The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: Championship Week

Or is it over?

That's the question a ton of teams are asking this week as College Football's regular season comes to a somewhat mediocre close.

Sure, our pals at the Four-Letter are hyping up the greatness of the College Football playoff, but really, it hasn't solved anything and there are no dominant teams.

None.

Look at the way it's played out. The only undefeated team in the land might not even make the playoff. And they're in one of the "Power" conferences. How does that happen? Everyone else has lost. And if they are "So dominant", how did they manage to lose?

Think about that for a second.

But alas, we are putting the wraps on yet another season of the Dozen and the Barrel. We don't always agree with the biased writers or coaches polls, we have our own opinions. And yeah, we pick games too. We're pretty good at it.

At least we'd like to think we are.

No, we don't get into the betting lines, there's not enough time in the day for us to do that much research, we pick with our sense of how things are going...and are for the most part, spot on.

Last week: 14-2. Yup, we picked Ole Miss and Arizona to win. That makes us 140-32 on the season--



Yeah, come back and see us next College Football season....

In the meantime, it's time for what you visit us for....or as the legendary Casey Kasem used to say, "On with the Countdown"

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) FSU 12-0. Yup. They are #1. We don't care that they barely beat up on mostly inferior ACC competition. They ran the table. In fact, they haven't lost in two seasons. Perception that they aren't as good doesn't matter.



It's what we think. Sure, the trendy pick is for Ga.Tech to beat them this week. And they might. We're almost tempted to make the pick. But not enough to do it. This Week: vs. Ga.Tech, Our Pick: FSU 37, Ga. Tech 33

2) Alabama 11-1. Okay, so the Iron Bowl ended up a shootout. Still, arguably this is the best team in all the land. But they have been beat. And pushed. We have to admit, Lane Kiffin has changed this team. But we always said as a head coach, Kiffy was a great offensive coordinator. This Week: vs. Missouri, Our Pick: Alabama 43, Mizzou 21

3) Oregon 11-1. We still don't love the Ducks, but we respect them. They've taken care of business. Marcus Mariota is awesome, but the o-line is dinged up. Interesting that they are playing the team that beat them early in the year (Arizona) for the Pac 12 title. This Week: vs. Arizona, Our Pick: Oregon 48, Arizona 37

4) TCU 11-1. Outside the brain fart with Baylor, the Horned Frogs have gotten better every game. But most are holding Baylor against them. We think TCU is tougher. And would fare better in the CFB Playoff. But that's our opinion. Trevonne Boykin is very, very good but no championship game for the Frogs to prove anything. This Week: vs. Iowa St., Our Pick: TCU 56, Iowa St. 21

5) Baylor 11-1. Sure, the Bears have been good. Really good this season. But their season hasn't ended yet. Bryce Petty is not a sure thing for Saturday's game. And the Bears play a tough Kansas State team. If they win, things get interesting. And they'd have a CFB playoff argument. But...This Week: vs. Kansas St. Our Pick: K-State 53, Baylor 45 UPSET !!!!!

6) Ohio St. 11-1. Poor Ohio St. Braxton Miller gets hurt and JT Barnett steps in and becomes awesome. Now Barnett gets hurt and Cardale Jones has to step in. And while Jones may be a good QB, he hasn't played yet. And that matters. A lot. This Week: vs. Wisconsin. Our Pick: Wisconsin 27, Ohio St. 23 UPSET!!!

7) Arizona 10-2. Rich Rodriguez has done wonders with this program. Who would have thought when he took the job a couple years ago, they'd be in this position. Yet they are. If...they can beat Oregon for the 2nd time, they have a playoff argument. But we don't think they'd leapfrog anyone ahead of them if they all win too. This Week: See #2

8) Kansas St. 9-2. They don't show well statistically, but it doesn't seem to matter. Bill Snyder is a magician...or sorcerer. Either way, the Wildcats just keep winning. They could easily have been undefeated this season. But losing to TCU is enough to keep them from playoff talk. This Week: See #5

9) Mississippi St. 10-2. They came back to earth quickly. But the wins this season speak for themselves. Yes, they lost the Egg Bowl, but way too many quality wins to drop them behind their arch rivals. No matter what happens, this season was a huge success in Starkeville. This Week: DONE--Bowl Game

10) Michigan St. 10-2. Always a quality team. Always good results. And always a couple of losses. They are consistently one of the best Big 10 teams, but that isn't always enough. Two quality losses means season over and bowl game left. This Week: DONE---Bowl Game

11) Ole Miss 10-2. Nice win over Miss State in the Egg Bowl. The Rebels struggled mightily down the stretch, but pulled it together to beat their arch rival and have one of the best seasons they've had in a long, long time. And they get to keep Hugh Freeze around for awhile. This team won't be going away soon. This Week: DONE---Bowl Game

12) Georgia Tech 10-2. Yes, Ga. Tech. Can you believe it? Uh, yeah, neither can we. They should have lost to our alma mater (Ga.Southern), but didn't. They just kept winning. And they beat an occasionally very good Georgia team last week. That counts. They'll make FSU nervous but....This Week: See #1

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



And so closes another season of crappy football. Our toilet bowl (Worst of the Worst) award already had been handed to SMU and the Mustangs did not disappoint. Sure, they got a new coach for next year, Chad Morris, which might be enough to get them off the island next year.

But that's next year.

In the meantime, we are going to award an honorary Toilet Ring to the Alabama Board of Trustees and UAB President Ray Watts Watts. You....deserve to stink things up for a long time for killing the football program without any real discussion on ways to save it.

Shame on all of you...

But enough of that....

5) Ray Watts 0-12. You sir have no spine. The president of a mid-major University who rather than speak out about the shady Board of Trustees trying to kill the football team, decided to just quietly do it without letting anyone know. Not standing up was bad. Plotting this course before saying you tried to save them is even worse. You suck dude...you really suck

4) Alabama Board of Trustees 0-12. We always knew University of Alabama fans were paranoid and somewhat delusional, but this takes the cake. Paul Bryant Jr decides he wants to cash in his vendetta against UAB from a long perceived slight. So you tell Ray Watts "Kill 'em". So he did. Of all places we thought a football program might be eliminated, Alabama was low on the list. Were you scared if UAB got decent they'd compete with you? Please....

3) Idaho 1-11. Hey, a not-UAB related listing. Poor Idaho. They weren't "not-competitive" this season, but they couldn't buy a win. But at least the season has come to an end. So there's that. And winter's coming. So there's that too. This Week: DONE

2) Georgia State 1-11. Two years, one win. Pity poor Georgia State. Totally unprepared to play in FBS, yet they jumped in anyway. And now they're paying for it. They are the cupcake everyone wants to play. So at least they are getting paid. Which is nice. And might spare them the UAB fate. Or not. This Week: DONE

1) SMU 0-12. Congratulations. You win! The Mustangs managed to not crack the top 100 in any major statistical category. Which is not easy to do these days. Sure, they have a game left. But we don't. So they get the Toilet Bowl title whether they like it or not. We wish new coach Chad Morris luck, sure he's him in Texas, but man, he's got a huge job in front of him. This Week: at UConn, Our Pick: UConn 37, SMU 10



Good Night Everybody.................

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: The Rick Rolled Edition

You are welcome. Try to get that out of your head....

For that matter, try and get the idea that the SEC may still get two of your College Football playoff berths out of your heads too.

Because it's probably going to happen. And there are going to be a lot of people who aren't going to be happy about it.



So, yeah, we're feeling musical as we look ahead to the week before Thanksgiving and the last chance for all of college football to make a statement.

Looking back at last week--7-2. Lots of BYE weeks. Oh, and we picked 'Bama, FSU and UGA to win. Not everyone did that. Makes us 113-29 on the season. Deal wit dat bitches!

But enough about me, it's time as the legendary Casey Kasem once said to get "On With the Countdown"...

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) FSU 10-0. Yep, we put the Seminoles, as much as we despise everything they stand for, at #1. They are undefeated, they haven't lost in 2 seasons. And because of that, they get to be #1.

Tell 'em Naitch:



This Week: vs. Boston College, Our Pick: FSU 43, BC 21

2) Alabama 9-1. Is this the best team like our CFB Playoff Committee says? Yeah, probably. But they lost a game this season. And to us, that matters. They've been dissed most of the season, but the Tide has gotten better every week. This Week: (CUPCAKE) vs. Western Carolina, Our Pick: Bama 47, WCU 10

3) Oregon 9-1. Quack, quack. Best front runners in the biz. They ran away from Utah after the goal line fumble and never looked back. When you've got Marcus Mariota, that can happen. Still not sold on them as a title team, but yeah, they'll probably be a Final 4 team. This Week: vs. Colorado, Our Pick: Oregon 47, Colorado 27

4) TCU 9-1. A Gary Patterson brain fart away from perfection. Sure, they're a Big 12 team with a ton of offense and very little defense. But that doesn't seem to matter these days. Trevone Boykin is awesome, and awesome will get you a shot at the title belt. This Week: BYE

5) Mississippi St. 9-1. The Bulldogs made a run at Bama after being dominated in the 1st half. But they shot themselves in the foot when it counted. Still, this is a pretty good team and Dak Prescott, yeah, he's pretty good too. They will probably end up in the playoff over TCU, but we don't agree with that. Just our opinion. This Week: vs. Vandy, Our Pick: Miss St. 35, Vandy 13

6) Ohio St. 9-1. We stick by our statement the Bucks are the most improved team in College Football over the course of the season. It mirror's J.T Barrett's growth. Are they Playoff contenders. Maybe not. But I wouldn't want to play them to find out. They are the kings of the Big 10 though. This Week: vs. Indiana, Our Pick: tOSU 37, Indiana 27

7) Baylor 9-1. Yes, we know, they beat TCU. But they lost badly to an ok West Va. team. And the schedule, outside the TCU and Oklahoma wins is oh, so soft. But they keep putting up big numbers every week and absolutely humiliated the Sooners in Norman. Which counts for something. This Week: vs. Oklahoma St., Our Pick: Baylor 51, Okie State 21

8) UCLA 8-2. Here's where things get dicey. The Bruins have been thoroughly unimpressive for the most part, but they are still very dangerous. They've gotten better each week. And they have Brett Hundley which counts for something. This Week: vs. USC, Our Pick: UCLA 37, USC 31

9) Ole Miss 8-2. The Rebs have lost the last 2 games that have counted. The offense may have gotten on track during their practice game vs. Presbyterian last week though. Injuries have decimated this team, but enough talent remains to cause havoc for others. This Week: at Arkansas, Our Pick: Ark 29, Ole Miss 23 UPSET!!!

10) Georgia 8-2. Their own worst enemies. But hey, they put together quite a game, totally dominating a good Auburn team last week. When the 'Dawgs' are on, they are dangerous good, when they remember who they are, they have a tendency to gag. Rather badly. And no, they won't miss Todd Gurley.  This Week: vs. Charleston Southern (Cupcake), Our Pick: UGA 51, Charleston Southern 10

11) Wisconisn 8-2. Any team featuring Melvin Gordon is going to be good. And dangerous. This is a very typical Wisconsin team, big, strong and outside Mr. Gordon, very slow. In other words a Big 10 team. They lost 2 close games, otherwise we'd be talking playoff team here. This Week: at Iowa, Our Pick: Wisconsin 47, Iowa 21.

12) Kansas St. 7-2. Never great, always good. Jake Waters has carried them, statistically they shouldn't be this good, yet they are. Though we thought they'd give TCU a better fight then they did. This Week: at West Va., Our Pick: West Va. 41, K-State 33

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



Yeah...congrats to Troy, who won their 3rd game and moved out of our poll. While they've been bad, we are happy they've been able to graduate to mediocrity, it's a big improvement. We are quite sure SMU has the Toilet Bowl title wrapped up, but Georgia State is giving them a run for their money.

Enough of that...

5) Tulsa 2-8. Didn't this used to be a dangerous team to play. Oh, wait, that was back in the 1990's, never mind. But hey, they did beat SMU, so they season wasn't a total loss. Okay, maybe it was. This Week: at Houston, Our Pick: Houston 53, Tulsa 31

4) Kent State 1-9. What is this? Their game this week has been delayed by snow? It's never a good sign when you have to go somewhere where the snow total has outscored you too. Maybe the Golden Flashes should just tell the MAC to skip it? This Week at Buffalo (maybe), Our Pick: Buffalo/Lake Effect Snow 12 Feet, Kent St 3

3) Idaho 1-9. Fear not potato fans, the season is almost...mercifully over. Sure, you haven't been "blown out" by anyone and you won a game. But it was vs. New Mexico St. Look at it this way, you aren't in Buffalo (snow). This Week: BYE

2) Georgia St. 1-9. Two successes this year. 1) They won a game. 2) They lead the nation in worst rushing attack and worst rushing defense. Not easy to do. No, we won't post a Jeopardy video here. Though we did think about it. Anyway. This Week: at Clemson (really?), Our Pick: Clemson 30 daily doubles, Ga. State 5 daily doubles (think about it)

1) SMU 0-9. Wow! The ponies almost beat South Florida. Almost. Though rumor has it, it's not that big of an accomplishment anymore. But hey, near victory!



Haha! Yeah, we referenced Johnny Drama. The Mustangs continue the march to the Toilet bowl with another Florida team. This Week: at UCF, Our Pick: UCF 37, SMU 10

Victory!

Here's something new to get rid of the Rick Roll we threw on you to start this...

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: Run Joey Run

You have no idea what song this is---it's from the mid 1970's...



And it describes the bizarreness that is this week in College Football in a way we can't as the polls confuse us and the College Football Playoff rankings make us say:



Because of course it does...

Alas, there are only 3 weeks or so left before any of this rankings madness means anything, but that isn't stopping the arguments.

Especially if you are a fan of TCU or Baylor.

And SEC fans, be worried. Be very worried. Depending on the next few weeks, you might find yourselves locked out of the CFP. Not because the teams are bad, but because they've Walking Dead cannibalized themselves...

But enough of that. Last Week we were 9-4 (thank god we picked Az. St to beat Notre Dame), which puts us at 106-27 on the season, which ain't half bad.

But enough about us...as the legend himself Casey Kasem (RIP) once said; "On with the Countdown"

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Mississippi State. 9-0. D-Day. Moment of reckoning, time to find out if the dream continues. Last weeks practice game was a good tuneup for this one. Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Tall task for anyone. And with the pass defense not improving, we have our doubts.



This Week: at Alabama, Our Pick: Bama 37, Miss St. 36 UPSET!!!!! And game of the Year...

2) Florida St. 9-0. Still undefeated. And don't buy the hype that the Noles will lose. They aren't great, but they are much better than anyone else in the ACC. The week off will help, a lot. They aren't stellar at anything, but they are pretty good at everything. This Week: at Miami, Our Pick: FSU 41, Miami 23

3) Alabama 8-1. Folks, when the dust clears, this may very well be your championship team. They are much better than you think. Not perfect, but nobody this year is. With the defense they have and Amari Cooper, they will always have a chance to win. Don't buy that Blake Sims isn't prime time ready. He'll step up this week. This Week: See #1

4) TCU 8-1. Still don't think Trevone Boykin isn't one of the best players in College Football? Well, then you haven't watched the Frogs play. He's impressive. Odd seeing a Gary Patterson team living on offense not defense, but hey, they do play in the Big 12. The path is clear from here. This Week: at Kansas. Our Pick: TCU 48, Kansas 13

5) Oregon 9-1. Good win vs. Utah. But I still don't buy into these guys. They've yet to prove they won't fold under pressure or when losing. And the pass D isn't any better than Mississippi State's. Plus they are banged up. But they'll coast to the Pac 12 title game. This Week: BYE

6) Ohio St. 8-1. The most improved team of the season. As J.T Barnett has learned, the Bucks have gotten monumentally better. And last weeks win at Michigan State proved it. They aren't perfect and the loss to Va.Tech still hurts perception, but this could be a playoff team. This Week: at Minnesota, Our Pick: tOSU 37, Minnesota 33

7) Baylor 8-1. Sorry, we still don't love this team. They are very good. But not great. If not for Gary Patterson's brain fart, they lose to TCU. The West Va. loss was a bad one. Sure, they pounded Oklahoma, but the Sooners were overrated too. The path is clear, can they stay clean? This Week: BYE

8) Arizona St. 8-1. Yup, Arizona State. A very good team that annihilated Notre Dame. Somehow, they let UCLA slaughter them, but they've done enough to win every other game. They've been good not great, but the path is clear. Win out and it's Oregon for the Pac 12 title and likely playoff berth. This Week: at Oregon St., Our Pick: Az St 41, Oregon St 21

9) Auburn 7-2. No, the Tigers have no real excuse for losing to Texas A&M other than their defense sucks. Still, we never thought they'd go down at home to a team they should easily have beaten. Except maybe they aren't as good as we thought? Or they are...This Week: at Georgia, Our Pick: Georgia 53, Auburn 49 UPSET!!

10) Nebraska 8-1. Yes, Nebraska. They only have one loss folks. Really. Yeah, sure, we know, they play in the Big 10. But they are tough. And you don't hear them whining about Bo Pelini anymore. Plus they get Ameer Abdullah back this week and he's good. Very good. This Week: at Wisconsin, Our Pick: Huskers 31, Wisconsin 21

11) Ole Miss 8-2. So they stopped the bleeding with a practice gm. vs. Presbyterian. Good for them. The Rebels are pretty banged up, but still dangerous. But they go as Bo Wallace goes...and nobody knows how Bo Wallace goes until Bo Wallace plays. So there's that. This Week: BYE

12) Georgia 7-2. They get back in the poll cause Todd Gurley is back. Really though, we should nickname this team The Brain Farts. They always do something to keep them from being all they could be. When thinking, they are very good, When not, there's the Florida game. This Week: See #9.

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



Okay, so it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that SMU is our Toilet Bowl champs this year, though Georgia State is giving them a late run for their money. Thank god the two teams don't play, all 500 that would show up would need to have their eyes fixed afterwards....

5) Troy 2-8. Trojan man for the win! Yay Troy...Oh, wait, you played Ga. State last week? Well, someone had to win. That might not be enough to get out off the list. Sorry. But you still have a chance. This Week: at Idaho, Our Pick: Troy 38, Idaho 27

4) Idaho 1-8. So, the good news is nobody has blown you out. The bad news is outside beating crappy New Mexico State, you've lost all your other games. Which is why you reside here. And unfortunately, you may not be leaving. This Week: See #5

3) Kent State 1-9. Hey, at least you've scored 20 points in each of the past 2 games. Okay, so you lost both of them. But you did beat Army, though nobody is sure how. No, the Flashes aren't the worst team in CFB, but they are pretty close. This Week: Already played....and lost

2) Georgia State 1-9. Oh, pity the poor Panthers, one win the past 2 seasons. Unfortunately, they are the poster child for moving to Division 1 before being ready. And now they pay the price. Trent Miles is a good coach, but it will be several yrs before they'll be competitive. This Week: BYE

1) SMU 0-8. Wow, the Mustangs don't end the season til December 6th. 3 more wks of agony and suckage. But hey, the briefly had the lead vs. a crappy Tulsa team and scored 28 in a loss. Baby steps guys, baby steps. This Week: vs. South Florida, Our Pick: USF 31, SMU 13

Enjoy your song of the Week:

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of The Barrel: What's Happening?

If you don't know what this is...and depending on your age, you might not...look it up.

One thing always predictable about the college football season is its unpredictability. It's the reason there should NEVER be a preseason poll. They are utterly meaningless. Teams get ranked in the preseason based on reputation, not performance. Which is a total disservice to them all.

But enough of that. We all want to know what is going to happen here in the homestretch...



It will all be settled on the field. Right?

Picks: Last week: 8-5---ew...worst week ever. But there is hope. Overall: 97-23. And well, ya know, that's pretty good if I do say so myself. And I do...

So without further adieu, to quote the late, great Casey Kasem, it's "On with the Countdown"

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Mississippi State 8-0. Okay..we've avoided this for a few weeks now. And the Bulldogs barely escaped last week vs. Arkansas. But they did. However, at some point, the nations worst pass defense will bite them. Just not this week. THIS WEEK: vs. Tenn. Martin, (Really?), Our Pick: Miss St. 48, Tenn-Martin 3

2) Florida State 8-0. Sorry guys. You haven't been pretty...or popular. And you've barely escaped most every game. Admittedly, when you are the big dog, everyone is hunting you. But with all the chaos, often comes confusion. And you've been lucky. But hey, sometimes that is enough. This Week: vs. Virginia, Our Pick: FSU 31, UVA 17

3) Alabama 7-1. We have no idea why everyone underestimates these guys this season. What have they not done? Ok, they lost to Ole Miss in Oxford, not a big shocker. But hey, it doesn't matter. If they win out, they make the playoff. And nobody wants to play them when the Sabanator has time to prepare. This Week: at LSU, Our Pick: Alabama 37, LSU 33

4) Auburn 7-1. Another team that all they do is win. It doesn't matter how, or who, as long as you win. Another team that controls their own destiny and is getting better as the season goes. This Week: vs. Texas A&M, Our Pick: Auburn 48, Aggies 31

5) Kansas State 7-1. The only loss: Auburn. And only because the kicker failed. Do not sleep on this team. They are well coached. And they are well balanced. They are our pick to win the Little 9 (Big 12), because they play defense. We'll know for sure after Saturday. This Week: at TCU. Our Pick: K-State 41, TCU 38

6) Oregon 7-1. This is our pick for the most overrated team. They are not on the level with the top 4 on our list. They just aren't. If you get them down, they will fold. They always do. Yes, Marcus Mariota is awesome, we agree. But he's not enough to win the whole she-bangy...This Week: at Utah, Our Pick: Utah 37, Oregon 36 UPSET!!

7) TCU 7-1. Still trying to figure out how they escaped West Virginia. Thought for sure they were done, but alas, they won it. Another very dangerous team, with a scary good offense. The "D", that's a different issue. Not confident on the finish. This Week: see #5

8) Michigan St. 7-1. Can they win the B1G? Yup. Are they good enough to run with the SEC? Maybe. But win the Big 10, you get to go to the playoff. Even if the rest of the conference is pretty wretched. Connor Cook has been great, and the Defense is solid. This Week: vs, Ohio State, Our Pick: MSU 37, tOSU 31 (would be upset if in Columbus, it's not)

9) Arizona State 7-1. Time for a test. Todd Graham has done a good job here, reviving the program. Outside a brain fart vs. UCLA, they've been very good. Not flashy, just good. But tough times are ahead. Win this week, they could run the table and find themselves in the Pac 12 title game. This Week: vs. Notre Dame, Our Pick: ASU 27, Notre Dame 23

10) Notre Dame 7-1. If you are gonna be a top 10 team, you need to win the games you are supposed to. And Navy nearly came back and beat the Irish. That should never happen. This is a good, not great team in a year full of teams like this. So there's always a chance--This Week: See #9

11) Ole Miss 7-2. Back-to-back tough losses. Really tough losses. This is a really good defensive team that's been inconsistent on offense. They can't win the SEC West anymore, but they might have a say in who does. Hate to see what happened to Laquon Treadwell, that..ooof. Anyway---This Week: vs Presbyterian (huh?), Our Pick: Ole Miss 41, Presby 10

12) Ohio St. 7-1. Yes, I'm ranking them here. It's my poll. And I think they've gotten better every week. The Va.Tech loss hurts though. We like J.T Barnett and this is a stout defense. If only they played at home this week. Oh well...This Week: See #8

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



This is getting tougher to pick each week. Some of our regulars here are actually winning games. We're so confused. How can we have crappy teams if there aren't any crappy teams.

Oh, wait...then there is SMU...

5) Kent State 1-8. Oh you Kent State. MAC Action---it's fan--tastic. Well, fall and soon winter is up you Golden Flashes. And hey, that means basketball. Which surely will be better than Football. So there's that. Good luck and godspeed. This Week (Nov 12th): at Bowling Green, Our Pick: Bowling Green 38, Kent State 10

4) Idaho 1-8. Go potatoes. You managed to squeeze defeat out of the jaws of victory. You had Arkie State down after 3 quarters and lost by 2 TD's. Hey, enjoy the snow. This Week: at San Diego State, Our Pick: Aztecs 43, Idaho 31

3) Troy 1-8. Well, it's almost over. And brother Jon reported noted H.S Football coach Rush Probst wants to replace Larry Blakely next year. We ask: Why? This season has been an unmitigated disaster and it may not get better anytime soon. Okay, maybe this week. This Week: vs. Ga. State, Our Pick: Troy 24, Ga.State 13

2) Georgia State 1-8. Yes Panther fan, you drop because you had 6 yards rushing and we're left to wither in the Appalachian State snow. Come on now. A little snow and cold won't hurt you. You can do better than that? Right? This Week: See Above

1) SMU 0-7. Good news Mustang fan. You didn't get beat by the Bye last week. Right? You didn't lose that game...did you? Wha? Oh, never mind. Way too many games left (5) none of which really are winnable. So there is that. Good luck in the coaching search. This Week: at Tulsa, Our Pick: Tulsa 21, SMU 3

Here is your song of the week, a good...and different choice from Milky Chance--yes, they are German:

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: Truth!

And the truth is, we've hit the College Football Playoff rankings time.

Let's just say, the way overhyped first edition left more than a few observers scratching their collective heads.

Okay, maybe not all of us.

Our point is; that's not going to be how they finish. No way. Too many rivalry games. All the SEC West teams still play one another. And TCU still has to play Kansas State.

A lot of things will change. Trust us. Things in college football always change.



Haha! Enjoy your cheesy 1980's video---

Us, we're moving on. Mostly because there's some bragging to be done here....

11-2 last week. Not bad. We've been pretty consistent this season. Consistently good that is!....Haha!

No, seriously, the 11-2 mark makes us 89-18 on the season and while not perfect, it is pretty damn impressive...

But enough about me. It's time to get "On with the Countdown"...

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Florida State 7-0. Still don't like them. Still hope they lose. But not seeing it. Jimbo Fisher is a moron who thinks the SEC and ESPN is ganging up on him. Ha! You really are stupid Jimbo. You don't get it. It's not, nor has it ever been about you. But...they still are the defending champs and as the Nature Boy always says;



And that ain't happening. This Week: at Lousiville, Our Pick: FSU 38, Louisville 31

2) Mississippi State 7-0. Sure, they struggled with a better Kentucky team. But they get credit for surviving the 1st part of their SEC gauntlet. Still have games with Bama and Ole Miss left. Survive that and yeah, you may be the man...This Week: vs. Arkansas, Our Pick: Miss St. 37, Ark. 23

3) Alabama 7-1. Are they back? Did they ever leave? Sure...they coasted after getting a quick lead on Tennessee but nobody can stop Amari Cooper on offense. He and Blake Sims have transformed a once slow motion Tide offense. And that may get them back to the title game. Sigh...This Week: BYE

4) Auburn 7-1. Time to play big boy football there Tigers. You've had a few good breaks this season. The offense has struggled at times. The defense more so. But time to step up. After this week, you still have Georgia and Alabama to deal with. This Week: at Ole Miss, Our Pick: Ole Miss 27, Auburn 23

5) Ole Miss 7-1. Best defense in all the land. And had Bo Wallace not totally brain-farted, the Rebs might still be undefeated. But that's all it takes to change the season. These guys still have a chance to get in the playoff. Win this week and all that's left is the Egg Bowl. This Week: See #4

6) Kansas St. 7-1. The Wildcats are a couple missed field goals from being undefeated. And they are much better than you think. They just quietly go about their business and in the Big 9(12), as long as you play defense you have a shot. They play defense. This Week: vs. Oklahoma St., Our Pick: K-State 38, Okie St. 31

7) Oregon 7-1. The Ducks are still the Ducks and they'll always be loved by the pollsters. And as long as they have Marcus Mariota, they have a chance to beat anyone. But as always--they still suck on defense and tend to lose if under pressure. We'll see if that holds true. This Week: vs. Stanford, Our Pick: Oregon 43, Stanford 31

8) Michigan State 7-1. Your Little 10 champs? Maybe. We should know better after this week. They've scored a ton of points this year, given up a lot too. Beat Ohio State, they are likely to walk away with the title. B1G title that is. This Week: BYE

9) TCU 7-1. The temptation is to rank them higher after Trevonne Boykin and his pals dropped 82 on Texas Tech. And hey, that makes them the #1 in scoring avg this season. But...there are still roadblocks ahead. And if the Froggies don't play better D, they won't get past them. This Week: at West Virginia, Our Pick: West By-Gawd 51, TCU 47---UPSET ALERT!!

10) Notre Dame 7-1. Confession. We are not fans of the Irish. And it sometimes affects our ranking of the boys from South Bend. But...keep in mind, it's mostly because they are usually way overrated. This, to us, is the right place for them. But they could jump if the teams ahead cannibalize themselves. This Week: at Navy, Our Pick: Notre Dame 41, Navy 23

11) Georgia 7-1. Bad news--no Todd Gurley for 2 more weeks. Good news--The Dawgs haven't needed him. The improving defense has helped UGA get the table set to make this a memorable season. But they too always seem to gag under pressure. Can they avoid it this year? This Week: vs. Florida, Our Pick: UGA 23, UF 13

12) Arizona 7-1. Go Rich Rods...A bad, close loss to to Southern Cal is the only blemish for the Wildcats. But props to these guys. They've become relevant again after a long time out of the spotlight. And hey, they beat Oregon. So that counts too. This Week: at UCLA, Our Pick: Fighting Rodriguez's 37, UCLA 30

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



5) UConn 1-6. Oh, poor, poor UConn. How many years ago was it you were playing in the Fiesta Bowl game? Amazing how fast fortunes can turn. This is a bad team that is likely to run the table. Except they finish with a Toilet Bowl game vs. SMU. This Week: vs. UCF, Our Pick: UCF 37, UConn 12

4) Georgia State 1-7. Guess the Panthers picked a bad week to play the nations best running team last week. 600 plus yards and 60-plus points later, Ga. Southern walked away with a win. There may be A winnable game on the schedule, but which one? This Week: at Appalachian St., Our Pick: Appy State 37, Ga. State 21

3) Tulsa 1-6. Another team that had a good run in the not so distant past. But hard times have come to their town. And we don't know if things are going to get better either. (Cheesy 80's music references--look them up). This Week: at Memphis, Our Pick: Memphis 31, Tulsa 23

2) Troy 1-7. The Trojans need to just write off this season. It's been ug, ug, ugly and it's not going to get better either...



No, even Trojan Man can save them. This Week: at Ga. Southern, Our Pick: Ga.Southern 51, Trojan Man 27

1) SMU 0-7. Come on man! Mack Brown? Really? Mack can't be that stupid, this is a horrid team. Must have been some sort of dream by the Dallas Morning News. Right? And hey, the Mustangs hit double figures last week (10pts)...so things are looking up. This Week: BYE, Our Pick: BYE 41, SMU 3 Ha!

So...are ya ready for November? Things are getting ready to change...a lot. Too many teams playing too many teams in the polls. They will cannibalize themselves. Really, they will...just wait and see...

We leave you with New Music Thursday---a very cool song:

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of The Barrel: Who's With Me?

No, despite there only being four undefeated teams, it ain't over yet--

We're about to hit the homestretch in the College Football season...otherwise known as November. And there are still plenty of hurdles even the undefeated teams will have to clear. 

We know that the SEC West appears to be the best conference in all the land, but will any of those teams have enough left to beat Georgia in the SEC title game?

Casey

And we know that Notre Dame may or may not have gotten jobbed in Tallahassee, a game we secretly hoped both teams would lose...alas, that was not possible.

But enough of that, there's pickin' to be done....

Last week, so 11-3 ain't bad...right? And we called the West Va. win. That makes us 78-16 on the season. (We don't pick the spread...not that smart)

But anyway...

To quote the late, great Casey Kasem....it's "On with the countdown"....

THE DIRTY DOZEN

1) Florida State 7-0. Yeah SEC fans, I said it. They are still #1. Not necessarily because they are the best team, but they will run the table. No guarantees anyone else in the FBS can do that. And more importantly...

And nobody has been able to do that. This Week: BYE

2) Mississippi State 6-0. The bye last week had to help them because they came off 3 straight tough games. And are now everyone's darlings. But unless they shore up the pass defense (last in FBS), Alabama will beat them in a couple weeks. This Week: vs. Kentucky, Our Pick: Miss St. 38, KY 17

3) Ole Miss 7-0. We're still in shock to Mississippi teams are in the top 3. That may very well be a sign of the apocalypse. Their achilles heel is offense, the O is inconsistent, but a strong D more than makes up for it. The next 2 weeks will determine how big the Egg Bowl will be. This Week: at LSU, Our Pick: Ole Miss 24, LSU 23--close call

4) Alabama 6-1. Today's lesson: Don't make Nick Saban angry. You won't like Saban when he's angry. He and the Tide went all Hulk on Texas A and M and now they get Saban's work partner Coach Kiffykins returning to the scene of one of his crimes. Already it's been fun. This Week: at Tennessee, Our Pick: Bama 45, Tenn. 23

5) Auburn 5-1. Somehow these guys always fly under the radar. Sure, they got beat by Miss. St. but they are dangerous. Very dangerous. We suspect they will have a voice in who goes to the SEC title game and the playoff. This Week: vs. South Carolina, Our Pick: Auburn 41, S.Carolina 27

6) Oregon 6-1. We put the Duckies here only because we think the Pac 12 is better than the little 10. They are likely to be a playoff team, but we don't think they are better than anyone ranked ahead of them. IMO. But I could be wrong. This Week: at Cal, Our Pick: Oregon 51, Cal 31

7) Michigan St. 6-1. Your best of the Little 10. And they are pretty good. But Oregon did beat them. And playing in the 10, they aren't going to be pushed too hard. The only test: 3 weeks from now they play Ohio St. This Week: vs. Michigan, Our Pick: Mich St. 38, Mich 27

8) Georgia 6-1. Another dangerous team with a history of shooting themselves in the foot. If indeed they get Todd Gurley back, they become scary good. The D has improved each week. With Gurley and Chubb, they just play keep away. The only test left--vs. Auburn in November. This Week: BYE

9) Notre Dame 6-1. This is one of their better, tougher teams. They should have beaten FSU, but didn't. But they are Notre Dame, they'll get love. The pass defense needs work, but Everett Golston has been outstanding. And no roadblocks ahead. This Week: BYE

10) TCU 5-1. Outside a Gary Patterson brain fart, they have been the best of the Big 9(12). The D hasn't been great, but QB Trevonne Boykin has been a revelation. And the reason the Horned Frogs are scary good on offense. This Week: vs. Texas Tech, Our Pick: TCU 48, T-Tech 31

11) Kansas State 5-1. If not for a bad Field Goal kicker, they beat Auburn and are undefeated. And yes, Bill Snyder is a wizard of some sorts, he just keeps producing good teams in the middle of the Kansas plains. This Week: vs. Texas, Our Pick: K-State 31, Texas 21

12) Ohio State 5-1. It took the Buckeyes a couple weeks to find their footing, but they have. Outside Mich. St, they are the only other serious threat in the Little 10. JT Barrett has been a revelation, and for the Urbanator, that's all he needs. This Week: at Penn St., Our Pick: tOSU 38, Penn St. 27

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:

Oy, there's only one NO WIN team left here (SMU). What ever are we to do? Too many of our past lists have had multiple no win teams on it. But hey, maybe that just means everyone is getting better.

Or not....

5) Georgia St. 1-6. The Panthers should never have jumped to the FBS as fast as they did. They were not ready. And are now just everyone's cupcake game. They are playing their polar opposite this week, who waited until they were ready to jump. And now are scaring everyone. This Week: vs. Ga.Southern, Our Pick: Ga.Southern 43, Ga.State 21 (was there doubt?)

4) Idaho 1-6. Yay! The Vandals stole a game. Even though it was last week, it's not enough to get them off the Barrel--yet. They still can't stop the run. Though they should be able to manage it this week. This Week: BYE

3) Troy 1-6. There was hope for the retiring Larry Blakeney after a win. Then they play Appalachian State and got annihilated. So, the misery continues. They do have games with Ga.State and Idaho left, so there is hope. This Week: at South Alabama. Our Pick: S.Alabama 31, Troy 27

2) Miami OH 1-7. Oh how some things never change. They too finally won a game, but have done nothing with that momentum. At all. No defense and little offense, means you often will lose. This Week: vs. Kent State, Our Pick: Kent St. 37, Miami OH 36

1) SMU 0-6. Pity the poor Mustangs. They've been shut out twice and hit double figures in points once. That folks, is not good. And things aren't getting any better. This Week: vs. Memphis, Our Pick: Memphis 43, SMU 6

For you SMU fans--

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: Who Loves Ya Baby?

Yeah...



NOTE---He used to be the "Most Interesting Man in the World"...circa late 1970's...

Anyway....

It appears the state of Mississippi is the place to be in College Football this season. At least the past two weeks. Mississippi was perhaps one of the most "un-loved" football states in the world...until this year.

We don't know if someone there sold their soul to the devil for this success...



If you don't get this reference---The movie is called Crossroads from 1986, look it up, it will then make sense..

Moving on--one of the things that makes us laugh in Sports is the "If the playoff happened today?" question.



Mostly because we have far too long left to go in the season. A lot will happen. Teams will lose. And there will be doubts about who should be in the playoffs. Yet Sports talking heads keep telling us the teams each week will be THAT team. Lots will change...

Count on it...

But enough of that, you are here for our poll and our picks. Of course you are, we are very good at such things, better than given credit for.

And did we add, modest? That's because we were 11-3 last week. Yeah...And that makes us 67-13 on the season, which is pretty damn good.

But enough of that, as our pal Casey Kasem once said "On with the Countdown"...

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Florida St. 6-0. Yes. We still have these clowns at #1. No, they haven't been pretty. They've won, but barely. And no, they really haven't played anyone of significance. But they are the defending national champs. And their only remaining test comes this week. (Aside from the Winston shenanigans) This Week: vs. Notre Dame, Our Pick: FSU 41, ND 37

2) Mississippi St. 6-0. Okay, we know everyone has these guys at #1, they've beaten overrated Texas A&M and Auburn in consecutive weeks. They are solid. Dak Prescott is the new Tebow...blah, blah, blah. And yeah, they'll stay here a couple weeks. But won't finish here. This Week: BYE

3) Ole Miss 6-0. The Rebs have not been pretty but they've won. The defense is good. Really good. The offense is good enough. But they are in the SEC west and we don't think they'll run the table. But we could be wrong. This Week: vs. Tennessee, Our Pick: Ole Miss 28, Tennessee 21

4) Notre Dame 6-0. Yeah...sigh...they are 6-0. Everett Golson has been clutch and they are Notre Dame. But they're also undefeated, which is enough to get them into this slot. For now. We don't believe the Irish are as good as advertised. A few "pundits" are picking them to win this week. We aren't among them. This Week: See #1

5) Baylor 6-0. Does anyone believe this is a title contending team? Sure, they can outscore you. And that goes a long way. But they can't stop anyone. If not for some odd decisions by Gary Patterson last week, the Bears would have lost. Really, they would have. But they survived and have only Little 9 (Big12) games left. This Week: at West Va., Our Pick: West By-Gawd 47, Baylor 46. UPSET!!

6) Auburn 5-1. Okay, count us among those surprised the Tigers lost last week. But they've been struggled the past couple of weeks, the offense not as good as advertised. Nick Marshall has been good, not great. And there are some tests left. This Week: BYE

7) Alabama 5-1. So the fighting Sabans have come back to earth. A loss to Ole Miss and they were lucky to escape last week vs. Arkansas. The offense has been less than consistent though the defense is still pretty good. And they are Alabama. This Week: at Texas A&M. Our Pick: Bama 31, A and M 21

8) Oregon 5-1. The Duckies got their hiccup out of the way early. Injuries on the O-Line have hurt, but they are getting healthy again. And they have Marcus Mariota, which is enough most weeks to win. The hard part of the schedule is over. This Week: vs. Washington, Our Pick: Oregon 48, Wash. 21

9) Michigan St. 5-1. The best team in the B1G, we think. But that's not saying much. Outside the loos at Oregon, they haven't been challenged much. And won't be for a couple more weeks. Enjoy the ride for now. This Week: at Indiana, Our Pick: Mich.St. 41, Indiana 23

10) Oklahoma 5-1. The Sooners almost let an outgunned Texas team come back and beat them. Which alone is enough to raise questions. Outside the loss to TCU, they've dominated the Little 9 (Big12). That won't change...for now. This Week: vs. Kansas St., Our Pick: OU 37, K-State 33

11) Georgia 5-1. Ok, raise your hand if you thought the 'Dawgs would crush Mizzou, in Mizzou? Without their best player. Nick Chubb is a beast, the defense is improving. But unless the figure out how to throw deep, they'll get beat again. Just don't know by who. This Week: at Arkansas, Our Pick: UGA 34, Ark 31

12) Ohio St. 4-1. Wait! What! A second B1G (Big10) team in the dozen. Yeah, we know, but there was a full-on-eclipse this month too. And Hawaii is gonna get hit by a 3rd hurricane this year. But hey, the Buckaroos have played well, scoring a ton of points. They haven't missed much. And the schedule, while cupcake city, is manageable. This Week: vs. Rutgers. Our Pick: tOSU 27, Rutgers 23

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



Somehow, UMass won a game last week. Sure, it was only Kent State, but they managed to figure out how not to lose it, which for them is a marked improvement. So they escape this list...at least for a week.

5) Appalachian State 1-5. If not for the fact they played Campbell, they'd be winless. And sure, they've been close to winning. But that doesn't count. The move to FCS has not been kind, but if they're lucky, they might get off this list. This Week: at Troy, Our Pick: Troy 33, App St. 31

4) Miami, OH 1-6. They're back. Sure, they finally broke a 21-game losing streak a couple weeks ago vs. UMass. Which bought them one week. The Redhawks followed that with a resounding loss...to Akron. MAC action baby! This Week: at Northern Illinois, Our Pick: N.Ill 43, Miami OH 21

3) Kent State 0-6. We give you the FCS's worst running team. 68-yards a game. The defense and passing attack isn't much better. But they play in the MAC, so anything could happen. This Week: vs. Army. Our Pick: Army 37, Kent 21

2) Idaho 0-6. Another team that does pretty much nothing well. Which is why they are ranked here. They did...briefly scare Ga.Southern....briefly. This Week: vs. New Mexico St, Our Pick: NM State 31, Idaho 21

1) SMU 0-5. Lucky for them, the BYE has no defense, otherwise they'd have lost on the off week too. The only thing to look ahead to, they scored 24 the last time out vs. a ranked team. Sure they gave up 45, but ya gotta start somewhere. This Week: vs. Cincinnati, Our Pick: Cincy 54, SMU 10

And there you go. It should be a good week to watch some football. So watch away...and we'll leave you with one of our favorite new groups, St. Paul and the Broken Bones

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: Surprise, Surprise, Surprise

Well, last weekend sure was interesting...



More interesting than a Gomer Pyle clip, that's for sure...

Yeah, you might say there were a few "Upset" games last week in College Football and, well, you wouldn't be wrong.

If nothing else, the past week of College Football action proves that the alleged "committee" that is going to pick the 4 playoff teams, has a tough task ahead of them because quite honestly, there are a lot of really good teams, but not really any great ones...



What wasn't so awesome last week--our picks. Yeah, sure, we went 9-5 moving us to 56-10 on the season, which, well...actually is pretty awesome, but we hate to admit we missed 5 games. Though we did pick Mississippi State to beat Texas A&M...and we were right.

So with that in mind, this weeks poll looks almost nothing like last weeks. Yay! Easily the game of the week coming up is Auburn and Mississippi State. That, should be fun to watch.

With that in mind, in the words of the immortal Casey Kasem, let's get "On With the Countdown"

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Florida State 5-0. Yeah, we know. They haven't been amazing this season. And we aren't sold that this is your best team in all the land. But they are defending champs.

Tell 'em Naitch--



And he's right because there is a good chance the Noles run the table. (This Week: at Syracuse, Our Pick: FSU 45, Cuse 31)

2) Auburn 5-0. Is this your best team in all the land? Maybe. But, they also have the misfortune of playing in the SEC West which IS the best division in all the land. And unfortunately, they have a large part of that schedule left. Time to step it up. (This Week: at Miss St., Our Pick: Auburn 28, Miss St. 23)

3) Mississippi St. 5-0. Yes, a Mississippi team at #3. And it's not the one that beat 'Bama. It's the better one that beat LSU and Texas A&M. Yes, they've been one of the best stories in College Football this year. But with one of College Football's worst pass defenses can they keep it up? We don't think so. (This Week: See above)

4) Ole Miss 5-0. I know. 2 Mississippi teams in the top 4. Go figure. We're pretty sure this is a sign of the Zombie Apocalypse. But this is a very good team that beat Alabama. A VERY GOOD defensive team. They may be the Mississippi team that survives or not. (This Week: at Texas A&M, Our Pick: Ole Miss 27, Aggies 21)

5) Baylor 5-0. We don't love the Bears as much as some other pollsters do. But they're undefeated in the the Big 9 (12), so they get top billing. They've lit up scoreboards and the defense has done well, but they really haven't played anyone of note either. That changes now. (This Week: vs. TCU, Our Pick: TCU 31, Baylor 30 UPSET ALERT!!)

6) TCU 4-0. This is probably your best team in the Big 9(12). They played extremely well against Oklahoma. It wasn't a total shock the Horned Frogs won. And we think Gary Patterson is and has been one of CFB's best coaches for a long time. (This Week: see Above)

7) Notre Dame 5-0. Another good, but we aren't sure if they are great team. Yes, we know, they beat Stanford, which is great for them. But really, outside of that, we haven't been impressed. But the schedule is VERY favorable. We may see them again in the playoff whether they are worthy or not. (This Week: vs. North Carolina, Our Pick: Notre Dame 37, UNC 17) 

8) Alabama 4-1. Our first 1 loss team. We haven't been on the bandwagon this year, because while very good, this mixed marriage of Saban and Kiffykins has question marks attached. Though admittedly, Kiffy's offense has been pretty good. They are still better than most. Period. (This Week: at Arkansas, Our Pick: Bama 34, Arkansas 21)

9) Arizona 5-0. Yes folks, that Rich Rod guy can coach. This isn't a flashy or crazy good team, but they are winning. They figured out how to beat Oregon...at Oregon. Not easy. The schedule gets a bit easier and it IS possible they run the table, though the #112 ranked pass defense needs to improve. (This Week: vs. USC, Our Pick: Arizona 41, USC 37)

10) Oklahoma 4-1. Let's see, Sooner coach Bob Stoops has been mouthing about the SEC. And he's been talking up his conference. And then his team goes and gets beat by a good not great TCU. Sound familiar? But they are Oklahoma so they get pollster love. (This Week: vs. Texas, Our Pick: Oklahoma 37, Texas 21)

11) Michigan St. 4-1. Is Sparty the best of the B1G? Maybe. Are the Spartans a playoff team? We aren't convinced. They've been very good against crappy competition, they got beat by an ok Oregon team and pushed by a decent Nebraska. No challenges ahead until they play Ohio State. (This Week: at Purdue, Our Pick: Sparty 43, Purdue 10)

12) Georgia 4-1. Yeah, sure, we're playing semi-homer here. But any team with Todd Gurley has a chance to win no matter who they play. Sure, I have a better arm than the QB and despite a questionable defense, Huston Mason may be what keeps the 'Dawgs from a title shot. (This Week: at Missouri, Our Pick: Gurley Men 37, Mizzou 31)

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



**ED NOTE**---Congrats to the Miami (OH) Redhawks for winning their first game after 31 straight losses. And they came back from a 41-14 deficit to do it. Impressive boys. You have escaped the island. Now win a few and stay off it....

5) Kent State 0-5. They've come close, but thus far, no, they haven't been able to beat anyone. The Golden Flashes can't run the ball, but otherwise they aren't embarrassingly bad. And with a game vs. UMass approaching, they may bet off the schnide. (This Week: vs. UMass, Our Pick: Kent St. 38, UMass 28)

4) Idaho 0-5. Yup, the Vandals managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory when they threw an interception late in their loss to Texas State while driving for a potential game winning score. But that is par as they say. (This Week: heh-heh at Ga.Southern, Our Pick: Ga. Southern 47, Idaho 14)

3) Troy 0-5. Poor Larry Blankney. He's retiring after leading the Trojans to huge success over the past 25-years. And then this years version ends up being a stinker. They had a chance last week to beat La.Monroe, but lost on a late Field Goal. (This Week: vs. New Mexico St., Our Pick: NM State 37, Troy 33)

2) SMU 0-5. The good news...the Ponies scored double figures vs. East Carolina, tallying 24 points. The bad--they gave up 45 and still lost badly. Props to them for doubling their point production for the year. (This Week: BYE)

1) UMass 0-5. Oh boy. They've had two chances to win and blown both of them. How do you get a 41-14 lead over Miami (OH) and lose 42-41? That is really, really hard to do. Yet they did it and will remain at the bottom until they can prove something...anything to us. (This Week: see #5)

Because we said so:

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: Game On!

Yup, finally, after 4 weeks of mostly cupcake games or arguably exhibition games, the College Football season "kicks it up a notch"



A bunch of good, hopefully competitive games with possibly the best of them being Alabama vs. Ole Miss.

And when's the last time you could say Ole Miss was in a game with title implications?

Without further ado, we'll jump right into things: Oh, wait...we were 12-0 last week in our picks.

Wait, what? Yeah, 12-0 bitches...that makes us 47-5 on the season.

Tell 'em Sir Paul:



Okay, enough fun stuff time to get down to business and as Casey Kasem always said, "On With The Countdown"...

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Florida State 4-0. Arrghh...we hate to put these guys here. Mostly because we want Jameis Winston to lose. And he almost did last week, but when NC State went up by 10 in the 3rd quarter, Winston and his teammates responded. (This Week: vs. Wake Forest, Our Pick: FSU 48, Wake 10)

2) Alabama 4-0. Okay, so maybe the odd couple will work. Saban and Kiffin BFF's, who knew? The Tide is good, though not as good as past teams. But this year, it still may be enough--if they can survive the SEC West gauntlet. (This Week: at Ole Miss, Our Pick: Alabama 24, Ole Miss 23)

3) Oklahoma 4-0. Yes, Oklahoma. They are probably gonna run the table guys. Deal with it. Unless they go bonehead, this will be one of your 4 Playoff teams. And they should be, they are pretty good. (This Week: at TCU. Our Pick: Oklahoma 31, TCU 23)

4) Oregon 4-0. Sorry Ducks, you fall after barely beating Washington St. Yes, we know it was in god-forsaken Pullman, but still. The Mike Leach's aren't that good. If you want to be a title contender, you need to win more convincingly. Deal with it. (This Week: vs. Arizona, Our Pick: Oregon 41, Arizona 33)

5) Auburn 4-0. Right, they beat La. Tech. So what...They struggled early and pulled away late from a team they shouldn't struggle with. But we don't blame them for being uninterested. It gets real for them this week. Les Miles real. (This Week: vs. LSU, Our Pick: Auburn 43, LSU 27)

6) UCLA 4-0. The Bruins finally looked like the team everyone thought they'd be last week at Arizona State. Brett Hundley stepped it up and UCLA just flat ran away from the Sun Devils. Big win. (This Week: vs. Utah, Our Pick: UCLA 37, Utah 21)

7) Texas A&M 5-0. Barely. Not barley. Oh boy, Kenny Hill is the real deal. He rescued the Aggies who nearly lost to Arkansas. In College Station. It wouldn't have shocked us, just surprised us. But that's only the 1st test. (This Week: at Miss. St., Our Pick: UPSET--Miss St. 27, Aggies 23)

8) Notre Dame 4-0. Yes, they get to be #8. For now. But honestly folks, outside a game vs. FSU, there's nothing on the schedule that will trip these guys up. But we could be wrong. (This Week: vs. Stanford, Our Pick: Irish 31, Trees 21)

9) Baylor 4-0. This is a flawed team. You may not have seen it yet. But we don't believe the defense is strong enough to get these guys to the playoff. We could be wrong, but we are pretty confident in this despite Bryce Petty being pretty awesome. (This Week: at Texas, Our Pick: Baylor 43, Texas 21)

10) Ole Miss 4-0. That's right peeps. Ole Miss stays in the #10 slot this week. And their 1st shot at glory in a long, long time. This is a good team, but they've not played anyone but cupcakes. That is about to change in a big way. They'll keep it close on energy alone. (This Week: see #2)

11) Miss. St 4-0. Two Mississippi teams in the Dozen. This may never happen again in our long and proud future. But it's happening this week. Beating LSU in Death Valley..at night. And doing it convincingly...almost. That's big. This week is arguably bigger (This Week: see #7)

12) Georgia 3-1. If you have Todd Gurley, you have a chance to be great every week. The Bulldogs haven't been, but Gurley has been enough to beat just about everyone. We think the defense will get better, but they need to find a quarterback who can throw the ball further than me. (This Week: vs. Vanderbilt, Our Pick: Gurley Men 43, Vandy 17)

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



5) Idaho 0-4. Oh, ye poor Vandal fan. Sure, you've been close in most of your games, but you were manhandled by South Alabama a below average Sun Belt team. But hey, winter is coming. So there is that. (This Week: at Texas St, Our Pick: Texas St. 30, Idaho 20)

4) Troy State 0-5. Hey, smile Trojan man, you nearly beat La. Monroe. That has to be a bright spot...right? Coming off the Georgia massacre, it has to be encouraging. (This Week: at New Mexico St., Our Pick: NM State 33, Troy 28)

3)UMass 0-5. MAC Action...catch the fever! We will hand it to the Minute men. They dropped 42 on Bowling Green last week. But they gave up 47, so yeah, that's another one in the loss column. Tide's have to turn for these guys at some point, maybe this will be their week. (This Week: at Miami, OH, Our Pick: UMass 31, Miami--Oh)

2) Miami, OH 0-5. Yes, we've moved them out of the bottom of the bottom of the barrel...for now. With one of the worst rushing attacks in all of College Football (ranked 102nd), the Redhawks, well, they struggle at times. 2 straight seasons without a win will do that. (This Week: See #3)

1) SMU 0-4. Yes...SMU. They've earned the worst of the worst moniker for one reason. 12 points in 4 games. That's 3 points a game and that is pretty damn bad. Statistically, they are at the bottom of pretty much every list. But then again, that's why they are the worst team in College Football too. (This Week: at East Carolina (yikes!), Our Pick: ECU 70, SMU 3)

Special thanks to the folks at Delta this week because as we finish this weeks column, we're about 30,000 feet over America's heartland headed to Denver for a little R and R and a trip to the Great American Beer Festival.

Cheers y'all....

CFB: The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: No Cupcakes!

We always cringe the first two weeks of the College Football season knowing full well that most of the "Power of 5" schools and quite often other D-1 schools play teams that have no chance of beating them, but are just in it for the paycheck.

Not because we're afraid someone might get hurt, but because it's an insult to the fans. It's like going to see the 4th exhibition game of the NFL preseason. You pay full price and get half the product.



But anyway...

Rosie

We start the season 12-1 because, well, we're just that good. But really it's not hard to say pick Alabama to beat Florida Atlantic or FSU to beat Citadel.

I'm pretty sure even Rosie our Lab/Terrier pup
could have picked those games:

And no, there's no truth to the rumor that this photo was taken shortly after she'd eaten a cupcake either...

But we digress...

There are some better games on the slate this week as most of the better teams begin the heart of their conference schedules....

We should note the shadow looming over several teams, including FSU, which is now facing a federal investigation over the way the handled the investigation of defending Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston after some pretty serious allegations a couple years ago.

But, alas, we forgot to post our introductory video last week, so without further ado...



And to quote the late Casey Kasem, "It's time to get 'On With the Countdown'"

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

Tell 'em Naitch--



1) FSU 2-0. So yeah, they took care of the Citadel and apparently survived with all their knees intact. Though they didn't light 'em up either. It's time to get serious this week...we think. Okay maybe. (This Week: vs. Clemson. Our Pick: FSU 43, Clemson 30)

2) Oregon 2-0. They pulled away from a solid, but slow Michigan State last week. Marcus Mariotta again flashed some sick athletic skill and the Ducks survived a physical team. Their reward? A cupcake. (This Week: vs. Wyoming. Our Pick: Oregon 41, Wyoming 20)

3) Auburn 2-0. So the Tigers should have a full stomach after eating cupcakes last week right? Will it slow them down? Not likely. A rare out of conference away game may help them sweat it out, but not much. (This Week: at Kansas St. Our Pick: Auburn 50, K-State 30)

4) Alabama 2-0. No, sorry, the Tide don't get to roll up the poll just because they shutout FAU, they're supposed to do that. And it would have been 63-0 if they finished the game. You know it would've. Anyway, Coach Kiffykins and the Great Satan seem to have settled on a QB...for now. They made the right decision. (This Week: vs. Southern Miss. Our Pick: Bama 48, S.Miss 10)

5) Texas A&M 2-0. "Trill" Hill? Really? Are you sure about copywriting that name? We're willing to bet nobody else thought of or was interested in stealing it from you. But then again, we aren't very hip, so we could be wrong. We digress. No reason stats won't get padded this week. Hope they have room for another "Cupcake". (This Week: vs. Rice. Our Pick: Aggies 57, Rice 7)

6) Georgia 1-0. No, Dawg fans, you don't get to climb in our poll because you were off last week. Though props for not slating a cupcake instead. Guess it's about time to find out if you've got any substance. And hey, a win this week, and you are the KINGS of South Carolina. Just watch out for that Spurrier guy, he's tricky. (This Week: vs. S.Carolina. Our Pick: UGA 28, SC 21)

7) Oklahoma 2-0. Sorry, we aren't buying "Big Game" Bob's hype yet. His team IS better than they've been the past couple years and yes, are probably the team to beat in the Little Nine (Big 12). But it's been all about the cupcakes to get started. A little better test this week though. (This Week: vs. Tennessee. Our Pick: Oklahoma 34, Vols 31)

8) The Pat Haden's. 2-0. Yes, we're making fun of USC. Why on God's Green Earth would the Sark have called the AD to come down to the field and fight his fight? Could he not reach his mom? Suffice to say though, Sarkasian has done well and seems to have Trojan Man back on track. (This Week: at Boston College. Our Pick: USC 30, BC 20)

9) LSU 2-0. After fattening up on a cupcake last week, Les and his boys square of with Lousiana-Monroe, a dangerous team that nearly won the SEC West a couple of years ago (think about it). But the practice time has helped youngster Leonard Fournette to already learn that he loves him some him. (This Week: vs. La.Monroe. Our Pick: LSU 34, Monroe 21)

10) Notre Dame 2-0. Welcome back Irish fans. Though you too have had a cupcake schedule, it looks like Everett Golston put his one year exile to good use. You aren't deep or good enough to win it all, but you won't run the table or stay here long either. (This Week: vs. Purdue. Our Pick: Notre Dame 37, Purr-done 10)

11) Baylor 2-0. Another team that will wow the pollsters but won't be around for your Final Four. Not gonna happen. We're thinking we may rename this team Oregon Lite. Think about it. It fits....(This Week: at Buffalo. Our Pick: Baylor 41, Buffalo 28)

12) Arizona St. 2-0. Okay. We will bite. Sure, they've gone cupcake too. But this is an up and coming program in the Pac 12. Really...they are. (This Week: at Colorado. Our Pick: ASU 37, Colorado 20)

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



5) SMU 0-2. Not a good week for The Mustangs. They've been outscored 88-6 in their 1st two games and their Coach walked away mid-week. Enjoy your fall. (This Week: BYE. Our Pick: BYE 44, SMU 3)

4) Florida Atlantic 0-2. Lucky for them, the Alabama game was called off in the 4th quarter. Yes, they've been outscored 96-7 this year. And it doesn't appear that it will get better. Good thing campus isn't far from the beach. (This Week: vs. Tulsa. Our Pick: Tulsa 23, FAU 3.5)

3) Vanderbilt 0-2. Welcome back Commode-dores. It's been awhile. Congrats Derrick Mason, you're making James Franklin appear to be the greatest coach in NCAA history. 10-points in 2 games? Really. You know you are in the SEC, right? (This Week: vs. UMass. Our Pick: Vandy 10, UMass 5)

2) UMass 0-2. Well, the Minutemen had a chance. They led Colorado in the 3rd quarter. And then they remembered who they are. God love ya, we wouldn't have this list if it weren't for you guys. (This Week: See #3)

1) Miami (OH) 0-2. One day the Redhawks will win again. Right? Surely they can't go 2-straight seasons without a win. And they do play in the MAC, so there's a chance. Right? Okay, maybe not. (This Week: at Michigan. Our Pick: Michigan 43, Miami OH 10)

So goes another week in the house of fun. Think you can do better? Let us know. Maybe we'll let you author the column for a week....

CFB: The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: Return of the King

It's been so long since our annual College Football weekly column that we almost forgot to write it. And no doubt you would all have shed a tear and uttered a collective "Hey, where's that...um...stuff about College Football"?

Or maybe you wouldn't...



It's been a somewhat quiet, albeit tumultuous off season that saw the Death of The BCS and rise of the Five....

Or was that the Fantastic Four?

Eh, whatever...

We don't believe in preseason polls, they are pointless, so we didn't do one. But we are giving you are impressions and our list of the Top 12 and Bottom 5 teams in College Football as WE see them.

It isn't who the pollsters see, because as we all know, it's a popularity contest. (Another column for another day). So, without killing ourselves...



We give you the Dirty Dozen and the Bottom of the Barrel....

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Florida St. 1-0. Yeah, sure. As a legendary man of men, speaker of speakers (public that is...) once said...



Tell 'em Naitch. Right now nobody has beaten the 'Noles, winners of their last 13 or so games. And unless Famous Jameis does something stupid again, they may not lose. This week they play a Clemson team that Georgia humiliated on Saturday night. Ruh roh. (Our Pick: FSU 43, Citadel 10)

2) Georgia 1-0. Is it too early to give Todd Gurley the Heisman? Does one game make a season? No, of course it doesn't. And the Bulldogs are perennial masters of shooting themselves in the foot. But will it happen this year? (This Week: BYE)

3) Oklahoma 1-0. Big game Bob has been badmouthing the SEC for 2-years now. And couldn't exactly back it up. Until maybe now. We'll give him the benefit of the doubt because he has the best team in the Big 9. For now. (This Week: at Tulsa. Our Pick: The Stoops 43, Tulsa 20)

4. Texas A and M 1-0. So, anyone doubt Kevin Sumlin now? While Johnny Football was a pretty good college QB, it's pretty obvious the Aggies success the last 2-years wasn't all him. Somehow, they've just rebuilt in College Station. This could be interesting. (This Week: vs. Lamar? Really?--sigh---Our Pick: Aggies 52, Lamar 10)

5. Alabama 1-0. It's amazing to us how many have already written off the fighting Saban's after just one week. Sure, he's teamed up with our pal Coach Kiffykins, but come on man...they're still 'Bama.



Yeah...we went there. (This Week: vs. Florida Atlantic. Seriously. FAU. Our Pick: Bama 112, FAU 3)

6.  Oregon 1-0. Yes, the perennial underachieving Ducks. If it plays like a duck, looks like a duck and loses late in the season after being highly rated, then yeah, it's probably Oregon. (This Week: vs. Michigan St. Oooh. A good game. Our Pick: Oregon 33, Mich St 27)

7. Auburn 1-0. No brother Jon, I'm not putting these guys in the top 3. I'm not by god, it's my column! Yeah, sure, we know. They are really good. Nobody can slow them down. And the defense is improving. And Gus is a pretty good coach. Talk to us when we are later in the season. (This Week: vs. San Jose St. Huh? Our Pick: Auburn 58, SJS 10)

8. Michigan St. 1-0. If only they didn't play in the Big 10. And as we all know, the Big 10 loses to the fast schools, pretty much all the time. Someday they'll get the hint, but probably not til Grand Poobah Delany retires. Anyway. (This Week: See #6)

9. Stanford 1-0. Yeah, another team that loses in the clutch. They play more like a Big 10 team only they aren't. And yes, they too have a very good coach. This week, we'll find out just how good they are. (This Week vs. USC. Our Pick: Stanford 31, USC 30)

10. UCLA 1-0. So, our pal JL Mora Jr seems to have found his home in Westwood. And he's done a great job reviving the Bruins. We always thought he'd be a good college coach. Good for him. Now he just needs Brett Hundley and co. to realize the season started LAST week. (This Week: vs. Memphis. Our Pick: UCLA 47, Memphis 23)

11. LSU 1-0. Have a great day! And enjoy Les Miles, still one of CFB's best interviews. He's got a pretty good, albeit young team too. And deep. They've been decent, but not great the past 2 years. That's going to continue. (This Week: vs. Sam Houston. Uh..ok. Our Pick: LSU 37, SHS 10)

12. Baylor 1-0. The Bears get the nod because of Bryce Petty. And we say that in spite of Petty trying his best to hurt himself in a game his team already had in hand. But they'll score a lot, scare some people and lose when pushed. It's what they do. (This Week: vs. Northwestern St.--sigh--Our Pick: Baylor 100, NWSt. 3)

Keep in mind good reader, we don't pick the spread, just the score. Or more precisely, who wins....and who doesn't. And we're pretty good at it as evidenced by last years 156-27 record.

Top that bitches!!

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



5. Florida Atlantic 0-1. Gosh, they could have had the Pelini bowl to start the season if only Carl hadn't gotten fired last yr. for drugs...and general suckitude. It's tough living life as a directional Florida School. These guys should be better. But aren't. (This week: vs. Alabama. Our Pick; See above)

4. Florida International 0-1. Another crappy directional Florida school who has been in the toilet since inexplicably firing Mario Cristobal. And now they've picked a fight with the Miami Herald over their beat writer. We are betting on the beat writer to win. (This Week: vs. Wagner. Our Pick: Wagner 17, FIU 13)

3. UMass 0-1. They've been on our list for going on 3-seasons. And no sign of that changing soon. They have a QB named Fronhapel so they can't be all bad, right? Ha! (This Week vs. Colorado. Our Pick: Colorado 10, UMass 7)

2. Troy 0-1. Yes, Troy. A once proud Sun Belt team that's fallen on hard times. Wait, that sounds familiar. They got smoked by UAB last week. Yes, former Barrel team UAB. (This Week: vs. Duke. Our Pick: Duke 37, Troy 13)

1. Miami (OH) 0-1. The Redhawks are back. Oh yes they are. And they are badder than ever. Armed with a new coach, they hope to shake the MAC curse and lift themselves up...and out of the barrel. Good luck boys, you'll need it. (This Week: vs. E.Kentucky. Our Pick: Miami 31, EKY 17)

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: Familiar Stranger (Conference Final Week)

A little obscure, but a fitting start when trying to (a) summarize possibly the craziest college football week ever (this year) and what we can only hope is the end to an endless debate.

By now, if you follow college football at all, you know what happened in the Auburn/Alabama game. It's never happened before and may never happen again...



That overshadowed such bizarre occurrences such as Brady Hoke going for the 2-point conversion and not getting it as Michigan loses to Ohio State, Georgia beating Georgia Tech in Overtime and Family Guy killing off Brian...



Ouch!

But that's enough depression.

This week is Championship Saturday--for the most part and our final picks and poll of the year. And really, because we are just not very modest, we must boast of our greatness.

Last week, we were 9-4. But we're okay with that because Southern Miss and Hawaii actually won and lifted themselves out of Bottom of the Barrel obscurity. The total for the year: 151-25.



But enough of that. As the great Casey Kasem once said, it's "On with the countdown"...

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Florida State 12-0. So. We were right all along. This is your best team until proven otherwise. Or until Willie Meggs hands down an indictment. Ooooh...yeah, I said it. In all seriousness and Brother's Jon impending voice of doom taken into account, there's nobody better. They are deep, fast, physical and play defense. 'Nuff Said. This Week: ACC Championships vs. Duke. Our Pick: FSU 43, Duke 17

2) Ohio State 12-0. Yeah, I'm a little torn. But unlike most College Football fans in the south, I don't believe the SEC is the schizz this year. And as much as tOSU lucked out a few times, the fact is, they haven't lost. They'll face their toughest test to date this week. This Week: Big 10 Championship. Our Pick: tOSU 23, Mich. St. 21

3) Auburn 11-1. Ask any self-respecting Auburn fan if they thought they'd be here this season. The answer is no. But yet they are. The Tigers are young and will get better. Which should make you nervous. Luck is an awesome thing, but at some point that luck runs out. This Week: SEC Championship. Our Pick: Missouri 41, Auburn 37

4) Missouri 11-1. Bravo to Gary Pinkel and his charges. Possibly the most underrated team out there. Great job staying the course after James Franklin's injury. They've done everything asked of them this year and if not for Pinkel's brain fart vs. S.Carolina, this is your BCS title team. This Week: SEC Championships. Our Pick: see above

5) Alabama 11-1. Can't say the Tide didn't go out without a fight, but geez, the Great Saban made a couple of what in retrospect could be called "odd" decisions. We've said all along this is not his best or most talented team and turns out we were right. This Week: Bowl Game

6) Oklahoma State 11-1. Wait a minute, did someone ask if Mike Gundy was a Van Gundy brother. Oh...sorry, I heard that wrong. My bad. Though it would be funny if he were a short, overweight, balding guy with a Ron Jeremy mustache. Ha! This Week: vs. Oklahoma. Our Pick: Okie St. 31, Oklahoma 23.

7) Stanford 10-2. So, 10 wins and a spot in the Pac-12 title game. And the season was a bit of a disappointment. Wow! Talk about your expectations. But really, we bit too. We thought they were Alabama east. A bad loss to Utah and a loss to USC cost them dearly. This Week: PAC-12 Championships. Our Pick: Arizona St. 37, Stanford 27 UPSET!

8) Michigan St. 11-1. It didn't start pretty for Sparty, but low and behold, they have a say in the BCS title matchup. Something tells us every CFB fan south of Kentucky and east of Texas will be pulling for them to beat Ohio State. And they'll come close. This Week: Big 10 Championship. Our Pick: see #2

9) Arizona St. 10-2. Talk about flying under the radar. Nobody thought these guys were serious beginning the year. But the wayward traveller Todd Graham may actually know what he's doing. Go figure. This Week: Pac-12 Championship. Our Pick: see #7

10) Northern Illinois 12-0. Cinderella, meet the rest of the world. Those of us in the know, yeah, we've known how good you are. Yeah, we're talking about you Jordan Lynch. 321 yds rushing last week. For a QB. 22 passing TD's, 20 running. Your best player in america. Right here guys. This Week: MAC Championships. Our Pick: N.Illinois 47, Bowling Green 31

11) Oregon 10-2. Geez, talk about limping home. Losers 2 of the final three and barely escaping Oregon State. Guys, everyone thought you were better than that. But they may have been wrong. Still, too much talent to dismiss. But hey, there's always next year again. This Week; Bowl Game

12) Duke 10-2. They get the nod because really, who out there actually thought the Blue Devils would be in the ACC title game? Anyone? If this doesn't prove David Cutcliffe is a miracle worker, nothing will. And he's one of the nicest coaches we've ever met too. This Week: See #1

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



And so winds up the last of our dreaded poll. The worst of the worst. The teams who everyone wants to play. Well, sort of.

Special shout out to Southern Miss and Hawaii for their big wins last week. We wish you nothing but success and hope you never end up here again....

5) Florida 4-8. This was just sad guys. Yeah, sure, we know you had injuries, but so did everyone else. Your biggest injury may have been coaching your offense. Though it may take years to recover from the poor recruiting on that side of the ball. Karma is a bit of a bitch...ain't she...

4) Florida International 1-11. It's over now. You can stop watching. This team was every bit as bad as you'd think they'd be and that in no way shape or form is a compliment. They averaged 9.8 points a game. Really. They did. We didn't know Ron Turner was the coach until later in the year, but that explains a lot of this. Good luck in 2018.

3) Idaho 1-11. No potatoes for you! It's hard to look past a game where you gave up 80. Sure, it was FSU, but still. Have some pride. Somehow you beat Temple, but never threatened anyone else. Pity poor Paul Petrino, the likeable Petrino brother. Maybe he's not cut out for this head coach thing. Or maybe he inherited some crappy talent. Only time will tell.

2) Georgia St. 0-12. So, Panther fan, how are you enjoying life in FCS level football? Yeah, thought so. Most teams wait until they have some lower level success before moving up to the big time, but not these guys. And, well, they paid the price. Trent Miles is a good coach and we expect respectability here, it just may take a couple years.

1) Miami (OH) 0-12. Congratulations Red Hawks fan. You win the 2013 B.O.B trophy. Your own toilet bowl. But hey, at least you found a new head coach, Chuck Martin, former O.C at Notre Dame. So what if the Irish offense hasn't been that great the past few years, at least the credentials sound good on paper. Let's see if you can defend your title in 2014.

So the season, as we know it, comes to an end. It was a good, if somewhat uneventful season and we say that knowing full well what happened last week.

This will be the final year of ours and your favorite College Football thing--the BCS, next year the playoff begins. We'll be back. And we'll be ready to roll. We hope you are too....

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: I Thought Turkey's Could Fly

If you have no idea about this or what it is....look up WKRP in Cincinnati, a TV show from the early 1980's. If you do that, the above video will be very funny.

Kinda like those of us who actually bought into the Baylor Bears...or the Oregon Ducks. By now you know Baylor blew their BCS opportunity after getting hammered by Oklahoma State last week. That overshadowed flashy media darlings Oregon, who coming off a loss to Stanford decided that it wasn't worth showing up to play Arizona.

But enough of that. It's Thanksgiving. Rivalry week. The week you get to talk trash and say mean things about other teams.

((Note--I said plenty about my Georgia Southern Eagles over the past few days. I stopped laughing on Tuesday))



And we aren't laughing about this week. The week where all of College Football will be focusing on the state of Alabama. (More in a minute)

Last Week: Okay, we struggled. A little. 13-2. That makes us 142-21 on the season.



Yeah....

So, in the immortal words of Casey Kasem, it's "On with the Countdown"

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Florida State 11-0. As long as or until Jameis Winston is a free man, FSU is #1 in our book. They have crushed...everyone they've played. And young Mr. Winston, should he get in trouble, won't BE in trouble until after Thanksgiving. Or what's commonly known as AFTER the Florida game. This Week: at Florida. Our Pick: FSU 48, Florida 10

2) Alabama 11-0. Hmmmm....now we get to find out if they are REALLY the big dog or not. And yes, we know the past history. We just aren't convinced of this years version. Because much like Ohio State, the schedule, well, hasn't been impressive. This Week: at Auburn. Our Pick: Alabama 41, Auburn 37

3) Ohio St. 11-0. Yes, they talk lots of crazy talk about Michigan. Heck, Urbane Meyer even banned Sports Writers from wearing dark blue to practice. And yes, it's as childish as it sounded. Nothing seems to make the Buckeye's sphincters tighter than saying Michigan it appears. Lucky for them the Wolverines aren't very good. This Week: at Michigan. Our Pick: Ohio St 38, Michigan 23

4) Missouri 10-1 Well, they bounced back. The Tigers could easily be 11-0 and in the BCS title talk, but they gagged vs. South Carolina. They still may pay heavily for that. Still, this is a well balanced, strong team that we think will be good for many years to come. This Week: vs. Texas A&M. Our Pick: Mizzou 43, Johnny Football's 34

5) Auburn 10-1. Talk about being on a roll. The week off most certainly will help the Tigers, who are still catching their breath after the Georgia win 2 weeks ago. We do think they have a punchers chance this week since the Iron Bowl is at their place. Though we do think this is the week where luck runs out. This Week: See #2

6) Oklahoma St. 10-1. Yay for the Fighting Gundy's. He may be a man and he may be 46 now, but this also arguably may be his best, but not most talented team. They totally dominated Baylor last week. In every way. Gotta make it last another week. This Week: vs. Oklahoma. Our Pick: Okie St. 31, OU 23

7) Clemson 10-1. Say this for Clemson. They are resilient. They started oh, so well and aside from totally laying an egg vs. Florida State, they've won everything else. Though some of the games have been too close for comfort. This Week: at South Carolina. Our Pick: South Carolina 33, Clemson 27.

8) South Carolina 10-2. Again, they haven't been impressive, but they keep winning. If not for the narrow escape at Missouri and UCF, they'd be 8-4 and not even in this conversation. But instead, they still have a shot at the SEC title. We'll see if that actually happens. This Week: See #9

9) Northern Illinois 11-0. Undefeated. Yes, they are undefeated. So they get to be in OUR poll. And they have the guy who SHOULD win the Heisman, Jordan Lynch (he won't). They still may sneak into the BCS, which would be VERY interesting. This Week: vs. W.Michigan. Our Pick: N.Illinois 47, W.Michigan 23

10) Fresno St. 10-0. The Bulldogs have their own worthy Heisman contender in Derek Carr. 39 passing TD's this season. Yes please. However, they won't get a BCS shot unless Northern Illinois loses. Which is unfortunate. You really should watch them play. This Week: at San Jose St. Our Pick: Fresno St. 43, San Jose St. 27.

11) Stanford 9-2. So, they got beat by USC 2 weeks ago. Not a bad loss. At least not as bad as the Utah loss. Still, don't underestimate the Tree. They could beat a lot of teams ranked above or near them. But we'll never find out. At least not this season. This Week: vs. Notre Dame. Our Pick: Stanford 33, Notre Dame 21

12) Michigan St. 10-1. Finally another Big 10 team steps up to the plate. The Spartans got off to a rough start, though the defense never waned. If not for a hiccup with Notre Dame, they'd be in a different group too. And facing off with Ohio State in the conference title game, still gives them a shot. This Week: vs. Minnesota. Our Pick: Michigan St. 27, Minnesota 10

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL



5) Florida 4-7. Yeah, we could have gone the easy route with some winless teams. But why? Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha! You lost to my alma mater. You will never live this down. EVER! The Tebow seems like he graced you with his presence decades ago now, doesn't he? So sorry. This Week: see above #1

4) Hawaii 0-10. Give them credit, they didn't quit. Losing to Wyoming last week in OT is not embarrasing.



But poor Norm Chow, once the most respected offensive coach in all of College Football. Now he's overseeing this. Wah, wah, wah! This Week: vs. Army. Our Pick: Army 34, Hawaii 28

3) Georgia State 0-11. Again, nice effort. If not for a missed 2-pt conversion, the Panthers may have escaped our little list. But alas, Arkansas State escaped with the victory. This Week: vs South Alabama. Our Pick: Ga.State 31, S.Alabama 21 UPSET!!

2) Miami (OH). oh and 11. Thank god it ends on Friday. No, not the world silly, the Redhawks season. One that to them probably seems like it started in 2003. They did reach double figures 5 times this season. So there is that. This Week: at Ball St. Our Pick: Ball St. 44, Miami (OH) 7

1) Southern Miss. 0-11. Oh, wither the poor Golden Eagles. Another season, no wins. Maybe a win in 2014? The odds are in your favor. We think. Things certainly can't get much worse. Can they? This Week: vs. UAB. Our Pick: UAB 20, S.Miss 13

And so we come to the end of another season. Yes, there will be a final poll and conference title picks--but that will be it. And then there will be the bowl games.

Enjoy your turkey, enjoy your football and enjoy your holiday travel. We'll see you next week....