Tim Tebow of Florida is the obvious front-runner. But there are some others who will make a strong case; RB Noel Devine of West Virginia, QB Pat White of West Virginia, QB Chase Daniel of Mizzou, RB Beanie Wells of OSU, QB Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, RB Knowshon Moreno of Georgia, WR Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech, U Jeremy Maclin of Mizzou, QB Max Hall of BYU, and RB Joe McKnight of USC. Sleepers: PJ Hill of Wisconsin, WR/RB Percy Harvin of Florida and QB Colt McCoy of Texas. My three way-too-early early picks are Knowshon Moreno (Georgia), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) and Chase Daniel (Mizzou)
19- Can LSU repeat?
Heck yeah! A few things have to happen, but the odds are good they can repeat. If Miles can get his QB situation under control, then this could be a special year for the Tigers. Their schedule is what dreams are made of. They play eight games at home, and four on the road, including at Auburn, at Florida and at Arkansas to close out their campaign. If they don't slip up at South Carolina and beat Georgia in Death Valley, they have a solid shot at being undefeated. The Georgia game is the big question mark in terms of them being undefeated, but they can still win the division crown since Georgia is in the SEC East, and LSU is in the West. Playing in any BCS bowl is not an unrealistic expectation for the defending champs, and neither is getting to the Big Dance.
18- Will Michigan contend for the Big Ten crown?
Sorry Wolverines fans, I just don't see this happening. This is a rebuilding year, wait, a revamping year, and you need to be patient. The no-huddle spread offense is being installed, and when you consider the Big Blue has pro set prototype players, I can't forsee anything but a lot of hiccups. The good news, however, is that this team will be a lot more exciting to watch, and because they are running an offense that is very un-Big Ten-like, the Wolverines could catch some unsuspecting teams off guard. The bad news is they play at a dying-for-respect Notre Dame, at Penn State, at Purdue, at Ohio State, and host Wisconsin and Illinois after the Irish game. Their opener against Utah, at the Big House, will be the litmus test for how well they responded to Coach Rich Rodriguez.
17- Will Oklahoma finally be back in the driver's seat and play for the Championship?
This question is fire-hot. Their quarterback Sam Bradford had the best stats of any FBS team last year. Then there is their schedule- as forgiving as one can get. They travel only five times this year, but host Texas and Kansas in back-to-back games. They also get Nebraska and Texas Tech at home, and if they can keep Tech's fireworks down to a low ceiling, they could go undefeated. That's a big if, but Stoops is bent on reversing their current 0-4 BCS bowl streak, and you have to like their chances with the perfect schedule.
16- Is the Pac-10 top-heavy again this year?
Uh...yes. Look for two teams to battle it out for the Pac-10 crown- USC and Arizona State. The rest of the pack will try and be spoilers. Oregon doesn't have Dennis Dixon, but could still make some noise and will be competitive. UCLA has lost 25 seniors- 17 of which were starters- and has a serious quarterback controversy playing out in Westwood. Cal will inexplicably drop two or three games that they should have won, and Oregon State will upset someone huge, but lose to someone they shouldn't have. Only Oregon State, at this point, looks to be the sleeper in the Pac-10; Arizona, Wazzu, U Dubya, and Stanford will once again be in the bottom tier.
15- Will someone other than Va Tech and Boston College step up to the ACC plate?
Yes, and that team will be North Carolina. Butch Davis has amassed too many fantastic recruiting classes to let the talent go to waste. They will contend for the crown. Florida State looks to be the same- full of hope, and unfortunately, too much hype- and the cheating scandals really put a downer on the 'Noles' fans. Miami could see a resurgence, but I still think they are a year away from making a good charge. Boston College doesn't have Matt Ryan anymore, so you have to wonder just how strong they will be.
Georgia Tech still hasn't recovered from losing Reggie Ball a couple of years ago, but they should be competitive, and Frank Beamer will have his Hokies ready for another solid year. Clemson should be causing chaos in the conference and should win the Atlantic division, but why do I think they will #### a few games they should have won? Duke and North Carolina State will both suffer a bad year, and Virginia's hopes will be crushed in their home opener against USC. It's status quo in the ACC, with North Carolina making it tougher this year.
14- Will Weis finally get Notre Dame on track?
No. The problem with Notre Dame is not the players. It's their coach. How desperate is Charlie Weis? He turned over the offense to his OC. Considering that Weis is known as an offensive genius, this is concerning. There is nothing good to come out of this- if the offensive output gets better-and when you are ranked dead last in offense, is there anywhere else but to go up?- then it makes him look overrated as an offensive guru. If the offense still remains the same, then Weis made a poor coaching decision. Either way, perhaps Weis should update his resume?
Weis is in a giant hole, but it's not entirely his fault. Their sked is difficult, and there are only two guaranteed wins, with a third possible one against Pitt. Couple that all in with discontent in South Bend (Zack Frazer and Konrad Reuland gone and Prince leaving), there's some Irish Stew cooking.
13- Who are on the short list to be BCS crashers?
Fresno State, BYU, Southern Miss, Florida Atlantic and Central Florida. They all have BCS-worthy schedules, and all made strong statements last year. Fresno State looks to be the heavy favorite, but BYU is a close second.
12- Which new first year coach will have the most success?
You have to go with Bobby Petrino. Granted, he lost his stable of horses in the backfield, his star receiver Monk in addition to some key players in the secondary, and he has that killer four week stretch against Texas, Alabama, Florida and Auburn. But he does have Ryan Mallett, who is awaiting word on whether or not he will have to sit out this year from the NCAA and lots of veterans returning on both lines. It really all depends on how the offense adjusts to the new, wide open offensive schemes. The talent is there, it's just raw. If the Hogs come out of this season with a winning record, then that will have been a huge success.
11- Will Ohio State contend again for the BCS crown?
Yes, but they will have to work much harder to get there. An undefeated or one-loss season will not guarantee them a BCS Championship game berth anymore. For two years in a row, the Buckeyes have not lived up to the expectations of their fans, and more pointedly, the pollsters. Their one loss last year to Illinois was a tell-tale sign of things to come when the Illini got spanked by USC in the Rose Bowl. Tressel will have to score a lot of points against every team to make a strong case, and will have to beat USC on September 13th.
Come to think of it, their entire season hinges on that game. Look at it this way- their first five games are against Youngstown State, Ohio, USC, Troy and Minnesota. If they aren't 5-0 when they host Wisconsin, then their BCS Championship dreams are toast. And are Youngstown State and Troy the two teams you really want to play before traveling to Southern California? If they beat the Trojans, then the answer is yes, but the Trojans will have traveled to Virgina for their season opener and then get a bye before Ohio State. Bottom line? The Trojans will have played a quality opponent on the road and then have had two weeks to prepare for the Buckeyes, while the Buckeyes will have played two lower-tiered teams (one an FCS school) before packing their bags and heading into the Coliseum. Their BCS dreams will be answered, one way or another, on September 13th.
10- Will there be a BCS controversy this year?
You can count on it. Last year's controversy was emphatically answered by LSU- they proved why a two-loss team deserved to play in that game. This year could get really dicey. You have the Florida-Georgia battle in the SEC's East, with one team left holding the bag. What if Florida beats Georgia, then loses to say Vanderbilt, and Georgia only has one loss? To Florida. Now what? Florida plays probable LSU for the SEC Championship crown and Georgia goes to another BCS bowl. A team that lost to Vandy could land in the title game.
The Cinderellas lurking around could also add fodder to the arguments. If Fresno State goes undefeated, and the highest rated BCS conference team has two losses, should Fresno State get a shot? What about a team that doesn't win their respective conference championship? It's not written in stone that you have to win your conference, remember? Then there's Jerry Jones' new one billion dollar stadium being finished up for the Dallas Cowboys. There's rumors that the BCS might consider that venue as a fifth bowl game in the BCS Championship series. The good news is that slowly, it's getting more to a play-off scenario- the BCS just doesn't realize it yet.
09- Will the NCAA make a decision on USC's role in Reggie-gate?
Hopefully. It's going into year three, and for all intents and purposes, a decision needs to be made. If the NCAA can't prove lack of institutional control, then move on. That seems to be the point holding up whether or not USC gets hit with some sanctions. The longer they wait, the more unfair the punishment will be. Why should players who didn't even play with Bush have to suffer the penalty? The Sooners of Oklahoma argued that exact same point when they got sanctioned, and won in their appeal. The NCAA is dragging their feet again, and setting themselves up for an automatic appeal if they do sanction the school. With precedence already established by the Sooners' appeal, this could be a slap in the face for the NCAA. In short, they have blown it.
8- Which BCS conference will prove to be the strongest?
As much as I dislike talking about conferences, everybody else uses a conference's strength as an argument as to who has the best team. And so I go into this with hesitancy. But this year looks like it will be the year of the Big 12. Oklahoma, Kansas, Mizzou, Texas and Texas Tech will all be super strong this year. All of those teams have Heisman contenders, and all of them have a chance to win the Big 12.
The SEC will drop off a little bit this year. Kentucky doesn't have 'Dre, Tenn. doesn't have Ainge, Vandy is Vandy, Mississippi State is very mediocre, Mississippi and Arkansas have new coaches, Alabama has had strong recruiting classes, but still isn't there yet and South Carolina has so many question marks, you pretty much have to peg them as a .500 team. Auburn, Florida, Georgia and LSU are the big dawgs. The rest are puppies.
The Pac-10 is very top-heavy, with USC and Arizona State on top. Oregon State, Cal and Oregon have shots of making some noise, and the rest of the Pac, Washington, Wazzu, Stanford, UCLA, and Arizona will be lucky to hit .500.
The Big 10 will be a bit more open, but I see two teams making a run for it; Ohio State and Wisconsin. Illinois is again, in the mix, but could move up to the top if Juice Williams plays more consistently, and Michigan State will make a slight whimper to stir things up a bit. Michigan, Penn State Purdue and Minnesota will be mediocre, while Indiana and Northwestern round out the bottom.
The Big East will be more exciting, and I have them pegged above the ACC, slightly. South Florida, West Virginia, Rutgers and Louisville will all be strong, and Cincy could cause a lot of trouble for these teams. UConn and Pitt will be right in the middle, and Syracuse dead last. Again.
ACC....see question 15.
#7- Which coaches will be on the hot seat if the team doesn't meet expectations?
Charlie Weis, Mike Stoops, Steve Spurrier, Tommy Bowden, Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno. Ok, those last two coaches will never be fired, and rightfully so. But there will be discontented whispers, and that may cause a new opening in the Athletic Department to come up, if the Nits and the 'Noles don't have winning seasons and/or a bowl berth. Or the conduct of their players continues to be a sore spot. Weis has already been explained in question #14, and Mike Stoops is sharing the hot seat with him. Simply put, Arizona hasn't improved, and it looks like Stoops' real talent- that of a DC- would be better served back in Norman, Oklahoma.
Steve Spurrier has been put on the hot seat because when you are making as many millions as he is, dropping five straight games after reaching #6 doesn't cut it. Throw in some questionable discipline techniques, four years to rebuild, and you have a seat dialed up to hot. Tommy Bowden's record is very good at Clemson; 87-46. Heck, he was even coach of the year in 2006. But when are we going to move past the Champs Sports Bowl, Chick-fil-A bowl and the Music City Bowl? The Tigers are loaded this year, and there is no excuse for them not to be in a BCS bowl. None.
#6- Which BCS teams will be the sleepers this year?
Sleepers are, by defintion, those teams who have not been in the mix lately. While Illinois was a sleeper last year, they are no longer flying below the radar.
ACC- North Carolina SEC- Mississippi State Pac- 10- Oregon State Big Ten- Michigan State Big East- Cincinnati Big 12- Texas Tech
#5- Which teams will be the most disappointing?
You have a few teams that are on the cutting edge of being great, but just haven't been able to cross the threshold.
Kansas- they will surprise no one this year. They had their shot last year. Cal- always being mentioned in the top 25, and never living up to the expectations. Penn State- the quarterback issue and their best linebacker out for the year spells disaster. Alabama- not quite there yet, but the fans are getting impatient. It takes time to build a great team. UConn- after a surprisingly good last season, and a ton of veterans returning, I'm still not a believer. Nebraska- the fans should not expect anything, but they are Husker fans, so this will be ugly. Notre Dame- three wins should seal Charlie's fate.
#4- Which BCS teams have the softest schedule?
Clemson: Alabama, The Citadel, North Carolina State, South Carolina State, Maryland, @Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, @ Boston College, @ Florida State, Duke, @ Virginia, South Carolina. While they have two SEC teams on their schedule, the two FCS (Citadel and South Carolina State) schools wipe that out. I thought it was against NCAA rules to sked two FCS schools.
Texas Tech: Eastern Washington, @ Nevada, SMU, Massachusetts, @ Kansas State, Nebraska, @ Texas A&M, @ Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma State, @ Oklahoma and Baylor. They only have to win 2 conference games to be bowl eligible, and K State and Nebraska look like shoo-ins. Another two FCS schools scheduled make this really soft.
Indiana: Western Kentucky, Murray State, Ball State, Michigan State, @ Minnesota, Iowa, @ Illinois, Northwestern, Central Michigan, Wisconsin, @ Penn State and @ Purdue. Four road games, no Michigan or Ohio State on the sked and two FCS teams (WKU is probie FBS). Are you kidding me?
#3- Which BCS team has the hardest first half of the season?
Wisconsin, without a doubt. They start out with Akron and Marshall, then it's fasten your seat belts. They play @ Fresno State, @ Michigan, host Ohio State, then Penn State. That's as brutal as it gets. There's two losses in there for sure, most likely OSU and FSU.
#2- Which teams will win their respective BCS conferences?
Big Ten: Ohio state Pac-10: USC SEC: Georgia (with LSU in a close second place) ACC: Va Tech Big East: South Florida Big 12: Oklahoma (but Mizzou is a close second place)
20- Who will win the Heisman?
Beanie Wells
19- Can LSU repeat?
Not a chance
18- Will Michigan contend for the Big Ten crown?
Ohio State’s whipping post finishes third overall
17- Will Oklahoma finally be back in the driver's seat and play for the Championship?
They’ll be in contention early and fall off late (will likely lose in a BCS game)
16- Is the Pac-10 top-heavy again this year?
USC’s only competition is a Snoop Dogg party gone wrong (can we go ahead and pencil in their BCS invite?)
14- Will Weis finally get Notre Dame on track?
If six wins is on track
11- Will Ohio State contend again for the BCS crown?
They will likely go undefeated (even with that trip out west)
10- Will there be a BCS controversy this year?
Has there ever not been? (shh…I know UT vs USC did)
09- Will the NCAA make a decision on USC's role in Reggie-gate?
The NCAA already made their decision. USC is in Los Angeles and Los Angeles the #2 market for sports. Done!
08- Which BCS conference will prove to be the strongest?
Hahaha…please.
#2- Which teams will win their respective BCS conferences?
Big Ten: The University of Ohio State (hahaha)
Pac-10: USC
SEC: Florida…or UGA
ACC: Va Tech
Big East: South Florida
Big 12: Oklahoma
#1 BCS Championship game teams will be?
Ohio State vs Florida (rematch that everyone will hate)
Lisa - as far as too early goes this was pretty good. But, too early. And yet I'll play a little. If Missouri can finally beat OU and take care of the rest of their business then Daniel wins Heisman. However, OU has installed a no-huddle offense to make Bradford even more effective than he was last year. If this pulls off without a hitch and OU rolls...no sophomore jinx for Bradford...then why not? OU's home game against Texas is at a neutral site with 1/2 stadium one side and other 1/2...well...the other side. Texas needs to recover running game and secondary has to improve...but...Brown might have something up his sleeve. At least it sounds like it from what I have read. Sleeper into the Heisman foray...Sooner DeMarco Murray. If he fully recovers from his knee injury he is as good if not better than some of your other picks. Also, I think the NCAA has dragged this USC thing out so long they are going to end up basically passing on it. Can't have 2 high profile schools knock you down in a row. Simply easier to slowly creep away from it. Later they can say it was all much ado over nothing. Too early and a lot of if's on my part...but...it is what it is. See ya, SOONER!!!
moseby...right, I have the Bucks at Wisky....did I have them playing at The Shoe somehwere? I checked number 3 and it says "host Ohio State."
edmonspk- ok, that was brilliant, just brilliant. You don't think LSU has a chance? I do. They have a favorable sked...8 HOME games.
g....hey, I think Bradford has a great shot at the Heisman, but yes, if Mizzou beats OU, then Chase has a better shot. But Bradford put up un-godly numbers last season...I like him...and he's just a pup!
Lisa good post and pretty accurate sept Bcs For the Buckeyes the third time will be the charm after watching the spring gane theve got talent the world is yet to see just remember Small can be big and The SEC I see Georgia makeing a statement this year as for the BCS game How bout Oklahoma Ohio State- Ohio State winning it -both going in undefeated?
JW....I have no doubt OSU is good...but USC's tailbacks couldn't get positive yardage in the first half of their Spring game...the D is just a monster, and SC has a good stable of RB's.
It all depends on Sept 13th....that's the key. :)
There's also the sked. OSU has not performed up to expectations in the BCS games....the pollsters are going to be very skeptical about them losing one game and putting them in the BCS game, don't ya think? If they go undefeated, they still might have a hard sell.
my take on oregon, either we will be very goooood or ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww but hey i thought north carolina would win the NCAA in hooops so the hell with me!!!!!!!
kelly....hey, anyone could make a case for any of these teams being in the big dance: Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida, Georgia, USC and LSU. Why is it unrealistic to pick USC? A lot of pundits have either USC, OSU or Georgia as preseason #1. My picks are not out of line. ;P
ED...I realize you are a Hoosier fan, but IU is also a BCS team, and as such, should not have a probie FBS school and an FCS school on their sked. You cannot get better when you play lower division schools. See Fresno State for a perfect example.
They are in the WAC, but are getting better and better players due to the exposure they get from playing BCS teams. Sure they could play Sacramento State, but instead, they chose to play Wisky, UCLA and Rutgers. You gotta respect that sked from a WAC team when compared to a Big Ten team.
Nice read Lisa. You've already got me itching for the season to start.
Heisman- I like Wells if he gets the TD's this year. He had to share last year and it killed his stats. Otherwise, White has a great chance to run through the Big East and could win if his passing gets on target.
LSU- Not a chance. SEC is too deep.
Mich- NOT THIS YEAR, BEHIND THE REAL U of M. THE GOPHERS
Okla- Bradford keeps it up, they roll to the BCS.
Pac 10- 100% yes.
ACC- Miami is my sleeper there,as long as they stay out of trouble.Their coach has done well IMO.
Weis- Buh bye.
Crashers- FSU will contend and I like UCF. They're my team on NCAA. Golden Knights all the way. Do it for Daunte.
Coach- I really have no idea. Depends on the players too much.
UOS- Yes. They have to at the very least keep it close with USC.
Controversy- More than likely. There is always something wrong.
Reggie-gate- Kick USC out of the BCS. ;)
Strongest- I agree the Big 12 looks strong, but it is impossible to compare conferences this way unless all the teams play each other.
coach- Add Brewster to the list.
sleeper- GOLDEN GOPHS. Our mascot really isn't that bad Lise.
softies- I haven't delved in that area yet.
Tough- See above.
Champs- B-10= Gophs or OSU; P-10=USC or Stanford; SEC= Florida or UGA (QB's kill LSU, Miles can't keep his gambling ways up);ACC= V Tech or Miami; BE=WVU; B-12= Okies
DA SHIP- My dream= Gophs 35 USC 34. Reality= USC vs. Someone who I can't even pick now. Maybe the Okies.
Lisa, great post. I'm with Kal as far as itching for the season to start. Regarding BCS crashers, you know I want FSU to crash the BCS party and play Oklahoma or Missouri (or whoever wins the Big 12 title) in the Fiesta Bowl. That being said, BYU and Central Florida could take advantage if FSU loses a game along the way.
kal...lol. I like your spunk, and your loyalty. I hope they play in a bowl game so you can have a 13th game. You deserve it!
jon...yeah, Georgia is in there, unless they get tripped up in the CC or by Florida...hard to say. The other team could be any other of the ones I mentioned. Injuries are going to be critical...USC got hurt last year when Booty broke his finger and stayed in the Stanford game, and threw 4 INTs. UGH...
Lisa, I think Carroll would love to have that one back (not putting in Sanchez against Stanford). You're right, it's going to boil down to which team is the healthiest, and has the fewest costly injuries.
This year, at least from your analysis, the QB depth at USC will be much better with Aaron Corp behind Sanchez. Does that mean Mitch Mustain will transfer to a FCS school and not miss another year, since he didn't transfer to USC to be third-string (which he will probably end up being)?
lisa you know i was kidding!!!! i did like your take on oregon though...the QB issue will be a point of concern and i think yes we could be very good this year not like last year when we had the world noticing us than crash boom ####!!!!!!! i still think talking about last year, without the key injury to dixon and the other injuries we had ... i think oregon would have won the NCAA football tourney..... now what do you think???
Lisa, I like any type of football talk, any time of year. LSU lost too much talent to the NFL. I wouldn't be surprised if they upset either UGA or UF. I also wouldn't be surprised if they lost to App State, Auburn and/or Alabama.
I see them going 8-4 w/ loses to at Florida, at South Carolina, Georgia, (that's a grueling three week stretch) and Ole Miss. You heard it hear first. Ole Miss beats LSU.
Lisa - I second your comment to Kal as far as Gophers going to a bowl game. The kid is enthusiastic and extremely supportive of the Gophers. I told him once that when the Gophers get to where he wants them to be (if they get to the point where he wants them to be) then his enjoyment will be much sweeter than that of one who jumps on the bandwagon. However, Kal, there is an issue with a Golden Gopher. At least that Golden Gopher. Looks extremely odd and somewhat pathetic in the grand scheme of building a strong and competitive program. Maybe as the program gets better "Goldies" look will change and he will become more representative of a strong program. BUt, hey, you love 'em and more power to you. BOOMER SOONER!!!
Nice post. I just can't bring myself to talk heisman before the season starts. It's not you, it's me. ;)
I think the Big East is slowly showing us how wrong we were when we assumed that the ACC/Big East re-alignment would make a powerhouse out of the ACC and all but destroy the credibility of the Big East. In this case, I love to be wrong. I find the Big East to be more competitive than the Big 10 right now. I have to agree with your assesment of the Pac-10. Top-heavy. Most conferences are top-heavy, in my opinion. The Big 12 and SEC seem to me to be the strongest from top to bottom.
And of course I must take exception to your Nebraska being a dissapointment comment. I believe in hope, dreams, luck, kharma, and divine intervention. I think the expectations of Husker fans are high, but you won't get anyone to tell you that. Instead, we are hoping that the ball will bounce our way a little this year. I think if we don't lose by 40+ points and have a chance to go to a bowl game, most Husker fans will be happy.
As a Buckeye fan I have to say that of course the best possible outcome is for them to bring the hardware home this year rather than choke it away. But, I also love the fact that everybody gets all hot under the collar when they make it to the BCS championship. If you can't win it, there's nothing better than pissing off everyone else who can't either.
And they don't deserve to be referred to as the Buffalo Bills of college football. If they do then Oklahoma has to be right there with them. Both have 1-2 records in BCS championship games this decade
Great post. I agree with you on almost everything. The only places I differ is I see Florida winning the SEC and now that the precedent has been set for a sophomore winning the Heisman, I think Michael Crabtree will be the front runner if he even comes close to the stats he put up last year. I believe Crabtree will be first, followed by Tebow and Beanie Wells at 2 and 3. Even us SEC fans are looking forward to the USC-OSU game. Should be a fantastic college football game. OSU's experience versus USC's talent level. It will definitely be an instant classic, with the winner virtually punching their ticket to the NC game. My gut feeling on the NC game is USC vs. Florida. But, if Oklahoma can manage to go undefeated they could sneak in also. As for my beloved Tigers, I see us going 10-2 in the regular season with road losses to Florida and Auburn. If Auburn doesn't stumble twice, I see them winning the West and playing Florida in the SEC Championship game. LSU will finish third in conference, but will once again go BCS bowling thanks to a victory at home against Georgia.
Uhh...though my opinion may seem biased by my screen-name, Tennessee is no "puppy" in the SEC east. We do have some new coaches and a new QB, but year after year, Tenn is in the very thick of things. Just my opinion, and everybody has them. Good post Lisa.
Why should they suffer you ask, because that is the way it is? This is BS that it is taking this long anyway. If it was anyone other than USC it would have already been handled and the punishment would be harsh. Reggie lied from the beginning and so did his parents and that reflexs the school and how they have handled things.Your biased opinion is the only reason you have said what you said
Lisa, I agree to a certain point on OSU's fate. If OSU had 1 loss I don't think there is a scenario where they can get in, and I agree with your reason why (because of the last 2 BCS title games). I personally don't think that should be a factor, I don't think you should penalize a team because of what happened in previous years but it is what it is. Where I don't agree with you is an undefeated OSU might not get in the title game??? That doesn't make sense to me. If OSU were to run the table they would have road wins at USC, Whisky, Mich ST, Ill combined with home wins against Mich and Penn St. How in the world would they be left out? You can only have 1 team from the SEC, USC wouldn't be undefeated. Let’s say for Argument sake that 3 teams from BCS schools went undefeated, I would love to know who would have a better resume? I understand there are no guarantees, especially when you are dealing with the BCS but that would be a strong resume to leave out. Remember that OSU will start out the year in the top 5, it helps out a bunch to start the year near the top.
i don't know why everybody leaves the gators out! yeah they had an offseason last year but you can't count them out yet. i thimk they will make it alot further then expected. i agree with tigerfan1966. they will be good this year.
Last edited by Bravesman10 on April 23rd at 8:58 AM.
The game I most look forward to is the ASU/Georgia game. After seeing the Bulldogs destroy the Hawaii line, I fear for Carpenter's life.
My only hope is that coach DE fills in the O-line and Rudy learns how to THROW THE BALL AWAY.
If ASU's D improves as much this year as it did last year, and Rudy can show the brilliance he did his freshman year, it will be scary to see how good ASU will be.
...and by scary, it means that my hopes will be up until the end of the season, so I am even more crushed than in years past.
Lisa, Excellent article!! Just one thing I would ask of you. Don't disrespect Troy so much. They are consistantly getting better and have proven themselves to be a thorn in the side of the bigger schools. Remember what App State did to Michigan!!
Get serious, Did you watch the Florida spring game? (National TV) The big ten did not even show the scarlet and grey game on local TV. Until the big ten can have a conference championship game they should bow out of the BCS. As for the BCS, its a bunch of BS. Lets all get real and have a play off series and end all this sarcasim and the bashing. Get rid of the BCS and move on to the play off system and most of the college football fans will be happy, except those at Ohio state because based on there schedule the last couple of years they must have paid off the BCS.
GO GATORS! (In Ohio)
leon...getting TV coverage is all about what school can guarantee a huge sell-out at the stadium. With the Lakers in the playoffs, and another big school 10 miles away, it would be pretty hard for USC to fill the Coliseum. Nevertheless, I thought it was awesome watching the Gators on ESPN...it gives us football-starved fans something to crave!
leon...no disrespect to Troy....in football pools, I did very well with them in the spread! However, they are NOT a BCS team, which was the tone I was trying to inflect.
Steve...if Texas can get some sort of D on the field, then yeah, it would help McCoy's chances.
Coeds....what happened to Rudy's thumb? Surgery and only out for 3 weeks? That doesn't sound right.
Braves...I have the Gators right in there...I listed them as possible BCS contenders, IF they can shore up their secondary and establish a running game.
Lebron...I agree OSU shouldn't be penalized for past two BCS bowls, but at the same time, you have to understand the minds of pollsters. The Bucks proved to be overrated. It tends to stick in their minds.
edog...the problem with your statement is the only facts you are relying on are from what a convicted felon said. Seriously, if it was that open and shut, there would have been a conclusion by now. You don't know what Lake said was true. You are assuming it is true. Prove Bush lied. Go to TarnishedHeisman.com...they have receipts with Bush's signature, and you can tell it's forged....go to a verified site that shows Bush's signature, and compare...it's not even close!
Am I defending Bush? No...something smells. But I am also not assuming he's guilty just because of what a felon says.
remember the Duke case? Don't be so quick to assume statements are true.
Vols...puppies grow up...you lost Ainge, and there are a lot of players in hot water with the police. When I said puppies, I meant a young team.
Tiger...surprisingly, at the USC Spring game, 3/4 people I polled said they thought LSU would defend their title...and that's here in LA!
down...who said they were the Bills of football?
the best...Clausen didn't look lost...he was looking down at the turf!
olds...well, Miami's problems didn't help the conference, and FSU has some issues. The two biggies are having probs, although I like Coach Shannon..looks like he has turned the thug image back North.
g...bingo! You have to love loyal fans, and Kal is loyal...so are you.
ed...Ole Miss? Hmm....maybe, you never know...but with a new coach? Nutt is OK....but he didn't do much in Fayetteville, considering all the talent he had!
Great article, but I disagree that OSU will have a hard time getting into the NC game if they go undefeated. We all know that the TV networks have a big say in who gets in, and OSU brings lots of revenue and ratings in for the networks and conferences. It's not right and I don't like it either, but that's the way the system works. The only way I can see OSU going undefeated and not getting into the NC is 3 teams going undefeated and 2 teams effectively lobbying that OSU has had its chances and doesn't deserve another.
And OSU's running game will be absolutely crucial in the USC game. I watched Todd Boekmann in the spring game, and he still worries me. He looks as if he is always just on the edge of losing the game instead of winning it. Beanie Wells will be the key to the game for OSU, and if he can't do it, I have little faith that Boekmann can. I would say that OSU's O-line is probably better than USC's o-line, but if USC's D-line is as good as advertised it will be a great matchup to watch during the game.
And I think you underestimate Wisconsin. They have played OSU tough every single time they meet, and they have a solid team this year. That game worries me the most out of all the games other than USC, especially since it's at Camp Randall. I know I will be sweating bullets if Wisky hangs around in that one.
Last edited by Browns_and_Buckeyes_fan on April 23rd at 2:50 PM.
You know, I am almost getting to the point that I just want a bowl win. I would love to get to another National Title, but if the cost is OU losing again, then I don't think I can handle it. Mike Stoops, on the other hand, needs to get the heck out of Dodge and come back to the Sooner nation. If he came back, there will be no more disruptions in the defense. Oh well, it won't happen, but a guy can dream.
B&B....I assume OSU will lose to USC, and that would be their only loss. That scenario would cause pollsters to think twice about putting them in the BCS NC if they were the only team with one loss. :p
Sooner....man, I know how you feel. Any good bowl win is in the right direction..it has to be tough re- the last 4 BCS games. And Yes! I agree! Mikey going back to Norman would be the best situation for the Sooners...he was a great DC there, and his absence is apparent. He is not winning fans as an HC in Tuscon. Some are not born to be HC's. Look at Weis, and even Norm Chow. Great minds that are good at micromanaging, but not macromanaging.
REF #15
There is such a big program prejudice by those that are not really in the know. For example: Simply because Butch Davis is at UNC that means that he will have a successful program. Look at Holtz or Spurrier at USC.
How can you not mention Wake Forest as having a shot at the ACC title next year? Stop going with the trendy picks and do some real research!
You are crazy Texas Tech with one of the softest schedule???? If you call playing 3 pre-season top 25 teams. Tech has attempted to get different teams even higher ranked pre-season games try putting down the school that do not accept the offers. You are so West Coast/WAC/####-ant sized school biased that you can't see straight.
RedRaiderFanatic: How can you say Tech doesn't have an easy schedule this year? Yes your conference schedule may be solid, but playing SMU, Nevada, and 2 FCS (formerly, Div. 1AA) schools as your non conference shows a VERY weak schedule. I am not trying to say OU is much better this year with U-Dub, Cincy, TCU, and Tenn.- Chattanoga, but you can't argue that you have a tough schedule this year. Good luck in the Big 12 though, see you in Norman!!!!
RED...ummm...by virtue of being in the Big 12, you have to play your conf teams. The fact that u play two FCS teams tells me YOU'RE AFRAID TO PLAY THE BIG BOYS outside of your conference.
Sooner...OU has a STRONG sked...two BCS teams and two upper mid tier teams....you have a lot to be proud of. There's no comparison between your sked and TT's.
