The first edition of the 2006 BCS standings will be unveiled at 3:15 p.m. Sunday on Fox, and people hardly can contain their excitement, right?
“Hmmm,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday. “Well, I just learned that they’re coming out from you. So that tells you how much stock we put in it.”
If Ohio State wins out and maintains its commanding lead in the polls, the Buckeyes will be in the national championship game, according to forecaster Jerry Palm of collegebcs.com. Where it gets dicey is if both USC and Florida finish undefeated. Or if a Big East team remains undefeated, and Notre Dame finishes 11-1.
Irish-haters, be warned: The computers love Notre Dame and their opponents’ combined record of 22-14. Heading into Saturday, Palm projects that Notre Dame will rank sixth in the BCS standings, three spots ahead of undefeated West Virginia, two spots ahead of 5-1 Texas and one in front of 5-1 Tennessee.
So if the Irish win their next five–the cashmere-soft schedule features dates with UCLA, North Carolina and the three service academies–their Nov. 25 finale at USC could become huge. Even Tressel might have to watch.
Meanwhile, right defensive end Ronald Talley has left the team. The redshirt sophomore had been losing playing time to fifth-year senior Chris Frome, though he had started four of the first six games this season.
Talley, a 6-foot-4, 262-pound run-stopper out of Detroit, started five of the last six games in 2005 after Frome was lost for the season with a knee injury.
No reason was given for his departure, but the school said the decision was reached mutually.
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SATURDAY’S BIG GAMES
Purdue at Northwestern
11 a.m., CBS
The game features the best Big Ten player you may not have heard of: Purdue defensive end Anthony Spencer, who leads the league with 14.5 tackles for loss, including 6.5 sacks. For NU, eliminating the big mistake is quarterback Andrew Brewer’s big goal as he starts his third straight game Saturday. “We think those are freshman mistakes,” offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said of Brewer.
No. 4 Michigan at Penn State
7 p.m., ABC
A loss to Michigan spoiled Penn State’s otherwise perfect 2005 season. And the 2001 Wolverines are the only team in Joe Paterno’s 40-plus seasons to shut out the Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. So will Penn State exact revenge Saturday? “I think whoever plays the best will have the best chance to win,” Michigan’s Lloyd Carr (right) said. Thanks, coach.
No. 2 Florida at No. 11 Auburn
6:45 p.m., ESPN
Why do coaches always warn players about looking ahead? Last Saturday was Exhibit A. Auburn was so fired up to play Florida, the Tigers lost to Arkansas. At home. So much for a Saturday showdown of top five teams.
Other key games
– Minnesota at Wisconsin: 11 a.m., ESPN
– Northern Illinois at Western Michigan: 1 p.m., CSN
– Ohio State at Michigan State: 2:30 p.m., ABC
