Game Week

College football finally opens up the season later this week!

Here is my summary take on who will do well across the board. I have already provided my take on the premier conference, the SEC. South Carolina and Alabama will duke it out in Atlanta in early December if my picks prevail.

I think FSU and Va Tech get a rematch in the ACC title game, but that is not very daring, as most folks think that is how it will play out.

A lot of love for Nebraska to win the big 10 (can't count) but I am not buying the Huskers. Some good teams with Mich State, Wisconsin, Iowa and Ohio State, and none of them impress me as top 5. IF OSU had not sunk into all the crud that saw Pryor bolt and Tressel fired, they would probably be top 5. Now, not so much.

I think Oregon has a very good chance to get back to the BCS Championship game. I also think that if Oklahoma beats FSU in Tallahassee, the Sooners will probably run the table. Alabama has to get love, because it is a rule that the best SEC team should always be in the discussion. Again, I like South Carolina's chance to be special this season. Florida State could have a special season if they somehow beat Oklahoma, but I am not expecting that to happen. Virginia Tech will have a great season, partly because they have a cupcake schedule. Beamer is a terrific coach and I would really like the Hokies to keep playing good non conference teams (they played Alabama last year) even if they don't win them. NOTRE DAME will probably be in a BCS bowl game come January.

My Top 25

1. Oregon
2. Oklahoma
3. South Carolina
4. Alabama
5. Florida State
6. Stanford
7. Oklahoma State
8. Virginia Tech
9. Notre Dame
10. Arkansas
11. Mississippi State
12. West Virginia
13. Ohio State
14. Nebraska
15. Wisconsin
16. Missouri
17. Florida
18. LSU
19. Georgia
20. Boise State
21. UCF
22. Auburn
23. South Florida
24. Southern Cal
25. Clemson
Iowa

Teams like Southern Miss, Houston and BYU could make some noise. Maybe Utah or Arizona State.

Toe meets leather or composite this weekend!

High school football is ON! Tonight ESPN viewers get to watch Armwood play Nevada power Gorman out in Vegas - 9:00 pm Eastern time. It is the first of a sweet weekend of interstate match ups. On Saturday at Noon, Ft Lauderdale St Thomas Aquinas plays Prattville, Alabama at Noon. The 2nd game in thae twin bill is Hoover AL, vs South Panola, Mississippi. All four teams are juggernauts. Should be fun and some serious D1 recruits on the field. There are some more out of state games, but another one I'm really interested in is little Cocoa High playing in Cincinnati power Colerain. On paper Cocoa has no chance, but on paper they should not have beat 3 OOS teams last year.

Back home, Crestview plays their KO Classic against panhandle power Pace. It will be interesting to see how new coach Kevin Pettis has in store for my Bulldogs.

Closer to now home, my daughter had her varsity volleyball debut last night and she was awesome. I'm biased I know, but the 3 frosh on Eustis were some of the better players on the floor.

In addition to the big prep football this weekend, the Little League World series has the International and USA championships on Saturday, followed by the big enchilada on Sunday. How can anybody not pull for Montana?

In the coming days I'll finish my college football preview, highlighting FLORIDA STATE of course. Low lighting LSU and Miami :)

Oh yes, lest I forget. Tomorrow morning, my son Josh, Captain Hopkins and pal Malcolm will join me in the SAVAGE RACE. A prayer on my behalf would be AOK with me!

Outlaw

UF Fan Day and the SEC West

I took my daughter and 3 of her friends to the Gator Fan Day on Saturday. Turns out that they were far more interested in the UF volleyball team than interacting with the football gators. Who knew?



So, in a previous post I chronicled why I think the South Carolina Gamecocks will win the SEC East. Even with all the props the West is getting I would not be surprised to see USC win in Atlanta.

That said, the West is loaded. Until Knile Davis got hurt last week, I was ready to take Arkansas over both Alabama and LSU. But as Lee Corso says, "not so fast my friend". LSU is sick talented. But LSU has Les Miles as their coach. They will choke at least 2 times, if not 3. Oregon next Saturday night just might crack the invincible SEC code. Jordan Jefferson is a really good athlete, but not a great QB. LSU wins in spite of mediocre QB play. That is impressive.
I guess I have to pile on the band wagon and go with Alabama to win the West. They are not wreaking of NFL talent at the skill positions, but are like 4 deep on the line and at every defensive spot. Nick Saban is quite simply the best college coach going. I'm not a huge fan of his, but he wins and he recruits. I don't expect Auburn to be as bad as a lot of people think. And, I think Dan Mullen at Mississippi State does more with less, than any coach in the SEC.

So, my predicted order of finish:

Alabama
Arkansas
Mississippi State
Auburn
LSU
Ole Miss

I know that is pretty disrespectful of LSU, but I just keep thinking that Les Miles' luck has to run out eventually!

Mega conferences?

I'm just getting started on my pre season take on the upcoming college football season and it appears the cfb world is about to end as we know it. IF Texas A&M goes to the SEC, it will be the trigger for mega conference alignment. The mighty SEC will not sit back and get left out of the money (I mean team) grab. A&M going SEC would require at least one more team, probably 3 more. Florida State is being mentioned, as are Clemson and Mizzu. The Noles had a chance back in the early 90's and went to the ACC. The amazing 14 year run of dominance (all top 4 finishes) would not have happened if WE had been in the SEC. Beating the ACC back then was good, but not near the caliber of the SEC, which wasn't as dominating then, as it is now.

I don't know how this plays out, of whether or not I like it (that is not a factor now is it). I do know that college football is only amateur by the strictest of definitions. The billions being generated are hard to fathom, and with that much money, there is little innocence left standing.

I'll try to get back to my take on the season tomorrow, and start talking some high school football as well!

First post of the 2011 Season - SEC East

My first post of the season, as I watch Florida play Georgia in the SouthEast Little League final. A trip to Williamsport on the line!

On to college football. IT IS ABOUT TIME!

The West is probably the toughest "league" in college football this year, but I'll start with the SEC East because I'm partial to the reptiles down Gainesville way.


SEC EAST
Let’s start out with the assumption that South Carolina, Florida and Georgia are the top 3 teams in the East. Tennessee and Kentucky should be decent, but poor Vandy just can’t compete in the SEC (in football) YET. Vandy’s new coach is strong and they are making some noise in recruiting already.
The Gamecocks won the East last year and lost to Auburn in the SEC Championship game. They return 7 starters on Offense and 7 on Defense. They return some big time play makers, including Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery.
Florida returns 6 starters on Offense and only 3 on Defense.
Georgia was 6-7 last season and lost to UCF in their bowl game. For some reason, a lot of “experts” are picking them to win the East. How could that be you ask? The Dawg’s return 4 Offensive and 7 Defensive starters. The numbers are similar to the Gators, but neither of the Cocktail party participants won the East last season or return as many starters as the Cocks.
Their respective Schedules are the key to understanding how the East might play out.
I say USC goes first as they are the defending “champs”. They open with East Carolina in Charlotte and then in week 2 they go “between the hedges” for the showdown with Georgia. It is safe to say that it is a big game. Home games follow against Navy, Vandy and Auburn. Auburn only returns 5 starters from their BCS championship team. War Beagles should be good, but not great. Kentucky comes to town next and then 3 straight road games at Miss State, Tennessee and Arkansas. The Gators will come calling on 11/12 and by then the SEC East will be decided. The schedule has a “breather” against the Citadel before cross state rival Clemson comes to Columbia on Thanksgiving Saturday. USC DOES NOT play Alabama or LSU, both of whom are expected to be top 5 nationally.
Florida opens with FAU and UAB, and then starts conference play with Rocky Top before a roadie to Kentucky. Those 4 look “winnable” and they better be, because a gauntlet follows. The Crimson Tide rolls into the Swamp on 10/1 and the following Saturday has the Gators in Death Valley against LSU. UF gets to follow up two top 5 battles with a trip to Auburn, the defending national champs. A week to heal comes before the Cocktail Party. Vandy opens the November slate and then it’s off to Columbia for the showdown with South Carolina. The East will be settled by that night. Furman and a rejuvenated Florida State round out the dance card for the Mighty Gators.
Georgia’s schedule looks like this: Boise State in Atlanta to get things going. Boise is good, but Boise is NOT playing in the SEC. Week 2 is the biggie vs South Carolina! After that UGA plays Coastal Carolina (they have a football team?) before a trip to the Grove and Ole Miss. Mississippi State comes to Athens on 10/1 and then a roadie to Knoxville and the Vol navy. Another trip to Tennessee the following week to play Vandy and then a bye to get ready for the Cocktail Party and the Gators! November brings in the New Mexico St patsy, followed by Auburn and Kentucky and finally in state rival Ga Tech.
Schedule wise, the Gators have to play both Alabama and LSU, while Georgia and South Carolina miss both of the giants from the West. A lot of folks have Arkansas as the 3rd best team in the SEC (I’m not on that band wagon) and only South Carolina has to tangle with the Hogs. So, from an SEC schedule it is obvious Georgia has the easiest path, then USC, and Florida the nastiest by far. So, THAT is how Florida may have a great team, but not be able to win the East. Let’s imagine that Florida loses two SEC games and beats both Georgia and South Carolina. If USC wins all their other conference games, they win the East even though they lost head to head against UF.
It is way too early to do this, but here is how I see it playing out for these 3.

Georgia:
Beats Boise State, although it would not shock me for Boise to prevail (the puppies lost to UCF last outing…)
Loses to South Carolina
Beats Coastal
Beats Ole Miss
Loses to Miss State at home
Beats Tennessee (maybe)
Beats Vandy
Loses to Florida (again) like death and taxes, some things you can count on ! 
Beats NMSt
Loses to Auburn
Beats Kentucky
Beats Ga Tech to finish 8-4, 5-3 in the SEC

FLORIDA:
Beats FAU
Beats UAB
Beats Tennessee
Beats Kentucky
Loses to Alabama
Beats LSU
Beats Auburn
Beats Georgia
Beats Vandy
Loses to South Carolina
Beats Furman
Loses to FSU to finish 9-3 and 6-2

SOUTH CAROLINA
W East Carolina
W Georgia
W Navy
W Vandy
L Auburn
W Kentucky
L Miss St
W Tennessee
W Arkansas – this one could be a trap for the old ball coach.
W Florida
W Citidel
W Clemson to finish 10-2 and 6-2 but the win vs UF carries them back to the SEC CG