BCS: It’s really almost time

Let’s take a journey into my mind. For the last week, I have only had 3 thoughts in there: 1. Football football football football; 2. Gee, I really want fried potato products and BBQ sauce (don’t judge – it’s delicious); 3. I must have done something really fucked up to have my moving day land on the start of college football season. Well, one mistaken renovation later and my Saturday is free as a bird (possibly free as a chicken), leaving me the happiest kid west of the Mississippi.

So who are the teams in the Big 6 conferences to watch? Let’s take a light-hearted step in the BCS.

ACC –

Cream of the Crop:  Florida State – Pre-season 18 (not as high as the Hokies, but whatever, I listen to my own drummers), Bobby Bowden has a fire lit under his ass, and hopefully eligibility won’t be as much of an issue now.  Maybe I’m an eternal optimist, the Pangloss of the Pub if you will, but Bowden isn’t a bad coach and now he’s pissed. FSU is already fighting the NCAA in the courts, and hopefully that piss and vinegar can transfer to the field. With returning QB Christian Ponder and TB Jermaine Thomas, the Seminoles will be a force to be reckoned with.

Debbie Downers: Duke – They’ve won 6 out of their last 48 games and 30 players ended up getting H1N1 over the summer.

Big 12 –

Cream of the Crop: Texas – Unlike the SEC, the big contender in the Big 12 has some fierce competition coming from directly north. Oklahoma and Texas are ranked 3 and 2 respectively in both the AP Poll and the USA Today poll. Still, with Heisman hopeful Colt McCoy at the helm, Texas has what it takes to win the Big 12 and maybe even make an appearance at the championship bowl.

Debbie Downers: Baylor – I was going to say Iowa State, but they got rid of Gene Chizik.

Big 10 –

Cream of the Crop: Ohio State – Sorry Michigan, I just don’t think it’ll be your year. Between Rich Rodriguez facing allegations from his players, being connected to banned booster Clegg Green, bringing in a sad 3-9 season, and crying on national television, it’s just not going to happen. On the other hand, Ohio State was right there on top of the Big 10 heap last season. Coach Jim Tressel is back and Terrelle Pryor is right there with him. Voted pre-season player of the year in the Big 10, Pryor could bring this team to a whole new level. Expect a cake walk over Navy this weekend, and an epic battle with USC a week from then.

Debbie Downers: Purdue – New coach and team, but hey, they can and will go up from here.

Big East –

Cream of the Crop: West Virginia – I know, I know, RATL, you do not want to hear this and you will probably respond in great length about Pitt (I hope you do, actually), but I have to go with the Mountaineers. Comfort yourself in the fact that a media poll has picked the Panthers to win the Big East and that this was a hard choice. Anyway, Bill Stewart will be coming off a strong first year, the schedule looks like something they can manage handily, and the team is gelling. Now all they need is for the offensive line to come together.

Debbie Downers: Syracuse  – Greg Paulus is their starting QB and after watching him play basketball his whole college career, I’m still not convinced of his athleticism.

Pac-10 –

Cream of the Crop: USC – Well, until Pete Carroll gets his ass handed to him for the Reggie Bush fiasco (if that ever happens) and the football program has to atone for its sort of shady practices, USC will continue to roll all over the Pac-10. Cal, Oregon, these teams can’t compete with USC. Even though QB Aaron Corp is still recovering from a cracked fibula (say it with me ,“ow”), freshman Matt Barkley is wide-eyed and bushy-tailed and apparently so much improved that he should have a fine game against San Jose State. If Barkley hits his stride or if Corp returns quickly, USC will be on target to dominate.

Debbie Downers:  Washington State – New coach, Steve Sarkisian, who last coached the Saskatchewan Roughriders, is in for a rough ride, erm I mean “transition” (do you see what I did there?).

SEC –

Cream of the Crop: Florida – This is a no brainer.  For one thing Urban Meyer has proven himself time and time again, making a lasting impact at Utah and now doing a phenomal job at Florida that includes two national championships. Secret weapon aka Orange Jesus aka the Te-boner is still hanging around and hoping to get another Heisman. The out of conference schedule isn’t particularly grueling (though they will meet in-state rival Florida State), but what else is new? Anyway, given the gauntlet that is the SEC (Georgia and LSU should both pose challenges), Florida will prove its mettle. The only other team in the SEC that comes close is Alabama, but even with Julio Jones and Mark Ingram’s eligibility intact after a poor decision to go fishing, so I have to stick with Florida.

Debbie Downers: Auburn – Gene Chizik…do I really need to say more?

Tags: ailanthus altissima, Auburn, Baylor, BCS, college football, Duke, florida, Florida State, fun times, Ohio State, Purdue, Syracuse, texas, usc, Washington State, West Virginia
Categories: Domestics

This entry was posted on Friday, September 4th, 2009 at 10:30 am and is filed under Domestics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.