Only one more month until the first games of the year are played! Forget the NFL all I need are my Saturdays.
Anyway, there are so many questions this year. So let’s start with the big one, who’s going to be playing in the Rose bowl. I figure at least one of the teams will be from this group: LSU, OU, USC, Ohio State, Iowa, Michigan, and Louisville. As for some others:
- I don’t think Texas can make it through Ohio State, OU, A&M, and Tech unbeaten. I figure they’ll probably drop two of those and be out of it. My guess is either OU or OSU beats them but they’re still in the hunt and then A&M gets them at the end of the season.
- I doubt V tech can make it because I don’t think they will be great yet with Marcus Vick, plus they never really seem to live up to high expectations. Add that together with a tough ACC and a championship game and I doubt they go unbeaten or even with just one loss.
- Miami should have a good year but I don’t think they have the players to make it. Something just doesn’t feel right with them.
- I don’t believe in Georgia with Shockley at QB, plus I think Boise States going to come to Athens and stun them. That’s a tough game to have as your first of the year.
- As for Florida State, I think Bowden’s slowly heading into Paterno land. He needs to get a new offensive coordinator to have a chance anymore. Plus he has some issues at QB, or I guess it should be his QB has issues.
- Tennessee just has to tough a schedule to do it. At Notre Dame, at Florida, at Alabama, at LSU, and Georgia. No way they go on those four road games and win them all.
- I like Iowa if they stay healthy. They have really done well in the past and I think it’s only a matter of time before they get a few breaks and do something special.
- Louisville might be a stretch but I think they have a good chance to go unbeaten in the Big East. It will be tough to say though whether they’ll adjust to having to play tougher opponents week in and out. Plus Pitt and West Virginia won’t be pushovers either.
- LSU and USC just have too much talent for one of them not to make it. I would like to see USC fall flat on it’s face without Norm Chow. I think Carroll is a great recruiter and a sound defensive coach but I think it was Chow who really got them where they are. Even with Les Miles I think LSU can do fine.
- As for OU, don’t bet against a streak. The BCS gods seem to be favoring them and except for Tech and maybe Nebraska I don’t see them having to many tough games to overcome. And for those that say what about UT, once again don’t bet against a streak. I think people will be surprised to see what Peterson, Runnels, and Thompson/Bomar can do in the backfield running the ball everywhere.

TG....excellent summation of the upcoming season!

Here's my Preason Top 25:

1. Southern Cal
2. Oklahoma
3. Texas
4. Tennesee
5. Virginia Tech
6. Michigan
7. LSU
8. Florida
9. Georgia
10.Miami
11.Iowa
12.Louisville
13.Purdue
14.Ohio State
15.Boise State
16.Auburn
17.Fresno State
18.Florida State
19.California
20.Texas A&M
21.Utah
22.Oregon
23.Virginia
24.Oregon
25.Pittsburgh


37. South Carolina....since I am a die hard long suffering Gamecock fan...I know this maybe optimistic. It will take Spurrier a few years to work his magic. He was quoted by one of our local TV stations as saying this was one of the fastest teams he has ever coached. Having coached some fast teams at UF that says a lot. I am looking forward to an exciting season. Holtz played way to conservative footabll. Time will tell! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

I think you stuck OU and Georgia to high and Ohio State to low. Other than that the top 15 look about right give or take a spot or two for each team. I think Alabama, Arizona State, Cal, and Texas Tech could make an arguement for being in the top 25 just off the top of my head.

Scoot Purdue up a few notches. They don't have Ohio State OR Michigan on their schedule this year, and they're returning a lot of starters.

What about Wisconsin, you know they're going to be fired up to play hard for Barry Alvarez in his last year.

or they will fold. Being in Sooner country I readily admit OU is probably too high, but Cal will fall off without the QB and RB. Plus I like Oregon at 22 and 24. I think Arizona will surprise people this season they were real close in several games.

Cal still has Lynch to fall back on and Tedford is still coaching there this year and not somewhere else.

You have OU too high and Iowa WAY too low. I'd put Iowa in the top 5 and OU somewhere around 7.

Fraud pup - what world are you living in? Iowa in the top 5? Methinks you graduated from Iowa lately....

Bama shouldn't be up there. They still have many questions, no depth, and a quarterback trying to come back from injury. Too many unknowns.

My top 15, I really have no clue how the rest of the top 25 should shake out.

1. USC
2. LSU
3. Tennessee
4. Florida
5. Texas
6. Iowa
7. Michigan
8. Ohio State
9. V tech
10. Miami
11.Oklahoma
12.Louisville
13.Boise State
14. Purdue
15. Florida State

I'm telling you, watch Iowa this year. To top off what Ted said, their recruiting class was among the top in the country, if not THE top. Their offensive line has been touted as the best by many and they've got some weapons.

I'm an OU fan from Iowa. I started watching College Football when I moved to OK. But, my heart is in Iowa (home, sweet, home), so I watch them with some interest. They will be good this year.

Check out some expert polls. The two I saw about 2 weeks ago had Iowa at #3 and #4.

That Guy has Iowa at 6, which isn't bad, but he has Florida at #4? I don't know about that. We shall see.

Sorry Guys...I forget sign in on the last post...TBB

UGA practice starts TODAY!!!! I'll give Boise State credit. They are a good team. Boise State puts up anywhere between 40 and 50 points in many of their games. Good against WAC defenses is one thing. Good against an SEC defense is another question. I think Boise State will make it a game, they certainly aren't cupcakes, but I don't think they will have the success against our defense that they did against most of their opponents. We lost some big playmakers last year, but we have plenty of guys to replace them. We have experience at the corners, and Greg Blue is as hard a hitter at safety as Davis and Jones ever were. Some of our recruits on the D-line will be able to shine this year, as well as some of our recruits at DB and LB. We have an experienced line, a great stable of running backs, and a big ol' TE named Leonard Pope. The biggest question is at WR on offense. There are a lot of young guys with a lot of speed and not much experience. I was a little disappointed in Shockley in the GT game last year, and I think a lot of people are down on him because of that, but give GT some credit, they had a great blitzing package ready for that game. I want to see Shockley running the show on his own before I'll say he's not good. Shockley is filling the shoes of the winningest QB in NCAA history. In any case, I think the Dawgs can be a contender this year, but it's going to be tough, because they have to go to Tennessee. Florida is always tough, as is Auburn. Carolina is a wildcard game. I think Spurrier will improve Carolina, but I am not sure what will happen with them this year. He'll definitely have them pumped up for this game, though. I think UGA can go 9-2 or 8-3 this year, but I don't know that they'll get back in the SEC Championship. No one expects anything from them, though, so we'll see.

As much of a Sooner Fan as I am, I'm rooting for OU to go to the Orange Bowl as Big 12 Champions this year. I would love to see them play for a National Championship - don't get me wrong, but my daughter was chosen as an All-American at a recent dance camp and it looks like we will be attending the Orange Bowl where she will dance in the game festivities. Would love nothing else than to be able to watch her dance and cheer for my Sooners at the same time!

I also can't wait to see how SC does without Chow. He was the brains behind that team. I also think it's a little ironic that he is now with the same pro team that picked up Jason White!

So Angelina, I take it that you play for BSU see as you are including yourself in the "work hard" part. Good for you. Hopefully they don't treat their woman football players like the University of Colorado does.

Ang is a Fullback! She's tough, too!

smart a$$

She better be fast too to keep running away from those rabid D-Lineman chasing her down.