| 7 in '07 |
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 Stephen Oh & Jonathan LeeAccuScore Analysts 
I felt confident heading into Saturday, especially since I had just read Sports Illustrated’s annual college football preview. On the cover, Oregon State’s Ken Simonton and Oregon’s Joey Harrington. SI had predicted the two would be battling for not only the Pac-10 title, but the National Championship as well. When I sat down, my eyes darted to the Oregon State-Fresno State match up. Growing up in Hawaii, I knew the WAC and I knew Fresno State. I thought it was a lock. “Safest bet in Vegas,” I told my friends. They were hesitant at first, but after I walked away flawless in the mid-day games, including taking the 11 points USC was giving in the Trojans game against San Jose State (can you imagine doing that today!?), we were all invested. I can never forgive myself for what happened next. Little did I know the Bulldogs had someone on their roster hurling biscuits named David Carr, the future number one pick. Three hours later, the Beavers were on the wrong end of a 44-24 walloping. What’s the point? Never trust the Sports Illustrated college football preview. So, to make up the void of you not picking up SI this week, here are 7 bold predictions for the ’07 college football season. 7) The Big 10 will under-perform. Most college football fans are still stuck in the past. The fact remains the Big 10 is now the Big 3 with Michigan and Ohio State a step ahead of everyone else and another contender thrown into the mix. This year it’s Wisconsin. Ohio State was “outed” last year as a pretender in the national championship game, and this year all Big 10 school will witness the same exposure. Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin will beat up on the 8 other schools (yes there’s 11 schools in the Big 10), while the next three, Penn State, Iowa and Purdue will thoroughly thump a porous bottom 4. 6) The ACC is back. Last year 8 schools made it to the BCS, but for the first time in almost a decade, there were no ACC schools in national championship consideration going into the final month. That’s like no surprise ending in the final scene of a M. Night Shyamalan film. In fact, the highest ranking team at the end of the year was ACC champ Wake Forest at #18. My how a year can change things. Virgina Tech, Boston College, Florida State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Miami will all find themselves in the Top 25 for the majority of the year, making the ACC the second strongest conference in America. 5) The SEC will be shut out of the National Championship Game. The strongest conference in America is undisputedly the SEC. If there was a playoff system implemented, the SEC would have a representative every year in the title game. However, the polls penalize for losses, regardless of whether or not you are in a stronger or weaker conference (as long as it’s a BCS conference). The SEC’s biggest chance of making it to the final game is LSU. The Tigers return 14 starters and one of the best defensive players in the game in Defensive Tackle Glenn Dorsey. The problem is LSU hosts Virginia Tech in the second week of the season, hardly enough time for fifth-year senior, first-time starter Matt Flynn to get comfortable. If they win that, there’s still a match in “The Swamp” and at Auburn and Arkansas. There’s at least one loss in the picture, which means once again the SEC gets disrespected. 4) A non-BCS school will go undefeated. Speaking of disrespect, it seems the NCAA should reward teams that go undefeated, not throw them a bone. Of course, when you have the BCS and not a playoff system, what you are left with is the only undefeated team left standing in 2006 being Boise State. Where did the Broncos finish in the rankings? Fifth. Trust me, I don’t think in a playoff Boise State is the last team standing, but it still would have been neat to see. Compare the WAC last year to the Big 10, Big East or Pac-10 and it’s easy to come away seeing Boise State and Hawaii (11-3 last year) could have given the majority of the schools in those conferences a run for their money. In 2006 Hawaii lost by 8 to Alabama and 3 to Oregon State but defeated Purdue and Arizona State. Boise State beat Oregon State and Oklahoma. This year, the WAC will be represented by another undefeated squad heading into the bowl period. Hawaii. There hasn’t been this much buzz around the islands since Magnum P.I rolled the streets. The Colt Brennan led Warriors return 14 starters including 3 of Brennan’s top receivers. The biggest advantage may be the biggest disadvantage. Hawaii plays a weak schedule due mainly because no one wants to fly 3,000 miles to get beat. It got so bad this past season that Hawaii’s athletic department started to offer huge amounts of money for any BCS school to come play in the islands. This year’s takers, Washington. That’s it. Hawaii also loses 5 players to NFL, but with a schedule that has Brennan poised for 60 touchdowns and 6,000 passing yards and Boise State at home, it is highly likely that November 23rd, when the Broncos enter Aloha Stadium, both will be undefeated and one will walk away with a serious chance of BCS spoiler. 3) This is Lloyd Carr’s final year at Michigan. We’ll start with the good. This is one of the most talented offenses Lloyd Carr has ever had at Michigan. The bad: Blue lost their best pass rusher, cover man, and linebacker. Lloyd Carr has lost to Ohio State 5 out of the last 6 years including 3 straight, and has lost 5 out of the last 6 bowl games. If Michigan does not beat Ohio State nor win a Bowl this year with the talent the Wolverines have, Carr might not have a choice. If Michigan pulls of the double dip, Carr might still call it quits. Word around the campfire is he’s burned out, and a high note just might be what Carr’s looking for to walk away from the game. 2) Steve Slaton will win the Heisman. Darren McFadden is the favorite heading into the season but losing your quarterback; Mitch Mustain, top wide receiver; Damian Williams and your offensive coordinator may do a little damage to the running game. John David Booty is up there because he plays for USC and the voters have a tendency to pick the best player on the best team rather than the best player (see: Troy Smith). I, however, look at Steve Slaton as the top pick for a few reasons. Quarterback Pat White will attract a lot of attention away from Steve Slaton opening up more lanes. Fullback Owen Schmitt is widely regarded as the best fullback in the country, and lastly, Slaton is an absolute terror when the ball is in his hands. Combine that with West Virginia’s chances of a national championship, and it all leads to Slaton running with the Heisman. 1) USC will not run the table. West Virginia and Virginia Tech will. Remember how I said never trust SI’s college football preview. Sports Illustrated has USC number one and on the cover of the magazine. I’ll take it even further. SI has Emmanuel Moody on the cover, since then, he has decided to transfer out of USC. More? Since the infamous Oregon-Oregon State cover, only once, 2004’s USC, has SI correctly picked the national champ, and that was hardly a tough call. What makes me even more skeptical, everyone has USC as the hands on favorite to win it all this year, which just makes me queasy. Beyond my intuition, the Trojans face Cal at Berkeley, Nebraska at Lincoln and Notre Dame at South Bend, not an easy run by any stretch. Looking at those three road games and one would figure USC to walk over all three opponents. USC faces Nebraska early in the year and with only 4 healthy running backs, none of which were projected to be the starter, and only one proven wide receiver, Patrick Turner. Combine that with playing in Lincoln and that has the chances, not will, but has the chances to lead to an upset. Cal’s Head Coach Jeff Tedford has a returning quarterback for the first time since taking over the Golden Bears back in 2001. The quarterback guru will have Nate Longshore groomed and ready for that vaunted USC defense. Especially with DeSean Jackson hauling down passes, the best wideout west of the Mississippi. As for Notre Dame, you just never know when the two clash. West Virginia returns 15 starters. On offense, the Mountaineers bolster QB White, RBs Slaton and freshman phenom Noel Devine, FB Schmitt and the top two ‘Eers receivers Darius Reynaud and Tito Gonzales. On defense WVU runs a 3-3-5 defense that will cause havoc for Big East opponents for its ability to hide blitzes and zone packages. Last year the team’s secondary was its weak link but all return which should bring much needed experience. And with an offense like the ‘Eers, the defense doesn’t need to be a steel curtain. The schedule is favorable as West Virginia gets Louisville at home, but at the same time face Rutgers the week before in New Jersey. That back-to-back duo may be the only thing that stands between Morgantown and New Orleans. Irony hits the other Sugar Bowl opponent. There wasn’t a better story last year in the NFL than the New Orleans Saints. After Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city, the Saints put all their heart into the season and wound up a game away from the Super Bowl. Virginia Tech can be that. After the tragic events of April 16th it’s hard to imagine the emotion each Hokie will feel both in the stands and on the field. I have no doubts that will carry into each and every game they play. Other than that, Va. Tech has the best offensive player, Brandon Ore, and defensive player, Vince Hall in the ACC. Have one hell of a battle on its hands in Baton Rouge, but other than that face no tough opponent away from Blacksburg. I can think of nothing better than to see Virginia Tech standing in the SuperDome as tributes play across the nation for the 27 students who lost their lives and the one city who can understand what they are going through welcomes them with open arms as the play for the National Championship. It almost seems like a story book ending. Or at least better than what Sports Illustrated would have you believe. Trackback(0)
Comments (12)
mach672
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In 2001, a bunch of my buddies and I made our annual trek to Las Vegas for Labor Day weekend. For me, there is no better time to hit Vegas. Labor Day weekend is always the first full week of college football games and I could think of no better way to spend my Saturday than at Caesar’s Palace’s Sports Book with a bevy of games to whet my appetite.
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Thanks for the insight. |
Swams In Hawaii
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Very interesting article with a touch of humor - just what we all need to start our morning.Keep'um coming! I will be traveling to Ohio in a few weeks...should I wear my Buckeyes,Florida State or Warriors Tshirt? Oh,what the heck. Ainokea...Go Warriors! |
govsqb69
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If they don't go undefeated this season, who you going blame? Colt or Herman?  |
AWOL
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USC can beat CAL    |
Margie
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Written so even Grandma can understand...keep 'em coming. Margie |
james snow, laguna beach
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i like your work. js. |
local guy
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well written. you should write stuff like this for the Honolulu Advertiser or star bulletin. nice work kid! |
jonathan
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great writing..and very perceptive...enjoy ur insight and approach |
Simalo
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Imua Kamehameha Alumni: Wailele |
your mahu
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come back home sweetie , i miss you!!  |
b stutz
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love this piece!!! very informative...  |
FUTURISTO
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I love that you're picking the 'Bows to do damage! That's what I'm talkin 'bout! I promise, I will make sure that I crack a nice cold Colt 45 Malt Liquor everytime the youngster throws a T.D. Sounds like an inhibriated Season doesn't it? HANA HO! |
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