Now, moving on...Scintillating game from Brett Favre. I wonder if ESPN will have a helicopter to follow him home after his 1-4, 4 yd. performance
This may be the only time you hear this out of me, this year, but good effort by Army and Wyoming...I could not find Temple, though...
QB situation at Rutgers is crowded but clear... While Rutgers' schedule is soft, they need to figure things out quickly with Cincinnati coming up in the opener.
Speaking of New Jersey, and listen, nobody who does not live in Jersey loves Jersey more than I love Jersey, but phew, look at these winners...
Anyway...Manti Te'o who was a huge steal for Notre Dame in the recruiting season has a big decision to make after this season...
I'm not sure Michigan would ever go on the road against the little brothers in-state...
More trouble for the Vols under Lane Kiffin...Who would believe it??
Now, before I begin the preview for tonight, I'm gonna take a few minutes and hang out with these guys...
Unfortunately, I forgot my Shawn Kemp jersey to go up against the dude in the Hakeem jersey...
Now, number 30-21...
30. Clemson-They won't have Tommy Bowden to push around anymore.
Willy Korn (below), let's see what you have. Can RB C.J. Spiller operate without his running mate, James Davis? Can the Tiger Paw's D capitalize on all of its potential and experience? Who is this Dabo Swinney and why is he coaching at a football hotbed like Clemson? Can this team circle the wagons and keep their sword sharp when things are looking rough, and the loyal Tiger fans are saying "same ol' underachieving Clemson?" The conventional wisdom going into last season was that if it did not happen for Clemson in '08, it was never going to happen. It did not happen for the Tigers in '08. But a trip to the ACC Championship Game is once again very much within reach for the men of Howard's Rock. Was it all Tommy Bowden's fault? Can a man named Dabo be the guy to finally rouse the men who run down the hill? Sometimes low/no expectations are good.-Last Season: 7-6 (Lost to Nebraska in Gator Bowl, 21-26)
-Prediction: 8-4 (Champs Sports Bowl)
-Key Game: September 10 @Georgia Tech
-Go-to YouTube Clip: I really want to go crack heads with a guy now...
29. West Virginia-There will still be couches burned...just not as often.
With last year's subpar season, the pressure has probably ratcheted up on head coach Bill Stewart. Losing all-everything QB Patrick White does not help things, either. Playing in a down and wide-open Big East does help. Having RB Noel Devine back does help, as well. White's replacement, QB Jarrett Brown is no slouch, either. With LB Reed Williams (right) and DT Scooter Berry back to lead the Mountaineer D, WVU could fulfill all of those expectations heaped on them before last season. By the way, they are still in way better shape than ol' what's-his-name up at Michigan.-Last Year: 9-4 (Beat North Carolina in Meineke Car Care Bowl, 31-30)
-Prediction: 9-3 (Meineke Car Care Bowl)
-Key Game: October 30 @South Florida
-Go-to YouTube Clip: Major Harris...Major Problem
28. Auburn-This was a grossly mismanaged team in '08 (see: Tony Franklin's "spread
offense") and there is only one way to go for the War Eagles. I mean, Tommy Tuberville could not have left the cupboard that bare, right? The SEC is a very tough league to have a big turnaround in, and new coach Gene Chizik will be under the microscope from day 1 on the Plains. However, this was a team that was considered a National Title contender going into '08, and with RB Ben Tate (right) and WR Mario Fannin returning, the Tigers could be a "remember us?" team in the SEC. Now if they could only find/decide on a quarterback...-Last Year: 5-7 (No Bowl)
-Prediction: 8-4 (Music City Bowl)
-Key Game: October 24 @Louisiana State
-Go-to YouTube Clip: Greatest College Football YouTube Clip Out There...
27. Illinois-Shhh...this team could win the Big 10. The Fighting
Zookers are back in the role of darkhorse that they played all the way to the Rose Bowl in '07. With Juice Williams (right) back for his 9th year, and WR Arrelious Benn back for his 8th, the Illini offense has the potential to be explosive. However, with CB Vontae Davis gone to the NFL, the Illinois defense may have a hard time keeping the opposing team off the scoreboard. With Ohio State and Penn State being the cream of an average Big 10 crop, the rest of the Big 10 is up for grabs, and the Illini may even cut in line in front of the Buckeyes and/or Nittany Lions.-Last Year: 5-7 (No Bowl)
-Prediction: 9-3 (Outback Bowl)
-Key Game: October 3 v. Penn State
-Go-to YouTube Clip: Winner Goes to the Rose Bowl...Other Conferences Just Don't Understand.
26. Georgia Tech-Will teams ever figure out Paul Johnson's option game?
Ever? I am probably underrating the Ramblin' Wreck greatly, but the top of the ACC Coastal Division is stacked with Virginia Tech and North Carolina, the Yellow Jackets may be the odd team out. This is also a program that stumbles when it seems that they are ready to take a big step. (see: v. LSU in last year's Peach Bowl) However, with the triumverate of QB Josh Nesbitt, RB Jonathan Dwyer (right) and RB Roddy Jones back with a year of running the option under their belts, G-Tech may be primed to shed the label of chokers and rise to the top of the ACC, and start a winning streak against the cross-state rival Georgia Bulldogs.-Last Year: 9-4 (Lost to Louisiana State in Peach Bowl, 3-38)
-Prediction: 9-3 (Peach Bowl)
-Key Game: September 26 v. North Carolina
-Go-to YouTube Clip: Greatest Game in ACC History...
25. Texas Tech-Everybody's favorite mad scientist will not fade
into oblivion. Kliff Kingsbury, B.J. Symons, Sonny Cumbie, Graham Harrell, just plug some guy into Mike Leach's offense and let the fireworks begin. This year, Taylor Potts (right) takes over the reins in west Texas. Michael Crabtree is playing that Sunday football. (maybe...) But, like the Supremes behind Diana Ross, Ed Britton and Detron Lewis will now get the chance to show that they too are stars. Don't forget about RB Baron Batch, who was an unsung contributor for the Red Raiders, last year, but has been dealing with some injury issues so far this year. Brandon Carter, the crazy Offensive Lineman with the spike haircut and 1000 tatoos is back, as well. There is a lot lost off the D, especially the D-Line. So, the pressure will be on Defensive Coordinator Ruffin McNeill to produce, because Leach has fired Defensive Coordinators in the middle of the season. Why? Because he's Mike Leach! Perhaps Leach will call his friend Donald Trump to coach the D, if he needs a replacement. Tech will not be 11-1, this year. However, you can still take your girlfriend out to a steakhouse and make her eat in front of you after 9 wins, right?-Last Year: 11-2 (Lost to Ole Miss in Cotton Bowl, 34-47)
-Key Returnees: WR Detron Lewis, DT Colby Whitlock, RB Baron Batch
-Key Losses: WR Michael Crabtree, QB Graham Harrell, DE Brandon Williams
-Prediction: 8-4 (Alamo Bowl)
-Key Game: September 19 @Texas
-Go-to YouTube Clip: Quite Useful...
24. Florida State-Unfortunately, the 'Noles will continue to ride the back roads of
college football. However, this is not an obituary on Bobby Bowden's career. Everybody tried that once with Paterno and it didn't work. Everything about FSU's team seems like a work in progress, but as they proved in their bowl game against Wisconsin, the potential is still there for Chief Osceola. The development and performance of QB Christian Ponder should parallel the development of the young offensive line, which by the end of the year, last year, was somewhat sturdy. No Bert Reed and no Preston Parker hurts, though. The pressure is on the defensive line with Everette Brown gone to the NFL and Myron Rolle gone to a Rhodes Scholarship. There are a bunch of "who's he's" in the secondary, so the pressure will be on ancient Defensive Coordinator Mickey Andrews to handle the offenses of the ACC. Otherwise, Coach Bowden won't be winning too many more daggum ballgames.-Last Year: 9-4 (Beat Wisconsin in Champs Sports Bowl, 42-13)
-Key Returnees: QB Christian Ponder, OLB Dekoda Watson, OG Rodney Hudson
-Key Losses: DE Everette Brown, WR Greg Carr, MLB Derek Nicholson
-Prediction: 9-3 (Emerald Bowl)
-Key Game: September 7 v. Miami (FL)
-Go-to YouTube Clip: Not too many College Football players end up on CNN...
23. Utah-I feel safe in saying that their record will be worse than last year.
While there is only one way to go for the U of U, they will not slip too far. With DE Koa Misi and LB Stevenson Sylvester (right) back from last year's shutdown D, Brian Johnson's replacement at QB will not have to hang 50 up to win. Last year's Wildcat RB, Matt Asiata is back, but with Darrell Mack gone to graduation, Asiata will have to prove that he can be the guy. Road games at Louisville and Oregon will test the Utes mettle early. There will be trips to TCU and BYU in November, as well. With a schedule that difficult and all of the goodwill remaining from last year's crusade, it is there for the Utes. 12-0 this year could mean that long awaited date for the crystal football, especially if Orrin Hatch has anything to say about it.-Last Year: 13-0 (Beat Alabama in Sugar Bowl, 31-17)
-Key Returnees: OLB Stevenson Sylvester, DE Koa Misi, RB Matt Asiata
-Key Losses: QB Brian Johnson, DE Paul Kruger, CB Sean Smith
-Prediction: 10-2 (Poinsettia Bowl)
-Key Game: November 14 @Texas Christian
-Go-to YouTube Clip: Better than beating Alabama??
22. Cincinnati- You might as well flip a coin in the Big East, this year. What with
Pitt losing LeSean McCoy and Scott McKillop, West Virginia losing Pat White, UConn losing Donald Brown, and South Florida and Rutgers having a penchant to disappoint. Brian Kelly is still in the Queen City, so why not Cincinnati, again? With the QB-WR tandem of Tony Pike and Mardy Gilyard (right) back for another year, the offense should not see too much of a drop off. The defense is not as steady with several position changes going on. However, with all of the aforementioned lost offensive talent at other schools, perhaps the Bearcats can just outscore everybody. The driver's seat in the Big East will be up for grabs early, as UC travels to Rutgers on Opening Day. The winner there may get the inside track to the Conference title and a trip to the Orange Bowl.-Last Year: 11-3 (Lost to Virginia Tech in Orange Bowl, 7-20)
-Key Returnees: QB Tony Pike, WR Mardy Gilyard, SS Aaron Webster
-Key Losses: CB Mike Mickens, DE Connor Barwin, WR Dominick Goodman
-Prediction: 9-3 (Orange Bowl)
-Key Game: September 7 @Rutgers
-Go-to YouTube Clip: The UC Football Library Was Not Exactly Vast...
21. Nebraska-Bill Callahan is not walking through that door. Thank God.
Welcome back to the College Football landscape, Big Red. For the 'Huskers, this year, it is all about a boy named Suh. Ndamukong Suh (right), to be exact. He is an NFL-ready prospect who is leading the current-day Cornhusker D back to the days of the mythic Blackshirt Defense of Trev Alberts and Jason Peter. Does Nebraska have a long way to go to get back to being Nebraska? Yes. Are they on the right track? Yes, also. Bo Pelini has brought the Big Red back to its deep roots of run the ball, play great D, win Specialty Teams that were pillars of Tom Osborne's tremendous success. With RBs Roy Helu, Quentin Castille, and Jordan Mackovicka carrying the load, QB Zac Lee will not be asked to do too much. We will be able to tell much more about where the program is after a trip to Blacksburg in September. A win there speeds up the ascent to where Nebraska used to be, and turns up the pressure to reach the Big XII Title Game. Either way, the great Cornhusker fans will cheer both teams at the end of the game.-Last Year: 9-4 (Beat Clemson in Gator Bowl, 26-21)
-Key Returnees: DT Ndamukong Suh, RB Roy Helu, SS Larry Asante
-Key Losses, QB Joe Ganz, RB Marlon Lucky, OLB Cody Glenn
-Prediction: 8-4 (Sun Bowl)
-Key Game: November 14 @ Kansas
-Go-to YouTube Clip: Wasn't Nebraska AWESOME Back Then??
So, much like the great Casey Kasem, we are counting down America's Top 40, "and we won't stop 'til we get to number 1," as the Mr. Kasem would say. We are into the early part of the Top 25. Who's Number 1?? I don't know.
What I do know is that it is time for a message from Bob Knight (please earmuff the kids...)
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