What a week in the Brainiac Conference!

Northwestern knocks off # 8 Iowa in Iowa City. Both teams lost their starting quarterbacks to injury. Wildcat backup QB Dan Persa threw the go ahead touchdown pass in the second quarter to Drake Dunsmore. NW held Iowa scoreless in the second half and added a field goal in the fourth quarter.

In the marquee Brainiac contest of the weekend, Navy knocked off Notre Dame 23-21. As predicted by The Professors, Notre Dame once again failed come up with an answer for Navy's option offense in the first half. Navy led 14-0 at half time. Notre Dame moved the ball with ease between the 20s but could not score, attempting and missing two field goals. The Irish scored three touchdowns in the second half but also surrendered a safety late in the fourth quarter, which decided the game. Jimmy Clausen threw for a career high 453 yards. Michael Floyd returned from the injury suffered in the Michigan State game to pull down 10 catches for 141 yards. And ND's other wide receiver, Golden Tate, had 9 receptions for 134 yards. It wasn't enough. In the final minute ND recovered an onside kick and converted it to a touchdown on a great catch and run by Tate to pull within 2. But the Irish could not grab a second onside kick, and the Middies ran out the clock. Navy becomes bowl eligible. ND's BCS bowl aspirations are dashed.

The Irish have some great players. With Floyd back, they may have the best QB/wide receiver combination in the country with Clausen, Tate, and Floyd. But they have no defense and no running game. With three difficult game ahead against Pitt, Connecticut, and Stanford, the Irish have a tough road to ahead to achieve a decent bowl invitation and win the Brainiac Conference championship.

In the other head-to-head Brainiac game, Air Force easily defeated Army 35-7. The Falcons gained their sixth win and become bowl eligible. Duke suffered at 19-6 loss to North Carolina. The Devils were tied with the Heels at the half but could not score in the second half.

For the second straight week, Wake Forest lost a heart breaker, this time to #10 Georgia Tech 30-27 in overtime. After getting knocked out of the game against Miami last week in the fourth quarter, the Deacon's QB Riley Skinner returned to complete 26 out of 40 passes for two touchdowns, but it wasn't enough.

And in a feat rivaling that of Northwestern at Iowa, Stanford knocked off #7 Oregon 51-42. Stanford's big offense guns had a banner day. Tony Gerhart rushed for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns, QB Andrew Luck threw for 251 yards and 2 touchdowns. Chris Owusu had 112 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Again, The Professors like Stanford to win the Brainiac. Notre Dame's defense will not stop Gerhart, Luck, and Owusu when the teams met on the Farm for the season finale. The Irish have played some exciting, heart stopping football but just haven't put it together this season. Stanford has been steadily gaining ground in the Sagarin ratings. The impressive victory over the Ducks, combined with the Irish loss to the Middies, should put The Cardinal in the Conference lead.

In the final game of the day involving a Brainiac team, Vanderbilt kept it respectable against #1 Florida before bowing 27-3.  The Commodores only trailed 13-0 at halftime, sacked Tim Tebow four times, and surrendered 14 points on turnovers.

Not surprisingly, this week's Sagarin ratings produced some significant changes in the Conference rankings.

1. Stanford 20 (6-3)
2. Boston College 27 (6-3)
3. Notre Dame 32 (6-3)
4. Navy 41 (7-3)
5. Air Force 50 (6-4)
6. Wake Forest 55 (4-6)
7. Duke 70 (5-4)
8. Northwestern 78 (6-4)
9. Vanderbilt 118 (2-8)
10. Army 143 (3-6)

Notre Dame's misstep with Navy cost it the Conference lead, which it may not be able to regain given the difficult opponents left on the schedule. Stanford, flying high after knocking off Trojan-killer Oregon, controls its destiny. It can seal the Summa Cum Laude Trophy by besting the Irish in the season finale. Boston College jumped slumping Notre Dame even though idle. Navy moved up over Air Force by  virtue of its victory in South Bend.

Six Conference members are now bowl eligible. Duke and Wake Forest still have a chance for post-season play. Only Army and Vandy will definitely have the luxury (or misfortune) of having no distractions at finals time.

The marquee contest involving a Brainiac member will be Stanford's clash with USC. Stanford manhandled Oregon last week. The week before Oregon pulverized USC. On paper Stanford should beat the Trojans, but the game is in Los Angeles, and the PAC 10 title is still up for grabs. Expect Pete Carroll's ballroom dancers to play hard. This one is too close to call.

Notre Dame travels to Steeler town to meet the Pitt Panthers. Pitt is playing extremely well and currently ranks # 8 in the AP. Notre Dame will put some points on the scoreboard but will need a defense to stay in this game. The Irish haven't found one to this point. Charlie Weis's job is on the line (see the link to our commentary below). The Irish will play with the desparation that has characterized most of this season. Fourth quarter heroics from Clausen and company may not be enough.

Our predictions for the remaining games involving Brainiacs are Boston College over Virginia, Georgia Tech over Duke, Wake Forest over Florida State (after two close calls, the Deacons are due), Illinois over Northwestern (unless QB Kafka is back), Kentucky over Vanderbilt, Navy over Delaware (Middies must avoid the letdown), Army over VMI, and Air Force over UNLV.