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Spring just seems to be dredging on in a depressing watery mush. The Heat were swept in the first roung by the lowly Bulls. The Marlins can't seem to stay injury free, and thus are on a four game losing streak. The Panthers....do they still play hockey? Well, anyway, this has been one dismal sporting spring, and it's about time I looked ahead and found some solace in the future. That future right now is college football.
Last season was a huge disappointment for not only the Miami Hurricanes, but the entire ACC in general. The two staple powerhouses, Miami and FSU, both finished with identicle shoddy records (7-6 overall, 3-5 in the ACC). Eight ACC teams were bowl eligible, but only 4 of them won, and only 2 of those decisive victories (FSU's 44-27 tromp over UCLA and Mayland's 24-7 stand against Purdue). The other two wins, by Miami and Boston College, were by a combined 2 points over Nevada and Navy respectively. Even the "new elite" of the ACC failed in holding up its honor as both Georgia Tech and Wake Forest lost their bowl games to the best of the Big East (though both put up valiant efforts).
In fact, one could make an arguement that almost every conference but the SEC and the Big East was grounded in a year of mediocrity and disappointment. The Big 12 struggled to establish itself as an elite conference since only the Big 12 South had any teams of note last year, Nebraska being the only highlight, if you could so call it, of the Big 12 North.
The Big 10, even towards bowl season, was looking like a mighty top heavy conference with three big behomoths standing at the top (OSU, Michigan, and Wisconsin). Sadly, though, with only Wisconsin winning its bowl game just barely, and both Michigan and OSU being embarrased on a national stage in BCS bowl games, including for the national chamionship, the year ended with a sour taste and questions abounding throughout spring.
The Pac 10, usually the most top heavy conference of one (USC), saw extreme excitment and disappoint all in one game as UCLA stole the crown from USC, only to be embarrassed by a so so FSU team that limped into a bowl.
The Big East and SEC, though, enjoyed a huge boost from the off years of the "normal elite," going a combined 11-3 in their bowl games, and the Big East going undefeated, a perfect 5-0, in its bowl games.
Why do I only mention bowl games, and not a season as a whole? It's simple, though the Hurricanes had what could quite possibly be said to be the worst year of college football any team has gone through, they still won their bowl game, however marginally, and were able to scrounge up some pride. A bowl game entry, and, more importantly, victory, could make or break your team next season. An almost was in pro sports is more likely to produce fire in the belly of a team. In college, where seniors and juniors both are jumping ship to the pros, it's unlikely that the entire core of your team will be returning next year. The only hope is that with a bowl victory, incoming players, and former backups, will be highly motivated to "keep up the tradition," a value which The U is built upon, never let The U down.
So, with this in mind, I decided to read around the net and get caught up with the goings ons in college football and give all of you fine readers an insight into what I believe will happen this year in college football. Surprisingly my preseason predictions are far more accurate than my midseason ones, as I predicted an incredible SEC, and dark horse Arkansas preseason last year, plus a big year out of the Big East, what tricks will I pull out of my sleeves this year?* Read on to find out:
PREVIEWS COMING SOON - ACC Conference Preview
- Big 12 Conference Preview
- Big East Conference Preview
- Big 10 Conference Preview
- Pac 10 Conference Preview
- SEC Conference Preview
*Note, no trickeration in said sleeve pulling will actually be employed as the internet has no sleeves, and the writer, even in real life, would be unable to produce said feat in any case.
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