Queue up the Jim Mora “Playoffs” video, because it’s time for the playoff run in leagues all around College Fantasy Football Land.
So in the spirit of the playoffs, let's play off of my colleague Alex’s “Playoff Run” article earlier in the week. Alex let you know which teams have been playing defense like someone just threw the “Flea Flicker” from Joe Montana to Jerry Rice on Tecmo Bowl (this play was unstoppable by the way), and I’m going to keep my focus on the teams that should manage quite a bit more than “diddly poo” this week on offense and rack up some huge playoff points for your fantasy team. Not a lot of fluff this week, let’s get right down to the good stuff…
"I'm fired up...let's go" Fantasy Matchups
Houston @ UCF
The criteria by which I judge a game worthy of being in the “shoulda” fantasy match up category is one in which I think 55 or more points will be scored between the two teams. Houston quarterback Case Keenum, leading the nation’s top scoring offense (42 points per game) with his back to back 500 yard plus passing games, may take care of that all by himself. Keenum sits atop our quarterback projections for Week 11, and UCF running back Brynn Harvey could have a sleeper type day, with the computer ranking him 24th.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Houston) QB, Case Keenum, RB, Bryce Beall/Charles Sims, WR, James Cleveland (UCF) RB, Brynn Harvey
UAB @ Memphis
UAB has scored 94 points in the past two games alone, and quarterback Joe Webb is on fire, accounting for six touchdowns himself in last week’s matchup against Florida Atlantic. Memphis is 7th on Alex’s list of defenses that are handing out free passes to the end zone like dum-dums at the doctor’s office, but the Tigers will make this one interesting, playing inspired after the firing of their coach Tommy West. Keep an eye on Memphis running back Curtis Steele who cracked the top 10 in our running back projections for Week 11.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (UAB) QB, Joe Webb, WR Frantrell Forrest, WR, Jeffery Anderson (Memphis) RB, Curtis Steele, WR, Duke Calhoun
Louisiana-Lafayette @ Middle Tennessee
Dwight Dasher has been doing his best John Rambo vs. the Vietnamese in Rambo First Blood II impression all season, accounting for 22 of Middle Tennessee’s 32 season touchdowns, and I wouldn’t look for him to slow down now with the Blue Raiders sitting second in the Sun Belt behind Troy. The Rajun Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette apparently don’t take their GPS to road games because it seems they need directions to locate the end zone, but at home they’ve scored 29 or more in every game but one (Kansas State), and quarterback Chris Masson could post his biggest game of the season in this shootout.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Louisiana-Lafayette) QB Chris Masson (Middle Tennessee) QB, Dwight Dasher
Texas A&M @ Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Sooners may not have had much “Boom” last week against Nebraska only scoring only three points, but this is still the nation's 32 nd ranked total offense (417 ypg) and 39th ranked scoring offense (29.7 ppg)… my how a year changes things. The Texas A&M Aggies are the team no one expected to be leading the conference in several offensive statistical categories, but they are racking up 477 yards (4 th) and 35 points (9th) per game.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Texas A&M) QB, Jerrod Johnson, RB Christine Michael, WR, Jeff Fuller, WR, Ryan Tannehill (Oklahoma) QB, Landry Jones, RB, DeMarco Murray, RB, Chris Brown, WR, Ryan Broyles
North Texas @ Florida International
North Texas running back Lance Dunbar has crossed the white stripe 12 times in the past six games, and quarterback Riley Dodge threw four scores against Western Kentucky two weeks ago, but Mean Green have been rather Mall Cop-ish in defending their own end zone; they're allowing 44 points per game. Florida International quarterback Paul McCall could have a career day if star receiver T.Y. Hilton is up to full speed at game time.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (North Texas) QB, Riley Dodge, RB, Lance Dunbar (Florida International) QB, Paul McCall, WR, T.Y. Hilton
Troy @ Arkansas
Because of bearded men with swords who wore helmets with fake Mohawks on the top many years ago we have all come to associate the word Trojan with defense, but there’s that story about a horse and the element of surprise that is often forgotten, and that’s exactly what the Troy Trojans (a team built on defense) has in 2009 with their 27th ranked scoring offense (31 ppg). Don’t be surprised if the other “Men of Troy” give Ryan Mallett and the Razorbacks a big “present” this weekend, but these Hogs can bring home the bacon as well with their 9th ranked scoring offense (35 ppg).
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Troy) QB, Levi Brown, RB, Shawn Southward (Arkansas) QB, Ryan Mallett, RB, Michael Smith, RB, Broderick Green, WR, Greg Childs, WR, Joe Adams, TE, D.J. Williams
Utah @ TCU
The only thing scarier than that silver bug-eyed frog with hair gel spikes on his face running around TCU’s sidelines is the fact that the nation's 5 th ranked scoring defense (11 ppg) now also has the 6th ranked scoring offense (37 ppg)… that’s a 26 point scoring margin average for those of you still working on carrying the one. TCU will get perhaps its last opportunity to add a blemish to their regular season perfection when Utah and superstar running back Eddie Wide, who has ripped off six straight 100 yard games, visit Fort Worth.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (TCU) QB, Andy Dalton, RB Joseph Turner (Utah) QB Jordan Wynn, RB, Eddie Wide
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma State
The Red Raiders have been picking their quarterback out of a hat each week, but they are still totaling over 40 points (4th) and 474 yards (5th) per week under coach Mike Leach’s system. The Oklahoma State Cowboys will be fighting to stay in the hunt, sitting only one win (or loss, however you look at it) behind Texas in the Big 12 South, and these Cowboys can do some gun slinging of their own.(34 ppg, 17th). Mascot face-off I’d pay to see: Texas Tech’s Yosemite Sam look-a-like against Oklahoma State’s guy off the hot sauce bottle.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Texas Tech) QB, Taylor Potts/Seth Doege, RB, Baron Batch, WR, Detron Lewis, WR, Tramain Swindall (Oklahoma State) QB, Zac Robinson, RB, Keith Toston, RB, Kendall Hunter, WR, Hubert Anyiam
Arizona @ California
The AIRizona Wildcats have been the cause of many a dust storm out West with quarterback Nick Foles winging the ball all over the place and leading the Wildcats to a 22nd ranking (32 ppg) on the scoring offense chart. The California Golden Bears aren’t far behind at 26th (31 ppg), and even without superstar running back Jahvid Best the ball should be in capable hands with backup Shane Vereen, who has tallied 386 yards and six touchdowns on the season.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Arizona) QB, Nick Foles, RB, Nic Grigsby, WR, Juron Criner, WR Terrell Turner (California) QB, Kevin Riley, RB, Shane Vereen, WR, Marvin Jones
“Diddley Poo” Fantasy Matchups
Tennessee @ Mississippi
Two top 25 defenses and two quarterbacks that have their coaches popping Tums like they’re M&M’s. We will be lucky if this one makes it out of the teens.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Tennessee) RB, Montario Hardesty, RB, Bryce Brown (Mississippi) QB, Jevan Snead, RB, Brandon Bolden, WR, Dexter McCluster
Iowa @ Ohio State
The winner of this one likely walks away with the Big 10 Title and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Iowa’s coming off a heartbreaker that saw them only muster 10 points and 281 yards of offense against Northwestern, and Ohio State might not have much left in the tank after winning in Happy Valley. The Hawkeyes will now be without starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi, and neither team is allowing more than 15 points per game.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Iowa) RB, Brandon Wegher, WR, Marvin McNutt (Ohio State) QB, Terrelle Pryor, RB, Daniel Herron, WR, DeVier Posey
Nebraska @ Kansas
The Nebraska Cornhuskers got a huge win over Oklahoma last week that put them in contention for the Big 12 North title, but they only scored 10 points to get the job done. The “Men of Corn” are averaging just 25 points per game (71st) through nine games this season, and their opponent this week, the Kansas Jayhawks, has seen its offense fly the coop as well, only managing 14 points per game in the last three.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Nebraska) QB, Zac Lee, RB, Roy Helu (Kansas) QB, Todd Reesing, WR, Dezmon Briscoe, WR, Kerry Meier
Florida @ South Carolina
Although the Florida Gators might have managed to assemble one of the most dominant defenses in college football history, the Tim Tebow-led offense has scored less than 30 points in four of their last five games. You can bet The Ole Ball coach will have his Gamecocks crowing loud when the Gators visit Columbia on Saturday, and South Carolina’s 19th ranked defense (305 ypg) will look to pull a fast one on a Florida offense that has been limping along. Spurrier’s boys rank 98th in scoring offense (21 ppg), so if they do manage to keep this one close there won’t be many points on the board.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Florida) QB, Tim Tebow, RB, Jeff Demps, WR, Riley Cooper (South Carolina) QB, Stephen Garcia, WR, Alshon Jeffery
Alabama @ Mississippi State
Wouldn’t it be something after navigating their way through the near losses to Tennessee and LSU if Alabama dropped one in Starkville (remember you heard it here first). Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen knows this Alabama team is a one trick pony with running back Mark Ingram, and you can bet his defense that held Georgia Tech back Jonathan Dwyer to just 83 yards will be stacked against the run. The Bulldogs have one of the nation’s leading rushers in senior Anthony Dixon, who has six 100 yard plus rushing games and ran for 252 against Kentucky last week, but the running room will be scarce against the nation's 4th ranked defense.
Fantasy Stars Affected: (Alabama) RB, Mark Ingram, RB, Trent Richardson (Mississippi State