To borrow a song from the 60’s, where has all the defense gone? ESPN researchers noted the past football weekend as the second-highest scoring weekend in college football history. I don’t know exactly what benchmark they’re using, but their research budget (time and money) is much higher than mine, so let’s just leave it at that. Continuing an all-offense trend, this weekend:
- Every BCS conference had at least one game with over 75 points combined between the opponents.
- Baylor scored 63 points in regulation and lost, only the third time that’s ever happened. There were 1,507 yards of offense between Baylor and its opponent, West Virginia.
- There were more games featuring ACC teams that had more than 80 points (2; Miami 44-37 over NC State, and Louisiana Tech 44-38 over Virginia) than under 50 (1; Florida State’s 30-17 win over South Florida).
- Once considered the last bastion of defense, the SEC was not immune: in the Georgia-Tennessee game, the teams combined for 1,038 yards and 95 points, both high-water marks in a series that has 42 games.
So is scoring a lot of points a cure-all? Well, not necessarily. The top two teams in scoring offense (Oklahoma State and Baylor) have three losses between them. It’s still useful to keep the other guys out of your end zone every now and then.
LSU had an interesting scheduling quirk this year. LSU, of course, are the Tigers. Last week they played Towson (also the Tigers) a week after playing Auburn (ditto). Part of me really wishes LSU was playing Missouri this weekend. I’m pretty sure that would be one of those once-in-a-lifetime sort of things.
This week’s featured team: a team that hasn’t won a share of its conference title since 2000, and hasn’t won it outright since 1995. But currently, it finds itself as the only bowl-eligible undefeated team in its conference. Ladies and gentlemen, your Northwestern Wildcats! The Big Ten is down this year, and the only currently-ranked team left on their schedule is Nebraska; could Pat Fitzgerald do as a coach what he managed as a player in 1995 – take “the Purple to Pasadena”? Given that the teams they have played so far this year have a combined record of 6-14 with one I-A win between them, perhaps we’ll reserve judgment until a later date. The Wildcats go to Penn State this weekend.
Congratulations to badgerTime, who won this week in a tie-breaker over Allison with 147 points. Mark finished third with 145 points.
Leaders after week 5 (Dropping “worst two” weeks):
| 1st | MarylandTwerp | 767 |
| T-2nd | Allison | 752 |
| T-2nd | gatorbamalover | 752 |
| T-2nd | Rocky Tide | 752 |
| 5th | AUBrian | 750 |
| T-6th | Crimson Gator | 749 |
| T-6th | The Tradition | 749 |
| T-8th | CUtigers | 747 |
| T-8th | jagrag | 747 |
| T-10th | AggieMom | 745 |
| T-10th | BEVO | 745 |
| T-10th | maestro | 745 |
Hoo boy. This weekend features some toughies. Three games feature top-11 teams facing each other. Every pick’s going to be important! The first game is Southern California at Utah, Thursday, October 4 @ 9 PM ET, so make sure to get your picks in by then!
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Brandon German
e-Systems.net, Inc.