From: boisseau@chpc.utexas.edu (John R. Boisseau (Jay))
Subject: SWC Preview for Games on 10/3
Organization: The University of Texas System CHPC
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 92 03:57:38 GMT


--------------------------------------
SWC Preview For Games the Week of 10/3
--------------------------------------
Gary 'Goober' Smith and Jay Boisseau.


                Conference      Overall
                  W  L  T       W  L  T
SMU:              1  0  0       3  1  0
Texas Tech:       1  0  0       2  2  0
Texas A&M:        0  0  0       4  0  0
Rice:             0  0  0       1  2  0
Texas:            0  0  0       1  2  0
Houston:          0  0  0       1  2  0
Baylor:           0  1  0       1  3  0
TCU:              0  1  0       0  2  1


SMU at BAYLOR
-------------

Is SMU for real? We should find out this weekend in the annual 
church bowl (Baptists vs. Methodists). Not that Baylor is a good 
team, but they probably are somewhat better than the teams that SMU has 
faced so far. If SMU can take all that emotion they had in the home win 
over TCU down to Waco, they can win this game. Unfortunately, SMU
suspended 18 players this week, including a few starters (most notably
Kevin Shepherd, the RB who played well agianst TCU) for selling their
old books (paid for out of their scholarships) back to the bookstores
and keeping the money. Still, SMU doesn't have much talent anyway,
so how much could this possibly hurt them? ;-) Anyway, we think
Baylor has too much talent for the Ponies... Goober predicts a close
one, but Jay thinks the Baylor Bears will come to _play_ (they don't
want to be a SMU victim, after already having a bad start to the 
season).

(If SMU _really_ wants to win, Rossley should castrate a _bear_
before the game. If that doesn't fire up his players, nothing will.)

Predictions: Goober Baylor 24, SMU 17
             Jay    Baylor 31, SMU 14 (sorry, no Cotton for SMU)


SW LOUISIANA at HOUSTON
------------------------

Houston is coming off of a humiliating defeat. They showed against
Illinois that they can win a game every now and then... but that
defensive showing seems to be the exception rather than the rule.
They will be out to show it again this week and should handle SW La.
without too much problem. SW La., however, is 2-2 and probably won't
be as much of a pushover as Houston hopes.

Predictions: Goober Houston 35, SW La. 17
             Jay    Houston 35, SW La. 20


TEXAS at RICE
-------------

It's been 26 years since Rice has won this game. They have been close
to winning on several occasions, but somehow manage to lose it.
Goldsmith claimed this week that a Texas scout at the Rice-SHSU game
made disparaging remarks about the Rice team, esp. the defense, going
so far as to say that he claimed the Texas players should save their
energy practicing this week for OU, which is the week after Rice.
Mackovic denied it, saying it was just Goldsmith's way of firing his
team up, and noted that it is more civilized than castrating a bull.
Anyway, the game is at Rice, and Rice will be fired up--if they can
win, they will be 2-2, and will be back on track to a winning season.
Problem: Rice has more talent at only one position (running back).
Still, this is as close as the talent gap is ever going to get. Jay
looks for another close Texas win, with Goober calling for the upset.

Predictions: Goober Rice 24, Texas 21  (it'll probably be a blowout the 
                                        other way now that I've picked Rice)
             Jay    Texas 27, Rice 24  (Thanks, Goober! ;-) )


TEXAS TECH at TEXAS A&M
-----------------------

Texas Tech always plays A&M tough, especially in Lubbock, but this
game is in College Station. Some question marks remain about the A&M
offense, especially the mechanics of A&M's QB, Granger. A&M _has_
managed enough to win all 4 games, however, coming from behind (at the
half) in three of them. A&M has had a week to work some of the
problems out and Texas Tech's defense is NOT that good. In the other
direction, Texas Tech's offense can be good at times, but A&M's
defense can be great at times. All in all, A&M should be able to
handle them, but it will probably be one of the harder SWC games for
the Aggies (along with that little skirmish in Austin later this
fall).

Predictions: Goober A&M 31, Tech 21
             Jay    A&M 24, Tech 14


OKLAHOMA STATE at TCU
---------------------

TCU is coming off of 2 rather embarrasing losses and a tie. OSU is
2-1 and feeling pretty good after that 0-10-1 season last year (at
least a graduate of OSU named Goober is). TCU used a blitzing defense
against SMU that worked for a while, but they failed to adapt when SMU
went to shorter/quicker routes. They have bigger problems on offense,
where Leon Clay, Curtis Modkins, Derek Cullors, and the talented
receiving corps are not playing anywhere NEAR their potential... or
even the level they reached last year. OSU is a running team so the
game will probably depend on if TCU can stop the run, and _finally_
get Leon Clay untracked. Goober picks the Aggies, but Jay is going
for the upset, refusing to believe that TCU will lose yet again to
a less talented team.

Predictions: Goober Okie State 27, TCU 14  (Teresa Barley Merklin assured me
                                            that the Aggies win)
             Jay    TCU 24, OSU 21

-- 

*********************************
  John R. Boisseau ("Jay")       
  Department of Astronomy        
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college