Mark Blaudschun
By Mark Blaudschun
FWAA. com
Call it the first of several Showdown Saturdays.
After a month of setting things up, we are finally close to establishing some clear trends with
matchups that will create some clear separation or even eliminate teams as serious contenders. So,
here's what we have.
Indiana at Nebraska: At the start of the season this looked like a rout for Indiana. But some things
have changed.
Indiana has been fine, but not overly impressive, in winning all its games thus far, and struggled to
beat a better-than-expected Northwestern team at home two weeks ago.
Not much was expected from Nebraska this season – again. But the Huskers have breezed through
their first five games without being challenged by a weak schedule. Now the defending national
champions come to Lincoln.
Game on? We will see.
Oklahoma vs. Texas in Dallas: Billed as a big game before the season started, it has lost some of its luster
because Oklahoma looks average at best.
The Longhorns are undefeated with big victories over Ohio State and Tennessee. But they don't have the
look of a No. 1 team to me. Or the feel.
This IS Oklahoma and Texas. QB Arch Manning needs to re-establish his Heisman credentials, but it
won’t be easy. OU still can play defense. Yet the Longhorns look too strong for a major surprise.
Georgia at Alabama: Marquee game of the year so far. It is an SEC rivalry in Saturday night prime time in
Tuscaloosa which looks to be safe of the effects of a Hurricane passing by earlier during the weekend.
Both teams look like national championship contenders. And Georgia is a slight favorite.
Alabama getting points is always a bargain. As a home underdog? That is very tempting: Georgia
could win the game by less than a field goal, which would make the Tide losers, but their bettors
winners.
Sounds like the winning formula.
Texas A&M at Missouri: Could be a knockout game for the loser, particularly the Aggies.
A&M has looked average at best and needs to run the table to even enter the postseason playoff
discussion. And the journey starts at Missouri. The Tigers looked ordinary in a road loss at Mississippi State and extraordinary in a home romp past
Florida last week.
On paper Mizzou should win comfortably. But Coach Drink doesn't have enough equity built yet,
which is why it looks like a tough game against an Aggie team that CANNOT afford another loss.
UCLA at Oregon: The Big Ten West Coast version of a showdown.
UCLA has been a surprise, breezing through the first month of the season without hitting a speed
bump. But this game looks much, much different; either the Bruins will be validated or exposed.
Oregon has already hit a couple of potholes and has lost both respect and rankings. The Ducks took
care of USC last week; now they can complete their L.A. sweep by taking care of UCLA.
A loss all but eliminates Oregon from playoff consideration, so the Ducks are in a playoff frame of
mind – playing at home.
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