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| Wednesday, September 25 Updated: September 26, 11:14 AM ET Badgers look good; Wildcats, Cyclones have a chance By Lee Corso Special to ESPN.com |
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With Lee Evans coming back from injury, a 5-0 record and an above-average non-conference schedule, why is Wisconsin so low in the polls? If the Badgers beat Penn State in a couple weeks, will they be a top 10 team?
They would get close to the top 10. The Badgers beat Arizona soundly last week, and Anthony Davis is one of the best backs in the Big Ten. Wisconsin is a fine football team. If the Badgers beat Penn State, they are absolutely moving toward the top 10.
What kind of chance does Kentucky have against Florida this week?
The Wildcats have a chance to score some points, but I don't know if they can stop the Gators from scoring. The Florida offense is looking good with Rex Grossman throwing well, guys like Earnest Graham who can run the ball and an offensive line that is improved. Kentucky will score, but I can see Florida winning a high-scoring game along the lines of 30-27
Lee, what do you think about the Iowa State's chances this weekend against Nebraska? This is the biggest game in recent memory in Ames.
As long as the Cyclones have Seneca Wallace, they have a chance. He is one of the best players in the country, and I have him near the top of my Heisman list. Iowa State is also playing at home and has given Nebraska some tough games in Ames, even beating the Huskers there back in 1992. I doubt the ISU defense can stop the Cornhuskers' running game, but the Cyclones have the firepower to outscore the Huskers like they did to Iowa earlier this year.
Coach, there are only two undefeated mid-major teams left, Bowling Green and Air Force. If either or both can run the table, do they have a chance at cracking the BCS bubble?
Well, Bowling Green beat two Big 12 teams in Missouri and Kansas, and Air Force blew out a Big Ten team in Northwestern, so there is a chance for them to sneak in there if some of the higher-echelon teams keep losing. But I would have to say, based on the remaining schedules, that Bowling Green has the better chance because Air Force still has to play Notre Dame, Colorado State and BYU.
What's with all the secrecy regarding injuries these days? I understand the athletes have a lot at stake with draft status and all, but do you think this is getting out of hand?
A new federal privacy law goes into effect in April of next year to protect privacy of health information, and many teams are already starting to follow that law. It keeps sideline reporters from talking to players and trainers to find out exactly what is wrong with guys during the game, but the local papers are still pretty good at getting that information during the week.
Chris, Oregon No question they are a good team, but look at the schedule so far: Eastern Kentucky, Temple, UNLV and Fresno State. Yo! Oregon Sate looked good playing those teams, but anyone would. That's nothing like playing at USC, at Washington and at home against Oregon. So we'll see about this team.
Lee, What do you think the problem is with Mississippi State's defense? Has everyone caught on to Joe Lee Dunn's scheme or do the Bulldogs not have the athletes anymore to play that style of defense?
No one has caught up to the scheme. The Bulldogs have a solid defensive system, and Dunn is a great defensive coordinator. They lost some guys from last year, and three of the players they signed went down with various ailments. MSU just doesn't have the studs up front on defense that make the rest of the team better.
Why is Alabama not rated in the top 25 in any of the polls? Is it because of the NCAA sanctions? This is a team that wins ugly but took Oklahoma to the wire and should have won. At 3-1, the Tide look as good as many of the top 25 teams. What do you think?
The Crimson Tide lost to Oklahoma and beat teams like Middle Tennessee and North Texas. Question answered.
And why are the Alabama running backs not getting national respect for the numbers they are posting (244 yards per game)? On the other side of the ball, the defense has held opposing backs in check (61 yards per game) what about them?
Well, Ahmaad Galloway was getting some national respect before he tore up his knee last weekend, and the 'Bama defense is getting a lot of respect from me. I'm featuring it this week on GameDay and I think the Tide has some of the best down linemen in the country in Jarret Johnson, Kenny King and Kindal Moorehead. And I was impressed that the defense held Derrick Nix of Southern Mississippi to 57 yards.
How devastating is the loss of Tony Hollings for Georgia Tech?
It hurts a lot. Hollings has been one of the leading rushers in the country and was averaging over 158 yards in the first four games. The Yellow Jackets will get someone else in there, but this is a big blow to their chances in the ACC race.
What do you look for in the battle between LSU and Mississippi State Saturday in Death Valley?
If LSU gets above-average play from the quarterback, it can beat anyone, including Mississippi State. But the defense and the running game are very good, so don't underestimate the Tigers. And now that Tennessee has gone down, my friends on GameDay have also picked a one-loss team to be in the national championship game, so they can't get on me anymore!
Coach Corso, how do you think Boston College will fare against teams such as Virginia Tech and Notre Dame?
They have a chance against those teams, especially getting Virginia Tech in Boston. BC is a good, well-coached team. The Eagles have to continue to play the way they did in the first half against Miami and not wear down. But the heat that was a factor last weekend probably won't be there when the Hokies come to town on Oct. 10. The Notre Dame game is a little different because it is in South Bend, but we still don't know if the Irish are going to have Carlyle Holiday back by then. Lee Corso is an analyst for ESPN College GameDay. His "Lee-Mail" column appears every Wednesday. |
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