In other games, Kent State plays Deleware State and Temple travels to Connecticut.
You know that feeling in Tetris where you build a perfect mound of blocks on the left, leaving a huge pipe open for a long stick, and you wait and wait for that piece to come, and just when you're running out of time, you clog the opening with an ell-piece, then the long stick finally shows up, and you're screwed? That's exactly what happened to MWC teams last week. (Don't question the metaphor.)
They could have cleaned up against the power conferences, notably three top 10 teams. They were all within striking distance in the fourth quarter. UNLV had a late lead on No. 5 Wisconsin. Colorado State was only down six to No. 10 California. And TCU, essentially the Mountain West's top bower card, was tied with No. 7 Texas headed into the final frame.
But Wisconsin slammed the door with a go-ahead touchdown with less than two minutes to spare, escaping Las Vegas with a 20-14 win. Cal struck quickly with two consecutive touchdowns, and a comeback by the Rams wasn't enough in a 34-28 Cal victory. And Texas poured it on in the fourth, outscoring TCU 24-3 to win 34-13.
That's more aggravating than starting off a Tetris game with three straight z-pieces.
In fact, the league only had two victories, one being a conference game. Air Force pulled off a room temperature upset, winning 20-12 on the road. And Wyoming went to 2-0 with a win over hapless Utah State.
The tough schedule continues. Utah hosts No. 11 UCLA (who, I failed to mention, beat Mountain West denizen BYU by 10 points last week), Wyoming plays a pissed off Boise State team, UNLV hosts the Haka happy No. 24 Hawaii, San Diego State skitters off to Arizona State, and New Mexico buses over to play the U. of Arizona. Then in conference games, TCU played Air Force, and Air Force played TCU. It should be noted that those last two games are in fact the same game and occurred Thursday night, and was meant to signify that the game is crucial to both teams' chances. That and I accidentally typed it out that way, but I liked the way it looked so I kept it.
So last week, what did we see? We saw a unranked Oregon team look like superstars against Michigan. We saw California work out a marginal win against a team they should have put to the flame. And we saw USC... oh wait, no we didn't. So what do we have up this week?
Article comments
1 - Jerkwheat
I have to disagree with the sentiment that Alabama is better top-to-bottom than Arkansas. This is probably Nutt's most talented overall team since he has been there. Dick wasn't quite as bad as his numbers indicated against Troy, but all he has to be is average. Overall though, these two teams are about as even as could be. I can't wait to watch it. I expect to be throwing things at my tv and cursing Nick Saban by 7:25.
Plus, simple math shows that 1 Darren McFadden>100 Everyone Elses
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
For whatever reason, I'm really intrigued by that Michigan State-Pittsburgh game.
Eastern Michigan will upset NIU, putting at least one Washtenaw County team in the win column.
3 - Jerkwheat
I agree on State-Pitt. I expect it to be one of the better matchups of the day. That said, while State and Pitt are playing, my tv will be focused on the Chippewas and Purdue. I don't imagine I'll get to see DAN (not David) LeFevour too many more times on tv this year.
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
Prediction: Purdue 61, Central Michigan 55
5 - Chris McVetta
Cleveland State 55, Michigan 3
Like Lt. Frank Drebin: "I know a great place for Viking food."
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
A nice, hearty point for Geeves on seeing the FAU upset.
7 - El Bicho
"All that said, Notre Dame takes this one is a messy affair."
You were one three letters off.
8 - Evan
football and all the other sports suck
9 - Evan
there is only one sport that i do like and thats pinball