NCAA Week 13 recap

By: Rob Thompson

We all saw it coming. In fact in someway don't we see it coming every year? A team that deserves to play for the BCS title will always be on the outside looking in. This time it's the University of Texas. 45-35 signs are wallpapered from the Texas panhandle to 6th street in Austin. The Longhorn argument is valid. "We beat Oklahoma by 10 points on neutral field, yet they are going to Miami". Sucks for you Texas, this is the system we're stuck with. Hope you like nacho chips. As important as the outcome of that game was, we were lucky or unlucky enough to get as much football over the last four days as could possibly be broadcast. Unfortunately most of the games were pretty lousy. Rivalry weekend turned into a beat down and revenge holiday. Mike is fat, full and happy. He went 5-1 last week. He is now 77-20 on the season.

Prediction   Oklahoma 35 - Oklahoma State 34

Final           Oklahoma 61 - Oklahoma State 41

This game won't be the one that ends the BCS system but it will be remembered as the one that began its downfall. Oklahoma went into Stillwater and beat a very good Cowboy team. Great teams win on the road and OU is a great team. Lead by Sam Bradford the Sooners ran and passed when they needed to. It wasn't the Cowboys game plan it was so much as Oklahoma playing great football. The Sooners proved they deserve at least a look at jumping Texas in the BCS ranking after winning "Bedlam" on the road. They did and they will. Mike saw this coming but by far less than the spread.   

Prediction   Oregon 38 - Oregon State 21

Final           Oregon 65 - Oregon State 38

Oregon State went into the "Civil War" minus one of the best running backs in the country in Jacquizz Rodgers, bad shoulder. They got to face a finally healthy Oregon running back in Jeremiah Johnson, 17-219 yards. Johnson ran well enough to keep the pressure off Duck QB Jeremiah Masoli long enough to free him to throw for 274 yards on only 11 completions. OSU was close to going to the Rose Bowl, it's only been 44 years. How bad could one more year hurt? Mike saw this one coming, no Quizz  = no title. Mike passed his quiz and took the Ducks.

Prediction   West Virginia 28 - Pitt 31

Final           West Virginia 15 - Pitt 18
 
The Pitt Panthers came into the game with a single plan. Hold the ball as long as possible. The less WV's Pat White and Noel Devine touch the ball the better. Pitt Coach Dave Wannstadt tried some oddball plays to start the game but quickly realized that the Panthers have Lesean McCoy. McCoy ran the ball for 183 yards and helped the Panthers overcome West Virginia's Pat White remarkable performance in a Backyard Brawl that was quite frankly boring. Mike took Pitt despite Wannstadt and was right.
 
Prediction   Missouri 35 - Kansas 28

Final           Missouri 37 - Kansas 40

Missouri cruised into a rivalry game having already locked down the Big XII North title. Subsequently the Tigers found themselves in a shoot out with a Kansas team that had lost four of their last five games. Kansas had something to prove and owned the first half. Kansas QB Todd Reesing went 37/51 for 375 and 4 touchdowns. Missouri showed why Chase Daniel will play on Sunday next year. His second half play was remarkable but there just wasn't enough in the tank to overcome a fired up Jayhawk squad. In the end it was Reesing completing a 26 yard pass to Kerry Meier with 1:18 left to win it. Mike missed this one. Never underestimate the hatred generated in a border war. Kansas wins and heads off to a bowl.

Mike was wrong on this one but hey it's rivalry week.

Prediction   Florida 35 - Florida State 23

Final           Florida 45 - Florida State 15

It's too bad this isn't much of rivalry anymore. When the biggest story going into the Head Coach of the team that was almost certainly going to lose. It's time for Bowden Ball to end. We all know it. Florida looked like title team. The SEC Championship game with Alabama next should be an instant classic. Quick note, follow the progress of Florida's Mr. Everything, Percy Harvin, he tweaked an ankle in the FSU game. His progress will be important to both Florida and Alabama's game plan next week.

Mike loves him some Florida, he's taken them all year and never been wrong. 

Prediction   Notre Dame 10 - USC 28

Final           Notre Dame 3   - USC 38

The game was nearly called due to extraordinary arrogance. Both teams are sure they're far better than they are and deserve special treatment. The outcome was as expected and none of us really care. Mike liked it. He had the Song Girls by 18 and won.


Rob Thompson (aka "Mamboking") is one of EA's Radio/Television Broadcasters and one of the voices along with his brother of the popular EA SPORTS World. Rob and Jason were nationally syndicated Sports Radio hosts before coming to EA. When Rob's not talking sports he's talking politics. He can be seen regularly on FOX News' "Americas Voices".