Brent Nyitray
Fairlington Blade
Let the mutherfuker burn!
jnc4p
Kevin S. Willis
Michigoose
lmsinca
markinaustin
Arcanaut
novahockey
quarterback
ScottC
yellojktI’m not sure that any of us cared much about the early games this week; on Thursday Western KY beat Troy 31 – 26, Tulsa beat UTEP 33 – 11 (UTEP had a field goal and then a touchdown with a two-point conversion), and Arizona State clobbered Utah’s fellow inductee into the Pac12, Colorado, 51 – 17. Last night Navy beat Central Michigan 31 – 13 in Mt Pleasant (sorry, Aunt Nancy!).
On the menu for today:
Iowa is playing at MSU (line: MSU, spread 11.5). Once more into the breach (to mix battles)–go, Spartans! [Update: MSU loses 19 – 16 in OT]
Northwestern, the surprise of the Big Ten this year, is at Minnesota (line: Northwestern, spread 3.5). Should be an excellent game, and for bsimon’s sake, go Gophers! [Update: Northwestern wins 21 – 13]
Syracuse is at Rutgers (line: Rutgers, spread 7.5) in Big East play. Go, Orange! (Why just “Orange”, Scott?) [Update: Syracuse loses 23 – 15]
And, ahem, the intra-ATiM death match of the week: Texas is venturing into the lions’ den in the Cotton Bowl which is actually closer to Norman, Oklahoma at noon EDT (ABC)(line: Oklahoma, spread 3.0). I’m backing away slowly from this one and letting Mark and okie have at it with the trash talk. . .
In a huge surprise, okie goes with the spread and picks the Sooners 31-28. But she’s going to be terribly annoyed if it turns out the Sooners lose by a Penn State field goal. Sooners have the edge at QB, but the game really depends on which defense is worse. Ay-yi-yi for both defenses. Damien Williams could make a huge difference for the Sooner running game if he isn’t overwhelmed by his first experience in the atmosphere of this game. This is a really great rivalry game! In person, the huge crowd demarked at the 50 yard line with a sea of red in one direction and a sea of orange in the other is amazing. Saving the trash talk for the comments. BOOMER SOONER! okie
For the ‘Horns, watch out for Johnathan Gray, last year’s HS running back of the year, as a potential difference maker. QB David Ash has come so far, so fast, as a sophomore, that I won’t concede Landry Jones is still his better. Okie is right about the suspect defenses, yet both squads are sprinkled with huge raw talent. I think it will be close and middling high scoring, as does Okie. 35-28 UT? Could be. HOOK ‘EM! MiA
[Update: OU crushes smushes UT 63 – 21]
Wisconsin is at Purdue (line: Purdue, spread 1.0). Boil ’em, Badgers! [Update: UW wins 38 – 14]
Utah is playing UCLA (line: UCLA, spread 6.0). It would be nice if the Utes could win again. . . [Update: UCLA beats Utah 21 – 14]
Stanford is in South Bend to see if Notre Dame can make it 6 – 0 (line: Notre Dame, spread 7.0) [Update: Notre Dame wins 20 – 13]
Illinois is in The Big House (line: UM, spread 21). Go Blue! [Update: UM smushes Illinois 45 – 0]
Boston College is playing FSU (line: FSU, spread 27). Er, Go Eagles! [Update: FSU wins 51 – 7]
tOSU (Okie and Mark call Okie Lite OSU and “the Ohio State” tOSU) I don’t care–as the “official” Saturday Football poster at ATiM that school in Columbus, OH, gets no love and no upper case from me: osu is at Indiana (line: tOSU osu, spread 17.5). C’mon, IU, you gave my alma mater a scare last week. Really go for it this week!! Damn Big 12 folks are too polite to “that school”. . . 🙂 [Update: IU can’t catch up and osu pulls off another win 52 – 49]
Off this week: Penn State, USF, Arizona, Georgia Tech, and Nebraska.
Happy Saturday to one and all–may the right teams win!
Filed under: Fall, Football, Open Thread |
All Things in Moderation 
For the record, TX is not really “venturing into the lions’ den” since the game is played on neutral territory at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. It is part of the allure of this rivalry. I assume everybody realizes this (but do not assume anybody else cares about it except maybe Mark).
LikeLike
Where UT will likely never play A&M again in my lifetime, we will be playing the Land Thieves in the Red River Shootout until hell freezes over.
Austin has ACL this weekend and the traffic out to Big D at the same time. So Rosanne and I are driving to Houston to visit our daughter and I am recording the game for later viewing. We give up a lot for our children.
LikeLike
mark, I give OU the edge at QB only due to experience, and especially so in this venue. I concur that Ash has made enormous improvement through the season so far and is at least as talented as Jones, who has been a disappointment to me so far this year. Otherwise, I think we are in agreement on the game — except for the hoped-for outcome.
Too bad you will not be watching live for some give-and-take commentary as the game occurs. Ah, the loving parent role wins again, good on you. (LOL “Land Thieves.” I wish there were a comeback to that, but it’s true.)
LikeLike
okie–
I didn’t know that they played this game in the Cotton Bowl (although if I’d paid more attention to the ESPN listing I would have seen that); why is that? So it *is* on neutral territory? And interesting that such a big rivalry game is played relatively early in the season. . . any particular reason for that?
Have fun with the family, Mark! See you tomorrow. . .
Oh! And have you and okie made any friendly “bets” on the game????
LikeLike
michi, I don’t know why the game is played in the Cotton Bowl or why it’s played relatively early in the season. I suspect both answers have to do with inertia since the rivalry existed long before the two teams were in the same conference. And probably the usual scheduling issues. Over the years there periodically have been movements to change to a different venue or to home-and-home, but I think the Cotton Bowl was too much tradition to overcome. Fans from both teams love the Dallas trip and the pre-game festivities there.
LikeLike
P.S. And no bets on the line. I never bet on the Sooners.
LikeLike
Looks like a weekend off of football for me (bye week for the Bears too). Good thing too — we’ve got out-of-town visitors.
LikeLike
First blood goes to OU.. . . and OMG, when have you seen a weirder play than the “return” on the attempted extra point? Yikes. OU has to have it together better than this if they hope to win.
LikeLike
OU scores again! Two plays, 95 yards, 18 seconds.
Can they keep this up, okie??
LikeLike
OU defense performing better than UT’s.
LikeLike
UT fumbles. Probably best Mark isn’t watching live. . .
LikeLike
michi, they have the physical stamina to keep this up. Otherwise . . . ?
LikeLike
For first quarter at least, OU is looking very good overall.
LikeLike
OU is kicking butt and taking names. It’s going to take an amazing run by UT to get back into the game (if they can).
(BTW, MSU up 10 – 0 in the 2nd quarter)
LikeLike
And OU scores again (TD).
michi, I rely here on my age and experience. “It’s going to take an amazing run by UT to get back into the game (if they can).” In this game, I count nothing out.
LikeLike
mark, you may want to skip watching the first half. OU offense shredded UT defense. OU defense stopped UT offense.
LikeLike
Sorry, mark, but under 5 min to go and OU ahead 56-15, your team got floor waxed today. IMO, OU dominated the game even more than the score indicates.
Zero prediction for same next year!
LikeLike
Must be bad weather in the middle of the country–several games are delayed right now. Hope all is well, okie and mark!
LikeLike
We’ve been having thunderstorms here. Electricity out for a while, but as far as I know nothing really severe.
LikeLike
And Tech welcomes WVa to the Big 12.
LikeLike
We return to Austin in about four hours, after brunch in Houston. Erasing the DVR without watching the game will not erase the stench. Congrats to the Sooners and see ya next year. Too many 4*/5* recruits who cannot tackle or block leads one to wonder.I think we will have a different DC in 2013, and (dare I say it?) a different head coach. This may be what FSU thought about Bowden at the end of his career.
LikeLike
mark, do you really think Mack’s job is on the line?
LikeLike
mark, do you really think Mack’s job is on the line?
The recruiting remained strong in that you are seeing all 4* and 5* recruits out of HS and two top 5 classes consecutively. OU has similar recruiting results. So that puts it on the coaches as teachers. The deal for UT is that in this game a blowout every decade one way or the other caused by the odd shape of a football and how it bounces is one thing. Looking like boys against men when both teams are sprinkled with future NFL players is unforgivable. Look what Petersen does at Boise with 2* and 3* guys. We have some remarkably good assistants. Akina has put more DBs in the league than any other coach in America. The strength coach is solid. The breakdown is at the fundamental level of tackling and blocking. Unfreakingbelievable.
Okie, I think Mack agrees to become AD at the end of this year or it will get ugly. And the DC has to go.
LikeLike
From an outsider’s perspective UT was completely out-played and out-coached yesterday. Every coach has a bad day now and then, but if the recruiting is falling off, too, he’s probably toast.
LikeLike
My football team is not good (steelers), my hockey team is locked out, I pulled a Bobby Orr flying goal move and landed less than gracefully and messed up my shoulder 2 weeks ago, but my wife’s team is 6-0. Go Irish!
We’re head the BYU game in South Bend this week.
LikeLike
NoVa:
but my wife’s team is 6-0. Go Irish!
Is your wife a grad? I took my (senior in HS) daughter to the Purdue game in early Sep and she fell in love with the place. Definitely where she wants to go now.
LikeLike
nova:
I pulled a Bobby Orr flying goal move and landed less than gracefully and messed up my shoulder 2 weeks ago
Hope you scored the goal, at least.
LikeLike
I did!
LikeLike
nova:
Sweet. I hope you got up and danced around too after you scored!
LikeLike
I got a picture
LikeLike
Scott- yes. my wife is a ND grad. what’s odd about it is it’s not the first thing she says when meeting someone. seems like ND grads have a habit of working that into conversation. she’s odd that she does not. but she loved it there. this weekend will be a bit of a reunion for her.
LikeLike
nova:
this weekend will be a bit of a reunion for her.
Great atmosphere there for football weekends.
LikeLike
nova:
Wear a helmet, dang it! That hat’s not going to protect your noggin!
LikeLike