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The Bottom Ten/NCAA Week 12
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
While the prize every team shoots for, of course, is the Wal-Mart Trophy Presented by Motel 6 given to the Bottom Ten champion, the Tostitos Plaque - issued annually to the team with the longest losing streak in a season that actually includes a win - is a treasured consolation prize for teams stupid enough to schedule a game against a smaller school or not consistently bad enough to avoid a fluke win.
This year the competition for Senor Tostitos' plaque is fierce, with two teams with at least one win and eight straight losses and two teams with a win and six straight losses.
Iowa St. and SMU are in the Tostitos driver's seat, both - presuming they lose out - poised to finish with at least one win and ten straight losses. Outside of winning a game, the only way they could avoid sharing the Tostitos Plaque is with Washington - currently 0-9 in 2008 - losing their next two, but winning their final game.
This week's mess:
1. Washington (0-9; lost to Arizona State 39-19)
Mitigating Factors: Losers of nation's best 11 straight, Huskies take over top spot with inspired home loss that sees them blow three (3) leads and get outscored 23-0 in last 18 minutes…Turnovers key, leading to first half field goal and fourth quarter touchdown.
Tostitos Plaque Outlook: None, if they don't win a game, though they could claim it by losing next two then winning final game.
Next Loss: UCLA
2. North Texas (1-9; lost to Florida Atlantic 46-13)
Mitigating Factors: 507 yards allowed in latest loss the fifth time Mean Green has allowed 500 or more yards in a game….Fewest number of points Mean Green has given up in a game this season is 35, and the defending B-10 champs rank 100th or worse in no less than 12 official NCAA stat categories.
Tostitos Plaque Outlook: Needs help…Lost eight straight to start the season, but defending B-10 champs need SMU and Iowa State to win once and Washington to avoid winning once.
Next Loss: at Middle Tennessee State
3. Washington State (1-9; lost to Arizona 59-28)
Mitigating Factors: Cougars 86'd from top spot after failing to give up 60 points in a game for second straight game… Cougars rank Dead Last in Scoring Defense (50.20 ppg) and Rushing Defense (279.10 ypg)…Offense not a whole lot better ranking Next To Dead Last in Scoring Offense (13.9 ppg) and Total Offense (118 ypg).
Tostitos Plaque Outlook: Six-game losing streak solid, but needs to lose out…Has advantage of playing extra, 13th game at Hawaii.
Next Loss: at Arizona State
4. SMU (1-9; lost to Memphis 31-26)
Mitigating Factors: Mustangs have worst rushing game in nation, ranking Dead Last at 42.9 yards per game…SMU has rushed for 100 yards in a game once, and have twice for negative yardage…Mustangs have ranked Dead Last or Next To Dead Last in Rushing Yards every week since Week 4.
Tostitos Plaque Outlook: Very favorable, as following Week 2 win against FCS Texas State, Mustangs have lost eight straight, most amongst teams with a win.
Next Loss: at UTEP
5. Iowa State (2-8; lost at Colorado 28-24)
Mitigating Factors: Cyclones keep B-10 medal stand hopes alive by blowing 24-13 fourth quarter lead, having final drive stopped at one-yard line as time expires…Cyclones doing it with defense, as offense averaging over 25 points a game…Defense ranks 108th in Total Defense (448.6) and 107th in Scoring Defense (34.0 ppg).
Tostitos Plaque Outlook: Very favorable…Like SMU, has lost eight straight with two to play, but would win tiebreaker with SMU based on Most Total Wins factor.
Next Loss: Missouri
6. Indiana State (0-9; lost at Youngstown State 35-21)
Mitigating Factors: FCS Sycamores retain vice-like grip on Continental Cup, issued to college team with longest losing streak in North America with 24th straight loss…Sycamores sprint to 21-7 first half lead, before settling down and getting outscored 28-0 the rest of the way…Indiana State getting out scored by an average of 45.3 to 7.7 a game, best in FBS.
Smiley Faces On Playbooks: 21 points scored Saturday is the second time in 2008 Sycamores have put up double figures in points.
Next Loss: Northern Iowa
7. BCS
Mitigating Factors: Based on cacophonies of past seasons, Penn State all but insures spot in BCS title game with Saturday's loss at Iowa…Field down to two undefeated teams from BCS conferences, each with a minefield of a remaining schedule, ensuring nobody really knows what the hell is will happen.
Hey, What About Us? Utah, Boise State and something called Ball State all FBS teams that are also undefeated.
8. Vanderbilt (5-4; lost to Florida 42-14)
Mitigating Factors: Vanderbilt tries to make game of it, outscoring Gators 14-0 to end game…Unfortunately, Commodores trailed 42-0 when they made their move…Commodores valiantly overcoming first 5-0 start since 1941 with four game losing streak...Vanderbilt hoping to avoid first bowl game since 1982 Hall of Fame Bowl, where they lost to Air Force 36-28.
Through The Years: Commodores enjoying best B-10 run since 2005 squad started 4-0, only to lose six straight.
Next Loss: at Kentucky
9. Army (3-7; Lost at Rice 38-31)
Mitigating Factors: Black Knights of Confusion struggling to regain footing following inspiring 0-4 start, have lost two straight after blowing medal stand chances by winning three of four in October…Needs season ending loss to Navy to claim Sgt. Bilko Trophy, symbolic of service academy lousiness, even though Notre Dame won it last year.
Tostitos Plaque Outlook: Is not in the running for the Tostitos Plaque, though B-10 Ways and Means Committee considering special memento should Army lose last two games and finish with season-starting and season-ending four game losing streaks.
Next Loss: at Rutgers (11/22)
10. San Diego State (1-9; lost to BYU 41-12)
Mitigating Factors: Turnovers key, as three fumbles and an interception lead to 24 BYU points…Actually, they weren't all that key as even had the Aztecs not given up those 24 points they still would have lost by five.
Tostitos Plaque Outlook: Dark horse candidate, as Aztecs could finish season with eight game losing streak…Needs help though.
Next Loss: Utah
This Week's Clash of the Titans: SMU at UTEP
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