It's been a great season of college football. Unfortunately my Irish didn't show up with their best last night, but the best team in America won the national title and that's that. It was probably my favorite sport to blog about all season, and I'm looking forward to next year already. Here's a look at my final Top 13 for this season, as well as my preseason ballot for comparison.
1. Alabama (13-1)
2. Oregon (12-1)
3. Notre Dame (12-1)
4. Georgia (12-2)
5. Ohio St. (12-0)
6. Texas A&M (11-2)
7. Stanford (12-2)
8. Florida (11-2)
9. South Carolina (11-2)
10. Florida St. (11-2)
11. Clemson (11-2)
12. Louisville (11-2)
13. LSU (10-3)
Preseason Top 13 (with my comments)
1. Alabama- Defense will reload, Saban's machine will keep churning, and A.J. McCarron will prove he can lead the team.
Alright, I got the #1 team right!
2. USC- Matt Barkley and that offense will be unstoppable.
Yikes...
3. LSU- Zach Mettenberger will help inmprove this offense, but will the defense be as dominant without Claiborne and Matthieu in the secondary?
Not ashamed to have had LSU this high. Not my fault nobody told me Mettenberger wasn't very good.
4. Oklahoma- OU is stacked as usual, can Landry Jones finally put it all together?
Landry Jones didn't put it all together.
5. West Virginia- They will score score and score some more. A great fit for the shootout conference Big 12.
This looked good for like 4 games.
6. Arkansas- Tyler Wilson is a flat out stud, but will have a lot of new faces to throw to.
Tyler Wilson got hurt and Arkansas' coach was a bigger nutjob than Bobby Petrino.
7. Georgia- Andy Murray and company are my top team from the SEC East, but are they god enough on D to beat the powers in the West?
They weren't good enough against the run to beat Alabama, good call.
8.. Florida State- Jimbo Fisher is building the program back up, and this is the year they reclaim the ACC.
Another solid prediction.
9. South Carolina- Jadeveon Clowney and this defense are scary, as is Marcus Lattimore in the backfield. But they don't have a QB in the same league as the SEC foes above them.
They started and finished #9.
10. Oregon- The offense will still flow, but the defense will still lag behind.
I underrated the Ducks because I didn't know Marcus Marriota and that defense would be so good.
11. Wisconsin- They will run the ball better than anyone and thus are my favorites in a balanced but not outstanding Big 10.
They DID win the Big 10...
12. Michigan- Denard Robinson's senior year has Big Blue fans dreaming of Roses.
Big Blue fans didn't get those Roses.
13. Virginia Tech- If Logan Thomas can harness his raw talent, this team will play Beamer-ball and contend in a surprisingly good ACC.
Logan Thomas had a REALLY bad season.
1/1/13- BCS Bowl Picks
Rose: #8 Stanford 20, Wisconsin 17
Orange: #12 Florida St. 34, Northern Illinois 24
Sugar: #4 Florida 31, Louisville 17
Fiesta: #3 Oregon 52, #11 Kansas St. 24
National Championship Game: #2 Alabama 24, #1 Notre Dame 17
12/8 FINAL HEISMAN BALLOT
My final Heisman ballot is a culmination of a year's worth of watching and analyzing college football. I grade prospects on several factors (Value to Team, Heisman Moment, Best Player, Team Success, and "What makes them outstanding") and then assemble my final ballot based off the results. Last year, my system led my ballot to have Montee Ball, Tyrann Mathieu, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, and Trent Richardson in that order. I don't have the Quarterback bias that every "expert" seems to have. They typically score high in the value to team department but every other category is fair game to other positions. Here's a look at my final ballot for 2012.
1. Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame- 101 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 INT
Te'o has been the best player in America this year and has already won 6 major awards. His team also had an incredible amount of success going undefeated and getting to #1. He's been in tho top spot on my ballot for weeks and held his position through the finish.
2. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M- 3,419 pass yards, 24 TD, 8 INT, 1181 rush yards, 19 TD
Manziel burst onto the scene and took the nation by storm this season. He had the best Heisman moment in America when he won at Alabama. Unfortunately for him he had 2 bad games in A&M's two losses, and if just one of those had been a good game and a win he'd probably be on top of my ballot (and possibly playing for a National Championship).
3. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama- 2669 pass yards, 26 TD, 3 INT
MCCarron isn't getting much love in the Heisman race, but his numbers and his SEC Champion ring speak for themselves. No QB in college football posted a better passer rating, and McCarron played with minimal mistakes all year long. He wasn't the best player, but he's proven many times to be one of the best winners in the college ranks.
4. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio St.- 2039 pass yards, 15 TD, 6 INT, 1271 rush yards, 13 TD
Miller makes the ballot after leading Ohio St. to an undefeated season in 2012. As a dual threat QB he put up terrific numbers and looks to be just scratching the surface on his ability as a passer.
5. Stephan Taylor, RB, Stanford- 1442 rush yards, 12 TD, 38 receptions, 270 yards, 2 TD
Taylor is the lone running back on the ballot after literally carrying Stanford to a Pac-12 Title and Rose bowl berth. His Heisman moment came in the Oregon upset when he had a whopping 33 carries for 161 yards in the upset.
12/3 College Football Bowl Season- Updated Top 13
1. Notre Dame (12-0) - The Irish finished unbeaten and will play Alabama in the National Title Game. Last Week #1.
2. Alabama (12-1) - The Tide survived Georgia 32-28 in the SEC Title Game to punch their ticket to Miami. Last Week #2.
3. Oregon (11-1) - The Ducks are headed to the Fiesta Bowl to take on Kansas State. Last Week #3.
4. Florida (11-1) - The Gators are headed to the Sugar Bowl to take on Louisville. Last Week #5.
5. Ohio State (12-0) - Ohio State finished unbeaten, but can't play in a bowl because of NCAA sanctions. Last Week #6.
6. Georgia (11-2) - Georgia came up just short against Alabama, but don't drop far. Last Week #4.
7. Texas A&M (10-2) - The Aggies didn't make it to a BCS Bowl (conferences can't get more than 2 bids, and Florida will get the at large bid for the conference) but Johnny Manziel could still win the Heisman. Last Week #7.
8. Stanford (11-2) - Stanford beat UCLA again and now face Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. Last Week #8.
9. LSU (10-2) - LSU deserved to go to a BCS Bowl but got screwed by the 2-bid system. Last Week #9.
10. South Carolina (10-2) - The Gamecocks give the SEC an unfathomable 6 teams in the Top 10! Last Week #10.
11. Kansas State (11-1) - The Wildcats knocked off Texas to win the Big 12. Last Week #11.
12. Florida State (11-2) - FSU will go to the Orange Bowl after a win over Georgia Tech in the ACC Title Game. Last Week #12.
13. Oklahoma (10-2) - OU beat TCU to finish 10-2 but lost out on a BCS berth to Northern Illinois (?????)
11/29 College Pick'em Week 14- Final Week
Confidence 10: #12 Florida St. (10-2) vs. Georgia Tech (6-6)
Confidence 9: #11 Kansas St. (10-1) vs. Texas (8-3)
Confidence 8: Cincinnati (8-3) @ Connecticut (5-6)
Confidence 7: Oklahoma (9-2) @ TCU (7-4)
Confidence 6: #13 Nebraska (10-2) vs. Wisconsin (7-5)
Confidence 5: Boise St. (9-2) vs. Nevada (7-4)
Confidence 4: Pittsburgh (5-6) @ South Florida (3-8)
Confidence 3: #2 Alabama (11-1) vs. #4 Georgia (11-1)
Confidence 2: Tulsa (9-3) vs. UCF (9-3)
Confidence 1: Oklahoma St. (7-4) vs. Baylor (6-5)
Last Week: 5-5, 40 points
Season: 79-51, 471 points, 83.1% on espn.com
11/26 College Football Week 14- Updated Top 13 and Heisman Ballot
Top 13
1. Notre Dame (12-0) - The Irish knocked off USC 22-13 to finish unbeaten and punch their ticket to Miami for the National Title Game. Last Week #1.
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3. Oregon (11-1) - The Ducks beat up on rival Oregon State and are headed to a BCS Bowl. Last Week #3.
4. Georgia (11-1) - The Dawgs will play Alabama this Saturday for the SEC Title and a spot in the National Championship Game. Last Week #4.
5. Florida (11-1) - The Gators won in Tallahassee to earn a spot in a BCS Bowl, likely in the Sugar Bowl. Last Week #6.
6. Ohio State (12-0) - Ohio State finished unbeaten, but can't play in a bowl because of NCAA sanctions. Last Week #7.
7. Texas A&M (10-2) - The Aggies won't make it to a BCS Bowl (conferences can't get more than 2 bids, and Florida will get the at large bid for the conference) but Johnny Manziel could still win the Heisman. Last Week #8.
8. Stanford (10-2) - Stanford beat UCLA and now play a rematch this Saturday for a Rose Bowl berth and the Pac-12 Title. Last Week #10.
9. LSU (10-2) - LSU is likely off to the Cotton Bowl fter finishing 10-2. Last Week #11.
10. South Carolina (10-2) - The gamecocks beat Clemson 27-17, giving the SEC an unfathomable 6 teams in the Top 10! Last Week #13.
11. Kansas State (10-1) - Off last week. Last Week #12.
12. Florida State (10-2) - FSU lost a tough one at home to Florida, but will still go to the Orange Bowl with a win over Georgia Tech in the ACC Title Game. Last Week #5.
13. Nebraska (10-2) - The Cornhuskers have won 6 straight and are big favorites against Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship Game. Last Week Not Ranked.
Heisman Ballot
1. Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame - Te'o picked off his seventh pass of the season and surpassed 100 tackles against USC in helping Notre Dame complete their 12-0 season. He's been #1 for a few weeks now, and he'll be #1 next week on the final ballot. Last Week #1.
2. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M - Manziel finished off a marvelous freshman season and seems to have the all important ESPN Vote for the Heisman (Robert Griffin III jumped from 3rd to 1st in a week on ESPN's Heisman Watch last season. It occurred during the final week of the season and Griffin didn't even play in a game. They also featured him on every episode of Sportscenter leading up to the Heisman ceremony. Not saying he was undeserving, just that ESPN played a big role. Manziel looks to be their guy this year.) Last Week #2.
3. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio State - Played well against Michigan and helped Ohio State finish their perfect season. Last Week #3.
4. Stephan Taylor, RB, Stanford - Taylor ran for 142 yards in beating UCLA and has Stanford on the verge of the Rose Bowl. Last Week #5.
5. SEC Title QBs- I'm taking the easy way out here and saying either Aaron Murray or A.J. McCarron will likely play his way onto the ballot this Saturday and win the SEC/qualify for the National Championship Game in the process. So there.
Note: I've been compiling this ballot week to week as the season has progressed. Next week I'll use my Heisman voting system, which I'll detail more next week, so the ballot may look a bit different, we'll see.
11/23 College Pick'em Week 13
Confidence 10: #4 Georgia (10-1) vs. Georgia Tech (6-5)
Confidence 9: #7 Ohio State (11-0) vs. Michigan (8-3)
Confidence 8: #1 Notre Dame (11-0) vs. USC (7-4)
Confidence 7: #3 Oregon (10-1) @ Oregon St. (8-2)
Confidence 6: Oklahoma (8-2) vs. Oklahoma St. (7-3)
Confidence 5: #9 Clemson (10-1) vs. #13 South Carolina (9-2)
Confidence 4: #5 Florida State (10-1) vs. #6 Florida (10-1)
Confidence 3: Wisconsin (7-4) @ Penn St. (7-4)
Confidence 2: Texas Tech (7-4) vs. Baylor (5-5)
Confidence 1: UCLA (9-2) vs. #10 Stanford (9-2)
Last Week: 2-8, 11 points
Season: 74-46, 431 points, 81.5% on espn.com
11/19 College Football Week 13- Updated Top 13 and Heisman Ballot
Top 13
1. Notre Dame (11-0)- The Irish are #1 after drubbing Wake Forest 38-0 and seeing Kansas State and Oregon falter. Last Week #3.
2. Alabama (10-1) - Bama is improbably back in control of their own destiny towards a National Championship. Last Week #4.
3. Oregon (10-1) - The Ducks lost a heartbreaker 17-14 at home to Stanford in overtime, but if Notre Dame loses at USC they might still make it to the title game against the SEC Champion. Last Week #2.
4. Georgia (10-1) - Like Alabama, Georgia controls its destiny. If they beat Georgia Tech this week and then Alabama in the SEC title game, they'll jump over Oregon and play for the whole thing. Last Week #5.
5. Florida State (10-1) - The Noles continue to dominate the ACC and host rival Florida in their season finale next week. Last Week #6.
6. Florida (10-1) - the Gators have an outside shot at playing the SEC Champion in the National title game but need a lot of help, and a win in Tallahassee. Last Week #7.
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8. Texas A&M (9-2) - The Aggies continue to play well and could actually play in the SEC title Game if Alabama loses to Auburn this week. Last Week #9.
9. Clemson (10-1) - Clemson won 62-48 against NC-State, and I believe the ACC should get 2 BCS bids this year. Last Week #11.
10. Stanford (9-2) - Stanford is back in the Top 10 after their huge win over Oregon. They are 2 more wins away from a Rose Bowl berth. Last Week Not Ranked.
11. LSU (9-2) - LSU picked bad week to struggle at home against Ole Miss. Last Week #8.
12. Kansas State (10-1) - losing by 4 touchdowns against a 4-5 Baylor squad may be the worst defeat a BCS #1 has ever had. /the Big 12 is apparently awful this year. Last Week #1.
13. South Carolina (9-2)- The Gamecocks drop a spot, but continue to win games. 6 of the top 13 hail from the SEC. Last Week #12.
Dropped from Rankings: #13 Oklahoma (won 50-49 @ West Virginia to move to 8-2, but the Big 12 isn't as good as anyone thought. 2 losses in that conference isn't enough to be in the Top 13).
Heisman Ballot
1. Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame- It's Te'o's trophy to lose now after Collin Klein's dismal performance against Baylor. Last Week #1.
2. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M- Manziel is the clear cut #2 candidate, but Notre Dame would have to lose for him to beat Te'o. Last Week #3.
3. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio St.- Miller continues to be a star for the undefeated Buckeyes. Last Week #4.
4. Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA- Franklin has been spearheading UCLA's revitalized 9-2 team and has over 1,400 yards. Last Week: Not on Ballot.
5. Stephan Taylor, RB, Stanford- Taylor has been a workhorse for Stanford and along with Franklin and Oregon's studs, gives the Pac-12 the distinction of the best running back conference in America. Last Week: Not on Ballot.
Dropped from Ballot: #2 Collin Klein, QB, Kansas St. (awful performance against Baylor), #5 Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon (between him, Thomas, and Mariotta it's hard for one to stand out above the other two).
11/16 College Pick'em Week 12
Confidence 10: #2 Oregon (10-0) @ Stanford (8-2)
Confidence 9: #1 Kansas St. (10-0) @ Baylor (4-5)
Confidence 8: USC (7-3) @ UCLA (8-2)
Confidence 7: #13 Oklahoma (7-2) @ West Virginia (5-4)
Confidence 6: Tennessee (4-6) @ Vanderbilt (6-4)
Confidence 5: BYU (6-4) @ San Jose St. (8-2)
Confidence 4: Oklahoma St. (6-3) vs. Texas Tech (7-3)
Confidence 3: Michigan St. (5-5) vs. Northwestern (7-3)
Confidence 2: Cincinnati (7-2) vs. Rutgers (8-1)
Confidence 1: Wisconsin (7-3) vs. #10 Ohio St. (10-0)
Last Week: 7-3, 37 points
Season: 72-38, 420 points, 86.7% on espn.com
11/12 College Football Week 12- Updated Top 13 and Heisman Ballot
Top 13
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2. Oregon (10-0)
3. Notre Dame (10-0)
4. Alabama (9-1)
5. Georgia (9-1)
6. Florida St. (9-1)
7. Florida (9-1)
8. LSU (8-2)
9. Texas A&M (8-2)
10. Ohio St. (10-0)
11. Clemson (9-1)
12. South Carolina (8-2)
13. Oklahoma (7-2)
Heisman Ballot
1. Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame- Te'o had another marvelous game at Boston College and picked off his sixth pass of the season. He's also up to 92 tackles for the season. Last Week #2.
2. Collin Klein, QB, Kansas St. 13 carries for 50 yards and two scores saved Klein in an off day against Oklahoma St. He takes a backseat to Te'o for now. Last Week #1.
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4. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio St.- Off last week. Last Week #4.
5. Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon- It was QB Marcus Mariotta's turn to spearhead the Duck's vaunted offense this week. Barner remains the top Duck in terms of the Heisman, but it's too tough with Mariotta and De'Anthony Thomas for him to stand out. Last Week #3.
11/9 College Pick'em Week 11
Confidence 10: #1 Alabama (9-0) vs. Texas A&M (7-2)
Confidence 9: #4 Notre Dame (9-0) @ Boston College (2-7)
Confidence 8: Wisconsin (6-3) @ Indiana (4-5)
Confidence 7: #8 LSU (7-2) vs. Mississippi st. (7-2)
Confidence 6: #11 Louisville (9-0) @ Syracuse (4-5)
Confidence 5: #2 Kansas St. (9-0) @ TCU (6-3)
Confidence 4: #16 Nebraska (7-2) vs. Penn St. (6-3)
Confidence 3: Stanford (7-2) vs. Oregon St. (7-1)
Confidence 2: West Virginia (5-3) @ Oklahoma St. (5-3)
Confidence 1: Washington (5-4) vs. Utah (4-5)
Last Week: 6-4, 45 points
Season: 65-35, 383 points, 88.3% on espn.com
11/4 College Football Week 11- Updated Top 13 and Heisman Ballot
Top 13
1. Alabama (9-0) - Won at LSU 21-17 in a classic, making another statement to the rest of the country. Last Week #1.
2. Kansas St. (9-0) - Overcame Collin Klein's injury to hold on to beat Oklahoma St. 44-30. Last Week #2.
3. Oregon (9-0) - Won at USC 62-51, definitely considered moving them up to 2. Last Week #4.
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5. Georgia (8-1) -
6. Florida (8-1) - Barely survived at home against Mizzou, 14-7. I'll give them a pass for that since thye were coming off an emotional loss. Last Week #7.
7. Florida St. (8-1) - Off last week. Last Week #8.
8. LSU (7-2) - Lost heart breaker to Alabama, but still have a good chance of making a BCS bowl game if FSU beats Florida and Alabama beats Georgia in the SEC Championship.
9. Ohio St. (9-0) - Beat Illinois 52-22. Last Week #9.
10. Clemson (8-1) - Stormed past Duke 56-20. Last Week #10.
11. Louisville (9-0) - Rolled over Temple 45-17. Last Week #11.
12. South Carolina (7-2) - Off last week. Last Week #12.
13. Oklahoma (6-2) - Beat Iowa St. 35-20 to remain in the Top 13. Last Week #13.
Heisman Ballot
1. Collin Klein, QB, Kansas St.- I'm leaving Klein on top for now, but this race is wide open. Hopefully his injury isn't going to cause him to miss time and lose his shot at the Heisman. Klein ran for another TD this week before getting hurt. Last Week #1.
2. Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame- Te'o played great as usual in helping the Irish stay unbeaten. His stock continues to rise. Last Week #2.
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4. Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon- Barner (left) has burst into the Hisman conversation with 1,295 yards and 19 TDs this year. He had 321 and 5 against USC in the biggest game of the season for the Ducks. Don't be fooled by his spot at #4, he is very much in the thick of it. Last Week Not Ranked.
5. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio St.- It's looking like it's a 4 horse race at this point seeing as how the top 4 guys are all on the undefeated National Title contenders. Last Week #5.
11/2 College Pick'em Week 10
Confidence 10: #10 Clemson (7-1) @ Duke (6-3)
Confidence 9: #13 Oklahoma (5-2) @ Iowa St. (5-3)
Confidence 8: Oregon St. (6-1) vs. Arizona St. (5-3)
Confidence 7: #2 Kansas St. (8-0) vs. Oklahoma St. (5-2)
Confidence 6: Penn St. (5-3) @ Purdue (3-5)
Confidence 5: #1 Alabama (8-0) @ #5 LSU (7-1)
Confidence 4: Michigan St. (5-4) vs. Nebraska (6-2)
Confidence 3: Texas Tech (6-2) vs. Texas (6-2)
Confidence 2: USC (6-2) vs. #4 Oregon (8-0)
Confidence 1: Mississippi St. (7-1) vs. Texas A&M (6-2)
Last Week: 6-4, 28 points
Season: 59-31, 338 points, 90.8% on espn.com
10/28 College Football Week 10-- Updated Top 13 and Heisman Ballot
Top 13
1. Alabama (8-0) - smacked previously unbeaten Mississippi St. 38-7 to reiterate their place as unquestioned #1. Last Week #1.
2. Kansas St. (8-0) - beat up on Texas Tech 55-24, they're clearly the class of the Big 12. Last Week #3.
3. Notre Dame (8-0) - Won at Oklahoma 30-13 to establish themselves as legitimate national title contenders. Last Week #5.
4. Oregon (8-0) - put up 70 points to rout Colorado. Unfotunately, the Pac 12 has struggled, and other undefeateds have better resumes. Last Week #4.
5. LSU (7-1) - Off last week. Last Week #6.
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7. Florida (7-1) - Lost to Georgia, national title hopes are all but gone. Last Week #2.
8. Florida St. (8-1) - rolled over Duke 48-7. Last Week #10.
9. Ohio St. (9-0) - won at Penn St. to remain unbeaten. Last Week #11.
10. Clemson (7-1) - beat up on Wake Forest to jump back into the Top 13. Last Week #13.
11. Louisville (8-0) - survived Cincinnati to remain unbeaten. Last Week Not Ranked.
12. South Carolina (7-2) - beat Tennessee to lay claim as the top 2 loss team, but can they stay that way with star RB Marcus Lattimore out for the season? Last Week Not Ranked.
13. Oklahoma (5-2) - edge out USC for final spot due to the quality of their losses (K-State and Notre Dame). Last Week #9.
Dropped from Rankings: #7 USC (lost 39-36 at Arizona, #8 Oregon St. (lost 20-17 at Washington)
Heisman Ballot
1. Collin Klein, QB, Kansas St.- 2 more TDs in the air and on the ground keep Klein in the top spot. Last Week #1.
2. Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame- Te'o had 12 tackles and his 5th interception to seal the game at OU. Last Week #4.
3. Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia- Off last week. Last Week #2.
4. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama- 2 more TDs, no INTs as McCarron and Alabama remain perfect. Last Week #3
5. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio St.- Miller returned to the field and to the Heisman Ballot after leading Ohio St. to a win at Penn St. and accounting for 3 TDs. Last Week Not Ranked.
10/25 College Pick'em Week 9
Confidence 10: #7 USC (6-1) @ Arizona (4-3)
Confidence 9: #11 Ohio St. (8-0) @ Penn St. (5-2)
Confidence 8: #8 Oregon St. (6-0) @ Washington (3-4)
Confidence 7: #3 Kansas St. (7-0) vs. Texas Tech (6-1)
Confidence 6: #2 Florida (7-0) vs. #12 Georgia (6-1)
Confidence 5: BYU (4-4) @ Georgia Tech (3-4)
Confidence 4: Northwestern (6-2) vs. Iowa (4-3)
Confidence 3: Wisconsin (6-2) vs. Michigan St. (4-4)
Confidence 2: Nebraska (5-2) vs. Michigan (5-2)
Confidence 1: #5 Notre Dame (7-0) @ #9 Oklahoma (5-1)
Last Week: 8-2, 51 points
Season: 53-27, 310 points, 85.6% on espn.com
10/21 College Football Week 9- Updated Top 13 and Heisman Ballot
Top 13
1. Alabama (7-0) - romped Tennessee on the road 44-13 to continue to stand out as the clear #1. Last Week #1.
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3. Kansas St. (7-0) - won at West Virginia, 49-14. Last Week #5.
4. Oregon (7-0) - won impressively 43-21 at Arizona St., but drop after Florida and K-State won statement games. Last Week #2.
5. Notre Dame (7-0) - survived a trap game against BYU to keep the National Title dream alive. Last Week #4.
6. LSU (7-1) - won at Texas A&M in a big game to remain the top 1 loss team. Last Week #6.
7. USC (6-1) - Destroyed Colorado. Nothing to see here. Last Week #7.
8. Oregon St. (6-0) - Won at Utah to remain unbeaten, continue steady ascension in the polls. Last Week #10.
9. Oklahoma (5-1) - Blew out Kansas and now prepare to host #5 Notre Dame next week. Last Week #11.
10. Florida St. (7-1) - won rivalry game at Miami, 33-20. Last Week #12.
11. Ohio St. (8-0) - Survived a scare against Purdue at home, drop because of it. Last Week #9.
12. Georgia (6-1) - survived Kentucky and now prepare for rivalry game with Florida next week. Last Week Not Ranked.
13. Clemson (6-1) - won big over Virginia Tech to rejoin the Top 13. Last Week Not Ranked.
Dropped From Rankings: #8 South Carolina (lost 44-11 at #3 Florida), #13 West Virginia (lost 49-14 vs. #5 Kansas St.)
Heisman Ballot
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2. Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia- outshined by Klein and WVU is on a major slide. 26 TD passes (1 rush TD) and 2 INTs this season. Last Week #1.
3. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama- 4 TD passes in a dominant performance at Tennessee in primetime. 16 TD passes and no INTs for the season.
4. Manti Te'o, MLB, Notre Dame- The heart and soul of Notre Dame's stout defense, Te'o has 4 interceptions and a ton of tackles (they don't keep defensive stats in college football). Finally gets on the ballot. Last Week Not on Ballot.
5. Matt Barkley, QB, USC- tossed 6 TD passes against Colorado to get back on the ballot. 22 TDs and 6 INTs this season. Last Week Not on Ballot.
10/19 College Pick'em Week 8
Confidence 10: #1 Alabama (6-0) @ Tennessee (3-3)
Confidence 9: #LSU (6-1) @ Texas A&M (5-1)
Confidence 8: Stanford (4-2) @ California (3-4)
Confidence 7: Texas Tech (5-1) @ TCU (5-1)
Confidence 6: Clemson (5-1) vs. Virginia Tech (4-3)
Confidence 5: Michigan (5-2) vs. Michigan St. (4-3)
Confidence 4: Nebraska (4-2) @ Northwestern (6-1)
Confidence 3: #13 West Virginia (5-1) vs. #5 Kansas St.
Confidence 2: Texas (4-2) vs. Baylor (3-2)
Confidence 1: #8 South Carolina (6-1) @ #3 Florida (6-0)
Last Week: 7-3, 39 points
Season: 45-25, 259 points, 83.6% on espn.com
10/14 College Football Week 8- Updated Top 13 and Heisman Ballot
Top 13
1. Alabama (6-0) - Blew out Missouri on the road 42-10. the clear cut #1. Last Week #1.
2. Oregon (6-0) - Off last week. Last Week #3.
3. Florida (6-0) - Survived trap game at Vandy 31-17. Last Week #5.
4. Notre Dame (6-0) - Won a 20-13 overtime thriller vs. Stanford. Last Week #7.
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6. LSU (6-1) - Won 23-21 over South Carolina to vault back into the National Title conversation. Last Week #10.
7. USC (5-1) - Won 24-14 on the road against a decent Washington team. Last Week 38.
8. South Carolina (6-0) - Tough loss at LSU. Last Week #4.
9. Ohio St. (7-0) - Barely beat woeful Indiana 52-49. This is a down year for the Big 10.
10. Oregon St. (5-0) - Quietly still undefeated, rolled over a BYU on the road 42-24. Last Week #11.
11. Oklahoma (4-1) - Dominated Texas 63-21. Which of those teams is that more of a reflection of? Last Week #13.
12. Florida St. (6-1) - Destroyed Boston College 51-7. Last Week #12.
13. West Virginia (5-1) - Boy did I overrate WVU...49-14 drubbing at the hands of Texas Tech nearly drops them all the way out. Last Week #2.
Heisman Ballot
1. Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia- Yes, WVU lost and fell hard, but Smith still has yet to throw an INT and tossed a TD pass in a mediocre game. Still the clear-cut favorite. Last Week #1.
2. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio St.- Miller was dynamic against Indiana, accounting for 360 total yards and 3 TDs in the win. Last Week #3.
3. De'Anthony Thomas, RB/WR, Oregon- Off Last Week. Last Week #2.
4. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama- An uneventful, mistake-free week for McCarron in blowing out Missouri. Last Week #4.
5. Collin Klein, QB, Kansas St.- Klein edges out Notre Dame LB Manti Te'o for the final spot on this week's ballot after running for 3 scores in propelling Kansas St. He has thrown 7 TDs and run for 10 on the season. Last Week Not Ranked.
Dropped from Ballot: Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina
10/11 College Pick'em Week 7
Confidence 10: #2 West Virginia (5-0) @ Texas Tech (4-1)
Confidence 9: #8 USC (4-1) @ Washington (3-2)
Confidence 8: Boise St. (4-1) vs. Fresno St. (4-2)
Confidence 7: #10 LSU vs. #4 South Carolina
Confidence 6: Louisville (5-0) @ Pittsburgh (2-3)
Confidence 5: Michigan St. (4-2) vs. Iowa (3-2)
Confidence 4: #7 Notre Dame vs. Stanford
Confidence 3: #13 Oklahoma (3-1) vs. Texas (4-1)
Confidence 2: Texas A&M (4-1) @ Louisiana Tech (5-0)
Confidence 1: Tennessee (3-2) @ Mississippi St. (5-0)
Last Week: 6-4, 35 points
Season: 38-22, 220 pts, 80.3% on espn.com
10/7 College Football Week 7- Updated Top 13 and Heisman Ballot
Top 13
1. Alabama (5-0)- Off last week. Last Week #1.
2. West Virginia (5-0)- Beat undefeated Texas on the road and vaults up to #2. Last Week #4.
3. Oregon (6-0)- rolled past Washington 52-21. Last Week #5.
4. South Carolina (6-0)- Dominated Georgia in a huge victory to burts onto the National Title Scene. Last Week #8.
5. Florida (5-0)- Beat LSU 14-6 to reclaim their spot on the national scene. Last Week #11.
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7. Notre Dame (5-0)- 41-3 over Miami was a statement game. Last Week #10.
8. USC (4-1)- Survived 38-28 at a solid Utah team. Last Week #9.
9. Ohio St. (6-0)- Put up 63 points in slaughtering Nebraska. Last Week #12.
10. LSU (5-1)- Loss to Florida is third straight iffy week. Last Week #3.
11. Oregon St. (4-0)- Move into Top 13 as a result of teams in front of them losing. Last Week Not Ranked.
12. Florida St. (5-1)- Disappointing 17-16 loss to NC St. all but eliminates them from National Title contention. Last Week #2.
13. Oklahoma (3-1)- Knocked off an undefeated Texas Tech team to jump back into the Top 13. Last Week Not Ranked.
Heisman Ballot
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1. Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia- Tossed 4 more TD passes in big win over Texas. Still no INTs this year. Last Week #1.
2. De'Anthony Thomas, RB/WR, Oregon- Another rushing TD in an unspectacular week. Last Week #3.
3. Braxton Miller, QB, Ohio St.- Miller (left) has arrived after dominating Nebraska. Averaging over 300 total yards per game for the season as a dual threat, with 9 TD passes (3 INT) and 8 rushing TDs for 6-0 Ohio St. Last Week Not Ranked.
4. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama- Off last week. Last Week #5.
5. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina- 24 carries for 109 yards and a TD in rout of Georgia, Lattimore on here as the face of the Gamecocks, along with DE Jadeveon Clowney. Last Week Not Ranked.
10/5 College Pick'em Week 6
Confidence 10: Clemson (4-1) vs. Georgia Tech. (2-3)
Confidence 9: Stanford (3-1) vs. Arizona (3-2)
Confidence 8: #3 LSU (5-0) @ #11Florida (4-0)
Confidence 7: Northwestern (5-0) @ Penn State (3-2)
Confidence 6: #4 West Virginia (4-0) @ Texas (4-0)
Confidence 5: #12 Ohio State (5-0) vs. Nebraska (4-1)
Confidence 4: #6 Georgia @ #8 South Carolina
Confidence 3: Oklahoma (2-1) @ Texas Tech (4-0)
Confidence 2: Michigan (2-2) @ Purdue (3-1)
Confidence 1: Auburn (1-3) vs. Arkansas (1-4)
Last Week: 7-3, 45 points
Season: 32-18, 185 points, 82.0% on espn.com
9/30 College Football Week 6- Updated Top 13 and Heisman Ballot
Top 13
1. Alabama (5-0) - After a 33-14 win over Ole Miss to open up conference play, Bama continues to hold steady in the top spot. Last Week #1.
2. Florida St. (5-0) - The Noles avoided a potential "hangover game" and won at South Florida 30-17. Last Week #3.
3. LSU (5-0) - The Tigers drop a spot after another shaky performance, a 38-22 win over lowly Towson. Last Week #2.
4. West Virginia (4-0) - Geno Smith's historic perfomance (see below) helped the Mountaineers outgun Baylor 70-63 in their conference opener. Last Week #4.
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6. Georgia (5-0) - Aaron Murray and the offense are great, but allowing 44 points at home to Tennessee is alarming enough to cause the Dawgs to lose some ground. Last Week #5.
7. Kansas St. (4-0) - Off last week. Last Week #7.
8. South Carolina (5-0) - 4 of the top 8 teams hail from the SEC after South Carolina rolled into Kentucky and won 38-17. Last Week 39.
9. USC (3-1) - Off last week. Last Week #10.
10. Notre Dame (4-0) - Off last week. Last Week #11.
11. Florida (4-0) - Off last week. Last Week #12.
12. Ohio St. (5-0) - A 17-16 win at Michigan State has the Buckeye's breaking into the Top 13. Last Week Not Ranked.
13. TCU (4-0) - A narrow 24-16 win at SMU is barely enough to keep 4-0 Texas out of the Top 13. Last Week #13.
Dropped from Rankings: #8 Stanford (lost at Washington 17-13)
Heisman Ballot
1. Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia (below)- 656 pass yards and 8 TDs. Smith has put up numbers even video games find unbelievable. Vaults into a big lead for first place. Last Week #2.
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3. De'Anthony Thomas, RB/WR, Oregon- Another game in which he was mostly held in check, but he did find the end zone once. Last Week #3.
4. E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida St.- 2 more TDs and no picks keeps Manuel at #4. Last Week #4.
5. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama- McCarron has still not thrown an INT this year and tossed another pair of TDs vs. Ole Miss. Last Week #5.
9/28 College Pick'em Week 5
Confidence 10: Clemson (3-1) @ Boston College (1-2)
Confidence 9: #3 Florida St. (4-0) @ South Florida (2-2)
Confidence 8: #4 West Virginia (3-0) vs. Baylor (3-0)
Confidence 7: Virginia Tech (3-1) @ Cincinnati (2-0)
Confidence 6: Texas (3-0) @ Oklahoma St. (2-1)
Confidence 5: Nebraska (3-1) vs. Wisconsin (3-1)
Confidence 4: Arizona St. (3-1) @ California (1-3)
Confidence 3: Texas A&M (2-1) vs. Arkansas (1-3)
Confidence 2: Michigan St. (3-1) vs. Ohio St. (4-0)
Confidence 1: Illinois (2-2) vs. Penn St. (2-2)
Last Week: 6-4, 34 points
Season: 25-15, 140 pts, 83.2%
9/23 College Football Week 5- Updated Top 13, Heisman Race
Top 13
1. Alabama (4-0) - The Tide easily rolled Florida Atlantic 40-7 yesterday. No changes here. Last Week #1.
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3. Florida St. (4-0) - The 'Noles are back to Bowden-era status after beating Clemson 49-37 on the national stage. Last Week #5.
4. West Viginia (3-0) - They looked mediocre in beating Maryland, but still put up 31 points. Last Week #3.
5. Georgia (4-0) - Georgia looked very impressive in a 48-3 win vs. Vanderbilt. Last Week #6.
6. Oregon (4-0) - I wish I could bump them up higher after a 49-0 dominating performance against a respectable Arizona squad. Last Week #7.
7. Kansas St. (4-0) - HUGE 24-19 win at Oklahoma makes K-State the biggest mover this week up the Top 13. Last week #13.
8. Stanford (3-0) - Off last week. Last Week #9.
9. South Carolina (4-0) - Impressed with a 31-10 win over SEC-newcomer Misouri. Last Week #10.
10. USC (3-1) - Won 27-9 over Cal to get back in the Top 10.
11. Notre Dame (4-0) - Squeezed out a big 13-6 win over rival Michigan to step up into the Top 13. Last Week Not Ranked
12. Florida (4-0) - Won impressively 38-0 over Kentucky, but unfortunately can't move up. Last Week #12.
13. TCU (3-0) - Beat Virginia 27-7 to eke out undefeated Ohio St. for the final spot in the Top 13. Last Week Not Ranked.
Dropped from Rankings: #4 Oklahoma (lost 24-19 vs. #13 Kansas St.), #8 Clemson (lost 49-37 at #5 Florida St.)
Heisman Ballot
1. Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia- Murray was spectactualar again in a blowout of Vanderbilt. Last Week #2.
2. Geno Smith, QB, West Viginia- 338 yards, 3 TDs, 0 interceptions in a game where he needed to carry WVU because of their flat start. Last Week #3.
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4. E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida St. (left) - He accounted for 482 yards against Clemson to add to an already solid season statistically (8 TDs, 1 INT). Last week Not on Ballot.
5. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama- 3 more TDs and no picks from A.J. bump Marcus Lattimore off the ballot despite 2 rushing TDs from the latter. Last Week #4.
Dropped from Ballot: Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina.
9/21 College Pick'em Week 4
Confidence 10: #6 Georgia (3-0) wins vs. Vanderbilt (1-2)
Confidence 9: Wake forest (2-1) wins vs. Army (0-2)
Confidence 8: Arkansas (1-2) wins vs. Rutgers (3-0)
Confidence 7: Minnesota (3-0) wins vs. Syracuse (1-2)
Confidence 6: UCLA (3-0) wins vs. Oregon St. (1-0)
Confidence 5: #10 South Carolina (3-0) wins vs. Missouri (2-1)
Confidence 4: Georgia Tech (2-1) wins vs. Miami (FL) (2-1)
Confidence 3: Connecticut (2-1) wins @ Western Michigan (1-2)
Confidence 2: Notre Dame (3-0) wins vs. Michigan (2-1)
Confidence 1: #5 Florida St. (3-0) wins vs. #8 Clemson (3-0)
Last Week: 6-4, 35 points
Season: 19-11, 106 points, 83.8% on espn.com
9/16 College Football Week 4- Updated Top 13, Heisman Race
Top 13
1. Alabama (3-0)- won 52-0 at Arkansas yesterday, clear cut #1 team right now. Last Week #1.
2. LSU (3-0)- rolled Idaho 63-14 and move up with USC's loss. Last Week #2.
3. West Virginia (2-0)- continued to score in bunches in massacre of James Madison. Last Week #4.
4. Oklahoma (2-0)- Off last week. Last Week #5.
5. Florida St. (3-0)- move into Top 5 after 52-0 win over Wake Forest. Last Week #6.
6. Georgia (3-0)- drubbed FAU 56-20. Last Week #7
7. Oregon (3-0)- dropped 63 on Tennessee Tech. Last Week #8.
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9. Stanford (3-0)- 21-14 win over USC propels the Cardinal into the Top 10. Last Week Not Ranked.
10. South Carolina (3-0)- blew out UAB 49-6. Last Week #12.
11. USC (2-1)- lost 21-14 to Stanford, significantly hampering their National Title hopes. Easily the best 1 loss team in America right now. Last Week #2.
12. Florida (3-0)- won huge rivalry game at Tennessee 37-20 to vault into Top 13. Last Week Not Ranked.
13. Kansas State (3-0)- didn't impress much in 35-21 win over North Texas. Narrowly fending off Notre Dame and TCU for this spot. Last Week #13.
Dropped From Rankings- #9 Virginia Tech (lost 35-17 at Pittsburgh), #11 Michigan State (lost 20-3 vs. Notre Dame)
Heisman Ballot
1. De'Anthony Thomas, RB/WR, Oregon- 6 touches, 135 yards, 2 TDs, this is the most electric player in the country. Last week #2.
2. Aaron Murray- Murray was great again for Georgia against Florida Atlantic. I'm looking forward to seeing him in SEC play. Last week #3.
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4. AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama- He has to get consideration at some point (as will EJ Manuel of Florida State) as the QB of a National Championship Contender. In 3 games this year, McCarron has 7 TD passes and no interceptions. Last week Not Ranked.
5. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina- 12 carries for 85 yards in another SC blowout win. Lattimore is ready for the tough run defenses of the SEC. Last Week #5.
Dropped from Ballot: Matt Barkley, QB, USC (Last Week #1) played awful in the Stanford loss, Arkansas QB Tyler Wilson (Last Week #4) missed the Alabama game with an injury.
9/13 College Pick'em Week 3
Confidence 10: #1 Alabama (2-0) wins @ Arkansas (1-1)
Confidence 9: #2 USC (2-0) wins @ Stanford (2-0)
Confidence 8: Ohio St. (2-0) wins vs. California (1-1)
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Confidence 6: #11 Michigan St. (2-0) wins vs. Notre Dame (2-0)
Confidence 5: Penn St. (0-2) wins vs. Navy (0-1)
Confidence 4: Louisville (2-0) wins vs. North Carolina (1-1)
Confidence 3: BYU (2-0) wins @ Utah (1-1)
Confidence 2: Tennessee (2-0) wins vs. Florida (2-0)
Confidence 1: Missouri (1-1) wins vs. Arizona St. (2-0)
Last Week 6-4, 27 points, 79.3% on espn.com
9/10 College Football Week 3 Top 13 and Heisman Ballot
Top 13
1. Alabama- The Tide rolled Western Kentucky 35-0 in their home opener and now prepare for Arkansas. Last Week #1.
2. USC- The Trojans battled weather conditions and a hostile environment, albeit against Syracuse, in their 42-29 win last week. Last Week #2.
3. LSU- LSU rolled Washington 41-3 and head into SEC play with a statement. Last Week #3.
4. West Virginia- Off last Week. Last Week #4.
5. Oklahoma- Put up 69 points in demolition of Florida A&M. Last Week #5.
6. Florida St.- won 55-0 in weather shortened game vs. Savannah St. Last Week #6.
7. Georgia- Welcomed Missouri to the SEC with a 41-20 drubbing. Last Week #8.
8. Oregon- The Ducks won a big road game 42-25 against Fresno St. Last Week #9.
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10. Clemson- ACC now has two teams in Top 10 after Clemson and VT moved up. Last Week #11.
11. Michigan St.- Sparty rolled Central Michigan 41-7. Last Week #12.
12. South Carolina- rebounded from shaky first game to beat East Carolina 48-10. Last Week #13.
13. Kansas St. - The Wildcats vault into the Top 13 after a 52-13 massacre of Miami (FL). Last Week Not Ranked.
Dropped From Rankings: #7 Arkansas (lost 34-31 vs. UL Monroe).
Heisman Ballot
1. Matt Barkley, QB, USC- With 6 TD passes against Syracuse, Barkley has a stranglehold on the top spot for the time being. Last Week #1.
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2. De'Anthony Thomas, RB/WR, Oregon- With 2 more TDs on 11 touches vs. Fresno St., he jumps all the way to #2 after Wisconsin and Arkansas lost. Last Week #4.
3. Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia- Murray (left) has thrown 3 TDs in each of his two games this year and looks like a potential franchise QB at the next level. Last Week Not Ranked.
4. Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas- Arkansas did lose to lowly UL Monroe, but Wilson missed the second half with an injury. There's little doubt a healthy Wilson leads Arkansas to victory in that game. Last Week #3.
5. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina- Lattimore didn't do much this week but still holds this final spot on the ballot. Last Week #5
Dropped from Ballot: Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin
9/4 College Football Week 2
College Pick'em
Confidence 10: #3 LSU (1-0) wins vs. Washington (1-0)
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Confidence 8: Wisconsin (1-0) wins @ Oregon St.
Confidence 7: #8 Georgia (1-0) wins @ Missouri
Confidence 6: Iowa wins vs. Iowa St. (1-0)
Confidence 5: Texas A&M wins vs. Florida (1-0)
Confidence 4: Arizona St. wins vs. Illinois (1-0)
Confidence 3: Kansas St. wins vs. Miami (FL) (1-0)
Confidence 2: Virginia wins vs. Penn St. (0-1)
Confidence 1: Mississippi St. wins vs. Auburn (0-1)
Last Week: 7-3, 44 points, 92.7% on espn.com
Top 13
1. Alabama (1-0)- Bama made me look smart and rose to the top spot in the polls after a 41-14 trouncing of Michigan. Last Week #1.
2. USC (1-0)- The Trojans looked as advertised in slaughtering Hawaii. Last Week #2.
3. LSU (1-0)- LSU is once again in the hunt for a national championship. Last Week #3.
4. West Virginia (1-0)- 69 points a game could become routine. Last Week #5.
5. Oklahoma (1-0)- Drop a spot after a lackluster 24-7 win over UTEP (was 10-7 at end of third quarter.) Last Week #4.
6. Florida St. (1-0)- Dominated poor little Murray St. Last Week #8.
7. Arkansas (1-0)- Defense gave up 24 to Jacksonville St. Could be cause for concern. Last Week #6.
8. Georgia (1-0)- Came out flat but rebounded to win easily against Buffalo. Last Week #7.
9. Oregon (1-0)- 57-34 win over Arkansas St. looks closer than it really was. Last Week #10.
10. Virginia Tech. (1-0)- QB Logan Thomas carried the Hokies to a nice win over Georgia Tech. Last Week #13.
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12. Michigan St. (1-0)- Won a big game at home against Boise St. to earn a spot in my Top 13. Last Week Not Ranked.
13. South Carolina (1-0)- Survived a scare at Vanderbilt, 17-13. Last Week #9.
Dropped from Rankings: #11 Wisconsin (won 26-21 vs. Northern Illinois), #12 Michigan (lost 41-14 to #1 Alabama).
Heisman Ballot
1. Matt Barkley, QB, USC- Barkley remains #1 after a 372 yard, 4 TD performance against Hawaii. It will be tough to supplant Barkley as the top player in college football. Last Week #1
2. Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin- Ball had 120 yards and a TD on 32 carries as Wisconsin barely survived Northern Illinois. The gap between Ball and the rest of the candidates below him is closing. Last Week #2.
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4. De'Anthony Thomas (left), RB/WR, Oregon- 7 touches, 119 yards, 3 total TDs, Thomas may be the most electric player in college football right now. He needs more touches. Last Week Not Ranked.
5. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina- With 110 yards and 2 scores, Lattimore single-handedly led South Carolina's offense in surviving Vanderbilt. It's good to see the big bruiser back to full health. Last Week Not Ranked.
Dropped From Ballot: Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan; Robert Woods, WR, USC
8/30
College Pick'em Week 1
Confidence 10: #5 West Viginia wins vs. Marshall
Confidence 9: Iowa wins vs. Northern Illinois
Confidence 8: Nebraska wins vs. Southern Mississippi
Confidence 7: #1 Alabama wins vs. #12 Michigan
Confidence 6: Penn State wins vs. Ohio
Confidence 5: Miami (FL) wins vs. Boston College
Confidence 4: Clemson wins vs. Auburn
Confidence 3: Colorado wins vs. Colorado State
Confidence 2: California wins vs. Nevada
Confidence 1: Northwestern wins @ Syracuse
8/27
Jack's Official College Football Preview
Preseason Top 13
1. Alabama- Defense will reload, Saban's machine will keep churning, and A.J. McCarron (below) will prove he can lead the team.
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3. LSU- Zach Mettenberger will help inmprove this offense, but will the defense be as dominant without Claiborne and Matthieu in the secondary?
4. Oklahoma- OU is stacked as usual, can Landry Jones finally put it all together?
5. West Virginia- They will score score and score some more. A great fit for the shootout conference Big 12.
6. Arkansas- Tyler Wilson is a flat out stud, but will have a lot of new faces to throw to.
7. Georgia- Andy Murray and company are my top team from the SEC East, but are they god enough on D to beat the powers in the West?
8.. Florida State- Jimbo Fisher is building the program back up, and this is the year they reclaim the ACC.
9. South Carolina- Jadeveon Clowney and this defense are scary, as is Marcus Lattimore in the backfield. But they don't have a QB in the same league as the SEC foes above them.
10. Oregon- The offense will still flow, but the defense will still lag behind.
11. Wisconsin- They will run the ball better than anyone and thus are my favorites in a balanced but not outstanding Big 10.
12. Michigan- Denard Robinson's senior year has Big Blue fans dreaming of Roses.
13. Virginia Tech- If Logan Thomas can harness his raw talent, this team will play Beamer-ball and contend in a surprisingly good ACC.
I'm doing 13 because nobody does a Top 13. And I like the number 13, I was born on the 13th.
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1. Matt Barkley, QB, USC
2. Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin
3. Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas
4. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan
5. Robert Woods, WR, USC
So each week I'll also reveal my College Pick'em picks and results from espn.com, as well as update my Top 13 and Heisman ballot. Stay tuned.
8/20
Tyrann Mathieu making the right choice-for now.
By now most of you probably know about Tyrann Mathieu, aka "The Honeybadger", who was thrown off the Louisiana State football team for repeated violations of their substance abuse policy. Matthieu is ineligible to transfer and play football for another FBS school for this upcoming season, but could go to a FCS school or sit out a year and join an FCS school for the 2013 season. However, Matthieu is currently in a rehab facility in Texas, where a family member says he is being mentored by John Lucas, a former NBA player who battled and overcame substance abuse issues as a player. Matthieu appears to be making a positive choice and getting the help he needs rather than playing in this upcoming season. For Matthieu, a fan favorite who electrified the Bayou Bengal faithful with his knack for big plays, the decision to step away altogether from a season that once had Heisman and National Title aspirations shows that maybe this time he understands how serious his problem is. As a fan of his aggressive style of play and humble personality, I can only hope for him to make a full recovery and defeat his demons once and for all. Football has rightfully taken the backseat for The Honey Badger.
The fact that you're picking the Irish over Michigan assures me they will lose. Please pick Philly this week......
ReplyDeleteWell I couldn't help you in either department, as Notre Dame came up with a huge win and I'm going with the Giants on the road against an Eagles team that has yet to really impress.
ReplyDelete