College Football Week 4 Recap

Dream big, college football fans.

This could be the year that the system finally destructs. This could be the season that proves how broken the BCS truly is. There is a scenario in place that could exploit the flaws that have been so well documented, yet unchanged, since the inception of the Bowl Championship Series system in college football. Bear with me here:

Boise State (now ranked #5 in the nation) is poised to be a huge BCS buster. If the Broncos remain undefeated, they could very well be on their way to a top two ranking in the AP poll. With losses guaranteed to at least two of the current top three teams, Boise State is going to move up at least two slots. If Sam Bradford comes back healthy and gets the Sooner offense back on track, Oklahoma could knock off Texas. That means we could potentially see Boise State ranked as the #1 team in the AP poll. I realize that this scenario is a long shot, but it is far from inconceivable. It will be interesting to see how the computers like Boise when the BCS rankings are released. For the record, I don't think we will see the Broncos in the BCS Championship Game, but I certainly expect that they will make one of the BCS bowl games.

Here is the scenario I am hoping for, just imagine: Florida loses to LSU (Alabama moves to #2, LSU #3, Boise State to #4). Alabama beats LSU (Bama to #2, Boise to #3). Texas loses to Oklahoma (Bama to #1, Boise to #2). Alabama loses to Florida in the SEC Championship Game and drops down, Boise State moves to #1. A strong Florida team that had a midseason road loss to the #3 team in the nation is still regarded as a top 2 team and gets re-ranked as #2 or #3 after winning the SEC. A one loss Oklahoma team (who lost early enough to climb back up the polls) has enough momentum to be ranked #3 after winning the Big-12. So now we have #1 Boise (undefeated), #2 Florida (one loss) and #3 Oklahoma (one loss). The computers, not thrilled with Boise State, launch Florida and Oklahoma to the top. Now we have an undefeated #1 team in the nation left out of the BCS Championship Game. If THAT isn't the catalyst that will change the system in college football, I don't know what will finally cause the revolution.

But I digress. It is fun to think about these scenarios, but everything would have to go just right for it to happen. Hell, even if everything does fall into place to expose how awful the BCS really is, that still doesn't guarantee any changes. We have seen the system at its worst (2004 Auburn/Utah and 2006 Michigan, for example) without any major changes to the system. We can hope and dream all day long for Boise State to lead the revolution, but I don't see it happening. So let's talk about what is actually happening in the world of college football.

No cupcake Saturday turned out to be exactly what I was expecting- we saw four top 10 teams lose (#4 Ole Miss, #5 Penn State, #6 Cal and #9 Miami) and three other ranked teams also come out with an L in week four. Florida, Texas and Alabama are the clear cut top three at this point in the season. Filling out the remaining top 10 slots is an arbitrary process at this point which looks like it could change from week to week for the remainder of the season. Boise State, TCU, and Cincinnati could potentially be fixtures in the top 10, but it is likely that at least one of those teams will slip up and lose a game.

Cal proved once again that they can't win Pac-10 road games with an embarrassing 42-3 loss at Oregon. The loss was bad enough to slide Cal all the way from #6 to a #24 ranking, which is probably generous. Penn State also showed that they have a new daddy named Hawkeye. Daryll Clark has looked good for PSU, until this week when he threw 3 picks and completed only 12 of his 32 pass attempts. The Big-Ten (11) is going to be an interesting race this year, especially with Iowa with a strong 4-0 start and the resurgence of a Michigan team that looks like it could wreak havoc on conference opponents (especially those who can't score many points, cough cough Ohio State cough Penn State).

The SEC continues to be the dominant conference in terms of rankings. Even with Ole Miss sliding down the charts, three of the top four teams are from the SEC. Florida obviously has to be worried about the status of Tim Tebow. Even with a solid backup in John Brantley, the Gators need Tebow with a tough conference schedule upcoming. Superman's vulnerability has never before been witnessed by his teammates or anyone else in the college football world. Luckily for the Gators, this is an off week before a tough road test in Baton Rouge in week six. Lucky might just be on the Gators side after all: if there were ever a time for Tebow to go down, that was it. With two weeks to heal and prepare for LSU, the Gators should be firing on all cylinders in what could be the game of the year between highest ranked opponents (provided LSU can beat UGA in Athens this weekend).

I wonder how many injuries there were from fans and media jumping off the Miami bandwagon after an embarrassing 31-7 loss for the 'canes in Blacksburg on Saturday. Jacory Harris didn't help his darkhorse Heisman bid with a 9 for 25, zero TD, one interception performance against the Hokies. Virginia Tech finally figured out how to use Tyrod Taylor! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the final box score- Taylor completed 4 of 9 passes for a TD and 98 yards, but he ran 10 times for 75 yards. PERFECT game plan for Taylor. You don't want this guy throwing the ball more than 20 times per game. VA Tech finally let their running game carry them to victory, rushing for a total of 272 yards. Let's see if Beamer is wise enough to continue this strategy or if he is dumb enough to think Taylor can be a true QB and put the team on his back with the passing game. No, Frank, don't do it!

Houston won their toughest test left on the schedule against Texas Tech on Saturday. The Cougars could very well sneak into the BCS as well this year. All sorts of chaos await us, how exciting. BYU also won again and will most likely continue to slowly climb the polls.

Bobby Bowden, its time to retire, seriously. This Florida State team is the very definition of night and day. I don't even know where to begin fixing the problem in Tallahassee. Bobbo, you're not going to catch JoePa after you had to vacate the wins for cheating, its time to concede the all-time win record and do yourself, and ultimately the FSU fans and football, a huge favor and retire at the end of the year.

Washington proved that, while it is a very improved team from last year, they were a one hit wonder in beating USC. UW could still very well win a few Pac-10 games (after all, Cal has to play at Washington so go ahead and chalk a W in for the Huskies in that one).

Missouri and Auburn, both 4-0, are the top two vote getters outside of the top 25. Both of the Tigers are the only undefeated, unranked teams. Meanwhile, there are 14 teams with one loss who are ranked ahead of the two BCS conference schools. Both of these teams have historically been good football programs and both have made BCS appearances within the past 5 years. Yet, non-BCS programs and teams with one loss (a few to unranked opponents) are ranked higher than Mizzou and Auburn. Expectations for both programs were very low to begin the year, and apparently the voters are unimpressed with the pair of 4-0 starts. Both teams will have their chance to prove they belong this upcoming week when Mizzou travels to #14 OK State and Auburn travels to Knoxville to play the Vols. I guess it is true that respect isn't given, it is earned. Time for both Tigers to earn some respect.

One more thing to add: "Minnesota beat Northwestern to win their first conference game as David predicted".

I'll have a week 5 preview out tomorrow- in the mean time, have fun dreaming about a world with no BCS, or at least a college football system so engulfed with chaos that it is forced to make some drastic changes.

Sweet dreams.

College Football: Week 4 Preview

No cupcake Saturday has arrived.

The term "Separation Saturday" is typically used by the media at some point during October or November to describe a day of college football in which we will figure out which teams rise to the top and which will begin to fall. While this Saturday will most likely not divulge any insight to conference champions, the polls could see a major shake up after Saturday's games. There is an insane number of ranked teams playing games that could easily go either way. The word "parity" might become extremely overused by myself (and the media) during the course of the 2009/10 season. As I said in an earlier post (http://xmarcspot.blogspot.com/2009/09/college-football-week-2-recap.html), this season reminds me of 2007- a season which could, and most likely will, produce some unexpected conference champions and top seeded rankings over the duration of the year.

Florida and Texas have looked decent in their first three games, but neither looked like a clear-cut national champion to me. During USC's dominating run in the early 2000's, it seemed like every week they had final scores of 62-7. Florida was absolutely dominating in most games last year. This year, there is a certain vulnerability with just about every team in the top 25. Five of the preseason top 10 teams have already suffered a loss, two in the top four. Alabama (current #3 and preseason #5) actually looks like it might be the best team in the nation at this point. Even though they played a tough Virginia Tech team at a neutral site, bama's schedule after that has been a joke, not even a funny joke- one of those jokes that you kind of sit there and stare at the person after they say it and wonder if they actually thought it was funny before it came out of their mouth. Florida International and North Texas are much different from Florida playing Tennessee or Texas playing Texas Tech, but the tide did beat VA Tech, so I have to give them some credit.

Taking a look at the slate of games for this week, there honestly isn't one ranked team that I would say with 100% confidence is safe this week. Obviously I'm not picking Kentucky to upset Florida, but my point is that there are no cupcakes this Saturday, how refreshing. Now that we have the tune-up games out of the way we should be getting some really great football. Here is a look at some of the key games this weekend (predicted winners in bold):

Fresno State @ #14 Cincinnati - the Bearcats have a great opportunity to make a major splash in the BCS if they can handle their extremely manageable schedule. Fresno State is no pushover, but Cincy should be able to pull this one off.

South Florida @ #18 Florida State - the Noles have been a mystery this year. After an epic battle with Miami they almost lay an egg at home against Jacksonville State. And then they go and blow out BYU on the road. So which team shows up this weekend? If South Florida didn't lose Matt Grothe, this decision would be a lot harder, but the Noles have a major edge now.

Southern Miss @ #20 Kansas- Southern Mississippi has looked surprisingly good so far. But the Golden Eagles haven't had to deal with a dynamic QB like Todd Reesing who is piling on the yards to go with his 6-1 touchdown to interception ratio to start the year. This should be closer than a lot of people expect. I could see SoMiss winning, but the smart move is to pick the Jayhawks at home.

#22 North Carolina @ Georgia Tech- the Tech offense has hit a wall after impressing the nation since Paul Johnson took control last year and Butch Davis has really done a great job since taking over at UNC. This game should be a great battle but I think Paul Johnson gets the Jackets' offense back on track with a big home win against the 'heels.

Indiana @ #23 Michigan- three years ago no one would give Indiana a chance to win this game. This year, its a little more uncertain, not so much due to Indiana's success, but to Michigan's recent struggles. The Michigan faithful hope that Tate Forcier will continue his early success make sure that the nation has no doubt that the blue will beat teams like Indiana if he has anything to say about it.

#6 California @ Oregon- since Oregon's opening game loss at Boise State the Ducks look like an improved squad. The Ducks knocked off a good Utah team last week. Cal, meanwhile, is gaining momentum behind potential Heisman candidate Jahvid Best. Best has 412 yards and 8 rushing touchdowns through the first three games. I am tempted to pick Oregon at home because Cal has really struggled with Pac-10 road games over the past few years. After I looked up the stats of Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon's quarterback, and saw that he has zero touchdown passes through three games (and completed just 4 passes in a win against Utah last week), I can't go with the Ducks. Oregon will have to augment their one dimensional rush offense if they want to beat a top 10 opponent. Cal should win, although I'm nervous about this pick.

#9 Miami @ #11 Virginia Tech- most likely the game of the week. If Randy Shannon is smart, he is making sure his team isn't listening to all the hype. The Hurricanes are being well publicized, including talk of quarterback Jacory Harris being a potential Heisman candidate. A win in Blacksburg would be huge for Miami. Tyrod Taylor still has a lot to prove as a quarterback- his completion percentage is under 50%, which is fine if he is tearing it up on the ground. But Taylor has just 10 net rushing yards through the first three games. He has to do one or the other particularly well on Saturday if the Hokies want to hold off a hot Miami team who looks like they are focused on bringing the U back to national prominence. I like the 'canes on the road.

Illinois @ #13 Ohio State- I am underwhelmed by the 2009 version of the Buckeyes. I don't think they are the powerhouse that we have seen (during the regular season anyway) over the past decade. That said, they will most likely handle business against the Illini.

#15 TCU @ Clemson- this is the first real test of the season for TCU, and it should be a tough one. Death Valley is not an easy place to win a game, especially for a team that isn't used to playing in that type of environment. Other than one terrible quarter against GA Tech, Clemson has looked like a solid team. TCU better bring their A game, anything less and we are looking an "upset", if you will. I like the Tigers at home.

Colorado State @ #19 BYU- how will BYU respond to the big loss at home last week? Well, I imagine. While an at-large BCS bid will be much harder to come by with a loss on the books, BYU still has plenty left to play for and should take home another W this week.

Iowa @ #5 Penn State- Iowa managed to beat the Nittany Lions in thriller last year in Iowa City. Penn State will surely remember how the Hawkeyes destroyed their national championship aspirations last year and look to come out swinging on Saturday. Daryll Clark has been impressive so far this year, but he will have to take care of the ball against a tough Hawkeye team. JoePa might have to take a potty break in excitement, but I like Penn State this week.

Notre Dame @ Purdue- I dislike Jimmy Clausen a little more every week. Notre Dame makes me nervous, I don't know how to pick this one; is it an upset if Purdue wins? Eh, probably not going happen- Irish should win.

#24 Washington @ Stanford- Washington is a one-hit-wonder. You shouldn't go from 0-12 last year to the top 25 because of one big win. This Washington squad, lead by Jake Locker, is much improved from last year, but they still have a ways to go to be a major player. I like Stanford.

Texas Tech @ #17 Houston- Houston QB Case Keenum has 725 yards and seven touchdowns so far this year. Here's the catch: the Cougars have only played two games. Those are some pretty impressive numbers. That looks like Texas Tech type numbers, only the 2008 version of the Red Raiders. Tech can't keep up with the Houston offense this year.

Washington State @ #12 USC- I'm sure Pete Carroll has his team re-focused after the letdown last week. Trojans will be back with a vengeance.

SEC GAMES:

#4 Ole Miss @ South Carolina - great Thursday night game. South Carolina's offense looks much improved from week one, but the defense looks a little more vulnerable. Jevan Snead should be able to exploit the hit or miss Gamecock defense for a win.

# 7 LSU @ Miss State- Starkville is hardly a home field advantage. Compare that with an 11AM local kickoff time and it is nonexistent. Not that it would matter anyway, LSU will win big.

Arkansas @ #3 Alabama- Alabama's reliable defense will be tested this week. Arky QB Ryan Mallet has 717 yards and 6 TDs in just two games (most of which came against the UGA defense). The Hogs are averaging 50 points per game. The Tide have been putting up good numbers on offense, but not quite that of Arkansas. The Alabama defense is the key to this game. This should be a very interesting game which is significant in the SEC West race. I think bama holds on for a close win.

#1 Florida @ Kentucky- Not an un-winnable game for the Wildcats, especially with the flu hitting the Gators squad. But, the Florida bench players are still better than most of the UK starters- Gators win big.

Arizona State @ # 21 UGA-the Sun Devils lost at home to the dawgs last year, but UGA looks a lot more vulnerable than Stafford and Moreno's squad. Still, Georgia has enough talent to handle a mediocre ASU team who hasn't been challenged yet this year.

Ball State @ Auburn- the Tigers continue to impress. The train should keep on rolling with a big win over a winless Ball State team.

Ohio @ Tennessee- the Vols are on a two game losing streak. Kiffin should spend more time on game planning and leading his team in practice than talking smack. There is no excuse for the Vols to lose this game.

Vandy @ Rice- I can't believe an SEC team would travel to Rice, but the Commodores are making the trip. I don't think Rice's home field advantage will compare to what Vandy is used to. This is one of the winnable games on the Commodore schedule.

BONUS COVERAGE: I am experimenting with a new idea this week for the first time, guest bloggers! I asked a friend, and Minnesota sports fanatic, David Quick to give me some insight on the Gophers game this week. Here is what David had to say:

Minnesota @ Northwestern

The Minnesota Gophers will be traveling to Ryan Field to play Northwestern at Noon on Saturday. Both teams are 2-1 and looking to get their first conference win. The last two times these teams have met, the games have gone into double overtime. Both times, the WildCats have come out on top. Northwestern is favored by 2.5, respectively, since they are at home, but I see this game going to the Gophers this time. Eric Decker is showing why he is the best WR no one knows about. In 3 games, he has 27 receptions for 415 yards and 2 TD’s. He has also thrown a touchdown this season. QB, Adam Weber would be lost without Decker, and it showed when Decker went out last week in the last few minutes of the game with an apparent ankle injury. Northwestern seems to be looking better the past couple of years and will make sure to give the Gophers all they got this weekend. Northwestern has better Total Yards, Passing Yards, Rushing Yards, and Points scored this season than the Golden Gophers. However, Northwestern has had an easier schedule and they also lost to Syracuse (even though Minnesota barely beat them as well). Northwestern should pound the ball and control the clock with the running game. They have a slew of talent with Stephen Simmons and Jacob Schmidt. They have 3 RB’s with 2 TD’s each. Minnesota, who usually has one of the best running games in the Big Ten, has been pretty bad this season and needs to step it up to help the passing game (and Decker to not be triple teamed). I see this game def. being a close one (possibly a third double overtime game), but this year the game belongs to Minnesota. Homer in full effect!

Take Minnesota to win straight up, and take over the projected total (48).

Thanks David, good stuff. Homerism is allowable on X Marc's the Spot- but if you are wrong on this one, you will be publicly BOO'd. That said, I agree with your pick.

Final word to Lane Kiffin: spend more time with this instead of talking smack about a team that just beat you:

College Football: Week 3 Recap

A classic case of good news and bad news: I went 16-2 in college picks but I don't even want to talk about my NFL picks. So for recap sake, I missed Georgia winning at Arkansas and USC going down to Washington. Other than that, I was perfect. I feel pretty good about that. Let's just say that I was not nearly as fortunate with my pro picks this week.

I really wish USC had to climb the polls like the majority of other teams in college football. They lost at least one easy Pac-10 road game every single year. Everyone knows that it is coming and every week there is a discussion on whether this is the week they are going down. Following that huge win at Ohio State was too much for the Trojans. Fortunately for Pete Caroll's squad, they are still ranked high enough to make a BCS appearance if they finish the rest of the year out strong. Other teams are not so lucky.

BYU and Utah, for example, have most likely had their Cinderella dreams crushed with losses to FSU and Oregon, respectively, this week. The polls are so ridiculous some times- a 2-1 Washington team climbs into the top 25 (after going 0-12 last year). Big time win over USC, but come on. This is not a top 25 team, perhaps not even a top 40 team. You want me to believe that Washington is a better team than unranked Missouri, Georgia Tech, Auburn, UCLA, Notre Dame, or Pittsburgh? I'd take any of those teams straight up at Washington. Polls, polls, polls.

Other random thoughts after week 3:

-Miami looks like it might be on its way back to the BCS if they can continue to protect Jacory Harris and let him make plays. The ACC is a very winnable conference this year, and the Hurricanes have stepped up and shown that they are the favorite through the first three games.

-Will Lane Kiffin EVER shut up? You lost, Lane, take it like a man. I have never been a big fan of the Vols, but I am really starting to despise them thanks to Mr. Kiffin. I would be embarassed to have an immature guy like that as the face of my program.

-The SEC West is going to be a very interesting race this year. Alabama, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Auburn and LSU all look capable of competing for the West this year (sorry Miss State). Alabama is definitely the favorite, but with a few breaks, we could see another team rise to the top. Don't be shocked if we see an unusual face in the SEC Title game against Florida this year.

-Texas still has a lot to prove, to me, if not the voters. Sure they started 3-0 and held their top five ranking in the process, but this team hasn't impressed me enough to call them a top five team. But, no one asked me for my vote. I think the Big 12 is another conference where there is no clear cut champion. Parity is rearing its ugly (or wonderful, depending on which side of the fence you stand) face once again in 2009.

-Charlie Weis doesn't have long at Notre Dame. I know I've been mentioning this off and on for a while now, and even though they squeaked out a win against a mediocre Michigan State team, I can't see the Irish winning more than 7 or 8 games this year. That is going to hurt the fan base after Lou Holtz did a horrible job of tempering expectations and picking the Irish to play for the BCS Championship.

-Cincinnati is sneaky good. There is not a ranked opponent on the schedule, which is extremely manageable. If they continue to win they will be in the top five by the end of the year and perhaps in the top two. This team is a major sleeper right now who could sneak into a major BCS bowl.

-Auburn's defense needs to get back to its old form, and in a hurry, if they want to remain undefeated. As the Tigers approach their conference schedule, allowing an average of 22.3 points per game, all against teams who were unranked, will probably not cut it against SEC opponents. The offense continues to impress and has shown that it can win a game on the ground or through the air. But the defense needs to really tighten up if the Tigers want to make a successful run in the SEC in 2009.

It has been a great season so far. We've seen upsets and some amazing games already, and its only week three. Woooooooooooooo!

NFL Week Two Predictions

Five road teams are favored this weekend in NFL action. The most surprising spread to me was New Orleans being favored in Philly. I'm guessing if McNabb was 100% the Eagles would be at least a 3 point favorite.

Raiders +3 @ Kansas City - KC should cover. Tough to pick games with awful teams

Texans +6.5 @ Titans - I like the Titans by a TD at home. Every year people say Houston will finally be good. Not this year, Titans cover

Patriots -3.5 @ New York Jets - It's hard to go with the Pats on the road after last week, but they always surprise us. Pats cover 3.5

Bengals +9 @ Green Bay - Cincinnati is bad, really bad. I like Green Bay to cover 9

Vikings -10 @ Detroit - Is this a broken record? Detroit is bad, really bad. I like the Vikings to serve up enough points to cover at Detroit

Saints -1 @ Eagles - We could have a shootout on our hands here. If McNabb was healthy I'd easily take the Eagles in this one. Without him, I still think the Eagles cover at home

Panthers +6 @ Falcons - Is 6 the point spread or the over/under on Delhomme interceptions? Falcons cover 6 at home

Rams +9.5 @ Washington - St. Louis is a pretty awful team too. If Washington could get some production at QB, they could be a pretty good team. I think they win, but Rams are within 9.5

Cardinals +3 @ Jaguars - Far trip for the Cards, who didn't look so hot last week. I like the Jags at home

Seahawks +1.5 @ 49ers - Two teams who looked suprisingly good in week one. I think the Seahawks look a little better and cover 1.5 at Candlestick

Bucs +5 @ Buffalo - The Bills fanbase may be the only more deflated group of players than the Bills football team after the disaster on Monday Night Football. I think they look to rebound with a solid effort against a weak TB team, Bills cover 5 at home

Browns +3 @ Denver - Again, two stinkers here. Who plays less crappy? Me thinks the Browns win this one outright- take the points

Steelers -3 @ Chicago - Chicago needs some wide receivers, bad. Steelers, even without Polamalu, should handle the Bears with no problem. Pitts covers

Ravens +3 @ San Diego - West coast trip for the Ravens, always tricky. The Chargers are very banged up. I hate picking Chargers games because I'm usually wrong. So I'm going with Chargers to cover 3 (hope I'm wrong)

Giants +3 @ Dallas - Two teams who will most likely underachieve this year. Can't wait to see the new stadium (sarcasm). The Dallas fans will be pumped up for this one and should fuel a win, Dallas covers at home

Colts -3 @ Miami - Both teams could struggle a bit on offense this year (crazy to say that of a Peyton Manning team, he just doesn't have enough weapons around him). I still think the Colts are at least 3 points better than the Dolphins, even on the road

I like these a lot better than last week's 8-8. Time will tell.

And Lendale, don't forget your shoes. You got a game agains the Texans to win/cover. Hoorah.

College Football Week 3 Preview

I know at least one head coach in college football didn't pay attention in history class. Somebody missed Theodore Roosevelt's speech about speaking softly and carrying a big stick.

As Saturday quickly approaches, Lane Kiffin is wishing his feet were a few sizes smaller so they will be easier to get out of his mouth after the Gators get finished pounding the Vols. Lane Kiffin's mouth/ego has written some big checks that his team simply won't be able to cash. I'm sure you've read the quotes 50 times by now, that's probably about 1,000 times less than every Gator football player who has seen the quotes plastered all over the bulletin boards and locker rooms in Gainesville since Kiffin opened his mouth. You can bet the Gators have had this Saturday circled on their calendars for a long time now. I wonder how long it has been since Tennessee was a 28.5 point underdog? I also wonder how much lower the line would have been if Kiffin didn't rattle the giant's cage? Apparently Urban Meyer's vengeance is good for a 10 point swing on the line.

This week features several games where ranked opponents play tough, unranked teams. If the season's trend continues, we will most likely see a few upsets. Thursday night's matchup between Georgia Tech and Miami will provide a frontrunner for the ACC's Coastal division, and most likely produce the favorite to win the conference. Friday night's game between Boise State and Fresno State is a very important game on the national scene, as Fresno represents one of the few remaining teams on Boise State's schedule which could beat the Broncos and prevent them from being a BCS buster once again.

With a 1-1 overall record, UGA is sitting at the top of the SEC East. That status will be greatly challenged this weekend with the dawgs head to Fayetteville to play Arkansas. Caleb King's return should bolster the Georgia offense, but injuries continue to plague the Bulldogs. Georgia continues to lose players seemingly on a weekly basis, making success in the Southeastern Conference an extremely tall task. Along with injuries, Georgia is facing one of the tougher schedules in the nation this year. Every game is critical for the dawgs, and Saturday's contest against the Razorbacks will be a huge test.

Perhaps it is the lack of a marquee game in week 3, but ESPN is really trying to make us care about Texas Tech vs. Texas game. Yes, we all remember the last minute Crabtree touchdown. Yes, we remember the national relevance of the game last year. No, we don't care at all this year. The head Pirate even said that Texas Tech is just another game on Texas' schedule, not a huge game this year. Texas should win this one, big, at home.

While there are no games on the slate for week 3 which should make or break anyone's season, there should be more than enough entertainment. I find it hilarious that the entire nation is not talking about whether the Vols can beat the Gators, but IF the Gators are going to cover the 28.5 points. If Urban has the ball with a 28 point lead with two minutes left, I'm betting he burns those timeouts, a la the Georgia game last year, in attempts to really rub it in Kiffin's face. I, for one, really hope it happens.

Never has a guy with so little success as a coach talked so much trash, especially to a guy who has had so much success as a coach. People say Urban Meyer is one of the bigger jerks in college football. Really? I don't remember him calling out any other teams or coaches in public. I don't remember him sending his entire team out on the field after a touchdown for a classless celebration. I don't remember him being condescending to any other coaches, fans or media (looking at you Mr. Saban). I DO remember Urban Meyer's teams getting it done on the field when it matters, where business in college football is meant to be settled (unless we're talking about the BCS selection process, in which case I need about 30 more pages to discuss that one). The Gators will cover the spread, but only if Meyer wants to. If he is smart, he will get up by 20 and rest the starters. However, the backups may still be able to go for the jugular in this one. I know I'll be watching to end to see if the Gators can pull it off.

Now for the Auburn folk that so lovingly follow the blog- the West Virginia game will be very telling for what kind of team Auburn really has. While most people agree that Auburn's chances of being a nationally relevant team during this rebuilding year are slim, the Auburn Family would love to see a win this week. A loss really won't mean anything for the season, as the Tigers main focus should be on winning some conference games and proving that their new offense can, in fact, succeed in the SEC. Slowing down Noel Devine should be the main objective for Ted Roof's defense. Devine ran all over Auburn last year in Morgantown. The Tiger running attack has been the foundation for success on offense for Gus Malzahn. These teams have both been putting on a show offensively this year. The team that runs the ball and controls the clock the best will be the winner in the one.

How about some picks? Here's what I'll be keeping an eye on this weekend (predicted winners in bold):

GA Tech @ Miami

Boise St @ Fresno St

East Carolina @ UNC

Boston College @ Clemson

USC @ Washington

Nebraska @ VA Tech

Utah @ Oregon

Arizona @ Iowa

Texas Tech @ Texas

Louisville @ Kentucky

Tennessee @ Florida

Louisiana-Lafayette @ LSU

Miss State @ Vanderbilt

SE Louisiana @ Ole Miss

West Virginia @ Auburn

North Texas @ Alabama

Florida Atlantic @ South Carolina

Georgia @ Arkansas

Happy watching.

NFL Week One Recap

Week one in the NFL got started with a thriller in Pittsburgh and ended with a thriller in Oakland, what a great start to the season. There were a lot of great games, a few upsets, and even a miracle or two. My advice was the avoid the Bengals/Broncos game at all costs. That was good advice until the last 30 seconds of the game (thank you red zone channel for keeping it live for me). Kyle Orton threw a yard hail-mary which was tipped by the Cincinatti defense before being hauled in by Brandon Stokley for an 87 yard miracle touchdown to take the lead with 11 seconds on the clock. I guess it was a good reward for anyone who invested time watching that awful game, or for those who invested money in getting NFL Ticket.

If you went with my picks across the board this week, you went 8-8 (sorry about the juice, hopefully you laid it at a casino and broke even- hey! free entertainment). As for my teaser, my disdain for Boston sports continues. Here are my picks again and the results:

Bengals to cover 4 - wrong (12-7 Broncos miracle play)

Jets +4.5 -correct (24-7 Jets)

Lions +13 - wrong (45-27 Saints)

KC +13- wrong (38-24 Ravens 4th down TD under a minute left)

Cardinals to cover 6.5 - wrong (49ers win outright 20-16)

St. Louis +8.5 - wrong (28-0 Seattle)Atlanta -4 - correct (19-7 Falcons)

Vikes -4 - correct (34-20 Minn)

Colts -7 - wrong (14-12 Indy)

Dallas to cover 6 - correct (34-21 Cowboys)

Skins cover 6.5 - correct (23-17 NYG)

Eagles cover -1.5 - correct (38-10 Eagles)

San Diego covers -9 - wrong (24-20 last minute drive win)

Tenn covers +6.5 - correct (13-10 Steelers)

Green Bay covers -3.5 - correct (21-15 Packers)

Pats cover -10.5 - wrong (25-24 Pats)

Teaser of the week: Dallas +1 @ TB, Pats -4.5 against the Bills, and Minnesota +2 @ Cleveland. Wrong. Don't even want to talk about this one. The Patriots have a knack for disappointing me in week one, the trend continues. Their offensive line better get it together or Tom Brady may be on the shelf again before too long. He sure didn't look like the all-world quarterback that he was pre-injury, at least last night. After I realized that the Pats weren't going to cover I started pulling hard for a Bills upset. Constant disappointment from the Patriots. They are on the inside track to be this years' Chargers for me (a team that screwed up every wager I laid on a game involving them last year somehow).

The Eagles defense was just nasty in week one, forcing five interceptions and recovering two fumbles while holding the Panthers to just 10 points. Everyone is talking about the Eagles offense but it may just be the defense which carries this team to the playoffs. Donovan McNabb suffered a rib injury and will most likely miss some time. The Eagles signed veteran Jeff Garcia for security. Garcia refused to accept a back-up role in Oakland but it looks like he will be either third or fourth string on the Eagles depth chart when McNabb and Vick return to the lineup. I have a feeling Kevin Kolb's days in Philly are numbered. I said it preseason and I think it even more after the first game, I think the Eagles will play for, if not win, the Superbowl this year.

How about Cadillac Williams? What a comeback he had after basically missing two years with knee injuries. Cadillac had 97 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Good to see the guy back on the field after all he has been through, and playing well at that.

And don't look now, but the Ravens finally look like they have an offense. Flacco went 26-43 with 307 yards and 3 TD's (but also had a costly interception that almost turned the game around and needs to improve his pocket presence to make the jump to elite QB status). Ray Rice is running hard and pairs up very well with McGahee out of the backfield. This team looks like a possible contender after week one.

After week one, this is how the league is looking to me:

Teams that look good: Ravens, Falcons, Vikings, Saints, Cowboys, Eagles, Jets

Teams that look bad: Dolphins, Broncos, Bengals, Browns, Lions, Panthers, Texans, Rams

Teams that could go either way: Titans, Steelers, Chiefs, Jags, Colts, Bucs, Redskins, Giants, 49ers, Cardinals, Seahawks, Bears, Packers, Bills, Patriots, Chargers, Raiders

I'm thinking I need to do some extra homework on the NFL this week so I can go better than 8-8 on my picks. I'm feeling better now that I have a little foundation to build on. I'm just glad that football is back and I can spend hours and hours writing, talking and arguing about football related topics. Social life, you can wait until February.

College Football Week 2 Recap

Week two gave us some good nail biters- GA Tech/Clemson was down to the wire, as was Notre Dame/Michigan, UGA/South Carolina and USC/Ohio State. There are also a few games who's final score is not indicative of the struggle: Jacksonville State was beating FSU, in Tallahassee, with 34 seconds remaining on the clock. That would have probably been the biggest upset of all time (Michigan fans would have rejoiced). Also, Alabama and Texas both struggled mightily early on against extremely inferior opponents (Florida International and Wyoming, respectively), but ended up with a respectable final score.

To me, this year is very similar to 2007 with its extreme parity. Remember when South Florida was #2 in the county? A two loss LSU team snuck into the BCS Championship Game due to the lack of any powerhouse teams who were clearly better than all the rest. I think Florida stands out as the team who can be the exception this year, but the #2 team is a wide open race. If Florida goes undefeated, or suffers just one loss, they are going to march into the title game. The question remains, who will the voters put over the top to challenge the Gators? Most likely USC or Ohio State since the pointless preseason rankings have them in position to handle early losses. I'll be surprised if we see an undefeated team in the BCS Title Game (sorry Boise State and BYU, it just ain't gonna happen).

As for my predictions, I went 9-5 (5-1 on SEC games) in week two, not my best. A few of those I really don't feel bad about (CMU over Mich State, Colorado losing to Toledo) but such is the volatility of college football. Here are the results:

W- Clemson @ Georgia Tech

L-Colorado @ Toldeo

L-Central Michigan @ Michigan State

W- Fresno State @ Wisconsin

W-BYU @ Tulane

L-Notre Dame @ Michigan

W-USC @ Ohio State

L-Stanford @ Wake Forest

L-UCLA @ Tennessee

W- Vanderbilt @ LSU

W-South Carolina @ Georgia

W-Troy @ Florida

W-Florida International @ Alabama

W-Miss State @ Auburn

At least I was right about tOSU going down to USC. Happy to see Tyrelle Pryor lose in the big spotlight, even though his moron of the month award was swiftly stolen by Kanye West (see what I did there?). Michigan could be a dangerous team in a few years: 89 of their players are either freshmen or sophomores. True freshman QB Tate Forcier looked very good against a quick, blitz-crazy Notre Dame defense. I still think this is still far off, but we may be seeing a resume on monster.com that looks something like this:

Name: CONFIDENTIAL

Purpose: Find a head coaching position which allows mediocrity

Experience:

2000-2004 Offensive Coordinator, New England Patriots

Duties: let Tom Brady and Bill Belichek make me look like a genius

2004-2009 Head Coach, Notre Dame

Duties: turned a top tier program into the door mat of college football

Don't feel bad for the guy though, he is the most overpaid coach in college football. You're off the hook, Kirk Ferentz:

1. Pete Carroll, USC	Pac-10	$4,400,000
2. Charlie Weis, Notre Dame	Ind.	$4,200,000
3. Urban Meyer, Florida	SEC	$4,000,000
4. Nick Saban, Alabama	SEC	$3,900,000
5. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma	Big 12	$3,800,000
6. Les Miles, LSU	SEC	$3,800,000
7. Jim Tressel, Ohio State	Big Ten	$3,500,000
8. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa	Big Ten	$3,030,000
9. Mack Brown, Texas	Big 12	$2,910,000
10. Bobby Petrino, Arkansas	SEC	$2,900,000

College Football: Week 2 Thoughts and Predictions

Week one was pretty solid for college football (check out the review a few posts below). We had games Thursday through Monday, pretty sweet. This week will be a different story. There are not nearly as many marquee games for the sport this weekend. Week two will be remembered for two major games: Notre Dame at Michigan, and USC at Ohio State.

Speaking of Ohio State, props to Tyrelle Pryor for one of the most idiotic, ignorant quotes ever from an athlete regarding forgiveness of Michael Vick. Before I give my additional thoughts, let me just let you read the exact quote:

"I just feel that, uh, I mean he made his mistake, and, uh, I think he just needs more support. I mean, uh, not everybody's the perfect person in the world. I mean everyone does kills people, murder people, and all types, steals from you, steals from me, whatever. I mean, I just feel that people need to give him a chance. I mean I always looked to Mike Vick and I always will, 'cause I still think he's one the best quarterbacks to me and I just love, I love Mike Vick and I look up to him a lot."

WOW. I had no idea that "everyone does kills people." I was wondering why I haven't fit in perfectly with society, I haven't murdered yet. In fact, I dislike murder. Therefore, I dislike Tyrelle Pryor, Ohio State, Michael Vick, and any ignorant person who tries to defend this statement (I'm looking at YOU, guy in the sweater vest). Go Trojans!!!! (end rant here).

On to things actually football related, one big question for the week is how does Georgia respond after losing to Oklahoma State last week? South Carolina won a very close game last week at North Carolina State, but Spurrier always finds a way to be very competitive with the Bulldogs. Georgia really needs to find another playmaker on offense to complement AJ Green, or it will be a long year full of double teams for the sophomore wideout. This game should be a defensive battle.

The battle for the hottest seat in college football is the best day game on Saturday when Notre Dame visits Michigan. Both teams started the year with major question marks and uncertainty, and both looked pretty darn good in week one. Which of the teams will keep the train rolling with a big win in week two and take some stress off of their respective head coach? I don't think either Weis or Rodriguez are in true danger of losing their job, but fans and the media are just waiting for a reason to criticize both of these coaches. Freshman Tate Forcier gets the nod as Michigan's starting QB and he will face a fierce defense for the first time (sorry, Western Michigan). The Fighting Irish and the Wolverines should put on a good show for us, probably the best game of the week.

Clemson visits Georgia Tech tonight in Atlanta. I really think Georgia Tech is a sleeper team that could cause big time problems for any team on their schedule. Paul Johnson's offense has been quite effective and the Tech defense has been able to keep the Jackets in just about every game since Johnson's arrival. I've already said that I am very high on Jonathan Dwyer- if Tech wins 10 games, I suspect he will be in New York for the Heisman ceremony, but won't win (and will only get invited since Bradford is now out of the running- still an honor).

For my quick two cents on Auburn- the Tigers looked pretty solid last week. Mississippi State had a great final score against Jackson State, but were basically given points from ridiculous turnovers. Miss State's offense didn't look too improved from last year, while Auburn appears to be headed in the right direction. As the Tigers begin their conference schedule, keeping the defense healthy will be a HUGE (can't emphasize how big) factor in Auburn's success. There is basically no depth at linebacker, a position which will be tested in a rough, physical manner every week in the SEC. I think Auburn wins this game by two touchdowns and continues to impress critics who are still wanting to talk about last year's disaster. I can safely say that the total points scored in this game will be a lot more than 5.

How about some picks?!?! (winners are in bold)

National Games:

Clemson @ Georgia Tech

Colorado @ Toldeo

Central Michigan @ Michigan State

Fresno State @ Wisconsin

BYU @ Tulane

Notre Dame @ Michigan

USC @ Ohio State

Stanford @ Wake Forest

SEC Picks:

UCLA @ Tennessee

Vanderbilt @ LSU

South Carolina @ Georgia

Troy @ Florida

Florida International @ Alabama

Miss State @ Auburn

Apparently home teams in the SEC are safe by my calculations. I guess we will find out this week if its true that "everybody does kills people" when Jim Tressel tries to burn Pete Carroll with his death stare during the game. I have never liked tOSU, but now I am officially a hater. I'll be wearing Cardinal and Gold for that one, fight on Trojans!!!

NFL Week One Preview

Ohhhhhhh yes. Time to watch the guys who get paid to play! The NFL regular season gets started this Thursday night when the Steelers host the Titans. I wonder if Clemson @ Georgia Tech is going to put up a fight for ratings? Any excuse I have to NOT watch a Steelers game, I'll take it. It is amazing how many bootleg Steelers' fans there are out there now. They are entering the realm of the Red Sox and Lakers. If I hear one more person explain their allegiance based on "my grandfather was born in Pittsburgh," I'm going to lose it. Maybe the fake rape case against Big Ben will deter a few people from jumping on the bandwagon, but I doubt it.

There is only one problem with the NFL- there are simply too many games on at one time to be able to watch them all. Trust me, we try to watch them all at my house: three tv's and a laptop or two is still not enough. So I'll go ahead and give you my best advice on what to spend your time watching this week. Obviously if you're a Vikings fan, but your probably not since they have the lowest revenue in the NFL year in and year out, you're going to want to watch the Vikings. But if you have no team allegiances, or your team plays on Thursday (shaking my head at you, Steelers fans), here is look at the week one matchups:

Avoid at all costs:

Denver @ Cincinatti: this should be one of the uglier games of the week. While it may be close, because both teams should be pretty awful, I've had my fill of the Bengals through Hard Knocks, and Kyle Orton playing quarterback makes me wonder if I could have made it in the NFL. Pass on this one (if you must, take the Bengals to cover 4 at home).

New York Jets @ Houston: while it may be intriguing to see how Mark Sanchez handles his first NFL start, there is no reason anyone outside of New York or Houston should be watching this one (I do like the Jets +4.5 in this one)

Detroit @ New Orleans: again, it is tempting to watch how rookie Matt Stafford handles his first start, but you can see all that on the highlights. He should do better against the Saints secondary than against most teams this year. We'll see if the Saints offense can pick up where they left off (and I think they can, but I don't like them as a 13 point favorite, take the Lions +13)

Kansas City @ Baltimore: this is tough for me to say, but no one wants to watch this game besides Ravens and Chiefs fans. Baltimore should dominate this game from the beginning against a KC team that has a ton of new faces and personnel. I'll be watching, but I don't expect many people to (I don't think the Ravens will cover 13, but it won't ever be a close game. Take KC +13).

San Francisco @ Arizona: seriously, its the 49ers. Even if they win a few games this year, it won't be fun to watch (I like the Cardinals to cover 6.5 at home in this one, a LOT).

St. Louis @ Seattle: two of the really bad teams from last year. With Hasselback returning to healthy form, the Seahawks should be able to handle a St. Louis team that looks like it is a long way from being any type of contender (i think it is closer than 8.5 though, take St. Louis +8.5)

Watchable for the whole family:

Miami @ Atlanta: sophomore slump or big leap in year two for Matt Ryan? I think the addition of Tony Gonzalez will really add a lot to the Atlanta offense. Miami should be decent this year as well. Definitely a watchable game that could be close (I like Atlanta -4 at home).

Minnesota @ Cleveland: if only there were some offseason headlines to follow about quarterbacks in this game, it might be worth watching. Favre in purple and Brady Quinn, no wait, Derek Anderson, or is it Quinn? I guess we will have to watch and see (give me the Vikes -4).

Jacksonville @ Indy: can Peyton make the Colts a threat to win the Superbowl once again, without Marvin Harrison in the picture? Joseph Addai better get back to his rookie form if that is going to happen (I like the Colts -7).

Dallas @ Tampa Bay: not much appealing about this one, but everyone likes to watch America's team play, right? Tampa's quarterback situation should be a recurring comedic theme this year so I want to be in on the joke early (I like Dallas to cover 6 on the road).

Washington @ NY Giants: did you hear that Plaxico shot himself? And the Redskins tried to shoot Jason Campbell with possible talks of trades and drafting a rookie QB. This is a big game for both teams in week one (I think the Giants win, but the Skins cover 6.5).

Philadelphia @ Carolina: wouldn't we all be reallllllly excited if Vick was playing in this game? No. Why do people even care about Vick at this point? He is a backup, and McNabb is pretty damn good, good enough to make the Superbowl this year, in my opinion (Eagles cover -1.5)

San Diego @ Oakland: the only reason this one didn't get lumped into the "avoid" category is because its on Monday Night Football, although its the late game that most people will fall asleep to. Nothing better than falling asleep to live football!! (San Diego covers -9)

Games you don't want to miss:

Tennessee @ Pittsburgh: first game of the season, Thursday night, defending champs against the team who won the most regular season games last year- should be a good watch (Pitt wins a close one, but Tenn covers +6.5)

Chicago @ Green Bay: this is the Sunday night game and, therefore, must be watched. Jay Cutler's debut as a Bear makes it a little more interesting. I'm looking forward to this one (Green Bay covers -3.5 at home).

Buffalo @ New England: the first Monday Night Football game of the year, how can you not watch? Plus America's most perfect man makes his return to football. Get ready for 8,000 close ups of Tom Brady's knee. Bellicheck will make a statement that the Pats are back (Pats cover -10.5)

Well now that you know what to watch, get out there and do it! Just don't gamble. But, if you must- here is my teaser of the week: Dallas +1 @ TB, Pats -4.5 against the Bills, and if you must take a third team: Minnesota +2 @ Cleveland.

Week 1 Summary

In case you didn't spend 14 straight hours sitting on the couch with McDonalds and Amstel Light, watching two games on two televisions at a time, I got you covered on week one. I went 16/21 this week on my picks, 11 of 12 on SEC games. I've been told that my bias against Alabama screwed up my perfect run at SEC picks this week. I'm still sticking my idea that breaking in a new quarterback and a rebuilt offensive line against a top 10 opponent, away from home, is enough to pick the other team. Anyhow, here are my misses:

• Mizzou beat my pick, Illinois. Again here, I went with the experienced "quarterback" (loose term for this guy) in Juice Williams to beat a Missouri team that was replacing Chase Daniel, who over-performed with his teams the past few years.
• BYU over Oklahoma- didn't foresee Gresham and Bradford going down in/before this one. Huge blows to an offense that was an absolute scoring machine last year. I don't feel bad about missing this one.
• Cincy over Rutgers- never trust a team from New Jersey
• Alabama over Va Tech- I think I covered this in my opening
• Miami over FSU- see below

The Miami/Florida State game was an absolute treat for college football fans. I picked FSU simply because of, yet again, experienced quarterback play. Miami was starting a redshirt freshman, backed up by a true freshman (who was destined for a redshirt before the top two backups both transferred two weeks ago). Jacory Harris showed great poise for Miami during the pressure packed 4th quarter. He made some freshmen mistakes, as expected, but managed to keep his team in position to win the game. FSU's returning quarterback, Christian Ponder, played a decent game as well. Jarmon Fortson, FSU wideout, dropped the winning touchdown pass (although it would have been tricky, he should have held on) as time expired. Ponder played a good game but his secondary had one blown coverage after another which allowed Miami to squeak out a win. Never discount experience at the QB position when looking at games, even if you lose a few (as I did this week), most of the time you will be in good shape.

Other week one notes:

I can't imagine a single Buckeye fan that has any fingernails left after a close call with Navy. Lou Holtz says a lot of crazy things, but one thing he was dead on about this week was NEVER open the season with a team like Navy (that option offense is a lot to prepare for, especially since tOSU probably won't see another like it all year). It will be interesting to see how Ohio State does against USC next week after the Navy game.

Greg Paulus did surprisingly well in his debut as a college QB. He didn't necessarily set the world on fire, but he did enough for his team to win if the Syracuse defense didn't get torched in the fourth quarter. He had a lot of short, dump passes and screens which ideal for a guy who hasn't played a down of football in four years. I don't think he'll be going pro, but it was fun to watch.

Jonathan Dwyer is good, really good. Heisman dark horse if Georgia Tech can manage to win a lot of games this year.

The Georgia Bulldogs looked very good on the opening drive against Oklahoma State. And then, for some strange reason that escapes me, they stopped running the football and let Joe Cox go 15/30 for 162 yards, one TD and one interception. Those aren't terrible numbers, but when you go 80 yards and score on the first possession while leaning on your running game, and it works, WHY STOP RUNNING THE BALL?? This is an SEC team that should understand the importance of ball control against an Oklahoma State team that isn't known for its defense. I believe UGA could have won that game if they kept running the ball. But they didn't- so one point for the X-man's prediction.

In a game with zero national relevance, the Auburn Tigers looked much, much improved from last year's 5-7 fiasco. Auburn's offense managed 556 yards of total offense. Wait, really? If you didn't watch the game, which I suspect most who are not Auburn fans did not, you probably want to double check that number. But it is true- the Tigers ran the football for 301 yards, including an outstanding effort from freshman tailback Onterrio McCalebb who ran for 148 yards in his Auburn debut. Chris Todd looked like a new man at quarterback, throwing for 255 yards and two touchdowns with, perhaps the most important stat- ZERO interceptions. Todd will get zero respect from the common football fan after his performance during an injury riddled season last year. But if Todd can continue to build on his performance from Saturday night, this Auburn offense could shock a lot of teams this year. Any time you rush for over 300 yards you are in damn good shape.

The Auburn defense played a decent game, holding Lousiana Tech to 245 yards of total offense and just 13 points, seven of which came on their first possession when a 3rd down pass interference call and 3 facemask penalties gave the Bulldogs 60 penalty yards. Take away that possession and you are looking at a very fine performance from the Auburn defense. My original prediction for this team was 6-6, I think that number could be realistic because of the lack of depth at key positions, but the Auburn Tigers have a chance to drastically increase that number if they can continue to play like they did while nobody was watching on Saturday night.

Week two predictions are on the way- also heads up for some NFL shenanigans. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, football is back.

Week 1 Predictions

It is Thursday, September 3rd, which means it is officially gameday for several programs across the nation! Fans will be treated to several games on national television tonight- starting with South Carolina visiting NC State. For those who have ESPNU, North Texas takes on Ball State at 7:30. And then, of course, the ugliest college football game of all time: Oregon at Boise State will be on after USC/NC State.

There are some interesting match ups this week, the most highly publicized being Alabama vs. Virginia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Another big time contest features UGA making the trip to Stillwater, OK to play Oklahoma State at 3:30. The only other game between two ranked teams features BYU at Oklahoma. The Sooners aren't exactly on upset watch, but it isn't completely out of the question for BYU to steal an early season win (though it will be very, very difficult).

I'm interested to watch Greg Paulus make his college football debut when Syracuse hosts Minnesota. That should be worth watching for at least two or three series. Ohio State gets a national tv game against Navy, that one should be over by halftime. It will be interesting to see how Rich Rodriguez handles playing three QBs when Michigan opens against Western Michigan. Michigan needs a good showing on Saturday after the recent struggles and negative publicity we've been seeing. Speaking of struggles, Charlie Weis better bring his A-game on Saturday when Nevada comes to South Bend to play Notre Dame.

On Sunday, #8 Ole Miss visits Memphis in a game that could be closer than many expect. There are a pair of big games on Monday as well: Cincinnati visits Rutgers in a game which should showcase the top two Big East Teams this year. Also on Monday night, Florida State hosts in-state rival Miami. There are enough quality games to keep us very entertained in week one. So, how about some predictions?!

WEEK ONE PREDICTIONS:

National TV Games:

South Carolina over NC State

Boise State over Oregon

Ohio State over Navy

Minnesota over Syracuse

Michigan over Western Mich

Illinois over Missouri

Oklahoma over BYU

California over Maryland

Rutgers over Cincy

Florida State over Miami

SEC Games:

South Carolina over NC State

Kentucky over Miami OH

Tennessee over Western Kentucky

OK State over UGA

MS State over Jackson State

Florida over Charleston Southern

Auburn over La Tech

Arkansas over Missouri State

Vanderbilt over Western Carolina

Virginia Tech over Alabama

LSU over Washington

Ole Miss over Memphis