CFB RPI for 30Nov2008

The debate throughout the country will be who "deserves" to play for the Big12 title against Missouri next weekend: Oklahoma, Texas, or Texas Tech.  All 3 have the same overall record, same conference record, same record against shared opponents, etc, so it all comes down to the BCS rankings on Sunday.  I personally think Oklahoma will get the nod, but until then here are the full RPI rankings up through the games Saturday.

Conference RPI - 11/30/08

The ACC had a good weekend against the SEC and it was enough to move from 2nd to 1st overall

1. ACC - 0.547481 (1)
2. Big12 - 0.541444 (2)
3. Big East - 0.534323 (5)
4. Big10 - 0.528425 (4)
5. SEC - 0.527430 (3)
6. MWC - 0.514701 (6)
7. Pac10 - 0.491577 (7)
8. WAC - 0.479518 (9)
9. MAC - 0.461593 (11)
10. CUSA - 0.453967 (10)
11. Independents - 0.453305 (8)
12. Sun Belt - 0.424245 (12)

Conference RPI through 11/24/08 (sos in parenthesis)

1. Big 12 - 0.545795 (2)
2. ACC - 0.541973 (1)
3. SEC - 0.537016 (3)
4. Big East - 0.535797 (5)
5. Big10 - 0.529880 (4)
6. MWC - 0.513405 (6)
7. Pac10 - 0.494340 (7)
8. WAC - 0.479719 (8)
9. MAC - 0.461299 (11)
10. CUSA - 0.450870 (10)
11. Independents - 0.443687 (9)
12. Sun Belt - 0.421364 (12)

Really interesting to see the ACC at 2, but it makes sense since it is the one conference without a really bad team dragging down the overall ranking.  

Conference RPI Week 11 (SOS in parenthesis)

I maintain the RPI and this site purely for fun, and after seeing the way the rankings look it is better that this be done for entertainment than as a substitute for the current computer polls.  However, come the end of the season I bet the RPI very similarly reflects the final BCS.  Here is the conference breakdown after Week 11

1. Big 12 (1)
2. ACC (2)
3. SEC (3)
4. Big10 (4)
5. Big East (5)
6. MWC (6)
7. Pac10 (7)
8. WAC (9)
9. MAC (10)
10. Independents (8)
11. CUSA (11)
12. Sun Belt (12)

The Independents are really hurt by 0-9 Western Kentucky who will join the Sun Belt next season.  Very interesting to see the MWC ahead of the Pac10 this late in the season.  That really could be interesting if USC gets back into the national title discussion with Utah undefeated.

What the computers are saying

Here are the BCS computer rankings for Week 4:

1. Texas Tech
2. Alabama
3. Texas
4. Utah
5. Florida
6. Oklahoma
7. Georgia
8. USC
9. Boise State
10. Penn State
11. Oklahoma State
12. Ohio State
13. Missouri
14. North Carolina
15. Ball State
16. TCU
17. Michigan State
18. Florida State
19. BYU
20. Cincinnati
21. LSU
22. Wake Forest
23. Pittsburgh
24. South Carolina
25. Tulsa

Note: Tulsa did not finish in the top25 of ANY of the 6 computers used in the BCS rankigns but is receiving votes so is included at 25th

RPI Week 10

The RPI is starting to look more like the human polls, but there are still some crazy things going on near the top. Here is this week's top 25 with SOS in parenthesis

1. Texas - 0.686342 (5)
   
2. Texas Tech - 0.660032 (26)
3. Georgia - 0.645064 (4)
4. Florida - 0.636287 (16)
5. Oklahoma - 0.634306 (25)
6. Ohio State - 0.629987 (9)
7. Utah - 0.613088 (56)
8. North Carolina - 0.613088 (11)
   
9. Missouri - 0.609006 (18)
   
10. Penn State - 0.603454 (64)
    
11. Alabama - 0.60269 (81)
    
12. Cincinnati - 0.602262 (46)
    
13. Boise State - 0.601304 (84)
    
14. USC - 0.598927 (68)
    
15. Oklahoma State - 0.598034 (48)
    
16. Virginia Tech - 0.594343 (15)
    
17. TCU - 0.590557 (58)
    
18. Florida State - 0.580614 (35)
    
19. Connecticut - 0.575237 (44)
    
20. Miami (FL) - 0.572404 (19)
    
21. Ole Miss - 0.570287 (6)
    
22. Pittsburgh - 0.564197 (55)
    
23. Michigan State - 0.564146 (71)
    
24. Virginia - 0.564042 (3)
    
25. Georgia Tech - 0.562945 (33)
    

What I'm Watching - Saturday November 8, 2008

Early Games

Ohio State at Northwestern, 12:00 PM, ESPN2

Georgia Tech at North Carolina, 12:00 PM, GamePlan

Georgia at Kentucky, 12:30 PM, GamePlan

Afternoon Games

Alabama at LSU, 3:30 PM, CBS
Penn State at Iowa, 3:30 PM, ABC
Oklahoma at Texas A&M, 3:30 PM, ABC

Evening Games

Oklahoma State at Texas Tech, 8:00 PM, ABC
Notre Dame at Boston College, 8:00 PM, ESPN

Cal at USC, 8:00 PM, ABC

Full Listing

New RPI now up

I have been busy so I haven't updated the RPI in the last two weeks. The new data has been entered for games up through Sunday.

Some really interesting things in the top25:

Texas above Texas Tech
Georgia above Florida AND Alabama
Ohio State above Penn State
Virginia above USC
Florida State above Georgia Tech

Also Ball State has the 120th rated SOS, putting them dead last in the nation


Conference Rankings also were interesting (SOS in parenthesis):

01. Big12 (1)
02. Big10 (3)
03. ACC (2)
04. SEC (4)
05. Big East (5)
06. MWC (7)
07. Pac10 (6)
08. WAC (9)
09. Independents (8)
10. MAC (11)
11. CUSA (10)
12. Sun Belt (12)

What I'm Watching - Nov 1, 2008

Early Games

Auburn at Ole Miss, 11:30 PM, GamePlan 790 - Can Tubs save his job?

Northwestern at Minnesota, 12:00 PM, ESPN2 - Are either of these teams legit?
Wisconsin at Michigan State, 12:00 PM, ESPN - Mich State can still win the Big 10 if they win out

Miami (FL) at Virginia, 12:00 PM, GamePlan 789 - Is UVA a true ACC contender?

Afternoon Games

Pittsburgh at Notre Dame, 2:30 PM, NBC - Former NFL guys meet with neither getting much respect
Florida at Georgia, 3:30 PM, CBS - National Title implications if Texas/PSU lose a game

Florida State at Georgia Tech, 3:30 PM, ABC GamePlan 788 - Major game in ACC country

Oregon at California, 3:30 PM, ABC - Which Cal team will show up?

Late Games

Texas at Texas Tech, 8:00 PM, ABC - Texas is at the end of the gauntlet and TT is just starting theirs

Tulane at LSU, 8:00 PM, GamePlan 788 - Two bad losses bookend the last 3 LSU games, Tulane gets to be the sacrificial lamb to start the healing

RPI on the Eve of the Initial BCS Standings

Sunday will see the first BCS standings released. Texas should be the clear cut #1 team followed by Penn State and Alabama. After that will be a slew of 1-loss teams and the undefeated Big12 teams that are left. Here are the updated RPI standings through the games of October 18, 2008

What I'm Watching - October 18, 2008

Morning

Wake Forest at Maryland, 12:00 PM, GamePlan - Maryland doesn't bounce back from embarrassing defeat by UVA

Georgia Tech at Clemson, 12:00 PM, ESPN - Clemson in absolute disarray and Paul Johnson gets QB Nesbitt back for the trip to South Carolina

Vanderbilt at Georgia, 12:30 PM, GamePlan - Vandy had a good thing going...and then came back to Earth last week against Miss St. Look for much of the same against UGA between the hedges


Afternoon

Mississippi at Alabama, 3:30 PM, CBS - Houston Nutt has made a living winning games like this, and after seeing Bama against Tulane and Kentucky I could see Ole Miss pulling the upset. Saban is known for slipping against inferior opponents after getting up for the really big ones (in the same manner as Pete Carroll)

Kansas at Oklahoma, 3:30 PM, ABC - Oklahoma rebounds from the loss to Texas last week in the Red River (Shootout) Rivalry

Ohio State at Michigan State, 3:30 PM, ABC - Could this be the biggest game in Michigan State history? A win here would make the last game of the season against Penn State absolutely huge for both teams.


Evening

Missouri at Texas, 8:00 PM, ABC - A week after jumping into the #1 spot Texas isn't able to duplicate the same defensive effort and Chase Daniel puts himself back into forefront of the Heisman race

LSU at South Carolina, 8:00 PM, ESPN - LSU also is able to recover on the road after the disaster last week in the Swamp. A win here gives LSU momentum going into a tough home stretch.

Virginia Tech at Boston College, 8:00 PM, ESPN2 - A rematch of last season's ACC championship game that can help Virginia Tech solidify their birth in this years game after beating UNC and GT already this season.

California at Arizona, 10:00 PM, Fox College Sports Pacific - How good is this Cal team? They've got a couple of good wins and a really bad loss at Maryland. Arizona is doing their normal rollercoaster under Stoops.

What I'm Watching - October 11, 2008

You know the big games, but what else is there to flip to when those games turn into duds? Surely one or two will, so here's who else is on tv on Saturday

Texas at Oklahoma, 12:00 PM, ABC GamePlan 790
Toledo at Michigan, 12:00 PM, Big Ten Network
Colorado at Kansas, 12:30 PM, ESPN2
South Carolina at Kentucky, 12:30 PM, GamePlan 791


Vanderbilt at Mississippi State, 2:30 PM, GamePlan 792
Nebraska at Texas Tech, 3:00 PM, FSN
Arizona State at USC, 3:30 PM, ABC GamePlan 789
Tennessee at Georgia, 3:30 PM, CBS
Purdue at Ohio State, 3:30 PM, ABC
Notre Dame at North Carolina, 3:30 PM, ABC
Michigan State at Northwestern, 3:30 PM, ESPN2


Penn State at Wisconsin, 8:00 PM, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Boise State at Southern Mississippi, 8:00 PM, CBS CSTV
Oklahoma State at Missouri, 8:00 PM, ESPN2
LSU at Florida, 8:00 PM, CBS

What I'm Watching - September 27, 2008

After Oregon State's incredible upset of USC on Thursday there will be many teams auditioning for the top spot in the polls on Saturday. #2 OU hosts #23 TCU, #3UGA hosts #10 Alabama, #4 Florida hosts Ole Miss, and #6 LSU hosts Mississippi State. Here are the games I'll be keeping an eye on during Saturday's action.


MORNING
Maryland at Clemson, 12:00 PM, GamePlan Ch. 790
Virginia at Duke, 12:00 PM, ESPNU
Mississippi at Florida, 12:30 PM, GamePlan Ch. 792


AFTERNOON
Purdue at Notre Dame, 3:30 PM, NBC
Wisconsin at Michigan, 3:30 PM, ABC
Tennessee at Auburn, 3:30 PM, CBS


EVENING
TCU at Oklahoma, 7:00 PM, Fox College Sports Atlantic
Mississippi State at LSU, 7:30 PM, ESPN2
Alabama at Georgia, 7:45 PM, ESPN
Virginia Tech at Nebraska, 8:00 PM, ABC GamePlan Ch. 790
Illinois at Penn State, 8:00 PM, ABC, GamePlan Ch. 790

What I'm Watching - September 20

MORNING

Mississippi State at Georgia Tech, 12:00 PM, Gameplan 788 - There are a couple of good games early on Saturday, but I will be watching Sly Croom try and right the ship against Paul Johnson's Yellow Jackets. Mississippi State was on the losing end of a 3-2 error filled defensive struggle with Auburn a week ago and will try and actually get something out of the offense in Atlanta. Unfortunately for fans of big plays this could be another defensive struggle.


AFTERNOON

Virginia Tech at North Carolina, 3:30 PM, ABC GamePlan 792 - The winner of this ACC clash will be in the driver's seat for the Coastal Division crown after VT beat GT last weekend. UNC looked great against Fresno State last week, but horrible against McNeese State the first weekend of the season. Virginia Tech has done the same thing with a much better week 3 than week 1. Of course with the Hokies a lot of that had to do with Tyrod Taylor no longer redshirting. Look for Taylor to take advantage of a Butch Davis team that still might be a year away.

Florida at Tennessee, 3:30 CBS - If UF is as good as so many are saying they should be able to go into Tennessee and get a win. The Vols have had 2 weeks to stew over their embarassing loss at UCLA Labor Day weekend. If they want any chance of turning this season around it might rely on winning this game as a loss could set them into a downward spiral like in 2005.

Notre Dame at Michigan State, 3:30 PM, ABC - Can Notre Dame really start our 3-0? Sure beating SDSU was ugly, and Michigan is bad, but this is a power running MSU squad and Notre Dame's first road game of the year. Look for the Irish to struggle against this tough MSU offensive line.


EVENING

Wake Forest at Florida State, 7:00PM, ESPN2 - With Clemson looking less like a championship team, this might be the championship game for the ACC Atlantic division. FSU has looked good the last two weeks, but they haven't played anyone with a pulse. Wake needed everything they had to beat a not-that-great Ole Miss team. The ACC really needs someone to step forward and give the conference a bright spot.

LSU at Auburn, 7:45 PM, ESPN - The home team has won the last eight...look for that to change. This game is always wacky, so I can't even guess what will happen. If Charles Scott keeps running like a man possessed and LSU wins, look for him to jump to the top of many Heisman lists come Sunday.

Georgia at Arizona State, 8:13 PM, ABC - This was the premier game of the weekend until UNLV stunned ASU a week ago. UGA has gone from preseason number 1 all the way to #3 without suffering a loss. A big win in Tempe could help them steal votes from idle Oklahoma.

What I'm Watching - Saturday, September 13, 2008

MORNING

NC State at Clemson, 12:00 PM, Raycom GamePlan Ch. 789 - NCST is horrible, but Clemson looked bad against Alabama two weeks ago and not much better against The Citadel last week. Clemson needs this win to get their ACC championship hopes back on track, and NCST needs the win just to keep this season from being an absolute disaster.

Cal at Maryland, 12:00 PM, ESPN or ESPN2 - Cal has looked fantastic so far and I expect nothing more than the same offensive output this weekened. Maryland is not a good football team (a trend with ACC teams it seems) and probably won't score more than 7 points in this one.

AFTERNOON

Georgia at South Carolina, 3:30 PM, CBS - The SCAR defense will be fantastic, but the UGA running game will be good enough to put points on the board while Spurrier's offense will sputter and not do anything. Look for this one to be low scoring but ugly...something like 20-3 UGA.

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech, 3:30 PM, ABC GamePlan Ch. 789 - Can the Paul Johnson era get off to a 3-0 start for the Jackets? GT was supposed to be the one at 1-1 while Virginia Tech was supposed to be undefeated coming into this game. Instead the Ramblin' Wreck pulled off the upset last weekend against BC while VT is still smarting from their loss to ECU. Look for a game similar to that GT/BC game a week ago where the defenses are stifling and the offense who makes the least amount of mistakes wins by a field goal.

Michigan at Notre Dame, 3:30 PM, NBC - This game feels eeriley like last season's matchup between these two squads. The course of the season for both teams will hinge on this game with the loser likely spiriling down into a 3-4 win season and a nightmare for fans. Michigan hasn't looked great against Utah and Miami (OH), but Notre Dame looked much, much worse against San Diego State. The Rich Rod era at Miiiiiiiichigan gets their first marquee win (if a win over a bad ND team can be considered such) while Notre Dame loses their 3rd straight to the Wolverines for the first time in over a century. Skip Holtz to the Irish?

EVENING

Auburn at Mississippi State, 7:00 PM, ESPN2 - Auburn was "Croomed" a season ago, and this year the game is in Starkville. Mississippi's best bet is to jump on the tigers early and hope to catch them looking ahead to next weekend's massive game with LSU. Auburn fumbled 5 times a week ago, and MSST will need a similar number of mistakes by the Auburn offense to get the job done.

Ohio State at USC, 8:00 PM, ABC - I'll be keeping an eye on the SEC clash in Starkville in addition to Oklahoma traveling up to play Washington and also North Texas at LSU, but the true game of the night will be Ohio State going out to LA to play USC. The way some are talking USC will beat this Ohio State team by 40+. I just can't see USC being so much better than a top 5 team, even at home. Beanie Wells is doubtful for the game, but I feel this young man will find his way onto the field. Look for Tressell to have to use his dynamic freshman QB Pryor both as a running and passing threat. I do think USC wins the game, but much closer than some of the madness being spewed on message boards the past few weeks. Look more for a 21-13 type of game.

EXTRA: North Texas at LSU, 8:00 PM, Gameplan GamePlan Ch. 78 - LSU needs to play this game to give its young QBs some experience before going on the road to play Auburn in a week. North Texas has a pourous defense that will give up gobs of yards to the home Tigers and LSU will do their best to end this one early. It won't be in doubt past the first quarter.

FULL TV LISTINGS

What I'm Watching - 9/6/08

So the first weekend of games is in the books, and there were a number of upsets already. This weekend doesn't have the firepower of what is coming up on 9/13, but this weekend still has a few games worth tuning in for (picks in red).


MORNING

Georgia Tech at Boston College, 12:00 PM, Raycom - As bad as the ACC looked last weekend it appears that anyone could be in the championship game come Decemeber. Paul Johnson's first game in Atlanta was a win over overmatched Jacksonville State, but is the "perfect option" ready for the touch run defense of Boston College?

Southern Mississippi at Auburn, 12:30 PM, Raycom - Auburn had no difficulties in crushing ULM last weekend, but the passing game was very inefficient and the offense didn't score a touchdown until well into the 3rd quarter. Southern Miss is sure to pose a bigger threat this weekend as Auburn begins preparing for LSU in 2 weeks.

AFTERNOON

Ole Miss at Wake Forest, 3:30 PM, ABC - With Clemson losing to Alabama last Saturday Wake Forest has emerged as the front runner for the ACC crown. Houston Nutt always seems to pull the crazy upsets, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them pull this off in North Carolina, but Wake Forest will cause Ole Miss to make just enough mistakes to win.

West Virginia at East Carolina, 4:30 PM, ESPN - ECU knocked off Virginia Tech on Saturday, but West Virginia is not inept on offense like the Hokies were. WVU wasn't incredibly sharp in their opening day win, but Pat White showed he can pass by throwing for a career high in TDs. Look for more running against ECU, and WVU to keep lightening from striking twice for the Pirates.

EVENING

Sept 6: Louisiana Tech at Kansas, 7:00 PM, FSN - Louisiana Tech and transfer QB Taylor Bennett knocked off Mississippi State in Ruston for their first home victory over a BCS school in the history of the program. Now they look to knockoff a BCS team from a year ago an a hopeful for the Big 12 title. Louisiana Tech had to take advantage of a number of MSU miscues to get the win, and they'll have to play MUCH better on the offensive side of the ball to keep this one close. Sorry, Bulldogs, the Jayhawks might be overrated but they'll get the win at home against the overmatched WAC team.

Sept 6: U Miami at Florida, 8:00 PM, ESPN - Is Miami back? Well, probably not quite yet. This would be a massive win for the ACC and for the Miami program, both of which are reeling the last few seasons. Florida steamrolled Hawaii, but they've had a number of injuries during Spring/Fall practice that could start showing effects against a team of Miami's talent level. The Hurricanes have talent, but it is all freshman so probably another two years away from dreaming this big.

Sept 6: Stanford at Arizona State, 10:00 PM, FSN West - Is Stanford ready to be a bowl team again? Is Arizona State ready to be an actual contender to USC for the Pac10? Oregon State isn't going to be very good this year, but it was still a big win for the Cardinal. A win in the desert would be huge for this program, almost on par with the USC thriller a season ago, but again I think we're looking at a team that's a year away. Dennis Erickson wins games like this, which is why he's been a successful coach for so long.

First Saturday - What I'm Watching

Sure football officially kicked off on Thursday, and sure there was June Jones' first game at SMU on Friday night as well as a few other lesser games, but this is the first Saturday of the season. The games are actually much more exciting than what we get next weekend with September 13th being the big OOC day to get ready for. Here are the games I'll be keeping an eye on (all times Eastern with straight-up picks in red):

MORNING
Appalachian State at LSU, 5:00 PM, ESPN - The match-up of defending national champs gets moved up 6 hours thanks to concerns about Hurricane Gustav. LSU takes care of business infront of the smallest crowd in over a decade when less than 60k show up to Tiger Stadium.

Hawaii at Florida, 12:30 PM, Gameplan - This would have been a lot more fun last season, especially when June Jones was running his mouth about Colt Brennan being better than Tim Heisman Tebow. With Jones now at SMU and Brennan in the NFL, this might still get ugly for Hawaii but at least it won't be personal from Urban Meyer's standpoint.


AFTERNOON
USC at Virginia, 3:30 PM, ABC - USC has questions on offense but should be more than solid on defense. Look for them to win, but not to cover. The Trojans get a week off after this to prepare for Ohio State and a BCS Title Game elimination game

Utah at Michigan, 3:30 PM, ABC - It has become the trendy pick this week, but I'm still going to take it. Look for Utah to come in and get the Rich Rodriguez era off to a bad start in Ann Arbor.

EVENING
Alabama vs. Clemson, 8:00 PM, ABC - One of the premiere OOC matchups of the season is being played in Atlanta, GA, on Saturday. Clemson is at the top of the ACC and the only real contender for that conference for getting any respect back. The ACC NEEDS this game, while Alabama still feels like they are a year away from competing with LSU and Auburn for the SEC West. Clemson has the pressure of the entire conference, combined with the fact that they always seem to crumble when the pressure is the greatest, then add in Nick Saban and I feel like Alabama pulls this one out.

Michigan State at Cal, 8:00 PM, ABC - The Big10 will get its chance to shine in two weeks when another school travels to California, but this would be a signature win that the conference could hang its hat on in addition to Ohio State vs USC come bowl time. Michigan State was good last season, but could have been very good if a few breaks had gone its way. This year look for them to become a player in the Big10 and actually be the top program in the state of Michigan...at least for this year.

Illinois vs. Missouri, 8:30 PM, ESPN - These should have both been BCS teams last year, but because of the rule that only 2 teams from a conference can gets invites Missouri was relegated to the Cotton Bowl where they spanked a hapless Arkansas squad with nothing to play for. Last year Missouri won this game by forcing turnovers and getting up early. Look for an even bigger win as Illinois just won't have anyone to replace Mendenhall quite yet. Chase Daniel or Juice Williams will see their Heisman hopes dashed this weekend while the other will jump to the spotlight, at least until Beanie Wells goes against USC and Stafford/Moreno vs Tebow.

Washington at Oregon, 10:00 PM, FSN - This won't receive anywhere near the hype of Alabama/Clemson or Illinois/Missoui, but I am very interested to see Jake Locker in his second year under center for Ty Willingham. Also of note will be the Denis Dixon-less era starting for Oregon. Justin Roper takes over for Oregon after Dixon left for the NFL and after Sophomore Nate Costa had to have surgery to repair a torn ACL that surgeons found while repairing a torn meniscus in his knee. Oregon just won't have the firepower early to play with Washington, even in Autzen stadium. Or I might just be a huge Locker homer.

FINALLY!

The 2008-2009 season is FINALLY here as a slate of games kickoff tonight before opening weekend starts this Saturday. Tonight's games include:

Vanderbilt at Miami University, 7:00 PM, ESPNU
Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech, 7:30 PM, ESPN 360
Charleston Southern at Miami, 7:30 PM, ESPN 360
NC State at South Carolina, 8:00 PM, ESPN
Wake Forest at Baylor, 8:00 PM, FSN
Oregon State at Stanford, 9:00 PM, ESPN2
Troy at Middle Tennessee State, 7:30 PM, Gameplan

I personally will be at the Georgia Tech vs Jacksonville State game seeing two interesting previews. It is Ryan Perrilloux's first game for the Gamecocks after being dismissed from defending national champion LSU's squad in the spring, while Paul Johnson brings his spread option attack to the Yellow Jackets from the Naval Academy. I've been a Paul Johnson fan for a number of years so this should be exciting. Perrilloux will be the best offensive player on the field for either team, but will have to face one of the better defensive lines in the country. It should be interesting early as GT is sure to put the ball on the ground a few times, but in the end I think the Jackets will just be too much.

Also look for a few interesting games involving lower tier BCS teams that will mean a lot to the ACC. First is the NC State/South Carolina game. Spurrier has had some decent teams in his first two years, but this should be his best. NC State is still a few years away from competeing in the ACC. I wonder how much Tom O'Brien is still kicking himself for leaving BC. Also important for the ACC's image is Wake Forest traveling to Waco, TX, to play Baylor. The Demon Deacons should win in a walk, but if Baylor pulls this upset it could be devastating to the entire conference for the ACC. Clemson would have to hope for the entire rest of the country to have two losses for an undefeated Tiger team to get into the BCSCG.

Poking fun at the Heisman winner

With the lull that is May-August, it is good to see fans on message boards are still in the football spirit. Here's a little gem making fun of Tim Tebow (who by now is surely used to it, and has taken far worse from LSU fans).

Players drafted by college since 2004

With the 2008 NFL Draft now passed, I decided to look at all the players drafted by each college since 2004. This includes only the draft, not players signed later, and is for 2004-2008 inclusive.

Ohio State - 37
USC - 35
Miami - 31
FSU - 30
LSU - 29
Virginia Tech - 28
Oklahoma - 27
Texas - 25
Georgia - 24
Auburn - 23
Michigan - 23
Florida - 21
Notre Dame - 21
Tennessee - 21
California - 20
Nebraska - 20
Purdue - 20
Wisconsin - 20
Arkansas - 19
Louisville - 19
Iowa - 18
Virginia - 18
NC State - 17
Penn State - 17
Alabama - 16
Oregon - 16
Stanford - 16
Clemson - 15
Michigan State - 15
Pittsburgh - 15
UCLA - 15
Arizona State - 14
Georgia Tech - 13
Maryland - 13
Oregon State - 13
Fresno State - 11
South Carolina - 11
Texas A&M - 11
Boston College - 10
Colorado - 10
Mississippi - 10
San Diego State - 10
Syracuse - 10
Washington State - 10
Arizona - 9
Hawaii - 9
Kansas State - 9
North Carolina - 9
Oklahoma State - 9
Texas Tech - 9
Utah - 9
Washington - 9
Minnesota - 8
Missouri - 8
UTEP - 8
West Virginia - 8
Boise State - 7
BYU - 7
Cincinnati - 7
Rutgers - 7
TCU - 7
Wake Forest - 7
Central Florida - 6
Colorado State - 6
Illinois - 6
Kansas - 6
Kentucky - 6
New Mexico - 6
Northwestern - 6
Southern Miss - 6
Vanderbilt - 6
Central Michigan - 5
Connecticut - 5
Indiana - 5
Iowa State - 5
Miami (OH) - 5
Tulane - 5
UNLV - 5
Akron - 4
Baylor - 4
Bowling Green - 4
Delaware - 4
East Carolina - 4
Hampton - 4
Houston - 4
Louisiana Tech - 4
Memphis - 4
Mississippi State - 4
Montana - 4
Nevada - 4
San Jose State - 4
South Florida - 4
Toledo - 4
Arkansas State - 3
Ball State - 3
Cal Poly Pomona - 3
Florida International - 3
Illinois State - 3
Marshall - 3
Nicholls State - 3
Northern Illinois - 3
Troy - 3
Tulsa - 3
Utah State - 3
Weber State - 3
Western Michigan - 3
Wyoming - 3
Alabama State - 2
Albany - 2
App State - 2
Buffalo - 2
Central Missouri - 2
Coast Carolina - 2
Eastern Kentucky - 2
Eastern Michigan - 2
Furman - 2
Grambling - 2
Grand Valley St - 2
Hofstra - 2
Howard - 2
Idaho - 2
Kent - 2
Maine - 2
McNeese State - 2
North Dakota State - 2
Northern Arizona - 2
Northern Colorado - 2
Northern Iowa - 2
Northwestern St - 2
NW Missouri State - 2
Richmond - 2
ULM - 2
Washburn - 2
Abilene Christian - 1
Alabama A&M - 1
Army - 1
Bentley - 1
Bethune Cookman - 1
Bloomsburg - 1
Brown - 1
Cal State Sacremento - 1
Central Arkansas - 1
Central Connecticut - 1
Cornell - 1
Dartmouth - 1
Delta State - 1
Duke - 1
Eastern Washington - 1
Elon - 1
Gardner Webb - 1
Harvard - 1
Idaho State - 1
Indiana (PA) - 1
Jackson State - 1
Lane - 1
Michigan Tech - 1
Missouri Southern - 1
Montana State - 1
MT Union - 1
MTSU - 1
NC A&T - 1
Nebraska Omaha - 1
New Hampshire - 1
North Carolina Central - 1
North Dakota - 1
North Texas - 1
NW Oklahoma St - 1
Ohio - 1
Ottawa Kansas - 1
Pearl River (JC) - 1
Portland State - 1
Saginaw Valley - 1
Samford - 1
San Diego - 1
SE Missouri St - 1
SMU - 1
Southern - 1
Southern Illinois - 1
St Augustine's - 1
Temple - 1
Tennessee State - 1
Tennessee Tech - 1
Texas State - 1
The Citadel - 1
Towson - 1
Tusculum - 1
Tuskegee - 1
UAB - 1
ULL - 1
Villanova - 1
Western Oregon - 1
Wheaton - 1
Whitworth - 1
William Penn (IOWA) - 1
Wingate - 1
Winston Salem - 1
Wisconsin Whitewater - 1
Yale - 1

Team of the 2000s

I will get into this debate further in the coming days, but for now here are the statistics of all 7 teams that have won a national championship since 2000. Technically the decade doesn't start until 2001, but for argument's sake we're going to include the 2000 season. Please vote in our poll that will be open until the start of the 2008 season

Oklahoma
90-16 overall record (.849 winning percentage)
5 Big 12 titles
2-4 BCS record
4-4 overall bowl record
1 BCS national title (2000)

Miami
76-23 overall record (.768 winning percentage)
4 Big East titles
3-1 BCS record
5-2 overall bowl record
1 BCS national title (2001)

Ohio State
81-20 overall record (.802 winning percentage)
4 Big 10 titles
3-2 BCS record
4-4 overall bowl record
1 BCS national title (2002)

LSU
82-22 overall record (.788 winning percentage)
3 SEC titles
4-0 BCS
6-2 overall bowl record
2 BCS national titles (2003, 2007)

USC
81-21 overall record (0.794 winning percentage)
6 Pac 10 titles
5-1 BCS record
5-2 overall bowl record
1 BCS national title (2004)

Texas
85-17 overall record (.833 winning percentage)
1 Big 12 title
2-0 BCS record
6-2 overall bowl record
1 BCS national title (2005)

Florida
74-27 overall record (.733)
2 SEC titles
2-1 BCS record
3-5 overall bowl record
1 BCS national title (2006)

Final Conference RPI

01. SEC - 0.569683
02. Big East - 0.547906
03. Big 12 - 0.546513
04. Pac 10 - 0.543874
05. Big 10 - 0.536484
06. ACC - 0.520604
07. MWC - 0.495431
08. Independents - 0.44792
09. CUSA - 0.439678
10. WAC - 0.436244
11. Sun Belt - 0.431811
12. MAC - 0.426213

Not a lot of surprise as the SEC takes the top spot since LSU and Georgia are at the top of the rankings. The SEC had 6 teams in the top 25 of the final RPI, with 10 in the top 40. Surprisingly the Big East is ranked 2nd, helped largely by the small number of teams and West Virginia, Rutgers, and South Florida's big seasons. Not surprisingly the ACC is the lowest rated BCS conference after a HORRIBLE bowl season. The Sun Belt not being in last place has to be a victory for the conference that has long been the door mat of the rest of the nation. This should change some thoughts of those that think Big10 teams play tougher OOC schedules than SEC teams since they schedule MAC teams instead of Sun Belt teams.

Final RPI* (SOS in parenthesis; bonus NOT included)

01. Georgia (4)
02. LSU (16)
03. Missouri (20)
04. Virginia Tech (8)
05. West Virginia (28)
06. Ohio State (33)
07. Oklahoma (19)
08. Michigan (24)
09. Florida (6)
10. Kansas (65)
11. Tennessee (15)
12. Oregon (9)
13. Boston College (38)
14. South Florida (11)
15. Illinois (12)
16. USC (64)
17. Auburn (18)
18. Arizona State (44)
19. BYU (60)
20. Oregon State (22)
21. Texas (51)
22. Cincinnati (46)
23. Kentucky (10)
24. Clemson (36)
25. Penn State (48)
26. Texas A&M (2)
27. Oklahoma State (3)
28. Connecticut (49)
29. Mississippi State (27)
30. Wisconsin (52)
31. Hawaii (106)
32. Arkansas (39)
33. Wake Forest (67)
34. Alabama (21)
35. Utah (68)
36. South Carolina (7)
37. Virginia (71)
38. UCLA (17)
39. Michigan State (34)
40. UCF (76)
41. Rutgers (47)
42. Texas Tech (69)
43. Purdue (50)
44. California (43)
45. Nebraska (13)
46. Louisville (25)
47. Air Force (77)
48. Washington (1)
49. Florida State (54)
50. Tulsa (84)
51. Arizona (14)
52. East Carolina (75)
53. Boise State (103)
54. Maryland (32)
55. Troy (82)
56. Colorado (45)
57. Pittsburgh (23)
58. Georgia Tech (58)
59. TCU (79)
60. Fresno State (88)
61. New Mexico (90)
62. Indiana (62)
63. Vanderbilt (30)
64. North Carolina State (31)
65. Kansas State (37)
66. Florida Atlantic (89)
67. Central Michigan (97)
68. Navy (108)
69. Washington State (63)
70. Ole Miss (5)
71. Northwestern (73)
72. Wyoming (70)
73. Stanford (53)
74. Iowa State (35)
75. Notre Dame (29)
76. Ball State (94)
77. Iowa (83)
78. San Diego State (42)
79. Bowling Green (117)
80. Miami Fl. (74)
81. ULM (86)
82. Houston (111)
83. North Carolina (57)
84. Southern Miss (104)
85. Marshall (59)
86. Akron (85)
87. Baylor (41)
88. Syracuse (40)
89. Western Michigan (80)
90. Minnesota (26)
91. Toledo (87)
92. Middle Tenn State (102)
93. Army (56)
94. Miami,OH (114)
95. Arkansas State (105)
96. Louisiana Tech (92)
97. Nevada (109)
98. Colorado State (61)
99. Memphis (120)
100. Ohio (118)
101. San Jose State (100)
102. Buffalo (116)
103. UNLV (66)
104. Duke (55)
105. ULL (91)
106. UTEP (93)
107. Eastern Michigan (95)
108. Temple (113)
109. Western Kentucky (78)
110. Tulane (110)
111. UAB (72)
112. Rice (112)
113. New Mexico State (99)
114. Utah State (96)
115. Kent State (101)
116. Florida International (81)
117. North Texas (115)
118. SMU (98)
119. Northern Illinois (119)
120. Idaho (107)

Allstate BCS National Championship

#1 Ohio State

vs
#2 LSU
8 p.m. New Orleans, La. FOX

Line: LSU -3.5, Total 47.5

GMAC Bowl, January 6

Bowling Green

vs
Tulsa
8 p.m. Mobile, Ala. ESPN

Look for lots of passing, lots of yards gained, and very very little defense. Tulsa was an unknown early in the season, but broke out to a 9 win season and even put a scare into Oklahoma for about a half early in the season. While they didn't win CUSA, just getting to the championship game is a big step for this program after losing their coach last season to Louisville. Head Coach Todd Graham has done well in his rookie season, and a win Sunday will help fans forget the thrashing they received from UCF back on December 1. With OC Gus Malzahn and his no-huddle, fast-paced offense now in Tulsa instead of Arkansas, the Hurricanes have been lighting the scoreboard up. They lead the nation in total offense, 9th in scoring offense, and 3rd in passing offense. Unfortunately they are 111th in total defense.

Defensively, Bowling Green is a good bit better. The Falcons are 29th in the nation in Pass Defense while being 35th in the nation in scoring offense. Bowling Green was the surprise team in the MAC this season after having a fantastic November. Winning their final four after a loss at Ohio got the Falcons to bowl eligibility and a trip to Mobile. Head man Gregg Brandon really has his team looking good after only going 10-13 over the previous two seasons. A win against high flying Tulsa would really help this team make some noise next year in MAC play. They also will be looking to throw the ball all over the yard and should be able to do so against a weak Tulsa pass defense.

Bowling Green is led by QB Tyler Sheehan. The sophomore in his first season as a starter threw for 23 TDs and 3,000+ yards. Over the last 6 games of the season he threw 12 TDs with only 2 INTs. That kind of efficiency will destroy the Hurricanes if he can keep it up. They will also look to get the ball to playmaker Anthony Turner any way possible. He can run the ball effectively while also remaining a threat to throw a surprise pass at any time. He's scored a touchdown in each of the final 6 games.

Tulsa will use QB Paul Smith to throw the ball 50+ times and put up crazy numbers. The senior in his first year in Malzahn's offense threw for 42 touchdowns on his way to scoring 54 total touchdowns on the year (tops in the nation). Tulsa's 56-7 shocking win over CUSA champ Houston was easily their best game of the regular season. If Smith can throw on Bowling Green like he was able to do on Houston, look for a similar result.

Both teams will put up yards and points in bunches, but Tulsa and their fast-paced, no-huddle offense will just be too much for Bowling Green to handle. Tulsa's weak defense will allow BG to stick around for a half, but the Hurricanes will be able to pull away late.

Line: Tulsa -5.5, Total 77.5

International Bowl, January 5

Ball State

vs
Rutgers
12 p.m. Toronto, Canada ESPN2

We take a break from the BCS to step outside the United States for the International Bowl. Rutgers is an overwhelming favorite as a preseason Big East favorite goes to take on MAC middle of the road Ball State.

After the excitement of the Orange Bowl, look for this one to mimic the Rose and Sugar Bowls as the favorite is sure to dominate. Look for Rutgers to run wild on the Cardinals. Rutgers will use a steady diet of rice, Ray Rice, to dominate the time of possession and total yards. While many Rutgers fans were expecting more than 7 wins and a bowl invitation to Toronto, this is still a huge step-up from where the Scarlet Knights were just a few short seasons ago. If Ray Rice sticks around for his senior season, 2008 could be huge. Louisville is down, USF will be a tough opponent, and WVU might not be the same juggernaut they have been (even though Rutgers has shown they can beat Pat White and Steve Slaton). A win in Toronto coupled with Rice returning really will springboard this team to a top 25 preseason ranking.

On the other side of the field, the Cardinals are in a bowl for the first time since 1996. This is also the first time the team has finished with a winning record in that same time span. Ball State looked good, even in losing, when playing Illinois and Nebraska on the road. They almost pulled off the upset of the Huskers back in September when people were still buying into the Huskers being an elite team.

Rutgers will be able to eat up huge chunks of yards onthe ground, but they'll also look for QB Mike Teel to make some plays throwing the ball. He won't have to do much, but if he can keep from making mistakes (which has been a problem for him during the season) Rutgers will win in a walk. Ball State will have the advantage in the passing game with studs in WR Dante Love and TE Dauris Hill, who have combined for 20 touchdowns on 143 catches.

I would hope for Ball State to keep this one close but it just won't happen. Ray Rice is going to run wild and get lots of attention from NFL Scouts. Look for Rutgers to get close to covering the total by themselves as they win big.

Line: Rutgers -11.0, Total 63

FedEx Orange Bowl, January 3

Virginia Tech
vs
Kansas
8 p.m. Miami, Fla. FOX

Kansas got here much the same way as Hawaii used. Play as weak a non-conference schedule as you can get away with, get away with your conference being down, and get lucky by not playing Oklahoma, Texas, or Texas Tech from the Big12 South. The Jayhawks are hoping that their play in the Orange Bowl doesn't mimic Hawaii's performance in the Sugar.

Virginia Tech did their best to play for their fallen classmates during the season. The season basically played out exactly how everyone imagined in the off-season. An early loss on the road to LSU (though few imagined it would be the blowout it turned into) and an ACC title. The loss to Boston College probably ended up costing the Hokies a chance at the national title, but few ever forgot 48-7. The Hokie offense is much, much better than the one that started the season slowly against East Carolina and even slower against LSU. Now with two quarterbacks in Sean Glennon and Tyrod Taylor, the Virginia Tech offense can go conservative or dual threat depending on the situation. Also there to move the ball is bruising tailback Brandon Ore. Ore was the only bright spot on this offense for a stretch to start the season. While the Tech offense has gotten better, the defense has been consistent from the start (again other than against LSU).

With blowouts in the Rose and Sugar, and West Virginia running away with a three touchdown win in the Fiesta, hopefully the Orange can keep things entertaining. Kansas star QB Todd Reesing was considered a Heisman candidate for a short while, and should be looking to use the Orange Bowl as a coming out party for 2008. It will be up to stud LBs Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi to slow down the Jayhawk attack. Kansas will counter with their own superstar on defense in junior CB Aqib Talib.

If Kansas can give Reesing time to throw the ball it will give them a chance. He isn't the most mobile quarterback and won't do a great job eluding the Virginia Tech pass rush. KU won't get many sacks, but they are tough against the run. Making Glennon beat you with his arm is the best chance for the Jayhawks. Virginia Tech will try and win this game the same way they try and win every game...with defense and special teams, even if they are highly overrated in both. Beamer Ball means turnovers, and that's the best way to beat Kansas. This might be the best game of the BCS season, but Virginia Tech just has too many horses for Kansas.

Line: Virginia Tech -3.0, Total 51.0

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, January 2

West Virginia
vs
Oklahoma
8 p.m. Phoenix, Ariz. FOX

Hopefully this game won't be a 4 touchdown blowout going into the fourth quarter like the other two BCS games have been so far. USC crushed Illinois in the Rose followed by UGA running Colt Brennan and Hawaii out of the Superdome in the Sugar. Now the BCS has two more chances before LSU meets Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game on January 7. If any game is going to be a good one, this is the one. The Orange Bowl could be like the other BCS games and get ugly fast if Virginia Tech comes out firing, but that's for tomorrow.

Both Oklahoma and West Virginia have something to prove with this game. Oklahoma is going to its 6th BCS game under Stoops, but they've lost their last three (BCS title games to LSU and USC in 2003 and 2004 respectively, and last year's Fiesta Bowl to Boise State). Now Oklahoma wants to avenge the embarrassment of their loss to Boise State, especially after the way Georgia dominated Hawaii in New Orleans. Oklahoma had dreams of the National Championship game again this year after dominating Missouri in the Big 12 title game, but the voters instead pegged Oklahoma 4th, sending the Sooners to the Fiesta Bowl again. Now they'll try and get a huge boost to head into 2008 as a sure thing top 5 team with definite national title hopes again. Led by sophomore QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma can sling it around the field or run with backup RB Allen Patrick who ripped through Missouri. Stud freshman DeMarco Murray will miss the Fiesta Bowl.

West Virginia was one win away from playing in the national title game before having a shocking collapse to a bad Pittsburgh team. Sure it was a rivalry game, but there was no reason for the Mountaineer offense to be that inept. Now head coach Rich Rodriguez is off to Michigan to lead the Wolverines. With him goes offensive coordinator Calvin Magee. Now what are the Mountaineers to do? Like their entire season, the WVU offense will go the way QB Pat White goes. When he injured his thumb against Pitt he became less effective, as did the entire offense. West Virgina will need him and RB Steve Slaton to get the ball moving against the incredibly talented and ferocious Sooner defense. The Mountaineers will also have to get the ball to freshman speedster Noel Devine and find ways to get him into space. The Sooner defense is fast, but no one on the field is as fast as Devine.

For Oklahoma to win they will have to bottle up Devine, Slaton, and WR Darius Reynaud. White will get his yards, but if the Sooners don't let the other Mountaineer weapons run wild they will have a great chance to dominate this game. West Virginia, on the other hand, needs to come out on fire just like they did against Georgia in the 2005 Sugar Bowl. An early explosion might be enough to get Oklahoma doubting themselves. Colorado was able to beat the Sooners by playing smart and keeping the game close into the final quarter. West Virginia won't be able to do that, they'll have to win using the same blueprint Texas Tech used back in November. That of get up early and hang on for dear life. West Virginia can put up points in bunches, but they aren't built to catch up quick with the passing game. Pat White and company are at their best when they can bust the home run with the running game. Look for WVU to get scores early and this one to be close going into the fourth with Oklahoma and Bradford being efficient enough to win this one by less than a touchdown.

Line: Oklahoma -7.0, Total 63.0

Allstate Sugar Bowl, January 1

Hawaii
vs
Georgia
8:30 p.m. New Orleans, La. FOX

Our final New Year's Day Bowl is another "show-me" game. Last year Boise State shocked the world by knocking off Oklahoma in OT. This year the WAC champion again returns to the BCS, this time in Hawaii. Sure the Warriors played the easiest schedule in all of D1, but they are the lone undefeated team in the nation. They haven't seen a team with the size and speed of Georgia, but at the same time Georgia hasn't seen a passing offense anything like what Colt Brennan and June Jones will throw at the Bulldogs Tuesday night in the Superdome.

The WAC hasn't done anything to get any respect so far this bowl season. Nevada got shutout in their game against New Mexico and Boise State lost in Hawaii to East Carolina. Fresno State did get a win against Georgia Tech, but the Yellow Jackets were a mediocre ACC team playing without a head coach. CFN had a great line to put this match up into perspective

Hawaii only beat Nevada by two, needed everything in the bag to get by Louisiana Tech in overtime, and got a tremendous comeback to get by San Jose State in overtime on a sloppy field. Even at home the Warriors struggled to get by Washington and Fresno State, and got wins over teams like Northern Colorado, Charleston Southern, Idaho and Utah State. Georgia beat Florida by 12.

Many considered Georgia the hottest team in the nation at the end of the season, winning their final six games including beating Florida, Auburn, Kentucky, and Georgia Tech (all bowl teams). Mark Richt did all he could to try and get his Bulldogs mentioned in the national title game debate, but fell on deaf ears once LSU won the SEC. Relegated to the Sugar Bowl against the little guy isn't a role that UGA is new to. Just two years ago Georgia was playing in the Sugar Bowl, this time in Atlanta because of Hurricane Katrina, against an upstart West Virginia team. The Mountaineers were big underdogs in that BCS game and came out running getting out to a huge lead on the Bulldogs before having to hang on for dear life the final three quarters. Richt is too good of a coach to let his team overlook an opponent like that again, especially after hearing about Boise State's win last year in the Fiesta Bowl for the past month.

Hawaii has no running game, so the offense will entirely depend on the right arm of senior QB Colt Brennan. Twice a Heisman finalst, Brennan actually had much better stats last year against a tougher schedule. This season he had to battle nagging injuries that cost him lots of playing time. While his numbers were down, he still had 38 TDs and only 14 INTs. The entire hopes of the islands rest on Brennan's arm. The two men Brennan will be looking for most are Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullen. Both of these guys have NFL talent and will certainly test the young UGA corners.

Georgia has a much more balanced offense. The Bulldogs will run right at Hawaii with RBs Knowshon Moreno and Thomas Brown. The two combined for nearly 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns. If the UGA running backs can get to the second level routinely, it will be a very long night for the Warriors. If UGA can slow down the Hawai'i passing game, especially on third downs, they will have an excellent shot at controlling the game and pulling away. Brennan isn't going to make mistakes, but if the Bulldogs can get pressure they can get some errant passes. If Hawaii can't win the time of possession battle, they're cooked.

Line: Georgia -7.5, Total 68.5

Rose Bowl presented by Citi, January 1

USC
vs
Illinois
4:30 p.m. Pasadena, Calif. ABC

Illinois, time to step-up. Sure, the Illini did go into the Horseshoe and beat Ohio State, but now it is time to see if they can do it again. USC has speed on defense that Illinois hasn't seen before. USC has seen a better version of the spread attack when Dennis Dixon and Oregon beat the Trojans 21-14 earlier in the season. Now it is time for Illinois to show why they deserve to be in the Rose Bowl over UGA, or why they are in the BCS instead of the team that beat them in Missouri. Arizona State laying an egg earlier in the bowl season eliminates them from contention.

USC was pegged by everyone as the preseason number 1 and easily the front runner for New Orleans and the National Title Game. A slew of injuries coupled with perhaps the greatest upset in the history of college football cost USC the game against Stanford and probably any chance at the national title. They got by Arizona before crushing Notre Dame and apparently getting back on track. The aforementioned loss to Oregon ended the outside national title hopes. USC did win their final four games to win their 6th straight Pac10 title and get back to the BCS.

USC did have some good wins this year, but nothing worth getting too excited about. They won the games against weaker opponents, lost to the best team in the Pac 10 (Oregon before Dixon went down), and lost the biggest shocker of all time. Pete Carroll is fabulous in bowl games (4-1) but he doesn't have the superstars on this team he is used to. There is no Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Dwayne Jarrett, etc. Don't feel too bad for Carroll, the cupboard isn't bare. This is still the same USC team that has dominated opponents for years. Unfortunately that might be the best thing going for Illinois. USC has been here before. Getting to the Rose Bowl is a huge accomplishment for any team not named USC. Players go to USC to play for national championships, and this will be the second year that players thought national title going into the season and ended in the Rose Bowl prepping for next year.

Illinois on the other hand, has only won 10 games against D1 teams in the past 5 years coming into this season. Compare that to the 59 USC won, and you can see how USC is old hat at this while it is very new and very exciting to the Illini. If Illinois can get over the "happy to be here" jinx and come out firing, they do have a chance against USC.

The USC defense finished the year 2nd overall in defense. If the Trojans play this game like it is the national title, this one could get ugly fast. The front seven for the Trojans is easily in the top 3 in the nation, if not the very best. Senior DT Sedrick Ellis is a force, even if he didn't win the award of Glenn Dorsey. He will make it very hard for Illinois to do much running in the middle. Behind him is the best group of linebackers this side of Penn State/Ohio State. Cushing, Maualuga, and Rivers are all next level talents biding time in southern California before making the mega bucks maybe as early as next season. If this defense plays up to its potential this one could be bad.

Luckily for the Illini, USC has only played a handful of quarters like that all season. If Illinois can come out and move the ball on the ground with RB Rashard Mendenhall it will really open up some lanes for Juice Williams. Williams won't trick anyone into thinking he's a pocket passer, but if he can get even some kind of rythm going through the air, the spread rushing attack can take off against the faster USC defense. USC had trouble with the spread of Washington and Oregon, and while Illinois is better than Washington, Juice Williams is no Dennis Dixon. This game is huge for Illinois as far as getting to the show and getting ready for a huge 2008, but they just aren't ready for the speed of USC.

Line: USC -13.5, Total 49.5