How the hell did we miss this? Oh yeah, it went up before Fourthandblog was a blog. Taco Vandervelde, eat your heart out.
Unnecessarily Early, Throwaway Top 25 for 2010
In an effort to stay somewhat relevant, and to break up the monotony of editing video for work and piecing together a hasty take on the season that was, I thought that I’d throw out my under-researched, off-the-cuff Top 25 prediction for 2010.
- Ohio State
- Alabama
- Boise State
- Oregon
- Virginia Tech
- Texas
- Florida
- TCU
- Iowa
- Wisconsin
- Georgia Tech
- Cincinnati
- BYU
- Penn State
- Nebraska
- Pitt
- Miami
- Utah
- USC
- Oregon State
- UConn
- LSU
- West Virginia
- Arkansas
- Navy
Please feel free to discuss. Would you rank anyone lower/higher/not at all?
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Well, well, well. You know, Petey, you can’t body board in Puget Sound.
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Nate's Take - BCS Title Game
Look, this game has been broken down from so many angles that it’s going to be impossible for me to provide any meaningful, original insight into this game. We all know about Colt McCoy being clutch, Texas having no solid running game, Mark Ingram’s anticipated struggles with the Texas run defense and the pressure that is going to be put on Greg McElroy to get the ball to Julio Jones. So, let’s just cut to the chase, shall we?
I think that it’s about damn time that Colt McCoy wins something big, instead of being leap-frogged by anyone and everyone. The kid is a gamer who has been overshadowed by Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford most of his college career. By all accounts, he’s a classy kid who has taken it all in stride, and good for him. But I think he’s hungry for something big. Colt will show up with his “A” game tonight, put the Longhorns on his back and lead them to victory. Hook ‘em.
Texas wins, 27-24.
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Nate's Take - Orange Bowl
Just a scant three games are left in the college football season. That, I guess, is reason enough to watch this year’s Orange Bowl, a game pitting the enigma wrapped inside a conundrum that is the Iowa Hawkeyes against the Ramblin’ Wreck that is Georgia Tech.
Sure, Tech sounds sexy, with their nu-triple option offense and Leach-esque Paul Johnson at the helm, but they have proven to be almost as frustrating this season as Iowa. Of course, they don’t have a close call to a FCS team, but they do play in the ACC.
On paper, Georgia Tech should blow Iowa out of the water. They’re explosive, high-scoring and play solid defense. But Iowa does feature a Top 10 run defense and…
Okay, I just can’t get excited for this one. At all. Nothing about it makes me want to watch this game, aside from the aforementioned cache of being 1/3 of my college football viewing left for the year. It’s being broadcast on Fox, who has made a habit of shitting all over college football with their half-assed BCS broadcasts for the past few years, and that’s enough reason right there. Add in the heart attack inducing Ricky Stanzi, who is just as likely to throw 4 INTs in a quarter as he is to throw 4 TDs and I have officially checked out. I’m looking forward to the GMAC bowl, starting….now.
What the hell, Iowa wins, 20-18.
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Nate's Take - Fiesta Bowl
So it’s come time for us to turn our attention to the two undefeated teams playing at the kid’s table of the BCS bowls. Boise State and TCU own some of the best overall records in college football over the past five seasons and all they got was a matchup against each other, instead of a chance to show that they belong with the big, bad Automatic Qualifiers. It’s bullshit, if you ask me.
The BCS is treating two undefeated teams like also-rans and it stinks. Not just for Boise State and TCU fans, but for college football fans in general. Part of the joy of college football is seeing a plucky underdog team, outmatched and outgunned, take down a powerhouse. Well, both of these programs have quietly built themselves up to powerhouse status in their respective divisions and they’re feeling the crush of the glass ceiling that the BCS is imposing on them, for no other reason than their names aren’t Texas or Alabama.
For those of you who are quick to point out the strength of schedule that Boise State and TCU faced this year, I’ll counter with last year’s Utah/Alabama matchup in the Fiesta bowl, where an undefeated Utah team bludgeoned a juggernaut Alabama team for 60 minutes. Or how about Boise State’s takedown of Oklahoma in 2007? This year, TCU’s Mountain West Conference is 4-0 in bowls and TCU itself was 6-0 during the season against teams that went on to play in bowls.
In the end, you play the schedule that you have. Boise State has tried to set up home and home series with a number of AQ teams, all of which turned them down. You might even say that big programs are scurred to face Boise on the Smurf Turf.
But we are where we are. Boise State will be taking on TCU tonight in the Fiesta Bowl and the winner will be able to argue that they should be either #2 or #3 in the final polls, marking the second straight year that a non-AQ team can do so.
Boise has been explosive all year on offense, whether they’re running or passing. Their defense has swung from dominant to simply aggressive and willing. Teams have been able to score on Boise State this year more than in the past and that could end up being a problem.
TCU, on the other hand, has been explosive offensively and utterly dominant defensively. Only two teams scored more than 20 points against the Horned Frogs all year, and most of those points came once the games were decided.
TCU is fast everywhere and would be a nightmare matchup for anyone. Boise is more savvy than overwhelmingly talented. They have swagger and some brilliant playcalling to lean on. Because of this, I think that Boise State is the definite underdog in this game. They have an uphill climb to overcome TCU’s athleticism and talent, but they have shown time and time again that, when confronted with that sort of challenge, they’re up to the task. Still, TCU has been demolishing people all year and Boise State has made their living this year outscoring teams more than dominating them. I think TCU wins this game and makes a case for a few #1 votes in the process.
TCU wins, 24-13.
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Nice to see that, on a network that has been flat-out destroying Leach without all the facts, there is still someone at ESPN with enough integrity and cojones to say, “look, I don’t know all of the facts and don’t forget that there are two sides to this story”.
Good on ya, Matich!
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Nate's Take - Holiday & Outback Bowls
This is a bit slapdash and last-minute, but I’m working on about four different deadlines at the moment in two different mediums, so gimmie a break.
Holiday Bowl
Arizona has a tough defense and a capable offense. Nebraska has a great defense and a piss-poor offense. This one’s gonna be ugly, one way or another. I’m not going to pick against Suh, though.
Nebraska wins, 8-7
Outback Bowl
This one’s going to be a bit of a sleeper. Both of these teams fight hard and are full of overachievers. I think it’s going to be very entertaining all the way through. Something tells me not to pick against Mike Kafka and the Wildcats.
Northwestern wins, 34-30
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Adam's Take - Holiday & Outback Bowls
Holiday
This game looks pretty straight forward to me. I haven’t seen much of Arizona this year, but their most impressive wins either came earlier in the year (Stanford, Oregon State) or were against floundering teams (USC).
I’m not sure that the Wildcats stand a chance against the Nebraska defense. That, combined with the nicely balanced, but not overpowering Cornhuskers offense should be all that Nebraska needs to take this game.
Nebraska Wins 27-13
Outback
Both Northwestern and Auburn have looked very impressive at times, but have also come up short when they needed big wins. Northwestern however, is coming into this Bowl game riding a three game win streak; two of those games coming against Big Ten powerhouses Iowa and Wisconsin.
The Northwestern defense is going to be key. They’ll need to stop the Auburn run game and force some turnovers. If they can do that, and I think they can, they will win this game.
Northwestern Wins 17-13
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Nate's Take - Pontsettia Bowl
Another busy day running around and accomplishing little with the in-laws means that I’m posting this last-minute pick for the Utah-Cal matchup in the Pointsettia Bowl from the backseat of a rental car somewhere in the exurbs of Omaha.
Anyway, both of these teams were very over-hyped to start the season. Utah lost a ton of major contributors from last year’s team. Cal had Jahvid Best and that was about it. Somehow, both of them managed to finished the season with winning records.
Cal was blown out multiple times by conference foes this year, including a season-ending 42-10 loss to Washington.
Utah lost badly to BYU and barely beat laughably bad Utah State.
That said, this matchup of misfits might just be entertaining. Both teams can score. Cal has a capable Shane Vereen to turn to with the dynamic Best out for the rest of the season. Utah still has quality WRs to throw to, if their freshman QB has time to find it.
In the end, though, Cal has the better athletes and more depth, which, if last year’s Sugar Bowl has taught us anything, means that Utah will blow them out of the water.
Utes win, 34-17
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Adam's Take - Maaco/Las Vegas Bowl
This bowl is going to be a hell of a game for sure. Two high powered offenses facing off in the first big matchup of the bowl season.
To be honest, my first inclination is to pick BYU. The Cougars’ passing game is certainly cause for concern, but I don’t think I am giving the Oregon State defense enough credit. Prior to the Civil War game, the Beavers hadn’t given up more than 21 points since their loss to USC. In that same Civil War game, they played exception well against an Oregon team that I believe would shred the BYU defense.
All signs are point towards a very close game. Everyone knows BYU passing game is on point, but it may have escaped the minds of some people that the Cougars do have a 1,000 yard rusher. Harvey Unga is quietly had his third 1,000 yard season on this pass happy team. He’s a 240-pounder who could pose some problems for the Beavers in the same way LaGarrette Blount did when he was inserted into the Civil War game.
On the other sideline is the exceedingly impressive Oregon State offense. Sean Canfield is playing the best football of his life. If you shut down his No. 1 target James Rodgers, there’s always the other Rodgers brother, Jacquizz, to contend with.
Come game time, both defenses will struggle to contend with all the weapons the opposing offenses throw their way. We’re likely to see a lot of lead changes and a fairly high score. In the end the Beavs will have just a little more than BYU.
Oregon State Wins 35-31
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Nate's Take - Las Vegas Bowl
It’s always difficult to pick bowl games. Most teams have been off for almost a month, players have been on the banquet circuit, have been enjoying the holiday season and have been studying for finals. Their attention has been anywhere but on football.
But if there is one team over the last decade that have been able to maintain that razor-sharp focus going into a bowl game, it’s been Mike Riley’s Beavers. Oregon State has gone 6-0 since Riley returned as the head coach, including a brutal 3-0 win over Pitt last year.
As for BYU, after their signature win of the season, an opening game squeaker against Oklahoma, they faltered every time they faced a big-name team until their overtime win over rival Utah to close out the season. The Cougars are usually a solid team on both sides of the ball and should prove to be a challenge for the Beavers.
All in all, the Las Vegas bowl should prove to be the best of the pre-New Years bowls. Two well-coached, ranked teams facing off. My money is on the Beavers, because of their daunting schedule in the Pac-10. The Beavers faced more quality teams and have more quality wins than BYU. Oregon State took Oregon to the wire while BYU was crushed by TCU. Even more damning, BYU was blown out at home by a underachieving Florida State team.
BYU will be up for this game, but Oregon State just has more talent and you know that Coach Riley is going to have them ready for this game.
Oregon State wins 24-20.
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