2009 College Football Preseason Rankings

Time to break out the early 2009 College Football Preseason Rankings!

1. Florida- The defending national champs return QB Tim Tebow, the Pouncey Twins on the line, and Jeff Demps, Emmanuel Moody, and Chris Rainey on the offensive end. The defense will be the best in the nation. The top 22 defensive players are ALL back, including LB Brandon Spikes and FS Major Wright.

2. Texas- The offense is virtually all back lead by QB Colt McCoy and WR Jordan Shipley. The defense has some holes, but that's what D-Coordinator Will Muschamp is for.

3. Oklahoma- Heisman winner Sam Bradford is back along with RB stud DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown. Look for the defense to be even better with 9 starters back.

4. Alabama- The defense returns 9 starters and the offense returns RB Mark Ingram and one of the best WRs in the nation in Julio Jones.

5. USC- USC returns a lot of talent. They will have 10 starters back on offense, but will need a QB to step up. The defense will need to reload, but they have backups that can step up.

6. Mississippi- They return loads of talent and depth. QB Jevan Snead has the potential to be one of the best in the country.

7. Virginia Tech- The Hokies looked impressive in their Orange Bowl win. They're ready to make another national title run with QB Tyrod Taylor, RB Darren Evans and 7 returning starters on defense.

8. Ohio St.- The Buckeyes should be the favorite in the Big Ten. QB Terrelle Pryor is really going to be something. He could have a huge break out year.

9. LSU- You really think Les Miles will have another down year? Think again... QB Jordan Jefferson is coming along well and veteran RB Charles Scott is a bruiser in the backfield.

10. Oklahoma State- The Pokes had one of the most potent offenses in the country last season and QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, and WR Dez Bryant remain intact. The defense will be more experienced.

Just missed the cut:
Utah, Oregon, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Boise St., Penn St., TCU, and Oregon St.

Gators Chomp Sooners

Oklahoma flapped their mouths. CB Dominique Franks said Tim Tebow was the 4th best QB they've faced all season and it didn't take as much preparation for him as the others.

Well, looks like you awoken a sleeping giant Sooners!

I think Tim Tebow resolidified himself as the best college football player last night. He was even better than Heisman winner Sam Bradford. Tebow took his team on his back and dominated the second half. He made the plays, completed 6 of 6 passes in the final drive. He threw two touchdown passes and carried the ball the final six plays to lead Florida to its 2nd national title in three years.

Tebow outplayed Bradford and showed why he's the best player in college football and why the Gators are the national champions.

The game was not out of Oklahoma's hands though. They had their chances, they were stopped twice inside the 5 yard line, including an interception after a dropped pass by the WR. True champions take advantage of these opportunities, which the Sooners did not.

The Florida defense stepped up when it needed to. They pressured Bradford at times, but although their run defense wasn't the best, they still made enough plays in the end to get it done. The plays on the goal line and the two costly interceptions by Major Wright and Ahmad Black I think clinched it in the end, along with Tebow's play.

Looking Ahead to 2009
It's never too early to look ahead to the 2009 College Football season, so here's my early top 5 teams for now:

1. Florida Gators
Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, and Brandon Spikes could all leave, but it is likely Tebow will return. 19 starters could still be back in all and at least 10 will be back on defense. If Harvin is to leave, sophomore speedsters Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey will help fill the void. The defense will be strong as ever with Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham up-front, Ryan Stamper and AJ Jones anchoring the middle, and the next big ball hawk safety in Major Wright and Joe Haden leading the way in the secondary.

2. Texas Longhorns
Colt McCoy is coming back and should lead another potent offensive attack. WR Jordan Shipley is back as well. It will be interesting to see how the defense responds after losing some key starters, but that's why they have d-coordinator Will Muschamp.

3. USC Trojans
USC returns a lot of talent. If QB Mark Sanchez returns they will have 11 starters back on offense. The defense will need to reload though, but they have backups that can step up.

4. Alabama Crimson Tide
It's scary to think what Nick Saban will do with this team. He will have them contending with the Gators for another SEC Championship and yet another national title. The defense returns 9 starters and the offense returns both RBs and one of the best WRs in the nation in Julio Jones.

5. Mississippi Rebels
Ole Miss looked incredible down the stretch. They manhandled a potent team in Texas Tech. They return load of talent and depth. QB Jevan Snead has the potential to be one of the best in the country.

BCS National Championship Preview: Florida vs. Oklahoma

3 Reasons why Florida will win:
1. Speed
Florida is easily the fastest team in the country. Oklahoma needs to account for everybody that Florida puts out on the field with the threat to take one all the way at anytime. That's Percy Harvin, Jeff Demps, Louis Murphy, Chris Rainey, Emmanuel Moody, and Brandon James.We know Urban Meyer will try to spread the field and use their speed to his advantage and also try to get his speedsters the ball in space.

2. Defense
Florida has one of the best defenses in the country. Oklahoma has faced some poor defenses all season long in the Big 12. Florida creates a ton of pressure up front and their LBs are among the best in the nation lead by Brandon Spikes. Don't count out the secondary, they have some speed as well and will fly around and smack you in the mouth.

3. Tim Tebow
Tebow's already won a Heisman and more importantly, a national title. It doesn't help that OU has been talking some trash, more specifically at Tebow. He's the guy you don't want to mess around with. Tebow will beat you with his legs and even his arm. He's a better QB than he's ever been and he can hurt you in so many ways.

3 Reasons why Oklahoma will win:
1. Offense
Oklahoma can spread you out as well. They have some big-time playmakers on their side and Sam Bradford can pick you apart all day. They can throw in front of you or even go long. Jermaine Gresham is arguably the best TE in the country and could pose some match-up problems for the Florida defense. The Sooners have some quality skill position players and will use it to their advantage.

2. The Trenches
Specifically on the offensive end, OU has one of the best lines in the country. Lead by All-American OT Duke Robinson and Big 12 1st-teamers C Jon Cooper and OT Phil Loadholt have dominated all season long. They've only given up 11 sacks all season. I give them a slight advantage over the Florida D-Line.

3. Senior Leadership
Florida only has two senior starters, both on offense and only two starters back from the 2006 BCS National Championship team (LT Phil Trautwein and Percy Harvin); plus, only a handful of players back whom actually played in that game. OU has 8 senior starters. Safety Nic Harris will start the 50th game of his career and the o-line has a combined 170 total starts. Experience is always a big key.

Prediction:
Florida 34 Oklahoma 20

Oklahoma hasn't seen a defense as good as Florida's all season long. Florida's speed could offset just about everything else in this game. Florida is ready and Tim Tebow is furious after losing the Heisman to Bradford and the comments coming from the Oklahoma players. Florida has an advantage just about everywhere in this game. They have better depth, coaching, speed, special teams, defense, and even offense. Plus, RB DeMarco Murray and DT DeMarcus Granger are both out.

The Big XII is overrated, as has shown this bowl season. Texas squeaked by Ohio St., Texas Tech got pounded by Ole Miss and Oklahoma St. was upset by Oregon, while the SEC is sitting 5-1 in their bowl games. The SEC has definitely shown they are the best conference once again and they haven't lost in the BCS National title game with a 3-0 record. Look for that trend to continue after Thursday night.

A Big Mess is Brewing in the Big 12 South

The Big 12 South champion could be determined by a poll of faceless, strangers who are often bias and live far from the area of concern. And only a sport with such a profound lack of leadership, in this case Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, is capable of deciding a champion like this.

"The Big 12 failed to come up with enough of its own criteria for breaking a three-way tie at the top of the standings, as Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech could produce. Instead it was willing to punt to the computers and voters who determine the BCS rankings. Whatever team is ranked highest wins the division." How positively retarded is that?

Problems I see here: Few of the coaches who vote in the coaches’ poll have seen anything but highlights of play from the Big 12 South. They are no better than the 114 politically connected folks of with little qualifications who make up the Harris Poll. Combined, the two polls count for two-thirds of the rankings. Each voter has personal biases, and self-interests.

Since the BCS has no set standards for ranking teams, just about anything can be taken into consideration. Should Texas get the nod because it beat Oklahoma? Should it be Oklahoma because it put together the most impressive performance of the season in blasting Tech 65-21? Should Tech be considered because they beat Texas in dramatic fashion? How about strength of schedule? Or margin of victory? Coolest mascot? Color scheme? Does it matter who’s played the most recent TV game? What if a voter missed one team’s impressive performance because he went out drinking?

Obviously a voter’s alma mater has been known to come into play. And doesn’t he owe the conference that got him a vote in the first place? What about the coach who’s still bitter about losing a recruit to a certain school?It could be any of the above. No one knows.
Seriously, that’s the system: no one knows.

That is how the champion of the Big 12 South is going to be decided. I don't know about you but I find that to be mind-numbingly retarded. Now, Texas did have the lead previously but with a win like we saw Saturday night I'd say that Oklahoma has to be charging quickly, while for the moment Tech is definitely out of the national championship picture.

I could ramble on with endless speculation but it's fruitless. Basically we need to all tune in next week and see if all 3 teams win their games (Texas vs. Texas A&M, Baylor vs. Texas Tech, and Oklahoma @ OK St.) If all 3 teams win their games, which I am assuming they will. Then it will be a mess. It's the Big 12's fault for not coming up with a better tiebreaker but I consider this just one more reason why the BCS has gotta go.

College Football Weekend Preview

We have a big weekend of College Football coming up with some huge games on the line.

Oklahoma St. at Missouri

We have a big game here between two pass happy teams. QB Chase Daniel is putting up Heisman-like numbers with 1665 yard and 15 TD. Jeremy Maclin has been one of the top WR out there. Oklahoma St. meanwhile has been putting points at will too. The Cowboys have put up 50+ points in 4 of their 5 games this season. Expect a shootout in this one. We may have a case where the last offense on the field will win this game.

The Pick: Missouri

Penn St. at Wisconsin

This should be the Nittany Lions' first true test this season and Madison is a tough place to play. The Badgers played Ohio St. tough at home, we should have another great game on our hands. PSU QB Daryl Clark is a tough Michael Robinson like QB and their WRs are among the best in the nation. The Nittany Lions' offense can put up some points and move the chains, Wisconsin needs their defense to step up if they want to come away with a tough home win; they're very capable of doing just that.

The Pick: Penn St.

LSU at Florida

This is a must win for the Gators if they want any part of a national title shot. Florida's dynamic offense will take on LSU's stellar defense. Florida must stop the Tigers' dominant front four if they want any part of LSU. LSU meanwhile has had QB troubles thus far, but expect this to be another down to the wire battle as it's been in the past.

The Pick: Florida

Upset of the Week:
Mississippi St. over Vanderbilt

MSU is a different team at home. They've lost some tough games this season. Vanderbilt has been impressive thus far, but only at home. Their only road wins have been at Miami (Oh) and a close one at Mississippi. This should be a close game and look for the Bulldogs to hang tough and upend the Commodores at home.

D-1AA (FCS) Game of the Week
James Madison at Richmond

The #1 team in the FCS, JMU, has a tough road game here against the Richmond Spiders. Both teams are usually among the top in the country. JMU has been impressive thus far with some big wins. They upset then number 1 Appalachian St., plus had an impressive win over UMass. This may be a do or die game for the Spiders if they want a part of the CAA Title.

The Pick: James Madison

Game of the Week

Texas vs. Oklahoma

This is definitely the game of the week. Texas lost last season to OU but has won 2 of the past 3 games vs. the Sooners. Expect this to be a close game both ways. QB Sam Bradford has been one of the best in the country and OU's defensive front is phenomenal. Meanwhile, Texas's QB Colt McCoy has put up some impressive stats as well and is arguably the Heisman front-runner right now. Texas' depleted secondary may hold the Horns back on this one.

The Pick: Oklahoma

College Football 2008 Conference Preview: Big 12

Look for the Big 12 to be one of the top conferences in the nation.

Predicted Order of Finish:

North:
1. Missouri
The Tigers are loaded with 16 returning starters. Heisman candidate Chase Daniel is back at QB along with WR Jeremy Maclin, and TE Chase Coffman on offense. The defense should be superb and dominant as 10 starters return. Look for the secondary to be wheeling and dealing lead by ball-hawk DB Will Moore.

2. Kansas
KU surprised everybody after a big Orange Bowl win over Virginia Tech. QB Todd Reesing is back after proving the doubters wrong about his size. With 16 starters back there's no reason not to believe the Jayhawks won't compete for another national title. The WR unit will be strong with both of their leading WRs back. The defense should be stellar as both the D-Line and LB units are strong, they just need to improve the secondary after losing CB Aquib Talib.

3. Nebraska
I think the Huskers will be a little improved with new head coach Bo Pelini. Joe Ganz is a capable QB to help get the Huskers back on their feet. Marlon Lucky returns as RB and is one of the top RB in the Big 12. Four linemen return up-front. The defense should be interesting this season. The defensive front returns it's top 8, but they are very inexperienced at LB and in the secondary.

4. Colorado
Cody Hawkins put up some pretty good numbers last season but must decrease his INTs. Look for frosh RB Darrell Scott to carry the load. The Buffs have plenty of WRs, which are a vital part of their offense. The D-Line will be solid with both George Hypolite and Brandon Nicolas back.

5. Kansas State
KSU has been mediocre at best ever since winning the Big XII Championship back in 2003. QB Josh Freeman set a school record with 3,353 passing yards last season. He completed 63.3 percent of his passes with 18 touchdowns. The rest of the offense may struggle with inexperience and lack of depth at RB and WR, plus mediocre play at O-Line.

6. Iowa St.
ISU was horrendous last season and I doubt they will be much better. QB is a big question mark. RB Alex Robinson may be the lone bright spot on O. The defense lacked production in '07, expect the same in '08.

South:
1. Oklahoma
OU is no doubt one of the best teams in the country, but they do have a few question marks. After an amazing freshman season, QB Sam Bradford is back and looking for more. DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown are a phenomenal RB duo. The Sooners do not have a clear go-to WR but Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson should step up. The O & D Lines are both arguably the best in the country, this is what separates OU from a lot of teams. They may lack depth at LB and experience in the secondary, but up-front is what is going to get it done for OU.

2. Texas Tech
If Tech doesn't live up to it's 2008 hype, they may never win the Big 12 or make a BCS Bowl. This could be their year to wreck havoc in the Big 12. The Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree connection might be the best in the country. Crabtree is easily the best WR out there. There's no doubt the offense can put up points and win them games, but they need the defense to step up and get them over the top. They have the experience, but it's just a matter of execution. I think they'll be fine.

3. Texas
Will this be a rebuilding year for Mack Brown and Co.? Or will they reload and use some of their young talent to their advantage? QB Colt McCoy is a good start after losing 5 key starters on offense. The O-Line could be a big key as well, lead by OT Cedric Dockery, a future NFL star. The defense may slow down the Horns after losing 7 starters though.

4. Oklahoma St.
The Offense should put up some points with it's spread attack. QB Zac Robinson established the single-season school record for total offense. The Cowboys have 3 veteran backs which should help after losing starter Dantell Savage. Soph. Dez Bryant is a stud at WR and could be All-Big 12 this season. The 'Boys' might have the best offensive line behind Oklahoma and Texas. They are pretty deep there which is another reason they could be a dangerous team. The front 7 need to find some replacements on D, but look for the secondary to be pretty good with 3 returners there.

5. Texas A&M
The offense has the potential to be very good, as long as they all stay healthy. This includes QB Stephen McGee and RBs Javorskie Lane and Mike Goodson. If the offensive line can produce, the Aggies could go a long way. The defense is average at best but they do have some depth to help fill some holes.

6. Baylor
Not much at QB with no depth and plenty of problems. The only positive on offense is 7 returning starters. Expect the defense to be pretty bad again with not much play makers around. Baylor will continue to be just a baseball school.

Big 12 Championship:
Missouri over Oklahoma

Offensive Player of the Year:
Chase Daniel, QB- Missouri

Defensive Player of the Year:
Will Moore, FS- Missouri

Freshman of the Year:
Darrell Scott, RB- Colorado

Coach of the Year:
Mike Leach- Texas Tech

Top 3 Games:
Texas at Oklahoma- Oct. 11

Texas at Texas Tech- Nov. 1

Texas Tech at Oklahoma- Nov. 22

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

College Football Weekend Preview

LSU at Kentucky
We possibly have an upset alert here. With the way this season has been you can no longer look past anyone. Kentucky has the offense to stay with LSU. Andre Woodson and Co. will need to bring their best game so far if they want any piece of the Tigers.

The Pick: LSU

Texas A&M at Texas Tech
The two Texas rivals will square in what is basically an elimination game for a Big XII Title berth. Stephen McGee looks to lead A&M with his arm and legs, while the Red Raiders' high-powered offense will try to make the Aggies keep with the tempo.

The Pick: Texas Tech

Washington at Arizona St.

Washington looks to be Arizona St.'s first "true" test. The Huskies are looking to bust out of their 3 game losing streak.

The Pick: Arizona St.

Wisconsin at Penn St.
A win here would be pretty big for both teams. Wisconsin was finally taken down by upstart Illinois and Penn St. has struggled recently. Loser will most likely be eliminated from Rose Bowl contention.

The Pick: Wisconsin

Auburn at Arkansas
Pivotal SEC match up this week. If any of these two teams want a piece of LSU for the SEC West Title, this is a must win. Darren McFadden looks to continue to be the Heisman favorite and Auburn looks to show the Florida win was no fluke.

The Pick: Arkansas

Upset of the Week
Sorry, no upset for this week.

D-1AA (FCS) Game of the Week
Southern Illinois at Northern Iowa
This may as well be the Gateway Conference Championship Game. This is a big match up between the 3rd and 7th ranked FCS teams. Two electrifying QBs will go at it in S.Ill's Nick Hill and N.IA's Eric Sanders.

The Pick: Southern Illinois

Game of the Week
Missouri at Oklahoma
We may have the Big XII Championship preview on our hands here. Mizzou proved they're one of the elite Big XII teams after pummeling Nebraska and a win here would only propel a potential magic season even more. I expect this FSN game, which should be on ABC or ESPN, to be down to the wire.

The Pick: Oklahoma

Live Blog: Two Minute Drill - Oklahoma vs. Colorado

-4th Quarter - 1:23 to play...
The Oklahoma Sooners are in a tight one right now with the Colorado Buffaloes. The score is tied at 24 with 1:23 left in the 4th quarter. The Buffs returned a punt earlier to the OU 50.

-37 seconds left
Colorado has been running the ball very well and are now inside OU's 30 yard line.

-2 Seconds left
4th and 3 now for Colorado at the OU 37. Colorado now set to kick a potential game winning FG. OU calls a timeout.

Doesn't appear OU will use it's final timeout; the snap, the hold, the kick, it's GOOD. COLORADO Upsets number 4 ranked OKLAHOMA SOONERS 27-24. What an upset.


Sorry for starting the live blog late. This is something new we have started. Look for a more comprehensive and interactive live blog next time. In case you're wondering, TSF has started a new Live Blog called "Two Minute Drill", where if a big upset is in the potential we will live blog the final two minutes of the game right here at TSF.

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

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 2007 Conference Preview: Big XII

The Big XII has been down in recent years but still has it's perennial powers in Texas and Oklahoma, also Nebraska is starting to get back to its old self. The league may be down on talent but it is as competitive as any other conference in the land.

Predicted Order of Finish
North
1. Nebraska
The Huskers will face a tough non-conference schedule facing USC and Wake Forest and tough in-conference road games against Missouri and Texas. They do lose QB Zac Taylor but transfer Sam Keller should be a good replacement for him. Keller has great arm strength and should put up good numbers under Bill Callahan's offense. They only return 11 starters overall, 5 on the defensive side, but they have enough depth and talent to overcome that and win the weaker division of the conference.

2. Missouri
The Tigers' offense should be decent with 8 starters back that includes QB Chase Daniel, (who I believe is one of the best QB's in the Big 12), two great tight ends in Chase Coffman and Martin Rucker, and RB Tony Temple who rushed for 1,063 yards in '06 and is the top returning rusher in the Big 12. The defense will need some tweaking with just 5 starters returning from that unit.

3. Kansas St.

KSU does return QB Josh Freeman, but he must show that he can be a little more consistent this season in order for the Wildcats to make some noise. The Wildcats fate will most likely lie on his shoulders. The O-line must also find some consistency along with depth as well. They do return great pass-catchers in Jordy Nelson and Daniel Gonzalez, which will help. The Cats do return more than half of the defense but have some holes to fill at LB. But the defensive front returns stud DE's Ian Campbell and Rob Jackson. The secondary has the most experience back than any other unit with 5 significant players with starting experience.

4. Colorado
The Buffs do have some experience to work with, 16 return overall. The biggest need is at QB where it's between Cody Hawkins and transfer Nick Nelson. Hawkins looks to be the leading candidate being the coaches son. The defense was a lot better than the offense last season and with 7 starters back it's looking a little brighter for CU. They'll need players to step up on the defensive front, but they'll be pretty strong with some good experience back at LB. The secondary lost 3 starters but they still have All-Big 12 CB Terrence Wheatley who is back along with some other talent as well.

5. Kansas
KU does indeed have 14 starters back, but experience doesn't always guarantee anything. They need to find a QB after losing Adam Barmann to graduation. They also have big holes to fill on the offensive and defensive lines. They do have a stud corner returning in Aquib Talib. Don't be surprised if sees time at WR as well.

6. Iowa St.
ISU does return a very athletic and talented QB in Bret Meyers, one of the best QB's in the conference, but he was sacked an average of 3 times per game last season; which means they'll need to improve on the offensive line, especially after losing 4 starters from '06. The defense will need to improve as well after allowing more yards than any other Big 12 team in '06.

South
1. Texas
The Longhorns will have a very explosive offense with the return of QB Colt McCoy, WR's Limas Sweed and Billy Pittman, and RB Jamaal Charles. Charles is an explosive back and will see more carries this season. The defense should be solid again with tons of talent and depth all over the field. But the biggest concern will be the secondary with only S Marcus Griffin returning.

2. Oklahoma
I would probably have OU winning the south but they still need to find a QB to fill in for the loss of Paul Thompson. But then again this is Bob Stoops and his Oklahoma Sooners I am talking about. Joey Halzle looks to be the projected starter for the season opener vs. North Texas. Keith Nichol could also make a fight for the starting position as well, but Halzle looks to be the favorite. They also need to replace Adrian Peterson, but RB Allen Patrick returns and should be one of the premier backs in the conference. Despite losing defensive stud Rufus Alexander, OU's defense will once again be far from a let down. They return 6 starters from that side of the ball and have plenty of talent everywhere.

3. Texas A&M
The Aggies have a chance to compete with Texas and OU once again for the Big 12 South Title, but their semi-tough schedule could be holding them back. They will visit Miami (FLA.), rival Texas Tech, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Missouri and will play Oklahoma St., and Texas at home. They should have a pretty solid offense with 9 starters back including QB Stephen McGee, who was one of four QB's last season to pass for at least 2,000 yards and rush for at least 500. A&M also returns two stud RB's Jorvorkie Lane and Mike Goodson.

4. Oklahoma St.
They return 15 starters overall with several key players back in QB Bobby Reid, WR Adarius Bowman, and LB Chris Collins. The defense needs to improve in order to compete with Texas, OU, or even A&M, but they do return 7 starters on that side of the ball.

5. Texas Tech
The Red Raiders never have a problem scoring on offense, QB Graham Harrell returns who put up 4,555 yards and 38 TDs last season. The defense has some holes to fill, they gave up 23.8 ppg in '06. They can win shootouts with their defense, but it would make things a whole lot easier if their defense could make some stops.

6. Baylor
Baylor will struggle once again with many holes to fill on the offensive side. They do have a starting QB returning in Michael Machen. But they need to find some depth at RB where they struggled dramatically last season, ranking last in the nation in yards per game.

Big XII Championship:
Texas over Nebraska

Offensive Player of the Year:
Colt McCoy, QB- Texas

Defensive Player of the Year:
Frank Okam, DT- Texas

Freshman of the Year:
Tray Allan, G- Texas

Coach of the Year:
Bill Callahan- Nebraska

Games to Watch:
Nebraska at Texas- Oct. 27

Oklahoma vs. Texas at Dallas- Oct. 6

Oklahoma at Texas A&M- Nov. 3

Texas at Texas A&M- Nov. 23

Texas A&M at Nebraska- Oct. 20