Games to Watch: Week 10

Jim Johnson · October 30, 2006

Week 10

1) USF's Game

Sat 11/4 Pittsburgh (6-1, 2-0) @ USF (5-3, 1-2) - 12:00pm [big East GOTW / ESPN Regional]

2) Games involving one or more schools on USF's 2006 schedule.

Obviously we should follow these games.

Thu 11/02 - #3 West Virginia (6-0, 1-0) @ #5 Louisville (6-0, 1-0) - 7:30pm [ESPN]

Sat 11/04 - North Carolina (1-7, 0-5) @ #9 Notre Dame (6-1) - 2:30pm [NBC]

Sat 11/04 - East Carolina (4-4, 3-2) @ Central Florida (2-6, 1-3) - 4:00pm

Sat 11/04 - Kansas (4-5, 1-3) @ Iowa State (3-6, 0-5) - 2:00pm

Sat 11/04 - Southeastern Louisiana (2-7, 1-3) @ McNeese State (4-4, 2-1) - 8:00pm

IDLE: #12 Rutgers (8-0, 3-0), Cincinnati (5-4, 2-2), Syracuse (3-6, 0-4), Connecticut (3-5, 0-3), Florida International (0-8, 0-3)

3) Games involving Notre Dame and Navy, because of their ties to Big East bowl games.

We want Notre Dame to do very well and Navy to not be bowl eligible, to ensure more open slots for Big East teams.

Sat 11/04 - North Carolina (1-7, 0-5) @ #9 Notre Dame (6-1) - 2:30pm [NBC]

Sat 11/04 - Navy (5-3) @ Duke (0-8, 0-5) - 1:00pm

4) Games involving teams two ranked teams and at least one of the teams is ranked higher than the 2nd highest Big East team.

If the highest and 2nd highest teams can move up and up the polls, then there is at least a chance that 2 Big East teams could make the 10 BCS slots. Big East ranks: #3 West Virginia; #5 Louisville.

NONE

5) Games involving a Top 15 non-BCS team, or a non-BCS team ranked higher than any BCS conference's highest ranked team.

If no teams from the non-BCS conferences make the BCS, then that would mean 4 at-large slots in the 5 BCS bowls. This increases the chances for 2 Big East teams to be selected.

Wed 11/03 - Fresno State (1-6, 1-2) @ #14 Boise State (8-0, 4-0) - 8:00pm [ESPN2]

NOTE: Lowest rank of a conference-leading team is #15 Boston College (ACC).

6) Other games of interest.

Sat 11/04 - #17 LSU (6-2, 2-2) @ #11 Tennessee (7-1,3-1) - 3:30pm [CBS]

Sat 11/04 - #15 Boston College (7-1, 3-1) @ #24 Wake Forest (7-1, 3-1) - 7:00pm [ESPN2]

Sat 11/04 - #25 Virginia Tech (6-2, 3-2) @ Miami (5-3, 2-2) - 8:00pm [ABC]

Ranks used are Official BCS rankings.

usfgrad84 · October 30, 2006

If UL loses to WVU this week, but wins out the rest of the games, what is the likely scenario for them to get a BCS game? Will they get one simply by remaining a top ten BCS team? Is there a clear cut answer or is it open to bowl invites once the contactual obligations of the bowls are met?

October 30, 2006

There is no clear cut answer... but here are the things to keep in mind about BCS at-large bids.

1. #9 Notre Dame will get one if they finish in the Top 12.

2. #14 Boise State will get one if they finish in the Top 12 OR ahead of the champion of a BCS conference (ACC leader Boston College is #15 right now.)

3. No conference can get more than 2 bids. Current projections are for the Big 10 (#1 Ohio State & #2 Michigan) and the SEC (#4 Florida and/or #6 Auburn and/or #11 Tennessee and/or #13 Arkansas and/or #17 LSU) will get bids.

Big 12 - The only 3 teams in the Top 25 are from the Big XII South - #7 Texas, #18 Oklahoma, and #21 Texas A&M. Chances are very slim that two teams from the Big 12 make the BCS. It would take a win by the North champion (Nebraska or Missouri) over Texas (or Texas A&M) in the Championship game. Then Texas needs to remain attractive to the BCS bowls.

Pac 10 - The Pac 10 has two Top 10 BCS teams - #10 California & #8 Southern Cal - who play each other later this year. USC also plays #9 Notre Dame. If USC wins out, Cal probably doesn't get the big. If Cal beats USC to win the Pac 10 and USC beats Notre Dame, both teams could be ranked high enough to be attractive to the BCS bowls - especially the Rose Bowl who will still prefer a Big 10-Pac 10 match up.

ACC - Yeah. Right. #15 Boston College will probably play #20 Georgia Tech for the ACC Bid. #24 Wake Forest still has to play #25 Virginia Tech. It would take a miracle for a 2nd ACC team to become attractive to the bowl games.

Big East - Consider that #3 WVU, #5 Louisville, and #12 Rutgers are all undefeated and have to play each other. Let's say that WVU wins this week, moving them closer to Michigan in the computer polls and thus the BCS. Louisville would drop - probably down to Rutgers if not slightly below. Rutgers plays Louisville the following Thursday (11/9). If Rutgers wins that, they would become a Top 10 team. This also sets up the possibility for another undefeated matchup on "Championship Saturday" between Rutgers and West Virginia on 12/2. Rutgers would need to beat WVU and win the BCS bid, then WVU would still probably be a Top 10-12 team, and therefore attractive enough to the BCS bowls. The Big East might need help in some combination of USC losing to both Cal and Notre Dame, Texas losing to Texas A&M, Tennessee beating both LSU & Arkansas, Florida beating Auburn in the SEC Championship, and a loss by Boise State.

smazza · October 31, 2006

a one loss wv team would never get one of bcs games

windbane · October 31, 2006

a one loss wv team would never get one of bcs games

they certainly would if boise state lost and USC loses 2 more games. give me a break. they'd be 1-1 against top 15 teams.

October 31, 2006

a one loss wv team would never get Ã‚Â one of bcs games

November 2, 2006

Week 10 -- Updated