Tommie Frazier Award Finalists

Just because the regular season is finished doesn't mean there is no more football to talk for a while - it's awards season! Pikes Picks has decided that the real awards, namely the Heisman Trophy, no longer go to deserving candidates. So we came up with our own awards.

TOMMIE FRAZIER AWARD

The Tommie Frazier Award, named after the great Nebraska quarterback, is given to the quarterback we deem to be the most exciting to watch. This could include any number of factors, but knowing Brent and myself it will come down to a quarterback that is as likely to make the highlight reels with an 80 yard run as he is with an 80 yard pass.

The following six quarterbacks were nominated as finalists for the Frazier Award by J.Pike.

J.Pike's Finalists

ROBERT GRIFFIN
(Freshman QB, Baylor)
Key Stats
Passing: 2,091 yards, 15 td, 3 int;
Rushing: 843 yards, 4.9 avg, 13 td;
242.4 total offensive yards per game, 28 total touchdowns;
Set NCAA freshman record for most consecutive passes without an interception


COLT McCOY
(Junior QB, Texas)
Key Stats
Passing: 3,445 yards, 32 td, 7 int, 77.6 completion percentage;
Rushing: 576 yards, 4.5 avg, 10 td;
335.1 total offensive yards per game, 42 total touchdowns;
Led Texas to an 11-1 record


TYROD TAYLOR
(Sophomore QB, Virginia Tech)
Key Stats
Passing: 896 yards, 2 td;
Rushing: 691 yards, 5.2 avg, 6 td;
144.3 total offensive yards per game, 8 total touchdowns;
The Hokies were 7-2 in games Taylor started;
Taylor is arguably the most elusive quarterback in the nation


PAT WHITE
(Senior QB, West Virginia)
Key Stats
Passing: 1,510 yards, 18 td, 6 int;
Rushing: 919 yards, 5.4 avg, 8 td;
220.8 total offensive yards per game, 26 total touchdowns;
Graduates as the NCAA's all time leader in rushing yards from the quarterback position


JUICE WILLIAMS
(Junior QB, Illinois)
Key Stats
Passing: 3,173 yards, 22 td;
Rushing: 719 yards, 4.1 avg, 5 td;
324.3 total offensive yards per game, 27 total touchdowns;
Williams has a cannon for an arm, one of the strongest in the nation


RUSSELL WILSON
(RS-Freshman QB, N.C. State)
Key Stats
Passing: 1,769 yards, 16 td, 1 int;
Rushing: 342 yards, 3.2 avg, 4 td;
211.1 total offensive yards per game, 20 total touchdowns;
Wilson threw at least two touchdowns in 7 of the 10 games he started;
He only threw one interception all season and was easily the most polished freshman quarterback in the country

Gameday Commentary - 5:30 pm

*Kansas State is a bad team. There are no fundamentals at all; nobody on defense can tackle; there are breakdowns in the special teams; and worst of all, the team has no confidence. I feel bad for the players in this situation. The coaching staff is clueless from and X's & O's standpoint, and on top of that, Ron Prince made them run laps in the middle of the night when they got back from a road loss against Louisville a couple weeks ago. Ron Prince looks like he's in his final season as head coach in Manhattan.

*I still like Jim Harbaugh at Stanford. He's a fiery head coach who doesn't let his team quit. Even when his team trailed 28-7 in the third quarter, the Cardinal never quit and Harbaugh was fighting for calls. Stanford ended up cutting the lead to 28-21 and had the ball with a chance to tie.

*I have to give Chris Smelley some credit. He played a great game today in South Carolina's win over Ole Miss.

*Kentucky is giving Alabama all they can handle. Alabama has been great this year, and the defense is playing up to those standards today. But Kentucky is laying the blue print for how to stop the Crimson Tide offense. John Parker Wilson hasn't been a big part of the conservative game plan, but he's not doing his part. Wilson has struggled mightily on throws down the field. Also, kicker Leigh Tiffin has been awful today.

*I've said it once, I'll say it again: I'm not sure there's a quarterback in the country with a stronger arm than Juice Williams.

*Michigan quarterback Steven Threet is coming around. He looked very average early in the season, but his accuracy has improved, particularly on the deep throws that you have to complete to keep defenses from loading up the box.

*Tommy Tuberville is taking his team back! After putting up with Tony Franklin's ridiculous spread offense for the first several weeks (and getting poor results), Tuberville clearly straightened things out this week. The first few drives included more non-shotgun formations than Auburn has run all season. That allowed them to take advantage of Ben Tate's strengths and build a 13-0 lead. Also, Auburn's defense is as good as it has ever been. If the offense keeps playing REAL football (as opposed to that shotgun every play/sideways running nonsense Franklin has been running all year), Auburn is a team that can have legit national title dreams.

*The discovery of the day: Miami WR/KR Travis Benjamin. The freshman has incredible speed and agility and has played a huge role in getting Miami back in the game in the second half against Florida State. Keep an eye on this kid because he'll be making some big plays this year and beyond.

WEEK SIX - Top 25 Preview (Part I: 11-25)

#11 Auburn at #17 Vanderbilt
(Saturday, 5 pm, ESPN)
Vandy quarterback Chris Nickson facing the intimidating Auburn defense should be a fun matchup to watch. Nickson is one of the most dynamic players in the SEC and won’t back down from anybody. Auburn’s defense is flat out one of the best in the nation. There hasn’t been anybody the defensive line couldn’t pressure, and the cornerbacks should easily blanket Vandy’s receivers. On the other side of the ball though Auburn hasn’t been able to score on anybody this year with Tony Franklin’s new spread offense. Ben Tate is woefully misused and quarterback Chris Todd isn’t producing. Todd will struggle again because, surprisingly, the Commodores have one of the better secondaries in the conference. The wild card here will be whether Franklin gives Kodi Burns a shot at quarterback. I don’t have any idea why Burns has been riding the bench all season while Todd struggles. If Burns plays, Auburn wins. If he doesn’t, Vandy wins. I’ll give the benefit of the doubt to the Auburn coaching staff.
J.Pike’s Pick: Auburn 23, Vanderbilt 17

#14 Florida at Arkansas
(Saturday, 11:30 am, Raycom/ESPN360.com)
This one could get ugly. Not only will Florida be looking to redeem themselves after losing AT HOME to Ole Miss a week ago (who’s coaching at Ole Miss now? Hmm…), this also should be the perfect opportunity for Urban Meyer to run up the score as he’s known to do from time to time. Arkansas is arguably the worst team in the SEC because they decided to run off Houston Nutt in favor of Bobby Petrino. I hope you enjoy the cellar, Hog fans.
J.Pike’s Pick: Florida 48, Arkansas 10

#15 Texas Tech at Kansas State
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC)
I definitely don’t have a rooting interest in this game. In fact, if there was a way both teams could lose I would be rooting for that. But unfortunately one of these ugly football teams has to come away with a win in this contest. Kansas State is coming off back to back games in which they gave up over 300 yards rushing to average football teams (Louisville and Louisiana-Lafayette). Mike Leach isn’t smart enough to take advantage of the Wildcats deficiencies against the run, but Michael Crabtree and company will take advantage of K-State’s poor tackling by piling up huge YAC numbers. This will probably be a shootout, but Texas Tech is more stable at this point in the season.
J.Pike’s Pick: Texas Tech 51, Kansas State 37

#16 Kansas at Iowa State
(Saturday, 11:30 am, VERSUS)
Iowa State is a sneaky team that will upset somebody in the Big XII this year, but I don’t think it will be Kansas. Mark Mangino’s squad is too fundamentally sound to give the game away, and that’s exactly what would have to happen. Todd Reesing and the offense might not look as sharp as they did in their non-conference schedule, but they’ll be good enough to keep the feisty Cyclones at arm’s length.
J.Pike’s Pick: Kansas 27, Iowa State13

Westsern Kentucky at #19 Virginia Tech
(Saturday, 12:30 pm)
Taking the redshirt off Tyrod Taylor is the best decision Frank Beamer has made all season. So good in fact that it almost makes up for his decision to put the redshirt on him in the first place. With Taylor at quarterback the Hokies are 4-0; without him they are 0-1. VA Poly’s season officially got back on track last Saturday night with their win in Lincoln and now they appear to be the favorite to win the ACC Coastal division. Before they head into conference play the Hokies get one final tune-up against the Hilltoppers. The only thing I know about WKY is they have the coolest mascot in America.
J.Pike’s Pick: Virginia Tech 33, Western Kentucky 3

#20 Maryland at Virginia
(Saturday, 6 pm, ESPN U)
Maryland hasn’t exactly been the most consistent team this season. They have gone from losing to Middle Tennessee and barely slipping by Delaware to beating Cal and Clemson so far this season. Luckily it probably won’t matter which Maryland team shows up for this game because Virginia has been flat out bad.
J.Pike’s Pick: Maryland 27, Virginia 13

Arizona State at #21 California
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC)
I’m going to call for a rare road upset here. Arizona State’s defense is actually not too bad and Cal will be playing without their most dangerous weapon, RB Jahvid Best. On top of that, Jeff Tedford also opened up the quarterback job in practice again which means there is a chance Nate Longspare could see the field. Yikes! Meanwhile, Rudy Carpenter and Keegan Herring (back from injury) are rested coming off the bye week, so they’ll be ready to give Cal yet another early-in-the-day wake-up call.
J.Pike’s Pick: Arizona State 30, California 24

#23 Illinois at Michigan
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC/ESPN 2)
Michigan is riding high after their big second half comeback to beat Wisconsin a week ago. They’re going to have to put together a full game if they want to beat Illinois though. The explosive duo of Juice Williams to Arrelious Benn can put points on the board at a rate Michigan is incapable of matching. The Michigan defense will have to play a great game just to keep the Wolverines in this one.
J.Pike’s Pick: Illinois 27, Michigan 21

#24 Connecticut at North Carolina
(Saturday, 6 pm, ESPN 2)
This is an interesting matchup in that both teams will be playing without their injured starting quarterbacks. North Carolina had the benefit of breaking in Cam Sexton last week against Miami and he passed with flying colors. UConn isn’t quite as certain what they’ll get from Zach Frazier. One thing you can expect is Donald Brown to get the ball about 30 times. UConn’s tailback is one of the more underrated players in the nation (averaging 149 yards per game), but he’ll face a tough test against Marvin Austin and that Tar Heel D-Line. UConn always plays smart and tough, so they’ll keep this one close to the end, but North Carolina and Butch Davis will notch the win at home.
J.Pike’s Pick: North Carolina 28, Connecticut 24

Rice at #25 Tulsa
(Saturday, 7 pm, CBS College Sports)
If you like shootouts you should find out if you have CBS College Sports channel. When Rice and Tulsa get together on Saturday night there is a very real possibility that they could actually blow up the scoreboard. Last week alone, Tulsa scored 62 points and Rice scored 77! The two teams combined are averaging 96 points per game, so this should be an entertaining game to watch. Hopefully it will go into overtime and both teams will score triple digits.
J.Pike’s Pick: Tulsa 61, Rice 54

WEEK FIVE - Top 25 Preview (Part II: Top 10)

#1 USC at Oregon State
(Thursday, 8 pm, ESPN)
Everybody remembers what happened the last time the Trojans visited Corvalis. The Beavers pulled off the upset, ending USC’s 27-game Pac-10 winning streak. In this matchup, the Rogers brothers bring a lot more speed to the table than Ohio State did two weeks ago, so there could be trouble brewing. Throw in one of the most underrated playmakers in the nation in Sammie Stroughter and you have what could be a recipe for another upset. But Mark Sanchez is no John David Booty, and the young Oregon State defense has struggled in the early going. Oregon State’s speed on offense will make the USC defense will look human for the first time all season – if only for a few series. But overall USC is too good and too prepared to get upset again.
J.Pike’s Pick: USC 34, Oregon State 24

#11 Alabama at #2 Georgia
(Saturday, 6:45 pm, ESPN)
Spotlight Game of the Week [LINK]
J.Pike’s Pick: Georgia 24, Alabama 20

#24 TCU at #3 Oklahoma
(Saturday, 6 pm, FSN)
Here’s another game that featured a landmark upset a couple years ago. When TCU knocked off Oklahoma in the 2005 season opener, it marked the start of the Rhett Bomar era. That was not a pleasant season in Norman. Luckily Bomar the Ballhog is gone, and in his place is the remarkably efficient Sam Bradford. TCU is good defensively, but I don’t think they can contain Oklahoma for four quarters anymore. Oklahoma gets their revenge.
J.Pike’s Pick: Oklahoma 33, TCU 13

Arkansas at #4 Texas
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC)
This game was postponed due to Hurricane Ike a couple weeks ago. The only thing that happened between then and now is that Arkansas played like a JV team against Alabama and got beat 49-14. Arkansas is flat out bad defensively. The offense is semi-capable, but Casey Dick is prone to throwing bad interceptions, so he’ll give Texas’ young secondary a much needed boost of confidence. Colt McCoy is quietly playing as well as anybody right now, and he’ll guide the offense to another big day.
J.Pike’s Pick: Texas 38, Arkansas 21

Ole Miss at #5 Florida
(Saturday, 11:30 am, Raycom/ESPN360.com)
Ole Miss has a history of beating Florida, so don’t be surprised if this game is still in doubt in the fourth quarter. Florida’s offense hasn’t yet hit its stride, but the defense is more than picking up the slack. Ole Miss has been completely rejuvenated thanks to the arrival of Houston Nutt. Quarterback Jevan Snead will play well, but in the fourth quarter the Florida defense will rise up and force him into the mistake that ruins the upset bid.
J.Pike’s Pick: Florida 32, Ole Miss 20

#6 Missouri is Idle

Mississippi State at #7 LSU
(Saturday, 6:30 pm, ESPN 2)
Mississippi State has one of the worst offenses in college football and LSU is coming off a big win at Auburn. The LSU defense could probably win this game by themselves. Put Derek Pegues on offense!
J.Pike’s Pick: LSU 37, Mississippi State 3

#19 Illinois at #8 Penn State
(Saturday, 7 pm, ABC)
Evan Royster, Darryl Clark and the Penn State offense has been fantastic in guiding the Nittany Lions to a 4-0 start. The Illinois defense on the other hand has struggled with tackling in the early going. That doesn’t bode well for the Illini. Throw in the fact that Penn State’s defense, which has been playing as well as anybody this year, could possibly be bolstered by the return of their best defensive lineman, Maurice Evans, from suspension. Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn are good, but I don’t think they have enough help around them.
Watch Evan Royster – he’s good.
J.Pike’s Pick: Penn State 34, Illinois 20

#9 Wisconsin at Michigan
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC/ESPN)
Michigan is going to need their defense to step up if they are going to win any games this season. The offense just isn’t there yet and they will turn the ball over. Wisconsin on the other hand has their running game in high gear already. Hosses P.J. Hill and John Clay have been pounding people to the tune of 518 yards and 7 touchdowns in only three games so far this season. Look for that duo to wear down a feisty Michigan team and win it in the fourth quarter.
J.Pike’s Pick: Wisconsin 20, Michigan 14

Minnesota at #10 Ohio State
(Saturday, 11 am, Big Ten Network)
Don’t let Brent fool you – Minnesota isn’t very good. Sure, they have a 4-0 record, but that’s only because they beat the same cupcakes they managed to lose to a year ago. Ohio State on the other hand has found new life with Terrelle Pryor as the full time quarterback. He brings a new dimension to the offense that Todd Boeckman lacked. Chris “Beanie” Wells is also expected to be back in the lineup after missing the last two games with a toe injury. Look for the Buckeyes to put together their most complete game of the season as they beat up and out-coach the inferior Golden Gophers.
J.Pike’s Pick: Ohio State 37, Minnesota 13

WEEK THREE - Top 25 Preview (Part I: 11-25)

UNLV at #11 Arizona State
(Saturday, 9 pm, FCS-Pacific)
Arizona State gets one final tune-up before Georgia comes to town.
J.Pike’s Pick: Arizona State 35, UNLV 13

Western Kentucky at #12 Alabama
(Saturday, 7 pm, ESPN360.com)
The Alabama offense was awful last week against Tulane, gaining only 172 total yards. Western Kentucky, the newest addition to 1-A, should cure what ails them.
J.Pike’s Pick: Alabama 31, Western Kentucky 14

#13 Penn State at Syracuse
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC)
Penn State flexed their muscles last week in a dominating win over Oregon State. As a reward they get to feast on a Syracuse team that was embarrassed by Akron. The Penn State front four has suffered more injuries and suspensions than you can count, but they’ll still make it nearly impossible for Syracuse to score in this game. And the Nittany Lion offense won’t have a problem against an inept Syracuse defense.
J.Pike’s Pick: Penn State 38, Syracuse 7

N.C. State at #14 Clemson
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN360.com)
This is step two in the rehab process after the humiliating loss to Alabama in week one. Clemson took care of The Citadel last week and now get a conference opponent at home. For some reason, James Davis and C.J. Spiller have only carried the ball a combined 27 times this season. They should average that per game.
J.Pike’s Pick: Clemson 27, N.C. State 14

SMU at #15 Texas Tech
(Saturday, 6 pm, FSN-Southwest)
If there’s one game this weekend you couldn’t pay me to watch, this would be it. These two offenses will make a mockery of the game of football, and both coaches will leave their defenses in bad positions in favor of their pet offenses at least a couple times (see Mike Leach going for it on 4th down twice last week inside his own 30!). Normally I would say the scoring could reach triple digits, but the Tech offense has been stuck in neutral so far this year.
J.Pike’s Pick: Texas Tech 52, SMU 27

#16 Oregon at Purdue
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC/ESPN)
Could this be the road trip that finally trips up Justin Roper? Roper has been playing lights out in place of the injured Nate Costa, who is out for the season. Curtis Painter and the Purdue offense look good on paper, but going up against one of the best defensive backfields in the nation will be a significant challenge. Oregon’s secondary will get the best of this matchup and that leaves Purdue with few other options. Jeremiah Johnson should be healthy and ready to run wild on the porous Purdue defense.
J.Pike’s Pick: Oregon 34, Purdue 20

#19 Kansas at #17 South Florida
(Friday, 7 pm, ESPN 2)
This is a matchup that should produce a great game. Kansas QB Todd Reesing is firing on all cylinders this year, especially with speedy freshman WR Daymond Patterson added in the mix. On the flip side, South Florida is coming off an overtime tussle with don’t-call-them-rivals Central Florida. The Kansas defense is solid and will be able to force Matt Grothe into a couple turnovers, but USF will be able to pressure Reesing and get him out of his rhythm. It will be a tight game throughout controlled by the defenses, so I’ll give a slight edge to the home team.
J.Pike’s Pick: South Florida 22, Kansas 20

#18 Utah at Utah State
(Saturday, 7 pm, ESPN360.com)
These two in-state rivals play every year, but it’s usually big brother Utah beating up on little brother Utah State. Expect more of the same this year with Utah QB Brian Johnson padding stats in his quest to win the Faulk Trophy.
J.Pike’s Pick: Utah 42, Utah State 10

#20 East Carolina at Tulane
(Saturday, 2 pm)
East Carolina has been the story of the year so far, upsetting Virginia Tech and West Virginia in their first two outings. The defense has been a big reason for the success and Tulane has struggled to score points this season. That doesn’t bode well for the Green Wave. However with ECU riding high off their 2-0 start, don’t be surprised if they let the headlines go to their heads early and get off to a slow start against a Tulane team that nobody is giving a chance. Remember, Tulane held Alabama to a mere 172 yards of total offense last week. Pirate QB Patrick Pinkney is too good to let his team sleep for too long though and he’ll lead the offense to just enough points to win comfortably.
J.Pike’s Pick: East Carolina 23, Tulane 10

Louisiana-Lafayette at #21 Illinois
(Saturday, 11 am, Big Ten Network)
Here’s another cupcake for the Illinois offense to run up and down the field against. The Ragin’ Cajuns could come in handy though because the Illini defense has been miserable so far this season. Louisiana-Lafayette QB Michael Desormeaux and RB Tyrell Fenroy both ran for over 1,000 yards last season so there should be plenty of opportunities for Illinois to practice their tackling.
J.Pike’s Pick: Illinois 48, Louisiana-Lafayette 20

#22 UCLA at #25 BYU
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, Versus)
The Cougars need to step up their play on the defensive side of the ball if they are to win this game. UCLA’s defense is excellent and they will make it very difficult on Max Hall, who isn’t the best under pressure. Defensive tackles Brian Price and Brigham Harwell will make sure that’s the case Saturday afternoon. It will be up to Kevin Craft, who must get off to a better start than he did against Tennessee when he threw 4 interceptions in the first half.
J.Pike’s Pick: UCLA 26, BYU 21

UAB at #23 Tennessee
(Saturday, 11:30 am, ESPN360.com)
After pondering their overtime loss to UCLA for almost two weeks, it’s time for Tennessee to take the field again. Facing one of the worst defenses in the nation – UAB allows a whopping 47 points per game - should help the potentially explosive Tennessee offense find a rhythm after struggling against UCLA.
J.Pike’s Pick: Tennessee 51, UAB 17

#24 California at Maryland
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN)
It’s a tale of two offenses. The Cal offense has exploded thanks to the speedy Jahvid Best and the running game. In two games Best has 311 yards rushing and 4 tds, and the Bears are averaging 297 yards rushing as a team! Maryland on the other hand is averaging a putrid 14 points per game and is coming off an embarrassing loss at the hands of Middle Tennessee State. I’m a little concerned about the long road trip and early start time, so it wouldn’t surprise me if Maryland’s defense forces a couple three-and-outs early. The speed of Cal wins out in the end though.
J.Pike’s Pick: California 30, Maryland 16

WEEK TWO - Top 25 Preview (Part I: 11-25)

Marshall at #11 Wisconsin
(Saturday, 11 am, Big Ten Network)
Wisconsin ran for 404 yards last week and this week should be more of the same. Eventually Allan Evridge will need to complete a pass or two to win in the Big Ten and the soft Marshall defense seems to be the perfect opportunity to work on his arm.
J.Pike’s Pick: Wisconsin 35, Marshall 13

Tulane at #12 Alabama
(Saturday, 6 pm, ESPN360.com)
There will be no letdown for the Crimson Tide after putting a beat-down on Clemson last Saturday night. Without Matt Forte, who makes his NFL debut for the Bears on Sunday, Tulane is no match for Bama, particularly in the trenches. Look for JP Wilson to fine tune the passing game early as he establishes a connection with freshman receiver Julio Jones. Then Terry Grant and the running game can grind out the clock in the second half.
J.Pike’s Pick: Alabama 37, Tulane 10

The Citadel at #13 Clemson
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ESPN360.com)
After having national title aspirations destroyed on the opening weekend of the season, there’s no remedy quite like playing The Citadel. After getting manhandled at the line of scrimmage by Alabama, I expect the Clemson players to take out all their frustration this week by beating up on a completely insignificant opponent – and I can’t really blame them.
J.Pike’s Pick: Clemson 61, The Citadel 6

Oregon State at #14 Penn State
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC)
As much as I like Sammie Stroughter and the Oregon State Beavers, they are simply no match for this Penn State team, despite all the suspensions. The Nittany Lions are on a mission this season and running backs Evan Royster and Stephfon Green will have a field day against an inexperienced Oregon State front seven that gave up 210 rushing yards to Stanford a week ago.
J.Pike’s Pick: Penn State 31, Oregon State 15

Stanford at #15 Arizona State
(Saturday, 9 pm, FCS-Pacific)
It’s tough to pick against Stanford after their gutsy performance in a victory over Oregon State last Thursday night. Jim Harbaugh just seems to be pushing all the right buttons and has the players believing in themselves and playing at a higher level than anybody could have expected when he took the job. ASU has too much talent to lose this game though. Stanford will hang in there on guts alone, but Dennis Erickson will make adjustments at halftime and win going away.
J.Pike’s Pick: Arizona State 38, Stanford 20

#16 Texas Tech at Nevada
(Saturday, 8 pm)
This is an interesting road game for the Red Raiders. Nevada’s Pistol offense should give Tech’s always questionable defense problems. The Wolfpack have more offensive weapons than you might think and they’ll keep it close for a while. But Tech has too much offense and you better believe Mike Leach will run up the score late in this one.
J.Pike’s Pick: Texas Tech 48, Nevada 24

Utah State at #17 Oregon
(Saturday, 2:30 pm)
It’s a good thing Justin Roper looked good last week because Nate Costa is going to be out for the season (again) with a knee injury. More importantly, Jeremiah Johnson proved he’s going to be one of the best running backs in the country this year. He’ll pile up the yards again this week.
J.Pike’s Pick: Oregon 44, Utah State 14

#18 South Florida at Central Florida
(Saturday, 6 pm, ESPN 2)
This is a rivalry game, but apparently UCF doesn’t know rivalry games are supposed to be close. South Florida has won the last three games in this series by a combined score of 119-43. This year’s edition will be more of the same.
J.Pike’s Pick: South Florida 38, Central Florida 13

UNLV at #19 Utah
(Saturday, 7 pm, mtn.)
Utah pulled out a win in the Big House opening weekend, but they’ll need to clean up the penalties and turnovers if they want to win the Mountain West. Brian Johnson is a fantastic quarterback and he’ll guide Utah to 2-0 over UNLV.
J.Pike’s Pick: Utah 35, UNLV 17

Louisiana Tech at #21 Kansas
(Saturday, 6 pm, FSN)
Be careful here. Louisiana Tech knocked off Mississippi State in a mild upset last week and is looking to do it again this week. Kansas plays sound fundamental football though and won’t turn the ball over like Mississippi State did. I expect the Jayhawks to jump on La Tech early and remind the Bulldogs they aren’t in Kansas anymore. Or something like that. And I’m predicting a special teams touchdown for Kansas.
J.Pike’s Pick: Kansas 31, Louisiana Tech 13

#22 UCLA is off

#23 Tennessee is off

Eastern Illinois at #24 Illinois
(Saturday, 11 am, Big Ten Network)
Juice Williams proved against Missouri that he truly has taken the next step in his development. Nobody in the country has a stronger arm than Juice, but he probably won’t get to show it off as much this week. Eddie McGee should get plenty of playing time and maybe the Illini can find a running back in this blowout.
J.Pike’s Pick: Illinois 51, Eastern Illinois 13

#25 BYU at Washington
(Saturday, 2pm, FSN)
If Tyrone Willingham is going to bust out a big win and get off the hot seat, this would be a good place to do it. BYU is ranked, but there are still questions about the defense. Jake Locker will have to win it with his feet though because he doesn’t have a big league arm, so I don’t see any way the Washington offense can keep pace with the BYU offense.
J.Pike’s Pick: BYU 33, Washington 20

WEEK ONE - Top 25 Preview

A whopping ten teams in the J&BP top 25 are hosting 1-AA opponents this week. It's a good thing the NCAA added a 12th game to the schedule so that teams can assure themselves of bowl eligibility by fattening their record on one extra cupcake. At least there's a few interesting games on the schedule to keep the excitement going. After all, it's opening weekend! Here's an overview of the top 25 schedule and my picks. Also BP Picks have been added also so let the comparison's begin!

Youngstown State at #1 Ohio State
Saturday, 11 am, Big Ten Network
A tune-up for the loaded Buckeyes. Terrelle Pryor will see his first collegiate action.
J.Pike's Pick: Ohio State, 31-6
Terrelle Pryor show will be in Technocolor in the second half of this one, Tune in for the Trojan killer!
BP Pick: Ohio St

Georgia Southern at #2 Georgia
Saturday, 11:30 am, ESPN360.com
The Suspension Bowl! These two teams combined will have 13 players sitting out due to suspension.
J.Pike's Pick: Georgia, 41-13
This will be really ugly..........
BP Pick: Georgia

Chattanooga at #3 Oklahoma
Saturday, 6 pm, FSN PPV
This one will get ugly early thanks to OU's dominance in the trenches.
J.Pike's Pick: Oklahoma, 59-22
Pardon me Roy, Is that the Chattanooga.....no its Demarco Murray.
BP Pick: Oklahoma

#4 USC at Virginia
Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC/ESPN2
USC takes a rare cross-country road trip for their season opener. How will their inexperienced offense respond? Luckily for the Trojans, Virginia's defense was gutted due to exhausted eligibility, and quarterback Jameel Sewell will sit out the season due to academics.
J.Pike's Pick: USC, 33-10
Jameel would have kept Virginia within 20 but now this is a official blowout.
BP Pick: USC

Hawaii at #5 Florida
Saturday, 11:30 am, Raycom/ESPN360.com
Hawaii will travel over 4,700 miles to play this game - at 5:30 am Island time! Even with some of Florida's key players (WR Harvin, LB Spikes) out nursing injuries, this should still be a cakewalk against the June Jones/Colt Brennan-less Warriors.
J.Pike's Pick: Florida, 55-27
Hawaii - Colt Brennan - June Jones = 5th in the WAC. Florida's speed is ridiculous.
BP Pick: Florida

#25 Alabama vs #6 Clemson (@ Atlanta, GA)

Saturday, 7 pm, ABC
This is a difficult challenge for a Clemson team with national title aspirations. Nick Saban would like nothing more than to spoil those dreams right out of the gate. We'll get our first glimpse of freshman wide receiver Julio Jones, but the Tigers are loaded on both sides of the ball and will handle Bama.

J.Pike's Pick: Clemson, 23-17
This will be the gem of the weekend and I believe Clemson will not disappoint. This is possible the best team Tommy Bowden has had since he has been there if he doesn't win the ACC and go to a BCS bowl it will be a failure. I know it is week 1, but this one sets the tone. It will be close but I agree CJ and James will do work.
BP Pick: Clemson

Florida Atlantic at #7 Texas
Saturday, 6 pm, FSN PPV
Schnelly called out the Horns' toughness; Mack has been testy with the doubting local media; Vince Young's jersey will be retired before the game. There's plenty of motivation for the Longhorns in this game. I'm curious how Will Muschamp's defense will fare against the surprisingly potent Owl attack.
J.Pike's Pick: Texas, 30-13
Check out the spread picks coming up but straight up give me the Longhorns. This would be epic if FAtl could pull it off, but Mack is saying the right things and this Team is flying under the radar, no off the field incidents this year. I gotta say it, this team could be a player in the BCS.
BP Pick: Texas

#18 Illinois vs #8 Missouri (@ St. Louis, MO)
Saturday, 7:30 pm, ESPN
Game of the week. It should be another entertaining shootout like last season. Don't change the channel after Mizzou jumps out to a big early lead - Zook will make adjustments and this one will go right down to the wire.
J.Pike's Pick: Missouri, 31-27
I love Juice Williams but Vontae Davis is not enough to stop Missouri, who every time I look at them look better!
BP Pick: Missouri

Louisiana-Monroe at #9 Auburn
Saturday, 6 pm, ESPN360.com
An SEC team playing a Sun Belt team - that's a shock...
J.Pike's Pick: Auburn, 31-10
This isn't Alabama, welcome to a real SEC team Mr. Lancaster.
BP Pick: Auburn

Villanova at #9 West Virginia
Saturday, 2:30 pm, ESPN360.com
Not a bad Big East basketball matchup. Not a good football matchup.
J.Pike's Pick: West Virginia, 52-24
This would be a great college basketball game, but its not so watch Pat White and Noel play for a half.
Pick: W Virginia

Appalachian State at #11 LSU
Saturday, 4 pm, ESPN
How about this for a playoff game: LSU, the defending national champs, square off against defending D1-AA champs Appalachian State. Can the Mountaineers pull off another landmark upset? LSU has some question marks, but they are more stable than Michigan was last season. I don't think lightning will strike twice.
J.Pike's Pick: LSU, 38-24
I have heard some shock jocks saying they will beat LSU, sorry but the Jungle is a worse place to be the Big House. LSU will take Cinderella out and not call her back.]
BP Pick: LSU

#12 Tennessee at UCLA
Monday, 7 pm, ESPN
This is an intriguing game. The Vols travel all the way out to California to take on UCLA in Rick Neuheisel's debut. Kevin Craft will be QB'ing for the Bruins, while Tennessee will be breaking in Rick Clawson's new fangled offense. Tennessee looks like a much better team on paper, but you never know what Skippy might have up his sleeve.
J.Pike's Pick: Tennessee, 30-16
For Some reason I think Jonathan Crompton will have a big year this year and it starts with the overrated coaching of Rick Neuheisel. Tennessee will roll.
BP Pick: Tennessee

Akron at #13 Wisconsin
Saturday, 11 am, Big Ten Network
Allan Evridge makes his first start for Wisconsin against a MAC team with not a lot returning.
J.Pike's Pick: Wisconsin, 27-11
Akron may not score in this one, go back to the Rubber Bowl.
BP Pick: Wisconsin

Northern Arizona at #14 Arizona State
Saturday, 9 pm, FCS-Central
Dennis Erickson begins his second year in Tempe with a warm up against the 1-AA Lumberjacks.
J.Pike's Pick: Arizona State, 48-20
Yawn........Rudy, will be done at the half.
BP Picks: Arizona St.

Eastern Washington at #15 Texas Tech
Saturday, 6 pm
The only question in this one is whether the Red Raiders will reach triple digits. Mike Leach will give it his best shot.
J.Pike's Pick: Texas Tech, 84-21
This will be ugly and will reach Triple digits.
BP Pick: Texas Tech

Coastal Carolina at #16 Penn State
Saturday, 11 am, Big Ten Network
Darryl Clark gets the keys to the offense and Stephfon Green finally unleashes his "warp speed" on an opponent. Everybody who suits up for the Nittany Lions will play.
J.Pike's Pick: Penn State, 47-6
Coastal Carolina will be shut out. Joe Pa gotta a pretty good team this year, and no more Morelli.
BP Pick: Penn St.

Washington at #17 Oregon
Saturday, 9 pm, FSN
Justin Roper will start at quarterback for the injured Nate Costa. How will the Ducks offense respond? It might not matter if Jake Locker has to throw against the fantastic Oregon secondary. Locker doesn't exactly pose much of a threat in the passing game.
J.Pike's Pick: Oregon, 27-13
I hate, conference games to open the season, but as much as I would like to take Jake, he doesn't have enough around him to pull the upset.
BP Pick: Oregon

Florida International at #19 Kansas
Saturday, 6 pm
Blowout. The Kansas defense shines again.
J.Pike's Pick: Kansas, 44-10
Jabba will push the issue and it may reach 70.
BP Pick: Kansas

Tennessee-Martin at #20 South Florida
Saturday, 6:30 pm, ESPN360.com
Who is Martin? Is he any good?
J.Pike's Pick: South Florida, 38-17
Yawn....
BP Pick: USF

#21 Utah at Michigan
Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC/ESPN2
This might be the most interesting game of the opening weekend. Utah has dreams of a BCS bowl and Rich Rodriguez introduces the spread offense to the folks in Ann Arbor.
J.Pike's Pick: Utah, 24-13
Well Utah is the en vogue pick this year and I really like this team. Michigan I believe will be this year's Notre Dame so it starts with game one. What up Brian Johnson you win this one you can put it on coast until the final game of the year against BYU.
BP Pick: Utah

Western Michigan at #22 Nebraska
Saturday, 6 pm, FSN PPV
I'll be making the roadie up for the first home game of the Bo Pelini. I expect to see some ups and downs, particularly with the Nebraska defense going up against an experienced quarterback in Tim Hiller. Nebraska's high octane offense (Shawn Watson is finally calling the plays!) will be too much for Western.
J.Pike's Pick: Nebraska, 37-17
This will be closer then most people think, Bo knows Defense so the Blackshirt will be at least in the building, but not in the lockerroom yet. W Michigan is a good team and is used to playing with the Big Boys. But the Husk will pull it out. Watch for my spread prediction.
BP Pick: Nebraska

Northern Iowa at #23 BYU
Saturday, 5 pm, MTN.
This will be tougher than it looks. Northern Iowa finished 12-1 last season and will give the Fighting Mormons all they can handle.
J.Pike's Pick: BYU, 26-17
Max Power throws for 400...
BP Pick: BYU

#24 Boston College vs Kent State (@ Cleveland, OH)
Saturday, 6:30 pm, ESPN U
There are many reasons to tune in to this game. BC breaks in a new quarterback and will get to show off their stout defense. But more importantly, make sure you check out Kent's mighty mite running back Eugene Jarvis. The 5-foot-5 dynamo is one of the best backs you've never heard of.
J.Pike's Pick: Boston College, 33-13
This game is in Cleveland Rocks and BC is starting everyone new in the offensive backfield, Kent returns pinball Jarvis who is impossible to see behind the line of scrimmage. As much as I want to take Kent, I can't pull the trigger based on coaching of Jeff Jagodzinski, so no upset alert but watch my spread picks.
BP Pick: BC

NOTE: All times listed are CST

WEEK ONE - Preview

UPSET WATCH

Wake Forest @ Baylor
(Thursday, 7pm, FSN)
Why it could happen: Wake Forest is getting fat from all the preseason hype and is slightly overrated. Baylor head coach Art Briles will have his team fired up and ready to play the best game fans in Waco have seen in several years.
Why it won’t happen: Wake isn’t that overrated. Baylor will hang in there for a while on the high of the new coaching staff and their home crowd, but the Demon Deacon defense will come up with key stops down the stretch.

Virginia Tech vs East Carolina
(Saturday, 11am, ESPN)
Why it could happen: East Carolina returns quarterback Patrick Pinkney and a large portion of their defense. Virginia Tech on the other hand loses just about every key playmaker off last year’s team that was pushed to the limit by this same Pirate team.
Why it won’t happen: Virginia Tech still has too much overall talent to lose this game. It will be close throughout and the Hokies will need some offensive skill players to step up and make some plays, but in the end the Hokie defense has enough talent to shut down the ECU offense in a low scoring affair.

UPSET WARNING

Utah @ Michigan
(Saturday, 2:30pm, ABC)
Why it will happen: Michigan simply isn’t ready. New head coach Rich Rodriguez has too many new offensive schemes to put in and not enough players to run them. Utah plays plenty of defense and quarterback Brian Johnson is more than ready to duplicate what Armanti Edwards did to the Wolverines in The Big House last season.

Michigan State @ California
(Saturday, 7pm, ABC)
Why it will happen: Mark Dantonio’s Spartans are simply too physical for Cal. Jahvid Best has excellent speed and Kevin Riley will be an upgrade over Nate Longshore at quarterback, but in the end Michigan State will win it with defense and Javon Ringer.

LOCKS

I promised myself I would never get in the habit of picking games against the spread. But each week I'll take a look at the lines and if anything jumps out at me I'll let you know. Don't get used to looking at that fancy graphic is all I'm saying...

N.C. State (+12) over South Carolina
(Thursday, 7pm, ESPN)
South Carolina has an excellent defense, there’s no question about that. But at this stage of the season I’m not convinced their offense can even score 12 points.

East Carolina (+10) over Virginia Tech
(Saturday, 11am, ESPN)
Poly only won by 10 at home last year. Tech loses just about their entire starting defense and many key skill players on offense and must travel to Charlotte, NC this year.

Illinois (+8½) over Missouri
(Saturday, 7:30pm, ESPN)
Missouri will probably jump out to a big lead, much the way they did last season in this game. But Ron Zook will make adjustments and Illinois will take this rivalry game down to the wire.

Northern Illinois (+8½) over Minnesota
(Saturday, 6pm)
Minnesota is garbage until they prove to me otherwise. After going 1-11 and losing to Bowling Green and North Dakota State a year ago, I’m not convinced Minnesota can beat a MAC team that returns 18 starters. Even if they do it won’t be by much with that awful defense.

BP25- #16 Illinois Fighting Illni

The Juice did it, I knew he did it all along, he could beat the Buckeyes in Columbus! All the evidence was there, such as leading the team to its second winning record in 7 years and looks to continue winning as long as he is there. The gloves fit also with the great Arrelious Benn showing off that #1 WR out of High School was not a fluke and he will make giant steps this year to position himself for a potential NFL paycheck. Covering up the evidence of a great rushing attack will be hard to do and very messy. Mendenhall was the glue on this team and his successors are well below his production levels, so the Juice will have to run like a white bronco to led this team on the ground to where they want to go.

The Defense Team held a strong case last year and helped do just enough to win ball games but with only 6 returning starters this is a area where Ron Zook recruiting(in his 4th year all his recruits) will be leaned upon due to a very flimsy alibi. J Leman will be missed but only on his lunch pail antics The front seven are strong and could be the best Zook has had, the only question mark is the secondary, Vontae Davis returns but that's it. The alibi has major flaws in it as they open with a Chase in Missouri, which leads to REVENGE @ Pennsylvania St, REVENGE @ Wisconsin and finally wraps up at REVENGE Ohio St and REVENGE Northwestern. So as you can see the Juice could do it, you just have to look at the whole picture.......I am talking about Illni Football Right?

JP25 - #19 ILLINOIS

Ron Zook's team took a huge step forward last year. After totaling only 4 wins in his first two seasons, the Illini exploded for 9 wins in 2007 and secured their first BCS bowl berth of the Zook era. But now expectations are building in Champaigne. Zook's Florida teams never handled the pressure well, so how this Illinois team responds to being the team with the target on their backs will be crucial to the 2008 season.

OFFENSE
The offense was paced by a powerful running game in '07. A veteran offensive line paved the way for eventual NFL first round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall (1,681 yards, 17 td, 6.4 yards per carry). Mendenhall is an immensely talented back with great speed to go along with his imposing size, and the hole he leaves in the lineup will be very difficult to fill. Junior Daniel Dufrene will get the first shot. He's got some burst, but doesn't have the power Mendenhall had. True freshman Mikel LeShoure, who was enrolled for spring practice, has the size (6-feet, 240 lbs) to complement Dufrene, but will they be as effective as a group as Mendenhall was by himself? That remains to be seen. Up front three starters return from last year's line, but the two departed starters (Akim Millington & Martin O'Donnell) were two of the top players on the line.

With all the questions in the running game, it's up to quarterback Juice Williams to take the next step in his development and become a more efficient passer. Williams has more than enough arm strength to make any throw in the book, but he has struggled with making throws that don't require maximum velocity. He has shown signs of improvement though so this could be the year he breaks out to become the kind of star JaMarcus Russell became at LSU. Even if he doesn't develop in the passing game, his running ability (755 rushing yards, 7 tds) will keep the offense moving. And if by chance anything happens to Williams due to his importance in the running game, the Illini has the luxury of turning to one of the best backup quarterbacks in America, Eddie McGee. McGee was probably the more polished passer last year, and he has enough athleticism to contribute in the running game as well.

At wideout, super sophomore Arrelious Benn returns after exploding onto the scene in '07. As a true freshman, Benn immediately stepped into the role of go-to receiver (54 receptions), and his size (6-foot-2, 214 lbs) allowed him to contribute in the running game as well. Expect Benn to reach the end zone more than three times in '08 as he'll become an even bigger part of the offense. Another wild card to watch in the receiving corps is Jarred Fayson.

DEFENSE
This is the area of the team Ron Zook's recruiting efforts may show up the most in 2008. Despite losing five of the top seven tacklers from 2007, including team leader linebacker J Leman (132 tackles), there are still many predictions floating around that this will be one of the best defenses in the Big Ten. I'm not ready to jump on that bandwagon yet, but players like defensive end Will Davis (9.5 sacks), cornerback Vontae Davis (4 interceptions, 2 blocked kicks), and linebacker Martez Wilson (29 tackles, 2 sacks as a true freshman) are special talents that could play for just about anybody. All three are players you should go out of your way to check out because all are capable of making a highlight reel play on any given snap. I'm especially excited to see Martez Wilson turned loose in his new role as starting weakside linebacker.

The big question mark on defense is at safety, where the top three players have departed. Justin Harrison (80 tackles) and Kevin Mitchell (5 interceptions) will be missed. Sophomore Bo Flowers is a former minor league baseball player who has turned some heads and will get the first shot at the strong safety job. He'll have to fend off big hitting JC transfer Donsay Hardeman in the fall though. Nate Bussey saw limited as a true freshman last year, but he'll likely be the starting free safety. This is a young secondary (no seniors anywhere on the depth chart), but they'll have to gel quickly because Chase Daniel and the Missouri Tigers come calling August 30th.

Overall the defense might be more talented in 2008, and they might make more big plays, but they'll also likely suffer a few more breakdowns as they grow up together.

KEEP AN EYE ON
Juice Williams' development in the passing game. How much he improves his control on the short and intermediate passing routes will go a long way toward telling how good this offense is going to be.

RISING STAR
Linebacker Martez Wilson.

Big Ten - Best QBs

1. Kellen Lewis, Indiana

Yes, Indiana is home to the best quarterback in the Big Ten. Others may get more accolades for playing on better teams (Todd Boeckman), but Lewis does more for his team than anyone else. In leading the Hoosiers to their first bowl game in 14 years, Lewis led the team in both passing (3,043 yards) and rushing yards (736 yards), and accounted for 37 of the 46 offensive touchdowns Indiana scored in 2007. He served a suspension over the summer for violating team rules, but was reinstated a couple weeks ago. Just in time to pick up where he left off as one of the most dangerous single players in the conference.

2. Isiah "Juice" Williams, Illinois

Possessor of one of the strongest arms in the nation, Juice earns this ranking based mostly on his potential. Up to now he hasn't displayed the consistency desired from a quarterback, but he has flashed moments of brilliance that make you realize he has the potential to be one of the best in the nation. Seriously, he could throw a football through Javorskie Lane's gut - his arm is that strong. That arm paired with legs that carried him to 755 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns (not to mention an upset victory over Ohio State late last season) could make for a deadly combination ..... IF he can take the next step and develop some consistency in '08.

3. Todd Boeckman, Ohio State

Well, Boeckman has a lot more talent around him, but he's no schmoe. After hiding in Troy Smith's considerable shadow for the first three years of his career, Boeckman took over the offense in 2007 and steadily guided Ohio State to yet another national championship game. He doesn't have any flashy skills that will blow you off your couch, but he's solid and does everything Jim Tressel asks of him.

4. C.J. Bacher, Northwestern

An underrated signal caller on an often overlooked team. Bacher can play though, so don't be surprised if Northwestern nabs an upset victory or two this season.

5. Curtis Painter, Purdue

Yawn. So they like to pass a lot. Big deal.

OTHERS TO WATCH:

Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State

If you don't know by now, you better axe somebody. Or something like that. This kid was the top recruit in the country and chose Ohio State over a chance to play right away at Michigan. Only Jim Tressel knows how much he'll see the field in 2007, but expect to find out about his athleticism long before you know anything about his arm.

Eddie McGee, Illinois

If for any reason the Juice can't go (injury, etc.), the Illini are in good hands. McGee saw the field a little bit in 2007 and proved he has plenty of skills of his own. A multi-dimensional threat out of the quarterback position, he's not as talented as Juice is, but he seems more polished at times.