Mail Call With a Side of Football Friday

Football Friday, Volume 5

A little twist to this week's edition of Football Friday: it will not be entirely about football!  Shocking I know.  I have also decided to incorporate a few of my loyal readers into this entry as part of The SLReport's first mailbag! 

With today's news that Terry Francona will no longer be the manager of the Red Sox let's get to today's first question...

Now that Tito Francona is out as Red Sox manager, who do you think are some viable options and who do you think will ultimately replace him? (Mike in Holbrook, MA)

With this news still being fresh I haven't given a ton of thought to this but will give it my best shot.

If they wanted to go the big name route there is one obvious choice: Joe Torre.  It would be a high profile hire for the club with the added bonus of sticking it to the Yankees.  Torre most recently managed with the Dodgers and has worked for Major League Baseball since departing after last season.  He took the Dodgers to back to back NLCS appearances in 2008 and 2009.  I see this as a longshot though.

Another fairly big name who the Red Sox ownership is a fan of is Bobby Valentine.  He would bring a tough, hard nosed approach to the Boston clubhouse, which would be a contrast to Terry Francona's more laid back demeanor.  Valentine has not managed in MLB since 2002 and currently works for ESPN as an analyst.  He interviewed for the Orioles last season after Dave Trembley was fired and it is well known that he wants to get back into MLB.  If they go the big name route I see this being the best chance.

My gut tells me that Red Sox ownership and management will not go in that direction.  Francona was not high on anyone's list heading into 2004 when he was hired.  Boston's brass will probably hire someone that no one has even mentioned yet and give some statistical analysis from Bill James to back up the hire. 

With the Patriots' upcoming stretch of games against the Jets (twice), Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Giants do you think the lack of a consistent running game will prove their achilles heel or will their passing attack be enough to overcome it? (Brian in Chicago, IL)

The need for a more balanced attack will probably be most needed against the Ryan brothers.  I can see both Rex (Jets) and Rob (Cowboys) trying to re-create what Rex and the Jets did to the Pats in January in the playoffs.  They played a lot of defensive backs and took away a lot of New England's passing attack.  The sacks the Jets got in that game mostly were a result of great coverage instead of heavy blitzing.  

If they both try that strategy again the Patriots will have to be more committed to a balanced attack.  They will have to run the football to get both teams out of those looks.  

The Patriots have proven over the last several years that they can defeat Pittsburgh by throwing the football and I expect that to continue.  Troy Polamalu's strength is playing close to the line of scrimmage but the Patriots do a good job of exploiting him in coverage.  I also still don't buy the Giants as a legitimate contender.  I think the Pats can handle them. 

Which team is more likely to continue their early season success, the Bills or the Lions? (Poopa in Abington, MA)

They represent two of the three surprise teams in the NFL this season (with the Raiders being the other).  The Lions were a trendy pick in the NFC this season but I don't know that anyone saw them starting out 3-0.

I see the Lions being more likely to continue their success though.  First of all their schedule heading into their bye week is relatively soft (at Dallas, home vs Chicago, San Francisco, and Atlanta, and at Denver).  With the way they have been playing and that schedule they should be no worse than 6-2 at their bye.  Buffalo meanwhile visits the Bengals this week before entering into an extremely tough stretch (home against the Eagles, at the Giants, bye, home against the Redskins and Jets, and at Dallas). 

The other factor in the Lions' favor is a stronger defense.  They have possibly the best defensive front in the league, anchored by Ndamukong Suh.  Meanwhile the Bills have won their previous two games despite giving up 66 combined points.  Defense wins in the NFL and the Lions look to be ahead of Buffalo in that department right now.

Were Coach James Franklin’s (Vanderbilt) first 3 wins an anomaly or are they a sign of things to come? Are there examples of worse offenses winning 3 games in the SEC? (Jonathon in Nashville, TN)

Outside of possibly the Ole Miss game I don't think any of Vanderbilt's opening 3 wins were a big shock.  The bad sign for things to come was the South Carolina game.  The Commodores racked up a grand total of 77 yards on offense in their 21-3 loss.  South Carolina was struggling defensively prior to last weekend and are not considered one of the stronger defensive teams in the SEC.  

All of this could lead to some struggles as the season continues.  Vandy has a bye this weekend before heading to Tuscaloosa next weekend.  If Coach Franklin's offense plays like they did against USC then they may only gain 40 yards against the Tide.  

In their favor though is the fact that they only have to face two of the SEC's elite defenses (Alabama and Florida).  They should beat Army and Kentucky (who makes Vanderbilt look like Oregon offensively).  I would also tend to predict them to beat Wake Forest.  Those 3 games right there would make them bowl eligible.  An upset over Georgia, Arkansas, or Tennessee could still see Vandy winning 7 games.  I said before the season that I saw them as a year away and still stand by that but a bowl is definitely not out of the question.  Get excited Nashville!

John Cena vs The Rock at next year’s WrestleMania: Who do they book as the heel, and who should walk out with the win? Should it be clean? Personally, I think Cena goes over clean, they shake hands to end credits, and then the smarks riot.  If I had it my way, The Rock gets a controversial win then Cena beats him at Summerslam 2012 as The Rock's curtain call. (Chuck in Halifax, MA)

As great as the CM Punk era has been over the last few months next year's WrestleMania main event is still looming over everything in the wrestling world.  As we get closer to the event the internet will be alive with debate over how to book this match.  I have already heard rumors that Vince McMahon is trying to get Dwayne to stick around for several matches next year, which would allow for at least one re-match with Cena.  If his schedule allows it I see this happening because there would be a lot of money in it for both Vince and The Rock.

November's Survivor Series could give people a strong indication of how this feud will play out.  Cena and The Rock are supposed to be teaming up at the event and one would have to expect one to turn on the other.  I see Cena playing the heel role in all of this.  Survivor Series is being held at MSG this year and I expect the crowd to be heavily in The Rock's corner, much like it will be in Miami for Mania.  This would provide the perfect chance for the WWE to finally turn Cena heel.  If he is going to be heavily booed regardless then they might as well capitalize on it.  

I see a controversial Cena win to get him more heat at WrestleMania followed by The Rock winning a re-match.  If they turn it into a trilogy I see Cena ultimately prevailing since he is the one sticking around.

On to the picks...

Predictions (Home teams in CAPS)

NCAA

Northwestern (+10) over ILLINOIS

INDIANA (+15.5) over Penn State

ARKANSAS (+3) over Texas A&M
Mississippi State (+7) over GEORGIA

BOSTON COLLEGE (-1) over Wake Forest

Nevada (+27.5) over BOISE STATE

Michigan State (+3.5) over OHIO STATE

VIRGINIA TECH (-7) over Clemson

Alabama (4.5) over FLORIDA

Nebraska (+10) over WISCONSIN

Last Week: 2-7-1

Season: 18-18-4

NFL

Lions (+1) over COWBOYS

Saints (-7.5) over JAGUARS

EAGLES (-9) over Niners

RAMS (+2) over Redskins

Titans (+1) over BROWNS

Bills (-3) over BENGALS

CHIEFS (+2) over Vikings

Panthers (+7) over BEARS

Steelers (+4) over TEXANS

SEAHAWKS (+5.5) over Falcons

Giants (-1) over CARDINALS

CHARGERS (-7) over Dolphins

Broncos (+13) over PACKERS

Patriots (-4.5) over RAIDERS

RAVENS (-4) over Jets

Colts (+10.5) over BUCS

Last Week: 9-7
Season: 22-23-3

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It's LSU, Alabama, Then the Rest in the SEC

College football's first month is now almost complete.  It will be October the next time the majority of schools take the field.  As usual the SEC has dominated most of the on-field headlines.  Depending on the rankings the league boasts two of the top three teams in the country, (possibly the top two when the new rankings come out later today) in LSU and Alabama.

The next month should be extremely interesting as we build towards a potential super showdown in Tuscaloosa on November 5 between Alabama and LSU.  October will be filled with a number of big games with both SEC and BCS ramifications.

We all know LSU and Bama are legit but can any other teams step up and show they belong in the upper echelon?

Arkansas had an opportunity yesterday against the Tide but were completely overwhelmed by Alabama's big plays.  Florida has gotten off to a 4-0 start (2-0 in the SEC) and could prove to be a worthy contender in the East, but back to back games against Alabama and LSU the next two weeks should show us where they stand in the SEC overall.

As we start to look ahead to an exciting month let's see how the SEC stacks up after September.

12. Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC): The month of September ended with the Wildcats extending their losing streak to Florida to 25 games.  They also played in what Clay Travis deemed to be the "worst football game of all-time."  They have scored 68 points in 4 games so far (17 PPG).  Their high water mark for points scored this season is 27.  That came against Central Michigan, who is 1-3 with their lone win coming against South Carolina......State.  They have also accomplished all of this without playing a true road game.  That changes next Saturday when they head to Death Valley to face off with (and get steam rolled by) LSU.

11. Ole Miss (1-3, 0-2): The Rebels slide ahead of Kentucky by exactly a touchdown because they have only managed to score 7 more points (75) than the Wildcats.  Their season thus far can be epitomized by their opening day loss to BYU.  They managed only 1 touchdown in the game but still led 13-0 early in the fourth quarter.  After seeing the lead cut to 13-7 the Rebels allowed a strip sack to be recovered in the end zone for a touchdown and lost the game 14-13.  They have been outscored 57-20 in their opening 2 SEC games, losses to Vanderbilt and Georgia.  A road game at Fresno State and a bye week serve as the prelude to back to back home games against Alabama and Arkansas.

10. Mississippi State (1-3, 0-2): Dan Mullen has talked about not wanting to leave Starkville for jobs that are perceived to be better and higher profile.  Well he might want to start worrying about keeping his job at MSU.  He has shown no ability to beat the other teams in the SEC West, save for Ole Miss, and at some point these close losses have to turn into victories or else he will be gone.  The Tigers lost by inches to Auburn and followed that up with a hard fought performance at home against LSU.  Unfortunately their 2 wins came over a Memphis team that makes Kentucky's offense look like Oregon's and in overtime over Lousiana Tech.  Mark Richt may still lose his job in Athens but at least he knows there is one less candidate to replace him.

9. Georgia (2-2, 1-1): The aforementioned Richt and his squad will get a shot at Mullen and Co. in Athens next Saturday.  Richt is still positioned firmly on the hot seat right now but his remaining schedule could help him out.  He doesn't play any of the big guns in the West this year and every remaining game is winnable.  He may have to win out though.  The Dawgs have shown that they will fight for their coach.  They went down to the wire against South Carolina after the opening loss to Boise State and have taken care of business against Coastal Carolina and Ole Miss.  They cannot afford to do worse than 2-1 over their next 3 games (MSU, at Tennessee, at Vanderbilt) heading into their annual matchup in Jacksonville with the Gators if they want to keep Richt in Athens.

8. Tennessee (2-1, 0-1): Hopes were high in Knoxville heading into the Florida game last weekend.  Tyler Bray, Justin Hunter, and Da'Rick Rogers had been lighting up the world in the first two weeks of the season and thought their time had arrived to once again contend, at least with USC in the East.  Suddenly Hunter was down with a knee injury after a first down catch and Tennessee couldn't recover.  The Vols have had a week to stew over the loss to the Gators in the Swamp and will get Buffalo next Saturday before returning to their SEC schedule.  The Georgia game will be huge because it precedes a three game stretch that sees them host LSU, travel to Alabama, and host South Carolina.  A loss to the Dawgs could have the Vols looking at a 3-5 record come the end of October with their bowl chances in serious jeopardy.

7. Arkansas (3-1, 0-1): Another chance to announce themselves on the national scene and another disappointment for the Razorbacks.  Down 10-7 and playing well Arkansas saw it all unravel with a pick 6 late in the second quarter and a punt return touchdown early in the third. Ballgame.  Arkansas checked out at that point, as was evidenced when they fell asleep and allowed Trent Richardson to take a screen pass 61 yards to the house.  They open October against a Texas A&M squad that will be trying to bounce back from another heartbreaking loss to Oklahoma State.  The schedule softens after that and it isn't conceivable to think that they could run the table heading into their regular season finale with LSU but they effectively lost any shot at the West this year because I can't see Alabama losing twice between now and the end of the season.

6. Vanderbilt (3-1, 1-1): I am not going to lie.  The main reason I put Vandy ahead of Arkansas stems from spite over Arkansas' stinker in Tuscaloosa.  Vandy suffered their first loss of the season yesterday at South Carolina.  They managed a whopping 77 yards of total offense on the afternoon.  After a bye week next week they have to travel to Tuscaloosa where double digits in total yards could be a possibility again.  A stretch of Georgia, Army, and Arkansas at home could still see the Commodores at 5-3 by October's end.  That would make a bowl bid very likely, 4-4 would require wins over Kentucky and Wake Forest in November.  Even with today's performance most people have to be satisfied with James Franklin's first season to date.

5. Auburn (3-1, 1-0): The winning streak ended last week and a new one, possibly a short lived new one, began yesterday with a 30-14 victory over Florida Atlantic.  Now the Tigers face 5 games in the next 5 Saturdays before getting a bye week to begin November.  They will need the rest.  The next four games will see Auburn travel to South Carolina and Arkansas, host Florida, and travel to LSU.  They close the month with a home game against Ole Miss.  A 1-4 month is very much in play.  The Florida game could be their best chance to avoid that fate.  The Gators will be coming off back to back games against Alabama and LSU and it will be their second straight road game.  The fact that they have now allowed fewer than 34 points in their 3 games outside of the FAU win does not bode well for Gene Chizik's team.

4. Florida (4-0, 2-0): The Gators were expected to be no worse than 3-1 after September so the record should not be a surprise.  They took care of business against Kentucky yesterday and now can focus on the Crimson Tide.  Florida's defense has looked elite in the first month and the offense has been efficient for the most part.  Will Muschamp and the Gators will find out quickly if they are truly a championship-level football team.  After Alabama they travel to Baton Rouge and Auburn before a bye week and then their matchup in Jacksonville with Georgia.  The defense is currently 5th in the nation in points allowed.  If they are still in the top 10 heading into November then we could be looking at a true contender.

3. South Carolina (4-0, 2-0): The Gamecocks are the best of the rest.  This ranking is based more on their talent than on their performance so far this season.  They have scored 146 points in the season's first month but have allowed 103.  Marcus Lattimore has been the key cog with 534 yards and 7 touchdowns but he is also averaging over 20 carries per game in an extremely physical conference.  Lattimore cannot be expected to keep up that pace, and Stephen Garcia and Alshon Jeffery need to pick up their production to help ease the pressure on their star tailback.  South Carolina is also fortunate to have the easiest October slate out of all the contenders.  Their slate of Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi State, and Tennessee make 8-0 through 2 months a very real possibility.  Avoiding LSU and Alabama in the regular season should help them put the pressure on Florida to keep pace in the East.

2. Alabama (4-0, 1-0): The second best September in the country would normally afford a team the top spot in their conference, but unfortunately in the SEC that is not the case.  Alabama entered the season with questions at the quarterback spot but seemed to have found the answer in A.J. McCarron.  They answered the bell on the road at Penn State two weeks ago and answered their first SEC challenge by running Arkansas out of Bryant Denny Stadium yesterday.  The defense is second in the county in points against and Trent Richardson and Marquis Maze have provided big plays on offense and in special teams.  If they survive the Swamp next weekend the Tide will be 8-0 heading into their November 5 home game with LSU.

1. LSU (4-0, 1-0): The best September in the country belongs to the Bayou Bengals.  Les Miles' squad defeated three ranked teams away from Tiger Stadium.  According to Clay Travis the rest of the top 25 combined for 5 wins against ranked teams away from home.  Based on performance LSU has to be the #1 team in the country.  Their toughest October matchup will be Florida, who they get at home and they only have to travel once, to Tennessee.  This team seems to have The Look of a championship team.  The ease with which they took control of that game after West Virginia cut the lead to 6 last night was frightening.  The defense is fast, physical, and nasty, as is their running game.  Jarrett Lee has proven that he can lead this team in hostile environments, which should help since they will be traveling to Tuscaloosa on November 5 to possibly decide one half of the BCS Championship Game.

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Happy Mo Lewis Day

Football Friday, Volume 4

On this day ten years ago the New England Patriots franchise was changed forever.

The moment that changed the Patriots forever

With 5:01 remaining in an eventual 10-3 loss to the New York Jets their franchise quarterback Drew Bledsoe was leveled by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis as he attempted to scramble out of bounds.  It was a monster hit and proved once again how tough Bledsoe was.  He returned to the game for the Patriots' next offensive series before being replaced by Tom Brady on the final possession of the game.  It was later revealed that Bledsoe suffered a sheared blood vessel in his chest.

Bledsoe had been the face of the franchise since his rookie season of 1993.  He, Bill Parcells, and Robert Kraft helped to preserve professional football in New England after James Orthwein threatened to move the team to St. Louis.  It may be hard to remember now but Gillette Stadium could have been called "The House That Bledsoe Built."  Robert Kraft so valued his star quarterback that he signed Bledsoe to a record (for the time) 10 year 103 million dollar contract.  

The Lewis hit complicated matters for Bledsoe and the team.

Bledsoe still believed that he was the franchise, and had every right to believe that at the time, but people on the football side of the business, including Bill Belichick, already had doubts as to his long term future as the team's starter.  There was no questioning Bledsoe's toughness and his ability to get the ball downfield, but his decision making was being questioned more and more.  Tom Brady was already very much on their radar.  Damon Huard had been brought in to be the backup and Brady had already beaten him out.  It was also believed that Brady had a stronger preseason in 2001 than Bledsoe.

Now, with the help of Mo Lewis, Brady was being thrust into the starting role.  The rest as they say is history.  Brady got the job and never gave it back.  Bledsoe returned from his injury and ,despite his displeasure with the situation, took the high road publicly and remained loyal to the franchise he had helped resurrect. 

Everyone fully expected Bledsoe to stand on the sideline for the remainder of the season and then negotiate a trade out of New England.  The wonderful thing about sports is that they do not always follow the script.  Bledsoe eventually got his trade after the season but not without receiving one last opportunity to save the Patriots.  Brady was knocked out in the second quarter of the AFC Championship game in Pittsburgh and Bledsoe jogged in from the sideline.  He bounced back from a hit by Chad Scott that was eerily similar to the Mo Lewis play in Foxboro to throw a touchdown pass to David Patten before halftime.  Bledsoe was unspectacular in the game but did enough to punch the Patriots' ticket to New Orleans.

A champion, but not the way he planned

Brady regained his starting role in Super Bowl XXXVI against St. Louis and Drew Bledsoe saw his team win their first Super Bowl championship, one he dreamed of bringing back to New England but under much different circumstances.  Bledsoe did not return home with the team and did not attend the victory celebration.  He was traded to Buffalo in the offseason and once again proved that he was a class act by taking out full page ads in the Boston newspapers thanking the fans for their support.

Today the New England Patriots are considered one of the model franchises in the NFL.  They have won three Super Bowl Championships in the last decade and play in a state of the art facility.  Tom Brady, as well as Bill Belichick, is the face of the franchise and receives, rightfully so, much of the credit for where the Patriots are today.

But it is appropriate that Drew Bledsoe was enshrined in the Patriots Hall of Fame last weekend.  This season marks the tenth anniversary of his final season in Foxboro.  Brady and Belichick deserve all of the credit that they have received for their contributions to the franchise, but it should be remembed that if not for Drew Bledsoe there might not be a Gillette Stadium or Patriots Place.  He left New England the way he always dreamed of leaving: as a champion.  It just didn't happen the way he planned.  Yet he still found a way to remind New Englanders of his toughness and class and his ability to deliver in the clutch.

Drew Bledsoe helped make the franchise what it is today and he deserves all of the recognition he has received.

But let's not forget to also thank Mo Lewis...

Yet Another Showdown Saturday

College football fans will be treated to a number of big games yet again tomorrow.  There are four matchups featuring top 25 teams facing off.  #2 LSU faces yet another tough game away from Baton Rouge when they head to Morgantown for a primetime date with #16 West Virginia.  I have already argued that if LSU wins this game there should be no argument against them being ranked #1.  They will boast 3 victories over ranked teams, with none of those wins coming in Tiger Stadium.  They will face a raucous road environment for the second straight week though as Morgantown should be fired up for a top-5 opponent and College Gameday's first visit.

Bama will have their hands full Saturday

The schedule makers have helped Nick Saban out this week.  He may have been nervous about his team looking ahead to next Saturday night's showdown in The Swamp with Florida but that is not an option for the Crimson Tide.  #3 Alabama hosts #14 Arkansas in a key SEC West matchup.  The Razorbacks, led by quarterback Tyler Wilson, have been pegged an SEC sleeper by many pundits and look to make a statement in Tuscaloosa.  The Tide's pass defense has yet to be challenged this season but we will have a much better idea of how good they are after tomorrow.

The Big 12 also has a key conference matchup on tomorrow's slate.  #7 Oklahoma State will pay a visit to College Station to face off with the #8 Aggies of Texas A&M.  This could be the Cowboys' last visit to Kyle Field with A&M's impending departure for the SEC and they hope to ruin the Aggies' championship aspirations.  A&M blew a 21-7 halftime lead in Stillwater last season and eventually lost 38-35.  The winner of this game will most likely be Oklahoma's top competition for the Big 12 title and could find themselves in the national championship discussion.

Tomorrow's key ACC Atlantic Division tussle features teams on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum.  #11 Florida State looks to bounce back from their home loss last Saturday night to #1 Oklahoma, while #21 Clemson looks to continue the momentum they gained last week by ending Auburn's win streak in Death Valley.  The Seminoles may be without starting quarterback E.J. Manuel, who was knocked out of the Oklahoma game.  They also are riding a four game losing streak in Death Valley.  A win for Clemson would give them their first 4-0 start since 2007 and make them the favorites to win the Atlantic.

Predictions (Home teams in CAPS)

NCAA
MICHIGAN (-10.5) over San Diego State
North Carolina (+7) over GEORGIA TECH
Notre Dame (-7.5) over PITT
OLE MISS (+10) over Georgia
MARYLAND (-9) over Temple
Colorado (+17) over OHIO STATE
Arkansas (+11) over ALABAMA
Florida State (+3) over CLEMSON
TEXAS A&M (-4) over Oklahoma State
Louisiana State (-6.5) over WEST VIRGINIA

Last Week: 5-5
Season: 16-11-3

NFL
Niners (+3) over BENGALS
Patriots (-9) over BILLS
SAINTS (-4) over Texans
Giants (+8) over EAGLES
Dolphins (+3) over BROWNS
Broncos (+6.5) over TITANS
Lions (-4) over VIKINGS
PANTHERS (-4) over Jaguars
RAIDERS (+3.5) over Jets
Ravens (-4) over RAMS
Falcons (+1) over BUCS
Cardinals (-3.5) over SEAHAWKS
CHARGERS (-15) over Chiefs
BEARS (+4) over Packers
Steelers (-11) over COLTS
Redskins (+5) over COWBOYS


Last Week: 9-6-1
Season: 13-16-3


Finally I'd like to give a shoutout to two of my players and now loyal blog followers Kevin Grey and Timmy Burke, keep reading, spread the word, and hopefully we can play tonight!


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Gators Looking Ahead to Tough October

The Will Muschamp Era has gotten off to a very successful start so far in Gainesville.  The Gators sport a 3-0 record heading into this weekend's game at Kentucky (Saturday 7 PM).  Now the Gators will say all of the right things like that they are taking the Wildcats seriously, and maybe they are, but the truth is that they should handle their business and head into October 4-0.

And that is when it gets interesting for the Gators.

Florida is facing a murderer's row in October.  It begins next Saturday night with a home date against the Alabama Crimson Tide.  The next two Saturdays will be road tests, beginning with a trip to Death Valley to face LSU followed by a visit to Jordan Hare Stadium to face the defending National Champion Auburn Tigers.  After a bye week the Gators will head to Jacksonville for their annual tilt with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Now nothing could make that schedule easier but Florida does catch some breaks.  Both Alabama and Auburn have to face Arkansas the week before playing the Gators, and they also get a bye week before heading to Jacksonville.

So as the Gators head into their season defining stretch let's take a look at what's been good and bad for Florida in the first month of the season:

Rainey broke open last week's game

GOOD: Chris Rainey has been more than good for the Gators in the first three weeks of the season.  He is averaging 8.8 yards per touch so far this season.  He is averaging 6.4 yards per carry on 48 rushes and 19.5 yards per catch on 11 receptions.  He showed his explosiveness last week in the Tennessee game turning a 3 yard pass into an 83 yard touchdown, speeding through the Volunteer secondary.  He also added a blocked punt in that game.  Rainey has been eager to atone for last season, which saw him get suspended from the team, and he has proven to be one of the key weapons in the Gators' offense.

BAD: The Gators have struggled to complete red zone trips with touchdowns thus far this season.  It was a point of emphasis for the team after they suffered similar struggles last season.  Florida has visited the red zone 16 times this season and has come away with points on 15 of those occasions, but they have only scored touchdowns 9 times.  They only scored touchdowns twice out of four red zone trips against Tennessee last week.  It is an issue that needs to be resolved because Alabama and LSU boast elite defenses and points will be at a premium in those games.  The Gators cannot afford to leave points on the field against those teams.

BAD: Penalties have been another problem for Florida so far this season.  In only 3 games the Gators have amassed 34 penalties for 270 yards.  Against Tennessee they committed 16 penalties for a whopping 150 yards, including 9 pass interference calls.  They need to be more disciplined because they will not be able to recover from frequent penalties against the tougher competition they will be facing throughout October.

GOOD: The defense has proven to be a strength under Muschamp.  The unit is only allowing 8.7 points per game, a number that could improve this weekend against an offensively challenged Kentucky squad.  Their strength has been been stopping the run.  Florida's opponents are averaging only 1.2 yards per carry and 30.4 yards per game rushing this season.  They are also holding opponents to only 20% on third down conversions and 17% on fourth down conversions.  They have only allowed opponents 3 touchdowns in 7 red zone visits.  One of the only areas in which they have struggled is rushing the passer.  They only have 5 sacks in 3 games thus far this season.  The Alabama and LSU games could turn into strength vs strength matchups because both teams want to rush the football and Florida has prided itself in that area.

A visionary

(Thanks to Stewie Griffin for the compliment sandwich model.)

The Gators are entering the pivotal stretch of Will Muschamp's inaugural season in Gainesville.  Expectations may not have been what they usually are but Florida has proven to have an elite defense through three weeks.  October will decide if the defense, and the rest of the team, are championship ready.

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Jarrett Lee Stands Tall in Starkville

Football Friday, Volume 3

(Note: This week's entry will feature my NFL picks at the end but no comments.  I have suspended myself for a week from commenting on the NFL.  My picks record for last week, as well as an atrocious fantasy football performance in multiple leagues, has caused me to rescind my right to discuss the NFL, at least for a week.)

LSU had answered a lot of questions even before their game against Mississippi State last night.  Their defense has shown that it can stop a high powered attack, while their running game has proven more than capable at wearing down defenses in the second half of games.  There was only one major question remaining.

Can Jarrett Lee step up and deliver on the road in an hostile environment?

MSU needed more cowbell last night

Lee passed his first test in Starkville last night with flying colors.  He completed 21 of 27 passes for 213 yards and a beautiful touchdown pass to Rueben Randle to put the game away.  His one miscue was an interception late in the game when LSU was already up by 10.  At that point the game was not really in doubt because LSU's defense had completely demoralized the MSU offense.

Lee walked into a raucous, cowbell-filled environment and did not wilt under pressure.  LSU still kept things fairly conservative, but he did show an ability to get the ball down the field on several occasions.  It was a very positive development for the Tigers passing game because next week Russell Shepard returns from his suspension.  Lee has proven to be more than adequate behind center and it will be interesting to see if LSU begins to open things up a bit more.

All Eyes on the Sunshine State

The eyes of the college football world will be focused on the state of Florida tomorrow.  Miami hosts Ohio State in what Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi has dubbed "The Battle for the Impermissible Benefits Trophy."  I think that has a better ring to it than my name of Controversy Bowl II.  Elsewhere in Florida the Gators will battle the Tennessee Volunteers in the SEC opener for both schools.  In the main event, in primetime, the #1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners travel to Tallahassee for a date with the #5 Florida State Seminoles. 

This man wants to be relevant nationally again

The biggest storyline for this game has been Florida State's search for a game to show the country that they are back.  Oklahoma ended the Seminole dynasty of the 1990s and early 2000s when they defeated FSU for the 2000 BCS title in the Orange Bowl 13-2.  Florida State fell into a pattern of mediocrity (especially by their standards) during the past decade, but believe they are once again title contenders under coach Jimbo Fisher.  They are also eager to erase the memories of last year's game with the Sooners in Norman.  The Seminoles were completely outclassed, the game was over at halftime, and were run out of the state of Oklahoma 47-17.

I think Landry Jones is the biggest storyline of this matchup though.  The Sooners quarterback has thrown for over 8,000 yards and has 65 touchdown passes in his career but has struggled on the road.  In 9 true road games Jones has 17 TD passes but 15 interceptions to go along with them.  That is more than half of his career total of 26.  In the last 2 seasons the Sooners have lost 5 true road games.  Jones and his teammates have a big opportunity to exorcise some of these road demons and stay on track for a January trip to New Orleans.

The matchup in Gainesville should be interesting as two traditional powers try to prove that they once again belong in the SEC title discussion.  The Gators have looked good out of the gate under new head coach Will Muschamp.  They have outscored Florida Atlantic and UAB 80-3.  John Brantley has been unspectacular but efficient in completing 67% of his passes for 212 yards per game.  The defense looks like it could be an elite unit in the SEC.

The defense will have to be elite Saturday to slow down the Volunteers.  Tyler Bray appears to be the best quarterback in the league, and a win in Gainesville would cement that status.  Bray has completed nearly 79% of his passes for 698 yards and an FBS-best 7 touchdown passes.  Bray, along with receivers Justin Hunter and Da'Rick Rogers, will look to put the Gator secondary in a lot of stress.

History will be on the Gators side though.  Florida has won the last 6 meetings, including a 31-17 win in Knoxville last year that swung in Florida's favor after a third quarter fake punt.  The teams appear to be pretty evenly matched this year and Derek Dooley hopes to get what would be the signature win of his tenure to date.

Cardiac Cats

Is this where Auburn's luck finally runs out?

The defending national champion Auburn Tigers currently boast the longest win streak in the nation at 17 games.  The streak, which has featured a number of down to the wire affairs, began appropriately with an overtime victory over Northwestern in the 2010 Outback Bowl.  They beat Alabama on the road by a point last season after a huge comeback and defeated Oregon for the BCSACC this season and a win over the defending champs would be a big statement. 

Quick Hits

There are some other big games around the country this week:

#18 West Virginia has to avoid looking ahead to next week's home date with LSU when they travel to College Park to face the Maryland Terps.  Maryland is supposedly wearing the uniforms that nearly blew up Twitter when they were unveiled against Miami on Labor Day.  Maryland used the energy to jump on the Hurricanes early and West Virginia will have to weather the early storm.

#11 Nebraska hosts Washington in the schools' third meeting in the last 12 months.  Nebraska handled the Huskies last season in Seattle, scoring 56 points, but were held to 7 in losing to Washington in the Holiday Bowl.  Nebraska visits Wisconsin in two weeks in its inaugural Big Ten game and doesn't want to slip up.  I expect Taylor Martinez to put on a show.

Nothing like a bitter rivalry game in September!  With Utah's move to the Pac-12 and BYU's move to independence the traditional November matchup will now be played this weekend.  Both teams are looking to bounce back from close losses as Utah lost its' Pac-12 opener to USC 23-14 and BYU fell to Texas 17-16.

Predictions (Home Teams in CAPS):
West Virginia (+1) over MARYLAND
CLEMSON (-3) over Auburn
Washington (+17) over NEBRASKA
BRIGHAM YOUNG (-4) over UTAH
MIAMI (-3) over Ohio State
NOTRE DAME (-4.5) over Michigan State
Tennessee (+9) over FLORIDA
KENTUCKY (-6) over Louisville
Arizona State (+2) over ILLINOIS
FLORIDA STATE (+3.5) over Oklahoma


Last Week: 6-2-2
Season: 11-6-3


NFL Predictions
SAINTS (-7) over Bears
LIONS (-8.5) over Chiefs
Jaguars (+9) over JETS
BILLS (-3.5) over Raiders
Cardinals (+4) over REDSKINS
Ravens (-6.5) over TITANS
Seahawks (+14.5) over STEELERS
PANTHERS (+10) over Packers
Bucs (+3) over VIKINGS
COLTS (+3) over Browns
Cowboys (-3) over NINERS
Texans (-3) over DOLPHINS
PATRIOTS (-7) over Chargers
BRONCOS (-3.5) over Bengals
FALCONS (+3) over Eagles
GIANTS (-6) over Rams


Last Week: 4-10-2
Season: 4-10-2

Bonus Pick:
Floyd "Money" Mayweather over Victor Ortiz (unanimous decision)


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LSU Facing More Roadblocks on Road to New Orleans

A lot of big name teams ease their way into the college football season.  Fans are used to the sight of a schedule littered with FCS teams travelling for a payday to an FBS school.  That is the norm at most schools.

As fans have learned over the years Les Miles and the LSU Tigers are anything but the norm in the college football world.

Tiger Stadium will look like this for the rest of September.

As a result LSU has already played one high profile game (a prime time shellacking of Oregon in Dallas) on the opening Saturday of the season and now enters a crucial two game road stretch against a pair of ranked opponents.  Tomorrow night the Tigers will be in Starkville for a nationally televised Thursday night matchup with #25 Mississippi State.  That game will be followed by a trip to Morgantown for a date with the #18 Mountaineers of West Virginia.

That means the Tigers will have played three ranked opponents (one an SEC West foe in MSU) in the first four weeks of the season.  On top of that all three of the games will have been away from Tiger Stadium.  If they are 4-0 come the morning of September 25 I don't know how anyone could argue against them being the #1 team in the nation.

The good news is that the schedule seems them playing 5 of their final 8 games in Tiger Stadium, including matchups with Florida, Auburn, and Arkansas.  One of the three games away from Baton Rouge is a November showdown with Alabama in Tuscaloosa.  The hope is that this tough early stretch will pay dividends for that game as it very well could determine the SEC West champion and a spot in Atlanta a month later.

The Tigers will be dealing with an angry Mississippi State team tomorrow night and cannot afford to look ahead.  The Bulldogs were hoping to stake their claim as a legitimate contender in the West this season but saw their SEC campaign get off to a rocky start Saturday at Auburn.  MSU was stopped at the goal line in the final seconds and suffered a disappointing 41-34 defeat.  Dan Mullen and his team know that another loss would most likely eliminate them from contention in the West and will most likely pull out all the stops against the Tigers.

The game should be a strength vs strength affair.  Mississippi State has rushed for 642 in its first two games of the season while LSU has only allowed a total of 91 yards in its pair of victories.  Mullen will look to attack with his spread option led by quarterback Chris Relf and tailback Vick Ballard.  The pair combined for 241 yards rushing against Auburn last weekend.

The Bulldogs should be aware that things are about to get much tougher though.  LSU has already held Oregon's vaunted attack to less than 100 yards rushing and made the Ducks one dimensional.  They shut down LaMichael James and forced Darron Thomas to throw the ball 54 times.  If they can do something similar to Mississippi State then LSU could be looking at another impressive victory.

Of course the Tigers would like to see their offense continue to develop under the leadership of Jarrett Lee.  Lee is coming off of a 9-10 performance against Northwestern State that saw him throw for 133 yards and a touchdown.  Rueben Randle continued to impress hauling in 5 passes for 121 yards, while Michael Ford and Spencer Ware combined for 4 touchdown runs in the rout.  If they can get through MSU things should continue to look up as Russell Shepard returns from suspension for the West Virginia matchup.

Les Miles and company have a tough opening month of the season but hope that it will aid them as they get into the meat of their SEC schedule.  If they can continue to navigate their murderer's row schedule successfully they could be looking at a potential BCS knockout game in Tuscaloosa in November.  A trip to Alabama is a daunting task for most teams, but LSU should be used to hostile environments by then.

An undefeated season in the SEC is hard enough with a cupcake non-conference schedule, but leave it to Les Miles to add some degree of difficulty to the task.  Something tells me the Mad Hatter and his Tigers may just be up to the task.

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Football Friday, Vol. 2

This weekend marks the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania.  It seems hard for me to believe that it has been a decade since that infamous day.

I was a junior in high school when the attacks occurred.  I still can recall sitting in Mr. Autio's French III class in second period when the president of the school announced over the intercom what had happened.   It was tough to comprehend what had happened at the time, especially without seeing any of it.  As the school day wore on a lot of teachers tried to continue with normal classes, but it was anything but a normal day.  Several teachers put television coverage on in their rooms and this is where many of us were first introduced to the now famous images of that day.

All after school activities were cancelled for the day.  Usually I would have been out at football practice but instead I took the bus to my mother's work then was home for the afternoon.  Any attempt at doing my homework was useless because I was glued to the television.  People didn't want to see it but at the same time couldn't take their eyes off of it.

It seemed like life would never be the same again.  The concept of normalcy became foreign.  Going to school in Dorchester it was strange not to have planes flying overhead on their descents to Logan Airport.  Normalcy did eventually return, or at least a new normal emerged.  The American spirit shone through both on September 11 and in the days and weeks that followed. 

One of the most striking moments of the week occurred the Friday after the attacks.  I was at the BC High football game that afternoon and all of a sudden we heard a plane.  When people are in that area consistently the noise of planes becomes an afterthough.  People get so used to the constant flow of air traffic to and from Logan that they don't even notice the noise after a while.  On this day though everyone took notice of the plane making its approach to the airport.  Eventually we would go back to not noticing the planes like before but on that particular day you couldn't help but take notice.

Joe Andruzzi and his brothers

Sports played a role in the recovery effort.  They allowed people an outlet to forget, at least for a few hours, all that had happened to the United States on that day.  It was right not to have games the weekend immediately after the attacks but eventually people needed to begin the healing process and sports helped to facilitate that.  I am sure most people have some image in their minds of their particular team doing something special that first weekend that football returned.  I still remember the goosebumps when Joe Andruzzi, an offensive lineman for the Patriots, came running out to the field with an American flag in each hand.  He also participated in the opening coin toss before the Patriots' game with the Jets.  Andruzzi's brothers, New York firefighters who were at the Twin Towers, were present for the coin toss.  The emotion on the field and in that stadium was palpable.

It will be great to have a full day of football again on Sunday, but we should all take some time to reflect and remember that day.

*******************************************************************************

SEC in the Spotlight Again

Just like last week the conference with the highest profile games will be the SEC.  #2 Alabama will travel to Happy Valley to take on the 20th ranked Penn State Nittany Lions in the premier non-conference tilt on Saturday.

There are also some conference games that will begin to shape the SEC race.  Two ranked teams will have road tests this weekend in their quest to get to Atlanta in December.  #16 Mississippi State will get its first opportunity to make a statement when it travels to Auburn Saturday afternoon.   Auburn extended their winning streak last weekend in unimpressive fashion against Utah State.  The Tigers were forced to score twice and recover an onside kick in the final 2:07 to avoid the upset.  I think Dan Mullen and MSU will put an end to the streak come Saturday.

I wonder why Clay Travis calls Athens the "cleavage capital of the South"

Later in the day #12 South Carolina will head to Athens to face the Georgia Bulldogs.  This will be South Carolina's first test in the East and a big challenge for Stephen Garcia since there are a lot of "distractions" (scroll down to just under the first image in the article) around campus on gameday in Athens.  Both teams were less than overwhelming in week 1, with Georgia losing convincingly to Boise State and South Carolina having to overcome a large deficit to defeat East Carolina.  I think South Carolina has too much firepower for the 'Dawgs as long as Garcia doesn't let his eyes wander into the stands.

The Alabama-Penn State matchup will be intriguing as neither team has settled on one quarterback yet.  Alabama split time between sophomore A.J. McCarron and freshman Phillip Sims.  The pair combined for 4 interceptions against Kent State, but the general feeling was that McCarron created some separation in that game.  It will be interesting to see how Nick Saban manages the pair in a hostile road environment.  The Nittany Lions started sophomore Rob Bolden against Indiana State last week, but also allowed junior Matt McGloin to see some action.  The pair was not asked to do much against the FCS Sycamores, as Penn State rushed for 245 yards, but that should change against the Crimson Tide.  Joe Paterno, who will likely be coaching from the press box for a second consecutive week, and Saban should have a much clearer idea about their teams, and their quarterback situations, after Saturday.  Whichever team gets the steadier play from their signal callers should win, and I think McCarron makes a statement Saturday.

Predictions (Home Teams in CAPS): 
Alabama (-10) over PENN STATE
South Carolina (-3) over GEORGIA
Mississippi State (-5.5) over AUBURN
Utah (+9) over SOUTHERN CAL
Brigham Young (+7) over TEXAS
VANDERBILT (-2) over Connecticut
Boston College (+7.5) over CENTRAL FLORIDA
MICHIGAN (+3) over Notre Dame
EAST CAROLINA (+17.5) over Virginia Tech
TENNESSEE (-4.5) over Cincinnati

Last Week: 5-4-1
Season: 5-4-1


Back in a Big Way

The NFL returned officially last night as the league kicked off its 2011 season in Green Bay with its annual Thursday night game.  The Packers and Saints put on a show and challenged the notion of defenses being ahead of offenses early in the season.  The teams combined for 76 points, but the game was decided by a goal line stand by the Packers defense to end the game, thus ruining the Saints chance to cover!

Fans can only hope that last night's game set a tone for how this season will go.  If the rest of the season can match last night's excitement and drama then we should be in for one hell of a season.

On to the picks...

RAVENS (-1.5) over Steelers
This is my favorite current NFL rivalry.  The two teams have a respect for each other as they both play a physical brand of football that gets elevated even further when they match up.  Baltimore's offense will be able to do a little more in this game I believe and Lee Evans is an interesting addition to the lineup.

BUCS (-1.5) over Lions
There seems to be a history with these "sleeper:" picks each season.  One team always gets pumped up by everyone to the point that they can't be a "sleeper" anymore because everyone is talking about them.  The Bucs took a step forward last season and look to continue to develop under Raheem Morris.  The Lions still may contend for a playoff spot in the NFC but so will Tampa and I give them the edge in Week 1.

BEARS (+2.5) over Falcons
Jay Cutler in a big game at home, what could go wrong?

CHIEFS (-6) over Bills
The Chiefs may fall back a bit and the Bills may take a small step forward in 2011, but I still don't think the gap is closed to the point that I could take the Bills on the road at Arrowhead.

Colts (+8.5) over TEXANS
This line jumped 2 points since yesterday when it was revealed that Peyton Manning would likely miss the entire season.  Not sure why that affected things so much when it was already known he wasn't playing in this game.  I still think this game will be close since the Texans still need to prove that they can stop someone on defense.

RAMS (+4) over Eagles
Rams offense should put up points with Josh McDaniels coming on board as coordinator.  Also I want to see the Eagles continue their Heat comparisons by flopping out of the gate.

BROWNS (-6.5) over Bengals
Does Ohio even care about this game?

Titans (+2) over JAGUARS
Luke McCown, who attempted 15 preseason passes, will get the start at QB for the Jags.  Tom Jackson is prepping his "they hate their coach" speech for Countdown next weekend.

Giants (-3) over REDSKINS
Eli gets the treat of looking across the field at Rex Grossman and knowing he is the superior quarterback.  Listening to his quotes regarding how he stacks up with Brady I'm sure he does this every week, but this week he will actually be right.

CARDINALS (-7) over Panthers
Cam Newton gets his first loss as a paid quarterback, ending his 14 game winning streak.

49ERS (-5.5) over Seahawks
The race to finish behind the Rams should be riveting television.

CHARGERS (-8.5) over Vikings
Couldn't decide between a Donovan joke or a Metrodome joke so let's move on...

JETS (-5) over Cowboys
The Jets at home on the anniversary of 9/11 should lead to an amazing atmosphere.  With both Ryan brothers probably getting a lot of face time NBC might have to rate the telecast TV-14.

PATRIOTS (-7) over Dolphins
Crazy things seem to happen to the Pats in Miami, sometimes good and mostly bad, but Chad Henne leading the Dolphins to a season opening win on MNF would probably rank pretty high up there on the list.


BRONCOS (-3) over Raiders
Al Davis thinks this is the year.  He also thinks that it's 1978.

Last night: 0-1-0
Season: 0-1-0

One final note, I am going to a wedding this weekend so I probably won't have anything posted again until Monday.  Have a great weekend!

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LSU Looks More Prepped for Primetime

The Cowboys Classic last night at "Jerry's World" in Dallas was billed as a showdown between two potential BCS Championship contenders.

Only one team left Dallas actually looking like a contender though.

That team was the LSU Tigers, who pulled away in the second half for a 40-27 statement win over the Oregon Ducks.

The Tigers took control late in the third quarter with a pair of touchdowns in a 3:20 span after recovering two De'Anthony Thomas fumbles.  That stretched a 16-13 halftime lead to a much more comfortable 30-13 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

That stretch of the game epitomized the entire night: Oregon made countless mistakes while LSU remained poised and capitalized on Oregon's miscues.

Thomas' two fumbles were part of a four turnover night for the Ducks (compared to only one for LSU).  They also committed 12 penalties for 95 yards, including 4 in the return game.  The majority of their penalties seemed to be momentum and drive killers.

LSU also showed to have superior depth to Oregon.  When LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner were forced to leave with cramps the Ducks had to turn to the freshman Thomas.  LSU on the other hand was able to rotate in different players on both sides of the ball, and also effectively used both Spencer Ware and Michael Ford in the running game.  LSU also got a solid, if unspectacular, night from backup quarterback Jarrett Lee, playing for the suspended Jordan Jefferson.

A big question entering the game was how LSU's defense would handle the speed of Oregon's attack.  Instead Oregon couldn't handle LSU's lines on either side of the ball.  LSU wore down the Ducks defense in the second half, rushing for well more than half of their 175 yards on the ground after halftime.  They also shut down LaMichael James and the Ducks ground game, holding them to 95 yards rushing and only 3.4 yards per carry.  That forced Darron Thomas to throw the ball 54 times which is not Oregon's preference.

Both teams entered the game amid controversy, though LSU definitely had the greater distractions, yet it was the Tigers who entered the game focused and determined to play through adversity.  LSU proved that they are legitimate SEC and BCS contenders.  Oregon has to regroup, focus on winning the Pac 12, and hope for some help.  After tonight though it looks like they are a lot further away than people thought.

But if they can correct things and get some good fortune they could have a return date with the Tigers in the SuperDome come January.

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No Midas Touch for Golden Domers

Just as in previous years Notre Dame entered the 2011 season with lofty expectations that were at least partially unfounded.

The Irish were anointed a top 20 team in the preseason polls and there were some whispers that they could make a run to a BCS bowl game in head coach Brian Kelly's second season.

Usually another team lays a smack down on the Irish and exposes them, but that was not the case this time.  Instead the Irish themselves were the team that de-railed the season.

If someone wants to see an example of a team beating themselves, yesterday's marathon, twice delayed, 23-20 home loss to South Florida would be a perfect place to start.

The Irish doubled up USF in total yards (508-254) but turned the ball over 5 times while the Bulls were turnover free.

The red zone was better off avoided for Notre Dame.  Three of the five turnovers occurred in scoring position and they also added a missed field goal from close range.  

The first drive of the game set the tone for the day for the Irish.  They moved the ball down the field with relative ease and got inside USF's 5 yard line but saw short yardage back Jonas Grey cough up a fumble trying to get into the end zone and USF returned it 96 yards for a touchdown.  The other red zone turnovers were the result of ugly interceptions.  Starter Dayne Crist under threw a ball badly into the end zone that was intercepted in the second quarter, followed by 2nd half replacement Tommy Rees getting picked off inside the 5 yard line in the third quarter when the ball ricocheted off a lackadaisical T.J. Jones.

It all contributed to an extremely frustrating day in South Bend, as evidenced by Brian Kelly's red faced and enraged rants at anyone in his path (Notre Dame telecasts on NBC may need to become TV-14 if yesterday is any indication).  The loss was almost harder to take than ones like the Michigan beatdown in 2006 because the Irish were clearly the better team but completely beat themselves.

Despite everything there are still positives to be taken out of the loss.  Michael Floyd reasserted himself as one of the best receivers in the country and looks like a matchup nightmare for just about any corner in the country.  Cierre Wood broke the 100 yard mark and scored a touchdown and showed some good burst and Tommy Rees looked very effective in his 2nd half relief duty.

No one should write off the Irish just yet.  The defense looked improved and only gave up 1 offensive touchdown to the Bulls and the offense moved the ball with ease at times.  If they can clean up the turnovers they could still attain the goals and expectations that were set for them in the preseason.

The problem is that at Notre Dame the expectations come almost automatically but so does the criticism when they slip up.  They have a high profile opportunity Saturday night in Michigan Stadium to redeem themselves.

Another performance like yesterday's would leave them scrambling though and put any hope of a BCS berth on life support.

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Familiar Position Now for Boise State

Boise State is attempting to crash the BCS Championship game with the same formula from 2010.

Win a high profile opener against a strong non-conference opponent and then run the table against inferior opponents for the rest of the season.

Last season the Broncos won a thriller over Virginia Tech in Landover, MD in a virtual road game on Labor Day Night.  Their plan moved along smoothly until Thanksgiving weekend when they were stunned on the road by Nevada on a Friday night.

Last night Chris Peterson, Kellen Moore, and company took care of business in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta against the Georgia Bulldogs 35-21.  Step 1 is now complete for Boise, but it's the rest of the plan that will have Broncos fans on the edge of their seats because it depends on more than just Boise.

The Broncos will now need to take care of their own business but also root for the other teams on their schedule to have successful seasons.  Virginia Tech obliged last season, stumbling the week after their loss to Boise but rallying to finish 10-2.

This year's schedule might not be as helpful.

Boise State's move to the Mountain West was supposed to help, at least for this year, since TCU is not departing for the Big East until next season.  That may not be the case though after TCU's upset loss to Baylor on Friday night.  TCU's defense, which was supposed to be a strength, got lit up by Baylor and if they do not fix things it could be a long season, much to Boise's chagrin.

The other problem for Boise is that Georgia does not look to be anywhere near as strong as Virginia Tech was last season.  For starters they have to go through the SEC, which is light years above the ACC slate the Hokies encountered.  Georgia also has a lot more questions to answer.  Aaron Murray's numbers were lackluster prior to a couple of late touchdown drives, and the rushing game struggled outside of Brandon Boykin's 80 yard run.  Since Boykin is a starter on the defense they probably shouldn't be counting on him to deliver on a regular basis.

In Boise's favor is the fact that they will be favored for the rest of their games this season.  There will obviously be mounting pressure with each passing game but they encountered the same thing last season, so it is not unfamiliar territory.

The Broncos should also be pleased with the performance of Kellen Moore's supporting cast last night.  Doug Martin and D.J. Harper paced the running game, which was effective and provided balance.  Freshman receiver Matt Miller led the team in receiving yards and caught a touchdown pass.  The defense was stingy against the run outside of Boykin's long touchdown and held Aaron Murray under 200 yards passing until he padded his stats in what was essentially garbage time.

All the dominos are in place for Boise State.  They took care of business in an hostile environment and shook the notion that they can't beat an SEC team.  Their offense looks to be picking up where it left off even despite several key departures and the defense continues to be a strength.

Their season began in Atlanta in SEC territory and the hope in Boise is that it will end in SEC territory, in New Orleans for the BCS Championship game.

If they take care of their business, and get some help, they could be crashing the BCS party on Bourbon Street come January.

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Football Friday, Vol. 1

Tomorrow is one of my favorite days of the year: the first full day of the college football season!!!  Life doesn't get much better than non-stop football from noon until midnight.  The first week of the 2011 season should not disappoint either.  Even though they are becoming more rare, Saturday night will feature two mega matchups with national title implications.  So as fans from Chestnut Hill, MA to Eugene, OR prepare for a new season, let's dive in and take a closer look at week 1 of the football season!

One Moore Chance for Boise State

#5 Boise State begins their 2011 campaign with another trip east for a high profile season opener.  This year the Broncos travel to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to tangle with the #19 Georgia Bulldogs.  A year ago Boise State embarked on what they hoped would be a championship season in Landover, Maryland against the Virginia Tech Hokies.  The Broncos got the high profile victory they had been looking for, but their championship hopes fizzled on Thanksgiving weekend at Nevada in overtime. 

In an attempt to help their standing a bit nationally Boise State has jumped from the WAC into the Mountain West Conference this season.  Their strength of schedule should be helped since fellow upstart TCU remains in the league for this season before heading to the Big East in 2012.  If they can get by Georgia, the Broncos would be in good shape once again to make a run for an undefeated season.  They get a rematch with last year's spoiler, and former WAC rival, Nevada at home, and also get Air Force and TCU on the blue turf in Boise.  Those three appear to be their toughest hurdles following Saturday night.

The Broncos return quarterback Kellen Moore for his senior season (cue Mark Richt shaking his head).  Moore has had an outstanding career in Boise and hopes to cap it off with another BCS berth.  He loses his top 2 targets from 2010 in Austin Pettis and Titus Young, but does return 2010 All-WAC running back Doug Martin.  With Martin and three returning offensive linemen some of the pressure should be removed from Moore's shoulders as he tries to work in a new group of receivers.  Mitch Burroughs and Tyler Shoemaker (38 combined receptions in 2010) will look to step up and freshman Matt Miller will join them in the starting lineup.  The defense returns 7 starters to a unit that has become a strength over the last couple of seasons.

The Bronco defense will be charged with stopping Aaron Murray and company.  Murray, a sophomore, will have a lot of pressure on him in 2011.  The season is critical for Mark Richt as he resides in the SEC's hot seat this season.  The Dawgs are coming off of a 6-7 2010 campaign.  They have an opportunity to make a big statement in the first two weeks of the season and remove some of the pressure off of their head coach.  After their trip to The Dome tomorrow, Georgia returns home next Saturday to host #12 South Carolina.

The Bulldogs will need to answer a lot of questions to make that statement though.  Their running game is in flux right now.  Their top two rushers from 2010 are gone and junior Carlton Thompson has been suspended for the opener.  Projected starter Richard Samuel IV (not to be confused with the future Uga IX) has been battling a quad injury and freshman Isaiah Crowell could be thrust into the spotlight immediately.  Crowell has the Georgia faithful extremely excited as he was the number one rated high school running back last year.  Receiver Tavarres King and tight end Orson Charles (preseason All-SEC along with Murray) return to aid the passing attack.  The defense returns eight starters and field position should be constantly in their favor as they return Drew Butler at punter and Blair Walsh at kicker, both of whom could be All-Americans this season.

Prediction: Boise State (+3) over Georgia

Controversy Bowl I

#4 LSU and #3 Oregon will play in the other prime time matchup Saturday night in Texas at Cowboy Stadium.  I have dubbed this game Controversy Bowl I, which will be followed by Controversy Bowl II in two weeks in Miami (Miami-Ohio State), because both of these teams have made headlines for the wrong reasons this offseason.

Both teams were implicated in the Willie Lyles recruiting saga and they have both made recent headlines for run-ins with the law.  Oregon cornerback Cliff Harris will not play in the game due to a suspension stemming from a June traffic stop.  He was pulled over by police for driving 118 MPH and was questioned about marijuana.  Quarterback Darron Thomas was a passenger in the car but was determined to have done nothing wrong and will play against the Tigers.  Thomas hopes the Tiger defense doesn't find him as easily as weed does, as he was also in the car with former quarterback Jeremiah Masoli when he was pulled over with marijuana.

LSU's quarterback was not as fortunate in his dealings with law enforcement.  Jordan Jefferson is out against Oregon and suspended indefinitely after his role in a Baton Rouge bar brawl.  Jefferson and teammate Josh Johns were arrested for their role in the fight.  Details have been sketchy, but Jefferson has been rumored to have kicked a man on the ground in the head during the fracas.  His apartment was searched and he and Johns turned themselves in to police soon after. 

Stepping in to fill the void left by Jefferson will be former starter Jarrett Lee.  Lee struggled mightily as a freshman, including having 7  interceptions returned for touchdowns.  He has only started once since that season but came on in relief several times last season.  He showed some promise in those appearances, including throwing the winning touchdown pass in The Swamp against Florida.  The Tigers now need him to step up and play a complete game.

The LSU defense will also face a tough task in stopping Thomas and running back LaMichael James.  James ran for over 1,700 yards last season and scored 21 touchdowns.  He was stymied by an SEC defense in the national championship game though.  Auburn held James to 49 yards on 13 carries in that game.  Auburn's defensive line, led by Nick Fairley, dominated that game up front and LSU hopes to do the same thing.  LSU is fairly young inside on the defensive line this season and they will have to step up quickly to slow down Oregon's high speed attack.

Prediction: LSU (-3) over Oregon 


True Dedication

I have to give a quick tip of the cap to The Ohio State Buckeyes.  Controversy Bowl II was already shaping up to be one for the ages, but that wasn't enough for Ohio State.  The university has suspended three players, running back Jordan Hall and defensive backs Corey Brown and Travis Howard, for their opener against Akron for  receiving impermissible benefits at a charity function.  Ohio State is still waiting for a ruling from the NCAA COI investigation stemming from the Terrelle Pryor, Jim Tressel, tattoo parlor mess, and it remains to be seen if these infractions could have any effect on that.  With two weeks before their matchup with the Hurricanes in Miami it will be interesting to see if The U finds a way to step up and add a little more spice to the matchup (paging Yahoo Sports...).

Weekly Quick Picks (Home team in CAPS)

Northwestern (+10) over BOSTON COLLEGE
Texas Christian (-10) over  BAYLOR
OLE MISS (+1) over Brigham Young
NOTRE DAME (-7) over South Florida
Minnesota (+16.5) over SOUTHERN CAL
CAL (-4.5) over Fresno St.
Colorado (+11) over HAWAII
Ucla (+3) over HOUSTON

Record for 2011: 0-0


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