Most Important Games For The SEC Week 1

     Instead of doing a traditional Top 25 list, I figured I would rank the Top 8 games in order of importance to the SEC for week 1. This will be a list of games that will focus more on non-conference games and some games not involving any SEC teams at all. The reason for this list is to point out potential games that may later in the season have an impact on an SEC team making the College Football Playoff. Now this list will have more of a "big picture" feel to it early in the season, and become a little more focused throughout the year. Also, I decided to create this list because I have a feeling that most fans of SEC teams already know their respective teams schedule by heart but may need a rooting interest for times that their team isn't on the field. So without further ado, let's begin.


#8. Penn State @ UCF
     A win by UCF will help the non-conference schedule of Missouri while simultaneously bringing down the perception of the B1G. That sounds like a win-win situation to me. Add on top of that, this game is being played in Dublin, Ireland while a volcano erupts in nearby Iceland; this game has plenty of drama building already. But you'll have to wake up early to watch this game on Saturday with a 8:30  AM ET kickoff time. Game airs on ESPN2. UCF and Missouri face off Sept. 13th.

#7. Southern @ UL-Lafayette
     The Ragin' Cajuns of UL-Lafayette need to start the season off with a win. They go on the road to face both Ole Miss and Boise State in consecutive weeks starting Sept. 13th with Ole Miss. Southern @ UL-L kicks off at 7:00 pm ET on ESPN3.

#6. Wake Forest @ UL-Monroe
     If you're a fan of an SEC team, in particular LSU, Texas A&M, or Kentucky, you really want the Warhawks of UL-Monroe to win this game. Direct opponents strength of schedule implications here. This team has a real good chance of going to a bowl game at the end of this season, especially with a win against Wake Forest. Kick off is Thursday at 7:00 PM ET on ESPNU.

#5. Southern Miss @ Miss State
     Southern Miss is not a very good football team and Mississippi State should prove that Saturday 7:30 PM ET on the SEC Network. The fewer the blemishes on the SEC non-conference schedule the better.

#4. Utah State @ Tennessee
     Utah State has the potential to be a decent team this year. Chuckie Keeton could prove to be a good QB for Utah State, especially going up against some question marks on defense for Tennessee. This game might be a close one. Kickoff is Sunday 7:00 PM ET on the SEC Network.

#3. Boise State @ Ole Miss
     This is an important game for the obvious reasons. This game is on Thursday night, in prime time, on ESPN. Ole Miss really needs to win this game for the sake of the SEC's reputation.

#2. Clemson @ UGA
     This is a huge game for obvious reasons. Both these teams are ranked in every top 25 poll and deservedly so. A win here for UGA would be great for the Bulldogs as well as the SEC reputation. Kick off scheduled for Saturday 5:30 PM ET on ESPN.

#1. LSU vs Wisconsin
     See #2. This game edges out Clemson @ UGA only for the slightly higher average ranking of the teams. But these games are arguably interchangeable for #1 and #2. Kick off is scheduled for Saturday 9:00 PM ET on ESPN.


     There you have it. My top 8 games for week 1. If you think I missed any or you want to add to this list, let me know in the comments.

NCAA D1-A Autonomy And What It Means To The Average Fan

     It means things are going to change, and I mean potentially big changes. Don't worry, the same 10-15 big name schools will still be the ones winning the championships, however there will most likely be a new championship being played. This new championship will allow the mid-majors an opportunity to compete for a trophy and potentially added revenue. Granted this added revenue won't be of the former BCS level, but it will be a slight boost. But I'm getting ahead of myself, let me back up and tell you how I got to this conclusion.

     First off, autonomy will be a step in the right direction for a small minority of student-athletes. To start, this will affect most athletes at the major universities, i.e. increased scholarship limits in sports such as baseball, softball, and other minor sports. This will really impact college football. This will allow universities to provide stipends to support full cost of attendance, medical coverage, and many more benefits. This will effectively toe the line of amateur athletics. After a few years of this passes and everyone realizes that attendance/viewership doesn't drop, more steps will be taken to push the student-athletes of the power 5 conferences toward semi-professionals. This will further separate the power 5 from the mid-majors and the rest of the NCAA. Once there is a full separation of the power 5 from the NCAA, these schools will be able to treat athletes as a sort of employee. Paid partly in education and partly in on field performance. This, of course, is something that happens roughly 10-15 years down the road.

     The benefit to the mid-major schools is a chance to compete for their own championship and potentially added revenue from increased bowl games. This doesn't mean there will be more bowl games overall, just more access to bowl games for the mid-major schools. The power 5 will eventually turn their respective conference championship games into a sort of bowl game/playoff game while eventually expanding the playoffs themselves. With an entirely new subdivision of NCAA football, there will be even less incentive to play the lower subdivisions within the NCAA. Thereby shortening the regular season while expanding the playoffs. Playoff expansion could extend into the conferences themselves, meaning a four team playoff for the conference championship. Explaining the feasibility of this idea is another article unto itself.

     All of these ideas/predictions could just be the day dreaming of a crazed lunatic, or maybe some of it comes true. Either way, feedback is always welcomed. Let the debates begin!

Why college polls need rules and regulations. Or better yet, do away with them completely.

This is an example of a real AP Poll ballot from @DougLesmerises: Link: http://t.co/K94YxTF53p Pic: pic.twitter.com/r0toVDWAG3
— The SEC Logo (@SEC_Logo) September 9, 2013

The above is a tweet I came across via The SEC Logo (@SEC_Logo).  Yes, that is an actual vote cast by an AP member for the ranking of college football teams.  I personally have no problem with this ranking, as long as it is viewed from the perspective of who is playing the "best" football as of right now and not a prediction of who will win the BCS title.  I can agree that Clemson has played some really good football the first two weekends.  They beat a Georgia team that looked really good against South Carolina.  Alabama did not look all that impressive against Virginia Tech.  Hell, I would suggest that Alabama be ranked behind Oregon, Georgia, and Louisville if we are basing it purely on quality of football played this season to date.  However, that is my main point. What are these polls actually based on?  In a vast majority of the votes, Alabama is ranked #1 overall.  And rightly so, given it's from the perspective of the reigning champ hasn't been beaten yet.  And therein lies the problem.  Too many people cast votes based on such a wide variety of criteria. With the millions upon millions of dollars that are up for grabs, ultimately based on these types of votes, there needs to be more rules in place to set guidelines on voting criteria.  Even with the playoffs coming to college football next season, the AP and USA Today polls can still play a major role in influencing the selection committee.  Can you imagine the backlash the selection committee would receive if they were to by pass a unanimous #4 ranked team in both AP and USA Today polls for any other team?  I don't even want to imagine what would happen if a by-passed team were ranked higher than #4.  Riots may break out across the country.

All in all, I think the point I'm trying to make is that the NCAA would be wise to make some sort of official statement in the off season declaring these polls invalid and of no importance in selecting playoff teams.  And they should make that statement multiple times.  OR....   they could attempt to impose rules and/or guidelines in voting for AP and USA Today members.  But in my opinion, trying to tell the media what to do is like trying to tell a spoiled child no.  So the former of the two ideas is probably the best course of action.

In the end, transparency in selection criteria will do the selection committee wonders in the eye of the public.  If the teams and the public know what it takes to make the playoffs ahead of time, then that will greatly minimize the controversy come selection time.

The Florida Gulf Coast bandwagon is taking off

Is anyone else jumping on this bandwagon? I love how this team plays. They play loose and aggressive. They play as though they know they are the underdogs and they aren't even supposed to be in the tourney at all. This makes them all the more dangerous. All the big name teams have played in high pressure games/situations before, they know what the pressure of the spotlight can do. FGCU however doesn't know what pressure is; all they seem to know is get the ball and score. And score they do. They score with a flair and tenacity I've never seen. Granted I don't watch a lot of basketball, but this team is an endless highlight reel of monster dunks and clutch shooting and big steals. FGCU dropped 81 on a good defensive team in San Diego State, all I could think is 81 isn't enough I want more. This is the first and most likely only time I will root against my SEC roots in an out of conference match up. Go Eagles!

March Madness Brackets

Got a pool on Yahoo started for anyone who would like to join.  The link is here. Best of luck to everyone!

(Password is password)

What a great day of college football

Yesterday was an unbelievable day of college football. LSU absolutely trounced Auburn 45-10, which was certainly nice to see. Alabama was a little slow starting but eventually took control of the game against Tennessee in the second half and won 37-6. More amazingly was Michigan State's Hail Mary at the final seconds to beat previously unbeaten Wisconsin, 37-31. Then after a rain delay, Texas Tech beats Oklahoma 41-38. So two high ranked unbeaten teams fall yesterday leaving 8 unbeaten teams left in FBS football. Those 8 teams are: LSU, Alabama, Stanford, Oklahoma St., Boise St., Clemson, Kansas St., and Houston. Most of those teams will actually play each other in the regular season. LSU plays Alabama Nov. 5th at 7pm central. Kansas St. plays Oklahoma St. Nov. 5th. Of the other unbeaten teams, most will play a tough schedule or at least one tough opponent in the remaining weeks. Stanford plays Oregon Nov. 12. Clemson plays Georgia Tech Oct. 29th, and South Carolina Nov. 26th.  Houston and Boise St. however don't have much of a schedule left. Houston plays SMU on Nov. 19th, although Houston is too low ranked to be a significant factor in BCS bowls. Boise St. plays TCU on Nov. 12 but that will not be a big enough game to boost Boise St. up in the rankings.  The next three weeks of college football should be really exciting. New BCS rankings should be released tonight at approximately 8:30/7:30 central on ESPN. I'll be looking for LSU to be #1 followed by Alabama at #2. The real question will be what order the remaining teams will be in and how close will they be to LSU/Alabama.

College baseball super regionals have finally started.

First game today is Florida v Mississippi St, as I am writing this Florida is laying the smack down on Miss St in the top of the 5th 9-0.  Later this afternoon Stanford and North Carolina will square off.  Then this evening there will be two more games;  Texas v Arizona St., and Vanderbilt v Oregon St. Should be some pretty exciting games today. My predictions are UNC, Arizona St, and Vandy all come out winners today.