1. LSU TIGERS (6-0) – Despite many believing that LSU would beat Florida, I’m sure many didn’t predict the 30-point differential; the final score was a whopping 41-11. LSU looks like every bit of a national championship team so far this season, especially after this victory. Next up, they play the Tennessee Vols in a game that they should win.

2. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (6-0) – To no one’s surprise, the Vanderbilt Commodores were no match for Alabama. The Tide will face the Ole Miss Rebels in another SEC game on the 15^th. It’s beginning to look more and more like the National Champion will be whoever wins the SEC title.

3. WISCONSIN BADGERS (5-0) – The Badgers had a bi-week this past weekend, getting a little rest after routing Nebraska. They play another Big Ten game this weekend against the Indiana Hoosiers.

4. OKLAHOMA SOONERS (5-0) – If this past weekend’s game between Oklahoma and Texas was the last Red River Rivalry, let it be said that the Sooners got the last laugh, with a 55-17 beat down of the Longhorns. They look to move to a 6-0 record against the Kansas Jayhawks this weekend.

5. STANFORD CARDINAL (5-0) – The Cardinal had another big night this weekend, this time against the Colorado Buffs in a 48-7 Andrew Luck style-fest. They play the Washington State Cougars next.

6. BOISE STATE BRONCOS (5-0) – The Broncos are at that time in their schedule that critics love to mock. Nonetheless, Boise State smashed Fresno State 57-7 with ease and improved their record to 5-0. They face the Rams of Colorado State next.

7. CLEMSON TIGERS (6-0) – The Tigers handled the Boston College Eagles, 36-14, and now have their sights set on the Maryland Terrapins. Clemson is on a roll and can possibly content for a national championship if they stay focused and healthy.

8. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS (5-0) – Oklahoma State can light it up! They might have more firepower than the Sooners. The Cowboys beat Kansas by a margin of 70-28 and plan on doing the same thing to the Texas Longhorns. I hope Mack Brown is ready for a shootout at home.

9. OREGON DUCKS (4-1) – Nike’s favorite university got an impressive win over the Golden Bears of California, 43-15. Next they face Brock Osweiler and the Arizona State Sun Devils.

10. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (5-0) – Michigan showed defensive growth in their 42-24 win against Northwestern, but Denard Robinson needs to improve as a passer if they plan on contesting Illinois and Wisconsin for the Big Ten crown. They play against their in-state rivals Michigan State next.

11. ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS (5-1) – The Razorbacks dominated Gene Chizik’s Tigers, 38-14. They now have a bi-week before playing Ole Miss.

12. ILLINOIS FIGHTIN’ ILLINI (6-0) – Illinois played a solid game and managed a 41-20 win over Indiana. They will have to fight to stay undefeated against the Ohio State Buckeyes in another Big Ten rivalry game.

13. GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS (6-0) – GT beat Maryland in a close 21-16 victory. They take a trip up to the commonwealth of Virginia to play the Cavaliers of UVA next.

14. SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS (5-1) – Steve Spurrier and company established that they are playing with a chip on their shoulder, as they demolished Kentucky 54-3 and sent them to drown their sorrows in pints of bourbon. They look to hand a similar defeat to the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

15. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (5-1) – West Virginia landed a 43-16 win over UConn, but who didn’t expect that? There is a good chance that the results will be the same for WVU against Syracuse this weekend.

16. NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (5-1) – Pulled out a close 34-27 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes to get back on the winning track. They will play the troubled Minnesota Gophers this weekend in what will most likely be a walk in the park.

17. ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS (5-1) – ASU beat Utah 35-14 and now have a week to prepare for the test of their season, OREGON! This will be one of the must-watch games of the weekend.

18. VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (5-1) – The Hokies got a major confidence booster after their 38-35 win over the Miami Hurricanes. Now they have to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons fresh off of a big win against Florida State.

19. HOUSTON COUGARS (6-0) – We didn’t expect Houston to crush ECU 56-3, but it happened and the Cougars are a stunning 6-0. We’ll see how they play against Marshall this weekend.

20. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (5-1) – They landed a 13-3 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes and only have one loss. They go deeper into Big Ten competition against the Purdue Boilermakers this weekend.

21. MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (4-1) – The Spartans line up against their arch-nemesis Michigan Wolverines this week. Always a tough fight.

22. BAYLOR BEARS  (4-1) – They beat Iowa State 49-26 and will now try to stifle the powerful run attack of Texas A&M in a Big 12/Big Texas match-up.

23. SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS (4-1) – The Bulls are still contending for a Big East championship and would improve their chances with a win against UConn this weekend.

24. USC TROJANS (4-1) – The Trojans go head-to-head with UCal this weekend after a bi-week.

25. TEXAS LONGHORNS (4-1) – They lost by almost 40 points to the Oklahoma Sooners (55-17). While they have a chance to bounce back against Oklahoma State, it won’t be easy, especially considering with Cowboys’ coming off of a monumental win against Kansas.

[Picture from Wikimedia Commons]

Hank Williams, Jr. compared President Obama to Hitler, and now his song will no longer be played during ESPN Monday Night Football.

ESPN’s Monday Night Football recently announced that Hank Williams, Jr.’s famous MNF theme song “All My Rowdy Friends,” which has been a part of MNF since 1989, will no longer be played during games.

The announcement came after Williams made a controversial comment on “Fox & Friends” that connected Adolf Hitler and President Obama. He claimed that a gathering between the President and House speaker John Boehner was like “Hitler playing golf with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu.”

When asked to clarify, Williams said that President Obama and Vice-President Biden were “the enemy.” Due to his comments, ESPN pulled Williams from the opening of the Oct. 3^rd Monday night game. After that cancellation, it is unclear who made the final decision to permanently sever ties between the song and MNF. ESPN stated that “We have decided to part ways with Hank Williams Jr.” while Hank Williams, Jr. told the Associated Press in a statement that “I have made MY decision…By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It’s been a great run.”

Williams has won a Grammy and various other awards under his genre of country music. Now if only he could get his capitalization issues in line, perhaps he could earn a gold star in English class.

[Photo from Wikimedia Commons]

The season so far has been unpredictable and poetic. Who knew football could be so poignant?

This past weekend in college football was what many fans were waiting for. Nebraska learned that the Big Ten isn’t the Big 12, Virginia Tech learned that speed can only get you but so far, Boise State avenged their biggest loss of last season, and Clemson sent the country a message for the second straight week. We still have a lot of season to go, but so far it has been unpredictable and poetic – which is just how we like it.

1. LSU TIGERS (5-0) – Quarterback Jordan Jefferson made a successful return to LSU with a 35-7 pimp slapping of the Kentucky Wildcats. They can’t get happy yet though, because they are getting ready to play a Florida Gators team thirsty for a win.

2. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (5-0) – The Tide manhandled the Florida Gators in a 38-10 gator grilling down in the swamp. They have what seems to be an easier match this weekend with the Vanderbilt Commodores.

3. WISCONSIN BADGERS (5-0) – The Badgers gave Nebraska a royal welcome to the Big Ten with a 48-17 butt kicking. Husker coach Bo Pelini said he was embarrassed by the beating. The Badgers play the Hoosiers of Indiana on October 15th.

4. OKLAHOMA SOONERS (4-0) – The Sooners unsurprisingly smashed Ball State 62-6. They play the Texas Longhorns next, in what might be one of their last conference meetings.

5. STANFORD CARDINALS (4-0) – The Cardinals absolutely crushed UCLA 45-19. Need we say anymore??? They play the Colorado Buffaloes this Saturday, October 8th.

6. BOISE STATE BRONCOS (4-0) – The Broncos exacted revenge on Nevada with a convincing 30-10 win. Last season, Nevada beat the Broncos and knocked them out of National Championship contention. Boise has to play Fresno State next.

7. CLEMSON TIGERS (5-0) – The SEC landed another victory over its cousin, the ACC, with the Clemson Tigers smacking Virginia Tech in the mouth 23-3. Next up is Boston College.

8. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS (4-0) – The Cowboys are still undefeated and looking for win number five against the Jayhawks of Kansas. It shouldn’t be that hard.

9. OREGON DUCKS (3-1) – The Ducks have won three straight games since a nail-biter loss against LSU in week one. Oregon has UCal next up in another Pac 12 war.

10. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (5-0) – Most unbiased college football fans don’t want to buy into the Wolverines yet because of the midseason let downs they’ve seen them have in the past, but they are really improving. Against Minnesota, they didn’t rely solely on the running ability of Denard Robinson. They actually spread the running responsibilities among three able halfbacks. The Big Ten is still looking like at Badger domination, but the Wolverines might shake things up. Next up is Dan Persa and Northwestern.

11. TEXAS LONGHORNS (4-0) – The Longhorns beat a very solid Iowa State club to net their fourth win. Next up is a road block called the OKLAHOMA SOONERS. A win could spawn a top 10 ranking.

12. GEORGIA TECH YELLOWJACKETS (5-0) – The Yellow Jackets pulled off a nice win over NC State and are 5-0. They play the ugly uniforms of the Maryland Terrapins this weekend in a major ACC game.

13. ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS (4-1) – The Razorbacks showed perseverance in their close win over Texas A&M, and their only loss is to a top 3 team. Unfortunately for Arkansas, it never gets easier in the SEC as they prepare to play the defending National Champions, the Auburn Tigers.

14. AUBURN TIGERS (4-1) – They showed poise in winning against the loaded South Carolina Gamecocks (16-13). Now they will have to put the breaks to the Arkansas running arsenal in an unpredictable SEC clash.

15. ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (5-0) – The Fighting Illini beat Northwestern (38-35), and they will face the Indiana Hoosiers this weekend.

16. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS (4-0) – The Wildcats beat Baylor 36-35, and they play Missouri on Saturday.

17. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (4-1) – The Mountaineers stomped Bowling Green 55-10, but who didn’t expect it? Next up is UConn.

18. HOUSTON COUGARS (5-0) – The Cougars have had a strong season so far and most recently defeated the Miners of UTEP 49-42. Next up, they play the ECU Pirates, and anybody that knows ECU knows that they lie down for no one.

19. MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (4-1) – The Spartans got a good conference win over the Buckeyes of Ohio State this past weekend (10-7). Their next game will be against in-state rival Michigan, in a game that might go from bad to ugly in the blink of an eye.

20. FLORIDA GATOR (4-1) – The Gators took a tough loss to Alabama this past weekend, but it doesn’t get any better because this weekend they line up against TFT #1 ranked LSU! Ouch!

21. SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCK (4-1) – They lost to the Auburn Tigers 16-13 but are looking to bounce back against Kentucky this weekend.

22. ARIZONA STATE SUNDEVILS (4-1) – Beat Oregon State 35-20 and stand at 4-1 right now. They will be tested this weekend against the Utah Utes.

23. VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (4-1) – Tech was flat-out handled by Clemson this past weekend. The bright side is that Clemson is a grade A team and the Hokies are very young across the board. They play the Miami Hurricanes next in a winnable yet losable game.

24. BAYLOR BEARS (3-1) – Took a heartbreaking loss to the K-State Wildcats. They have a tough game against Iowa State this weekend.

25. NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (4-1) – Bo Pelini described the feeling best after their Big Ten opener: “I’m embarrassed.” Nebraska has lots of weapons but must face the same issues that all option teams face – predictability. Nebraska will have a slightly easier game this week against Ohio State University.

[Photo from Wikimedia Commons]

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A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alters the way the brain works. Similarly, a broken rib diminishes a player’s ability to move and breath. Both Romo and Vick are likely to play this weekend; both have their work cut out for them.

Vick’s opponent, the New York Giants, are looking to avenge their demoralizing loss to the Eagles, which lost them their wildcard bid for the playoffs. Various NY Giants defenders have voiced their desire to play against Michael Vick, fired up at a chance to “bust the Eagles up”.

Romo’s opponent, the Washington Redskins, hate the Cowboys and take great pride in defeating and injuring Dallas players. All star defensive back De’angelo Hall already said that he will be begging coach Shanahan for opportunities to go for Romo’s weakened ribs.

So early in the season, with the looming threat of injury, perhaps it would be wiser to sit both quarterbacks out and give them a little rest–even a week would help. If Romo’s ribs sustain any more damage, the Cowboys will be stuck with substitutes Kitna and Mcgee, who, though both did a good job of filling in for Romo last year, simply don’t match his skill and ability. In regards to Vick, Eagles coaches should be reminded of Cowboy’s quarterback Troy Aikman, who was forced to retire after having to too many concussions.

Without a doubt, we can expect some complex blitz packages from both the Giants and Redskins. The NFC East is a brutal conference built on strong rivalries. How will these two injured quarterbacks fair against powerhouse defenses with a thirst for blood? I guess we’ll see.

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When authorities investigated his home, they found 6 more pounds of marijuana, scales, packaging materials, and smoking devices. Police described the house as resembling a marijuana distribution network. One of Simpson’s teammates, offensive lineman Anthony Collins, was also in the house during the bust. Neither of the players answered the door to accept the package. Instead, the package was accepted by a 27 year old female named Aleen Smith.

It makes no sense for anybody living on an NFL salary to resort to the distribution of drugs. Amazingly, both players were detained but they weren’t arrested. If they get off with merely a slap on the wrist for this, the NFL should and will take action.

The ACC’s decision to accept both Pitt and Syracuse show that the tectonic plates of college football are shifting. Texas A&M has already made it known that they are heading to the SEC and a handful of other teams are making strategic moves. UConn is reportedly in the process of following ‘Cuse and Pitt to the ACC and at least three Big 12 teams are strongly considering the Pac 12. With teams quickly abandoning ship one must ask, what does the future hold for the Big East and Big 12?

If teams continue to evacuate the conferences the best option would be a merger between what’s left of the Big 12 and Big East. There are some incentives for such a merger also. It would be a partnership between the East and Southwest so new recruiting avenues would open. Universities like Rutgers, South Florida, and West Virginia could benefit by bringing in more talent from Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Also, teams in the southwest like Iowa State, TCU, and Baylor could rake in recruits from NJ, PA, and Virginia. This move would inevitably diversify the Big “whatever they would call it” and make it a top notch competitor to the Super SEC, Super Big 10, Pac 16, and Mega ACC that we are watching form before our eyes.

A merging of conferences would also bring excitement. Both the Big East and Big 12 are duller conferences than their other counterparts, at least in football. In basketball the Big East is the best show in the NCAA and the Big 12 is pretty interesting as well, but in football the match-ups aren’t as interesting to outside eyes as they are to University alums and faithful fans. They both could use a boost in competition and a mix in match-ups.

If such a move was made we could see a 6 power-conference setting in the NCAA. This would indeed make it very interesting if college football follows what 85% of the fan base wants and switches to a playoff format. As for the Big 12 and Big East, the biggest question is what the name would be. I have $20 on the BIG American Conference!

Image from Cyclonefanatic.com

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Like any weekend in college football, we saw great victories and some surprising upsets. Our top 5 remains intact for the most part but after 15 you will see a variety of new faces. Teams like Clemson and Georgia Tech just can’t be denied a spot after scoring major victories and staying undefeated. Michigan State drops off after taking a beating at the hands of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Bulls of South Florida continue their BCS Bowl campaign. Enjoy this week’s list and remember that after every Saturday our rankings are subject to change.

1. LSU (3-0) – The Tigers stay atop the list with a convincing 19-6 win over Mississippi State University. Jarrett Lee went 21 for 27 for 213 yards. LSU faces West Virginia next.

2. Oklahoma (2-0) – The Sooners defense came through big to defeat the FSU Seminoles. Landry Jones was not as sharp as usual, 18 of 27 for 199 yards and two interceptions.

3. Wisconsin(3-0)  – The Badgers destroyed NIU in a lopsided 49-7 victory. Next up is South Dakota.

4. Alabama(3-0) – As expected, the Crimson Tide crushed North Texas. They face a worthy opponent in Arkansas this weekend.

5. Stanford (3-0) – handled the Arizona Wildcats in a 37-10 win. Next up is the UCLA Bruins on October 1^st.

6. South Carolina (3-0) – The Gamecocks were able to defend successfully against the Midshipmen option attack and pull out a 24-21 victory.

7. Boise State (2-0) – Spanked Toledo, next up is Tulsa.

8. Virginia Tech (3-0) – Beat Arkansas State 26-7. They play the Marshall University Thundering Herd next.

9. Arkansas (3-0) – Beat Troy 38-28, the Razorbacks will test that talented offense against the University of Alabama’s number 1 defense this weekend.

10. Texas A&M (3-0) – Routed Idaho 37-7 but will have to play a better game this weekend to defeat the Cowboys of Oklahoma State.

11. Nebraska (3-0) – Nebraska had one of the toughest match-ups in Washington and pulled out a solid 51-38 victory. Next week the Huskers play @ Wyoming.

12. South Florida (3-0) – The Bulls steamrolled FAMU and keep their momentum going. Next up is UTEP.

13. Clemson (3-0) – Clemson landed a major victory over defending National Champion Auburn and stay undefeated. Their next game is a head to head clash with the Florida State Seminoles.

14. West Virginia (2-0) – The Mountaineers looked strong against the University of Maryland in a 37-31 victory. They face the largest test of their season this weekend when they face the LSU TIGERS!

15. Florida (3-0) – defeated the dismal Tennessee Vols in a 33-23 win. The Gators take on the Wildcats of Kentucky next.

16. Baylor (3-0) – The Bears continue to be impressive with a 48-0 shutout of SFA. Their next game is an in state battle with the Rice Owls.

17. Texas (3-0) – Beat UCLA 49-20 and are starting to really mesh as a ball club. They play the surprising Iowa State Cyclones next.

18. Iowa State (3-0) – The Cyclones have had a very competitive early schedule and have managed to be undefeated.

19. Michigan (3-0) – The Wolverines are undefeated but many believe their next game against San Diego State to be their first real test.

20. USC (3-0) – Beat a good Syracuse team 38-17 but they will have their hands full with Brock Osweiller and the Arizona State Sun Devils.

21. Illinois (3-0) – The Fighting Illini scored a major victory of Arizona State this past weekend. They play Western Michigan next.

22. Oregon (2-1) – Romped Missouri State 56-7 but that’s what we expect. We need to see Oregon have a convincing day against Arizona this weekend.

23. Georgia Tech (3-0) – Smashed Kansas 66-24 as they get ready for an ACC showdown with the UNC Tarheels.

24. Auburn (2-1) – Lost a close one to Clemson but they will bounce back this weekend against Florida Atlantic.

25. Miami(1-1) – The Hurricanes completely shut down Ohio State and earned their way onto the Top 25.

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This, however, is only one of many incidents involving payments to college athletes in American collegiate history. Currently, prominent teams including Auburn, Ohio State, Oregon, and  Miami are being investigated for questionable integrity. These stories all find a common denominator in the involvement of a scheming business agent, benefiting from the athletes’ work and illegally offering money in return. I would like to shine some light on one story–the UNC Football Scandal–and then propose a solution to these NCAA woes.

The UNC scandal was centered around former players’-agent Gary Whichard, now deceased. Whichard, who played football in college and the NFL briefly and was even the inspiration of the movie Jerry Maguire, represented notable pro players such as Jason Taylor, CJ Spiller, Terrell Suggs, and Darren Sproles. The investigation was provoked by Whichard’s offering of illegal benefits to a few of the Tarheels most prominent professional prospects. Whichard was also sued for referring a client to a financial advisor that mismanaged $2 million in funds.

Unfortunately, this situation is not an isolated one; rather, it is one of the most repetitive in college sports. According to NCAA rules, is it illegal to offer players such benefits. It is obvious, however, that no matter how many teams face sanctions there will always be cases of such illegal agreements.

So what’s the source of this recurring issue? Dig deep enough and once finds the origin of the problem in the unfair treatment of college athletes. Without a doubt, universities make profit off of these athletes–some universities finance their entire athletic departments with football revenue. Revenue streams include jerseys, tickets, concession, TV deals, and bowl game bonuses. The players themselves, however, don’t receive any percentage of the revenue from these games. A university can make $3 million off of its star quarterback–a star quarterback who, earning no revenue from his games, is living under dyer straights. These unjust conditions, undoubtedly, are often a motivating factor for the athlete who chooses to enter into an illegal financial deal with an agent.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though. I would like to propose three solutions to these recurring integrity issues in college sports:

First of all, Student athletes should be allowed to have jobs:

At the very least, a student athlete should be allowed to work a part time job to make some pocket money. A scholarship simply isn’t enough compensation for what these students go through, including classes, studying, weight training, conditioning, practice, film sessions, and public appearances. It seems quite unfair that normal students are allowed to have jobs while the student athletes who make millions of dollars for their schools cannot.

Secondly, all Agents should be “certified public accountants”:

Currently, all one needs to qualify as a sports agent is a bachelors degree in Sports Management or Business Administration. After getting the bachelor’s degree, it’s simply a matter of interning at a good agency or getting a masters before these agents are representing major athletes and making big bucks. This overly-simple system allows dishonest college graduates with limited financial experience to handle the finances of trusting young athletes. To solve this problem, all agents should be required to pass a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam. This requirement would hold agents to a higher educational standard and filter out all of the slick-tongued opportunists trying to make a quick dollar.

Finally, There should be an emergency fund for student athletes:

As explained above, student-athletes live pretty rough lives, which often motivates them to enter into illegal deals with agents. To change this, there should be a grant fund in place to assist these athletes. Similar to asking for a company loan, athletes would be required to fill out an application and, if they met the conditions, funds would be provided by the NCAA.

In conclusion, suspensions and over rule violations simply aren’t enough anymore. The NCAA needs to map out a policy, working to ensure both aid to student athletes and the legitimacy of agents, to prevent these back alley deals from occurring and tainting the name of college sports.

The Chicago Bears’ linebacker Brian Urlacher is back at practice after the sudden death of his mother. Will he play in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints?

For the commitment that Brian Urlacher has shown the Bears, he deserves to retire a Chicago Bear and have his jersey hang from the rafters of Soldier Field. The Pro Bowl linebacker is back at practice after leaving the team facility to mourn the sudden loss of his mother, Lavoyda Lenard. There hasn’t been an official announcement regarding whether Urlacher will play against the New Orleans Saints, but Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune recently tweeted being told that the linebacker would play.

Defensive end Cory Wooten said that he thinks Urlacher will have one of the best games of his career if he plays.

According to Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the New Orleans team is preparing for Urlacher. This is a smart move; football is a game of toughness and perseverance, and on a football field there is nothing tougher than an inside linebacker. That toughness may be part of why Urlacher has returned to practice; however, Bears head coach Lovie Smith also pointed out that, “I know sometimes when you’re going through tough times, the best thing for you to do is get back to something you like doing, and football is very important to Brian.”

Coach Smith also lost his mother earlier this year, so there is definitely an understanding between coach and captain. The Bears will leave the decision to play in Urlacher’s hands and continue to support him. If #54 chooses to not play, it is likely that Nick Roach will get his number called. He started three games in 2009 as middle linebacker and is capable of making an impact.

Lavoyda Lenard died in her home outside of Mount Pleasant, Texas, on Tuesday; she was 51. Police said there was no sign of foul play.

[Photo from Wikimedia Commons]

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The Sooners of Oklahoma will travel to Tallahassee to take on the FSU Seminoles in a game that will surely shift the AP Top 25. Currently Oklahoma is the AP’s #1 team, and FSU is #5. Both are also in the TFT Top 25, with Oklahoma at #2 and FSU at #8.

Last season, Oklahoma crushed FSU by 30 points in a 47-17 blow out.  Quarterback Landry Jones went 30 of 40 for 380 yards and 4 touchdowns. EJ Manuel was still young and wasn’t ready for the level of play that Oklahoma brings to the table.

This year, Manuel has matured considerably. He’s passed for 581 yards, 6 touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions. In both games, the Seminoles weren’t up against a defense of Oklahoma’s caliber but the FSU remains optimistic. EJ Manuel trained one-on-one with Peyton, Eli, and Archie Manning in his off-season, and it’s hard to not improve in that type of company.

Coach Jimbo Fisher said that the connection between the players and coaches is stronger and the players have a better understanding of the scheme.

For the Sooners this will be their first road game against a AP Top 5 non-conference opponent since 1988 but, with the strength of the schedule they deal with year in and out, this game will be no different than most. If they can stop the pass, they can go home with the win.

Neither one of these teams boasts a legitimate run attack and rely heavily on their air attack. The team that gets a better showing from their secondary and blitzes their linebackers at the right times will be victorious. Florida State has home field advantage, Oklahoma is well rested after a bi-week. Final score prediction? Oklahoma 35 – FSU 24.

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