Ugly Game of the Week (Week 11 Edition)

I've decided that Michigan's fortunes are attributable to stadium RAWK music and not my doing, so I will press on regardless.

In last week's games, Maryland lost to NC State 38-31.  But not so fast my friend.  Maryland scored one TD on an INT and another on a kick return, and added a field goal late.  Still, a decent showing by the Terps, for the Terps.

Utah State and Hawaii had an arena football-like game.  Hawaii won 49-36 and put up almost 700 yards of offense.  So neither game was particularly awful.  In the User Contribution Bowl, CSU lost to UNLV 35-17.  CSU had 424 yards to go with those 17 points, so they win the "Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing" award of the week.

This week is a veritable Super Bowl of bad games.  So, rather than just drawing names out of a hat, there will be actual analysis (before drawing names out of a hat).  As Brian pointed out, we're treated to Syracuse v Louisville in the "Hey Look, Basketball Has Started" bowl.  Both teams are 3-6, neither team has a win in conference.  Syracuse has played 3 Big 10 teams, including beating Northwestern.  Louisville's wins consist of Southern Miss, Indiana State, and Arkansas State.  Louisville's offense/defense is ranked 74/62, but much of that must come from weak competition.  Syracuse is ranked #93, and Louisville is #88, for a total of #181.  The game is at Louisville, FWIW.

The winner for lowest total ranking of the week is VMI v Army.  VMI is #224, Army is #143, total of #367.  Army has crazy offense/defense rankings at 116/12.  I don't know what to make of that.  Land mines in the end zone?  VMI is in a whole other galaxy.  Losses to Costal Carolina, Stony Brook, and Liberty?  Don't forget that Sagarin only ranks down to #245.

In major conference action, UCLA plays Washington State.  Washington State's offense is ranked one slot ahead of EMU, and defense is one behind Florida International.  UCLA has beaten K-State and Tennessee, while WSt. has been creamed by everyone but Southern Methodist.  But, UCLA's offense is only ranked #98, so who knows.  UCLA has been rotating QBs, which is never a good sign.

Speaking of Eastern, they play for the "Michigan Directional School" award against Western.  Both teams have defenses ranked in the +100s, so look for lots of points.  Eastern is winless, and don't look for that to change.  (For those of you keeping score, Central has beaten Western and Eastern).  Total ranking of this game is #291, mostly from Eastern's #179 ranking, but Western's #112 helps.

Like I said, it's a trainwreck of a week, and I can't even get to Kentucky v Vanderbilt or Tulane v Rice or San Jose St. v Utah St, et cetera et cetera.