Complete Bowl Picks

CAPS = my projected winner

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Utah vs. *NAVY*

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
*MEMPHIS* vs. Florida Atlantic

Papajohns.com Bowl
Southern Miss vs. *CINCINNATI*

New Mexico Bowl
*NEVADA* vs. New Mexico

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl
California-Los Angeles vs. *BRIGHAM YOUNG*

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
*BOISE STATE* vs. East Carolina

Motor City Bowl
*PURDUE* vs. Central Michigan

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
Arizona State vs. *TEXAS*

Champs Sports Bowl
*BOSTON COLLEGE* vs. Michigan State

Texas Bowl
*TEXAS CHRISTIAN* vs. Houston

Emerald Bowl
*MARYLAND* vs. Oregon State

Meineke Car Care Bowl
Connecticut vs. *WAKE FOREST*

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Central Florida vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE

Valero Alamo Bowl
Penn State vs. *TEXAS A&M*

PetroSun Independence Bowl
*ALABAMA* vs. Colorado

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
*CALIFORNIA* vs. Air Force

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl
*GEORGIA TECH* vs. Fresno State

Brut Sun Bowl
*SOUTH FLORIDA* vs. Oregon

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
*KENTUCKY* vs. Florida State

Insight Bowl
Indiana vs. *OKLAHOMA STATE*

Chick-fil-A Bowl
*CLEMSON* vs. Auburn

Outback Bowl
Wisconsin vs. *TENNESSEE*

AT&T Cotton Bowl
*MISSOURI* vs. Arkansas

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl
*TEXAS TECH* vs. Virginia

Capital One Bowl
Michigan vs. *FLORIDA*

Rose Bowl presented by Citi
Illinois vs. *SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA*

Allstate Sugar Bowl
Hawaii vs. *GEORGIA*

FedEx Orange Bowl
*VIRGINIA TECH* vs. Kansas

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
West Virginia vs. *OKLAHOMA*

International Bowl
*RUTGERS* vs. Ball State

GMAC Bowl
Bowling Green vs. *TULSA*

Allstate BCS Championship Game
*LOUISIANA STATE* vs. Ohio State

Championship Week Thoughts

I started the season strong with my picks and I finished the season strong as well, going 5-0 this week. That makes my college football total record 41-21 picking almost exclusively close match-ups, rivalry games and upsets. I'll do an update with all of my bowl picks next week.

1. In the year of the upset, the top two teams fell for a second week in a row
It was simple for both West Virginia and Missouri: win their final game and they'd be playing for a national championship. Neither could accomplish the feat. WVU's loss could be attributed to the loss of Pat White, but championship caliber football teams should be able to win with their other playmakers, expecially against a team that isn't even bowl eligible. Missouri lost simply because Oklahoma is the better football team; all is right in the Big XII.

2. Ironically enough, given the crazy year in college football, the conference champions are who most people predicted
You'd think that in a year like this Kentucky would win the SEC, Illinois the Big Ten, South Florida the Big East, UCLA the Pac-10, and so on. Before the season, if you would have said the winners would be: LSU (SEC), Oklahoma (Big XII), Ohio State (Big Ten), West Virginia (Big East), Virginia Tech (ACC) and USC (Pac-10) the typical college football fan would have said "duh." It's kind of a disappointing ending to an unpredictable season; it would have been fitting to see one of these underdog, upstart, pre-season unranked teams atop one of the major conferences.

3. The BCS is set...and I'm severely disappointed
Let's be realistic. I've said for a few weeks now that USC and Georgia are playing the best football in the country. They're paired up against Illinois and Hawaii, respectively. Both of these games will be blowouts; maybe one of them can re-capture the magic of Boise State, but OU last year was rebuilding and kind of backed in by virtue of a weak Big XII. At the time they were maybe the 5th-10th best team in the country. USC and UGA are, in my mind, 1 and 2...both of them will put a beatdown on "the little teams that couldn't."

OU-WVU is a compelling matchup in the Fiesta Bowl, but this has the potential to be a lopsided Sooner victory as well depending on which WVU team shows up and if Pat White can play. And then there's Virginia Tech vs. a disheartened, rattled Kansas team fresh off getting their butts handed to them by Missouri. VT is up there with USC and UGA in terms of how well they're playing at this point in the season, and save for a last second miracle a few weeks ago by then-Heisman frontrunner Matt Ryan, they'd be playing for the national championship themselves.

Finally, the BCS Championship game, LSU vs. Ohio State. Frankly, LSU deserves to be there and the Buckeyes don't. The Tigers are a two-loss team but both of those losses came in triple overtime, and they are the champions of the perennially best conference...the SEC. Ohio State played nobody and beat nobody. The knock against Hawai'i is a weak schedule, but arguably the Rainbow Warriors played a tougher schedule than Ohio State...and emerged undefeated. I would have much rather seen Hawai'i, Virginia Tech or Oklahoma playing against LSU. USC's loss to Stanford disqualifies them despite them being the best team right now and Georgia can't go because two SEC teams can't play each other. But let's be honest, it's about the money: Ohio State was chosen because they have one of the largest (and most obnoxious) fanbases in America.

Heisman Race
It's Tebow's. You read it hear first. Chase Daniel falls out of the running after a 0 TD, 1 INT performance in a loss versus Oklahoma. That leaves McFadden and Tebow; and though McFadden had a great year, running backs have similar numbers all the time. For instance, this year Ray Rice of Rutgers (1,732 rushing yards, 20 TDs), Matt Forte of Tulane (2127 rushing yards, 23 TDs) and Kevin Smith of UCF (2,448 rushing yards, 29 TDs) all have better numbers than McFadden (1,725 rushing yards, 20 total TDs). Tim Tebow's record shattering year is far from the ordinary, and come next weekend the voters will reaffirm that by giving the Heisman trophy to a sophomore QB from the University of Florida.

1. Tim Tebow, QB Florida (3,970 total yards, 51 total TDs)
2. Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas (1,725 rushing yards, 20 total TDs)
3. Colt Brennan, QB Hawai'i (4,174 passing yards, 46 total TDs)

Golden Top 25
I'm doing this a little differently this week. Instead of one top 25 list, I'm going to do three top 5 lists: a top 5 based on the entire season (a true top 5), a top 5 based on the best teams putting wins and losses aside, and a pre-season top 5 for 2008.

Entire Season Top 5
1. LSU
2. Hawai'i
3. Ohio State
4. Georgia
5. Virginia Tech/Oklahoma

Top 5 based on how good a team actually is, not records
1. USC
2. Georgia
3. LSU
4. Virginia Tech/Oklahoma
5. Florida

Preseason 2008 Top 25
1. USC
2. Georgia
3. Florida
4. Oklahoma
5. Ohio State

Championship Week Picks

#9 Oklahoma vs. #1 Missouri

#6 Virginia Tech vs. #11 Boston College

#14 Tennessee vs. #7 LSU

UCLA vs. #8 USC

Oregon State vs. #17 Oregon

Week 13 Thoughts

I was 7-2 this week, bringing my overall year-to-date picks record to 36-21.

1. The top 2 teams fall...this is starting to sound like a broken record
LSU lost in triple overtime and Kansas camp up just short of Big XII rival Missouri. LSU has two losses this year, both to SEC opponents and both in triple overtime. Great, championship caliber teams find a way to win close games; the Tigers simply haven't this season, the exception coming against Florida. Fans in the bayou are starting to place some of the blame on coaching, and with the coaching vacancy at Michigan don't be surprised to see Les Miles bolt before the water gets too hot in Louisiana. In the wake of disappointment and controversy, LSU better watch out for another letdown against Georgia in the SEC Championship. As for Kansas, they won't have a chance to play in the Big XII or BCS Championship games, but do finish the regular season 11-1 and will almost certainly get an at-large BCS bowl bid. Oh well, they still have basketball, right?

2. The rankings don't reflect the best teams
This college football season has been crazy to say the least, and the result is that the most talented teams in the country are nowhere near the top of the rankings. West Virginia can build a case that they're in the elite tier, and Missouri can as well with a revenge win against Oklahoma, but each team still has a game to play and I wouldn't be surprised if both of them lost. If Ohio State plays in the BCS Championship it will be a travesty; their signature win is against an 8-4 Michigan team and they're coming out of an extremely weak Big Ten conference that doesn't even play a conference championship game. Off the top of my head, these teams have impressed me more this season than the Buckeyes: Missouri, Georgia, LSU, Florida, Oregon, USC, Arizona State, West Virginia, Boston College, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Illinois and Hawaii. They shouldn't even be in the top 10. Here are the teams playing the best football right now, in order (of course, the rankings don't reflect who's playing best right now, it takes into account a full season): 1) USC, 2) Georgia, 3) West Virginia, 4) Missouri, 5) Florida.

3. National Championship prediction
West Virginia is in. Without a doubt in my mind. Who they play hinges on Oklahoma vs. Missouri. I don't know how much gas Missouri has left in the tank, and given the history the top-ranked teams have had this season...I'm going to have so say they, unfortunately, lose. The good news is WVU will absolutely blow out Ohio State, embarrassing them for the second BCS Championship in a row. Remember what Juice Williams did? Yeah, Pat White is about twice that good and has more weapons around him. West Virginia vs. Ohio State, and the Mountaineers win in a blowout.

Heisman Race
Darren McFadden had a monster game and Chase Daniel was near perfect. My argument is this: McFadden gives up a lot of time to Felix Jones, who puts up numbers just as good as McFadden, which hurts #5's cause. Also, Arkansas has four losses; in one of them against Auburn, McFadden only had 43 yards rushing and 0 touchdowns. I just don't see McFadden winning. If Chase Daniel has another 300 yard, 3 TD game in a win against Oklahoma...the trophy is his. If not, it's Tebow's. The Florida signal caller has more touchdowns (51) than any Heisman-winning quarterback in history; he's the first quarterback ever to record 20 TD's throwing and 20 TD's rushing in a single season; he's tied for the most rushing TD's (22) in a single season by a QB, and will almost certainly break that record in his bowl game.

1. Tim Tebow, QB Florida (3,970 total yards, 51 total TD's)
2. Chase Daniel, QB Missouri (3,951 passing yards, 33 passing TD's)
3. Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas (1,725 rushing yards, 20 total TD's)

Golden Top 25
1. West Virginia
2. Missouri
3. Georgia
4. Ohio State
5. LSU
6. Virginia Tech
7. Kansas
8. Oklahoma
9. Florida
10. USC
11. Boston College
12. Hawaii
13. Tennessee
14. Arizona State
15. Illinois
16. Clemson
17. Texas
18. Wisconsin
19. Cincinnati
20. Auburn
21. Virginia
22. Boise State
23. BYU
24. Oregon
25. Arkansas

Week 13 Picks

The upsets continue...

#11 USC vs. #6 Arizona State

#19 Boise State vs. #15 Hawaii

Arkansas vs. #1 LSU

#4 Missouri vs. #2 Kansas

#20 Connecticut vs. #3 West Virginia

#8 Virginia Tech vs. #16 Virginia

Florida State vs. #12 Florida

#18 Tennessee vs. Kentucky

#22 Clemson vs. South Carolina

Week 12 Thoughts

I was 2-2 on my picks this week, bringing me to 29-19 on the year. Picking 65% isn't too bad I guess, given how crazy this year has been.

1. Michigan versus Ohio State
Much like Tim (I won't even attempt his full first name) Biakabatuka stole Eddie George's show a few years ago, so did Beanie Wells steal Mike Hart's. Wells ripped off 3 Touchdowns and over 200 years rushing while Hart, a Heisman candidate until Saturday, was basically invisible. The game reflected the weather conditions, cold and sloppy, and the running game was the difference as none of the three quarterbacks impressed. Mike Hart and Chad Henne finish 0-4 vs. their hated rival and Ryan Mallett begins his career 0-1...and has to go into the Horseshoe next season. The Buckeyes are guaranteed at least a berth in the Rose Bowl and have an outside shot (not so outside given how many upsets have taken place this year) at going to Glendale for the BCS championship.

2. The Big XII
Oklahoma is officially done, though it was kind of disappointing they lost probably because they're star starting quarterback went down early to an injury. They had legitimate national title hopes, and Heisman hopes for Bradford, before the injury. This leaves Kansas and Missouri, who play each other next week, to possibly represent the conference in Glendale. Both teams' success revolve around their QBs, Todd Reesing and Chase Daniel respectively, and while I believe Missouri wins next week and has the best chance of knocking off an LSU or an Ohio State for a title, Reesing is the better quarterback. Missouri is a spread system, much like Texas Tech, and look at how well the Red Raider signal callers are doing in the NFL. However, the spread system is dominant in college right now (see: Florida) and unless Kansas can come up with a way to stop it, the Tigers are playing for a Big XII championship berth...and beyond.

3. National Title prediction
This is where the water gets a little murky. Anything can happen. LSU didn't impress versus a weak Ole Miss team while Georgia is looking like (dare I say) the best team in the SEC with the emergence of Knowshon Moreno. If Tennessee loses to Kentucky, I really believe Georgia can win the SEC Championship. If Tennessee wins and plays in Atlanta, LSU wins in a blowout. I'm going to stick with the most probable outcome and say Tennessee wins and thus LSU wins, so LSU is safe to start packing for the desert. But who faces them? The winner of Kansas-Missouri, either of which could easily lose in the Big XII championship? West Virginia, who plays an extremely tough UConn team for the Big East title? The farthest it would slip is Ohio State, who with their cupcake schedule and lack of a conference championship game (which should qualify the "Big Two" as a mid-major...seriously, play a conference championship game) would back their way in. And if Georgia beats LSU...I don't even want to think about it. That might be the end of the BCS.

Anyways, my prediction: LSU vs. Missouri. But this could drastically change after this weekend's games.

Heisman Race
Unless Tim Tebow drops a bomb against Florida State, he should start clearing room on his dresser for the Heisman trophy. He became the first quarterback in HISTORY to both pass and rush for 20 touchdowns in a season. When I think of the Heisman winner, I think of the player who if you removed them from their team, their team would not only be worse off but would be a completely different animal. Tim Tebow is that to the Florida Gators, not to mention his stats are leagues beyond any other contender--all while facing stiffer competition. If Chase Daniel has monster games against Kansas and in the Big XII championship he has a shot, but only because Tebow is a sophomore.

1. Tim Tebow, QB Florida (3,619 total yards, 46 total TD's)
2. Chase Daniel, QB Missouri (3,590 passing yards, 30 passing TD's).
3. Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas (1,519 rushing yards, 12 TD's)

on the bubble: Todd Reesing, Pat White

Golden Top 25
1. LSU
2. Kansas
3. Missouri
4. West Virginia
5. Ohio State
6. Georgia
7. Arizona State
8. Virginia Tech
9. Oklahoma
10. Oregon (without Dixon)
11. Florida
12. USC
13. Texas
14. Hawaii
15. Boston College
16. Virginia
17. Illinois
18. Boise State
19. Tennessee
20. UConn
21. Clemson
22. Wisconsin
23. Cincinnati
24. BYU
25. Auburn

Disagree with me on anything? Please feel free to comment and I'll respond.

Week 12 Picks

#6 West Virginia vs. #22 Cincinnati

#7 Ohio State vs. #21 Michigan

#23 Kentucky vs. #9 Georgia

#17 Boston College vs. #15 Clemson

Week 11 Thoughts

I went 4-6 with my picks this week, the first time all season I've had a losing weekend. My 2007 year-to-date record is now 27-17.


1. Once again, a team in the top 3 falls...
Most people knew Ohio State would lose this season and was only ranked #1 due to a cupcake schedule. However, not many people predicted their inevitable loss would come at the hands of Illinois. The Buckeyes were able to shut down star back Rashard Mendenhall, but that left the field wide open for QB Juice Williams, who ran for several crucial long third down conversions to salt the game away in the fourth quarter. Ohio State's Todd Boeckman, who was starting to receive whispered Heisman notice, threw 3 picks and looked altogether unimpressive. With several weeks left in the season, one has to wonder...will someone in the top 3 lose every week? LSU has a tough test against Darren McFadden and a date with either Georgia, Tennessee, or Florida in the SEC championship--all teams that could beat the Tigers. Oregon is somewhat safer, but given how this season has gone, there's no such thing as upset-safe.

2. Georgia might be the most underrated team in the country
The Bulldogs, despite an unsuccessful "black out" by their fans, turned in another impressive victory on Saturday. They've now handedly beat two of the SEC's best in Florida and Auburn, and could probably present a tougher challenge to LSU than the Gators or Tennessee. The Vols control their own destiny in the SEC East by virtue of a head-to-head tiebreaker, and both teams have to play upset-minded Kentucky. I think Georgia gets out of Lexington and Tennessee doesn't, giving the ticket to the SEC Championship in Atlanta to Georgia. And don't be surprised if Mr. Everything freshman Knowshon Moreon leads the Bulldogs to victory over LSU, either. Georgia is starting to look scary good; they're the best two loss team in the country (you heard it here first).

3. BCS National Championship prediction...

I'm already excited for LSU-Oregon. It would be a great game, SEC vs. Pac-10, with stars all over the field. Kansas is intriguing, however--Oregon's schedule the rest of the way is softer than a down comforter and Kansas has tough games against Missouri and probably Oklahoma in the Big XII championship. If Kansas can win out, they'll certainly have a case to leapfrog Oregon. However, they've received almost no national media attention and most of the country would rather see LSU vs. Oregon. And seeing as how sports have become almost completely about money, the polls might "somehow" keep Oregon in their #2 spot to boost ratings and financial gains. I personally would be on the Jayhawk bandwagon, though, believing them the true #2--or even #1--team in the nation. They're in arguably the second toughest conference and are undefeated...if a bigger-name school had their record, they'd be ranked #1 in every poll.


Heisman Race
1. Tim Tebow, QB Florida (3,250 total yards, 42 total TD's
2. Dennis Dixon, QB Oregon (2,623 total yards, 28 total TD's)
3. Chase Daniel, QB Missouri (3,306 passing yards, 26 passing TD's)

on the bubble: Todd Reesing, Darren McFadden, Sam Bradford, Colt Brennan

Golden Top 25
1. LSU
2. Kansas
3. Oregon
4. Oklahoma
5. Missouri
6. West Virginia
7. Ohio State
8. Georgia
9. Arizona State
10. Virginia Tech
11. Hawaii
12. Texas
13. Florida
14. USC
15. Virginia
16. Clemson
17. Boise State
18. Boston College
19. Illinois
20. Cincinnati
21. Tennessee
22. Kentucky
23. Wisconsin
24. Michigan
25. Connecticut

Week 11 Picks

Louisville vs. #7 West Virginia

Illinois vs. #1 Ohio State

#18 Auburn vs. #10 Georgia

#12 Michigan vs. Wisconsin

#13 Connecticut vs. Cincinnati

Texas Tech vs. #14 Texas

#15 Florida vs. South Carolina

#17 USC vs. California

Wake Forest vs. #21 Clemson

Arkansas vs. #23 Tennessee

I was 4-3 with my picks for Week 10, bringing my year-to-date record to 23-11.

1. LSU escapes...again
That's the mark of a championship team; you can't win them all in blowouts, you have to survive the scares as well. Florida did it last year by blocking a last second kick against South Carolina. Now this year LSU has close wins against Florida, Auburn and Alabama. This team would be scary good if they had a decent quarterback, but for now they're just plain scary. Every week is dangerous in the SEC and LSU is now burdened with the Curse of #2. Will they lose again? No. Arkansas, despite a late season resurgence, doesn't have the talent level to best LSU. The SEC Championship, if it wasn't already, should be circled on every football fan's calendar--it's the only thing in between LSU and a national title berth.

2. Boston College and Matt Ryan both fall
The Eagles on the field, and Ryan on the Heisman ballots. His numbers were never that impressive as he's been interception prone, but he was a candidate because he found ways to win until he came up empty against Florida State. That last minute interception return for a touchdown was the nail in Ryan's Heisman coffin. Boston College has to re-align their focus, however, as the ACC title and a spot in a BCS bowl are still very possible and very prestigious outcomes for the 2007 season.

3. National Championship prediction
Boston College losing might even add to the controversy, adding another one loss team to the mix. I, like many people, believed BC would finish undefeated. So now I have to switch my prediction to a showdown between Oregon and LSU for the national championship, with Ohio State, Oklahoma, Kansas, Hawaii and Boston College all with legitimate gripes.

Heisman Race
1. Dennis Dixon, QB Oregon (2,623 total yards, 28 total TD's)
2. Tim Tebow, QB Florida (2,826 total yards, 35 total TD's)
3. Mike Hart, RB Michigan (1,118 rushing yards, 12 rushing TD's)

on the bubble: Darren McFadden, Colt Brennan, Chase Daniel, Matt Ryan, Todd Reesing

Golden Top 25
1. Ohio State
2. LSU
3. Oregon
4. Oklahoma
5. Kansas
6. Missouri
7. West Virginia
8. Boston College
9. Arizona State
10. Georgia
11. Michigan
12. Virginia Tech
13. Connecticut
14. Texas
15. Hawaii
16. USC
17. Auburn
18. Florida
19. Boise State
20. Clemson
21. Virginia
22. Alabama
23. Tennessee
24. California
25. Kentucky

Week 10 P

Georgia Tech over #11 Virginia Tech

#1 Ohio State over #21 Wisconsin

#3 LSU over #17 Alabama

#5 Oregon over #4 Arizona State

#18 South Florida over Cincinnati

#24 Wake Forest over #23 Virginia

#12 Michigan over Michigan State

Week 9 Thoughts

I went 3-2 with my picks for Week 9, bringing my overall year-to-date record to 19-8.

1. Ohio State impresses in defense of #1 ranking, but is still overrated
Penn State in the upset was a trendy pick this week, and I myself fell victim to underrating the Buckeyes. As I said earlier in the season, Penn State hasn't done much to impress me in recent history, especially in big games. In what's becoming a sad trend, PSU decided not to show up in a nationally televised primetime game. I didn't think Ohio State was that good of a team, and even after this weekend's drubbing of the Nittany Lions I still don't think the Buckeyes are a contender. They'll hold on to their #1 ranking until they lose to Michigan and will be bypassed by the likes of Oklahoma, Oregon and LSU when it comes to the BCS national title race.

2. Boston College, Arizona State, Kansas and Hawaii...all undefeated, but how good are they?
Boston College is very good. National title contender good (unless its raining). Kansas is stronger than most people are giving them credit for, even after a win over Texas A&M. Arizona State is proving why the Pac-10 might be catching up to the SEC in terms of the "toughest conference" crown. And Hawaii...well...they have Colt Brennan. I believe Boston College and Hawaii finish undefeated, with Kansas hanging around until a loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship. Arizona State will lose 2, both to USC and Oregon. Hawaii might sneak in as an at-large to a BCS bowl, but won't be considered above even a 2-loss team for the national championship game due to an embarrassingly weak schedule. To sum up in one sentence: Boston College and Kansas are ranked where they should be (#2 and #8, respectively) while ASU and Hawaii aren't as good as their positions indicate.

3. BCS National Championship game prediction
Boston College vs. LSU. Once again there will be controversy as the Big 12 (Oklahoma), SEC (LSU), Big Ten (Ohio State) and Pac-10 (Oregon) will have a one-loss delegate. Ohio State will suffer because of a weak schedule, but the other three teams all have an impressive resume. Boston College will win the ACC and finish undefeated, making them a lock to play in the game. But who do they face of the remaining three? The SEC is still the strongest conference in the country and the voters know that. The Pac-10 has closed the gap considerably this season, but would have to have another season or two like 2007 to really be able to compete with the SEC in the eyes of the media.

Heisman Watch
A little bit of a change this week. As the season has progressed, the majority of Heisman hopefuls have been weeded out and only a few still remain as possibly recipients. It's no longer just about numbers, but now team losses come in to play, automatically nullifying players like Tim Tebow, Andre Woodson, Ray Rice and Darren McFadden. To reflect this, instead of listing 5 possible winners I'm reducing my list to 3.

1. Matt Ryan, QB Boston College (2,433 passing yards, 19 passing TD's)
2. Dennis Dixon, QB Oregon (2,377 total yards, 24 total TD's)
3. Mike Hart, RB Michigan (1,078 rushing yards, 12 rushing TD's)

I consider Mike Hart a candidate despite two losses because he has single-handedly turned Michigan's season around. The Wolverines might be winless without Hart, who, to be terribly cliche, is the heart of that team.

Golden Top 25
1. Ohio State
2. Boston College
3. LSU
4. Oregon
5. Oklahoma
6. Arizona State
7. Kansas
8. West Virginia
9. Missouri
10. Georgia
11. Hawaii
12. Michigan
13. Virginia Tech
14. Texas
15. USC
16. Auburn
17. Florida
18. Alabama
19. Connecticut
20. Wisconsin
21. South Florida
22. Wake Forest
23. Tennessee
24. South Carolina
25. Boise State

Week 9 Picks

#2 Boston College over #8 Virginia Tech

#5 Oregon over #12 USC

#11 Florida over #18 Georgia

#25 Penn State over #1 Ohio State

#7 West Virginia over Rutgers

Week 8

I went 4-1 with my picks this week, bringing my overall total to 16-6 on the year.

Heisman Race
1. Ray Rice, RB Rutgers (999 rushing yards, 14 total TD's)
2. Tim Tebow, QB Florida (2,286 total yards, 27 total TD's)
3. Matt Ryan, QB Boston College (2,148 passing yards, 17 passing TD's)
4. Andre Woodson, QB Kentucky (2,201 passing yards, 26 passing TD's)
5. Dennis Dixon QB Oregon (2,144 passing yards, 23 total TD's)

ON THE BUBBLE: Mike Hart, Sam Bradford, Darren McFadden

Golden Top 25
1. Ohio State
2. Boston College
3. LSU
4. Oklahoma
5. Arizona State
6. Oregon
7. West Virginia
8. Virginia Tech
9. Florida
10. USC
11. Kansas
12. Missouri
13. Kentucky
14. South Florida
15. Hawaii
16. South Carolina
17. Texas
18. Georgia
19. Virginia
20. Michigan
21. California
22. Rutgers
23. Alabama
24. Penn State
25. Auburn

Week 8 Picks

1. Rutgers over #2 South Florida
This is the kind of game that has put Rutgers on the map over the past two seasons. Ray Rice will carry the game on his shoulders. It'll be close, but the Scarlet Knights put the Golden Bulls where they belong--ranked around #10-15 in the nation.

2. #4 LSU over #17 Auburn
This one's kind of a gimme pick, as LSU is still the favorite to win the national championship. Auburn is much improved since their disastrous beginning to the season, but they haven't improved enough to beat an LSU team that's got something to prove after a 3OT loss to Kentucky.

3. #15 Florida over #7 Kentucky
Two straight losses and then a Bye...the Gators are as ready and fired up for this game as a team can possibly be. Urban Meyer himself would suit up and play a headhunting Safety before he let his Gators lose this game. Andre Woodson should have a field day against a weak Florida secondary, however, so it should be close--and a good opportunity to pad his Heisman numbers.

4. #24 Texas Tech over #16 Missouri
Nobody's talking about Graham Harrell. They should be. Texas Tech has a good system for QB's...but Harrell is taking it to a whole other level. You heard it here first, he's more than a system QB. And he'll prove it on Saturday. This game should be a fun one to watch, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's over 1,000 yards of total offense.

5. #25 Michigan over Illinois
A year ago this would have been a gimme pick. But just last week Illinois was ranked and Big Blue was not, so this is more of an evenly matched game--on paper--than many would have predicted. Michigan has rebounded from their disastrous start, though, and will give Ohio State a run for its money. Illinois should prove little more than a minor bump...but the Illini are on the upswing with the Zooker at the helm, who just got a 3-year extension.

Week 7

Does Anyone Want It?

Almost every year in college football there's a clear cut "top team" and about 3-4 other serious contenders who vary from rank 2-10 throughout the season. I still think LSU is the top team in the country, but from there the field is about as flooded as UNCW during a thunderstorm.

1. Ohio State is now in the driver's seat
They started the year reeling from losing most of their key players from their 2006 squad, but this young team has gotten better each and every week. They still lack the star power (I invite you to try to name more than 3 players on their team unless you're a Buckeye fan) but they find themselves with the #1 ranking. They more fell into it than earned it...they haven't done anything special except not lose to inferior teams...but they're there nevertheless. I'd circle the Michigan game as a probably loss, but now that Mike Hart's future is uncertain Ohio State's road seems that much easier. If they go undefeated they'll be playing for the BCS title...but I think a one loss SEC or Pac-10 team, or an undefeated Big East (South Florida) or ACC (Boston College) team gets the nod over a one loss Ohio State.

2. Is the SEC West now in doubt?
No. Not really. But it's certainly a possibility for Auburn to knock off LSU next week and win out and take the crown. I think Les Miles will find and fix all of the holes that Kentucky exposed, making LSU that much of a stronger team next week. I don't think that this game will even be close; Les Miles' class and sportsmanship have always been a little suspect and he'll try to run up the score in a statement game in Death Valley.

3. Do South Florida or Boston College deserve a look at the #1 ranking?
They're not better than teams like LSU, Oklahoma, or Ohio State...but they're both undefeated and have several key victories. If USF beats Rutgers this Thursday night they'll greatly increase their chances of running the table and add another impressive win to their BCS resume. Ohio State would have to lose in order for this scenario to happen, but given the trend of this year's college football season that's more than likely. Seeing an 11-year-old, previously obscure program like USF ranked #1 will cause shockwaves through the NCAA...I don't know whether the cheer for or against it.

Heisman Watch
1. Graham Harrell, QB Texas Tech (3, 151 passing yards, 31 passing TD's)
2. Andre Woodson, QB Kentucky (1,786 passing yards, 24 total TD's)
3. Matt Ryan, QB Boston College (2,148 passing yards, 17 passing TD's)
4. Ray Rice, RB Rutgers (993 total yards, 14 total TD's)
5. Dennis Dixon, QB Oregon (1,849 total yards, 21 total TD's)

on the bubble: Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford, Mike Hart

Top 25
1. Ohio State

2. South Florida

3. Boston College

4. LSU

5. Oklahoma

6. Kentucky

7. Oregon

8. South Carolina

9. California

10. Arizona State

11. West Virginia

12. Virginia Tech

13. Florida

14. USC

15. Kansas

16. Missouri

17. Auburn

18. Hawaii

19. Tennessee

20. Texas Tech

21. Georgia

22. Texas

23. Cincinnati

24. Michigan

25. Virginia

Week 6

The Craziest Year Ever?

Last week, five of the Top 10 teams lost. This week, four more fell as well (though one team, Florida, was one of those teams both weeks). USC lost to Stanford. Among the Top 5 now are California, Boston College, and South Florida. I didn't make any picks this week because in the midst of 3 tests and a paper I'll be honest--I forgot to before Thursday night. And thank God I didn't, I don't think anyone could have predicted this week in college football.

1. Stanford over USC...the biggest upset in college football history?
Well, except for Michigan's little hiccup against Appalachian State. The Vegas line on this game was USC -40.5. The same oddsmakers didn't even make a line for the App. State-Michigan game, so that upset still reigns supreme. But this does not at all lessen the magnitude of what the Fighting Jim Harbaughs accomplished last night. It doesn't get any more exciting than a completed 4th and 20, and then a touchdown on 4th and Goal, resulting in an underdog win. The two coaches, Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll, have had a year-long verbal battle that apparently is not over--Carroll refused to shake his opponent's hand after the game. As a huge fan of sportsmanship, I could write for hours about how classless of a move this is, but all I'll say is that Carroll deserved this loss and deserves every loss that's coming his way for the rest of the season...and there will be at least one more. What a chump. GO TREE.

2. LSU the clear number 1...and only sure thing.
No championship team gets through the season without a gutcheck. The Tigers got their first last night, and they responded accordingly. The Gators gave them every ounce that they could handle, but the Tigers played a tenacious fourth quarter--marked by five absolutely ice-blooded calls by coach Les Miles--and came away with an earned victory. For all the arguments that could be made about who is ranked number 2 and beyond, there is no argument over who is the top team in the land and the odds-on favorite to win the National Championship. That being said...LSU will lose a game. I don't believe any team can survive a modern day SEC schedule without a defeat. Even if LSU escapes Kentucky, Auburn, and Arkansas, they'll face the Gators (who will win the rest of their games) again in the SEC Championship. On a neutral field. Against an extremely revenge-oriented Florida team. If LSU can win out, they deserve to be called one of the best teams in modern history.

3. Ohio State back among the elite.
And deservedly so. The Buckeyes had a shakey start but have really gelled and are coming on strong. They handedly beat a #23 ranked Purdue to remain undefeated, and are now the favorites to win the Big Ten and perhaps even to face LSU in the national title game. Let's face it, California is a Pac-10 team...they'll lose a game (my guess is against Arizona State). The Buckeyes on the other hand benefit greatly from Michigan's struggles and Wisconsin's loss. Other than LSU, I think Ohio State is one of the few other teams capable of going undefeated. I'm not saying they will--I think they'll lose one--but they have a decent chance to do so. But don't get too excited, Buckeye fans...you might not want to be in too big of a hurry to get burned by SEC speed on a national stage again.

4. Boston College and South Florida...really two of the best five teams?
They both have great, playmaking quarterbacks and have beaten everyone that has been placed in their way. I still have trouble thinking of them as being better teams than the likes of Oregon, Oklahoma, Florida, USC, etc...but for now, the absolutely deserve to be ranked where they are. USF is just such a great story, how can you not cheer for them? They've only had a football team for 11 years! COUGHHINT UNCW HINTHINTCOUGH. And Boston College...Matt Ryan is Mr. Consistency. With him taking the snaps, you can never count BC out of a ballgame. In a cupcake ACC conference, the Golden Eagles also have a chance to go undefeated...but will the voters take this as enough to put them in the BCS National Championship over a one-loss Pac-10, SEC, Big 12 or Big Ten team?

5. National championship picture is about as clear as a Picasso painting.
The way this year is going, at the end we'll have a one-loss team (LSU) and an absolute slew of two loss teams from the major conferences. Then we'll have a few one loss teams, and even maybe an undefeated team, from the "lesser"...here's looking at you, ACC and Big East...divisions. Florida's hopes are dashed, since even a victory over LSU in the SEC Championship wouldn't be enough to put them over the Tigers unless LSU lost a game before that, too. Oklahoma, Ohio State, USC, California, Oregon, South Florida, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Arizona State, Wisconsin, and a slew of other teams are all still right there in it. Of all those teams I think the teams with a realistic chance are USC, Cal, Oklahoma, USF, and Ohio State. We won't know down to the very wire, though, and I'm looking very much forward to the second half of the season.

Golden Top 25
1. LSU
2. California
3. Ohio State
4. South Florida
5. Boston College
6. Oklahoma
7. USC
8. West Virginia
9. South Carolina
10. Missouri
11. Oregon
12. Virginia Tech
13. Arizona State
14. Florida
15. Wisconsin
16. Cincinnati
17. Hawaii
18. Kentucky
19. Illinois
20. Kansas
21. Florida State
22. Auburn
23. Georgia
24. Texas
25. Texas Tech

Heisman Race
1. Mike Hart, RB Michigan (976 rushing yards, 10 rushing TD's)
2. Graham Harrell, QB Texas Tech (2,726 passing yards, 30 total TD's)
3. Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois (945 total yards, 12 total YD's)
4. Matt Ryan, QB Boston College (1,857 passing yards, 16 total TD's)
5. Andre Woodson, QB Kentucky (1,536 passing yards, 20 total TD's)

on the bubble: Darren McFadden, Tim Tebow, DeSean Jackson

Week 5

The Art of Laying an Egg

Just got back from the Panthers game...which was about as awful as Week 5 of college football. Five of the top 10 teams lost, all in upsets. This has paved the way for such perennial powerhouses as South Florida and Kentucky to be ranked WAY too high, the reason I hate the polls. Does anyone out there really think Kentucky is better than Oklahoma, or South Florida better than the Gators? Talent aside, these underdog teams are undefeated and have quality wins, something that quite a few major programs--who would probably win 7 out of 10 games against these higher ranked teams--can't say. They deserve, for now, to be ranked higher...but they are not the better teams.

I went 2-2 with my picks for the week since up-and-down Cal decided to have an up week and Clemson failed to beat a Georgia Tech team that they routed last year and has only gotten worse since then. My overall record stands at 12-5.

1. Oklahoma
Sam Bradford proved why its nearly impossible for most freshmen and sophomores to win the Heisman: inexperience. He threw two costly interceptions that cost his team the game. As with all young quarterbacks, Bradford needed this type of game so that he can learn from it and grow. Bradford will be a force in the NCAA for the next two or three years and will have the Sooners competing for a national championship each year he's there. This isn't to count the Sooners out this season yet, its looking more and more like the national championship will be a battle of one loss teams. USC will lose a game in the Pac 10, and LSU has a rigorous SEC schedule beginning with back-to-back weeks against Florida and Kentucky.

2. Florida
The good news for the Gators is an upset over #1 LSU in Week 6 would catapult them right back into the top 5. The bad news is they'd have to do it against a superior team, in Death Valley, after losing to a team that shouldn't have even posed a threat. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge Gators fan (born and raised in Ft. Myers), but this isn't their year. Tim Tebow is a young quarterback--though he has more experience than most of his peers--and doesn't quite have the poise to lead a team to a national championship like Chris Leak had. Like Sam Bradford, Tebow will have this Gators team competing for a national title each year...but asking him to go into Death Valley against the #1 defense and #1 team in the country as a sophomore...well, it's just not likely. Hopefully he'll prove me wrong, but if I had to guess I'd say Florida is a two-loss team this season. Their young; watch out in 2008 once Percy Harvin, Tim Tebow, and the entire defense have another year under their belts.

3. Texas
This is not a good football team. Colt McCoy is getting worse every week and the defense has more holes than a minefield. They'll lose another game at least, if not two or even three. Of course they'll go to a bowl, but not one as prestigious as the Longhorns are used to.

4. Rutgers
The Big East seems destined to keep on shooting itself in the foot. Louisville is fighting to even get to 6 wins and bowl eligibility, West Virginia and Rutgers go down in the same week, and suddenly South Florida is the team to beat. The Big East was supposed to have 3 national title contenders, and now it has 0. USF is a good team with momentum, but they'll lose steam eventually; they're just not talented enough to hang with the BCS powerhouses. Rutgers is still my favorite to win the conference, returning an experienced and very determined football team. Maryland is a good football squad back on the rise after a few down years, so this loss wasn't too horrible of an upset for the Scarlet Knights. I think Rutgers completes the Paper-Rock-Scissors game the Big East is playing and beats USF on October 18, possibly finishing 11-1. A one loss team from the Big East won't beat out a one loss team from the Pac-10 or SEC, though, and Rutgers' national championship aspirations have officially been snuffed out.

Heisman Race

1. Andre Woodson, QB Kentucky (1309 passing yards, 18 total TD's)
2. Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas (656 rushing yards, 7 total TD's)
3. Graham Harrell, QB Texas Tech (2,301 passing yards, 25 total TD's)
4. Steve Slaton, RB West Virginia (684 total yards, 10 total TD's)
5. Tim Tebow, QB Florida (1,730 total yards, 19 total TD's)

On the Bubble: Ray Rice, Curtis Painter

Golden Top 25

1. LSU
2. USC
3. Ohio State
4. California
5. Wisconsin
6. Boston College
7. South Florida
8. Florida
9. Oklahoma
10. Kentucky
11. Oregon
12. Georgia
13. Virginia Tech
14. Missouri
15. Rutgers
16. Purdue
17. Texas
18. South Carolina
19. Cincinnati
20. Arizona State
21. Hawaii
22. Clemson
23. Kansas State
24. Nebraska
25. UCLA

Strapped for time...driving to Charlotte for the Panthers game...quick picks.

USF over WVU

Oregon over California

Clemson over Georgia Tech

Purdue over Notre Dame

Week 4

Shaking Things Up: Week 4 is 'upset week'

Syracuse over #18 Louisville. Michigan over #10 Penn State. #22 Georgia over #16 Alabama. Miami over #20 Texas A&M. There were a couple of other near-upsets, too. A few things were business as usual, though...LSU, USC, and OU all rolled.

I went 4-0 with my picks this week, including three upsets. Can't accuse me of picking obvious, cupcake games. My overall 2007 record is 10-3...maybe I should find a bookie...

1. There you are, Buckeyes...
Ohio State struggled, struggled, struggled...and then finally exploded and put up 58 points on Northwestern. They're making a push to really move up from being a good team to being a great, national title contender team. They lost a lot of players from last year, especially on offense, but with the young talent they have they'll only get better with every game. Watch out for the Buckeyes; suddenly they're the favorites to win the Big Ten.

2. Can Michigan win the Big Ten?
In short, yes. They knocked off Penn State to open league play with a victory, and if they can do the same against the likes of Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Purdue then they can. It's not likely, but with Mike Hart running the ball they'll have a chance. I still think Ohio State or Purdue will win it. If Hart can keep up putting up 150+ yards a game and wills his team to victory after victory, expect him to be hoisting the Heisman at the end of the season.

3. Matt Flynn vs. Ryan Perriloux, who does LSU ride?
Is there a quarterback controversy down in the bayou? This pair couldn't be more different. Flynn has patiently waited his turn, a quiet fifth year senior who lets his play speak for itself. Perriloux came out of high school proclaiming he would win 4 Heismans and be better than Vince Young. In his defense, Perriloux seems to have cleaned up his act this season. I don't think there's a controversy at LSU--Flynn is the unquestioned starter. I can see a set-up being used like Florida did last season with Chris Leak and Tim Tebow, however...use one to pass and the other to switch things up as a running threat.

4. Goodbye, Lousville...and goodbye, Brohm's Heisman
Brian Brohm is still the best quarterback in the country; too bad his defense might be more effective just stepping off the field, letting the other team score, and leaving Brohm and the offense on the field all game. Louisville falls out of the top 25 after a loss to Big East bottom feeder Syracuse, who some said wouldn't win a single game this season. For those unfamiliar with the Big East, this would be like Duke beating Virginia Tech. Oh well, Louisville will still go to a bowl...just more like on Dec. 23 instead of in 2008. Brohm should just start preparing for being reunited with Bobby Petrino in Atlanta next season.

5. Is Kentucky for real?
Can the Wildcats win the SEC East? Yes, absolutely. Florida's remaining schedule includes @LSU, @Kentucky, vs. Georgia, @South Carolina, @Florida State. The Gators will lose at least one, if not two, of these games. Kentucky will lose one or two as well, and Georgia has already lost one and will lose a second. If Kentucky can survive with only one SEC loss, they have a very legitimate chance to win the SEC East and face LSU in the SEC Championship. Andre Woodson didn't put up huge numbers vs. Arkansas, but he was efficient and effective.

Heisman Race

There was a big shake-up in the Heisman running this week. The award is supposed to go to the best college football player in the country, but unfortunately it goes to the best player on a good team. Mike Hart, Brian Brohm and Darren McFadden are the most hurt by this. Colt Brennan sat a game out with an ankle injury, severely hurting his Heisman hopes. But this kid from Texas Tech has the nation asking, Colt who?

1. Tim Tebow, QB Florida (1,454 total yards, 17 total TD's)
2. Steve Slaton, RB West Virginia (617 total yards, 10 total TD's)
3. Ray Rice, RB Rutgers (492 total yards, 9 total TD's)
4. Curtis Painter, QB Purdue (1,290 passing yards, 16 passing TD's)
5. Graham Harrell, QB Texas Tech (1,962 passing yards, 19 passing TD's)

On the Bubble: Colt Brennan, Dennis Dixon, Andre Woodson, Mike Hart, Brian Brohm, Darren McFadden

Golden Top 25

1. LSU
2. USC
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida
5. West Virginia
6. Ohio State
7. Texas
8. California
9. Wisconsin
10. Rutgers
11. Clemson
12. Boston College
13. Oregon
14. Kentucky
15. Georgia
16. Virginia Tech
17. Purdue
18. Hawaii
19. South Florida
20. Penn State
21. Missouri
22. South Carolina
23. Arizona State
24. Cincinatti
25. Alabama

Second straight undefeated week...4-0 (including three called upsets), bringing my overall year-to-date record to 10-3. Should I send my resume to ESPN?

Full update coming tomorrow.

Week 4 Picks

Apparently it's SEC week for college football...

1. #12 South Carolina at #2 LSU.
South Carolina is doing surprisingly well this season. We knew Steve Spurrier would get the Gamecocks on the fast track to success, but no one expected him to do it on defense. He'll need a few more years of recruiting before he can face up to LSU, though--and he better start with finding a quarterback. Blake Mitchell threw three 3 INT's against South Carolina State; the Fighting Tigers will eat him alive. LSU big.

2. #10 Penn State at Michigan.
This is a tough game to call...which Wolverines team will show up? True freshman Ryan Mallett is touted as being even better than Jimmy Clausen--but that's not saying much. Penn State has its own superstar at QB, Anthony Morelli, who most people think will be one of the first quarterbacks taken in the 2008 NFL Draft. I've never really felt that Penn State is a top tier team, the kind of team to be feared...maybe it's their drab, boring uniforms, or maybe it's the fact that their archaic coach craps himself on the sidelines. I'm going to pick the upset here and say Michigan wins.

3. #22 Georgia at #16 Alabama.
This is another hard game to predict. Nick Saban is definitely off to a great start in his first year at Alabama (until he runs into LSU....) but I think Georgia just has a slightly higher level of talent. Alabama's John Parker Wilson's claim to fame is being the older brother of Two-A-Days star Ross Wilson; Georgia QB Matthew Stafford was one of the most highly touted recruits in his high school class. I don't want to call it an upset because I think these rankings should be flipped, but Georgia wins this game.

4. #21 Kentucky at Arkansas.
Heisman candidate Andre Woodson makes his national debut as he's broadcast on ESPN2, and he'll make the most of it. Expect him to put up Heisman-worthy numbers...I'd expect no less than 300 yards and 3 TD's. On the other hand, Arkansas starts Casey Dick at quarterback, and they might be better off if they had ANDY Dick taking the snaps. Darren McFadden, Arkansas' own Heisman hopeful, will have a big day as well, but ultimately the spotlight will belong to Andre Woodson. I like Kentucky.

More Questions

I went 3-0 with my picks, and I actually picked Kentucky to upset Louisville but didn't put it on this blog. If you don't believe me you can ask my roommate who is now short $20 because I bet him the Wildcats would pull off the upset. However, since it wasn't posted here, I won't count it. Through Week 3 my overall record is 6-3.

As is typical of most questions in the world, the answers we received last week just opened the door for more questions to arise this week. The top four teams are clear: USC, LSU, Oklahoma and Florida. After that, teams ranked 5-25 could all be interchangeable. It seems none of them want to step up and solidify their rankings, and the result is the most unclear and jumbled Top 25 in recent history.

More Questions, Less Answers

1. Who is going to make it out of the brutal SEC?
I can already see it happening: Florida beats LSU, South Carolina beats Florida, Kentucky beats South Carolina, Georgia beats Kentucky...this conference just continues to ruin each other's seasons. The class of the SEC, without question, are LSU and Florida. The problem is that any other SEC team, on any given week, can get their act together and knock them off. This isn't really a surprise, not anymore than Tiger Woods winning the FedEx Cup, but this year the SEC seems even more determined to beat each other up and lessen the chance of having a delegate in the BCS Championship. The most recent victim: Arkansas. Why do they even play Casey Dick? A one-legged meth junkie would be more adept at playing the quarterback position. They might as well just line up McFadden on a direct snap every play. The only positive notes for the SEC this week are that Florida's defense is getting better with every game and that Kentucky is for real.

2a. When will West Virginia lose?
They're incapable of blowing teams out; even bad teams. That means that sooner or later one of these bad teams will stick around long enough to pull off the upset, or WVU will remain undefeated only to get blown out more forcefully than Mt. St Helens when they finally meet a respectable opponent. They're only ranked so high because they were up there before the season...realistically they're a #15-#20 team. My prediction: they'll fall to South Florida on Sept. 28.

2b. When will Texas lose?
I don't know what they're putting in the water down there in Austin, but I'd wager it's large doses of NyQuil because that team looks just plain drowsy. They're even more incapable of blowing out a team than West Virginia; it seems like every week Texas is fighting off an upset. Colt McCoy somehow, after a great freshman campaign, managed to get worse. Aren't college kids supposed to get drastically better with age? The Red River Shootout, assuming the Longhorns can beat Rice and Kansas State (two big ifs considering how Texas has been playing), will be like a shootout where only one side actually has guns.

3. What about the Pac 10?
Really, #11 UCLA? You lost to Urban Meyer-less Utah by 38 points? Cal's victory over Tennessee has been somewhat diminished by Florida's drubbing of the Volunteers. So much for the Pac 10 being the best conference in the country--after all, only Pac 10 fans had been saying that anyway. USC is the only team worth anything out west.

4. Will Notre Dame win a game?
Even Jimmy Clausen can beat Duke. But that'll be the only game the Irish win. If Notre Dame doesn't go to a bowl game and Weis isn't fired, expect the sports nation to unleash a flurry of racism allegations against the university...and ironically, Ty Willingham is having himself a nice little season so far at Washington--not even close to the recruiting mecca that Notre Dame is--despite losing this week to Ohio State.

Heisman Race

1. Colt Brennan, QB Hawaii (1,296 total yards, 16 total TD's)
2. Ray Rice, RB Rutgers (492 total yards, 9 total TD's)
3. Steve Slaton, RB West Virginia (465 total yards, 9 total TD's)
4. Tim Tebow, QB Florida (1,028 total yards, 13 total TD's)
5. Curtis Painter, QB Purdue (952 passing yards, 13 passing TD's)

On the bubble: Matt Ryan, Andre Woodson, Dennis Dixon, Darren McFadden, Brian Brohm

Golden Top 25

1. USC
2. LSU
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida

From here on, it's in a very ambiguous order. None of the teams #5-#25 have established themselves. Most of these teams are ranked highly because they haven't lost.......yet.

5. West Virginia
6. California
7. Wisconsin
8. Penn State
9. Ohio State
10. Texas
11. Rutgers
12. Clemson
13. Boston College
14. Kentucky
15. Oregon
16. South Carolina
17. Alabama
18. Virginia Tech
19. Hawaii
20. Louisville
21. Purdue
22. South Florida
23. Georgia
24. Texas A&M
25. Missouri

Week 3 Breakdown and Picks

1. #22 Tennessee at #5 Florida
The kind of season each team is having is irrelevant. These two SEC power houses always play each other close, which is why this rivalry is quickly become one of the most intense match-ups in the country. Two potent offenses will attack two questionable defenses for the right to jump to the top spot in the SEC East. This game will be a traditional shootout, a score for score slug-fest that'll make fans think Steve Spurrier is back at the reigns of the Florida offense. In the end, Florida has more talent and The Swamp...but as is typical of this annual, the outcome will be decided in the last two minutes. Florida in a close, high scoring affair.

2. Notre Dame at Michigan
Usually this early-season rivalry decides which team has serious BCS potential and which team is destined for a lesser bowl. In 2007, however, the most this game will decide is whether the winner has a chance to go to a bowl at all. Michigan's performance the past two weeks has made Britney Spears' VMA "dance" look like a perfectly choreographed piece of art. Notre Dame hasn't exactly been Chris Brown, either. The outcome of this game is irrelevant in the larger scheme of things, but I think Michigan takes it. Notre Dame doesn't have the spread offense that has shredded Michigan this season; in fact, Notre Dame has one of the worst rushing attacks in the nation. Mike Hart might be able to jump back into the Heisman race if he can carry Michigan to a victory like he promised after the loss to Oregon. Michigan.

3. #21 Boston College at #15 Georgia Tech
Matt Ryan is severely under the radar. He's far and away the best quarterback in the ACC (who else? Kyle Wright? The now-benched Sean Glennon?) and is the Eagles' resident Heisman candidate. Georgia Tech has a Heisman hopeful itself in do-it-all runningback Tashard Choice, who has put up ridiculous numbers so far this season. Boston College's defense ranks fourth in the nation, though, and that's what will decide this game. A good running game versus a good run defense. Personally I think they'll void each other out and the outcome will be based on the passing attacks--and senior Matt Ryan has the experience. Boston College, but close.

Solving the Puzzle

I went 3-3 with my picks for Week 2.

This week was typical of being early on in a college football season. There were a few surprises, and a few banal outcomes, but since it's at the beginning of a season do we really know what is a surprise and what's expected? The top teams are obvious...USC and LSU...but after that, how much do we really know? Do we have a factual basis, from watching on-field play, for saying West Virginia is #3 and Penn State is #14? No. Not yet.

But weeks like Week 2 are the kind where we begin to find out how good (or bad) these 2007 squads actually are. A lot of people had been whispering that Virginia Tech was overrated, and without them getting clownstomped by LSU we wouldn't have known that. Florida's defense was questionable after losing 9 starters from last year's national championship team, and now that Troy put up 31 on them we can say definitively that the Gators' defense does have serious holes. In this vein, my analysis of NCAA Week 2 is entitled:

The Truth: Separating the Men from the Boys

1. Michigan.....This is not a good football team. I, like a lot of sports fans, really believed that they had just had an off day against a good football team in their loss to Appalachian State. Surely they would bounce back, play with a fire in their eyes and a chip on their shoulders, and demolish Pac-10 foe Oregon. That's why I said that the Wolverines would win big, and I couldn't have been more wrong. Michigan's defense is more porous than a cooking strainer, Henne should have gone pro, and Mike Hart is their lone bright spot. Hart has had a hell of a season already, and will continue to do so; it's a shame that a defense unable to stop a spread offense lost him the Heisman. From the way he has played on the field and remained calm, collected, and motivated off the field, Hart has surely won over the hearts of many NFL scouts. You had better bet the words "toughness," "character" and "leader" are written on all of his scout sheets. The Big Blue faithful are in for a woeful season--guaranteed losses against Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Penn State. They'll be lucky to go to a bowl game.

2. And speaking of Ohio State...They haven't looked good, either. They were only up 3-2 on Akron at halftime and won by an unimpressive 20-3 score. The Big Ten was a powerhouse last year with the likes of Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Even though Penn State has joined the elite ranks, Ohio State and Michigan have fallen way off. That's the truth here: gone are the days, at least for 2007, of OSU and UM dominance of the Big Ten. Either Wisconsin, Penn State, or dark horse Purdue will win it this year.

3. SEC maybe not as powerful as some thought? From top to bottom, the SEC has traditionally been the strongest conference. I am not saying they have the best teams, I'm saying that they have the highest number of quality, competitive teams than any other conference. With the exception of Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt, every SEC team has a chance to beat any given team in the nation on any given night. With Auburn and Georgia--two teams with national championship aspirations--losing this weekend the SEC was dealt a powerful blow. Even though Georgia lost to another SEC team, South Carolina, the Gamecocks aren't as good of a team in the long run and won't contend for a national title. So it was a loss for the SEC as a whole. The truth here is that the SEC isn't as strong as many people thought: even though LSU and Florida are some of the best teams in the country, it was believed that Tennessee and Georgia would be up there as well. Using simple math, one could say we found out that the SEC is about half as good as we thought it was.

4. Mid-majors struggle...Boise State lost and Hawaii had to use overtime to beat Louisiana Tech. With such teams putting up gaudy numbers and perfect records it might have been thought that they were as good as some of the elite teams. But would Oklahoma lose to Washington by two touchdowns, or would USC only beat Louisiana Tech by a point in overtime? The truth here is that although these mid-majors are good teams with the propensity to upset the big boys, they're right where they belong: ranked #20-#25 and no higher.

5. Oklahoma is for real...So they lost Adrian Peterson to the NFL draft and are starting a redshirt freshman at quarterback. Obviously 2007 would be a rebuilding year, right? Wrong. Sam Bradford continues to impress and Malcolm Kelly has just appeared as a blip on the national radar. Watch out for Oklahoma...after Week 2, they are the unquestionable #3 team in the country.

Heisman Race

1. Colt Brennan, QB Hawaii (964 yards passing, 11 total TD's)
2. Brian Brohm, QB Louisville (776 yards passing, 10 total TD's)
3. Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas (151 yards rushing, 2 total TD's)--inactive in week 2
4. Ray Rice, RB Rutgers (359 yards rushing, 5 TD's)
5. Tashard Choice, RB Georgia Tech (306 yards rushing, 4 TD's)

on the bubble: Tim Tebow, Steve Slaton, Patrick White

Golden Top 25

1. USC
2. LSU
3. Oklahoma
4. Florida
5. West Virginia
6. Wisconsin
7. Texas
8. California
9. Penn State
10. UCLA
11. Louisville
12. Rutgers
13. Tennessee
14. Nebraska
15. Arkansas
16. Ohio State
17. Clemson
18. Virginia Tech
19. Georgia Tech
20. South Carolina
21. Oregon
22.Georgia
23. Hawaii
24. Boston College
25. Texas A&M

Week 2 Breakdown and Picks

Week 2 Picks


1. #9 Virginia Tech at #2 LSU
This is the "it" game of Week 2 by a wide margin. Two staunch defenses, two perennial bigtime programs, two giant question marks at QB. I've had the privilege of visiting LSU a few times because it's my mom's alma mater, and let me tell you, a game in Death Valley is a religious experience. I've been to many college football games, including at Tennessee and at Clemson, but Baton Rouge has got to be in the top 10 toughest places to play in the country. Sean Glennon hasn't lived up to expectations yet at VT, and has a tendency to get rattled. He'll crack under the pressure and fall victim to the same LSU defense that had six interceptions last week. LSU.

2. Miami at #5 Oklahoma
What happened to the Hurricanes? Ever since Ken Dorsey graduated they've had Florida State syndrome at the Quarterback position. You know such a powerhouse program in the football-hungry state of Florida will be back one of these years, but 2007 isn't it. Couple that fact with Oklahoma's young talent and you have the recipe for a beat down. The score will be close, but the game won't. Oklahoma by 13.

3. #17 TCU at #7 Texas
I want to pick TCU more than I want to have my own island barely sticking above the surface of an ocean of beer. Texas looked less than impressive last week against Arkansas State, but they have homefield advantage and a higher level of talent. My head says Texas, my heart says TCU, and my gut says "it's a Thursday night, why are you analyzing college football games sober?" I'm following my heart (and my gut) and going with TCU in a very close, nailbiter of a game. TCU by 2.

4. South Florida at # 17 Auburn
This is a tricky one. Auburn didn't look good last week and USF is one of those mid-major teams trying to break through into the top tier, like Louisville has. Auburn doesn't usually have two down games in a row, so I think War Eagle bounces back and wins.

5. #16 Nebraska at Wake Forest
Wake Forest had a great season last year, surprising just about everyone in the nation. I can't see them doing it again in 2007, especially after losing in week 1 to Boston College. Not to mention that Nebraska is on a team on a severe upswing after acquiring QB Sam Keller. Nebraska.

6. Oregon at Michigan
This all I'm going to say: Michigan. Big.

Week 1: Really?

There are few things more anticipated than the opening of the college football season--a teenage boy's first time, a 21st birthday, retirement--but NCAA opening day is the only one that actually makes good on its promised excitement. Let's face it, a first time is awkward and short-lived, a 21st birthday is an hour of fun and four hours of vomiting, and retirement just means you're old. Week 1 of college football, however, brings such joys as Appalachian State upseting #5 Michigan, Virginia Tech continuing its healing process by winning their first home game, California avenging their embarrassing loss to Tennessee in 2006, and Colt Brennan of Hawaii throwing for 416 yards and 6 touchdowns...in one half.

I'll be updating this blog every Monday with my thoughts on the weekend's games, my personal top 25, and my perception of the Heisman race. I'll also update every Thursday with my match-up breakdowns and picks. Without further ado, I introduce you to my first ever weekly thoughts section, entitled:

"Really?"

1. Appalachian State beat Michigan. By now, this story has been shoved down our throats more times than Lindsay Lohan has done cocaine. So I won't spend too much time on it. I won't call it the greatest college football upset of all-time like everyone else is. Why not? Because we don't know how good Michigan is going to be. They could lose 8 or 9 games for all we know. If Michigan has a good season, then I will jump on the bandwagon and praise it as the most impressive upset in history. The bottom line is that Appalachian State is an extremely good football team and could easily compete in the ACC (which isn't saying much...sorry ACC fans), and I personally am a bigger fan of the 2006 Boise State upset of Oklahoma. But for one weekend, don't you wish you went to ASU? If you're attending UNCW I can all but guarantee you either 1) did get accepted to App. State or 2) could have gotten into App. State. I was one of the former, and even just for a few hours, I severely questioned my decision making capabilities.

2. Notre Dame impales itself on Clausen's spikey hair. There's nothing I enjoy more than watching Notre Dame struggle. They haven't been good in 15 years and yet every year ESPN and other national media outlets give them more airtime than USC, Texas, Florida, LSU, and Ohio State combined. It's ridiculous. Their last bowl win came in 1994. Since the turn of the millenium Notre Dame has been in five bowl games, including three BCS bowls, and lost by an average of 22.4 points. At some point you have to ask yourself, does Notre Dame deserve to be in these high-end bowl games? The answer is absolutely not, and this sums up everything wrong with college football today: ND gets ratings (money), so almost every single game is broadcast on NBC and they are routinely voted into bowl games they don't belong in. On a related note, does anyone like Jimmy Clausen? He looks like Sonic the Hedgehog and Lee Hotti mated, then dyed their son's hair blonde. I've only seen the kid in interviews and I want to punch him in the face; he comes off that much as a pretentious jackass.

3. SEC continues reign as the strongest conference. So what, Tennessee lost to Cal. Florida, Georgia, LSU, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Alabama all looked phenomenal. These teams are not only competing for the SEC title, but every single one of them has a legitimate national title shot. You want a dark-horse, a sleeper? Look no further than Andre Woodson and his Kentucky Wildcats. And you can't count out Tennessee, either. They could easily run the table, win the SEC, and be on their way to a BCS championship appearance. Example: 2006 Florida. A fun fact: every single SEC team won this week except for Tennessee, and most of them in convincing fashion. And who ever said Tim Tebow can't throw? He only managed 300 yards and 3 TD's in a shortened game before he was relieved by ultra-talented true freshman Cameron Newton.

4. Big time QB's leading not-so big time programs (except for one). Let's take a test. I've always been a big fan of matching sections; they're the easiest to cram for.

1) 34/40, 416 yards, 6 TDs

2) 16/21, 375 yards, 4 TDs

3) 21/23, 363 yards, 3 TDs

A) Brian Brohm

B) Sam Bradford

C) Colt Brennan

The correct answers are 1) C, 2) B, 3) A. Are you kidding me? Colt Brennan threw for those stats in one half. HE COULD HAVE THROWN FOR 1000 YARDS AND 10 TDS IF HE HAD STAYED IN THE GAME. That's better than some QBs hope for in a season. Hand him the Heisman already.

5) Coaches on the hot seat...already. Bobby Bowden got rid of his entire coaching staff and Florida State is still losing. Hmmm, who is the only coach at FSU that didn't get fired? Maybe they should fix that. Lloyd Carr, despite having a 113-36 career record at Michigan including five Big Ten titles and an AP national championship in 1997, has his neck stretched out under an executioner's axe. About 53 percent of ESPN's SportsNation voters said Carr should be fired. Come on, really? Michigan missed the national championship by two points last year. Ah, and Charlie Weis. All I have to say about this is hahahahahaha.


Heisman Race

1. Colt Brennan, Hawaii (34/40, 416 yards, 6 TDs)

2. Brian Brohm, Louisville (16/21, 375 yards, 4 TDs)

3. Darren McFadden, Arkansas (24 carries, 151 yards, 1 TD)

4. Mike Hart, Michigan (23 carries, 188 yards, 3 TDs)

5. Tim Tebow, Florida (13/17, 338 total yards, 4 TDs (1 rushing))

On the bubble: Ray Rice, Tashard Choice, Steve Slaton, Patrick White, Ian Johnson


Golden Top 25
1. USC
2. LSU
3. West Virginia
4. Louisville
5. Florida
6. Oklahoma
7. Wisconsin
8. California
9. Georgia
10. Texas
11. Ohio State
12. Penn State
13. Virginia Tech
14. UCLA
15. Rutgers
16. Auburn
17. Nebraska
18. Boise State
19. Arkansas
20. TCU
21. Michigan
22. Hawaii
23. Clemson
24. Tennessee
25. Texas A&M

Two notes: yes, Michigan stays in. In Mike Hart I trust. And no Georgia Tech...as you should have figured out by now, I don't think stomping on Notre Dame is that big of an accomplishment.