Charlie Weis is Fat (And other reasons why these coaches might get fired.)

Time for my yearly round-up of the coaches on the hot seat this season. I was unsurprisingly accurate last season. That's bad news for these guys...




Robb Akey- Idaho. Akey is this year's winner of the Gregg Robinson award. That prestigious piece of hardware is given to the one coach that defies all odds and is given another year at his god-awful institutions. Past winners include Gregg Robinson. That's some good company. Also, it's a tradition for the Gregg Robinson award winner to be fired within a year of winning the award. So expect Akey to be out of Moscow by year's end.

Possible Replacement - Someone who will be fired 3 years from now. It's the natural cycle at Idaho.







Steve Kragthorpe - Louisville. Fortunately for Kragthorpe, the Rick Pitino scandal will take off some of the heat that Steve has been feeling at Louisville. Unfortunately for Stevie-K, his coaching ability (or lack thereof) will put all the heat square back on him by October.

Possible Replacement- This seems like a good spot for Turner Gill.






Bob Toledo - Tulane. I'm still trying to figure out how in the hell Bob Toledo even got this job in the first place. I don't see the Green Wave being any good this season, so I think Toledo will be leaving the Big Easy pretty soon.

Possible replacement - How about Tommy Bowden coming back to New Orleans. The Wave haven't been nearly as good as they once were under Bowden.





Neil Callaway - UAB. When I sat down and thought of all the coaches I wanted to include on this highly respected list, I have to admit that Neil Callaway wasn't one of my first choices. This had nothing to do with the fact that I think the Blazers will be better this season. I actually completely forgot about UAB and Neil Callaway. The worst thing for a college football to do is to become irrelevant.

Possible Replacement- Tyrone Willingham. Imaging Willingham and Mike Davis at the same tiny institution.




Charlie Weis - Notre Dame. The poster boy for coaches on the hot seat this season. Weis will need to do better than a trip to the Hawaii bowl this season to keep his job. One good thing for Charlie is that he has a solid defense in South Bend this year. Also, an easy schedule, especially by Notre Dame standards, should help the Irish rebound somewhat.

Possible Replacement- We all know who Notre Dame's first choice is going to be. We'll just agree that that isn't happening. So I'll say the field.




Al Groh - Virginia. Groh saved his job two seasons ago. He found himself back on the hot seat after missing a bowl game last season. A similar result this year could lead to his dismissal. Groh's sticking point used to be his recruiting prowess. However, he is even slipping in that department recently.

Possible Replacement- Skip Holtz. If he can pull off another good season at ECU.







Doug Martin - Kent St. If Martin can't get the Golden Flashes into a bowl game this season, he might be getting the pink slip. Martin needs to take full advantage of Eugene Jarvis while he has him.

Possible Replacement- Someone from the D-II that no one has ever heard of.





Paul Wulff - Washington St. I usually like to give coaches a 3 year grace period before calling for their job. However, there are certain special circumstances in which I can make an exception. This is one of those instances. If the Cougars suffer through another season like last year, Wulff will be out.

Possible Replacement - Some USC assistant.








Mark Snyder - Marshall. I really have no insightful knowledge on this one. I just know that Marshall hasn't been good for a couple of seasons. Howe many more can Snyder stay around for? In my opinion, one.

Possible Replacement - Maybe the UF-Marshall connection will make it's way over to the gridiron, and Billy Gonzalez gets a head coaching gig.







Ron Zook - Illinois. I'm definitely not an Illinois insider, but I gotta imagine that the fans are growing weary of Zook's inconsistency. This I can speak of firsthand. Zook can recruit, but he absolutely cannot coach. How does someone with Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn at their disposal miss a bowl game? I guess the Zooker needs to start a fight with an entire frat house to start feeling the heat.

Possible Replacement - Another Gator, Charlie Strong.








Bret Bielema - Wisconsin. The Badger win total has been decreasing every season under Bielema's tenure. If that trend continues this season, Wisconsin could be missing out on a bowl game. That's an unforgivable offense in Madison. One that could cost Bielema his job.

Possible Replacement - Whoever the hell Barry Alvarez wants.







Jim Leavitt - South Florida. I know Leavitt is the architect of the South Florida program. A program that is on a meteoric rise. But some blame has to be thrown his way for the Bulls lack of success in late season games. If USF suffers another late season collapse, especially in George Selvie and Matt Grothe's last season, Leavitt could be feeling some serious heat in Tampa.

Possible Replacement - One of the many top notch assistants on Leavitt's coaching staff.

Gator Running Backs: A Study in Genetic Freakiness

It has become a tradition in Gainesville every year to wonder aloud who will be the feature running back. In the past this question came about out of general concern. No real running back ever stood up to take over the helm. Not since C-4 graced the Swamp with his glorious presence had the Gators had a running back that they could turn to in dire situations. This year, the problem is a little different.

Last season, the Gators had an explosion of awesome out of the backfield. Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps and Percy Harvin provided defensive coordinators with fits. Coming into the 2009 season the Gators face an enviable problem. They have too many talented running backs. Who's gonna be the premiere back? Who will lose a lot of carries and disappear from the mix? Here's my completely accurate take on the situation.

Jeff Demps

Needless to say, Jeffrey Demps is the fastest of the Gator backs. This fact seems to get all of Gator Nation riled up and more excited than a redneck at Daytona. Every time I have the audacity to tell someone that Demps is just not a complete back yet, I get met with a lot of yelling and profane language. I think Demps will be the starter, and deservedly so. However, I think there are a few other backs on our roster that are just better all around. Of course, I won't care too much about all around play when Demps is breaking one loose against the Vols for a 75 yard touchdown run.




Chris Rainey

Rainey is one of those backs that I feel is a better all-around player than Demps. He has the speed, the elusiveness and he is a bit bigger than Demps. He does have a tendency to dance around too much, but I have the feeling Running Backs Coach Kenny Carter will get that straightened out this season. If Rainey can cut back on the amount of times he's dropped for a loss, his playing time could skyrocket.




Here's a little peak at what the two are capable of.




Emmanuel Moody
Moody is my personal favorite of the bunch. I still have not seen Moody go down on first contact. Unfortunately for Moody, and the Gators, he can't stay healthy. He was oft-injured last season, but when he played, he played great. Manny has already established himself in Gator lore. The supposed reasoning behind Urb calling those last minute timeouts against UGA was to get Manny more totes. He can add to his mystique by going off for 275 yards and 7 td's against against LSU in Tiger Stadium. The LSU fans will then rush the field, pushing their own players out of the way, to get to Moody and carry him off the field on their shoulders.

Eye candy.




Brandon James
Everyone knows about B. James as a kick returner, but he is a capable threat coming out of the backfield as well. Out of all the true Gator running backs, James is the most polished receiver. He an take a quick slant from Tebow and turn it into a huge gain. I don't know if James will see too much time in the backfield. But his carries will definitely increase with the departure of Harvin.




Highlights of James, including the greatest run back I have ever seen with my beautiful blue eyes.



Andre Debose
Debose is the one man on the roster capable of replacing Percy Harvin. That might not be this year though. He'll probably line up more at receiver this season. But look for him to take a lot of snaps in the "Percy" position.





Do I dare? Yes, I do...



Christopher Scott and Vincent Brown

These are two guys that will get some carries in blowouts this season. Scott has been impressing coaches all Spring, but I just don't see him overtaking the players listed above him. Brown got some playing time last season, and I see him getting about the same this year.

Don't forget about these guys coming out of the backfield either!

Ultimate Fantasy League- The Conferences

As I previously mentioned, there will be 7 glorious conferences partaking in my ingenious concoction of a football league. Each conference will consist of 2 divisions made up of 6 teams. Obviously, I had to move some teams around to make this work. Here's what I came up with.

SEC








East

1. Florida
2. Georgia
3. Tennessee
4. South Carolina
5. Clemson
6. Georgia Tech

West

1. Alabama
2. Auburn
3. LSU
4. Mississippi St.
5. Ole Miss
6. Kentucky

Now tell m that doesn't look like a bad ass conference.

What's New and why: I got rid of Vanderbilt due to the fact that they can't field a competitive team in the SEC. They should have stuck to the Magnolia Conference. I also did away with Arkansas, mainly for geographic reasons. Arkansas is nowhere near the other teams in the SEC. They make much more since in another conference. I moved Kentucky to the West to make room for the 2 new teams, Georgia Tech and Clemson. Both teams come over from the ACC and both will be joining their in-state rivals in the East. Now the Georgia-Georgia Tech and South Carolina-Clemson game will have even greater ramifications. If something this incredibly awesome were to happen in real life, the SEC teams would be given a waiver by the NCAA to schedule all D-III schools for out-of-conference opponents. But that ain't happening in this league...


Big XII

North

1. Colorado
2. Missouri
3. Kansas
4. Kansas St.
5. Nebraska
6. Arkansas

South

1. Oklahoma
2. Texas
3. Texas Tech
4. Texas A&M
5. Oklahoma St.
6. TCU

A bunch of teams from Texas and Oklahoma.

What I did and why: I got rid of Baylor and Iowa St. because they don't belong in the Big XII. Replaced Baylor with a much more capable Texas team in TCU. Moved Arkansas over from the SEC. The Hogs make so much more sense sense in this conference. All of their traditional rivals reside here. The Big XII defensive ratings also rise a bit with the addition of Arkansas and TCU.

Big Ten (Twelve)









East

1. Ohio St.
2. Illinois
3. Northwestern
4. Minnesota
5. Wisconsin
6. Purdue

West

1. Iowa
2. Michigan
3. Michigan St.
4. Indiana
5. Iowa St.
6. Notre Dame

One extra team gives them a better chance of winning a bowl game.Doesn't it?

What I did and why: I got rid of the Fighting JoePa's. They never really made much sense geographically in this conference. Brought in Iowa St. to play along with in-state rival Iowa in the same conference. Also moved the Irish into the conference. Something that should have been done a loooonngg time ago. Both teams are pretty bad, so they should fit right in.

PAC 10 (Twelve)













North

1. Washington
2. Washington St.
3. Oregon
4. Oregon St.
5. Stanford
6. Boise St.

South

1. USC
2. UCLA
3. California
4. Arizona
5. Arizona St.
6. San Diego St.

They still have USC!

What I did and why: I kept all original ten teams intact. The PAC-10 was the only BCS conference that made sense geographically. Added Boise St. and San Diego St. to the mix. Both for very different reasons. I brought in the Broncos simply because of their play on the field. While their blue turf may seem gimmicky, they are a bona fide BCS contender. Being in Idaho is a major hindrance to them however. I added San Diego St. to the conference simply because of their location. The PAC-10 will gain a valuable and big TV market with the San Diego area. Also, I truly believe Brady Hoke can get this thing turned around.

ACC













Atlantic

1. Miami
2. Virginia Tech
3. Virginia
4. North Carolina
5. North Carolina St.
6. Louisville

Coastal

1. Florida St.
2. Wake Forest
3. Maryland
4. Duke
5. South Florida
6. East Carolina

The best part, we don't have to put the stupid (FL) after Miami anymore.

What I did and why: I had to replace Georgia Tech and Clemson, which left for the greener pastures of the SEC. Also, I moved Boston College out of the conference. Replaced those three teams With Louisville and South Florida (formerly of the Big East) and East Carolina (Formerly of C-USA). I think Louisville just makes more sense in the ACC than in the Big East. No real logic behind it. Added South Florida because there is already two built-in rivalries in Florida St. and Miami. East Carolina was the last major Carolina school not included in the conference. So I thought, why the hell not? The Pirates also have a good history against ACC teams.

Big East












North

1. Connecticut
2. Syracuse
3. Rutgers
4. Penn St.
5. Boston College
6. Army

South

1. West Virginia
2. Pittsburgh
3. Cincinnati
4. Vanderbilt
5. Navy
6. Central Florida

We're still a good basketball conference!

What I did and why: The Big East is the smallest of the BCS conferences, and that was before I stole USF, and Louisville away. So half of this conference is completely new. I added Penn St. to a conference that they should have already been in. I moved Boston College back to their rightful position in the Big East. I added Vandy and UCF to help the conference recover the areas that were lost with the aforementioned departures. And for the traditionalists out there, I added the two service academies. I really didn't want to add Army, but I just couldn't see Navy ended a season without dismantling the Cadets.

Mountain West










Mountain

1. Air Force
2. Colorado St.
3. Southern Miss
4. Baylor
5. Louisiana Tech
6. Troy

West

1. BYU
2. Utah
3, Wyoming
4. Tulsa
5. Houston
6. UNLV

The Big XII South ain't got nothing on the Mountain West West!

What I did and why: A lot. I admit this conference is kind of thrown together. Basically this is just the leftover teams, BYU, Utah, Tulsa, Troy would have probably made another conference had i been forced to only do 6, but they were put here to equal out the not so great teams. Teams like Wyoming and Air Force were kept because of their past ties to the Mountain West. Teams like Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss were added because of their past performance, and teams like Baylor and Houston were added because of their big markets. This will likely the be destination of future teams that are called up to the big time.

CFB 365 Ultimate Fantasy League

OK. So I hung up the Ol' blogging shoes for a while there. I guess you could call me the Sterling Sharpe of blogging. I came out with a fantastic flurry only to fade down the stretch and call it a career. A very short career. The truth is, running a daily blog by yourself is VERY time consuming and difficult. Even for someone as awesome as me, I just found it not worth the energy. Well, I'm back baby. I won't be making daily updates like in the past. I'll just update whenever I have the free time. Starting now.
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I'm sure most of you have read the ESPN fantasy 40 team college football league. The league consists of 40 teams selected by slack jawed yokels, Schlabachacasdh (or whatever the hell is name is) Forde and Maisel. Well, while reading their horrible excuse for a column, I decided that I could do better than them. I have created an 84 team fantasy league. The leagues consists of 7 conferences. All 6 BCS conferences and the Mountain West.

Now, I have altered the conferences to make sure we get some awesome fake football. Each conference will have 12 teams. There will be two divisions of 6, ensuring that every conference will have a championship game at the end of the season. I have also taking the liberty of moving some teams out of their current conferences into a situation that makes a little more sense.

Each team will play an 11 game season. They will play all 5 of their division opponents as well as one pre-determined intra-division opponent every year. (i.e. Florida v. LSU) Also, each team will play two alternating opponents from the opposite division every year. The other 3 games will be made up of out-of-conference opponents. One will be a pre-determined opponent that they will face every year. These match-ups will either be continuations of long-standing rivalries (i.e. Florida v. Florida St.) or teams that I feel match-up pretty well with each other every year. (i.e. Alabama v. Michigan.) The other 2 out-of-conference games will be determined by me. Each team will play one of these games on the road and the other at home. I have tried my best to make match-ups that are rather intriguing. For example, Florida will play Notre Dame and Ohio St., Texas will play LSU and Auburn, USC will play Virginia Tech and Utah, etc.

There will be a 16 team playoff at the end of the season. All 7 conference winners and 9 at large teams will make the tournament. The first and second round will be played at the home of the higher seed. The "final four" and championship rounds will be played at neutral site venues.

Each week will be played out congruently with the real college football season. Outcomes will be determined by real life factors. Injuries or how a team has played in the real season will effect how the team will do in my league.

I'll post the 7 conferences that I have created, along with schedules at a later date.

At the end of each season, I will assess every team and see which ones should be upgraded or downgraded to a particular conference. Also, I like the idea of relegation. Say one of the 84 teams I pick stinks it up this year, and a team that is consistently decent has a solid year. I will look to replacing said horrible team with said less horrible team.

This might sound somewhat confusing, but trust me, I know what I'm doing.
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Along with these fantasy updates, I'll continue to do my weekly previews and reviews that were big hits in yesteryear. I won't be doing the Heisman watch, weekly picks or rankings anymore. Those just took up waaayyyy too much time. If you're new to CFB365, which I'm sure you are as my grand total of 3 readers probably gave up on me, take the time out to peruse my old articles and find out what this site is all about. Enjoy the season, and please joining my follower list.

Plays of the year

Time for CFB 365's plays of the year. These were my personal favorite plays. There is no argument on the order because I am right. That is all.

10. London Crawford


9. Beanie Wells


8. Knowshon Moreno


7. James Rodgers


6. Sam Bradford



5. Middle Tennessee


4. Buffalo


3. Brandon Spikes


2. Michael Crabtree


1. Edwin Baptiste

Coaching Carousel

With most of the 20 open head coaching positions filled in college football, I decided now would be a good time to review some of the changes. Of course, there's still some schools out there that could be added to this list. I'll try to update this list as more new coaches are hired.

1. Army

• Out - Stan Brock
• In - ?

Army has begun a national search for their next head coach. I think Brock did about as good as possible at West Point. I'm not so sure the next coach here will have any more success.

2. Auburn

• Out- Tommy Tuberville
• In - Gene Chizik

I have no idea what Auburn is doing here. They whiffed one one former defensive coordinator, so they panicked and went after the crappier one.


3. Ball St.

• Out - Brady Hoke
• In - ?

The Cardinals lose Hoke to San Diego St. As Hoke enjoys the much nicer weather, Ball St. will begin the search for a new coach who will face impossible expectations in Muncie. I look for BSU to tap the 1-aa ranks for this position.


4. Bowling Green

• Out - Gregg Brandon
• In - Dave Clawson

I really think Bowling Green jumped the gun when they let Brandon go. Fortunately for mes, Brandon is a top choice to replace Dan Mullen as Florida's offensive coordinator. Clawson backs his way into this job after helping to get Phil Fulmer fired at Tennessee.


5. Clemson

• Out - Tommy Bowden
• In - Dabo Swinney

The Tigers have already improved tremendously under Swinney. Their second half performance this season earned Swinney the job. We'll see how well he recruits and coaches for an entire season.


6. Eastern Michigan

• Out - Jeff Genyk
• In - ?

Wouldn't this be a good spot for Ty Willingham? I know he went winless last season, but if Chizik can get a job in the SEC, Willingham should be able to get a job anywhere.


7. Iowa st.

• Out - Gene Chizik
• In - ?

Auburn really did Iowa St. a favor. Not only do they get rid of an under producing coach, but they don't have to pay him any money. Look for a coordinator from another Big XII team to take this job. Kevin Wilson, maybe?


8. Kansas St.

• Out - Ron Prince
• In - Bill Snyder

I believe Prince should have been given at least one more year at K-State. However, Snyder did build this program into a national power way back when. He might be too old to do the same again. I guess we'll find out.


9. Miami(OH)

• Out - Shane Montgomery
• In - ?

I don't really know who the Redhawks will target for this job. Perhaps a 1-aa coach or even a Big Eleven assistant. Whoever they tabbed, he's got his work cut out for him.


10. Mississippi St.

• Out - Sylvester Croom
• In - Dan Mullen

I wish Dan Mullen nothing but the best in Starkville. However, I must say he really screwed us with the timing of this announcement. Damn him and Mississippi St.!


11. New Mexico

• Out - Rocky Long
• In - Mike Locksley

Locksley might be one of the better game planners in the nation right now. New Mexico does have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball. So this seems like a good fit.


12. New Mexico St.

• Out - Hal Mumme
• In - ?

The Aggies are going to be awful next season. Both Chris Jackson and Chase Holbrook will be gone. I feel sorry for whoever gets this job. It may be the worst job available this season.


13. Purdue

• Out - Joe Tiller
• In - Danny Hope

Hope is replacing a legend at Purdue. Fortunately this decision was made at the beginning of the offseason. That should relieve a little bit of the pressure. Just a little.


14. San Diego St.

• Out - Chuck Long
• In - Brady Hoke

The Aztecs were quite possibly the worst team in division 1 football this season. Kudos to them for going out and getting one of the hottest coaching prospects this off season in Brady Hoke. Hoke should find the weather and scenery much more to his liking in San Diego.


15. Syracuse

• Out - Greg Robinson
• In - Doug Marrone

This is a switch that should have been made last season in my opinion. I think the Orange whiffed on Robinson's replacement though. Turner Gill or Skip Holtz would have been better options than Marrone.


16. Tennessee

• Out - Phil Fulmer
• In - Lane Kiffin

Is it just me, or did the SEC coaching ranks get a lot worse this offseason?


17. Toledo

• Out - Tom Amstutz
• In - Tim Beckman

Beckman put up some pretty impressive numbers for Oklahoma St. over the past few seasons. At least he's taking over a team that managed to beat Michigan in the Big House last season.


18. Utah St.

• Out - Brent Guy
• In - Gary Andersen

Andersen remains in the same state as he leaves the Utes to take over a horrible Utah St. football program. Andersen may very well be the guy that can finally turn things around for the Aggies.


19.Washington

• Out - Tyrone Willingham
• In - Steve Sarkisian

I think the Trojans' defensive coordinator would be a better coaching candidate than Sarkisian. However, this is a good move for Sarkisian. He's taking over a Washington football team with little expectations, that I believe will be a lot better next season.


20. Wyoming

• Out - Joe Glenn
• In - Dave Christensen

Christensen is another top flight Big XII coordinator leaving to take on a head coaching challenge. The Cowboys were competitive towards the end of the season, including beating Tennessee in Knoxville. However, word was getting around that Glenn wasn't even recruiting anymore. That's a big no-no in college football.

Tebow's legacy is already secure

In case you don't know, the Heisman Memorial Trophy will be giving out this weekend. The three finalists of course are: Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, Colt McCoy of Texas and Tim Tebow of Florida.

Of course, I would like to see Tebow take this thing home. In all honesty, I would not be heartbroken if he didn't win the trophy. In my opinion, Colt McCoy may actually be the most deserving of the three finalists. He has better numbers than Tebow and has beaten Sam Bradford head to head. However, it's not all about the numbers when it comes to this award.

The Heisman winner is usually defined by a few select Heisman defining moments. Do you think Desmond Howard would have won the award if he didn't strike the pose after scoring a touchdown? He might have, but it would have been harder. How about Reggie Bush? Would he have beat out teammate Matt Leinart if he didn't perform that sick behind the back maneuver while on his way to the house? Probably. But it would have been tougher.

While Tebow may lack the stats that Bradford and McCoy have put up in the pass happy Big XII. He has had his share of Heisman defining moments. Here are a few:

1. The Promise

This season will always be remembered as the year of the promise. After the Gators suffered a heart breaking loss to Ole Miss, a misty-eyed Tebow promised a room full of reporters and the entire Gator nation that from that moment on, the Gators were not going to let us down. Timmy T promised that no one in the nation would work harder than himself or push his team harder than he would. I have to say, so far he's kept up his end of the promise. It's amazing how a loss can be turned into such a great team for a football team.

2. War Paint in Tallahassee

If the promise is the most memorable soundbite of the season. The picture of Tebow leaving the field after his first half touchdown run against the Seminoles may be the image of the year. Tebow was angered by the local fans cheering as Florida wide out Percy Harvin rolled around on the ground in pain. Reportedly, Timmy walked up to head coach Urban Meyer and said something to the effect of, "Give me the damn ball! I wanna hit somebody!" Meyer did, and Tebow did. He dragged the entire pile almost five yards to score the touchdown. I don't care if the Gators were on their own 1 yard line, Mr. Tebow would have drug the pile 99 yards to score. There was just simply no stopping him. After the play, Timmy rose to his feet and took the sidelines. He could be seen pumping up the crown with the Seminoles end zone paint covering his entire face and body. Classic!

3. Come From Behind in the 'Chip

Most great quarterbacks are defined by what they do in crunch time. What happens when their team is down in the fourth quarter and they need a score. This same situation presented itself to Tebow in the SEC championship game against a very stout Alabama defense. Not only did Tebow lead his team back to victory, he made it look easy. The Crimson Tide had never looked so lost on the defensive side of the ball. The video of Tebow sprinting down the sideline and crashing into his teammates to inspire the kick-off team was more vintage Tebow.

The stats for Tebow are somewhat down this year. 564 rushing yards for 12 touchdowns. 2,515 passing yards for 28 touchdowns. However, these numbers do become a little more impressive when you take into account that Tebow has only turned the ball over twice. That's 40 touchdowns with only 2 turnovers!

A few more factors that might work into Tebow's favor on Saturday:

1. The Best Ever?

There has been increasing debate that Tim tebow may very well be the best college football player ever. This topic has hit several national sports talk outlets as well as countless local media outlets. I've heard more than a few Heisman voters say that they believe Tebow IS the best college football player ever. Not saying it's right, but I'm sure a few voters will feel like Tebow deserves another Heisman to solidify that title. Also, how many voters will see fit to vote for Tim in order to see an historic run a third Heisman award?

2. Bronko Nagurski at QB

We can thank Bobby Bowden for this one. After Tebow almost single-handedly thrashed his Seminoles for the second straight year, Bowden made the now famous comparison. This idea has caught on like wildfire. It's kind of cool to think of your QB as a Bronko Nagurski type. And that's exactly what he is.

I don't know if number 15 will win the Heisman on Saturday. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. However,there is no denying the fact that Tim Tebow is the best college football player in America. Quite possibly ever.

Bowl Previews

I know everyone likes to make fun of the college football bowl season. I for one, find this time of the year very enjoyable. I always try to make time to watch every single bowl game available. This year, there are more bowl games than ever with 34. While everyone agrees a playoff system would be great for determining the college football champ, we have to enjoy what we have. As the old saying goes, "It is what it is."

Here's a little snap shot of this year's bowl games.

Thanks to The Helmet Project for the helmets. Make sure you have a few hours to spare before checking his site out, because you will be on it for a while. Trust me.....

I have listed the bowls in order from the "absolute shittiest that no one but me cares about" to "you will have your man card revoked if you miss this one."


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Independence Bowl - Shreveport, LA
Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech

Shreveport is quite possibly the most boring city in America. This may be one of the most boring bowl match-ups in modern history. So it fits. Usually this game would go to a couple of middle of the road SEC and Big XII teams. Often times, this game is pretty interesting. The lack of bowl eligible Big XII and SEC teams leads to this shit fest of a match up. La Tech has home field advantage, as well as a better team. CFB 365 pick: Louisiana Tech.
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New Mexico Bowl - Albuquerque, NM
Colorado St. vs. Fresno St.

This game is traditionally one of my least favorite. At least, the Lobos aren't playing a home game this year. I said coming into the season not to buy into the hype of Fresno St. I knew they were being overrated by all the publications. On the other hand, I had no idea Steve Fairchild would get this Colorado St. team bowl eligible in his first season. I'm still a 'lil down on the Rams though. CFB 365 pick: Fresno St.
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Eagle Bank Bowl - Washington, DC
Wake Forest vs. Navy

This bowl game is ranked so low because we've already seen this match-up this year. Navy handed Wake Forest it's first defeat of the season. That loss seemed to send the Demon Deacons on a downward spiral. Now, Jim Grobe's bunch gets it's shot at redemption. Unfortunately, the story may end the same way for Wake. Navy's rushing attack may be just too much for the Deacs. CFB 365 pick: Navy.
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Motor City Bowl - Detroit, MI
Florida Atlantic vs. Central Michigan

The MAC champs Buffalo were swept up by a better bowl, and the lack of bowl eligible Big Eleven teams gives the Owls the chance to play the MAC's third place Chippewas. Central Michigan has home field advantage in this one. They also have the taken advantage over FAU. Plus, the last time Florida Atlantic traveled to Michigan, they left with an ugly loss to Michigan St. CFB 365 pick: Central Michigan.
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St. Petersburg Bowl - St. Petersburg, FL
Memphis vs. South Florida

This bowl game was created specifically for the Bulls when they have down years. How fortunate for the folks in St. Pete that the bad year happened to come in year one. South Florida opens the St. Petersburg Bowl with unbelievable home field advantage against Memphis. George Selvie and company should make life a little difficult for Tommy West's Tigers. If this game weren't a bowl game, would anyone watch? Really? CFB 365 pick: South Florida
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New Orleans Bowl - New Orleans, LA
Southern Miss vs. Troy

Southern Miss really came on strong at the end of Larry Fedora's first year as head coach. A weak schedule could also be attributed to this. Unfortunately for Southern Miss, Troy is one of the hottest non-BCS teams in the nation. Larry Blakeney is still producing some quality football teams down in Troy. Mark this one up for the Sun Belt! CFB 365 pick: Troy.
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Humanitarian Bowl - Boise, ID
Maryland vs. Nevada

Maryland has been the definition of a true schizo team all year long. They knocked off California and remained in the hunt for the ACC crown until the end. Then again, they lost at home to Middle Tennessee and they managed to not show up against Florida St. with said ACC crown on the line. Nevada is lead by the dynamic rushing duo of QB Colin Kaepernick and RB Luke Lippincott. Maryland's rushing D can be stingy when it shows up, so this should be an interesting match-up on the blue turf. CFB 365 pick: Nevada.
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Armed Forces Bowl - Ft. Worth, TX
Houston vs. Air Force

The Falcons are a mainstay in Ft. Worth. I guess that makes sense. These two teams both have prolific offenses in their own right. Houston's Case Keenum can chuck the ball all over the field. Kevin Sumlin has not missed a beat after Art Briles' departure to Baylor. On the other side of the ball, Air Force can run for days. It will be interesting to see which team can impose it's will offensively on the other. Usually, you go with the rushing team. Usually. CFB 365 pick: Houston.
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International Bowl - Toronto, ON
Buffalo vs. Connecticut

Buffalo bypassed the Motor City bowl to travel to nearby Toronto. Hopefully they'll have more luck than their NFL counterparts in that city. This game could be renamed the Who's Gonna be Syracuse's next head coach Bowl. I know Randy Edsall has taken his name out of the race, but ask Nick Saban how much that means. Now it seems Buffalo's coach, Turner Gill, is interviewing for the Auburn head coaching position. I think all this uncertainty will hurt the Bulls, as they are already faced with playing a superior opponent in the Huskies. Donald Brown should absolutely go off against Buffalo. CFB 365 pick: Connecticut
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Hawaii Bowl - Honolulu, HI
Hawaii vs. Notre Dame

This game would be rated a lot lower if not for the fact that there's a good chance that Notre Dame's gonna lose. That alone moves this bowl game up. It's hard for teams east of the Mississippi to travel to Hawaii and come away with the victory. It's even hard when your team sucks ass as much as Notre Dame does. The real question will be how many buffets will Charlie Weis put out of business before the game. CFB 365 pick: Hawaii.
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Music City Bowl - Nashville, TN
Boston College vs. Vanderbilt.

At first glance, this game looks like an easy victory for Boston College. They have more talent and better coaching than Vandy, However, there are a few things that are working in Vandy's favor. First off, this is a home game. Secondly, Vanderbilt will be extra juiced, as this is their first bowl game since the old testament. And finally, they're from the SEC and BC is from the ACC. Going with the upset! CFB 365 pick: Vanderbilt.
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Texas Bowl - Houston, TX
Rice vs. Western Michigan

Now we're finally getting to the bowl games that I'm actually excited about. Chase Clement and Jarret Dillard have become one of the better aerial duos in the nation at Rice. Head Coach David Bailiff has made the most of the talent Todd Graham left him. On the other side, the Broncos were the MAC team overlooked by everyone. While Ball St., Buffalo and Central Michigan gobbled all the highlights, Western Michigan quietly put together a great season. CFB 365 pick: Rice.
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Liberty Bowl - Memphis, TN
Kentucky vs. East Carolina

ECU started out the season hotter than anyone in the country. They then proceeded to fall completely off the face of the Earth. A win in the C-USA championship does salavage the season for the Pirates. Head coach Skip Holtz is a hot commodity coming into this game. This can be nothing but bad news for the Pirates. Kentucky also had a roller coaster season. This game is usually kind to the SEC team, and with the dual threat ability of Randall Cobb, the Cats should continue that tradition. CFB 365 pick: Kentucky.
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Papajohns.com Bowl - Birmingham, AL
North Carolina St. vs. Rutgers

Both of these teams are extremely hot right now. NC State won it's last 4 games to become bowl eligible. That streak looks like crap compared to Rutgers' 7 game winning streak. It took the Scarlet Knights a while, but they finally started to put it together. Wolfpack QB Russell Wilson may be playing better than any other QB not in the Big XII or SEC. The difference in this game should be the speed of Rutgers. We'll see if NC State can keep up with them. CFB 365 pick: Rutgers.
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Emerald Bowl - San Francisco, CA
Miami(FL) vs. California

The Hurricanes were just your run of the mill mediocre ACC team this season. At teams, they looked like a real contender for the ACC title. At others, they looked like Larry Coker was still roaming the sidelines. They'll get a tough test as they have to face the Golden Bears in their home territory. Jeff Tedford got about as much as he could out of his Cal team this season. They're one of the few West Coast teams that has the team speed to keep up with the Canes. This should be a pretty good cross country match-up. CFB 365 pick: California.
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Insight Bowl - Tempe, AZ
Kansas vs. Minnesota

The Insight Bowl always provides a thrilling football game. I don't see this year being any different. Kansas is your typical pass happy, no defense playing offense that will attack the Gophers all game long. Minnesota has surprisingly been rather efficient offensively this season. Kansas QB Todd Reesing's ability to scramble when the play breaks down will be the difference in this one. Also, the last time Minny made the trip to the Insight Bowl, they gave up a huge fourth quarter lead to Texas Tech that cost then coach Glenn Mason his job. CFB 365 pick: Kansas.
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Outback Bowl - Tampa, FL
South Carolina vs. Iowa

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz should just make a second home in Tampa. His Hawkeyes always seem to end up in the Outback Bowl. Also, Iowa always seems to play pretty well in this ball game. This time of year, running games matter even more than in August. Iowa's Shonn Greene is clearly the best player in this game. It will be pretty intersting to see what happens the first time Greene runs into Eric Norwood up the middle. CFB 365 pick: Iowa.
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Las Vegas Bowl - Las Vegas, NV
BYU vs. Arizona

This game appears to have mismatch written all over it. Max Hall, Harvey Unga and Austin Collie should have a field day. To quote an old, turd bag, wannabe analyst, "Not so fast my friend." 'Zona is a pretty good football team. Mike Stoops is no longer on the hot seast, but he's still on the pretty damn warm seat. Also, I gotta think the Wildcats are a little more excited to be in this bowl game than the Cougs are. This will be about the 26th year in a row that BYU has playe din this game. All that being said, it will still be pretty tough for the Cats to knock off BYU. CFB 365 pick: BYU.
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Champs Sports Bowl - Orlando, FL
Wisconsin vs. Florida St.

The Badgers completely fell off the face of the earth this season. Wisconsin was supposed to be one of the teams competing to unseat Ohio St. as Big Eleven champs. Not so much. There are tiny rumblings in Madison these days. This is due to the fact that Wisconsin's win total has diminished every year under Brett Bielema. If the rumblings in Madison are tiny, the ones in Tallahassee are monstrous. Could this be Bobby Bowden's last game on FSU's sideline. Just the mere thought should have the Seminoles all kinds of fired up. CFB 365 pick: Florida St.
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Gator Bowl - Jacksonville, FL
Clemson vs. Nebraska

This game is the tale of two worlds. Nebraska is happy to be in Jacksonville. Bo Pelini has lead the Cornhuskers to a surprising bowl berth. On the other sideline, Clemson fans can't help but be disappointed with this trip to Jax. With the likes of James Davis, C.J. Spiller, Cullen Harper and Aaron Kelly on offense, the Tigers were picked by many (including myslef) to be in a BCS game right about now. Dabo Swinney has the Tigers fired up, and I still think they have a great offense hidden within them. Maybe it will come out in Jacksonville. CFB 365 pick: Clemson.
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GMAC Bowl - Mobile, AL
Tulsa vs. Ball St.

Both these teams flirting with going undefeated this season. However, both teams completely shit on themselevs down the stretch. This game is brought down a notch due to the fact that both squad lost in their respective conference championship games. All that bad crap being said, this should still be a very entertaining game. Both David Johnson and Nate Davis can really chuck the ball. Both teams also have very underrated running games. CFB 365 pick: Tulsa.
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Meineke Car Care Bowl - Charlotte, NC
West Virginia vs. North Carolina

This is one of my favorite match-ups of the bowl season. It's also one of the more overlooked games on the slate. I still like to watch West Virginia's rushing attack with Pat White and Noel Devine. Even though Bill Stewart's first season hasn't been that successful, it's still been fun to watch the Mountaineers. Every North Carolina game I've watched this season has been interesting. So it seems that UNC likes to keep things close, which is always good in bowl games. I know the Tar Heels have home field advantage in this one, but it's Pat White's last game in a Mountaineer uniform. Look fro him to absolutely go off! CFB 365 pick: West Virginia.
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Alamo Bowl - San Antonio, TX
Missouri vs. Northwestern

Northwestern was a bit of a surprise to me this season. I knew they would be better than last year, but what Pat Fitzgerald and his coaching staff did this season was incredible. Missouri is coming off of an embarassing performance in the Big XII championship game. Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin should have pretty solid games against the Wildcats D. Or at least they should. CFB 365 pick: Missouri.
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Sun Bowl - El Paso, TX
Oregon St. vs. Pittsburgh

I still don't like the Panthers very much this season. LeSean McCoy is a top flight back. Other than that, nothing else really impresses me about Pitt. Oregon St. managed to stumble over their vaginas down the stretch. Costing them the Pac-10 championship and a trip to the rose bowl. Last year, the Beavers in-state rival demolished a Big East team in this bowl game. It could be more of the same this time around. CFB 365 pick: Oregon St.
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Chick-Fil-A Bowl - Atlanta, GA
LSU vs. Georgia Tech

My southern bias may be showing through on this one. This game probably shouldn't be ranked so high. To say that LSU has been a disappointment would be an understatement. I knew the Tigers would have some trouble finding a QB this season, but I had no idea they would have this much trouble. Georgia Tech has thrived in the triple option offense under Paul Johnson. Granted, LSU should pose a stiffer test than the schools in the SEC. However, I think the Yellow Jackets can still get the job done. CFB 365 pick: Georgia Tech.
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Capital One Bowl - Orlando, FL
Georgia vs. Michigan St.

This game probably features the best rushing match-up of any bowl game this season. The Bulldogs boast the incredible Knowshon Moreno coming out of the backfield. While this season has had it's down moments for Moreno, for the most part, he's been productive once again. Michigan St.'s Javon Ringer is still the best back in the nation. He has carried the Spartans on his back all season long. I think he has enough to carry Michigan St. for one more game. CFB 365 pick: Michigan St.
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Cotton Bowl - Dallas, TX
Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech

I think this game is going to be a lot closer than many people think. Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree shredded everyone they faced this season. Ole Miss may have the toughest defense the Red Raiders have seen all season. Greg Hardy will give Tech's O-line fits all season long. I think Harrell cries all game long, but Tech still manages to outscore Houston Nutt's ballclub. CFB 365 pick: Texas Tech.
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Holiday Bowl - San Diego, CA
Oklahoma St. vs. Oregon

The Holiday bowl always provides an intriguing match-up. However, it doesn't always live up to it's billing. Look no farther than Texas' drubbing of Arizona St. last year. I think this may be one of the more entertaining games of the bowl season. Eventually, I think Zac Robinson, Dez Bryant and Kendall Hunter will take care of business against the Ducks. CFB 365 pick: Oklahoma St.
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Poinsettia Bowl - San Diego, CA
Boise St. vs. TCU

Man, San Diego has a couple of great games this year. This game is easily the best non-BCS match-up. Boise St. comes in with a serious gripe about not making a BCS game. I think this will work against them. Another thing that will work against the Broncos will be the extremely tough TCU defense. Gary Patterson will have all kinds of schemes drawn up to combat Kellen Moore and Boise St. CFB 365 pick: TCU.
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Orange Bowl - Miami, FL
Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech

This will most likely be the most boring of all the BCS games this year. As usual, the Big East and the ACC have failed in their promise to produce a quality conference champion. Well, mostly the ACC, because Cincinnati is a great football team. The Bearcats are superior to the Hokie in all facets of the game. I like Cinicnnati big. CFB 365 pick: Cincinnati.
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Sugar Bowl - New Orleans, LA
Alabama vs. Utah

I think this game will be a lot closer than most people think. Utah is a very good football team with a great QB in Brian Johnson. Also, Utah's D should be able to at least slow down Glenn Coffee and Mark Ingram. I still think Bama will win this one, just not as big as people think. CFB 365 pick: Alabama.
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Fiesta Bowl - Tempe, AZ
Ohio St. vs. Texas

Everyone hide your children! The Buckeyes are in another bowl game. Yes. I do believe Jim Tressel will completely whiff once again and get manhandled in this one. Plus, Texas could be playing for a possible split national championship. The only thing that could slow down the Longhorns will be if Colt McCoy wins the Heisman adn completely blows his load before the game. CFB 365 pick: Texas.
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Rose Bowl - Pasadena, CA
USC vs. Penn St.

This game could possibly be JoePa's last. That makes it definite must see.Unfortunately for JoePa, I dont think he's gonna fare well against the Trojans. USC's defense should have no trouble dealing with Penn St.'s offense. On the other side of the ball, Penn St.'s D matches up pretty well with USC's O. A few big plays from Damien Williams and Vidal Hazelton could be the key to this game. CFB 365 pick: USC.
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BCS National Championship - Miami, FL
Florida vs. Oklahoma

I'll have plenty more on this game later, so no need for a brief capsule here. Just know this: The Gators are the greatest thing to hit the gridiron since Janet Jackson's Super Bowl wardrobe. CFB 365 pick: Florida.