The Writing on the Wall

College Football Predictions Teaser

mj122345mcm — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:04:26 GMT

I have been working on the unthinkable, the unprecedented. I am going to predict every single game of every single team of every single conference in the next nine days. I have already finished the ACC and will post them all together when I am finished. You're probably thinking, well it can't be that bad, you have nine days. Not so fast...there are 119 teams and I have 9 days. That's over 13 teams per day. Each team has 12 games. And although it may not seem so, I have a life and a schedule. I have three yards to take care of, I have friends coming over Saturday, going to grandparents for lunch on Sunday, high school football jamboree on Friday, family friends on Friday, workout on Friday and Monday, and who knows what else will come up. Therefore, to accomplish my goal, I must work into the wee hours of the morning, but it will be worth it. Collegefootballnews.com predicts everyone's schedule but they take the whole summer and they still haven't finished with the predictions. I'm not just looking at USC at Virginia and chalking up a W for USC. No, I'm looking up both teams, their strengths and weaknesses, how good they are at home and on the road, and everything else. Why am I doing this? For me because I'm bored and for you, the college football fan. You need something to look forward to because if you're like me, this offseason is absolutely grueling, I can't take it much longer...but this should get me through and I'm hoping it helps you out too. So if I seem a little grumpy, it's not a girl problem or a problem at home. It's college football nagging my brain again. So be ready, prepare yourself for this groundbreaking event. Study up on the great game and be ready to agree, disagree, love, hate, and argue with my predictions. There's something in this blog for everyone, because your team is in it if you like an FBS team. So tell your friends, your family, your neighbor, the poor man on the street, and the drunk guy you met at the bar that this is real and it is coming. Will you be ready?

2008 College Football Top 25

mj122345mcm — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:06:18 GMT

As the 2007 season showed us, preseason rankings don't really mean squat for some teams. There may be a top ten team that finishes the year out of the rankings. There may be a team (or two or three) that rise up from no ranking to a top five ranking. But some teams stay about where they are predicted. I'm here to try to predict the top 25 teams based on talent and the ability of the players and coaches to use the talents that they are given. My rankings have nothing to do with schedules or where I think they'll finish. My rankings are all about who has the more talented team with a coaching staff that can work the talent for all it's worth. So without further ado, here is my 2008 Top 25 Preseason Rankings.

1. Ohio State

Sorry Buckeye haters, this team has 18 returning starters from a team that made it to the national championship. Yes, they lost again, but how many other teams can say that they made it through the crazy 2007 season with a championship berth?

Bottom Line: OSU is motivated to prove they can finally win a national title, and they have the talent to do it.

2. Georgia

The Dawgs return 17 total starters, including Heisman candidate, Knowshon Moreno. Matthew Stafford will lead a great Georgia attack and the defense is going to be among the best in the SEC.

Bottom Line: Georgia has great coaches and players, but they don't have the championship game experience of Ohio State.

3. Oklahoma

The Sooners are looking really good with super efficient quarterback Sam Bradford and the other seven returning starters on offense. The defense returns six and both the offensive and defensive lines should be monstrous.

Bottom Line: The Sooners are the best team in the Big 12, but can Stoops return to his former status as Big Game Bob?

4. Florida

Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin will lead a powerful offense that should be able to score almost at will. This team returns eight starters on both sides and looks to be Georgia's biggest challenger.

Bottom Line: The Gators offense will be great, but the defense needs to step it up.

5. Missouri

The Tigers return six on offense including Chase Daniel at QB and Jeremy Maclin at WR. The offensive line has some questions. The defense returns ten starters and should be among the best in the Big 12.

Bottom Line: If the O line can be good early this team could challenge OU for the Big 12.

6. USC

USC returns four starters on offense and seven on defense which isn't that much compared to some other teams. But this is USC, they have depth across the board. The second string placekicker for the Trojans could probably start quarterback somewhere else, these guys will be fine.

Bottom Line: The Trojans reload on offense and should once again be the P-10 favorite.

7. Clemson

Clemson returns seven starters on both offense and defense, including the ACC's highest rated passer in Cullen Harper. The Tigers are loaded at running back, and the offense shouldn't struggle. The defense should be pretty good too.

Bottom Line: If the offensive line can protect Harper well enough, this should be the best team in the ACC.

8. West Virginia

The offense returns eight, including Heisman candidate Pat White, but the defense returns four. They will have to adjust to life without Rich Rodriguez, and Bill Stewart will have to prove he can coach this talented group.

Bottom Line: The defense needs to be able to slow teams down, and the offense should take care of the rest.

9. Kansas

The Hawks had a dream season last year, and they are back to prove last year was no fluke. Todd Reesing will lead the offense and its seven returning starters. The defense returns nine and should have one of the best group of linebackers in the nation.

Bottom Line: Kansas needs to replace NFL talent at a few positions, but if they can fill the holes they should challenge for the Big 12 North.

10. Texas Tech

The Red Raiders potent offense returns ten starters and should be amazing this year again, but this year they finally have a better than respectable defense that returns eight from a year ago.

Bottom Line: These guys have the firepower to take down OU in the Big 12 South.

11. Auburn (SEC Challenger)

12. LSU (I have a hunch...this might be this year's Michigan???)

13. Wisconsin (Ohio State's Big 10 challenger)

14. Texas (Can they handle Oklahoma and Texas Tech?)

15. Arizona State (USC's Pac 10 foe)

16. Virginia Tech (They need to find one QB, no more two QB system)

17. Tennessee (Can they survive the SEC?)

18. BYU (BCS party crasher?)

19. Illinois (Can they contend for a Big 10 title?)

20. Pittsburgh (LeSean McCoy and Co. could win Big East.)

21. Penn State (JoePa can still coach)

22. Oregon (Everyone wants to know: What will the jerseys look like this year???)

23. South Florida (Can they climb the polls and actually stay there?)

24. Fresno State (Could be this year's Hawaii)

25. Alabama (Dark horse SEC contender)

On the Verge: Wake Forest, South Carolina, California, Boise State, Colorado

Big 10 Football Preview

mj122345mcm — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:29:52 GMT

You can check out my Big 12 Preview here and my College Football Preview here. So let's get to the Big 10...

The Big 10 was pretty good last year. Not the best conference by any means, but they weren't too shabby. They had Ohio State, who made their second straight title game. Then, there's Illinois with their breakout season and BCS game. The Big 10 was pretty top heavy in 2007, however. That could change in 2008. Ohio State will be back and better than ever. Illinois will be ready to go for another BCS run. Michigan brings in Rich Rodriguez. Everyone is predicting Ohio State to win the Big 10, but the rest of the teams are eager to prove that the Buckeyes won't have it easy.

Illinois

The Illini return versatile and talented quarterback, Juice Williams, but they lose Big Ten MVP, Rashard Mendenhall. They will probably share the load among a few running backs. Illinois has a talented group of recievers for Juice Williams and a good line to protect him. The O line returns three starters and has two very talented replacements.

On defense, Illinois looks good on the defensive line. They have three returning ends and two talented tackles ready to go. The line will probably be the strength of the Fighting Illini defense. The linebacking situation looks pretty good, as they have a pretty good and deep group. Many secondary positions are up for grabs, but the candidates are all very good players.

We know: That Illinois won't sneak up on anyone this year. Teams will be prepared for the Illini and nobody will overlook them.

A surprise: Is that the Illini only return twelve starters but could be just as good as last year's team...maybe even better.

Predicted Record: 9-3

Indiana

The Hoosiers quarterback situation is still in question with Kellen Lewis still suspended indefinitely. If he doesn't start, it will be an inexperienced backup. At running back, Marcus Thigpen needs to find a nose for the endzone. They bring in a solid recieving corps, they just have to find somebody to throw them the ball. The offensive line loses three senior starters. The left side will be strong but the rest of the line needs to step it up to have a successful 2008.

Defense: They have yet to find the starting corners, but they have six talented candidates to choose from and they are very strong at safety with two returning starters. At 'backer, the Hoosiers look very good with two returning starters and depth. The D line returns three starters including defensive end, Greg Middleton.

We know: The Hoosiers are not expected to do a lot this year.

A surprise: Is that Indiana has improved the last five years. From two wins to three wins to four wins to five wins to seven wins, the next logical number of wins is eight or nine, which isn't out of the question with a favorable schedule.

Predicted Record: 8-4

Iowa

Quarterback Jake Christensen needs to be more accurate for this offense to have any chance at succeeding. The running back situation is not good with zero running backs had a carry last year, so they have no experience whatsoever. The wide recievers aren't all that talented and the offensive line has dealt with injuries so far this spring. This offense needs a leader to step up badly and the most likely person for this role is naturally the quarterback, Jake Christensen. If he doesn't step it up, it could be a very long year for this unit.

The defensive line looks good on the inside but lacks experience at the ends. They do have good depth on the line at least. The linebackers took a hit with two players graduating, but they have decent talent to choose from. The Hawkeyes return both safeties but need to fill both cornerback positions. The defensive backfield looks fairly talented and fairly deep.

We know: That this program has been on a downhill slide.

A surprise: Is that a few years ago, Iowa was coming off consecutive ten win seasons. If they won ten games this year it would be a miracle.

Predicted Record: 5-7

Michigan

The Wolverines only return three starters offensively and Chad Henne isn't one of them. They are even considering using more than one quarterback. Michigan also loses Mike Hart, and they will probably use a committee of RB's to try to fill his hole. Wide outs Manningham and Arrington are also gone. There is a good group of wide recievers this year, but it won't be easy to replace those two. They lose four starters on the offensive line. They have a good group of starters ready to go, but if they don't stay healthy, this offense could be painfully bad.

The defense is in much better shape. The line returns all four starters and has lots of depth. The linebackers are very fast and deep. The starters don't have tons of experience, but they have talent. Their safeties are pretty good but don't have much starting experience. The corners are extremely good and they have good experience. This has the potential to be the best D in the Big 10.

We know: That Michigan is not going to underestimate any opponent after losing to Appalachian State last year.

A surprise: Is that teams could underestimate Michigan after their down season last year.

Predicted Record: 9-3

Michigan State

Offense: The Spartans finally became a respectable team last year. This year, they return seven offensive starters from their loss to BC in the Champs Sports Bowl. One of these is QB, Brian Hoyer, who is determined to come back much better after his poor performance against BC. At running back, Javon Ringer returns. The receivers looked great in the spring game but are unproven in real games. The offensive line loses four key players from last year and won't be able to afford injuries this season.

Defensively, Michigan State loses three starters on the line. Injuries on the line could bring this defense down. The Spartans bring back two young stars at linebacker, but the secondary needs to improve. They have the talent to be pretty good, but they need to work on techniques.

We know: That the Spartans were a decent team last year.

A surprise: Is that if the Spartans can avoid too many injuries and get a few breaks, they could be better than in-state rival Michigan...or at least pretty close.

Predicted Record: 5-7

Minnesota

On the offensive side, Minnesota returns eight starters. This isn't necessarily a good thing since they went 1-11, but the Golden Gophers brought in a top 25 recruiting class. Adam Weber returns at quarterback. The running back position needs to be much more productive than last year when Weber led the team in rushing. After Eric Decker, the wide out position doesn't have too much talent. The line loses three important starters, but they may have enough talent to have a decent line.

Defense: The secondary has plenty of speed, but the newcomers still have to adjust to the system. At linebacker, they have a lot of speed also. The talent should be there but the depth is a big question. The D line is bigger, but they lack experience. Expect a pretty fast defense from Minnesota, but they might not be very productive because they are young.

We know: Minnesota had a horrible year last year and it can't get too much worse.

A surprise: Is that the Gophers brought in a top 25 recruiting class. Minnesota could be a force in the Big 10 in a few years.

Predicted Record: 3-9

Northwestern

Offensively, C.J. Bacher returns at quarterback, so that's a plus. The running back position will be shared by two talented backs. The wide receivers have experience and lots of depth, not to mention some very good skills. The O line returns two starters. The other three are talented yet young. This offense has potential to be very good and won't have any problems moving the ball.

On the defensive side, the line has four experienced starters, but they haven't lived up to potential yet. The linebackers have two senior starters who should lead the group. The linebacker position does have very good depth too. The corner spots are up for grabs still in a heated battle, and the safeties are in the same situation, with undecided spots.

We know: That Northwestern was mediocre last year.

A surprise: Is that the Wildcats lost a lot of close games, and if they learn how to win the close ones, they could have themselves an eight win season or better.

Predicted Record: 7-5

Ohio State

The Buckeyes bring in highly touted recruit Terrelle Pryor, and he will get some time most likely. The starter will be Todd Boeckman though, and he has All-Big 10 talent. At running back OSU has Beanie Wells, a possible Heisman candidate. The receivers have a talented top two and a slew of options for number three and beyond. The offensive line only loses one main contributor from last year and they should be a very good unit. This offense has loads of talent and should be among the top of the Big 10.

Ohio State's defensive line loses Vernon Gholston, but returns everyone else and could be better than last year's line. The Buckeyes are super deep with extremely talented ‘backers, led by James Laurinaitis, the All-American. The corners return both starters, but one is suspended at the moment. At safety, Ohio State returns both starters that are pretty good, but they aren't the best safeties in the nation.

We know: The Buckeyes have a more talented team than last year's national championship player.

A surprise: Is that they have more pressure this year than last year. It may be tougher for this year's team than last year's, because of all the expectations.

Predicted Record: 11-1

Penn State

On offense, the Nittany Lions need to find a replacement for Morelli at QB. At running back, they have two capable players that should get plenty of carries. Watch out for Stephfon Green, an electrifying red shirt freshman with a reported 4.2-40 yard dash. The receivers have talent and good depth while the O line has to replace some starters but should be in pretty good shape.

The D line was plagued with injuries and suspensions, but most of them should be back and ready to roll this year. The linebackers aren't the most experienced group, but they have potential and they are deep. The secondary at PSU has loads of experience. The cornerbacks have three players going for a starting position, but the safeties are pretty much set. This defense should be one of the best in the league.

We know: That JoePa wants to improve on last year's nine win season.

A surprise: Is that if they find a leader at quarterback, this could be one of the nation's elite teams.

Predicted Record: 10-2

Purdue

Offense: They have one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 10 returning in Curtis Painter. Expect a 30 minimum touchdown, 10 maximum interception year from him. Purdue's two main running backs are returning, but Painter loses two receiving threats in Dorien Bryant and Dustin Keller. The receiving corps of 2008 has been injury plagued and is questionable going into the year. The line loses a few, but they should have enough depth to make it in the Big 10.

Defensively, the Boilermakers lose a lot up front, especially at the ends. The tackle position looks to have plenty of depth. The linebackers have good starting talent but lack a lot of depth. The secondary brings back a couple starters and is the deepest group on this defense. They have quality talent and experience.

We know: The Boilermakers defense isn't going to be top notch.

A surprise: Is that they could have one of the best offenses in the league and maybe the best quarterback in the league. Don't be surprised if you see Painter mentioned in Heisman candidates if Purdue can get on a roll.

Predicted Record: 6-6

Wisconsin

The Badger's offensive unit starts with the line. They return four of five starters and have excellent depth. This line, barring injuries, will be atop the Big 10. The quarterback to replace Donovan is still undecided, but they have two good options. The running back, P.J. Hill returns with a plenty of help behind him. There are many Wisconsin receivers, but none of them are very experienced. The tight ends will be the anchors, as they have the best tandem in the nation.

The defense should be very good. The line has suffered injuries, but assuming everyone is back in time for the opening kickoff, they should be good and fairly deep. They return all three talented starters at LB and have plenty of depth. The defensive backfield has many uncertain spots with corner and safety positions still up for grabs, but they should have a good backfield with a lot of talented depth.

We know: The Badgers were very unfortunate last year with a lot of injuries that may have cost them a Big 10 title.

A surprise: Is that they could get that title this year if they can stay away from those costly injuries. Ohio State, Penn State, and Illinois are all home games so it isn't a stretch to say the Badgers could very well win the Big 10.

Predicted Record: 10-2

How they'll finish:

1. Ohio State

2. Penn State

3. Wisconsin

4. Illinois

5. Michigan

6. Indiana

7. Northwestern

8. Purdue

9. Michigan State

10. Iowa

11. Minnesota

BIG 10 CHAMPION

Ohio State Buckeyes

***Thanks for reading. Please leave comments, your feedback is much appreciated.***

High-Powered Offenses Will Battle for Big 12 Title in 2008

mj122345mcm — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:55:15 GMT

This is my first conference that I will be previewing. You can read my first college football preview here. Or my Big 10 Preview here. So heeeere we go.

The Big 12 had a good year last year with two teams making BCS games and one team winning, but they have not had a National Title player for a while. That could very well change this year. Oklahoma and Missouri are the leading contenders in the Big 12, but Texas, Kansas, and Texas Tech could also compete for a national title bid. This league is full of offensive talent across the board. Texas Tech led the nation in many offensive categories last year and like always, they should be at the top again. Missouri's high powered offense from last year should be very good too. Kansas's offense will have to prove that they can do it again against better competion, but they should be pretty good. Oklahoma has Sam Bradford, the most efficient passer in the nation and he's only a sophomore. Nebraska started to get better on the offensive end last year with Joe Ganz at the helm and he'll be back. Even Baylor may have a decent offense with Art Briles' running style spread offense. The other teams should have some good offenses also. The league's defense won't be too shabby either with many teams returning lots of starters. So without further ado, here is the team by team previews for the Big 12.

Baylor

On offense, the Bears may not be too shabby. They have four options at QB and a pretty good backfield. They need a go to guy at reciever though if their offense is going to be able to compete. David Gettis appears to be this candidate for the Bears if he can be consistent. The offensive line returns four starters with good depth at all positions, so they have the foundation of a good offense, they just need to find out if they have the rest of the pieces.

On D, Baylor has not been very good for the last decade. Art Briles is trying to fix that. They are trying to be alot more physical than last year's team and make more plays. They were dead last in turnover margin and if they want to compete in the Big 12, they need to take care of the ball and take it away more from their opponent. The Bears linebackers should be the backbone of the defense. They have depth and talent at the position. The D line is good on starters but is not very deep.

We know: That Baylor is not going to become a Big 12 power overnight. This will take more than a year to turn around.

A surprise: Is that the Bears should not be looked at as an easy win on the schedule anymore. Art Briles is changing the attitudes at Baylor and if they have the attitude, they can win some games in the conference.

Predicted Record: 4-8

Colorado

Offensively, Colorado brings back QB Cody Hawkins who will only continue to improve. They need some wide recievers to step up to help him out though. The running back situation doesn't look too good. Sure, they have highly touted Darrell Scott but he is only a freshman. They don't really have much experience at this position. The offensive line is a little shaky after losing two starters and two key players.

Defensively, the Buffs will be decent at best. The line looks good on the inside but their are questions about the ends. At LB, they have some big shoes to fill with Jordon Dizon. If they find someone that can at least play his position half as well as Dizon did then they should be OK at backer. The DB's should be average to above average, having to replace Terrence Wheatley.

We know: That CU has lots of depth at almost every position

A surprise: Is that the Buffs might be young and inexperienced but they actually have some very good talent in Boulder and have a chance to be very good if they get the right formula.

Predicted Record: 7-5

Iowa State

Offense: The quarterback has not yet been determined, but they have lots of depth at running back which is always good. The recievers aren't the cream of the crop and the line has experience but the starting jobs are still up for grabs. Don't expect a great offense from Ames this year.

Defense: The line has good talent but not alot of experience. The linebackers return only one starter. The defensive backs are the strength of this defense which is good with all the spread offenses in the league.

We know: They aren't going to have a dynamic offense or stone wall defense.

A surprise: Is the Cyclones could actually have a very successful defense, one of the tops in the league maybe, because their secondary is very good and that is key against the spread.

Predicted Record: 3-9

Kansas

Offense: The Hawks have six returning starters including quarterback, Todd Reesing. If Jocques Crawford lives up to his hype, then they should be good in the backfield with Jake Sharp and Angus Quigley returning. Reesing should have plenty of options to throw to at wide out but tight end is a question mark. The line has to replace two tackles and this could be a weak point for KU this year.

KU's defense returns nine starters and could be a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12. The linebackers return three senior starters and should be the best in the league barring injury. The D line should be pretty good too. The defensive backs take a blow in losing Aqib Talib, but the Jayhawks have decent depth and should be pretty good also.

We know: Kansas can't be under the radar again...teams will be prepared this time around.

A surprise: The Hawks were not a fluke last year, and they will be back. With a few breaks this team could be top 5 material...at least top 10.

Predicted Record: 8-4

Kansas State

Offensively, the Wildcats aren't going to blow people away. At quarterback they have Josh Freeman who has a strong arm but many question his accuracy. As for options for Freeman, the Cats lose Jordy Nelson, their previous top reciever. If a few of the 19 JUCO's that Prince has brought in can step up, then the offense won't be so bad. The offensive line has five seniors and five juniors, so they have experience and depth.

On the defensive side of the ball, K-State has a great pass rusher in Ian Campbell. The linebackers should be fast but they are lacking in size. As for the secondary, they should be decent, but they won't be shutting people out.

We know: Ron Prince got a little desperate and brought in 19 JUCO's.

A surprise: Is that this move could pay off greatly and they could compete for the North...or it could come back and bite them in the butt.

Predicted Record: 6-6

Missouri

On the offensive side, the Tigers should be extremely good once again. The offensive line loses two players, but as long as they find some decent replacements there, they should be just fine. Chase Daniel comes back, hungry for another shot at Oklahoma as does a slew of talented targets for Daniel. At running back, Derrick Washington is probably going to start for the Tigers this year.

Defensively, the Tigers return 10 starters. Led by William Moore, this should be a very stingy defense. The linebackers should be great but they don't have a lot of depth there. The line loses nose tackle, Lorenzo Williams but should be fine. The defensive backs should be very good as well.

We know: That the Tigers have a chance at the title if they learn to handle all the pub.

A surprise: The defense has the potential to be one of the best in the Big 12.

Predicted Record: 11-1

Nebraska

On offense, the Huskers started to improve last year with Ganz at the helm. He will have some good options to throw to and a great running back to help out with the offense. Marlon Lucky skipped out on the NFL, so expect him to be ready to impress the scouts this year. As for the line, they are deep and experienced. This unit could actually be pretty good and scare some defenses.

On D, the Blackshirts were absolutely terrible last year. And they aren't going to be insanely good after one off season so don't expect anything amazing from the Blackshirts. Sure, they'll improve, there isn't anywhere to go but up, but they won't be a top 10 defense. The line should be pretty good but the linebackers could be pretty weak. The secondary is questionable but with Pelini as the coach, they could turn out to be decent.

We know: The Cornhuskers aren't going to run away with a Big 12 North title.

A surprise: Is that the Nebraska offense has great potential with Joe Ganz at QB and Marlon Lucky at RB. Combined with a very good offensive line, they could be a top 3 offense in the league.

Predicted Record: 8-4

Oklahoma

Offense: They will be led by Sam Bradford, the nation's most efficient passer as a freshman last year. At running back, DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown will share the load, both are very good backs. The Sooners have pretty good recievers and a really good tight end in Jermaine Gresham. The offensive line should be the best in the Big 12. They have seven very talented, experienced lineman that can all start and dominate up front. This could be the best line in the nation.

Defense: The defensive backs have good talent but they still have to decide the best fit for Lendy Holmes, who can play corner or safety very well. The linebackers lose Lofton to the League which is a pretty big blow. They won't be the best in the Big 12. The line suffered some injuries this spring, but the backups stepped up and showed that the D line at OU has very good depth. And the talent is there too.

We know: That the Sooners have all the pieces for a national title run.

A surprise: Is that OU's previous strength, linebacker, may be a huge weakness this year...hopefully for the Sooners, the D line and secondary will be enough.

Predicted Record: 12-0

Oklahoma State

The Cowboys have a good, versatile quarterback with Zac Robinson. They lack experience at reciever and running back but they have young potential. If they can step it up, they could have a real good offensive unit. The O line is a very underrated group. They have experience and decent depth and should be in the top half of the league, if not top three.

On defense, Okie State's defense looked pretty good in the spring game. The line has potential but lacks experience. The linebackers only return one starter, so they are questionable at this point. At secondary, the 'Boys brought in a JUCO safety who is expected to help them tremendously. Along with him, they have a senior free safety and two returning corners.

We know: That the Cowboys have lots of questions on offense and defense.

A surprise: Is that the OSU offense is underrated and could surprise a lot of people...especially the offensive line.

Predicted Record: 6-6

Texas

On the offensive side of the ball, the Horns should be really good. Colt McCoy returns at QB, but he lost a few of his options from last year. At running back, they lost Jamaal Charles, but they should be alright with three dependable backs to fill his hole. The line is very deep and very talented. They could challenge Oklahoma for best line in the league.

The Horns have an unexperienced secondary, and this could be their weak link. Only one starter returns for the secondary. The defensive line boasts talented and deep defensive ends and two quick starting tackles. At linebacker, the Longhorns have pretty good potential and some good backups.

We know: The Longhorns will be very good, as usual.

A surprise: Is that they are being overshadowed by Oklahoma and Missouri this year. If everyone is talking about MU and OU, then Texas could actually be under the radar at least for a few weeks, which could allow them to get the upperhand in the conference.

Predicted Record: 9-3

Texas A&M

Offense: Stephen McGee has to adjust to Mike Sherman's new offense, but it should be less running so he can stay healthy. The Aggies have a very good backfield with Michael Goodson leading the way and some talented backups. Oh, I almost forgot to mention Javorskie Lane, the fullback. 6'0". 285 pounds. That's all you need to know. They have good recievers for a short passing game but still lack a deep threat reciever. The line has good starters but only two reliable backups.

Defense: Only one starter returns on the D line, so there is work to be done there. The linebackers have promising potential but are unproven and have little depth. The secondary is the strength of the defense, but they won't be the Big 12's best by any means.

We know: The Aggies have tons of questions, especially on defense.

A surprise: Is the Ags may have a pretty good offense if their line can stay healthy and they can find a deep threat for the passing game.

Predicted Record: 5-7

Texas Tech

On offense, the Red Raiders are always good, but they return ten starters this year. Barring any serious injuries, these guys will be scary good. Graham Harrell knows the offense like the back of his hand. Although the running game isn't huge, it still counts and they will be fine here, with three or four reliable backs. The recievers are led by Michael Crabtree and they have many other great, fast, strong recievers that will eat up secondaries like no other. The line should be very good too with all five starters returning. Best. Offense. In. The. League. At least, the most productive offense.

On defense, the Raiders return eight. Usually defense is a weakness for TTU, but this year is different. The line returns four pretty good starters. They have a fast, talented group of linebackers, but they don't have a ton of experience. The defensive backs are talented and there are many spots in the secondary that are too close to call right now.

We know: That Texas Tech will have a ridiculously amazing offense. They'll get their points week in and week out. They'll get their yards week in and week out.

A surprise: Is that they will have a good defense too. Maybe not the best in the Big 12, but if they are good enough to at least slow down the other high powered Big 12 offenses, this Red Raider team could be playing for a national title.

Predicted Record: 10-2

How they'll finish:

NORTH

1. Missouri

2. Kansas

3. Nebraska

4. Colorado

5. Kansas State

6. Iowa State

SOUTH

1. Oklahoma

2. Texas Tech

3. Texas

4. Oklahoma State

5. Texas A&M

6. Baylor

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP:

Missouri Tigers

vs.

Oklahoma Sooners

BIG 12 CHAMPION:

Oklahoma Sooners beat the Tigers in the rematch from last year's title. The big difference was OU's offensive line dominating the Tiger defensive line.

***Thanks for reading, please leave comments if you like, dislike, agree, or disagree***

Can College Football in 2008 Live Up to 2007s Amazing Feats?

mj122345mcm — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:24:02 GMT

It's been a long off season, college football fans, but in a little over a month, the college football season will begin, so grab your college football preview magazines, soak up info from ESPN and collegefootballnews.com, talk to your friends about the upcoming season, and get ready for another great season. I don't know if it's possible to surpass last year's season in terms of unpredictability and excitement, but in the magical world of college football, anything can happen.

Missouri can rise up from years of being OK and fight for a National Championship bid. South Florida can rise to #2 in the nation only to drop out of the polls in a few weeks. Kansas can come out of no where and win the Orange Bowl. Appalachian State can prove that FCS or Division 1-AA doesn't mean a loss when playing a top 5 FBS or Division 1-A team such as Michigan. Stanford can show that just because you're a smart kid doesn't mean USC scares you on the gridiron. Notre Dame, Michigan, and a slew of others can prove that preseason rankings mean absolutely nothing. Nebraska can lose games they never would have dreamed of losing. Florida State can have Jenn Sterger, a girl, be more popular than any of their players. Oklahoma can crush a hopeful teams dream's...twice. Illinois can make a BCS game. Boston College can perform miracles. USC can show Illinois that BCS means nothing if you don't show up. Florida can give the world the first ever underclassman Heisman winner. Tim Tebow can do almost anything and still be humble. Michael Crabtree can destroy wide reciever records no one ever thought would be crushed like this. Dennis Dixon can be a Heisman leader and get an unfortunate injury only to see his name off the ballot in a few weeks. Todd Reesing can be shorter than six feet and still complete passes and lead his team to victory. Rich Rodriguez can break hearts, piss a whole state off, and give hope to a whole state at the same time. Mark Mangino can weigh well over 300 pounds and coach as well as anyone. Colt Brennan can break almost every throwing record but still get crushed by Georgia because passing records don't mean anything when it comes to playing the game. You can have your rankings, your prestige, your pride, your adrenaline, your future hall of fame players and/or coaches, your record, your first round draft picks, your homefield advantage, your screaming fans, your fancy offense, your rock solid defense, and all the confidence in the world but your opponent worked just as hard as you did. Your opponent could care less if your stadium seats over 100,000 people and theirs seats about 25,000. They didn't travel all the way to your fancy palace to roll over and die. They came to rip all your confidence out of your body and stomp all over it. They came to crush every single one of your fans hopes no matter how much they paid to get in. And maybe, just maybe, they can do all of that...and win the game.

So buckle up and get ready to rumble, college football fans. This season could be just another year. Or it could be another 2007...maybe even better. No one can know, as teams prepare for the upcoming year with grueling two-a-days and 7-on-7 and all the preparation that every single team puts in every summer, but one thing is for sure: anything can happen.

College Basketball Predictions Big 12 Tournament

mj122345mcm — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:34:44 GMT

First Round (All games using Tiger Formula)

Oklahoma State over Texas Tech

Baylor over Colorado

Mizzou over Nebraska

Texas A&M over Iowa State

Second Round

Texas over Oklahoma State

Baylor over Oklahoma

Kansas over Missouri

Kansas State over Texas A&M

Semi-Finals

Baylor over Texas

Kansas over Kansas State

Finals

Kansas over Baylor(OT)

These are my predictions using my Tiger Formula, it has been revised many times so maybe this time will work better....

College Basketball Preditions February 21, 2008

mj122345mcm — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:10:12 GMT

I am going to start my daily college basketball predictions based on a formula I created last summer. I have revised the formula throughout the year and it correctly predited the Nebraska upset of K-State and the Miami upset of Duke last night. Hopefully it will keep working. I am going to pick games involving top 25 teams or games that look good on paper. I will try to pick televised games also. Here it goes:

Notre Dame 66

Pittsburgh 63

Rhode Island 72

Massachusetts 71

Minnesota 57

Michigan 56

These are all the televised games tonight...I may do some lower profile games later. I realize that a formula isn't going to get every single game correct but i believe that it can work well. Don't criticize it until you give it a chance.....

BCS is BS

mj122345mcm — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:58:55 GMT

I have been a Missouri Tiger fan my whole life which is probably why I have never really cared that much about the BCS...because we have never had a chance to experience the ridiculous bullcrap that is the BCS. But this year we had a shot at the BCS. It has just been announced that Mizzou will be going to the Cotton Bowl, a decent bowl, but not a BCS bowl. To me this is absolutely ludacris. In the Big 12, there were three teams going for two BCS spots. Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. Oklahoma should get a spot, no doubt, they beat Mizzou twice. Kansas only has one loss but guess who that loss was to? That's right it was to Missouri. Missouri's only losses were to a top 3 OU team which very well might be the most talented team in the nation. So why in God's name would Kansas get in, in front of the Mizzou team that beat them, on a neutral site? You tell me...because it makes no sense to me. Also, Mizzou beat Illinois, on a neutral site, earlier in the year. Illinois has a good chance of making the BCS. Why does a 3 loss Illinois team have a chance to get in over Mizzou? Because the BCS is all about money and tradition. They could care less if they get the right teams in as long as they get good profits and they get traditional matchups that bring in money. Another reason that Illinois may get a BCS bid over the Tigers is that the BCS only allows two teams from each conference. So you could, hypothetically, have three top ten teams in one conference and only two of them get in while a less deserving team from another conference gets the bid. And guess what? That is exactly what happened to Missouri today. Absolutely ridiculous. The Tigers are ranked ahead of both Kansas and Illinois in the two polls that have come out as of now but they won't be playing a BCS bowl. If I am wrong, please correct me but if I remember, Kansas didn't even win their division of the Big 12. They couldn't beat out four other teams to take their division title. They weren't good enough to go to their conference championship and Mizzou was so WHY are they getting a BCS bid over Mizzou. This system is absolutely ridiculous and this is my first real experience with getting screwed over because of it.

So I guess the "biggest game in the history of Mizzou or Kansas" that was played last week meant absolutely zero?

Big 12 Review/Preview

mj122345mcm — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 06:24:50 GMT

Baylor

SEASON OVER

Colorado

Review: The Buffs became bowl eligible with a win over Nebraska last week. Their D didn't play that great but their offense did plenty against a dismal Husker defense.

Preview: SEASON OVER(POSSIBLE BOWL GAME)

Iowa State

SEASON OVER

Kansas

Review: The Jayhawks failed to show up in the first half and when they finally woke up it was too late...The offense did alright in the first half but with two missed field goals they failed to put up any points till the third quarter and there wasn't enough time...the D held the Tigers to 36 which isn't too shabby against Mizzou.

Preview: UNKNOWN BOWL GAME

Kansas State

Review: The Wildcats hung with Fresno St. for a while but it seemed like their D gave up once they got down. The Cats season is now over as they failed to reach bowl eligibility.

Preview: SEASON OVER

Missouri

Review: The Tigers played a great all around game against rival Kansas at Arrowhead. Chase Daniel had a huge day passing and Temple had a good day running. The D held KU to no first half points which was very impressive.

Preview: Mizzou goes to San Antonio to play OU for the Big 12 title and a shot to play in the national championship. They have to play mistake free football to win. They need to establish a running game early so Oklahoma has to respect both the run and the pass. The Tigers can't crumble under the spotlight and the D needs to at least slow down OU's offense and get some pressure on Bradford.

Nebraska

Review: The Huskers defense played absolutely awfully against Colorado. The offense played well but they couldn't keep up with the Buffs.

Preview: SEASON OVER

Oklahoma

Review: OU dominated the Cowboys of OSU in Norman. The offense put up 49 points and the suspect secondary played well against a strong passing game of OSU.

Preview: The Sooners have to get pressure on Daniel and force some turnovers in this one against Mizzou for the Big 12 title. They can't let Maclin return kicks for great field position, even if that means kicking away from him. The offense needs to keep on trucking but they can't commit many turnovers if they want another Big 12 title.

Oklahoma State

Review: The Cowboys got destroyed by OU. The offense never really got going and the defense played horrendous even if it was against the Sooners, giving up 49.

Preview: SEASON OVER(POSSIBLE BOWL GAME)

Texas

Review: The Horns lost their final regular season game to the Aggies. They put up 30 put the D didn't play very well at all giving up 38 to a pretty bad A&M offense.

Preview: UNKNOWN BOWL GAME

Texas A&M

Review: The Ags got a huge win in Franchione's final game coaching the Aggies. They beat rival Texas and greatly increased their odds of a bowl game. They D did just enough to pull off an upset.

Preview: UNKNOWN BOWL GAME

Texas Tech

UNKNOWN BOWL GAME

PREDICTION

MU v. OU-Missouri 45 Oklahoma 38--The Tigers offense gives them just enough to move on to the championship and the D comes up big with some turnovers.

College Football Top 10 (Week 13)

mj122345mcm — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 03:08:20 GMT

1. Missouri

Lower: Lost one to OU earlier in the year but they have a shot to avenge the loss this week in the Big 12 title game.

2. West Virginia

Higher: They put up 66 points on top 25 Uconn last week and only have one loss.

Lower: Loss is to South Florida which isn't the greatest loss but if they take care of business against Pitt, they will get a chance to prove themselves in the BCS title game.

3. Georgia

Higher: The Bulldogs are playing as good as anyone in the nation as of right now.

Lower: They didn't even win their division of the SEC....

4. Ohio State

Higher: Only have one loss this year and played very well against arch rival Michigan.

Lower: The Buckeyes haven't had the toughest schedule and they have a home loss to Illinois.

5. Virginia Tech

Higher: Won at #16 Virginia last week and have been dominating opponents for the past 4 weeks.

Lower: They have one of their two losses to BC and their other one was a blowout loss 48-7 against LSU earlier in the year.

6. Kansas

Higher: The Jayhawks have only one loss but this is the only reason they should be higher...

Lower: They just lost to the one really good team that they played this year and all their wins are over average at best competition.

7. LSU

Higher: The Tigers have endured a tough schedule with only two losses both in multiple overtimes

Lower: LSU still lost these games to Kentucky and Arkansas, the latter was a home game...

8. Oklahoma

Higher: If the Sooners are healthy they are one of the best in the nation especially with Sam Bradford at the helm...

Lower: The Sooners blew a game against Colorado and played terrible against Texas Tech without Bradford.

9. Hawaii

Higher: Hawaii is undefeated and no matter who they have played that is impressive, especially this year...they just silenced many critics with a win over Boise State...

Lower: They still have only played one top 25 team in Boise State and have struggled with some of the weak teams on their schedule.

10. USC

Higher: Won by 20 points at Arizona State and look to be playing their best football yet this year...

Lower: Loss to Stanford is inexcusable especially since it was a home game.

On the Verge: Florida, BC, Illinois