2012-2013 Pac-12 Projections

Well I think it is safe to say that there are only two teams contending for the Pac-12 this season. The Ducks and Trojans will most likely face off twice against each other this season. Once during the regular season on Nov. 3rd in Los Angeles and in the Pac-12 Championship on Nov. 30th. The conference overall will be much improved though with all of the coaching changes that occurred in the off-season. Arizona hired Rich Rodriguez, Arizona State hired Todd Graham, UCLA hired Jim Mora, Jr, and Washington State hired offensive guru Mike Leach. A much improved team this year in the Pac-12 will be the Utah Utes, who under performed last season because of an early season injury to Quarterback Jordan Wynn.

SOUTH DIVISION          W-L    Analysis

1. USC                              13-0     The Trojans are back and ready to contend for a Pac-12 and National Championship after a two season absence with a two year bowl ban. Senior Heisman candidate Matt Barkley returns for his final season and looks to lead the Trojans to prominence once again. Barkley was unstoppable last season throwing for 3,528 yards and 39 touchdown passes. Barkley's targets include potential All-American Jr. Wide Receiver Robert Woods, who had 1,292 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, and So. Marquise Lee, who had 1,143 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. The running game returns Sr. Curtis McNeil, who rushed for over just 1,000 yards and 6 touchdowns, along with current Penn State transfer Jr. Silas Redd, who rushed for 1,241 total yards and 7 touchdowns. The offense also will return six other starters on offense from last season, including potential All-American Sr. Center Khaled Holmes. Seven starters return on a defense that was ranked 16th in the country in defense against the rush at 111.4 ypg. The Trojan Defense returns one of the best safeties in the country Sr. T.J. McDonald, as well as Jr. cornerback Nickell Robey. Sophomore Linebackers Hayes Pullard and Dion Bailey also look to improve after they both recorded 81 tackles last season. The Trojans schedule sets up nicely and the Trojans should be 8-0 when they host Oregon on Nov. 3rd. If they win this showdown with the Ducks look for the Trojans to win the rest of their season games and end the regular season 12-0. The Trojans will then play Oregon again in the Championship in either Los Angeles or Eugene. If they win, the Trojans will be heading to Miami and will be in the hunt for another National Championship.

2. Utah                               8-4      Utah had their chance to win the Pac-12 South in their very first season being apart of the Pac-12 Conference, but blew it when they missed a game tying field goal near the end of regulation against Colorado and lost 17-14. Utah was mediocre at best last season and this is mostly because of the loss of their starting QB Jordan Wynn in the fourth game of the season. Jr. QB Jordan Wynn is back though and the Utes are looking to be a much improved team this season. The running game looks to be solid too with potential All-Pac-12 Running back Sr. starter John White returning, who rushed for 1,519 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. The offense also returns seven other starters. This Utah offense ranked dead last in the Pac-12 in total offense last season. The Ute Defense was a complete different story last season as they were ranked first in scoring in the Pac-12 last season only giving up 20.2 ppg. The Ute Defense returns seven starters and is led by one of the best Defensive Tackles in the country Sr. Star Lotulelei, who had 7.5 TFL last season. The Utes have a very good chance of starting the season 4-0 before they host USC on Oct. 4. Utah avoids playing Oregon and Stanford, so they have a legitimate shot at hitting 8 or 9 wins this season. After Utah plays USC, every game after is very winnable.

3. Arizona                          7-5      What is there to say after the Wildcats season last year? Well, not much. The Cats started off with a victory over Northern Arizona 41-10 then fell on their face the next five games. Arizona was outscored by a combined total of 178-96 points in their games against Oklahoma State, Stanford, Oregon, and USC. The tipping point is when the Cats traveled to Corvallis and lost to an awful Oregon State Beaver team 37-27, and soon after Head Coach Mike Stoops was fired. Now it is up to New Head Coach Rich Rodriguez to get the program back on track, after he left a disappointing three year coaching tenure at Michigan just two years ago. The Cats lose QB Nick Foles, but Sr. Matt Scott looks to lead the Cats after returning from another injury. Scott should be a good fit for Rodriguez's speed-option offense. The backfield for the Cats will look to be much improved with So. Running back Ka'Deem Carey, who rushed for six touchdowns last season. The defense returns six starters, which includes Sr. MLB Brian Wagner and Jr. SS Marquis Flowers. It will be key for the Wildcats to start off 3-3, in order to have a chance of going bowling. A key game for the Wildcats will be on Oct. 20th when they host Washington. This game could put them in a position to go over .500 for the season.

4. UCLA                           6-6       UCLA has been to bowl games their last three of five seasons, but it has been brutal for the fans of Westwood. The Bruins found a way to win the Pac-12 South last season, with USC on their last year of probation and Utah and Arizona State choking to end the season. Even though the Bruins won the Pac-12 South, UCLA was not satisfied with it's 6-7 season record and Rick Neuheisel was fired. So in comes Jim Mora, who looks to finally end a decade of mediocracy and end a five game losing streak to in city rival USC. The Bruins return seven on offense including Sr. Quarterback Kevin Prince, who has been anything but consistent these past few years in the UCLA offense. The Bruins also return Sr. Running back Johnathan Franklin, who rushed for 976 yards and 5 touchdowns last season, as well as Sr. Tight End Joseph Fauria, who caught 6 touchdowns last season. The defense returns nine starters and looks to improve with a new coaching staff after being ranked 8th in the Pac-12 Conference and 89th in the country in total defense. So. Linebacker Eric Kendricks looks to improve this season after recording 77 tackles last season. He is joined by Sr. Linebacker Patrick Larimore and Sr. Cornerback Aaron Hester. The Bruins will be .500 at best this season, and will need to win games at home against Houston (Sep. 15th), Oregon State (Sep. 22nd), Arizona (Nov.3) and away games at Rice (Aug. 30th) and  Colorado (Sep. 29th). The Bruins will need to either win at Arizona State (Oct. 27th) or at Washington State (Nov.10th) to get their sixth win. Look for the Bruins to improve as a team this year, more so than record wise.

5. Arizona State                 5-7    If you want to talk about a disappointing team from the 2011 season, the first one that comes to mind is the Arizona State Sun Devils. Prior to the season, the Sun Devils looked to be a lock for the Pac-12 South Title with big arm QB Brock Osweiler. The Sun Devils looked like a solid team after they crushed USC at home 43-22. The Sun Devils were 5-1 when they headed to Eugene and were defeated by the Ducks 41-27. After this loss, the Sun Devils looked awful as they lost road games at UCLA and Washington State. As well as home games against Arizona and Cal.  The Sun Devils had disappointed everyone yet again, and Head Coach Dennis Erickson was fired. Now it is up to new Head Coach Todd Graham to get the Sun Devils back in order. The Sun Devils though are still in a three way QB race consisting of Redshirt Freshman Michael Eubank, Sophomore Mike Bercovici, and Sophomore Taylor Kelly. The Sun Devils will have their work cut out for them as they only return 4 starters on offense. Sr. Running back Cameron Marshall, who rushed for 1,050 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, will need to be the leader of the offense this season. The defense also only returns four starters from last season. The Sun Devil defense will be led by Sr. Linebacker Brandon Magee. The Sun Devils schedule will be challenging as they will have a rather rough out of conference schedule playing home against Illinois (Sep. 8th) and at Missouri (Sep. 15th). The Sun Devils should be satisfied if they are able to hit five wins this season. Their conference schedule is going to be brutal. They will need to win games at Colorado (Oct. 11th), home against UCLA (Oct. 27th), at Oregon State (Nov. 3rd), and their last two vs Washington State (Nov.17th) and at Arizona (Nov. 23rd).

6. Colorado                        4-8    A team that used to be a threat in the Big 12 Conference will again be a disappointment in the Pac-12. Last season, The Buffaloes went 3-9 and were among one of the worst offenses and defenses in the country. The Buffaloes return just 9 starters (3 offense; 6 defense). The Buffaloes will start new Sophomore QB Connor Wood, a transfer from Texas, or Sophomore Nick Hirschman. The offense will need their underclassman to step up their game if they want a chance at being successful this season. The Buffaloes lost a big part of their offense from last season with the departure of Running back Rodney Stewart to the NFL draft. On defense, the Buffaloes were ranked 102nd in total defense in the country last season and will need to improve with the Senior leadership of Linebacker Jon Major and FS Ray Polk. The Buffaloes should start the season off 3-0 as they will face a struggling Colorado State program in the Rocky Mountain Showdown in Denver, FCS-opponent Sacramento State, and at Fresno State. After that though, look for Colorado to sneak out one or two conference wins.

NORTH DIVISION         W-L    Analysis

1. Oregon                          11-2     The Ducks have been the recent powerhouse of the Pac 10/12. They have won the conference the last three years and finally won their first Rose Bowl in 95 years last season. A main reason for the recent success of the Ducks is because of Head Coach Chip Kelly and the offensive scheme that he runs against his opponents. Kelly knows how to get his players to be at their very best every time they take the field. The Oregon Ducks will look to be a national power once again this season and returns eleven starters from last season. The Ducks may have lost QB Darron Thomas early to the draft and RB LaMichael James, but the offense is looking to reload. The QB battle continues between So. Bryan Bennett, who last year came in and helped the Ducks beat Arizona State with his speed, and Redshirt Freshman Marcus Mariota, who many claim may very well be the starter this season. An offense that was ranked 3rd nationally scoring an average of 46.1 ppg last season will return potential All-Americans Sr. RB Kenjon Barner and the one they call "Black Mamba" So. RB De'Anthony Thomas, who proved he is one of the fastest and dynamic players in the country last season. The offense will also return Jr. Wide Receiver Josh Huff, Sr. Left Guard Carson York, and Sr. Right Guard Nick Cody. The defense returns six starters, which includes potential 1st team All-Pac-12 players Sr. DE Dion Jordan, Sr. Linebacker Michael Clay, and Sr. FS John Boyett. The defense will also consist of Sr. MLB Kiko Alonso, who made key plays in the Rose Bowl win last season, Jr. Linebacker Boseko Lokombo, So. CB Terrance Mitchell, and True Freshman DE Arik Armstead. The Ducks schedule is very favorable this season as they do not have any tough non-conference games and most likely will not be challenged until Nov. 3rd when they travel to USC. After USC, the Ducks will travel to Berkeley, and this could be a trap game as they have struggled the past few years when they have traveled to Cal's Memorial Stadium. The Ducks should be a lock for the Pac-12 Championship game and win or lose against USC in that game, the Ducks should be in good shape for a fourth consecutive BCS bowl game.

2. Stanford                         8-4      With the loss of one of the best players in Stanford history QB Andrew Luck, the Cardinal will take a step back, but still be a good team. The Cardinal return 13 starters, including one of the best Running backs in the country Stepfan Taylor, who rushed for 1,330 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. The Cardinal Offense will be led by Taylor and new starting Quarterback Brett Nottingham, who thew only eight passes and one touchdown last season. Another key for the Stanford offense will be potential All-Pac-12 first teamer So. Left Guard David Yankey. The Cardinal Defense will return seven starters including high profile player Sr. Linebacker Shayne Skov, Jr. Defensive End Ben Gardner, and Sr. Linebacker Chase Thomas. The defense will look to improve on what was already a great last season. The Cardinal defense ranked 3rd nationally in rush offense only giving up an average of 84.4 ypg. The Cardinal should be good for eight wins this season. The Cardinal will be tested though in their third and fourth game, as they must host USC (Sept. 15th) and play at Washington (Sept. 27th). The Cardinal will then play in South Bend against Notre Dame on Oct. 13th. After this game, the Cardinal will be in the clear until they travel to Oregon on Nov. 17th.

3. Washington                   7-5      The Huskies will again be a 7-5 team. QB Keith Price is being praised for what he has done since Jake Locker left. Last season, Price had a completion percentage of 66.9, 3,063 passing yards and 33 touchdown passes. The Huskies lose top Running back Chris Polk, but return six starters on offense. Sophomore Bishop Sankey will replace Polk at the Running back position and stand out Sophomore Austin Seferian-Jenkins will return at the Tight End position, where he had 538 yards receiving and 6 touchdown receptions last season. The Husky Defense returns seven starters from last season, which includes Jr. SS Sean Parker, who recorded 91 tackles and 4 interceptions. The Huskies also bring back Sr. CB Desmond Trufant. If the Huskies want to improve their record from last season, it will be necessary for them to improve one of the worst defenses in the Pac-12 last season. The Huskies gave up an average of 35.9 ppg (11th in the Pac-12), the most memorable game where the nation saw the vulnerability of the Husky Defense is when they gave up 67 points against Baylor in the Alamo Bowl last season. The Huskies start their season off at home against San Diego State then travel to a hostile Tiger Stadium at LSU. Early in the season, the Huskies must also host Stanford (Sept. 27th), travel to Oregon (Oct. 6th), and then host USC (Oct. 13th). We will see if the Huskies have improved since last season in their first six games.

4. Cal                                6-6       The Golden Bears look to be almost identical to last season. They return 11 total starters (6 offense; 5 defense). The offense returns Sr. QB Zach Maynard, who threw for 2,990 yards and 17 touchdowns. Maynard will have two star players to assist him on the offensive side of the ball, one in the backfield and one out wide. Sr. Running back Isi Sofele looks to be a threat within the Cal offense again, as he rushed for 1,322 total yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He also averaged 5.5 yards per carry. At the wide out position, Maynard will have potential All-American Jr. Wide Receiver Keenan Allen, who had 1,343 yards last season and 6 touchdowns. Cal's Defense was among one of the best in the Pac-12 last season ranking first in passing at 204.2 ypg and first in total ypg at 332.9. Sr. Tackle Aaron Tipoto and Sr. CB Marc Anthony will be the leaders of the Golden Bear Defense this season. The Golden Bears should start off the season 2-0 with home wins over Nevada and Southern Utah, but the next two games will be challenging. The Golden Bears must travel to Ohio State and USC back-to-back weeks. The last four of five games will be difficult for Cal, as they host Stanford, Washington, Oregon, and then play at Utah. Look for Cal to steal one of these games though. Cal will look to surprise their fans in a new and remodeled Memorial Stadium.

5. Washington State          6-6       There is about to be a new era in Pullman. Washington State had probably one of the best hires this off-season hiring offensive guru Mike Leach. Look for the Cougs to be a much improved team this season with 14 returning starters, as well as the return of Sr. QB Jeff Tuel, after he was sidelined for most of the season with a calf injury. Tuel is probably one of the best Quarterbacks in the Pac-12, and he will have All-American candidate Jr. Wide Receiver Marquess Wilson, who had 1,388 yards and 12 touchdown receptions last season. The Cougs will also have So. RB Rickey Galvin in the backfield, who may not get many opportunities to run the ball in Leach's system, but will still have a chance in the receiving game, as he had 242 yards receiving and 1 touchdown reception last season. As bad as the injury problem was for Washington State last season, they still were ranked 9th in the country in passing with 322.3 ypg. Washington State's offense will be a force to be reckoned with if the line can give Tuel enough time to throw the ball. On the defensive side of the ball,  The Cougars will need much improvement as they were 95th in the country last season in ppg with 31.8. Sr. Linebacker Travis Long will lead the Cougar Defense this season. Look for Washington State to have their best season since 2006 and become bowl-elgible for the first time since 2003. It will be interesting when the Cougars and Mike Leach travel to BYU on opening weekend. We will see how much improvement the off season has done for these Cougars. Don't be surprised if the Cougars hit 7 wins this season.

6. Oregon State                 5-7       A team that in 2008 and 2009 was one victory away from going to the Rose Bowl has been 8-16 the past two seasons. The Beavers lost to FCS foe Sacramento State on opening weekend 29-28 in overtime last season, then traveled to Madison and was blown out by Wisconsin 35-0. Their first win didn't come until their fifth game of the season when they defeated Arizona at home. Mike Riley's team has struggled as of recent, and they have been outscored 86 to 41 in the past two Civil War games with in-state rival Oregon. The Beavers do return 15 starters from last season (7 offense; 8 defense), including So. QB Sean Mannion and Sr. CB Jordan Poyer. The Beavers need to expand on offense after only averaging 21.8 ppg (100th in the country), 86.9 rushing ypg (118th in the country), and turning the ball over 31 times. Sr. Wide Receiver Marcus Wheaton will need to be a big threat if this offense wants to thrive this season. The Beaver Defense also struggled last season as they gave up an average of 30.8 ppg (89th in the country), and was ranked last in the Pac-12 giving up 196.8 rushing ypg. The question is will the Beavers be an improved team with a majority of the starters returning from last season? The answer is probably not. Oregon State must play Wisconsin and BYU in out of conference games. Oregon State is going to have another rough season and the Beavers should be happy if they hit five wins. Mike Riley may be on the hot seat after this season.

Pac-12 Championship Match-up: USC vs Oregon

Top Ten (Pac-12)

1. Biggest Game: Nov. 3rd- Oregon @ USC
2. Most Valuable to his team: QB Matt Barkley, USC
3. Biggest potential upset: Nov. 10th-Oregon @ Cal
4. Most Explosive player: De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon
5. Best Head Coach: Chip Kelly, Oregon
6. Biggest Surprise Team: Washington State Cougars
7. Best Defensive Player: T.J. McDonald, USC
8. Biggest Disappointment: Oregon State Beavers
9. Biggest Surprise Player this season: QB Jordan Wynn, Utah
10. Toughest environment to play in: Autzen Stadium, Oregon Ducks

2012-2013 Big Ten Projections

The Big Ten, or should I say Big 12, is always one of the elite conferences in football with the most tradition. Michigan has risen from the dead and are coming off a Sugar Bowl win. Ohio State gets high profile coach Urban Meyer, but will be on probation for one year and not be able to compete for a Big Ten Championship. Wisconsin will continue to be a strong contender in the Leaders Division with Heisman Candidate Montee Ball leading the way, and Nebraska and Michigan State will look to finally make an appearance in a BCS Game.

LEADERS DIVISION            W-L                       Analysis

1. Ohio State                          10-2                       Ohio State hired Head Coach Urban Meyer, but it will not matter if Ohio State wins the Leaders Division this year, because they were placed on probation this season. This means even if the Buckeyes win their division they cannot play in the Big Ten Championship game, nor will they receive a bowl-bid. This will be a season where Meyer will see what type of talent he has. The Buckeyes have a total of 15 starters returning from last season. Sophomore Quarterback Braxton Miller looked great at times last season, but often struggled to move the offense and get them into the red zone. Braxton Miller's highlight last year was when he threw a 40 yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds remaining in the game to beat the Wisconsin Badgers 33-29. Ohio State's offense was inconstant all year and Meyer I'm sure will bring a much better offensive scheme to the field this season. The Buckeyes offense brings back Sr. Tight End Jake Stoneburner, who had 14 receptions for 7 touchdowns, and Sr. Running back Jordan Hall. Hall cut his foot in June though and will end up missing the first ten weeks of the season. The Buckeyes defense played well last season and seemed to keep them in tight games. The Buckeyes were ranked 19 nationally on defense giving up an average of 323.5 ypg. The Buckeyes defense also returns star caliber playmakers and potential all-Big Ten Conference 1st team candidates Sr. DE John Simon,  Jr. DT Johnathan Hankins, and Jr. FS CJ Barnett. The Buckeyes will look for revenge against Michigan State on Sept. 29th, after they were nearly shutout at home last season. They will also look for revenge at home against Nebraska on Oct. 6th, after they gave up 28 unanswered points and lost in Lincoln 34-27. The Buckeyes last two games will also be challenging as they travel to Wisconsin, and then host rival Michigan, who they lost to on a last minute drive last season. You don't think Urban Meyer is focusing on that game on Nov.24th already? Realizing they could potentially ruin the Wolverines season. Think again.

2. Wisconsin                            10-3                           Wisconsin has won the Big Ten two years in a row and have made two consecutive Rose Bowls. Head Coach Brett Bielema and his Badgers will be in the hunt to win yet another Big Ten Championship and finally get a win in Pasadena. The Badgers return five starters on offense and will still be stelar with one of the best backfields in the country again. Heisman Candidate Sr. RB Montee Ball ran for 1,923 yards and 34 total touchdowns last season. The backfield also consists of Jr. Running back James White, who will complement and help take some of the work load off of Ball. The offense loses dual threat Quarterback Russell Wilson, but brings in another transfer from the ACC Conference. Jr. Quarterback Danny O'Brien, a transfer from Maryland, will look to help the Badgers make another championship run in the Big Ten. Lastly, the offense brings back Jr. Wide Receiver Jared Abbrederis, Jr. Center Travis Frederick, and Sr. Left Tackle Ricky Wagner, all of whom are potential 1st team all-Big Ten players. The Wisconsin defense will return six starters this season, which includes two of the top Linebackers in the country Senior Mike Taylor and Junior Mike Borland. The Wisconsin defense will look to be another top 15 defense in the country and try to be one of the best at defending the pass like they were last season. The Badger Defense gave up an average of 163.6 ypg. That placed the Badger defense at number four in the country. This year, the Badgers will start off to an easy 4-0, then travel to Lincoln for a night game at Memorial Stadium. Last year, the Badgers welcomed the Cornhuskers to the Big Ten by trouncing them in Madison 48-17. The Huskers will be looking for revenge. A trap game could come two weeks later when they play at Purdue. The Badgers then get both Michigan State (Oct. 27) and Ohio State (Nov.17) at home. The Badgers will finish second in the Leaders Division, but get the nod to play in the Big Ten Championship game to earn another trip to Pasadena, because Ohio State is ineligible to play in the championship game.

3. Illinois                                 7-5                              The Fighting Illini started the season off to a surprising 6-0 start and was ranked 16th in the country. Then Head Coach Ron Zook and the Illini fell flat on their face and lost their last six season games of the season in a row. They are the first team to ever start the season 6-0 and end the season by losing their last six. One positive thing is the Illini found a way to win their bowl game over UCLA 20-14. Zook is out and Toledo Head Coach Tim Beckman is in. Beckman's team returns 14 starters and dual threat Jr. Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase. The offense fell apart last season and the Illini ended the season ranked 91st in scoring at 22.6 ppg. But, Beckman will make improvements in the offense and So. Running back Donovan Young will need to be a major part of it. The Wide Receiver position is bare without A.J. Jenkins, who was a 1st round draft pick for the San Francisco 49ers this year. The defense will be good this year once again and hopefully be able to help win the Illini some close games this season. The Illini defense was impressive and ranked 15th in the county in ypg at 286.2. The defense also only gave up an average of 19.6 ppg, which was the 15th best in the country. The defense returns dynamic Jr. Linebacker Jonathan Brown. The Fighting Illini will reach seven wins, even with a tough road schedule. Sept. 8th the Fighting Illini will travel to Tempe to face Arizona State. This win could put them in a position to start the season off 5-0. Illinois will travel back to back weeks to Wisconsin and Michigan and most likely lose both of them. After those two challenging weekends, the only other for sure loss will be at Ohio State on Nov. 3rd. Illinois will have a good chance of winning their last 4 of 5 games if they can play consistently. Illinois could potentially hit eight wins this season.                     

4. Penn State                            7-5                              If there is a team that I want to see succeed this year it is the Nittany Lions. Happy Valley has been anything but happy this past year with the death of Penn State icon Joe Paterno and everything surrounding the whole Jerry Sandusky scandal. It's been tough on the players and everyone associated with Penn State. Somehow Penn State was able to almost win the Leaders Division last season, but Wisconsin ended their dreams by crushing them in Madison 45-7. With all the controversy surrounding the program, Penn State brings in the New England Patriots Offensive Coordinator Bill O'Brien. O'Brien couldn't have come in during a tougher time at Penn State. There has been some controversy over the hire, but hopefully O'Brien will succeed and win Penn State fans over. Penn State has gone back and forth the past few seasons with quarterback Senior Matt McGloin and Junior Rob Bolden. O'Brien, who will serve as head coach and offensive coordinator,  named Matt McGloin as the starter for the upcoming season. McGloin will need to be more consistent this season and the backfield will need to continue to be strong even with the loss of Jr. Running back Silas Redd, who rushed for 1,241 yards and 7 touchdowns. Red Currently transferred to USC. The defense again will look to be a strong force for the Nittany Lions after ranking 5th in the nation last season and only giving up an average of 16.8 ppg. The Nittany Lions return one of the best linebackers in the Big Ten Sr. Gerald Hodges. Penn State should start off 4-0 on the season with home games against Ohio, Navy, Temple and an away game at Virginia. The fourth game of the season will be tough for Penn State as they travel to Illinois. Penn State will be tested in their last five of six games of the season.  Penn State should be satisfied with a seven win season. Seven wins will not get the Nittany Lions Bowl eligible though, because of a four-year bowl ban they recently received.

5. Purdue                                 6-6                               If there is a year for the Boilermakers to make a run in the Leaders Division this is it. Purdue returns eight on offense and seven on defense. In five of Purdue's seven wins last season they won by eight points or less. An offense that only averaged 26.9 ppg and was seventh in the Big Ten last season looks to improve under Sr. Quarterback Caleb Terbush. Terbush is joined by Sr. Running back Ralph Bolden and Sr. Wide Receiver Antavian Edison. The Boilermaker defense ranked almost dead last in every defensive category in the Big Ten last season. Purdue is fortunate to have Sr. Kawann Short at the defensive tackle position, who was fifth in the Big Ten last season in tackle for losses with 10.5. Purdue will get challenged in their second game of the season at Notre Dame, then have two winnable games at home against Eastern Michigan and Marshall. The next three weeks will be their most challenging contests of the season. Purdue with host Michigan (Oct.6) and Wisconsin (Oct. 13). Then travel to Ohio State (Oct. 20), who they upset last season in overtime 26-23. The last five games will either make or break the Boilermaker's season though. They will play road games at Minnesota (Oct. 27), Iowa (Nov.10), and Illinois (Nov. 7).  Their home games will be against Penn State (Nov. 3) and Indiana (Nov. 24). The Boilermakers will win three of these games to become bowl eligible, or prove they are better than last year and win all five games to give them a total of eight wins.

6. Indiana                                 3-9                              It is going to be another tough go around for the Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers went 1-11 and their one win came against FCS opponent South Carolina State 38-21. The Hoosiers will return a total of 15 starters, which could potentially give them two more wins than last season. Unfortunately, Indiana has four total seniors in their starting line-up, meaning next year and the year after they will have a chance to possibly be a 6-6 team. The best player on Indiana is Jr. Wide Receiver Kofi Hughes, who had 536 total receiving yards and only 3 touchdowns. The Hoosiers SHOULD win their first three games of the season against Indiana State, UMASS, and Ball State. The only Big Ten game I can see Indiana pulling off is an upset at home against Iowa (Nov.3), that might even be a stretch. 2nd year Head Coach Kevin Wilson should be grateful if his team can find a way to hit four or five wins this season.

LEGENDS DIVISION          W-L                              Analysis

1. Michigan                             11-2                              The Michigan Wolverines are on cloud nine after going 11-2 and winning the Sugar Bowl last season. Head Coach Brady Hoke meant business when he was hired and has turned this program back into one of the top programs in the country. Michigan returns 13 starters from last season. The offense consists of potential Heisman candidate and dual-threat Sr. Quarterback Denard Robinson. Last season, Robinson rushed for 1,176 total yards and 20 touchdowns. Robinson's passing was much improved from the the 2009 and 2010 season as well. He averaged 15.3 yards per completion and passed for 2,173 yards with 20 touchdown passes. The Wolverines also potentially return Jr. Running back Fitzgerald Toussaint, if he is let back onto the team after a DUI arrest in July. Toussaint became the starter half way through the season and became a force in the Michigan offense with 1,041 yards and 9 touchdowns. Senior stand out Wide Receiver Roy Roundtree also returns and looks to be Robinson's main target along with 5'8 Jr. Wide Receiver Jeremy Gallon. This year, the defense will look to be even more solid than they were last season. A Michigan defense that gave up an average of 35.2 ppg in 2010 under Defensive Coordinator Greg Robinson only gave up 17.4 ppg under Defensive Coordinator Greg Mattison last season. Sr. MLB Kenny Demens returns and looks to be an important aspect this season as he had a total of 94 tackles least season. The Wolverines open up the season against National Champion Alabama in Cowboy Stadium (Arlington, TX). The Wolverines may start off the season 0-1, but that is acceptable. On Sep. 22nd, the Wolverines will travel to Notre Dame and look to win their fourth straight over the Irish. Michigan will need a win over Notre Dame to give them a confidence booster for Big Ten Conference play. The Wolverines should go 7-1 or 6-2 in Big Ten play. Michigan will be challenged in three Big Ten Games. Michigan will see if they can end their four game losing streak to in-state rival Michigan State on Oct. 20th. Michigan will travel for a night game at Nebraska on Oct. 27th and also travel to Columbus on Nov. 24th to take on the Buckeyes. Michigan should be a lock for the Big Ten Championship and be Rose Bowl bound for the first time since the 2006 season.

2. Nebraska                              9-3                             The Nebraska Huskers for the past three years have been so close to making their first BCS game since the 2001-2002 season. Before the Huskers departed to the Big Ten, Nebraska lost two consecutive Big 12 Championships to Texas (2009) and Oklahoma (2010). Last year, the Huskers were humiliated on the road against Wisconsin and Michigan losing by a combined total of 59 points. The Huskers then were upset by Northwestern 28-25. If there is something the Huskers need to avoid, it is losing games they should easily win. Nebraska will be in the race again to win the Legends Division. The Huskers return 14 starters from last season. Jr. Quarterback Taylor Martinez returns for his third season and looks to improve as a passer. Martinez has established himself as a great runner, but when Nebraska cannot run the ball,  Martinez and the Huskers have struggled. The Huskers also return the heart and soul of the team Sr. Running back Rex Burkhead. Burkhead is a powerful and physical runner that rushed for 1,357 yards and scored a total of 17 touchdowns last season. The Huskers return seven starters and look to be the defense they were in 2009 and 2010. Huskers return Sr. Defensive End Cameron Meredith, Sr. Defensive Tackle Baker Steinkuhler, and Sr. Middle Linebacker Will Compton. 1st year Defensive Coordinator John Papuchis will be tested in his first season in the Big Ten and looks to improve a defense that ranked 37th in the country last season giving up an average of 350.7 ypg. The Huskers will start this season 4-0, then be tested at home against Wisconsin on Sept. 29th and at Ohio State on Oct. 6th. The most important game for Nebraska this season will be when they host Michigan on Oct. 27th. This could decide who wins the Legends Division. The Huskers will also need to avoid upsets at Northwestern on Oct. 20th and at Michigan State on Nov. 3rd. The Huskers potentially will be looking for a BCS At-Large big if they cannot win the Big Ten Championship.  

3. Michigan State                     8-4                             If you want to talk to someone about bad luck, just ask Spartan Head Coach Mark Dantonio. The Spartans have been the odd man out of the BCS two years in a row. In 2010, the Spartans were in a three way tie for the Big Ten Title with Wisconsin and Ohio State. Wisconsin won the tiebreaker and went to the Rose Bowl and Ohio State received an At-Large bid to the Sugar Bowl. Last season, the Spartans won the Legends Division and could not beat Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game. Wisconsin went to the Rose Bowl and Michigan, who Michigan State defeated earlier in the season 28-14, received an At-Large bid to the Sugar Bowl. The Spartans return five on offense and eight on defense. Jr. Quarterback Andrew Maxwell will have big shoes to fill after the departure of current NFL Quarterback Kirk Cousins. Maxwell only threw 26 passes all season last year and will hopefully have the tools to run the offense. The Spartans lost their four top receivers last season, so the Spartans will need to rely on Jr. Running back Le'VEON Bell, who ran for 948 total yards and 13 touchdowns last season. The Spartan defense will be even better than they were last season. The defense includes three potential 1st team All-Big Ten players in Jr. Defensive End William Gholston, Jr. Safety Isaiah Lewis, and Sr. Cornerback Johnny Adams. The Spartans were relentless on defense last season ranking 10th nationally and only giving up an average of 18.4 ppg. They were also ranked 6th nationally and 1st in the Big Ten giving up an average of 277.4 ypg. The Spartans will once again be in the hunt for a BCS bid. Michigan State begins the season at home against Boise State in a Friday night showdown. Then on Sept. 15th the Spartans will be at home against Notre Dame. These games will show the nation if Michigan State is still an elite team or not. Michigan State's Big Ten fate will be determined in weeks eight through ten. The Spartans must travel to Michigan (Oct. 20) and to Wisconsin (Oct. 17) consecutive weeks, then host Nebraska on Nov. 3rd. Prior to these games, Notre Dame should be 3-1 at this point in the Big Ten, only losing to Ohio State. If the Spartans go 2-1 against Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nebraska,  the Spartans could win the Legends Division.

4. Iowa                                     8-4                                Head Coach Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes have struggled the last two seasons. The Hawkeyes are looking to improve as an overall team this season and give Hawkeye nation something to cheer about. Recently, the Hawkeyes have had a huge victory over a highly ranked team. For example, in 2010 the Hawkeyes upset #5 Michigan State 37-6 at home and last season upset #13 Michigan 24-16 at home. Unfortunately, the Hawkeyes have lost games that they absolutely needed to win. Two years in a row Iowa lost to Minnesota, who has only won six total games in the last two seasons. The Hawkeyes have 11 returning starters from last season. This is going to need to be a breakout year for Sr. Quarterback James Vandenberg, who is possibly is the best pocket passer in the Big Ten. Vandenberg lost top Wide Receiver Marvin McNutt, but will have Senior Wide Receiver Keenan Davis as his main target. Davis will need to be a threat in the Hawkeye offense, because there will not be much depth at the running back position. Last season, The Hawkeyes were last in the Big Ten in rushing with only 137.7 ypg. With the Hawkeyes having questions with the running game, this could bring more action to Jr. Tight End C.J. Fiedorowicz. Iowa's defense will be a mystery this season as well. Sr. Cornerback Micah Hyde will look to be a leader on defense, along with Jr. Linebackers Christian Kirksey and James Morris. The Hawkeyes should be 5-0 when they travel to Michigan State on Oct. 13th, unless they slip up against Iowa State again.  The Hawkeyes have a reasonable schedule as they do not have to face Wisconsin again this season. Iowa's toughest two weeks in a row occurs at the end of the season, where they must travel to Michigan on Nov. 17th and host Nebraska on Nov. 23rd. The Hawkeyes should be good enough to go 8-4 this season.

5. Northwestern                        7-5                                  The Fighting Fitzgeralds are again ready to pull off more than just one upset this season with only ten returning starters. The Wildcats went 6-7 last season, but were still 1st in passing and 2nd in total ypg in the Big Ten. The Wildcats return Jr. Quarterback Kain Colter who will take complete control of the offense this season. Colter came in during the second half of the game in Lincoln last season and stunned the Huskers 28-25. The offense happens to lose its top wide receivers and starting running back. The leading rusher for the Wildcats last season was Quarterback Kain Colter who rushed for nine touchdowns, and will look to be a dual threat player once again. As good as the Wildcat's offense was last season, the Wildcat defense ranked no better than 10th in defending the pass or run in the Big Ten. The Wildcat defense gave up an average of 27.7 ppg last season. The Wildcats schedule this season is very favorable because they avoid playing Ohio State and Wisconsin. Northwestern can start out 5-0 over mediocre non-conference opponents and Indiana. Northwestern will play a must win game at Penn State on Oct. 6th. Northwestern has not defeated Penn State since 2004. Northwestern will then visit Minnesota and have a chance to be 7-0. After Minnesota though, Northwestern will need to be at the top of their game. The Wildcats host Nebraska (Oct. 20) and Iowa (Oct. 27), then the Wildcats must travel to Michigan (Nov. 10) and Michigan State (Nov.17). The Wildcats have a legitimate shot to make it to nine wins this season.

6. Minnesota                             4-8                                   The Golden Gophers will be in for another tough season. Head Coach Jerry Kill suffered a seizure last year in his second game against New Mexico State. The Golden Gophers were awful on offense and defense. The only good thing about the Golden Gophers this year will be watching Sr. Quarterback MarQueis Gray rack up passing and rushing yards. Gray led the team in rushing last season with 966 total yards and 6 touchdowns. The Golden Gophers will need to win their first four games against non-conference foes UNLV, New Hampshire, Western Michigan, and Syracuse. After hopefully going 4-0, the Golden Gophers will maybe be able to squeak out one Big Ten win against Iowa, Purdue, or Michigan State. The Gophers beat Iowa the last two years and played Michigan State tough last season.

Big Ten Championship Match-up: Wisconsin vs Michigan

Top Ten (Big Ten)
1. Best game of the season: Oct. 27-Michigan @ Nebraska
2. Most Valuable to his team: Denard Robinson, Michigan Wolverines
3. Most surprising team: Northwestern Wildcats
4. Biggest potential upset: Nov. 3rd Illinois over Ohio State in Columbus, OH
5. Best Head Coach: Urban Meyer, Ohio State
6. Biggest disappointment: Illinois's Offense
7. Best Defensive player: DT Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State
8. Best Running back: Montee Ball, Wisconsin
9. Breakout player: Braxton Miller, Ohio State
10. Toughest environment to play in: Ohio Stadium, Ohio State

2012-2013 SEC Projections

The SEC continues to be that conference that everyone who is not associated with hates. The SEC has won the last six BCS National Championships. The conference once again will boast some of the best teams in the country, including Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, and South Carolina. Here is what I project will happen in the SEC this upcoming season.

SEC WEST               W-L                  Analysis

                                                      

     1. LSU                   12-1        Once again, the Tigers will be the SEC Champions. They will be on a mission after going 12-0 and losing in the BCS title game to SEC rival Alabama. With 12 returning starters and the possibility of having a heavier air attack with Jr. Quarterback Zach Mettenberger, LSU is looking to get revenge at home against the Crimson Tide. LSU unfortunately will not have 2011 Heisman finalist Sophomore CB Tyrrann Mathieu, as he was recently dismissed from the team for violating a team policy. On Nov. 3rd, LSU will have the Crimson Tide at home and win, but potentially lose a game on the road. A loss will either be on the road against Florida, Texas A&M, or the last game of the season against Arkansas. 

    2. Alabama             11-1       Like LSU, The Tide are back in the National Title hunt again.  Reliable Jr Quarterback A.J. McCarron looks to be more of a threat in the Alabama offense this year. With Tailback Trent Richardson off to the NFL, the Tide look to Jr. Eddie Lacy to take over and be the workhorse that Richardson was during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The Tide will also be good upfront on offense consisting of the 2011 Outland Trophy winner Sr. Center Barrett Jones. Only five returning starters return on defense and it could be a factor in the Tide not going into Baton Rouge and winning. The Crimson Tide relied heavily on their defense to win ball games last season, especially in the BCS Title game when they shutout LSU 21-0. The Crimson Tide will lose one season game against LSU and find themselves with an At-large bid in a BCS Bowl Game. 

     3. Arkansas             9-3           Here we go again, Arkansas is a top ten team that cannot break through the greatness of Alabama or LSU. The Hogs were looking as confident as ever a few months ago, until Head Coach Bobby Petrino was fired, and in came John L. Smith. Arkansas has one of the top Quarterbacks in the country in Senior Tyler Wilson. The gunslinger will once again be throwing to Wide Receiver Knile Davis and Tight End Chris Gragg. The defense returns six starters, but proved they could not compete with the elite teams at times. The Hogs defense gave up a combined 79 points to Alabama and LSU. The Hogs have potential in beating Alabama or LSU, because they will be at home. I feel they have a better shot at the end of the season against LSU though. The Hogs, because of the departure of Petrino, will cough up another game or two that are not against Alabama or LSU. The Hogs need to watch out for road games at Auburn (Oct. 6) or against a tough South Carolina team on (Nov.10). 

   4. Auburn                 8-4           Auburn again will be just above mediocre this season. This team is still rebuilding from their National Championship run in the 2010-2011 season. The defense will need to make big stops this year for them to win ball games. The defense had a big last second stop against Mississippi State last year, but was absolutely annihilated by Clemson, Arkansas, LSU, Georgia, and Alabama. The good thing is Auburn returns nine starters on defense and hopefully there experience from last year will come in handy this season. Auburn struggled on offense last year as well. The quarterback position last season was inconsistent between Barrett Trotter, Clint Moseley, and Kiehl Frazier. Sophomore Kiehl Frazier appears to be the starter heading into the fall and will look to run a pro style offense, instead of the spread like last year. His target will include potential all SEC-Conference 1st team Sr. Tight End Philip Lutzenkirchen, who is coming off shoulder surgery and Sr. Receiver Emory Blake. The nation will see how improved this Auburn team is when they play the 2011 ACC Champion Clemson on opening weekend in Atlanta.

 5. Texas A&M           7-5            Texas A&M did not come close to hitting their expectations in their last season as a member of the Big 12 Conference. I am positive that I had them going to BCS Game in my pre-season projections last year. The Aggies are now apart of not only the hardest conference in the country, but the hardest division in College Football. The Aggies have a new head coach by the name of Kevin Sumlin, who coached Houston to a 13-1 record last season. He takes over a team that has 13 returning starters. The Aggies are going to need their defense to be stellar if they want to contend with some of the better teams in the conference. A positive for the Aggies is that they only lost 42-38 last season against Arkansas. Texas A&M needs to make sure they beat both Mississippi teams and find a way to go .500 in conference play. A boost for the Aggies would be to beat the Florida Gators at home in their very first SEC Conference game on Sept. 8th. 

6. Mississippi State     7-5             Mississippi State loses Quarterback Chris Relf, and finally gets to start Jr. Tyler Russell and see if he can actually improve the passing game. Head Coach Dan Mullen is doing a good job with a program that is near the cellar every year of the SEC West Division. You just never know if the Bulldogs will ever make that leap and stay consistent for two or three years in a row. If the Bulldogs want to stay two games above the .500 mark their defense needs to play well. They return seven starters, which includes potential All-American Cornerback Johnthan Banks. This defense last year only gave up an average of 19.7 points a game. Only Alabama, LSU, and South Carolina were better in the SEC. If teams start to run points up on the Bulldog defense, the offense is going to need to step their game up to have a chance at winning ball games. The Bulldogs will struggle and lose both games at Alabama (Oct. 27) and at LSU (Nov.10),  Fortunately, the Bulldogs get Auburn, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Arkansas at home. Can the Bulldogs pull off three of four of these home games? We shall wait and see. 

7. Mississippi             4-8                Ole Miss fans better enjoy "The Grove," because this year Ole Miss will only improve their two wins from last season to four wins. Houston Nutt is out and Arkansas State Head Coach Hugh Freeze is in. Ole Miss returns sixteen starters, which is especially important to this team. Ole Mis snuck up on teams last year and gave Georgia and Arkansas close games, but were unable to get a W. The most points Ole Miss scored on an SEC opponent last season was 24 on Arkansas. The offense averaged only 16.1 points a game and the defense gave up an average of 32.1 points. The only team that was worse on offense was Kentucky at 15.8. Other than that Ole Miss had the worst of both worlds. Ole Miss gets wins against Central Arkansas, UTEP, at Tulane, and potentially one conference game against Vanderbilt. Unfortunately, Ole Miss will not face Kentucky in conference play this season.  

SEC EAST                W-L                 Analysis

1. Georgia                  11-2                 After starting off the 2011-2012 season with an 0-2 record,  the nation was doubting Mark Rich and if he should continue to be the coach at Georgia. The Dawgs then won 10 straight. Georgia is going to be a very tough team to beat this season. They return 16 starters, including Heisman Candidate Jr. Quarterback Aaron Murray and two potential All-American candidates on defense Jr. OLB Jarvis Jones and Sr. Free Safety Bacarri Rambo. Georgia's passing attack will be dangerous this season with Sr. Receiver Tavarres King returning to the line-up. The running game is still questionable. It was inconsistent at times last season and So. Running back Isaiah Crowell struggled with off field issues that caused the Dawgs problems. Georgia returns nine starters on defense and last year was ranked fifth overall in the country in total defense.  I feel Georgia will drop one game during the regular season. There loss could occur at South Carolina on Oct. 6 or against Florida on Oct. 27. Georgia is lucky and avoids playing LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas during the regular season. I have the Dawgs losing to LSU in the SEC Championship Game.

2. South Carolina       9-3                  The Gamecocks will be a top contender in the SEC East again. Jr. Quarterback Connor Shaw proved himself against Clemson last year winning 34-13 and helped the Gamecocks beat Nebraska 30-13 in the Capital One Bowl. The Gamecocks also get their star Jr. Running back Marcus Lattimore back, after he tore his ACL against Mississippi State last season. One positive thing about the Gamecocks this season is there are no more distractions surrounding QB Stephen Garcia and his off the field issues. One negative is they lost their best Receiver Alshon Jeffery to the NFL. The Gamecocks return only 11 starters, but look for them to be consistent again in the SEC. The Gamecocks have one of the toughest schedules in the SEC. They play home against Georgia (Oct. 6), then have to play back-to-back road games against LSU (Oct. 13) and Florida (Oct.20). They also have Arkansas at home on Nov.10th and play at in-state rival Clemson to close the season out on Nov. 24th. Look for South Carolina to lose three games during the regular season.

3. Florida                   9-3                  Second year Head Coach Will Muschamp will look to be more consistent this season. Last year, Florida started off 4-0, then lost four in a row and ended up finishing with a 7-6 record. The Gator defense returns 10 starters from last season. This defense was ranked eighth nationally in total defense last season. What will make or break the Gators this season will be their offense. Florida's offense was terrible last season ranking 10th in the SEC and 105th in the country.  Since the Tebow era, the offense has not been as lethal and QB John Brantley never panned out to what he was supposed to be. It's up to So. Quarterback Jeff Driskel to improve the offense and Sr. Running back Mike Gillislee to get the running game going. If Florida can establish some sort of running attack this season, it will open up Jr. Wide Receiver Andre Debose, who had 16 receptions for 432 yards and 4 touchdowns last season. Luckily for the Gators this season, they avoid both Alabama and Arkansas. Their schedule sets up favorably for them to win two more games than they did last season. The Gators need to win their early games at Texas A&M (Sep. 8) and at Tennessee (Sep.15) to gain momentum for their showdown at home against LSU on Oct. 6th.

4. Tennessee             7-5                   Alright Tennessee and Head Coach Derek Dooley, this is your chance to finally get above .500 and become bowl eligible again. The Vols return 19 starters, the most in the SEC and possibly the entire country.  This is going to be Jr. Quarterback Tyler Bray's break out season. Bray has a great arm and has NFL scouts drooling over his talent. He is going to need help though from his running game that was an awful 116th in the country last season. This is almost like the Florida situation, but Bray has proven he is a good enough passer and that the Vols will be fine if they can get Jr. Wide Receivers Da'Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter open. The Vols will need to start out at least 3-1 in their first four games. They need to either beat NC State on opening weekend in Atlanta or at home against Florida two weeks later. Two games that could potentially put Tennessee at eight wins is at South Carolina (Oct. 27) or at home against Missouri (Nov. 10). If Derek Dooley can't hit the 7 win mark, expect him to be out as Tennessee coach. With 19 returning starters there are no excuses for Vol nation to watch a .500 team again.

5. Missouri               7-5                   Let's just put it this way, Missouri should be grateful to the SEC in helping them avoid playing LSU and Arkansas in their first season in the SEC. Missouri will pretty much leave off where they left off last year. That is if starting Quarterback James Franklin's throwing shoulder is healthy and if Running back Kendial Lawrence can pick up where injured Henry Josey left off. One player to look out for this year on Mizzou is true freshman Wide Receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. He was the number one recruit in the country this year, according to rivals.com. Watch him to make a big impact on the Mizzou offense in his very first season. Missouri's offense was ranked 12th last year in total offense. It will be interesting to see how Mizzou's offense does against tough, hard- nosed defenses week in and week out, and to see if Mizzou's defense improves in a league where running the ball is crucial. Mizzou gets SE Louisiana in their season opener then gets three tougher games. They include homes games against Georgia and Arizona State and a road game at South Carolina.  This will test Mizzou and will show the nation if they are ready to compete in the brutal SEC Conference or not.

6. Vanderbilt            4-8                     Vanderbilt was fortunate last year to play two awful Ole Miss and Kentucky teams, as well as an easy non-conference schedule to get them into a bowl game. This year's schedule is much tougher. The Commodores have 15 returning starters and will look to use that statistic to get to a .500 record and become bowl eligible. One aspect Vanderbilt has is their defense was remarkably the 18th best defense in the country last season. Also, Sr. Quarterback Jordan Rodgers will look to lead an offense that he improved mightily last season and have Sr. Running back Zac Stacy in his backfield do what he did last season and rush for another school record. It is crucial for Vanderbilt to win their second game of the season at Northwestern. That will potentially put them at the five win mark. Then they will need to find a way to go to Kentucky or Ole Miss and win to make it six. Vanderbilt will need all they can get to become bowl eligible again.

7. Kentucky             4-8                      Head Coach Joker Phillips enters his third season at Kentucky, and it may be another long season for him and his Wildcats. Kentucky was ranked at a terrible 118th in total offense last season. That is only better than Kent State and Florida Atlantic. Unlike Vanderbilt, Kentucky has no chance of becoming bowl eligible this season. Kentucky better hope So. Quarterback Maxwell Smith and company can put some points on the scoreboard, otherwise a majority of their games will get ugly. The defense is decent at best and kept them in games last season. Without an offense though it will be tough for the wildcats to win. The Wildcats unfortunately have a tougher schedule this season and have to start off the season by traveling to in-state rival Louisville, who is looking to win the Big East this season. Kentucky at best wins one SEC Conference game. Kentucky should be happy they will have guaranteed wins against Kent State, Western Kentucky, and Samford.


SEC Championship Match-Up:   LSU vs Georgia

Top Ten (SEC)

1. Most important game: Nov. 3rd- Alabama @ LSU 8p.m. ET (CBS)
2. Biggest surprise team: Florida Gators
3. Biggest potential upset game: Sept. 29th- Tennessee over Georgia in Athens, GA
4. Best Quarterback: Aaron Murray, Georgia
5. Best Defense: Georgia Bulldogs
6. Biggest Bust: Auburn Offense
7. Best Head Coach: Nick Saban, Alabama
8. Biggest newcomer of the year: WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Missouri
9. Most valuable to his team: QB Tyler Wilson, Arkansas
10. Toughest environment to play in: Tiger Stadium, LSU

2012-2013 Big 12 Projections

The Big 12, or Big Ten should I say, lost Texas A&M and Missouri to the SEC, but gained TCU of the Mountain West and West Virginia from the Big East. The Big 12 will be a dominate conference yet again this season. From top to bottom the Big 12 is the best conference and looks to have at least three to four contenders fighting for the top spot. The Oklahoma Sooners appear to be the heavy favorite coming into the season, after they did not exceed expectations last season. West Virginia and Texas look to be the other teams to contend with Oklahoma for the Big 12 crown.

Big 12                    W-L                     Analysis

1. Oklahoma           12-0                    As everyone talks about how good Alabama, LSU, USC, and Oregon are the Sooners are back after not coming close to hitting their high expectations from last season. Sr. Quarterback Landry Jones is back for his senior year after passing up on the NFL draft. Oklahoma returns eight starters on an offense that was ranked 5th in the nation in total offense last season. The offense includes potential Heisman candidate Sr. Quarterback Landry Jones and three potential all-Big 12 1st team candidates Jr. Wide Receiver Kenny Stills, Sr. Center Ben Habern, and Jr. Left Guard Gabe Ikard. The defense will be good too, as Head Coach Bob Stoop's brother Mike returns as the Defensive Coordinator. The Sooner's defense returns seven starters and only gave up an average of 22.1 ppg, which was the best in the Big 12 Conference. If Oklahoma can stay healthy, watch for the Sooners to contend for the BCS National Championship in Miami this season. Oklahoma has a very favorable schedule for the most part, but will end the season with three tough games against West Virginia, Oklahoma State, and TCU. The most important game will obviously be at West Virginia though. This could decide if Oklahoma gets to play in the National Championship or not.

2. Texas                   9-3                      The Horns were still inconstant on offense last year, but showed they were a much improved team from the 2010 season. The defense, of course, was one of the elite defenses in the country last season ranking 11th in the country. The Horns return 15 starters to the line-up and I feel 15 year Head Coach Mack Brown has a chance to make a statement this season in the Big 12. Sophomore David Ash looks to be the clear starter going into the season and he will have So. Wide Receiver Jaxon Shipley to pass to and will hand the ball off to potential all-Big 12 1st team So. Running back Malcolm Brown. On the defensive side of the ball, Texas has the best Defensive End in the country Sr. Alex Okafor to help the Horns contain the explosive offenses of the Big 12. If the Horns offense becomes more consistent this year, watch out they could be dangerous. The Horns will have a tougher schedule with the addition of West Virginia and TCU. I feel the Horns will be 4-1 heading into this Red River Shootout with Oklahoma on Oct. 13th. The Horns will lose one of their games at Oklahoma State (Sept. 29) or at home against West Virginia (Oct. 6). After Texas loses to Oklahoma and is at a 5-2 record, they will win out until the last game of the season when they travel to Kansas State on Dec.1st. The Horns have struggled to beat Kansas State and have not beat them since Vince Young was the starting quarterback back in 2003.

3. West Virginia      9-3                        West Virginia would have been my pick to win the Big East again, but they made the move to a tougher Big 12 Conference. West Virginia is feeling confident though after blowing out ACC Champion Clemson in the Orange Bowl 70-33. The Mountaineers return eight starters on offense, which includes dual threat Sr. Quarterback Geno Smith. Smith could potentially be in the Heisman discussion, and will eventually become West Virginia's all-time career passer this season. West Virginia's explosive offense also includes two top Wide Receivers in the Big 12, Sr. Tavon Austin and Jr. Stedman Bailey, who combined for 20 touchdowns last season. The Mountaineer offense will be explosive once again this season, ranking 1st in the Big East and 15th in the country with 469.5 ypg last season. This type of offense will help the Mountaineers compete in a conference where scoring is everything. On the other side of the ball, the Mountaineer defense returns six starters. The defense struggled at times last season and will need to be able to contain the better competition of the Big 12. The Mountaineer defense ranked 61st last season giving up 26.8 ppg. I feel 2nd year Head Coach Dana Holgorsen and his Mountaineers will do well, but struggle potentially on the road. West Virginia will fly to Texas two straight weeks in a row and face Texas (Oct. 6) and Texas Tech (Oct.13).  Texas Tech could potentially be a trap game after facing a tough Texas team the week before. I feel West Virginia will take down Kansas State (Oct. 20) and TCU (Nov.3) at home. After those two home games, their season will be defined by games at Oklahoma St. (Nov.10) and at home in a showdown with conference favorite Oklahoma (Nov.17).

4. TCU                    8-4                        TCU, like West Virginia, will be one of the newcomers in the Big 12 Conference. The Horned Frogs though are more familiar with the teams they will be facing in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs return seven starters from last season, which includes Jr. Quarterback Casey Pachall, who did almost everything right last season after having to replace current NFL Quarterback Andy Dalton. Pachall threw for 2,921 yards last season for the Horned Frogs and helped the Horned Frogs average 40.9 ppg. TCU's rushing game will be explosive this year as well, as they return there three main running backs from last season. Jr. Waymon James, Sr. Ed Wesley, and Sr. Matthew Tucker all rushed for over 700 yards and had a combined 24 rushing touchdowns. TCU returns five starters on defense, which includes Jr. Defensive End Stansly Maponga, who had 55 tackles and 9 sacks last season. The defense does not return many starters, but this defense will be strong and able to keep up with the others in the Big 12. TCU will fair well in their first season and will most likely start off the season 7-0. After Baylor on Oct. 13th, the Horned Frogs will face the elite teams of the Big 12. Their last five games include back to back road games at Oklahoma State and at West Virginia. It also includes a home game against Kansas State, an away game at Texas, and a home game against Oklahoma. This is where I feel the Horned Frogs will lose their four games. If TCU comes out of these five games with a record of 2-3, they have succeeded. TCU might want one of these wins to be at Texas, so they can prove that they are indeed the best team in the entire state.

5. Oklahoma State   8-4                        Oklahoma State is coming off of an impressive 12-1 season and a Fiesta Bowl win over Stanford. Head Coach Mike Gundy finally has gotten the program where he wants it to be at. The Oklahoma State Cowboys could potentially compete in the Big 12 Conference again this season. The Cowboys will obviously miss QB Brandon Weeden and stand-out WR Justin Blackmon, who left for the NFL draft early. The offense will only return four starters from last season and will start true Freshman Quarterback Wes Lunt. The positive about the offense though is star Jr. Running back Joseph Randle returns. Randle rushed for a spectacular 1,216 yards and 24 rushing touchdowns. The Cowboys will look to establish a more powerful rushing game this season. The Cowboys defense returns eight starters and looks to improve from last season. The Cowboys were one of the worst defenses in the country last season ranking at an awful 107th in total defense and giving up 456.8 ypg. Without the possibility of having an offense that can put up an average of 48.7 ppg, like the Cowboys of last season, it will be harder to win ball games. Leader Sr. Cornerback Brodrick Brown and the defense will need to show they have matured and defend the pass and run much better. The Cowboys will appear to be in the middle of the pack this season and possibly make a run for the second or third spot in the Big 12. The Cowboys will need to prove themselves on Sept. 29th at home against Texas. The three-game span against TCU (Oct. 27) at home, at Kansas State (Nov.3), and at home against West Virginia (Nov.10), will prove if the Cowboys are worthy of being a top team in the conference.

6. Kansas State        8-4                         Last year, Kansas State proved that you don't need to be a great team to go 10-3. The Wildcats came out of nowhere last season with a team that was not supposed to win more than six games. Sr. Quarterback Collin Klein last season was a force to be reckoned with and rushed for 27 touchdowns and passed for 13. If Klein stays healthy this season and the Wildcats can find a way to win 9 games, watch for Klein to be up for Heisman. The Wildcats return eight on offense including Klein,  Jr. Running back John Hubert, Sr. Wide Receiver Chris Harper, and So. Wide Receiver Tyler Lockett. The offense should be better than 101st in the country this season. The defense on the other hand, returns six starters that includes top Big 12 Linebacker Arthur Brown and Cornerback Nigel Malone. Kansas State's defense may have not been the best last season, but when it counted players like Arthur Brown would come through and the Wildcats would find a way to win close games. Last season, Kansas State beat Miami on a last second goal line stand and the Cat defense got to Robert Griffin III and Arthur Brown intercepted a pass to help the Cats defeat Baylor 36-35. The Cat defense also held Missouri, Texas Tech, and Iowa State out of the end zone and won by seven,  defeated Texas A&M in overtime, and then held the Longhorns to 13 points in a 17-13 win in Austin. Kansas State may not hit their 10 game win total from last year, but it will be close. Kansas State will most likely lose at Oklahoma and West Virginia. They will need to find a way to get through the last four games of the season. They need to go at least 3-1 or 2-2 against Oklahoma State, TCU, Baylor, and Texas to hit eight or nine wins. Coach Bill Snyder will have his boys ready to make a cinderella run yet again.

7. Texas Tech          6-6                        Texas Tech looked to be having a decent season last year. They were 4-2 and were going into a hostile Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The game was delayed a few hours by severe weather. Once the game started Texas Tech took control of the game and stunned Oklahoma and the nation 41-38. Unfortunately, that was the end of the Red Raiders season and they went on to lose the rest of their games. Third year Head Coach Tommy Tubberville needs to get this program back to where it was in 2009 when Mike Leach was there. A plus for the Red Raiders this season is they have 17 returning starters. Sr. Quarterback Seth Doege had good numbers last season and threw for 28 Touchdowns. Texas Tech's offense ended up being 13th in the country in total offense at 470.6 ypg last season. They still seemed to struggle though. The Texas Tech defense, which returns nine starters, was absolutely awful. They ended the year ranked 117th in the country giving up an average of 39.3 ppg. The lowest amount of points Texas Tech's defense gave up last year to a Big 12 team was 31 in a loss at Missouri. The Red Raiders somehow will make a bowl game this season though. They need to start the season off 4-0 beating Northwestern State, Texas State, New Mexico, and Iowa State. Then they need to make sure they beat Kansas (Nov.10) and win against Baylor (Nov. 24) in Arlington, which is the last game of their season. If they lose one of these games, it is going to be tough for them to hit six wins.

8. Baylor                  6-6                        Baylor finally had a breakout season last year and produced Heisman Trophy Winner Robert Griffin III. Art Briles put Baylor football on the map with a 10-3 record last season. Baylor's offense will clearly not be as explosive without RG3 or Wide Receiver Kendall Wright. It will be up to Sr. Quarterback Nick Florence to lead a Baylor offense that was ranked number two in the country last season. The Bears offense will also have a new addition to the running game Sophomore Lache Seastrunk, who transferred from Oregon prior to the 2011 season. He should help the running game along with Jr. Jarred Salubi, who will have to replace Running back Terrance Ganaway who scored 21 touchdowns and rushed for over 1,000 yards last season. Florence's main target at the receiver position will be Sr. Terrance Williams, who could potentially have the chance to be on the all-Big 12 team this season if he gets enough touches. Baylor's defense was a completely different story last season. Baylor's defense ranked 116th in the country in total defense giving up an average of 488.5ypg. The good thing for the defense this season is that eight starters return and will not lack the experience they did last season. They will most likely have one of the most improved defenses in the Big 12 this season. The Bears will start the season 3-0 with wins over non-conference foes SMU, Sam Houston State, and a visit to UL-Monroe. After these games, we will find out just how much they will miss RG3, Wright, and Ganaway.  For the Bears to become bowl eligible, they will need to win at home against Iowa State on Oct. 27th, at home against Kansas on Nov. 3rd, and one more conference  game. It could either be another upset over TCU at home like a year ago, or in Arlington against Texas Tech.

9. Iowa State            4-8                          A man by the name of Paul Rhoads gets me every year. I don't know what he says to his players, but the last three years he has gotten his Cyclones to pull off a big upset. In 2009, he went into Lincoln and upset the Huskers 9-7. Everyone remembers the "Im so proud to be your football coach" speech. In 2010, he went into Austin and upset the #22 ranked Texas Longhorns 28-21 and last year the Clones pulled the inevitable and knocked the Oklahoma State Cowboys out of the national championship by upsetting them in overtime 37-31. Every year I pick the Cyclones to win at best three to four games, and I am doing it again.  The Cyclones still have inconsistency at the Quarterback position. It is either Sophomore Jared Barnett or Senior Steele Jantz. I feel Barnett will be named the starter this year though. He took over half way through the season and helped the Cyclones get bowl eligible by defeating Texas Tech, Kansas, and Oklahoma State. Iowa State's offense will need their rushing game to be dominant this season with Quarterbacks Barnett/Jantz and Jr. Running back James White, who had 743 total rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns. The offense may return seven starters, but the defense, who returns five starters, has one of the best linebacking corps in the Big 12. Sr. OLB Jake Knott and Sr. MLB A.J. Klein are both potential all-Big 12 1st team linebackers. Sr. Defensive lineman Jake McDonough also looks to help the Cyclones on the defensive side of the ball. Iowa State must travel to Iowa City and play the Hawkeyes in week two. I feel they will lose, but this is a must win for the Cyclones. If the Cyclones can start off the season 3-1 or 4-0 they have a chance to become bowl eligible for the second straight year. They demolished Texas Tech last year in Lubbock and have a chance to do it again on Sept. 29th. The Cyclones also need to make sure they win at home against Baylor on Oct. 27th and on the road at Kansas on Nov. 17th.


10. Kansas               3-9                         Kansas fired Head Coach Turner Gill after he won only five games in two seasons. Now it is Charlie Weis who will be at the helm of Kansas football. Weis was successful his first two seasons at Notre Dame and then simply disappointed the next three and was eventually fired in 2009. Weis comes into a bad situation where he will completely need to rebuild a program that has suffered since the firing of Mark Mangino in 2009. Weis is fortunate to have 14 returning starters, 7 on offense and 7 on defense, and Notre Dame transfer Sr. Quarterback Dayne Christ. Weis will try to improve the play of an offense that ranked last in scoring in the Big 12 and 106th in ypg in the country last season. The only decent aspect to the Jayhawk offense is Jr. Running back James Sims, who rushed for 727 total yards and 9 touchdowns last season. As bad as the offense was for the Jayhawks, the defense is that much worse. The Jayhawks were ranked dead last in the country last season giving up an average of 43.8 ppg and 516.4 ypg. Georgia Tech last year beat Kansas 66-24 and rolled up 768 total yards on the Jayhawk defense. This is the type of team Charlie Weis is going to have to rebuild. I have the Jayhawks winning one more game than they did last season giving them a total of three wins. The Jayhawks will hopefully beat FCS opponent South Dakota State in the season opener and win against Rice the following week. Their third win will come either on the road against non-conference MAC Champion Northern Illinois or at home against Iowa State on Nov. 17th.

Top Ten (Big 12)

1. Best game of the season: Nov.17th-Oklahoma @ West Virginia
2. Most Valuable to his team: QB Collin Klein, Kansas State
3. Biggest potential upset: Oct. 13th- Texas Tech over West Virginia in Lubbock, TX
4. Best Head Coach: Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
5. Biggest surprise team: TCU Horned Frogs
6. Best defense: Texas Longhorns
7. Best Defensive Player: DL Alex Okafor, Texas
8. Biggest disappointment: Kansas Defense
9. Best Quarterback in the clutch: Casey Pachall, TCU Horned Frogs
10. Toughest environment to play in: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Oklahoma Sooners

College Football GameDay Experience #3 (Columbus)

With only three game day experiences remaining, here are the game day experiences that have been mentioned so far. Iowa City (Iowa Hawkeyes) came in a number ten, Madison (Wisconsin Badgers) at nine, Knoxville (Tennessee Volunteers) at eight, Lincoln (Nebraska Cornhuskers) at seven, Eugene (Oregon Ducks) at six, Gainesville (Florida Gators) at five, and South Bend (Notre Dame Fighting Irish) at four. GameDay Experience number three leads us to what is known as "The Horseshoe." Columbus is a destination that is a must for any college football fan, even if you despise the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio Stadium is a shrine to college football and is one of the best atmospheres in all of college football.

3. GameDay in Columbus-Ohio State Buckeyes (Ohio Stadium)

The Ohio State Buckeyes struggled last season with the firing of Head Coach Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes ended up finishing the season 6-7. This year it will be interesting will the hire of Urban Meyer and what he can do with a team that was hit with a one year probation, meaning the Buckeyes will not be able to play in the Big Ten Championship, nor be eligible for a bowl. Overall though, Ohio State has been very successful this past decade. The Buckeyes have appeared in three national championship Games getting their only win in 2002. They have appeared in BCS Bowl Games eight out of the last ten years and have won five Conference Championships. Now onto my experience in Columbus.

"The Horseshoe" 

Before I went to Columbus, I figured it was some dump town in Ohio. That's because as a Michigan football fan that's what you're supposed to believe, but when I finally arrived there and made it to the downtown area it was actually pretty nice. I never really thought Columbus would look like that and that The Ohio State campus would be as big as it was. Downtown was busy Friday night and many places were packed with fans in for the game the next day. The restaurant my dad and I went to is one of those places you need to go if you are there for a football game. It's called Eddie George's Grille 27 and it located on North High Street. It has Eddie George memorabilia hanging all around the restaurant and also has some great food. I had the deep fried cheeseburger, one of the most recommended food items on the menu, it was pretty much amazing. After a wonderful experience Friday night, it was time to get ready for Saturday.

Skull Session in St. John Arena

Our Saturday morning began by attending another segment of ESPN College GameDay. I was wearing a Trojan shirt obviously, I liked Pete Carroll and I never in my life could get myself to where anything Ohio State. The fans bickered back and forth about who cheated more and how Reggie Bush was a cheater. Looked like both fan bases were right. After this season, the Trojans were hit with a two year bowl ban. As we made fun of Maurice Clarett and how he screwed up, I never imagined that the Buckeye quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who I would be watching that evening, would be the player that caused Jim Tressel to be fired and place the Buckeyes on probation three years later. Funny how these things happen. Anyways, Kirk Herbstreit's kids came up to the GameDay set for the pick and Corso picked the Trojans.

There is a lot to see on the Ohio State campus prior to kickoff. We checked out Value City Arena, home of Ohio State Basketball. We then headed to the Jack Nicklaus Museum, which was about a 15-20 minute walk from the stadium. If you are a golf enthusiast this is the place for you. It is full of memorabilia, with includes items such as trophies, green green jackets, and old golf bags Nicklaus used in the major tournaments he played in. After viewing the Jack Nicklaus Museum, we headed over to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center close by. Unfortunately on game days, the Ohio State hall-of-fame is closed. You can still look from the outside though and see some of the trophies the Buckeyes have won over the years.

Once we made it back to the main campus we checked out Mirror Lake. It's not as pretty as I thought it was going to be, but there is a lot of tradition surrounding the lake. Mirror lake is located on campus and is more like a small pond. The tradition surrounding the lake is that Thursday night prior to the Michigan game, which takes place in late November, students usually get really drunk and jump into the lake with bathing suits on. They have a huge pool party that goes into the early hours of Friday morning. It would be fun to watch. I just don't know if I could get myself to do when it's only 15 degrees outside. After we hung out there for a little bit, we headed to a tailgating area set up for fans and watched football. Then it was time to go check out the Skull Session in Old St. John Arena. This is one of the most important traditions on game day at Ohio State. The Ohio State Marching Band aka "The Best Damn Band in the Land" makes their way into the arena and starts playing. The football team eventually walks in and the coach and maybe a player or two says a few words, then they leave. After they leave the court, the band plays the many songs associated with The Ohio State University. What is interesting about Ohio State is everything is so structured on game day. Everything is done in an orderly fashion, such as the Skull Session.

 Matt Barkley and teammates celebrate after touchdown

It was eventually time to enter "The Shoe." We ended up sitting with many USC fans right behind the USC Marching Band, which was a lot of fun. Pre-game at Ohio Stadium is not like anything else you will ever see in sports. The Band does their tunnel entrance onto the field and begins to play "Fight the Team Across the Field." The Band eventually makes their way to "Script Ohio." This is honestly my favorite tradition in college football. The stadium erupts when the sousaphone player dots the "i". This happened to be the game where the ESPN cameraman got to close to the sousaphone player and the sousaphone player ended up teaching the camera a lesson. Prior to kickoff, Ohio Stadium was as loud as ever. It is also very overwhelming because of how big the stadium is. Throughout the game it was deafening as the Trojans and Buckeyes went back and fourth. "The Horseshoe" is probably the second loudest stadium in the country after Florida. It is quite a scene. Of course, it was probably the quietest stadium in the country after true Freshman Quarterback Matt Barkley led the Trojans down the field with a minute left and shocked the Buckeyes 18-15. I witnessed a record breaking crowd at Ohio Stadium go completely silent. All I can say is... I was a very happy person in Columbus that night. I took it all in and was taking pleasure in the Buckeye fans misery. Those fans were completely stunned, it was great!

Overall, the Columbus experience was amazing. As much as I hate Ohio State, there fans were nothing but nice and they are a university built around class and tradition. The atmosphere at Ohio State is something you just don't get at many other college football stadiums. Everything is also revolved around the Ohio State Marching Band. Buckeye fans love their team and have such a great knowledge of the game. I highly recommend it for any college football fan who loves the history and tradition of college football. I would love to go back there someday and attend another game.

Game Attended in Columbus:

9/12/2009   CFB  USC 18, Ohio State 15   * ESPN College Gameday

ESPN College GameDay

Best sign at College GameDay "Stop World Hunger Stop Feeding Charlie Weiss!"

Mirror Lake 

Script OHIO