Outside The Swamp, Week 7

Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

What a weekend the last one was. But, as college football does, it just keeps giving. There is not quite the slate that there was last week, but there are still a ton of great games to get excited about to watch.

No. 15 Texas v. No. 13 Oklahoma (12:00pm, ABC)

I adore games like this. There is a huge rivalry between the teams, they play the game on a “neutral” field, and it’s at 11:00am local time. You know you’re into college football when you can stumble to the field in the AM; and these fans certainly are into this game. The stadium will be half & half and will be rocking all day long.

On the field, both teams have played relatively well, although they both come into the game with one loss. It is because of those losses that this game is so important. While not necessarily in the national spotlight, this game is huge in the Big 12. Both teams need a victory just to keep up in the conference race.

As most Big 12 games are, this is going to be another shootout. Both teams are scoring over 38 points per game. Oklahoma is allowing only 16ppg, while Texas is allowing approximately ten points more (thanks to West Virginia). However, I always tend to lean towards Texas in this game. I don’t know why, maybe it’s the Deep Fried Oreos talking.

No. 3 South Carolina v. No. 9 LSU (8:00pm, ESPN)

There is not much that needs to be said about this game in order to build the hype. I love SEC football in most part because of the gauntlet that teams have to go through.

LSU is coming off a loss in The Swamp, but head home for a night game at Death Valley, where they rarely lose. Their offense looked terrible last weekend; so bad, that fans may be harkening to the days of Jordan Jefferson. The defense is still strong, but did break down after awhile last week.

South Carolina is in the middle of one of the hardest stretches I’ve seen on any team’s schedule. They looked amazing against Georgia last week and are looking to carry that momentum into the game in Baton Rouge. This team looks great in all facets right now, and the Ol’ Ball Coach knows how to handle the pressure of being so highly ranked. The key is: do the players know how to deal with being told how good they are.

I’ve been to a couple night games in Death Valley and it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Sorry Dabo, this is the ‘real’ Death Valley. That place will be rocking, and the rest of the country will be watching. I expect a defensive battle, with the crowd causing the offensive line and QB Connor Shaw some trouble. It’s just another installment of “Classic SEC football”.

No. 22 Texas A&M v. No. 23 Lousiana Tech (9:00pm, ESPNU)

This game was supposed to open the season for these two teams. If it had, there is no way on Earth that I was going to write about it. However, thanks to the postponement of this game because of Hurricane Issac, it has become quite the intriguing matchup.

Texas A&M is led by their exciting redshirt freshman quarterback, Johnny Manziel. He has gained confidence with each week. His style of play has worked great for the Aggies offense. A&M has bounced back following the loss to Florida, in large part due to his leadership.

Louisiana Tech is the surprise of the season so far. Their offense looks unstoppable, scoring 53.2 points per game. They also have one of the best turnover margins in the country. This is only the second time the Bulldogs have been ranked, but they are hungry to garner more attention. If La Tech is able to pull this one out, they have a solid chance to go undefeated. However, they have never beaten the team from College Station.

Parlay of the Week

Last week saw a return to mediocrity with a posting of a .500 record. My overall record is now 12-11-1. I will admit that nothing last week got me really excited; well, minus the over for the UT-WVU game. This week, let’s see if we can get back on track with all road teams, and win some more cash.

1. Louisville (-3) at Pittsburgh
2. Kansas State (-6.5) at Iowa State
3. Middle Tennessee State (-3) at Florida International
4. West Virginia (-4) at Texas Tech

Swampland >> Gators pass tough test, learn how to win grinding games

What do you think Gamedayrs?