Grab Bag Time!

I'm sure my millions of readers world wide have noticed that CFB365 has been a little slow lately. Well, more like a lot slow. Truth is I've been incredibly busy lately. Contrary to popular belief, I do in fact have a life. And since I can't find a competent co-writer for this blog, when I have little downtime, this illustrious site suffers.

Since I've been M.I.A. for a while, I thought it would be nice to throw a bunch of crap together in one single post. There's really no rhyme or reason to any of this, just a bunch of random thoughts about college football at this point in the season.

Enjoy!
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Coaching Carousel

There's already been a few firings this season. Both Tommy West of Memphis and Mike Sanford of UNLV have received the pink slip from their bosses. While both Memphis and UNLV are out looking for that next great coach that no one has ever heard of, I thought I should take a look at a few other schools that I will probably be right there with them in the next few weeks.

Notre Dame - Out: Charlie Weis - No obligatory "coaches on the hot seat" discussion can officially begin until Charlie Weis is mentioned. Weis is proving to everyone what this here blogger has always known: The man cannot coach! He's good at calling offensive plays, but he will never have what it takes to run an entire team. Finally, after 5 seasons, the Irish will let him go. In: Brian Kelly - Kelly is the favorite to accept the Notre Dame coaching vacancy when it becomes available. Of course the Irish will contact Urban Meyer and Bobby Stoops, but it is widely believed both of those coaches will give ND a big "No Thank You!".


Virginia - Out: Al Groh - Groh has made a habit of saving his job with late season pushes. This season has been different. With the amount of talent that Groh has been able to amass at UVA, it is hard to believe that they have never seriously contended for an ACC crown. In: Skip Holtz - This is basically the same move I was calling for at the end of last season. Holtz has done a great job of keeping East Carolina at the top of C-USA. Time to see what he can do at a BCS level program.


Louisville - Out: Steve Kragthorpe - Was in over his head as soon as he took the job. Perhaps he can take over for some C-USA or MWC school (I'm thinking UTEP or UNLV). Kragthorpe just doesn't have what it takes to coach a BCS school. And supposedly, that's what Louisville is. In: Charlie Strong - As much as I would hate to see Charlie leave the Florida sideline, he deserves to be a head coach somewhere. The best way to turn around a falling program is to start with defense. I think Strong is pretty decent on that side of the ball.


Akron - Out: J.D. Brookhart - Brookhart should be the first of these coaches to go. He has put together absolutely nothing during his tenure at Akron. In: Chuck Martin - All Martin has done is win two national titles at Division II Grand Valley St. Some would argue if Akron is actually a step up for Martin, but I'm sure he could use the Zips as a nice stepping stone. You have to look no further than former GVSU head coach Brian Kelly to provide an example.


Kansas - Out: Mark Mangino - I really don't see how Mangino can keep his job after this season. Even if the allegations turn out to be false, the damage has already been done. No parent in their right mind would send their kid to play for Kansas while Mangino is roaming the sideline. In: Kevin Sumlin - Sumlin has done a tremendous job in his short stint at Houston. Who's to say he's not the next Urban Meyer?
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Heisman Race

This year's Heisman race has been anything but clear. There are a bunch of good players, but no real great performances really stand out. Here's how I would vote for the Heisman if I actually had a vote.


Toby Gerhart - Stanford RB - All the pub at the running back position has been surrounding Mark Ingram this year. While I think Ingram is a great player, there is no doubt in my mind that Gerhart is a better back. The only thing hurting Toby is that he plays for Stanford and not an SEC or Big Eleven school. The USC game should have earned him a few more votes.





Mark Ingram - Alabama RB - Ingram is the best player on what is arguably the best team in the country. Just think. Where would Bama be without Ingram? Probably not undefeated and getting ready to play Florida in the SEC championship.







C.J. Spiller - Clemson RB - He can run. pass, catch, and return kicks and punts for touchdowns, One of the more exciting players in the nation, it's a shame that C.J. might not even get an invite to NYC this year.










Tim Tebow - Florida QB - I'll admit, this is more of a lifetime achievement vote than anything. However, Timmy is the QB for the number one team in the country. That's gotta count for something. A big game against FSU could catapult him even further on this list.










Colt McCoy - Texas QB - Pretty much the same as Tebow, this is a lifetime achievement vote. The only reason why I even have these two players is because there is a lack of other viable candidates. Plus they are both quarterbacks of undefeated teams.
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Rivalry Week

This weekend is loaded with traditional rivalry games. For the most part these games are played for state bragging rights and recruiting superiority. Here's a quick look at some of my personal favorite games of this weekend. (Note: Oregon v. Oregon St. is one of my favorite games, but it is not listed since they will be playing next week. I hope to have more material to discuss the Civil War in the coming days.)

Florida v. Florida St. - Of course this was gonna be one of my favorite games. The Gators have dominated this rivalry in the Urban Meyer era. However, the series is even since Good 'Ol Bobby came to Tallahassee. This game will be extra special as it will be the last game at the Swamp for Seniors Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes.






Alabama v. Auburn - The Iron Bowl returned back to Alabama's favor with last years victory. The win erased all the bitter memories created by Tommy Tuberville. If Auburn can pull off the upset this week, they will knock Bama out of the title picture (unless they can bounce back and beat Florida in Atlanta). Now tell me that's not something Auburn will be playing out of their minds to do.




Washington v. Washington St. - The Apple Cup might not have the records and title implications that other rivalry games have this year. But you can throw all that crap out the window when the Cougs and Huskies get set to do battle. I truly enjoy this game ever year. It's a shame it's not the traditional last game on the schedule this season.






BYU v. Utah - The Holy War is always a good game to watch. This one has no MWC title implications, but the two teams hate each just the same.








Clemson v. South Carolina - The Battle for the Palmetto State just hasn't been the same since the two teams decided to duke it out on the field a few years ago. It just seems a little tame as of late. A win against Clemson could turn Spurrier's season around for the better.
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BCS Bowl Game Predictions

Here's the way I see the BCS shaping up.


Orange Bowl - Cincinnati v. Georgia Tech - The Big East and ACC champs will meet in what will easily be the most boring bowl game of the season. Should be a nice farewell victory for Brian Kelly before he leaves to take over the Notre Dame job.


Fiesta Bowl - Oklahoma St. v. TCU - A high powered offense meets a very stingy defense. I like TCU's chances of continuing the MWC tradition of destroying BCS opponents in BCS bowl games.


Sugar Bowl - Alabama v. Boise St. - I just think there will be too much pressure on the BCS commissioners to include an undefeated Boise St/ team in this year's festivities. Even though a team like Penn St. will most likely get this invite, it would be nice to see the Broncos shred the Crimson Tide defense.


Rose Bowl - Oregon v. Ohio St. - While I wouldn't be surprised if this were Oregon St., I think the Ducks are the favorite to represent the PAC-10 in this year's Rose Bowl. Of course, keeping with tradition, Oregon will dismantle Ohio St.


BCS National Championship - Florida v. Texas - I think both Florida and Texas will survive rivalry week and their conference championship unscathed. Setting up what should be an exciting title game. Tebow v. McCoy could go down as one of the best QB match-ups of all time.
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Ultimate Fantasy League Update

For those of you that have been following CFB365's Ultimate Fantasy League, I commend you. For those of you that haven't, good luck following this segment. It's conference championship time in the UFL. Here are the match-ups. Remember, each conference champion gets an automatic bid into the 16 team playoff starting next week.

SEC - Florida v. Alabama - Just like real life, these two teams will meet to decide the SEC Championship. Bama was one of only two teams to go through the regular season undefeated. This is easily the best match-up of the conference championship week.


Big XII - Texas v. Nebraska - Nebraska overtook Kansas on the last week of the season to earn a spot in the title game. Texas was able to fend off a surging TCU team. This should be a blowout win for the Longhorns. We'll see....


Big Ten - Ohio St. v. Iowa - For awhile there it looked like the Big Ten would be decided by a title game between Wisconsin and Iowa St. However, things evened out the last 2 weeks of the season and the two best teams in the conference will meet. Ohio St. is the obvious favorite.


PAC 10 - Arizona v. Boise St. - The Wildcats used the early stumbles by California to secure their spot in this game early on. Boise St. has been the most consistent team in this conference. I think everyone is a little surprised that USC wasn't even a factor in the conference title race.


ACC - Virginia Tech v. South Florida - The Bulls reach the title game by default. Although they were able to keep East Carolina from wrecking the party. Either way, Va Tech is the odds on favorite to win this one.


Big East - Penn St. v. Cincinnati - Cincinnati was the other undefeated team that I alluded to earlier. This might actually turn out to be a close call. Penn St. did suffer two late season losses, including one to Cincy. We'll see if they can rebound and secure their spot in the playoffs.


Mountain West - Houston v. Colorado St. - Colorado St. held off Baylor to avoid an ALL-Texas Title Tilt in the MWC. The Rams have to be one of the biggest surprises of the season in the UFL. We'll see if they can keep their luck going against the Cougars.
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Week 3 Preview

The college football season is finally starting to get it's legs under itself. For the most part, the cup cake challengers are long gone off of the heavyweight's schedules. Now it's time to get down to the business. There are several teams that will be opening up conference play this week, as well as several teams that are finally going to face somewhat of a challenge.

Here's what you need to know, as deemed by me, for week 3.

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5 Games to Watch

1. Florida v. Tennessee - Of course this game is going to make the list. The Gators are finally going to face a team that will be somewhat competitive for at least two quarters. Maybe. We all know about the hype leading up to this game and I've already gone into great detail what I think about it.

2. Virginia Tech v. Nebraska - This is probably the best game that has not been talked about all year long. Both of these teams are solid defensively as well as great rushing teams. Roy Helu of Nebraska and Va Tech's Ryan Williams could be the deciding factors for this game. Also, look for special teams to play a major role.

3. Washington v. USC - This game looks like a blowout no matter which way you study it from. I am a sucker for new coaches facing their old teams though. That's what you have with this match-up. Steve Sarkisian's Husky squad is coming off it's first win since 1975. They will be all kinds of motivated to put up a fight against the Trojans. They still lose, and possibly lose big. But I'll enjoy watching it.

4. Oregon v. Utah - This is Oregon's chance to redeem itself. They already failed miserably in trying to take down a top-tier Non-BCS team this season. We all remember the LeGarrette Blount Bowl in Week 1. Now the Ducks get a shot at the Utes. I actually like the Ducks' chances in this one. They are playing at home, and Utah no longer has Brian Johnson taking snaps.

5. BYU v. Florida St. - The Noles will be fighting to earn some respect back in this game. After barely losing to Miami, Bobby Bowden's bunch went out and almost lost to the Gamecocks at home last week. That's not the South Carolina Gamecocks. That's the vaunted Jacksonville St. Gamecocks. The very same team led by the legendary Ryan Perriloux. BYU will be looking to continue their BCS season. Knocking off Oklahoma and Florida St in the same season will look really good in the school's media guide for years to come.

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5 Players to Watch

1. Tim Tebow QB Florida - Tebow is coming into the game vs. the Vols extremely pissed off. You don't wanna make Timmy angry. He could be in for a huge day.

2. Darryl Clark QB Penn St. - Clark is another QB that could be in for a huge day. The Nittany Lions are hosting Temple.

3. Freddie Barnes WR Bowling Green - Barnes is among the nation's leader in nearly every receiving statistical category. This week the Falcons will be taking on Marshall. A team that is not well known for it's pass defense.

4. Damion Fletcher RB Southern Miss - The Eagles are hosting Virginia this week. The Cavs are one of the worst teams in the nation. They can't do anything right, much less contain a top-flight RB.

5. Dan LeFevour QB Central Michigan - Last week LeFevour led a come from behind victory vs. Michigan St. This week: Alcorn St. I think he'll do just fine.

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The Heisman Race

1. Tim Tebow Florida QB

2. Colt McCoy Texas QB

3. Max Hall BYU QB

4. Joe McKnight USC RB

5. Jahvid Best California RB

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My TV Schedule

Be jealous...

12:00 CBSC Ball St. @ Army

12:00 ESPN California @ Minnesota

12:00 ESPN2 East Carolina @ North Carolina

12:00 ESPNU Louisville @ Kentucky

12:00 VS Duke @ Kansas

3:30 ABC Nebraska @ Virginia Tech

3:30 CBS Tennessee @ Florida

3:30 NBC Michigan St. @ Notre Dame

3:30 CBSC Virginia @ Southern Miss

3:30 ESPN Utah @ Oregon

3:30 ESPN2 Arizona @ Iowa

3:30 ESPNU Indiana @ Akron

3:30 FSN Tulsa @ Oklahoma

6:45 FSN Cincinnati @ Oregon St.

7:00 ESPNU UL-Lafayette @ LSU

7:00 VS Florida St. @ BYU

7:30 CBSC Air Force @ New Mexico

7:45 ESPN Georgia @ Arkansas

7:45 ESPN2 West Virginia @ Auburn

8:00 ABC Texas Tech @ Texas

10:30 ESPNU Hampton @ NC A&T

11:00 CBSC Hawaii @ UNLV

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Ultimate Fantasy League Week 3

Florida @ LSU

Georgia @ South Carolina

Tennessee v. Georgia Tech

Clemson v. West Virginia

Auburn v. Illinois

Alabama v. Michigan

Mississippi St. @ Louisiana Tech

Ole Miss @ Texas Tech

Kentucky v. Tulsa

Colorado @ Missouri

Kansas @ Nebraska

Kansas St. @ Texas

Arkansas v. Oklahoma

Oklahoma St. v. Texas A&M

TCU v. Utah

Washington @ Oregon

Washington St. @ Iowa St.

Oregon St. @ Cincinnati

Stanford v. Boise St.

USC @ Arizona

UCLA v. Arizona St.

California @ San Diego St.

Ohio St. @ Boston College

Northwestern @ Indiana

Minnesota @ UNLV

Wisconsin @ Notre Dame

Purdue @ Pittsburgh

Iowa @ Michigan St.

Miami @ Virginia

Virginia Tech v. North Carolina

NC State @ Louisville

Florida St. @ Maryland

Wake Forest @ Duke

South Florida @ East Carolina

Connecticut @ Rutgers

Syracuse @ Army

Penn St. v Vanderbilt

Navy v. Central Florida

Air Force @ Southern Miss

Colorado St. v. Troy

Baylor v. BYU

Wyoming v. Houston

Week 1 Preview

The college football season is so close. And it's not a moment too soon. If I have to watch another replay on CBS Sports or ESPNU or ESPN Classic or any other channel that has been running college football replays for the past 2 months, I might just go crazy. I can close my eyes and give you the play by play of the Air Force v. Wyoming game from last season. That's never a good thing.

Here's a little preview of week 1 to satisfy your college football craving until Thursday.

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5 Games to Watch

Here are 5 games that everyone must see this week. I don't care if you have to order these on pay per view or head to your local watering hole. Just make sure you're either in front of the TV or in the stands at one of these games.

1. Georgia @ Oklahoma St. - The two power conferences will be represented in this game. Georgia returns a ton of players from last year's 10 win squad. Unfortunately for the Dawgs, none of those players are named Knowshon Moreno or Matthew Stafford. This game will go a long way in telling how much Oklahoma St. has improved defensively. We all know they can play offense in Stillwater. Zac Robinson, Dez Bryant and Kendall Hunter get to show their deadly trio for the first time this season.

2. Alabama @ Virginia Tech - For the second straight season, Bama opens up it's season against a top ten ACC team. Hopefully, for the Hokies, the outcome will be a little bit different. Last year the Crimson Tide routed Clemson en route to an almost perfect season. The loss sent Clemson on a downward spiral that would them their head coach. Va Tech comes into the game without tailback Darren Evans. Speedster Ryan Williams should fill in just fine, but he was face a tough test against Bama's stout defense. The Tide will be breaking in Greg McElroy at QB. It would be a good sign for their offense if he starts off fast against a very good Hokie secondary.

3. Oregon @ Boise St. - Last season's win at Oregon propelled Boise St. to another tremendously overlooked great season. This year, the Broncos get Oregon at home. Both teams look better now than they did last season. For my money, this may be the most entertaining game of week 1. Kellen Moore of Boise St. will look to solidify his spot among the game's top quarterbacks. On the other side, LaGarrette Blount will be looking to add his name to the ranks of top running backs in the country.

4. BYU @ Oklahoma - Another big time BCS v. Non-BCS match-up in week 1. Oklahoma semi-struggled vs. TCU last season. The Horned Frog's D may be a bit better than BYU's. However, BYU's offense is leap year's better than TCU's. That's not good news for OU's defense. This is the premiere QB match-up of week 1 as the defending Heisman winner, Sam Bradford will face off against the savvy Max Hall of BYU.

5. Miami(FL) @ Florida St. - I don't care how far these teams have fallen in recent years. There's nothing like Miami v. FSU to start the season. Both teams will be sporting improved defenses and re-vamped offenses, so it's hard to know what to expect from this game.

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5 Players to Watch

Fantasy football is starting to catch on pretty heavily in college football. The fact that you can actually play with real player names makes the game a little bit better. Here are five players that I would play this week if they were on your roster.


1. Andre Anderson Tulane RB - Anderson quietly became one of the nation's top running backs last season. The Green Wave face Tulsa this week.

2. Evan Royster Penn St. RB - The Nittany Lions face Akron this week. The Zips are bad enough to give up a ton of yards to Royster, but they're decent enough to keep the game quasi close. That would keep Royster in the game long enough to rack up some stats.

3. Damien Williams USC WR - Williams was already going to have a big season for the Trojans this season. Richard Johnson's recent injury has made Williams' role all the more important. The only question is how well will Matt Barkley play in his first game as SC's starting QB.

4. Juice Williams Illinois QB - Just look up Williams' stats against Mizzou last season. You'll see why he should be started this week.

5. Colt McCoy Texas QB - McCoy will have the best opportunity to put up dual threat numbers this week. The Longhorns take on Louisiana-Monroe in week 1.

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Heisman Watch

I will no longer feature an entire post to the Heisman watch this season. That became a bit too tedious. Instead, I will put my two cents into the Heisman discussion into my weekly previews. Here's the first edition.

1. Tim Tebow Florida QB
2. Colt McCoy Texas QB
3. Sam Bradford Oklahoma QB
4. Dez Bryant Oklahoma St. WR
5. Jahvid Best California RB

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My TV Schedule

I hope yours is similar....

Thursday

7:00 pm ESPN South Carolina @ North Carolina St.

7:30 pm ESPNU North Texas @ Ball St.

8:00 pm CBS Sports Central Washington @ Minnesota-Duluth

10:00 pm ESPN Oregon @ Boise St.

Friday

8:00 pm ESPN Tulsa @ Tulane

Saturday

12:00 pm WTTA Western Kentucky @ Tennessee

12:00 pm ESPN Navy @ Ohio St.

12:00 pm ESPN2 Minnesota @ Syracuse

12:00 pm BHSN Liberty @ West Virginia

12:00 pm ESPNU Kentucky @ Miami(OH)

3:30 pm NBC Nevada @ Notre Dame

3:30 pm ABC Georgia @ Oklahoma St.

3:30 pm ESPN Missouri @ Illinois

3:30 pm ESPN2 Western Michigan @ Michigan

3:30 pm SUN San Jose St. @ USC

3:30 pm ESPNU Jackson St. @ Mississippi St.

7:00 pm ESPN BYU vs. Oklahoma

7:00 pm SUN Charleston Southern @ Florida

7:00 pm BHSN Wofford @ South Florida

7:00 pm ESPNU Louisiana Tech @ Auburn

8:00 pm ABC Alabama vs. Virginia Tech

9:00 pm CBS Sports Buffalo @ UTEP

10:00 pm ESPN2 Maryland @ California

10:30 pm ESPN LSU @ Washington

10:30 pm ESPNU Texas Southern @ Prairie View A&M

Sunday

3:30 pm ESPN Ole Miss @ Memphis

7:00 pm FSN Colorado St. @ Colorado

Monday

4:00 pm ESPN Cincinnati @ Rutgers

8:00 pm ESPN Miami(FL) @ Florida St.

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Ultimate Fantasy League Week 1

With the coming of the new college football season comes the all important first ever week of CFB 365's ultimate fantasy league. I've already outlined the details of this league in a previous post. Here is week 1's schedule.

Florida v. Auburn
Georgia @ West Virginia
Tennessee @ Alabama
South Carolina @ Washington St.
Clemson @ Wake Forest
Georgia Tech v. Ole Miss
Mississippi St. v. Kentucky
LSU @ Texas
Colorado v. Colorado St.
Kansas @ TCU
Kansas St. @ Wisconsin
Nebraska v. Arkansas
Missouri v. Illinois
Oklahoma @ California
Oklahoma St. @ Oregon
Texas A&M v. Texas Tech
Washington @ BYU
Oregon St. @ Arizona St.
Stanford v. Duke
Boise St. v. UCLA
USC v. San Diego St.
Arizona @ Virginia
Ohio St. v. Michigan St.
Northwestern @ Minnesota
Purdue v. Notre Dame
Iowa @ Iowa St.
Michigan v. Indiana
Maryland v. NC State
South Florida @ UCF
East Carolina @ Virginia Tech
Miami @ Florida St.
North Carolina v. Louisville
Connecticut v. Houston
Syracuse @ Penn St.
Rutgers @ Pitt
Boston College v. Vanderbilt
Army v. Cincinnati
Navy @ Troy
Air Force v. Wyoming
Southern Miss @ UNLV
Baylor v. Louisiana Tech
Utah v. Tulsa

Pre-Season Top 25

With the release of the AP top 25 poll over the weekend, I feel it is only right I show those so called "writers" up by producing the "real" top 25 poll. All 6 of my readers from last year know that I used to rank every single team in 1-a football on a weekly basis. That's 120 teams! Every week! That takes some serious balls, and one angry girlfriend.

Well, I was getting sick of being chewed out by said girlfriend, so this year I will keep it simple and do a weekly top 25. With the season around the corner, here's poll #1. The all powerful preseason poll....

1. Florida Gators - The defending BCS champions are returning damn near everybody. And everybody wearing the Orange and Blue is extremely gifted and fast. There's rumors going around Gainesville that the Gators' equipment manager can run a 4.45. That would make him about the 27th fastest player on the team. Key Players - Tim Tebow QB, Brandon Spikes LB, Carlos Dunlap DE, Aaron Hernandez TE, Brandon James RS.



2. Oklahoma Sooners - Last year's runner up is also returning a boat load of talent. The only uncertainty about this Sooners team is the offensive line. I don't think that will be a problem for long. They should get their act together in time for the Red River Shootout. Having the defending Heisman Trophy winner back to take snaps doesn't hurt either. Key Players - Sam Bradford QB, Gerald McCoy DT, Jermaine Gresham TE, Trent Williams OT, DeMarco Murray RB.


3. Texas Longhorns - Everyone else has Texas ranked ahead of Oklahoma. Those people don't seem to realize that Mack Brown is due for a bad coaching year. Luckily for him, and Horns fans, Texas has enough talent to compensate for any bone headed moves made by the head coach. It doesn't help Texas that they have to travel to Oklahoma St. this year. Key Players - Colt McCoy QB, Jordan Shipley WR, Sergio Kindle DE, Earl Thomas S, Adam Ulatoski OT.



4. Ohio St. Buckeyes - The Buckeyes should re-gain control of the Big Eleven again this year. Terrelle Pryor loos like he's destined to be better than advertised, and running backs Dan Herron and Brandon Saine give the Buckeyes one of the better rushing attacks in the nation. If Ohio St. can take down USC early in the year, they have a real good chance of running the table. That is, until they get demolished by a SEC or Big XII team in the title game. Key Players - Terrelle Pryor QB, Dan Herron RB, Brandon Saine RB, Kurt Coleman S, Chimdi Chekwa CB.



5. LSU Tigers - The Tigers would be ranked even higher if they QB situation was a little more stable. LSU is easily one of the most talented teams in the nation. If Jordan Jefferson can put together a decent season, the Tigers will be in the hunt all season long. I expect Oct. 10 to be a huge game for the title picture. Key Players - Brandon LaFell WR, Charles Scott RB, Richard Murphy RB, Patrick Peterson CB, Ciron Black OT.



6. USC Trojans - The Trojans are in the exact same situation was LSU. They have all the talent in the world at every position except QB. No matter who USC goes with, either Aaron Corp or Matt Barkley, there is going to be a huge drop-off at that position. One good thing for the Trojans is the relative instability of the rest of the PAC 10. Key Players - Taylor Mays S, Damian Williams WR, Stafon Johnson RB, Everson Griffen DE, Joe McKnight RB.



7. Oklahoma St. Cowboys - Oklahoma St. has the best trio of Cowboys since Aikman, Smith and Irvin roamed the field for Dallas. QB Zac Robinson, WR Dez Bryant and RB Kendall Hunter will make sure the Cowboys will put up plenty of points this season. It will be up to their defense to help make sure OSU takes the proverbial next step. Key Players - Dez Bryant WR, Zac Robinson QB, Kendall Hunter RB, Russell Okung OT, Perrish Cox CB.



8. Ole Miss Rebels - Ole Miss turned out to be a really good football team last season. That makes Florida's lost to them last year in the Swamp a little less vomit inducing, just a little. The Rebels return about half of their starters on both sides of the ball this year. The biggest area of concern seems to be the WR position. If Jevan Snead can keep Ole Miss around the top 10 all season long, he could be a dark horse Heisman candidate. Key Players - Jevan Snead QB, Greg Hardy DE, Dexter McCluster WR, Kentrell Lockett DE, Marshay Green CB.



9. Penn St. Nittany Lions - I have gone on the record as saying that I don't think Penn St. will be as good this year as they were a year ago. I know they return a lot of starters and Darryl Clark is back at QB. But I just don't think last year was the start of a trend for PSU. I could be wrong, I mean I had to put them at #9 for a reason. Key Players - Darryl Clark QB, Evan Royster RB, Stefan Wisniewski C, Sean Lee LB, Navorro Bowman LB.



10. Virginia Tech Hokies - The Hokies are another team that I'm not too sure about this season. My confidence in them was shaken even more when RB Darren Evans went down with a season ending injury. But, Frank Beamer can flat out coach, and Freshman Ryan Williams may be even better than Evans. His injury may be a blessing in disguise for the Hokies. Key Players - Tyrod Taylor QB, Ryan Williams RB, Kam Chancellor S, Stephen Virgil CB, Ed Wang OT.



11. Boise St. Broncos - Can you imagine if Boise St. started out this high and ran the table? If Oregon turns out to be good and the Broncos blow them out, we could be looking at a BCS title game featuring the Blue Turfers! We all know that will never happen, but it's nice to dream. Key Players - Kellen Moore QB, Austin Pettis WR, Jeremy Avery RB, Kyle Wilson CB, Jeron Johnson S.



12. Alabama Crimson Tide - I know this seems pretty low for 'Bama, but they have no QB at all. Greg McElroy or Starr Jackson will be taking snaps for the Tide this season. That's not good news for team that ended the season on an ugly two game losing streak. Also, this team is still only two years removed from losing to Louisiana-Monroe at home. Key Players - Mark Ingram RB, Julio Jones WR, Rolando McClain LB, Terrence Cody DT, Javier Arenas RS.



13. California Golden Bears - One again Cal looks poised to compete with USC for the PAC-10 crown. Of course, we all know that means the Bears will stumble all over themselves on the way to the Emerald Bowl. I'm hoping this year will be different, and with Jahvid Best it could be. One good thing for the Bears is that they get USC at home. That hasn't helped too much in the past. Key Players - Jahvid Best RB, Nyan Boateng WR, Syd'Quan Thompson CB, Kevin Riley QB, Cameron Jordan DE.



14. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets - I actually think I might have Georgia Tech ranked a little low here. I think Tech will be really good this season. Their rushing attack is second to none in the ACC, and they may have one of the best receivers in the conference too! If Josh Nesbitt can avoid injuries, there's no reason why the Jackets can't play for the ACC championship at season's end. Oct. 17 vs. Virginia Tech will be a HUGE game. Key Players - Josh Nebitt QB, Jonathan Dwyer RB, Demaryius Thomas WR, Dan Voss C, Morgan Burnett S.



15. Oregon Ducks - Chip Kelly inherits a very good Duck team in his first season as head coach. Even with all of the Ducks talent, and relative experience, perhaps nothing works more in their favor than the schedule. If Oregon can pull out a victory at Boise St. this season they have a somehwhat manageable schedule the rest of the way. California, USC and Oregon St. all come to Eugene this season. Key Players - LeGarrette Blount RB, Jeremiah Masoli QB, Ed Dickson TE, Walter Thurmond III CB, T.J. Ward S.



16. West Virginia Mountaineers - I still don't know how other preseason polls can have Notre Dame ranked in the top 25 and not West Virginia. Are you really telling me that Notre Dame cold be West Virginia right now? Not only would the Mountaineers win, but it would be a rout. I don't think West Virginia will miss Pat White as much as everyone thinks they will. Plus, Noel Devine is still in Morgantown. Key Players - Noel Devine RB, Jarrett Brown QB, Scooter Berry DT, Reed Williams LB, Selvish Capers OT.



17. Georgia Bulldogs - The Dawgs are definitely poised for a down year this season. The deaparture of Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno really hurts them. However, it's not like the cupboard's bare in Athens. The defense is stacked this season and should keep the Bulldogs in every game they play season. Except 1. Key Players - A.J. Green WR, Geno Atkins DT, Clint Boling OT, Rennie Curran LB, Reshad Jones S.



18. Kansas Jayhawks - I like the Jayhawks to represent the Big XII North in the conference championship game this season. All that means is that they will be little more than sacrificial lambs to a powerful Big XII South team. Outside of Oklahoma St., Kansas probably has the best big 3 in the conference. QB Todd Reesing, RB Jake Sharp and WR Dezmon Briscoe are all big time performers. Key Players - Todd Reesing QB, Jake Sharp RB, Dezmon Briscoe WR, Darrell Stuckey S, Kerry Meier WR.



19. TCU Horned Frogs - I'm not completely buying into the TCU preseason hype just yet. Their offense isn't really anything special and their defense lost a bunch of starters from a year ago. Also, the Frogs still have BYU and Utah to compete with this season. Both teams are capable of defeating the Horned Frogs. Key Players - Jerry Hughes DE, Nick Sanders CB, Rafael Priest CB, Andy Dalton QB, Jimmy Young WR.



20. North Carolina Tar Heels - It didn't take too long for Butch Davis to return the Tar Heels back to relevancy. UNC returns a lot of players on the defensive side of the ball. That could be good or bad news. On offense, the Heels will have to replace WR Hakeem Nicks. This won't be easy, but there are several young receivers ready to make a break out. The schedule is a tough one though. Carolina has to travel to Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and NC State. Key Players - Shaun Draughn RB, Greg Little WR, Marvin Austin DT, Kendric Burney CB, Quan Sturdivant LB.



21. Utah Utes - Utah is coming off yet another remarkable season. The Utes were the only team left undefeated after last season. That earned them a number 2 ranking in the final polls. Unfortunately for the Utes, they lose a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. This is especially true on the offense as only 4 starters return. (3 linemen and 1 TE.) You know the Utes will be solid and well coached, but they may not have enough talent to keep up with TCU and BYU in the Mountain West. Kep Players - Koa Misi DE, Matt Asiata RB, Stevenson Sylvester LB, Robert Johnson S, David Reed WR.



22. BYU Cougars - Even though my preseason ranking don't show it, I think the Cougars may be the team to beat in the Mountain West this season. They have a front 7 that would be one of the best in any BCS conference. Also, QB Max Hall and RB Harvey Unga could start almost anywhere in the country. Key Players - Max Hall QB, Harvey Unga RB, Jan Jorgensen DE, Dennis Pitta TE, Matt Bauman LB.



23. Nebraska Cornhuskers - Nebraska is really the only team in the North capable of challenging Kansas for the crown. Unfortunately for Nebraska, they travel to Lawrence this season. The rest of the schedule does seem pretty manageable for the Cornhuskers. They avoid both Texas and Oklahoma St. Outside of a trip to Virginia Tech and a visit by Oklahoma, there isn't a game on the schedule that the Huskers can't win. Key Players - Roy Helu, Jr. RB, Zac Lee QB, Ndamukong Suh DT, Larry Asante S, Mike McNeil TE.



24. Michigan St. Spartans - I think a lot people will be surprised that I have the Spartans ranked in my preseason top 25. I just think they are a solid football team. Mark Dantonio is one of the more underrated coaches in the nation, and if the trend ccontinues of win increases, Michigan St. is posied for a 10 win season. The defense might be the best in the Big Eleven, sorry Ohio St. and Penn St. The only concerns for MSU, and they'r major, are QB and RB. Replacing Javon Ringer will be the biggest goal for the coahing staff. Key Players - Mark Dell WR, Joel Foreman G, Greg Jones LB, Brett Swenson K, Trevor Anderson DE.



25. Texas Tech Red Raiders - The Red Raiders definitely won't be repeating last season's success. But don't think they will slide to mediocrity just because they lost Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree. Mike Leach has made a career out of replacing record breeaking quarterbacks and wide receivers with new record breaking quarterbacks and wide receivers. Key Players - Taylor Potts QB, Baron Batch RB, Detron Lewis WR, Brandon Carter OT, Jamar Wall CB.

Weekly Picks

Last Week - 37-13

What can I say? I'm a beast when it comes to these here picks! If I didn't love college football, I would be on the first flight to Vegas to place my bets right now. The only upset pick I missed last week was Michigan over Northwestern. I guess that's what I get for going with Lil' Blue.

Here's this week's edition of my dominance.



Northern Illinois @ Kent St.
Ball St. @ Central Michigan
Miami(FL) @ Georgia Tech
Buffalo @ Bowling Green
Miami(OH) @ Toledo
Fresno St. @ San Jose St.
Michigan @ Ohio St.
NC State @ North Carolina
West Virginia @ Louisville
Army @ Rutgers
Clemson @ Virginia
Indiana @ Purdue
Tennessee @ Vanderbilt
Eastern Michigan @ Temple
Citadel @ Florida
UCF @ Memphis
Colorado St. @ Wyoming
Syracuse @ Notre Dame
Arkansas @ Mississippi St.
Tulane @ Tulsa
Washington @ Washington St.
Florida Atlantic @ Arkansas St.
Michigan St. @ Penn St.
Air Force @ TCU
Ole Miss @ LSU
Stanford @ California
Illinois @ Northwestern
Boston College @ Wake Forest
Akron @ Ohio
Marshall @ Rice
UTEP @ Houston
Cal Poly @ Wisconsin
North Texas @ Middle Tennessee
Iowa St. @ Kansas St.
Louisiana Tech @ New Mexico St.
Boise St. @ Nevada
Duke @ Virginia Tech
BYU @ Utah
Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati
Oregon St. @ Arizona
East Carolina @ UAB
Iowa @ Minnesota
UL-Monroe @ FIU
UL-Lafayette @ Troy
Florida St. @ Maryland
Texas Tech @ Oklahoma
UNLV @ San Diego St.
Idaho @ Hawaii
Connecticut @ South Florida



Upset Alerts

Central Michigan over Ball St. - The Chippewas are the two-time MAC champions. Something tells me they aren't going to just give that title away.

Florida St. over Maryland - Maryland is the truest definition of a helter skelter team. I think the 'Noles take it to them this week.

Arizona over Oregon St. - I really want the Beavers to win just so they can keep the Trojans away from the PAC-10 title. However, Arizona is a very dangerous team, especially at home. I think Tuitama goes off this week.

BYU over Utah - One thing I've learned from watching college football all my life; Always go with the underdog in the Holy War!

Week 3 is in the books

Week 3 finally provided some of the upsets that we've been waiting for. New Mexico beat Arizona, Maryland took down California, UNLV knocked off Arizona St. and Charlie Weis didn't break both legs.

Here are a few of the stories that stood out to me from week 3.


Defense wins championships


There were a few undefeated teams that got it done on the defensive side of the ball this week. As we all know, offense is fun to watch, but it's the defense that wins championships. If these teams can keep up that level of play on the defensive side of the ball, they could be looking at the NC in January.

• Georgia- The Bulldogs won a traditional SEC game by knocking off the Gamecocks on the road 14-7. Georgia's defense held South Carolina's rushing attack to just 58 yards on 16 attempts. That's an average of 1.1 yards per rush! The Dawgs also forced two late turnovers to seal the victory, a Mike Davis fumble at the goal line, and a last second interception by Reshad Jones.
• BYU- The Cougars absolutely dismantled UCLA 59-0 at home. While BYU's offense is being lauded across the nation today, I would like to recognize their defensive efforts. The Cougars shut down Norm Chow's offense. The Bruins only converted on 20 percent of their third down attempts. UCLA only manged 9 rushing yards in the contest and turned the ball over 4 times. This was a drastic improvement for BYU's D compared to last week's escape vs. Washington.
• Auburn- The Tigers defeated Mississippi St. in a baseball-type score of 3-2. Auburn only gave up 162 total yards to the Bulldogs (78 passing and 38 rushing). Auburn's Walter McFadden came through with a huge pick in the final minutes to seal the game for the Tigers. With the way Auburn's offense has been struggling, the D will have to continue to carry this team.
• Oklahoma- The Sooners made Ty Willingham's seat a little warmer by defeating his Huskies 55-14. The Sooners are on an absolute roll both offensively and defensively. OU allowed only 87 rushing yards to Washington on Saturday. The Huskies were only able to average 2.6 yards per rush. Oklahoma also forced 3 fumbles in the contest.
• LSU- When the Tigers actually play this season, it's their defense that looks exceptional. LSU knocked off North Texas 41-3 this week. The Bayou Bengals held the Mean Green to 155 passing yards and 44 rushing yards. LSU also picked off North Texas once.
• USC- Everyone and their mom saw USC dismantle Ohio St. 35-3. USC's offense wasn't overly impressive to me. Their D, on the other hand, was amazing. The Buckeyes only mustered 136 passing yards and 71 rushing yards vs. the Trojans. USC also forced 1 fumble and they got a pick 6 against Todd Boeckman before the half. Rey Maualuga was EVERYWHERE last night.
• Wisconsin- The Badgers capped off Saturday night by putting up a solid defensive effort in their 13-10 win over Fresno St. The Badgers only allowed 15 first downs to Tom Brandstater and the Bulldog offense. Brett Bielema's bunch also forced 1 fumble and 1 interception.

Hurricane Ike


Hurricane Ike was barreling down on Texas this weekend. Several games were moved or cancelled to accommodate this bitch. Here were a few games that were effected by Isaac.

• Baylor vs. Washington St. - This game was moved to Friday. I'm sure that news didn't even register to fans of the two schools. If anyone at all watched this game, they would know that the move didn't effect Baylor at all. The much improved Bears ran all over the horrible Cougar D en route to an impressive victory.
• Arkanas @ Texas - This game was postponed all together. If I were Bobby Petrino, I would be a total douchebag. Also, I would just forfeit the game and keep my bye week. Their schedule is going to be brutal.
• Air Force @ Houston- Dallas was the site of this monumental throwdown. Air Force defeated the Cougars rather handedly. I must say, I am more and more impressed each week with this Falcons football team.
• Louisiana-Monroe vs. Alabama A&M - This was another game that was moved to Friday night. It was also another game that was viewed by a total of 12 people. The Warhawks registered their first win of the season.
• TCU vs. Stanford - This game was moved to 10 am local time to accommodate the storm. The early start time definitely didn't help the Cardinal. They were throttled by an impressive TCU team. No one is talking about TCU in the Mountain West. BYU and Utah better watch out.

The seat gets hotter



After week 3, here are a few coaches that should be updating their profile on careerbuilder.com as we speak.

• Jeff Genyk- Eastern Michigan. The Eagles lost to a bad Toledo team on Saturday. Genyk's squad looked very bad in the process. If EMU cared dick about their program (which they don't) Genyk would already be long gone.
• Greg Robinson- Syracuse. There are a few mysteries in life that can never be explained. The Bermuda Triangle, the Sphinx nose, why Mark May hasn't been bitch slapped by Lou Holtz yet, and how in the hell is Greg Robinson still employed by Syracuse.
• Tommy West- Memphis. The Tigers were expected to be much improved this season. Instead they are total garbage. Their loss to Marshall on Saturday was disastrous for West and Memphis.
• Tyrone Willingham- Washington. Unfortunately, Coach Ty has not been able to get his ass of the hot seat. I know I've said t before, but I feel really bad for this guy.
• Chuck Long- San Diego St. No matter what the Aztecs do the rest of this season, Long will probably be out of a job in December.
• Mike Stoops- Arizona. Just when it seemed like Stoops was coming off the hot seat, his team goes out and loses to previous winless New Mexico. Arizona is the Clemson of the West.
  

Wild Week 2

Week 2 of the college football season is in the books. I must say that if the season keeps progressing like this, this may be the best CFB season in recent memory. There were several great games to watch this weekend. Here are a few of the top stories from the week.



The Big Ten is a slightly better conference than the MAC.


The conglomerate that is Ohio football paid a visit to Columbus this week. Unfortunately for the Bobcats, they ran into an upstart Ohio St. looking for the upset. The inferior Buckeyes stole the victory from the mighty Bobcats by getting away with a block in the back on a punt return in the fourth. This bunch of lovable kids from Columbus may be the story of the year after pulling this one off. Let's see if they can ride the momentum to pull off some more upsets.

Another powerful MAC team bit by the upset bug was the Miami(OH) Redhawks. The Redhawks were in a tight battle against underdog Michigan all game long. The scrappy Wolverines were able to pull away with a late touchdown in the fourth.

Both of these victories have catapulted the Big Ten pass the MAC in conference prestige. This conference definitely deserves to have an automatic BCS berth.



Charlie Weis is the worst head coach in the history of coaching.


Notre Dame was pushed to the brink by the San Diego St. Aztecs. This is the same Aztec team that was coming off of a loss to Cal Poly! Notre Dame escaped the victory after forcing a SDSU fumble as the Aztecs were at the goal line looking to put the nail in the Irish coffin. I really hope this quiets the Notre Dame douchebag faithful that seem to have a blinding faith in Mr. Weis. Also, can we please stop mentioning Weis in the same breath as other great coaches. It isn't fair to the profession. The only good thing about Weis is that he makes Notre Dame horrible. Anything that makes that happen is cool with me.



Washington got jobbed.


Seriously, how in the hell can the refs make that call at that point in the game? Ty Willingham needs all the help he can get to stay employed in Seattle, and apparently the refs aren't giving him any. These new rules are disgusting. Football is a passionate sport that sometimes evokes passionate responses from those individuals that partake in this sport. Who cares if you hurt the feelings of an opposing team. How about that team try to actually STOP that player. That way, there's nothing for said player to celebrate.

I'm not putting the whole loss on the refs. Who's to say BYU doesn't beat Washington in overtime anyway? However, the fact that the Huskies didn't get that chance due to a horrendous call is a travesty that should not be allowed.


Other notable stories from week 2.

• Missouri is a legit national title contender.
• Fans that chant "SEC" are the most obnoxious fans in the world.
• The ACC is total horse shit.
• There's a game being played in Los Angeles next week. I don't know if you heard.