Wednesday.  Hmm ... tastes like Chicken.

So now we can't stop the Mountaineers? Is that what I'm supposed to believe? Hardly. Look, I'm happy that West Virginia is playing better than most expected. It's great. Good for them, and good for the Big East. But I'm not prepared to mail in the rest of the season because of a handful of bad quarters of football. Hell no! There's only one team left on our schedule that could be better on paper, and that's Miami. West Virginia doesn't have it, and France is flat out dreaming.

We've got KJ back, and Vegas also. It'd be nice to have Hall, but I don't think WVU really has the passing game to exploit that. Nope, it comes down to our rush defense, and what we can do to stop Cobourne. It's really that simple. Suggs is going to have a field day because all of a sudden the Eers have to start paying attention to our vertical passing game. Man, I loved writing that!

For the record I like night games. I do. Even Thursday nights, though I do prefer Saturdays for obvious reasons. I don't know about Wednesday night football though. We'll see. Wish I could make it...

Rock on proud Hokies, we've got three more to go.

It's a Big East Extravaganza!

You know with Pitt, Syracuse, and we Hokies still to go, the Big East title is hardly a foregone conclusion for Miami. Florida State and Tennessee are both flawed this year. Pittsburgh is just as good, or better, than anyone the Canes have faced so far.

Of course this is a national stage, and Miami's fighting for some media respect. I expect them to turn on the jets. Pitt will stay close for a while, but in the end I don't think anything is going to stand between Miami and Tempe.

If this game were in Michigan I'd call it Wolverines all the way. No question. But it isn't, now is it? But boy the Bucks have been living some kind of a charmed life this season. Yeah I know, an ugly win is still a win. Yeah, I know Alabama did it the same way in 1992 ... against Miami to boot. Still, I just don't get that champion vibe from Ohio State. They're cutting it too close and I think it bites them today.

I like Michigan here, home or not. It's going to totally screw up the BCS, and that's A-OK with this Hokie. Hail to the Victors!

Still, a shot at a conference title is some serious motivation.  And Red Raider QB Kliff Kingsbury stands to make a lot of money if he can carve up Okie's defense like he did to Texas last week.

Not to discount Oklahoma.  They're still one of the nation's top teams, and are within shouting distance of a MNC chance.  They need help, but are not out of it, not by a long shot.  When all is said and done, I think Oklahoma takes this one, but they're going to get a fight.

And holding pace right behind Washington State is USC. They're good. Very good. In fact, they're going to win today, and beat Notre Dame next week. Shortly thereafter they're going to get the shaft for a BCS at-large bid at Notre Dame's expense. So what if they play in one of the biggest media markets in the entire country?

As for UCLA. I don't know a thing about them. They've been cruising along and evidently had a pretty decent season. Hey, good for them. But with USC this week and Washington State still to come, it's Silicon Valley Bowl all the way.

Money in the bank.

Not bad for a down year.

So here's the deal. Colorado State is the runaway dominant team in the Mountain West, right? Well not so much. New Mexico is 4-1 in conference, and if they win here the Lobos will likely take the MWC crown.

Yeah, but Colorado State is the runaway dominant team in the MWC. All they'll do today is prove it.

Maryland is a team on a mission. They're about to lay the wood to the Frenchies, and it ain't gonna be pretty.

You've got to hand it to them though. Picked seventh in the preseason, France has managed no worse than a tie for third in the ACC, second if they should *lol* win here. I see that more as a negative reflection on the ACC however, as 7-6 should never place as high as third.

The best thing about this game is that one of these teams gets to halt their slide. Mississippi has lost four straight since making a brief appearance in the top-25, and LSU has stumbled three straight weeks (Hail Marys notwithstanding) since being decimated by injuries and defections.

So at least someone will win.

Now Hawaii's a peculiar case.  Being bowl eligible, they have already accepted a berth in the inspiringly named Hawaii Bowl where they will get to face a CUSA also ran.  So it's bowl money, which is nice, but there's no nifty holiday trip.  Also there's no groovy national opponent.  On the other hand, Alabama comes calling next week with what passes as their bowl game.  So that's something too.

As owners of perhaps the most underrated home field advantage in major college football (jet lag and hula dancers, how do you concentrate through that?) Hawaii should take this without too much trouble.

Hey, well BC finally won a Big East game last week. Pulls them out of that last place tie with Rutgers, and only one game back of Temple!

:o)