SEC Power Rankings after Week 6

1. Alabama -The Tide overtakes Florida, who while impressive at LSU, still don’t have the overall body of work the Tide do.

2. Florida. -Could their D be even better than we thought? 

3. LSU. -Struggled against the Gators, but still better than the other 9 teams.

4. South Carolina. -Not overwhelming against Kentucky, but the defense keeps them in any game.

5. Arkansas. -Ryan Mallet is the 2nd best QB in the league.  Too bad the D doesn’t match.  Good luck against Florida.

6. Auburn. -Shell-shocked from the Razorbacks, the Tigers still look solid offensively.

7. Tennessee. -Embarassed Georgia in their first solid game of football in 2 years.

8. Ole Miss. -The Rebels are like a high school summer romance: you’re in love with them in July, but you’ve forgotten about them come fall.

9. Georgia. -Rough times for the Georgia D.  AJ Green still bright spot for Bulldog offense.

10.  Mississppi St. -The cowbell ringers in Starkville have to be pleased despite the losses.  Dan Mullen will get this ship righted.

11. Kentucky.  -Wildcats lose QB Hartline for the season.  Basketball season is right around the corner Wildcat fans.

12.  Vanderbilt. -You lost to Army?  Wow.

SEC Thoughts through 5 Weeks: Lame Penalties, Lame Tebow, and Coach Lame Kiffin

5 weeks are done, and it’s gone by too fast.  You knew it would.  Good things always do.  What’s surprised us so far?

1) Who needs a Tuberville?  Auburn is just fine thank you very much.  Gene Chizik could very easily hold a press conference and demand apologies to the fans who doubted him, but he’d best be careful to take too much credit.  Though he is the one who brough Guz Malzahn, offensive extraordinaire over to the plains.  Before putting up 26 Saturday night, the Tigers were running up 45+ on opponents.  Let’s see how the Auburn D handles surprising offensive powerhouse Arkansas this weekend. 

2) The Florida-LSU tilt this weekend could very well be a SEC Championship preview, though I still see Bama getting there over LSU.  I had all but a few nails hammered into the LSU coffin after seeing them escape with a W against Miss St a few weeks back, but they showed serious balls pulling out a win between the Athens hedges Saturday.  Biggest question of course surrounding this weekend’s game is whether or not Tebow will play after this hit against Kentucky 

If Tebow does play, I can see Florida winning big.  That said, the UF offense still hasn’t quite looked like itself this year.  LSU’s got a defensive coordinator who knows how to at least contain Florida, and if the Gators can’t get things going early, this could be their first loss of the year.  One thing’s for sure: should Tebow play, look for LSU to be after him like Gator fans get after a big sale on jean shorts.

3) Celebration penalties are going too far as evidenced by the UGa-LSU game this past Saturday.    It’s time to give up on this idea that NCAA refs and the policies in general can “tame” the game of football.  The handshakes before games are a bad joke that reeks of pee wee football where players almost care more about sharing their lunchbox food than the actual game.  Then you throw in celebration penalties, as if we expect these guys who are helping earn universities millions of dollars NOT to be excited about scoring a TD?  If the NCAA really wants to turn these players into nothing more than boring “unpaid by the hour” Saturday afternoon employees, then go the whole way with it.  Penalize teams for Gatorade showers.  Penalize linebackers if after they sack a QB they don’t help him back up.  Penalize fans if they boo a call. 

It’s absurd to tell an 18 year old kid to go out, knock someone’s helmet off, score touchdowns in front of 100,000 fans and millions of viewers and NOT show emotion about it.  Give it up already.

4) Wanna know what kids in Knoxville are wearing for Halloween?  Scapegoat costumes.  Every but Lane Kiffin, that is.  We all pile on Jonathan Crompton because honestly he’s one of the worst starting QBs in SEC history.  We now trash the Vols wideouts that couldn’t catch a pass of their QB was throwing Erin Andrews to them (yes, we mean you Quinton Hancock).  Then many of the UT faithful are STILL putting the bus in reverse to knock ex-coach Phil Fulmer some more for the bad players he brought.  But what about Lane Kiffin?  Sure it’s his first year, but is he completely immune to criticism?  His play calling against UCLA was downright awful, and at times Saturday was at best very questionable.  Why after a great trick play to start the game would you go with 3 passes with your pathetic passing game?  Makes no sense.  Kiffin’s in no danger of being fired this year, but make some changes to show you’re trying.  Why have you left Crompton in so long?  Why have you hired an offensive coordinator if YOU are still gonna call the plays? 

5) South Carolina may very well be the 3rd best team in the SEC.  Yes, I said it, as a Clemson fan it pains me to do so.  But what’s going on down in Columbia is flying under the radar largely because of other big name SEC schools making headlines.  Eric Norwood and Cliff Matthews are both 1-2 in sacks in the league, and rank 3rd in the league in total D behind…you guessed it: Florida and Alabama.  QB Stephen Garcia has gotten his act together, and, should he stay sober the rest of the season, could lead the Cocks to a 8-9 win season.

Ranking the SEC after Week 3

For the most part, things have gone as expected in the SEC through 3 weeks.  Here are my rankings going into week 4…

 

1) Florida.  Obviously.  They didn’t struggle as much against Tennessee as the Vols stepped up to the challenge.  Gators still have the best athletes and coaching staff in the league.

2) Alabama.  The win over Virginia Tech is obviously the hallmark of the season to this point, and nothing appears to be slowing down the Tide, even having a new starting QB this year.

3) LSU.  With Washington’s win over USC this weekend, the Tigers 8 point victory over the Huskies in week 1 is even more impressive. 

4) Auburn.  These Tigers have hammered opponents thus far, averaging over 40 points a game.  Perhaps Tommy Tuberville WAS the reason for the dismal season last year.  Hmm…

5) Ole Miss.  Yes, I realize Ole Miss is a top ten team.  I also realize they’ve played Memphis and SE Louisiana so far, and didn’t look overly impressive against Memphis. 

6) Georgia.  God bless Joe Cox, who after gaining starts in 2007 before being replaced by Matthew Stafford, is finally able to shine.  Having a big time target like A.J. Green to throw to doesn’t hurt either.  But when will the Dawgs’ defense show up?

7) Kentucky.  A big win Saturday over rival Louisville just sets the tone for a big nationally televised game this coming week against Florida.  Yeah…good luck with that.

8) Tennessee.  The Vols showed heart in a 10 point loss to Florida at the Swamp Saturday, something they didn’t show the previous week against UCLA. 

9) South Carolina.  The Gamecocks’ D was impressive against NC State in week 1.  It looked downright pathetic in week 2 against Georgia.  They’ve got something to prove Thursday night against Ole Miss.

10) Arkansas.  A lone win against Missouri State impresses no one, similar to the defensive performance the Razorbacks had against Georgia Saturday.  On a brighter note, QB Ryan Mallett has played well.

11) Mississippi State.  The Bulldogs defense looked good against Vanderbilt.  Then again…it was Vanderbilt.

12) Vanderbilt.  The Commodores aren’t looking like a bowl bound team this year.  A valiant effort against LSU and Mississippi State failed with a total of 12 points scored in the two games.  Ouch.

NCAA Football Week One: Top Ten Games

10.  Western Michigan @ Michigan – Do or die time for Rich Rod and company.  Anything less than a 2 TD win here only darkens the cloud of his short tenure in Ann Arbor   Prediction: Michigan 35, W. Mich. 13

9.  Baylor @ Wake Forest -  This game was a lopsided affair last year in favor of Wake 41-13.  This year it should be much closer.  Two of the most underrated QB’s in action>  Robert Griffin (Baylor) and Riley Skinner (Wake).  Prediction: Baylor 27, Wake Forest 21

8. Cincinnati @ Rutgers-  Last year’s Big East champ meets one of this year’s favorites.  The Knights lose some big play makers, but a solid secondary should help them contain Bearcat QB Tony Pike.  Prediction:  Rutgers 23, Cincinnati 20

7.  South Carolina @ NC State-  The Wolfpack are much improved this year, starting with QB Russell Wilson.  The question will be can he lead this team past one of the SEC’s stingiest defenses?  Homefield advantage wins this one.  Prediction: NC State 24, S. Carolina 23

6.  Nevada @ Notre Dame- OK Irish fans, let’s hear it.  How great you’ll be this year, how you’re BCS bound, how 10 wins is a “worst case scenario”.  I don’t buy it yet.  Nevada had the 5th overall offense in the nation last year.  Hope Charlie Weis has his team focused.  Prediction:  Notre Dame 37, Nevada 31

5.  Miami @ Florida State- Who would’ve thought we’d see the day that this became an unappealing matchup of two “has beens”?  The Seminoles are creeping back to relevance, but they’re still a few years away.  Miami may be light years away.  Prediction: Florida St. 37, Miami 24

4.  Oklahoma vs. BYU- No doubt the Cougars will be ready for this game.  At a “neutral” site, BYU has the chance to play lead in a big upset.  Max Hall can throw the ball, and the Sooners porous pass D is bound to give up some yards.  Look for a shootout.  Prediction: Oklahoma 45, BYU 35

3.  Oregon @ Boise St.-  Is there anyone out there that doesn’t root for the team with the Blue Turf?  Boise State has managed to be one of the top college programs NOT from a BCS conference.  Should be fun to see their D try to contain Oregon’s potent offense.  Prediction: Boise State 31, Oregon 26

2.  Georgia @ Oklahoma St.- The Dawgs defense will have their hands full with a Cowboy offense that managed 40.8 PPG last year.  All their playmakers return, making this trip for Georgia a rough one.  Prediction: Oklahoma St. 39, Georgia 29

1.  Alabama vs. Virginia Tech-  The prime time special will feature two programs coming off BCS bowl appearances.  VT lost starting RB Darren Evans about a month ago, but the D is still in tact.  Look for a close, low scoring affair that goes down to the wire.  Prediction: Va. Tech 23, Alabama 20

Setting up the 2009-10 Bowl Matchups and Conference Winners

CONFERENCE WINNERS

SEC: FLORIDA over Alabama

BIG TEN: OHIO ST.

BIG 12: TEXAS over Kansas

ACC: VIRGINIA TECH over Florida St.

PAC-10: CALIFORNIA

BIG EAST: WEST VIRGINIA

MOUNTAIN WEST: TCU

CONF. USA: HOUSTON over East Carolina

WAC: BOISE ST.

MAC: CENTRAL MICHIGAN over Buffalo

SUN BELT: TROY

 

BCS BOWLS

TITLE GAME: Texas vs. Florida

ROSE: Ohio St. vs. California

SUGAR: Alabama vs. Boise St.

FIESTA: USC vs. Oklahoma St.

ORANGE: Va. Tech vs. W. Virginia

OTHER BOWLS

HUMANITARIAN: Colorado St. vs. Nevada

NEW MEXICO: Utah vs. La. Tech

POINSETTIA: BYU vs. Arizona

LAS VEGAS: TCU vs. UCLA

NEW ORLEANS: Southern Miss vs. Fla. Atlantic

ARMED FORCES: Tulsa vs. Air Force

HAWAII: East Carolina vs. Fresno St.

LIBERTY: Houston vs. South Carolina

MOTOR CITY: Michigan vs. Central Mich.

OUTBACK: Illinois vs. Georgia

CAPITAL ONE: Penn St. vs. Ole Miss

ST. PETERSBURG: Arkansas St. vs Marshall

PAPAJOHNS.COM: Cincinnati vs. MTSU

INTERNATIONAL: S. Florida vs. Bowling Green

TEXAS: Kansas St. vs. Navy

INDEPENDENCE: Nebraska vs. Kentucky

INSIGHT: Baylor vs. Northwestern

SUN: Colorado vs. Rutgers

ALAMO: Kansas vs. Iowa

HOLIDAY: Texas Tech vs. Oregon St.

COTTON: Oklahoma vs. LSU

GMAC: Wake Forest vs. Buffalo

EAGLE BANK: NC State vs. Memphis

EMERALD: Boston Coll. vs. Oregon

MEINIKE CAR CARE: Miami vs. Pittsburgh

MUSIC CITY: North Carolina vs. Auburn

CHAMPS SPORTS: Clemson vs. Michigan St.

GATOR: Ga. Tech vs. Notre Dame

CHIK-FIL-A: Tennessee vs. Florida St.

2009 SEC Football preview

(Each of my conference previews are determined in part by using a simple formula using certain nine variables to determine a teams ability to win games. These nine categories are as follows: Quarterback, RB/WR/TE, Offensive Line, DE/LB, Secondary, Coaching, Schedule Difficulty, Home Field Advantage, and Player Experience. Each team is ranked in descending order according to their strength in these areas. For example, the team in a conference with the best QB will be given a one, the second best rated team by QB will be given a 2, and on down through the remaining teams in that conference. This formula goes on for all categories. After all categories and teams are ranked, those rankings are added up to give the team’s a total score. The lower the score, the more likely a team will be successful this year and win more games than teams with higher overall scores. By no means is it an exact science, just my personal predictions for the upcoming season.)

 

 

The best conference in the nation brings back a mix of veteran stars and hard-nosed coaches. Combined with drama filled story lines, and the SEC is once again the most exciting conference to watch.

 

THREE BOLD PREDICTIONS

 

1. Tim Tebow will be Tim Tebow and lead Florida to another SEC title.

    

   Not like it’s a big shocker, but the Florida Gators will once again enter a football season as the favorite to win the SEC. Bringing back the best QB in the league as well as the best coach makes them the obvious choice. Not to mention a schedule that is fairly easy given the regular opponents the Gators must face (i.e. Georgia and LSU). 

   

   Don't worry, Tebow haters. You've only got one more year left to hear about the Superman-esque QB. (Photo courtesy of thewholegardenwillbow.com)

    

2. Lane Kiffin will become the most hated coach in the SEC (you’re welcome Nick Saban) but still lead the Vols to at least 8 wins. When UT decided to hire Kiffin, many fans were just glad to see someone other than Phil Fulmer listed beside the “Head coach” title. Kiffin has already made himself known to the SEC, tossing barbs at Florida in the way Spurrier used to do to UT back when he was coaching the Gators. Topped with a phenomenal staff (including his dad Monte and recruiting master Ed Orgeron) Kiffin has risen new hope in Knoxville that could lead UT back into SEC title contention in 3 years. Just imagine what he could do if he had a quarterback.

3. The SEC West will feature three 10 win teams. You expect a great season from LSU, and Alabama is bound to continue what they began last year. But Ole Miss, who came out of nowhere last year beating Florida and Texas Tech in a bowl game could easily finish with 10-plus wins with their rather pedestrian schedule. The Rebels don’t have to play Florida this season, and they get Alabama and LSU both at home.

 

THREE GUYS READY FOR DRAFT DAY

 

1. Eric Berry, S, Tennessee- As if the Heisman promotions from his own school aren’t telling enough, perhaps a NCAA leading 7 picks last year and a plaque proclaiming him SEC Defensive POY will convince you. Berry is an absolute freak on the field, and is practically a shoe-in as a top 10 pick, if not higher.

   

   Eric Berry hits hard, plays hard, and will most likely be the first DB taken in the 2010 draft. (Photo courtesy of media.scout.com)

2. Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida- The 6′3, 258 pound linebacker is a ball hawk and a physical specimen. He was a key to the Gators title run last year, helping them finish in the top ten nationally in defense.

3. Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama- If you want to talk about size, talk about Cody. Standing at 6′5 and weighing in at a hefty 365 pounds, he wreaks havoc on offensive linemen. He may not get a ton of sacks, but helps defenses by forcing double and even triple coverage.

 

THREE “CAN’T MISS GAMES”

 

1. Virginia Tech vs. Alabama, September 5- Could be the best non-conference game nationally this year. More to prove for the Hokies, but another dismantling of a quality ACC team for Bama could set precedent for another huge year.

2. Florida at LSU, October 10- If Florida is to lose a game this year, this would be the most likely one for a collapse. Most likely a night game on the Bayou, expect more of a defensive battle this year than last year’s 51-21 thrashing by Florida provided.

3. Alabama at Ole Miss, October 10- Huge West battle with big implications. Should LSU lose to Florida, winner of this game may have clear path to West division title.

 

 

THREE THINGS WE WON’T SEE THIS YEAR

 

1. Nick Saban wearing a hounds tooth hat. Even after an incredible season, folks in Tuscaloosa aren’t quite ready to proclaim Saban as the next Bear Bryant. One thing’s for sure though, he’s well on his way to earning that prestigious comparison. Saban coached the Tide to a phenomenal 12-2 record last year, falling short of the SEC Title to Florida. This year, according to rivals.com, Saban has pulled in the top recruiting class in the SEC. Until there’s national titles won, Saban won’t be “the Bear” quite yet. Will he stick around long enough to make that happen?

   

   Saban is quickly turning Alabama into one of the nation's best programs. Will he stay long enough to lead the Tide to a title? (Photo courtesy of nydailytimes.com)

2. Urban Meyer sending Lane Kiffin SEC championship game tickets. The Florida/UT rivalry took a big hit in recent years with the Gators’ complete domination over the Vols, winning 4 straight. Then came the ax of Phil Fulmer, and young Lane Kiffin took the reigns, immediately rekindling the trash-talking relationship with Florida. Now he’s even putting UT billboards in Florida, in an impressive attempt to steal recruits. If UT’s talent can match up to the boldness of it’s coach, the Vols may make that late September matchup with Florida a rivalry again.

3. A top-tier SEC school play USC. Despite all the great bowl matchups we’ve seen in recent years, we’ve yet to see one we really want: an upper-crust SEC team face off against Southern Cal. With USC expected to have a down year (and by down, I mean maybe 2 or 3 losses instead of just one), the chances aren’t great we’ll see that this year. The best chance we’ve got to see it is a playoff system, but that just wouldn’t make any sense, would it?

 

THREE REASONS TO WATCH THE SEC

 

1. New Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen. Mullen comes over from Florida where he served as the offensive coordinator. He’ll bring that spread offense over to MSU that helped Florida rack up nearly 44 points a game last year. The Bulldogs may not be great this season, but given time, Mullen could turn Miss. St. into a contender in the next few years in the SEC West.

2. Tennessee’s revival of relevance. Don’t look for big upsets this year, but Kiffiin is a young dynamo that has already pulled in an impressive recruiting class. UT has largely been an afterthought in the SEC in recent years, even in 2007 when they backed their way into the SEC title game. Now the Vols seem to have landed a coach to help them compete with the other stalwarts in the league. Will the Vols of the 2010’s match the Vols of the 1990’s?

3. Because it’s the best football conference in the nation. There’s a reason ESPN was clamoring to sign a multi-year television deal with the SEC. The conference features the best teams with the best players on any given Saturday. I’m as much of an ACC homer as they come, but you won’t find a Duke or Virginia or Maryland game featured on Saturday prime-time. Virtually every SEC team has been featured during a Saturday night game over the past 2 years. Yes, even Vanderbilt.

 

BOWL QUALIFIERS

Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama, Ole Miss, LSU, Auburn

 

 

The Remedy for Gamecock Football

Since 1992, the South Carolina Gamecocks have consistently brought mediocrity to an otherwise strong football conference in the SEC. The scary reality is that the potential is there for the Cocks to find relevance. As a die-hard Clemson Tiger fan, nothing satisfies me more than to swim in the vastness that is Gamecock football failures. However, I’m here (for this one time at least) to offer a helping hand. A bit of advice that may seem strange to fans who flock to Williams-Brice six Saturdays a year to root on the garnet and black. A decision so confusing and unreasonable that it may just make perfect sense.

 

It’s time to fire Steve Spurrier.

 

Okay, so maybe right this second isn’t the time to relieve him of his visor tossing sideline antics, but let’s look at the bigger picture. When Carolina lured Spurrier away from a lush life of golf and leisure, the college football world couldn’t have been more shocked. Sure, the Lou Holtz hiring was pretty impressive, and he did deliver decent recruiting classes and back-to-back bowl wins over Ohio State. But when the big fish of Steve Spurrier was reeled back into the SEC East boat, Gamecock fans couldn’t help but think this was the start of something special. Or was it?

 

After 4 seasons at the helm, Spurrier is a paltry 28-22. In his entire college coaching career, he has 62 losses. In other words, over a third of his losses have come at South Carolina. That’s not necessarily an indictment on the football program. After all, Spurrier is known as a world class recruiter (ranking at an average of 21^st nationally from 2005-09) and certainly has coaching abilities that few others can claim. However, the hopes of escaping the bleak doldrums of football mediocrity with the hiring of Spurrier have all but vanished, and now the mere satisfaction of having a nationally recognized coach in spite of his lackluster efforts has appeased most fans.

 

That’s not to say Spurrier’s tenure in Columbia has been all bad. He does have an 8 win season under his belt, as well as a bowl victory over…Houston. He has beaten SEC rivals Florida, Georgia and Tennessee (twice). In 2007 they climbed into the AP top ten for only the second time since 1988. Things were going well for the Gamecocks. Then the wheels fell off, as the Cocks lost 5 straight games, dropping them to 6-6 and short of a bowl game.

 

How long should Gamecock fan shave to wait for the Spurrier magic to kick in? (Photo courtesy of nytimes.com)

The 2007 is just one alarming example that perhaps the Genius in the Visor may just be past his prime. Consecutive losses to SEC doormat Vanderbilt, less-than-stellar performances against cupcake teams like Wofford and UAB, and multiple disciplinary issues have cast a shadow over the man who owned SEC football in the nineties.

 

Another glaring fact that further drives home this point is the anemic offense. Last year, Carolina ranked 97^th nationally in total offense, 96^th in scoring. Sure, the defense was great, but is that why Spurrier was brought in? To build a great defense?

 

Maybe the Ol’ Ball Coach deserves one last shot. After all, this is the year where the entire team are his recruits, and highly touted ones at that. For example, quarterback Stephen Garcia, wideout Jason Barnes, defensive end Cliff Matthews, and free safety Chris Culliver should all be shoe-ins as starters at their respective positions. No question these kids had talent in high school and no one doubted Spurrier’s ability to draw in big talent. The bigger question to ponder here is this: has the game pass Spurrier by? Can he still coach the kids like he did back when SEC titles were the norm, and New Year’s Bowl games were expected?

 

If the answer is no, Gamecock football best direct it’s attention to it’s basketball program’s idea of starting fresh. Darrin Horn, a young unheralded coach from Western Kentucky, was hired to lead the men’s basketball squad, and all he did was lead the team to a SEC East co-championship. When former coach Dave Odom stepped down, the athletic department didn’t chase Bob Knight. They didn’t dredge up talks with Bobby Cremins. They went with a young guy with talent.

 

SEC football has never been more difficult. Between the recruiting wars and constant rearranging of offensive concepts, teams are fighting to keep up with the Joneses. Or in this case, the Sabans, Meyers, and Les Miles of the league.

 

Give him a season. See if Spurrier can reclaim so swamp magic with Garcia at QB and get the offense on track. 8 wins are definitely a possibility, but if the team settles in at it’s usual 6-7 win rate in a league that gets more competitive by the hour, maybe it’s time Gamecock fans start thinking to the future instead of breathing off the fumes of a coaching legend’s past.

2009 Big 12 Football Preview

BIG 12 PREVIEW

 

(Each of my conference previews are determined in part by using a simple formula using certain nine variables to determine a teams ability to win games. These nine categories are as follows: Quarterback, RB/WR/TE, Offensive Line, DE/LB, Secondary, Coaching, Schedule Difficulty, Home Field Advantage, and Player Experience. Each team is ranked in descending order according to their strength in these areas. For example, the team in a conference with the best QB will be given a one, the second best rated team by QB will be given a 2, and on down through the remaining teams in that conference. This formula goes on for all categories. After all categories and teams are ranked, those rankings are added up to give the team’s a total score. The lower the score, the more likely a team will be successful this year and win more games than teams with higher overall scores. By no means is it an exact science, just my personal predictions for the upcoming season.)

 

 

Last year we saw a Top 25 dominance by the Big 12 not seen in years. 7 Big 12 teams were Top 25 mainstays during various times of the season. However, the parity in the league was limited to the South division for the most part. Who will emerge as the big dog from the Big 12 this year?

 

THREE BOLD PREDICTIONS

 

1. Baylor will end the longest “bowl-less” streak in the nation. The Bears of Baylor, long known for football futility, seem to have finally righted the ship under the leadership of Art Briles. Now entering his 7^th season, Briles has all the pieces in place to make a run for a bowl. It’s been 14 years since that’s happened at Baylor, a streak that ties Duke for the longest without making a bowl game. 18 returning starters and perhaps the best sophomore QB in the nation (Robert Griffin) will lead Baylor back to a bowl.

2. Texas QB Colt McCoy will be drafted higher than Sam Bradford.  Numbers may not prove it, but of these 2 quartebacks, McCoy is the best. Overall stats won’t show it, but to really determine it, look at the numbers of the QBs amongst their toughest competition. Against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Ohio State, McCoy averaged 361 yards passing and a 78.2 completion percentage per game. He also threw for 5 touchdowns and only 2 picks during those 3 games. Give me the QB that plays better against tough competition. 
   

   McCoy has all the abilities to be a start at the next level. (Photo courtesy of austinchronicle.com)

     

3. Oklahoma State, not Oklahoma, will be the bigger test for Texas. The Cowboys proved their manhood last year, finishing the year with 9 wins and ranked 6^th nationally in total offense. They return the core of their offense, including QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, and Heisman dark horse WR Dez Bryant. This ‘Boys will have plenty of steam to throw up big points on the board, and have what it takes to knock out their rival Sooners.

 

THREE GUYS READY FOR DRAFT DAY

 

1. Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State- Phenomenal talent. Bryant caught 87 passes last year for 1,480 yards. 19 of those 87 were for touchdowns. If he can remain healthy (he suffered a knee injury in the Holiday Bowl) then there’s no reason he can’t finish with over 100 catches, 20 touchdowns, and be the first WR taken in the draft.

2. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas- As I mentioned earlier, when it comes to big games, McCoy is a master. His scrambling ability is also key. His 76.7% completion percentage from 2008 is a NCAA record. Can be a first-year starter for a NFL team.

3. Ndamukong Suh, DE, Nebraska- The only thing tougher than pronouncing his name is his defensive ability. This guy is a ball hawk, and can rip through any offensive line. He had 7.4 sacks last year, as well as 19 tackles-for-loss. He’s improved each year, so expect his senior season to be a true breakout year for this nose tackle.

    

    

   

   Suh will give Big 12 quaterbacks nightmares this season. (Photo courtesy of daylife.com)

    

THREE “CAN’T MISS GAMES”

 

1. Georgia at Oklahoma State, September 5- First game for Cowboys is a big test. If they can win this one, it will open eyes across the nation. The Boys are for real.

2. Texas vs. Oklahoma, October 17-

   The Red River Shootout at the Texas State Fair is always a barn burner. This year, look for Texas to walk away winners again. If they don’t, there’s a big shakeup in the Big 12 South. 

   

   Screw the petting zoo and ferris wheel at the state fair, give me football! (Photo courtesy of sbnation.com)

    

3. Texas at Oklahoma State, October 31- Should both teams make it here undefeated, this could be a BCS Title play-in game.

 

THREE THINGS WE WON’T SEE THIS YEAR

1. Missouri win the Big 12 North. Losing stud QB Chase Daniel was bad enough, but returning only 10 starters from last year’s Big 12 North title team is even worse. The Tigers have a manageable schedule, but with the other Big 12 North teams improving, look for a season to forget for Mizzou.

2. Texas Tech’s offense to slow down. A lot of people think losing Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree would doom the Red Raiders to failure in 2009, but I see quite the opposite. The system Mike Leach put in place is one to assure lots of passing and lots of points. New QB Taylor Potts will have some struggles, but will still put up huge numbers for Tech. There is a bit of a drop off at wide receiver, but not enough to where the Raiders can’t win 8 or 9 games.

3. Patience from Aggie fans (if there’s no bowl this year). There were some (okay…a lot) of Texas A&M fans who questioned the hire of Mike Sherman, one that seemed more like “settling” than anything else. In his first season, he did little to satisfy his detractors. 7 of the team’s 8 losses were by 14 or more points, and the one loss that was close was to (gulp) Arkansas State. Ouch. Still, returning 17 players has fans feeling some good things about this year’s team. Competing in the Southern division of the Big 12, however, won’t make things easy for Sherman to avoid the hot seat.

 

THREE REASONS TO WATCH THE BIG 12

 

1. The Race for the South. If things pan out the way many experts are predicting, we could see the best 3-team race for a division in years. Texas is the slight favorite, with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State not far behind. The wealth of offensive talent from these three teams alone make the Big 12 worth tuning in to this season.

2. The future of NFL quarterbacks. Sure, the numbers are a bit inflated in a league that seemingly plays no defense. But you can’t ignore what Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford have done the past few years. Add on to those guys lesser-known QB potential “studs” like Kansas’ Todd Reesing, Oklahoma State’s Zac Robinson, and Baylor’s Robert Griffin, and the field generals of the Big 12 look like future Sunday regulars.

3. Bill Snyder’s return to Kansas State. Anyone who has followed college football knows just how good Kansas State used to be. In his 17 years of coaching at Kansas State, Snyder won 136 games, including 3 Big 12 North titles and a Big 12 conference title. Now with Snyder back at the helm, hopes are reignited among Wildcat faithful. If Snyder manages 6 wins this year, K-State fans should be pleased.

 

BOWL QUALIFIERS

Texas, Oklahoma St., Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Baylor, Kansas, Colorado, Kansas St., Nebraska

 

 

Your College Bowl Viewing Guide and Prognostications

Unsure of what games to watch and what to ignore this upcoming bowl season?  Not to worry!  Yours truly has taken the time to weed out the snoozers and help ensure you don’t waste your time on meaningless games.  As some general rules of thumb, note the following:

-Games that include teams that you A) don’t know the names of any players, or B) don’t know any coaches, or C) you can’t even name any notable alumni from either school, those bowls are best avoided.

-Bowls named after food or companies that make food are generally good games. 

-Any bowl named after a website is likely not worth viewing.

-Yes, it is okay to continue to refer to the Chik-fil-A Bowl as the Peach Bowl.  Because dang it, that’s the way any SEC or ACC fan will always think of it, and you should too.

Now I’ve broken the bowls down into 4 categories, ranging from the worst games to watch to the best ones.  Now, on to the bowls!

 

The “I Forgot The Game Was Even On” Bowls

EAGLE BANK BOWL- Wake Forest vs. Navy

It’s rare to have a bowl game set up to rematch a regular season game, but that’s what we have here.  Navy won in Winston-Salem earlier this year thanks to some Demon Deac turnovers.  I think Jim Grobe has his team turned around here though and ready to play.  Wake Forest 27, Navy 24

NEW MEXICO BOWL- Colorado St. vs. Fresno St.

Colorado St. suprised some with 6 wins and a bowl bid in Steve Fairchild’s first year.  Meanwhile Fresno disappointed after many believed they were the BCS buster team to beat this year.  Fresno St. 37, Colorado St. 28

MAGIC JACK ST. PETERSBURG BOWL- Memphis vs. South Florida

Like Fresno, USF is another disappointing team.  Memphis is accustomed to playing in these lame duck bowls, but USF expects more now.  Look out for an emotionally letdown Bulls team to struggle.  Memphis 44, USF 41

R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL- Southern Miss vs. Troy

Was there really not another company that could sponsor this bowl?  Sheesh, talk about lame.  Troy’s got a stingy D, and that may be the difference in this one.  Troy 26, So. Miss. 13

MOTOR CITY BOWL- Fla. Atlantic vs. Cent. Michigan

As fun as a trip to Detroit in late-December sounds, you gotta think the Owls would like to be a bit closer to home.  Look for a shootout between two exciting QBs.  CMU 41, FAU 38

INDEPENDENCE BOWL- No. Illinois vs. La. Tech

The city of Shreveport will be asking Santa to place some extra coal in the SEC’s stocking this year, as their ineptitude at getting 8 bowl eligible teams has forced the Independence Bowl to take No. Illinois instead.  Give a slight edge to the home-state team.  La. Tech 37, No. Illinois 31

PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL- NC State vs. Rutgers

How the papajohns.com bowl doesn’t get played at Papa Johns Stadium is beyond confusing, but I digress.  Rutgers is down a bit this year, and struggled to get into a bowl.  NC State did as well, but after their start, any bowl bid granted was a nice consolation.  Tom O’Brien has the Pack playing well.  NC State 28, Rutgers 17

ROADY’S HUMANITARIAN BOWL- Maryland vs. Nevada

The Smurf Turf Bowl features the nation’s best rushing attack.  Nevada should be able to run all day on the Terps.  Question is will the Terps be able to keep up?   Nevada 31, Maryland 24

TEXAS BOWL- West. Michigan vs. Rice

One of the best passing offenses (Rice) vs. one of the worst pass defenses (WMU).  You do the math.  Rice 38, WMU 30

INSIGHT.COM BOWL- Kansas vs. Minnesota

Kansas certainly hoped for more, but none the less this could be an interesting game.  Minnesota played very well at times this year, but got bombed 55-0 in their finale against Iowa.  I give Kansas a slight edge.  Kansas 24, Minnesota 21

GMAC BOWL-  Ball St. vs. Toledo

What do Alex Rodriguez and Cardinal’s QB Nate Davis have in common?  Neither are clutch performers.  Davis was personally responsible for 5 turnovers in their MAC title game loss to Buffalo.  After that loss, this bowl game lost all interest it had to begin with (which was very little).  Toledo 34, Ball St. 28

 

The “I’ll Watch It If There Are No Reruns Of The Office, Family Guy, or Madden Nation On” Bowls

HAWAII BOWL- Hawaii vs. Notre Dame

So let me get this right: the Irish such it up, have an awful season, get a lame bowl bid, and STILL get a trip to Hawaii?  Something’s not right.  Hawaii isn’t the same team we’re used to either.  The Irish may actually win.  Notre Dame 26, Hawaii 23

ARMED FORCES BOWL- Houston vs. Air Force

Dynamic passing vs. dynamic running.  Passing score more quick points.  Houston 45, Air Force 39

BRUT SUN BOWL- Oregon St. vs. Pittsburgh

The Beavers were a Civil War win away from a rematch with Penn St. in the Rose Bowl.  Instead OSU gets to go to a bowl named after a cologne cheap enough for Wal-Mart to stock.  Nice.  Oregon St. 31, Pitt 27

MUSIC CITY BOWL-  Boston College vs. Vandy

Bowls just aren’t fair.  BC makes it to the ACC title game for the second straight year, yet gets stuck playing in a lame bowl in Nashville.  Vandy makes it to their first bowl since 1749, and they don’t even get to leave town.  Blech!  BC 27, Vandy 20

ORANGE BOWL- Cincinnati vs. Va. Tech

Yes, I know this is a BCS game, and as much as I want to see the ACC do well, the fact is as long as the Big East is sorta lame at football too, this game will have little meaning.  Still I like what Cincy has done under Brian Kelly, but VT has an incredibly talented defense to be so young.  VT 20, Cincy 14

LIBERTY BOWL- Kentucky vs. East Carolina

Kentucky has been a rather ho-hum SEC team this year, not having any big wins, but have remained competitive for the most part.  ECU shocked the world with beating VT, and managed to win the C-USA.  I think they come in a little more ready to play.  ECU 23, Kentucky 14

The “Worth At Least A Bag Of Popcorn” Bowls

LAS VEGAS BOWL- BYU vs. Arizona

BYU has been a consistent team all year.  Arizona seems to be finding it’s way back to football relevance.  Should be an interesting game to watch.  BYU 31, Arizona 29

MEINIKE CARE CARE BOWL- North Carolina vs. West Virginia

What has happened to the Mountaineers?  They were Big East title shoe-ins before this season started.  Now a bowl loss will leave many WVU fans questioning the Bill Stewart hire.  And just imagine how could the Tar Heels would have been if they had a healthy offense all season?  UNC 27, WVU 26

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL- Wisconsin vs. Florida St.

Bobby Bowden would like to get back to top ten status at some point before he retires.  This year’s team was certainly better than last year’s, and they get to play a downtrodden Wisconsin team, one of the most disappointing squads in Division I this year.  Florida St. 25, Wisconsin 18

EMERALD BOWL- Miami vs. California

The Hurricanes are slowly righting the ship, but a long trip out west against a very talented Cal team may prove to be too big a test for this young team to handle.  Cal 34, Miami 21

ALAMO BOWL- Missouri vs. Northwestern

Two exciting offenses matchup here, with a great passing attack against a strong running game.  Mizzou wanted more than this out of their season, but won’t turn down a chance to beat a Big 10 team.  Mizzou 37, N’western 28

HOLIDAY BOWL- Oklahoma St. vs. Oregon

The potent Cowboy offense will have to keep up with an equally impressive Duck offense.  The running game of Kendall Hunter proves to be the difference in this one.  Oklahoma St. 42, Oregon 37

OUTBACK BOWL- S. Carolina vs. Iowa

It should be fun to see the SEC’s best defense try to stop one of the best runners in the nation (Iowa’s Shon Greene).  We all know the track record of the SEC vs. Big 10.  I think Iowa plucks one away from the Ol’ Ball Coach here, however.  Iowa 23, S. Carolina 21

CAPITAL ONE BOWL- Georgia vs. Michigan St.

Another SEC/Big 10 showdown.  Can UGa shut down Javon Ringer?  I think this will be a close one, but the better QB wins.  That QB is Matthew Stafford.  Georgia 31, Mich. St. 28

SUGAR BOWL- Utah vs. Alabama

Another BCS game not making our top-tier of bowls.  Bama was one quarter away from playing for all the marbles.  Instead, they get the chance to flex their muscle and hand a non-BCS school their first loss of the season.  Consider mission accomplished.  Oh, and go ahead and mark Bama vs. Florida in next year’s SEC title game as well.  Alabama 30, Utah 17

INTERNATIONAL BOWL- Buffalo vs. UConn

Yep, that’s right.  A game not even played on U.S. soil makes it this far up the list.  That’s because Buffalo, who hasn’t been to a bowl since, well, bowls were invented, is the MAC champion.  They’ll get to matchup against the nation’s top rusher in Donald Brown.  Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I was eager to see a MAC team play.  Buffalo 17, UConn 15

The “Order Me An Extra-Large Pizza Fully Loaded and a Twelve Pack of Mountain Dew Code Red and Don’t Dare Touch The TV for The Next 4 Hours” Bowls

POINSETTIA BOWL- Boise St. vs. TCU

It’s rare a non-BCS team bowl matchup brings such excitement, but with two teams as impressive as these are, you should mark your calendars to watch it.  Why?  First, Boise St. is undefeated.  Secondly, both teams are ranked in the top 11.  Third, Boise has the nation’s 13th best offense while TCU has the 2nd best defense.  This WILL be a good game, and maybe even the best bowl of them all.  TCU 24, Boise St. 22

CHIK-FIL-A, errr…PEACH BOWL- LSU vs. Ga. Tech

Boy did LSU fall off the map.  And just as quick as they did, Georgia Tech jumped on it.  After drubbing in-state rivals Georgia, the Ramblin’ Wreck hopes to accomplish a SEC fan’s worst nightmare: beat two huge SEC schools back-to-back.  Les Miles, good luck with stopping Jonathan Dwyer and the triple-option.  Ga. Tech 31, LSU 25

GATOR BOWL- Clemson vs. Nebraska

Go ahead, call me a homer, placing this game so high up the ladder.  First, you need to know the significance of this one.  This is the first meeting I believe of the two school’s since Clemson’s Orange Bowl win over the Huskers in 1981 to win the national championship.  Two months ago, Tiger fans would’ve been happy with any bowl.  Two first year coaches meet head-to-head.  Which QB will step up?  Cullen Harper or Joe Ganz?  Clemson 28, Nebraska 22

ROSE BOWL- Penn St. vs. USC

It’s hard to figure just how good Penn State is after their upset loss to Iowa.  They’ll matchup with the kings of the west and one of the best defenses around.  Not to mention it’s basically a home game for USC.  USC 39, Penn St. 24

COTTON BOWL- Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech

How Graham Harrell gets excluded from the Heisman list is beyond me, but here’s his chance to prove his worth (again).  Ole Miss has been a surprise team this year, and is looking to gain national exposure with a win over former BCS media darlings Texas Tech.  Texas Tech 40, Ole Miss 34

FIESTA BOWL- Texas vs. Ohio St.

So Mack Brown, your team beat Oklahoma on neutral ground by 10 points, and you didn’t get in the BCS title game?  Yep, it’s a messed up world.  But here’s your chance to prove you belong in Miami by hammering Ohio State.  Can Terelle Pryor show up in the clutch?   Texas 35, Ohio St. 24

BCS TITLE GAME- Florida vs. Oklahoma

This may be one of the best title game matchups we’ve seen in a while.  Certainly the best one since USC/Texas from a few years back.  Florida is just sick with talent and speed on both sides of the ball.  Oklahoma will hang 60 on anybody, no questions asked.  First one to 70 wins?  Okay, maybe not that much scoring, but it should be exciting to watch.

Florida 45, Oklahoma 41