2005 NCAA DIV-I Football Picks - Part I
Ahh, college football ... the sounds, the smells of Fall (in the Midwest, at least - the REAL heartland and football capital of America), the competition, the continued B.S. of the BCS, the arguments, the politics. I'm ready for it - so let's go!
Should be a great season upon us. More blogs to come as to my national championship and bowl picks. But for now.....
Of course, I believe as do most folks that USC is fairly deserving of their pre-season top ranking - they are indeed a good if not great team with their nucleus of Leinhart & Bush back in full stride plus a cast of great D-line and O-line returners and some fresh faces of great talent. But don't take my comments as being pro-USC - most of you know I'm anything but a USC apologist. I'm just a realist, and appreciative of the talent and opportunity USC has to be the first team to win three straight national titles. They are the first team with even a shot at doing so since the '96 Nebraska Cornhuskers who, after back-to-back titles at 25-0, were not only blanked by Arizona State 19-0 in the second game of the season but -- with a chance after 10 straight wins to actually participate in the title game for a shot at that elusive third consecutive title -- fell to Texas in the inaugural Big 12 title game 37-27 en route to a two-loss season. It's hard to do in any sport, but USC has the best talent and favorable schedule (key home games) to pull it off.
I also believe that pre-season rankings are worthless - as much as the BCS itself, but for now, it sorta works and it's all we have...though I absolutely love a controversy such as the USC-LSU split in '03, which is what the BCS was created to avoid! While I believe USC is a favorite to play in their second straight BCS (and third straight AP) title game, this time basically in their backyard with the Rose Bowl only 15 miles from the Trojans' campus, I also believe that the title chase is more wide open than many give credit, especially the race for #2 to play in the Rose Bowl. I also believe there could be three, four, or more unbeatens at the end of the season and even after conference title games, to truly throw a giant - and magnificent - wrench into the scheme of things. Tri-champs? It's possible! It's gonna be great, no matter the outcome(s).
Here are my picks per conference - you'll notice I do not pick every single DIV I conference - some are just unnecessary to the championship process; nor do I pick records and rankings for every team in every division of each conference standings, rather mainly the top three or four, plus conference championship game winner (if there's a game, per conference). Feel free to give input and reply-in-comment with your picks as well. Enjoy the picks, and definitely comment as to yours (or your arguments with mine).
Big East:
West Virginia - BCS bound? (hosts LV and PITT in key conf. games)
Louisville (road games at WVU, CIN)
Pitt (road games at LV and WVU)
Syracuse
Boston College
Cincinnati - new era, new stadium, updated logo ... mediocre football!
Connecticut
Rutgers
South Florida
Big Ten
Purdue (hosts Iowa, does not play MI or OSU)
Iowa (hosts MI, on the road at PU)
Ohio St (hosts PU and IA, road at MI)
Michigan - minus OSU, home schedule undaunting; road games at IA and MSU ... hey UM fans, STFU regarding Purdue's schedule - it is what it is, and we sure wouldn't hear any complaining if the Wolverines hadn't had the Boilermakers on the schedule during the Drew Brees era!
Michigan St - I'm calling it here: MSU upends MI in E. Lansing! (But still finished behind UM)
Wisconsin
Illinois
Minnesota
Penn St - Joe Pa, for the love of God and the good of the game: please hang it up!
Northwestern
Indiana
Big 12 North:
Colorado - edge to the Buffs, as they host the Huskers on Thanksgiving Friday
Nebraska - no 62-36 pasting in Boulder...NU loses like that only when top-ranked with everything on the line
Iowa St
Kansas St
Mizzou
Kansas
Big 12 South
Texas - Longhorns finally have OU's number in '05...but not enough for a national title as they'll fall on the road at Ohio St and suffer at least one conference loss
Oklahoma - nice opener at home with TCU! (TX game will be another thriller; road games at UCLA and NU could prove tricky)
Texas A&M - Aggies should be back on track to force an upset or two
Texas Tech - lots of offense, no defense ... another satisfying 7-4 season in Lubbock
Oklahoma St
Baylor
Conference championship: Colorado vs Texas - TX in another mediocre Big 12 title game
Should be a great season upon us. More blogs to come as to my national championship and bowl picks. But for now.....
Of course, I believe as do most folks that USC is fairly deserving of their pre-season top ranking - they are indeed a good if not great team with their nucleus of Leinhart & Bush back in full stride plus a cast of great D-line and O-line returners and some fresh faces of great talent. But don't take my comments as being pro-USC - most of you know I'm anything but a USC apologist. I'm just a realist, and appreciative of the talent and opportunity USC has to be the first team to win three straight national titles. They are the first team with even a shot at doing so since the '96 Nebraska Cornhuskers who, after back-to-back titles at 25-0, were not only blanked by Arizona State 19-0 in the second game of the season but -- with a chance after 10 straight wins to actually participate in the title game for a shot at that elusive third consecutive title -- fell to Texas in the inaugural Big 12 title game 37-27 en route to a two-loss season. It's hard to do in any sport, but USC has the best talent and favorable schedule (key home games) to pull it off.
I also believe that pre-season rankings are worthless - as much as the BCS itself, but for now, it sorta works and it's all we have...though I absolutely love a controversy such as the USC-LSU split in '03, which is what the BCS was created to avoid! While I believe USC is a favorite to play in their second straight BCS (and third straight AP) title game, this time basically in their backyard with the Rose Bowl only 15 miles from the Trojans' campus, I also believe that the title chase is more wide open than many give credit, especially the race for #2 to play in the Rose Bowl. I also believe there could be three, four, or more unbeatens at the end of the season and even after conference title games, to truly throw a giant - and magnificent - wrench into the scheme of things. Tri-champs? It's possible! It's gonna be great, no matter the outcome(s).
Here are my picks per conference - you'll notice I do not pick every single DIV I conference - some are just unnecessary to the championship process; nor do I pick records and rankings for every team in every division of each conference standings, rather mainly the top three or four, plus conference championship game winner (if there's a game, per conference). Feel free to give input and reply-in-comment with your picks as well. Enjoy the picks, and definitely comment as to yours (or your arguments with mine).
Big East:
West Virginia - BCS bound? (hosts LV and PITT in key conf. games)
Louisville (road games at WVU, CIN)
Pitt (road games at LV and WVU)
Syracuse
Boston College
Cincinnati - new era, new stadium, updated logo ... mediocre football!
Connecticut
Rutgers
South Florida
Big Ten
Purdue (hosts Iowa, does not play MI or OSU)
Iowa (hosts MI, on the road at PU)
Ohio St (hosts PU and IA, road at MI)
Michigan - minus OSU, home schedule undaunting; road games at IA and MSU ... hey UM fans, STFU regarding Purdue's schedule - it is what it is, and we sure wouldn't hear any complaining if the Wolverines hadn't had the Boilermakers on the schedule during the Drew Brees era!
Michigan St - I'm calling it here: MSU upends MI in E. Lansing! (But still finished behind UM)
Wisconsin
Illinois
Minnesota
Penn St - Joe Pa, for the love of God and the good of the game: please hang it up!
Northwestern
Indiana
Big 12 North:
Colorado - edge to the Buffs, as they host the Huskers on Thanksgiving Friday
Nebraska - no 62-36 pasting in Boulder...NU loses like that only when top-ranked with everything on the line
Iowa St
Kansas St
Mizzou
Kansas
Big 12 South
Texas - Longhorns finally have OU's number in '05...but not enough for a national title as they'll fall on the road at Ohio St and suffer at least one conference loss
Oklahoma - nice opener at home with TCU! (TX game will be another thriller; road games at UCLA and NU could prove tricky)
Texas A&M - Aggies should be back on track to force an upset or two
Texas Tech - lots of offense, no defense ... another satisfying 7-4 season in Lubbock
Oklahoma St
Baylor
Conference championship: Colorado vs Texas - TX in another mediocre Big 12 title game
posted by Peter T Epes at 11:07 AM
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