A Name To Get Familiar With

Last year, it was Marcus Lattimore. In 2009, it was Lamichael James. In 2008, it was Jaquizz Rodgers.

Every year, there is a name... a Freshman name... a RB... that is unknown in August, but by the end of the season, he is on the "short list" for the Heisman Trophy. Lattimore, James, and Rodgers were all young pups who had never carried the ball in a college game and all 3 ended up rushing for over 1,200 yards in their Freshman campaigns. Those campaigns were all accompanied by winning seasons for their programs.

Typically, the Running Back position is dominated by upper classmen, who have had time to learn the offense, gain weight, and adjust to the speed of the game at the college level, but these 3 young men broke the mold.

The next name that will likely be on this list is Isaiah Crowell. The freshman RB for the University of Georgia has been thrust into a situation where he is "the man". Incumbent Bulldog RBs Washaun Ealey & Caleb King are now former Bulldogs as both were suspended/expelled from the program this offseason. Crowell, the 5-11 215lbs #1 rated RB recruit, had 1,915 yards as a High School Junior and 1,725 yards as a Senior and is expected to start right away for Georgia.

A major difference between the situations, however, is that while Lattimore, James, and Rodgers had fairly easy first games as starters*... Crowell will have to face a Top 10 Boise State team in his first game, which will be no easy task. That game will be followed by a "Welcome to the SEC" contest against SEC East favorite South Carolina.

As we've seen in recent history, a superstar Freshman RB can really ignite a team to the next level. Keep Isaiah Crowell's name in mind as this season kicks off.


*Note: James' 1st game was against Boise St. also, but Lagarette Blount was the starter. Blount was suspended following that game for punching a Boise St player and James' 1st game as a starter was against Purdue the following week.

14 Days & Counting

Kickoff of College Football is in 14 days (on September 1).

The Highlights for that first night of football are:
UNLV @ Wisconsin
Miss St @ Memphis
Murray State @ Louisville
Wake Forest @ Syracuse

Thing to watch for:
1. Russell Wilson (NC State transfer) will likely be the starter for Wisconsin. Many people had the Badgers as a simply a #15 or #16 ranked team because of their lack of experience at QB, but with the addition of Wilson, they are most people's (including the CFB Kings) pick to win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl. Wilson was an All-ACC performer prior to transferring. Will Wisky dominate the way they should?

2. Mississippi State is in what a lot of people are calling the toughest division in the history of CFB (the 2011 SEC West). 5 out of 6 teams are ranked in the pre-season polls from that division. Miss State has a chance (led by former Florida Gator O-coordinator Dan Mullen) to have a big season and compete in that division. Having a dominant start would show America that they are for real. Keep an eye on 2 players that you'll hear A LOT more about as the season wears on. QB Chris Relf and RB Vic Ballard. Dan Mullen has called some of Relf's attributes very similar to Tim Tebow. And Ballard was quietly one of the leading rushers in the SEC last year.

3. In year 2 under coach Charlie Strong, the Cardinals look to make a run at a Big East Title. In his first year, Strong led the Cardinals to a Bowl win and they look to build on that success. It will be interesting to see how stifling the defense can be, as they struggled at times last year adapting to Strong's Free-Wielding schemes.

4. These programs are possibly going in opposite directions. In 2010, Syracuse went to its first Bowl game in 6 years and Wake Forest is on a 2-year Bowl hiatus after going to Bowls for 3 straight years before that. This game will be a definite tone-setter for both teams and also show a bit about the 2 conferences (ACC & Big East).

Shhhhhh.... Can You Hear It?

Shhhhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?

Off in the distance. I hear the hum of a group of brass instruments and the beat of a cluster of drums… at first disheveled, but then the chaotic sounds suddenly come together in rhythm to the tune of a familiar fight song.

Shhhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?

The pitter-patter. The click-clack. Click-clack. Click-clack… as 85 young men in the most pristine physical condition that they will ever reach in their lives walk from the locker room to the flat, hot field to start their first of many “two-a-days”… a phrase that ALL players dread.

Shhhhhhhh… Can you hear it?

A whistle. And the loud scream of a 40 year old man in shorts and a team colored T-shirt yelling at the top of his lungs… “stay down”… “get your head across”… “make the read”… “catch the (expletive) ball”.

Shhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?

The quiet buzz and the hidden dreams of 10,000 men all of which have convinced themselves that this is “their year”… this is “their time”... Every team has 0 wins and 0 losses, so every young man can dream about hoisting up a trophy of some kind. Conference titles, rivalry trophies, even a BCS championship are dreams that are shared by all.

As the NFL Lockout presses on… as the NBA lockout is just beginning. As Tiger Woods continues to struggle and the PGA tour searches for a face of the game. There is one sport that remains consistent. There is one sport whose training camps will always start on time. There is one sport that will always be exciting. There is one sport that as unfailing as the earth turns… it will produce a kickoff in the first week of September. College Football is near.

Shhhhhhh…. Can you hear it??? Ladies and Gentlemen… kickoff is only 42 days away.

CFB Kings Coach of the Year

It’s Time for Awards Season here on CFB Kings. Since there are still a few games to be played, we will hold off on some of the player awards that we feel are still in question. So, we will start it off with the Coach of the Year.

For us, when we’re picking coaches of the year, it’s not about the glamour and glitz. And it’s not necessarily about going undefeated or going to a BCS Bowl game. It’s about what coach we think actually did the best job "coaching". Hence the reason you wont see Chris Peterson, Gary Patterson, or Gene Chizik on our list. Yes, those 3 gentlemen are great coaches and yes their teams are great. But Boise, TCU, and Auburn are stock piled with talent and were expected to do well.

Here at CFB Kings we like to reward the Coaches who exceeded expectations with less talent than the usual powerhouses.

Here are the Top 5 Coaches of the year (in order):

1. Art Briles, Baylor - The Baylor Bears are going bowling for the first time since 1994. Under the direction of Briles, Baylor also ended a 12-game losing streak against Texas and won at Texas for the first time in 19 years.

2. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma St. - The Cowboys were almost unanimously picked to finish dead last in the Big 12 South. Going into this weeks Bedlam matchup against the Sooners, Oklahoma State is 10-1 and leading the Big 12 South. They are also currently the highest ranked team in the conference. And oh, by the way… he’s 43 now!!!

3. Jim Harbaugh, Stanford - He has taken a dormant monster in Stanford and turned the Cardinal into the class of the Pac-10. Hard nosed, sound fundamental football has given way to a 10-1 season thus far and a #6 ranking. The Rose Bowl is just around the corner.

4. Rich Ellerson, Army - In just his 2nd year, Ellerson has guided the Black Knights to a bowl game for the first time in 14 years. Re-installing the triple option and infecting his team with a “we ARE good enough to win” attitude has paid quick dividends.

5. Dan Mullen, Miss St. - In the toughest division in the entire country (SEC West), Mullen has coached the Bulldogs out of the cellar and into the SEC fray. With a 7-4 record, the Bulldogs are going bowling… but even more impressively, consider the fact that Auburn’s closest game of the year so far was a 17-14 escape from Starkville.

Updated BCS Projections

The biggest Saturday in the ACC is on the horizon. And there are many matchups around the country that will give us more clarity on the fluid BCS projections.

Here is CFB Kings best prediction as to what teams will land where in the BCS Bowl Games:

BCS Championship Game: Auburn vs. Oregon

Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh

Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma

Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. TCU

Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Boise State

Eyes of Boise and America should be on Blacksburg Tonight

Ever since the night of September 6th, the eyes of the College football world have not ventured in the direction of the state of Virginia. The Virginia Cavaliers have struggled through Head Coach Mike London’s first year. And people seem to have forgotten about a certain team that dons maroon and burnt orange on Saturdays. But tonight, as that team steps back into the spotlight, the nation should understand that the Hokies aren’t only playing for themselves. They are playing for the life of BCS busters everywhere.

After the Hokies lost a thrilling Week 1 showdown to the Boise State Broncos, many expected the win to boost Boise into the Top 2 of the BCS for the entirety of the year. Such a strong win in a virtual road game (at Fed Ex Field) would definitely sway the votes in the Broncos favor, right? Conventional wisdom said yes. What conventional wisdom didn’t expect was for those Hokies to go on to lose their next game to the FCS (formerly D-1AA) James Madison Dukes. It was a devastating blow to Boise’s chances to play for the national title as it appeared that this Hokie team was vastly overrated. Nobody has thought about the team since that devastating Week 2 blunder.

Then came Week 3… and Week 4… and weeks 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. And quietly the Hokies have won 6 straight games, including a road win against #23 ranked North Carolina State. And suddenly in the last BCS standings, Virginia Tech showed up at #22. They now enter their toughest stretch of the season starting tonight against Georgia Tech, followed by trips to North Carolina and Miami, before finishing at home against the rival Cavaliers. If the Hokies win 3 of 4 of those games, they will win the ACC Coastal division and play for the ACC Title in December. And even more interesting, certain projections show that if the Hokies win all 4 November games and the ACC Championship, they could move into the Top 7 of the BCS Standings. Would you believe me if I said another school would be even happier with Virginia Tech’s success than the Hokies themselves?

Nobody stands to benefit more from the success of Hokie Nation than the Boise State Broncos. With Oregon and Auburn atop the standings and fellow BCS busters TCU ranked #3 and Utah ranked #5 rounding out the top 5, Boise State is in a prime position to capitalize on this years love of the Non-AQ schools. Utah and TCU face off this week in an “elimination match” that will only leave 4 unbeaten’s in the country. If Auburn and Oregon win-out, then they will undoubtedly play each other in the BCS Championship game. But if either slips up, it possibly opens the door for a Non-BCS school to finally play for a BCS championship. With Boise sitting at #4 in the polls and playing only 1 more ranked opponent on their schedule (#23 Nevada on Thanksgiving weekend), their only hope of catapulting the TCU/Utah winner in the polls would be for Virginia Tech to win out and finish ranked in the Top 10.

As if that weren’t enough to make this game important… let’s not forget about the defending ACC Champion Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. With a remaining conference schedule that consists of tonight’s opponent, Virginia Tech, along with Duke and Miami, if the Yellow Jackets win out, they will claim the ACC Coastal division title and play for a 2nd consecutive conference championship. All the while, the Miami Hurricanes are sitting at home realizing that if they win-out, they have a chance to win the Coastal division and play for the conference title for the first time in their ACC existence. “The U” still plays both of these teams later in the season. Think they might be interested in this game?

And in case you haven’t put this puzzle together yet… consider that if Alabama wins out (which would include wins over #2 Auburn, #10 LSU, and #20 Mississippi State), they might leap-frog an undefeated Boise State, especially if Virginia Tech isn’t highly rated come December.

Interested yet?

Sure, at (6-2) and (5-3), respectively, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech aren’t exactly competing for a National Championship tonight. But when the 2 teams face off in Blacksburg, VA this evening, the implications of this game will stretch as far south as Miami, FL and as far west as Boise, ID (not to mention Tuscaloosa, AL, Eugene, OR, Fort Worth, TX, and Salt Lake City, UT).

We're Asking the Wrong Question

Ever since 2004, I have been amongst the BCS-Elitists whose slogans represent something to the effect of “Just Say No to the Non-AQ!!!” Sure, I have respected the success of Utah, Boise State, BYU, Hawaii and TCU over the past 6 years, but I was strongly against their inclusion in the BCS Bowls and in particular the National Championship discussion. So many people that argue with me on the subject continue to ask me some variation of the following question: “What… you don’t think that Boise or TCU could beat Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, or Alabama?”

And there within lies my problem with the entire discussion. We’ll come back to this.

Even in this season, the 3 Non-BCS powerhouses have proven their capability. TCU beat a Baylor team that now sits atop the Big 12 South. Boise beat a Virginia Tech team who is currently undefeated in the ACC. And Utah beat a Pittsburgh team which has started 3-0 in Big East league play. Right now you’re probably thinking… “exactly, so they should have the chance to play for the title.” Keep dreaming (and reading).

There is NO DOUBT in my mind this year that Boise State, Utah, and TCU could beat any team in the country on a neutral field. Heck, I even think that they could go into some of the most hostile road environments, including SEC venues, and come away with victories. But let’s change that “or” to “and” and re-ask the aforementioned question.

“Do you think that Boise or TCU could beat Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, and Alabama?”

The answer to that question… is an emphatic NO.

But, that is what Auburn has been asked to do this year… and so far (with a 9-0 record) they have done it.

Ohio State has been asked to beat Miami, Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Illinois, and Purdue.

Oklahoma has been asked to beat Florida State, Cincinnati, Air Force, Texas, Missouri, Iowa State, Baylor, and Oklahoma State.

Even though Oklahoma and Ohio State both slipped up once, the fact that they are attempting to navigate such a difficult schedule is the point. Week-in and week-out, the BCS conference members have to play a schedule that requires their best effort. The Non-BCS schools do not have nearly the challenge that the BCS schools do. BCS teams are asked to beat more than 1 or 2 tough opponents every year, unlike the non-BCS teams.

Ponder this. In the heart of the season (October):
Boise State played New Mexico State, Toledo, San Jose State, and Louisiana Tech.
TCU played Colorado State, Wyoming, BYU, Air Force, and UNLV.

Now, during that same stretch:
Alabama played Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Ole Miss.

LSU played West Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, and Auburn.

Oregon played Stanford, UCLA, Washington State, and USC.

The bottom line is that these non-BCS schedules are not on par with their BCS brethren, so why should the non-BCS teams play for the same reward? Even the title of the game itself should be enough to drive home that point. It’s not called the “College Football Championship” or the “FBS National Title”. It’s called the “BCS Championship Game”. It is a reward for the top teams that come out of the BCS conferences. It’s not a reward for teams that play schedules with a strength ranking below 90th.

I have softened my stance on allowing the Non-BCS teams to participate in some of the BCS games. It is entertaining to see how a Boise or TCU matches up with some of the BCS powers every now and again. But the BCS Championship should remain reserved for schools that reside in BCS conferences. That is a question that is easy to answer.

Week 10 BCS Bowl Projections

There is a ton of football left to be played. After this week (Alabama vs. LSU and TCU vs Utah) there will be a lot more clarity as to how the BCS picture will shape up. For now, here is CFB Kings best prediction as to what teams will land where in the BCS Bowl Games:


BCS Championship Game: Oregon vs. Auburn

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Pittsburgh

Fiesta Bowl: Utah vs. Oklahoma

Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Boise State

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Nebraska

2012 Season Opener Can't Come Soon Enough

I am often guilty of being too excited about the future. My future family, my future job, my future car, my future vacations. I am just the kind of person that always looks to the future. I’ve even been told at times “If you keep looking at the future, you’ll miss the present.”

Good advice, no doubt. But in this case, I’ll stick to my guns and look forward to the date of September 1, 2012. A deal that had been rumored for about 5 weeks is now completely official. I heard it in person straight from the mouth of the Michigan Athletic Director during a speech he gave Saturday evening in State College, PA.

The Michigan Wolverines will play the Alabama Crimson Tide to open the 2012 season. And the game will be played in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX.

I know, I know… that’s eons away. We haven’t even finished the 2010 season and haven’t even started the 2011 season and here I am talking about 2012. Well, it’s hard not to think about Denard Robinson entering his Senior season as the clear cut Heisman favorite. And after a rebuilding year possibly in 2011 (losing McElroy, Jones, and Ingram), the Crimson Tide should be in top form to start the 2012 season. If Michigan can find a defensive coordinator (btw Rich Rod, I’m available), then it’s probable that both the Wolverines and Crimson Tide will enter the year ranked in the top 10.

So even as I learn to enjoy the present, the excitement brewing for that 2012 season opener will be hard to contain.

Week 9 Upset Alert

There are a lot of teams that have tough challenges this week. Missouri travels to Nebraska, Michigan State travels to Iowa, and Auburn goes on the road to face Ole Miss. But the 1 team that is sure to be upset on Saturday is the #2 Oregon Ducks. Shhhhh… wipe the surprised look off your face and let me explain.

Anyone reading this blog right now is surely thinking “didn’t this guy see Oregon crush UCLA and Stanford?” To be fair, I’ll answer that question and say “yes”. But those aren’t the 2 games that have me thinking this will be an upset. Its Oregon’s other games that give me reason for concern. Here’s a quick breakdown:

-Oregon was tied at halftime against the Tennessee Volunteers. Sure, the Tennessee name carries some weight, but in reality that Volunteer team is the worst in the program’s last 20 years. They are currently (2-5) with an (0-4) record in the SEC.

-Oregon trailed 24-14 to Arizona State before rallying to win 42-31. Sure, Arizona State is a Pac-10 team, but they are the 2nd worst team in the Pac-10 and are below .500 at this point in the season for the 3rd straight year.

-Then, there is the game against Washington State. Oregon was down 14-8 to the Cougars and Oregon only led the Cougars by a score of 36-23 entering the 4th quarter. Washington State scored 23 points on the Ducks. We’re talking about the same Cougars team that only could manage 23 points against Montana State and 21 points against SMU.

Now, in Oregon’s other 4 games, they have played dominant football, beating UCLA, Stanford, Portland State, and New Mexico. So, what has been the difference in the performance of the team in these games? Simple. The 4 games that they played dominant football all happened in Autzen Stadium in Oregon (one of the toughest places to play in the country). The 3 games where they struggled… yep, you guessed it… all came on the road.

It just so happens that this week’s matchup with #24 USC comes on the road in what will be a sold-out, raucous, “Red Out” Coliseum. Add to that the fact that College Football Gameday will be there (they have been at the site of past 3 weeks of #1 upsets), and also keep in mind that USC had an extra week of preparation to get ready for this contest.

Lastly, we can all agree that Oregon is a speedy team. Maybe one of the fastest in America. The only thing that nullifies speed is.... speed, which is something that the Men of Troy are never lacking. This will be the fastest defense that Oregon will face all season.

So, while everybody else in America may be surprised when the Oregon Ducks go down Saturday night… if you took the time to read this blog… you wont be one of those surprised individuals.

Current Heisman Picture

Here is CFB Kings current Heisman picture.

1. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn - Newton sits alone atop our charts. The QB of the undefeated Auburn Tigers has been a 1-man wrecking crew of late. He has a ridiculous 27 total TDs already this season and he has rushed for 1,077 yards (including 603 in the past 3 games).

2. Lamichael James, RB, Oregon - In 6 games, James has piled up 971 yards and 11 TDs on the ground while also notching 121 yards receiving along with a TD. His biggest test so far will be this weekend against USC.

3. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan - Robinson has fallen out of favor with a lot of voters because of Michigan’s losses, but let’s keep in mind, this is an individual award, not team award. Robinson currently has accounted for an insane 1,319 passing yards, 1,096 rushing yards, and 18 TDs.

4. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma St. - The sensational sophomore is torching the Big 12. He has 62 receptions and 1,112 yards to go along with 14 TDs. In his worst output game of the season, he still managed 127 yards.

5. Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor - We knew Griffin would be good, but not this good. The Junior QB has led Baylor to Bowl Eligibility for the first time in 16 years. His 2,373 yards and 159 Passer rating are both tops in the Big 12.

6. Matt Barkley, QB, USC - Barkley is catching fire at the right time for the Trojans, having thrown for 742 yards and 8 TDs in the last 2 games. On the season he has 1,869 yards and 20 TDs.

Still have a Chance:
John Clay, RB, Wisconsin
Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio St.
Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State

Updated BCS Bowl Projections

Here is CFB Kings best projection as to what teams will land where in the BCS Bowl Games:


BCS Championship Game: Auburn vs. Boise State

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. West Virginia

Fiesta Bowl: Utah vs. Oklahoma

Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Michigan State

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Ohio State

Don't Forget About Us

Who fits this profile? A non-BCS school that is undefeated, beat a pre-season BCS-conference favorite, has an average margin of victory of 30.1 pts per game, has a QB who’s pass efficiency rating is 158.7, has 2 RBs with over 300 yards, 2 WRs with 4 TDs each, and ranked in the Top 10 in the first BCS Standings of the season. If you answered Boise State or TCU, you’re dead wrong.

The only team that fits that profile is the Utah Utes. So why is it that only Boise and TCU are getting the talk about BCS crashers? Utah beat #15 ranked (at the time) Pittsburgh to start the season, and has since had blowout wins over Iowa State, UNLV, and Wyoming among others. Sure, Pittsburgh has sputtered a bit, but so has Virginia Tech (who Boise beat in week 1) and so has Oregon State (who TCU beat in Week 1). Virginia Tech lost to FCS James Madison and Oregon State now has 3 losses on the season. Since their week 1 overtime win, no team has been within 24 points of the Utes after the final buzzer. They are so deep in the roster, that when their starting QB was injured for 2 games, the backup (Terrance Cain) came in and threw for 496 yards, 5 TDs, and 0 ints.

Prior to the start of the season, Boise State had gotten all of the love. The Broncos have seemed to become the “People’s Champ” as almost everyone wants to see them get an opportunity to play for a championship… but I contend that the wrong team is being promoted.

A quick history lesson is in order. Most people continue to look at Boise’s miracle win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl as the “arrival” of the Non-Automatic Qualifying schools. But, much like Utah is being forgotten about by voters, experts, and fans this season, America seems to forget that it was actually the Utes who were the original BCS Busters. In 2004, the Urban Meyer led Utes finished 13-0 and won the Fiesta Bowl over Big East Champion Pittsburgh. And then 4 years later, that same Utah team finished unbeaten again and beat a 12-1 Alabama Crimson Tide team by 14 in the Sugar Bowl.

Of course by this point in the article, some of you are thinking “but Boise has the best chance to make it”. To borrow a line from my favorite sports analyst (Lee Corso), not so fast my friend. For the remainder of the season, Boise doesn’t play a single ranked team. The one team that was supposed to give them trouble and possibly be ranked (Nevada) lost last weekend to Hawaii. On the other hand, Utah still plays #5 ranked TCU (at home, nonetheless) and they also face Air Force (who was ranked #23 last week) and Notre Dame, who should be 6-3 at the time of the contest. If Utah finds a way to win all 3 of those games and then finish with wins over solid San Diego State and BYU teams, the Utes will have a great chance at passing Boise in the standings.

Boise State and TCU are great programs, and they deserve our respect, but if any team deserves to be the first Non-automatic qualifier to play for the BCS Championship, it should be the team that started it all back in 2004 (Utah), not the teams that have ridden the coattails of Utah’s success (Boise and TCU).

So, while everyone out there continues to tout the successes of TCU and Boise State, I implore you… don’t forget about the Utes.

What If there was no Laptop?

One Evening. One panicked 19-year old kid. One mistake. One suspension. One transfer. A struggling (4-3) football team. A program in turmoil. A coach in stress. A nation in despair. All because of one laptop.

Anybody that says that 1 player doesn’t make or break a football team hasn’t seen players like Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow, Ray Lewis, and Chris Johnson play. Sure, it’s a team sport and you have to have solid players at every position to be competitive. But, the difference in being a (4-3) unranked team searching for answers in the brink of disaster and being a (7-0) 4th ranked team on a National Championship run can rest in 1-player. Don’t believe me? Just ask Urban Meyer and Gene Chizik. Both nationally recognized college football coaches, for Florida and Auburn respectively, have had their fortunes change because of one player… and more specifically, one laptop computer.

Cameron Jerrell Newton was a highly touted recruit out of Atlanta, Ga. Following his senior season of High School, he signed a letter of intent to play for Meyer and the Florida Gators. He was immediately tabbed as the QB of the future who would take the reigns after Tim Tebow departed. He showed flashed of his amazing athleticism and ability in a backup role in 2007. He was redshirted during the 2008 season in order to preserve eligibility, but late in the year something off the football field would change his life and the life of Gator fans everywhere. Newton was arrested for allegedly stealing another students laptop computer. When police arrived to question him, he threw that laptop out of his dorm window. Though he was never convicted, Meyer suspended Newton indefinitely. Instead of being labeled the “QB of the future” he was demoted to 3rd string and some thought he would never get out of Meyer’s doghouse. When Newton left the team in January of 2009, it didn’t create much of a blip on the radar. The Gators had just won a 2nd BCS Championship in 3 years and Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes had just announced that they’d be returning for their Senior seasons. All was well in Gator Nation.

While Newton trudged along during his unheralded 2009 stint at Blinn Junior College in Texas, Gator nation rode the wave of continued success going 13-1 and winning the Sugar Bowl. Nobody could imagine what 2010 would bring. Dan Mullen (Florida’s former offensive coordinator and current Mississippi St. head coach) as well as Charlie Strong (former Gator Defensive coordinator and current Louisville head coach) both tried to lure Newton to their programs following his JUCO campaign, which tells you that there clearly wasn’t a character issue with the young man. But Newton, longing for the big time, decided to enroll at Auburn University and his decision couldn’t have been better.
Let’s compare 2 quarterbacks that will remain nameless for now. QB “A” has thrown for 1,266 yards, rushed for (minus) 52 yards and has 6 total TDs so far this year. QB “B” has thrown for 1,278 yards, rushed for 860 yards, and accounted for 25 TDs. More importantly, QB B’s team is undefeated and he is leading the national Heisman prediction talk through 7 weeks. I’m sure you can deduce that the QB A is Florida’s John Brantley and QB B is Cam Newton.

Its not that Brantley is a bad QB. He has a solid arm and is a decent athlete. But the fact is that he is not made for Urban Meyer’s system in ANY way. But just glance at 2 or 3 Newton highlights from this season, and its clear that not only would he have flourished in Meyer’s spread option attack, he was practically built for it. In what has become a progressively less bold statement based on Newton’s weekly exploits, it is safe to say that the Florida Gators would not only be undefeated had Newton stayed, but they would be the clear cut favorites in the SEC and on the path to a 3rd national title in 5 years. Instead, that SEC favorite distinction currently belongs to an Auburn Tigers team that limped to a 7-5 regular season record last season, with only 3 conference wins.

This Saturday, as the Gators have a bye week following the program’s first 3-game losing streak since 1988, #4 ranked Auburn’s Cam Newton takes center stage in a showdown with the Top rated defense of #6 ranked LSU. Some Gator fans, may want to tune in and watch the highly anticipated SEC West matchup. But, for Meyer, current Gator players, coaches, fans, and all of “Gator Nation” I would suggest against it… because if they tune in, they will see the best player in College Football and wonder “what if”. What if that evening never happened? What if there was no suspension? What if there was no transfer? What if that 19-year old kid didn’t panic? What if……. there was no laptop?

Fact of the Week

We here at CFB Kings have stumbled upon an interesting fact.

The last time the Florida Gators have lost 3 consecutive regular-season games was 1988, which was Emmitt Smith's Sophomore season in Gainesville.

That is the longest current streak in the nation.

The Gators face Mississippi State this Saturday riding a 2-game losing streak.

Week 7 Upset Alert

There is an impressive slate of games on this week’s menu, and there is only 1 that makes my Alert sirens blare:

#5 Nebraska - The Cornhuskers are riding high after starting the season 5-0 and ranked in the Top 5 of most national polls. Most people consider them to have the best defense in the nation. And Redshirt Freshman QB Taylor Martinez has created quite a buzz with his impressive running ability. But if you take a close look at their schedule, you’ll notice that they have played 5 teams that aren’t anywhere near the caliber of opponent they will face on Saturday. The Huskers have beaten Western Kentucky, Idaho, Washington, South Dakota State, and Kansas State. But there have been glaring issues. Against Idaho the defense picked off the Vandals 5 times, but yet the offense (with great field position all day) could only muster 38 points against a much inferior opponent. Then a couple of weeks later, after 3 quarters of play the Huskers only led the Jackrabbits of SDSU by a score of 14-3. And ended up only winning 17-3.

So, while most of America has been praising, oo’ing, and ah’ing at the the fact that “The Cornhuskers are back”, I am still not convinced.

The Texas Longhorns come to town having lost 2 consecutive games. They dropped out of the national rankings for the first time in 10 years. Vegas has them as a double digit underdog for the first time in 7 years. Most of the country, outside of Austin, TX thinks that Nebraska will get revenge for their 2-point loss in last years Big 12 Championship game. But with 2 weeks to prepare (Texas had a bye last week) the Longhorns should be very prepared for Taylor Martinez and his option attack. Nebraska has not seen a team with the amount of speed that Texas possesses. The Longhorns ability to stop the run (particularly on 1st down) and Nebraska’s lack of a passing game (average less that 145 passing yards per game) will bring the “Big Red Machine” to a stop.
Texas wins on the road as Garrett Gilbert gets his first big win as the Longhorns signal caller.

Mid-Season Bowl Predictions

There's a long way to go, but here is our best shot at predicting how the Bowl Games will shape up this winter. Another update will be coming after Week 8.

BCS Championship Game: Oklahoma vs. Oregon
Orange Bowl: Miami vs. Florida
Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. West Virginia
Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Boise State
Fiesta Bowl: TCU vs. Nebraska
Capital One Bowl: Michigan vs. Auburn
Cotton Bowl: LSU vs. Texas
Champs Sports Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Virginia Tech
Gator Bowl: Iowa vs. South Carolina
Outback Bowl: Arkansas vs. Michigan State
Chick Fil-A Bowl: Florida State vs. Mississippi State
Mieneke Car Care Bowl: North Carolina vs. USF
Holiday Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Arizona
Sun Bowl: Stanford vs. Clemson
Dallas Football Classic Bowl: Kansas St. vs. Wisconsin
Birmingham Bowl: Rutgers vs. Tennessee
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Fresno St. vs. California
GMAC Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Idaho
Liberty Bowl: Houston vs. Georgia
Music City Bowl: Kentucky vs. NC State
Pinstripe Bowl: Notre Dame vs. UConn
Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force vs. Colorado
Alamo Bowl: Oregon State vs. Texas A&M
Texas Bowl: Penn St. vs. Missouri
Eagle Bank Bowl: Temple vs. Syracuse
Insight Bowl: Northwestern vs. Baylor
Independence Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. Texas Tech
Little Caesars Bowl: East Carolina vs. Middle Tennessee State
Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii vs. Washington
Poinsettia Bowl: Navy vs. Arizona State
Las Vegas Bowl: UCLA vs. Utah
St Petersburg Bowl: SMU vs. Toledo
New Orleans Bowl: Southern Miss vs. Troy
Humanitarian Bowl: Nevada vs. Tulsa
New Mexico Bowl: San Diego St. vs. UTEP

The Door Is Open

There is a door open. This door has been closed for quite a bit of time. Only 2 members had the ability to enter the exclusive room behind this closed door. A 3rd party attempted to walk through that door and gain membership, yet as soon as they entered, they were immediately given “the boot”. But as it stands, this year might be the year that a 3rd member is actually accepted.

In a division that has been completely dominated by the Sooners and Longhorns, there are 2 teams that face each other Thursday night in primetime with a chance to end that domination. The winner of that game has a legitimate shot at finally gaining membership to the exclusive club of Big 12 South Champions. The last time a team not named Texas or Oklahoma won the Big 12 South Bill Clinton was President, Y2K wasn’t even a concern yet, and Titanic just won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

In 2008, Texas Tech made a valiant attempt at infiltrating the stronghold of the aforementioned dominant programs, however, they were embarrassed by Oklahoma 65-17 in late November which ended all hope they had at representing the Big 12 South.

Well, it’s now 2010. And if there’s ever been a year to make it happen, this is it. Garrett Gilbert is no Vince Young or Colt McCoy. Landry Jones is no Sam Bradford or Jason White. Mike Leach has departed Lubbock. There’s no Roy Williams, no Adrian Peterson, no Jermaine Gresham, no Brian Orakpo, no Ricky Williams. And as UCLA showed the world on Saturday by spanking Texas 34-12 in Austin, there are no longer any strongholds in the division.

The 2 teams with the best shot at crashing the party face off tonight in a must win for both. Texas A&M enters tonight’s game riding a 3-0 record and touting a Heisman Trophy caliber QB in Jerrod Johnson. The running game has been the biggest area of improvement for the Aggies as they have 2 backs capable of going over 1,000 yards this year in Christine Michael (331 yards so far) and Cyrus Gray (188 yards so far). Defensively, they have added a new Defensive Coordinator to the staff in Tim DeRuyter. He has switched the base defense to a 3-4 which allows their All-American LB, Von Miller, to fully utilize his talents rushing off the edge.

Oklahoma State (3-0) was thought to be rebuilding this year after the departure of record holders Zac Robinson and Dez Bryant. But somebody forgot to tell that to the 2010 offense. New starting QB Bradon Weeden has already thrown for 11 TDs while completing 75% of his passes and WR Justin Blackmon has already caught 8 TDs. And that familiar face in the backfield is none other than Kendall Hunter. The 2008 All-Big 12 RB who had an injury riddled 2009 season is back at full strength. His 473 yards and 6 TDs highlights the ground game of the Cowboys.

This game might have flown under the radar of some people minds, but the fact is that the winner of this game will be in a prime position to challenge Oklahoma and Texas for the Big 12 South Division title. Thursday night games don’t get much bigger than this.

Here We Go...

As I was watching football on Saturday night, I saw one of those Bud Light Commercials. You know, the ones that start with a serious dilemma like a plane crash. Nobody knows how their going to overcome the issue at hand when suddenly a character in the commercial discovers a couple cases of Bud Light and somebody then inevitably says the beer company’s catch phrase: “Here we go”.

It got me to thinking. As I do with almost everything in life, I compared it to football. I related the first part of those commercials (the dilemma portion) to the first month of this season. The hectic, wild ride of non-conference play that provided us with some great matchups. It provided us with “Monster Saturday”. It provided us with UCLA over Texas and Miami over Pitt and Michigan over Notre Dame. The first 4 weeks has indeed been fun.

But…… Here we go.

Just as the commercial turns to a chaotic party of drunkenness, so does the season now turn to the chaotic beauty that is Conference Play. Gone are the dream matchups such as Ohio State vs. Miami and Florida State vs. Oklahoma. Now we start playing the part of the season that matters. No longer will teams be fighting the stranger at the bar. Instead teams will be fighting their next door neighbor, their brother-in-law, their parents.

Conference play puts an end to the first quarter of the season and it takes us into the month of October which is where inevitably the war of attrition truly begins. Slowly, but surely teams fall along the waste side. Upsets, injuries, coaches being fired. This is when the season and conference championship races really takes shape.

Sure there is an excitement about playing a team that you only play once every 20 years (e.g. USC vs. Minnesota). But there is something even more special about turning on the TV and seeing that matchup that has stayed consistent throughout the years. These are backyard brawls. Texas and Oklahoma start the brawling out in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. Florida and Alabama will continue the bitter emotion well into the night. And so, it begins.

The glitz and glamour of the first quarter of the season is over.

Full fledged Conference Play is upon us.

Week 4 Upset Alerts

Last week, 3 of the 4 games that we called “Upset Alerts” came down to the last possession, with #9 Iowa losing to Arizona, #20 Michigan needing to recover an onside kick to beat UMass, and #7 Oklahoma hanging on to escape with a 3-point win against Air Force.

Here are the 3 teams this week that the CFB Kings are putting on Upset Alert:

#4 Texas - The last time the Longhorns hosted UCLA, they were smashed 66-3. Granted that game occurred the year before Mack Brown became the head coach, but there is valid reason for concern about this weeks Bruin visit in our eyes. First, the Texas offense has been spotty at best. Against Wyoming, Rice, and Texas Tech, the offense never was able to get the ground game going, which is something that Coach Brown promised they would be better at during the offseason. Sophomore QB Garrett Gilbert has the talent, but he still shows the expected signs of a youngster that has only started 3 games in his career. UCLA has a fresh sense of confidence after convincingly beating Houston on Saturday night. And oh by the way, after this game, Texas enters it’s most difficult 2 game stretch of the season. There is the matter of a little game called the Red River Rivalry next week and then after that Texas goes on the road to Lincoln to face a team who many have lauded as this year’s Big 12 favorite (The Cornhuskers of Nebraska). Can this young team focus enough to handle the task at hand or can a rejuvinated Bruin team steal a much needed signature win early in Rick Neuheisel’s tenure?

#20 Penn State - The Nittany Lions have played solid football up to this point in the season. Even in a loss to the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide, Penn State was able to move the ball against the tough SEC defense. To most people flipping through Saturday’s games, they’ll be stunned when they stumble upon a tight score in the fourth quarter of this contest. But we have reason to believe that Temple will challenge the Lions deep into this game. The Owls are 3-0. And last week they beat a UConn team that many experts (including Kirk Herbstriet) touted as the Pre-season Big East favorites. Heisman Darkhorse Bernard Pierce is a fierce runner that plays with a chip on his shoulder due to his lack of quality recruitment. And although we think that eventually true freshman QB Robert Bolden will be touted as the best QB in Penn State history, as of now he is still vulnerable to freshman mistakes… mistakes that an underrated and opportunistic Temple defense will pounce on.

#16 Stanford - While the records (3-0 vs. 1-2) and rankings (#16 vs. unranked) would say different, I think that this game will be MUCH closer than it looks on paper. Notre Dame is literally 2 plays away from being 3-0. The Irish have a steady QB in Dayne Crist and a defense that is improving each week, even though the results don’t necessarily show it. This will be Stanford’s first game outside of the state of California. A cross-country trip is never easy, but compounding the troubles of this trip is the expectation that the Cardinal will be without their best wide receiver, Ryan Whalen, who suffered an apparent left arm injury in last week’s game. And then there is the age old issue of the “look ahead”. Stanford travels to Autzen Stadium to face #5 Oregon next week. Can the young Cardinal team keep their focus in the here and now? I expect Notre Dame to earn their 2nd win of the season in an upset over the highly ranked Stanford Cardinal.