College Football is Back

I have waited over 200 days and it is finally here. College football is back! It all starts out tonight as South Carolina takes on Vandy. Vanderbilt should have a better year. The Commodores will hang in early, but I think SCAR's D-line is just too strong. On Saturday, Clemson and Auburn will go at it at the Georgia Dome. Clemson is without WR Sammy Watkins who was suspended for the first two games of the season. DeAndre Hopkins will have to step up big for Clemson. Kiehl Frazier is running Auburn's offense. He is the key for Auburn. I think that Auburn will pull off the upset at the Georgia Dome. The game that everyone wants to see is between Alabama and Michigan. The defending National Champions against Heisman hopeful Denard Robinson and Michigan. It should be a challenge for the Michigan offense to move the ball. Eddie Lacy will have a big game for the Tide. I think Bama will have their way with Michigan and will come out on top. Week 1 of the new season should be very exciting. I know I said it before, but football is back!

College Football Preview

College football is in the air and I will give you my analysis and predictions for the upcoming season. There have been a lot of offseason story lines that will effect lots of teams this year.

Big East

The Big East is easily the weakest BCS conference. Louisville comes in as the favorites ranked #25 in the country. They have a good athletic QB in Teddy Bridgewater and an underrated coach in Charlie Strong. However, the dark horse in this conference is USF. They are lead by BJ Daniels at QB. Pittsburgh has a good load of talent this year. They are stacked at the RB spot with Ray Graham and Rushel Shell. Tino Sunseri is returning at the QB position. This is his breakout year. He was inconsistent his first three years, but now I think he will have a good Senior season. All three of these teams will contend for the Big East Championship. Syracuse has a tough out of conference opponent in USC. You never know what you are going to get with this team. I don't think they have the talent to win this conference.

Big East Champion: South Florida

ACC

The ACC is up for grabs this year. There is no dominant team. In the Atlantic Division, I am not a real believer in Florida State. They have a fairly easy schedule, though. BC is coming in under the radar. They landed Chase Rettig who will run the offense for the Eagles. They will go up against Miami in the season opener. Clemson comes into this season with high expectations. Tajh Boyd will be running the show with Sammy Watkins. These two players are one of the best QB/WR combos in the country. However, Watkins was suspended for the first two games. One of those two includes the game against Auburn to open the season. DeAndre Hopkins will be Boyd's big target in the first two games. The Tigers defense will need to improve if they want to get to the next level.
The Coastal Division has been won by Virginia Tech four of the last five years. Logan Thomas is one of the best dual-threat QB in the country. However, I don't know if he can carry the Hokies throughout the season. It looks like Tevin Washington will start at QB for Georgia Tech. They start off the season against Virginia Tech and end it with Georgia. In the ACC Championship Game, I think it will end the same way it did last year between Clemson[Atlantic Division] and Virginia Tech[Coastal Division].

ACC Champions: Clemson

Big 10

The Big 10 has some great teams in it that could contend for, not just a Rose Bowl, but a National Championship. We will start out in the Legends Division where it should come down to three teams. Michigan State comes in as one of the favorites to win the Big 10 with Senior Andrew Maxwell at QB. He is following former MSU QB Kirk Cousins. MSU has a strong D-line that will anchor the Spartans defense. Denard Robinson and Michigan come into the season with a high ranking. There is a lot of pressure on Robinson to produce after last year's successful season with Brady Hoke. The surprise team in this conference is Nebraska. They came into the Big 10 last year and had a rocky season. However, I think the Cornhuskers will be much better this year with Rex Burkhead running the ball. Taylor Martinez will have to improve in the passing game if they want to succeed.
In the Leaders Division, Wisconsin looks very strong with a great running game. NC State Danny O'Brien has a much easier job at QB if Ball is running well. The offensive line for the Badgers is arguably the best in the country. Penn State and Ohio State will not be participating in a bowl game because of NCAA sanctions. Braxton Miller will have a terrific season for OSU at QB. In the Big Ten Championship Game, I think it will be a rematch of last year's title game between Michigan State[Legends] and Wisconsin[Leaders.] This time I think MSU will come out on top.

Big 10 Champions: Michigan State

Big 12

The Big 12 should be very fun to watch this year with two new teams in TCU and West Virginia. West Virginia is lead by Heisman hopeful Geno Smith. They have a great offensive attack and can sneak into a BCS Bowl. Oklahoma comes in as the favorites with Landry Jones running the show. However, they have had a lot of offseason suspensions that will hurt them down the road. Texas has a stronger defense than last year. The QB position will hurt them this season. The defending Big 12 Champions, Oklahoma State, lost their core players in Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon. This will be a rebuilding year for the Cowboys. The dark horse in the Big 12 is Kansas State. They had an outstanding season last year and I think they will build on that with Colin Klein at the helm. The Big 12 this year will come down to Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Kansas State.

Big 12 Champions: Kansas State



PAC-12

The PAC-12 features some great games this year and remarkable talent. In the South Division, USC comes in with a tremendous amount of pressure, not only to win the PAC-12, but to end the SEC's reign and win the National Championship. They will have to get past some big challenges, though. Matt Barkley is, in the mind of most people, the best QB in the country. UCLA has some big question marks this season with new head coach Jim Mora. Mora has a different style than Rick Neuheisel did and has already stirred up some controversy with Lane Kiffin. Arizona has a new head coach in Rich Rodriguez. They are without Nick Foles this year at QB.

In the North Division, Oregon is the front-runner on paper. They are a very athletic team with lots of speed especially Deanthony Thomas. Thomas and Kenjon Barner will carry the load for the Ducks. The surprise team in the PAC-12 is Washington. They have a very talented young QB in Keith Price. This will be a breakout year for this team. When it comes down to the end, it will be Oregon and USC going at it in the PAC-12 Championship game a rematch of the game that will take place on November 3.

PAC-12 Champions: USC

SEC

The SEC is easily the toughest conference in America. They have won the last six BCS Championships. A lot of people think that will end this year, but SEC fans hope that the conference will continue its dominance. The conference added two more teams in Texas A&M[West Division] and Missouri[East Division.] We will start out in the West Division where it is stacked with some of the best teams in the country. Alabama looks to defend its National Championship from last year. This team is once again strong at the RB position with Eddie Lacy. LSU is looking to defend something of their own, the SEC Championship, without Tyrann Mathieu who was kicked off the team for violations. I don't think this team can contend for an SEC Championship without Mathieu. There is not enough depth at the Defensive Back spot. Texas A&M is an interesting team. Johnny Manziel won the QB job, but it will be a tough year adjusting to the SEC and especially when you come from the Big 12 where the defense isn't as tough compared to other major conferences. Auburn has a good dual-threat QB in Kiehl Frazier who was named the starter. I am looking forward to see how he performs.
The East Division has been weaker compared to the West in past years, but I think there is enough talent to gain supremacy over the West. Georgia and South Carolina come in with big expectations. Aaron Murray is under the radar entering the season. By the end of the season, he will be contending for the Heisman Trophy and and SEC Championship. As for South Carolina, Marcus Lattimore will carry the team on offense. On defense, it is up to the D-line with the lack of depth with the Defensive Backs. Missouri has a QB in James Franklin that reminds me of Cam Newton. He will be leading this Mizzou team in its first year in the SEC. When it comes down to it, I think it will be Georgia and Alabama in the SEC Championship game.

SEC Champions: Georgia

Now that you have seen my predictions on all of the major conferences, here are my Heisman Trophy candidates and winner:

Marcus Lattimore

Lattimore is extremely talented and a great runner. He is coming off a knee injury. Hopefully, that doesn't effect his play this year. He has a big job for the Gamecocks, and will be huge in their system.

Montee Ball

Ball is a QB's dream. He helps Wisconsin in so many different ways. This Badger was in NY last year for this award, but he fell short. Ball is running well after being assaulted by a group of men near his dorm recently. Luckily, he sustained no injuries.

Tajh Boyd

Boyd had a tremendous breakout season last year as a Sophomore. He will have an even better one this year with targets like Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins. Boyd has a great arm and can electrify the crowd.

Matt Barkley


Barkley is a very efficient passer and a great pro-style QB. Scouts have him as going #1 in the 2013 NFL Draft. The addition of Silas Redd will only help Barkley. He has two of the best targets in the country in Robert Woods and Marqise Lee.

David Amerson

Amerson is my surprise pick. He is very athletic and has a nose for the ball. Amerson puts up amazing numbers at CB for the Wolfpack. He won't get a lot of media attention, but this guy is a highlight reel.

Those are my five candidates, but I think it will be Montee Ball lifting the Heisman Trophy in New York City. He was so close last year with his 39 TDs. 

I have given you my conference analysis and Heisman Trophy picks, now it is time for the BCS Bowl predictions. 

Orange Bowl

Clemson over South Florida 27-13

Sugar Bowl

Alabama over West Virginia 38-20

Rose Bowl

Michigan State over Oregon 20-17

Fiesta Bowl

Wisconsin over Kansas State 24-13

BCS National Championship
USC over Georgia 31-13

Honey Badger Dismissed

There is breaking news involving LSU and star CB Tyrann Mathieu. LSU has dismissed Mathieu from the team for violation of team rules. Mathieu was suspended for one game last year for failing a drug test. At 5' 9"he wasn't the most physically opposing player, but he was one of the best playmakers in the game. Mathieu will definitely transfer says Les Miles. The Honey Badger was a Heisman finalist last year and had a nose for hard hits. I can't wait to see how this effects the college football season.

Eagles Tragedy

The Philadelphia Eagles are in the midst of a tragedy. Garret Reid, son of head coach Andy Reid, was found dead in his office at training camp. The Eagles are practicing at Lehigh University. Andy Reid was not at camp today. There will be a memorial service tomorrow. Garrett was close with a lot of the players on the Eagles. He worked with the strength and conditioning team for the Eagles. He struggled with drugs throughout his life and was in two traffic accidents before being arrested for drug charges. My heart and prayers go out to the Eagles organization and the Reid family.