Balk Talk

Two Holy Wars, Two Days

2011-11-17T20:00:00.001-05:00

Boston College vs. Holy Cross. Boston College vs. Notre Dame. Three Catholic schools, two days. It is going to be interesting.

The first matchup will come on Friday night. BC basketball will take on Holy Cross in Worcester at the DCU Center. The Eagles will field a roster of youngsters that started the season 1-0 with a narrow win over New Hampshire on Monday. Holy Cross is 0-2 but has looked solid in close losses to a pair of good teams (College of Charleston and Harvard). Holy Cross will have an opportunity to get a boost with a win over an ACC team. BC has a chance to start 2-0, something last year's veteran-laden squad failed to do. I think this game will go down to the wire. If Holy Cross gets out to a quick lead, it could be the difference in the game. For BC, the goal will be to knock down jump shots and avoid freshman mistakes.

The second matchup will come from South Bend, Indiana when the 3-7 Eagles take on the 7-3 Fighting Irish. The Eagles are 24.5 point underdogs, but I doubt Notre Dame will cover the spread. If you ask me, I think BC might even have a shot to win the game. We know this year's BC team is not very good. 3-7 teams rarely are. That being said, BC has not played horribly on the road and for a team that will miss out on a bowl for the first time in the 2000s, the game against rival Notre Dame should be their Super Bowl. Also, I do not think Notre Dame is all that great. They fumbled their opener to a USF team that has one win since September, and their only quality wins came against a Michigan State team that has a tendency to go long stretches without scoring and a Wake Forest team that has won one of their past five games with the one win coming by one point against mediocre Duke. Notre Dame's offense is not consistent (they only scored 15 points against fast-paced Pitt) nor is their defense (they let up 33 against Air Force). Notre Dame will probably fall to Stanford, and I think they might lose to BC if they don't have a quality offensive performance (I would say 24+ points against a good BC defense would qualify). This game will be close, and I would not be stunned if they Eagles get what probably would be their last win of the season in this Holy War.

Somehow, I doubt BC will go 2-0 in the Holy Wars of the weekend, but I'd be pleased if they did. Holy Cross is a decent team that could give BC some trouble. Notre Dame just broke into the AP top 25, but I don't think they are that good. In fact, I think BC has a much better shot at knocking off the Irish than beating Miami in a week. Regardless of how it all shakes out, It'll be fun to sit back and watch some Catholic clashes on the hardwood and the gridiron this weekend.

Year Two Under Donahue Begins Tonight!

2011-11-14T17:41:00.001-05:00

The Eagles are young. They are inexperienced. And their season begins tonight. The 2011-2012 Boston College Men's Basketball season will begin at 7:00 against New Hampshire at Conte Forum.

The Eagles enter the season without a whole lot returning from last season, coach Steve Donahue's first at BC. Zero starters from that team return and only three players (Danny Rubin, Gabe Moton, and Peter Rehnquist) who played last season are back. Moton and Rubin were freshman last season and both could be poised for decent seasons. Rubin is a knock-down shooter and Moton is a solid passer. Of the newcomers, there is some potential. The Eagles brought in a recruiting class that was considered to be one of the better classes in the ACC during the off season. Perhaps the most exciting recruit is 6-5 guard Patrick Heckmann who is from Germany. Another freshman, Dennis Clifford, is a seven-footer, and Lonnie Jackson is expected to be good. Among the other freshman, KC Caudill and Eddie Odio are considered to have potential, but it is tough to tell which of the freshman are going to step up once the season begins. Matt Humphrey will be playing for the first time with BC. Humphrey transferred to BC from Oregon and sat out last season. He did some good things in two years in Eugene but shot 35% both seasons from the field (yikes!). He has good size (6-5) and will play the wing. Tonight's game should show somewhat which players are going to be important players this season.

The Eagles' opponent tonight, New Hampshire, should offer an intriguing test. With all the new faces, it is absolutely a losable game for BC. New Hampshire is 1-0 (but the win was against Suffolk University) and gave eventual National Champs, UCONN, a run for their money last season when UNH lead by one at halftime before eventually falling by seven. Many Eagles players will probably be a bit nervous what with it being the first collegiate game for many of them. BC probably is not headed for another 20 win season, but a win against UNH would be a good sign. In the coming games it will also be fun to see who will be the likely Eagles' stars during the next few seasons.

Week Eight Power Rankings

2011-10-25T19:19:00.003-04:00

1. (Last Ranking: 3) LSU
LSU made the defending national champion look like a FCS team with a 45-10 win over Auburn.

2. (2) Alabama
Alabama's next game is against LSU.

3. (4) Stanford
Stanford breezed by Washington and their prolific offense. If anyone is going to stop Stanford from making it to the BCS Championship Game USC,who hosts the Cardinal this Saturday, probably has the second best shot (after Oregon).

4. (6) Clemson
The Tigers beat UNC by 21 and the game was not as close as the score.

5. (8) Oklahoma State
The Cowboys keep passing test after test. At this point, they have to be the Big 12 favorite.

6. (7) Orgon
Oregon not only has outrageous talent, they also have tremendous depth.

(Click here to keep reading)

7. (9) Boise State
Kellen Moore is a stud.

8.(1) Oklahoma
The Sooners were outgunned by Texas Tech. Next up... undefeated Kansas State.

9. (10) Virginia Tech
The Hokies were down at halftime against BC but they figured it out offensively in the second half and cruised to a route. An 11-1 record is there for the Hokies taking.

10. (15) Michigan State
The Spartans defense neutralized Wisconsin's offense (to a degree) and Kirk Cousins channeled his inner Doug Flutie as Michigan State used a miraculous Hail Mary pass that was momentarily knocked down and then reviewed to sink Wisky.

11. (5) Wisconsin
With the loss to Michigan State, the Badgers will shift their focus from the national title to a league title.

12. (11) Arkansas
Arkansas did not play well against Ole Miss, but managed to eek out a win.

13. (14) Nebraska
The Cornhuskers will host the red-hot Spartans, who are coming off wins against Michigan and Wisconsin this weekend.

14. (16) Michigan
The Wolverines should finish at least 10-2.

15. (17) Arizona State
The Sun Devils have only one game remaining against a team currently holding a winning record: they will face Cal at home on November 25th.

16. (Not Ranked) USC
The Trojans a re 6-1 with the one loss against Arizona State and are coming off a win against Notre Dame. With the home field advantage, I think they are capable of giving Stanford a run for their money this weekend.

17. (19) Penn State
The Nittany Lions are 7-1. They will host a struggling Illinois team this week.

18. (18) Cincinnati
The Bearcats pulled out a close victory over USF, 37-34.

19. (24) Kansas State

The Wildcats blewout Kansas as expected and their two best wins (over Miami and Texas Tech) are both looking a lot better at the moment. Now they face a vicious four game stretch starting with Oklahoma.

20. (22) South Carolina
The Gamecocks will head to Tennessee this weekend.

21. (21) Houston
Keenum and the Cougars dropped 63 on Marshall.

22. (25) Texas A&M
The Aggies are on a nice three game run (wins over Texas Tech, Baylor, and Iowa State).

23. (13) Auburn
Auburn had no answers for LSU

24. (NR) Syracuse
Few of the Orange five wins have been pretty, but their 49-23 romp over West Virginia at the dome certainly was.

25. (NR) Miami
While only 4-3, the Hurricanes boast blowout wins over Georgia Tech and Ohio State and their losses against Virginia Tech and K-State were both very close.

Dropped Out: West Virginia, Illinois, and Georgia Tech
Just Missed The Cut: Georgia, Florida State, and Iowa

Week Seven Power Rankings

2011-10-17T18:17:00.002-04:00

1. (Last Ranking: 1) Oklahoma
It took a little longer than expected, but the Sooners pulled away from Kansas to get to 6-0.

2. (2) Alabama
The Crimson Tide keep on rolling.

3. (3) LSU
LSU will face Auburn this weekend. It should be a great SEC battle.

4. (4) Stanford
Stanford still has not played a close game. Washington is likely hoping to spring the upset.

5. (5) Wisconsin
The Badgers scored 59 against Indiana. They will probably be lucky to get half that against Michigan State this weekend. The Spartans defense has been incredible this season.

6. (6) Clemson
Clemson was eventually able to overtake an inspired Maryland team, but it wasn't easy. The Tigers 56-45 win had plenty of offensive fireworks.

(Click here to keep reading)

7. (9) Oregon
The Ducks took care of a very good Arizona State team to get to 5-1. Look for them to score 70+ on Colorado.

8. (8) Oklahoma State
The Cowboys are off to a 6-0 start for the second straight year. Last season, they lost their seventh game (to Nebraska). You can bet that Missouri is hoping to do what Nebraska did last season. To be honest, I would not be stunned if they did.

9. (7) Boise State
The Broncos beat another bad team by a lot.

10. (11) Virginia Tech
After being held to three points in a humbling loss to Clemson, the Hokies' offense has erupted, scoring 38 points in their last two games (wins over Miami and Wake Forest).

11. (12) Arkansas
The Razorbacks are 5-1.

12. (16) West Virginia
The Mountaineers will face Syracuse this Friday on the road at the Carrier Dome. West Virginia will need to play well. Syracuse fans should be pumped up for one of their biggest home game in years. Last season, Syracuse beat West Virginia 19-14.

13. (17) Auburn
The Tigers, who are coming off a 17-6 win over Florida, may be young but they are very talented. At the rate they appear to be improving, they should be a national title contender next season.

14.(18) Nebraska
The Cornhuskers will not have any problems with Minnesota.

15. (Not Ranked) Michigan State
The Spartans shut down Michigan. Next up: games against Wisconsin and Nebraska. Winning one of two would be solid.

16. (10) Michigan
Coming off their first loss of the season, the Wolverines should get a win against inconsistent Purdue.

17. (15) Arizona State
The Sun Devils couldn't take down Oregon in Autzen Stadium, but was anyone really expecting them to?

18. (20) Cincinnati
There are not a lot of people on the Bearcats bandwagon... yet. Cincinnati is 5-1 and I would be shocked if they finish any worse than 9-3.

19. (22) Penn State
The Nittany Lions keep on winning and their only loss came against Alabama. To this point, they have looked very good.

20. (14) Illinois
Their offense looked inept against Ohio State.

21. (21) Houston
The Cougars had an off week.

22. (23) South Carolina
The Gamecocks squeaked by Mississippi State. Unfortunately, their stud running back, Marcus Lattimore, is expected to miss the rest of the season due to injury.

23. (13) Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets offense was slowed by Virginia and GT lost, 24-21.

24. (24) Kansas State
The Wildcats remain unbeaten, but I just don't think they are a very good team. None of their best wins (against Miami, Baylor, or Missouri) impress me that much. Also, their schedule is really tough from here on out. Yes, they are 6-0, but I can't imagine they will finish any better than 7-5 or 8-4.

25. (NR) Texas A&M
The Aggies looked good in blowing out Baylor.

Dropped Out: North Carolina and South Florida
Just Missed The Cut: Notre Dame, Florida State, Washington, and Georgia

Week Six Power Rankings

2011-10-12T20:38:00.000-04:00

1. (Last Ranking: 1) Oklahoma
The Sooners hammered Texas last weekend.

2. (2) Alabama
Alabama's defense continues to dominate. Ole Miss shouldn't trip them up.

3. (3) LSU
To this point, the Tigers have not had a close game yet. In four of their six games, their opponent has been a top 25 team in the AP Poll.

4.(4) Stanford
Stanford hasn't had a close game yet either, but the best team they have faced so far might be Duke.

5. (5) Wisconsin
I highly doubt anyone will give Wisconsin a run for their money until the Badgers' final two games (when they will face Illinois and Penn State).

6. (6) Clemson
Clemson star QB Tajh Boyd is expected to suit this week against Maryland after getting hurt in a win over BC. Even if he doesn't, Clemson should win big.

(Click here to keep reading)

7. (7) Boise State
The Broncos won't get to prove themselves until the postseason.

8. (8)Oklahoma State
The Cowboys scored 70 against Kansas.

9. (9) Oregon
Oregon will face ASU this weekend in a Pac-12 battle of massive proportions.

10. (11) Michigan
Right now, Brady Hoke is looking like an incredible hire.

11. (12) Virginia Tech
The Hokies better be ready for Wake Forest.

12. (15) Arkansas
After beating Auburn, the Razorbacks appear to be the best team in the SEC West. That is a major accomplishment.

13. (14) Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets will be tested by defensive-minded Virginia.

14. (19) Illinois
Illinois should take care of business at home against Ohio State.
15. (20) Arizona State
The Sun Devils' road tilt at Oregon should be fun.

16. (17) West Virginia
The Mountaineers managed to pull away from UCONN in the second half, but their 43-16 win was not as pretty as the final score would indicate. They will need to play in the Carrier Dome against Syracuse. The good news: they have an offweek to prepare.

17. (10) Auburn
The Tigers were outmatched by Arkansas. A win against Florida would be huge as they head into the second half of their season.

18. (18) Nebraska
The Cornhuskers made an impressive comeback against Ohio State. They should blowout Minnesota.

19. (22) South Florida
Coming off a bye week, the Bulls have a chance to build some momentum against UCONN.

20. (23) Cincinnati
UC had a bye.

21. (21) Houston
The Cougars 56-3 win against ECU is the most impressive yet.

22. (24) Penn State
Penn State has the best defense in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions, coming off a 13-3 win over Iowa are 5-1.

23. (Not Ranked) South Carolina
The Gamecocks just dismissed their starting QB, Stephen Garcia.

24. (NR) Kansas State
The Wildcats improved to 5-0 with a win over Missouri.

25. (NR) North Carolina
The Tar Heels game against Miami should be interesting.

26. (NR) Wake Forest (Bonus Team)
The under-appreciated Demon Deacons are 4-1, 3-0 in ACC play (with a win over FSU) and their only loss came on the road in overtime against Syracuse.

Dropped out: Florida, Florida State, and Texas
Just Missed The Cut: Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Florida, and Florida State

Week Five Power Rankings

2011-10-04T18:54:00.002-04:00

1.(Last Ranking: 1) Oklahoma
The Sooners will take on Texas this weekend in the Red River Rivalry.

2. (2) Alabama
After dominating Florida in the Swamp, the Crimson Tide are 5-0. They look fairly unbeatable at the moment.

3. (3) LSU
The Tigers don't look overly beatable either. They'll host Florida this weekend.

4. (4) Stanford
Stanford has rolled to a 4-0 start.

5. (6) Wisconsin
The Badgers gave Nebraska a rude welcoming to the Big Ten, beating a very good Cornhuskers team 48-17.

6. (9) Clemson
The Tigers had no problems coming into one of the toughest environments in college football and beating one of the best teams in the country in Virginia Tech. The Tigers still have Georgia Tech and and South Carolina left on the schedule, but 13-0 doesn't seem too far off for the Tigers. Balk Talk's favorite team, Boston College, is up next for Clemson.

(Click here to keep reading)

7. (11) Boise State
The Broncos are cruising.

8. (8) Oklahoma State
The Cowboys' high powered offense should have a huge day against Kansas and their horrific defense.

9. (12) Oregon
The Ducks next opponent, Cal, gave them a heck of game last season (and held the Ducks to 15 points in a losing effort) . Don't expect Oregon to get close to their usual 50 points.

10. (22) Auburn
Auburn's young defense is making strides. They held South Carolina to 289 yards of offense last weekend in 16-13 win.

11. (20) Michigan
Michigan is coming off a 58-0 win over Minnesota. The 58 points was a season high.

12. (5) Virginia Tech
Even with the home field advantage, the Hokies were unable to get anything going against Clemson. The Hokies will face Miami this weekend in a big ACC Coastal match up.

13. (10) Florida
The Gators were crushed by Alabama. If they can upset LSU this weekend, the loss against the Crimson Tide will quickly be forgotten.

14. (19) Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets offense has been scoring points in a hurry this season. Maryland will be the next team to try to slow down 5-0 Tech.

15. (Not Ranked) Arkansas
The Razorbacks bounced back nicely from their loss against Alabama with a win over Texas A&M. They will host Auburn this weekend.

16. (16) Florida State
The 'Noles got an off week to lick their wounds from consecutive close losses to elite teams. Their next game against Wake Forest might not seem like a huge challenge, but the Demon Deacons are playing well. FSU will need to be on their game.

17. (18) West Virginia
The Mountaineers didn't have a problem with Bowling Green. They should not have a problem against UCONN either. The defending Big East champs have been horrible thus far.

18. (7) Nebraska
The fact that the Cornhuskers lost to Wisconsin was not a huge surprise. The fact that they lost by 31 is worrisome. If Nebraska can not beat Ohio State and their inept offense, that would be very worrisome.

19. (25) Illinois
Illinois just keeps on winning. Their excellent defense had some problems with Northwestern's no-huddle offense, but the Wildcats defense was not good enough to keep Illinois from getting to 5-0.

20. (23) Arizona State
The Sun Devils' upcoming battle with Utah will likely determine the Pac-12 champion.

21. (21) Houston
Case Keenum and the Cougars could get a real test from Dominique Davis and East Carolina.

22. (13) South Florida
The Bulls got creamed in Pittsburgh against the Panthers' high-octane offense. The Bulls' defense, which had looked very good so far this season, let up Pitt roll up 523 yards in a 44-17 loss. USF will get a week off to tighten up their defense.

23. (24) Cincinnati
The 4-1 Bearcats win over Miami of Ohio was surprisingly close. Of course, Cincinnati did win by 27.

24. (NR) Penn State
The 4-1 Nittany Lions are only letting up 12 points per game. Unfortunately, their offense has not been consistent. They will need a pretty strong offensive effort to avoid losing to Iowa for the fourth straight year this Saturday.

25. (NR) Texas
The Longhorns are clearly better than their 2010 team which finished with a losing record. Still, they probably are not nearly good enough to give Oklahoma too much of a challenge.

Dropped out: South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Baylor
Just Missed the cut: South Carolina, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Pitt, and North Carolina

Week Four Power Rankings

2011-09-28T18:25:00.001-04:00

1. (Last Ranking: 1) Oklahoma
Oklahoma took care of Missouri to get to 3-0. Look for them to keep on winning.

2. (2) Alabama
The Crimson Tide looked awfully good in a 38-14 win against Arkansas. Now they'll face an even tougher test as they head into "The Swamp" and take on Florida.

3. (3) LSU
The Tigers are 4-0 after crushing West Virginia in Morgantown. Already with three wins against top opponents, LSU now heads into the meat of their SEC schedule.

4. (4) Stanford
Andrew Luck and Stanford got an off weak to prepare for UCLA.

5. (5) Virginia Tech
The Hokies' defense has looked great so far. Will it hold up against Clemson's potent offense?

6. (6) Wisconsin
The Badgers have not played a close game yet. Expect their battle with Nebraska to be really close.

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7. (8) Nebraska
The Cornhuskers will need a terriffic offensive performance to get by Wisconsin and their Heisman candidate quarterback, Russell Wilson.

8. (15) Oklahoma State
The Cowboys' mediocre defense managed to slow Texas A&M's offense down in the second half of a 30-29 comeback win.

9. (18) Clemson
The good news: The Tigers followed up their win vs. Auburn with a win against Florida State. The bad news: Both of those wins came at home and the Tigers' next game, against a Virginia Tech team which might be better than FSU or Auburn, is at V-Tech in Lane Stadium, one of the toughest atmospheres to play in the country for road teams.

10. (10) Florida
The Gators have taken care of buisness so far. Will they be able to defend their home turf against 'Bama?

11. (11) Boise State
The Broncos next test is against Nevada, the team that cost the Broncos a BCS bid last season.

12. (12) Oregon
The Ducks sure can score points. Right now they are averaging 52 per game.

13. (14) South Florida
USF will head to Pitt for a huge Big East battle tomorrow. Expect plenty of points. Who ever wins will have a great shot at winning the Big East.

14. (14) South Carolina
The Gamecocks showed a little defense for the first time this season, holding Vanderbilt to 3 points. Of course, Vanderbilt's offense is horrendous.

15. (7) Texas A&M
It will be interesting to see how the Aggies play against Arkansas coming of a deflating one point loss to Oklahoma State in a game they lead 20-3 at halftime.

16. (13) Florida State
At 2-2 the Seminoles are still breathing. While losses to Oklahoma and Clemson surely took a toll physically on the 'Noles, they are now entering an off weak. Just what the doctor ordered for FSU. After that their schedule will get considerably easier.

17. (19) Baylor
What the Bears lack in defense they make up with a ton of offense.

18. (9) West Virginia
The Mountaineers trade places with Clemson after losing badly to LSU. It is not hard to look bad against the Tigers.

19. (Not Ranked) Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets delivered with a 35-28 win over UNC. They are serious contenders in the ACC Coastal.

20.(23) Michigan
The Wolverines schedule sets up in a way that they could easily get to 8-0 before hitting a brutal four game stretch at the end of their season.

21. (22) Houston
The Cougars have looked pretty solid. ECU looms in a couple of weeks.

22. (25) Auburn
The Tigers next four games: @ South Carolina, @ Arkansas, vs. Florida, and @ LSU. Yikes!

23. (NR) Arizona State
The Sun Devils regrouped from their loss against Illinois and pounded USC to get to 3-1.

24. (NR) Cincinnati
The Bearcats offense overwhelmed NC State on the way to a 44-14 win over the Wolfpack.

25. (NR) Illinois
Yes, I know. Illinois beat Arizona State 17-14 a couple of weeks ago and I have them to spots higher. The reason is that I couldn't bring myself to put the Illini any higher after they barely beat Western Michigan.

Dropped Out: USC, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Miami
Just Missed the Cut: Utah, Mississippi State, Arkansas, TCU, and Penn State

Week Three Power Rankings

2011-09-21T16:45:00.004-04:00

1.(Last Ranking:1) Oklahoma
The Sooners only beat an elite team on the road in a hostile environment last weekend. Next they will face Missouri in their second straight 8:00 Eastern Time start.

2. (2) Alabama
Are you ready for Alabama-Arkansas? I sure am.

3. (3) LSU
The Tigers' defense held Mississippi State to six points on Thursday. They will need an equally huge defensive performance on the road against West Virginia. The Mountaineers offense may be as potents as any in the country.

4. (4) Stanford
While they are number four on this ranking, I am still loving Stanford as a pick to win a BCS Title. They are solid on both sides of the ball and have rolled to a 3-0 start with very little resistance. Oregon and USC stand in their way on the back end of their schedule, but 13-0 does not seem so far off.

5. (5) Virginia Tech
The Hokies face their final non-conference cookie before hitting ACC play on October first against Clemson.

6.(9) Wisconsin
Through three games, the Badgers have outscored opponents 135 to 24.

(Click here to keep reading)

7. (7) Texas A&M
The Aggies will face Oklahoma State in a huge Big-12 clash this weekend against Oklahoma State. It will be the first in a stretch of four tough home games for A&M.

8. (8) Nebraska
The Cornhuskers' offense looked great in a 51-38 win over Washington. Their defense didn't look so good.

9. (11) West Virginia
ESPN's College GameDay is coming to Morgantown this weekend. You can bet the atmosphere will be electric when the Mountaineers take on LSU.

10. (10) Florida
The Gators looked fantastic in a 33-23 win over Tennessee.

11. (12) Boise State
The Broncos should win out. Tulsa, San Diego State, and TCU are the toughest obstacles left.

12. (13) Oregon
The Ducks' road matchup against Arizona this weekend will be an intriguing test.

13. (6) Florida State
The Seminoles were very competitive against the top team in the land, but with a road game in Death Valley against Clemson coming up, the 'Noles could easily drop to 2-2.

14. ( 16)South Florida
This is the best offense the Bulls have ever had. In fact, this the best team the Bulls have ever had.

15. (15) Oklahoma State
The Cowboys better bring their defense to College Station.

16. (19)USC
The Trojans dispatched Syracuse with ease. Playing on the road at Sun Devil Stadium will not be so easy.

17. (17) South Carolina
Another week, another narrow win for South Carolina. They will face a decent Vanderbilt team this weekend. Expect a nail-biter.

18. (Not Ranked) Clemson
The Tigers win against Auburn was huge. Next they will face Florida State and Virginia Tech.

19. (21) Baylor
The Bears should obliterate Rice.

20. (Not Ranked) Arkansas
The Razorbacks are 3-0. Now they will play Alabama, Texas A&M, and Auburn one after the other.

21. (Not Ranked) North Carolina
The 3-0 Tar Heels have a good quarterback and a fast defense. They are coming off a win over Virginia.

22. (Not Ranked) Houston
The Cougars need to kick their offense up to a whole different level, but they are 3-0 for the moment.

23. (Not Ranked) Michigan
The Wolverines are 3-0 and their defense is looking pretty good.

24. (Not Ranked) Miami
The Hurricanes return to my rankings after a resounding win over Ohio State.

25. (18) Auburn
The Tigers didn't look very good against the other Tigers (Clemson) but with a win against Mississippi State under their belt, Auburn should still be feared.

Dropped out: Arizona State, Mississippi State, Maryland, Northwestern, Michigan State, and Tennessee
Just missed the cut: Georgia Tech, Utah, California, Mississippi State, and Cincinnati

Week Two Power Rankings

2011-09-13T19:03:00.001-04:00

1. (Last ranking: 1)Oklahoma
The Sooners are coming off an off week. They'll face FSU on the road this weekend.

2. (4) Alabama
The Crimson Tide dominated Penn State at Beaver Stadium. A very good sign for their title hopes.

3.(3)LSU
Is any defense more intimidating than the Tigers'?

4.(2) Stanford
They were solid in beating a Duke team that played pretty well. Luck is looking like the Heisman favorite.

5.(5) Virginia Tech
It wasn't pretty, but Virginia Tech was able to muster a 17-10 win against an underrated ECU team with a potent offense. The Hokies' defense is for real but their offense will need to improve by the time they get into ACC play.

6.(6) Florida State
ESPN's College GameDay will be in Tallahassee for the Seminoles' huge game against Oklahoma.

(Click here to keep reading)

7.(7) Texas A&M
The Aggies' offense is super-efficient. They should steamroll Idaho as long as they don't get caught looking ahead to Oklahoma State.

8.(8) Nebraska
The Cornhuskers didn't beat Fresno State by much. They will need to be better against Washington.

9.(9) Wisconsin
The Badgers had no trouble beating Oregon State. They will be 4-0 when they face Nebraska on October first.

10. (10) Florida
The Gators will face Tennessee in a most interesting early season SEC clash this weekend.

11.(11) West Virginia
West Virginia will head to Maryland to face the Terrapins in Big East-ACC battle this weekend.

12. (12) Boise State
The Broncos better be ready for Toledo!

13. (22) Oregon
The Ducks looked a whole lot more comfortable against Nevada than they did against LSU. Their offense was clicking!

14.(14) Arizona State
The Sun Devils defended their home turf against Missouri in a big non-conference win. They didn't look great, but they were good enough.

15. (13) Oklahoma State
Weeden was fantastic in a blowout win over Arizona.

16.(16) South Florida
The Bulls have the best defense in the Big East.

17. (17) South Carolina
This looks like it is going to be an up-and-down season for the Gamecocks. For the moment, they're 2-0.

18. (19)Auburn
The Tigers' 41-34 win over Mississippi State over the weekend was huge. They suprisingly haven't lost much offensively since last season.

19. (25) USC
The Trojans' 23-14 win against Utah was huge. Next up: a home game against Syracuse!

20. (21) Baylor
The Bears have a couple of cupcakes before entering Big-12 play.

21. (15) Mississippi State
The Bulldogs Thursday-night tilt with LSU should be very interesting. A win will erase any disappointment from their last second loss to Auburn.

22.(24) Maryland
A win over West Virginia would send a message to the rest of the ACC.

23.(23) Northwestern
Colter and the Wildcats cruised by Eastern Illinois.

24. (Not Ranked) Michigan State
Michigan State will get their first test on the road at Notre Dame this weekend.

25. (NR) Tennessee
The Volunteers blowout win over Cincinnati was impressive.

Dropped out: Utah, Penn State
Just missed the cut : Houston, Arkansas, UCF, Syracuse,and Michigan

Week One Power Rankings

2011-09-06T19:58:00.000-04:00

This is the first that of what will be a weekly series of college football power rankings for the 2011 season. Each one will have the top 25 teams and a few that just missed the cut. I will try to keep them relatively early in the week (Monday or Tuesday). Enjoy!

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1.(Last ranking: 1) Oklahoma
The Sooners steamrolled Tulsa. Next up: Florida State.

2. (2) Stanford
Luck was solid in a 54 point victory over San Jose State.

3. (5) LSU
The Tigers looked excellent in a surprising blowout victory over Oregon.

4. (3) Alabama
The Crimson Tide cruised past Kent State but the QB position is still unsettled.

5. (6) Virginia Tech
The Hokies avoided another James Madison with plenty of room to spare in a romp over Appalachian State.

6. (7) Florida State
The Seminoles were not spectacular in week one but their defense was very good which is a good sign

7. (9) Texas A&M
The Aggies looked great against SMU.

8. (10) Nebraska
There were no surprises in the Cornhuskers 40-7 victory over Chattanooga.

9. (15) Wisconsin
The Badgers looked scary-good in their 51-17 victory over UNLV. Wisconsin had 37 points by halftime.

10. (14) Florida
The Gators looked dangerous in a 41-3 win over Florida Atlantic.

11. (11) West Virginia
WVU looked sharp against Marshall.

12. (13) Boise State
The Broncos overmatched an inferior Georgia team in the Georgia Dome.

13. (12) Oklahoma State
The 34 points the Cowboys allowed in a 61-34 win over Louisiana Lafayette might be a bad sign.

14. (16) Arizona State
The Sun Devils hammered UC Davis.

15. (17) Mississippi State
With an easy win under their belt, the Bulldogs prepare for the defending champions.

16. (22) South Florida
The Bulls victory at Notre Dame stadium could be the start of a special season. They better be ready next week though, they'll face a Ball State team that just beat Indiana.

17. (21) South Carolina
The Gamecocks outlasted upset-mined East Carolina and their potent offense. The final score was 56-37.

18. (23) Penn State
The Nittany Lions beat Indiana State by 34. Next they'll face Alabama. If their defense steps up, they could have a shot.

19. (19) Auburn
The Tigers barely beat Utah State. I considered dropping them down a couple spots but decided against it. A loss against Mississippi State and they'll be out of the rankings. They'll need to be a lot better to avoid that fate.

20. (20) Utah
The Utes got out to a big early lead and cruised to a 27-10 win against Montana State.

21. (Not Ranked) Baylor
The Bears' offense looked potent in a narrow victory over TCU. Robert Griffin's Heisman hopes are alive and well.

22. (4) Oregon
The Ducks did very little well against LSU. Their offense looked lost against the Tigers' defense, and the Ducks' defense was alarmingly poor.

23. (NR) Northwestern
The Wildcats knocked off BC in Boston and their backup QB, Kain Colter, was fantastic.

24. (NR)Maryland
The Terps sported some funky unis and upset Miami in front of a hyped up crowd in College Park.

25. (NR) USC
The Trojans defense looked much better in a 19-17 win over Minnesota. They will now enter an unforgiving seven game stretch that includes games against Stanford, Utah, Arizona State, and Syracuse.

Dropped out: Notre Dame, Boston College, Miami, and TCU
Just missed the Cut: Michigan State, Houston, Syracuse, and Arkansas

2011 College Football Preview

2011-08-11T16:53:00.005-04:00

Below is the the 2011 College Football Preview from Balk Talk. It includes a Top 25 breakdown and a conference-by-conference breakdown. Hopefully, it is an improvement over the 2010 Preview. Expect more college football posts in the near future as we approach the season. If you have any comments or questions, please post them in the comment section. Other than that, enjoy the preview!
-The Editors of Balk Talk

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Top 25:

1. Oklahoma
2010 Record: 12-2
UCONN didn't belong on the same field as Oklahoma and the Sooners made sure everyone in University of Phoenix Stadium knew it. Oklahoma hammered the University of Connecticut on Jan. 1, 2011 in the Fiesta Bowl, winning by a final score of 48-20. Not that the margin of victory was that unusual for Oklahoma. In fact, they defeated teams better than UCONN (who will go down in history as one of the worst teams ever to make a BCS bowl) by greater margins than 28. The Fiesta Bowl was just another fine outing by the Sooners and their quarterback, Landry Jones. Jones passed for 429 yards and threw three touchdowns. Earlier in the season, the Sooners beat Florida State by 30 and Texas Tech by 38. More impressively, the Sooners showed that they could win tight games, beating Oklahoma State by six, Nebraska by three, Air Force by three, and Cincinnati by two. If not for a pair of road slip-ups at Missouri and Texas A&M, the Sooners would have had a chance to make it to the National Championship game. In 2011, the Sooners will look ride Heisman candidate Landry Jones and their electrifying offense as well as an elite defense to the top of the college football world. In order to do so, they'll need to stay composed on the road against elite teams and to continue to win close games. If they do that, the world-class beat downs against world-class opponents will probably fall into place too.

2. Stanford
2010 Record: 12-1

Coming into the 2011 season, Stanford has one of the most complete teams in college football. Lets start with the offense. They are led by QB Andrew Luck. Luck has loads of speed a great arm. Last season, he not only completed over 70 percent of his passes but also threw for 32 touchdowns. Stanford's running back, Stepfan Taylor, is an explosive rusher who ran for over 1,000 yards in 2010 and also accounted for 15 rushing TDs in '10. Stanford's defense is excellent as well. They finished in the top ten in scoring defense in the country, allowing for plenty of lopsided results last season. In fact, Stanford ended their 2010 campaign with a 40-12 victory against the best the ACC had to offer, a talented Virginia Tech squad, in the Orange Bowl. Stanford does have a new coach in 2011, David Shaw, but Shaw was the guy calling the plays for their offense in 2010 so if should be more of the same for Stanford. If they can keep up their level of play from the Orange Bowl last season, Stanford should have a great shot at winning a National Championship.

3. Alabama
2010 Record: 10-3

The 2010 season was a disappointment for the Alabama. The Crimson Tide were coming off of a 2009 season in which they went 14-0 and won the National Championship. They also had most of the key players from the championship team returning. They were the preseason pick to win the National Championship again and they seemed poised to repeat through the opening five games, beating Penn State, Arkansas, and Florida. Then, they went to South Carolina and got hammered by the Gamecocks, losing 35-21. The Crimson Tide ended up losing two more games by a total of 4 points against LSU and eventual National Champion Auburn. The Crimson Tide took out there anger from a disappointing season by obliterating ninth ranked Michigan State, 49-7 in the Capital One Bowl. In 2011, the Tide should find no problems staying motivated after their three loss 2010 campaign. With arguably the fastest and most talented team in the country, they may find themselves playing for a National Championship at the end of the season. Don't expect another disappointing season from Alabama in 2011.

4. Oregon
2010 Record: 12-1

Like offense? Then you might want to tune into some Oregon football games. In 2010, the Ducks scored more than 40 points in all but three of their games. Led by electrifying play-makers Darron Thomas and LaMichael James, both Heisman candidates, Oregon should aim for 40-plus points every game in 2011. They may need to. The Ducks had one of the best defenses in the country to go along with their excellent offense in 2010, allowing them to go 12-0 in the regular season and to make it to the National Championship Game where they lost to Auburn. Coming into this season, Oregon has lost several of their best defensive players. In order to overcome that, Thomas and James will both need to be even better than they were last season. We'll find out if they are up to the challenge Week One when they face Louisiana State and their excellent defense.

5. LSU
2010 Record: 11-2

With a huge, fast, play-making defense, and a knack for winning close games, the Louisiana State Tigers had their best season since 2007 (when they won the National Championship) last season. Their 11 win season was highlighted by wins over Mississippi State, West Virginia, Florida, Alabama, and a victory in the Cotton Bowl over Texas A&aM. The Tigers hope to keep take it a step further in 2011. With most of their 2010 squad and their coach, Les Miles, returning, LSU has a chance to win an SEC Championship and maybe even a National Championship. They'll need their defense to be excellent again and they will also need their offense to avoid turnovers, but the Tigers should be very good. If they open up the season with a win over Oregon, they might be on their way to another National Championship.

6. Virginia Tech
2010 Record: 11-3

The Virginia Tech Hokies have won ACC Championships in three out of the last four seasons. In 2011, they have the weapons to make it four out of the last five. In some respects, it will be a rebuilding season at V-Tech, but the Hokies don't rebuild, they reload. The best recent example of this was the 2008 season. The Hokies were coming off of their 2007 ACC Championship season, and many expected the Hokies to take a step back as they were fielding a rather young, inexperienced team. Guess what? Virginia Tech went on win 10 games, the ACC Championship, and the Orange Bowl. In 2011, the Hokies will be starting some new fellas, including a new QB and a new RB. Tyrod Taylor is gone at quarterback but Logan Thomas, a 6-6 QB with a strong arm, replaces him. Thomas got a few chances to play in V-Tech blowouts last season and completed 12 of 26 passes for 107 yards. He should be a superstar in '11, and will be throwing to some very skilled wideouts. Expectations are also very high for the Hokies' new feature runningback, David Wilson. Wilson ran for 619 yards on just 113 carries. The Hokies offensive line and defensive lines should be very good as should the Hokies' defensive secondary, which includes one of the country's best cornerbacks, Jayron Hosley, who picked off nine passes last season. There will be some new faces starting for Virginia Tech, but anything less than a ACC Championship will be a disappointment for the Hokies.

7. Florida State
2010 Record: 10-4

The Seminoles concluded a very strong 2010 season, Jimbo Fisher's as the head coach at FSU, beating South Carolina 26-17 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Earlier in the 2010 season, FSU also beat Miami, Florida, Maryland, and Boston College, eventually making it to the ACC Championship Game where they lost to Virginia Tech. Florida State will look to build on the 2010 season this year. The Seminoles brought in a top recruiting class to supplement an already excellent roster. Their defense should be very good, as it was in 2010, and they have plenty of gamebreakers on offense. The only real question mark is at quarterback. Christian Ponder, who started for the 'Noles from 2008 to 2010, is now on the Minnesota Vikings. The Seminoles' new starting QB, E.J. Manuel, has made the occasional appearance over the past two seasons when Ponder got hurt. In his brief chances, Manuel has showed a good arm and plenty of mobility. If he can replace what Ponder did in past seasons, the Seminoles should be contenders in both the ACC and National Championship races.

8. TCU
2010 Record: 13-0

The 2010 season was a fantastic season for the Horned Frogs. They went 13-0, including a 47-7 victory on the road against a very good Utah team and a 21-19 win in the Rose Bowl over Wisconsin. With an elite defense, they will look to pick up where they left off in the Rose Bowl. The Horned Frogs will be breaking in a new quarterback, sophomore Casey Pachall. Pachall, who replaces star Andy Dalton, has a big body and some speed, but very little experience. He will be handing the ball off to Ed Wesley, an electrifying junior who ran for over 1,000 yards and six yards per carry in 2010. He will also be throwing to a solid group of receivers. The Horned Frogs should have a strong offense but it is their defense that will be spectacular. Led by linebackers Tank Carder and Tanner Brock, their defense will be among the best in the nation. If the Horned Frogs can get by Baylor on the road in the opening weekend, BYU on a Friday night in late October, and a road game against Boise State in November, they will almost certainly go 12-0 and another 13-0 season will be possible. Not that any of the games listed above will be easy. Fortunately, TCU's defenses will help. It will be the Horned Frogs final season in the Mountain West Conference before moving onto the Big East in 2012. Another undefeated season and a win in a BCS Bowl Game would be sweet.

9. Texas A&M
2010 Record: 9-4

You could see this coming. Under Mike Sherman, the Aggies have made major improvements each season. They went 4-8 in 2008, 6-7 in 2009, and 9-4 in 2010. The 2010 season didn't start they way that A&M wanted, going 3-3 in their first six game, so eventually they made a switch at QB from the turnover prone Jerrod Johnson (who had been fantastic in previous seasons, but struggled through a nine interception, three game, stretch during which the Aggies went 1-2) to Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill, who spent much of his first three seasons at A&M playing wideout, was flat out amazing. He started the final five games of the season, all of which the Aggies won, and the Aggies finished with a 9-3 record. Despite a loss to LSU in the Cotton Bowl, the 2010 season ended as A&M's best season in years. Tannehill, who finished the 2010 season with a 65% completion percentage and a 13-6 TD-to-Int ratio, and the head coach, Sherman, both return in 2011, so the Aggies should aim for 10 or more wins.

10. Nebraska
2010 Record: 10-4

The Nebraska Cornhuskers gave Oklahoma all they could handle in the 2010 Big 12 Championship Game. The Cornhuskers led 20-17 at halftime, but the Sooners offense was able to squeak out six point in the second half to win, 23-20, and earn a BCS Bowl bid. It was the second straight season Nebraskas lost in the Big 12 Championship Game. In 2009, they lost in the Championship game to Texas, 13-12. In 2011, Nebraska will take aim at a different Championship, the Big Ten Championship. With a group of experienced, lumbering defenders returning, the Cornhuskers have a chance to be successful. The schedule lays out nicely for Nebraska, who open up with four non-conference tuneups before their toughest game of the season- a Big Ten battle on the road at Wisconsin on October first. After that, all of Nebraska's toughest games are at home outside of a game at Penn State on November 12th. Nebraska will aim to win the Legends Division and earn a spot in another championship game. They should have enough talent to avoid letting a third straight slip away.

11. West Virginia
2010 Record: 9-4

After an ugly split with their former head coach, Bill Stewart, the Mountaineers are ready to take off under the new Head Coach, Dana Holgorsen. Holgorsen was the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State before his current job at WVU, and his Oklahoma State offenses churned out loads of points. He inherits a West Virginia team that has plenty of stars on both sides of the football. One of those stars is QB Geno Smith who is an accurate passer and has great mobility. Another is wide receiver Tavon Austin, who caught 58 passes a year ago. The Mountaineers defense, which was one of the best in the nation in 2010 (they finished third in the nation in points against) should be excellent again. Two of their key defensive players will be linebacker Najee Goode and cornerback Keith Tandy. The Mountaineers will have excellent size and speed on offense and defense and, despite the coaching change, should be the team to beat in the Big East. If they beat Maryland and LSU on back-to-back weekends (Sept. 17 and Sept. 24) they may be able to make some noise in the National Title hunt.

12. Oklahoma State
2010 Record: 11-2

Led by their 27 year old former baseball player, quarterback Brandon Weeden, the Oklahoma State Cowboys' spread offense was almost impossible to stop in 2010. The Cowboys were held under 33 points in only one game and racked up crazy passing numbers. Weeden passed for over 4,000 yards and 34 touchdown passes. He should put up big numbers again in 2011. His most skilled target, Justin Blackmon, caught 111 passes and 20 touchdown passes in 2010 and is back for more in '11. The Cowboys have the offense to keep on winning, but a lot will hinge on their defense. Oklahoma State won't have much experience on the defensive side of the ball after losing much of a respectable defense they fielded in 2010. If the defense grows up fast, the Cowboys could have a chance to win the Big 12 and both Weeden and Blackmon could garner some Heisman attention.

13. Boise State
2010 Record: 12-1

After a perfect 2009 season in which Boise State went 13-0 and beat TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, the Broncos brought back nearly everyone and appeared poised for another go at a BCS Bowl. After wins over Virginia Tech and Oregon State early on, the Broncos appeared to be even better than they were in '09, but a 34-31 loss to Nevada ended their BCS dreams. Still, the Broncos had a great season, winning 12 games and beating the likes of Virginia Tech and Utah (who they beat 26-3 in the MAACO Bowl). Their quarterback, Kellen Moore, threw for 35 touchdowns, completed over 70% of his passes, and came in fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Moore is big reason for Broncos fans to be excited about the 2011 season. He returns for his senior season along with running back Doug Martin, (who ran for over 1,000 yards in '10) a number of solid defenders, and coach Chris Petersen. The Broncos enter the Mountain West Conference in 2011, and will face TCU in Boise on November 12th. If they can win that game, they will likely go 12-0 and make a BCS Bowl. The only other real test that stands in their way is an opening game against Georgia. Not that beating Georgia or TCU will be easy, but for the Broncos BCS chances and Moore's Heisman chances, they will need to deliver wins in those two games.

14. Florida
2010 Record: 8-5

A 37-24 victory over Penn State in the Outback Bowl was a nice way to end a rough season for the Gators. Florida's 2010 season included blowout losses against Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida State. In 2011, they will look to be much better. They should have loads of talent, but there was no lack of talent in Gainesville in 2010. The big change from last season to this season for the Gators is in the coaching staff. Will Muschamp is the new head man. He comes from Texas where he was the offensive coordinator and head coach in-waiting. The new offensive coordinator is Charlie Weis. Weis previously was the head coach at Notre Dame. He struggled in that gig, but he does know how call offensive plays. His pro-style offense should be a better fit for QB John Brantley, who struggled in 2010. A revamped offense should be enough for the Gators to be better. Their defense was good in 2010 and should be again in 2011. If the offense is better, the Gators should win a couple more games and, at the end of the day, be the best team in the SEC East division that is much weaker than the other half of the SEC.

15. Wisconsin
2010 Record: 11-2

In 2010, Wisconsin was an unusually complete and well rounded team. They could score, as they showed with an 83 point performance against Indiana and 70 point performances against Northwestern and Austin Peay. They could also play defense, as they only allowed one team to score more than 30 points against them. The same should be true in 2011. They will have to replace quarterback Scott Tolzien but most of their best players from the 2010 season are returning. Also, a good sign is the fact that the Badgers were much better in the final eight games of the 2010 season than they were in the first five. While they did go 4-1 to start the season, that record included an uninspiring 27-14 victory over San Jose State and a loss to Michigan State. In the final eight games they went 7-1 including wins over Ohio State, Iowa, and the two huge blowouts against NU and IU. The one loss during that stretch was 21-19 against a very good TCU team. If Wisconsin plays in 2011 like they did during that eight game stretch, scoring a lot of point and playing great defenses, they should win the Leaders Division.

16. Arizona State
2010 Record: 6-6

The Arizona State Sun Devils have not been to a bowl since 2007. In 2011, they might have the talent and experience to make it to the Rose Bowl. Of course in order to do that, they would have to win the Pac-12 South and then beat an elite team like Stanford or Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game. While the second part of that plan may seem like a stretch, the first part should be possible. The Sun Devils bring back nearly everyone from their 2010 team that lost four games by four points or less (they easily could have gone 9-3 during the regular season had they gotten some breaks) and puts scares into Wisconsin, (who they lost to by one) Oregon, (who they lost to by 11) and Stanford (who they lost to by four). They also beat then 23rd ranked Arizona on the road in their season finale and Washington. In 2011, the Sun Devils just need to win some of their close games. Their team looks like one of the biggest and fastest in the Pac-12 and their schedule sets up nicely. They won't have to play Stanford and get a by week before finishing off the season with five fairly easy Pac-12 games (vs. Colorado, @UCLA, @Washington State, vs. Arizona, and vs. Cal). As long as they can beat Utah on the road, who they definitely have more talent than, they should win the Pac-12 South and get a chance to play in the Pac-12 championship game. Who knows, maybe they could upset Oregon or Stanford there.

17. Mississippi State
2010 Record: 9-4

The Bulldogs' 52-14 victory over a hapless Michigan team in the 2010 Gator Bowl capped off a phenomenal season for Mississippi State. Their offense was on all game in the victory. If they can get that type of offensive production in 2011 to help one of the nation's best defenses, they could contend for an SEC Championship and perhaps even a National Title. That is a big "if." The Bulldogs offense was not very consistent in 2010, being held to 14 points or less in four games. Usually, it was their defense that kept them in games. The Bulldogs' defense was incredible, holding eventual National Champion Auburn to 17 points in a 17-14 loss, Georgia to 12 points in 24-12 victory, and Florida to seven points in a 10-7 win. If the Bulldogs' offense, which does have playmakers as they showed in the victory over Michigan, is great, the Bulldogs will be great. If the offense sputters, their defense will maker sure that they have another solid season.

18. Miami
2010 Record: 7-6

The expectations for the 2010 Miami Hurricanes football team were high. Many pre-season previews and publications considered them to be a dark horse National Championship contender (here at Balk Talk we ranked them third in our season preview). As it turned out, 'Canes were not that good, but for most of the season they were good. Through 10 games the Hurricanes were ranked 24th in the country and had a 7-3 record with two of those losses coming against very good teams in Ohio State and Florida State. In their eleventh game of the season, they took on Virginia Tech in a game that would decide the ACC Coastal Champion. Miami played the Hokies even for the first three quarters but Virginia Tech scored a pair of touchdowns in the 4th to take a 31-17 victory. The 'Canes went on to lose in overtime to USF and get blown out in the Sun Bowl by Notre Dame. That gave them a final record of 7-6. Miami had enough talent to come a quarter away from making to the ACC Championship game, but it wasn't enough to save head coach Randy Shannon's job. He was replaced this off season by Al Golden, who had exceptional success at Temple. Golden is an excellent coach and his coaching skills combined with Miami's talent should prove to be a winning formula. Don't expect Miami to lose six games again in 2011.

19. Auburn
2010 Record: 14-0

The defending National Champs only have a few starters returning from their 2010 team and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton is not one of them. Still, the Tigers have plenty of talent to fill in and running back Michael Dyer is back, so Auburn shouldn't experience a huge drop off. Dyer was electric as a freshman in 2010, running for over 1,000 yards and six yards per carry. Outside of Dyer, almost the entire Auburn offense will be new starters. The same thing will be true for most of the defense. The good news is that the Tigers still have guys who can make plays and bring in one of the best recruiting classes in the nation. Auburn will be young, but they should look the part of an elite SEC team in terms of speed and size. These Tigers probably won't compete for a National Championship, but they should be solid.

20. Utah
2010 Record: 10-3

After years of consistently winning in the Mountain West Conference, the Utah Utes will play their first season in the Pac-12 this year. The Utes are coming off of their third straight season of ten or more wins. With most of their starters from 2010 returning, including quarterback Jordan Wynn, and a very manageable schedule, the Utes should contend for the Pac-12 title in their first season in the league. Wynn had a strong season in 2010 and his best deep threat, receiver DeVonte Christopher, is back for the 2011 season. The Utes should also field a quality defense. The best news for Utah is that their 2011 schedule sets up perfectly. They don't play Oregon or Stanford, and they get to play their toughest Pac-12 game, against Arizona State, at home. It is a new conference for Utah, but the results should be similar. Don't be surprised if the Utes get to ten wins for the fourth straight season.

21. South Carolina
2010 Record: 9-5

The South Carolina Gamecocks ended the 2010 season on a pair of low notes--a 56-17 loss to Auburn in the SEC Championship game and a 26-17 loss in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The key to the Gamecocks' nine win season was a 35-21 victory over Alabama. South Carolina had an okay defense, but when their offense was good, they were very good. Their offense could be excellent in 2011, but there is one looming question mark: the quarterback position. Stephen Garcia, the Gamecocks' senior QB is expected to start despite off the field issues and on the field issues with turnovers. If he is improved, or the Gamecocks can find a better option, they could win the SEC. The Gamecocks should have a decent defense, with a lot of solid players. Jadeveon Clowney, a defensive end considered by many to be the top recruit in all of college football, will join the defense. South Carolina's offense will include running back Marcus Lattimore who ran for over 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2010 and could become a darkhorse Heisman Candidate in 2011. In order for him to do so, the Gamecocks will need to be a top team and that could depend on the QB position. If Garcia improves, South Carolina could be very good. They will start the season with an intriguing non-conference game against East Carolina and their high-powered offense.

22. South Florida
2010 Record: 8-5

Coming off three straight 8-5 seasons, the South Florida Bulls are ready to break out in 2011. There were indications that the Bulls were getting ready for a big season in '11 at the end of last season, going 5-2 in their final seven games including wins over Louisville, Miami, and Clemson. The 2011 season, which will be head coach Skip Holtz's second at USF, should be more of what the Bulls did at the end of the '10 season. Holtz built a wining program at East Carolina and is about to do the same with the South Florida. The Bulls enter the season with many key players returning from what was an excellent defense in 2010, including linebacker Sam Barrington. Also returning is QB B.J. Daniels. Daniels, who is an electrifying duel-threat QB, could be poised for a huge season. The Bulls Thursday night meeting with West Virginia at Raymond James Stadium could determine the Big East Champion.

23. Penn State
2010 Record: 7-6

There absolutely were some high notes to Penn State's 2010 season, such as a three-game winning streak that culminated with coach Joe Paterno's 400th win, a victory over Northwestern, but for the most part it was a dissapointing season in State College. The Nittany Lions were a fairly young team, and it showed. They struggled away from home, going 1-4 in games not played at Beaver Stadium, and inexplicably got crushed, 33-13, at home against Illinois. The Nittany Lions also didn't have one solid starting QB, as Matthew McGloin and Rob Bolden struggled to seperate themselves from each other in the QB battle. There still is reason to have hope for the 2011 season. Penn State played very good football in stretches in 2010. They scored 35 unanswered points against NU, led Ohio State 14-3 most of the way through their game against the Buckeyes before falling apart and losing 38-14, and outplayed Florida for three quarters before allowing the Gators to outscore them 17-0 in the fourth in a 37-24 Outback Bowl loss. If they can sustain good play for longer stretches in '11, they will have a much better record. Also, they will be a year older and more experienced, with more options at quarterback. Led by linebackers Michale Mauti and Nathan Stupar, expect the Nittany Lions defense to be solid. Penn State should be a pretty good football team in 2011. They will face Alabama at home on September 10th. That should be a good indicator of how good they will be and if they will be able to contend for a Big Ten Championship.

24. Boston College
2010 Record: 7-6

With the ACC's best offensive and defensive player (Montel Harris and Luke Kuechly) , a big season could be on the horizon for Boston College. The Eagles offense will be led by their running back, Harris, who was the preseason ACC Player of the Year. His backup, Andre Williams, may be just as good. Harris has 3,600 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns coming into his senior season. Williams is coming off of a fantastic freshman season in which he ran for nearly 500 yards and, in relief of an injured Harris, ran wild against Syracuse's excellent run defense, carrying the ball for 185 yards in a 16-7 BC win in their final regular season game. The Eagles O-line should also be excellent and they have some weapons at receiver. Problems at QB hurt the Eagles in 2010, but they should at least be better in that area this season. Chase Rettig will start at quarterback. Rettig had an up-and-down season freshman season in which he threw more interceptions than TD passes in 2010. Still, the Eagles were much better with him at QB than any of their other options. BC went 5-3 when Rettig played complete games in 2010, with the three losses all being close and two of them being against ranked opponents (Nevada and Florida State). If he shows improvement the Eagles, who will have an excellent defense led by linebackers Kevin Pierre-Louis and Kuechly, could win the ACC for the first time since joining the conference in 2005.

25. Notre Dame
2010 Record: 8-5

Despite a few major slip ups, the Fighting Irish had their best season since 2006 in head coach Brian Kelly's first year at Notre Dame. Notre Dame, who did lose to Michigan and Tulsa and also got blown out by Navy, did look like a much better team. They blew out Boston College, Utah, and Miami, won close games against USC and Pittsburgh, and almost beat Michigan State. Not that it was a huge surprise. Brian Kelly had huge success at Cincinnati and former Notre Dame coach, Charlie Weis, left some very good players such as linebacker Manti Te'o and wide receiver Michael Floyd, both of whom will be back for the 2011 season. Notre Dame should be good again in 2011 with both of those players returning among others such as QB Dayne Christ. Still, the talent level is not back to an elite level at Notre Dame, so another eight or nine win season seems like a reasonable expectation for Notre Dame before Kelly gets the Irish back to being a top ten caliber team.

ACC
Atlantic
1. Florida State
If QB E.J. Manuel replaces Ponder as well as many think he will, the 'Noles could make their first BCS Bowl since 2005.
2. Boston College
If the Eagles can establish a passing game to help their running back, preseason ACC Player of the Year, Montel Harris, the Eagles could win the ACC.
3. Maryland
With the ACC's best quarterback, Danny O'Brien, the Terps should have another successful season.
4. Clemson
The Tigers have loads of talent but they had loads of talent last season and finished 6-7.
5. N.C. State
The Wolfpack had a great season in 2010 but should take a step back considering the loss of star QB, Russell Wilson, who transferred to Wisconsin.
6. Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons were woefully over matched in ACC play last season. They could be better in '11 but likely won't make a bowl.

Coastal
1. Virginia Tech
With another stingy defense, the Hokies have another elite team.
2. Miami
The 'Canes face a very tough schedule, but Golden should have them ready.
3. Duke
This should be the season the Blue Devils break out. With a potent offense, Duke should take advantage of a very weak bottom half of the Coastal Division and make it to their first bowl game since 1995.
4. North Carolina
The Tar Heels just dismissed their head coach and AD. Not the way you want to enter a season.
5.Georgia Tech
Coming off of a disappointing 2010 season in which the Yellow Jackets couldn't stop anybody on defense, Georgia Tech found themselves in a major NCAA investigation this offseason. They probably won't make a bowl in '11.
6. Virginia
The Cavaliers will improve under London, who has been putting together excellent recruiting classes, but 2011 won't be a breakout year.

Big 12
1. Oklahoma
With a Heisman caliber QB and talent on both sides of the ball, the Sooners could win a National Championship in 2011.
2. Texas A&M
After turning around the Aggies season last year, Ryan Tannehill could have a Heisman type season and the Aggies could have a shot at winning the Big 12.
3. Oklahoma State
Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden, two of colleges most exciting offensive players, are back for an encore after a phenomenal 2010 season.
4. Texas
Garrett Gilbert must be better, but the Longhorns won't go 5-7 again.
5. Missouri
Most of a talented Tigers team is back but star QB, Blaine Gabbert, is off to the NFL.
6. Texas Tech
QB Taylor Potts will make sure that the Red Raiders score points. Tech will need to improve on defense.
7. Baylor
QB Robert Griffin will get Heisman hype but the Bears, like Texas Tech, stunk on defense in 2010. If they can improve there, they'll be able to make some noise.
8. Kansas State
The Wildcats won't be particularly good in 2011 but they'll have plenty of chances to upset some teams. Another bowl appearance is unlikely.
9. Iowa State
The Cyclones have a tough schedule in 2011. They probably won't win more than a couple games.
10. Kansas
The Jayhawks started the 2010 season by losing to an FCS team and their season did not get much better from there (although they did upset a Georgia Tech team that was overrated at the time). They need to improve on both sides of the ball. Otherwise, they likely will finish 2011 with one or two wins.

Big East
1. West Virginia
Bill Stewart is out and Dana Holgorsen is in but it shouldn't matter much because the Mountaineers still have loads of talent and speed and a good QB in Geno Smith. If Smith plays as well as last year, West Virginia should still be very good.
2. South Florida
South Florida has talent on both sides of the ball. If B.J. Daniels cuts down on the turnovers, the Bulls could win the Big East.
3. Pittsburgh
The Panthers new coach, Todd Graham, is an offensive maestro and inherits a team with a lot of good players on both sides of the ball. Pitt should compete for the Big East Title.
4. Syracuse
Led by head coach Doug Marrone, the Orange got to a bowl for the first time since 2004 last season. Syracuse had one of the best defenses in the country, a solid running game, and a good quarterback in Ryan Nassib, who returns for the 2011 season. There is no reason Syracuse shouldn't have another seven or eight win season this year.
5. Cincinnati
The Bearcats stumbled their way to a 4-8 season in 2010. They turned the ball over a lot and weren't very good on defense. This season they should be better, but it is tough to know because they underachieved massively last year.
6. Connecticut
UConn managed to win the Big East last season and earn a spot in the Fiesta Bowl where they got steamrolled by Oklahoma. In '11, the Huskies probably won't be nearly as good given the departures of their coach, Randy Edsall, (who bolted to Maryland) and two of their best defenders, Lawrence Wilson and Scott Lutrus.
7. Louisville
The Cardinals were a pleasant surprise in 2010 under first-year coach Charlie Strong, as they went 7-6. In 2011, they won't be quite as good due to inexperience at QB, but the skies are definitely brighter in Louisville than they were a couple of years ago.
8. Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights struggled in 2010 and they don't figure to be much better in '11.

Big Ten
Leaders
1. Wisconsin
In 2010, the Badgers had both a prolific offense and an excellent defense. This season they should again be very good on both sides of the ball and will have a chance to return to the Rose Bowl.
2. Penn State
The Nittany Lions will need a quarterback to separate himself and more consistency on defense to contend for a Big Ten Title this season.
3. Ohio State
The Buckeyes are coming off an offseason in which they faced NCAA sanctions, suspensions, and the loss of their head coach and best player. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes will have the talent at least be solid in 2011.
4. Indiana
New coach Kevin Wilson has brought new energy to the Hoosier's program. Wilson comes from Oklahoma where he coordinated one of the nation's best offenses. With Wilson's plays, a talented receiving corpse, a solid o-line, and two duel-threat QB options, the Hoosiers should score points and might make their first bowl since 2007.
5. Illinois
The Fighting Illini were inconsistent in 2010. Expect another up-and-down season in '11.
6. Purdue
The Boilermakers couldn't pass the ball in 2010. They will remain at the bottom of the Big Ten unless that changes.

Legends
1. Nebraska
With a potent rushing attack and an elite defense, the Cornhuskers should keep right on winning.
2. Northwestern
QB Dan Persa and NU's offense will put up big numbers but the Wildcats' defense will need to improve for them to contend for a trip to the Big Ten Championship game.
3. Michigan State
In 2011, the Spartans will attempt to repeat a very successful 2010 season. Most of the pieces are in place, including the return of QB Kirk Cousins. That being said, they will face a tougher schedule and will need to improve their consistency to get 10 wins again.
4. Iowa
QB Ricky Stanzi is gone but the Hawkeyes' defense is expected to be solid and Iowa has a fairly easy schedule.
5. Michigan
The Wolverines will improve under Brady Hoke, but not this season.
6. Minnesota
The Golden Gophers will win a few games, but not more than that.

Conference USA
East
1. Central Florida
2. East Carolina
3. Southern Miss
4. Marshall
5. UAB
6. Memphis

West
1. Houston
2. SMU
3. Tulsa
4. Rice
5. UTEP
6. Tulane

Independents
Army
After a surprise bowl visit in 2010, Army has the pieces in place to make another in 2011.
BYU
2011 will be BYU's first year as an independent. The Cougars finished strong in 2010 and will look for that momentum to carry over into what could be a very successful 2011 season.
Navy
The Midshipmen are coming off of a very solid 2010 in which they won nine games and beat Notre Dame. In '11 they'll have to replace QB Ricky Dobbs but Kriss Proctor is expected to fill in nicely. Navy's defense should be solid.
Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish won eight games for the first time since '06 last year. They could be even better this year.

MAC
East
1. Miami (Ohio)
2. Kent State
3. Ohio
4. Temple
5. Bowling Green
6. Buffalo
7. Akron

West
1. Toledo
2. Northern Illinois
3. Western Michigan
4. Central Michigan
5. Ball State
6. Eastern Michigan

Mountain West Conference
1. TCU
2. Boise State
3. San Diego State
4. Air Force
5. Wyoming
6. Colorado State
7. UNLV
8. New Mexico

Pac-12
North
1. Stanford
Stanford lost their coach, Jim Harbaugh, to the NFL but a whole cast of characters return from a team that won 12 games in 2010 including Heisman candidate Andrew Luck.
2. Oregon
With both their super talented quarterback (Darron Thomas) and their super talented runningback (LaMichael James) returning, the Ducks will once again have the best offense in the country.
3. Oregon State
With a much easier schedule than they had in 2010, the Beavers should finish with a much better record.
4. California
For the Golden Bears to be successful, they need to start turning close losses into close wins.
5. Washington
Despite the loss of quarterback Jack Locker, the Huskies should still have a respectable offense. If their defense improves, they'll make another bowl.
6. Washington State
The Cougars probably won't win more than three games.

South
1. Arizona State
The Sun Devils should be big, fast, and experienced.
2. Utah
QB Jordan Wynn and the rest of the Utes will conted for a Pac-12 title in their first season in the league.
3. USC
If the Trojans can figure out to how stop their opponents on defense, quarterback Matt Barkley will lead them to the top of the Pac-12 South.
4. UCLA
The Bruins had flashes of brilliance in 2010. If they can establish a passing attack in 2011, they may wind up being a top 25 team.
5. Arizona
Arizona lost their last five games of last season. Not a very good sign for the upcoming season although the good news is that their best player, Nick Foles returns for another season.
6. Colarado
The Buffaloes have one of the best running backs in the country in 5-6 Rodney Stewart, but they will need to improve their pass defense to have a successful season in their first year in the Pac-12.

SEC
East
1. Florida
Will Muschamp is the new head coach in Gainesville. He inherits one of the most talented teams in the country. He also inherits a team that went through an up-and-down season in 2010 as they struggled to find an offensive rythem. Expect a more consistent offensive attack in '11 with Charlie Weis now calling the plays.
2. South Carolina
Questions at QB still linger, but there is no questioning South Carolina's speed. They'll need a big season from RB Marcus Lattimore.
3. Georgia
The Bulldogs were a huge disappointment in 2010 as they finished with a losing record. If the 'Dogs don't bounce back, Mark Richt's job might be in jeopardy.
4. Tennessee
Tennessee won four games in a row to make a bowl in 2010. They will try to take the momentum from that stretch into 2011.
5. Kentucky
Unless they make major improvements on defense, the Wildcats probably won't make a bowl in 2011.
6. Vanderbilt
The Commodores will not be able to recapture the magic from '08 in '11.

West
1. Alabama
The Crimson Tide lose some key players from 2010 and question marks surround the QB position, but Alabama still might have the most all-around talent in the country and should be the team to beat in the SEC.
2. LSU
The Tigers know how to win big games and they know how to win close games. They should be in the running for a National Title in 2011.
3. Mississippi State
If the Bulldogs offense is as good as it could be, they could be a top-ten team.
4. Auburn
Some fellow named Cam Newton is gone but a bunch of big fast defenders will keep Auburn in games if their offense struggles.
5. Arkansas
Mallet is gone but Tyler Wilson should keep Arkansas' offense moving.
6. Ole Miss
The Rebels are burried beneath a pack of talented teams in the SEC West.

Sun Belt
1. FIU
2. Troy
3. Florida Atlantic
4. Middle Tennessee
5. Arkansas State
6. Louisiana-Monroe
7. Louisiana-Laffeyette
8. Western Kentucky
9. North Texas

WAC
1. Nevada
2. Freno State
3. Hawaii
4. Idaho
5. Louisiana Tech
6. Utah State
7. New Mexico State
8. San Jose State

Soccer Players Named Diouf

2011-07-28T01:22:00.021-04:00

Recently, within the soccer community of my bedroom (population: 1) there has been a great deal of confusion regarding soccer players -- footballers, if you will -- with the last name Diouf. With some time and a little fancy Google/Wikipedia maneuvering I have figured out which Diouf is which. And, ~~lucky~~ you get the pleasure of reading the fruits of my ~~loins~~ research. Here is a summary of my studies:

EL HADJI MAD!
No, but seriously, don't laugh.
He's probs about to spit on that guy.

El Hadji Ousseynou Diouf - From Wikipedia: "A Senegalese footballer who currently plays for Blackburn Rovers, known for his versatility, [El Hadji] can play on both wings as well as in attack. He has also garnered a large amount of notoriety for a series of controversial incidents." The "controversial incidents" to which the fine people at Wikipedia refer largely involve Diouf spitting at people. Once on an 11 year old! He's also big in the meme community. Visit this and this, if you're looking for some L to the O, L's. El Hadji is easily the most talented Diouf out there and by far the most interesting. Basically what I'm saying is it's only downhill from here, folks.

UPDATE: Also there's this. Woah...

(Click here to keep reading)

Dame Diouf - El Hadji's big brother. Also from Senegal. Retired. Played defense for Hannover 96, some German team. Had a big butt and wore short-shorts. Highlights. Keep it movin'. Next Diouf.

Mame Biram Diouf:
easily the best picture of any Diouf.

Mame Biram Diouf - "Mame Biram Diouf (born 16 December 1987) is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a forward for English club Manchester United and the Senegal national football team." This Diouf seems to be less rage-ful than El Hadji. Though I am one of the most prominent Diouf experts around, I can't say with much certainty that Mame isn't rage-ful, too. However, I do base my assumption primarily on what a nice man he looks like in his pics. Little bit of 50 Cent there, no? Mame Biram, like El Hadji, once played for the Blackburn Rovers. Blackburn is well known for having a vast monopoly on Dioufs amongst people who know a thing or two about a thing or two. Ask anyone. Prove me wrong. I dare you.

He does have a Facebook fan-club page with 93 members. Additionally, Mame Biram used to go by the last name Diaraf. Dunno why. If you really care so much, Google it yourself. I've already gone above and beyond my Diouf-related call of duty. BTW, you're a creep if you care enough to Google that and/or if you haven't stopped reading this yet.

Mame Mbar Diouf - One thing I didn't mention about Mame Biram Diouf is that he, like El Hadji, has a brother. His brother is named Mame Mbar and Mame Mbar balls. He balls like Spalding and he balls like Rawlings. Catch him, he's balling. It's kinda weird that the parents of the Mame brothers gave them both the same name. Then again, I dunno shit about Senegalese naming customs. Who the fuck am I to call it weird?

Pape Pate Diouf gets straight doofy.

Pape Paté Diouf - "Pape Paté Diouf (born April 4, 1986) is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays for FC Copenhagen in Denmark as a Winger." There's nothing notable about this Diouf except that he's bffs with Mame Biram. Before Mame married ("mame'ed"?) his current wifey (Mary Orten, duh), he disappeared for several days with his best man, Pape Paté. The two Dioufs in crime refuse to tell anyone where they were or what/who they were doing. My best guess? Out doofing and slaying biddies.

Also, I should add, this is his name. No joke necessary.

Pape Mamadou Diouf - "Pape Mamadou Diouf (born 31 December 1982) is an Senegalese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. Currently, he plays in the Championnat de France amateur for Vesoul Haute-Saône." In other words, same weird first and last name as Pape Paté Diouf, different weird middle names. However, I'm pretty sure they're not brothers like the brothers Mame. Also, Pops used to play for a Senegalese team named Joan of Arc. So that seems pretty relevant and noteworthy.

Mignane Diouf - "Mignane Diouf (born February 1, 1989 in Saly) is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays [forward] for Montreal Impact in the North American Soccer League, on loan from Diambars." Mignane is well known as one of the few Dioufs who doesn't have his middle name all up over the internets. His nickname is not "Filet Mignane"... yet...

Mor Diouf - "Mame Mor Diouf (born 16 August 1988 in Dakar) is a professional Senegalese football player, who currently plays [defense] for Maritzburg United in the South African Premier Soccer League." Just when you thought you couldn't handle any more Diouf: Mor Diouf!

Birame Diouf - "Birame Diouf (born on 2 July 1984 in Tiébissou) is an Ivorian professional footballer, who currently plays [striker] for Thai Premier League clubside Samut Songkhram F.C." Aside from being the only non-Senegalese Diouf, the only thing interesting about this Diouf is that he once played for a Thai team named Muang Thong United. That's basically all I got on Birame. Tank's clearly running low here, so wrapping this up ASAP is def in the best interest of all parties concerned.

Conclusion: In conclusion, I would like to conclude by asking what have we learned about the Diouf soccer players of the world. Most hail from Senegal. Most sorta look like Akon. Most have lots of names. Most aren't actually good at soccer. That's about it. Any other conclusions you've got, please toss those bad boys down into the comment section below. Much obliged and I truly hope you enjoyed reading this, doofuses.

UPDATE PT. II: I missed a Diouf. There is a third Pape Diouf: Pape Alione Diouf. He must feel so 'alione' being left out and all. (And seriously, I didn't even plan that.) As a matter of fact, Pape Alione actually seems to be somewhat decent at kicking rubber spheres through grassy meadows. He plays forward for Dakar, a soccer club in Senegal.

In lieu of this apparent never-ending stream... saga, even... of new Diouf-related knowledge, nonsense, and news, I think that this blog post ought to be a running diary of mine as I learn more about the different Dioufy soccer players and post interesting tidbits for my readers and fellow Diouf fans. I implore all to join me on this journey and I promise it will prove to be a fruitful one. Expect more to come.

A Look At The Celtics' Draft Picks

2011-06-24T17:15:00.000-04:00

JaJuan Johson (AP)

The Celtics got two players out of last night's draft and a second round pick in the 2014 draft. The Celtics originally used their 25th overall pick to draft Marshon Brooks. They then immediately traded him to New Jersey for the Nets' 27th pick, JaJuan Johnson. Johnson played all four seasons in college at Purdue. In his senior season, he averaged over 20 points and eight rebounds per game. Despite being 6-10, Johnson can score around the rim and on jumpers. With their second round pick, the Celtics took Johnson's teammate in college, combo guard E'Twaun Moore. Moore averaged 18 points per game his senior year. He also drained 40% of his threes. The Celtics needed size coming into the draft and they got it with Johnson. Johnson has a big frame and could fit right into the Celtics' rotation of big men. He also is similar to Kevin Garnett in that he can make a wide variety of mid-range jumpers including turnarounds and fadeaways. Also, having spent all four years in college, Johnson probably possess a more polished game that most rookies. Ideally, he will immediatly fit in and be a contributor for the Celts. While Moore also is athletic and a good shooter, he may wind up getting lost in the Celtics mix of backup combo guards.

Reggie Goes To OKC

2011-06-24T16:38:00.000-04:00

Just when it was looking like there was a considerable chance that the Reggie Jackson would stay in Boston and be drafted by the Celtics, the former Eagle got scooped by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 24th pick in last night's NBA Draft, one pick before the Celtics'. The decision by the Thunder came as a bit of a surprise as Jackson does not exactly fit any of their needs. Reggie, who spent three years at Boston College, is an athletic shooting guard who still could use some work on the defensive end. In his junior season at BC, Jackson was by far the Eagles' best player and averaged over 18 points per game while leading BC to an NIT appearance. Reggie is the first Eagle to be drafted since 2007.

Six Stanley Cup Championships For The Bruins

2011-06-16T15:57:00.000-04:00

Bruins coach Claude Julien holds up the trophy. (AP)

The 2011 Stanley Cup Finals took seven games to be decided. And, like the first two times in the 2011 playoffs the Bruins were forced to play in a game seven, the Bruins won. Last night, the Bruins won 4-0 over
the Vancouver Canucks and won the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1972. Led by their superstar goalie, Tim Thomas, the Bruins came back from an 0-2 series deficit to take down Vancouver. Thomas pitched a shutout in Game Four of the series in a 4-0 Bruins victory that tied the series 2-2 and denied the Canucks any goal again last night. Coming into Game Seven, the Bruins were 0-3 in Vancouver during the Finals but they chose the right time to get a win on the road as they stunned the home Canucks fans with the win last night. There were several riots from angry fans in Vancouver following the game. In Boston, there is plenty to celebrate about. The Bruins will hold a victory parade at 11:00 AM on Saturday.

US Soccer Enters Gold Cup After Loss To Spain

2011-06-05T11:51:00.000-04:00

In front of a huge crowd at Gillette Stadium yesterday the United States Soccer team got pounded by Spain, the top team in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, in an international friendly. Spain was robbed of a goal early by a bad offsides call but got on the score board in the 28th minute on a goal from Santi Cazorla. Cazorla finished the game with two goals and both Alvaro Negredo and Fernando Torres scored goals in a 4-0 Spain route. While there is no shame in losing to Spain, the United States' defense really looked outmatched against Torres, Negredo and the rest of the Spanish attack. The United States will look to get back on track against Canada this Tuesday in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The United States is in Group C of the Gold Cup, along with Canada, Panama, and Guadeloupe. The United States are the favorite in the group. After their game with Canada, at Ford Field in Detroit, they will head to Tampa for a match with Panama on Saturday and then to Kansas City for a game with Guadeloupe. Group A of the Cup includes Javier Hernandez and Mexico, Cuba, El Salvador, and Cost Rica. Guatemala, Jamaica, Honduras, and Grenada make up Group B . In the last Gold Cup, the 2009 Gold Cup, the United States made it to the Finals but lost to Mexico 5-0 in the Final. The United States did win the Cup in 2007 as Landon Donovan and Benny Feilhaber each scored goals in a 2-1 US victory over Mexico. Another US-Mexico Gold Cup Final could be on the horizon and the US would surely like to dish out revenge for the 5-0 defeat in 2009. While the United States will not be facing the world-class talent of Spain in the Gold Cup, their defense will have to better than it was yesterday or they will not return to the Gold Cup Final.

Game One Of The Stanley Cup Finals Tonight

2011-06-01T18:11:00.000-04:00

The Boston Bruins will take on the Vancouver Canucks tonight in the opening game of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. The game will begin at 8:00 PM at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver and will be televised on NBC. The Bruins finished off the Tampa Bay Lightening with a 1-0 victory in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals. Nathan Horton scored the lone goal of that game. The Canucks beat the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Finals in five games. They beat the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference Semifinals 4-2 and the Chicago Blackhawks in the opening round 4-3. The Canucks are lead by twin brothers Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Their starting goalie is Roberto Luongo. Tim Thomas, the Bruins' goalie, has been excellent in the playoffs so far. The Bruins will need him to continue to play well to have a chance to win the series. A win tonight would be huge for the Bruins' chances to win the Stanley Cup Finals.

2011 NBA Finals Breakdown

2011-05-30T13:23:00.001-04:00

The 2011 NBA Finals will be played between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. It is a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals, which Miami won. Below is a position-by-position breakdown of how the two teams stack up:

PG: Jason Kidd vs. Mike Bibby
Both teams will start veteran point guards. Neither guard is going to score a lot or shoot a high percentage. Kidd is still valuable to the Mavericks because he runs their offense and can make big shots. Bibby does not have a large role in Miami's offense and will probably sit on the bench for long stretch. He has struggled to find his jumpshot in the playoffs.
ADVANTAGE: Mavericks

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SG: Deshawn Stevenson vs. Dwayne Wade
Like Kidd, Stevenson is a low percentage shooter who does not score much, but Stevenson's role is considerably smaller than Kidd's because Stevenson is not a good passer or rebounder. Wade is an elite player and led the Heat to their Championship in 2006.
ADVANTAGE: Heat

SF: Shawn Marion vs. Lebron James
Shawn Marion will be very important to the Mavericks during the NBA Finals. Marion is long and a good defender. He will need to slow down James, who is arguably the best player on earth. The Heat are 4-0 when Lebron scores 33 points or more during the playoffs. Marion, who also offers efficient scoring on offense, has no chance of cancelling out James, he just needs to slow him down a little.
ADVANTAGE: Heat

PF: Dirk Nowitzki vs. Chris Bosh
Nowitzki has been the best player in the playoffs this year. Bosh is the third part of Heat's threesome of stars. It has been an up and down postseason for Bosh, who was shut down by Kevin Garnett in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but he played well in th Conference Finals against Chicago. Dirk was absolutely fantastic in the Western Conference Finals against OKC. Bosh and the Heat should try to keep him off of the foul line.
ADVANTAGE: Mavericks

C: Tyson Chandler vs. Joel Anthony
Anthony, who almost never scores, was promoted to starter during these playoffs. He will be defending Tyson Chandler, who has a big height advantage over Anthony. Chandler is a good rebounder who can finish around the rim. Chandler is the better player and will try to use his height advantage to help the Mavericks.
ADVANTAGE: Mavericks

Bench: Mavericks vs. Heat
Miami's bench is not great as it was thrown together after the off season additions of James and Bosh. Udonis Haslem is probably their best player off the bench. He is a solid scorer and rebounder. Eddie House, Mike Miller, and James Jones are all good three point shooters. Zydrunas Ilgauskas brings size off the bench and Mario Chalmers backs up Bibby. The Mavericks have a more talented bench that features spark plug point guard J.J. Barea and knockdown shooter Jason Terry. Terry is one of the best sixth men in the league and will log a majority of the minutes at shooting guard. Peja Stojakovic is still an effective player when healthy. Brendan Haywood is the Mavs' physical backup center.
ADVANTAGE: Mavericks

The Bruins Are Our Only Hope

2011-05-24T15:28:00.000-04:00

The Patriots and the Celtics both fell in the playoffs. The Pats went down to their rival, the New York Jets. Next, the Celtics were eliminated in just five games by the Miami Heat. Now, it is up to the Bruins to get the city of Boston a major championship for the 2010-2011 season of sports.

The Bruins have not won a Stanley Cup since 1972, but this could be their year. Lead by goalie Tim Thomas, the B's beat the Montreal Canadians 4-3 in the opening round of the playoffs, as they won games Four, Five, and Seven of the series in overtime. The Bruins then breezed by the Philadelphia Flyers, sweeping them and winning games Three and Four 5-1 each. The Bruins are now in the Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightening.

It was all Lightening in Game One, as the Lightening scored three goals in under two minutes to take a 3-0 lead during the first period. The score at the end of the period was 3-1 and Tampa Bay coasted to a 5-2 victory. Game Two was a shootout, with a combined 11 goals scored. The Bruins scored 5 goals in the second period to earn a 6-5 victory. During the game, the Lightening removed their usual starting goalie, Dwayne Roloson (who allowed six goals in the game), in favor of backup Mike Smith. Roloson returned and played all of Game Three and allowed only two goals, but the Lightening could not get the puck past Thomas, as the Bruins got a 2-0 victory and took a 2-1 series lead. In Game Four, the Bruins took a 3-0 lead in the opening period, but Tampa Bay bounced back and scored five unanswered goals to earn a much-needed victory that tied the series at 2-2. Roloson was taken out of Game Four after allowing all three Bruins goals. Mike Smith got his first start of the series last night in Game Five, but was outplayed by Thomas as the Bruins won 3-1.

The Bruins now have a 3-2 lead in the Conference Finals and need one victory to get to the Stanley Cup Finals where they would probably play the Vancouver Canucks. Game Six of the Bruins' series with Tampa Bay will be played on Wednesday in Tampa at 8:00. Their is still a chance a new Championship Banner will be hanging in the Garden next season.

The Celtics Need Three: They Can Do It With 'D'

2011-05-10T17:35:00.000-04:00

After their 98-90 loss at the TD Garden last night, the Celtics now trail in the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series with the Miami Heat three to one. The loss was the Celtics' first at home during the playoffs. The pressure is now on the Celts, who need to win three straight against Miami to win the series and move on to the Conference Finals. Game Five will be played in Miami. The Celtics have not won in Miami in their last three chances. If they can not reverse that trend, the series will be over.

The Celtics are certainly in a tough position, but they may still have a chance. They won four straight against New York in the opening round this season, and went on three game winning streaks against three different teams in the playoffs last season (Miami, Cleveland, and Orlando). At one point during the 2010 playoffs they went on a six-game winning streak, spanning the Cleveland and Orlando series'. How did they accomplish that? With their defense. During that six game winning streak, the Celtics only allowed more than 88 points once (92 points against the Magic). In the postseason last year, the Celtics lost every single game in which they allowed their opponent to score over 100 points. That trend has continued this season; they are 0-3 in games they have allowed their opponent to score 98 points or more (all against the Heat). While the Celtics played a Championship level defense in stretches last night, they were woeful defensively in the overtime, allowing 12 points. The Celtics will need to play great defense for all of Game Five, Game Six, and Game Seven to win the series. They have proven that they are capable of doing so, but they only have done it in Game Three of this series (a 97-81 Celtics win).

Game Five will is scheduled for a 7:00 PM start in the American Airlines Arena this Wednesday and will be televised on TNT. If the Celtics can hold the Heat to less than 90 points, they will have an excellent chance of coming home to Boston for Game Six. Let's hope that they do!

Reggie Jackson Decides To Stay In The Draft

2011-05-08T10:59:00.000-04:00

Reggie Jackson has announced that he will remain in the upcoming NBA Draft instead of returning to Boston College for his senior season. Reggie had a huge junior season in which he averaged over 18 points per game and shot over 50% from the field. NBA Draft Express projects him going 23rd in their most recent mock draft. ESPN.Com predicts Reggie to go 19th in the draft.

The 2011-2012 Boston College basketball team's chances took a blow with the announcement. BC went 21-13 last season, but will lose their entire starting lineup from that team. The Eagles will come into next season without a single player who averaged five points per game during the 2010-2011 season. Their starting lineup could look something like this: PG-Gabe Moton (Sophomore), SG-Danny Rubin (Sophomore), SF-Matt Humphrey (Junior-Transfer from Oregon), PF-Ryan Anderson (Freshman), C-Kyle Caudill (Freshman). The Eagles will be extremely young an inexperienced. They will probably need big years from several of their freshman. Ryan Anderson appears to be a promising player. ESPN ranked him as a four star recruit and as one of the top 100 recruits for 2011. The Eagles will also get some size with the group of freshman. Kyle Caudill stands at 6'11" and Dennis Clifford is 6'10". Even if some of the Eagles freshman have big years, it may be a long season for BC Basketball.

The Celtics Have Dug Themselves A Hole

2011-05-05T18:00:00.000-04:00

The Celtics struggled in Miami.(AP)

With two weak performances in Miami, the Celtics trail the Heat 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Heat controlled Game One from start to finish, winning by a final tally of 99-90. In Game Two, the Heat used a 14-0 fourth quarter run to win 102-91. The Celtics were unable to find a groove in the opening two games in Miami and now return to Boston in serious need of a win. Miami's "Big Three" has played much better so far than Boston's. Dwayne Wade scored 38 in Game One and 28 in Game Two. Lebron James scored 22 and then 35. The Celtics' "Big Three" combined for only 36 points in Game Two. They have not done a great job defensively, either. The most points the Knicks scored against them in any of the opening round games was 96. Miami has already topped that mark in both of the games in the current Celtics series. The good news for the Celtics is that Shaquille O'Neal is expected to play in Game Three. He has not played since early April. Game Three will be played at 8:00 PM this Saturday at the TD Garden and will be broadcast by ABC. The Celtics will need to defend their home court to have a chance to win the series.

NBA First Round Recap

2011-04-30T11:55:00.002-04:00

Despite the fact that no series went to seven games, the opening round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs was was one of the most exciting in recent memory. It included one major upset and a number of thrilling games. Below are recaps of all eight opening round matchups.

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Eastern Conference:

Chicago Bulls Over Indiana Pacers 4-1

The Pacers kept things close in all but the deciding Game Five, and avoided the sweep with a win in Game Four, but had no answer for Derrick Rose, who averaged 27.6 points per game in the series. The Pacers did get a big series out of Danny Granger, who averaged almost 22 points per game.

Miami Heat Over Philadelphia 76ers 4-1

The Heat generally dominated the 76ers in this series, although Miami struggled early in every game but Game Two. Their offense seemed totally out of rhythm when Mike Bibby was running it. Bibby, who started all five games, shot below 22% on the series and only played for four minutes in Game Five. The Heat won't be able to survive such slow starts in their second round meeting against the Celtics. Mario Chalmers, who scored 20 points in Game Five, will most likely log the majority of the minutes at point guard in the second round.

Boston Celtics Over New York Knicks 4-0

After a pair of tight games in Boston, the Celtics controlled Games Three and Four in MSG, earning their first sweep since the additions of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Carmelo Anthony was superb at times, but was not consistent for the Knicks. Amar'e Stoudemire was great in Game One, but had problems with back spasms from that point on and was largely ineffective.

Atlanta Hawks Over Orlando Magic 4-2

Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford were scoring machines in this upset. The Magic got a big series out of Dwight Howard, but no one else really seemed to show up for Orlando, allowing the Heat to win the series with relative ease. This was the worst season for Orlando since the 2007-2008 season. They will probably make some moves in the off-season.

Western Conference:

Memphis Grizzlies Over San Antonio Spurs 4-2

In the big upset of the first round, the Grizzlies took down the Spurs. The Spurs had no answer for the Grizzlies' big man tandem of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Randolph terrorized the Spurs, going for 25 points or more four times. Gasol grabbed 17 rebounds twice. The Spurs meanwhile, struggled to keep up with Memphis at times. They did get a remarkable series from Manu Ginobili, who played through pain to average over 20 points per game.

Los Angeles Lakers Over New Orleans Hornets 4-2

Chris Paul was incredible throughout this opening round series, but the Lakers all-around talent was too much for Paul and the Hornets to handle. Kobe Bryant was dominant in stretches during the series, scoring 34 points in Game One, 30 in Game Three, and getting to the line 10 times in Game Six on his way to 24 points. He was effective enough for the Lakers to win the series. The series was tied 2-2 at one point, but the Lakers dominated Games Five and Six to eliminate New Orleans.

Dallas Mavericks Over Portland Trail Blazers 4-2

The Trailblazers had their moment (A comeback from 23 points down led by Brandon Roy in Game Four) but the Mavericks were able to comeback from the stunning loss and win Games Five and Six. Dirk Nowitzki had a monster series, averaging over 27 points per game. When he plays at that level, the Mavs are a scary team.

Oklahoma City Thunder Over Denver Nuggets 4-1

Durant, Westbrook, and the Thunder quickly eliminated Denver with a close victory in Game Five, setting up what should be a very exciting matchup between OKC and Memphis. The Thunder and the Grizzlies are two very young and talented teams. The Thunder are the better offensive team, but the Grizzlies have the advantage on defense. That series should be a lot of fun!

The Celtics Are Resting and Waiting

2011-04-27T18:01:00.000-04:00

By beating the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden over the weekend in games three and four of their first round series, the Celtics swept New York and earned some well deserved rest. Tonight, the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers will face off in Game Five of their seven game series. The Heat lead 3-1. The Celtics will eventually play the winner of that series. The fact that the Celtics are having some time to rest up before round two could be huge for a team that only has one starter younger than 32 years old. Last year, the Celtics quickly took care of the Miami Heat in the first round, winning the series in five games, and looked fresh coming into the second round, blowing out the Cavaliers in Cleveland by 18 points on the road in Game Two on their way to a 4-2 series victory. Currently, the only player with a major ailment on the Celtics is Shaquille O'Neal, who has an injured calf. Shaq, who has not played since April third, ideally would be ready to get back into NBA action in game one of the second round against either Philly or Miami (probably Miami). If he is not ready to go, Jermaine O'Neal will start the series at center as he did against the Knicks. The tougher the 76ers can make the series for Miami, the better, because a tired Miami team would be at a disadvantage against a fresh Celtics team. If Philly comes back and beats Miami, the Celtics would not only have a rest advantage, but also a talent advantage. Because of that, the Celtics should be rooting for the 76ers, as they wait for the second round.

The Celtics Are In Control

2011-04-20T15:11:00.002-04:00

Two games. Two fantastic finishes. Two Celtics wins. The Celtics took a 2-0 lead in their first round series with the New York Knicks last night, winning by a final score of 96-93.

The Celtics trailed by a single point with 19 seconds left in the game but had the ball. Following two timeouts, the Celtics inbounded the ball to Kevin Garnett who had position on the block and dribbled left before flipping a shot over his left shoulder that fell through the net and gave the Celtics the lead. The Knicks called timeout and attempted to draw up a play to win the game, but they could not get a shot up before Kevin Garnett stole the ball from Jared Jeffries with about four and a half seconds left. After a Celtics timeout, the C's were able to run nearly four seconds off the clock before Delonte West was fouled and made two free throws. With under a second left and no timeouts remaining, the Knicks could only heave a full court shot that missed as time expired.

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The Celtics' execution in the final moments was near perfect, while the Knicks' execution was poor for the second straight game. First of all, the Knicks used up their final timeout with 13 seconds left. It was their third timeout in the previous 36 seconds. Because of that, they could not call time and advance the ball for a final shot after West's freethrows. Also, they had considerably less time left than they should have, because Carmelo Anthony, who was the hero of the night for New York, showed no urgency in fouling West, allowing precious time to tick off of the clock.

The Celtics now have a stranglehold on the series, leading 2-0, and the Knicks have plenty of question marks. Anthony carried New York last night (42 points, 17 rebounds) who were without Chauncey Billups (knee injury) the entire game, and Amar'e Stoudemire (back spasms) for most of the game. If both are out in game three, (Friday night in Madison Square Garden) the Knicks will be in trouble, especially if Carmelo is not as dominant.

Rajon Rondo was huge for the Celtics in Game Two, scoring 30 points, but the Celtics also got solid performances out of Allen, Pierce, and the hero, Garnett. Garnett scored 12 points, but also seemed to be the only Celtic who was getting rebounds, as he grabbed ten boards. Pierce had a huge third quarter and finished with 20 points, while Ray scored 18 and was four for four on threes.

The Celtics now need to win two more, and, if necessary, they will have five chances to do so, starting on Friday night in New York.