The first two weekends featured a lot of favorites winning (very few upsets...and my Hokies over Ohio State happened to be one of them!!!), but with surprisingly close scores against lesser competition. Will that trend continue into Week 3, as some teams really get rolling? Let's take a look at five games without the high profile but with the potential to help shape the season.
Toledo at Cincinnati
Welcome to 2014, Bearcats! Due to a scheduling quirk, Cincinnati's season begins this Friday. Toledo, meanwhile, comes off a loss against Missouri that wasn't particularly close (though it may provide some lessons that can only be taught through game action). The Bearcats are one of the favorites to nab the "Group of 5" spot in the New Year's Six bowls, but they had better watch out for those opening game jitters that might just let the Rockets hang in there.
Syracuse at Central Michigan
Another opportunity for the MAC to make some noise, this time hosting a team from the ACC. Syracuse had a bye last week, which hopefully (for their sake) allowed them to learn some things from their Week 1 near-loss to FCS Villanova. CMU, meanwhile, put up an impressive performance and dominated the Big Ten's Purdue. Next up for the Chippewas: at Kansas. Could Central Michigan pull off the hat trick and beat three power conference teams (albeit horrible ones) in a row?
Kansas at Duke
A matchup of Power Conference teams, though both with the greater power in basketball. A few years ago, Kansas was not far removed from an Orange Bowl season - they hosted Duke in 2009 and dominated the game as expected. This time around, Duke is only one season removed from its first-ever 10-win season and is seen once again as a legitimate Coastal Division contender - and they are a sizable favorite against the visiting Jayhawks. This game could be a great example of how in college football, the tables can turn so greatly in just a few years. A Duke win would also mark a perfect 2-0 for the ACC against the Big 12...not too shabby!
Iowa State at Iowa
Similar to the Big Ten last week, this week it's the Big 12 that faces several opportunities for success (or failure) against other Power Conference teams. After losing to North Dakota State in Week 1 by 20 points, I was ready to write Iowa State off for dead. Instead, the Cyclones showed great resolve in a close loss to Kansas State. Iowa, meanwhile, has pulled off ugly wins against Northern Iowa and Ball State. It's an in-state rivalry, an elimination game of sorts for Iowa State, and a chance for Iowa to take a step up toward showing the rest of the Big Ten West that it might indeed contend with Nebraska and Wisconsin.
Penn State at Rutgers
With Penn State now free from its sanctions, I'm more interested in seeing HOW the Nittany Lions perform with postseason implications on the line. Last year, Penn State lost to UCF and Indiana before going on a roll against Michigan and Wisconsin. With a fresh life, just how will they do against a Rutgers team that has done somewhat well themselves in the first two weeks? The Scarlet Knights begin Big Ten play from its next-state neighbor, and I'm sure both teams will be pumped. An Eastern Division dark horse just might be in the mix, and this game could help provide an early spark.
No comments:
Post a Comment