Thursday, October 9, 2008

Major Disapointments

Through week 6 there are some teams who have not lived up the the expectations that were set upon them before the season started. Here are the teams that have made my list:


Clemson

People should have learned their lesson that Clemson never lives up to the hype. This was supposed to be the year that Clemson changed all that and finally won an ACC title. There was even some talk that Clemson could be a dark horse for the national championship. These hopes were basically dashed when they were crushed by Alabama 34-10. In this game CJ Spiller and James Davis, arguably the best running back tandem in the nation, were held to 0 yards! After winning their next three games, Clemson lost to Maryland giving them 2 losses on the season and their first ACC loss. Cullen Harper, whom many felt was becoming one of the best quarterbacks, has thrown only 3 touchdown passes compared to 5 interceptions.

Clemson may still have a shot at an ACC title if they are able to beat Wake Forest tonight and win the rest of their league games. If they cant do that, the season will be a complete failure.





Auburn

With a new offensive coordinator and a brand new offensive scheme in place, this was supposed to be the year that Auburn finally had a good offense to go along with their stingy defense. Things haven't worked out quite that way. Auburn's defense has been great but their offense has been horrific. They mustered to score a measly 3 points against Mississippi State, 14 against Tennessee and after last weekends loss to Vanderbilt, in which they only scored 13 points, they fired new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin. Not the dream season Auburn fans hoped of. Auburn will likely go back to their old ways of playing smash-mouth football. With Georgia, Alabama and West Virginia still on the schedule, Auburn may finish the season with 5 losses.





Wisconsin

Wisconsin has been on the verge of winning the Big 10 for 4 years now and it just hasn't happened. Wisconsin has been unable to just take that next step. This year, similar to the last couple of years, was supposed to be the year that Wisconsin finally wins a big conference game and wins the Big Ten. Things were looking good up to a couple of weeks ago when they suffered an upset to Michigan. Then, the next weekend they played Ohio State. They lost. Once again. The same story, new year for Badger fans. Another year in which Wisconsin will be playing in a middle-tier bowl. The only hopes of winning the Big Ten is hoping that Illinois, Ohio State and Penn State suffer major collapses. With the unlikely-hood of that happening, Wisconsin will likely be playing in another Capitol One Bowl.





Fresno State


This is not too much of a disappointment because they are a non-BCS team but Fresno State was the second most probable team to bust the BCS. The loss to Wisconsin in the second week was not all that bad but losing to a depleted Hawaii team, at home, was shocking. The Bulldogs can still have a good season, but they must win the rest of their games which includes a game against Boise State played on the "smurf turf".




The season hasn't just been full of disappointments however. Here are a few surprises this season:

Ball State making the top 25.

Alabama starting the season 6-0 with wins against Clemson and Georgia.

East Carolina's shocking upset of Virginia Tech and then following that off with another upset of West Virginia. Last year they lost by a combined score of 65-14 to both teams.

The best team in Tennessee is... Vanderbilt! The Commodores have started the season 5-0 with wins over Auburn and South Carolina.

Oregon State's major upset of supposedly invincible USC.

5 Big 12 teams are undefeated!
Photos courtesy of Google.

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