Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Week 5 Pick Recap

Good: Knowing Michigan would take out Wisconsin at home

Bad: Thinking Colorado was actually good... i fell into the trap

Horrible: Was that the UGA JV team in the 1st half...like what was that, my HS team woulda been UGA in the 1st half

Overall: 4-3

Top 25 to come later today

-CJ

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Week 5 Picks

I told you all so about USC... okay now thats over lets make some picks for this weeks big games:
(AP Ranks used here...not mine)

#8 Alabama @ #3 UGA- I think Alabama might be the most overrated top 10 team since USF last year, they beat a bad Clemson team to get to this ranking. I look for UGA to dominate and show why they were picked Preseason #1

Score: UGA 34 Alabama 13

North Carolina at Miami (FL)- I was on the UNC bandwagon and then they play like that vs a horrific VT team... Miami really hasn't done anything either so this isn't an easy decision... but I'll take the superior talent at Miami over Butch Davis's return

Score: Miami 35 UNC 27

No. 9 Wisconsin at Michigan - Everyone hates Michigan, and they've looked terrible but this is the perfect trap game scenario. An overconfident Wisconsin team walks into the Big House on their B game and gets upset by a team that needs the big win

Score: Michigan 27 Wisconsin 21

Purdue at Notre Dame- Another tough game to predict, this game had a pickem spread most of the week. Something tells me Notre Dame will show up to play today and show Purdue why some people (Not me... have ND as a 10-2 team)

Score: Notre Dame 42 Purdue 31

Colorado at Florida State- If someone can explain to me why Colorado is a 5 point dog please email me cause I can't figure it out at all, Colorado has the more offensive talent and their defense is playing the FSU offense so they will have a great week by default.

Score: Colorado 28 FSU 10

Mississippi State at No. 5 LSU - This game like the Michigan-Wisconsin game smells like a trap game. Mississippi State has a very good defense but the question is will their offense move the ball at all vs LSU? Look for MSU to bring out the trick plays to keep this one close but LSU squeaks by in the end

Score: LSU 14 MSU 13

No. 22 Illinois at No. 12 Penn State- UI is not a good team and Penn State will show that tonight.

Score: Penn State 45 UI 20


-CJ

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Chris, Your Top 25 is way off -CJ

I don't think we've ever disagreed on a top 25 this much. I'm going to post about a few of the terrible misseedings and at the bottom put the Top 25 as I see it.

Texas @ #6- I'm sorry but the fact your name is Texas and you blow out schools I've never heard of doesn't get you a spot this high in the polls. Especially because they are the 3rd best time in their division and might be only the 5th best team in their conference.

Florida @ #2- Sorry but playing a young Hawaii team even through the 1st half at home shouldn't get you a #2 ranking. This team is vastly overrated by most pundits in the country. They will finish 2nd alright...in the SEC East. This team doesn't have the running game offensively or defensively to handle the all-around speed of UGA. I've said it from day 1, UGA will win the NCAA title.

LSU @ #7- Their Starting QB played JV at Harvard last year... this is all i should write but this is so horrific I can't stop myself. They've played no one and this team is too young and has a loose cannon in Les Miles, in the past his teams' talent made up for his bonehead coaching but without it, LSU will freefall.

Alabama @ #8: Repeat after me... Clemson is not good... lets try that again...Clemson is not good... okay good now that we understand this fact of life (they never play up to their potential...ever) Alabama might be the 2nd best team in the division and surely deserving of a spot in the top 25 their is no way they should be ranked higher than Auburn or even have a top 13 spot.

Texas Tech @ #16: Yes Chris this team isn't putting up the numbers they normally have but its orchestrated. Whats the point of winning 70-20 when you can win 45-20 and cut down the plays your top players play and rest them up for conference play. Texas Tech is getting smarter. Michael Crabtree is the best player in America. Its laughable that Texas was ranked 10 spots above the best team in their division... yes this team is better than Oklahoma and will show it.

Utah @ #17: How can Utah get in for dominating Michigan for 3 quarters then almost choking but an Irish squad that dominated them for 60 minutes doesn't? Utah is the most overhyped non-BCS team... when BYU plays Utah look for a similar score to BYU-UCLA.

I'm also not a fan of TCU or Florida State being ranked, there are more deserving teams than these 2... I'm also not a fan of UNC but after their drubbing of overrated Rutgers I'll let them have a spot for a week.

CJ's Top 25

1) UGA- You start at the top you stay there til you lose and the Bulldogs haven't lost yet and won't have a chance til they go to Auburn

2) USC- Very talented and deep, but they beat a vastly overrated Ohio State team with or without Beanie Wells. They better not get too full of themselves cause they will have multiple tough tests in the Pac-10 and from the Irish

3) Missouri- Got the talent, but do they have the experience?

4) Oklahoma- Texas Tech is the better team but they have to show it first before I put them over the Sooners

5) Florida- I'd put them lower but i'll let them lose a couple games first

6) Texas Tech- One of the more unappreciated teams in the country...when they are in a BCS game in January maybe they'll get their due respect

7) Wisconsin- Are they and Fresno good or are they both overrated... I say good for now

8) Auburn- "You play to win the game"- Herman Edwards, sure the 3-2 win over Miss St. wasn't pretty but they lost to this team last year at home, the fact they won this type of game is crucial for their SEC hopes. Auburn's spread will work, it will just take another 2-3 weeks to gel but regardless they have to hold onto the ball.

9) BYU- I knew they were a lock to cover 8 vs UCLA... and i expected a 3-4 TD win...but 59-0...geez

10) ECU- Have played the better schedule than BYU but 59-0 shock gives them the slight advantage

11) USF- Best team in the Big East by far, but can they play with the bullseye on their backs?

12) Ohio State- They still have talent and are the 2nd best in a weak Big X, can they rebound after the beating?

13) Penn State- If these guys can stay on the field they could surprise people. Speed on offense and defense makes them very scary

14) LSU- Beat someone good then I'll move you up until then you stay in the middle of the pack where you belong

15) Kansas- Yes they lost at USF but they did get a big lead, it was a great learning experience and they will be back stronger than before

16) Texas- Might be 3rd best team in their division but they will be better than the ACC Champ

17) Alabama- Beat one of the big boys (no an overrated Clemson doesn't count) and you'll fly up...but since that won't happen your more likely to fall out then move up

18) Oregon- 3rd string QB leads you on a TD drive in 20T... impressive but can they stay healthy enough to compete with USC?

19) West Virginia- Didn't show up to play ECU and the question remains will they show up to play the Big East Schedule with no NCAA title hopes?

20) Wake Forest- Too bad they are in such a bad conference no one will ever give them respect, this team is an example of why playing a marquee non-conf game is important

21) Nebraska- Cupcake wins (check), beat a big time BCS Team (Virginia Tech) will be done Saturday night... i'm just on the bandwagon a week before

22) Illionis- I don't know why they are ranked but I also have no good reason to not rank them so they go here

23) Fresno State- Not sure if both they and Wisconsin are great or are both bad...for now I'll say they are both good but I need to see things out of them for them to keep a Top 25 spot

24) Boise State- Just cause they lost to a supertalented ECU team last December makes them bad? This team somehow inexcusably is flying under the radar again, when we are talking BCS busters in December their name will be on the list

25) Arizona State- Just cause they got eaten up by the trap game curse doesn't mean they don't have talent, these guys will play UGA and USC close speaking of which... why does no one give these guys credit for scheduling UGA even with a Pac-10 schedule thats brutal...props and you might stay if u lose to UGA

Just Missed: ND (if they beat the Spartans in decent fashion they will get a spot), Vandy, Florida State, Utah

-CJ

Comments posted here or emailed to ccsportsblog@yahoo.com

NCAA Football top 25 (Games Ended 9/13)

Now that we have made it through the first three weeks of the season, I will publish my first top 25 of the season, free from the bias of preseason polls:

1. USC (2-0)- Trojans have outscored their first two opponents, both of BCS conferences, 87-10. The scariest part is that they made Ohio State look almost as bad as UVA.
2. Florida (2-0)- My preseason national championship pick is only not ranked #1 because of USC's sheer dominance. Florida has looked impressive in holding their first two opponents to a combined 13 points. The secondary looks much improved from last season despite playing two very weak offensive teams.
3. Georgia (3-0)- Handled South Carolina, which they hadn't been able to do for the past three seasons. Offense doesn't appear to be explosive against SEC level defenses, but it may be enough to get them to a BCS bowl with their stellar defense.
4. Oklahoma (3-0)- Sam Bradford and the offense have put up ridiculous numbers against inferior competition, and contributed to sealing Ty Willingham's fate at Washington. The Big XII title game could be a real shootout because...
5. Missouri (3-0)- No player in the nation has looked better than Chase Daniel in the early season, who is putting up staggering numbers and becoming the early favorite in the Heisman race. Missouri is a real threat to reach the BCS title game, with a fairly soft Big XII schedule that doesn't include OU or Texas Tech. They do play Texas in Austin, however.
6. Texas (2-0)- Completes a trifecta of Big XII teams in the top 6. We dont know too much about them after two blowouts of inferior opponents, but they appear to be bouncing back from a disappointing season last year. The brutal Big XII South schedule makes an appearance in the title game unlikely, however.
7. LSU (2-0)- Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch has won his first two games at LSU, and now the going gets tough against a great Auburn defense which held Mississippi State to under 130 total yards and no points if not for their offense. LSU also has a great defense which will keep them in every game, as well as the fastest player in the SEC Trindon Holliday.
8. Alabama (3-0)- I hesitated to move the Tide up this far from what I thought of them in the preseason, which was a fringe top 25 team, but there arent too many more impressive wins out there than Alabama's 31-10 rout of Clemson in Atlanta. They have shown a more capable offense than Auburn as well as a defense capable of shutting down perhaps the nations best backfield.
9. Wisconsin (3-0)- Props to the Badgers for going out to Fresno and taking on the Bulldogs, and for coming away with a hard-fought 13-10 win. I don't know if Wisconsin is better than Ohio State, but after OSU's debachle in LA, it certainly appears they are the current Big Ten favorites
10. BYU (3-0)- Wow. Raise your hand if you saw BYU 59, UCLA 0 coming? After UCLA's defeat of Tennessee I actually thought they had a better than average chance of winning, but Max Hall threw for 6 TDs in the first half to emerge as a legit Heisman candidate, and BYU emerged as a legit BCS buster with the rout.
11. Auburn (3-0)- Well, we know that the Tigers have a great defense, but their offense looked as if it was extremely confused the first time running the spread against an SEC defense. Can they ride that great defense to an SEC title?
12. South Florida (3-0)- A great game Friday night against Kansas ended with a game winning FG as time expired. USF's defense has taken a hit since last year, and DE George Selve's sack numbers are down, but Matt Grothe and the offense are explosive for the clear Big East favorites.
13. East Carolina (3-0)- The comeback win against Tulane was equally as impressive as their wins over Virginia Tech and West Virginia, because it shows that this team is disciplined and won't let an inferior opponent sneak up on them at least for a whole game. They should be favored for the remaining games on their schedule, including games vs ACC bottom feeders NC State and Virginia.
14. Ohio State (2-1)- I guess I have to put them here somewhere, right? A total thud in LA followed up a bad performance against Ohio U a week earlier, and it is not all because Beanie Wells is hurt. OSU could very well run the table, but I really hope the voters will keep them out of the title game if they do.
15. Penn State (3-0)- The signs have been encouraging on offense for PSU, and the Oregon State rout was nice, but I wont be convinced until they do it against a decent defense. Theyll have their chance playing games at Wisconsin and OSU. This is a dark horse candidate to reach the Rose Bowl
16. Texas Tech (3-0)- The offense, though it is putting up decent numbers, isnt up to last years level right now. Harrell, Crabtree and company showed some signs of waking up vs. SMU, and their defense also played well which is cause for optimism, but in the Big XII South they will need consistent offense and defense to stay afloat.
17. Utah (3-0)- It is very possible that one of the biggest games of the year will be the Holy War between Utah and BYU, which could be for a berth in a BCS game. If Brian Johnson stays healthy, Utah has a very good chance of being 11-0 at that point, with their biggest test being TCU. Dominated Michigan for three quarters before almost letting it slip away.
18. Wake Forest (2-0)- Escaped with a last second FG against Ole Miss and now goes to Tallahassee for huge ACC Atlantic showdown. A win, and Wake is the clear favorite to appear in Jacksonville. Kicker Sam Swank may be the ACC player of the year if that happens.
19. Kansas (2-1)- Todd Reesing is probably not 6 feet, but he certainly is a top NCAA quarterback. He nearly orchestrated a great comeback Friday night at USF, and should be in the Heisman conversation.
20. Fresno State (2-1)- If not for three missed FGs, Fresno might be in the top 15 if not the top 10 after beating Wisconsin...instead theyll have to win out, which includes a trip to the Rose Bowl as well as a season ending game on the Blue Turf in Boise, for an outside BCS shot.
21. West Virginia (1-1)- Were blown out at East Carolina, but still this team has so much talent its hard to not have them in the top 25. Pat White and Noel Devine in the backfield make them a threat to score on every play, and all they have to do is defeat USF to reach another BCS game.
22. Oregon (3-0)- Nice come from behind win at Purude, but injury issues at QB continue to haunt the Ducks. At this point they may be the second best team in the weaker-than-expected Pac-10 however, meaning that they could be ticketed for Pasadena after USC takes its spot in the title game.
23. TCU (3-0)- A solid win over a much improved Stanford team gives the MWC 3 teams in the top 25. They must go to Norman to face OU in two weeks.
24. North Carolina (2-0)- Butch Davis has quickly turned UNC around and made them a legit contender for the ACC title. They get Virginia Tech in Chapel Hill this week and a win perhaps makes them the favorites in thge Coastal division.
25. Florida State (2-0)- It's hard to imagine that FSU has a key game against Wake Forest in which they hope to overtake the Deacons as the favorite in the Atlantic division. How things have changed in three years. FSU is lucky to be here, but they have dominated their first two opponents and are now starting to get some of their suspended players back.

-Chris

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Welcome Bryce onboard as a NCAA bball analyst

We'd like to welcome Bryce Durgin onboard as our 3rd member. Bryce who is a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame brings immense sports knowledge with his expertise being NCAA college basketball knowledge expecially in the bracket part (Although I did have all the teams in the field but he was missing 2 but I digress...)

Also this year we will be making more frequent posts so check back in often.


CJ and Chris