Campus Confidential

By Adam Abramson

I woke up on Sunday ready to attack the day in typical fashion. Bagel, NFL Countdown, games all day.

But on this particular Sunday, I checked my email first, and there they were…emails from readers. After sifting through a melee of “How do you like Rutgers’ chances now?” I had to write immediately. So, Tom Jackson, you’re gonna have to hold up the show until I crank this out.

Lastly, before I press on, thanks to everyone who’s reading. Whether you agree or disagree, whether I predict a game right or wrong, as long as you’re reading and writing me or commenting on the blog (I love both, but prefer the latter), I just appreciate all of you taking the time to read; I can’t express this enough.

So, after that wild Saturday, where do I begin? How do I TACKLE it? (love puns…I dropped the greatest one at work the other night). I’ll start with Thursday night’s blog.

“There’s just no possible way (Rutgers has) a shot at the winner of Michigan/Ohio State.”

There’s no way you could have convinced me that Texas, Auburn and California would have lost Saturday. I maybe would have listened if you said Auburn and Cal would lose, but not all three.

Where does this leave Rutgers, who was No. 15 going into the weekend? We’ll see this afternoon, but I’d rank them at No. 7 (my poll is below). This week’s poll is crucial because of the catching up they have to do in the BCS standings.

Can RU reach the title game if it runs the table? Yeah, sure. Is it likely? I’m not ready to say it’s likely because a lot still has to happen. Although, yesterday reminded me of what Angels in the Outfield first taught me: “Hey, it could happen.” However, if Rutgers honors New Jersey native Joe Piscopo at halftime of the 11/25 Syracuse game for his captivating role in Sidekicks as Kelly Stone (head of the Stone Dojo), I’ll be the first to pencil them in for Arizona in January.

Here’s what needs to go down:

1. Rutgers wins the rest of its games.
   
2. LSU beats Arkansas (11/24, in Arkansas). That’d be two home losses for Arkansas.
   
3. Arkansas beats Florida in the SEC championship (if Arkansas beats Mississippi State next week, a Razorback-Gator SEC championship game is clinched).
   
4. Cal (or UCLA) beats USC (Cal at USC this Saturday; USC at UCLA 12/2).
   
5. USC beats Notre Dame (11/25 at USC).
   

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Florida
4. Southern California
5. Arkansas
6. LSU
7. Rutgers
8. Texas
9. Louisville
10. Notre Dame

• I’m going to be posting a lot this week about the Ohio State-Michigan game. Give me today to think about how I’m going to go about it…but, by Friday, you’ll be sick of hearing about this game between my blog and everyone else in the country.

• Florida had a scare on Saturday, needing three blocked kicks to win by one point. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Gators are a pretty darn good club. You can’t play the “Oh, well, they only one by one point to a South Carolina team that only beat Wofford by 7, meaning Florida would win by just 8.” Florida won, that’s enough for me. After watching Florida State lose five games this year, I’m writing off the Seminoles against the Gators faster than I’m writing off my student loan payments on next year’s taxes. So, if Florida runs the table, I still think they’ll snub an undefeated Rutgers team.

• I’m hearing a lot of “The SEC is overrated.” I have thought all year that it’s the best conference in the country by far, and I’m sticking to it. I’ve also said all year that the best teams in the conference would beat up on each other, and that’s exactly what is happening. You don’t see this anywhere else. You just can’t deny the talent (especially on defense) in the SEC. Half of the SEC is represented in the top 25 defenses in the country.
  
  
• Virginia Tech has the No. 1 defense in the country.