boomboomsroom

The latest AP Top 25 Poll is out.  But, it almost could be reprinted from last week.  There was very little change except one significant one.  Onto the Ten Piece Nuggets which we will keep pretty lean today.  Thanksgiving and stuffed turkey is near.

1.  Three of the top five won by convincingly beating  significantly inferior opponents.  Two won against good opponents.  Penn St. came to Columbus, Ohio as did College Game Day.  THE OSU helped Penn St back in, but won 28-17.   Texas A&M came to Athens, GA.  It was mostly rock em sock em defense as Georgia prevailed 19-13.
2.  LSU’s win over Ar-Kansas and Georgia’s win over A&M set up a # 1 v. #5 SEC Championship game in two weeks.  Of course they must take care of business this week for it to be a 1v 5 matchup.  LSU hosts the Aggies while Georgia stays in state busing down to Georgia Tech.  The Tigers are favored by 17 while Georgia is favored by 28.
3.  THE clinched the East BIG 10 Division and awaits the winner of the showdown this week in Madison, WI.  The Badgers host the Golden Gophers.   The winner of that contest wins the West BIG 10 Division.  It’s rivalry week across the fruited plains.  Ohio St has a date with Michigan.  Badgers, Gophers, Wolverines, and Buckeyes are three bad animals and one poisonous nut.  Whatever.
4.  Alabama sits at #5 while Utah moved up one to #6.  We suspect that the playoff committee will slot them that way as well.  They both have to win out and have a watchful eye on the traffic above.  Alabama struggled (ahem) to get by Western Carolina 66-3.  The Iron Bowl v hated Auburn awaits.  In a betting line that is sure to raise a few eyebrows Bama is only a 3 1/2 point road favorite.  Does a Bama win combined with a Georgia loss put the Crimson Tide back in the final four?  Probably.
5. Utah hosts Colorado and the Buffaloes stand in the way of a trip to the PAC 12 Championship game for Utah.  USC is done at 8-4 but only two of those losses are v PAC 12 opponents and they handed the Utes their only loss.  So, Utah must herd the Buffaloes to advance.  And, if they did, and knocked off two loss Oregon is that enough to jump Alabama into fourth should one of those above stumble?
6. It would give Utah a one more win and only one loss resume v Bama’s resume.  Bama needs to beat Auburn of course or the point is moot.  Utah is a big 29 point favorite over Colorado.
7.  Fear the Fork!  Oregon must not have feared it.  They went into Tempe with the same road to the playoffs hopes as described above for Utah.  They left Tempe with their second loss in hand.  The Sun Devils prevailed 31-28.  The Ducks lost more than a few feathers dropping from 6th all of the way down to 14th.  Rivalry week sends the Oregon St. Beavers to Eugene as 18 point underdogs.  At this point the Ducks can only win the rivalry game and play spoiler v. Utah in the conference championship game.
8.  Minnesota climbed back into the top 10 at #9.  What does a win at Wisconsin, then a BIG 10 Championship game win over THE, combined with a Utah loss, and a Georgia loss do for them?  Probably nothing.  But, impossible is nothing.
9.  Virginia Tech is playing solid late season football.  The Pittsburgh Panthers were shut out by the Hokies 28-0 on Saturday.  The Hokies entered the poll last week at #25 and moved up two to #23 this week.  In October and November Tech has six victories and a one point loss to Notre Dame to show for it’s efforts.  A season opening loss to woeful Boston College is way back in the rear view window now.  Tech is a team that you don’t want to draw in the bowl pairings.
10. Texas was smarter than everyone else they told us when they spurned overtures from the SEC when rival A&M joined.  Texas was smarter than everyone else they told us when the hired Tom Herman.  Tom Herman must be smarting after his pregame no helmet on headbutt of a player with a helmet on attempted to motivate the Longhorns v. Baylor.  Baylor won 24-10.  Texas hosts Texas Tech this weekend.  They need the win to insure a winning season as they stand currently at 6-5.  The Longhorns are a nine point favorite in a game that will be lost among other rivalry week games that are relevant and actually are rivalries.

Turkey is good.  Nuggets are better!