Here's my prediction on the final BCS standings before the bowl games. These are the ones which determine who plays for the national title.
1) USC (undefeated)
2) Oklahoma (loss to Texas)
3) Florida (loss to LSU and Florida State)
4) Georgia (loss to Florida and Auburn)
5) Ohio State (losses to USC and Illinois)
6) West Virginia (loss to South Florida)
7) Virginia Tech (loss to Florida State)
8) Missouri (loss to Oklahoma (CC) and Texas)
9) BYU (undefeated)
10) Illinois (losses to Missouri, Michigan and Wisconsin)
BCS Bowl Predictions:
National Title Game: USC over Oklahoma
Rose: Ohio State over Oregon State (not a missprint, read the Pac-10 preview)
Fiesta: Missouri over BYU
Orange: Georgia over Virginia Tech
Sugar: Florida over West Virginia
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
CF Preview 2008: Big 12
An underrated conference in terms of talent normally, now the Big 12 has stepped onto the forefront of college football fan's interest with 3 great teams last season. This year should be no different. Oklahoma and Missouri will be back as national title contenders. Kansas will take a step back while Texas will show some flashes of past success with another good season. The team I'm torn on is Texas Tech. They seem ready for a breakout season but we've yet to ever see their defense play 12 solid games. It doesn't seem likely to happen this year either but their high preseason ranking indicates that some believe in the hype. Colorado and Oklahoma State are the teams on the rise, as both will make bowl games as well as significant strides towards a conference title. Kansas State and Nebraska, two teams that were national powers in the beginning of the decade, will continue their slide towards irrelevance.
Prediction Time:
North
1) Missouri
2) Kansas
3) Colorado
4) Nebraska
5) Kansas State
6) Iowa State
South
1) Oklahoma
2) Texas
3) Texas Tech
4) Oklahoma State
5) Texas A&M
6) Baylor
Conference Championship Game: Oklahoma over Missouri
Prediction Time:
North
1) Missouri
2) Kansas
3) Colorado
4) Nebraska
5) Kansas State
6) Iowa State
South
1) Oklahoma
2) Texas
3) Texas Tech
4) Oklahoma State
5) Texas A&M
6) Baylor
Conference Championship Game: Oklahoma over Missouri
CF Preview 2008: SEC
The toughest conference in the country. Most talented as well. These are opinions but they can double as facts. This conference has produced the past two national champions and seems to have the inside track on a third straight....except the gauntlet that is conference play. Florida (1 loss) and LSU (2 losses) have proven that going undefeated in the SEC is a rough task. A one loss champion in the SEC will be in position to claim a spot in the national title game in January again. Georgia and Florida are the heavy favorites, with defending national champ LSU another contender. LSU must replace Dorsey, Flynn, Hester and Doucet among others, leaving some to believe they are vulnerable. I can't possibly see anyone going undeafeated in this conference but LSU has the misfortune of playin Florida and Georgia along with their divisonal teams. Mississippi State and South Carolina are the two teams on the move up while I see Arkansas and Kentucky struggling to replicate last year's success.
Prediction Time:
SEC East
1) Florida
2) Georgia
3) South Carolina
4) Tennessee
5) Kentucky
6) Vanderbilt
SEC West
1) LSU
2) Auburn
3) Mississippi State
4) Alabama
5) Arkansas
6) Mississippi
Conference Championship Game: Florida over LSU
Prediction Time:
SEC East
1) Florida
2) Georgia
3) South Carolina
4) Tennessee
5) Kentucky
6) Vanderbilt
SEC West
1) LSU
2) Auburn
3) Mississippi State
4) Alabama
5) Arkansas
6) Mississippi
Conference Championship Game: Florida over LSU
CF Preview 2008: Pac-10
Is it still USC and everyone else? USC goes for its' 7th straight title and seemingly doesn't have a team close to stepping in its' way. The Pac-10 has a true round robin, meaning each team will see everyone in the conference. Oregon State is a sleeper team for me with a possible Rose Bowl trip ahead if they can put together a dream season. California needs to figure out their QB situation but they're further away than a few years ago to toppling USC. I see Arizona State taking a step back after a good season last year and Oregon doing the same. Arizona is the team to watch with QB Willie Tuitama leading the Mike Stoops coached team. They have shown strides of improvement over time and this is the year I believe they step up. UCLA and Washington have some talent but will be overmatched on most Saturdays. Stanford and Wazzu will be at the bottom of the conference but as Stanford showed last season, anyone can beat anyone on a given Saturday.
Prediction Time:
1) USC
2) Oregon State
3) Arizona
4) California
5) Arizona State
6) Oregon
7) Washington
8) UCLA
9) Washington State
10) Stanford
Prediction Time:
1) USC
2) Oregon State
3) Arizona
4) California
5) Arizona State
6) Oregon
7) Washington
8) UCLA
9) Washington State
10) Stanford
CF Preview 2008: Big East
One of the weaker conferences in the BCS always produces an interesting title race. West Virginia is as good a team as anyone in this conference but they have some competition. Most believe it will come from rival Pitt, who knocked the Mountaineers out of the national title picture last season. South Florida continues to put together an improving program and have given West Va. tons of problems in head to head matchups. Cincy, Uconn and Rutgers have all gotten much better over the past few years but each may take a step back. Louisville and Syracuse will be the bottom feeders but will most certainly each pull one big upset inside of the conference.
Prediction Time:
1) West Virginia
2) South Florida
3) Pittsburgh
4) Connecticut
5) Cincinnati
6) Louisville
7) Rutgers
8) Syracuse
Prediction Time:
1) West Virginia
2) South Florida
3) Pittsburgh
4) Connecticut
5) Cincinnati
6) Louisville
7) Rutgers
8) Syracuse
CF 2008 Preview: Big Ten
This year will be an interesting one in the Big Ten. Illinois must replace Rashard Mendenhall, the most talented player in the conference last season. Ohio State must fight boredom as they will likely run the table. Everyone else seems to have multiple flaws, leading me to believe that teams like Michigan and Penn State can step up and replace Wisconsin and Illinois as the real contenders to OSU's dominance. Purdue is another team I believe could break out and win 10 games. The bottom of the conference is bad again, as Minnesota and Northwestern will continue to get trampled on week after week.
What I like about the Big Ten this season:
1) Who will be the team to knock off OSU this season? While I believe Ohio State will win the conference, they will get knocked off once inside of conference play. Who will it be? Your guess is as good as mine.
2) Second place team race. Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State....maybe Iowa? Anyone could finish 2nd this year in the Big Ten.....another race to follow as it may lead to Pasadena if OSU goes back to another national title game.
What I don't like about the Big Ten this season:
1) The overall talent in the conference seems to have diminished in the past few years. Earlier in the decade, the conference was one of the best.....now it's tough to make a case for third best.
2) We all know who's going to win the conference. No other conference has as big a difference in it's first place team and everyone else. OSU will win at least 4 conference games by 20 points....not good for those who like close races.
Prediction Time:
1) Ohio State
2) Illinois
3) Penn State
4) Wisconsin
5) Michigan
6) Purdue
7) Michigan State
8) Iowa
9) Indiana
10) Northwestern
11) Minnesota
What I like about the Big Ten this season:
1) Who will be the team to knock off OSU this season? While I believe Ohio State will win the conference, they will get knocked off once inside of conference play. Who will it be? Your guess is as good as mine.
2) Second place team race. Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State....maybe Iowa? Anyone could finish 2nd this year in the Big Ten.....another race to follow as it may lead to Pasadena if OSU goes back to another national title game.
What I don't like about the Big Ten this season:
1) The overall talent in the conference seems to have diminished in the past few years. Earlier in the decade, the conference was one of the best.....now it's tough to make a case for third best.
2) We all know who's going to win the conference. No other conference has as big a difference in it's first place team and everyone else. OSU will win at least 4 conference games by 20 points....not good for those who like close races.
Prediction Time:
1) Ohio State
2) Illinois
3) Penn State
4) Wisconsin
5) Michigan
6) Purdue
7) Michigan State
8) Iowa
9) Indiana
10) Northwestern
11) Minnesota
CF 2008 Preview: ACC
The fun that is the ACC begins with N.C. State traveling to South Carolina on Thursday night, giving me the chance to preview the conference and tell you what I think is going to happen in one of the weaker ACC seasons in years. No one in this conference (Clemson, Va. Tech, I'm talking about you) has a realistic chance to go undefeated or win a national title. These 12 teams will be playing for the right to win their divisions and go to the conference title game....which sends the winner to the Orange Bowl.
Here's what I like about the ACC this year:
1) Florida State and Miami...two powerhouses are getting no respect. One of them is due to have a big bounceback year. Both teams have too much talent to not be mentioned among the elite in college football. The problem with both schools remains the QB situation, as neither has been able to replace Chris Weinke or Ken Dorsey from earlier this decade.
2)Clemson's ability to run the football. Spiller and Davis are a sick tandem that will shred defenses throughout the conference. Cullen Harper is a solid QB as well and Clemson has as good a chance as anyone to win this conference.
3)North Carolina will be improved. Butch Davis is a successful college coach and he will get the most out of his ballclub. He can recruit and eventually this program will move to the upper echelon of the conference.
What I don't like about the ACC this year:
1)No national title contenders. This conference might have a few undefeateds going into October, maybe even November. But there's no way any of these teams win a national title. That hurts the conference in terms of nationally televised games as well as publicity. Even the Big East (a conference I rate as tied for 5th out of 6 conferences in the BCS) has a national title contender (West Virginia).
2)Bottom feeders galore in the ACC. Duke is terrible. N.C. State will be bad this year. Georgia Tech is implenting a whole new offense under Paul Johnson. There will be many bad teams at the bottom of this conference with potential for more if Maryland and North Carolina struggle. Just a lot of blowouts on Saturday afternoons...boring :(
Prediction Time:
Atlantic Division
1) Clemson
2) Florida State
3) Wake Forest
4) Maryland
5) Boston College
6) NC State
Coastal Division
1) Virginia Tech
2) Miami
3) North Carolina
4) Georgia Tech
5) Virginia
6) Duke
Conference Title Prediction: Virginia Tech over Clemson
Here's what I like about the ACC this year:
1) Florida State and Miami...two powerhouses are getting no respect. One of them is due to have a big bounceback year. Both teams have too much talent to not be mentioned among the elite in college football. The problem with both schools remains the QB situation, as neither has been able to replace Chris Weinke or Ken Dorsey from earlier this decade.
2)Clemson's ability to run the football. Spiller and Davis are a sick tandem that will shred defenses throughout the conference. Cullen Harper is a solid QB as well and Clemson has as good a chance as anyone to win this conference.
3)North Carolina will be improved. Butch Davis is a successful college coach and he will get the most out of his ballclub. He can recruit and eventually this program will move to the upper echelon of the conference.
What I don't like about the ACC this year:
1)No national title contenders. This conference might have a few undefeateds going into October, maybe even November. But there's no way any of these teams win a national title. That hurts the conference in terms of nationally televised games as well as publicity. Even the Big East (a conference I rate as tied for 5th out of 6 conferences in the BCS) has a national title contender (West Virginia).
2)Bottom feeders galore in the ACC. Duke is terrible. N.C. State will be bad this year. Georgia Tech is implenting a whole new offense under Paul Johnson. There will be many bad teams at the bottom of this conference with potential for more if Maryland and North Carolina struggle. Just a lot of blowouts on Saturday afternoons...boring :(
Prediction Time:
Atlantic Division
1) Clemson
2) Florida State
3) Wake Forest
4) Maryland
5) Boston College
6) NC State
Coastal Division
1) Virginia Tech
2) Miami
3) North Carolina
4) Georgia Tech
5) Virginia
6) Duke
Conference Title Prediction: Virginia Tech over Clemson
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