impact.   

 

No. 19 Illinois +10.5 at No. 9 Penn State - 4:30 (and all other game times) Pacific - NBC.

 

The last time Illinois visited a Top 10 Penn State team was in 2021. A record was set when the Illini won the game in the 9th Overtime! Beer and Pretzels were long sold out and a MASH Unit helped both team's players off of the Beaver Stadium field. 

 

 3-1 Maryland +7 at 4-0 Indiana. 9 AM Big Ten Network.

 

If the B1G COY was decided today, Hoosiers HC Curt Cignetti would win hands down. Indiana is in the Top 5 nationally in all key offensive categories including 5th in points scored - 50 points a game. Defeat Maryland and Indiana will be 5-0 for the first time since 1967 when Indiana went to the Rose Bowl and lost a close game to USC and Heisman winner OJ Simpson. 

 

4-0 Indiana has punted the ball 4 times this season. 

 

Keep a B1G eye on - 3-1 UW +2.5 at 3-0 Rutgers, Wisconsin +14.5 at No. 13 USC, No. 3 Ohio State -24.5 at 3-1 Michigan State, and of course, OBD -24 at UCLA.

 

The Biggest Game of the Weekend is No.2 Georgia -2.5 at No. 4 Alabama. 4:30 ABC. 

 

2007 was the last time UGA played at Alabama. The Dawgs won the game in Overtime. The Tide has won 5 of the last 6 games played between these CFB behemoths with every game being oh-so-close.

 

In 2008, the No. 8 Tide paid back No. 3 Georgia with an upset win in Athens. 

 

This is the first of Georgia's three tough SEC road games. UGA will also play at No. 1 Texas and No. 6 Ole Miss. UGA also will play No. 5 Tennessee 'Tween the Hedges.

 

Georgia got one of the shorter ends of the SEC scheduling stick; a schedule but for the game venue will be repeated in 2025. 

 

No. 15 Louisville +6.5 at No. 16 Notre Dame - 12:30 on The Bird (Peacock) 

 

This game resonates in the Playoff seven at-large selections. A two-loss Irish with a less-than-impressive schedule and with a 2nd home loss could be all but Playoff done. 

 

Louisville is the only ranked team left on Miami's regular season schedule. Louisville drops this game in South Bend and Miami's strength of schedule will be rank, not ranked, especially for a possible ACC champion that will be rewarded with a top 4 Playoff seed.

 

Holy War in the B12! Undefeated No. 10 Utah and 4-0 No. 22 BYU (who knew?) are the front runners for the B12's champ Playoff top 4 Playoff seed.

 

GO DUCKS - RUIN THE BRUINS!

 

 

[30Duck]

On 9/24/2024 at 4:23 PM, Jon Joseph said:

3-1 Maryland +7 at 4-0 Indiana. 9 AM Big Ten Network.

Two other basketball schools trying to crash the football party, what's keeping Indiana from being highly ranked, despite those stats and a 4-0 record is their SOS is actually weaker than Miami's, 3-11.

[30Duck]

On 9/24/2024 at 4:23 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Louisville is the only ranked team left on Miami's regular season schedule. Louisville drops this game in South Bend and Miami's strength of schedule will be rank, not ranked.

Don't know I missed this the first time. Priceless.