# 34: WR Bryan Anderson, Central Michigan

The Verdict: At 6-foot-5, 213-pounds, Anderson represents one of the most consistent receivers in the entire country, with the senior having already compiled a resume that includes  226 career receptions and 21 career receiving touchdowns (both school records.) A two-time First Team All-MAC selection and a Freshman All American in 2006, Anderson is one of the most multi-faceted receivers in the college game today, with the uncanny ability to transition his game to fit the the needs of any situation on the field. He’s an obvious red zone threat who can be physical against defensive backs when called upon, but he’s also remarkably fluid for his size and shows tremendous precision in his routes despite being such a long strider. Anderson is a player who can both stretch the field and work the interior of zone coverages, making him an almost certain mismatch against whichever defensive personnel are assigned to cover him. A two-time academic All-Conference selection with a 3.31 GPA in biomedical sciences, Anderson’s high football IQ and obvious physical talents make him one of the sleeper non-BCS prospects to watch going into next year’s NFL draft.

Past Players: [#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil] [#49: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews] [#48: Wyoming DT John Fletcher] [#47: BSU WR Briggs Orsbon] [#46: EMU QB Andy Schmitt] [#45: Marshall TE Cody Slate] [#44: LA Tech WR/KR Philip Livas] [#43: CSU Gaurd Shelly Smith] [#42: Wyoming FS Chris Prosinski] [#41: SMU receiver Emmanual Sanders] [#40: UTEP QB Trevor Vittatoe] [#39: CMU DE/DT Frank Zombo] [#38: Nevada RB Vai Tuau] [#37: Marshall DE Albert McClellan] [#36: Boise State DE Ryan Winterswyk] [#35: ULM LB Cardia Jackson]

You know the drill by now. If you don’t…well shame on you. Today we have our first ”directional” player. I know right? Pretty sweet.

#46: QB Andy Schmitt, Eastern Michigan

The Verdict: Has there been a more physically gifted athlete playing on a worse football team in the MAC conference over the past four seasons? We’re open for debate on the issue (Eugene Jarvis comes to mind), but when it comes to players who just can’t seem to buy a break, Schmitt certainly makes the short list. What we really want to know is whether or not the 6-foot-4 inch quarterback can finally lead his Eagles to bowl eligibility in 2009, a hereto now elusive prospect for the often injured Schmitt, who was never fully effective last season after injuring his shoulder in week three. While fellow MAC quarterback Dan LeFevour often gets compared to Tim Tebow, it’s the slightly thicker Schmitt who combines the physical and battering ram like athleticism of Tebow with solid arm  strength and accuracy. A career 63% passer, Schmitt should benefit immensely from eight other returning starters on the Eagle offense this fall, and if he can stay healthy he should compete for a spot on an All-Conference team. If that happens, the only question left may be whether or not he gets a shot at the NFL as a quarterback or as a tight end.

Past Players: [#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil] [#49: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews] [#48: Wyoming DT John Fletcher] [#47: BSU WR Briggs Orsbon]

Yes, technically we’ve already broken our promise and skipped a weekday, but c’mon, you didn’t think we were going to relegate Phil Steele to playing second fiddle on a Monday morning in favor of the 47th best Non-BCS conference player in the country? That being said, we continue our countdown today with one of the most promising sophomore receivers to play for any team in the country.

#47: WR Briggs Orsbon, Ball State

The Verdict: It would be easy to chalk up Orsbon’s success as a freshmen last season to any number of extenuating factors, not the least of which being the fact that he was catching balls from arguably the best Mid American Conference quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger. That being said, it would be a mistake to label the 6-foot, 189-pound Orsbon as merely a possession receiver who just happened to be the unlikely beneficiary of a year in a well stocked and well designed offense. The fact of the matter is that Orsbon posses the rare and coveted ability to connect his God-given physical talent with the mental aspect of the game, a fact more than apparent to anyone who took the time to watch him lead the Cardinals in receiving during 2009. Orsbon certainly has good speed and hands, but it is his body control and field awareness which set him apart from most sophomore to be receivers in the game. Considering the graduation of Nate Davis as well as four full-time starters on Ball State’s offensive line from a year ago, Orsbon may not top his 68 catches for 813 yards in 2008, but we’re more than willing to bet that the Ohio native rewrites the record books in Muncie by the time his career is over.

Past Players: [#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil] [#49: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews] [#48: Wyoming DT John Fletcher]

Somewhere between taking shots at Lane Kiffin and babbling excessively about Rich Ellerson during last week’s podcast, Brian and I forgot to mention the absurd amount of coaching changes that took place this offseason in the Mid American Conference. Never one to shy away from giving my opinion on all things related to the non-BCS conferences, here are some thoughts on the new MAC coaches for 2009.

Ball State

Out: Brady Hoke (Hired by San Diego State)

In: Stan Parrish (Former Ball State OC)

I think this is both a good long-term and short-term hire. Parrish is actually one of the best recruiters in the conference, and has a proven track record of attracting mid and low tier Big 10 prospects to come and play for the Cardinals (see: Nate Davis, Briggs Orsbon.) I think he was one of the most underrated coordinators in the entire FBS over the past several season, and should keep Ball State rolling offensively. The real challenge will be on the defensive side of the ball. Ball State should be fine considering the depth returning this year (seven returning starters), but with Hoke leaving you have to wonder if they will struggle down the road.

Bowling Green

Out: Gregg Brandon (Fired)

In: Dave Clausen (Former Tennessee OC)

Clausen was one of the very best head coaches in all of the FCS when he coached at Richmond (2004-2007) and brings with him experience as both a headman and a coordinator to the Falcon program. I know he did not have much success at Tennessee last year but to tell you the truth it is hard to go into an SEC school and transform an offense in one season, especially considering how ill-equipped the Vols were in terms of personnel. Bowling Green was a decent 6-6 last year and although I questioned the decision to fire Gregg Brandon, I think the move to Clausen is ultimately in the program’s best interest and should pay dividends immediately. 

Eastern Michigan

Out: Jeff Genyk (Fired)

In: Ron English (Former Louisville DC)

I actually thought Jeff Genyk was a decent coach and an underrated recruiter, but there is no disputing that his teams underperformed in Ypsilanti and after five years it was time for a change. English is a good short-term hire because he can help shore up the defense immediately, while he inherits a veteran and already strong EMU offense led by senior QB Andy Schmitt. I like English’s recruiting ties to Big 10 country, but ultimately I question whether or not he can sustain success at Eastern Michigan. Like Genyk coming into EMU a few years back, English has never been a HC before and despite success as a high profile coordinator will have to deal with the unique challenges of selling a very tough program to sell. Not exactly the most charismatic guy in the world, this hire may end up going south after one or two good seasons. 

Miami (OH)

Out: Shane Montgomery (Fired)

In: Mike Haywood (Former ND Offensive Assistant)

I don’t like this hire in the long-term or the short-term. Miami University is a program that is used to winning in the MAC but has very little going for them going into 2009. The offense was almost nonexistsant last year, while the defense loses its best players to graduation. Haywood is a smash mouth football coach with a great personality, but can he make this program competitive in a MAC conference which seems to be heading the way of the Big XII in terms of a formula for offensive success? He has had very limited coaching experience in the past and although he brings “name” recognition, you have to wonder if being associated with Charlie Weis really means as much as it used to for a high school recruit. I think this was a “wrong person, wrong time” hire for the program and a “wrong school, wrong situation” for Haywood.

Toledo

Out: Tom Amstutz (Resigned)

In: Tim Beckman (Former Oklahoma St. Defesnive Coordinator)

Amstutz may have been the butt of a number of fat and gambling jokes during his career at Toledo, but people forget that he was one of the best coaches ANYWHERE in the country between 2001-2005, winning two conference titles and four division titles during that time. That being said Tim Beckman is a good hire in the sense that he has experience scheming against spread offenses coming over from Oklahoma State, a skill that should serve him well against the MAC’s increasingly offensive and spread oriented style of play. Beckman also has great recruiting ties to Ohio thanks to his days as a position coach at Ohio State, and should be in a position to attract his fair share of talent to a Toledo program which has heard nothing but bad news as of late. While Amstutz was one of the MAC’s best coaches, I like this hire and think it was a great move by the school.

Thoughts?

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.

More ITB Spring Question Previews:
[ACC]
[SEC]
[BIG XII]
[Big East]

Will BYU be able to replace four offensive line starters?

While the departure of wide receiver Austin Collie leaves the Cougar’s without their biggest offensive weapon from a season ago, BYU is by no means short on skill position talent. Veteran quarterback Max Hall returns along with All-Mountain West tight end Dennis Pitta, while the Cougars also get back speedster wide receiver McKay Jacobson after a two year Mormon mission. And the backfield? Still loaded with 250 pounds of thunder and lightning as Harvey Unga returns for his junior year. The biggest question mark for Bronco Mendenhall’s team will be whether or not the Cougars can find a working offensive line this spring, as the unit must replace four full time starters from a year ago.  With eight coming back on a defense that has nowhere to go but up, successfully retooling the offensive line could mean the difference between just another winning season and the ever elusive BCS bowl berth.

Which perennial doormat is on its way up?

The faces are different but the names (not to mention the losses) have stayed the same. Programs like Eastern Michigan, Utah State, San Diego State, Army, and New Mexico State have had a torrid history of losing seasons in recent years, and all look to rebuild (or is that just build?) after coaching changes during the offseason. And while the process of putting a program together after multiple seasons of 2, 3, or maybe 4 wins is a difficult task to do within the course of only a year, there is precedence for non-BCS teams to find success right away. My pick for the team that could surprise? Watch out for the Utah State Aggies, as former Utah defensive coordinator Gary Anderson steps into a fairly wide-open WAC conference with 16 starters back from last year’s team.

Will Notre Dame find a running game?

Notre Dame’s running woes over the past two seasons have been well documented, as even a stable of former four star recruits hasn’t helped the Irish offense move the ball consistently on the ground during the program’s recent decline. Notre Dame was 100^th in rushing yards per game in the country last season, but there may be reason to expect improvement in 2009. A revamped coaching staff that includes Frank Verducci and Tony Alford should improve the Irish offensive line play, which in turn should help the Irish establish a more physical mentality in the running game. Coach Weis will still need a back to step up and assert himself for the job however, with Armando Allen, Robert Hughes, and Jonas Gray likely to fight over the job this spring. Allen looked to have the most promise a season ago, but if none of Notre Dame’s running backs can provide the answer Weis is looking for expect the field to widen over the summer, when much-heralded true freshmen Cierre Woods arrives in South Bend.

Is Ball State rebuilding, or reloading?                

As if finishing the year without a MAC Title and losing head coach Brady Hoke wasn’t enough, the Cardinals also have to replace the MAC’s top quarterback in Nate Davis along with six other offensive starters from last year’s double-digit win team. Offensive coordinator Stan Parrish takes over the reigns of the team, which should be solid on defense with seven coming back from a year ago. Yet despite a plethora of talent to include running back Miquale Lewis and wide receiver Briggs Orsbon on offense, Parrish will have to find a quarterback and retool the offensive line for the Cardinals to stay atop the MAC. That means it is sink or swim for highly regarded sophomore Kelly Page, who could be pushed by true freshmen and early enrollee Aaron Mershman for the starting job.

Who will be Navy’s fullback?

Going back to 2003 the Midshipmen have had a string of NFL caliber talent at the “B” back position in the triple option offense, with last year’s star Eric Kettani proving to be no exception. But Kettani, who accounted for 88% of carries by a Navy fullback a season ago, moves on this spring, leaving head coach Ken Niumatalolo without a steady heir-apparent. While it’s too early to tell who will step in for Kettani or how successful they will be, keep an eye out for the battle between sophomore Alex Teich and senior Kevin Campbell. Campbell gives the Mids the safer option at fullback, but the explosive Teich gives Navy a home-threat with his speed, quickness, and vision at the second level.

For a complete list of spring game dates for non-BCS conference teams, as well as spring game dates for all 120 FBS programs, click here.

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.

Just sayin’.

Going into Saturday’s MAC Championship game against Buffalo, the Ball State Cardinals are 12-0 and 15 point favorites. They have been that way for most of the season. In those 12 games they average scoring 37.7 points per game while only giving up 16.7 points per game. Yet through all of that when the BCS Standings came out last Saturday, the Cardinals found themselves outside the top 10 at number 12.

Two other Non-BCS Schools are ahead of Ball State; the Utah Utes sit at number 6 and Boise State is at 9. Those two teams have earned their respect in the eyes of the pubic and voters by each winning a BCS Bowl game. The Utes did it in the Fiesta Bowl against Pitt, and the Broncos did it against Oklahoma in an epic game.

Due to the BCS rules, it is highly unlikely that both Utah and Boise State will both get BCS bids. The BCS states:

The champion of Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt Conference or the Western Athletic Conference will earn an automatic berth in a BCS bowl game if either:

A. Such team is ranked in the top 12 of the final BCS Standings, or,
B. Such team is ranked in the top 16 of the final BCS Standings and its ranking in the final BCS Standings is higher than that of a champion of a conference that has an annual automatic berth in one of the BCS bowls.

No more than one such team from Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt Conference, and the Western Athletic Conference shall earn an automatic berth in any year. (Note: a second team may be eligible for at-large eligibility as noted below.) If two or more teams from those conferences satisfy the provisions for an automatic berth, then the team with the highest finish in the final BCS Standings will receive the automatic berth, and the remaining team or teams will be considered for at-large selection if it meets the criteria.

Reading that you will understand that Utah will be selected and Boise State could be left out. So that left an interesting proposition. Due to some issues with the ACC, the Humanitarian Bowl extended an offer to Ball State to come and play Boise State in a game which would pit two undefeated teams against each other.

The Cardinals response…no thank you.

In a world where Non-BCS Schools are clamoring for respect, Ball State had their chance to get respect, and declined it. Yes, it would have been a tough game for them playing Boise State at home essentially. But a win would’ve garnered them a ton of respect, even a close loss would. Now they will probably win the MAC title this weekend, head off to the Motor City Bowl to face an ACC juggernaut like NC State, and when they finish the season undefeated they can look back at the fact that they did not beat a ranked team all year and their best wins are against Navy and Western Michigan.

Ball State you earned the no-respect label.

Hey, this is Eric from the blog Saturday Sound Offs.  I’m glad to have joined the crew over here at In the Bleachers!

Here, we have, at least what I consider to be, the ten most underrated non-conference games of the 2008 season.  So, yeah, most on the list will consist of non-BCS programs.  These games are listed mainly due to a mixture of the meaning of the game, how good it will actually be, and the hype surrounding it.  So let’s begin:

10.  Central Michigan @ Georgia

This is a game that could have larger implications than you might think.  First off, Central Michigan isn’t going to win.  Let’s get that out of the way.  The Chippewas, ever since Butch Jones took control of the program, have forgotten how to play defense.  But, that doesn’t mean the Chips won’t put up a fight.  This has the potential to be Dan LeFevour’s coming out party.

If you’re not familiar with LeFevour, you have obviously shied away from anything Mid-America football-related.  He’s basically, as I’ve said on my blog, a poor man’s Tim Tebow which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  He’s only one of two quarterbacks to ever throw for 3,000 yards and rush for another 1,000 (Vine Young being the only other).  He has a chance to shine in week two against a nasty Georgia defense.

Realistically speaking, the Chippewas won’t be capable of hanging with the Bulldogs if they can get Knowshon Moreno going.  He’ll probably run through Central’s defense like a hot knife through butter and it might remind fans of that night Between the Hedges that Boise State was supposed to put up a fight.  But the reason this game is important is the fact that LeFevour hasn’t had a huge stage to show off his skills.  He’s played solid games in the MAC championships, had great games in both Motor City Bowls, almost beat Boston College, and got hammered by Michigan in 2006.  That’s about his resume on a national scale.  A competitive showing against the Bulldogs could launch his college career even further.

9.  Ball State @ Indiana

The Cardinals don’t have a rigorous schedule this year and if they can navigate it well enough, this could be a BCS team.  Don’t laugh!  The Cards are lead by budding superstar QB Nate Davis.  He doesn’t have a superfluous amount of help on the other side of the ball, but if you look at the fact that Indiana is the only BCS conference team they play this year, it’s not all that nutty to think that Ball State does have a chance.  Their defense is great at creating turnovers (fourth in the nation) and they get just about everybody back on offense.  They seriously return everybody.  If that’s not enough to get you excited, eight guys come back on a sub-par defense.

As for Indiana, the Hoosiers are in a bit of a daze after the Insight Bowl shellacking that Oklahoma State handed to them.  It was never close.  Last year was an emotional rollercoaster ride for sure, but the players handled it in a professional manner and would have made Coach Hep proud.  This year, Bill Lynch is the man and he’ll have to ward off a team as stingy as Ball State.  It will be crucial to their bowl hopes as well.

8.  Louisville @ Memphis

Why is this game important?  Well, it’s important in a sense that Steve Kragthorpe’s future may be affected by the outcome of this game.  These two former C-USA rivals will meet again at the Liberty Bowl.  The last time Louisville went to the Liberty Bowl (regular season) was 2004 when Stefan LeFlors and Danny Wimprime slugged out a 56-49 final score in which the Cardinals prevailed.

What’s worse is that Memphis should remain pretty powerful on offense.  The defense returns plenty of guys that should only get better with more experience.  If Louisville pulls off another Middle Tennessee defensive performance, that might send a signal to the administration that the team has quite on Steve Kragthorpe and I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see him fired at the end of this year.  Of course that’s any game that can happen in.  Louisville has much tougher opponents on the schedule than Memphis, but another awful defensive game against a non-BCS foe would just be another hit this program doesn’t have to take.  The only reason I choose this game as being underrated is the fact that the recipes are there for disaster.

7.  Troy @ Ohio State

Appalachian State:  Part Deux.  If Buckeye fans are worried about this game, they would be right to harbor those particular emotions.  Troy is a dangerous team.  If we point to Exhibit A, we show Troy stunning Missouri.  Exhibit B shows Troy blasting Oklahoma State.  The problem?  Well, those two games were played at Movie Gallery Stadium and this is in the Horseshoe.  Well, Troy has done fine on the road in the past against LSU, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Florida State.

They aren’t going to win though.  Mainly because of the losses on the offensive side of the ball.  Kenny Catthouse, Gary Banks, and Omar Haugabook are all missing and that presents a problem.  The defense isn’t experienced enough to pull off an upset of this magnitude.  But I’d watch for the Trojans to really compete with the Buckeyes and make it a game.

6.  SMU @ Navy

This game is interesting on so many levels.  First off, you can’t get two more diametrically opposed offenses on a football field than the Run n’ Shoot and the triple option flexbone.  It can’t be done.  And we sorta saw this with North Texas and Navy last year, but the whole June Jones thing brings another element to this ballgame.

We all saw what Jones did with Hawaii.  The Warriors couldn’t even beat the lowliest of the low opponents but the instant Jones got there, they were competitive.  He won a WAC title in his first year, one of the most stunning turnarounds in college football history.  Now, an SMU team that flat out stunk will be turning to him for guidance to the postseason and it’s a real possibility.  Navy on the other hand will be without Paul Johnson and that brings Ken Niumatalolo into the picture.  The rookie head coach will try to keep the momentum that Johnson gained during his stay going.  This game is so important to both schools and their aspirations.

5.  Florida Atlantic @ Michigan State

If there’s any moment for Howard Schnellenberger to get his biggest win with the program that he’s managed from the get-go, this is it.  Michigan State in East Lansing will be no easy task, but Rusty Smith and the Owl offense are up to it.

FAU not only should be the best team in Sun Belt history, they should be able to compete with some BCS schools.  We saw how Minnesota was defeated by Florida Atlantic and how USF was pushed to the absolute brink.  This game will be a lot tougher because it will be away from the friendly confines of Boca Raton.  Mark Dantonio preaches tough defense and that just happens to be Florida Atlantic’s forte.   Anyway, if there’s a moment for the Sun Belt to really gain some national commendation, it could come in the form of an almost brand new program knocking off a mainstay in the Big 10.  Don’t count the scrappy Owls out of it.

4.  BYU @ Washington

At least for non-BCS teams, this non-conference game could have the most impact on the entire Bowl Championship Series.  Brigham Young figures to have everything in place for a run towards the coveted BCS slot that Utah, Boise State, and Hawaii have played in before.  But Washington is no pushover.

We saw what happened when Boise State traveled to the Huskies home field.  Personally, I thought the Broncos were the better of two teams but the start they got off to threw everything else off.  BYU might be susceptible to that.  I’ve long said that there would be so many more upsets if non-BCS schools got opportunities to host, but this game does not fit that description.

Jake Locker was borderline potent at different times in the season and should come into 2008 at full strength.  I actually like Washington’s defense coming into this year.  BYU’s strength is also on that side of the ball, so those may equal each other out.  Anyway, a tough road game against a BCS conference foe could be the make-or-break game for the Cougars’ BCS designs.

3.  USF @ UCF

UCF has a tuneup game against South Carolina State to start, but the season kicks off with a bang in week two against in-state rival USF.  The Bulls have already risen to prominence in the state with Jim Leavitt creating the program into a Big East conference contender.  Central Florida on the other hand is still trying to become one of the big boys and that’s even more difficult now that Florida Atlantic is surging.

This game has a load of importance for both schools.  For USF, another win against UCF would assert their dominance in the series and a win for UCF would mean the Golden Knights are capable of taking the next step in their quest to become one of Florida’s state powers.

The only problem here is that UCF is short a QB with experience and Kevin Smith.  Smith was one of the better backs in the entire nation and he was basically George O’Leary’s offense.  Even so, they are one of the better teams in C-USA and the fact that they got drilled last year against the Bulls should only add fuel to the fire.  Hopefully, a change of scenery will allow for a more competitive game.  Hey, we saw what happened to Texas, right?

2.  North Texas @ Rice

Here’s a game I’d pay the price of admission for.  I was hoping for a New Mexico State/North Texas game earlier this year when both teams had an opening on the slate, but most fans of high-octane passing attacks will settle for this.

Neither of these two teams are that great right now.  North Texas struggled to stop anybody and had the worst defense in the nation by far, I don’t care what the stats say regarding total defense.  Okay, maybe not.  Perhaps it was Rice with the worst defense in the nation.  Either way, it doesn’t matter because these omnipotent passers of potency (Chase Clement and Giovanni Vizza/Riley Dodge) should have their way with two pass defenses that don’t even have a prayer.  North Texas ranked 18th in passing offense and lit up multiple Sun Belt teams.  Rice’s was actually better statistically (15th) even though the Mean Green passing game may have gotten more publicity.

Basically, if you like passing and points, this game may shatter the records.  If you thought the 74-62 scoring fest of Navy and North Texas was fun (to at least read about, tough to watch it), this game could be even better.

1.  Tulsa @ Arkansas

This game would be a lot of fun to watch, wouldn’t it?  The much-awaited return of Gus Malzahn.  After getting ousted from Arkansas after a dismal passing attack led by Mitch Mustain and/or Casey Dick, the former Razorback offensive coordinator returns to Fayetteville with his ideal offense developed at Tulsa.  The Golden Hurricane might rely on Jacob Bower without Paul Smith, but there should be no halt in progress for the Tulsa offense.

Arkansas is another story.  They’ll be without the head coach at the time, Houston Nutt.  Bobby Petrino had a much-maligned exit from the NFL when he returned, basically without saying goodbye, to the college game.  Petrino’s team doesn’t have a whole lot going for them as of right now besides the fact that Ryan Mallett is waiting in the wings.

This game could be one of the most entertaining all year and it certainly has the storylines and potential drama to back up that prognostication.  These reasons make the Tulsa/Arkansas game the most underrated non-conference game of 2008.

Be sure to check out my blog, Saturday Sound Offs-The Blog for the College Football Junkie.

Like it or not, some teams’ win-loss record rides on the shoulder of the man under center. If he gets hurt or has a bad year, that team could go from having 10 or 11 wins to only 7 or 8 wins. Looking through the teams, I have found at least 5 quarterbacks who have to stay healthy all year if their teams want to have a chance at success this season.

Gator Fans cringe at the thought of a hurt Tebow

Question, how do you go and find a replacement for someone who threw for 3200 yards, 32 touchdowns, ran for 895 yards and 23 touchdowns? The answer is you don’t. With an improved defense, the Gators have all eyes set on the SEC Championship and another BCS Championship. The one person that could derail all of those plans is the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow.

With the type of offense that Urban Meyer runs, Tebow takes a lot of hits. Luckily last season, when Tebow had his broken, non-throwing hand, the Gators had a few weeks off before their Bowl Game. I suspect this year, Meyer might not be as liberal with Tebow late in games with the lead. He might come out and rest because as Gator fans know, he is the horse that will pull Florida’s buggy this season.

On the same lines as Tebow, this player led his team in both rushing and passing in 2007. Pat White threw for 1700 yards and 14 touchdowns while running for another 1300 yards and 14 touchdowns. Under new head coach Bill Stewart, the Mountaineers can expect to run the same type of offense as in years past with the coach whose name I will not mention. West Virgina did lose Steve Slaton to the NFL draft, but expect Noel Devine to pick up on his missing productivity.

Now if you take a look at the two losses West Virginia had last season, South Florida and Pittsburgh, there is one thing that stands out in each of those losses. In both of those games, the Mountaineers lost Pat White for the majority of that game due to injury. That right there tells you how important he is to their offense. In those two games they combined to score 22 points. So needless to say, Patrick White must stay healthy this season if West Virginia wants to go BCS bowling and possibly play for the BCS Championship.

One final, dual threat quarterback that has to stay healthy this season is Central Michigan’s Dan LeFevour. The Chippewas were the 2007 MAC Champions and it was due mainly to the play of LeFevour. In 2007, like Pat White, he was the leading passer and rusher for the team throwing for 3600 yards and 27 touchdowns while rushing for 1100 yards and 19 touchdowns.

The Chippewas have three decent BCS teams on their schedule, at Georgia, at Purdue, and at Indiana. If LeFevour can put a good showing up against those teams, he will get some serious main stream media attention. Even so, with him in the lineup, one would have to expect that CMU is one of the favorites to win the MAC this year and head back to the Motor City Bowl. Without him and his offensive production, Central Michigan will be lucky to get the needed 6 wins to become bowl eligible.

Tech fans hope Harrell’s arm doesn’t fall off from all the passing

Moving away from the running and passing quarterbacks, to the traditional drop back quarterbacks, the first person on this list is Texas Tech’s record setting passer Graham Harrell. Harrell’s passing numbers last season are seriously mind boggling. In 2007, he threw for 5700 yards, 48 touchdowns, and a 71% completion percentage. It helps to have a great go to receiver like Michael Crabtree who caught 134 balls for almost 2000 yards.

It isn’t a secret that the Red Raiders are going to air the ball out when you play them. Sometimes Harrell will put the ball in the air upwards of 70 times in a game. They use the short passes to supplement their lack luster running game. This will be Graham’s 3rd year as starter for Texas Tech, and it would be hard to believe that their backup could put up numbers half as good. The Red Raiders are on a lot of lists to be a surprise team this year, and the only way they will do that is if Harrell stays healthy all season.

Moving from a possible surprise team of 2008 to one of the surprise teams of 2007, the Arizona State Sun Devils. It was a big joke around the college football world when former coach Dirk Koetter listened to his players and named Rudy Carpenter the quarterback in 2006. Koetter got fired after the season, but Carpenter continued to shine. In 2007, Rudy threw for 3200 yards and 25 touchdowns for an Arizona State team that went 10-3.

Carpenter is back for his senior season and the Sun Devils are hoping not to repeat the end of the 2007 season where they lost 3 of their last 5 games. One can’t really blame Carpenter for those losses because he played well in all of those games. He brings 3 years of starting experience to the table for Arizona State and with a schedule that has Georgia coming to town and traveling to USC and California, Carpenter has to stay healthy for the Sun Devils to come close to repeating what they did last season.