Florida-LSU Preview

After a much needed bye week the Gators are ready to get back into action on Saturday night. As you all know the LSU Tigers will be awaiting Florida at what will be a very hostile Tiger Stadium. Of course the question that is on everybody's mind right now is: Will Tebow play?

Personally, I think Tebow is going to play. I'm not expecting a vintage Tebow out there though. I think the coaching staff will finally deliver on it' promise to play Johnny Brantley during meaningful minutes. We also could finally see some wildcat this week. Anything to take some of the load off of Tebow would be great.

The one thing that really concerns me in this game is the fact that LSU has been battle tested this season. If this game were to be close, LSU has the advantage because they have already played in, and won, close games this season. Granted their close games were against teams with not nearly the same amount of talent as the Gators, but it still helps to have been there before.

Now on to the good stuff. Or should I say, the better stuff?

5 Keys to the Game


1. Stop Charles Scott - Jordan Jefferson and the LSU passing "attack" has no chance whatsoever to move the ball against the Gators' D. I feel very confident in that statement. The only way the Tiger offense can successfully move the ball against Florida will be through the run. The main threat in the Tigers rushing attack: Charles Scott. Stop Scott and you have a cake walk.


2. Maintain Composure - Saturday night at Tiger Stadium is truly something to behold. That is as long as you're not the opposing team. If LSU jumps out early and the fans start going crazy, it will be real easy for a team to lose it's composure. The Gators will need to keep their cool in this hostile atmosphere.

3. Protect the QB - Whoever the QB is, the Gators O-Line needs to protect him. This could probably be best down by making sure everyone on the opposite side of the ball is accounted for before the snap. You know, that way a DE doesn't have a free shot at the QB while the DT gets double teamed. The LSU defense is infinite times better than any defense the Gators have faced all season.


4. Avoid Turnovers - One sure way to ignite an already raucous LSU crowd is to turn the ball over. This is more of a concern when Brantley is in the game as he is not as fluid with the triple option read plays as Tebow is. Also, protecting the ball eliminates any short field scenarios for a struggling LSU offense.


5. Win Field Position Battle - Speaking of short field scenarios. Giving a struggling offense a short field to work with is like giving a struggling jump shooter a pair of free throws in basketball. It's unnecessary and its something that you don't want to do. Make the Tiger offense go 70-80 yards every time they touch the ball. And don't pick up any excessive celebration penalties!


5 Players That Need to Step Up


1. John Brantley - As I mentioned earlier, even if Tebow plays, Brantley will have a much larger role in this contest than any other game he's been a part of at Florida. He needs to be ready to go. Once he's in the game, he needs to be confident enough to make some plays. I believe Johnny is better than Jordan Jefferson. He'll get the chance to prove it.


2. Aaron Hernandez - A young QB's best friend is his tight end. He's usually sure handed, runs good routes and is a great check-down target. Hernandez is all of the above. He will be pivotal to Brantley's success. Hernandez is also becoming a favorite target of Timmy. So look for him to produce while G.O.A.T. is in there as well. If you believe what you hear from the UF coaching staff, we could also see some of Hernandez in the Wildcat. I feel sorry for opposing defenses...


3. Brandon James - I've already mentioned the crowd noise and atmosphere a few times. One good way to shut up even the rowdiest of fans; run a kick or punt back for a TD. BJ is perfectly capable of doing this as we all know. Also, if Deonte Thompson still isn't 100%, James will once again convert to the nation's tiniest slot receiver.


4. Caleb Sturgis - Sturgis will be important for two reasons. 1. His kick-offs can help the Gators win the position battle. 2. The game may come down to a field goal. Plus, If I see one more kick-off go out of bounds I may drive to Gainesville and wait for the team to return. Then, while Caleb is walking to class on Monday, I'll jump from behind the fries at Turlington and kick him straight in the God Damn nuts!


5. Major Wright - Wright will have to really assert himself in the run defense Saturday night. With no passing threat, Wright should be able to cheat up and attack the line to help slow Charles Scott, Keiland Williams, Trindon Holliday, Kevin Faulk, LaBrandon Toefield, and whoever else LSU has to tote the rock.





Here's some highlights from last year's romping



I'll leave it to you guys to find the highlights from the last time the Gators were in Baton Rouge. Just type in Jacob Hester becomes a man in any search engine.

Here's what the LSU faithful are saying about the game.

My Prediction:

Florida - 27


LSU - 16

Week 3 Preview

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

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

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5 Games to Watch

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

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

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

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

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

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5 Players to Watch

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

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

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

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

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

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The Heisman Race

1. Tim Tebow Florida QB

2. Colt McCoy Texas QB

3. Max Hall BYU QB

4. Joe McKnight USC RB

5. Jahvid Best California RB

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My TV Schedule

Be jealous...

12:00 CBSC Ball St. @ Army

12:00 ESPN California @ Minnesota

12:00 ESPN2 East Carolina @ North Carolina

12:00 ESPNU Louisville @ Kentucky

12:00 VS Duke @ Kansas

3:30 ABC Nebraska @ Virginia Tech

3:30 CBS Tennessee @ Florida

3:30 NBC Michigan St. @ Notre Dame

3:30 CBSC Virginia @ Southern Miss

3:30 ESPN Utah @ Oregon

3:30 ESPN2 Arizona @ Iowa

3:30 ESPNU Indiana @ Akron

3:30 FSN Tulsa @ Oklahoma

6:45 FSN Cincinnati @ Oregon St.

7:00 ESPNU UL-Lafayette @ LSU

7:00 VS Florida St. @ BYU

7:30 CBSC Air Force @ New Mexico

7:45 ESPN Georgia @ Arkansas

7:45 ESPN2 West Virginia @ Auburn

8:00 ABC Texas Tech @ Texas

10:30 ESPNU Hampton @ NC A&T

11:00 CBSC Hawaii @ UNLV

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Ultimate Fantasy League Week 3

Florida @ LSU

Georgia @ South Carolina

Tennessee v. Georgia Tech

Clemson v. West Virginia

Auburn v. Illinois

Alabama v. Michigan

Mississippi St. @ Louisiana Tech

Ole Miss @ Texas Tech

Kentucky v. Tulsa

Colorado @ Missouri

Kansas @ Nebraska

Kansas St. @ Texas

Arkansas v. Oklahoma

Oklahoma St. v. Texas A&M

TCU v. Utah

Washington @ Oregon

Washington St. @ Iowa St.

Oregon St. @ Cincinnati

Stanford v. Boise St.

USC @ Arizona

UCLA v. Arizona St.

California @ San Diego St.

Ohio St. @ Boston College

Northwestern @ Indiana

Minnesota @ UNLV

Wisconsin @ Notre Dame

Purdue @ Pittsburgh

Iowa @ Michigan St.

Miami @ Virginia

Virginia Tech v. North Carolina

NC State @ Louisville

Florida St. @ Maryland

Wake Forest @ Duke

South Florida @ East Carolina

Connecticut @ Rutgers

Syracuse @ Army

Penn St. v Vanderbilt

Navy v. Central Florida

Air Force @ Southern Miss

Colorado St. v. Troy

Baylor v. BYU

Wyoming v. Houston

Florida-Tennessee Preview

Well it's fast approaching. The Florida v. Tennessee game is almost upon us. As we all know this particular issue of the rivalry is a poignant one. The Good Guys v. The Bad Guys. The Kiffins v. Meyer. Rocky Top v. The Orange and Blue. The Creamsicle Crusaders v. Brandon Spikes, etc. etc.

All the stories, plot lines and sub plot lines are enough to fill a decades worth of rivalry games. We get it all this Saturday. The Swamp will be crazy and Urb will be ready to exact his revenge and shut Laney up.

3:30 on Saturday can't get here soon enough....


5 Keys to the Game

1. Control emotions - There is so much hype surrounding this game. The Gators have to realize that it's all just hype. Sure they can use some of Lane Kiffin's words for motivation. I know I'm more pumped up for this game than I have been for a Tennessee game since the days of the 'Ol Ball Coach. But it's ok if I let my emotions get the best of me, I don't have a game plan to follow. Plus, I'll more than likely be drunk at game time.

2. Protect the ball - This is pretty much a key in any game. However, it should be emphasized more for this particular contest. In the Gators' only lost last season, they turned the ball over more than all of their other games combined. Hopefully they got all of their fumbles out of the way v. Troy last week.

3. Block out Rocky Top - It's just a god-awful song. If the Gator players accidentally subject themselves to the torturous ear raping that is Rocky Top, they may implode.

4. Avoid penalties - The last thing we need is to allow Tennessee to hang around longer than they should because of penalties. Even the greatest of talent, a.k.a. Florida Gators, can be cancelled out by drive-stalling penalties. Again, hopefully we got most of our penalties out of the way vs. Troy last week.

5. Don't listen to the hype - It's dangerous. Especially in a rivalry game.



5 Players That Need to Step Up

1. Brandon Spikes - Mr. Spikes needs to be ready to inflict as much punishment as possible on Saturday. I have to say B. Spikes hasn't looked like his normal self these past two games. Then again, it is kind of hard to get geared up for Charleston Southern and Troy. He should have no such problems vs. Tennessee.

2. Janoris Jenkins - The only unit on Tennessee's offense that is athletic enough to halfway compete with the Gators D are the wide receivers. Joe Haden will be solid as usual and should get another hard hit on Jonathan Crompton. I'm looking for Jenkins to step up and shut down one of those talented receivers. I'm looking at you Nu'Keese.

3. Brandon James - Brandon James has had his biggest games against Tennessee. For some reason they have never learned to kick away from him. Hopefully the new regime didn't get the memo either.

4. David Nelson - Riley Cooper has had 2 outstanding games. Deonte Thompson hasn't been all that impressive, but he managed to stop dropping balls long enough to catch 2 td passes. Even Justin Williams, Omarius Hines and Cade Holliday have looked good. The only receiver that hasn't produced has been David Nelson. Time for him to contribute.

5. Tim Tebow - Senior season. The most hyped Florida-Tennessee game ever. Keeping national title hopes alive. The Heisman. All are reason why it would be nice if Mr. Tebow went off for a monster game. Hopefully Timmy could even pull a Cam Newton on Eric Berry.


Here's some highlights from last season Gator victory.



Here's what those slack jawed yokels are saying.
My Prediction

Florida - 52

Tennessee - 7

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

Florida - Troy Preview

While Troy should provide a bit of a tougher challenge to the Gators than Charleston Southern did. It won't be by much. The Trojans completely imploded last week against Bowling Green in Dave Clawson's first game as head coach of the Falcons. The starters should get a little bit more playing time this week as they prepare for the upcoming SEC slate.

5 Keys To The Game

1. Show up. - The same as last week. All the Gators have to do is make the Gator Walk into the stadium Saturday morning get their pads on and walk onto the field. That should be enough to take down the Trojans.

2. Get more receivers involved. - Last week it was the Riley Cooper show. Even though Justin Williams and Cade Holliday both caught touchdown passes, the best receiver on the night was clearly Riley Cooper. The Gators need to get their other receivers involved this week if they want to establish confidence in their passing game heading into conference play.

3. Establish pressure on the QB. - Pop quiz hot shot. How many sacks did the Gators rack up against Charleston Southern last week? Answer- 0. There's no way this defense should go sack-less in a game especially against Charleston Southern.


4. Keep Wondy Pierre-Louis in for the whole game. - I hate to say it but Wondy was god awful last week. The Buccaneer receivers consistently beat him in man coverage. I like this guy so I would hate to see him end up like Kyle Jackson. Let him play the whole game to build his confidence up. We may need him as the season progresses.




5. Give Moody the God Damn Ball! - I can't emphasize this enough.







5 Players that need to step up.

1. Deonte Thompson - All of Gator Nation will be watching to see how Deonte bounces back from what may have been one of the worst performances by a receiver in recent Florida history.


2. Wondy Pierre-Louis - I've already enumerated the reasons why Wondy needs to have a good game. It would be nice to have extreme confidence in this guy. Having Janoris Jenkins back will take some of the pressure off of him.

3. Jonathan Phillips - Yet another opportunity for Phillips to kick all kinds of PATs. He actually missed one last week. Hopefully that's his only one of the season. He may even be able to sneak a few field goals in as well.

4. Carlos Dunlap - Carlos better walk away from this game with at least one sack. No excuses. He is vital to the UF pass rush.

5. Jermaine Cunningham - See above.

Here's some highlights from the last time Troy ventured into the Swamp.



Here's what they're saying about the game.

I have to admit there's some good stuff there. Good job Troy fans.

My Prediction:
Florida- 52
Troy- 6

Florida - Charleston Southern Preview

Yes. This is a preview of a football game that features a 73 point underdog. The CSU Buccaneers come into Gainesville as the largest underdog since..... well ever.

It's gonna be hard for the Gators to get incredibly jacked up for a game that Urban Meyer has already called ridiculous. The fact that they haven't hit someone in a different color in nearly 8 months should help a little. But you get the feeling this will be the Orange and Blue Debut Part Deux.

The fact that this game doesn't matter to anyone outside of Gator Nation doesn't matter to me. I've been dying for some college football, and especially some Gator football. Saturday can't get here soon enough.

Here are my thoughts on this monumental clash between two titans for the collegiate gridiron.


5 Keys to the Game

1. Show Up - No real strategy needed. the Gators just need to make sure they get off the buses, make the Gator Walk, get dressed and be on the field by the 7 o'clock kickoff. If they do that, they win.

2. Avoid Injuries - The last thing the Gators need is to have a major contributor get injured during this horrible excuse for a game. I might boycott the season if someone major were to go down in a heap against the Bucs. In fact, I hope Meyer treats this game like the string of 4th NFL preseason games coming up this weekend. Let the starters play for a series or two at the most. Then, hopefully up 14-0, put the reserves in and don't look back.

3. Protect the Ball - I know. I know. There's no way the Gators lose to Charleston Southern even if they turn the ball over 37 times. Still, you don't want to develop bad habits. A couple of fumbles in this game could lose to a lack of discipline in some games that might actually matter later in the season. Of course, this wasn't the case after the Ole Miss loss last season, but you never know...

4. Give Brantley Plenty of Reps - I want to see John Brantley in the game for at LEAST 3 full quarters. Give him a chance to run the offense for an extended period of time. Let him throw for 6 or 7 touchdowns to build his confidence up. This could help when Meyer decides to throw Brantley in the fire in Baton Rouge later in the year.

5. Give Moody the Damn Ball! - I told you I was gonna keep screaming this until the coaching staff actually listened. Besides, Moody does his best work against FCS teams. Just look at last year's Citadel game. He looked like an All-American!





5 Players That Need To Step Up

1. Emmanuel Moody - I already mentioned Manny's superstar like status when facing FCS opponents. The introduction of the I-Formation should only help his ability to dominate lesser opponents. Time for Manny to go for 250+ with 4 tds.

2. John Brantley - Brantley should be the star of the game Saturday. He will see the bulk of the action at QB, if all goes well. If all goes too well, he may even be spelled by Jordan Reed late in the game. Still, Brantley should have the best game of his career. Something that he can build on throughout the season.

3. Mike Gillislee - I'm real anxious to see what this guy can do. I've heard so much about him leading up to the season. I'm ready to see what he's all about. Granted, whatever he does against Charleston Southern can't be taken too seriously. But at least it will give us more to go on than just practice.


4. Jonathan Phillips - Phillips' leg should see plenty of action this Saturday. He might even be able to mix in some field goals with the 20 or so PATs he'll be attempting. This will be a good chance for Johnny to get a head start on the comp for the Lou Groza award.

5. Jon Bostic - Bostic is another freshman that I can't wait to see in action on Florida Field. He should get plenty of playing time once the starters take to the bench early in the game. From what I hear, Bostic may even be mixed in some with the starting unit. Either way, this will be his first chance to shine.




No Florida v. Charleston Southern highlights exist for obvious reasons. Instead, here' a nice highlight reel re-capping Florida's 2008 season.



Here's what they're saying about this historic contest.

My Prediction

Florida - 76

Charleston Southern - 9

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

SEC Championship Preview

I feel like a kid again. I have so many memories of watching Florida and Alabama playing each other for the SEC Championship. Back in those days I wasn't the awe-inspiring die hard Gator fan that I am today. I would route for my Gators, but it wasn't the end of the world if they lost. All I cared about was that for three hours, I got to see the Gators play. Plus, I was up past my bedtime!

Now, of course, things are different. I am a deranged Gator fan that watches every second of every game three times. Now, a Gators loss really does feel like the end of the world. Whenever the Orange and Blue fall, I shut myself off from everybody until the next game.

And I hate 'Bama now. I hate Nick Saban. I hate their stupid chants. I hate their boring uniforms. I hate the fact that their mascot is a god damn elephant. Granted my hatred for the Tide is not as large as my hatred for Georgia, Tennessee or Florida State, but it's pretty close. The only good thing about Bama is that the SEC Championship always seems better when it's Florida v. Alabama. This year should be no different.



5 Keys to a Gator victory

1. Stop Alabama's running game.

You know Nick Saban is going to try to eat as much clock as possible. The only way to slow down this Gator attack is to keep them off the field. It seems that in the past, when the Gators have fallen in big time games, it was mainly due to their inability to stop the running game. Mark Ingram, Glenn Coffee and Terry Grant don't need to become Travis Henry, Warrick Dunn and Jamaal Lewis reincarnated on Saturday. If the Gators can stop Bama's rushing attack early, they should be able to cruise to a victory. However, that is a very big IF.




2. Improve kick-off coverage.

The Gators kick off team has been porous at best lately. This is a frustrating aspect of the team to me. Our special teams dominate in every way possible EXCEPT for kick off coverage. Last week, the lone bright spot for the Seminoles was the play of kick returner Michael Ray Garvin. Even the Citadel put together a couple of decent returns against the Gators. I can tell you one thing, Alabama's Javier Arenas is on a whole other level when it comes to the return game. The Gators are going to have to step it up big time if they want to slow down my fellow Robinson High School grad.





3. Win the field position battle.

This goes hand in hand with my previous two points. Alabama's whole game plan relies heavily on winning the field position battle. If they can establish the run this may be a lost cause. Also, the Gators will definitely need to improve their kick off coverage if they want to take this one. Luckily for Florida, they have the best punter in the league to reverse the field position if need be. It wouldn't hurt if Brandon James could return to early season form either.







4. Play Percy Harvin.

I don't care if Percy Harvin really is hurt. Florida needs to dress him and play him. I figure there are three different levels in which Percy could be hurt. The Gators can find a way to play him at all three levels.

Level one- Not hurt at all. Percy is as good as usual. The head coaching staff finds a way to get him the ball whenever possible.

Level two- Bothered by the injury, but not severe. At this level, the Gators could still find ways to get Percy the ball. Just put extra tape on his ankle and run him on a sweep, or a go route.

Level three- Pretty damn hurt. Florida could still use Harvin at this level. He would be the ultimate decoy. As long as Percy is on the field, the Alabama defenders will be forced to focus on him.



5. Get Demps and Rainey the ball in space.

This could be a huge factor if Harvin falls into the level three category above. I know 'Bama has athletes on D. But there's no way they have anybody that can stop Demps or Rainey in the flats on a consistent basis. Rainey has perfected the spin and change direction move, and Demps is simply just faster than everybody. Run a couple screens or even reverses to get these guys out in the flats one on one with some d-linemen and linebackers. And don't give up if it doesn't work at first.





5 Gator players that need to step up

1.Chas Henry- I bet you though you'd never see a punter on this list. Henry may be the most underrated player on the Gators squad. His ability to reverse bad field position when need be will be huge on Saturday.

2. Tim Tebow- I just wanna see Tebow run across the middle and bulldoze Rashad Johnson like he did Jamie Robinson last week. It's funny how much vitriol is being spewed Tebow's way by the Tide faithful. Jealous much?

3. Chris Rainey- I think that out of the trio of Rainey, Demps and Harvin, Alabama may be the must unprepared for Rainey. I look for Chris to get the bulk of the carries (Sorry Manny....).

4. Javier Estopinan. It's gonna fall on the interior of the d-line to stop the 'Bama rushing attack. Unfortunately for the Gators, the injury bug has bit this position as of late. On the bright side, the last time I picked a DT in this segment(Terron Sanders) he went on to have a monster game.

5. Brandon Spikes- All-Everything linebacker Brandon Spikes will be their to clean up anything that gets beyond the line of scrimmage. Mr. Spikes has also become a threat in the interception department this season. JPW better keep his eyes on him.


Here's a glimpse at what the two teams have done against common opponents this season.

Alabama......Florida
Arkansas W 49-14...... W 38-7
Georgia W 41-30...... W 49-10
Kentucky W 17-14...... W 63-5
Ole Miss W 24-20...... L 31-30
Tennessee W 29-9....... W 30-6
LSU W 27-21...... W 51-21


Here's a video from the last time the Gators made an appearance in ATL.




Check out what's being said about the game at a Tide forum. It's funny how it's been hijacked by people rooting for Florida.



Time for my prediction. I was pretty damn close last week. Just needed a late Caleb Sturgis field goal. Where's Randy Shannon when you need him?

Florida 38

Alabama 24

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

Florida-Vandy Preview

For some strange reason, I have never really done a preview for a Gators game. Last week, I mentioned a few players that needed to step up in the WLOCP, and as usual I was absolutely correct.

So I figure, why not do a preview from here on out? Here's this week's look to the historic Gators v. Vandy match-up.

Enjoy!

5 keys to a Gator Victory:

1. Show up.

I know the Dores are playing better than usual this season, but it's still freakin' Vanderbilt. Somehow, Vandy always seems to manage a way to give the Gators all kinds of problems. With the exception of last year's blow-out, this series has had a string of way too close games. With no real threat at the QB position, I think it will be pretty hard for Vandy to muster that kind of game once again. Then again, some strange things have happened in Nashville this season.

2. Avoid D.J. Moore

This guy is easily the best player on Vanderbilt's squad. He only has 3 picks this season, but that's mostly due to the fact that no QB in their right mind would throw the ball his way. He is the true definition of playmaker that should take away one side of the field on Saturday. Moore is also dangerous in the kick return game, so that's something else the Gators should be wary of.

3. Cuss like a sailor.

Bobby Johnson really hates curse words. Maybe if Louis Murphy dropped an F-bomb while running a go route along the sideline, he could seriously infuriate CBJ. Unless, of course, he thought Murphy was simply sending a shout-out to Vandy's TE. This could possibly lead to a Vandy coach/UF player throwdown, the likes of which we've never seen.

Well, almost never......

4. Give Moody the damn ball!

Supposedly, Manny is ready to go all out this week after coming off of an injury. Georgia fans know how healthy Moody is right now. He ran the ball 7 times for 73 yards against the Dawgs last week in his first game back from an ankle injury. I have been the biggest proponent all season long of Moody carrying the rock. Demps and Rainey should get good yardage due to their speed, but we need to start using Manny as a change of pace back more frequently.

5. Don't look ahead.

The OBC brings his Fighting Cocks to the Swamp next week. Looking ahead to that match up is probably the biggest challenge the Gators will face this week. Fortunately for us, we have Timothy the Great taking snaps, and I don't see him allowing this team to look ahead. We just need to gt to Nashville and take care of some business. Also, with a berth in the SEC title game on the line, I doubt Meyer and the rest of the coaching staff will really have any difficulty getting this team pumped up.

5 Gator players that need to step up:

1. Brandon James - The Gators D has played so good recently, that James hasn't been able to return that many kicks. BJ needs to make the most of his opportunities this week both in the kicking and running game.

2. Emmanuel Moody - I've already stressed the importance of Manny this week.

3. Markihe Anderson - The Gators are a CB short this week. Granted Jacques Rickerson didn't see the field all that much. Nonetheless, his departure means the rest of the secondary needs to put in a little extra work.

4. Louis Murphy - Aside from enticing a riot with his profanities, Murphy needs to play an important role in the passing game. His play becomes all the more important if the Dores play D.J. Moore on Percy Harvin all game long.

5. The Pouncey Boys - Vandy is very solid up front defensively. The Florida O-line, anchored by the Pounceys, will have to continue their run of great games to keep Tebow out of pressure.

Here's some Vandy fans perspective on the game.

My Prediction:

Florida 35

Vandy 13

Random Thoughts for the Upcoming Week

There are a handful of teams looking to remain undefeated this week. Some are almost guaranteed to win, while others are dacing more difficult opponents.

Here's what the unblemished squads will be facing:

Boise St. will travel to Northern Mexico to play the San Jose St. Spartans. This might just be the last chance for the Broncos to lose. That's bad news for some teams on the BCS bubble. If it came down to an undefeated Boise St. team and a perfect Utah team, I'd have to think the nod would go to the Broncos. Maybe...

Mike Leach takes his Texas Tech squad to Lawrence to take on the Fighting Manginos. I think this game will be extremely close. Kansas hung tough with Oklahoma last week until Sam Bradford lost his freaking mind. Kansas will have to avoid letting Graham Harrell do the same thing if they want to pull off the upset.

Ball St. will host Eastern Michigan this week. Ball St. will win. That's all I got.

Oklahoma St. and Texas will battle it out in the only game featuring two unbeatens. If the Longhorns play lik they did against Missouri last week, there's no chance for the Cowboys. If Dez Bryant continues to produce like he's the best receiver in the nation outside of Jarrett Dillard, Mike Gundy's men could be walking out of Austin with a win. I've already picked Texas to win this one.

Alabama takes on Tennessee in the god awful city of Knoxville. If Bama can get past all the hillbillies shouting the dreadful lyrics to Rocky Top every 10 seconds, they should do just fine. God I wish someone would line up all the Vols fans so I can kick them in the nuts.

In what the World Wide Leader has deemed the game of the week, Penn St. traves to the Shoe to take on the Terrelle Pryors. I have actually picked OSU to win this one. As much as I should be rooting for Penn St. to lose, I just don't know if I can cheer for the Buckeyes.

On Sunday, Tulsa plays UCF. David Johnson should have another huge game for the Golden Hurricane. It's unfortunate how bad the formely Golden Knights have become.
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On the other end of the spectrum, Washington and North Texas will both be looking for their first wins. I picked Washington to upset Notre Dame at home this weekend. Mostly due to my hatred for the Irish, the team and the people. North Texas is gonna lose in a game that no one will even know about. As bad as the Mean Green are this year, I wouldn't expect them to stay down for too long. They have a plethora of talent on the offensive side of the ball. It's just too bad Hayden Fry isn't available to coach.
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5 Stories to follow:

1. How many coaches will Syracuse contact this weekend about their coaching job? Randy Edsall down. Next up, Al Golden.
2. How many dumb ass new segments will CFB Live do? How about trying to see who can mention Hitler's name more often when talking about bad coaches?
3. Will USC choke against another inferior PAC-10 team?
4. How many more Florida St. violations will the NCAA uncover?
5. Will Jim Grobe slip in the puddle of tears from Randy Shannon's constant crying?

Week 6 Preview

Last week finally brought the major upsets that we've been waiting for. USC lost to Oregon St. to open the week. That was then followed up by Florida, Wisconsin, East Carolina and Clemson all losing to unranked teams.

This week, there are a few games that could offer more upsets. Here are a few dandies:


Oregon St. vs. Utah

The Beavers are riding high after their victory over USC last Thursday. They are looking to knock off their second straight top 25 team. The Utes most likely will not overlook OSU, since the Beavers are a "bigger" program. However, it will be interesting how Utah plans on defending scatterback Jacquizz Rodgers. If Utah does win, then that will just continue the tradition of the Mountain West handing the PAC-10's it's own ass.


Kansas vs. Iowa St.

For some strange, ungodly reason, I like this Cyclone football team. For some even stranger and ungodlier reason, I really don't like this Jayhawk team. Kansas should roll in this one, but I wouldn't be surprised if ISU stayed in it until the end. If I'm right, we all know anything can happen at the end of a Big XII game.


Kentucky vs. Alabama

The Tide are America's sweethearts right now. ESPN has withdrew USC's cock from it's mouth long enough to start a slobber job on Nick Saban's bunch. Will this fellatio pleasure go straight to the Alabama players' heads? Probably not. But Kentucky is a solid team, and they will be fired up to knock off the Elephants.


Texas Tech vs. Kansas St.

The Red Raiders have faced nothing but JV high school teams to date this season. While the Wildcats don't present that much of a stiffer challenge, it's still conference play. The game is in Manhattan, where Kansas St. always seems to play much better. It will be up to Tech's defense to stop the Wildcats enough to allow Graham Harrell and Co. to outscore them.


Auburn vs. Vanderbilt

Statistically speaking, if the Commodores win, this wouldn't be an Earth altering upset. However, if the 'Dores pull out a win against Auburn, the entire college football universe will be turned on it's head. This is the only upset that I've actually picked to happen, so I think it's more than possible for the Tigers to leave Nashville with a loss.


Connecticut vs. North Carolina

I know I am seriously hating on Connecticut, but they can't keep winning. They've already proved me wrong by starting off white hot. However, once again, I'll be picking against them this week. Even with a dinged up QB, I like the Tar Heels to knock the Huskies out of the top 25.


Ohio St. vs. Wisconsin

I really don't think it would be an upset if the Badgers defeated Ohio St. in Madison this week. However, everyone else in America just about is picking the Buckeyes to win this one. So by popular opinion, I guess it would be an upset. I picked the Badgers in this one.

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Possible Lane Kiffin CFB destinations

Tennessee - The Vols are finally fed up with Fulmer. Kiffin would bring a Bruce Pearl type energy to the football program.


Washington - Let's face it, Willingham is done in Seattle. Jim Mora Jr. is no longer available, so Kiffin would be a good choice.


Syracuse - There's SC connections here. Also, the Orange have grabbed from the NFL before.


East Carolina - Somebody's gotta replace Skip Holtz after he takes the Clemson job.


Florida St. - The 'Nole re-nig on their offer to Jimbo Fisher after another god-awful offensive season.

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1-AA teams that would be competitive in 1-A RIGHT NOW.

Appalachian St.
James Madison
McNeese St.
Richmond
Wofford
The Citadel
Delaware

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What the hell's going on with:

Tim Tebow

Tebow has not performed like last year. Blame it on less plays, more of a running attack, or defensive schemes against him. Tebow has not been Tebow-like. He badly overthrew receivers last week, including a wide open Louis Murphy on the final drive. Also, when was the last time you saw Tebow denied on a fourth and short? Never.

What has gotten into:

Colt McCoy

Unlike Tebow, Colt McCoy is playing very Tebow-like. He is getting it done through the air and on the ground. McCoy has his Longhorns looking very good. If they continue to play like this, they should head into Dallas undefeated for their epic clash against the Sooners.

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5 Games to Watch

1. Auburn @ Vanderbilt
2. Ohio St. @ Wisconsin
3. Oregon @ USC
4. Rice @ Tulsa
5. Florida St. @ Miami(FL)

5 Stories to Follow

1. How will Ole Miss, Oregon St., Michigan & Maryland respond after huge wins?
2. Will Tim Tebow live up to his promise of being bad-ass?
3. Will Mark May be able to juggle both USC and Alabama's cock?
4. Will USC lose to Oregon AND remain in the top 10?
5. Will Randy Shannon drown in a pool of his own tears because he refuses to stop crying?