Week 6 BCS and SEC Bowl Predictions

First, keep in mind, these are not projections.  These are predictions.  A projection would be more of an “if the season ended today” situation.  These are my predictions as to what will happen and the matchups you will see in this year’s BCS Bowl Games and the SEC’s affiliated bowl games.

BCS National Championship – Oklahoma vs. Boise State – I am sticking to my guns on this one.  Alabama’s loss to South Carolina Saturday promotes my thought that the SEC is too powerful this year for any team to go undefeated.  Ohio State and Oregon will each lose at least one game due to their tough schedules (at USC, Arizona or at Oregon State for Oregon; at Wisconsin, at Iowa or Michigan for Ohio State).  Oklahoma and Nebraska will both likely be 12-0 going into the Big 12 Championship Game, which I see Oklahoma winning.  As for Boise State, they are unbeatable, especially in that conference.  No other AQ team will be undefeated, and neither will TCU.  Boise State gets the nod, further showing the need for a playoff.

Rose Bowl – Oregon vs. Michigan State – Michigan State has an easier schedule in the Big Ten this year, not having to play Ohio State.  They will ultimately shock the world and win the Big Ten, but not go undefeated.  Oregon is clearly the best team in the Pac-10 and will win the conference, likely with a heads-up tie-breaker with Stanford.  As I said in the above piece, they will falter in at least one conference game this season.

Sugar Bowl – Alabama vs. West Virginia – Alabama will recover to win the SEC West, and ultimately the SEC championship.  However, with one loss, they get left out of the national title picture and picked up in the Sugar Bowl.  West Virginia will win the Big East and get their automatic bid.  The Mountaineers will wind up playing their second SEC West school, the first being their one loss to date, at LSU.

Orange Bowl – Florida State vs. Ohio State – Florida State has risen to their historical power and seems to have separated themselves from the rest of the ACC with a dominant performance over rival Miami in what might be a preview of the ACC Championship Game.  Ohio State will get an at-large bid and selected to the Orange Bowl to face Jimbo Fisher’s Seminoles.  At the end of a disappointing season for the Buckeyes, they still make it to a BCS game, but ultimately lose the conference, which will be one by Michigan State.

Fiesta Bowl – Nebraska vs. Auburn – With Nebraska losing the Big 12 Championship Game to Oklahoma (at least in this scenario), they take a short step back and travel to Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl.  This is still a successful end to the season for Nebraska, with a final record of 12-1 and their only loss coming to BCS National Championship contender Oklahoma.  Auburn has had an amazing year behind quarterback Cam Newton and will finish the season 11-1 with their one loss coming in the Iron Bowl to rival Alabama.  They miss the SEC Championship game, but still get the final at-large bid over teams like Utah, TCU and Stanford.

Capital One Bowl – South Carolina vs. Wisconsin – South Carolina’s win over then #1 Alabama puts their team into perspective.  They are here to play and they want to win.  They are currently in the driver seat in the SEC East and should end up winning it over Florida.  But the Gamecocks will fall short in the rematch with Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and drop to the Capital One Bowl.  Wisconsin, even after a possible win over the Buckeyes drop from BCS Bowl consideration, but still end up with a good season.

Cotton Bowl – Arkansas vs. Missouri – Arkansas is talented enough to play for the SEC Championship, but will fall short, much like they did against Alabama.  They will still finish with a good year behind quarterback Ryan Mallett, and even though they wanted more than the Cotton Bowl, they should be happy.  Missouri is a surprise team in the Big 12 this season.  Texas’ loss to UCLA will be their doom as they drop past the Cotton Bowl, likely to the Alamo Bowl or Insight Bowl.  Arkansas vs. Missouri will be a high-flying offensive attack, and a very exciting game that will be remembered in Cotton Bowl history.

Outback Bowl – Florida vs. Iowa – No matter how bad they look, Florida is still Florida and they still have Urban Meyer.  They will recover for a nine win season and get a bid to Atlanta.  Though it’s not the bid they wanted.  Iowa has had a more disappointing year as they too were expected national championship consideration.  They have dropped and finish fourth in the Big Ten.  This gets them another bid to the Outback Bowl, which they will hope is as successful as their last trip when they beat South Carolina in 2009.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl – LSU vs. Miami – Read this well SEC fans:  Les Miles is a terrible coach.  That being said, they will ruin their 6-0 start and drops games against Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas and perhaps even Ole Miss.  Miles will prove it’s not always better to be lucky than good, and it cannot be pulled off all year.  They have not hit the meat of their schedule, so be afraid LSU fans.  On the other side, Miami is another team with national championship hopes that dropped further than expected.  I just do not see two ACC teams in the BCS.  After losing the ACC Championship Game to Florida State, they will get the next best bid, to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

Gator Bowl – Mississippi vs. Michigan – This is the first year of an SEC Gator Bowl, and will be the third SEC/Big Ten matchup on New Year’s Day.  Mississippi will have a nice recovery to this season, but not nice enough to reach the fans’ expectations of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli.  But after a loss to FCS school Jacksonville State, at home, all Rebels should be happy with any bowl game.  Michigan will hit the wall I have been warning people about and drop to the Gator Bowl.  They are a one man show with an average defense.  Denard Robinson is electric, but as a smaller mobile quarterback, with Big Ten defenses and the cold weather bearing down on him, he will be slowed down.

Music City Bowl – Kentucky vs. Georgia Tech – Kentucky is a much better team than people give them credit for.  But they are still in the SEC and will not make it past the Music City Bowl.  Fans should however take solace in the fact that they were selected to a bowl over traditional SEC East powerhouses Georgia and Tennessee, both those they can beat this season.  Georgia Tech has been a question mark all year long.  One week they lose to Kansas (who lost to North Dakota State), then beat preseason favorite North Carolina and lose to N.C. State.  The Yellow Jackets will recover to a seven win season and get to Nashville for a shot at an SEC team.

Birmingham Bowl – Georgia vs. Pittsburgh – Formerly the Papajohns.com Bowl, the Birmingham Bowl gets an SEC vs. Big East matchup, and luckily grabs two talented teams here.  All be it, two talented teams with remarkably disappointing seasons.  Georgia, once with SEC Championship hopes, started the season with an A.J. Green suspension and a 1-4 record, but will recover for a 6-6 finish and a bowl bid by the skin of their teeth.  Pittsburgh returned the Big East’s 2009 leading rusher Dion Lewis (1799 yards last season) and a talented defense, with hopes of winning their conference.  However they start the season 2-3 with losses at Utah, at home to Miami and in South Bend to Notre Dame.

SEC Power Rankings: Week 4

It usually takes fours games of a season to learn enough about a team to be able to form an accurate ranking.  Now let’s look at the SEC from top to bottom, starting with the defending national champions and 4-0 Alabama Crimson Tide.

1. Alabama (4-0, 1-0) – This is the most obvious choice in the entire list.  The Crimson Tide rank first in the SEC in scoring offense and defense, putting up 39.5 points per game, while only allowing 9.8 points.  They showcase the top running back tandem in the conference lead by 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and sophomore sensation Trent Richardson.  Also, as I’m sure everyone knows by now, quarterback Greg McElroy simply doesn’t lose.  He has not lost a game he has started since the eighth grade.
2. Auburn (4-0, 2-0) – Led by transfer quarterback and former Florida Gator Cam Newton, Auburn has the SEC’s top rushing offense, averaging 278 yards per game.  Newton leads the team, and conference in rushing with 485 yards in just four games.  And while he is not lighting up the passing game in yardage, he does have the highest pass efficiency, with a 182.5.
3. Arkansas (3-1, 1-1) – Head and shoulders above all other SEC pass offenses, Arkansas is led by one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, Ryan Mallett.  Mallett is seen by many scouts as a dominant force and easy first round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.  He leads the conference in passing offense, averaging 359.5 yards per game, which is over 120 yards more than Kentucky’s Mike Hartline who sits in second.  Arkansas pushed Alabama to the limit last Saturday, but Mallett’s three interceptions kept the Razorbacks from closing it out.
4. Florida (4-0, 2-0) – The story with the Gators’ season centers on quarterback John Brantley replacing the legend of Tim Tebow.  Unfortunately for him, he is not sitting at the top of statistics like Tebow did.  Brantley is currently eighth in the SEC in passing yards with 700, and tied for fourth with six passing touchdowns.  But another quarterback story has emerged, that of freshman Trey Burton, who was responsible for six touchdowns against Kentucky this weekend.  Burton also played some receiver, where he had five catches for 37 yards and one of his touchdowns.
5. LSU (4-0, 2-0) – While they have not been impressive in the eyeball test, LSU has established a setting in the top five teams of the SEC with quality wins and a stout defensive performance.  The Bayou Bengals are ranked second in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing only 12 points per game and first in total defense, allowing just 254 yards per game.  They may not be dazzling, but wins over North Carolina, Mississippi State and West Virginia cannot be overlooked.   Their road to Atlanta (or back to Atlanta if you count the game with North Carolina) only gets tougher as they travel to Florida and Auburn, and face Alabama at home before the trip to rival Arkansas to close out the regular season.
6. South Carolina (3-1, 1-1) – The Gamecocks have been impressive for the first 15 quarters of the season.  However, the fourth quarter in Auburn was, in a word, embarrassing.  Junior quarterback Stephen Garcia lost two fumbles and was replaced by freshman Connor Shaw.  Shaw then proceeded to throw two interceptions, both of which were caused by his inexperience in the SEC.  Inconsistency in the offensive line didn’t help matters either.  However, the bright side for Carolina is their young core of talent, including the freshman phenom running back Marcus Lattimore and the SEC’s leader in receptions and receiving yards Alshon Jeffery.  If they can toughen up in the trenches, the Gamecocks could push Florida for the top spot in the East.
7. Kentucky (3-1, 0-1) – Even after a 48-14 thrashing by Florida, Kentucky sits high in my power rankings.  They have two of the more dynamic offensive players in the SEC, running back Derrick Locke and wide receiver Randall Cobb.  The duo combines for 586 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, as well as Cobb’s 227 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.  While Kentucky hasn’t played a particularly difficult schedule, they have taken down rival Louisville and beat opponents Western Kentucky and Akron by a combined score of 110-38.
8. Mississippi State (2-2, 1-2) – Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs are a little better than most people, including myself expected.  They took Auburn to the end in week two, but fell short by just three points.  This was followed with another loss, this time at the hands of LSU.  However, they came roaring back with a 24-12 win over the Georgia Bulldogs.  This win gives them a few power points in my book.  While they won’t compete for the West crown, they will play spoiler down the road.  Don’t be surprised by a few upsets in conference play from the Bulldogs.
9. Georgia (1-3, 0-3) – The loss of wide receiver AJ Green has hurt Georgia.  We can all agree on that.  However, I am a firm believer that losing one player (except a veteran, proven winner at quarterback) cannot cost a good team three wins.  Losing a skill position player shouldn’t be a reason for losses.  By that, I mean Georgia is not a very good team.  They newly inputted 3-4 defense has been serviceable, but nothing stellar.  Quarterback Aaron Murray has had a good season, but can’t do everything on his own.  The rushing offense, the bread and butter of Georgia every year, is tenth in the SEC with only 124.2 yards per game.  Georgia, once thought to compete for the SEC East, has dropped to having to fight for a bowl bid.
10. Vanderbilt (1-2, 1-1) – The Commodores are an improved team.  But the loss of Coach Bobby Johnson didn’t help the progression, from a leadership perspective.  Vanderbilt will fight for a bowl bid with Tennessee and Georgia, and could make it on the shoulders of running back Warren Norman.  He is tenth in the SEC in rushing, averaging just 75 yards per game.  However, he is averaging 6.8 yards per carry.  If Vanderbilt can stay stern on defense and avoid having to air the ball out, Norman could lead them to a 7 win season and a respectable bowl bid.
11. Tennessee (2-2, 0-1) – We all expected Tennessee to be un-Tennessee-like in 2010.  But not one expected this.  The Volunteers hosted Pac-10 Elite Oregon in week two and held up with them for the first half.  But the second half featured an offensive “nuke” by Oregon, scoring 35 unanswered points (45 going back to the end of the first half).  However, the story of the season was what happened this past weekend in the disappointing win, if there is such a thing, over UAB.  It took overtime and a miracle catch for Tennessee to drop the Blazers, a team that should have been demolished in Neyland Stadium.  Tennessee will be lucky to pull out a six win season in 2010, as they still have trips to LSU, Georgia and South Carolina, as well as home games with Alabama and Kentucky, all which I think they will lose.
12. Ole Miss (2-2, 0-1) – This one was a little simple for me too.  The bottom line is this:  you can’t be an SEC powerhouse and lose to an FCS opponent, Jacksonville State and yearly bottom-of-the-barrel SEC team Vanderbilt AT HOME.  As surprising as the loss to Jacksonville State was, the Vanderbilt loss was officially a blowout (loss by 14 or more points).  Because of this, the Rebels have dropped to dead last.  Even the addition of expected Heisman contender quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, Ole Miss hasn’t proven a single thing to me.  The two wins over Tulane and Fresno State mean next to nothing when compared to the two glaring home losses.

We Hail Thee, Kenny McKinley

The world lost a truly great man yesterday.  Denver Broncos wide receiver and former South Carolina Gamecock Kenny McKinley was found deceased in his Denver home Monday night.

I intentionally waited a few days to post this due to the fact that I felt my mind and judgment was clouded initially.  This was a personally tragic moment for me.  I want to put all journalistic unbiased attitudes aside and express my emotions on this unfortunate event.

As I was lying in bed last night drifting off to sleep, I received the startling news of McKinley’s untimely death.

I’ve spent my entire life as a Gamecock fan.  I spent my college years studying at South Carolina, as did my father and my older brother.  My time was gratefully shared with the school’s all-time receiving leader, Kenny McKinley.

I was able to witness all 207 of his memorable receptions and every single one of his 2,781 yards he gave the Gamecocks.  I had the privilege of seeing a man with such passion that he made me feel like I was on the field with him for every play.

McKinley quickly became my favorite Gamecock.  I felt a connection with him.  He made me see myself on the field.  He was an undersized player, often times overlooked by his opponents.  He was never really seen as the dominant receiver that teams had to worry about.  He came in a virtual nobody, just another player trying to play for South Carolina.  But he had risen through all adversity to become the one man Head Coach Steve Spurrier can call “the greatest receiver” he had ever seen.

Kenny’s determination to be the best at what he did was unmatched and he played with more heart and love for the game than any player I have ever seen.  He would put his body on the line ever week, but showed his grit and toughness by never giving up, no matter what injuries would come his way.

Of the many tragedies that happen in the sports world each and every year, this one has hit me harder than any in the past.  Gamecocks, Broncos and every other sports fan should remember that even though his life came to an abrupt and shocking halt, Kenny McKinley was an amazing athlete and man.  He was every coach’s dream player, and that’s how we should all remember him.

Gamecocks Survive the Paladins’ Purple Passion

The South Carolina Gamecocks expected a fight against the Paladins of Furman.  But they didn’t expect the strong showing they got.

Furman came into Williams-Brice Stadium as a 33 point underdog ready to follow in the footsteps of Jacksonville State and defeat a team from the mighty Southeastern Conference.  Luckily for the Gamecocks, they were able to fend them off for a 38-19 victory.

South Carolina walked into this game after an immensely critical win over division rival Georgia.  However, they weren’t able to carry that emotion over into this week.  On the other hand, Furman showed up ready to fight and unwilling to let their foot off the gas.

Each time South Carolina would seem to get a comfortable lead and put their backup players in, Furman seemed to fight harder, making things rough for the Gamecocks.

Things started nicely for the Head Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier as he had a 14-0 lead after the first quarter.  The first touchdown was a 15 yard strike to Tori Gurley from quarterback Stephen Garcia.  The second was a four yard touchdown run by the phenomenal freshman running back Marcus Lattimore.

After a pair of Furman field goals and a touchdown run by senior Gamecock running back Brian Maddox, the scoring continued with another touchdown pass from Stephen Garcia, this time in the third quarter to wide receiver DL Moore.

Garcia finished tonight’s game completing 13 of 20 passes for 150 yard and two touchdowns.  Unfortunately for him he also threw two costly interceptions, one that was returned for a touchdown by Furman freshman defensive end Shawn Boone in the third quarter.

Furman continued to scare South Carolina and its fans in the fourth quarter as running back Tersoo Uhaa completed a 72-yard pass to wide receiver Adam Mims.  After missing the two-point conversion attempt, the score stood at 31-19 in Carolina’s favor.

Fans at Williams-Brice let out a sigh of relief as sophomore cornerback Stephon Gilmore returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown to seal 38-19 victory.

The young talent shined through once again for South Carolina, only more quietly this time around.  Marcus Lattimore finished the game with 97 yards rushing and his first quarter touchdown on 19 carries, while sophomore wide receiving Alshon Jeffery finished with five receptions for 97 yards.

While South Carolina didn’t put on the dominant performance fans were hoping for, they should all remember that even though Furman is an FCS program, they are one of the better ones and still a very talented team.  A bigger win would have been nice, but don’t forget that it’s still a ‘W.’

In the win two players reached career milestones:  Alshon Jeffery eclipsed one thousand receiving yards for his career and senior placekicker Spencer Lanning made a career long 51-yard field goal.

Furman returns home to Greenville, SC with a 1-1 record play in-state rival The Citadel in a crucial Southern Conference clash.

The 3-0 (1-0) Gamecocks will spend the next week preparing for their second SEC matchup and first road trip of the 2010 season as they travel to Auburn to face the Tigers.

Auburn, lead by transfer quarterback and former Florida Gator Cam Newton, is currently ranked #16 in the AP Poll and should pose as the biggest threat to date for the Gamecocks.  The Tigers also defeated the other half of the Palmetto State Rivalry, the Clemson Tigers at home 27-24 in overtime.

Freshman Phenom Leads Gamecocks Over Georgia

Freshman running back Marcus Lattimore followed up his two touchdown college debut against Southern Miss with an Earth-rumbling performance in South Carolina’s 17-6 victory over SEC East rival Georgia.

Lattimore expected his number to be called a lot, but the Ole Ball Coach entrusted him with the ball an astounding 37 times, rushing for 182 yards and another two touchdowns.

Unlike the prototypical Steve Spurrier offense that involves high percentage passing and focuses on the quarterback, today’s game with Georgia proved that the Gamecocks can pound the ball when they have to.

Overshadowed by the glaring performance of the young running back was quarterback Stephen Garcia who had a respectable game completing twelve of fifteen passes for 165 yards.  Alshon Jeffery is once again another unsung hero of the Gamecock’s offense as he posted his second straight game with over 100 yards receiving.

However, as impressive as the offense was for South Carolina, the defense matched them by keeping the Bulldogs’ offense out of the end zone.  Georgia kicker Blair Walsh connected on his two field goal attempts as their only points.

Georgia’s biggest chance to get into the end zone was stopped when Gamecock sophomore cornerback Stephon Gilmore recovered running back Washaun Ealey’s fumble at the two yard line.

The Bulldogs were forced to punt their following two possessions.  In their final chance to salvage anything from this game, quarterback Aaron Murray was sacked twice, including on the final play by defensive end Devin Taylor.

With that, South Carolina closed out an impressive ranked win against their rival neighbors to the west.  Gamecock fans are left with starry eyes, a new vision of George Rogers in Marcus Lattimore and a temporary seat at the top of the SEC East.

Stay tuned for the stat-by-stat comparison tonight.

Georgia Vs. South Carolina: How the East Could Be Won

After a convincing win over Southern Miss last Thursday night, the South Carolina Gamecocks face their rival to the west, the Georgia Bulldogs.

South Carolina and Georgia compete in a rivalry that is nationally underrated, but they always put together a hard-nosed, down-to-the-wire contest that pleases its viewers.  In the past decade, seven games have been decided by a touchdown or less.

Usually, South Carolina comes in as underdogs to mighty Georgia, but this year is different.  The season started with an offensive bang for Coach Steve Spurrier and his Gamecocks as they put up 41 points against Southern Miss.  And unlike the recent past, the points came on offense, and on the ground.  Junior quarterback Stephen Garcia and freshman phenom running back Marcus Lattimore each had two rushing touchdowns.  The only touchdown through the air came from freshman quarterback Connor Shaw on a strike to wide receiver DL Moore.

If South Carolina can capitalize on their talent and consistently put up the points Spurrier was accustomed to at Florida, they could contend for and possibly even with the SEC East.

And to make matters even better for them, the Gamecocks are expecting most of their previously suspended players to return this week, including starting cornerback Chris Culliver and offensive tackle Jarriel King.

Georgia was not without their show of brilliance either, beating Louisiana-Lafayette 55-7.  Freshman quarterback Aaron Murray made an impressive debut, even without All-American wide receiver and headline-maker AJ Green.

As you recall, Green was left out of the season opener by Georgia due to an NCAA investigation.  The ruling came down this week for Green, and it wasn’t good.  Georgia’s best player will be forced to sit for three more games, including the clash with South Carolina.  Green will also miss a home game with #14 Arkansas and a trip to Mississippi State.

Losing a top weapon like that could wind up costing Georgia these three games, which would essentially ruin their hopes of winning the SEC this year.

As for this week, I think Georgia falls just short in their trip to Columbia.  The Bulldogs will visit one of the most hostile stadiums in the country to play a team with a brutal defense and an offense than can seemingly match it.  And what’s worse is they will make this trip without their top player, a wide receiver I might add, and a freshman quarterback who has never seen an SEC defense that wasn’t a practice squad.  Not only will he face an SEC defense this weekend.  He will face one of the best defenses out there, against two lock down cornerbacks, without his top weapon.  Expect to see a lot of blitzes from Ellis Johnson’s defense, which will mean a lot of man coverage and, hopefully for South Carolina, a lot of sacks.

If South Carolina can contain the running attack of Georgia, they should walk away victorious.  This is their chance to dominate Georgia defensively and they better take advantage of it.

Final score prediction – South Carolina 27, Georgia 10.

South Carolina vs. Southern Miss Final Prediction

It is literally the final moments here.  The band is on the field, less than fifteen minutes before kickoff to the matchup between South Carolina and Southern Miss.

In the final word before the game, I have my few predictions for the outcome.

Stephen Garcia – 150 yards passing, 40 yards rushing, three total touchdowns

Connor Shaw – 85 yards passing, 75 yards rushing, one total touchdown

Brian Maddox and Kenny Miles (combined) – 130 yards rushing, two touchdowns

Marcus Lattimore – 45 yards rushing, 25 yards receiving, one touchdown

Alshon Jeffery – 70 yards receiving, one touchdown

Final Score – South Carolina 31, Southern Miss 14

Now let’s kick off the 2010 college football season!

James’ Final 2010 College Football Predictions

As usual, I am waiting until last the very last minute before the official beginning of the college football season to make my predictions.  Nonetheless, here we are, ready with the official picks.

I’ll start with conference champions and finish with BCS games with winners.

ACC Championship – Virginia Tech is clearly the cream of the crop in the ACC.  The Coastal division is strong, housing the Hokies, Georgia Tech, Miami and North Carolina, making the road tough for them all.  The Atlantic division is possibly the weakest division in football.  Last year’s divisional champion Clemson comes back without CJ Spiller, Jacoby Ford, and Michael Palmer, losing the majority of their offensive production.  Florida State will take the easier division, but fall short to Virginia Tech in the Championship Game.

Big 12 Championship – It seems to be the same story every year in my head with the Big 12.  It is all driven from the Red River Rivalry.  The winner of the Texas/Oklahoma game is in control of the conference.  Both programs will field new quarterbacks after losing two of the all time greats.  Oklahoma will come out of this game on top on the shoulders of running back DeMarco Murray.  Nebraska is the only threat from the North and should take it fairly easily.  However, Nebraska will stumble against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship, getting the Sooners another trophy.

Big East – The Big East is actually harder to decide on than you may think.  Cincinnati will return strong with quarterback Zach Collaros replacing Tony Pike.  West Virginia is always a formidable foe and Connecticut will come back will some talent.  However, the most talented team in the Big East is Pittsburgh.  Dion Lewis is a clear Heisman contender with a strong offensive line and defense to help hold things together.  Pittsburgh will come out on top of the Big East.

Big Ten – The Big Ten is stronger this year than it has been in recent memory.  Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin and Penn State will all be in the top tier of college football this season.  But in the end, Ohio State will prevail, possibly undefeated.  Many think Iowa will come out because they have their three toughest opponents (Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State) at home and a fairly easy road the rest of the way.  However, Ohio State has remarkable talent that seemingly cannot be matched.  And with Heisman hopefully Terrelle Pryor, the Buckeyes will make their way through the Big Ten and possibly to a BCS National Championship.

Pac-10 – While many people look at Oregon, I look away.  At the end of last year’s campaign, I thought for sure they were the favorites.  Without Jeremiah Masoli, the Ducks will be further down than people think.  Oregon State will be in good shape and contend, as will Arizona due to their defense.  But in the end, West Coast football is quarterback driven and the two best in the Pac-10 are Washington’s Jake Locker and Stanford’s Andrew Luck.  When the dust settles, I feel Stanford will stand tall as Pac-10 Champions and smell some roses in January.

SEC Championship – Defending National Champions Alabama defend their crown this season and return Heisman winning running back Mark Ingram.  The Crimson Tide will field arguably the strongest team in the country, but face the toughest opponents available.  Because of that, I want to go on record now saying that there will not be an SEC team in the BCS National Championship game this year.  Every team in the SEC is talented and powerful, and that is your reason.  Alabama, the most talented team in the country, could wind up losing two games.  Florida, LSU, Auburn, Georgia and even South Carolina will show strongly in the SEC this year and contend.  We could see any east/west combination of those teams in the SEC Championship game, but I’m predicting another rematch of Alabama and Florida.  Alabama will prevail again, but not unscathed.

The Rose Bowl – Stanford defeats Ohio State.  The Buckeyes end the post season in disappointment yet again.  They were thinking National Champions, but ended with a loss in the Rose Bowl to the Cardinal.  The Pac-10 makes up for Oregon’s debacle last season and gets vengeance on the pesky Buckeyes.

The Sugar Bowl – Alabama defeats Iowa.  Iowa gets into the BCS picture again, but draws the short straw and gets forced to play the best team in the country out of the SEC.  The Crimson Tide will roll through the Superdome and prove to the world once again that the SEC is in fact the most dominant conference in all of college football.

The Orange Bowl – Virginia Tech defeats Pittsburgh.  Dion Lewis will make it to New York for the Heisman presentation, but has a rough showing against the strong Hokie defense.  Virginia Tech, behind their own great running game will come out a winner and take home the oranges in a close game.

The Fiesta Bowl – Nebraska defeats TCU.  TCU will have another strong showing in the Mountain West and finish undefeated.  Nebraska takes the bid as an at-large from the Big 12 and represents them well.  The Black Shirt Defense holds strong and takes TCU quarterback Andrew Dalton down for a Fiesta Bowl trophy.

BCS National Championship – Oklahoma defeats Boise State.  Revenge for the Sooners.  I don’t like the idea of putting a non-BCS team in the BCS National Championship, but Boise State has only two difficult games all season and returns twenty of twenty-two starters.  Oklahoma may lose a game, but will still have enough to make it to the title game, and win it.

Section 26 Sports Final Mock Draft

So here it is folks.  This is the final NFL mock draft of the year.  This mock draft is full of interesting draft picks that you may not see anywhere else.

And keep in mind I don’t do trades in my mocks.  They get way too complicated and are impossible to predict.   I could easily see some teams, especially Detroit trading down, and some others, especially Oakland or Cleveland trading up at some point.

Round One
1. St Louis – Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma – They obviously need a franchise QB and Bradford is tops in the draft class.
2. Detroit – Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska – I could easily see a trade down here. Detroit has holes to fill as positions with depth in the draft (RB, OT, DT). However, because I don’t do trades, they take Suh.
3. Tampa Bay – Gerald McCoy DT Oklahoma – Defensive line help is the biggest need for Tampa and they get an elite DT.
4. Washington – Russell Okung OT Oklahoma St – Chris Samuels retired and Washington got their QB in McNabb. Step 2 is the franchise LT, Okung.
5. Kansas City – Trent Williams OT Oklahoma – Kansas City could go in quite a few directions here, but if they’re smart they’ll go with the offensive line. Branden Albert faded quickly last season and they need someone to fill in and protect Cassel.
6. Seattle – Bryan Bulaga OT Iowa – With Seattle’s two first round picks, they will try to bolster the trenches. It seems sure one of the top two DE’s should drop to them later so they take Bulaga here.
7. Cleveland – Eric Berry FS Tennessee – It is amazing Berry fell this far and Cleveland should be thrilled. They fill a need with one of the top players in the draft. Berry will also help in the return game which would assist Cribbs moving to WR permanently.
8. Oakland – Bruce Campbell OT Maryland – This is a HUGE reach. Campbell is not a top player, but he’s very athletic for a tackle and, well, this is Al Davis after all.
9. Buffalo – Anthony Davis OT Rutgers – Buffalo has one of the worst offensive lines in the league so they desperately need to address it. With a line that bad, it doesn’t matter who is at QB. Anthony Davis is a bull when run blocking and Buffalo will have to rely on their run game, as they have no pass game. This seems a natural pick.
10. Jacksonville – Derrick Morgan DE Georgia Tech – Morgan is the best pass rushing DE in the draft and he will go to the worst pass rushing team in the NFL, Jacksonville. Jacksonville did sign Aaron Kampman, but that won’t be enough. This will give youth and fire to the weak defensive line.
11. Denver (from Chicago) – Dez Bryant WR Oklahoma St – As expected, Brandon Marshall is gone. We also found out that Tony Scheffler is going to Detroit. Eddie Royal is a good WR, but not a number one option. They need an elite receiver and Bryant is the best in the class.
12. Miami – Dan Williams DT Tennessee – Miami has a few needs but nose tackle is a glaring one. However, if they do trade Ronnie Brown, CJ Spiller could jump up to this pick for Miami.
13. San Francisco – Joe Haden CB Florida – Haden does not fill their strongest needs, offensive line and quarterback, but he’s the best player available and the 49ers have two first round picks. He’s worth the pick here as a top notch player.
14. Seattle (from Denver) – Jason Pierre-Paul DE S Florida – As stated before, Seattle has to start from the inside out with the trenches. It’s time for the defensive line and Jason Pierre-Paul is the pick. He can play a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 rush LB. Here he’ll play at DE and rush the passer, which is his specialty.
15. NY Giants – Rolando McClain ILB Alabama – Antonio Pierce was a staple on the Giants defense, but his neck injuries led to his release. The Giants need to retool and the best place to start is at MLB. However, if they trade Osi Umenyiora they could draft a DE here, possible Carlos Dunlap.
16. Tennessee – Kyle Wilson CB Boise St – The could go defensive line, but I really think they need to go with a CB here. Wilson is a physical back and fits well with Tennessee’s philosophy.
17. San Francisco (from Carolina) – Jimmy Clausen QB Notre Dame – Some say Clausen would never fall this far, but I really don’t like his future. He has an attitude issue and a slow deliver at times. However, the 49ers need a QB and Clausen has potential.
18. Pittsburgh – Devin McCourty CB Rutgers – The current CB’s on the Steelers’ roster are weak and can’t get it done. McCourty is an underrated CB that will fit well with the Steelers’ defense.
19. Atlanta – Carlos Dunlap DE Florida – Jamaal Anderson is a bust, we all know that now. It’s time to get a young pass rusher to play opposite John Abraham. Dunlap is a big pass rusher with the size and speed to start immediately. He does however have motivation problems at times.
20. Houston – Earl Thomas FS Texas – Houston will need to fill a big need at both safety positions as well as replace CB Dunta Robinson. Here they will go with Thomas who will fall further than his talent level represents. The bottom line is that this is a steal for Houston.
21. Cincinnati – Taylor Mays SS USC – Simply put, Cincinnati needs safety help and they love the USC products. Mays will fit in very well.
22. New England – Sergio Kindle OLB Texas – The Patriots need to fill a pass rushing void and Kindle would work well as a top-level 3-4 pass rusher.
23. Green Bay – CJ Spiller RB Clemson – This is the surprise pick of the draft. Green Bay doesn’t have too strong of a need at RB and Spiller may not fall this far. However, I see him dropping for various reasons, including his horribly low Wonderlic score. Green Bay will fill two secondary needs, backup RB and return specialist.
24. Philadelphia – Kareem Jackson CB Alabama – With Sheldon Brown gone, the Eagles will need a CB opposite Asante Samuel. Jackson is a great talent and will fit very well with the fast, athletic ideals of the Eagles defense.
25. Baltimore – Jermaine Gresham TE Oklahoma – Todd Heap has been invisible for Baltimore lately. They need another pass catcher for Flacco. They picked up Boldin and re-signed Derrick Mason. Here they will get their much needed TE.
26. Arizona – Brandon Graham DE Michigan – Graham is an underrated pass rusher. He will be one of the better 3-4 rush LB’s in this year’s draft. Arizona needs a pass rush. The signing of Joey Porter helps, but he’s already in trouble. They need youth at the position.
27. Dallas – Mike Iupati OG Idaho – Flozell Adams is gone from the offensive line and Dallas was relatively weak at guard last season. Iupati is the next Steve Hutchinson. Dallas gets a great one here.
28. San Diego – Ryan Mathews RB Fresno St – Mathews is the most complete and NFL-ready RB in this draft. San Diego needs to replace Tomlinson and Mathews is the best guy to get it done.
29. NY Jets – Jerry Hughes OLB TCU – Pass rush is a strong need for the Jets, along with FS. Here they get another one of those top-level 3-4 OLB’s. Hughes will come in ready to get some sacks. Even if they do sign Jason Taylor, Hughes is still the pick here.
30. Minnesota – Patrick Robinson CB Florida St – Injuries at CB hurt the Vikings late last year. Here they get Robinson, a great cover CB who can come in ready to start on a powerful Vikings defense.
31. Indianapolis – Brian Price DT UCLA – The Colts need to get depth and competition on their lines and Brian Price is a good start. He’ll compete from day one.
32. New Orleans – Sean Witherspoon LB Missouri – Witherspoon would have gone sooner if the Steelers had not signed Larry Foote or the Eagles had not traded for Ernie Sims. However, here we are. The Saints get a much needed defensive play-maker with the swagger to fit right in with New Orleans.

Round Two
1. St Louis – Everson Griffen DE USC – The Rams need more pass rush help and if they don’t trade for Osi Umenyiora, Griffen is a great pick here.
2. Detroit – Jahvid Best RB California – If the Lions trade for a RB, expect Penn St LB Novorro Bowman to be the pick here. However, they need more stability at RB and Best is a big play threat and elite return man.
3. Tampa Bay – Arrelious Benn WR Illinois – With Antonio Bryant in Cincinnati, Josh Freeman needs something resembling an offensive weapon. Benn is a good start.
4. Kansas City – Terrence Cody DT Alabama – Scott Pioli wants his “Vince Wilfork” and that’s what Cody is. He eats space at NT which is what the Chiefs need.
5. Philadelphia (From Washington) – Maurkice Poucey OL Florida – Interior offensive line is a need for Philadelphia. Pouncey falls a little far and the Eagles get a steal here.
6. Cleveland – Colt McCoy QB Texas – This is a little bit of a reach, but McCoy will fit with Cleveland well and could adapt into a very efficient QB.
7. Oakland – Linval Joseph DT E Carolina – This is another reach, but Joseph has the measurables to be an elite NT in the NFL in time. Joseph is 6’4″ 328 pounds, had 39 reps on the bench press and ran his 40-yard dash in less than 5.00.
8. San Diego – Cam Thomas DT N Carolina – Another NT off the board. Jamal Williams is in Denver so the Chargers need to replace him very quickly.
9. Buffalo – Ricky Sapp OLB Clemson – Buffalo still needs a lot and a pass rushing OLB in their new 3-4 defense is much needed.
10. Tampa Bay (From Chicago) – Donovan Warren CB Michigan – Aside from Aqib Talib, there is no Buccaneer CB with a future.
11. Denver (from Miami) – Jared Odrick DT Penn St – Odrick will be a great 3-4 DE and will fit in nicely next to newly acquired NT Jamal Williams.
12. New England (From Jacksonville) – Lamar Houston DT Texas – The same assessment from Odrick goes for Houston. The Patriots need to get younger up front and Houston will fit in nicely.
13. Denver – Vladmir Ducasse OG UMass – Denver is filling many needs in this draft and interior offensive line is just another one. Ducasse is underrated because he comes form UMass.
14. NY Giants – Geno Atkins DT Georgia – With Fred Robbins gone to the Rams, the Giants need a new DT quickly. Atkins will come in ready to make an impact. However, he is one of those players that could also easily slip to the third round. Luckily for him, DT is a league-wide need this year.
15. Carolina – Mardy Gilyard WR Cincinnati – Steve Smith wanted more speed at WR. Gilyard provides that, as well as return skills.
16. New England (From Tennessee) – Jonathan Dwyer RB Georgia Tech – It is time for Moroney to go away and Dwyer would be ready to play right away for the Patriots.
17. San Francisco – Charles Brown OT USC – The 49ers got their QB and an elite CB prospect. Here they get a big, smart tackle with great footwork.
18. Houston – Ben Tate RB Auburn – Houston needs RB depth and Tate is very underrated. He has a fair blend of speed and power. He will fit nicely with the Texans.
19. Kansas City (From Atlanta) – Kao Misi OLB Utah – Kansas City has their linemen and now need a good pass rusher. Misi is an underrated prospect that will fit in as a 3-4 OLB.
20. Pittsburgh – Demaryius Thomas WR Georgia Tech – Thomas doesn’t run the best routes, but he’s got the physical tools most WR’s dream about. With Holmes traded to the Jets and Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El aging, the Steelers need a young possession receiver.
21. New England – Damien Williams WR USC – The WR corps in New England is aging. Luckily the Patriots have four picks in the first two rounds and can afford to use one on a WR. Williams has soft hands and runs smooth routes, exactly what you need in the Patriots’ offense.
22. Cincinnati – Aaron Hernandez TE Florida – The Bengals have gotten their WR’s and now need a pass-catching TE. Hernandez isn’t much for blocking but he’s an elite receiving threat at TE.
23. Philadelphia – Nate Allen FS S Florida – The Eagles need to upgrade at the safety position, Allen is a great talent.
24. Green Bay – Chris Cook DB Virginia – Cook can play both CB and FS, both of which are aging positions for the Packers.
25. Baltimore – Golden Tate WR Notre Dame – Baltimore is making an offensive overhaul early in the draft. Tate will be an amazing slot receiver inside of Boldin and Mason and his speed will match perfectly with Flacco’s strong arm.
26. Arizona – Kyle Galloway OT Iowa – Arizona needs depth and competition at LT and Galloway could come in ready to compete.
27. Dallas – Jordan Shipley WR Texas – This isn’t an obvious need for Dallas, but Shipley is a Texas man and a great return man. Patrick Crayton needs to stop returning punts. Shipley will be the new and improved Patrick Crayton.
28. Seattle – Dexter McCluster RB Mississippi – While not a typical NFL RB, McCluster does provide a firm change of pace for Seattle’s offense as well as versatility to play in the slot, in the Wildcat and in the return game.
29. NY Jets – Morgan Burnett FS Georgia Tech – Burnett simply fills the void left by Rhodes who left for Arizona. Keep in mind, Burnett is a high-risk/high-reward type player. Potentially a bust.
30. Minnesota – Chad Jones FS LSU – Chad Jones is a smart athlete, and solidifies the defensive secondary for Minnesota along with first round pick Patrick Robinson.
31. Indianapolis – Rodger Staffold OT Indiana – Staffold is a highly underrated OT in the draft. He’s not quite first round talent, but very close on some people’s boards. The Colts continue to help their lines.
32. New Orleans – Alex Carrington DE Arkansas St – The Saints partially addressed DE in the offseason, but Carrington will provide depth for a team that needs defensive line help.

There are some interesting picks, I know. I’m sure it won’t turn out just like this, but these would be interesting picks. I could see all of these happening, even though they may not.

And some other prospects that could fit into the second round in some way:
Corey Wooton DE Northwestern – He has the talent to go in the first round, but the lack of 4-3 DE needs drops his chances.
Brandon Spikes LB Florida – Spikes was originally seen as first round talent but ended up slow and out of shape.  He should fall to the late third round.
Brandon LaFell WR LSU – Depending on the type of WR a team is looking for, LaFell could go in the middle of the second round.
Navorro Bowman LB Penn St – I originally had Bowman to the Saints in the first round, but with Witherspoon falling to them, and the lack of a desire for 4-3 OLB’s dropped Bowman very far.
Daryl Washington LB TCU – Washington can play any LB position in a 4-3 or an inside LB in the 3-4 defense.  He’s very versatile on defense, but barely misses the cut.
Eric Norwood LB South Carolina – Norwood is no longer looked at strictly as a 3-4 OLB.  He has dropped weight and added mobility to increase his ability to play OLB in a 4-3.
Mike Johnson OG Alabama – Very few guards get taken in the first two rounds it seems and Johnson drops some because of that.

MLB Realignment Solution

For a few weeks, Major League Baseball has been discussing the idea of a “floating realignment.”  This “floating realignment” would in effect give talented teams in difficult divisions an advantage towards making the playoffs.

The key example cited was moving the Tampa Bay Rays to the American League Central and having the Kansas City Royals replace them in the American League East.  This change would happen primarily so that the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees would all make the playoffs in the same season.

This “floating realignment” is a mockery and is disrespectful to the concept of honest competition.  Moving a talented team to improve their success rate goes against everything we are taught as youths.  It supports the idea of taking the easy way out and relying on others to fix your problems rather than working hard.

I propose a more balanced and just solution.  Instead of assisting certain teams in their playoff runs and trying to set up success, MLB needs to take this opportunity to rejuvenate the sport.

Baseball has had trouble with fan numbers decreasing since the “Steroid Era.”  Casual fans have dropped the sport and moved their fandom to more exciting sports on the rise, such as Major League Soccer and the action sports performed in the X-Games.

With a possible owner lockout looming over the National Football League, now is the time for MLB to recapture fan interest and take a step closer to becoming the national pastime once again.

But the question then arises, what would bring back the casual fans?  Look at what excites the typical casual fans in your local area.  You are likely to see two key factors:  rivalry games and home runs.  Instead of realigning for the success of certain teams, MLB should realign to revitalize rivalries.

This idea of casual fan interest is what drew me to this realignment.  Doing this would put every local rivalry in the same division, therefore providing the fans with more, and more meaningful rivalries.

Also, this realignment would give the classic baseball fans such as me new, energetic rivalries for our respective teams.  Teams would get to play opponents they would not usually see on the diamond.  This would appeal to everyone, from casual fans to die hard fans to the men on the field.

In addition to the classic and new rivalries, this realignment would balance out the American League and National League.  And because of that, their rules would have to match, meaning the National League would have to implement to designated hitter rule.  This would make inter-league play more straightforward and fair.  Not to mention this would help with fans because, simply put, chicks dig the long ball.

The divisional realignment goes as follows:

American League:

East – Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Washington Nationals

Central – Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays

West – Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners

National League:

East – Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Rays

Central – Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals

West – Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers

This alignment maintains the two rivalries in baseball that I feel should go untouched, Yankees-Red Sox and Cubs-Cardinals.  It also gives more meaning to the local rivalries including the Subway Series, the Bay Series and many others in-state matchups.

I strongly urge MLB to take a look at this and give it strong consideration.  This would keep the die hard fans and regain a firm grasp on the casual fans.  Baseball would be able to return to the glorious days of exciting play that we, the fans have all come to miss.