College Football
2009 NCAA College fooball betting preview
Spring Practices are done, summer is on the way so it's time to take a look at the top teams that will be vying for the 2009 NCAA National Championship. We are going to take a look at the top few teams in each of the 6 "Power Conferences", as well as some of the better teams from Mid-Major Conferences, and of course "The Fighting Irish" of Notre Dame.
SEC
We are going to start our coverage with the SEC. This conference, more than any other has produced the most competitive games over the last few years, produced the most professional prospects, and has given us the last 3 National Champions.
Florida Gators (2008 record 13-1). This team is still loaded. Of course we can start with QB Tim Tebow who is the best leader in college football and possibly the best player. He returns for his senior year, instead of going to the pros, and instantly makes Florida the team to beat in the SEC, as well as in the Nation. The only major loss for the Gators is Wr Percy Harvin, but they still have plenty of talent to go around. TE Aaron Hernandez is back, as well as LB Brandon Spikes, who was the leader of the Defense. Speaking of Defense, they return all 11 starters to a team that ranked 4th in the nation in scoring and 9th in total Defense. The Offense remains intact except for loosing 2 OTs. This team was crushing everyone last year, except for the 1 bad game vs "Ole Miss", and has beaten everyone by at least 10 points. Very easy schedule this year as they have only 4 road games. The toughest game of the year looks like 10-10 at L.S.U. This team is in very good shape to win the SEC and a 3rd National Title in 4 years.
Alabama Crimson Tide (2008 record 12-2). Bama was probably a year ahead of schedule last year, and might take a step back this year as they retool their Offense. That being said, this team did start the year 12-0, and was ranked No.1 in the country till they lost to Florida in the SEC Championship Game, and then got killed in the Sugar Bowl by Utah. The biggest problem this year will be on Offense. They lost 3 year starter John Parker Wilson at QB, Andre Smith at OT, All SEC Center Antoine Caldwell,and Runningback Glen Coffee. Junior Glen McElroy will take over at QB, and still has Wr Julius Jones to throw to, but this team must run the ball well and play low scoring games, even more than last year. The Defense returns 9 starters, led by DT Terrence Cody and a good group of LBs. They will miss, however, 2 time All SEC Safety Rashad Johnson. The 2008 recruiting class was rated number 1, and must contribute right away. As far as the schedule goes it's not that bad. They start right "out of the gate" with VA Tech on 9-5, in Atlanta. If they can win that game, the only other 2 stumbling blocks, are home against L.S.U.on 11-7, and then at Auburn to end the season on 11-28. This team will be good, not great this year, but winning the SEC West, is a good possibility and once you get in the "Title Game" anything is possible.
Georgia Bulldogs (2008 record 10-3). The Bulldogs have many question marks. Last year it was the opposite, as some people had them as a preseason No.1. This years team will by highly motivated to erase the mistakes of a year before. The obvious problem is how do they replace 2 of the best players in the nation in QB Matt Stafford, and RB Knowshon Moreno. Senior QB Joe Cox will try to replace Stafford, and a "running back by committee", will do their best to replace Moreno. The Offensive line had injuries last year, but all return, so that is a good sign. The Defense must stop having bad games as they did last year. In 6 games their opponents scored less than 14 points, but in 5 they gave up over 38 points. The back 7 are good, led by LB Rennie Curran who had 115 tackles last year, and Safety Reshad Jones. The Defensive line however couldn't sack the QB, and played poorly. Their schedule is also brutal, as they have 6 games that they could lose. It looks like an 8 win season should be a realistic goal.
L.S.U.Tigers (2008 record 8-5). This team is pretty close to being a contender. The big problem is lack of a quarterback. The 2 options are sophomore Jarret Lee who threw 16 interceptions last year, and sophomore Jordan Jefferson who only threw 1. They are set at Runningback with Charles Scott who had 18 TDs last year. The OL lost a lot of people, but OT Ciron Black did come back. Losing WR Demetrius Byrd will hurt, but WR Brandon Lafell will be back. The Strength of this team as always is defense. The back 7 are very good, and they have a few good LBs, as well as Safety Harry Coleman. The Defense started to fall apart at times last year because the Offense put them in bad situations. Losing DT Ricky Jean-Francois and DE Tyson Jackson to the Pros will hurt. Last year was a rebuilding year for L.S.U., this year the upper class leadership will help. They have a favorable schedule as their 2 toughest road games are 10-3 at Georgia and 11-7 at "Bama". This team must show improvement this year or Head Coach Les Miles may be in trouble.
Big 12
This Conference was the most fun to watch last year, as it seemed liked most teams in the Conference could put up 5 touchdowns a week. Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., Missouri, and even Kansas went right down the field and scored at will. A few of these teams were Ranked No.1 during the year, and almost won a National Title.
Texas Longhorns (2008 record 12-1). This team could go all the way this year, and almost did last year except for the late loss to Texas Tech. Just by the fact that Colt McCoy will be back, and he will be throwing to Jordan Shipley, makes them a contender. Throw in the fact the the 2nd ranked Defense remains mostly intact, and they might make a National Title run. There is lots of upper-class leadership on the OL to protect McCoy. The Defense also has senior leadership at the 3 LB spots, but the Defensive front must be replaced, and DE Brian Orakpo will be missed. The key thing however is how the Secondary will play in those wild “Shootout Games", that seem to happen weekly in the Big 12. football betting the under at 70 was a risk last year. The Longhorns have a favorable schedule. There is the annual "Red River Rivalry", on 10-17 vs Oklahoma, but other than that it looks like "clear sailing", except for at Okla S.t on 10-30. This team is very good and might ride Colt McCoy's arm, all the way to a National Tittle.
Oklahoma Sooners (2008 record 12-2). This team was a few plays away from beating Florida in the National Title game last year, and most of the team stays largely intact. The offense is obviouly led by Redshirt Jr. QB Sam Bradford who had 50 Td passes last year. Are you kidding me, those are Dan Marino and Tom Brady NFL numbers. He will still be throwing the ball to TE Jermaine Gresham, but Wr Juaquin Iqlesias has moved on. They are very deep at Rb also. The problem lies in the fact that 4 of the 5 starting O-Linemen are gone. The good news is Super-Star OT Trent Williams will be back. This may lead to Bradford having to move around the pocket move then he is accustomed to. The Defense returns 9 starters but will have 2 new starting safeties, which won't help the 99th ranked pass defense. The schedule looks good as they might stumble early at Miami on 9-12, but if they get by that, they only have Texas on 10-17, and at Texas Tech on 11-21, to really worry about. This team talks title every year, and this year should be no different.
Oklahoma St. Cowboys (2008 record 9-4). Here we go again talking about another Big 12 team who can score but has problems on Defense (and we're not done yet, Texas Tech is next). Zac Robinson could the best QB in the Nation but for some reason he gets largely overlooked when it comes to National Honors. The St. Offense put up nearly 500 yards a game last year, and are returning 8 starters. WR Dez Bryant, who caught 87 passes and 19 TDs is back, as are the RB Duo of Kendal Hunter and Keith Toston who combined for over 2200 yards and 27 touchdowns. TE Brandon Pettigrew will be missed, but not much as the Cowboys have plenty of other weapons. That's the good news, the bad news is Ok St. plays even less defense, than does Texas and Oklahoma, and is only returning 1 starter to the secondary. "OUCH". The Defense must find a way to pressure the QB, or it will be more "Arena Football Type Shootouts". The schedule looks very good, as most of their key games are at home. Georgia comes into town on 9-5 as does Texas on 10-31 and Texas Tech on 10-14. The big game is at Oklahoma on 10-28. If the Cowboys play just a little defense this team has as good a shot as any to win the Big 12 Title or more.
Texas Tech Red Raiders (2008 record 11-2). O.K. here we go again, but I promise you this is the last time I'm going to talk about a Big 12 team and say how good the offense is and how bad the defense is. Actually this defense played O.K. at times last year, and did play good against Texas in that big upset late last year. DE Brandon Williams and his 11 sacks are gone, as well as both starting safeties. 6 of the front 7 return however. All things considered, last year, and possibly this year, may be the best Defense Lubbock has seen, since Mike Leach and his "Mad Scientist" Offense took over. Leach has his new contract, and it may pay dividends immediately. Obviously losing Graham Harrel and Michael Crabtree will hurt, but they have 3 young receivers who all had over 500 yards receiving, and the new QB, Taylor Potts has potential. He is big and was rated highly out of high school, in a pro-style offense, and has been in the Tech system for 3 years now, so you never know. The Bad news is the whole left side of the line is gone, which won't help a young QB. They could get off to a good start and be undefeated going into a tough 3 game stretch at Texas, at Ok. St. and hosting Oklahoma, from 11-7 to 11-21. That will show us what type of team Texas Tech is in 2009.
Big 10
This is one of the oldest and most historic Conferences, but has fallen on tough times as of late. As the rest of the country has been getting stronger, faster and more athletic, the Big 10 has stayed the same. Lack of team speed has hurt this conference lately.
Ohio St Buckeyes (2008 record 10-3). Ohio St. is always going to be in the hunt for a Big 10, as well as National Championship. They lost lots of players, many going to the NFL, and then they retool, and win. Loosing LB James Laurinatis, and corner backs Malcom Jenkins and Donald Washington to the Nfl can’t help the defense, but it won’t hurt that much either. Same for losing 2 starting Wrs, Brian Robiske and Brian Hartine, and Runningback "Beannie" Wells to the Pros, they will find a replacement. The Defense will be fine with a pair of, 3year starters at Safety leading the way. Special teams is always good. The one question mark has to be the play of QB Aaron Pryor, who played fairly well as a freshman last year. He had only 4 interceptions but threw 12 touchdowns. That being said, he must take it to another level if O.S.U. wants to win another National Title. Wells is not going to be in the backfield, and Pryor must take a more central role in the Offense, whether it’s by running or passing. Ohio St. will obviously be in the hunt for a Conference Title, but if they want more then that Pryor will have to lead the way. They have U.S.C. on 9-12 then it’s gets easy till they go to Penn St. on 11-7, host Iowa a week later, then the annual Big Game at Michigan to end the year.
Penn St. Nittany Lions (2008 record 11-2). Penn St. surprised many people last year, and came within last second field goal versus Iowa of going to the National Title Game. This year will be harder. They return only 4 starters on the Defense. Their 3 starting DEs combined for 19 sacks last year, and the best of the lot Aaron Maybin and his 12 sacks will be back. The linebackers are always good in "Happy Valley". The question mark is that if they don’t get enough pressure on the Qb, will the young secondary play well. On Offense Quarterback Darryl Clark is better than most people think, and Evan Royster is very good. They did lose all 3 receivers to the NFL, as well as 3 good offensive line and that hurts both the running and passing game. The schedule is normal. They host Iowa early in the year, then go to Michigan on 10-24, host O.S.U on 11-7 and go to Mich St. on 11-21. If they can win 3 out 4 of those games Penn.St will be o.k...
Iowa Hawkeyes (2008 record 9-4). Iowa started the year slow last year then game on at the end, even beating No.1 ranked Penn St in the process. Quaterback Ricky Stanzi played pretty well throwing for 2000 yards, 14 TDs and 9 interceptions. His favorite target is back in Darrel Johnson-Koulianos, but he must find more weapons. RB Shonn Greene has gone to the NFL, but his understudy Jewel Hampton played good at times as his back-up. The strength of this team, however, is the defense ranked 12th in the nation last year. All of the back 7 return, and the 3 LBs could be the best in the Conference. The bad news is they lose 2 great DLs in Mitch King and Matt Kroul that will hurt. This team will surprise a few people this year, but their schedule is brutal, as all of their tough games are on the road against O.S.U., P.S.U, Wisconsin and Michigan St.. That schedule will slow down the Hawkeyes, but 8-9 wins is still likely.
Pac 10
The Pac 10 has fallen on tough times of late, as the only really good team in it is U.S.C. Gone are the days when other teams such as U.C.L.A, Stanford, and even Arizona St. could compete on the "National Stage". Today it's U.S.C. and the other 9.
U.S.C. Trojans (2008 record 12-1). U.S.C has been loosing 1 conference game every year, that "screws up" their season. Last year it was early in the season at Oregon St. This year's team only question marks are on the defensive side of the ball, as they loose 9 starters, including 4 incredible Lbs (3 went to NFL). If they can solve the problems defensively, (AND THEY WILL), then the offense will carry the team. They have the best group of running backs in the nation, and the entire great OL stays in tack. This will take the pressure off of who ever replaces Mark Sanchez, whether it be Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain or Soph Aaron Corp. With this supporting cast, any QB would play well. U.S.C. has to go to Ohio St early in the season, and then at Cal on 10-3 and at Notre Dame on 10-17 seems difficult. This team has been in the National Title mix every year since Pete Carrol arrived that won't change till he goes back to the NFL.
Oregon Ducks (2008 record 10-3). The best thing you can say about Oregon is that they have a very favorable schedule, with all of their tougher games being at home, except for the opener at Boise St. on 9-5. The offense is in good shape with returning QB Jeremiah Masoli at the helm. Masoli played well at the end of the year and threw for 1700 yards and 13 TDs. The Running back tandem of Jeremiah Johnson and LeGarret Blount, who both ran for 1000 yardds are both back. Center Max Unger will be playing on Sunday, and will be missed. They also lost 2 good receivers, but Jason Williams will be back. The defense is a mess however. Gone from the secondary are Patrick Chung and Jarius Byrd, who moved on the NFL. That means the 2 best players from a bad defense, which ranked 111th in the country in passing, are gone. That being said, this is a weak conference, and Oregon has a chance to finish 2nd or 3rd in this group.
California Golden Bears (2008 record 9-4). The Bears like the Ducks will be competing for the No.2 spot in the Conference. The Strength of this team will be the defense. They might switch from a 3-4 back to a 4-3 due to the loss of 3 solid LBs. The secondary should strong, led by Senior Syd'Quan Thompson and other upperclassmen. They also can rush the Qb as shown by being 14th in the country in sacks last year; the offense will again be turned over to Kevin Riley, who split time with the departed Nate Longshore, last year. He must produce, or the outstanding rushing attack, led by Heisman Candidate Javid Best will be predictable. Losing 2 OLs and a great TE won't help matters either. The 2 toughest games on their schedule come early on at Oregon 9-26 and a week later versus U.S.C., if they can split those games, Cal will have a good year once again.
A.C.C.
Another league that has fallen on tough times as of late. Many of the games are very competitive but the quality of play is not very high. A few teams at the top can compete on the National Stage, but most fall into the 25-50 in the nation range.
Virginia Tech Hokies (2008 record 10-4). Frank Beamer did a terrific job coaching last year, getting this team into the Orange Bowl and winning it. This team should be better off this year, with a year more experience. The best part of this team is the defense that plays both the run and the pass well. DE Jason Worlds can rush the passer. They did however lose 1 LB, and CB Victor "Macho" Harris is gone to the NFL. The defense still should carry this team. The other bright sign is QB Tyrod Taylor. He will have WRs with a year more experience under their belt, which will help. Taylor can play, and will be in the conversation for National Awards. The schedule is favorable as the only tough games are week 1 vs Alabama and 10-17 at Georgia Tech. Va.Tech is at the top of a weak Conference, and will compete for a trip to the Orange Bowl again.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2008 record 9-4). Coach Paul Johnson showed last year what his Offense can do when it has athletes to run it. They finished 4th in the nation in rushing and everybody knew that they were going to run the ball. RB Jonathan Dwyer is one of the best in the nation, and his buddies Roddy Jones and Lucas Cox are good as well. QB Josh Nesbit makes good decisions and this Offense makes Georgia Tech a possible Top 10 team. The Defense has 8 players back, but the 3 losses are big ones. Gone are DE Michael John, and DLs Darryl Richards and Vance Walker. The back 7 remain intact, and if the Offense can keep the Defense off the field, "The Ramblin Wreck" will be fine. The schedule also looks good after going to Florida St. on 10-10, they host Va. Tech on 10-17 and finish with rival Georgia at home on Thanksgiving weekend. Look out for Georgia Tech this year.
Florida St. Seminoles (2008 record 9-4). The Seminoles were a very young team last year, but played well. This year the offense will be a year older but the defense was hit by graduation. Gone are DE Everette Brown, and most of LBs and secondary, from a "D" that ranked 15th in the nation and averaged 3 sacks a game. LB Dekota Spikes is a force and will return however. Now for the first time in a few years, Florida St. has some experience on offense, but the defense is questionable. Speaking of offense, they finally return a starting Qb in Chris Ponder, who played shaky at times behind a very young OL. Both he, and the line will be a year older and that will help. Back-up Jermaine Thomas takes over at Tailback and there is good speed and athleticism at Wr. Their schedule is very tough however, as they play, B.Y.U., Florida,B.C., and North Carolina, on the road as well as Georgia Tech at home. There is cause for optimism in Tallahassee, but a return to 8-9 wins is likely.
Big East
The Conference is more known for its basketball teams and rightfully so I don't understand why they still call this a "Power Conference", as there is nothing powerful about it. Similar to the A.C.C. and the Pac 10, there are always a few good teams at the top, but top to bottom, the level of play is average.
Pitt Panthers (2008 Record 9-4). Pitt is returning 16 starters to a team that has been getting better every year. Keeping Dave Wannstedt was the right call, too many times colleges, and even pro teams, give up on a system too quickly, and never "reap the rewards". The key to this team is they play hard on both sides of the ball. They did lose some players however. The big loss is Rb LeSean McCoy going to the Pros. Also gone from the Offense are the 2 starting guards, and their top receiver. The top 4 tacklers are gone from the Defense, but the big loss is Star MLB Scott McKillop.The front 4 does put pressure on the QB however, which will help an already good secondary. They have to find a new punter and kicker also. The schedule looks great early on till they go to West Virginia, and host Cincinnati to close out the year. This team was last year, and will be this year, at the top of the Big East.
West Virginia Mountaineers (2008 record 9-4). This will be a different team this year due to the loss of star QB Pat White. It will be hard to replace his 1800 yds passing 21Tds and close to 1000 yds on the ground. The new QB will be Sr. Jarret Brown, and although he does have receivers to throw to, the focus will be on the running game. RB Noel Devine will get many more touches. The bad news is they did lose 3 guys on the OL. On the defensive side of the ball, they return 8 starters to a very good defense that gave up only 17 points a game. They were very young last year and a year of experience can only make them better. The schedule will be tough, as they must travel to Auburn, South Florida, Cincy, and Rutgers as well as host Pitt and UConn. This team should still win 9-10 games and have a shot at a New Year's Day Bowl Game .
Cincinnati Bearcats (2008 record 11-3). Defending Champion Cincy played well all year till the debacle in Orange Bowl. Sr.LB Tony Pike will be back, as well as Wr Marshawn Gilyard. Dominick Goodman is gone however, so someone else must step up to take the pressure off of Gilyard. It is also very important that they run the ball well to keep a totally new defense off the field. 10 starters are gone from a "D" that struggled at times last year. New defensive coordinater Bob Diaco is going to switch to a 3-4 defense, and they need players. They need players so bad that former QB Demetrius Jones will try to play LB, and WR Marcus Barnett may be a starting CB. They have 4 tough road games, and host West Virginia, but this team played well on the road last year and should win its fair share of games this year.
Mid Major Conferences and Independents
Utah proved last year by crushing Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, that small schools can still play football. 3 years ago it was Boise St. beating Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. Small schools deserve the chance to play for a National Title, and by going 13-0 last year Utah deserved to be crowned National Champion, not Florida.
Utah Utes (2008 record 13-0). They deserved the National title last year after finishing undefeated and destroying former No.1 Alabama in the process. This year's team however has many holes to fill on the offensive side of the ball. They lost 3 starting Wrs,a nd RB Darrell Mack, but the big loss is QB Brian Johnson. This Offense was unstoppable at times last year. The first half at Michigan last year, made Michigan look like a High School team. They looked that way for most of the year, including jumping out to a 21-0 lead in the Sugar Bowl before many people even turned on the game. Corbin Louks will try to take over at QB, but they do have a J.C. transfer, and a freshman,"Waitng in the Wings". Rbs Matt Asiata and Sausan Shakerin are back as well as 3 good players on the OL. This team also had a good “D”, and returns 10 of their top 11 Tacklers to a Defense that was ranked 2nd in the Conference. Their schedule is not that bad, but they do visit Oregon as well as T.C.U.,and B.Y.U. This team will be fine this year, maybe not undefeated, but should win at least 10 games and get into a decent Bowl Game.
Boise St. Broncos (2008 record 12-1). This program has set the standard for mid-majors. Every year since 1999 they have won at least 8 games and many of those years won in double digits. The offense will miss RB Ian Johnson, and Wr Vinny Perretta. The good news is that young and very good QB Kellen Moore will be back and be protected by a great OL, that gave up only 11 sacks in 08. The Boise St. defense is always overlooked because of their high powered Offense, but they ranked No.3 in the nation in Scoring "D". Basically what I'm saying this is a very good team that belongs in the top 25. The only problem is the front 7 on defense lost many players but the secondary stays intact. If they can beat Oregon at home to open the season, there is no reason that they won't go undefeated again and raise questions about putting a "mid-major" in the National Title game.
B.Y.U. Cougars (2008 record 10-3). This team always has an explosive offense and this year will be no different. QB Max Hall (4000 yards passing) is great and Rb Harvey Unga is pretty good too. This Offense was ranked 16th in nation last year. They will miss Wr Austin Coles and his 106 catches, as he moves on to the N.F.L. The OL will have to be retooled as it returns only 1 starter. The Defense was a question mark going into last year, but played well and returns 8 starters. They played well against the run, but at times struggled against the pass. They do play a few tough games, but 2 out the 3, Florida St. and Utah will be at home. They also travel to Oklahoma to start the year, so they better be ready early.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2008 record 7-6). Let’s face it, The Irish "SUCKED" the last 2 years. This is still Notre Dame however and they might be a much better team this year. Charlie Weiss just didn't have the players last year, but this year they will be a year older and better. The defense was not as bad as it looked last year. They blitzed too much and often got "burnt". This year they will switch to a 4-3 due to lack of Linebackers. The DLine is very solid led by T Ian Williams, and DE Kapron Lewis-Moore, as well as Ethan Johnson. DE Justin Brown is gone however. The secondary may be better than the D-line Led by Safety Kyle Mcarthy. The Offense has been the big problem lately. Jimmy Clausen is a year older and Golden Tate is back to catch his passes, but they "MUST" get a running game going, or Clausen will be killed again. The OL returns 4 starters which is good news. Notre Dame always plays a tough schedule but this year it "ain’t" so bad. U.S.C. comes into South Bend as well as Michigan St., and they travel to a weak Michigan team. Every other game is very winnable. Notre Dame might surprise some people this year, and if they don't, it's time for Charlie Weiss to go.
Predictions | |||
| Orange Bowl Georgia Tech over Pitt | Rose Bowl Ohio St over Oregon | Sugar Bowl Florida over Notre Dame | Fiesta Bowl Oklahoma St. over Boise St. |
| BCS National Championship Game Texas over U.S.C. | National Champions Texas Longhorns | ||
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USC had a puzzling game in Week 1 against Hawaii. On one hand, head coach Lane Kiffin may have accomplished his mission, racking up 49 points against a defenseless Warriors team
Though they sputtered out to a slow start in Week 1, the Razorbacks eventually handled Tennessee Tech, 44-3 after scoring all 44 points in the second and third quarters
TCU’s 30-21 win over Oregon State does not entirely tell the story of the battle between those two teams. The Horned Frogs outplayed Oregon State in almost every aspect of the game
Oregon and Tennessee combined to outscore their opponents 122-0 in Week 1, with Oregon beating New Mexico and Tennessee topping Tennessee Martin.
Heading into halftime of LSU’s season opener against North Carolina, the Tigers led 30-10 and had completely thrown the Tar Heels off their game plan.
Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert’s first start for the Longhorns was less than inspiring. Gilbert, the heir to the prestigious Texas quarterback lineage, finished 14 for 23 for 172 yards and no
The marquee game of Week 2, Penn State travels to Alabama where both teams won their first games by at least 30 points. Penn State’s only concern is at running back
Perhaps no two teams looked better in Week 1 than Miami and Ohio State. Both were led by quarterbacks who had outstanding games against truly inferior opponents.
Virginia Tech suffered a bitter loss at Fed Ex Field in Washington DC in Week 1, falling victim to Boise State in a last minute loss. The Hokies’ running game
Pittsburgh had its heart ripped out in Week 1 in an overtime loss to Utah, and quarterback Tino Sunseri may have taken it personally. He certainly should have
Nebraska’s 49-10 win over Western Kentucky showed America almost nothing to take away from the game. Though the Cornhuskers ran for six touchdowns among four players and nearly doubled the Hilltoppers in offensive yardage
As strange as it is to watch a Florida game without seeing Tim Tebow starting at quarterback, the Gators must close the chapter on the Tebow era and start to get used to new quarterback John Brantley
Few teams looked less impressive in the first game of the season than Kansas, who lost an embarrassing home game against FCS North Dakota State, 6-3. Kansas quarterbacks threw for fewer
Georgia beat Louisiana Lafayette 55-7, holding the Ragin’ Cajuns to 128 yards of offense and forcing 10 punts and three interceptions. One would think the top 25 Bulldogs would be favored over South Carolina
Few low major FBS teams play a tougher first two weeks than San Jose State, who comes off a road loss to Alabama and now plays another Top 15 team on the road. Wisconsin returns home for its home opener
Iowa State rarely fields a competitive team and almost always seems to find itself at the bottom of the standings in the Big 12. Iowa has had a recent revival and appears one of the front runners for a Big 10 championship and a BCS bowl game.
After a disappointing opener performance against Utah State, fans in Norman, Oklahoma have started to worry that the Sooners are in a slump. Florida State fans are excited about head coach Jimbo Fisher’s first game leading the Seminoles
With four fumbles, eight punts and an interception in a 45-7 loss to Ohio State, Marshall is not a team that West Virginia will be pencilling in as a loss. The Thundering Herd could barely get out of its own way
Auburn beat Arkansas State 52-26 in Week 1, which would potentially be a bad omen for the Tigers, especially because Mississippi State crushed Memphis 49-7 and would have shut out the Tigers out if not for a garbage time late touchdown.
The “must watch” game of Week 1 in the college football season will be taking place in the nation’s capital, when Virginia Tech and Boise State square off at 8 PM. The Broncos return significantly more starters – 10 on offense and nine on defense – than Virginia Tech’s 13 returners
Houston may not be used to being ranked, but the Cougars deserve to be there after last year’s 10-win season. Star quarterback Case Keenum returns, as well as the majority of his offense and seven starters on defense
If there was ever a year for North Carolina to put itself back on the map, it would be this year. Coming off a successful 8-5 campaign, the Tar Heels return 19 of 21 starters, including defensive standouts Marvin Austin
Few teams in the country return more experience on one side of the ball than Florida State, which brings back every offensive starter.
Cincinnati had one of its best years ever last season, culminating with a 12-1 record and a Sugar Bowl berth. Though the Bearcats return 13 starters, the biggest missing name from last year’s stat lines is quarterback Tony Pike, who is now in the NFL.
The only reason to watch Arkansas pummel Tennessee Tech is to see Heisman Trophy hopeful quarterback Ryan Mallett, a junior who threw for 3,624 yards and 30 touchdowns
Every few years, Penn State gets a crack at its next door neighbors in Ohio by taking out some early season aggression on lowly Youngstown State. While YSU never puts up much of a fight
Nebraska returns 17 starters, but most noticeably missing is defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who was the second overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. The Cornhuskers won’t worry much about a Western Kentucky team that was 0-12 last year
If Florida was playing intrastate foe Miami (FL), this would be a fantastic Week 1 game. As it is, the Gators are playing a much less intimidating Miami squad – the RedHawks from Ohio, who finished 1-11 last year.
Last year was uncharacteristic for Oklahoma, which finished a disappointing 8-5. Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford returned for a shot at the national championship
Unlike the typical Week 1 match up, Wisconsin will be facing a bit of a challenge when it travels to Las Vegas to play a pesky UNLV team that finished 5-7
While New Mexico coach Mike Locksley continues to make headlines by bringing in high profile transfers – athlete Lamaar Thomas from Ohio State and wide receiver Deon Long from West Virginia, among others – he has yet to actually be successful as a head coach
TCU versus Oregon State is another case similar to Boise State, where a team has been criticized in the past for not playing a tough enough schedule to merit a BCS bowl game or an opportunity to play for the national championship. This year, TCU is challenging itself, playing a Top 25 team
Few teams had a better first nine weeks of the season last year than Iowa, who came out of the gates with a 9-0 record and found itself in the national championship game discussion.
Despite being a road game for Texas, roughly 85 percent of the crowd in Houston at Rice University will be wearing burnt orange. A reasonable three hour drive from Austin, Longhorns fans will pack the stadium to the point where the only reminder that it the game is not being held in Austin is the size of the stadium
One of the most intriguing match ups of the first week in college football, UConn travels to Michigan as a slight underdog, a feat that 10 years ago would have been unheard of. This is shaping up to be a potentially special year for UConn, as the Huskies return 17 starters, including junior running back Jordan Todman, who carried 235 times for 1,188 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore
Returning eight offensive starters from last year’s national championship team is good news for Alabama, and terrible news for San Jose State. The Spartans finished 2009 with a disappointing 2-10 record, but return 15 starters. Alabama’s running back duo of Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram
This won’t be the USC team that you’re used to seeing. With former head coach Pete Carroll now calling the shots in Seattle for the NFL’s Seahawks and former
Miami gets its first chance to show the nation why it is an ACC championship contender when it plays Florida A&M in Week
Last year was a special one for Pittsburgh, who finished 10-3 with a bid in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. The Panthers return five starters, two of whom are the most important to the team’s success: running back Dion Lewis and wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin
Despite reaching its fifth consecutive BCS bowl game in 2009, last year’s 11-2 Ohio State team disappointed some who thought that it could have been a legitimate title contender. The Buckeyes return just about everybody on offense – 10 of 11 starters – including quarterback Terrelle Pryor
The point spread may be close, but this game will not. Alabama and Texas both got through their seasons with undefeated schedules, but Texas didn’t have to get through a Florida, Virginia Tech, Mississippi, South Carolina, or LSU
One of the best mid major teams this year, Central Michigan would like to send off senior quarterback Dan LeFevour on a high note. The passer threw for 234 yards per game and 27 touchdowns to 6 interceptions in leading the Chippewas to an 11-2 season.
Few people thought that Georgia Tech would be in a BCS bowl game just two years after hiring head coach Paul Johnson, but his tricky run option offense has other teams confused and the Yellow Jackets plowing through opponents.
In a battle of the mid major football teams, the Fiesta Bowl pits Texas Christian against Boise State. Both teams are undefeated, combining for a 25-0 record, having blown out most of their opponents. A poor strength of schedule due to a weak conference
With a public relations disaster causing serious problems at Texas Tech, the Red Raiders are extremely unfocused heading into their January bowl game. Head coach Mike Leach was dismissed due to abusing a wide receiver on the team
East Carolina must appreciate another opportunity to win a Liberty Bowl. After leading 16-3 in last year’s Liberty Bowl, the Pirates lost 25-19 to Kentucky.
With nine wins under their belt, Oklahoma State is looking for its first 10 win season since head coach Mike Gundy was a quarterback on the team. A win in the Cotton Bowl would compensate for a painful 27-0 shut out loss against Oklahoma in the season finale
Both South Carolina and UCONN enter this game with a 7-5 record and a losing record in conference play. The Gamecocks play in a much tougher SEC conference, while Connecticut dealt with the death of a teammate early in the season, which served as a distraction. Though UCONN won its last three games, topping Notre Dame, Syracuse and South Florida, the Huskies will have their hands full
South Florida has been distracted since the end of their season because of an off the field incident between head coach Jim Leavitt and player Joel Miller. The Bulls could have come out and beaten Northern Illinois by 17 points, otherwise. As it stands, South Florida may come out with a bang
It is rare to see Ohio State as an underdog in a January bowl game. After all, head coach Jim Tressel typically enjoys a Big Ten Championship to go along with either a National Championship game or a Rose Bowl victory
Outside of a pair of conference losses, Penn State ran through the rest of its schedule, winning every single game by double digits. LSU would be 9-1 if it had not had played against No. 1 Florida and No. 3 Alabama, but the Tigers showed they could win some big games
With 44 years under his belt, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden will get one last chance to leave his post on a positive note. The Seminoles (6-6) have steadily declined from their reign of terror in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but still manage
Northwestern and Auburn took distinctly different paths en route to the Outback Bowl. The Wildcats won their last three games, including two against ranked opponents – wins at No. 8 Iowa and against No. 17 Wisconsin – while Auburn lost five of its last seven games. All in all, it was a successful season for Northwestern
While Air Force may be honored to play in the Armed Forces Bowl, the Falcons have a poor track record at Amon Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, compiling an 0-6 record over the last handful of years. Air Force is just 7-5 this season, their first non 10 win season since 2005 when the Falcons were 6-6.
When Oklahoma and Stanford meet in the Sun Bowl, it will be a cross roads of two different teams who have had completely different seasons. Behind the stellar play of Heisman finalist running back Toby Gerhart, Stanford had its best season in eight years, finishing 8-4 with a No. 19 ranking
Though coach Lane Kiffin has done a good job creating some buzz around his Tennessee program in his first year, the Volunteers are just 7-5, with losses to UCLA, Auburn and Mississippi. Those three games were big losses in the year, and while the Vols lost to No. 1 Florida and No. 1 Alabama
The Texas Bowl may be one of the more interesting bowl games to watch this season, as it pits one of the nation’s top passing offenses (Missouri) against one of the nation’s top rushing offenses (Navy). Yet somehow, these two teams have not met in nearly 50 years. Many expected Missouri to have a down year
More impressive than Minnesota’s third trip to the Insight Bowl in four years is Iowa State’s turn around in the last year. The Cyclones were 2-10 in 2008 after starting the season 2-0. Iowa State is now 6-6 and, though they lost their rivalry game against Iowa as well as both of their games against ranked opponents
Nebraska was this close to a BCS bowl game. A heart breaking 13-12 loss to Texas on a miracle field goal kept the Cornhuskers away from a big time bowl berth. They now face off against Arizona, a team that lost two games by a field goal this season to prevent them from a 10-2 season
Bowling Green wide receiver Freddie Barnes may be the only reason to watch this game. The Falcons wide out is just five catches away from holding the NCAA’s all time mark for receptions in a season, with 142. Barnes is Bowling Green’s biggest threat, hauling in 158 yards per game and reaching the end zone 14 times
After starting off the season 5-0, it looked like Wisconsin was going to be the team to beat in the Big 10. However, a pair of losses to Ohio State and Iowa quickly put into perspective who the players were in the conference
Temple coach Al Golden is one of the most coveted big time head coaching prospects in the near future, after taking the Owls to their first bowl game in 30 years. Golden turned the program around quickly after inheriting poor facilities and a practically non existent fan base
Though neither Texas A&M nor Georgia had what would qualify as a good year, both teams have put up lots of points and allowed even more points throughout the season. Georgia did themselves a disservice in the middle of the season when the Bulldogs lost three out of four games
Your eyes are not deceiving you, and this is not December 2006, when these teams met in the Music City Bowl last time. Instead, it is the same match up, but with all new players, although Kentucky is trying to repeat their 28-20 win from the ’06 game.
Coming into the season, Southern Cal would have bet the house that they would be playing in a January bowl game. After all, the Trojans have not played in a December bowl game in nearly 10 years. Pete Carroll did not have much of a choice, having started freshman quarterback Matt Barkley
Pittsburgh was so, so close to being invited to a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) bowl game. And they will not be forgetting it any time soon. The Panthers dropped the Big East Championship game to Cincinnati in a heart breaking fashion
Though it has been renamed since last year, the first annual Little Caesars Bowl is far from the first Detroit bowl game held at Ford Field. The bowl was previously named the Motor City Bowl, and has featured Central Michigan each of the last three seasons
The Hawaii Bowl signifies a much bigger moment for SMU head coach June Jones than simply a homecoming to his former school. Instead, he has turned around a program plagued with failure and NCAA sanctions in less than two years. Now, Jones is looking for SMU’s first post season win in nearly 25 years
There is not much suspense in BYU playing in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Cougars are appearing in their fifth straight Las Vegas Bowl, having won two and lost two. It is Oregon State’s second appearance in the bowl, and if history is any indication, the Beavers will win again
At first glance, a game pitting No. 2 Texas against a three loss Nebraska team looks like a blood bath waiting to happen. Not so fast. Even though Texas has not faltered once this year – winning every game but one by at least 10 points – they won’t be facing a cream puff defense like they have seen a handful of times this year against teams like Central Florida, UTEP and Wyoming
If there is one thing that Houston can do, and can do well, it is scoring a flurry of points quickly. In fact, the Cougars lead the country in yardage and points per game, and have tallied 64 offensive touchdowns in 12 games. Houston has put up 45 points or more six times this season
Though Clemson has managed to work its way into the ACC Championship Game and a possible Orange Bowl bid, a Tigers loss this weekend would leave the team wondering ‘What if we had beaten 2-10 Maryland earlier this season?’. A conference title would be icing on the cake, even though both Clemson and Georgia Tech both lost to their mediocre in state rivals last week
Pittsburgh had strung together six straight wins to the point where they had forgotten what it felt like to lose. Then unranked West Virginia gave them a harsh dose of reality and brought the Panthers back to earth with a 19-16 win over the Mountaineers’ arch rivals
Unlike most games this weekend, the Boise State versus New Mexico State match up does not shape up to be a suspenseful game by any means. The Broncos are favored by nearly seven touchdowns, and for good reason. New Mexico State ranks last in the entire NCAA in both offensive yardage
Fresno State and Illinois isn’t exactly a marquee match up late in the season. Neither team has had a ton of success this year, with Illinois nearly firing head coach Ron Zook and Fresno State boasting a 7-4 overall record with no wins over BCS teams. In addition, neither team has been much of a cash cow
If this one sided rivalry lives up to its recent history, or even its long term history, this game should be all West Virginia from the get go. The Mountaineers absolutely own this match up, tallying a 30-4-2 record, much of that success coming since 1980. West Virginia has won the last 14 meetings between these two teams. However, if there is one ray of shining light
As expected, Washington snapped their four game losing streak with a triumphant 30-0 shut out over in state foe Washington State last week. The win was good for the Huskies’ fourth of the year, and four more than their horrendous 0-12 campaign in 2008.
Southern Cal has had a disappointing season for sure, and that has culminated in an 8-3 season to date, their most losses in nearly a decade. The Trojans have been even worse to bettors, covering just three of their 11 games this season. Though Arizona hasn’t been much better covering the spread
Guess how many wins Western Kentucky has at home this season? Here’s a hint: it’s exactly the same number as wins they have on the road. Want to know the answer?
If the statistics point one obvious thing out about the two top teams in the country playing each other, it is that this game will be a low scoring slug fest. While Florida and Alabama are playing for an appearance in the National Championship and an SEC Championship, consider that Florida has the No. 1 defense in the country
What happens when two teams who have had over achieving seasons, one of which has high scoring shoot outs each week (Oregon) and the other who has low scoring battles (Oregon State) meets? Your guess is as good as mine. Fortunately, we can be sure that Oregon will win this game outright, as they won the match up last year 65-38. The Ducks appear to be the superior team
Two weeks ago, Rice looked like it might have a 0 win season. Things have turned around for the Owls since then, winning two in a row, but that luck will run out on Saturday when they travel across town to play No. 25 Houston
Despite a horrific time management error in last week’s loss to Ole Miss, coach Les Miles has his LSU Tigers ready for battle this weekend against Arkansas. The Tigers have two losses in three weeks but look to end the season on a positive note
From 1972 to 1992, Utah dominated this rivalry, winning 19 of 21 match ups. Things have become a bit more balanced since then, but the Utes still hold a 10-6 advantage since 1992. Both teams are out of the discussion for a BCS bowl
Miami’s 8-3 season thus far has looked a little reminiscent of the Hurricanes of the past – supremely athletic teams who beat their opponents into the ground. Though the 2009 Canes haven’t been as dominant, they have a shot at their first nine win
Last year when these two teams met, Georgia Tech beat Georgia and completed a fairly magical season under first year coach Paul Johnson. Since then, the Yellow Jackets have become one of the powers of the ACC, compiling a 10-1 record – their only loss, a 33-17 hiccup to Miami
New Mexico avoided a winless season by the skin of its teeth with a 29-27 win over Colorado State last week. That, however, is the only win they will get all season, as their final game is on the road
Few people expected USC to have the growing pains it did this season, even starting a true freshman quarterback in Matt Barkley. But the Trojans sit 7-3, their worst season in years, and not in contention for the Pac-10 championship. USC had penciled this game in as a win
Another big rivalry game, the match up between Ole Miss and Mississippi State, better known as the Egg Bowl, is one of the most underrated rivalries in college football. Though Mississippi State is just 4-7 and Ole Miss is riding high at 8-3, this game goes well beyond the football field
Strangely enough, Clemson’s biggest game of the year is against a team not in the Tigers’ conference. The annual game against South Carolina is a year’s worth of bragging rights for the Palmetto State
UNC and NC State are headed in distinctly opposite directions. The Tar Heels are 8-3 and riding a three game winning streak, while NC State is 4-7 and has lost six of their last seven games. Though NC State got the best of the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill last year
Back when Florida State was a perennial Top 25 team, this rivalry had a tug of war aspect to it. The Seminoles won five of six between 1998 and 2003, and won six of seven from 1987 to 1993. Since then, FSU has struggled a bit, especially against the Gators, losing their last
In 2007, Pitt surprised the Mountaineers and beat West Virginia in Morgantown. That was a 5-7 Panthers team that year, and since then, Pitt has been on a roll, winning 18 of their last 23 games. They look to take that momentum into Friday’s 102nd meeting
Despite the fact that Illinois coach Ron Zook is said to be returning to coach the team next year, the Illini have nothing to play for on Saturday. A win gets them to 4-7, but still not bowl eligible, and knowing there is nothing more to play for may make the Illini
Texas looks to finish out on a positive note and end the season with an undefeated record prior to going into the Big 12 championship game. To do that, they will have to beat in state foe Texas A&M, a 6-5 team with nothing going for it besides playing the role of spoiler
Last week, Rutgers trumped South Florida in a way that nobody expected, shutting out the Bulls 31-0 for their second shut out of the year. The Scarlet Knights defense looks downright intimidating at times and should have its way with a Syracuse team
Rarely competitive, Washington State has fallen to 1-9 this season and are riding a seven game losing streak. That number will definitely increase to eight in a row when the Beavers come to town this weekend.
