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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Weekly Picks

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

Upset Picks

South Carolina v. Ole Miss - For some reason I just like Carolina in this game. SOS is usually good for one upset a season. I'm predicting it will come early.

Michigan St. v. Wisconsin - I don't see Michigan St. losing 3 games in a row. After losing to Central Michigan and Notre Dame, I think the Spartans can get back on track this week in Madison.

Oregon v. California - Perhaps no one has been higher on Cal this season than I have been. I think the Golden Bears have been the most consistently good team in the top 20 all season long. All that being said, it's hard to pick an away team to get the win at Autzen Stadium. No matter how good they are.

Clemson v. TCU - Opposite of Cal, no one has been more critical of TCU than I have been this season. I just haven't bought into the Horned Frogs hype quite yet. I think Clemson can pull off the upset at home this week.

Week 2 Preview

Week 1 kind of dragged on a little bit. It was a lot like am Adam Sandler movie, actually. You were all excited for it to start but you kinda fell asleep halfway through. Granted there were some great moments. BYU knocking off Oklahoma, the Miami-FSU finish and the Bama-Va Tech game were all high points. But the week lacked substance.

We did learn a few things from week 1. We learned that Sam Bradford will not win a second Heisman trophy. We learned that Ohio St. is still not very good against out of conference opponents. We learned that Jacory Harris is a future stud despite his head coach's constant crying. And we also learned that there's room in Mark May's mouth for more than just SC's Cardinal and gold cock.

I look forward to week 2, despite the lack of obvious must see games.

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5 Games to Watch




1. USC @ Ohio St. - This is the obvious biggie of the week. It's unfortunate that Ohio St. will put up little resistance to the Trojans once again. I will be anxious to see how Matt Barkley reacts to an extremely hostile environment. However, outside of the home crowd, there's really not much else going in Ohio St.'s favor.

2. Houston @ Oklahoma St. - I would say only watch this game if you really love offense, bu the Cowboys didn't exactly flex their offensive muscle against UGA in week 1. Houston's Case Keenum and OSU's Zac Robinson are two of the best QB's in all of the land. I expect Dez Bryant to hit triple digits in receiving yardage.

3. Notre Dame @ Michigan - This might be the first time in years that this game won't be coma inducing. Both teams looked really good against inferior competition in week 1. The Irish seem to be the favorite as their QB position is slightly more stable than Michigan's. I wouldn't be surprised to see Denard Robinson break a few big plays against the Irish defense.

4. South Carolina @ Georgia - The USC-UGA game is always a good one to watch. This has been especially true since SOS has been roaming the Gamecock sideline. Stephen Orr just seems to have the Bulldogs' number. It may be hard to believe but South Carolina may actually have a better QB situation than Georgia does. The Dawgs just named Joe Cox the starter for Saturday today.

5. Purdue @ Oregon - A couple of things I'm looking for in this game: Will the Oregon fans turn on Chip Kelly if the Ducks fall behind early? Will Oregon really miss LeGarrette Blount as much as we think they will? Can Purdue's Ralph Bolden have another monstrous day?

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5 Players to Watch

For the fantasy geeks in all of us....




1. Tim Tebow Florida QB - Tebow will play more this week with Tennessee looming than he did against Charleston Southern. Troy gave up a bunch of yards to Bowling Green's Tyler Sheehan, and I think Mr. Tebow may be slightly better than him.

2. Roy Helu, Jr. Nebraska RB - Helu had a huge day rushing the ball against Florida Atlantic in week 1. This Saturday the Husker continue their run through the Sun Belt conference against the Red Wolves of Arkansas St. Look for Roy Jr. to have another big day.

3. Dez Bryant Oklahoma St. WR - I've already predicted what I think Bryant will do against Houston this week. The Cougars' secondary better be ready for a long night.

4. Max Hall BYU QB - He's playing Tulane. Just look at what G.J. Kinne did against Tulane in his first game as a starter ever. Hall has a bit more experience than 1 game.
5. Jahvid Best Califronia RB - Best and the Golden Bears will be taking on the Eastern Washington Eagles. If Best can shred Maryland's defense, I'm supremely confident he can do the same against EW's.

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Heisman Watch



Sam Bradford's injury has shaken things up quite a bit in the Heisman race. Here's how I got it.

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

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Ultimate Fantasy League Week 2

No TV schedule this week as I will be in Gainesville all day otherwise entertained. So on to the UFL schedule.

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

Thursday Recap

A lot happened in the college football world last night. The only thing that seemed to be missing was actual good football. Every game was marred by turnovers and miscues. I guess you can't really ask for too much more on the first night of the season.

Here are my thoughts on what transpired.


Everyone is talking about the LaGarrette Blount punch today. People are forgetting that an actual game transpired before than incident. I can't really blame them. The game was boring. Either Chip Kelly is in for a long season at Oregon, or Boise St.'s defense is pretty damn good. For someone who is supposedly an offensive genius, it seemed Kelly couldn't pull his head out of his ass long enough to call a decent play. Is this really the team that everyone was expecting to challenge USC for the PAC-10 crown? I'm ashamed the Ducks cracked my top 25 poll.

As for the Blount incident, my take is simple. The Boise St. douche deserved to be punched square in the jaw. You don't run up on someone who you just beat and pound on his shoulder pads. Even if you were to be dumb enough to do that, you don't compound your mistake by yapping at the guy. I don't blame Blount at all for hitting him in the mouth. I would've done the same. Where Blount went wrong is how he acted after he went all Kermit Washington. Blount tried to fight his own teammates and run into the stands a la Ron Artest. Both of those are no nos. I don't think the guy should be kicked off the team but he definitely deserves a strong suspension. Maybe even suspend him for the season. Oregon can't do any worse without him than they did last night.

Speaking of shit fests, what the hell was that pile of crap that ESPN aired before the Blount Brawl? NC State and South Carolina put on a snooze fest that would make Sylvester Croom jealous. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised with the Wolfpack's performance. They seem to forget to play football until around November. One thing I did learn from this game: Eric Norwood is even better than I thought. I think he might have moved up my positional rankings with that performance.

Not too much else happened Thursday. Utah didn't look overly impressive against in-state "rival" Utah St.

Ball St. looks like it misses Nate Davis and Brady Hoke a lot more than they miss Muncie. Stan Parrish still can't coach.

Iowa St. and Indiana are slightly better than I thought they would be. But not by much.

ESPN continues to exploit Lou Holtz's willingness to do whatever corny ass segment they ask him too. Mark May is still horrible...

I took a hurting in my weekly picks last night. I mean, I was awful......

Highlight of the night:

Gators' Run Game Dominates

The Gators rushing attack left S.O.S. in one hot mess on Saturday. Now the 'Ol Ball Coach knows what the opponents felt like when he was roaming the sidelines in Gainesville. Percy Harvin, Jeff Demps, Chris Rainey and Tim Tebow ran all over the Gamecocks' vaunted defense en route to a 56-6 blowout victory.

All the talk coming into the game was how the Gators' O would continue to dominate against the extremely tough SC defense. I think that question was answered rather emphatically. Florida closed out SEC play with a string of dominating performances that hasn't been seen since the 1996 National title squad.

South Carolina didn't do anything to help itself out on Saturday. Chris Smelley threw two early interceptions, one of which was returned for a score by Brandon Spikes. For some unknown reason, the OBC dialed up a trick play on a kick return after a Gators score. The result: first and goal for the Gators at the 1 after a SC fumble.

I was extremely impressed with the Gators' D. If you watched this game with no prior knowledge of either team, you would have thought the Gators were the team with the top ranked defense. They completely shut down the Gamecock offense, giving up only two field goals. All the talk about the Gamecocks' D may have actually sparked Spikes and Co. to come out and dominate the way they did.



Here's some highlights of the contest:






Player Stats

Passing
Tim Tebow 13-20 173 yards 2 tds


Rushing
Percy Harvin 8 167 yards 2 tds
Chris Rainey 7 55 yards 1 td
Emmanuel Moody 7 46 yards
Jeff Demps 4 43 yards 1 td
Tim Tebow 14 39 yards 1 td


Receiving
Louis Murphy 4 recs 54 yards
Deonte Thompson 3 recs 66 yards 1 td
Aaron Hernandez 2 recs 26 yards 1 td
Jeff Demps 2 recs 5 yards
Carl Moore 1 rec 16 yards
Percy Harvin 1 rec 6 yards


Tackles
Jermaine Cunningham 8
Joe Haden 5
Justin Trattou 5
Will Hill 5


Interceptions
Will Hill 1 30 yards
Brandon Spikes 1 12 yards 1 td
Ahmad Black 1 7 yards


Sacks
Carlos Dunlap 1
Ryan Stamper 1
Brandon Hicks 1
Jermaine Cunningham .5
Justin Trattou .5


Player of the game


Percy Harvin - The Man

Harvin probably deserve to be in the discussion for the Heisman Trophy at the end of the year. Unfortunately for him, Mr. Heisman is hogging all the national attention on this Gator club. Could it actually be said that Harvin is under appreciated? I think he is. I wonder if people really realize that this is something special we're witnessing. It's not usual to have a player like Percy Harvin on your ballclub. I hope the fans start appreciating him soon, because he's a first rounder in next year's draft.

Florida-SC Preview

I'm a little amped to do the preview this week. I usually have a lot of respect for Gamecock fans. I was actually very close to going to South Carolina myself. (BTW Dave Odom is the man!) However, all that respect and tolerance for 'Cocks' fans went out the window this week. I have heard nothing but ridiculous trash talking from all of my dumbass SC friends. It's not even quality trash talking either, but more on that later.

You would have thought South Carolina had a chance to win this game listening to these guys. As usual, here's my keys to the game along with a few names that need to have an impact on the game.


5 keys to a Gator victory:


1. Score Early.

In UF's last five games, they have outscored the opponent 80-0! Florida needs to come out and put this one away early. No need to let a solid and emotional Gamecock team hang around longer than need be. If Tebow can get a couple of quick tds, the mentality of "Oh no! Here we go again!" can set into the Gamecock player's minds. If that happens, game over.




2. Establish a ground game.

This section could also be entitled, Give Moody the damn ball! I will continue to call for more Manny in the Gators' running attack for as long as it takes. The guys is easily the best all around back that we have and he needs to get the rock more than he does. Granted we've put up some pretty impressive numbers on the ground without Moody, but he brings an extra dimension to the rushing attack that has been missing this year. He has the attitude that Timmy had running the ball last season. The same attitude that Tebow and other Gator backs (outside of Harvin) seem to be missing this season.



3. Block a punt.

It's quite simple actually, block a punt, we win. That's the way it's been for Urban Meyer's Gators. Every time a Florida team has blocked a punt under Meyer, they have gone on to win the ball game. This has been especially true lately. The Gators are replacing Virginia Tech as the punt block specialists in the nation. Also, we all know how much trouble the Gamecocks have had against our special teams the previous two seasons. I'm sure SC's special teams coach Ray Rychleski is having nightmares at this very moment.



4. Find Eric Norwood before every snap.

Even I have been guilty of overlooking Norwood this season. With All-SEC caliber players like Captain Munnerlyn and Jasper Brinkley on the D, it's easy to overlook Norwood. If the Gators want to continue their recent trend of dominating opponents on the ground, they will have to find a way around Eric Norwood. Unless it's Manny Moody running the ball, then he'll just run his punkass over!







5. Remember the Citadel is NEXT week.

Florida cannot take South Carolina lightly this week. I'm not expecting them to. But then again, I didn't expect them to take Ole Miss lightly either. Urban Meyer just needs to remind the guys that the Bulldogs come to Gainesville next week, not this Saturday. I'm sure seeing the 'ol Ball Coach on the opposite sideline will help Florida with that.






5 Gator players that need to step up:

(Note: I am absolutely on fire when it comes to this part. I guess I'm a Magic Johnson type motivator, cus' lately every payer I mention goes out and takes care of business.)


1. Carl Johnson - CJ is coming off of an injury this week. All the reports state that he is 100 percent and ready to go. He better be, because this is the best group of blitzing linebackers the Gators have faced all season long.

2.Emmanuel Moody - The offense is great, but something is missing. I gotta have more Moody!

3. Tim Tebow - Timmy pretty much won the Heisman against the Gamecocks last year. If he gets off early, the Visored one could be in for a very long night.

4. Brandon Hicks - The Gators second team D may be the only weakness on this team. When they get into the game, Hicks needs to step up and be the leader of the unit. If Hicks can get on his game, the Gators D could be on par with 2006's unit.

5. Jonathan Phillips - This is a conditional pick. If this game resembles the last time South Carolina visited the Swamp, Phillips will need to continue his surprisingly stellar season. If it's a lot like last year's romp, Phillips will add on to his PAT totals.



Here's some SC fans flexing their intellectual muscle.



My Prediction:

Florida- 44

South Carolina- 21

Where were you?

Even though I was completely trashed, and had just finished ruining everyone's shit on the beer pong table. I remember this play so vividly, I still get all giddy inside when thinking about it:








The "Cock Block" saved the Gators' 2006 championship season. Of course, last year the Gators left no doubt as they completely dismantled the Gamecocks. Who knows which type of game we'll get this week. I know one thing will stay the same, me being hammered....

Weekly Picks

Last Week- 42 - 11

Overall - 285-72


Just like my Gators, I bounced back rather strong this week. A few of my highlight picks were Vanderbilt, Temple, North Carolina and South Carolina to name a few.

Due to yet another Tuesday night game, I have to make my picks a little early this week. Here is the truth:



Troy @ Florida Atlantic
Clemson @ Wake Forest
UAB @ Houston
Louisville @ Memphis
Texas @ Oklahoma
Iowa @ Indiana
Toledo @ Michigan
East Carolina @ Virginia
Syracuse @ West Virginia
Minnesota @ Illinois
Rutgers @ Cincinnati
Colorado @ Kansas
South Carolina @ Kentucky
Eastern Michigan @ Army
Utah @ Wyoming
Kansas St. @ Texas A&M
Vanderbilt @ Mississippi St.
Ohio @ Kent St.
Nebraska @ Texas Tech
Arizona St. @ USC
Tennessee @ Georgia
Purdue @ Ohio St.
Notre Dame @ North Carolina
Michigan St. @ Northwestern
TCU @ Colorado St.
Gardner-Webb @ Georgia Tech
Western Michigan @ Buffalo
UCF @ Miami(FL)
Temple @ Central Michigan
Miami(OH) @ Northern Illinois
New Mexico St. @ Nevada
Arkansas @ Auburn
Arizona @ Stanford
New Mexico @ BYU
Bowling Green @ Akron
Washington St. @ Oregon St.
Ball St. @ Western Kentucky
Iowa St. @ Baylor
UL-Lafayette @ North Texas
UL-Monroe @ Arkansas St.
Middle Tennessee @ Florida International
Utah St. @ San Jose St.
Oklahoma St. @ Missouri
LSU @ Florida
Penn St. @ Wisconsin
Boise St. @ Southern Miss
Tulsa @ SMU
Tulane @ UTEP
Air Force @ San Diego St.
Idaho @ Fresno St.
UCLA @ Oregon
Louisiana Tech @ Hawaii


Upset Alert: Here's a few upset picks I made for this week:

Colorado over Kansas. I like Colorado's running game. If they can play slightly better than Iowa St. did last week, which isn't impossible, they should knock off the Jayhawks.

Kentucky over South Carolina. This might not be too big of an upset pick. I like the Cats to win a defensive battle.

Buffalo over Western Michigan. I know what you're thinking. "There's no upsets in the MAC! All teams are equally bad!" Well you're wrong and you're an ass. This would be an upset. Besides, nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bulls.

Wisconsin over Penn St. This might be a long shot. But I just don't see the Badgers losing three straight games. Especially back-to-back home games.

Weekly Picks

Last Week - 58-8

Overall - 118-22


No, those numbers aren't typos, and yes, I am that damn good!

I would like to make the vow now that I will NEVER again pick Army or Syracuse no matter what the circumstances are. I don't know what I was thinking picking those ass pinatas to win their respective games. I also would like to apologize to New Hampshire and Akron for degrading your programs by making those selections. I am terribly sorry.

On to my Week 3 picks!

(Note: I have done away with that god-awful table. I will now highlight and enlarge the team I predict to win.)

North Carolina @ Rutgers
Kansas @ South Florida
California @ Maryland
UL-Lafayette @ Illinois
Southern Illinois @ Northwestern
Florida Atlantic @ Michigan St.
Montana St. @ Minnesota
Navy @ Duke
North Carolina St. @ Clemson
Temple @ Buffalo
Toledo @ Eastern Michigan
Iowa St. @ Iowa
Nevada @ Missouri
Washington St. @ Baylor
UAB @ Tennessee
Ball St. @ Akron
Central Michigan @ Ohio
Delaware St. @ Kent st.
East Carolina @ Tulane
Charleston Southern @ Miami(OH)
North Dakota St. @ Wyoming
Georgia @ South Carolina
Arkansas @ Texas
Oregon @ Purdue
Penn St. @ Syracuse
UCLA @ BYU
Michigan @ Notre Dame
Air Force @ Houston
Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech
Chattanooga @ Florida St.
Hawaii @ Oregon St.
Western Michigan @ Idaho
Auburn @ Mississippi St.
Western Kentucky @ Alabama
SMU @ Texas Tech
Middle Tennessee @ Kentucky
Samford @ Ole Miss
New Mexico St. @ Nebraska
Rice @ Vanderbilt
Memphis @ Marshall
Southern Miss @ Arkansas St.
Alabama A&M @ UL-Monroe
Stanford @ TCU
Alcorn St. @ Troy
Missouri St. @ Oklahoma St.
Virginia @ Connecticut
Oklahoma @ Washington
Ohio St. @ USC
North Texas @ LSU
Utah @ Utah St.
San Diego St. @ San Jose St.
Bowling Green @ Boise St.
Arizona @ New Mexico
UNLV @ Arizona St.
Wisconsin @ Fresno St.


Upset Alert: Look out for the OBC this week. His Gamecocks are looking to revenge that embarrassing defeat at the hands of Vandy last season. SOS has a habit of pulling off at least one upset a year, and we all know he owns Georgia. All that being said, I think the Dawgs have enough to get by SC, plus the Gamecocks still have to find a QB.

Thursday Recap

Thursday officially marked the first day of the college football season. It also marked the first of many fights I will have with my wife over the viewing of said college football. She's got to understand there's a certain order for my priorities in life right now:

1. Me.
2. College Football
3. My entertainment
4. Family.

That seems about right. How could she get mad at me? Anyway, here's a brief recap on the happenings around college football Thursday night.

ESPN showcased the North Carolina St. v. South Carolina match-up. The Gators weren't involved in this one but it sure seemed like it. UF references were made throughout the game with the OBC on the Cock sideline, Jesse Palmer in the booth and Erin Andrews reporting. In case you were in a comma last night, Palmer played QB for Spurrier at Florida. Chris Fowler must have mentioned that fact 40 times. Also, all the references to Palmer being on the Bachelor are very unnecessary.

The actual game was a complete douche fest. SC QB Tommy Beecher threw four picks and the OBC never once slammed his visor! What kind of shit is that? Also, the refs are taking this whole new celebration rule enforcement thing a little too seriously. I mean, giving a guy a penalty because he's doing push-ups after missing an int? That's a little ridiculous.

It's safe to say Jim Harbaugh has done a tremendous job of getting the Stanford Cardinal back to being competitive. Stanford pulled off a mild upset by defeating the Oregon St. Beavers late last night. The Cardinal have a RB named Toby Gerhart that is the real deal. This guy is big and has deceptive speed. The way he broke through Beaver tackles made you think Ron Zook was the OSU coach.

Both of the Miamis were in action last night. Miami(FL) wooped up on Charleston Southern behind QB Jacory Harris. Miami(OH) faltered at home against the almighty Vanderbilt Commodores. By the way, Vandy CB D.J. Moore is a legitimate All-American candidate. I would like to hear any of his doubters now.

Wake Forest got their first ever victory in the state of Texas by knocking off Baylor. Wake is a dark horse national title contender this season. If Riley Skinner can keep producing, the Deacs are capable of running through the weak ACC. Baylor dual threat QB Robert Griffin II was very impressive running the ball. Passing.....not so much.

Eastern Michigan won! That almost never happens.

Cincinnati and Connecticut both looked rather impressive while beating up on 1-aa teams. I think Cincinnati will surprise some people this year. Brian Kelly is a vastly underrated coach. Kelly's old team, Central Michigan, also got a win last night. Let the Dan LeFevour Heisman hype begin!

ESPN probably has the worst pre-game/halftime show crew ever. I love Lou Holtz, but these horrible gimmicks they make him do are ridiculous. The pep talk segments last year were a monumental flop. That shit fest looks like Emmy winning material compared to the new Dr. Lou crap they're trying to shove down our throats this season. Also, I hate Mark May. He sucks.

Can't wait for Saturday.

"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

Pre-season All SEC team

The coaches around the SEC gathered up this weekend to decide who has the best potential to be great this season.

Here is what they came up with:

The 2008 Pre-season All SEC team

Offense

QB Tim Tebow Florida
RB Knowshon Moreno Georgia
RB Arian Foster Tennessee
WR Percy Harvin Florida
WR Kenny McKinley South Carolina
TE Cornelius Ingram Florida
OL Andre Smith Alabama
OL Michael Oher Ole Miss
OL Anthony Parker Tennessee
OL Herman Johnson LSU
C Jonathan Luigs Arkansas

Defense
DL Greg Hardy Ole Miss
DL Sen'Derrick Marks Auburn
DL Tyson Jackson LSU
LB Brandon Spikes Florida
LB Rico McCoy Tennessee
LB Darry Beckwith LSU
LB Dannell Ellerbe Georgia
DB Eric Berry Tennessee
DB Derek Pegues Mississippi St.
DB Rashad Johnson Alabama
DB Captain Munnerlyn South Carolina
DB D.J. Moore Vanderbilt

Special Teams

PK Colt David LSU
P Ryan Shoemaker Auburn
RS Brandon James Florida