College Picks: Week 3

Better late than never….

These picks are being made somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean. By the time I post these from the Newark airport, some of these games will be in progress.

Oklahoma at Washington: Washington lost last week on a questionable call of celebration in the end zone after a potentially game-tying touchdown. The Tyrone Willingham Death March continues, as the mighty Sooners visit the Great Northwest. The last time the Sooners visited the Northwest, Oregon stunned OU on some questionable late-game officiating. Perhaps the Pac-10 refs will get it right tonight. Pick: OU

Arkansas at Texas: Postponed. Pick: Hurricane Ike

Kansas at South Florida (Friday): I would have picked South Florida, and they won. This one doesn’t count.

Iowa State at Iowa: The Cyclones have won their first two games, but take a step up in competition against the Hawkeyes. The Cyclones more than hold their own against Iowa, a point of contention among Hawkeye fans. Go with the home team here. Pick: Iowa

Nevada at Missouri: Is Nevada trying to join the Big 12? This is their second game in a row against a Big 12 team, as they lost at home last week to Texas Tech. The Wolf Pack visit Columbia in what could be either a good game or a blowout. Missouri cruises in this one. Pick: Mizzou

New Mexico State at Nebraska: Years ago, this would have been a mismatch of Biblical proportions. It still won’t be close. Pick: Nebraska

Washington State at Baylor: Wazzu is at rock bottom. They can only go up. They now go into the land of Dr Pepper to take on Baylor, who pounded Northwestern State last week. Hey, it was Northwestern State, but it’s news when Baylor pounds anybody. Two in a row for the Bears. Pick: Baylor

Missouri State at Oklahoma State: Rent-a-win. Missouri State gets to pay for a women’s sport with the money from tonight’s check from OSU. Pick: OSU

SMU at Texas Tech: The Mustangs aren’t ready for prime time. Tech is. Pick: Texas Tech

Ohio State at USC: TOSU flies to the Left Coast bumbling and stumbling. USC is a well-oiled machine. Pick: USC

Michigan at Notre Dame: Zzzzz. The names are big, but that’s all in this game. Notre Dame struggled last week against a San Diego State team that lost to Cal Poly the week before. Pick: Meatchicken

Oregon at Purdue: Good intersectional matchup as the Ducks fly to Indiana. Go with the home team. Pick: Purdue

Wisconsin at Fresno State: This is what the little guys live for: a home game against a big-time opponent. The Badgers enter a hornets’ nest, or better yet, a dog pound. Pick: Fresno State

Georgia at South Carolina: If Georgia is going to contend for an SEC or national championship, they have to win this game. The Ol’ Ball Coach and the Gamecocks beat the Dawgs in Athens last year. But, they also lost to Vanderbilt last week. Georgia is really good. Pick: Georgia

Auburn at Mississippi State: Auburn continues their run through the state of Mississippi, having disposed of Southern Miss last week. This is a possible land mine for War Eagle, but Auburn should win here. Pick: Auburn

California at Maryland: The Pac-10 is racking up some miles in non-conference matchups this week. The biggest thing the Terps have going for them this week is home field. Pick: Cal

Stanford at TCU: Stanford is improving under Jim Harbaugh. The Frogs are tough, especially at home. Pick: TCU

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech: Battle of the Techs. Georgia Tech is now running the wishbone under Paul Johnson, and is 2-0 as a result. VT is still trying to bounce back from the stunning loss to East Carolina. This game is in Blacksburg. Pick: VT

Virginia at Connecticut: This is a rebuilding year for the Cavaliers. One of their close victories last season was over UConn. The Huskies get revenge this year. Pick: UConn

UCLA at BYU: UCLA looks for their second win over a big-time opponent under Rick Neuheisel. BYU is very fortunate to be undefeated after last week’s event in Seattle. Pick: BYU

Air Force vs. Houston at Dallas: Instead of playing in a hurricane in Houston, these teams will play in the rain at SMU. Pick: U of H

Arizona at New Mexico: If Mike Stoops wants to take the Wildcats to a bowl and keep his job, U of A must win this game. Los Lobos is 0-2 against the state of Texas, having lost to TCU and A&M. Pick: Arizona

NFL Picks: Week 1

Don’t worry..I haven’t forgotten about NFL picks. The season opens in two hours. Man, can you believe it’s September?

Dallas at Cleveland: The Cowboys come into the season with a rotten taste in their mouths after last year’s playoff disaster. The Browns were the best team to miss last year’s playoffs. This will be a fun game to watch at the Wannabe Dog Pound, aka new Cleveland Browns Stadium. Pick: Dallas

Washington at New York Giants: Last year’s unlikely champions caught lightning in a bottle and rolled to an unexpected Super Bowl trophy. This year, the Giants look to be pretty good. They get the honor of hosting the first game of the year on Thursday night. The Giants will celebrate their Super Bowl title and win their opener against the hated Redskins. Pick: Giants

Detroit at Atlanta: A stinker of a game right off the bat. You have to be a fan of either of these teams to want to watch this game. There is nothing to offer the casual fan here. The Falcons have hit rock bottom. Pick: Detroit

Cincinnati at Baltimore: Ocho Cinco visits Crab City with the Bengals. This one is hard to predict. I don’t trust the Bengals at all, so it’s best to pick the home team. Pick: Baltimore

Seattle at Buffalo: The Seahawks fly under the radar every year up in the corner of the country, but have been consistently good the last several years under Mike Holmgren, who is retiring after this season. The Bills showed some flashes of brilliance and lost some tough, close games. Go with the veteran team here. Pick: Seattle

New York Jets at Miami: Brett Favre plays his first regular season game for the Jets against the woeful Dolphins. The Dolphins have to be better than they were last season-they can’t get much worse. But, the Favre factor means something for an inconsistent Jets team. Pick: Jets

Kansas City at New England: Mismatch alert. The Pats will have a chip on their shoulder again this season, especially after last year’s Super Bowl loss. The Chiefs stink right now. Pick: Patriots

Tampa Bay at New Orleans: The Saints return home in the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, and are glad to come home. The Bucs aren’t half bad. Pick: Tampa Bay

St. Louis at Philadelphia: The Rams have a lot of room for improvement. The Eagles keep going with Donovan McNabb at quarterback. Pick: Philly

Houston at Pittsburgh: News flash: The Texans don’t stink anymore. They’re not Super Bowl caliber, but they’re not half bad. However, they get to travel to the Steel City this week. Good luck with all that. Pick: Pittsburgh

Jacksonville at Tennessee: Important game right off the bat in the AFC South. The Jags have been a good team that happened to be in the same division as the Colts. They should be able to handle this one on the road. Pick: Jacksonville

Carolina at San Diego: The Chargers, with a few breaks, could be in the Super Bowl this year. The Panthers probably won’t. Pick: San Diego

Arizona at San Francisco: Yuck. The ageless Kurt Warner just keeps resurfacing as the quarterback of the Cardinals. But, they’re the Cardinals, and they’ll find a way to blow this one. Pick: San Francisco

Chicago at Indianapolis: The Colts open their new stadium on Sunday Night Football against the Bears. Poor Bears. They’re in for a loss in week one. Pick: Colts

Minnesota at Green Bay: Year 1 of the Aaron Rodgers Era begins in Green Bay. It’ll be a tough start for the Pack, because Minnesota is loaded this year. Pick: Vikings

Denver at Oakland: Big rivalry, but it’s snooze city for most people east of the Rockies. The game starts at 7:00 Pacific Time, a rare starting time on the West Coast, and the second half of the Monday Night Football doubleheader. At my hotel in the Netherlands, the game will start at 4 AM. I wouldn’t get up early in Europe for this one. I wouldn’t stay up past bedtime in the US for this one, either. Pick: Oakland

College Football Picks, Week 2

I apologize for the dearth of posts since last weekend. I am currently in Europe for a two-week project for work. Thanks, to the wonders of modern technology and the Internet (thank you, Al Gore), I know what his happening in America, and can comment on such trivial things as college football.

Before I move on to picks: What is up with the Texas Aggies? Dennis Franchione never lost to Arkansas State. Neither did R.C. Slocum (though he did lose to Louisiana-Lafayette once). Mike Sherman is off to an inauspicious start after the Ags lost at home to the Red Wolves of ASU, 18-16. It’s going to be a long year in Aggieland at this rate.

Last week: 16-4. Sort of disappointing. Thanks, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Texas A&M.
Season: 16-4

Cincinnati at Oklahoma: Sooners take a step up in competition this week. This won’t be a 50-point win, because Cincinnati can play. Still, the game is in Norman. The Sooner starters will play the entire game, but OU should win comfortably. Pick: OU

San Jose State at Nebraska: Spartans get to make some money for their athletic department with this trip to Lincoln to take on the Big Red. I wouldn’t blow this game off, though, if I were Nebraska. Nebraska should win the game, however. Pick: Nebraska

Texas A&M at New Mexico: The Aggies lost the easiest game on their non-conference schedule, and now must travel to the Land of Enchantment. UNM got spanked at home last week by TCU. The Ags are shellshocked. New Mexico gets a win against a BCS conference team. Pick: New Mexico

Louisiana Tech at Kansas: The Bulldogs got a win last week, defeating Mississippi State in a rare home game against a BCS school. The Jayhawks will have their hands full this week. However, they will keep their home winning streak intact. Pick: KU

Montana State at Kansas State: Remember Montana State? In 2006, the Bobcats traveled to Boulder and shocked Colorado. K-State knows all about that. The jury is still out on the Wildcats, but they should be able to handle Montana State. Pick: K-State

Southeast Missouri State at Missouri: At least Mizzou is keeping the money in state for this rent-a-win. Pick: Missouri

Texas at UTEP: This will be the biggest regular season game in El Paso in years. The two schools share names, a color, and fight songs. The similarities end there. In football, UT got off to a good start with a rout of a decent Florida Atlantic team. UTEP, meanwhile, got manhandled at Buffalo. Texas has a young team, but should be able to handle this one. Pick: Texas

Northwestern State at Baylor: Believe it or not, this could be a tough game for the Bears. But, it’s hard to actually pick a FCS team on the road at a BCS conference team, even one as bad as Baylor. Pick: Baylor

Eastern Washington at Colorado: Eastern Washington represented themselves well last week in a 49-24 loss at Texas Tech. Now, their Big 12 tour continues in Boulder, Colorado. Eastern Washington returns home 0-2. Pick: Colorado

Kent State at Iowa State: Last year, Kent State ruined Gene Chizik’s debut at Iowa State by upsetting the Cyclones. Lightning won’t strike twice in the same place. Pick:
Iowa State

Houston at Oklahoma State; There should be lots of points scored in this one. OSU opens their newly remodeled stadium. Pick: OSU

Texas Tech at Nevada: This will be the biggest game in Reno, Nevada since the Wolfpack moved to Division 1-A. The Red Raiders worked some kinks out during last week’s win over Eastern Washington. They should be able to beat the Wolf Pack. Pick: Tech

Oregon State at Penn State: OSU-West makes the cross-country trip to Happy Valley. It’ll be a long way back for the Beavers. Pick: Penn State

Ole Miss at Wake Forest: The days of overlooking the Demon Deacons are over, and have been for a couple of years now. Pick: Wake Forest

South Carolina at Vanderbilt (Thursday): USC-East sputtered early, but skunked N.C. State last week. Vandy got a surprise win at Miami (Ohio). Steve Spurrier owns Vanderbilt. Pick: SC

Miami at Florida: Grudge match in the Sunshine State. The old Miami isn’t back yet. Go with the Fighting Tim Tebows. Pick: UF

BYU at Washington: Washington plays the first of three big-time non-conference opponents at home. The Y is more than good enough to win at U-Dub. Pick: BYU

West Virginia at East Carolina: Pirates are coming off of a comeback win over Virginia Tech. Now, they have a home game against mighty West Virginia. This game will be better than the Mountaineers would like for it to be. Still, WV has more than enough to beat them. Pick: West Virginia

Georgia Tech at Boston College: Very competitive ACC game. Pick: BC

Miami, Ohio at Michigan: The Bo Schembechler Bowl. Both teams are coming off losses. Michigan lost to Utah, while Miami lost to Vanderbilt. Meatchicken should bounce back at home. Pick: Michigan

College Football Picks, Week 1

It’s Thursday, and it’s Labor Day Weekend. That only means one thing: college football season. These games start tonight, and they all count.

Once again, this blog will host some fearless football predictions. All games involving Big 12 schools will be picked, along with games of national interest and other games that are worthy of a pick.

This week will see several perceived mismatches between BCS teams and Football Championship Subdivision (1-AA) teams. Though most of these games are a waste of time and money, there is always the chance of a lightning strike and an upset of Appalachian State-Michigan proportions.

On with the picks….

Tennessee-Chattanooga at Oklahoma: The Sooners were scrambling for an opponent for a 12th game after two other schools bailed on them, and came up with the Mocs of Chattanooga. This is not Tennessee-Knoxville, so there is only one obvious pick here. Pick: Oklahoma
Colorado State vs. Colorado at Denver (Sunday): Barack Obama’s Greek temple stage will be long gone from Invesco Field, and football returns. The Rams are rebuilding under a new coach, while the Buffs are headed upward. This is a grudge match, but the Buffs should be able to handle this one. Pick: CU
South Dakota State at Iowa State (Thursday): Puhleeze. Pick: Iowa State
Florida International at Kansas: FIU was the worst team in the FBS last year. KU schedules a win here. Pick: KU
North Texas at Kansas State: Another yawner. North Texas could win a championship…in Texas Class 5A. Pick: K-State
Illinois vs. Missouri at St. Louis: One of the better games of the week. Both teams played on New Year’s Day last season. Missouri returns a lot more talent. Pick: Missouri
Western Michigan at Nebraska: The Bo Pelini era begins at Nebraska. Pick: Huskers
Wake Forest at Baylor (Thursday): Battle of the Baptists, sort of. Wake Forest used to be a Baptist school, while Baylor still is. Wake Forest has a much better football team. Pick: Demon Deacons
Oklahoma State vs. Washington State at Seattle: Cowboys go to the Great Northwest to take on Wazzu. OSU ought to be able to win, but you never know with either of these teams. Pick: OSU
Florida Atlantic at Texas: Watch out, Texas. FAU is a good team from the Sun Belt, coached by Oklahoma’s favorite, Howard Schnellenberger. Texas will win, but it will be tougher than most think. Pick: Texas
Arkansas State at Texas A&M: The Mike Sherman era begins with a win. Pick: A&M
Eastern Washington at Texas Tech: Tech will score at will in this one. Pick: Tech
Alabama vs. Clemson at Atlanta: Great matchup guaranteed to draw lots and lots of people to Atlanta on Labor Day weekend. This should be Clemson’s best team in the last 20 years. Pick: Clemson
Michigan State at California: MSU is turning the corner, while Cal should never be overlooked. This one is out West. Pick: Cal
Utah at Michigan: The Rich Rodriguez era begins at Meatchicken after an eventful off-season. Utah is not chopped liver, and is favored by some to win the Mountain West Conference. This is a tough pick, but Michigan learned something last year from the Appalachian State disaster. Pick: Michigan
USC at Virginia: East Coast, West Coast, it doesn’t matter. USC rolls on. Pick: SC
N.C. State at South Carolina (Thursday): Competing against the Obama Show on Thursday night is opening night for Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks. The ‘Cocks get win #1 against the Wolfpack. Pick: USC-East
Oregon State at Stanford: Late night West Coast game is tough to pick. OSU-West has built a pretty good program. Stanford is capable of damage, as was done to USC last year. Go with the Trees at home. Pick: Stanford
Virginia Tech vs. East Carolina at Charlotte: ECU gave the Hokies all they wanted last year in Blacksburg. They might finish the job this time. I’m not going to bite on this one, though. Pick: VT
TCU at New Mexico: Frogs visit Los Lobos in Mountain West opener. New Mexico is never bad, but TCU is a little better, even in Albuquerque. Pick: TCU

College Football Projections: Big XII

Last, but definitely not least, is the Big 12.

The Big XII last season saw a slight shift in power from the South to the North. Oklahoma won the conference title, but Kansas and Missouri both finished in the top 10 in the nation. KU won the Orange Bowl over Virginia Tech, while Missouri should have been in a BCS bowl ahead of KU based on their head-to-head win and North division championship. Oklahoma and Missouri should be good once again.

In the North, many observers believe that Missouri may have their best team ever. This is Missouri we’re dealing with here, so anything could happen. But, they have a good chance to be favored in every game they play, including road trips to Nebraska and Texas. Plus, if they make it that far, the Big XII championship game is on the frozen tundra of Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Nebraska begins the Bo Pelini era four years too late. But, it’s better late than never. The Huskers will be vastly improved.

Kansas caught lightning in a bottle last year and went 11-1 with a win in the Orange Bowl. This year, the Jayhawks should be pretty good, but they will be hardpressed to top last year’s success.

Colorado is the victim of a brutal non-conference schedule, with matchups against West Virginia and Florida State. Good luck with all that. The Buffs will probably have a better team this year with a worse record to show for it.

It’s really hard to predict Kansas State or Iowa State. K-State is pining for the days of Bill Snyder. They could finish anywhere between 4-8 and 8-4. My guess is the former. ISU is in the second year of a rebuilding project under Gene Chizik. It’ll be another long year in Ames.

In the South, Oklahoma is the team to beat until notified otherwise. The Sooners look strong on offense and will be favored in every game. With a break or two, they could be in Miami for the BCS National Championship Game. They will outlast the Texas schools.

Another team looking to have a breakout year is Texas Tech. The Red Raiders return a load of weapons on offense and have a favorable schedule, including Texas at home. Tech has a chance to be undefeated before visiting Oklahoma in November.

The Texas Longhorns will win 9 games on talent alone. Problem is, they will play at least three teams that are better than them. 9-3 would be an awesome season in a lot of places, but it won’t be good enough in Austin.

Texas A&M hired former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman to lead the Aggies to more delusions of grandeur. The Aggies fashion themselves as a national powerhouse. In reality, they’re the fourth best program in the Big 12 South. That is where they will remain this year.

Speaking of delusions of grandeur, the Oklahoma State Cowboys move into freshly renovated Boone Pickens Stadium this year. While the stadium will be state of the art, it’s still OSU, and it’s like putting lipstick on a pig. OSU is lucky Baylor is in this division. Still, the Cowboys should finish at or over .500 and make it to a bowl game.

Taking their traditional place in last place are the Baylor Bears. Art Briles is the latest coach to try to make the Bears successful. Good luck with all that.

Projected Finish:
North
Missouri 11-1, 7-1
Nebraska 9-3, 6-2
Kansas 7-5, 4-4
Colorado 5-7, 3-5
Kansas State 4-8, 1-7
Iowa State 3-9, 1-7
South
Oklahoma 12-0, 8-0
Texas Tech 10-2, 6-2
Texas 9-3, 5-3
Texas A&M 6-6, 4-4
Oklahoma State 7-5, 3-5
Baylor 3-9, 1-7

College Football Projections: SEC

The world’s greatest college football conference resides in Dixie. Not only is it the home of the last two national champions (Florida, LSU), but it is must-see TV every week, no matter who is playing. CBS and ESPN recognize this, as the SEC just renewed their television contract with them for an extra 15 years. In ESPN’s case, they are paying the Confederate Conference $2.25 billion over the next 15 years. This is money well spent. Nowhere is there a greater combination of quality of play, athletic ability, atmosphere, and passion than in the SEC. This makes the SEC worth watching, no matter who is playing over on the other network.

This season, the Georgia Bulldogs come off a strong finish in 2007 and are the #1 team in the nation in pre-season polls. I like this team a lot. However, their schedule is too tough to cruise through undefeated. The Bulldogs make a rare non-conference road trip to Arizona State, along with SEC tilts at South Carolina, LSU, and Auburn, along with the No-Longer-Officially-Cocktail Party against Florida.

Speaking of Florida, the Gators return a Heisman Trophy winner. They should also be favored in every game except one: the No-Longer-Officially-Cocktail Party against Georgia. The Gators make it to the SEC Championship Game Presented By Dr Pepper.

This is make-it-or-break-it time in South Carolina. The Gamecocks were ranked in the Top 10 at mid-season last year, only to crash to a 6-6 record, missing out on a bowl trip. Steve Spurrier should have his best season in Columbia, but it won’t be good enough to pass Florida and Georgia. However, he’ll finish ahead of his old nemesis, Phil Fulmer at Tennessee. Kentucky will rebuild, and Vanderbilt will be Vanderbilt: first in SATs, last in football.

The West holds claim to the defending national champion LSU Tigers. The Tigers, like Georgia, have a tough schedule with road trips to Auburn, Florida, and South Carolina. This works against the Tigers, and will be the difference between the BCS and someplace like the Citrus Bowl. Auburn, in the meantime, is loaded for a national championship run, and should win the West to appear in the SECCG.

Alabama, in their second year under Nick Saban, isn’t quite ready for conference championship contention. The Tide will make a bowl game, though. Ole Miss will surprise some people under new coach Houston Nutt, formerly of Arkansas. Mississippi State will also be respectable. Arkansas will struggle in their first year in the system of new coach Bobby Petrino.

Projected Finish:
East
Florida 11-1, 7-1
Georgia 10-2, 6-2
South Carolina 9-3, 6-2
Tennessee 8-4, 4-4
Kentucky 5-7, 2-6
Vanderbilt 2-10, 0-8
West
Auburn 11-1, 8-0
LSU 9-3, 5-3
Alabama 7-5, 4-4
Ole Miss 6-6, 3-5
Mississippi State 6-6, 3-5
Arkansas 2-10, 0-8

College Football Projections: Pac-10

Flying two or three hours behind the rest of the country, thus under the radar, is the Pac-10 Conference. The Pac-10 takes advantage of the location of California to spread talent throughout the West and to hold their own against the rest of the country. Actually, this conference has a great idea. When the NCAA allowed schools to add a 12th regular season game, the Pac-10 decided to make the extra game a conference game. Therefore, instead of flying a team like Tennessee-Chattanooga across the country to get waxed by a Pac-10 team for a check, the extra game becomes a tough conference game against a team like Oregon or Oregon State. This does wonders for the conference’s strength of schedule. It also determines a true champion, as every team plays every other team in the conference in a true round-robin.

Until further notice, the Pac-10 is the domain of the USC Trojans. SC has spent this decade returning to glory as a factory of championships and NFL draft picks. This season will be no different. The road to the Rose Bowl and/or the BCS Championship Game goes through the L.A. Coliseum. The Trojans will be better than every team they play, but they will stumble somewhere this season, similar to last season’s home loss to 4-8 Stanford.

Cal and Oregon will both be pretty good, but won’t have enough in the tank to finish ahead of USC. UCLA is the team to look out for in the future, but they won’t win the conference in this, the first year of the Rick Neuheisel era. Arizona will save coach Mike Stoops’ job with a bowl trip. Arizona State could finish anywhere from the middle to the top of the conference.

At the bottom of the conference, Oregon State will slip from previous years of success. However, they will not be nearly as bad as the Beavers were infamous for being in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. Stanford is still building their program under Jim Harbaugh, but won’t quite get over the hump. In Seattle, an agent better get busy with buyout negotiations, because Tyrone Willingham is not long for Washington. The schedule is too tough and the team is too mediocre to save him. Across the state, Washington State will play people tough, but fall short in the win column this season.

Projected Finish:
USC 11-1, 8-1
California 9-3, 6-3
Oregon 9-3, 6-3
UCLA 7-5, 6-3
Arizona 7-5, 5-4
Arizona State 6-6, 4-5
Oregon State 4-8, 3-6
Stanford 3-9, 3-6
Washington 3-9, 3-6
Washington State 2-11, 1-8

College Football Projections: Big Ten

The Conference That Can’t Count, aka the Big Ten, enters this season with a questionable national reputation, as Ohio State has dominated the conference for two seasons in a row only to be plastered by SEC teams in the BCS National Championship Game. But, as people in Columbus will tell you, it’s better to lose the National Championship Game than to win the Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn Bowl. Actually, I don’t know if anyone in Columbus would say that, but it’s true.

Ohio State will be the king of the mountain in this conference once again. They should be favored in every game except a September trip to the Coliseum in Los Angeles, where USC awaits. I do not see them going undefeated, but they will win the conference. This would send the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl, where they have not appeared in over a decade.

The rest of the conference is anyone’s guess. Wisconsin should be good enough to finish second. After that, Penn State and Michigan should be respectable, as usual. In addition, Michigan State and Iowa should be able to contend for a first division finish. Illinois and Purdue will be decent as well, though the Illini should take a step back from last year’s Rose Bowl appearance.

Dragging bottom in the Big Ten will be Minnesota, Indiana, and Northwestern. Northwestern has an unfavorable schedule, but has a chance to outperform expectations. Indiana will crash back to earth after last season’s bowl appearance. Minnesota can’t help but improve over last season’s victory total: one.

Projected Finish:
Ohio State 11-1, 8-0
Wisconsin 10-2, 6-2
Penn State 9-3, 5-3
Iowa 8-4, 5-3
Michigan State 8-4, 5-3
Michigan 8-4, 4-4
Illinois 7-5, 4-4
Purdue 7-5, 4-4
Minnesota 5-7, 2-6
Indiana 4-8, 1-7
Northwestern 3-9, 0-8

College Football Projections: ACC

Since expansion in 2004, the ACC has been a disappointment in football. The league has yet to match its bellcows, Florida State and Miami, in the championship game. The conference has not earned an at-large bid to a BCS bowl. And, the conference has not earned a win in a BCS bowl since expansion. This year has the potential to be different.

Once upon a time, Clemson was the sole football power in the ACC. The Tigers won a national championship in 1981, and dominated the conference before Florida State joined in 1992. Since then, Clemson has not won a conference championship. That could change this season. The Tigers look to have their best team in Tommy Bowden’s nine years at the school. They look to be favored in every game in their schedule, including a road trip to Florida State.

Speaking of Papa Bowden and Florida State, the Seminoles have slipped in recent years. FSU stands to improve on recent years, though, and has a chance to make a BCS bowl. If some things go their way, they could even pass Clemson for the championship of the Atlantic division.

Maryland, Wake Forest, and Boston College will all be pretty good, but not nearly on Clemson’s level. BC is in a rebuilding year after losing QB Matt Ryan to the Atlanta Falcons. North Carolina State looks to have a long season and will finish last in the Atlantic division.

In the Coastal division, Virginia Tech rules the roost. No pun intended, as the Hokies’ other nickname is Gobblers. The Fighting Frank Beamers have a couple of interesting road trips, to Nebraska and Florida State. VT should be good enough to win this division again.

The Hokies will be followed by the Butch Davis teams: his former school at Miami, and his current North Carolina Tar Heels. Georgia Tech will achieve their same usual result: middle of the pack. Duke will make large strides under new coach David Cutcliffe, and win as many as five games, which is more than the Blue Devils have won in the last four years. Virginia will be rebuilding after losing a load from a team that won 8 games last year, many by narrow margins. The Cavaliers will not be as fortunate this year.

Projected Finish:
Atlantic
Clemson 12-0, 8-0
Florida State 10-2, 7-1
Maryland 7-5, 4-4
Wake Forest 7-5, 3-5
Boston College 6-6, 2-6
NC State 3-9, 2-6
Coastal
Virginia Tech 11-1, 7-1
Miami 8-4, 5-3
North Carolina 7-5, 5-3
Georgia Tech 6-6, 3-5
Duke 5-7, 2-6
Virginia 2-10, 1-7

Citizens of the World

I’ve been really getting into the Olympics this year. I didn’t expect to care a great deal about them, especially with them being held in Communist China. (By the way, this blog is now blocked in China..there used to be some traffic from Internet cafes over there, but I think I mentioned God once, and the Commie censors blocked this site) The last few Olympics, both winter and summer, are like a blur to me. I don’t remember a great deal about them. It seems like the Los Angeles Olympics were just yesterday, but that was 24 years ago. I’m getting old.

The USA is getting some great performances, none better than that of Michael Phelps and his eight gold medals in swimming. He also helped NBC with TV ratings last week.

A current trend in the Olympics is for athletes to farm themselves out to other countries whenever they do not make the Olympic team of their own country. We see that in basketball with Becky Hammon of the San Antonio Silver Stars (WNBA), who is playing for Russia, where she plays professionally in the winter. Chris Kaman of the Los Angeles Clippers is playing for Germany, as his great-grandparents came from Deutschland, and the Deutsch are letting him play for them. I would have a hard time playing for a country other than the USA, but if this is their ticket to the Olympics, then more power to them.

Late last night, I discovered the ultimate mercenary scenario. An American men’s beach volleyball team was playing a team from the Republic of Georgia. Upon further inspection, the Georgian players were named Geor and Gia. It turns out that they are Brazilians that were invited to play for Georgia after failing to make the Brazilian Olympic team. In Brazilian tradition, they took one-name professional titles, and took the names of Geor and Gia. They made it to the semifinals before losing to an American team. Interestingly enough, the other semifinal matched two Brazilian teams. A Brazilian women’s team also played for Georgia, under the names of Rtevelo and Saka, the Georgian-language name for the country. The Brazilan-Georgian women’s team even eliminated a Russian team from the Olympics. Great stuff!

I still believe there should be some sort of citizenship requirement for the Olympics. And, I believe the United States shouldn’t have to hire athletes from other countries to wear the red, white, and blue. But, if a small nation wants to bring in an athlete that won’t be on the team of their own country, that’s great.

In the meantime, I’ll be cheering for Geor and Gia to bring that bronze medal back home to Brazil. Or Georgia.

College Football Projections: Big East

Another conference preview while wishing that American football was an Olympic sport…

Not long ago, the Big East was in danger of losing its BCS bid. That is no longer the case. This conference has a legitimate national championship contender and a bunch of pretty good teams. There is really only one dog in this entire conference.

When we last saw the West Virginia Mountaineers, they were steamed about the departure of coach Rich Rodriguez to Michigan. They promptly went out to Glendale and thumped Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. This big win earned the head coaching job for assistant coach Bill Stewart. Fast forward to this fall, when WVU is favored to win the Big East, and has a very good chance to be in Miami for the BCS National Championship Game. Their toughest game looks to be a Thursday night affair at home against Auburn. If they can get past that one, they have a good chance to go undefeated.

If West Virginia somehow slips in conference play, look for South Florida to pick up the slack. The Bulls will be joined by Louisville (last season’s disappointment) and Cincinnati in a fight for second place. Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and Connecticut will be bowl-eligible, as well. Some pick Pittsburgh to be even better than just bowl-eligible.

The only dog in this conference is Syracuse. The Orange has hit hard times, and will most likely fire coach Greg Robinson at the end of the year, barring a miracle.

Projected Finish:
West Virginia 12-0, 7-0
South Florida 9-3, 4-3
Louisville 9-3, 4-3
Cincinnati 9-4, 4-3
Rutgers 8-4, 3-4
Pittsburgh 7-5, 3-4
Connecticut 7-5, 3-4
Syracuse 1-11, 0-7

College Football Projections: Independents

It’s been a few days, as I’ve been preoccupied with family from out of town and the Olympics. By the way, Michael Phelps is awesome. The next group of projections is a simple group: independents.

Notre Dame won all of three games last year. Count me in as one of many lifelong Irish haters that enjoyed that body of work. The Irish will never be back in the elite of college football as long as they are expecting both Ivy League academics and national championship caliber football. However, if they win 9 games in a year, they’ll be in a BCS bowl long enough to get pasted by a good team from a strong conference. The Irish won’t sniff a BCS bowl this year, but should win six games and steal a bowl bid from a Big East team. Maybe someday Notre Dame will humble itself and join a conference. In the meantime, they’ll lose three September games to Big Ten teams on its way to an up and down season.

Navy has been on a good run for the last several years under departed coach Paul Johnson. Now, new coach Ken Niumatololo is faced with following up that success, including dominance of rivals Army and Air Force and last year’s win over Notre Dame, the Midshipmen’s first since Roger Staubach was their quarterback in 1963. The Middies are quarterbacked by the captain of the All-Time All-Name team, Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada. The Midshipmen will struggle a bit more this year, losing the Commander-In-Chief Trophy to Air Force. However, they should once again beat Army and finish 5-7.

Army continues to struggle. The Black Knights of the Hudson look to be underdogs in every game except one. Stranger things could happen, though. West Point is about a lot more than football, though. The men from there and Annapolis will lead others to defend our country before long.

New to the Football Bowl Subdivision is Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers are in an interim period before joining the Sun Belt in 2009. WKU plays several Sun Belt teams this year, but look to only be favored over two FCS (1-AA) teams. It’ll be a long year in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Projected Finish:
Notre Dame 6-6
Navy 5-7
Western Kentucky 2-10
Army 1-11

Next: Big East

Is 85 a Number, or a Name?

That's Ocho Cinco in Spanish.

Chad Johnson, a pretty good receiver in Cincinnati, has drawn flak in recent years for attempting to wear "Ocho Cinco" on his back during a game. He has been fined by the league for doing so.

Now, he wants to wear Ocho Cinco on his back permanently. The NFL has told him that he can only wear his legal name on his back. So, he is taking steps in the state of Florida to legally change his name to Chad Ocho Cinco.

This is great stuff. If he wants to change his name to Ocho Cinco, more power to him. I sorta like that name. I even named my fantasy team Ocho Cinco a couple of years ago, and he wasn't even on my team.

A league without a sense of humor deserves some comic relief every now and then. This provides plenty of it.

College Football Projections: Mountain West

The best of the non-BCS conferences is traditionally the Mountain West Conference. This league is as much a victim of geography as anything, as there just aren’t that many TV sets between the Midwest and the West Coast. Nonetheless, this conference is a really big deal in places like the state of Utah.

The Mountain West has three teams that can play with anyone in the country. Utah, BYU, and TCU will take turns whipping up on the rest of this conference. The Utes’ toughest game will be their first: a trip to the Big House in Ann Arbor to take on Michigan in the first game for the Wolverines’ new coach. The last time Meatchicken opened a season at home, they lost to Appalachian State. So, there is hope for the Utes. Utah gets both TCU and BYU at home in November. The schedule is very favorable for them once they get past the Michigan game.

BYU will be very good, as well. The Y has the misfortune of having to travel to both TCU and Utah. Some believe the Cougars could crash the BCS. If they go through their schedule 12-0, they will very well deserve a BCS bid. They won’t go 12-0, though, and will have to settle for a December bowl game somewhere.

TCU looks to be strong, also. The Frogs will be favored in every game except two: trips to Norman, Oklahoma and Salt Lake City. TCU has won in their last two trips to Oklahoma. The last time the teams played was in 2005, when the Frogs went 11-1 and the Sooners went an uncharacteristic 9-4. In the conference, TCU should split with the two Utah teams and roll over everyone else.

The rest of the conference looks to be relatively even. However, there will be a surprise team. The Rebels of UNLV have been in a slump throughout most of this decade. They will break through for a winning record and a bowl game. Wyoming, Air Force, New Mexico, and San Diego State will take turns beating each other up. Colorado State is going through a coaching change and will struggle this year.

Projected Finish:
Utah 11-1, 8-0
TCU 10-2, 7-1
BYU 10-2, 6-2
UNLV 7-5, 5-3
Wyoming 5-7, 3-5
Air Force 5-7, 2-6
New Mexico 4-8, 2-6
San Diego State 4-8, 2-6
Colorado State 2-10, 1-7

College Football Predictions: Conference USA

I haven’t forgotten about college football. There’ll be no video tonight, but there will be more fearless predictions. By the way, I went way out on a limb in picking Middle Tennessee to win the Sun Belt, and I’m catching a lot of grief for it on Sun Belt message boards. Their schedule looks very favorable, as they play the good teams in their conference at home. I have no choice but to stand by my predictions there. However, Troy and Florida Atlantic won’t let them give up without a fight.

Which reminds me: I do this for fun. I do not get paid for it. I’m just a guy in Texas with a computer and an internet connection. I have opinions, and so does everyone else. That’s why America is such a great country.

That has nothing to do with tonight’s topic: Conference USA. This league has a lot of pride and several programs that have made splashes on the national stage in their history.

The power in this conference resides in the West division this year. Some pundits give Tulsa a chance to go undefeated and to crash the BCS. The Golden Hurricane will be favored in all but one or two of their games. I’m tempted to jump on the undefeated bandwagon for them, but I can’t. The Hurricane will stumble once on their way to the C-USA championship game.

Also in the West, Houston welcomes new coach Kevin Sumlin, and should have another good season, though not quite winning the division. The team to watch here, though is on the Hilltop in University Park. SMU opened the checkbook and lured June Jones from Hawaii to coach the Mustangs. Perhaps SMU shouldn’t give up football, after all (apologies to Mike Rhyner of the Ticket in Dallas). I expect the Mustangs to win 7 games and go to a bowl game for the first time since they were paying players big money and getting caught. UTEP has a chance to make noise early with a home game against Texas, and will not go away easily in C-USA. Tulane and Rice will struggle on the field, but will excel in the classroom.

In the East, East Carolina looks to be the favorite as they follow up last year’s bowl win. UCF, Memphis, and Southern Miss will all be bunched together, while Marshall should be improved over the last couple of years. UAB will bring up the rear.

This conference will have a championship game. Tulsa will host East Carolina and defeat the Pirates for a trip to the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.

Projected Finish:
East
East Carolina 8-4, 6-2
UCF 6-6, 5-3
Memphis 6-6, 4-4
Marshall 5-7, 4-4
Southern Miss 5-7, 4-4
UAB 1-11, 0-8
West
Tulsa 11-1, 8-0
Houston 9-3, 6-2
SMU 7-5, 5-3
UTEP 6-6, 4-4
Tulane 4-8, 2-6
Rice 1-11, 0-8

Great Jet Quarterback of the Past

Most of us are too young to remember Super Bowl III, but have heard of the legend of Joe Namath. This video, though, shows us what we really remember Joe Namath for..

May the newest Jets quarterback stay off this path..

F-A-V-R-E, Favre! Favre! Favre!

It happened after all. After denials during the past 10 days, the Green Bay Packers managed to trade Brett Favre today to the New York Jets. This is a win-win situation for everyone involved (except Jets QB Chad Pennington, who was cut today).

The Packers were anxious to move on to the Aaron Rodgers era. The team believes that they have gotten all they can get out of Favre.

The Jets improve themselves at the quarterback position. QB Kellen Clemens can learn for a year or so from a Hall of Fame quarterback before becoming the starter once again. Plus, the Jets improve from a bad team to at least a mediocre team instantly. And, they’ll get the back page of the New York papers tomorrow.

Favre just can’t walk away from the game. He now gets to play for a team that he can help. He also gets to keep playing for as long as his mind and body can hold up, or for as long as the Jets will have him.

Good move by the Jets.

College Football Projections-WAC

There'll be no video tonight, but there is a set of predictions for the WAC.

The WAC has had teams crash the BCS party two years in a row. Boise State capped an undefeated season in 2006 with an upset win over my Oklahoma Sooners (boo, hoo). Last season, the Hawaii Warriors dominated their opposition in cruising to a 12-0 regular season record. They were then throttled in the Sugar Bowl by a very good Georgia team. Will a WAC team crash the BCS for the third year in a row? Doubtful.

There is strength at the top of the conference. Fresno State returns 17 starters and is favored by some to make a run at the BCS. I think they'll be pretty good. However, so will Boise State. And, the road to the BCS (or at least a conference championship) goes through the blue turf in Boise. In college football, it's not just how good you are, but who you play, where you play them, and when you play them. The schedule works against Fresno. I pick Boise State to win the conference based on their home game with the team from the San Joaquin Valley.

The Hawaii Warriors will slip this year. It would be hard for them to top last season ever again. Plus, coach June Jones took the money from SMU and ran to Highland Park. Still, Hawaii should finish with a winning record, finish 3rd in the conference, and qualify for a bowl game, most likely the Hawaii Bowl in Honolulu.

New Mexico State and Louisiana Tech are improving, and will be tough games for anyone in this conference. San Jose State and Nevada will be right behind, and can both have a good season with some luck. Utah State and Idaho are both in for long seasons. This conference has defined top-heavy in recent years, but is slowly improving.

Projected Finish:
Boise State 11-1, 8-0
Fresno State 7-5, 6-2
Hawaii 7-6, 5-3
New Mexico State 6-6, 5-3
Louisiana Tech 6-6, 4-4
Nevada 5-7, 4-4
San Jose State 5-7, 3-5
Utah State 1-11, 1-7
Idaho 1-11, 0-8


Next: Conference USA

College Football Predictions: MAC

As we move up the ladder of the Football Bowl Subdivision, the next conference to be explored is the Mid-American Conference. These schools play pretty good football in spite of flying under the radar of the Big Ten.

This conference currently has 13 football playing members. Not every team will play every other team in its division, so all conference games will count in the standings this year. The conference succumbed to the temptation of the Philadelphia market and added Temple last year for football only.

The class of the conference resides in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, where the Chippewas of Central Michigan return star QB Dan LeFevour as they attempt to defend their conference championship of a year ago. I don’t see any team in this conference as able to touch them this year. The West division has three teams (Ball State, Western Michigan, and Toledo) that will compete for second place. Northern Illinois will continue to rebuild, and Eastern Michigan will bring up the rear.

In the East, the Falcons of Bowling Green look to dominate the rest of their Ohio brethren along with the interlopers from Buffalo and Temple. The rest of this division will be pretty bunched up, with Miami getting a slight nod over the rest of the division for second place. Akron and Kent State will be competitive. Buffalo and Temple will continue to improve. Ohio is dangerous, but faces three road games in their non-conference schedule, at Wyoming, Ohio State, and Northwestern. The Bobcats will bounce back to an extent in the conference, but their conference schedule works against them, as well. It’s not always how good you are, but who you play, where you play them, and when you play them.

Projected Finish:

East
Bowling Green 8-4, 7-1
Miami, Ohio 7-5, 5-3
Buffalo 6-6, 4-4
Kent State 6-6, 4-4
Akron 5-7, 4-4
Temple 5-7, 4-4
Ohio 4-8, 3-5
West
Central Michigan 10-2, 8-0
Ball State 6-6, 4-4
Western Michigan 6-6, 4-4
Toledo 5-7, 4-4
Northern Illinois 2-10, 1-7
Eastern Michigan 1-11, 0-8

Next: WAC

College Football Projections: Sun Belt

Tonight is the first installment of projections for the 11 major college football conferences. The projections will be posted in order of relevance to the college football landscape and my personal preference.

I will predict the five non-BCS conferences first, followed by independents, then the six BCS conferences.

The first conference I will predict is the Sun Belt Conference. Traditionally known as the dregs of the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Sun Belt is becoming increasingly more competitive. Ask Alabama about the Sun Belt, as the Tide lost at home to Sun Belt middle-of-the-roader Louisiana-Monroe last season. These schools still play a lot of money games against the big boys, but they are becoming more competitive against the rest of the division formerly known as I-A.

Why am I predicting the Sun Belt? Why does it matter? It matters to people in places like Murfreesboro, TN and Monroe, LA. These are athletes playing big-time college football. The winner earns a bid to a bowl game. Ok, it’s the New Orleans Bowl, but Florida Atlantic won that game over Memphis last year. Plus, Troy won 8 games last year but was passed over for a bowl bid after losing the last game of the year to Florida Atlantic. This conference is part of the FBS, so I’ll pick it.

This year, Middle Tennessee looks to be the team to beat. Troy will be good as well, but the schedule favors the Blue Raiders of MTSU. The conference could be decided in the first week of the season, when Troy travels to Murfreesboro to play MTSU. By the way, Troy will be making some serious dough for its athletic department by playing a killer non-conference schedule with trips to LSU, Ohio State, and Oklahoma State. Florida Atlantic will also be decent, as well. These three teams will be the class of the league.

Projected order of finish:
Middle Tennessee 8-4 7-0
Troy 7-5 5-2
Florida Atlantic 7-5 5-2
Louisiana-Monroe 5-7 4-3
North Texas 5-7 3-4
Arkansas State 4-8 3-4
Louisiana-Lafayette 2-10 2-5
Florida International 1-11 0-7

Coming up next: MAC