COLLEGE FOOTBALL – AFTER WEEK 9 GAMES REPORT:
By Gary Greene (11-4-22)
“STOCK UP” TEAM OF WEEK:
ILLINOIS: This team is still quietly flying under the radar and now has 6 straight wins and the Defense is the top rated “D” in the nation allowing only 224 total yards per game and past 5 games allowed only 9, 14, 6, 10 and a shutout last week. The Offense is now getting a nice groove scoring 31, 34, 26 and 26 in 4 of their last 5 games. They are only one loss from being unbeaten and that was in Week 2 when Indiana scored a TD with only 23 seconds left to just sneak in the win. They have 3 really winnable games left and one is vs. Michigan in a game the Wolverines will play one week prior to the monster game vs. Ohio State. That will be a classic “lookahead” spot for Michigan giving the Illini a chance to finish (11-1) with a big Upset that game. This team is by far the biggest surprise in CFB this season and now with an elite Defense and stud RB to carry the team to wins – nothing now will be a surprise.
“STOCK DOWN” TEAM OF THE WEEK:
VIRGINIA: Last year this team was tough to stop on Offense and the QB Armstrong was in the higher ranks of all QB’s. This team (especially this Offense) is now a complete FAILURE. Ranked #92 and only scoring 12 points last week in multiple OT’s vs. Miami and the QB Armstrong has only 6 TD passes all year and a 9 Interceptions. He has completed only 55% of his passes as well. The New HC Elliot has been a complete disaster with nearly everything. They have 3 wins and vs. Old Dominion, Richmond and a bad GA Tech team. I can’t see them winning any of the last 4 games they way they are playing and they play a pretty average to weak schedule rest of way.
“BUBBLE BURST” TEAM OF WEEK
SYRACUSE: I am saddened to write bad about this team as they really played above their talent all season. Until 2 weeks ago when they had their bubble burst in tough loss at Clemson. Then as it always seems to work out, that loss carried over to their next game (last week vs. ND) and they got blown out. After a storybook (6-0) they now are (6-2) with a hurt stud QB, a hurt stud RB and a Defense looking out of gas. Now add they have 3 super tough games the next 3 weeks and (6-0) could easily turn into (6-5). It’s hard to ever predict injuries but wow did there biggest ones come at the wrong time. Nothing for me to see here to make me think the past 2 losses won’t carry forward to the next 2-3 games.