I'm doing about average on my picks, but upsets are fewer so far. That means I'm not picking as well. Let's see if this week can reverse that.
Wednesday Sept 30
Hawaii Warriors at Lousiana Tech Bulldogs: Hawaii tends to suck away from home, but the Bulldogs are having a tough year. HAWAII
Thurs Oct 1
Colorado Buffaloes at West Virginia Mountaineers: Forget Colorado, it looks like their season is already done. WEST VIRGINIA
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at UAB Blazers: A game on CBS in the middle of the week? What time of year IS it? Despite the strange timing, I don't think the game will end strangely. UAB is a decent team, but Southern Miss is finding themselves after a rough start. SOUTHERN MISS
Friday Oct 2
Pittsburgh Panthers at Louisville Cardinals: Louisville is having a REALLY rough year. Pitt should recover nicely from last week's loss. PITT
Utah State Aggies at #22 BYU Cougars: Not much chance of an upset here. BYU
Top 25
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide at Kentucky Wildcats: Kentucky only scored seven points against Florida last week. With Alabama's defense, is a shutout likely? ALABAMA
UC Davis at #4 Boise State Broncos: Blowout. BOISE STATE
#5 Auburn Tigers at Tennessee Volunteers: Auburn's defense should give the Vols fits, but Lane Kiffin might have some tricks up his sleeve. Watch for an upset if Auburn gets overconfident. AUBURN
Arkansas Razorbacks at #6 Texas A&M Aggies: Another upset possibility, but A&M has been quiet enough that the Hogs might not get "up" enough for this game. A&M
#8 Michigan Wolverines at Michigan State Spartans: These in-state rivalries can be bitter and unpredictable, and few get as emotional as this game. The Spartans aren't terrible, despite a terrible record, so an upset is possible here, too, but I think Rich Rodriquez has the Wolverines moving well this season. MICHIGAN
#9 LSU Tigers at Georgia Bulldogs: Georgia has been looking better, but LSU is the team to bring them back down. LSU
Arkansas State Red Wolves at #10 Iowa Hawkeyes: Expect this one to be a blowout. IOWA
#11 Cincinnati Bearcats at Miami Ohio Redhawks: Not much is expected of the Big East Conference, but Cincinnati is proving to be worth a look. CINCINNATI
#13 Ohio State Buckeyes at Indiana Hoosiers: The Hoosiers played Michigan tough last week, but the Buckeyes' defense is at their peak, coming off consecutive shutouts. They won't completely shut down the Hoosiers, but they will beat them. OHIO STATE
#14 USC Trojans at Cal Golden Bears: After the beating Cal took at Oregon, nobody is expecting much from them, but Cal has beaten USC in the past. Moreover, after suffering a staggering loss like that, Cal will want to beat USC. I don't think they will, but they'll keep it close. USC
#15 Penn State Nittany Lions at Illinois Fighting Illini: The Illini offense is suffering. Penn State will keep them pinned back for most of the game. PENN STATE
Washington State Cougars at #17 Oregon Ducks: The Ducks are flying high again, and the Cougars are struggling. Not a good time for WSU to meet Oregon. OREGON
UCLA Bruins at #18 Stanford Cardinal: Here's a game with upset potential written all over it! Stanford is an up-and-down team, and last week they were up. That would seem to indicate a down week this week. UCLA is dangerous, had an extra week to prepare, and is the only unbeaten team in the Pac-10. I have to go against the Cardinal on this one. UCLA
#19 Oklahoma Sooners at Miami Hurricanes: The Hurricanes want to avoid losing two in a row, and the Sooners are still without Bradford. That gives the Miami defense more time to strike. However, an extra week to plan should help the Sooners. This game will be close, but I think the Sooners can pull it out. OKLAHOMA
Washington Huskies at #20 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Washington couldn't maintain their high level of emotional play after the USC win. They don't have as much incentive to beat the Irish, while the Irish still have something to prove. NOTRE DAME
#21 Virgina Tech Hokies at Duke Blue Devils: This isn't basketball; the Blue Devils don't stand much of a chance. VIRGINA TECH
#23 Houston Cougars at UTEP Miners: Houston is a strong team. UTEP still needs a couple of pieces in order to be a complete team. HOUSTON
#24 Ole Miss Rebels at Vanderbilt Commodores: The Commodores can surprise, but Ole Miss wants to erase the bad taste from last week's defeat. OLE MISS
South Carolina State at #25 South Carolina Gamecocks: SC State may be one of the top teams in the FCS right now, but that won't prevent them from losing to the Gamecocks. They should score some points, though. SOUTH CAROLINA
Big Ten
Northwestern Wildcats at Purdue Boilermakers: These two seem fairly evenly matched, so the game could swing either way. I usually prefer the home team in such match-ups. PURDUE
Wisconsin Badgers at Minnesota Golden Gophers: Minnesota's staple, the running game, has faltered this season, and they don't quite know how to design a consistent passing game. WISCONSIN
Other Games of Interest
South Florida Bulls at Syracuse Orangemen: South Florida gets to continue their climb up the Big East standings. SOUTH FLORIDA
SMU Mustangs at TCU Horned Frogs: The battle of the acronyms will end with TCU triumphant and knocking on the door of the Top 25.
Game of the Week -- Florida State Seminoles at Boston College Eagles: I don't care that neither of these two teams are ranked right now, this should be a tremendous showdown. The ACC have been having some interesting games this season, and both of these teams are capable of breakout games. If they choose to, they can turn this into a great game. I like BC in these close matches. BOSTON COLLEGE
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
NCAA Top 25 Week 4
Upset of the Week: While Coach Bowden made his loss the most emotional of the week, it wasn't even an upset for me - I picked Virginia Tech! No, the biggest upset occurred in Eugene, where the Ducks are bouncing back nicely from their opening embarrassment by bouncing Cal from the Top 25 with an utter dominating performance. Cal was never in this game, and the score is more reflective of a FBS v FCS matchup than a battle of two Pac-10 rivals.
This week's rankings: [Last week's position]
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) [1] - they are proving to be one of the most dominant teams in the SEC
2. Florida Gators (4-0) [2] - the OTHER dominant team in the SEC, they played well despite a flu epidemic ravaging the team
3. Texas Longhorns (4-0) [6]
4. Boise State Broncos (4-0) [8] - the Broncos are starting to look like the Broncos we expected to see this year
5. Auburn Tigers (4-0) [11]
6. Texas A&M Aggies (3-0) [13] - quietly becoming a contender in the Big XII
7. Kansas Jayhawks (4-0) [15]
8. Michigan Wolverines (4-0) [7] - Indiana gave them a scare
9. LSU Tigers (4-0) [10]
10. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-0) [21] - once again, the Hawkeyes beat an unbeaten Penn State team. Iowa owns the Lions!
11. Cincinnati Bearcats (4-0) [12] - say what you will about the Big East, Cincy is for real!
12. Missouri Tigers (4-0) [17]
13. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1) [14] - two shutouts in consecutive weeks. This is the Buckeyes defense we know!
14. USC Trojans (3-1) [16]
15. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-1) [5]
16. Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) [18] - powerful offense
17. Oregon Ducks (3-1) [NP] - this team gets better every week
18. Stanford Cardinal (3-1) [NP] - shattered Washington's Cinderella season
19. Oklahoma Sooners (2-1) [19]
20. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-1) [20]
21. Virginia Tech Hokies (3-1) [25] - I don't care who they played previously, this team is ready for ACC play
22. BYU Cougars (3-1) [NP]
23. Houston Cougars (3-0) [NP] - They're starting to live up to the preseason hype
24. Ole Miss Rebels (2-1) [4]
25. South Carolina Gamecocks (3-1) [NP]
On the Edge:
+1 UCLA Bruins (3-0)
+2 South Florida Bulls (3-1)
+3 Wisconsin Badgers (4-0)
+4 TCU Horned Frogs (3-0)
+5 Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1)
+6 Utah Utes (3-1)
+7 Indiana Hoosiers (3-1)
Dropped: California Golden Bears [#3], Kentucky Wildcats [9], Pittsburgh Panthers [22], Miami Hurricanes [23], Clemson Tigers [24]
This week's rankings: [Last week's position]
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) [1] - they are proving to be one of the most dominant teams in the SEC
2. Florida Gators (4-0) [2] - the OTHER dominant team in the SEC, they played well despite a flu epidemic ravaging the team
3. Texas Longhorns (4-0) [6]
4. Boise State Broncos (4-0) [8] - the Broncos are starting to look like the Broncos we expected to see this year
5. Auburn Tigers (4-0) [11]
6. Texas A&M Aggies (3-0) [13] - quietly becoming a contender in the Big XII
7. Kansas Jayhawks (4-0) [15]
8. Michigan Wolverines (4-0) [7] - Indiana gave them a scare
9. LSU Tigers (4-0) [10]
10. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-0) [21] - once again, the Hawkeyes beat an unbeaten Penn State team. Iowa owns the Lions!
11. Cincinnati Bearcats (4-0) [12] - say what you will about the Big East, Cincy is for real!
12. Missouri Tigers (4-0) [17]
13. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1) [14] - two shutouts in consecutive weeks. This is the Buckeyes defense we know!
14. USC Trojans (3-1) [16]
15. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-1) [5]
16. Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) [18] - powerful offense
17. Oregon Ducks (3-1) [NP] - this team gets better every week
18. Stanford Cardinal (3-1) [NP] - shattered Washington's Cinderella season
19. Oklahoma Sooners (2-1) [19]
20. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3-1) [20]
21. Virginia Tech Hokies (3-1) [25] - I don't care who they played previously, this team is ready for ACC play
22. BYU Cougars (3-1) [NP]
23. Houston Cougars (3-0) [NP] - They're starting to live up to the preseason hype
24. Ole Miss Rebels (2-1) [4]
25. South Carolina Gamecocks (3-1) [NP]
On the Edge:
+1 UCLA Bruins (3-0)
+2 South Florida Bulls (3-1)
+3 Wisconsin Badgers (4-0)
+4 TCU Horned Frogs (3-0)
+5 Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1)
+6 Utah Utes (3-1)
+7 Indiana Hoosiers (3-1)
Dropped: California Golden Bears [#3], Kentucky Wildcats [9], Pittsburgh Panthers [22], Miami Hurricanes [23], Clemson Tigers [24]
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
NFL 2009 Week 3 picks
I'm picking a large number of visiting teams this week, which always concerns me. Ah well, it's early in the season yet. I can recover from a poor week.
Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots: The Patriots need to improve from last week's dismal performance before I think they'll get past a top performer like Atlanta. They might, but I'm not sure. The number of geniuses on Belichick's staff has shrunk, so it may take them longer to fix problems. FALCONS, 24-16
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens: Old Browns v new Browns, and the result will be pretty much the same, expect a few more points on the board for the Ravens. RAVENS, 34-10
Green Bay Packers at St Louis Rams: Does anyone out there believe the Rams will win this game? Aside from that one hand in Missouri, I agree with you all. PACK, 27-10
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans: This will be closer than it should be, but I think Jacksonville will start get themselves going. JAGS, 17-16
Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles: Won't matter that Kolb is under center, the Chiefs secondary is porous. That should help give injured Brian Westbrook a break, as the Eagles probably won't need to run much. EAGLES, 24-13
New York Giants at Tampa Bay Bucs: The discombobulated Bucs offense will make the Giants defense look like that of old. The Bucs D isn't bad, so this won't be a cakewalk for the offense, but the Bucs offense won't help their teammates. GIANTS, 17-10
San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings: The 49ers defense is looking better, but the Vikes' offense should prove too strong for them. VIKES, 28-20
Tennessee Titans at New York Jets: Intriguing matchup. In my preview column I gave this game to Tennessee, but they are sputtering. While Jeff Fisher is capable of figuring out and fixing the problem, I think the Jets are proving stronger than people expected. Rex Ryan really built up the defense, and Sanchez is adjusting to the NFL quicker than most of us credited. Watch out, the Jets might be for real! JETS, 23-17
Washington Redskins at Detroit Lions: If the Lions offense can find a way past the Redskins defense, they might break their losing streak. Since I question their ability to do that so soon in the season, I have to favor the Skins. REDSKINS, 20-9
Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks offense is sputtering, and are not equipped to host the powerful Bears defense. I think Chicago's running game might finally get something going against the weaker Seahawks defensive front, with relieves some pressure from Jay Cutler. With more breathing room, Cutler can pick apart the Seahawks. BEARS, 24-13
Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders: Here's my upset pick of the week. I think Denver's sputtering offense opens the door for the Raiders, who love to punish confused divisional opponents. Oakland gets a chance to get an edge for the division title, and they'll fight for it. Denver's problematic run defense should also help, with the revitalized backfield the Raiders are boasting this season. RAIDERS, 20-16
Miami Dolphins at San Diego Chargers: San Diego's offense isn't the juggernaut they hoped, but it has plenty of strong players. I think they'll tire the Dolphins, allowing the Chargers to break a tie in the fourth quarter to capture the win. CHARGERS, 23-16
New Orleans Saints at Buffalo Bills: The Bills' defense looks pretty good, but not good enough to slow the Saints. Even if TO, I don't think the Bills can keep up with them, either, but TO will get several receptions against the fragile Saints secondary. SAINTS, 37-27
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals: Boy, I'd love to pick the home team on this one, but no team has been consistently so dominant against divisional opponents in recent years than the Steelers. The defending Super Bowl Champs may have struggled in their last two games, but they'll find a way to win this one. STEELERS, 17-13
Indianapolis Colts at Arizona Cardinals: Another home team I'd love to pick, but the Cards have a history of folding in tight games, and Peyton is good at directing the Colts to find a way to win. I have to favor the visitors in this one, especially since the Cards' defense isn't as good as what the Colts have faced so far this season. COLTS, 34-27
Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots: The Patriots need to improve from last week's dismal performance before I think they'll get past a top performer like Atlanta. They might, but I'm not sure. The number of geniuses on Belichick's staff has shrunk, so it may take them longer to fix problems. FALCONS, 24-16
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens: Old Browns v new Browns, and the result will be pretty much the same, expect a few more points on the board for the Ravens. RAVENS, 34-10
Green Bay Packers at St Louis Rams: Does anyone out there believe the Rams will win this game? Aside from that one hand in Missouri, I agree with you all. PACK, 27-10
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans: This will be closer than it should be, but I think Jacksonville will start get themselves going. JAGS, 17-16
Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles: Won't matter that Kolb is under center, the Chiefs secondary is porous. That should help give injured Brian Westbrook a break, as the Eagles probably won't need to run much. EAGLES, 24-13
New York Giants at Tampa Bay Bucs: The discombobulated Bucs offense will make the Giants defense look like that of old. The Bucs D isn't bad, so this won't be a cakewalk for the offense, but the Bucs offense won't help their teammates. GIANTS, 17-10
San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings: The 49ers defense is looking better, but the Vikes' offense should prove too strong for them. VIKES, 28-20
Tennessee Titans at New York Jets: Intriguing matchup. In my preview column I gave this game to Tennessee, but they are sputtering. While Jeff Fisher is capable of figuring out and fixing the problem, I think the Jets are proving stronger than people expected. Rex Ryan really built up the defense, and Sanchez is adjusting to the NFL quicker than most of us credited. Watch out, the Jets might be for real! JETS, 23-17
Washington Redskins at Detroit Lions: If the Lions offense can find a way past the Redskins defense, they might break their losing streak. Since I question their ability to do that so soon in the season, I have to favor the Skins. REDSKINS, 20-9
Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks offense is sputtering, and are not equipped to host the powerful Bears defense. I think Chicago's running game might finally get something going against the weaker Seahawks defensive front, with relieves some pressure from Jay Cutler. With more breathing room, Cutler can pick apart the Seahawks. BEARS, 24-13
Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders: Here's my upset pick of the week. I think Denver's sputtering offense opens the door for the Raiders, who love to punish confused divisional opponents. Oakland gets a chance to get an edge for the division title, and they'll fight for it. Denver's problematic run defense should also help, with the revitalized backfield the Raiders are boasting this season. RAIDERS, 20-16
Miami Dolphins at San Diego Chargers: San Diego's offense isn't the juggernaut they hoped, but it has plenty of strong players. I think they'll tire the Dolphins, allowing the Chargers to break a tie in the fourth quarter to capture the win. CHARGERS, 23-16
New Orleans Saints at Buffalo Bills: The Bills' defense looks pretty good, but not good enough to slow the Saints. Even if TO, I don't think the Bills can keep up with them, either, but TO will get several receptions against the fragile Saints secondary. SAINTS, 37-27
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals: Boy, I'd love to pick the home team on this one, but no team has been consistently so dominant against divisional opponents in recent years than the Steelers. The defending Super Bowl Champs may have struggled in their last two games, but they'll find a way to win this one. STEELERS, 17-13
Indianapolis Colts at Arizona Cardinals: Another home team I'd love to pick, but the Cards have a history of folding in tight games, and Peyton is good at directing the Colts to find a way to win. I have to favor the visitors in this one, especially since the Cards' defense isn't as good as what the Colts have faced so far this season. COLTS, 34-27
NFL Power Rankings: Week 2
More games have been played, and we've seen more from teams. Injuries may affect these rankings next week, but right now this is what we've seen from teams in the first two weeks:
1. Atlanta Falcons (2-0) [#12 last week] - This team has both offense and defense, and they can dish it out!
2. Baltimore Ravens (2-0) [3] - The offense is showing up a bit more than the defense, but this team is also very well-rounded.
3. Minnesota Vikings (2-0) [7] - Both ground and air attacks are working well.
4. New York Jets (2-0) [1] - That Rex Ryan defense is the best in the league right now, and Marc Sanchez is doing well, too.
5. New Orleans Saints (2-0) [5] - They don't much defense, but with this high-scoring offense, who needs it? This team looks more like a Big XII college team, and they're winning, too.
6. San Francisco 49ers (2-0) [17] - Mike Singletary has, per expected, created a tough defense. The offense is doing fine without Michael Crabtree, too.
7. Indianapolis Colts (2-0) [6] - Not a pretty 2-0, but this team does just what it needs to win.
8. Denver Broncos (2-0) [14] - Finding their running game again, and the defense looks strong. Orton is stable, too.
9. New York Giants (2-0) [9] - Just like the 2008 Super Bowl, they sneak back late in the game. Their defense doesn't show the same fire, though, so can they go the stretch?
10. Dallas Cowboys (1-1) [8]
11. Buffalo Bills (1-1) [21] - fiesty team. Never count them out of a game.
12. Seattle Seahawks (1-1) [2] - Which team is real, the one from Week 1 or the one from Week 2? Since Week 1 was against the weakling St Louis Rams, I think the Seahawks will continue to fall in this ranking.
13. Arizona Cardinals (1-1) [25] - stable on both sides of the ball
14. Chicago Bears (1-1) [16] - Two close games. They keep the scores low. If Cutler can prevent turning over the ball as he did in Week 1, this team will continue to rise.
15. San Diego Chargers (1-1) [11] - injuries may pull this team down
16. Green Bay Packers (1-1) [20] - Nothing spectacular, but stable
17. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) [10] - The offense did okay with Kevin Kolb at the helm, but the defense seems to tire. Where's the conditioning on this team?
18. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) [26] - A team on the rise. Definitely recovering from a disasterous first week performance.
19. Oakland Raiders (1-1) [19]
20. Washington Redskins (1-1) [23]
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) [13] - The offense doesn't seem to be in sync. If that wasn't just Chicago confusing them, this looks bad for the defending Super Bowl champs.
22. New England Patriots (1-1) [4] - They failed to score a touchdown for the first time in 36 games. Not a streak you want to break.
23. Tennessee Titans (0-2) [15] - They should win a game soon. Not as bad as their record indicates.
24. Houston Texans (1-1) [30] - Nice recovery from a terrible season opener.
25. Tampa Bay Bucs (0-2) [16]
26. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) [18] - You have to learn how to win the close games. Jack Del Rio's team is working on defending their "underachievers" title from last season.
27. Miami Dolphins (0-2) [29]
28. Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) [27] - Doesn't look like Matt Cassell was the answer to the Chiefs' offensive woes.
29. Detroit Lions (0-2) [22] - Yes, they're losing. No, they don't look terrible.
30. Carolina Panthers (0-2) [31] - Speaking of looking terrible...
31. Cleveland Browns (0-2) [28] - They're in the bottom three of nearly all offensive and defensive categories.
32. St Louis Rams (0-2) [32] - Seven points total in two games? Awful for the team once touted "The Greatest Show on Turf"
1. Atlanta Falcons (2-0) [#12 last week] - This team has both offense and defense, and they can dish it out!
2. Baltimore Ravens (2-0) [3] - The offense is showing up a bit more than the defense, but this team is also very well-rounded.
3. Minnesota Vikings (2-0) [7] - Both ground and air attacks are working well.
4. New York Jets (2-0) [1] - That Rex Ryan defense is the best in the league right now, and Marc Sanchez is doing well, too.
5. New Orleans Saints (2-0) [5] - They don't much defense, but with this high-scoring offense, who needs it? This team looks more like a Big XII college team, and they're winning, too.
6. San Francisco 49ers (2-0) [17] - Mike Singletary has, per expected, created a tough defense. The offense is doing fine without Michael Crabtree, too.
7. Indianapolis Colts (2-0) [6] - Not a pretty 2-0, but this team does just what it needs to win.
8. Denver Broncos (2-0) [14] - Finding their running game again, and the defense looks strong. Orton is stable, too.
9. New York Giants (2-0) [9] - Just like the 2008 Super Bowl, they sneak back late in the game. Their defense doesn't show the same fire, though, so can they go the stretch?
10. Dallas Cowboys (1-1) [8]
11. Buffalo Bills (1-1) [21] - fiesty team. Never count them out of a game.
12. Seattle Seahawks (1-1) [2] - Which team is real, the one from Week 1 or the one from Week 2? Since Week 1 was against the weakling St Louis Rams, I think the Seahawks will continue to fall in this ranking.
13. Arizona Cardinals (1-1) [25] - stable on both sides of the ball
14. Chicago Bears (1-1) [16] - Two close games. They keep the scores low. If Cutler can prevent turning over the ball as he did in Week 1, this team will continue to rise.
15. San Diego Chargers (1-1) [11] - injuries may pull this team down
16. Green Bay Packers (1-1) [20] - Nothing spectacular, but stable
17. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) [10] - The offense did okay with Kevin Kolb at the helm, but the defense seems to tire. Where's the conditioning on this team?
18. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1) [26] - A team on the rise. Definitely recovering from a disasterous first week performance.
19. Oakland Raiders (1-1) [19]
20. Washington Redskins (1-1) [23]
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) [13] - The offense doesn't seem to be in sync. If that wasn't just Chicago confusing them, this looks bad for the defending Super Bowl champs.
22. New England Patriots (1-1) [4] - They failed to score a touchdown for the first time in 36 games. Not a streak you want to break.
23. Tennessee Titans (0-2) [15] - They should win a game soon. Not as bad as their record indicates.
24. Houston Texans (1-1) [30] - Nice recovery from a terrible season opener.
25. Tampa Bay Bucs (0-2) [16]
26. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) [18] - You have to learn how to win the close games. Jack Del Rio's team is working on defending their "underachievers" title from last season.
27. Miami Dolphins (0-2) [29]
28. Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) [27] - Doesn't look like Matt Cassell was the answer to the Chiefs' offensive woes.
29. Detroit Lions (0-2) [22] - Yes, they're losing. No, they don't look terrible.
30. Carolina Panthers (0-2) [31] - Speaking of looking terrible...
31. Cleveland Browns (0-2) [28] - They're in the bottom three of nearly all offensive and defensive categories.
32. St Louis Rams (0-2) [32] - Seven points total in two games? Awful for the team once touted "The Greatest Show on Turf"
Sunday, September 20, 2009
NCAA Week #4 Picks and Predictions
We had some interesting upsets last week. Let's see if that continues...
Thursday, Sept 24
#4 Old Miss Rebels at South Carolina Gamecocks: This will be the first real challenge faced by the Rebs. I think they're ready, but never underestimate what Steve Spurrier has under his sleeves. OLE MISS
Friday, Sept 25
#17 Missouri Tigers at Nevada Wolfpack: It doesn't look like Nevada is as tough as we thought they'd be. Maybe they'll get better as the season goes on, but the Tigers will overwhelm them now. MISSOURI
Top 25
Arkansas Razorbacks at #1 Alabama Crimson Tide: The Razorbacks challenged Georgia, but they'll struggle against the tough Tide defense. Alabama rolls! ALABAMA
#2 Florida Gators at #9 Kentucky Wildcats: I almost picked this for the Game of the Week. Tennessee proved that it's possible to slow the powerful Gator offense, but does Kentucky have that level of defense? I don't think so, but Kentucky has a good offense of their own, so this should be a score-fest. The Gators tend to emerge victorious in those. FLORIDA
#3 California Golden Bears at Oregon Ducks: Is Oregon ready for this team? They bring one of the most accurate QBs in the country and the best runner in the nation. I think that'll be too much for the resurging Ducks. CAL
#21 Iowa Hawkeyes at #5 Penn State Nittany Lions: Iowa's ranking will last only one week, as Penn State will just roll over them. PENN STATE
UTEP Miners at #6 Texas Longhorns: Texas won't get as much of a challenge from THIS in-state rival. TEXAS
Indiana Hoosiers at #7 Michigan Wolverines: Believe it or not, the Hoosiers are unbeaten! Oh well, that won't last. Rich Rodriquez has the tools he wants for his spread offense, and it's working. MICHIGAN
#8 Boise State Broncos at Bowling Green Falcons: The Falcons started well, but it's been a different team recently. If the other Falcons team doesn't show up soon, they'll find themselves in a big hole. BOISE STATE
#10 LSU Tigers at Mississippi State Bulldogs: No surprises here. LSU might prevent a single point scored against them. LSU
Ball State Cardinals at #11 Auburn Tigers: Ball State will have real trouble against the stingy Tigers defense. AUBURN
Fresno State Bulldogs at #12 Cincinnati Bearcats: The Bulldogs gave Boise State fits, but those two have a bitter rivalry. Without that emotional boost, I don't think Fresno will push Cincy much. CINCINNATI
UAB Blazers at #13 Texas A&M Aggies: UAB can be competitive, but they're overmatched in this contest. TEXAS A&M
Illinois Fighting Illini at #14 Ohio State Buckeyes: The Illini have surprised the Buckeyes sometimes in the past, but I don't think the Illini offense is showing enough consistency to be a consistent threat. OHIO STATE
Southern Miss Golden Eagles at #15 Kansas Jayhawks: Jayhawks offense isn't quite as potent as the past two years, but it's good enough to overwhelm the Eagles defense. KANSAS
Washington State Cougars at #16 USC Trojans: The Trojans get to rebound against the Cougars. USC
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns at #18 Nebraska Cornhuskers: Great chance for the Cornhuskers to rebound after a bad week. NEBRASKA
#20 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purdue Boilermakers: Purdue can give the Irish fits, but the Boilermakers don't quite seem to have it in them this year. They are capable of flashes of brilliance, as they showed against Oregon, but they can't maintain those flashes. NOTRE DAME
#22 Pittsburgh Panthers at NC State Wolf Pack: The Wolf Pack has been tamed this year, while the Panthers have sharpened their claws. Okay, enough cute animal references. This is a nonconference game that Pitt needs to validate their ranking, and they'll win it. PITT
TCU Horned Frogs at #24 Clemson Tigers: Watch out for TCU! This is one of my most likely upsets. I'll favor the home team, but the Horned Frogs could easily push it the other way. CLEMSON
Big Ten
Michigan State Spartans at Wisconsin Badgers: The Spartans couldn't beat Notre Dame, but they had some excellent plays. Wisconsin has been some lucky breaks. If their luck runs dry, the Spartans will soar. MICHIGAN STATE
Minnesota Golden Gophers at Northwestern Wildcats: Both are 2-1, but Minnesota had tougher opposition. I think that'll prepare them better for conference play. MINNESOTA
Other Games of Interest
North Carolina Tar Heels at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: The Jackets will want to bounce back from their upset last week, but North Carolina will make that tough. This game could go either way, but I like the intensity of the Heels. NORTH CAROLINA
South Florida Bulls at Florida State Seminoles: This one will be a bitter battle. South Florida has not looked as sharp this year, but they are capable. The Seminoles have gotten tired in their earlier games, especially in the fourth quarter. If they tire here, the Bulls will charge. SOUTH FLORIDA
Washington Huskies at Stanford Cardinal: This is an interesting game. Washington has shown strength, and Stanford can always surprise. Stanford tends to play tough opponents tougher, and let weak opponents run over them. Will they consider Washington weak or strong? After upsetting USC, I think Stanford has placed a target on their backs. STANFORD
Game of the Week: #23 Miami Hurricanes at #25 Virginia Tech Hokies: The Hokies have tormented Miami in recent years. With Miami looking stronger this year, and the Hokies lacking some power, this seems the perfect year for revenge. It'll be an exciting and hard-fought battle, but I think the special teams of Virginia Tech might make the difference. VIRGINIA TECH
Thursday, Sept 24
#4 Old Miss Rebels at South Carolina Gamecocks: This will be the first real challenge faced by the Rebs. I think they're ready, but never underestimate what Steve Spurrier has under his sleeves. OLE MISS
Friday, Sept 25
#17 Missouri Tigers at Nevada Wolfpack: It doesn't look like Nevada is as tough as we thought they'd be. Maybe they'll get better as the season goes on, but the Tigers will overwhelm them now. MISSOURI
Top 25
Arkansas Razorbacks at #1 Alabama Crimson Tide: The Razorbacks challenged Georgia, but they'll struggle against the tough Tide defense. Alabama rolls! ALABAMA
#2 Florida Gators at #9 Kentucky Wildcats: I almost picked this for the Game of the Week. Tennessee proved that it's possible to slow the powerful Gator offense, but does Kentucky have that level of defense? I don't think so, but Kentucky has a good offense of their own, so this should be a score-fest. The Gators tend to emerge victorious in those. FLORIDA
#3 California Golden Bears at Oregon Ducks: Is Oregon ready for this team? They bring one of the most accurate QBs in the country and the best runner in the nation. I think that'll be too much for the resurging Ducks. CAL
#21 Iowa Hawkeyes at #5 Penn State Nittany Lions: Iowa's ranking will last only one week, as Penn State will just roll over them. PENN STATE
UTEP Miners at #6 Texas Longhorns: Texas won't get as much of a challenge from THIS in-state rival. TEXAS
Indiana Hoosiers at #7 Michigan Wolverines: Believe it or not, the Hoosiers are unbeaten! Oh well, that won't last. Rich Rodriquez has the tools he wants for his spread offense, and it's working. MICHIGAN
#8 Boise State Broncos at Bowling Green Falcons: The Falcons started well, but it's been a different team recently. If the other Falcons team doesn't show up soon, they'll find themselves in a big hole. BOISE STATE
#10 LSU Tigers at Mississippi State Bulldogs: No surprises here. LSU might prevent a single point scored against them. LSU
Ball State Cardinals at #11 Auburn Tigers: Ball State will have real trouble against the stingy Tigers defense. AUBURN
Fresno State Bulldogs at #12 Cincinnati Bearcats: The Bulldogs gave Boise State fits, but those two have a bitter rivalry. Without that emotional boost, I don't think Fresno will push Cincy much. CINCINNATI
UAB Blazers at #13 Texas A&M Aggies: UAB can be competitive, but they're overmatched in this contest. TEXAS A&M
Illinois Fighting Illini at #14 Ohio State Buckeyes: The Illini have surprised the Buckeyes sometimes in the past, but I don't think the Illini offense is showing enough consistency to be a consistent threat. OHIO STATE
Southern Miss Golden Eagles at #15 Kansas Jayhawks: Jayhawks offense isn't quite as potent as the past two years, but it's good enough to overwhelm the Eagles defense. KANSAS
Washington State Cougars at #16 USC Trojans: The Trojans get to rebound against the Cougars. USC
Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns at #18 Nebraska Cornhuskers: Great chance for the Cornhuskers to rebound after a bad week. NEBRASKA
#20 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purdue Boilermakers: Purdue can give the Irish fits, but the Boilermakers don't quite seem to have it in them this year. They are capable of flashes of brilliance, as they showed against Oregon, but they can't maintain those flashes. NOTRE DAME
#22 Pittsburgh Panthers at NC State Wolf Pack: The Wolf Pack has been tamed this year, while the Panthers have sharpened their claws. Okay, enough cute animal references. This is a nonconference game that Pitt needs to validate their ranking, and they'll win it. PITT
TCU Horned Frogs at #24 Clemson Tigers: Watch out for TCU! This is one of my most likely upsets. I'll favor the home team, but the Horned Frogs could easily push it the other way. CLEMSON
Big Ten
Michigan State Spartans at Wisconsin Badgers: The Spartans couldn't beat Notre Dame, but they had some excellent plays. Wisconsin has been some lucky breaks. If their luck runs dry, the Spartans will soar. MICHIGAN STATE
Minnesota Golden Gophers at Northwestern Wildcats: Both are 2-1, but Minnesota had tougher opposition. I think that'll prepare them better for conference play. MINNESOTA
Other Games of Interest
North Carolina Tar Heels at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: The Jackets will want to bounce back from their upset last week, but North Carolina will make that tough. This game could go either way, but I like the intensity of the Heels. NORTH CAROLINA
South Florida Bulls at Florida State Seminoles: This one will be a bitter battle. South Florida has not looked as sharp this year, but they are capable. The Seminoles have gotten tired in their earlier games, especially in the fourth quarter. If they tire here, the Bulls will charge. SOUTH FLORIDA
Washington Huskies at Stanford Cardinal: This is an interesting game. Washington has shown strength, and Stanford can always surprise. Stanford tends to play tough opponents tougher, and let weak opponents run over them. Will they consider Washington weak or strong? After upsetting USC, I think Stanford has placed a target on their backs. STANFORD
Game of the Week: #23 Miami Hurricanes at #25 Virginia Tech Hokies: The Hokies have tormented Miami in recent years. With Miami looking stronger this year, and the Hokies lacking some power, this seems the perfect year for revenge. It'll be an exciting and hard-fought battle, but I think the special teams of Virginia Tech might make the difference. VIRGINIA TECH
NCAA Top 25 - Week 3
I forgot to include my Upset of the Week section to last week's rankings, so let me correct that by starting this week's column with the Upset of the Week:
Upset of the week : Has to be what Washington did to USC! We knew this Trojan team wasn't as strong offensively as previous years, but who would have thought their first conference opponent would exploit that! Of course, few coaches know USC and Coach Pete Carroll better than Washington's Steve Sarkesian, and he proved it.
Now let's get to the rankings: [Last week's position]
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0) [3]: For the second year in a row, the Tide find the top of the chart
2. Florida Gators (3-0) [2]: They can't be comfortable here after a battle against Tennessee
3. California Golden Bears (3-0) [5] : Is there a better runner in Division I than Jahvid Best?
4. Ole Miss Rebels (2-0) [4]
5. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0) [8]
6. Texas Longhorns (3-0) [3]: Tough battle against the Red Raiders
7. Michigan Wolverines (3-0) [10] : No doubt about it, the offense is definitely working this year!
8. Boise State Broncos (3-0) [7]: Got past a scare from Fresno State
9. Kentucky Wildcats (2-0) [9]: Another wild and wooly battle with Louisville
10. LSU Tigers (3-0) [18]
11. Auburn Tigers (3-0) [19]
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (3-0) [12]: They now enter the easy part of their schedule. They should remain ranked for weeks
13. Texas A&M Aggies (2-0) [13]
14. Ohio State Buckeyes (2-1) [14]
15. Kansas Jayhawks (3-0) [23]
16. USC Trojans (2-1) [1]: Pete Carroll can't be comfortable now, and Aaron Corp may not be considered an equal exchange for Matt Barkley
17. Missouri Tigers (3-0) [17]
18. Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-1) [11]
19. Oklahoma Sooners (2-1) [22]: They poured over a weak team this week, but I'm sure they'll be happy to get Sam Bradford back
20. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-1) [20]: They barely squeaked past Michigan State, and some of the boos returned
21. Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0) [NP]
22. Pittsburgh Panthers (3-0) [25]: Excellent game! This team seems for real.
23. Miami Hurricanes (2-0) [NP]: Began the upsets this week
24. Clemson Tigers (2-1) [NP]: They destroyed Boston College. Perhaps their first week performance was a fluke.
25. Virginia Tech Hokies (2-1)
On the Edge:
+1 UCLA Bruins (3-0)
+2 North Carolina Tar Heels (3-0)
+3 Houston Cougars (2-0)
+4 Stanford Cardinal (2-1)
+5 Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-1) : Great game against Texas!
+6 Florida State Seminoles (2-1)
+7 Washington Huskies (2-1) : The Huskies have already won as many games as they did last year; one more ties their total for the past two seasons
Dropped: Utah Utes [#15], BYU Cougars [#16], Arizona Wildcats [#21], Tennessee Volunteers [#24]
Upset of the week : Has to be what Washington did to USC! We knew this Trojan team wasn't as strong offensively as previous years, but who would have thought their first conference opponent would exploit that! Of course, few coaches know USC and Coach Pete Carroll better than Washington's Steve Sarkesian, and he proved it.
Now let's get to the rankings: [Last week's position]
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0) [3]: For the second year in a row, the Tide find the top of the chart
2. Florida Gators (3-0) [2]: They can't be comfortable here after a battle against Tennessee
3. California Golden Bears (3-0) [5] : Is there a better runner in Division I than Jahvid Best?
4. Ole Miss Rebels (2-0) [4]
5. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0) [8]
6. Texas Longhorns (3-0) [3]: Tough battle against the Red Raiders
7. Michigan Wolverines (3-0) [10] : No doubt about it, the offense is definitely working this year!
8. Boise State Broncos (3-0) [7]: Got past a scare from Fresno State
9. Kentucky Wildcats (2-0) [9]: Another wild and wooly battle with Louisville
10. LSU Tigers (3-0) [18]
11. Auburn Tigers (3-0) [19]
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (3-0) [12]: They now enter the easy part of their schedule. They should remain ranked for weeks
13. Texas A&M Aggies (2-0) [13]
14. Ohio State Buckeyes (2-1) [14]
15. Kansas Jayhawks (3-0) [23]
16. USC Trojans (2-1) [1]: Pete Carroll can't be comfortable now, and Aaron Corp may not be considered an equal exchange for Matt Barkley
17. Missouri Tigers (3-0) [17]
18. Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-1) [11]
19. Oklahoma Sooners (2-1) [22]: They poured over a weak team this week, but I'm sure they'll be happy to get Sam Bradford back
20. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-1) [20]: They barely squeaked past Michigan State, and some of the boos returned
21. Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0) [NP]
22. Pittsburgh Panthers (3-0) [25]: Excellent game! This team seems for real.
23. Miami Hurricanes (2-0) [NP]: Began the upsets this week
24. Clemson Tigers (2-1) [NP]: They destroyed Boston College. Perhaps their first week performance was a fluke.
25. Virginia Tech Hokies (2-1)
On the Edge:
+1 UCLA Bruins (3-0)
+2 North Carolina Tar Heels (3-0)
+3 Houston Cougars (2-0)
+4 Stanford Cardinal (2-1)
+5 Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-1) : Great game against Texas!
+6 Florida State Seminoles (2-1)
+7 Washington Huskies (2-1) : The Huskies have already won as many games as they did last year; one more ties their total for the past two seasons
Dropped: Utah Utes [#15], BYU Cougars [#16], Arizona Wildcats [#21], Tennessee Volunteers [#24]
Thursday, September 17, 2009
NFL 2009 Week 2 picks
I started out fairly well, considering the number of personnel and coaching shifts in the off-season and preseason. This week's games look to be much closer, so it's a tougher call. That said, let's get right to it!
Arizona Cardinals at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Jags defense will make the difference in this game. If the Cards are as lethargic this week as they were last week, the Jags will wear them down. If the Cards show the fire that got them to last year's Super Bowl, they may prevail. JAGS, 20-17
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons: Do I think the Panthers will be as pathetic as they were last week? No. Do I think they'll win this game? No. FALCONS, 27-13
Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers: The Pack squeaked by Chicago, but don't expect Carson Palmer to play as poorly as Jay Cutler did last week. Palmer wasn't terrific, so the Pack will stay in this game, but I figure a late TD will seal the deal. BENGALS, 20-13
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans: Defense will dominate this game, but the Titans offense will be more success at moving the ball than the Texans will. TITANS, 21-10
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions: Well, the Lions won't be pathetic, but they won't win, either. The Vikings have too many weapons for the Lions to overcome. VIKES, 34-24
New England Patriots at New York Jets: These games are always exciting, and often offensive showcases. I don't see any reason why this one will be different. PATS, 30-24
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles: Oh, boy, I'd love to pick the Saints for this one, but the Eagles looked good last week, and they are playing at home. However, if last week proves to be the benefit of a pathetic Panthers performance, then the Saints should win this game. EAGLES, 35-34
Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs: Hey, the Raiders don't seem to stink! Of course, they were playing on Monday Night last week, where they always seem to kick into extra gears. The Chiefs looked really bad, though, so I still favor Oakland. RAIDERS, 20-17
St Louis Rams at Washington Redskins: Good news - I don't think the Rams will suffer another shutout. Bad news - I DO think they'll suffer a second embarrassing loss. REDSKINS, 24-10
Baltimore Ravens at San Diego Chargers: The Chargers offense will find ways to move against the Ravens defense, but the Ravens offense is potent this year, and the Chargers defense is lacking some strength. RAVENS, 27-20
Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos: Both teams floundered last week, but Cleveland really seems to be suffering. Unless Mangenius turns that around, the Broncos should continue on the winning track this week. BRONCOS, 24-17
Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears: This one will be a defensive battle, but with the absence of Brian Urlacher, that defense will be a bit weaker, a fact Big Ben and the Steelers offense will exploit. STEELERS, 17-13
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers: Seattle looked good last week. If that wasn't completely due to a pathetic Rams team, they should get back a revitalized 49ers squad. SEAHAWKS, 20-17
Tampa Bay Bucs at Buffalo Bills: You know, this game was actually tough to pick. Despite a loss, Tampa Bay looked good, and the Bills were able to chase the Patriots. Playing at home, I'd usually give the edge to the Bills in a game like this, but this is EXACTLY the type of situation where TO's showboating will hurt the team. BUCS, 27-23
Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins: Sorry, Miami, but the Colts are still more potent than you can stop. The Jags did a great job of slowing them last week, but they know the team and have had success doing so. In Miami, the Colts should look like the Colts of old. COLTS, 31-21
Arizona Cardinals at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Jags defense will make the difference in this game. If the Cards are as lethargic this week as they were last week, the Jags will wear them down. If the Cards show the fire that got them to last year's Super Bowl, they may prevail. JAGS, 20-17
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons: Do I think the Panthers will be as pathetic as they were last week? No. Do I think they'll win this game? No. FALCONS, 27-13
Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers: The Pack squeaked by Chicago, but don't expect Carson Palmer to play as poorly as Jay Cutler did last week. Palmer wasn't terrific, so the Pack will stay in this game, but I figure a late TD will seal the deal. BENGALS, 20-13
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans: Defense will dominate this game, but the Titans offense will be more success at moving the ball than the Texans will. TITANS, 21-10
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions: Well, the Lions won't be pathetic, but they won't win, either. The Vikings have too many weapons for the Lions to overcome. VIKES, 34-24
New England Patriots at New York Jets: These games are always exciting, and often offensive showcases. I don't see any reason why this one will be different. PATS, 30-24
New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles: Oh, boy, I'd love to pick the Saints for this one, but the Eagles looked good last week, and they are playing at home. However, if last week proves to be the benefit of a pathetic Panthers performance, then the Saints should win this game. EAGLES, 35-34
Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs: Hey, the Raiders don't seem to stink! Of course, they were playing on Monday Night last week, where they always seem to kick into extra gears. The Chiefs looked really bad, though, so I still favor Oakland. RAIDERS, 20-17
St Louis Rams at Washington Redskins: Good news - I don't think the Rams will suffer another shutout. Bad news - I DO think they'll suffer a second embarrassing loss. REDSKINS, 24-10
Baltimore Ravens at San Diego Chargers: The Chargers offense will find ways to move against the Ravens defense, but the Ravens offense is potent this year, and the Chargers defense is lacking some strength. RAVENS, 27-20
Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos: Both teams floundered last week, but Cleveland really seems to be suffering. Unless Mangenius turns that around, the Broncos should continue on the winning track this week. BRONCOS, 24-17
Pittsburgh Steelers at Chicago Bears: This one will be a defensive battle, but with the absence of Brian Urlacher, that defense will be a bit weaker, a fact Big Ben and the Steelers offense will exploit. STEELERS, 17-13
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers: Seattle looked good last week. If that wasn't completely due to a pathetic Rams team, they should get back a revitalized 49ers squad. SEAHAWKS, 20-17
Tampa Bay Bucs at Buffalo Bills: You know, this game was actually tough to pick. Despite a loss, Tampa Bay looked good, and the Bills were able to chase the Patriots. Playing at home, I'd usually give the edge to the Bills in a game like this, but this is EXACTLY the type of situation where TO's showboating will hurt the team. BUCS, 27-23
Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins: Sorry, Miami, but the Colts are still more potent than you can stop. The Jags did a great job of slowing them last week, but they know the team and have had success doing so. In Miami, the Colts should look like the Colts of old. COLTS, 31-21
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
NFL Rankings : Week 1
The NFL season is officially underway, and we had some interesting games this past weekend! As an East Coast resident, I don't think I like ESPN's "double header Monday Night opener" policy, but I guess that's what DVRs are for!
Anywhere, here's the initial ranking of teams, based upon performances this opening weekend:
1. New York Jets (1-0) : Marc Sanchez was excellent in his opener. Any team that can complete more than 50% of their third down conversions, and rack up nearly 500 yards of offense while holding their opponent to less than 200, is a stellar team.
2. Seattle Seahawks (1-0) : Hmm, maybe this team is better than I thought. Of course, playing St Louis is bound to make anybody look good!
3. Baltimore Ravens (1-0) : Over 500 yards of offense while holding their opponents to less than 200. Of course, they need better kick-off coverage, but that'll come in time.
4. New England Patriots (1-0) : So much for a balanced offense, as the passing game attributed most of the yardage. They had to fight back a good Buffalo team, so the defense needs to look at themselves.
5. New Orleans Saints (1-0) : Six touchdowns for Drew Brees? That's outstanding! This team would have been tops except for allowing Detroit to score 27 points. Where the heck is the defense?!
6. Indianapolis Colts (1-0) : Another hard-fought victory against the Jaguars. Eventually the Jags will learn how to beat these guys.
7. Minnesota Vikings (1-0) : Brett didn't need his stellar arm so much, with Adrian Petersen running grooves into the turf!
8. Dallas Cowboys (1-0) : Nice job. Who needs TO?
9. New York Giants (1-0) : Respectable stats, especially for the highest paid QB in the league.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) : The stats don't reflect the score - they were helped by a pathetic and error-filled performance by Carolina. Credit the defense in snatching four interceptions and preventing a passing touchdown.
11. San Diego Chargers (1-0) : The Bolts were a bit shocked by the Raiders' offense, but forcing some turnovers and bad decisions kept them in there.
12. Atlanta Falcons (1-0) : Only a mediocre performance for Matt Ryan. Sophomore blues, maybe?
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) : We expected a defensive showdown, and we got one. Only Pittsburgh could prevail after giving up two interceptions.
14. Denver Broncos (1-0) : They prevailed against a pretty tough Bengals defense.
15. Tennessee Titans (0-1) : They forced Pittsburgh into overtime, and it even good weather!
16. Tampa Bay Bucs (0-1) : Great stats, they just couldn't keep up with Dallas.
17. San Francisco 49ers (1-0) : Not great stats, but a win is a win.
18. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) : They're getting closer to beating the Colts. Hey, they held them to two scores!
19. Oakland Raiders (0-1) : Geez, where did this offense come from? If JaMarcus Russell was a bit more careful with the ball, the Raiders would have won this one.
20. Green Bay Packers (1-0) : Great final drive, but overall not an impressive performance. If Jay Cutler hadn't been doing a Rex Grossman impression, the Pack would have lost this game by the third quarter.
21. Buffalo Bills (0-1) : Great offensive performance. They need to work on their secondary.
22. Detroit Lions (0-1) : Whoa! If Stafford reduces his interceptions, this team will definitely win some games this season!
23. Washington Redskins (0-1) : The running game evaporated. Jason Campbell isn't good enough to carry this team.
24. Chicago Bears (0-1) : Jay Cutler stunk, but the rest of the team pulled together well, especially when Brian Urlacher went down with his third injury in as many years.
25. Arizona Cardinals (0-1) : Not the Arizona offense we've come to expect.
26. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) : Even healthy, Carson Palmer is proving that he can't carry this team. Ochocinco was practically non-existent. Without their defense, this would have been a wipeout.
27. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1) : It may be hard to move against Baltimore's defense, but this was a pretty poor showing.
28. Cleveland Browns (0-1) : Hmm, maybe we need that quarterback controversy back...
29. Miami Dolphins (0-1) : Not bad stats, and defense was okay, but they couldn't turn anything into points.
30. Houston Texans (0-1) : Eleven first downs? 183 total yards? Blech!
31. Carolina Panthers (0-1) : Anybody remember the last time Jake Delhomme was intercepted four times in the same game? My records don't go back that far.
32. St Louis Rams (0-1) : Their stats weren't bad, but let's face it - the purpose of this game is to score points. The Rams couldn't do that.
Anywhere, here's the initial ranking of teams, based upon performances this opening weekend:
1. New York Jets (1-0) : Marc Sanchez was excellent in his opener. Any team that can complete more than 50% of their third down conversions, and rack up nearly 500 yards of offense while holding their opponent to less than 200, is a stellar team.
2. Seattle Seahawks (1-0) : Hmm, maybe this team is better than I thought. Of course, playing St Louis is bound to make anybody look good!
3. Baltimore Ravens (1-0) : Over 500 yards of offense while holding their opponents to less than 200. Of course, they need better kick-off coverage, but that'll come in time.
4. New England Patriots (1-0) : So much for a balanced offense, as the passing game attributed most of the yardage. They had to fight back a good Buffalo team, so the defense needs to look at themselves.
5. New Orleans Saints (1-0) : Six touchdowns for Drew Brees? That's outstanding! This team would have been tops except for allowing Detroit to score 27 points. Where the heck is the defense?!
6. Indianapolis Colts (1-0) : Another hard-fought victory against the Jaguars. Eventually the Jags will learn how to beat these guys.
7. Minnesota Vikings (1-0) : Brett didn't need his stellar arm so much, with Adrian Petersen running grooves into the turf!
8. Dallas Cowboys (1-0) : Nice job. Who needs TO?
9. New York Giants (1-0) : Respectable stats, especially for the highest paid QB in the league.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) : The stats don't reflect the score - they were helped by a pathetic and error-filled performance by Carolina. Credit the defense in snatching four interceptions and preventing a passing touchdown.
11. San Diego Chargers (1-0) : The Bolts were a bit shocked by the Raiders' offense, but forcing some turnovers and bad decisions kept them in there.
12. Atlanta Falcons (1-0) : Only a mediocre performance for Matt Ryan. Sophomore blues, maybe?
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) : We expected a defensive showdown, and we got one. Only Pittsburgh could prevail after giving up two interceptions.
14. Denver Broncos (1-0) : They prevailed against a pretty tough Bengals defense.
15. Tennessee Titans (0-1) : They forced Pittsburgh into overtime, and it even good weather!
16. Tampa Bay Bucs (0-1) : Great stats, they just couldn't keep up with Dallas.
17. San Francisco 49ers (1-0) : Not great stats, but a win is a win.
18. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) : They're getting closer to beating the Colts. Hey, they held them to two scores!
19. Oakland Raiders (0-1) : Geez, where did this offense come from? If JaMarcus Russell was a bit more careful with the ball, the Raiders would have won this one.
20. Green Bay Packers (1-0) : Great final drive, but overall not an impressive performance. If Jay Cutler hadn't been doing a Rex Grossman impression, the Pack would have lost this game by the third quarter.
21. Buffalo Bills (0-1) : Great offensive performance. They need to work on their secondary.
22. Detroit Lions (0-1) : Whoa! If Stafford reduces his interceptions, this team will definitely win some games this season!
23. Washington Redskins (0-1) : The running game evaporated. Jason Campbell isn't good enough to carry this team.
24. Chicago Bears (0-1) : Jay Cutler stunk, but the rest of the team pulled together well, especially when Brian Urlacher went down with his third injury in as many years.
25. Arizona Cardinals (0-1) : Not the Arizona offense we've come to expect.
26. Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) : Even healthy, Carson Palmer is proving that he can't carry this team. Ochocinco was practically non-existent. Without their defense, this would have been a wipeout.
27. Kansas City Chiefs (0-1) : It may be hard to move against Baltimore's defense, but this was a pretty poor showing.
28. Cleveland Browns (0-1) : Hmm, maybe we need that quarterback controversy back...
29. Miami Dolphins (0-1) : Not bad stats, and defense was okay, but they couldn't turn anything into points.
30. Houston Texans (0-1) : Eleven first downs? 183 total yards? Blech!
31. Carolina Panthers (0-1) : Anybody remember the last time Jake Delhomme was intercepted four times in the same game? My records don't go back that far.
32. St Louis Rams (0-1) : Their stats weren't bad, but let's face it - the purpose of this game is to score points. The Rams couldn't do that.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
NCAA Week #3 Predictions and Picks
It's a busy weekend, so let's get right into it:
Thursday, Sept 17
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Miami Hurricanes: Miami played well in their opener, but the poor performance of Florida State last weekend now weakens that showing. Georgia Tech continues to impress with their defense, which may frustrate Miami. GEORGIA TECH
Friday, Sept 18
#7 Boise State Broncos at Fresno State Bulldogs: This can be a bitter battle, but Fresno State hasn't been nearly as impressive as Boise. The Broncos have owned this rivalry in recent years, and that streak should continue. BOISE STATE
Top 25
#1 USC Trojans at Washington Huskies: Washington should be more successful than last year, but not against this opponent. USC
#24 Tennessee Volunteers at #2 Florida Gators: The Vols seem to have improved this season, but they'll get smeared by the Gators, which might damage the image of the Vols' performances so far. FLORIDA
North Texas Mean Green at #3 Alabama Crimson Tide: Alabama has shown strong talent on both sides of the ball, which is more than North Texas has shown. ALABAMA
Southeastern Louisiana at #4 Ole Miss Rebels: This will count as a victory, but the certain large margin of victory won't help the Rebs in my Top 25. OLE MISS
#5 California Golden Bears at Minnesota Golden Gophers: Battle of the golden teams should go to the West Coast. Cal simply has too many tools for Minnesota's punky defense to stop. CAL
Texas Tech Red Raiders at #6 Texas Longhorns: This was my runner-up for Game of the Week. These two always play a shoot-out, and that should continue to be true, even with the loss of some key offensive players on the Raiders' sideline. TEXAS
Temple Owls at #8 Penn State Nittany Lions: Penn State should wipe the floor with the sleepy Owls. PENN STATE
Louisville Cardinals at #9 Kentucky Wildcats: If this were basketball, this could be a fun game. Here, it probably won't be pretty. Kentucky has had an extra week to prepare for this game, although they didn't need it. KENTUCKY
Eastern Michigan Eagles at #10 Michigan Wolverines: After beating Notre Dame in the waning seconds, there might be concern about a letdown, but I don't think Coach Rich Rodriquez will allow that. MICHIGAN
#11 Nebraska Cornhuskers at Virginia Tech Hokies: Another Game of the Week candidate, this is also an upset possibility. Virginia Tech hasn't looked too smooth so far, so I'll stick with Nebraska, but the Cornhuskers had better not get complacent. NEBRASKA
#12 Cincinnati Bearcats at Oregon State Beavers: Oregon State has squeezed by so far this season, but I think that luck is over. The Bearcats have a fierce team this year, and I don't think the Beavers can compete. CINCINNATI
Utah State Aggies at #13 Texas A&M Aggies: The battle of the Aggies should be decided long before halftime. TEXAS A&M
#14 Ohio State Buckeyes at Toledo Rockets: The Buckeyes have adjusted after each game. The Navy Midshipmen ran all over them, so their running defense tightened against USC. They were holding USC until the secondary opened up holes, so those will be sealed. Toledo will find themselves entirely overmatched. OHIO STATE
#15 Utah Utes at Oregon Ducks: The Ducks improved last week, but they nearly buckled against Purdue. Utah will completely overwhelm them. UTAH
Florida State Seminoles at #16 BYU Cougars: Florida State barely squeezed past FCS Jacksonville State. That doesn't bode well for their performances. BYU
Furman at #17 Missouri Tigers: No contest here. MISSOURI
Louisiana-Lafayette Rajin Cajuns at #18 LSU Tigers: The Cajuns can be tricky, but LSU is rarely fooled. Their defense will stuff Lafayette all day. LSU
Michigan State Spartans at #20 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: The Spartans fell to Central Michigan last week. They want a chance to regroup, but traveling to South Bend isn't a good way to do that. NOTRE DAME
#21 Arizona Wildcats at Iowa Hawkeyes: Iowa has been sporadic, struggling in Week One and shining this past week. If they had been more consistent, I'd pick them over Arizona. While this is an upset alert, I'll have to go with the more consistent team. ARIZONA
Tulsa Golden Hurricane at #22 Oklahoma Sooners: If Bradford plays, he won't be 100%. I hope they keep him out, as he could get injured more seriously. The Sooners did well without him last week, but they played an FCS team. Tulsa will push them. This is another upset alert, but somehow I think the Sooners will pull themselves up and come together to support their absent teammates. They don't want them to believe they cursed the team. OKLAHOMA
Duke Blue Devils at #23 Kansas Jayhawks: Duke looks better this season, but they aren't ready to compete with a ranked team. KANSAS
Navy Midshipmen at #25 Pittsburgh Panthers: Pitt had better watch themselves. Navy has the best running attack in the nation, and the Pitt line isn't as strong as you'd like when facing that challenge. Navy could pull off the victory, but I'll favor the home team -- barely. PITT
Big Ten
Northern Illinois Huskies at Purdue Boilermakers: Purdue should have this game, unless their close loss to Oregon was not due to an improving Ducks team, but instead due to a poor Purdue team. PURDUE
Other games of interest
Boston College Eagles at Clemson Tigers: Clemson had a great opener, but that may have been their season's highlight. BOSTON COLLEGE
Kansas State Wildcats at UCLA Bruins: The Wildcats seem tame this season. UCLA
GAME OF THE WEEK: West Virginia Mountaineers at #19 Auburn Tigers: This one could go either way. It'll be a close one, and I usually favor defense in those matches. So I will again. AUBURN
Thursday, Sept 17
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Miami Hurricanes: Miami played well in their opener, but the poor performance of Florida State last weekend now weakens that showing. Georgia Tech continues to impress with their defense, which may frustrate Miami. GEORGIA TECH
Friday, Sept 18
#7 Boise State Broncos at Fresno State Bulldogs: This can be a bitter battle, but Fresno State hasn't been nearly as impressive as Boise. The Broncos have owned this rivalry in recent years, and that streak should continue. BOISE STATE
Top 25
#1 USC Trojans at Washington Huskies: Washington should be more successful than last year, but not against this opponent. USC
#24 Tennessee Volunteers at #2 Florida Gators: The Vols seem to have improved this season, but they'll get smeared by the Gators, which might damage the image of the Vols' performances so far. FLORIDA
North Texas Mean Green at #3 Alabama Crimson Tide: Alabama has shown strong talent on both sides of the ball, which is more than North Texas has shown. ALABAMA
Southeastern Louisiana at #4 Ole Miss Rebels: This will count as a victory, but the certain large margin of victory won't help the Rebs in my Top 25. OLE MISS
#5 California Golden Bears at Minnesota Golden Gophers: Battle of the golden teams should go to the West Coast. Cal simply has too many tools for Minnesota's punky defense to stop. CAL
Texas Tech Red Raiders at #6 Texas Longhorns: This was my runner-up for Game of the Week. These two always play a shoot-out, and that should continue to be true, even with the loss of some key offensive players on the Raiders' sideline. TEXAS
Temple Owls at #8 Penn State Nittany Lions: Penn State should wipe the floor with the sleepy Owls. PENN STATE
Louisville Cardinals at #9 Kentucky Wildcats: If this were basketball, this could be a fun game. Here, it probably won't be pretty. Kentucky has had an extra week to prepare for this game, although they didn't need it. KENTUCKY
Eastern Michigan Eagles at #10 Michigan Wolverines: After beating Notre Dame in the waning seconds, there might be concern about a letdown, but I don't think Coach Rich Rodriquez will allow that. MICHIGAN
#11 Nebraska Cornhuskers at Virginia Tech Hokies: Another Game of the Week candidate, this is also an upset possibility. Virginia Tech hasn't looked too smooth so far, so I'll stick with Nebraska, but the Cornhuskers had better not get complacent. NEBRASKA
#12 Cincinnati Bearcats at Oregon State Beavers: Oregon State has squeezed by so far this season, but I think that luck is over. The Bearcats have a fierce team this year, and I don't think the Beavers can compete. CINCINNATI
Utah State Aggies at #13 Texas A&M Aggies: The battle of the Aggies should be decided long before halftime. TEXAS A&M
#14 Ohio State Buckeyes at Toledo Rockets: The Buckeyes have adjusted after each game. The Navy Midshipmen ran all over them, so their running defense tightened against USC. They were holding USC until the secondary opened up holes, so those will be sealed. Toledo will find themselves entirely overmatched. OHIO STATE
#15 Utah Utes at Oregon Ducks: The Ducks improved last week, but they nearly buckled against Purdue. Utah will completely overwhelm them. UTAH
Florida State Seminoles at #16 BYU Cougars: Florida State barely squeezed past FCS Jacksonville State. That doesn't bode well for their performances. BYU
Furman at #17 Missouri Tigers: No contest here. MISSOURI
Louisiana-Lafayette Rajin Cajuns at #18 LSU Tigers: The Cajuns can be tricky, but LSU is rarely fooled. Their defense will stuff Lafayette all day. LSU
Michigan State Spartans at #20 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: The Spartans fell to Central Michigan last week. They want a chance to regroup, but traveling to South Bend isn't a good way to do that. NOTRE DAME
#21 Arizona Wildcats at Iowa Hawkeyes: Iowa has been sporadic, struggling in Week One and shining this past week. If they had been more consistent, I'd pick them over Arizona. While this is an upset alert, I'll have to go with the more consistent team. ARIZONA
Tulsa Golden Hurricane at #22 Oklahoma Sooners: If Bradford plays, he won't be 100%. I hope they keep him out, as he could get injured more seriously. The Sooners did well without him last week, but they played an FCS team. Tulsa will push them. This is another upset alert, but somehow I think the Sooners will pull themselves up and come together to support their absent teammates. They don't want them to believe they cursed the team. OKLAHOMA
Duke Blue Devils at #23 Kansas Jayhawks: Duke looks better this season, but they aren't ready to compete with a ranked team. KANSAS
Navy Midshipmen at #25 Pittsburgh Panthers: Pitt had better watch themselves. Navy has the best running attack in the nation, and the Pitt line isn't as strong as you'd like when facing that challenge. Navy could pull off the victory, but I'll favor the home team -- barely. PITT
Big Ten
Northern Illinois Huskies at Purdue Boilermakers: Purdue should have this game, unless their close loss to Oregon was not due to an improving Ducks team, but instead due to a poor Purdue team. PURDUE
Other games of interest
Boston College Eagles at Clemson Tigers: Clemson had a great opener, but that may have been their season's highlight. BOSTON COLLEGE
Kansas State Wildcats at UCLA Bruins: The Wildcats seem tame this season. UCLA
GAME OF THE WEEK: West Virginia Mountaineers at #19 Auburn Tigers: This one could go either way. It'll be a close one, and I usually favor defense in those matches. So I will again. AUBURN
NCAA Top 25 - Week 2
It was a busy week, as teams who played FCS opponents leaped into the Top 25. We added five teams to the ranks, and saw some sharp movement from others. The biggest upset of the week cost Oklahoma State their ranking, as they were spanked by Houston. Wake Forest pulled off a stunner, too, as did Central Michigan. Here's the new ranking:
Top 25 (Previous week's position in [ ])
1. USC Trojans (2-0) [1] - They engineered a terrific late fourth quarter drive to prevent a loss in the Horseshoe
2. Florida Gators (2-0) [NP]
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0) [3]
4. Ole Miss Rebels (1-0) [4]
5. California Golden Bears (2-0) [2]
6. Texas Longhorns (2-0) [NP]
7. Boise State Broncos (2-0) [5]
8. Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0) [8]
9. Kentucky Wildcats (1-0) [9]
10. Michigan Wolverines (2-0) [14] - Excellent victory against Notre Dame!
11. Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0) [11]
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (2-0) [12]
13. Texas A&M Aggies (1-0) [13]
14. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-1) [17] - They nearly beat the Trojans
15. Utah Utes (2-0) [15]
16. BYU Cougars (2-0) [16]
17. Missouri Tigers (2-0) [10]
18. LSU Tigers (2-0) [19]
19. Auburn Tigers (2-0) [NP]
20. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1-1) [7]
21. Arizona Wildcats (1-0) [21]
22. Oklahoma Sooners (1-1) [18]
23. Kansas Jayhawks (2-0) [NP]
24. Tennessee Volunteers (1-1) [NP]
25. Pittsburgh Panthers (2-0) [NP]
On the Edge
+1 West Virginia Mountaineers (2-0)
+2 UCLA Bruins (2-0)
+3 Houston Cougars (2-0)
+4 Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2-0)
+5 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-0)
+6 Bowling Green Falcons (1-1)
Dropped: Oklahoma State Cowboys [#6], Stanford Cardinal [#20], Clemson Tigers [#22], Purdue Boilermakers [#23], Miami Hurricanes [#24], Virginia Tech Hokies {#25]
Top 25 (Previous week's position in [ ])
1. USC Trojans (2-0) [1] - They engineered a terrific late fourth quarter drive to prevent a loss in the Horseshoe
2. Florida Gators (2-0) [NP]
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0) [3]
4. Ole Miss Rebels (1-0) [4]
5. California Golden Bears (2-0) [2]
6. Texas Longhorns (2-0) [NP]
7. Boise State Broncos (2-0) [5]
8. Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0) [8]
9. Kentucky Wildcats (1-0) [9]
10. Michigan Wolverines (2-0) [14] - Excellent victory against Notre Dame!
11. Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0) [11]
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (2-0) [12]
13. Texas A&M Aggies (1-0) [13]
14. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-1) [17] - They nearly beat the Trojans
15. Utah Utes (2-0) [15]
16. BYU Cougars (2-0) [16]
17. Missouri Tigers (2-0) [10]
18. LSU Tigers (2-0) [19]
19. Auburn Tigers (2-0) [NP]
20. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1-1) [7]
21. Arizona Wildcats (1-0) [21]
22. Oklahoma Sooners (1-1) [18]
23. Kansas Jayhawks (2-0) [NP]
24. Tennessee Volunteers (1-1) [NP]
25. Pittsburgh Panthers (2-0) [NP]
On the Edge
+1 West Virginia Mountaineers (2-0)
+2 UCLA Bruins (2-0)
+3 Houston Cougars (2-0)
+4 Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2-0)
+5 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-0)
+6 Bowling Green Falcons (1-1)
Dropped: Oklahoma State Cowboys [#6], Stanford Cardinal [#20], Clemson Tigers [#22], Purdue Boilermakers [#23], Miami Hurricanes [#24], Virginia Tech Hokies {#25]
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
NCAA Top 25 - Week 1
Well, opening weekend is over, and so it's time for my first Top 25. For those new to this, allow me to go over some simple rules:
1. USC Trojans (1-0)
2. Cal Golden Bears (1-0) - Impressive win against Maryland, who often start seasons strongly
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0) - VERY impressive win against a traditional powerhouse. Best win of the week
4. Ole Miss Rebels (1-0) - Most of their scores were in the fourth quarter. Let's see if they can continue this offensive showcase in two weeks
5. Boise State Broncos (1-0) - They made Oregon look pathetic
6. Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0) - They murdered Georgia
7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1-0) - Great start for the Irish
8. Penn State Nittany Lions (1-0)
9. Kentucky Wildcats (1-0) - Biggest shut-out of the week
10. Missouri Tigers (1-0) - Chase WHO? This team didn't miss a beat, despite losing three key offensive players
11. Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0)
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (1-0) - Rutgers had lost a lot, so let's see how well Cincy does in a couple of weeks
13. Texas A&M Aggies (1-0)
14. Michigan Wolverines (1-0) - The offense seems to be working THIS season
15. Utah Utes (1-0) - Let Utah State score a bit too much
16. BYU Cougars (1-0) - Nice win against Oklahoma, but they had help with the absence of Sam Bradford
17. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0) - What's happened to their run defense?
18. Oklahoma Sooners (0-1) - Great defensive stand, losing only by one after losing Sam Bradford
19. LSU Tigers (1-0) - Speaking of lethargic defenses for opening week...
20. Stanford Cardinal (1-0) - They may have beaten a two-win team from last year, but it was a rare conference win this opening weekend, and the only impressive one
21. Arizona Wildcats (1-0)
22. Clemson Tigers (1-0)
23. Purdue Boilermakers (1-0)
24. Miami Hurricanes (1-0) - Nice win against Florida State, but they tired in the fourth quarter. Lucky for them, so did the Seminoles
25. Virginia Tech Hokies (0-1) - They may have lost against Alabama, but they found ways to score against that defense
On the Edge:
+1 Florida Gators (1-0)
+2 Texas Longhorns (1-0)
+3 Michigan State Spartans (1-0)
+4 North Carolina Tar Heels (1-0)
+5 Kansas Jayhawks (1-0)
+6 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-0)
+7 West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0)
+8 Florida State Seminoles (0-1)
- I do not count point spreads against FCS teams, and no team with JUST a victory against FCS can be considered for inclusion (thus some top national teams are NOT in this week's ranking)
- Point spread ALONE is not enough - I consider their opponents' stats over the past five years
- Conference wins count more than non-conference - it's always tougher when your opponent knows you well
1. USC Trojans (1-0)
2. Cal Golden Bears (1-0) - Impressive win against Maryland, who often start seasons strongly
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0) - VERY impressive win against a traditional powerhouse. Best win of the week
4. Ole Miss Rebels (1-0) - Most of their scores were in the fourth quarter. Let's see if they can continue this offensive showcase in two weeks
5. Boise State Broncos (1-0) - They made Oregon look pathetic
6. Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0) - They murdered Georgia
7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (1-0) - Great start for the Irish
8. Penn State Nittany Lions (1-0)
9. Kentucky Wildcats (1-0) - Biggest shut-out of the week
10. Missouri Tigers (1-0) - Chase WHO? This team didn't miss a beat, despite losing three key offensive players
11. Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0)
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (1-0) - Rutgers had lost a lot, so let's see how well Cincy does in a couple of weeks
13. Texas A&M Aggies (1-0)
14. Michigan Wolverines (1-0) - The offense seems to be working THIS season
15. Utah Utes (1-0) - Let Utah State score a bit too much
16. BYU Cougars (1-0) - Nice win against Oklahoma, but they had help with the absence of Sam Bradford
17. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0) - What's happened to their run defense?
18. Oklahoma Sooners (0-1) - Great defensive stand, losing only by one after losing Sam Bradford
19. LSU Tigers (1-0) - Speaking of lethargic defenses for opening week...
20. Stanford Cardinal (1-0) - They may have beaten a two-win team from last year, but it was a rare conference win this opening weekend, and the only impressive one
21. Arizona Wildcats (1-0)
22. Clemson Tigers (1-0)
23. Purdue Boilermakers (1-0)
24. Miami Hurricanes (1-0) - Nice win against Florida State, but they tired in the fourth quarter. Lucky for them, so did the Seminoles
25. Virginia Tech Hokies (0-1) - They may have lost against Alabama, but they found ways to score against that defense
On the Edge:
+1 Florida Gators (1-0)
+2 Texas Longhorns (1-0)
+3 Michigan State Spartans (1-0)
+4 North Carolina Tar Heels (1-0)
+5 Kansas Jayhawks (1-0)
+6 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-0)
+7 West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0)
+8 Florida State Seminoles (0-1)
NCAA Week #2 Predictions and Picks
Well, it's time to get into my normal routine with these picks - highlighting my Top 25 and teams on the border, select Top 25 games, and other games of interest.
Thurs Sept 10
# 22 Clemson Tigers at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Clemson looked strong in their opening weekend, but the Yellow Jackets defense is not to be ignored. This is Tech's chance to leap into the Top 25. GA TECH
Sat Sept 12
Central Michigan Chippewas at Michigan State Spartans: The Spartans opened strongly, albeit against an FCS team. Beating up on the Chippewas doesn't guarantee a leap into the Top 25, but it will command attention by their upcoming opponents. MICHIGAN STATE
Fresno State Bulldogs at Wisconsin Badgers: Wisconsin was a team who had some troubles in their opening weekend. They won, but it wasn't easy. It should be easier now, although the Bulldogs can be a tenacious bunch. This win will also be hard-fought, but Wisconsin should pull it out again. WISCONSIN
Iowa at Iowa State: Iowa was nearly shocked last weekend. Coming into Ames, where the Cyclones have played them tough in previous years, may not be the best way to recover from that. I actually have to pick the upset on this one. IOWA STATE
North Carolina Tar Heels at UConn Huskies: North Carolina looked really good. Of course, just about any FBS team would look good against the Citadel. This will be their first challenge, and I think NC is up to it. NORTH CAROLINA
#20 Stanford Cardinal at Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Wake looked absolutely atrocious as they were whipped by Baylor! Stanford beat up on Washington State, and should roll over the not-too-intimidating Deacons. STANFORD
Syracuse Orangemen at #8 Penn State Nittany Lions: Syracuse played Minnesota tough, but they won't be as successful against Penn State. This will truly be Greg Paulus' baptism, and he'll get burned. PENN STATE
Troy Trojans at Florida Gators: Florida continues to pad their national ranking by playing patsies. It doesn't impress me, so don't expect to see Florida high in my rankings until they hit SEC play. FLORIDA
Idaho State at #18 Oklahoma Sooners: The Sooners lost to BYU, but losing QB Sam Bradford is a worse hit. They probably won't need him this week against FCS Idaho State, but if they want to retain their Top 25 ranking, they need Bradford back soon. OKLAHOMA
Marshall Thundering Herd at #25 Virginia Tech Hokies: The Hokies couldn't budge Alabama's defense, but Marshall should be another story. Tech's chance to get a win won't be squandered. VA TECH
Arkansas State Red Wolves at #11 Nebraska Cornhuskers: Nebraska should breeze over this Sun Belt opponent, which might hurt them if they slow it up. Somehow, I don't think Nebraska will. They fully intend to take advantage of Sam Bradford's injury to bring attention to them. NEBRASKA
#16 BYU Cougars at Tulane Green Wave: BYU gets an easier opponent this week, and shouldn't have to come from behind. The offense should continue to improve, as they did in the second half of their game against Oklahoma. BYU
East Carolina Pirates at West Virginia Mountaineers: East Carolina nearly lost to FCS Appalachian State, and their vaulted defense looked somewhat anemic. If they don't get that defensive spark back, they won't prevail against the potent offense of the Mountaineers. WEST VIRGINIA
Houston Cougars at #6 Oklahoma State Cowboys: No doubt about it, the Cowboys showed they had spunk. That renowned offense wasn't so impressive, but perhaps it'll show up this game. Houston's defense isn't as good as Georgia, so the Cowboys should excel this week. OKLAHOMA STATE
#7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at #14 Michigan Wolverines: Both teams were impressive in their openers, but their opponents were not too challenging. This will be a key game for both teams, and both teams have last year's disasters to overcome. Michigan has plenty of new players, while Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen seems to have grown from his inaugural season last year. This will be a close game that can go either way. In those cases, I usually favor the home team. MICHIGAN
Texas Longhorns at Wyoming Cowboys: Wyoming isn't a bad team, but Texas should make them look pathetic. Texas needs a big win to vault into the Top 25, which I think they'll do. TEXAS
UCLA Bruins at #10 Tennessee Volunteers: Tennessee had a good opener, but their ranking was assisted by a large number of teams playing FCS or weak FBS teams. UCLA might give them fits, which could weaken their ranking. I think the Vols will pull out a victory, but we'll see what happens afterwards. TENN
Eastern Washington at #2 Cal Golden Bears: We aren't done with the FCS v FBS match-ups. This contest won't help Cal's ranking, and with so many strong teams playing FBS opponents, even a win could cause Cal to slip. CAL
Jacksonville State at Florida State Seminoles: You have to admire Jacksonville State, as they battle TWO FBS teams in consecutive weeks. They won't come out of either with a victory, but it should toughen them up for their divisional opponents. FLORIDA STATE
Bowling Green Falcons at #10 Missouri Tigers: Bowling Green had a nice opener, but Missouri was even more impressive. The Tigers lost three key offensive players, but they don't seem to have skipped a beat. Their defense looked good, too, so the Falcons have challenges on both sides of the ball. MISSOURI
Florida International Golden Panthers at #3 Alabama Crimson Tide: Florida International has a pretty good team, but they won't be able to surprise the powerful Crimson Tide. The Tide started slowly last week, but many teams did. They'll be a much stronger force this week. ALABAMA
South Carolina Gamecocks at Georgia Bulldogs: Neither team looked impressive in their opener, but at least South Carolina's defense muscled out the win. Can Georgia recover enough to win this game? It's often tough to play in Athens, so I'll give a slight edge to the Bulldogs, but don't be surprised if Steve Spurrier pulls out this one. GEORGIA by one
Vanderbilt Commodores at #19 LSU Tigers: Vandy usually surprises a couple of conference opponents, but I don't think LSU will be one of them. The Tigers defense didn't seem as fierce as it has in previous years, though, so Vandy might have a window. If LSU looks past them, they may get upset. LSU
Southeast Missouri State at #12 Cincinnati Bearcats: The Bearcats take a break from their outstanding opener by drubbing a midling FCS team. CINCINNATI
Miami Ohio Redhawks at #5 Boise State Broncos: The Broncos defense completed dominated the Ducks last week, and the Redhawks will be their next victim. The Broncos are the first team which I believe might go unbeaten this season. BOISE STATE
Northern Arizona at #21 Arizona Wildcats: If Arizona isn't careful, they find themelves upset. Northern Arizona is certainly capable of it, and these in-state battles can be emotionally charged (just ask Iowa). I think Arizona will prevail, but perhaps not by much. ARIZONA
#23 Purdue Boilerrmakers at Oregon Ducks: Speaking of those Ducks, can they recover and gain a home win? Truthfully, I don't think so. The Ducks were so completely dominated, and their squads so thoroughly confused, that I'm not sure they can fix it in one week. Purdue was a little rusty, but they showed the type of offensive power that we've come to expect from them. Their defense isn't as good as Boise's, so the Ducks will score, but I think Purdue will score more. PURDUE
#15 Utah Utes at San Jose State Spartans: USC thumped San Jose State, and Utah will likely embarass them, as well. UTAH
GAME OF THE WEEK: #1 USC Trojans at #17 Ohio State Buckeyes: USC has beaten Ohio State the last three times they've met. It's tough to visit the Horseshoe, but it's tougher yet to beat the Trojans. This year they're more ground-based than aerial, but that might not help, as OSU struggled against the best rushing team in the land. They were able to prevail due to special teams, but USC has a great squad there. USC
Thurs Sept 10
# 22 Clemson Tigers at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Clemson looked strong in their opening weekend, but the Yellow Jackets defense is not to be ignored. This is Tech's chance to leap into the Top 25. GA TECH
Sat Sept 12
Central Michigan Chippewas at Michigan State Spartans: The Spartans opened strongly, albeit against an FCS team. Beating up on the Chippewas doesn't guarantee a leap into the Top 25, but it will command attention by their upcoming opponents. MICHIGAN STATE
Fresno State Bulldogs at Wisconsin Badgers: Wisconsin was a team who had some troubles in their opening weekend. They won, but it wasn't easy. It should be easier now, although the Bulldogs can be a tenacious bunch. This win will also be hard-fought, but Wisconsin should pull it out again. WISCONSIN
Iowa at Iowa State: Iowa was nearly shocked last weekend. Coming into Ames, where the Cyclones have played them tough in previous years, may not be the best way to recover from that. I actually have to pick the upset on this one. IOWA STATE
North Carolina Tar Heels at UConn Huskies: North Carolina looked really good. Of course, just about any FBS team would look good against the Citadel. This will be their first challenge, and I think NC is up to it. NORTH CAROLINA
#20 Stanford Cardinal at Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Wake looked absolutely atrocious as they were whipped by Baylor! Stanford beat up on Washington State, and should roll over the not-too-intimidating Deacons. STANFORD
Syracuse Orangemen at #8 Penn State Nittany Lions: Syracuse played Minnesota tough, but they won't be as successful against Penn State. This will truly be Greg Paulus' baptism, and he'll get burned. PENN STATE
Troy Trojans at Florida Gators: Florida continues to pad their national ranking by playing patsies. It doesn't impress me, so don't expect to see Florida high in my rankings until they hit SEC play. FLORIDA
Idaho State at #18 Oklahoma Sooners: The Sooners lost to BYU, but losing QB Sam Bradford is a worse hit. They probably won't need him this week against FCS Idaho State, but if they want to retain their Top 25 ranking, they need Bradford back soon. OKLAHOMA
Marshall Thundering Herd at #25 Virginia Tech Hokies: The Hokies couldn't budge Alabama's defense, but Marshall should be another story. Tech's chance to get a win won't be squandered. VA TECH
Arkansas State Red Wolves at #11 Nebraska Cornhuskers: Nebraska should breeze over this Sun Belt opponent, which might hurt them if they slow it up. Somehow, I don't think Nebraska will. They fully intend to take advantage of Sam Bradford's injury to bring attention to them. NEBRASKA
#16 BYU Cougars at Tulane Green Wave: BYU gets an easier opponent this week, and shouldn't have to come from behind. The offense should continue to improve, as they did in the second half of their game against Oklahoma. BYU
East Carolina Pirates at West Virginia Mountaineers: East Carolina nearly lost to FCS Appalachian State, and their vaulted defense looked somewhat anemic. If they don't get that defensive spark back, they won't prevail against the potent offense of the Mountaineers. WEST VIRGINIA
Houston Cougars at #6 Oklahoma State Cowboys: No doubt about it, the Cowboys showed they had spunk. That renowned offense wasn't so impressive, but perhaps it'll show up this game. Houston's defense isn't as good as Georgia, so the Cowboys should excel this week. OKLAHOMA STATE
#7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at #14 Michigan Wolverines: Both teams were impressive in their openers, but their opponents were not too challenging. This will be a key game for both teams, and both teams have last year's disasters to overcome. Michigan has plenty of new players, while Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen seems to have grown from his inaugural season last year. This will be a close game that can go either way. In those cases, I usually favor the home team. MICHIGAN
Texas Longhorns at Wyoming Cowboys: Wyoming isn't a bad team, but Texas should make them look pathetic. Texas needs a big win to vault into the Top 25, which I think they'll do. TEXAS
UCLA Bruins at #10 Tennessee Volunteers: Tennessee had a good opener, but their ranking was assisted by a large number of teams playing FCS or weak FBS teams. UCLA might give them fits, which could weaken their ranking. I think the Vols will pull out a victory, but we'll see what happens afterwards. TENN
Eastern Washington at #2 Cal Golden Bears: We aren't done with the FCS v FBS match-ups. This contest won't help Cal's ranking, and with so many strong teams playing FBS opponents, even a win could cause Cal to slip. CAL
Jacksonville State at Florida State Seminoles: You have to admire Jacksonville State, as they battle TWO FBS teams in consecutive weeks. They won't come out of either with a victory, but it should toughen them up for their divisional opponents. FLORIDA STATE
Bowling Green Falcons at #10 Missouri Tigers: Bowling Green had a nice opener, but Missouri was even more impressive. The Tigers lost three key offensive players, but they don't seem to have skipped a beat. Their defense looked good, too, so the Falcons have challenges on both sides of the ball. MISSOURI
Florida International Golden Panthers at #3 Alabama Crimson Tide: Florida International has a pretty good team, but they won't be able to surprise the powerful Crimson Tide. The Tide started slowly last week, but many teams did. They'll be a much stronger force this week. ALABAMA
South Carolina Gamecocks at Georgia Bulldogs: Neither team looked impressive in their opener, but at least South Carolina's defense muscled out the win. Can Georgia recover enough to win this game? It's often tough to play in Athens, so I'll give a slight edge to the Bulldogs, but don't be surprised if Steve Spurrier pulls out this one. GEORGIA by one
Vanderbilt Commodores at #19 LSU Tigers: Vandy usually surprises a couple of conference opponents, but I don't think LSU will be one of them. The Tigers defense didn't seem as fierce as it has in previous years, though, so Vandy might have a window. If LSU looks past them, they may get upset. LSU
Southeast Missouri State at #12 Cincinnati Bearcats: The Bearcats take a break from their outstanding opener by drubbing a midling FCS team. CINCINNATI
Miami Ohio Redhawks at #5 Boise State Broncos: The Broncos defense completed dominated the Ducks last week, and the Redhawks will be their next victim. The Broncos are the first team which I believe might go unbeaten this season. BOISE STATE
Northern Arizona at #21 Arizona Wildcats: If Arizona isn't careful, they find themelves upset. Northern Arizona is certainly capable of it, and these in-state battles can be emotionally charged (just ask Iowa). I think Arizona will prevail, but perhaps not by much. ARIZONA
#23 Purdue Boilerrmakers at Oregon Ducks: Speaking of those Ducks, can they recover and gain a home win? Truthfully, I don't think so. The Ducks were so completely dominated, and their squads so thoroughly confused, that I'm not sure they can fix it in one week. Purdue was a little rusty, but they showed the type of offensive power that we've come to expect from them. Their defense isn't as good as Boise's, so the Ducks will score, but I think Purdue will score more. PURDUE
#15 Utah Utes at San Jose State Spartans: USC thumped San Jose State, and Utah will likely embarass them, as well. UTAH
GAME OF THE WEEK: #1 USC Trojans at #17 Ohio State Buckeyes: USC has beaten Ohio State the last three times they've met. It's tough to visit the Horseshoe, but it's tougher yet to beat the Trojans. This year they're more ground-based than aerial, but that might not help, as OSU struggled against the best rushing team in the land. They were able to prevail due to special teams, but USC has a great squad there. USC
Monday, September 7, 2009
NFL 2009: Week 1 picks
Welcome to the new season of the National Football League! The season kicks off on Thursday, with some interesting match-ups in the first week. Let's look at each of them:
Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers: The first game of the regular season could be a barnburner! Both of these teams come into this season from the playoffs; the Steelers defending their Super Bowl title. The Titans have a quick offense, the Steelers a stingy defense. The Steelers have fewer of their dynamic receivers, but who they have a stable and strong. They specialize in short passes and controlling the pace of the drive, and they do that very well. They know the pressure of defending a Super Bowl title, and I think they'll be prepared for it. STEELERS, 20-17
Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Once again, the Bucs have a quarterback issue. Tony Romo seems ready to play this season without distractions, of both the girlfriend and TO varieties. A clear-thinking Cowboys offense will tear apart the Bucs. COWBOYS, 27-17
Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals: Denver's off-season trading hurt their team more than helped them. They resigned Brandon Marshall, but does he really want to be there? Meanwhile, Carson Palmer seems healthy again, and the running game is potent. Actually, BOTH teams have potent running games. The Bengals defense will definitely be the difference maker in this game. BENGALS, 20-10
Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints: I definitely don't think the Lions will lose all of their games again this season, but they won't break their losing streak anytime soon. The Saints offense is too potent for their defense, which seems to tire late in the third quarter. SAINTS, 37-10
Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts: This will be a hard-fought game. The result could come down to who holds the ball last. I'm tempted to pick the Jags for the "upset", but I'll give an edge to the home team. COLTS, 24-23
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens: KC needs some time to adjust to their new offensive game plan, but Baltimore won't give them that. They are a battling defense that doesn't give their opponents time to breathe. RAVENS, 20-6
Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons: Miami's defense is good, but I don't think they're good enough to stop the high-powered Falcons offense. Slow them, perhaps, but not stop them. Since their offense still needs a bit of work, they won't outscore the Falcons. FALCONS, 24-16
Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns: The Browns' QB controversy remains, which is no way to enter the first week. Brett Favre is still fresh; this is the most dangerous time to face him. VIKES, 27-16
New York Jets at Houston Texans: The Texans could surprise here, as their defense will pester rookie Marc Sanchez. I'll still give an edge to the Jets, because Rex Ryan has built a surprisingly tough defense, too, but watch out for Houston! JETS, 20-17
Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers: Everyone expects Philly to play revitalized this year, but I think the Panthers have more to prove to the league. Carolina could surprise here, and this surprise I think I'll accept. PANTHERS, 24-21
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals: The Cards want to shake off the curse of the Super Bowl losing team, and beating up on San Fran is a good way to do it. CARDINALS, 31-17
St Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks seem confused, while the Rams spend some time in the off-season actually beefing up their defense, their Achilles' Heel over the past few years. That could be a saving grace for the Rams. RAMS, 23-21
Washington Redskins at New York Giants: The Giants' receiving corps has been nearly completely shuffled in the off-season and preseason, but they still have talent. The Redskins improved, but enough to get past the ever-tough Giants defense? Nope. GIANTS, 24-17
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers: Jay Cutler seems to have new life, and he wants to show off. Combine that with their tough defense, and it won't be an easy game for the Pack. BEARS, 24-13
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots: Buffalo's offense has TO, but they don't have much else, so we all know who the secondary will be covering. PATS, 27-20
San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders: I suspect this will be another long season for the Raiders. CHARGERS, 34-13
Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers: The first game of the regular season could be a barnburner! Both of these teams come into this season from the playoffs; the Steelers defending their Super Bowl title. The Titans have a quick offense, the Steelers a stingy defense. The Steelers have fewer of their dynamic receivers, but who they have a stable and strong. They specialize in short passes and controlling the pace of the drive, and they do that very well. They know the pressure of defending a Super Bowl title, and I think they'll be prepared for it. STEELERS, 20-17
Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Once again, the Bucs have a quarterback issue. Tony Romo seems ready to play this season without distractions, of both the girlfriend and TO varieties. A clear-thinking Cowboys offense will tear apart the Bucs. COWBOYS, 27-17
Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals: Denver's off-season trading hurt their team more than helped them. They resigned Brandon Marshall, but does he really want to be there? Meanwhile, Carson Palmer seems healthy again, and the running game is potent. Actually, BOTH teams have potent running games. The Bengals defense will definitely be the difference maker in this game. BENGALS, 20-10
Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints: I definitely don't think the Lions will lose all of their games again this season, but they won't break their losing streak anytime soon. The Saints offense is too potent for their defense, which seems to tire late in the third quarter. SAINTS, 37-10
Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts: This will be a hard-fought game. The result could come down to who holds the ball last. I'm tempted to pick the Jags for the "upset", but I'll give an edge to the home team. COLTS, 24-23
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens: KC needs some time to adjust to their new offensive game plan, but Baltimore won't give them that. They are a battling defense that doesn't give their opponents time to breathe. RAVENS, 20-6
Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons: Miami's defense is good, but I don't think they're good enough to stop the high-powered Falcons offense. Slow them, perhaps, but not stop them. Since their offense still needs a bit of work, they won't outscore the Falcons. FALCONS, 24-16
Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns: The Browns' QB controversy remains, which is no way to enter the first week. Brett Favre is still fresh; this is the most dangerous time to face him. VIKES, 27-16
New York Jets at Houston Texans: The Texans could surprise here, as their defense will pester rookie Marc Sanchez. I'll still give an edge to the Jets, because Rex Ryan has built a surprisingly tough defense, too, but watch out for Houston! JETS, 20-17
Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers: Everyone expects Philly to play revitalized this year, but I think the Panthers have more to prove to the league. Carolina could surprise here, and this surprise I think I'll accept. PANTHERS, 24-21
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals: The Cards want to shake off the curse of the Super Bowl losing team, and beating up on San Fran is a good way to do it. CARDINALS, 31-17
St Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks seem confused, while the Rams spend some time in the off-season actually beefing up their defense, their Achilles' Heel over the past few years. That could be a saving grace for the Rams. RAMS, 23-21
Washington Redskins at New York Giants: The Giants' receiving corps has been nearly completely shuffled in the off-season and preseason, but they still have talent. The Redskins improved, but enough to get past the ever-tough Giants defense? Nope. GIANTS, 24-17
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers: Jay Cutler seems to have new life, and he wants to show off. Combine that with their tough defense, and it won't be an easy game for the Pack. BEARS, 24-13
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots: Buffalo's offense has TO, but they don't have much else, so we all know who the secondary will be covering. PATS, 27-20
San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders: I suspect this will be another long season for the Raiders. CHARGERS, 34-13
Thursday, September 3, 2009
NCAA Week #1 Predictions and Picks
Many of this weekend's game feature FBS teams against FCS teams, or face-offs between minor teams. Thus, there's not a large number of games to spotlight. I still have a Game of the Week, though.
South Carolina Gamecocks at NC State Wolfpack: NC State hasn't been very competitive in the last few years, and this year will be no exception. This will be a great warm-up for the Gamecocks. SOUTH CAROLINA
Utah State Aggies at Utah Utes: The Aggies may win a couple this year, but not against the intended BCS buster Utes. UTAH
Navy Midshipmen at Ohio State Buckeyes: The Buckeyes lost plenty of starters, but this team reloads almost as well as USC. Navy may actually take a step down this year from last. OHIO STATE
Akron Zips at Penn State Nittany Lions: Penn State wants to compete for the Big Ten title, and they know that they need to win all of their non-conference games to have an edge in a tiebreaker. This game will start that run. PENN STATE
Northern Iowa Panthers at Iowa Hawkeyes: This may be a FBS v FCS game, but the in-state rivals have often played Iowa tough. Northern Iowa typically fields strong teams, and this year should be no exception. If Iowa wants to convince the country that they can compete in the Big Ten, this game is imperative. IOWA
San Jose State Spartans at USC Trojans: This one doesn't deserve commentary. Take about starting off their new QB easy! USC
Georgia Bulldogs at Oklahoma State Cowboys: This one was in the running for game of the week, but I think the Cowboys have more firepower. The Bulldogs lost their two best offensive tools, QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno, which means they can't keep pace with the Cowboys. OKLAHOMA STATE
Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Wolverines: The Broncos should be a good team, and may heckle the still stumbling Wolverines. Coach Rich Rodriquez has taken some lumps in the media recently, so I think the Wolverines will pull this one out, but it'll be closer than Michigan fans would like. MICHIGAN
Missouri Tigers at Illinois Fighting Illini: This annual "battle across the border" has frequently gone to Missouri. With the Tigers having to restructure their offense this year, the Illini have the upper hand. Playing at home helps them, too. ILLINOIS
Charleston Southern at Florida Gators: Okay, I usually ignore FBS v FCS games, but I HAVE to include the first game of the defending champs. They certainly made it easy for themselves, didn't they? FLORIDA with a victory that won't count in my Top 25
Louisiana-Monroe Indians at Texas Longhorns Texas gives themselves nearly as easy a game as Florida, helping their AP ranking. It won't help mine, though, until they get into tougher opponents. TEXAS
BYU Cougars at Oklahoma Sooners: This was my runner-up for Game of the Week. These two teams are fairly evenly matched. The Sooners defense is better, and the home crowd should help. If this game were played in Provo, though, I might have to change my pick. OKLAHOMA
Alabama Crimson Tide at Virginia Tech Hokies: Alabama was situated on top of the rankings at one point last season. They want to get back there. A victory over the Hokies, a frequent bowl team, will really help give them an early boost. ALABAMA
LSU Tigers at Washington Huskies: This game might be a shut-out, with the powerful LSU defense stuffing the hapless Huskies offense. LSU
Ole Miss Rebels at Memphis Tigers: Ole Miss is hoping to carry their late season success last year into a tremendous start. Memphis might give them a different view than they are used to, but the Rebs should still have the upper hand. OLE MISS
Colorado State Rams at Colorado Buffaloes: This in-state rivalry always gets intense, no matter who has the better team. This year that's Colorado, who are aided by playing at home. COLORADO
Cincinnati Bearcats at Rutgers Scarlet Knights: The Big East starts early, as these two battle for an early lead in the conference. Rutgers has looked good the past few years, but they lost too many key players from last season to start off well. Unless their defense steps up, they will lose this game, and the defense hasn't been stepping up recently. CINCINNATI in an upset
Miami Hurricanes at Florida State Seminoles: Another hard-fought in-state rivalry. The last couple of years has been a defensive battle, but the Seminoles have improved their offense enough to make a more balanced squad. That certainly gives them the edge. FLORIDA STATE
GAME OF THE WEEK: Oregon Ducks at Boise State Broncos: This should be a grudge match! Oregon comes to Boise State to avenge their loss to the Broncos last season. Both teams are well-stocked and looking to compete for a national title. Boise has greater incentive, since the BCS has announced that they are planning to adjust their automatic bids depending upon conference results this year. Both the Mountain West and the WAC want consideration, hoping to supplant the Big East. A victory here would help Boise State and the WAC tremendously. This will be a great offensive battle, but I give a slight to the Ducks. OREGON
South Carolina Gamecocks at NC State Wolfpack: NC State hasn't been very competitive in the last few years, and this year will be no exception. This will be a great warm-up for the Gamecocks. SOUTH CAROLINA
Utah State Aggies at Utah Utes: The Aggies may win a couple this year, but not against the intended BCS buster Utes. UTAH
Navy Midshipmen at Ohio State Buckeyes: The Buckeyes lost plenty of starters, but this team reloads almost as well as USC. Navy may actually take a step down this year from last. OHIO STATE
Akron Zips at Penn State Nittany Lions: Penn State wants to compete for the Big Ten title, and they know that they need to win all of their non-conference games to have an edge in a tiebreaker. This game will start that run. PENN STATE
Northern Iowa Panthers at Iowa Hawkeyes: This may be a FBS v FCS game, but the in-state rivals have often played Iowa tough. Northern Iowa typically fields strong teams, and this year should be no exception. If Iowa wants to convince the country that they can compete in the Big Ten, this game is imperative. IOWA
San Jose State Spartans at USC Trojans: This one doesn't deserve commentary. Take about starting off their new QB easy! USC
Georgia Bulldogs at Oklahoma State Cowboys: This one was in the running for game of the week, but I think the Cowboys have more firepower. The Bulldogs lost their two best offensive tools, QB Matthew Stafford and RB Knowshon Moreno, which means they can't keep pace with the Cowboys. OKLAHOMA STATE
Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Wolverines: The Broncos should be a good team, and may heckle the still stumbling Wolverines. Coach Rich Rodriquez has taken some lumps in the media recently, so I think the Wolverines will pull this one out, but it'll be closer than Michigan fans would like. MICHIGAN
Missouri Tigers at Illinois Fighting Illini: This annual "battle across the border" has frequently gone to Missouri. With the Tigers having to restructure their offense this year, the Illini have the upper hand. Playing at home helps them, too. ILLINOIS
Charleston Southern at Florida Gators: Okay, I usually ignore FBS v FCS games, but I HAVE to include the first game of the defending champs. They certainly made it easy for themselves, didn't they? FLORIDA with a victory that won't count in my Top 25
Louisiana-Monroe Indians at Texas Longhorns Texas gives themselves nearly as easy a game as Florida, helping their AP ranking. It won't help mine, though, until they get into tougher opponents. TEXAS
BYU Cougars at Oklahoma Sooners: This was my runner-up for Game of the Week. These two teams are fairly evenly matched. The Sooners defense is better, and the home crowd should help. If this game were played in Provo, though, I might have to change my pick. OKLAHOMA
Alabama Crimson Tide at Virginia Tech Hokies: Alabama was situated on top of the rankings at one point last season. They want to get back there. A victory over the Hokies, a frequent bowl team, will really help give them an early boost. ALABAMA
LSU Tigers at Washington Huskies: This game might be a shut-out, with the powerful LSU defense stuffing the hapless Huskies offense. LSU
Ole Miss Rebels at Memphis Tigers: Ole Miss is hoping to carry their late season success last year into a tremendous start. Memphis might give them a different view than they are used to, but the Rebs should still have the upper hand. OLE MISS
Colorado State Rams at Colorado Buffaloes: This in-state rivalry always gets intense, no matter who has the better team. This year that's Colorado, who are aided by playing at home. COLORADO
Cincinnati Bearcats at Rutgers Scarlet Knights: The Big East starts early, as these two battle for an early lead in the conference. Rutgers has looked good the past few years, but they lost too many key players from last season to start off well. Unless their defense steps up, they will lose this game, and the defense hasn't been stepping up recently. CINCINNATI in an upset
Miami Hurricanes at Florida State Seminoles: Another hard-fought in-state rivalry. The last couple of years has been a defensive battle, but the Seminoles have improved their offense enough to make a more balanced squad. That certainly gives them the edge. FLORIDA STATE
GAME OF THE WEEK: Oregon Ducks at Boise State Broncos: This should be a grudge match! Oregon comes to Boise State to avenge their loss to the Broncos last season. Both teams are well-stocked and looking to compete for a national title. Boise has greater incentive, since the BCS has announced that they are planning to adjust their automatic bids depending upon conference results this year. Both the Mountain West and the WAC want consideration, hoping to supplant the Big East. A victory here would help Boise State and the WAC tremendously. This will be a great offensive battle, but I give a slight to the Ducks. OREGON
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