Thursday Thoughts, Week Five

Big XII
The team playing Nebraska in the final Big XII Championship Game will be decided this weekend.  Texas and Oklahoma meet in the best rivalry game in college football.  Every year, they play at a neutral site.  The game is played during the Texas State Fair.  A lot of the guys involved were high school teammates or rivals.  Two great coaches.  Two great programs.  Texas may have been stunned at home last weekend by UCLA, but Oklahoma has almost been stunned at home by Utah State and Air Force, and on the road against Cincinnati.  I know A&M, Tech, and OK State are improved, but the winner of this game essentially has a two-game lead in the division over the other.  Texas winning this game would help out the little guys in their quest for a National Championship.  For Boise's sake, Hook'Em Horns.

Big Ten
Finally, we get to see if Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin, or Michigan State are for real.  Maybe.  Iowa and Penn State have each played one tough opponent and lost.  Iowa blew out severely inferior competition besides that.  Penn State needed a late TD to beat Temple at home.
Wisconsin and Michigan State have yet to be tested.  Michigan State won't even leave the state of Michigan for a game until mid-October.  Notre Dame is the only potential bowl team they've played so far, and they're 1-3.  Wisconsin has at least played A road game, at UNLV.  Their only decisive victory game against a bad FCS school.
Ohio State plays its first road game.  Undefeated Northwestern (go Wildcats) takes its undefeated record on the road to the struggling Golden Gophers of Minnesota.  Michigan's secondary gets tested against pass-happy Indiana.
At least Michigan State will be cooked within the next two weekends.  I expect Iowa to follow shortly after them.  K, so maybe I hope both of those schools meet that fate, instead of actually believing it.  This thing might actually come down to Michigan-Ohio State again.  Though Wisconsin will certainly want to stake its claim as well.

Pac 10
The Pac 10 team representing the conference in the BCS will be decided this weekend when Stanford travels to Autzen to take on Oregon.  Not that Arizona couldn't go, but with USC unavailable to attend the Rose Bowl this season, I think the winner of this game has a serious leg-up on the competition, and remains in the hunt for a National Championship.  Also, Arizona has to travel to both Stanford and Oregon later this season, with those games sandwiching a home game against USC.  Not likely that the Wildcats represent.

SEC
If Florida finds a way to win at Alabama, they all but clinch the East division.  They'll be 3-0 with 1-loss South Carolina as the only likely challenger, who goes to the Swamp in November (and who also has the 3 best teams from the West on the schedule in Bama and Arkansas, and already lost to Auburn).
Alabama isn't quite so lucky though.  They still have to travel to South Carolina and LSU this season, then they get Auburn at season's end in the Iron Bowl.  Plus, Auburn and LSU are both 2-0 in conference play.  Auburn already beat their only "challenge" from the East in South Carolina and get both LSU and Arkansas at home.  LSU still has to play at Florida, Auburn, and Arkansas.

ACC
Big game between NC State and Virginia Tech this weekend.  Or at least as big as it gets in the ACC.

Big East
Hasn't played a meaningful game in a few years now.  Connecticut can flex its muscles at home against Vanderbilt.  But I wouldn't bet on it...