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

No into this week, just straight to the picks!


Western Michigan @ Ball St.
Navy @ Northern Illinois
Texas A&M @ Texas
West Virginia @ Pittsburgh
Central Michigan @ Eastern Michigan
Mississippi St. @ Ole Miss
Ohio @ Miami(OH)
UTEP @ East Carolina
Akron @ Temple
Kent St. @ Buffalo
Colorado @ Nebraska
Bowling Green @ Toledo
Fresno St. @ Boise St.
UCLA @ Arizona St.
Georgia Tech @ Georgia
Syracuse @ Cincinnati
Miami(FL) @ NC State
South Carolina @ Clemson
Virginia @ Virginia Tech
Kansas @ Missouri
UAB @ UCF
Arkansas St. @ North Texas
Nevada @ Louisiana Tech
New Mexico St. @ Utah St.
Southern Miss @ SMU
Auburn @ Alabama
Florida @ Florida St.
Baylor @ Texas Tech
Maryland @ Boston College
North Carolina @ Duke
Tulane @ Memphis
Houston @ Rice
Tulsa @ Marshall
FIU @ Florida Atlantic
Kentucky @ Tennessee
Oregon @ Oregon St.
Vanderbilt @ Wake Forest
Oklahoma @ Oklahoma St.
Notre Dame @ USC
Washington St. @ Hawaii

Upset Alerts:

Colorado over Nebraska - The Buffs need this win to become bowl eligible. I think Coach Hawkins gets them fired up enough to win it.

North Carolina St. over Miami(FL) - Just like last season, Tom O'Brien has the Wolfpack playing like ACC champs at the end of the year. If he can just find a way to have his team play like that all season long, he may have something special.

Tennessee over Kentucky - The Wildcats may be running into a buzz saw on this one. I don't see the Vol senior class letting Coach Fulmer go out without a win.

Oklahoma St. over Oklahoma - It's Bedlam! Anything can happen.....

And the winner is.....

I admit, I've been a little out of touch with my blogging lately. Contrary to popular belief, I have a life. It's hard to maintain such a highly successful blog like this one all by my lonesome.

Anyway I'm back and better than ever. My first real blog will be dedicated to the recently announced college football awards finalists.

Here are my thoughts on the finalists, along with my predicted winner.

No one really cares about kickers or punters, so I won't waste my time on those assholes. I do like Florida St.'s Graham Gano to win the best kicker award, and I like Utah's Louie Sakoda to take home the Ray Guy award.

Maxwell Award - Basically, like the Heisman, only shittier.

1. Tim Tebow - Florida QB - The ass whooping the Gators have been handing to their opponents over the recent weeks has greatly enhanced Timmy's status for this award. Had he continue to play at the level he was to start the season, there's no way he'd make this list.

2. Graham Harrell - Texas Tech QB - This may be Harrell's best opportunity to win an award this post season. There's no way he wins the Heisman on a one loss Texas Tech team. Especially with Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford in the same conference.

3. Colt McCoy - Texas QB - Colt is playing like last year's Tebow this year. He and the Longhorns have greatly exceeded everyone's expectations thus far. Winning the Maxwell award will be a great addition to an already stellar season.

The winner should be:

Colt McCoy. The guy is pretty much UT's offense. He's a white Vince Young, except he's a better passer.

Davey O'Brien - The best QB in all the land. Usually goes to the best passing QB.

1. Graham Harrell - Texas Tech QB - The fact that he's viewed as a system QB may hurt his chances to win this one.

2. Colt McCoy - Texas QB - See above.

3. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB - Sammy completes the Big XII South trifecta. Bradford has been nearly flawless all season long. Good thing for him there's no such thing as defense in the Big XII.

The winner should be:

Sam Bradford. I don't think there's any doubt that Bradford is the best passer in all the land. This award should be his to take home.

Chuck Bednarik - The top defensive player in the nation.

1. Rey Maualuga - USC LB - I picked this guy to win this award in the pre-season. I'm awesome.

2. James Laurinaitis - Ohio St. LB - I hate this dude. I don't even know why. I think someone should donate a neck to him. It looks like his head just sprouts straight from his shoulders. Steroids,it's a hell of a drug....

3. Aaron Maybin - Penn St. DE - Maybin has somewhat flown under the radar this season. He's been the most consistent player on the entire Big Eleven champion Nittany Lions team. All that being said, Maybin is pretty much a throw in to go with the other two guys on this list.

The winner should be:

Rey Maualuga. He's a beast. Being the leader of the undisputed top D in all the land probably makes this a no contest.

Outland Trophy - Awarded to the fattest, dough boyiest, lard ass in the country.

1. Michael Oher - Ole Miss OL - I've professed my no-homo love for Oher all season long. If he's not one of the top 3 linemen taken in the draft, I might have to bitch slap a few skeezers.

2. Andre Smith - Alabama OL - Smith is a big, big, big, huge, gigantic, gargantuan of a man. He's also pretty large.

3. Duke Robinson - Oklahoma OL - Robinson is the leader of what is perhaps the best offensive line in the country. It's no coincidence that Sam Bradford and the Sooner offense are playing out of their minds right now.

The winner should be:

Michael Oher. He probably won't win because he's going up against two guys from media darling programs. However, Oher deserves it more than the other two guys. He's a god (Totally no homo.)

Biletnikoff Award - The wannabe Jerry Rice's of the world.

1. Dez Bryant - Oklahoma St. WR - Really exploded onto the scene this season. He may have to have a huge game in Bedlam to overcome the lead that Michael Crabtree has established.

2. Michael Crabtree - Texas Tech WR - Speaking of Crabtree, we all know Mike gets Desmond Howard's vote. It's also safe to assume that most of the other voters will be signing off on a second straight Biltenikoff award for him.

3. Jeremy Maclin - Missouri WR - Don't get me wrong, Maclin is a tremendous talent. I just think there were other receivers out there more deserving than he to be named a finalist. Jarret Dillard, Percy Harvin and Hakeem Nicks come to mind.

The winner should be:

Dez Bryant. This is just wishful thinking. We all know Crabtree has this one locked up.

Jim Thorpe Award - The best DB in the country.

1. Eric Berry - Tennessee DB - The only bright spot on UT's team this season. Sometimes I actually feel bad for this guy. Then I hear Rocky Top and immediately start vomiting.

2. Malcolm Jenkins - Ohio St. DB - Much like Laurinaitis, Jenkins turned down some serious NFL money to come back to college. Unfortunately, he won't get another run at a national title this season. However, Jenkins does have a good shot at taking this trophy home.

3. Taylor Mays - USC DB - I truly believe it's between Mays and Berry for this award. Mays may get the advantage because he's actually on a team that doesn't constantly shit on itself.

The winner should be:

Taylor Mays. Even though I think Eric Berry is a better player than Mays, the strength of the rest of the SC defense helps him win this award.

Doak Walker Award - These guys can either go on to be Barry Sanders, or Ki-Jana Carter.....

1. Shonn Greene - Iowa RB - Greene really had a breakout year this season. His play has helped to push the Hawkeyes past a lot of people's (including mine) expectations.

2. Javon Ringer - Michigan St. RB - Ringer must have the sorest shoulders in the world right now. All he did was carry an otherwise inept Spartan offense to the brink of a Big Eleven title. Also, Ringer was a mainstay on my Heisman list throughout the season.

3. Knowshon Moreno - Georgia RB - Moreno's status with the college media has fluctuated all season long. He started out as a leading Heisman candidate, only to disappear for a while. Lately, Moreno's play has been outstanding. He may not be a Heisman candidate any more, but he's definitely in the running for this award.

The winner should be:

Javon Ringer. I just think that Ringer has been the best all around back all season long. His last performance against Penn St. may hurt his chances though.

Weekly Picks

Well, last week was a hard one for my picks. I did correctly pick the epic Texas Tech/Texas match-up. Other than that, there were no real highlights. But who cares? The Gators won and all is right with the world.

On to my ever so important weekly prognostications.

Miami(OH) @ Buffalo
Northern Illinois @ Ball St.
Toledo @ Akron
Maryland @ Virginia Tech
TCU @ Utah
Nevada @ Fresno St.
Baylor @ Texas
Ohio St. @ Northwestern
Purdue @ Michigan St.
Georgia Tech @ North Carolina
Wisconsin @ Indiana
Michigan @ Minnesota
Syracuse @ Rutgers
Louisville @ Pittsburgh
Illinois @ Western Michigan
Georgia @ Kentucky
Arkansas @ South Carolina
Wyoming @ Tennessee
Iowa St. @ Colorado
Utah St. @ Boise St.
San Diego St. @ BYU
Bowling Green @ Ohio
Kansas @ Nebraska
UT-Martin @ Auburn
Army @ Rice
Memphis@SMU
Alabama @ LSU
Penn St. @ Iowa
Oklahoma @ Texas A&M
Clemson @ Florida St.
Virginia @ Wake Forest
NC State @ Duke
Marshall @ East Carolina
Southern Miss @ UCF
UL-Monroe @ Middle Tennessee
Stanford @ Oregon
Western Kentucky @ Troy
Hawaii @ New Mexico St.
North Texas @ Florida Atlantic
Arizona @ Washington St.
Tulane @ Houston
Oregon St. @ UCLA
Colorado St. @ Air Force
Kansas St. @ Missouri
Cincinnati @ West Virginia
Arizona St. @ Washington
UTEP @ UL-Lafayette
Arkansas St. @ Florida International
Oklahoma St. @ Texas Tech
Florida @ Vanderbilt
California @ USC
Louisiana Tech @ San Jose St.
Notre Dame @ Boston College
New Mexico @ UNLV

Upset Alert:

Ohio over Bowling Green - It's the MAC. Who cares? Bowling Green is the classic definition of a schizo team. Their bad side shows up this week.

LSU over Alabama - As much as I want Bama to win so my Gators can beat an undefeated team in the SEC title game, I think the Tigers have too much motivation going into the Saban bowl.

Texas A&M over Oklahoma - I have no idea why I'm picking the Aggies........

Washington over Arizona St. - The Huskies have to win one. Don't they?

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.
  

Week 3 Preview

I thought now would be a good time for me to spew some random thoughts I have on the upcoming week in college football. Plus, I'm reeeeaaalllllyy bored at work right now!
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Everyone is talking about the big game this weekend. It's a huge event in college football for two programs as huge as this meeting in out of conference play. Of course, I am referring to the monumental Navy at Duke ball game.

While most of the nation will pay no mind to this contest, I will be following along intensely. This game could be a program changer for Duke, which hasn't played a meaningful football game since the Steve Spurrier days. I really think David Cutcliffe is one of the better coaches in the nation. The blue Devils are extremely lucky to have him. That being said, the Midshipmen should rack up about 500 yards rushing on the ACC pansies and win by 3 touchdowns.

Cutcliffe will have Duke moving in the right direction eventually. Just not now.
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As for the other big game this weekend. USC will be hosting the personal punching bag of the SEC, the Ohio St. Buckeyes. I know the Buckeye faithful feel they have a good shot of knocking off the Trojans in the Coliseum. However, I know that deep down inside, OSU fans realize they have no shot of winning this one.

Beanie Wells will be neutralized by Brian Cushing and Rey Maualuga. Boeckman will have to play 1513215481 times better than he did against in-state juggernaut Ohio for the Buckeyes to even remain close. Now, the Buckeye defense should keep the contest closer than most people think it will be. But in the end, the Trojans have too much depth for Ohio St. to handle.
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In a game that will not be close at all, Oklahoma travels to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies. I really feel bad for UW after they were jobbed last week by PAC-10 officials against BYU. Unfortunately for Ty Willingham's bunch, the Sooners don't provide much in the form of a bounce-back game.

I really hope the Huskies give Willingham one more year to get them to a bowl game. He deserves at least that.
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Coaches on the rise:

These are coaches of some non-BCS programs that could be cashing in some bigger paychecks next season.

Skip Holtz, East Carolina
Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Bronco Mendenhall, BYU
Chris Petersen, Boise St.
Todd Graham, Tulsa
Al Golden, Temple
Turner Gill, Buffalo

Coaches on the way out:

These are some coaches that may be serving you your grande non-fat latte at Starbucks after this year.

Greg Robinson, Syracuse
Chuck Long, Sand Diego St.
Ralph Friedgen, Maryland
Dave Wannstedt, Pittsburgh
Tommy Bowden, Clemson
Tyrone Willingham, Washington
Tommy West, Memphis
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What the hell's going on with:

LeSean Mcoy.

This Pittsburgh running back was lauded by some (including me) as one of the best two backs in the country, He hasn't done shit this season. This reminds me a lot of Ken Simonton of Oregon St. fame. Simonton was supposed to be a leading Heisman candidate for the Beavers only to put up some seriously weak numbers for the Beavers in 2001. I hope this is just a Sophomore slump.

What has gotten into:

Rice.

David Bailiff has his Owls playing some pretty good football through the first two weeks. Rice has defeated SMU and Memphis, both schools that were seen as up and comers in the C-USA. Rice is now 2-0 in the conference. Making them the top team in C-USA. Chase Clement is an early dark horse Heisman candidate as well. WR Jarrett Dillard may be the first wideout taking in next year's NFL draft.

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5 Games to watch:

1. Ohio St. @ USC
2. Georgia @ South Carolina
3. Kansas @ South Florida
4. UCLA @ BYU
5. Wisconsin @ Fresno St.

5 Stories to Follow:

1. Can the ACC get on track? ( UNC @ Rutgers, Navy @ Duke, Cal @ Maryland, UVA @ UCONN)
2. Big bounce back game for Tennessee. (vs. UAB)
3. Will SMU and Texas Tech break the 100 point threshold?
4. Which "pretenders" are for real? (Rice, Vandy, Arkansas, Minnesota, Arkansas St., Iowa)
5. Will Randy Shannon stop crying?

Conference Outlook

As the season is drawing ever closer. I decided to make my conference picks.

As you all know, I don't like to bet, but if I did, I would be a millionaire because these picks are freaking golden.

Kirk Herbstreit (aka The Viceroy of Cock) recently completed his list. I will not post a link to it however because the WWL will relentlessly hunt me down and kill all my future children. So I'll just tell you to go check it out. You know the address.

Here's the CORRECT picks:

Note: If I feel another team might have a decent shot, I'll put them in these bad boys, (....).

ACC Atlantic - Clemson, (Wake Forest)
ACC Coastal - Virginia Tech, (North Carolina)
ACC Champ - Clemson, (Wake Forest)

Big East - West Virginia, (Rutgers)

Big Eleven - Ohio St., (Illinois)

Big 12 North - Missouri, (Colorado)
Big 12 South - Oklahoma, (Texas Tech)
Big 12 Champ - Oklahoma, (Missouri)

PAC 10 - USC, (Arizona St.)

SEC West - Auburn, (LSU)
SEC East - Florida, (Georgia)
SEC Champ - Florida, (Georgia)

Conference USA East - UCF, (Memphis)
Conference USA West - Tulsa, (SMU)
Conference USA Champ - Tulsa, (UCF)

MAC East - Temple, (Bowling Green)
MAC West - Central Michigan, (Ball St.)
MAC Champ - Central Michigan, (Ball St.)

Mountain West - BYU, (Utah)

Sun Belt - Florida Atlantic, (UL-Monroe)

WAC - Boise St., (Fresno St.)

Talented Trios

The glamour positions on most college football teams are the QB, WR and RB positions.

Some teams are more blessed than others when it comes to the talent that they have at these positions.

I've decided to rank the top ten QB, WR and RB trios in the nation. There are some teams that have 2 out of the 3 that didn't make my list like West Virginia. The Mountaineers have no proven receiver this season. Some teams on the list have more than one great player at a certain position. If that is the case, I will mention the other players.

Here is my top ten trios:


1. Florida Gators - QB - Tim Tebow, WR - Percy Harvin, RB - Emmanuel Moody.
Go ahead and accuse me of being a homer with this pick. You're probably right. However, if you give me a Heisman winning QB, a leading Heisman candidate WR and a RB that was PAC-10 Freshman of the year, I'll take it all day long. Emmanuel Moody seems to be the weaker of the trio, but he does have Chris Rainey backing him up. Rainey and Harvin on the same field will be a thing of beauty to behold.

2. Clemson Tigers - QB - Cullen Harper, WR - Aaron Kelly, RB - James Davis.
If I wasn't such a homer, the Tigers would probably be in the top spot of this list. The most talented player on their team isn't even a part of this trio. RB C.J. Spiller is explosive and agile, he could easily start over Davis. Tommy Bowden has a plethora of weapons on offense this season, and the Tigers should be able to get to the ACC championship with them.

3. Ohio St. Buckeyes - QB - Todd Boeckman, WR - Brian Robiskie, RB - Chris Wells.
Having Chris Wells at RB moved the Buckeyes high up on this list. Boeckman really surprised me last season with his performance. If he can produce like that again this year, both he and Robiskie should have solid campaigns. This may not be the flashiest trio, but it sure is one of the most talented.

4. Oklahoma Sooners - QB - Sam Bradford, WR - Joaquim Iglesias, RB - DeMarco Murray.
The Sooners are always loaded at these three positions. Iglesias should step in nicely as the first option at receiver. Murray is a bona fide superstar at RB. QB Sam Bradford should be in New York at the end of the season for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

5. BYU Cougars - QB - Max Hall, WR - Austin Collie, RB - Harvey Unga.
All three of these players are All Mountain West caliber stars. The Cougars are heavy favorites to win their conference, and these three, along with a stout defense, are the main reason for that. Hall should be in contention for the Heisman throughout the season. The BYU passing attack should allow RB Harvey Unga to put up some big numbers.

6. USC Trojans - QB - Mark Sanchez, WR - Vidal Hazelton, RB - Joe McKnight.
The Trojans are perhaps the deepest team in the country at all three positions. Mitch Mustain will be backing up Sanchez, which is the weaker of the trio. Patrick Turner will actually get more receptions than Hazelton, I just happen to think Hazelton is more talented. The same can be said for the RB position as well. I listed McKnight as the RB because I feel he is more talented than the likely starter, Stafon Johnson.

7. Georgia Bulldogs - QB - Matthew Stafford, WR - Mohammed Massaquoi, RB - Knowshon Moreno.
I have to be honest, if it weren't for Moreno, the Bulldogs might not even make my top ten. Fortunately for Georgia, they have the best RB in the nation. Stafford should be much improved this season, as should Massaquoi. However, the Bulldog offense starts and stops with Knowshon.

8. Arizona St. Sun Devils - QB - Rudy Carpenter, WR - Chris McGaha, RB - Keegan Herring.
The Sun Devils have some great talent on offense this season. Some could even argue that their trio may be better than USC's. I think the one area that Arizona St. has an advantage over USC in is QB. Carpenter will most likely put up some gaudy numbers this season. Dennis Erickson has this program poised for a title run.

9. Nevada Wolfpack - QB - Colin Kaepernick, WR - Marko Mitchell, RB - Luke Lippincott.
This trio is different from the others in that it is mostly a running attack. Mitchell is a tremendous receiver, and Kaepernick does a terrific job of getting the ball to him. However, this offense revolves around the legs of Kaepernick and RB Luke Lippincott.

10. Pittsburgh Panthers - QB - Pat Bostick, WR - Derek Kinder, RB - LeSean McCoy.
The only sure thing about this trio is McCoy. Kinder is coming back from an injury that forced him to miss all of last season. Bostick is embroiled in a QB battle as of this moment. However, if both players play like they're supposed to, the Panther could be in Big East title contention.

"Dream" non-conference match-ups for the the SEC

So I saw something similar to this being done on ESPN for the Big XII. I thought since it worked for that ass fest of a conference it surely will work for the all powerful SEC.

Here is a dream non-conference match-up for each and every SEC team. I even included Vanderbilt, and they're never included. Some of these match-ups are just so awesome that just their mere presence on your TV screen would cause instantaneous retardation.

That's why some of them will never happen......









Florida vs. USC


I've already discussed how exciting of a game I think this will be. Both teams are VERY fast, and both have excellent offenses. I have to admit that USC's defense is in a whole other class when compared to Florida. The Gators secondary scares me against this passing game, but I think the Florida front 7 would be able to handle the Trojans' rushing attack. I think it would be poetic justice if Emmanuel Moody went for a buck and a few touchdowns against his former team. I would probably lose my mind if Tebow went up against Brian Cushing in the open-field. Who else would you think I'd pick in this one? Of course I'm going with the Gators.









Georgia vs. Oklahoma


Both of these teams are popular picks to make the title game this season. Both teams also have Heisman Trophy candidates in Knowshon Moreno of Georgia and Sam Bradford of Oklahoma. Another story I find interesting between these two teams is that Oklahoma is led by former Florida assistant Bob Stoops, while Georgia is led by former Florida St. assistant Mark Richt. It's kind of like a dumbed down version of Florida vs. Florida St. This year this game could almost be considered a toss up. Both teams have a lot of talent on offense, and both have extremely tough defenses. I would give the ultimate edge to the Bulldogs. Especially if this were a bowl game.









LSU vs. Texas


These two top-tier teams continuously battle for high school talent in Louisiana and Texas. This game would enable the two to move this off season battle to the field. Both teams have also won recent BCS championships. Mack Brown and Les Miles are two of the more recognizable coaches in the nation, and both will have their teams ready to play in the one. Almost any other year, I would have favored the Tigers in this one. However, LSU is still searching for a quarterback to distribute the ball to it's talented play-makers. Texas on the other hand, has Colt McCoy back, and he will have the benefit of an experienced line in front of him. I give the Longhorns the nod in this one.








Alabama vs. Notre Dame


This game could be hyped as the delusional bowl. Every year the fan bases for these two teams proclaim how they will once again repeat for a national title and bring their program back to glory. Every year, these same delusional fans are knocked back down to reality after their team struggles through another season. These two programs have both spent time at the top of college football. Recent recruiting classes suggests they might be able to get there once again. However, that year is not this year. Alabama will be more competitive than last year, but I still think the Irish are a year away from making it back to a bowl game. I give this one to the Tide. Tuscaloosa will fall under martial law as their ravenous fans litter the streets because there is absolutely nothing else to do but celebrate a meaningless win.







Tennessee vs. Michigan


This would be an interesting match-up between two proud programs that have fallen on tough times recently. Tennessee is sticking with Phil Fulmer despite growing unrest around the program. Michigan is still suffering embarrassment from last season's loss to Appalachian St. The Wolverines will most likely struggle this season. Their defense is not very good, and they lost nearly their entire offensive production to the NFL. Tennessee has a better defense than Michigan, but they too face a difficult challenge of finding new play-makers on offense. I give the edge to the Vols in this one. Arian Foster should find no difficulty in finding holes in the Wolverine defense. Tennessee's defense will also be tough to move the ball against for Michigan.








Auburn vs. Purdue


I picked these two schools for one particular reason. Both of these schools are better football teams than their more well admired in-state institutions. Auburn has been better than Alabama for a while now. Purdue is undoubtedly better than Notre Dame at this current moment. Yet, both Alabama and Notre Dame still get most of the pub. This game would be pretty exciting to watch. The Boilermakers have a ton of firepower on offense with QB Curtis Painter and RB Kory Sheets. Auburn will be installing the spread under Tony Franklin this season. Overall, I would give this match up to the Tigers. Their defense would eventually be able to stop Purdue's offense and take the victory.

South Carolina vs. Florida St.


It would be awesome to see Steve Spurrier and Bobby Bowden on the same field once again. With Bowden's career winding down, this year would probably be their last opportunity to do so. Of course, being a Gator fan, Spurrier is one of my favorite coaches. Even though I hate Florida St., I actually like Bobby Bowden too. I've said it before, CFB needs Bobby to stay around the game. One last chance to see some visor tosses and hear some daggumits would be a special treat for any college football fan. I actually might have to give the edge to the Noles in this game. It all would depend on which Gamecock team would show up.








Arkansas vs. Louisville


This is a dream match-up for obvious reasons. Bobby Petrino gets a shot at the team he left in the dust. Of course, no matter what happens in this game, there will be one unchanged truth: Bobby Petrino is a straight up douche nozzle. Petrino's bunch will struggle on offense because this team is not currently designed to run his offense. Steve Kragthorpe, on the other hand, will have the Cardinals fired up and ready. I would expect Louisville to win the Petrino bowl.

Kentucky vs. Kansas

Of course both of these schools are better known for their highly respected basketball programs. Both teams have also recently become a lot more competitive on the football field as well. Kansas is returning a ton of offensive firepower, while Kentucky lost a lot of it's weapons. I would expect this game to be very high scoring, even resembling some of their basketball contests. In the end, I would give the advantage to the Jayhawks.

Ole Miss vs. UCLA

I look at Ole Miss and UCLA as pretty much being the same team. Both squads have tons of talent, yet neither team ever produces like they should. Also, both teams are in the first season of a controversial coaching hire. The Rebels welcome in Arkansas outcast Houston Nutt, while the Bruins tagged NCAA bad boy Rick Neuheisel to lead the way for them. Like I said, both teams are loaded with talent, it's just a matter of which coach can get the most out of his team. I give the edge to Houston Nutt and the Rebels. Also, how good would the talent be in the stands at this game. The co-eds at Ole Miss and UCLA are both top-notch. That alone makes this a dream match-up.

Mississippi St. vs. Pittsburgh

This game may not seem like such a good match-p. Neither team is a national powerhouse that attracts a ton of attention. However, this game would feature two of my favorite running backs in Anthony Dixon of Mississippi St. and Pittsburgh's Le Sean McCoy. I would love to see these two go at it, as well as see how each defense stops them. Last year's bowl game between the Bulldogs and UCF was seen by many as being boring. I actually thought the game was extremely intense and fun to watch. I expect this one to be in that same mold. The Panthers might just have too much offensive firepower for Miss. St. to overcome.

Vanderbilt vs. Tulane

This could have easily been a conference match-up. These two schools almost became charter members for the Magnolia Conference. This was supposed to be the Ivy League of the South. Both teams eventually backed out at the last minute. Tulane has seen limited success in the C-USA. However, Vanderbilt has consistently gotten pissed on by the big boys of the SEC. The Dores are the only SEC team that hasn't grown ultra competitive within the conference. I think Vandy would be able to get the win over Tulane. Partly because Bob Toledo has no business coaching college football