Week 2 - Games to Keep an Eye On

We've got one week in the bag. Michigan was destroyed by Alabama. Southern Cal, Clemson, Tennessee all put on good shows. I was extremely impressed by Le'Veon Bell (Michigan State), Andre Ellington (Clemson), Matt Barkley (Southern Cal), Tyler Bray (Tenn.), Todd Gurley (Georgia), Marcus Mariota (Oregon) and T.J. Yeldon (Alabama). They all had monster week 1 games, and it will be fun to keep an eye on them as the year progresses.

With Week 2 upon us, let's dive into the key matchups.


Miami at Kansas State (Saturday Noon)

• Miami is coming off a pretty good road win to start the season. They beat up Boston College, but the game was a little sloppy and lackluster for my taste.
• Duke Johnson is the real deal for Miami. He blew it up last week (7 carries, 135 yards & 2 TDs).
• This weekend's matchup versus K-State is a much different animal. Remember K-State beat Miami last year, and they play much better ball the Boston College
• K-State has not been shutout in over 190 games (longest streak in BIG-12)
• Look for Kansas State to have their hands full, but to win this one by a field goal with solid D and a great running attack

(Photo courtesy Al Diaz)

Auburn at Mississippi State (Saturday Noon)

• These two programs really hate each other. Last year's matchup or the year before for that matter.
• Bottom line these games are always exciting and close
• Keep both eyes on this one
• Auburn got a little roughed up against a solid and not yet 100% Clemson squad last week in the Dome. Tackling was poor and the offense was pretty vanilla.
• Miss. State is fired up for this one and Dan is looking for Win #2 and with a solid QB in Tyler Russel at the helm, I can understand why
• I see Auburn going 0-2 and loosing this one by 7

(Photo courtesy of Vince Ferrara)

 

East Carolina at South Carolina (Saturday 12:30 PM)

• Scary news out of last week's game. Conner Shaw with a deep bruise on throwing arm. Look for more of the same as he really likes to run
• Lattimore is back and after a 1st touch fumbe he reeled of 2 TDs and 110 yards
• And boy did DJ Swearinger get away with a pass interference late in the game. Vandy would have had the ball late in the game on the other side of the 50 with less than 2 minutes to play down by 4. Deep sigh of relief USC fans the SEC officials had your back.
• South Carolina should be concerned in the big picture - I don't see anyone on the edge that scares me. Maybe a WR will step up in Alshon's absence...either way they've got Lattimore and a stingy defense up front
• South Carolina will pull away around halftime and never look back

(Photo courtesy of Streeter Lecka)

Florida at Texas A&M (Saturday 3:30 PM)

• Welcome to the 2012 season and to the SEC
• A&M did not play last week, so it's a blessing and a curse
• They have plenty of time to prepare for Florida, who really has nothing to game plan against since there is no relevant game footage of them, but they could come out a little rusty due to no live reps
• Florida looked rough against Bowling Green. For a second there, I thought we were going to have an upset. Florida is very bland on offense and lacking in confidence
• Driskel is the QB but I'm not so sure if it will not take him until mid-season to hit stride behind that shaky Offensive Line. Defense is pretty good, but there are holes.
• I'm looking for A&M to make a splash and pull an upset

(Photo courtesy of Sam Greenwood)

Washington at LSU (Saturday 7:00 PM)

• LSU trotted out ex-UGA quarterback Zach Mettenberger and he looked as UGA predicted pretty darn good.
• LSU's ground game and defense picked up right where they were last year and they played and all around solid game
• Washington will have their hands full in this
• Look for LSU to win by 4 TDs

(Photo courtesy of Richard Reddman)

Nebraska at UCLA (Saturday 7:30 PM)

• Taylor Martinez lit it up against Southern Miss. You might say well its Southern Miss. 354 yards passing and 5 TDs is stout whatever you're measuring against.
• Coach Pellini has Nebraska charting towards the top in almost every statistical category and I expect them to keep it up with solid play again on Saturday and lace up UCLA
• Nebraska has a solid ground game that balances everything out with Ameer Abdullah and Rex Burkhead in the backfield
• Look for Nebraska to win by 10

Georgia at Missouri (Saturday 7:45 PM)

• This weekend's marquee game of the day as Missouri is formally introduced with an in-conference matchup against Georgia.
• This is the 5 star take the phone off the hook game of the day
• Expect a lot of UGA fans to be in attendance (with the Falcons in KC on Sunday, many are making a big football weekend out of it)
• Missouri will be pumped and Franklin is an amazing dual threat QB
• Missouri also has a stud freshman in Dorial Green-Beckham, but don't get caught looking because WR Jimmie Hunt can get it done too
• If UGA's defense is up to the task they should handle business and come home with a W
• Aaron Murray is veteran at this point, Todd Gurley made a big Freshman splash last weekend
• UGA will have to play sound defense where they keep their lanes to mitigate Franklin's running out of the pocket
• Latest from the program is Alec Ogletree, Bacarri Rambo, Chase Vasser, & Sanders Commings will not play in Saturday night's game (all starters)
• All that aside, I like GA by 10+ in this one

WEEK 12: 3rd & Long

The season is closing in on a landmark photo finish. Despite all the talk, LSU and Oklahoma State are out in front and in the driver seat. Everyone seems to be playing out doomsday what-if scenarios, but with a couple weeks to play and the Thanksgiving weekend just around the corner, it looks like we’re coming down the stretch in style.


#1 LSU has to get past Ole Miss in The Magnolia Bowl. Fans and alums in Oxford are ready to rid themselves of the grease fire in Oxford. Houston Nutt’s squad has gone nowhere fast this year, and Nutt will not be back. While Ole Miss opponents want him stay, it’s the right move. It is astounding just how much money Houston has accumulated with people paying him to leave. Next Friday the much anticipated SEC West Showdown between Arkansas and LSU, and this game looms big for LSU. With their eye on the prize, LSU will try to stay focused and handle the task at hand. This week’s game should a good primer game, where the backups will see some good playing time.

#2 Oklahoma State has jumped out to the best record in school history. At 10-0, many are clamoring for Brandon Weeden for the Heisman and for good reasons. He’s thrown for over 3600 yards, with a 73.1% completion ratio, 31 TDs and just 9 picks. Justin Blackmon has been sensational. He’s currently #6 in the country in receiving yards (1142) and tied for 1st in receiving touchdowns (14). I have him going #2 in the upcoming NFL draft. They travel to Ames, Iowa for a Saturday night matchup against Iowa State. And don’t forget about Randle. At RB he’s currently #3 in the nation in rushing touchdowns (21). To say Oklahoma State is all revved up and hitting on all cylinders, would be the understatement of the year.

#3 Alabama hosts Georgia Southern this weekend. Holding teams to very few points and yards is the name of the Crimson Tide’s game this year. Bama has been holding opponents to just over 7 points per game and just over 181 yards per game. Georgia Southern is currently 9-1, but Saturday should be a bad day at the office for them as Alabama is hoping to win this one and have a couple chips fall their way in the coming days at the top of the BCS rankings discussion.

#4 Oregon is coming off a big-time win last weekend against Stanford. The defense was primed and ready for then-Heisman-frontrunner, Andrew Luck. Getting 2 interceptions on Luck helped keep the Cardinals at bay and secure the big conference win. As for this weekend, Southern Cal is coming to town, and despite the spread this game is shaping up to be one of the best of the weekend. The Matt Barkley to Robert Woods show will be interesting to watch against an Oregon D that Nick Aliotti has pointed in the right direction.

#5 Oklahoma has never lost to Baylor (#22) in the series history. The Sooners have won all 20 previous matchups against The Bears. Recently losing OU All-American receiver, Ryan Broyles, was a huge loss for the Sooners. Oklahoma has plenty of players, but being stopped just yards short of the Oklahoma all-time record books in reception yards is a tough pill to swallow. With that being said Robert Griffin III has never looked better. To get an idea about just how good Robert Griffin III is…74.2 completion percentage, 3093 pass yards, 29 TDs, and just 5 interceptions. Oklahoma is in the same boat as Alabama down, they have to have something happen at the top go their way.

#6 Arkansas aside from a loss to Alabama has been quietly whipping up on people this year. At 9-1 many know The Razorbacks can play with anyone. Just ask Tyler Wilson. He’s leading the SEC in passing yards (2850). He’s second in the SEC in touchdowns (18) behind Aaron Murray (27). They have a team playing sound defense and a Bobby Petrino style offense that many in the league know that is hard to stop, with very few teams out there qualified to stop them. Bama was up to the task, but many are wondering if LSU is up to it. LSU has yet to see a passing game as dynamic as the Razorbacks. Miss State has struggled this year and at .500 (for the moment), all eyes are on next week’s Arkansas-LSU annual regular season finale in The Battle for the Golden Boot. Through the years this has been one of the most interesting endings to the regular season in all the country and this year looks no different.

#7 Clemson hits to road with a game in Raleigh against NC State. Sammy Watkins is still questionable, but Clemson has its eyes on the ACC Championship game. NC State is very similar to Miss State currently at 5-5, but they are in serious jeopardy of falling below the .500 mark. Coach Swinney has this Clemson heading the right direction and all signs point to a rematch between VA Tech and Clemson. Tajh Boyd is leading the ACC in passing yards (3017) and passing touchdowns (27). Ellington and Watkins have been wonderful in moving the ball, racking up the yards and balancing the attack.

#8 VA Tech took care of business Thursday night by beating up North Carolina in a close one. UNC pulled within 3, but could not convert the onside kick. Frank Beamer holds on for his 250th win, with his 6th win in a row. David Wilson is leading the ACC in rushing yards (1442), and with this kind of production the Hokies might give Clemson a run for their money in the rematch in Charlotte.

#9 Stanford hosts Cal in “The Big Game”. I was in doubt of this Stanford team minus Coach Harbaugh for the 2011 season, and last week proved to be the tipping point. Look for Stanford at home to bounce back. Cal’s defense is…just not that good. The problem with this Stanford team is the receiving crew is…just not that good.

#10 Boise State has to be reeling from another installment of their own version of the twilight zone. With another field goal kick missed, so go their hopes at a national championship. The kick again proves costly because they will get knocked down to a less than stellar bowl game (and expect a much less glitzy bowl payout – we are talking millions of dollars difference). They should bounce back against San Diego State and dismantle the outmatched opponent.

Other notables:

#11 Houston has been scorching opponents all year and they look to set more records this weekend as they host SMU. If you like points tune into this one. The total in this one is 75.5 and look for this one to hit. Houston can drop 50 in half easy, and Houston is currently “making their case”. Case Keenum is has been blistering defenses all year. He’s currently the national leader in passing yards (3951) and passing touchdowns (37).

#14 Georgia is playing some of the best ball this squad has seen in years. The offensive and defensive lines have really come into their own, and the defense in its 2nd year in Coach Grantham’s 3-4 is getting downright stingy. Jarvis Jones is leading the SEC in sacks (10), and Bacarri Rambo is leading the SEC in interceptions (7). Highly touted freshman tailback Isaiah Crowell is the front runner for SEC Freshman of the year, and he’s had a very positive impact on the offensive balancing act. One of the greatest surprises to come out of Athens is the post-AJ Green wide receiving corps that has stepped up in a big way. They have to beat Kentucky to secure a return visit to Atlanta for the SEC Championship. The last time they were in ATL under the bright SEC lights was back in 2005, so this one has been a long time coming for Coach Mark Richt.

WEEK 8: 1st & Ten

1. LSU - Looks like the Tigers will be minus a few players with Auburn coming to town Saturday afternoon (3:30 CBS). Tyrann Mathieu (CB), Tharold Simon (D-back) and Spencer Ware (RB) will be sitting this one out. Don't sleep on Chizik. Will Michael Dyer (RB) and Emory Blake (WR) be enought against a stout LSU defense? Crazy enough, this could be a good thing for LSU. I see them getting in some good reps for the backups building better depth, who could very easily be starting elsewhere.

2. Alabama - Bama hosts TN Saturday night. Without Tyler Bray the Volunteers are looking very thin at QB. Look for Sims to be dismantled, and somebody better warm up the 3rd string QB. Could be a really, really long night for Dooley and company. Saban is 16-1 since October '07.

3. Oklahoma - Nation's longest home winning streak plays center stage Saturday night in Norman (39 straight home W's for Oklahoma). OU is tuning up for next week's matchup against a Kansas State team which is in the midst of a revival.

4. Oklahoma State - Noon kick in Columbia as talk of the SEC swirls. This one is on upset alert. Missouri is banged up, and Gundy has Oklahoma State out to a 6-0 start. Can they stay focused? The tigers in loosing efforts gave Oklahoma and K-State a run for their money. Weeden + All-American Blackmon = Dangerzone. Weeden is completing almost 73% of his passes with 16 TDs.
Blackmon has caught 7 of those.

5. Boise State - At home, heavy favorites. Last time Boise lost a home conference game was 1998 - that's 46 straight conference home game wins.

6. Wisconsin - 8:00 PM in East Lansing will be a sight to see. Two heavyweights in the B1G square off, and these 2 could be squaring off again for the B1G Championship Game at the end of the season. The Spartans are coming off an emotional thrashing of in-state rival, Michigan, and Coach Dantonio will have them on point for a home game against The Badgers - just without #2, William Gholston. He's the 2nd leading tackler on the team - a difference maker.  I'm just not sure how long Michigan State's defense can hold up with bone crushing style Wisconsin has been flexing all year.

7. Clemson - Clemson is some of the hottest action in the country right now. They have reeled off 7 straight wins and are enjoying being the BCS limelight. Boyd, Sammie Watkins and Ellington have absolutely been sensational. Between the 3 they have racked up 2012 passing yards & 19 TDs (Boyd), 740 rushing yards (Ellington) and 728 receiving yards & 8 TDs (Sammie Watkins).

8. Stanford - The Cardinals (6-0) host Washington (5-1) Saturday night (8:00 ABC). The Huskies remain right on Stanford's heels. Their only loss of the season came to Nebraska, and they will have thier hands full against Andrew Luck. He has 18 TDs and just 3 interceptions. With Coach Harbaugh gone and causing a stir in the NFL, one has to wonder if anyone can derail Stanford's season.

9. Arkansas - Coming off a bye week, Arkansas (5-1) heads to Oxford to face a 2-4 Ole Miss squad that is reeling. The Razorbacks will descend upon the Grove. How Ole Miss has won an SEC game this year is beyond me. They are not very good - at all. Look for Petrino to make life miserable for Coach Houston Nutt.

10. Oregon - Oregon (5-1) heads into Boulder, CO to enjoy a nice road game at Folsom Field. Too bad for Colorado - they are a grease fire. They are 1-6 this year ,and they have yet to even sniff a PAC-12 victory. Look for the trend to continue for the Buffaloes. They will be 1-7 come Saturday evening.

WEEK 5 PREVIEW

As we head into October and the second month of the 2011 college football season, there are a handful of games that you really just can’t miss this weekend. Conference standings are starting to shape up, and the pretenders are being exposed. Who had Clemson undefeated midday on October 1st? They travel to a very tough Blacksburg, VA, and many are tuning in for the Tajh Boyd – Sammie Watkins show. And there’s one thing for sure The Swamp will be off the charts Saturday night with Alabama in town as two undefeated SEC teams face off.

Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Texas will be the site for the Texas A&M (#14) – Arkansas (#18) matchup. The Aggies will have to put last week’s devastating loss to Oklahoma State out of their mind. Last week Oklahoma State just had more in the tank down the stretch. Great coaching shows and it rose to the top just before halftime and out of the second half gates. And Oklahoma State showed in the 3rd quater how to get it done. A&M went into the half up 20-3 only to see the most unbelievable 3rd quarter imaginable where they gave up 21 points and scored none themselves, the Aggies will have to learn the lessons and just flush the bad from memory. Arkansas is in the same boat coming off a tough loss to Alabama. This should be a good early October test determining who can bounce back and who continues to fall from grace. A&M’s ground game has the edge here, but don’t ever count out Bobby Petrino’s passing attack. I’m positive The Razorbacks came away from Tuscaloosa with a number of things to work on during this week's practices.


Mississippi State at Georgia will be another noon kickoff where we’ll find out who this Georgia team really is. Georgia is currently favored by a touchdown. Last week’s win on the road in Oxford was a largely unimpressive win. The kicking game specialized in missing and the offense should have blown out the Rebels. In a game where the backups should have played almost the entire 4th quarter and received some solid reps (working toward the future), the starters were in late trying to hang on to the lead. Sure the Georgia Defense is showing some great progress and picking it up big time, gravitating towards the upper half of the SEC’s Defensive elite. But it is hard to miss - UGA's red zone offense is pathetic. For a team with tons of tight end talent you would think Mike Bobo would bring out the big boys down in the red zone and punch in for a couple TDs with Crowell or play action to some wide open sure handed tagets. So for Georgia: expect the unexpected. In a season where many were pumped for Miss. State it’s hard for State fans to come to grips with an 0-2 SEC start. Question: Can Georgia plug the middle and keep State off the edge? Question: Can Coach Bobo stop popping the clutch and let this offense just turn it loose? If not, it’s going to be another tough pill to swallow in A-town.



It’s a big day for football in the state of South Carolina. The Gamecocks (#10) host Auburn, and this will be a great barometer as Clemson took care of business beating Auburn at home back in week 3. South Carolina is currently favored by 10, but things are not all good in Columbia. The dysfunction is rising up and boiling over. Spurrier’s headset is taking a beating and his visor is in tatters. Thank goodness he has Lattimore and one of the most exciting defenses around to carry the load. That combination is tough to beat despite Garcia’s bumbling. Look for the Gamecocks to expose Auburn this year. Both teams have yet to lose an SEC match, but something has got to give. Queue up Sandstorm and look for Lattimore on the national stage to really make his mark for the Heisman.


Clemson (#13) at Virginia Tech is a big time cross divisional ACC clash. These two teams could easily be seeing each other again, squaring off in Charlotte for the December 3rd ACC Championship game. Bud Foster has no doubt been watching countless hours of new on the scene Chad Morris and Clemson’s revved up offense. Coach Morris is the right fit for Clemson at Offensive Coordinator, and his offensive scheming is the breath of fresh air that this team needed. Virginia Tech is favored by 7, but I’m just not seeing it. VA Tech has struggled this year – just pop in the tape of the East Carolina game, and I like Clemson’s run defense. Look for Dabo and company to keep the Boyd-Watkins-Ellington-Hopkins show rolling. Bottom line, there are too many Clemson weapons for Virginia Tech to stop them all. Plus I see Logan Thomas having trouble on 3rd and long situations, but Blacksburg...at night. Look for a really close one.


Alabama #3 travels to The Swamp to square off against #12 Florida. This is far and away the marquee game of the day. Coach Will Muschamp has this Florida squad back on track and he’s playing to his team's strengths. The run game is on point again, and the defense is playing really, really good. The Florida defense only gave up 36 points for the entire month of September. On the other side, you’ve got Alabama, who has been playing great defense with a solid run game, and a fairly unproven passing game. The Crimson Tide only surrendered 32 points in December. The matchups to watch in this one are Florida’s run game against The Tide D, and Florida’s QB play from John Brantley against The Tide secondary. And finally how will AJ MacCarron perform on 3rd and long situations? Because, to me, it is clear that Alabama’s Offense has not seen a defense all year with this kind of prowess.


Another primetime game of the night is the Nebraska (#8) at Wisconsin (#7) game. Good luck getting a ticket to this one. Two of the best rushing programs in the country square off in this new found Big 1G rivalry. Both teams have laid waste to their competition. A cross divisional game, all chips will be on the table come Saturday night. Look for Taylor Martinez to take a beating against the Wisconsin defense. Wisconsin has only given up 34 points in the month of September, and that’s nothing to shake a stick at regardless of who you’re playing. These guys are BCS grade. I expect Wisconsin to get into the red zone behind the Russell Wilson - Montee Ball – James White ground game, and punch in TDs in the redzone via the tight ends. Look for a close one early, but Wisonsin to pull away late.

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY 2011: THE TOP 10 CLASSES

What a day for the nation's elite high school football prospects. There were twists and turns as usual, and here is a quick recap of today's signees and projected finishing classes.

After careful review, I'm reshuffling the order a bit. I think without a doubt that Alabama has the #1 class. Reeling in Jeoffrey Pagan (great Defensive End from NC) away from Georgia was a big get. And they flipped Cyrus Kouandjio from rival Auburn. Plus Florida State lost a big one in Tony Steward to Clemson. Dabo cranked it up this year, and in a big way as he pulled in the #6 Class in the country. It's hard to keep FSU in the #1 spot after loosing such a talented back to Clemson, but they still had a phenomenal recruiting class led by Jimbo Fisher.

1. Alabama - Hasean Clinton-Dix (DB/S), Demetrius Hart (RB), Trey DePriest (RB), Quinton Dial (DE), Jeoffrey Pagan (DE), Cyrus Kouandjio (OL)
2. FSU -  - James Wilder Jr (RB), Karlos Williams (DB), Kelvin Bejamin (WR), and Nick O'Leary (TE)
3. Texas - Malcolm Brown (RB), Steve Edmond (LB), Josh Cochran (OL), Quande Diggs (DB)
4. USC - George Farmer (WR), De'Anthony Thomas, Greg Townsend Jr (DE)
5. Georgia - Isaiah Crowell (RB), Ray Drew (DE), Sterling Bailey (DE), Amarlo Herrera (LB), Christian LeMay (QB), Jay Rome (TE), Malcolm Mitchell, Jonathan Jenkins (Nose Tackle)
6. Clemson - Mike Bellamy (RB), Stephone Anthony (LB), Tony Steward (LB), Sammy Watkins (WR), Martavis Bryant (WR)
7. LSU - La'El Collins (OL), Anthony Johnson (DT), Jarvis Landry (WR), Jalen Collins (DB), Kenny Hilliard (RB)
8. Auburn - Kris Frost (LB), Christian Westerman (OL), Quay Bray (RB), Kiehl Frazier (QB
9. Ohio State - Braxton Miller (QB), Curtis Grant (LB), Doran Grant (CB), Michael Bennett (DE), Brian Bobek (OL)
10. Notre Dame - Aaron Lynch (DE), Stephon Tuitt (DE), Ishaq Williams (DE), Ben Koyack (TE), Matthew Hegarty (OL), Davaris Daniels (WR)

One interesting thing to note is Cyrus Kouandjio. He committed to Auburn today, then quickly showed second thoughts. He has yet to turn in his paperwork to Auburn making it official. (His brother is at BAMA, and that could turn his decision around). Jury is still out, and we should know more tomorrow. Expect him to flip come tomorrow.

We should have more once Jadeveon Clowney signs. Everything seems to point to South Carolina and the announcement coming on his birthday 2/14. He is far and away the best of this year's bunch.

And finally Georgia is pulling hard and in desperate need of Defensive Nose Tackle. The man in question is a JUCO, Johnathan Jenkins. 6'4" 340 pounder from Gulf Coast Community College.

UPDATE: Georgia pulled in Jonathan Jenkins. This moves Georgia's "Dream Team" as Mark Richt puts it into a Top 5 finish on the year. Nothing like a 340 lb "cherry on top" to finish out the competitive recruiting season. This an enormous get for Georgia who essentially played all of last year in the new 3-4 scheme without a true nose tackle. Expect a much improved point of attack from the Bulldogs this coming fall.

UPDATE #2: As expected Cyrus Kouandjio has flipped over to Alabama. This solidifies BAMA's pack leading recruiting efforts this year. This is a big time pick up at the last minute for Saban and company.

UPDATE #3: Jadeveon Clowney signs with the Gamecocks. Big time pickup for Spurrier and company. Maybe one of the best defensive picks up all time. We'll just have to see how he lives up to all this amazing hype. That makes it 3 Mr. South Carolina Football pickups in a row for the Old Ball Coach.

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HERE COME THE GOOD BOWLS: Part II

Alright this is another great day of games. The New Year's Eve slate of college football games is on point. We have 4 really good looking match ups on the board. Now mind you, these are not all traditional match ups, but pretty good looking match ups none the less.

Friday December 31st:

#1 South Florida vs Clemson in the Car Care Bowl
(12/31) Noon ESPN
Clemson has had a tough year. Seems like ever since Kyle Parker took a shot in the back against Auburn earlier in the year, that something has not been right. Clemson is sitting on 6-6 and Dabo does not want to finish with a loosing record. Both teams roll into Charlotte having lost their last game. South Florida had a big time win over Miami in the Overtime thriller back on Thanksgiving weekend. Look for some turnovers and some otherwise sloppy play, but a thrilling game as there on athletes for both teams on both sides of the ball. Look for Clemson's Defensive front to be the difference.


#2 Notre Dame vs Miami in the Sun Bowl
(12/31) 2:00 PM CBS
Catholics vs Convicts renewed. The 2010 edition of this rivalry will propel Notre Dame into the national spotlight and keep them there for the next decade. Look for Brian Kelly to seize this golden opportunity. With Miami burning in the background the Golden Domers will step back up on stage. Since she took office, I've been very critical of the University President, Donna Shalala, and exactly who was behind the "Let's resign, then fire Coach Randy Shannon" decision is beyond me. Talk about a costly decision. But from the looks of the U from the outside, things to do not look they are being handled properly. Harris throws too many picks. Irish win.


#3 Georgia vs Central Florida in the Liberty Bowl
(12/31) 3:30 PM ESPN
What a difference selling a bowl jersey makes. Georgia really has to look in the mirror after this year and dig deep. The recruiting needs to step up. The defense needs to step up. The offense needs to learn to not fumble in the red zone. And the toughness (strength and conditioning) needs to return and reach new heights. Just a few things and this team is playing their bowl game on New Year's Day again. Mark Richt has "The Year" coming up next year with a kick off classic looming against Boise State, and Florida game with a new coach. Yeah Coach Richt is going to really want to go into the off season on a high note. A resounding win over Central Florida accomplishes that. There are still some really good recruits out there for the Dawgs to land, and this game is a big component of decisions to come. Plain and simple this is a trap game. Georgia has a ton to loose, and very little on the National Stage to gain outside of rebuilding respect. But Richt will have things in order. Look for Liberty Bowl records to be broken by Murray and Green. Dawgs win this one. Because Lord knows if they lose it, The Guns of Navarone will be pointing towards Athens.


#4 South Carolina vs Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl
(12/31) 7:30 PM ESPN
This is the main event of the day. What a great match up. Which Garcia will show up? Will Spurrier find ways to get the ball to Lattimore throughout the game? Remember last year's bowl game where UCONN blew the doors of USC? Ouch! Yeah I love this match up. Jimbo Fisher has some really good mojo going on in Tallahassee, and Spurrier has the Gamecocks believing. Hope is something that has not been in Columbia's football discussion for an entire football season in some time. But its back now and the the SEC Championship game aside, these Gamecocks are really good. I know they wish they could have that 2nd Quarter back in Atlanta. They finally got Auburn to punt, and they did nothing with it. They finally got Cam to fumble and did nothing with it. If they convert those in 14, then maybe that game rolled out differently. Nah probably not, but it needs to be said. Look for the Gamecocks in this win. Spurrier loves beating the Seminoles and this year's no different.

Come back tomorrow, where we will have Part III in HERE COME THE GOOD BOWLS.

Please be safe out there and Happy New Years!!!!!

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SO CLOSE YOU CAN ALMOST TASTE IT - PART IV

Let's jump right into breakdown of the 3:30 - 6:30 games for the first Saturday of College Football (9/4/2010).

Clemson Proves Too Much for Kentucky in Music City Bowl

Last night looked to be a cold one in Nashville, and CJ Spiller and company were too much for Kentucky in a 21 - 13 victory. The win puts Clemson at 9-5 on the year and drops Kentucky to 7-6.

(Photo Courtesy of Mark Humphrey, AP)

Kentucky took the lead early with a Newton to Matthews TD pass, which had Clemson's secondary turned around, but that lead did not hold. A pretty pass from Parker to Ford tied the game right back up at 7-7.

Clemson amassed 312 total yards of Offense, and held Kentucky to just 277 total yards. Down the stretch Kentucky could not convert on a 4th and long. Ricky Sapp for Clemson came up big as he tackled Newton just shy of a first down.

CJ Spiller, who played a good portion of the year with turf toe, battled through last night and went out on a high note. He becomes the only player in ACC History to have a touchdown in every game of the season. He finished with 172 total yards last night and 1 TD.

(Photo Courtesy of Mark Humphrey, AP)

In addition, Clemson's defense played outstanding. The entire squad showed up when it counted most.

Coach Brooks for Kentucky just coached his last game. He will more more than likely be handing the reigns over to Joker Phillips for the 2010 season.