2012-2013 Big East/Notre Dame Projections

The Big East is going to be wide open this season. With the loss of West Virginia to the Big 12, it will for sure be a four team race to win the conference. Louisville looks to be the favorite to win the conference with fifteen returning starters and a stellar Quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater. The teams that look to battle it out with Louisville are South Florida, Rutgers, and Pittsburgh. Don't be surprised if a Big East Champion isn't crowned until the last weekend of the season.

BIG EAST        W-L      Analysis

1. Louisville       9-3      Louisville is the heavy favorite to win the Big East this season with So. QB Teddy Bridgewater, who had a completion percentage of 64.5 percent and 2,129 yards as a true freshman last season. The Cardinals will have 15 returning starters this season. The offense will be led by Bridgwater and potential All-Big East first teamer Sr. C Mario Benavides. The defense will be solid again and were ranked 10th in the country in defense against the rush last season. The Cardinals should win nine to ten games with their only real tests being against North Carolina (Sep. 15) and games against Pittsburgh (Oct. 13), USF (Oct. 20), and Rutgers (Nov. 29).

2. South Florida  8-4      This is going to be the Bulls year to win the Big East. Fourth year starting Quarterback BJ Daniels, who is third in Bull's history in all-time career passing with 6,339 yards, will look to lead the Bulls again this season. On offense, Daniels will have Wide Receivers Sterling Griffin and Sterling Dunkley, who is a transfer from Florida. The Bulls defense will be led by potential All-Big East players Jr. DE Ryne Giddins and Sr. WLB DeDe Lattimore, who recorded 94 tackles last season. South Florida must face in-state Florida State and Miami, Fl in non-conference games. South Florida's most important game will be on Oct. 20th when they travel to Louisville.

3. Pittsburgh       8-4       Here we go again! The Panthers have a new coach again and will still be in the hunt for the Big East title. The Panthers offensive returns 5 starters and have one of the best running backs in the Big East in senior Ray Graham. The offense should be improved with an offensive minded coach in Paul Chryst, who was the offensive coordinator at Wisconsin. Besides Graham, the offense will rely on Sr. QB Tino Sunderi, who threw for 2,616 yards last season, and Sr. RG Chris Jacobson. The defense returns 5 this season and will be led by potential All-Big East team Sr. FS Jarred Holley. Pittsburgh will be challenged in its third game against Virginia Tech and a mid season game at home against Louisville. The last two weekends of the season will define the Panthers season as they must host Rutgers at home on Nov. 24th and then travel to play South Florida on Dec. 1st.

4. Rutgers          8-4        After last season, the Scarlet Knights looked to be the favorite heading into this season, but Head Coach Greg Schiano departed for the NFL and took the head coaching job for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. New Head Coach Kyle Flood will inherit 15 returning starters though and one of the best overall defenses in the country. The Scarlet Knight offense was inconsistent last season and will potentially have some of the same issues this season. Rutgers will have a good core of wide receivers in So. Brandon Coleman and Sr. Mark Harrison. They will also have a solid running back in Jawan Jamison, who rushed for 897 yards last season. The problem will be at the quarterback position as So. Gary Nova and Jr. Chas Dodd must battle it out and prove that one of them is the true leader of the Scarlet Knight Offense. The defense returns 8 starters and was the best overall defense in the Big East last season. The defense returns Sr. OLB Khaseem Greene, who recorded 141 tackles and 10.5 tfl, as well as Sr. DT Scott Vallone and Jr. CB Logan Ryan. Rutgers has an easy non-conference schedule, besides an early meeting with Arkansas. Rutgers season will be defined by its last two games, which are at Pittsburgh (Nov. 24) and at home against Louisville (Nov. 29).

5. Cincinnati      7-5        The Bearcats went 10-3 last season, but this year will not be the same. The Bearcats lose QB Zach Collaros and will start Jr. Munchie Legaux, who has a little experience as a back-up last season, or inexperienced Brandon Kay. The offense only returns 4 starters from last season, which includes two wide receivers Sr. Kenbrell Thompkins and Jr. Anthony McClung. The running game, like the quarterback situation, will be inexperienced. The Bearcats do have 7 returning starters on defense though. Last season, the Bearcats ranked sixth in the country against the rush giving up an average of 96.2 ypg. Cincinnati will have Sr. SS Drew Frey, who recorded 73 tackles and 2 interceptions, to lead the Bearcat defense. Cincinnati should be a 7-5 team this season and be bowl eligible again.

6. UConn          5-7         UConn didn't meet expectations last season as they went 5-7 and were not eligible for a bowl game. UConn has the best running back in the Big East in So. Lyle McCombs, who rushed for 1,151 yards and 7 touchdowns last season. McCombs will be joined by Butler County (KS) CC transfer QB Chandler Whitmer, who passed for 3,022 yards last season, and Sr. TE Ryan Griffin. The Husky Defense returns 8 and was ranked third in the country last season in defending the rush by giving up an average of 85.7 ypg. The Husky defense will be led by two seniors, DE Trevaedo Williams and WLB Sio Moore. The Huskies would have a good chance to be bowl eligible, but their non-conference schedule consisting of ACC opponents NC State and Maryland is not helpful. Also, the last three of four games are at South Florida (Nov.3), home against Pittsburgh (Nov.9), and at Louisville (Nov. 24). The Huskies will appear to not be going bowling again this season.

7. Syracuse        4-8        It is going to be another tough season for Head Coach Doug Marrone and his squad. The Orange return 12 starters, but the only positive thing about the Orange is the return of Sr. QB Ryan Nassib, who had a completion percentage of 64.4 percent and 2,686 passing yards with 22 touchdowns last season. The Orange will be inexperienced in the running game, but will return last years reception leader WR Alec Lemon in the passing game. The Orange defense returns 7, including Sr. SLB Dan Vaughn and Jr. MLB Marquis Spruill. The Orange defense ranked last in the Big East in total defense last season, meaning much improvement needed to be made in the off-season. The Orange gave up an average of 28.5 ppg and a main problem was the linebacking and cornerback cores. Syracuse honestly would have had a legit chance to make it to a bowl game this season, but their non-conference schedule is brutal. The Orange must host Northwestern and USC, and also travel to Minnesota and Missouri. The Orange will hit four to five wins this season.

8. Temple          4-8        The Owls never won a MAC Championship, but the football program was definitely revitalized. Temple is back in the Big East, but will be in rebuilding mode this season. The Owls only return a total of 8 starters from last season. The offense will be led by Jr. QB Chris Coyer, who played in Temple's last four games last season. He will need to get an established cast quick if the offense is going to be as good as they were last season. The Temple offense averaged 256.5 ypg, which ranked 7th in the country. The Owl defense was also very good last season as they only gave up 13.9 ppg, which was only worse than Alabama and LSU. If the defense can step-up and contend with the Big East talent, watch out for the Owls to pull off an upset or two. The defense is going to need to keep the team in games if they are going to have a chance at contending in the conference this season.



INDEPENDENT    W-L   Analysis

1. Notre Dame         9-3     This is going to the year where the Irish hopefully get over an 8 game win total. The Irish return 14 starters from last season (8 offense; 6 defense). With the problems of Jr. QB Tommy Rees, the Quarterback battle has come down to redshirt freshman Everett Golson and So. Andrew Hendrix. The running game should be solid with returning Jr. TB Cierre Wood, who rushed for 1,102 yards and 9 touchdowns last season, along with potential All-American Jr. TE Tyler Eifert. Eifert had 803 yards receiving and 5 touchdowns last season. The Irish Defense lost a few talented playmakers from last season, but should still be good enough to be at the level they were at last season with the return of potential All-American Sr. LB Manti Te'o. Te'o had 128 tackles and 8.5 tfl last season. The Safety core should be solid as well with the return of Sr. Jamoris Slaughter and Sr. Zeke Motta. The Irish will start off the season by traveling to Dublin, Ireland, to face-off with rival Navy then head home to play Purdue the next week. In week three, the Irish must travel to East Lansing and face rival Michigan State. This game, along with a home game against rival Michigan the following week, will be very important for the Irish to win. I feel the Irish will lose three games this season at the hands of Michigan (Sep. 22), who they face at home, and away games at Oklahoma (Oct. 27) and at USC (Nov. 24). Head Coach Brian Kelly and the Irish will finally be back in the BCS discussion this season.

2012-2013 ACC Projections

The ACC did something they have not ever done last season. The ACC received two bids for BCS Bowl Games. Surprisingly, Florida State was not one of these teams, rather it was Clemson and Virginia Tech. This is the year for the Noles to finally win an ACC Championship though, it's now or never. Florida State must battle Clemson, the 2011 ACC Champion, for the ACC Atlantic Division again. In the Coastal Division, it will be a battle between Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. Will the ACC be a strong conference again? Or will we need to spin the wheel of destiny to come up with a conference champion?

ATLANTIC DIVISION                 W-L        Analysis

1. Florida State                                 11-2      The Noles had high hopes of winning an ACC Championship last season, then lost three consecutive games early in the season to Oklahoma, Clemson, and Wake Forest. There are no excuses this season for the Noles. Florida State has to win the ACC Crown. They have almost all of their returning starters from last season with 17 (8 offense; 9 defense). Heisman Hopeful Sr. QB EJ Manuel looks to finally live up to expectations this season and lead an offense that was ranked 39th in the nation in scoring last season. The running game, which includes Sophomore Devonta Freeman, will need to improve after last season by only averaging 112.2 ypg (104th in the country). Manuel's main targets will return this season with So. Christian Green, Sr. Rodney Smith, and So. Rashad Greene. Once again, The defense for the Noles will be one of the best in the country. The Nole Defense was the 4th best in the country last season by only giving up an average of 15.1 ppg and an average of 2.35 yards per carry. The Nole Defense will consist of two potential All-ACC candidates in Sr. DE Brandon Jenkins and Jr. SS LaMarcus Joyner. The defense will also return Jr. Linebacker Christian Jones, who recorded 56 tackles and 3 sacks last season. The Noles should have a pretty easy ride to the ACC Championship game. Their only potential losses could occur on Sep. 22 at home against Clemson, at Virginia Tech (Nov.8th), and a non-conference home game against rival Florida (Nov. 24th). The Noles will play in their first BCS bowl game since 2005.

2. Clemson                                        9-3      Clemson was that underdog/surprise team last season. Most of the country figured they were at best average and had no chance of winning the ACC. But Head Coach Dabo Swinney proved the nation wrong early in the season. Clemson knocked off three straight ranked opponents. First, Clemson beat Auburn and ended their 16 game winning streak 38-24 in Death Valley, then beat #11 Florida State at home 35-30, and then traveled up to a hostile Lane Stadium and upset #11 Virginia Tech 23-3. Clemson ended up starting the season off 8-0, until they were upset at Georgia Tech. A big reason why Clemson won the ACC and earned a birth in the Orange Bowl was because of the play of now Jr. QB Tajh Boyd, who had 3,828 passing yards and 33 Touchdown passes last season, and explosive So. Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins, who had 1,219 reception yards and 12 touchdown receptions. Watkins will miss the first two games of this season though because of  disciplinary reasons. An offense that averaged 33.6 ppg last season will have seven returning starters. Clemson will have 1,000 yard rusher from last season Sr. Andre Ellington and Jr. Wide Receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was second in command to Sammy Watkins. The Tiger Defense was among one of the worst in the ACC last season. The Clemson defense was absolutely manhandled by West Virginia in the Orange Bowl giving up 70 points. Seven starters return on the Tiger Defense, including Sr. DE Malliciah Goodman. You can bet that new Defensive Coordinator Brent Venables will have his defense in gear when the season starts. The Tigers will be a contender once again this season in the ACC. They open up in Atlanta vs Auburn, which will be a tough opening game and then travel three weeks later to Florida State. After Florida State, the Tigers will only have two other tough games as they will host Virginia Tech (Oct. 20th) and South Carolina (Nov. 24th).

3. NC State                                       8-4      Ok, so last season Quarterback Mike Glennon proved doubters wrong as he threw for 3,054 yards and 31 touchdowns, after NC State had said they were finished with Russell Wilson. The Wolfpack finished the season 8-5 and are looking to improve with 13 returning starters this season. Mike Glennon will once again be the leader on the offensive side of the ball and potential All-ACC 1st team Jr. CB David Amerson will lead the Wolfpack Defense. Amerson had an impressive season for the Wolfpack last season as he recorded 59 tackles and led the country in interceptions with 13. The Wolfpack will open the season with a tough opening game in Atlanta, where they must battle Tennessee. The next three games will be easy, then they must play at Miami, FL (Sept. 29th) and home against Florida State (Oct. 6th). Their last five of six games could go either way. The Wolfpack should be good for an 8-4 season.

4. Wake Forest                                 6-6      The Demon Deacons found a way to make it back to a bowl game since the 2008 season last year. Jr. QB Tanner Price must play a crucial role in an offensive that only returns 4 from last season. Price threw for 3,017 and 20 touchdowns last season, and played a major part in the Deacons making a bowl game. Price loses his main target though and running back from last season, so players like Jr. Tailback Joshua Harris and Jr. Wide Receiver Michael Campanaro will need to make a lot of improvements for this upcoming season. The Demon Deacon defense returns seven and will need to be better than last season as they were ranked 9th in the ACC in scoring and gave up an average of 27.4 ppg. Wake Forest will be a .500 team this season again. It would be an impressive season for Jim Grobe's team if they could hit seven wins.

5. Maryland                                      4-8       The Randy Edsall era started off on a high note as they rocked their crazy fashionable Under Armour jerseys and upset Miami at home 32-24. After their 1-0 start though, it all went all down hill from there. Maryland was blown out by Temple at home 38-7 and the Terps had nothing left in the tank. This season, the Terps can only go up from their two wins from last season. With the departure of Quarterback Danny O'Brien to Wisconsin, Jr. C.J. Brown will take over an offense that returns six starters. The defensive will need much improvement as well, as they were ranked last in the ACC in almost every defensive category. The Terp defense though will have potential All-ACC first team candidate Sr. Defensive Tackle Joe Vellano, who recorded 94 tackles last season and 4.5 tackles for loss. Maryland will improve their win total to four this season. They will get wins over three of their four non-conference opponents: FCS-William and Mary, Temple, and UConn. Maryland will get their lone ACC win over Wake Forest or Boston College.

6. Boston College                             3-9       Last season was the first season since 1998 that the Eagles didn't go bowling. The offense returns ten from last season and will have new Offensive Coordinator Doug Martin making the calls. Again the offense will be on the shoulders of Jr. QB Chase Rettig and the rushing attack led by Jr. RB Rolandan Finch and Jr. RB Andre Williams. The passing game was 100th in the nation last season and only gained an average of 167.8 ypg. The Eagle defense was mediocre last season giving up an average of 18.2 ppg. Boston College's Defense will be led by Jr. LB Kevin Pierre-Louis, who had 74 tackles last season. The Eagles will probably not hit their four game win total from last year. The Eagles will win games against Maine and at Army. The third win could come against Maryland or Wake Forest. It's going to take another year for the Eagles to get back into bowl contention.

COASTAL DIVISION                  W-L           Analysis

1. Virginia Tech                              9-4          The Hokies found themselves in another BCS Bowl Game last season. Frank Beamer's squad lost two season games, both of which were at the hands of Clemson. The Hokies lost the ACC Championship game to the Tigers, but ended up getting an at-large bid and the nod over Kansas State to play in the Sugar Bowl and play Michigan. The Hokies will return just three starters on offense, including dual-threat Jr. Quarterback Logan Thomas, but will return nine starters on a defense that was ranked in the top ten only giving up 17.6 ppg (7th in the country). QB Logan Thomas will have his work cut out for him this season with only Sr. WR Marcus Davis and Jr. C Andrew Miller being the returning starters from last season. Thomas threw for 3,013 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. Thomas also rushed for 11 touchdowns. The defense is what's going to keep the Hokies in the run for the ACC Crown. Virginia Tech's defense is led by potential All-American Sr. Linebacker Bruce Taylor. Taylor is joined by Jr. Defensive End James Gayle and Jr. Cornerback Kyle Fuller, as well as Jr. Cornerback Antone Exum. The Hokies open the season with a tough conference game against Georgia Tech, then travel to Pittsburgh two weeks later. The Hokies should be 6-1 when they hit the hardest part of their schedule. The Hokies must travel to Clemson (Oct. 20th), travel to Miami (Nov. 1st), and then host Florida State (Nov. 8th). Look for the Hokies to drop two of these three games, but still find themselves with a 9-3 record and a birth in the ACC Championship game.

2. Georgia Tech                              8-4          The Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech look to be in the mix to win the Coastal Division this season. The Yellow Jackets return seven on offense and six on defense. The offense will again have an explosive running game, but there will be questions surrounding the passing game. Sr. QB Tevin Washington returns for his final season after leading an offense that was ranked 1st in the ACC last season in scoring at 34.3 ppg, rushing at 316.5 ypg, and in total offense at 458.8 ypg. The passing game ranked dead last in the ACC at 142.3 ypg. Washington rushed for 986 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Washington will have Jr. RB David Sims to help him in Paul Johnson's triple spread option offense. The Yellow Jacket defense returns potential All-ACC defensive players Jr. Linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu and Jr. FS Isaiah Johnson. The defense was mediocre last season ranking 5th in the ACC giving up 359.3 ypg. Georgia Tech will need to be ready in week 1 as they will travel to Coastal Division foe Virginia Tech. The Yellow Jackets should be 4-1 heading into a road game at Clemson on Oct. 6th. After Clemson, Georgia Tech will only have tough games at home against non-conference opponent BYU (Oct. 27), a road game at North Carolina (Nov. 10), and a season finale at in city rival Georgia (Nov. 24).

3. North Carolina                          7-5             North Carolina will be playing for pride this season with new Head Coach Larry Fedora. The Tar Heels are still suffering from the sanctions received when Butch Davis was the head man at UNC and the Heels will not be eligible to play in a bowl game this season. The Tar Heels return 13 total starters (7 offense; 6 defense) and look to prove that they have a chance at being the best in the Coastal Division. The Tar Heel offense returns Jr. QB Bryn Renner, who last season passed for 3,086 yards and 26 touchdowns, as well as potential All-ACC So. RB Giovani Bernard, who rushed for 1,324 yards and 13 touchdowns as a Freshman. The offensive line also returns  potential All-ACC Sr. OG Jonathan Cooper. The Tar Heel Defense should be stellar this season as they return potential All-American Sr. LB Kyle Reddick and potential All-ACC player Sr. DT Sylvester Williams. Last season, the Tar Heel defense ranked 27th in the nation in rushing defense. North Carolina should start off the season 2-0, then travel for a non-conference game against Big East favorite Louisville. After facing Louisville, the Tar Heels will get Idaho, then have a showdown at home against Virginia Tech (Oct. 6) and an away game at Miami, FL (Oct. 13). Other than NC State on Oct. 27th or Georgia Tech on Nov. 10th, the Tar Heels should win four of their last five games of the season. This season will be motivation for next season when the Tar Heels will be able to compete for an ACC Championship.

4. Miami (FL)                             7-5               Second year Head Coach Al Golden and his Hurricanes will be looking to improve their win total from 6 last season and become bowl eligible after taking the bowl ban last season. The Hurricanes will have a chance to hit 7 wins this season, even though they only return 10 total starters and will be in rebuilding mode. 6 players left early for the NFL draft after last season, and put the Hurricanes at a disadvantage to compete for the Coastal Division. The Cane offense will be led by new starter Jr. QB Stephen Morris, who only had 37 pass attempts all of last season. There is not a lot of fire power on the offensive side of the ball with only 4 starters remaining from last season. The defense returns 6 starters and was ranked 17th in the nation by only giving up 20.1 ppg. The Cane defense will consist of potential All-ACC Defensive player Sr. FS Ray-Ray Armstrong and Sr. SS Vaughn Telemaque. Miami will need to start off strong as they must travel to Manahattan in week 2 and seek revenge on Kansas State, who beat them on a last second goal line stand. Miami is going to have a tough schedule after their third game against Bethune-Cookman (Sep. 15). The Hurricanes have to play NC State at home (Sep. 29), go to Chicago and play Notre Dame (Oct. 6), then host North Carolina (Oct. 13), Florida State (Oct. 20), and Virginia Tech (Nov.1). It is going to be a tough road this year for the Hurricanes and seven wins would be ideal.

5. Virginia                                   6-6              Mike London, who was the 2011 ACC Coach of the Year, and his Cavaliers came out of nowhere last season. Virginia was one win away from winning the Coastal Division last season, but was blanked at home against Virginia Tech 38-0. The Cavaliers return 7 on offense and 5 on defense, but will probably not hit their win total of 8 from last season. The offense returns Jr. QB Michael Rocco, Sr. TB Perry Jones, and potential All-ACC Sr. RT Morgan Moses. The defense will have another All-ACC potential Sr. MLB Steve Greer, who led the Cavs with 103 tackles last season. Sr. LB LeRoy Reynolds will also return and be on the defensive side of the ball. Reynolds recorded 88 tackles and 8 tackle for losses last season. The Cavaliers will be a .500 team this season, as they have two tough non-conference games against Penn State at home on Sep. 8th and at TCU on Sep. 22nd. They will need to win one of their last four games against either NC State, Miami, FL, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech, to become bowl eligible.  

6. Duke                                       4-8             Three years ago, Duke was one win away from playing in their first bowl game since 1994, but the least two seasons the Blue Devils have had a combined win total of six. Duke has 17 returning starters from last season, but the experience may only give them one more win than last season. If the offense wants to put points on the board this season it will be up to Sr. QB Sean Renfree and potential All-ACC Sr. WR Connor Vernon. Duke was awful in every offensive category last season besides the passing game, where they averaged 272.2 ypg (2nd in the ACC). The Blue Devil defense struggled last season giving up 31.2 ppg and 425.4ypg. The defense will rely heavily on Jr. CB Ross Cockrell and Sr. FS Walt Canty. Duke should hit four wins this season with non-conference wins over FIU, NC Central, and Memphis. Duke will potentially get one ACC win at  in-state rival Wake Forest or at home against Virginia.

ACC Championship Match-up: Florida State vs Virginia Tech

Top Ten (ACC)

1. Most important game: Sept. 22nd-Clemson @ Florida State

2. Biggest potential upset game: Oct. 6th- Virginia Tech @ North Carolina

3. Biggest surprise team: NC State

4. Best Quarterback: EJ Manuel, Florida State

5. Best Defense: Florida State

6. Biggest Bust: Georgia Tech passing game

7. Best Head Coach: Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech

8. Most valuable to his team: QB Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech

9. Best offensive duo: QB Tajh Boyd and WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson

10. Toughest environment to play in: Lane Stadium, Virginia Tech

College Football GameDay Experience #2 (Ann Arbor)

It has been awhile since since I posted GameDay Experience number three, so I will do a quick racap of my experience list. The GameDay Experience list started with Iowa City (Iowa Hawkeyes) at number ten. Number nine was Madison (Wisconsin Badgers, eight was Knoxville (Tennessee Volunteers), seven Lincoln (Nebraska Cornhuskers), six Eugene (Oregon Ducks), five Gainesville (Florida Gators), four South Bend (Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and number three was Columbus (Ohio State Buckeyes). My number two game day experience is by far one of my favorite stadiums to attend in all of sports. There is just nothing like it and I feel it is my home away from home. It is known as "The Big House," and has a capacity of 107,501. Welcome to Michigan Stadium home of the Michigan Wolverines.

2. GameDay in Ann Arbor- Michigan Wolverines (Michigan Stadium)

Michigan Stadium aka "The Big House"

There is nothing quite like an autumn day in "The Big House" at Michigan. So many legends played and coached here, like Heisman winners Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson, and one of the greatest coaches of all-time Bo Schembechler. Michigan is still the most winningest program in college football and has recently risen from the dead after a tough three year losing span. The Wolverines will look to contend for a Big Ten Title this season. "The Big House" will for sure be rockin' again this season.

I have been to Michigan Stadium twice. Both were of course amazing experiences as they hosted long time rivals Notre Dame in 2005 and Ohio State in 2007. Pre-game in Ann Arbor is for the most part is a pretty fun. The game against Notre Dame we went to a really large tailgating party with tons of food. Tailgating is a major part of the Ann Arbor game experience and what makes this one of the coolest places to see a game. The Ohio State game was a 12' o'clock kick off and ESPN College GameDay was in the house, so we had to check that out. After the pre game festivities, it was time to enter the stadium. I learned from the first time, that it is necessary to enter the stadium early, because like the Rose Bowl, there are not many entrances down to the field. After we settled into our seats, we watched the players warm up and then it was time for one of the best traditions at Michigan, The University of Michigan Marching Band. The Band runs out of the tunnel and onto the field where they play, in my opinion, the greatest college fight song of all time "The Victors." The band moves into an "M" formation and marches down the field as they play "The Victors." After they play "The Victors," the band performs the chant "Lets Go Blue."

Pre-game Ohio State vs Michigan 

The band eventually moves into a tunnel type of formation and the banner is put up that says "Go Blue M Supports You," and the Michigan players run out of the tunnel and jump up and touch the banner. The game experience is awesome, even though it may not be the loudest venue in college football. Just being in the stadium is amazing in itself.

When I attended Michigan Stadium, they had not renovated, added seating capacity, or added the luxury boxes yet. Michigan Stadium for a few years was stuck at a capacity of 106,201 and was no longer the the big house of college football. It was indeed Penn State's Beaver Stadium that had a capacity of 107,282. After the renovations though, Michigan is officially "The Big House" again with a capacity of 109,901. Also, it is said that with the renovations and additions of the luxury boxes that Michigan Stadium is now louder than it has ever been making it a more hostile environment for opponents.

The experience of going to Ann Arbor on game day and watching a game at "The Big House," needs to be on every college football fanatic's list. It just doesn't get much better or bigger than this. The fans for the most part are great and entertaining, the band is one of the best in the country, and now the football team is heading in the right direction under second year coach Brady Hoke. As a huge Michigan fan, this is what I would consider to be heaven. There just isn't quite anything like being surrounded by the Maize and Blue and being in one of the largest sports venues in the world. Whether you love or hate the Wolverines, this has to be a destination for you. All I have to say is....LETS GO BLUE!!!

Games attended in Ann Arbor:

9/10/2005   CFB   Notre Dame 17, Michigan 10
11/17/2007 CFB   Ohio State 14, Michigan 3   * ESPN College Gameday

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