2013 Mini-Preview

    It has been a very long time since I have posted on here. However, I intend to continue my weekly updates for all of the college football, as I did last season. As the kickoff of the 2013 season begins in a few hours, here is my pre-season top 25 poll, along with a mini-preview for each team.

Top 25

1. Alabama - Poised for another title, someone needs to knock them off.

2. Ohio State - They're on their way, but not quite talented enough to knock off the SEC's best.

3. Oregon - Don't expect many bumps from Kelly's departure.

4. Georgia - Explosive offense will be interesting against the tough defense's in the SEC.

5. Clemson - Ready to break away from underachieving stereotype, dark horse title contender.

6. Texas AM - Off field distractions could derail this team, but should be able to contend.

7. Stanford - Could this be the year? Hopes are high, but championship might be out of reach.

8. South Carolina- While youthful, has experience where it matters most. SEC title dark horse.

9. Louisville - Cupcake schedule will help them, but if not careful will get tripped up.

10. Florida State - Appears to be them and Clemson for the top of the ACC.

11. Michigan - Better than most people think, good chance for BCS bowl berth.

12. LSU - Easily could surprise. Don't count them out vs Alabama.

13. Florida - Will need better QB play to get into BCS. Defense will carry team.

14. Oklahoma State - Out of OU's shadow, OSU is ready to take back the Big 12 title.

15. Notre Dame - Won't be as good as last year, brutal schedule once again.

16. Texas - All offense this year, will look like the rest of the Big 12.

17. Oklahoma - Will look to rebound from a down year.

18. UCLA - Looking to take the next step, Bruins could steal a Pac 12 title if it falls right.

19. Boise State - MWC is tougher, and BSU may find themselves unraked when its over.

20. TCU - Will bounce back from down year and could get a share of Big 12 title.

21. Northwestern - After a great 10-win season, should repeat that total this year.

22. Nebraska - Offense is there, will need defense to step it up after late season collapse.

23. USC - A couple years away, but needs 9+ wins to save Kiffen's job.

24. Oregon State - Could pull surprises, but stuck behind STAN and ORE in Pac 12 North.

25. Wisconsin - After sneaking into Rose Bowl last season, will push on with new coach.


Next 12 In:

26. Michigan State
27. Northern Illinois
28. Kansas State
29. Baylor
30. Virginia Tech
31. Arizona State
32. Washington
33. Miami (FL)
34. Fresno State
35. Vanderbilt
36. Utah State
37. Arizona

College Football Week 11 Recap

    The college football season is winding down, but the action is only heating up as conference races are becoming more clear.

    The five bowl-eligible undefeated teams were cut down to just three. #10 Louisville had an ugly loss to Syracuse. The Cardinals were not in much discussion of the national title yet, but the loss derails any hopes of it. A BCS-berth is still in the mix though.

Texas A&  M quarterback Johnny Manziel

    But the biggest upset was #1 Alabama's loss to #15 Texas A& M. The Aggies were under question as to whether they could compete in the nation's best conference. They solidified themselves in the SEC with a win over one of the most dominate teams with the win over Alabama. 

    Aggie's freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel's play has given him national attention, but he has had games similar to this one many times this season. Manziel, who was just a 3-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com, has taken college football by storm and has a very bright, Heisman-type, future ahead of him.

     With the losses by Alabama and Louisville, it leaves Kansas State, Notre Dame, and Oregon as the only undefeated teams renaming  Ohio State still is 10-0 but is intelligible for the postseason. It would be very interesting to see how the Buckeyes would be viewed with the other three if they were bowl eligible. But as for the other three, there is no clear-cut decision on who the best two are.

    Notre Dame has played the toughest schedule this season, and the only tough game left is vs. USC. The Irish have impressive wins over Michigan State, Michigan, Miami (FL), Stanford, BYU, and Oklahoma. But there are some close wins that could hurt them to Purdue and a 3OT win over Pittsburgh.

    Oregon has the toughest remaining schedule, with games vs Stanford, Oregon State, and Pac-12 South champion. That game will either be vs. UCLA or USC, who play each other this Saturday. Oregon already has a win over USC this year but has not played UCLA. Schedule wise, the Ducks have wins over Arizona, Washington, and USC - quite a few less then Notre Dame. Wins over Stanford and Oregon State, along with a Pac 12 championship win, will close that gap however.

    Kansas State also has tough games coming up vs. Baylor and Texas. The Big 12 has been brutal to teams, and Kansas State has been the only one to avoid a loss. Impressive wins include Miami (FL), Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and TCU. A win over Texas will add to that list.

    In the end, I see all three of these teams winning out. That is where serious problems arise. All have a good case for a spot in the big game. Oregon is the best team in my opinion, and second is Notre Dame. That would create the best-possible title game at this point. A loss to one of these schools will clear up a lot of confusion, and like what we saw happen to #2 Oklahoma State last year, you can't sleep on any of these remaining opponents.


Top 25

1. Oregon 10-0
2. Notre Dame 10-0
3. Kansas State 10-0
4. Ohio State 10-0
5. Georgia 9-1
6. Florida State 9-1
7. Florida 9-1
8. Alabama 9-1
9. Texas A&M 8-2
10. Clemson 9-1
11. LSU 8-2
12. Stanford 8-2
13. South Carolina 8-2
14. Oklahoma 7-2
15. Texas 8-2
16. Nebraska 8-2
17. Louisiana Tech 9-1
18. USC 7-3
19. UCLA 8-2
20. Kent State 9-1
21. Louisville 9-1
22. Oregon State 7-2
23. Kent State 9-1
24. Michigan 7-3
25. Texas Tech 7-3

Next 5 In:

Northern Illinois 9-1
Central Florida 8-2
Cincinnati 7-2
Wisconsin 7-3
Rutgers 8-1

Other Schools to Watch:

Northwestern 7-3
Tulsa 8-2
Boise State 8-2
San Diego State 8-3
Ohio 8-2
Toledo 8-2
Mississippi State 7-3
Utah State 8-2
San Jose State 8-2


What To Watch

Toledo (8-2) @ Northern Illinois (9-1)
Wednesday, 9:00pm ET, ESPN2

Quietly, the MAC is having its best season as a conference in a long time. Toledo and Northern Illinois are two of the top teams in the conference, and they will have a big clash this Wednesday. A win for Northern Illinois clinches the MAC West division and puts them in Detroit for the MAC title game, and they should clinch that with a win over the Rockets.

Northern Illinois 45 Toldeo 37

Rutgers (8-1) @ Cincinnati (7-2)
12:00pm ET, Big East Network/ESPN3

Rutgers does not have a conference loss this year, and that gives them the small edge over Louisville for the Big East championship. But will that hold? This Cincinnati Bearcats squad is one of the most underrated in the country, and they should drop Rutgers.

Cincinnati 31 Rutgers 20

#18 USC (7-3) @ #19 UCLA (8-2)
3:05pm ET, FOX

A loss for USC will ruin all hopes the Trojans have for a BCS-berth, and they desperately need a win here. UCLA has quietly had a very good season, but USC is just too powerfull. They may not have played to their full abilities this season, but they should this week and take down their rival.

USC 48 UCLA 27

#12 Stanford (8-2) @ #1 Oregon (10-0)
8:00pm ET, ABC

The two best teams in the Pac-12 North go at it, and Oregon's explosive offense should give them another win on their way to the title game. Stanford will put up a fight, but this one won't be very close.

Oregon 56 Stanford 39


Other Predictions

Ball State 35 Ohio 26
North Carolina 28 Virginia 19
#4 Ohio State 27 Wisconsin 17
Michigan State 24 Northwestern 20
#6 Florida State 38 Maryland 10
#24 Michigan 28 Iowa 14
#23 Kent State 27 Bowling Green 24
Central Florida 37 Tulsa 35
Mississippi St. 35 Arkansas 28
Washington 42 Colorado 17
Arizona State 37 Washington State 20
Miami (FL) 34 South Florida 21
Georgia Tech 17 Duke 15
#2 Notre Dame 24 Wake Forest 7
#11 LSU 31 Ole Miss 14
#16 Nebraska 37 Minnesota 14
#25 Texas Tech 37 Oklahoma State 31
#10 Clemson 31 NC State 13
Purdue 21 Illinois 14
#17 Louisiana Tech 44 Utah State 40
Missouri 36 Syracuse 34
#14 Oklahoma 34 West Virginia 28
#3 Kansas State 52 Baylor 27
UTEP 24 Southern Miss 14
Arizona 39 Utah 34
BYU 23 San Jose State 20
#22 Oregon State 35 California 27


BCS Bowl Projections:
Projections based on predicted team performance for rest of season.
* = At large selection

Championship: #1 Oregon over #3 Kansas State

Rose: #2 Notre Dame* over #16 Nebraska

Fiesta: #5 Georgia* over #14 Oklahoma*

Sugar: #8 Alabama over #10 Clemson*

Orange: #6 Florida State over #21 Louisville


   

College Football Week 9 Recap

    The season presses on as we head into week 10 and have a look back on a big week 9.

    #4 Notre Dame took on #9 Oklahoma and proved all doubters wrong with a very strong showing, beating the Sooners 30-13. The Irish have played the hardest schedule this season, and are now 8-0. There are people, however, that have said they have not played anyone, and their record is a fluke.

Notre Dame QB Everette Gholson

    But the Irish have wins vs. Michigan State, Michigan, Miami (FL) #13 Stanford, BYU, and now have one over #14 Oklahoma. All critics should be silenced, and Notre Dame should win it's next four games vs. Pitt, Boston College, Wake Forest, and #16 USC.  Note Dame has the best chance out of the other three undefeated schools with legit title hopes (Alabama, Oregon, and Kansas State), to win out, and they have taken a stake in the national title talks.

    Former #3 Florida was taken down by Georgia, and could quite possibly ruin the Gator's title hopes. #14 Oregon State was upset by Washington, and the Beavers title hopes are gone as well. I think Oregon State was always overrated, and the high rankings in the BCS and AP polls were way too high to me. The loss brings them back down, and the Huskies get a much-needed conference win.

    #6 USC lost all their title hopes too to a crushing defeat to Arizona. The Trojans play #2 Oregon this weekend and hope to salvage a spot in the BCS.


Top 25

1. Alabama 8-0
2. Oregon 8-0
3. Notre Dame 8-0
4. Kansas State 8-0
5. Ohio State 9-0
6. Georgia 7-1
7. LSU 7-1
8. Florida State 8-1
9. Florida 7-1
10. Clemson 7-1
11. Louisville 8-0
12. South Carolina 7-2
13. Stanford 6-2
14. Oklahoma 5-2
15. Texas AM 6-2
16. USC 6-2
17. Boise State 7-1
18. Mississippi State 7-1
19. Texas Tech 6-2
20. Texas 6-2
21. Nebraska 6-2
22. Oregon State 6-1
23. Arizona 5-3
24. Louisiana Tech 7-1
25. Oklahoma State 5-2

Next 5 In:

West Virginia 5-2
Kent State 7-1
Michigan 5-2
UCLA 6-2
Toledo 8-1

Dropped Out:

Rutgers (#17)
Michigan (#20)
NC State (#21)
Ohio (#23)
West Virginia (#25)


Non-BCS schools to watch:

Tulsa 7-1
Northern Illinois 8-1
Louisiana-Monroe 6-2
Utah State 7-2
Ohio 7-1
San Jose State 6-2

What To Watch:

#15 Texas AM (6-2) @ #18 Mississippi St. (7-1)
12:00 pm ET, ESPN

Mississippi State was blown out of the water by Alabama, and they will look to show they are an elite force in the SEC. Texas AM will try to continue their winning streak. The Aggies will make it close, but Mississippi State is just too good, and will shut down the Aggies' high powered offense.

Prediction: Mississippi St. 24 TAMU 16

TCU (5-3) @ West Virginia (5-2)
3:00pm ET, FOX

It's now or never for West Virginia to salvage this season, and now or never for Geno Smith to get back into the Heisman race. Smith's season reminds of Baylor's RGIII last year. He started off very strong but abruptly fell off the map, as did his team. But then he came back at the end, won the Heisman, and the #2 pick in the draft. That very well could be the same for Smith this year, and it could start this week. A bye should help West Virginia get the W.

Prediction: West Virginia 35 TCU 21

#2 Oregon (8-0) @ #16 USC (6-2)
7:00 pm ET, FOX

The two best teams in the PAC 12 square off in Pasadena, and the Ducks have a lot to prove as they have been passed over in favor of Kansas State and Notre Dame in most polls. A big win over a down Trojan squad will go a long way. USC has a good chance of a win here, but Oregon has the upper-hand. 

Prediction: Oregon 47 USC 44

#1 Alabama (8-0) @ #7 LSU (7-1)
8:00 pm ET, CBS

A rematch of last year's title game - this will be Alabama's hardest game of the season so far, and LSU needs a win to keep their title hopes alive. It should be another low scoring game, but Alabama has a better offense. They also have a slightly better defense, and they should roll over LSU like they did last January. 

Prediction: Alabama 13 LSU 6

#25 Oklahoma State (5-2) @ #3 Kansas State (8-0)
8:00 pm ET, ABC

Kansas State has another test vs. a very good Big 12 school. The Wildcats should come away with another win, but we have seen all of the Big 12 beat up on each other week in and week out. It has been hard to distinguish a clear-cut favorite in the Big 12, but a win over the Cowboys could give K-State that label. Don't sleep on an Oklahoma State upset, but Kansas State should win this one. 

Prediction: Kansas State 51 Oklahoma State 41

#23 Arizona (5-3) @ UCLA (6-2)
10:30 pm ET, Pac-12 Network

You never know who will beat who in the Pac 12 this year, and aside from Oregon, the Pac 12 resembles the Big 12. Everyone is beating up on everyone else. Arizona is fresh off a huge win over #16 USC, and will try to also beat the Trogan's rival UCLA. The Bruins are a talented team though, and I am calling an upset here.

Prediction: UCLA 42 Arizona 36

Other Predictions:

Virginia Tech 27 Miami (FL) 21
Washington 27 California 24
#5 Ohio State 38 Illinois 25
Michigan State 24 #21 Nebraska 20
#9 Florida 35 Missouri 10
#14 Oklahoma 38 Iowa State 21
#11 Louisville 27 Temple 18
Michigan 42 Minnesota 7
ECU 36 Houston 30
Air Force 35 Army 26
Tennessee 38 Troy 14
Arkansas 36 Tulsa 28
Auburn 45 New Mexico State 14
Georgia Tech 24 Maryland 17
#13 Stanford 41 Colorado 7
Kent State 35 Akron 14
Utah 27 Washington State 14
#6 Georgia 28 Ole Miss 7
#3 Notre Dame 38 Pittsburgh 10
#20 Texas 38 #19 Texas Tech 36
#24 Louisiana Tech 49 UTSA 14
#10 Clemson 38 Duke 10
UCF 38 SMU 28
Southern Miss 24 UAB 13
#17 Boise State 24 San Diego State 10
#22 Oregon State 35 Arizona State 31
Ohio 42 Eastern Michigan 27

BCS Bowls Today:

Championship: #1 Alabama vs #2 Oregon

Rose: #21 Nebraska vs #3 Notre Dame

Fiesta: #4 Kansas State vs #13 Stanford

Sugar: #6 Georgia vs #10 Clemson

Orange: #8 Florida State vs #11 Louisville

College Football Week 5 Recap

    Week 5 proved to be one of the most exciting weekends of football so far, with upsets and many shoot-outs.

    #8 West Virginia and Baylor combined for 133 points, and West Virginia won 70-63. Mountaineer's quarterback Gino Smith is having an outstanding season, and he burst onto everyone's radar with his performance vs. Baylor. Smith threw for 656 yards, and eight touchdowns. He had more touchdown passes then incompletions, as he went 45/51.

Geno Smith, WVU Quarterback

    Baylor quarterback Nick Florence also had his own spectacular game, throwing for 581 yards, 5 touchdowns, and one interception. He was also 29/47.

    But the real hero was Smith, who now is my Heisman favorite. Smith not only has 1,728 yards thus far, and has 20 touchdowns and not one interception. Jaw-dropping numbers.

    #7 Texas and Oklahoma State also had their own shootout, and it came down to the wire. Texas pulled ahead and won 41-36, and did not fall victim to an upset like I had predicted. 

    Even the SEC got into the action with its own shootout. #6 Georgia beat Tennessee 51-44.

    In other games, #11 Stanford was upset by Washington on Thursday night. #15 Ohio State and #18 Michigan State had a close battle. Both teams were very evenly-matched, and the Buckeyes won 17-16. #5 South Carolina had troubles vs. Kentucky, and #3 LSU had problems verse Towson. 

    The Big 10's troubles continued, and only four teams are ranked this week. That is not what the Big 10 is accustomed to. To get a better sense of how bad the Big 10 is, Northwestern looks like they will be in the Big 10 Championship. Think of that, Northwestern could be the best team in the Big 10.

Top 25:

1. Alabama 5-0

2. Florida State 5-0

3. Oregon 5-0

4. LSU 5-0

5. Georgia 5-0

6. South Carolina 5-0

7. Texas 4-0

8. West Virginia 4-0

9. Notre Dame 4-0

10. USC 3-1

11. Kansas State 4-0

12. Ohio State 5-0

13. TCU 4-0

14. Oklahoma 2-1

15. Clemson 4-1

16. Louisville 5-0

17. Oregon State 3-0

18. Florida 4-0

19. Northwestern 4-0

20. Nebraska 4-1

21. Mississippi State 4-0

22. Stanford 3-1

23. Washington 3-1

24. Michigan State 3-2

25. Cincinnati 3-0

Next 5 In:

Rutgers 4-0

Michigan 2-2

Arizona State 4-1

Ohio 5-0

Texas Tech 4-0

Dropped Out:

Michigan (#23)

N.C. State (#21)

Boise State (#25)

What To Watch:

#10 USC (3-1) @ Utah (2-2)

Thursday, 9:00 pm ET, ESPN

The Trojans should pick up a big conference win here, against a down Utah squad. A win can get them back into the national scene.

Prediction: USC 42 Utah 14

#4 LSU (5-0) @ #18 Florida (4-0)

3:30 pm ET, CBS

I haven't jumped on the Florida bandwagon like most have this season, and this is where they have their first test. LSU has had some close games with Auburn and Towson but should roll here. Florida is not yet back as an SEC-contender, and this is the week LSU exposes the Gators's bluff.

Prediction: LSU 35 Florida 21

#14 Oklahoma (2-1) @ Texas Tech (4-0)

3:30 pm ET, ESPN2

Last year Texas Tech upset Oklahoma, and now they look to do it again. The Red Raiders are 4-0, and Oklahoma is coming off a bye week after a loss to Kansas State. The Sooners have looked overrated this year too, and Texas Tech may give them problems. 

Prediction: OU 34 TTU 14

#8 West Virginia (4-0) @ #7 Texas (4-0)

7:00 pm ET, FOX

Both teams are coming off high scoring games, but Texas's defense should keep Gino Smith from putting up those kind of numbers again. The argument many use against WVU is that they havn't played anyone. I don't think Baylor is nearly as good as some say they are, and Texas will be the first real test. This is where Gino Smith needs to have a huge game to stay in the Heisman race.

Prediction: Texas 40 WVU 33

#5 Georgia (5-0) @ #6 South Carolina (5-0)

7:00 pm ET, ESPN

Georgia and South Carolina are the top teams in the SEC East, and neither have shown anything this season to show they are better then the other. This could be the only way to distinguish who is the better team, and this one is a toss-up.

Prediction: South Car 37 UGA 34

#20 Nebraska (4-1) @ #12 Ohio State (5-0)
8:00 pm ET, ABC

Ohio State looks to get revenge for its meltdown against Nebraska last season. The Cornhuskers look to show they are the best team in the Big 10 with a win here. Ohio State proved they can play with top teams last week by beating Michigan State, and Nebraska took a while to get going vs. Wisconsin. Could go either way, but Ohio State has the revenge factor, and Braxton Miller is one of the top players in the country right now. The Buckeyes should match last years win total this Saturday.

Prediction: OSU 27 Neb 22

#23 Washington (3-1) @ #3 Oregon (5-0)

10:30 pm ET, ESPN

Washington shocked Stanford last week, but Oregon is the second best team in the Pac-12 and is head and shoulders above the Huskies. A lot of points will be scored, but the Ducks will still win by three touchdowns. Will look like Oregon's win last week vs. Washington State.

Prediction: ORE 54 UW 28

Other Predictions:

BYU 28 Utah State 14

#17 Oregon State 31 Washington State 19

Air Force 36 Navy 3

Auburn 35 Arkansas 27

#21 Mississippi State 42 Kentucky 14

Boise State 22 Southern Miss 15

#11 Kansas State 45 Kansas 17

#19 Northwestern 21 Penn State 20

Virginia Tech 28 North Carolina 27

#22 Stanford 37 Arizona 34

Wisconsin 42 Illinois 10

#15 Clemson 41 Georgia Tech 28

Michigan 25 Purdue 18

Vanderbilt 25 Missouri 22

Texas AM 37 Ole Miss 21

#25 Cincinnati 34 Miami (OH) 14

#9 Notre Dame 28 Miami (FL) 20

#2 Florida State 21 NC State 10

UCLA 45 California 17

BCS Bowls Right Now:

Championship: #1 Alabama vs #2 Florida State

Rose: #19 Northwestern vs #3 Oregon

Orange: #16 Louisville vs #8 West Virginia

Fiesta: #7 Texas vs #10 USC

Sugar: #4 LSU vs #9 Notre Dame

SEC Preview

    
ACC   Big East   Big 10   Big 12   Pac 12   Other Conferences   Bowls and Top 50
    
    
    The SEC is hands down the best conference in college football, and a SEC member has won the last six BCS titles. They will once again have many teams in the top 10, with almost all teams making a bowl game.

    The best team is defending national champion Alabama. Despite losses to the NFL, they won't hurt much at all and have a very solid chance of an undefeated season. But with USC and Oklahoma most likely winning all of their games too, the Tide will need to win out to have a chance of repeating.

Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina

    LSU is down a bit this year, but still an elite program. They may not make the BCS, but will be one of the top teams in the SEC. Arkansas, led by Tyler Wilson, will challenge Bama and LSU for the top spot in the SEC West, but are just not as good as those two. 

     Auburn may surprise people this year and put up eight to ten wins. Crazy as it sounds, the Tigers are the most likely team to knock off Alabama this year. The Tide get LSU at home, and should get by Arkansas. I still think the Tide will win the Iron Bowl, but Auburn may spoil Alabama's season in the last week.

     To round out the West, Mississippi State is an underrated team, and could pull an upset or two. But the SEC West is the toughest division in football by far and it will be hard for the Bulldogs to post more then seven or eight wins. Texas A & M is a new comer this season. The Aggies are better then Ole Miss, but will most likely win six or seven games. Ole Miss will be at the bottom once again.

     The SEC East is not as stacked as the West. South Carolina is being overlooked by some in favor of Georgia, but the Gamecocks are the best team in the East, and the fourth best team in the SEC. They have a very good chance of making a BCS bowl, and the SEC championship this season. They do not draw Alabama and get Georgia at home. A road trip to Florida could spoil it. LSU and Arkansas will be tough games as well, but the Gamecocks should be in the SEC title game.

     Georgia is also a very good team that could get into the SEC title game for the second straight year. But the Bulldogs drop games often in the early season, and a road trip to Missouri on September 8th could be a recipe for disaster for Georgia.

    After those two teams is Florida. The Gators are in a slump right now and are heading into the season without a full time starting QB named. A team will not win many games when multiple QBs are used every game, and this may be another disappointing season for the Gators. A bowl game is still a given though.

    After those three is Vanderbilt, who is only getting better. Tennessee and Missouri are next, and both of them will be in a bowl game with six or seven wins this season. Kentucky is at the bottom, and they will struggle this year.

Projected Standings:

East:

1. South Carolina 10-2 (7-1)

2. Georgia 9-3 (5-3)

3. Vanderbilt 7-5 (4-4)

T4. Missouri 7-5 (3-5)

T4. Tennessee 7-5 (3-5)

T4. Florida 6-6 (3-5)

7. Kentucky 3-9 (1-7)

West:

1. Alabama 12-0 (8-0)

2. LSU 10-2 (7-2)

3. Arkansas 9-3 (5-3)

4. Auburn 8-4 (4-4)

T5. Mississippi State 7-5 (3-5)

T5. Texas A & M 6-6 (3-5)

7. Ole Miss 4-8 (1-7)

SEC Championship: Alabama over South Carolina

Pre-Season Top 50, BCS Bowl Projections

ACC   Big East   Big 10   Big 12   Pac 12   SEC   Other Conferences

     
    My preseason rankings are based on team talent, and my projections for the team. I do have some teams ranked that I do not think will be ranked at the end of the season, but because they still have talent I could very well be wrong about them.

1. USC
2. Alabama
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida State
5. LSU
6. Oregon
7. South Carolina
8. Wisconsin
9. Arkansas
10. Georgia
11. Michigan
12. Michigan State
13. Virginia Tech
14. Texas
15. West Virginia
16. Clemson
17. Nebraska
18. N.C. State
19. Ohio State
20. Oklahoma State
21. TCU
22. Auburn
23. Louisville
24. Utah
25. Boise State
26. Southern Mississippi
27. Kansas State
28. Houston
29. Washington
30. Iowa
31. Georgia Tech
32. Northwestern
33. Stanford
34. North Carolina
35. Notre Dame
36. Cincinnati
37. Missouri
38. BYU
39. South Florida
40. Ohio
41. Texas A & M
42. Florida
43. Tennessee
44. UCLA
45. Illinois
46. Mississippi State
47. Central Florida
48. Texas Tech
49. Florida International
50. Tulsa

BCS Championship: USC over Alabama

Rose: Wisconsin over Oregon

Fiesta: Oklahoma over Virginia Tech

Sugar:  South Carolina over Michigan

Orange: Florida State over Louisville

College Football Week 13 Recap

   We now are entering the last week of college football and it is conference championship week. A time for teams to show why they are worthy of a BCS bid. Each conference championship has a lot riding on it.

LSU QB Jarrett Lee

    In the SEC, #1 LSU will take on #14 Georgia. LSU has been the best team all season. There is no question about it. The SEC East is weak this year, especially if Georgia will be representing them in the title game. Don't let Georgia's record (10-2) fool you, the three teams from the SEC West they did not end up playing are the three best in #1 LSU, #2 Alabama, and #5 Arkansas. The only other teams they played that even are even ranked are #6 Boise State and #13 South Carolina, both losses. LSU wins by a huge margin on their way to the title game.

    In the Big 10, it is a rematch between #10 Michigan State and #16 Wisconsin. Last time, MSU won on a 54-yard Hail Mary as time expired to win 37-31. The winner this time will go to the Rose bowl, and the loser possibly could get into the Fiesta Bowl to play the loser of Oklahoma-Oklahoma State, or the winner of that game, if Alabama gets into the title game. Either way, it will be a great game and hopefully be down to the wire once again.

    In the Pac 12, the North featured arguably the best four teams in the Pac-12 (minus bowl-banned USC), and will send Oregon to take on 6-6 UCLA in the title game. UCLA, the team people said may be the worst team in the Pac 12 in the pre-season, managed to go 6-6, but by no means can compete with Oregon. The Ducks will tromp the Bruins.

    The ACC has #9 Virginia Tech which has been on a tear lately, playing #23 Clemson who started undefeated but has dropped two straight games and has fallen mightily - winner will go to Orange Bowl.

    The Conference USA will feature undefeated #6 Houston and #22 Southern Miss. Houston is a team all about offense, and has one of the best in the history of the NCAA. But they have played a very easy schedule, and out of all non-BCS teams to go undefeated in the past few years, they may be the least talented one to date. Two teams come to mind if you think of "all offense" teams in BCS conferences this year. Both in the Pac 12, and they are Arizona and Washington State. Both went 4-8 playing average schedules. This would most likely be Houston's fate if they played in a BCS conference, and they will most likely not put up a fight for any team in a BCS bowl. But for this game, Houston will win and cap off a 13-0 season heading into a bowl game.


Top 25

1. LSU 12-0
2. Alabama 11-1
3. Oklahoma State 10-1
4. Stanford 11-1
5. Arkansas 10-2
6. Boise State 10-1
7. Oregon 10-2
8. Houston 12-0
9. Virginia Tech 11-1
10. Michigan State 10-2
11. Oklahoma 9-2
12. USC 10-2
13. South Carolina 10-2
14. Georgia 10-2
15. Kansas State 9-2
16. Wisconsin 10-2
17. Michigan 10-2
18. Baylor 8-3
19. TCU 9-2
20. West Virginia 8-3
21. Nebraska 9-3
22. Southern Miss 10-2
23. Clemson 9-3
24. Ohio 9-3
25. Texas 7-4

Next 5 In: Penn State 9-3, Florida State 8-4, Cincinnati 8-3, Arkansas 9-2, Virginia 8-4

What To Watch:


Conference Championships (* Neutral Site)

*#24 Ohio @ Northern Illinois, Fri, 7:00pm ET, ESPN2, Prediction: OHIO 66 NIU 59

UCLA @ #7 Oregon, Fri, 8:00pm ET, FOX, Prediction: ORE 45 UCLA 7

#22 Southern Miss @ #6 Houston, Sat, 12:00pm ET, ABC, Prediction: HOU 55 USM 40

*#14 Georgia @ #1 LSU, Sat, 4:00pm ET, CBS, Prediction: LSU 37 UGA 14

*#9 Virginia Tech @ #23 Clemson, 8:00pm ET, ESPN, Prediction: VT 38 CLEM 30

*#16 Wisconsin @ #10 Michigan State, 8:00pm ET, FOX, Prediction: WIS 35 MSU 34

OSU QB Brandon Weeden

Regular Games:

UConn @ Cincinnati, 12:00pm ET, ESPN,
Prediction: CIN 27 UCONN 21

Iowa State @ #15 Kansas State, 12:30pm ET,
Prediction: KSU 20 ISU 10

#25 Texas @ #18 Baylor, 3:30pm ET, ABC,
Prediction: BAY 31 TEX 20



Game Of Week:

#11 Oklahoma @ #3 Oklahoma State, 8:00pm ET, ABC, Prediction: OKL 45 OSU 42

College Football Week 1 Recap

    College Football is back! I have not been able to make any new posts lately, as I have been busy with vacations and school starting back up. But college football is here again!

    One thing week one in college football is famous for is almost all the games matching up an FCS or very small school to an FBS team. If it were up to me, I would ban all contests between teams from different divisions. I understand the money it gives to the lower teams, and how it can get the FCS school good exposure for recruits (though I'm not sure how loosing 60-3 on ESPN will get u much recruiting help). Teams need to just stay  to playing other FBS schools. I don't want to see Nebraska play someone like Chattanooga, or Arkansas play Missouri State. Though I do love upsets like Sacramento State over Oregon State, or Richmond over Duke. But I think that FBS-FCS competition needs to be taken away.

    There were some big games though that were fun to see. #3 Oregon vs #4 LSU was an exiting game, and if Oregon did not have so many turnovers, it would have been a very different game. But turnover, after turnover, after turnover, mostly on special teams, lost this game for the Ducks. I think they really should also have some talks with their returners on when to call for fair catch. But LSU really had a good win and capitalized off of the turnovers by Oregon.

    The other big game was #5 Boise State playing #19 Georgia, as the Broncos looked to prove once more that they can run with the BCS teams. And they did as they really were just the better team here, and Kellon Moore completed 5 TD passes. Georgia, in their all red uniforms that made them look like Ketchup bottles, just could not get much going and lost 35-19.

    #14 TCU was not able to avoid upset vs Baylor in the shootout after a huge comeback in the 4th, and #16 Notre Dame lost to South Florida after extreme heat, and thunderstorms delayed the game.

Week 2 Top 25:


1. Alabama 1-0
2. Oklahoma 1-0
3. LSU 1-0
4. Boise State 1-0
5. Stanford 1-0
6. Wisconsin 1-0
7. Texas A&M 1-0
8. Florida State 1-0
9. Oregon 0-1
10. Oklahoma State 1-0
11. Nebraska 1-0
12. Ohio State 1-0
13. Arkansas 1-0
14. South Carolina 1-0
15. Virginia Tech 1-0
16. Michigan State 1-0
17. Florida 1-0
18. Mississippi State 1-0
19. Penn State 1-0
20. West Virginia 1-0
21. Baylor 1-0
22. Missouri 1-0
23. Texas 1-0
24. TCU 1-0
25. USC 1-0

Next 5 in: South Florida 1-0, Georgia 0-1, Notre Dame 1-0, Utah 1-0, Houston 1-0


What To Watch Week 2:


Arizona @ #10 Oklahoma State, Thu, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN, Prediction: #10 OSU 44 ARZ 35

#22 Missouri @ Arizona State, Fri, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN, Prediction: #22 MIZZ 30 ASU 28

#18 Mississippi State @ Auburn, Sat, 12:00 PM ET, SEC Network, Prediction: AUB 28 #18 MSU 14

Nevada @ #9 Oregon, Sat, 3:30 PM ET, FX, Prediction: #9 ORE 39 NEV 33

Cincinnati @ Tennessee, Sat, 3:30 PM ET, ESPN2, Prediction: CIN 35 TENN 32

#14 South Carolina @ Georgia, Sat, 4:30 PM ET, ESPN, Prediction: #14 SC 32 UGA 29

Utah @ #25 USC, Sat, 7:30 PM ET, Versus, Prediction: #25 USC 41 Utah 38

Notre Dame @ Michigan, Sat, 8:00 PM ET, ESPN, Prediction: MICH 37 ND 30

Game Of The Week:

#1 Alabama @ #19 Penn State, Sat, 3:30 PM ET, ABC, Prediction: #1 ALA 38 #19 PSU 17

    Alabama goes in uninitiated, and shows why they are one of the best teams in college football and will go undefeated this season by beating up Penn State badly in Happy Valley. I just do not see Penn State putting up a fight.

Alabama