Runway Challenge Week 11

Some Thursday updates from UConn camp heading into Saturday's crucial game with Cincinnati:

1. Backup linebacker Ryan Henegan was injured in practice, and is questionable to make the trip to Cincinnati. Linebacker Matt Ashmeade was also injured, and also questionable to make the trip. That's a fair-sized blow to the depth at linebacker.
2. Robbie Frey will indeed be the third-string tailback, though Edsall said he won't play unless it's absolutely necessary. Frey has traveled with the team, and has sat in on meetings all season, so he'll be well-prepared should his number be called.
3. Edsall said the attitude in practice hasn't changed at all. The team practiced outside in the cold and wind Wednesday. Forecast is better for Cincinnati than it will be for Connecticut on Saturday. Temps should be in the mid-50s, with partly cloudy skies.
   

Here's the weekly bowl predictions, with my predictions for the Big East

CINCINNATI (7-2, 2-2)
11/10: UConn (L)
11/17: West Virginia (L)
11/24: at Syracuse (W)
Predicted record: 8-4 (3-4 Big East)

UCONN (8-1, 4-0)
11/10: at Cincinnati (W)
11/17: Syracuse (W)
11/24: at West Virginia (L)
Predicted record: 10-2 (6-1)

LOUISVILLE (5-4, 2-2)
11/8: at West Virginia (L)
11/17: at South Florida (L)
11/29: Rutgers (W)
Predicted record: 6-6 (3-4)


PITTSBURGH (4-5, 2-2)
11/17: at Rutgers (L)
11/24: South Florida (L)
12/1: West Virginia (L)
Predicted record: 4-8 (2-5)

RUTGERS (5-4, 2-3)
11/9: at Army (W)
11/17: Pitt (W)
11/29: at Louisville (L)
Predicted record: 7-5 (3-4)

SOUTH FLORIDA (6-3, 1-3)
11/10: at Syracuse (W)
11/17: Louisville (W)
11/24: at Pitt (W)
Predicted record: 9-3 (4-3)

SYRACUSE (2-6, 1-3)
11/10: South Florida (L)
11/17: at UConn (L)
11/24: Cincinnati (L)
Predicted record: 2-9 (1-6)

WEST VIRGINIA (7-1, 2-1)
11/8: Louisville (W)
11/17: at Cincinnati (W)
11/24: UConn (W)
12/1: Pitt (W)
Predicted record: 11-1 (6-1)

Which would make the Big East standings as follows:
1. West Virginia (6-1), wins tiebreaker, auto BCS
2. UConn (6-1)
3. South Florida (4-3)
4. Rutgers (3-4)
4 (tie). Louisville (3-4)
4 (tie). Cincinnati (3-4)
7. Pitt (2-5)
8. Syracuse (1-6)

And the bowl shake out:

BCS National Championship game: LSU vs. Ohio State
Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. West Virginia
Orange Bowl: Boston College vs. Texas
Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Hawaii
Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. Arizona State

The rest of the Big East
Sun Bowl: UConn vs. USC
Meineke Car Care Bowl: South Florida vs. Wake Forest
Papajohns.com Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Central Florida
International Bowl: Rutgers vs. Ball State
Texas Bowl: Louisville vs. Kansas State

And the weekly picks, which have slowly but surely turned into a disaster for yours truly. I'm awful at this. But I'll chalk it up to the fact that it's been a wacky season in college football. Looks like SeanO's ghost is in position to take over the blog for a day, and I'll bet he's dying to write for a captive audience after three months away.

I need to get myself back into the picture, so I'm upping the number of games to 18 this week.

Game 1: Wake Forest (+9) over CLEMSON

Game 2: South Florida (-16) over SYRACUSE: Jim Leavitt hasn't uttered a word during Bulls losing streak, down from his weekly average of two.

Game 3: Michigan (-3) over WISCONSIN: Next week's game with OSU might be worth watching after all.

Game 4: Arkansas (pick' em) over TENNESSEE: Can't put any faith in the Ainge family.

Game 5: Kentucky (-3.5) over VANDERBILT

Game 6: Air Force (-3) over NOTRE DAME: As if being an underdog at home against Air Force isn't humiliating enough...just want to point out that Notre Dame lost at home to Navy, a team that lost to Delaware the week before. I think Yale would put a hurting on the Irish right now. Charlie Weiss has effectively killed this program.

Game 7: Florida State (+6) over VIRGINIA TECH: The UConn faithful loving Bobby Bowden's boys right about now.

Game 8: GEORGIA (-2) over Auburn

Game 9: TEXAS (-6.5) over Texas Tech: Graham Harrell has thrown for 4,412 yards so far. Too bad the defense hasn't stopped a decent opponent yet.

Game 10: Connecticut (+6.5) over CINCINNATI: Huskies covered spread against everyone except Temple.

Game 11: Arizona State (-7) over UCLA: Thought the Bruins might be headed for a bowl showdown with the Huskies. They'll need to run the table against ASU, Oregon and USC. No chance.

Game 12: MIAMI-FL (+3.5) over Virginia

Game 13: Florida (-6.5) over SOUTH CAROLINA

Game 14: Kansas (-6) over OKLAHOMA STATE: Wasn't long ago that Kansas played lowly Texas State, led by quarterback Paul Blake and coached by Ed "Straight Arrow" Gennaro, to a 3-3 tie. Kathy Ireland kicked the tying field goal in a monsoon as time expired. Exciting stuff. Wait, was that a movie? I forget. Anyway, Jayhawks are no joke.

Game 15: Southern California (-4) over CAL: Don't get ESPNU? Watch this one for scouting report of Huskies Sun Bowl opponent (it'll be one or the other).

Game 16: Boston College (-6) over MARYLAND: The priest who christened my kid last week told me he was having a tough time after all his teams choked last week. Notre Dame is awful and lost to Navy. BC had just blown it's national championship dreams. Holy Cross lost to a Division III team (Rhode Island College) whose brutal schedule features Western Connecticut State, Roger Williams College and a bunch of aspiring chefs at Johnson & Wales. If it's any consolation to Father Dargan, the Fairfield Prep hockey team looks primed for another state title.

Game 17: HARVARD (-7.5) over Penn: Setting up an undefeated showdown at Yale Bowl next week...how are Ivy's still not letting their football teams go to the I-AA playoffs? What a waste.

Game 18: Yale (-17) over PRINCETON: Got a phone call earlier today from an irate man who wanted me to write a story on how ESPN continues to screw over football fans from the state of Connecticut. Not because of the ESPNU stuff, but because next week they scheduled the UConn-Syracuse game at noon: same time as Yale-Harvard.

Last week's results

1. Kooch 10-0-3 (congrats on the first-ever perfect week in two years of Runway challenges)
2. SeanO's ghost: 8-2-3
3. Tonto Kowalski: 7-3-3
Will L 7-3-3
Jerry 7-3-3
6. Sammy 6-4-3
Sturge-Rock 6-4-3
Pete 6-4-3
9. Caleb Mandrake 4-6-3
Mitch Kumpstein 4-6-3
11. Chip 3-7-3 (pathetic)
P.J. 3-7-3
Ian 3-7-3
Luc 3-7-3
Vinny from East Haven 3-7-3


Overall
1. SeanO's ghost 67
2. Kooch 66
3. Sammy 62
4. Ian 61
5. Will L 55
6. Chip 54
7. Vinny from East Haven 52
8. Caleb Mandrake 50
9. DetroitTigersHater 47
10. Pete 48
11. Dan 41
Kevin 37
13. sturge-rock 31
14. Mitch Kumpstein 26
15. Alex 16
16. P.J. 11
17. Steve P 8
18. Luc 7
Jerry 7
Tonto Kowalski 7


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