Alabama - The Tide will be a preseason favorite to not only win the SEC, but to repeat as national chamions. They keep Ingram and McElroy will continue to do just enough and keep the mistakes to a minumum. Cody and McClain are HUGE losses, but Saban defenses always reload - not rebuild. True, the '10 version of the D might be a touch softer, but it still might be enough to be the best in the land. My early predictions, though, call for at least 1 loss.
The Big-XII - Will Texas be the favorite to repeat in the Big-XII? I'm not sure, honestly. They lose Shipley and McCoy, but it's not like the rest of the league's that loaded. Much like past seasons - but unlike this year - the South will come down to UT and OU. The big Question is whether or not Nebraska will be serious in their role as North Champ. Suh's gone, but the D should recover enough to be dominant; it's the offense that will decide the Huskers fate. If it catches up, look for a North team to be the best in the Big-XII...and it's been a long time since we said that.
Boise State - I'm sorry, I know you had two good wins, but there's no way we can give a WAC team the nod over an undefeated SEC team who knocked off an unbeaten Big-XII team. Alabama is clearly the national champion and they will still be the favorite next season, despite the fact that Boise returns just as many key elements. See, the WAC isn't a proving ground and the Broncos non-conference slots just aren't enough to create a schedule good enough* to compete with teams who play in the bigs. You played -and beat - Oregon and TCU? Great. Who else did you play? Oh, LA Tech and Idaho. Sorry, we were looking for LSU and Florida. We would have also accepted Nebraska and Oklahoma. Hell, in a pinch, maybe even Miami and VA Tech. That's why, barring a bloody regular season that leaves all big-time champions with 2 losses**, Boise State, even undefeated, won't play for the title in 2010. Or - especially if they don't change leagues - ever.
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* I Know nobody will agree to play Boise State, but even if they played 4 of the best BCS teams in the nation in their non-conf. slots, they'd still be weighted down with WAC opponents in the other 8 games. It just doesn't cut it. Is it fair? No, especially when you factor in that the Big East is AQ and the MWC is almost in, too. But, I don't make the rules.
**And, if the conference champions all have 2 losses, it would be indicative of even more competition, not less talent at the top. Think of 2007. Should Hawaii have playe
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