College football: Week 7

The Hoos start to spiral, Hokies face a longtime foe, and this weekend’s watch picks.

October 9, 2013; 9:43 AM • by Ross Catrow

Highlights & Recaps

• Virginia Tech over UNC, 27-17. Boom! Hokie offense, Hokie defense, and even Hokie special teams. This was as well-rounded a game that Virginia Tech has put together in the last two seasons. However, if they want to keep winning they’ll need to get some better run blocking out of their young offensive line.
• Ball State over Virginia, 48-27. Yikes.
• #4 Ohio State over #16 Northwestern, 40-30. Sure OSU beat a ranked opponent by 10 points…OR DID THEY. I mean, not really? They capitalized on a bunch of Northwestern’s mistakes and picked up a safety in the final second of the game. I maintain that this Buckeye team is not as good as they look. OH I MAINTAIN IT.
• #6 Georgia over Tennessee, 34-31. This would have been the big upset of the weekend if poor, poor Alton Howard hadn’t fumbled the ball out of the end zone while stretching for a touchdown in overtime. Someone get this guy a sports psychologist.

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Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh

ESPNU • 12:00 PM • VT -9.0

The Hokies take on the Panthers–a team they have lost to the past four times (dating back to 2001). This game terrifies me, and I’m glad it’s in Blacksburg. On paper the Hokies should have it in the bag: their offense is improving, the defense is world-class, and the special teams aren’t committing ten million blunders per game. But something about Pittsburg confounds Virginia Tech.

If Logan Thomas continues his improved play and the wide receivers catch the ball, things will go Tech’s way. If the passing game stalls, and the Hokies are forced to run the ball it will be a long afternoon in Blacksburg.

Virginia vs. Maryland

ESPNU • 3:30 PM • MD -7.0

Florida State hung 63 points on the Terps and shut them out for the first time since…Virginia did it in 2008. Meanwhile, UVA lost at home to MAC-favorite Ball State to the tune of 48-27. It wasn’t as bad as the score looks, as the Hoos suffered through plenty of self-inflicted damage: 13 penalties for 93 yards and four turnovers.

Which team will recover from last week’s embarrassing loss first?

Neither of these teams look very good at the moment, but the game’s in College Park which probably gives the Terps the edge. Hold on Cav fans, things will probably just get worse from here on out.

Richmond vs. #19 JMU

3:30 PM • NBC Sports Network

Ugh. 2-3 and 0-1 in the CAA. This past weekend’s bye couldn’t have come at a better time. Saturday, the Spiders head out 64 to take on JMU, who sit on a 4-2, 1-1 record. Six games in and JMU has piled up a whopping 2,654 yards–442 yards per game. Richmond’s only allowing 343 per game, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Dukes’ offense handles things.

Oh, also, JMU r-Fr. linebacker Gage Steele was named the National Freshman of the Week for his 18-tackle performance against Albany. He’s definitely a dude to keep an eye on.

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National game of the week

• #2 Oregon at #16 Washington • 4:00 PM • FOX Sports 1

ACC game of the week

• #24 Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh • 12:00 PM • ESPNU

Worth watching

• #12 Oklahoma at Texas • 12:00 PM • ABC
• #10 LSU vs. #17 Florida • 3:30 PM • CBS
• #19 Northwestern at Wisconsin • 3:30 PM • EPSN2
• #9 Texas A&M at Ole Miss • 8:30 PM • ESPN

The Theoretical Playoff

Booooooring. No changes in the top four this week, although Oregon travels to #16 Washington. Alabama plays 1-4 Kentucky, Clemson takes on 3-2 Boston College, and Ohio State has a bye–so don’t expect too much to change next week, either.

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Clemson
4. Ohio State

October 9, 2013 9:43 AM 0