NCAA Football 2005 Season (1 Viewer)

So, who's winning it all this year?

I have some errands to run, so I'll be back with predictions.

Was at Vegas this weekend and they were only taking 2 bets for 2005/6 NCAA Football:

USC 3/1
All Others 4/1
"If USC fails to win or qualify for the Rose Bowl, then All Others is considered the winner"


I might be off on the odds (maybe it was 2/1 and 3/1, or both 3/1, I can't remember) but I thought it was really odd that the sportsbooks hadn't broken down any of the teams outside of USC.

My personal feeling is that USC will miss Norm Chow's playcalling. They have enough offensive talent to overcome it this year, but with Leinart's departure, and at least either Bush or White going pro after this year, then we'll really see if Sarkisian is the "mini-Chow" that USC believes he is.

I agree, but still think they will win it again.

Yeah they're offensively loaded this year. Their offense could score 28 points against some of the lower-tier NFL teams.

Another interesting question (and maybe one that is overlooked) is what is going to happen defensively. I know Carroll is the "defensive guru" but by most accounts here in L.A., recently departed coach Ed Orgeron really held that D together. And he took another D-coordinator with him to his new head coaching job. Also, USC lost most of its D-line and Groots at LB (and maybe another LB?). That'll be tough to overcome.

Being a UCLA alum/fan, I can tell you firsthand what happens when coaches lose talented assistant coaches. Back in 87-88 we had a 20 game winning streak and the town was in love with Bob Toledo. Then we lost DC Rocky Long to New Mexico (who instilled his smoke-n-mirrors defense to great effect at UCLA) which led to the falling apart of the D starting in 1998, and then lost OC Al Borges (who is now instilling his diverse offense at Auburn, witness last year's great O over there) and now we've played 500 ball in the years since both left. Shortly after both coaches left, Cade McNown graduated, along with talented receivers like Danny Farmer, and the other talent from that era left over the next couple of years.

Not saying that will happen to USC, if they learn from their crosstown rival's plight, but it does go to show that assistant coaches often play as important a role as the head coaches.

I saw in last weekend's paper that Notre Dame was a double-digit underdog in numerous games already, including USC, Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue. The paper suggested that Charlie Weiss may want to re-apply for his coordinator job with the Patriots very soon. It warms this Wolverine fan's heart to see that.

Michigan and OSU should once again be the main contenders for the Big Ten. Iowa lost a lot of players from last season. Most of Michigan's offense returns, with the exception of Braylon Edwards and David Bass. However, they are quite deep at receiver and always seem to have an abundance of offensive linemen, so they should be able to fill in those holes easily. They also have a young, deep and talented group of running backs. The defense lost several players, but considering the way it's played the past few years, that could be a good thing. Also, their non-conference schedule is Wisconsinesque, although they did (barely) avoid scheduling any catholic girls schools.

Didn't Charlie Weiss resign from his position at Notre Dame recently citing health issues?

I hope the Crimson Tide will be a sleeper team to make into the BCS this year like Trev Alberts was picking. Also like Trev Alberts was picking, I hope Tennessee is really overrated.

Roll Tide

My Missouri Tigers will be lucky to hang around .500. Hopefully this will get another mediocre coach Pink(el)-slipped so we can bring another semi-big fish in a small pond and watch them flounder.

I have tickets to an upcoming early October massacre at the hands of Texas.

My picks would be USC (the benefits of playing in a cake league while pulling in top 3 recruiting classes) vs. OK, TN or Miami.

Everyone knows the Florida Gators with the Urbanator will win it all.....

As a Diehard OU fan, I can't bet against USC.

That said It expect OU to have a down year meaning we'll be 10-2. 10-2 is a down year for Ou Football. We have line questions and questions at QB. The scary part is that we will likely feature a True Freshman QB and a Sophomore RB(Heisman Candidate). Both were the top 2 recruits from Texas whom passed up on the Longhorns because "They wanted to win championships". OUCH Talk about a recruiting tool.

Smack Brown will lose again in the Red River Shootout and we'll go to another BCS bowl. As much as people can rag on OU, Let's be honest, would you be happy if you program went to the championship game this often? Texas A&M could surprise a few folks as could Nebraska.
Don't be so sure Brook. They could be caught looking ahead

Also since the BCS poll starts earlier than usual this year, George can start his complaining early

Go Kentucky.....yay..... :frowning:

I'll go on a limb to make the following predictions:

The only national title contenders will have perfect records.

No one from the ACC will win the national title this year.

A team with the color orange will be in the national title game.

USC is the most likely to win the national title, but I honestly believe the departure of Norm Chow will make a difference. Talent is great, but talent and good coaching is even better.

If there is a year for Texas to beat Oklahoma, this is the year. Texas has three big hurdles in Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M. If they get over those hurdles, they're in the title game.

Texas Tech will throw for a gazillion yards.

Florida will be in a BCS bowl this year.

Notre Dame is going to suck.

Penn State will be bowl eligible.

Michigan will win the Big Ten, beat Ohio State, edit: nevermind, they don't play Purdue.

South Carolina will lose four games. One of them to Kentucky. On the world's worst interception.

Tennessee could go to the title game, considering their only hurdles are Florida and Alabama. If they don't, it's because they lost to one of those teams.

And this is Paul Mooney, signing off.

Purdue catches a huge break with this year's schedule -- they miss both Michigan and OSU this year. If the Boilermakers somehow win the Big Ten title, there will be lots of complaining all across the Midwest.

I'll start right now. Even without seeing it, I can already tell that there will be bogus rankings, and that certain coaches (coughMackBrowncough) have already cast ballots with their team at #1 even before a single game has been played.

Already scared of the Irish getting the 4 time Super Bowl Champion and ND alum on board as coach? No, he has not resigned.

I got Weiss confused with Cutcliff resigning. As you can tell, I do not keep up with Notre Dame football. Maybe in the years to come, Alabama and Notre Dame can rekindle their rivalry from the old school days.

If Bama can only stay healthy this year we may upset some National Champion hopefuls (i.e. Tennessee). I think Bama may be on the way back to having a solid program year after year like the old days.

I can't for season to start, I believe it is something like 49 days until the first game (South Carolina vs. Central Florida on a Thusday).

Well the new BCS polling system has been released. Aside from the obvious problem that the good half of the old system (the AP) is gone (replaced by the Harris poll), and the bad half of the old system (the coaches poll) is still there, it's kind of hard to evaluate. There is some good news. Although they won't release the results weekly, the final coaches poll will be made public, which means that certain coaches (intials: MB) will have to play their voting games earlier in the season, cause they won't be able to hide behind anonymity in the final poll. On the bad hand, the new Harris poll will also only release results in the final poll, which is a real setback from the AP poll that was transparent all the way through.

It appears Lou Holtz violated some NCAA regulations during recruiting and it will cost the Gamecocks a few scholarships and some recruiting time.

I still think that the Spurrier led Gamecocks will surprise some folks. College Football is where he belongs.

USC will be redunkulously good. They will win it all again.

I just read a preseason preview that had my WSU Cougs picked fourth in the PAC10. They usually get the media shaft, so it is nice to see a different opinion for a change.

Which new coach will make the biggest impact on their team? I think it's going to be Urban Meyer.

I agree that Meyer will have an impact at florida. However, the fact that Washington is coming off a single win season, and they are rich with talent (despite last year), Tyrone Willingham is set up to look like a genius this year. The huskies could easily go 9-2 and find themselves in a decent bowl. After a 1-10 showing last year would make Willingham the coach with the biggest impact.

BTW:
GO DUCKS!!

Looks like Kansas football/basketball are in trouble.. poor Jed :frowning: