Top Games of the Year...of the Week! (2014)

These are my top games of the 2014 College Football Season. I got games week by week since of course, the college football landscape changes week by week.  Of course, ESPN and other networks might have publicized some of the obvious ones on the list; however, most of the games on my list will have major ramifications or just be a great game that will be enjoyed by real fans of college football.

(Week 1) Boise St v. Ole Miss (Atlanta) – Ole Miss has more hype than ever. This is a huge game for the program being in the spotlight. Boise may not be the Boise team you rooted against earlier this decade, but they will not be phased by this spot. They never do. No matter the coach. Let see if Coach Freeze can get his team to handle the pressure.

Notable other games:
2. LSU vs. Wisconsin (Houston) - SEC vs. B1G. First team to 21 wins.
3. Ohio State vs. Navy (Baltimore) - Last time this game was played in the same position was in 2009. Navy lost by four in "the shoe". The Buckeyes are notorious for slow starts; and can be quickly 0-1 with this veteran Navy team (No pun).

(Week 2) Michigan State vs. Oregon - I cannot lie, I absolutely love that the B1G stepped up its out of conference schedule this year (mainly OSU and MSU). Different shades of the color green, Big against fast, Old School Nike against New School Nike, I love everything this game stands for. This games can be a prelude for what the Ducks have to see against Stanford. MSU can show the national stage who still has the belt in the Big Ten.

Notable other games:
2. USC vs. Stanford - Kooky game recently because Stanford typically can't out physical USC...which is even kookier that I type that. Also kooky is that USC hadn't won at Stanford since 2008. Kooky.
3. Virginia Tech vs. Ohio State - It seems like we haven't heard from VT in a while. We'll get to see them front and center in Columbus...at night.

(Week 3) Georgia vs. South Carolina - Even though this game is played so early in the season, this game shapes the East seemingly every year since Spurrier has made USC what it is.  It will be important again because with South Carolina's brutal schedule, they cannot afford to straight up lose to the UGA with so many huge AWAY games left.

Notable other games:
2. Arkansas vs. Texas Tech - Two coaches, in their second years with teams going in two different directions at the end of last year. Both coaches like to talk a big game too, so they both will be gunning for this game to help steer the season the right way.
3. Houston vs. BYU - Points on points on points on points on a Thursday night? I'm down.

(Week 4) Auburn vs. Kansas State - I believe that Auburn is from top to bottom the best team in the SEC. However, I cannot express how random this game is. Thursday night, away game, in Manhattan, KANSAS. Both teams (who should both be ranked), want to run it down each others throats but at different paces. Auburn cannot turn the ball over if they want to win. I'd be surprised if this game is won by more than one possession.

Notable other games:
2. UCLA vs Texas - A lot of people think UCLA will be favored in every game this year. This will be a great barometer of where both programs are. Last time the Bruins came to Texas they won by 22.
Indiana vs Missouri - Points on points on points on points game II. Early, yet huge game for both teams bowl hopes.
3. Oregon vs Washington State - Lost from last season was that Washington St. scored the most points against Oregon all year in Eugene while sparking a weird beef between the two coaching staffs. Also lost from last season was that guy that got broke off by Mariota on all his highlight clips.

(Week 5) UCLA vs. Arizona State - UCLA, with all its hype, will be going thru its trickiest part of the year coming off an out of conference game at Texas before taking on ASU at their place on a Thursday night.  The last three games in this series has been won by a total of eight points.  The winner of this game has also represented the PAC-12 South the last three years as well.

Notable other games:
2. Minnesota vs Michigan - I fully expect Minnesota to compete for the Big Ten West division (which is the clearly the weakest division), so this would be a huge game for them to steal especially since the other East opponent is Ohio State.
3. Oregon State vs. USC - Game is always a weird one because neither team wins this game when they are supposed to.  Last time this game was played in L.A. it was a shootout won by six points by the Trojans.

(Week 6) Alabama vs Ole Miss - Ole Miss finally has Bama back at the Grove (has been two years). This has been a weird game because spread, hurry up teams (there is a difference) tend to lately give Alabama the most trouble EXCEPT Ole Miss. Ole Miss has averaged 7ppg, 23ppg under their average going against Alabama. This game should be different because Ole Miss is another year older and this will be Alabama's first true road game. Lets see if Coach Freeze can handle calling the game correctly this year.

Notable other games:
2. Mississippi St. vs LSU - Battle for the SEC West's Third place crown?
3. Baylor vs Texas - Texas has a tough month of September but can open October with a bang WITH AN UPSET OF BIG 12 FAVORITE BAYLOR.
4. Ohio State vs. Maryland - Can the Buckeyes get their 2nd win in Maryland? Facing another Mobile QB...

(Week 7) Oregon vs UCLA - UCLA thinks that have all the depth to be the King of the Hill in the PAC-12 but these are the game that has been getting all the hype in the Jim Mora Jr. era at UCLA with no results. Oregon will be coming to Pasadena off playing the teams that put the most points on them last year...No Excuses.

Notable other games:
2. Auburn vs Mississippi St. - First SEC Road game for the Tigers. Will Mississippi State be ranked?
3. Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M - First time Ole Miss has visited the "12th Man"...as a favorite? Points on points on points on points SEC Style.
4. Louisville vs. Clemson - Battle for the ACC Atlantic's 2nd place crown?

(Week 8) Notre Dame vs. Florida St. - First game with FSU on this list because frankly their schedule is terrible. However, these are two of college football's historic powers at positive times at their programs.  This will be first the first true road game for Notre Dame who could easily be 6-1 headed to the Doak with the uphill task of knocking FSU off that no.1 spot.

Notable other games:
2. Washington vs. Oregon - Another Weird game for Oregon coming home to a team that plays just like the team they just played. Chris Petersen lives for these games.
3. Michigan St. vs. Indiana - Sandwiched between a cakewalk and a rivalry game with Michigan, this game with Indiana will be a conference game that looks nothing like one (Hoosiers avg. almost 600ypg while averaging barely 40K in attendance) UPSET ALERT.
4. Texas A&M vs. Alabama - Last home loss for Alabama, so there will be a ore about this game. Texas A&M will be coming off of back to backs with the Magnolia State schools leaving me to think how much will be left.

(Week 9) South Carolina vs. Auburn - This game can help to prove detrimental to the SEC playoff chances while being one of the most entertaining, most on the line games of the year. I am pretty big into foreshadowing, so I'll tell you now, I think we will see this game twice this year; just like the last time these two teams played in Auburn.

Notable other games:
2. BYU vs. Boise St. - Points on points on points on points pt. III.  One of two away games that can possibly keep BYU from being undefeated...
3. Oregon St. vs. Stanford - Trap game for Stanford with Oregon on the horizon the very next week.

(Week 10) Stanford vs. Oregon - Has been the showcase game in the PAC-12 since Stanford's emergence. PAC-12 Rose Bowl participant, championship game winner and banner holder from the conference the last couple of years. Big vs. small, Slow vs. Quick, 160 million jersey combinations vs. three. This matchup has not disappointed last four years; don't expect it to this year either.

Notable other games:
2. Auburn vs. Ole Miss - Old friends/coach mates battling out for 1st, 2nd, 3rd spot in the West? Teams are so similar to what each other wants to do.
3. Florida St. vs. Louisville - Weird things happen in Louisville on Thursday nights with or without Bobby Petrino.


(Week 11) Baylor vs. Oklahoma - Big 12 Championship game for 2nd year in a row? Both teams bring a lot back from both teams making a BCS appearance for the Big 12 last year. Baylor has to do it in Norman though, a place they have never won...ever.

Notable other games:
2. Ohio State vs. Michigan St. - I got this game just under 1st place due to the Big12 being the corniest conference without a title game.  This game can make for an interesting sequel to the 2013 championship game since they now have to battle for it in the way more powerful Big Ten East.
3. Alabama vs. LSU - Game may lose a little luster due to records and inexperience with LSU but its still in Baton Rouge at night. Bama hadn't won four in a row against LSU since the championship season...in 1992.

(Week 12) Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech - Rematch of a very enjoyable, competitive game in Norman that saw both teams undefeated before Oklahoma stole one in the rain.  Crazy stat is that both teams has alternated wins in this series until last year since 2005. This game should be at night where things tend to get a little weird in Lubbock.

Notable other games:
2. Nebraska vs Wisconsin - Battle for 1st in the much more cupcake Big Ten West?
3. Mississippi St. vs. Alabama - Has recently been a very tough, physical game no matter the score. Battle for 2nd in the SEC West?
4. Ohio State vs. Minnesota - Teams haven't played since 2010. Minnesota hasn't won since 2000. But the Gophers are back running the ball and my sleeper to get out of the Big Ten West. Steal this one here can setup a rematch in December.

(Week 13) USC vs. UCLA - Some people think UCLA could be favored in every game this year...but before their big showdown with Stanford they have another game with a typically physical team in USC. UCLA win this game, and they might just have L.A. The Bruins have not beat USC three times in a row since the 90's...when they beat the Trojans eight times in a row; longest in the rivalry.

Notable other games:
2. Tulsa vs. Houston - Points on Points on Points on Points part IV. Is Houston still undefeated at this spot?
3. Minnesota vs. Nebraska - Should be an elimination game for the Big Ten West. Only other team with a pulse is favorite Wisconsin.

(Week 14) Auburn vs. Alabama - Rivalry, Payback, Strange things that don't happen in college football games ever? Check. These teams could be undefeated or have one or two losses, either way I think this game comes down with something on the line in the best division in football.

Notable other games:
Oregon vs. Oregon State - Can Oregon St. finally beat the Ducks in a big spot. Coach Riley is 0-7 against Oregon since 2007.
Stanford vs. UCLA - Rivalry game? (4 games in 5 yrs) Preview of Pac-12 Championship game? Does UCLA have enough in the tank after a physical game with USC?
Baylor vs Texas Tech - These former co-workers (Houston) sound so much like each other in interviews its crazy. Will Baylor be undefeated here? Can the student knock the teacher off?
South Carolina vs Clemson - Rivalry game. South Carolina should be higher in the rankings. Can Clemson knock USC off finally?

College Football Teams to look out for in 2014

Time to gear up for the 2014 college football season! Whether it is an office pool or to show you are the smartest person in the room, I have decided to open up the season by giving you some squads to look out for to help you out.  Like every year, there will be shocking upsets and overtime thrillers that will change the landscape weekly. Here are MY teams that may do just that.


BYU. Why a Surprise? Could go undefeated in 2014. BYU had one of the toughest schedules last year; but also a revamped offensive scheme and did not lose a game by more than ten points in the regular season. This year the schedule gets a bit softer with only the Coogs going to Texas and Boise but Houston coming to Utah. BYU averaged over 260 yards per game rushing, and had its highest coring average since 2009. Both the QB and RB each gained well over a 1,000 yards and both come back along with their entire O-line. BYU vs. Houston on September 11th is a game to watch.

Houston. Why a Surprise? Potential American Athletic Conference winner this year. If you mixed last years team defense with the offense Kevin Sumlin and Case Keenum and David Kolb had in the past, you might have had another prestigious Houston squad challenging for a title. They were a whopping  +25 in turnover differential in 2013. Houston still looks to spread it out, and she have a more powerful offense this year (lowest offensive output since 2006) with their entire 2-deep on offense coming back.  Toughest game seems to be at BYU who they lost to last year by a point in a shootout. They lost 4 games in last years regular season all by one possession. It is logical that Houston can beat every team it faces.

Indiana – Why a Surprise? Will make a bowl game for the 10th time in Indiana's 121st season. The Hoosiers had one of the tougher schedules playing a total of 6 teams that was ranked at one part of time in the season. They had one of the most balanced offenses in the nation (18th in passing, 30th and rushing) and they return both QBs, RB, and entire o-line from a team that averaged the most points in IU history.  If they can somehow find a defense (9 starters back) (from a terrible unit), they will make the BIG 10 East a more competitive division than it already is.   Only three super tough road games, at Missouri, at Michigan, and at Ohio St. I fully expect the winner of their games with Bowling Green and Mizzou to have 60 points.

Marshall. Why a Surprise? Could go undefeated. Not too many tough games on the Thundering Herd's schedule. Toughest away game looks to be Old Dominion who just moved to the FBS division last year. Some of the most prolific players in the CUSA come back for Marshall that averaged in the top 25 in both Passing and Rushing Yards in the nation.  Rakeem Cato is this years Colt Brennan (Heisman darkhorse who really has no chance to win the Heisman but should be in NY) and has a chance to break all of Byron Leftwich and Chad Pennington's records at Marshall. Lost 4 games last year by a total of 30 pts all on the road including a 3OT game with Virginia Tech. If this was the 2013 BCS era they would have played the role of UCF no doubt.

Navy. Why a Surprise? Could end year in Top 10. Navy has a chance for their 3rd double digit win total in the last ten years and second since 2009.  Speaking of 2009, that was the last time the Midshipman played Ohio State. They loss that game by four points in the same situation.  This year they get the Buckeyes in Baltimore which is possibly the only game (other than Notre Dame) Navy could be unfavored in. Speaking of the Irish, after that long historic losing streak, Navy is now 2-3 the last 5 years against Notre Dame.  That game is also in Maryland. Led by Keenan McReynolds, Navy has a lot of experience coming back. With OSU slow starts and ND faltering ends, Navy would be an interesting team in the new playoff system if they could knock off one of those two squads.

Texas Tech - Why a Surprise? Will battle Baylor and Oklahoma for the top spot in the Big 12.  We all know the story, the Red Raiders started 7-0 before a competitive action packed, rain filled, game with Oklahoma led to the wheels falling off. However, in Kingsbury's first year, they accomplished a lot of what the coach wanted. They were well over 500 ypg on Offense including be 2nd in the nation in passing and first in the nation in total plays per game.  The thing I actually liked about this team is that it played with a chip on its shoulder and was secretly competitive on defense through the first 7 games. It was just different than recent Tech teams had done in the past. If that carry over onto this year, (starters on each level of D come back), and they can do better than being 116th in penalties and 117th in turnover differential, they were a team no one wants to deal with. These numbers should go down if Davis Webb performs to half of all the hype he's getting preseason.

Washington State. Why a Surprise? Should battle for second place in the PAC-12 North Division. Wazzu did not really compete against their higher-ranked foes last year (except the road game game at Auburn and ranked game at USC). However, Connor Holliday is one of the many star QBs that return in the stacked position in the PAC12. He will have all his leading WRs back from a team that finished 4th in the nation in passing last year.  Should be really fun to see what legendary coach Mike Leach does with that. Even though they draw Arizona St. and Stanford on the road, they get Oregon and Washington at home and should be a spoiler for the action that happens down the stretch.

Teams that did not quite make the list but I will probably still take credit for since I put them in the article:

Louisiana – One of the most oldest, experienced teams in the NCAA. Leading QB, RBs and WRs come back from a team that went 9-4 last year.  This whole athletic department just has momentum from the name change. (See recent Basketball, Baseball and Softball seasons)

Maryland – Coming to the BIG 10 with a very experienced offense and a dual threat QB in C.J. Brown. People forget that before he was injured for the year at Florida State, they were the no. 16th team in the nation. No defense resembles FSU in the BIG 10.

The Threat of Nothing; Reasons why the SEC can get ZERO teams in the Inaugural Playoff

For a long time, College Football fans have longed for a playoff. However, no conference dominated the BCS-era quite like the SEC, including winning 7 straight titles. Whether because of the loss of experienced upperclassmen or legendary QBs, the SEC is undoubtedly wide-open.  Quite possibly, this same conference may now be least ready to move to the playoffs. Is it possible that the SEC will have zero teams in the new playoff? Consider the following.

Alabama's Jacob Coker.
UA fans, and possibly coaches alike, are resting a lot of hope on a QB that has not started a game in college football. Unfortunately, transfer history INTO the SEC has not been good in recent history.   Recent transfer QBs that come to mind that fit the mold of being at another power conference prior to coming to the SEC would be Jeremiah Masoli (Oregon to Ole Miss), Jevan Snead (Texas to Ole Miss), Ryan Mallett (Michigan to Arkansas), and Robert Bolden (Penn State to LSU). Ryan Mallett was the only one to finish as expected, that is, as a great QB for his team. I would also argue that all of these QBs had major game experience before having a brutal SEC experience. Masoli was a 5th year graduate transfer who started at Oregon. Jevan Snead played at Texas his freshman year eventually losing the job to Case McCoy. Robert Bolden played as a frosh (including against Alabama) in 2010.With that being said, it is pretty rare that QBs transferring into the SEC has immediate success.  It is important to note that if Jacob Coker doesn't live up to the hype, Alabama is still talented enough to win big games...but they could also lose a couple of games...which would dent one of the SEC's strongest teams' case for getting into the playoffs.

*Cam Newton does not fit in my category because he played at UF (an SEC school) and battled with Tebow...and he was a freak of nature. 

It is rare for QBs who transfer from other Power Conferences to have first year success in the SEC like Ryan Mallett did.

Auburn's Schedule.

Hands down, it appears that Auburn is the most talented team in the SEC. This is one of the few times Gus has a returning QB in his system. In addition, he has experience on every side and area of the ball. However, Auburn may fall victim to a ridiculous schedule. Consider the trade from South Carolina to Tennessee from last year; a random, RANDOM, week 3 NIGHT game AT Kansas State; and a brutal 4 week stretch at the end of October and November where I think every team they play could be in the top 15 except South Alabama.  If they stay healthy and come out of this schedule with one loss, I would consider it a magical season and definitely worthy a playoff shot.

South Carolina's Schedule.

I think South Carolina is hands down the favorite to win the East. I'm actually apart of the small few that liked Dylan Thompson over Connor Shaw in this Spurrier offense because of the different dimensions Thompson gives you. See South Carolina AT Clemson 2012  Although I still think USC will win the East, like Auburn, the schedule got extremely tougher, so their percentages to go through the season unscathed goes considerably down, especially since they are trading Arkansas and Miss. State with Texas A&M and a visit to Auburn. Getting out of this schedule with only one regular season loss is a great goal especially with a possible rematch with Auburn in the title game lurking.


The Magnolia State.

I believe that positive momentum is a huge thing in COLLEGE sports and both Ole Miss and Mississippi State have it.  Ole Miss finished 8-5, (and I would argue they were in every game they loss including the loss they took to Alabama (9-0 at halftime)) beat LSU, and won their 2nd straight bowl game. Mississippi State really turned the corner in November playing both Texas A&M and Alabama close before winning their three final games.  

Beating Boise St will be key for Ole Miss as they will be probably be favored in every game they play until October (HOME game with Alabama).  Ole Miss returns their leading QB, RB, and WR (in catches) in an electric offense from last year.  The key is the defense in which most of the secondary and leading tacklers are back.  They only play 4 road games in which a young LSU squad is easily their toughest one. Besides that, in recent history, they always play LSU tough and they beat Auburn the last time Auburn came to Oxford.  They also get Bama at home.

Mississippi State has three tough road games (LSU, Bama, Ole Miss) but they are pretty spread out. They have played preseason favorite Auburn to one possession every year since 2010 (except 2012 win). They also have arguably the best QB, TE, and Safety in the league and if the running game comes along as usual (Perkins and Ballard are both in the NFL under Mullen), there is no reason why the Egg Bowl can't be the biggest rivalry game played in November. 

Both teams have no Florida, Georgia or South Carolina on their schedule; So if both coaches can step up their game getting to the SEC championship game (finally for Ole Miss) is not far fetched for either team...but possibly at someones expense.

The SEC Championship Game. 

Finally, once you make it through those gauntlet SEC conference schedules, you have the pleasure of playing another top 5 opponent in the SEC title game.  However, for haters in the league (like Bob Stoops), this has kind of been an indictment on the league the last couple of years. Going back to 2009, the W-L point differential  is 221-110 only the amazing 2012 Title game between UGA and Bama ended with suspense in recent years. Being that the playoff committee members are humans and not computers, we have no history on how they will judge the drubbing of a fellow conference foe. The human element can have them swayed by haters. Either way, since 2009, losing the game didn't get you into a BCS bowl other than that 2009 Florida squad.  So I am 100% sure that the loser of such game this year won't be the 4th team in the new playoff. 

At the end of the day the SEC has been on top for so many years, any team that comes out will probably get the benefit of the doubt from the Playoff Committee. However, with the brutal SEC schedule, inexperience players, Florida State, Oklahoma and Oregon all with pretty favorable schedules and Ohio State starting in the top five, there will be an uphill climb for any team that drops a game and most definitely if they drop two. Even the SEC.

We Want Bama...Twice? Two Iron Bowls could be Perfect Ending to the ridiculous BCS System

I know that there is too much season left in the year, but if you did not have "SEC Fatigue" already imagine this scenario; The BCS Championship not only never leaving the state of Alabama for five years straight, but the two teams, from the same state, same conference, same division, playing for the belt at the end of the last BCS year in January. Danny Kanell would have a conniption. Is it plausible? Sure. Could it happen? Who knows? Lets just play it out...

First: We have to assume Auburn wins out. Sweep two of the south oldest rivalries. 3-0 in the SEC down the stretch. Auburn has not won three consecutive SEC games in a row since the 2010 National Title Season; and we all know how crazy of a ride that was. But Just play the game with me here.

Second: Alabama goes 3-1 down the stretch including beating LSU on Saturday. LSU has won last 6 of 8 in Tuscaloosa, including the last one in 2011.  So if LSU blows it by beating Bama in Tuscaloosa The Iron Bowl loss would give Bama its second loss in four weeks. We can kiss Iron Bowl II for the BCS championship goodbye.

Third: Florida St. loses to Virginia Tech or Miami in the ACC Championship game in December.  FSU is too focused to lose in the regular season. Florida vs FSU in Gainesville had a Game of the year candidate going into the season. Now it maybe a plowing session as Florida is beyond banged up. The Miami/FSU rematch would be the first since the ACC drew it up to put the teams in separate divisions. However, I think VT is the best choice here. They have the defense and special teams to compete.  Logan Thomas has something to prove right? Lighting up FSU would turn him back into the NFL prospect he was seemingly 15 years ago. Game is in Charlotte, so it would be a true neutral site.  Lose here so late in the season, while Auburn beating whomever it plays in the SEC title game would likely push Auburn past FSU. Bama? well they would have beat the ACC champ by 25 points earlier in the season, so jumping FSU seems reasonable.

Fourth: Oregon loses tonight vs. Stanford. Oregon still has the possibly the toughest schedule left out the bunch with their opponents combined wins and losses being 23-10. This includes at Arizona, whom is 12th in the nation in rushing, 10 spots behind the them, Oregon State six days later, and a possible rematch with UCLA, or Arizona, OR a game with Arizona State, the PAC12 favorite at the beginning of the year. To me, Stanford poses the biggest threat. Last team Oregon lost to on the road? Stanford in 2009, when the Cardinal beat Oregon at their own game (Not Defense) winning 51-42. Thursday night. In Palo Alto. Why not? Question is, will Oregon fall far enough for a Bama skip with a Bama loss so late in the season? Could Auburn skip Oregon when its L came from now a three loss LSU team and Oregon's coming from a top 3 team in Stanford. Will Oregon need to lose twice for Iron Bowl II?

Fifth: Ohio State loses to Michigan State in the B1G championship game.  Michigan won't be able to pull it off with no identity on offense and a QB wearing number 98. Seriously, OSU's best chance of losing is if the nation's "3rd best defense" startle the Buckeyes in Indy.  Can Auburn or Bama jump an undefeated Ohio State? Doubt it. Even if Michigan St. chokes away the appearance and OSU plays Minnesota for the B1G ten belt, Urban would be 25-0 in two years in a major conference.  ESPN would NOT let their former colleague voice not be heard.

Sixth: Baylor losing to any of the teams it has left to play.  No slight to Baylor. Huge Art Briles fan since his Houston days.  If you are bored enough, look at my archives. I wrote about Baylor back in 2009. But its a toss up with them the rest of the way since they historically HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE. They are favored by double digits tonight and it blows my mind even though it would not shock me at all.  But lets just start with Oklahoma and Texas.  Since Art Briles started in Baylor (2008), they have beaten Oklahoma and Texas in the same season only once. (2011, RGIII, Kendall Hunter, Terrance Williams and crew). Not only is it rare, the average point differential is (OK 43-Bay 25.4) (17.6), and (Tex 38.8 - Bay 32.6) (6.2). History shows In Oklahoma's case, they get blasted. And we won't even throw Oklahoma State in there who has been equally as relevant in this time span. So its up to Baylor to prove it. Don't forget, the Big 12's current leader was beat by the SEC West fifth placed team by 19 points...at home.

 Precedent Cases of Rivalry games in the last week with a BCS title rematch? Like Danny Kanell saying something that makes sense, its NEVER HAPPENED. (3)Florida and (1) Florida St. was the last one to happen and that was before the BCS was around (1996). Closest that come to mind in BCS era was (2) Michigan v. (1) Ohio St. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was on Thanksgiving break from the College of Wooster, a school 90 mins north of Columbus. Everything that needed to happen did. Top 5 Matchup? Check. Classic, entertaining game? Check. Even better was that both teams were undefeated, the away team, (2) Michigan, was in the game all the way and showed it belong.  I was in deep fear of going back to Ohio for a rematch and it was nothing you could debate. Michigan's loss came from the no.1 team in the nation, by three, at their place. But thankfully, their was no B1G championship game that would have settled it. Voters didn't want to see it, being that the rematch was so close together; even though they had no real reason of keeping Michigan out of the title game. OSU went on to play Florida, got housed, and the SEC started its run of titles.

So basically, the theory has too many "ifs" to be talked about seriously right now. However, I don't think it takes a ridiculous 2007 season to make it happen.  Everyone should just enjoy the home stretch and the state should just be happy for the first one when it happens in November.





 

Why the Mishaps for the College Football Team at Grambling Does Not Create a Windfall for Student-Athletes Everywhere

              Being somewhat of a former student-athlete, (the term athlete being used loosely) and being around friends that were true student-athletes, you cannot do anything but feel for the football players at Grambling. They met with administrators last week, for apparently not the first time, about having to travel by bus to and from their away games, Grambling facilities and football equipment that the players use and the coaching staff. While the Coaching staff in my eyes is outside of the scope of what the players should actually be worried about, all of their other complaints was justifiable due to the contract they sign with the school and the athletic department, better known as the National Letter of Intent (NLI).

                While the coaching issues might be outside the scope, the team’s facilities and equipment, the health issues stemming from the deterioration of their equipment, and poor transportation guidelines would go directly to the crux to what a football player signs with his (NLI) contract with the school. Just imagine starting a job as a writer at a newspaper company and not having any paper or ink. You are not going to be able to do your job very well. Getting a staph infection from molded equipment as a football player presents the same outcome. Regardless of what is in talks now, Division I Binding (NLI) contracts with financial aid agreements are on a year-to-year basis, which means a player could lose his scholarship at any time after the first year due to standards setup by the coach and/or athletic director. If other schools are flying in to play a neutral site game, why not Grambling? They are a historic HBCU, and probably have the 2nd most NFL players coming from their state besides LSU. Being gone four days out of the week during the middle of the season cannot help the student part of being a student-athlete; (which is also part of the financial aid/scholarship agreement). Therefore, by boycotting practices and games, the players put the onus back on the administrators and directors to allow them to perform (basically their job) in playing football on a more level and healthier field as their opponents. I totally agree with the student-athletes move to protect themselves and to their credit, their stance made national news, ESPN and every other media outlet, and has gotten them a sit down with administration to address these issues on a higher level.
           
                However, there are some people that are saying that this stance from the Grambling student-athletes will have an effect on a bigger level for all college athletes; ex: to get NCAA to start paying athletes, players from bigger DI schools sit out televised games. However, what these student-athletes must remember that doing that could be a violation of team or coach rules, slipping down a roster spot or bigger, losing a scholarship and a shot at finishing for a degree or making it to “the league” possibly. Many of these athletes would not be able to attend these colleges if not for the sport that they participate in. However, players must remain eligible to participate in their sport if they sign the contract. Therefore, by making a stance so powerful, the athlete could come at a loss.

                  So what could be an answer to some of these problems other than boycotting games or sitting out televised games possibly ending exposure to scouts at the next level? Some solutions I think that would be beneficial would be changing the language in some of the NLI agreements to better suit the athletes in performing their jobs better. This could potentially be huge if students in the DI landscape all joined the All Players United (A.P.U.) group and force some of the language in the contract for every school in Division I. This language could include that the administrators keep equipment and facilities up with some of the revenue from tickets or television deals. What about possibly having an additional amount of trainers or medical personnel on staff? These are just some of the ways as a collective unit that athletes can make sure that coaches and athletic personnel are doing their job as well when working with these NLIs. (Until, of course, the NCAA makes serious consideration of four year scholarships and paying players).

Are Missouri and Texas A&M Football Teams Taking Bread off the SEC Table?

With Missouri losing to Vandy, and Texas A&M almost losing to a program that has not won a conference game in 16 tries, I thought it would be a good time to revisit an excerpt of a piece I wrote about the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and its revenue sources back in April. This is the section about the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M and its affect on the SEC's main revenue producer, football. If you would like to see my complete breakdown of the SEC revenue and how it stacks up with other conferences (in Word or PowerPoint format) email me at johngibson2121@yahoo.com or message me on twitter @Jflashuby.

 

As of the fall 2012 sporting season, the SEC expanded to 14 schools with the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M, both formerly of the Big 12. Texas A&M brings a passionate fan base about football, a generally competitive team, and an exciting new coach to the field. Kyle Field is a historic football stadium currently the 13th biggest in the NCAA. They bring the Texas television market, more specifically the Houston market, ranked 10th biggest in the nation. This ties in with long-term profitability because instead of having at the most 10 Bowl Spots for 12 teams, the SEC has at the most 10 Bowl Spots for 14 teams. Therefore, in the future, as of right now, the SEC can only make the maximum amount of money of 10 Bowl spots; while splitting the revenue with more teams, which would inevitably put it at a loss. The SEC and its current bowl tie-in contracts are currently enforceable until after the 2013 season. They are marginal at best at every other sport the SEC competes in except Baseball, which is generally not a revenue producer in the SEC.

 

Even though Missouri has been a fairly competitive football program lately, their best asset to the SEC will be its passionate basketball fan base. Their basketball fans don't rival Kentucky's but it will start the SEC basketball season as the 2nd biggest by far. St. Louis and Kansas City has hosted numerous Big 12 championship games, including the last one, because Missouri's basketball fans come out in groves. This could be an asset to the SEC.

 

However, one of the biggest reason Missouri was added because of its television market as well. The St. Louis market is the 31st biggest in the nation. (1) However, bringing an extra team for a seasonal market at best could be a stretch in the long scheme of things. Additionally, Missouri, or more specifically St. Louis, is arguably a professional market. Missouri has 5 professional teams that have been entrenched long in the state's sporting history. The only other state that comes close to that in the south is Florida. One author's take while covering sports in Missouri was this: "Walking around the St. Louis Zoo, the grocery store, dropping my nephew off at school, watching people in the airport, I observed only a handful of "Mizzou" shirts. The sports media there barely covers conference realignment rumors. There is zero "buzz" about the SEC. The greatest attribute the SEC possesses is the passion of its fans."(2) The SEC maybe able to initiate the market early with big home games coming to Columbia in the fall, but in the long-run, will Missouri fans will travel miles away from home for any other sport other than basketball? That remains to be seen. (To update this section with real evidence, St. Louis is still proving to be a Professional television market earlier this football season. The St. Louis Rams 2^nd game of the year, against the Lions, drew higher ratings than the Missouri/Georgia game; The highest watched game for Missouri in St. Louis in 5 years. I have not even mentioned the biggest stronghold of the state...the Cardinals.)
(7)

 

Lastly, I think what the SEC is missing is that it maybe harming its product. SEC is in demand right now because they have the most superior sports programs within its 12 institutions and its belief in revenue sharing which allows schools to compete on a more equal footing from facilities to coaches. However, 14 members in a major conference competing year-round are unchartered waters. The SEC already has the highest expenditures in athletics; with two additional teams, there will automatically be less money for the conference to split. (3) Additionally, there is talk that we can be losing some of our rivalries in football by staying at eight conference games. Missouri, in the Eastern Division, is at a huge geographical disadvantage compared to any other team in the conference. However, the product would be at a huge disadvantage by scheduling nine games. With the SEC's recent championships and bowl win-loss record, its biggest threat to win championships and make more money is itself. By scheduling nine games, teams in the SEC will automatically schedule lighter, losing out on money by competing with other conference's teams such as Penn St., Michigan Texas etc. Therefore, the SEC's decision on realignment of its teams has the potential to backfire long-term if it does not do its homework on how to handle the fourteen institutions after this inaugural year.

 

2. Bowl-Tie-ins    

    Another way the SEC makes revenue is through Bowl games. In the last 5 years, the SEC has been getting an average of 9 of its 12 schools into bowls, higher than any other conference. With Bowl games, the two teams participating split the payout from participating. However, the SEC has its own rules on how to handle those payouts:

 

*For bowl games with receipts <$1.5M, the participating school retains $925k plus travel expenses; the remainder is remitted to the SEC.

*For bowl games with receipts of $1.5M or more, but <$4M, the participating school retains $1.125M plus travel expenses; the remainder is remitted to the SEC.

*For bowl games with receipts of $4M or more, <$6M, the participating school retains $1.325M plus travel expenses; the remainder is remitted to the SEC.

*For bowl games with receipts of >$6M, the participating school retains $1.825M ($1.925M if it's the MNC); the remainder is remitted to the SEC.

All of the money that is remitted to the SEC above is pooled; the SEC and each member school get 1/13 of the pool.
(4)

(From the SEC Constitution) (Pg. 42)

 

The SEC has nine bowl tie-ins not counting the national championship game. The Bowl tie-ins are the Sugar, Capital, Outback, Cotton, Chick-Fil-A, Gator, Music-City, Liberty and Compass. These bowl games alone are worth $78.16 Million dollars or $8.7 Million dollars per bowl game. (5) To put this in even more perspective, the rest of the teams left participating in bowls across the various conferences are left only $202 million once the SEC takes its share. The SEC would only forfeit these games if they had multiple teams in the BCS, and other teams not being the minimum of the now 6-6 mandate.

This ties in with long-term profitability because instead of having at the most 10 Bowl Spots for 12 teams, the SEC has at the most 10 Bowl Spots for 14 teams. Therefore, in the future, as of right now, the SEC can only make the maximum amount of money of 10 Bowl spots; while splitting the revenue with more teams, which would inevitably put it at a loss. The SEC and its current bowl tie-in contracts are currently enforceable until after the 2013 season. (6)

Additionally, there has been talk of making a tougher bowl game criteria which no doubt, would affect the SEC's bottom line in the long run. The proposal is that teams must have an overall record of at least 7-5 to participate in the bowls. This would help the case for a playoff, but harm the SEC's revenue yearly, especially since it expanded the league to 14. If this proposal was in effect last year, the SEC would have had three less bowl teams but more importantly, would have lost $4.2 million dollars in bowl payouts. Which would lead me to ask; just what exactly do Missouri and Texas A&M bring to the table again?

*Updated Notes as of October 6^th, 2012:

• There will be a playoff format in Division I football as of 2014 (HA! Thank God.)
  
• Traditional Rivalries have already been affected with these two teams alone: In the "two money making" sports, Missouri is not scheduled to play Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma or Iowa St. in ANYTHING. The Arch Rivalry in Basketball with Illinois is on schedule this year. Texas A&M has ceased playing Texas, its biggest rival. They get to renew their rivalries with LSU, but will step out of the local rivalries with Baylor, Texas Tech and TCU. They are on schedule to play the inferior programs of Rice and SMU in football and Houston in basketball.
  
• The SEC and the Big 12 (how fitting), has added the Champions Bowl, but it is unclear to me whether or not this will be an additional bowl or re-naming/taking the place of another bowl (like the Cotton) because of the SEC's history with the BCS. It does start in 2015; after the first year of the playoff in college football.
  
• As of Oct. 6^th, the SEC has 7 teams with 1-loss or less, and 10 teams that are .500 or better; making the hypothetical of fighting for the 10^th bowl spot a real possibility…
  

(1)
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/04/new_sec_members_missouri_texas.html

(2)
http://dev.chuckoliver.net/2011/08/missouri-doesnt-show-me-it-belongs-in-sec/

(3)
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2012/02/16/collegiate-athletic-conferences-generate.html

(4)
http://sec.xosdigitallabs.com/Portals/3/SEC%20Website/football/Constitution.pdf

(5)
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2011/11/bowl-payouts-projected-around-281-million.html

(6)
http://www.mrsec.com/2012/04/slive-talks-new-bowl-possibilities-for-his-league/

(7) http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/television/dan-caesar/rams-tv-ratings-rise-but-fall-short-of-last-years/article_4769cd9e-77ff-59f6-8fe9-4d7fbb37e052.html

How the SEC Dodged Its Own Bullet:

Why 8>9 in SEC Football

Intercollegiate athletics are going through some major changes, and it appears to be for the worst.  Super Conferences seem inevitable; however, the SEC seems concrete - thanks to its leader, Commissioner Mike Slive.  The SEC would add Missouri and Texas A&M, split them up in the East and West divisions (in sports like football) or throw them in the mix (like basketball) and just invade TV markets -- no short of New Mexico.

Early in the year, Slive made it clear that the sport schedules for 2012-13 would be the schedules only for that season. So, we now have 14 teams. Fourteen is a weird number.  The first thing that popped in my head is: what will the schedule look like? There were already rumblings of discrepancies. Are rivalries going to be harmed? How is traveling going to be handled? Will Georgia continue getting “these” schedules?  Then I heard the shocker: to make it fair maybe we should go to 9 SEC Conference games schedule in football.

Being an SEC fan, relief engulfed me when I discovered that there were eight SEC games scheduled from Alabama to Vandy.  Taking the homer glasses off, for the last six years the SEC has dominated the college football landscape. But each of the champions has had its share of close calls or even losses in the regular season.[1] Check the table below:

 Close Calls on the Road to BCS Title[2]

 

’06 Florida 13-1	L  @ Aub., 1pt. W v Tenn., 7pt.W v UGA, 6pt. W @ Vandy, 1pt. W v So. Car, 7pt. W @ FSU
’07 LSU    12-2	L (3OT) @ UK, L (3OT)v Ark, 6pt. W v Aub, 7 pt. W @ Bama
’08 Florida 13-1	L @ Ole Miss, 11 pt. Comeback W v Bama in SEC Champ.
’09 Alabama 14-0	2 pt. W v Tenn., 9 pt. W v LSU, 5 pt. W @ Aub
’10 Auburn 14-0	3pt. W @ Miss. St, OT W v. Clem, 8 pt. W v So. Car., 3pt. W @ UK, 7pt. W v LSU, Spotted UGA 24 pts before W, Comeback Game v. Bama
’11 Alabama 13-1	3 pt. L v. LSU

[3]

Sticking with eight is hard enough, so when the idea of the nine games reappeared this week, the issue became the subject of much debate.  All speculation was put to rest after the June 1 vote, which resulted in the approval of an eight game schedule.  Nonetheless, I had to write about what the SEC almost did; it almost relinquished its most treasured asset…all by adding one game to its SEC schedule.

6-1-1 or 8 games vs. 9 games

The most controversial issue for fans and others was whether or not the nine game schedule would be the best shot for keeping the out of state rivalry games; however, the eight game schedule keeps the rivalries.[4]  My initial thought for dealing with the two new teams was to make the them, Missouri and Texas A&M, partners/rivals.  In football, these two teams have provided a competitive game the last couple of years; besides, they would provide a natural familiar face for each other.  Instead, the SEC assigned Arkansas and Missouri which is great, given its close proximity and basketball history.  Similarly, the assignment of South Carolina with Texas A&M could be interesting; their similarities/ties include maroon colors. 

The Biggest Gripe I’ve been hearing has come from LSU.  Their AD thinks it is unfair because their partner is Florida every year in football. So LSU, recently, has had its own personal round robin with national champions.  Apparently, he fails to realize that the only possible partners they could have are Mizzou, Carolina or Kentucky as every other opponent has a legit rival.  Also, fans love this game now.  It is generally a top-25 matchup and is often the CBS game of the week, if not night game of the year. He has just got to man-up. Clearly, he is not aware of the Alabama/Tennessee rivalry…especially between the 10 year span of 1989-99.  There was a ranked team in the game every year, and both teams were ranked 7 out of the 11 times, even as Bama was on probation. All seven times both teams were in the top 15…and this is a real rivalry. It happens, man. 

SEC Championship Game Surprise

By staying with the eight game schedule, the SEC helps keep the mystique of the SEC Championship game.  In its 19 year history at Legion Field in Birmingham, AL there has been only a rematch 6 times showing the parody of the league.  Other conferences lack that. The Big Ten’s first year was a rematch, and the PAC-12’s first year would have been a rematch if USC was not on probation.  Instead, Oregon got UCLA, who ended up 6-8.  The SEC championship has had a top 25 matchup every year and six upsets according to the rankings.  By adding nine games, simple math tells me that it causes a greater probability of making a rematch[5]. Adding nine games ultimately ensures that an SEC team would face a tenth SEC opponent in the regular season, thereby making the schedule even tougher, which makes the probability of going unscathed or to the BCS title game even tougher.  What SEC fans don’t get (in my opinion) is that there will be no sympathy taken for an undefeated SEC title game loser because of many reasons, including the fear of what happened last year. Maybe, there would be some consideration in the playoff "Top 4 Method", but no way in the world in the BCS.

Cupcake City Goes National

My last point is that the “out of conference” schedule would take a major hit if the SEC joined the frenzy, that is, the nine game conference schedules.  In 2006, the PAC 12, back when they were the PAC 10, decided that their teams would play all the conferences’ teams.  Since spreading out to the South and North, they have kept the nine games, protecting ONLY the California schools. Therefore in theory, Oregon v. USC, a decent rivalry the last ten years, is not protected. The BIG12 plays nine conference games thanks to only having ten schools (Insert joke here). The ACC has approximately 200 schools they’ve added and 200 schools looking to leave. Currently you play the six in your division and three in the other with one of those three being protected. The BIG10 is moving to nine in 2017. 

Of all conferences, the SEC and ACC generally schedule the toughest out of conference games as a conference. One of the better seasons I can remember (OOC) for a conference was the SEC’s 2009-10 season.  There was Bama/VT, UGA/GT, So.Car/Clem, Miss.St./Hou., Miss.St/GT, UGA/Ok.St, Aub/West Va., all ranked matchups.  You may have your Ohio St., Oklahoma, or Oregon programs that travel out, helping their own prestige, but not as a conference making the commissioner papa proud.  By adding nine games, The SEC would move to cupcake city too…if they were smart. 

The SEC has the highest Non-League Power Rating since 05-06, while having the toughest strength of schedule four of those six years as a conference.[6] Why would I schedule Boise when I have a nine game SEC schedule, especially when it is conceivable that all nine teams could be ranked?  Back when the conference consisted of 12 schools, the SEC had an average of nine teams to get into bowls, higher than any other conference in the last five years.  The conference as a whole has only dipped below a .600 winning percentage twice since the 2005-06 season.  If a team replaces a cupcake or a program altering game with a SEC team in the regular season, it reduces its chances for a win and could lower the leagues’ chance of making more money at a bowl. Personally, I don’t blame the ADs. I think it is a direct correlation that Ohio St., the BIG10 strongest scheduler, has already backed out of playing Georgia and Tennessee since the BIG10 has announced they were headed to nine games in 2012. USC, generally the PAC12 toughest scheduler, moved to cupcake city in 2011 when the PAC12 kept the nine games and added the championship game. Their toughest OOC game looks to be Texas A&M in 2015.[7]

For the last two years, the college football landscape has been moving and shaking all around the SEC.  But by keeping a 12 game schedule, while leaving the leagues’ games at eight instead of nine, the SEC still has the best shot to run for the title.    

---

[1] I count Conference Championship games as the regular season because they are. You lose the game; it affects where you play in the post season.

[2] I consider close games as 10 points or fewer or if the score is not indicative of the game, and I actually watched it. I could have added the Arkansas game as well but you get the drift about the special 2010 Auburn season. Bold is an Out Of Conference game. As you can see, the biggest opponent to the BCS Title over the last 6 years of the SEC has been the SEC itself.

[3] The easiest argument to this is that SEC has a weak OOC - not the case. Keep reading.

[4] According to Clay Travis, Coaches Nick Saban, Derek Dooley, Gene Chiznik and Mark Richt favored the 9 game conference schedules. I’m not sure why Richt favors them, since UGA had the easiest SEC schedule possible in SEC history last year. Rumor has it nine games gives Dooley a better chance to beat someone other than Vandy and UK. It is important to note that Jesse Palmer wants nine games as well.

[5] Winning team in season matchup is 5-1 in the rematch of the SEC championship game. This includes the debacle that was Auburn/So.Car in 2010. I literally fell asleep in the 1^st half. My conference championship game theory:  the higher the rankings of both teams or if the teams have not seen each other all year = more intrigue. More intrigue = more viewers. More viewers = more money. And that’s the main focus right? The best example (ever) to illustrate this point: ’08 SEC Championship game: #1 Bama v. #2 UF who hadn’t seen each other since ’06.

[6] According to teamrankings.com

[7] I do not count the OOC rivalry games the fans would literally fight the AD if he removed off the schedule. Therefore with USC I’m not counting Notre Dame because it’s a giving those two are going to play, especially with ND being in the wilderness without a conference

A Letter to Arkansas

Dear Arkansas,              

              Say Pigs, we need you to do us a solid. Yes, I am an Alabama fan but that is not why I’m here. Before you rip this letter up, two things: yes I know we pounded you out in Week 4, it happens. Take notice that you scored the most on Alabama the whole year (14 pts.). Second, I know Oklahoma is going to beat OK State. You can’t win the national championship with absolutely no defense. People forget that the best player on Auburn’s team last year was a defensive tackle. It doesn’t matter anyway.
          Why I’m here is that we want to see you beat LSU.  This is not as an Alabama fan, b/c frankly, it doesn’t matter at all in the short scheme of things when Oklahoma beats OK State. We’ll be in.  But if you beat LSU, there will be a 3-way tie for first if everyone wins out. And if OK St. and LSU lose all heaven is going to break loose and it will be the end of the BCS as we know it.  You, yeah you, Arkansas, may even play in the BCS championship without even playing in the SEC championship game. How can they leave you out when you beat the no. 1 team so late in the season? It’s going to be crazy. You’ll actually probably give Alabama an extra game which would help/hurt them at the same time because who wants to play an extra game to get to the title game? The Big 10 and Pac 12 avoided it for YEARS. We’ll have to do a playoff because it'll be better than doing all this math and leaving over-rated powerhouse Oklahoma and flashy moneymaking Oregon out.  But none of this craziness will happen if you lose, so ummm don’t choke. Let's end the BCS while having two SEC teams in the BCS championship game.

Sincerely,

Jflashuby.

Top Games of the College Football Season (2011)

These are my top games of the 2011 College Football Season.  ESPN might have publicized some of the obvious ones on the list; however, most will be either games with major ramifications or a great game that will be enjoyed by a fan of the sport, college football.

Oregon v. LSU (Sept. 3^rd) (Dallas) – Some people say this is Oregon’s only obstacle on its way back to the BCS title game.  I would agree in view of the fact that it has only four true road games.  Even so, Oregon has a history of slow starts (check Boise 2 yrs ago, and last year’s first half against Tennessee). With the athleticism and experience of LSU’s veteran players, they certainly should make this a difficult game for Oregon.  Oregon wanted another shot at an SEC team; well, they got it.

Boise St. v. Georgia (Sept. 3^rd) (Atlanta) – Last time these teams played (back in 2005), Georgia beat the brakes off of Boise.  However, times have changed, and Boise will probably be a slight favorite, even in Atlanta.  Georgia has been the one team that has made the SEC look bad out of conference (OOC) over the last few years, which I believe, is one of the main reasons bulldog fans started looking at Mark Richt funny.  A win here would help get some of those haters off his back. If Boise wins, Kirk Herbstreit will get that bandwagon for the Broncos rolling.

Missouri v. Arizona St. (Sept. 9^th) – Clearly, this will be a test for Missouri.  The strength of both teams will be at odds the entire game, Mizzou’s receivers against ASU’s huge line backing core.  Can that LB core, whose average weight is around 250 lbs and which is one of the best in the nation, chase Mizzou’s receivers all over the field? The best coach/game plan involving this matchup should win this game.

Tulsa v. Boise St. (Sept. 24^th) – Is Boise on my list twice? Yes, well, I might be getting soft. Nevertheless, two years ago, on a Wednesday night, Tulsa lost 28-21 after being the first team to have a lead on Boise and to cause more turnovers than Boise in 2009.  Most of Boise’s secondary is gone playing to Tulsa’s strength, and most of Tulsa’s offense can remember that game. The key factor is that for Boise, this game is between a bum trip to Toledo and a revenge game against Nevada.  Even though I said in earlier articles that Tulsa is legit, if Boise loses here, there will be no title shot; no matter how hard Mr. Herbstreit advocates. Upset Alert 

Nebraska v. Wisconsin (Oct. 1st) –Wisconsin will welcome Nebraska to Madison in one of the most anticipated “within conference” games of this season. Both teams are great at playing defense and running the ball, albeit in different ways.  The key factor in determining the winner will be which team finds its balance the easiest. Russell Wilson may be significant. This game may give us a preview of the Big 10 Championship game. (But maybe not if you know the history of inaugural championship games)

Texas A&M v. Arkansas (Oct. 1^st) (Dallas) – Arkansas won the last two games of this rivalry since its renewal; however, Texas A&M might be the favorite this year with all the firepower they have coming back.  I must admit that both QBs have athletes all over the field at the WR and RB positions and having great offensive minds in Mike Sherman and Bobby Petrino.  Whichever suspect defense can assert itself should win this game.

SMU v. TCU (Oct. 1^st) - SMU, with 19 starters coming back, is the class of the competitive C-USA.  Last year, these teams produced a high-scoring game in which SMU had the lead in the 2^nd half before imploding.  SMU had put the most points up against TCU, caused turnovers, and had a runner over 130 yards against the tough TCU defense. For TCU this game is between two straight cupcakes but before a key game in California against SDSU, who gave TCU all they could handle last year. Upset Alert

 Ohio St. v. Nebraska (Oct. 8^th) – Ohio State gets to welcome Nebraska to the league with about as full force as can be expected.  This would have been one of the most anticipated “within conference” games of the year if the whirlwind concerning Ohio State did not happen this summer.  Nonetheless, this should still be a great game with two of the best defensive teams in this league and in the nation going at it.

Wisconsin v. Ohio St. (Oct. 29^th) – Assuming that OSU can play in the Big 10 title game, (even though USC can’t in the Pac-10 with seemingly lesser violations; but that is another subject) this game could come down to who represents the “Leaders” division.  Since 2002, Wisconsin is the only Big 10 team that can say, “We can bang with OSU”, going 3-4 in that stretch and leading to many “shared” conference championships for themselves and others. (OSU tended to get the BCS nod however.) (Thank God, there is no more of that).  Again, this should be another hard hitting, grind it out, choke fest, excuse me, slugfest with a lot more on the line.

Tulsa v. UCF (Nov. 3^rd) – This is a Thursday night game that can be a preview of the C-USA championship game.  UCF is maybe the only team in the league that is still traditional, running the ball out of two receiver sets with a running back.  However, Tulsa is one of the more consistent teams in the league winning a minimum of nine games sans the 5-7 mark in 2009.

South Carolina v. Arkansas (Nov. 5^th) – The league has made a drastic power shift in that, it is not automatically assumed that the best team in the East can beat any team in the West.  Here, the preseason favorite to win the East goes against a contender of the West division. SEC East needs a big time victory against the West for confidence (I don’t remember any since a blown call gave Florida the SEC title in 2008).  You can argue that South Carolina drew a great SEC West schedule this year by missing Bama and LSU; however, they draw an Arkansas team that dropped a 40 piece while beating them by 19 last year…in Columbia.

LSU v. Alabama (Nov. 5^th) – If you know SEC football, you already know about this rivalry.  LSU, Bama and Auburn have had their own private gauntlet in determining who comes out of the West for as long as I can remember.  This year will be no different.  Bama was caught looking ahead last year and simply got beat by LSU in Death Valley.  I am sure they would love to return the favor this year.  Schedules may not allow both teams to be undefeated this long in the season, but if so, a lot will be on the line.

TCU v. Boise St (Nov. 12^th) – Boise St. is on my list three times, so I’m officially Pau Gasol soft. Anyways, this is the third time in 3 years these two will get together; each winning one of the first two games.  TCU has previously held Boise St. well below its gaudy offensive numbers making it a grind game, even though Boise has shown that it is comfortable in playing these games. If both come in undefeated, the loser will be out of the title hunt, and will probably need a lot of help for any BCS aspirations.

Arkansas v. Miss. St. (Nov. 19^th) – I remember getting flack for having this game on my list last year.  However, over the last couple of years, this game has been one of the most entertaining, non-defensive games in the SEC.  These games matter because in the best division in college football, winning can land you in second place while losing can put you in 5^th place in the division.  That determines bowl placement. Bowl placement determines money. Money matters.

USC v. Oregon (Nov. 19^th) – USC and Oregon has flipped spots as far as winning in the Pac 12, but before last year, USC still had the upper hand in the matchup. This time, Oregon has a tough stretch mentally because the next week they have the Civil War and in 2 weeks the Pac 12 championship game will be held, and Oregon is already penciled in for a spot in that game.  USC still has the athletes and coaching staff to compete with Oregon.   But do they have the heart?

Pittsburgh v. West Virginia (Nov. 25^th) This should be quite an exciting game and should help settle any questions as to who is number one in the Big East.  With both of these schools going to wide open spread offenses, the defense, which has been the key to this game for the last couple of years, will be the determining factor.

Oregon St. v. Oregon (Nov. 26^th) Before Stanford entered the picture last year, this game had settled the Pac-10 for two years straight.  The Civil War was for the title in 2009 (the 65-38 game) and Oregon stopped Oregon St. from going to the Rose Bowl in 2008 in a shootout.  Oregon St. hasn’t won in this series since ’07, but if they can find some consistency on (D), this game may help determine who gets to play in the inaugural championship game.

Houston v. Tulsa (Nov. 26^th) The No. 6 and 13 offenses from last year, respectively, get to duke it out in a rivalry game that features two of the best QBs in the nation. If you like 5-wideouts, 400+ yard passers and a 4-hour game because of all the scoring (like me), this will be the game for you. Tulsa won by 3 points last year, but the last time both teams were at full strength, there was over 1200 yards of offense, and Houston had a 1point win, a Heisman candidate and a BCS hope. This game should help decide who comes out of the slept on, ultra competitive C-USA (West).

Oklahoma v. Oklahoma St. (Nov.26^th) – Oklahoma St. secretly has not won a game in this series since 2002.  Nevertheless, since ’08, this has been one of the most exciting games with ramifications at the end of the year.  This year should be no different. A lot of offense on both teams comes back from the 47-41 game from last year, in which Oklahoma won to get the tiebreaker to win the division.

Honorable Mention

Utah v. USC (Sept. 10^th) - Welcome to the Pac-10 Utah! Many people have you in the inaugural Pac-12 championship, but let’s see how you can handle playing every week. They start their top-heavy schedule in Los Angeles.

Arkansas v. Alabama (Sept. 24^th) - Barring injury, this games showcases the best WR core in the nation against the best secondary in the nation. The winner of this game generally does big things in the season…

LSU v. West Virginia (Sept. 24^th) Another SEC Defense against another OOC Wild Spread offense; always interesting.

Clemson v. FSU (Sept. 24^th) – This is an early Bowden Bowl with no Bowdens actively involved Part II:   It is also a key game for tiebreakers later on in the season.

East Carolina v. Houston (Oct. 8^th) – Quite possibly a shootout in which someone will drop a 50 piece…at the half.

Virginia Tech v. Miami (Oct. 8^th) - Can this rivalry game help determine the Coastal champion?

Texas A&M v. Oklahoma (Nov. 5^th) – Say hello to the Class of the Big 12.

Florida v. South Carolina (Nov. 5th) – With a cloudy SEC East, this game is key to a Spurrier Bowl.