So who is going to be the surprise team in the NCAA this year?

[texas1928]

I think it will be Notre Dame, and Baylor.

[Stephist]

1. Baylor is better...

But still well behind the rest of the Big Twelve. As for a surprise?
Rutgers.

[dr.strangelove]

6. Rutgers is an interesting pick

The schedule is not very tough. The opener at Illinois is a tough win. The four game stretch starting with Pittsburgh and West Virginia at home followed by trips to Syracuse and Connecticut is hard. The road game at Louisville is a tought draw. Overall, I like this pick as a "surprise" team.

The Big East is not hard this year. Pittsburgh and Louisville are really in a two team race to win the conference. I don't see anyone at their level. Louisville drew one of the easiest schedules in the country, which will hurt them if they don't win the conference come bowl time. They have their three toughest games at home (Oregon State, UNC and Pittsburgh) and only one real challange on the road at West Virginia. I think Louisville can take the Big.

[Ptah]

2. I'm thinking the Arizona Wildcats will be a second level

bowl team.

[BulletproofLandshark]

3. Florida

All eyes are on USC, Texas,and Tennessee, but I really think it would be a mistake to sleep on the Gators. Chris Leak is one of the better quarterbacks out there, and I think Urban Meyer will find a way to make that offense explode.

[Syrinx]

4. Phil Steele says Alabama could be

I don't know. It's kind of iffy right now. But with a couple of breaks...

[dr.strangelove]

5. Oregon and Alabama

Its a big step down after USC in the PAC-10. The Ducks play the next biggest conference threat, Cal, at home. I have a feeling the Ducks will make this an interesting season out west.

I know its a bit of a stretch to call Alabama a surprise pick, since most people have them ranked pre-season in the top 25, but I think it is a mistake to rank them out of the top 5. Alabama has just about everyone returning to a defense that finished second in the nation and first in pass defense. If Kenneth Darby comes back from a minor hernia injury he will chew up some yards. My biggest concern is depth on the OL. The line is starting three redshirt freshmen. There is no depth there. But if the offense can put a few points on the board, this may be the best defense I've seen in years.

I agree that Baylor will raise a few eyebrows, but they won't contend in the Big 12. It is early on in the Guy Moris era. His win last year over A&M shows good things are to come, but I'm not sold yet. I'll say this, Maurice Lane may be the hardest hitting FS in college and is a sure early round pick.

The Irish are not there yet in my mind. As always, they have one of the toughest schedules in the country. There are barely three or four easy games all year (Washington, Syracuse, Navy and Stanford, and they are not gimmies, just not as hard as the rest of the schedule). The opener at Pittsburgh is a tough way to start the year. The only good thing is that USC, Tennessee and Michigan State come to South Bend. The game at Michigan is brutal and I think will be a blow out. If they beat Purdue, you will probably see a decent bowl birth, which for the Irish is a step in the right direction.

[Rocinante]

7. Vanderbilt...

Ok just kidding but I would like to see them do better. Seriously, I think Alabama is the team to watch. Shula was given time to get the program together and I think it may start paying off. As a Tennessee fan I worry about Alabama this year.

[Syrinx]

8. hey Rocinante!

I apprecitate the good words! It really depends a lot on the fall. I've made two of three of the scrimmages. I've seen a lot of "celebrities" so far. I'll try to email you some pictures if I succeed. As a 'Bama fan, I hope we compete with you this year!

[Rocinante]

9. Hope you can send some pics

I've always had a lot of respect for the Alabama program. :)

What is the feeling about Shula down there? Is this a make or break season for him?

[Syrinx]

10. it's a mixed bag

Because of the situation regarding probation and all, I think they will give him four seasons to prove himself. Of course that won't be the case if they go 4-8 though.

If 'Bama stays healthy (and I think Shula made a huge mistake by replacing Francione's Strength And Conditioning coach, who I think was much better than the one we have now), we could win some big games.

Croyle's a very good quarterback, but he is really injury-prone. He said in a recent interviews that "I've run out of stuff to hurt." I hope that's right.

Ken Darby is also a great back. Hopefully he's recuperated enough from his injuries to make a serious contribution to the team.

We've got a couple of little guys, Tyrone Prothro and Brandon Brooks, that have the potential to be serious play makers. Prothro returned a punt 75 yards for a TD in the scrimmage Tuesday. I hope to see some of that in actual games.

The two areas I'm mostly concerned about are the kicking game and the offensive line. If those two exceed expectations, we could be looking at a very good season. But those are two very big question marks.

I heard that guy Phil Steele (and he's based up in Ohio, I think) say on the Finebaum program that, with a couple of breaks, 'Bama could be a surprise contender for the national title. I wouldn't go that far, but after a couple of really disappointing seasons, people around here are fairly optimistic.

I could say I respect the Volunteers. But the truth is closer to I FEAR the Volunteers. I hope we can compete with you guys this year. I liked it better back when we dominated you, not that way it has been more recently. ;)

(BTW, I was waiting to get my picture taken with Shula on Tuesday. But he was yapping with Cecil Hurt from the Tuscaloosa News for a LONG time. I didn't want to interrupt them, but they chatted for a while, and I got tired of waiting... also I had parked on sorority row, and was scared I would get a ticket.)

[Syrinx]

15. Vanderbilt

I know you were joking. But I think you may've been right!

[Rocinante]

17. I hope I was right!

I would love to see a Vandy win over Florida. That would help my bruised ego after the dismal performance of the Vols tonight against the Gators.

For that matter I would love to see Bama take Florida down a notch or two. Take care of that for me, ok?

[Syrinx]

18. I'll do what I can :)

I hope 'Bama can have a real good season, but if we can't win the SEC, it would tickle me to see Vandy do it. I know it's HIGHLY improbable, but it would sure be sweet to see.

[Syrinx]

20. Done. Next request?

;) Just having fun browsing old threads.

[KitchenWitch]

11. South Carolina

Never underestimate Steve Spurrier...yes he was a bust in the NFL but that is not unusual for a college coach to be a complete failure in the NFL.

[Syrinx]

12. that will be interesting

I certainly don't underestimate Spurrier. He's a butthole, but he's a great coach. I can certainly imagine him beating 'Bama this year, but that's mainly because of my uncertainty about 'Bama. I think Holtz has left behind a big ol' mess. I don't understand Holtz. At one time, he was at the top of the ranks of college coaches, but he went out on a downward slide. I think Spurrier will take SC to heights they've never experienced before, but maybe not this year. That being said, I won't be terribly ashamed if they beat Bama this year (well, yes I will actually.). I certainly hope not though.

[KitchenWitch]

13. Please do not get me started on Lou Holtz

Before was a Badger fan, I was a Gopher Fan. Lou Holtz was coach and signed a long term deal with the U of MN...a short time into the contract, Mr. Holtz was contacted by Notre Dame....and once they offered the job we saw nothing but his elbows and his asshole...he couldn't get to Notre Dame fast enough and totally left the Gopher program in a lurch.

[Syrinx]

14. I feel your pain (seriously)

That's pretty much the way I felt when Franchione bolted for Texas A&M. Franphoney had sworn up and down that he would be at Alabama as long as we would have him. Elbows and asshole indeed. (He didn't even meet with the team to tell them his decision. What a jerk.)

That's a trend I'm not real found of... coaches as professional journeymen, with no real loyalty to the teams they lead.

[KitchenWitch]

16. I am not fond of that trend either

But I think it goes both ways...I was pissed as hell when Notre Dame fired Ty Willingham...

The booster clubs need to stay the fuck out of the hiring decisions of the Athletic Directors.

[southlandshari]

19. Vanderbilt

I hope so, anyway. I love a good Cinderella story - and that would be a doozy!

Hell, with a 3-0 start, the Commodores are already a Cinderella story!

:hi:

[texas1928]

21. Well they got their boat sunk last weekend.

:P

[Lefty48197]

22. Hindsight says: Penn State

6-0 and on a roll. Whoda thought Joe Pa had another good year in him?