DFC VII Week Three

As of Friday 942pm, 9/15, I've NEED games from: Tommy McLeod, Jason Duren, Garrett Cheney, Ryan Sherman

Used Tiebreak Drop So Far This Season: (Week 1) Jon Osborne, Mark Gainey, Ryan Sherman, (Week 2) Jason Barnette, Jason Demastus, Tyler Campbell, Justin Glenn

Correction: I made a blunder in Jason Duren's record. It does not affect the DFC Power Poll or the standings (which I got right), it only affects last week's top ten finishers. I have corrected it in the Week Two Results on this page -- DFC Admin

Usually there is one week that just has too many good college games to pass up--and usually, its somewhere in October. Very rarely, however, do we not only have eight solid college games like these so early in the season, and even more rare is the fact that 15 of 16 teams involved are ranked.

I give you... College Week 2006
All ranks from the AP Poll... all times CST

#11 Michigan Wolverines (2-0) at #2. Notre Dame Fightin' Irish (2-0), 230pm, NBC
Okay... so Notre Dame struggles with a still unranked Georgia Tech team, and then blow out a Penn State squad that we now know is completely overrated. So, we are ready to give Brady Quinn the Heisman, huh?
Something's got to give: Michigan is tied for fourth nationally in turnover margin. Notre Dame is 11th.
What favors Michigan: The Wolverines have excelled at pressuring the quarterback, racking up 10 sacks, while Brady Quinn has been dumped five times already. The Irish are giving up a fairly fat 4.5 yards per carry, which means the nation's No. 7 rusher, Michael Hart, should have some room to run.
What favors Notre Dame: The Irish have won three of the last four in this series despite being solid underdogs in each game. If it comes down to quarterbacks making plays, you have to like Quinn more than Chad Henne. If Lloyd Carr loses a September game for the seventh straight season, Big Blue fans will plot the overthrow of the Schembechler Dynasty.

#6. LSU Tigers (2-0) at #3. Auburn Tigers (2-0), 230pm, CBS
Something's got to give: Tigers (LSU version) have the nation's No. 7 scoring offense. Tigers (Auburn version) have the nation's No. 7 scoring defense.
What favors LSU: Auburn QB Brandon Cox struggled last year against LSU, completing just 16 of 40 passes, and this year the Bayou Bengals' secondary is even better. Meanwhile, LSU QB JaMarcus Russell appears on the verge of mastering his position.
What favors Auburn: LSU hasn't won on The Plains since Gerry DiNardo was its coach. Auburn is primed for revenge after kicker John Vaughn missed five field goals in Baton Rouge last year in a three-point loss. He has made 10 of 12 since then.

#15. Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) at #18. Oregon Ducks (2-0), 230pm, ABC
Something's got to give: Sooners have won four straight against Pac-10 teams from outside the state of California (and lost five of their last six to Pac-10 teams from Cali). Ducks haven't been on the negative side in turnover margin in seven straight games, 12 of their last 14.
What favors Oklahoma: Peterson has a go at the No. 79 rushing defense in the country. The Sooners have beaten Oregon each of the past two years, including an upset win in the Holiday Bowl last season.
What favors Oregon: The Sooners are flatly unremarkable on paper, not ranking higher than 30th nationwide in any of the primary offensive and defensive statistical categories -- and ranking 111th in turnover margin. Explosive sophomore Ducks running back Jonathan Stewart is expected to play after getting only one carry last week while nursing a sprained ankle.

#17. Miami Hurricanes (1-1) at #12. Louisville Cardinals (2-0), 230pm, ABC
Something's got to give: Hurricanes have won 31 of their last 32 against Big East opponents. Cardinals have won 13 straight home games, averaging 54.6 points in that streak.
What favors Miami: The cast on Louisville jumbo back Michael Bush's leg, for starters. And the fact that the Cardinals are essentially untested after walkover wins over Kentucky and Temple. Canes 1-2? Don't pick up the paper off the front porch and don't turn on talk radio, Larry Coker.
What favors Louisville: Brian Brohm will be the best quarterback on the field, and Bobby Petrino will be the best offensive coach. The Cardinals' weak secondary matches up with a middling receiving corps hurt by the continued suspension of Ryan Moore.

#24. Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-0) at #20. Texas Christian Horned Frogs (2-0), 430pm
Something's got to give: Horned Frogs have won 12 straight games, the longest active streak in the country. Red Raiders are 10-0 against in-state nonconference opponents under Mike Leach, including a 70-35 torching of TCU two years ago.
What favors Tech: Protecting the quarterback. Graham Harrell has been sacked only once this season in 101 pass attempts. TCU, normally a team that creates mayhem in the backfield, has just two sacks in two games after racking up 41 last year.
What favors TCU: Tech's two opponents (SMU and UTEP) have run the ball well, and neither of those teams had anyone like Frogs sophomore RB Aaron Brown. He has piled up 288 yards rushing and receiving on just 37 touches, which makes his 7.8 yards-per-touch average better than those of Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, Steve Slaton and Kenny Irons. Frogs, trying to copy Utah's 2004 run, continue their amphibious assault on the BCS.
(Also our Tiebreak game)

Clemson Tigers (1-1) at #9. Florida State Seminoles (2-0), 645pm, ESPN
Dude... that game versus Boston College was awesome... Clemson probably should have won it, but for the second year in a row they lost, in OT, to BC. And now? FSU awaits. FSU that almost lost to TU, though admittedly, they had played UM only five days before, fyi.

#19. Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0) at #4. USC Trojans (1-0), 7pm, ABC
Something's got to give: The Cornhuskers have the No. 8 pass efficiency offense in the country. The Trojans have the No. 4 pass efficiency defense.
What favors Nebraska: Possible USC rustiness after playing one game and then taking a week off. The season-ending injury to USC safety Josh Pinkard further thins a callow secondary that will be taking a step up in class after Arkansas.
What favors USC: Nebraska hasn't beaten a team ranked this high in five years -- and glorified scrimmages against Louisiana Tech and Nicholls State are no way to get ready. The Trojans haven't lost in L.A. Coliseum since Pete Carroll's third game as coach.

#7. Florida Gators (2-0) at #13. Tennessee Volunteers (2-0), 7pm, CBS
First, the blow out the Bears of Cal. Then, the Vols get by Air Force due to a crappy play call by AF. Then... we get this. Of course, playing in Neyland Stadium has to be worth alot.
Something's got to give: Gators are allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete just 46 percent of their passes. Volunteers quarterback Erik Ainge is completing 74.5 percent of his passes.
What favors Florida: The Gators have converted 17 of 24 third downs in two games, and get to unleash freshman breakaway threat Percy Harvin on a Tennessee defense that lost two starters to season-ending injury last week and struggled containing Air Force. On defense, the lone scoring drive Florida has surrendered covered all of 28 yards.
What favors Tennessee: The Vols haven't allowed a sack in 2006, and only one Gator has recorded a sack in '06. Florida had four turnovers last Saturday against Central Florida; replicate that in Knoxville and it won't be close.

Tiebreak Game:
Texas Tech at TCU. Should be a defensive struggle. Riiiight.