CFB 2021 Week 8: Bear Down for Midterms

Awesome Fossum

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Jul 20, 2005
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All times ET. Lines from the Worldwide Leader. Not all games listed.

Wednesday, October 20
7:30 #14 Coastal Carolina (-5.5) at Appalachian State, ESPN2

Thursday, October 21
7:30 Tulane at #21 SMU (-13.5), ESPN
7:30 Florida Atlantic (-7) at Charlotte, CBSSN
7:30 Louisiana (-18) at Arkansas State, ESPNU
11:00 San Jose State (-5) at UNLV, CBSSN

Friday, October 22
6:00 Middle Tennessee (-15.5) at UConn, CBSSN
6:00 Columbia at Dartmouth, ESPNU
7:00 Memphis at UCF (-1.5), ESPN2
9:30 Colorado State (-3.5) at Utah State, CBSSN
10:30 Washington (-18) at Arizona, ESPN2

Saturday, October 23
12:00 Northwestern at #6 Michigan (-23.5), FOX
12:00 Illinois at #7 Penn State (-24), ABC
12:00 #3 Oklahoma at Kansas (-38.5), ESPN
12:00 #2 Cincinnati at Navy (-27.5), ESPN2
12:00 Kansas State at Texas Tech (-1), FS1
12:00 #16 Wake Forest (-3) at Army, CBSSN
12:00 UMass at Florida State (-35), ACCN

3:00 Wisconsin (-3) at #25 Purdue, BTN
3:30 LSU at #12 Ole Miss (-9), CBS
3:30 #8 Oklahoma State at Iowa State (-7), FOX
3:30 #10 Oregon at UCLA (-2), ABC
3:30 Clemson at #23 Pitt (-3), ESPN
3:30 BYU (-4.5) at Washington State, FS1
3:30 Maryland at Minnesota (-5), ESPN2

4:00 Boston College at Louisville (-6), ACCN

7:00 Tennessee at #4 Alabama (-25), ESPN
7:00 #22 San Diego State at Air Force (-3.5), CBSSN
7:00 #24 UTSA (-7) at Louisiana Tech, Stadium
7:30 USC at #13 Notre Dame (-7), NBC
7:30 #5 Ohio State (-21) at Indiana, ABC
7:30 #18 NC State (-3) at Miami, ESPN2
7:30 South Carolina at #17 Texas A&M (-21), SECN
 

Zososoxfan

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Jul 30, 2009
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I'm just a little nervous about Michigan's game against Northwestern. Michigan is coming off a bye, and while that's great for health I worry a bit about rust. This is also a trap game for Michigan as they have a gauntlet down the stretch with MSU, PSU, and OSU still on the schedule (along with Maryland and IU). Northwestern was looking abjectly terrible earlier this season but they notched a win over a competent Rutgers team last week. Rutgers gave Michigan a real test earlier this season, even if Michigan was playing with a hand tied behind its back to keep much of the playbook in the barn.

With a line of -23.5 an upset is unlikely, but I don't like Michigan's chances to cover on Saturday.
 

Senator Donut

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Apr 21, 2010
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That is an awful slate of games, I might get an afternoon tee time.
3:30 Clemson at #23 Pitt (-3), ESPN
Pitt laying points to Clemson, what a time to be alive!
3:30 #8 Oklahoma State at Iowa State (-7), FOX
3:30 #10 Oregon at UCLA (-2), ABC
Nothing demonstrates how bad the playoff race is quite like two top-ten teams as underdogs against unranked opponents.
 
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cornwalls@6

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Apr 23, 2010
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Playoff hopes are likely gone, but I'm looking for the Irish to win out, and at least complicate things. They need to start it with a solid, no drama win over USC saturday night. Hoping Kelly and his staff made good use of the bye, and hopefully made some progress with the O-line.
 

Senator Donut

post-Domer
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Apr 21, 2010
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Playoff hopes are likely gone, but I'm looking for the Irish to win out, and at least complicate things. They need to start it with a solid, no drama win over USC saturday night. Hoping Kelly and his staff made good use of the bye, and hopefully made some progress with the O-line.
Incredibly frustrating that ND blew that Cincinnati game, when we have the weakest group of playoff contenders since 2007. It's a weird quirk of their schedule that the Irish played their toughest opponents early while the team was working through some serious O-Line issues. Now Alt and Correll seemed to have stabilized things on the left side of the line. The defense has also rounded into form after allowing some disturbing big plays to FSU and Toledo.

Even though 11-1 is more likely than not to end up outside the top 4, this season presents a good opportunity to play in a major bowl game and break the streak of New Years Day bowl losses. Keeping the winning streak alive against Southern Cal would be nice too.
 

Cellar-Door

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That is an awful slate of games, I might get an afternoon tee time.

Pitt laying points to Clemson, what a time to be alive!

Nothing demonstrates how bad the playoff race is quite like two top-ten teams as underdogs against unranked opponents.
even funnier... Oregon opened a 3 point favorite, but it got hammered so hard they went to UCLA -2 within hours.
 

cornwalls@6

Less observant than others
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Apr 23, 2010
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Incredibly frustrating that ND blew that Cincinnati game, when we have the weakest group of playoff contenders since 2007. It's a weird quirk of their schedule that the Irish played their toughest opponents early while the team was working through some serious O-Line issues. Now Alt and Correll seemed to have stabilized things on the left side of the line. The defense has also rounded into form after allowing some disturbing big plays to FSU and Toledo.

Even though 11-1 is more likely than not to end up outside the top 4, this season presents a good opportunity to play in a major bowl game and break the streak of New Years Day bowl losses. Keeping the winning streak alive against Southern Cal would be nice too.
Yeah, the Cincinnati loss was a double whammy. ND needs them to lose(and there really isn't a game on their schedule that looks like a loss), but if they do, it will be to a significantly inferior opponent, which will make ND's loss to them even more damaging. I really don't see a way to the playoff, but it's fun to root for complete chaos from here on out, and maybe sneak in. I agree completely that this is a year where some of the annual playoff power-houses are not going to get in. It would be a big boost to get one of them in a New Years Day bowl, and for once, beat them. As an aside, if the O-line has been somewhat stabilized, Coan needs to remain the starter at QB. He's got flaws, but I still think him throwing to Mayer, Austin, Lenzy, etc. is their most effective approach, with Pyne and/or Buckner getting snaps in some special package looks. And needless to say, they desperately need to get some push up front, and get more consistent production out of the backs, if they are to run the table and play on NYD.
 

SMU_Sox

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Jul 20, 2009
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Cincinnati always kills us. I expect the same this year. SMU has a chance of being unbeaten going into that game (I'll be in the stands tonight) and you never know (we're one of their supposedly harder games on the schedule for the rest of the year) but the matchup will eat us alive. Personally I love Ridder as well what Cincinnati has done with their program so I will be rooting for them to get into the playoffs. I think they can do it.

Tonight for SMU might be closer than anticipated. Tulane has stuck around with teams but like the Patriots find ways to lose. SMU OTOH is finding ways to win their close and tight games. I'd expect a 42-35 kind of result.
 

Awesome Fossum

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I'll defer to SMU_Sox on the scouting report, but between SMU and the conference championship game, Cincinnati has two competent opponents left on the schedule. I'm rooting for them though. It would bittersweet for the AAC to finally break through as UCF, UH, and especially Cincy themselves depart, but that still beats the complete bitterness we usually get.
 

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
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I'll defer to SMU_Sox on the scouting report, but between SMU and the conference championship game, Cincinnati has two competent opponents left on the schedule. I'm rooting for them though. It would bittersweet for the AAC to finally break through as UCF, UH, and especially Cincy themselves depart, but that still beats the complete bitterness we usually get.
Who is your team?
 

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
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These officials are a joke tonight. Really frustrating just bad calls and hilariously bad missed calls. Most against SMU but some against Tulane. I’m not a biased here… if anyone is watching are the TV guys talking about it at all?
 

SMU_Sox

queer eye for the next pats guy
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Cincinnati has a pretty easy schedule the rest of the way. SMU and the conference championship game are their only good games left just like you said. It will probably be SMU or Houston. The good news for Cincinnati is they are going to smoke SMU which will look good. I think SMU probably loses 1-2 games: to Houston on the road (and honestly I could see them winning that one) and also against Cincinnati on the road. Houston will probably be a one loss team going into the conference championship game if they beat SMU. Houston though hasn’t been that impressive that year getting beaten 38-22 vs Texas Tech. I think Cincinnati just has to win by style points the rest of the way and take care of business against SMU twice or SMU and Houston. That’s very doable. I can’t help but root for my guys even though I desperately want Cincinnati to be in the playoffs. But if they don’t win out I don’t see that happening.
 

mauf

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even funnier... Oregon opened a 3 point favorite, but it got hammered so hard they went to UCLA -2 within hours.
Oregon not getting enough love. They aren’t a dominant team, and will therefore likely pick up another loss somewhere along the way, but they should be favored on any field against any Pac-12 opponent.
 

shawnrbu

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Jedd Fisch punts on 4th and 1 from his own 34 up 16-14 with 10 minutes to go when I think most college coaches would go for it nowadays.

Edit: Sure enough, after the punt Washington marches down the field for the go ahead TD 21-16.
 
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luckiestman

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Jul 15, 2005
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I’m laying here watching UMASS and FSU and this is not true competition as Bill Walsh would define it. Given that, I think the UMass coach might be good. His players have no chance but I see that he is trying to scheme some good things.

45758
 

luckiestman

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aaaaaand the UMass QB just threw one of the worst interceptions in the EZ you will ever see.
 

JCizzle

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This Michigan game feels like so many in recent years where they are the better team, but keep things way too close for comfort. Hopefully they figure it out because it would be nice to see Michigan do well for Harbs.
 

Awesome Fossum

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Navy was trying to set up for a field goal at the end of the first half. Ran for a three yard loss, sacked for a six yard loss, 51-yard field goal blocked, Cincinnati hits the 51-yard field goal to the end the half. 13-10 Cincy rather than 13-10 Navy.

Still though, close game.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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May 25, 2008
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Kansas has the worst defense in the country. This is really a season killing performance by Oklahoma.

Edit. And just as I type that they rip off a 66 yard play.
 

Ale Xander

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Oct 31, 2013
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This Army Wake game is insane. Most entertaining one (if you’re assuming Land Grabbers hold on)
Rest are blah
I could be missing one though