QUICK COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW

I know I have been slacking, but college football always gets me back and going on the Rant. I don't have time for a full fledged preview like last season (30 days worth of coverage) but I will give you some predictions for the season and for the upcoming week as we approach the kick off to the season in less the 2 hours!

Conference winners:
ACC-
I want to type who cares, but I won't. This is a 3 team battle, while North Carolina, NC State and Clemson have all improved, I feel that FSU, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech are clearly the best teams in the conference. FSU is the only one of the three that is in the Atlantic division of the conference so I see the making it to the title game in Tampa. The Coastal divison will be decided in Atalnta on October 17th when the Hokies visit the Yellow Jackets. Va Tech should be much improved on offense, but the defense (for once) looks like it might be their weak point needing to replace their entire LB corp from last year. I like GT to win the Coastal division with the return of 9 of 11 starters on an offense that was 4th in the nation in rushing last season. I like GT to then go on an win the ACC Title game and to go on to represent the conference in a BCS bowl.

Big East-
Ok, this will sound like a homer here, but Pitt clearly has the best team in the conference. The biggest question for the Panthers is the QB play. Bill Stull is back as a starter after a less than impressive Junior season and even less impressive fall camp. If Stull avoids losing games I like the Panthers to win the Big East. Unfortunately, I just don't see that happening. WVU has a tough defense back and just enough weapons to get it done in a really bad Big ast conference this season. I like the Mountaineers to lose once again in the Backyard Brawl to the Panthers, but losses to Rutgers and Cincinnati will be what keeps Pitt from a BCS bowl.

Big Ten-
November 7th, Ohio State @ Penn State, that is all you need to know about the Big Ten this season. The Big Ten is bad this season, almost on par with the Big East. The only difference is that they have 2 top 15 teams in the conference, which the Big East lacks. After Penn State and Ohio State there is nobody in the Big Ten that should sniff the rankings this season. The will, because they are from the Big Ten, but they shouldn't! You will see teams like Michigan State and Illinois, maybe Iowa get to maybe 17 or so only to lose 2 or 3 straight proving they don't belong. I expect Ohio State to beat USC this season (not because they are the better team, but because USC is so banged up to start the season and they are starting a true freshman QB in the Horseshoe), but to drop a game somewhere along the way. Penn State will be perfect leading up to the showdown with the Buckeyes and they could be ranked as high as 4 or 5 by this game. I like Ohio State though in Happy Valley. The Buckeyes are too athletic and Penn State has too many question marks on the offensive side of the ball to score with the Buckeyes.

PAC-10-
For once this is not a no-brainer! USC is still the most talented team in the conference, but most of the experience is gone. Teams like Cal and Oregon should really push USC this season. The Trojans have never been great teams out of the shoot and they always seem to take a month or two before they really hit their prime. This year they may not have the luxary to be able to do that. USC plays their three toughest games of the season on the road, and two of them in the first five games of the season. The Trojans play only three homes games in their first nine games and have to travel to Oregon, Cal and Arizona State in conference (Washington too, but they stink) and Notre Dame and Ohio State out of conference. This will be too much for USC. I like Cal to knock off the Trojans and I think Oregon could too. The biggest game of the season in the PAC-10 may actually be played the week before Cal-USC. Cal has to travel to Eugene to take on the Ducks just one week before playing USC. When the dust settles, I think Cal comes out of the Pac-10. All of the big 3 will have at least 1 loss, but Cal will beat USC and win any tie-breaker based on that win.

BIG XII-
Once again the Big XII will come down to OU and Texas. Unlike last year though Texas will beat OU in the Red River Shootout AND represent the Big XII South against whatever pathetic team from the North wins that division (for the record I'm picking Nebraska). Texas will then pummell the Huskers and be on their way to the National Title game after going undefeated in the brutal Big XII South.

SEC-
Saving the best for last. Florida is the best team in the SEC East no question. To be fair, the SEC East is not all that tough this season. Georgia lost their top RB and QB to the NFL and that was a team that Florida beat 49-10 last season. Lane Kiffin may be good at Tennessee, but he will take his lumps this season, and maybe learn to shut his mouth in the process. The real battle in the SEC this season will be in the West. LSU is loaded again. Ole Miss returns 16 starters from a team that finished 2nd in the west last season and beat Florida in The Swamp. And let's not forget about Alabama. Nick Saban has another stellar defense to build around. The defense returns 9 starts from a squad that finished 7th in the nation in points allowed (14.3 ppg), 3rd in yards allowed (263.5 ypg) and 2nd in rushing yards allowed (74.1 ypg). Ole Miss gets both LSU and Alabama at home and LSU has to play both those teams on the road and they get Florida in the SEC rotation this year. That will be too tough of a road for the Tigers to face, I see them losing at least one of those three, maybe all of them. Alabama once again has the easiest schedule of the group and I see them matching-up with Florida in the conference title game in a rematch from last year. Same two teams and same result as last year. I like the Gators to once again win the SEC.

Games this week:
BYU-OU
I love this match-up. I think that Oklahoma will come out with a W when it is all said and done, but I really expect this game to have all the fireworks. OU has a lot of question marks on offense and BYU can and will score with any team in the nation. I expect this one to test that new scoreboard at Jerry Jones Stadium.

Boise State-Oregon
Boise State is 64-2 on the Smurf Turf since 1999, that is impressive. They also have more wins then any team in the country since 2000 other than Oklahoma. What a way to start the college football season tonight. I like Oregon to become the third team in the last 10 years to win in Boise in what will be a really fun game to watch.

Virginia Tech-Alabama
This is two teams with lots of preseason hype, but I think the game will be very much like the game between Clemson and Alabama which kicked off the season last year. Two big-time programs squaring off, but I think Bama wins this fairly easily.

Georgia-Oklahoma State
We will see how UGA replaced Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno really quickly because playing against Ok State you better have your offensive weapons with you because you will need to score in bunches. Ok State has as many skill players as any team in the country and I don't think there is anyway that Georgia is able to keep up with the Cowboys fire power.

I'll be back next week, enjoy the start of College Football!!!!!