FINALISTS - Gale Sayers Award

In the highlight reel age, we figured we should have an award for the most elusive skill player. Ironically it is named for a player who made his living quite some time before the highlight reel age. The award goes to the most elusive skill player in America - a guy that defenders just can't seem to wrap up. Obviously, having a strong highlight package will play into the voting.
2008 Winner - Jahvid Best (RB, California)

Last year's winner was dropped from consideration when he added one of the most gruesome injuries I have ever seen to his highlight reel. Best is a great player, but now I can't think about him without remembering that awful concussion he suffered after leaping into the end zone against Oregon State.

I have whittled the list of finalists down to the final five. Here is the pertinent info for each of them, in alphabetical order.

2009 Finalists:

DEZMON BRISCOE (Jr. WR, Kansas)

A relative unknown on this list, Briscoe has been one of the best go-to receivers in the nation for the past couple seasons. He can make the big catch AND has the speed to take it the distance.
2009 Stats:
84 receptions for 1,337 yards (15.4 avg) and 9 touchdowns;
1 kickoff return touchdown;
1 rushing touchdown

Highlights:


MARDY GILYARD (Sr. WR, Cincinnati)

Gilyard has the knack for making his biggest plays when the team needs it most. See the 99-yard kickoff return for touchdown late in the first half when trailing by 21 against Pittsburgh on the last day of the regular season for evidence.
2009 Stats:
80 receptions for 1,150 yards (14.4 avg) and 11 touchdowns;
34 kickoff returns for 1,074 yards (31.6 avg) and 2 touchdowns;
16 punt returns for 202 yards (12.6 avg) and 1 touchdown

Highlights:


JEREMY KERLEY (Jr. WR, TCU)

Sure, Kerley might not get nearly as many touches as the other guys on this list, but that only means he has a higher percentage of highlights per touch. The chances of Kerley winning the Sayers isn't high, but his punt return for touchdown against Colorado State this year is enough by itself to make him a finalist.
2009 Stats:
38 receptions for 467 yards (12.3 avg) and 2 touchdowns;
34 punt returns for 487 yards (14.3 avg) and 2 touchdowns;
17 kickoff returns for 457 yards (26.9 avg);
50 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns

Highlight:


JACQUIZZ RODGERS (Soph. RB, Oregon State)

You should probably get used to seeing Rodgers' name on the list of Finalists for the Sayers Award. Only a sophomore, Rodgers is already putting together quite a string of impressive plays and drawing comparisons to the one and only Barry Sanders.
2009 Stats:
255 carries for 1,377 yards (5.4 avg) and 20 touchdowns;
74 receptions for 509 yards (6.9 avg) and 1 touchdown;
1 passing touchdown

Highlights:


C.J. SPILLER (Sr. RB, Clemson)

I'm not the biggest Spiller fan in the world, but there is no way you can ignore his sheer athleticism. He practically defines what this award is about. When Spiller gets his hands on the ball in the open field, there isn't a defender alive (other than maybe Fred Smoot) who thinks he has a good chance at taking him down.
2009 Stats:
201 carries for 1,145 yards (5.7 avg) and 11 touchdowns;
21 kickoff returns for 708 yards (33.7 avg) and 4 touchdowns;
33 receptions for 445 yards (13.5 avg) and 4 touchdowns;
8 punt returns for 210 yards (26.3 avg) and 1 touchdown;
1 passing touchdown

Highlight:

JP25 Update

In a week that featured virtually no upsets (other than in ACC country), there is little reason to shake up my top 25. Alabama took care of business against pesky Mississippi State while Texas and Florida proved they are both deserving title game contestants should Texas Tech or the Crimson Tide falter.

USC finally showed a little heart in the second half against Stanford. After sleepwalking through the past three seasons, the Trojans finally looked like they actually cared about winning a game rather than padding their NFL resumes. I still don't think they are a top five team, but the fact that they are playing with a fire now makes them dangerous.

Speaking of the Pac-10, why haven't I ranked Oregon State until now? That's a pretty good team.

Is anybody going to step up and take control of the ACC? The frontrunners in that conference are dropping like flies, only to re-emerge two or three weeks later. Is North Carolina the top dog? Is it Maryland? Miami? Boston College, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Virginia Tech and even Virginia and Wake Forest all still have a chance to win the conference. And we're getting toward the end of November now!

How weird is it that one of the three teams completely out of the running in the ACC race is Clemson? In the preseason it looked like Clemson was head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. I guess that's why they play the games. That's also probably part of the reason Tommy Bowden isn't patrolling the sideline any more.

Top 25 (last week, record)
1. Texas Tech (1, 10-0)
2. Alabama (2, 11-0)
3. Texas (3, 10-1)
4. Florida (4, 9-1)
5. Oklahoma (5, 9-1)
6. USC (7, 9-1)
7. Penn State (6, 10-1)
8. Georgia (8, 9-2)
9. Ohio State (9, 9-2)
10. Utah (10, 11-0)
11. Oklahoma State (11, 9-2)
12. Boise State (12, 10-0)
13. Missouri (14, 9-2)
14. Oregon State (NR, 7-3)
15. Michigan State (18, 9-2)
16. TCU (17, 9-2)
17. Pittsburgh (22, 7-2)
18. Maryland (NR, 7-3)
19. North Carolina (15, 7-3)
20. Miami (NR, 7-3)
21. LSU (13, 7-3)
22. Georgia Tech (19, 7-3)
23. Boston College (23, 7-3)
24. Oregon (24, 8-3)
25. Cincinnati (25, 8-2)

Dropped Out: California (16), Florida State (20), Virginia Tech (21)

Just Missed the Cut: Ball State (10-0), Virginia Tech (6-4), BYU (10-1), California (6-4), Nebraska (7-4), Florida State (7-3), West Virginia (6-3), Northwestern (8-3), Iowa (7-4)

WEEK ELEVEN - Bonus Picks

Kansas @ Nebraska
(Saturday, 1:30 pm, FSN PPV)
Quarterback Joe Ganz is mistake-prone. He tends to make bad throws when he is pressured. Kansas is a solid fundamental football team that makes opponents pay for their mistakes. That doesn’t bode well for Nebraska. Neither does the fact that the Jayhawks potent passing attack (312.8 yards per game) matches up favorably with the Huskers porous secondary. Despite the home crowd, Nebraska will fall to 5-5 with a loss here to Kansas.
J.Pike’s Pick: Kansas 34, Nebraska 27

Clemson @ Florida State
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC/ESPN)
I guess this game can no longer be considered “The Bowden Bowl”. But that doesn’t change the fact that Clemson owns a three game winning streak in the series. Interim coach Dabo Swinney seems to have the Tigers playing with a little more emotion lately, and that’s all they’ll need to beat Florida State. Clemson has more talent on defense than the Seminoles, and they’ll turn those guys loose on freshman quarterback Christian Ponder early and often.
J.Pike’s Pick: Clemson 26, Florida State 16

Stanford @ Oregon
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, FSN)
Stanford will prep for their big upset win over USC next week the only way they know how – by losing big to Oregon. Last year Jim Harbaugh’s troops lost to Arizona State 41-3 a week before pulling off the shocker in Southern California, so why should this year be any different? Oregon’s potent ground game (270.7 yards per game) shouldn’t have any problems steamrolling the Stanford defense, which will put the Cardinal exactly where they want to be going into the USC game.
J.Pike’s Pick: Oregon 37, Stanford 20

Notre Dame @ Boston College
(Saturday, 7 pm, ESPN)
Notre Dame stumbled in quadruple overtime against Pitt last week, but that doesn’t change the fact that their passing game is starting to come together. Wide receivers Golden Tate and Michael Floyd are starting to run down quarterback Jimmy Clausen’s deep passes and turn them into touchdowns. Considering none of the three were on campus prior to last season, the Golden Domers appear to have a bright future on offense. Boston College is a solid team with a solid defense led by linebacker Mike Herzlich. Herzlich makes plays all over the field and will single-handedly wipe out Notre Dame’s running game. But the Eagles don’t have enough players in the secondary to slow down that aerial assault.
J.Pike’s Pick: Notre Dame 31, Boston College 25

News & Notes

*More breaking news: Clemson fires Tommy Bowden!

It appears those with their fingers on the triggers are getting more and more impatient. Coaching moves that used to be made at the end of the season are now being made in the middle of it. Last week it was Tommy Tuberville cutting offensive coordinator Tony Franklin loose due to the sputtering offense. This week it's Clemson firing head coach Tommy Bowden after a 3-3 start crushed expectations of an ACC title and perhaps even more than that. Bowden will be replaced by interim head coach Dabo Swinney.

Auburn was rewarded with a loss to floundering Arkansas, so you can bet Georgia Tech is licking their chops to play a reeling Clemson team without a head coach.

*In other Clemson related news, redshirt freshman quarterback was named the starter ahead of Cullen Harper for this week's matchup against the Ramblin' Wreck. With the coaching change this decision might no longer be final, but it looks like the freshman Korn will get his first start against probably the best defense in the ACC.

*If there's a season ending injury to a lineman, you know Georgia is involved. The Bulldogs injury plagued season continues with the news that offensive tackle Vince Vance will be out for the season due to reconstructive knee surgery. No word yet on the Valiants.

Vance was already the school's second starting left tackle this season. Trinton Sturdivant, a rising star in the SEC, tore up his knee just prior to the season and is out for the year as well. Considering all the injuries and the blowout loss to Alabama, what was supposed to be a national title season for Georgia is turning into a nightmare. As long as the defense keeps playing at a high level though, the Dawgs should remain around the top 10.

*Potentially the worst news of the week is that Brandon Tate, North Carolina's athletic wide receiver/punt returner extraordinaire, tore up his knee against Notre Dame and will be out for the season. Tate was a major Sproles/Sauerbrun Award candidate, and a dark horse for the Bo Jackson Trophy, but his career as a Tar Heel is now over.

WEEK SEVEN - Thursday Night Game

Clemson at Wake Forest
(Thursday, 6:30 pm, ESPN)
Clemson is struggling this year, but how is that any different from any other year? Besides, Wake is coming a off a loss to Navy a couple weeks ago, so they aren’t exactly ACC frontrunners right now either. Wake’s offense has struggled against Clemson in recent years, averaging only 13.5 points per game in losses the past two seasons, and there is a noticeable dropoff in speed this year. That doesn’t bode well for the Demon Deacons scoring many points. As for the Clemson offense, it’s got the players, but for some reason (the O-Line?) it can’t put points on the board. I’ll give James Davis and C.J. Spiller a slight edge over the solid Wake defense, so Clemson will pick up the win in a low scoring, defensive battle.
J.Pike’s Pick: Clemson 21, Wake Forest 16

WEEK FIVE - Preview

UPSET WATCH

Maryland @ #16 Clemson
Why it could happen: Clemson isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. For all their talent, they haven’t managed to put together a complete game yet this year. Maryland on the other hand seems to be hitting their stride since Chris Turner took over at quarterback.
Why it won’t happen: Clemson’s defense won’t allow Turner to make the same plays he made against Cal. James Davis and the running game put up 249 rushing yards against the Terps last year, and I expect them to approach that again this weekend. But it won’t be easy.
J.Pike’s Pick: Clemson 26, Maryland 18

Marshall @ West Virginia
Why it could happen: Marshall was up on West Virginia at halftime in last season’s matchup, and Mark Snyder finally has the Herd back on the winning track in 2008.
Why it won’t happen: West Virginia has struggled to find an identity early on, but they at least got back to the running game last week against Colorado. Pat White and Noel Devine have too much speed for the Marshall defense and they’ll find their way to the end zone more times than the Herd offense will.
J.Pike’s Pick: West Virginia 32, Marshall 27

UPSET WARNING

Northwestern @ Iowa
Why it will happen: Northwestern is better than anybody is giving them credit for so far. They play solid defense and have two playmakers on offense (QB C.J. Bacher & RB Tyrell Sutton) that Iowa can’t match. Northwestern can flat out manufacture more points than Iowa. Bacher will have a big day.
J.Pike’s Pick: Northwestern 27, Iowa 17

Colorado vs Florida State
(@ Jacksonville, FL)
Why it will happen: Florida State is one of the worst offensive teams in the nation right now. The play they have gotten from their quarterbacks the past 7+ years has been atrocious, and it has led to the deterioration of the offense to the point it’s at now. The Noles still like to talk trash and attempt to intimidate their opponents before the game (see photo evidence from last week's loss to Wake Forest), but that doesn’t work as well when you’re a .500 team. In fact it just makes you look like a bunch of morons. Colorado running back Rod Stewart will send Florida State away on a Downtown Train with a 2-2 record.
J.Pike’s Pick: Colorado 21, Florida State 13

Northwestern (+8) over Iowa
There’s no way Iowa is 8 points better than Northwestern because I think Northwestern is better than Iowa straight up.

Ole Miss (+23) over Florida
Florida isn’t clicking offensively yet this year and Urban Meyer is too busy complaining about the new clock rules to fix it. Last year it was his running backs’ fault the Gators couldn’t run the ball. You might want to take a look in the mirror sometime, Urb? Houston Nutt will have Ole Miss ready to play and they’ll make it a game into the fourth quarter.

Cincinnati (-10) over Akron
Now that Tony Pike has proven himself at quarterback, I expect Cincinnati to continue putting up 40 point games against inferior opponents such as Akron. Cincy wins big as Pike continues his late bid for the Heisman Trophy.

Rice (-18½) over North Texas High
Rice quarterback Chase Clement is actually pretty good. Facing one of the best high school teams in the state of Texas might be imposing for Hurst L.D. Bell, but Clement will have no problems. Rice will roll to a four touchdown win. At least North Texas High can get back to concentrating on winning their district and making State after this beat down.

Other games I like, but don’t feel good enough about to give them “Lock” status:
Duke (-7) over Virginia
Arkansas (+27½) over Texas
Colorado (+6) over Florida State
Purdue (+2½) over Notre Dame
Marshall (+15½) over West Virginia
Navy (+16) over Wake Forest
Oregon (-19½) over Washington State

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

#12 BYU is Idle

Tennessee at #13 Auburn
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, CBS)
The Auburn defense is one of the best in the nation. They’ll have no problem shutting down the woeful Tennessee offense by pressuring quarterback Jonathan Crompton into turnovers. Auburn’s offense is by no means a juggernaut either, but they’ll be good enough in this matchup.
J.Pike’s Pick: Auburn 23, Tennessee 10

#14 South Florida at N.C. State
(Saturday, 6:30 pm, ESPN U)
A week after their upset of #18 East Carolina, N.C. State faces yet another top 20 team in Raleigh. Unfortunately for the Wolfpack they will be without the services of their best offensive and defensive players this time around. Quarterback Russell Wilson, who had a breakout game against the Pirates, and linebacker Nate Irving will both be held out of the game due to injuries suffered a week ago. Harrison Beck, who will start in Wilson’s place at quarterback, is in for a long night. I expect USF DE George Selvie to harass him into a ton of mistakes and turnovers.
J.Pike’s Pick: South Florida 27, N.C. State 10

#15 Texas Tech is Idle

Maryland at #16 Clemson
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN360.com)
This is a good test for both teams. Is Clemson as good as the preseason hype surrounding them or are they the chumps that barely showed up against Alabama? Is Maryland really as good as they looked against Cal or was that an aberration? Look for this game to be a slugfest decided by mistakes.
J.Pike’s Pick: Clemson 26, Maryland 18

Weber State at #17 Utah
(Saturday, 7 pm)
This matchup has an interesting subtext: Weber State head coach Ron McBride coached the Utes for 12 seasons, compiling an 88-63 record prior to the arrival of Urban Meyer. McBride brings a fairly explosive offense averaging 38.8 points per game in his return to Salt Lake. But Brian Johnson and the current Ute squad are far too much for the Wildcats. Utah must work on committing fewer penalties if they want to compete with BYU in the Mountain West.
J.Pike’s Pick: Utah 43, Weber State 24

#18 Kansas is Idle

Navy at #20 Wake Forest
(Saturday, 2:45 pm, ESPN U)
Wake Forest has quietly compiled a 3-0 record while playing very solid football so far this season. Their defense nearly pitched a shutout against overmatched Florida State last week (never thought I’d say that). The Demon Deacons need to be careful not to overlook Navy though. Navy is coming off a mild upset over Rutgers last week and they finally have quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada Nahasapeemapetilon back in the fold after he missed the first three games due to injury.
J.Pike’s Pick: Wake Forest 23, Navy 15

#21 Vanderbilt is Idle

Virginia Tech at #22 Nebraska
(Saturday, 7 pm, ABC)
Breakdown can be found here: [LINK]
J.Pike’s Pick: Nebraska 32, Virginia Tech 24

North Carolina at #23 Miami
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN 2)
This is a game that is only going to get more important over the next few years. Both programs appear to be on the rise and both are playing a number of talented freshmen and sophomores. Don’t be surprised if this is a top 10 matchup in two years. I’ll give Miami the nod this year thanks in large part to their talented freshmen, QB Robert Marve and LB Sean Spence. Also, North Carolina quarterback T.J. Yates will miss the game due to an ankle fracture.
J.Pike’s Pick: Miami 24, North Carolina 14

Houston at #25 East Carolina
(Saturday, 2:30 pm, CBS College Sports)
East Carolina finally lost a game last week, but I still thought they played well. Quarterback Patrick Pinkney continues to impress, and East Carolina still plays as physical as any non-BCS conference team. Houston got beat pretty bad by Colorado State a week ago, so expect ECU to roll here.
J.Pike’s Pick: East Carolina 30, Houston 17

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

#12 Alabama at Arkansas

(Saturday, 11:30 am, ESPN360.com)
Arkansas has needed big fourth quarter comebacks to beat Western Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe. Alabama on the other hand already has a dominating performance over preseason #6 Clemson on their resume. This one will be closer than you expect, but if John Parker Wilson plays well the outcome will never be in doubt.
J.Pike’s Pick: Alabama 24, Arkansas 14

#13 South Florida at Florida International
(Saturday, 4 pm, ESPN U)
FIU gives up 41 points per game and has scored only 10 points all year. USF averages 41 points scored per game and averages 2.5 times as many offensive yards per game as FIU. You get the idea – this one won’t be close.
J.Pike’s Pick: South Florida 48, Florida International 6

Boise State at #14 Oregon
(Saturday, 2:30 pm)
Two high powered offenses meet up in this matchup, but they will be facing two underrated defensive units. Oregon’s secondary is one of the best in the nation and Boise has only allowed 14 points so far this year. The difference is Oregon has cut their teeth against Washington and Purdue, while Boise has only faced Bowling Green and Idaho State.
J.Pike’s Pick: Oregon 27, Boise State 17

Massachusetts at #15 Texas Tech
(Saturday, 6 pm)
Is Texas Tech applying for 1-AA status? You’d think so by looking at their schedule.
J.Pike’s Pick: Texas Tech 51, UMass 17

South Carolina State at #16 Clemson
(Saturday, noon, ESPN360.com)
Ditto for Clemson. No wonder they played like crap against Alabama – they aren’t used to playing anybody decent this early in the season. And seriously, get that running game going.
J.Pike’s Pick: Clemson 44, S.C. State 10

#17 Utah at Air Force
(Friday, 3 pm, Versus)
These two Mountain West rivals have a history of great games. Over the last 20 years the margin of victory in this series has been 7 points or less 13 times! This season both teams enter the game with perfect 3-0 records, so you can expect more of the same. In the end Brian Johnson will make the difference. Air Force, which averages only 30 passing yards per game, will struggle to score when they need to late in the game against Utah’s stout defense.
J.Pike’s Pick: Utah 23, Air Force 20

#18 East Carolina at N.C. State
(Saturday, 11 am, ESPN)
Believe me - N.C. State will be ready to play. This rivalry has grown especially intense ever since East Carolina fans stormed N.C. State’s field and tore down their goalposts after a win in 1987. Just two years ago N.C. State officials removed the goal posts with 14 seconds left in the game because they thought the rowdy ECU fans in attendance might do it again! On the field, East Carolina seems to be doing everything right so far this year in bursting out to a 3-0 start and beating preseason top 25 teams Virginia Tech and West Virginia. But there are chinks in the armor. Patrick Pinkney is a really good quarterback, but for some reason the offense struggles to score points at times. And the defense lost one of its best players, linebacker Quentin Cotton, to injury last week. I think quarterback Russell Wilson will pace a steady Wolfpack offense to the upset win at home.
J.Pike’s Pick: N.C. State 24, East Carolina 20

Sam Houston State at #19 Kansas
(Saturday, 6 pm, FCS-Central)
We have a Rhett Bomar sighting! The former Oklahoma ball hog has landed in Huntsville, TX, where he leads the Bearkats of Sam Houston State. He’s no match for Joe Mortensen and the Kansas defense though. Todd Reesing and a deep stable of receivers has been dicing up opposing defenses, so this shouldn’t be much of a contest.
J.Pike’s Pick: Kansas 45, Sam Houston State 13

Wyoming at #20 BYU
(Saturday, 2 pm, the mtn.)
Despite only scoring 40 points so far this season, Wyoming is 2-1. BYU on the other hand scored 42 points IN THE FIRST HALF against UCLA a week ago. BYU rolls over Dax Crum and the Cowboys for an easy win.
J.Pike’s Pick: BYU 31, Wyoming 13

#21 Illinois is Idle

#22 Nebraska is Idle

Baylor @ #25 Connecticut
(Friday, 7 pm, ESPN 2)
I’ll call this recommended viewing if you’re at home Friday night with nothing better to do. It probably won’t be a very close game, but there is one very good reason to check it out. His name is Robert Griffin. If you haven’t seen Baylor’s freshman quarterback play yet, do yourself a favor and tune in. He’s easily the best athlete Baylor has had in a decade, and he’ll make a couple highlight reel plays. This game will be all UConn though. Running back Donald Brown will probably eclipse the 200 yard mark for the third straight week and UConn will shut down everybody not named Griffin. But Baylor won’t be an easy win for much longer.
J.Pike’s Pick: Connecticut 34, Baylor 21

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 - Spotlight Game of the Week

#25 Alabama
vs
#6 Clemson
in Atlanta, GA
(Saturday, 7pm, ABC)

When Alabama has the ball
One of the most intriguing matchups in this game will be Alabama left tackle Andre Smith against Clemson’s rush ends Ricky Sapp and DaQuan Bowers. Sapp and the freshman Bowers will probably be one of the best pass rush duos in the nation this year, but Smith is an All American and more than capable of holding his own.

Defensive tackle Dorrell Scott will be the Clemson lineman making the most noise in this game. Bama center Antoine Caldwell is a good one, but with all the attention on the ends, Scott will spend some time in the backfield.

John Parker Wilson was wildly inconsistent in 2007. He showed flashes of being a very good quarterback though, so I expect the senior to play well in stretches, even against the solid Clemson secondary. There’s no doubt he’ll take advantage of freshman man-child Julio Jones early and often. Jones has great size and speed and will step right in for D.J. Hall in the offense and provide a dangerous deep threat for Wilson.

The mismatch here might be running back Terry Grant. Bama likes to use Grant a lot in the passing game, and Clemson is breaking in all new linebackers. There’s no shortage of athleticism, but don’t be surprised to see Wilson hit Grant for a big play on busted coverage underneath.

When Clemson has the ball
One thing you can count on is that James Davis and C.J. Spiller will get the ball. They’ll get it early and they’ll get it often. Alabama runs a 3-4 defense, but there might not be enough linebackers in uniform to actually execute it. Three projected starters are out: Prince Hall and Jimmy Johns are both suspended, but even worse, Ezekial Knight has a heart condition and may have to give up football altogether.

The linebacking corps will eventually shape up and become a strong point for Nick Saban, but James Davis should carve out 100 yards rushing in this game.

Whereas the Bama O-Line vs the Clemson D-Line was strength on strength, the Clemson O-Line vs the Bama D-Line will be weakness on weakness. The Clemson offensive line was pretty bad in 2007 so the Tide might be able to put some pressure on quarterback Cullen Harper. If Brandon Deaderick can live up to his potential and come through with a pass rush, Rashad Johnson and Kareem Jackson will be able to lock down in the secondary pretty well. Top receiver Aaron Kelly is back, but the Clemson passing attack isn’t as potent as they sometimes appear to be in the stat columns.

Final Verdict
In what should be a close, well played defensive battle, I like Clemson’s running game to grind out the clock and keep the chains moving against a thin Alabama front. I also think Clemson’s defense is too fast and too good to allow the Crimson Tide to score enough points to win.
J.Pike’s Pick: Clemson 23, Alabama 17

Thanks to the Helmet Project for the team helmet logos.

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

ACC Preview

Favorites

Coastal: Clemson
The Tigers return a loaded roster in a league that is not very good at the moment. With question marks all over the rest of the league, Tommy Bowden’s squad holds the keys to their own fate. It’s not out of the question for this team to run the table and crash the National Championship game.

Atlantic: Virginia Tech
This pick shows just how weak the rest of the ACC is. Virginia Tech lost virtually every significant playmaker from last year’s roster, and suffered further losses at running back and wide receiver in the off season due to injury and off-the-field issues. Yet the Hokies are still the favorite to take home the Atlantic division.

Sleepers
Coastal: Boston College
For some reason, everybody seems to be writing off Boston College this year. I’m sure that reason has to do with Matt Ryan, but again, I’m not sure Ryan was worth all the hype. The defense was pretty good though, and a significant portion of that unit returns. If there’s a team in this conference capable of knocking off Clemson, it’s BC.

Atlantic: Miami
Who knows what to expect from Miami in 2008? This is the kind of team that could go 4-8 and not really surprise anybody. They could also just as easily go 9-3 and win an Atlantic Division that is completely up for grabs due to the questions surrounding Virginia Tech. Randy Shannon looked downright overwhelmed in his first season as a head coach, but he learned a lot in some difficult losses. Expect him to take a step forward as a coach this year. Helping him out will be new defensive coordinator Bill Young, who coached Kansas’ surprisingly stout D last year.

On the Rise: North Carolina
Butch Davis quietly made progress at UNC last season. He brought in a solid recruiting class - many of which saw action right away - and gave the program the leadership and direction it had lacked. It's hard to believe there isn't more buzz in Chapel Hill right now because the Tar Heels could take a couple more sneaky steps in the right direction and find themselves as top dogs in the conference. In the current state of the ACC, that's not too far out of the question.

Declining: Wake Forest
Jim Grobe is a fantastic coach, there’s no doubt about that. He was also fortunate to have a strong core group of players the last few seasons. Wake Forest doesn’t get players like Kenneth Moore, Jon Abbate, Steve Justice, or speedsters like Willie Idlette and Kevin Marion very often, and I don’t see anybody on the roster capable of filling their shoes anymore. Now raised expectations and preseason top 25 recognition are a part of the program, but unfortunately I don’t think players like Riley Skinner are up to the task of maintaining the momentum.

PROJECTED STANDINGS & RECORDS

Coastal
1. Clemson	11-1 (7-1 conference)
2. Boston College	9-3 (5-3)
3. Florida State	7-5 (4-4)
4. Maryland	7-5 (4-4)
5. Wake Forest	6-6 (3-5)
6. N.C. State	5-7 (3-5)
Atlantic
1. Virginia Tech	8-4 (5-3)
2. Miami	7-5 (5-3)
3. North Carolina	7-5 (4-4)
4. Georgia Tech	6-6 (4-4)
5. Virginia	5-7 (3-5)
6. Duke	3-9 (1-7)

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Offense: James Davis (RB, Clemson)
Defense: Victor “Macho” Harris (DB, Virginia Tech)
Special Teams: C.J. Spiller (KR, Clemson)

NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES
James Davis (RB-Clem) – Bo Jackson, J.Pike’s Fave
Graham Gano (K/P-FSU) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Macho Harris (DB-VT) – Arrington, Deion
Josh Portis (QB-UMD) – Frazier
Alphonso Smith (CB-WF) - Deion
C.J. Spiller (RB-Clem) – Sayers, Sproles/Sauerbrun
Sam Swank (K/P-WF) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Tyrod Taylor (QB-VT) - Frazier
Gold Wrenches:
Clemson defensive line
Boston College defensive line
Georgia Tech defensive line
Virginia Tech offensive line
Florida State defensive line

JP25 - #6 CLEMSON

If you’re looking for a dark horse national title contender, look no further. With by far the most talented team in one of the weakest BCS leagues, there is no excuse for Tommy Bowden and the Tigers not to win the ACC and rack up double-digit victories in 2008. They should be favored in every game, so barring the usual let-down, Clemson might be able to sneak their way into the National Title game.

OFFENSE
It all starts in the backfield where the best running back duo in the nation resides. Over the last couple seasons James Davis and C.J. Spiller have proven there isn’t anything they can’t do. Spiller is the gamebreaker with excellent speed and hands, while Davis is the hard-nosed runner with great burst and surprising speed in the open field. Davis in particular has the chance to have a Rashard Mendenhall-type breakout season. I feel they are very similar backs, but Davis has a little bit better speed.

Quarterback Cullen Harper returns for his senior season as well. The veteran stepped into the starting lineup last year and upgraded the competency of the quarterback spot. He even made a handful of clutch throws last year they haven’t seen in a few years at Clemson. With another year of experience, Harper should only improve. He also benefits from the return of wide receiver Aaron Kelly. Kelly is a 6-foot-5 target who became Harper’s go-to receiver in ’07 (88 receptions for 1,081 yards, 11 tds) and is one of the best in the ACC.

With all that skill position talent, the pressure is on the offensive line to improve on last year’s dismal showing. Only one starter returns (center Thomas Austin), but that might not be a bad thing after giving up 35 sacks and only paving the way for 4.1 yards per carry in the running game. If the new group can show even slight improvement, this offense will get more production from its playmakers and solidify the Tigers’ rank as the best in the ACC.

DEFENSE
The Clemson defense never ceased to impress me over the course of the 2007 season. The defensive line was one of the most disruptive and athletic in the nation; the linebackers were fast and made plays all over the field; and the secondary had some big hitters that can intimidate by just walking on the field. With 7 returning starters and an influx of even more talent through a top recruiting class, there is no reason for this unit not to be one of the best in America.

Up front is where the action is. Phillip Merling took his services to the NFL, but there is no shortage of talent here. Dorrell Scott is one of the most underrated defensive tackles in the nation, and he teams with Rashaad Jackson and Jamie Cumbie to form a stout DT rotation. To replace Merling’s pass rushing abilities, Bowden went out and inked the top defensive end in high school, DaQuan Bowers. The true freshman enrolled early for spring practices and has already flashed the skills to be a top pass rush threat. Kevin Alexander is making it difficult for Bowers to break into the starting lineup though. On the other end, Ricky Sapp is a long and lean menace who will no longer be overshadowed by Merling. He’s only a junior, so he should be more consistent in ‘08.

Safety Michael Hamlin brings the lumber in the secondary. He displayed his nose for the football by finishing second on the team with 97 tackles and picking off 4 passes in ’07. The rest of the secondary that finished in the top 15 nationally in pass efficiency defense returns in tact, so there shouldn’t be any problem shutting down the generally weak ACC passing games.

If anything is going to hold this defense back it is going to be the instability at linebacker. Leading tackler Nick Watkins and Tramaine Billie exhausted their eligibility, and Cortney Vincent was kicked off the team over the summer. Additionally, the talented Antonio Clay is injured and might never see the football field again. Those four made up a fantastic group a year ago, so all three spots will need to be filled. Scotty Cooper started two games as a freshman a year ago and he has the best athleticism to pick up the slack.

KEEP AN EYE ON
The linebackers. Watkins, Billie, and Vincent made up a fine trio, and replacing them won’t be easy. How well the new crop plays will go a long way toward keeping the defense among the top 10-15 in the nation.

RISING STAR
Defensive end DaQuan Bowers. The blue chip true freshman was enrolled for spring practice, and already looks like he’ll secure a starting spot.

ACC - RB Rankings

1. James Davis, Clemson

Davis might be one of the most underrated running backs in the nation. Heck, he's often overshadowed on his own team by C.J. Spiller. But Davis is the complete package. He has excellent size and strength and surprising speed in the open field.

2. C.J. Spiller, Clemson
3. Josh Adams, Wake Forest
4. Graig Cooper, Miami
5. Andre Brown, N.C. State

OTHERS TO WATCH
Da'Rel Scott & Morgan Green, Maryland
Josh Haden, Boston College