Sorry for the delay of our usual Monday summation and homage to Jim Cramer, but sometimes life gets in the way of a good blog. Well, that delay must end, so on to our buys, sells and holds.
"I wouldn't recommend investing in Hog futures."
Stranko's Buys:
Florida: They have proven to be physically and mentally tough. The offense is a work in progress which should improve, but the defense was dominating. My only reservation is the two major injuries suffered in the win.
Michigan State: The defense needs work, but the offense can be explosive. Hey, didn't their coach come from...
Lousiville: Brohm had a great game, and they proved they can really get on a roll.
Orson's Buys
Miami Another clutch ball-hawking safety. Another steady, pounding run game. Another lanky white qb who's improving after an early loss. Yet another phenomenal tight end. Instant replay will have Miami in the top ten at year's end despite an ACC gauntlet and their tendency under Larry Coker to come out flat for at least two conference games a year.
LSU Get bullish now--with a discombobulated Randy Sanders-molested offense coming into Death Valley for a sure defeat their stock will only go up this weekend. Watch the Vols run the inverse game plan from the Florida game, running against a burly d-front while ignoring LSU's Jackson Pollack secondary (all over the place, that is.)
Oregon If they even make it close against USC, it'll look great for the Ducks, who are looking for a chance to pronounce their resurgence. EDSBS-maligned former BYU coach Gary Crowton has become EDSBS-heralded offensive coordinator at Oregon, running a veritable Hardee's menu of an offense through Alex Smith clone Kellen Clemens.
Alabama Set to make Houston Nutt weep this Saturday and could go undefeated leading up to their matchup with Florida in Tuscaloosa.
Stranko's Sells:
Arkansas: In a word... dreadful.
Clemson: It is not that I think they are bad, it is that I think they are bad for your health. Can they please win or lose one that doesn't come down to the wire? They might kill half their fan base.
(Considering obesity rates in the Palmetto State, that's a real possibility.--ed.)
Texas Tech's Athletic Director: We still have no idea if Texas Tech is a great team or a 6-5 team thanks to scheduling.
Orson's sells.
Minnesota Time for Glen Mason's team to begin its annual fold. A preemptive sell here in anticipation of a home loss to Purdue.
Oregon State Mike Riley. Dave Wannstedt. Naked-picture/embarrassing sex tape-hoarding extortion artists, both of 'em.
Maryland Year two of an extended offensive swoon doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. Wake Forest is outgaining them per game, and the Terps play in Winston-Salem this weekend. Anyone in the media bold enough to write a bad thing about a coach whose program has suddenly gone stagnant in the past year and a half?
Ole Miss The "Wild Boyz" lost to Vandy and now face Wyoming this weekend. Anyone wanna see Ed Orgeron rip Joe Glenn's head off his body at midfield? If the Cowboys play the same tough game they played against the Gators in their season opener, that's exactly what you'll witness on Saturday.
Stranko's Holds:
Vandy: I bought them last week and I see no reason to sell now... but I'd caution against overconcentrating your college football portfolio in the Commodores.
Notre Dame: We all knew the run couldn't continue with their past record and schedule, but Weis has them on the right track.
Cal: Tedford is a true guru, but we know that beating the Zooker doesn't necessarily say anything about your team. Ironically, losing to the Zooker doesn't really say anything bad about your team either.
Orson's Holds:
Georgia Tech Viral meningitis isn't one of the things you factor into a team's fortunes. With Ball woozy from an attack of the infection, and a road trip to Blacksburg coming up, it just became a huge factor in a likely loss for the Jackets.
Michigan State Watch them lose to the Zooker in Champaign this weekend--that would be the Spartans we know and love, not the fast-break fools who broke out in South Bend last Saturday.
Georgia How have we gotten this far still not trusting Mark Richt?