I have been toying with this idea for awhile now, and decided to give it a go tonight. Adam and I are going to do a live podcast on Talkshoe starting at 9:05 EST. If it is successful, I will set a time each week to do it.

As of now Talkshoe will be our temporary home, because it looks as if we keep doing this live podcast we will move over to Blog Talk Radio. In The Bleachers is going to be added to their All Access Football Team in the near future.

If you can’t make the live podcast, don’t worry. I will still post the file on the site and all of your feedburner and iTunes subscriptions will still get the In The Bleachers Podcast. By doing the show live, we hope to get some listener interaction via the chat room or even if you want to call in.

Tonight’s topic will have us talking about the Non-BCS Conferences and some FCS (Division 1-aa) talk. It will also debut a segment called the Bologna Chopshop. My friend and loyal listener Jeff Brancolini will call in during the show to give us some random facts about the topic at hand each week. If I were you I wouldn’t miss it.

In The Bleachers Live Podcast Link

When: 9:05 EST
Phone Number to Call In: (724) 444-7444
Talkcast ID: 81065

The conclusion to our countdown doesn’t feature a stunner like Georgia Southern over Georgia or Northern Iowa over BYU, but you can take my word that when Cal Poly travels to San Diego State in week one the Mustangs will be in perfect position to upset the Aztecs. Check the links below to recap the last three parts of our countdown.

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]

#1: Cal Poly at San Diego State (August 28^th)

Chuck Long has had a tough time getting San Diego State going in his two years here and despite having a fairly veteran offense in 2007 the Aztecs still stumbled their way to a 4-8 record. The Aztecs finished 115^th out of 119 FBS teams in total defense last season, allowing a staggering 498 yards per contest, including a “just shoot us now” 241 yards per game on the ground. Offensively San Diego State has quite a bit of retooling to do as they lose eight players off of last year’s offense including NFL bound quarterback Kevin O’Connell and wide receivers Brett Swain and Chaz Schilens. Even more pressing however may be the questions at offensive line, as the Aztecs return zero experience at the tackle position and only two starters on the offensive line. This is not a good storyboard for a team which averaged “only” 25 points per game on offense last year while benefiting from a +6 turnover margin. I use the word “only” because San Diego State will need to score points in order to even be competitive in the MWC. Considering how many teams need 2-3 games to establish an identity on offense it certainly seems more than conceivable that San Diego State would come sluggish in their opener with Cal Poly.

Cal Poly on the other hand is coming off of a successful 7-4 campaign which saw the Mustangs finish 24^th in the final Sports Network FCS media poll. Coach Rich Ellerson’s bunch led the nation in total offense during the regular season last year, falling just short of the 500 yard per game mark. They posted impressive wins over UC Davis (63-28), Idaho State (48-28) and Weber State (47-19) in 2007, while losing close matchups to WAC member Idaho (20-13) and North Dakota State (31-28.) The Mustangs return ten starters from their record setting offense in 2008, with the lone graduation loss being offensive lineman Daniel Bradley. Defensively they return seven starters, and while they weren’t lights out last year Cal Poly did have a dominating defense in 2006.

I like Cal Poly in this matchup for a number of reasons, not the least of which is their recent success against FBS programs as well as their established offensive dominance. Cal Poly actually beat San Diego State 16-14 in 2006 and would have beaten Idaho last year had it not been for seven fumbles which gave the Vandals a decided edge in the turnover department. While San Diego State does bring back eight starters on the defensive side of the ball I really question whether or not they’ll be improved enough in the first week of 2008 to stop Jonathan Dally and the Mustang offense. Keep in mind Cal Poly runs a triple option offense not totally dissimilar to what Air Force runs, and that the Falcons totaled more than 650 offensive yards (!!!) against San Diego State last season. Even with a comparatively average defense by FCS standards Cal Poly remains much more experienced than San Diego State’s offense, which will likely struggle controlling the ball as they break in a new quarterback, two new starting receivers, and an overhauled offensive line. It’s a good thing they don’t put lines out on inter-subdivision games because if they did I’d put money down on Cal Poly, which is exactly why this is my most likely FCS over FBS upset in 2008.

My top four most likely FCS over FBS upsets for the 2008 season. Be sure to check out parts one and two if you havne’t already!

#4: Richmond at Virginia (September 6^th)

Al Groh’s Cavaliers were one of the better stories in college football last year, spending much of the 2007 season in the ACC title hunt while finishing the year with a 9-4 record. Their success was deceiving however, as Virginia pulled out four net close wins (wins of a touchdown or less) including one point wins over Wake Forest, Maryland, and Connecticut to go along with a two point win over always powerful Middle Tennessee State.  Virginia figured to be rebuilding in 2008 with the loss of all everything defensive end Chris Long (who, to put it bluntly, won several games basically by himself for Virginia last year), but further and unexpected losses on both sides of the ball this off-season have left Groh’s squad desperately inexperienced. Aside from having to break in a new quarterback in 2008, Virginia must replace three offensive linemen and all three defensive linemen, including rising star Jeffery Fitzgerald, who left the team abruptly this spring. 

Richmond, meanwhile, is fresh off an 11-3 season in the ultra-competitive Colonial Athletic Conference in which the Spiders made it all the way to the National semi-final game where they lost to Appalachian State. Richmond returns eight starters on both sides of the football and gets two more back in OL Tim Silver and DE Sherman Logan, both of whom sat out much of 2007 due to injury. They do lose All-American running back Tim Hightower and have a new Head Coach at the helm with Mike London, but the Spiders are no strangers to playing quality competition as their six wins against FCS Top 25 teams were the most of any team in the country last year. Rising senior Josh Vaughan ran for more than 700 yards and nine touchdowns last season, and should fill in nicely for Hightower while duel-threat quarterback Eric Ward continues his development.

After what figures to be a crushing loss to USC in week one Virginia will still be searching for an offensive identity when they return to Charlottesville on September 6^th, while their promising but young defensive line will likely be going through some growing pains. I like Richmond’s rushing attack (12^th nationally in the FCS last year) to shore up Virginia’s front seven, and for the Richmond defense to give Virginia’s already fairly pedestrian offense some problems. In a close game like this matchups matter but despite the coaching matchup of a veteran like Groh and a rookie like London, I give Richmond a great chance of pulling the upset here.

#3 North Dakota State at Wyoming (September 13^th)

After being one of about seventeen people on the East Coast to watch Wyoming dismantle Virginia to begin the 2007 season I was thoroughly convinced on Joe Glenn’s ability to lead the Pokes to a winning season, and after a 4-1 start my suspicions seemed to be confirmed. Yet it was not to be, as Wyoming went on the drop six of their last seven including and embarrassing 50-0 crushing at the hands of Utah. The prospect of watching his team bludgeoned on the field offended Glenn so much that he flipped the bird to Utah head coach Kyle Wittingham during the contest, an act which this blogger eagerly applauded. Still, Wyoming’s downfall in 2007 went largely unnoticed, as the Pokes struggled offensively down the stretch en route to being out-gained by more than 80 yards per game in conference play. Quarterback Karstan Sween was woefully inconsistent, tossing 17 picks to just 12 touchdowns, and the team sputtered under a -12 turnover margin. They do get 14 starters back in 2007 including an explosive running back tandem in Devin Moore and Wynel Seldon, as well as an offensive line which returns its entire two-deep. Defensively Wyoming figures to be strong once again in 2007, although the Pokes will have to deal with the loss of two top flight corners in Michael Medina and Julius Stinson. With so much attention focused on North Dakota State’s running game, Wyoming’s inexperienced cornerbacks could struggle against the experienced and talented NDST receiving corps.

 North Dakota State was in a transition state from Division II to the FCS last year and the program wasn’t even eligible for the playoffs. That was probably a good thing for numerous teams throughout the FCS, as the Bison only cruised their way to ten consecutive wins before losing a close game to rival South Dakota State to finish out the year. While all the team’s featured in our countdown are coming off of winning seasons, what separates North Dakota State from virtually every other FCS program in the country was the team’s ability to win two games against FBS competition in 2007, a feat which I believe was never before accomplished since the classifications were established (if I’m wrong on this one, let me know.) North Dakota State’s 27-21 win over Minnesota was well documented by the world wide leader, but an equally, if not even more impressive win came in week three when the Bison shellacked bowl bound Central Michigan 44-14, in the process holding the potent Chippewas offense to 150 yards and sixteen points below their yearly average. North Dakota State spent six weeks as the top ranked FCS team in 2007, and while they lose quarterback Steve Walker to graduation they do return their top skill position players, including one of the best running backs in the FCS in Tyler Roehl (1431 yards, 21 TD last year.) A solid receiving corps returns all the leading pass catchers from last season, including All-American candidate Kole Heckendorf. Defensively they will be adjusting to life after linebacker Joe Mays, but there is a veteran enough presence to keep the team in games and to let the offense go to work. 

This is the one all the FCS fans have circled. It’s not that Wyoming is a bad team, it’s just that North Dakota State looked so dominant in wins over bowl-bound Central Michigan and Big Ten member Minnesota last season that they’ve built a reputation of being able to beat FBS teams. While this could work against them against Wyoming (especially considering Glenn’s background as a NAIA, D-II, and FCS coach) it remains to be seen whether Karstan Sween has furthered his development enough to overcome the inconsistency and turnovers which stalled Wyoming’s offense last season (-12 in 2007.) North Dakota State is a veteran team with senior leadership, and considering the talent level even a solid defense like Wyoming’s could struggle if kept on the field too long. North Dakota State’s potent offense and penchant for upsets make this my third most likely FCS upset of 2008, especially considering continued questions of the productivity of Wyoming’s offense.

#2 New Hampshire at Army (September 6^th)

It’s been a long and frankly depressing slide into mediocrity for the Cadets of West Point, as the once proud team that was producing National Championships and Heisman trophy winners some 60 years ago now struggles to post wins over lower tier MAC teams. Head coach Stan Brock hopes to begin a turnaround similar to the run engineered at Navy under Paul Johnson six years ago, making the transition to an option offense while downgrading the schedule, a move which should actually have Army looking up. Nevertheless the Black Knights are likely to have a very difficult time in 2007, as they’ll have only four starters back on offense while attempting to make the switch to the wishbone. The fact that last year’s starting quarterback Carson William’s is not exactly the most fleet-o-foot individual around compounds Army’s offensive issues going into the year, putting the Black Knights in a potentially no-win situation of making the decision to go with the ill-adapted Williams or a true freshmen in Paul McIntosh. In either case, Army will have to rely on solid fundamentals and scheme work to overcome a lack of playmakers on offense, a point exceptionally tough to accomplish in the first year of a new system (for comparisons sake, see Paul Johnson’s 2-10 season at Navy in ’02.) Defensively Army has been o.k. the past few years, but the loss of seven starters from a unit which allowed over 30 points per game in 2007 will likely drop them to the bottom of the FBS defensive rankings. What concerns me the most is the secondary, which will break in four new starters in 2007 against what was the FCS’ 13^th ranked passing offense and 4^th ranked passing efficiency offense last season.

New Hampshire isn’t an overwhelming FCS power like Appalachian State or Montana, but they’ve been a perennial winner under headman Sean McDonnell (60-47 in nine years of work) and more importantly have had a knack for beating FBS teams. New Hampshire has actually won their last three games against FBS opponents, with the latest being a win over Marshall 48-35 in 2007. New Hampshire runs a spread style passing attack that is more than capable of exposing Army’s defensive limitations, including a revamped Army secondary which must break in four new starters. While Ricky Santos does leave for the CFL after a record setting career at UNH the offense figures to still be potent, with Mississippi State transfer Kyle Aufrey coming in to compete for the starting job. UNH did struggle defensively last year but seven returning starters should help shore up the defense. The good news for New Hampshire is that they see an option offense every year with Rhode Island, so adjusting to the presumed Army wishbone look shouldn’t be too radical of a defensive gameplane.

Army has struggled with CAA teams in the recent past, with the Black Knights squeaking by UMass by a touchdown in 2005 and just getting by a mediocre Rhode Island team in overtime last season. Unlike those two teams New Hampshire has the resume of knocking off FBS teams on a regular basis and has the experience on offense to move the ball against Army even with a new quarterback. New Hampshire is arguably a better team than Army talent wise and with the Black Knights undergoing a transformation in offensive schemes it’s tough to see Army having that much success against a UNH defense which returns seven starters. As an Army fan I hate to go against the Cadets like this but we could see a lot of balls on the ground for Army, something which will cost the Black Knights dearly against a perennially explosive UNH offense.

Check back tommorow for my most likely FCS over FBS upset of 2008!

In a move that will likely keep the Notre Dame Fighting Irish an Independent football program for at least the next decade, the school extended their current deal with NBC Sports to broadcast Irish home games through the 2015 season. The AP also reports that the new deal, which takes effect for the 2011 season, will give the Peacock Network seven home games and neutral site game with Notre Dame being the home team.

With a new round of television negations due, specifically the current Bowl Championship Series deal with Fox that expires after the 2010 title game, any chance to pull the storied Irish program into another conference, such as the Big Ten or Big East, becomes much more difficult as any conference looking to make that deal would have to deal with NBC as well. Chances are if the Big Ten expands to twelve, it would not be the Irish as the conference has a large deal in place with ABC/ESPN. Conferences with twelve teams are allowed to host conference title games, bringing in millions of dollars to the SEC, Big 12, and the ACC.

NBC and Notre Dame have been partners for all Irish home games since 1991, currently paying the school $9 million a year for the seven game package.

FCS Week rolls on with Part Two of my series on the potential FCS over FBS upsets of 2008. Here are my seventh through fifth most likely upsets.

#7: South Dakota State at Iowa State (August 28th)

Iowa State struggled tremendously in their first year under former Texas defensive coordinator Gene Chizik, going only 3-9 despite having a veteran quarterback in Brett Meyer back. Chizik’s team did show improvement down the stretch as they won two out of their last three games against Big 12 competition, including a stunning 31-28 upset over Colorado. Nevertheless they lose a four-year starter at quarterback in Brett Meyer as well as big play wide receiver Todd Blyth, who moves on after becoming Iowa State’s all-time leading receiver. The Cyclones do return fourteen starters for 2008, including their three top rushers from 2007 and four starting offensive lineman. However, this was an offense which averaged a paltry 18.2 points per game, and was held under 20 points per game on eight separate occasions last season (including games against Kent State and Northern Iowa.) Chizik is a great defensive mind but he’s never had to gameplan for an FCS team with the kind of talent he had at Auburn and Texas, so it was no surprise that his Cyclones fell to Northern Iowa in week two last season. While he has seven starters back to work with he loses his two best assets in linebackers Alvin Bowen and Jon Banks, and with them the heart and soul of his defense. He’ll need more than scheme if he’s going to stop South Dakota State’s offense; he’s going to need to inspire effort and intensity.

South Dakota State won the Gateway Conference in their first year of conference competition last season and finished the year ranked 19^th in the country after pulling off an upset of powerhouse North Dakota State in the finale. South Dakota State loses a number of key players off of the offense and the defense but does return their starting quarterback Ryan Berry, who came on strong after a shaky opening to the 2007 season. The Jackrabbits have a core group of underrated skill position players to include receiver JaRon Harris, who is widely considered one of the best “small school” draft prospects in the country. I’m also very high on running back Kyle Minett, who excelled during spot duty for departing senior Cory Koening last season. Major losses from the defensive side of the football could hurt the Jackrabbits, but that’s assuming Iowa State’s Austen Arnaud and company are in a position to strike early and often (a big “if” at this point)

One thing I look for when predicting upsets are FCS teams that have a mentality of winning and FBS teams which have struggled against FCS competition in recent years. This matchup is clearly a case of both as South Dakota State comes off of a 7-4 season and a 4-0 record in conference play while Iowa State is coming off of a 24-13 loss to Northern Iowa last season and a 3-9 record. South Dakota State’s main problem over the last few seasons has been inconsistent quarterback play but with Ryan Berry coming back they should be able to more easily disseminate the ball to their playmakers, including potential NFL prospect JaRon Harris. I think Chizik will have Iowa State headed in the right direction sooner rather than later but he’s just not an offensive mind, and considering just how poorly Iowa State’s offense started last season (not to mention a new quarterback replacing a four-year starter) there isn’t precedence for Iowa State to score many points against even a rebuilding South Dakota State defense. South Dakota State is a talented FCS team and after a strong finish last year I give the Jackrabbits a decent shot at knocking at an Iowa State team which is undergoing an identity change.

#6: McNeese St. at North Carolina (August 30)

Year one under former Miami (Fl) and National Championship Head Coach Butch Davis saw its ups and downs in Chapel Hill, as the North Carolina Tar Heals played a fairly competitive but uninspiring 4-8 season.  The Tar Heals managed to take down Davis’ old team in Miami as well as play fairly competitive games against the likes of Virginia Tech and South Carolina, but as is the case with many of the teams in our countdown were plagued by inconsistent quarterback play. TJ Yates did an admirable job coming in as a redshirt freshmen but his 18 picks went along way towards North Carolina’s -6 turnover ratio, while the Tar Heal offense amasses a rather mundane 21.2 points per game during the 2007 campaign. With 10 starters back they should be improved in 2007, but they’re going to have to rely more on the running game with continued questions at quarterback.  

It was a record setting year in 2007 for the McNeese State Cowboy’s, who went undefeated in the regular season en route to an 11-1 season and an FCS playoff appearance (Tthe Cowboys lost to Eastern Washington in the first round.) Like many teams in the countdown the Cowboy’s defeated a FBS program last season, amassing more than 400 total yards in a 38-17 win at Louisiana Lafayette last season. McNeese returns 12 returning starters overall in 2008, including an amazing seven players to earn either First or Second team All-Conference honors. Quarterback Derrick Forroux is one of the best duel threat quarterbacks in the FCS, throwing for over 2000 yards in 2007 and rushing for over 500. Four offensive linemen return (two All-Conference), as does a veteran group of skill positions players, including playmaking wide receiver Steven Whitehead, who sat out last season with an injury. This offense put up more than 450 total yards against ULL last season in a 38-17 win, and with their top players back should find similar success against North Carolina.

Butch Davis may have North Carolina well on its way to becoming a force to reckoned with in the ACC, but coming off of a 4-8 season the Tar Heals are more likely another year or two away, even with 18 returning starters in 2008. It’s never easy opening the season against a good FCS team like McNeese State, and considering the fact that incumbent quarterback T.J. Yates missed the spring and is coming off of offseason shoulder surgery you almost have to expect some rust from the Tar Heal offense. McNeese State has an “expect to win” attitude under Head Coach Matt Viator that has manifested itself in a 17-3 record over the past two seasons. I like the fact that McNeese State has an experienced quarterback and offensive line, not to mention speed and athleticism at the skill positions. North Carolina’s otherwise solid defense struggled against mobile quarterbacks last year, and one factor we’ve seen throughout most FCS upsets is the ability of a mobile quarterback to break down even good FBS defenses. I could see North Carolina having a winning season in 2007, but their August 30^th matchup with McNeese State is by no means a “warmup” game, which I fear the Tar Heals will treat it as before preparing for a Thursday night matchup with Rutgers in week three.

#5: James Madison at Duke (August 30th)

Duke University’s football shortcomings are well documented, but just in case you’ve been living under a rock since 1960 I’ll gladly go through them with you. Three winning season in the last 45 years, two of them under Spurrier. Also a grand total of ten wins over the past eight years, including an impressive 0-12 performance in 2006. Quite simply, Duke has been the punching bad of not just the ACC, but of the entire college football community. Things could change sooner rather than later however for the Blue Devils, as famed offensive mind David Cutcliffe comes in to take charge of a program which has more potential than most people realize. He comes in at the right time too, as Duke returns seventeen returning starters including all of last year’s major statistical leaders. QB Thaddeus Lewis showed outstanding development last year from a woeful 2006, and should thrive under Cutcliffe’s tutelage, as should an up-and-coming group of receivers to include potential All-ACC performer Eron Riley. The offensive line is a constant concern however, as last year’s group (which also happened to be the entire 2006 group) 45 sacks and paved the way for a very non-hoah 2.0 per carry. This year they have to replace two starters off of what might be best described as just a very unskilled line, although the Blue Devils do get 10 back on defense to include a massive front four to include the once amazingly highly touted DT Vince Oghobasse (6’6, 310.)

James Madison is a traditional FCS power which is usually competitive with FBS teams including many from the Atlantic Coast conference. They did lose their opener to North Carolina last year but held the Tar Heals to a paltry 2.9 yards per carry on the ground. The Dukes are coming off an impressive 8-4 season in which their only FCS loses came to playoff bound teams (Richmond, Delaware, Appalachian State.) JMU lost those three games by a combined five points and should have beaten National Champion Appalachian State had it not been for a series of unfortunate events late in the game which sparked the Mountaineers to victory. This year James Madison returns a veteran squad of 15 returning starters including duel-threat quarterback Rodney Landers, who rushed and passed for over 1000 yards last year. Also back are four starting offensive lineman from a unit which allowed the fewest sacks in FCS play to go along with two veteran tailbacks in Eugene Holloman (1085 yards in 2006) and Griff Yancy (688 yards, 6.3 avg last year.) While they lose veteran safety Tony LeZotte on defense JMU is still in relatively good shape, returning three starters from last year’s unit.  I like the way JMU matches up with Duke, which has traditionally struggled with rush defense and rushing offense over the last few seasons.

Don’t get me wrong, Duke is definitely a team on their way up and, from a talent perspective, is much better than the vast majority of college football fans realize. But JMU is a talented and experienced FCS team with an “expect to win” mindset that doesn’t get left off the bus when they play FBS teams. Duke dropped their 2006 opener to Richmond and likely will need some time to adjust to Cutliffe’s offense, which will demand more on Duke’s experienced but problem ridden offensive line. Believe it or not I think that Duke could be overconfident coming into this game, as the Blue Devils will be facing the prospect of four winnable home games right out of the starting gate. One thing when dealing with traditional losing teams like Duke is that they tend to under-perform in new situations, and even though they may very well come out firing during the opening part of the season they’ll have to deal with a brand new monster; expectations. Considering JMU’s proven offensive formula and some close losses to FCS super powers last season this game looks like a legitimate toss-up.

We’re almost there! Expect my most likely FCS over FBS upsets by Friday!

I hope everyone enjoyed the first few picks of my most likely FCS over FBS upsets for 2008. In an effort to prolong the suspense and incur more complaints from ACC fans I’ve decided to get to games seven through five tomorrow morning. Today however we are taking a look at a hodgepodge of FCS (I-AA for you purists) related links to include blogs, websites, and You Tube videos.

If you’re not familiar with FCS football I’d suggest checking some of these out, as by now you’ve probably had just about as much USC, Florida, and Texas news and notes as a sane person could possibly stand. Not so much? Well, at least I have.

First things first, let’s get to the blogs. While there isn’t as big of a market for FCS coverage from the college football blogosphere as there is for FBS teams, there are still several great places to read up on some of the best teams and leagues from around the country. One of my favorites is Frank Smith’s UMass Football Blog. Frank is about as immersed in the football program at the University of Massachusetts as a fan can get, and provides daily updates on the happenings of FCS teams from around the country. He’s extremely knowledgeable when it comes to teams from the Colonial Athletic Conference, and has keen eye for what it takes for FCS teams to upset FBS teams.

Another solid option for FCS reading is Chuck Burton’s Lehigh Football Nation, which contrary to its title is not exclusively about Lehigh or football. Consider it a one stop shop for commentary and analysis from around the Patriot league, and a very good one at that.

Moving right along, the New Hampshire Football Report does a great job on keeping tabs on not only University of New Hampshire football program, but all levels of football throughout the state to include high school. If you’re looking for Big Sky conference coverage you’re in luck, as no FCS conference is more represented than the one many people believe is among the best in the country.

The place to check out all the happenings in Big Sky football is BigSkyFans.com, which recently did an expert analysis on the OOC schedule for Big Sky conference teams.

Another great place to read up on Big Sky Football is Steve Bergum’s Eastern Washington Sports Blog. Also notable is Kellis Robinett’s Idaho State sports Blog, which tells you everything you ever wanted to know and more about Pocatello’s Bengals.

And don’t forget The Grizzoulian, which is the place to catch up on University of Montana athletics and football. Colin O’Keefe does an awesome job covering the Griz, while at the same time providing meaningful commentary and analysis from across the Big Sky conference.

Outside of blogs, there are also a number of traditional websites and web forums that provide great coverage and updated news on all the FCS teams from around the country. Perhaps the best place to start out is CollegeSportingNews.com, which could rightly be called the foremost authority on small school football on the web.

Another favorite of mine is the massive FCS message forum AnyGivenSaturday.com. AGS is full of knowledgably, dedicated fans from every FCS school in the country, and if you’re looking for the latest scoop this is the place to check out.

If you’re in to weekly previews I definitely suggest checking out the FCS Weekly Preview, where Eric Gemunder does a fantastic job breaking down all the week’s FCS games each week during the season. And don’t forget the FCS Launchpad, where you can find even more links to polls, rankings, and commentary from around the Championship Subdivision.

Now, on to the really fun stuff. You Tube has become an essential tool for today’s college football fan, and not just for the fans of top FBS teams for that matter. Many FCS teams have highlights posted on You Tube, while many more have features and interviews with players and coaches. For starters, you can actually watch entire football games from! one of the universities to later be featured on our upset countdown. McNeese State went undefeated in the regular season last year, and if you’ve got two and a half hours to kill you can see them upset the likes of Louisiana Lafayette or obliterate Southern Utah.

But wait; let’s say you’re the kind of person who needs your Sportscenter highlights. Not to worry, as you can watch, rewatch, and watch Tyler Roehl run all over Minnesota again and again. If Montana football is your thing, or you just like watching high quality abridged versions of Big Sky football domination, you can also check out all of Montana’s regular season wins in 2007. And of course, no discussion about FCS teams on You Tube could be complete without the many versions and highlights of Appalachian State’s victory over Michigan last season. You can relive highlights here, over here, and my personal favorite here.

Click away my friends, a whole new college football experience awaits!

Note: This is part of our ongoing “FCS Week” feature here at ITB. Continue to check back this week for more news and analysis from around the Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA.)

For fans of college football’s top teams, this is usually the time of year when we obsess about preseason rankings, compulsively assess the situation of our teams’ conference rivals, and often completely forget to worry about that small state or private school down the road that was given a half million dollar check to essentially be blown out in a warm-up performance. Yet for the fans of those schools, and for the fans of Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) schools everywhere across the country, the prospect of such a game presents the challenge of the lifetime, and a chance to rise from relative obscurity to national prominence for at least one Saturday afternoon. Last year we were given a crash course in just what an inter-subdivision upset could mean, with Corey Lynch’s blocked field goal against Michigan serving as the iconic image of the season. While this year’s matchups may not present the kind of earth-shattering implications as Appalachian State’s upset of Michigan did, beginning on August 28th dozens of these FCS teams will be chasing that same dream, and trying to play the role of David against their respective Goliath’s. Over the next week we’ll be counting down the Top 10 most likely FCS over FBS upsets of 2008, as well as discussing the trends of these upsets and just what it takes for these smaller programs to take down even proven FBS winners. Keep in mind this list is just an assessment of the FCS teams with the best chances to take down certain FBS teams; meaning, among other things, that there could be more or less upsets than the ten I have listed here. Today we’re looking at my tenth through eighth most likely upsets for 2008, and starting at a very familiar place…

#10: Appalachian State at LSU (August 30^th)

Louisiana State University is fresh off of a National Championship in which the Tigers won the SEC and pounded Ohio State 38-24 to take the title of the number one team in America. Surely such a team would be unstoppable against a lowly FCS team, wouldn’t it? The answer is probably a very solid “of course,” but when discussing Appalachian State one almost needs to throw all of last season’s accolades out the window. So let’s start with what we know. LSU has a quarterback “situation” after Les Miles finally booted oft-troubled quarterback Ryan Perrilloux from the team this spring, with redshirt freshmen Jarrett Lee and former Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch in the mix for the starting job come August 30^th. The Tigers return thirteen starters overall but do lose some key players to the NFL, most notably Outland trophy winner Glenn Dorsey at DT, leading rusher Jacob Hester at RB, and top tacklers Craig Steltz and Ali Highsmith on the defense. Starting quarterback Matt Flynn also departs, as does wide receiver Early Doucet and both starting cornerbacks. While LSU certainly has the talent to eventually replace these players (with the possible exception of Dorsey) it won’t be easy, and despite a fairly light slate in September it’s not unreasonable to expect the Tigers to go through some growing pains, especially on defense.  It’ll be interesting to see if this lack of championship experience at critical positions like quarterback and safety effects the way Les Miles runs his team. We all know he’s a gambler in every sense of the word, but without his most trusted offensive and defensive tools the Tigers may not find the kind of returns they expected on their early season gambles.

By now every college football fan in America is acquainted with the Appalachian State Mountaineers, and thankfully no longer on account of the Boone, North Carolina school’s reputation for being “hot, hot, hot.” I could go on documenting the 2007 Mountaineer season in detail but frankly it boils down to this; upset Michigan, make it to the playoffs, win a third straight FCS National Championship game. The fact that ASU lost conference games to Wofford and Georgia Southern almost seems irrelevant, but it does prove one thing, and that is that the Mountaineers are by no means invincible. While the offense was the top ranked in the country last season (averaging 488 yards per game) the Mountaineers only return five starters for ‘08 and must find a way to replace a 1000-yard rusher in Kevin Richardson, their three top reeivers (including second round draft choice Dextor Jackson), as well as three All-American offensive lineman. This is an extremely tall order and although Appalachian State remains one of the most talented teams in the FCS it is unlikely that they’ll be able to come out with the same explosiveness that they did against Michigan last season. Things look a little clearer on the defensive side of the ball as Appalachian State returns seven starters including all three linebackers in Jacque Roman, DJ Smith, and Pierre Banks. Nevertheless, there are still questions surrounding the defense, which finished the year a ho-hum 70^th in the country while allowing 380 yards per game. ASU loses all four starting members of the secondary including All-American and NFL-bound safety Corey Lynch, who was the cornerstone upon which ASU’s championship defenses had been built. The fact that three of those starters were three-year starters cannot be overlooked, and despite an infusion of young talent this group looks impossible to replace and likely will struggle against a very good LSU receiving corps. Even with the secondary concerns this is still a talented team led by what some are calling a legitimate Heisman trophy contender in QB Armanti Edwards, and as always they are very well coached and well schemed in the spread offense which gave Michigan’s supposedly more talented defense fits last year. With the entire front seven back on the defensive side of the football they should improve against the run, which will be critical if they’re to stifle an LSU running game which could lean heavily on Keiland Williams and Trindon Holliday. Jerry Moore refuses to let this team get complacent and while they’re not going to sneak up on LSU like they did Michigan, they certainly have no shortage of self-confidence.

I know what you’re thinking; lightning couldn’t possibly strike twice, could it? In all honesty it likely won’t, as even a quarterback depleted LSU presents considerable problems for an Appalachian State team which figures to compete for a fourth consecutive National Championship. Nevermind this SEC speed fallacy everyone keeps talking about, the real difference between LSU and Michigan will be attitude and outlook. Simply put nobody is going to underestimate the Mountaineers after last year, and playing under the lights in a nationally televised contest like this could be a much bigger issue for a more inexperienced ASU team. Despite the fact that LSU’s quarterback position remains uncertain, the Tiger’s have talent and depth at all the skill positions and matchup considerably well against the Mountaineer secondary. Armanti Edwards is going to look good against virtually anyone, but it will be interesting to see how he does without the majority of his supporting cast from last year’s upset, particularly his top-three pass catchers. By the same token it will be interesting to see how the LSU quarterback, whether it be Lee or Hatch, comes out against ASU’s defense, and whether or not LSU plays a more conservative brand of offense. This should be a competitive game and although this LSU team is not nearly as vulnerable as Michigan was last year the Mountaineers have proven they don’t back down to anyone and that’s why I give Coach Moore and his squad at least a fighting chance against the defending FBS National Champions.

#9: Wofford at South Carolina (September 6^th)

Is this the year Steve Spurrier finally gets the Gamecocks to the top of the SEC East standings? Upon first inspection it very may well be, as South Carolina returns seventeen total starters including ten on the defensive side of the ball from a team that went 6-6. But it seems like you never can tell with Spurrier and SC and despite an infusion of talent in the program they’ve still had their ups and downs during his tenure. Case in point the offense, which has failed to eclipse 24 points per game during Spurrier’s three years here, largely due to inconsistent quarterback play. While the good news for 2008 is that presumed starter Chris Smelley has experience (six starts in two years) the bad news is that he’s been inconsistent and doesn’t have the mobility Spurrier would prefer. SC’s other options may be limited however, as highly touted redshirt freshmen Stephen Garcia’s legal troubles have continued and he was suspended for the spring, while last year’s third string QB Tommy Beecher has struggled with accuracy and interceptions in limited duty. The fact that Smelley and Beecher combined for a mind-boggling eight picks in the spring game is cause for concern, especially considering the team lost its top offensive playmaker (RB Corey Boyd) to the NFL. Fortunately the defense returns virtually intact, but questionable performances against Louisiana-Lafayette (252 rush yards), LSU (290 rush yards), and Arkansas (541 rush yards) last year underscore potential matchup difficulties against run-based offenses. South Carolina has been a streaky team over the past few seasons and while they haven’t lost to an FCS school under Spurrier they did barely survive a 27-20 scare against Wofford in a 2006 season which was Spurrier’s best here.

Wofford is actually the fourth smallest school in Division I but you wouldn’t have known it by the way their football team played last year. The Terriers, who won the Southern Conference championship in 2007, have been something of a minor power in the FCS under head coach Mike Ayers, who has been named conference coach of the year four times since 2000.  Wofford runs an old-school meets new-school wingbone offense along the lines of what Paul Johnson ran at Navy, with the South Carolina school typically among the FCS leader’s in rushing yard per game (second in the country at 309 ypg in 2007.) Last season was a landmark year for the Terriers, who went 9-4 with wins over FCS heavyweights Appalachian State and Montana before losing in the quarterfinals of the playoffs to Richmond. While they don’t return a majority of starters from offense or defense from last year’s team (10 full time returning starters) they do get back 43 letterwinners and six “nonstaters” who started at least two games. While Wofford loses its top rusher from last year there is a precedence of plugging in pieces to the offense as the team has had to replace its top rusher four of the last five seasons. Likewise, even though Wofford will have to break in a new quarterback in 2008 they won’t exactly be going with a bright-eyed freshmen, as senior Ben Widmyer, who actually started against NC State last season, will have the inside track to win the job in the fall. He’ll be pushed by a talented group of young players, including Navy transfer and option protégée Robby Davis. Even with the losses to graduation this remains a potent and well coached offense, and because of the uniqueness of its scheme and ability to “plug and chug” it has the potential to give South Carolina problems.

I admit this pick may be going out on a limb (especially when you consider Wofford’s last win against the Gamecocks came in 1917) but I swear that until South Carolina and Spurrier can establish some constancy at the quarterback position this team is going to be schizophrenic. Yes South Carolina is an SEC program which returns 17 starters and yes they managed wins against Kentucky and Georgia last season, but the reality of the situation is that they’ve been slow starters under Spurrier and their run defense has been mediocre. Spurrier and his team barely survived a Wofford upset bid in 2006 where Wofford came within a 4^th and five conversion of tying the game at 27. Instead the Terriers fell 27-20 but they proved they could compete with South Carolina. This year Wofford gets two weeks to prepare for this game and because of their unique offense and the fact that South Carolina will be coming off a tough home game against Georgia I give the Terriers and their 1,350 student enrollment a fighting chance against Spurrier’s Gamecocks, making this my ninth most likely upset of 2008.

#8 Delaware at Maryland (August 30^th)

Maryland is one of those teams that is tough to get a read on. Ralph Friedgen did an absolutely amazing job here between 2001-2003 as he lead the Terps to three consecutive 10-win seasons including an ACC championship in 2001 and two impressive bowl wins in 2002 and 2003. Yet they’ve been streaky the past four seasons, finishing 5-6 in 2004 and 2005, 9-4 in 2006, and 6-7 last season. Much of this has been due to offensive inconsistency and mediocre quarterback play, which seems ironic considering both the legacy of Maryland quarterbacks of the past and the offensive background of Friedgen (hmm, remind you of another Maryland football team?) The starter on opening day is anyone’s guess, as three quarterbacks once again will take the battle into camp to see who will lead the Terps for at least the start of 2008. Remember that this was a team which was up and down in 2007, finishing the regular season off 6-6 before losing a tight game in the Emerald Bowl to Oregon State. They had their moments of dominance in wins over then 8^th ranked Boston College and 10^th ranked Rutgers, but they also lost to a mediocre North Carolina team and looked just o.k. against Villanova and Florida International. This year the Terps return eight starters on offense including four on the line, which to be fair dealt with a number of injuries last season. In addition to this they get five starters back on defense including middle linebacker Dave Philistin, an absolute beast who should be on track for all-conference honors. Nevertheless, the Terps have questions in the secondary with the loss of three starters, and will have to answer them in a hurry against what is traditionally one of the best passing attacks in the FCS. Talent wise the Terps are better than people give them credit for, but just like South Carolina their offense will only go so far as their up-to-now inconsistent quarterback play will take them, especially with the loss of their top two running backs from last season.

Delaware is coming off yet another successful season under head coach KC Keeler in which the Blue Hens went 11-4 and made it all the way to the National Title game before falling to Appalachian State. Offensively UD was among the Nation’s very best in 2007, finishing sixth in the country at 460 yards per contest. They do lose an outstanding quarterback in Joe Flacco to the NFL but they get another potential NFL prospect via transfer Rob Schoenhoft, who spent last year as the backup for Ohio State. Schoenhoft is a former four-star quarterback out of high school who happens to be a perfect fit for Coach Keeler’s offense with his 6’6 frame and strong arm, and should adapt well with a veteran cast of pass catchers around him (including former Pitt transfer and NFL prospect Robbie Agnone at TE.) While UD does have to replace three offensive lineman there is a tradition of developing solid O-lines here and I don’t see any reason for that not to continue in 2008. A talented group of running backs waits in the wings; including Wisconsin transfer Jerry Butler, who sat out 2007 with a leg injury. Defensively Delaware should be much improved, as nine starters return to a defense which ranked 50^th in the nation last year, including former Notre Dame DE Ronald Talley. In case you haven’t gotten the picture by now, this is a team and a program which thrives off of getting FBS transfers.  

I think the perception out there right now is that Delaware will be in a rebuilding year with the loss of a quarterback like Flacco and a runner like Omar Cuff. I don’t totally disagree with that notion but you have to remember that KC Keeler is very good at getting his teams fired up to play FBS opponents and that the Blue Hens remain one of the most talented squads in the FCS. Delaware put up 581 yards of total offense in a win at bowl-bound Navy last year and typically bring a large number of fans to mid-Atlantic contests (Maryland, in contrast, does not usually draw well for OOC games.) While Maryland does return eight starters on offense they have been a traditional slow-starter under Friedgen and haven’t shown great offensive production early in the year. I’m not sold on any of the quarterbacks here and even though they do get Josh Portis back he hasn’t taken a “live-fire” snap since 2005 and he’ll have to do against a Delaware defense which returns nine starters. Maryland’s heavy losses in the secondary are the most concerning aspects of this game as the Blue Hens return three starting wide receivers and a legitimate NFL prospect in the tight end Robbie Agnone. If the Blue Hens can protect Shoenhoft up front then he may very well be the next Flacco as he has the size, arm strength, and accuracy to play on the next level. Because of Keeler’s track record and the overall talent on Delaware’s roster I give them a good chance against the Terrapins, who will likely struggle out of the blocks offensively with continued questions at the quarterback and running back positions.

Check back tomorrow for my seventh through fifth most likely upsets!

It’s Football Championship Subdivision Week here at ITB (at least from my end, not sure what Brian has cooking for you this week) and to start us out I thought we could take a quick look at the official AnyGivenSaturday.com Fan Poll. The fan poll, which is determined by voters on the popular FCS themed web community of AnyGivenSaturday.com, has been in operation since 2004 and is considered the first “officially” released preseason poll for FCS teams each year. This isn’t just a bunch of homer fans voting for their favorite teams though, as the website has established strict guidelines for voter fairness and accuracy.

The top teams on this year’s preseason poll should come as no surprise to those who have followed the FCS in recent years, as three-time defending National Champion Appalachian State comes in at the top with 76 first-place votes. Colonial Athletic Conference heavyweights James Madison and Richmond come in second and third, respectively, with the Dukes receiving two first place votes and the Spiders receiving one. North Dakota State and Northern Iowa round out the top five, with the Bison, who defeated two FBS programs last season, receiving two first place vote.

Other notable features to the poll see Montana at #7, Delaware at #11, and Cal Poly at #13. The Cal Poly Mustangs were also named the Poll’s “Team on the Rise” while the Delaware Blue Hens were named the “Team Falling the Most” after losing star quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Omar Cuff to the NFL. The full Top 25, including a section on “Others Receiving Votes” can be viewed below:

1. Appalachian St. (76)
2. James Madison (2)
3. Richmond (1)
4. North Dakota St. (2)
5. Northern Iowa
6. Massachusetts
7. Montana
8. McNeese St.
9. Eastern Washington
10. Wofford
11. Delaware
12. Southern Illinois
13. Cal Poly (1)
14. Youngstown St.
15. Elon
16. Georgia Southern
17. Villanova
18. South Dakota St.
19. Eastern Illinois
20. New Hampshire
21. The Citadel
22. Eastern Kentucky
23. Fordham
24. Yale
25. Furman

Others receiving votes: Harvard (33), Sam Houston St. (31), Delaware St. (29), Northern Arizona (27), Central Arkansas (24), Montana St. (24), Jackson St. (23), South Carolina St. (22), Jacksonville St. (18), Grambling St. (16), Liberty (16), Holy Cross (14), Western Illinois (13), Albany (12), Hofstra (12), Dayton (10), Hampton (10), Nicholls St. (7), Coastal Carolina (5), Colgate (5), Norfolk St. (5)

Poll courtesy of AnyGivenSaturday.com.

Stay tuned to Inthebleachers.net this week as we continue our FCS coverage, including a week long special devoted to breaking down my Top 10 most likely FCS over FBS upsets for the upcoming 2008 season.

Before I begin with what can only be described as a partial, only marginally coherent look at Phil Steele’s gargantuan 2008 College Football Preview magazine, I want to say a big “thanks for wasting my freaking time” to the Barnes and Noble of Ellicott City, Maryland. Phil Steele magazine advertises that the magazine is sold at Barnes and Noble bookstores, and this I never have had reason to doubt, seeing as though I’ve found the magazine in the chain’s stores in the past and that I’ve read of others buying this year’s preview from their local B&N. However, Ellicott City’s Barnes and Noble decided is was too good for Phil Steele, and upon my fourth trip to the bookseller in a week I was informed that they had not only not received a shipment of the preview, but they were not carrying it. For this I could only stare in utter befuddlement, silently accusing their high-flung, mocha-latte high-school-English-teacher crowd of sabotaging the American way of life and likely giving the terrorists an upper hand in our country’s War on Terrorism. Long story short I stormed out of the establishment, refusing to ever enter again and hustled off to the local newspaper store, where I found a ‘Steele with a Big 10 cover and promptly purchased it. I have also informed all of my relatives to never again buy me those stupid Barnes and Noble gift cards, seeing as though the only reason I don’t throw them out on the spot is that I’ve traditionally used them to buy college football preview magazines in the past.

Quick Hits

Ok, on to the preview. First off it’s the same as always, which is a really good thing. The only part I noticed that was changed is the Spring Game review, which will be posted alternatively on the website once June 20th rolls around. There is more “hardcore” information than I remember (322-323) and more half-page spreads dedicated to different trophies and awards. Phil has also expanded his coverage to 70 pages for FCS teams, although once again you have to buy the $6.99 Pac-10 preview once it comes out in July (my advice for hardcore FCS fans; check back with the site over the summer, as Phil released free PDF’s of each FCS conference during a two week stretch of July last year.)

I’ll leave you to suffer through Phil’s online countdown of the final five team in his Top 25 if you haven’t already bought the magazine, but I will say that Phil’s #1 team is (surprise, surprise) almost everyone else’s number one team, and not the one that starts with a “U” and ends with a “C”. If that doesn’t tell you who it is, I don’t know what more to say. His pick for the National Championship game is this team against the team which has lost the last two. He DOES NOT project a non-BCS bowl team in his Bowl predictions, although he admits several of his power rankings call for either Utah, BYU, or Boise St. to make it to a game. Interestingly enough, he’s also very high on Tulsa to possibly run the table, which he says several of his power rankings call for (provided of course, someone in Conference USA actually plays defense.)

A couple team and conference picks which stood out to me; Boise is first in the WAC and has, according to Phil, a better chance at making a BCS bowl than Fresno St., a team which many other services are VERY high on (I agree will Phil on this one.) Also he’s very high on Florida Atlantic taking the Sun Belt, and even pegs the Owls 37h in his Top 40. USF is Phil’s surprise team, followed by Clemson, Texas Tech, and Auburn. Phil likes Western Michigan in the MAC, which he traditionally has been an expert on. Notre Dame, as you’ve probably heard, is his choice as the Most Improved team. Phil is curiously high on Penn State and Mississippi.

For the Navy Fans

For you Navy fans, Phil is noticeably less enthusiastic about the Mids’ chances this upcoming year, predicting either a 6-6 or 7-5 season. While still projecting Navy to play Maryland in the Congressional Bowl, his tone flat out makes you want to cry if you were expecting anything above seven wins in ‘08. It’s not just the loss of Paul Johnson or the noticeably tougher schedule, it’s the way he describes the skill positions. Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, perhaps the greatest Navy quarterback in a decade, is described as only being the first three-year starter in Annapolis since Brian Broadwater, while the running back unit is ranked 29^th in the Nation (as opposed to Top 15 projections each of the past two years.) Most disconcerting though is his call for Air Force to take back the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy despite his simultaneous projection of the Falcons as seventh in the MWC. I may play devils advocate for Navy in my annual email to Phil next week, but first I’m going to have to come up with some pretty good arguments to refute him on this one. Eric Kettani, Navy’s leading rusher a year ago, is the only Navy player to be ranked in Phil’s position previews, coming in as the 12^th ranked fullback.

Random point having nothing to do with Navy, but Phil left out BYU receiver Austin Collie on his list of the Top 67 wideouts in the college game, a point which makes absolutely no sense to me, even if you are going off the assumption that the list is based on talent and not production.

Power Rankings

Power Poll Top 25 and Bottom 10 - Phil’s well known Top 40 is based on how he feels teams will finish the year, and is largely effected by schedule (who you play, when you play, where you play.) His Power Poll is a combination of all eight of his famous Power Ratings and measures just how good a team is based on talent. Here is his Top 25 and Bottom Ten based on the Power Poll.

1. Florida
2. Ohio St.
3. USC
4. Oklahoma
5. Georgia
6. Missouri
7. Clemson
8. Auburn
9. LSU
10. Texas
11. Texas Tech
12. West Virginia
13. South Florida
14. Penn State
15. South Carolina
16. Tennessee
17. Oregon
18. BYU
19. Wisconsin
20. Virginia Tech
21. Florida State
22. Kansas
23. Utah
24. Notre Dame
25. Alabama

——

110. Ohio 111. Akron 112. Colorado State 113. UAB 114. Idaho 115. Tulane 116. Utah State 117. North Texas 118. Florida International 119. Western Kentucky 120. Army

Heisman Frontrunners?

This Guy is number one. Beanie Wells, Pat White, Chase Daniel, and Graham Harrell round out the Top Five, with Knowshon Moreno, Sam Bradford, and Cullen Harper also getting the call in the “favorites” category. If Maryland wideout Darius-Hayward Bey is a “possibility” for the Heisman than I am a “possibility” to be your next Commander-in-Chief.

Obviously I encourage you to buy this magazine for yourself (although please, for my sake, avoid Barnes and Noble) but if there are any urgent team-specific questions I will be happy to address Phil’s outlook. Likewise, if for some reason you desperately need to know where a player is ranked in Phil’s position rankings, I’ll give it a skim and let you know as well. Otherwise enjoy the magazine, and remember to pay a visit to Phil’s excellent website.

Ah, June. Aside from scorching temperatures across the mid-Atlantic, teenagers crowding the beaches, and presumably another win by that incredibly annoying Spaniard at Roland Garros, it also brings long awaiting college football fans our first round of serious preseason previews. I say “serious” because everyone and his mother seems to be throwing out different rounds of previews throughout the offseason, but only as the spring semester ends and the summer begins can we truly get an accurate beat on just how teams will project at the start of the coming season. This year is no exception, but as we scour our local bookstores and news shacks in search of preview magazines (obligatory BUY THIS ONE remark here) we also have other options made available to us through the glory of the internet.

Several prominent sites have begun releasing free previews, looking at everything from conference roundups to a full preseason projection of all 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Varying anywhere in length from a few paragraphs to a few pages, navigating your way through the slew of preseason previews can often be daunting task, even for the fan who finds the ten year at-home winning percentage of Florida Atlantic to be truly fascinating (aha, got you, FIU has only been playing football since 2002!) This being the case, I’ve taken it upon myself to provide a necessary rundown of just a few of these previews, letting you know what’s good and what is, well, not as good (It being NBA finals time I consider anything college football to be at least in some way good.)

I’ve taken the liberty to make up a somewhat arbitrary ranking system for the online previews, grading them on a scale of 1-5 in terms of depth of information presented, analysis given, and whether or not I think it’s a valid projection (that’s the semi-arbitrary part.) Earning a score of 1 would indicate the preview gives only the bare minimum, while a five indicates the preview covers all the bases and is more or less on target in its assessment. Got it? Good, let’s do it to it.

First and foremost, we might as well begin with Collegefootballnews.com, seeing as though they’re usually the first site to get the previews rolling. CFN, specifically writer Pete Fituak, goes all out in their previews, devoting four pages to every team in the FBS. There is a preview page which gives an overview of the team along with some analysis of the schedule, as well as complimentary offensive and defensive preview which really get in depth with depth, providing thorough explanations of not only who the playmakers are and what they do well, but also who the backups are and what they’ll have to do if the presumed starter goes down. And obviously it wouldn’t be a CFN-sponsored preview without some kind of ranking system, with Mr. Fituak and the gang delivering once again by assigning grades to each position unit on offense and defense. A page outlining the depth chart (something the preview has essentially already done up to this point) rounds out the coverage. Needless to say in terms of content this preview is hard to beat, which is why I assign CFN a grade of 5 in the area. Analysis is also very good, although I can’t help but ask why CFN can’t include the predicted record of the team when they release the preview (after all, what exactly does COMING SOON mean?) Likewise, the tendency to rate players gets a bit excessive, especially when we take a step back and consider football is a team sport. These flaws notwithstanding, I give the CFN previews a 4 for analysis and a 2.5 for projections, mostly because they haven’t actually projected anything. Even vaguer than the final word in a Phil Steele preview, this is still the best available free preview you can find online even if it is filled with “ifs” and “thens” in the projection department. It earns a 3.83/5.

A newcomer (at least as far as my knowledge goes) to the preview game this year is The New York Times sponsored The Quad, which has been churning out a preview every day for a couple of weeks now. The Quad earns a .5 bonus due to its publishing of a preview even on the Weekends; a quality which I really believe is underrated as far as previews go. The Quad has a more “bloggy” feel to it, which can either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you’re looking for. Random facts about the school, notable alumni, and a usually off-the-wall “tidbit” can leave you scratching your head sometimes, but it’s all in good fun and the paragraphs devoted to the coach’s background, NFL alumni of the school, and where one can go to find more online are indispensable. In terms of content I give the Quad a 3. It’s not overwhelming like CFN’s, but it has a good setup in terms of categorization and really hits the important stuff. For analysis The Quad again gets a 3.5. Once again it’s not “chalk full” of it as they say, but it’s solid work and reflects a good deal of research and even some thought as well. Projection wise the Quad gets a 4, as I like their setup of a “dream” and “nightmare” season scenario to go along with the “realistic” scenario they project. Buffalo coming in at 88 was awesome (as the son of a UB man, I am a big fan of the Turner Gill administration.) I like The Quad’s previews a lot, and I’d defiantly suggest taking a few minutes in the middle of your work day to check it out. It gets a 3.66/5.

Rivals.com has also jumped into the fray, with the usual staff presenting a countdown of all 120 FBS teams beginning with numbers 120-111 in their preseason projections. The esteemed bottom feeders you ask? Look no further than perennial lightweights Florida International, Idaho, and Utah State, as well as a slew of underperforming Sun Belt and MAC teams. The amount devoted to each team is, well, kinda wimpy, but it’s so far spot on and does even manage to contain some analysis. As far as projections go you can’t really go wrong with picking the bottom teams in the country, but I do question the choice of Eastern Michigan at 117. I give Rivals a 1.5 for content. Running through all 120 team’s is never easy, but other free online services (like CFN) devout pages to it, so you’ve got to expect a little more. Saying the Top 50 teams get more coverage (which apparently is the plan) is something I think fans have shown a dislike for in the past, ala more people buying Phil Steele magazine and less people buying a Lindy’s or a Sporting News. People want to see their team represented, and they want print previews to give them more than just what they could hear in a TV or radio preview of the big boys. Analysis is, so far at least, a less than stellar 2, again mostly because content and the lack of it. Projection is a 2.5 because the EMU pick didn’t agree with me, but everything else seemed more or less in place. All in all, Rivals.com gets a 2/5, which is still more than enough to keep me checking back in every day. This morning they released numbers 101-110, so why not head over and check it out?

Well, that’s it from me for today. Remember to keep checking back on those sites for continued previews, and be sure to make time to stop by ITB in the coming months as Brian and I cook up some ways to throw even more massive amounts college football information at your faces. So fear not friends, preview season is well underway, and it ain’t ending anytime soon.