Pete
Fiutak
Q:
Make your call ... Predict the season.
A:
Winner of the Heisman – Colt Brennan, Hawaii – The numbers will
be too gaudy to ignore for a second year in a row, and this time around,
he'll have the record to back it up.
Runners-up ...
2. John David Booty, USC
3. Brian Brohm, Louisville
4. Steve Slaton, West Virginia
5. Ian Johnson, Boise State
ACC – Virginia Tech - It's a deeper league than you think, with
Boston College, Maryland, Georgia Tech, Miami, Florida State, and
Clemson all certain to make it interesting.
Big East – West Virginia – Flip a coin between the Mountaineers,
Louisville and Rutgers. They'll pick each other off again like last
year, with South Florida also doing some damage.
Big Ten – Wisconsin – I'm not sold on a Michigan team that'll be
tight as a drum as it waits to try to beat Ohio State and win a bowl
game for the first time in the Henne/Hart/Manningham/Long era. Ohio
State and Penn State will come very close.
Big 12 – Oklahoma – It's been my call from the start that
Oklahoma will be a sleeper national title team, if that's possible.
C-USA – Southern Miss – This might be the one league that's not
in for a big bounceback year. I'd like Tulsa if the schedule was a
little easier.
MAC – Central Michigan – I can't decide between CMU or Miami in
what'll be a great season-long race. Western Michigan, Toledo and Ohio
will all be in it until the end.
Mountain West – TCU – Watch out for Brian Johnson and Utah, and
BYU will be strong (eventually), but this year's Horned Frog defense is
something special.
Pac-10 – USC – Shhhhhh, but the Pac 10 might actually be the best
top-to-bottom league in the nation. The Trojans will roll anyway with an
amazing defense leading the way.
SEC – LSU – Next year the SEC will be jaw-dropping good. It still
might be the best conference in the nation, but Florida, Georgia and
Tennessee are just a few of the teams that'll be far better in October.
The schedule works out perfectly for LSU to get to the title game.
Sun Belt – Middle Tennessee – I've changed my tune. Originally I
liked Troy because of its D line and QB Omar Haugabook, but I've started
to come around to the Blue Raiders. The defensive line will be
phenomenal.
WAC – Hawaii – It's dumb to pick against Boise State, but the
Broncos have to make the hop across the water to face Colt and the boys.
BCS Bowl Matchups
Rose – Wisconsin vs. UCLA
Sugar – Michigan vs. Hawaii
Fiesta – Oklahoma vs. Louisville
Orange – Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia
BCS Championship – USC over LSU
Richard
Cirminiello
Q:
Make your call ... Predict the season.
A:
Winner of the Heisman – John David Booty, USC – Booty may not be
the nation’s best player, but by Heisman benchmarks, he fits the
blueprint perfectly. He’ll have the right numbers on the right team to
give USC its fourth award over the last six years.
2. Patrick White, West Virginia
3. Colt McCoy, Texas
4. Colt Brennan, Hawaii
5. Darren McFadden, Arkansas
ACC – Boston College – KG’s with the Celtics. The Sox are in
first place. The Pats are gearing up for a Super Bowl run. Yeah,
there’s good karma around Boston these days. Oh, and a darn good
quarterback named Matt Ryan.
Big East – West Virginia – Both the Mountaineers and Louisville
Cardinals have high-powered offenses, beatable defenses, and top special
teams units. The difference? The Cards must travel to Morgantown on
Nov. 8.
Big Ten – Wisconsin – Why is everyone conveniently forgetting
that consensus favorite Michigan lost the heart and soul of a defense
that struggled late last year? Wisky will win the Big Ten the old
fashioned way—solid defense, a strong running attack, quality special
teams, and minimal help from the passing game.
Big 12 – Texas – Oklahoma could just as easily win the conference
this year, but the ‘Horns rate a huge edge at quarterback with sophomore
Colt McCoy versus a trio of completely unproven Sooner signal-callers.
C-USA – Southern Miss – In a down year for the conference, the
Golden Eagles have the running game and stout defense to win Conference
USA in a walk, and finish the season in the Top 25.
MAC – Miami – After hitting rock bottom in 2006, the RedHawks
will rebound behind a veteran backfield and improved play along both
lines.
Mountain West – TCU – While the rest of the offense grows up, the
Frogs will be carried by a really good, Tommy Blake-led defense and a
capable ground game.
Pac-10 – USC – It’s not as if the Trojans are invincible, but the
gap between them and the rest of the Pac-10’s next best team is as wide
as any league in the country this season.
SEC – LSU – On defense alone, the Tigers might be good enough to
win the SEC this season. Sprinkle in a few speedsters on offense and a
manageable schedule, and you’ve got a real strong contender for the BCS
championship game.
Sun Belt – Troy – Buoyed by last year’s title and the return of
QB Omar Haugabook, the Trojans will bowl in New Orleans for a second
straight post-season.
WAC – Hawaii – Forget the WAC. The Warriors have the right mix
of talent and flimsy schedule to run the table, and make a pitch for an
at-large BCS bowl berth.
BCS Bowl Matchups
Rose – Wisconsin vs. Cal
Sugar – Oklahoma vs. Florida
Fiesta – Texas vs. Hawaii
Orange – Boston College vs. West Virginia
BCS Championship – LSU over USC
Matthew
Zemek
Q:
Make your call ... Predict the season.
A: Heisman: Pat White.
Four Heisman runners-up: Darren McFadden, John David Booty,
Colt Brennan, Colt McCoy.
ACC - Virginia Tech
Big East - West Virginia
Big Ten - Michigan
Big 12 - Texas
C-USA - Houston
MAC - Central Michigan
MWest - TCU
Pac 10 - USC
SEC - Florida
Sun Belt - Troy
WAC - Boise State
BCS Bowl Matchups
Rose - LSU vs. Wisconsin
Sugar - Florida vs. Oklahoma
Fiesta - Texas vs. West Virginia
Orange - Virginia Tech vs. Louisville
BCS Championship - USC over Michigan
John
Harris
Q:
Make your call ... Predict the season.
A. Heisman
Winner – Steve Slaton, West
Virginia. Slaton is capable of a 2,000 yard season, especially
alongside his dual threat partner at QB Pat White. With a rushing number
like that and an undefeated season, it won’t be surprising to see the
Mountaineer star back pick up the stiff-armed statue.
Runners-up
– Colt Brennan, Hawaii, Darren McFadden, Arkansas, Mike Hart, Michigan
and John David Booty, USC
ACC
– Virginia Tech
Big Ten
– Wisconsin
Big 12 – Texas
SEC
– LSU
Big East
– West Virginia
Pac 10
– USC
MWC
– TCU
WAC
– Hawaii
Sun Belt
– Troy
MAC
– Central Michigan
CUSA
– Houston
Bowl Matchups
Rose
– Wisconsin vs. UCLA
Orange
– Virginia Tech vs. West Virginia
Fiesta
– Texas vs. Michigan
Sugar
– Florida vs. Oklahoma
BCS National Championship
– USC vs. LSU – Although I have USC at number one in the nation, I do
think that if this matchup takes place, LSU will win down in New
Orleans. As such, the Tigers take home another crystal trophy in ’07.