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The @MACSports 2013 Preseason Top 5 Rundown!!!

August 19, 2013 benchwarmer42Leave a comment

2013 MId-American Conference Top 5 Teams Rundown!

As the clock ticks passing the minutes and seconds by, moving us closer to kick-off of the 2013 College Football season, we find ourselves at the preview of one of our favorite conferences in all of College Football, The MAC! The MAC conference has been underrated for far too long and the level of football they play is on par with every other non-major and as we found out last year, they might be from top to bottom the best. This season the conference is looking at building off of the momentum of NIU’s appearance in a BCS game last year and while their performance is nothing to write home about, it was a sign of where the conference is heading. We are a little disappointed with the preseason love the MAC is getting from most of the preseason magazines and websites but don’t worry MAC fans, we are here to bring the MAC some love! In ranking this conference we see five, that’s right five teams that could be competitive to win the MAC title for 2013 and that means that this conference has depth! Not only do those six teams have a shot at the title, look for an upset against a major conference team by each of the six and while Vegas might not have it as a big upset the national media will pick it up that way. So without further delay let’s get to the Top 5 teams that our crack team have come up with…Here’s the MAC 2013 Preseason Rundown!!!

1. Ohio Bobcats 10-2

The 2012 season for the Bobcats was set up to be a special one until a series of injuries took the wind out of their perfect season sails. It was a season that had everyone looking at them to be the BCS busters after an opening day victory at Penn State and an 8-0 starting record, this year we don’t see the upset in week one as they face Louisville but from there, we see them running off 8 wins and putting them in familiar territory as we approach November and games with the two other teams who will be battling for the East title in, Bowling Green and Kent State. This year we expect a different result and see them winning at least one of those two, providing them the opportunity to play for a MAC title. Ohio brings back 11 starters from last year and while the majority of those returners are on offense, we like the way the schedule will provide enough time for the defense to come together before their toughest conference games. On offense, they are led by QB Tettleton, RB Blankenship and an offensive line featuring three seniors, while on defense the don’t have the same in-game experience, they do have talent in every section. Coach Solich and his coordinators have built a program that is ready to prove that they are the best in the MAC East after a disappointment last year.

2. Northern Illinois 9-3

Northern Illinois and their QB Jordan Lynch took advantage of a very strong MAC Conference last year, closed the season out, got lucky a couple of times and turned that into an appearance in the Orange Bowl. This was the conference’s first appearance in a BCS game and rightfully it was Northern Illinois, the Huskies had just come off two straight 11 win seasons and put together the whole package taking it down to the last play of the MAC Title game to make it to Florida. The problem with all of this, was once they made it to the Orange Bowl, they met a very hungry Florida St team, that if things would’ve fallen in FSU’s direction could’ve easily met up with Alabama in the Championship game. This years campaign, as last years, will come down to the leadership of Lynch and some playmakers on defense. Their major weakness is the left side of the offensive line but if they come together, the season will rest on back to back games with Toledo and Ball St. We are going to take the Huskies to the MAC Title, were they will lose to Ohio. Take note, we here at the Rundown, aren’t saying they are a lock. Watch out for Toledo and Ball State and read below!

3. Ball State Cardinals 9-3

Every now and then, you have to look for a team that was so close all year the year before and are finally ready to make a special run. We feel that this is the year for Ball State! Last year Ball State had a ton of question marks and most thought that a schedule would get the best of them, after a 3-3 start, which featured losses to Clemson, Northern Illinois and Kent State, it also featured wins against South Florida and Indiana. From there the Cardinals went on a six game win streak before stubbing their toe in the bowl game against UCF. This year, Ball State features an amazing 14 returning starters but are going to have to replace 4 of their offensive linemen and all of their linebackers on defense. The plus side, double digit senior starters throughout the team and with the leadership intact on offense, Ball State is set up for a schedule where their toughest out of conference game is Virginia on the road and in conference Toledo and Kent St at home with NIU on the road. If the pieces that are new this season can get comfortable by week five look for Ball State to have a chance on November 13th at Northern Illinois to play for a MAC West Championship.

4. Bowling Green Falcons 8-4

Bowling Green was hot down the stretch in 2012, they were riding a six game winning streak when they met Kent State at home with a chance to play in the MAC Championship hanging above them. As history shows us, the lost to Kent State was painful but the season for Bowling Green was still a huge move in the right direction for Dave Clawson, who is now entering his 5th year as coach for the Falcons. Bowling Green fans hope that the momentum built last season will carry over to Bowling Greens opening game of 2013, when they face Tulsa at home. This game could blow-up our other conference predictions and is a complete trap game for Tulsa. We like Bowling Green but not in that upset, we do like them beating Kent State the next week on the road to establish an early position in the MAC. THe schedule is not set up for a six game streak with games against an improved Indiana team, Mississippi State on the road, home against Toledo and Ohio before two easy finishers. If they had Ball State’s schedule we would call for them to be looking at an undefeated season but with the tough games spread out and a hard enough out of conference line-up, unlike most of the publications out there, we don’t see Bowling Green playing for the MAC title but we do see them bowling in December.

5. Toledo Rockets 7-5

The Rockets are going to be explosive of offense in the 2013 season, ok that was an easy one. In joking aside, Toledo is returning all conference playmakers led by a senior QB in Owens but will have to score and score often with a defense that is only returning two starters and have no time to adjust playing Florida and Missouri right out of the gates. Last year, Toledo won eight in a row sandwiched between an opening day loss against Arizona in OT and losing to Ball State on Nov. 6th by a touchdown. Things in Toledo are moving in the right direction on offense but a defense that was one of the worst in the MAC last year is going to hold Toledo back this year from making it to the title game in 2013. The Rockets are going to be fun to watch and the offense will keep them in most of their games but we look for a step back in the win column albeit a small step.

AP PRESEASON TOP 25 RELEASED

August 17, 2013August 19, 2013 benchwarmer42Leave a comment

AP Top 25 Released with No Surprises
August 17, 2013

Today the AP Top 25 College Football poll was released with no surprises and very little to spark up new conversation.

1. Alabama
2012 Record: 13-1
Coaches Poll: 1
First Game: vs. Virginia Tech

2. Ohio State
2012 Record: 12-0
Coaches Poll: 2
First Game: Buffalo

3. Oregon
2012 Record: 12-1
Coaches Poll: 3
First Game: Nicholls State

4. Stanford
2012 Record: 12-2
Coaches Poll: 4
First Game: San Jose State

5. Georgia
2012 Record: 12-2
Coaches Poll: 5
First Game: at Clemson

6. South Carolina
2012 Record: 11-2
Coaches Poll: 7
First Game: North Carolina

7. Texas A&M
2012 Record: 11-2
Coaches Poll: 6
First Game: Rice

8. Clemson
2012 Record: 11-2
Coaches Poll: 8
First Game: Georgia

9. Louisville
2012 Record: 11-2
Coaches Poll: 9
First Game: Ohio

10. Florida
2012 Record: 11-2
Coaches Poll: 10
First Game: Toledo

11. Florida State
2012 Record: 12-2
Coaches Poll: 12
First Game: at Pittsburgh

12. LSU
2012 Record: 10-3
Coaches Poll: 13
First Game: vs. TCU

13. Oklahoma State
2012 Record: 8-5
Coaches Poll: 14
First Game: vs. Mississippi State

14. Notre Dame
2012 Record: 12-1
Coaches Poll: 11
First Game: Temple

15. Texas
2012 Record: 9-4
Coaches Poll: 15
First Game: New Mexico State

16. Oklahoma
2012 Record: 10-3
Coaches Poll: 16
First Game: Louisiana-Monroe

17. Michigan
2012 Record: 8-5
Coaches Poll: 17
First Game: Central Michigan

18. Nebraska
2012 Record: 10-4
Coaches Poll: 18
First Game: Wyoming

19. Boise State
2012 Record: 11-2
Coaches Poll: 19
First Game: at Washington

20. TCU
2012 Record: 7-6
Coaches Poll: 20
First Game: vs. LSU

21. UCLA
2012 Record: 9-5
Coaches Poll: 21
First Game: Nevada

22. Northwestern
2012 Record: 10-3
Coaches Poll: 22
First Game: at Cal

23. Wisconsin
2012 Record: 8-6
Coaches Poll: 23
First Game: UMass

24. USC
2012 Record: 7-6
Coaches Poll: 24
First Game: at Hawaii

25. Oregon State
2012 Record: 9-4
Coaches Poll: 25
First Game: Eastern Washington

[via http://www.cbssports.com]

@CONFERENCE_USA 2013 PRESEASON TOP 5!!!!

August 8, 2013August 11, 2013 benchwarmer421 Comment

Conference USA 2013 Preseason Top 5

The 2013 version of Conference USA, the 2012 version of Conference USA, and the 2014 Version of Conference USA will all be different. With the ever-changing landscape of college football still in motion, Conference USA will find itself in motion for one more year. The new conference welcomes a collection of teams from Sun Belt and WAC with only one of those six that will make an immediate impact, the rest will have to wait. Now in it’s 19th season, Conference USA is proving to be a conference where teams can take the next step in developing it’s football program. One of the newcomers that has caught our eye is the University of Texas San Antonio. In 2012 we predicted that UTSA would have a winning record, they proved us right. This year we’re not going to make the same prediction but we love what is happening with this program in San Antonio. Larry Coker might be the most disrespected coach with a National Championship in the recent history of college football. Coach Coker has found a new life with the Roadrunners in San Antonio, with a program that had never played a down of football the Roadrunners have posted a 12-10 record in two years. Now, it’s big boy football time for UTSA and waiting for them this year, they will have home games against Oklahoma St, Houston, and Rice. This will be an interesting test and pay attention to the Sep 7th game against the Cowboys, it’s going to tell us more then most people realize about future of Roadrunner Football. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s finally get to the Rivals Rundown of Conference USA 2013 Preseason Top 5. Here’s the Rundown…

1. Rice 9-3 (West Division Champion)

When pinning two programs head to head, normally we take the home team, in the case of Rice vs Tulsa, we are taking Rice which leaves us picking them as one of the surprise teams of college football for 2013. Last year RIce won six of it’s last 7 games finishing it off with a bowl victory against Air Force. The season and the finish was an important hurdle for a program trying to build a winning mentality with it’s players. Head Coach David Bailiff is going into his 7th year at Rice with his most experienced team on both offense and defense. We love the fact that they have 18 returning starters with 10 of those being seniors. The schedule will start off with it’s toughest team on the road at Texas A&M, from there they get 3 home games until their conference fate could be decided with a road game against Tulsa. No matter what will happen in the match ups with A&M and Tulsa, Rice has an extremely winnable schedule and we are looking for them to take the West Division and the overall Championship for Conference USA. We know our TV will be ready for that A&M game to see where Rice stacks up!

2. Tulsa 9-3

Tulsa is becoming a safe pick, that’s why the majority of preseason publications have them winning the West Division and winning the entire conference. We see problems with Tulsa and think this will be a little bit of a down year, unless there defense adopts early. The strength for Tulsa this year is found with their offense, they return a senior QB and their top WR’s to a solid which should show improvement on offensive production vs 2012. That production will make up for some of the losses on defense but not all. Tulsa lost all but two starters on a defense that by the end of the year ranked 25th overall in production. We see a drop in defense and tough games, against equal or superior offenses in Bowling Green, East Carolina, Oklahoma, and Rice. Not to mention tough match-ups with Iowa State and Marshall. We are calling for Tulsa to match the 9-3 regular season mark of 2012 but a loss to Rice will place them on the sidelines for the C-USA Championship.

3. East Carolina 8-4 (East Division Champions)

We have a problem at our number three pick on the C-USA Rundown, the problem is that we honestly think East Carolina is the third best team… We know that doesn’t sound like a problem, the problem is that Marshall could end up with a better record because of their schedule. East Carolina has a schedule that features away games against North Carolina and N.C. State while Marshall has Miami of Ohio and University of Ohio in the same non-conference two games. Both teams play Virginia Tech as an equalizer. So, for our Rundown we are going with the Pirates but by the slimmest of margins. East Carolina features 8 returning starters on both sides of the ball which should show solid improvements. The defense will have to adjust to a new coaching staff but have two very winnable games to start the schedule and get everyone on the same page. The offense showed it’s explosiveness in the last 6 regular season games winning 5 of 6 before stumbling in it’s bowl game. The match-up against Virginia Tech at home could spell for a special season if East Carolina can pull the major upset. Look for the Pirates to equal their win total from 2012 in the regular season and play for a conference title.

4. Marshall Thundering Herd 8-4

We mentioned the schedule in our preview for East Carolina and we mentioned the win total. We mentioned that we like the Pirates to win the conference but look for the Thundering Herd to be in the race until the final of the regular season on Nov. 30th against the Pirates in Huntington. Marshall is looking to finally return to it’s past glory and could easily trade a prediction for a 10 win season. They return leaders on both sides of the ball and coach Doc Holiday has put together an offense that ranked in the top 10 last season for scoring and number one overall for passing yards per game. If the Herd perform they could be 8-1 entering their finally three games of the season which features Tulsa and East Carolina. Again, we feel that East Carolina is the better team but the schedule could be the thing the propels Marshall to the top and playing for a title.

5. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders 8-4

The new kid on the block gets no love as the Blue Raiders enter Conference USA from the Sun Belt playing a new slate of opponents and tough road games out of conference with North Carolina and BYU. They do get both Marshall and East Carolina at home which well help them in their toughest conference match-ups. The questions that leave them out of the talk of winning the division come on both sides of the ball where they must become more efficient against some better offenses then what they faced last season. We like the future of Middle Tennessee and expect a successful season ending in a much deserved bowl birth!

2013 @BIGX12COFERENCE PRESEASON TOP 5 PREDICTIONS

August 5, 2013 benchwarmer42Leave a comment

Big XII Conference Top 5 Preseason Predictions

The Big XII Conference going into the 2013 season is one of the most wide open, if not the most wide open race in the country. In looking at the teams, there is not a standout…There is no Ohio State or Alabama, which is inconceivable in a conference with college football powers like Texas and Oklahoma. On the other side of the coin, there are four teams that could all be in the BCS conversation come November, so here is our best guess…The Rundown:

1. University of Texas Longhorns 10-2

On paper, the Longhorns would be the team to beat for us going into 2013, if it wasn’t for a shaky quarterback performance by Ash last year and if it wasn’t for the complete embarrassment that Texas put up against Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout, we might all be talking about how this is the year Mack Brown’s boys are going back to the National Championship Game! Looking back in 2012, The Longhorns weretwo scores away from being 10-2..think about that, a team that returns 17 starters was only 2 touchdowns away from a double digit season. This year looking forward, Texas gets some decent competition early with a road game to BYU and a home game against Ole Miss, this will set them up for their first test against the ageless wonder Bill Snyder and Kansas St. That game will tell us a lot about both teams, we like Texas in that one and look for them to avenge the losses to West Virginia and TCU, oh and also we’re taking them against Oklahoma. The trouble we see is Oklahoma St and Baylor… Texas doesn’t have to be perfect to make the BCS and we like those odds.

2. Oklahoma State Cowboys 10-2

Mike Gundy is one of our favorite coaches in the country, if we had a coaching vacancy here at the RR he would make the short list! Gundy this year isn’t quite locked and loaded with a 2011 team here but he has stocked the selves with enough talent that it could be a plug-n-play type of year in Stillwater. Oklahoma State has enough returners on defense to be good, the problem this year was same as last year with a defense that gave up 30 or more points in every loss. They will have to bring that number down to give this offense a chance to shine. We like the chances for the Cowboys to compete for a Big XII title and we might be putting them in our number one spot it they had Texas at home but the don’t so they fall to number two. Don’t be surprised if they open the season 9-0 and lose two of their last three.

3. Texas Christian University Horned Frogs 9-3

We’ve all heard that “Defense” wins Championships! Well, TCU has a defense returning in 2013 that could be ranked in the top 10 maybe the top 5 in all the country by season’s end. They return 9 starters, filling in one gap with a senior, on a defense that was the best in the conference and finished in the top 20 last year. The questions come on offense, mainly the offensive line, where the Frogs are looking to fill holes in a line that under-preformed last year. Looking at the playmakers on offense, TCU has new life getting back two of their leaders that went down in 2012 to injury, QB Pachall now a senior and RB James. If you take a step back you will see a defense that will keep them close and an offense that now has leadership..we like that combination and give TCU our “Outsiders” shot to win the Big XII.

4. University of Oklahoma Sooners 9-3

We made a statement in the opening that the Big XII race was wide freaking open and this is why. The University of Oklahoma Sooners falls to our number four spot, while we still haven’t talked about K-State, Baylor, and West Virginia all teams that if the cards fall right will break the top four by seasons end, so what does it mean? It means that this conference from top to bottom even with it’s recent losses is still one of the toughest in the country. We see Oklahoma as a 10 win a year program, it’s a winning bet but with what we just said this year they are going to have a tough task at matching last year’s win total. If they get the right bowl match-up look for another 10 wins. Oklahoma on offense has solid returners on the O-line and some playmakers with RB Williams and WR Saunders but without a leader at QB this offense is going to have trouble keeping up with some of the more high-scoring offenses. The other trouble show’s up on defense were a lack of experience mixed with a complete remodel makes us think, Stoop’s year is 2014.

5. Baylor Bears 8-4

2013 is going to be the year were Baylor get the chance to show if it’s an every year top 25 preseason pick or if they will take a couple of years between to rebuild rather then reload. Last year Baylor surprised a lot, including us, showing that after losing RGIII, they could still compete for a shot at the Big XII Title, this year however, we don’t see that happening. In a league where the top programs are out to prove something against the SEC and PAC 12, we look for Baylor to have a successful season, no title but getting ready for the next two season. With that being said, they do have Texas and Oklahoma at home, we like them to have an upset in one of those two.

2013 @B1GFootball Conference Preseason Top 5* Predictions

July 30, 2013 benchwarmer42Leave a comment

When the Big Ten realigned and added Nebraska, it appeared that they would be the most complete conference behind the SEC. However, in a flash Penn State imploded as a football powerhouse, Ohio State was faced with violations, Michigan appeared to be in a longer rebuilding process and Michigan State couldn’t overcome the larger hurdles. This left Wisconsin to go for 3 consecutive B1G Titles, a feat that seemed unbelievable, then they lose their coach to the SEC. So where does this leave the conference now… The B1G has huge upside this year but the depth of the conference is questionable and could haunt a potential BCS contender. Without further discussion, let’s get too it… Here is the Rundown for the Top 5* Teams in the B1G Conference for 2013!

1. The Ohio State Buckeyes 11-1 (Leaders Division Champion)
Last season the Buckeyes escaped two overtime games against Purdue and Wisconsin with victories, they beat Michigan by 5 and slipped by Michigan St. by one point and found themselves with a perfect season, normally that would be one heck of a season but without the chance to prove themselves against Alabama, they enter the 2013 season with unfinished business. Ohio State has reasons to believe that this year will be no different, they get help with an offense that returns 9 starters and a schedule that features the football powerhouses of Buffalo, San Diego St, and Florida A&M. They also get Wisconsin and Penn State at home before getting to a November that has 3 of 4 games on the road, with a (don’t laugh) much improved Indiana program as the only home game. We like the chances of Ohio State playing for a National Title, but feel like they will slip up and lose one game before playing for a B1G championship and don’t see them making the BCS Championship Game.

2. University of Nebraska Cornhuskers 11-1 (Legends Division Champion)
The Cornhuskers have finished with only four losses for the last 5 seasons, yet if you are a Nebraska fan, you can’t be satisfied with anything, especially with an ending last year that featured one of the most embarrassing losses, on one of the biggest stages in school history. If there was a year for a program looking to prove that they have officially returned to the main stage this is it for the Huskers. They have an offense that is going to score and score often to keep them in every game and will blowout it’s lesser opponents. The questions remain on defense where they have to replace 8 positions with a collection of new faces and juco transfers but with a schedule that is lined up for them to be 8-0 with a match-up with Michigan, we like the Huskers to return to the B1G title game and this time, they will show-up. Look for the Huskers to be in a BCS game and maybe a trip to Pasadena.

3. University of Michigan Wolverines 9-3
We like the look of Michigan, they have the right schedule featuring home games against Notre Dame, Indiana, Nebraska, and Ohio State. We like what their coach Brady Hoke is putting together in Ann Arbor, with solid recruiting and playmakers on both sides of the ball, but we don’t like them on the toughness meeter…meaning they have to replace too many starters within the trenches and we see them getting better and improving from the 8-5 season they had last year, but talks about them playing for a B1G championship or a BCS game will have to wait another year.

4. Northwestern Wildcats 9-3
Ok, this just feels weird. We’ve now picked Northwestern before Wisconsin, Michigan St and Penn State… what the #*$% is going on here! So, last year Northwestern proved that they could play with everyone! They had no bad losses and came within a couple of touchdowns of having a 10 win regular season, this year Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats might hit the double digits again with a bowl win and easily could prove to be the number four team in the conference overall. They return a solid and exciting group on offense and have enough talent and returns on defense to hold off it’s competitors. We like the idea of back to back 10 wins for this Northwestern team and maybe their best season yet under coach Fitzgerald.

5. Indiana University Hoosiers 9-3
This is a hard pick, this might be a surprise and this might be overreaching but in making preseason predictions, sometimes you have to take a bold step out and look for a program to turn a corner. This might be our best pick and it could be our worst but we are picking Indiana as the fifth, that’s right fifth best team in all of the B1G conference this year. Looking backwards first, Indiana finished 4-8, which if you factor close games that could’ve swung in their direction with a little more experience, they could’ve ended easily at 7-5, if that would’ve happened, we think everyone would be talking about them turning the corner this year, like they are with Northwester, as a football program and coach Kevin Wilson as the real deal, so we are. If they make it past a couple of tough home games early against Bowling Green (yes, an early game against a good MAC team looking to prove something will be tough) and Missouri, look for a 4-0 record going into a home game against Penn St, where a win could put them on the map. Make no mistakes, we are not picking them to win the conference but we think that Wilson has the pieces he needs at the right time to make a surprise run and put together a great season for the Hoosiers.

6. Michigan State Spartans 8-4
So this is just crazy…We have completed our top half of the B1G conference and no Wisconsin and no Penn State but Michigan State deserves this spot! Last year they lost 4 of their last 7 but they played well in all of those games, suffering only a bad loss in OT against a down Iowa team. This year they return leadership on both sides of the ball with 14 starters coming back for the Spartans, they have a schedule which has no Wisconsin, no Ohio State, and no Penn State and they will be in every game till the end. Don’t be surprised if Michigan State finds themselves in the race for the legends division, we wont.