For the incoming class of freshman, if they have not already reported to school for summer sessions, they will be there within a week or two. In that time they will get acclimated with the rigors of being a student and being to work out with their new teammates. So if you’ve been busy getting your freshman ready for school…here is what you missed in the past week.
What we’ve been working on:
We once again went out and got you another quality guest for the podcast. ESPN’s Bruce Feldmanjoined us last week to talk SEC and Pac 10 football. The podcast is pretty USC heavy, but when you are annually one of the best teams in the country, who has won 7 straight Pac Ten titles, and have one of the hottest starting quarterback battles going on…well you are going to hear about it. For you SEC fans, Bruce has some interesting thoughts on the SEC West, which should be a fun race to watch this year.
Just so you don’t think we are going to rest on our past accomplishments, Adam and I have another great guest lined up for a podcast which will be ready for your listening pleasure tomorrow morning. We feel bad that we have neglected the Big XII, so tomorrow you will hear Adam and I, along with The Wiz from The Wiz of Odds, discuss the Big XII. On paper it looks as if both the North and South could go down to the wire again when deciding who will play in the Big XII Championship game. Also, we’ll pick his brain about some National News.
Adam has continued to countdown his list of Top 50 Best Non-BCS Players. In his latest installment, Bryan Anderson, a wide receiver from Central Michigan is his choice at #34. Something tells me that Anderson will have a pretty big effect on another player that has yet to be named on this list.
Navy only returns 23% of last year’s offensive yards with potentially NFL bound players Shun White and Eric Kettani gone. Adam sits down and talks with Bobby Doyle about the endless barrage of questions he and the other Navy slotbacks are getting on how they are going to replace 77% of last year’s offense which has now graduated.
For the second year in a row the Big East Conference looks to be wide open. A lot of experts think it is going to come down between Pittsburgh and Rutgers, but neither are very solid under center. Brian talks about which players have the leg up to win the quarterback battles at both schools. What we’ve been reading:
He will go down in history for the murder that he did did not commit, and will be forever known as Nordberg in the Naked Gun movies; but before all of that he was a Heisman Trophy winner. Prolate Spheroid rehashes OJ’s career at USC.
Adam has talked about reviving a countdown he started last year where he picked the Top 10 potential upsets of a FCS team over a FBS team. Double T Nation has an early preview of the Red Raiders game against the North Dakota State Fighting Sioux. I am fairly certain this game will not make Adam’s list.
The Georgia Bulldogs suffered a heartbreaking and somewhat surprising upset loss to their rival Georgia Tech last year. Paul Westerdawg of the Georgia Sports Blog gives his thoughts on how to defend Tech’s option.
Annually one of the best offensive line units in the country resides in the state of Oklahoma. The Crimson and Cream Machinepreviews this year’s crop of linemen for the Sooners.
When Coach Wannstedt first arrived at Pitt, he was pulling in one good recruiting class after another, but after only going to one bowl game in his tenure, he finds himself still chasing a 82 year old man who is stealing recruits out of his own back yard. Recently, Wannstedt and the Panthers got a commitment from TJ Clemmings, a defensive tackle from New Jersey. But according to Zags Blog and Clemmings he did not commit.
Finally, I leave you with a sign of the Apocalypse. Evan Berry the younger brother of Tennessee safety Eric Berry has verbally committed to the Vols. Did I mention that Evan was 13 years old?
For some of you who were wondering, and also for those of you who weren’t, yes I am still alive. Thanks to Adam for dropping in his 2 cents here and there along the way while I recover from real life duties and real life injuries that included a separated shoulder. It’s hell turning 30. Speaking of injuries, I’d like to wish Spencer Hall from EDSBS a quick and speedy recovery as he hurt his back from a pull up accident. No word on if those pull ups were in attempt of actual exercise or to get the last beer off the top shelf.
Special thanks to Dr. Montgomery
for taking good care of me!
Getting to the world of college football; as Adam mentioned, the bible of college football otherwise known as Phil Steele’s College Football Preview will be out in stores on June 9th. If you have never heard of Phil Steele, you must live under a rock because his magazine is THE BEST preview magazine and it is a must have for all statistical junkies like myself. Nothing is confirmed yet but hopefully we will have Mr. Steele joining us on a podcast in the near future.
Speaking of Adam, be sure to head over to GoMids to check out some of his latest work. Yesterday he got to talk to Navy’s defensive coordinator Buddy Green and the turnaround in his defense from the 2007 season to the 2008 season.
In the news of transfer quarterbacks not named Greg Paulus, our friends over at Boiled Sports have posted that former Miami Hurricanes quarterback Robert Marve will choose the Boilers over Tennessee. Joel at Rocky Top Talk is not as confident that Marve will pick the Vols, but he is not ready to throw in the towel just yet. The official announcement will come this Friday.
The College Football Cafeteria has an interesting piece about my favorite college football coach, Joe Paterno. Recently Paterno went on record saying that the Big Ten needs to get a 12th team in order to have a conference championship game and stay relevant in the voters minds later in the season. Yes this is all true, but I really believe the Big Ten brass is still holding onto a pipe dream that Notre Dame will some day join the conference, and with the new deal that they just signed with NBC a year ago, I do not see that happening anytime soon.
On second thought his
release is a bit wide
Other schools such as Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Rutgers were also bounced around. You all know how I feel about the Big Ten, but when you look at Big East basketball, really only the ACC rivals it. I cannot see either Pittsburgh or Syracuse leaving the Big East since they are such strong basketball schools to move to the Big Ten. Rutgers might be a good idea if they are looking for a team, but does the Big Ten, which still is having trouble accepting Penn State because of their Eastern Ties, want to bring in a school that is even further east? I really think not.
The Heisman Pundit is back writing again and I could not help but get a chuckle from his new one where he discusses how Tim Tebow is working on his throwing motion for the NFL. Here is probably THE best player of the past two seasons messing with his throwing motion. Why fix what isn’t broke? I can’t exactly see Urban Meyer jumping up and down at the possibility of Tebow starting the season trying the work out the new kinks of throwing the ball differently.
Finally it is never too early for Preseason Polls right? Well, yes it is too early, but they are fun to debate. Mark Schlabach over at ESPN puts out his 3rd version (to date) of the 2009 Preseason Poll. I do have a few critiques…in my opinion, no Big Ten team should be ranked in the top 10. They ALL have way too many holes to fill. My other gripe is with Virgina Tech, why all the love for Tyrod Taylor? I just don’t see it and I do not see the Hokies finishing higher than 15th this year.
Sports Illustrated’s Cory McCartney recently revealed his list of “players poised to become college football’s next household names.” Nice list Cory, but you weren’t exactly going out on a limb in selecting guys like Baylor’s Robert Griffin or Michigan’s Brandon Minor now, were you? Here’s a few more under-the-radar names (and some familiar faces too) to add to the ridiculously early preseason hype list.
QB Ricky Dobbs, Navy- Ask any Navy fan and they’ll tell you there is just something special about the junior-to-be quarterback. While maybe not the most technically sounds Navy quarterback to command the option offense in recent years, Dobbs shined in the few opportunities he had to play in 2008, sparking Navy’s unthinkable comeback against Temple while powering the Mids past SMU and Northern Illinois. He’s a physical runner inside who isn’t afraid to take on linebackers, while his arm strength and accuracy in the passing game give Navy’s run heavy offense another dimension. If he can continue his progress in learning the option reads he should be in for a monster year in 2009.
RB Joe Martinek, Rutgers- It may be all too easy for some fans and media members to stereotype the 6-foot, 215-pound redshirt sophomore as your run-of-the-mill ‘fullback’, but New Jersey’s all-time leader in prep rushing yards was among the leaders that sparked the Scarlet Knight resurgence during the second half of last season. Not just a bruiser, Martinek averaged 5.3 yards per rush in limited duty last season, and recently ran for 124 yards on just 18 carries in a Rutgers spring scrimmage. He’s the most complete rusher on the Scarlet Knight roster and despite the likelihood of having the split carries with two other backs should earn the starting job come September.
WRs David Nelson/Riley Cooper, Florida- On a team known for a battering ram quarterback and the dangerous presence of a bunch of shifty “little guys” who allegedly run in the 4.2 range, it’s not hard to see why the 6′5” David Nelson and the 6′3” Riley Cooper are often overshadowed when one begins a conversation of the Gator offense. But don’t overlook either of these receivers, as both return for their senior seasons in 2009. Nelson and Cooper combined for just 30 catches a year ago, but the two seniors also sported eight touchdown grabs between them. With Tim Tebow looking to refine his passing game and Percy Harvin moving on to the NFL expect Urban Meyer’s offense to look more to their senior leaders on the outside next season.
RB Jewell Hampton, Iowa- Replacing Shonne Greene is not going to be easy, but the Hawkeyes do have a proven role-player from last year’s squad ready to step in full-time in sophomore running back Jewell Hampton. While undersized at only five-foot, nine inches tall, Hampton runs with deceptive lower body strength and a tremendous burst which make him difficult for defenders to tackle. He finished last year with seven rushing touchdowns in limited duty, and should be the go-to playmaker for the Iowa offense next year.
FS Harrison Smith, Notre Dame- Let’s just get this out of the way; Harrison ‘Hayseed’ Smith was good as a “hybrid” defender in Notre Dame’s defense last year, but this guy is way too athletic to just be a situational player. The fact that he recorded 57 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and seven passes defended was certainly impressive given the fact that he wasn’t playing his natural safety position, making this year’s move to free safety all the more conducive to his continued success. He should have no trouble reminding Irish fans of a bigger and more athletic version of former Domer standout Tom Zbikowski.
WR McKay Jacobson, BYU- Perhaps as if to follow in the footsteps of another impact receiver at BYU who took his two year mission trip for the LDS church following a fantastic freshmen campaign, Jacobson returns to Provo this season just as Austin Collie departs for the NFL. BYU already has an All-American tight end candidate in Dennis Pitta, a fact which should allow the 5′11” Jacobson (who is among the fastest players on BYU’s roster) to flourish as an immediate weapon for returning quarterback Max Hall. Jacobson averaged 19.5 yards a catch as a freshmen in 2006, and despite coming off of his mission trip should be poised to put up big numbers in 2009.
LB Malcolm Smith, USC- The Trojans lose arguably one of the best linebacking corps in Pac-10 history with the departures of Brian Cushing, Ray Mauluaga, and Clay Matthews, but a new generation of USC linebackers looks primed to step up. A former running back, Smith should fill in nicely as the weakside ‘backer in USC’s defense, as the 6′2” junior possesses outstanding athleticism and lateral quickness which make him a playmaker against the run and the pass. He has been the most noticeable standout thus far for USC’s defense in spring ball, and should continue his success into the season.
QB Andy Schmitt, Eastern Michigan- The Eagle signal caller has been one of the MAC’s best kept secrets for some time, but despite going into his senior season in 2009 has never garnered much attention outside of Ypsilanti. That all should change come September, as Schmitt returns fully healthy to lead new head coach Ron English’s EMU offense. Schmitt is an elite athlete for his size and one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks in the ranks of the non-BCS, and could be the difference between another losing season and a breakthrough campaign for the Eagles.
QB Bo Levi Mitchell, SMU- It’s not easy coming into an FBS school and starting at quarterback as a true freshmen, which is exactly what June Jones’ rookie signal caller found out last year in the Mustangs’ disastrous 1-11 campaign. Despite his struggles Mitchell still completed 56% of his passes for over 3000 yards a season ago, and with receivers Alderick Robinson and Emmanuel Sanders back in 2009 Mithcell should only get better. With a season of June Jones’ run-and-shoot system under their belts expect Mitchell and the Mustang offense to put up Hawaii like numbers in 2009.
WR Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M- The Big 12 South loses its most high profile target in Michael Crabtree to the NFL, but look for another physical and athletically gifted wideout to step out of the Lone Star state in A&M’s Fuller. He was a Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection as a true freshmen a season ago, and set an Aggie receiving record with nine touchdowns on the year. At 6′4” he has the frame to be an elite red zone threat, while the continued progression of quarterback Jerrod Johnson under Mike Sherman’s guidance should lead Fuller to an even better sophomore season.
I hate doing this. I really do. But considering giving ridiculously early preseason “lookaheads” is all the rage these days, I thought I might as well share my Top 10 coming out of 2008 and going into 2009. Keep in mind we still have eight months to go before the start of next season, and between spring ball, a semester without football, and fall camp a lot can happen. Also, don’t forget that some of these rankings are contingent on big name stars coming back for another season, like Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford or USC’s Mark Sanchez. Still, here’s where some of the nation’s top teams figure to fall going into the long, slow thaw of winter.
1) Florida-Hey, it’s not like I wouldn’t like to be contrarian here, but fresh off a National Title this team is just scary good and only figures to get better. Percy Harvin moves on to the NFL from the offense but the unit isn’t short on experience or playmakers, with Jeffery Demps and Chris Rainey waiting in the wings. The defense should be stacked - with or without Brandon Spikes- and you know the coaching staff won’t have any off days with Urban Meyer at the helm. All of this would make for a Top 5 team at least, but when you factor in the return of one of the greatest college football players ever, well, now it just starts to become unfair.
2) Texas-The team that many thought should be playing for a National Title this year may very well find itself playing for one in 2009, as the return of QB Colt McCoy, WR Jordan Shipley, and four of five starting offensive linemen make Texas’ explosive offensive attack arguably the best in the Big XII. Losing stud DE Brian Orakpo hurts, but the return of LB’s Sergio Kindle and Rodderick Muckelroy leave the Longhorn’s no shortage of talent on Will Muschamp’s defense. The secondary - young and inconsistent at times in 2008 - should be much improved.
3) Alabama-It may be tempting to drop the Crimson Tide a few spots when you consider just how poorly they played without soon-to-be NFL bound left tackle Andre Smith in the Sugar Bowl, but remember that as a hole this team was remarkably young this past season. Losing Logan Coffee and John Parker Wilson hurt on offense, but the majority of the defense will be back as will emerging playmakers Mark Ingram at running back and Julio Jones at wide receiver. If this team can find a capable quarterback they look like the favorite in the SEC West.
4) Oklahoma-We’ll know by Thursday whether or not Sam Bradford is coming back or not, but in either case the Sooners should return a strong defense anchored by nine returning starters. The return of Ryan Reynolds (injured against Texas) at linebacker should bolster the unit, and even with the losses on the offense line and skill positions there is enough talent in the pipe to keep this team in the hunt for a Big XII and National Title.
5) USC-I know, I know. East Coast bias, right? Wrong. I like USC to make it back to a BCS bowl in 2009, but given the fact that they’re going to have to replace six of their starting front seven on defense gives me cause for concern, especially considering their recent history of midseason PAC-10 hiccups. This might be the most talented team in the country, but if anything college football has shown us that experience trumps talent with the new 12-game schedule format.
6) Georgia Tech- Leave it to a longtime Navy fan to go out on a limb on this one. I know Georgia Tech was handled in the Peach Bowl and that ranking them above the LSU Tigers may seem blasphemous to our friends in SEC country, but consider for a moment that Johnson was working with an offense built primarily from freshmen and sophomores recruited for a radically different system. The last time he did that - 2002 at Navy- his team went 2-10 his first year but came around to finish 8-5 in 2003. Even if the defense isn’t as good as it was in 2008 I don’t see any reason to expect that Johnson’s offense won’t be incredibly more productive in 2009, making them the ACC favorite.
7) LSU-Settle down Tiger fans, I did not forget you. Had QB Jordan Jefferson and the Tigers played the rest of the 2008 season like they did in the 2008 Peach Bowl we may have had a different matchup in the SEC Title game, but even the 38-3 stomping of Georgia Tech is not enough for me to overlook the painful inconsistency of Les Miles’ team in 2008. I like the Tiger offense moving forward under Jefferson, but a likely overhaul of the front seven on defense keeps me skeptical.
8 ) Ohio State-I know some analysts are already drinking the Terrelle Pryor cool-aid, but the Buckeyes do suffer some pretty significant personnel losses going into next season. Chris Wells and Brian Robiskie depart, and joining them may be fellow wideout Brian Hartline. Defensively the Buckeyes will have to retool, and despite the fact that they’ve replaced NFL talent in the past I think they struggle moving forward without all everything linebacker James Laurinaitis. Still, this looks like the Big 10’s best team heading into 2009.
9) Oklahoma State-Here’s a comparison for you: How about the Cowboys as next year’s version of the 2008 Red Raiders? The defense may struggle, but with all the playmakers back on offense this could end up being a team which just outscores its opponents more often than not. Quarterback Zach Robinson and wideout Dez Bryant are legitimate Heisman darkhorses.
10) Boise State-I don’t know if Boise State is really the tenth best team going into next season (ok, so I know they’re not) but I do think they represent the best shot of a non-automatic qualifier getting to a BCS bowl game in 2009, which in and of itself deserves mention on a list like this. This season’s freshmen sensation Kellen Moore returns at quarterback to direct an explosive offense which features several other young but talented skill position players.
Others to Consider:Virginia Tech, Penn State, Ole Miss, Kansas, Notre (gasp!) Dame
Two congratulations to hand out, first to the Florida Gators for winning the BCS National Championship. My second congrats go out to my friend John Radcliff of the Mountainlair, he won his second In The Bleachers Bowl Bonanza title in three years edging out Tell Burke by one point. I will be in contact with all of those who won prizes.
A little bit of a sloppy game last night but that I expected when the teams have around a month off between their conference title games and the BCS title game. Both Tebow and Bradford had two interceptions, but Bradford’s came at a very bad time at the end of the second quarter.
Add to that the mistake Bob Stoops made not going for the field goal in the first quarter and there’s the 10 points Oklahoma needed to tie the game. If you want to get even more into it, the blocked FG would’ve won the Sooners the game. As I said in the Podcast, Florida’s edge on Special Teams was going to be the big factor in this game, and it turned out to be.
It was great to see a championship game live up to the hype. The game was still in doubt heading into the latter parts of the 4th quarter. Mr. Electric, Percy Harvin broke off a few long runs for the Gators and set them up for the winning score. I feel that’s the last we’ll see Harvin in a college setting.
The next questions surround the fact of how good was the Big 12. We heard all season how they were better than the SEC and have surpassed them in the conference rankings. All the Big 12 supports pointed to having 3 teams in the Top 10 with Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech.
Bowl season comes around and Oklahoma and Texas score the least points they did all year against their opponents, and Texas Tech puts up only 1 point more than their previous season low against Ole Miss. The other Big 12 South team Oklahoma State has 42 points put on them by Oregon. I think my assumption was right all along, the Big 12 was full of above average offenses, but below average defenses.
Overall the Big 12 won 4 bowl games against Clemson, Northwestern, Minnesota, and Ohio State. Only the Ohio State one is impressive, and even then, Texas was suppose to wipe them off the field. But they needed a late TD to win that game. Missouri needed overtime to beat Northwestern, and the Nebraska-Clemson game was very close.
Anyway, I was glad to see a competitive championship game and am sad to see a close to the 2008-09 season. We only have a little more than 8 months till the 2009-10 season kicks off.
To steal a quote from Colonel Sink right before the invasion of Europe; “Tonight is the night of nights”. The waiting is over as the BCS National Championship Game between Florida and Oklahoma will kick off from Miami, a little after 8pm EST on Fox.
A group of fans will go home from Miami dejected and disappointed, come tomorrow if they were caught crying on camera they will probably be ridiculed by Spencer in Friday’s Curious Index, especially if they are a Sooners fan.
I have already given my prediction on who I think will win; I think Florida has a decided advantage in the Special Teams aspect, I think their quick defensive line will not allow Bradford to sit in the pocket like he is use to, and I don’t think the Sooners will be able to stop the Gators. For the Sooners to win they have to establish the run to keep the Gators off balance and use their weapons at wide receiver and tight end to find holes in the Florida secondary. The Gators haven’t faced a passing attack like the Sooners this year so it will be a test for their secondary.
If you haven’t already got enough pregame material; below are some good previews to check out. Enjoy the game everyone, savor it because we don’t have another one for 9 months.
This thought sponsored by CollegeFootballNews.com’s Adam Nettina, who actually gets paid (although very sporadically) to understand the world of non-BCS football.
Charles Barkley thinks Turner Gill was not hired by Auburn because Gill is black. Does that mean Brady Hoke – a more experienced coach than Gill who is also coming off of a better overall season- was not hired by Auburn because Hoke has, how should I put this, a little more to love in the midsection? If you’ve listened to the show before you know there is no bigger Gill fan than me, but if I were Barkley I’d stick to hitting my three wood in the high grass and commenting on sports I actually understood.
One of the best jobs in the country opens up and Tennessee decides a guy with a 5-15 head coaching record is the answer? Did I miss something?
Kiffin is most well known for being the youngest coach in NFL history when he was hired by Al Davis to coach the Oakland Raiders. That experience turned out miserable for both parties involved and ended in a very messy breakup when the Raiders fired him after posting a 1-3 record to start the year.
It has to say something about your situation when the defensive coordinator is the most prolific coach on your sideline. Even a general skim of Kiffin-to-Tennessee articles on the internet all talk more about the coup of bringing the Lane’s father, Monte, in to join the staff rather than discuss Lane’s qualifications for the job.
What would I have done? It’s simple really. All the Volunteers had to do was open up their checkbooks and offer the ranch to Cincinnati Head Coach Brian Kelly. Kelly has a proven track record of turning around programs. He took Central Michigan from an afterthought to the MAC Championship. A lot of people thought Kelly was nuts for taking the Cincinnati gig because it wasn’t much of a “name” job and the thought was no one could win there. Well, last year Kelly led the Bearcats to ten wins and this year they sit pretty at number 13 and winners of the Big East. Yeah he has some baggage, but in this day in age, what is important is that he is bringing wins to programs that aren’t accostumed to them.
Brian Kelly was the Volunteers answer to the SEC’s great cradle of coaches. Can you say you honestly like the chances of Lane Kiffin against coaching studs Nick Saban (Alabama), Steve Spurrier (South Carolina), or Urban Meyer (Florida)? Spurrier’s already taking his shots at Kiffin.
Tennessee made the right call in making a coaching change this year. There is no doubting Phil Fulmer needed to go. But you are going to have to convince me that hiring a 33 year old guy whom has never been a head coach at the college level was the way to go. Tennessee deserves better than that.
Of all the games this weekend, the SEC Championship game is one I don’t want to miss. I’ve watched enough track meet Big 12 games this year for my liking, now I want to see what the SEC has to offer. We’ve heard it all year long that Florida is the fastest team in the country, and their opponent Alabama, who is undefeated, comes into the game as a 10 point underdog.
I sent my scouts to Gator practices to see just how they get so much speed on their team, and here is some top secret tape of Urban and his team.
On a more serious note, Alabama has to be relishing the fact that they are the underdogs here. They are the undefeated team in this game, yet like Rodney Dangerfield, they get no respect, and haven’t really all season. According to Mark Schlabach, the Tide have the perfect ingredients to beat the Gators, and that is — a stifling, physical defense and a punishing, ball-control offense — to slow the Gators down.
Alabama has its goals clearly in front of them, if they win Saturday night, they are one of the two teams that will be playing for the BCS National Championship. Florida on the other hand, does not have the same luxury. Dr. Saturday points out that even with a win against Alabama, it still might not be enough for the Gators to jump Texas in the BCS Standings.
Two years ago, people were totally against the fact that Ohio State and Michigan could play in a rematch in the Championship game, so a certain coach (whos name rhymes with Murban Ueyer), threw his weight around and got his team in the title game. Will he be able to do it two times in 3 years? That remains to be seen. I can see the voters making a big shift, but Florida still ranks behind Utah in many computer polls, so that will be a little harder to persuade Mr. IBM.
All that aside, I’m looking for Alabama and Florida to be a great game, maybe one of the best this season. While some bloggers are predicting a blowout, others don’t care if they make the BCS title game because the SEC Championship is more important, I think it will a close one where we’ll find a lot out about these teams. Because in reality we don’t know how good they are since both teams have combined to play exactly two teams ranked in the BCS Top 25 at this moment. I bet that’s a big of a shocker!
Yesterday I gave the scenarios in which teams could win the Big Ten, Pac Ten, and Big 12. Today I’ll finish up the BCS Conferences by looking at the ACC, SEC, and Big East. The ACC right now is a big mess, so I might have missed something.
SEC
This is the easiest of all the conferences. Both Florida and Alabama have clinched their respective halves of the SEC and will meet in the conference championship game.
Big East
Cincinnati - The Bearcats just need to win out against Pitt and Syracuse and they will be in a BCS Bowl game. If they lose to Pitt, they will need West Virginia and Connecticut to beat Pitt. And also, West Virginia would have to lose to South Florida. Pitt - The Panthers need to win their last three games against Cincinnati, West Virginia, and Connecticut to win the Big East. If they lose to Cincinnati, they are out. If they lose to either Connecticut or West Virginia, they will need a lot of help because Rutgers (who beat Pitt) would still be in the mix. West Virginia - The Mountaineers need to win against Pittsburgh, South Florida and Louisville, and have Cincinnati lose to either Pittsburgh or Syracuse. Rutgers - Rutgers needs to beat Louisville and then have all of the following happen: West Virginia lose at least 2 of their last 3 games, Cincinnati lose to both Pitt and Syracuse, and Pitt lose to either Connecticut or West Virginia. Connecticut - The Huskies need to win out and have the following happen: Rutgers lose to Louisville, West Virginia lose 2 of their last 3, and Cincinnati lose 1 of their last 2.
ACC Coastal Miami - The Canes need to beat both Georgia Tech and NC State. Georgia Tech - The Yellow Jackets must beat Miami, then have the following happen: UNC lose to either Duke or NC State, Virginia Tech lose to Duke, Virginia lose one of their last two to Clemson or Virginia Tech. North Carolina - The Tar Heels must beat Duke and NC State then have the follow occur: Miami lose to either Georgia Tech or NC State, Virginia Tech lose to Duke, Virginia lose one of their last two to Clemson or Virginia Tech. Virginia - The Cavs need to beat Virginia Tech and Clemson, and have Miami lost to both Georgia Tech and NC State.
ACC Atlantic Maryland - The Terps just need to beat Florida State and Boston College. Florida State - The Seminoles have to beat Maryland, have Wake Forest lose to Boston College, and have Maryland beat Boston College. Wake Forest - The Demon Deacons have to beat Boston College and Maryland has to lose to both Florida State and Boston College. Boston College - The Eagles control their own destiny. They win the Atlantic with wins over Wake Forest and Maryland.
If you missed a show or you want the latest In The Bleachers Podcast click on the player below.
In the Bleachers podcasts are one of the Equatorial Republic of Blogfrica’s best-kept secrets - EDSBS
Doing on-air at a Top 40 station, you want to put a hole in your head listening to the same song 3x a day. ITB's podcasts probably save my life. - MizzouRAH
In The Bleachers produces a truly excellent podcast week in, week out, and without fail. Congratulations, guys. Keep it up. - Rocky Top Talk
Where To Find Us
Use the RSS Feeds to subscribe to the blog and the Feedburner to subscribe to the podcast.
Interested in finding the best sports betting sportsbooks online? Try out Sportsbetting3.com. For NFL football, the best NFL betting can be found at Bet-on-the-NFL.com. Fans of Blackjack and Slots will love the selection of online casinos at Jaxcasinos.com
Brian Sakowski is a college football nut. He is a Penn State fan, but loves to talk about college football with anyone and everyone! This blog is the home of the longest running general college football podcast on the internet.
Adam has talked about reviving a countdown he started last year where he picked the Top 10 potential upsets of a FCS team over a FBS team. Double T Nation has an early preview of the Red Raiders game against the North Dakota State Fighting Sioux. I am fairly certain this game will not make Adam’s list.
QB Ricky Dobbs, Navy- Ask any Navy fan and they’ll tell you there is just something special about the junior-to-be quarterback. While maybe not the most technically sounds Navy quarterback to command the option offense in recent years, Dobbs shined in the few opportunities he had to play in 2008, sparking Navy’s unthinkable comeback against Temple while powering the Mids past SMU and Northern Illinois. He’s a physical runner inside who isn’t afraid to take on linebackers, while his arm strength and accuracy in the passing game give Navy’s run heavy offense another dimension. If he can continue his progress in learning the option reads he should be in for a monster year in 2009.
FS Harrison Smith, Notre Dame- Let’s just get this out of the way; Harrison ‘Hayseed’ Smith was good as a “hybrid” defender in Notre Dame’s defense last year, but this guy is way too athletic to just be a situational player. The fact that he recorded 57 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and seven passes defended was certainly impressive given the fact that he wasn’t playing his natural safety position, making this year’s move to free safety all the more conducive to his continued success. He should have no trouble reminding Irish fans of a bigger and more athletic version of former Domer standout Tom Zbikowski.
QB Bo Levi Mitchell, SMU- It’s not easy coming into an FBS school and starting at quarterback as a true freshmen, which is exactly what June Jones’ rookie signal caller found out last year in the Mustangs’ disastrous 1-11 campaign. Despite his struggles Mitchell still completed 56% of his passes for over 3000 yards a season ago, and with receivers Alderick Robinson and Emmanuel Sanders back in 2009 Mithcell should only get better. With a season of June Jones’ run-and-shoot system under their belts expect Mitchell and the Mustang offense to put up Hawaii like numbers in 2009.
1) Florida-Hey, it’s not like I wouldn’t like to be contrarian here, but fresh off a National Title this team is just scary good and only figures to get better. Percy Harvin moves on to the NFL from the offense but the unit isn’t short on experience or playmakers, with Jeffery Demps and Chris Rainey waiting in the wings. The defense should be stacked - with or without Brandon Spikes- and you know the coaching staff won’t have any off days with Urban Meyer at the helm. All of this would make for a Top 5 team at least, but when you factor in the return of one of the 
6) Georgia Tech- Leave it to a longtime Navy fan to go out on a limb on this one. I know Georgia Tech was handled in the Peach Bowl and that ranking them above the LSU Tigers may seem blasphemous to our friends in SEC country, but consider for a moment that Johnson was working with an offense built primarily from freshmen and sophomores recruited for a radically different system. The last time he did that - 2002 at Navy- his team went 2-10 his first year but came around to finish 8-5 in 2003. Even if the defense isn’t as good as it was in 2008 I don’t see any reason to expect that Johnson’s offense won’t be incredibly more productive in 2009, making them the ACC favorite.
