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.

Special Edition: NFL Preview: Playoff Picks

AFC
1 New England Patriots- Bye
2 Pittsburgh Steelers- Bye
3 New York Jets defeat 6 Kansas City Chiefs
5 Indianapolis Colts defeat 4 Houston Texans
1 New England Patriots defeat 5 Indianapolis Colts
3 New York Jets defeat 2 Pittsburgh Steelers
1 New England Patriots defeat 3 New York Jets
AFC Champ: 1 New England Patriots
NFC
1 Philadelphia Egales- Bye
2 Atlanta Falcons- Bye
3 Green Bay Packers defeat 6 Arizona Cardinals
4 New Orleans Saints defeat 5 Dallas Cowboys
1 Philadelphia Eagles defeat 4 New Orleans Saints
2 Atlanta Falcons defeat 3 Green Bay Packers
1 Philadelphia Eagles defeat 2 Atlanta Falcons
NFC Champ: Philadelphia Eagles
Super Bowl: Philadelphia Eagles defeat New England Patriots

Special Edition: NFL Preview: NFC South

1. Atlanta Falcons Projected: 12-4
The Falcons had a breakout season in 2010 reaching the top ranks of the NFC. Matt Ryan is back and keeps improving. He has solid accuracy and is working at improving his deep balls. Michael Turner is a beast who doesn't get tackled easily. Jason Snelling is another power back who will be used as somewhat of a fullback. The receiving core was upgraded thanks to the drafting of Julio Jones. He'll team up with Roddy White to make a lethal receiver combo. Tony Gonzalez is on the decline but is still definitely one of the better tight ends in the league. Tackle Sam Baker leads the decent offensive line. The defense is strong and the line and the secondary should improve. Ends John Abraham and newly-added Ray Edwards will constanly make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable. The linebacker position has always been a little weak. Young prospect Sean Weatherspoon keeps making plays and Mike Peterson is a threat also. The secondary is still a weak link even with cornerback Dunta Robinson. Kicker Matt Bryant had a good leg and will score points for Atlanta.
2. New Orleans Saints Projected: 10-6
It was kind of a let down season for New Orleans after the team's Super Bowl victory. But they come back with hopes of taking down the Falcons at the top of the NFC South. Drew Brees is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL thanks to his great arm. He has the options to keep his impressive numbers up. The backfield was shaken up when Reggie Bush was removed and the Saints drafted Mark Ingram. Darren Sproles was signed to be the starter but he'll probably split a lot of carries with Ingram and Pierre Thomas. The receiving core is very good with guys like Marques Colston, Robert Meachem and speedy Devery Henderson. Tight end Jimmy Graham will also make plays. The offensive line is very good with Jahri Evans, Olin Kruetz, Alex Barron and many others. The defense is pretty good with a good defensive line. Tackles Shaun Rogers, Aubrayo Franklin and ends Will Smith and newly drafted Cameron Jordan will all do damage. The linebacker unit is okay with Jonathan Vilma making plays in the middle. The secondary is also okay with young guys like Patrick Robinson and Tracy Porter improving.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaners Projected: 8-8
Well, that was quick. The Buccaners were contenders when they were suppposed to be rebuilding. Josh Freeman was the reason. In his first true year as starter he emerged as a threat with his solid arm and big frame. The backfield isn't great but its enough to get by on. LeGarrette Blount and Earnest Graham will fight for carries. The receiving core is also somewhat weak but it is improving. Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn and Sammie Stroughter are all young and the top options for Freeman along with tight end Kellen Winslow. The offensive line is okay with guys like Jeremy Trueblood, Donald Penn and Jeff Faine. The defensive line is young and is improving. Tackles Gerald McCoy, Brian Price enter their second years while ends Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers are rookies. The linebacker unit is pretty weak due to the loss of Barrett Ruud. Dekoda Watson, Geno Hayes and a number of others must step up for Tampa Bay. The secondary is growing old especially Ronde Barber but is also young at some places. Aqib Talib and Tanard Jackson will make plays and rooke Ahmad Black will also play a pretty large role.
4. Carolina Panthers Projected: 4-12
The Panthers found themselves staring down at a 1-15 season and the number one pick in 2010. Cam Newton won't be a traditional quarterback but he'll be the face of the franchise. Newton will likely start but if he doesn't Jimmy Clausen and Derek Anderson will take snaps. The ground game is the preferred unit with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Williams and Stewart both have good speed and Stewart can run over you if needed. The Panthers hope they have found their number two target finally to Steve Smith whether its Brandon LaFell, David Gettis or tight ends Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen. The offensive line is an underrated unit with guys like tackle Jordan Gross, Jeff Otah and guard Travelle Wharton and center Ryan Kalil. The defensive line is young and improving. Carolina is hoping resigned end Charles Johnson will be the next Julius Peppers. Greg Hardy and Everette Brown will do damage also. The linebacker core is okay with Jon Beason being the top threat. Rookie Lawrence Wilson and Dan Connor must step it up. The secondary is solid with Chris Gamble, Chares Godfrey and Robert McClain making plays.

Predictions for College Football Games: Week One

3 Oregon vs. 4 LSU Prediction: Oregon, 38 LSU, 27
How to Beat Oregon: Force deep throws. Darron Thomas doesn't have a great arm and Jeff Maehl is gone meaning the Ducks don't have a go-to receiver. Run the ball also. Casey Matthews and Kenny Rowe are gone in the front seven so you can gain a lot of small yardage through out the game.
How to Beat LSU: Make them prove that they can throw the ball. Whether Jordan Jefferson or Jarrett Lee's the starter the Tigers don't have a great passing game. Throwing for effective short passes will beat Morris Claiborne and the rest of the secondary.
5 Boise State vs. 19 Georgia Prediction: Boise State, 28 Georgia, 21
How to Beat Boise State: Cover the wide outs as close as possible. Kellen Moore is accurate but isn't as strong with the deep ball. Throw the ball as much as possible. The secondary is the Broncos' defense weakest link so some big gains in the air would help.
How to Beat Georgia: Pressure Aaron Murray quite a lot. He is still young and every young QB won't make great decisions under pressure. Make him move out of the pocket and throw the ball. A lot of effective 8 to 11 yard passes will weaken the Georgia defense.
South Florida vs. 16 Notre Dame Prediction: Notre Dame, 31 South Florida, 17
How to Beat Notre Dame: Double-team Michael Floyd. Other then Floyd Notre Dame's options aren't very strong. Make Dayne Crist spread the ball around as much as possible. Deep passes will help significantly due to the fact that the Fighting Irish have a weak secondary.
How to Beat South Florida: Make B.J. Daniels stay in the pocket. He is much more effective when he can move around on the run and make throws. He is also effective by scrambling. Power-up your offense. Pass and run the ball confidently. The Bulls defense isn't very great.

Special Edition: NFL Preview: NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers Projected: 11-5
It was a dream season for the Packers in 2010. But it will certainly be tough to repeat even with the return of many key vets. Aaron Rodgers is back after a memorable '10. He has a strong arm and slick accuracy. With Donald Driver, Greg Jennings back and tight end Jeremichael Finley healthy he has tons of options. Ryan Grant must return to form in order to help the Packers repeat. The offensive line lost a lot of talent this off season and needs prospects Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod to step it up. The defensive line also must coup with losses. Nose tackle B.J. Raji stuffs up running lanes up the middle while Ryan Pickett can do damage on the edge. The linebacker core is pretty much stacked. Clay Matthews, A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones will lead it. Matthews can do damage when he blitzes or can stop the run. The secondary still has cornerback Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. Others are also improving in the back.
2. Chicago Bears Projected: 9-7
Jay Cutler and the Bears need to prove themselves after both had a horrible NFC championship game. Cutler could be one of the best in the game but he just isn't there yet. One of the problems might be his receiving options, so the Bears signed Roy Williams. The backfield has tons of talent with Matt Forte, Chester Taylor and Marion Barber. Forte has good hands out of the backfield and solid speed while Barber gives Chicago a power back they haven't had for a while. Along with Williams, Devin Hester and Johny Knox are the other top options. Both have great speed but still have to improve at their respective positions. The offensive line is led by Roberto Garza, Chris Williams and Frank Omiyale. The defense has always been the Bears strength. On the line Julius Peppers is still one of the top ends in the league. Vernon Gholston who was a bust in New York will have a second chance in Chicago. Brian Urlacher's golden days are done but he is still effective and Lance Briggs makes plays. The secondary may be a little weak but it will hold up. Kicker Robbie Gould is a beast on special teams and Hester can score whenever he touches the ball in the returning game.
3. Minnesota Vikings Projected: 6-10
I have one question for the Vikings: will new Donovan McNabb really help that much over Brett Favre, Tarvaris Jackson and Joe Webb? McNabb likely will never return to the form that he was in while with Philadelphia. Christian Ponder will start if McNabb struggles. Luckily Leslie Frazier has an explosive back in Adrian Peterson. He is great after the hit and has an interesting mix of speed and power. He held on to the ball more in 2010. Toby Gerhart must improve as the number two. Sidney Rice is gone but the receiving core is headed by new Michael Jenkins, Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian. After a bad '10 Berrian's attitude has the Vikings hopeful in 2011. The offensive line is somewhat of a question mark with a lot of young players likely be forced to start. The defensive line has always been a strength for the Vikings and still will be even with the loss of Ray Edwards and Pat Williams. Remi Ayodele was underrated with New Orleans over the years and will help Kevin Williams. Chad Greenway and E.J. Henderson will lead the linebacker slots. Antoine Winfield is a beast in the secondary. With the signing of Ryan Longwell the special teams will be fine.
4. Detroit Lions Projected: 5-11
No question about it: the Lions are improving. Detroit is a pass-first team so Matthew Stafford will be important as ever to the Lions' hopes. Jahvid Best is a dangerous back and Mike Bell is powerful in the backfield. Calvin Johnson has matured into one of the top receivers in the NFL with his speed and size. With Nate Burleson teams won't be too quick to double team Johnson. The offensive line is led by Dominic Raiola, Jeff Backus, Gosder Cherilus and a number of others. The defensive line keeps improving. Ndamukong Suh is a beast and he won't shy away from the pressure. Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril make plays on the edge. With Stephen Tulloch, DeAndre Levy and Justin Durant the linebacker core is getting better but it still has a lot of holes. The secondary is the weakest position on Detroit but the Lions really like safety Louis Delmas. Nathan Vasher won't start and has definitely declined but he was an interesting pickup. Kicker Jason Hansen and punter Donnie Jones are good.

Special Edition: NFL Preview: NFC West

1. Arizona Cardinals Projected: 8-8
After acquiring Kevin Kolb the Cardinals are ready to go back to the playoffs. Kolb will definitely help but he came at a high price: the team had to give up star cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Kolb has one of the top wide receivers in the league in Larry Fitzgerald. The question is who will be the number two option. Early Doucet and many others will compete for the number two slot. Tight end Todd Heap was a smart move as he'll be somewhat of a security blanket for Kolb. Chris Wells is a power back that won't have to split carries with Tim Hightower anymore. The offensive line is led tackle Levi Brown and Duece Lutui. Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett isn't just the star on Arizona's defensive line he's one of the best tackles in the NFL. Due to the fact that centers and guards aren't great pass blockers he easily gets in the backfield. Linebacker Joey Porter is declining but is still dangerous while the addition of Stewart Bradley will help. Patrick Peterson was drafted to give the team a new look at cornerback.
2. St. Louis Rams Projected: 7-9
The Rams are for sure on the rise after a strong 2010 season. Sam Bradford was better than the Rams could have expected going in his rookie year. He has sweet accuracy and has the smarts to continue improving. Steven Jackson takes a lot of pressure off Bradford. He's still one of the best backs in the league thanks to sure speed and good power. Danny Amendola had a surprisingly strong year at wide out. Donnie Avery, Mardy Gilyard, rookie Austin Pettis and new Mike Sims-Walker will help Bradford a lot. Like most of the team the Rams offensive line is young headed by Roger Saffold and Jason Smith. The defensive line is strong with end Chris Long, Justin Bannan and John Henderson. Henderson's best days are behind him but he'll still stuff up running lanes. James Laurinaitis is underrated and will make plays. Ben Leber was added to make plays and coach the young players on the squad. The secondary is definitely weak.
3. San Francisco 49ers Projected: 6-10
I consider San Francisco a definite mystery. After a strong 2009 year many thought they would win the NFC West but the 49ers struggled to a very bad season. Alex Smith was resigned this year but the thought was clear- this was his last chance. Colin Kaepernick was drafted and he will likely get snaps. Luckily the 49ers still have back Frank Gore and powerful Anthony Dixon. Michael Crabtree has excelled at wide out during his NFL career. He has good speed and won't be double-teamed anymore thanks to the signing of Braylon Edwards. Vernon Davis has had effective seasons but he isn't very flashy. Ted Ginn struggled in Miami and wasn't amazing in his first year with San Francisco but he may be an option. Young tackles Joe Staley, Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati head the O-Line. The defensive line doesn't have a true end but Justin Smith is somewhat of an end. Linebacker Patrick Willis is dangerous in the middle and Aldon Smith makes plays. The secondary is led by Donte Whitner but it is still very bad.
4. Seattle Seahawks Projected: 5-11
Sure the Seahawks made the playoffs but they lost their franchise QB in Matt Hasselback and they have a weak defensive line. The Seahawks are young and inexperienced at the quarterback position now as Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst compete for the job. Neither really has an edge here. Sidney Rice was brought in and Seattle thinks he'll be great with Jackson but they were never great with each other. Golden Tate and tight end John Carlson are the two other top options. The offensive line is also really young with tackle Russell Okung and John Moffitt. Robert Gallery is an electric guard brought in from Oakland. The defensive line isn't strong what so ever. The Seahawks have no indication where the pressure will come from. Linebacker Aaron Curry has had a great career. Lofa Tatupa is one of the better 'backers when healthy which is becoming rare. The secondary is improving but still isn't elite. Marcus Trufant is aging but is still effective while Earl Thomas keeps improving.