2008 College Football Week Eleven Predictions: The Danger Of Boredom

There aren't many good match ups this weekend. If you had to take a weekend off, this would be the one. I'll be doing that as I head to Western Nebraska for deer rife season next week. It's a nice break, I like going there.

Football fans tend to point to the big games as a way of finding out who has the better team, but that's often not the case. It's the games that "don't count" that nail some teams when they're not looking.

We hear about "focus" and taking "one game at a time", but the problem coaches of good teams have with a matchup against a poor team is boredom. Taking on a task that isn't a challenge leads to an apathetic "why bother" attitude. One of the ways of making said task more challenging is to make it more exciting. In football terms, that means playing down to a weaker opponent to give the appearance of challenge.

That's why this is a dangerous weekend. A good team can always get up for a big game. The difference between a great team and good team is whether or not they can get up if the opponent isn't that good, ala USC vs Oregon State earlier in the year.

Will all these good teams beat their overmatched opponents this weekend, or could we see some carnage?

Missouri @ Iowa State

Tiggers by 28

Corn Blight:  It’s in Ames! Iowa State could do us a huge favor, beating Missouri and giving us a chance at the big 12 title game. Unfortunately, they're Iowa State. So they'll be close, but not there. I would really love to be wrong about this one.
Missouri 35, Iowa State 27

Husker Mike: OK...  night game.  Wind out of the NW forecasted to be 21 mph.  Possible snow. Weee!
Mizery 28, Clones 14

Oklahoma State @ Colorado

Cowboys favored by 16.5

Husker Mike: It's at night! Frozen urine bombs! They nearly lost to Iowa State at home. Cowboys get their mojo back.
Cowboys 49, Buffies 9

Corn Blight:It's in Boulder! Can the Hawk survive? This season can't get over fast enough for the few Buffs fans that care.
Cowboys 42, Buffs 13

Texas @ Kansas

BOvines favored by 13

Husker Mike: 52 degrees, wind NW @ 23 mph.  Rain showers and it’s a morning game. UT has too many weapons, and KU's offense can be shut down if you can get to Reesing occasionally.
Texas 42, Kansas 17

Corn Blight: KU can’t run in good weather, let alone bad weather. Texas should be able to at least run a little. I'm going
Texas 31, Kansas 21

A&M @ Baylor

Baylor favored by 8

Corn Blight: Baylor and Robert Griffin get the Aggies in Waco and beat them.
Baylor 38, Texas A&M 24

Husker Mike: A&M had the fortune of playing the bottom of the North this season to get some W's.
Da Bearsh 45, Aggies 21

Ohio State @ Illinois

OSU favored by 9.5

Corn Blight: It's only a matter of time before Zooker is done at Illinois. This game helps hastens his departure.
tOSU 34, Illinois 17

Husker Mike: Game in Champaign! Buckeyes looking ahead to Weasels next week. Illini licking their wounds from Western Michigan last week.
OSU 34, Illini 19

South Carolina @ Florida

Florida favored by 21

Husker Mike: Old Bawl Coach comes home. And gets his a** kicked.
Florida 63, South Carolina 14

Corn Blight: Florida and Tim Tebow are on such a roll, the best part of this game will be the comments from Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier before, during and after.
Florida 45, South Carolina 17

Notre Dame - Navy

Notre Dame favored by 3.5

Husker Mike: Annnnnnchors away! The Genius is taking over playcalling this week. After getting shut out by BC last week. Genius got a vote of confidence from the AD
Navy 28, Amish 24

Corn Blight: If Notre Dame is getting any better it doesn't show from week to week. They're playing a lot of young guys, but Weis isn’t the coach Notre Dame thought he was when they got him. I hope they continue to lose badly. I can't stand Weis. and ND made one of the dumbest contract moves in the history of college football. Therefore, the Genius needs to fail. He’s doing well at that right now - he’s 5-5 against a pretty weak schedule.
Navy 31, Irish 21

Nebraska @ Kansas State

Huskers by 6.5
Husker Mike: Weather:  Partly sunny.  Low 40's.  Wind NW 15-20 mph, gusting to 30.
Here's the thing with KSU.  They really only score on bombs by Freeman.
Reason for optimism:  With that wind?
Reason for pessimism:  With our secondary?
X factor:  Festering grudge from Billy C RUTS.
NU 38, Kansas State 26

Corn Blight: The only way Nebraska loses this game is if they stroll into Manhattan convinced the Wildcats are going to lay down for them. Otherwise, KSU's defense is hapless, and while I don't think his team is done playing for Ron Prince, if we start out fast it'll be over early.
Nebraska 42, KSU 21