2018 e-Systems College Football Pool – Week 10 Results

For the past few years, the Big Twelve has become known primarily as an offense-first conference. Several of the top teams in the conference run a variant of the Air Raid-style offense that can basically be described as “basketball on grass” due to its quick tempo and emphasis on the passing game. The two top games in the conference over the past weekend showed off the Air Raid at its explosive best. West Virginia rang up 578 yards of offense, but needed a two-point conversion to overcome a late deficit and win 42-41 over Texas in Austin. Oklahoma and Texas Tech didn’t quite put up the numbers the two teams did when they met with Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes, but while the Sooners finished with 683 yards of total offense, they had to hang on at the end for a 51-46 win over the Red Raiders in Lubbock. West Virginia and Oklahoma are both 5-1 in conference play.  They play each other in the final game of the regular season in Morgantown, West Virginia; it’s possible that they might end up playing again the very next week in the Big Twelve Championship Game in Arlington.

Florida State – Notre Dame is a game that sounds as if it should always have some national interest. Thanks to the Irish, that’s partly true, but the Seminoles are having a down year, making the game lose some luster. Still, this marks the 25th anniversary of the 1993 matchup between the teams, which pitted 9-0 and #1 FSU versus 9-0 and #2 Notre Dame in South Bend. It was marketed as a “Game of the Century”, and ESPN made a decision that changed the face of college football Saturday mornings forever by deciding to air College GameDay on location at Notre Dame, the first time they had broadcast from a college campus. The Irish went on to win, 31-24, but fell in an upset to Boston College the next week to dash their national title hopes.  Florida State finished #1 in the polls after beating Nebraska 18-16 in the Orange Bowl, but Notre Dame fans forever feel that the 1993 championship should be theirs due to the head-to-head win. With a win this weekend, Notre Dame can continue their march for their first title since 1988…

The renaissance continues in Birmingham. UAB football is alive and well. The Blazers, who you might remember did not field a team at all in 2015 or 2016 due to the shutdown of the program, were the comeback story of the year in 2017. UAB finished 8-5 with a bowl appearance. This year’s edition already has eight wins, as they stand 8-1 and 6-0 in conference play. The eight wins ties the most in UAB’s history as an FBS program.  But there are bigger heights to ascend, and with a win this weekend against Southern Miss, UAB can reach a new one: division champs. The Blazers have never reached the Conference USA championship game, but would have a very real probability of hosting it should they win this weekend. A stingy defense is the Blazers’ calling card; UAB’s scoring defense is #1 in the country, at 12.1 points per game allowed, and fourth in total defense, at 271.4 yards per game allowed.

In small-school news, UAB’s points per game allowed is impressive, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Colgate. In FCS play, the Raiders have allowed 23 points all season – two touchdowns and three field goals. (They did lose 33-7 to FBS Syracuse in their season opener, but hey, the Orange are 7-2 this year. Let’s give ’em a break.) Even more impressive, 17 of those points were in one game against Holy Cross, meaning they’ve given up a total of six points in their other seven games. Colgate takes an 8-1 record with five shutouts into this week’s game against Lehigh, having already clinched the Patriot League championship and its berth into the FCS playoffs.

Congratulations to verntroyer, who takes week 10 honors with 200 points! El Dude-arino was second with 197, and AllySun had 195 for third.

Standings after ten weeks:

There are 21 games on the schedule this week, so as the season begins to wind down, there’s still time to make a move! The first game this week is Wake Forest at NC State, Thursday, November 8 @ 7:30 PM ET, so make sure to get your picks in by then!