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THE HYBRID: RIDIN' HIGH INTO THE BYE

In this week's college football games preview, Bobby Loesch discusses Iowa's big win over Northwestern, oddly praises Stanford yet again, and still refuses to tackle Leonard Fournette.

By Bobby Loesch
Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

The Hybrid is a weekly preview of every Big Ten game, plus relevant or whimsy games from the national slate.

Not sure if there's a better football feeling than heading into a bye week after a lopsided win.

Iowa took care of business in Evanston last weekend, and just about everything involved with it was great. Sure, we can nitpick by saying Canzeri got hurt, CJB threw a pick with no TDs, and the play calling in the first half kept the game a little close, but a 30 point blowout vs. a ranked team on the road in a conference game is not something I was expecting at the start of this season.

So I'm going to choose to celebrate Akrum Wadley going over 200 yards with 4 TDs, the defense stepping up yet again, the beautiful weather that day, and the always* hilariously repetitive Northwestern cat growl sound bite.

(* - when you're winning)

Plus, I made my girlfriend (Northwestern alum) stop in the tunnel to watch Iowa celebrate a TD through a window as we were walking back up to our seats for the second half.

"Are you going to put this on your blog?"

Yes. Yes, I am.

THE HYBRID

Tuesday

Thursday

Temple (22) at East Carolina: You know, we all clowned Penn State pretty hard for losing to Temple, but the Owls are undefeated and face Notre Dame next week. I dunno, could be something worth tracking.

Friday Night Lights

Memphis (18) at Tulsa: Memphis to the college football playoff! College Football Playoff? Do we capitalize? We capitalize, I think.

Saturday

Houston (21) at UCF: Houston is undefeated, and I am already bored talking about Houston.

Kansas State at Texas: The news is sad, but the headline "Steer dead" is not.

Northwestern at Nebraska: Was a little surprised to see Nebraska getting seven points here.

Iowa State at Baylor (2): Feels weird seeing the Baylor Bears -- a team oft slept on -- all the way up at No. 2.

Clemson (6) at Miami (FL): Two guest cameos this week. We'll start with Clemson Tom's side of things.

I'm really excited for the opportunity to play Miami at a neutral site. OK, I know that's supposed to be their home field, but they honestly can't put 5,000 people in the stands. How sad is that? "Da U" used to have pride. Now? They have a Publix bag boy as a coach.

People keep telling me Miami has talent, and I can't really disagree. Have you seen the girls on South Beach? As far as their football team goes, Al Golden is single-handedly ruining them. I don't think the university cares about the football program anymore.

All that being said, my Clemson Tigers will destroy the Can'ts because, well, we're just a better team. I can't help it -- we recruit better players and have better coaching. What more did you expect me to say?

I'll make sure I party hard with Uncle Luke in South Beach. Until then raise hell and tip your waitress.

I gave my friend and Miami alum Paige a chance to respond with a preview of her own. She's also a Mets fan riding high on the NLCS sweep of the Cubs/World Series birth, which probably explains why she didn't fire back at CT:

I'd love to beat Clemson before they get to FSU. And then have them beat FSU and it hurt FSU even more because then they will have lost to a team that lost to a team that lost to Cincinnati. Sorry. I get a little bitter and vindictive when my team becomes a "trap game." Don't sleep on the Miami Hurricanes. While Clemson hasn't lost much in recent seasons, four of their last five losses have come on the road (and their only away game so far this season ended in a close victory against Louisville). Miami is coming off an impressive win at home against VaTech, in which they forced four TOs and capitalized. And while Clemson's D has held teams to an average of less than three yards per carry, thanks to QB Brad Kaaya and his 10 touchdowns to one interception on the season so far, Miami has the option of a pass-heavy offensive attack. Well, as long as the o-line makes time for it. If Miami wins, it won't be because Clemson fell into the trap, it will be earned.

Toledo (19) at Massachusetts: Haven't the slightest idea why I find Toledo most appealing of the undefeated small schools. I know nothing about this team other than fondness.

Wisconsin at Illinois: It was reported earlier this week that Illinois WR Mikey Dudek, The Hybrid's favorite player in all of college football, is "unlikely" to come back this season after tearing his ACL in the spring. But instead of embedding Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You" -- always my first instinct -- I will choose to be happy we simply get to see him in more games next year. As for you, loyal readers, you can rest easy knowing I won't be beating this drum for at least the rest of 2015.

Penn State at Maryland: We need to give Pat Nurduzzi a cool nickname. This is seriously a shot.

Hatin' ass. Is he ready to pick up the Head Ball Coach's torch?

Indiana at Michigan State (7): There is nothing left to believe in.

Nothing.

I know, Mark. I know.

* * *

Not sure if last week's loss could be more Indiana. Nate Sudfeld threw 4 TDs and went over 450 yards, they blew a 25 point lead, and lost 55-52 to Rutgers. The always classic Indiana defense gave up points in every quarter. There are no streaks.

* * *

Fortunately, Michigan is off this week, so I will save my thoughts on last week's epic, epic defeat vs. MSU for next week's column. This will give me time to pare it down from 900,000 words to maybe, like, 10,000. College football is too cruel, you guys.

Duke (23) at Virginia Tech: Duke's one loss was to Northwestern.

Tennessee at ZOMBIE ALABAMA (8): Can we just rank the Tide, like, No. 2 and get this over with already?

Tremendous.

Kansas at Oklahoma State (14):

Washington State at Arizona: Hmm.

Hmmmmmm.

This team has six games to win two and qualify for a bowl. This is after losing to Portland State to start the year. I'm in a somewhat very happy place here.

Florida State (9) at Georgia Tech: Yawwwwwn. When is FSU gonna get in a big, cool prime time game?

/looks up schedule

Good news, they still gotta go to Clemson and to Florida before the end of the regular season.

Western Kentucky at LSU (5): Uggggggggggggggggggggggh, boring. At least WKU is 6-1 with a win over Vandy and a solitary loss to... Indiana?!

* * *

Let's talk about some LSU stuff from last week...

Though us ordinary humans wonder what it must be like to throw a game-winning TD or make a game-saving interception, could you seriously imagine the fear and unknown of being a kicker called upon to run a trick play? You are playing a sport, specialized in one specific thing, being asked to do something you may never again attempt for the rest of your career.

Hell, I'd black out, too.

Haha:

No, Leonard, we didn't forget about you.

We really did not forget about you.

/nods

Utah (3) at USC: I don't hate this game. Game of the Week? Here's a GIF to sum up this week's slate...

(It... is the Game of the Week for real.)

Ohio State (1) at Rutgers: The new Big Ten just sucks, man. The games aren't only consistently bad -- they're uninspiring. As always, I blame Penn State and Jim Delany (the White Malcolm X).

At least this is at night. Rutgers seems to play well against better teams when they (weirdly and unexpectedly) get their crowd going.

Urban Meyer Feelings Chart


Went with NAZI-ISH this week because it seems this week is all about exuding control. Plus, he's a Nazi.

Washington at Stanford (10): Flashy Ass Stanford does. not. relent.

This is seriously the coolest catch of the year (probably). Any play that makes me go "PROTHRO" is a good thing.

Did this team, like, switch bodies with Oregon or something? That catch got about all the love, but this pick six was very dope in its own right:

And their RB is finally putting an end to the always bizarre Kevin Hogan Heisman buzz by generating some of his own.

Sheesh.

* * *

Wrapping It Up...

/suppressing all urges to discuss the Michigan game

Bobby Loesch is a weekly contributor to Black Heart Gold Pants. Follow him on Twitter @bobbystompy or e-mail at bobbyloesch [at] gmail.com.

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