The Way
They'll Finish
By AutumnSpectacle.com staff
E-mail
Ten
years of the BCS - and every year has been different.
We challenge anyone to show us a 14-week period of any sport, at any
time, that
compares with what happened in major college football in the autumn of
2007. Surprises, craziness, drama,
wire-to-wire – because of the BCS. From
Appalachian State’s win over Michigan in the Big House Labor Day
weekend, to
Dec. 2 when the bowl announcements came, it was a constantly changing,
anything-can-happen, upset-the-applecart, nobody’s-safe, screaming
competition.
Missouri
and West Virginia woke up #1 and #2 at sunrise,
Dec. 1 – just win baby. But when the lights went out that night they
had both
gone down, and Ohio State and LSU were back at the top - after they
thought
that all was lost.
So,
what will 2008 bring? One thing we know for sure: Labor Day weekend -
it’s on!
And every week, as the race unfolds - from Eugene to Blacksburg, from
Madison
to Boulder, the only thing we know for sure is: no matter who you’re
playing,
you MUST win THIS game - Today. Who will
falter? Who will survive? Really
want to know? Listen up.
Let’s
be clear – we’re not picking our pre-season Top 25 –
there are
plenty of those out there, already. We’re
predicting the winners, the champions – who
will claim the Crystal
Ball as the Final Number 1, the Final top 25 – The Way They’ll Finish
after the
last showdown.
And,
we’ll toot our horns a little. This is
the third year of our Final Top 25. In
2006, we predicted in May that Ohio State would run the table and win
it all. We were one game short, just like
the
Buckeyes.
In
2007, we nailed it. We boldly proclaimed
LSU would bring it all home and we did so, even before a player had put
on his
pads for two-a-days. We also predicted
Boise State would not follow up on their miracle in the desert, that
West
Virginia would lose at South Florida, that Oklahoma would lose in
Lubbock, that
Arizona State would return to the national radar and that Arkansas
wouldn’t
live up to the Sooie, despite having a Heisman finalist returning.
Now,
it’s time to look at 2008.
We
weighed all the factors: players, coaches, returning starters, coaching
changes, schedules, fight songs, mascots, colors, stadiums, alma
maters, battle
cries, spirit squads, tailgaters, karma, mojo, and without a doubt it’s
–
BOOMER SOONER OKU!
1. Oklahoma
Yes, Bob
Stoops can still win the big one, and he'll prove it this year as the
Sooners
bring home their eighth national championship. OU faces the same
conference
opponents at the same venues as they did in the year 2000, and again
play the
Conference Championship game in Kansas City and the National
Championship Game
in Miami. So it’s obvious - as in 2000 - the Sooners are destined
to run
the table and claim the Crystal Ball. And
besides the karma, they’ve got the talent – and
they want it bad.
With 14
starters returning, OU makes a September
statement with victories at Washington and over Cincinnati
and TCU at
home. Gaining momentum behind QB Sam Bradford, RB Demarco Murray
and
strong line play, the Schooner rolls through October,
squashing the
hated 'Horns in the Cotton Bowl as they go. November gets a little
shaky.
Following a workman-like win over Nebraska and a blitzing of Texas Tech
at
home, Oklahoma survives at Texas A&M and avoids an embarrassing
loss in
Stillwater before hammering Mizzou again for the Big 12
Title. As
in 2000, the Sooners take their bowl trip to Miami,
defeating a
Florida team for the Title. In 2000, the 'Noles were the
victims -
this time around, it's the Gators. Relax, Sooner fans - Stoops is
still
Stoops.
2. Florida
Urban
Myer’s
Florida Gators are primed for another national title run in 2008 – but
they
don’t quite get there. Behind Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, Percy
Harvin and
a much-improved defense, the Gators cruise through the regular season -
rocking
the Vols in Knoxville, beating LSU, avenging last year’s loss with a
win over
Georgia at the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party and cruising to
victory
over the ‘Noles in Tallahassee along the way. They bring home the SEC
Crown in
Atlanta, but the party ends on a down note when they step in front of a
wagonload
of Sooners on a quest for BCS redemption in the National Championship
Game.
3. Ohio State
With 18
starters back, the Buckeyes are looking for their third straight trip
to the
BCS National Championship Game - but whoa Nellie - not this
time. Bucks travel to Tinsel Town Sept. 13 to challenge Southern
Cal for a
place at the top, but limp out of the Coliseum, losing a heart-breaker.
They
bounce back strong in the Big Ten race, but drop a conference game - to
Wisconsin or Illinois on the road or Penn State at home. The Buckeyes
finish
strong with a pounding of Michigan in the Horseshoe and a revenge win
over USC
in the Rose Bowl.
4. Missouri
Behind 15
returning starters (9 on defense) and Heisman hopeful Chase Daniels at
QB, Old
Mizzou has a chance for that dream season in 2008 - and
they jump-start it with a big victory over Illinois in
the opener. Cruising through September and into October
they
chalk up conference wins over Nebraska and Oklahoma State before
falling to
Texas in a heart-stopper in Austin, Oct. 18. From there, the
Tigers win
out the regular season, topping it off with a shellacking of
Kansas at the
Border War in Kansas City. Then it's back to Arrowhead the next week
where
they're crushed by the Sooner Schooner in the Big 12 Title game.
When the
Sooners head to Miami, Missouri snags a BCS Bowl bid.
5. Southern Cal
Trojans open
with a convincing road win over Virginia in Charlottesville, then,
following an
open date, they squeeze out a monumental victory over Ohio State in the
Coliseum. It’s all down hill from there for USC, right ? Not so fast.
Pete
Carroll has 11 starters returning (just 4 back on offense) and the Men
of Troy
let one get away. At Oregon State on Sept. 25 (a Thursday night game),
Oregon
or Arizona State (back-to-back at home in October) or at cross-town
rival UCLA
Dec. 6 – the Trojans drop a conference game, but claim the Pac 10 Crown
and
return to the beloved Rose Bowl, New Years Day, where they fall to the
Buckeyes in a rematch.
6. Georgia
The
Bulldogs
have 15 starters back and face a schedule that gives them a chance to
prove
their worth. Wins in back-to-back road games at South Carolina and at
Arizona
State and over Alabama and Tennessee at home, could solidify the Dawgs
at the
top of the charts in mid-October. But they drop one in that four-game
stretch,
then fall to them Florida Gators at The World’s Largest Cocktail Party.
A third
loss, at Auburn, and a home win over rival Georgia Tech in the game
known as
“Clean Old-Fashioned Hate,” sends UGA BCS Bowling again.
7. Wisconsin
Kicking off
2008 finds the Badgers with 19 returning starters and looking for a
quarterback. With road games at Michigan, Iowa, Michigan State and
Indiana and
Ohio State and Penn State at home – they come up short twice but land a
BCS
Bowl bid.
8. LSU
Looking for
a quarterback and with only 9 starters returning, four of which are in
the offensive line. The Bengal Tigers roll, improving as
they go -
winning at Auburn, but losing at Florida and to Georgia at home.
November
victories over 'Bama and Ole Miss at home and a thumping of
Arkansas in
Little Rock send the Tigers to Atlanta where the Gators throttle
'em in
the SEC Championship Game. LSU lands in an upper-tier bowl to wrap
it up.
9. Texas Tech
The Red
Raiders bring 18 starters back, and thanks to a safe, non-conference
schedule,
rich in cupcakes (Eastern Washington, Nevada, SMU and UMass), they
stroll
through September with no losses suffered and no respect earned. The
conference
slate is another story. The Raiders drop a road game in October, and
take a
pounding from Oklahoma in Norman, Nov. 22. Their high point comes in
Lubbock,
Nov. 1, with a victory over Texas. New Year’s Day finds the Red Raiders
bowling.
10. Wake Forest
Wake roars
out of the gate with wins over and Ole Miss, Baylor and Navy at
home, but
lose at Florida State. Then, behind 15 returning starters and QB
Riley
Skinner, the Demon Deacons light up a Thursday night with a huge home
win over
Clemson, Oct. 9, and sweep out - except for a loss at
Maryland or at N.C.
State. Then it's on to Jacksonville where they bring the wood
on
VaTech for their second ACC crown in three years and a BCS Bowl
bid.
11. Texas
With 12
starters back, led by QB Colt McCoy, the Horns own September - dropping
pesky
Florida Atlantic, UTEP, Arkansas and Colorado in Boulder. But Bevo gets
skewered and barbequed at the Texas State Fair as the Longhorns are
steamrolled
by the Sooner Schooner in the Red River Rivalry. They bounce
back
strong, whipping Mizzou and Oklahoma State in Austin the next
two weeks,
but take their lumps on the road - losing at Texas Tech and at
Kansas in
November. Horns wrap up the regular season on an upswing, beating Texas
A&M
at home, then it's R and R for Bevo at a mid-level bowl.
12. Penn State
JoePa chases
Bowden with 17 starters back, but he's looking for a
quarterback. The first four weeks are friendly and the
Nittany Lions
take advantage, beating Oregon State and creampuffs Coastal Carolina
and Temple
at home, and winning at Syracuse. The Lions face four
key conference
games - Illinois in Happy Valley and Wisconsin, Ohio State and Iowa on
the road
- and they lose three of them, before finishing with home Ws over
Indiana and Michigan State and head to a nice bowl.
13. Virginia Tech
Frank
Beamer's Hokies have 11 starters and two proven quarterbacks
returning for
the defending ACC champs. They're out
of the gate quick as they travel to Charlotte to open with
a victory over a veteran East Carolina squad, and sweep
September,
with big road wins at North Carolina and Nebraska. October turns
dark for
VaTech, as they drop two in a row - at Boston College Oct. 18 and
at
Florida State Oct. 25. From there the Hokies run the table through
the
regular season, but fall to Wake Forest in the ACC at Jacksonville,
then finish
strong in a bowl.
14. South Florida
The Bulls
are 2-0 when they drill Kansas at home in a Friday night contest, Sept.
12.
From there, behind QB Matt Grothe and 15 returning starters, they fight
through
the conference slate: Pitt, at Louisville, at Cincinnati, Rutgers,
UConn –
losing twice – then beating West Virginia in the finale for the Big
East Title
and a BCS Bowl berth.
15. TCU
With 14
starters back and two experienced quarterbacks, the Horned Frogs are
fast out
of the blocks, winning at New Mexico to start, beating Stanford at
home, and
cruising until they get pummeled by Oklahoma in Norman. The Frogs
rebound,
picking up speed as they roll through the Mountain West schedule,
highlighted
by a Thursday night victory over BYU, Oct. 16, at home. Another
Thursday night
win at Utah, Nov. 6, followed by a solid win over Air force and them
TCU Horned
Frogs are BCS Bowling.
16. West Virginia
The
Mountaineers survive an early scare at East Carolina, then are upset at
Colorado in a Thursday night contest, Sept. 18. With
13 returning starters (9 on offense), led by QB
Pat White, WVU
surges through October, counting big wins at home over Rutgers and
Auburn
(another Thursday night game, Oct. 23), and at UConn, Nov. 1. The Mountaineer Express rolls on through
November until it is derailed in season-ending losses at Pitt in the
Back Yard
Brawl and to South Florida in Morgantown, before finishing on an
upswing in a
bowl game.
17. Kansas
Coming off a
magic carpet season, the defending Orange Bowl Champion Jayhawks tune
up with
two cupcakes at home before falling at South Florida, Friday, Sept. 12. With 15 starters back (9 on defense) and
returning Jr. QB Todd Reesing, the Hawks launch into Big 12 Conference
play –
losing at Oklahoma and twice more – finishing 8 – 4, and heading to an
upper –
tier bowl.
18. Oregon
Mike Bellotti’s
Oregon Ducks are looking for a quarterback to lead 5 returning
offensive
starters (12 overall). They start on a high note, beating Washington at
home to
open, but fall short on the road as the season unfolds – losing at
Purdue, at
USC, at Arizona State and at Oregon State in the Civil War finale, then
go to a
mid-level bowl.
19. Tennessee
New QB
Jonathan Compton leads 8 returning offensive starters in a revamped
offensive
system, as the Volunteers open with a big Labor Day win over UCLA in
the Rose
Bowl. They return home where they fall to Florida, followed by road
losses at
Auburn and at Georgia. From there, the Vols beat Alabama in Neyland
Stadium
while “Rocky Top” rings, then win out - except for a loss at South
Carolina -
and play in a New Year’s Day bowl.
20. Alabama
Nick Saban
goes into battle with 16 returning starters (10 on offense), and Sr. QB
John
Parker Wilson at the helm for the Crimson Tide. The Tide loses a
squeaker to
Clemson in Atlanta, beats Arkansas in Fayetteville, then loses 3 down
the
stretch – at Georgia, at Tennessee and at LSU – but ends the regular
season on
a high - breaking a 6-year drought with a Sweet Home Alabama Iron Bowl
victory
over Auburn in Tuscaloosa. Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer.
21. Michigan
Working with
2 returning offensive starters (10 overall), new head man Rich
Rodriguez
unveils the 2008 version of the Maize and Blue. The
Wolverines avoid a second straight opening loss
in The Big House
with a shaky win over Utah, but lose at Notre Dame, to Wisconsin and
Illinois
at home and are taken to the woodshed by them Buckeyes of THE Ohio
State
University in the 100 -Yard War.
22. Florida State
Bobby
Bowden's race with Joe Paterno continues, neck-and-neck, and
Bowden starts
the 2008 campaign with a squad depleted by 3-game disciplinary
suspensions. In the face of the suspensions, the Seminoles coast
through two
wins over cupcakes and take a nail-biter over Wake Forest at
home
in an Atlantic Division showdown. With the suspensions lifted, the
'Noles
plow ahead to wins over Colorado in Jacksonville, the Caines in Miami
and
N.C. State before losing to Virginia Tech at home and
the
Ramblin' Wreck of Georgia Tech in Atlanta. FSU beats Clemson and loses
to BC at
home, then wins at Maryland, before dropping the regular
season
finale to in-state rival Florida in Doak Campbell Stadium.
23. Tulsa
The Golden
Hurricane take advantage of a schedule well-stocked with cupcakes and
conference showdowns at home. They host conference foes Rice,
UTEP, UCF
and Tulane, and win them all. Their lone regular season loss comes
Nov. 1
at the hands of them Arkansas Razorbacks in Fayetteville. The
Hurricane falls to East Carolina in the Conference USA
Championship Game
and goes bowling.
24. Clemson
With 15
starters back, the Tigers come roaring out of the gate with an
opening
victory over Alabama in Atlanta, Labor Day weekend, and pick up speed
with wins
over conference foes N.C. State and Maryland, and cupcakes The Citadel
and South
Carolina State. They suffer their first loss at Wake Forest, Oct. 9,
then drop
two more on successive November Saturdays – at Boston College and at
Florida
State. A sweet win over in-state
rival
South Carolina, at home, brings down the curtain on the regular season.
25. Brigham Young
With 8
returning offensive starters led by Jr. QB Max Hall, BYU’s high - powered offense fuels three wins through
September – but with just 3 defensive starters back, they lose either
at
Washington or to UCLA at home. The Cougars plow into October with
conference
wins over Wyoming and New Mexico, but lose a Thursday night showdown at
TCU
Oct. 16. They close out the regular season by winning 4 of their last 5
– the
loss coming either at Air Force or rival at Utah in their last two
games.
But what about these...?
Notre Dame
Last year’s
3-9 record was demoralizing to everyone in the Irish Nation, to say the
least.
This season will show whether Notre Dame is headed back to where they
should
be. Recruiting has been outstanding, but when will it pay off? 2009 –
that’s
when it’s time to get it done – the Men of Troy return to The House
That Rock
Built in October,’ 09, and that’s when it’s time for the Fighting Irish
to be
back in the hunt. In the meantime, improvement is the order of the day
– every
day.
Auburn
They say
they’re moving from Tommy Tubervillle’s smash-mouth offense to the
spread –
we’ll see. The Tigers will be solid, but we count 4 losses: either at Mississippi State or to Tennessee
at home, LSU at home, at West Virginia on Thursday night, Oct. 23 and
to the
Alabama Crimson Tide in the Iron Bowl, T-Town.
Arizona State
With 6
offensive starters back (13 overall) and Sr. QB Rudy Carpenter at the
controls,
the Sun Devils win their first three, then fall to Georgia at home
Sept. 20.
From there, they face four conference difference-makers – at Cal, at
USC,
Oregon at home and at Washington – and lose two of them, before losing
at rival
Arizona to close it out.
Fresno State
Pat Hill
welcomes back 16 returning starters (9 on offense) Sr. QB Tom
Brandstater, and
a schedule that gives the Bulldogs a chance to make a splash. With 3
BCS non -
conference opponents, they could rocket up the charts – if they win ‘em. Not this time. Fresno opens with losses at
Rutgers and to Wisconsin at home then finds a win at Toledo and loses
to UCLA
in the Rose Bowl to round out September. From there they win 7 of their
last 8
– losing at Boise State in the final regular season contest.
Florida Atlantic
The
defending conference champions return a boatload of starters (18 total)
led by
NFL-caliber QB Rusty Smith. This is not
your normal Sun Belt team so don’t be surprised when they give Texas
all they
want on opening weekend. They also play
at Michigan State and at Minnesota and we think they’ll win at least
one of
their three contests with the big boys. Howard
Schnellenberger’s ’08 Owls are his best yet and a second straight
league title
gets them to a bowl again and closer to an invitation to the Big East
after
2010.
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