Tuesday, August 31, 2004

The ELITE Eight of the Upcoming NCAA Season

1-USC TROJANS. Their schedule, though with some nice non-conference roadblocks, isn’t as difficult to navigate thru as the other title contenders. They do have to replace 10 starters…but Carroll has prepared well with his recruiting. Also, Leinart + Bush looks to be a nice combo.

2-OKLAHOMA SOONERS. A nice stat for ya….Oklahoma averaged 50 points per game against the 7 bowl teams that faced last year. The offense is pretty much intact….with super stud recruit Adrian Peterson to help the running game. Oh, and they have the defending Heisman winner as their QB. There are big games against Texas and AT Kansas State looming…not to mention games at Oklahoma State and A&M. The question is….can this team, who blazed thru the regular season, get it’s confidence back after losing their two postseason games badly??

3-GEORGIA BULLDOGS. I like Georgia to win the whole thing….if they can get into the big game, that is. Many people don’t realize that the Dawgs have averaged 12 wins a season over the past 2 years. Their defensive front seven is sick!! Pollack should rack up some awards and Greene could be a dark horse Heisman contender. Their schedule does, however, feature LSU, Tennessee, Florida and at Auburn….and then possibly an SEC title game rematch with LSU. If they can get to the SEC championship game…they’ll be in a BCS game.

4-MIAMI HURRICANES. Two reasons I have them this high. One, I feel they will beat FSU in the opener and cruise thru the ACC. Two, the non-conference schedule isn’t that tough. Yeah, La Tech, Houston and Louisville could pull the upset…but it is highly unlikely. As for the new ACC…games at NC State, at Virginia and at G-Tech could slip them up [not to mention the finale against Virginia Tech]. They do have some serious question marks, though. Is Frank Gore fully recovered from his knee injury?? And can Brock Berlin be the man in Miami?? If those two things work out…they could make a title run.

5-LSU TIGERS. LSU will again be amongst the elite….but the lack of an experienced QB and have to replace some of their defensive front. Also, the schedule is crazy. They are AT Auburn, AT Georgia and AT Florida in a 4 week span. If they can get thru that okay…then they could run the table the rest of the way….before meeting Georgia or Florida again in the SEC title game.

6-FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES. The ‘Noles 3 toughest conference games are on the road. In Miami, Raleigh and College Park. Clemson and Virginia in Talahassee isn't a picnic, either.  They get an advantage by playing both Duke and UNC [the two worst ACC teams] this year as well.....and missing out on the two "Techs"...Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.   The key is Chris Rix. He can play sooooo well…..then play sooooo bad. He stunk against Miami and Clemson….but did some nice things against NC State and Florida.  Rix is, sad to say, the best QB in the ACC [Clemson's Whitehurst may have something to say about that]...a conference that has seen Rivers, Shaub and McBrien all graduate. 

7-TEXAS LONGHORNS. Sorry, but I will start off by saying this: Mack Brown needs to prove he can win the big game. While at North Carolina….he failed to be able to beat the Mighty Seminoles. Now, at Texas, he can’t do the job against the Sooners. The Horns have no tough road tests…though Kansas and Colorado are formidable. Missouri does come to Austin…but the game on everyone’s mind is the OU-UT game. Cedric Benson is a legit Heisman guy who could be the next great Texas back. The QB, Young, has a year under his belt….but his receivers must step up into their new roles.

8-FLORIDA GATORS. Zook is on the hot seat…and needs this team to perform at a high level to keep his job….especially with a Spurrier out there jobless. Zook hasn’t won the SEC East or a bowl game. Unlike most years….the Gators schedule features only a few huge games. Georgia, FSU and Tennessee….teams they play every year. With Chris Leak entrenched as the starter from the beginning, the experienced offense should be ready to roll this year. The team was 8-5 last year….but lost a very close one in Miami and had one stolen away from them against Florida State. They were the only team to beat LSU…and they also popped Georgia. They did lose to Tennessee, Ole Miss and Iowa…..but only the Vols are back on the schedule.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where is Ohio Sate Buckeyes?

Anonymous said...

NOt bad but a joke when Michigan is not in the top 8. A power program that no matter who they lose...reloads and still wins.  Florida in not even in same class with Michigan this year.  Nice try!!

Anonymous said...

Looks like the same typical stuff that all the other sports fans put out.  Of course this list excluded any team from the Big 10, but again, nothing new.  Georgia will end up losing 3 games this year though.

Anonymous said...

Obviously you dont know too much about college football! Michigan is a top 5 team, and with the light schedule this year, except for minor potential stumbling blocks against Purdue, Iowa, and Ohio St. they are a Orange Bowl lock!

Anonymous said...

Sooo what.

Anonymous said...

You know nothing about college football.  You give no respect to LSU but all kinds of respect to weak teams like USC and Miami(Fl).  They play in weaker conferences and you talk like it is the second coming.  Be a little more objective.  LSU is the NATIONAL CHAMPIONS.

Anonymous said...

A common denominator in top ranked teams is DE-FENCE....Ohio State is a young, hungry team with super athletes on D....looks like a repeat of 2002 and another national championship

Anonymous said...

Where did you get your alleged knowledge of football???  From listen to Terry Bow-Down on TV or reading the releases from these schools' SIDs.

Come on...show a little moxie and don't stick with the obvious choices...and thank God you didn't throw ND into the mix.

Anonymous said...

You, as all others (so, dont feel bad) have overlooked, once again, the BUCKEYES.  That is all that is needed to be said. Time will prove you, like the many others in the past, that the BUCKEYES are contenders for the Top 5, if not the Top 1.  Dont underestimate a BUCKEYE! Don't you read History books???

Anonymous said...

MICHIGAN WILL PLAY USC THIS YEAR IN THE ROSE BOWL OR EITHER OF THE TWO WILL BE NATIONAL CHAMPION.

Anonymous said...

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GATORS!!!! GOOD PICK

Anonymous said...

The Oklahoma Sooners are back and better than ever.  Jason White is healthy again (was badly hurt in last two games of last year), is now able to play without last years knee braces.  Can you believe in winning the Heisman last year he threw for 4,000 yards, 40 TD's and only 10 INT's with braces on both legs?  OU's running game is back (pulled a Bush and went AWOL last year), as well as a tight end receiver corps.  Should Jason go down, OU has 3 excellent QB's backing him up.  Running back position is also loaded with Jones, Adrian Peterson, and Wolfe (last years #1 and #4 national recruits)  White passed for 238 yards today, 21 of 31, 3 TD's and probably had 5 passes dropped that were perfect. Jones ran for 158 yards, and Peterson 100 in his debut against a very good Bowling Green team which won 11 games last season, beat Purdue and Northwestern, should have beaten Ohio State, and returned 19 starters.  Look for OU in Miami against  weak scheduled Southern Cal, or maybe Florida State in a 4th rematch.

Anonymous said...

USC has only only two games that might pose a problem, Cal and UCLA.  Cal is a good team that gives them fits every year.  UCLA is just an unpredictable game.  Not having Mike Williams and Keary Kolbert is bad for Matt Leinart.  Reggie Bush is a great player, but you can't rest your offense on a two player combo.  LenDale White is the X factor on that offense.  With Norm Chow leading the offense and Pete Carroll leading the defense, there isn't a coach out there that will out coach those two this season.  Great season for the Trojans, a national championship well within there grasp, especially with there mediocre schedule.  Also, Michigan is so much better than Florida.  Florida teams get too much credit.  The Gators are overrated every year.  Michigan gets no respect, yet still wins.  Michigan needs to be on the list, higher than Florida, higher than FSU!

Anonymous said...

you forgot the best team in the big 10 and that would be MICHIGAN, very very good football team on both sides of the ball. they have very good quarterbacks (3) all who can start, great recievers, great defence, the running game needs a little work, but still solid. MICHIGAN can beat anybody in the nation. GOOOOO BLUEEEEE. tbear329

Anonymous said...

Where are all of you Big Ten Teams?  The Big Ten is just as strong as ever and several teams should be up in that mix including Ohio State, Michigan, and Iowa.  Ohio State may have lost some players on both sides of the ball but it looks as if they are going to be just as strong as before.  Ohio State all the way!

Anonymous said...

You can tell who ever did this has no football sence what so ever, where is MICHIGAN, Washington, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, Why do you guys keep picking all those Florida teams?  Just so you can look like IDIOTS at the end of the year.  MICHIGAN just man handled a team that had a 14 game,(the longest) win streak in the nation.  AHHH DUHH!!!  You will see..........................................

Anonymous said...

LSU is not the team it was last year.....as we saw this past Saturday....Oregon State is again a "spoiler team".....and will hurt many other bowl bound teams.... of course the PAC10 was again ignored....except for USC......the top two teams in the PAC10, USC and OREGON will battle for the ROSE BOWL....but unfortuantely, they do not play each other this year......

Anonymous said...

Most of you are right. The Big Ten (11) rarely gets the respect they deserve. Anyone following college football in recent years would see Ohio State and Michigan in this "top 8" group. GO BUCKS!!!

Anonymous said...

come on airjerky, what game were you watching?

Anonymous said...

Oh....don't cry over your Michigan Wolverines not being in my Top 8.  It isn't a misprint....THEY ARE NOT A TOP 8 TEAM!  Not when all is said and done.  The team is very inexperienced in a lot of key positions.  If these new guys can step in and play very well, however,...they could end up being the Big Ten Champ again.  If they can get by Iowa and OSU....and I think OSU is just a little bit better.

Yeah...their wide out corp are the best in the nation. But Navarre isn't throwing it to them anymore.  And his replacement is just a sophomore [with a frosh backup].  I don't think Bracken will replace what Chris Perry did....but they will use a stable of backs to help with the load.  Their D-line can be great....though only Massey returns as a starter....and the secondary returns almost everyone.  

Again...Michigan is probably in my top 10-12 teams....but they aren't a top 8 team.  They definitely are NOT going to the Orange Bowl.  USC v Oklahoma.

Anonymous said...

Please would everyone quit picking schools from the big 12. They lost just about every bowl game they played last year. Okalohoma plays a patsy schedule Nebraska and colorodo are not near as good as they used to be And K State struggled against E. Kentucky. My bet is someone from the SEC will emerge to play Usc for the title game. Also winner of Fla state Miami game could have a sayat the end of the year. The big 12 conference winner no matter who it is should be banned from title game for lack of a schedule outside of their conference.

Anonymous said...

I see the Buckeyes.....are not noted in the mix.....ya gotta love it....
It's a CANE thing!!!!

Anonymous said...

What about the Wolverines? They got to be in the top 8. I know they have a young QB but they still have to be there.

Anonymous said...

Keep your eyes on Washington State... Their identity as an offensively strong team that fights with bare fists to the bitter end is already solitified... The shear size and ability of Swogger alone is making this Alumni looking for top 10 ratings...(and a beer)

Anonymous said...

Texas???..........like you said Texas needs to win the BIG game.......last one they won was in 1970...... replace Texas with say a long shot........West Virginia...

Anonymous said...

you need to drink more of what you have been drinking, the big ten should have two teams in what you call the top 8.
you had to be drunk when you watched games this week end or what we all think is true, that you really don't have an idea of what you are saying.

Anonymous said...

Florida and LSU will not/should not be "elite".  This may be a sleeper year--like Fresno State type.  Not having a Big Ten Team is nuts--Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue have great defensive athletes, with Purdue having a very experienced QB.

Anonymous said...

I have seen like alot of other people, that you have no Big 10 teams in your list, instead you have teams like Miami, FSU, Texas(where on earth do you get them in the top ten?!?!), and Florida?!?!.  4 teams that didn't make it too the Big game last year, Miami is the closest to that, and they are very overrated by EVERYBODY.  FSU doesn't have a Quarterback, Texas hasn't ever beaten the Sooners in the past couple of years(in fact i think they were blown out last year).  They also dont play well enough to be that good.  And Florida?  You've got to be kidding me, what were they 8-5 last year?  The days of Florida domminence are gone, with the loss of Miami's Seniors over the past two years, the loss of Steve S. from Florida, and the fact that FSU got beat by CLEMSON last year, kinda shows that.  I'll give you a top 10 that's more like this:

1. University of Southern Cal
2. University of Georgia
3. Oklahoma
4. (tie) University of Michigan
   (tie) The Ohio State University
6. LSU
7. University of Miami(OH)
8. University of Miami(FL)
9. West Virginia
10. Purdue

Anonymous said...

Rutgers will finish with one loss and finish in the top ten!!!!

Anonymous said...

I don't think that Texas and LSU belong in the top 8.  LSU just barely escaped with a win at home against OREGON STATE!  That was one of the luckiest wins I've ever seen.  Texas poses little threat to Oklahoma.  All Texas does is run the ball.  Run right.  Run left.  Run up the middle.  The qb goes for a scramble.  Throw on 3rd and long.  What a boring, unsophisticated offense, and I don't see how they will score enough to beat the Sooners, especially when Oklahoma knows what's coming from that Texas offense.  Texas does a terrific job scoring points with their dull offense, except when they play some of the real teams in college football.