I am not a huge fan of the idea of a 16-team playoff. I think that if it were implemented it would cheapen the regular season a little bit. Most proponents of a 16-team playoff say that the first round of games would be played in the home stadium of the higher seeded team, and it would probably take place today...the first Saturday in December (Championship Saturday as it's known now). The idea of 8 playoff college football games going on today is pretty enticing. Using the BCS standings, this is how it would shake out (using the 11 conference champion, 5 at-large format).
12:00 - 16 Florida International (Sun Belt Champ) at 1 Auburn (SEC Champ)
1:00 - 12 Virginia Tech (ACC Champ) at 5 Wisconsin (Big Ten Champ)
2:00 - 14 Miami (OH) (MAC Champ) at 3 TCU (Mountain West Champ)
3:30 - 9 Oklahoma (Big 12 Champ) at 7 Arkansas (at-large)
4:30 - 13 West Virginia (Big East Champ) at 4 Stanford (at-large)
5:30 - 11 Boise State (WAC Champ) at 6 Ohio State (at-large)
7:00 - 10 LSU (at-large) at 8 Michigan State (at-large)
8:30 - 15 Central Florida (C-USA Champ) at 2 Oregon (PAC 10 Champ)
Michigan State would play the 10 seed and Arkansas would play the 9 seed to prevent two teams from the same conference playing each other in the first round.
Imagine that day right there, that would be pretty great. Or if there were a 4 or 8 team playoff but all conferences were having championship games today, that might be just as exciting.
JB
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
College Football - Week 14
The SEC Championship is one of the most impressive spectacles in all of sports. In some ways, I think it is bigger than the National Championship Game...certainly the last two years it has been. You can take away the Superbowls, SEC basketball tournaments, Final Four, Falcons home games, etc. The Georgia Dome was made to be the home of this game.
For all the things I love about the SEC Championship Game, the only thing I don't really like is when there is a matchup between teams that have already played in the regular season. But in the case of Auburn and South Carolina I'm okay with it because the Gamecocks lost at Auburn. If Auburn had gone to Columbia and won then I really wouldn't like them having to play this game.
There are a lot of people pointing to the fact that Steve Spurrier will have essentially had three weeks to prepare for this game, and he is tough to beat in that case. Perhaps that used to be the case, but as we all know, the Ole Ball Coach has lost some of his muster. Still, he will be able to come up with a good game plan I think and really challenge Auburn. He got USC to this game, which is farther than they have ever gotten. South Carolina fans really want to win this because who knows when they'll get back. There is plenty of motivation on their sideline.
After pulling out that great comeback at Alabama, Auburn will have to bounce back quickly from that emotionally charged victory. The Tigers have proved many things this year especially their ability to win close games and come from behind. They are one of the most resilient teams in recent memory. Auburn has beaten every one of the top 6 teams in the SEC, they are the best team no matter what happens in this game. The question isn't whether they can win, it's will they come out with the emotion needed to get a victory against a USC team that will give it everything they've got.
South Carolina has the #1 rushing defense in the SEC by a good margin at 93.2 yards/game. Auburn has the best rushing offense in the SEC by a huge margin at 291.2 yards/game. That will be an interesting matchup. No one has stopped Cam Newton yet, even last week vs. Bama he still threw the ball well.
South Carolina's rushing statistics are a little skewed because there has been several games where Marcus Lattimore sat out for a while including the game at Auburn. They are 7th in the SEC. Auburn's rush defense is 2nd.
Auburn has the #1 scoring offense, South Carolina has the #3 scoring defense. It's like this at every category statistically. Both these teams match up very well in all phases of the game.
South Carolina may be 9-3 and ranked 18 spots below Auburn in the BCS standings but they are a much better team than that. In the Auburn game they turned the ball over 4 times in the 4th quarter, and still only lost the game by 8 points going down the wire. Spurrier really cost the Gamecocks that game by pulling Garcia after he fumbled the ball twice (he was having one of the best games of his career)...Conner Shaw proceeded to throw two interceptions. USC's second loss was a predictable one, coming off the emotional win vs. #1 Alabama they fell to a talented Kentucky team on the road...but they're a better team and should've won if they were focused. Then knowing they had the East wrapped up Spurrier put Lattimore on the sideline and the Cocks rolled over and got smoked by Arkansas. I think South Carolina is better than their record and rank indicate. I don't know if they are better than Arkansas but with that game being in Columbia, if the Gamecocks were focus and determined to win I think they could be 11-1 right now and this would be another SEC Championship Game which acts as a semifinal for the BCS Title Game.
With all that said, Auburn is a better team now then when they played in September. No one has stopped Cam Newton and Auburn's offense. No one has stopped Nick Fairley either. If those two come to play and their supporting cast executes their roles as they have for 12 games already, they are the best team in the country. I don't think Auburn will be able to stop Alshon Jeffrey, but they haven't stop any star receivers this year and they still win. It's going to be another exciting game to watch, Auburn 42 South Carolina 35
JB
For all the things I love about the SEC Championship Game, the only thing I don't really like is when there is a matchup between teams that have already played in the regular season. But in the case of Auburn and South Carolina I'm okay with it because the Gamecocks lost at Auburn. If Auburn had gone to Columbia and won then I really wouldn't like them having to play this game.
There are a lot of people pointing to the fact that Steve Spurrier will have essentially had three weeks to prepare for this game, and he is tough to beat in that case. Perhaps that used to be the case, but as we all know, the Ole Ball Coach has lost some of his muster. Still, he will be able to come up with a good game plan I think and really challenge Auburn. He got USC to this game, which is farther than they have ever gotten. South Carolina fans really want to win this because who knows when they'll get back. There is plenty of motivation on their sideline.
After pulling out that great comeback at Alabama, Auburn will have to bounce back quickly from that emotionally charged victory. The Tigers have proved many things this year especially their ability to win close games and come from behind. They are one of the most resilient teams in recent memory. Auburn has beaten every one of the top 6 teams in the SEC, they are the best team no matter what happens in this game. The question isn't whether they can win, it's will they come out with the emotion needed to get a victory against a USC team that will give it everything they've got.
South Carolina has the #1 rushing defense in the SEC by a good margin at 93.2 yards/game. Auburn has the best rushing offense in the SEC by a huge margin at 291.2 yards/game. That will be an interesting matchup. No one has stopped Cam Newton yet, even last week vs. Bama he still threw the ball well.
South Carolina's rushing statistics are a little skewed because there has been several games where Marcus Lattimore sat out for a while including the game at Auburn. They are 7th in the SEC. Auburn's rush defense is 2nd.
Auburn has the #1 scoring offense, South Carolina has the #3 scoring defense. It's like this at every category statistically. Both these teams match up very well in all phases of the game.
South Carolina may be 9-3 and ranked 18 spots below Auburn in the BCS standings but they are a much better team than that. In the Auburn game they turned the ball over 4 times in the 4th quarter, and still only lost the game by 8 points going down the wire. Spurrier really cost the Gamecocks that game by pulling Garcia after he fumbled the ball twice (he was having one of the best games of his career)...Conner Shaw proceeded to throw two interceptions. USC's second loss was a predictable one, coming off the emotional win vs. #1 Alabama they fell to a talented Kentucky team on the road...but they're a better team and should've won if they were focused. Then knowing they had the East wrapped up Spurrier put Lattimore on the sideline and the Cocks rolled over and got smoked by Arkansas. I think South Carolina is better than their record and rank indicate. I don't know if they are better than Arkansas but with that game being in Columbia, if the Gamecocks were focus and determined to win I think they could be 11-1 right now and this would be another SEC Championship Game which acts as a semifinal for the BCS Title Game.
With all that said, Auburn is a better team now then when they played in September. No one has stopped Cam Newton and Auburn's offense. No one has stopped Nick Fairley either. If those two come to play and their supporting cast executes their roles as they have for 12 games already, they are the best team in the country. I don't think Auburn will be able to stop Alshon Jeffrey, but they haven't stop any star receivers this year and they still win. It's going to be another exciting game to watch, Auburn 42 South Carolina 35
JB
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Healthcare Part 3
There is no doubt that our healthcare system has it's flaws. The main flaw is the inability to get insurance because of pre-existing conditions. Other flaws include insurance companies unwillingness to pay, medical lawsuits, lack of coverage for underprivileged children, and high premiums.
What the government can do to help the healthcare system is work with insurance companies to come up with a set of rules. It needs to be determined what an insurance company needs to make to cover cost, overhead, and reasonable profit. Figuring conservatively, ceiling amounts should be placed on premiums for people based on age and health history. For example, an insurance company may be able to charge a 40-year-old female with no major medical history $600 a month at a ceiling...from there insurance companies can be competitive with prices lower than $600/month to get her business. People with pre-existing conditions must be taken by insurance companies. When they are taken they are reported to the government agency in charge. That government agency is responsible for making sure all insurance companies are taking a equal percentage of the at-risk individuals. Costs stemming from that at-risk patient exceeding a certain amount can be tax-deducable.
I believe that all children should be able to receive healthcare. I know that if that is a hard and fast rule then children of people with insurance would take advantage of the system so it should be done through taxes. For example, medical costs could be used as tax credits for parents making under a certain wage. If a child has cancer or another disease then the government could absorb the cost for treatment. If my taxes go up ever so slightly to give a child a chance at life then I am for it.
One of the biggest reasons medical insurance is so expensive is because of all the tests and re-test and things doctors do to make sure they don't get tangled up in a medical malpractice law suit. There are a few things like checking blood pressure and such that need to be done but all the unnecessary x-rays and things that really don't pertain to why the patient is there should be eliminated in the name of money. There needs to be tort reform to eliminate some of the law suits regarding negligence because a doctor didn't run the 19th and 20th test on you to make sure your bladder is properly functioning when you came in for him to check your throat.
The practice of insurance companies not wanting to pay for medical expenses needs to end. If a patient goes to the doctor complaining of chest pains and it just turns out to be heartburn I understand they don't want to pay $250 for that visit. So every customer needs to have a deductible worth approximately 3% of their annual household income...and they need to pay it in full before the insurance company pays any coverage. This will prevent people from just going to the doctor for every little ache and pain.
JB
What the government can do to help the healthcare system is work with insurance companies to come up with a set of rules. It needs to be determined what an insurance company needs to make to cover cost, overhead, and reasonable profit. Figuring conservatively, ceiling amounts should be placed on premiums for people based on age and health history. For example, an insurance company may be able to charge a 40-year-old female with no major medical history $600 a month at a ceiling...from there insurance companies can be competitive with prices lower than $600/month to get her business. People with pre-existing conditions must be taken by insurance companies. When they are taken they are reported to the government agency in charge. That government agency is responsible for making sure all insurance companies are taking a equal percentage of the at-risk individuals. Costs stemming from that at-risk patient exceeding a certain amount can be tax-deducable.
I believe that all children should be able to receive healthcare. I know that if that is a hard and fast rule then children of people with insurance would take advantage of the system so it should be done through taxes. For example, medical costs could be used as tax credits for parents making under a certain wage. If a child has cancer or another disease then the government could absorb the cost for treatment. If my taxes go up ever so slightly to give a child a chance at life then I am for it.
One of the biggest reasons medical insurance is so expensive is because of all the tests and re-test and things doctors do to make sure they don't get tangled up in a medical malpractice law suit. There are a few things like checking blood pressure and such that need to be done but all the unnecessary x-rays and things that really don't pertain to why the patient is there should be eliminated in the name of money. There needs to be tort reform to eliminate some of the law suits regarding negligence because a doctor didn't run the 19th and 20th test on you to make sure your bladder is properly functioning when you came in for him to check your throat.
The practice of insurance companies not wanting to pay for medical expenses needs to end. If a patient goes to the doctor complaining of chest pains and it just turns out to be heartburn I understand they don't want to pay $250 for that visit. So every customer needs to have a deductible worth approximately 3% of their annual household income...and they need to pay it in full before the insurance company pays any coverage. This will prevent people from just going to the doctor for every little ache and pain.
JB
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Healthcare Part 2
We know that politicians are smart people. Most of them have been to law school, most are wealthy, and after all they did get elected. So why would wealthy, smart politicians want to enact a healthcare bill that would give us all the consequences I mentioned in Part 1? The simple answer is that if millions of people get free healthcare, they will be dedicated voters for their party.
Think about it. If you are a person who has never had healthcare coverage, doesn't have it right now, and doesn't foresee any time when you will have it, then you would be glad to get it no matter what form it's in. So when healthcare takes effect and all of the sudden you get coverage, you are going to vote for the party who favors universal heathcare because you don't want the other party taking it away.
The healthcare bill that was passed in March of 2010 is not entirely universal heathcare. Many democrats started with universal healthcare and landed somewhere in the neighborhood of just making everyone get insurance. This is a problem because in at no time during the history of the United States has the government forced the people to buy something. Just the mere fact that you are breathing means you will have to purchase health insurance. I take my freedom very seriously, and nothing about that says freedom to me....all I see is the government telling me what to do, and I don't like it.
The healthcare bill is going to be implemented over the next few years and it will take full effect in 2014. It is unclear how much of it will have gone into effect before the 2012 election. Healthcare must be repealed because if some of it's initiatives are implemented then the '30 million' who don't have it will be yelling and screaming that the Republicans are trying to take it away in 2012, and if enough democrats retain control then it will all come to fruition. Once that takes place, they will take more steps towards universal healthcare in the future.
JB
Think about it. If you are a person who has never had healthcare coverage, doesn't have it right now, and doesn't foresee any time when you will have it, then you would be glad to get it no matter what form it's in. So when healthcare takes effect and all of the sudden you get coverage, you are going to vote for the party who favors universal heathcare because you don't want the other party taking it away.
The healthcare bill that was passed in March of 2010 is not entirely universal heathcare. Many democrats started with universal healthcare and landed somewhere in the neighborhood of just making everyone get insurance. This is a problem because in at no time during the history of the United States has the government forced the people to buy something. Just the mere fact that you are breathing means you will have to purchase health insurance. I take my freedom very seriously, and nothing about that says freedom to me....all I see is the government telling me what to do, and I don't like it.
The healthcare bill is going to be implemented over the next few years and it will take full effect in 2014. It is unclear how much of it will have gone into effect before the 2012 election. Healthcare must be repealed because if some of it's initiatives are implemented then the '30 million' who don't have it will be yelling and screaming that the Republicans are trying to take it away in 2012, and if enough democrats retain control then it will all come to fruition. Once that takes place, they will take more steps towards universal healthcare in the future.
JB
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Healthcare Part 1
Healthcare is very important. It's literally critical to the health and wealth of America. We all want good healthcare, and we all want everyone to be able to receive it. I believe the key to understanding the healthcare debate is to determine the consequences that will take place once certain action is implemented.
On the surface, the idea of free healthcare to all American citizens is a great thing. There is no doubt that for anyone to be able to go to the doctor or to the emergency room free of charge is something that is desirable, and I believe all Americans think that ideal is a good thing. The problem with the universal healthcare debate is that for so many people it ends there. That is all they see. Free healthcare for everyone. That is good. End of story.
Unfortunately that is not all there is to it. Healthcare will never be free, at least not until doctors start volunteering and manufacturers of machines donate their inventions, and contractors build hospitals as a charity. There is cost for healthcare, lots of cost, and it has to be paid for somehow. And with the idea universal healthcare comes the reality that tax payers must pay for it.
So how can we reallocate the money we've paid in taxes that are being used for other things to now be used for heathcare? We can't. The fact is that even if we cut government overhead in one area to spend it on healthcare we are really just adding back that overhead because the government will be running it...so all we've done is shifted government employees from one sector to another. The only way to pay for healthcare is to raise taxes, plain and simple. So, that's you're first major consequence of healthcare, higher taxes.
The second major consequence of universal healthcare is the deterioration of service. If every patient is viewed the same and doctors basically become government employees then what is their motivation for providing excellent service? I know there is an ideal that they will be motivated by helping others, and while their motivation will in all likelihood be greater than the government worker at the DMV, the service will decline. Some doctor's view of their jobs will change because of the loss of capitalism in healthcare, and with that their practice of medicine will suffer....and we don't want that. Since everyone can receive healthcare free of charge there will be 30-40% more people in that waiting room. Not just the 10% that don't have healthcare now, but the additional people who have insurance but may not go to the doctor when they have the slightest cold because they don't want to pay higher rates or a deductible. There will be lack of privacy in hospital rooms and long waits for surgeries and treatments. Look at Canada and England's universal healthcare systems: 65% of Americans survive cancer for 5 years after being diagnosed compared to 46% in England and 42% in Canada, 93% of Americans diagnosed with diabetes received treatment within the first six months compared to 15% in England and 43% in Canada, 77% of Americans who are referred to a medical specialist are seen within one month compared to 40% in England and 43% in Canada.
The third major consequence of universal healthcare is losing our access to the best doctors and medical machines in the world. Once the government controls healthcare they will set the wages for doctors. So the doctor that provides great service and does great work will be making the same and the doctor who does just okay work. The foreign doctor who came to America to make $1,000,000 a year will leave because they would rather be in their home country if they are only going to make a certain wage. There is a reason why leaders from around the world come to America for surgeries, it's because we have the best doctors. And the best doctors come here from around the world to make the most money. They will leave America and that combined with having to cover more people and less 'rich people' wanting to become doctors will create such a need for doctors that medical schools will have to lower their admission standards, thereby creating a lesser medical field. When the government sets prices on what they will pay for machines, companies who manufacture those machines will spend far less time creating new ideas for them because the pay is less. Less inventions and technology will be developed because of this. Let's use England and Canada again: there are 71 MRI scanners in America per one million people compared to 14 in England and 18 and Canada.
The fourth major consequence of universal healthcare is having the government control our lives through it. The cost of healthcare will be large, and with a certain budget there will be strict guidelines for doctors to follow in order to keep costs down. One of these guidelines will in all likelihood be that once a person reaches a certain age they should not receive as much attention because they are so close to the end of their life. So the heart-bypass that Grandpa needs will be pushed to the end of the line, Grandma will have to wait on her hip replacement, and after a few days of struggling in the hospital a great Aunt of yours might have the plug pulled by a doctor with orders from Uncle Sam.
JB
On the surface, the idea of free healthcare to all American citizens is a great thing. There is no doubt that for anyone to be able to go to the doctor or to the emergency room free of charge is something that is desirable, and I believe all Americans think that ideal is a good thing. The problem with the universal healthcare debate is that for so many people it ends there. That is all they see. Free healthcare for everyone. That is good. End of story.
Unfortunately that is not all there is to it. Healthcare will never be free, at least not until doctors start volunteering and manufacturers of machines donate their inventions, and contractors build hospitals as a charity. There is cost for healthcare, lots of cost, and it has to be paid for somehow. And with the idea universal healthcare comes the reality that tax payers must pay for it.
So how can we reallocate the money we've paid in taxes that are being used for other things to now be used for heathcare? We can't. The fact is that even if we cut government overhead in one area to spend it on healthcare we are really just adding back that overhead because the government will be running it...so all we've done is shifted government employees from one sector to another. The only way to pay for healthcare is to raise taxes, plain and simple. So, that's you're first major consequence of healthcare, higher taxes.
The second major consequence of universal healthcare is the deterioration of service. If every patient is viewed the same and doctors basically become government employees then what is their motivation for providing excellent service? I know there is an ideal that they will be motivated by helping others, and while their motivation will in all likelihood be greater than the government worker at the DMV, the service will decline. Some doctor's view of their jobs will change because of the loss of capitalism in healthcare, and with that their practice of medicine will suffer....and we don't want that. Since everyone can receive healthcare free of charge there will be 30-40% more people in that waiting room. Not just the 10% that don't have healthcare now, but the additional people who have insurance but may not go to the doctor when they have the slightest cold because they don't want to pay higher rates or a deductible. There will be lack of privacy in hospital rooms and long waits for surgeries and treatments. Look at Canada and England's universal healthcare systems: 65% of Americans survive cancer for 5 years after being diagnosed compared to 46% in England and 42% in Canada, 93% of Americans diagnosed with diabetes received treatment within the first six months compared to 15% in England and 43% in Canada, 77% of Americans who are referred to a medical specialist are seen within one month compared to 40% in England and 43% in Canada.
The third major consequence of universal healthcare is losing our access to the best doctors and medical machines in the world. Once the government controls healthcare they will set the wages for doctors. So the doctor that provides great service and does great work will be making the same and the doctor who does just okay work. The foreign doctor who came to America to make $1,000,000 a year will leave because they would rather be in their home country if they are only going to make a certain wage. There is a reason why leaders from around the world come to America for surgeries, it's because we have the best doctors. And the best doctors come here from around the world to make the most money. They will leave America and that combined with having to cover more people and less 'rich people' wanting to become doctors will create such a need for doctors that medical schools will have to lower their admission standards, thereby creating a lesser medical field. When the government sets prices on what they will pay for machines, companies who manufacture those machines will spend far less time creating new ideas for them because the pay is less. Less inventions and technology will be developed because of this. Let's use England and Canada again: there are 71 MRI scanners in America per one million people compared to 14 in England and 18 and Canada.
The fourth major consequence of universal healthcare is having the government control our lives through it. The cost of healthcare will be large, and with a certain budget there will be strict guidelines for doctors to follow in order to keep costs down. One of these guidelines will in all likelihood be that once a person reaches a certain age they should not receive as much attention because they are so close to the end of their life. So the heart-bypass that Grandpa needs will be pushed to the end of the line, Grandma will have to wait on her hip replacement, and after a few days of struggling in the hospital a great Aunt of yours might have the plug pulled by a doctor with orders from Uncle Sam.
JB
Monday, November 29, 2010
Week Thirteen
I'm officially going to give up predicting the national games for 2010. I managed to only get one game out of 8 right...and that was Ohio State over Michigan which was a very easy one to pick. So I'll end it with an above .500 record of 37-34, pretty pathetic picking the games straight up.
The Auburn comeback over Alabama was one of the greatest comebacks I've ever seen considering the circumstances. On the road, national championship, bragging rights, everything on the line and they were getting dominated, really it could have been much worse than 24-0 before they final moved the ball on offense. But you have to really hand it to Nick Fairley, he and Antoine Carter kept them in the game until the second half when Cam Newton took over. That game goes to show how important emotion is, Bama was on fire feeding off the crowd in the first half...but they couldn't sustain it after halftime and the crowd exhaled while Auburn crept back into the game.
While I was watching Boise State perform the same collapse Alabama did I was thinking how I could justify a close win to Nevada to keep them in contention. I think it could have been easy to do because Nevada creamed Cal, who only lost to Oregon by two points. But Boise State lost, and I was a little bit disappointed. They certainly can't blame it all on the field goal kicker because they got knocked off the ball on both lines of scrimmage the entire second half. But what I find amazing is that all the people who want a playoff so bad also were happy Boise State lost. Boise State is the exact reason why we might eventually get a playoff, and it's ashame people can't understand that. It's the folks like the Ohio State president who can't stand having Boise State around that are going to vote for a playoff if indeed Boise State or TCU can make it to the title game. They will vote for it because they figure if the little guys can get in anyway, let's give ourselves a chance with a 4 or 8 team playoff. It makes too much sense, but we've got Gary Danielson and Craig James filling everyone's mind up with all this 'they don't play the same schedule', which is just a red herring for the real problem...which is the BCS!
The final score of the Egg Bowl might have only been 31-23 but Mississippi State dominated that game. I really believe that getting six wins, beating Florida, and beating Ole Miss to push their heads a little further under water has really allowed the program to take three steps this year instead of just the one I was hoping for. It's been a great year for State. I was 6-2 on my SEC picks this week, so that's 77-18 on the year. Here's my power rankings:
1. Auburn, 12-0 (8-0) - They are the best, there is do doubt about it. It's amazing they have run the table in the SEC with an average defense but they have won in every way imaginable on the road and at home.
2. Arkansas, 10-2 (6-2) - The Hogs are one of the hottest teams in the country right now. This makes me think an 8-team playoff could work...if there was one this is a team I wouldn't want to face.
3. LSU, 10-2 (6-2) - I cannot believe they finished the season with 10 wins. If you say great coaching job by Les Miles then his shortcomings have made you believe he did a good job. He had some of the best talent in the country, this is the record he should have had...but he was lucky to get it.
4. South Carolina, 9-3 (5-3) - They are playing really well right now. Auburn fans might think it's in the bag, but you know the Ole Ball Coach has got some stuff up his sleeve.
5. Alabama, 9-3 (5-3) - Bama falls all the way to #5... got to do it, they lost to the Gamecocks. This still are a great team, and they should cream whatever Big 12 team is thrown their way in the Cotton Bowl.
6. Mississippi State, 8-4 (4-4) - State did a great job this year of playing consistent football and I believe they are in the Top 12 or 15 teams in the country on a neutral field. I'm sure Chizik will get coach of the year, but he's got Cam Newton and Nick Fairley who have won him all his games, Mullen should be SEC Coach of the Year.
7. Florida, 7-5 (4-4) - This year was an absolute disaster from the first game to the last. Everyone should have realized things would go down losing Dan Mullen, Charlie Strong, and Tim Tebow, but this was a surprise.
8. Georgia, 6-6 (3-5) - They made a bowl, congratulations. Starting the day after the bowl game, Mark Richt is officially on the hot seat.
9. Tennessee, 6-6 (3-5) - What a November comeback for the Vols. I know it wasn't against top competition, but they played really well and Derek Dooley should get some votes for coach of the year.
10. Kentucky, 6-6 (2-6) - How do they lose to UT again? I don't know about their program. They've got a bunch of playmakers, they can hang with almost anybody, but they can't get any better than making it to a lower-tier bowl.
11. Ole Miss, 4-8 (1-7) - This was a rebuilding year for Ole Miss, their problem is that they couldn't recognize it. Jerimiah Masoli completely backfired in their face from the first game of the season. Tyrone Nix should be fired.
12. Vanderbilt, 2-10 (1-7) - I'm surprised Robbie Caldwell resigned before the last game. I thought he was doing a decent job. I'm not sure what direction they go from here. I think they need to re-evaluate and hire an athletic director.
My Top 5:
1. Auburn, 12-0
2. Oregon, 11-0
3. TCU, 12-0
4. Stanford, 11-1
5. Wisconsin, 11-1
Wisconsin is a solid team, them and Arkansas might be the hottest teams in the country right now. I think TCU vs. Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl would be a great game, and I hope TCU torches them. I wonder what the Ohio State president would say then, especially since his team lost to Wisconsin. And I hope Ohio State plays Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl and they get torched as well. Should be interesting to see how it all plays out, but it looks like there will be some great BCS games.
The Falcons are 9-2. Matt Ryan is 19-1 career at home. They look really good. I don't see them losing more than one game down the stretch.
JB
The Auburn comeback over Alabama was one of the greatest comebacks I've ever seen considering the circumstances. On the road, national championship, bragging rights, everything on the line and they were getting dominated, really it could have been much worse than 24-0 before they final moved the ball on offense. But you have to really hand it to Nick Fairley, he and Antoine Carter kept them in the game until the second half when Cam Newton took over. That game goes to show how important emotion is, Bama was on fire feeding off the crowd in the first half...but they couldn't sustain it after halftime and the crowd exhaled while Auburn crept back into the game.
While I was watching Boise State perform the same collapse Alabama did I was thinking how I could justify a close win to Nevada to keep them in contention. I think it could have been easy to do because Nevada creamed Cal, who only lost to Oregon by two points. But Boise State lost, and I was a little bit disappointed. They certainly can't blame it all on the field goal kicker because they got knocked off the ball on both lines of scrimmage the entire second half. But what I find amazing is that all the people who want a playoff so bad also were happy Boise State lost. Boise State is the exact reason why we might eventually get a playoff, and it's ashame people can't understand that. It's the folks like the Ohio State president who can't stand having Boise State around that are going to vote for a playoff if indeed Boise State or TCU can make it to the title game. They will vote for it because they figure if the little guys can get in anyway, let's give ourselves a chance with a 4 or 8 team playoff. It makes too much sense, but we've got Gary Danielson and Craig James filling everyone's mind up with all this 'they don't play the same schedule', which is just a red herring for the real problem...which is the BCS!
The final score of the Egg Bowl might have only been 31-23 but Mississippi State dominated that game. I really believe that getting six wins, beating Florida, and beating Ole Miss to push their heads a little further under water has really allowed the program to take three steps this year instead of just the one I was hoping for. It's been a great year for State. I was 6-2 on my SEC picks this week, so that's 77-18 on the year. Here's my power rankings:
1. Auburn, 12-0 (8-0) - They are the best, there is do doubt about it. It's amazing they have run the table in the SEC with an average defense but they have won in every way imaginable on the road and at home.
2. Arkansas, 10-2 (6-2) - The Hogs are one of the hottest teams in the country right now. This makes me think an 8-team playoff could work...if there was one this is a team I wouldn't want to face.
3. LSU, 10-2 (6-2) - I cannot believe they finished the season with 10 wins. If you say great coaching job by Les Miles then his shortcomings have made you believe he did a good job. He had some of the best talent in the country, this is the record he should have had...but he was lucky to get it.
4. South Carolina, 9-3 (5-3) - They are playing really well right now. Auburn fans might think it's in the bag, but you know the Ole Ball Coach has got some stuff up his sleeve.
5. Alabama, 9-3 (5-3) - Bama falls all the way to #5... got to do it, they lost to the Gamecocks. This still are a great team, and they should cream whatever Big 12 team is thrown their way in the Cotton Bowl.
6. Mississippi State, 8-4 (4-4) - State did a great job this year of playing consistent football and I believe they are in the Top 12 or 15 teams in the country on a neutral field. I'm sure Chizik will get coach of the year, but he's got Cam Newton and Nick Fairley who have won him all his games, Mullen should be SEC Coach of the Year.
7. Florida, 7-5 (4-4) - This year was an absolute disaster from the first game to the last. Everyone should have realized things would go down losing Dan Mullen, Charlie Strong, and Tim Tebow, but this was a surprise.
8. Georgia, 6-6 (3-5) - They made a bowl, congratulations. Starting the day after the bowl game, Mark Richt is officially on the hot seat.
9. Tennessee, 6-6 (3-5) - What a November comeback for the Vols. I know it wasn't against top competition, but they played really well and Derek Dooley should get some votes for coach of the year.
10. Kentucky, 6-6 (2-6) - How do they lose to UT again? I don't know about their program. They've got a bunch of playmakers, they can hang with almost anybody, but they can't get any better than making it to a lower-tier bowl.
11. Ole Miss, 4-8 (1-7) - This was a rebuilding year for Ole Miss, their problem is that they couldn't recognize it. Jerimiah Masoli completely backfired in their face from the first game of the season. Tyrone Nix should be fired.
12. Vanderbilt, 2-10 (1-7) - I'm surprised Robbie Caldwell resigned before the last game. I thought he was doing a decent job. I'm not sure what direction they go from here. I think they need to re-evaluate and hire an athletic director.
My Top 5:
1. Auburn, 12-0
2. Oregon, 11-0
3. TCU, 12-0
4. Stanford, 11-1
5. Wisconsin, 11-1
Wisconsin is a solid team, them and Arkansas might be the hottest teams in the country right now. I think TCU vs. Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl would be a great game, and I hope TCU torches them. I wonder what the Ohio State president would say then, especially since his team lost to Wisconsin. And I hope Ohio State plays Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl and they get torched as well. Should be interesting to see how it all plays out, but it looks like there will be some great BCS games.
The Falcons are 9-2. Matt Ryan is 19-1 career at home. They look really good. I don't see them losing more than one game down the stretch.
JB
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
College Football - Week 13
I'm putting this week's preview out today because I wasn't going to post anything else with Thanksgiving this week, and so this can sit as the latest post for a few days.
This is a huge week in college football, perhaps the best. It's Rivalry Week...a bittersweet week. It's so great but yet we know the college football season is coming to an end. All across the country there are great games.
Two 2-9 teams that are tanking will be playing with Wake Forest at Vanderbilt. These two programs were having banner years a few years ago but it's all fallen apart. I picked Vandy before the year in this game and I'm going to stick with them. At home, the worst team in the SEC needs to beat the worst team in the ACC.
Georgia has got to beat Georgia Tech. This has been a terrible season for both teams but especially UGA. If they lose this game there will be no bowl game and that would be the first time they haven't made a bowl since 1996, Ray Goff's last season in Athens. GA Tech is only 6-5 and they have had plenty of attrition on defense. I think the Dawgs use their two weeks of preparation and home field to their advantage and win the game.
The odds-makers seem to be favoring all the home teams in the rivalry games this weekend, and so even Florida State is getting the benefit of the doubt hosting Florida. Both of these teams have been very inconsistent. I'm pretty sure the last time FSU won this game was 2003, when Zook was the coach for Florida. But this year is the year to stick it to the Gators...they are not good. Mississippi State and South Carolina took advantage of it but Georgia didn't. I think being at home, and with plenty of motivation Florida State will win the game by a field goal.
South Carolina at Clemson. I don't even know what they call this game. Two schools whose fan base always wants to win so bad but they stick to 6-8 wins a year. The Gamecocks have broken loose from that a little this year and they could get their 9th win in this game. I was a little unsure about how USC would perform in the last two weeks knowing they just want to win the SEC Championship but they stomped Troy, although Troy basically played dead in that game. Clemson proved they can run play with the SEC when they took Auburn to overtime on the road but they haven't been very consistent this year. In no way would I be surprised if Clemson won this game but I'm going to pick South Carolina to pull it out, maybe by a field goal.
So I'm picking the SEC to go 3-1 over the ACC this week. If it's any less than that it would be embarrassing.
In the same way that this year is everyone's turn to beat Florida, this is the year to get Tennessee. Vandy was able to stay in the game last week, but Kentucky is better than that and they have got to win this game even if it is in Knoxville. After 25 years of dominance, when is this going to end? Kentucky is not that bad of a program, especially the last 5 years. Hartline is a senior, Cobb is such a great athlete. I think this is going to be a great game and I'm going to stick with my preseason pick...Kentucky wins the game and keeps UT out of a bowl game.
How great is the SEC West? The Top 5 teams in the West went 14-1 vs. the East. Outside of playing each other, the Top 5 teams in the West are 38-1. All 5 top teams are ranked in the Top 25 and the Top 4 are all ranked in the Top 12. LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas have a combined 5 loses and they all have been out of contention for the division title for two weeks! This weekend would be great just based on the above 5 games but then there's the following three including games pitting my SEC #1 at #3 and SEC #2 at #4. It doesn't get much better than that.
The Egg Bowl is going to be huge this year, just like it was last year. The game won't have any impact on who's going to a bowl although State's bowl positioning will be affected. If Ole Miss wins, they will have taken the air out of MSU's great season and that will help them on the recruiting trail just like it did for State last year. But if State can win they will possibly get to a New Year's Day bowl game and be able to stuff Ole Miss down to the bottom of the SEC and have won the Egg Bowl trophy two years in a row. The road team hasn't won this game since 2003 but I think that changes this year. State played great against Arkansas and Ole Miss' defense is very poor. Mississippi State 31 Ole Miss 21
LSU at Arkansas could be a play-in for a BCS game. A lot will depend on how the Iron Bowl turns out, but this game looks like a heavy weight fight between two great teams. Arkansas is playing great football right now, and LSU has been good and lucky all year. In the last 3 years LSU only beat Arkansas last year, and that took overtime. This game is always great no matter what. Arkansas is one of the toughest home teams in the SEC, even in Little Rock, and with the way they are playing I think they will pull this game out and throw a wrench into the BCS and bowl game scenarios. Arkansas 34 LSU 30
This year's Iron Bowl is the game of the year. Fortunately, some of the Cam Newton talk has died down in the last week or so. Auburn is coming off a bye which I think will have given their coaches time to develop a good game plan and the players time to heal and distance themselves from the distractions. Alabama should be coming in on fire and healthy, Richardson hasn't played since the LSU game and I think he'll be fresh. The game is in Tuscaloosa and the Tide haven't lost there since ULM beat them in 2007. Bama is favored in this one but I just don't see them stopping Cam Newton. Auburn only won by 3 points in Starkville and Lexington but since the Arkansas game this team has gotten really tough, and they creamed Ole Miss in Oxford. Auburn 31 Alabama 24
There are some good games nationally this week so I'll pick a few more than usual.
Arizona over Oregon - Arizona has scored a lot of points this year and they have a good defense. They've had two weeks to prepare for Oregon as well.
Texas over Texas A&M
Boise State over Nevada
Pittsburgh over West Virginia
Penn State over Michigan State
Ohio State over Michigan
Oklahoma State over Oklahoma
N.C. State over Maryland
JB
This is a huge week in college football, perhaps the best. It's Rivalry Week...a bittersweet week. It's so great but yet we know the college football season is coming to an end. All across the country there are great games.
Two 2-9 teams that are tanking will be playing with Wake Forest at Vanderbilt. These two programs were having banner years a few years ago but it's all fallen apart. I picked Vandy before the year in this game and I'm going to stick with them. At home, the worst team in the SEC needs to beat the worst team in the ACC.
Georgia has got to beat Georgia Tech. This has been a terrible season for both teams but especially UGA. If they lose this game there will be no bowl game and that would be the first time they haven't made a bowl since 1996, Ray Goff's last season in Athens. GA Tech is only 6-5 and they have had plenty of attrition on defense. I think the Dawgs use their two weeks of preparation and home field to their advantage and win the game.
The odds-makers seem to be favoring all the home teams in the rivalry games this weekend, and so even Florida State is getting the benefit of the doubt hosting Florida. Both of these teams have been very inconsistent. I'm pretty sure the last time FSU won this game was 2003, when Zook was the coach for Florida. But this year is the year to stick it to the Gators...they are not good. Mississippi State and South Carolina took advantage of it but Georgia didn't. I think being at home, and with plenty of motivation Florida State will win the game by a field goal.
South Carolina at Clemson. I don't even know what they call this game. Two schools whose fan base always wants to win so bad but they stick to 6-8 wins a year. The Gamecocks have broken loose from that a little this year and they could get their 9th win in this game. I was a little unsure about how USC would perform in the last two weeks knowing they just want to win the SEC Championship but they stomped Troy, although Troy basically played dead in that game. Clemson proved they can run play with the SEC when they took Auburn to overtime on the road but they haven't been very consistent this year. In no way would I be surprised if Clemson won this game but I'm going to pick South Carolina to pull it out, maybe by a field goal.
So I'm picking the SEC to go 3-1 over the ACC this week. If it's any less than that it would be embarrassing.
In the same way that this year is everyone's turn to beat Florida, this is the year to get Tennessee. Vandy was able to stay in the game last week, but Kentucky is better than that and they have got to win this game even if it is in Knoxville. After 25 years of dominance, when is this going to end? Kentucky is not that bad of a program, especially the last 5 years. Hartline is a senior, Cobb is such a great athlete. I think this is going to be a great game and I'm going to stick with my preseason pick...Kentucky wins the game and keeps UT out of a bowl game.
How great is the SEC West? The Top 5 teams in the West went 14-1 vs. the East. Outside of playing each other, the Top 5 teams in the West are 38-1. All 5 top teams are ranked in the Top 25 and the Top 4 are all ranked in the Top 12. LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas have a combined 5 loses and they all have been out of contention for the division title for two weeks! This weekend would be great just based on the above 5 games but then there's the following three including games pitting my SEC #1 at #3 and SEC #2 at #4. It doesn't get much better than that.
The Egg Bowl is going to be huge this year, just like it was last year. The game won't have any impact on who's going to a bowl although State's bowl positioning will be affected. If Ole Miss wins, they will have taken the air out of MSU's great season and that will help them on the recruiting trail just like it did for State last year. But if State can win they will possibly get to a New Year's Day bowl game and be able to stuff Ole Miss down to the bottom of the SEC and have won the Egg Bowl trophy two years in a row. The road team hasn't won this game since 2003 but I think that changes this year. State played great against Arkansas and Ole Miss' defense is very poor. Mississippi State 31 Ole Miss 21
LSU at Arkansas could be a play-in for a BCS game. A lot will depend on how the Iron Bowl turns out, but this game looks like a heavy weight fight between two great teams. Arkansas is playing great football right now, and LSU has been good and lucky all year. In the last 3 years LSU only beat Arkansas last year, and that took overtime. This game is always great no matter what. Arkansas is one of the toughest home teams in the SEC, even in Little Rock, and with the way they are playing I think they will pull this game out and throw a wrench into the BCS and bowl game scenarios. Arkansas 34 LSU 30
This year's Iron Bowl is the game of the year. Fortunately, some of the Cam Newton talk has died down in the last week or so. Auburn is coming off a bye which I think will have given their coaches time to develop a good game plan and the players time to heal and distance themselves from the distractions. Alabama should be coming in on fire and healthy, Richardson hasn't played since the LSU game and I think he'll be fresh. The game is in Tuscaloosa and the Tide haven't lost there since ULM beat them in 2007. Bama is favored in this one but I just don't see them stopping Cam Newton. Auburn only won by 3 points in Starkville and Lexington but since the Arkansas game this team has gotten really tough, and they creamed Ole Miss in Oxford. Auburn 31 Alabama 24
There are some good games nationally this week so I'll pick a few more than usual.
Arizona over Oregon - Arizona has scored a lot of points this year and they have a good defense. They've had two weeks to prepare for Oregon as well.
Texas over Texas A&M
Boise State over Nevada
Pittsburgh over West Virginia
Penn State over Michigan State
Ohio State over Michigan
Oklahoma State over Oklahoma
N.C. State over Maryland
JB
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