College Football Storylines: The SEC

If the Pac 12 isn't the best conference in the country, the SEC is without a doubt. Certainly in the last ten years there can be no debate as to the dominance of these schools, with a run of seven straight national championships. This year, I rank the SEC just below the PAC 12, owing to their loss of virtually every talented quarterback in the conference last year. That and a disappointing bowl showing, from the national championship loss to Alabama's (of all teams!) loss to Oklahoma. But of course there will still be anywhere from 2-5 teams from the SEC in the AP top 10 poll this season, and coming off a well publicized SEC media day (or week) the timing is perfect to look at some issues of note from the conference this season. Mind you, if you missed the coverage you didn't miss much (at one point, the merits of different tie knots were discussed-let's call it an off year.) But regardless, these are just several things to watch for this year coming out of the conference.

That didn't take long

Auburn's quarterback play: Nick Marshall's name was mentioned a lot during ESPN's coverage of the SEC media day, which is interesting because he did not speak. After an incident involving marijuana possession, Marshall was not allowed to appear before the press by Tiger coach Gus Malzahn. Apparently, Marshall will face "consequences" following last week's pot citation. Malzahn declined to specify whether a first game suspension would be in the works, which incidentally is a good matchup
against Arkansas. The trendy option of late has been the half game suspension, and realistically that will be the end result. However, we have to remember we are talking about the starting quarterback of the supposedly second best team in the country last year, so by virtue of that fact alone this is something to note. Moreover, Marshall may well be the best quarterback in his conference this year, and is arguably the conference's most prominent player. It remains to be seen if he'll meet expectations.


TJ Yeldon's Heisman bid: This could well be the last season we enjoy the money sign double throat slash, but the good news is we'll be seeing it a lot. Yeldon's numbers last year: 1,235 yards rushing in over 200 attempts, with an average yards per carry of 6.0 and 14 touchdowns. He will flirt with the Heisman from the beginning this year, and expect at least one Tre Mason like game from him (the Auburn running back who had a 300 yard 4 touchdown game in the SEC championship.) Yeldon will be fun to watch this year, as a horse for yet another Alabama team with national title aspirations. Also keep an eye on Amari Cooper.

Dashing

Maty Mauk and Missouri's follow up: A conference that really lacks star power this year might find it in this bow tie sporting 195 lb sophomore, who stepped up brilliantly for Missouri after their starter James
Franklin went down halfway through the season. Mauk helped the Tigers to a spectacular 12-2 campaign, finishing the season ranked fifth in the country. Not many predicted this, but this year the Tigers will get a little more respect as they look to continue trending upwards. Look for Mauk to surprise plenty of defenses with his mobility, and without a really great quarterback in the conference he could perhaps lead Missouri to a conference championship. He caught everyone's attention with some self made comparisons to Johnny Manziel, so it'll be interesting to see if he can back it up.

LSU's offense will take a big step back this season. Led by Cam Cameron, they bid goodbye to Zach Mettenberger but can perhaps say hello to the run first offense so typical of an LSU team. Their star quarterback is not the only loss, as besides the 3,000 yard passer they lost 1,000 yards rushing in RB Jeremy Hill and 1,000 yards receiving each from Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. Their best returning receiver caught a grand total of seven passes last year. Say what you will about a strong freshman class, (highly praised Leonard Fournette was the best recruit at running back in the nation) they will score fewer points than last year's 35.8 per game, by a good margin.

The Iron Bowl will be a little less tame than usual, after last years astonishing Auburn victory-if you watch one college football game this year, make it this one, on November 29th in Tuscaloosa. Other games of note, in no particular order:
November 8th, Alabama at LSU (This game always seems to mean a lot, and look for LSU to improve upon last year's 38-17 defeat.)
September 13th, Georgia at South Carolina (Steve Spurrier's pre-season noise has been spot on)
November 29th, South Carolina at Clemson (The gamecocks have won five in a row in this one)
November 15th, Missouri at Texas A&M (I pick the Tigers, by a wide margin)

Heisman watch list: Maty Mauk, QB from Missouri, Alex Collins, RB from Arkansas, Mike Davis, RB from South Carolina, TJ Yeldon, RB from Alabama
Sleeper pick: Ole Miss Rebels
Conference champion: Alabama

In case you forgot..

My favorite part would be at the beginning, where he goes "And I guess if he misses it, Chris Davis can try to run it back…" Why yes, yes he can.

Five College Football Games to Watch (Week 13)

Well it's not the best week I've ever seen, but this Saturday in the world of collegiate pigskin deserves your attention for several reasons. As the season comes to a close, every game is an opportunity not to earn a berth, but to lose one. What a twisted world. Anyways, that's the way it goes, so if you're favorite team is in the top 10 right now, hold your breath and cross every appendage of your body that they'll run the table at this point. It's been a great season, with some memorable games, but these next 3 weeks should be the most exciting part, as per usual. Here are 5 games to watch this weekend, in no particular order, with my (humble) predictions:

9 Texas A&M @ 18LSU: The Tigers are coming off a loss to be proud of, while the Aggies look to secure a BCS bid, perhaps. While they are more or less out of the SEC title game running, they can still finish the season well, despite a poor defense. That soft defense has plagued them all season, leading to losses in games where their studly young quarterback puts up 41 (ahem, Alabama.) Speaking of whom,  Johnny Manziel is definitely another reason to watch this one, as all of a sudden some are questioning Jameis Winston's stranglehold on New York glory. I am not one to call for Winston's head just yet, (I reserve judgement, if you were interested) but we will have to see how it plays out. Regardless, the Winston case has thrown a wrinkle into the perfect little Heisman world, and for Johnny Manziel that means hope, if he can do something incredible against LSU and then Missouri next week. Closing out the season with 2 top 10 opponents means 2 oppurtunities to prove his legitimacy. Johnny Football knows this, and you can bet he wants to secure his status as frontrunner. Now is when one wins a Heisman race. I think we'll see Manziel do just that (not win per se, but at least make a good case), and people forget, as good as LSU is, they have lost thrice this season! Zach Mettenberger let me down last week, and though his two big outside threats (Jarvis Landry and Odell Becham) had some big plays, they couldn't finish the game against the Tide. I won't fall for LSU again, and say Texas A&M 31 - LSU 17

BYU @ Notre Dame: Call me a homer, but I've watched every ND game this season, as I'm a big fan. While their season ended with a loss to Pitt a couple of weeks ago, this should prove to be a good one. These are simply two traditionally powerful football teams, and while neither has lived up to potential this year, that doesn't mean we won't see great talent on display. I'll be watching for several reasons: It's Senior Day in Southbend, usually emotional, and BYU plays well against the Irish, every time. Regardless of rankings, or lack thereof, this is a good game without fail, and I go ND 27 - BYU 21

19 Arizona St. @ 14 UCLA: The Bruins have played their best in losses this season, while the Sun Devils have won 5 straight. We should see some great Pac 12 football, especially in the wake of Stanford and Oregon losses. Now these teams have something big to play for. I give this one to a high powered Sun Devil offense, although it should be an excellent matchup against the Bruin defense that contained even the mighty Ducks for a half this season. Arizona St. 24 - UCLA 16

8 Missouri @ 24 Ole Miss: For whatever reason, almost every college football guru has the Rebels in this one. I don't see that, as even with the Rebels at home there is clearly a superior team here. The Tigers have dropped one game all season in the mighty SEC and incredibly they are this close to an SEC title game. I can't see 13 year veteran head coach Gary Pinkel letting his fine Mizzou squad drop a game of this importance. They've stepped up big in some huge games already this year, including wins over Georgia and Florida. So I go against the grain and back the favorite? I guess so. Missouri 31 Ole Miss 20 

Bryce Petty's been doing that a lot this season. 

3 Baylor @ 11 OSU: This is the one to watch this weekend. It could easily be the most fun I have this college football season. I honestly can't begin to say how excited I am for this Big 12 matchup. I have been eyeing (and writing about) this game for three weeks now, as Baylor went into the only tough stretch of the season not having faced a quality opponent up to that point. Now the Bears are on the other side of games against Oklahoma and Texas Tech, and have two nice wins on the record. So this game is it, for Bryce Petty's Heisman hopes (again, we're waiting on Jameis Winston's eligibility) and Baylor's BCS title bid. Granted, even if they win in convincing fashion, they need Alabama or the Seminoles to drop a game to make it, but if, no when the Bears win this one big they can say without a doubt they are for real. This is a team that can score. They do it, early, often, and well. They seem to enjoy it, and now we've seen they can do it against pretty good football teams. The Cowboys qualify as such, so this game is huge. The Bears are now undoubtedly a team of national prominence, and I must say it suits them. It's gonna be great, and I see Baylor 42 OSU 27. 

Seriously, watch that game if no other. If you're a fan of college football, or even just sports, or, nay, just excitement, watch this game. After Winston's semi allegations exploded, Bryce Petty's odds to win the Heisman surged correspondingly. We'll have to wait and see.

Five College Football Games to Watch (Week 9)

Week 9 will see one great game in particular, but you'd be surprised at some other nice looking match ups I have found here. In order of must watch to will probably be a good game, here are 5 bouts that I'll be tuned to this weekend. At the very least I'll catch post game coverage, with highlights. My motto with regards to making predictions? Fortune favors the bold. 

#12 UCLA at #2 Oregon:  I am really impressed with the team head coach Jim Mora has put together in sunny Los Angeles. The Bruins started this year ranked 21st, but have shown that they are not to be messed with. They hung in there with 8 Stanford (a 14 point loss at Stanford), and with a sophomore stud QB in Brett Hundley and 3 freshman starting on the offensive line, they will be a team to watch in the next couple of years. All this being said, you know what's coming here. In the only real challenge they have faced all year, the Ducks beat then 15 Washington 45-24. This is a team averaging 57.6 points per game. Oregon takes this one, and it won't be close. It'll be pretty though, as Mariota will pass for at least 400 yards, putting on an offensive clinic. UCLA defense is allowing an average 250 yards per game against through the air, and 165 yards on the ground. Both of those numbers are about to change drastically. Mariota will step up big (with that much needed "Heisman moment" in the back of his mind) and drop at least 45 on the Bruins defense (19th in the country with a 19.2 points against average). I see him running for at least 1 TD and passing for at least 3. The Ducks defense will pressure UCLA's very young offensive line, and it will be Oregon 46 UCLA 17.

#20 South Carolina at #5 Missouri: This is not the most likely upset this week, but it'll be pretty darn close.  A win against the Gamecocks would be huge this week for the Tigers, who are ready to pounce on a berth in the SEC title game. South Carolina is coming off a horrendous loss to Tennessee last week, but I don't see them rolling over. Sophomore RB Mike Davis (5'9" 215 lbs, which I just find awesome) will have a day for himself, as dazzling young running backs tend to enjoy doing, and South Carolina's defense will be better equipped to deal with red shirt freshman Maty Mauk than 22 Florida was last week. In his first career start, Mauk put many doubts to rest with a 36-17 victory against a good Gators squad, but this week I see the SC defense showing a little more spine. Ultimately Mauk will have a second good start in homecoming at the 'Zou, the Conner Shaw-less Gamecocks will fall short late, and I go Mizzou 23 South Carolina 20.

Penn St. at #4 Ohio St: My big upset pick this week. OSU is coming off 2 mediocre wins, and so many good teams have lost this year after close wins the week before. Then 5 Stanford fell to Utah, 7 Georgia lost to a 25 Missouri, an unranked Texas team beat then 12 Oklahoma, #6 LSU fell to the unranked Rebels, #7 A&M lost to #24 Auburn, the list goes on, and on, and on. What is the point of this, besides to demonstrate my ridiculous command of college football statistics? These games illustrate my favorite aspect of college football, upsets. Emotions run high, the season is a grind, and every once in a while (or every week, it seems) a "bad" team beats a "great" one. That's a wonderful part of the game at this level, whether you attribute it to younger men, playing for your school, or a flawed ranking system, it happens. Enter the Nittany Lions. Vegas doesn't think this will be close, but the Lions are coming off a 4 OT win against Michigan two weeks ago, and a bye week. OSU can only escape fate so many times and were just saved by RB Carlos Hyde last week, but Penn St. defense has been stout against the run this year, allowing an average 117 yds per game on the ground. True freshman Christian Hackenburg is leading the Big 10 with close to 300 yards per game. Urban Meyer can kiss his unblemished record goodbye. Penn St. 24 OSU 17

#10 Texas Tech at #17 Oklahoma: A great opportunity for Texas Tech to prove its legitimacy against a quality opponent. The Sooners are 7-1 in their last 8 meetings, but Texas Tech is 7-0 this season, and 5-2 against the spread (Oklahoma -7 in this one at home, incidentally.) Every year under Bob Stoops, the Sooners look like national title contenders until they drop a game in which they are big favorites. This year, that game was another great installment in the great Red River rivalry, against an unranked Longhorns squad. However, once they get the loss out of they way they usually play some terrific football. While the Raider defense has allowed just 18.7 points per game this season, that average is against a schedule of relatively little manliness. I see a shootout, Oklahoma 43 Texas Tech 35. 

North Carolina St. at #2 Florida St: Now this won't be a great game, by any stretch. Winston at home will take care of business handily against the Wolfpack, but I'll be checking this game out for one reason. The Ducks and the Seminoles are going to be battling for the #2 spot all season long, and chances are neither of them loses for the remainder of the season. I was so happy when the Seminoles were bumped up, not because I am a fan but because, finally, the BCS changed it up even though the #2 team did not lose. This is rare, but fair, as we can safely say FSU had a big day against Clemson. What we got here was clearly a declaration that either of these teams, whichever one outplays the other, will win the right to a national championship berth vs Alabama. This ensures that every remaining game for FSU and Oregon will be interesting, as each week brings an opportunity to punch the ticket. Meanwhile, I hope every week those rankings change. This week, I see FSU beating the Wolfpack, but the Ducks beating a much better Bruins team. After FSU 38 NCST 17, Oregon will move into the #2 spot. It's going to be a great final stretch of the season to see these two battle it out, and if neither squad loses, may the best man (with the best wins) win.