Week 2 Preview

     A great week one has everyone excited for the season, and week two will be even better. There are multiple key games this week from each conference, so I will break down this weeks games, conference by conference.

ACC

     The Contenders: Pittsburgh at Boston College

                               South Carolina State at Clemson

                               Georgia Tech at Tulane

                               Murray State at Louisville

                               Florida A&M at Miami (FL)

                               Richmond at Virginia

                               Duke at Troy

                               The Citadel at Florida State

                               San Diego State at North Carolina

                               Virginia Tech at Ohio State

     As early in the season as we are, there are still a ton of contenders in the unpredictable ACC. Despite a rough opening performance against Oklahoma State, Florida State is still the heavy favorite to win the conference. Jameis Winston will get a chance to get back on track this week  against The Citadel, who won't be able to handle what the Seminoles have to offer. The other two contenders in the Atlantic are Louisville and Clemson, who are both ranked teams, that would be favorites to win the Coastal, but are underdogs behind FSU. Both teams are facing FCS schools, that will provide an easy win to help improve their team chemistry. As for the Coastal division, I have all seven teams as contenders. Nobody knows who will come out of the Coastal as champ, and if its anything like last year, the top team will change weekly. Georgia Tech, Miami, Virginia, North Carolina and Duke will all get easy wins against lesser opponents. Virginia Tech has a tough task, going on the road to Columbus to face Ohio State, who is still one of the nations top teams. I think that the Hokies defense will keep the game close, but Ohio State will pull it out in the end. Pittsburgh should be able to get another win in their conference opening game tonight against Boston College. I have to put Pitt on upset alert, as Boston College is a conference opponent who won convincingly in its first game, but Pitt should win in the end.

Week 2 Predictions: Pittsburgh-38, Boston College-21

                                Clemson-45, South Carolina State-14

                                Georgia Tech-34, Tulane-24

                                Louisville-48, Murray State-6

                                Miami-31, Florida A&M-10

                                Virginia-28, Richmond-0

                                Duke-35, Troy-10

                                Florida State-70, The Citadel-7

                                North Carolina-45, San Diego State-24

                                Ohio State-24, Virginia Tech-21

Big 12

     The Contenders: Oklahoma at Tulsa

                               Kansas State at Iowa State

                               Missouri State at Oklahoma State

                               Northwestern State at Baylor

                               BYU at Texas

                               Texas Tech at UTEP

     The Big 12 contenders all have extremely winnable games in week two except for Texas. The conference's top ranked team goes on the road to Tulsa, where Trevor Knight looks to improve on his solid season opening game. As long as the Sooners can continue their balanced attack, they should be fine. Kansas State looked great to start the season, and their opponent, Iowa State is coming off of a loss to FCS foe North Dakota State, and hasn't beaten Kansas State in over nine years. Oklahoma State and Baylor both face FCS schools. Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty suffered two cracks in his back in week one, but should be ready to go on Saturday, although they shouldn't need him for more than one half. Texas Tech struggled against Central Arkansas in its opener, and will need to improve quickly in time to be ready for its Big 12 play. A road game against UTEP will be a good test for them this week. I think that Kliff Kingsbury will have his Raiders ready to go on Saturday night. The only team with an actual test this week is Texas. The Longhorns will take on a BYU team that was able to run for over 500 yards against Texas a year ago. The defense in Austin has improved greatly, and this year they will have their home crowd behind them, but the one thing Texas won't have is their top signal caller under center. David Ash suffered a head injury against North Texas last week, meaning backup Tyrone Swoopes will get the start. Nobody really knows how good Swoopes will be, but with the Longhorns solid running game, and a team thirsty for revenge, Swoopes shouldn't have to play great to get the win.

Week 2 Predictions: Oklahoma-42, Tulsa-13

                                Kansas State-38, Iowa State-17

                                Oklahoma State-52, Missouri State-13

                                Baylor-63, Northwestern State-7

                                Texas-34, BYU-31

                                Texas Tech-34, UTEP-28

Big 10

     The Contenders: McNeese State at Nebraska

                               Akron at Penn State

                               Western Illinois at Wisconsin

                               Middle Tennessee at Minnesota

                               Ball State at Iowa

                               Michigan State at Oregon

                               Michigan at Notre Dame

                               Virginia Tech at Ohio State

     There are three games that people will be looking at in the East this week. In the West, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa all face easy opponents, as well as Penn State in the East. The three key games are Ohio State against Virginia Tech, Oregon against Michigan State, and Michigan against Notre Dame. College gameday will be in Eugene awaiting the biggest non-conference game of the season as one of the nations top defenses will take on one of the best offenses. All the hype is weather or not Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota will be able to handle the physicality of Michigan State's defense. Michigan State will need production from its offense, and I think that Jeremy Langford is up for the task. Ohio State's new quarterback J.T. Barrett will get his first real test against an extremely underrated Virginia Tech defense. I think he will have all sorts of trouble, and Ohio State will prove that they aren't real playoff contenders any more, but they should be able to grind out the win. Michigan and Notre Dame will play the final chapter of one of college footballs most historic rivalries this week in South Bend. Notre Dame has quarterback Everett Golson back, and their offense looked great in week one. Michigan's offense was also solid in their opener. At the end of the day, it all comes down to which team commits fewer turnovers, and  think the Golson will do a better job under pressure at his home stadium and bring home the win for the Irish.

Week 2 Predictions: Nebraska-48, McNeese State-20

                                Penn State-38, Akron-24

                                Wisconsin-52, Western Illinois-0

                                Minnesota-42, Middle Tennessee-17

                                Iowa-28, Ball State-10

                                Michigan State-31, Oregon-24

                                Notre Dame-38, Michigan-34

                                Ohio State-24, Virginia Tech-21

Pac-12

     The Contenders: Eastern Washington at Washington

                               USC at Stanford

                               Michigan State at Oregon

                               Arizona State at New Mexico

                               Memphis at UCLA

     The two biggest games of the week both feature Pac-12 schools. The other contenders in the conference should get wins. Arizona State's offense looked great in its opener, and will continue to do the same against New Mexico. UCLA will need a better game from its offense than it had a week ago, but against a much lesser defense, that shouldn't be a problem. Washington looked terrible in its game against Hawaii, and won'y look great this week either, but will get a win. Oregon is being considered by many as a national championship contender, but with their recent struggles against physical defenses, I won't believe it until I see it. The first conference game in the Pac-12 is between USC and Stanford. This game is key for both teams, as they are both contenders to win and are looking for early season momentum. They both had dominant wins in week one, and they should play a tightly contested game this week. In the end, I think that Stanford's running game is still too strong, and they will pull out a close win.

Week 2 Predictions: Washington-38, Eastern Washington-28

                                Stanford-28, USC-24

                                Michigan State-31, Oregon-24

                                Arizona State-52, New Mexico-24

                                UCLA-35, Memphis-3

Week 2 Top 25

     Many of the top teams struggled in week one, while others dominated cupcake teams. There isn't too much change at the very top, but if week one was any indicator, this season could be a great one.

25. Missouri-The Tigers won their opening game 38-18 against South Dakota State. Missouri came out of the gate running, taking an early 21-3 lead. After the big lead early they would let South Dakota State get back into it, but would eventually hold on to win. Missouri doesn't drop out of the rankings since they won, but they were very unimpressive, so I won't move them up.

24. Louisville-The Cardinals opened the season with a solid performance against Miami, winning 38-13. They started the game slow, but were able to come back and win convincingly. If Louisville continues to play like this, then they should be able to play just as good as last year, even with a new coach and quarterback.

23. Texas-The Longhorns won big in their opener against North Texas. North Texas isn't the best team in the country, but Texas was missing multiple starters, while also breaking in a new head coach, and they still won 38-7.

22. North Carolina-The Tar Heels started off horribly, leading just 21-15 at halftime against Liberty. After giving up a score to go down 22-21, they would score 28 unanswered to end the third quarter. They would eventually win 56-29, showing that they really can be a great team when they try.

21. South Carolina-The Gamecocks were clearly not prepared for Kenny Hill and Texas A&M in week one. Their defense came out looking slow, and couldn't stop the passing game. They also relied to heavily on the deep ball. South Carolina had a few deep touchdown passes, but had many incomplete passes trying to go long. They should still be able to compete for the SEC East, but this was a tough loss.

20. Wisconsin-The Badgers were dominating LSU through most of the game on Saturday night. They took a 24-7 lead in the third quarter before Les Miles pulled off a fake punt, completely changing the momentum of the game. Wisconsin would blow the lead and lose 28-24. They are still one of the most talented teams in the Big 10, and with such a soft schedule, they will rise back up in the rankings.

19. Texas A&M-The Aggies took the world by storm on Thursday night. New quarterback Kenny Hill threw for 511 yards, more than Manziel ever had at A&M. Their offense showed that they are ready to compete with the top teams in the SEC. If they keep playing like this, they will be top ten soon.

18. Nebraska-The Huskers won 55-7 over Florida Atlantic in the season opener. The offense looked great, while the defense did enough to win. They played exactly how most people expected them to. Nebraska should be fine until their week four game against Miami, when they face their first true test of the season.

17. Kansas State-The Wildcats won 55-16 in their first game against SF Austin this weekend. Their offense proved that they should be able to compete with the best in the Big 12. If they can beat Auburn, they should be able to take the conference.

16. Notre Dame-Everett Golson was fantastic in his return for the Irish. He threw for 295 yards and two scores while also running for 41 yards and three touchdowns. The Irish won 48-17 against a Rice team that was clearly outplayed. If Notre Dame can play like that against better competition, they could be in competition for the first playoffs.

15. Arizona State-The Sun Devils won their opening game 45-14 on Thursday night against Weber State. Their offense looked great, and the home field advantage was effective as always. Arizona State is a very underrated team in the Pac-12.

14. Ohio State-J.T. Barrett did what he needed to do in the season opener against Navy. Ohio State struggled early, but was able to grind out a 34-17 win. Barrett finished the game 12/15 for 226 yards, two scores and one interception, while also running for 50 yards on nine carries. Ohio State is clearly not the same team without Braxton Miller, but they should still have a solid season.

13. Ole Miss-The Rebels defense shined in their season opening 35-13 win over Boise State. Quarterback Bo Wallace struggled with his decision making early, but recovered finishing the game with 387 yards and four touchdowns, while also throwing three picks. Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche had a great game, leading the defensive line to a solid game. They are one of the many solid teams in the SEC West.

12. USC-Despite multiple distracting off the field events over the last week, USC was still able to destroy Fresno State 52-13 on Saturday night. Fresno State showed that is not the same team as last year, and USC showed that they are back. USC has one of its toughest games of the season coming up now this week.

11. LSU-LSU came from behind to get a huge win over Wisconsin in the opening game. Quarterback Anthony Jennings had a good first game, throwing for 239 yards and two scores while running back Kenny Hilliard ran for 110 yards and a touchdown. The Tigers had a great second half comeback, sparked by a classic Les Miles fake punt call. LSU will need to continue to be lucky if they want to get through this season.

10. Georgia-Todd Gurley and the Bulldogs had a great game against Clemson. Gurley ran for 198 yards and three touchdowns, while also taking a kick 100 yards for a score in the late first half. After heading into the break tied at 21, Georgia completely dominated the second half. Georgia has a week off now before facing another test against South Carolina.

9. Stanford-The Cardinal won big in their opening game against UC Davis, shutting them out 45-0. Kevin Hogan had a good game, throwing for 204 yards and three touchdowns. It was running back by committee for Stanford who had ten different players with at least one carry, totaling 149 yards and a touchdown on 32 runs. Stanford might be shying away from its typical run first style this season.

8. Michigan State-Michigan State's defense was ready to go in their 45-7 season opening win against Jacksonville State. Quarterback Connor Cook was injured in the first quarter, but it wasn't serious. He would go on to throw for 285 yards and three touchdowns. The defense was solid all night, with defensive end Shilique Calhoun playing great, even if he only recorded one sack.

7. UCLA-The Bruins offense struggled in the opener. They pulled out a 28-20 win, but the offense was only able to score one touchdown the entire game. After a scoreless first quarter, the defense would score three touchdowns in the second quarter, two on pick sixes and one on a scoop and score fumble. If UCLA wants to move up in the rankings and win games this season, the offense will need to improve on its first performance.

6. Baylor-Bryce Petty looked great before going down with a back injury. Luckily for Petty it wasn't a serious injury and he will be ready to go next week. They were able to win 45-0 against an SMU team that is better than most people think.Baylor moves up, but still isn't the top ranked team in the Big 12.

5. Oklahoma-The Sooners were solid in their opener, winning 48-16 against Louisiana Tech. Quarterback Trevor Knight had a less than perfect night, while still playing fairly well, showing that he is good but not great, throwing for 253 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Oklahoma isn't as good as some people think, but until they lose they will stay in the top ten.

4. Oregon-The Ducks played very well in their 62-13 season opening win against South Dakota. They were hot early, scoring 21 points in the first quarter, with quarterback Marcus Mariota throwing for 267 yards and three touchdowns while also running for 43 yards and another score. The Oregon offense as a whole accounted for 673 yards of total offense, while having a solid game defensively as well. It was a great warm up for their offense, who now had to play one of the nations top defenses next week in one of the biggest non-conference games of the season.

3. Auburn-The Tigers were struggling against Arkansas in the first half, as the game was tied at 21 at the half. The Tigers decided to put Nick Marshall back in in the second half after suspending him in the first. Marshall made some great plays, leading the team to a 45-21 win.

2. Alabama-The Tide looked really bad in their opener against West Virginia. They were able to pull out a win, but they only won 33-23, and they looked flat. It didn't look like a Nick Saban coached team. They will stay number two for now because they are still Alabama, but they could get jumped if they keep playing like this.

1. Florida State-Jameis Winston had a below average game to say the least. He did throw for 370 yards, but he also threw a career high two interceptions in in the first half alone. Florida State as a whole looked bad, although Oklahoma State deserves some credit. The Cowboys had a solid performance against Florida State's defense, although the Seminoles should have handled it a little better. Florida State will be number one as long as they keep winning, and I expect them to get better as time goes on, and win another ACC title.

Top 25 Preview: 1. Florida State Seminoles

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I have released an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams. Now, I bring you the final season preview: #1 Florida State.

2013 Review

     Florida State came into 2013 ranked #11. They had a ton of talent, but an Freshman quarterback who didn't have much experience. The Freshman started his first career game by completing 25 of 27 passes for 356 yards and four touchdowns, leading the team to a 41-13 win over Pittsburgh. Jameis Winston would continue to light up opposing defenses all season. Florida State would roll through the next three games against Nevada, Bethune-Cookman and Boston College, before facing their first ranked opponent of the year. On October 5th, the Seminoles destroyed undefeated 25th ranked Maryland 63-0, putting themselves on the map. The next week they were on gameday, getting ready to face the favorite in the ACC on the road against #3 Clemson. This was the game that thrust Jameis Winston into the lead for the Heisman, as he threw for 444 yards and three touchdowns, leading his team to a 51-14 win. They would continue to roll through everyone else, including a 41-14 win over then #7 Miami to finish a perfect 12-0 season, and go into the ACC Championship ranked #1 in the country. They would beat Duke 45-7 in the ACC title, and then come back from down big to win 34-31 against Auburn in the National Championship. They had one of the most impressive stats of the season, as they outscored the five ranked teams they faced through the season 234-66.

Season Outlook

     It is hard to improve on a season in which you won a national championship and had a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, but Florida State might be even better this season. Jameis Winston will be returning for his second season, and the talent he has around him is improved from a year ago. They open the season on ABC's prime time game, with gameday coming to town, as the face Oklahoma State. After an easy win over The Citadel in week two, they have their conference opener against Clemson, who won't be anywhere as much of a challenge as they were last year, and based on the game last year, they won't struggle to win. They then have three very winnable games against NC State, Wake Forest and Syracuse, before back to back tough games against Notre Dame and Louisville. After an easy win over Virginia, they face both Miami and Florida in two of their last three games, with Boston College in between the two. Florida State has a much tougher schedule then last season, but they should be able to roll through every opponent, as long as Winston remains healthy, and if he can, I don't see how Florida State would enter the postseason not ranked #1.

Season Prediction

12-0 (9-0) 1st in ACC Atlantic

Top 25 Preview: 2. Alabama Crimson Tide

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day until the season starts. The preview continues with #2 Alabama.

2013 Review

     The Tide were the two time defending champions and were ranked #1 in the country week one. They opened the year with a dominate 35-10 win over Virginia Tech, followed by a high scoring 49-42 revenge victory over Texas A&M. Alabama would continue to roll through the season with a dominate defense, winning eleven straight games, giving less than 10 points in nine of them. Alabama was 11-0 and still ranked #1 in the nation going into the rivalry against Auburn. They would battle back and attempt a 50 yard game winning field goal as time expired. The field goal would fall short and Auburn's Chris Davis would return it 109 yards for a touchdown, ending Alabama's national title hopes in seconds. Alabama would have to settle for a Sugar Bowl bid where Nick Saban's team came unprepared and lost 45-31 to Oklahoma.

Season Outlook

     Alabama is ranked #2 this year, but the goal and prediction stays the same. They are still expected to win the SEC and make the playoffs. They will open the season with three easy wins against West Virginia, Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss. before their conference opener against a much improved Florida. After back to back road games against Ole Miss and Arkansas, the Tide host Texas A&M followed by back to back road games against Tennessee and LSU. They will end the season with three straight home games against Mississippi State, Western Carolina and Auburn. The Iron Bowl against Auburn will be a classic no matter what the result, but I think that Nick Saban will have his team ready to take down the defending SEC champions to lock up a spot in the first ever playoffs.

Season Prediction

12-0 (8-0) 1st in SEC West

Top 25 Preview: 3. Auburn Tigers

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day until the season starts. The preview continues with #3 Auburn.

2013 Review

     Auburn had a new head coach, coming off of a 3-9 season and a winless conference record. They were expected to do better, although most people didn't give them a chance against the likes of Alabama, LSU or Texas A&M in the SEC West. The Tigers would open the season with three wins against Washington State, Arkansas State, and Mississippi State, before losing to LSU. The LSU sparked something as Auburn would go on to win all of their last eight games, with four of them coming against ranked opponents. The last two games of Auburn's regular season were classics, starting with a hail mary touchdown pass at the last second to beat Georgia 43-38, followed by what will go down as one of the most iconic moments in college football history, when Chris Davis returned an Alabama missed field goal 109 yards with no time on the clock for a 34-28 Auburn win. The memorable "kick six" would send Auburn to the SEC Championship game, where they used their unstoppable run game to beat Missouri 59-42. Winning the SEC championship was enough to push the Tigers into the final BCS National Championship game, where they would blow an early lead and fall 34-31 to Florida State.

Season Outlook

     Auburn won't be surprising anyone this season, although if their offense can run as effectively as it did last year, they should be fine. They open the season with a conference battle against Arkansas, before an easy win over San Jose State. Their third game will be a key Thursday night non-conference match-up on the road against Kansas State.  After an easy win over Louisiana Tech, Auburn will have to take on LSU, who was the only team to beat the Tigers last year. After another win against Mississippi State, they will face five preseason ranked teams in their last six games, with home games against South Carolina, Texas A&M and Samford, and road games against Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama, which could be the most hyped regular season game in history. Auburn will have another great year, but I don't think that they will be able to win the SEC again.

Season Prediction

11-1 (7-1) 2nd in SEC West

Top 25 Preview: 4. Oregon Ducks

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day until the season starts. The preview continues with #4 Oregon.

2013 Review

     Oregon was again projected to be a championship contender last year. They had another great team of speed, and were able to score points at will, scoring 42 or more points in each of their first eight games, including wins against Washington and UCLA. November 7th was the biggest Thursday night in college football's history, as there were two games that would define the season. Where Baylor destroyed Oklahoma in one of them, Oregon would try and mount a comeback against Stanford with quarterback Marcus Mariota slowed with an injury. Oregon wouldn't be able to complete the comeback, falling short 26-20, but their conference title hopes were still in tact. After a dominate bounce back performance against Utah, they would see all of their BCS hopes destroyed when they lost 42-16 on the road against Arizona. The Ducks would finish the season with a win over Oregon State to end with a record of 10-2. They would also receive a bid to face Texas in the Alamo Bowl, where they won 30-7.

Season Outlook

     Oregon should be near or at the top of both the Pac-12 and the country this year, as Heisman candidate Marcus Mariota returns at quarterback. He could have been a top five pick in the draft, but instead decided to play one more season for the Ducks, to try and win a championship. Oregon opens the season at home against South Dakota on Saturday night, which should be a blow out, but week two will have Michigan State come to town. If Oregon can handle an early season test against Michigan State, then they should be able to handle their Pac-12 schedule. After easy wins against Wyoming and Washington State, they will have their revenge on Arizona followed by tough mid-season tests against UCLA and Washington. After another easy win against Cal, the Ducks will host Stanford, the only team the Oregon struggles with year in and year out. After Stanford, the Ducks will breeze through the last three games against Utah, Colorado and Oregon State. Oregon is one of the top teams in the nation again, and this year could be the year that they make the playoffs.

Season Prediction

11-1 (9-0) 1st in Pac-12 North

Top 25 Preview: 5. UCLA Bruins

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day until the season starts. The preview continues with #5 UCLA.

2013 Review

     UCLA was ready to be the top in the Pac-12 South a year ago. Early in the season, they looked great, winning each of their first five games, including a huge 41-21 comeback win on the road against Nebraska. Their perfect season came in doubt when the faced back to back road games against the North's top teams, in which they lost 24-10 to Stanford, and 42-12 to Oregon. They would bounce back with three straight wins over Arizona, Washington and Colorado, before their chances of winning the Pac-12 South were ended in a 38-33 loss to Arizona State. They would still be able to end the year with a big win over rival USC to finish with a solid 9-3 record. They would also roll over Virginia Tech 42-14 in the Sun Bowl.

Season Outlook

     Quarterback Brett Hundley decided to pass up on being a first round draft pick to stay for his Senior season. Hundley's return means that UCLA should be even better than last year. They bring back a ton of talent and the schedule is a lot softer, with most of its tough games coming at home. They open the year on the road against Virginia, and after an easy game against Memphis, they have to face Texas on a neutral field, followed by a road game with Arizona State. They then have back to back home games against Utah and Oregon. If they can get the home upset over Oregon, the Bruins will be known by everyone, as a solid contender. After the Oregon game, they have three easy opponents in Cal, Colorado, and Arizona. They will end the season with a tough three game stretch with a road game against Washington, followed by home games against Stanford and USC. UCLA has a ton of talent and should be able to win at least ten games.

Season Prediction

11-1 (8-1) 1st in Pac-12 South

Top 25 Preview: 6. Oklahoma Sooners

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day until the season starts. The preview continues with #6 Oklahoma.

2013 Review

     Oklahoma was facing a quarterback battle through much of the season last year. Blake Bell, the teams original starter wasn't as good as people thought, and his backup Trevor Knight was very impressive. They opened the season with wins against UL-Monroe, West Virginia, and Tulsa, before a big win on the road against Notre Dame. After another win over TCU, they would lose for the first time, 36-20 to Texas in the Cotton Bowl. They would get back to back wins over Kansas and Texas Tech, before losing again, this time in blowout fashion to Baylor. After the Baylor loss, the Sooners would win all of their last three games, including a thriller in bedlam over Oklahoma State. Trevor Knight would have a breakout performance against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, leading the team to a 45-31 win, a huge upset over one of college football's best.

Season Outlook

     Blake Bell has now moved to tight end, and the quarterback job is all for Knight. His expectations have grown exponentially through the off season, and now Oklahoma is predicted by most experts to win the Big 12. They open the season With a few easy games, the only tough one being in week three, when Tennessee comes to town. Their first real test will be in their annual rivalry with Texas, where records and talent don't matter, because anyone can win that game. After another tough game against a highly underrated Kansas State team and an easy win over Iowa State, the Sooners will have their season defining game, when Baylor comes to town, Oklahoma has never lost at home to Baylor before and continuing that this year would be huge in the race for the conference championship, but I think that its Baylor's time to shine in the Big 12, and Oklahoma will go down. They have two tough games to end the season against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State with an easy win over Kansas in the middle. Oklahoma has big expectations because of Trevor Knights Sugar Bowl performance last year. I think that the Sooners will be very good again, but the season will be very similar to last year record wise.

Season Prediction

10-2 (7-2) 2nd in Big 12

Top 25 Preview: 7. Baylor Bears

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day until the season starts. The preview continues with #7 Baylor.

2013 Review

     Baylor opened the season with blazing speed and put up video game numbers, scoring 291 points in their first four games. After finally falling back to earth and still beating Kansas State, the Bears continued to dominate the Big 12, beating both Iowa State and Kansas, before winning 41-12 in a huge Thursday night game with Oklahoma. After another win over Texas Tech, they would fall on the road against Oklahoma State 49-17, ending Baylor's championship hopes. They would rebound to win their last two games of the season against TCU and Texas and take home the Big 12 championship with an 11-1 record. They would get to the Fiesta Bowl where they would be heavy favorites to best Central Florida, before getting upset 52-42 in a high scoring shootout.

Season Outlook

     This season, even with star quarterback Bryce Petty returning and a ton of speed back on offense, Baylor is being picked second behind Oklahoma by most experts. They are the only Big 12 school that doesn't face another power five school in non conference play, as they open the season against SMU, Northwestern State and Buffalo. After back to back road games against Iowa State and Texas to open conference play, the Bears have three easy wins in a row against TCU, West Virginia and Kansas. The final four games will be tough for the Bears as they play Oklahoma, (Baylor has never won on the road against Oklahoma) Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Kansas State. I think that Baylor will be great this year, but they won't be able to win all of their last four games.

Season Prediction

11-1 (8-1) 1st in Big 12

Top 25 Preview: 8. Michigan State Spartans

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day until the season starts. The preview continues with #8 Michigan State.

2013 Review

     Michigan State took the world by storm last year. Their dominant defense destroyed every offense in its path last year, giving up no more than 28 points in any game all year. The offense took a while to find its grove, but the defense carried the team in early wins against Western Michigan, South Florida, and Youngstown State. The defense played very well, giving up just 17 points in the teams fourth game against Notre Dame, but the offense couldn't carry up its end, as the Spartans would end up losing 17-13. They would bounce back from that loss by winning all of their last eight games, giving up less than ten points in five of those contests, including a 29-6 win over Michigan in which they allowed 168 total yards and -48 rushing yards. They would put themselves on the national scale with a 34-24 win over Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship, ending the Buckeyes perfect record. The win would carry the Spartans into the Rose Bowl where they would top Stanford 24-20 in an instant classic.

Season Outlook

    Nobody will be overlooking the strong defense of Michigan State this year. They did lose multiple solid starters, but the no-fly zone will stay strong, along with one of the best defensive ends in college football, Shilique Calhoun. They return a lot of key starters on the offensive side of the ball, including quarterback Connor Cook and running back Jeremy Langford. After an easy season opener against Jacksonville State, they play the biggest non-conference game of the year on the road against Oregon. After two easy home games against Eastern Michigan and Wyoming, They will open conference play with a tough home game against Nebraska. They then have back to back winnable road games with Indiana and Purdue, before back to back huge home games against Ohio State and Michigan. They end the year with a home game against Rutgers in between road games with Maryland and Penn State. Michigan State's defense won't be as good as last year, although they will still be one of the nations top defenses. When you mix that with a much improved offense, the Spartans should be able to climb back to the top of the Big 10 again, and maybe even a playoff appearance.

Season Prediction

11-1 (7-1) 1st in Big 10 East

Top 25 Preview: 9. Stanford Cardinal

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #9 Stanford.

2013 Review

     Stanford was picked by many do even more than win just a Pac-12 championship. Many thought they could win it all. They opened the season with five wins in a row, including wins against Arizona State and Washington, before what could have been the biggest upset of the year, when they lost 27-21 on the road against Utah. Stanford came back just fine, winning three games in a row, with two of those wins coming against top ten schools, UCLA and Oregon. The Cardinal were looking like they could still be in contention for a title before their second loss when they lost on the road against USC, 20-17. They would bounce back by winning their last two games against Cal and Notre Dame to finish with a record of 10-2. They would also beat Arizona State for a second time in the conference championship. They would lose to Michigan State 24-20 in the Rose Bowl, but another BCS season was a positive for Stanford.

Season Outlook

     Stanford lost some of its key starters from last year, but will bring in new starters that fill those roles perfectly. They will still be the same ground and pound, where down the defense type offense, as well as a very hard-hitting physical defense, which has had much success in the past, especially against rival Oregon. Stanford opens the season against UC-Davis, which should be an easy win. After a tough conference opener at home against USC and an easy win over Army, they face two tough road tests in a row against Washington and Notre Dame. The second half of the season will feature more tough games with home games against Washington State, Oregon State, and Utah, as well as road games against Cal, Arizona State, Oregon and UCLA. The schedule is filled with tough road games as almost all of their ranked opponents come on the road, but Stanford should be able to adjust and have another great season.

Season Prediction

11-1 (8-1) 2nd in Pac-12 North

Top 25 Preview: 10. Georgia Bulldogs

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #10 Georgia.

2013 Review

     Georgia had high hopes for 2013. Coming off of almost making a title, they were ready to go with their high powered offense. Their championship hopes were dashed in week one when they fell on the road against Clemson 38-35. They would rebound by winning four straight games, including wins over both LSU and South Carolina. Star running back Todd Gurley would would then go down with a tough injury, leading to Georgia losing its next two games against Missouri and Vanderbilt. After wins against Florida and Appalachian State, the Bulldogs suffered greatly in what is now known as "the prayer at Jordan-Hare," when Auburn beat Georgia on a last second hail mary touchdown. The Bulldogs would come back from that to win both of its last two games against Kentucky and Georgia Tech. They would lose starting quarterback Aaron Murray due to injury and then fall 24-19 to Nebraska in the Gator Bowl.

Season Outlook

     Georgia has a new starting quarterback for 2014 in Hutson Mason, who filled in well for Murray last year. They also bring back their Heisman hopeful running back Gurley. With a more experienced and improved defense, Georgia looks ready to be back at the top of the contenders in the SEC this year. They open the season with a little revenge game against Clemson, followed by a tough conference opener on the road against South Carolina. It seems that Georgia's season is defined by their first two games every year, and this year is no different. After a three game home stretch against Troy, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, they end the season with road games against Missouri, Arkansas, and Kentucky, along with home games against Florida, Auburn, Charleston Southern, and Georgia Tech. If the Bulldogs can get past the first two weeks of the season, they should be able to get through the SEC slate without more than two losses.

Season Prediction

11-1 (7-1) 1st in SEC East

Top 25 Preview: 11. South Carolina Gamecocks

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #11 South Carolina.

2013 Review

     South Carolina had another great season in 2013, although it wasn't what the team wanted. After an opening win over North Carolina, they suffered their first defeat against Georgia in week two. They would then win four straight games, including being the only team to beat Central Florida the entire season. They would then lose in shocking defeat to Tennessee 23-21. They would bounce back from that loss with an iconic overtime victory over Missouri, the game that will define Connor Shaw's career. They would go on to win out after that and finish 10-2 for another season, before beating Wisconsin in the Capitol One Bowl.

Season Outlook

     The Gamecocks lost some of their top players from last year, including the NFL's first overall draft pick in defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Steve Spurrier has put together another excellent class and will have South Carolina back and better than ever. They should handle their opener tomorrow night against Texas A&M, along with their week two match-up with East Carolina, but their first tough test will be against Georgia, a game they could easily lose. After the 2-1 start, the schedule gets easier, with games against Kentucky, Missouri, Vanderbilt, and Furman, all winnable games. After a road trip to Auburn, The Gamecocks end the year with homes games against Tennessee and South Alabama, and road games against Florida and Clemson. South Carolina has had two loss seasons for years, and this year will be no different.

Season Prediction

10-2 (6-2) 2nd in SEC East

Top 25 Preview: 12. Wisconsin Badgers

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #12 Wisconsin.

2013 Review

     Wisconsin was one of the most slept on teams in 2013. they opened the year with back to back dominate shutouts, combining to win 93-0. They lost a very controversial game in week three on the road against Arizona State. After a win against Purdue in the conference opener, the Badgers lost 31-24 to Ohio State, which all but ended their chances of winning a Big 10 title. Still experts thought they could still make the BCS with a solid finish to the season. They would be able to win their next six games before losing 31-24 to Penn State in the last game of the year, finishing 9-3. They would still salvage a Capitol One Bowl bid, where South Carolina would beat them 34-24.

Season Outlook

     Wisconsin has a lot of talent returning talent, including Heisman caliber running back Melvin Gordon. They will open the season against LSU, which should provide a tough test to measure where their goals should be set at. The rest of the schedule is very soft, as the Badgers avoid Ohio State, Michigan State, and Michigan due to the new divisions in the Big 10. They have a large stretch of games they should win from September 6 to November 8, before finally ending the year with a few tough games on the road against Iowa and at home against both Nebraska and Minnesota.

Season Prediction

11-1 (7-1) 1st in Big Ten West

Top 25 Preview: 13. LSU Tigers

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #13 LSU.

2013 Review

     LSU opened the year hot, beating each of its first four opponents, including a 35-21 win over Auburn which would be the only time someone beat them until the national championship. Things started to go up and down after the Auburn win, as they lost to Georgia in week five, before winning back to back against Mississippi State and Florida to start 6-1. After the solid start, LSU slipped up, losing two of their next three games to Ole Miss and Alabama. They would end the year with back to back wins against Texas A&M and Arkansas, to finish the season 9-3. they would earn a birth in the Outback Bowl where they would beat Iowa 21-14.

Season Outlook

     Neither Anthony Jennings or Brandon Harris has been named the starter for LSU, and they will likely both get playing time at the beginning of the season. The Tigers will have to figure out how the quarterback situation will work quickly, as they open the season against Wisconsin, which could knock them to an 0-1 start. They have four easy games following the opener, as Mississippi State is the only power conference school they face. After back to back tough road games against Auburn and Florida, LSU should get an easy win over Kentucky. They will end the year with four tough games, two at home against Ole Miss and Alabama, and two on the road against Arkansas and Texas A&M.They should have another very good season, but ultimately, the SEC West is too tough for LSU to win the conference.

Season Prediction

9-3 (7-2) 3rd in SEC West

Top 25 Preview: 14. USC Trojans

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #14 USC.

2013 Review

     USC had three different head coaches last year, and it showed at times. After a sub par performance against Hawaii in the opener, they lost 10-7 to a decent Washington State team at home. They would bounce back with back to back wins, neither of which were very impressive, and then lost to Arizona State, giving up 62 points in the process. After splitting their next to games, beating Arizona and losing to Notre Dame, the Trojans finally started looking like the USC of the past, winning five games in a row, including a huge win over Stanford, before losing to UCLA in the last game of the year. the 9-4 record would be enough to get the Trojans into the Las Vegas Bowl where they took down Fresno State 45-20.

Season Outlook

     USC now has a stable head coach along with a sure starter at quarterback, which should make USC a much more powerful force in the Pac-12 this year. They are extremely talented at every position, although they will need to stay healthy, as the NCAA sanctions are taking a huge toll on their depth. The Trojans open the season with a rematch of last years bowl game at home against Fresno State. They should win this as Fresno State lost its top players from a year ago and won't be the same in  2014. After that, they have back to back road games against Stanford and Boston college. Boston College is a game they should be able to win, although Stanford will overpower USC. They finish the first half of the season with home games against Oregon State, Arizona State, and Colorado, with one road game against Arizona. They should be able to win most of these games with maybe one loss in that stretch. The second half of the season is a little easier, with their next three games coming against Utah, Washington State, and Cal. They will have a tough finish, with their last two games being against UCLA and Notre Dame. They could very easily lose both of their final two games, which would really hurt USC's chances at a Pac-12 title.

Season Predictions

9-3 (7-2) 2nd in Pac-12 South

Top 25 Preview: 15. Ole Miss Rebels

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #15 Ole Miss.

2013 Review

     Ole Miss landed one of the top recruiting classes last year, and those Freshmen came ready to play last year. They started a solid 3-0, with wins on the road against Vanderbilt and Texas. They would suffer their first loss in week four on the road against Alabama, which sparked a three game losing streak, including losses to Auburn and Texas A&M. They were able to bounce back from those losses with a huge upset win at home against LSU. The LSU win gave them momentum that they carried forward to win each of their next three games before ending the year with back to back losses to Missouri and Mississippi State to finish the year 7-5. They would finish the year by beating Georgia Tech 25-17 in the Music City Bowl.

Season Outlook

     As the Rebels 2013 recruiting class gains experience, they also bring in another top class this year. The Rebels have the talent to be a contender in almost any conference, but unfortunately, they are in the toughest division of the toughest conference in the entire NCAA. They will open the season on Thursday night against Boise State. This will show just how good the Rebels are in the opening game. They should be able to win and after Boise, they have three winnable games in a row against Vanderbilt, UL-Lafayette, and Memphis. Week five will be the biggest test of the year, as the mighty Crimson Tide come into Oxford. This will probably be the Rebels first slip up of the year. After Alabama they have two more tough games against Texas A&M and Tennessee. They should win both games, but you can't count anyone out in the SEC. Ole Miss could very easily suffer two losses in a row following those games, as they travel to Baton Rouge to face LSU, followed by a home game against Auburn. After an easy win against Presbyterian, the Rebels will end the season with two tough games that they will be favored in against Arkansas and Mississippi State. Ole Miss is a team with 9-3 or 10-2 talent, and should be able to live up to it, even in the grueling SEC West.

Season Prediction

9-3 (5-3) 4th in SEC West

Top 25 Preview: 16. Ohio State Buckeyes

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #16 Ohio State.

2013 Review

     2013 was a season filled with great accomplishments for Ohio State. The Buckeyes started the year off without quarterback Braxton Miller, who was injured. His backup Kenny Guiton led the team just fine in relief for Miller, as the team opened the year 4-0, winning each game in blowout fashion. After Miller came back, they faced two tough test in a row against Wisconsin and Northwestern, winning both convincingly. They would roll through the rest of the season, finishing a perfect 12-0 for a second year in a row. They would finally lose for the first time in two years to Michigan State in the Big 10 championship. They would still be able to get into the Orange Bowl, where Miller was hurt again and they were defeated 40-35 by Clemson.

Season Outlook

     Ohio State was originally in my top five, before Heisman hopeful quarterback Braxton Miller went down with a re-injured shoulder. Now, his backup J.T. Barrett will step into the starting role. Barrett is capable of leading the team to a solid season, even if that won't lead to a championship. They open the season with a fairly soft schedule, with home games against Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Kent State, and Rutgers, and road games against Navy and Maryland. I could see them losing to a solid Virginia Tech defense, but overall I would expect a 6-0 start from the Buckeyes. The second half gets a lot tougher with a three game stretch with road games against Penn State and Michigan State, with a home game against Illinois in the middle. Without Miller, I think that they lose both of those road games. They end the season on the road against Minnesota, followed by home games against Indiana and Michigan. I am going to say that Ohio State will lose at least one game against either Michigan or Minnesota, even though they are capable of winning both.

Season Prediction

9-3 (5-3) 2nd in Big 10 East

Top 25 Preview: 17. Arizona State Sun Devils

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #17 Arizona State.

2013 Review

     Arizona State surpassed expectations last season. After a contravresial win over Wisconsin in week two, they lost to Stanford. They split the next two games, beating USC and losing to Notre Dame. After the Notre Dame loss, Arizona State got hot winning all of their last seven games, including wins against Washington, UCLA, and Oregon State. They would make the Pac-12 championship and then lose to Stanford for a second time, knocking them into the Holiday Bowl where they would lose 37-23 to Texas Tech.

Season Outlook

     After three easy tests, the Sun Devils take on their first true test of the season with a four game stretch against UCLA, USC, Stanford, and Washington. They should be able to win at least two of these games. They end the season with home games against Utah, Notre Dame and Washington State, with road games against Oregon State and Arizona. They should be able to win most of these games, but should lose at least one.

Season Prediction

8-4 (6-3) 3rd in Pac-12 South

Top 25 Preview: 18. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #18 Notre Dame.

2013 Review

     A year after a championship run, Notre Dame looked a lot different and were a lot less successful than the year before. They were able to open the year winning three of their first four games, including being the only team in the country to beat Michigan State all year. They then lost to Oklahoma before bouncing back with back to back wins over Arizona State and USC. After two more wins against Air Force and Navy, the Irish would be upset by Pittsburgh, before splitting their last two games against BYU and Stanford to finish with an 8-4 record. They would build on that 8-4 record with a 29-16 win over Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Season Outlook

     Starting this year, Notre Dame will play five ACC schools each year, without being an official member of the conference. They open the year with three straight home games against Rice, Michigan, and Purdue. They should be able to win three of their first four games. Notre Dame then faces a very tough three game stretch, with back to back home games against Stanford and North Carolina, followed by a road game against Florida State. I would anticipate the Irish winning just one of these three games, leaving them with a record of 4-3. They end the season with road games against Navy, Arizona State, and USC, as well as home games against Northwestern and Louisville. They should beat Navy and Northwestern, but believe they will only be able to win two of the other three, maybe even one.

Season Prediction

7-5 1st in Independence

Top 25 Preview: 19. Kansas State Wildcats

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #19 Kansas State.

2013 Review

     The Wildcats opened the year with an upset loss to North Dakota State. After the loss they would continue to look less than stellar as they figured out the best way to use their two quarterback system. After a 2-4 start to the year, Kansas State closed out the season winning five of its last six games, with their only loss coming to Oklahoma. They would finish the year 7-5 and get a 31-14 win over Michigan in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

Season Outlook

     Kansas State could be this years version of Auburn. They have the talent and are still slept on by most people in the college football world. They open the season with two easy games against SF Austin and Iowa State before going on the road against Auburn. After an easy win against UTEP, Kansas State opens conference play with four tough games in a row against Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Texas, and Oklahoma State. Luckily for the Wildcats, Oklahoma is the only road game in that stretch. They should be able to win at least two of these games. Kansas State ends the year with three very winnable games against TCU, West Virginia, and Kansas, before they end the year on the road against Baylor.

Season Prediction

9-3 (7-2) 3rd in Big 12

Top 25 Preview: 20. Nebraska Cornhuskers

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #20 Nebraska.

2013 Review

     Nebraska's 2013 season was filled with wins against the bottom feeders and losses to the top teams. After opening with wins over Wyoming and Southern Miss, they lost their first true test by letting UCLA come back from down big. Nebraska then won its next three games, beating South Dakota State, Purdue, and Illinois, before losing to Minnesota, Michigan State, and Iowa in three of its last six games. After the 8-4 finish, The Huskers would be able to beat an injury depleted Georgia team 24-19 in the Gator Bowl.

Season Outlook

     Now that Michigan State and Michigan are out of Nebraska's division, they should be able to compete for a Big 10 title. They open the year with very winnable games against Florida Atlantic, McNeese State, and Fresno State, before their first true test at home against Miami. The Miami game could be a lot like the UCLA game last year, and we could see the Huskers crack under the pressure. They follow that game with a winnable home game against Illinois before going on the road against Michigan State. they should start 4-2, and the second half of the season is just as tough. Nebraska ends the season with home games against Rutgers, Purdue, and Minnesota, and road games against Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

Season Prediction

8-4 (5-3) 3rd in Big 10 West

Top 25 Preview: 21. Clemson Tigers

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #21 Clemson.

2013 Review

     Clemson had quite possibly its most successful season in school history last year. They started the year with a huge win over Georgia, which put the Tigers on the national scale, before winning their next five games to start the year 6-0. The second half of the season started with their national title hopes being dashed by Jameis Winston, who lit up the Tigers defense for 51 points, giving them their first loss of the season. The Tigers would rebound quickly and win four of its last five games, with the one loss coming on the road against South Carolina, to finish 10-2. They would make the Orange Bowl where they would beat Braxton Miller and Ohio State 40-35, for their first ever major bowl game victory.

Season Outlook

     Clemson lost a lot of their top players on offense from last year, and their replacements will need to fill in quickly. The Tigers open the year finishing their home and home in Athens against Georgia. After that almost guaranteed loss, Clemson faces both Florida State and North Carolina in two of its next three games. After a likely 1-3 start to the season, the schedule finally lightens up for the Tigers, as the only tough test they have before the season ending state rivalry is a home game against Louisville.

Season Prediction

7-5 (5-3) 3rd in ACC Atlantic

Top 25 Preview: 22. North Carolina Tar Heels

      To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #22 North Carolina.

2013 Review

     North Carolina had high expectations in 2013. Those expectations turned into major disappointment early in the season, as the Tar Heels started the year winning just one of their first six games. They would then rally and begin to play like the team we were expecting before the season started, winning five of their last six games, with the only loss coming to rival Duke. North Carolina was better than their 6-6 record indicated, and they would go on to destroy Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl.

Season Outlook

     North Carolina has even bigger expectations this year, after seeing how well they were capable of playing at times last season. They open the season with two easy wins at home against Liberty and San Diego State, before facing a tough test against East Carolina in week three. They were beaten badly by ECU last year, and should be able to get their revenge win this year. After a 3-0 start, the Tar Heels open conference play with back to back games against Clemson and Virginia Tech, followed by a road game with Notre Dame. They can potentially win all three, although it is more likely they will only be able to win one or two of those games. They should be able to win at least four of their last six games, as the back half of their schedule includes home games against Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, and NC State, as well as road games against Virginia, Miami (FL), and Duke.

Season Prediction

10-2 (7-1) 1st in ACC Coastal

Top 25 Preview: 23. Texas A&M Aggies

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #23 Texas A&M.

2013 Review

     2013 was another solid season for the Aggies. Their entire season was hyped up for the return of Johnny Manziel for one last year. They would start the year with back to back easy wins before losing the most hyped up game of the season against Alabama. They would then win three straight games, two of which were on the road in conference play, before losing to Auburn. Following the loss to Auburn, the Aggies would win another three games in a row, before losing their last two games of the regular season, finishing with a record of 8-4. Manziel would end the year with a brilliant performance in their 52-48 win over Duke in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

Season Outlook

     Texas A&M could be in for a rude awakening in 2014. With so many inexperienced starters, and a defense that hasn't improved much from last season, the Aggies will have a tough time getting wins against the strong SEC West. The gauntlet starts on Thursday night, when A&M sets foot in Columbia to face South Carolina. This could easily start the Aggies in the wrong direction at 0-1. After week one, Texas A&M has a very winnable first half of the season, with five straight games they should win, with home games against Lamar, Rice, and Arkansas, and road games against SMU and Mississippi State. After a likely 5-1 start, the Aggies have a very loaded back half of the schedule, with five of their last six games coming against teams ranked in the AP's preseason top 25. They should lose a home game to Ole Miss, before likely getting killed on the road against Alabama. This leads into the last easy game of the season at home against UL-Monroe. They end the season with games against Auburn, Missouri, and LSU, which they could lose all three. Kevin Sumlin had a very good start to his career at Texas A&M, but now that Manziel is gone, he may face a few rough seasons.

Season Prediction

7-5 (3-5) 5th in SEC West

Top 25 Preview: 24. Texas Longhorns

      To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. The preview continues with #24 Texas.

2013 Review

     2013 was an up and down season for Texas. The Longhorns started off the year as the preseason number 15, before losing two of its first three games to BYU and Ole Miss. They would then rebound in conference play, winning their next six games to improve to 7-2. They would then end the season by losing two of its last three games, including a 30-10 loss to Baylor in a game that decided the Big 12 champion. The Longhorns would then fall 30-7 to Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.

Season Outlook

     Texas will be missing multiple starters for the first game of the season due to suspension, although they should still be able to take care of North Texas in the opener. They then finish their last two non-conference games against BYU and UCLA. They should be able to get their revenge on BYU for the loss last year, but I don't think that Texas can withstand the offensive attack of UCLA, leaving Texas at 2-1 going into conference play. After an easy conference opening game against Kansas, the Longhorns have back to back tough games against Baylor and Oklahoma, which they could easily lose both. I think that they will be able to get a big upset in at least one of these games though, leaving them at 4-2 half way through the season. They then have an easy home game with Iowa State before back to back road games against Kansas State and Texas Tech, which I think will be two losses, leaving Texas at 5-4. They then end the season with home games against West Virginia and TCU, with a road trip to Oklahoma State sandwiched in the middle. They should be able to win all three of these games to finish out a solid season to start the Charlie Strong era in Austin.

Season Prediction

8-4 (6-3) 5th in Big 12

Top 25 Preview: 25. Missouri Tigers

     To build excitement for the upcoming season, I will be releasing an individual team preview for each of my top 25 teams every day from now until the season starts on Thursday night. I will start things of from the bottom with #25 Missouri.

2013 Review

     2013 was a surprising season for Missouri, who more than exceeded expectations by going 11-1 and making the SEC championship game. Led by quarterback James Franklin, the Tigers opened the year 7-0 before losing in an overtime thriller with South Carolina. After the loss Missouri would rally and win their last four games to finish at 11-1 and get a shot at Auburn in the SEC championship game. Missouri would go on to lose that game to Auburn and then beat Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl.

Season Outlook

     Missouri will face many tough tests in the SEC East this year. The non-conference play starts easy with a home game against South Dakota State in week one, but after that they have three solid opponents in Toledo, Central Florida, and Indiana. The Tigers should be favored in all of those first four games and I would expect them to win each and start 4-0. September 27 will be when the real test begins for Missouri, when they head to the other Columbia for a re-match of last years thriller against South Carolina. I think that South Carolina will take care of business at home and Missouri will drop to 4-1. After their first bye week of the season, the Tigers are back home against Georgia on October 11, immediately followed by a road trip to Gainesville to play Florida. Missouri should lose both of these games, dropping their record to 4-3 and 0-3 in SEC play. The competition should get a little easier from there as Missouri ends the season with games at home against Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Arkansas, as well as road games against Texas A&M and Tennessee. I think that Missouri will win all of those games except their road game against Texas A&M.

Season Prediction

8-4 (4-4), fourth place in SEC East

Impact and Preview for the New College Football Playoffs

     2014 will mark the end of the BCS era and the beginning of the new four team playoff era. It is a major step for all of college football, and it should make the game better. The biggest challenge to making a playoff is being able to determine the true champion in the most clear way possible without taking meaning away from the regular season. In my opinion, a four team playoff is one of only two possible ways for the NCAA to accomplish both of those goals. Four potential champions over two, three playoff games over one, the nations top games back on new years day, and that much needed human element to determine who plays for the ultimate prize.

Most exciting sport gets more intense

     College football's regular season is the most dramatic, exciting, and drama filled season of any sport. The problem with the BCS, was that that great season had a very anti-climactic finish every year. People were arguing that an eight team playoff was needed and that four teams would still be too flawed. Where the four team playoff will definitely have its issues, it is the best thing that has happened to college football since the introduction of a national championship game back in 2006. 8 teams would be too many, as teams would be able to lose two, or sometimes ever three games, and still have a shot at a title at the end of the year. Also an 8 team playoff would be too tough on the competing teams. The champion would have to win three games against top opponents to win a title which would extend the season into almost February, and would physically take so much out of the players that they wouldn't be at 100% for the championship game. The four team system is perfect for it. To make it into the new playoff, a team will need to have lost less than two games (maybe someone could make it with two but it would be very challenging) through the season and win their conference championship. This system shouldn't take meaning away from the regular season, as teams will still have to give their all every week. Add in the debate to be had about potential playoff teams, and the season will continue to be intense  and exciting year in and year out.

New Years Day has Meaning Again

     Over the past few years, the top BCS games, including the championship have been drifting further and further into the month of January. The new four team playoff will hold its semi final games in a double-header on new years day. New years has been the highlight of the entire season of college football for over a century now, and bringing these two big games back to new years day will be huge for college football's image and fans.

Champions Finally Decided by Humans

     The BCS rankings were usually accurate, but people didn't care if they were right or not. All they saw was that the two teams playing for the national championship were decided by computer rankings. That has now changed with the beginning of the new 13 person selection committee. They will be able to provide the much needed human element to picking the top four teams. Teams will be selected based on strength of schedule, how they did against top teams, how they have handled injuries and other problems, and overall who plays better than who rather than a weird number system based on the different polls. This will help greatly in determining which four teams really deserve to play for the championship. Another great thing about the selection committee is their rankings top 25 rankings, which will be released weekly starting on October 28th and ending after the regular season concludes. This will provide everyone with much debate every week on what teams need to do to get into the playoffs, or not fall out of the top four. Another great addition to it is that the new chairman of the selection committee Jeff Long will be providing the public for reasons for why teams are ranked where they are, which should clear up what teams priorities should be to try and make the playoff.

Nothing is Perfect

     The new playoff is a huge step for college football, but it will have problems. The biggest problems facing the playoff will be the same problems the BCS had. There will be more than four schools that people think will deserve to get into the playoffs. Instead of #3 and #4 feeling left out, it will be #5 and #6. Another flaw of the new playoff system is that it will essentially has a base format for who will make it every year. Each season it seems that the SEC champion is almost guaranteed to make the playoff. The same can be said about the champion of the Big 10. There are then two spots left which will usually be taken up by one of the other three power conference champions or the second place team in the SEC. The problem with this is that the non power schools will not have a chance to make the playoffs. There will always be certain teams in the playoffs and many teams will be left out even with a perfect record.

2014 Predictions

     The playoff is here and the biggest question right now is who will make the inaugural college football playoff. I think that the number one seed will be Florida State. This is the only spot that I am locking a team into before the season. The Seminoles have gotten even better from last years national title and while their strength of schedule is tougher than last year, it is still easy enough to go 12-0 in the ACC. The number two seed will be the SEC champion. That team will most likely be the winner of the Alabama-Auburn Iron Bowl match-up at seasons end. The only other SEC team that i think might make it is Georgia if they can roll through the SEC East and beat one of those two in the SEC championship. The three seed will most likely be the champion of the Big 10. This team will probably have just one loss, were the top two will be undefeated. With Braxton Miller's injury, Michigan State and Wisconsin should be the only teams capable of winning the Big 10. The final team in the playoff will be the most debated topic all season. If a school from the Big 12 or Pac-12 finished undefeated they would be guaranteed to get in, but assuming the Pac-12 and Big 12 champions both have one loss, you then have three possible teams, as you can also add a one loss SEC school to the mix such as Auburn or Georgia. I think the team that makes it will come down to what priorities the selection committee takes over other things. If strength of schedule matters more that how dominant you are, then the one loss SEC school could make it, but otherwise I could see the Pac-12 school make it. I also think it could come down to what teams are in competition to determine who makes it in.

     No matter what you think of the new playoff system, its here to stay and it will bring the weekly excitement of college football to a whole other level.