Just like 2010, Texas slipping at wrong time

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Longhorns fans have seen this before.  Recently in fact.

In 2010, Texas was ranked as high as #1 in the country at one point before a free-falling tailspin led to a #8 seed in the NCAA tournament.  That Longhorn team was undefeated until jan. 18, 2010 before losing 10 of their final 17.  The season ended on an appropriate note – an overtime meltdown in a first round loss to Wake Forest.

This year’s version is a bit better, but ‘Horns fans still have to have deja vu.  Texas started slow but battled a tough schedule, then got white-hot at the turn of the year.  The Longhorns were ranked #2 just a few weeks ago but have lost three of four, all to unranked teams, and have blown their chance at wrapping up a Big 12 regular season title. 

While the offense has struggled, it has been the defense (or lackthereof) that has really hurt the ‘Horns the past few weeks. Texas gives up just 61 points per game and were suffocating teams during the win streak. But in their three recent losses, they’ve given up at least 70 points in each game, including 91 to Colorado.

For whatever reason, Rick Barnes can’t get his team to close out a season.  Texas is going to the NCAA tournament.  They’ll probably win their first game, but after that all bets are off.

Rankings don’t matter, obviously

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If you’re following the early stages of the college basketball season, you’ll know that the rankings don’t mean anything.

Surprise, surprise.

Rankings don’t mean anything at any point in any basketball season, and certainly not in November.  There is no bigger proof than watching what North Carolina did this week.  The Tar Heels, ranked #8 to start the season, dropped games against Minnesota and Vanderbilt.  So yes, they shouldn’t have been #8.  But what’s even more shocking is that they are still ranked.  That’s right.  With two mid-November losses to then-unranked teams, the voters thought it necessary to keep UNC in the top 25.  Why?  Who knows.

Proof that rankings mean nothing.

This week’s rankings include Illinois ahead of Texas even though Texas beat Illinois and took Pittsburgh to the closing seconds.  The coaches have San Diego State four spots below Gonzaga despite an Aztecs win in Spokane.  Both polls have Pittsburgh below Kansas State despite Kansas State nearly losing to Presbyterian and having no good wins, while Pittsburgh beat Maryland and Texas.

Rankings didn’t mean anything last week.  Voters clearly have no clue how to rank them this week.  And in March?  They still won’t mean a thing.

Unlike college football, where the entire season is based around being #1 or #2 after the regular season, in college basketball, you don’t even have to be in the top 25 to win a national championship.

Here are the real BCS standings

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There’s something special about college football Saturdays.  Every week can indeed change the season, as ESPN proclaims.  When I decided back in the summer that I was going to make a trip back to my alma mater to see old friends and watch my Missouri Tigers play Oklahoma in the Homecoming game, I certainly didn’t think both teams would be undefeated, and I never would have thought College Gameday would be in town.  Now both are a reality.  Yesterday’s euphoria of tweets and Facebook statuses was a great thing to see.  When I woke up this morning, it hadn’t changed.  There is still overwhelming excitement for what is now the Big 12′s game of the year to date.

But on to the task at hand.  The first official BCS rankings come out tonight.  That’s great if you want to see a bunch of coaches trump a bunch of computers and screw things up.  Here’s what the rankings should be when ESPN does the unveiling tonight:

1)  Oregon Ducks (6-0)
This is not a difficult decision coaches.  Oregon has played the most difficult schedule of all unbeatens, and has absolutely crippled opponents.  They are averaging 54 points per game and have not scored fewer than 42 in any game.

2)  TCU Horned Frogs (7-0)
TCU’s defense has been stifling.  They’ve allowed fewer points per game than any team in the country, and are beating up on everybody.  Andy Dalton has been huge, throwing for nearly 1,500 yards so far.  The Nov. 6 game at Utah is huge.

3)  Auburn Tigers (7-0)
Auburn can make a legitimate case for number two because of their schedule.  They already have wins against South Carolina, Arkansas and Clemson, though those were all at home.  They’ve won their two road games by three points each.

4)  Oklahoma Sooners (6-0)
There have been some close calls for the Sooners this year (Utah State, Air Force, Cincinnati, Texas), but Bob Stoops has won close games.  They’ve had a difficult schedule that only gets tougher with a road game at Missouri this week.

5)  Boise State Broncos (6-0)
The Broncos are going to need help.  Mathematically, there can be as many as five unbeatens after championship Saturday, and Boise would be fifth on the list because they don’t have a schedule.  Their biggest obstacle: the TCU/Utah winner.

6)  LSU Tigers (6-0)
Winning ugly seems to be the motto for this team.  Or maybe it’s winning lucky?  Either way, LSU is 7-0 in a difficult SEC.  The meat of their schedule hits this week with a trip to Auburn, followed by a visit from Alabama.  Arkansas is the last game.

7)  Utah Utes (6-0)
It has been a relatively easy road for the Utes so far, but they are taking care of business in a big way.  The last five games are tough, with road trips to Air Force, Notre Dame and San Diego State, and home games against TCU and BYU.

8)  Michigan State Spartans (7-0)
They obviously catch a huge break with no Buckeyes on the schedule.  The win over Wisconsin looks a lot better now, but the win over Michigan doesn’t.  All in all, it’s been an easy road for Sparty…until a trip to Iowa to end the month.

9)  Wisconsin Badgers (6-1)
Wisconsin finally got that program-changing victory.  The Badgers beat Ohio State to shake up the Big Ten.  If they go to Iowa City and win this week, they are a legit contender for a BCS game.  Their only loss is to undefeated Michigan State.

10)  Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1)
The loss to Wisconsin hurts, but Ohio State has been here before.  They lost to Illinois much later than this in 2007, then wound up playing in the title game when everyone else tanked.  They need a Michigan State loss and a win at Iowa.

11)  Alabama Crimson Tide (6-1)
They looked sloppy again against Ole Miss but still came away with the win.  Wins against Penn State, Florida and Arkansas are all looking worse by the week, as is the loss to South Carolina.  Games against LSU and Auburn will decide the West.

12)  Iowa Hawkeyes (5-1)
The experience of Ricky Stanzi has made this a more dynamic offense in 2010.  The Hawkeyes have looked good on both sides of the ball since a loss at Arizona.  A lot stands in the way of a Big Ten title though starting with Wisconsin this week.

13)  Florida State Seminoles (6-1)
After a spanking at the hands of the Sooners, FSU has responded nicely with five straight wins and a 4-0 ACC start.  With a weak schedule that doesn’t include Virginia Tech, and the Florida game in Tallahassee, they could run the table.

14)  Arizona Wildcats (5-1)
Oregon State’s loss at Washington won’t do the ‘Cats any favors, but the win over Iowa is still a big one.  It’s a tough road for Arizona, especially without quarterback Nick Foles, but they are hopeful he’ll be back in time for a Nov. 26 trip to Eugene.

15)  Oklahoma State Cowboys (6-0)
Yes, they’re 6-0, but how long will that really last?  They needed a late turnover to beat A&M at home, and they really haven’t played anyone outside of that.  They host Nebraska this week, and Kansas State, Texas and Oklahoma will follow.

16)  Missouri Tigers (6-0)
Much like the Cowboys, Missouri hasn’t been tested yet.  Their defense ranks second in the country in points allowed, but it will be put to the test this week against a high-scoring Sooner offense.  After this is a trip to Nebraska.

17)  West Virginia Mountaineers (5-1)
Their only loss is a six point loss at undefeated LSU, and they have played a tougher schedule than most team on this list.  The problem is, while other teams have big games coming up, this team doesn’t.  Even with wins, they will likely slip.

18)  Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1)
Their nonconference schedule sucked, and they lost to an unranked (at the time) team at home.  Now Nebraska has to regroup for a big game in Stillwater, followed by a battle for the North crown with Missouri.  It’s not a fond Big 12 farewell.

19)  Stanford Cardinal (5-1)
Stanford football is back, no doubt.  But being spanked by Oregon and nearly losing to USC at home won’t go over well with voters or computers.  In a deep conference where every game is a threat, it will be hard for them to win it.

20)  Arkansas Razorbacks (4-2)
Arkansas is the best two-loss team in the country.  Losses to Alabama and Auburn are respectable, and they have wins over Texas A&M and Georgia.  Ryan Mallett is having a very good season, and they still play South Carolina and LSU.

21)  Texas Longhorns (4-2)
After an embarrassing loss to UCLA and a tough loss to Oklahoma, Texas responded by shutting down Nebraska in Lincoln.  Garrett Gilbert played mistake-free football in the win, which puts Texas back in the south hunt.

22)  South Carolina Gamecocks (4-2)
The letdown that many people predicted following a win against Alabama came earlier than the Gamecocks would have liked in a loss to Kentucky.  Still in the SEC East driver’s seat, South Carolina needs to beat Florida to win the division.

23)  Kansas State Wildcats (5-1)
While other teams have slipped against weaker opponents, the Wildcats have not.  They responded to the Nebraska thrashing by destroying in-state rival Kansas.  The cupcake part of K-State’s schedule is over now with a trip to 5-2 Baylor next.

24)  Northwestern Wildcats (5-1)
They sit here for now because they only have one loss.  Whether or not they can keep themselves here remains to be seen.  They had a bye week this week to prepare for undefeated Michigan State.  Last year they beat then-undefeated Iowa.

25)  Virginia Tech Hokies (5-2)
After starting 0-2, all hope looked lost in Blacksburg.  Since then, the Hokies have won five straight and are unbeaten in the ACC.  The Orange Bowl is suddenly looking like a possibility again after losses to Boise State and James Madison.

Florida back to SEC penthouse

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#7 Florida 31, #1 Alabama 27

#4 Oregon 40, #9 Stanford 26

#8 Oklahoma 30, #21 Texas 27

#24 Michigan State 41, #11 Wisconsin 30

#17 Iowa 27, #22 Penn State 13

UPSET SPECIAL:  UNLV 27, #25 Nevada 23

Last week:  4-2
Overall:  17-7
Upsets:  1-3

Upstart ‘Cats get first big opportunity

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Once I knew I wanted to major in journalism, the challenge was finding the right school for me.  Once I was told Northwestern (money) and North Carolina (wait listed) were out of the picture, I narrowed my search to two schools – the University of Missouri and the University of Arizona.  I had made visits to both, and while both had top 10 journalism programs, there were strong contrasts.  Tucson was hot all the time (triple digits on my visit), whereas Columbia saw unpredictable and often cold weather.  Arizona had no streets on campus, Missouri was on a grid.  Little things like that.  But as someone who loved sports and wanted to be at a school where sports were prevalent, there was one major difference – Arizona rocked, Missouri sucked.  At just about everything.

I chose Missouri.

I will never regret my choice, for it seemed as soon as I arrived on campus, Missouri sports began to rise, while Arizona began to fall.  I enjoyed my years at Missouri seeing a football team reach number one, a basketball team come within a few possessions of its first Final Four, and a softball team make two consecutive WCWS appearances, among other achievements.

Now Arizona, finally, has a team with which to be proud.  The Wildcat football team has stepped out of basketball’s shadow and is knocking on the door of national recognition.  The defense has been all-world, though it hasn’t seen a team like it will see Saturday night when the Hawkeyes come to town.  Nick Foles has an 83 percent completion percentage, and Nic Grigsby is averaging eight yards per carry.  For the first time in a long time, Arizona has a chance to break through and get to a BCS game.  I like their chances in a wide open Pac 10.

#9 Iowa Hawkeyes at #24 Arizona Wildcats
Iowa defensive coordinator Norm Parker will not be there due to health issues, and it’s not a good game to miss.  Arizona has the number 12 offense in the country through two games, which is going to put even Iowa’s #9 defense to the best.  If Arizona can get a push on Iowa’s massive defensive line, then the run will open up the pass.  Tucson will be rocking.  If you live out east, make it a late night.  The game starts at 11:30 p.m. ET and probably won’t be decided until the closing minutes.
Arizona 28, Iowa 21

#6 Texas Longhorns at Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas will never forget.  Two years ago, the ‘Horns lost one game, but that one loss kept them from the Big 12 championship game when Michael Crabtree snagged a pass from Graham Harrell, wrestled away a defender and scampered into the endzone with one second left, lifting Texas Tech to a program-defining victory over Texas.  More of the same this year?  Not so fast.  Texas’ defense will be able to control a Red Raider offense that doesn’t have the playmakers it did two years back.
Texas 35, Texas Tech 20

Clemson Tigers at #16 Auburn Tigers
I’ts Tigers vs Tigers in an ACC/SEC battle on primetime.  Neither team has been impressive in both weeks, but Auburn has been just a little bit better.  They found a way to grind out a win at Mississippi State last week and are coming in on 10 days rest.  Clemson’s defense has been awful so far, and that’s against North Texas and Presbyterian.  Auburn should be able to have its way offensively, so as long as they can play defense, they should be okay.
Auburn 41, Clemson 23

Air Force Falcons at #7 Oklahoma Sooners
Don’t sleep on the Falcons.  I’ve seen them play twice in person, and they have looked pretty good in both games.  Getting off to a fast start is key for Air Force, something they haven’t done in two wins so far.  Landry Jones returned to form last week as the Sooners dominated Florida State.  With a trip to Cincinnati on the schedule next, Oklahoma could finish a very difficult nonconference schedule unbeaten with a win in Norman.
Oklahoma 40, Air Force 31

#8 Nebraska Cornhuskers at Washington Huskies
The Huskers get their first real test of the season after a sloppy win over Idaho last week.  Jake Locker needs to prove himself in a big game, and this is it.  Taylor Martinez has been better with his feet (5 TDs) than with his arm (0 TDs), so Washington will have to spy him and keep him close.   However, the Huskie D has been pretty bad so far, so Martinez may be able to do both effectively.  Locker will have his moments, but it won’t be enough.
Nebraska 37, Washington 23

UPSET SPECIAL:  Georgia 30, #12 Arkansas 27
The Bulldogs lost a tough game at South Carolina last week and need a big win to get them going in the SEC.  Arkansas has been pretty good through two weeks, but a stern road test will change that.

Last week:  4-2
Overall:  8-4
Upsets:  1-1

Ducks fly together to #1 ranking

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Go ahead. Laugh.

I deserve it.

I’m the guy who said Oregon wouldn’t be the same team this year because of the losses of Jeremiah Masoli and LeGarrette Blount. Oops.

I’m the guy who said New Mexico would come within a touchdown (31-24) of beating Oregon in Eugene (real final: 72-0). Oops.

Yes, I’m even the guy who criticized the offseason, saying they wouldn’t recover. Oops.

I’m also the guy who can admit when he’s wrong (though it doesn’t happen often).

I was wrong. Oregon is good. So good, in fact, that I can’t find a team better through two weeks. And the Ducks aren’t just thinking BCS. That was last year. This year, Oregon is thinking national championship.

Week 2 rankings:

1)  Oregon Ducks (2-0)
If you can find me a team that has played two more convincing games against quality competition, please come forward.  The Ducks beat a Mountain West team by 72, then went to Knoxville and won by five touchdowns.  That’s not normal.

2)  Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0)
No Mark Ingram, no problem for the ‘Tide against JoePa.  Trent Richardson is not just Ingram’s replacement – he’s now a Heisman contender after his 144 rushing yards paced Alabama in a convincing win over the young Nittany Lions.

3)  Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0)
Against a Miami program that’s as good as its been since the ’03 Fiesta Bowl, Terrelle Pryor did just enough on offense to win the rematch.  Although he didn’t do much with his arm, Pryor’s 113 rushing yards kept the defense off the field.

4)  TCU Horned Frogs (2-0)
TCU overcame some mistakes to beat Oregon State in Dallas.  Last week, they were virtually perfect in a 62-7 slaughter of Tennessee Tech.  Six Horned Frogs saw the end zone.  Seven of the teams first eight games are in the state of Texas.

5)  Michigan Wolverines (2-0)
Before you start whining about how high they are, look at the schedule.  UConn is a good team, and that game wasn’t close.  Now look at the Notre Dame game.  Michigan came back to beat a likely nine-win team on the road.  Quality.

6)  Texas Longhorns (2-0)
Mack Brown might have the best defense in the country, but we already knew that.  This week, he let Garrett Gilbert throw more, and the first year starter rewarded his coach with 222 yards, a touchdown, and no turnovers for the second straight game.

7)  Florida Gators (2-0)
The Gators overcame another slow start to blow by in-state rival South Florida.  Florida used big plays and five turnovers to set up 31 second half points and pull away in a game that featured no fumbled snaps after having eight the week before.

8)  Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0)
Nebraska’s 38 points against Idaho Saturday was deceiving.  The defense scored 14 of them and forced five takeaways, and the offense had trouble getting into a groove.  A road date with Washington Saturday is the Cornhuskers’ first real test.

9)  Iowa Hawkeyes (2-0)
The in-state rivalry with the Cyclones is always a fun matchup for the fans, but not for the players in the red and white.  Iowa dominated again Saturday behind 156 rush yards from Adam Robinson on just 14 carries.  Iowa ran it 50 times overall.

10)  Oklahoma Sooners (2-0)
The convincing win over Florida State probably proves the Utah State scare was a fluke.  Nevertheless, I can’t rank them higher until I see FSU-like performances every week.  Landry Jones threw for 380 yards and four touchdowns Saturday.

11)  Utah Utes (2-0)
The Utes backed up their overtime thriller over Pittsburgh with an impressive showing against UNLV.  Even though the offensive numbers were nearly identical, the Utah special teams forced the Rebels into too many mistakes.

12)  Arizona Wildcats (2-0)
Going to Toledo and winning by 39 was more impressive than beating the Citadel by 46, but the margins of victory and the dominance their defense has shown make it difficult to put them even this low.  The game of the week is in Tucson this week.

13)  Wisconsin Badgers (2-0)
After a good second half against UNLV, the Badgers looked extremely sluggish against San Jose State in the home opener.  John Clay was a workhorse once again, but the passing attack managed fewer than 200 yards.  Arizona State visits Saturday.

14)  LSU Tigers (2-0)
Find me another team that has two road wins over power conference opponents.  If you’re having trouble, that’s because there’s only one.  Les Miles is working his way off the hot seat with a hot start.  The defense held Vanderbilt to 135 total yards.

15)  Boise State Broncos (1-0)
They have one win, and it is against an 0-2 team that lost to an FCS team at home.  If the Broncos were to hang their hat on one win this year, Virginia Tech was going to have to be that win.  Now it’s not.  They are lucky to be in my top 15.

16)  Miami Hurricanes (1-1)
Miami is the best non-undefeated team in the country, but showed weaknesses against a very good Ohio State team.  After I praised Jacory Harris for the way he protects the ball in wins, he promptly threw four interceptions in the loss.

17)  South Carolina Gamecocks (2-0)
South Carolina started its SEC season off with a bang in knocking off a ranked Bulldogs team in Columbia.  Defense was the story for offensive-minded Steve Spurrier, as his team held Georgia to 61 rush yards and 192 pass yards.

18)  Stanford Cardinal
Going into the Rose Bowl and winning isn’t easy, but Stanford made it look that way Saturday night.  Andrew Luck was not great but mistake-free, and the defense shut out UCLA and scored a TD in Stanford’s first road win over UCLA since 1996.

19)  Arkansas Razorbacks (2-0)
My skepticism is fading.  For now.  Ryan Mallett battled through a rough first have to complete 28 passes for 400 yards and lift Arkansas to a 24 point second half to pull away from Louisiana-Monroe.  Greg Childs had 148 yards and two TDs.

20)  Penn State Nittany Lions (1-1)
Saturday’s loss to Alabama was a classic example of inexperience showing its colors against a good team.  The young Nittany Lions were not as physical as the ‘Tide, and it showed.  Sophomore Kevin Newsome got to take a few snaps at the end.

21)  Auburn Tigers (2-0)
Auburn has been less than impressive in both games, but winning on the road in the SEC is tough, and Auburn passed test one with a win at Mississippi State.  Six Tigers combined for 190 rushing yards.  Clemson comes to town this week.

22)  California Golden Bears (2-0)
I probably should have the Bears higher after outscoring opponents a combined 105-10 the first two weeks.  Kevin Riley threw four touchdowns in the latest parade, this a 52-7 win over soon-to-be Pac 10 for Colorado.

23)  Air Force Falcons (2-0)
After crushing Northwestern State in week one, Air Force dominated a ranked BYU team in Falcon Stadium.  The Cougars never saw the endzone in the Mountain West’s first game.  The Falcons head to Norman for a battle with OU Saturday.

24)  West Virginia Mountaineers (2-0)
The Mountaineers escaped Marshall in overtime Friday in a game they probably should have lost.  Noel Devine rushed for 112 yards, and Geno Smith threw for 316 yards on 32 pass completions.  Maryland and LSU are on the schedule next.

25)  Houston Cougars (2-0)
Case Keenum is not on pace for another record-breaking season, but he’s lighting up the scoreboards again for the Cougars.  After leading Houston to 68 points in the opener, he put up 54 Saturday.  Houston makes a trip to the Rose Bowl next.

Broncos earn title spot, #1 ranking

After 15 hours of driving, a delayed flights , a missed connection, a hurricane, terrible airport food and cab trouble, I’m finally in a hotel room and begrudgingly hoping my travel troubles are through (knock on wood).  As tempting as it is to ram my head through this moldy hotel drywall or watch another Navy/Maryland fumblefest, I’ve decided that I owe it to you to keep to my promise and deliver my weekly rankings.

There’s no better place to start than with the weekend’s final game, which made every national title contender cringe.  Any program with a remote shot of making the BCS national championship took a huge hit Monday night when Kellen Moore took a BCS bombshell and dropped it perfectly into the hands of Austin Pettis in the closing moments against Virginia Tech.  That sealed a 33-30 victory and all but put the Broncos in the championship, leaving just one spot open for the rest of the nation to fight for.  With Boise State’s victory, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that a one-loss team will not play for the national championship this season.  That means Ohio State cannot afford its annual hiccup, and the Florida/Alabama loser Oct. 2 is thinking Sugar Bowl at best.

With droopy eyes and an exponential hatred for air transit, here are my rankings after week one:

1)  Boise State Broncos (1-0)
Who else do you put here?  The Broncos have the nation’s best win after downing Virginia Tech in the capital.  They also become the first team to clinch a spot in the championship game after the opening week.  Now, who will they play?

2)  Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0)
The defending champions rolled to a strong opening day win, and Trent Richardson did just fine filling in for the injured Mark Ingram.  As of now, Ingram is questionable for Saturday’s game against Penn State.  Early upset?

3)  Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0)
The Bucks crushed Marshall Thursday and immediately started talking about Miami, who they’ll play this weekend.  Terrelle Pryor had three touchdown passes in the tune-up win before the ‘Canes.  Will Pryor benefit from a phantom call?

4)  Oregon Ducks (1-0)
Remember when I said New Mexico would come close to pulling the upset?  Go ahead and laugh.  After Oregon’s 72-0 victory in which they gained 720 total yards, it’s clear the offense didn’t need Jeremiah Masoli or LaMichael James.  Rose Bowl?

5)  Texas Longhorns (1-0)
Garrett Gilbert played mistake-free football in his first start, and the unproven offense did enough to win Mack Brown’s first ever opener away from Austin.  The big burst came during a 24 point second quarter.  Who was the QB last year again?

6)  Florida Gators (1-0)
Lots of people are making a big deal about the botch snaps that led to eight fumbles, but my biggest concern is the 13 offensive yards they put up in the first half.  Should Tim Tebow say a prayer before game two?

7)  Florida State Seminoles (1-0)
A 59-6 win is impressive no matter who you play, especially considering Florida State never comes to play in week one.  Jimbo Fisher has brought a new attitude to Tallahassee, and it shows.  Can they beat the suddenly vulnerable Sooners?

8)  Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0)
Yes, it was a complete mismatch, but part of playing these games is winning by the appropriate amount, and that’s what Bo Pelini’s squad did in a 49-10 route of Western Kentucky.  Will they demand to take their flag from all Big 12 stadiums?

9)  TCU Horned Frogs (1-0)
The Horned Frogs dominated every statistical category except the scoreboard.  A 30-21 game-not-as-close-as-score win made Andy Dalton the winningest QB in TCU history.  Will they play Boise State in a bowl game for the third straight year?

10)  Virginia Tech Hokies (0-1)
It’s clear Tyrod Tayler is a great quarterback, and Frank Beamer has a really good team.  The first quarter doomed the Hokies, and as predicted, defense is going to be the problem.  Can they run the table in the improved ACC?

11)  Miami Hurricanes (1-0)
After last year’s hot start, the ‘Canes are looking to repeat a spectacular September.  Jacory Harris tossed three touchdowns in a 45-0 win over Florida A&M Thursday.  Now it’s OSU.  Over/under on how many ’02 alums have called the team this week?

12)  Wisconsin Badgers (1-0)
John Clay had 17 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns as Wisconsin used a 24-0 third quarter to pull away from UNLV in Vegas.  Wisconsin always starts in the top 15.  Is this the year they finish there?

13)  Utah Utes (1-0)
Utah had a very good win over Pittsburgh Thursday night, and set themselves up nicely to make a run in the Mountain West.  DeVonte Christopher caught eight passes for 155 yards.  Utah should schedule home games every Thursday, right?

14)  Michigan Wolverines (1-0)
It’s hard to ignore Michigan because of all the national hype, but they sure did come to play Saturday against UConn.  Denard Robinson, the quarterback, looked more like a running back with 197 yards rushing.  Will they finally beat Ohio State?

15)  Penn State Nittany Lions (1-0)
After a slow start, Rob Bolden and company got it rolling in the second half in a 44-14 win over Youngstown State.  The offense did struggle a bit with only 371 total yards, but I’m sure they will clean it up against Alabama Saturday, yea?

16)  Iowa Hawkeyes (1-0)
It wasn’t pretty for Iowa – Eastern Illinois had them outgained for a while in the first half – but the Hawkeyes used stifling defense to cruise 37-7.  Ricky Stanzi avoided an early injury.  When will Iowa’s two blocked field goals come this year?

17)  Oklahoma Sooners (1-0)
Scary moments for the Sooners against the tough…Utah State?  That’s right.  Oklahoma nearly let another opener turn into a disaster when the Aggies bounced out of an early hole to make it a game.  Will they get stung by FSU this week?

18)  Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1-0)
Guess who’s back with an even better running game?  Believe it or not, Georgia Tech looks like it might be even more explosive on the ground after Saturday’s 372 yard ground performance.  Will they defend their ACC crown?

19)  LSU Tigers (1-0)
I’m trying not to give the Tigers too much credit for a win over a second string roster, but it was a road game against a top 25 opponent, and LSU got it done.  Les Miles needed that win and now will likely start 5-0.  Is LSU back?

20)  Arkansas Razorbacks (1-0)
I don’t like this team as much as the writers do, but Ryan Mallett was very good and made an early case for SEC player of the year, completing 21 of 24 passes in a 41 point win.  Can they beat Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M and Auburn in a row?

21)  BYU Cougars (1-0)
The Cougars used a come-from-behind effort to knock off Jake Locker and Washington Saturday.  The defense shut out Washington in the second half.  The big question – can BYU bring it every week as an independent?

22)  Georgia Bulldogs (1-0)
Do-it-all quarterback Aaron Murray threw three touchdowns and added one on the ground to help Georgia slaughter Louisiana-Lafayette.  Things heat up fast with South Carolina up next.  How will the Bulldogs fare in the SEC East?

23)  West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0)
Noel Devine began his Heisman push with 11 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown against Coastal Carolina.  The Mountaineers have Maryland and LSU on the nonconference slate this season.  Will they win both?

24)  Arizona Wildcats (1-0)
The Wildcats, eager to avenge the Holiday Bowl disaster against Nebraska, came out smoking at Toledo with a 41-2 victory.  Nick Foles threw for 360 yards in the onslaught.  The Wildcats now have four straight home games.  Breakout year?

25)  Stanford Cardinal (1-0)
No Toby Gerhart, no problem for Stanford.  Andrew Luck didn’t need much luck in throwing four touchdowns and throwing Stanford past Sacramento State.  The Pac 10 season kicks off Saturday with UCLA.  Can they send the Bruins to 0-2?

Boise’s dream ends in week one

Alabama/Florida?  Eh, they’ll play again in December.  Texas/Oklahoma?  Eh, a loss by either side won’t kill its BCS chances.  The game of the year happens in week 1, when Boise State makes a trip across the country where the ACC hosts its annual Monday night opener.  Only this ACC team isn’t Miami or Florida State.  It’s Virginia Tech.  The game is in D.C. and is the first top 10 matchup of the season.  The winner?  Likely ranked in the top five come Tuesday.  The loser?  Kiss your national title hopes goodbye.

For Boise State, it’s a must-win.  This is the opportunity they have been waiting for since making a splash in 2007.  A top 10 team from a major conference finally put the Broncos on the schedule, and now it’s time for the blue and orange to prove themselves.  Boise is supposed to win this game.  They come in ranked number three with a potential Heisman candidate and loads of talent on both sides of the ball.  Cornerback Kyle Wilson is the only departing starter from last year’s Fiesta Bowl championship team.  This is technically a neutral site game, but its in the Hokies’ backyard.  Let’s kick off the season with week 1 picks.

#3 Boise State Broncos vs #10 Virginia Tech Hokies (Washington D.C.)
The Broncos are the team everybody is picking to win, but don’t forget about Frank Beamer’s loaded offense.  Tyrod Tayler is a multitool quarterback with senior leadership.  His crew has been working all offseason to do what TCU couldn’t in January – score on the Broncos.  It will happen just enough Monday night for the Hokies to end Boise’s title hopes.
Virginia Tech 26, Boise State 23

#21 LSU Tigers at #18 North Carolina Tar Heels
The story of this game is the 13 Tar Heels who are either suspended or ineligible for this game.  Butch Davis and company are probably wishing they had scheduled a cupcake for week one, but instead they get LSU.  Robert Quinn, Michael McAdoo, Kendric Burney, Charles Brown, Marvin Austin, Brian Gupton, Da’Norris Searcy, Jonathan Smith, Linwan Euwell and Deunta Williams make up nearly 50 percent of last season’s defensive production
LSU 24, North Carolina 17

#24 Oregon State Beavers vs #6 TCU Horned Frogs (Cowboy Stadium)
This stadium will be at least half empty, but don’t expect that to deter from a great game.  Last year’s opener in this stadium was the first major rumble of the season, as Sam Bradford got injured and Oklahoma began its downfall.  This year, TCU and its roaring defense storm into Dallas looking to take care of some unfinished business after last year’s Fiesta Bowl disaster.  New Beaver quarterback Ryan Katz is going to be good, but not in week one.  TCU will handle Oregon State.
TCU 35, Oregon State 17

#5 Texas Longhorns at Rice Owls
Give Texas credit for scheduling a home and home against a program as mediocre as Rice’s.  The ‘Horns are going to win this game, but it will be good for new quarterback Garrett Gilbert to get an early season road test against a crowd that will be out in full force hoping for the monumental upset.  Rice’s best chance to stay close is to blitz early and often to force Gilbert to make mistakes, something Alabama did not do in the second half of the title game last year.
Texas 38, Rice 14

New Mexico Lobos at #11 Oregon Ducks
This game makes the list for two reasons.  First, week one usually features ranked teams vs little sisters of the poor, and second, I think Oregon is way overranked.  Losing quarterback Jeremiah Masoli to Mississippi and LeMarcus Blount to the Tennessee Titans hurts this offense.  With all the off-field problems they had in the summer, I don’t think they are going to defend their Pac 10 title.  New Mexico will pull a near upset here.
Oregon 31, New Mexico 24

UPSET SPECIAL – UNLV Rebels 27, #12 Wisconsin Badgers 24
As you know if you’ve read this in the past, an upset cannot be a ranked team beating another ranked team.  UNLV has the best chance of all unranked teams to knock off a ranked foe this weekend.  Fresno State nearly did the same to Wisconsin two years ago in the desert.

Preseason college football bowl picks

The college football season begins tomorrow, and while Thursday can’t come fast enough for many players, coaches and fans, much of the country is wait because…well…I haven’t made my predictions yet.

Here they are.  The BCS games at least.

There is no tournament as you know, and that’s just fine.  Eyeballs are still on the screen, money is still flowing in and teams are still jumping conferences in search of that extra dollar.  The final season pre-realignment should be a dandy.

BCS National Championship
Florida (13-0) vs Oklahoma (13-0)

Are these the two most talented teams in the country?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  Only time will tell.  Florida’s passing game is its biggest question mark.  Besides the obvious loss of Tim Tebow, the Gators return only one starting receiver from its 2010 Sugar Bowl championship team (Deonte Thompson), but a lot of unproven talent led by Carl Moore and Chris Rainey.  Florida’s schedule shapes up nicely.  They play just three games outside the state, two of which should be sleepers.  The game everybody is talking about is the Alabama game in Tuscaloosa, and by that point, Urban Meyer will have figured out a way to use his dynamic running back tandem and throw the ball effectively.  Alabama lost 13 defensive players to the draft, and has always been pretty vanilla offensively.  Florida is faster and more talented, and they will beat the Tide twice this year to reach the championship game 13-0.

Oklahoma knows it will likely have to run the table to get back to the championship game.  Landry Jones is back after playing nearly a full season filling in for the injured Sam Bradford.  Ryan Broyles and DeMarco Murray return to help an offense that should expect to show flashes of 2009 when they put up five straight 60+ point games.  The defense has just five returning starters.  If they fail to make it back to this game, it won’t be because they didn’t score enough points.  The non-conference schedule is difficult, but the Sooners should take care of Florida State in Norman, and should finish nonconference play without a blemish if they don’t overlook a trip to Cincinnati.  The game everybody wants to see is the Red River Shootout.  Spoiler alert: don’t bet on Texas.  On the same day Florida soars by Alabama, Oklahoma will do the same to Texas.  Last year Bradford got hurt in the first quarter, and the Sooners nearly won the game anyway.  This time Texas is the team without its Heisman candidate.  With a more experienced Jones running the show, Bob Stoops will find ways to score on a good Texas defense.  After that, the Sooners should roll through the rest of the schedule until they meet Nebraska in the Big 12 championship.  Something tells me Oklahoma won’t want Nebraska walking away with the final league championship game banner before bolting for the Big Ten.

Rose Bowl
Ohio State (11-1) vs Oregon State (8-4)

The Buckeyes have become a BCS staple, and that won’t change this season.  Terrelle Pryor is a preseason Heisman pick, and the Buckeyes return 10 starters on offense.  The experience should help make the offense better, especially the 106th ranked passing attack.  Defensively, don’t expect Ohio State to fall off.  Led by All American defensive end Cameron Heyward, Ohio State will be making life miserable for Big Ten opponents again.  I’m picking them to lose either at Wisconsin or at Iowa, but the slip shouldn’t keep them from another Big Ten championship and another Rose Bowl appearance.

The Oregon State pick may surprise you.  It may surprise Dennis Dodd too, who has the Beavers eighth in his preseason standings.  Honestly, the most talented team in the conference cannot play in this game, which is why I’m picking the team I think will finish second.  This race is going to be tight all year, and as we learned last year, there isn’t a whole lot of difference between one and eight.  Jacquizz and James Rodgers are outstanding playmakers who will make life much easier for first year starter Ryan Katz.  The defense will be solid with nine returning starters, as long as they can stop the pass.  Oregon State has a brutal schedule.  They are the only team in the country to play all 12 games against either BCS opponents or teams that made BCS bowl games in 2010.  They go to TCU and Boise State before Pac 10 play begins, and while they will likely lose both, they will be battle tested before conference play.  They have USC and Oregon at home, and without Jeremiah Masoli and all the offseason problems the Ducks had, I think the Beavers will take the Civil War.  It will be a 7-2 finish for Oregon State, which will be good enough to finish ahead of the eight teams they need to in order to make this game.

Orange Bowl
Virginia Tech (11-2) vs Pittsburgh (10-2)

The Hokies get the first chance of any team to really put its mark on 2010 when it opens in the nation’s capital against Boise State.  After that, it’s a coin toss for Frank Beamer’s squad as it plays out the ACC schedule that has been as predictable as a Toyota brake or a Pittsburgh Pirate bullpen outing.  The offense, yes offense, will be the ones carrying this team. Beamer will have to get used to pitch and catch style football with Ryan Williams and a healthy Darren Evans in the backfield.  Tyrod Taylor is a senior now with plenty of experience and a plethora of receivers to throw to.  The defense may be shaky while the newcomers fill in, but Beamer is a defensive-minded coach, so don’t bet against his D.  I have the Hokies with two losses.  Boise State will not be one of them.

Pittsburgh may seem like the most obvious major college champion, and they are, but the question is where do they go?  The last Big East team to play in the Orange Bowl got waxed (by the Hokies), and the committee has thought twice about putting little sister in the game ever since.  A heisman-type running back leads an offense that may be better than what they showed against the Bearcats in the regular season finale.  The defense returns six, but the suspect unit could pose problems against Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Miami and Utah.  Dave Wannstedt’s crew is itching for a BCS berth after coming up just short last year, and they will get it.  There are four games to look out for, and they will lose two of them: at Utah, Miami, at Notre Dame, at Cincinnati.

Sugar Bowl
Alabama (11-2) vs Boise State (11-1)

The Sugar Bowl’s replacement pick will be Alabama, who will be happy to see Urban Meyer’s Gators gone after Florida trucks them in Atlanta in December.  Alabama will have too hard a time replacing 13 defensive players to be the same type of powerhouse it was in 2009.  More will be expected of Greg McElroy, who has yet to prove he can actually carry a team despite his career record.  Nevertheless, this is still a very good and very dangerous team.  The schedule is not all that difficult outside of Florida, so the Tide should be able to handle all non-Urban Meyer-coached teams pretty easily.  This may be deja vü – they were beaten by a mid-major in 2008.

That mid-major shouldn’t be considered a mid-major any longer.  Boise State is for real, and they will show it this season.  Only one, yes one, starter from either side of the ball is gone, and a top Heisman contender in Kellen Moore returns to lead the Broncos in one of the most anticipated seasons in school history.  An undefeated season may mean a trip to Glendale for the national championship game, but it won’t happen.  I have the Broncos losing to Virginia Tech in the opener at RFK.  Why?  Because Boise has the same team they had last year, and that team gave up way too many points in a very weak conference.  The Virginia Tech offense is experienced and lethal, which is why I think the Hokies will win in a shootout.  After the Monday night setback, Boise State will run the table to earn its third BCS trip in four years.

Fiesta Bowl
Texas (11-1) vs TCU (11-1)

If there was any positive during an otherwise disgusting national championship performance by the Longhorns, it was the second half play of now-starter Garrett Gilbert.  Although he is no McCoy, Gilbert’s gameday experience will help him.  The question is, will his offensive line?  Relatively unproven tackles will have to fend off quick defensive ends, and Gilbert may see his share of turf time.  The schedule is an interesting one, as Tommy Tuberville’s Red Raiders host the ‘Horns in week three.  Last time Texas visited Lubbock, Michael Crabtree whipped the Raider faithful into a frenzy.  Don’t think the Longhorns have short memories.  The Red River Shootout is always the game of the year in the conference, and this year’s game is no exception.  It’s the only game I have Texas losing, simply because Oklahoma is the only team that can shred an otherwise stellar secondary.  One other game to look out for – Texas travels to Lincoln Oct. 16 for a rematch with Nebraska.  After a bye, I like the ‘Horns.

TCU still has a bitter taste in its mouth after the offense failed to show up in this game last year.  The Fiesta Bowl committee will be hesitant to take them, but in the end won’t pass up the opportunity to match these Texas teams together in a game fans have wanted to see since TCU climbed into the national spotlight.  Andy Dalton returns with a number of 400 yard receivers to spread the ball around to.  Four offensive line starters return to help two new running backs get into the mix, and seven starters return on the defensive unit that was one of the best in the country.  TCU opens with pesky Oregon State in the Jerry Dome, then it’s a relatively light load until a Nov. 6 matchup at Utah.  That’s the only time the Horned Frogs will fall this season, leaving them out of the national championship picture but giving them their second straight BCS appearance.

Here’s an idea: how about no conferences

There have been so many expansion rumors, and maybe facts, published this week, it’s hard to wrap my head around it.  My hometown hockey team is playing in the Stanley Cup finals, and two legendary NBA franchises are duking it out on the hardwood for the Finals trophy again.  Rafael Nadal just won the French Open again, Armando Galarraga pitch a perfe…ugh…really good game, and the Women’s College World Series is down to its final four teams.  Yet somehow, this expansion news is the biggest thing in sports right now, more so because of the impact it could have on the college landscape than what has actually happened so far, which is really nothing.

I’ll catch you up really quick.

You may recall a few weeks ago a report came out saying the Big Ten had invited Missouri and Nebraska to its conference.  That report turned out to be false, but prompted swift action by another conference.  The Pac 10 is reportedly ready to offer six Big 12 schools (Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado) membership into its conference.  Only one of those six schools, Texas, would earn less revenue by switching conferences.  The Pac 10 is saying each school would get $20 million, as the conference would start its own network.

Not so fast.  A recent e-mail from Ohio State President Gordon Gee to Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany all but straight up says Texas will be included in the Big Ten’s expansion plans.

So how is the Big 12 reacting to all of this?  At first, commissioner Dan Beebe said only that he hopes the conference will stay intact and thinks they have a good reason to do so.  Things are a little hotter now though.  CBSSports has confirmed that at least Nebraska, and possibly Missouri, have been given two weeks to commit to remaining in the conference.  Otherwise the six Big 12 schools invited by the Pac 10 may take off.

There’s a whole lot more I can go into, but I’ll let you read all the reports yourself.  When you’re done, come back and read my proposal, which may be the best of all: get rid of conferences in football.

We all know this expansion drama is about football and nothing more.  Though it will obviously affect all sports, the revenue from football far outweighs the consideration from other sports.

So why not just get rid of conferences all together?  That’s right.  Make everyone an independent.

If this expansion thing keeps going, dominos will fall, and eventually we will have two super conferences – the Pac 60 and the Big 60.  So why not just not have conferences at all?

Each team is on its own in terms of generating revenue.  No conference networks.  No partnerships with broadcast or cable networks.

Scheduling?  Easy.  Each school plays 12 games.  They play the same 12 teams two years in a row to get the home and home matchup.  Two of those 12 teams can be the same every year.  That way each school can keep its two biggest football rivals on the slate.  USC and play Notre Dame and UCLA every year.  Florida can keep Georgia and Tennessee.  Texas can play Oklahoma and Texas A&M.  Michigan gets Ohio State and Michigan State.

The other 10 games must be different each time a new schedule is made every two years.  So if Florida wants Georgia and Tennessee every year, they can do it, but they can’t have Florida State more than two years in a row.  After taking two years off, they can put the Seminoles back in.  This shuffles the scheduling so teams aren’t playing the same teams every year.

The BCS system can still be used and would likely be more accurate since there wouldn’t be conference championship games to mess things up.

My idea seems just as plausible as any other right now.  I’d much rather see that than be in my recliner at age 70 watching the Pac 60 champion and Big 60 champion play for the national championship.

Super conferences.  Not as far away as you might think.