BCS Predictions

Here are the predictions of who will play in the BCS games this year...my predictions are a little different than what most "experts" have called for...anyone can predict Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, Texas for the national title...I decided to stick my neck on the line...in other words, like Bill Rafftery would say, "ONIONS!!"...

First off, Alabama will not make a BCS...they have only 2 players returning on defense...there is no way a team will win the title, let along make a BCS game with that young of a defense...I know I stated Alabama would go 12-1, but I want to change that to 10-2...

Florida is another team that will not win the BCS title...you don't replace Tim Tebow and players like Joe Haden and Brandon Spikes...same goes with Texas...they lose Jordan Shipley, Colt McCoy and Sergio Kindle...and Ohio State is banking on a quarterback who has played one fabulous game so far...Oregon will not flow with Jeremiah Masoli gone...

Well here is my call:
Fiesta Bowl - Oklahoma vs. Pitt - the Sooners and Panthers win their conferences

Rose Bowl - Stanford vs. Ohio State - Stanford takes the PAC-10 and Ohio State gets an at-large bid

Sugar Bowl - Auburn vs. Nebraska - Auburn shocks everyone and takes the SEC title...Nebraska gets the at-large bid

Orange Bowl - The U vs. Florida - The U wins the ACC and Florida gets an at-large bid

BCS Title Game - Boise State vs. Iowa - this is a game that BCS officials dread...they do not want either team close to this game, but at the end of the season, these two will be the only undefeated teams standing...when it is all done, Boise State shocks the world!!!...

Tennessee: Rocky Top reeling

First Down - The Volunteers are the Michigan of the South...a once dominant program who stuck with their former coach one or two years too long...like Lloyd Carr, Phil Fulmer should have retired a year earlier than he did...Lane Kiffin would have turned this program around if he stayed, but his bolt to USC has left Rocky Top in disarray...Derek Dooley has the bloodlines (his pappy is Vince Dooley) but it will take him at least two years to bring the recruiting to where it once was...

Second Down - Bryce Brown was the USA Today high school player of the year just two years ago...but Brown did nothing in his first year at Tennessee and he is leaving to go play at Kansas State next year...I am just a bit puzzled why Dooley will not let him out of his scholarship...seems like Dooley is being a bit of a hardass with the kid...

Third Down - The Vols schedule is Murderer's Row...they get Oregon at home followed by Florida a week later...then in October, they start a four game stretch where they play at LSU, at Georgia, home to Alabama, and at South Carolina...

Fourth Down - to make matters worse, the Vols two top receivers got hurt in summer practice...

Hail Mary - Remember the days when Jamal Lewis, Peerless Price, and others dotted the Tennessee roster...

Prediction - 6-6...after getting shafted by Kiffin, the Vols players will play hard and win just enough games to make a bowl appearance, something that will not be happening in Los Angeles...

Notre Dame: Another rebuilding year

First Down - The Irish start over again...look for Notre Dame to have an above average season under Brian Kelly, which is good...don't forget, the Irish had great starts during the first season under Ty Willingham and Charlie Weiss...but that was all puff pastry and did not last...Kelly will not have as good of a first season record as the other two coaches, but he will build a better foundation that will last...

Second Down - wide out Michael Floyd and tight end Kyle Rudolph are legitimate weapons...Armando Allen is a solid running back, but the Irish need sophomore running back Cierre Wood to live up to all his high school hype...

Third Down - Notre Dame's defense lacks speed...this was their downfall last season...it will take time to recruit players who can run down opponents...

Fourth Down - Unlike Rich Rodriguez when he took over at Michigan, the Irish quarterback cupboard is not bare...Dayne Crist is a very capable quarterback who can operate the team...

Hail Mary - Can Brian Kelly sing Danny Boy?...

Prediction - 7-5...the Irish will lose a game they shouldn't have and win a game they shouldn't have...Kelly builds his foundation this year...

Pitt: The sleeper team for the BCS?

First Down - Dave Wannstedt has his offense loaded except at one position -- quarterback...Bill Stull has moved on so the reigns go to sophomore Tino Sunseri...Sunseri threw only 17 passes last year...also in the picture could be Pat Bostick or even freshman Mark Myers from Cleveland St. Ignatius...

Second Down - Whomever is the quarterback, they have a stud wide receiver to throw to in Jonathan Baldwin...the 6'5" junior wideout is flat out the best receiver in the nation...he is a playmaker who causes match-up problems for cornerbacks...

Third Down - the sleeper for this year's Heisman Trophy is running back Dion Lewis...sure, the knock on him is that he is only 5'8", but this kid is something special...and with defenses having to also focus on Baldwin, there should be plenty of holes for Lewis...Lewis is also aided by left tackle Jason Pinkston who has NFL potential...

Fourth Down - The defense has a sure fire first round pick in d-end Greg Romeus...the leader on the defense is safety Dom DeCicco...the Panthers allowed 20 points per game last year...

Hail Mary - Will Pitt ever go back to those classic uniforms and helmets from the Tony Dorsett era?...

Prediction - 10-2...Pitt has 2 tough non-conference games when they open at Utah, which could be a problem and at home against The U...the conference title will come down to the game on November 11th at Connecticut...Pitt has the talent but they seem to always stub their toe against a lesser opponent...in the end, they take the Big East...