Sports Thread #1 for 10/18/08: Big 12, SEC, And The Rest Of CFB Preview

(Photos from google.com) Colt Mccoy and Chase Daniel are apart of a great group of quarterbacks from the state of Texas taking over college football, and certainly, the Big 12 Conference

It's another great Saturday today here not only on TWD, but in the world of CFB (College Football).

Already, on another Thursday, we come into Saturday action with an upset occurring. BYU, who seriously had an outside chance to possibly get into the national title picture , blew it at TCU, as the 'Frogs ended their nation leading 16- game winning streak and chances of stunningly season ending glory. With BYU out of the picture, that opens the door for their bitter rivals, Utah, to reclaim their sovereignty over the Mountain West conference and return to the BCS for the first time since the days of Alex Smith and Urban Meyer.

But our attention on TWD, with no disrespect to the other conferences, and to the great year so far from Penn State (who looks to give Joe Paterno another chance at a National Championship this year with the play of Darryl Clark at QB), is again on the two clear power conferences in this country, the SEC and the Big 12.

Today, it is a battle of the North and the South, as last year's top dogs in both divisions face each other in the South division's stadiums. The national title and Heisman hopes are on the line tonight for Chase Daniel, as his Missouri team must win in Texas for the first time since 1896 against a Longhorn team firing on all cylinders at the moment. Despite another 300 yard effort last week, Daniel made three terrible throws that resulted in costly interceptions that led to Oklahoma State scoring the big win in Columbia last week.

With one more lost, Missouri's nation title hopes will be dashed. Two defeats, unlike last year with LSU, will be hard to overcome again, even in this second year of continued upsets. However, Oklahoma has an even more do or die scenario that the Tigers today, when the Sooners clash with Kansas at 3:30. Unlike the North, the Big 12 South this year will most likely have a team either go undefeated or lose one game in order to go to the conference championship game. If the Sooners were to lose today against the Jayhawks, then they would possibly be two games behind Texas, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech by day's end. In short, they would be eliminated from the conference title decider in December, and would have to result in playing spoiler the rest of the way.

(Photos from google.com) Knowshaun Moreno will have to be on his best today against a quick Vanderbilt . Jarell lee must get the ball to his two star, playing making wide receivers

Turning to the SEC, the two key matches today are Vanderbilt-Georgia and LSU-South Carolina.

In the first game today, as it is in the late stages of the season in the SEC, it is a must-win battle for both teams. The loser won't be going to Atlanta in December, and for today, that will be the Commodores. Georgia is just too good and won't take this vastly improved Vanderbilt team for granted.

Some are picking South Carolina to upset LSU, but I just don't even see that coming close to happening. Despite the 51-21 scoreline indicating they got routed by Florida last week, LSU really didn't play that bad. in fact, they were very unlucky to not have that game go for them. That 3rd &12 tip deflection touchdown reception by Percy Harvin could have went the other way and change the whole dynamics of the game. LSU defense did the best it could against juggernaut of an offense Tim Tebrow and Meyer has, but the problem with the team was the offense.

Despite great backs in Charles Scott, Keron Williams, and near world class speedster Trindon Holladay, the key to LSU team is the ability o quarterback Jarett lee to get the ball to star receivers Brandon Lafell and Demetrius Byrd.

It is that simple.

These two pass catchers are arguably the best tandem in the nation, and they only had, for what I remember, TWO receptions between each other in the first half last week.

TWO. And Byrd didn't get a reception into the third quarter!

Les Miles has got to emphasize the pass in order to free the box of eight men against the team. The playmakers of this team, Lafell, Byrd, Holladay, need to touch the ball just as much as Scott runs it. If they don't, LSU will underachieve the rest of the way and become the trendy pick to get upset every week, like this one.

But I do believe they get the ball tonight, and get their season back on track with a win at the Gamecocks tonight.

Enjoy the action!

Update: Georgia and Vandy are in the 3rd with the Bulldogs up 21-7, while a major upset could be shaping, as Texas Tech is having a massive struggle with Texas A&M, only up 27-23 after being down 23-20.