Lou’s Locks

It’s week 6 of the CFB season, and it’s time for some winners. What a wacky week we just had where 7 of the top 13 teams went down. The Locks also had a tough week at 1-2-1. Our first losing week of the year, but hats off to Aubbie for getting us our win. We would have had a winning week if Miss. St. could have held on (up 21-17 in 3rd quarter catching 13.5 points) but the Ol’ Ball Coach helped out the Cock big $ alums by scoring with less than a minute to play to cover the number. He ran it up in garbage time last night as well against Ky. But with the way the BCS is set up ( 1/3 Coaches’ Poll, 1/3 Harris Poll and 1/3 Computer Polls), who can blame him?

 [ Lou flashes a Victory sign!!!]

That brings me to my question. Why is there an AP Poll and who should care? For that matter are any of the polls worth anything? It seems that ESPN and others in the media show the AP rankings of teams when that Poll has no meaning at all in CFB. Granted, it is the most accurate poll, IMO. However, it is meaningless in deciding the BCS Champion. The Coaches’ Poll is the biggest joke of all. Coaches do not watch the games other than their own and their opponents for the next week. Plus, the Coaches’ poll is filled with bias as coaches rank their own conference teams higher in order to help their own cause. What is the Harris Poll? I have no idea who votes on this thing. The computer polls are also a joke. They are allegedly based totally on numbers which never tell the true story of a game. I would also like to know what info goes into these computers before the season. If it’s just based on wins and losses, then after the first week, half the teams would be number 1 and the other half number 2. Finally, these polls (other than the computers) are constantly influenced by the media giants or the so called CFB “experts.” I do not think there should be any polls until after the 4th week of the season. And as most of you know, I strongly believe a playoff is the only real way to choose a champion, not a popularity contest. Now to the Locks.

1. ARIZ ST. -9 @ WASH ST. Dennis Erickson, for all his warts, is one helluva CFB coach and has his most recent incarnation, the Tempe Devils, playing great. ASU is winning by an average of 26 points/game, and the offense is humming with QB R. Carpenter (66%, 1286 yds, 12 TDs, 4 INTs) and RB R. Torian (408 yds, 7 TDs). The surprising part is the D which is #6 in the nation in scoring D and has 10 INTs already this year. Wazzu, on the other hand, is going backwards. They have lost their last 2 PAC 10 games by an average of 4 TDs and gave up 500 yds. to a below average Arizona team last week. Cougar QB A. Brink is like a hotel shower ….. all hot or all cold, no in between. The Sun Devil D are licking their chops in this one. ASU 38 WAZZU 17.

2. KANSAS +3 @ K STATE K Sate is coming off a huge win at Texas where they scored 2 ST TDs and a defensive TD. Look for a let down in this spot. K Sate has a solid D, but a very average O. Kansas had the week off to prepare for this rivalry game and is one of the best teams no one knows about. Kansas ranks #1 in scoring D and #3 in total D, #4 in scoring O and #3 in total O. Yes, those are numbers for the Jayhawk football team, not the b-ball team. Kansas is a solid club with RB B. McAnderson (6 Tds) and QB T. Reesing (1200 yds) leading the offense. The D is stingy against the run and should contain K State. An interesting stat ….. Kansas is #1 in the nation in KO returns and KSU is #1 in the nation in punt returns. ST could play a huge roll in this game. Kansas wins straight up. KAN 23 KSU 16.

3. MIZZOU -7 V. NEB. This is a huge game to determine the pecking order in the Big 12 North. The Tigers have been playing very well (3-1 ATS) and are playing at home (8-1 ATS in last 9 home games) while Nebraska has been scraping by (1-4 ATS). Mizzou is led by QB C. Daniel (66%, 1311 yds, 13 TDs, 4 INTs) and RB T. Temple (5.2 yds/carry). Nebraska has no defense (#100 in total yds allowed and #120 against the run; gave up 415 yds. to Iowa St last week) and will rely on RB M. Lucky to carry them. I am not sold on Nebraska QB S. Keller at all. Missouri just has too much fire power (#5 in total yds and #14 in scoring O) for the Huskers. MIZZOU 41 NEB 27.

OBSCURE GAME OF THE WEEK….. CENT. FLA -3.5 @ ECU Cent. Fla. has a good team. They played Texas to the wire and beat NCST last week. East Carolina is like a yo-yo. They hung on to beat Houston last week in a game they should have lost. ECU is juggling QBs and CFU has the number one RB in the nation in K. Smith. CFU is the class of a very bad C-USA. Golden Knights win big in this one. CFU 30 ECU 13.

Good Luck!