College Football Week Seven Recap: Winners and Losers - jmik58's Blog

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College Football Week Seven Recap: Winners and Losers Stuck

Posted on October 15, 2012 at 11:36 AM.

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The Biased Conference Standings have struck again.

Episode one of the SEC's postseason positioning party has begun but luckily the series is limited -- if you haven't heard, playoffs will end the punishment in 2014. Until then it appears our college football from week eight and beyond will be relegated to SEC and computer formula back-patting.

The SEC is tops in the BCS because they have the best teams -- which are largely defined by their position in the polls. It's a self-serving circle that can only be interrupted by intra-conference shenanigans. Oregon, Kansas State, and Notre Dame are solid teams but wouldn't sniff the national championship if the SEC wasn't forced to play itself.

So it begins. Another year of "Who can survive long enough to fill the void left by Alabama, LSU, or Florida?" It seems almost pointless to view the rest of the nation on the same terms, but we'll pretend all is equal for the sake of conversation.

Anything can happen and who knows; maybe SEC teams will beat each other up enough to give someone a real shot at the party. Here are five winners and losers from week seven of the college football season.

FIVE TEAMS ON THE RISE

#9 LSU (6-1)
Week 7: #3 South Carolina, won 23-21.
Week 8: #18 Texas A&M (5-1)

It may be tempting to say the loss is more devastating to South Carolina, but a two-point triumph at home for LSU fit the mold for expectations. It doesn't mean that South Carolina is floundering or that LSU is soaring, but it was a must-win for the Tigers. A 258-34 advantage on the ground told more of the story as LSU dominated the line of scrimmage, something they must continue if they hope to climb their way back into the national title hunt.

Texas Tech (5-1)
Week 7: #5 West Virginia, won 49-14.
Week 8: #23 TCU (5-1)

The Red Raiders pulled off one of the more baffling games in recent memory by pounding the Mountaineers on the scoreboard. Many knew that the West Virginia defense was suspect but everyone expected Geno Smith to save the day with his arm. Not only did that not happen this weekend, but Texas Tech quarterback Seth Doege stole the show with 32-42 passing for 499 yards and six touchdowns.

#7 Notre Dame (6-0)
Week 7: #17 Stanford, won 20-13.
Week 8: BYU (4-3)

It doesn't really matter how you do it, as long as you do. The Irish certainly aren't gaining points for their style or dismount but they just keep winning. When you play a schedule as brutal as Notre Dame you aren't required to be dominant but don't say it's all luck either. Going back the last 34 quarters the Irish haven't surrendered a rushing touchdown.

#13 Oklahoma (4-1)
Week 7: #15 Texas, won 63-21.
Week 8: Kansas (1-5)

Don't fall asleep on the Sooners whose only loss was to #4 Kansas State. The trademark of a veteran team is that of refocused tenacity and Oklahoma certainly showed a stark contrast between themselves and Texas after tough losses in recent weeks. The Sooners piled up a ridiculous 343 rushing yards as a team while giving up only 289 total yards to the 'Horns.

#18 Louisville (6-0)
Week 7: Pittsburgh, won 45-35.
Week 8: South Florida (2-4)

The Cardinals avoided a major trap by closing out a tough road stretch to earn the victory over the Pitt Panthers. Hoping to avoid the same fate of Virginia Tech earlier this year at Heinz Field, Louisville once again did just enough to earn the win while playing clean football. Neither squad made major mistakes but a strong advantage on the ground (156-93) seemed to be the difference in an otherwise evenly played game.

FIVE TEAMS ON THE DECLINE

#5 West Virginia (5-1)
Week 7: Texas Tech, lost 49-14.
Week 8: #4 Kansas State (6-0)

A quick glance at the final score and it seemed as if the number-five rating was misplaced in front of the wrong team. The Mountaineers showed their weakness on defense once again and were finally burned, and in a big way, as their high-flying offense couldn't rescue the struggling defenders. They're still a solid squad that can hang with nearly anyone but consistency reigns supreme when the goal is an undefeated season and national championship appearance.

#15 Texas (4-2)
Week 7: #13 Oklahoma, lost 63-21.
Week 8: Baylor (3-2)

Well, that was embarrassing. Just when you thought the Longhorns were finally back and all that talent was going to pay dividends. Apparently a tough loss against West Virginia was just enough to tip their unpredictable youth over the edge. How else do you explain a 36-2 halftime deficit? Pathetic.

#7 Ohio State (7-0)
Week 7: Indiana, won 52-49.
Week 8: Purdue (3-3)

The Buckeyes apparently get bored with themselves. Few other teams have made a living off of playing to their opponents' ability this season quite like that of Urban Meyer's Ohio State squad. A 17-16 win against Michigan State, followed by a 63-point explosion over Nebraska, and now a 3-point defense-optional contest against Big-Ten bottom-feeder Indiana -- Ohio State is on a one-way crash course with disappointment.

#23 Louisiana Tech (5-1)
Week 7: #22 Texas A&M, lost 59-57.
Week 8: Idaho (1-6)

This was the Bulldogs' national championship game and they lost. There is little doubt that they will have their way in the WAC this year, but a victory over the Aggies was their only ticket to get the attention of the country. Now Louisiana Tech is just another solid one-loss non-BCS team destined for a December bowl game.

College Football Fans
Week 7: Everyone has a chance.
Week 8: Start the SEC waiting game.

Is it 2014 yet?

Sound Off: Who are your winners and losers from week seven of the college football season?

Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper

Comments

# 1 icemanfrost @ Oct 15

I agree SEC has the best teams but you are wrong about one thing if Florida and Alabama was to go undefeated and ND also I know ALA and FLO cant go undefeated but if they could ND would be in the BCS national championship game because they have the strength of schedule they have the hardest in the country that is a fact. Now the SEC is great but once you get past them 4 or 5 teams it's really a pretty below avg. conference that is why the big 12 is actually leading in conference power rankings.

# 2 The_Wise_One @ Oct 15

Agree with the lost other than Louisville. They are in the same boat as Ohio State in the fact that they play the opponent. Bridgewater is a stud though.

# 3 Eski33 @ Oct 15

Winners:

Notre Dame - Huge win that legitimizes the Irish as a program that is back.

Oklahoma - Avoiding a second conference loss saved national title hopes

Michigan - Quietly back in the top 25 with its lone losses to two top 5 teams

LOSERS:

Texas - Looking like preseason overhype

Michigan State - Loss at home to Iowa hurts Big Ten title chances for a preseason favorite

West Virginia - Defense is terrible. Gino Smith can't save it every week.

# 4 drjones56 @ Oct 15

Winners:

Oregon State- Beat multiple ranked teams and ranked in the BCS top 10...but with the teeth of their schedule ahead.

Notre Dame- Undefeated but not much of a schedule to date considering how Michigan and Michigan State have performed so far...also, Stanford did score on the last play. However, a win at Oklahoma will put their title hopes in their own hands with only USC looming as a team that could beat them.

Kansas State- First time in nearly 15 years that they've cracked the BCS top 10...don't know how Snyder gets that school to perform but he does.

Losers-

Texas- Beatdown by Oklahoma should put Mack Brown squarely on the hot seat. Under no circumstances should a school like Texas be embarrassed multiple years in a row in their biggest rival game.

Auburn- 2 years removed from the National Title and they've tumbled into the laughing stock of the SEC. Chizik's days are numbered.

The entire Big 10- High hopes for this conference were demolished by HUGE losses to the SEC and PAC 12...really just a pathetic year for the conference that will send the 3rd place team in the Leaders division to the Big 10 Championship game.