College Football 2008 Conference Preview: SEC

This is our last of the conference predictions. I know the season just started but I really wanted to get this last one in. My predictions have not changed and all of these are still premeditated.

Predicted Order of Finish
East
1.Florida
Call me a homer, but Florida will be much improved this season. Their offense is one of the most explosive in the nation. Heisman winner Tim Tebow is back and wants another national title. WR Percy Harvin is electrifying. RB Chris Rainey and Emmanuel Moody will finally give the Gators a consistent running game other than Tebow. The WRs may be fairly young but they are talented and fast. The defense will be much improved after a season of growing pains. The LBs are some of the best in the nation with Brandon Spikes and Dustin Doe. Look for Major Wright to emerge as a top safety in the SEC.

2. Georgia
I really like this team. They're experienced and talented, I just like the Gators to beat them. QB Matt Stafford is one of the best QBs out there and has the best arm too. RB Knowshon Moreno is a top 2 back in the nation as well. The WRs are talented but need to continue to improve. the defensive line is arguably the best in the SEC, which includes Gino Atkins. The LB corps lacks experience but has plenty of youthful talent. The secondary needs some work but they still have the depth there to step up.

3. Tennessee
This Tenn. team won't be any different from the past few years. Not a dominant team, but not one that will back down either. QB John Crompton is a capable QB to fill in for Erik Ainge. The offensive line is decently good and they have a very good back in Arian Foster. The defense should be fine. The secondary will be solid with one of the best DBs in the nation in sophomore Eric Berry.

4. South Carolina
SC fans are still looking for Spurrier to get them over the hump and win a division or conference title. Could this be their year? The QB situation will be interesting throughout the season with Tommy Beecher and Chris Smelley. Look for WR Kenny McKinley to be one of the best in the SEC. The defense should be decent with quite a few starters returning.

5. Kentucky

6. Vanderbilt

West
1. Auburn
Auburn is switching to the spread which seems fitting in the SEC. They do lose QB Brandon Cox but they have some talented back-ups to help fill that void. The WRs will be talented and help out the new QB. The line will be stellar with 4 starters back there. Watch out for the defense as they have plenty of starters and depth back led by LB Tray Blackmon.

2. LSU
LSU will take a step back after losing some key starters on both sides of the ball. They have a new QB to break-in. The running game should fare well with a solid O-Line and a good stable of backs lead by Charles Scott and Keiland Williams. The defense will have some rough spots, esp. at LB. But look for the D-Line to be arguably the best in the nation with Ricky Jean-Franois and Tyson Jackson.

3. Alabama
This Bama team should be improved this season with loads of young talent. The Tide will have more depth than in recent years. QB John Parker-Wilson is experienced, which is a plus. The WR unit is deep and talented. The defense will need to make stops and step up in order to make some noise at the top of the west.

4. Mississippi St.
MSU is an up-start team after making and winning a bowl game for the first time under Sylvester Croom. They should be improved. They recruited fairly well, which will help with depth.

5. Arkansas
Look for the Razorbacks to take a step back after losing Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.

6. Mississippi

SEC Championship:
Florida over Auburn

Offensive Player of the Year:
Tim Tebow, QB- Florida

Defensive Player of the Year:
Eric Berry, S- Tennessee

Freshman Player of the Year:
Julio Jones, WR- Alabama

Coach of the Year:
Nick Saban- Alabama

Top 3 Games:
Florida vs. Georgia- Nov. 1

Auburn at Georgia- Nov. 15

Alabama at Auburn- Nov. 29

LSU Will Win The 2008 BCS National Championship

It is finally here, the BCS Championship Game. In less than 12 hours, a new champion in college football will be crowned. Now the big question, who will that team be? Lets meet the contestants. In the red corner, we have the number one team in the land for most of the 2007 regular season. Weighing in with a record of 11-1, and hailing from the Big Ten conference. The Ohio State Buckeyes. In the blue corner, we have one of the fastest and most athletic teams in the country. Weighing in with a record of 10-2, and hailing from the SEC conference. The LSU Tigers. Controversy yet again swirls over this game as LSU is the first ever two-loss team in the National Championship game. However, despite having lost those two games, LSU will win tonights National Championship Game.

Why The Tigers Will Win?
There is two reason's why LSU will win tonight. One history isn't on Ohio State's side. The Buckeyes are 0-8 lifetime against the SEC in bowl games. Last year, Florida torched Ohio State in the National Championship game. Its going to be the same script, just a different team taking the Buckeyes behind the woodshed. Why they will be taken behind the woodshed is because of Ohio State's layover. Ohio State's last game was against Michigan way back on November 17th of 2007. 51 days have passed since the last time Ohio State played a real football game. In my opinion, its equivalent to the 8 days of rest the Rockies got in this years playoffs before playing in the World Series. Expect Ohio State to come out rusty, and before they get things on a roll it will be too late to make a comeback. I know what your gonna say. LSU has had a long time to rest too. It helps LSU more in my opinion, because they have been beat up on defense all season long. Remember how they killed Virginia Tech 41-7 earlier this season. Thats what LSU's defense can do when they are healthy and they will be tonight. LSU will shut down Chris "Beanie" Wells, and Ohio State will be forced to be a one dimensional football team.

Final Score
I think LSU puts up 45 on the best defense in the country, and wins by a final score of 45-17. Remember tonight at 8pm EST on Fox LSU vs Ohio State for all the marbles.

Gonner is a guest writer for The Sports Flow. He writes his columns every Monday and Thursday for Gonners View. Check his site out here

BCS Bowl Thoughts

The BCS Bowl Matchups were announced today and I would just like to give some insight and thoughts about it.

BCS National Title Game

The title game is LSU vs. Ohio St. This is who I predicted it was going to be after yesterdays games. Ohio St. is the most deserving, yes they don't have the toughest schedule out there but from watching them this year they are a great team. Their offense is pretty explosive and they have one of the best defenses in the country. I really think LSU deserves it as well, they played a very tough schedule and won their conference. They had big wins over Virginia Tech, Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, and South Carolina.

This is a perfect opportunity for OSU to avenge their BCS Title loss to Florida last year. All they're going to hear from now till the game is how they won't be able to match up with LSU and their speed. I think because of their loss last year, the Buckeyes will be very prepared for LSU come January 7.

Hawaii vs. Georgia

First off, I am glad to see Georgia in this game, they didn't deserve to play in the title game. I've said it before and I'll say it again, you don't win your conference championship then you don't deserve to play for a national championship, and when you have a system like the BCS then that's how it should be. A second place team shouldn't be playing for first place ever, period.

As for Hawaii I am glad to see them in this game. Another opportunity to see a mid-major go against one of the BCS Boys in Georgia. Hopefully Hawaii can pull it out like Boise St. did last year.

Kansas or Missouri?
Another problem I have here is Kansas getting in over Missouri. First of all Mizzou beat the Jayhawks head to head. Yes, Kansas has one loss but their strength of schedule is 109th (119 total) and Missouri is 25th. Missouri lost only twice and both times to Oklahoma. I guess the BCS is praising wins over Florida International, SE Louisiana, and Toledo, compared to wins over Illinois, Ole Miss, and Western Michigan.

What are your thoughts on the BCS Bowl Matchups?

Not the "BS" Standings this week

As I look at the current BCS Standings this week, I can't really disagree. It seems pretty accurate to me.

Here's the current standings Top Ten for this past week:
1. LSU
2. Oregon
3. Kansas
4. Oklahoma
5. Missouri
6. West Virginia
7. Ohio St.
8. Arizona St.
9. Georgia
10. Virginia Tech

In my eyes, LSU is the best team in the country, they are the most talented and have gone through their tough schedule nearly unblemished, with just one loss coming at a good Kentucky team.

As for Oregon they've played great as well and to me, are the 2nd best team in the land. The Ducks have had some pretty good wins as well in the 2nd best conference in the country (Pac 10) over USC, at Washington, and Arizona St. Their lone loss came against Cal and lost by about a foot.

As for Kansas, they are where they belong. I am not ready to put them in the top two, first of all when you play Central Michigan, SE Louisiana, Toledo, Florida International, and Baylor you're not going to get much props from me. Go out and schedule some formidable opponents. If Kansas beats Missouri and OU in the Big XII Title game, then I will give them the respect they deserve.

To me the rest of the standings seem pretty fair, except one minor change I would fix is switch around Missouri and West Virginia. Other then that it seems pretty fair and accurate. But with the way the season has gone, we may finish the year with a split national champion again and nobody wants that. There's going to be disaster again at the end of this season with the BCS and everybody knows it; which is another reason College Football needs a minor playoff and another reason why the BCS is still B.S.

(Want to talk some NCAA Football or the BCS? Well join us at the new Sports Flow Site and sign up for the Forum!)

TSF College Football Power Poll

1. Ohio St.- PR- 3
OSU is no doubt the best team in the country right now. Their offense has been putting up plenty of points and their defense may just be the best in the land. Tough test this week where they travel to Happy Valley.

2. LSU- PR- 1
Yes, they did lose, but it was to a good Kentucky team away from home. They keep getting it done in the end and making the plays. The defense is still one of the best in the nation but they've given up some big plays and a fair amount of points lately. Another tough game for LSU as they play at Alabama in two weeks.

3. Oregon- PR- 9
I wish they would stop with the ugly uniforms. Their latest one looked even worse then any ever on black and white T.V. even. The Ducks are riding the arm of Dennis Dixon and the legs of Jonathan Stewart and it's paying off. I can't wait for their match up this weekend with USC.

4. Boston College- PR- 5
BC hasn't played anyone of significant importance and we shall find out how good this team really is when they face Virginia Tech on Thursday.

5. West Virginia- PR- 8
WVA's Offense and Defense has really picked it up since the loss to USF. This team can still make a run at a national title; must win this week at Rutgers.

6. Oklahoma- PR- 6
OU did struggle last week vs. Iowa St., but their win vs. Missouri was very impressive.

7. Arizona St.- PR- 16
Arizona St. has been sneaking up on everyone and they are a legit threat to win the Pac 10. Their offense can no doubt put up points.

8. Virginia Tech- PR- 12
V-Tech is finally looking like we once all imagined. An impressive win vs. BC this week would jump them up even more.

9. South Florida- PR- 4
Tough loss to Rutgers last Thursday. Rutgers usually plays well at home so I won't punish them Bulls too much.

10. Florida- PR- 13
Definitely the best two loss team. Tim Tebow has been just amazing so far putting up some great numbers. They have a few injury problems with Tebow and true freshman safety Major Wright, but they should be able to go vs. Georgia this week.

11. USC- PR- 10
12. Missouri- PR- 11
13. Kansas- PR- 20
14. Kentucky- PR- 17
15. Virginia- PR- NR
16. Hawaii- PR- 15
17. South Carolina- PR- 7
18. Georgia- PR- NR
19. Texas- PR- NR
20. Michigan- PR- NR

More Rankings: Stiles Points

TSF College Football Power Poll

1. LSU- PR- 2
LSU had an impressive comeback win over Florida Saturday night. They are the clear number one right now, but looks like the Tigers will have another down to the wire match up at Kentucky this week.

2. California- PR- 3
Cal had a week off but they move up to the 2 spot with USC losing. Cal looks like the favorite right now in the Pac 10. If they can continue to put up points like they've been doing they should win out. I can't wait for their match up with USC on Nov. 10.

3. Ohio St.- PR- 5

With the way OSU has been playing they're definitely one of the top teams in the country. An impressive win over Purdue boosts them even more. Easy game vs. Kent St. before they play Michigan St.

4. South Florida- PR- 6
The Bulls keep creeping up with upset after upset. Although, they didn't play their best vs. Florida Atlantic, they should be ranked at 4 with their win over Auburn and WVA. They should take down UCF this week, then it's time for another big game at Rutgers in two weeks.

5. Boston College- PR- 8

BC has had some fairly easy games lately and Matt Ryan has shown he is one the best QBs in the nation. Although, they do play Notre Dame this week, who happened to beat UCLA, I am expecting BC to win.

6. Oklahoma- PR- 10
After the horrific lost to Colorado, OU is lucky they're this high. The win over Texas was a good win and they may have another chance at the national title if they win out.

7. South Carolina- PR- 13
South Carolina moves ahead of WVA because of their win over Kentucky. SC is a legit SEC Title contender and if they win out, should play in the BCS National Title Game. Well. that is of course if they beat LSU in the SEC Championship.

8. West Virginia- PR- 11
WVA took out their frustration from their loss on Syracuse last week, dismantling them 55-14.

9. Oregon- PR- 12
I believe Oregon is still one of the best teams in the country. They were about a foot away from sending the Cal game into O.T. Dennis Dixon has been resilient with 1238 yards passing and 12 TD.

10. USC- PR- 1
USC was stunned by Stanford late Saturday night, after Stanford's Coach, Jim Harbaugh, proclaimed back in July that this years USC team may be the best team ever.

11. Missouri- PR- 17
I think it's only appropriate that Mizzou is this high because of their undefeated ranking. I think they are the real deal and should win the Big 12 North. Should be a good game against OU this week, which may as well be a preview of the Big 12 Championship.

12. Virginia Tech- PR- 15
V-Tech finally got their act together with a big win over Clemson last week. Maybe this will be the start of the Hokie team we were expecting from the beginning of the season.

13. Florida- PR- 9
Florida gave away the game to LSU, they could have paved their way back to defending their national title. Now it looks like they won't. This wasn't really suppose to be Florida's year, they're a very young team and should only continue to get better though.

14. Cincinnati- PR- 20
Cinci moves up after a win over Rutgers. I think Cinci is the real deal and their offense is pretty explosive, which means there's no reason they can't win the Big East. A win over Louisville would propel them even more.

15. Hawaii- PR- 16
Hawaii's Offense can score at will but can their defense get them to a BCS Game? I think they deserve the 15 spot and should continue to climb as long as they win.

16. Arizona St.- PR- 18
17. Kentucky- PR- 7
18. Illinois- PR- NR
19. Wisconsin- PR- 4
20. Kansas- PR- NR

More Rankings: Stiles Points

College Football Weekend Preview

Ohio St. at Purdue

With both teams being undefeated this may be the Big Ten Championship, but we won't know till the end of the season. Purdue has been pretty impressive offensively but the defense has been pretty susceptible to big plays and has had a hard time holding it's own. OSU's Offense has been able to put up points and the defense has been electrifying.

The Pick: Ohio St.

Wisconsin at Illinois
Who could have imagined this being a game for me to keep an eye on at the beginning of the season? This Fighting Illini team is the real deal and it looks like Zook finally has this team where he wants it. The talent and all-around athleticism of Illinois will keep them in just about every game. Wisconsin has struggled this season and have been pretty inconsistent on both sides of the ball; They squeaked out another close one last weekend against Michigan St.

The Pick: Wisconsin

Oklahoma vs. Texas
The Red River Shootout isn't as glamorous as it used to be but it's still a big game. Both teams are coming off losses before playing one another since 1999. The winner of this game will likely win the Big 12 South.

The Pick: Oklahoma

Georgia at Tennessee
One of plenty great SEC match ups that I am looking forward to this weekend, I would have to say this is a must win for both teams if they want to win the SEC East.

The Pick: Tennessee

Nebraska at Missouri
This could possibly be the Big 12 North title game, but Kansas St. will have something to say about that. Well, the winner will have the inside track with KSU in the end. It's really a toss up right now. Nebraska has been pretty disappointing lately and Missouri, lead by Chase Daniel, has been very impressive so far.

The Pick: Missouri

Cincinnati at Rutgers
I can't believe I am previewing this match up right now. Cinci looks like the real deal and Rutgers is a good team as well. Cinci's Offense has been putting up point after point while Rutgers' Defense has been off and on the whole season. Expect a close game till the end.

The Pick: Cincinnati

Upset of the Week
Clemson over Virginia Tech
Well, this isn't that much of an upset; V-Tech has underachieved all season long and Clemson has been pretty good all-around. Clemson's Offense, with the exception of the last week, has put up some good numbers with the surprising performance of QB Cullen Harper and the terrific RB duo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller.

D-1AA (FCS) Game of the Week
Youngstown St. at Southern Illinois
The 10th ranked FCS team will take on the 7th ranked team in a showdown of Gateway Conference rivals. The winner will only see their playoff chances increase.

The Pick: Southern Illinois

Game of the Week
Florida at LSU
I've been anticipating this game all season long; if the Gators want any chance at repeating as national champions, they'll need to step up their game and top the number two team in the land in one of the toughest places to play in the country. The defense will need to bring it all night if they want to play with the Tigers.

The Pick: LSU (Sorry fellow Gator fans)

TSF College Football Power Poll

Big changes in this weeks power poll with some major upsets this past weekend.

1. USC- PR- 1
USC fell to 2nd in the A.P. Poll, but TSF still believes they are the number one team. Yes, they didn't look like their normal selves against Washington, but LSU struggled for much of the game against TULANE, they are no WASHINGTON.

2. LSU- PR- 2
LSU's Offense looked horrid at times vs. Tulane on Saturday, good thing they have a stellar defense. SEC game of the year coming up this weekend vs. Florida. Too bad the Gators lost, then we possibly could have had a 1-2 or 1-3 game. Florida needs to pick up where their defense left off vs. Tennessee if they want any piece of LSU.

3. California- PR- 6
California beat a good Oregon team and luckily Oregon fumbled it at the 1 foot line to lose. Their offense has been super and De'Sean Jackson put himself back in the Heisman race with his big-time performance.

4. Wisconsin- PR- 8
I will give Wisconsin the benefit of the doubt even though they have struggled all year. But hey they're still winning and that's all that matters right?

5. Ohio St.- PR- 9
OSU has been the most impressive team in the Big 10 so far and it looks like they are probably the favorite to win it. Big game this weekend at Purdue, I anticipate this one to be like the match up of '02.

6. South Florida- PR- 19
USF jumps up 13 spots because of their biggest win in their programs history over West Virginia. The Bulls are the favorite right now to win the Big East, but then again they still have games against Rutgers, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Pittsburgh.

7. Kentucky- PR- 14
Kentucky looks like the 2nd best team in the SEC right now. These next 3 weeks will be very interesting as they take on South Carolina, LSU, and Florida in that stretch.

8. Boston College- PR- 11
BC is the ACC favorite right now. Matt Ryan has put up some amazing numbers with 1545 passing yards and 11 TD. They can take it easy for now with games against Bowling Green and Notre Dame before they head to Blacksburg on October 25.

9. Florida- PR- 3
I haven't seen Florida play that bad in a long time. I guess it was just some growing pains with a young team taking on an experienced team. The defense and partially the offense need to pick it up drastically if they want to top LSU. Tim Tebow, Tony Joiner, Derrick Harvey, Andre Caldwell and Percy Harvin didn't show any leadership on Saturday when their team struggled; that's something they'll need to fix when they visit Baton Rouge on Saturday night.

10. Oklahoma- PR- 4
I cannot believe how OU let Colorado back into the game like that. The annual Red River Shootout should be a dandy once again this Saturday.

11. West Virginia- PR- 5
WVA lost to a good USF team so I am not dropping them back too far. They can still rebound and win the Big East if USF was to lose some games. I really thought WVA would have finished undefeated but their defense has been pretty inconsistent.

12. Oregon- PR- 12
I'm not gonna penalize Oregon much either, actually not at all. They were about a foot away from sending the Cal game into O.T. and they're still a very good team.

13. South Carolina- PR- 15
South Carolina struggled against Mississippi St., they have a big game this weekend vs. Kentucky with the winner inching a little closer to the top of the SEC East.

14. Georgia- PR- 16
Georgia rolled Mississippi last week and looks like they are making a statement after losing to South Carolina. What a surprise, another good and big SEC game this weekend as Georgia clashes with rival Tennessee.

15. Virginia Tech- PR- 17
Virginia Tech is still not the team most of us expected. They only beat UNC by 7 and they have to play at Clemson this Saturday, which is one of the toughest places to play at in the ACC.

16. Hawaii- PR- 18
17. Missouri- PR- 20
18. Arizona St.- PR- NR
19. Texas- PR- 7
20. Cincinnati- PR- NR

TSF Top 20 College Football Poll

Here we go our weekly TSF Top 20 Poll:

1. USC-PR- 1
The Trojans did it again, demolishing this time the Washington St. Cougars. John David Booty was solid again with 279 yards passing and 4 TD. The running game is definitely one of the best in the country. The defense continues to show their arguably the best in the country. They have a big test at Washington this week.

2. LSU- PR- 2
LSU had a good win vs. South Carolina. As you've read before I'm going to continue to praise the defense, it's really tough to score on their D, but once they play another team who is more balanced on both sides of the ball (ahem... Florida) we may see the Tigers fall.

3. Florida- PR- 3
Florida struggled this past week, but it was the first road game for their young defense. Tim Tebow has been nearly unstoppable with 1096 yards passing and 10 TD. The defense has made some big strides so far. Big home game vs. Auburn this week, I am expecting a win, it's just one more game to get that young D ready for LSU.

4. Oklahoma- PR-5
OU continues to put up big points game after game. It will be interesting to see how they do now that they start their Big 12 schedule.

5. West Virginia- PR- 4
I have WVA at 4, but Joe picked OU at 3 so it averaged out this way. WVA's prolific offense has been outstanding and they just might have the best offense in the country. Tough road game at South Florida this week, winner has inside track at Big East Title.

6. California- PR- 6
Cali has not put up less than 34 points this season. They have play makers all over the field and could very well give USC a run for their money when they come to town. Huge game this Saturday @ Oregon for the Golden Bears.

7. Texas- Pr- 7
Texas's Offense finally came together putting up 58 vs. Rice. Colt McCoy looked cool in the pocket. It should help now that Billy Pittman is back from his 4 game suspension, which will force KSU to leave Limas Sweed in single coverage.

8. Wisconsin- PR- 8
Ohio St. is creeping up on the Badgers, Wisconsin is very reluctant to beat Iowa. I still cannot believe this team hasn't lost yet with the way they've struggled drastically this season.

9. Ohio St.- PR- 9
OSU's Offense looked unstoppable vs. Northwestern and the Defense has been very stout. With the Big Ten sucking it up again so far this season, I doubt they'll be giving up many points for the rest of the year.

10. Rutgers- PR- 11
Rutgers has a very intriguing match up vs. Maryland this weekend. Their offense has been pretty efficient, especially Ray Rice at tailback. Expect this team to go undefeated and possibly move up in the rankings until they meet South Florida on Oct. 18.

11. Boston College- PR- 13
Matt Ryan should be in Heisman Trophy contention with his Peyton Manning like (almost) numbers with 1341 passing yards and 10 TD. BC better not look past # 2 ranked FCS squad - UMass, because so far this season, the top FCS teams have had the FBS' number.

12. Oregon- PR- 14
Oregon is another Pac 10 team with a high-powered offense. The defense has been shaky at times and they need to pick it up this week vs. California.

13. Clemson- PR- 15
Decent win vs. NC St., big game this week at Georgia Tech, I guess we'll see how the Tigers really stack up this weekend.

14. Kentucky- PR- NR
Kentucky jumps into TSFs Top 20 with huge wins vs. Louisville and at Arkansas. Kentucky football is on the rise and Andre Woodson is one of the premier QBs in the nation. Who knows how they will turn out they have a tough conference schedule, next significant match up is in two weeks when they visit South Carolina.

15. South Carolina- PR- 12
SC's Offense looked pretty stagnant vs. LSU. LSU made the Gamecocks look silly on Saturday. The score was only 28-16 but the d-line of LSU made Blake Mitchell look uncomfortable in the pocket forcing him to make bad decisions and throws.

16. Georgia- PR- NR
17. Virginia Tech- PR- 17
18. Hawaii- PR- 18
19. South Florida- PR- NR
20. Missouri- PR- NR

More Rankings: Complete Sports

College Football Weekend Preview

Time for some predictions and analysis. Last week I was 5-3. Just bare with me here with a rather lackluster weekend of College Football.

Iowa at Wisconsin
Wisconsin has struggled lately and Iowa could knock them off here. Iowa did lose to Iowa St. last week, but I do expect them to bounce back and give the Badgers a good fight. P.J. Hill will carry a heavy load in this game.

The Pick: Wisconsin

Penn St. at Michigan
The Nittany Lions Defense has been pretty solid so far and the offense has been impressive as well. Michigan looked good last week against Notre Dame, but who knows how they will play this weekend; plus it doesn't help that Chad Henne is still out. They can't afford another loss in the Big House. PSU is one of the favorites for the Big Ten Title and a win here vs. Michigan would be huge, which is something they haven't done in 11 years.

The Pick: Penn St.

Georgia at Alabama
One of the better games of the week. Georgia struggled two weeks ago against a pretty good defense in South Carolina. Alabama's Defense isn't bad but their offense has flourished with John Parker Wilson throwing for 666 yards and 4 TD, while DJ Hall has 291 yards receiving and 2 TD. Should be a close game the whole way.

The Pick: Alabama

Kentucky at Arkansas
This should be a high-scoring affair with both defenses being sub-par. The offenses can no doubt put up points. Arkansas will have a hard time containing Andre Woodson, but Kentucky has to put up with the best running back duo in the country in Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.

The Pick: Arkansas

Upset of the Week
North Dakota St. over Central Michigan
I may have rose colored glasses, but this one just makes the most sense. NDSU can put up points all day on CMU's D. But I am concerned about NDSU's Secondary, who has given up numerous big plays thus far. Rhett Bomar tore them apart last week and with CMU's big WRs and good QB it will probably be the same. I don't think CMU will be able to run on NDSU's front seven though. Joe Mays, Ramon Humber, and Matt Maresh are probably the best LB unit in the FCS. It's going to be a close game. But this is a similar situation to before NDSU's game vs. Minnesota last year. They weren't supposed to line up with the Gophers. They were supposed to tear the Bison apart and NDSU smacked them right in the mouth the entire game; they didn't win, but NDSU showed they can play with 1-A competition. CMU better not be looking ahead to N. Illinois, or else they'll be looking back to Sept. 22 for the rest of the season.

D-1AA (FCS) Game of the Week
Appalachian St. at Wofford
App. St. is no doubt the best FCS team, but Wofford could give them some fits. Woffords Offense has put up some respectable points, blowing out Charleston Southern and put up 353 total yards vs. NC St. Other than Michigan, this could be the Mountaineers biggest test of the regular season.

The Pick: Appalachian St.

Game of the Week
South Carolina at LSU
SC could actually give LSU a test in Baton Rouge. Their defense has been solid and their offense is averaging 27.3 PPG. Steve Spurrier finally has this team where he wants them and their sneaking up on people. But LSU on the other hand does indeed have the best defense in the country; it looks like Matt Flynn will be out again, but SC will need to be perfect in order to top LSU.

The Pick: LSU

More Predictions: Complete Sports

TSF Top 20 College Football Poll

Here's TSF's Week 3 - Top 20 College Football Poll. We've decided to make it more of a power poll to comment about each team instead of just a regular poll.

1. USC- PR- 1
The Trojans looked impressive with a 49-31 win over Nebraska. The score isn't as close as it indicates. The offense was very balanced. John David Booty was impressive and the rushing game looked great with 4 runners getting 40+ yards. But it was the defense that looked even more impressive.

2. LSU-PR- 2
LSU has the best defense in the country and they stomped all over Middle Tennessee 44-0 without starting QB Matt Flynn and star WR Early Doucet. The Tigers could finally get tested by a very good South Carolina team next week.

3. Florida- PR- 4
Florida moves ahead of WVA because of their impressive win over Tennessee. Florida's Offense can score on anyone and the defense is continuing to improve. In my mind, the young D will only get better as the season progresses. Two more games at Ole Miss and vs. Auburn to get more experience under their belts before their big October 6 match up with LSU.

4. West Virginia- PR- 3
WVA needs their Defense to pick it up before they get upset. The offense is still one of the best in the country though. They looked unstoppable late against Maryland.

5. Oklahoma- PR- 5
OU has been racking up a lot of points lately but a lot of teams would do the same if they played North Texas and Utah St. OU has two road games before they play Texas, so they better not be looking too far ahead.

6. California- PR- 9

Cal jumps up 3 spots after Louisville being upset by Kentucky and both Texas and Wisconsin struggling. The Golden Bears Offense has been very impressive. I am looking forward to their match up at Oregon in two weeks.

7. Texas- PR- 7
Texas did indeed have a big win two Saturdays ago vs. TCU, but barely beat UCF by 3? Come on now, some people had this team ranked as high as 2 in their pre-season polls. Colt McCoy has kind of struggled thus far and as of right now, I am kind of regretting picking them to win the Big XII.

8. Wisconsin- PR- 6
Wisconsin has struggled so far but I still think they're the team to beat in the Big Ten. Look for P.J. Hill to carry a heavy load this week vs. Iowa.

9. Ohio St.- PR- 11
OSU had a big win against upset minded Washington on Saturday. The Buckeyes' Defense is very, very good; which leads me to believe they'll be in every game and be in the Big Ten Title hunt for the rest of the season.

10. Penn St.- PR- 12
Penn St. looked a little iffy at times vs. Buffalo. Derrick Williams is one of the most explosive players in the country. Big in-conference game this week vs. Michigan. I am sure Michigan will want this one real bad.

11. Rutgers- PR- 13
Ray Rice has been doing nothing but producing yard after yard, something that I proclaimed in my Heisman Hopefuls article a month back. Their next two games should be interesting to see where they really stack up, against Maryland and upstart Cincinnati.

12. South Carolina- PR- 17
I think SC is an under the radar team and could sneak up on some SEC teams. Steve Spurrier finally has this team where he wants it; the Defense has been making great plays and some big stops, and QB Blake Mitchell has been getting it done in the air.

13. Boston College- PR- 19
BC jumps all the way up to 13 after a bunch of teams losing on Saturday. They beat a pretty good Georgia Tech team. Matt Ryan continues to show he is one of the best QBs in the nation. They have a very easy schedule playing Army, UMass, Bowling Green, and Notre Dame until their big conference game with Virginia Tech on October 25.

14. Oregon- PR- NR
Oregon moves into the rankings after previously being unranked. Dennis Dixon has been putting up some big numbers, including 276 yards on the ground along with 3 rushing TDs.

15. Clemson- PR- 20
Clemson jumps ahead quite a few spots too with some teams falling. Their rushing game is one of the best in the country with James Davis and C.J. Spiller, and new Jr. QB Cullen Harper has been smooth in the pocket. They haven't really played a quality opponent yet, but I guess we'll see where they stand in two-three weeks with games against Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.

16. Louisville- PR- 6
17. Virginia Tech- PR- 18
18. Alabama- PR- NR
19. Texas A&M- PR- NR
20. Hawaii- PR- NR


I just thought that this picture looked funny...
(Courtesy of EDSBS)

TSF Top 20 College Football Poll

Here's TSF's first regular season Top 20 poll. We'll be doing a poll after every week till the end of the season.

1. USC- Idle
Next week: at Nebraska

2. LSU- Beat Virginia Tech 48-7
Next week: vs. Middle Tennessee St.

3. West Virginia- Beat Marshall 48-23
Next week: at Maryland

4. Florida- Beat Troy 59-31
Next week: vs. Tennessee

5. Oklahoma- Beat Miami (Fla.) 51-13
Next week: vs. Utah St.

6. Wisconsin- Beat UNLV 20-13
Next week: vs. The Citadel

7. Texas- Beat TCU 34-13
Next week: at Central Florida

8. Louisville- Beat Middle Tennessee St. 58-42
Next week: at Kentucky

9. California- Beat Colorado St. 34-28
Next week: vs. Louisiana Tech

10. UCLA- Beat BYU 27-17
Next week: at Utah

11. Ohio St.- Beat Akron 20-2
Next week: at Washington

12. Penn St.- Beat Notre Dame 31-10
Next week: vs. Buffalo

13. Rutgers- Beat Navy 41-24
Next week: vs. Norfolk St.

14. Georgia Tech- Beat Samford 69-14
Next week: vs. Boston College

15. Nebraska- Beat Wake Forest
Next week: vs. USC

16. Arkansas- Idle
Next week: at Alabama

17. South Carolina- Beat Georgia 16-12
Next week: vs. South Carolina St.

18. Virginia Tech- Loss to LSU 48-7
Next week: vs. Ohio

19. Boston College- Beat NC St. 37-17
Next week: at Georgia Tech

20. Clemson- Beat Louisiana-Monroe 49-26
Next week: vs. Furman

College Football Weekend Preview

Time for some analysis and predictions.

Miami at Oklahoma
This game will be closer then one might think. Miami's Defense will keep them in the game. The difference maker will be how both of the QBs perform. OU's Sam Bradford was pretty impressive last week vs. N. Texas, but this week he will be facing one of the best defenses in the country. Bradford must make good decisions and keep his turnovers and mistakes to a minimum in order for OU to win. OU's Defense is pretty underrated and Miami's freshmen QB Kirby Freshmen needs to be almost perfect for Miami to win this one.

The Pick: Oklahoma

Nebraska at Wake Forest
Nebraska's offense looked pretty stagnant at times last week vs. Nevada. But towards the end of the game they finally got it together. Wake is still a team to be reckoned with, no one should take them lightly; they are very well coached, and have a lot of play makers. This should be a very good game. Wake's D gave up some big plays to BC last week and will need to step up in order to top Nebraska's offense.

The Pick: Nebraska

Oregon at Michigan
It will be interesting to see how Michigan bounces back after their embarrassing loss to Appalachian St. Oregon believes they can play right with Michigan and provide some problems for them. Michigan's Defense made way too many mistakes last week and they can't afford the same vs. Oregon. This is a must win for Lloyd Carr.

The Pick: Michigan

Notre Dame at Penn St.
Notre Dame looked horrible last week vs. Georgia Tech. Jimmy Clausen will get a chance to strut his stuff vs. a talented Nittany Lions team. Penn St. looked impressive last weekend, but then again they were playing Florida International, arguably the worst team in the the FBS (1-A).

The Pick: Penn St.

South Florida at Auburn
South Florida has a very good chance at knocking off Auburn. But last week they struggled vs. FCS - Elon. Auburn didn't impress me either vs. Kansas St., but KSU is a much improved team. I think Auburn is a little overrated this year. Should be a good close game.

The Pick: Auburn

BYU at UCLA
BYU is a good team with a tough defense. They took it to Pac 10 foe Arizona last week. UCLA has a lot of experience back but they didn't necessarily impress me last week vs. Stanford. This should be a defensive battle with not a lot of TDs, expect a FG to determine the outcome.

The Pick: UCLA

South Carolina at Georgia
The winner has an inside shot at winning the SEC East, this is a big game for both teams. Georgia looked pretty impressive vs. Oklahoma St. Matthew Stafford is a good QB and his WRs made some plays last Saturday. Oklahoma St. looked mediocre at best and I thought they would have given UGA a better fight. I guess we'll find out more about Georgia after this game.

The Pick: Georgia

Upset of the Week
TCU over Texas
Texas struggled against Arkansas St. and definitely didn't look like the number 4 team in the country according to the Associated Press. This will a good hard-fought game and whoevers defense performs better will win this game. I like TCU's Defense in this one.

D-1AA (FCS) Game of the Week
South Dakota St. vs. Youngstown St.
Both teams are coming off tough losses. SDSU has a very good defense but Youngstown St.'s Offense is very explosive. I still see this being a high scoring game.

The Pick: Youngstown St.

Game of the Week
Virginia Tech at LSU
V-Tech struggled last week vs. ECU, but LSU shouldn't view that game as a measuring stick. The Hokies are still just as talented as LSU. LSU's Defense was very impressive in the season opener last week and in my opinion is the best defense in the country. The offense was okay and didn't impress me at all, the reason they scored so much was because of their D and they also were playing Mississippi St. Expect this to be a relatively low scoring game with arguably the nations two best defenses clashing in Baton Rouge Saturday night.

The Pick: LSU

College Football: What I learned from Opening Night

As you can already tell I'm very excited that College Football is underway. I live and breath College Football and all of Labor Day Weekend I will sit back and relax and watch some games that I've been waiting for ever since March Madness ended. Here's a few things I learned from Thursday nights' games.

LSU's Defense is absolutely solid and arguably the fiercest defense in the country.
After watching LSU pick off Mississippi St. 6 times last night and their front seven making many tackles behind the line of scrimmage, I have come to the conclusion that LSU has one of the best defenses in the country. They made the Bull Dogs look like they were a D-2 team playing out there. The D-Line, lead by Glenn Dorsey, were clogging the holes and making stops behind the line of scrimmage all night. The LBs were filling the gaps and sacking Michael Henig constantly. The secondary was very impressive taking the WRs out of their routes and staying at home and attacking the ball very aggressively, forcing Henig to throw 6 INT. Overall, the defenses' physicality was stellar and took it to Mississippi St. I am definitely looking forward to their match up next week vs. Virginia Tech.

Louisville's Offense will be one of the most high-powered offenses in the country.
Granted they were playing Murray St., but Brian Brohm looked incredible last night and will produce great numbers under Steve Kragthorpes new offense. He threw for 375 yards and 5 touchdowns, two of them to Harry Douglas. Louisville rolled up 655 yards of total offense, and worked with stunning efficiency. The Cardinals averaged a touchdown once every four plays in the first half, and their longest scoring drive with the starters in took all of 2:58. Brohm will be putting up some impressive numbers this year.

Iowa St. is bad
Good thing I picked them to finish 6th in the Big XII North. Last night they lost to Kent St. 23-14. I thought Brett Meyer would have performed better with his athleticism and experience, but he was horrible last night throwing 2 INT. He was throwing the ball up for grabs and into coverage almost all night. ISU's offensive line needs to improve drastically too and Meyer needs to mature or else it will be a long season for the Cyclones.

Florida is already looking good for '08
Emmanuel Moody, former USC RB, enrolled at Florida Thursday. He will fit well in Urban Meyer's spread-option offense with his elusiveness and shiftiness as a runner. Florida doesn't have much at RB and come next year he will be one of the best RBs in the SEC. But who knows , maybe Kestahn Moore, Brandon James, or Chris Rainey will show me something this season...

National Title Prediction
Okay before the first Saturday begins I need to make a national title prediction. I have USC vs. West Virginia vying for the BCS Title but I have been unsure of who to pick for a long time. My heart says West Virginia but my head says USC. Now since Complete Sports copied my title prediction now it's time for me to return the favor; West Virginia will be your 2007 College Football National Champion. I love their explosiveness offensively lead by QB Pat White, RBs Steve Slaton and Noel Devine, and one of the best WRs in the Big East in Darius Reynaud. They have an easier schedule than most and their defense will be improved.

BCS Bowl Predictions

TSF's comprehensive 2007 NCAA Football Preview concludes with the BCS Bowl Predictions.

USC vs. West Virginia
USC should run the table even with a semi-tough schedule. WVA has a very good chance to finish undefeated even with games at Rutgers and South Florida, their offense will be too explosive.

Wisconsin vs. Florida
Wisconsin will be one of the best teams in the country and will finish 11-1 and and win the Big Ten. I see Florida finishing 10-3, but still earning a BCS Bowl bid with some impressive wins.

LSU vs. Michigan
LSU has a very good chance at finishing undefeated but something tells me they will lose to either V-Tech or Alabama, which will keep them out of the title game. Michigan will finish 2nd in the Big Ten and winds up in the Sugar Bowl with no fit in any of the others.

Virginia Tech vs. Louisville
Something tells me that V-Tech may just be playing in the BCS Title Game, but I can't make up my mind about their game at LSU. As of right now I see them finishing 12-1 with winning the ACC. Louisville has to play at WVA and S. FLA and should falter at least in one of those games.

Texas vs. Hawaii
I see Texas winning the Big 12 and Hawaii finishing undefeated with one of the easiest schedules in the country.

What are your BCS Bowl Predictions?

TSF College Football Pre-season Top 20 Poll

As we continue TSF's comprehensive College Football preview, here is our pre-season Top 20 Poll.

1. USC- opens Sept. 1 vs. Idaho
Toughest game- Nov. 10 at California

2. West Virginia- opens Sept. 1 vs. W. Michigan
Toughest game- Oct. 27 at Rutgers

3. LSU- opens Aug. 30 at Mississippi St.
Toughest game- Sept. 8 vs. V-Tech

4. Virginia Tech- opens Sept. 1 vs. East Carolina
Toughest game- Sept. 8 at LSU

5. Florida- opens Sept. 1 vs. W. Kentucky
Toughest game- Oct. 6 at LSU

6. Wisconsin- opens Sept. 1 vs. Washington St.
Toughest game- Nov. 10 vs. Michigan

7. Michigan- opens Sept. 1 vs. Appalachian St.
Toughest game- Nov. 10 at Wisconsin

8. Louisville- opens Aug. 30 vs. Murray St.
Toughest game- Nov. 8 vs. Louisville

9. Texas- opens Sept. 1 vs. Arkansas St.
Toughest game- Oct. 6 vs. Oklahoma

10. Oklahoma- opens Sept. 1 vs. North Texas
Toughest game- Oct. 6 at Texas

11. California- opens Sept. 1 vs. Tennessee
Toughest game- Nov. 10 vs. USC

12. Arkansas- opens Sept. 1 vs. Troy
Toughest game- Nov. 23 at LSU

13. UCLA- opens Sept. 1 at Stanford
Toughest game- Dec. 1 at USC

14. Ohio St.- opens Sept 1. vs. Youngstown St.
Toughest game- Nov. 17 at Michigan

15. Rutgers- opens Aug. 30 vs. Buffalo
Toughest game- Oct. 27 vs. West Virginia

16. Penn St.- opens Sept. 1 vs. Florida International
Toughest game- Sept. 22 at Michigan

17. Tennessee- opens Sept. 1 at California
Toughest game- Sept. 15 at Florida

18. Nebraska- opens Sept. 1 vs. Nevada
Toughest game- Sept. 15 vs. USC

19. Auburn- opens Sept. 1 vs. Kansas St.
Toughest game- Oct. 20 at LSU

20. TCU- opens Sept. 1 vs. Baylor
Toughest game- Sept. 8 at Texas

College Football 2007 Conference Preview: SEC

The SEC is no doubt the best conference in the nation with some of the fiercest defenses and the defending national champion Florida Gators and another favorite for this year's title in LSU.

Predicted Order of Finish:
East
1. Florida
The Gators lose 9 starters on defense, which could be a problem if they want to defend their national title. But good thing they will have one of the most dynamic and explosive offense's in the country. Chris Leak is gone, but QB Tim Tebow is primed to be the next great Gator QB. The WRs will be very talented with Sr. Andre Caldwell, So. Percy Harvin, Jr. Louis Murphy, So. Jarred Fayson, and WR/TE Cornelius Ingram all back. Tebow will have all sorts of talented receivers to throw to. The RB situation still looks a little cloudy but former backup Kestahn Moore looks very promising, but they still can stick Harvin back there when needed. Now to the defense, this could determine the Gators fate. Only two starters are back (DE Derrick Harvey and SS Tony Joiner) and the rest of the positions are young. Urban Meyer said the young talent on the D looks very promising, but they need to improve quickly before their Sept. 15 meeting with Tennessee.

2. Tennessee
Nobody really knows how Tennessee will end up this season. They are sort of a mystery team. They could win the conference and end up playing in a BCS bowl game or everything could fall apart just like that. The O-Line and D-Line need to improve and find some depth in order for them to compete with Florida for the East Title. QB Erik Ainge is back but he must stay healthy, if he can do that the Vols should be a pretty good team. They still need to find a legitimate back to take over and the WR unit was hit very hard with the losses of Robert Meachem, Jayson Swain, and Bret Smith. The defense has 5 starters back and needs to find players to step up at LB and in the secondary.

3. Georgia
The Bulldogs lose 12 starters but have some great young talent to help make that up. So. QB Matthew Stafford should be improved and has some good WRs in Mohamed Massaquoi and Sean Bailey. RB Kregg Lumpkin is back and should be able to produce some good numbers along the way but watch out for redshirt freshman Knowshon Moreno. The D-Line needs to find more depth along with the LB crew. But the secondary will be a very solid unit with CBs Paul Oliver, Bryan Evans, and FS Kelin Johnson back.

4. South Carolina
SC could have a big year, they just need the offense to get things rolling. I mean 10 starters are back on defense, but if QB Blake Mitchell and the young WRs can step up, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia could be in for a waking. The conference schedule is definitely favorable, so they could surprise some people.

5. Kentucky
I think Andre Woodson will be one of the best QBs in the nation and a darkhorse candidate for the Heisman, they just need to fill some holes on defense and hope it can improve along the way until they get to their conference schedule.

6. Vanderbilt
The offense will be experienced and good with the return of QB Chris Nickson and WR Earl Bennett. The running game needs to improve but Jeff Jennings is back after missing '06 with an injury, so that should help. But the defense needs to improve in order for Vanderbilt to move out of the cellar in the SEC East.

West
1. LSU
The offense could be a problem after losing QB JaMarcus Russell and WRs Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis. But Matt Flynn has plenty of experience on his hands and should fill in well for Russell. The WRs will be young but they still have the leadership and ability of Early Doucet. Sophomore RBs Keiland Williams and Charles Scott should put up some plausible numbers behind three returning linemen. The Defense, with 8 starters returning, should be one the best in the country and the defensive front, from my stand point, will be the best in the country, lead by DT Glenn Dorsey and Marlon Favorite and DE Tyson Jackson. The LBs will be dynamite as well with 3 starters back in Ali Highsmith (one of the best in the nation), Darry Beckwith, and Luke Sanders. The secondary should be talented and athletic even after losing 4 year starters LaRon Landry and Jessie Daniels, with CBs Jonathan Zenon and Chevis Jackson leading the way.

2. Arkansas
Arkansas will have the best RB duo in the country and QB Casey Dick as well as one of the best WRs in the SEC in Marcus Monk are back. Darren McFadden is one of those RBs and is the best back in the nation. He finished 2nd in the Heisman voting and rushed for 1, 647 yards last season. Felix Jones, the other RB, isn't far behind as he rushed for 1,168 yards. In order for Arkansas to win the West again they need QB Casey Dick to be more consistent and the defense to step up after losing 7 starters from last years team.

3. Auburn
The Tigers have a tough road conference schedule at Florida, Arkansas, LSU, and Georgia, which won't be enough to finish above third place in the west. The offensive line and RB positions could poise some problems early and often as Kenny Irons bolted for the NFL. QB Brandon Cox is back, which will help. DE Quentin Groves is back and one of the best pass rushers in the conference. The secondary still has some issues to sort out where they lost DB David Irons.

4. Alabama
The Tide has turned after Alabama signed new head coach Nick Saban. The Bama faithful are hoping for some progress and believe Saban could lead them to the promised land. But sorry Bama fans, this won't be your year. The passing game will be stellar with QB John Parker Wilson and WRs D.J. Hall and Keith Brown all back. The secondary will be decent with CB Simeon Castille back, but the front seven must improve.

5. Mississippi
The offense looked horrid in the spring and QB Brent Schaefer didn't look very good either. But I feel Schaefer has a ton of potential and could get some good wins for the Rebels. 6 defensive starters return but they need to replace LBs Patrick Willis and Rory Johnson.

6. Mississippi St.
Sylvester Croom is on the hot seat and must get some wins for the Bulldogs. The O-Line has good experience back and QB Michael Henig, RB Anthony Dixon, and WR Tony Burks are back. The defense needs to pick up the slack and fill in the voids for the losses of 4 of it's 5 best linemen and LB Quinton Culberson. DE Titus Brown will be one of the best in the country.

SEC Championship:
LSU over Florida

Offensive Player of the Year:
Darren McFadden, RB- Arkansas

Defensive Player of the Year:
Glenn Dorsey, DT- LSU

Freshman of the Year:
Eric Berry, CB- Tennessee

Coach of the Year:
Urban Meyer- Florida

Games to Watch:
Tennessee at Florida- Sept. 15

Florida at LSU- Oct. 6

Florida vs. Georgia- Oct. 27

Arkansas at Tennessee- Nov. 10

LSU at Alabama- Nov. 3

Arkansas at LSU- Nov. 24

Arkansas at Alabama- Sept. 15

2007 College Football Games of the Year

The 2007 College Football season schedules officially came out earlier this week, so now we'll take a look at the best of the best of all the games.

September 1
Tennessee at California

This game should be at least better than last years game with the Vols drubbing the Golden Bears. Both teams are heavy contenders to win their own conferences and are legitimate contenders for a BCS Bowl game as well.

Early Prediction: California

September 3
Florida St. at Clemson

Bowden Bowl IX will take place on Labor Day Weekend. Tommy has handled his dad pretty well recently winning the last two and three of eight overall. This is a huge early game to get a jump start in the ACC and FSU cannot afford a loss here with their tough schedule as it is.
Early Prediction: Clemson

September 8
Virginia Tech at LSU

Two of the countries top defenses will meet at one of the most hostile environments on CBS. Both teams return a lot of talent; this should be a great game with players such as Matt Flynn, Jacob Hester, Early Doucet, Ali Highsmith of LSU and Sean Glennon, Branden Ore, Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi of V-Tech clashing on the field.

Early Prediction: LSU

September 15
Tennessee at Florida
This is definitely one of the greatest rivalries in College Football. It seems like the winner usually comes out as the SEC East Champ. I love the QB matchup here with Tim Tebow vs. Erik Ainge. The big thing for Florida is their inexperienced defense being able to handle the Vols' big WR's; the good thing for the Gators is that their playing in their backyard.
Early Prediction: Florida

USC at Nebraska
This will be a little closer game than last year, I believe Nebraska will win the Big 12 North again and have a decent shot at a BCS Bowl bid. The Cornhuskers will be improved but USC is the pre-season national champion favorite. USC returns a lot and will have one of the best defenses in the country.
Early Prediction: USC

October 6

Florida at LSU

This will be one of the biggest games of the year and definitely the biggest in the SEC. Look for these two teams to both be ranked in the top 5 coming into this game. LSU looks to get revenge after the Gators embarrassed them last season at the Swamp.
Early Prediction: LSU

Texas vs. Oklahoma

The Red River Shootout is always an intense and fierce game. Texas has won the last two over the Sooners; expect this to be one of the best of the last few seasons.
Early Prediction: Too close to call right now

October 20
USC at Notre Dame

Remember the Bush push two years ago? This game should be similar to last years game in So. Cal, USC scoring at will and ND sucking it up and looking overrated. With Jimmy Clausen at QB the experienced USC D will tear him up. Even if this is a blowout it is still one of the biggest games of the year.
Early Prediction: USC

October 25
Boston College at V-Tech
These two teams always have great games against one another and don't be surprised to see these two teams in the ACC Championship either on Dec. 1.

Early Prediction: V-Tech

October 27

Florida vs. Georgia

The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party should be a good one again. The two super sophomore QB's Tim Tebow and Matthew Stafford will be clashing again. Expect Florida to continue their dominance of this rivalry.

Early Prediction: Florida

November 3
Wisconsin at Ohio St.
Two early Big 10 favorites will meet at the Horseshoe as OSU tries to get back to the national title game. OSU won't be near the team they were last year but will be one of the top teams in the Big 10. In my opinion, Wisconsin is the Big 10 favorite and if both teams are undefeated come this date, this will be one of biggest games of the year.
Early Prediction: Ohio St.

November 8
Louisville at West Virginia
Both teams should be undefeated by this game and the winner could be in that BCS National Title Game. The best backfield in the nation will take on a very good L'Ville defense. I encourage you to mark this date on your calendar.

Early Prediction: West Virginia

November 10

Michigan at Wisconsin
From my stand point, these two will be the top two teams in the Big 10. This is no doubt the Big 10 Game of the Year. The winner will play in the Rose Bowl and possibly the BCS National Championship Game.
Early Prediction: Wisconsin

USC at California

Early Prediction: USC

November 17
Ohio St. at Michigan

Well, it won't be as big as last seasons game, but this is arguably the greatest rivalry in all of sports.

Early Prediction: Michigan

November 23
Arkansas at LSU
The winner of this game will be heading to the SEC Title Game.
Early Prediction: LSU

November 24
Rivalry Week
State rivalry day. Alabama vs. Auburn. Virginia vs. Virginia Tech. Georgia vs. Georgia Tech. Florida vs. Florida State. Washington vs. Washington State. Clemson vs. South Carolina.
Early Predictions: Auburn, V-Tech, Georgia, Florida, Washington St., and Clemson.

December 1
UCLA at USC
This game will be huge because of last years game; could we possibly have the same scenario as last season?
Early Prediction: USC

What games are you looking forward to? Any big games I missed?

NCAA Spring Football Top 10

Some teams have proven themselves quite a bit so far this spring and with some key additions and early enrollments, teams such as West Virginia, LSU, and Louisville have soared close to the top.

Top 10 Rankings for Spring
1. USC- The Trojans won't miss a beat and will have one of the top defenses (if not the top defense) in the country. The return of QB John David Booty, WR Patrick Turner, and T Sam Baker on the offense will help a lot. With freshman sensation Vidal Hazelton filling in at WR, Jarrett and Smith won't be missed as much as people say. Plus, it helps to have a deep backfield, which they can go 6 RB's deep.

2. LSU- The Tigers will also have one of the top defenses in the country. With physical players such as DT Glenn Dorsey and LB Ali Highsmith anchoring the D, it will be tough to run on them. Even with Jamarcus Russell gone, Matt Flynn has the potential to be a great QB. They have a lot of amazing young talent coming up as well. LSU won't miss a beat.

3. West Virginia- WVA will have the best and fastest backfield in the nation. QB Pat White and RB Steve Slaton (inset) return and recruit Noel Devine will make an immediate impact (if he's accepted). If the defense can pick it up, this team will win the Big East and may earn a spot in that BCS National Championship game.

4. Florida- The defending national champions will have one of the top offenses in the country, but will the defense be able get them back to the title game or win the SEC for that matter? Tim Tebow returns to fill in for record breaker Chris Leak. WR's Percy Harvin and Andre Caldwell along with 4 starting linemen return on offense. The Gators lose 9 starters on defense with DE Derrick Harvey and SS Tony Joiner back. Florida has a lot of shoes to replace on defense but with the last 2 recruiting classes it shouldn't be too bad. But still, this Gator team will be young and need the experienced sophomores to step up.

5. Wisconsin- The Badgers, yes, the Badgers will be the top team in the weak Big 10 (for now). 16 starters return overall from a team that defeated a good Arkansas team in the Capital One Bowl. Losing Joe Thomas will be tough to replace. RB P.J. Hill, TE Travis Beckum, DE Matt Shaughnessey, LB Jonathan Casillas, CB Jack Ikegwuonu all return. The Badgers loaded defense can take them to the next level, but the offense needs to improve after a mediocre spring so far.

6. Michigan- I would love to have this team in the top 3, but struggling in the Rose Bowl vs USC drops them back (Damn, they should have been in the BCS Title Game). The Wolverines return a load of amazing talent, but lose some key players as well, more specifically on the defensive side (Alan Branch, Lamar Woodley, and Leon Hall). QB Chad Henne, RB Mike Hart, T Jake Long, WR Mario Manningham, LB Shawn Crable just to name a few returnees. With offensive weapons all over the field, there's no doubt that they will be able to score at will, but the defense is what will be holding them back.

7. Louisville- The Cards will compete again for a berth in the BCS Title Game. QB Brian Brohm, WR's Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia, C Eric Wood, LB Malik Jackson are all key returnees, but they need to find some depth on the defensive front.

8. Texas- Texas will once again have one of the best passing games in the country with sophomore QB Colt McCoy back and healthy, as well as Limas Sweed and every other key receiver. The Horns' challenge will be patching up its secondary under a new defensive coordinator.

9. Virginia Tech- I believe 17 starters return, including the majority of the nation's top-rated defense. QB Sean Glennon, RB Branden Ore, LBs Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi, CB Brandon Flowers all return with just about every WR back as well. Glennon needs to prove himself if this Hokie team wants to win the ACC.

10. Arkansas- The Razorbacks return the majority of the offense and have some key returnees and additions on the defensive side as well. With their QB Casey Dick back and the best RB tandem of Heisman favorite Darren McFadden (inset) and Felix Jones in the country returning, they will be one of the top rushing teams in the country again. Also, WR Marcus Monk will be one of the best in the SEC.

Other teams to keep an eye on:
Boise St., Rutgers, Oklahoma, Auburn, Ohio St., and Nebraska

Just felt I had to do a College Football article. I'll be back tomorrow with an NBA Article.