10 Things That Won't Change In '09

This year more than ever there seem to be many certainties heading into the college football season. I can't remember the last time the pre-season poll looked so similar to the previous' season's final poll. Also, there has never been an instance when every single Heisman finalist invited to NYC has returned to play another year of football.

Here are my thoughts on the things that I expect to see remain the same this season.


1. Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy will be invited back to NYC.

I don't know if Tebow, Bradford and McCoy will be the only Heisman finalists invited to New York, but I do know they will each get an invite once again. It would be Tebow's third trip to New York and the second for both Bradford and McCoy. Tebow should improve his passing numbers tremendously this season thanks to the implementation of a more traditional scheme and the arrival of QB coach Scott Loeffler. Bradford will more than likely put up some ridiculous numbers for the third straight season. Alone with Timmy, Bradford is trying to become only the second player in college football history to win two Heismans. For what it's worth, I thought McCoy should have won the Heisman last season. If he puts up the same numbers this year, and beat Sam Bradford head to head once again, I don't see how the voters can deny him this time around.



2. Michigan will miss a bowl.

It was tough at times watching Michigan struggle the way they did last year. That is until I remembered Rich Rodriguez was their head coach. This season RichRod has proclaimed that Michigan will go with a new 3 QB look to start the season. There is no way that this is anywhere near to good news for the Wolverines. Also, defense in Ann Arbor these days is almost non-existent. Michigan should improve on their 3 wins from a season ago, but not by much.






3. Three Big XII South teams will be ranked in the top 5 by season's end.

Last year, Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech all were ranked in the top 5 at one point. Proving that the Big XII South was the best division in all of college football. This season Oklahoma and Texas will both start out ranked in the top 5. I expect Oklahoma St. to join them at some point as well. The Cowboys have a chance to prove themselves early with a home game against the Georgia Bulldogs. Luckily for fans, all three teams will play each other this season, and since the Big XII has a very judicial way of deciding who gets to represent the South in the title game, there will be no controversy or arguments in the case of a three way tie.



4. Randy Shannon will cry.

Last year it was a late field goal by Urban Meyer's Gators that send Shannon off. The guy cried and cried and cried..... In fact, I bumped into Shannon over the Summer and he still seemed a little teary eyed. What will set him off this year? A hard tackle by an FSU player? A late game touchdown by a South Florida player? Maybe he'll stub his toe while running from the tunnel....



5. A Non-BCS team will go undefeated.

Last year Utah pulled off this tremendous feat by knocking off Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to cap off an undefeated season. This season there are several teams who are contenders to pull of this feat. TCU, Utah, BYU and Boise St. are all ranked by most publications in the top 25. TCU, Utah and BYU all face each other, so their road will be a bit tougher than Boise St.'s. My money is on the Broncos to go undefeated. Chris Petersen is one of the best coaches in the nation and Kellen Moore is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. Plus, if Boise St. can take care of Oregon early in the season, they pretty much have smooth sailing the rest of the way through.



6. An SEC West team will lose to a irrelevant Non-BCS team.

This ugly trend started two years ago when Alabama inexplicably lost to Louisiana-Monroe late in the season. Last year, in a not so big of an upset, Louisiana Tech knocked off Mississippi St. Some say that loss is what gave Sylvester Croom the final push to leave Starkville. This season, I like LA Tech's chances of pulling off another mild upset. Auburn opens up it's season at home against the Bulldogs in Gene Chizik's first game as head coach. Imagine the uproar in Auburn when the Bulldogs leave the field with a 16-10 victory over the Tigers. Chizik did lose to Kent St. last season while coaching Iowa St....



7. The ACC race will come down to the final week.

The ACC was average at best last season. No one could pull itself away from the crop. That led to an above average race to reach the title game. Virginia Tech, Boston College, Maryland, Florida St., North Carolina and Georgia Tech all had a chance to reach the conference championship at season's end. In the end, Virginia Tech and Boston College would emerge as the two teams. I expect more of the same this season. Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech seem to be the cream of the crop heading into the season. Florida St. looks to be much improved. Butch Davis has things rolling in Chapel Hill, and I think NC State may be ready to turn the corner. It will be a fun race.



8. Mark May will continue to blow his load over USC.

I just don't get it. Mark May has never been able to complete one sentence without mentioning USC in his life. I imagine he yells out VICTORY when pleasuring himself to Pete Carroll's latest book. I have to admit, I am rather impressed with Mark May's ability to spew nonsense at the top of his lungs while continuing to hold SC's manpiece firmly in his mouth. I can't imagine what the May household would look like if USC were to make it back to a title game this season. I hate to even think about it....





9. Oklahoma will lose a BCS bowl game.

It's gonna happen. You know it, and I know it. Oklahoma will ride a spectacular, awe-inspiring offense and a slightly better than average defense to yet another BCS bowl game. It was become an annual tradition, the Sooners will drag their entire fanbase to whatever unlucky city hosts them. The fans will continually and relentlessly rape the ear canals of the general population with unforgiven cries of "BOOMER! SOONER!" all throughout the week. Of course, the fans will turn to blabbering Randy Shannons as soon as they realize their team is going to lose yet another BCS game. The only question is which team will have the luxury of facing the Sooners this season. It could be a repeat of last year's championship game against the Gators. Or they could face Boise St. in the Fiesta bowl once again. Or maybe Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Either way, they're losing.



10. The Florida Gators will win the National Championship.

Bookmark this page and reference it. Come back after the Gators go back to back and revel in my genius.