LCB 2013 NCAA Football Predictions

Well, with another college season done, it's never too early to start ranking teams for next year, so without any further ado and after much deliberation, here are our early rankings for next season.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

Coming off its secon national title, Nick Saban's squad will have to overcome a weak early schedule that includes non-SEC opponents such as little known Virginia Tech.

2. Georgia Bulldogs

UGA will be losing a lot on defense, but they will still feature an amazing tandem of sophmore running backs and got great news when quarterback Aaron Murray announced he would return for his final year of eligibility. However, their biggest challenge, like 'Bama, may be their weak schedule which includes several non-SEC schools, like Clemson and Georgia Tech, who have very little football tradition.

3. Texas A&M Aggies

The Aggies weak schedule (about half their games are against non-SEC schools) should prevent Heisman winner Johnny Manziel from feeling any sort of sophmore slump. In other words, Scoooobiiiieeee Dooooobiiieeeee Dooooooo!!!

4. Florida Gators

If Florida can rebound from an embarrassing bowl loss, it should be able to play well enough in overcoming its weak non-conference schedule that features such second rate schools as Florida State and Miami.

5. LSU Tigers

LSU features a non-conference schedule similar to A&M's which could really hinder them come BCS time. Their Athletic Director should probably work on scheduling every other SEC team on their schedule twice.

6. South Carolina Gamecocks

South Carolina's title hopes probably depend on their ability to beat Clemson by more points than Georgia. If they can do that, then defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney should be able to carry them against much weaker and lesser known opponents such as North Carolina.

7. Mississippi State Bulldogs

Coming off an 8-5 season, the Bulldogs will have to do their best to overcome a rather weak schedule that sees them playing several non-SEC schools.

8. Vanderbilt Commodores

Coming off a 9-4 campaign and having given its coach an extension, the Commodores should look to build off their success by playing several games against non-SEC schools.

9. Arkansas Razorbacks

Arkansas must hope that it can rebound from a weak 2012 campaign and an even weaker schedule. They will only play Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State once apiece.

10. Missouri Tigers

Other than playing Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida once apiece Missouri's schedule is rather weak and could hurt them down the stretch when the computers start deciding who will play whom come Bowl season.

Others Receiving Votes:
Tennesse Volunteers, Kentucky Wildcats, Ole Miss Rebels, Auburn Tigers

Georgia, Florida, and Cigars: Cliffnotes for My OKTC Piece

My thoughts going into today's Georgia-Florida game are up at Clay Travis' site Outkick the Coverage.
The above picture is a view my dad and I used to share every fall Saturday, only it was obscured by cigar smoke back in the day.

Bracketing the End of Days

The sky will be on fire. The earth will tremble. The seas will swallow cities whole. And teams that we thought were long dead will rise up out of the ground with their dreams rekindled. While Revelatory statements about basketball may be deemed inappropriate in the wake of real life tsunamis, earthquakes, and personal loss, sport always epitomizes a way for us to understand and have faith in life regenerating, that new ages eclipse the old ones, and that all is not lost. Our obsession is both our cure and our disease, paradoxically putting our world into focus, while displacing us from the reality of what's truly important.

LCB SEC Picks: Games of the Week

UT v (12) LSU @ 3:30 on CBS
Langston: If Tennessee loses at Baton Rouge today, that’ll mean in a week’s time when the Dawgs and Vols face off we’ll have the first meeting between the two when both carry losing records since 1906. For that not to happen, the Vols will need to score at least 16 points. I know, I know, 16 isn't really that much. But with LSU's terrific defense and the two terrible QBs in this game, 16 points could be considered an offensive explosion. It probably won't happen since Derek Dooley seems determined to torture all of Tennessee while inflicting us with delusional dreams of Tyler Bray by starting Matt Simms, their inability to get a third-down conversion longer than two yards and the inevitable kicks to "the best when hydrated" Patrick Peterson. I'd love to say UT learns from it's mistakes; moves on past the Matt Simms era, punts the ball out of bounds, and improve on third down; but it still wouldn't fix their issue with depth (they have none). They'll keep it close early, only to pay for their 14-man defensive rotation in the second half. It's going to be a long, painful year. LSU 14, UT 10.

Teach: Tigers fans aren't happy. Volunteers fans aren't happy. It's like they're having a karaoke contest and the only song allowed to be sung is "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," with LSU accusing Les Miles of not smoking the same cigarettes as Nick Saban and Tennessee interpreting the song as a euphemism for in the bed impotence, so when these teams meet today, don't be surprised if it goes down like a Rolling Stones show, where Hells Angels perform security by not providing any security at all.  In other words, this game promises to turn into a violent affair of trench warfare: broken bottles, cracked ribs, and bloody facemasks, at least that's what Les Miles and his boys hope to have happen.

Sometimes in life the things we hate are the things that get us by, so while LSU fans might clamor for more offense and loathe the ugliness with which their team wins, they might be happier if they just took a little more satisfaction in the grit and the filth it takes to win ugly--and often--saying to hell with how white their shirts can be. LSU wins 23-17.

(7) UF v (1) Bama @ 8:00 on CBS
Langston: Florida has a very good defense, probably the second best in the SEC after LSU, and they're expected to use their biggest strength to stack the box tonight to slow down Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. The key to this being a successful choice is the play of Florida's secondary, if they can cover one-on-one with decent success, Florida wins. But they won't. Bama can run whenever they want, and Julio Jones one-on-one is a highlight reel waiting to happen. Expect it to be closer than the spread (Bama -9), but also expect Bama to take Florida out of title contention early. Alabama 28, Florida 24.

Teach: There's a song that starts "Oh, a storm is threat'ning/ My very life today," and maybe it's what we all should have been singing a few years ago when Urban Meyer took over at Florida and Nick Saban grabbed the reins at Alabama, because more and more the SEC's future looks like a power struggle between these two coaches, their large stashes of talent, and their playbooks. But this war, this conflict, is not just a shot away. This war is not a Cold one. And it's more than a red coal carpet. It's already burning.

The humidity and heat of the South lasts on into October, clinging to the tombstones of the dead like mossy knuckles.  The war is here, and conference titles and national championships are in the middle of it. Call rape. Call murder. Somebody's going to die today, and it's possible they come walking out of their grave in two months time just to reenact the destruction of a mad bull that lost its way, like today's game was a historical Civil War battle in need of remembrance, and today, that bull's name is Mark Ingram.  Alabama wins 27-21.

Urban Meyer: Up in the Air

In what may have been the film of the decade, not just the film of the year, George Clooney plays the role of Ryan Bingham, a man who lives in the flight paths and airports that crisscross and dot America. His business is to fire the employees employers lack the guts to fire. In a way, he's a compassionate mercenary, an angel of death but with sympathy. When he reaches a destination, say in Detroit, the message he brings to individuals changes their lives and alters their "flight plans" from a destination based on one's credentials to one determined by one's ever present mortality. The film offers some grim views on life, such as, we're all headed for the same place and the empires and kingdoms we try and build on our way to death really do not hold weight. Ryan Bingham attempts to build an empire out of frequent flyer miles and privelaged status at hotels but, ultimately, he is alone with the plastic cards of his domain offering him very little in terms of comfort; the angel who cuts others loose from their jobs, leaving them as occupational and emotional vagabonds, is indeed the consumate vagabond himself, a man without family, or love.

At the end of the film, the systematic courtesies of the airline industry ring hollow, and Bingham must find a place in placelessness (word?); and the tale of the American worker that he has helped to unravel becomes the story of finding anything to get through these uncertain times. The testimonies at the end of the film, by the unemployed, make it appear that the bonds of the family are where most will find their strength to endure, offering a very modernist undertone to the film's message on how to survive.

I saw Up in the Air yesterday with my family. When we got home, my Dad and I were shocked to hear of Urban Meyer's resignation, especially since his resignation is a result of health concerns. The fact that Meyer was hospitalized with chest pains after the SEC championship game loss to Alabama makes the label of "concerns" for Meyer's health problems appear as a bit of an understatement. No one questions that being the head coach of a major college football program is a grueling endeavor, but men who are tied to a sport since their elementary school days seldom give up their empires easily. The fact that Meyer will walk away from his position at Florida after their Bowl game shows just how serious these chest pains were and are, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Urban Meyer and his family. Sudden changes and realizations about how fragile our lives are have a tendency to strip the ground from underneath our feet, leaving us "up in the air." Hopefully, for the sake of Meyer and his loved ones, he finds a place of comfort.

Harrowing jolts of reality cause Ryan Bingham to part ways with his hard-earned frequent flyer miles. He winds up giving them to his financially struggling sister and brother-in-law, played by Melanie Lynskey and Danny McBride, and the revelation that Urban Meyer will not continue as Florida's head coach must have several SEC coaches feeling as if they just received a donation of miles to travel from basement dwellers and runner-ups to SEC championship games and beyond--the sky's the limit now.

I do not mean for this point to sound like a celebration of Urban Meyer's departure. He leaves under a veil of circumstances that reminds all of us that our travel plans, our destinies, are in the hands of storms we can not see brewing and gears of a clock we can not hear ticking; we are, at times, victims of fates already written. Of course, Meyer's actions do not completely give in to determinism. He does have a choice, and he's made a rather refreshing and valient one, to focus on being the best father and husband possible, by stepping away from the game that has been his passion. The move did not have to be made for publicity reasons, a la Tiger Woods, but was made from a place of integrity. Urban Meyer has the respect of SEC fans, not only as a coach but as a man.

And the fact that his departure may have other coaches, like Mark Richt, Lane Kiffin, and Nick Saban, smiling is less a celebration of his bad fortune than it is a testament to how great of a coach he is. While the decade began under the dominance and surehandedness of Pete Carroll and Bob Stoops, it was Urban Meyer who soared through the skies, winning two championships, and shaking hands with the ghosts of coaches past. Now, the SEC has a chance to reshuffle the deck and begin anew.

Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. A good New Year. And get well, Coach Meyer.

LCB Picks: 2009 SEC Championship Game

#1 Florida Gators vs. #2 Alabama Crimson Tide @ on 4:00 CBS:

Langston: What is a Tennessee fan supposed to do? Who do we root for? Who do we boo harder? The two biggest rivals of UT are showcasing their NFL talent in a battle for the SEC trophy, a game that will vault one of the teams into the BCS title game. On one hand, you have Florida. Winners of three national championships, with two coming in the past three years. On the other, you have Alabama. Winners of twelve national titles, with the last coming in 1992. So do I root for the Gators to stop Alabama's rebirth as a perrenial power? Or do I root for Alabama to stop Florida from having the best four years of a college program? It's a conflicting position to be in, so I'll just avoid those questions altogether and try to enjoy this game for what it is: a match-up of two great college football teams and probably the best game of the year. I'll take Florida by 10, because Tebow is the truth.

Teach: Deckfight explores the topic in more detail down below, but this game is not just for the SEC title or a bid in a national title game. This game may actually decide whether people consider Tim Tebow the greatest college player of all-time or not. Personally, the idea scares me. I have trouble buying into the idea he's the best ever. Maybe I struggle with the statement because I'm now older than college athletes and feel slightly foolish for buying into the mythology of someone younger than myself, like a Jew living under Caesar who finds it hard to believe in Christ. I'm skeptical to say the least. Or, maybe I struggle with the statement because Tebow doesn't play his position like anyone we've seen. Other great running quarterbacks, like Michael Vick or Tommie Frazier, dazzled us with their speed and allusiveness, and Vick most definitely had a cannon for an arm. Charlie Ward was elusive and saw the field as if he had a fly's compound eyes. But Tebow runs like a fullback, throws like a softball player, and never appears to see 360 degrees of angles at a time. Still, he's effective, and he's the main reason Florida is in this game.

I picked against Florida and Alabama once this year. I picked LSU to beat both of them, and each wound up escaping the Bayou Bengals by the hair of their chinny chin chins. Whichever team wins this game will find itself living out a fairy tale. If Florida wins, Tebow, true or not, will be hailed as the greatest ever. If 'Bama wins, then Saban looks more and more like the handsome Prince, riding in on his gallant steed, to awaken a sleeping program, and Mark Ingram inches closer to being the Tide's first Heisman winner. No matter the result this game will change the mythology of college football.

The funny thing about all the coverage of this game, however, is that while Tebow's legacy, Ingram's Heisman candidacy, Greg McElroy's weaknesses, and Julio Jones's pro prospects have garnered most of the attention, this game will most likely be a defensive grudge match, which makes the absence of Florida's Carlos Dunlap a huge loss for the Gators. His absence gives one the feeling that the Gators are walking into a gun fight with only a knife. Alabama pulls out the victory 16 to 14, in a college version of a Pittsburgh-Baltimore slugfest.

Deckfight:

An unlikely defense of Tim Tebow

Somehow Tim Tebow has turned into Kobe Bryant. Both are now generally considered to be above awards. Kobe only has one MVP, though many will consider him to be a more dominant player than Tim Duncan and Steve Nash or even Karl Malone, all whom have two MVP awards. Everyone on the radio, in blogs, in mags generally now considers Tim Tebow to be the greatest college football player ever, but only has the Heisman in what many considered a fluke year. He wasn't supposed to win it as a sophomore, he was supposed to win it last year or this year. How he is not a front-runner this year, on a team that has won 18 straight and maintained the number one position in the polls all year is just a matter of self-deception. No one wants to support the front-runner now, everyone assumes someone else will vote for him, but instead it will probably go to some random guy from Boise St., Cincinatti, or TCU (no, actually it'll probably go to Colt McCoy). Part of this is that now everyone takes Tim Tebow for granted. He once shared time with Chris Leak of all people. The national public was more familiar with Tim Tebow than they were with Obama back in 2006. This guy has been everywhere for so long, that no one cares anymore. I think Bill Simmons has some type of "he's so over-rated he's now underrated scale" or something like that, and Tebow is now #1 on that spectrum.

It doesn't matter to me if Tebow will "succeed at the next level." Most Heisman-winning running quarterbacks don't. But come on, to say that this guy is the greatest college football player ever and then to deny him the Heisman for a mini-accomplished running back like Mark Ingram or for a Texas quarterback so stereotypical that it seems like Friday Night Lights (J.D. McCoy, anyone?) is mirrored on his life is ludicrous. For the first time in my life, I will be cheering for Florida in this game. I would love to see a Boise St.--TCU title game as much as the next person, but this is it right here. I will say it unequivocally: I want Florida to win and for Tebow to win the Heisman. That said, I hate Florida. Always have. I went to another SEC school. My wife went to UGA. I almost went to Florida State. But, come on, what's fair is fair.

LCB Picks: SEC Games of the Week

Ole Miss vs. Auburn @ 12:21 on SEC Network:
Langston: Auburn has lost three straight games, and the biggest reason is the ability for SEC defenses to evolve during the season. Chris Todd opened up the season playing great football leading them to a 5-0 start, but the SEC defenses picked up on the flaws and in-turn reminded us how bad Todd can play. Ole Miss comes in to this week as winners of the last two, with Jevan Snead finally looking like the QB we expected him to be and the defenses improvements under Tyrone Mix. In this game, I see both streaks continuing. Ole Miss 28, Auburn 17.

Teach: I would like to pick Auburn in this game, but Ole Miss is just playing better. Auburn will have to wait until next week against Furman to halt their slide. Ole Miss 24 Auburn 17

UGA vs. Florida @ 3:30 on CBS:
Langston: Just like Teach does with Tennessee, I become a fan of UGA once a year. It just so happens that this is the week. If I had it my way, the game would end with the Dawgs winning by ninety-eight points, Tebow crying at the 50, and Urban Meyer questioning the SEC officials penalty calls. However the Georgia defense is still being led by Willie Martinez, leaving me no choice but to pick Florida to win. UF 21, UGA 10.

Teach: I don't expect much from this game that I will like. The one silver lining I can find is that after today I will never have to see Tim Tebow line up against my Georgia Bulldawgs ever again. Good riddance. We should stomp and celebrate in the endzone like it's 2007 just because of that. Florida 24 Georgia 14

Deckfight Game of the Week
Georgia Tech vs. Vandy @ 7:30 on SEC Network: Leave it to Vandy to schedule non-conference game against a top 15 opponent. Like the quintuple-threat option isn't pain in the neck enough. The question is instead if Georgia Tech playing Vandy pulls their BCS hopes down. No one seems to realize that the Jackets have one loss, while USC gets all the hype. They're right behind LSU and Oregon. The Rambling Wreck is no joke.
Georgia Tech 23 Vandy 14

Time Waster: OOHHH MYYYYY!

Florida's Fake Championship, Sympathy for the Utah Utes, Israel and Palestine, and Other Ramblings

"Y'see I always wanted one of those cars,

long black 'n shiny an' pull up to the bars."

                                           --The Clash, "Broadway"

My Dad works in the Presbyterian Church, and I grew up in the Presbyterian Church, hearing preachers quote Jesus' message that to get into heaven a rich man must drop his riches and become just a man.  If you were to look at the nightstand in my room right now, you'd see a copy of The Rig Veda.  I read a hymn from its pages every night before I go to bed, and it too warns against seeking material wealth at all costs.  In my classroom, I try and teach students that there is merit to learning besides the mark in the grade book or the approval of the teacher, that knowledge and morals are not always quantifiable.  Go through my CD collection, and you'll find The Clash, Rage Against the Machine, Pearl Jam, Modest Mouse, etc also warning me against focusing on material wealth.  Still, these things that are worth nothing in the long run find a way to mean a hell of a lot--the nothing finds a way to be something, and sometimes, I can't tell the two apart.    

I try to live a life that's not in excess, but I've got ever growing collections of music, movies, and clothing; and I know they don't mean much.  I know they're not golden tickets.  I know they will not accompany me to the next life, and that even in this life they can't keep one from being tired, hungry, or lonely; but after hearing Florida won another BCS (Bowl Championship Scrimmage) championship, I can't help but think how much I want a trophy that doesn't even mean a thing in this life, let alone the next.  I want that scrap of mettle, even if I despise it so much I haven't watched a BCS title game in years.

I admit that seeing the Florida Gators win another meaningless trophy makes me bitter, combined with the possibility of my Georgia Bulldogs getting their paws on such a trophy has grown significantly more difficult with the early departures of Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno.   Times are dire, downright miserable.  Basketball season beckons, but I can't let go of what this college season has shown us.  While Obama's election to the highest office in the land should show us anything is possible, a game we play as children has shown us that anything is not possible.  Certain institutions are still more powerful than others and with that power they carry more prestige.  

The Big Ten, the ACC, the PAC-10, the SEC, the Big 12, and the Big East are social elites, and their teams start every season with a silver spoon in their mouths.  Maybe it seems a bit of a reach to say that Obama's accomplishments thus far are undercut by an inept college football system, but hasn't Washington spent the last couple of months bailing out Wall Street, the auto industry, and other big businesses.  Isn't the BCS a bailout for the major conferences?   

We divide things up in this world.  We place things in hierarchies.  It starts at an early age.  We pick teams on the playground.  We alphabetize and assess the value of baseball cards, which are just gum-scented cardboard.  None the less, we didn't want to get caught making a trade with a friend that downgraded our own collection.  We would never trade a Ken Griffey card for a Cecil Fielder.  No seven-year old gives cards away as charity to boost their friend's collection,  and tendencies as children carry over into our adult lives.  Why would the major conferences give up an automatic payday and a system that gives their teams a leg up, reducing the field of competition to about 66 teams?  No one did it as a kid, so why would they do it as an adult? 

The Utah Utes went 13-0 and beat several teams from BCS conferences, but they were given no shot at the championship, which leads me to think what do teams like the Utah Utes have in common with the Palestinians.  The Utah Utes have a resume that says they should be considered a top notch program, but they've got no shot to even compete for a championship,  which must be how the Palestinians feel in their quest for land.  Constant humiliation, like having no water and asking permission to take a dump, can make a man do unspeakable things, even if the land is only land, the trophy a trophy, and the black car a black car.  The BCS draws a line between all the BCS and non-BCS conferences, and the world draws lines between nations and occupied zones.  We drew this line on the playground as kids.  Washington has drawn this line with its bailouts, and the world has drawn this line when dealing with Israel and Palestine. 

The problem is everything doesn't always stay on its designated side.  Sometimes a team from the Mountain West conference goes undefeated and beats up on the team that should have bullied it.  Sometimes a Mountain West team does this twice in five seasons.  Sometimes the sins of Wall St. spill over and drown Main St. too.  Sometimes a nation protecting itself from terrorists becomes a terrorist.  Sometimes it's hard to tell where one side of the line ends and where the other begins, like when the ocean meets the sky, and then goals in life become as impossible to reach as the horizon.

The Mountain West conference is the Gaza Strip of college football, so I wish Utah all the luck in the world with trying to prove the BCS is breaking anti-trust laws, just as I wish for a peaceable solution between Palestine and Israel.  I'm wishing for lines that better define who deserves what ranking, who deserves blame, and who deserves sympathy.   I want to know what is the nothing I really can ignore because it really is nothing, and the something I can appreciate because all it has to do is be.  I want a world that makes sense.

The problem is that world doesn't exist.  These nothings in life become somethings when we continue to treat people like nothings, and our arts and our sports attempt to embrace us when human arms fail to do so, blurring the line between what is and is not important.  We make the the nothing stuff into something stuff by labeling it as not important.  By calling anything nothing, one calls anything something, and these labels ripple throughout our world, causing us to ask which is more important, causing us to ask how can a nation that can not agree on fair rules to a game help other countries agree on fair rules to end a war.  How do we break the habits we've learned since birth?    

We all want something, whether it's love, equal footing, or the recognition of our existence; and we want it, whether we are a non-BCS school, who turns to politicians for a chance at a  title, or a  civilian with no country, who, unfortunately, turned to a group of terrorists  because no one else would acknowledge them.

We all want something.  We all want to be on the right side of that line. The problem is, as long as there is a line, there probably is no right or wrong side, just nonsense.

" 'It ain't my fault it's six o'clock in the morning,' "

he said, as he came up out of the night

When he found I had no coins to bum,

he began to testify:

born in a depression

born out of good luck

born into misery,

in the back of a truck.

'I'm telling you this, mister,

don't be put off by looks.

I been in the ring and I took those right hooks.

Oh, the loneliness 

used to knock me out

harder than the rest.' "

Link Scrap/Time Waster: Weekend Wrap

It was quite a busy weekend for sports, especially when you consider barely any of it included Plaxico Burress. So lets wrap up the weekend via some links.

Florida beat Bama for the SEC Championship and the chance to play Big 12 champ Oklahoma in the BCS title game. Coincidentally an elderly Gator fan who was watching the game from home and cheering "Go Gators" is terrorized by a man with a gun who misunderstood the cheers for racial epithets.

Virginia Tech rolls over Boston College to win the ACC Championship, earning themselves a spot in the Orange Bowl to play Big East champ Cincinnati. The Tech players were so excited one of them actually punched Head Coach Frank Beamer in the face.

The Boston Celtics continued their winning ways, all the while Glen Davis proves his nickname is not totally unrelated to his demeanor.

After the Minnesota Vikings barely pulled out a win against the hapless Lions Fox followed it up by showing the nation Visanthe Shiancoe's wang.

Last but not least, Duke lost to Michigan. This was Michigan's second victory against a top ranked opponent. The two huge wins have earned the team notoriety for being a giant killer. For myself I think its great to see something good finally happening for the fans of Michigan. Plus I think we can all agree that when Duke loses we all win.

LCB 1st Annual Preseason Top 25

College basketball has arrived, and despite the lack of excitement shown by that first sentence, it should be an exciting and eventful season. Hopefully my jinxing my favorite teams streak (see MLB 2008) will end and UNC will triumphantly prevail in winning their 2nd championship in 4 years. I'll get to the TarHeels soon enough, but for now, here's the my top 25, starting with teams 25-21.

#25 Villanova(22-13)
Last Year: Lost in Sweet 16
Coach: Jay Wright
Stud: Scottie Reynolds
Glue Guy: Dante Cunningham
Schedule: Texas, Big East

Nova made a mini-run last year, suprising some as they lost to eventual champ Kansas in the Sweet 16. Reynolds is one of the better PG's in the conference, if not the country. He needs to consistently bring it every night for the Cats to make any headway in a loaded Big East that has become like the bball version of the SEC and Big 12 in football. Reynolds goes cold too often to make him a truly elite player, but he can get there if he can raise his game and avoid dryspells. The Cats don't have any other reliable offensive threats, but Cunningham and Shane Clark will combine to do some of the dirty work inside. Cunningham is a senior, and played on the Randy Foye led team that made a deep tourney run. Corey Stokes, Reggie Redding, and Corey Fisher are the other guards who will see the bulk of the playing time. They need to hit from the outside, giving Reynolds the option of kicking it out for open looks when defenses collapse on him. Aside from the hellacious trip through the Big East, the only other really difficult non-conference match-up is a battle with Texas. If they get through conference play alive, they could make another deep NCAA run.

#24 Florida (24-12)
Last Year: Lost in NIT Final Four
Coach: Billy Donovan
Stud: Nick Calathes
Glue: Walter Hodge
Schedule: SEC, with it otherwise being pretty cake with the exception of maybe a decent clash with Florida State.

After the Gators repeated as champs in 05-06 and 06-07, last year was predictably a rebuilding campaign. They still won 24 games, losing two starters from that team with Marreese Speights declaring early, and Jai Lucas transfering on November 5th. The wheels fell off at the end of last season, as they missed out on the NCAA's by losing to S.Carolina in the 1st round of the SEC. They need Calathes, who put up the highest scoring average by a freshman in Donovan's time at the school, Alex Tyus, and Chandler Parsons to take big leaps and provide some leadership to get back to the dance. Walter Hodge is the only remaining part who saw significant minutes on the championship squads, and provides three point shooting and decent passing skills. Dan Werner is another veteran to bang inside, yet he sometimes plays more like a 3. The Gators recruited 5 freshman who could see significant playing time, with Dominican Eloy Vargas being the most highly-touted. The SEC is down, and look for the Gators to contend for the East crown in a battle with Tennessee and Kentucky, making the tourney as about a 6 or 7 seed that could make the Sweet 16.

# 23 Georgetown (28-6)
Last Year: lost in 2nd round of the NCAA's
Coach: John Thompson III
Stud: DaJuan Summers
Glue: Jessie Sapp
Schedule: Memphis,Duke, Big East and Potential matchups with Gonzaga,Michigan St.Tennessee in the Old Spice classic.

Roy Hibbert is playing for the Pacers. Patrick Ewing Jr. almost made the Knicks. Vernon Macklin transferred to Florida. Jeremiah Rivers moved on to Indiana. Where I'm going with all of this is the fact that Georgetown is going to look a little different this year. They still have Summers,Sapp, and 3 point gunner Austin Freeman back from a 28 team season that ended because Stephon Curry decided to single-handedly destroy them. Summers needs to take over and spend more time slashing and taking the ball inside. He needs to be the legitimate go to guy for the team to get near the success of the last two years. Sapp will be steady defensively, and will combine with Freeman and Soph Chris Wright to keep teams honest outside. Freshman Greg Monroe is highly touted, but he doesn't look to have much help down low, which could spell disaster in the conference. The Hoyas will get an early test playing Memphis, and meet Duke later in the season. They also could see Gonzaga, Michigan State, or Tennessee in the Old Spice Classic. They could win 20 plus games but probably are looking at being an early out in the dance, unless Wright and Monroe turn out to be superstars.

22. USC (21-12)
Last Year: Lost in 1st Round
Coach: Tim Floyd
Stud: DeMar DeRozan
Glue: Daniel Hackett
Schedule: Oklahmoma, (Memphis or Xavier in Puerto Rico Tip-Off) Pac-10

Sometimes it's fun to play the "what if player A stayed for 4 years," game.(Well maybe it's only fun if you're a tool like myself) With USC, they could potentially have fielded a team with O.J. Mayo, Gabe Pruitt, and Nick Young to go along with what they have already in the fold. What they have right isn't too bad however, as the Trojans should challenge in the Pac-10. It starts and ends with another potential one and doner in DeMar DeRozan. From all accounts, he is the best freshman coming in from the class of 08. He is a slasher who can jump out of the gym. He'll have help in the form of Taj Gibson, Daniel Hackett, and Dwight Lewis. Gibson brings muscle inside, while Hackett will man the point, and Lewis brings scoring from the wing. I really liked Hackett two years ago when they were sweet 16 bound. He fell off last year due to injury, so look for him to bounce back. Another key will be whether or not UNC transfer Alex Stepheson is eligible. If so, he'll give Gibson someone else to help with the dirty work inside. Stepheson also has a nice touch inside in close. Also Percy Miller (AKA, Lil Romeo) is on board as a frosh pg. Do with that information what you will.

21. Oklahoma (23-12)
Last Year: Lost in the 2nd round
Coach: Jeff Capel
Stud: Blake Griffin
Glue: Tony Crocker
Schedule: USC,VCU, (Purdue,Davidson in the Preseason NIT), Big 12

I hate Duke with a passion. Therefore I hate to give any former Dookie props unless they somehow get drafted by the Bulls. (See Deng,Luol). Jeff Capel is a really good coach however. He did a pretty damn good job when he was at VCU, and he looks like he's turning things around after Hurricane Sampson tried to ruin his first of two train wrecks. I've only really seen the Sooners play once or twice last year, so I can't completely subscribe to all the Blake Griffin hype. From all accounts, he could have been drafted really high if he went out last year. He should beat up on the Big 12 all season. He has help in the form of his brother Taylor, Tony Crocker, Austin Johnson, and freshman point Willie Warren. I really like Crocker's game, and if he can take care of the ball along with dialing up some 3's, the Sooners will contend and can get a 3 or 4 seed.

Ole Miss-Florida recap

Ole Miss 31 Florida 30

UT-UF recap

Amazingly, Tennessee's offense and defense weren't terrible yesterday. Tennessee out gained Florida in almost every statistic but turnovers and points. And from what I have been told, those are two key statistics you need to win, in order to be victorious. But what's most disheartening is their ability to make absolutely egregious errors at the worst possible time. After a nice defensive stop, Tennessee got the ball back, and almost immediately Arian Foster got 15 in the wrong direction by committing a 15-yard personal foul penalty. That put them in third and long, which led to the pass out to the flat and the defensive hit on Hardesty as he was turning upfield, which of course led to the fumble and the score for Florida by jump pass. When they did get a nice drive going, running the ball, using the clock, keeping Tebow off the field, the Vols end up mismanaging a handoff in the red zone, fumble the ball, and headed back to the sideline with zero points.

Then there was the last drive before the half. Tennessee moves the ball into the redzone, and its first and goal from the 5. They run three ugly plays and its fourth and goal. 12 seconds left on the clock, with the score at 20-0. Tennessee should kick the field goal to get some points on the board and maybe some momentum in the locker room. Tennessee goes for it, Crompton throws a pick and its another wasted opportunity. Two trips inside the five and zero points.

One of the most frustrating things that happened yesterday was that they actually kicked to Brandon James. Who returned one in 2006 for a touchdown, luckily they called that one back. Then last season, they kick to him again, and he returns it for 6. So yesterday they knew that Brandon James should not be kicked to. They knew that they couldn't stop him, and what did they do? They kicked to him. They should have learned this lesson ages ago, and yet they continue to make the same mistakes.

Florida won 30-6, and from my standpoint it was a brutal game to watch. Florida has forced Tennessee into submission for the third year in a row, and it is not a comfortable feeling.

UT-UF: Its Hate Week

Its hate week and you know what that means, the teachers pet is coming to Knoxville. But instead of breaking down the two teams, I compiled a list of 12 reasons why Tennessee is better than Florida. (FYI: the list is in no particular order)

12) Tennessee is a musically rich state, from the sounds of bluegrass coming from the Smokey Mountains to Nashville and the heart of country, and finally the blues and crunk that comes out of Memphis. Florida brought you them.

11)Rocky Top > Orange and Blue

10) The Volunteer State gets its name for their citizens putting country before self. Whether it was the Tennesseans that stepped up to fight in the War of 1812, the Battle of New Orleans, or the Mexican-American War; Tennesseans have always been there to fight for their country. While the only war Florida has been a part of, has been this one.

9) Three men from Tennessee have held the highest office in the United States; Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, and James K. Polk. While Floridians don't even know how to fill out ballots.

8) Tennessee is known worldwide for Jack Daniels and George Dickel, and it is enjoyed thoroughly at UT tailgates. Florida fans are known worldwide to drink wine coolers.

7) Tennessee women can drink liquor straight from a jar while Florida women can drink lard straight from a jar. Well thats my guess as to why Gator girls are carrying an extra 6-8 pounds on their arms.

6) Peyton Manning > Rex Grossman

5) We don't wear jorts, crocs, or sport mullets.

4) Tennessee has majestic mountains, rolling hills, fertile flatland. Florida takes pride in a Swamp.

3) If you live in Tennessee, you live and die for Saturdays in the fall. If you live in Florida, you root for the Yankees.

2) Tennessee could be considered the heart of the south as it touches land with Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky (and Missouri). While Florida is America's wang.

1) Tennessee has won 6 national championships, have the Vol walk, Smokey, Davy Crockett, the running through the "T", and the Vol Navy. Florida didn't win games until the 70s.




The game is this Saturday at 3:30, and can be seen on CBS.