Crossing the 50
BYU had 8 meaningful trips into CSU territory. They fumbled twice and scored touchdowns on the other 6 for 42 points scored in 8 trips. BYU is doing much better at finishing drives. Which begs the question: is it BYU improving or is it the competition getting worse? The answer in that question possibly lies in Utah State and Colorado State. These are two similar teams, and BYU played both on the road. BYU got clobbered by one, BYU demolished the other. I realize this isn't the greatest of comparisons: rivalry game, attendance, CSU was already eliminated from bowl consideration, etc. It's the best we have, and BYU has improved dramatically. And trust me: there are a lot of CSU fans that hate BYU as much as Utah State fans do!
Sackcloth and Ashworth
I have been very hard on Luke Ashworth this season, with good reason I would like to say. However, the man deserves some props for stepping up the past 3 games for BYU. He has 14 catches, 253 yards, and 6 TDs in that span. After an atrocious first half to the year, he is turning in a phenomenal second half of the season. Someone needed to step up amongst the receivers and he was it. Way to go, Luke Ashworth!
Pac 12 Looking Scarier By The Minute
Notre Dame would be a mid-level Pac 12 team. At best. Its defense probably wouldn't even qualify as mid-level. This past weekend, however, they completely dominated Utah's offense, fully stocked with playmakers at RB, WR, and PR/KR. Next year, Utah's top 2 RBs graduate. Their leading WR graduates. 2 OL graduate. Their feared return man graduates. And news today is that the heir apparent at RB, Sausan Shakerin, has suffered a career-ending injury. They are entering the Pac 12 with some serious depth issues at the skill positions on offense. In other bad news: their left tackle, John Cullen, got worked most of the afternoon against Notre Dame. He is supposed to be their best returning OL next season...
TCU-Boise State Continued
Well, I continue to stay on the "Boise State will pass TCU in the BCS standings by season's end if both keep winning" wagon. Last week, all of the experts said it couldn't be done. However, this week, some of them have decided to stop being so overdramatic and sensationalistic and realize the possibility certainly exists. TCU lost 6% in the computer polls, 1.3% in the Harris Poll, and 1.5% in the Coaches Poll. Being idle this week means they will probably lose even more ground this week in polls and computers. Playing New Mexico the following week will further weaken their computer numbers, regardless of how much they win by. And that game cannot help them in the polls, it can only hurt them. Remember, Oregon beat them 72-0, so TCU would have to top that!
Computer by computer, Boise State has a good chance to catch up in the computers as TCU's score drops, assuming that Boise State's scores will improve, which they should with 3 more wins. In the Anderson & Hester computer ranking, 11-0 TCU is 4th and 9-0 Boise State 5th. With two extra wins in hand, TCU is only one spot ahead of Boise State. Boise State will take the lead in this ranking.
In the Richard Billingsley ranking, TCU is currently 1st ahead of Oregon and Auburn, with Boise State in 4th. Boise State may not gain any ground, but TCU will certainly lose ground, dropping to 3 if Oregon and Auburn keep winning. If TCU stays ahead, it is by 1 at the most.
In the Colley Matrix ranking, TCU is 3rd, Boise State is 6th. Oregon is 4th and is sure to pass TCU, where Oklahoma State is 5th and will either win out and pass TCU or lose and Boise State moves up. If TCU stays ahead, it is by 1 at the most.
In the Kenneth Massey ranking, TCU is 5th, Boise State is 7th. Boise State has a good chance to pass TCU in this one. As with the previous rankings, if TCU stays ahead, it is by 1 at the most.
In the Jeff Sagarin ranking (which is dropped by both schools since it is their worst ranking), TCU is 6th, Boise State is 12th. Boise State may not even come close to catching TCU in this one, but if this is Boise State's worst score, it won't matter.
In the Peter Wolfe ranking, TCU is 3rd, Boise State is 8th. Boise State probably won't catch TCU here either: maintaining a gap of 5 in this ranking is TCU's best chance at staying ahead of Boise State in the overall BCS standings. However, OK State and Nebraska are nestled between the two, and one of them MUST lose before the season is over, so the gap cannot stay at 5.
Given that TCU's lead over Boise State in the computer polls will shrink this week, then the next week, and the following week as well, and that they are likely to lose ground in the human polls with each Boise State win, I do not see any chance that TCU stays ahead of Boise State, should both finish 12-0. I am sticking with my answer. I think after this next weekend, even more of the "experts" will agree with me. Last week, they all said "impossible." I love being right! What a bunch of homers the experts turned out to be. Again. The same experts that all picked an Alabama-Ohio State National Championship game...it's quite likely that neither of them will even make a BCS game.
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