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College Bowl Top Five

Seems fitting that college football bowl season is beginning today with DC getting about a foot of snow right now.  A lot of stories have been written, but here are my top five games.

Alabama vs Texas.  Hard to not love the match up against two of the most storied programs in college football history.  Texas slept walked through the regular season, barely cracking a sweat except against Texas in the Big 12 Championship game.  Bama had a few close calls, but pretty much dominated the SEC.  Tide running back Mark Ingram became the first Alabama Heisman Trophy winner last week.  Recent history suggests this favors Texas though. 

The key to the game will be Texas' offense against Bama's phenomenal defense.  Can McCoy and Co. deliver?  I think they do.  The stage is set for a great game.  Texas wins 24-21.

Oregon vs. Ohio State.  Oregon has a high powered offense led by QB Jeremiah Masoli.  Ohio State is led by a quick, opportunistic defense.  PAC 10 has dominated the Big 10 in the Rose Bowl this decade.  Ohio State has not won a big non-conference/bowl game since 2005.  Can the Buckeyes get back on track?  Can Pryor deliver on the big stage, and set up the high expectations for 2010?  The winner will likely be a top 3 preseason pick next year.  Defense wins championships, right?  Go with the Buckeyes, 27-23.

TCU vs. Boise State.  Forget the talk about this being a charity bowl game to appease the non-automatic qualifier conferences.  Forget the conspiracy talk about the BCS not matching TCU or Boise against an automatic qualifier.  The Fiesta Bowl almost always delivers fireworks, and this game will be phenomenal.  TCU wins a high scoring game, 45-37.

Arizona vs. Nebraska.  I love the Holiday Bowl.  The scoring is generally high, but not this year.  Nebraska has a great defense which will keep the scoring in the teens.  Give Mike Stoops some credit.  His first few seasons in the desert were abysmal.  He is starting to deliver.  Similar to the Rose Bowl, the winner of this game will be a high preseason pick in 2010.  The game will go down to wire.  Nebraska wins 18-17.  

FSU vs. WVU.  Bobby Bowden's last game and he's playing against the school he coached before Florida State.  Florida State lack speed and WVU has speed.  That should be the difference.  A remarkable career will end in a loss.  WVU wins 35-28.

In today's games, in the New Mexico Bowl, Fresno will soundly beat Wyoming, 42-21.  Ryan Matthews will run wild against the Cowboys.  In the St. Petersburg Bowl, Rutgers will be Central Florida 35-14. 

Will Halloween Bring a Few Upsets in College Football?

Thoughts on Week Nine

 

Beer of the Week:  Yuengling Black and Tan. 

 

Food of the Week:  Tortellini with roasted peppers and marinara.

 

Sports Movie of the Week:  Hoosiers. 

 

Games of the Week

 

I went 9-3 in my predictions last week. However, I was a tad off on my analysis of how certain games would be played.

 

Week nine does not bring a lot of significant games, but there are just enough to make it interesting.

 

ACC

 

This is perhaps the least exciting week for ACC games.  I’ll pick the Miami vs. Wake game.  Miami is coming off a hard OT home loss to Clemson.  Wake is struggling after two straight losses.  Both teams are desperately seeking a win to stay in the conference race.  Wake will keep it close, but Miami is better and will win this game.  The U wins 35-21.

 

Big East

 

West Virginia vs. South Florida.  Memo to the Bulls… college football is played in October too.  Every season the Bulls rise up in September only to crash hard in October.  WVU is one of those teams quietly flying under the radar right now.  I like the Mountaineers to stay on pace with Pitt and Cincinnati atop the conference standings.  WVU wins 34-24.

 

Big Ten

 

Another unexciting week in the Big Ten, but it is likely a bowl positioning week.  The top game is Iowa vs. Indiana.  Don’t laugh.  Iowa is a strong team, but the Hawkeyes have tended to play at the level of their opponents all season.  Indiana generally plays well against Iowa.  I also think Iowa has played much better on the road than at home this season.  Iowa wins 27-17.

 

Big 12

 

Finally a game worth mentioning.  Texas at Oklahoma State.  Alright Cowboys, we continue to hear about your steady rise in the Big 12 South.  Are you ready to be relevant, or will you drop like a lead balloon again?  Every time you seem to get Texas in the right position, you snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  This year will be no different.  Texas wins 42-28.  Cowboys go back to the back to the middle of the pack.

 

PAC 10

 

The PAC 10 champion will likely be crowned this weekend as USC travels to Eugene to take on Oregon.  The Ducks looked lost in the season opener against Boise State, but they have quietly won six straight.  Can the Ducks dethrone the Trojans from PAC 10 supremacy?  This is the toughest game to call this week.  I want to like the Ducks at home.  USC has struggled a little on the road and Autzen is always a tough stadium.  I just think in the end, USC pulls out the win, 27-24.

 

SEC

 

The annual Cocktail party has arrived.  Florida vs. Georgia.  Two years ago, Georgia throttled Florida.  Florida retuned the favor last year.  Georgia is not a good team this season, but Florida has been struggling due to injuries and an unproductive offense. This is usually the type of game where Tebow shines.  He’ll need to protect the ball better though.  Florida wins 28-17. 

The Dude Abides

A few important questions and the conference/non-conference games of the week.

 

Should they make a sequel to the Big Lebowski?  The Dude needs a second act.  I might just write it.  This is the most under rated film of all time. 

 

Who was the best rock n roll drummer of all time?  No debate here.  Keith Moon. 

 

Should Obama get the trifecta this year – Nobel, Heisman and Oscar?  I’m thinking yes. 

 

Are the Bearcats the best college football team in Ohio?  All I can say is I am glad they are not on OSU’s schedule this season. 

 

Is anyone else tired of Tim Tebow?  Enough already.  There are a dozen better quarterbacks in the FBS with inferior supporting casts that get a lot more done.  Unless he changes positions, his football career ends at Florida.

 

Now on to the games of the week.

 

ACC

 

Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech.  Maybe the engineering geeks can figure out a way to predict the outcome.  I’m not sold on Ga Tech’s offensive system or their defense.  The Jackets keep it close, but Va Tech wins by 14.  31-17.

 

Big East

 

Game was last night.  Cinci throttled South Florida.  This win was good, but not stellar.  S. Fla always plays great in September and falters in October.  Bearcats are a legitimate threat to run the table though.

 

Big Ten

 

Iowa at Wisconsin.  Iowa takes their 6-0 record on the road to Camp Randall. Wisky is coming off a hard loss to the Buckeyes where they pretty much owned every statistic but the score.  Can they recover and deliver a win for the home crowd?  Yes.  Very close game.  Badgers by 4.  35-31.

 

Big 12

 

Red River Shootout.  Texas vs. Oklahoma.  While the luster might be off this game just a tad since the Sooners have two losses already, the pressure is on Texas to keep their BCS championship hopes alive.  Texas wins an ugly game 28-24.

 

PAC 10

 

UCLA vs Cal.  The loser of this game will tank the rest of the season.  UCLA was broken at Oregon last week and Cal is trying to recover from two humiliating defeats.  The Bruins are at home so I’ll take them.  24-17.

 

SEC

 

Alabama vs South Carolina.  The Tide is rolling. The Gamecocks look good, but this is their first legitimate test.  It is homecoming at Bama, and I think they roll.  35-7.

 

Non-Conference

 

USC vs. Notre Dame.  The Trojans own the Irish right now and thoroughly pummeled them last year 38-3 in the Coliseum.  I think the Irish are over rated.  USC wins by 17. 

 

Let’s hear it for the Dude. 

Division III, Top Ten and Heisman Leaders

In light of the upcoming game between Mt. Union Purple Raiders and the Capital Crusaders this Saturday, I think the time is right to give some recognition to Division III programs.  The players at these schools do not get scholarships, and quite often work just as hard as the athletes in FBS, FCS, Division II and NAIA.  I should note that I am partial to the Div III level because I went to Capital.

 

I have heard too frequently that the Division III skill level is not good.  In comparison, the overall skill level is not as deep as the other divisions; this hardly means the cupboard is bare.  Current NFL players London Fletcher and Pierre Garcon both played at Division III programs (John Carroll and Mt. Union ). There about ten other players on NFL rosters in 2009.

 

I’ve also heard that the games are less enjoyable to watch.  I wonder if any of the critics have actually watched a game.   Anyone catch the Trinity lateral play over Milsaps a couple of seasons ago?  This might be a top five play in college football history.  Furthermore, Mt. Union, Wisconsin Whitewater, Linfield, Mary Hardin Baylor, Wartburg, St. Johns are all consistently good and fun to watch.  If you get a chance, go watch a game.

 

Weekly Top Ten

 

Florida.  Until the defending champs lose, they get the top spot.

Texas.  Colt McCoy and Co. lead a balanced attack and the defense is pretty good. 

Alabama.  Strong defense, serviceable offense.  This should be enough to reach the Iron Bowl undefeated.

USC.  Despite the loss at Washington, USC is a top five team.  Tiger fans might be upset, but USC is more balances right now.

LSU.  No losses earns the Tigers a #5 ranking, but I have a feeling the wheels are going to fall off this weekend. 

Boise State.  This team is legitimate.  The Broncos will likely go undefeated and earn another BCS bowl bid.

Cincinnati.  The game at South Fla will prove a lot, but the Bearcats have a few quality wins that give them a nod right now.

Auburn.  Chizik and Malzahn are getting the last laugh.  Arkansas is a nemesis so a win there on Saturday will be huge.

Ohio State.  Defense makes this team legitimate.  I want to see how the offense performs against a legitimate defense before I endorse the team for a top five ranking.

Virginia Tech.  Defense and special teams will carry the Hokies to their third straight ACC title.

 

Heisman Hopefuls

 

Tim Tebow.  If Tebow plays in the LSU game and wins, Archie Griffin’s status as the only two time Heisman winner is in serious jeopardy. 

Colt McCoy.  I think McCoy will heat up in October and finish the season as the favorite. 

Tony Pike.  Darkhorse candidate is looking good right now.  However, the Bearcats always seem to drop a weird game.  A loss would kill Pike’s chances.

Top 10 Questions for the 2009 Season

The 2009 season begins tomorrow and here are my top 10 questions.

1.  Will any team be able to compete against Florida?  With 18 returning starters, the defending national champs are a lock for the SEC title game, and most likely the BCS Title game.  Tebow's leadership, Meyer's discipline and a ferocious defense will be a difficult to overcome for any team.  The schedule is pretty kind too.  The only crack I can see is the loss of Dan Mullen.

2.  Will the Heisman race stay hot throughout the season?  The last two winners, Tebow and Bradford, are back.  Add in McCoy and there is no debating that we are looking at the best Heisman race in a long time.  Is there a darkhorse?  Yes.  The list includes Jahvid Best, Jonathan Dwyer, Jimmy Clausen and maybe Javon Snead. 

3.  Will USC see a drop off with the personnel losses?  USC lost Sanchez, their LB corp, most of their DL and both coordinators.  No one could blame them for a down season, but Carroll is an elite coach who will have this team ready to compete.  Besides, the offense is loaded and should carry the team until the D catches up in mid season.  

4.  Will Texas run the table and make it to the BCS title game?  The Longhorns were victims of the Big 12 rules last season, and did not get to play in the BCS title game against Florida.  Texas controls their own destiny and needs to go undefeated to make the title game.  I think they make it. 

5.  Will Ohio State's offensive line play be improved, and will Terrelle Pryor make the leap from athlete to QB?  The Buckeyes' offensive lines has underperformed for three straight seasons.  For this team to be great, a huge improvement is necessary.  Coaches are relying on Michigan transfer Justin Boren to establish the nasty tone needed to dominate a game.  Pryor is coming off a solid freshman season.  The chains will be loosened this year.  The expectations are high for a more solid passing game.  The word is he is ready to deliver.

6.  Will Notre Dame ride a relatively manageable schedule back into the BCS?  This is the season where Charlie Weis' genius should come to fruition.  His players are seasoned.  The leaders are now upperclassmen with 1-2 years experience.  Anything less than a nine win regular season would be a disaster. 

7.  Who will be this year's BCS buster.  For the last few years, there has been some non traditional teams make it to a BCS bowl game.  Kansas, Utah, Boise, Hawaii.  Which team will make it this year?  I don' think this happens in 09.  With ten slots available, I see two SEC teams, two Big 12 teams, one ACC team, one Big East team, two Big 10 teams, one PAC 10 team and Notre Dame.  Perhaps the Pac 10 and Big 10 flip.  The room for error is minimal.  I think Boise, Utah, TCU and BYU all lose a game and that will kill their chances at a BCS game. 

8.  Which highly ranked team will go bust?  Oklahoma State is on my radar.  OSU will score a lot of points, but the good teams will keep the Cowboys offense on the sidelines and keep the O in check.  I think they lose three games which is not a complete bust, but certainly kills any chance at a BCS game or Top 10 ranking.  Other teams on the radar - NC, Cal, Ol Miss, Iowa and LSU.

9.  Will the SEC's non conference regular season record improve?  The SEC has dominated their bowl games for the last three years, but the regular season record against BCS conference opponents has been pretty bad.  Losses to Wake, WVU, Duke, Ga Tech, Clemson, UCLA cannot be ignored.  Early season tests  - Ga at Ok St and Bama vs Va Tech will show just how good the SEC is this season.

10.  Will the Big 10 win more bowl games?  The Big 10's image has taken a hit lately largely due to some OSU losses in big games, but this can all change quickly.  The Big 10 is 4-4 against the SEC the last few years which suggests the conference is not far off from being elite again, but some big wins are needed to overcome the general impression that the conference can no longer compete in big games.