NFL Preview!

Last year I made some great predictions (the Bengals going 10-6 & the Colts making the Super Bowl) & some indefensible ones (the Giants will win the NFC & JaMarcus Russell is better than Joe Flacco). This year… well… it’ll probably be as hit & miss as ever because the NFL is crazy.

Now onto the predictions (playoff teams in bold).

AFC East

1. Dolphins 12-4

2. Patriots 11-5

3. Jets 9-7

4. Bills 3-13

That’s right, the Dolphins. A healthy Ronnie Brown plus Brandon Marshall & improvement from Henne and the defense equals a first round bye. The Patriots offense may be the best in the league but key injuries on the defense will hold them back. The Jets lead the league in hype, they won’t in offense. The Bills have C.J. Spiller & supposedly 52 other NFL players, but I’m skeptical.

College Football Preview!

Yesterday was the PAC-10 preview, now today I give you the full NCAA D-1 football preview including the top 10 teams, the winner of each BCS conference, the Heisman winner, & who will play in each BCS Bowl.

TOP 10:

1. Nebraska-Loses the best player in college football, Ndamukong Suh, & will actually improve. The defense should continue to anchor the team under coach Bo Pelini & the offense, which returns 9 starters, should be improved enough to get Nebraska its first BCS title.
2. TCU-if the Horned Frogs get through the Mountain West (which should be a BCS conference) undefeated they should finally break up the big boys club of the BCS & score a title game birth. & I believe they will as they return 16 starters from last year's team including QB Andy Dalton who leads all D1 QBs with 29 career victories going into the season.
3. Alabama-Bama, who returns only 1 defensive starter, won't be able to rebuild fast enough to get another BCS "Championship", but they should still win the toughest conference in college football.
4. Virginia Tech-Coach Frank Beamer & QB Tyrod Taylor are, simply put, winners. Then add in an always fantastic defense & 2 RBs in Ryan Williams & Darren Evans who have run for a thousand yards and what you get is the best team in the ACC.
5. Boise State-Returns an unfathomable 20 starters, including stud QB Kellen Moore, from last year's undefeated team. If they can get past Virginia Tech & Oregon State they may be able to reach the title game.
6. Iowa-a top notch defense that returns 8 starters including DE Adrian Clayborn (11 and a half sacks) & safety Tyler Sash (6 picks) plus an improving offense should allow Iowa to reach the Rose Bowl.
7. Ohio State-Dual threat QB Terrell Pryor & 13 other returning starters will be looking to make the BCS "Championship", if they can beat Iowa & Wisconsin on the road they should do so.
8. Texas-lost stud QB Colt McCoy & 10 other starters from last years team, but sophomore QB Garret Gilbert has already played in a national title game & Texas is never short on talent.
9. Miami-since coach Randy Shannon's first season in 2007, when the team went 5-7, the Canes have improved by 2 wins each season. Behind QB Jacory Harris & an improved defense Miami should add another 2 wins yet again.
10. Stanford-With a fantastic QB in Andrew Luck & an equally adept coach in Jim Harbaugh the Cardinal will eak out a PAC-10 title.

PAC-10 Football Preview

We're about to begin the last season of PAC-10 football, (Stanford & UCLA open the PAC-10 season on Saturday) before expansion begins, & the league is as wide open as ever. Realistically 5 teams have a shot at winning the PAC, though only 4 of those can reach the Rose Bowl thanks to USC's restriction from post-season play (maybe that will cut down some of their arrogance), & all 5 have serious questions to answer. Can USC stay motivated without a light at the end of the tunnel? Will Oregon be the same without former QB Jeremiah Masoli? Can Oregon State & their new QB play well throughout the entire PAC-10 season? Will Jim Harbaugh be able to replace Toby Gerhart & complete his transformation of Stanford into a PAC-10 power? & of course the biggest question of all: Can Arizona do what every other PAC-10 team has done & make it to the Rose Bowl? Well let me answer those questions for you.

2010 PAC-10 Final Standings

1. Stanford 7-2 (10-2 overall) (Rose Bowl)

Coach Jim Harbaugh & QB Andrew Luck lead Stanford to its first Rose Bowl since its Jan 1, 2000 loss to Wisconsin thanks to wins over both Oregon State & Arizona.

2. OSU 7-2 (8-4) (Holiday Bowl)

OSU’s tough non-conference schedule pays off, as most of the PAC-1o proves much easier than TCU & Boise State.

3. Arizona 7-2 (10-2) (Alamo Bowl)

Arizona fails to make it to the Rose Bowl yet again, but Stoops & the Wildcats can take solace in their first 10-win season since 1998.

4. Oregon 6-3 (9-3) (Sun Bowl)

The loss of Masoli proves too much for the talented Ducks who fail to live up to pre-season expectations.

5. USC 5-4 (9-4) (None, ahahahaha!)

For the second year in a row USC proves overrated as they fade down the stretch.