I was basking in the glory of an SEC title all day yesterday. So forgive me for not doing my usual post-game review for the UF-Bama game. All I can say is, Florida vs. Oklahoma will be a great game. In fact, Florida vs. anybody other than Ohio St. would have been a great game. There will be plenty more on this game in the near future.
For now, enjoy the highlights from Saturday.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
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
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
Guest Blog: Gators First
Our good friends at Gators First have been kind enough to provide us with an interesting article as we gear up for a huge weekend.
This topic has been controversial and hotly contested as of late.
Just my two cents: Meyer is better at everything than Saban. Everything!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Meyer v. Saban Debate
A couple weeks ago, one of my Arkansas-fan friends asked me if I thought Urban Meyer or Nick Saban was the better coach. There are some similairites. Saban is a part of the 'Belichick coaching tree', while Meyer is turning into Bill Belichick. Meyer's "year-two" magic was well publicized at Utah, and then when UF won a National Title in 2006. Saban, of course, has Alabama the undisputed #1 team in the country, and in position for a National Title in year two. There are more, but that's not the point. The point is, who's better? My answer, of course was Meyer.
Consider Nick Saban's coaching record outside of powerhouse schools LSU and Alabama. Up until year 5 at Michigan State, they were really a .500 team. They also lost 3 consecutive bowl games to start his tenure (the only 3 they made). In fact, Nick Saban never won a bowl game while at Michigan State- when they beat Florida after the 1999 season, they were led by an interim coach. He lucked into an SEC title in 2001, as the best teams were most certainly Florida and Tennessee, but a 3-loss (all in-conference!) LSU was the West's representative in Atlanta, and benefitted from what is now considered the beginning of the end of Phil Fulmer.Urban Meyer has won everywhere. He went 17-6 at Bowling Green! BOWLING GREEN! He started Utah on a roll that hasn't stopped. And I thoroughly blame the players and their lack of maturity for last season. Even last year, which was probably his worst year (it certainly was, record-wise, though his year end rankings were roughly the same in 05) he coached a Heisman winner! He has a phenomenal record in bowl games, rivalry games, and games played with extra preparation (usually after a bye).
I’m not trying to put down Nick Saban. I think these guys are easily 1 and 1a, whichever way you rank them. The only other name anyone ever throws out there is Pete Carroll, and I’m on the record for my opinion of Pete Carroll. I chose Urban for probably two reasons: 1) He’s our coach and 2) I can make the argument for Meyer over Saban, but can’t formulate the Saban over Meyer argument. We should see where these guys are in another five years, but I think it’s safe to assume for now that these are the two best coaches in the NCAA.Anyways, what do you think? I've tried to look at this objectively, and the only arguments I've come up with for Saban over Meyer I can attribute to his being a head coach for longer. I also don't think this will be decisively answered Saturday- I think it will be but one more data point from which to form a conclusion.
This topic has been controversial and hotly contested as of late.
Just my two cents: Meyer is better at everything than Saban. Everything!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Meyer v. Saban Debate
A couple weeks ago, one of my Arkansas-fan friends asked me if I thought Urban Meyer or Nick Saban was the better coach. There are some similairites. Saban is a part of the 'Belichick coaching tree', while Meyer is turning into Bill Belichick. Meyer's "year-two" magic was well publicized at Utah, and then when UF won a National Title in 2006. Saban, of course, has Alabama the undisputed #1 team in the country, and in position for a National Title in year two. There are more, but that's not the point. The point is, who's better? My answer, of course was Meyer.
Consider Nick Saban's coaching record outside of powerhouse schools LSU and Alabama. Up until year 5 at Michigan State, they were really a .500 team. They also lost 3 consecutive bowl games to start his tenure (the only 3 they made). In fact, Nick Saban never won a bowl game while at Michigan State- when they beat Florida after the 1999 season, they were led by an interim coach. He lucked into an SEC title in 2001, as the best teams were most certainly Florida and Tennessee, but a 3-loss (all in-conference!) LSU was the West's representative in Atlanta, and benefitted from what is now considered the beginning of the end of Phil Fulmer.Urban Meyer has won everywhere. He went 17-6 at Bowling Green! BOWLING GREEN! He started Utah on a roll that hasn't stopped. And I thoroughly blame the players and their lack of maturity for last season. Even last year, which was probably his worst year (it certainly was, record-wise, though his year end rankings were roughly the same in 05) he coached a Heisman winner! He has a phenomenal record in bowl games, rivalry games, and games played with extra preparation (usually after a bye).
I’m not trying to put down Nick Saban. I think these guys are easily 1 and 1a, whichever way you rank them. The only other name anyone ever throws out there is Pete Carroll, and I’m on the record for my opinion of Pete Carroll. I chose Urban for probably two reasons: 1) He’s our coach and 2) I can make the argument for Meyer over Saban, but can’t formulate the Saban over Meyer argument. We should see where these guys are in another five years, but I think it’s safe to assume for now that these are the two best coaches in the NCAA.Anyways, what do you think? I've tried to look at this objectively, and the only arguments I've come up with for Saban over Meyer I can attribute to his being a head coach for longer. I also don't think this will be decisively answered Saturday- I think it will be but one more data point from which to form a conclusion.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Tebow made the right choice
Can you imagine what the world be like if Tebow had signed with Alabama instead of Florida? In case you don't remember, Tebow's top two choices for schools were Florida and Alabama.
After weighing the pros and cons, Tebow went with his heart. Here's a few of things Tebow considered.
Florida-Pros
Florida-Cons
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just for fun, I thought it would be interesting to look back at some of the recruiting hype surrounding Mr. Tebow back in 2005.
Mobile Register, December 18, 2005
Quarterback Tim Tebow from Nease High School in Jacksonville, Fla., is getting ready with his team-mates for Saturday's 4A state championship game in Miami against Cessna Armwood--two-time defending champs. Tebow's 24 year old brother, Robby, offered some thoughts about what Scout.com's No. 3 quarterback might decide.
After weighing the pros and cons, Tebow went with his heart. Here's a few of things Tebow considered.
Florida-Pros
- Hot Poon Tang(Even though I can't touch any...)
- Beautiful campus.
- Top Flight football program.
- Up and coming HOF Coach.
- Chance to win multiple titles and Heismans.
- Extreme Awesomeness
- Plenty of toilets
- Several Jeff Foxworthy stand up shows
- I'll be the smartest man to ever grace the halls at Tuscaloosa.
- It's not Auburn.
Florida-Cons
- May be a little too awesome.
- I don't know if I can stay true to my beliefs with all the flesh lettuce flopping around.
- Handing out ass-whoopings on a consistent basis may also go against my Christian faith.
- Boring.
- Unstable coaching situation.
- Getting my ass whipped by Auburn on a yearly basis.
- It's not Florida
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just for fun, I thought it would be interesting to look back at some of the recruiting hype surrounding Mr. Tebow back in 2005.
Mobile Register, December 18, 2005
"When (Ponte Vedra Beach Nease quarterback Tim) Tebow showed up at Alabama several times this fall on unofficial visits - including the spectacular win over Florida - and was greeted by a multitude of signs begging for him to sign, the spectacle intensified.
"There has also been a feeling among Alabama insiders that he is heading to Tuscaloosa, which has fueled Internet boards in ways not seen since the first allegations were published that Phil Fulmer had ratted out the Tide in the Albert Means fiasco.
"This drumbeat reached a fever pitch last week when Rodney Orr, who runs Tiderinsider.com, stated: "If he weren't going to Alabama, I think we would have seen some signs by now, but we haven't. ... I think it's Tebow to Alabama.' "
Not so much.....
Scout.com, December 8, 2005
Quarterback Tim Tebow from Nease High School in Jacksonville, Fla., is getting ready with his team-mates for Saturday's 4A state championship game in Miami against Cessna Armwood--two-time defending champs. Tebow's 24 year old brother, Robby, offered some thoughts about what Scout.com's No. 3 quarterback might decide.
"Timmy visited USC last weekend for the UCLA game with my dad, Bob," Robby said. "He really enjoyed it. He said he had a good time and loved coaches (Pete) Carroll, (Lane) Kiffin and (Steve) Sarkisian. He likes their offense and their schemes. He watched film of the team with the coaches and broke down the offense.
"He thinks Carroll is a really cool guy. He was in our house yesterday (Dec. 7) with Kiffin and Sarkisian. Carroll is real down-to-earth and personable and is obviously a great coach.
"USC is definitely still in the mix. He likes their coaching, the offense and the all-around good talent they have.
"I know he's got it narrowed down to USC, Alabama , Florida and LSU ," explained Robby.
"He likes Alabama because of coach (Mike) Shula and his staff. He'd have the ability to go in there and play early. Shula is a really good person as well as a good coach. Shula was also a left-handed QB, like Tim, so they have that in common too.
"The thing about Florida is that it's closer--only about an hour away. They also run the spread offense which has its advantages because that's what Timmy is running right now in high school. He also likes the Gator staff a lot.
"Our parents went to Florida but that's not a factor at all. He's got to find where he fits in best and that doesn't have anything to do with our parents went to school. My parents have left it wide open and are not trying to influence him. They haven't said to him that he should go to any school.
"LSU's offensive coordinator is Jimbo Fisher . Timmy thinks he's really a great guy and really a good coach. Timmy has a really strong relationship with him. That's what has kept LSU in the mix," Robby said.
"I'll be the biggest fan of wherever he goes but I don't have a preference, except I'd like to see him be able to have a big impact. Timmy's a competitor. He'll try to compete for the starting job right away. He doesn't like standing on the sidelines.
"He's taken all his trips and this coming Tuesday (Dec. 13) he might make his decision, but he hasn't decided yet," Robby explained. "If he had decided, I'd be the person who would know because he would have told me. He's got a lot on his plate right now though.
"I'd say his top three schools are Alabama, USC and Florida. I'm not sure about a top two or anything like that. He's ready to make a decision so he can relax and do some recruiting for wherever he goes.
"If he decides, he will probably announce it on Tuesday at Nease High School. It'll be at 5:15 in the evening, I think, and it should be televised live on ESPN News."
Six days later....
"I will play for the University of Florida," announced Tebow. "It's a very exciting time at the University of Florida."
The Mr. Football Award winner has been at the center of an intense recruiting battle between Florida , Alabama, Southern Cal, LSU, and Michigan. Alabama coach Mike Shula significantly closed the gap when Tebow visited Tuscaloosa during the season.
"It was a hard decision," he said. "I really got to meet a lot of great people and coaches and it was hard to pick one school, but Florida was just the most comfortable fit for me"
Tebow etched his name alongside Emmitt Smith , Wilbur Wilbur Marshall, John L. Williams, and Willie McClendon as high profile high school players who were the focus of intense recruiting battles. All of whom eventually signed with the Gators. Interestingly, Tebow’s recruitment was also aligned with that of perhaps his fondest football hero, Danny Wuerffel, who also came down to a Florida/Alabama decision.
The southpaw led the Panthers (13-2) to their first ever state title last Saturday in Dolphins Stadium. The Panthers dropped a season opening 50-29 contest to USA Today 4th ranked Hoover (Alabama) on the road and a 20-14 heartbreaker to arch-rival St. Augustine. Both Hoover and St. Augustine won state titles in their respective classifications.
In his senior year, Tebow completed 223 of 355 passes (62.8) for 3,442 yards. He threw 34 touchdown passes. He ran for 1.045 yards and 21 touchdowns.
He rewrote the Florida High School career record books for total offense (12,960), career passing yards (9,940), touchdowns (159), and completions (631). He also shattered single season records in total offense (5,552), passing yards (4,286), touchdown passes (46), and total touchdowns (70).
Tebow is an incredibly strong athlete with the ability to break tackles and make things happen if the receiver can’t break free from the coverage. He also has good speed for a powerful runner. There is no question that the spread offense will allow Florida to put more pressure on the defense. Obviously, he has a big league arm as well.
"I have a special relationship with the coaching staff there and really loved both schools, but I'm happy to be a Gator," affirmed Tebow.
With his commitment to the Florida Gators, Tebow headlines the Class of 2006 which is already evolving into an outstanding unit and will be bolstered even further with Tebow serving as the Pied Piper to lure more highly touted recruits in.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A little video to get you all kinds of hopped up.
Weekly Picks
This is the last edition of my weekly picks. Sometime next week, I'll be prognosticating all the bowl games.
Until then, enjoy these little gems.....
Middle Tennessee @ UL-Lafayette
Louisville @ Rutgers
Ball St. vs Buffalo
Pittsburgh @ Connecticut
East Carolina @ Tulsa
Navy vs Army
Boston College vs Virginia Tech
Washington @ California
Alabama vs Florida
USC @ UCLA
Western Kentucky @ Florida Atlantic
Arkansas St. @ Troy
Missouri vs Oklahoma
Arizona St. @ Arizona
South Florida @ West Virginia
Cincinnati @ Hawaii
Until then, enjoy these little gems.....
Middle Tennessee @ UL-Lafayette
Louisville @ Rutgers
Ball St. vs Buffalo
Pittsburgh @ Connecticut
East Carolina @ Tulsa
Navy vs Army
Boston College vs Virginia Tech
Washington @ California
Alabama vs Florida
USC @ UCLA
Western Kentucky @ Florida Atlantic
Arkansas St. @ Troy
Missouri vs Oklahoma
Arizona St. @ Arizona
South Florida @ West Virginia
Cincinnati @ Hawaii
Monday, December 1, 2008
Bowl Predictions: Then and Now
Way back in May, I made some early as hell bowl predictions. With bowls fast approaching, time for me to issue a slightly more educated list.
Just for fun, I've posted what I predicted way back then.
Just for fun, I've posted what I predicted way back then.
1.BCS Title Game- Then- Florida v. Oklahoma ; Now- Florida v. Oklahoma. The pick stays the same. Florida should take care of 'Bama in Atlanta and Oklahoma should have no trouble with Mizzou.
2. Fiesta Bowl- Then- Texas v. BYU; Now- Texas v. Ohio St. Texas stays the same. Back in May, I didn't realize the Fiesta Bowl had first dibs on BCS teams. That explains the switch from the non-BCS school to Ohio St.
3.Sugar Bowl- Then- Georgia v. Illinois; Now- Alabama v. Utah. I didn't envision 'Bama to have the type of season they had. I also didn't envision the type of season Illinois would have either.
4.Rose Bowl- Then- Ohio St. v. USC; Now- Penn St. v. USC. USC stays the same. Penn St. at least makes this game a little more interesting.
5. Orange Bowl- Then- Clemson v. West Virginia; Now- Virginia Tech v. Cincinnati. Doesn't my older version seem like so much more fun?
6. Capital One Bowl-Then- Wisconsin v. LSU; Now- Michigan St. v. Georgia. Georgia falls out of the BCS thanks to their meltdown vs. Georgia Tech.
7. Outback Bowl-Then- Michigan St. v. Auburn; Now- Iowa v. South Carolina. Auburn really crapped out on me this year.
8. Cotton Bowl-Then- Missouri v. Alabama; Now- Texas Tech v. Ole Miss. I gave Ole Miss a bunch of credit heading into the season. Just not enough credit.
9. Gator Bowl-Then- Wake Forest v. Cincinnati; Now- Georgia Tech v. West Virginia. One pass happy game to one run dominated game.
10.Sun Bowl-Then- Oregon St. v. Texas A&M; Now- Oregon St. v. Pittsburgh. Yeah. I thought TAMU would make a bowl.
11.Holiday Bowl-Then- Arizona St. v. Texas Tech;Now- Oregon v. Missouri. Once again the Holiday bowl could have the potential to be the most exciting Non-BCS game.
12. Chick-Fil-A Bowl-Then- Virginia Tech v. South Carolina;Now- Florida St. v. LSU. The newer version seems to be a better game.
13.Liberty Bowl-Then- Central Florida v. Tennessee;Now- Tulsa v. Kentucky. So I made a lil' bit of a homer pick with UCF. Who cares?
14.Alamo Bowl-Then- Kansas v. Purdue;Now- Oklahoma St. v. Wisconsin. Either way, the Big Eleven is gonna get worked in this one.
15.Insight Bowl-Then- Colorado v. Indiana;Now- Kansas v. Northwestern. I really whiffed on my original pick. Neither Colorado or Indiana are bowl eligible this year.
16.Music City Bowl-Then- Miami(FL) V. Mississippi St.;Now- Boston College v. Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt in a home game. Fun.
17.Independence Bowl-Then- Oklahoma St. v. Arkansas;Now- North Carolina St. v. Buffalo. The lack of bowl eligible teams in the SEC and Big XII leads to this unorthodox match-up.
18.Champs Sports Bowl-Then- North Carolina St. v. Penn St;Now- Miami(FL) v. Minnesota. The Golden Gophers may be the biggest surprise among bowl teams this year.
19.Meineke Car Care Bowl-Then- North Carolina v. South Florida;Now- Wake Forest v. Rutgers. I expected Rutgers to be much better than this.
20.Papajohns.com Bowl-Then- Rutgers v. Kentucky;Now- Connecticut v. Notre Dame. Any bowl with the Irish is automatically a snooze fest.
21.Texas Bowl-Then- Nebraska v. Tusla;Now- Nebraska v. Rice. Nebraska stays the same. Rice was a pleasant surprise.
22.Humanitarian Bowl-Then- Virginia v. Boise St.;Now- Maryland v. Boise St. Boise St. stays the same. They deserve better than this.
23.Emerald Bowl-Then- Maryland v. UCLA;Now- North Carolina v. California. Both the Heels and the Bears have the potential to be really good teams next year.
24.Las Vegas Bowl-Then- Utah v. California;Now- BYU v. Arizona. It's a long drop from the BCS bowls to Vegas.
25. Hawaii Bowl-Then- Fresno St. v. Arizona;Now- Hawaii v. Bowling Green. The lack of a PAC-10 bowl eligible team gives the Falcons a trip to Hawaii.
26.GMAC Bowl-Then- East Carolina v. Nevada;Now- East Carolina v. Western Michigan. East Carolina stays the same. WMU should provide a stiffer challenge than the Wolfpack.
27.St. Petersburg Bowl-Then- Pittsburgh v. Houston;Now- South Florida v. Southern Miss. The Bulls should enjoy some good home cooking in this one.
28.Armed Forces Bowl-Then- Memphis v. Air Force;Now- Houston v. Air Force. Air Force stays the same. Houston is really come on strong late this season.
29.Eagle Bank Bowl- Then-Navy v. Georgia Tech;Now- Navy v. Clemson. Navy is contracted to play in this one. Clemson falls to D.C.
30.International Bowl- Then- Louisville v. Ball St.;Now- Nevada v. Central Michigan. I'm sure the people in Toronto will love this one.
31.Motor City Bowl-Then- Michigan v. Central Michigan;Now- Arkansas St. v. Ball St. The lack of Big Eleven bowl teams makes this game an even bigger joke. Nate Davis and Co. definitely deserve better than this.
32.New Orleans Bowl-Then- Louisiana-Monroe v. Southern Mississippi;Now- Troy v. Memphis. Different teams, same shitty bowl.
33.Poinsettia Bowl-Then- Washington v. Buffalo;Now- TCU v. Louisiana Tech. Can we overlook the fact that I had Washington in a bowl game and instead focus on the fact that I predicted Buffalo to make a bowl game?
34.New Mexico Bowl-Then- Louisiana Tech v. Florida Atlantic;Now- Fresno St. v. Colorado St. More Mountain West teams qualified for bowl berths than I imagined. Kudos to the Rams for proving me wrong.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
CFB365 Power Rankings
| Rank | Team Name | Record | Next Opponent |
| 1 | | 12-0 | |
| 2 | | 11-1 | |
| 3 | | 11-1 | |
| 4 | | 11-1 | |
| 5 | USC Trojans | 10-1 | @ UCLA |
| 6 | | 12-0 | |
| 7 | | 11-1 | |
| 8 | Boise St. Broncos | 12-0 | |
| 9 | Penn St. Nittany Lions | 11-1 | |
| 10 | Ohio St. Buckeyes | 10-2 | |
| 11 | | 12-0 | |
| 12 | TCU Horned Frogs | 10-2 | |
| 13 | | 10-2 | @ Hawaii |
| 14 | | 9-3 | |
| 15 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | 9-3 | |
| 16 | | 9-3 | |
| 17 | Oklahoma St. Cowboys | 9-3 | |
| 18 | BYU Cougars | 10-2 | |
| 19 | | 9-3 | |
| 20 | Michigan St. Spartans | 9-3 | |
| 21 | Northwestern Wildcats | 9-3 | |
| 22 | | 9-3 | Virginia Tech |
| 23 | | 8-3 | @ Connecticut |
| 24 | Ole Miss Rebels | 8-4 | |
| 25 | Oregon St. Beavers | 8-4 | |
| 26 | | 8-4 | |
| 27 | | 7-4 | |
| 28 | Rice Owls | 9-3 | |
| 29 | | 7-4 | |
| 30 | | 8-4 | |
| 31 | Florida St. Seminoles | 8-4 | |
| 32 | | 7-4 | |
| 33 | | 8-4 | |
| 34 | | 10-2 | |
| 35 | | 6-5 | |
| 36 | | 8-4 | @ Tulsa |
| 37 | Virginia Tech Hokies | 8-4 | |
| 38 | | 7-5 | |
| 39 | Air Force Falcons | 8-4 | |
| 40 | LSU Tigers | 7-5 | |
| 41 | | 7-4 | @ West Virginia |
| 42 | Navy Midshipmen | 7-4 | Army |
| 43 | Clemson Tigers | 7-5 | |
| 44 | | 9-3 | |
| 45 | | 7-5 | |
| 46 | | 7-5 | |
| 47 | | 7-5 | |
| 48 | | 8-4 | |
| 49 | | 6-5 | |
| 50 | North Carolina St. Wolfpack | 6-6 | |
| 51 | | 7-5 | |
| 52 | Vanderbilt Commodores | 6-6 | |
| 53 | | 7-5 | |
| 54 | | 7-5 | |
| 55 | | 6-6 | |
| 56 | Troy Trojans | 7-4 | |
| 57 | Fresno St. Bulldogs | 7-5 | |
| 58 | | 7-5 | |
| 59 | | 5-6 | @ Arizona |
| 60 | | 7-5 | |
| 61 | Stanford Cardinal | 5-7 | |
| 62 | | 7-5 | |
| 63 | | 7-5 | |
| 64 | | 7-5 | |
| 65 | | 5-7 | |
| 66 | | 5-6 | @ Rutgers |
| 67 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 6-6 | |
| 68 | San Jose St. Spartans | 6-6 | |
| 69 | | 5-7 | |
| 70 | | 5-7 | |
| 71 | Arkansas St. Red Wolves | 6-5 | @ Troy |
| 72 | | 5-7 | |
| 73 | Auburn Tigers | 5-7 | |
| 74 | Colorado St. Rams | 6-6 | |
| 75 | Kansas St. Wildcats | 5-7 | |
| 76 | | 6-6 | |
| 77 | | 6-6 | |
| 78 | Southern Miss Golden Eagles | 6-6 | |
| 79 | UCLA Bruins | 4-7 | USC |
| 80 | | 5-7 | |
| 81 | Baylor Bears | 4-8 | |
| 82 | Duke Blue Devils | 4-8 | |
| 83 | Purdue Boilermakers | 4-8 | |
| 84 | | 6-6 | |
| 85 | UTEP Miners | 5-7 | |
| 86 | | 4-8 | |
| 87 | Mississippi St. Bulldogs | 4-8 | |
| 88 | | 6-6 | |
| 89 | | 4-8 | |
| 90 | UNLV Rebels | 5-7 | |
| 91 | | 5-7 | |
| 92 | Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns | 5-6 | Middle |
| 93 | UCF Knights | 4-8 | |
| 94 | | 5-7 | |
| 95 | Middle | 5-6 | @ UL-Lafayette |
| 96 | Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks | 4-8 | |
| 97 | | 4-8 | |
| 98 | | 4-7 | |
| 99 | | 3-9 | |
| 100 | | 3-9 | |
| 101 | | 4-8 | |
| 102 | Kent St. Golden Flashes | 4-8 | |
| 103 | | 4-8 | |
| 104 | | 3-9 | |
| 105 | UAB Blazers | 4-8 | |
| 106 | Army Black Knights | 3-8 | Navy |
| 107 | | 3-9 | |
| 108 | Iowa St. Cyclones | 2-10 | |
| 109 | | 3-9 | |
| 110 | | 3-9 | |
| 111 | | 3-9 | |
| 112 | Tulane Green Wave | 2-10 | |
| 113 | Washington St. Cougars | 2-11 | |
| 114 | | 2-10 | |
| 115 | | 2-10 | |
| 116 | | 2-10 | |
| 117 | | 2-9 | @ FIU |
| 118 | SMU Mustangs | 1-11 | |
| 119 | | 1-11 | |
| 120 | | 0-11 | |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
