Here we go for the final first round game.... I officially call to order the Kings of the Roundtable....today we breakdown maybe the best first round game..... 
First round playoff game
#2 LSU Tigers (11-2) vs. #7 Southern Cal Trojans (10-2)
LSU favored by 1.5
Game to be played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas
Zach of The Big Picture
Tough D vs. Tough D. Really tough to call. Based on LSU being mildly convincing and USC being solid, I'll give the Trojans the nod. Could be a faux national title.
USC
Jon of Complete Sports
Sorry... not gonna be able to get a writeup... been studying for a test all day and I have to go take it (I will leave literally right after I hit send). But my pick:
USC 31 LSU 30
Graig Money Shot
Ah ye
s, the best first round matchup. LSU has all the talent in the world but tend to not rise to the occasion each week. No matter which QB is back there, the offense is just average. The defense has underachieved all year as they should NEVER be allowing 43 and 50 points in a game. USC has also been underwhelming. They should be mauling teams each and every week but have also had the propensity to play down to the competition every week. However, USC can run and run and run with Joe McKnight and others. The deciding factor in this game will be Pete Carroll outmaneuvering the overrated and often crazy, Les Miles, in every facet of the game. This one won't be pretty with the defenses dominating...but that's the way the Trojans have played all year.
USC 20 LSU 16
Virgil of The Ship of Fools
Finally, we get these teams on the same (hypothetical) field! The best in the west against the best from down south.
Anyone that knows me knows that I have always thought that the Pac-10 was a little overrated. As it turned out, Arizona St. wasn't very good, Oregon fell apart without Dennis Dixon, and Cal proved to be a complete fraud. So I do not have as much respect for a USC team with two conference losses as others might. I think that the Trojans' defense is inconsistent, and John David Booty showed a lot of warts now that he isn't throwing to All-America WRs. LSU on the other hand, looked like the best team in the nation for much of the season. They had two triple OT losses, a couple more close wins (Florida & Auburn) and pretty much blew everyone else out in a very tough SEC. USC's strength is speed, and LSU's is power. I think that LSU has the speed to match up with the Trojans, but USC doesn't have nearly enough power to match up with the Tigers.
LSU 31 USC 17
Rick of Stiles Points
This is flat out the best first round game....in fact, I have seen other playoffs scenarios where either LSU or USC were the champs.....as a Michigan Man, I love Les Miles and dream of him to be wearing Maize and Blue.....I think he brings that edge to the game....LSU is talented as heck even though they lost twice this year....but my pick is going to be Southern Cal.....USC is the hottest team in the country right now.....yeh, yeh, they lost to Stanford - that was back in October though....plus, if this game were to be played in the first round, LSU's defense and quarterback are banged up.....Dorsey and Flynn would not be healthy for this game against USC.....that also has to be taken into factor....
Southern Cal 38 LSU 27
A decision has been made....So Let It Be Written - So Let it Be Done - the Roundtable rules 4-1 in favor of USC advancing and playing Virginia Tech in the semi-finals.....so check back Monday for our thoughts on the one semi-final between Ohio State and Oklahoma.....that game will be played in the Orange Bowl in Miami.....the winner advances on to the National Title Game....
Here we go again, I officially call to order the Kings of the Roundtable....I have brought together the blogosphere's best and brightest to breakdown college football....the Fab Five are Zach of The Big Picture, Graig of Money Shot, Jon of Complete Sports, Virgil of The Ship of Fools (formerly of Wasting Company Time), and me (Rick) of Stiles Points.....today we breakdown the third of the four first round games in our Dream 8-team playoff to determine this year's National Champion....now to our thoughts on today's match-up.....
First round playoff game#6 Missouri Tigers (11-2) vs. #3 Virginia Tech Hokies (11-2) Virginia Tech favored by 1.5 Game to be played at the Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta
Graig of Money Shot
One of the great mysteries that no one is discussing is the fact that Va Tech was ranked #1 in 3 of the 6 computer polls yet were not given an opportunity to play in the BCS title game. After the week 2
pounding in Baton Rouge, the Hokies have played great football and had it not been for the crazy Matt Ryan comeback, would only have that one loss. Frank Beamer's utilization of playing both Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor at QB has infused a ton of life in the offense. While Missouri is led by Heisman candidate Chase Daniel and talented freshman Jeremy Maclin, Oklahoma showed how to beat them. If you play physical and keep everything in front of you on defense, you can beat the Tigers. I think that the Hokie defense continues to play great football and Beamer Ball gets big special teams play. In the end, the Tigers settle for FG's instead of TD's and lose to the ACC champs.
Virginia Tech 27 Missouri 19
Jon of Complete Sports
It's a matchup between a very talented offense for Missouri and a very talented defense of Virginia Tech. For the Hokies, as always they have a lot of talent and speed defensively, as they gave up only 15.5 PPG on the season. Offensively, they are not very explosive, but they can move the ball with Sean Glennon and Brandon Ore. On the Missouri side, the offense has been excellent while the defense has been suspect at times. They are led by Chase Daniel, who makes quick decisions and gets the ball to where it needs to be. But the offense is not just Daniel, as there are playmakers all around. Martin Rucker is surehanded as a TE, Jeremy Macklin makes plays in every aspect of the game, and Tony Temple is a solid option running the football. Virginia Tech's defense is very good, but I think they'd have some troubles with the playmakers of Missouri.
Missouri 31 Virginia Tech 20
Zach of The Big Picture
Missouri was exposed as a fraud in the Big XII title game. The Tigers aren't good, never were good, and the fact that we thought they were shows how little we know. Michael Vick behind bars could win this one for the Hokies.
Virginia Tech Virgil of The Ship of Fools
Two teams that seemed to end their seasons on completely different notes: The Hokies with the satisfaction of an ACC title and a solid two-loss season, and the Tigers with a loss in the conference title game, and the disappointment of losing after finally attaining the #1 ranking. Never have two identical 11-2 records seemed so different.
Virginia Tech seemed to flourish once they adopted the two quarterback system, with Tyrod Taylor providing a good change of pace from Sean Glennon. They were also a team, like most Frank Beamer coached teams, that was built around stingy defense and solid special teams. Defense was the weakness of the Mizzou Tigers, who basically rode the arm of Heisman candidate QB Chase Daniel all season. I think that the fast aggressive defense that VT plays will be like nothing that Missouri saw in a Big 12 conference replete with soft-as-charmin defenses. Its tough for me to pick against Chase Daniel, who I trumpeted for the Heisman all season, but I think the Hokies are just too fast and too strong. Virginia Tech 24 Missouri 14
Rick of Stiles Points
We all know that so far this season, Mizzou can beat anyone except Oklahoma. We also know that Chase Daniel has been a solid quarterback. On the Hokie side, we know that Virginia Tech has an agressive defense that could put a wrench in any good team's offense. We also know that Beamer Ball usually shows up in big games. Missouri is a good team, but there will be too much Beamer Ball as the Hokies bring a punt back for a touchdown and slow down the Tigers offense.
Virginia Tech 24 Missouri 13
A decision has been made....So Let It Be Written - So Let it Be Done - the Roundtable rules 4-1 in favor of Virginia Tech advancing and playing the winner of the Southern Cal-LSU game...check back Friday for our thoughts on that game....
s, the best first round matchup. LSU has all the talent in the world but tend to not rise to the occasion each week. No matter which QB is back there, the offense is just average. The defense has underachieved all year as they should NEVER be allowing 43 and 50 points in a game. USC has also been underwhelming. They should be mauling teams each and every week but have also had the propensity to play down to the competition every week. However, USC can run and run and run with Joe McKnight and others. The deciding factor in this game will be Pete Carroll outmaneuvering the overrated and often crazy, Les Miles, in every facet of the game. This one won't be pretty with the defenses dominating...but that's the way the Trojans have played all year.
