College Football Haven Top 25, Week 4, 2010

I shook up the rankings some this week adding five teams that are still unbeaten, but were previously unranked. Texas, South Carolina, Oregon State, and West Virginia were dropped from the rankings after losses. Penn State fell out after an ugly win. The top 10 had some movement, but nothing extreme, with the exception of previously unranked Auburn coming in at 10. Some wild variations are seen from 11-20. That is due mostly to the season still being just four weeks old and we are still figuring out how good teams really are.

1. Boise State (3-0)
LAST: Beat Oregon State 37-24.

2. Ohio State (4-0)
LAST: Beat Eastern Michigan 73-20.
Terrell Pryor took advantage of this one to pad his stats.

3. Alabama (4-0)
LAST: Beat Arkansas 24-20.
Arkansas lost that game more than Alabama won it.

4. TCU (4-0)
LAST: Beat SMU 41-24.
TCU looked beatable Friday night.

5. Oregon (4-0)
LAST: Beat Arizona State 42-31.
Arizona State might not win the Pac-10, but they could upset some teams looking for that title.

6. Wisconsin (4-0)
LAST: Beat Austin Peay 70-3.
Style points moves Wisconsin ahead of Arizona and Nebraska.

7. Nebraska (4-0)
LAST: Beat South Dakota State 17-3.
I was expecting a let down, but not this much of one.

8. Arizona (4-0)
LAST: Beat Cal 10-9.
A defensive slug fest in the Pac-10?

9. Oklahoma (4-0)
LAST: Beat Cincinnati 31-29.

10. Auburn (4-0)
LAST: Beat South Carolina 35-27.
Cam Newton has Auburn on the verge of a special season.

11. Stanford (4-0)
LAST: Beat Notre Dame 37-14.
Jim Harbaugh has transformed Stanford.

12. Florida (4-0)
LAST: Beat Kentucky 48-14.

13. USC (4-0)
LAST: Beat Washington State 50-16.

14. North Carolina State (4-0)
LAST: Beat Georgia Tech 45-28.
The Wolfpack is my new favorite in the ACC.

15. LSU (4-0)
LAST: Beat West Virginia 20-14.

16. Utah (4-0)
LAST: Beat San Jose State 56-3.
That's better than Alabama did against the Spartans.

17. Michigan (4-0)
LAST: Beat Bowling Green 65-21.
I still have reservations about Michigan. I want to see them win some Big Ten games before jumping on the bandwagon.

18. Iowa (3-1)
LAST: Beat Ball State 45-0.

19. Miami (2-1)
LAST: Beat Pitt 31-3.

20. Arkansas (3-1)
LAST: Lost to Alabama 24-20.
That was a heart breaker.

21. Kansas State (4-0)
LAST: Beat UCF 17-13.

22. Michigan State (4-0)
LAST: Beat Northern Colorado 45-7.

23. Nevada (4-0)
LAST: Beat BYU 27-13.
The Wolf Pack is 4-0 for the first time since 1991.

24. Oklahoma State (3-0)
LAST: Bye.

25. Texas A & M (3-0)
LAST: Bye.

OTHERS TO WATCH: Penn State, Texas, South Carolina, Oregon State, West Virginia, Air Force, Temple, and Northwestern.

Previous Top 25:
Preseason
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3

Game Day Talk, Week 4, 2010

It's game time! It is another big week in college football. Alabama and Arkansas are squaring off, Oregon faces its first real test (maybe) with conference foe Arizona State, and Boise State will play Oregon State, just to name a few. It promises to be a great day. Leave your thoughts on the action as it happens.

Game of the Week: Alabama Crimson Tide at Arkansas Razorbacks

The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Arkansas Razorbacks have done their part so far to make this game what we all wanted it to be. These two undefeated SEC West teams square off in a game that could decide who plays in Atlanta for the SEC championship, and possibly a shot at the BCS national championship game.

Ryan Mallet has met the high expectations that everyone had for him this year. He is the first quarterback to throw for 1,000 yards, and his 40-yard touchdown pass against Georgia with 15 seconds left won the game last week. Defense was a weakness for the Razorbacks a year ago. The 2010 edition appears to be better, but has it improved enough?

Alabama has improved on offense. Greg McElroy has a pass efficiency rating of 200. The Crimson Tide have three running backs with over 150 yards rushing. The new defense has looked very strong, however, it hasn’t really been tested.

Last year, Alabama overwhelmed Arkansas 35-7. Neither Mark Ingram nor Trent Richardson had a big game running the ball. It was McElroy having the best game of his short career throwing for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Crimson Tide shutdown the Arkansas offense that had averaged over 500 yards per game in the first two games of 2009.

Alabama has won its last 18 conference opening games. This is Arkansas’ best opportunity to get a win against Alabama. Ryan Mallet may be gone next year, the game is in Fayetteville this year, and Alabama has an untested defense. I expect this game to go down to the wire.

If you missed College Football Haven's Top 25 this week, click here.
If you missed Monday Musings this week, click here.
If you missed College Football Haven's Heisman Hopefuls this week, click here.
If you missed this week's trivia question, click here.
If you missed this week's game predictions, click here.

Game Predictions, Week 4, 2010

It’s a good thing I didn’t get full of myself for my 36-10 record on the year and go bet the house in Vegas. Last week humbled me, as I was only 14-9. That makes the record on the year 50-19. Lots of good games this week. As always, you are free to chime in with your picks, or at least where you agree or disagree. If I leave out a game that really interests you, throw out your prediction for that.

Friday, September 24
TCU at SMU, 42-27 TCU

Saturday, September 25
Buffalo at Connecticut, 31-13 Connecticut
North Carolina State at Georgia Tech, 24-23 North Carolina State
Virginia Tech at Boston College, 28-14 Virginia Tech
UAB at Tennessee, 27-7 Tennessee
Alabama at Arkansas, 35-31 Arkansas
UCLA at Texas, 24-14 Texas
Stanford at Notre Dame, 42-14 Stanford
Idaho at Colorado State, 21-17 Idaho
Fresno State at Mississippi, 34-24 Fresno State
Oregon at Arizona State, 35-17 Oregon
Toledo at Purdue, 31-10 Purdue
Central Michigan at Northwestern, 38-14 Northwestern
Akron at Indiana, 35-17 Indiana
North Texas at Florida Atlantic, 31-6 Florida Atlantic
Western Kentucky at South Florida, 42-7 South Florida
UCF at Kansas State, 28-10 Kansas State
Oklahoma at Cincinnati, 55-7 Oklahoma
New Mexico State at Kansas, 40-10 Kansas
New Mexico at UNLV, 13-7 UNLV
Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech, 34-10 Southern Miss
West Virginia at LSU, 28-24 LSU
FIU at Maryland, 24-10 Maryland

If you missed College Football Haven's Top 25 this week, click here.
If you missed Monday Musings this week, click here.
If you missed College Football Haven's Heisman Hopefuls this week, click here.
If you missed this week's trivia question, click here.

Heisman Trophy Hopefuls, Week 3, 2010

This week is the first week that I will make changes to the list. With three weeks in the books, the grace period is over for players on the list who have not been Heisman worthy this year. Those who were not on the initial list, but have shown that they are Heisman material will be rewarded and be fully featured on the list of hopefuls.

First off the list is Jake Locker. The only time this year he has resembled a Heisman Trophy candidate was against Syracuse, and that performance against Nebraska was unforgivable. Case Keenum is off the list as well, per his season ending injury. Ryan Williams is out as well. Three yards and a cloud of dust isn't considered outstanding anymore, and no running back gets the Heisman when his quarterback is out rushing him. Dion Lewis needs to earn his way back on to the list. Those 27 yards against New Hampshire should have come on two carries, not 10. Christian Ponder didn't bounce back from his horrid game at Oklahoma with a statement game against BYU, so Ponder is off the list as well. Maybe next year for Landry Jones. Playing to the level of your opponent is not what the Heisman rewards. Jerrod Johnson is off the list as well. Anyone who makes FIU look like FSU is not ready for a trip to New York.

New to the list this week are two running backs and four quarterbacks: Daniel Thomas, Kansas State, and Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State; Denard Robinson, Michigan, Taylor Martinez, Nebraska, Greg McElroy, Alabama, and Andrew Luck, Stanford. Martinez is the only one who was not on the radar prior to last week. His huge game against Washington got him the attention he deserved for his excellent play all season.

I decided to leave Mark Ingram on the list to recognize his great play in his first game back. I don't think he has much of a chance at the Heisman since he missed the first two games, but when you break your first carry of the year for 48 yards and have over 100 yards rushing in the first quarter, you deserve some recognition. As far as a leader goes, I think it is still Denard Robinson, but Ryan Mallett improved his position with a last minute TD pass to beat Georgia. Daniel Thomas, Taylor Martinez, and Andrew Luck, with his 10:0 TD to interception ratio, round out my top five at this point.

Mark Ingram, Alabama
2009: 271 rushes, 1,658 yards, 17 TD
2010: 9 rushes, 151 yards, 2 TD
Last: 9 rushes, 151 yards, 2 TD

John Clay, Wisconsin
2009: 287 rushes, 1,517 yards, 18 TD
2010: 82 rushes, 383 yards, 5 TD
Last: 22 rushes, 123 yards, 1 TD

Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
2009: 249 rushes, 1,265 yards, 11 TD
2010: 83 rushes, 552 yards, 6 TD
Last: 34 rushes, 181 yards, 2 TD

Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
2009: 273 rushes, 1,440 yards, 21 TD
2010: 42 rushes, 207 yards, 3 TD
Last: 24 rushes, 132 yards, 2 TD

Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
2009: 89 rushes, 382 yards, 1 TD
2010: 60 rushes, 473 yards, 6 TD
Last: 11 rushes, 59 yards

Terrell Pryor, Ohio State
2009: 167-295 (56.6%), 2094 yards, 18 TD, 11 Int / 162 rushes, 779 yards, 7 TD
2010: 51-81 (63.0%), 715 yards, 6 TD, 2 INT / 36 rushes, 165 yards, 2 TD
Last: 22-29 (75.9%), 235 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT / 8 rushes, 35 yards, 1 TD

Denard Robinson, Michigan
2009: 14-31 (45.4%), 188 yards, 2 TD, 4 Int
2010: 53-76 (69.7%), 671 yards, 4 TD, 1 Int / 74 rushes, 559 yards, 4 TD
Last: 10-14 (71.4%), 241 yards, 2 TD, 1 Int / 17 rushes, 104 yards, 1 TD

Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
2009: 225-403 (55.8%), 3,627 yards, 30 TD, 7 Int
2010: 70-100 (70.0%), 1081 yards, 9 TD, 2 Int
Last: 21-33 (63.6%), 380 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int

Taylor Martinez, Nebraska
2009: N/A
2010: 28-43 (65.1%), 392 yards, 1 TD, 1 Int / 40 rushes, 421 yards, 8 TD
Last: 7-11 (63.6%), 150 yards, 1 TD / 19 rushes, 137 yards, 3 TD

Jacory Harris, Miami
2009: 242-406 (59.6%), 3,352 yards, 24 TD, 17 INT
2010: 34-54 (63%), 442 yards, 4 TD, 4 Int
Last: Bye

Greg McElroy, Alabama
2009: 198-325 (60.9%), 2508 yards, 17 TD, 4 Int
2010: 43-60 (71.7%), 705 yards, 6 TD, 1 Int
Last: 14-20 (70.0%), 258 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int

Matt Barkley, USC
2009: 211-352 (59.9%), 2,735 yards, 15 TD, 14 INT
2010: 55-84 (65.5%), 651 yards, 9 TD, 2 Int
Last: 17-26 (65.4%), 192 yards, 2 TD, 2 Int

Andrew Luck, Stanford
2009: 162-288 (56.3%), 2575 yards, 13 TD, 4 Int
2010: 45-70 (64.3%), 674 yards, 10 TD, 0 Int
Last: 17-23 (73.9%), 207 yards, 4 TD, 0 Int

Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010: 43-68 (63.2%), 585 yards, 5 TD, 1 Int
Last: 20-30 (66.7%), 370 yards, 2 TD, 1 Int

ON THE RADAR: DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma; Cameron Newton, Auburn; Ricky Stanzi, Iowa; Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina; Jeffery Demps, Florida

Did you miss the College Football Haven Week 3 Top 25? Check it out here
Did you miss the Monday Musings for Week 3? Read them here.

Poll Results: Will Michigan QB Denard Robinson finish this year as the nation's leading rusher?

The results are in, and 52% said Denard Robinson would not lead the nation in rushing this year. He is still on top after week three, but I expect that the majority will be right. That being said, you cannot deny Robinson's running ability, so I won't be shocked if he does manage to lead the nation in rushing.

Thank you to all who voted. Don't forget to vote in this week's poll: Who is the favorite in the ACC?

Monday Musings: 10 Thoughts About Week 3

College Football turned in another memorable weekend. It was packed with memorable performances, unexpected events, and defining moments for teams, players, and coaches. Here are this week's musings.

1. Here we go again. Last year, the Michigan Wolverines started hot (4-0) and we all thought they were back. They only won one game the rest of the year (63-6 against Delaware State). That has made me hesitant to get excited about Michigan this year. The shootout with UMass on Saturday didn't help. Will Michigan keep winning once Big Ten play starts?

2. Houston, we have a problem. A week after Houston appeared to be in excellent shape with a ground game to go with their potent passing attack, the Cougars lost their first and second string quarterbacks. Case Keenum was the life blood of that team. Now, a season full of so much promise, is most likely shattered.

3. The ACC favorite is who? The North Carolina State Wolfpack looks to be the team to beat in the ACC. They are the only 3-0 team, and behind the arm of Russell Wilson they are legit. Tom O'Brien had struggled so far at NCState, but he looks to have assembled a solid team he can win with.

4. Escaped by their whiskers. The Wisconsin Badgers survived a scare Saturday by Arizona State. A blocked extra point attempt with 4:09 to play made the difference. Wisconsin has one more game to figure things out before Big Ten play starts. They might be 3-0 at this point, but none of their wins have been dominant.

5. Can we shorten the game to 3 quarters? This question was asked by FIU, and everyone playing Oregon. The Florida International Golden Panthers had a 20-6 lead going into the fourth quarter, only to see Texas A&M score 21 fourth quarter points to win 27-20. Oregon is humiliating everyone, do we really need to rub it in and play the final 15 minutes?

6. 'Bamas Best Back. Mark Ingram made it clear that he is, not only, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. He is the best Alabama Crimson Tide running back. Back from injury, Ingram took his first carry of the season 48 yards. He had over 100 yards in the first quarter. He averaged 16.8 yards per carry, and scored two touchdowns. Trent Richardson is a very good player, but let's refrain from saying he is better than Ingram.

7. This is why you came back? Many experts felt Jake Locker would have pushed Sam Bradford for the number one pick in last April's NFL draft. Locker decided to stay for his senior year. I don't think he came back for games like the one on Saturday: 4-20 passing for 71 yards and 2 interceptions. Here's an idea, let's go back nine months and Locker can declare for the NFL draft and Jimmy Clausen can stay for his senior year.

8. The Pac-10 packed a punch. Although Washington didn't look so hot, several Pac-10 teams did. Arizona came up with the biggest upset of the year by knocking off Iowa, 34-27. Stanford continued to roll with a 68-24 trashing of Wake Forest. UCLA rebounded with a 31-13 win over upstart Houston. While it was just Portland State, Oregon still exceeded expectations (69 points in 45 minutes). Even Arizona State represented well in a loss at Wisconsin. The losses by Washington and Cal hurt the conference, but everyone else came through.

9. You conned me. UConn had us all fooled. The Huskies are not measuring up to contender status in the Big East. A 20 point loss to Michigan in the opener (UMass only lost by 5). A 14 point loss to Temple this week. Temple might win the MAC, but if you expect to contend in a BCS AQ conference, you put away MAC schools easy.

10. The most overrated play. Michigan State faked a field goal in overtime to beat Notre Dame. It was a risky call, and it looked cool from the camera angle on television, but don't buy into the hype that this one play was the gutsiest play of the college football season. The Michigan State head coach even explained that they didn't have much confidence in their kicker. My props to Michigan State for getting the win over one of their rivals and for executing the play well, but let's not blow this out of proportion.

For the latest College Football Haven Top 25, click here.

College Football Haven Top 25, Week 3, 2010

The rankings were pretty stable this week. Houston fell out with their ugly loss to UCLA. The Cougars are not a top 25 team without Case Keenum. Arizona made the biggest jump after upsetting Iowa. The Wildcats are now number 7. With Iowa's loss, Ohio State is now number 2. Any one of the top six is worthy of the number one spot, right now, so I ranked them based on the likelihood that they would finish the year undefeated. Oregon has played well enough that I considered moving them above Alabama, but the Pac-10 will not be easy. Arizona and Stanford will be very hard, and Arizona State and USC won't be pushovers either. Don't forget the Civil War to end the year. Temple is on the cusp of the top 25. If they beat Penn State in Happy Valley this week, the Owls will find themselves ranked. North Carolina State is the only team to move into the rankings this week.

1. Boise State (2-0)
LAST: Beat Wyoming 51-6.
That was a bigger beat down by Boise, on the road, than Texas gave the Cowboys, in Austin (34-7).

2. Ohio State (3-0)
LAST: Beat Ohio 43-7.
The Big Ten title looks a lot more achievable now.

3. TCU (2-0)
LAST: Beat Baylor 45-10.

4. Nebraska (3-0)
LAST: Beat Washington 56-21.
I hope Jake Locker was taking notes from Taylor Martinez, because that is the way a Heisman Trophy candidate plays.

5. Alabama (3-0)
LAST: Beat Duke 62-13.
Good to have Mark Ingram back, but it would have still been an easy win without him.

6. Oregon (3-0)
LAST: Beat Portland State 69-0.
If the quality of opponents was better, Oregon could be ranked higher.

7. Arizona (3-0)
LAST: Beat Iowa 34-27.
Huge upset. Biggest win of the year by anyone, so far.

8. Arkansas (3-0)
LAST: Beat Georgia 31-24.
The defense needs to be better next week if the Razorbacks want to win.

9. Wisconsin (3-0)
LAST: Beat Arizona State 20-19.
Should Wisconsin be worried, or is this Sun Devils team for real?

10. Oklahoma (3-0)
LAST: Beat Air Force 27-24.
The Sooners rebounded in a major way.

11. Texas (3-0)
LAST: Beat Texas Tech 24-14.

12. LSU (3-0)
LAST: Beat Mississippi State 29-7.
Still not convinced that LSU is back. I am expecting some big losses later.

13. South Carolina (3-0)
LAST: Beat Furman 38-19.

14. Florida (3-0)
LAST: Beat Tennessee 31-17.
There are still plenty of reasons to be concerned in Gainesville.

15. USC (3-0)
LAST: Beat Minnesota 32-21.

16. Iowa (2-1)
LAST: Lost to Arizona 34-27.
Tough road loss.

17. Oregon State (1-1)
LAST: Beat Louisville 35-28.

18. Miami (1-1)
LAST: Bye.

19. Penn State (2-1)
LAST: Beat Kent State 24-0.
The defense held its own. The offense has a way to go.

20. West Virginia (3-0)
LAST: Beat Maryland 31-17.

21. Utah (3-0)
LAST: Beat New Mexico 56-10.
New Mexico might be the worst team in the nation.

22. Stanford (3-0)
LAST: Beat Wake Forest 68-24.

23. North Carolina State (3-0)
LAST: Beat Cincinnati 30-19
The Wolfpack just might be the team to beat in the ACC.

24. Oklahoma State (2-0)
LAST: Beat Tulsa 65-28.

25. Texas A & M (3-0)
LAST: Beat FIU 27-20.
If there was another 3-0 team that impressed me, they would be here. The Aggies should not be proud of this victory.

OTHERS TO WATCH: Auburn, Air Force, Temple, Michigan, East Carolina, Kansas State, and Northwestern.

Previous Top 25:
Preseason
Week 1
Week 2

Game Day Talk, Week 3

It's game day! The action so far has been great. Tom O'Brien has NC State off to a great start (3-0) with their win Thursday night. Nevada made a statement by crushing Cal, and who knows what to think of So. Miss. victory over Kansas. The Jayhawks are still struggling to find an identity this year. Anyways, we are sure to see many other things today worthy of comment. Look forward to your feedback.

Game of the Week: Iowa Hawkeyes at Arizona Wildcats

The Arizona Wildcats have surprised several people this year. The Iowa Hawkeyes are living up to their high expectations. Saturday night, each team will find out how close or far they are from where they need to be to reach their 2010 goals.

Arizona has been overlooked in a wide open Pac-10 this year. Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, USC, and even Washington got attention in the preseason, but Arizona is making people notice them. They have outscored their first two opponents 93-8, while rolling up over 1,000 yards of total offense.

After winning a BCS bowl last year, Iowa is expected to push Ohio State for the Big Ten title and, possibly, a spot in the BCS National Championship game. Ricky Stanzi has stepped up his game and the offense has more fire power than a year ago.

On paper, Iowa is clearly the better team, but don’t count Arizona out. If I am a Hawkeye, I am concerned about the start time of this game: 9:30 p.m. local Iowa time. When this game ends, it will already be Sunday in Iowa. I don’t think the Iowa players are used to playing so late at night. I would also be concerned about the revenge factor. Iowa beat Arizona 27-17 last year. Since this is the first real game for Arizona, that means the Arizona players have been staring at this game since January.

Game Predictions, Week 3, 2010

I improved a little from week one to week two on my record for picking the winner. My only misses were Sun Belt Conference games and upset specials. Last week, I was 19-4, and now I am 36-10 on the year. As always, you are free to chime in with your picks, or at least where you agree or disagree. If I leave out a game that really interests you, throw out your prediction for that.


Friday, September 17
Kansas at Southern Miss, 31-21 Southern Miss
California at Nevada, 31-10 Cal

Saturday, September 18
Ohio at Ohio State, 42-3 Ohio State
Arkansas at Georgia, 42-24 Arkansas
Maryland at West Virginia, 24-21 West Virginia
Kent State at Penn State, 31-7 Penn State
Georgia Tech at North Carolina, 17-14 North Carolina
Connecticut at Temple, 31-24 UConn
North Texas at Army, 21-14 Army
Ball State at Purdue, 35-28 Purdue
Air Force at Oklahoma, 34-24 Oklahoma
Florida at Tennessee, 21-17 Florida
BYU at Florida State, 31-21 Florida State
Troy at UAB, 28-27 Troy
Louisville at Oregon State, 35-17 Oregon State
Middle Tennessee State at Memphis, 38-14 Middle Tennessee State
Boise State at Wyoming, 42-7 Boise State
Texas at Texas Tech, 41-35 Texas
Notre Dame at Michigan State, 27-21 Notre Dame
Fresno State at Utah State, 24-21 Utah State
New Mexico State at UTEP, 28-17 UTEP
Iowa at Arizona, 27-17 Iowa
Houston at UCLA, 38-35 Houston

If you missed College Football Haven's Top 25 this week, click here.
If you missed Monday Musings this week, click here.
If you missed College Football Haven's Heisman Hopefuls this week, click here.
If you missed this week's trivia question, click here.

Weekly Trivia: Winning Seasons for the Oklahoma Sooners

The answer to last week's trivia question, "What 7 schools were the charter members of the Western Conference (which evolved into the Big Ten) in 1896?" was correctly given by the second Anonymous responder. Those schools were: Michigan, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Chicago, Minnesota, Illinois, and Purdue.

Now for this week's question. Bob Stoops took over at Oklahoma in 1999. Since he was named head coach at Oklahoma, he has won 119 games and had a winning season every year. This week's question is:

Before Bob Stoops became the coach, how many consecutive seasons did Oklahoma not have a winning record?

Leave your answer in the comments section. The answer will be revealed next Wednesday when a new question is asked.

For more trivia questions, visit the Trivia page.

Did you miss the College Football Haven Week 2 Top 25? Check it out here
Did you miss the Monday Musings for Week 2? Read them here.
Did you miss the College Football Haven Heisman Hopefuls for Week 2? View the list here.

Heisman Trophy Hopefuls, Week 2, 2010

The Heisman Trophy race continued to evolve this week with all the big games and big performances. After poor performances last week, Landry Jones and Jake Locker rebounded to look like legitimate Heisman Trophy candidates. Mark Ingram missed his second consecutive game. Unless he comes back and runs for 300 yards next week he is unofficially eliminated. Dion Lewis needs to have a big game soon or he will be off the list as well. He averaged less than 3 yards per carry against New Hampshire. You can say the same thing about Ryan Williams for Virginia Tech. He had less than 100 yards on 20 carries in a loss to James Madison. That is not the way Heisman hopefuls play. Christian Ponder and Jacory Harris hurt their chances mightily with poor performances on the big stage, while Terrell Pryor helped himself with over 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing against Miami. However, I think we can all agree that if the Heisman had to be awarded today, the trophy would go to Denard Robinson at Michigan. He is 43-62 (69.4%) for 430 yards, 2 TD and 0 Int, plus 57 rushes for 455 yards (8 yards per carry) and 3 TD.

As I stated last week, no one will be added or removed from the detailed list of hopefuls until after week three. A few players have played their way onto the radar. Marcus Lattimore from South Carolina with his huge game against Georgia. Ricky Stanzi with Iowa. He is playing much better this year and appears poised to lead Iowa on a run for the national championship. Jeffery Demps at Florida is becoming the 2010 version of Percy Harvin while averaging over 12 yards a carry on an otherwise inept Florida offense.

Mark Ingram, Alabama
2009: 271 rushes, 1,658 yards, 17 TD
2010: --
Last: Did not play vs. Penn State

John Clay, Wisconsin
2009: 287 rushes, 1,517 yards, 18 TD
2010: 40 rushes, 260 yards, 4 TD
Last: 23 rushes, 137 yards, 2 TD

Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
2009: 293 rushes, 1,655 yards, 21 TD
2010: 40 rushes, 131 yards, 2 TD
Last: 20 rushes, 91 yards

Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
2009: 273 rushes, 1,440 yards, 21 TD
2010: 18 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Last: Bye

Dion Lewis, Pitt
2009: 325 rushes, 1,799 yards, 17 TD
2010: 35 rushes, 102 yards, 2 TD
Last: 10 rushes, 27 yards, 1 TD

Terrell Pryor, Ohio State
2009: 167-295 (56.6%), 2094 yards, 18 TD, 11 Int / 162 rushes, 779 yards, 7 TD
2010: 29-52 (55.8%), 480 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT / 28 rushes, 130 yards, 1 TD
Last: 12-27 (44.4%), 233 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT / 20 rushes, 113 yards, 1 TD

Jake Locker, Washington
2009: 230-395 (58.2%), 2,800 yards, 21 TD, 11 Int / 112 rushes, 388 yards, 7 TD
2010: 42-70 (60.0%), 555 yards, 5 TD, 0 Int / 16 rushes, 41 yards, 1 TD
Last: 22-33 (66.7%), 289 yards, 4 TD, 0 Int / 5 rushes, 12 yards

Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
2009: 225-403 (55.8%), 3,627 yards, 30 TD, 7 Int
2010: 49-67 (73.1%), 701 yards, 6 TD, 2 Int
Last: 28-43 (65.1%), 400 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int

Christian Ponder, Florida State
2009: 227-330 (68.8%), 2,717 yards, 14 TD, 7 INT
2010: 23-42 (54.8%), 280 yards, 4 TD, 3 Int
Last: 11-28 (39.3%), 113 yards, 0 TD, 2 Int

Jacory Harris, Miami
2009: 242-406 (59.6%), 3,352 yards, 24 TD, 17 INT
2010: 34-54 (63%), 442 yards, 4 TD, 4 Int
Last: 22-39 (56.4%), 232 yards, 1 TD, 4 Int

Landry Jones, Oklahoma
2009: 261-449 (58.1%), 3,198 yards, 26 TD, 14 INT
2010: 47-76 (61.8%), 597 yards, 6 TD, 2 Int
Last: 30-40 (75.0%), 380 yards, 4 TD, 0 Int

Matt Barkley, USC
2009: 211-352 (59.9%), 2,735 yards, 15 TD, 14 INT
2010: 38-58 (65.5%), 459 yards, 7 TD, 0 Int
Last: 20-35 (57.1%), 202 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int

Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M
2009: 296-497 (59.6%), 3,579 yards, 30 TD, 8 Int / 145 rush, 508 yards, 8 TD
2010: 53-78 (67.9%), 671 yards, 6 TD, 0 Int
Last: 25-38 (65.8%), 349 yards, 4 TD, 0 Int

Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010: 23-38 (60.5%), 215 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Last: Bye

Case Keenum, Houston
2009: 492-700 (70.3%), 5,671 yards, 44 TD, 15 INT
2010: 32-46 (69.6%), 553 yards, 5 TD, 3 Int
Last: 15-24 (62.5%), 279 yards, 0 TD, 1 Int

ON THE RADAR: Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State; DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma; Daniel Thomas, Kansas State; Andrew Luck, Stanford; Greg McElroy, Alabama; Denard Robinson, Michigan; Cameron Newton, Auburn; Ricky Stanzi, Iowa; Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina; Jeffery Demps, Florida

Did you miss the College Football Haven Week 2 Top 25? Check it out here
Did you miss the Monday Musings for Week 2? Read them here.

Poll Results: Which team should be the most concerned?

Florida has the biggest reason to fear, according to 51% of the voters. Oklahoma was a distant second with 27% of the vote. USC came in third with 15%, and Texas rounded up the rear with the remaining 7%. Thank you to all who voted.

Don't forget to vote in the new poll: Will Michigan QB Denard Robinson finish this year as the nation's leading rusher?

Have you seen the new College Football Haven Top 25? If not, click here.
Did you miss Monday Musings? Click here.

Monday Musings: 10 Thoughts About College Football, Week 2

Week 2 of the 2010 college football season is in the books. It was another week full of surprises and outstanding play. Looking back on the weekend, here are my Monday Musings:

1. Steve Spurrier's solution for South Carolina. Steve Spurrier has struggled to win at South Carolina the same way he won at Florida. He may have found the solution. Running back Marcus Lattimore took the Gamecocks on his back Saturday in a pivotal game against Georgia. The freshman rushed for 182 yards and two touchdowns.

2. The year of the Dakotas. In week 1, Kansas lost to North Dakota State, 6-3. This week Minnesota lost to South Dakota, 41-38. Everyone circle September 25 on your calenders. Suddenly the North Dakota State-South Dakota game has become must see TV.

3. Houston, we have a run game. We all know that the Houston Cougars have a potent passing attack. Well, it looks like they found a run game to compliment it. Bryce Beall ripped off 195 yards on the ground this week against UTEP. With Case Keenum day-to-day following a concussion, Houston might have to rely on the services of Beall this week against UCLA.

4. This is the best you've got, ACC? The top teams in the ACC did not represent the conference well this week. Miami didn't even push Ohio State. Georgia Tech lost to the aforementioned Kansas team. Florida State was less of a challenge to Oklahoma than Utah State. However, the worst of the weekend was Virginia Tech coming up empty at home against James Madison. Is it time to auction off that BCS spot to the highest bidder?

5. The next move for the Pac-10. This one is so obvious that no studies need to be done. Just cast the votes and announce it later today. It is time to kick out Washington State and replace them with Boise State. From stadium size to media market it is an even swap. The quality of the product in Boise, however, is vastly superior to the product in Pullman. After dropping their opener 65-17 to Oklahoma State, the Cougars had to outscore the Montana State Bobcats 16-0 in the fourth quarter to pull out a 23-22 win and snap a 10 game losing streak.

6. That's more like it. Not to be outdone in futility, future Pac-10 member Colorado returned to its losing ways. The CU Buffaloes showed a different identity than we have become accustomed to in their opener against Colorado State (24-3 win). This week, the Buffs were back to normal. The Cal Bears hung 52 points on Colorado in a 45 point victory. Somehow, Colorado was able to win the third quarter 7-0.

7. Bye, bye, national title hopes. No I am not referring to Virginia Tech, although they can kiss the national championship good-bye as well. I am alluding to the Sun Belt Conference. Ok, maybe they didn't really have any national title aspirations in the first place. However, they are officially out of the picture now. With Florida Atlantic, Troy, FIU, and Louisiana-Monroe all losing this week, no Sun Belt member is still undefeated.

8. The nation's leading rusher is who? A quarterback. With his 258 yard outburst against Notre Dame, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson is the nation's leading rusher with 455 yards. He has a 41 yard edge on Kendall Hunter from Oklahoma State. Robinson ran for 197 yards against Connecticut in the season opener. It appears he could maintain this lead for awhile.

9. The best 0-2 team. Vanderbilt. The Commodores lost a 23-21 decision to Northwestern in the season opener. They were in striking distance (10-3) going into the fourth quarter against LSU this week. Not too bad considering they lost their head coach only a few weeks before fall camp opened.

10. The worst 2-0 team. Arizona State. What substance is there in wins against Portland State and Northern Arizona? The next two weeks (Wisconsin and Oregon) should even the Sun Devil's record.

For the new College Football Haven Top 25, click here.

College Football Haven Top 25, Week 2, 2010

This week saw a lot of movement in the rankings. Nebraska jumped from 9 to 6, but that was more based on the unimpressive play of Arkansas and Wisconsin. Oregon is surging up the rankings. The Ducks have gone from my preseason 21 to number 7. South Carolina makes its debut at number 15 after an impressive win over Georgia. Five teams fell out of the rankings (Georgia Tech, BYU, Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Georgia). They were replaced by South Carolina, Utah, Texas A&M, Stanford, and Oklahoma State. Michigan almost made it, but I remember 2009 starting very similar to 2010, so I want to see if the Wolverines have what it takes to win all season, not just get off to a fast start.

1. Boise State (1-0)
LAST: Bye.
The win last week now looks a lot less impressive.

2. Iowa (2-0)
LAST: Beat Iowa State 35-7.
So much for all that hype coming out of Ames.

3. TCU (2-0)
LAST: Beat Tennessee Tech 62-7.

4. Alabama (2-0)
LAST: Beat Penn State 24-3.

5. Ohio State (2-0)
LAST: Beat Miami 36-24.
Impressive win by Ohio State. Not sure yet which I was worse: my overestimation of Miami, or my underestimation of Ohio State.

6. Nebraska (2-0)
LAST: Beat Idaho 38-17.

7. Oregon (2-0)
LAST: Beat Tennessee 48-13.

8. Arkansas (2-0)
LAST: Beat Louisiana-Monroe 31-7.
Seventeen fourth quarter points made this look better than it was.

9. Wisconsin (2-0)
LAST: Beat San Jose State 27-14.

10. Oklahoma (2-0)
LAST: Beat Florida State 47-17.
The Sooners rebounded in a major way.

11. Houston (2-0)
LAST: Beat UTEP 54-24.
Revenge is costly. Houston lost star quarterback Caseto Keenum to injury in the third quarter.

12. Texas (2-0)
LAST: Beat Wyoming 34-7.

13. LSU (2-0)
LAST: Beat Vanderbilt 27-3.
Not sure if LSU should move up after leading only 10-3 after 3 quarters.

14. Arizona (2-0)
LAST: Beat Citadel 52-6.
Moving up based on style points. Next week is the real test (Iowa).

15. South Carolina (2-0)
LAST: Beat Georgia 17-6.
The new team to beat in the SEC East. Hopefully the Gamecocks don't fizzle out at the end this year.

16. Florida (2-0)
LAST: Beat South Florida 38-14.
Maybe South Florida is that good, but this score is deceptive. The Gators still have a lot to work on.

17. USC (2-0)
LAST: Beat Virginia 17-14.
The defense came to play this week, but where was the offense?

18. Oregon State (0-1)
LAST: Bye.

19. Miami (1-1)
LAST: Lost to Ohio State 36-24.
The Hurricanes still not all the way back yet.

20. Penn State (1-1)
LAST: Lost to Alabama 24-3.
The defense held its own. The offense has a way to go.

21. West Virginia (2-0)
LAST: Beat Marshall 24-21 OT.

22. Utah (2-0)
LAST: Beat UNLV 38-10.
Scored 38 points without their starting quarterback.

23. Stanford (2-0)
LAST: Beat UCLA 35-0.

24. Oklahoma State (2-0)
LAST: Beat Troy 41-38.

25. Texas A&M (2-0)
LAST: Beat Louisiana Tech 48-16.

OTHERS TO WATCH: Auburn, Air Force, Temple, Michigan, East Carolina, and Northwestern.

Previous Top 25: Preseason
Week 1

Game Day Talk (Week 2)

It's time for another great week of college football. In the four games played Thursday and Friday, we already have 2 OT games, plus one that went down to the final minute. Houston was able to win going away, despite Case Keenum getting injured and missing the fourth quarter.

Lots of important match ups highlight today, so we should have a lot to talk about. See you throughout the day.

Game of the Week: Miami Hurricanes at Ohio State Buckeyes

College football has a lot of great games this week: Alabama vs. Penn State, Oklahoma vs. Florida State, Notre Dame vs. Michigan, and even Florida vs. South Florida is compelling after the Gators' lackluster play last week. None of these games, however, is as big as the showdown at the 'Shoe: Ohio State vs. Miami. While the Oklahoma-Florida State contest comes close, this game between the Buckeyes and the Hurricanes will have the most bearing on the national championship and Heisman Trophy races than all of the others.

Each team has had a few extra days to prepare after they easily disposed of Marshall and Florida A&M in their openers over a week ago. Both Miami and Ohio State need this win for many of the same reasons. Besides the national championship and Heisman implications, the winning team will get a big boost to its national image. Since these two teams last met to play for the 2002 National Championship, their national images have been tarnished.

Miami had won its last 34 games before the controversial loss to Ohio State, which was Larry Coker's only loss in his first two season on the job for Miami. Four years later, Coker had lost control of the program. Miami had slipped to 7-6, and the Hurricanes had several off the field issues. Miami fell even further (5-7) in Randy Shannon's first season (2007). Shannon has been working diligently to bring Miami back to the top. A win on Saturday would go a long way in accomplishing that.

Ohio State has had great success on the field since they last played Miami, winning 73 games in the seven years that have followed. The Buckeyes' problem has been that on the rare occasions that they do lose, they lose ugly. Those ugly losses have usually been on big stages: 41-14 against Florida in the 2006 National Championship game, 38-24 against LSU in the 2007 National Championship game, and back-to-back losses to USC in 2008 and 2009. The Rose Bowl win at the end of last season helped, but beating a rising Miami squad will silence a greater number of critics.

Ohio State and Miami both have experienced players. They both have talented players. The team that will end on top will be the one that is hungrier for the win.

If you missed College Football Haven's Top 25 this week, click here.
If you missed College Football Haven's Heisman Hopefuls this week, click here.
If you missed this week's trivia question, click here.
If you missed this week's game predictions, click here.

Game Predictions, 2010, Week 2

Last week, I posted a 17-6 record straight up, but the scores could have been improved. As always, you are free to chime in with your picks, or at least where you agree or disagree. If I leave out a game that really interests you, throw out your prediction for that.

Thursday, September 9
Central Michigan at Temple: 28-17, Temple
Auburn at Mississippi State: 31-24, Auburn

Friday, September 10
UTEP at Houston: 45-24, Houston
West Virginia at Marshall: 31-14, West Virginia

Saturday, September 11
Georgia at South Carolina: 30-24, South Carolina
Iowa State at Iowa: 24-10, Iowa
Florida State at Oklahoma: 35-28, Oklahoma
Michigan at Notre Dame: 31-28, Michigan
Miami at Ohio State: 21-17, Miami
Wyoming at Texas: 45-17, Texas
Louisiana Tech at Texas A&M: 34-10, Texas A&M
Colorado State at Nevada: 38-17, Nevada
Stanford at UCLA: 27-21, Stanford
Memphis at East Carolina: 28-14, East Carolina
Eastern Michigan at Miami(OH): 24-21, Eastern Michigan
Arkansas State at Louisiana-Lafayette: 24-13, Arkansas State
UNLV at Utah: 31-27, UNLV
Syracuse at Washington: 35-21, Washington
Virginia at USC: 56-10, USC
Rutgers at FIU: 28-17, Rutgers
San Jose State at Wisconsin: 42-3, Wisconsin
Hawaii at Army: 35-28, Hawaii
Duke at Wake Forest: 27-21, Wake Forest

If you missed College Football Haven's Top 25 this week, click here.
If you missed College Football Haven's Heisman Hopefuls this week, click here.
If you missed this week's trivia question, click here.

Weekly Trivia: Conference Charter Members

Last week's trivia question, "Before this four year run started in 2006, how many years did it take the SEC to win four national championships?" (In other words, if you start with 2005, how many years do you have to go back until the SEC has won four national championships?) was correctly answered by an anonymous visitor. An SEC team won the national championship in 2003 (LSU), 1998 (Tennessee), 1996 (Florida), and 1992 (Alabama). In total, that makes 14 years. However, as you may recall, the 2003 title was a split national championship (AP voted USC number 1). You have to go back to 1980 (Georgia) for the SEC to have four AP national championships.

Moving on, this summer we had some changes announced regarding conference affiliation. Nebraska will make the move to the Big Ten next year. This week's question is:

What 7 schools were the charter members of the Western Conference (which evolved into the Big Ten) in 1896?

Leave your answer in the comments section. The answer will be revealed next Wednesday when a new question is asked.

If you missed the College Football Haven Top 25, click here.
If you missed the College Football Haven Heisman Hopefuls, click here.

Heisman Trophy Hopefuls, Week 1, 2010

The race is still wide open after week one. Several players posted eye-popping stats, however, they were playing vastly inferior competition. While some players had un-Heisman worthy performances, I don't plan to take anyone off the list until week 3. It is very rare that a player has an outstanding game every time he steps on the field. I added a section at the end called "On the radar." These are players who shined but were not on the original list. If they continue to play the way they did Saturday, then they will be added to the list soon. Terrell Pryor, Christian Ponder, Jacory Harris, Ryan Mallett, and Case Keenum form the lead pack right now, but Matt Barkely would be my early leader simply because Hawaii was a more formidable foe. Those who need to step it up are Jaquizz Rodgers, Jake Locker, Ryan Williams, Dion Lewis, and Landry Jones.

Mark Ingram, Alabama
2009: 271 rushes, 1,658 yards, 17 TD
2010: --
Last: Did not play vs. San Jose State

John Clay, Wisconsin
2009: 287 rushes, 1,517 yards, 18 TD
2010: 17 rushes, 123 yards, 2 TD
Last: 17 rushes, 123 yards, 2 TD

Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
2009: 293 rushes, 1,655 yards, 21 TD
2010: 21 rushes, 44 yards, 2 TD
Last: 21 rushes, 44 yards, 2 TD

Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
2009: 273 rushes, 1,440 yards, 21 TD
2010: 18 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Last: 18 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD

Dion Lewis, Pitt
2009: 325 rushes, 1,799 yards, 17 TD
2010: 25 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD
Last: 25 rushes, 75 yards, 1 TD

Terrell Pryor, Ohio State
2009: 167-295 (56.6%), 2094 yards, 18 TD, 11 Int / 162 rushes, 779 yards, 7 TD
2010: 17-25 (68%), 247 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT / 8 rushes, 17 yards
Last: 17-25 (68%), 247 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT / 8 rushes, 17 yards

Jake Locker, Washington
2009: 230-395 (58.2%), 2,800 yards, 21 TD, 11 Int / 112 rushes, 388 yards, 7 TD
2010: 20-37 (54.1%), 266 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int / 11 rushes, 29 yards, 1 TD
Last: 20-37 (54.1%), 266 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int / 11 rushes, 29 yards, 1 TD

Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
2009: 225-403 (55.8%), 3,627 yards, 30 TD, 7 Int
2010: 21-24 (87.5%), 301 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int
Last: 21-24 (87.5%), 301 yards, 3 TD, 1 Int

Christian Ponder, Florida State
2009: 227-330 (68.8%), 2,717 yards, 14 TD, 7 INT
2010: 12-14 (85.7%), 167 yards, 4 TD, 1 Int
Last: 12-14 (85.7%), 167 yards, 4 TD, 1 Int

Jacory Harris, Miami
2009: 242-406 (59.6%), 3,352 yards, 24 TD, 17 INT
2010: 12-15 (80%), 210 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Last: 12-15 (80%), 210 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int

Landry Jones, Oklahoma
2009: 261-449 (58.1%), 3,198 yards, 26 TD, 14 INT
2010: 17-36 (47.2%), 217 yards, 2 TD, 2 Int
Last: 17-36 (47.2%), 217 yards, 2 TD, 2 Int

Matt Barkley, USC
2009: 211-352 (59.9%), 2,735 yards, 15 TD, 14 INT
2010: 18-23 (78.3%), 257 yards, 5 TD, 0 Int
Last: 18-23 (78.3%), 257 yards, 5 TD, 0 Int

Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M
2009: 296-497 (59.6%), 3,579 yards, 30 TD, 8 Int / 145 rush, 508 yards, 8 TD
2010: 28-40 (70%), 322 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int
Last: 28-40 (70%), 322 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int

Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010: 23-38 (60.5%), 215 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int
Last: 23-38 (60.5%), 215 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int

Case Keenum, Houston
2009: 492-700 (70.3%), 5,671 yards, 44 TD, 15 INT
2010: 17-22 (77.3%), 274 yards, 5 TD, 2 Int
Last: 17-22 (77.3%), 274 yards, 5 TD, 2 Int

ON THE RADAR: Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State; DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma; Daniel Thomas, Kansas State; Andrew Luck, Stanford; Greg McElroy, Alabama; Denard Robinson, Michigan; Cameron Newton, Auburn

Did you miss the College Football Haven Week 1 Top 25? Check it out here

College Football Haven Top 25: Week 1, 2010

A quick explanation before unveiling the rankings. As we all know, most of the games in week one are mismatches, so we can't really tell if a 50 point win was impressive or expected. Therefore, my basic philosphy was if a team took care of business, then they maintained their position in the rankings. If they did not take care of business (i.e. Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, USC), then they dropped. I didn't drop them from the rankings (unless they lost) but I didn't give them the benefit of the doubt and keep them ranked above teams that didn't struggle. I don't like to have 0-1 teams ranked after the first week, but considering who Oregon State and Virginia Tech played, it doesn't make sense to drop them out of the rankings. Now to the rankings.

1. Boise State (1-0)
LAST: Beat Virginia Tech 33-30.
The Broncos started extremely fast, cooled off, and finished hot to score the go ahead touchdown with 1:09 left.

2. Iowa (1-0)
LAST: Beat E. Illinois 37-7.

3. TCU (1-0)
LAST: Beat Oregon State 30-21.

4. Alabama (1-0)
LAST: Beat San Jose State 48-3.

5. Ohio State (1-0)
LAST: Beat Marshall 45-7.

6. Miami (1-0)
LAST: Beat Florida A&M 45-0.

7. Arkansas (1-0)
LAST: Beat Tennessee Tech 44-3.

8. Wisconsin (1-0)
LAST: Beat UNLV 41-21.

9. Nebraska (1-0)
LAST: Beat Western Kentucky 49-10.

10. Florida State (1-0)
LAST: Beat Samford 59-6.

11. Penn State (1-0)
LAST: Beat Youngstown State 44-14.

12. Georgia Tech (1-0)
LAST: Beat South Carolina State 41-10.

13. Oregon (1-0)
LAST: Beat New Mexico 72-0.

14. Houston (1-0)
LAST: Beat Texas State 68-28.

15. LSU (1-0)
LAST: Beat North Carolina 30-24.
LSU barely beat a North Carolina team that was missing several key players.

16. USC (1-0)
LAST: Beat Hawaii 49-36.
The defense has me concerned. If they don't fix things, then 2010 will look a lot like 2009.

17. BYU (1-0)
LAST: Beat Washington 23-17.

18. Texas (1-0)
LAST: Beat Rice 34-17.
When I said there would be growing pains, this is what I meant. Things won't come as easy as they have the last few years.

19. Oklahoma (1-0)
LAST: Beat Utah State 31-27.
This was totally unexpected. I thought Oklahoma finished its growing pains last year.

20. Florida (1-0)
LAST: Beat Miami (OH) 34-12.
If I tell you this will be a 3 loss season for Florida, will you believe me?

21. Virginia Tech (0-1)
LAST: Lost to Boise State 33-30.

22. Oregon State (0-1)
LAST: Lost to TCU 30-21.

23. Georgia (1-0)
LAST: Beat Louisiana Lafeyette 55-7.

24. West Virginia (1-0)
LAST: Beat Costal Carolina 31-0.

25. Arizona (1-0)
LAST: Beat Toledo 41-2.

OTHERS TO WATCH: Auburn, Air Force, Georgia, Stanford, Temple, Rutgers, South Carolina, Utah, and Northwestern.

Previous Top 25: Preseason

Poll Results: Should an Undefeated Boise State Play in the BCS champoinship game?

There are two ways to look at the results of this poll. First, the category that received the most votes was "No" with 39% of the votes. That was followed by "Yes, no questions asked" with 24%, "Yes, if two AQ champs are not undefeated" with 22%, and "Yes, if Virginia Tech and Oregon State have a good year" had 15%. Second, going strictly by "Yes" and No," a 61% majority favor Boise State playing in the BCS championship game, if the Broncos are undefeated and certain conditions are met.

Thank you to all who voted. Don't forget to vote in this week's poll: "Which team should be the most concerned."

College Football 2010: 10 Musings From Week 1

The 2010 college football season got off to a great start this weekend. It had everything we have come to expect: upsets, blowouts, new players making a name for themselves, new players struggling, old stars are still shining, some of the good teams are still very good, some of the bad teams are still very bad, and unexpected events happened. Here are 10 musings looking back on week one.

1. Biggest Upset: Jacksonville State 49, Ole Miss 48. I wasn't a very good weekend for the SEC (overrated?), and this game was the worst. This is Jacksonville State from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). We aren't talking about App. State, the two time defending FCS national champion who went on to win their third national championship in a row the year they beat Michigan. Jacksonville State was 8-3 last year, they didn't make the FCS playoffs, and they don't have Ryan Perrilloux this year either.

2. How did that happen? Toledo lost to Arizona 41-2. Maybe I am just weird, but I look at that score and wonder how Toledo was able to get the safety. Safeties are a rarity in football, and for a team to get a safety is a major accomplishment. An accomplishment that you don't expect from a team that is being outscored 41-0 otherwise.

3. I told you so. Just remember you saw it here first. While everyone had Florida ranked in their preseason top 5. I had the Gators number 16. Honestly, I don't know if they even deserve that ranking after struggling so mightily against Miami (OH).

4. Should we be concerned? Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, and USC were supposed to win by hefty margins, and the starters should have rested most of the second half. Instead, they all played well into the fourth quarter.

5. Didn't see that coming. Oregon 72-0 over New Mexico. Sure I had Oregon winning, but who expected 59 points in the first half and 72 at game's end? With the LaMichael James out, Jeremiah Masoli gone, I thought Oregon would play more like the four teams above. I guess the real question is, did I underestimate Oregon or is New Mexico still that bad?

6. Who is that guy? When Middle Tennessee State lost Dwight Dasher less than a week before their first game, it was supposed to be a fatal blow. Dasher was going to be the guy that put the Sun Belt Conference on the map. Rather than fold and give Minnesota an easy win, Logan Kilgore stepped in and put up impressive numbers as Middle Tennessee State actually had the lead going into the fourth quarter.

7. We want our coach back. Cincinnati lost to Fresno State 28-14. After a perfect regular season a year ago, the Bearcats already have a blemish. Meanwhile, former Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly was in South Bend celebrating his first win with Notre Dame.

8. Don't get too excited. Wake Forest won its first game 53-13. That is cause to celebrate after a 5-7 season last year, right? Not so fast. That 40 point win came against Presbyterian, an FCS team that was 0-11 in 2009. Let's wait and see how the Demon Deacons do against Stanford in two weeks.

9. That must have felt good. Year 3 for Rich Rodriguez at Michigan started with a 30-10 win over a Connecticut team expected to contend in the Big East. For a man needing a big year, this was the right way to start.

10. Ten and counting. After opening 2009 with three straight wins, Colorado State then dropped their next nine. The 24-3 loss on Saturday to Colorado makes it 10 consecutive losses and counting.

GAME DAY TALK (9/4/10)

It's game day! We had our appetizers Thursday night, now it is time for the main course. I liked what I saw from Miami and Ohio State. Their game next week will be a good one. Utah got a big win over Pitt, the USC defense has me concerned, and Middle Tennessee State played much better than I expected after losing Dwight Dasher just a few days before the game. Logan Kilgore was impressive in the loss to Minnesota.

The comments section is here for you to share your thoughts about today's games and what happens in them.

Game of the Week: Boise State vs. Virginia Tech

Week one has some good match ups, but the Boise State-Virginia Tech game is the biggest. This game has national title implications, for both teams. It is the hardest game for each team this season. Whoever wins could go undefeated, which just might be enough to finish in the top 2 of the BCS.

Virginia Tech has won 20 games over the last two years, but the Hokies feel they should have done better. While defense is always a strength for Tech, the offense is loaded this year. Tyrod Taylor has played in 36 games his first three years. Taylor has always had lots of up side, but until the last four games of 2009, he had played short of his potential. If he can pick up 2010 where he left off in 2009, then this could be a special year. The presence of Ryan Williams and Darren Evans in the backfield will help. Williams ran for 1,655 yards in 2009, and Evans had 1,265 in 2008. Taylor will also benefit from having his top 3 receivers back this year. When all else fails, Taylor has the ability to do some damage with his legs.

Boise State has taken a lot of heat for winning a lot of games against poor competition. The Broncos can silence many of the critics with a win in this game. Winners in 26 of their last 27 games, and with 21 of 22 starters back from last year, Boise State is on the verge of doing the unthinkable: qualifying for the BCS National Championship game. Boise State will play Oregon State two weeks later, and a win against a second team expected to contend for a conference championship in a BCS AQ conference would do wonders for the Broncos' credibility.

Both teams feature high powered offenses, which is why this game will be decided by the defenses. Boise State showed it is more than just a finesse offense when they shut down TCU in the Fiesta Bowl last year. Boise State needs stop the Virginia Tech run game, be it Williams, Evans, or Taylor. Then it will be up to the secondary to stop the passing game. Virginia Tech will need to work in reverse: stop Kellen Moore and the pass first, and the run second. However, the most important thing for Virginia Tech to do is remember who they are playing, and be ready for anything at anytime. While Boise State is legit, what has gotten them over the hump has been to catch their opponents off guard by strategically resorting to "trick" plays at critical moments. No one should expect anything different this week.

Date: Monday, September 6
Kickoff: 8:00 PM (EDT)
TV: ESPN, ESPN3.com

If you missed College Football Haven's Top 25 this week, click here.
If you missed College Football Haven's Heisman Hopefuls this week, click here.
If you missed this week's trivia question, click here.
If you missed College Football Haven's Week 1 Game Predictions, click here

Game Predictions, Week 1

The game predictions each week will be pretty simple and straight forward. I will select around 20-25 games that I find interesting, but that also represent each FBS conference. Feel free to chime in with your picks, or at least where you agree or disagree. If I leave out a game that really interests you, throw out your prediction for that.

Thursday, September 2
Pittsburgh at Utah: 24-21, Pitt
Northern Illinois at Iowa State: 21-14, Northern Illinois
Florida Atlantic at UAB: 17-10, UAB
Southern Mississippi at South Carolina: 31-24, South Carolina
USC at Hawaii: 38-7, USC
Minnesota at Middle Tennessee: 31-10, Minnesota

Friday, September 3
Arizona at Toledo: 21-17, Arizona

Saturday, September 4
TCU vs. Oregon State: 24-13 TCU
LSU vs. North Carolina: 28-14, LSU
Illinois vs. Missouri: 31-28, Missouri
Colorado vs. Colorado State: 21-13, Colorado
Kentucky at Louisville: 28-20, Kentucky
North Texas at Clemson: 34-13, Clemson
Troy at Bowling Green: 24-10, Bowling Green
New Mexico at Oregon: 28-10, Oregon
Purdue at Notre Dame: 21-13 Notre Dame
Memphis at Mississippi State: 31-10, Mississippi State
Cincinnati at Fresno State: 24-21, Fresno State
Western Michigan at Michigan State: 24-10, Michigan State
Connecticut at Michigan: 31-30, Michigan

Sunday, September 5
SMU at Texas Tech: 34-27, SMU

Monday, September 6
Virginia Tech vs. Boise State: 21-17, Boise State
Navy vs. Maryland: 31-17, Navy

If you missed College Football Haven's Top 25 this week, click here.
If you missed College Football Haven's Heisman Hopefuls this week, click here.
If you missed this week's trivia question, click here.

The Mountain West Conference Has BCS Automatic Qualifying Hopes Detoured

In the latest (and last?) round of college football conference realignment, the Mountain West Conference (MWC) saw its hopes for BCS automatic qualifying (AQ) status take a detour. Reports surfaced two weeks ago that the Brigham Young Cougars would leave the MWC and become a football independent. The Cougars will made it offical August 31, 2010, and they are holding a press conference today at 12:00 PM (MDT).

The MWC didn't waste any time inviting Fresno State and Nevada as soon as the initial reports about BYU were published. While this might have been the best possible way for the MWC to react, the MWC had no way to offset the loss of BYU when it comes to the conference's goal for BCS AQ status. To briefly review, BCS AQ status is determined by conference performance over a four year period. The current evaluation period commenced in 2008. BYU was nationally ranked at the end of 2008 and 2009 (number 21 and 12, respectively). BYU was in the final BCS standings in 2008 and 2009 (16 and 14). How does this apply to the MWC? First, Fresno State and Nevada won't make it to the MWC in time for their play to count for the MWC in the current four year cycle. Second, once they get to the MWC, they don't bring anything to improve the MWC bottom line. Neither Fresno State nor Nevada has been ranked in either rankings the last two years. The end result is that the MWC will go from a 9 team conference with 3 aces to a 10 team league with 2 aces.

The MWC will not, however, give up on trying to gain AQ status. This chain of events is not necessarily a death blow. It is merely a detour delaying this dream. The collection of TCU, Boise State, Air Force, Fresno State, and Nevada has the potential of developing into a respected top half of the conference. If any of these teams fail to do their part, then Wyoming and San Diego State are poised to join that group. These two schools need to build on the progress they made last year under new head coaches, and find a way to keep those coaches from leaving. This could make 2016 the magic year for the MWC.

In the end, the MWC will land on its feet. Boise State is not running back to the WAC. TCU won't return to Conference USA. The only question that remains is will Senator Orrin Hatch give it a rest?

Weekly Trivia: The SEC and National Championships

The SEC is on a very, very impressive run winning the last four national championships. This week's trivia question is:

"Before this four year run started in 2006, how many years did it take the SEC to win four national championships?" (In other words, if you start with 2005, how many years do you have to go back until the SEC has won four national championships?)

Leave your answer in the comments section. The answer will be revealed next Wednesday when a new question is asked.

If you missed the College Football Haven Top 25, click here.
If you missed the College Football Haven Heisman Hopefuls, click here.

Heisman Trophy Hopefuls, Preseason 2010

The collge football season can’t get underway without looking at who might win the Heisman Trophy. Last year was supposed to be the year of the quarterbacks: Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow. It turned out to be the year of the running backs with Alabama’s Mark Ingram edging out Stanford’s Toby Gerhart by the slimmest margin in history. While Ingram is back, the race is wide open this year.

Jake Locker and Terrell Pryor are getting the most publicity right now, but they will have plenty of company. Several players made a name for themselves last year, and with big performances this year they could be sitting in New York come December. Others showed that they have the tools to be successful and put themselves on the Heisman radar. If they play to their potential this year, they could be handed a ticket to New York as well.

Here is the College Football Haven preseason Heisman Hopefuls (of course, this list is ALWAYS subject to change and players will be added and dropped as the season progresses).

Mark Ingram, Alabama
2009: 271 rushes, 1,658 yards, 17 TD
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John Clay, Wisconsin
2009: 287 rushes, 1,517 yards, 18 TD
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Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
2009: 293 rushes, 1,655 yards, 21 TD
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Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
2009: 273 rushes, 1,440 yards, 21 TD
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Dion Lewis, Pitt
2009: 325 rushes, 1,799 yards, 17 TD
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Terrell Pryor, Ohio State
2009: 167-295 (56.6%), 2094 yards, 18 TD, 11 Int / 162 rushes, 779 yards, 7 TD
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Jake Locker, Washington
2009: 230-395 (58.2%), 2,800 yards, 21 TD, 11 Int / 112 rushes, 388 yards, 7 TD
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Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
2009: 225-403 (55.8%), 3,627 yards, 30 TD, 7 Int
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Christian Ponder, Florida State
2009: 227-330 (68.8%), 2,717 yards, 14 TD, 7 INT
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Jacory Harris, Miami
2009: 242-406 (59.6%), 3,352 yards, 24 TD, 17 INT
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Landry Jones, Oklahoma
2009: 261-449 (58.1%), 3,198 yards, 26 TD, 14 INT
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Matt Barkley, USC
2009: 211-352 (59.9%), 2,735 yards, 15 TD, 14 INT
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Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M
2009: 296-497 (59.6%), 3,579 yards, 30 TD, 8 Int / 145 rush, 508 yards, 8 TD
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Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
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Case Keenum, Houston
2009: 492-700 (70.3%), 5,671 yards, 44 TD, 15 INT
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Did you miss the College Football Haven Preseason Top 25? Check it out here

Poll Results: The Best Part of College Football Is

The polls have closed and the best part of college football is upsets. After falling behind early, upsets made a came from behind victory and edged out rivalries by one vote for a 44% to 42% victory. Bowl season and Rankings split the remaining 14% with seven percent each.

Thank you to all who voted. Don't forget to vote in the new poll: Should an undefeated Boise State play in the BCS championship game?

College Football Haven Top 25: Preseason, 2010

Today marks the beginning of the 2010 college football season here on College Football Haven. Before revealing the College Football Haven Preseason Top 25, let me quickly review what you can expect each week.

MONDAY: New opinion poll. Each week there will be a new poll to vote on regarding a pertinent issue in the game.
TUESDAY: Heisman Hopefuls. Track the top Heisman Trophy candidates with updates on their season stats and who is leading the race.
WEDNESDAY: College Football Trivia. Test your knowledge of college football with the weekly trivia question. Each question will be answered the following Wednesday when a new question is posed.
THURSDAY: Game predictions. I will give my predictions on some of the week's top games.
FRIDAY: Game of the Week. College Football Haven will preview the marquee match up of the week.
SATURDAY: Game Day Talk. Visit throughout the day and talk about the games. Share what you like and dislike, what surprises and disappointments you have as the action unfolds.
SUNDAY: Updated Top 25. As soon as the games end on Saturday, a new Top 25 will be released. It may be up earlier than Sunday. It will all depend on who plays when.

In addition to this regular schedule, commentary on the biggest issues and hottest events will be posted as frequently as possible. In any event, there will be a reason to visit each day.

If you missed any of the "5 Step Drops" for any of the FBS conferences last week, links to them are provided below.

TOP 25
Just a quick note before listing the teams. These rankings are intended to reflect how each team will fare this year. Of course, there will be some movement each week, but this is how I think it will be in the end. That being the case, it was impossible for me to rank Alabama number one. The Crimson Tide will be good, and they are my pick to win the SEC, but they are marked men, and I don't see them having another perfect season. I expect all of my top 4 will be undefeated. As for the number one team, I have learned not to doubt them and until someone can beat them to prove otherwise, they have earned the top spot.

1. Boise State (3 AP/5 USA Today)-The Bronco's return 21 of 22 starters from last year's 14-0 team that shocked everyone in week one and in the Fiesta Bowl. Like them or not, it is time the college football world gets to see what they are really made of.

2. Oklahoma (7/8)-Barring the rash of injuries that happened last year, Bob Stoops will have his players ready for an undefeated run.

3. Iowa (9/10)-The Ricky Stanzi injury was the only thing that kept Iowa from a 12-0 record and a spot in the Rose Bowl last year. Favorable schedule has Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin all at home.

4. TCU (6/7)-Lots of players return. Very high chances for a second consecutive undefeated regular season and BCS bowl appearance.

5. Alabama (1/1)-Lost a lot on defense combined with a brutal schedule, and the SEC championship is a far as this team goes.

6. Ohio State (2/2)-Terrell Pryor will have a good year, but he is one year away from taking the Buckeye's to the national championship game.

7. USC (14/--)-Lane Kiffen will have there guys playing with a chip on their shoulders after the disappointing 2009 season and the recently levied NCAA sanctions.

8. Miami (13/13)-The Hurricanes are hungry to return the program to the top. That hunger will get them the ACC Championship.

9. Texas (5/4)-Garrett Gilbert still has some growing pains to go through.

10. Arkansas (17/19)-The Razorbacks will be the team this year that exceeds everyone's expectations. Ryan Mallett will have Bobby Petrino's offense humming like a well oiled machine.

11. Wisconsin (12/12)-John Clay will carry the Badgers this year.

12. Nebraska (8/9)-Fueled by the Big XII title game loss, the Cornhuskers are going to play all year like they have something to prove.

13. Virginia Tech (10/6)-Until Tyrod Taylor lives up to his potential, I am going to temper my expectations for the Hokies.

14. Pitt (15/15)-The Panthers and Dion Lewis won't take anyone by surprise this year.

15. Oregon State (24/22)-After another slow start, the Beavers will finish extra strong and play their way into the Rose Bowl.

16. Florida (4/3)-How do you not expect a drop off after losing guys like Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes? Not to mention, Urban Meyer has to make some changes to the way he handles his job if he is going to be around for 2011.

17. Florida State (20/20)-A new coach will bring new life into this storied program.

18. LSU (21/16)-No longer getting the benefit of the doubt, Les Miles needs to deliver more Ws to Baton Rouge this year.

19. Penn State (19/14)-New quarterback, and a tough top 3 in the Big Ten this year will keep Penn State from finishing higher in the rankings.

20. Georgia Tech (16/17)-The Yellow Jackets will feel the sting of losing Jonathan Dwyer. The good news is that Josh Nesbitt is still around.

21. Oregon (11/11)-All the distractions this offseason will take their toll on the Ducks.

22. North Carolina (18/18)-We'll see if/how the Tar Heels will be affected by the recent news about Butch Davis and an academic scandal.

23. BYU (--/--)-Led by strong coaching and talented players to fill the holes left by veteran starters, the Cougars will have another good year.

24. Washington (--/--)-The darkhorse in the Pac-10. Steve Sarkisian will continue to turn around this once proud program.

25. Houston (--/--)-Another team with a senior quarterback and an up and coming coach.

OTHERS TO WATCH: Auburn, Air Force, Georgia, UConn, Stanford, Temple, Rutgers, Northwestern, West Virginia, SMU.

5 Step Drop
ACC
Big 10
Big XII
Big East
Conference USA
MAC
MWC
Pac-10
SEC
Sun Belt
WAC
Independents

5 Step Drop: College Football Indepentents 2010

The three independents might have some company in 2011. However, for 2010, it is just the three regulars: Notre Dame, Army, and Navy.

1. Who will be the best team? Navy Midshipmen. The Middies have been consistent winners for seven years now. The loss of Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate at Notre Dame will keep the Naval Academy ahead of the Fighting Irish for at least one more year.

2. Who is the top returning player? Michael Floyd, Notre Dame. Despite missing five and a half games due to injury in 2009, Floyd totaled 795 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. In the seven games he did play, he had over 100 yards receiving five times.

3. Which team will be the most improved? Notre Dame Fighting Irish. After three years of sub par play, Brian Kelly will shake things up enough to get Notre Dame back to a bowl with momentum for greater things in 2011.

4. What will be the biggest surprise? Navy will not win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. Like all good things, Navy's seven year run winning this award will come to an end. Air Force will win the award this year.

5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Rich Ellerson, Army. Ellerson is the de facto answer here. With Brian Kelly new at Notre Dame, and Ken Niumatalolo thriving at Navy, there is no other choice. Ellerson finished 5-7 in 2009, his first year on the job, which was a step up from 3-9 the year before.

5 Step Drop: Pac-10 Conference Football 2010

The Pac-10 made a lot of noise during the offseason from player suspensions at Oregon and conference expansion adding Utah and Colorado to NCAA sanctions for USC. Now, the Pac-10 is ready to make some noise on the field. Here are five questions for the upcoming season.

1. Who will win the conference? USC Trojans/Oregon State Beavers. On paper, USC will have the best record and be atop the standings. However, the NCAA will not allow USC to play in a bowl game this year. The honor of representing the Pac-10 in the Rose Bowl will fall to Oregon State. Depending on how you define conference champion, it will be one of these two teams.

2. Who is the top returning player? Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State. The diminutive Rodgers logged 1,440 yards on the ground in 2009 and found the end zone 22 times. Rodgers is capable of turning a routine run into a big gain at anytime. He is on everyone's Heisman Trophy watch.

3. Which team will be the most improved? Washington Huskies. For the second straight year, Washington will show marked improvement from the year before. Jake Locker's decision to stay for his senior year and Steve Sarkisian now in his second year as head coach are big reasons why. Make no mistake, though, these are not the only reasons why Washington will be in the hunt for the Pac-10 title late in the year. This Washington team has a lot of talent on both sides of the ball.

4. What will be the biggest surprise? With the consensus being that Oregon's off the field issues will have little effect on the Ducks success this year (Oregon is ranked number 11 in both the AP and USA Today polls), the biggest surprise will be that those off the field issues will greatly effect Oregon. This is going to be a four loss year for Chip Kelly and his crew.

5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Dennis Erickson, Arizona State. After an impressive 10-3 season in 2007, the Sun Devils have only won 9 games, combined, the last two years. If things don't turn around so Arizona State is in the top tier of the Pac-10 this year, Erickson will find himself back in retirement.

5 Step Drop: Sun Belt Conference Football 2010

The Sun Belt Conference usually gets relegated to the bottom of the college football totem pole. While that might have been true several years ago, play in the Sun Belt Conference is picking up as it completes its first decade of competition this year. Here are five questions to quickly look at the conference as we head into the 2010 season.

1. Who will win the conference? Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders. MTSU will end Troy's four year run at the top. Troy lost quarterback Levi Brown to graduation, while Dwight Dasher returns for MTSU. All of this is assuming that Dasher returns quickly from his suspension.

2. Who is the top returning player? Dwight Dasher, Middle Tennessee State. The electrifying, dual-threat quarterback exploded in 2009 and passed for 2,783 yards and ran for 1,154 yards. He also accounted for 36 touchdowns (23 passing, 13 rushing). Dasher's production led MTSU to its most successful season ever at the FBS level.

3. Which team will be the most improved? Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. The Hilltoppers faced a lot of challenges last year. This year they should reap some of the benefits. WKU should improve greatly against the run with linebackers Thomas Majors and Mike Gothard returning. Free safety Mark Santoro will help WKU improve against the pass. Offensively, quarterback Kawaun Jakes was a freshman last year. With his year of experience and maturity, in addition to the return of leading rusher Bobby Rainey, the offense will be much improved.

4. What will be the biggest surprise? I think that just happened last night with the news of Dwight Dasher's suspension. Hard to imagine anything more surprising happening. I was planning to say that a Sun Belt team would crack the national rankings, but Dasher's suspension throws that into question as well. Rather than take the easy way out, I will proffer that the biggest surprise, once the season starts, is that the Sun Belt will have 5 bowl eligible teams. The Sun Belt has never had more than four bowl eligible teams.

5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Todd Dodge, North Texas. Dodge is 5-31 in his three years on the job, and North Texas has never won more than two games in his tenure. North Texas was 7-5 and won the conference in 2004. Unless Dodge gets North Texas closer to those results, he will not be around in 2011.

5 Step Drop: 2010 Big East Conference Football

For a time this offseason, it looked like the Big East conference would cease to play college football after this year. The Big East has survived and now has the chance to show, on the field, that it belongs as one of the sport’s premier conferences.

1. Who will win the conference? Pittsburgh Panthers. Using a signature Dave Wannstedt defense with an offense centered around Dion Lewis, Pitt will win the conference for the first time since 2004.

2. Who is the best player returning? Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh. The fab-freshman broke onto the scene last year with 1,799 yards (5.5 yards per carry) and 17 touchdowns. He rushed for over 100 yards in 10 of 13 games in 2009.

3. Which team will be the most improved? Louisville. New head coach Charlie Strong will take the first steps this year to right the ship. His defensive background will have a lot to do with this. Louisville surrendered 30 or more points in seven games (all losses) last year.

4. What will be the biggest surprise? Despite being the best player returning, Dion Lewis will not lead the Big East in rushing. This conference is full of strong runners. In fact, the leading rusher from all 8 Big East schools is back in 2010. No longer a secret, Lewis will have to fight for every yard this year. He will still have a good year. This is more about the overall strength of running backs in the Big East than it is about Lewis not producing.

5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Doug Marrone, Syracuse. Okay, so he isn’t really on the hot seat, but he is the default choice. All Big East coaches are new to their school or they are having enough success that their jobs aren’t in jeopardy. In his first season (2009), Marrone led the Orangemen to four wins, which was their most in one season since 2006. He needs to show some progress this year, which might be difficult with a new starting quarterback. Unless Syracuse completely bombs the season, Marrone’s job is secure for 2011.

5 Step Drop: 2010 Mid-American Conference Football

The Mid-American Conference had some national attention last year with Dan LeFevour capping off his stellar career. Can someone else do the same in 2010?

1. Who will win the conference? Temple Owls. Yes, I am on the Temple bandwagon. I got on it last year and haven’t gotten off yet. The Owls might have won the conference championship last year if not for an injury to Bernard Pierce the week before the Ohio game. Al Golden is a great coach who showed commitment to the program this offseason by not taking other job offers. His players noticed and made the same investment by working extra hard this offseason.

2. Who is the top returning player? Bernard Pierce, Temple. He came in and made an immediate impact as a freshman last year. He rushed for over 100 yards six times en route to 1,361 yards and 16 touchdowns. Pierce was a freshman all-American, and this year Temple is promoting him for the Heisman Trophy.

3. Which team will be the most improved? Ball State. The Cardinals did a complete 180 going from two losses in 2008 to two wins in 2009. This year will be much different. Ball State had to start over after losing head coach Brady Hoke to San Diego State and quarterback Nate Davis to the NFL. Running back MiQuale Lewis is still on the roster, so expect marked improvement out of Muncie, Indiana.

4. What will be the biggest surprise? Northern Illinois will beat Iowa State. The Cyclones won seven games in 2009 including a win in the Insight Bowl, but Chad Spann and company will make a statement on the opening day of the 2010 season.

5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Doug Martin, Kent State. Kent State followed a 6-6 year in 2006 with 3-9, 4-8, and 5-7 records. Martin has a talented team this year, especially since the NCAA granted Eugene Jarvis a sixth year of eligibility. If he can’t get the Golden Flashes to a bowl game, he could be shown the way out.

5 Step Drop: 2010 Big XII Conference Football

The Big XII conference was the center of a lot of attention this offseason. They hope the attention continues once the games start. Here are five questions giving a quick overview of the Big XII.

1. Who will win the conference? Oklahoma Sooners. Barring any unforeseen injuries like last year. Injuries were the only thing that kept Oklahoma from another Big XII championship in 2009. Landry Jones has a year of playing experience and has had all offseason to prepare knowing that he is the man.

2. Who is the top returning player? Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M. Last year, the Aggies’ quarterback made several big plays with both his arm and his legs. He threw for over 3,500 yards with 30 touchdowns, and he ran for over 500 yards and another eight touchdowns.

3. Which team will be the most improved? Baylor. The Bears will have Robert Griffin back to provide a boost. He is still recovering some of his mobility, but he will be effective enough all year to give Baylor a big improvement over 2009.

4. What will be the biggest surprise? No Big XII player will be a Heisman Trophy finalist. From 2003 to 2009, the Big XII had at least one player go to New York every year except one (2006). Landry Jones, Kendall Hunter, and Jerrod Johnson will get hype throughout the year, but none one of them will make the cut.

5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Dan Hawkins, Colorado. He was supposed to be a prodigy from Boise State that would make CU a force again. Hawkins was 53-11 in five years at Boise State. In four years in Boulder, Hawkins is just 16-33.

Conference USA Football Season Preview 2010

Conference USA has made some noise the last few years with multiple wins against top teams from BCS automatic qualifying conferences. The conference will build on the recent success this year.

1. Who will win the conference? Houston Cougars. Houston will hold off a steep challenge in the west division by SMU, but Case Keenum’s senior leadership will carry the Cougars to the conference championship game. Memories of the loss in 2009 will lead to a big win by Houston.

2. Who is the top returning player? Case Keenum, Houston. Keenum has passed for over 5,000 yards two years in a row. He tossed 44 touchdown passes in 2009, while adding four scores on the ground.

3. Which team will be the most improved? Tulsa. The Golden Hurricanes will rebound from the 5-7 season a year ago. With a year under his belt, G.J. Kinne will have the offense clicking again, and this Tulsa team will more resemble the 2007 and 2008 teams that won 10 and 11 games.

4. What will be the biggest surprise? Case Keenum will go to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist. With monster numbers to go along with the conference championship, Keenum will earn enough respect from the voters that he will be invited to New York for the announcement.

5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Bob Toledo, Tulane. A 4-8 season followed by 2-10 and 3-9 is enough to get any coach on the hot seat. Tulane needs to push for bowl eligibility for Toledo to keep his job.

Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Football Season Preview 2010

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has been a little down the last few years, but 2010 just might be the year that the conference champion makes it to the BCS title game.

1. Who will win the conference? Miami Hurricanes. The team is very disappointed with the way 2009 ended. They are going to play like men on a mission this year. Nothing will satisfy their hunger except an ACC championship. Last year their youthfulness caught up with them. That won’t be the case this year.

2. Who is the top returning player? Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech. Williams quietly ran for 1,655 yards last year. I say quietly because that was the fifth most in the nation and only three yards less than Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. Williams also scored 22 touchdowns and eclipsed the 100 yard mark 10 times.

3. Which team will be the most improved? Florida State Seminoles. After floundering in mediocrity for four years, Florida State made a coaching change at the end of last year. That change will pay immediate dividends. The ‘Noles will win the Atlantic division.

4. What will be the biggest surprise? The return of Mark Herzlich to the field for Boston College. Herzlich used his redshirt year to fight bone cancer. Now he is back. While playing time will be limited to start, by season’s end he will be playing a lot and making a difference.

5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Tom O’Brien, North Carolina State. Since the Wolfpack hired him away from Boston College after the 2006 season, O’Brien has not delivered. North Carolina State has a record of 16-21 over the last three years.

Mountain West Conference Football Season Preview for 2010

The Mountain West Conference (MWC) has been on a roll the last few years with TCU and the Utah Utes going to BCS bowls. How do things look for 2010?

1. Who will win the conference? TCU Horned Frogs. Not only will TCU win the MWC, but they have a pretty clear path to another undefeated regular season and a second consecutive BCS bowl game. BYU and Utah will provide more of a challenge this year than last, but TCU should come out on top in the end.

2. Who is the top returning player? Carmen Messina, New Mexico. The Lobos linebacker led the nation in tackles (162) as a sophomore. He is going to give Brian Urlacher a run for his money as the best linebacker in New Mexico Lobos history if he posts similar numbers this year.

3. Which team will be the most improved? San Diego State Aztecs. Head Coach Brady Hoke brought competitiveness to San Diego last year, and this year they will take the next step and go bowling. They may even push Air Force for that number four spot in the conference.

4. What will be the biggest surprise? One of the "Big 3" (TCU, BYU, Utah) will lose to one of the other six members of the conference. No one has done it for a few years, but this year will be different. It could happen as early as September 11 when BYU and Air Force meet and Utah plays UNLV. Air Force usually plays Utah close, and the Cadets could trip up Utah on October 30 if the Utes are looking ahead to TCU the next week. Utah faces San Diego State after playing TCU and Notre Dame, back-to-back, and the week before rival BYU.

5. Which coach is on the hottest seat? Mike Locksley, New Mexico. After the disaster on the field (1-11) and the distractions off the field, Locksley is on a short leash. Even if everything off the field is in check, another one win season and he can expect to be canned.