For those who want to day dream

[Jim Johnson]

Okay.  Let me first say that we can't really get too far ahead in our thinking... it only causes raised expectations and pain when something happens.

Next, let me say that I know the players are focused on FAU.  They will prepare for what is probably Howard's best team in a long time.

That being said...

Here is a look at the key games in the Other Five BCS Conferences.  Wins by Bold teams would help move an undefeated USF up the polls.

Southeastern Conference

10/04 #8 Kentucky at #11 S Carolina 7:30 PM

10/06 #9 Florida at #1 LSU 8:00 PM

10/06 #12 Georgia at Tennessee 3:34 PM

10/13 #1 LSU at #8 Kentucky 3:30 PM

10/20 #9 Florida at #8 Kentucky 7:00 PM

10/20 Auburn at #1 LSU 8:00 PM

10/27 #9 Florida at #12 Georgia TBD

11/03 #1 LSU at Alabama TBD

11/03 #11 South Carolina at Arkansas 2:00 PM

11/10 #9 Florida at #11 S Carolina TBD

11/10 Auburn at #12 Georgia TBD

11/17 #8 Kentucky at #12 Georgia TBD

11/23 Arkansas at #1 LSU 2:30 PM

11/24 #12 Georgia at Ga Tech TBD

11/24 #22 Clemson at #11 South Carolina TBD

12/01 SEC Championship

This is a BRUTAL conference.  It's possible LSU is that much better than the rest, but it's also possible a bunch of SEC teams could go 6-2 or worse in conference play.

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Atlantic Coast Conference

10/06 Bowling Green at #7 Boston College 12:00 PM

10/06 #15 Va Tech at #22 Clemson 6:00 PM

10/13 #7 Boston College at N Dame 3:30 PM

10/25 #7 Boston College at #15 Va Tech 7:30 PM

11/03 Florida St at #7 Boston College TBD

11/10 #7 Boston College at Maryland TBD

11/10 Florida St at #15 Va Tech TBD

11/17 Miami at #15 Va Tech TBD

11/17 #7 Boston College at #22 Clemson TBD

11/24 Miami at #7 Boston College TBD

12/01 ACC Championship

Boston College is the only ACC team that could really enter the National Championship picture.  VT is the only other team currently ranked... all we need is to root for BC to lose a game or two, and maybe VT to lose another game, too.

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Big Ten Conference

10/06 #5 Wisconsin at Illinois 12:00 PM

10/06 #4 Ohio State at #23 Purdue 8:00 PM

10/13 #5 Wisconsin at Penn State 3:30 PM

10/13 #23 Purdue at Michigan 12:00 PM

10/20 Mich St at #4 Ohio State 3:30 PM

10/27 #4 Ohio State at Penn State 8:00 PM

11/03 #5 Wisconsin at #4 Ohio St TBD

11/03 #23 Purdue at Penn State TBD

11/10 Michigan at #5 Wisconsin TBD

11/10 Illinois at #4 Ohio State TBD

11/17 #4 Ohio State at Michigan TBD

In the Big Ten, we're talking about Ohio State and Wisconsin.  No other Big Ten team really has a shot (Purdue is #23).

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Pac Ten Conference

10/20 #2 USC at N Dame 3:30 PM

10/20 #3 California at UCLA TBD

10/27 #2 USC at #14 Oregon 3:00 PM

10/27 #3 California at #18 Arizona St 10:00 PM

11/03 #18 Arizona St at #14 Oregon 6:30 PM

11/10 #2 USC at #3 California 8:00 PM

11/17 #3 California at Washington TBD

11/22 #2 USC at #18 Arizona St 8:00 PM

12/01 UCLA at #2 USC 4:30 PM

The PAC 10 is a two team race, with Cal and USC, but Oregon and Arizona State are waiting in the wings.  I think the Pac 10 champion will probably be undefeated.

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Big Twelve Conference

10/06 #25 Nebraska at #17 Missouri 9:15 PM

10/06 #10 Oklahoma at #19 Texas 3:30 PM

10/13 #17 Missouri at #10 Oklahoma TBD

10/27 #25 Nebraska at #19 Texas TBD

11/03 #17 Missouri at Colorado TBD

11/03 Texas A&M at #10 Oklahoma TBD

11/10 Texas A&M at #17 Missouri TBD

11/10 #24 Kansas St at #25 Nebraska TBD

11/17 #17 Missouri at #24 Kansas St TBD

12/01 Big Twelve Championship

The Big Twelve could go to the North champion, especially if OK and TX lose again.  Heck, Texas A&M could be playing in the Championship game.

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Ultimately, USF needs as many of the other teams to lose whenever possible.  If USF can be the only undefeated team, and the strong powers have one or two losses, depending on when they lose, then USF could very easily be in the National Championship game.

[Economics_Nerd82]

Wouldn't a UF win put them ahead of us? I doubt USF beatin FAU will move them up higher than UF beating LSU

[Guest]

Wouldn't a UF win put them ahead of us? I doubt USF beatin FAU will move them up higher than UF beating LSU

It's about the season, not just this week... someone has to take out LSU.

[Velcro]

I'd rather see someone else take out LSU... LSU beat florida, then someone like Arkansas taking out LSU later in the season would be perfect.

[nobull.Bulls]

If Florida lost to Auburn, who is a good team but far from the best in the SEC, Im sure theyll lose at least one or two more games.

[WPHChris]

Well just remember that USC/Cal loser, LSU/UF/Kentucky losers and the Wisconsin/OSU loser should drop below us so there are three to five spots right there.  Don't forget also that Kentucky has 3 brutal games (starting Thursday) and LSU has a stretch of Florida/Kentucky/Auburn/Alabama.  If there are 2 undefeated teams left at the end of the day, I believe that those two (unless it is Hawaii, they need to win out and have the strong teams lose twice) will play for the national championship.  We just need to focus on FAU!

[Jamie]

Florida still has to play Kentucky, Georgia, and South Carolina too. And none of those games are in Gainesville.

[JoeB]

Jim, I thought this post was referring to Gisele Bunchen.............

[AUFan]

I'd rather see someone else take out LSU... LSU beat florida, then someone like Arkansas taking out LSU later in the season would be perfect.

If LSU is in the top 5, we'll be their Huckleberry.

[Guest]

UPDATED LIST ...

Games in RED didn't help (or actually hurt).  Games in GREEN helped (or didn't hurt).

Italicized entries were added because of their impact.

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Again, assuming USF goes undefeated -- which is not going to be easy --  Here is a look at the key games in the Other Five BCS Conferences.  Wins by Bold teams would help move an undefeated USF up the polls.

Southeastern Conference

10/04 S Carolina over Kentucky

10/06 LSU over Florida

10/06 Tennessee over Georgia

10/13 LSU at Kentucky 3:30 PM

10/20 Florida at Kentucky 7:00 PM

10/20 Auburn at LSU 8:00 PM

10/27 Florida at Georgia TBD

11/03 LSU at Alabama TBD

11/03 South Carolina at Arkansas 2:00 PM

11/10 Florida at S Carolina TBD

11/10 Auburn at Georgia TBD

11/17 Kentucky at Georgia TBD

11/23 Arkansas at LSU 2:30 PM

11/24 Georgia at Ga Tech TBD

11/24 Clemson at South Carolina TBD

12/01 SEC Championship

This is a BRUTAL conference.  It's possible LSU is that much better than the rest, but it's also possible a bunch of SEC teams could go 6-2 or worse in conference play.

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Atlantic Coast Conference

10/06 Boston College over Bowling Green

10/06 Va Tech over Clemson

10/13 Boston College at N Dame 3:30 PM

10/25 Boston College at Va Tech 7:30 PM

11/03 Florida St at Boston College TBD

11/10 Boston College at Maryland TBD

11/10 Florida St at Va Tech TBD

11/17 Miami at Va Tech TBD

11/17 Boston College at Clemson TBD

11/24 Miami at Boston College TBD

12/01 ACC Championship

Boston College is the only ACC team that could really enter the National Championship picture.  VT is the only other team currently ranked... all we need is to root for BC to lose a game or two, and maybe VT to lose another game, too.

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Big Ten Conference

10/06 Illinois over Wisconsin

10/06 Ohio State over Purdue

10/13 Wisconsin at Penn State 3:30 PM

10/13 Purdue at Michigan 12:00 PM

10/20 Mich St at Ohio State 3:30 PM

10/27 Ohio State at Penn State 8:00 PM

11/03 Wisconsin at Ohio St TBD

11/03 Purdue at Penn State TBD

11/10 Michigan at Wisconsin TBD

11/10 Illinois at Ohio State TBD

11/17 Ohio State at Michigan TBD

In the Big Ten, we're talking about Ohio State as the only one with a real shot at the NCG.  No other Big Ten team really has a shot -- maybe Wisconsin if it runs the table the rest of the way.

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Pac Ten Conference

10/06 Stanford over USC

10/20 USC at N Dame 3:30 PM

10/20 California at UCLA TBD

10/27 USC at Oregon 3:00 PM

10/27 California at Arizona St 10:00 PM

11/03 Arizona St at Oregon 6:30 PM

11/10 USC at California 8:00 PM

11/17 California at Washington TBD

11/22 USC at Arizona St 8:00 PM

12/01 UCLA at USC 4:30 PM

The PAC 10 is a two team race, with Cal and USC, but Oregon and Arizona State are waiting in the wings.  With Stanford beating USC, I am no longer sure if the Pac 10 champion will probably be undefeated.

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Big Twelve Conference

10/06 Missouri over Nebraska

10/06 Oklahoma over Texas

10/13 Missouri at #10 Oklahoma TBD

10/27 Nebraska at #19 Texas TBD

11/03 Missouri at Colorado TBD

11/03 Texas A&M at Oklahoma TBD

11/10 Texas A&M at Missouri TBD

11/10 Kansas St at Nebraska TBD

11/17 Missouri at Kansas St TBD

12/01 Big Twelve Championship

The Big Twelve could go to the North champion, especially if OK loses again.  Heck, Texas A&M could be playing in the Championship game.