The Weekend That Will Be: Week 12

Southern California at Oregon- Because of NCAA sanctions, the Trojans will not be allowed to go to a bowl game at the end of the season.There is nothing more they would like than to defeat Oregon and ruin the Ducks' national championship aspirations. USC seems like the most likely candidate of the teams left on Oregon's schedule. For USC to have a chance they have to at least slow down a Ducks offense that scores 47 points and tallies just under 500 yards a game. Oregon tailback LaMichael James is quietly leading the country in rushing for the second season in a row with more than 150 yards per game. The Ducks are well aware of USC and its capabilities and are well prepared to handle the visitors. Ducks win easy.

Oklahoma at Baylor- With Oklahoma State going losing to Iowa State this game in Waco, TX just got a little bigger, as the Sooners see a shot at the national championship opening up. Baylor is coming off an overtime victory over Kansas in which Bear quarterback Robert Griffin III looked like the player we got used to seeing in the beginning of the season. If he is able to keep his special combination of speed and accuracy the Baylor could easily upset the Sooners. Looking forward to next weekend's huge rivalry game, the Sooners squeak by the Bears.

Mississippi State at Arkansas- When this is the 'SEC on CBS' game, you may have yourself a weak Saturday of football. The Razorbacks are looking to keeping the scoring machine (93 points in the last two games) going and not get caught looking at a date with LSU on the day after Thanksgiving. The Bulldogs have nothing to lose and can gain bowl eligibility with a win in Little Rock. War Memorial Stadium, where the game will be played, is not the regular stadium for the Hogs, but they always perform well there. It is located in the center of the state, where most of the student-athletes are from, and by all accounts the bowl setting is often louder than Donald W. Reynolds Stadium in Fayetteville. The Hogs are welcomed to the state's capital and continue put up points. Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson goes over 3,000 yards on the season, too.

Other picks (winners in bold)

Samford at Auburn- As a Bulldog fan, I have been looking forward to this game for quite some time and wish I could be there for the monumental upset. Thanks to grad school and its homework, I'm sad to say I will not be in attendance as the Red and Blue beat the defending national champions.

LSU at Ole Miss- Remember last time a Houston Nutt team played a top-ranked LSU and was fired? A couple of things are different this time around. The Rebs do not have Darren McFadden (or any real offensive threat), any motivation (Ole Miss lost to La Tech last week) or any chance to win (Ole Miss has lost 12 straight SEC games).

Nebraska at Michigan- Last week, the Cornhuskers played in the second-largest stadium in college football. This week they visit the only one larger, The Big House in Ann Arbor. Wolverine quarterback Denard Robinson has never beaten a ranked team, and this trend will continue as he throws multiple picks.

Penn State at Ohio State- As soon as I start to believe in Braxton Miller, the freshman signal-caller for the Buckeyes, I know he will let me down so I go with PSU. Getting out of Happy Valley will do the Nittany Lions some good. With a win they will set up a clash with Wisconsin for a trip to the first-ever Big 10 title game.

Kentucky at Georgia
Virginia at Florida State
Wisconsin at Illinois
Boston College at Notre Dame

Spurrier helps State, Remeber Richardson's Run, How 'bout them Dogs?

South Carolina was leading by four points with less than ten seconds left in the game against Mississippi State on Saturday. Instead of pulling a New York Giant-sized mistake, Steve Spurrier told quarterback Connor Shaw to run out the clock and take the safety to ensure victory. Confident Gamecock fans, more specifically USC bettors, may have been a little more upset with the Ol' Ball Coach's decision. Why you ask? With the two extra points given to the Bulldogs, Mississippi State covered the +3-point line. An estimated $30 million dollars was lost because Spurrier's decision. So betting Mississippi State fans kind of won, right?

USC's Marcus Lattimore

The bigger loss for South Carolina fans was that sophomore running back Marcus Lattimore went down with a season-ending knee injury. He had been the engine for a struggling Gamecock offense, and had over 800 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns through seven games

Now there is no question Alabama's Trent Richardson is the best running back in the league and possibly player in the country. Don't believe it? Watch this juke and try to tell me differently. Ole Miss' Senquez Golson's ankles are officially broken. This will be Richardson's equivalent to Cam Newton's run versus LSU when T-Rich collects his Heisman.

Speaking of Newton... A team I pull for finally has defeated this tremendous athlete, as the Atlanta Falcons finally scored some second-half points and put the Carolina Panthers away 31-17 on Sunday. That guy was unreal in college and is not far off from it in the pros.

Newton's former team, the Auburn Tigers, have a date with my alma mater, the Samford Bulldogs on Nov. 19. Watch out Plainsmen. My beloved Dogs are on a roll. They collected their third consecutive win on Saturday as they beat Elon for the first time in school history 43-31 on Saturday. It moves the Red and Blue to 4-2 on the season and to 2-2 in the Southern Conference. Embarrassingly, it was Samford's first back-to-back wins as a member of the SoCon. However, it is good to see coach Pat Sullivan has the program headed in the right direction.

Let it be noted I correctly picked all but one game in my weekly "The Weekend That Will Be." It only took me a year, but I am finally getting the hang of this whole picking winners thing.

The Weekend That Will Be: Week 2

Alabama at Penn State- The roles have been reversed this season as the Tide goes into a stadium which has more than 100,000 fans and instability at quarterback. However, Alabama is a better team than the Nittany Lion team that came to Tuscaloosa a year ago. The Crimson Tide defense is as good, if not better, than the one that won a championship in 2009. Remember the last time Alabama went into a "(insert team color here)-OUT"? Georgia 2008 ring a bell? Expect much of the same as they head to Happy Valley's white-out.

South Carolina at Georgia- Sources tell me Mark Richt would shave his famed butt-cut hair style to get a "W" in Athens this weekend. The problem is the Bulldogs linemen were man-handled by Bosie State. If the Broncos were able to do that imagine what USC's big uglies will do. Gamecock running back Marcus Lattimore should have big day as he did last season, playing keep-away from Georgia's offense. If he can not get going, a confident Stephen Garcia should gash the exposed Bulldog secondary. Gamecocks take the lead in the SEC East.

Mississippi State at Auburn- At the end of the game which is higher, number of Cam Newton mentions or number of total points for Auburn. I am taking the former. Last week the Tigers came away with a win agianst Utah State becuase of a recovered on-side kick. This week Auburn was the first team since the 1965 Alabama squad to fall out of the AP Top 25 two weeks into the season following a national championship. SEC Offensive Player of the Week, and Bulldog running back, Vic Ballard ran wild last Thursday night and will do it again over a inexperienced Auburn defensive front.

Notre Dame at Michigan- After stadium renovations in the summer, the first night game ever will be held in Ann Arbor. The teams will adorn commemorative uniforms (I'm a sucker for stuff like this.). Notre Dame will also have a new quarterback, as Tommy Rees will take control of the offense. The Fighting Irish had five turnovers last week against South Florida. Michigan's quarterback Denard Robinson will show different looks in the I-formation, making play-action more effective. The Michigan fans will leave in the dark disappointed as Notre Dame turns its losing ways around.

Other picks (winners in bold):
Stillman at Samford- My alma mater suffered a loss at the hands of Georgia Southern, who some believe will win the FCS Championship. The Dogs rebound quickly and get back on the right track.

Virginia Tech at East Carolina- ECU played well against South Carolina last week and the Hokies have lost games they should have won. Hokies keep national championship hopes alive.

Cincinnati at Tennessee- Be careful of looking forward to next week's date with the Florida Gators, Tennessee. Both teams can put up points and little defense will be played.

Brigham Young at Texas- The Longhorns welcome the now independent Cougars, who could join the Big 12 as quickly as next season. Texas stays on track of picking up the pieces after a tough season a year ago.

Oregon State at Wisconsin- My Big 10 darling Badgers pound the ball down the Beavers' throat. Watch OSU running back Malcom Agnew. He put up 223 yards and scored three times in their loss last week.

New Mexico at Arkansas- Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson spreads the ball around a little more this week and stays in the game a little longer this week against an atrocious New Mexico team that won only once last season.

The Weekend That Will Be: Week 1

Finally, God's greatest four month long gift is here again. Amidst all the controversy of its offseason, the game will be back to normal, and the pageantry and tradition of Saturdays in the fall will cover up the black eye of college football.

Everything that makes college football will be back in full swing, and I am here to tell you what will happen each week in the biggest games.

There are only a few games being played tomorrow that will not be (at least should not be) blowouts.

No. 3 Oregon vs. No. 4 LSU:  Say what you will about coach Les Miles, the Bayou Bengals always play big in big games, 5-1 in their last six bowl games and Oregon has trouble with size on the line (BCS Championship game versus Auburn last season). The Ducks are faster than everyone in the Pac-12 and can win. However, when they play the SEC everyone on the field is fast and LSU is bigger. The Tigers will have a back-up quarterback starting, but Jarrett Lee has waited his time, proven he can win big games and has plenty of play makers around him.

No. 5 Boise State vs. No. 19 Georgia: Another instance of a team from the greatest conference in the game, SEC, playing a quick team from the West. The size on the line of the Bulldogs versus the Broncos will again prove to be the difference. Great example: Boise State center- 5-11, 290 vs. Georgia defensive tackle- 6-6, 360. Bronco senior quarterback Kellen Moore is good, but I'm not sure he will have time to get the ball off in basically a home game for the Bulldogs.

A few games kicked off the season last night and let it be known I was a big proponent of the Wisconsin Badgers last season. Now they have transfer QB Russell Wilson and I have already fallen back for the big boys from Madison. Watch out for this team to make noise in the chase for the BCS National Championship.

Another team with a solid first game was the Bulldogs from Starkville, granted it was against Memphis. Turns out RB Vic Ballard's production last season was no fluke. He has played 17 games for Mississippi State and had three touchdowns in five of those games.

SEC West Power Rankings

The SEC West is without a doubt the toughest division in college football this season and ranks way up there on the list of All-Time Toughest Divisions.

6. Ole Miss- In Oxford they should substitute one of the "i"s in the school's name for an "e," The football program is more of a "Mess"issippi. The only thing for Rebel fans to look forward to is the unveiling of their new Black Bear mascot. One day, Mississippi will get away from the "get a transfer quarterback and use him for a year" plan (Jeremiah Masoli experiment). The Rebels will most likely go with transfer Barry Brunetti over junior college transfers Randall Mackey or Zack Strount. On the defensive side of the ball the Rebels have lost their leader, LB D.T. Shackelford to a torn ACL at a position where they already lacked depth.

Head coach Houston Nutt gave Mississippi two straight Cotton Bowls and started out to high. He will have one more year after 2011 to prove he is capable of coaching in the SEC.  I am scared for Rebel fans he will have some success and hold on to his job and earn an extension.

5. Auburn- The fall in expectations of the defending national champions is of epic proportion. With five returning starters (offense and defense) from last season, inexperience will plague the Tigers this season. The offense will be in the hands of QB Barrett Trotter, a huge step down in capabilities from the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. Auburn will still move the ball thanks to retaining offensive coordinator Gus Malzhan with a huge contract.  They also have plenty of talent at running back with Michael Dyer and Onterio McCaleb. The defense lost the most dominant lineman in college football, DT Nick Fairley, to the NFL Draft and defensive coordinator Ted Roof will work hard to earn his money as well.

Auburn has a talented enough team to make to a second tier bowl game. The Tigers will be overlooked by some teams and create a few upsets.

4. Mississippi State- The boys in Starkville have their program going the opposite way from their rivals, "The School Up North." Bulldog fans could not be more thrilled with their head coach and the direction of the program, with 12 of the top 20 crowds at Davis Wade Stadium since coach Dan Mullen has arrived. RB Vic Ballard is an underrated back in the SEC. QB Chris Relf can lead Mullen's offense, and WR Chad Bumphis, when healthy can make big plays with his speed. The defense is losing its three starting linebackers from last season, but will have a talented secondary.
Enormous strides in a coach's second year are becoming the norm. The Bulldogs need to avoid a third year setback, which could be tough in the SEC West. State will make it will make it to a New Years Day bowl once again if they can win games they should win and sprinkle in an upset or two.

3. LSU- Before the QB Jordan Jefferson was arrested the Bayou Bengals were barely hanging on to the number two position in the power rankings, but trusting the offense to Jarett Lee makes LSU even more of a gamble. Athletic playmakers are abundant on both sides of the ball as the Tigers consistently recruit at the top of the game. Two former five star recruits at receiver should help Lee's transition into the starting role. On defense, there is no reason to see a drop-off from one of the deepest clubs in the league. Two huge sophomore DTs, a potential All-American at LB in Ryan Baker, and the best cornerback tandem in the NCAA will be a force.

The schedule is not nice to the Tigers as they go to Dallas to take on Oregon, travel to West Virginia and go through the SEC West gauntlet. No National Championship for this crew, but they will contend for the SEC title.

2. Arkansas- The loss of RB Knile Davis to a broken ankle is less of a blow to the Razorbacks than LSU losing Jefferson. With Davis gone, there are definite questions, but Arkansas has RBs Ronnie Wingo and Dennis Johnson which have had glimpses of hope. QB Tyler Wilson will try and replace Ryan Mallet and if he does the Hogs will continue to run one of the strongest offenses in the league. Questions arise on the offensive line. Luckily for Wilson, he has the nation's best receiving corps to throw to. On the opposite side of the ball, coach Bobby Petrino has his deepest and most talented lineup since he has been in Fayettville. Petrino's defensive line finally looks more like one that belongs in the SEC with a threat to quaterbacks in DE Jake Bequette. Three-time team leading tackler LB Jerry Frankin returns along with FS Tramain Thomas to a more experienced backfield.

A week four stop in Tuscaloosa could make or break the Razorbacks' chances at a date in Atlanta with an SEC East team.

1. Alabama- The best defense in the SEC returns eight starters and should be the best in the nation this season with a chance at four All-Americans. LB's Dont'a Hightower and Courtnet Upshaw are the best linebacking duo in the nation. On the line, Marcell Dareus is gone and will be missed, but what has become Saban's move the coach will just plug in another player and he will thrive. Look out for DT Josh Chapman. Athletes are everywhere as the secondary returns all four starter including the best safeties tandem in the nation, SS Mark Barron and FS Robert Lester. The starting quarterback battle between A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims has not settled. The offense will lean heavily on RB Trent Richardson, who will finally get his time to be the star for the Crimson Tide after Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram graduated. Alabama will miss WR Julio Jones and his deep threat ability more than most fans may realize.
The Tide should have a shot at the SEC Championship, but Crimson Tide fans are not happy with just a league title. Watch out for Alabama to be in the mix to win the BCS National Championship and extend the SEC's streak to six straight championships. 

May 19

Big 10 commissioner Jim Delany formally proposed the idea of giving stipends to scholarship athletes. He is the commissioner of one of the biggest athletic conferences in the country which would immediately give an advantage to his large member schools. Also, the used to be golden boy of Big 10 clean recruiting, Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel has many rumors swirling around about his hidden dirty recruiting practices. The only way I like the rule, if it really is for the STUDENT-athlete, is if it is used as an incentive for the kids to stay in school and graduate. Otherwise, the floodgates will be opened and we will return to the days of the old Southwest Conference and the highest bidding school will receive the commitments from prospects.

As many of you know, or should have learned through this blog post, I love stadiums. There are none bigger, more attended, or more worshiped than the sanctuaries built in the SEC for Saturdays in the fall. Mississippi State is doing some much needed upgrading to the smallest football stadium in the league. When the $80 million dollar project is completed, Davis Wade Stadium will be much better on the eyes. Here is a look at the upgrades.

Kevin Durrant, the NBA's back-to-back scoring champion, has been wearing a backpack to all of his press conferences during this year's playoffs. It was announced today he will now be signing an endorsement deal with Nike and will keep the backpacks coming. As you can see in my profile picture, I am a huge fan of the backpack look and have been for quite sometime. I am not usually considered a trendsetter in fashion, but I like to think I am helping the movement.

The Conference Finals are underway. The Bulls showed surprised many with a win in the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Miami Heat, lead by their own version of two and a half men, won the second game. Heat Forward LeBron James, whom I have been very critical of, has begun to show the emergence of the clutch gene, hitting big shots in the second game. If he keeps this up I will gladly hop on the bandwagon. The other side of the bracket pits the Dallas Mavericks against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the I-35 rivalry. Mavericks Forward Dirk Nowitzki put on one of the most impressive playoff performances ever, 48 points on 15 shots and making all 24 of his free throws. I am pulling for the young Thunder. Now with the Hawks out of the playoffs I do not feel like I am cheating on Atlanta with OKC.

Cam Newton Back in the News

The NCAA has released information saying they have begun a new investigation into Mississippi State's recruiting of former Auburn QB Cam Newton. MSU Head Coach Dan Mullen was Newton's offensive coordinator at the University of Florida and still maintains a strong relationship with the Heisman winner. Newton was thought to be headed to State for sometime but surprised many and headed to Auburn.  His questioned Auburn recruiting created a media fire storm during the 2010 season. My question is if he is found guilty of participating in a pay-for-play scheme at State would that not only affect State's current program but also his Heisman, the Auburn wins and National Championship? Talk about a quick way to heat up a low scoring rivalry.

My thought is he, similarly to USC RB Reggie Bush, was playing when he should not have been and the wins he contributed in should be vacated. Let it be known I do not have it out for Newton, but I am a fan of justice. I, like everyone else who watches football, am absolutely amazed by his abilities and think the Carolina Panthers are crazy if they do not take him with the number one overall pick in next week's NFL Draft.

The sad part to me in this investigation is the Mississippi State program could suffer probation, scholarship reductions, and/or vacated wins. Yes, if found guilty they would have done wrong and deserve their punishment. But can we give them a break? It finally felt like something was going right in Starkville and half the state of Mississippi had legitimate reason to believe they would have a winning season this season (No way I am talking about the Ole Miss fans. They are a long ways from a winning season. Heck, they lost to Jacksonville State and Vandy!). I want to believe Dan Mullen was doing it the right way in one of the hardest places to succeed in the SEC.

Word of advice I had last week for Auburn and it still holds true... Go ahead and build the statues of Bo Jackson and, my favorite Tiger ever, Samford Bulldog football coach Pat Sullivan. Honor them with all the laud they deserve. But let's hold off on the Newton trophy at least until all the NCAA allegations are washed away.

For the Auburn fans whom I have offended, check out the Saban statue with his most faithful follower.

In exciting SEC news check out this link for the SEC Composite Schedule. Print it out. Put it on your desk. Put it on your fridge and let's hope the next 4 months flies by so we can kick it off again.

Stegeman Collesium

Most people who know me know that I have this weird obsession with stadiums and the whole atmosphere around them, no matter who the home team is, or even if there are people in the seats or not. Some people like fine clothing, shoes, purses or cars. My weird little obsession is stadiums. This past weekend I had the privilege to go to my first UGA basketball game and came away impressed with the whole experience (of course, much of my enjoyment had to do with the fact I got to spend the day with my sister). Anyways, I had always heard that Stegeman Coliseum was not much to see as far as basketball stadiums go, but something about it felt homey.

The Bulldogs hosted the Bulldogs from Mississippi State and handedly defeated them, which makes every home crowd happy. From the student section that extends through out most of one half of the stadium to Rocky climbing into the rafters, and American Speedo guy with  shakeweight in hand, I came away not only with the satisfaction I had seen a college basketball game but entertained as well. There was never a dull moment.

The crowd had some clever chants (in which most everyone participated, students and all):
-"Fight! Fight! Fight!"- to MSU forward Renardo Sidney who was previously suspended this season for fighting with his own teammate on national TV over a seating situation.
-"I-sa-iah! I-sa-iah! I-sa-iah!" (along with other football recruits' names)- to Isaiah Crowell, a top running back recruit on his official visit to Athens
-"We want Buck-lin!"- to the small white guy who finally got in the game and had he scored Stegeman Coliseum may have fallen apart. (I can say with pride this was my role, too, when playing for the Rome High School Wolves)

It was a great day of brother-sister bonding, capped off by dinner at Transmetropolitan and a stroll through downtown Athens. I came away impressed again by the Classic City and will be back soon.

2011 New Years Day Bowls

TicketCity Bowl
     Texas Tech vs. Northwestern- Really? The Ticketcity Bowl is a New Years Day bowl game? (I can only imagine trying to explain how the bowl system works to my kids someday.) Northwestern wins in this game coming off of a disappointing season. They have not been the same team since the injury to their starting QB Dan Persa.

Capital One Bowl
     Alabama vs. Michigan State- As I have said before, this is the best non-BCS bowl game, bar none. One of three Big 10 Champions and last year's national champions take the field to help decide the Big 10 vs. SEC debate. Alabama has to still be hurt after how they lost to Auburn and MSU has to be a little let down after not being invited to a BCS bowl game. MSU Head Coach Mike D'Antonio comes from the Nick Saban coaching tree adding some spice to this match up. I see Alabama coming out strong and pulling out a win for their program and the SEC.

Outback Bowl
     Florida vs. Penn State- Urban Meyer vs. Joe Paterno... The most exciting storyline of the whole game is between the coaches. One coached dinosaurs and the other has had tremendous success early in his career, which appears to be over. I see Penn State pulling out a win because their offense is much more versatile than they are given credit. That is a tough statement for this SEC homer to say.

Gator Bowl
     Mississippi State vs. Michigan- Many people are writing off Michigan because Head Coach Rich Rodriguez's uncertain future in Ann Arbor. I am not quite ready to do that yet. Chances are he will be back next year, and the kids playing for him love their coach. Also Michigan QB Denard Robinson will be at full health for the first time since the beginning of the season. As long as he is not injured by the big boys from the SEC he could have a big day. State needs to stop him and limit turnovers to have success. This game will be closer than the experts think. State does these things and wins though, making their fans the most excited in the nation for a nine win season.

Rose Bowl
     TCU vs. Wisconsin- This year's Rose Bowl does not have the same amount of swagger as last year's national championship.  Who ever thought the day would come we would see TCU in the Rose Bowl? I do not think the Horned Frogs will enjoy their stay too much. Much has been made about the size of Wisconsin's offensive and defensive linemen. The fact is line play determines so much of the success of a team and that will stand true tomorrow, too. The Badgers wear out a smaller TCU.

Fiesta Bowl
     Connecticut vs. Oklahoma-  How about the job UConn Head Coach Randy Edsell has done with his Huskies, taking them from a D-IAA school to a BCS bowl game. On the other hand is a team that has experienced recent struggles in their BCS games, including a shot at a national championship. Oklahoma has a chance to exorcise their recent BCS bowl game demons against an inferior opponent. Here we will see experience win, and win big. Oklahoma rolls much like Florida, a much more BCS experienced team, did in last year's Sugar Bowl, dominating the Big East Conference champion, Cincinnati.

The 10 Bowls to See

It is here. The wait is over. As we get ready for one of the most exciting times of the year we all forget the mess that is the BCS, but can we agree it did what it was meant to do? Did it not put the top two teams in the nation in a bowl game? Granted, there are aspects that need attention, but those in charge of the BCS are working on those and open to change. Good or bad, we are stuck with the bowl system for now and here are the ten that I am looking forward to the most.

1. Tostitos BCS National Championship Game
No. 2 Oregon vs. No. 1 Auburn

 This one should be obvious as to why it is number one. The two best teams, best offenses, and players in the nation are all on one field. I think both offenses start off slow because of the layoff, but then the winner is the defense that can make one more stop than the other.

2. Allstate Sugar Bowl
No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 8 Arkansas

  Two explosive quarterbacks going at one another. The Sugar Bowl pits a typical NFL style quarterback in Ryan Mallet versus the more mobile Terrelle Pryor. It will be interesting to see how Mallet can handle the number two defense and how the improved Arkansas can handle another mobile quarterback. Can OSU’s get past their losing streak, excuse me, beating streak by SEC teams?

3.Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 3 TCU

    It will be fun to see if TCU is as good as they think they are and prove that to the rest of the country. They have yet to win in all of their BCS bowl tries. They will get their chance against a huge, smash-mouth Wisconsin team whose play is described by their coach as “real American football.” 

4. Discover Orange Bowl
No. 4 Stanford vs. No. 13 Virginia Tech

    Though this game looks like a promising one, will anyone be at the Orange Bowl who is known for its bad attendance numbers. Again, here we have a match-up of two different types of quarterbacks. On one hand what looks like will the number one overall pick in April’s NFL draft and the other is a more mobile and winningest quarterback in Hokie history, Tyrod Taylor.

5. Capital One Bowl
No. 16 Alabama vs. No. 9 Michigan State

    Easily the best non-BCS game Alabama and Michigan State will meet on New Years Day. Alabama, who is still bitter about a loss in which they blew a 24 point lead, will try and go back to what has made them so good, a solid running game. On the opposite side of the field is a team which is bitter that they are not playing in a BCS game after sharing part of the Big 10 title. It’s always fun when the SEC and Big 10 get together.

6. AT&T Cotton Bowl
No. 10 LSU vs. No. 17 Texas A&M

      A team that is on the rise and has played extremely well since a tough loss to Arkansas will play a team that is coming off a loss to Arkansas that would have locked up a Sugar Bowl bid. The Jerry Dome will be rocking as both schools are close and travel well, not to mention that Jerry Jones, Arkansas alumni and member of of their 1964 National Championship team, will not be outdone as far as the environment goes.

7. Chick-fil-A Bowl
No. 20 South Carolina vs. No. 23 Florida State

    South Carolina has to go back to the site at which they were embarrassed by the number one team in the country. They will be taking on a team that is just not quite ready to be compared to the FSU teams of old. Jimbo has this team on the right track. Steve Spurrier needs this win or this season, though making it to the SEC Championship will end in disappointment as many of his seasons have.

8. Gator Bowl
No. 21 Mississippi State vs. Michigan

  Here again we have up and coming in MSU against a team with a “Rich” heritage in bowl games. Speaking of... Rodriguez will be fighting for his job and beating an SEC team would help his resume tremendously. The Bulldogs, however, couldn’t be happier with their coach as he is the envy of all programs head coach hunting.

9. AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Georgia vs. No. 25 UCF

 Really the only reason this game is of any real interest is one of UCF’s  starting wide receivers is from Rome, Georgia and gets a chance to play his home state team in front of many family members and friends. But seriously the UCF team is nothing to look past for the Bulldogs. They are a very talented team, maybe the second best in Florida this year. There is still a lot of pressure on Mark Richt, and losing this game would not help his cause.

10. Hyundai Sun Bowl
Notre Dame vs. Miami

   Criminals vs. Catholics... No it doesn’t have the same ring to it as it used to, but this game shows the state of college football right now. Miami and Notre Dame of today are not your dad’s Miami and Notre Dame. Winning this game will be a huge stepping point to get things back on track for the winner.

Best College Football Weekend

I am coming to you live from Vicksburg, Mississippi. Because I am on vacation I am trying to work when I can. I will be updating this as I can, but here is the work I have done so far.

Auburn vs. Alabama- I have had more trouble trying to justify a winner in this match-up more than any all season. Alabama is the favorite, according to Vegas, has home field advantage, and their Head Coach Nick Saban has had extra time to prepare for this game. Auburn, on the other hand, though lacking any as semblance of a defense all season, has not been stopped. But Auburn has yet to play a good team on the road and has struggled against the run, the Tide’s specialty. It is because of this I am going to take the Alabama Crimson Tide. Auburn fans will simply not be heard. Heck, the Auburn band has been moved to the upper deck! These people just don’t like each other. Alabama will rely heavily on the run but Alabama QB Greg McElroy will have to make a few important 3^rd down conversion passes to Julio Jones. The Tide win in a close one, and Tuscaloosa implodes from the celebrating.

LSU vs. Arkansas- A huge game that will shape the BCS bowl picture as much as any adds to what is already one of the best young rivalries. With a win both teams figure to lock up a bid to the Sugar Bowl. For Arkansas and LSU, success of the season rides on this game. Arkansas fans have felt all year that this year was crucial in the turnaround under Head Coach Bobby Petrino. Can the Hogs deliver results after such high expectations? The previous 5 games have been decided by less than 13 points so expect a tight one. The game will come down to whether or not a stout LSU defense can stop an Arkansas offense that has been rolling. In one of the most fun match ups all weekend two top 10 NFL prospects will go head to head as Arkansas QB will try to pass on LSU CB Patrick Peterson. The Rock will be doin just that this afternoon, rockin' as the Razorbacks figure out the LSU defenses and, depending on the unpredictable computers, lock up a bid to their first BCS Bowl.

Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss- For the first time in my life I will spend the day in Mississippi on the day of the Egg Bowl. Nationally, this game does not get the recognition that some rivalry games get, but don’t tell the folks from Mississippi that. Heck, the Bulldogs Head Coach Dan Mullen will not even say the words “Ole Miss,” in stead calling them “the team from up North.” I am watching the game with die hard State fans and one thing is certain, it is always good when Ole Miss loses, but so much better when State has the pleasure of giving them the loss. With that said, the only factor that makes this game close is the game is played in Oxford. Mississippi will have a hard time stopping the counter attack of State QB Chris Relf and RB Vick Ballard and really has no offensive threat of their own. Ole Miss QB Jeremiah Masoli was supposed to save the season for the Rebels but has failed miserably. The hurt continues today in an intense atmosphere, and State people have bragging rights for another year.

Arizona at Oregon- The game tonight in Autzen Stadium is the last true test the Ducks of Oregon will face before the national championship. Senior night versus a good Arizona Wildcats team that is coming of of two conference losses will be tough but doable for Oregon. Arizona beat Iowa earlier this year at home and has shown flashes of things to come from Head Coach Mike Stoops. The flashes will not be enough tonight as  Oregon running back LeMichael James leads this high scoring offense to another victory.

Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State- The Battle for Bedlam has extra meaning this year as the two teams involved are fighting for a spot in the Big 12 Championship. The rivalry has been dominated by big brother Oklahoma, winning 80 of the 104 games. Oklahoma State is seeking the teams first 10 win season in school history in what was supposed to be a "rebuilding year," but I think they will have to wait until their bowl game to get it. The Cowboys will not handle the pressure of the beating the Sooners, who have been there done that. It is a struggle, but Oklahoma QB Landry Jones, with the help of a big performance from RB Demarco Murray, will pull out the W.

Other Picks (in bold):

Boise State at Nevada

Michigan State at Penn State

Florida at Florida State

Kentucky at Tennessee

South Carolina at Clemson

Oregon State at Stanford

Notre Dame at USC

Michigan at Ohio State

How I See It...

It being the college football weekend. The one that is already underway if you include Alabama's absolute drubbing of Georgia State, not that it wasn't expected. Really though the Tide could have scored 100 if they wanted. So with that game, the Washington win over UCLA already happening, and that I am not going to mention the Boise State game tonight I will predict the football games on Saturday.

Arkansas vs. Mississippi State- This game is becoming more and more important. Yes, it is essential for the Hogs to win and keep their BCS bowl game hopes alive but there is more behind this game. In my family, everyone, except me, went to Arkansas and most of the family still lives in the state, and we are all huge Razorback fans. In Lexie's house, everyone, except her, went to Mississippi State and still lives in Mississippi. They are all "State people." (which are GREAT people) Though I am banned from talking to Lexie's mother during the game, I know she will have her cowbell out and ringing it loud enough to scare the Sambo, their dog, under the bed. I know my family will be decked out in their red and calling the hogs proudly.  I am so glad that Lexie and I can agree on our team, the Bulldogs... from Samford University , of course. As far as the game goes I do see it being a good game but the offensive fire power will be too much in the end.  The score will be a little more lopsided than the game will be but the Razorbacks improve to 4-1 on the road and one win away from a 10 win season.

LSU vs. Ole Miss- Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt does not want to admit it but he has had LSU's number in the past few years. Starting with his days at Arkansas, his teams have consistently played well against the Bayou Bengals. Seeing that Nutt has not had his typical one big upset a year yet many "experts" are seeing this as an easy upset pick. Not this expert. Expect to see Lucky Les win again this weekend. The Tigers run well and run often against a weak Mississippi run defense. Watch Jerimiah Masoli try and make sense of why he is in Mississippi after all.

Ohio State vs. Iowa- Even with Iowa losing last weekend to Northwestern this game still will help determine the Big 10 champ and bowl pecking order. I know that Iowa is a tough place to play especially after a loss but Ohio State is playing for too much for that to get in the way. I do believe that Terelle Pryor will have to be able to move and throw the ball because Iowa DE Adrian Claiborne will be getting after him and show why NFL scouts are excited. Ohio State wins a close one.

Virginia Tech vs. Miami- In a game that Virginia Tech can clinch it's half of the ACC and lock its place in the ACC Championship Game, I expect them to do just that. Granted, Miami has been dealt tough cards to play with this season, but they have just not been able to be consistent against the adversary. Virginia Tech on the other hand has been able to bounce back after losing their first two games, one of which was James Madison. This Hokie team is playing like everyone thought they would at the beginning of the year and they continue to do so this Saturday.

Other picks (in bold):

Army vs. Notre Dame- Coolest setting this year, Yankee Stadium. ND vs. Army circa 1918.

Illinois at Northwestern- 2^nd coolest setting this year, Wrigley Field. Too bad the base ball field is not big enough.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/ncf/news/story?id=5824661

Stanford at California- This rivalry is not even close. Forget the comparisons to the

Oregon game. This game gets ugly.

Tennessee at Vanderbilt- It’s truly amazing that the Vols can still go to a bowl game.

Wisconsin vs. Michigan- Belima has another hard time keeping the score reasonable as the Badgers put up big numbers again this week against a weak Michigan defense.

Nebraska at Texas A&M
Connecticut at Syracuse

Oklahoma at Baylor

USC at Oregon State

Florida State at Maryland

Duke at Georgia Tech
Pittsburgh at South Florida

College Football Week 11

I would like to start of and thank those that have and are serving our country, especially to those in my family. To me my grandfathers, Gramps and Granddaddy, thank you for what you did,  the lessons you have taught me, stories you have told me, and your service to our country. To all of you reading, if you are reading on Veteran's Day or not, tell someone thank you for putting their life on the line so that you can live the life you do today.

Last week was a down week in the SEC for "big" games but a good week for me in picking winners. Without further delay here is how it is going to pan out this weekend...

South Carolina vs. Florida- The game in Gainesville, Florida is the SEC Eastern Division Championship. The Head Ball Coach returns again to the place where he won his Heisman, National and SEC Championships and you know the fans will be ready for his return with so much at stake. Who better to beat for Steve Spurrier to beat than the Gators to try an clinch the Gamecocks first ever visit to Atlanta? I just don't see it happening. Unless Stephen Garcia, Alshon Jeffery, and Marcus Lattimore can play flawlessly like the Alabama game I think Florida and the home crowd will be too much. South Carolina has never won in The Swamp and the trend will continue for at least two more years.

Georgia vs. Auburn- Like the game above this game could decide the other half of the SEC Championship game. With a win Auburn will make it to Atlanta amidst all the Cam Newton "allegations." The Dawgs have the offense to beat a poor defending Tigers, pass defense is only better than Vanderbilt in the SEC. The question is whether or not they will be able to keep up with Cam Newton. No defense has been able to this year and I don't see that trend changing this weekend. There will not be quite as many points in this one as Auburn's barn burner with Arkansas but get ready for an offensive show.
                    
  - I am expecting a field report from Auburn. My sister will be on site decked out in her finest red and black.

Mississippi State vs. Alabama- State makes their second trip in two weeks down I-20 as they head to  Tuscaloosa. Last week the team attended the funeral of teammate Nick Bell, who died at the age of twenty after a brief bout with cancer, in Birmingham. Both teams will play with heavy hearts. There are several Crimson Tide football players who played high school ball with Bell. State has won their last six games, but Saban lost his last game at LSU. Which is more likely? The Bulldogs win number seven in a row, on the road, at night in Tuscaloosa, as Saban comes off of a loss? Or.. The Tide rolls, at home, at night, after a loss? I will always take the latter.

Utah vs. Notre Dame- Nothing is really appealing about this game so you may ask, Graham, why are you writing about it? It is giving me the chance to talk about Notre Dame football. This is the lowest the storied program has ever been. A recruit at the beginning of the season died. A student helping with practice has died. Next years recruiting class is losing commitments left and right. The Irish have list to Navy 3 out of the last four years. They lost to Tulsa. Bowl eligibility is questionable. What is going on? When it rains it pours and the Irish are going through a hurricane. Brian Kelley's offense can work but in the meantime the Irish need something good to happen, like the upset of No. 14 Utah. No, probably not. The rain just keeps coming with another beat down this weekend.

Penn State vs. Ohio State- Penn State has looked good as of late but the Nittany Lions have also been facing some overall weak defenses. Ohio State has quietly been climbing back up the rankings and with a strong conference and pretty strong out of conference schedule is not completely out a BCS bowl. Terelle Pryor show off some of his dual threat skills and the Buckeyes win easily at home against Penn State.

Other Winners (in bold):

Kansas State vs. Missouri
Oklahoma State vs. Texas
Virginia Tech at North Carolina
Ole Miss at Tennessee
Kentucky at Vanderbilt
Kansas State at Missouri
UTEP at Arkansas
Texas A&M at Baylor
Oregon at California
Stanford at Arizona State
Clemson at Florida State

Some picks for Saturday

Fall may be my favorite time of the year. It's a relief to be able to walk outside and not start sweating immediately. It's always fun to celebrate another year of life, but even better than these things is college football. Week to week, trying to predict what will happen and then watching the drama unfold is easily one of my favorite things. I thought about doing all of the SEC games but then I would have limited my blog. So I will dabble in all leagues. Where I am from and how I have been raised will influence which teams I write about. I know I will tend to talk more about the SEC. Here is how I see some of the games this weekend unfolding.

Arkansas vs. Auburn- One of the biggest games of the year in our household. The old man always says Arkasnas can lose every game but the Auburn one and he will be happy. It is the SEC game of the week for a reason. The game is almost as big as the pair of 6'6 quarterbacks matiching up. Ryan Mallet and Cam Newton could be deciding the SEC Offensive MVP this weekend on the plains. I don't see Auburn's secondary stopping Mallet. Arkansas has proved that they have a much improved defense from last year. Arkansas MUST be able to run the ball, block Auburn DT Nick Fairley to give Mallet time, and score some points in the 4th in order to win. To take a line from my Dad, I see the Hogs rumbling down from the Ozarks and spoiling the home teams party.

Alabama vs. Mississippi- This one could get very, very ugly. Julio Jones will not have to worry too much about his hand because Saban may not even pass the ball after what happened last week, running for less than 50 yards in the 2nd half. (And they tried to compare that RB tandem to McFadden and Jones... please) He is looking to take out his anger on somebody and poor somebody is Ole Miss. I don't see him taking out the starters until Alabama is up by 50. The black bear will not be roaring this week.

Florida vs. Mississippi State- Yet another Mississippi school at the wrong spot in the schedule. Florida misses Dan Mullen and his offensive creativity. State, on the other hand, is loving their new commander and chief. But he still does not have the players he had as the UF offensive coordinator. No way Urban Meyer loses three in a row and may show off some of his speed to Mullen. Look what you used to have. State might can hold it close but the Gators stop the bleeding and win one.

South Carolina vs. Kentucky- Upset special… Randal Cobb is one of the most fun players to watch in college ball and gets a chance to show off his skills again. After the emotional victory last week there is no way planning for Kentucky was the main focus. USC matched up great against Alabama because they stop everything that happens in the middle but Kentucky tries to spread everything wide. Cobb goes wild and comes away with the win.

Ohio State vs. Wisconsin- We’ll see how OSU handles being back in the number one spot. They will take care of a “What in the world happened to Wisconsin Badger” team. So much promise at the beginning of the year but a frustrating loss to a much improved Michigan State team has those in Madison wondering how the season will unfold. OSU knows they control whether or not they play for the ‘ship and will play like with fire. Defense is too good to let Wisconsin RB John Clay, a player scouts are drooling over (or at least I would be if I was one), do too much damage.

Furman vs. Samford- Rivalry game in the Magic City this week. The Bulldogs looked good in a game versus Western Carolina last week and look continue the momentum. Playoffs for the Dogs? As a proud alumnus I certainly hope so. Look for Chris Evans to continue to add to what is already the most rushing yards in school history in a little bit of an upset against the No. 26 team in FCS. Samford Bulldogs improve to .500 in the conference.

Other Winners (in bold)-

Boston College vs. Florida State

Georgia vs. Vanderbilt

Illinois vs. Michigan State

Southern Cal vs. California

Maryland vs. Clemson

Iowa vs. Michigan

Texas vs. Nebraska

Miami (FL) vs. Duke
Who ever Boise State plays vs. Boise State