The Official College Football Preseason Thread

[bste_lax]

I know we did a thread for each week last year so I thought we would get the ball rolling.

http://web.mac.com/burton_hogg/iWeb/Sit ... tball.html

I am ready to headbutt a rhino I am so pumped for the season to start.

As for my thoughts/predictions:

-Ohio State is overrated. Are they good, yes. Are they worthy of the #1 or #2 ranking, no. They lost A LOT of their defense.

-Texas will only be as good as their new QB(s) pick things up.

-I am in the middle on Notre Dame right now. I think Weiss has turned things around and I think Brady Quinn will put up big numbers with those WR but part of me thinks they will still only be about 9-3 since their schedule was sort of weak last season and they were over-hyped.

-Iowa has the potential to do well with Tate back at QB and Young back at RB but they are razor thin in the secondary right now. If someone goes down, I might have to end up going back to play.....which is not a good thing. Also some of the LB will need to step up to replace Hodge and Greenway.

But I am ready for the games to start going.

[KnoxVegas]

I will tap out early and just wish everyone* a successful season. And I hope that this man loses his job. Go Vols! Beat ANYBODY!



*Excluding Alabama, Florida, FSU, Iowa, Maryland, Miami, Notre Dame, OSU (all three), Penn State, USC (the real one), and VPI.

[Gvlax]

This is Notre Dames year

[DanGenck]

I think it will be nearly impossible for anyone to make it out of the Big Ten this year undefeated (Notre Dame also falls into this group). If someone does, that team will probably play for the national championship (Ohio State, Iowa, Michigan or even Purdue because they do not play OSU or Michigan this season).

With that in mind, West Virginia is loaded and has an easy schedule. If they finish 12-0, they will be playing in the Fiesta Bowl.


*Conventional Pick- Ohio State vs. Notre Dame for the National Championship.

*Realistic Pick- West Virginia vs. SEC Champion/Big Ten Champion with 1 loss.

[DanGenck]

I would also like to point out that there are other 1 loss teams that might miss the party for the National Championship thanks to West Virginia possibly running the table-

A- Texas
B- USC
C- Notre Dame
D- Oregon
E- TCU (possibly 12-0)
F- Louisville
G- LSU
H- Florida
I- Miami
J- Florida State

[culax]

I am ready to headbutt a rhino I am so pumped for the season to start.

Can Iowa beat Northwestern this year? That was a tough beat last season.

[cjwilhelmi]

Texas v Ohio State will tell a lot about the national championship picture.

[bste_lax]

I am ready to headbutt a rhino I am so pumped for the season to start.

Can Iowa beat Northwestern this year? That was a tough beat last season.

Those last 3 minutes were brutal, especially that onside kick....went just over Moaeki's hands.

[Sonny]

This is Notre Dames year

For what? They will have 2 losses on their record before the calendar flips to October.

[Arklax]

ACC:
Conventional: Miami, I guess, although Bowden always magically finds a way to sneak into the BCS with a 7 or 8 win season. Isn't the ACC close to losing their automatic bid because their champion is always ranked low?
Upset Team: Clemson, if they can start 3-0.
Pick: Canes

Big Ten:
Conventional: Ohio State. Is Troy Smith really that good, though?
Upset Team: If Lloyd Carr doesn't do any coaching, Michigan could win the national title.
Pick: Big Blue

Big East:
Conventional: West Virginia, but it's hard to go 12 games undefeated with that bullseye on your back.
Upset: Nobody, it's gonna be either Louisville or WV.
Pick: WV

Big 12:
Conventional: Does anyone in the Big 12 have someone good under center? OU or TU, whoever has the better QB.
Upset Pick: Leach's gimmicky offense allows Tech to beat anyone, anytime.
Pick: Boomer Sooner, but it's a homer pick.

Pac-10:
Conventional: USC. They are loaded with talent. Cal is so overrated.
Upset Pick: Arizona. I think they may be the only Pac-10 team outside of USC who knows what a defense is.
Pick: I'll come out and say it, I honestly despise the Pac-10 when it comes to football. It's more of a glorified WAC. Trojans, but with at least one loss.

SEC:
Conventional: Auburn's to lose, but there are more teams in contention for the title than aren't.
Upset Pick: The Vols have a lot of talent. You're not guaranteed a good team with it, but you are guaranteed a crappy team without it. David Cutcliffe is very, very good.
Pick: The spread works well for the Gators.

I'm after Corso's job.

[KnoxVegas]

I'm after Corso's job.

What as a pencil salesman?

[sohotrightnow]

Pac-10:
Conventional: USC. They are loaded with talent. Cal is so overrated.
Upset Pick: Arizona. I think they may be the only Pac-10 team outside of USC who knows what a defense is.
Pick: I'll come out and say it, I honestly despise the Pac-10 when it comes to football. It's more of a glorified WAC. Trojans, but with at least one loss.

Well, I have to chime in on this one. An Arkansas fan is talking about defense? You mean the same one that gave up 70 points to USC? Cal is overrated? What are you basing this on? Cal gave up the fewest points to SC (35) outside of ND and the only team which denied Reggie Bush a touchdown and Matt Leinart a passing touchdown last year in the same game. They are light years better this year too. I hate to burst your bubble, but Cal's defense is going to ruin Tennessee on 9/2 and Marshawn Lynch is going to run roughshod over Tennessee's defense. I guess we will see.

[GrayBear]

For what? They will have 2 losses on their record before the calendar flips to October.

Heh heh heh.

[KnoxVegas]

Notre Dame has trouble before the seaon starts.

Notre Dame checks whether radio promos broke rules
"SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame is investigating whether athletes, including football and basketball players, violated NCAA rules with comments promoting a local sports talk show on a CBS affiliate."

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=2554795

[OAKS]

Isn't the ACC close to losing their automatic bid because their champion is always ranked low?

Well, the final BCS Poll last year had 5 ACC teams in the top 25:
Miami: 8
Va Tech: 10
Boston College: 21
FSU: 22
Ga Tech: 24

The SEC had 5 teams in the top 25 as well.