Is It Kickoff Yet??!!! Top 25 CFB Preseason Picks

[BUNK MORELAND]

Let's Roll out Willi's TOP 25

1. usc
2. michigan
3. florida
4. louisville
5. wisky
6. ucla
7. oklahoma
8. bayou bengals
9. eers "country roads take me home"
10. rutgers
11. texas
12. va tech
13. arkansas
14. auburn
15. cal bears
16. BIG BAG'S AGGIES - Heisman Campaign for MIKE GOODSON
17. kentucky
18. miami Florida - SWAGGER WILL BE BACK in CORAL GABLES
19. florida State - Jimbo has the offense now "big bowl win to build on too"
20. Horned Frogs - Good Defense - Sept 8 they travel to Austin
21. oklahoma State - Lots of Wild West Shootouts in Stillwater
22. penn St
23. ohio State - Buckeyes lost too much talent to be ranked higher IMO
24. georgia - "WE ON THE GRIND in GEORGIA"
25. nebraska


Not all that crazy about Tennessee and that schedule they have and i'm a little hesitant to put NATE DAVIS and FRANK EDMONDS in my top 25 right now (Ball St) .. But they have a very nice team this year . Edmonds is a good good player. Ask Joepa... !!! He has BIG TEN talent and is from a very good program (ST EDS i do believe)... Arguably the best RB out of OHIO this past season.

[BUNK MORELAND]

Illinois and Baylor

Baylor is going in the right direction, they are taking baby steps to get there, but steps forward nonetheless..watch for them this year IMO.


:beerbang:

Q :


The season will be a success if ... BU wins six games. It might be a bit of a reach considering the strength of the Big 12 South, but with three near-certain non-conference wins, Baylor will have a nice base to build on. The passing game, if it’s sharper than last season, should be enough to shock at least one or two Big 12

I disagree with that statement from collegefootballnewsdotcom. They should win 4 in the conference along with the 3 non conference wins .. 7 wins should be a bowl game

[Q-Unit]

Q :


The season will be a success if ... BU wins six games. It might be a bit of a reach considering the strength of the Big 12 South, but with three near-certain non-conference wins, Baylor will have a nice base to build on. The passing game, if it’s sharper than last season, should be enough to shock at least one or two Big 12

I disagree with that statement from collegefootballnewsdotcom. They should win 4 in the conference along with the 3 non conference wins .. 7 wins should be a bowl game

I agree Willi, it comes down to this for me, given Baylor's past, a Bowl appearance is def a big success for them, I've watched their program since Guy Morriss took over, I'm a big fan of him, and just being a Tech fan and seein all the big 12 games, Baylor has taken those steps im tellin ya to make some noise, they are not gonna be south champs, or big 12 champs anytime soon mind ya , but as for a good team to look at when they are dogs, I'll be looking out for them.

they are also in year 2 of running Texas Tech's (Leach) Offense, so I'm eager to see how that pans out too!

[joepa66]

Love the picks Wonk.....we both have UK in there along with TCU! I think Nebraska is in an important year for that program and they scored a QB signing. Me thinks the Buckeyes will return but not as strong, and PSU comes down to line play on both sides.....thanks for putting them Lions in there though!:sm:

[joepa66]

I agree Willi, it comes down to this for me, given Baylor's past, a Bowl appearance is def a big success for them, I've watched their program since Guy Morriss took over, I'm a big fan of him, and just being a Tech fan and seein all the big 12 games, Baylor has taken those steps im tellin ya to make some noise, they are not gonna be south champs, or big 12 champs anytime soon mind ya , but as for a good team to look at when they are dogs, I'll be looking out for them.

they are also in year 2 of running Texas Tech's (Leach) Offense, so I'm eager to see how that pans out too!

I agree with your assessment of BU too.....they will definitely win 6 this year and make some noise. They are a team on the rise in the Big 12 and I think they start the year 3-1 with their lone loss to TCU....hell they might even beat the Frogs and start 4-0! Wouldn't that be something.

In Big 12 play I see them beating Colorado, winning @ Kansas, and possibly getting a win @ K-State, but they have to win a home game...which one will it be? UT? TT? or OkieState?
:blackeye:

[BUNK MORELAND]

Love the picks Wonk.....we both have UK in there along with TCU! I think Nebraska is in an important year for that program and they scored a QB signing. Me thinks the Buckeyes will return but not as strong, and PSU comes down to line play on both sides.....thanks for putting them Lions in there though!:sm:

Morelli had the best game of his career against THE VOLS in the Bowl Game.
He has a huge arm ( Penn Hills high school here in PITTSBURGH product ) .. Nebraska gettin the ASU transfer was big for them ..

[joepa66]

Morelli HAS to produce this year! He's got no excuses now.....a receiving corp that is among the best in the country and some good running backs.....but he needs blocking!:glass:

[BUNK MORELAND]

I agree with your assessment of BU too.....they will definitely win 6 this year and make some noise. They are a team on the rise in the Big 12 and I think they start the year 3-1 with their lone loss to TCU....hell they might even beat the Frogs and start 4-0! Wouldn't that be something.

In Big 12 play I see them beating Colorado, winning @ Kansas, and possibly getting a win @ K-State, but they have to win a home game...which one will it be? UT? TT? or OkieState?
:blackeye:

There will be lots of points when they play TT and Okie Pokie St

[BUNK MORELAND]

Lil More Big Ten Talk

Joepa , what do you think about THE BOILERMAKERS


That offense should be explosive and they gotta be better on defense this year . CAN'T GET WORSE

I've always been a big fan of Joe Tiller and Painter (QB) is experienced and has a great GO TO GUY ( Dorien Bryant caught 80 balls in each of the last two seasons ) If they get some momentum rolling with the first 4 games ( all winnable games ) they have the Irish and THE BUCKEYES coming into W Lafayette for Game 5 and 6 . Then they go to THE BIG HOUSE .. After that the schedule gets easier again ..

I got my eye on Purdue .. IMO they are 5-0 heading into their matchup with THE BUCKEYES on Oct 6th.

[joepa66]

Boilers are trouble every year.....they look great on paper! Against PSU last year they got shutout 12-0, were outstatted in first downs 23-15, total yardage 422-246, and they only had 62 yards rushing while giving up 240.....150 of those to Tony Hunt! They'd better shore up the D!

[BUNK MORELAND]

Previewing THE RAINBOWS

Sept. 1 Northern Colorado
Sept. 8 at Louisiana Tech
Sept. 15 at UNLV
Sept. 22 Charleston So.
Sept. 29 at Idaho
Oct. 6 Utah State
Oct. 12 San Jose State
Oct. 27 New Mexico State
Nov. 10 Fresno State
Nov. 16 at Nevada
Nov. 23 Boise State
Dec. 1 Washington


WoW what a schedule .. This is possibly the easiest schedule ever for a HEISMAN TROPHY CAMPAIGN ... Hawaii should be undefeated when they travel to Reno on Nov 16.

Everybody knows about COLT BRENNAN but what a receiving corp he has .. ALL SPEEDY SMALLER recievers :

Receivers

Projected Starters: The receiving corps is loaded and should blow up with an even bigger season. The best of the bunch is 5-10, 195-pound junior Davone Bess, who led the team with 96 catches for 1,220 yards and 15 touchdowns at the inside H. He's lightning quick, always open and as glue fingered as they come.He shows up in prime time with some of his biggest games coming against Boise State, Nevada, Purdue and Oregon State. He'll play at the next level.

6-2, 192-pound senior Jason Rivers will light them up from the outside X. He caught 14 balls for 308 yards against ASU in the Hawaii Bowl. The former Hawaii state high school sprint champion has been around the program forever having missed two years hurt.

At the inside Y will be 5-10, 179-pound junior Ryan Grice-Mullen after making 46 catches for 770 yards and 11 touchdowns despite missing four games in the middle of the season. When he came back, he was a scoring machine with nine touchdowns in his final seven games, and with everyone paying attention to Bess and Rivers, he should see plenty of openings. He'd be the number one receiver for just about any other WAC team.

The one new starter will be 5-11, 161-pound senior C.J. Hawthorne, a former JUCO transfer who came to Hawaii as a defensive back who made 16 tackles and a pick last year, and now will play at the Z position. The team's fastest player adds yet another bolt of lightning to an already explosive corps.

Projected Top Reserves: 5-7, 165-pound junior Michael Washington ( Product of Aliquippa Pa) isn't all that big, but he's speedy with even more speed on the H than Bess.


DEFENSE:
With defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville gone, Greg McMackin will change the D from a 3-4 to a 4-3, even though the one weak spot, at least early on, is experience on the line. The linebackers will be excellent with good depth behind top tacklers Adam Leonard and Solomon Elimimian, and they won't have to do as much compared to last year with a more conservative, though not that much, overall defensive approach. Three starters return to the secondary.

[BoilerBacker]

Joepa , what do you think about THE BOILERMAKERS


That offense should be explosive and they gotta be better on defense this year . CAN'T GET WORSE

I've always been a big fan of Joe Tiller and Painter (QB) is experienced and has a great GO TO GUY ( Dorien Bryant caught 80 balls in each of the last two seasons ) If they get some momentum rolling with the first 4 games ( all winnable games ) they have the Irish and THE BUCKEYES coming into W Lafayette for Game 5 and 6 . Then they go to THE BIG HOUSE .. After that the schedule gets easier again ..

I got my eye on Purdue .. IMO they are 5-0 heading into their matchup with THE BUCKEYES on Oct 6th.

I think Purdue could go 9-3 or 5-7. It all depends on that killer stretch of 3 games. Defense should be better and offense COULD be very good. I have had lots of complaints about the offensive play calling particularly in the game last year vs. PSU and the bowl vs. Md...both of which I attended.

I think they will be tough to beat at home. I think Penn State is in the same boat....could go 9-3 or have a losing season.

That first game at Toledo for Purdue could be tough. Not the best situation to start the season. (Tiller lost his first game as PU coach at Toledo, the next week PU beat ND at home as a huge dog....ended season with Alamo Bowl win vs. Ok State.)

[BUNK MORELAND]

East Carolina should be decent

After years of despair, there’s a buzz brewing again in Greenville, thanks to last year’s first winning season since 2001 and first bowl game since 2000.

East Carolina, one of the most dangerous mid-sized programs of the 1990s, is creeping back to glory with Skip Holtz at the steering wheel. In just his third season at the school, he’s way ahead of schedule, bringing a new attitude and toughness to a program that had lost its way under former coach John Thompson. Although they were soundly beaten by South Florida, appearing in the Papajohns.com Bowl afforded the Pirates a rare appearance on national television, along with 15 extra practices to prepare underclassmen for this year. With rumors swirling that he’d be lured to a bigger school, Holtz coming back for another year was the biggest news of the off-season.

Head coach: Skip Holts
3rd year: 12-13
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 25, Def. 25, ST 4
Lettermen Lost: 20
Ten Best ECU Players
1. OT Josh Coffman, Sr.
2. DE Marcus Hands, Jr.
3. LB Quentin Cotton, Jr.
4. RB/KR Chris Johnson, Sr.
5. FS Van Eskridge, Soph.
6. WR Phillip Henry, Sr.
7. NT Mark Robinson, Sr.
8. LB Fred Wilson, Sr.
9. DE C.J. Wilson, Soph.
10. OG Matt Burlter, Sr.
If the Pirates are to build on 2006, they’ll do so on the backs of both lines, which return every starter plus just about every reserve. Holtz has been working to build depth and competition in the trenches, a luxury he’ll enjoy in 2007. All eyes this summer will be on the competition to replace the James Pinkney to Aundrae Allison hook-up, the offensive catalyst the last two years. The quarterback battle between last year’s backup, Rob Kass, Brett Clay and Patrick Pinkney will be vital to determining ECU’s immediate future.

After winning games against Virginia, Southern Miss and N.C. State last year, East Carolina is confident and ready to take the next step: winning a conference championship. If the offense doesn’t drain the defense with endless three-and-outs, the Pirates are in a position to be the class of a weak and winnable Eastern Division.

What to watch for on offense: Holtz likes an up-tempo offense that spreads the field, but he’s also flexible enough to tailor his attack to the personnel on his roster. In other words, the offensive line, led by senior right tackle Josh Coffman, better be prepared to open more holes for the backs than it did last fall. Kass was sharp when pressed into action in the bowl game, giving him an edge in the battle to replace Pinkney behind center.

What to watch for on defense: With every relevant player from the front seven back, East Carolina has to be better at pressuring the quarterback than last year. If it’s not, it could be a long season for a revamped secondary that’ll be breaking in three new starters. The defense may be short on stars, but it’s experienced, closes quickly to the ball and can create turnovers.

The team will be far better if …the young offensive line grows up. The Pirates were forced to start three freshmen last year, which hurt at the time, but should pay dividends in 2007. With few playmakers and without an experienced quarterback, it’s imperative that the line delivers if the offense is going to have any chance of producing points.

The Schedule: It starts out a bit rough with non-conference games against Virginia Tech and a refurbished North Carolina, but the big deal is the Conference USA opener against defending East champion Southern Miss. With road trips to West Virginia and Houston to end the first month, ECU just has to survive. The final seven games of the year are against teams that didn't go to a bowl game. Winning all the league home games is a must to have a realistic shot at a bowl.

Best Offensive Player: Senior RB Chris Johnson. Will he actually be a running back again? After being one of the league’s best all-around backs for two years, becoming a great receiver while serving as a decent runner, last year he only rushed for 314 yards and four touchdowns while turning into a special kickoff returner. He’ll likely combine with Dominique Lindsay to carry the workload.

Best Defensive Player: Junior LB Quentin Cotton. Only 224 pounds but fast, he finished second on the team with 68 tackles and was decent at getting into the backfield. After he comes back from a shoulder injury, he’ll be the leader of a veteran linebacking corps that should be one of the team’s biggest strengths.

Key player to a successful season: Sophomore QB Rob Kass. He’ll have to hold off Patrick Pinkney and Brett Clay for the gig, but the 6-4, 250-pound sophomore was the top backup last season and should become the type of passer to build the offense around for the next few years. He’s not going to run much, but he’ll bomb away.

The season will be a success if ... the Pirates win the East. The schedule works out relatively well, getting Southern Miss at home and missing Houston, Tulsa and SMU from the West. A few key players must become stars in a hurry to get the offense rolling, but it might take a while. Basically, the team has to get through the first month without thinking the season is lost, and then hit its stride late.

[joepa66]

Brennan could throw for 5000 yards against "The Sisters of the Poor" but does that mean he should get the Heisman? And how are his team mates going to react to all the off-field ruckus he caused.


ECU - The Pirates are always a dangerous team and this year they will be much improved. I do think they will snag a bowl game and the QB position is going to be key...if Kass can survive that brutal opening stretch of games.

[CuseFan10]

Can't wait for foots.....and the MAC oughta be good again this year! Lot's of good surprises in store, and I think lots of parity!:beerbang:

MAC good again? It was an atrocity last year. Had to be there worst year in 5+ years. The MAC Championship was a slaughter, and I may be incorrect here, but was one team in the conferenc eever ranked last year? I do't even count Toledo if they were in the Preseason poll (if by chance they were).

"Good" was YOU betting MAC games. Average (at best) was MAC football.