CBS: Big games of the Year (Dodd)

[Cornhusker]

Just looking down the list makes you want to wake up tomorrow, to September.

N.D. at Pitt will be interesting. (Future NU opponent)

Florida should be damn glad they aren't going to Wyoming.

If UT beats Ohio St., I think they have a chance to clean up. OU will be hard pressed with a new Q.B. (that game will be as big as ever (duh), if Stoops pulls this year out, Mack will be a suicide victim.) and Young, while he isn't a great arm, is too athletic to not be a force against anyone.

SEC games, ALWAYS fun.

If Iowa wins at Ohio St. Tate will be the reason, and a the newest QB darling in the nation.

Notre Dame's schedule is brutal, Weis will have a tough go his first year. (who wouldn't with that schedule?) Won't that game @ Washington be intriguing?

USC gets mentioned 4 times,
@ Arizona St. (will know how good or bad they are after LSU)

@ Notre Dame, who will have a talent match up problem, but battle tested.

vs. Fresno St.

vs. UCLA, what's the point?

USC has the easiest road, and arguable the best talent in the nation. However some NFL defections and the coaching shake-ups will have some degree of effect. We'll see just how much Chow was an influence with that team.
Would like to see a tougher test for them mixed in somewhere.
You know, like Nebraska next year. :wink:

Warning, Texas Tech will beat a Big 12 South team, they will be underdog to.

I don't believe the Iowa St. hype.

Go Navy.


http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/8498417

[King Crimson]

Boise St. at UGA should be interesting. though, Dodd's description of them "taking on everyone" a la Bowden/FSU is probably more Fresno St.

also, as for his ISU/Bugeater matchup for the BigXII North, i'm gonna stick with Colorado who has won me the money 2 of the last 3 years.

[The Seer]

vs. UCLA, what's the point?

The point is that you are a nimrod.

[King Crimson]

Nebraska vs. Maine.

[Cornhusker]

vs. UCLA, what's the point?

The point is that you are a nimrod.

Truth is Dorrell looks to be making the Clan better. I was pulling for them to beat SC last year and I will this year too. (If you ain't on top, you want who is to lose.)
It just seems the Bruins don't play their best against SC. As if SC is in their heads since Carroll showed. However last years game was close.
Hey, beat'em.
Just sayin'

[Lizard King]

Boise St. at UGA should be interesting.

I already know I'm taking Boise State and the points on that one. The under might be worth a look as well.

[JayDuck]

Notre Dame's schedule is brutal, Weis will have a tough go his first year. (who wouldn't with that schedule?) Won't that game @ Washington be intriguing?

Washington 1-10, winless in the Pac-10. No QB. No talent. No heart.

Willingham - One of the most mediocre coaches to ever get any kind of publicity.

This game should be a 24+ point blowout for Notre Dame, if they are as good as a middle of the road WAC team.



[/quote]
USC gets mentioned 4 times,
@ Arizona St. (will know how good or bad they are after LSU)

@ Notre Dame, who will have a talent match up problem, but battle tested.

vs. Fresno St.

vs. UCLA, what's the point?
[/quote]


USC's winning streak is going to end on September 24th.

[Dinsdale]

USC's winning streak is going to end on September 24th.

Werd to your freaking mama. All hail the new era, when Jonathan Stewart isn't just a goofball on Comedy Central anymore. Getting recruits from Washington is always money.

[Jimmy Medalions]

Fresno State at USC: Pete Carroll really is fearless. There was absolutely no reason for him to take this game. USC will be coming off an emotional game at Cal. No telling what physical condition the Trojans will be in -- beat up, at least. The last team you'd want in the Coliseum at this point is Fresno State. All those California kids who weren't recruited by USC going to L.A. to prove themselves against the best team in the country. Danger, Will Robinson. Carroll threw Hill a bone after listening to the Fresno coach's anyone, anytime, anywhere mantra over the years. Watch out, Trojans.

I tend to agree. In closed-door gatherings without the media present, Carroll has openly stated that the team he is most concerned about on our schedule is Fresno State.

And the guy who put Fresno State on the schedule is Pete Carroll

I am surprised the Oregon game doesn't get mentioned, but Jay Duck you are high if you think you're beating us. :wink:

[Dinsdale]

Carroll has openly stated that the team he is most concerned about on our schedule is Fresno State.

Us too.

Sin,
Oregon

P.S.: :winky:

[JayDuck]

I am surprised the Oregon game doesn't get mentioned, but Jay Duck you are high if you think you're beating us. :wink:

Nope. Not smoking anything these days. USC is not beating us.

It couldn't be a worse situation for you guys to play us when and where you do.

For all I know we may go 1-10 this season, but the one win will be USC.

*We have a habit of playing up (and down) to the competetion. We have no trouble getting way up for the big games, in particular when they come to Autzen.

*'SC has struggled mightily early in the year, for each of the past 3 seasons. Particularly in conference openers.

'04 - Stanford, Cal
'03 - Cal
'02 - WSU

Does you no favors, opening the conference season, early at Oregon. In addition to the usual early season rust you guys always have, you'll be getting adjusted to the lack of Norm Chow. Despite being universally downplayed by Trojan fans, (much like the loss of Tedford was universally downplayed by Ducks) Norm was not a small part of your success and is not being replaced with as effective an O.C.

*Motivation - Its just not the same for you guys anymore. There was a time, not long ago, when we beat you 4 straight meetings. Now, with us missing each other 2 straight years, you don't even have any players that have lost to us on your team.

*Shock value - Say what you will, and ask Michigan, when Autzen is on it's game, it's as tough a place to play for the visitors as anywhere in the country. Along with keeping us from meeting the past two seasons, the schedule has made it so that 90% of your starters haven't even ever been to Autzen before.

Add to that, our sub-par record over the past few seasons and, regardless of the coach-speak that will be coming out of Carroll's mouth during game week, but your guys won't be worrying about us as much as they should.

With the amount of winning that 'SC has been doing, complacency is a simple fact of life. I don't care if Carroll is God's gift to college coaching or not, he isn't going to keep them all fighting as hard to stay at the top as they were to get to the top.

The rash of offseason problems, departures and injuries certainly didn't help anything either.

Streaks come to an end and 'SC's current streak of 22 is just about taxing the limits, just based on simple probability. You can't always keep winning, even if you are significantly better.

Let's say you are so much better talented, and coached, than your opposition that you would beat them 95 out of 100 times (95%).

(.95)*(.95)*(.95)*(.95)*(.95) = You are already down to only a 77% chance of winning 5 games in a row. 'SC is going to be pushing 13% by the time they get to Autzen. And that's if you think you would beat us 95 out of 100 tries.

The #1 team in the nation hasn't been at Autzen for quite a long time. The game has been getting fan hype since before last season, more so than we saw gearing up for Michigan and the atmosphere is going to be out of control.

I'll be in Vegas, for my bachelor party, the weekend of Septmeber 17th. And I'll be talkin' smack all the way to the bank after the festivities end at Autzen on the 24th.

[Cross Traffic]

Everyone around here is looking forward to the BSU@UGA game as well. Should be a hell of a shootout.

[Cicero]

FSU-Miami Sept 5th


Make or break the season in Week 1.

[Danimal]

Boise's noncon sched sucks major ass, especially for a WAC team. Travelling to Georgia and Oregon State and then hosting a dangerous Bowling Green team? I hope Hawkins has his guys ready.

Solich is pretty-much screwed in getting a winning season in his first year at Ohio. Northwestern, Pitt, and Va Tech spell a likely 0-3 for the Bobcats.

I haven't heard that much hype for Iowa St but do expect them to be pretty good, they have a solid shot at taking the north(of course that isn't saying a lot). But with a ton of starters back I'd have to lean towards CU repeating as north champs.

IMO Miami will punk FSU yet again to start the season, It's at FSU and both offenses will suck but Miami's D and FSU's inability to make a winning field-goal in this series will carry the day for the canes.

Considering the game is at the horseshoe, the huge number of returning starters, and Tressel's ability to scabdick big games I gotta lean towards OSU beating Texas.

Without a single top-10 team on their sched USC is in great shape to three-pete. The only things holding them back are considerable losses on their staff and a possible loss-of-motivation after so much success.

[King Crimson]

I agree with Danimal about CU as the winner of the North--but it's more a pick and not a prediction.

One thing is for certain about a Gary Barnett team: you never know what the hell they'll do, and the guy has a very strange relationship with fate. when they are supposed to be good they disappoint, and then he'll pull one out of the hat like winning the 2001 B12--which has more to do with a semi-fluke game that got out of hand against NU in Boulder and Chris Simms giving CU 21 points in the first half of the conference title tilt (which Barney still nearly blew with the worst fake punt call/execution i think i've ever seen).

for a career .500 coach he's had a lot of highs and lows, that guy.

[Danimal]

Barnett definitely has been a model of inconsistency but with the most returning starters back CU has no excuse for not repeating at this point. Though maybe you have a point and I should bet against Barnett just because he is supposed to do well this year.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

Barnett definitely has been a model of inconsistency but with the most returning starters back CU has no excuse for not repeating at this point. Though maybe you have a point and I should bet against Barnett just because he is supposed to do well this year.

Do well in the North or do well in general? I haven't seen CU in the top 20 of any preseason polls. Winning the North is like winning gold at the Special Olympics. I predict an 8-4 or maybe, just maybe, a 9-3 finish. Miami & Texas are the only 90% certain losses. Mew Mexico St. & Kansas are the only 90% sure wins. I have a feeling that if they struggle early, you could see Bernard Jackson at QB by midseason.

[Cornhusker]

Winning the North is like winning gold at the Special Olympics.

Made me laugh

[RadioFan]

Week 3 looks decent, at least on paper.

Miami (Fla.) @ Clemson
Michigan State @ Notre Dame
Pittsburgh @ Nebraska
Fresno State @ Oregon
Florida State @ Boston College
Tennessee @ Florida

Now, only 8 more weeks ...