Iowa: the Hawkeyes rise to the top

First Down - Iowa was so close to a perfect season last year...but those hopes ended when quarterback Ricky Stanzi broke his leg in the 10th game of the season...with Stanzi healthy, the Hawkeyes can run the table...

Second Down - one of the most under-rated big time receivers is Derrell Johnson-Koulianos (photo, right) who hails from Campbell, Ohio...DJK and partner Marvin McNutt can stretch defenses...

Third Down - Iowa has two possible first team All-Americans on defense: safety Tyler Sash and defensive end Adrian Clayborn...Clayborn is a sure fire NFL first rounder next season...

Fourth Down - the schedule breaks favorably for Iowa as they only have four away games...Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and in-state rival Iowa State all come to Iowa City this year...the only major hurdle comes on September 18th when Iowa plays at Arizona....Wildcats head coach and Iowa graduate Mike Stoops could cost his alma mater a shot at the national title...

Hail Mary - How many offers from the NFL will Kirk Ferentz get after this season?...

Prediction - 12-0 - the Hawkeyes make it to Glendale to play for the title...if Butler can make it to the title game in basketball, why not Iowa in football?...

Alabama: Another solid year

First Down - Let's get right to the point, Alabama will not win the BCS title this year...the Tide will be dang good, but there is no way they can replace three stud defensive players who have moved onto the NFL: Terrence Cody, Rolando McClain, and Javier Arenas...these three players were leaders on the field who made plays when the team needed it most...remember Cody's blocked field goal against Tennessee...the Tide does get Dont'a Hightower back at linebacker after suffering a season ending injury last year...

Second Down - Mark Ingram is a battering ram...he will have an All-American season, but will not win the Heisman...Heisman voters are critical of current winners who can possibly win the award twice...

Third Down - Bama get Florida at home on October 2nd...but the next week they have to travel to South Carolina...be very careful my friend -- this smells of a trap game...

Fourth Down - All the focus will be on Ingram, but the player who may shine brightly this year is sophomore running back Trent Richardson who would be an All-American on any other team...

Hail Mary - It's nice to see Penn State and Alabama playing again...where is former Bama linebacker Barry Krauss who made that memorable goal line stop against Penn State in the 1979 Sugar Bowl to preserve the Tide's 14-7 win and national title...

Prediction - 12-1...South Carolina picks off the Tide...

Ohio State: Will the real Terrelle Pryor please stand up

First Down - Terrelle Pryor had a super game in Ohio State's victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl...was his Rose Bowl performance the type of play Ohio State fans will see for 13 straight games or will the Pryor from the USC and Purdue games slip in its ugly head?...

Second Down - the combination of Saine and Herron allow Ohio State to keep a fresh back in the game and pound away at defenses...this is the key to Tresselball...

Third Down - Interesting fact - former Wisky coach Barry Alvarez is the only Big Ten coach to beat Tressel in back-to-back years...it is highly doubtful that Purdue's Danny Hope will be joining Alvarez in that feat...

Fourth Down - the key to this season is keeping Pryor healthy...if Pryor gets hurt, Ohio State does not have a proven back-up who can step in...

Hail Mary - Did you ever wonder what color of underwear Tressel wears on game day?...

Prediction - 10-2...Buckeyes have another double digit win season...

Michigan - Rich Rod has to produce

First Down - Rich Rodriguez's future in Ann Arbor is very simple - he has to go either 8-4 or 7-5 and beat Ohio State...time has run out for excuses and stating that he has to get "his type" of players to operate the spread offense...

Second Down - pundits may think Michigan has no chance at beating Ohio State...however, last year's score was 21-10 and Tate Forcier's five turnovers doomed Michigan...a porous defense all season long tightened up and held Terrelle Pryor to 67 yards passing...also, Ohio State is ripe to get picked off soon in the series...an underdog Michigan team has never spoiled an Ohio State season while Jim Tressel has been the coach in Columbus...complacency and arrogance may bite the Buckeyes soon in this series...

Third Down - if Michigan is going to have any success this season, the defense has to improve...often times last season, the Michigan offense would score a touchdown only to have the defense allow the opponent to match the score in a matter of minutes...the secondary is very young and that is Rodriguez's fault for recruiting marginal players academically who have since been dismissed from the team (Witty, Turner, Dorsey, Cissoko)...

Fourth Down - Michigan opens the season and their newly renovated stadium on September 4th against Connecticut...is it possible that one year from now U.Conn's Randy Edsall may be back in Ann Arbor, but this time as the new head coach of Michigan?...

Hail Mary - I always wondered, with the last name of Rodriguez, does Rich Rod speak fluent Spanish?...

Prediction - 7-5 - Michigan will win seven games, but one will be against I-AA U.Mass....so in actuality, it is only six I-A wins...can someone get me Randy Edsall's phone number?...