6. Jacked up
So I'm talking to Minnesota coach Tim Brewster earlier this week, and seriously, the way Touchdown Timmy talks, I don't know how any recruit can say no.

To say he's overly optimistic would be an understatement the size of Red Lake. Dude is optimism on overdrive. I mean a-few-pots-of-coffee-before-noon optimistic.

He's quick to announce that Minnesota has won six national championships (really, look it up) and 18 Big Ten championships — and sonofagun, it can happen again.

Laugh all you want, then watch what kind of recruiting class Brewster pulls in with a new on-campus stadium being built and a 1-11 to 11-1 turnaround. Northwestern, without tailback Tyrell Sutton and quarterback C.J. Bacher, can't stop the Gopher train.

7. The week before
Couldn't blame Utah and TCU if their collective minds are elsewhere this weekend. The Utes travel to New Mexico; the Frogs to UNLV — and both better be very, very careful to not look ahead to the game of the year in the Mountain West Conference.

If Utah wins out, it's a lock for a BCS bowl. If TCU wins out, it could jump unbeaten Boise State and play in a BCS game.

Heaven knows we don't need New Mexico and UNLV gumming up the works for next week's big Thursday night game in Salt Lake City. The scary part: Both UNLV and New Mexico are incredibly erratic; playing well one week and tanking the next.

UNLV has wins over two BCS teams (Arizona State, Iowa State) but has lost four straight. New Mexico beat Arizona and hung 70 on San Diego State, and three times this fall has scored three points or less in a game.

Tighten up, everyone. These two will be much closer than you think.

8. Little Big Man
Remember the upset of the season, when little Quizz Rodgers ran wild on the big, bad Trojans in September?

Well, Quizz is chasing down the unthinkable again: No freshman has ever led the Pac-10 in rushing. Rodgers, who gave us the line of the year after the USC win — "I'm a little guy, I'm only 5-feet-6. I hide behind the offensive line." — leads the Pac-10 in rushing and this week gets a shot at a truly awful Arizona State run defense that has allowed:

Frank Summers, UNLV: 103 yards

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia: 149 yards

Joe McKnight, USC: 143 yards

Oregon team: 304 yards

The Little Man is going to have a huge game.

9. The Deep Ball
In the spirit of the greatest moment in the world every four years (no, not the Olympics), we give you our nod to Lloyd Bentsen.

To the Pitt defense: I know Mike Teel, and Mike Teel is no Jimmy Clausen.

Let's hope the Pitt secondary practiced really, really hard this week.

10. Gad-zooks!
First Ron Zook says players have to be held more accountable. They have to start playing better. A few days later, the Illinois coach says this team is better than last year's Rose Bowl team.

I ask you, who knows how to motivate a team better?

And you know what? I still think Illinois beats Iowa in Champaign because, seriously, this uber-talented team can't keep losing, can it?

Also on NBCSports.com Rosenthal: Steelers’ struggles could sink their playoff hopes Circling the Bases: Halladay to Cubs? That’s unlikely College Football Talk: Weis to resign? That’s ‘not happening’ Opinion: So far, Nowitzki is NBA’s MVP  |  Fan Ranker Twitter: Follow us @nbc_sports

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