National Signing Day 2013

Alex Collins and his father (sans mother) signing his Letter of Intent. Collins said he wore a camo suit "for the fans."

Usually at this point in the game, 24 hours later, writing a National Signing Day column is considered late. Thanks to Alex Collins' mama drama, deadline has been extended. This day seems to get wilder and more unpredictable as the years pass, and as social media continues to grow along with college football's importance nationwide, there is no where but zany for it to go. Here are a few things that stuck out to me looking back at this year's big day:

ALEX COLLINS' MOTHER STOLE THE SHOW- It would not be Arkansas football if there wasn't a circus involved, and thanks to Collins' mother we got a party. Collins, a Miami native, was all set to sign his Letter of Intent to play football at Arkansas, a decision he made on Monday night on national television. It should have been a time to honor the hard work he has put in earning a scholarship and a time to celebrate his decision.

However, as has been well reported, his mother came to the signing ceremony at Collins' school and took the binding paperwork because she wants him to play at Miami University in Florida. What makes this story even more difficult to understand is that Collins does not even live with his mother.

This afternoon he signed official paper work, cosigned by his father, which officially makes him a Razorback. His mother on the other hand has hired lawyers from a Johnny Cochran law firm to try and prevent his move to Arkansas. Her reasoning per her lawyer: "her only concern is Alex's well being." Give it a break, lady.

THE OLE MISS SURPRISE- Don't get me wrong. I loved my experience at The Grove and weekend in Oxford when the Rebels hosted Samford in 2010. But before Rebel fans get too excited about the future, thinking under coach Hugh Freeze you will challenge the SEC West big boys, namely Alabama, let's take a look at what happened in order for you to land the No. 7 class in 2013.

Ole Miss landed the No 1 recruit at the following positions: defensive end (Robert Nkemdiche), offensive lineman (Jeremy Tunsil), wide receiver (Laquan Treadwell), and a top-notch defensive back (Antonio Conner).

Nkemdiche has an older brother already at Ole Miss, who did some serious recruiting, and a mother who made it public that she wanted her boys to play together. Conner is from South Panola High, a Rebel stronghold for years. These two would have made a good class for Ole Miss alone on most years. They also recruited other top players and sold them on the idea that this could be the class to change the Rebel's fortune, instead of going to Alabama and continuing their championship tradition.

It was a perfect storm, but before we crown them Division Champs, know that other schools in the division have been doing this kind of work for five-plus years.To rise to the top it will take more than one class of stars to change the culture. Coach Hugh Freeze applied the full-court press to haul these guys in. SI.com writer Andy Staples reveals one of Freeze's assistant coaches exchanged more than 800 Facebook messages with Tunsil and another 400 with his girlfriend to help culture their relationship which turned into a commitment. Hard work paid off to bring this class (three 5-stars and 9 4-stars) to fruition.

TIE-DYE SCREAMS SWAG- There was nothing this year that compared to Isaiah Crowell pulling out a bulldog puppy to declare he would attend Georgia a couple of years ago. There was some impressive fashion from some commitment ceremonies though:

WR Stacey Coley (above) commits to Swag U. The only way this gets better is if a Vanderbilt or Stanford commit had donned a "Nerd" hat at their commitment ceremony.

DL Montravious Adams (above) commits to Auburn and proves tie-dye is alive and well. And yes, that is a picture of himself on his shirt. Love his humbleness.

ONE CONFERENCE IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER- Not that long ago the Big 12 was being compared to the SEC. There were some who thought it might be able to challenge the SEC for dominance in college football. Hindsight is 20/20 and we know that thought is comical. Thanks to conference realignment (Texas A&M and Nebraska leaving), Texas and Oklahoma's steady decline, and now recruiting we know who stands above the other.

Not one 5-star prospect according to Rivals.com chose to play football in the Big 12, meaning the Big East, the conference just waiting its demise, had more top players commit to it than Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia and the like. Kentucky--yeah that one--would have had the fourth-best class in the Big 12. These are signs your conference no longer has the gravitas it once did.

The SEC went out and collected seven of the top 11 spots in the team rankings, according to 247sports.com. Which means what former LSU receiver Russel Sheppard tweeted may be all the more true:

From the looks of the recruiting classes the #SEC will win the next 4 National championships again !!!!
— Russell Shepard Jr.. (@LSUShep10) February 6, 2013

Clemson RB coach Tony Elliot

Speaking of other conferences, Clemson does some serious recruiting, taking prospects from Florida and Georgia just like the big boys year in and year out.

Coach Dabo Swinney knows what he is doing in getting high schoolers interested in his program. Is running backs coach Tony Elliot the secret into their minds? Notice the Twilight posters surrounding him:

It was a great day, and one that started early for this college football fanatic. I made sure to go to bed early the night before and was up at 5:30 a.m., waiting for the first faxes to be sent.

Yes, they still use fax machines which is a whole other issue: The NCAA at its finest, only 20 years behind the curve.

Column from National Signing Day 2012

The Weekend That Was: Barkley Owned, Another Historic Loss, Irish for Real?, My New Favorite Player, SEC Joke Coaches

While it is the surprises, upsets and a sense of loyalty to a team that draws us to college football, there are a few truths that seem inevitable. A few of those came true this weekend: Virginia Tech begins the year in the top 10 and falls to an inferior team, Alabama beats Arkansas, USC starts in the top 5 and is a national championship favorite and falls, and Notre Dame wins three games and moves up the polls quickly. Now that you have the gist of Week Three in football, let's get to the nitty gritty.

Barkley remains defeated versus Stanford

STANFORD OWNS BARKLEY & CO.: At some point, what Stanford did/is doing will no longer be a fluke. Cardinal coach David Shaw has to get credit. He is Andrew Luck-less and is still pulling off 'upsets' of the No. 2 team in the country. I say "'upsets'" because it should no longer come as a surprise when he is able to beat the California team from the south. Maybe, just maybe, Shaw will be able to sustain some of the success his predecessors (Jim Harbaugh and Andrew Luck) began. I am all up for nerds ruling the football world.

Stanford is a rarity in college football. Not only do they all make 34's on their ACTs but they know who they are and what they can and can not do. They know they run the football well with a huge push from the big uglies upfront, which creates an obvious, enormous mismatch for USC, who is setup to beat the likes of Oregon.

Matt Barkley will graduate having never beaten Stanford, which is incredible when you look at the history of these two programs.

ANOTHER HISTORIC LOSS: Remember the questions I brought up last week after Arkansas blew a 28-7 lead to University Louisiana-Monore? There are more this week. Instead of doing listing those, here is some historical perspective of what a team that was beat by ULM in 2007 (Alabama) did on Saturday in Fayetteville.

The Tide shut out the Hogs at home for the first time since 1966, a 44-0 loss to the Baylor, but that was two years post national championship. It was the worst loss for the Razorbacks since a 70-17 show from the USC Trojans. It was an embarrassing day for Arkansas, and while the weather did not help keep fans in their seat, neither did their play on the field.

Injured Razorback quarterback admitted he thought some of his teammates quit, which is a direct reflection of coaching. There's good reason to be worried as Rutgers comes to Arkansas this week.

If anything, this makes The Game of the Century III (Alabama at LSU) all the more anticipated, and as my old man said, no doubt there is a Pop Tart sale in Arkansas.

Johnson has been "The Beast" for a while.

MY FAVORITE PLAYER IS A VOLUNTEER: Is there anything Tennessee sophomore A.J. Johnson can not do? He was named to the All-SEC freshman team a year ago and now is starting to show out on the offensive side too from the Wildcat formation.

Not only does he make grown-man tackles on defense, but the Volunteer captain scored a rushing touchdown against Florida.

He did the same thing in high school, too.

A Gainesville, Georgia native, he dominated this area for four years like few have and remains a local legend. If he continues on his current path, he will soon be a legend in the Knoxville area as well before making his way to the professional ranks.

NOTRE DAME IS FOR REAL (maybe): The Irish get their fair, and maybe more, share of articles and columns written about them, but anytime you go on the road, in a night game, and defeat a top 10 team, you start getting press for all the right reasons.

Coach Brian Kelley, who was brought over from Cincinnati for his offensive prowess, has started building his program from the defensive side of the ball. Now, other than Alabama and LSU, he may have the top defensive front in the country and the best linebacker in Manti Te'o. Kelley will build his offense no doubt, and if both sides of the ball progress like they seem to be doing, the Irish could be trouble in the future.

HOW QUICKLY CAN CHIZIK BE REPLACED: It's really a three-way race between Arkansas' John L. Smith, Auburn's Gene Chizik, and Kentucky's Joker Phillips to see who will be fired first. Two of the three will definitely be told to seek employment elsewhere come season's end, but Chizik has enough equity built up from a national championship two years ago.

After two dismal performances from his quarterback Kiehl Frazier, these games are much more like what we expected from Chizik when he came from Iowa State. This is what a Chizik team minus a $200,000 quarterback looks like.

That's what a Hilltoppers look like after they get their first SEC win.

KENTUCKY'S BIG JOKE(er): Get it? Their coach's name is Joker and that's what he has made the Wildcats in the eyes of football fans. We have all heard Kentucky fans say the only sport they care about is basketball -- and horseracing. However, there are better ways to let everyone know that other than getting beat by Western Kentucky. Heck, they've only been an official FBS program for four years!

Sure you make all SEC fans proud during March and early April, but there is no excuse for this. Bye, bye Joker.

National Signing Day

Throughout this world wide web, there is an abundance of places where you can find who "won" signing day. Was it Alabama, or was it Texas? Which university was able to lure that particular recruiting site's number one high school player to a certain school? Was it Missouri, or was it Florida State? Not here boys and girls. Here we will take a closer look at the fanfare that has become signing day and some schools successful days. But in no way am I declaring a winner or, even worse, as some claim a national championship. For you NFL junkies that do not understand a crazed college football fan's obsession, imagine the free agency period and the draft all in one day. Here are a few news and notes...

Let it be known that I try hard to not get entangled in the web of rankings built by sites such as Rivals.com, Scout.com, or 247sports.com about certain prospects. These sites try to project an 18 year-old's football abilities three years in advance. It is an inexact science and impossible to predict. This is not to say that I, just like many of you, do not drool over YouTube videos of their top prospects' skill levels (Johnathan Gray everyone) , but I know that just because a website gives a young man who is 6-foot-7, weighs in a 270, runs a 4.8 second forty-yard dash, and physically dominates top high school competition only  "two-stars" that not much stock can be taken their celestial rating system. Spend some time. Watch some film. And wait to see if the coach of your beloved team can do with the prospect's skills.

Saban "bought" a heinous diamond sweater,
but he can sell his program.

That being said, based on this star rating system, Alabama signed more four and five stars than I ever have in my dynasty on NCAA 2009. (I still play the 09 version because Darren McFadden adorns the cover). They signed more than twice as many prospects from ESPN's top 150 athletes than any other SEC school. With the talent accumulated during his tenure at LSU and now Alabama, the Crimson Tide's coach has shown why he has many changing the acronym NSD from National Signing Day to Nick Saban Day.

The University of Georgia was able to come away with the top player in four different states, thanks to a late fax from the nation's top outside linebacker and Valdosta, Georgia resident, Josh Harvey-Clemons. The poor kid came on national television to announce his intentions to become a Bulldog. His grandfather and legal guardian had other plans. With Valdosta being closer to Florida, most of Harvey-Clemons' family wished to see him as a Gator come fall. After a little embarrassment, the kid won out and will run out in Red and Black in August.

The famed "Chick-fil-a" recruit, McKinzy

In as much preparation he did for the day, calls, texts, emails, official and unofficial visits, in-home visits and more, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney could have done nothing more to convince Cassanova McKinzy to become a Tiger. Well, maybe Swinney could have done one more thing, built a Chick-fil-a on the Clemson campus. The best named recruit in the country said he chose Auburn over Clemson because, "they (Clemson) have no Chick-fil-A on campus."

Stanford signed three consensus five-star prospects to their offensive line. Andrew Luck's presence carries on though he will be in the NFL. However, if you are a big boy that wants a physical run game, where better to go than to block for Barry Sanders Jr., who also signed with the Cardinal.

Not to be confused with that above school out west, Samford added 18 new players for the 2012 team. Much praise was given to the Bulldogs in Southern Conference circles by guys that pay attention to recruiting much more closely than you and me. If you have not been paying attention to what coach Pat Sullivan, the 1972 Heisman trophy winner, has been doing with my alma mater in Birmingham, which chances are you haven't, you should. The Dogs are going places... hopefully.

2012 (Day After) New Year's Day Bowls

It is college football's most famous day of the year. Luckily, 2012's first day offers more than its 2011 counterpart. Some games though not as interesting on the field will offer more story lines away from the gridiron. No matter the quality play, you can find me soaking up the final 24 hours of multiple games in the 2011-2012 college football season in Rome, on a leather coach, in front of a high-definition television, with my old man and plenty of food. So if you need a place to watch or want to watch with two professionals, holla at ya boy.

TicketCity Bowl, Noon on ESPNU

     Houston vs. Penn State- Both programs have lost their head coaches and enter Monday in the midst of a transition period. Kevin Sumlin, the Cougars former head man, is on  his way to the SEC and Texas A&M, whereas Penn State's Joe Paterno was let go after his involvement, or lack thereof in the Jerry Sandusky case. On to those who will decide who wins... Houston quarterback Case Keenum is charged with leading a disappointed Cougar team that is coming off of a Conference USA Championship drubbing at the hands of Southern Miss. Though fighting off-the-field issues, Penn State finished the regular season as the Big Ten's Leader's division co-champion. The Nittany Lions will be without senior quarterback Matt McGloin, who suffered a concussion after fighting with teammates in the team's locker room. With Penn State's quarterback out and unable to help an already porous offense, the Cougars win the first college football game of the year.

Capital One Bowl, 1 p.m. on ESPN

     Nebraska vs. South Carolina- Since Stephen Garcia's dismissal from the team, quarterback Connor Shaw has led the Gamecocks to a 6-1 record with their only loss coming to No. 6-ranked Arkansas. Contrary from the norm, Shaw will not be the most athletic signal-caller under center today, as the Cornhusker's Taylor Martinez passed for nearly 2,000 yards and is second on the team in rushing (837 yards). For Nebraska to head back to Lincoln with a win, Martinez must avoid the USC defensive line rush and complete enough passes to keep them honest. South Carolina's defense is 13th in the nation, allowing only 18.8 points per game. This deep group is athletic enough to keep Martinez and running back Rex Burkhead at bay. Gamecock head coach Steve Spurrier revenges a 62-24 loss in the 1995 Fiesta Bowl loss, where his Florida Gators were handled by the Tommie Frazier-led Huskers, and beats Nebraska.

Gator Bowl, 1 p.m. on ESPN2

Roles may be reversed on Monday

      Ohio State vs. Florida- You know earlier when I mentioned those games that no one really cares about except for the "off-the-field storylines?" Here is a perfect example. No matter who scores the most points, the Buckeyes will be the winners. They have hired former Gator head coach Urban Meyer. Meyer, who was brought to Columbus in hopes of taking OSU back to the national championship, has been hot on the recruiting trail and stolen prospects from conference rivals Michigan and Penn State thus far. Current Florida coach Will Muschamp has struggled through his first year and needs a win to keep Meyer from picking off players from the Gator's 2011 commitment list. Not that it matters but a more experienced freshman quarterback Braxton Miller leads the Buckeyes to victory.


Outback Bowl, 1 p.m. on ABC
     Michigan State vs. Georgia- A rematch of the 2009 Capital One Bowl foes pits two teams coming off of conference championship losses. Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins will be challenged to find weak spots in a Bulldog defense that ranked third nationally in total defense. Michgan State's nationally fifth-ranked total defense is nothing to forget about and UGA's Aaron Murray will have to effectively pass to open up the ground game for the Bulldog's stable of backs. Murray has the better receivers to pass to (Malcolm Mitchell, Orson Charles and Tavarres King), which eventually will make the difference as the Bulldogs are able to complete longer passes for bigger offensive plays. The game will end closer for the Spartans than last years 49-7 blowout loss to Alabama but the final score will be in favor of Georgia nonetheless. A strong game from the Bulldogs could propel them to start next season in the top five.

Rose Bowl, 5 p.m. on ESPN

Those "snazzy space-age suits"

     Wisconsin vs. Oregon- Sure the teams on the field are quality squads, but have you seen Oregon's jerseys for the game, in particular their stunning helmets? No doubt six recruits will sign scholarships for the Ducks because of the "liquid metal" look. On the field, the Badgers are two "Hail Mary" passes (Michigan St. and Ohio St.) away from playing a week from Monday in the BCS National Championship. Regardless, 'Sconny is playing and will try to slow down an electric Oregon offense that averages 46 points per contest. Oftentimes a team from the Big 10 is easy to pick against because their size cannot keep up with the speed of the SEC. Not today. Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson makes the difference with his athleticism and the Bagders win on the west coast despite Oregon's snazzy space-age suits.

Fiesta Bowl, 8:30 p.m. on ESPN

     Stanford vs. Oklahoma State- Both the Cowboys and Cardinal were snubbed as one-loss teams with a shot at the BCS National Championship, but on the bright side the winner could end the season at number two in the polls. I am just trying to see the sunshine through the BCS cloud. In what we assume is Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck's final college game he must lead his run-first offense to score more points than Oklahoma State's nearly 50 points per game. The Cowboys use a spread offense attack, the same variety that gave Stanford fits in a 53-30 home loss to Oregon this season. However, with Stanford's offensive style the Cardinal can control the ball and keep the explosive Cowboy attack on the sidelines. Watch for the Pokes to start out slow after being disappointed to be in Glendale, Ariz. and not in New Orleans, but Oklahoma State still comes out on top.

Top Ten College Foot'Bowl' Games

Throw together Christmas, New Years, family and college foot'bowl' games and you have a potent combination for am enjoyable holiday season. So unless you are Oklahoma State, Kansas State or Boise State fans, let's get ready for an wild bowl season.

And to you who favor a playoff season, did the BCS system not to what it was created to do? We have the nation's best two teams playing for the national championship. (Oklahoma State fans... be serious... we have seen the spread offense versus SEC defensive speed more than once and know the outcome.) Sure there are teams that were snubbed of the chance to play in a bigger bowl game, but this is the system we have. So can we all get along while we wait Prince of Peace's arrival? (No doubt He would have a better system...)

In the meantime, here is a list of the ten bowl games I am looking forward to the most this college foot'bowl' season:

1. BCS National Championship Game- Alabama vs. LSU- If the first game was "The Game of the Century" what does that make this one? The most anticipated rematch of all time will decide the national champion, no matter the outcome. When the country's top two defenses were not playing one another they averaged almost 40 points a game. In good news for every other conference, at the end of the night the SEC will finally have a loss in the BCS Championship Game.

2.Fiesta Bowl- Oklahoma State vs. Stanford- Two of the country's top five offenses, and best quarterbacks in Andrew Luck and Dan Weeden, will take the field . The Pokes are a little disappointed they are not in the championship game, but they must be careful of not falling to the same fate the a Alabama squad did when the Tide were crushed by Utah in the 2008 Sugar Bowl.

3. Vizio Rose Bowl- Wisconsin vs. Oregon- Here are two teams, in the "Grandaddy of them all," who get it done offensively by different means. In one corner is Oregon, who uses speed and a spread offense to keep the scorekeepers busy. In the other corner are the Badgers, who line up in the I-formation and use power to wear down opponents. Watch two of the country's top running backs -- UO's LaMichael James and UW's Montee Ball-- go head-to-head.

4. AT&T Cotton Bowl- Arkansas vs. Kansas State- In what amounts to the sixth BCS game, Kansas State is a little disappointed they do not represent the Big 12 in an actual BCS game. Arkansas' two losses this season came at the hands of the two teams in the national championship. The Wildcats defense will be charged in slowing down a Razorback passing attack which averages 307 yards per game, while the Hogs defense has to stop KSU quarterback Collin Klein, who tallied 1,745 yards and 12 scores through the air and 1,099 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.

5. Outback Bowl- Michigan State vs. Georgia- Both schools are coming off of conference championship losses and looking to end great seasons on a positive note. The Dawgs have won 10 of their last 11 games, while the Spartans won at least 10 games for the second year in a row. MSU needs to redeem itself after their last game against an SEC opponent, a 49-7 drubbing from Alabama last year in the Capital One Bowl. Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio is 0-4 in bowl games.

6. Orange Bowl- Clemson vs. West Virginia- The Orange Bowl is usually the weakest of all the BCS bowls, but the hosts got lucky when the Moutaineers were able to win the Big East so that America was not forced to watch Cincinatti or Louisville in this game. At least WVU has been down this road before and had success. Clemson has been one of the hottest and coldest teams at times this season but handled Virginia Tech for the second time this season and won the Tigers' first ACC Championship in 20 years.



7. Sugar Bowl- Virginia Tech vs. Michigan- Of the two controversial BCS matchups in The Big Easy this year, Alabama vs. LSU is the other, the Sugar Bowl one is the most puzzling. The teams were selected solely because their fans travel better than other, more deserving, teams. The game still has the possibility to be quite entertaining, even if it is the first Sugar Bowl without an AP Top 10 team since 1945. Michigan quarterback Denard "Shoelace" Robinson work is magic is worth your time.

8. Capital One Bowl- South Carolina vs. Nebraska- The Gamecocks have won 10 games in a season for the second time in school history, and the Huskers are coming of a nine-win season in its first year in the Big 10. USC head coach Steve Spurrier may run up the score if he gets the chance. For you history buffs, the Cornhuskers gave Spurrier his most embarrassing loss, a 62-24 affair in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl when "The Ole Ball Coach" was at Florida.

9. Alamo Bowl- Baylor vs. Washington- So you like offense and you want to see the Heisman Trophy winner all in the same game? Sounds like a fun way to spend your New Years Eve Eve Eve. Two of the more explosive quarterbacks in U Dubs' Kevin Polk and the Bears' Robert Griffin III will go head-to-head in this shootout.

10. Gator Bowl- Ohio State vs. Florida- Go ahead and put the over under at 35 on the number of times Urban Meyer's name is thrown around. The former Gator coach is headed to coach the Buckeyes next year after two championship runs in Florida. Meyer has already made his presence known on the recruiting trail. If current head coach, and OSU's next defensive coordinator, Lou Fickell can pull out a win over the SEC the Buckeye bandwagon should fill back up quickly.

*For you college foot'bowl' junkies like myself, here are a few more nuggets that should be fun to watch:

-Kraft  Fight Hunger Bowl- UCLA vs. Illinois- Here is one of those games that opponents of the bowl system have to cringe when they see this matchup. Both schools suffered poor endings (UCLA has a 6-7 record.)  and neither school will have their head coach, as both Rick Neuheisel and Ron Zook have been fired. Try to hold your enthusiasm when watching interim coaches going at it.

-Champs Sports Bowl- Florida State vs. Notre Dame- Both schools entered this season with BCS aspirations but had points during the season they lost games they should not have. The winner of this game will have a leg-up in the polls heading into the 2012 season. If the Seminoles pull out the 'W,' do not be surprised if they are preseason top five next year.

The Weekend That Will Be: Week 11

Nebraska at Penn State- The lack of response to what happened in 1999, and tragically before 1999, will have an impact on this weekend’s game. For the first time since Harry Truman was serving as the U.S. president, Penn State will take the field without Joe Paterno. Trying to strictly concentrate at the football game in Happy Valley is next to impossible. The student body will have a “Blue-Out,” (as opposed to the normal “White-Out”) to help raise awareness and money for sexually abused children. It is hard to know how the Nittany Lions on the field will respond. Hopefully, they will respond positively on Senior Night amidst the controversy. This top-rated defense stops the Nebraska rushing attack and the senior class wins their last home game.

Oregon at Stanford- The last Cardinal loss came 14 games ago to the Ducks in Eugene, Ore. Like last year, the winner of this game is the PAC-12’s front-runner for a spot in the BCS National Championship. Similar to last week’s biggest game (LSU-Alabama) defense will be the difference. Can the Oregon defense, which has been rolling in the second-half of games since their loss to No. 1 LSU in the opening week of this season, stop Luck, the Heisman favorite? Don’t count on it. Luck and Co.’s powerful rushing attack will wear down the Ducks and prove too much in Palo Alto.

Auburn at Georgia- Someone took me up on my offer two weeks ago, and I will gladly attend the game in Athens this on Saturday for my first of two consecutive weeks of watching the Tigers. The Deep South's oldest rivalry has a lot of bad blood a flowing after last year's battle in Auburn UGA fans are convinced Tiger defensive tackle Nick Fairly played dirty, driving Bulldog quarterback Aaron Murray into the ground. This time around UGA boasts the better defense, but other than the first two games of the season the Dawgs have hardly been tested. The SEC teams they have wins over have a combined 5 SEC victories. This matchup has had plenty of memorable finishes and do not be surprised if the Plainsmen can muster up a little something extra. Sorry Auburn fans, but you will suffer your first of two losses to Bulldogs in two weeks (next week Auburn hosts Samford).

Other picks (winners in bold)

Alabama at Mississippi State- With the Tide coming off a loss at home and with their nearly impenetrable run defense, this one could get ugly.

Tennessee at Arkansas- The Hogs played well last week at home after two tough starts in Oxford and Nashville. The Vols have struggled tremendously on offense since their quarterback Tyler Bray suffered a season-ending injury against Florida. These trends continue.

Michigan at Illinois- With quarterback Denard Robinson back for Michigan the offense will run more smoothly in this unusually high-scoring Big 12 game.

Florida at South Carolina- Struggling offense versus struggling offense. Which one wins? The better defense, USC.

Miami at Florida State

TCU at Boise State

Oklahoma State at Texas Tech

The Weekend That Will Be: Week 8

Wisconsin at Michigan State- A classic battle of offense versus defense. Wisconsin will be challenged unlike they have been all season by a top-ranked Spartan defense. The weak schedule the Badgers have played thus far was shown as they were ranked a little lower than expected in the first BCS rankings. MSU has won three of the last three home games against Wisconsin, but that streak stops here. Wisconsin will be a huge Spartan fan after Saturday because the Badgers need some help from the BCS computers, which put an added emphasis on strength of schedule and none on margin of victory. On Wisconsin!

Washington at Stanford- As a person who lives in the Eastern time zone, opportunities to see quality PAC-12 football before midnight are a rarity. I am looking forward to seeing two of the county's best quarterbacks going back and forth. On one side of the ball is the Mr. All-Everything, Andrew Luck, of whom you have heard plenty about. The visiting sideline will host Washington's (No it's not Jake Locker) Keith Price, who has saddled the tough job of replacing Jake Locker and done quite well. Some experts say when it is all said and done in Seattle the current QB may be better than the former. The Cardinal should win easily, but if like passing game... enjoy this prime time PAC-12 game.

Auburn at LSU- The only reason this game made the cut is that I like to at least preview all of the ranked teams versus other ranked teams. This game ought not be too much trouble even without two star LSU players. Auburn has started to show their losses on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball were tremendous. LSU is counting down the days until their trip to Tuscaloosa, The Tigers from Baton Rouge are too deep and will take care of business easily at home.

Other picks (winners in bold)
Arkansas at Ole Miss- The annual Houston Nutt Bowl is always one of my father's, and most Razorback fans, favorite games to watch all year. Bobby will show off all of his toys to the former Arkansas coach.

North Carolina at Clemson- Some are calling this a "slip-up" game, but that will come a few weeks later for the Tigers. But watch Taj Boyd struggle a little more against a talented UNC defense.

Tennessee at Alabama- Just like LSU, the Tide wants to look forward the Nov. 5 match-up, but they have a coach that will have none of that. Saban will again prove why he is the greatest coach in the nation.

Penn State at Northwestern- Upset special. The Nittany Lions have gone unnoticed after their loss to Alabama, going undefeated since. But they also almost lost to Temple. It has to catch up at some point.

Georgia Tech at Miami
Oregon at Colorado
Maryland at Florida State

Author's note: I'm sorry for any spelling and/or grammatical mistakes, but I covered high school football until 1 a.m. tonight and have to be at FBC Gainesville to help cook for the youth's BBQ Rib Sale at 7 a.m. I did give it one thorough read, but time is of the essence.

In Stanford News

Seriously, when was the last time Stanford had this much publicity? The Princeton Review's list of most successful graduates? They have been in the news lately due to such characters as QB Andrew Luck and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh.

Andrew Luck... It is hard to give the kid grief for going back to school for his degree but he is giving up over $40 million to do so. Who is to say that he will not be the next Matt Leinart or Jake Locker? What else can he do at Stanford after delivering their first ever 12 win season? Win a Pac-12 Championship or a national title? Not likely. There are few times when someone is the without a doubt, consensus number one pick. I hate to say it but Andrew, you should have taken the money and gone to the Carolina Panthers.

Jim Harbaugh... You have already lost the respect of many by interviewing with the Miami Dolphins while they already  had a coach. Come on Jim, especially after playing the "class card" during all of your interviews following the Orange Bowl. You are better than that. I completely understand taking the job with the 49ers for a 5 year/ $25 million dollar contract. Good luck next year but it's hard to like you know after the way you treated current head coaches.

Now that Stanford women's basketball team has defeated Connecticut and the Jim Harbaugh-Andrew Luck drama appears to be over, see you later Cardinal.

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.

The Weekend that Was

After a trip to Rome for the weekend, I am back to the real world where there are always places to be and things to get done. At least the drive over and the extra hour was nice. Really though, I don’t think many have a better drive home from school than I do, through the north Georgia mountains and over Lake Lanier. With the leaves changing and crispness in the air, it was nearly perfect.

 One of my reasons for going home? I love sitting on the couch and watching football with the old man, especially when the Hogs play. Both of us sit there with our laptops looking up information about different teams and scores. Not many things can be more relaxing to me. (Mama, I enjoyed the walk, too.)

It is nice when the Razorbacks do not add any more stress to your life. They looked great against the No. 18 ranked team in the nation. We couldn’t get ever how much more fun it is to watch a game when your team can get the lead and control the rest of the game. Mallet looked great with another 300 yard game. Besides a few of the terrible calls by the refereeing crew and Tyler Wilson fumble at the end of the fourth quarter there was no negative yelling at the TV screen. The win insured that the SEC East winner will have at least 3 losses for the first time ever.

As far as the rest of the nation…

1. Called it a mile away. I knew that TCU was legit and now they have proved it to the rest of you. Their defense has allowed only 20 points in six games. No matter the league or division that is an impressive stat.

2. LSU won a huge game and in effect helped Auburn. Yes to beat Alabama at any time is impressive but the Tide looked as if they were giving a lack luster effort. And come on Saban, is that the best final play you could have run at the end of the fourth quarter.

3. Let’s take out the C in TCU because right now they are the best team in Texas. With the Longhorns blowout loss to Kansas State you have to wonder what is happening in Ausitn, from national championship to hoping for a bowl game. Come to think of it TCU is the only positive thing going in terms of Texas football as the Cowboys just fired Head Coach Wade Phillips.

4. Yes it is pretty much settled that Oregon is the best team in the PAC-10. I got up to go to get some sweet heat chips and they put up 40 points. I just wish ABC would let the east coast see one of their games every once in a while.

5. Sticking with the PAC-10 Stanford won another big game. I just wonder what would happen if Stanford had the chance to play Oregon in a title game. The Cardinal sure are looking good right now and Andrew Luck is solidifying his number one overall pick for the NFL Draft in April.

6. In light of the recent hoopla about non automatic qualifying teams playing for the national championship is the Big East really getting a bid for a BCS game? Right now the best they can offer is Pittsburgh, a 5-3 unranked team. Come on…

The Weekend that Will Be

First and foremost let me wish a happy birthday to the most sports knowledgeable grandmother I know. Grannie, I hope you have a great one!

Secondly, I am sorry that I was not able to provide a breakdown of the action from last week. I have been working on a huge paper for one of my classes and every time I sat down at the computer writing did not sound like much fun. Nonetheless, I am in Rome this weekend, sitting in front of a fire, and enjoying a warm cup of coffee from an Arkansas Razorback mug. Life is good. Here are the picks for the weekend.

TCU vs. Utah- It feels like everything is against the team from Fort Worth in this one as they have never won a game in Salt Lake. The Horned Frogs from Texas Christian have the best defense in the country so far this season allowing less than nine points a game and only thirteen in their last five games. As the saying goes defense wins championships and it will to day too as TCU wins this game on their way to another Mountain West Conference title.

Alabama vs. LSU- The game to day will be Alabama’s hardest in the stretch before the Iron Bowl. This game could very easily become a slugfest with the defenses that will be playing today. It’s the kind of game that gives the SEC the stigma it has around the country, tough, hard hitting defense with an offense that just needs to score a time or two. The advantage to goes to Alabama because of its running back tandem of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson and the Tide roll today.

Arkansas vs. South Carolina- Here is the upset special of the week. I know it is a little hard to believe I have the Hogs winning, again but I can’t help it and you couldn’t either if you grew up in my house. I do have data to back up my prediction. Ryan Mallet is coming off of record breaking performance last weekend, albeit Vandy. South Carolina has the 105^th rated pass defense in the nation. Granted the Razorbacks lost their best receiver last week in Greg Childs, Mallet has no problem spreading the ball around as he proved last week with completions to eight different receivers. Watch a high scoring game tonight on ESPN as they call the Hogs loud and proud in Columbia tonight.

Arizona vs. Stanford- Another big game for Coach Jim Harbaugh and the Cardinal as they try to separate themselves from the pack, more specifically the Arizona Wildcats, in their quest for the last PAC-10 title ever. I was a little off last week when I said they will be played closely by the Huskies of Washington, winning 41-0. Now I am a believer. They win this game easily with the second best quarterback in the country and Heisman darkhorse leading the way in Andrew Luck.

Other Winners (In Bold)-

Baylor at Oklahoma State- Baylor is still on a high from beating the hated Texas and does not bounce back quickly enough.

Nebraska at Iowa State- No repeat of last year but it is worth it just to see Iowa State Head Coach Paul Rhoads give an emotional post game speech.

Northwestern vs. Penn State- JoePa gets win number 400… Wow.

North Carolina at Florida State

Missouri at Texas Tech

Hawaii at Boise State- Maybe not but you have to believe.

Florida at Vanderbilt

Maryland at Miami (FL)

Wisconsin at Purdue

Washington at Oregon