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Week four Top 25 Pick’em

Here are my picks for the top 25 for week four 1Alabama hosts 22Texas A&M - fun game to watch, but Bama on top 2Georgia at Mizzou - UGA buries the tigers in the 4th quarter  3Clemson at Georgia Tech - Clemson big 4Ohio State hosts Tulane - game over by 10:53 left in the 1st 5Oklahoma hosts Army - Boomer Sooner 6LSU hosts LA Tech - LSU wins but doesn’t score more than 34 7Stanford at 20Oregon - Stanford in a close one 8Notre Dame at Wake Forest - Irish win but sleepwalk through first half 9Auburn hosts Arkansas - Tigers roll in the 4th 10Penn State at Illinois - Friday night snooze fest, Penn State big 10Washington hosts Arizona State - Huskies comfortable win 12West Virginia hosts Kansas State - WVU with 45+ points 13Virginia Tech at Old Dominion - boring, VT big 14Mississippi State at Kentucky - Bulldogs win but VERY close game 15Oklahoma State hosts Texas Tech - first to 50 wins (OSU) 16UCF hosts FAU - entertaining game, Knights win 17TCU at Texas - TCU in a classic 18Wisconsin at Iowa - Wisconsin bounces back 19Michigan hosts Nebraska - shockingly close, Michigan wins 21Miami hosts FIU - Miami big 23Boston College at Purdue - Hardest pick of the week, BC by 3 24Michigan State at Indiana - Michigan fixes problems, Sparty wins 25BYU hosts McNeese State - boring game, BYU wins. Watch something else

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Who’s Who of Week 3

A weekly reaction to what the college football world gave us this past weekend. Who’s better than I thought? Who’s worse than I thought? and Who’s exactly what I thought they were? Who’s better than I thought? 1) LSU - defeated Auburn 22-21 2) Oklahoma State - defeated Boise State 44-21 3) BYU - defeated Wisconsin 24-21 Honorable Mention: Kansas Who’s worse than I thought? 1) Florida State - lost to Syracuse 7-30 2) Georgia Tech - lost to Pitt 19-24 3) Arkansas - lost to UNT 17-44 Dishonorable Mention: Big10 Who’s exactly what I thought they were? 1) Missouri - defeated Purdue 40-37 2) Kentucky - defeated Murray State 48-10 3) Washington - defeated Utah 21-7  Honorable Mention: Boston College

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Who’s Who of Week 2

A weekly reaction to what the college football world gave us this past weekend.

Who’s better than I thought? Who’s worse than I thought? and Who’s exactly what I thought they were?

Who’s better than I thought? 1) Stanford - defeated USC 17-3 2) Kentucky - defeated Florida 27-16 3) South Florida - defeated Georgia Tech 49-38 Honorable Mention: Texas A&M

Who’s worse than I thought? 1) Arizona - lost to Houston 45-18 2) Florida - lost to Kentucky 27-16 3) Florida State - defeated Samford 36-26 Dishonorable Mention: Arkansas

Who’s exactly what I thought they were? 1) Arizona State - defeated Michigan State 16-13 2) Mississippi State - defeated Kansas State 31-10 3) Northwestern - lost to Duke 21-7  Honorable Mention: The Big10 West

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Week two Top 25 Pick’em

Here are my picks for the top 25 for week two  1Alabama hosts Arkansas State - Alabama BIG on this one 2Clemson at Texas A&M - Aggies keep it close at first, but Clemson shows out and wins for the College GameDay crowd 3Georgia at 24South Carolina - This one is very tight, UGA wins in a close thriller 4Ohio State hosts Rutgers - Rutgers has two “feel good” quarters, but, Ohio State ends up with a convincing win 5Wisconsin hosts New Mexico - Wisconsin rolls 6Oklahoma hosts UCLA - Chip Kelly’s team shows life but Boomer Sooner 7Auburn hosts Alabama State - Auburn BIG 8Notre Dame hosts Ball State - Notre Dame convincing  9Washington hosts North Dakota - Washington bounces back 10Stanford hosts 17Southern Cal - Stanford overpowers the Trojans, close matchup and instant classic 11LSU hosts Southeast LA - LSU doesn’t score more then 31, controls the game 12Virginia Tech hosts William & Mary - No need to watch, this one is boring, VT big 13Penn State at Pittsburgh - Penn State shows big against their in-state rival, James Franklin continues to disrespect the “little brother” 14West Virginia hosts Youngstown State - WVU BIG 60+ points 15Michigan State at Arizona State - This is a sneaky great game, I’ve got Sparky beating Sparty! (P.S. kickoff temp is going to be 101 degrees and ASU is 9-0 at home vs BIG10 opponents all time) 16TCU at SMU - Dallas metro rumble is fun, TCU rolls the ponies though 18Mississippi State at Kansas State - This one is a toss up and is the first real test for the Bulldogs and Nick Fitzgerald’s first sling of the season, but I still favor the SEC boys 19UCF hosts South Carolina State - McKenzie Milton tosses 6 more TD’s in his Heisman campaign win over SCState 20Boise State hosts UConn - Poor UConn gets throttled again in week two loss 21Michigan hosts Western Michigan - Michigan gets 1 in the Win column 22Miami hosts Savannah - Miami BIG 23Oregon hosts Portland State - Boring. Oregon HUGE 25Florida hosts Kentucky - One of the most talked about rivalries in the SEC East, Mark Stoops in another close loss to the Gators

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Who’s Who of Week 1

A weekly reaction to what the college football world gave us this past weekend.   Who’s better than I thought? Who’s worse than I thought? and Who’s exactly what I thought they were? Who’s better than I thought? 1) LSU - defeated Miami 33-17  2) Notre Dame - defeated Michigan 24-17 3) Auburn’s defense - defeated Washington 21-16 Honorable Mention: Washington Huskies Who’s worse than I thought? 1) Penn State - defeated Appalachian State in OT 45-38 2) Miami - lost to LSU 33-17 3) The Big 10 east  Dishonorable Mention: Shae Patterson  Who’s exactly what I thought they were? 1) Alabama - defeated Louisville 51-14 2) Michigan - lost to Notre Dame 24-17 3) Texas Longhorns - lost to Maryland 34-29 Honorable Mention: The ACC

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The Sleeping Giants Part IV

I am the type of person who likes to discuss a number of obvious and abstract topics in the world of sports. Few topics excited me more than playing the “What If” game. So, over the next 5 days I will be counting down the Top 5 Sleeping Giants in College Football.

For those who maybe aren’t sure by what I mean by “Sleeping Giant”, a Sleeping Giant in college football is a program that has more potential than they do success and requires a few moving pieces to line up in order for them to capitalize on their potential or emerging power. Some programs on this list have had some success yet underperform OR have had very little, but, could be potential powerhouses. Today we will discuss #2 on my list, the Rutgers University Scarlett Knights. I know, I know, Rutgers. One of the perennial worst programs in all of FBS football, is #2 on this list. This program though may have deeper roots in football and the sport’s history than you think. The Scarlett Knights first took to the field in 1869 in Piscataway, New Jersey. The team played its first game against Princeton University, and so, college football was born in the Garden State. Despite being kicked around by everyone and their mother in the modern era, Rutgers has had some success over the years. 3 Conference titles, the largest program in the state of New Jersey, they rank 37th in FBS for most wins by a program all-time, and they currently sit in arguably the strongest division in all of college football in 2018, the Big10 East.  Why though are they on this list? Because I believe their potential far outweighs their success (or lack there of) of the past. Based on their geographical location and if they can find a decent coach, this program could be a sleeping giant. New Jersey is not known for producing the best college football talent in the U.S., but they do produce more than other states with big time programs (Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska).  Not to mention, they are the closest major program to the New York City metropolitan area which produces a large number of top recruits each year. If Rutgers were to build a recruiting wall around it’s home state and the NYC metro, they would get enough top recruits to carry them to bowl games each season. To put it plainly, they would get every single one of the top recruits that want to stay close to home because they are the ONLY option. Don’t believe me? Why do you think the Big10 wanted Rutgers in their conference to begin with? To help the conference expand their footprint and more successfully tap into that market for all of those programs. Penn State and Michigan just have been having the most success in that market since the conference realignment occurred. If Rutgers owned their territory however that could change. Take a look at some of the major impact players (from 2017) around the country who call the Garden State home, Brandon Wimbush (Notre Dame), Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama), Rashan Gary (Michigan), Mike Gesicki (Penn State), Jarrett Guarantano (Tennessee). All Jersey boys. Imagine if they all stayed home and played at Rutgers? That would’ve been a 6+ win team last year, no question. Not to mention, Piscataway is not the Jersey Shore, it is a green and vibrant college town with a great campus life that any northern student athlete would choose over a UConn, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, or yes... Maryland. There just needs to be someone in town to lure them in. Let’s say Rutgers were to land a top coach, or a fast rising coach from the group of five programs? Like a Justin Fuente or Jeff Brohm, and they were trying to get players to check out Rutgers.  Don’t you think more players would pay attention? Wouldn’t a great coach like that have an easier time building a recruiting wall to keep those kids home or local? Absolutely. Rutgers’ best coach in the modern era was Greg Schiano. He led Rutgers to an unprecedented 11-2 season in 2006 where the Scarlett Knights finished as the #12 team in the country, at one point that season, he had them ranked #6 in the BCS rankings. He isn’t a wizard, he didn’t have any magic, nor is Greg Schiano an elite coach. BUT, he was able to recruit well in the local market, be a decent coach, and run a large program into the eyes of one of the two biggest conferences in the sport, the Big10. I know what I am saying seems farfetched, but I think it is because people forget how quickly Schiano had the program consistently winning 8+ games because of how quickly it went away when they brought in another bad coach. Chris Ash could be the right guy, I just have not seen enough. Although they were showing some signs of improvement last season, we will learn more as he enters his 3rd season as their head football coach.  Rutgers has a much longer way to go than the other programs on this list, and even if they had Scott Frost at the helm, it wouldn’t be anytime soon that they would be contending for a national championship. However, if you get a good coach in Piscataway who recruits well, don’t be surprised when Rutgers starts thumping people and shocking Ohio State, Penn State, and the other blue bloods in the conference. 

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The Sleeping Giants Part III

I am the type of person who likes to discuss a number of obvious and abstract topics in the world of sports. Few topics excited me more than playing the “What If” game. So, over the next 5 days I will be counting down the Top 5 Sleeping Giants in College Football.

For those who maybe aren’t sure by what I mean by “Sleeping Giant”, a Sleeping Giant in college football is a program that has more potential than they do success and requires a few moving pieces to line up in order for them to capitalize on their potential or emerging power. Some programs on this list have had some success yet underperform OR have had very little, but, could be potential powerhouses. Today we will discuss #3 on my list, the University of Central Florida Knights. To say University of Central Florida (UCF) had a coming out party last year is an understatement. One of the newer programs in college football, only existing since 1979, this program was an afterthought in the sport until the early 2000′s when the University and the city of Orlando began to back the football team. Claiming their first conference division title in 2005, the Knights have since claimed 5 more and 5 conference titles, including during their undefeated season in 2017. Being the big boy in a small pond has been kind to this Group of Five team since the early 2010′s. Being the only Group of Five program to claim a New Years Six bowl championship two times since the start of the BCS era in 1998 and into the College Football Playoff Era. All seems to be going well for UCF, so why are they #3 on this list? They are just waking up. In an interview with the media at SEC media Days in the summer of 2011, the late great Mike Slive, then Commissioner of the SEC, said that he felt in the future, he could see the UCF Knights joining the SEC and being a real contender on the national level. An awfully bold prediction from one of the most powerful and brilliant minds in all of college sports history. What was it that Mike Slive saw in UCF so early? The potential for the University to catch football fever, attract elite coaches, and the geographical location. These factors may already be in play. After 2017, it seems the UCF fanbase was bit by football fever, everybody loves a winner. At the start of the 2017 football season, if you had told me the biggest story out of the state of Florida would not be, “Miami is back!”, “Jimbo is leaving FSU after a complete collapse”, or “McElwain to be fired mid-season for false claims, poor record, and lying”... well, I’d call you crazy. Turns out, the UCF Knights and their fans made their way to being the most talked about team in Florida, that in itself deserves a championship ring (haha, jk). The city of Orlando surely seems to be on board and so do the students, but, what happens if the Knights go 8-5 this season or worse? Is Spectrum Stadium (The Bounce House) still going to rock? Or will UCF slip back into the likes of other decent Group of Five program’s atmosphere? If this football fever stays though, step one to this Giant Stomping around the sport is a lock. Attracting elite coaches is not something schools in the Group of Five tend to do. One of the main reasons why is because they don’t have the money to pay an elite coach. However, top tier coaches do tend to walk through the doors of the Orlando campus. George O’Leary, for all his interesting flaws, was a great coach, and helped build the program into what it is today. To be fair, something at that school needs to be named after him. Speaking of great coaches, Scott Frost turned out to be the hottest coach in the game last year, somehow outshining the job Kirby Smart at Georgia, Mark Richt at Miami, and Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma did. However, as every great coach at a Group of Five school does, Scott Frost left for the bigger gig. What happens though if Scott Frost stayed, do they go rolling and New Years Six bowling again? This time competing for an actual National Championship? Who knows? But luring and keeping an elite coach will check the 2nd box to get this Giant going. Let’s see if Josh Huepel can keep things going in his first season as a head coach. There are only two better states to have as your home field recruiting advantage than the state of Florida. UCF sits in the most commercially attractive and fun city in the entire state and still happens to have a college town feel, campus vibe, and beautiful weather to compliment it. If I were a top tier recruit in the state of Florida, you better believe geographically, I would prefer Orlando over Tallanasty, The Swamp, and hoity toity Miami. Orlando is going to appeal to the average recruit on many levels, and when they set foot on the beautiful campus with all new facilities, they will drool if they aren’t already. Top recruits will line up and ask to play for an elite coach at a football crazy school. I think it is safe to say UCF is geographically blessed.  If the football fans stay as crazy as they were last year, rally behind the new head coach Josh Heupel, he turns out to be a great coach (and they can keep him), the top recruits will follow, and it won’t be long before Conference Expansion Bonanza fires up again and UCF will be dropping the “AAC” title for an “ACC, SEC, or Big12″ logo. Don’t look now, but this Giant may already be on the right path.

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The Sleeping Giants Part II

I am the type of person who likes to discuss a number of obvious and abstract topics in the world of sports. Few topics excited me more than playing the “What If” game. So, over the next 5 days I will be counting down the Top 5 Sleeping Giants in College Football.

For those who maybe aren’t sure by what I mean by “Sleeping Giant”, a Sleeping Giant in college football is a program that has more potential than they do success and requires a few moving pieces to line up in order for them to capitalize on their potential or emerging power. Some programs on this list have had some success yet underperform OR have had very little, but, could be potential powerhouses. Today we will discuss #4 on my list, the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is an old, proud, and rich program that is bound for a renaissance. The program (unlike yesterday’s #5, NCState) has had major success on all levels since they began play in 1919. in 99 years of consecutive play, the Bruins have claimed 17 conference titles, 16 bowl wins, 2 division titles, and 1 National Championship (1954). That is more success in college football than 8 of the 14 schools in the SEC, a conference that claims to be the toughest, top to bottom. So how is it that I would add UCLA to this list? One might ask, “haven’t they already arrived?”. The answer is, “NO!”.  UCLA sits in Bel Air as part of the second largest metropolitan area in the United States, the largest state in the United States, and in the state with the best college football talent in the entire country! So why is it that they have found their niche in being “the little brother” to their cross town rival, The USC Trojans? Unlike what I discussed yesterday in the state of North Carolina, there ARE enough top recruits to go around in California. UCLA’s problems are simple, lackluster coaching and different priorities. Hold onto your hats though because that may be changing very soon. I am not at all saying UCLA has never had great coaches, and a lot of great coaches would take the job on their beautiful campus if they were pursued, but UCLA has had a tendency to go after coaches that still need to prove themselves rather than those that already have. There is a gamble in both areas but in the world of College Football, go the route of most certainty. Recruiting should not be a problem for UCLA but it has not been a strength of theirs. In my opinion, that is because of the coach.  Top recruits want to play for the top coach. I have a hard time believing that Nick Saban makes all his recruits feel warm and fuzzy inside and that’s why they choose to play for him. I think it is more likely that the top talent wants to reach the top of the heap and win. They want to play for a Champion. UCLA has not hired a championship caliber coach in over 40 years, and that is their fault. In that time, USC, down the road, has claimed lordship over Southern California. They compete for championships year in and year out, as they should. However, the UCLA vs USC game should be deciding the winner of the Pac12 each year and instead it is normally a game filled with heavy Vegas odds towards USC, and a lot of Hail Mary finishes for the Bruins. I believe, however, that is about to change. In less than 2 weeks from today, Chip Kelly will take the field as UCLA’s new head coach for the first time, and I believe, we may be witnessing the first alarm bell for this sleeping giant.  Chip Kelly is a proven winner, championship level recruiter, and an elite coach. He made Oregon, a desolate brand in the sport, one of the top programs in the country. Additionally, he changed the way the Pac12 and all of college football plays the game with his new approach to rapid pace spread-offense. I don’t expect the Bruins to be making appearances in the College Football Playoff this season, but, don’t be surprised it they are knocking on the door of the Committee’s room within the next 3 years. Chip Kelly is the best coach to set foot on UCLA’s campus since Henry Sanders in the 1940′s and 1950′s. I smell change in the Bel Air.  The only other factor that has been keeping this giant snoozing is the University’s athletic priorities. I can’t fault UCLA for focusing on Basketball for as long as they did. For goodness sakes that had the most influential coach of all time in John Wooden and of course whatever he wanted the University would give him. So priorities in the 1950′s, 1960′s, and 1970′s began to shift until his final season in 1975. Since then the University has played in a state of Athletic identify crisis, “what type of school are we?”. The fans couldn’t answer that for them either, as football attendance slowly and steadily drifted at UCLA games, meanwhile attendance and interest ticked up at USC games. What made it worse is that they play at the same stadium (The Rose Bowl) on different Saturdays so it became more obvious to people watching on TV who had the more devoted fans. The University still didn't focus on football to build them back to their former glory until the mid to late 2000′s when they began rebranding, and refocusing on football.  Most FBS programs do not finish in the black. UCLA is one, however, that does. In 2017, the Wall Street Journal published a study performed by Ryan Brewer, an associate professor of finance at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus. This study ranked the value of all 129 FBS football programs. UCLA  was declared as the 27th most valuable program in the sport, worth an estimated $314,436,000. I don’t know about you, but that is a lot of change. How can a program valued at that not afford top facilities, top branding, top coaching, and top expectations? The University and Athletic Department did not prioritize them.   If Chip Kelly can start to get the ball rolling in Bel Air, he will have enough pull for the administration and athletic department to prioritize them, and once those two click, don’t expect to hear as much about USC anymore when walking around LA. 

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The Sleeping Giants Part I

I am the type of person who likes to discuss a number of obvious and abstract topics in the world of sports. Few topics excited me more than playing the “What If” game. So, over the next 5 days I will be counting down the Top 5 Sleeping Giants in College Football. For those who maybe aren’t sure by what I mean by “Sleeping Giant”, a Sleeping Giant in college football is a program that has more potential than they do success and requires a few moving pieces to line up in order for them to capitalize on their potential or emerging power. Some programs on this list have had some success yet underperform OR have had very little but could be potential powerhouses. Today we will discuss #5 on my list, the North Carolina State University Wolfpack.  North Carolina State University (NCState) is a program that has a rich history and an abundance of rabid fans. Since 1892, the red and white have been taking the field in Raleigh, NC.  For the most part this program has hung their hat on an abundance of mediocre seasons and awesome tailgating but have truly underperformed in the grand scheme of things.   North Carolina, has long been the epicenter of the college basketball world.  UNC-Chapel Hill is a measly 13.1 miles away from NCState and Duke is 21.7 miles away.  Two of the most elite basketball programs of the last 4 decades being that close, NCState does not even compare.  This is one of the reasons the support for football at NCState is greater than at any other major FBS program in the state. So why is it that NCState has yet to climb to the great heights that other football focused schools have in other states? They are in an Over-Saturated market, have mediocre coaching, and annual poor recruiting results. North Carolina, California, Florida, and Texas have the most Division I FBS programs in their states.  In the Tar Heel State, you have NCState, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Charlotte, Wake Forest, East Carolina, Duke, and Appalachian State. The state’s population, according to the 2010 census, is 10.27 million people. The higher the population the more competitive high school programs tend to be, however, if the top in-state recruits had 1 or 2 big time programs to choose from, it would be easier for those programs to prosper.  In North Carolina though, these recruits are choosing between 7 top tier programs. This simply boils down to not having enough top talent to go around, someone needs to step-up and be the top choice, NCState should be. The coaching in NCState’s past has been good, but never great.  Don’t get me wrong, they have had great coaches, but they don’t stay.  They move on to bigger jobs and leave the wolf pack for greener pastures. Currently, Dave Doeren is leading the program, seemingly in the right direction, but they are staying in their NCState routine of counting 9 wins as a great season. 9 win seasons are good seasons, not great, that speaks volumes about the current mindset of a program when 9 wins is acceptable. Tell that to an Alabama fan, and they would even fire Saban. Dave Doeren needs to light a fire under the players, make 9 wins the floor and 13 the ceiling and the over-saturation of the state will become less important, the recruits will want to play for the consistent winners in town. Recruiting is the least talked about but most important part about setting your program up for success. According to SBNation.com writer Alex Kirshner, North Carolina is the #9 top producing state for collegiate football talent. That’s a lot of top recruits that could help make 10+ win seasons the norm. NCState needs to capitalize on this status. How you ask? Consistently beating the in-state ACC rivals (UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, Wake) will put them in a good place, then to establish a wall essentially on top North Carolina recruits to prevent Georgia, Clemson, South Carolina, and Alabama from stealing their top talent as well.  NCState could very easily and very quickly become the recruiting machine the state of North Carolina lacks.  If NCState were to get rolling and fix any of these three problem areas, they would be a load year after year.  UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke would stay a Basketball school, however, NCState would make North Carolina a football state. I think out of my top 5 picks for Sleeping Giants, NCState is the second most likely to reach this status in the next decade. 

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If you’re not First you’re Last!

Earlier today I tweeted my picks for each Power Five conference. If you don’t like it, I don’t care, but feel free to tell me about it in the comments.

ACC:Clemson Tigers

Initial thoughts:This should kind of be a no brainer for anyone who follows the sport. What Dabo Swinney has cooking in Clemson, SC is something special, consistency. Few things are more challenging in College Football than to build and maintain a program in a Power Five league, and Dabo has done just that.

Where could they stumble?:Don’t expect Syracuse to get the Tigers this year, that game is in Death Valley and the fans haven’t forgotten what happened last year, they will turn the place into Deaf Valley.

The game in College Station for the ACC vs SEC regular season matchup should be entertaining, but don’t expect the Tigers to go easy on the Aggies.  Dabo and his team play better when the lights are brighter.

Now that those two popular picks for a trip-up-game are out of the way, go ahead and circle November 10th, that is when the Tigers could hurt. They will be playing an afternoon game in Boston, Mass against the Boston College Eagles.  That game has TRAP written all over it.  Clemson is used to playing in warmer weather and average high in Boston in November is 33.  Buckle-up Clemson fans, that game is gunna be rough.

Final Record: 11-1 heading into ACC Championship vs Miami Hurricanes

Big12: TCU Horned Frogs

Initial thoughts: This is a risky pick. Most people are picking Oklahoma because they have owned the conference the last few years, but the Mayfield era is over.  Baker Mayfield was a generational player and there are far too many questions about the Quarterback spot he left behind for me to feel confident picking them in Lincoln Riley’s “pass first, run never” offense. I expect 3 losses for OU.

Gary Patterson had too much of a pep in his step at Big12 media days for him to be worried about his team.  That man is a legend in the making.  He tends to coach the more balanced teams in a conference of one-sided talent. I trust him and his silent confidence. TCU to shock the conference.

Where could they stumble?:The Ohio State game suddenly could be a toss-up when I would have previously handed the win to Urban Meyer and his Buckeyes, but too much is unknown now, maybe this loss is less legitimate.  No matter the outcome, this is an out of conference game, but depending on how high or low the outcome is could impact how they play the following week.  College Football is all about emotions.

November 10th is a big day for TCU to lose too, I have them losing in Morgantown in front of a sellout crowd of toothless hillbillies, I mean, the University of West Virginia faithful. First one to 50 points wins.

Final Record: 10-2 heading into the Big12 Championship vs Texas Longhorns

Big10: Penn State Nittany Lions

Initial thoughts:Penn State sits in probably the strongest division in College Football this season, the Big10 East. So why am I so confident about these guys making it to the top of the mountain? James “motherf*ckin’” Franklin. The guy is an elite coach and will be adding a National Championship to his record books within the next 3 seasons.  Even with the loss of their generation player, this team reloads. With Ohio State turmoil, this could blow the race wide open and I think Penn State is poised to seize the moment, in a white out.

Where could they stumble?:November 10th is the preseason biggest weekend of the year.  Wisconsin rolls into State College, PA and shoves their ground'n'pound game down the high flying Lions’ throats. These two will be two Titans meeting under a snowy night in November and a cold loss for Penn State. No worries though, I have them rematching for the Big10 Championship and Penn State taking revenge.

Michigan State could be a tricky game for the Lions’ as well. I expect them to hold off Sparty, but this rivalry game on October 13th will be fun to watch, but I predict to be the nail in Michigan State’s playoff coffin.

Final Record: 11-1 heading into Big10 Championship vs Wisconsin

Pac12: Washington Huskies

Initial thoughts:By far the most boring conference heading into the season. After the worst bowl season performance of all time, Washington is the only team who carries hope into their season.  Chris Peterson doesn’t have bad teams, I don’t expect the Huskies to make it to the playoffs though.

Where could they stumble?: Where do I begin?

Auburn in primetime week one

Utah September 15th

Oregon on October 13th

Stanford on November 3rd

I see all of those games just as likely a win as they could be a loss for the Huskies.  The team is not bad, but they are not built to run the table.  They are bound to slip up one or three times.

Final Record:10-2 heading into Pac12 Championship vs USC

SEC: Georgia Bulldogs

Initial thoughts: The hottest team last year has been awfully quiet this off-season. People made noise picking them to win the east and face Alabama or Auburn for a rematch but beyond that not much is being made of the Bulldogs. This team has a lot of new names and faces which adds to the skepticism, however, Kirby Smart begins year 3with the best recruits the school has ever had, Jake Fromm takes another step towards greatness, and the fan base ignites a fire under the players to propel them to a title.

Where could they stumble?: A lot of people are warning of an upset in Columbia against the Gamecocks in week two but I think the Bulldogs start looking scary instead. I think the first possible stumble comes September 22nd when Mizzou rolls into town. Since Missouri joined the SEC, UGA and UM have had a heated back and forth. I know the 3rd Tigers have been down the last two years, but don’t expect them to stay down. Drew Locke has the potential to give the Bulldog’s secondary fits.  Pair that with a potential sleepy noon kickoff in Athens? Kirby and the boys might get left stunned.

Georgia should handle Florida at “The World’s Largest Cocktail Party"just fine, but you never know in a rivalry game, especially with a new head coach at the helm in Gainesville. I think Georgia will control the game but don’t be shocked if the ole’ "Quarterback Whisperer” pulls his season one signature win in Jacksonville against the Dawgs.

Auburn vs Georgia is probably the most underrated rivalry in the SEC and top five in the sport. These two have played more years than most programs have even existed. They are the south’s two original football teams and their clash has rocked the deep south for two centuries now.  Auburn got embarrassed on the biggest stage in the conference end of last year in Atlanta and I expect them to march into Athens on (yes, another one) November 10th and give Georgia their best shot.  Expect the Tigers to be undefeated on that Saturday and the Bulldogs to look nervous.

Final Record:12-0 heading into the SEC Championship vs Alabama

Let me know what you guys think of my picks! Think I’m wrong? tell me!  Think I’m the smartest guy in the world? Tell me!

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The First Play

Greetings!

Welcome to the first day of Bench Slapped Sports! This is a new personal blog and series of unapologetic opinions on the world of College Football and the craziness that surrounds it. From scores to the coaching carousel, and commentators to recruiting.  I will discuss what I feel is in need of a little reality check. If you like what I have to say, let me know!  If you don’t, well, get lost.  If you have questions about anything feel free to email those questions to me at bench.slapped.sports@gmail.com and follow me on twitter @BenchSlapped