College Basketball Preview: 3. Syracuse Orange

Now a senior Jardine now knows he can push the pace with the help of other guard Triche.

3. Syracuse Orange Key Returnees: F Kris Joseph, G Brandon Triche, G Scoop Jardine
G Scoop Jardine- Senior
G Brandon Triche- Junior
F Mookie Jones- Junior
F Kris Joseph- Senior
C Fab Melo- Sophomore
Sixth- Rakeem Christmas- Freshman
Top Recruit- Rakeem Christmas
The Orange once again return a trio of players that may make this the best Syracuse team since the days of Carmelo Anthony. The backcourt will once more be strong thanks to the return of senior Scoop Jardine and junior Brandon Triche. Both have good speed and can shoot the ball. Last years top guard recruit, Dion Waiters returns as a sophomore and will be asked to play more of a role. Even with losing Rick Jackson as he graduated up front the Orange are also dangerous. Mookie Jones isn't fantastic but he's smart and will get the job done. Joseph is small for a power forward but he may be the top returner thanks to his mobility and smarts. Fab Melo was a great recruit for 'Cuse last year and will play more of a role as he'll be the starter at center without Jackson. Rakeem Christmas is this years top recruit and will be asked to play a role off the bench. He has a good shot and a dominant first step and the Orange are hopeful that he'll have a strong first year. The Orange also have a lot of young no-name players who will get more minutes this year in guys like experienced forward James Southerland and guard Brandon Reese and young forward C.J. Fair.
Bottom Line: An experienced and smart team the Orange will once more challenge out in the Big East and in the nation.

College Basketball Preview: 2. Kentucky Wildcats

Miller is one of two seniors of the 'Cats and must be the leader of the young team.

2. Kentucky Wildcats Key Returnees: F Terrence Jones, G-F Doron Lamb, G Darius Miller
Projected Lineup:
G Marquis Teague- Freshman
G Darius Miller- Senior
F Doron Lamb- Sophomore
F Terrence Jones- Sophomore
C Anthony Davis- Freshman
Sixth- Stacy Poole- Sophomore
Top Recruit- Anthony Davis
As good as the recruiting class of 2009-2010 was this one might be just as good. Guard Marquis Teague will probably follow the path that Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and Brandon Knight set for him and be the next one and down for John Calipari. Anthony Davis is more of a forward but he'll likely be asked to be a center as the Wildcats can't resist to put him on the bench. Along with those is forwards Michael Gilchrist and Kyle Wiltjer. All of those freshman will join a strong group of upperclassmen. Terrence Jones is the top returner and is a threat in the paint and can handle the ball. Jones and Teague will form a combination as lethal as John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins had. Doron Lamb is a guard who may play small forward who will make plays. Guard Darius Miller and Eloy Vargas are the seniors but neither are especially great. Sophomore Stacy Poole will play more of a role in his sophomore year but he still has flaws. Jon Hood will also get more minutes as a junior and is a great ball handler.
Bottom Line: The Wildcats will likely look like the number one squad through out the regular season but they are too inexperienced to win the title game.

Week 4 Predictions

3 Alabama vs. 14 Arkansas Prediction: Alabama, 28 Arkansas, 17
Both of these teams I think aren't as good as their rankings say. Both have inexperienced quarterbacks so whichever outplays the other will likely lead his team to a win. A big match up to watch will be the strong wide receiver core for the Razorbacks against the Crimson Tide's stacked secondary. Courtney Upshaw will try to pressure Tyler Wilson as much as possible and will also be possible in stuffing up the hopeful 'Backs backfield. The Razorbacks also have a fantastic linebacker in Jerry Franklin. Franklin will try to stuff up Heisman canidate Trent Richardson and the rest of the Tide's ground game. I think the Alabama defense can stuff up the Razorbacks offense.
2 LSU vs. 16 West Virginia Prediction: LSU, 42 West Virginia, 31
The LSU Tigers climbed back up tp the No. 2 spot after one week of absence and hopes to take down another test in 16 West Virginia. Dana Holgorsen will have Geno Smith passing like crazy but he might not have that much success against a tough LSU secondary led by cornerback Morris Claiborne. LSU has a smart quarterback of their own in Jarrett Lee who is efficient and makes the smart play but Les Miles will still lean heavily on his ground game which has two featured backs in Michael Ford and Spencer Ware. The defense is also fantastic not only with Claiborne but a great line. The Mountaineers have a great pass rusher in Bruce Irvin who will try to apply pressure too Lee and help shut down the rushing attack.
11 Florida State vs. 21 Clemson Prediction: Florida State, 35 Clemson, 31
The Clemson Tigers claimed a ranking after a big win and will hope to continue their success against a Seminoles team that hopes to come back after losing to Oklahoma. With a trio of backs and big receivers along with a threat on the line in tackle Andrew Datko the offense will look great. The Tigers also have a good offense led by back Andre Ellington and quarterback Tajih Boyd who is a definite dual threat. Clemson has a strong defense that hopes to do some damage against the 'Noles.
7 Oklahoma State vs. 8 Texas A&M Prediction: Oklahoma State, 28 Texas A&M, 27
This is going to be one of the biggest games not only in the Big 12 but it also has big BCS implications. Both of these offenses are prolific as both have solid quarterbacks and receivers as the Cowboys have Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon and the Aggies have Ryan Tannehill and Jeff Fuller. Both of these defenses have great secondaries as Texas A&M has cornerback Coryell Judie and Oklahoma State has defensive back Markelle Martin. Other than Blackmon the Cowboys also have a trio of other big receivers. This will be key to defeating the tough Aggies. This game is definitely going to go down to the end.

Week 3 Report

Oklahoma proved why they have the number one ranking by defeating Florida State 23-13 on the road. The defense, which had many question marks going into this game looked shutdown holding a strong Seminoles offense. E.J. Manuel ended up injured which definitely helped the Sooners win the football game. Notre Dame won a big game over a tough Michigan State team. With the win the Fighting Irish improved to 1-2 which looks a lot better than 0-3 at this point. Kirk Cousins had 329 passing yards but with the weak running attack behind him it wasn't enough damage against Notre Dame. Roger Blanton's huge 84 yard interception return helped seal the win. I liked Tennessee over Florida but the Gators ended up taking down the Vols 33-23 to have them win seven straight in the rivalry. Chris Rainey had a huge game with 108 rushing yards and 104 receiving yards. He also had 3 punt returns for a total of 21 yards. Tyler Bray didn't have as big as a game as hoped but still had 288 passing yards. After escaping past BYU, Texas replaced Garrett Gilbert with a combo of Case McCoy and David Ash against UCLA. And it definitely ended up working as the Longhorns dominated the Bruins 49-20. Case was 12 for 15 for 168 yards and two touchdowns and Ash was 3 for 3 with 31 yards. Top recruit Malcolm Brown had a strong appearance also rushing for 110 yards on 22 carries with a touchdown. Miami looked good as they routed a disappointed Ohio State 24-6. Where did the Buckeyes passing game go? Starter Jon Bauserman was 2 for 14 and had just 13 yards and backup Braxton Miller didn't do much better. If the Buckeyes keep playing like they did in this game their chances for the Big Ten championship game will be done very soon.

College Basketball Preview: 1. UNC Tar Heels

With the return of Barnes the Tar Heels look like the favorite to win the NCAA championship.

1. North Carolina Tar Heels Key Returnees: F Harrison Barnes, F-C Tyler Zeller, F John Henson
Projected Lineup:
G Dexter Strickland- Junior
G Kendall Marshall- Sophomore
F Harrison Barnes- Sophomore
F John Henson- Junior
F-C Tyler Zeller- Senior
Sixth- G Leslie McDonald- Junior
Top Recruit- F James McAdoo
Its September and the college basketball season is just a little bit away. And my pick? Not Ohio State, Kentucky, UConn or Syracuse. I like the North Carolina Tar Heels. With the return of last years star recruit Harrison Barnes and the arrival of another stellar class the Heels look not just set for this season but for a while to come also. Along with Barnes, senior Tyler Zeller and junior John Henson are big-time returnees who will make big plays. Both have good size and always play hard. Kendall Marshall and Reggie Bullock last season's other recruits will make plays and will play bigger minutes. With a fantastic backcourt with junior Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald the Tar Heels will play speedy in 2011. Forward James McAdoo will come into this season and will occasionally play minutes in his freshman year and guard P.J. Hairston will also do damage. The Heels also have a trio of upperclassmen that hope to play more of a role in guards Justin Watts and Patrick Crouch and forwards Stewart Cooper and David Dupont.
Bottom Line: The Heels have a great team already and if the freshmen can play well the Tar Heels should breeze to the championship game.

Week 3 Predictions

1 Oklahoma vs. 5 Florida State Prediction: Oklahoma, 42 Florida State, 34
The best match up of the weekend, this battle between number one Oklahoma and five Florida State has huge BCS implications. The Sooners stampeded the 'Noles last year but many believe this one will be closer. The big question for FSU is about E.J. Manuel and if he'll be able to do damage against Oklahoma. He has a deep stable of backs behind him and without Travis Lewis in the middle running will be key. Cornerback Greg Reid will try to stuff up talented wide out Ryan Broyles and also do damage on the return game where he is most dangerous. End/linebacker Brandon Jenkins is a beast and will try to apply enough pressure on Landry Jones to make him make bad decisions.
15 Michigan State vs. Notre Dame Prediction: Michigan State, 30 Notre Dame, 17
The Fighting Irish are coming off two games they were supposed to win but play this game as an underdog and will try not to fall to 0-3. Michael Floyd had double-digit receptions for Notre Dame in the loss to Michigan and will give the Michigan defense headaches. Cierre Wood also had a strong appearance against the Wolverines but Jerel Worthy will try to stuff him up immediately. Kirk Cousins, Edwin Baker and B.J. Cunningham will try to lead the Spartans offense against an improved Irish defense.
17 Ohio State vs. Miami (FL) Prediction: Ohio State, 27 Miami, 24
This will be a meeting between two teams that had horrible off-seasons. Ohio State escaped Toldeo to stay undefeated and their are still various questions about this squad. Miami has talented around with an underrated backfield and a strong receiving core. But Jacory Harris nor Stephon Morris will provide the punch the Hurricane need at the QB postition. Jon Bauserman will start for the Buckeyes but will miss DeVier Posey to pass too. Dan Herron also isn't going to play of course which means he won't be able to provide any help on the ground game. Tackle John Simon is a menace for Ohio State and will intimidate the Hurricanes.
Tennessee vs. 16 Florida Prediction: Tennessee, 28 Florida, 20
The Volunteers have lost six straight in the series but I like them in this one. Tyler Bray had a dominant performance in the team's last game and will try to tear up the Gators defense. He has a strong backfield led by Tauren Poole behind him and a great defense. Tackle Malik Jackson and defensive backs Janzen Jackson and Prentiss Waggner will constantly make John Brantley make bad moves. Though Florida isn't weak either with Brantley, Omarius Hines, Deonte Thompson, Trey Burton and Jelani Jenkins.

Week Two Report

Few knew who Melvin Ingram(6) was before his impressive game against Georgia.
The only ranked match up this week Alabama looked good against Penn State. The Crimson Tide still aren't confident about A.J. McCarron at quarterback but they'll still win games with the guys surrounding him. Nebraska didn't dominate Fresno State, in fact, it was pretty close. I don't think the Cornhuskers deserve the ten spot just yet because I think they need to figure out a little bit more on offense. A huge kickoff return sealed the win for the 'Huskers 42-29. Originally I thought Wisconsin should have been on upset alert when they played Oregon State but they routed them from start to finish. The ground game looks just as strong even without John Clay but I'm still worried about their defense which looked horrible week one against UNLV. Shutting down a sneaky Beavers team helped silence some critics about the defense. After getting shoved down by the LSU Tigers Oregon played angry against Nevada running up the score in the 69-20 domination. Darron Thomas stated his Heisman case by passing and running for touchdowns time and time again. Though a tough Pac 12 looms in the distance. South Carolina's win over Georgia proved they will be a formidable opponent in the SEC. The MVP had to be the defensive tackle Melvin Ingram for the Gamecocks who ran for a touchdown on a trick play, recovered a fumble for a touchdown and gained the key offside kick. Auburn dropped out of the Top 25 after sneaking a win against lowly Utah State but will likely get back in after deating Mississippi State, 41-34. Michael Dyer had a strong performance as the Tigers restart their BCS title chase. Arizona State has commonly been called a dark horse and after defeating 21st ranked Missouri they showed that they likely will be. Texas sneaked out a 17-16 win over BYU but they still have a lot of problems to fix. The defense looked okay against Jake Heaps and the Cougars but Garrett Gilbert and the offense looked flat. The Notre Dame-Michigan game was probably the craziest game I have ever seen. After what looked like Notre Dame's game Michigan fought back and scored late. At this point with the lead I thought the Wolverines had the game but after Tommy Rees led the Fighting Irish to a touchdown I changed my thought. But Denard Robinson and Junior Hemmingway led the Wolverines deep into Notre Dame territory. Star wide out Roy Roundtree's catch was the game-winner. Notre Dame starts season 0-2 and desperately needs a win.

Week Two Predictions

12 South Carolina vs. Georgia Prediction: South Carolina, 31 Georgia, 27
How to Beat South Carolina: Make them one-dimensional, make them run the ball. Marcus Lattimore isn't very speedy so blitzing will keep him in the middle. With Devin Taylor and Jadevon Clowney on the other you can't get out of the pocket without them pressuring you so stay in as much as possible.
How to Beat Georgia: Gaining big yards on the ground was an important to the Bulldogs gaining points against Broncos so get on the side and try to contain their dynamic backs. The defense didn't look great against Boise State so it shouldn't be too much of a problem scoring. The special teams is great with punter Drew Butler and kicker Blair Walsh so don't expect much easy plays against it.
Utah vs. USC Prediction: Utah, 27 USC, 20
How to Beat Utah: Jordan Wynn has great legs so you have to contain him. Making the Utes pass the ball will help since they prefer the ground game. Robert Woods dominated in his first game for the Trojans so look for him as much as possible.
How to Beat USC: If you cover Woods like a blanket and make Matt Barkley look around for other options he won't be able to do as much damage. The Trojans secondary is strong with safety T.J. McDonald and Nickell Robey so avoid it as much as possible be running the ball.
3 Alabama vs. 23 Penn State Prediction: Alabama, 24 Penn State, 16
How to Beat Alabama: Both quarterbacks are obviously not experienced so they won't be very effective on the road against a tough Penn State team. The secondary is stacked and Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower are beasts in the middle.
How to Beat Penn State: Rob Bolden is a dual threat but he is not necessarily a passer so making him pass will cut down yardage. Silas Redd had a strong first game and shutting him down will be important. Running up the middle with Trent Richardson will gain yardage.
16 Mississippi State vs. Auburn Prediction: Mississippi State, 38 Auburn, 30
How to Beat Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have a skilled and experienced secondary so running the ball will be more effective. Chris Relf doesn't have the best arm so testing his accuracy and arm will help.
How to Beat Auburn: Of course they have a young and first year quarterback in Barrett Trotter so making them throw will force turnovers and make three and outs. The teams defense, especially the line is recovering so you can stay in the pocket for a while.
Other Predictions:
Oregon, 45 Nevada, 28
Oklahoma State, 34 Arizona, 23
Wisconsin, 37 Oregon State, 19
Notre Dame, 28 Michigan, 21

Week One Report

B.J. Daniels and the Bulls looked great running all around the Fighting Irish defense.

I guess Notre Dame was a little bit overrated this year. Through two weather delays the Fighting Irish couldn't hold off the South Florida Bulls. Dayne Crist didn't look great and the Notre Dame defense couldn't keep with B.J. Daniels and the rest of the Bulls offense. LSU sure looks like a formidable opponent out of the SEC after beating Oregon pretty easily. The first half I thought both of the teams looked a little sloppy but both had an impressive second half. Imagine how good the Tigers can be once Jordan Jefferson returns and back and wide out Russell Sheppard. Darron Thomas appeared late last season as a Heisman canidate but he really hurt his chance for the race with a pretty weak performance. TCU had a dream year in 2010 but their strong defense didn't look good against Baylor. Robert Griffin harassed the Horned Frogs defense from running the ball and passing it. Casey Pachall looked pretty good but TCU will still definitely miss Andy Dalton. Boise State showed once more they can win against teams from major conferences when they took down Georgia. Kellen Moore still looked fantastic even without Austin Pettis, Titus Young and tight end Tony Gallarda. Georgia's ground game had some big plays but it wasn't enough to take down the Broncos. I thought the game between Texas A&M and SMU would be close but it ended up being a big lopsided performance. Kyle Padron looked overmatched against the Aggies defense. Oklahoma showed why they were number one by just destroying a pretty tough Tulsa team. Landry Jones tore up a Tulsa secondary and the Sooners defense looked pretty good. East Carolina looked good early but couldn't keep pace with South Carolina. Connor Shaw looked good after Steve Spurrier announced he would start over expected starter Stephen Garcia.