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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year's Eve!

2012 is just right around the corner and what better way to ring in the new year than watching college football all day? Exactly. So while you're working through your resolutions and making that cheese dip you make every year, I'm going to hook you up with your bowl knowledge for today!

The Texas A&M Aggies(6-6) are taking on the Northwestern Wildcats (6-6) in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. This will once again be a test for the Big 10 and Big 12 to see which conference is better. Northwestern has had an up and down season. They had their moments of greatness (a win against Nebraska and a four game win streak) and their moments of failure (a loss to Army and a six game losing streak). Through the thick and the thin, the Wildcats have been lead by their Senior QB, Dan Persa. Persa put together a great season as he accumulated 2,163 yards and 17 TDs. He will be key if the Wildcats want to win. The Cats have a decent run game, but don't expect an incredible performance from running back Jacob Schmidt. One factor the Cats have against them is the fact that they loss their star corner, Jordan Mabin. Mabin has never missed a game and he will be missed when the Northwestern defense needs a big stop against the talented A&M wide receivers. The Aggies have been extremely disappointing this season. In the preseason, the were predicted to be a dark horse for the National Championship. After close losses to Oklahoma State and Arkansas, their title hopes were dashed. The Aggies always found a way to lose the game in the second half. Through the disappointment, it isn't hard to see all the promise in this great Texas A&M team. QB Ryan Tannehill has been an offensive Juggernaut throwing for 3,415 yards and 28 TDs. Tannehill is only the tip of the proverbial ice-burgh that is the Texas A&M offense. Running back Cyrus Gay has been amazing as well. He has rushed for over 1,000 yards and 12 TDs this season. He will be able to wear down the Cat's front four with his powerful running style. The catch with the Aggies is their defense. As prolific as A&M's offense is, their defense has really let them down. The defense has averaged 28.7 points per game this season and has only forced 15 turnovers. They will need to make at least one big play if they expect to have a chance in this game. After the dust settles, I see the Aggies walking out of Houston with the win. The amazing A&M offense will have the Aggies moving up and down the field and the defense will make enough stops to bag the 35-24 win. 

The Sun Bowl will feature the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-4) and the Utah Utes (7-5). Utah will be looking to make a statement in their first year in the PAC-12. To do so, they will need a big game from their defense and line backer Chaz Walker. Walker has recorded 103 tackles this season and has been a disturbance for almost every offense he has faced. The Ute's defensive unit has had a great year as well only allowing an average of 19.7 points per game. On the offensive side of the ball, the Utes have been out right dreadful. The passing game lead by Jon Hays has been one of the worst in the nation and the running game is just as bad. The Utes will need the best performances from both functions of the offenses if they want to win. On the other side, Georgia Tech has one of the best ground games in all of college football. Averaging over 316 yards a game, the rush has been lead by junior QB, Tevin Washington. In many ways, he has been more effective on the ground than in the air. Washington has amassed over 850 yards and 14 scores on the ground this season. When he does throw the ball, look for him to try to find is big play man, Stephan Hill, who averages 30 yards per catch.  I expect this game to be won by the team who can find their passing game in the critical moments. Both teams will be running the ball all day and one of them will need to step up when they need to throw. I see Georgia Tech being the team to make the plays. They will get a big pass play when they need it most and win 34-28. 

We've now made it all the way to the bowl I have been shaking my head at ever since I found out the match up. It's the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl with the Illinois Fighting Illini (6-6) and the UCLA Bruins (6-7)...oh boy. There isn't much in the game that appeals to me. Both teams struggled through their seasons and are now going to duke it out in the Toilet Bowl. UCLA isn't even at .500! They some how miraculously fought their way through the Southern division of the PAC-12 and then lost to the Oregon Ducks in the PAC 12 Championship game. Come on people, they had to write a petition to the NCAA to become bowl eligible! Sorry to any of you Bruin or Illini fans, but I'm not wasting too much time on this one. I expect Illinois' QB Nathan Scheelhaase to have a great game and lead the Illini to a 17-10 win. Ugh...

Next up on the bowl docket is the Liberty Bowl which features the Cincinnati Bearcats (9-3) and the Vanderbilt Commodores (6-6). Though the records of both teams are very far apart, these teams are closer matched than one may think. Vandy fought their way through the extremely tough SEC East behind the leadership of the young Jordan Rodgers. Rodgers has thrown for 1,498 yards with 9 TDs. His problem has been taking care of the ball; throwing just as many interceptions as touchdowns. With so much uncertainty in the passing game, the Commodores will have to rely on their running back Zac Stacy. Zac has spearheaded the running game by racking up 1,136 yards and 13 touchdowns. When the offense isn't on the field, look for corner back Casey Hayward to lead the defense on a shutdown mission. The Bearcats on the other hand, will really be relying on their running game. Cinci will be going with QB Zach Collaros to lead their offense. He has been out for over a month with a broken ankle. I am uncertain of how he will play, so the run game will be key. The more work running back Isaiah Pead does on the ground, the less opportunities Collaros has to turn the ball over. Pead has run for 1,110 yards this season and a Big East leading 11 touchdowns. The Cats also have a menace on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive end Derick Wolfe has 9.5 sacks this season and will be the key player for forcing erred throws from Vandy's Rodgers. Though Vandy is the favorite in Vegas, I'm going to have to go with the Bearcats. They have the proven quarterback and that will be key late in the game as Cincinnati wins 24-17.

The final game of 2011 will be the Chick-Fil-A Bowl which pits the Virginia Cavaliers (8-4) and the former champions the Auburn Tigers (7-5). Though this hasn't been the season that the Tigers imagined it would be, they can still finish it off with a win and extend their bowl winning streak to 5. To do so, the Tigers will rely on their incredible running back Micheal Dyer. Dyer hasn't disappointed in his second season as a a Tiger by going for 1,242 yards on the ground with 10 TDs. His powerful running style will be like nothing that Virginia has seen before. However, Auburn's passing game has dropped significantly since last season. The Tiger air attack is now one of the worst in the nation only  averaging 169.8 yards per game. QB Barrett Trotter isn't Cam Newton if you couldn't tell. Through his struggles, Trotter has thrown for just over 1,000 yards and 10 TDs. The defense has been average, but if you have to point to the player that has made the most difference, you would have to point to safety Neiko Thorpe. He is the vocal leader of the Auburn defense and will get his name called plenty of times tonight. Virginia poses an interesting challenge. The Cavs have one of the best run stopping defenses and have never allowed more than 38 points in a game. The defense is also good at protecting the pass and is lead by safety Rodney McLeod who has 4 picks this season.The Cavs running game is by committee, but Perry Jones gets the bulk of the carries and has amassed 883 yards this season. The Virginia air raid is probably their strongest asset. QB Micheal Rocco has thrown for 2,359 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. His issue is throwing interceptions; he has 11 this season. When the final whistle blows, I expect the Auburn Tigers to bag the bowl win by dominating on the ground and winning 31-20.

Thanks for reading! 

Friday, December 30, 2011

We're still Bowling Folks!

The bowls continue to roll on my friends! As we slide on in to the new year, so do the bowls. New Year's Eve Eve and New Year's Eve both feature some great bowls. After last night, I'm at a not to shabby 9-4. My Western and Lousiville picks really came back to bite me. With all these games in the next few days, I need to do better if I want to have a respective record. I've now centered my inner Chi and I'm ready to let these picks loose!

Th BYU Cougars (9-3) and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (8-4) clash in the battle for the Armed Forces Bowl. One of the key players for the Cougars is the QB Riley Nelson. Nelson started the year as the second string, but as Jake Heaps struggled, it was Riley's time. He has lead BYU to prosperity by throwing 16 touchdowns this year. Another factor is that BYU will be hot coming into this game. They have won eight of their last nine games.  Tulsa will need to rely on their star running back Trey Watts. He has been a force on the ground and in the air. Watts sets up a lot of the Hurricanes touchdowns and doesn't hit pay dirt often. G.J. Kinne will also have to play extremely well if the Golden Hurricanes want to win today. The quarterback has thrown 25 touchdowns this year, but the 12 picks have really been the story. I expect BYU to come out hot, but then start to cool off. Tulsa will keep it close, but I have to go with the Cougars in a close one.

The Pinstripe Bowl features the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-4) and the Iowa State Cyclones (6-6). Rutgers have a major threat in the air and his name is Mohamed Sanu. He caught 109 passes for 1,144 yards with 7 TDs and is a huge play threat. This is even more impressive when you look at the men throwing him the ball. Rutgers have two quarterbacks who have combined for 21 touchdowns and 16 interceptions! If the Scarlet Knights are forced to throw it a lot, they might be in trouble. Iowa State has had similar QB issues. Their two quarterbacks have combined for 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The positive spin for the Cyclones is that have a solid run game. They average 181.2 rushing yards per game which is good enough to be ranked 35th in the Nation. James White has gotten the majority of the carries and has amassed 701 yards and 8 touchdowns. The run game will need to be in full swing if Iowa State wants to have a chance. The key to this game will be Iowa State's ability it hang onto the ball. The Cyclone have turned it over 32 times (2nd Worse in the nation). This will definitely be an issue because they are taking on a defense who has 31 takeaways (5th best in the nation). I see the Scarlet Knights forcing the turnovers they need to and winning 31-28.

The Music City Bowl has an interesting game this year. It pits the Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-6) and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8-4). Seriously folks? I'm not spending much time on this one. The Bulldogs will dominate this one. They play in the SEC! The Bulldogs six losses came to teams with a combined record of 61 and 13. Chris Relf will face a far less superior secondary than many of the ones he has faced this year. Vick Ballard will have a great day running and will really be able to add to his 1,000 yard season. The only factor Wake has going for them is Tanner Price. The QB has thrown 20 touchdowns this year and nearly 3,000 yards. Even if he has a great day, it will be hard for the Deacons to keep up with the Bulldogs offense. Remember, Wake was destroyed by Vanderbilt on the last week of the season 41-7. I see the Bulldogs cruising through this one 31-10.

Iowa (7-5) meets Oklahoma (9-3) in the Insight Bowl. To me, this is the most interesting game of the day. A Big10-Big12 match up is a great measuring stick for both conference. When Oklahoma fell out of the National Title race, I'm sure they wouldn't have minded going bowling in Arizona. This wasn't exactly what they had in mind. To Sooner Fans, this season has to be a bit of a disappointment. If the Sooners want to make their fans happy, Laundry Jones will have to lead his team to a win. I see him having no problem in doing so. The Sooners have one of the nation's top offenses and average 532.1 yards a game and over 40 points a game. Laundry Jones will be able to find all his wide receivers in a porous Iowa secondary. The Oklahoma defense also has a great advantage. They have recorded 37 sacks this season and will make minced meat against a Hawkeyes line who let in 26 sacks this season. The one big threat the Hawkeyes have is their passing game. Wide out Marvin McNutt is ranked 10th in the nation in receiving yards and will probably go deep more than once in this game. The QB James Vandenberg has thrown for 23 TDs and has also taken care of the football. Even with the passing threat, Iowa won't stand a chance. Oklahoma has too much talent on the defensive side to lose. I see the Sooners winning 41- 17.

Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

December Bowls (Video)

Here's the link to my latest video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_-JuPTi-ZI&context=C3582a91ADOEgsToPDskJhUAUG78H7FpxxCB6O4g2A

Hope you enjoy!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Basketmas

Basketball had an off season like no other. Just like the NFL, the NBA suffered a scary and difficult lockout. Unlike the NFL, the NBA had such a terrible time agreeing that games were canceled. Then, out of nowhere came David Stern's early Christmas gift; the NBA's annual Christmas day games were going to be the kickoff to the new, shortened season. I now feel like a little kid waiting for Santa Claus to bring me glorious, glorious gifts. Christmas day will feature some great conference match ups and even a Finals rematch! Before we get to any picks, it's time to take an early look at who is going to win it all this year.

Eastern Conference 

Atlantic
1. Boston Celtics (3) - The Big Three will be hungry this season. They will be really hard to stop.
2. New York Knicks (4) - The addition of Chandler will make the Knicks better, but not good enough. 
3. Philadelphia 76ers (6) - Turner stars in one of the 76ers best seasons in recent memory.
4. Toronto Raptors - With the band of no names returning, basketball will continue to be ho-hum in Toronto.
5. New Jersey Nets - Williams can't fix ALL the problems the Nets have. 

Central 
1. Chicago Bulls (2) - D-Rose continues the MVP performance and leads the Bulls to greatness.  
2. Milwaukee Bucks (8) - The Bucks won't be great, but that's good enough for second in this division.  
3. Indiana Pacers - Tyler Hansbrough and Co. = Middle of the road. 
4. Cleveland Cavaliers - The Cavs will have a bounce back year... if you want to call is that.
5. Detroit Pistons - Pistons fans might as well put that '04 commemorative DVD in right about.... now. 

South East 
1. Miami Heat (1) - The Heatles will be scary this year. All systems will be go in South Beach this year.
2. Orlando Magic (5) - As long as they keep Howard, they will be a great team. 
3. Atlanta Hawks (7) - Josh Smith will keep the Hawks competitive... Competitive being the key word. 
4. Washington Wizards - John Wall and the rest of the Wiz show promise. Maybe next year. 
5. Charlotte Bobcats - This team would need Michael Jordan himself to play if they want to win.

Playoffs 
(1) Heat over (8) Bucks in 4
(2) Bulls over (7) Hawks in 5
(3) Celtics over (6) 76ers in 4
(4) Knicks over (5) Magic in 6 

Semi Final
(1) Heat over (4) Knicks in 5
(2) Bulls over (3) Celtics in 6 

Eastern Final 
(1) Heat over (2) Bulls in 6 

Western Conference 

Northwest
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (2)- Kevin Durant will lead the Thunder with vigor and to the division championship.
2. Denver Nuggets (6)- Danilo Gallinari will play big as the Nuggets make a run for the playoffs. 
3. Utah Jazz- Al Jefferson and Josh Howard will make due role players around them, but it won't be enough.
4. Portland Trail Blazers- Without Roy, the Trail Blazers don't have pieces to make a solid run. 
5. Minnesota Timber Wolves- An improved T-wolves team is still a T-wolves team. 

Pacific
1. Los Angeles Lakers (3) - Kobe. Pau. World Peace. They will continue to get it done in the city of Angels. 
2. Los Angeles Clippers (4) - Chris Paul makes this team playoff ready. Griffin will continue to dazzle.
3. Phoenix Suns (8) - Steve Nash gets into the playoffs, but just by the skin of his teeth. 
4. Golden State Warriors - Curry will play great, but the rest of his team will let him down. 
5. Sacromento Kings - The Kings have some young talent, but they wont be able to put it together this year. 

South West 
1. Dallas Mavericks (1) - The Big German is just too good for his conference; Mavs Blow past everyone. 
2. San Antonio Spurs (5) - Duncan and Parker are getting older. They will have to dig deep to get this spot. 
3. Memphis Grizzlies (7) - Spurred on by last years playoff run, Mayo and the gang get in again.
4. Houston Rockets - Can you even name someone on this team? Nope, but their numbers look decent. 
5. New Orleans Hornets - The loss of CP3 will be a huge blow to Nola, but I don't expect them to recover. 

Playoffs 
(1) Mavericks over (8) Suns in 4
(2) Thunder over (7) Grizzlies in 5
(3) Lakers over (6) Nuggets in 6
(4) Clippers over (8) Spurs in 7

Semi Final 
(1) Mavericks over (4) Clippers in 5
(2) Thunder over (3) Lakers in 5

Western Final 
(2) Thunder over (1) Mavericks in 7

~~2012 NBA FINALS~~
Heat over Thunder in 6

~~ 2012 NBA FINALS CHAMPIONS~~
                    MIAMI HEAT

With that in mind, let's look to the real games. Teams need to win early and often so a hot start would be very valuable. This is how it will shake out on Christmas Day!

Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks - Mavs wont be focused because of the banner raising. Heat will also be looking for revenge!

New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics - Boston's big three out ways New York's. 

Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers - D-Rose will be rocking for the Bulls as the Lakers falter without Kobe. 

Orlando Magic vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Kevin Durant will keep his pick up game pace as he blazes past Howard and the Magic. 

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors - Chris Paul and Blake Griffin jell early and blowout the boys from Golden State.

Thanks For Reading! Enjoy the Games! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! 







Tuesday, December 20, 2011

More Bowl Games

     As the days before Christmas wind down, college football is giving us some early gifts. Many include a top 25 darling (TCU, Boise, Southern Miss) looking to end their season on a high note. I believe that the next few days of bowls will be some of the best games all bowl season.

     First up in this week of bowls, we have the St. Petersburg Bowl which features the 8-4 Florida International Golden Panthers and the 6-6 Marshall Thundering Herd. To the casual college football fan, this looks like one of those bowls that won't have much action or talented players. That fan, would be very wrong. Florida International has an incredibly talented running game. Kedrick Rhodes leads the ground game and averages 5 yards a carry. FIU's quarterback Wesley Carroll serves as a sufficient  passer and has thrown for 14 touchdowns this year. The Golden Panthers also have a solid defense that has allowed and average of 20 points a game this season.
     Marshall on the other hand as maybe one of the best defensive menaces in all of college football. Vinny Curry has been an absolute defensive beast for the Thundering Herd and has racked up 11 sacks this season. The Herd doesn't have a strong running game, but the passing game is where they really shine. Wide Receiver Aaron Dobson has collected 10 touchdown passes.
     All in all I find that Marshall will have a lot of difficulties in this game. Marshall's Rakeem Cato has a tendency to throw plenty of interceptions and I believe that the FIU defense will have no problem taking care of his miscues.  FIU, lead by Kedrick Rhodes, will win 30-24. Look for both FIU and Marshall to struggle in the fourth quarter of this one; both have been outscored in the fourth all season.

     The Poinsettia Bowl will feature the TCU Horned Frogs (10-2) and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (8-4). TCU has frequently been a participant in San Diego and will be looking to win their third Poinsettia crown. To do so, they will need a big game out of Casey Pachall. This wont be a problem for Pachall because he limits his mistakes (only 6 interceptions this season) and throws plenty of scoring passes (24 Touchdowns). The scary part is that the running game is even more dangerous than the passing game. The Horned Frog running game is lead by the epic duo of Waymon James and Matthew Tucker. Both have over 650 yards and 6 touchdowns on the year. They will be in full swing all throughout this bowl.
     On the flip side, Louisiana Tech has a very strong defense. The defense is lead by Adrian Cole who has 120 tackles this season. With his leadership, the squad has allowed an average of 22.5 points a game. The Bulldog's biggest weakness is their offense. Tech really doesn't have a stand alone player to lead them down the field. If you had to point to one player, it would have to be the running back Lennon Creer who has 838 rushing yards this season.
      The key to this game will be Louisiana Tech's ability to contain Casey Pachall and the rest of the Frog's offense who have scored 500 points this season. I can't see the Tech defense rising to the call, so I have TCU dominating the entire game and wining 41-17.

      One of my favorite December bowls this season has to be the Las Vegas Bowl which features Arizona State (6-6) and Boise State (11-1). With their one lost, the Boise State Broncos are far from were they imagined they would be. Dreams of a Sugar or Fiesta Bowl were dashed when the BCS picked Virginia Tech and Michigan ahead of them. None the less, Kellen Moore comes in looked to finish off his Bronco career with a W. Kellen Moore will be the story of the game and rightfully so! His 3,507 passing yards and 41 touchdowns are some of the best marks in the nation. Boise also boasts a strong run game lead by senior running back Doug Martin. He will be key to the Broncos play action game and will likely hit pay dirt in this game. Boise also has one of the best defenses in college football and will be able to take whatever Arizona State throws or runs at it.
     Speaking of the Sun devils, they have had a pretty solid season. Their QB Brock Osweiler has lead them to many wins and has been a big part of many losses. With 12 interceptions as a starter, he will need to have a near perfect game if ASU wants a chance to beat the Broncos. Cameron Marshall will be the Devil's threat from the backfield and will be very effective against the Broncos.
     It is very hard for me to see this game going anyway else than to Boise State. The only way to beat the Broncos is to pressure Kellen Moore and the BSU offensive line has been stellar this entire season. Another factor is that ASU comes in on a four game losing streak and it looks like they might have hit the proverbial wall. The final tidbit I have for this game is the fact that the Broncos got snubbed from the BCS. They want nothing more but to show the voters just how big of a mistake they made. Boise will come out trying to destroy the Sun Devils in all three fazes. With that, I see the Broncos winning 49-17.

     The final game before Christmas will be the Nevada (7-5) Southern Miss (11-2) clash in the Hawaii Bowl. Nevada has had a rough season in the WAC this year, but was still able to grab one of the conference's three bowl bids and they certainly won't want to waste it. The Wolf Pack has one of the most prolific offenses in college football (at least by the numbers) and has a very balanced offensive attack. The run game is certainly the scariest part. The Pack average over 251 rushing yards per game. Lampford Mark lead the Pack with 728 yards this season and 8 scores. If he can't get the job done, the second stringer, Mike Ball, will be able to take over. Ball was able to post very similar numbers this season. I expect their unique pistol offense to give the Souther Miss defense fits early and often. The Wolf Pack's defense has also been very effective this season. Linebacker Brett Roy is the centerpiece and always finds ways to make big plays in a game. Brett Roy has also been a huge playmaker. He has recorded 10 sacks this season.
     Southern Miss will be energized to keep their top 25 Ranking coming off their win in the C-USA championship game. The Golden Eagles are lead by quarterback Austin Davis on this magical season. Davis has 28 touchdown tosses this season and has accounted for over 3,330 passing yards as well. The Golden Eagle ground game is just as powerful as the passing game. The upstart freshman Jamal Woodyard has been the best of the Southern miss running backs this season. His 683 yards and 3 touchdowns have been a real compliment to the passing game. The pass rush may be Southern Miss' best asset this season. Jamie Collins and Cordarro Law have combined for 14 sacks this season.
     I see this game being a shootout due to the fact that combined, both offenses have scored over 900 and have recorded over 11,000 yards. With so many similarities, the game will come down to the pass rush. Whoever gets to the QB more will win this game. I see Southern Miss doing so and out gunning the Wolf Pack 51-48.

Thanks for reading!

Saturday, December 17, 2011

On the First Day of Bowls College Football Gave to Me...

... Three rather interesting games! Welcome to Bowl Season sports fans! I will be your guide as we navigate our way though the over flow of games until we make it to the 2012 BCS National Championship game in New Orleans. Though this first batch of pre-Christmas games may not be the best of the season, they still mean something. You will get the chance to see six good football programs fight to cap off their seasons with a "W".

The first game on the slate today happens to be Temple (8-4) vs. Wyoming (8-4) in the New Mexico Bowl. Wyoming has waded it's way through the tough Mountain West Conference with key wins over San Diego State and Air Force. The Cowboys boast a very efficient run game that is spear headed by Alvester Alexander. Wyoming will need to give him the ball if they want to stay competitive. The key player for the Wyoming team is their quarterback, Brett Smith. Brett is a dual threat QB who has been know to rack up some great yardage with his arm and his feet. I expect him to give the Temple defense some fits especially on third down. On the flip side, Temple also relies very heavily on the ground game. The Owls 7th ranked rushing attack averages over 250 yards a game with Bernard Pierce taking the bulk of the hand offs. Piece has accumulated over 1000 rushing yards this season and will be very hard to shut down. The Owls also have one of the top defenses in the nation. Though they play in the MAC, this Owls defense has been tested by some of the best offenses around. I see this game coming down to the defensive power and there is no doubt in my mind that Temple has the best defense. Look for the ground game to be a big part of this one as Temple wins handily, 31- 17.

The next game today is the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl which features Ohio (9-4) and Utah State (7-5). I had the joy of personally witnessing the Ohio Bobcats this season. Let's just say they have great potential in the offensive department. Tyler Tettleton is one of the best hidden gems at quarterback and can throw the pigskin like the best of them. He also provides a bit of a threat as a runner. The Bobcat's success usually rests on how good of a game he is having. I expect him to have a good amount of support from one of the best defenses and running backs in the MAC. Utah State, on the other hand, is a pure running team. The Aggies were able to average over 270 yards a game this season and have a great pair of runners to boot. Robert Turbin is the speed guy. Watch for him to break long runs in the middle of the field and add to his impressive 1400 yard season. Utah State also has Micheal Smith, another speedster who was able to amount over 700 yards at the back up position. After much thought, I expect Ohio to win this game. The Bobcats were able to take care of business against Temple who have a game plan that is comparable to Utah State. I expect the defense to slow down the Utah State running game just enough to bag the 25-21 victory.

The final game on the board today is San Diego State (8-4) vs. LA Lafayette (8-4) in the New Orleans Bowl. The Ragin Cajuns will have the home crowd, but I don't know if they will play too great. The Cajun have a great score offense that primarily finds it's way through the air. The defense is what really kills them though. La Lafayette has given nearly as many points as they score. They also have a very hard time running the ball and getting first downs. Stan Diego State has a decent run game and can get what they need through the air. The Aztecs were able to navigate their way through the improved Mountain West Conference and that ill play to their advantage. With a little better offense, I see San Diego Sate edging the Ragin Cajun 35-31.

Thanks for reading and Merry Bowl-mas!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

The Albert Pujols Situation

                Major League Baseball held the 2011 winter meetings in Dallas this past week and you didn’t necessarily have to be a sports fan to hear the shock waves of one of the financial bombs dropped in North Texas. Coming into the meetings, many baseball experts predicted someone would get their hands on the top prize, Albert Pujols. I heard rumors of the super star finding his way to the Cubs, Cardinals, and Marlins, but what happened was something I don’t think anyone saw coming.
                Out of nowhere, the Los Angeles Angels stole Albert with a $254 million dollar deal over 10 years. I was watching Sports Center when the news broke and trust me; I was excited for the move. The Angels have been one of my favorite teams for years and I had never seen them make a move like this. Then the excitement wore off suddenly. There were two sides of this story that I just didn’t like. Both the Sport and Societal sides really spoke to me.
                A further look only worried me more about the Pujols deal. Pujols is 31 years old and has had plenty of injuries throughout his career. Coupled with the 10 year contract and no trade clause, this could be a deadly contract as Albert nears 40. All I can say is if the Angels don’t win a World Series in the next three years, this will go down as one of the worst contract flops in history.
                Can I see the Angels winning one with Pujols? Sure. He will be a valuable part of the offense and will contribute slightly with his glove. He will definitely give them the run support to push pass the Rangers. The best part for the Angels is that they have the option to throw Albert in as a DH as his career progresses. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Halos start him as a DH this season due to the fact they have some great players already at the 1st base position (Trumbo, Morales). It also helps that the Angels were able to pick up C.J. Wilson as well. Wilson was one of the Rangers top pitchers and the Rangers will be missing him come September.  
I’m just wary for the last 5 years of this deal. Will the Angels have so much of their money tied into Albert that they can’t keep someone like Weaver or Trumbo? I guess only time will tell.
The more pressing issue for me in this story is the sheer amount of money that is trading hands. I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that someone that plays a kids game will make over $254 million dollars. Are people blind to the world around us? All the people that go hungry and try to get jobs have to loathe this. This isn’t directed at Albert or the Angels, but all of sports. There is no reason we should have BILLIONS of dollars dumped into sports while our schools suffer. What qualifies a football player to make more than our own President?
If I could change everything, I would put a cap on all sports. The max amount any player should be able to receive is $5 million dollars. This would also affect the social aspect of sports. Instead of buying guns, drugs, or five cars, athletes wouldn’t have enough money to spurge on such dangerous and luxurious items and would focus on their craft. The domino effect would continue all the way to the fans. Tickets, food, and merchandise would be cheaper. That means more fans in the stands and fewer games blacked out.
As great of a dream as this may sound, we all know that this will never happen. Pro sports will forever be a billion dollar industry that thrives off men and women that play a game. At the same time, I will forever be a hypocrite. I will always be willing to pay the money for the games and the merchandise and so will millions of other fans. Just some food for thought everyone. 


Thanks for reading!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Why I Hate the BCS

     It's time for me to beat the dead horse today. I HATE the BCS. I just watched the unavailing of the BCS National Championship and I am furious. The computers picked LSU (which I have no problem with) and Alabama (wait...what?!?!). This is 100% wrong. There is no way that the Crimson Tide should be in the National Championship. They already had their chance at the Tigers and they lost. Oklahoma State has not had their chance and now they never will.
     Now this isn't just SEC hate. You all probably know that I don't like the SEC dominance in College Football, but that aside, this is wrong. I don't think it is right to put a team who didn't make their own conference championship in the National Championship. The numbers back Oklahoma State as well. Alabama only beat about four about .500 teams this season. OSU beat 7, and that is only the start. I might just be over reacting right now, but we will see. There are also a few minor injustices such as how high Boise State is ranked and Stanford being ranked higher than the team that beat them, Oregon.
     To get everything I want to say out I might need to get a video up, I'll probably forget about it by the time the big game is here and I will be totally wrapped up in the match up. I'm angry for now, but i do believe that we need a total redoing of our national championship process. Hope you enjoy the bowl season and you'll hear from me soon!

Friday, November 25, 2011

The College Football Season is Coming to the End

We are down to the final, crucial weeks of the college football season. Wins could secure conference championships, bowl games, or even a BCS National Championship. As it should be, the college landscape has plenty of top 25 match ups this week. Though I didn’t have much luck last week, I guess it’s time that I take another crack at it. Here are my picks for this week!

#22 Notre Dame vs #6 Stanford – At the beginning of the season I told you that Notre Dame was over rated. I still believe that to this day. The Irish’s schedule wasn’t the strongest and they still lost three games. They will have to be nearly perfect if they want to knock off the Stanford Cardinal. Andrew Luck will have no problem beating up the terribly weak Notre Dame secondary. Look for Luck to cap off his Senior season with a win as the Cardinal wins 47-17.

#17 Clemson vs #12 South Carolina – The Gamecocks and Tigers have had up and down seasons. Both have lost key games in their respective conferences and won some big games too. The one issue is that all this has happened for Clemson in the ACC. That should tell the whole story of how this game will unfold. The Gamecocks are bigger, stronger, and faster than the Tigers. Plus, they have played way bigger and better games than Clemson. To me, this is a no brainer. I got SC 35-14 end of story.

#19 Penn State vs #16 Wisconsin- The Leaders division title is up for grabs in this big time game. Penn State has had a rough couple of weeks. They were able to pull out a big win last week against the Buckeyes. They will take their top 5 defense into Camp Randle to take on the explosive Wisconsin offense. The Badgers are literally two Hail Marys from being in the national championship. They are highly underrated at #16. They have one of the top defenses and offenses in the nation and will easily over power the Lions. Bucky destroys as they win 45-21.

#2 Alabama vs. #24 Auburn – The Auburn Tigers haven’t had the championship victory lap they were hoping for. Numerous losses in the SEC took them out of the National Championship run early. Now they have the chance of ending their rival’s dream of the crystal ball in the Iron Bowl. Alabama has had a great season this year. The Loss to LSU barely counts as a loss in my book. They will be fully prepared to take down the Tigers this year. Auburn is very one dimensional this season with the departure of Cam Newton. The passing game isn’t there which makes it just a bit easier for the Tide’s defense. Auburn’s running game will cause problems early, but will eventually be put into place by the Alabama defense. This will give A.J. McCarron all he needs to lead the Tide to a 34-21 win.

#13 Georgia vs. #23 Georgia Tech – This is the Rambling Wreck’s biggest test of the season. They could cause a whole lot of trouble if they are able to beat the Bull Dogs. Home field advantage will give them the energy to win and their triple option running threat will be rocking. The Georgia D is very strong though and will put up a fight. I can see this becoming one of the best games of the weekend. It will be very balanced, but I see Georgia pulling away at the last possible moment and winning 24-21.

Other Picks:
Ohio State vs. #15 Michigan
#14 Michigan State vs. North Western
UCLA vs. USC
Missouri vs. Kansas
Texas Tech vs. #18 Baylor

Well, that’s my picks for this weekend! Looks like all you Michigan sports fans are going to be having a great weekend after your Lions lost. I hope you go and follow me on Twitter @Neilandsports. Thanks for reading sports fans! 

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Another Week In College Football

Hey sports fans! Sorry that I couldn’t make these picks sooner or longer, but I have been very busy with the Central game last night and my school work. Also I think I’m still going crazy from last night when Iowa State beat OKState!
Without further delay, here are the picks!
#16 Nebraska @ #18 Michigan- Nebraska looks like the better team to me. They will be able to contain Denard Robinson and Taylor Martinez should have quiet the game against the Wolverines. I got Nebraska 31-21.

#5 Oklahoma @ #22 Baylor – Oklahoma will find some trouble early, but they will be able to dig themselves out of it. Laudry Jones has a good enough game to get the Sooners over the hump beating the Bears 41-28.

#14 Kansas State @ #23 Texas- I see a Longhorned upset here. Kansas State really hasn’t been the same since the Oklahoma beat down. I will be a good game, but Texas prevails 21-17.

USC @ #4 Oregon- The Ducks have all the speed in this one. Both Thomas and James will be a step ahead of the Trojans D and the Oregon Defense will have a good game because the crowd will be with them. I have Oregon big, 59-21.

#21 Penn State @ Ohio State – The scandal bowl has arrived. I can see ESPN just going on and on about these two interesting situations. That will over shadow the game, but Braxton Miller will lead the Bucks to a classic 14-10 win.

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter! 

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The State Semi-Finals are Upon Us!

                There is a special pride in the state of Michigan that thrives when the High School Football State championships. The drive to the Motor City entices many people across both the lower and Upper Peninsula. I was lucky enough to experience a District title game when my Alma Panthers beat Escanaba. Sadly, they lost in the following round, but I still have the excitement for all these great state semi finals that will be accruing over the weekend. Of course, I have to test my knowledge of these games and pick them! What else did you expect?  So with that, I give you my high school football picking extravaganza!
Division 1
Rockford vs. Detroit Catholic Central – The Battle at Battle Creek! Ever since they lost to Lowell, Rockford has been on fire! 11 straight wins for Rams looks really good, but they are taking on a real tough DCC team.  Detroit has a higher playoff point record and has a very impressive win against a really Orchard St. Mary team. I see DCC edging the Rams in one of the better games of the weekend.
Detroit Cass Tech vs. Utica Eisenhower – This one looks easy to me. Cass Tech has been the darling of the D-1 tournament. They will have a real wake up against UE. On a neutral field I see the high power UE defense taking care of business with the Tech offense. UE wins big.
D1 Championship- Detroit Catholic Central vs. Utica Eisenhower
Division 2
Lowell vs. Walled Lake Western – Walled Lake is coming off one of the biggest games of their season.  I find it hard to believe that they will be focused coming into this game. Lowell has had a great season and is a power house in D2 football. Red Arrows beat Western in a very lopsided game.
Birmingham Brother Rice vs. Detroit Martin Luther King – Brother Rice has had an unprecedented run in these playoffs. I expect a tough MLK team to take the field and break the Cinderella’s slipper to advance to the State Championship.
D2 Championship- Detroit Martin Luther King vs. Lowell
Division 3
Mt. Pleasant vs. East Grand Rapids – This is almost a déjà vu of last season, an undefeated Mt. Pleasant team going to Ferris State to take on a tough East Grand Rapids team at Ferris State. I find it hard to believe that it will happen again. EGR doesn’t look the same as it did last year. Mt. Pleasant gets revenge in a very hard game.
Battle Creek Harper Creek vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s – Battle Creek will run rampant in this one. They have played a much harder schedule than OLM and are undefeated. Once again, a very hard game to pick, but I do see BCHC coming out victorious in this one.
D3 Championship - Mt. Pleasant vs. Battle Creek Harper Creek

Division 4
Comstock Park vs. Zeeland West – Zeeland West is the much stronger team here. I saw them winning this side of the State Championship bracket when it was first released. Comstock park will put up a fight, but Zeeland will be the better team in this one.
Grosse Ile vs. Marine City – I thought Marine City was going to win it all since the beginning of the playoffs and that isn’t changing. It’s as simple as that!
D4 Championship -  Alma Zeeland West vs. Marine City
Quick Picks
D5
Almont vs. Flint Powers Catholic
Lasing Catholic vs. Grand Rapids West Catholic
D5 Championship – Almont vs. Grand Rapids West Catholic
D6
Ithaca vs. Iron Mountain  
Ecorse vs. Constantine
D6 Championship – Iron Mountain vs. Constantine
D7
Traverse City St. Francis vs. Saginaw Nouvel
Hudson vs. Pewamo-Westphalia
D7 Championship - Hudson vs. Saginaw Nouvel
D8
Mendon vs. New Lothrop
St. Ignace vs. Fowler
D8 Championship – Mendon vs. St. Ignace
Well that’s it for today! Please support the young men in the upcoming weeks! You can catch all the State Finals on FSN Detroit. Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Just Some Routine Maintenance

Hey Sports Fans!

As you can see, Iv'e made a few minor changes to the blog.

All your interactive gadgets are over

<<<<<---- Here

I added the total page views as a little stat for all of us to watch as it hopefully rises a whole bunch in the future! There is also the poll, google search for the site, and the button that allows you to follow the blog.

Over Here ------->

You can find my Twitter feed (Be sure to follow me @NeilandSports and use the hash tag #NeilKnowsSports!), ESPN feed, Bio and, all that cool stuff.

I'm looking forward to bringing you more picks and information about the sports world as it comes to me!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Looking Ahead to the BCS Bowls

It’s that time of year again. The college football season is down to the final weeks as teams bid for bowl games. The BCS bowls are a team’s ultimate goal. With a few weeks left, let’s see who I think will be playing in the big ones.
Bowl Projections
Orange Bowl: Cincinnati vs Clemson – And I’ve found the blow out of the bunch. Clemson will win the ACC Championship game and in doing so they will also qualify for this game. Cincinati will be the only automatic qualifier left and the Orange Bowl will have to deal with it. This game will be a total blow out if it happiness and I will be sorry for whatever bowl gets stuck with the Big East bid because the game will be very lopsided.

Fiesta Bowl: Stanford vs Oklahoma - I see Stanford winning out after their loss to Oregon. Andrew Luck came back to finish what he had started. He won’t win the National Championship like he wanted to, but a match up against a tough Oklahoma team will be his consolation. Why Oklahoma you may ask? Well, that loss to Texas Tech looks worse every week and I also see them losing to Oklahoma State. The Fiesta Bowl has the first round of picking this year. They will want a formidable opponent for the Sooners and the Cardinal will be the best bet.

Rose Bowl : Oregon vs MSU -This was an easy one; I believe both of these teams will be their respective conferences and that is all you need for a Rose Bowl. The Ducks won’t be in the National Championship, its plain to see. The only team that might lose is Oklahoma State and if they lose it will be to Oklahoma. A one loss Oklahoma beats a one loss Oregon. Another aspect to take into consideration is the fact that LSU and Oregon have already played each other.  That doesn’t look good for the ratings, but a Rose Bowl birth is another great option for the Ducks. MSU will be looking to make a splash after beating Nebraska in the Big Ten Title Game.

The Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs Boise State - Alabama is a no brainer for this one. The Sugar bowl always features a SEC team. Alabama will narrowly miss out on playing for the National Championship just because of a few missed field goals in the loss to LSU. Now Boise might be a stretch, but they will be ranked higher than Cincinnati. As a non-automatic qualifier, Boise just needs to be ranked higher than an automatic qualifier. Plus it would be great ratings for the Bowl. The only other option for the sugar bowl would be Arkansas. They won’t do that because of the SEC rematch. Boise clearly looks like the top pick for the Sugar.  

BSC National Championship: LSU vs Oklahoma State- The biggest game will come down to the SEC vs the Big 12. LSU will come in as the number one team in the nation and off a Big SEC Championship. Oklahoma State won’t have a conference title game to shine in, but they will have a big game against the rival Sooners in the bedlam game. This will be a great game and be one of the best of the year.

Thanks for reading! I will have an article up on gcmag.org tomorrow! Be sure to follow me on Twitter @Neilandsports and be sure to use the hash tag #NeilKnowsSports 


Saturday, November 12, 2011

A Week for the West

Welcome sports fans, sorry for the wait. There has been a lot of writing for me recently so the blog has suffered. Of course, I couldn't miss my weekly picks, so here we go!

TCU vs. #5 Boise State - The Horned Frogs defiantly started off on the season off on the wrong foot. They looked like a pre-season BCS bowl buster. Baylor and SMU had other plans. The Boise game is a chance for them to get back to that status. This is TCU's hardest game this year and I expect it to be a battle. Casey Pachall  has helped the TCU offense rank in the top ten in points scored, but most of the offensive production has been run through Waymon James and Matthew Tucker. Both running-backs have eclipsed  over 500 yard this season. Boise State also has it's weapons. Boise's Kellen Moore has been having a Heisman year and Doug Martin has carried the team. They have a better defense than TCU as well. This will be the deciding factor in today's game. I see the Broncos beating the Horned Frogs 40-21.

#2 Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech - This is possibly OSU's biggest test until they meet up with Oklahoma for the Bedlam rivalry game. Tech will still be an easy win for the Pokes. State has one of the top offenses in the nation and the Red Raiders have one of the worst defenses. Brandon Weeden will have a hay day against a secondary that often looks like Swiss Cheese. The Pokes will score early and often as they cruse to a 51-14 win.

#7 Oregon vs. #4 Stanford - The Pac-12 game of the year has arrived! Andrew Luck and LaMichael James finally square off in Palo Alto. Oregon looks like a very complete team even with injuries to key players. They have a great rushing game and they are able to put up a ton of points on the board. The defense plays under a bend but don't break mentality and it really works them. The only thing they are missing are a consistent passing game. Once again, the game will hinge on the Ducks passing efficiency. Andrew Luck will have no problem passing. He will take full advantage of the bending in the Duck's secondary, but he must preform in the red zone to beat Oregon. I see the Ducks winning a close one because of their experience against LSU. They win 37-30.

Other Picks

#20 Auburn at #15 Georgia - The Tigers don't look the same as last year, but they still have enough to beat the Dawgs. Auburn wins 24-1.

#17 Michigan State at Iowa - MSU's Cousins will be too good for the Hawkeyes. He leads them to a comfortable 30-10 win.

#19 Nebraska at #12 Penn State - Too much has gone on at Penn Sate this week. On an emotional day, the Nittany Lions faultier as the Huskers win 24-7.

Thanks for reading everyone! I will be sure to give you more content in the coming weeks! Follow me on twitter @Neilandsports and be sure to use the hash tag #NeilKnowsSports!

Friday, November 4, 2011

I wonder what's going on this week?

... if you guessed more picks, you're correct! I am trying to to more in depth articles and videos, but college has been busy. Plus, I'm now also writing for Grand Central, an online magazine, and you should all go check it out! gcmag.org is the place to go, then just click the sports tab and you should find my story.

Anyway, back to the business at hand. This will be one of the biggest weekends in college football. We have SEC Armageddon as #1 LSU head to Tuscaloosa to take on #2 Alabama. Essentially this is the BCS semi final game. There is no doubt in my mind that the winner of this game will be going to the national championship this year and possibly all the way. Before we get to the nitty gritty of that game, let's take a look at the other variety of games taking place this weekend.

CMU vs Kent State - I decided to start off local this week. The Chips really need this win. It would be a sign of improvement from last season. I expect the Chippewas to be hungry and take an early lead in this game. Their problem has been the second half and see that persisting. CMU will fight off a surging Kent State to win 24-17.

#8 Oregon vs. Washington - The Ducks will still be beat up for this game. Thomas and James both don't look like they used to. Oregon needs to be wary of U Dub. The Huskies have improved greatly over the years and playing host to the rival Ducks will also factor in to the outcome. Bryan Bennett and Kenjon Barner will both need to come up big for the Ducks. So far, I haven't seen any information that would lead me to think that they wouldn't. Oregon wins a wild one, 45-39

#14 Kansas State vs. #3 Oklahoma State - After being demolished by Oklahoma at home last week, KSU has to go on the road to play OSU. Look's like Cinderellas slipper is starting to crack. The Wildcats got a huge wake up call last weekend and they need to get everything figured out quickly. Weeden and the Pokes will be a tough opponent. They have one of the best passing offenses in college football and it doesn't take them long to get a run game going. The Wildcats are going to be in trouble early and often as the Pokes win 45-17.

#9 South Carolina vs. #7 Arkansas - Take Alabama and LSU out of the mix, and these are the two premier teams in the SEC. Arkansas have really mad a name for themselves this past year. The terrible loss to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl last year was a real killer. Along with the loss of Mallet to the NFL, it looked grim for the Razorbacks. I wasn't really sure what to think of them. I know now. Tyler Wilson will command this game and win it for the Razorbacks 35-21.

And now for the game of the week..... (dramatic drum roll)

#1 LSU vs. #2 Alabama - The SEC National Championship, or as I like to call it SEC Armageddon. This will be the game of the year just by the weight that sits on it's out come. Alabama as looked strong all year and the play of their defense has been phenomenal. The Tide only allow 6.9 points per game which is first in the country. They also have an explosive offense that is lead by Trent Richardson and the rest of the ground game. Though the passing game has been a bit rough this season, so AJ McCarron has to have a astounding game. The Tigers also boast a stout defense. They have the second best in the country and only allow 11.5 points a game. LSU has an even worse passing game and the running backs aren't nearly as good as Alabama's. And with that....













ROLL TIDE 35-31


Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

An Ode to Fall

               As every Fall usually goes, all of the focus of the sporting world is on Football. Questions such as: “How far will Wisconsin drop in the BCS standings?” and “Will the Bills Make the playoffs?” are incredibly common. ESPN never fails to show me how much this wonderful country loves its football. Every year it is very surprising to me that the World Series is sometimes drowned out.  Our National pastime’s greatest moment is being over shadowed by the NFL Sunday. I guess I can see the logic. World Series games not airing until 8:00, a very slow game, and uninteresting match ups were all a buzz kill to the Series. This year was completely different.
                I wasn’t sure how much I was going to like this series when a first looked at it. Slowly but surely I saw the true potential of it. Albert Pujols looking for a second ring verses a young Rangers team looking to avenge last year’s loss to the Giants, sounds like a great Series! I saw the potential of it going to seven games and my mind really started to race. I couldn’t wait for the Series now! I wanted to see which bull pen could hold the explosive line of the opposition and whether the hitters could capitalize on the chances they would be given. Then on October 19th, all my energy for the Series could finally be let out as I watched maybe one of the most unforgettable World Series ever.
                The Cardinals were not to supposed to get into the playoffs. Many people wrote them out when they trailed Atlanta in the wild card standings by double digits with only a few weeks left in the season. Even if they made it all the way back, there was no way they would be able to beat the Phillies right? Well, we were all wrong. Carpenter and the Cards went on an amazing streak and accompanied by the Braves meltdown, they made it in. Once in they didn’t stop there. They thrashed the Phills in five, then took the Brewers down in six. On the AL side, it was supposed to be all about the Red Sox and the Yankees. No one was talking about the reigning champs. The Rangers took care of business out west by handing the Angels down the stretch, taking down the Rays in four, and throttling the Tigers in six. Two teams that weren’t in the conversation at the beginning of the year were now in a series for all the marbles.
                As the World Series started, I was sure of a Rangers win in seven and one of the best series in recent memory. All but a Rangers win was proven to me over the next seven games. I was thrilled by Carpenters gem in the first game. All the passion and drama was seeping out of the field. A one run game was the icing on the cake of this World Series opener. The Rangers responded with a one run game of their own in game two. At this point, I was hooked by this series. There were so many story lines to follow now. Would Ron Washington get his first ring? Would Larussa finally call it quits after this series? And where in the hell was Pujols going if they lost? Well, he did his best to make sure that they wouldn’t. Albert caught fire in game three to give us one of the all time greatest games in World Series history. Not only was his 5-6 night with three home runs going to be remembered forever, but I was sure that this series was over now. There was no way the Rangers could come back after a loss like this. Their bullpen was shot, they would have to walk Pujols every time he came to the plate, and their fans looked to be losing hope. Oh how naïve I was. Behind a great outing from Derek Holland and a MVP showing from Napoli, the Rangers made a 4-0 statement game and breathed life back into the series.
                By this time I was nearly exploding with excitement; a best of three to decide everything in the 2011 baseball season. I don’t know too many fans that wouldn’t get excited about that. Game five lived up to all the hype. I know it’s cliché, but this was a must win game. Napoli wouldn’t disappoint and Feliz would record his second save of the series.  With a little help from a bullpen phone (trust me, I could do a whole blog post on that fiasco), the Rangers were now a game away from closing out the Cardinals and winning their first series in franchise history, but then came game six. To me, the first six innings of this game were ugly. I hadn’t seen such an ugly game since the Phillies took on the Rays in the rain. Then, just before I was going to change the channel (I thought it was that bad!), Beltre and Cruz hit back-to-back home runs. Now the series was over. It looked as if the luck had run out on the Red Birds. Just as every good sports fan should do, I decided to keep watching. I am so glad I did. The Cardinals worked their way down to their final strike. David Freese was up to bat and I was sure I was about to witness a happy Nolan Ryan and a celebration from the Rangers. As the pitch was released I got ready to put one of the first “Congratulations Rangers” tweets on Twitter, but he lined it out toward the wall. Nelson Cruz was there for the out, but it was lined off the wall. It was a big triple from the home town kid when his team needed it the most. I went crazy as the tying run crossed the plate. Never before had a seen a clutch hit such as that one. Now I know a lot of people coin football as a game of inches, but the truth is all sports are a game of inches. If the ball would have hit that pitch just a quarter inch higher, we could be looking at a Rangers championship. The best part is that the game wasn’t over. It once again looked very grim for the Cardinals as they were down to their final strike again. This time it was Lance Berkman with the big play. I was in disbelief as the tying runs came around again. The game would end on a walk off home run from Freese and ensured a game seven.
Now I was all smiles. I had gotten the game seven I wanted and a great series that had been played before it. I was positive now that the Cardinals would win the series because it would be so hard for the Rangers to swallow the bitter pill they took the night before. Sure enough, I was right. The party in St. Louis was much deserved. A team that looked like they were dead in September was now on top of the Baseball world. I was so happy to see quality people like Larussa and Pujols get their second ring. Now that the dust has settled, we can really look back at the 2011 World Series and say wow. Almost in story book fashion, Tony Larussa retired on top and rightfully so. Now the questions turn to next season. Who are the teams to beat? Will the Cardinals repeat? And were in the hell is Pujols going? I say let’s not even focus on 2012. Let’s give the Cardinals all the respect that World Series Champions deserve. Congrats Cardinals, you really deserved it.

Friday, October 28, 2011

A Wild Night in Sports (Football Picks too!)

     Welcome back sports fans! I hope you enjoyed last night's sports scene as much as I did. Never have I ever seen such an amazing night. Of course I'm talking about the incredible World Series game, but let's not forget Case Keenum threw Nine TDs in a game and that the Jets and Flyers combined for 17 goals last night!
     So let's start from the biggest story of the night. The Rangers had a chance to win their first World Series in team history. All they had to do was beat the Cardinals in St. Louis. It was not going to be an easy task. The first six innings of this game were a joke. Errors all over the place and other big flops. Then in the 7th, the Rangers got two big home runs. At this point, it looked like the game could be over. Thank God I didn't change the channel. Over the next three and a half innings the Cards came down to their last out twice and escaped both situations. David Freese was as clutch as anyone could be and the home town kid came up big twice. Is this the most memorable World Series in recent memory? Defiantly. Every game has been intense and I'm so glad that this game is going to seven games. I can't wait to see this final game tonight because which ever team wins will have really deserved it and baseball will be going out with a bang.
      While this crazy game was going on, there was another one going on in the heart of Texas. Case Keenum exploded for nine touchdowns in a game against Rice. He burned the secondary nearly every time he touched the ball. Houston ended up with 73 points and a huge statement win. I find this so impressive. I haven't heard of any quarterback at any level achieve a feat such as this. Move over Andrew Luck because here comes Case! I know that Houston doesn't play the same caliber of opponents as Stanford, but nine touchdown passes are impressive. If I was a NFL owner, I would give this kid a good long look. I feel that he has the skills to really make a name for himself as a pro and still has plenty more to do in college. Can I see Houston in a big bowl game this Winter? You bet I can!
     Hockey is often lost in the buzz of football and the World Series, but last night one game stood out to me. The Winnipeg Jets and Philadelphia Flyers put up a football score last night as the Jets won 9 to 8. Let me say that again 9 to 8. it was the highest scoring game in the past 15 years. All I can say is wow, what a terrible game for the goalies. The Flyers have had a terrible time trying to get a good goalie and by the looks of it, the search continues. Maybe it was a bad game for both net minders, but no matter what, it was a great game to watch. I'm so glad that hockey is back in Winnipeg and to see the Jets get a great win was a joy!
     With last night out of the way, its time to get to those picks!

#5 Clemson vs Georgia Tech- After a big loss to Miami last week (called it!), the Rambling Wreck will be back to try to beat Clemson. I see another upset in the ACC and I think the Techies will win 24-21!

#6 Stanford vs USC- Luck will be play at the top of his game and will has a Heisman performance as the Cardinal beat the Trojans 42-31

#9 Oklahoma vs #8 Kansas State - KSU is possibly the surprise team of the year. The passing game will need to give a little support to the Wildcats run game. I see the Sooners losing for the second straight week as the Wildcats continue their storybook season 28-21

#11 Michigan State vs #14 Nebraska - The Corn huskers have been a bit shaky all year. MSU has had a crazy couple weeks and I think they are vulnerable. Nebraska takes care of the Spartans defense and wins 19-14.

Other Picks

CMU vs Akron ~ Chips win 31-21.

#15 Wisconsin vs OSU ~ Badgers win 21-17

Redskins vs Bills ~ Bills win 42-7

Cowboys vs Eagles ~ Eagles win 21-14

Patriots vs Steelers ~ Steelers win 24-10

Well their are the picks for this week! Hope you enjoy the weekend and thanks for reading!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Another Week of Football

Well sports fans, it's the weekend again and that means football this time of year. Last week I did pretty good in the college game, getting 4 out of 5. On the other hand, my NFL picks were terrible. Let's see how I do this weekend as I pick the top games.

College Football Picks

#6 Wisconsin @ #16 MSU - The Spartans will be riding high after their huge win against Michigan. With ESPN College Game Day in town and another chance for a big upset, MSU will be absolutely pumped for this game. They will need a huge game from Curt Cousins if they even want to contend. On paper, MSU has the 4th best defense in college football, but you have to look at their opponents to really see how good they are. Quiet frankly, it doesn't take much to hold Florida International to 0 points. People can talk about how they were able to hold the explosive Michigan offense to 14 points, but Robinson isn't Wilson. Russell Wilson is arguably the best quarterback in all of college football. He has amassed over 1,500 yards passing, 14 touchdowns, and even caught one touchdown from Monty Ball. The Badgers have the best scoring offense (50.2 points a game) and one of the best defenses (allowing 9.7 points a game) and I don't see that stopping in East Lansing. Sparty puts up a fight early, but Bucky dominates the rest and wins 35-10.

#25 Washington @ #8 Stanford - Andrew Luck as been playing out of his mind for the past two seasons. He turned down the NFL to finish what he started  and even lost his coach. So far, it looks like he made the right decision. The Cardinal is now 6-0 and doesn't look like it will be turning back anytime soon. The Huskies make for a formidable opponent, but they won't be able to stop the passing game. Stanford's big tight ends will be key in beating Washington and Stanford will roll 42-10.

#22 Georgia Tech @ Miami- This is my upset alert for the weekend. I can see the Rambling Wreck finding some major issues in South Beach. Miami's Jacory Harris looks like a new man. he is taking care of the ball and finding the end zone efficiently. A tough early schedule has plagued the 'Canes early, but Al Golden will rally the troops. The Miami defense has done a good job at stopping the run. Georgia Tech has nothing but the run. When Miami is able to stop that, they will be able to get the turnovers they need to win 24-21.

Texas Tech @ #3 Oklahoma - A home test for the Sooners is evident this week. By no means should they overlook the Red Raiders. Tech has a great offense and has been able to put a scare into both Texas A&M and Kansas Sate. Oklahoma has it's 10th ranked defense though and will be able to stop the Tech offensive attack. The Sooners will then have no trouble scoring and go on to win 45-21.

Other Picks

#20 Auburn @ #1 LSU - This game will be closer because of the LSU suspensions, but still no trouble for the Tigers (LSU that is) as they beat Auburn 28-17.

#4 Oklahoma State @ Missouri - A close game for OSU. They will still win 24-21.

CMU @ Ball State - Ball State's offense has trouble scoring as the Chips go on to win 35-10.

NFL Picks


San Diego @ New York - The Jets playing good at home and the Chargers making a cross country trip equal a very happy Rex Ryan. Jets 17-10.

Chicago @ Tampa Bay - The Bear offensive line is so bad...so so so bad. Josh Freeman has a great day and leads the Bucs to a 24-10 win.

Atlanta @ Detroit - Lions looked flustered after the home loss to San Fran. I plan to see a charged up Lions team that will knock off the Falcons 31-28.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to follow me on twitter @neilandsports and watch out for video soon!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The World Series

     It's finally here: The Fall Classic. After 6 months of glory and pain, two teams now find themselves on the cusp of glory. The Texas Rangers are no strangers to these parts. A trip to the series last year proved to be too much as they lost to the Giants handy. This year, they flew through the AL West, handled the Rays in the ALDS, and absolutely slugged past the Tigers. As everyone was obsessing over the Red Sox and Yankees, this team endured the talk and showed why they are going to the World Series for the second straight year. On the other side, the Cardinals have been away for a while. Since their 2006 series, the Cards have been a contender every year, but just haven't been able to push past the rest of the National League. This year, they finally put it all together, but just barely. They got into the playoffs with some major help from the Brave's monumental September collapse. Then, they had their backs against the wall as the squeaked by the fantastic Phillies and capped it all off by handing Milwaukee a NLCS loss.
      So what is to come of this? Only one of the best series that we will have seen in many years. This Series has the star power (Pujols, Cruz), hitting power (Both teams average over 4 runs a game!), and of course, pitching power. The keys to this match up will be the hitting. Early run support will be key because both teams have very explosive bats. Home runs should be plentiful with players the Pujols and Cruz who always have the potential to smack one out of the yard. Like many baseball series, it will all come down to the bullpen. Whoever can pitch better will win the series and with the staff the Rangers have, it is hard not to pick them. You heard it folks. I think the Rangers will win in an epic game seven, sealing on of the best series in recent memory.

Thanks for reading and be sure to look out for my Football picks (out tomorrow) and my end of season grades for the rest of Major League Baseball.

Follow me on Twitter @sportsandneil or email me at sportsaccordingtoneil@gmail.com!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Football Picks for This Weekend

     Another exciting weekend of Football is just around the corner. After a great Monday Night game from Detroit, Michigan's sports fans will be looking toward two great in-state rivalries. Outside of Michigan, there are numerous top 25 match ups in college football and big NFL games. There's also this little thing called the ALCS. I'll be looking at what the Tigers should do to win the final two games. So without further ado, to the picks!

20 Baylor @ 21 Texas A&M  - The Aggies have had a very tough start to the season. Their two biggest games, Oklahoma State and Arkansas, have both been let downs. Leading at halftime in both, poor play in the second proved to be fatal. They now have a chance to redeem themselves, but it will not be an easy task. The Baylor Bears and Griffin III look like a Dark horse in the Big12. They have one of the best offenses in the NCAA. The Bears average 47.6 points a game and haven't scored lower than 35 points this season. I expect them to explode on the A&M defense. The only question will be the Baylor defense. If they can control Cyrus Grey and possibly get a few turn overs, I see the Baylor Bears winning a close one to the tune of 42-39.

6 Oklahoma State @ 22 Texas - Oklahoma State should be on upset alert for this game. Texas got crushed last week and would like nothing more than to knock the number six team off their high horse. The problem for the Longhorns is that they are versing the number one offense. The Poke's put up 70 on Kansas and I'm sure they could put up big numbers on almost anyone in the Big12. Weeden is nearing 2000 yards already and I expect a huge day from him. In the end, OSU will just be too much for a pumped up Texas. I expect the Pokes to win 56-28.

17 Arizona St @ 9 Oregon - LaMichael James is in the for something else than putting up huge numbers for once. If you haven't heard, he really messed up his arm in last week's game against California. Now the keys to Chip Kelly's run game are in Kenjon Barner's hands. Everyone has been talking about how the Ducks should be on upset alert and they have the right to. It's scary looking at the ASU defense especially without James, but Barner is just as good as James. He has the speed and size to put the team on his back. Plus the Duck defense plays so good at home. With all that for the Ducks, I still have to give the Sun Devils some love. They have a great defense filled with a bunch of play makers. They will really give Thomas fits when he tries to throw and will probably stop the run at the start. I see a battle in Eugene, but the Ducks will wear down a good ASU team and win 31-28.

11 Michigan @ 23 Michigan State - This is a very intriguing match up. Denard Robinson taking on a tough Spartan defense makes many football fans drool. Michigan must be on alert for this game because this is a very winnable game for the Spartans. The concern for Michigan is that Shoelace has thrown 9 interceptions this year. Luckily, they have won all their games with the interceptions. Robinson can't make those same mistakes this week or it could be curtains for the U of M. Also, it's troubling that Robinson is the leading rusher for the Wolverines. On the other side, MSU has had a cupcake schedule and lost to Notre Dame. Overall, this will be an sightly ugly game, but MSU comes out on top 17-14.

Other picks :

NCAAF

CMU 35 - EMU 14 ~ Radcliff delivers on homecoming and looks towards the rest of the MAC.

NFL

49er's 31 - Lions 41 ~ Tough for the D early, but Megatron kills the 49er secondary late.

Saints 35 - Bucs 28 ~ Drew Brees > Josh Freeman. End of story.

Eagles 10 - Redskins 17 ~ Frustration sets in for the Eagles as nothing goes right.

Texans 17 - Ravens 24 ~ Ravens D is too good for a hurt Houston offense

Opinion

     Last night the Tigers fought back to get to game six in the ALCS against the Rangers. The celebration was great, but it better be brief. The real work starts now because the Tigers haven't done well in Texas. Plus, with the Rangers being one game away from the World Series the crowd will be absolutely pumped. I have a lot faith in the Tiger's starting pitching. Scherzer has been strong all season and will be sure to give the Tigers at least 6 innings so the hot and cold bullpen doesn't have to win the game. It's defiantly the offense that needs to step up to win the next two games. Tigers pitchers haven't much support this series. That coupled with Texas's explosive bats has equaled bad news. I picked the Tigers to win in six and I still see them winning. Cardiac Kitty's II? I think so.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Week 5 College Football Picks!

Well, we are already to week five! We are starting to get into some really big in conference games. Arguably, the biggest game of this week comes out of the Big Ten. So let's take a look!

#8Nebraska @ #7Wisconsin - Two hard nosed football teams clash in Madison. This could easily be a preview of the Big Ten Championship. With great running games on both sides, it could be a great shootout for the ages. Look for Wisconsin to come up big on defense and take care of Martinez, the Nebraska QB. After the dust settles, I see the boys from Wisconsin winning 36-31.

SMU @ #20TCU - A nice little Texas match-up here. TCU has been having a very shaky year. They haven't really had a game where the other team hasn't given them a scare. This will continue for the Horned Frogs as SMU gives them trouble early. Good QB play will save the Frogs in the second half as they win 41-21.

MSU @ OSU - This is another great match-up for the Big Ten. Though it is a bit lack luster due to both teams falling out of the top 25, it will still be an incredibly good game. Cousin's is key to the Spartan's success. He will need to be almost flawless at the Horse Shoe. The Buck's defense will make sure that doesn't happen. They will cause turn overs and possibly a score. The Bucks win 24-21.

#13Clemson @ #11Virginia Tech - Possibly the ACC match-up of the year! The Tigers will be riding high after beating Auburn, but Coach Beamer has his team looking better than ever! I am almost certain that the Hokies from Virginia Tech will win this game. They out match Clemson in speed and they have home field. The Tigers won't make it easy, but the Hokies will win 28-17.

#3 Alabama @ #12 Florida - This is a big road test for the Tide because Florida looks like it's old self and poised for a National Championship! Don't doubt the tide though. They will play good enough to get some quality scores. The Alabama defense will be a bit weak, allowing Brantley to his game will throw the ball with confidence. This game will come down to the wire, but I see the Tide squeaking by Florida for the 24-21 win.

And there you have it! Remember,I  will be tweeting during the CMU game and be sure to look for my NFL picks later today! Thanks for reading!

Friday, September 30, 2011

ALDS Picks

I know there really isn't much to say about picking baseball. Teams get hot and are unbeatable and things are never as they seem. So without further delay, my picks!

Rangers vs. Rays - Experience is huge and the Rangers got it! Rangers in 4.


Detroit vs. New York - Yankees are too old this year and the boys from the D look like they could make it all the way. Tigers in 5

There you go, that's the ALDS as I see it. Stick around for my college football picks later today. I have some more stuff on the way as well. Be sure to watch the twitter page for a tweet-by-tweet of tomorrow's CMU game! Thanks for reading!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

College Football Week 4

Here are my picks for a really interesting week in College Football!

#14 Arkansas @ #3 Alabama - This one will be close early, but the Tide are almost unbeatable at home. Alabama by 10

#7 Oklahoma State @ #8 Texas A&M - The big game of the week! State will be a tough opponent. Expect the ball to be flying and the score board to be burning! It will be an even match-up, but the 12th man will once again claim another victim. I have A&M by a field goal.

#11 Florida State @ #21 Clemson - A big road test for the Seminoles following that big home game. Clemson will be pumped at the chance of getting a win that could put them in the top 20. I expect a solid running game from the Tigers and a big win.

#2 LSU @ #16WVU - On the tail end of the Big East destruction, West Virginia will be looking to save face against the Tigers. It seems like it couple be easy at home, but there isn't a single player that can answer the call for the Mountaineers. It will be an easy road win for LSU.

#10 Oregon @ Arizona - Another test for the Ducks. It will be the first big game since the Cowboys classic with LSU. They will have trouble early due to Arizona's passing game, but the Wildcats won't last long. Oregon wins by 16.

Thanks for reading my picks! NFL on the way tomorrow!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Monday Night Football

     In a week where the Lions and Bills both soar to 2-0 records, we have an interesting little game between the Giants and the Rams. Both teams are facing what could be a 0-2 hole early in the season. For the Rams, it seems that the injury bug has caught up with them early and it could cost them greatly. On the other hand you have the Giants. A once glorious Super Bowl team that has now fallen off the face of the Earth.
     Naturally in football, the first thing we look at is the Quarterback. Both in this case have a lot to prove. Sam Bradford is still trying to show that he is a Quarterback of the future. He needs to do better than a near playoff birth in the worst division in football. Eli Manning still needs to prove that he is an elite Quarterback. Sure, he has a ring, but just because of that would you put him in front of Dan Marino? Of course not. Though this game doesn't really appeal at first, I still plays a key role in the development of these two teams this season and their Quarterbacks.
      Tonight I expect a hard fought game. Neither offense will be too spectacular, but the Giant's offense will out shine the Ram's. Without Steven Jackson, the Ram's offense will have to ride on Bradford's hurt arm. This gives the Giant's defense all it needs to make plenty of stops and allowing them to cruse to the 28-10 win.

So that's a wrap folks! NFL Division predictions will be on their way soon! Thanks for reading!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Week 3 Picks!

Sorry about not getting a whole slate of picks out earlier, but I will give you my insight into tonight's games.


#1Oklahoma vs #5Florida State - I give a puncher's chance to the Seminoles just because they are at home, but you can't over look the Sooners. I see Landry Jones finding holes in the 'Nole's defense and winning 31-21.

#17Ohio State vs. Miami- Miami will be hungry in this one and Jacorey Harris will not throw so many picks at home. I have the 'Canes in a close one 24-21.

#22 Arizona State vs. Illinois- A great game from the ASU defense as they roll to a 31- 14 win.

#6Stanford vs. Arizona - A tough PAC-12 road opener for Andrew Luck. He will make a few mistakes, but not enough to make a big difference. Stanford wins a close on 28-17

That's it for this weeks picks! NFL picks will be up tomorrow!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Week Two Reaction

What a week! The second week of this young college football season really packed a punch! From Michigan to Alabama, there was plenty of good action!

1. ND at Michigan – What a game! Three scores in the final minute and change!  At first it looked like it was going to be all Irish. I was getting ready to eat my words about the Irish this year. Then, before I knew it, Michigan showed some pride and brought it back. What ensued was one of the best 4th quarters we will see this year…or was it? I have to say that sloppiness by both teams made this game the way it was. Blatant turnovers by both the Irish and Wolverines had this game flopping like a fish. Two plays that really stood out to me as just bad where the two big defensive breakdowns in the secondary. When Notre dame scored their final touchdown you needed binoculars to see where the Michigan defense was. On Notre Dame’s side, there was at least four missed tackles that I’m sure I’ve seen high school players make. All in all, I am not impressed by either of these teams. Notre Dame was highly over rated to begin with and is probably heading for a 7-5 season. Michigan will be gaining hype soon because I’m sure they will be getting out to a 6-0, all of them over subpar teams. So please don’t think or say that Michigan is going to the Rose Bowl because I’m sure that their losing in East Lansing on October 15th.

2. Return of the MAC – What a weekend for the MAC! They showed up some big opponents this week! Now, I know CMU and Toledo didn’t put up W’s, but you have to applaud the scares they put into Kentucky and Ohio State. Toledo put OSU on the ropes from the beginning. They were so close, but that tough Ohio State defense shut them down in crunch time. In CMU’s case, Radcliff finally looked like the quarterback everyone wanted. He was leading the Chips on long methodical drives and scoring plays. By the time that the 2nd half rolled around Kentucky put pressure on the Chips and forced them to become a quicker paced offense and before CMU knew it the Wildcats passed them. Though the ending wasn’t perfect, both teams have to be proud of how they played. To me, the MAC is starting to become a tougher conference. They aren’t the Big 10 or anything, but they are now starting to be more than a blow out for major teams. I 
hope that soon, people can respect the MAC as a legitimist Mid Major and give all the teams a little respect.  

3. SEC Dominance- Once again, the Tide showed us how much better the SEC is than everyone else by going into Penn State’s house and straight up beating them. It was a hard fought game, but it’s hard to deny that the SEC is not the best. It is more than likely that they will be putting up their 6th straight national championship to the displeasure of many. Maybe I’m wrong… I hope I am.

Game Picking
It looked like another solid week from Cody and I. We really need to get down to business soon because there are a lot of big games to come.
Well thanks for reading! NFL Preview just around the corner!  

Friday, September 9, 2011

Weekend Up Date

I will be tweeting during both the CMU and Michigan games tomorrow. My NFL picks will be up later followed by a total break down of every division! Have a great weekend watching football!

Neil

Picks for Week Two of College Football!

Week two is here and I have a fresh batch of picks!

Watch here!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vFIDzjTqbU

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Reaction to Week One

Welcome Sports fans! All of College football's first week is in the books! There were plenty of blow outs, good games, and even close calls. After every week, I like to see what really stood out to me. There wasn't too much this week because of all the nasty blow outs. Oh wait, that's one right there! Here's my reactions to week one!

1. Blowouts - Are you kidding me? What has college football turned in to? There is no excuse for all the weak non-conference tune up games. It's college football's version of a preseason and there isn't a single reason in the world we should have to watch. As a top college program, you should have the guts to schedule real games in the opening weeks. Sure, you lose that opening game and you could be out of the national title hunt, but come on! What do you gain from beating Louisiana-Lafayette? (not to pick on Oklahoma State). Just another padded easy way to get another mark in your wins column. That's why I love to see teams such as Oregon and LSU put it all out there on the first week. They both knew that they were going to be ranked in the top 10 this season. So instead of running away like little cowards, they met the challenge and tried to beat a team that they could have easily played against in the National Title Game. Though over the years Oregon can't seem to win these big games, (Boise State 2009, LSU 2011) they still save face by taking on a tough team right out of the gates and prove that they are still one of the few real teams left in the NCAA. So to any big time Athletic Directer reading this, please please please put your football team's reputation on the line, it makes the season better and improves the quality of your football program.

2. Oregon vs LSU

The biggest match up of the weekend turned out to be a bit of a let down. With the LSU defense knocking out both Lamichal James and Kenjon Barner for some time, the Ducks had to turn to Darren Thomas and the passing game. The Ducks looked a bit disorientated with all the passing and the mistakes of unproven running backs cost them the game. What I take away is not how good LSU was, but how Oregon tried to cope. By no means am I down grading LSU, I just think Oregon is a team that was better than what we saw on Saturday. Watch out because I see Oregon racing back up to the top 10 very soon and the LSU Tigers are a big threat to win the title this year.

3. TCU vs. Baylor

One team that everyone was looking forward to seeing this year was good ol' TCU. "How could they top last year?" I thought. Well, they won't be. Baylor took it to the favored Horned Frogs and that's the end of the story. The big, bad, TCU defense looked terrible and we saw how much Andy Dalton meant to them. I don't see TCU being even close to last year, but just wait for when they get to the Big East! Baylor on the other hand, is on the upside, They are going to surprise a lot of people this year and may find themselves in the top 20 at the end of the season.

4. Boise State vs Georgia

For any of you who don't think Boise State is over rated, this was just more proof of how good they are. Kelen Moore was able to have his way with the Dog's and so did his defense. It was just another reason why I think the Pac-12 should go after these guys. Boise has been a power house all these years and I think they deserve a chance just like TCU. The Bulldogs however, were over rated once again. It's time for a coaching change in Athens, because there is no way that team will beat the SEC power houses or make BCS bowl games.

5. USF vs Notre Dame

What did I tell you? The Irish are terribly overrated. They have a total mess at the QB position and the supporting cast just isn't there. Yet some how I saw preseason polls with them as high as 6th! I'm sure that the Irish hype will surely be killed this weekend when they head to Ann Arbor because the Wolverines are going to take it to them. I was very impressed by the Bulls however. Though it was just Notre Dame, they looked very strong for a Big East team. I can't wait to see more of them this year and possibly years to come!

Well, thanks for reading! I'll be back tomorrow with my week two picks and keep an eye out for my NFL preview!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Week One Picks for College Football

Welcome sports fans! As the title suggests, I give you all of my picks along with Cody's! I hope you enjoy the video and all the great football this weekend!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFOuSzDKplY

Here are the picks in print:


Tulsa @ 1 Oklahoma     N C
Kent Sate @ 2 Alabama    N C
UNLV @ 11 Wisconsin    N C
N C   20 Mississippi State @ Memphis
Youngstown State @ 17 MSU    N C
C N  14 TCU @ Baylor
Miami, OH @ 21 Missouri    N C
Utah State @ 23 Auburn     N C
Appalachian State @ 13 Virginia Tech    N C
Louisiana-Monroe @ 6 Florida State    N C
Chattanooga @ 10 Nebraska     N C
South Florida @ 16 Notre Dame    N C
C Minnesota @ 25 USC    N
San Jose State @ 7 Stanford     N C
Louisiana- Lafayette State @ 9 Oklahoma State     N C
East Carolina @ 12 South Carolina    N C
Missouri State @ 15 Arkansas    N C
Florida Atlantic @ 22 Florida   N C
N   3 Oregon @ 4 LSU C
Marshall @ 24 West Virginia  N C
N 5 Boise State @ 19 Georgia C
SMU @ 8 Texas A&M   N C
N C Miami @ Maryland
SCSU @ CMU   N C

* N= Neil C= Cody

Thank you for watching and reading!