2012-13 BOWL PREDICTIONS: WEEK 1

Arizona RB Ka'Deem Carey (25) rushed for an amazing 366 yards and five
touchdowns against Colorado on Nov. 10. (Photo by Rick Scuteri/US Presswire) 

NEW MEXICO BOWL
MATCHUP: Nevada vs. Arizona
NEVADA PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Stefphon Jefferson (Jr.) – 341 rush, 1703 yards, 22 TDs
ARIZONA PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Ka’Deem Carey (So.) – 275 rush, 1757 yards, 20 TDs
PREDICTION: Arizona 40, Nevada 34.

-What a treat to kick off the bowl season! This year’s New Mexico Bowl pits two offenses that are in the top 15 in yardage and the top 20 in scoring. The running back battle will definitely be one to keep an eye on as Nevada’s Stefphon Jefferson and Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey are two of only five players to run for 1700 yards this season. With both teams coming off of losses in to end the regular season, the opportunity to finish the year on a winning note will be great motivation.

Utah State QB Chuckie Keeton (16) and the Aggies hope to erase last year's
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl defeat. (Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News) 

FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL
MATCHUP: Toledo vs. (22) Utah State
TOLEDO PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Bernard Reedy (Jr.) – 82 rec, 1051 yards, 6 TDs
UTAH STATE PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Chuckie Keeton (So.) – 254/376, 3144 yards, 27 TDs
PREDICTION: Utah State 35, Toledo 17.
-At 10-2, Utah State is trying to get a win in this year’s Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, but they may have a good opponent in the Rockets from Toledo. Toledo finished 9-3 and took down Cincinnati for its biggest win of the season, while junior receiver Bernard Reedy put up some solid stats on the offensive end. The Rockets’ defense did wonders this year, but Utah State’s was even better, only allowing 15.4 points per game. Sophomore quarterback Chuckie Keeton followed up on a decent freshman campaign (that was cut short due to injury), by finishing strong with 16 touchdowns to five interceptions down the stretch in the Aggies’ current six-game winning streak.

Stay tuned for capsules and predictions each week as the bowl season progresses!

NOT THE SAME OLD ULM WARHAWKS

The ULM Warhawks celebrate their biggest win in school history on Sept. 8 after a 34-31
overtime win over the Arkansas Razorbacks. (Photo by Nelson Chenault /US Presswire)

Down 28-7 midway through the third quarter to the No. 8-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks, many of the Warhawk faithful from the University of Louisiana Monroe thought had seen this story before.

Ladies and gentlemen, these are not your “same ol’ Warhawks.”

After stalling deep into the Razorbacks’ red zone twice before Arkansas made it a three-touchdown deficit, ULM could folded up the tent and prepared for their next opponent, Auburn.

Once again, these are not your “same ol’ Warhawks.”

Even when a penalty at the end of regulation forced ULM to go to overtime, the Warhawks could have succumbed under the pressure and Arkansas could have barely eked out a victory.

For the last time, these are not your “same ol’, sorry ass Warhawks!” (Thanks to my friend for coining the SOSAW term from our time at school together).

Kolton Browning (15) had the game of his life against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Sept. 8
by accounting for four touchdowns and nearly 500 yards. (Photo by Mark Wagner) 

Things all changed when junior quarterback Kolton Browning took it upon himself on fourth-and-one to score on a 16-yard touchdown run.

When the scoreboard at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark. read “ULM 34, Arkansas 31”, the realization sunk in that the program witnessed its biggest win since jumping to the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) in 1994.

“It’s a great feeling; we feel like we deserve it,” Browning said. “We believed the whole time, and we’ve believed for two years that we could put something like this together. We knew this moment was coming.”

Now setting itself up with no worse than a 1-2 with a tough early season schedule that had Arkansas, Auburn and an ESPN Friday Night showdown with Baylor in Malone Stadium, one goal remains…

The school’s first-ever bowl appearance.

In four of the last seven years, the program had been agonizingly close to a bowl. In 2005, 2009 and 2010, ULM failed to win the season finale each year to reach that goal.

However, this will not faze Warhawk head coach Todd Berry and his current team from this achievement.

ULM (then Northeast Louisiana University) won the Division I-AA (now FCS)
title in 1987 after defeating Marshall 43-42. (Image from ULM Archives).

“How they get where they are is not because they’re great players,” Berry said. “They get where they are because they work hard. They’re willing to give it up for each other.”

Although ULM has never played in the postseason in college football’s top subdivision, the school has two national championships in the sport—1935 and 1987.

ULM might never make it to that plateau in the FBS, but with some of the team proclaiming after the game, “This is for you. We’re building this for you,” this win could be the start of something special.

BUTLER SURPASSES GONZAGA AS TOP DOG OF ALL MID-MAJORS

Move over Gonzaga, there is a new dog that is best in show—and its name is Butler.

The Butler Bulldogs grinded out a 74-71 overtime victory Saturday in New Orleans to punch their ticket back to the Final Four. Last year, Butler went all the way to the National Championship Game and was a miracle shot away from winning the title.

Gonzaga certainly has made their presence known throughout the years by making it to 13 straight NCAA Tournaments and constantly giving ranked teams from power conferences all it could handle. However, those Bulldogs have never made the Final Four and have made the Elite Eight only once since 1999.

Butler may not have Gonzaga’s longevity, but it has made good use of its five consecutive trips to the tournament.

In 2007, Butler made it to the Sweet 16 after beating Old Dominion and Maryland, before losing to Florida. After that season, then-coach Todd Lickliter decided to take the Iowa job and the school decided to take a shot from within. Butler’s choice was a young, 30-year-old assistant named Brad Stevens.

After not getting past the first weekend of the tournament in 2008 and 2009, Stevens guided his team to the improbable title run in 2010.

This year’s Butler team opened up the season ranked No. 18, but struggled without Gordon Hayward and sat at 14-9 on Feb. 3. However, the Bulldogs stormed back to win its final seven regular season games and the Horizon League tournament en route to an No. 8 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Strong leadership by senior Matt Howard and junior Shelvin Mack allowed Butler to win close in all four of its tournament games for its return trip to the Final Four and a shot at unfinished business from last year.

Even without a title, Butler’s run this year is even more impressive than last year and it has put itself as the top mid-major program out there, and I believe Stevens is committed to make sure his Bulldogs stay there with his youthful wisdom leading the way.

To be honest, I do not think this program will be going away anytime soon and it will take a lot for the next mid-major to surpass them.

IT'S TIME FOR A FORMULA TO DETERMINE THE 68-TEAM FIELD

Houston, we have a problem.

It always seems that the NCAA Tournament has some teams seeded either too high or low, while a team is snubbed in favor for another that may not deserve to be in the field of 68.

To fix this, there needs to be a formula based off of three major components—the polls, RPI, and strength of schedule—to easily determine who are the 37 at-large teams that did not win their conference tournament and to seed the whole field.

Teams like Utah State, who continue to do well every season, always get penalized from seeds that they deserve because of their conference affiliation.

The Aggies won 30 games and the WAC tournament for the second time in three years, but were given a No. 12 seed despite an RPI of 15 and strength of schedule rank of 120, according to RealTimeRPI.com.

Also, the selection committee’s surprising decision to take UAB over other bubble teams such as Colorado or Virginia Tech was made worse when the Blazers lost their first round game to Clemson on Tuesday, 70-52.

Having a formula that emphasizes both human polls, the RPI, and strength of schedule would be much like what the Bowl Championship Series is to college football, but it would ensure that the top teams are seeded properly.

As far as bubble teams are concerned, the final eight at-large teams should be the ones in the First Four for the right to be in the 64-team bracket, or to go to the NIT if they lose. That way, it awards low-rated automatic qualifiers by not having to play an extra game in the tournament, while improving the quality of the four first round games.

Hopefully, this will make everyone’s job a lot easier in making and filling out their brackets.

JIM TRESSEL'S TWO GAME SUSPENSION IS NOT ENOUGH

With Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel's recent suspension, the NCAA rules committee continues to prove that they are a joke.

Tuesday, the NCAA handed Tressel a two-game suspension for failing to notify the university that some of his players committed violations.

However, what good is this two-game suspension if Ohio State is only playing two tune-up games against Akron and Toledo?

If the NCAA really wanted to punish Tressel for his infractions, it should have suspended him for at least the same amount of games that Terrelle Pryor and four other Buckeyes were suspended for.

In December, the NCAA handed a five-game suspension to those five players for selling school memorabilia in exchange for tattoos.

However, the NCAA got it wrong in suspending them for the first five games this season instead of the Sugar Bowl against Arkansas, a 31-26 win for Ohio State.

Suspending Tressel for Ohio State's first two conference games—Michigan State and Nebraska—would also serve as much stiffer punishment.

This has already happened in college basketball where Bruce Pearl and Jim Calhoun received suspensions for only conference games for violating rules.

Lastly, the NCAA could also have taken away scholarships and placing the school on probation for its second violation in three months.

Either of these would have been more severe than what is basically a slap on the wrist, but it is a shame that the NCAA cowered in making sure that this would not happen again.

In the meanwhile at least the NCAA acted swiftly as did, although looking further into the situation would have suited this better.

Well, look at the bright side Jim. At least your sweater vests

are still A-1.

PLAYOFF OR NO PLAYOFF? THAT IS THE QUESTION...

As the confetti and streamers fell down for Auburn at the University of Phoenix Stadium on Jan. 10, it marked the end of the season but there were still two undefeated teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivison--Auburn and TCU.

The National Championship Game itself was good, but who is to say that TCU could not hang with Auburn or Oregon?

Sadly, with the way that college football is currently, we may never find out unless a non-automatic qualifier starts in the top ten of the preseason polls, goes undefeated, and is at least one of two undefeated teams at the end of the regular season.

The Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) does not use a playoff to determine its champion much like the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). Although another game was added in 2006, there can still be a small possibility of split national champions in the major polls.

The best way to combat this is a 16- or, most preferably, a 32-team playoff. So here are some simple solutions to make this work.

1. Include every conference

- How can you determine a champion without opening access to all 11 FBS conference champions? Many people think a playoff regardless of conference affiliation is the best thing, but isn't that the same as denying the non-AQ's in the current format? In this way, conferences like the Sun Belt would have the opportunity to play for a national title, something which is impossible for them now. 2010 TEAMS THAT FIT THE CRITERIA (11 teams): Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, UConn, Wisconsin, UCF, Miami (Ohio), TCU, Oregon, Auburn, FIU, Nevada.

2. The final regular season Top 25 of the BCS, AP, and Coaches polls are in

-Have you ever heard of a team in the top 25 missing the NCAA basketball tournament? I don't think so. This is why a playoff 32 teams is perfect, because the tournament would still have the quality, yet not be too watered down. REMAINING 2010 TEAMS THAT FIT THE CRITERIA (18 teams): Stanford, Ohio St., Oklahoma, Arkansas, Michigan St., Boise St., LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma St., Alabama, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Utah, South Carolina, Mississippi St., West Virginia, Florida St., Hawaii

3. Filling out the bracket (if necessary)

-This is where if you are a bubble team you are sweating bullets. You have to hope that a double-digit win team gets included if they didn't meet the first two standards. Maybe you include a conference co-champ, or the top teams from the BCS not already selected to the tournament. I'd pick Northern Illinois, Pittsburgh, and Troy for their performances in 2010, but a committee can finish the puzzle.

4. Location, location, location

-Now that the 32-team filled is set, the fun part begins for the venues. The first round should be played at the highest seed's house, but after that, they should play the game at the most prestigious bowls. The top five (Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Rose, Sugar) will have an even chance at their spots in a five-year span with two hosting quarterfinals, two more hosting the semifinals, and the winning bid hosting the title game. The other 10 bowls will have a permanent spot. VENUES: Sun, Capital One get the last two quarterfinal spots. Alamo, Chick-fil-A, Gator, Holiday, Independence, Liberty, Outback, and Pinstripe are second round destinations.

5. Don't forget the bowl games!

-Although this note is about making a playoff in college football, people (like myself) still love bowl games. The remaining teams over .500 that were not selected for the tournament will get to play in the remaining 19 bowl games. They won't advance if they win but it still keeps a tradition alive. Think of it as the college football version of the NIT.

There you have it. A great solution to the system we have now.

It may not be perfect, but it keeps the integrity and rivalries intact, while finding a clear cut champion.

As Auburn quarterback Cam Newton took in the experience of winning a national championship...

Non-AQ teams like Boise State and TCU wonder will they ever get the chance to do the same.

DID ANDREW LUCK MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION?

It looks like in Andrew Luck's case, a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Luck stunned the sports world on Jan. 6 by passing up on the NFL Draft in order to get his architectural design degree.

What did he pass up?

Well, the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, a lot of possible guaranteed money, and the opportunity to finish his college career on a high note, but this is not your typical athlete and Stanford is not your typical college.

Luck excelled on and off the field at Stratford High School and was named co-valedictorian of his senior class. Then he went to Stanford, which ranks third in the Academic Ranking of World Universities, and is doing the same on the gridiron and the classroom.

Is he taking a risk for staying in school?

Yes, but you cannot knock a kid for wanting to continue getting his education either.

This decision however, will be seen as good or bad depending on the following college football season and his NFL career. There are two great examples, one for each side.

The good? Peyton Manning chose to forgo the 1997 NFL Draft to stay at Tennessee. He did not win the Heisman or the National Championship, but he was the No. 1 pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. In 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, he has started every game, was named MVP four times, and won Super Bowl XLI.

The bad? Matt Leinart passed on the 2005 NFL Draft in order to give USC another title, and if it was not for Vince Young's epic drive in the Rose Bowl, USC would have won again. The move proved costly for Leinart, he slipped to the No. 10 pick in 2006, never became a starter at Arizona, and was released and became a backup for the Houston Texans this year.

On the field, this decision will be judged, especially if Luck does not have any luck with his professional career. However, regardless of what the decision would have been, he still would have made the right decision off the field. Stay committed to your education so you can have something to fall back upon.

As the axe helmet stickers show, Luck has been the cutting edge of all college QB's this season.

Luck and coach Jim Harbaugh have brought Stanford from
Pac-10 doormat to title contenders in a short amount of time.
However, can Luck still perform well in Harbaugh's departure to
the NFL?

ONE BAD MARK AMONGST PINSTRIPES

The inaugural Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 30th, 2010 was a huge success...except for one ugly mark.

The Kansas State Wildcats scored a touchdown to pull within two points of the Syracuse Orange, but the game was put in the officials' hands when Adrian Hilburn was flagged for merely saluting the crowd. As a result, the 15-yard penalty moved Kansas State back as they could not get the two-point conversion, losing 38-36.

The excessive celebration rule has to be one of the dumbest rules in sports because referees are forced to make a call regardless of time and exuberance.

The NCAA states in Rule 9-2, Article 1(a)(1)(d) that excessive celebration is "Any delayed, excessive, prolonged or choreographed act by which a player (or players) attempts to focus attention upon himself (or themselves)".

In the aftermath, numerous broadcasters posed the question that if Hilburn was playing for Army, Navy, or Air Force, would he be flagged? I highly doubt that he would, and even in this case, this was not "delayed", "prolonged", "choreographed", and it sure was not "excessive".

During the Music City Bowl, Tyler Bray made gestures to the crowd and the Tar Heels' bench on many occasions. The result: no flags either time.

I'm not saying that the rule should repealed, because there are some things you should not be able to do on the field (ex. the Georgia Bulldogs team celebrating in mass after a touchdown). However, there are some things that are innocent or just a release of tension during a pressure-packed point during a game.

Can you believe that a salute would open the door to controversy?

While creative and funny, this clearly defines excessive celebration.

(AP Photo/Phil Coale)

WHY STUDENT-ATHLETES CANNOT GET PAID

As if the National Collegiate Athletic Association does not have enough problems already.

Collegiate athletics has a growing problem in trying to shield its student-athletes from prematurely contacting with and accepting money from agents.

According to NCAA Bylaw 12.3: “A student-athlete (any individual who currently participates in or who may be eligible in the future to participate in intercollegiate sport) may not agree verbally or in writing to be represented by an athlete agent in the present or in the future for the purpose of marketing the student-athlete’s ability or reputation.”

This summer that problem was enhanced as Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green and North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin headlined a list of players that the NCAA was investigating on those exact allegations.

As a result, 13 players did not play for North Carolina as they opened its season in Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff against LSU, while down the road in Athens, Ga., Green served the first game of his four-game suspension as he was held out of the game against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Now is this the first time this has ever happened?

Of course not.

The University of Southern California is currently serving a two-year bowl ban, along with a four-year probation and the loss of 30 scholarships thanks to Reggie Bush having improper contact with an agent.

Beginning in December 2004, Bush was contacted by Lloyd Lake, who at the time was planning to start his own agency called New Era Sports & Entertainment with business partner Michael Michaels. In the ensuing months, Bush and his family received many gifts ranging from stays at fancy hotels, a rent-free stay for his family at Michael’s house, and even a limousine ride for Bush to the Heisman presentation in 2005.

USC turned a blind eye to this by even allowing the agents in the locker rooms and on the sidelines.

USC was also hit hard on the hardwood, because of O.J. Mayo receiving benefits from Los Angeles event promoter Rodney Guillory and the Bill Duffy Associates Sports Management.

The Trojans placed a self-imposed ban for 2009-10 NCAA men’s basketball postseason, and further punished themselves by vacating all 21 wins from the 2007-08 season, Mayo’s only season at USC.

After all was said and done, men’s basketball coach Tim Floyd and football coach Pete Carroll resigned, while athletic director Mike Garrett was fired.

Now do I believe that student-athletes should be paid?

Yes, I do, but only by the school (not by boosters or agents) with a small stipend of around $1000 a semester. However, that is for a different story to be explained later.

Yet, taking money from agents is just plain wrong.

The money will always be there as long as the athlete plays well and works hard, so why sacrifice yourself and your team by breaking the rules?

Sure, I understand that if someone gives a person a large amount of money that they have never seen before in his or her life, chances are that that person will take the money without thinking twice.

Look at Southern Methodist in the mid-1980s.

The Mustangs were good on the field with players such as Eric Dickerson and Craig James making up the “Pony Express”, but off the field the team ran a dirty program by paying players through boosters.

In matter of fact, SMU was placed on probation five times since 1975, was banned from bowl games in 1985 and 1986, and could not play on television in 1986, but that still did not deter the program from paying players.

The NCAA was left with no choice but to do something that no football team had ever faced: The Death Penalty.

The NCAA canceled SMU’s 1987 season, took away its home games in 1988 (the school effectively canceled that season as well) and took away 55 scholarships for the next four years.

To add insult to injury, SMU could not play in a bowl game or on television in 1989, its probation was extended to 1990, and they could not recruit off campus until August 1988.

As a result, SMU did not record a winning season until 1997 and did not appear in a bowl game until the 2009 Hawaii Bowl, while most importantly, this signified the beginning of the end for the Southwest Conference.

While another major infraction like this will likely never happen in football again, unless a program really goes in blatant disregard to the rules, an athlete must really think twice before taking money and having illegal contact with agents.

The visual memories cannot be replaced, but in the record books, all the achievements will be a figment of our imagination.

2010 NCAA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: CONFERENCE USA

For the past two years, a Conference USA team has given some hope that it could crash the BCS party. In 2008, it was East Carolina's wins over Virginia Tech and West Virginia that got people thinking. After ECU lost, Tulsa cruised to an 8-0 record before losses to Arkansas and Houston killed those dreams. In 2009, Houston stepped up to the plate with an upset over then-No. 5 Oklahoma State and Texas Tech, and hung in the top 25, the first time the Cougars were ranked since 1991.

EAST DIVISION
1. Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (9-3, 7-1)
-The pride of Southern Miss is out to win a title (no, not that guy). The Golden Eagles have made it to a bowl game seven straight years and have had 16 straight winning seasons. I think this team has just enough to win the East, especially a talented receiver in DeAndre Brown, who caught nine touchdowns last year.

2. UCF Knights (10-2, 6-2)
-Since joining the C-USA, UCF has never had consecutive winning seasons, but that could change this year, as they have a good team coming back. The key for them winning the division and the conference is junior quarterback Rob Calabrese. Last year, he was inconsistent and benched because of it. If he does well, the team can try to make a run for the BCS.

3. East Carolina Pirates (7-5, 6-2)
-I guess a Mike Leach influent took being a Pirate to heart. But for Ruffin McNeil, he was always a Pirate, and now he gets to coach his alma mater. East Carolina has won the last two C-USA titles, but it will be very hard for a repeat effort as they only have eight starters back.

4. Marshall Thundering Herd (7-5, 5-3)
-Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, Marshall was a force to be reckoned with in the MAC, with players like Randy Moss, Chad Pennington, and Byron Leftwich. However, the team struggled in its first few years in C-USA until last year and finally making a bowl. They will make another bowl this season with first-year head coach Doc Holliday, a former recruiter for West Virginia.

5. UAB Blazers (4-8, 3-5)
-With QB Joe Webb in the NFL and a tough road schedule, UAB will continue to be close, yet so far away from a another bowl appearance. The Blazers have to travel to SMU, Tennessee, Mississippi State, UCF, and Southern Miss. Ouch, good luck.

6. Memphis Tigers (0-12, 0-8)
-I really hate doing this, but given the team and the competition the team has to face, Memphis will finish winless this year. The team went 2-10 last season, but we blown out in every loss except an overtime heartbreaker to Tulsa. If they are lucky, however, they can win 1-2 games, thanks to an average offense, which is their strength.

WEST DIVISION
1. Houston Cougars (11-1, 7-1)
-Houston is poised to make another BCS push, and with good reason. Last year, they beat three BCS teams en route to a 10-4 record. Now, Heisman candidate Case Keenum is back with four explosive receivers, led by James Cleveland, as he continues to flourish with a program with a deep QB history. Now if only they can play defense too...but they are clearly the best team in the conference.

2. SMU Mustangs (6-6, 5-3)
-Once upon a time, SMU was a dominating team that made numerous Cotton Bowls and won the Southwest Conference regularly. But then came the Death Penalty. Last year, SMU won the Hawaii Bowl in the school's first bowl game since that incident. This also showed that coach June Jones can turn a team around, much like he did at Hawaii. SMU will have a tough year this year, but they can still make a bowl game thanks to their offense.

3. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (6-6, 4-4)
-Last year had to be an aberration, as Tulsa failed to make it to a bowl game for the first time since 2004. This year, they will barely make a return thanks to a strong offense led by quarterback G.J. Kinne and receiver Damaris Johnson, who caught 78 passes for 1131 yards last season.

4. UTEP Miners (7-5, 4-4)
-It's been a long while since UTEP made a bowl game, but they could get out of the drought this year. The schedule is favorable, because they have Rice, Tulane, and Memphis on it and at home even. The player to watch for is Donald Buckram who ran for 1594 yards and 18 touchdowns last year.

5. Rice Owls (2-10, 1-7)
-As one Houston school flourishes, the other is stuck in the doldrums. Rice was 2-10 last year, and I really do not see any reason that they will top that mark. There's hope for the future though, as they have a two-headed monster at running back with Sam McGuffie and Charles Ross.

6. Tulane Green Wave (1-11, 0-8)
-Times have been hard for a Green Wave fan recently. Once the original "fly in the ointment" to the BCS in 1998, Tulane has not had a winning record since 2002. There is no signal for a change this year, as they do not have any big time players to compete in the conference.

C-USA TITLE GAME
Houston d. Southern Miss

10+ WIN TEAMS
Houston
UCF

BOWL TEAMS AND DESTINATION
Houston- Liberty
ECU- Hawai'i
UTEP- Armed Forces
Southern Miss- New Orleans
UCF- Beef 'O' Brady's
Marshall- EagleBank
SMU & Tulsa- TBA

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Case Keenum (QB for Houston)
-Who else would it be? He's the reigning C-USA offensive player of the year, the reigning winner of the Sammy Baugh award, and threw for 5000 yards in each of the last two years, only the second QB to do so.

GAMES TO WATCH
1. Conference USA Championship Game (Dec. 4)
2. Southern Miss @ UCF (Nov. 13)
3. Houston @ Texas Tech (Nov. 27)
4. Mississippi State @ Houston (Oct. 9)
5. Houston @ SMU (Oct. 23)

2010 NCAA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: THE INDEPENDENTS & AND THE BCS BUSTERS

INDEPENDENTS
Army (4-8)
-Of all the service academies having a resurgence, Army has struggled to get back on track of remotely coming close to its heyday of the 1940s and three straight claimed national titles from 1944-1946. Even worse, Navy has taken eight straight from Army and 11 of the last 13. Army will fall short again, but I see them at 4-4 before a rough final four games with Notre Dame and Navy to end the season.

Navy (9-3, Poinsettia Bowl)
-Navy has owned both service academies recently. Dating back to the 2002 Army-Navy game, Navy has won 15 straight against Air Force and Army combined, while earning the last seven Commander-in-Chief trophies (given to the school that beats the other two). I am willing to give Navy wins over two ACC teams (Maryland and Duke), but they will have trouble against ECU, Notre Dame, and Louisiana Tech, giving them a 9-3 record and another bowl.

Notre Dame (8-4, Meineke Car Care)
-If you thought Notre Dame's schedule last year was easy, then you will be surprised about this years' slate of games. Tulsa? Army? Western Michigan? Obviously, this will make things smooth (or tough, if he loses) for first year head coach Brian Kelly. Utah, USC, and Stanford are sure losses, but if Notre Dame can just win the games that they should win, they'll be alright.

POTENTIAL 2010 BCS BUSTERS
1. Boise State (v. Virginia Tech [in Landover, Md.], v. Oregon St.)
Pros: After games against the ranked BCS foes is a very easy schedule, returning 23 starters
Cons: If two other teams from quality BCS conferences go undefeated, does Boise play for the title?

2. TCU (v. Oregon State [in Arlington, Texas], v. Baylor)
Pros: strong team, experienced QB, Utah and BYU have taken a step back
Cons: the Mountain West is still tough, could we see the selection committee take two non-BCS teams again?

3. Houston (@ UCLA, v. Mississippi State)
Pros: experienced Heisman candidate for a QB, great receiving corps
Cons: lack of a good running game, suspect defense

4. Utah (v. Pittsburgh, @ Iowa St., @ Notre Dame)
Pros: hosting TCU and BYU, dual threat at running back
Cons: fairly young QB, front seven is semi-suspect

5. BYU (v. Washington, @ Florida St.)
Pros: good receiving corps and offensive line
Cons: travel to TCU and Utah, holes on defense, not as strong as 2008 and 2009 teams, no Harvey Unga

2010 NCAA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: SEC

If you are looking for the epitome of college football then you have found the perfect conference. The Southeastern Conference has won each of the last four national championships, and ever since the Bowl Championship Series began in 1998, the SEC has won 5 1/2 titles and is undefeated in the National Championship Game. The SEC will still be right there again this season, as Alabama returns mostly everyone and will be in strong defense of retaining what is rightfully theirs.

EAST DIVISION
1. Florida Gators (10-2, 6-2)
-The Gators lose one of their best players ever in Tim Tebow, but John Brantley is capable enough to fill Tebow's giant shoes. The important thing is that he does not have to do it alone, with a deep offensive line, good skill players, and a talented defense returning. The only roadblocks I see are a trip to Alabama and the home game against LSU that will always come down to the wire, but Urban Meyer has never had fewer than eight wins in a season, and he surely will not start now.

2. Georgia Bulldogs (7-5, 4-4)
-There are a lot of uncertainties with Georgia this season that could make them finish at the top of the East or in the middle. The Bulldog offensive line is an experienced one, but if A.J. Green faces discipline for hanging with an agent, the offense will falter, especially without an experienced quarterback. No LSU, Alabama, or Ole Miss on the schedule is definitely good news, but can Georgia take advantage of this?

3. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6, 3-5)
-While with South Carolina, Steve Spurrier has seen fast starts turn into disastrous finishes, and this year will be the same case with the Ol' Ball Coach. It's not that he cannot coach anymore, it is just that South Carolina is not a prime state for prospects, much like Florida is. Stephen Garcia is a very underrated quarterback, but unless there's a couple of upsets here or there, the Gamecocks will be mediocre yet again.

4. Tennessee Volunteers (6-6, 3-5)
-OK, let's try this again...Tennessee has a new head coach! However, Derek Dooley has handled things a lot differently than his predecessor, Lane Kiffin. Dooley has been quiet, mostly because he RESPECTS the SEC (his dad, Vince, was a legendary coach at Georgia). Tennessee will once again dominate the games against their whipping boys, Vanderbilt and Kentucky, and they will score an upset just to get bowl eligible.

5. Kentucky Wildcats (5-7, 1-7)
-Longtime assistant Joker Phillips is entering his first year as head coach, and he is the second ever black head coach in SEC history. His team will be average, but its a 50/50 chance that it could extend the school's longest bowl streak to five. Expect a lot out of Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb, the two explosive players that will carry Kentucky as far as they can.

6. Vanderbilt Commodores (3-9, 0-8)
-2 months before the season began, head coach Bobby Johnson retired from Vanderbilt. The new head coach is Robbie Caldwell and this is his first ever head coaching job in any level. Couple that with a so-so line-up, a historically bad program, and being in the SEC, does not do wonders. At least the Commodore faithful are patient, and I do mean patient.

WEST DIVISION
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1, 7-1)
-Alabama is back to try to win at least one more title. Greg McElroy, Julio Jones, and Mark Ingram are there again to lead the offense, and minus key players like Rolando McClain and Terrence Cody, the defense is in tact. The only problem is that, six teams will play Alabama after their bye week. If Alabama is not careful, there may not be a repeat in Tuscaloosa.

2. Arkansas Razorbacks (10-2, 6-2)
-Arkansas has never had a Heisman trophy winner, but for the second time in five years they are definitely flirting in that direction. Before it was Darren McFadden, who finished in second place to Troy Smith and Tim Tebow, and now its Ryan Mallet. The Razorbacks have a talented offense, however, their defense is very suspect. They have a favorable schedule and might can upset Alabama, but in the end, Ole Miss, LSU, or even Auburn will be looking to do the same to them.

3. LSU Tigers (9-3, 5-3)
-Is this Les Miles' last year at LSU? One can only hope that the defense is slightly better than it was the last two years, and that theory will be put to the test against North Carolina and West Virginia. The Tigers will be in the mix in the West, but unless Alabama falls, there will be enough to save Miles' job, but still no West title. However, Jordan Jefferson is still improving.

4. Ole Miss Rebels (8-4, 4-4)
-In terms of transfer quarterbacks, Ole Miss has to be the luckiest school in quite some time. The team went three years after Eli Manning left, until Jevan Snead transfered from Texas. Snead, however, left early (and went undrafted in the process, he's now a free agent). Now, Jeremiah Masoli is the newest QB. He brings in a big-game presence to this team, but Ole Miss will once again have a let-down.

5. Auburn Tigers (8-4, 4-4)
-Gene Chizik surely made people forget about his 5-19 record at Iowa State with an Outback Bowl win over Northwestern last year. Auburn will still be in the middle of the pack in the West as they can upset a top-tier team in the division, but they can surely lose to one as well.

6. Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-7, 2-6)
-Head coach Dan Mullen has his team playing tough, but yet again they will fall just short of a bowl appearance. The Bulldogs need to upset one team, but facing Florida and Georgia will put a damper on those plans.

SEC TITLE GAME
Alabama d. Florida

10+ WIN TEAMS
Alabama
Arkansas
Floridia

BOWL TEAMS AND DESTINATION
Alabama- Sugar
Arkansas- Capital One
Florida- Outback
LSU- Cotton
Georgia- Chick-fil-A
Ole Miss- Gator
South Carolina- Liberty
Tennessee- Music City
Auburn- PapaJohns.com

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Mallet (QB from Arkansas)
-Last year, Mallet threw for 3627 yards and 30 touchdowns. This year, without a defense and four good receivers, look for those numbers to go to around 4000 yards and 35 touchdowns.

GAMES TO WATCH
1. SEC Championship Game (Dec. 4 in Atlanta)
2. Florida @ Alabama (Oct. 2)
3. Alabama @ Arkansas (Sept. 25)
4. Penn State @ Alabama (Sept. 11)
5. LSU v. North Carolina (Sept. 4 at Atlanta)

2010 NCAA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: PAC-10

If you thought last year's Pac-10 race was wild and crazy, then you have another thing coming for this year. Two offseason moves made the Rose Bowl chase wide open. First, it was Oregon and Jeremiah Masoli. Oregon was originally going to suspend Masoli for this season, his senior year, for his involvement in stealing a laptop from a fraternity house in March. He would have been given a redshirt this year, and allowed to come back in 2011, but trouble still found Masoli. Police found marijuana in Masoli's car in June and Oregon coach Chip Kelly kicked him off the team. A day later, the NCAA placed USC on probation and a two-year bowl ban for violations dealing with Reggie Bush. Those two moves could open the door for Arizona, California, or Oregon State, teams that have not been in the Rose Bowl since the Pac-10 expanded to 10 teams in 1978. Fitting way to preview the next expansion of the conference when Utah comes in next year, and Colorado follows in 2012.

1. USC Trojans (13-0, 9-0)
-With no bowl game in sight, USC will be playing for nothing but pride in 2010. I think that they can do what the 1993 Auburn Tigers did and win every game. They still have a great team and, to be honest, Lane Kiffin is a pretty decent coach. Only time will tell if this probation period will affect the Trojans in the long run though.

2. Oregon Ducks (10-2, 7-2)
-Two things are certain at Oregon: good football and a WIDE variety of uniform combination. This year, you might can add another Rose Bowl berth as the Ducks have a very talented line-up led by sophomore LaMichael James. LaGarrette Blount's punch in the opening game allowed James to hit the opposing defense in the mouth with 1546 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns, and with Nate Costa calling the plays, expect that number to stay the same.

3. Stanford Cardinal (9-3, 6-3)
-With the monumental upset over USC in 2007, Stanford and Jim Harbaugh knew that better times would come for Stanford football. In 2009, it indeed did as Toby Gerhart finished in second place in the Heisman trophy race and the Cardinal went to the Sun Bowl, their first bowl game since 2001. This year, Stanford will once again improve despite Gerhart's departure, as they will have future NFL prospect Andrew Luck proving that was freshman year was not a fluke.

4. Oregon State Beavers (7-5, 6-3)
-Last season, the Beavers were "oh-so-close" to making the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1965, after a wild 37-33 loss in the Civil War to Oregon. This year, Oregon State will once again be very close, but a lack of quarterback experience will haunt them, especially with TCU, Boise State, USC, and Oregon all on the schedule. The Rodgers brothers (James and Jacquizz) will electrify this team however and keep them near the top half of the Pac-10

5. Washington Huskies (7-5, 5-4)
-Jake Locker is a good quarterback, but he could be chasing another infamous mark that another former famous Pac-10 quarterback did in the 80s. John Elway did not make a bowl game while at Stanford, but unless Washington State makes an unbelievable play, Locker will not go down that same route. The problem will be that Locker cannot do it alone, and the defense is still porous.

6. Arizona Wildcats (6-6, 4-5)
-Arizona is the only conference member to not go to the Rose Bowl, but over the past few years, Wildcat head coach Mike Stoops has quietly built the program back to what it was in the late 80s and entire 90s. This year, Arizona will be led by senior defensive end Ricky Elmore and junior quarterback Nick Foles, but unless they steal some games, that Rose Bowl drought will continue.

7. California Golden Bears (7-5, 4-5)
-Jeff Tedford has surely made a name for himself in Berkley with eight straight seasons without a losing record and seven straight bowl games. However, his teams normally underachieve and fall short of their goal. I think they have just enough to upset Oregon this year, but they will finish in the middle of the road yet again, thanks to shaky quarterback play and the loss of Jahvid Best to the NFL.

8. Arizona State Sun Devils (4-8, 2-7)
-Last year, Arizona State swept the Washington school to put their record at 4-2 and a chance to make a bowl game. However, a rough and winless second half of the season left the Sun Devils dead in the desert at 4-8. This year, expect the same, however the good news is they host both UCLA and Washington State, with two FCS opponents making up the non-conference slate.

9. UCLA Bruins (1-11, 1-8)
-The good news is that Bruin head coach Rick Neuheisel is a very good coach that can coach up a team. The bad news is that UCLA is average, lost too many players, and have a tough schedule with Houston and Texas. Senior kicker Kai Forbath will make the games close and could allow UCLA to win the close games that they should not.

10. Washington State Cougars (1-11, 0-9)
-Paul Wulff has been nothing like a "wolf" as a coach for Washington State in his first two seasons. 3-22 overall and 1-17 in conference play makes him the worst head coach in Cougar history in terms of winning percentage. It will be another sad season in Pullman as Washington State will be outplayed in every game.

10+ WIN TEAMS
Oregon
USC

BOWL TEAMS AND DESTINATION
Oregon- Rose
Stanford- Alamo
Oregon State- Holiday
Washington- Sun
Arizona- Maaco
California- Kraft Fight Hunger

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jake Locker (QB from Washington)
-The possible No. 1 pick of the 2011 NFL Draft has had it rough at Washington. Three years, no bowl game, and even a winless season in 2008. Last season, Locker threw for 2800 yards and 21 touchdowns, but if he does not give the Huskies their first bowl appearance since the 2002 Sun Bowl, fans will wonder what if.

GAMES TO WATCH
1. Oregon @ Oregon State (Dec. 4)
2. Oregon @ USC (Oct. 21)
3. Nebraska @ Washington (Sept. 18)
4. Oregon State @ Boise State (Sept. 25)
5. Oregon State vs. TCU (Sept. 4 in Arlington, Texas)

2010 NCAA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: BIG TEN

So let me get this straight, Nebraska is going to leave the Big 12 to join the Big Ten, who will have 12 members... My bad, that's for a whole different post, but it has been the same story in the Big Ten for quite some years, with a twist. Ohio State has shared at least a piece of the Big Ten title every year since 2005, but just finally went to its first Rose Bowl since 1997. Michigan has continued to let the 2007 loss to Appalachian State affect them, as they have missed a bowl game for the second year in a row, after making one for 33 straight years. This year, expect Ohio State to be around the top again, but teams like Iowa and Penn State will try to knock them off once again.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0, 8-0)
-After finally exercising their demons in the Rose Bowl against Oregon, Ohio State can now focus on the next step, a national title. All the tools are in place, as the Buckeyes are just loaded with talent all over the depth chart, including QB Terrelle Pryor. Ohio State will be tested right away with a game against Miami on Sept. 11. Get past that, and there's a three-game stretch against Penn State (home), Iowa (away), and Michigan (home) to close the season. If the Buckeyes do not have a let down, they'll be playing for it all in Glendale.

2. Iowa Hawkeyes (11-1, 7-1)
-10 points was the difference between a possible national championship and 11-2 record last year for Iowa. However, eight other points could have meant 6-6, a middle-tier bowl game, and a loss to a Sun Belt and an FCS team. Nevertheless, Iowa is a talented team, with a senior quarterback in Ricky Stanzi, and they have a favorable schedule as Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin all come to Iowa City this year. It all depends on Stanzi's health and Iowa's luck.

3. Wisconsin Badgers (10-2, 6-2)
-Bret Bielema has not allowed Wisconsin to let up in the Big Ten with four straight bowl appearances since Barry Alvarez stepped down after the 2005 season. The Badgers have enough to contend for a Big Ten title with a strong power running attack lead by John Clay. However, with Ohio State on the schedule and a trip to Iowa, Wisconsin will fall just short of the title and Rose Bowl bid

4. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-3, 6-2)
-Joe Paterno is 84 years old and still better off than coaches half his age! All he needs is six wins and he will be the first I-A/FBS coach to win 400 games. This season will a good one for Penn State, however the road portion of the schedule will be brutal with games at Alabama, Iowa, and Ohio State looming. If they can score a couple of upsets, they can get in the BCS picture.

5. Northwestern Wildcats (8-4, 4-4)
-After unexpectedly taking over for the late Randy Walker when he passed in 2006, Pat Fitzgerald has changed the culture at Northwestern. For only the second time in school history, the Wildcats went to bowl games in consecutive years, but they have never made it past two straight years. This season, that will change as a manageable schedule, good linebacker corps, and a decent offense will allow Northwestern to be on the winning side of close games. Maybe they might win their first bowl game since the 1949 Rose Bowl, in the process.

6. Purdue Boilermakers (7-5, 4-4)
-Last season, Purdue began the season 1-5, and was mired in a five-game losing streak with four of those being a touchdown or less. Enter in an upset of Ohio State, and the Boilermakers steamed to a 4-2 finish. Even though the team missed a bowl game, Purdue can make a bowl game this year. The team will go as far as Miami transfer Robert Marve will take them, as running back Ralph Bolden will miss the season.

7. Michigan Wolverines (6-6, 3-5)
-Michigan's fallen through a rough stretch since the 2006 #1 vs. #2 showdown against Ohio State. They have not beat the Buckeyes since 2003, and eight of the last nine match-ups. Check this out, Michigan has the same record as DUKE over the last two years...that's right, Duke, and not I am talking about basketball. This year expect Michigan to finish in the middle of the Big Ten, but they will barely make a bowl game. Will it save Rich Rodriguez's job? Only time will tell...

8. Michigan State Spartans (6-6, 3-5)
-Last year was an up-and-down season for Michigan State that ended with a lost to Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl. This year, expect the same for the Spartans, as Greg Jones leads the defense and Charlie Gantt leads the offense. They escape Ohio State on the schedule, but trips to Iowa, Michigan, and Penn State could doom them.

9. Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-7, 2-6)
-Star receiver Adam Weber is gone, but Minnesota is still going to be an average team. In 2010, they will take a step back. Even though they will have USC, Penn State, Ohio State, and Iowa coming to them, they will lose to all of those quality teams and just leave one victory short of a bowl game.

10. Illinois Fighting Illini (2-10, 1-7)
-The team in orange will be without its Juice this year, as Juice Williams graduated from Illinois in the offseason. Without him and a Mendenhall in the backfield (Rashad or Walter), it might be hard for the the Illini to win a Big Ten game even though they have home games against both Indiana and Purdue this year. They simply do not have enough for a bowl run this year, leaving coach Ron Zook on the hot seat despite his great recruiting.

11. Indiana Hoosiers (4-8, 0-8)
-If only the football team was as good as the basketball program. Indiana has not sniffed the Rose Bowl since making it in 1967, and do not expect them to make it to a bowl game this year. The good news is that the Hoosiers have an easy non-conference schedule that will allow them to start the season 3-0. The bad news is that the favorable teams that Indiana can beat will host them.

10+ WIN TEAMS
Iowa
Ohio State
Wisconsin

BOWL TEAMS AND DESTINATION
Ohio State- BCS National Championship Game
Iowa- Rose
Wisconsin- Capital One
Penn State- Outback
Northwestern- Gator
Purdue- Insight
Michigan- Texas
Michigan State- Dallas Football Classic
At-Large- Little Caesar's Pizza

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Terrelle Pryor (QB from Ohio State)
-It took until the Rose Bowl until Pryor made himself known to the public, but it finally happened with a win over Oregon. He most certainly could be the second Buckeye QB in the last five years to win the Heisman trophy, but he has drawn comparisons to another recent Heisman finalist -- Vince Young.

GAMES TO WATCH
1. Michigan @ Ohio State (Nov. 27)
2. Ohio State @ Iowa (Nov. 20)
3. Miami @ Ohio State (Sept. 11)
4. Penn State @ Alabama (Sept. 11)
5. Penn State @ Ohio State (Nov. 13)