BCS Predictions: Rose and Orange

There aren't many bowls that are more exciting than the BCS games. One new years day, we get a big helping of blue collar football and an under dog for the ages. 

If you were to ask me who would end up in these bowls at the beginning of of the season Wisconsin and FSU might have been on the list. I did not see Stanford doing this well and of course I didn't see Northern Illinois in a BCS game. That's what makes this exciting; knowing that these are teams no one saw getting here and now they will get to prove themselves. Who will prove themselves? Let's take a look.

The Rose Bowl - Wisconsin VS Stanford 

Without some post season bands, Wisconsin isn't here. Some people blame them for being in this game. I don't. They may have not won the most games, but they did what they needed to to and destroyed Nebraska to get here. Wisconsin comes in with a pounding running game. Montee Ball has arguably been the best running back in all of college football the past few seasons. He has 1,730 yards with 21 touchdowns and has 5,040 in his career with the Badgers. Wisconsin also has James White in the running game. He ran for 802 yards this season and 12 touchdowns. He is a nice change from Ball. White has a little more speed and is a little more illusive than Ball. Wisconsin also have a stout defense, but the passing game is really what hurts them. They have a revolving QB situation which really doesn't help their cause. Stanford comes in with a better defense. The Stanford defense is powerful. They held Oregon, who has one of the best scoring and rushing offenses, to 14 points and only 198 rushing yards. They will be able to limit the effectiveness of Montee Ball. The Cardinal offense is middle of the road.and the ground game is their strength. RB Stephan Taylor leads the Cardinal with 1,442 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Like Ball, he will be able to pound the middle of the Wisconsin defense. This game will come down to the play of the QBs. I think Stanford has the edge with Kevin Hogan. Though he didn't start the season, the freshman has been able to come up big in huge situations. I think he leads Stanford to the 21-17 win in the Granddaddy of Them All.

The Orange Bowl - Northern Illinois VS Florida State

No one saw Northern Illinois doing this. Some saw them winning the MAC and getting to a pretty good bowl game, but nothing like this. Just like Wisconsin, many blamed them for making this game. I think that is absolutely ridiculous. When a team follows the rules and makes a BCS game because of the rules, they deserve it. I was shocked and appalled to see the continued 'hate' towards NIU on ESPN after it was announced that they were in. Personally, I hope they beat FSU just so Kirk Herbstreit can get off his high horse and realize the MAC has some good teams. It will probably be a different story come game time. Northern Illinois lives and dies by QB Jordan Lynch. he is a dual threat QB who threw for 2,962 yards with 24 touchdowns and ran for 1,771 yards with 19 touchdowns. Besides Lynch, the Huskies have his favorite target, Martel Moore. Moore caught 71 balls for 1,054 yards and 12 touchdowns. If he can get open down field and allow Lynch to pass the ball down field, I think NIU have a chance. Florida State comes in touting one of the best defenses in the nation. They allow an average of 15.1 points per game and great great pressure on opposing QBs. FSU also has a great offense. Led by QB E.J. Manuel, the Seminoles average 39.9 points per game. The guys to watch on offense are the running backs. Devonta Freeman and James Wilder Jr. are both filling in for the injured Chris Thompson. Both have done a great job. Freeman has 630 yards with eight touchdowns in 10 full games. He splits the carries with Wilder who has 583 yards and 11 touchdowns. QB E.J. Manuel will shine in this game. He will run the offense efficiently and will spread the ball out to all the play makers the Seminoles have on offense. 

In the end I think NIU will show what the MAC is all about. They will have some success, but I think this game is too big for them. I got Florida State winning 31-13 with a stout performance from the defense. 

Thanks for reading! 

Max's BCS Picks!

Go to Youtube and watch Max make his picks for the BCS games!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7CiYH-8Ge0

There's the link so go watch and enjoy! 

New Year's Day Bowl Games

They might as well call New Year's Day, Big Ten vs SEC day. Their are a lot of good match ups on the first day of 2013 and there is a good chance the Big 10 could get some quality wins. Will they? I examine all four non-BCS games in this post and give you my picks! 

The Gator Bowl – Mississippi State VS Northwestern

Northwestern was a bit of a surprise to go 9-3 this season. Their lack of a passing game had a lot of people questioning if the Wildcats had what it takes to win. With their Tandum of QB’s, Northwestern shocked the Big Ten. Kain Colter and Trevor Siemian have been splitting the snaps this season and have had some success. The biggest past of the Wildcat offense is their run game. RB Venric Mark has been the main guy on the ground. He has 1,310 yards this year with 11 touchdowns. QB Kain Colter also contributes on the ground with 820 yards and 12 touchdowns. Mississippi State started the year 7-0. The Bulldogs are a bit pass heavy, but still have a solid running game. QB Tyler Russell and WR Chad Bumphis are the guys to watch. They have connected well this season as Bumphis caught 55 balls for 904 yards with 12 touchdowns. I expect him to carve up the Northwestern secondary while the Bulldogs cruise to a 35-10 win.

Heart of Dallas Bowl – Purdue VS Oklahoma State

Purdue carries a three game win streak and a 6-6 into Dallas. The Boilermakers have a middle of the road offense with a defense that isn’t much better. QB Robert Marve started off cold and eventually got hurt. After returning from his injury, his season has a new life. He has 13 touchdowns with only three interceptions this year. The other guy to watch for is RB Akeem Shavers. The senior running back has over 700 yards this season with 6 touchdowns. He is a solid back that can make some people miss and catch out of the backfield. He will be key if this Purdue team wants to get going. Oklahoma State comes in with one of the best offenses in the nation. It looks like back up QB Clint Chelf will be the man under center come game time. The junior had a great season by throwing for 1,391 yards with 12 touchdowns in 5 full games. He will be the key part of this offense if they want to win. RB Joseph Randle will be the star of the offense. His 1,351 yards and 14 touchdowns have been the best part of this Cowboy offense. I think OSU will win this game because of their offense. I think they will be able to tear apart the Boilermakers and will win 40-20.

Capitol One Bowl – Georgia VS Nebraska

Unfortunately for the Big 10, I don’t see this one going so well for the Huskers. Georgia has a very balanced and good offense. Aaron Murray is the obvious star for this game. He has thrown for almost 3,500 yards and has 31 touchdowns. He is also very accurate only throwing 8 interceptions with a 65.4% passing percentage. Murray is almost overshadowed by Georgia’s freshman running back, Todd Gurley. He has 1,260 yards on the ground this season with 16 touchdowns. He is a very explosive back and can really take a hit as well. The Georgia defense was also able to make it through the tough SEC while allowing an average of 18.8 points per game. Nebraska comes into the game with one of the best rushing attacks in the nation. RB Ameer Abdullah spear heads the rushing attack that averages 254.5 points per game. He has rushed for over 1,000 yards and is accompanied by QB Taylor Martinez. Martinez is a good duel threat who has over 3,000 total yards and 31
touchdowns. His arm will be the key part of the Nebraska offense. He’s going to have to make some big passes at some point and if he can’t Nebraska is doomed. I think he won’t be able to do it and that the Nebraska defense will get torn up by the Bulldog offense. I got Georgia winning 42-17.

The Outback Bowl – South Carolina VS Michigan

Unlike last year, Michigan didn’t get lucky with their bowl game, but this doesn’t mean they can’t win it. Michigan has had a lot of time to figure out a tough offense that will undoubtedly feature both Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner in some fashion. They will both make an impact through the air because both have thrown for over 1,000 yards this season. The Wolverines will need to rely on Robinson’s legs for most of their offense comes from him. His 1,166 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns vastly overshadow RB Fitzgerald Toussaint. If Michigan is going to win this game, their defense is going to need to show up. Their defense allowed an average of 18.8 points this season, but was very exposed in many of their losses. South Carolina comes in with a balanced and slightly lethargic offense. RB Marcus Lattimore would have been the star for the Gamecocks. His 662 yards and 11 touchdowns lead the team. Unfortunatly, he broke his leg in October, but the Cocks have other options in the back field. The passing game will also be a huge part of the SC attack. Wide Receivers Bruce Ellington and Ace Sanders are deadly. They have combined for over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns. Because of both defenses, this will be a very low scoring game. The team that wins this game will have to grind it out of the offensive side of the ball. I think South Carolina can do this better than Michigan and they will win the game 19-10.  

Thanks for reading!

New Year's Eve Bowls

It’s been a tough Bowl Season. Don’t get me wrong, the football has been wonderful, but I’m not calling it too great. After 19 games I’m 11-8. It’s above .500, but it isn’t good enough. As we inch closer to the smorgasbord of New Year’s games, there’s a full plate of New Year’s Eve games that should serve as a great appetizer. Here are my picks!

The Music City Bowl – NC State VS Vanderbilt

The ACC SEC match up has never been kind to the ACC. In the past 13 years the SEC leads 58-45 in head to head bowl games. Last year, the SEC went 5-2. NC State has a pretty good chance of helping the ACC’s record this year. The Wolfpack has a dominating passing attack. Senior QB Mike Glennon is the man to watch for this team. He has a cannon for an arm and has passed for 3,648 yards and 30 touchdowns this year. They also have a pretty efficient defense. The problem is that they can’t run the ball with any consistency or score touchdowns on the ground. Vandy comes in with a balanced offense. Senior QB Jordan Rodgers has just about 2,500 yards this season and 13 touchdowns. He isn’t the best passer, but he can lead an offense when he needs to. The Commodore running game is pretty average, but their defense is outstanding. I’m picking Vandy in this one for two reasons, one: I don’t think NC State is ready for this defense, two: NC State had a really weak schedule this season. Those two factors have me picking Vanderbilt to win 35-13.

The Sun bowl – USC VS Georgia Tech

Without USC quarterback Matt Barkley, I have little interest in this game. Max Wittek, the USC back up, did a decent job in his only major outing against Notre Dame. The Irish have a very tough defense, so I think Witteck has already gained a lot of experience. He will have an easy time slicing up the GT secondary because of the Trojan wide receiving corps. Marquise Lee, who comes in with 1,680 yards and 14 touchdowns, will give GT headaches along with his partner in crime, Robert Woods. The Trojan defense isn’t great and will be tested by the GT triple option. Speaking of GT, they have a huge running attack. The triple option has allowed them to average 312.5 a game which is 4^th in the nation. QB Trevin Washington has been the main source of touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets. His 26 total touchdowns lead the team. He doesn’t really pass the ball much, but he has 4 interceptions in 128 attempts. I kind of want to lean towards to GT in this one because of how they performed down the stretch, but their defense is not going to be able to handle the air raid USC will throw at them. I see USC winning the game 31-21.

The Liberty Bowl – Iowa State VS Tulsa

This is another bowl that I’m a little disappointed with. It is a rematch of the first game of the season for both teams. Though Iowa State won the game, Tulsa went on to a more successful season. I have to favor Iowa State in this one though. They played a much harder schedule which included four ranked teams and plenty of high powered offenses. They also have a strong defense that allows an average of about 23 points per game. The fact that they could do this in the Big 12 speaks volumes. The only issue for the Cyclones is that they don’t have a guy that can step up and lead the offense. The offense is very balanced with talent spread throughout, but none of them seem to be a leader.  The Golden Hurricanes of Tulsa have a great running game. RBs Trey Watts and Ja’Terian Douglas are both huge weapons that get used a lot. WR Keyarris Garrett is another attacking option Tulsa has. His nine touchdowns lead the Golden Hurricanes. Though Tulsa are the hotter team, I feel like Iowa State have gone through enough this season to prepare them from this game. They figured out how to beat Tulsa once and I think that will allow them to do it again. I see Iowa State winning 29-21.

Chick-fil-A Bowl – LSU VS Clemson

Unfortunately for the ACC, I don’t see this going very well for Clemson. LSU have one of the best defenses in the nation. This is bad news for Clemson who really haven’t faced anything like the Tigers defense. LSU also has a pounding running game. RBs Jeremy Hill and Kenny Hilliard will be the guys to watch. They pound the rock and I think this will wear down the front seven of Clemson. After doing that, I think Zach Mettenberger, who has been decent this year, enough of an opportunity to make some plays down the field. Clemson will have to live and die by Tajh Boyd. With his 43 total touchdowns, he is going to have to make a big impact on the ground and through the air. He will also have to make sure he is taking care of the football better than he has been earlier in the season. When he faced South Carolina, who has a comparable defense to LSU, he threw two interceptions which really cost them the game. I think LSU will have some difficulty with Boyd, but they will ultimately figure him out. Both defenses will hold for a while, but Clemson’s will break first and more often. I see LSU winning them one by a score of 27 to 17.

Thanks for reading! 

Bowls Galore!

I hope you have been able to enjoy the holidays with your friends and family! I also hope you've been able to enjoy the football!

Due to the holidays, traveling to the Little Caesars Bowl, and going to Ohio, I have to make a lot of these picks early. I also have to make them short. Here are a whole bunch of picks for the next few days and I will see you for New Years!

The Military Bowl - San Jose State VS Bowling Green 

For San Jose, watch for QB David Fales to be the biggest threat. He has over 3,500 yards and 31 touchdowns. He will be matching up against one of the best defenses in the MAC. Bowling Green doesn't have much offense, but their defense only allowed an average of 15.8 points per game in the high scoring MAC. I think this will be a close one, but Bowling Green will use there hot defense to snuff out the Spartan's offense and win 24-20.

The Belk Bowl - Cincinnati VS Duke 

Duke is in a bowl game for the first time since 199 and from the looks of it, they are going to have a hard time. The Blue Devils have a terrible running game and defense which is a dreadful combination. Cincinnati has a terrible defense too, but they have a better offense. I see running back George Winn, who has 12 touchdowns, leading the Bearcats to a 31-30 win. 

The Holiday Bowl - Baylor VS UCLA 

This is an interesting match up. It pairs up two great offenses. Baylor has one of the best offenses in the nation. QB Nick Florence, RB Glasco Martin, and WR Terrence Williams have been tearing up the Big 12. The problem is, they haven't faced a good defense and they don't have a defense of their own. UCLA may not have an offense as potent as Baylor, but the Bruins can still put up some points. They also have a better defense and a tougher defense than a lot of teams in the Big 12. I see UCLA scoring their way to a 40-30 win. 

The Independence Bowl - Ohio VS UL-Monroe 

Both of these teams are lower level conference beasts. UL-Monroe beat Arkansas early in the year and almost beat Auburn and Baylor. Ohio was able to beat Penn State this year as well. It will be a close game because both teams are similar. ULM has a dual threat QB with Kolton Browning. He leads Monroe in both rushing and passing yards. Ohio QB Tyler Tettleton is also a dual threat, but he has more play makers around him. I think that's what give Ohio the edge in this one. They will win a close one by a score of 27-23.

Russel Athletic Bowl - Rutgers VS Virginia Tech

Virginia underachieved this year. After leading his team to the Sugar Bowl, QB Logan Thomas had a bad year. He threw 14 interceptions this year with only 17 touchdowns. The offense has been down in general this year. They can't score enough to beat the teams they should and I think this will continue against the stout Scarlet Knight defense. Rutgers have also had offensive troubles, but I think their defense gives them a chance to win this game. The Scarlet Knights will squeak by in this one 13-10. 

Meineke Car Care Bowl Of Texas - Minnesota VS Texas Tech  

Minnesota is in a bowl game again, but the problem is that they are facing Texas Tech. Minnesota has a abysmal offense and an okay defense. The Red Raiders have an incredible passing game and a defense that should be able to stop the Golden Gopher offense. I think that short description should tell the entire story for this game. I got Texas Tech winning 41-20.

The Armed Forces Bowl - Rice VS Air Force 

This game pits two 6-6 teams together. Both teams have a good run game and rely on it heavily. Both teams also have mobile QBs. Rice has Taylor McHargue who has scored 11 TD's through the air and matched that number on the ground. He is a little careless with the football, but he should have a good day against the Air Force defense. Air Force has Connor Dietz. He is a force on the ground, but doesn't throw it much. It will be a good old fashioned football game with a lot of running, but Rice's ability to pass will help them win the game 26-21. 

New Era Pinstripe Bowl - West Virginia VS Syracuse 

This Big East flashback should be a good one. West Virginia comes in with one of the best offenses in the nation. QB Geno Smith has had a heck of a year throwing the ball. He has over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns this year. Syracuse has a pretty good offense as well. QB Ryan Hassib will be able to shine against the Mountaineer's bad defense. The problem is that I don't think he will be able to keep up with West Virginia. The Mountaineers will win this shoot out 45-39.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl - Navy VS Arizona State

Two great running teams face off in this match up. Navy is historically loyal to the run. Once again, they have one of the top ranked rushing attacks just because of how much they run. They also play good defense. ASU has a great running game with Mashall and Grice, but they also have a passing game with Taylor Kelly. Their defense is just as good as the Navy defense and have proven themselves against better teams.If you look at Navy's schedule, they lost against all the good teams they played. I think their 8-4 record is a bit inflated and that will show when they go up against ASU. I think Arizona State wins this game 34-20.

Alamo Bowl - Texas VS Oregon State

This is one of the better early bowl games. Oregon State came out of nowhere this year and really became a great team. Between QBs Sean Mannion and Cody Vas, the Beaver passing game has risen to great heights. Between the two of them they have 26 TDs. The Beavers also have a great defense. They allowed over 40 points just once and that was to Oregon. Texas has been pretty good throughout the Big-12 season. At times they look like one of the top teams in the nation, but at other times they look like a 6-6 team. They don't have a very good defense, which should allow Oregon State to put up some points. The offense, led by QB David Ash, has shown that they too can put up some points. I think the Longhorn defense will have a lot of difficulties against the Beaver defense which will allow Oregon State to win the game 33-28. 

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl - Michigan State VS TCU

Michigan State has had such an up and down year. Their 6-6 record can mostly be credited to their strong defense. When a team only allows an average of 16.3 points per game, it should be easy to win a lot of games. Gholston has been a beast on the defensive line and he will cause a whole lot of issues for the Horned Frogs. The Spartans problem is that they can only score about 20 points per game. QB Andrew Maxwell has been shaky at best and RB Le'Veon Bell has been a ghost of the player he was last year. TCU has had a rough year as well. They lost a lot of players in the offense and during the season, but have been able to adapt. QB Trevone Boykin hasn't been great, but in the 8 games he played a major part in he has been efficient. He has an interception issue, but he makes up for it with his ability to extend the play. TCU is going to win this game because they have a better offense and a defense that can hang with MSU's. I think TCU wins 23-10 in a hard hitting game. 

Thanks for reading! 

More Bowl Picks

We are now four bowls into the bowl season and I'm a respectable 3-1. So far, we have been treated to a defensive battle, some pretty high scores and some decent games. The best part is that it can only go up from here! The same cannot be said for my bowl record. Let's see if it will go up after my latest picks.

The New Orleans Bowl - East Carolina vs Louisiana Lafayette
This bowl features  two 8-4 teams that are pretty balanced. ECU have an electric QB in Shane Carden. The sophomore has nearly 2,900 passing yards this year with 21 touchdowns. He has the ability to extend plays as well as gain a few yards on the ground. The other man to watch out for on the Pirate offense is Justin Hardy. He is Carden's favorite target hauling in 83 balls for 10 touchdowns. The big issue with ECU is their lack of a rushing attack. They average just under 135 yards a game and can't seem to pound the ball when they need to.
Louisiana-La is the more complete team. They have a balanced attack of both passing and rushing. The Ragin' Cajun offense is ranked inside the top 50 for both categories. The best part about this offense is Terrance Broadway. He is the star QB for the Cajuns and is a dual threat. I would expect him to add to his 24 total touchdowns this weekend through the ground and air.
This game will come down to defense. While neither team has a great defense, Louisiana-La's has looked to be the better of the two. I think the Cajun defense will cause enough issues to disrupt Carden while benefiting from some home cooking. They will win the game by a score of 36-29.

The Las Vegas Bowl- Boise State vs Washington
This should be an interesting game to watch. There is a lot riding on this game for both teams. Washington needs to win this game to carry some momentum into next year if they want to compete in the Pac-12. They also want to try to erase a some of the bad impressions they made last year after a 67-56 shellacking by Baylor. Boise State needs this game to establish that there is a 'new' Boise State. After Kellen Moore left, a lot of people lost interest in this team. Boise will need to show that they are still the giant killers we know them as. It will be a tough task Boise because they will have to defend Husky QB Keith Price. He hasn't been quite as explosive as last year, but the junior did throw for just over 2,400 yards this year with 18 touchdowns. His issues has been giving the ball away. He had 11 interceptions this year and any time he has thrown two in a game, the Huskies have lost. Besides that, the Huskies have a decent running game and a pretty impressive defense.
Many people may say the Boise State is weak, but they were 7 points from going undefeated  They needed 4 in the MSU game and three in the SDSU game for wins. Boise State has moved on from the Kellen Moore era by the means of Joe Southwick. He has thrown for nearly 2,500 with 17 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. .The running game is where the Broncos win games though. D.J. Harper is the main man on the ground and he had a stellar 1,000 plus yard season with 15 touchdowns. I expect him to get plenty of running lanes against the Huskies and dominate the game. The Bronco defense will take care of the rest of the game. They have allowed and average of 14.9 points per game. They will contain Keith Price and nail down this game for the Broncos. I think Boise State will win this game 21-10.

The Hawaii Bowl - Fresno State vs SMU 
This is another one of those interesting battles between lower conference teams. Fresno State are the favorites in this on, like they should be. Out of the Mountain West, they went 9-3 with loses to Oregon, Boise State and Tulsa. If there are such things as good losses, I would say those all qualify. The passing game is definitely what sets the Bulldogs apart. QB Derek Carr has a pair of sharp eyes and is incredibly good at taking care of the football. His 68.1 % passing percentage comes with 311 completions for 3,742 yards, 36 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions. He will be the main threat for the SMU defense. Carr is assisted by his favorite wide receiver, Davante Adams, and his running back Robbie Rouse. Both have over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in their respective positions. Needless to say, the Bulldogs have options on offense. There's proof of that in their 69-14 beat down of Colorado. The defense is much of the same. They allow an average of 22.8 points per game and allowed a high of 42 points this season, but that was against Oregon.
SMU comes in looking not so fearsome. They have a 6-6 record and a pretty mediocre in every category  They will pose the biggest threat through the air. QB Garrett Gilbert has over 2,700 yards and 14 touchdowns, but he also has 13 interceptions. He is a dual threat QB, so expect him to extend some plays and possibly score some points on the ground. Besides that, the ground game is pretty bad for the Mustangs.  Their defense is good, but is has seldom taken down a big team.
To make a long story short, I'm not going to pick a team that lost to Tulane (2-10). SMU was unlucky when they got in this bowl because Fresno State should be in a higher bowl, but settled with this. I see a blow out here with Fresno winning 47-7.

Little Caesars Bowl - Central Michigan vs Western Kentucky
Here is my pride and joy, the Chippewas. They come in with a 6-6 record and a three game winning streak. They aren't impressive in either the running or passing game, but QB Ryan Radcliff is the man to watch. He has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards this season with 20 touchdowns. He has improved the interception count from previous years (only 9 this year) and that can be accredited to the offensive line who has cut down on the amount of sacks Radcliff has had to suffer. The run game will be spear headed by Zurlon Tipton who had 19 touchdowns this season. The run game won't shock anyone, but it will get the runs it needs late in the game. The Chippewas defense has been torched a few times this season, but it really seemed to settle in during the final weeks of the regular season.
Western Kentucky is in it's first ever bowl game. They joined the Sun Belt in 2009. They are 7-5, but it is a very strong 7-5. The Hilltoppers won at Kentucky and were the only conference loss for Arkansas State, the eventual conference champion. WKU's losses have come from #2 Alabama and four teams with a combined record of 27-21. They have a wonderful running game spearheaded by Antonio Andrews. Andrews has run for over 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns. He will be a major threat to the Chippewas. WKU's tandem set of wide outs, Willie McNeal and Jack Doyle will also be issues. They aren't the biggest threats, but when the running game gets going, they become dangerous off play action and in the red zone.
As much as I want to pick my Chippewas, I think WKU's running game will be too much for them. Something else that scares me is the Hill Topper defense. It held the mighty Alabama Crimson tide to 35 points. Central couldn't even score on Michigan State (via the offense) and they always seem to have to hope that they out score opponents instead of stopping them defensively. It will be a battle, but WKU will come out on top 35-26.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the games!

UEFA Champions League: Round of 16 draw reaction

 The draw for the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League was held in Nyon, Switzerland and to the joy of many soccer fans; lady luck was in the room. There are plenty of first round matches that pay tribute to old clashes as well as dream match-ups from a neutral stand point. 

Here's how the draw panned out:

** Big games are pointed out like this

Round of 16 draw
Galatasaray AŞ v FC Schalke 04 

Celtic FC  v Juventus 

Arsenal FC  v FC Bayern München 
FC Shakhtar Donetsk  v Borussia Dortmund 

AC Milan v FC Barcelona
Real Madrid CF  v Manchester United FC
Valencia CF v Paris Saint-Germain FC
FC Porto (POR) v Málaga CF (ESP)

During my first look at the draw, one match stood out to me the most: Man U v Real Madrid. What a dream pairing! First of all, these are two of the top clubs in the world. That means there will be a bigger audience because there are people from the United States to India that know of these clubs.  Secondly, there will be so much talent on the pitch. United has Van Persie and Rooney, while Madrid has Ronaldo and Ozil. That is a lot of international talent right there and they are some of the most recognizable names in the game. Third of all, there’s so much back story to this match. Ronaldo’s not so graceful departure from United should really stir up the fans and bulletin board material. Finally, the implications it will have on this tournament will be massive. These are two huge players in the international soccer world. United have three European crowns and always seem to be in the mix. Madrid has a record nine Champions League titles and made it to the semi-finals last year. When one of these teams get knocked out, it will make the playing field just a little bit better for all the other teams.

Looking at the rest of the matches, I am happy with the Barcelona – AC Milan pairing. These two sides have met each other plenty of times in the past 10 years. You could almost call it a rivalry, but Barcelona has had the upper hand. These two met 3 times last year and it was quiet entertaining. Though Milan has lost a lot of players, it should still be a fun one to watch.

Other pairings I really enjoy are Celtic FC – Juventus, Arsenal FC - FC Bayern München, and FC Shakhtar Donetsk - Borussia Dortmund. Scottish side Celtic FC already shocked the world with a 2-1 win over Barcelona in the group stages. I’m wondering what they can do against a down Juventus team. We could see a Scottish team in the quarter finals for the first time in a while, which would be a very odd sight. The Arsenal-Bayern match should be an interesting one. I’m most interested in seeing if Arsenal can right the ship for their season in England by having a great showing in Europe. Plus, I have a soft spot of the German League (the Bundesliga) and I want to see who Bayern will respond after last year’s defeat in the final. The last match up is on my radar as well because of the Bundesliga, but also because Borussia Dortmund has been the team on the rise in Germany. After two league titles and last year’s terrible group stage, I think this young team could cause some problems in the later rounds.

Round of 16 action doesn’t start until February, so no predictions yet, but there will be plenty of league action to take in! I’ll be back in February after plenty of studying with my picks.

Thanks for reading!

College Bowl Predictions: Poinsettia and Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg

Bowl season continues to roll on! Though we still haven’t hit the best games, I give you my picks for the upcoming bowls!

Poinsettia Bowl – BYU VS San Diego State

 If it is all possible to have a WAC throwback moment, this would be the best example. These two will be clashing for the first time since their old WAC days. The battle to watch for in this game is SDSU’s highly touted run game against the stout BYU defense. Running back Adam Muema leads the Aztecs with nearly 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is an explosive playmaker that could really make the Cougars pay.  The issue is that they don’t have a passing game. If the BYU defense can clamp down, they can really make sure this offense goes nowhere. I think BYU’s defense will be able to clamp down which will give running back Jamaal Williams all opportunities he needs to win the game. It will be decently close as BYU wins 20-6.

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg – Central Florida VS Ball State

This is an interesting matchup between great teams from lower conferences. UCF came very close to winning the Conference USA title with their powerful offense. They come in averaging 35.2 points per game. They have a balanced attack that features QB Blake Bortles and RB Latavius Murry which is very hard to stop. Ball State has a very potent running offense. They average 214.3 yards on the ground per game. Ball State’s problem is the issues they have with their defense. Allowing an average of 31.5 points per game, Ball State’s best defensive performance came in a 30-22 win against Army. Army is known for their single dimensional offense which makes me scared when Ball State has to take on a balanced on like UCF’s. There will be a lot of points in this one and UCF will score the most as they win 41-29.

Thanks for reading! 

The Five Bowls I am Looking Forward to the Most

Bowl season brings out the best of any college football fan. Even though their team may not be competing in the post season spoils, they are treated to hours of college football over the holiday season. For many of us, we look forward to New Year’s not just for the parties, but the game that follow on the next day.

Being a college football fan, I would have to say I feel about 10% better, no matter the circumstances, because it is bowl season.

This year I am particularly excited. Though it isn't the spread of games we gotten in the past few years, I am eagerly awaiting the out of conference clashes that are going to be arriving soon. I have selected 5 that I am the most excited about. Why? Because. Who doesn't like ranking things or making ordered lists?

Honorable Mentions

The National Championship Game (This would be in the top five, I just know what’s going to happen. Plus it seems a little cheap to throw this one in there.)

Little Caesars Bowl (Because I’m going.)

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Alamo Bowl

Rose Bowl

5. The Discover Orange Bowl – Florida State VS Northern Illinois

I am excited for the MAC possibly doing something incredible more than anything else in this game. I know the notion in the media is that Florida State is going to destroy Northern Illinois. I see their point. With E.J. Manuel, the running game, and of course, the defense, it’s hard to not pick the Noles by double digits. Wouldn’t it be crazy if it was close though? This Huskie team is the MAC team I have the most faith in being able to achieve this feat and represent the conference. Sure, Jordan Lynch has never face a defense like this. He’s a great player though and great players find a way to cause trouble no matter what.

I’m also interested to see if FSU will come out with the same passion as they always do or if it will be a diminished performance. It’s a BCS Bowl, but I know I would be running a lot harder against a team like Oklahoma than NIU.

The last aspect of this game that intrigues me is the size of the crowd NIU is going to bring. They are a MAC school who had the largest home turn out against Kansas which was just over 18,000. Now they have to travel to Florida? It looks like the Noles might have a home game.  

4. Chick-fil-A Bowl – LSU VS Clemson

Why would Neil be interested in this one? The ACC.  I’ve always like the ACC since my introduction to college football through the Miami Hurricanes. The conference hasn’t been relevant in football since that 2001 National Championship, but I still support the conference. They have been proclaimed weak for years, but I believe the conference is on a comeback. That’s why I’m interested. I want to measure the progression based off of this game. LSU may not be Alabama, but they are darn close. I want to see if Tajh Boyd and the rest of the Tigers can top the other Tigers head to head. I expect something far different from Clemson “topping” LSU (I’m guessing more of a blowout), but I can’t help hoping for a different outcome when I tune in. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but watching the ACC get stomped in this bowl has turned into a New Year’s tradition unlike any other.

Besides my personal feelings for the game, it will still be a fun one to watch because of the play makers on offense. Of course, you really won’t get to see Clemson’s ability, but that’s for a later day.

3. The Las Vegas Bowl – Boise State vs Washington

I’m interested in the game because it’s one of the few early games that could really be a fun game to watch. Many fans think the games that lead up to New Year’s Day are just trash, but this one has the makings to be an instant classic. The story lines coming in are pretty good. You have Boise State who is coming off of some very high years and looking towards the future. I feel if they can win the big games like this, they will use them as a spring board for the next conference jump. Washington is coming off of a season of highs and lows and wants to establish a different bowl identity than the one the created last year.

I wish I could say that this game is going to be an offensive explosion, but Boise State can’t quiet hold up to that standard. They do have a top ranked defense. I’m very interested in seeing if all the praise for their defense is earned or just coming out of the Mountain West.

2. The Fiesta Bowl – Oregon VS Kansas State

What a match up  Do I really have to say why I’m so pumped up for this? The offensive numbers are going to be staggering for both teams. It isn’t every day that we get blessed with such an offensive pairing. Collin Klein will get the chance to do a lot in this game as will Marcus Mariota, but defense is what makes me the most excited. I want to see if either of these defenses, who have been torched plenty of times this year, can stand up to the pressure. Will there be a few stops by one team or will it be a situation where the team that has the ball last wins? That’s what has me jacked for this game.

1. Cotton Bowl – Texas A&M VS Oklahoma

Remember what I said about great players? That is what makes this my bowl of choice. Both teams have outstanding QB’s. Laundry Jones may not be everyone’s definition of a big time player, but I enjoy watching him play. It’s his last game in college, so I’m interested in seeing what he will bring. I’m more interested in watching Johnny Manziel. From the Scooby Doo costume to winning the Heisman, he has been the best and most sensational player to watch in all of college football. We’ve seen him play in big games and perform so I just want to watch to see what he does next.

I’m also very excited about the conference overtones of this game. The Aggies moved to the SEC and seemed to get better. I know that there were a lot of changes in players, but I want to see how they stack up against a team they could have been playing if they stayed in the same conference. The Big 12 has been getting a lot of flak for being weaker than the SEC and what better way to stick it to them than beating them. 

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Bowl Season is Here!

Bowl season is finally here! The action kicks off with these two tasty match ups tomorrow. Here are my picks! 

Gildan New Mexico Bowl – Nevada and Arizona will kick off the bowl season with a showdown in the desert. Nevada comes in with a 7-5 record and an incredible run game. The Wolf pack is averaging 260 yards per game. They are spear headed by Stefphon Jefferson who has 22 touchdowns this year. QB Cody Fajardo is the biggest name on this team. He has scored 17 touchdowns through the air and 11 on the ground. He is a super dangerous dual threat signal caller and will be the biggest problem for the Arizona defense. Arizona also has a powerful QB and an incredible running game. Matt Scott is the Wildcats’ senior QB and has 24 passing touchdowns to his name. His issue is his interceptions. In almost every big game he’s tossed one at a key point and he has 12 of them this season.

I think Arizona will have too many issues stopping Nevada’s offense and holding on to the ball. In the end, Nevada will win 32-25 over the Wildcats.

Toledo and Utah State will meet in Idaho for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Toledo comes in with a (-3 record and a lot of experience from a MAC season unlike any other. The Toledo offense is pretty balanced. The Rockets average nearly 200 yards a game on the ground and 260 through the air. The man to watch is David Fluellen. He has nearly 1,500 yards this season and 13 touchdowns. The Rockets’ issue is their defense. Though they have made some good stops in games this year, they have allowed a lot of points. Utah State comes in with a top 25 ranking and a stout defense. The Aggies only allow 15.4 points per game and haven’t allowed more than 41 in a game (which was in overtime against #20 Louisiana Tech). Their offense is high scoring (34.4 points a game) and balanced. QB Chuckie Keeton will be the player to watch in this game. He scored 27 touchdowns through the air and 11 on the ground. His play making ability is what makes Utah State so dangerous.

Toledo’s ability to move the ball against the Aggies defense will dictate what happens in this game. If they can’t move the ball and get points on almost every drive, they will lose this game. I think Utah State will play some great defense and win 35-20. 

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MLS Cup Final

After the longest season in MLS history, we are in the exact same position we were last year. The LA Galaxy are coming in looking like they could never lose, while the Houston Dynamo have used their defense and counter attack to get here. Just like last year, the Galaxy look to be the favorites though it should still be very close. 

The Galaxy have played a great style of soccer in the past few weeks. They have been using the counter attack and they have been able to make their stars shine. Donovan has played a key part in the Galaxy's run of form. He as looked really good in the midfield and has been able to make the necessary passes to get goals. 

Houston has been on a similar run except that they don't have the stars. Without names like Beckham, Donovan and Keene the Dynamo have yielded similar results. Moffat and Bruin have really been the kick starters for this team and have supplied a lot of the goals (5-8).

Goals have been the theme for both teams who have taken similar roads. Both teams were in the play in games and won them by a score of 2-1. Both teams went on to face the favorites and top seeds of their conferences and really put a beat down on their opponents. In the conference championships, both teams won 4-2. The Galaxy have scored 9 goals and have a +4 goal differential. The Dynamo have have scored 9 goals and have a +4 goal differential. The similarities between these two teams are scary. 

So who wins this game? I think both teams will have a lot of opportunities. Both will score in regulation. In overtime, the Galaxy will score twice while the Dynamo will score once. The Galaxy will win their fourth MLS Cup by the score of 3-2 in overtime. 

Thanks for reading! 

College Football: Conference Championship Week

Last week, half of the National Title Game was decided by Notre Dame's suffocating defense. The SEC Championship Game will more than likely set the other half of the game. Alabama, whose only loss was to a red hot Johnny Manziel, is of course the favorite to win over an interesting Georgia side. 

Besides the decider for the BCS Championship game, other conference crowns and BCS spots can be college by teams today. Florida State, Kansas State and Nebraska can all get a little BCS love with wins today. Can any of their opponents stop them? Let's take a look. 

The ACC Championship Game: Florida State- 45 Georgia Tech- 20 - This game will be a shining moment for E.J. Manuel. He will lead his highly ranked offense against a Georgia Tech defense that allowed an average of 30.7 points per game. The Noles will use a balanced attack of air strikes and runs to beat up the Jackets. The Noles tandem of backs, Chris Thompson and Devonta Freeman, will play a key role in the game by making the Jackets play a physical style of football. Though Georgia Tech uses an option style offense and gains a lot of yards, I think this FSU defense will clamp down in the red zone and force some turn overs. In the end, Georgia Tech will be kicking a lot of field goals while Florida State will find the end zone early and often. 

Texas- 31 Kansas State- 48 - This game is going to be an old fashioned Big-12 shootout. Both teams have solid offenses that have some great play makers. Both of them also have the typical Big-12 defenses (that isn't a good thing). Texas' offense is pretty mid-range. It's nothing special, but it gets the job done. David Ash will need to play a great game if the Longhorns want to win. His 7 interceptions have really hurt the team and both Texas QBs have shown some lackluster decision making throughout the season. The Kansas State offense is a different animal. It all runs through Colin Klein. He has accounted for over 3,000 of the Wildcat's offensive yards. Their passing game is lacking, but the run game wins games. The Wildcats also have a pretty good defense, but like most Big-12 defenses, they have given up 50 points in a game this year. The Wildcat's defense is better than the Texas defense and that should win them the game. After forcing a few turn overs, Klein will put the game away. 

The Big 12 Championship Game: Nebraska- 30 Wisconsin- 21 - This game will be a really good one. It will be close throughout and the teams will battle back and forth. Both offenses are similar because they rely heavily on the run game. Nebraska has the upper hand because they have a dual threat QB in Taylor Martinez and solid running backs. The passing game will be the key to winning this game. Martinez has improved a lot from last year and can really control a game through the air. The Badgers have Joel Stave, who isn't very good through the air, which will hurt them in this game. Montee Ball will carry the Badgers in this game and so will their defense. In the end, Taylor Martinez will be too much and the Huskers will win. 

The SEC Championship Game: Georgia- 13 Alabama- 40 - The reigning national champions will show why they are still the best by dispatching the number 3 three team in the nation tonight. A.J. McCarron will continue to have a stellar season throwing the ball while Lacy and Yeldon have a huge day on the ground. The defense will be stout as well. Aaron Murry might cause some problems as he leads the Bulldogs, but he will have a very tough time trying to do so. The Tide will roll tonight with ease and will be heading to the National Championship Game for the third time in four years. 

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College Football Week 13

This is one of the most pivotal weeks in college football. Conference championships are set, National Championship berths are more than likely claimed, and of course, rivalries are won. If it isn't Michigan-Ohio State, it's Florida-Florida State that gives us one heck of a game this week. The best part about a lot of these rivalries is that the teams involved are highly ranked which only adds to the intensity.

Here are my picks!

Michigan-21 Ohio State-28- Ohio State looks good and the scariest part is that this team will be ready to go because it's their last game of the season. Urban Meyer will be making sure is guys leave it all out on the field because they will not play in a bowl game this season. Braxton Miller is the key player for the Bucks. He has been able to lead his team to many of their wins without throwing it a lot. He's going to need to be able to make some plays with his arm so the Buckeyes aren't one dimensional. I think the Michigan defense will contain him, but it won't be enough. As for Michigan, the quarterback situation will play a big roll. I'm not sure if Devin Gardener has what it takes to win against that Buckeyes defense. He or Robinson will make too mistakes and will give the win to Ohio State.

Oregon- 30 Oregon State- 28 - This is going to be a close one. The Ducks offense was shut down last week by Stanford and I think the perfect plan was drawn up for the Beavers. All they need to to is use their front seven to suffocate the Oregon offense. That won't be an easy task though. Marcus Mariota and Kenjon Barner will make adjustments from last week and will find a few wrinkles in the defense. The Beavers offense will have a tough task ahead of them too. The Ducks have an incredible red zone defense and tend to bend and not break. The passing game will come easy of the Beavers, but the run game will hurt them. I think the Ducks make the necessary stops in the passing game and will escape the Civil War with the W.

Oklahoma State- 30 Oklahoma- 35 - Oklahoma State has one of the best offenses in the nation. The running game, which is spear-headed by Joseph Randle, has really carried this team. The passing attack is high octane as well and is ranked number 5 in the nation. Oklahoma has proven that they can stop high powered offenses. They held Kansas State to 24 earlier in the season and showed they can out-gun teams like West Virginia. Both of those abilities should be detrimental to the Cowboys. The Sooners will do enough on defense to let their offense out gun the Cowboys and will slide past them for the win.

Florida State- 10 Florida- 26 This game will be a lot closer than in previous years. E.J. Manuel and the Florida State offense have been potent this year. They have put up some big numbers on the ACC. The defense is improved too. They are fast and running over everyone this year and will do the same against Florida. However, Florida has done some incredible things this year. If you look at that schedule, then look at their record, you can tell they are the better team. With their defense, which has allowed an average of 11.7 points per game, they will win this game. The Florida State offense hasn't faced a defense like this yet and it will really show today

Notre Dame- 24 USC- 20 - The Irish are going to win this game due to the injury to Matt Barkley. Max Wittek won't be ready for the defense initially, but will eventually cope. The problem is that the Irish capitalize on the smallest of set backs and create a win because of them. It will be a lot closer than a lot of people may think, but the Irish will do just enough, like they have in a lot of games, to pull out the win.

Quick Picks

South Carolina- 41 Clemson- 21

Stanford- 28 UCLA-24

Auburn-0 Alabama- 35

Baylor- 35 Texas Tech- 56 

Wisconsin- 20 Penn State- 22

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MLS Cup Deja Vu

After the first leg of the MLS Conference Finals, soccer fans have a case of Deja Vu. Last year's MLS Cup finalists Houston and Los Angeles opened up huge leads in the first leg and look destined to meet again in MLS Cup.

Houston showed their might in a 3-1 win against DC United with three unanswered goals in the second half from Hainault, Bruin, and Sarkodie. This was really the tale of two halves. In the first, it look as if DC had gotten the one goal they needed to take an advantage back home to RFK in the second leg. The second half show a Houston team ready to take control of this series by enforcing their style of play.

LA blasted Seattle 3-0 in LA. The Galaxy looked like the team of last year and ground out the win in the second half. LA had goals from Magee and a brace (two goals) from Keane. Though the Galay couldn't score in the first half, they looked the better team throughout, while Seattle looked stagnant.

So what can we expect in the second leg?

I expect DC to come out firing, as the game opens up they will get a bit porous in the defense. Houston to sit deep in their zone for much of the game and try to get goals off the counter attack. They will spend time on the ball and will probably walk away with a 1-2 result in DC, but a win in the aggregate, 4-3.

As for Seattle-LA, I expect a fiery Sounders offense. They will put a bit of a scare in LA fans as they go up 2-0 early. LA will compose themselves and find holes on the counter attack and eventually score two of their own and will go on to win the aggregate 5-2. 

Both of these games are on television tonight, so if you get the chance, check them out! The Houston-DC United game is at 4 p.m. on NBCSports and the LA-Seattle game is on ESPN at 9 p.m.

Thanks for reading!

College Football: Week 12

It seems like I've been saying this more and more, but we have one heck of a week in college football. There are so many team's who will make their case for their conference championship today or even a BCS bowl. The PAC-12 takes over for the SEC as the big game conference this week as it seems a few of the SEC's best are taking a bye week this week (West Carolina, really?). The Big 12 also has some tasty games today as well, so on to the picks!

Oregon- 50 Stanford-30 This will be Oregon's biggest test of the year. It's bigger than USC because the Cardinal can stop the run and has a solid defense. As much as I want to say that Stanford can pull the upset   because they can stop the run, Marcus Mariota is one of the best Oregon QB's in a while. He will lead his team through the AIR as the Ducks out play Stanford after all four quarters. 

USC- 45 UCLA- 35 - Showed a lot in their game versus Oregon. I think they have a great offense that should be able to score with the best of them. UCLA will cause some problems because they can score too, but ultimately their defense will crumble under the pressure of Matt Barkley's arm. 

Texas Tech- 43 Oklahoma State- 45 - This will be another classic Big 12 shoot out. OK State has proven in the past few weeks that they still have a lot of bite despite losing a lot of key players last year. They have a potent offense that will put up some big numbers on this Red Raiders defense. Tech will also put up some big numbers on the lackluster Cowboys defense. The aspect that will set these two apart is OK State's ability to run the ball. The Cowboys have a running game and Tech doesn't which means Tech is more likely to be a little one dimensional. That will lead to more turnovers and a narrow victory by State. 

Kansas State- 43 Baylor- 20 - Last week showed a lot about Kansas State. It showed me that Collin Klein will not let his team lose a game this year. That being said, the Wildcats will jump out to an early lead because of him and slide into next weeks game against Texas. 

Ohio State- 38 Wisconsin- 20 - Normally this would be a huge game, but the Badgers aren't so good this year and Ohio State can't play in any sort of title game. Plus the Badgers have their Big Ten Championship game spot locked up. I'm sure the Badgers would love to beat Ohio State, but Montee Ball needs to have a big game if they hope to do so. Ohio State will play great defense and Braxton Miller will do just enough on the other side of the ball to get it done and lead the Bucks to a victory. 

QUICK PICKS

Miami (OH) -45 CMU- 30

Miami - 35 USF- 29 

Oklahoma- 40 West Virginia- 17 

Northwestern- 30 MSU- 17 

Western Michigan- 41 Eastern Michigan- 10 

Thanks for reading! 

College Football: Week 11

This is one of those weeks in college football where there is a smorgasbord of tasty games in the top 25 and slim picking anywhere else. Just like every other week, the SEC has two monster games with monster implications with a few other conferences having big games.
This will be the week where we find out a lot about teams like Mississippi State, Oregon State, and Texas A&M. People don't expect a ton from these teams this week, but will they give the favorites a run for their money or even squeak out a win. With that, here are my picks.

Oregon State- 13 Stanford- 10 - The Beavers are finally going to prove to people that they belong up in the top 25. They are a bit one dimensional on offense, but Mannion has been having a wonderful year throwing the ball and will find some big passes against the Cardinal. Stanford looks like they wont have their starting QB Nunes I also think Sanford have already hit their peak for this season against USC. They will keep this game close, but the Beaver defense will be too much.

LSU- 38 Mississippi State- 17 - There's no way the hat loses a second straight game. Les Miles will have his boys ready for this game. It's unfortunate for the Bulldogs because any other week they might have had a chance. The Tigers will come out mad and take out all that hate for Saben out on Mississippi State. Plus the Bulldogs just don't have the offense to hang with LSU and the Tigers running game will get points just by pounding away at the front seven. All in all, it will be Mississippi State's third straight loss to a ranked SEC team by 38 points. How infuriating is that?

Texas A&M-17  Alabama- 30 - Johnny Manziel and this Aggie team are the surprise story of the season. After last year's horrible fourth quarter losses in the Big 12, A&M have reinvented themselves in the SEC. This upcoming week will be a tough one though. This will be the game that ends the Aggies dream run in the SEC. All Alabama needs to win is a solid game from their defense, which is almost a given. The Aggies are 0-2 when their explosive offense is held under 20 points. The Tide haven't allowed more than 17 points in one game and that was to LSU last week. The Tide's offense will have a decent game, they will have better success than last week, but will still looked stumped at times. It was a good run Texas A&M, but it's time to let the big boys take over.

Kansas State- 48 TCU- 38 - This game should be close. A TCU win here vindicates the bad start in the Big 12 and makes them look great. They have really impressed me by not throwing in the towel after Pachall got suspended. Gary Patterson has really done a nice job of keeping his team together. Boykin has turned out to be just as good as Pachall in my opinion. It's hard to compare them this season because of the deference in schedule when the two played, but Boykins seems to have a calm head. Kansas State will just be too much for the Horned Frogs. Playing wise, Colin Klein is on other planet right now and it's going to take a small army to stop him. The TCU defense hasn't faced a guy like this yet and the running attack from K-State will really punish them.

OK State- 47 West Virginia- 40 - OK State will be on the rebound with another big win. They have lost to some really good teams this year, but they will turn the tide here. West Virginia is coming off an emotional loss to TCU and haven't looked that good since the fifth game of the season. I think it's a confidence issue. They have the stats and play to get wins, but they just aren't finishing them. Both offenses will run up the score, but OK State has the better defense. That's what will put them over the Mountaineers and into bowl contention

Quick picks

CMU- 34 EMU- 21

Michigan- 28 Northwestern- 17

Nebraska- 17 Penn State- 3

Tulsa- 48 Houston- 24

Oklahoma-38 Baylor- 28

Thanks for reading!

MLS Playoffs: Conference Semis Leg 2

The MLS playoffs are in full swing and after the next four games we will know the final four of the US soccer world. In the MLS the conference semi finals and finals are conducted in a two leg format. Both teams play a home game and the two scores of the games are added up for a cumulative score. The first leg has been played so you could almost consider this halftime.
In the West, there is the Real Salt Lake and Seattle Sounders match up that has become a playoff regularity. In the first leg of the semi, the whistle was blown after a total of zero goals and no real action. It was a truly boring game and should give Salt Lake an advantage. The match up everyone was looking forward to is the other semi final which is the LA Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes. This rivalry has been growing over the past few years and after a 1-0 Earthquake victory in the first leg, the Quakes will be chomping at the bit for a chance to knock off the reigning champions at home. In the East there is the DC NYC rivalry which finished in a draw of own goals. Once again, it was another boring game. The other game was a total shocker which was the Houston Dynamo's 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City.
Now all over the series switch to the second leg which should be very interesting. Here's how I think the second legs will go.

Real Salt Lake vs Seattle Sounders - Whoever wins this game will win the series. I think RSL will score two goals because they have gotten the better of Seattle recently. The Sounders are a very streaky team and they aren't hitting their strides at the moment. Seattle may get a late one, but I think RSL win 2-1 and move on to the Western Conference Final.

San Jose Earthquakes vs LA Galaxy - I think this one is over after the first leg. The Quakes are clearly the best team in the entire league and Chris Wondoloski has been on another level this year. I think Wondo will find a small opening and squirt one past Josh Saunders while Gordon and Lenhart will add two late. The Galaxy will make it interesting by scoring one goal, but they will lose their chance at a second straight title to their dreaded in state rivals and fall 4-1 through both legs.

DC United vs New York Red Bulls - The first leg of this series was boring and very odd. One own goal was crazy, but when a second one went in only minutes later, it was insane. Someone is going to have to step up this second leg. I think Henry will show his mental strength and score an early goal. Someone from DC will score late and the game will go to overtime. Eventually the match will make its way to penalties where the Redbulls will win the shoot out 4-2.

Houston Dynamo vs Sporting Kansas City - The Dynamo are on a roll just like last year. They will continue their roll when they hold Kansas City to a 1-1 draw in Kansas. Both goals will be scored late and Kansas City will look out of sync due to the Dynamo's pressing offensive style they will move on to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Thanks for reading!

College Football Week 10

This week features games that will affect the National Title race in three of the major conferences. You have another game of the century between LSU and the Tide in the SEC, KSU trying to navigate around OK State, and the Pac-10 game of the year in Oregon and USC. Needless to say, this might be the best week in college football so far. With a lot of the other top teams playing easier games, there will be some movement at the top, and the National Title picture should get a little clearer. Besides all those big games, there's a bigger one on my mind right now that's taking place in Mount Pleasant today. The Battle for the Cannon between CMU and WMU is only hours away which is definitely big news. So with that, we get to the picks.

Alabama-31 LSU-10 - I know LSU is really good at home, but they are not going to be able to get around this Bama defense again. Look for shades of last years National title sprinkled throughout this one as A,J, McCarron shows his mental strength to get the Tide what they need in Baton Rouge

KSU- 41 OK State- 24 - Though I was really hot on the Pokes early in the season, KSU is just too good to lose to OK State. Colling Klein should have an easy time tearing up a weak OK State secondary which has not fared well this season. Oklahoma State will have the chance to make this game interesting by effectively using their run game, but KSU will still win by simply outscoring them.

Oregon- 40 USC-30 - The Ducks will face their first real test this week when they face USC. The Trojans will keep the game close throughout while maybe taking the lead for a bit. It's just hard to see this USC defense keep up with this lighting fast offense with the cool head of Marcus Mariota at the helm. The difference from last year will be the Duck's defense. It is much stronger than last year. The Ducks only need to stop you a few times to beat you, and I think they do that against USC.

CMU- 34 WMU-24 The cannon will be brought back to the Mount! I think Radcliff will want to show the home fans what this team is capable of and that they can go on and maybe make it to five hundred. The fans will play a huge part in the game and will make it hard for WMU to play in comfort. As for the Broncos team, the passing game will stay effective, but Tyler Van Tubbergen will make a few to many mistakes and hand the game to the Chippewas.

Quick picks!

Texas A&M-17 Mississippi State- 10

TCU- 35 West Virginia- 45

Notre Dame- 35 Pitt- 10

Texas- 30 Texas Tech-23

Nebraska- 30 Michigan State- 12

Thanks for reading!

2012 World Series

We all know these two teams by now. There's the Giants who will be coming in hot after they outscored the Cardinals in three straight elimination games 20-1. They have a great pitching staff that does't always perform and they also are 6-0 in elimination games this post season. And there are the Tigers, who have the best pitching staff in the world right now. They have an insanely good offense and are rested.

You've probably watched 20 videos and read just as many articles pertaining to this game just like I have. So with that, I will get out of your way.

I got the Tigers winning it all in Game 7.

Week Eight Quick Picks

College continues to get in the way of Sports According to Neil, but I will not be deterred. I'm working on some posts and they will be here soon. Before any of that, let's take a quick look at college football this week.

Once again, it's a loaded week. We got rivalry games, a top 10 clash, and plenty of intriguing games. I'm really excited for the U of M vs MSU game. It should tell us a lot about who might win the foundering Big 10 and you have to enjoy the rivalry that comes with it. As for the SEC, it's just another week. Big teams square off and hopefully we get a clearer picture of that conference (like we don't know who is going to win it. Wink Wink).

Without any further delay and so I can go get some candy at CMU's Homecoming Parade, here are my picks.

Kansas State 28 - West Virginia 31

Alabama 41 - Tennessee 10

Michigan State 21 - Michigan 31

LSU 10 - Texas A&M 21

Iowa State 17 - Oklahoma State 31

Texas Tech 31 - TCU 42

Florida State 41 - Miami 31

Florida 31 - South Carolina 33

Last, but not least.

Central Michigan 35 - Ball State 28

Thanks for watching!

MLB Championship Series

After four thrilling five game divisional series, it's hard to believe that the MLB playoffs could get any better! The Giants Reds series was an all timer and the Yankees Orioles was a slug fest. I can't leave out what the Tigers and the Cardinals did too. I do have to admit that the four teams we see in front of us are not the ones a lot of people expected.
Besides all the great series I have to focus on the fact that the two top teams in the NL lost in pretty spectacular ways while the AL's Best team for the past two seasons couldn't even get out of the first round. The Rangers were really disappointing. They squandered a huge lead to the A's in the division race and got themselves into the wildcard game with the hot Orioles.
 I half expected the Nationals to crumble like they did, but the Reds not being able to get a single win at home was disgraceful.
Before I make my picks, let's imagine for a second. How incredible would it had been for the Nationals and the Orioles to make the World Series?
Both teams are so close to each other and neither have had a lot of success. If that would have happened, I would have watched every game. It would have been such a feel good story! But the world of sports isn't all about feeling good, so back to reality.
Here's my World Series...











Giants vs Tigers

I have the Tigers beating the Yankees in six games. The Tigers have the superior in almost every category in my book. They got some great bats in that line-up and you can't argue with Verlander and the rest of the pitching staff. Closing the game could be an issue for the Tigers, but I think the Bronx Bombers bats are growing tired. The Yankees will be able to grind out a could of games at their park, but the Tigers will dominate the Yanks with their pitching.

I also have the Giants beating the Cardinals in six games for the same reason: pitching. The Giants have Cain, Vogelsong, and Bumgarner. Those guys can win big games and if he has to, I believe Lincecum can win a game for the boys in orange. The Cardinals will put up a good fight though. Lynn has been outstanding and the Redbirds have just found ways to win ball games. I just think the magic of the last postseason will finally run out.

Thanks for reading!

College Football Week 7

College football continues to roll on as we head into week seven and plenty of great teams are heading on the road this week. The top 10 has suffered some changes in the pass weeks and it is going to happen again when South Carolina and LSU knock heads.

Speaking of LSU-SC, they are the first pick for this week!

LSU- 31 South Carolina- 20 - As much as I hated on LSU last week, they are a hard team to beat at home. Though Zach Mettenberger and the rest of the Tiger's offense has been weak, the defense makes up for it. They have allowed 12.8 points per game and have a great knack of pressuring the QB. The Gamecocks won't be an easy opponent. They too have a stellar defense and they have a pretty good offense. Last week's result for SC does make me think of this game a bit more, but they played an extremely overrated team.

Texas- 17 Oklahoma- 10 - This will be an old fashioned Red River Rivalry. Both teams have proved a lot this season. I like Texas because of David Ash. The kid takes care of the football and has a really good arm. It helps when you have a great rushing attack to help you out. Joe Bergeron and Malcom Brown are a nice dual threat and should keep the Sooner defense on their heels. The Sooners will need a great game from Landry Jones if they want to win. He has been decent this season, but when he struggled against K-State, Oklahoma suffered. I see the same thing happening in this game.

Texas A&M- 48 Louisiana Tech- 30 - No one expected Louisiana Tech to be in the Top 25, so when they fall this week it shouldn't be too much of a surprise. I praised LT at the beginning of the season, but this match-up will be too much for them. Surprisingly, TAMU is near the top of the nation in all team stats and their only loss is against Florida. Johnny Manziel has surprised me this season. He has done a great job as a freshman and has been very actuate. I think last week's win for the Aggies really showed the mental strength of this team. They will show a toughness again this week and see through the win.

Stanford- 10 Notre Dame- 19 - The Irish have really shown me up this year. I wasn't sure if they were back yet, but Manti Te'o and the rest of the defense have proven something to me. They will be the main reason that the Irish win. Everett Golson will be pivotal in this game. If he has a bad day, they Irish could be in trouble. I really don't trust Stanford after their huge loss to Washington and their near loss to Arizona. The rushing game will need to come to play if the Cardinal want a chance to win.

Quick Picks

Tennessee- 14 Mississippi State- 20

Miami- 30 North Carolina- 29

Alabama- 50 Missouri- 10

West Virginia- 70 Texas Tech- 50

Illinois- 10 Michigan- 30

College Football Week Six

Sorry for the hiatus sports fans! School has been very busy, but I should have some more time now to stand on my soap box. Today is the sixth week of college football and as always I have my picks, but be sure to keep an eye on the blog for my MLB and MLS playoff predictions, NFL panic meter, and English Premier League Power rankings. Now for college football!

LSU 31 Florida 38 - I think Florida can win this one. Its a game at home to a lack-luster Tigers team that doesn't seem to have the same bite they had last year. The Gators are a strong 4-0 and have only had one cupcake match-up so far. They looked comfortable going all four quarters with a great Texas A&M team and played a solid game against Tennessee. The Gator passing attack will continue to be dull, but the defense will show their grit in this game. They are ranked 10th in defense and should be able to stop the very run oriented Tigers offense. This game will be close the whole way through, but I believe the Gators will pull it out.

Georgia 21 South Carolina 24 - This is going to be a a telling game for both sides due to the fact neither team has faced a great opponent yet. The Gamecocks are a lot softer than people think. The numbers say that they are a great defense, but the teams they played tell more. The near loss they had to Vanderbilt in the first week was not a good sign. The Bulldogs are even more overrated. The defense for this team doesn't look like it can hang with the best in the SEC and will probably be torn up on Saturday. All in all it should be a very interesting game. The Gamecocks will win it, but I think both teams will be hurt by the match-up.

West Virginia 38 Texas 30 - Geno Smith was incredible last week. His numbers looked like a good game on NCAA 13. The real story of that game was the Mountaineer defense. They gave up a lot of points to a decent Baylor team. You have to wonder what they will give up when they play a good one? This game will supply the answer. Texas should be strong. They are a team that can put up some big numbers too. and they have a defense to back it up. David Ash can't put up Smith's numbers, but he can cut through the secondary. But after last week I can't pick against this Mountaineer offense. Smith won't do it in the fashion he did last week, but he will lead WV to the win.

Ohio State 17 Nebraska 10 - This will be the battle of developing QBs. Martinez and Miller are both pretty solid QBs who can run the ball, but have the arm too. They are both overcoming seasons where they both had issues, plus both teams have great defenses. As much as I want to say both QBs are going to be able to make huge plays, I can't get over the fact that the defenses have essentially already played these offenses in practice all year. In the end, I think Braxton Miller will be able to make or two more plays than Martinez and win the game for the Bucks.

Quick Picks!

Oregon 51 Washington 21

CMU 10 Toledo 41

Miami 10 Notre Dame 19

UCLA 41 Cal 20

Oregon State 30 Washington State 13

Thanks for reading!

College Football Week 4

This whole picking thing isn't working out for me this year... Last week looked just like the first and hopefully I can finally right the ship this week. There are some great match ups in the PAC-12 and the ACC. Of course, there is also the huge match up in South Bend. Without any more delay, to the picks!

Oregon-42 Arizona-10 - I don't think Arizona is that good...yet. Rich Rod will work is magic in a few seasons, but 'zona isn't going to stay in the top 25 this year. Oregon has too much speed with De'Anthony Thomas and the only question coming into this season, the QB, has a solid answer in Marcus Mario'ta. The Ducks will cruise at home and win their first PAC-12 game of the year.

TCU-30 Virginia-20 - TCU didn't have the greatest start to the season last week, but against this weaker ACC team, they should shine. They will need to make sure that they get their run game established. With Waymon James out for the year, Matthew Tucker is going to need to get a lot of carries in this game. Watch for The TCU wide outs to have another solid week as Casey Pachall passes all over the field.

Florida State- 28 Clemson- 21 - E.J. Manuel is going to have a great game. He's already gone for over 500 yards and this week he will add a lot to that. Clemson is strong, but I don't think they have the defense to keep up with FSU. The Seminole defense is going the story of the game though. The look like the Noles of old and will really keep Tajh Boyd down.

Oklahoma-14 KSU-10 - This will be a really close game. KSU are a really good team this year and Oklahoma may be a bit overrated. If the Wildcats can keep it close in the first half, I think they have a chance. Ultimately, I think the Sooners will feed off the home crowd and pull out the close win.

Notre Dame-10 Michigan-21 - Michigan isn't a great team. The defense may be good enough to keep them in the Big 10 race, Robinson can't pass the ball. The Irish have the same issues with their offense as well. It will truly be a battle of the defenses. I just think that Notre Dame gave their performance of the year last week and that is what gives Michigan the win.

Quick Picks

Iowa- 35 CMU- 10

UCLA- 24 Oregon State- 3

Miami- 20 Georgia Tech- 17

South Carolina- 35 Missouri- 10

Northern Illinois- 20 Kansas- 10

Thanks for reading!

College Football Week 3

Welcome to week three of the college football season and after last week, we are in for a treat. Arkansas' catastrophic loss coupled with a few other major upsets set the tone for the rest of the season. This is going to be one of those seasons where almost no one outside of the top three is safe. I expect a few more teams to have terrible losses this season.
Last week posses some big questions: is the Big Ten as great as many thought they were? Should we lower our expectations of the SEC? Are the lower conferences really that great? Maybe these questions are yes or maybe no, but all I know is that wee are in for one heck of a season.

Last week I went a pretty bad 7-4. I really messed up on the Nebraska pick and let's not even get started on the Miami pick. Let's see what's going on for me this week!

Michigan State- 31 Notre Dame-10 - This will be an interesting game. Notre Dame really took it to Navy on the first week, but the Purdue game really shows me why I should pick Michigan State. The Fighting Irish were very one dimensional against the Boilermakers and that will really help Michigan State. They will stop the run really easily and the Spartans will stop the air raid. The only issue for the Spartans will be Maxwell's play. The game will be closer if he can't get going. If he comes out hot, this game will be over early.

Ohio State- 41 Cal-7 - This game won't be so close. Cal hasn't been a great team and this season holds more of the same. OSU QB Braxton Miller has really blossomed into his role as THE guy and I think he will continue to have success in this game. The Buckeye defense will really be the story though. I think they will really hold the Golden Bear offense.

USC- 51 Stanford-10 -This game won't even be close. I don't think Stanford is that good and this USC team looks unstoppable. Matt Barkley will tear up the defensive secondary and the run game will come around too.

Quick Picks

TCU-41 Kansas-3

Alabama-41 Arkansas-17

Virginia Tech-35 Pitt-0 (I've lost all faith in the Panthers!)

Florida-23 Tennessee-10

BYU-17 Utah-10

Missouri- 31 Arizona State- 10

Thanks for reading!

NFC Preview

Though the leaves aren't falling and there isn't a crispness in the air, football is back. I gave you all you needed to know about college football and so far I think it's going to be a good year. Now it's time for the big boys. As I type this post, the Giants and the Cowboys are about to kick off.

I like the NFL, but I'm not quiet as obsessed with it as I am with soccer and college football. This NFC preview is going to be brief, but I will still tell you where I think everyone is going to be at the end of the year.

Let's Go!

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles- Vick will have a monster year. He will really be what the Eagles envisioned last year and I'm sure that the Eagles won't want the embarrassment they had last season. 

2. New York Giants- The Super Bowl Champions won't be as good as they were last year, but they will still have a solid season. Eli Manning is going to have to carry the team because of all the talent they lost, but if he does, they are looking like a playoff lock. If he doesn't, well... you know.

3. Dallas Cowboys- This is what this team has turned into: a bunch of losers. They are going to fail as "America's" team once again. Romo doesn't have what it takes to be a serious playoff QB and he doesn't have a lot of solid players around him to help out. 

4. Washington Redskins- This team will play better than their fourth place finish, but they play in a tough division. RG3 will have a decent season, but I feel a lot of people are going to be harsh on him after watching Cam Newton tear it up. This team will be dangerous soon, but this won't be the year. 

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers- The offense will continue to amaze. Rodgers, Jennings, and Nelson are unstoppable and will continue their dominance through the air. The running game will improve with Cedric Benson in the back field. The defense will still need work, but they won't be terrible like last season. 

2. Detroit Lions*- The team from the D will be great. They got great wide outs and Stafford is almost a top 5 QB. The defense will be great as well with all of their play makers. The interesting part will seeing if they can respond from all the off season turmoil.

3. Chicago Bears- They will be right in the running all the way until the end. Cutler will have a good season throwing the ball while the defense will continue to be great. If they played in a weaker division they would be a playoff team. 

4. Minnesota Vikings- Christian Ponder will have another 'meh' kind of year. I don't see a lot in this team especially with the uncertainty surrounding Peterson. If he comes back strong they may have a chance at a .500 season. 

NFC South 

1. New Orleans Saints- Hat an off-season for this team. It would be tough for anyone to overcome it, but Drew Brees isn't just anyone. His leadership will be a huge reason why the Saints win this division. The defense will be depleted, but they can still stop a lot of teams. 

2. Carolina Panthers*- I think this team is going to be scary good this season. Cam Newton will avoid the sophomore slump and the running game will still be prominent. The defense will be the question. If they can give their offense a chance by slowing down the other team, I think they can go far.

3. Atlanta Falcons- Matt Ryan is going to be great, but for some reason these guys won't go to the playoffs. They have all the weapons on offense, but I think the defense is going to get torched by a lot of teams in their division and their conference. 

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- This team has some promise. Josh Freeman will have another solid year through the air and LeGarrette Blount will pound teams on the ground. The defense will be improved, but the rest of the offenses in this division will still get the best of them. 

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49'ers- Last year wasn't a fluke. This team will get really close to the Super Bowl again. They added talent on the offensive side and Alex Smith will continue to throw as great as he did last season. The defense will be one of the best in the league and will really shut down some teams. 

2. St. Louis Rams- The Rams will look good this season, but let's remember that they are still miles away from being great. Sam Bradford will mature this season and will cut down on his interceptions this season. Steven Jackson will have another great year on the ground and could have a break out year if he doesn't get hurt.

3. Seattle Seahawks- They added a whole bunch of guys, but they are unproven. Marshawn Lynch will be the star of this team and will continue to pound other teams on the ground. The defense will be iffy and will be what ultimately keeps them from getting better. 

4. Arizona Cardinals- There are a lot of issues with this team. The QB situation is going to be the main story line of the season because the rest of the team isn't worth talking about. They will have a chance to have a high draft pick though! 

*Wild Card Teams

NFC Championship Game

Packers over 49ers

Thanks for reading

College Football Week Comes to a Close

Big 10, Big 12, SEC, and my top 25 today! Plus I'm going to give you a few picks for tonight games! Enjoy!

Big Ten

Legends

1. Nebraska 10-2 (6-2) – The defense was pretty bad last year. They got a lot of guys back now and I think that will help with the cohesiveness. They are scattered throughout the unit so there will be some blown plays at times, but they will be few and far between. On offense, QB Taylor Martinez is one of the best in the conference on the ground. He will get a little better through the air this season, but the pass game still won’t be the focus. RB Taylor Burkhead will also be a beast this fall. He should rush for about 1,500 yards this season.

Key Wins: Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State. Key Losses: Ohio State, Northwestern.

2. Michigan 9-3 (6-2) – This Wolverine team is going to be dangerous. QB Denard Robinson will be a beast all fall and should be a dark horse for the Heisman. He has Roundtree to throw it to and Toussaint to hand it off to; what’s not to like. The defense will continue to be great as well. They have an improved secondary through experience and their ability to not let the other team score will be uncanny. The only problem is that I think they will be streaky this season. The Big 10 is one of those leagues that has a lot of interesting upsets. Michigan could easily go 11-1, but with how the league is I think they lose a few.

Key Wins: Michigan State, Notre Dame, Iowa. Key Losses: Alabama, Nebraska, Ohio State.

3. Iowa 9-3 (5-3) – I think Iowa is going to kill it this year. Not a lot of people have confidence in this team, but I just got a feeling about them. They have a weaker schedule, but will lose to all the big teams.  QB James Vanderberg will be the star again and should near 3,500 yards this season. The run game could be an issue. They could start a sophomore and the fact that they don’t have the best line doesn’t help. The defense will get better this season. The secondary looks to be improved and they will need to be. The group was one of worst in the Big 10 last season.

Key Wins: Northwestern, Penn State, Iowa State. Key Losses: Michigan, Nebraska, Michigan State.

4. Northwestern 9-3 (5-3) – For some reason I’m hot on this Wildcat team. They have an easy out conference season and I think they will win the close games this season. I know they don’t have a lot of guys coming back, but I think they are still going to have a solid season. The defense will still need more work. The do have a solid middle of the D, but the secondary is going to be pretty bad. The offense will have lost a lot last year, but the wideouts are back. I think they will help the young QB Kain Colter adjust to his new position.

Key Wins: Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State. Key Losses: Michigan, Illinois, Iowa.

5. Michigan State 8-4 (4-4) – This Spartan team is going to be interesting. I don’t think they are going to be that good (as Big 10 standards go). The defense is there. With all the juniors and seniors on that squad it’s hard to not be scared. The middle of that defense will pass rush with the best of them and will stop the run just as well. The only problem is going to be the offense. They have the line to be great, but the players they block for are not as great. The QB situation is going to be interesting. I don’t think either of the guys have the arm to make it through a tough Big 10 schedule. Plus the running game isn’t going to be any better.

Key Wins: Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Boise State. Key Losses: Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State.

6. Minnesota 2-10 (0-8) – This is another bad Minnesota team. They will get their two wins out of conference and they will actually lose to a MAC team. They don’t have a lot of guys coming back, but QB MarQueis Gray will be back. He is the entire Gopher team. Without him they might as well go down to the MAC.

Key Wins: UNLV, New Hampshire. Key Losses: Western Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska.

Leaders

1. Ohio State* 11-1 (7-1) – Ohio State might be one of the better teams this season. Though they don’t have any post season hopes, Urban Meyer will keep his team motivated. QB Braxton Miller will be much improved from last season. He has TE Jake Stoneburner as his security blanket and RB Carlos Hyde will finally have the space he needs to shine. The offensive line could be an issue for the Bucks. They don’t have too many returning starters, but the guys have the skills to learn quickly. The defense will be solid on the line and in the secondary. It will be interesting to see how the linebackers respond to the pressure. It shouldn’t be too much of an issue because Ohio State knows how to put together a defense.

Key Wins: Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Cal. Key Losses: Wisconsin.

2. Wisconsin 10-2 (6-2) – Wisconsin lost a lot of talent last season, but they do have RB Montee Ball. With OSU out of the running for post season play, they will dominate the rest of their weak division and even beat OSU. Montee Ball will have another huge season along with his line. The QB position will be the issue. Danny O’Brien will be the start, but he will have some growing pains this year. The defense will have some success this year. They will still be a top 5 unit in the Big 10 and they will really help the Badgers this season.

Key Wins: Illinois, Ohio State, Oregon State. Key Losses: MSU, Nebraska.

3. Illinois 8-4 (4-4) – The Illini are primed for a great season. I think that their schedule will allow them to get off to a hot start. They do play a lot of the great Big 10 teams early though, so they will be in the basement for most of the season. QB Nathan Steelhaase is going to have a great year. He is a force in the air and on the ground. He will single handedly carry this team. The running game does need to show up though. Donovonn Young will need to be the guy this year. I think he will have the speed and illusiveness to really get the ground game going. The defense will be near the top of the conference again. The pass rush will only get better this season and the amazing secondary should stay the same.

Key Wins: Minnesota, Purdue, Northwestern. Key Losses: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State.

4. Penn State* 6-6 (2-6) – It’s hard to gage this team after this offseason hell. They are either going to 

come out inspired or they are going to be absolutely terrible. I think they have a mixture of that this season. QB Matt McGloin shouldn’t have too many issues leading them against the out of conference opponents. When it comes to the conference though, he will struggle. The defense should have another great year. I don’t think they can duplicate last season where they only allowed 16.8 points per game, but they will still be respectable.

5. Purdue 5-7 (2-6) – Another ho-hum year for the Boilermakers. They will have one heck of a battle for QB this season, but whoever gets it will have options around him. WR O.J. Ross and TE Cosby Wright will be the main playmakers and the line will be pretty good. The defense will continue to struggle. They have a lot of guys coming back, but it will still be hard for them. The d-line will be able to bring the pressure, but the secondary will still have holes.

Key Wins: Minnesota, Indiana, Marshall. Key Loss: Michigan, Wisconsin, Notre Dame.

6. Indiana 4-8 (0-8) – Indiana will still be a bad team this season. They just don’t have the draw like the rest of the Big 10 teams so the recruiting suffers. All of their out of conference games should be wins, but I might be a bit generous. The offense will improve a bit. RB Stephen Houston will be the star. He might get close to 1,000 yards on the ground this season. The defense was bad last season, but they will be a bit better this year. They got a lot of guys coming back and I think the experience will help them.

Key Wins: Navy, Ball State, Indiana State. Key Losses: All conference games.

Championship: Nebraska over Wisconsin 

Big 12

1. Oklahoma 11-1 (8-1) – Oklahoma will rise to the top of the Big 12 this season. Their rivals won’t be as good and QB Laudry Jones will do just enough to make them a national championship contender. He will throw well over 4,000 yards again this season. All the other key positions will have enough talent infused that they will be very successful. The defense will continue to be dominating in the secondary. They will need to work on the pass rush, but I believe Coach Stoops will be able to change it around. Unfortunately, the in state rivals will spoil the party once again.

Key Wins: West Virginia, TCU, Texas. Key Loss: Oklahoma State.

2. West Virginia 10-2 (7-2) – They are going to be the surprise team from the Big 12. They will handle the transition with flying colors. QB Geno Smith is going to be one of the best passers in the nation. If they can get a running game to go along with that, I think they could really be going places. Smith also has his wide outs and his line. There isn’t much to hate about the offense. The defense might be the issue. They were pretty bad in the Big East last season, but that doesn’t mean they can’t adapt. They will be tested early and often in the Big 12 and I think that will pull them together.

Key Wins: TCU, Texas, Baylor. Key Losses: Oklahoma, Kansas State.

3. TCU 10-2 (7-2) – Though this is TCU’s first season in the Big 12, they have the pedigree to win a lot of games. To be honest, I think they needed the new challenge. Now that they have a lot of hard games they are going to try harder. They are returning someone in every key position on offense. QB Casey Pachall is going to have a good year. The running game will also be solid. They have two very capable backs and that will really help them out. The defense is good at stopping the run, but the passing game is really going to hurt them. The secondary is going to need some improvement if they are going to make it in the Big 12.

Key Wins: Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State. Key Losses: West Virginia, Oklahoma.

4. Oklahoma State 10-2 (7-2) – The Cowboys are going to take a few steps back this season, but they will continue to get wins. The freshman QB problem might be an issue this season. The running game will have to pick up the slack. RB Joe Randle will have another stellar season and will really help OSU win some games. The defense will need some help. They did a good job last year bending and not breaking, but they will need to stop the pass. If the secondary can get it together, this team becomes really dangerous.

Key Wins: Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor. Key Losses: TCU, West Virginia.

5. Texas 8-4 (5-4) – A lot of people think this team is back on the rise. I just don’t see it. Mac Brown is a great coach, but he is really going to have to work some magic if this team is going to get a sniff of the top three. The QB and RB battles will be an interesting storyline this season. I don’t know if they are going to be able to find a constant starter though. The line will be really good and whoever the QB is will have options. The defense was really good last year and I think that will continue. The defense will be the reason that they win most of their games this season.

Key Wins: Kansas State, Baylor, Texas Tech. Key Losses: Oklahoma, TCU, West Virginia.

6. Baylor 7-5 (4-5) – Baylor lost RG3, but they will still have some great players. I’m not expecting a season like last year from the Bears, but they will be dangerous. QB Nick Florence will have learned a few things from RG3 and I think the wideouts will help out. The defensive secondary is also looking great. They are all returning and that will really help them improve from last season’s last place finish.

Key Wins: Texas Tech, Kansas State, Iowa State. Key Losses: Texas, TCU, WV.

7. Kansas State 7-5 (4-5) – QB Collin Klein is on the edge of stardom. Now that some great play calling talent has left the conference, he can take center stage. He had over 1,000 yards on the ground last season. He was also able to get over 1,000 through the air. They are going to need the passing game to come around, so WR Chris Harper will really have to step up. The defense will continue to stay near the top of the conference. Their ability to stop the run will continue to be great, but the pass defense will regress this season.

Key Wins: West Virginia, Kansas, Miami. Key Losses: TCU, Baylor, Texas.

8. Iowa State 4-8 (2-7) – I think Iowa State had a dream season last year. I know Paul Rhoads can get his team motivated, but there is more talent in the Big 12 this year so the Cyclones will regress. The offense will be proficient. RB James White will have a decent season and should almost get to 1,000. The defense will once again be middle of the road. The pass rush won’t be so great, but the pass defense should be scary.

Key Wins: Kansas, Texas Tech, Tulsa. Key Losses: Baylor, West Virginia, Kansas State.

9. Texas Tech 5-7 (2-7) – It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the Tech of old. The defense will continue to be the issue for them this season. They never seem to have the same coordinator from year to year and I don’t think they have the talent to hang with the great Big 12 offenses. The offense will continue to be pretty explosive. WR Eric Ward will double his receiving stats this season and will lead the offense.

Key Wins: Iowa State, Kansas, Texas State. Key Losses: Kansas State, Texas, Baylor. 

10. Kansas 3-9 (0-9) – Once again; another school that should stick to basketball. Head coach Charlie Weis could help the Jayhawks get to .500 someday, but not this year. The offense doesn’t have a lot besides the left side of the line. At the moment it’s kind of hard to see who is going to be the star on the scoring side, but time will tell. The defense also doesn’t have a lot of guys. Overall, Kansas is just the bottom of the Big 12 barrel.

Key Wins: Rice, Northern Illinois, South Dakota State.

SEC

East

1. Georgia 11-1 (7-1) – Georgia is a serious contender in the SEC. They aren’t a LSU or Bama, but they still have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. QB Aaron Murry is going to have another wonderful season and will probably improve on his numbers. The running game will need to get tuned up though. The Bulldogs have some young guys that look like they could have some big seasons on the ground. The defense looks just as good as last year. They only have two new starters and their experience will lead them to another great season.

Key Wins: South Carolina, Missouri, Florida. Key Loss: Auburn.

2. South Carolina 9-3 (5-3) – The Gamecocks have been one of the SEC’s best for years now. They will continue to be one of the great teams this year. They have a great running game in RB Marcus Lattimore. He will run for over 1,000 yards this season and really rack up the points. QB Connor Shaw should be great as well. He will throw for over 2,000 yards this season. The defense is truly what makes this team great though. They will have another great season as they climb the national rankings for defense. The secondary might take a hit this season, but they should still be one of the best in the nation.

Key Wins: Missouri, Florida, Clemson. Key Losses: Georgia, LSU, Arkansas.

3. Missouri 9-3 (5-3) – For some reason I think the new comers are going to do really well. They are going to get off to a rocky start, but as the season goes on they are going to get some quality wins. The offense lost their running back, but I’m confident that Senior Kendial Lawrence will have learned enough from the system to have a great year running the ball. QB James Franklin is also going to be really good. His dual threat ability will make him a hard matchup for defenses. The defense will regress a bit. They won’t be used to the speed of the SEC and will give up some big player early, but should have a great season.

Key Wins: Tennessee, Florida, Arizona State. Key Losses: Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia.

4. Florida 9-3 (5-3) – This Florida team is going to shock a lot of people. They will have the fire power to hang with the best, but they won’t quite be able to beat them. QB Jacoby Brissett will have a pretty good year as the starter and will throw for close to 3,000 yards. The running game will have to pick it up this season and with Mike Gillislee’s speed I think they will. The defense got a lot of guys back. They will continue to stay near the top of the country at everything they do. The secondary will continue to be stellar with Safety Matt Elam.

Key Wins: Texas A&M, Florida State, South Carolina. Key Losses: Missouri, Georgia, LSU.

5. Tennessee 6-6 (2-6) – This Tennessee team would be top 3 in almost any other conference, but not the SEC. The have returning starters all over the roster and I think last season created a lot of momentum. QB Tyler Bray will have a great season throwing for over 2,500 yards. The running game will suffer though. It will continue to be one of the worst in the SEC because of the lack of experience in the position. The defensive secondary will be tough. They were middle of the road in the SEC last season, but 12^th nationally. They will get better there. The run stopping will need some work. The linebackers will really be tested this season.

Key Wins: Vanderbilt, Kentucky, NC State. Key Losses: Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State.

6. Kentucky 5-7 (2-6) – Kentucky isn’t an SEC power house for football, but they will still put up a great fight. The Wildcats will be near bowl contention at the end of the year, but the lack of a run game will really hurt them. Their line isn’t that big and the running backs aren’t elusive enough to make up for that. The defense will have a great line and secondary. They will still need to work on stopping the run though. The line backers are going to have to play big if the defense wants to have a chance.

Key Wins: Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Kent State. Key Losses: Tennessee, Florida, Louisville.

7. Vanderbilt 4-8 (1-7) – I feel bad hating on Aaron Rodger’s little brother, but this team can’t do it in the SEC. The offense will be good, but not great. They got guys at all the key positions and they are all experienced. QB Jordan Rodgers will improve on last year’s stats and get close to 2,000 yards through the air. The defense will be middle of the road as well. Though they are nearly a top 25 defense, they are vanilla in the SEC.

Key Wins: Ole Miss, Wake Forest, UMass. Key Losses: Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri.

West

1. Alabama 12-0 (8-0) – I know Bama lost a lot of players, but they do every year. This is a great program. Nick Saban will really shock some people with the depth this season. The defense won’t be the best in the nation, but I guarantee you they will be close. They are filled with a lot of new talent that is going to explode onto the scene this year. The offense will miss the running game of Trent Richardson, but that line is so good I think anyone can go for 1,000 behind them. QB, AJ McCarron and his wide outs are going to be the key. If they can improve on not dropping the ball, the Tide could roll all the way.

Key Wins: LSU, Arkansas, Auburn. No Losses.

2. LSU 11-1 (7-1) – The Tigers will be back in full force this season and will really compete will Bama. Though they lost Tyrann Mathieu, this team will be good. The passing game will still be the highlight of the offense, but the running game will improve. They got a good set of tail backs and will pound out some good yards this season. The defense will be close to their form last year. The secondary isn’t going to be as good, but I expect the pass rush and run stopping abilities to still be there.

Key Wins: Arkansas, Texas A&M, Washington. Key Loss: Alabama.

3. Arkansas 10-2 (6-2) – I would group these guys in with South Carolina. They would be a national championship contender anywhere else, but they play in the SEC. QB Tyler Wilson is the best in the conference and he will be unstoppable with his tight ends. The running game is what might bring this team down. If they can get that everybody needs to watch out. The defense is also an area of concern. They give up a lot of yards on the ground. The senior line backers are going to need to do a lot this season if they want to go to a BCS bowl.

Key Wins: South Carolina, Auburn, Texas A&M. Key Losses: Alabama, LSU.

4. Auburn 7-5 (3-5) – Though the years of Cam Newton seem to be light years in the past, the Tigers will still be on the prowl. The offense will be better than last year. The running game will continue to be efficient, but the passing game is really going to need some work. The Tigers will have a young QB no matter what. The wide outs will really have to help out. Both of them are seniors and have a ton of experience in the SEC and should tear up some teams. The defense won’t be the worst in the SEC, but they won’t be too far from it.

Key Wins: Clemson, Mississippi State, Ole Miss. Key Losses: Alabama, LSU, Arkansas.

5. Texas A&M 6-6 (2-6) – I think the Aggies are going to have a hard time crossing over to the SEC. They lost a lot of talent last year and couldn’t keep a lead in the fourth quarter. The offense won’t have the same bite they had last season. The defense won’t be too much better. They will get to the QB, but the secondary has so many holes. They won’t have a problem stopping the rushing game, so they should have that to lean on.

Key Wins: Mississippi State, Auburn, SMU. Key Losses: Missouri, Ole Miss, Florida.

6. Mississippi State 6-6 (2-6) –  The Bulldogs have gotten better over the years and they could get into another bowl game. The wide outs will be outstanding this season. They just won’t have someone to throw it to them. QB Tyler Russell will need to adjust quickly or this team doesn’t have a chance. The defense has a chance to be pretty good. I think they will allow less yards through the air this season. The will regress a bit in the other departments though.

Key Wins: Ole Miss, Tennessee, South Alabama. Key Losses: Arkansas, Texas A&M, Kentucky.

7. Ole Miss 4-8 (1-7) – This isn’t a very good team, but they should be on the rise from last season. RB Jeff Scott is the offense and at the moment and he will rush for close to 1,000 yards. The defense isn’t very good either. They are going to get torn up by a lot of teams this season. Almost all of their wins will be from out of conference games, but I think they can shock one team in the SEC.

Key Wins: Texas A&M, Tulane, UTEP. Key Losses: Mississippi State, Auburn, Vanderbilt.

Championship: Alabama Over Georgia

Top 25

1. USC

2. Alabama

3. LSU

4. Oklahoma

5. Oregon

6. Ohio State

7. Georgia

8. Nebraska

9. West Virginia

10. Florida State

11. Virginia Tech

12. South Carolina

13. Arkansas

14. Michigan

15. Oklahoma State

16. Wisconsin

17. North Carolina

18. Florida

19. TCU

20. Missouri

21. Stanford

22. Iowa

23. Clemson

24. Boise State

25. Louisville

Today's Picks:

CMU 42 - SE Missouri State- 3

South Carolina 45 - Vanderbilt 14

Thanks for reading!