Can Ingram keep Bama rollin'?

1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. Cincinnati
5. TCU
6. Boise State
7. Georgia Tech
8. Pittsburgh
9. LSU
10. Iowa
11. USC
12. Ohio State
13. Oregon
14. Miami(FL)
15. Utah
16. Houston
17. Penn State
18. Oklahoma State
19. Arizona
20. Virginia Tech
21. Wisconsin
22. Brigham Young
23. West Virginia
24. Oregon State
25. Clemson

This college football weekend could very well be an upset weekend in college football as you have some interesting match ups You have number 3 Texas squaring off against number 20 Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, with Sam Bradford back for a second week after being out since the first game of the season with a shoulder injury.

Then you have the Trojans of number 6 USC coming into number 25 Notre Dame. Could this be the year that Notre Dame beats them after a long absence of a win?

Can Clausen take Notre Dame past USC?

Then you have the number one team in the land, Florida playing Arkansas in a SEC matchup. The Razorbacks are coming off a win over then undefeated Auburn. Is Florida ripe for an upset? Is Tebow 100 percent healthy? In another matchup you have the number 2 Crimson Tide playing the 22nd ranked South Carolina Gamecocks. Remember Alabama is half of my National Championship game pick and not to leave the Big Ten out we have Penn State playing Minnesota in Happy Valley.

• I think Oklahoma can very well beat Texas. This is a tough game to pick and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Sooners beat the Longhorns, BUT I picked Texas to go to the National Championship, so I have to go with the Longhorns to win in a close game. Texas 31-28
• Arkansas looked good last week in beating Auburn and Tebow looked fuzzy coming off the concussion, but I think Florida will be right on in their march for the eventual show down with Alabama in the SEC Championship at the end of the season. Florida 35-17
• Spurrier brings his Gamecocks in to Birmingham’s for Alabama’s homecoming. Alabama wins this one 28-17
• Penn State has one loss to fellow Big Ten team, Iowa as they play Minnesota at home in this Big ten matchup. Its going to be cold in Happy Valley tomorrow. Not that it will matter to anyone but the fans. Penn State 24-21
• Well can Notre Dame beat the Trojans this year? I think they can and I think they will.  Notre Dame 24-23

At least we’ll have one upset as the luck of the Irish returns.

Pike for Heisman?

There have been some surprises. Oklahoma losing two games already. A lot can be blamed on the loss of Bradford and Gresham, but it will be hard to salvage a conference win after starting 2 down already. Miami seems to have some of their swagger back and Cal, after many thinking they could compete for the Pac-10 title, have dropped two straight.

So how do I have the teams ranked after 5 weeks?

1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. Cincinnati
   
5. LSU
6. Virginia Tech
7. USC
8. Boise State
9. Ohio State
10. Miami(FL)
11. TCU
12. Oregon
13. Iowa
14. Auburn
15. Penn State
16. Kansas
17. BYU
18. South Florida
19. Oklahoma State
20. Mississippi
21. Oklahoma
22. Nebraska
23. Georgia Tech
24. Missouri
25. Pittsburgh

Does Harris have the Canes on the right track?

We are starting to come into conference play now and should start having tougher games and weeding the pretenders out. So what do we have this coming week in terms of games to look forward to. Lets see:

• Miami(FL) at Virginia Tech. Like I said last week. Virginia is not messing around when it comes to scheduling. Alabama the first game, then Nebraska and now Miami. This is going to be a beat em up game. Miami got it swagger back and has looked god so far this season. The Hoakies only loss was to Alabama in the first game and had a tough game last week with Nebraska. I like the way Miami has been playing. I take Miami to win this one in a Virginia Tech like low scoring game. 17-14.
• North Carolina at Georgia Tech. Butch Davis takes his Tar Heels on the road to face Paul Johnson’s run oriented Yellow Jackets. North Carolina had a close one with Connecticut last week. I look for Davis to have his team ready for GT. Take North Carolina 27-21
• California at Oregon. Coming into the season the Ducks were looking for a BCS bowl, but lost to Boise State in the first game. Cal has Heisman hopeful running back, Best, who had 6 touchdowns last week. I look for Cal to make a Statement that they are the new big dogs in the Pac-10. Cal 32-21.

This weeks rankings:

1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. Penn State
5. Mississippi

Can Pryor take OSU to the Roses?

The other marquee match up was Notre Dame at Michigan. Now I picked Notre Dame to win this one. I didn’t think they were nearly as good as everyone was giving them after one win, but I thought they would easily handle Michigan. The game showed that Clausen and his receivers, including his tight end are the real deal, but it also showed that Michigan’s freshman quarterback, Forcier, is going to be a superstar.

I think the shocker for me this week was the upset of Oklahoma State by Houston. Watch out Rice this week as Oklahoma State will come out firing.

So what do we have this coming week in terms of games to look forward to. Lets see:

• Virginia Tech and Nebraska. This should be a good one. How do you like the Hoakies schedule so far this season. Can’t say they are scheduling money schools early. Alabama the first week and now Nebraska. I’ve yet to see Nebraska play this season. So I’m looking forward to watching them play. I’m taking Virginia tech though with it being a close one. 21-17.
• Florida-Tennessee. Time for some SEC match up action. I think Florida will be too much for the Volunteers, but the “experts” are saying by 21 points. I think it will be a tad closer than that. Take the Gators 35-21.
• Cal-Minnesota. The Pac-10 versus the Big Ten. I’ve liked what I’ve seen of Cal so far..not so much Minnesota. Take Cal 31-17
• WVU-Auburn. WVU smoked Auburn last year in Morgantown. Its at Auburn this year and Auburn has a high flying offense. Ranked number 4 nationally in total yards (572.5 yards per game), number 2 in rushing (345.5 yards) and number 11 in scoring (43 points). WVU’s offense, with Brown, is racking the numbers up as well. WVU had some penalty problems early on last week and they are still working on the special teams. Look for this to be a high scoring game. As much as I hate to say it, being a WVU fan, take Auburn 38-31.

This weeks rankings:

1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. Penn State
5. Mississippi

How much longer at Virginia for Groh?

Some points:

• Virginia got beat by William and Mary. Are you serious? How far has Virginia’s coach, Groh, fallen? The once New York Jet’s coach is now on the hot seat and as well as he should be. I know I talk about parity in college football and how anyone can beat anyone on any given Saturday, but William and Mary?
• Michigan and Notre Dame both looked impressive in their respective wins, but we should see who is the better team this week when they face off against each other. I look for Notre Dame to take this one.As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, Ohio State showed why they shouldn’t be ranked in preseason polls, year after year, so high. If they think they had problems with Navy’s front line wait till they get a hold of USC’s this coming week. USC shall show the pollsters once and for all where Ohio State should be in the rankings.
• Cincinnati’s domination over Rutgers in the first Big East matchup of the year, was impressive, but not unexpected as a lot of people are saying. Rutgers is Rutgers.
• Oregon’s LaGarrette Blount punched and knocked out a Boise State player after Oregon’s loss to the Broncos. Can we say idiot? He has been suspended for the year,a s well as he should be. He apoligized and said it was uncalled for and he lost his cool for a minute. Ok if thats true, why did he act like and ass all the way to the locker room having to be restrained by security? Guys a punk and should be out of football.

Picks for week 2:

USC over Ohio State big 32-17.

Notre Dame over Michigan 27-21.

Georgia over South Carolina 24-21.

Virginia Tech big over Marshall 35-9.

WVU over East Carolina 24-17.

CSF Top 5 Rankings this week:

1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. USC
5. Oklahoma State

Please stop...please!

Another season is upon us and the road to Pasadena will be paved with potholes, roadblocks and detours.  If the past is any indication then there is more than a good chance that the teams ranked high in the preseason polls won’t be the teams playing for the National Championship in the Rose Bowl in January. Florida is an overwhelming favorite in the preseason poll followed by Texas and Oklahoma and while I do believe that a SEC team and a good chance a Big 12 team will be  playing for the BCS in January. I’m not so sure it will be the boys from Gainesville playing for their 3rd championship in 4 years. The money says Florida, being led by Tebow,  is the team again this year, but I’m not so sure. The SEC is by far the toughest conference in college football. No matter what those in the Big 12 and Big 10 will lead you to believe.  You have LSU, Alabama and Georgia as well as every other SEC team looking for that SEC championship and a trip to Pasadena.

Then you have Texas and Oklahoma battling it out in the Big 12, with the winner of that matchup(s) more than likely winning the Big 12, but nothing is ever for certain in the world of college football. You have Ohio State, USC, Virginia Tech and others wanting in on the action. That is what I love about college football, especially in the past couple years where you have more and more parity. Anyone can upset anyone at any given Saturday as Appalachin State showed us a few seasons back.

One thing is for certain its going to be an exciting season weather you’re a die hard college fan or just there for the brats and beer. So lets cut to the chase and I’ll give you my predictions. Conference by conference.

Big East: West Virginia

I think this comes down to the winner of the South Florida-West Virginia game. I’ll be curious to see how West Virginia’s young o-line does this year, but they have the skill players and the defense to compete for the Big East championship along with South Florida. Pitt lost too many offensive skill players or they would be in contention.

Big 10: Ohio State

Will Michigan have another losing season or get above .500 that is the question, but not the question when it comes to who wins the Big 10. Ohio State and Penn State will battle it out and again could come down to the winner of that game.

Big 12: Texas

Sam Bradford could have went to the NFL along with other Oklahoma key players, but decided to come back and that is why they will be in the hunt for the Big 12 championship. This conference will come down to Texas and Oklahoma with last years other competing teams dropping down after losing their key players. Texas ends up winning the Big 12.

ACC: Virginia Tech

The ACC will be much improved from last year and will come down to Florida State and Virginia Tech with VT losing just one game and that will be to Alabama on opening day.

SEC: Alabama

SEC is always tough and anyone can beat anyone in this conference with the speed and defenses they have. Florida is the defending national champion, but I’m picking Alabama to win the conference.

MAC: Temple

Temple, Bowling Green or Buffalo…does it really matter.

PAC-10: USC

USC will again win the PAC-10 and be in the thisck of things with Oregon following.

CUSA: East Carolina

Skip Holtz got the Pirates where he wants them.

Mountain West: Utah

Utah very well may go undefeated and throw a wrench in the BCS AGAIN.

Sun Belt: Troy

Who will get the best tan…probably Troy.

WAC: Boise State

Boise State will win the conference if they don’t get blinded by that blue field.

So after all these conference predictions who do I think will play for the national championship? I predict it will be Alabama-Texas in Pasadena in January. Of course that could very well change tomorrow during opening day. Got to love college football.