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
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, October 18, 2010
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?
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?
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