2010 College Football Power Rankings: Week 4

Our first power rankings of the season.

1. Alabama
They deserve this spot until somebody knocks them off.  Big test this weekend @ Arkansas.  We'll see if they deserve this spot.

2. Ohio St.
Terrelle Pryor looks like a new man.  He has virtually been unstoppable and the defense has been unflappable.

3. Oregon
Best offense in the country.  This is a team that's being a little overlooked when it comes to the BCS National Title picture.

4. Boise St.
Another big test for them this weekend vs. Oregon State.  A win here and they will have a decent argument for a national title game berth.

5. Nebraska
This team looks that much better than last season.  The defense is still very stout and new QB Taylor Martinez has sparked the offense.

6. TCU
Defense looks good despite losing some big names.  Andy Dalton has the offense picking up where they left off in 2009.

7. Florida
Things looked a little bleak early but the offense is starting to click.  Now to stay healthy and keep their guys out of trouble.

8. Oklahoma
Schizophrenic team that can look dominant at times, other times far from that.

9. Texas
Defense still fairly good.  Gilbert looks to be continuing to improve.

10. Arkansas
I've said all along that this team was a big sleeper.  Ryan Mallet just may be the best QB in the country too.  They always seem to play number 1 teams tough.  Look out Bama.

11. Wisconsin
Looked a little iffy vs. Arizona St.  When running game is on they are tough.  We'll see how good they really are soon.

12. South Carolina
Is this the year Spurrier finishes top 2 in the SEC West?  Garcia has been solid at QB and the defense looks good as ever.

13. LSU
LSU is young and has speed.  They should continue to improve.

14. Arizona
Big win over Iowa puts them in this spot.

15. Iowa
Tough road loss to Zona.  They're still a very good team if they can overcome some injuries.

Not far from the pack:
Stanford, Miami, Michigan, Auburn, Utah

2010 College Football Preview: Big Ten

College Football is less than a week away, I'll do a quick preview of each conference.  Nothing to in-depth, but it's time to get back into the college football spirit.  Let's go!



1. Ohio St.
Terrelle Pryor is back and looking to continue his late season success.  Pryor will be in New York for the Heisman presentation and has a great chance to even win it.  The Buckeyes return 17 starters coming off a big Rose Bowl win over Oregon.  Brandon Saine and DeVier Posey are also back to help Pryor win a national title.

2. Iowa
Iowa surprised many last season.  They had a very stingy defense and return the majority of it.  The secondary will be arguably the best in the country.  Ricky Stanzi returns at QB, along with Adrian Clayborn at DE.  Look for the Hawkeyes to get back to a BCS Bowl.

3. Wisconsin
Will UW finally live up to it's preseason hype?  I think so.  18 starters return in all.  RB John Clay is one of the best in the conference.  If the defense can hold it's own and fill some holes, they have a shot to win the Big Ten.

4. Penn St.
Penn St. returns a majority of it's players but they do lose QB Daryl Clark.  Evan Royster will be one of the best backs in the nation.  The defense should be decent again, but I don't think Joe Pa will get his 11 wins for the 4th time in the past 6 seasons.

5. Northwestern
A team that was a sleeper last season and should be again in 2010.  They return a good nucleus of players that should make them very competitive again.  They do lose some key players including QB Mike Kafka and DE Corey Wootton, but look for the Cats to get a big surprise win again and play in another bowl game.

6. Michigan
I really see Michigan improving quite a bit this year.  They're older and more experienced and it took a bit to adjust to Rich Rodriguez's system.  Michigan is a about a year away from competing for the Big Ten title again, but they have a favorable conference schedule to finish in the top half.

7.  Michigan St.
MSU once again returns the majority of it's team but they never seem to live up to the preseason hype.  They will let Spartan nation down once again.  Their Big Ten schedule is fairly tough despite Ohio St. being left off.  Greg Jones leads a tough defense but I just don't see Sparty living up to the hype.

8. Purdue
Look for the Boilermakers to climb up the Big Ten latter again this season lead by WR Keith Smith and Miami QB transfer Robert Marve.

9. Illinois
Illinois has some talent and Ron Zook always recruits well but he never seems to convert that into wins.

10. Minnesota
Gopher fans are starting to get frustrated with Tim Brewster.  He's recruited well the past few seasons, but look for Mini to have another miserable year.

11. Indiana
The Hoosiers have a very talented WR core but that's it.

Offensive Player of the Year: Terrelle Pryor, QB- OSU

Defensive Player of the Year: Greg Jones, LB- MSU

Coach of the Year: Rich Rodriguez- Michigan

Look for Ohio State to turn some heads in '09

College Football starts this Thursday and boy I cannot wait. All we're hearing about thus far is Florida, Texas and Oklahoma, which makes me ponder which team will make a run with the rest of them that everybody is looking over?

Well, it's Ohio State.

I know they've sucked in big games the past few seasons. I know they lost 7 starters on offense, including Beanie Wells, Brian Robiskie, and studs James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins on defense. But Jim Tressel always has talent waiting in the wings.

This is the perfect time for them to quell the doubters from the past. They do not have too high of expectations this season and they lost some big time players.

But they do have Terrelle Pryor back. I am a big fan of this guy and I truly believe he will win a Heisman and even a national championship if he stays all 4 years at OSU. I really believe that. Pryor is going to have a great season this year and will make everybody on the field around him better.

Much of the O-Line returns so there's a good start. Dan Herron performed well when Beanie Wells was injured and Ray Small and DeVier Posey are capable pass catchers. Frosh Duron Carter and James Jackson could contribute significantly as well.

The defensive line returns 3 starters and a formidable Michigan transfer in Justin Boren joins the team, which is a very good start for the defense.

But in the end I do not expect the departures to be as big of a deal as they say. Jim Tressel is still one of the best coaches in the country and there is plenty of talent in the stable and the in-coming freshmen are ready to step up. With a proven QB back and one who has some of the best talent in the country, look for the Buckeyes to turn some heads and be a BCS Title contender by the end of the season.

All of that can start on September 12, when 4th ranked USC comes to town.

USC vs. Ohio St. Prediction

Here is a quick run down and prediction of the big game tonight...

USC vs. Ohio St.

This won't be a particularly high scoring game at all. Both teams have two of the best defenses in the country. I wouldn't be surprised to see special teams win this game for both. Mark Sanchez will have a tough task ahead of himself with a stellar OSU secondary.

It looks like Beanie Wells will have a limited role today, he may not even play at all. It appears it will be a game-time decision. If Beanie isn't effective, there is no doubt in my mind that USC will win this game. It will be tough to pass on USC if the Buckeyes aren't able to establish the run.

USC has looked very impressive thus far this season, their offense just clicked vs. Virginia. Look for Pete Carroll to try and establish the run and go right at OSU's tough front seven early. With the stable of backs they have I don't see a reason not to. Once they do that look for Sanchez and his talented WRs to be very effective at times.

I think a lot will be on USC's offense tonight, they're going against a very good defense. Can they outscore OSU's offense?

Look for a close game tonight with two offense's trying to grind out points against stellar defenses. Mark Sanchez will be fine against the OSU D and the loss of Beanie Wells will really hurt the Buckeyes as USC will key on Todd Boeckmans arm and the WRs.

The Pick:
USC 26 OSU 24

College Football 2008 Conference Preview: Big Ten

The Big Ten looks to rebound after a few down seasons.

Predicted Order of Finish:
1. Ohio St.
The Buckeyes are eager to finally win a nation title. 18 starters return in all and they may be the most experienced top team in the nation. They return 9 starters from a defense that was one of the best. A boatload of talent returns on the offensive side with QB Todd Boeckman, RB Chris (Beanie) Wells, WRs Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline, and a loaded offensive line. The defense should be stellar as LB James Laurinaitis and CB Malcolm Jenkins return. The defensive line should be quick and deep with 5 veterans back. Look for the secondary to be solid again with all 4 starters back there.

2. Wisconsin
Experience is plenty at most units for the Badgers. The offense should be solid with many weapons all over the field. They do need to break-in a new QB for the second consecutive season. Kansas St. transfer Allan Evridge looks to be the starter there. The ground game should be solid, PJ Hill should continue to be one of the best backs in the country as long as he stays healthy; He's rushed for 2,805 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first two seasons. The receiving corps is lead by TE Travis Beckum as he looks to be the top in the nation. Kyle Jefferson was a capable WR last season as a frosh. The offensive line should only make things better with 3 starters and plenty of size back there. The defense returns 8 starters lead by DE Matt Shaughnessy and LBs Luis Casillas and DeAndre Levy. The secondary will need to find some depth and athletes after losing CB Jack Ikegwuonu to the draft.Wisconsin

3. Illinois
Ron Zook continues to bring in some good recruiting classes. The Illini do lose quite a bit of starters. They still have plenty of talent and some experience back that got trounced in the Rose Bowl by USC. QB Juice Williams returns and he was a big reason as to why they made the Rose Bowl. Losing RB Rashard Mendenhall was a big blow, but they still have some depth there. The WRs will be young but Arrelious Benn is one of the best young wide outs in the nation. There's plenty of talent and depth on the D-line, starting with All-Big Ten End Will Davis. The LB corps will be young as well as they look to freshman to help with depth. Martez Wilson should lead the group with his experience. Vontae Davis should be a top DB.

4. Penn St.
A lot of people are writing off the Nittany Lions this season but some forget they have plenty of talent returning and 9 defensive starters back. They do lose QB Anthony Morrelli but senior Daryll Clark, who is compared to Michael Robinson, looks to take over. Evan Royster should be the starting RB after an impressive Alamo Bowl. The WRs should be some of the best in the nation with Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, and Jordan Norwood. All 5 starters return on the O-Line, so that's a plus. The defense should be very improved. The defensive line is outstanding, esp. at end with Josh Gaines and Maurice Evans. The LB crew is short on experience. 4 starters are back in the secondary as hard-hitting A.J. Wallace returns.

5. Purdue
The Boilermakers have some bright spots, but also some dark spots as well. QB Curtis Painter is the best QB in the Big Ten. Jaycen Taylor and Kory Sheets are a nice RB combo. Greg Orton is the only starting WR back, so they have some question marks there. They need to adjust to some new starting O-Linemen. The D-Line will be very good with 4 solid tackles and some quick ends. Looks for the front to be one of the deepest and best in the nation. The LB unit is young with not many standouts there but look for the young defensive backfield to make some strides as the season goes on.

6. Michigan St.
QB Brian Hoyer is back after an honorable mention All-Big Ten conference season. The running game looks solid as Javon Ringer is back and is arguably the best RB in the nation. The Spartans have 2 capable pass catchers in Mark Dell and B.J. Cunningham to go along with 3 starting linemen. The defensive line should be steady as Cincy transfer Trevor Anderson steps in. Greg Jones was moved to MLB this spring and should bring some speed to the middle. There's a lot of potential at the safety spot; the CBs will solid all-around with 5 capable starters battling for the two spots. Look for the MSU Defense to have some swagger this season.

7. Michigan
2008 should be a rebuilding year for the Wolverines as new head coach Rich Rodriguez looks to implement his spread offense. QB could be a problem as 4 year starter Chad Henne graduated and freshman Ryan Mallett transfered to Arkansas. Frosh Steve Threet looks to have the nod over soph. Nick Sheridan. There's still plenty of talent at RB even though Mike Hart is gone. Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown are both capable backs. The WR department was hit hard as well with early departures but there's still some capable talent there. The O-Line loses 3 starters. Look for the defensive to be better than the offense. The D-Line has all 4 starters back but are switching to a 3 man front. The LB unit will miss Shawn Crable dearly and are looking for some young talent to step up. Look for the secondary to be average at best but they are experienced, Brandon Harrison looks to lead that unit.

8. Iowa
Iowa has been in a traumatic downfall the past few seasons. QB Jake Christianson is back but still hasn't lived up to any of the hype. RB is a major concern after losing two solid backs. They only have one primary back on scholarship right now in Nate Guillory. The WR unit is up in the air. The offensive line could be the lone bright spot on offense as they return plenty of experience and depth, lead by 3 year starter Seth Olsen. The D-Line has some up and coming talent and is headed by All Big-Ten DT Mitch King. There are some causes for concern at LB with no proven play makers there. The secondary has 3 part-time starters back and one full-time starter in Harold Dalton.

9. Northwestern
QB CJ Bacher needs to be more consistent if Northwestern wants to make it to a bowl game this season. RB Tyrell Sutton is a two-time 1,000 yard rusher and looks to be one of the best in the nation. 5 of the top 6 pass-catchers are back, which should only help with Bacher. The O-Line will need to be rebuilt with 3 starters and some key back-ups gone. 4 capable D-Linemen are back but underperformed last season. They have a nice stable of LBs to help compliment the experienced front. They have a big battle in the secondary as 3 players will be competing for the free safety job and 4 will be vying for one of the CB spots.

10. Indiana
Kellen Lewis returns at QB and is one of the best in the Big Ten. Marcus Thigpen has a lot of potential with his 4.3 speed at RB. WR should be steady with 3 capable players ready to fill in. 3 starters are back on the line, which could be a problem but the last two recruiting classes has helped generate some depth and could push a few of the starters. Greg Middleton lead the nation with 16 sacks last season and should only help an already talented line. 2 of 3 starters return at LB and both safeties return, but there are some major concerns at the corner spots.

11. Minnesota
Tim Brewster continues to show he is a great recruiter as he developed a top 25 recruiting class this season. But can he transition that talent into success on the field? Only time will tell... QB Adam Weber (did I ever tell you I played against him in baseball when I was 15, yes it is true.) Anyways, he set school records in passing yards, TD passes, completions, and total offense behind a suspect line. The RB position is extremely thin. Jay Thomas and Duane Bennett are the lone returning backs but Thomas is coming off his 2nd ACL surgery and Bennett struggled at times last season. The WR unit is all but stellar, Eric Decker is the only notable WR back. The D-Line struggled severely last season with no push or pressure. LB looks like a liability with some unknowns and Deon Hightower was injured in the spring. There could be 4 new starters in the secondary after some inconsistent play in 2007 and the loss of Dominique Barber.

Offensive Player of the Year:
Curtis Painter, QB- Purdue

Defensive Player of the Year:
James Laurinaitis, LB- Ohio St.

Freshman of the Year:
Terrelle Pryor, QB- Ohio St.

Coach of the Year:
Mark Dantonio- Michigan St.

Top 3 Games:
Ohio St. at Wisconsin- Oct. 4

Illinois at Wisconsin- Oct. 25

Ohio St. at Illinois- Nov. 15

10 Games in 10 Days: Ohio St. at Wisconsin

TSF's "10 Games in 10 Days" is back after a weekend break.

Day 1: Kansas at South Florida
Day 2: Ohio St. at USC
Day 3: Georgia at Arizona St.

Ohio St. at Wisconsin

Preview:
A Big Ten title could be up for grabs here, just early in the season. Both teams are looking to win the Big Ten and appear in a BCS Bowl game. OSU is hungry for a national title after falling the previous two years in the NC game. Wisconsin is looking for more after a disappointing set back last season after higher expectations.

OSU probably returns the most out of all the top teams with 18 starters back in all. The offense should be solid again with QB Todd Boeckman back. Beanie (Chris) Wells should be one the top RBs in the nation. The WR crew is pretty much all back with Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline returning. 4 of 5 OL are returning so expect the Buckeye offense to put up a good deal of points. The defense should be one of the best in the nation, they are loaded all over the place. The top LB in the nation in James Laurinaitis is back. The defensive line will be stellar with 4 solid experienced veterans in-tact. The secondary will be lights out as Malcolm Jenkins decided to stay and 3 other starters are back

Wisconsin returns quite a bit as well. Experience is plenty at most units for the Badgers. The offense should be solid with many weapons all over the field. They do need to break-in a new QB for the second consecutive season. Kansas St. transfer Allan Evridge looks to be the starter there. The ground game should be solid, PJ Hill should continue to be one of the best backs in the country as long as he stays healthy; He's rushed for 2,805 yards and 29 touchdowns in his first two seasons. The receiving corps is lead by TE Travis Beckum as he looks to be the top in the nation. Kyle Jefferson was a capable WR last season as a frosh. The offensive line should only make things better with 3 starters and plenty of size back there. The defense returns 8 starters lead by DE Matt Shaughnessy and LBs Luis Casillas and DeAndre Levy. The secondary will need to find some depth and athletes after losing CB Jack Ikegwuonu to the draft.

Offensive Player to Watch:
P.J. Hill, RB- Wisconsin

Defensive Player to Watch:
James Laurinaitis, LB- OSU

Outlook:
This game could go either way. Anything could literally happen here; I would not be surprised if it was close, Ohio St. stomped all over Wisconsin or vice-versa. With the game being in Camp Randall anything could happen. Wisconsin could come out of the floodgates and walk all over the Buckeyes or they could come out flat, nothing is impossible. This should be an interesting game.

Early Prediction:
Ohio St. 24 Wisconsin 18
I would love to pick th Badgers but with the way they were so inconsistent last season it's tough to pick them. It's easy to pick them when their playing at Camp Randall, but the Buckeyes are hungry. They return 18 total starters for a reason. OSU's Defense should be able to put a hold on Wisconsin's new QB. I think OSU win's a close and good defensive-minded game.

10 Games in 10 Days: Ohio St. at USC

It's Day 2 of our '10 Games in 10 Days' promo. So let's roll...

Day 1: Kansas at South Florida

Ohio St. at USC

Preview:
Both teams return plenty of talent and experience. OSU probably returns the most out of all the top teams with 18 starters back in all. The offense should be solid again with QB Todd Boeckman back. Beanie (Chris) Wells should be one the top RBs in the nation. The WR crew is pretty much all back with Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline returning. 4 of 5 OL are returning so expect the Buckeye offense to put up a good deal of points. The defense should be one of the best in the nation, they are loaded all over the place. The top LB in the nation in James Laurinaitis is back. The defensive line will be stellar with 4 solid experienced veterans in-tact. The secondary will be lights out as Malcolm Jenkins decided to stay and 3 other starters are back.

USC will be somewhat young in some spots but very, very talented. They need a QB to step up which looks like Mark Sanchez at this point. Only 4 starters are back on offense but they still have loads of talent. The Wideouts should be solid with Vidal Hazelton and Patrick Turner and the RB department will be the deepest in the nation led by Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson, C.J. Gable, and Allen Bradford. Look for the defense to be one of the best in the nation. The LB corps is loaded with Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing. The defensive line will be excellent with Everson Griffen leading the way. The secondary returns all 4 starters and it will be hard to pass on this bunch.

Offensive Player to Watch:
Joe McKnight, RB- USC

Defensive Player to Watch:
James Laurinaitis, LB- OSU

Outlook:
This could be the game of the season. The winner will have an inside track at a BCS National Title berth and a lock for the number one ranking (that's if none of them falter before then). Both teams are loaded with experience and talent, I expect this to be a defensive game as both teams return solid players on D, but don't expect a struggle to put up points. With the solid defensive and offensive play of both teams, it could all come down to special teams.

Early Prediction:
Ohio St. 26 USC 24
To tell you the truth, I have no idea who's going to win this game. It's a toss-up. Even though USC is playing at home, I think the lack of experience from Mark Sanchez will bring them down a notch below OSU. Todd Boeckman is a proven veteran and Mark Sanchez has limited starting experience under center for the Trojans. The lack of offensive experience still has me weary going up against a talented OSU defense. But expect this to be a close, close game with some unremarkable plays. Both teams are stellar on both sides of the ball, but could it be the other unit that gets it done?

2008 College Football Pre-Season Rankings

The other day I did the College BBall Pre-Season Rankings, so it seems fitting that I do some college football now.

1. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia has to be the top team, they have plenty back, they return their QB in Matthew Stafford and one of the up and coming RBs in Knowshon Moreno, who should be one of the top backs in the nation. The offensive line is decent with 3 starters back and one decent WR in Mohamed Massaquoi. The have plenty of talent on the defensive side, they all have tremendous depth on the defensive line which includes Gino Atkins. The LB and secondary corps will need to step up with only a few starters back there. Overall, the Dogs have depth and tremendous talent. They have a tough schedule playing at Arizona St., South Carolina, LSU, Auburn, and Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech at home plus the Florida showdown. So we'll see if they can get through their schedule.

2. Florida Gators
Florida returns plenty of talent and experience. Not only are they talented but they're deep and I mean very deep. Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is looking for another national title. The offense should be explosive again with 8 starters back. Percy Harvin will lead the WR corps along with one of the best TEs in the country in Cornelius Ingram. USC transfer Emmanuel Moody is looking to boost the RB unit. And 4 starters return on the offensive line. The defense should be better, they will be young but talented. The LB crew will be one of the best in the land lead by junior Brandon Spikes.

3. USC Trojans
The reason I have the Trojans 3rd is because they don't have their starting QB back. But Mark Sanchez is more than capable to lead this team to the promised land. The Trojans only return 4 starters on offense but they are loaded all over the place. The WRs will be exceptional with Vidal Hazelton and Patrick Turner back. They will have the deepest backfield in the nation with Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson, CJ Gable, and Allen Bradford. The defense will be the best in the nation, the defensive front will be stellar and the LB unit will be the best in the nation lead by Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing and the secondary returns starters which includes Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays.

4. Ohio St. Buckeyes
The Buckeyes will be the most experienced of all the top teams next season. They return 17 total starters and this could be the year they finally put it together and win it all. QB Todd Boeckman returns along with WRs Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline. RB Chris (Beanie) Wells should be one of the top backs in the nation. The defense should be solid with James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins deciding to return.

5. Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners should be the favorite to win the Big 12 once again. 18 total starters are back in all. QB Sam Bradford returns along with DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown at tailback. Oklahoma should have two of the top front lines in the nation, which will only help their cause for a BCS Title berth.

6. West Virginia Mountaineers
WVA should be one of the fastest teams in the country again. Speedster QB Pat White is back, RB Steve Slaton may be gone but sophomore Noel Devine showed he can replace him. Devine could be a darkhorse for the Heisman this season. The defense should also be solid with several starters back and some experienced LBs.

7. Missouri Tigers
Mizzou returns 15 starters from a team that should have made a BCS Bowl. Heisman candidate Chase Daniel is back along with a slough of talented WRs. There's questions at RB with Tony Temple gone. The defense should be very tough again as 3 linemen return. The LB corps returns all 3 starters along with the secondary as well. Missouri should challenge Oklahoma and Texas for the Big XII Title.

8. Clemson Tigers
Clemson should be the ACC favorite. QB Cullen Harper returns after having a surprising 2007 campaign. They also have the best RB tandem in the nation in James Davis and C.J. Spiller. Both starting WRs return but they'll need to find some people to step up on the offensive line. The defense will good again, the defensive front will be nasty which includes Dorell Scott. The LBs return only one starter but the secondary will be one of the best in the nation with Chris Clemons and Crezdon Butler.

9. Texas Longhorns
QB Colt McCoy returns and is looking for a BCS Title berth. One question is at RB where Jamal Charles left early for the NFL. The WRs should be solid along with the offensive line. OG Cedric Dockery is one of the top linemen in the country. The defense has quite a few wholes to fill as they only return 4 starters and not much experience.

10. Auburn Tigers
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.

Outside Looking In:
Wisconsin, Texas Tech, Arizona St., Illinois, Virginia Tech, Kansas, & BYU

2008 College Football Teams to look out for

Just thought I would do a brief post on some College Football and thoughts on the favorites for next season.

Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia was very young and inexperienced last season. They return a boatload of talent. After a very impressive season winning the Sugar Bowl, they are just that much more experienced. QB Matthew Stafford returns and is looking to be not only one of the top QBs in the SEC, but one of the best in the nation. RB Knowshon Moreno also returns after a big year rushing for 1334 yards and 14 TDs.

USC Trojans
USC loses some key players, but returns some important impact players; more specifically on the defensive side. Many were expecting LBs Keith Rivers and Rey Mauluga to enter the draft but now they're back. They return 3 starters in the secondary and the QB position is deep with Mitch Mustain transferring in. They will also be very deep at tailback once again. Watch out for RB Joe McKnight.

Florida Gators
The Gators were also inexperienced and young, especially on the defensive side. 8 starters return on both sides of the ball and Florida should once again have one of the best offensive attacks in the nation, lead by Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin. The defense should be better with several starters returning including two upcoming stars in LB Brandon Spikes and FS Major Wright.

Ohio St. Buckeyes
The Buckeyes will be the most experienced of all the top teams next season. They return 17 total starters and this could be the year they finally put it together and win it all. QB Todd Boeckman returns along with WRs Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline. RB Chris (Beanie) Wells should be one of the top backs in the nation. The defense should be solid with James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins deciding to return.

Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners should be the favorite to win the Big 12 once again. 18 total starters are back in all. Oklahoma should have two of the top front lines in the nation, which will only help their cause for a BCS Title berth.

West Virginia Mountaineers
WVA should be one of the fastest teams in the country again. Speedster QB Pat White is back, RB Steve Slaton may be gone but sophomore Noel Devine showed he can replace him. Devine could be a darkhorse for the Heisman this season. The defense should also be solid with several starters back and some experienced LBs.

Other top teams to keep an eye on:
Missouri, Clemson, Texas, Auburn, Arizona St., LSU, Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech

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?

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

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

College Football 2007 Conference Preview: Big Ten

The Big Ten has been very competitive in the BCS race and always produces some of the top tier teams in the country. Look for Wisconsin and Michigan to be the ones competing for a chance to play in the BCS National Championship game, with Ohio St., Penn St., Purdue, and Iowa not far behind.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Wisconsin
The offense should be solid even after losing QB John Stocco and T Joe Thomas. Tyler Donovan is battling with KSU transfer Allan Evridge for the starting QB job but Donovan looks to have the upper hand. Donovan has some experience replacing Stocco while he was injured last season. Heisman Candidate PJ Hill returns at RB, he rushed for 1,569 yards and 15 touchdowns while he led the Big Ten in all-purpose yards. They also return a solid WR corps and one of the best TEs in the land in Travis Beckum. The defense should be rocking with 8 starters back that includes DE Matt Shaughnessy, CB Jack Ikegwuounu, and LBs Jon Casillas and DeAndre Levy.

2. Michigan
There is no question Michigan's offense will be able to score at will this year with QB Chad Henne, RB Mike Hart, WR Mario Manningham, and T Jake Long all returning. But the defense lost a lot and still has some question marks. On that side of the ball they lost DT Alan Branch and DE Lamar Woodley, two of the best defensive linemen in the country last season. DE Rondell Biggs is gone too along with two very good LBs in David Harris and Prescott Burgess. The secondary will be hurting as well after losing All-America CB Leon Hall and FS Willis Barringer. If they want to compete for that BCS National Championship again this season they'll need to find some play makers on the defensive side.

3. Ohio St.
The Buckeyes lost their top players in Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, WRs Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez, and RB Antonio Pittman. They will need to rely on the defense more as that seems to be their strength, returning LB James Laurinaitis, CB Malcom Jenkins, and DL Vernon Gholston. They have a fairly easier schedule this year, especially non-conference wise which should get them into a decent bowl game.

4. Penn St.
The Nittany Lions should be improved by a game or two this season. They return 15 starters and should have a solid offense. QB Anthony Morrelli returns after throwing for 2,424 yards and 11 TD. Morrelli struggled at times last season and will need to be more consistent if PSU wants to win the Big 10 Title at all. They return all of their WRs and should have one of the best WR corps in the land with Jr. Derrick Williams (How did Florida let him get away?), Jr. Jordan Norwood, Sr. Terrell Golden, and So. James McDonald all back. The offensive line returns 3 starters, but losing T Levi Brown will be a huge loss. Also, the defense returns some good players in LB Dan Connor, All-Big Ten Safety Anthony Scirrotto, and CBs Justin King and A.J. Wallace. But replacing Paul Posluszny is inevitable.

5. Purdue
With plenty of experience back and playing Iowa at home, I think that will get Purdue the 5th spot. They return 18 starters and have a favorable schedule not playing Wisconsin and getting Ohio St., Iowa, and Michigan St. at home. QB Curtis Painter is solid and one of the most underrated QBs in the conference. RBs Kory Sheets and Jaycen Taylor also return which will put a smile on many Purdue fans' faces. And WR Dorien Bryant returns, plus three offensive linemen return as well; pretty impressive for the offense. Now the defense does indeed return 9 starters, but they did give up some hefty point totals last season, if they can pick it up, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio St. Penn St., and Iowa will be in for a surprise.

6. Iowa
Iowa returns plenty of experience with 14 starters back and they have an easy home conference schedule. How the hell did they miss out on playing Michigan or Ohio St. this year? Lucky Hawkeye fans! They'll need to replace QB Drew Tate, but Jake Christensen looks like a decent replacement, plus he'll have a great WR tandem in Andy Brodell and Dominique Douglas. The defense is in good shape with 8 starters returning that includes LB Mike Klinkenborg and DE Bryan Mattison.

7. Minnesota
They have some voids to fill at QB and WR but every other position should be okay. The O-Line returns a lot of veterans with 4 starters back. The defense has 9 starters back and should be average. They have a new coach in Tim Brewster and he has a lot of work to do though. They do have an easy early non-conference schedule which could help them get back to a bowl game. But they will once again fold when their tough conference schedule comes around. (The Gophers will also play North Dakota St. again this season, I went to the game last season where they escaped with a 10-9 win. I will be attending the game again and it should be another hard fought battle.)

8. Michigan St.
The Spartans had a tough '06 season and finished tied for 10th in the conference. 13 starters return but new head coach Mark Dantonio has plenty of work to do. They'll need to replace QB Drew Stanton, who had a good career at MSU. Jr. Brian Hoyer looks to be his successor and was pretty impressive last season while filling in for Stanton when he was injured. One bright spot is at RB where Javon Ringer returns. Three key WR's are gone but they do return some experience back at that position. Dantonio has proclaimed that WR will be one of their strengths this season. The defense returns just 6 starters and has plenty of holes all over the field.

9. Illinois
Ron Zook has recruited well at Illinois, which should help the program continue to improve. He got one of the school's best recruiting classes ever landing WR Arrelious Benn and LB Martez Wilson. QB Juice Williams returns and should put up more respectable numbers. The defense has improved drastically over the last few seasons. With DT Chris Norwell, LBs J Leman and Antonio Steele, and CB Vontae David all returning, the Illini will have a very athletic defense.

10. Northwestern
15 starters return for the Wildcats. They'll need to find a QB once again, replace WR Shaun Herbert, and find some depth on the o-line. But one of the top RBs in the nation, Tyrell Sutton, returns. Sutton rushed for 1,000 yards last season. The defense returns 8 starters and no doubt has talent at every position. Northwestern has the potential to make some noise in the Big Ten and should not be taken lightly by anybody.

11. Indiana
IU's offense returns some good experience with QB Kellen Lewis, WR James Hardy, and 5 starting linemen all back. The defense was a mess last year and needs much improvement. Expect Indiana to finish last again in the Big Ten.

Offensive Player of the Year:
P.J. Hill, RB- Wisconsin

Defensive Player of the Year:
James Laurinaitis, LB- Ohio St.

Freshman of the Year:
Arrelious Benn, WR- Illinois

Coach of the Year:
Bret Bielema- Wisconsin

Games to Watch:
Penn St. at Michigan- Sept. 22

Michigan at Wisconsin- Nov. 10

Ohio St. at Michigan- Nov. 17

Iowa at Purdue- Oct. 20

Wisconsin at Ohio St.- Nov. 3

Wisconsin at Penn St.- Oct. 13

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?

Look Ahead to the 2007-2008 Men's College Hoops Season

We all know the 2006-2007 NCAA Men's Basketball Season just finished. But there are a lot of us anticipating next season already. With a lot of young talent out there this past season, next year should be just as exciting!

Let's take a look at some of the top teams for 2007-2008:

UNC Tar Heels
The top team for next season definitely has to be the UNC Tar Heels. Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, and Wayne Ellington all announced they were coming back. They have everybody returning but Reyshawn Terry, and the recent recruiting class should help fill that in. Brandan Wright still has to make a decision about his future, but even if he bolts for the NBA, UNC will still be the team to beat.

UCLA Bruins
The Bruins will look to make another run at a Final Four berth with nearly everyone back. Their top scorer Aaron Afflalo already announced he will be entering the NBA Draft. But the Bruins return a solid nucleus with Josh Shipp, Darren Collison, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Lorenzo Mata, Michael Roll, and Alfred Aboya. UCLA lacked a premier post presence this past season, but the addition of 2007 recruit Kevin Love will help and should get immediate playing time. Look for the Bruins to be one of the top teams in the country again and make another Final Four run.

Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks looked like my top team until Julian Wright recently decided to forgo his last two years of eligibility. The Jayhawks also have a great number of players returning and will be the top team in the Big 12. With the return of Mario Chalmers, freshmen sensation Darrell Arthur, Sherron Collins, Russell Robinson, Sasha Kaun, and Darnell Jackson, KU will barely miss a beat. Brandon Rush still needs to make a decision, but if he decides to stay watch out!

Memphis Tigers

A lot people doubted this team in the NCAA Tournament and they nearly topped OSU until the game got out of hand. If Chris-Douglas Roberts stays this team won't be going anywhere but up. With 5 of their top 6 returning, they finally may get over the hump and get into the Final Four. Plus the addition of Derrick Rose isn't bad. This Tiger team was young, but experienced this past season and come next year, they will have an even bigger bite.

Ohio St. Buckeyes
Greg Oden hasn't officially decided on his future, but if he stays the Buckeyes will no doubt be the number one team for next year. Mike Conley said he's staying, and even if Oden leaves OSU will be a top 10 team again. Conley, Butler, Lighty, and Cook will lead a stacked backcourt and Hunter and Terwilliger will anchor the frontcourt. Also, a great recruiting class will help a lot.

USC Trojans
Look for USC to be one of the top teams for next year and should compete with UCLA for the Pac 10 Title. I expect Gabe Pruitt to stay. They still have Taj Gibson inside and I heard new signee OJ Mayo is pretty good.

Louisville Cardinals
The Cards nearly knocked off Texas A&M in the Big Dance and could have made a huge run if they did. Louisville returns 7 of their top 8 and should be one of the premier teams in the Big East. Terrence Williams, Edgar Sosa, David Padgett, Juan Palacios, and Derrick Caracter all return and should be one of the best starting five's in the land. Look for Rick Pitino's Cards to make a great run next season.

Other Teams to keep an eye on:
Georgetown, Washington State, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Michigan State, Kansas State, and Marquette.

It's Ohio St. vs. Florida... Again???

The NCAA Tournament is now down to only 2 teams. It was Florida vs Ohio St. for the BCS National Championship in College Football and now for College Basketball's National Title Game it's who? That is, Florida vs Ohio St.... again.

Four months ago who would have thought of this scenario? Nobody expected the Gators to make the BCS Championship, let alone chomp the Buckeyes into pieces. And now here we are, OSU vs Florida all over again.

Well now the Buckeyes get their chance for revenge. To redeem the psyche of the whole Buckeye Nation after that horrific dismantling the Gators gave them last January 8. Watch out Tedd Ginn's ankle!

Analysis and Prediction
I really like this match up. Florida does have the edge experience wise and a slight edge in the post department. But the two back court match ups should be something to keep an eye on. Florida's experienced back court vs Ohio St.'s young and up-coming back court; I mean you have two of the best point guards in the country going at it in Mike Conley and Taurean Green. Along with Lee Humphrey, Corey Brewer, and Walter Hodge of Florida pairing up against OSU's Ron Lewis, Daequan Cook, Jamar Butler, and David Lighty. Both are arguably the top two back courts in the nation.

Defensive wise you would have to think OSU will try a zone for much of the game. It's hard for them to match up with the Gators man vs. man. It will be tough to stop Al Horford and Joakim Noah in a man set; and they would still have to stop Brewer and they don't have anybody big or quick enough to slow him down. Plus, OSU needs to protect Greg Oden. Which wasn't the case last night, as most of us witnessed Oden getting two quick fouls in the first 3 minutes of the game vs Georgetown. It would play to a huge advantage if Florida got him in foul trouble early. So, playing a zone would be OSU's best option.

This game can go either way literally. Florida may be the favorite, but you can't count out a team that has Greg Oden on their side. But the Buckeyes guards need to keep doing what their doing. Will the young guns come through again? Or will they back down just like their fellow classmates did back in January?

The Pick: Florida- Unless you're a Buckeye fan you can't pick against Florida. Horford, Noah, Brewer, and Green all came back for one reason, and that was to become the first team to repeat as national champions since Duke in 1992, and the first ever to do it with the same starting lineup.

Final Four Breakdown

The Final Four is here and we have some great match ups ahead of us this Saturday and it should be a dandy. I am really looking forward to it. There are a handful of premier big men playing which should make it that much more exciting to watch. But anyways, here's some analysis and predictions on the games.

Ohio St. vs. Georgetown
Oden vs Hibbert
This is the match up I have been most anticipating. You have 7'0 Greg Oden vs 7'2 Roy Hibbert. Great match up overall. But this is where I give the advantage to Georgetown. I think Hibbert can control Oden down low and hold his own against him. Hibbert is the most physical post player in the country and I think he will out work and definitely out rebound Oden down low. Oden must stay out of foul trouble because they have no one else to guard Hibbert or even Patrick Ewing Jr. for that matter.

Also, OSU has no match for Jeff Green. They can definitely hold Hibbert down low. But who's going to stop Green? Green outmatches every other Buckeye. If they stick an undersized guard on him he will abuse him all over the court. If they put Ivan Harris or even Othello Hunter on him, he will be able to slash and take them to the rack all day. Georgetown's front court is going to provide some big problems for OSU, especially if Oden gets into foul trouble.

OSU has the edge in the back court. They have multiple options with their guards, so does G'Town, but the Buckeyes G's have a little more talent. Mike Conley is a phenomenal PG, he is most effective in the open floor, and he'll get those opportunities only if Georgetown commits a lot of turnovers or has a horrible shooting night; which is doubtful that will happen. But with Conley, Lewis, Cook, Butler, and Lighty, OSU has the ability to take it to Georgetown's G's, if they can pressure them and force them to put up bad shots they can definitely top the Hoyas.

The Pick: Georgetown- Their defense has been tremendous. They're just too big and physical for the Buckeyes. Don't forget their holding opponents to just a little under 40% field goal shooting. Georgetown will easily dictate their own tempo and should handle them well in a half court game.

Florida vs. UCLA
It's the rematch of last years national title game. I think defense is going to be the biggest factor in this game. Both teams have played stellar defense in the tournament thus far. I don't expect the game to be as one-sided as it was last year, only because UCLA is a more experienced team.

Starting with the front court, Florida has a huge advantage here. UCLA's undersized posts have played bigger teams in this tournament well (i.e. Kansas & Pittsburgh). But, Al Horford has been amazing and has produced awesome numbers in guiding the Gators to Atlanta. Don't forget about Joakim Noah who has played well and UCLA needs to contain him Saturday night. Florida also has post depth off the bench, so if Horford or Noah get in any kind of foul trouble, it won't be a huge deal.

I love the back court match ups with Taurean Green, Lee Humphery, and Corey Brewer of Florida vs the likes of Aaron Afflalo, Josh Shipp, Darren Collison, and Michael Roll of UCLA. Both are evenly balanced and I can't really give an edge to either. But I think the X-Factor here is Darren Collison. Afflalo has been a stud lately and he needs someone else to step up too. Collison with his defense can pressure and contain Green and/or Humphery. If he can get them to force some tough shots and get them a little flustered UCLA will have a great chance at winning this game.


The Pick: UCLA- The play of Afflalo and the other guards has been amazing. I think UCLA's guards, especially Afflalo and Collision, can outperform Florida's. Also, defense will be a huge key and UCLA has been impressing many with their solid play on both ends of the court.

You should also check out some predictions and analysis from Complete Sports. I also encourage you to vote in our Final Four poll.

March Madness Rolls/Skates On

As March Madness rolls on there's been a lot of great action on both the ice and the hardwood this weekend. And as we speak arguably the greatest month in all of sports is coming to a climax. Let's regroup...

Ohio St. and UCLA punched their tickets to the Final Four Saturday. Also Michigan St. and Maine booked theirs to the Frozen Four. A few things really either surprised me or stuck out to me here:

• I was really surprised that Ohio St. was not only able to win but to really run away with it at the end. I mean, they really made this score look ugly
  
• The talented Jayhawks club being so unable to respond. I picked UCLA to win, but I figured that the Jayhawks wouldn't just die like that. Watch out now...because Bill Self is quickly becoming into that coach with lots of talent who "Can't win the Big-game". Actually thus far he can't even get there...
  
• Maine was the first team to punch a ticket to the Frozen Four in St. Louis...This came as a bit of a surprise to me and definitely not in my predictions.


• Thus far the Frozen Four tournament has seemingly had more upsets than the Bball tourney.....who'da thunk it!


• Oden really stepped it up after a horrible game in the sweet sixteen against Tenn...I'm guessing he felt he had something to prove.


• So, with Notre Dame losing to Michigan State that means that 3 of the 4 #1 seeds are out of the Frozen Four Tourney after just 2 days of play..once again my predictions never foresaw such an abundance in upsets! But you still gotta love it.
  
• The UND Fighting Sioux beat Michigan, as predicted, 8-5. Yea I thought they'd win, and as the highest-scoring team in the country I knew Michigan could light it up but I never imagined 13 goals! A lot of people are going to try to pin some "bad goaltending" on Lamoureux but I'm putting it on the Defense. If it weren't for some tough saves on Lamoureux's part you may have seen Michigan hit double-digits.
  
• Afflalo played quite a bit better for UCLA than did most of the more-talented Kansas starters (in my opinion). Afflalo is a great college player and may win a championship this year, but I think there are a lot of guys on the Kansas starting 5 who will make better pro's. Any thoughts?
  
• I will be out of town until late tuesday so Stefan will be in charge for the next few days. You can expect to hear from me on Wed.

Alright, as a Sioux fan I have to do a quick plug. The UND Fighting Sioux will face-off against the Minnesota Golden Gophers tomorrow in what looks to be the game of the tournament (in my opinion anyways). The puck drops at 5 o'clock. You should all tune in because this one is a dandy.

I feel like this game really could go either way. They both play each other really tough and have exchanged blows all year long. But I think the Sioux can win this one, not because I'm biased or will be screaming my lungs out in support or anything. But rather because I was surprised at Minnesota's near 1st round meltdown to Air Force. It had me thinking Holy Cross all over again! And because the Sioux have been really excited about getting a rematch after the tough loss just last week in the WCHA championship and they're ready to stick it to em'. Regardless of who wins this game I think either team would have a cakewalk to the championship.

So, the moral of the story is:

Give College Hockey a chance
Watch the rest of the Elite 8 games tomorrow
Enjoy March because it is amazing
annnnnnnnnd..........GO SIOUX!

Elite 8 Breakdown

Well here's my Elite 8 Breakdown. I'm hoping to do a little better than my recent Sweet 16 picks. I didn't do so well there. But, here's some analysis on Saturday's and Sunday's Elite 8 games.

South Region
Ohio St. vs Memphis
These two team's match up well. Both have fairly deep benches. Joey Dorsey will be able to handle Greg Oden down low. Dorsey is stronger and a little more physical, he can hold his own against Oden. Ohio St. has been struggling early in games, and Memphis has good defense and good enough shooting too stay ahead. But watch out for Ohio St.'s guards, Mike Conley can take over a game whenever he needs to. But watch for the Tigers to bring in 6th man, Jeremy Hunt to D him up all night long. The Tigers are fairly deep and that will help them stay in this game. Also, Memphis's guard play will be key in this game as well; they have the size advantage over OSU's and can pressure them all night long. Look for Memphis to play a lot of zone in this game, forcing the Buckeyes to win from the outside and keep Dorsey out of foul trouble.

The Pick: Memphis- I believe this team is better than the 05-06 team. The Tigers will be able to accomplish something they couldn't last year, that's get to the Final Four.

West Region
Kansas vs UCLA
I am definitely looking forward to this game. Both of these teams are athletic and well-balanced all around. UCLA may have the slight advantage with their experience. The guard match ups will be great to watch with Afflalo, Collison, Shipp, and Roll vs. Rush, Chalmers, Robinson, and Collins. You really can't give an edge to any of them. But down low is where Kansas has a great advantage with Julian Wright, Sasha Kaun, and Darrell Arthur. UCLA has struggled against teams who are just flat out bigger. Kansas must protect the ball and make free throws in the end. Should be the best of all the Elite 8 games to watch.

The Pick: UCLA- It's hard to pick against KU. But I gotta go with the experience here. UCLA showed some poise against Pitt in making some big shots, especially free throws down the stretch. I truly believe that will be the difference.

Midwest Region
Florida vs Oregon
This is a very intriguing matchup. Oregon will struggle tremendously here against a more talented, experienced, better overall Gator team. Oregon, I believe, is a two man show with Aaron Brooks and Tajuan Porter. Teams like that will not get you far. Florida's guards should be able to pressure them all night long and get them to turn it over. Plus, you have to like Florida's height advantage.

The Pick: Florida (How can you not pick against them in this one?) East Region
UNC vs GeorgetownUNC is tough and has a lot of firepower. They can top Georgetown with their deep bench. But, the Hoyas are just too big inside for Hansbrough and their guards are big and physical and will out match UNC's young guards. Plus the experience will factor in. You gotta think UNC will fall when they play an experienced team from another power conference.

The Pick: Georgetown- I really like this team right now. The guards compliment the posts very well and Jeff Green is just a stud.