COLLEGE FOOTBALL - WEEK 8

This is shaping up to be a crazy year in College Football - I am thinking it is not done yet.

1)  Bret Bielema owes me some heart medicine.  Wisconsin's thrilling win over Iowa gives them back-to-back victories over the pre-season favorites in the Big 10.  Once again, nothing too fancy, except for a perfectly executed fake punt.  The defense made timely stops and Bielema appears to be out-coaching people now.  It is good to see an opposing coach mis-manage the clock.  Considering the injuries, I think you have to give this coaching staff credit for having guys ready to play.  If they are ready for 4 more weeks and even a little healthier, they should be able to run the table.  Hopefully they can carry the confidence forward.

2)  Ok, Kirk Ferentz, you messed up and used your last time-out.  Don't you run a sideline roll-out or something where if nothing is there you just throw it out-of-bounds?  I thought it was a curious play choice.  Obviously hindsight is 20/20.

3)  It is the year of the fake in the Big 10 this year.  Michigan State used a second fake kick to launch it to victory and remain undefeated.  But the biggest fake is Terrelle Pryor's sense of reality.  "Not to take anything away from Wisconsin at all - I really don't want it to come off like this - but they weren't better than us," the quarterback said according to the Columbus Dispatch as it came off just like that. "Everybody knows that if we play nine out of 10 times, we'd beat Wisconsin."  Well, Terrelle, they kicked your butt once.  Oh, and the last 10 times Ohio State and Wisconsin have played - the series is tied 5-5.  Shut up Terrelle!!

4)  The Boise State hit-list gets smaller and smaller, but they remain #3 in the BCS rankings.  With all the craziness, an undefeated Boise State looks like a better shot at that National Championship.  Oregon, Michigan State and Missouri have tough road tests this week that could end their unbeaten seasons.  Auburn still has Alabama looming, although if neither loses before that game, the winner sure looks like a BCS favorite.  All in all, Boise has to be pretty happy, although games against Hawaii, Fresno State and Nevada loom for the Broncos.

5)  Not everything in my College Football Blogs this year has been spot on, but in Week 2, I made two good calls.  First, that Oregon is really, really good.  Second, that no Big 12 team would go undefeated.  Missouri, show me I am wrong.

6)  Is anyone paying attention to Utah?

7)  I smile when I see Navy beat Notre Dame.

8)  Cam Newton is the Heisman clubhouse leader.  I must admit, doing it against LSU is impressive.

9)  Jabesblog Top 5 this week - 1)  Oregon  2)  Auburn  3)  Boise State/TCU  4)  Michigan State  5)  Missouri

10)  Bucky is off this week, but Badger fans will be glued on Iowa City for a second week in a row.  Michigan State faces their last stiff test (a season-ender at Penn State is not as treacherous as once thought) in their quest to an undefeated season.  Hopefully Mr. Ferentz has a learned a thing or two about fake kicks and clock management.

11)  Big road tests also await other top teams - #1 Oregon plays at a #24 USC team that is two late field goals from being undefeated.  #7 Missouri has to do it two weeks in a row as they go to Lincoln and tussle with #14 Nebraska.  Even #3 Auburn at Mississippi has to be monitored.  There is a good chance that at least 2, maybe 3 more top 10 teams will go down this week.  Glad the Badgers are on the couch.