Welcome to our weekly discussion amongst The Ralphie Report's staff. Same format as last week, so dig right in.
Feel free to throw your answers to the same questions into the comments below.
Buffs Questions:
1) Which Buffalo surprised you the most (in a good way) in Saturday's heartbreaking loss to Washington State?
Bob: Yikes. Tough question. I like what I saw from the running game and Rodney Stewart. Going for over 130 yards is a good sign and hopefully something the offense can build on. I continue to be impressed with LB Doug Rippy. He is all over the field and has established himself as the Buffs' best defensive player...and it isn't even that close.
Ash: Just from reading the play-by-play I'll pick Rodney Stewart. Getting Rushing and Receiving yardage like he did all while playing on the punt return and punt coverage teams. Solid.
David: Honestly, it was Jason Espinoza. He didn't play too badly, which is a very good thing in light of the suspensions and injuries that are devastating our secondary. We need him to be good, because he's essentially a starting CB for us now...let me say that again. Jason Espinoza is one of our starting cornerbacks...so basically, he HAS to play well.
Jon: I think it's Toney Clemons getting another touchdown. His play is much improved since the benching early this season.
2) Assuming the Buffs are going to be underdogs for the rest of the season, which game do you see as the most likely upset?
Bob: UCLA on the road which is not a good sign. Predicting a road win at this point in time certainly isn't smart but that seems like the only logical pick at this point. Maybe Arizona if they implode under Stoops if they continue to lose games.
Ash: As in, which of our remaining games are we most likely to win? ...I'm going to be a jerk and say Stanford, wooo! (No, but really, probably Arizona...)
David: The game we're most likely to win? Probably UCLA or Arizona. But I won't see those as huge upsets. The upset that is most likely to happen? I'm going to say USC, only because they look incredibly inconsistent and it's a home game for us
Jon: Utah, they're no good at all.
3) The Buffs are all but eliminated from a possible bowl berth already and the team is now entering the toughest part of the schedule. If today was day 1 for the 2011 season, what would the Buffaloes need to do the rest of the way for you to consider the season a success?
Bob: I would say win at least one more game, preferably on the road against UCLA so we can get rid of this streak. That is depressing to type but wins look to be tough to come by but going winless the rest of the way is not an option. Other than winning, I would like to see drastic improvement in special teams play and major reduction in penalties.
Ash: If we were 0-0 and looking down the barrel an 8-game schedule like this? My parameters for success #1: don't die. #2: beat somebody...anybody. UCLA, Arizona, I don't care. And maybe not have batches of players needing to be suspended...just sayin'.
David: They have already begun to do it. We are more competetive than we were last year. Sure, the OSU game happened, and Hawaii as well to a lesser extent, but look at the WSU and Cal games. Yes, we lost those, but a rebuilding team doesn't just come out and know how to win. You have to learn how to win. What you can do right away is compete, and we're beginning to do that. So this week, I want to see us be physical with the Cardinal. I don't want us to make stupid mistakes and fall behind by three scores.
Jon: If the Buffs can get two more wins I will be happy, three I will be ecstatic. The season really comes down to not quitting and finishing strong in that season ending three game stretch for me.
CFB Questions:
1) If you had to chose one of the two, would you prefer to see Missouri land in the SEC or the B1G?
Bob: SEC for no reason at all.
Ash: Geographically and culturally, I'd see them joining the B1G. Besides, the Big-8 grew out of the old Missouri Valley Athletic Conference. so in a way they'd be returning home. To me adding Mizzou to the SEC is like adding Syracuse to a Big vat of acid: It's unpleasant and probably illegal somewhere.
David: Boo. All this realignment talk is making me sad...Probably the SEC, only because they would be idiots to stay at 13 teams for long. They are all about adding TV sets, and Missouri actually adds a good amount.
Jon: I don't think they really fit that well in either. I guess it would be fun to see the massacre if they joined the SEC.
2) Has Arizona State basically locked up the South already or is there another team that could sneak in and earn a berth to the championship game?
Bob: I think it is locked up. Very depressing considering how wide open this league is.
Ash: With USC out of the picture, yeah, they essentially have. CU has as much chance as UCLA or Utah of sneaking in front of the Sun Devils. Which is to say, very little.
David: Yes they have. Utah doesn't have Jordan Wynn for a couple of weeks, which is going to knock them down even farther, USC is ineligible, the Wildcats just don't have it this year, whether it's injuries or they fact that they just aren't that good, and, well, we've got a ways to go before we're going to be in that discussion...
Jon: They haven't yet, but when they beat Utah tomorrow it will be all but over.
3) Give me the final scores:
- Texas vs Oklahoma
- Florida @ LSU
- Missouri @ Kansas State
- Auburn @ Arkansas
- Arizona State @ Utah
Bob:
- Texas vs Oklahoma 20-30
- Florida @ LSU 9-27
- Missouri @ Kansas State 29-30
- Auburn @ Arkansas 20-35
- Arizona State @ Utah 34-30Ash:
- Texas 20 vs Oklahoma 17
- Florida 13 @ LSU 24
- Missouri 15 @ Kansas State 13
- Auburn 30 @ Arkansas 38
- Arizona State 42 @ Utah 24David:
- Texas 13 vs Oklahoma 33
- Florida 18 @ LSU 27
- Missouri 35 @ Kansas State 29
- Auburn 14 @ Arkansas 21
- Arizona State 41 @ Utah 17Jon:
- Texas vs Oklahoma 17 - 31
- Florida @ LSU 10 - 27
- Missouri @ Kansas State 27 - 14
- Auburn @ Arkansas 28 - 35
- Arizona State @ Utah 27 - 17
Awesome Question:
1) Name a chick flick that you were "forced to see" that you actually enjoyed (the most, some of you may like multiple chick flicks... cough... Bob)?
Bob: Well, can't name a chick filck I have seen recently but I do end up watching the Bachelorette/Bachelor and find myself enjoying most of the time...I have no idea why.
Ash: I don't know if this counts, but I'll pick 'The Easy A.' I wasn't forced per se, but it wasn't my pick either; but it's actually hilarious and clever. If that doesn't qualify then I'll go with 'Moulin Rouge,' which I was actually tricked into watching but wound up enjoying the organized chaos... and the catchy tunes.
David: Do I have to name only one? ...um, let's see how embarrassed I'm willing to be. Not very, so it'll just be Pretty Woman this week (though I've enjoyed much chick-ier movies...)
Jon: Love Actually. Not ashamed to admit that I love that movie.