Vandy loses, SEC Refs blow call.

 

Vanderbilt 13       S. Carolina 17

 

 SEC Referees miss pass interference call that could've given Vanderbilt a chance at pulling an upset.

 

  Vanderbilt had their chances, and at times looked like they had their finger on the trigger ready to pull it, and they couldn't do it.

 

 Jordan Rodgers struggled early, throwing an interception early in the game that cost Vanderbilt a chance at points. It lead to a 2 play scoring drive by South Carolina. Later, South Carolina added a field goal to make it 10-0. Vanderbilt was showing no signs of life until an incredible pass, catch, and run for 78 yards and a touchdown. Vanderbilt looked like a different team for a few drives and added a field goal of their own. Field goals were important in this game.

 

 Vandy missed two other field goals, that had they made, it would have been clearly a different game.

 

As I thought, South Carolina had the conditioning and depth to tire out Vanderbilt. In the 4th qtr, Vandy looked gassed. The Offensive line was trying to grind it out ,but a talented and deep defensive line was too much. Vanderbilt was only able to add one more field goal in the second half. South Carolina added a touchdown that proved to be the game winner.  

 

 On a positive note for South Carolina fans, other than the win, Marcus Lattimore looked good. Not sure if he was 100% but he rushed for over 100 yards on less than 25 carries, and had 2 touchdowns. He looked good. The question going forward, is Connor Shaw going to be 100%? He took a beating from Vanderbilt. He was getting hit on every play. That can't continue to happen in later SEC games.

 

  I have to say, South Carolina has a ton of work to do. They don't look like a Top 10 team at all. I know Vanderbilt is better and still getting better, but it's still Vanderbilt.

 

 Vandy can take some positives away from the game.  I know James Franklin is not one who likes 'moral victories'.They played a very solid game. They are on everybody else's radar now, if they weren't already. But it is very clear that this Vanderbilt team that James Franklin has put together will not go away like the Vanderbilt of old.

 

 I am 1-0 in my game predictions. It wasn't the score I thought it would be, but that's the fun of college football. Anything can happen. Our Facebook page has poll questions and live game updates, Check us out at: www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day

 Your questions can also be posted there or sent to: jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com

 

 Big games on Friday. NC State vs Tennessee. My Pick: UT

Boise State vs Michigan State  My Pick: Michigan State

 Check back for more updates.

2012 Season Kick-off

 

Opening Weekend Preview

FOOTBALL!!!!

 

 

 Vanderbilt kicks off tonight against South Carolina. And for Vandy, this could be the game of the century.  Friday night has N.C. State vs Tennessee, and Michigan State vs Boise State.

I have posted my picks for Vandy vs South Carolina and Tennessee vs N.C. State. Neither were bold picks but if there was one that I was least confident in, it would be the UT vs NCSU game. I have read that many people in the media are predicting a shoot-out and a high scoring contest. However, they haven't sold me on that yet.

 

 Let's take a look at the games going on the rest of this weekend.

 

The big games are Notre Dame vs Navy (an early game, 9am Eastern) , Clemson vs Auburn, and the biggest matchup on Saturday being Michigan vs Alabama.

 
 Notre Dame will beat Navy. It will be interesting to watch as Notre Dame starts a true freshman at QB. The Irish better get things going early and keep it going. This is one of very few games the Irish are the favorites. They have one of, if not the toughest, schedules in the 2012 season.
 

 

 Clemson vs Auburn. Always a good matchup. Clemson will be without one of its most dangerous weapons. Sammy Watkins will not play in the season opener. Auburn has plenty of questions all over its depth chart, and maybe the biggest question....the defense. Auburn knows they will have their hands full. But one good thing for Auburn....Clemson has just as many questions on the defensive side of the ball as well. If Sammy Watkins was in this game, I could easily see Clemson putting 35+ points on the board, and they might still do that. I like Clemson in this one any way you slice it. Clemson wins 34-21.

  Now for Michigan vs Alabama. What a great game (potentially). Alabama has a little bit of green on their defensive side of the ball. That could really open things up for Denard Robinson. He is fast and unpredictable. Nick Saban made a comment and said he reminds him of Cam Newton. I understand why he says that, but I want to make sure we all are on the same page here. Cam Newton had a great arm. Denard Robinson has an okay arm. Both are mobile and have great pocket awareness. The biggest difference though, I think, it's Robinson's speed. And is Alabama ready for that kind of speed at the QB position?
 
  If Alabama can force him to stay in the pocket and have to make throws instead of scrambling, then Michigan will be in trouble. It is a very interesting matchup to look at, but I question whether the game will be as interesting as it's being advertised. One side of me thinks BAMA will just muscle their way through this game and win 31-14. However, I haven't made any bold predictions yet and this is the game I think we could see the early season upset. That's right, the other side of me really thinks Michigan can catch Alabama and win this game. Michigan wins in a 28-24 game. If Michigan can hang around long enough in this one, I believe Robinson will make the plays in the 4th qtr to pull Michigan ahead of BAMA.
 
 I am still taking reader questions for some upcoming segments, send to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com or post to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day



 It's finally here. Enjoy the game tonight. Thanks for reading.

 

 



Tennessee vs NC State

 

Tennessee vs N.C. State

 

 Another great matchup to start the season and both teams have interesting storylines coming into the season.

 

  For Tennessee it's finding out where Dooley has his team. Are the Vols back on the right track? Will Dooley make it the whole season? If he makes it the whole season, will he make it through the off season? Skepticism still surrounds the Vols' program. Many wonder if the offense will be better than last season. Tennessee has a solid QB in Tyler Bray. His targets, however, took a huge hit when Da'Rick Rogers was dismissed from the team for violating team rules. Tennessee still has its question marks, and they will be tested against an up and coming N.C. State program that could be a dark horse in the ACC race.

 

 

  N.C. State's storylines? Well, there are some whispers about their chances in the ACC Title race. But at this point they are only whispers.  Mike Glennon has proven himself in the past as a great leader for the offense. I will go as far to say he is ahead of Tyler Bray in the development process. Glennon will need to be at the top of his game for N.C. State to pull this one out.

 

  Although, Glennon is the better QB, Bray may have the easier time making plays because N.C. State's defense won't be as tough. Glennon will be pushed to the limit of his abilities to make plays against a pretty good defense.

 

 I think points won't necessarily be hard to come by in this game, but there won't be any gimmes, either. I like the sound of a 24-20 game. It should be a close game. It's a tough call to say who will be the winner. Tennessee will be playing with a mad sense of urgency. N.C. State will be playing with a chip on their shoulder. N.C. State wants to prove that they can hang with an SEC team, and this is their chance to do it.

 

 I think Tennessee pulls this one out. The Vols have more to lose in this game and they will be playing like it. A coach's job could very well depend on this game. So in a close game, the edge has to go to the Vols. If they lose this game, which is still very possible, the Vols are in for a very long season that will end with them looking for a new coach.

 

Don't forget to check out our Facebook page. www.facebook.com/collegefootball2day 

Poll Questions and Your questions can be posted there, as well as sent to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com

Thanks for reading and check back later this week as I take a look at some other key games this weekend.

 

 

Opening Week College Football

 

Vanderbilt vs South Carolina

 

Just days away.....And Vanderbilt welcomes the Game Cocks to Nashville.

 

 Early SEC matchup that two or three years ago would have been a snoozer. Now, both teams have high hopes. South Carolina looking to get back to an SEC Championship, and Vanderbilt looking to make some noise in conference play and get back to a bowl game.

 

 Here in Nashville the buzz is at an all time high for Vandy. That's all I am hearing around town. "Look out!!! Vanderbilt is ready!!" This is amazing to me. I never thought in the years of living in Tennessee that I would hear Vandy fans talking trash. It is actually very entertaining. I have never seen fans this hyped for Vanderbilt Football. Coach Franklin has done a great job at making the fans believe, but the question I am asking, "are the players buying into it?".

 

 We are going to get a great look at just where Vanderbilt is and where they might be going.

 

 Weather will be a factor. Rain is expected Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, thanks to tropical storm Isaac. Conditions may be pretty sloppy. This may be an advantage for Vanderbilt.

 

 South Carolina is pretty anxious too. They are still waiting to see if Marcus Lattimore can return from injury and be 100%. Another storyline that fans are following is Connor Shaw and how well he plays without the shadow of former Qb Garcia hanging over him. Steve Spurrier seems to be pretty comfortable with Shaw. Spurrier hasn't taken his Qb to SEC media days is years. This year he made an appearance and Spurrier has said he is confident in his Qb.

 

 Vanderbilt has the homefield advantage but still has its work cut out for them. And Vanderbilt has given South Carolina problems before, but I feel the depth will be the biggest factor in this one. Vanderbilt is getting better but they still don't have the depth they need to compete week in and week out in the SEC. South Carolina has a very good defensive line and will be in Vandy's backfield all game long.

 

 I would love to make a bold pick in this one and say Vanderbilt will pull off the upset but I don't think Vandy can play four quarters with S. Carolina. It will be close for a half, but depth will show and the Game Cocks will win this one. I am feeling like a 30-17 game.  It will be a great game to kick off the season.

  Facebook page is up and going. Check it out, where I will post poll questions and also answer reader questions. Matchups to follow this week, N.C. State vs Tennessee,  Alabama vs Michigan, and Clemson vs Auburn. Great matchups to kick off the season. Check back for more updates. And be sure to check out poll questions at www.facebook.com/Collegefootball2day  Reader questions can be posted there or sent to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com



Blitz Week Thursday

 

Blitz Week Updates

Here is what is on tap for today's update:

BCS Championship Picks

A Brief Look at the Nebraska Cornhuskers

Two Minute Drill with Reader Questions

 

 

  Let's get right into it.  I will give my three matchups that I think could happen this season. It's hard to read my blog and not be able to see what my BCS Championship picks look like, especially since I already disclosed USC.
 

 
  Leading the way has to be USC.  My first matchup is USC taking on FSU. Who will be #1 and #2 going into that game? USC, seeing as they are already ranked ahead in the polls. I don't see FSU jumping them. USC has a good schedule and has a very loaded offense. The question for USC will be on the defensive side. FSU, on the otherhand, has the exact opposite question. How will the offense be this year? There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the offensive line and that's the missing piece, as of right now. The defense is as talented, if not better, than any other defense out there. Yes, I went there.... BAMA and LSU. The other very strong factor that weighs heavily in favor for the Seminoles, is the fact they only play three regular season games outside the state of Florida.

 

 
  My second matchup? Alabama vs USC. You already know about USC, but just how good can Alabama be? Are they built for a back-to-back run? They may have some great pieces on offense but, again, the question remains on defense. This isn't going to be a defense that plays terrible by any means. But we just don't expect them to be as good as last year's, and how could they be? They lost so much.

Isn't this the matchup what we all want to see, though? The SEC taking on the PAC12? Trojan fans are tired of hearing the SEC talk. Sorry Trojan fans, but you haven't had a team from your conference win the last SIX championships, so get used to it.

 

 

                          

 

   My third and final matchup is a bit of a stretch for one of the two teams. The Oklahoma Sooners vs Florida State. This may be the least likely of all my picks but I am going to stick to it. Oklahoma has a pretty strong offense returning but with some questions. Landry Jones has to prove himself. The defense will be adjusting to a new Defensive Coordinator. The Sooners have a couple of tough games but this could be the year the Sooners could put it all  together. And, in the scenario where USC screws up when they have to play Oregon two times, who will be there ready to take their spot? LSU? Maybe. But if there are only two undefeated schools left, and one is FSU and the other is Oklahoma.....That's the matchup you will see.

 

 

The Nebraska Cornhuskers

 

 
  Now on to a school still looking to get back to what they used to do all too well. Winning Championships! The Nebraska Cornhuskers have been dormant now for a decade. Much like FSU. However, FSU has at least been to a BCS bowl game in the last decade. And they are showing much more promise of getting back before the Cornhuskers.


 A couple of seasons ago they looked like the Cornhuskers of old. Blackshirts and all. The coaching staff has done well. They have Nebraska back to winning eight, nine, and ten games (ten being a great season). But they are still trying to get back in the mix for a championship run.

 

 How about recruiting? That's an area that is still not up to what it needs to be if they are going to compete in today's college football. It might have worked really well in the 80's and 90's......but this is a different era in college football. You can only scheme so much before the more skilled players start making up ground on your game stategy.

 

  The 2012 class? It had ONE player in the ESPN 150. It had only TWO in the ESPN 300. Two 4 star players and 12 three star players is all they could pull this past recruiting season. The 2010 and 2011 class? (these are the classes we should be seeing make the difference this season) Well, 2011 was a good year for them. That means we should see some sophomores contribute. But what about 2010? Where we should see some redshirt sophomores and juniors show their abilities.....you have to look really close this season. Just ONE ESPN 150. One 4 star recruit. The rest of the 22 commits?Mostly 3 star guys.

 

  Stars aren't everything in recruiting. They could turn out to be a lemon sometimes. But ask the Alabama, LSU, Florida, or USC if they think it's important to get those 5 star prospects. Nebraska has had ONE 5 star recruit commit in the last THREE recruiting cycles. Only TEN 4 star recruits in the same cycles. These numbers have to improve if Nebraska ever wants to get back to a championship game. It is as simple as that.

 

Reader Questions (Two Minute Drill)

 

 Shane, from Alabama asks:
"What do you think the chances of another SEC school bringing home the 7th straight championship for the SEC?"
 
Well, as you can see in my picks, I only have one SEC school making the cut in three scenarios. Doesn't mean I'm right. But it will be much tougher for the SEC this year because one side of the conference has THREE teams in the mix that all have to play eachother. Arkansas, LSU, and BAMA will have a tough time getting through, even with one loss....then you have multiple out of conference schools that have a great chance at going undefeated.
 
Jason, from North Carolina:
"Why are you on the band-wagon with the Seminoles? Media shows them all this attention for what? Another 9-4 type season?
 
This one is easy. I am a Florida State fan.....But all fan stuff aside for a minute. I will admit FSU got way too much attention last season. Even members of the media would say that. I am a fan and I say that. But if you are a fan of College football and you keep up with it like some do (myself included), you have to be blind to not be able to see what Jimbo Fisher has done in his first two seasons following Bobby Bowden. Recruiting has been top 5 and being in games all the way to the end is why the Seminoles look to be like they are ready to make a come-back. Make no mistake about it, though.....If FSU turns up another 9-4 type season, you won't see them get the attention like they are getting, for a long time.

 Thanks for the questions, and as always, keep them coming.
jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com
 Just a week left before college football! One more post for Blitz week. The Facebook page is coming soon. Thanks for reading.

 



Reader Questions

Reader Questions

 Welcome to Blitz Week. There will be three blog posts this week to get us ready for next week's kickoff of the 2012 college football season.



This question comes from Jill, all the way in the state of Washington.

"Do you think the heavy pressure of losing your job helps or hurts head coaches? I mean is it even possible to do what is up against Dooley and if he knew he was safe for two years, would he make better long term choices?"
  Also, I noticed Lane Kiffin and USC at #2. When he was at UT all I heard were people bad mouthing him, so is he a good coach and that was all just sour fans?

 The pressure on coaches in college football has grown in the last decade at an alarming rate. Part of that, I think, is because of some of the coaches that have taken over a program and won a National Championship within the first two seasons. Bob Stoops at Oklahoma is where I think it started. He put Oklahoma back on the map after taking over a pretty dormant Sooners football program. Later came Larry Coker at Miami, winning in his first season as Miami's head coach.

 One strange fact to look at is how many coaches who have won a National Championship since 2000 were in their first three seasons as head coach. Bob Stoops (Oklahoma), Larry Coker (Miami), Les Miles (LSU), Urban Meyer (Florida), Nick Saban (Alabama), Jim Tressel (Ohio State). Gene Chizik (Auburn)

 So, it can be said that the fast rise of these programs that had been down in years prior to these coaches arrival has helped set the bar pretty high for coaches across the country.

 Is it fair to treat every program like these listed? I don't think so.

So many programs feel like they should be able to have the same success by getting a new coach. Much of the success these teams have had has come from the fact that these are elite programs. They may have been down in recent years before these coaches get there, but it doesn't always take much to wake a 'sleeping giant' so to speak.

That all being said, pressure on coaches can be good and bad. The pressure that is on coach Dooley at Tennessee is not a fair situation. Dooley should be able to have another season before the expectations change. Tennessee was a mess when he took over and some feel he should have three full seasons before he gets it going. However, I am pretty sure if he has a season similiar to 2011 and loses to Vanderbilt or Kentucky in 2012, he will most likely be looking for a new job. If Dooley was given a pass right when he signed with UT, and they gave him three full seasons, I think he would have been able to make better, more well thought out decisions. Instead, he as had to make rushed decisions, in hopes that he can have a quicker road to success. Mistakes happen when you are rushed. It happens.

To sum it all up, though. Pressure on coaches to win at programs that haven't had a history of success is bad. Those coaches should have more time to get things going with recruiting and results on the field. Now, a new coach comes in to an established program that has had recent success, that brings on all the pressure for instant satisfaction. In the right situations it can help coaches have success.

Now, Lane Kiffin.....He is one of those coaches who will push the envelope as far as he can before he backs off. The main reason Vol fans don't like Kiffin is because of the way he left Tennessee. And believe it or not, I still hear fans blaming Kiffin for what Tennessee did last season under Dooley. But let's walk in Kiffin's shoes for a minute. You are a young, up and coming coach. You coached at a great program in USC. Your dream has always been to take over at USC, but Tennessee comes along and you get a shot to show what you can do as a head coach. You come in and take some under performing players to an unexpected season of success, (success compared to what was expected). Then you get a call from your dream job. You weren't that excited about Tennessee to begin with, and now you have your dream in front of you...... Yep, I would have left too.

 Lane Kiffin is a great coach. His father was and still is a great coach. He has been able to take a broken USC program that has been going through NCAA sanctions, and return them to the National Title talks in a short period of time. He has recruited well in addition to keeping guys from leaving the program during their bowl bans. Penn State may want to take some notes from this situation. That can be said for Miami as well.

 Thanks for the questions, and I will be answering more tomorrow.

 Send to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com  Also, I will soon have a facebook page set up for my blog. And don't miss later this week when I release my picks for who will play in the BCS Title game.

#1 In Preseason Top 10 Countdown

#1 Ranked Team Going into 2012

  It is almost here. The start of the 2012 season is just a couple weeks out. And we are finally to my #1 team in my preseason top ten countdown.

 The LSU Tigers are on top of them all... but history has shown us that starting #1 doesn't mean you have the best chance at finishing #1. Some would argue that Alabama deserves this spot, but remember, the Tide lost more players to the draft than any other team out there.

  Sure, LSU has to depend on a new QB, but that hasn't stopped any teams the last three years from winning the big game. Everybody in the media last season said this LSU team was the the best team and most complete team they had ever seen. So why don't they deserve that kind of attention going into this season when they have had to replace the least of anybody in the SEC.

 LSU finished the season allowing an average of 11.3 points a game. The offense finished 17th, scoring over 35 points a game. This is a team that has all the pieces, but may take some time to figure out where those pieces go or if they even fit what Les Miles wants to do. Zach Mettenberger will be the starter at QB going into week one. He hasn't proven anything yet, and for at least the first few weeks he shouldn't have too much to prove. His biggest focus has to be to just manage the game. He isn't a playmaker yet. If he can make the throws that he has to make and make good decisions, he will be the right man for the job.

 The other part that may make it a smoother transition for Mettenberger is that there are some very good weapons around him. Russel Shepard returns for his senior season hoping to have a bigger impact than the previous season. In fact, we didn't really get the chance to see LSU's wide receivers make much happen since LSU's offense was more well known for the rushing attack.....so this may be interesting to see LSU depend on the pass much more than they ever did in 2011.

 

 For the defense.....well it's good. It's very good, but they did suffer a loss in the last week. Tyrann Mathieu was dismissed from the team for violating team rules. That is a big loss to a very talented defense that depended on him to make big plays when they needed them. He scored touchdowns in three games when the Tigers were losing. They were game changing plays. Replacing him will not be easy, but again, maybe they don't have to have somebody as good. Maybe all they need is somebody who can manage that position. Don't get beat, play your spot and hold your own may be all they need. The rest of the defense can hold its own. Don't get me wrong, you lose a Heisman Trophy type player, you are going to feel it. But I think LSU has the depth to compensate.

 

  Les Miles will have them ready. And in case any of you missed what he had put on their SEC Championship Rings last season.....it says something like this, ' SEC CHAMPS' other side '#2 Overall'. You think that doesn't leave a sour taste in the players mouth?

LSU's schedule starts out slow, which is great for the offense. This gives Mettenberger some time to develope and iron out the wrinkles. 

North Texas

Washington

Idaho

@Auburn

Towson

@Florida

South Carolina

@Texas A&M

Alabama

Mississippi State

Ole Miss

@Arkansas

There are some very interesting matchups. South Carolina jumps out at me a little bit. Go ahead and put that game on upset alert. Finishing up with Arkansas is another game I would be concerned with if I was a Tiger fan. LSU should be pretty sharp by then, or really banged up. Toughest stretch? @Florida through Alabama.

  One other obstacle stands in the way. There has been one.....ONLY ONE.... team to start and end the season ranked #1. That team was the 1999 Florida State Seminoles. No other team has done what Bobby Bowden and the Seminoles did that season. That all being said, there hasn't been as good of chance for any team to do that until now. LSU has a great defense, even without Tyrran Mathieu. The offense has very few questions, but they are important ones. Will Mettenberger be the passer they need? Can Russel Shepard find his groove and get the touches he has to have to make big plays?

  That's it for my Preseason Top 10 Countdown. Look back at my 2-10 teams, and let's get ready for some football. Next week I am calling BLITZ WEEK. I will be hitting your questions and I will release my 'Dark Horse' picks for the BCS Title Game. Get your questions in and check back next week. jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com

 

Reader Questions Part 3

Reader Questions Part 3

 

 Welcome back, something huge has happened since the last post. In case any of you missed it, NASA landed another rover on the planet Mars late last night. And yes, the wife and I watched it.

  How about some college football. We are oh so close to college football kicking off. So, let's get into some of your questions going into the season.

  Now, since most of my readers and followers out there are in the SEC country and the Tennessee area, I am going to take a closer look at the VOLS. I have received a few questions about Dooley and the Vols.  

  Tennessee enters the season with many questions. How much has Tyler Bray improved? Is the defense going to be better? Is the running game going to be a factor? And maybe the million dollar question: "How many games does Dooley have to win to keep his job?" And for some UT fans, "Do we want Derrick Dooley to keep his job?"

 After a 5-7 season, Derrick Dooley hopes to turn that record into a 8-5 record or maybe even a 9-4 record. He has some good weapons to help him get there. Tyler Bray looks to be like he can be a solid SEC QB. However, for Bray, he needs help in order to take his game to the next level. The running game was in terrible shape last season. They ranked 116th in rushing. When defenses don't have to respect your run game, it will make it that much harder to pass. The positive you can take from last season......if there was one.... it is that Bray was forced to pass in every game. And we learned that Bray can make plays with his arm. UT just needs to take a little of the pressure off Bray. If Dooley can get the run going, then the Vols will have a much easier time on offense. That has to be the biggest goal for the offense.

 On the other side of the ball, the defense looks like it could make some good strides and be a pretty good SEC defense. Last season UT ranked 36th in the nation in scoring defense. While that is not a great defense, it is NOT a terrible defense. The offense ranked 106th in points scored. Now that is a terrible number. The defense should continue to improve and have a very similiar season to last year. With that said, it is clearly on the offense this season. The defense can't just lay down and die, don't get me wrong....but the defense is closer to being where they need to be to get back to being competitive in the SEC East.

  I hate to bring up memories from last season, but if you are a Tennessee fan, there is no way you could forget a 5-7 record. Let's take a little closer look at that record. The five wins UT had last year were against Montana, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Middle Tennessee, and an overtime win over Vanderbilt. No wins against any ranked teams. No signature wins over a rival or other big SEC school. (sorry Vandy, I still don't consider you a solid SEC team, but congrats for going to a bowl last season)

  For Dooley to keep his job, he has to aim for 1 of 2 scenarios to play out this season. One, finishing 8-5 but with one or two signature wins. A win over rival University of Florida (which is a home game this season for the Vols) would be nice. Maybe a competitive game with Georgia and South Carolina couldn't hurt either, but there has to be a signature win in that 8-5 record. The other scenario is finishing 9-4. That one extra win may not seem like much but with the schedule being played, it very well could be a very difficult task for a team that has the possible flaws that UT has.

 UT's schedule looks like this:

NC State

Georgia State

Florida

Akron

@ Georgia

@ Mississippi State

Alabama

@ South Carolina

Troy

Missouri

@Vanderbilt

Kentucky

At just a quick glance, I only see 4 games that you could easily put a 'W'  next to. And I don't say that because it is the SEC schedule.   NC State is not a sure win game. However, for Derrick Dooley, it is a must win game. Vanderbilt will make some noise in the SEC this season. And watch out for Kentucky. A tough season is ahead of Derrick Dooley and the Vols, but if they can get some bounces in their favor they may keep Dooley around for another season.

  My prediction is a 7-6 season, and the University of Tennessee will be looking for a new head coach.

 Take a break if you like, but there is more. And it is a question about the North Carolina Tar Heels.

This question comes from Chris Ward in Tennessee,

  "How are my Tar Heels looking this season?"

Well Chris, it is tough to say. The NCAA violations and all the negative things surrounding the program right now make it difficult to predict how this team will play. But let's play it out as if the football team was focused and new head coach Larry Fedora has been able to get them moving in the right direction. UNC has a pretty good QB in Bryn Renner. (yes it is Bryn) He threw for over 3000 yards and 26 TDs last season. The offense should be as good as last season, maybe even a little better. They still have to adjust to a little different system, but they should be okay with the transition.

  
  I see the Tar Heels finishing with a very similiar season to last year.....7-6. However, UNC's losses last year were by narrow margins. It is very possible that Fedora and the Heels could start 5-0 and have some great momentum going to the Virginia Tech game. Starting with V-Tech, though, is the start of the toughest stretch of the season. V-Tech, @ Miami, @ Duke (don't sleep on Duke this year), then back home for NC State and Georgia Tech. So, for first year head coach Larry Fedora, it is very important to get off to a fast start.

 I have a couple of other questions to get to, but I will get to those in next week's Reader Questions Segment. Thanks for reading and you can always send in your questions to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com

 Check back this week for my breakdown of my #1 team in my Preseason Top 10 Countdown. The LSU Tigers.

Preseason Top 10 Countdown

Preseason Top 10 Countdown

At #2 I have the USC Trojans. Lane Kiffin has all the right pieces (at least now, he does) to make a Championship run.

 

  USC is coming off a 10-2 season and looks the part for a National Title Contender. Isn't it just a little scary that a team that has been in post season ban for a few seasons now, and scholarships have been reduced......and now just the first season off the bowl bans they are ready to get back to the National Championship Game.

  I know it just makes Tennessee fans sick, but you have to credit Kiffin for keeping a program focused and getting the right players at just the right time. There is no denying the amazing job he has done keeping this team together. Not just keeping them together, but having all the pieces he has in place and to have the potential to win the PAC-12 AND possibly go to the BCS Championship.

  

  Okay, real talk.  Quarterback Matt Barkley returns for his senior year. Marqise Lee was just a freshman last season and had over 1,100 yards receiving with 11 touchdowns. Robert Woods was a sophomore with over 1,200 yards receiving with 15 touchdowns. They may not have the deepest group of receivers but they have what could be the best two receivers in the country. The offensive line remains solid. Barkley is going to have plenty of time to make his throws.

 

  Here is where it gets a little more interesting. We all know that Penn State players have been given passes to go play at any school they want without penalty. And in just the last couple of days Lane Kiffin has made his catch.... Silas Redd. The highly talented running-back from Penn State has made it official. He will be a Trojan this fall.

  

  So, now the already LOADED USC offense gets even better. Now Kiffin has a running-back that is fully capable of breaking a 1000 yards in his first season at USC. I am saying it now, there will not be a better offense then what USC is bringing to the table right now. On paper, this is the most talented offense in the country. This isn't an offense that depends on any one thing. Oh, Barkley is struggling a bit, okay just hand the ball off to a studd at running-back that could be as good as Reggie Bush. Yes, I went there. One thing that made Bush as good as he was in college was his offensive line and the threat of the pass. This offense has everything you could want. It has leadership, it has mental focus, and most of all, it has something to play for this season.

  

  The defense is not as loaded, however. Depth at the defensive line is in question. The Trojan's defense ranked in the 40's in points allowed. Granted, they play in league that is known for scoring points. But this year will be a little different. The defense may not be on the field as much. The offense is primed to be that type that can sustain drives and take a good seven or eight minutes off the clock. If the offense can give that kind of rest to the defense, then depth only becomes a problem with injuries. And, again......I still strongly believe that this offense isn't going to be stopped. It is almost like the 'perfect storm'. All the conditions are right for USC to just line up and destroy whoever gets in their way.

 USC's schedule is very favorable too. Hawaii, Syracuse, @ Stanford, California, @ Utah, @ Wahsington, Colorado, @ Arizona, Oregon, Arizona State, @ UCLA, Notre Dame.

 

  Which game are they not going to be favored? This isn't Alabama or LSU, where you might have to put a question mark next to a game. There is not one game on this schedule where I feel comfortable saying they might lose. Oregon is the greatest threat, but that game is being played AT USC. Notre Dame? Please, the Irish don't match up well at all and that game is also AT USC. Stanford? No Luck for Stanford this year. (you can laugh out loud)

  Let's face it. One of the most hated coaches (mainly by Vol fans) has just put together a great team. Better than any SEC offense. Now just imagine if the defense gains some momentum early in the season. One thing I do like about Kiffin...... When he knows he has something special, he shows it when he has a press conference. He loves the attention. I don't know, that's just something I like to see in a coach. When he is confident, he is not affraid to show it.

   I have not revealed my prediction of which two teams will play in the National Championship yet, but I will reveal one. USC will be there.

 And finally my #1 team in my Preseason Top 10 Countdown, the LSU Tigers. Check back for my breakdown of LSU and see what question marks the Tigers are facing this season.

  Also, reader questions segment is coming soon. Send to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com  Thanks for reading.