August and two-a-days are just around the corner, so here is our end of the summer look at each conference:
ACC: Atlantic: Florida State remains a solid favorite to win this division. Miami appears to be their only tough conference away game. Clemson got a huge break when QB Kyle parker decided to return. With a solid defense, they have an outside shot at Florida State. Boston College will have to find an offense.
Coastal: Wide open here. Va. Tech may have the best all around team but must go to North Carolina and Miami on back to back weeks. UNC has one of the best defenses in the nation, but will have to put points on the board. They go to Florida State and Miami. Ga.Tech has the best offense, but has to learn how to stop other teams. They go to UNC and Virginia Tech. Miami may have the best athletes, but must find some consistancy. They go to Ga.Tech, and have a rough 3 game road trip to Ohio State, Pitt, and Clemson.
Big East: Take you pick here. Four contenders here in Pitt, West Virginia, Cincinnati and UConn. Rutgers and USF can be very tough at home. We give a slight edge to West Virginia, because of their returning talent, but because of their H.C, that is a very "iffy" edge. Pitt has a solid Heisman Candidate in RB Lewis, but must replance their QB and offensive line. Both Cincinnati and UConn bring back solid talent. Home dogs may be worth a solid look in this conference.
Big 10: A three team race here. Ohio State is the popular favorite, and is mentioned as a candidate for the N.C. Game. Their problem is that they must travel to their two biggest challengers, Iowa and Wisconsin. This team returns 16 starters and is very solid. It will be up to QB Pryor. Wisconsin is our choice to pull a possible upset here. Wisky returns 10 starters on offense, does not play Penn State, and gets Ohio State at home. This team looks like a solid 10 or more win team. Basically they have two games to win to go to the big game. Iowa has the best defense in the Big 10 returning. They also get Penn State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin at home. Their biggest concern will be on the right side of the offensive line. Penn State will be able to suprise anyone, but will lack the consistancy to challenge.
Big 12: North: This is all Nebraska. 15 starters return. Missouri is their only legitimate competition and Nebraska gets Mizzou, Texas, Kansas and Colorado all at home.
South: The usual two team race here. At first, we backed Texas because of their defense, but after a closer look, we are leaning to Oklahoma, because of their experienced QB and talent at the skill positions. No one else in the division will challenge, but Texas A&M will light up the scoreboard.
Pac 10: Good Luck with this conference. The best team may be ineligable. USC can not go to a bowl game this season, but they still can win games. Oregon appears to be the favorite, but needs a new QB, some solid play by the defensive front 4, and some discipline. Oregon State plays a very difficult non-con schedule, but still has the Rodgers brothers. Washington returns a powerful offense including Heisman Candidate Locker, but needs work on the defense. Stanford returns an excellent QB, but loses Gerhart. Arizona returns 9 on offense, but only 4 on defense. Cal is an enigma. They should have a solid offense, but the defense needs work, and they have to find some consistancy. UCLA has to get it together on the sidelines, and loses a lot on defense. Arizona State and Wazzu appear outdistanced this season.
SEC: East: Florida returns a team with a lot of talent, all be it raw talent. Brantley takes over for Tebow. How the new talent develops will tell the tale for them in 2010. Georgia returns 10 on offense and goes to a 3-4 on defense. If new QB Murray does not give away anything, UGA could challenge. South Carolina returns 17 starters, including QB Garcia, but must overcome it's inconsistancy problems.
West: Alabama returns a ton of talent on offense, and has a ton of raw inexperienced talent on defense. That inexperienced talent will determine if Alabama goes back to the N.C. game. Arkansas gets Alabama at home, and returns Heisman Candidate Mallett. The defense will determine how far this team goes. Auburn returns 7 starters on each side of the ball, but must break in a new QB and tighten up the defense. LSU simply does not have the offensive talent to challenge in the SEC this season. The schedule is no help either.
ACC: Atlantic: Florida State remains a solid favorite to win this division. Miami appears to be their only tough conference away game. Clemson got a huge break when QB Kyle parker decided to return. With a solid defense, they have an outside shot at Florida State. Boston College will have to find an offense.
Coastal: Wide open here. Va. Tech may have the best all around team but must go to North Carolina and Miami on back to back weeks. UNC has one of the best defenses in the nation, but will have to put points on the board. They go to Florida State and Miami. Ga.Tech has the best offense, but has to learn how to stop other teams. They go to UNC and Virginia Tech. Miami may have the best athletes, but must find some consistancy. They go to Ga.Tech, and have a rough 3 game road trip to Ohio State, Pitt, and Clemson.
Big East: Take you pick here. Four contenders here in Pitt, West Virginia, Cincinnati and UConn. Rutgers and USF can be very tough at home. We give a slight edge to West Virginia, because of their returning talent, but because of their H.C, that is a very "iffy" edge. Pitt has a solid Heisman Candidate in RB Lewis, but must replance their QB and offensive line. Both Cincinnati and UConn bring back solid talent. Home dogs may be worth a solid look in this conference.
Big 10: A three team race here. Ohio State is the popular favorite, and is mentioned as a candidate for the N.C. Game. Their problem is that they must travel to their two biggest challengers, Iowa and Wisconsin. This team returns 16 starters and is very solid. It will be up to QB Pryor. Wisconsin is our choice to pull a possible upset here. Wisky returns 10 starters on offense, does not play Penn State, and gets Ohio State at home. This team looks like a solid 10 or more win team. Basically they have two games to win to go to the big game. Iowa has the best defense in the Big 10 returning. They also get Penn State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin at home. Their biggest concern will be on the right side of the offensive line. Penn State will be able to suprise anyone, but will lack the consistancy to challenge.
Big 12: North: This is all Nebraska. 15 starters return. Missouri is their only legitimate competition and Nebraska gets Mizzou, Texas, Kansas and Colorado all at home.
South: The usual two team race here. At first, we backed Texas because of their defense, but after a closer look, we are leaning to Oklahoma, because of their experienced QB and talent at the skill positions. No one else in the division will challenge, but Texas A&M will light up the scoreboard.
Pac 10: Good Luck with this conference. The best team may be ineligable. USC can not go to a bowl game this season, but they still can win games. Oregon appears to be the favorite, but needs a new QB, some solid play by the defensive front 4, and some discipline. Oregon State plays a very difficult non-con schedule, but still has the Rodgers brothers. Washington returns a powerful offense including Heisman Candidate Locker, but needs work on the defense. Stanford returns an excellent QB, but loses Gerhart. Arizona returns 9 on offense, but only 4 on defense. Cal is an enigma. They should have a solid offense, but the defense needs work, and they have to find some consistancy. UCLA has to get it together on the sidelines, and loses a lot on defense. Arizona State and Wazzu appear outdistanced this season.
SEC: East: Florida returns a team with a lot of talent, all be it raw talent. Brantley takes over for Tebow. How the new talent develops will tell the tale for them in 2010. Georgia returns 10 on offense and goes to a 3-4 on defense. If new QB Murray does not give away anything, UGA could challenge. South Carolina returns 17 starters, including QB Garcia, but must overcome it's inconsistancy problems.
West: Alabama returns a ton of talent on offense, and has a ton of raw inexperienced talent on defense. That inexperienced talent will determine if Alabama goes back to the N.C. game. Arkansas gets Alabama at home, and returns Heisman Candidate Mallett. The defense will determine how far this team goes. Auburn returns 7 starters on each side of the ball, but must break in a new QB and tighten up the defense. LSU simply does not have the offensive talent to challenge in the SEC this season. The schedule is no help either.
