From: boisseau@chpc.utexas.edu (John R. Boisseau (Jay))
Subject: SWC preview for 9/12
Keywords: yes, the SWC still exists...
Organization: The University of Texas System CHPC
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 92 20:34:07 GMT


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SWC Preview For Games the Week of 9/12
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The SWC previews are being prepared by Gary 'Goober' Smith and Jay Boisseau
from this week onward.


COLORADO at BAYLOR
------------------
So much for Baylor playing with emotion! Grant Teaff is retiring after
this season as the Baylor coach after a whole buncha years (20+?). The
Bears lost their opener to Louisiana Tech, anyway. La. Tech is
supposed to be pretty good this year, so Baylor might just be bad
rather than pitiful. Perhaps they just overlooked La Tech. They should
play with more emotion this week.

However, Colorado will want revenge for Baylor's upset of them last
year in Boulder, and they have the talent to do it. Their passing game
seems to be ready to go (400+ yards last week). 

Predictions: Goober CU 35 Baylor 14
             Jay    CU 31 Baylor 17

NORTH TEXAS at SMU
------------------
SMU lost a close one to Tulane last week. North Texas suffered last
season and looks to suffer this year. They did bring in a lot of J.C.
transfers so they are a little unknown. SMU knows that this will be
their easiest game this season--if they don't win this one, they
probably won't win one all year. The school is already planning a
review of the football program to determine whether it should remain
I-A, drop to I-AA, or be dropped altogether. SMU needs this one
badly... and a game under their belts should help the R&S operate more
smoothly this week.

Predictions: Goober SMU 24 UNT 10
             Jay    SMU 27 UNT 14

TEXAS at SYRACUSE
-----------------
Syracuse is a better team than Miss. State, and it is in the Carrier Dome.
Texas Qb Peter Gardere is _not_ the man for Mackovic's offense... but freshman
Shea Morenz will have to wait his turn. There were some bright spots in the
'Horns loss to MSU last week, but not many. Look for SU run the ball well
against the 'Horns depleted line, since the 'Horns have the secondary to
hold the Missile in check for most of the game, at least.

Predictions: Goober SU 35 UT 10
             Jay    SU 30 UT 17 (and I'm being a little optimistic...)

TULSA at TEXAS A&M
------------------
Tulsa lost most of its better players last year but they still had
enough to beat Houston last week. They won't have enough to beat A&M,
however. It's A&M's home opener and they will want revenge for last
season's only regular season loss. Playing at Kyle Field is tough
enough, but throw in the fact that it's the home opener AND the fans
will want revenge... Tulsa players are likely to get concussions from
the noise alone.

A&M still has a few question marks on offense, but Granger is getting
more comfortable and Slocum has told the offense to open up and be a
little less conservative. A&M's defense is great but Tulsa will
manage a few scores (says Goober, not Jay).

Predictions: Goober A&M 42 Tulsa 17 (probably too high of a margin,
                                      but what-the-hell)
             Jay    A&M 35 Tulsa 10


WESTERN MICHIGAN at TCU
-----------------------
TCU lost to New Mexico last week, which is consistently one of the
most pitiful teams in Div. IA. We don't have anything bright to say on
this one... but we don't think TCU will lose their home opener. They
have a LOT of offensive talent, and the embarassment should of last
week's game should fire them up enough to get it going.

Predictions: Goober TCU 21 Western Michigan 14
             Jay    TCU 30 Western Michigan 24

WYOMING at TEXAS TECH
---------------------
Tech didn't look all that bad against OU.  They stayed in the game
until late in the 3rd Quarter and then just got wore down.  They
should be able to stay pumped against Wyoming and smooth up the rough
edges on a potent offense.

Wyoming beat Nevada, a good team new to Div. I, fairly soundly. Nevada
is still not quite ready for Div. IA ball at Tech's level, and should
be a relief for Tech after having to face OU.

Predictions: Goober Texas Tech 34 Wyoming 24
             Jay    Texas Tech 35 Wyoming 20




It's scary that Goober and I agree on all the picks. It's even scarier
that we still have confidence in the SWC (we picked 4 winners, 2
losers).  However, of the 7 SWC losses last week, 5 were _very_ close.
It would have only taken 5 5th-down plays ;-) for the SWC to perhaps
have recorded 6 wins and only 2 losses last week. (This is just a
joke, not an attempt to stir up that old 5th-down controversy yet
again!)

Jay
-- 
----------------------------------
  John R. Boisseau ("Jay")        
  Department of Astronomy         
  University of Texas at Austin   
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college