Why do I do this to myself?

Its times like this that I wonder why I let the outcome of a football game affect my emotional being for a few days.  I bleed green and yellow, and the Ducks’ pitiful showing on the blue turf has cut me real deep.  Its funny how I can have a gross feeling in my stomach for three days after an Oregon loss, but I guess it comes with being a true, diehard fan.  Not only do I have to cope with it, but I have to constantly be reminded of what happened on ESPN as replay after replay of Blount’s sucker punch is shown.  Its one thing to lose and completely something else to have the quality of your program kicked in the face.  Why am I down? Its because it is not even the first Saturday of college football, and my team is out of the National Championship hunt.  Well, at least Oregon State is still undefeated.

PAC-10 College Football Preview

USC has at least won a share of the Pac-10 title for the last seven years.  Every season, the “experts” are saying “could this be the year the streak is broke,” and every year the Trojans repeat.  This reoccurrence is not because of the Pac-10’s weakness (the Pac-10 was undefeated in bowl games in ’08) but rather the shear dominance of the USC Trojans.  This year, however, the Pac-10 has four teams all with a legitimate shot at the title.  The fall of Troy will happen this season.

•  Oregon  11-1 (8-1)
• USC  10-2 (7-2)
• Oregon State  10-2 (7-2)
• UCLA  9-3 (6-3)
• California  9-3 (6-3)
• Arizona State  7-5 (5-4)
• Arizona  6-6 (3-6)
• Washington  3-9 (2-7)
• Stanford  3-9 (1-8)
• Washington State  2-10 (0-9)

 The Oregon Ducks are loaded to make a run at both the conference title and the National Championship game.  With studs like runningback LeGarrette Blount and quarterback Jeremiah Masoli at the reigns, the offense that ranked number two in the nation last season will only be better.  This is head coach Chip Kelly’s first season as a D1 head football coach.  Typically, this would be a signal for the team to drop in the rankings.  However, Kelly was running the offense and moved into the head coach position with very little change actually occurring.  The biggest obstacle for this team is the opening game at Boise State.  The Broncos are a really good team and are claiming that this is the biggest home game in school history.  If Boise State wins that game, they have a free shot to a BCS bowl.  Will the Ducks have any opening game jitters under a new head coach?  Oregon has to come out fired up for this one, or the dream season everyone in Eugene is hoping for may be over before it really got under way.  The rest of the Oregon schedule is very favorable with key match-ups at home.

 USC is in National Title contention every year.  Thus, they are always picked to take the Pac-10.  True Freshman Math Barkley may be the weak link on this team.  Will a true freshman be able to handle all the pressure that comes with leading one of the nation’s best teams?  Just last year, this guy was playing high school ball, and now he is playing for a National Championship.  I just don’t see it.  The Trojans do have an excellent offensive line that will be able to really help Barkley out.  Even so, USC drops games at California and at Oregon.

 The Oregon State Beavers are continually one of the most underrated teams of the last five years.  Year after year, the Beavers get off to a slow start.  They dig themselves into holes with 1-3 or 2-4 records to start the season only to win the next eight games to go 9-3.  Oregon State has 28 victories over the last three years, including two wins against USC but no one really knows or cares.  This season, the Beavers have a very favorable early season schedule that should allow the team to be 6-0 going into a showdown with the Trojans.  Veteran quarterback Lyle Moevao returns with standout brothers, runningback Jacquizz Rodgers receiver James Rodgers.  This team will use its speed and run the fly sweep to stretch the defenses out only to rebuttal with a deceptively powerful between the tackles rushing attack.  Oregon State is a serious threat in the Pac-`0.  Never count head coach Mike Riley out of a game.

 UCLA is going to surprise teams this season.  Rick Neuheisel is in his second year with the Bruins and should have the team pointed in the right direction.  UCLA returns 16 total starters, but they have gaping holes on the offensive line.  If this defense is as good as it was last year, the Bruins will turn some heads from the nation.  UCLA will win games it shouldn’t and then drop games that it controlled.  This is just another rebuilding year for the Trojans’ little brother.

 The Golden Bears of California boast the nation’s best preseason runningback, Jahvid Best.  In a conference that gives up a lot of rushing yards, this could be a Heisman-type year for the back.  The Bears have not been to the Rose Bowl in over 50 years, and Berkeley is chomping at the bit at the near concept of having a shot at taking the Pac-10.  California has a tough schedule to start the Pac-10 with trips to Oregon and UCLA with USC at home between the two.  If the Bears get through this gauntlet, they will take the conference title.

 The remainder of the conference is left in the dust.  The Arizona schools always have potential to upset teams and ruin seasons.  The Sun Devils play under Dennis Erickson and thus always have a good shot in games.  Stanford is a team trying to rebuild, and Washington State is going to be pitiful.  Washington is a team to keep an eye on.  After going winless last season, a new head coach has LSU in its season opener.  The Huskies have a quarterback in Jake Locker that would be a Heisman candidate on any decent team.  If the LSU tigers come out slow, the Huskies may put a scare into the people of Baton Rouge. 

 Tomorrow, I will have my bowl predictions up.  I will also have a new category with weekly game and score predictions for all of the top 25 and other significant games.  The season starts tomorrow!

SEC College Football Preview

Don’t we all just love hearing about the SEC?  Well, probably not to be perfectly honest.  With the recent second coming of Jesus (Tim Tebow), the media has actually turned away from the Trojans of the Pac-10 and spent all of its time talking about the Gator season.  Well, although I do believe that the SEC is a strong conference and Florida is the team to beat, the Big-12 and Pac-10 are probably top to bottom a bit stronger than the SEC this year.  Either way, winning this conference with one loss guarantees a trip to the BCS Championship game because the voters love the SEC.

WEST

• Ole Miss  11-1 (7-1)
• Alabama  10-2 (6-2)
• LSU  9-3 (5-3)
• Auburn  6-6 (2-6)
• Arkansas  5-7 (2-6)
• Mississippi State  5-7 (2-6)

 EAST

•  Florida  11-1 (7-1)
• South Carolina  9-3 (5-3)
• Georgia  8-4 (6-2)
• Tennessee  8-4 (5-3)
• Vanderbilt  4-8 (1-7)
• Kentucky  4-7 (1-7)

 The conference championship game will be one for the ages.  The Rebels where the only team to beat the Gators last season and will look to make it two in a row.  Florida, at this point, is still too good to pick against.  The Gators take another SEC championship.

 The Gators return all 11 defensive starters on a team that is the defending National Champion.  If defense wins championships, and this defense already won one, how can I pick any other team?  Tim Tebow, a Heisman winner, is back for his final year and is the perfect quarterback for this Gator system.  To be perfectly honest, Florida plays a very poor schedule this year.  Their out-of-conference games are Charleston Southern, Troy, Florida International and Florida State.  They get a lucky draw and don’t play Ole Miss or Alabama this season.  In fact, their only “tough” game of the year is at LSU, which I believe to be their only loss of the regular season.  Until beaten, this team is the best in the Nation.

 Ole Miss is not under the radar this season.  Jevan Snead is the best pro prospect in all of college football.  Yes, he is currently ranked higher by some scouts than Tebow, McCoy and Bradford.  Snead has the talent to single handedly carry this team through the season.  The reason I have Ole Miss losing only one game (an upset to South Carolina on the road) is because of the Rebel schedule.  Alabama and LSU, their two toughest games, are at home in Oxford.  If this team gets clicking early, they may take the SEC.

 Alabama has something to prove this season.  After getting crushed by Utah in the Sugar Bowl last season, the “maybe this team isn’t as good as we thought” conversations started coming out.  Saban was paid a lot of money to turn this school around, and he has done just that in only one year.  Imagine what he can do this year.  Nine starters return on defense.  That’s a good start, but it won’t be enough to finish.

 LSU is highly ranked this season in many polls.  I ask why?  Last year, they were highly ranked going into the season only to play to an 8-5, 3-5 conference, record.  That seems pretty adequate at best.  What has changed about this team to have them ranked in the top 10 after that season?  Nothing!  The only weapon on this team is runningback Charles Scott (probably the best in the conference), and with how the SEC plays defense, this won’t matter because the Tigers have no one to throw the ball.  At home, this team will be near untouchable.  On the road, it might be a different story.  Either way, this is not a top ten team.

 South Carolina is going to be up and down this season.  I can easily see them challenging Florida for the top of the division or Kentucky for the bottom.  It all depends on new quarterback Stephen Garcia.  This team is notorious for starting out strong and fading as the season progresses.  If the Gamecocks can get early wins while Garcia settles into the system and college level, this team might just come together when it matters.  Steve Spurrier must do well this season or he is done coaching in the SEC.

Georgia made the mistake of scheduling both Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech in nonconference play, both of which they will drop.  With Stafford gone to the pros, a new general to lead this offense must emerge.  The defense, stacked with returning defensive tackle Geno Atkins and linebacker Rennie Curran, will have to carry this team through many big games this season.  To have a shot at the conference, the Bulldogs are going to have to beat Florida.

Tennessee is the last team that I want to talk about.  The Volunteers are once again on the National radar thanks to the antics of first year head coach Lane Kiffin.  Even with their recent blue chip recruits, this team just isn’t going to be able to compete week in and week out in the SEC.  The Volunteers are going to win games they shouldn’t be in, and they are going to lose games they should dominate.  Tennessee is counting on freshman Bryce Brown to lead this team.  Anytime this is the case, the offense is going to be in trouble.  One thing is for sure, Kiffin will have a defense.

The rest of the SEC is far behind the rest.  After recent success by Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Arkansas, these three teams are going to be back in the cellar where they belong this season.  A lot of people are not counting Auburn out of contention, but I am.  The Tigers will struggle to win two conference games. 

Check back tomorrow, Sept. 2, for my final conference prediction: the Pac-10.  The following morning, I will have my bowl predictions up for the season opener.  Only two more days until the madness begins!

Big-12 College Football Preview

The Big-12 is arguably the toughest conference in college football this season.  After last season’s debacle with three teams tying for the conference title, the nation is still questioning if the best team from the conference actually played in the National Championship game.  Texas beat Oklahoma and didn’t get a shot at the National Championship game because the Sooners liked to run up the score against inferior competition.  The winner of the South Division may just send another representative to the BCS title game again this season.

NORTH DIVISION

• Nebraska  9-3 (5-3)
• Kansas  9-3 (5-3)
• Colorado  8-4 (4-4)
• Missouri  7-5 (4-4)
• Kansas St.  6-6 (3-5)
• Iowa St.  4-8 (1-7)

SOUTH DIVISION

• Oklahoma  11-1 (7-1)
• Texas  11-1 (7-1)
• Oklahoma St.  11-1 (7-1)
• Texas Tech  6-6 (3-5)
• Baylor  5-7 (2-7)
• Texas A&M  2-10 (0-8)

The same mess that happened last year will happen again this season.  The South Division winner goes to the team ranked highest in the BCS standings at the end of the regular season.  With Oklahoma and Oklahoma State playing in the last game of the year, the winner will have the edge.  In this case, the Sooners take it and play Nebraska in a rematch for the conference title.  No surprise: Oklahoma repeats as Big-12 champions.

Sam Bradford has already won the Heisman and led the Sooners to back-to-back conference championships.  With a loss in the National Championship game still fresh on his mind, Bradford put off the NFL and is back and ready for a third straight Big-12 title.  This offense will still be powerful, but the team will have to rely a little more on its defense this season.

The Longhorns are the only team other than Florida to receive first place votes in the AP poll.  After beating the team that got “elected” to play in the National Championship game last year, a bitter taste is left in the mouths of many Texas fans.  Colt McCoy is the front runner for the preseason Heisman trophy.  That is a lot of pressure being placed on this veteran quarterback.  The Red River Shootout is going to be a hot ticket.  Texas will win this game again and still miss out on the conference championship.

Even though I have Oklahoma winning the three way tie, Oklahoma State is my favorite to win the Big-12.  With returning offensive superstars runningback Kendall Hunter, receiver Dez Bryant and quarterback Zac Robinson, this team easily has the most potent offense in a conference that does not play defense.  The Cowboys have a legitimate shot at not only taking the conference but winning a National Championship.  Okie State may also have a strong defense.  Bill Young has joined the team as the defensive coordinator and has a great secondary to work with.  This team faces Georgia in the first game of the season.  The country will know right where this team belongs after they meet the Dawgs.

Texas Tech, Baylor and Texas A&M will bring up the bottom of the South.  Losing Harrell and Crabtree is too much for the Red Raiders to replace to be competitive this year, and Baylor will be back where it belongs after their surprise success last year.

The North is a mess this season.  For the first time in over five years, both Nebraska and Colorado will be competitive.  Nebraska reclaims the division crown this season by winning the head-to-head tie-breaker over Kansas.

Nebraska will be lead by a prospective top five draft pick, defensive end Ndamukong Suh.  This mammoth of a player will be drawing double teams and wreaking havoc for offensive lines all season long.  The only thing keeping the Cornhuskers down is their schedule.  They travel to Missouri, Kansas and Colorado.  However, they do get the Sooners in Omaha.

Kansas has been the surprise team over the last few years.  The Jayhawks played in the Orange Bowl two years ago under head coach Mark Mangino, and the expectations are high again this season.  Mangino is a combined 0-9 against Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech.  The Jayhawks might have the best defense in this school’s history that will give Kansas their best chance of the decade to upset one of these powerhouses.

The Colorado Buffaloes are back and looking to turn some heads in the Big-12 this year.  The head coach, Dan Hawkins, is on the hot seat and needs to produce this year.  Hawkins has come out publicly saying that this team will win “ten games, no excuses.”  Okay, I’ll bite, but I am still only giving you eight wins this season.

Missouri is in trouble after back-to-back North titles.  The greatest quarterback in school history, Chase Daniel, is done, and replacing him is no easy task.  I like the variation of the Spread offense the Tigers run.  This team could upset Texas and lose to Nevada.  I don’t see a lot of consistency coming from Missouri this season.

Kansas State and Iowa St. bring up the bottom portion of the North.  I would like to see Iowa St. surprise their in-state rival, the Iowa Hawkeyes, but I don’t see it happening.

Well, four major conferences down, two left to cover before my bowl predictions on September 2.  Check back tomorrow or the next day and the SEC preview will be up!

Big-10 College Football Preview

The Big-10 is ridiculous for two reasons.  One, there are four teams that legitimately can compete for at least a share of the conference title.  Two, this conference knows how to pad a schedule.  The teams of the Big-10 only play eight conference games.  Meaning, each year every team will not play two teams within the conference.  This is random luck. In fact, this setup allows the possibility of two to three teams going undefeated in conference play.  A poor team could get lucky and not play either of the top two teams in the conference.  Even with this conference schedule, all of the teams play four out-of-conference games, most of which are against very poor, D-1AA competition.  This conference is the king at getting many teams into the bowls based solely on their lack of scheduling.  Nonetheless, there are some quality teams this season.

• Penn State  11-1 (7-1)
• Iowa  10-2 (7-1)
• Michigan St.  10-2 (6-2)
• Ohio St.  9-3 (6-2)
• Illinois  6-6 (5-3)
• Northwestern  8-4 (4-4)
• Wisconsin  7-5 (4-4)
• Michigan  5-7 (2-6)
• Minnesota  2-10 (1-7)
• Purdue  3-9 (1-7)
• Indiana  3-9 (0-8)

Penn State takes the Big-10 this year.  Joe Paterno, in his one millionth year as head coach, has all of the stars aligned for a breakout season.  The Nittany Lions have always produced top notch linebackers.  This season is no different as Sean Lee will be back to lead a defensive unit that that ranked in the top 10 in total defense last season.  Just like last season, Penn State will be one upset loss away from playing in the National Championship game.  This year’s loss: the very last game of the year at Michigan St.  What a heartbreak that will be.

Iowa is good.  They could have been really good if Shonn Greene had not left.  They will surprise the nation and Big-10 this season.  The Hawkeyes where the only team to beat the Nittany Lions last season and many more big wins are on the horizon for this season.  Starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi returns with three starting offensive lineman on an offense that is reloaded and ready to go.  Stanzi completed nearly 60 percent of his passes last season for 1956 yards and 14 touchdowns.  With a leader like Stanzi, a tough schedule is the only thing holding this team back: road games at Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State.

Michigan St. does not play Ohio St. this season.  This is a huge advantage for this team’s conference title aspirations.  The Spartans are notorious for having high expectations fall flat.  This season could be a repeat.  However, Iowa and Penn State both come to East Lansing.  The schedule is very favorable.  An early make-or-break game is in week three when the Spartans travel to Notre Dame.  I am excited for this game.  Both teams are looking to make national noise, and the winner of this game should be well on the path to breaking the top 10.  Michigan State did lose their two best players, quarterback Brian Hoyer and runningback Javon Ringer, which is a strong enough concern to keep me from picking this team higher.  This team will still be a scary.

I am going to get grilled for putting Ohio State tied for third in the conference.  The Buckeyes are the most overrated team of the last five years.  They coast through a relatively weak conference and out-of-conference games, and then lose the important games against actual competitive teams.  Let’s look at last year for instance.  Ohio St. goes 10-3 on the season.  The three losses come to USC, Penn State and Texas.  The only three teams they played that where actually good.  This year, the Big-10 has a few more teams that are actually good.  The Buckeyes will lose against USC, Penn State and Iowa this year thanks to the unreliable arm of quarterback “prodigy” Terrell Pryor.  Even with a year under his belt, Pryor just isn’t the leader OSU expected.  He is fast, agile and a playmaker, but the Buckeye system does not allow for much creativity out of its quarterback.  This season is all on the young arm of this kid.  If he can step up to the challenge, this team is BCS bowl bound.  If Pryor struggles, this team is right where I put them.

Illinois could also be pesky, possibly upsetting a few teams along the way.  Quarterback Juice Williams is now in his senior season and his legacy is about to be set in stone.  Two years ago, he led this team over Ohio State in Columbus on his way to a Rose Bowl appearance.  Last year, there was disappointment all around as Juice collapsed, throwing 16 interceptions.  The Illini could be a real problem in the Big-10.

The only other team really worth mentioning is Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines.  After the whole debacle of leaving West Virginia 1 game before the season was over, the state of Michigan has a lot invested in Rich.  The result of his first season as the Wolverine coach: a dismal 3-9 record.  This was the first time Michigan failed to make a bowl in 33 years.  Rodriguez still needs at least one more year to get his recruits into the spread offense, which has the potential to be devastating in the Big-10, but will fans and administrators be satisfied when a 5-7 record and no bowl appearance is considered an improvement?  He has two seasons maximum to get to the top of the conference or he is done.

The next conference to be broken down is the Big-12.  Check back tomorrow to see what I think about Oklahoma, Texas and Oklahoma State!  Just seven more days until college football begins.

Atlantic Coast Conference College Football Preview

The ACC is competing with the Big East for the weakest conference, top to bottom, in college football this season.  With the glory days of Miami and Florida State possibly gone for a long time, this conference has been struggling to earn some respect.  This season, four good teams look to end this negative publicity and get back on the National radar.

COASTAL

•  Georgia Tech 10-2 (7-1)
• North Carolina 10-2 (6-2)
• Virginia Tech 8-4 (6-2)
• Miami 5-7 (3-5)
• Virginia 6-6 (3-5)
• Duke 4-8 (1-7)

 ATLANTIC

•  North Carolina St. 8-4 (6-2)
• Florida State 9-3 (6-2)
• Clemson 7-5 (5-3)
• Maryland 5-7 (3-5)
• Wake Forest 4-8 (2-6)
• Boston College 2-10 (0-8)

Georgia Tech and surprise team North Carolina St. will play in the conference championship game for a shot at the BCS.  The Yellow Jackets should easily take care of business against any team out of the much weaker Atlantic division.

Last season, the “experts” said that the double wing, option offense could not work at the Division I level.  They were wrong.  The Yellow Jackets have proven that if a system is well taught and the right personnel is accounted for, any scheme can be very affective.  Georgia Tech averaged under 12 passes a game last season and still nearly won the division title.  This year, a more seasoned coach will be able to keep defenses from loading 8 or 9 in the box by passing more on first and second down.  This will really help to open up its already devastating option running game.  The Yellow Jacket defense held seven teams last season to under 20 points.  This defense is back again and even more stacked this season.  The ACC should fall victim to Georgia Tech this season.

North Carolina is a team on the brink of greatness this season.  Their defense is stacked and head coach Butch Davis has this team improving in leaps and bounds every year.  Last season, the Tar Heels went 8-5 with four losses coming by 3 points or less.  That is incredible!  If this team can finish some games this season, they could make a huge push at a conference championship.

Virginia Tech is the final competitive team in the Atlantic Division.  The Hokies have won 3 conference titles in the last five years and looks to take make it to their third straight BCS bowl.  Virginia Tech starts the season against a tough SEC foe, No. 5 Alabama, and two weeks later plays No.24 Nebraska.  I have the Hokies dropping both of those games, sending the season into a loss before league play even starts.

Miami, Virginia and Duke round out the rest of this division.  This league was built to show off Miami and FSU, but as of late, this plan has backfired.  Miami is terrible and “the U” is struggling to get back into a powerhouse.  With all major Florida recruits heading to play for Urban Myer, it’s no wonder these two teams are faltering.  Virginia may be able to push some teams this season, but winning many games is an uphill climb.  Duke is terrible.

In the Atlantic Division, North Carolina St. is going to be the surprise team to take the division this season.  Last year, the Wolfpack started out 2-6 before winning their last four games to become bowl eligible.  This momentum will continue right into this season.  North Carolina State starts the season off playing SEC power South Carolina at home.  This is a statement game for the Wolfpack.  Win this and NC State may be 6-0 heading into ACC play.  Returning quarterback Russell Wilson is the key to this team’s success.

Florida State is the only other team worthy of discussion.  This team has a very difficult schedule with out-of-conference competition being Florida, Clemson and BYU.  Although NC State will win the division, the Seminoles will have a better overall record at the end of the season.  Beating Florida down in the Swamp in the season finale would instantly make this season a success.

Clemson, Maryland and Wake Forest have all been moderately successful the last few seasons, but rebuilding years happen.  All three will be in the cellar of the ACC this year.  Clemson should never be counted out of a game, though, when it is in Memorial Stadium.  That is the only reason this team even has a shot at a bowl game.

Boston College is living through post Matt Ryan withdrawals this season.  After holding onto some talent after he left last season, this team will be lucky to win a single ACC game. .. Not the Boston people would even notice anyways.

Well, there you have it.  This is a quick look inside the 2009 ACC.  I hope to see you all in the next few days when the Big-10 preview is up.

Big East College Football Preview

Over the next week before the college football season opens on September 3, I will be doing brief, but accurate, predictions of the six major BCS conferences leading up to my overall bowl predictions on September 2. So, we begin with the Big East.

• South Florida 10-2 (6-1)
• Rutgers 10-2 (5-2)
• Pittsburgh 10-2 (5-2)
• Cincinnati 9-3 (5-2)
• Connecticut 8-4 (4-3)
• Louisville 5-7 (1-6)
• West Virginia 4-8 (1-6)
•  Syracuse 3-9 (0-7)      

For a team from the Big East to make it into the BCS National Championship game, they will have to go undefeated. Overall, this conference is not very good. However, the top five teams are all fairly equal when it comes to having a shot at the conference title.

I am taking South Florida for a few reasons. The Bulls just promoted coach Canales, so the team will be running a much truer spread offense this season. This will allow their excellent quarterback, Matt Grothe, to really spread his wings as an all around threat this season. Grothe threw 18 touchdowns for 2911 yards last season. He is also the teams leading returning rusher from last season, racking up near 600 yards and 4 touchdowns. This quarterback will tear apart Big East defenses. If South Florida can learn to finish games this season, they will be heading to a BCS game.

Even though I have Rutgers finishing second based on overall record and beating Pittsburgh head to head, Cincinnati is my second choice to win the Big East. Head Coach Brian Kelly really has this team heading in the right direction. The Bearcats lost ten defensive starters, so I just can’t bring myself to pick them atop the league. They have two tough early challenges traveling to both Rutgers and Oregon State.

Rutgers does have the most favorable schedule of any of the Big East teams. Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and South Florida all travel into New Jersey to take on the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers opens the season against Cincinnati. This is a huge game when it comes to an early advantage in the conference. I have Cincinnati winning the opener, but the Scarlet Knights will be able to rebound after blowing through their nonconference schedule.

Pittsburgh may have the most talented team in the conference, but Coach Dave Wannstedt never seems to come through. I really don’t like this guy. Season after season it seems that he has things going and falls flat. In last year’s bowl game against Oregon St., the Beavers where missing both of their offensive weapons, the Rodgers brothers, and the Panthers still lost the game, 3-0. Come on Wannstedt. Are you telling me that you couldn’t even score a measly fieldgoal? Don’t get me wrong, the Beaver defense was outstanding, along with the Panthers, but this all falls on the coaching staff.

Connecticut is going to have trouble repeating last season’s surprise success after losing star runningback Donald Brown, who led the nation in rushing last season, to the NFL. They will be competitive but won’t be able to keep up with the “big boys” of the conference.

Louisville is one of the biggest disappointments of the last 5 years, and Syracuse is just bad. The Cardinals play both Kentucky and Utah in preseason play. I have them beating Kentucky, giving them a thin ray of hope, but that will be the only high point of the season. Syracuse plays Maine. At least they can get one win.

As for West Virginia, the days of Pat White are gone. That leaves you with absolutely no one to rely on except darkhorse Heisman hopeful runningback Noel Devine. However, with everyone keying on this guy, his shot is very slim. The Mountaineers have very few weapons. I am excited to see West Virginia travel into the SEC to face Auburn on Sept. 19. We can only hope the Mountaineers show up.

Well, there you have this season’s quick Big East preview. Swing back by tomorrow, and I’ll have the ACC preview up and running. If you have any further questions, concerns or input, leave a comment and I’ll address it.

My College Football Preseason Top 25

1.  Florida- Returning 11 defensive starters and Tebow.  Enough said.

2.  Texas- McCoy is back with sack master Sergio Kindle.  The defense might be the difference.

3.  USC- The Trojans reload every season.  This year will be no different.  Tough road schedule.

4.  Alabama- Erasing that Utah debacle is not easy. Saban proved he has what it takes.

5.   Oklahoma- Bradford and the high powered offense returns. Can anyone keep up?

6.   Oklahoma St.- Defense should be better. They need it to slow down the Big-12.

7.   Virginia Tech- The ACC is weak. This offensive line should tear through the conference.

8.   Penn State- Linebacker University is back against a sluggish Big-11. Daryll Clark is the key.

9.   Oregon- Ducks averaged over 400 yards offense per game the last two seasons. Same story.

10.   Ole Miss- Ole Miss beat Florida last season.  It may be up to them again this year.

11.   Boise St. – First game against Oregon is their season. They should roll everyone else.

12.   California- Jahvid Best is a Heisman candidate. Another scary offensive team in the Pac-10.

13.   Georgia Tech- They said the double wing wouldn’t work in D1 football..… they were wrong.

14.   Oregon St.- Rodgers brothers and Moevao are back for this offense. Pac-10 dark horse.

15.   Ohio St.- Most underachieving program in the last five years. Is Pryor ready to be a leader?

16.   LSU- Can the Tigers rebound from last season? They have Florida at home in a huge game.

17.   Utah- Out to prove they belonged last season. MWC won’t be as easy this season.

18.   Georgia- Stafford is gone… Cox is in… will he be for Oklahoma St. on Sept. 5?

19.   TCU- Frogs return 10 offensive starters. Chemistry is already there for a breakout season.

20.   North Carolina- Four losses by 3 points or less last season. Time to fix that problem.

21.   Michigan St.- I like the Spartans. A chance to beat UM 2 straight years is huge for recruits.

22.   Iowa- A great offensive line could surprise the Big-10 this season.

23.   Florida St.- The second best team in Florida at stake opening week against Miami.

24.   Nevada- WAC player of the year, QB Colin Kaepernick, is back and looking for a BCS berth.

25.   UCLA- Can Coach Neuheisel actually bring UCLA back. I think so. Starting this season.