With the 2008 NFL Draft having come and gone, the football world is starting to gear up for another season sans the ’07 senior class and a handful of juniors including Darren McFadden. In fact, it appeared as though the junior class got more attention than the seniors from the press, and Urban Meyer was thanking God that Tim Tebow was only a sophomore.

With the dismissal of QB Ryan Perrilloux for a myriad of offenses ending with a failed drug test, now would be an appropriate time for a short, but flowery diatribe about the character of LSU coach Les Miles and his principles as a leader, but let’s be honest, that isn’t going to happen. Instead the Tigers are in search to fill the QB position with red shirt freshman Jarrett Lee who’s never thrown a pass in regulation, and Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch who’s thrown two. After the loss of their two best quarterbacks and Glenn Dorsey, the Tigers may be in danger of a talent deficit to compensate for the decision making on the sidelines.

The Rich Rodriguez v. West Virginia saga continues, but honestly, does anyone really care anymore? He owes them money, they want it, he doesn’t want to pay… not living up to your responsibilities is a great lesson to teach your players… good quality selection for Michigan.

Michigan QB Ryan Mallett fled the Wolverine state upon arrival of the new coach, selecting Arkansas as his new home. The Razorbacks in true Petrino form, requested that Mallett not be required to sit out the mandatory year for a transfer, but was denied by the NCAA. Citing reasons such as “we want him to play,” and “why should we follow the rules, Rich Rodriguez doesn’t,” the Razorbacks knitted a well throughout case, but alas the mullet draped domes didn’t have enough brain power to get Mallett on the field.

The Big XII had a less than stellar outing in the 2008 Draft with only one player being selected in the first round. One could argue that’s because most of the conference was young and not many players were in the draft, but the level of play cultivated from last year’s season certainly didn’t warrant much respect from the NFL scouts. Whatever the reason, a lot of teams will have some very familiar faces, including virtually every quarterback.

After Alabama cleaned house in this year’s recruiting class, football upstart Kentucky has decided it wants to keep up with the Jones’, and is employing the use of a private jet for its football, and of course, basketball programs. Clearly this was an economical decision, because at $4,000 per flight hour, how could a program NOT go this route? If only there was someone on that plane named Saban.

After last year’s circus, it will be interesting to see how the 2008 season plays out… and being that the BCS commissioners have no interest in improving the system, you can almost guarantee controversy over rankings (Ohio State, USC), who’s in the national championship game (Georgia, Kansas, Hawaii), and why on earth the opinions of coaches and sports writers has any impact on the next national champion. God forbid we actually decide such things on the field.

The currently six conferences where the champion has an automatic BCS birth: Big 10, Pac 10, Big XII, ACC, Big East, and SEC. Of these conferences, the Big 10, Pac 10 and Big East are smaller and don’t have a conference championship game. Winning these conferences are direct tickets to a BCS bowl game, yet some have dramatically easier paths to get there.

Here’s how to fix it. Hawaii and Boise State join the Pac 10, making them the Pac 12 (or they can keep their name if math isn’t their thing). The Big XII gives up Iowa State to the Big 10 (since they only need one team to make 12 anyway), and the Big XII picks up TCU. Now this makes for a weak Big 10, so they could give up recently acquired Iowa State or Northwestern and pick up Notre Dame (not that ND is really a step up, but it can’t hurt). The Big East needs to pick up four, but that shouldn’t be too hard. Once these or similar moves are made, we’ll have each BCS conference with 12 teams, each split into halves.

Seasons will be reduced by two games to accommodate a playoff system. Teams that do not make the playoffs are welcome to play two more games that no one cares about anyway. The winner of each conference half gets an invite to the playoff. That will make for a bracket of 12. This allows for four wildcard slots. Seeding for the playoffs will be based on the BCS rankings. For the wildcard slots, teams must meet certain eligibility to be selected. First, a team must play at least one school from the BCS conference during the season. Second, they must have a record of at least 7 – 3 (10 game season). If a team meets these two criteria, then they will be eligible for the playoff and will be selected by committee.

A bracket of 16 will require a team to play four games to win the national championship. This will be only one more game than a national champion from a real conference would play anyway (sorry Big 10, Pac 10 and Big East, small conferences don’t count).

Will deserving teams get left out under this system? Sure. But if they get left out, they will be roughly one or two games above 500, and let’s be honest, that doesn’t give anyone much of a leg to stand on.

Under this system, LSU or Ohio State wouldn’t walk away with a trophy simply because enough coaches or sports writers liked them more than Georgia, USC, or Oklahoma, and it would allow the cream to rise to the top in a setting that doesn’t allow for a loss to be excused. This year, either Ohio State or LSU will be the champion, and if you can tell me one of them is the best team in the NCAA without any question in your mind, then you need to get the paint off your face.

The SEC Championship provided plenty of entertainment was Tennessee struck first and kept the Tigers in catch-up mode for a majority of the game. Perrilloux, the back-up QB on suspension until Les Miles realized he needed him, threw for 243 yards, while the Tiger backfield ran the ball for 212 yards, scoring 21 points to Tennessee’s 14. Ainge threw for 249 yards, but gave up two interceptions, one of which was run back for a touchdown, which proved to be the difference in the game. It’s unfortunate that such a talented team is led Les Miles. With that talent, LSU will likely be favored over No. 1 Ohio State in the BCS Championship, and with Tressel being such a class act, it’ll be an interesting game to watch as he faces off against the class clown.

Pitt. Where did those guys come from? In a game that was all but a foregone conclusion in everyone’s mind, I guess someone forgot to tell the Panthers they were supposed to lose. After going into the half up by three, the Panthers moved the ball for 99 yards in the third quarter, while West Virginia moved the ball for negative three. With only 183 total yards of offense, the Mountaineers limped up and down the field not even a full two times, while Pitt roughly the same amount of yards offense, but were able to capitalize when in the red zone, and outscored the No. 2 team in the country 13 – 9.

No. 7 USC, unsurprisingly, dominated UCLA, beating the Bruins 24 – 7 and sealing their trip to the Rose Bowl. Also in the Pac 10, No. 11 Arizona State defeated Mike Stoops and company 20 – 17, holding off a fourth quarter surge by the Wildcats, but the Sun Devils came up short in their quest for a BCS bowl as they will take on Texas in the Holiday Bowl.

No. 3 Virginia Tech put the beat down on Boston College, defeating them 30 – 16. While Matt Ryan throw for over 300 yards, he struggled keeping the ball out of the Hokies’ hands, giving up two interceptions. Meanwhile, the Hokies managed only 300 total yards of offense, but with the help of their defense, it was more than enough to secure the ACC title and a trip to the Orange Bowl to face No. 8 Kansas.

For the fifth time since 2000, the Oklahoma Sooners are the Big XII Champions. After defeating the No. 1 ranked team in the country (for the second time this year), the Sooners moved to the No. 4 spot in the BCS rankings and will face West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan., 2. The Sooners dominated the Missouri Tigers as they moved the ball for 375 yards of offense, one pick on Daniel (the ball, not his nose), two sacks and three tackles for a loss on Daniel, and 38 points. As Chase Daniel watched his Heisman chances get sacked in the backfield, coach Gary Pinkel, recently voted “most likely to pull a Gundy,” stood on the sidelines and watched his team get manhandled, perhaps realizing that his players and coaches stating that the Sooners got lucky during their regular season win over the Tigers wasn’t such a great idea. As Franchione learned on several occasions, Pinkel just found out why playing the Sooners is tough enough, playing them when they are pissed off is even worse.

No. 6 Virginia Tech takes on No. 11 Boston College in the ACC Championship game. While the Hokies have already lost to BC before, this is their chance to rebound and make their way into a BCS bowl game. Leading in the BCS poll by five places, the Hokies are also favored to win the game by five, and while it’s hard to get excited about winning the ACC, it’s all either team has to live for this year, and a place the Eagles of BC haven’t been to in a while. With their QB firing on all eight cylinders and beating Miami for the first time in their last 15 tries, they don’t plan on letting a team named after a turkey stop them. BC wins by 8.

No. 8 USC, who emerged last weekend as the most efficient and functional team in the NCAA, takes on traditional end of year semi-rival, UCLA. The Bruins have played spoiler on the Trojans from time to time, but it’s not happening this year as the Trojans will crush the Bruin by at least 21 if they are lucky, and by 40 if they are not.

The Volunteers of No. 14 Tennessee have momentum on their side after their 4 OT win over Kentucky, clinching their spot in the SEC Championship game. Tennessee has flown under the radar since their second week loss to Cal, and later to Florida, but they have quietly remained in the hunt, staying just ahead of Georgia in the SEC East, and now they have their chance. The No. 7 LSU Tigers have the opposite, after losing in 3 OT to unranked, underachieving Arkansas. Now the question remains, will the Tigers use their loss to propel them into a frenzy, like sharks in blood laden water? Or will they mope around like a kid being picked on by the school bully, and let the Volunteers take their lunch money. With their coach busy eyeballing Michigan for his next job, not one human in Ann Arbor wanting him there, and the national championship completely out of reach, the Tigers don’t have much to look forward to, and nothing would make the Vols happier than to send the loud mouth, overrate LSU Tigers back to swampland with their third loss. Tennessee wins by 14.

No. 1 Missouri takes on No. 9 Oklahoma in the Big XII Championship, hosted by the Alamo Dome in San Antonio. Lower ranked, yet leading in popular vote by a spread of three, the Sooners are in the unusual position of potential spoiler. The Tigers have an incredibly effective offense with Chase Daniels taking the snaps and an array of Tight Ends and Wide Receivers all capable of putting big numbers on the boards. Despite glitz and glamour, however, games are won in the trenches, and the O line and D line that dominates will take home the trophy. With that, Oklahoma’s lines have been on again off again as the season wrapped up, but if Stoops and crew can figure out what it takes for them to show up in San Antonio and put the beat down on their weaker opponents across the ball, the game will go to the Sooners with relative ease. If not, Pinkel gets the trophy, and that is unacceptable. Sooners win by 6.

As the Black Knights of Army take the field Saturday, they will be playing for much more than just themselves, their team, or their school. They’ll be playing for over 200 years of cadets who have gone before them, boys who emerged men, forged to fight and win our nation’s wars. Macarthur, Eisenhower, Lee, Grant, Bradley, Patton and countless more have gone before this team, creating the history that has shaped the world. On their uniforms, the team will be wearing the patches of Army units, representing soldiers across the globe who are fighting to keep our nation free. The seniors on the team know they are within months of graduating, with a guaranteed ticket to Iraq or Afghanistan, some of whom may not come home. Yet they play football, putting all they have into each snap, running each play, and despite the odds, never giving up until the final whistle blows. And when it’s over, they line up, facing the Corps, to sing the Alma Mater for the last time as football players, perhaps truly hearing the words for the very first time. There will be watery eyes in the players, in the stands, and across the globe… “may it be said ‘well done,’ be thou at peace.” To them it’s more than just a game, and to their fans, seeing the Army team on the field is always a victory despite the score. Most of these players had no chance to play at a big name football school, others simply wanted to play football while at Army, but they all make the same sacrifices, leaving it all on the field, not playing for personal glory, but for Duty, Honor, and Country. GO ARMY!!!!

Missouri put the beat down on the Kansas Jayhawks this weekend, which was not a surprise to many. KU provided little offense until the fourth quarter, coming up empty from the red zone on three different occasions, while their defense, peppered with horrible tackling allowed Missouri to roam the field at will, and in the end, the two field goals missed by the Kansas place kicker turned out to be deadly.

No. 2 West Virginia is one win away from the National Title game after they crushed Conference leader UCONN. Winning 66 – 21, the Mountaineers made a statement that they were in this to win, and if they can be the only team to avoid the curse of No. 2 this year, they’ll be in the big dance on January 7th.

USC played possibly the best game of the week, defeating the Sun Devils on the road 44 – 24. The Trojans were firing on all cylinders, while Arizona State struggled to maintain its composure and move the ball, rushing for only 16 yards total. While I have very little love for USC, one can’t help but respect them and their abilities, and I certainly wouldn’t want to tangle with the Trojans in a bowl game.

As I’ve said before, the only thing better than watching Nick Saban lose, is watching Les Miles lose, and this weekend was Christmas come early. The Arkansas Razorbacks with a lame duck coach on the sidelines defeated the No. 1 team in the country after three overtime periods. The Auburn Tigers defeated the Crimson Tide 17 – 10. Led by the highest paid mediocre coach in the NCAA this year, the Tide finished the year 6 – 6, and as the ABC sportscaster stated, “They sure didn’t get much for their 4 million dollars.” Well said sir, well said.

No. 9 Oklahoma made short work of Oklahoma State this Saturday. After a four down goal line stand in the first quarter, the momentum was firmly behind the Sooners as they sent the Cowboys back to Stillwater with yet another loss on their record. Clearly OSU’s “Greatest Offense in the World” forgot to show up… again.

The No. 20 Texas Longhorns disappointed their fan base yet again, losing to Texas A&M 38 – 30 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the score suggests. The Aggies dominated from the first snap, moving the ball 533 yards, with a lame duck coach on the sidelines who just wanted the game to end so he could quit. Adding a lack of leadership in the Longhorn huddle, Texas fans have started to wonder if they are getting their money’s worth out of Mack Brown. After losing twice in a row to an underachieving Aggie team, losing six of the last eight match-ups against Oklahoma, and only one Big XII title on his resume, Mack Brown’s label as a one trick pony is becoming more and more ingrained every year.

No. 14 Tennessee left the Blue Grass state after winning 52 – 50 in four overtime periods. Unfortunately, Ainge and crew don’t have the luxury of enjoying their victory as they prepare to face LSU this weekend in the SEC Championship game, but they definitely have the momentum to put another upset on the Tigers and secure Fulmer’s job for at least another year.

As the season ends, so do coaching contracts, and this year is certainly no exception. With Nebraska, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech and Arkansas as only a sample of schools letting their coaches go, the shuffle is on. While some may ride past accomplishment through the years of mediocrity, that can only go so far, and those without past accomplishment are looking for a new job.

If you can even call it an upset, No. 11 USC is ready to take out some frustration on No. 6 Arizona State. The Trojans need a lot more than just a win to make the Rose Bowl, but they have to start by taking care of their own business… something that proved too much of a task against Stanford. If the Trojans can figure it out against the Sun Devils, they’ll still need an Oregon loss, but with Dixon out, their hopes are high. USC wins by 14.

On Friday, Nebraska and Colorado tangle for their traditional last game of the year, and for the loser of this game, it truly will be their last game. The Huskers facing a year without a bowl game is hard to believe with a coach that’s doing such an outstanding job. I’m sure Callahan will be expecting his “didn’t make it to a bowl” bonus at the end of the year. Huskers lose just because they haven’t fired Callahan yet.

The game with the biggest national implications of the week is No. 18 Tennessee when they take on the Kentucky Wildcats. The Volunteers need this win to clinch the SEC East and take on the LSU Tigers… if they don’t, the door is wide open for the Georgia Bulldogs, possibly the best team in football right now, and with Tennessee barely squeaking by opponents lately, this game is well short of a lock. Tennessee wins by 3.

Look out Oregon… now that it’s established the Ducks are truly a “Team of One,” the UCLA Bruins are ready to crush both you and your Rose Bowl dreams. UCLA wins by 17.

No. 19 Boise State takes the long flight to play No. 15 (unbeaten) Hawaii. With both teams sporting schedules that makes Kansas’ schedule look like World War II, it’s appropriate this game is being played under Friday night lights… well… it’s in Hawaii so I guess it’s a morning game there. Boise State will crush Hawaii and their dreams of a BCS bowl.

No. 13 Texas travels to College Station with plans to enact revenge over last year’s home loss and cheap shots. With the Aggies’ Strong Safety on suspension through the first half of the game, it doesn’t look like discipline has worked its way into the A&M program; but clearly, losing games in spite of easy victories is still a tradition. McCoy, having matured to the age of 14, is ready to play and show he can last the whole game despite the need for Texas to only play the fourth quarter. Texas wins by 10, because at Texas A&M, tradition is everything.

Alright ‘Bama fans… let’s talk. How much are you paying Nick Saban? Take that number and divide it by 6… how much does that come to per win? A lot. Would you like a list of every other team sitting at 6 – 5 this year? I guarantee their coaches don’t make nearly what Saban is pillaging from your program. Still in love with Saban? How about after he gets crushed by Auburn this weekend? Careful who you put your trust in, because any coach can deliver a 6 – 6 year. Auburn wins by 17 (Hey, if UL Monroe can do it….).

The No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners are struggling to retain their lead in the Big XII South, as they face outspoken and underperforming Oklahoma State. With Demarco Murray out and Bradford as questionable, the Sooners will be lacking in offense going into Saturday’s game, and if the Cowboys are able to take the lead, the Sooners may not recover. That being said, the Sooners have only two losses at home since 2000 for a reason, and OSU’s ability to screw up anything has never been debated. OU wins by 10.

No. 4 Missouri beats No. 2 Kansas, but that’s already been covered.

This weekend will have severe impact on the national scene and teams on top now will be no longer once Saturday is done, and if the chips fall just the right way, a two loss national champion is a possibility we all could face… GO UCONN!!!! (WVU losses by 3.

First, the curse of the number two rank is alive and well, after the Arizona Wildcats ousted No. 2 Oregon during a Thursday night nationally televised game. Oregon in now the fifth team that has lost while in the second spot, including:

• USC
• Cal
• South Florida
• Boston College

Only LSU has held the No. 2 rank without losing… they lost while ranked No. 1.

Whether superstitious or not, the fate that has awaited every team ranked No. 2 cannot be denied, and frankly, I think coaches in the Top 10 are secretly hoping they don’t get ranked number two, at least not until the National Championship game.

Second, Kansas hasn’t played anyone. Jayhawk fans beg to differ? Well, of schools in BCS conferences, ESPN ranked Kansas’ schedule the number one easiest in the country, and it’s not hard to see why. Of Kansas’ eleven wins, only 3 of its opponents have winning records, each being 6 – 5.

Records of Kansas Opponents (as of Nov. 19)

• Central Michigan 6 – 5
• SE Louisiana 2 – 8
• Toledo 5 – 6
• Florida International 0 – 9
• Kansas State 5 – 6
• Baylor 3 – 9
• Colorado 5 – 6
• Texas A&M 6 – 5
• Oklahoma State 6 – 5
• Iowa State 3 – 9

The University of Missouri is 10 – 1, with their sole loss coming to the No. 10 University of Oklahoma Sooners and two of their wins coming over ranked teams.

Kansas has managed to put together a schedule that has propelled them into the national spot light without having to actually prove anything. Their next two games are now their entire season as they will be the true tests of the Jayhawks resolve and ability. Facing Missouri next week, and either the Sooners or Longhorns in the Big XII Championship, the Jayhawks’ easy street as come to an end, and if the Tigers have anything to do with it, that street ends Saturday.

Oregon kicked off the football weekend with a tremendous fizzle, as the Arizona Wildcats and Stoops Inc. trounced the Ducks, beating them by seven. While the score may not warrant the term “trounce,” the history between the two programs and Oregon’s ability to fool the nation that they are a legitimate title contender give the Wildcats more than a few bragging rights, and more credence that the curse of No. 2 is alive and well.

Michigan confirmed to the world that they really aren’t very good this year. Despite going into their showdown with the Buckeyes having three losses on their record, many remained hopefully the Wolverines would get it together and upset their hated rival. Yeah, that didn’t happen. The Buckeyes gave an average performance at best, scoring 14 points total, but the Wolverines performed even worse, striking first in the game with a field goal, and never tacked on another point the entire game. Another lack luster Ohio State v. Michigan game came and went, disappointing all the hype yet again.

No. 3 West Virginia just received the gift of the year, as two of the four teams between them and a National Championship were eliminated, giving the Mountaineers a prime opportunity to win out and let others do their dirty work eliminating their only obstacle – Kansas. West Virginia made short work of Syracuse in a well played game where Patrick White yet again established himself as the leader of the team, and a possible invitee to New York.

If Tim Tebow doesn’t get the Heisman this year, then the voters must be living under a rock. With 26 passing TD’s and 20 rushing, he’s clearly establishing himself as the dominant force behind center, especially now that Dixon at Oregon has been knocked out for the rest of the season due to injury. Oh, and by the way, Florida destroyed Florida International 59 – 20.

Kentucky led No. 7 Georgia by three going into halftime, but unfortunately for the Wildcats, they had to play a second half, and after the Bulldogs put 17 points on the board, holding Kentucky to zero, the Wildcats fell out of the top 25.

No. 14 Boston College scored 17 points in the fourth quarters, squeaking it out against No. 22 Clemson and taking the lead in the ACC Atlantic Division. Now it’s time for the Eagles to wait and see who will come out between UVA and Virginia Tech in the Costal Division and challenge BC for the conference championship.

Newly minted No. 2 Kansas put the beating on Iowa State, routing the Cyclones 45 – 7. The Jayhawks have gone from football cellar dwellers to living high on the hog in eleven mere games, but the true challenge for Kansas lies ahead.

The Red Raiders of Texas Tech but a beat down of epic proportions on the now ranked No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners in the first three quarters of Saturday night’s game. Scoring on 5 straight drives, the Red Raiders were almost unstoppable on offense, and had an equal caliber of game with their defense, holding the Sooners to 13 points in the first three periods. After a last ditch effort to catch up in the fourth quarter, it was too little too late for the Sooners, loosing by 7, and dashing all hopes for a trip to New Orleans this year. (New Orleans sucks anyway.)

This year has just been amazing and completely unpredictable, yet again giving credence that you are better off doing crack cocaine than betting on college sports… and it’s certainly not over… not by a long shot.

No. 1 LSU: The Tigers of LSU are in the best position of all, on top. But despite the lack of competition left in their schedule, they do have one little hurdle to clear, the SEC Championship game, and that will be no small matter. With the Volunteers of Tennessee looking as the likely match-up, it would be an appropriate ending to this crazy year for the Volunteers to walk away with an SEC title en route to a BCS bowl, and Les Miles moves to Ann Arbor.

No. 2 Oregon: Oregon has two problems facing them. First, the curse of the No. 2 rank, and second, the UCLA Bruins who have this knack for ruining other teams hope and dreams. While Oregon has been playing like a machine recently, their recent bye week will hopefully (if you’re a Duck fan) prepare them to finish the season strong and make people think the Pac 10 is really a good conference. *** Oregon was crushed by the Curse of No. 2 last night, choking it out to Stoops Inc. Looks like the Christmas tree in the Stoops home will be surrounded with gifts to Mike and Mark from their older brother. ***

No. 3 Kansas, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 5 Missouri: The Big XII is in relatively uncharted waters with three teams in the AP and BCS Top 5. The problem, however, is that all three are likely to play each other over the next three weeks. Missouri and Kansas will play each other Nov. 23, and if OU wins out, will face the winner in the Big XII Championship game. If Kansas is the real thing and can beat their only true opponent in the regular season (Missouri), then the Big XII Championship game should be very interesting to watch. If they aren’t and Missouri blows them out, then the championship game will be a no win situation for the Sooners, except the opportunity for another trophy in the case.

No. 6 West Virginia: Beyond being the higher ranked second place team in the Big East, West Virginia is largely playing for pride as they face conference leader UCONN next week. If they succeed and win out the season, they’ll enjoy a nice BCS bowl game, but that will be all. If they don’t, the Rotor-Rooter Plumbers bowl should draw a decent crowd for them.

No. 7 Ohio State: The Buckeyes still have the Michigan game to look forward to, and possibly the Rose Bowl, but their late loss in the year has eliminated them from the National Championship scene (baring nuclear meltdown of every team ranked above them), and frankly, after last years performance against Florida, no one is going to miss them.

No. 8 Arizona State: After being brought back to reality by Oregon, it will be interesting to see if the fire has left Arizona State as they face off against USC this weekend. Residing at the top of the list for a BCS at large bid, the Sun Devils are one loss away from the Holiday Bowl, and that loss is very possible.

No. 9 Georgia: Arguably the hottest team in the NCAA right now, the Bulldogs turned on the heat too late. With their loss to Tennessee, it’s likely the Volunteers will represent the SEC East in the conference title game, while the Bulldogs stay at home hoping for a BCS bid.

No. 10 Virginia Tech: With two losses, a tough end of season game against No. 14 Virginia and then a conference title game, the Hokies are far from a lock for any BCS bowl game. After a spotty season and inconsistent play, they are the highest ranked team getting zero attention at the national level, and are a breath from being wiped out of the top ten and any bowl game sponsored by a company you’ve actually heard of.

No. 11 USC, No. 12 Florida, No. 13 Texas: It’s no surprise that USC, Florida and Texas would be ranked one, two, and three, just no one expected those numbers to be in the second decimal place. USC is out of the running and no chance of coming back, however, if Oregon gets the nod for the big dance, and the Trojans beat Arizona State, they could once again play in the Rose Bowl, likely against Ohio State or possibly Oklahoma. No. 12 Florida is simply hoping for a decent bowl game and to start preparing for next year. After getting beat up in the SEC and no light at the end of the tunnel, it’s now time to start rebuilding for the following season and hype Tebow for the Heisman. Lastly, Texas is still knocking at Oklahoma’s door in the Big XII south, but it would take both Texas Tech and Okie Lite beating the Sooners for the Longhorns to make it to San Antonio. Also, with Kansas and Missouri both residing in the top five and the possibility of KU going out with zero or one loss, it would take a long string of unexpected losses for the Horns to have any shot at a BCS bowl game… despite what Geoff Ketchum says.

The week kicks off with a late Thursday night game as No. 2 Oregon takes on Mike Stoops and the Arizona Wildcats. The Ducks should have little problems with this Arizona team, but the curse of No. 2 is alive and well this year, and this is Oregon’s first game under their new rank. Despite that, it’ll take more than superstition for the Ducks to lose. Oregon wins by 20.

No. 23 Kentucky started the season on an amazing path that has dwindled into mediocrity, but opportunity is knocking at their door again as they travel to Athens to take on the No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs. This may be the biggest upset opportunity of the week, but with the way Georgia is playing lately, and the sound means by which they dispatched Auburn last week, I think Kentucky will struggle to just keep it close. Georgia wins by 24.

No. 6 West Virginia should have no problems wrapping up No. 22 Cincinnati en route to their face off with powerhouse UCONN (stop laughing). As the Mountaineers cling to what little hope they have for a national championship bid, they will need to finish with style to get any love, and that will mean a deafening defeat over the Bearcats. WV wins with a whimper… by 7.

No. 1 LSU plays Mississippi… No. 20 Tennessee plays Vanderbilt. There’s your SEC Championship match-up, despite Heisman lock Tim Tebow playing for that other team.

The Big XII winners will be No. 5 Missouri over Kansas State, No. 3 Kansas over Iowa State, and Oklahoma State over Baylor. Kansas, who has yet to play anyone, has one last “give me” before they tackle Missouri in what could potentially be Kansas’ only real game of the year.

No. 4 Oklahoma had better not be looking any farther than Lubbock, Texas, the scariest place on Earth. Playing a night game, under the lights, on the road, against Texas Tech sounds about as fun as a root canal, and come Saturday, it will be the Sooners’ reality. With the Tech offense lighting up scoreboards and leading the nation in numerous categories, the often burned Sooner secondary will have to figure out how to make a stand and shut them down, while the offense will need to eat up clock and score on virtually every drive. Without this, the Sooner season could quickly come to an end. Oklahoma wins by 7.

Last to be mentioned because it’s last on my mind, Ohio State v. Michigan. In the game that used to matter, and HBO for reason still cares about, the Buckeyes take on the Wolverines in their attempt to remain a one loss team and go on the Rose Bowl. With the ninth easiest schedule in BCS conferences, the Buckeyes have shown they can crumble to any challenge thrown their way, while the Wolverines will either try to win Coach Carr’s last regular season game as their coach, or use his pending departure as an excuse for choking yet again. Wolverines win a sloppy game by 3.