CFB Week 10 Recap: What Do We Know?

Nov 6, 2011

The titanic tilt between LSU and Alabama played out exactly as we thought it would – a defensive struggle where points were at a premium and bone-jarring hits were plentiful.

The Tigers’ 9-6 overtime victory over the mistake-prone Crimson Tide, coupled with Oklahoma State’s 52-45 heart-stopper over Kansas State, gave us a definitive 1-2 in the new BCS standing; the Cowboys leapt over Bama and Stanford to capture the coveted second slot and, temporarily, the BCS championship bid that goes with it.

But other than the indisputable fact that LSU is the best team in the country, and the Tigers and Cowboys have about as much in common as Kim Kardashian and Chris Humphries, what did the outcomes this weekend really tell us?

Basically that nothing has been decided, but the groundwork has been laid for an awesome November of college football action.

As I mentioned above, the one thing we did learn this weekend was that LSU is the best team in the country. Period.

I don’t care how ugly, sloppy or boring their three-point victory was, the fact is the Tigers went into Tuscaloosa, held Bama to just six points (thanks to four missed FGs) and they have now knocked off six ranked teams this season, including #2 (Bama ) and then No. 3 (Oregon).

All that stands between the Bayou Bengals and the BCS title game is a pair of patsies (Western Kentucky & Ole Miss) and a scrappy but inferior Arkansas squad. After that, the Tigers can dispose of Georgia or South Carolina in the SEC Championship game, and then it’s off to NOLA for a post-New Year’s party on Bourbon Street with a foe to be determined.

As for the Cowboys, what we learned about them is they have an awesome offense and absolutely no defense, a bad formula for a potential championship team.

Is OK St. exciting to watch? Absolutely. That nail biter against the Wildcats on Saturday had more twists and turns and scares than an episode of American Horror Story.

But in order to even get to the title game, the Cowboys have to get by Texas Tech and Iowa Statet, and then defeat rival Oklahoma on December 3rd.

The Sooners remained at #6 in the BCS standings with a 41-25 win over Texas A&M, but they lost all-everything wide reciver Ryan Broyles for the season with an ACL injury, which could really hurt them in what is sure to be an offensive track meet in Stillwater.

#4Stanford is the other team gaining attention as a contender, but a weak schedule and lackluster victories like thier 38-13 snoozer over a horrible Oregon State team this weekend make it hard for me – or many pundits – to hop on the Cardinal bandwagon.

If Stanford were to beat the dangerous Ducks this weekend, however, then the tree will have a real stake at claiming a title game spot should another contender falter.

And speaking of other contenders, what about poor Boise State? The Broncos reeled off another ho-hum victory this weekend, Kellen Moore became the all-time wins leader, and yet the Broncs have about as much chance of making it to New Orleans as Justin Bieber impregnating a young groupie.

In other words, just because you might hear talk about it, don’t believe it for a minute.

So even though the BCS picture became a bit clearer this weekend, and some contenders separated themselves from the pack, the real postseason picture won’t be painted until after December 3rd.

Between now and then, every one of the top 8 teams will play a difficult game that could make or break their season.

But if I were a betting man, I would pencil in LSU as one half of the title game participants.

If there’s one thing this weekend showed me, it’s that the road to the 2011 national championship goes through the Bayou Bengals.