From each magazine, I will touch on the things I like about them, things I don't like, and then the things that come from the "What are they smoking?!?" category.
T0 start off the week, I will start with the magazine I picked up this morning: Yahoo and Rivals.
What's to like
- Rivals listed Mark Ingram as one of their five breakout players for the 2009 season. "Ingram won't need gaping holes; he can create some one his own. He'll get more chances with the football and his numbers will likely soar."
- Auburn in the PapaJohns.com Bowl. Nothing will improve the quality of the game like the addition of the SEC, plus a more prime spot after New Year's Day, but if the Tigers make it to Birmingham, Legion Field might be able to pay for a face lift of that game's ticket sales alone.
- BCS predictions. USC vs. Ohio State, part deux, Alabama vs. Penn St, the prelude, Oklahoma vs. Boise St., the rematch, and Florida vs. Texas for all the marbles.
- Big East team to surprise: UConn. The Huskies have played some tough games over the past year or two, and they should be in good shape to emerge with Louisville down and USF predicted by Rivals to be a team to disappoint.
- Vandy will beat a ranked team. What's not to like about that prediction? Everyone loves to cheer for the 'Dores when they aren't playing their team.
- Team to surprise in SEC: Alabama. Rivals picks the Crimson Tide to win the West, but apparently they view that as a surprise.
- Troy at #65. The Trojans have long been a hard out, and should have put away LSU in Baton Rouge last year. Every other year, Troy is due for an upset of a major team. Florida and Arkansas, you have been warned. Not to mention the battle of the mid-majors in Alabama will be a blood bath for the Blazers.
- Western Kentucky is #118. The team which has spent the past two seasons moving up to the Bowl Subdivision is not considered the worst in the country. Glad to know the Hilltoppers are moving up in the world.
What's not to like
- Prediction that no Big Ten QB will throw for 3,000 yards. Juice Williams was the only one in the league to do so last season. Pryor is in year two at OSU and Daryll Clark should be good to lead Penn St. They may be right, but I would like to think one of those two will reach the 3,000 yard plateau.
- Jeff Tedford on the hot seat. Rivals goes on to point out the Bears have not had a losing season during his tenure after having five straight before his arrival in 2002. Not to mention Cal is predicted to finish second on conference behind USC. What merits the hot seat out of that? If he is truly on the hot seat, he may finally bolt to another job.
- Brandon James as best PR in SEC. This will not be the last time you hear me gripe about people putting Brandon James ahead of Javier Arenas. There will be an entire blog on this topic in the future.
- Florida's WR options when talking repeat. Rivals lists TE Aaron Hernandez as the potential leader for receptions, and that is not great to hear for a national title contender. It is even worse when considering Tebow's pro prospectus, because if he doesn't have the outside options, Florida will become more predictable (if that is even possible).
- Oregon State outside the Top 25. Sure, they are at 26, but the Beavers were one game away from winning the Pac-10 last season. The non-conference schedule is much softer with no Penn St. or Utah, but conference rotation has Beavers on the road for five this season, including USC, Cal, Arizona St, and, most importantly, Oregon.
- Auburn at #52. I agree that the Tigers will probably have a tough go this year, but behind Kentucky, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin nationally? Not that bad.
- Alabama's OOC opponent's rankings. Tulane is at 116. North Texas is at 120. Let's not forget that Alabama plays these two back-to-back weeks after starting with #6 VT.
- Jimmy Clausen listed as a Heisman candidate, and not in the dark horse section.
- Notre Dame undefeated heading into game vs. USC. Sure, their schedule is quite easy, but this is still not a great team by no stretch of the imagination.
- Penn State outside of the Top Ten? Nittany Lions went 11-1 last year in regular season, and they host Ohio State this year. Schedule sets up much friendlier with that single change and no real depth in the Big Ten.
- Nebraska in front of North Carolina?! UNC is on the verge of surprising the ACC, and Nebraska have not earned back their black shirts. Nebraska's sked is favorable with no Texas or Oklahoma State and hosting Oklahoma, but the Heels under Butch Davis must avoid the late season meltdown.
Top Ten
- Florida
- Texas
- USC
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Virginia Tech
- Ohio State
- LSU
- Boise State
- Oklahoma State
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