Louisville (4-3) at UConn (5-1)
In years past, a matchup between a 5-1 team and a 4-3 team might have pitted the top two teams in the conference against each other. Now, its a battle between teams #5 and #6. Both teams are desperate to make the leap to the next level. UConn played a tough game with Virginia last week before suffering their first loss. Louisville found their niche, playing the role of spoiler (to Cincy) rather than as the favorite. I say that trend continues.
Prediction: Louisville 38, UConn 28
#23 Cincinnati (6-1) at Pittsburgh (2-4)
Last week's loss to Louisville got Cincy off the mainstream radar and back where they belong, lurking the shadows of the Big East ready to pounce on anyone stupid enough not to see them coming. Thus enters Pittsburgh, whose ineptitude would be the worst in the conference if not for their little orange friends to the north.
Prediction: Cincy 31, Pitt 10
Mississippi State (4-3) at #9 West Virginia (5-1)
Much like how last year West Virginia beat Rutgers and opened the door for Louisville to win the Big East, Rutgers may have done the same for them this year by beating South Florida. First things first, a strange mid-season out-of-conference matchup with the Bulldogs. Miss St seems to handle the non-conference foes they've played just fine, its the SEC that gives them fits. But they haven't played any OCC opponents like West Virginia and the Mountaineers should cruise.
Prediction: West Virginia 27, Miss St 13
Buffalo (3-4) at Syracuse (1-6)
The Biggest Little Game In New York Football History has way more intrigue than a UB-SU game deserves to have. It is the game that could clinch Greg Robinson's departure (with a loss). It's also the game that could clinch Turner Gill's departure from Buffalo to Nebraska (with a win). This "gimme" game is now anything but for the Orange but as bad as things have gotten for the Orange lately, this would be the absolute bottom of the barrel.
As DOCTOR Daryl Gross continues to trumpet the Orange as New York's Team, he had to have been dying inside watching the Rutgers game last night, with its many shots of the NY skyline and on-site interviews with NYC superstars Michael Strahan and David Wright, wondering how many more taxicab billboards it would take to reverse this. Now he has to look to this Saturday when "New York's Team" may very well lose at home to an in-state team from a lower conference. Point is, there's more riding on this game than just the score.
Buffalo has better offensive numbers than the Orange (85th vs. 116th), better defensive numbers (75th vs. 114th) and better time of possession numbers (49th vs. 116th). They're led offensively by RB James Starks, who is 10th in the country in scoring with 12 touchdowns. But how much of that is against lesser competition? Only one way to tell and we'll find out this weekend.
Prediction: Syracuse 28, Buffalo 24
In years past, a matchup between a 5-1 team and a 4-3 team might have pitted the top two teams in the conference against each other. Now, its a battle between teams #5 and #6. Both teams are desperate to make the leap to the next level. UConn played a tough game with Virginia last week before suffering their first loss. Louisville found their niche, playing the role of spoiler (to Cincy) rather than as the favorite. I say that trend continues.
Prediction: Louisville 38, UConn 28
#23 Cincinnati (6-1) at Pittsburgh (2-4)
Last week's loss to Louisville got Cincy off the mainstream radar and back where they belong, lurking the shadows of the Big East ready to pounce on anyone stupid enough not to see them coming. Thus enters Pittsburgh, whose ineptitude would be the worst in the conference if not for their little orange friends to the north.
Prediction: Cincy 31, Pitt 10
Mississippi State (4-3) at #9 West Virginia (5-1)
Much like how last year West Virginia beat Rutgers and opened the door for Louisville to win the Big East, Rutgers may have done the same for them this year by beating South Florida. First things first, a strange mid-season out-of-conference matchup with the Bulldogs. Miss St seems to handle the non-conference foes they've played just fine, its the SEC that gives them fits. But they haven't played any OCC opponents like West Virginia and the Mountaineers should cruise.
Prediction: West Virginia 27, Miss St 13
Buffalo (3-4) at Syracuse (1-6)
The Biggest Little Game In New York Football History has way more intrigue than a UB-SU game deserves to have. It is the game that could clinch Greg Robinson's departure (with a loss). It's also the game that could clinch Turner Gill's departure from Buffalo to Nebraska (with a win). This "gimme" game is now anything but for the Orange but as bad as things have gotten for the Orange lately, this would be the absolute bottom of the barrel.
As DOCTOR Daryl Gross continues to trumpet the Orange as New York's Team, he had to have been dying inside watching the Rutgers game last night, with its many shots of the NY skyline and on-site interviews with NYC superstars Michael Strahan and David Wright, wondering how many more taxicab billboards it would take to reverse this. Now he has to look to this Saturday when "New York's Team" may very well lose at home to an in-state team from a lower conference. Point is, there's more riding on this game than just the score.
Buffalo has better offensive numbers than the Orange (85th vs. 116th), better defensive numbers (75th vs. 114th) and better time of possession numbers (49th vs. 116th). They're led offensively by RB James Starks, who is 10th in the country in scoring with 12 touchdowns. But how much of that is against lesser competition? Only one way to tell and we'll find out this weekend.
Prediction: Syracuse 28, Buffalo 24