College Football 2008

The only good thing about the end of summer is the sounds of shoulder pads popping and chin straps being buckled up.

Yes, wife of mine, it’s football season.

The college football season kicks off this week with the top storyline in place, can Ohio State make it to a 3rd straight national title game?

I hope not. I can't take anymore.

Watching the slow, overrated Buckeyes chasing SEC ball carriers up and down the field has gotten old. The Big Ten is never as good as the media makes it out to be. What you have is a collection of slow, deliberate teams duking it out each season to see who is going to get whipped in a BCS game.

Who will win the Heisman?

Who will play for, and win, the national title?

Time to tackle a few questions and add some observations as the season is slated to being:

1. Missouri’s Chase Daniel will win the Heisman Trophy. The Tigers are stocked with talent and will be the best team in the Big 12. Daniel wins the Heisman after leading Mizzou to the national title game. Of course, Heisman winners don’t win national titles, so……………

2. Southern California will claim the national title with a win over Missouri in the Orange Bowl. Be it Mark Sanchez or Mitch Mustain, the Trojans will have enough to beat Ohio State in September and be the best of the one-loss teams vying for the Orange Bowl. SC will stumble once in conference play, but they’ll be back in the national title game.

3. Ohio State will lose at USC on September 13. I can’t see how so many people are picking the Buckeyes to win this game. Yes, they are talented and return a lot of starters.
But, THEY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH SPEED TO WIN GAMES LIKE THIS!!!!!!!!!!! HAVEN’T YOU BEEN WATCHING?
I feel better, thanks for letting me vent. Besides, take a look at USC’s record in non-conference games during the Pete Carroll era. They don’t lose. Look it up.
Also, add a loss to Wisconsin to the Buckeyes and we’ll see you in the Capital One Bowl, OSU fans.

4. Daniel will be joined in New York City for the Heisman presentation by Tim Tebow (Florida), Pat White (West Virginia), Noel Devine (West Virginia), and Graham Harrell (Texas Tech). Devine, a sophomore RB, is the sleeper of the group. With Steve Slaton in the NFL, Devine will emerge in a big way this season.

5. Preseason #1 Georgia will win the SEC and go to a BCS game but they won’t play for the national title. A gauntlet of a schedule will take its toll on Mark Richt’s club.

6. Oklahoma will win the Big 12 South, lose to Mizzou in the conference title game, and then get its doors blown off in a BCS game. Just another year.

7. Notre Dame will win more than in ’07, even if they aren’t any better. The heat is on Charlie Weis in South Bend. The schedule is easier, which will help. The Irish will go bowling.

8.Kansas will slip and Texas Tech will let down again. Everything broke right for Mark Mangino's cinderella Jayhawks last year. A tougher schedule and the national spotlight will derail thoughts of another miracle season in Lawrence. For Texas Tech, it’s now or never. Mike Leach’s boys will have some big moments this year but will come up short twice in big spots, like they always do.

9. Clemson will win the mediocre ACC and nobody will care.

10. Meeeeeechigan will struggle this season. The Wolverines are at least a year away as Rich Rodriguez comes over from West Virginia. Michigan will lose its season opener (remember Appalachian State?) to a veteran Utah team. The Utes, not BYU, will be the underdog team that rolls into the BCS.

And.....Bo Pelini will get Nebraska back to a bowl game. The Huskers aren't as talented on D as in the past but expect big-time effort and aggresiveness from the Blackshirt defense. QB Joe Ganz won't fly under the radar for very long. Ganz will emerge from the shadows cast by fellow Big 12 QB's Daniel, Todd Reesing (Kansas), and OU's Sam Bradford and team with RB Marlon Lucky to give Nebraska one of the top offenses in the country.

The Bill Callahan era in Lincoln is already forgotten. I'm sleeping better at night, thank you.