Houston Nutt ponders Ole Miss's chances to play in a BCS Bowl. You know, in between visions of pork rinds.
Sure, it’s way too early to correctly predict the contestants in 2009-2010 “not a playoff” championship series. No one knows who will become this year’s Cincinnati (hint: it’s South Florida) or Utah (hint: it’s TCU). And it’s hard to tell who will win the play-in game that’s known fondly as the Red River Rivalry (hint: it’s Texas). But it never hurts to make a bold prediction that could (hint: will) come to fruition.
The entire nation will watch a UF team with a massive target on their backs, and there are a few contestants in the SEC quagmire that have a shot to derail the Gators’ mission to finish unscathed for the first time in school history. LSU, Georgia, and an improved Tennessee all come to mind. But Tim Tebow won’t have to make another speech in 2009; his words have been further immortalized on a plaque outside the stadium, and they should ring as true as ever during a season that will see yet another national champion from the Southeastern US. But, if you’re still interested and want to find out who’ll fill out the other nine slots, take a gander below. And I don’t mean for you to bring a goose below deck.
ROSE BOWL
January 1, 2010
(Big Ten Champion vs. Pac 10 Champion)
Ohio State vs. Oregon
It’s pretty ridiculous to pick against USC in the Pac 10, but I’m just crazy enough to do it. Oregon has the horses on offense, and they just might get enough back defensively to shock the Trojan world in a late October home game. If that happens, they’ll have a free pass to drop at least one conference game, which is certainly a feasible feat in the Pac 10. Ohio State doesn’t appear to be anywhere near as strong as they were supposed to be last year, but the Big Ten won’t be anything more than what it’s been over the last few years, though it does appear to be on the upswing.
The Prediction: Sorry Buckeyes, but after the way the Ducks have showed up for Bowl Games under Mike Bellotti, this doesn’t look pretty. I know Bellotti’s gone, but Chip Kelly has been around the program for a few years now, and he knows the ropes. He may not turn out to be the long-term answer, but new coaches taking over at prestigious programs always seem to enjoy massive success soon after, regardless of their staying power. Look at what Al Coker and Les Miles did after replacing Butch Davis and Nick Saban. How about Houston Nutt? Bellotti left Kelly with a very talented cupboard and a pretty decent football team too. The enthusiasm that a new coach brings is often a potent recipe for wins when mixed with an old coach’s skilled recruits.
The Buckeyes, on the other hand, won’t be a complete flop. Terrelle Pryor is good enough to bring s0me shine back to the dull gray of the OSU helmets, and Dan “Boom” Herron is better than advertised after spending his career behind Chris Wells. The defense has to replace some star quality, but it’s not like Jim Tressel has been napping during the recruiting season.
Final Score? Oregon 34 Ohio State 21
SUGAR BOWL
January 1, 2010
(SEC Champion vs. BCS)
Ole Miss vs. TCU
Ole Miss will have to settle for a decent consolation prize here. Of course traveling to the school’s first BCS game won’t be all that bad. With the SEC Champion headed to the BCS Title again, the Sugar will likely take the best remaining SEC team. LSU will get major consideration here, and could be the pick since the game is basically in their back yard, but I think Ole Miss could get a nod considering they haven’t played here since 1970. I think TCU’s defense will be good enough to get them to their first BCS game, as well. They look like the most attractive of all the mid-majors likely to go undefeated. Going unscathed in the MWC is a lot more prestigious than it used to be, and certainly more attractive geographically than Boise State.
The Prediction: I like Ole Miss here. It’s been a while since an SEC team lost a BCS game to a non-BCS opponent, and by a while I mean four months. But I don’t see this streak being extended if TCU is, in fact, the team they’ll face. It would be a great game pitting one of the better offenses in the SEC led by QB Jevan Snead against one of the top defenses in the country. Ole Miss would likely have too much firepower, however, and I have a hard time seeing TCU put up much in the way of scoring against an SEC defense. Houston Nutt’s team should be even better in year two, and big things are expected from this program for the first time since Eli Manning was here. If they don’t win their bowl, the season will be a disappointment.
TCU might have the inside track to the MWC title this year. Early games at Virginia and at Clemson will be major litmus tests, but I don’t think either team is unbeatable for the Horned Frogs. Win those two, and it’s pretty smooth sailing towards an unblemished record. The road test at BYU looks like a small challenge, but the Cougars don’t seem too keen on playing defense and they lost all-everything wideout Austin Collie. Utah was ravaged by the draft and graduation, and the Utes should be a win this year especially considering the game is in Fort Worth.
Final Score: Ole Miss 28 TCU 13
FIESTA BOWL
January 4, 2010
(Big 12 Champion vs. BCS)
Oklahoma vs USC
What a matchup. Two teams picked by many to be in the Title Game facing each other in a rematch of the 2005 Title Game. Of course, the result might be a little different this time around. The Sooners are again coming off of a title game loss with a Heisman winning QB returning at the helm. USC, on the other hand, will be a completely different team in 2009 after losing countless defensive playmakers and start quarterback Mark Sanchez. I’m not saying it would be a wash in the other direction, but it certainly wouldn’t be a USC blowout this time around.
The Prediction: Looks like Oklahoma might finally win another BCS game, and the Trojans might actually lose one. Sam Bradford and the Sooners will likely be playing in the National Title if they can get by Texas, but I don’t see them winning that one. Not a bad alternative matchup though. The Sooners will likely feature another explosive offense even after losing Juaquin Iglesias and Manny Johnson. TE Jermaine Gresham is the best at his position in the country, and the stable of running backs might actually rival that of the Trojans. Demarco Murray, Chris Brown, and even Moses Madu should combine to keep defenses from dropping seven men into coverage.
Of course, by this time USC will have their quarterback situation settled, and they’ll have a smorgasbord of top-flight playmakers surrounding him. The defense should have a few new stars by January, and by a few I mean about 20. Plus, if you can believe, an even harder hitting safety will be patrolling the secondary in Taylor Mays. Hopefully Stoops won’t show Major Wright’s hit to his team before the game. Still, I think that OU is light years ahead of where they were defensively the last time these two teams met, and that could be the difference.
Final Score: Oklahoma 37 USC 31
ORANGE BOWL
January 5, 2010
(ACC Champion vs. Big East Champion)
Virginia Tech vs. USF
Sadly, this again will be the most boring of all of the BCS matches. The Orange Bowl is sitting in an ugly position. At least they get the National Title every four years. The Big East just isn’t the same when West Virginia and Pat White aren’t winning the whole thing. USF looks like the winner by default in what I feel will be a down year for the conference, after a few teams surprised in 2008. Virginia Tech should be a semi-juggernaut again with QB Tyrod Taylor and RB Darren Evans leading the offense and a host of returners on an always strong defense. They just won’t be nearly good enough to get into the BCS Title Game over the SEC Champs, Big 12 Champs, or USC.
The Prediction: This one won’t even be close if it works out this way. USF should be better than last year’s champion Cincinnati team, but the bad news is that this Va Tech team will be infinitely better than the squad that shutdown the Bearcats. Matt Grothe is a good QB, but he won’t have the weapons to put up much of a fight against a Hokies defense that should be among the best in the country next year. The USF defense could come up with a decent stand or two, and like I said you can’t really ever count Grothe out, but I just don’t see them being able to pull the upset.
If South Florida develops some talent around Grothe, they could be in a more glamorous position heading in, but it will take a lot from the supporting cast to score consistently against this defense. Tyrod Taylor had a coming out party of sorts in the 2008 Orange Bowl, and he’ll be another year better in this one. Could be the only blowout of the BCS bowl season.
Final Score: Virginia Tech 35 USF 14
BCS TITLE GAME
January 7, 2010
(BCS 1 vs. BCS 2)
Florida vs. Texas
Here it is Longhorns — redemption. After getting flat-out screwed last year, you should get your chance in 2010. But before you run off to Wal Mart to buy the 64 pack of crayons and start making “FU OU” signs, here’s the bad news: you’ll win as many BCS titles in 2010 as you did in 2009. No one is beating Florida this year. No one. Get ready for the first undefeated season in UF history and a likely cry from Sooners fans about getting left out of the tilt this time around. Hey, turnabout’s fair play.
The Gators get the best player in college football history back to lead the offense, and while they did lose his top two targets, there is no shortage of talent ready to step in, and there are a few veterans looking to step it up as well. Riley Cooper, David Nelson, and Deonte Thompson should find a way to team with newcomer Andre Debose to replace Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy in the passing game. And Brandon James, Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps, and Emanuel Moody should keep the ground game churning. It all revolves around Tim Tebow, but he’ll have no problem as one of the most experienced QBs in the country, and it’s not like he’s been shy to state his goal of winning them all.
Texas won’t be chopped liver. The Longhorns will have another ferocious pass rush coached by the best in the biz, former SEC defensive coordinator and Nick Saban disciple Will Muschamp. And Colt McCoy is back with his top receiver, Jordan Shipley. The offensive line will be massively improved, and the running game should follow suit. But the offense still won’t reach the heights that last year’s Sooners version did. That’s not a good sign considering the Gators return all 22 players who played a part in holding the most incendiary scoring machine in NCAA history to 14 points. It will be another scintillating bout, but the Gators are on a mission, and Texas isn’t good enough to end the reign.
Final Score: Florida 31 Texas 21
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