MAC Championship (Thursday, 11/30, 7:30)
#35 Ohio - 20 vs. #49 Central Michigan - 19
I like Frank Solich to lead his Bobcats to victory in the MAC title game and an eventual spot in the Motor City Bowl. It should be an exciting game though.
Conference USA Championship (Friday, 11/1, 8:00)
NR Southern Miss. - 29 vs. #30 Houston - 34
This is an intriguing rematch from earlier this season. Southern Miss. was the only conference loss for the Houston Cougars. This time around, I expect Houston to get their revenge, leading to a spot in the Liberty Bowl.
ACC Championship (Saturday, 11/2, 1:00)
#13 Wake Forest - 24 vs. #25 Georgia Tech - 13
The Demon Deacons magical season continues with a victory over the Yellow Jackets. A win will give them an automatic BCS bid and a probable spot in the Orange Bowl .
SEC Championship (Saturday, 11/2, 6:00)
#7 Arkansas - 15 vs. #5 Florida - 17
The Gators keep winning ugly so why stop now? Florida will get an automatic BCS berth and should go to the Sugar Bowl where they may have an intriguing matchup against Notre Dame.
Big 12 Championship (Saturday, 11/2, 8:00)
#22 Nebraska - 23 vs. #11 Oklahoma - 28
I really want to pick Nebraska here, but the Sooners have been on fire since they were screwed over at Oregon. This should be a back and forth game with Oklahoma winning by a close margin.
Other big games:
NR Connecticut - 10 @ #4 Louisville - 52
I only include this blowout pick because of reasons listed below. Look for Louisville to win the Big East and clinch a BCS bowl berth.
NR Army - 20 vs. #37 Navy - 37
Navy has been the better team for quite some time now, so I am not expecting anything shocking here. Bobby Ross will have his Cadets give a commendable performance though.
#3 USC - 35 @ #39 UCLA - 27
I want to go with the upset pick here just out of sheer disdain for the Trojans being ahead of Michigan in the polls. I will predict a close game, I just can not pull the trigger on an upset. I suspect USC will unconvincingly remain at #2 in the BCS after this game. Most likely we will see a BCS Championship of Ohio State vs. USC.
#15 Rutgers - 24 @ #13 West Virginia - 34
If Rutgers win, they win the Big East and go to a BCS Bowl since they beat Louisville earlier this year. West Virginia needs some help to get an automatic BCS berth. They need to beat Louisville and have Louisville lose. In addition, they need to have a higher ranking than Louisville and Rutgers to advance to a BCS game. That my friends, is a long shot. I like the Mountaineers to win at home, but there is no way Louisville loses a home game to Connecticut. West Virginia goes to the Gator Bowl with a victory here. Then again, will Pat White be healthy?
#28 Oregon State - 37 @ #19 Hawaii - 48
Aside from Louisiana Tech, these are the only other teams that will play 13 regular season games. Both teams will go to bowl games as well, making them possibly the only college teams to have 14-game seasons. As for this game, I expect a similar result to last week's Purdue/Hawaii game. Hawaii won that game 42-35, led by astounding QB Colt Brennan (33-48, 434 yards, 3TD's, 1INT). Brennan has 51 TD passes this season and I expect him to get 4 more to break the single-season record of 54 TD's, set by former Houston QB David Klinger in 1990.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Post-Thanksgiving Rankings
It's been ten days and probably ten pounds later, but I am back with my up-to-date rankings. I did update last week, I just did not post it. As for this week, I guess I am in the minority by keeping Michigan at #2, but it seems legit to me. I have two arguments to support my point.
Teams rising up: #17 Texas A&M (+8), #19 Hawaii (+5), #23 Georgia (+10), #26 South Florida (+13), #32 South Carolina (+6), #8 Missouri (+6), #41 Arizona State (+10), #42 Miami, FL (+10)
Teams fading: #10 Notre Dame (-5), #13 West Virginia (-7), #20 Texas (-5), #25 Georgia Tech (-9), #27 Boston College (-13), #33 Maryland (-11), #34 Clemson (-8), #43 Arizona (-12), #46 Kentucky (-5), #48 Oregon (-6)
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2006-07 Bowl Outlook
Pictured below are my predictions for the upcoming bowl season, based on my rankings. Teams listed in bold have already accepted invitations to the respective bowls they are placed in. There are 73 bowl eligible teams competing for 32 bowl games. That means nine teams will be unlucky this year. Of those 9 that I do not project to go to a bowl, only three teams exist in major conferences (Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Washington State). Here are my projections:
- USC's lone loss was at unranked Oregon State. Michigan's lone loss was at #1 Ohio State.
- Both teams beat Notre Dame. USC won in L.A. by 20 points. Michigan won at South Bend by 26 points.
Teams rising up: #17 Texas A&M (+8), #19 Hawaii (+5), #23 Georgia (+10), #26 South Florida (+13), #32 South Carolina (+6), #8 Missouri (+6), #41 Arizona State (+10), #42 Miami, FL (+10)Teams fading: #10 Notre Dame (-5), #13 West Virginia (-7), #20 Texas (-5), #25 Georgia Tech (-9), #27 Boston College (-13), #33 Maryland (-11), #34 Clemson (-8), #43 Arizona (-12), #46 Kentucky (-5), #48 Oregon (-6)
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2006-07 Bowl Outlook
Pictured below are my predictions for the upcoming bowl season, based on my rankings. Teams listed in bold have already accepted invitations to the respective bowls they are placed in. There are 73 bowl eligible teams competing for 32 bowl games. That means nine teams will be unlucky this year. Of those 9 that I do not project to go to a bowl, only three teams exist in major conferences (Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Washington State). Here are my projections:
Friday, November 17, 2006
For Bo...GO BLUE!
For my final pick of the week, I am rooting for the Michigan Wolverines to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes. As late as this morning, I was almost ready to pull the trigger and pick Ohio State to win 21-20. My main factor in predicting a Buckeye win was the efforts of my pre-season Heisman winner pick, QB Troy Smith. I felt he was going to single-handedly break down the Michigan defense, as he has done in years past. However my feelings changed abruptly when I heard the sad news around Noon today.
I assume that if you are taking the time to read this, then you already know that the former legendary coach of Michigan, Bo Schembechler, died at the age of 77 this morning. Very sad news indeed in this heated rivalry, yet incredibly ironic that he died one day before what is being dubbed 'The Game of the Millennium." I am a sentimentalist at heart, and it is hard for me to believe that Michigan will not play with any extra motivation or inspiration tomorrow. He was a beloved, iconic figure in Ann Arbor, and I have no doubt in my mind the Wolverines will go into the Horseshoe and win one for Bo.
That being said, here is a brief breakdown of how I think the game will go down. Ohio State will be led by Heisman candidate Troy Smith. Smith will run pass for a touchdown and run for two more. The Wolverines will spread the ball more efficiently though, keeping the Buckeyes off-balance. Mike Hart will run for 107 yards and a touchdown. In case you do not know, the Wolverines are 17-1 when Hart runs for 100+ yards, with their lone loss coming against Minnesota last year. However in his two games against Ohio State, he has 27 rushes for a combined 76 yards and one touchdown. So it could be argued this is a bold prediction I am making regarding Hart. Elsewhere, I expect Chad Henne to pass for two touchdowns, both to 'super sophomore' Mario Manningham. In addition, the Wolverines will tack on two field goals from kicker Garrett Rivas. The 99th game between Michigan and Ohio State will be one for the ages.
Your final score from Columbus, OH:
#2 Michigan Wolverines - 27
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes - 21
I assume that if you are taking the time to read this, then you already know that the former legendary coach of Michigan, Bo Schembechler, died at the age of 77 this morning. Very sad news indeed in this heated rivalry, yet incredibly ironic that he died one day before what is being dubbed 'The Game of the Millennium." I am a sentimentalist at heart, and it is hard for me to believe that Michigan will not play with any extra motivation or inspiration tomorrow. He was a beloved, iconic figure in Ann Arbor, and I have no doubt in my mind the Wolverines will go into the Horseshoe and win one for Bo.
That being said, here is a brief breakdown of how I think the game will go down. Ohio State will be led by Heisman candidate Troy Smith. Smith will run pass for a touchdown and run for two more. The Wolverines will spread the ball more efficiently though, keeping the Buckeyes off-balance. Mike Hart will run for 107 yards and a touchdown. In case you do not know, the Wolverines are 17-1 when Hart runs for 100+ yards, with their lone loss coming against Minnesota last year. However in his two games against Ohio State, he has 27 rushes for a combined 76 yards and one touchdown. So it could be argued this is a bold prediction I am making regarding Hart. Elsewhere, I expect Chad Henne to pass for two touchdowns, both to 'super sophomore' Mario Manningham. In addition, the Wolverines will tack on two field goals from kicker Garrett Rivas. The 99th game between Michigan and Ohio State will be one for the ages.
Your final score from Columbus, OH:
#2 Michigan Wolverines - 27
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes - 21
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Lucky 7 Picks
In case you are not aware, I will reserve my pick on the Michigan @ Ohio State game until Friday. Let the suspense begin!! For now, I will pick seven games from this week for your enjoyment.
'Backyard Brawl'
#7 West Virginia - 56 @ NR Pitt - 28
Pitt lost at UConn last week in double overtime, 46-45. I expect their defense to get throttled by WVU's electric offense.
'Iron Bowl'
#22 Auburn - 31 @ NR Alabama - 13
Kenny Irons runs wild for 3 TD's in the Iron Bowl, helping the Tigers bounce back from their disappointing loss last week.
#17 Maryland - 20 @ #19 Boston College-18
I learned my lesson a couple weeks ago, I will not pick against the Terps while they keep winning. It's ugly every week, but this team gets the job done. Wins over Miami and Florida State in the same year are stunning.
#18 Virginia Tech - 10 @ #12 Wake Forest - 20
Who woulda' thunk it? The Demon Deacons are one of the most impressive football teams in the country. I am really looking forward to their showdown with the Terps in two weeks.
#33 South Florida - 24 @ #8 Louisville - 30
This game has upset written all over it. If I had another one of those gut feelings, I'd pull the trigger, but that's not the case this time. I am going with Louisville in a squeaker.
#25 California - 28 @ #4 USC - 34
Cal really needs to bounce back after last week's embarrassing loss to Arizona. Unfortunately for them they have to do it against the Trojans. My predicted score indicates a close game, but I think USC leads from start to finish.
Upset Special (sorta)
#42 Central Michigan - 31 @ NR Northern Illinois - 37
Well, I had to dig kind of deep for this one. Central Michigan has a spot reserved in the MAC Championship game, whether they win this game or not. Northern Illinois has severely underachieved, even with one of the best RB's in the country, Garrett Wolfe. I think the Huskies finally get their act together to earn a bowl berth, with a win over the Chippewas.
In addition, I predict the following teams will win this weekend to become bowl eligible:
Minnesota over Iowa, South Carolina over Middle Tennessee, Florida State over Western Michigan, Miami over Virginia, Indiana over Purdue, Wyoming over UNLV, UTEP over Marshall, Troy over Arkansas State, and UCLA over Arizona State
REMEMBER...My prediction for the Ohio State/Michigan game will be released on Friday!!!
'Backyard Brawl'
#7 West Virginia - 56 @ NR Pitt - 28
Pitt lost at UConn last week in double overtime, 46-45. I expect their defense to get throttled by WVU's electric offense.
'Iron Bowl'
#22 Auburn - 31 @ NR Alabama - 13
Kenny Irons runs wild for 3 TD's in the Iron Bowl, helping the Tigers bounce back from their disappointing loss last week.
#17 Maryland - 20 @ #19 Boston College-18
I learned my lesson a couple weeks ago, I will not pick against the Terps while they keep winning. It's ugly every week, but this team gets the job done. Wins over Miami and Florida State in the same year are stunning.
#18 Virginia Tech - 10 @ #12 Wake Forest - 20
Who woulda' thunk it? The Demon Deacons are one of the most impressive football teams in the country. I am really looking forward to their showdown with the Terps in two weeks.
#33 South Florida - 24 @ #8 Louisville - 30
This game has upset written all over it. If I had another one of those gut feelings, I'd pull the trigger, but that's not the case this time. I am going with Louisville in a squeaker.
#25 California - 28 @ #4 USC - 34
Cal really needs to bounce back after last week's embarrassing loss to Arizona. Unfortunately for them they have to do it against the Trojans. My predicted score indicates a close game, but I think USC leads from start to finish.
Upset Special (sorta)
#42 Central Michigan - 31 @ NR Northern Illinois - 37
Well, I had to dig kind of deep for this one. Central Michigan has a spot reserved in the MAC Championship game, whether they win this game or not. Northern Illinois has severely underachieved, even with one of the best RB's in the country, Garrett Wolfe. I think the Huskies finally get their act together to earn a bowl berth, with a win over the Chippewas.
In addition, I predict the following teams will win this weekend to become bowl eligible:
Minnesota over Iowa, South Carolina over Middle Tennessee, Florida State over Western Michigan, Miami over Virginia, Indiana over Purdue, Wyoming over UNLV, UTEP over Marshall, Troy over Arkansas State, and UCLA over Arizona State
REMEMBER...My prediction for the Ohio State/Michigan game will be released on Friday!!!
Monday, November 13, 2006
Rankings Comparison
http://www.xanga.com/speedydave24
Check out my buddy Dave's rankings in comparison to mine and the BCS. Good stuff!!! By the way, later tonight I will be making my picks for this week. However, I will wait until Friday night or Saturday morning before picking the Ohio State/Michigan game.
Check out my buddy Dave's rankings in comparison to mine and the BCS. Good stuff!!! By the way, later tonight I will be making my picks for this week. However, I will wait until Friday night or Saturday morning before picking the Ohio State/Michigan game.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Movers and Shakers
Teams rising up: #3 Arkansas (+5), #4 USC (+5), #6 Rutgers (+8) (I can't believe Rutgers is #6 in the country, I remember when they were one of the worse teams in Div. 1-A!), #12 Wake Forest (+8), #17 Maryland (+6), #20 BYU (+5), #27 Hawaii (+5), #32 Arizona (+13), #34 Georgia (+17), #35 Kansas State (+17), #42 Central Michigan (+9), #48 UCLA (-6)
Teams fading: #8 Louisville (-5), #15 Texas (-11), #21 Tennessee (-6), #22 Auburn (-17), #25 California (-13), #36 Oregon State (-12), #37 Oregon (-9), #47 Miami (-10), #49 Tulsa (-15), #50 Florid State (-15)
Put a fork in 'em: The following unranked teams dropped out of my top 50: Alabama, Western Michigan, Pittsburgh, Wyoming, Washington State (note: all of these teams could still earn bowl berths, but nothing to write home about)
Send them back to the cook: The following teams have returned to the top 50 after being previously written off: Georgia, Arizona State, UCLA
Teams fading: #8 Louisville (-5), #15 Texas (-11), #21 Tennessee (-6), #22 Auburn (-17), #25 California (-13), #36 Oregon State (-12), #37 Oregon (-9), #47 Miami (-10), #49 Tulsa (-15), #50 Florid State (-15)
Put a fork in 'em: The following unranked teams dropped out of my top 50: Alabama, Western Michigan, Pittsburgh, Wyoming, Washington State (note: all of these teams could still earn bowl berths, but nothing to write home about)
Send them back to the cook: The following teams have returned to the top 50 after being previously written off: Georgia, Arizona State, UCLA
Week 11 Rankings
I think I had a tougher time making this week's rankings than ever before. There are some inconsistencies and arguments can be made (i.e. Arkansas ranked ahead of USC...West Virginia ahead of Louisville), but I ranked teams in order that I feel they should be ranked. Two weeks ago, Louisville was better than West Virginia. This week I feel West Virginia is better. Two months ago USC was much better than Arkansas, now I feel the Razorbacks are slightly better. All in all, this was a very difficult week to rank teams. As such, I expect another big shake-up either next week or the following week due to some teams being ranked too high or too low. Nevertheless, here is what I think for now and I expect some controversy...
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