2007 College Football Thread

[rawaction]

last year I don't think people liked Wisconsin that much on paper. This year, people realize that the badgers are really good. They should be better than OSU and probably the 2nd best team in the conference, and one of the 10 best teams in the nation.

 

 

Since Michigan lost almost there entire defense and I think Michigan/Wisconsin game is in Wiscosin. I think I would take Wisconsin to win the Big Ten. Unless you are taking PSU to win the Big Ten? In which case I still will take Wisconsin.

 

Michigan did lose a bunch on defense. Offense looks to be a top 5 in the country, but I think their defense will lead them toward the way of ND and USC from last year. Lost their 2 top tacklers from last year, and that doesn't include top 2 round NFL picks Leon Hall, Lamar Woodley and Alan Branch. I think Michigan loses at least 2 and Wisconsin wins the Big Ten.

[rawaction]

As for IU footbal, if they are ever gonna return back to a bowl game, this is the year to do so.

 

As usual, weak OOC schedule (Ball St, Indiana St, Akron, W Michigan...3 of which are at home) and no Michigan or OSU. If they played inspired football for their fallen coach and win those 4, and take 3 or 4 vs. Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois (home) and at Mich St and Northwestern, that's a bowl game. Penn St, Wisconsin and Iowa are sure losses.

 

They bring back most of the roster. Have one of the toughest matchups in country at WR (James Hardy) and can rack up yards with the option or pass. If they can even remotely stop anyone on defense this year 6-7 wins is not out of the question.

[UK1679666180]

UK will be anywhere from 5-7 wins, I'll take the 6 wins as my guess. Woodson will be back, Little should be healthy, the O-Line is still bad. New defensive coordinator will hopefully improve that unit from bad to not so bad.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I think LSU could have a good year. The biggest challenge will be replacing Russell at QB. I think Keiland Williams will develop into a great rusher, so the biggest question mark will be Flynn at QB.

 

I think we have the players to replace those we lost on defense and again will be one of the better defenses in football.

 

This year, LSU gets Auburn and Florida at home, so that helps as well.

 

No worries about replacing Jimbo Fisher?

 

Miles had already taken some of the reigns of the offense. That's part of what hastened Fisher's departure. I think we'll be fine there.

[dew1679666265]

UK will be anywhere from 5-7 wins, I'll take the 6 wins as my guess. Woodson will be back, Little should be healthy, the O-Line is still bad. New defensive coordinator will hopefully improve that unit from bad to not so bad.

 

I think Kentucky will be fine this year. They'll likely still be fighting for the bottom of the East, but will also have a real chance to finish fourth ahead of Vandy and South Carolina.

 

Woodson had a real nice year last year and if Little can perform behind a terrible offensive line, you should have the offense to earn another bowl bid.

[dew1679666265]

I think LSU could have a good year. The biggest challenge will be replacing Russell at QB. I think Keiland Williams will develop into a great rusher, so the biggest question mark will be Flynn at QB.

 

I think we have the players to replace those we lost on defense and again will be one of the better defenses in football.

 

This year, LSU gets Auburn and Florida at home, so that helps as well.

 

No worries about replacing Jimbo Fisher?

 

Miles had already taken some of the reigns of the offense. That's part of what hastened Fisher's departure. I think we'll be fine there.

 

Another thing that will help you is that Gary Crowton is a very good offensive coordinator. I still prefer Jimbo - great move by FSU by the way - but Crowton's no slouch.

[Coach C]

K-State's season will depend on 3 things.

 

1. The defense

2. New assistant coaches and the scheme, especially on defense

3. Josh Freeman

[dew1679666265]

I think Tennesse has as good a shot as anybody to win the East this year, despite the questions we have.

 

After losing Bret Smith, Robert Meachem and Jayson Swain (our top three receivers) we have nobody who has played a full year of football at receiver. The veterans are less than inspiring (though could be solid) and the highly talented youngsters are terribly inexperienced. I still hold out hope that Kenny O'Neal (former top FSU recruit) will come in and help immediately.

 

Our only other real weakness is the offensive line and it should improve. We lost Arron Sears, but have a number of good young linemen that hopefully will step up and play well. If so, the running game will automatically be better than last year (when it was horrible).

 

The best thing going for us is that both Georgia and Florida have as many or more questions as us. The Crocs lost 9 of 11 defensive starters from last year, have no running back whatsoever and nobody knows if Tim Tebow can do more than run the ball. Georgia has to improve it's line play and replace both ends from last year. They also need to find a receiver that can catch Matthew Stafford's (incredibly talented sophomore) passes.

 

I figure we will likely finish anywhere from first to third in the East and then probably the top team will lose to LSU in the SEC Championship.

[jjgman21]

I had no idea Wisconsin was ranked so high in the pre-season by the publications. obviously I don't follow it as closely as many others. then again, these publications are generally not the idiots that vote in the various polls.

 

I think they had another year where they got pre-season props, and they promptly laid an egg.

[dew1679666265]

I had no idea Wisconsin was ranked so high in the pre-season by the publications. obviously I don't follow it as closely as many others. then again, these publications are generally not the idiots that vote in the various polls.

 

I think they had another year where they got pre-season props, and they promptly laid an egg.

 

Everything I've seen in publications about Wisconsin is good to very good. Personally, I see nothing really wrong with them except the QB. Not having an experienced quarterback can be very painful, but the Badgers' offensive scheme fits perfectly with taking pressure off the QB. So long as whoever that QB is doesn't do dumb things, you should contend for the Big Ten (if not win it).

[Guest]

UC Davis will get its six wins again like usual. Hopefully they don't get completely destroyed by San Jose State.

 

the new stadium is open for this year? Looks good though I hope they fix that interchange . . .

[soccer10k]

UC Davis will get its six wins again like usual. Hopefully they don't get completely destroyed by San Jose State.

 

the new stadium is open for this year? Looks good though I hope they fix that interchange . . .

 

Well, technically it's already open - they've played some women's lacrosse games there and football has held some practices and their spring game there. But they will be playing football there in the fall. Which interchange are you talking about?

[imb]

OU will be good, but we have no QB. Thank god we have like 12 running backs.

 

The defense should be alright, but we really have to stop this whole thing where the defense sucks in the beginning of the year and takes four or five games to figure out what they're doing.

 

Probably 10ish wins and a top 15-20 finish.

[CDBears1259]

I think LSU could have a good year. The biggest challenge will be replacing Russell at QB. I think Keiland Williams will develop into a great rusher, so the biggest question mark will be Flynn at QB.

 

I think we have the players to replace those we lost on defense and again will be one of the better defenses in football.

 

This year, LSU gets Auburn and Florida at home, so that helps as well.

 

No worries about replacing Jimbo Fisher?

 

Miles had already taken some of the reigns of the offense. That's part of what hastened Fisher's departure. I think we'll be fine there.

 

Vance, I sure wish I was as confident about Crowton as you are. Being a Bears fan and having lived through the Crowton era with them gives me some concern for LSU. Fisher wasn't nearly the "air it out" type that Crowton is/was and therefore slightly more closely aligned to Miles. I think the Miles/Fisher issue was more a control issue than a philosophy one. IMO, Crowton and Miles are opposites in the extreme and all in a year were the weapons aren't as good. 3 offensive first rounders, including the most important at QB (I like Flynn, but he's no JMR), are gone. Seems like the wrong year for such a shift. I still think they'll contend for the MNC (given all their "tough" games are at home, but it'll likely be more b/c of the defense than the O).

 

FWIW, I'm not a fan of the Crowton hire, so he'll probably do very well.

[Guest]

Defense should be great for UCLA again.

 

There are absolutely no big weapons on offense, except, maybe Terrance Austin...which sucks for the Pac-10. At least Dorrell knows to start Ben Olson and Chris Markey can get the job done. I'd guess 8 or so wins.

 

The 08 recruiting class is looking fantastic, so at least Dorrell has learned to recruit.

[Mephistopheles]

I don't know about the Gators this year. I don't think the offense will miss a beat with Tim Tebow at the helm. They'll be good but I don't think they will be winning the SEC this year.

[dew1679666265]

I don't know about the Gators this year. I don't think the offense will miss a beat with Tim Tebow at the helm. They'll be good but I don't think they will be winning the SEC this year.

 

I honestly don't have a clue who wins the East this year, UGA, Florida or Tennessee. I do have a strong feeling, though, whichever wins will lose to LSU in the title game.

 

They're gonna be really good if Matt Flynn does well.

[Mephistopheles]

Darren McFadden argues otherwise. Don't count out the Arkansas Darren McFaddens.

[DCNashville]

UK will be anywhere from 5-7 wins, I'll take the 6 wins as my guess. Woodson will be back, Little should be healthy, the O-Line is still bad. New defensive coordinator will hopefully improve that unit from bad to not so bad.

 

I think Kentucky will win 7-8. I wouldn't be surprised to see them pull a big upset or two in the SEC, probably against Arkansas/Tennessee/Georgia.

[CDBears1259]

Darren McFadden argues otherwise. Don't count out the Arkansas Darren McFaddens.

 

And therein lies the problem for them winning the west.

[DCNashville]

Vanderbilt should FINALLY get back to a bowl game this season. I see them winning 6 games, maybe 7, and playing in one of the worst bowl games. It will be huge for the program though, regardless of which bowl they're in.

[Mephistopheles]

Darren McFadden argues otherwise. Don't count out the Arkansas Darren McFaddens.

 

And therein lies the problem for them winning the west.

 

And therein lies the reason they won it last year.

[dew1679666265]

Darren McFadden argues otherwise. Don't count out the Arkansas Darren McFaddens.

 

And therein lies the problem for them winning the west.

 

And therein lies the reason they won it last year.

 

The McFadden/Felix Jones running back duo is great, but I don't like the fact that Arkansas doesn't have a passing game at all. Marcus Monk and Robert Johnson are good at receiver, but Casey Dick doesn't need to be a starting QB at a major university. That's going to cost them, in my opinion.

 

I do think Arkansas will be good, don't get me wrong. I just think LSU is going to be really good - if Matt Flynn performs.

[dew1679666265]

Vanderbilt should FINALLY get back to a bowl game this season. I see them winning 6 games, maybe 7, and playing in one of the worst bowl games. It will be huge for the program though, regardless of which bowl they're in.

 

I love Chris Nickson. He's a very raw passer, but I think he should develop that well. I question the defense some, but I think they are assured wins over Richmond, Ole Miss (sorry OMC), Eastern Michigan and Miami of Ohio. They also have great chances of beating Wake, Kentucky and South Carolina. The Vandy/Kentucky game could easily be a bowl clincher/eliminator for each team.

 

And too, so long as they don't beat UT, I like to pull for Vandy. I kinda feel sorry for them.

[Mephistopheles]

Darren McFadden argues otherwise. Don't count out the Arkansas Darren McFaddens.

 

And therein lies the problem for them winning the west.

 

And therein lies the reason they won it last year.

 

The McFadden/Felix Jones running back duo is great, but I don't like the fact that Arkansas doesn't have a passing game at all. Marcus Monk and Robert Johnson are good at receiver, but Casey Dick doesn't need to be a starting QB at a major university. That's going to cost them, in my opinion.

 

I do think Arkansas will be good, don't get me wrong. I just think LSU is going to be really good - if Matt Flynn performs.

 

Despite losing McFadden dropped 180 yards on them last year. I do think LSU is better, but I also refuse to count out the Backs.