y25(44 teams remaining)

1. Alabama(SEC) 13-0
2. Texas(Big XII) 13-0
3. Cincinnati(Big East) 12-0
4. Boise State(WAC) 13-0
5. TCU(Mountain West) 12-0
6. Florida(SEC) 12-1
7. Ohio State(Big Ten) 10-2
8. Oregon(Pac 10) 10-2
9. BYU(Mountain West) 10-2
10. Iowa(Big Ten) 10-2
11. Penn State(Big Ten) 10-2
12. Central Michigan(MAC) 11-2
13. Georgia Tech(ACC) 11-2
14. Virginia Tech(ACC) 9-3
15. LSU(SEC) 9-3
16. Miami(ACC) 9-3
17. Troy(Sun Belt) 9-3
18. West Virginia(Big East) 9-3
19. Oklahoma State(Big XII) 9-3
20. Wisconsin(Big Ten) 9-3
21. Pittsburgh(Big East) 9-3
22. East Carolina(C-USA) 9-4
23. Houston(C-USA) 10-3
24. Nebraska(Big XII) 9-4
25. Arizona(Pac 10) 8-4

Looking In:
26. Middle Tennessee(Sun Belt) 9-3
27. Utah(Mountain West) 9-3
28. Temple(MAC) 9-3
29. Fresno State(WAC) 8-4
30. Northwestern(Big Ten) 8-4

Next-in-Line:
31. Missouri(Big XII) 8-4
32. UCF(C-USA) 8-4
33. Texas Tech(Big 12) 8-4
34. Stanford(Pac 10) 8-4
35. Boston College(ACC) 8-4

The Rest:
36. North Carolina(ACC) 8-4
37. Ole Miss(SEC) 8-4
38. Navy 8-4
39. Nevada(WAC) 8-4
40. USC(Pac 10) 8-4
41. Oregon State(Pac 10) 8-4
42. Cal(Pac 10) 8-4
43. Rutgers(Big East) 8-4
44. Ohio(MAC) 9-4

Bowl Predictions

Fresno State over Wyoming
Rutgers over UCF
Southern Miss over Middle Tennessee
Oregon State over BYU
Cal over Utah
Nevada over SMU
Ohio over Marshall
Pitt over North Carolina
USC over Boston College
Clemson over Kentucky
Georgia over Texas A&M
Temple over UCLA
Miami over Wisconsin
Idaho over Bowling Green
Nebraska over Arizona
Houston over Air Force
Stanford over Oklahoma
Missouri over Navy
Minnesota over Iowa State
Tennessee over Virginia Tech
Auburn over Northwestern
Florida State over West Virginia
Penn State over LSU
Oregon over Ohio State
Cincinnati over Florida
USF over Northern Illinois
UCONN over South Carolina
Ole Miss over Oklahoma State
Arkansas over East Carolina
Texas Tech over Michigan State
TCU over Boise State
Georgia Tech over Iowa
Troy over Central Michigan
Texas over Alabama

y25(46 teams remaining)

1. Florida(SEC) 12-0
2. Texas(Big XII) 12-0
3. Alabama(SEC) 12-0
4. Cincinnati(Big East) 11-0
5. Boise State(WAC) 12-0
6. TCU(Mountain West) 12-0
7. Ohio State(Big Ten) 10-2
8. Oregon(Pac 10) 9-2
9. BYU(Mountain West) 10-2
10. Iowa(Big Ten) 10-2
11. Penn State(Big Ten) 10-2
12. Houston(C-USA) 10-2
13. Central Michigan(MAC) 10-2
14. Georgia Tech(ACC) 10-2
15. Virginia Tech(ACC) 9-3
16. Pittsburgh(Big East) 9-2
17. LSU(SEC) 9-3
18. Miami(ACC) 9-3
19. Nebraska(Big XII) 9-3
20. Cal(Pac 10) 8-3
21. Troy(Sun Belt) 9-3
22. USC(Pac 10) 8-3
23. West Virginia(Big East) 8-3
24. Rutgers(Big East) 8-3
25. Oklahoma State(Big XII) 9-3

Looking In:
26. Oregon State(Pac 10) 8-3
27. Ohio(MAC) 9-3
28. Middle Tennessee(Sun Belt) 9-3
29. Wisconsin(Big Ten) 8-3
30. Utah(Mountain West) 9-3

Next-in-Line:
31. Temple(MAC) 9-3
32. Northwestern(Big Ten) 8-4
33. Missouri(Big XII) 8-4
34. UCF(C-USA) 8-4
35. East Carolina(C-USA) 8-4

The Rest:
36. Texas Tech(Big 12) 8-4
37. Stanford(Pac 10) 8-4
38. Boston College(ACC) 8-4
39. Arizona(Pac 10) 7-4
40. Fresno State(WAC) 7-4
41. Clemson(ACC) 8-4
42. North Carolina(ACC) 8-4
43. Ole Miss(SEC) 8-4
44. Navy 8-4
45. Nevada(WAC) 8-4
46. USF(Big East) 7-4

y25(51 teams remaining)

Oregon enters the Top 10 and the 51 teams remain eligible for final ranking.

1.Florida(SEC) 11-0
2.Texas(Big XII) 11-0
3.Alabama(SEC) 11-0
4. Cincinnati(Big East) 10-0
5. Boise State(WAC) 11-0
6. TCU(Mountain West) 11-0
7. Georgia Tech(ACC) 10-1
8. Pittsburgh(Big East) 9-1
9. Ohio State(Big Ten) 10-2
10. Oregon(Pac 10) 9-2
11. Oklahoma State(Big XII) 9-2
12. BYU(Mountain West) 9-2
13. Iowa(Big Ten) 10-2
14. Penn State(Big Ten) 10-2
15. Virginia Tech(ACC) 8-3
16. Clemson(ACC) 8-3
17. Houston(C-USA) 9-2
18. LSU(SEC) 8-3
19. Central Michigan(MAC) 9-2
20. Temple(MAC) 9-2
21. Miami(ACC) 8-3
22. Cal(Pac 10) 8-3
23. Utah(Mountain West) 9-2
24. Nebraska(Big XII) 8-3
25. North Carolina(ACC) 8-3

Looking In:
26. Oregon State(Pac 10) 8-3
27. Ole Miss(SEC) 8-3
28. Navy 8-3
29. Nevada(WAC) 8-3
30. Middle Tennessee(Sun Belt) 8-3

Next-in-Line:
31. Ohio(MAC) 8-3
32. USC(Pac 10) 7-3
33. West Virginia(Big East) 7-3
34. USF(Big East) 7-3
35. Troy(Sun Belt) 8-3

The Rest:
36. Rutgers(Big East) 7-3
37. Wisconsin(Big Ten) 8-3
38. Northwestern(Big Ten) 8-4
39. Arkansas(SEC) 7-4
40. Kentucky(SEC) 7-4
41. Missouri(Big XII) 7-4
42. Southern Miss(C-USA) 7-4
43. UCF(C-USA) 7-4
44. East Carolina(C-USA) 7-4
45. Auburn(SEC) 7-4
46. Texas Tech(Big 12) 7-4
47. Idaho(WAC) 7-4
48. Fresno State(WAC) 7-4
48. Stanford(Pac 10) 7-4
49. Boston College(ACC) 7-4
50. Northern Illinois(MAC) 7-4
51. Arizona(Pac 10) 6-4

Bowl Projections

BCS National Championship:Florida vs Texas
Orange Bowl:Georgia Tech vs Pittsburgh
Fiesta Bowl:Iowa vs Boise State
Sugar Bowl:Alabama vs TCU
Rose Bowl:Ohio State vs Oregon
Cotton Bowl:Oklahoma State vs Auburn
Gator Bowl:Miami vs Notre Dame
Capital One Bowl:Penn State vs LSU
Outback Bowl:Iowa vs Tennessee
Chick-Fil-A:Clemson vs Ole Miss
Sun Bowl:Arizona vs Oklahoma
Holiday Bowl:Stanford vs Nebraska

y25(featuring 33 extra teams who are trying to finish in the Top 25)

When I first did the y25 back in 2003, I went completely by the AP and Coaches Poll and dropping teams by certain spots. At the end of that season the Florida Gators finished 8-5 and remained in my poll. For the 2004 season I put in place a rule where if you have 5 or more losses, you would not be permitted in the poll. I created something called the "Eligibles" teams who were unranked but still had a chance. Here is the current rankings

1.Florida(SEC) 10-0
2.Texas(Big XII) 10-0
3.Alabama(SEC) 10-0
4. Cincinnati(Big East) 10-0
5. Boise State(WAC) 10-0
6. TCU(Mountain West) 10-0
7. Georgia Tech(ACC) 10-1
8. Pittsburgh(Big East) 9-1
9. LSU(SEC) 8-2
10. Ohio State(Big Ten) 9-2
11. Oregon(Pac 10) 7-2
12. Oklahoma State(Big XII) 8-2
13. BYU(Mountain West) 8-2
14. Iowa(Big Ten) 9-2
15. Wisconsin(Big Ten) 8-2
16. Penn State(Big Ten) 9-2
17. Virginia Tech(ACC) 7-3
18. Clemson(ACC) 7-3
19. Houston(C-USA) 8-2
20. Rutgers(Big East) 7-2
21. Stanford(Pac 10) 7-3
22. Central Michigan(MAC) 8-2
23. Temple(MAC) 8-2
24. Miami(ACC) 7-3
25. Cal(Pac 10) 7-3

Looking In:
26. Utah(Mountain West) 8-2
27. Boston College(ACC) 7-3
28. Navy 8-3
29. Nebraska(Big XII) 7-3
30. North Carolina(ACC) 7-3

Next-in-Line:
31. Oregon State(Pac 10) 7-3
32. Ole Miss(SEC) 7-3
33. Nevada(WAC) 7-3
34. Middle Tennessee(Sun Belt) 7-3
35. Northern Illinois(MAC) 7-3

The Rest:
36. Ohio(MAC) 7-3
37. Arizona(Pac 10) 6-3
38. USC(Pac 10) 7-3
39. West Virginia(Big East) 7-3
40. USF(Big East) 6-3
41. Troy(Sun Belt) 7-3
42. Northwestern(Big Ten) 7-4
43. Air Force(Mountain West) 7-4
44. Georgia(SEC) 6-4
45. Arkansas(SEC) 6-4
46. Kentucky(SEC) 6-4
47. Missouri(Big XII) 6-4
48. SMU(C-USA) 6-4
49. Southern Miss(C-USA) 6-4
50. UCF(C-USA) 6-4
51. Oklahoma(Big 12) 6-4
52. Louisiana-Monroe(Sun Belt) 6-4
53. East Carolina(C-USA) 5-4
54. Auburn(SEC) 7-4
55. Texas Tech(Big 12) 6-4
56. Idaho(WAC) 7-4
57. Fresno State(WAC) 6-4
58. Notre Dame 6-4

College Football Bowl Projections

BCS National Championship:Florida vs Texas
Orange Bowl:Georgia Tech vs Pittsburgh
Fiesta Bowl:USC vs Boise State
Sugar Bowl:Alabama vs TCU
Rose Bowl:Ohio State vs Oregon
Cotton Bowl:Oklahoma State vs Auburn
Gator Bowl:Miami vs Notre Dame
Capital One Bowl:Penn State vs LSU
Outback Bowl:Iowa vs Tennessee
Chick-Fil-A:Clemson vs Ole Miss
Sun Bowl:Arizona vs Oklahoma
Holiday Bowl:Stanford vs Nebraska

y25 Week 10

1.Florida(SEC) 9-0
2.Texas(Big XII) 9-0
3.Alabama(SEC) 9-0
4. Cincinnati(Big East) 9-0
5. Boise State(WAC) 9-0
6. TCU(Mountain West) 9-0
7. Georgia Tech(ACC) 9-1
8. Pittsburgh(Big East) 8-1
9. LSU(SEC) 7-2
10. Iowa(Big Ten) 9-1
11. Oregon(Pac 10) 6-2
12. USC(Pac 10) 7-2
13. Ohio State(Big Ten) 8-2
14. Houston(C-USA) 8-1
15. Utah(Mountain West) 8-1
16. Miami(ACC) 7-2
17. Arizona(Pac 10) 6-2
18. Wisconsin(Big Ten) 7-2
19. BYU(Mountain West) 7-2
20. Oklahoma State(Big XII) 7-2
21. Penn State(Big Ten) 8-2
22. Auburn(SEC) 7-3
23. Virginia Tech(ACC) 6-3
24. West Virginia(Big East) 7-2
25. Clemson(ACC) 6-3

y25 Week 7

There is a New Top 5 as LSU is out and Virginia Tech is in.

1.Florida(SEC) 5-0
2.Texas(Big XII) 5-0
3.Alabama(SEC) 6-0
4. Virginia Tech(ACC) 5-1
5. Boise State(WAC) 5-0
6. USC(Pac 10) 4-1
7. Ohio State(Big Ten) 5-1
8. TCU(Mountain West) 5-0
9. Cincinnati(Big East) 5-0
10. LSU(SEC) 5-1
11. Miami(ACC) 4-1
12. Iowa(Big Ten) 6-0
13. Penn State(Big Ten) 5-1
14. Kansas(Big XII) 5-0
15. Oklahoma State(Big XII) 3-1
16. USF(Big East) 5-0
17. BYU(Mountain West) 5-1
18. Oregon(Pac 10) 4-1
19. Oklahoma(Big XII) 3-2
20. Nebraska(Big XII) 4-1
21. Georgia Tech(ACC) 5-1
22. Utah(Mountain West) 4-1
23. Notre Dame 4-1
24. South Carolina(SEC) 5-1
25. Houston(C-USA) 4-1

y25 Week 6

A New Top 10 and New Top 15

1.Florida(SEC) 4-0
2.Texas(Big XII) 4-0
3.Alabama(SEC) 5-0
4.LSU(SEC) 5-0
5.Boise State(WAC) 5-0
6.Virginia Tech(ACC) 4-1
7.USC(Pac 10) 4-1
8.Ohio State(Big Ten) 4-1
9.TCU(Mountain West) 4-0
10.Cincinnati(Big East) 5-0
11.Miami(ACC) 3-1
12.Iowa(Big Ten) 5-0
13.Penn State(Big Ten) 4-1
14.Auburn(SEC) 5-0
15.Kansas(Big XII) 4-0
16.USF(Big East) 5-0
17.Ole Miss(SEC) 3-1
18.Oklahoma State(Big XII) 2-1
19.Missouri(Big XII) 4-0
20.BYU(Mountain West) 4-1
21.Wisconsin(Big Ten) 5-0
22.Oregon(Pac 10) 4-1
23.Oklahoma(Big XII) 2-2
24.Nebraska(Big XII) 3-1
25.Georgia Tech(ACC) 4-1

y25 Week 5

1.Florida(SEC) 4-0
2.Texas(Big XII) 4-0
3.Alabama(SEC) 4-0
4. LSU(SEC) 4-0
5. Boise State(WAC) 4-0
6. Virginia Tech(ACC) 3-1
7. USC(Pac 10) 3-1
8. Ohio State(Big Ten) 3-1
9. TCU(Mountain West) 3-0
10.Oklahoma(Big XII) 2-1
11. Cincinnati(Big East) 4-0
12. Houston(Conference USA) 3-0
13. Iowa(Big Ten) 4-0
14. Michigan(Big Ten) 4-0
15. Kansas(Big XII) 4-0
16. Cal(Pac 10) 3-1
17. Ole Miss(SEC) 2-1
18. Penn State(Big Ten) 3-1
19. Missouri(Big XII) 4-0
20. Georgia(SEC) 3-1
21. BYU(Mountain West) 3-1
22. Oklahoma State(Big XII) 2-1
23. Miami(ACC) 2-1
24. Nebraska(Big XII) 3-1
25. Georgia Tech(ACC) 3-1

y25 Week 3

Notre Dame is out and Michigan is in.

1.Florida(SEC) 2-0
2.Texas(Big XII) 2-0
3.Alabama(SEC) 2-0
4.USC(Pac 10) 2-0
5.Cal(Pac 10) 2-0
6.Ole Miss(SEC) 1-0
7.Penn State(Big Ten) 2-0
8.BYU(Mountain West) 2-0
9.Georgia Tech(ACC) 2-0
10.LSU(SEC) 2-0
11.Boise State(WAC) 2-0
12.North Carolina(ACC) 2-0
13.Oklahoma(Big XII) 1-1
14.Virginia Tech(ACC) 1-1
15.Ohio State(Big Ten) 1-1
16.Utah(Mountain West) 1-0
17.TCU(Mountain West) 1-0
18.Nebraska(Big XII) 2-0
19.Oregon State(Pac 10) 2-0
20.Cincinnati(Big East) 2-0
21.Michigan(Big Ten) 2-0
22.Oklahoma State(Big XII) 1-1
23.Georgia(SEC) 1-1
24.Missouri(Big XII) 2-0
25.Miami(ACC) 1-0

y25 Week 2

The new y25 is out. Some new faces(albeit old). Oregon's loss to Boise was enough to send them off the poll as was Florida State's loss to Miami. Despite winning, Iowa was knocked off the y25. Replacing them are Cincinnati, Missouri, and Miami.

Here is the y25.

1.Florida(SEC) 1-0
2.Texas(Big XII) 1-0
3.Alabama(SEC) 1-0
4.USC(Pac 10) 1-0
5.Oklahoma State(Big XII) 1-0
6.Ole Miss(SEC) 1-0
7.Penn State(Big Ten) 1-0
8.Ohio State(Big Ten) 1-0
9.BYU(Mountain West) 1-0
10.Cal(Pac 10) 1-0
11.LSU(SEC) 1-0
12.Boise State(WAC) 1-0
13.Georgia Tech(ACC) 1-0
14.Oklahoma(Big XII) 0-1
15.Virginia Tech(ACC) 0-1
16.Utah(Mountain West) 1-0
17.North Carolina(ACC) 1-0
18.TCU(Mountain West)
19.Georgia(SEC) 0-1
20.Notre Dame 1-0
21.Nebraska(Big XII) 1-0
22.Oregon State(Pac 10) 1-0
23.Cincinnati(Big East) 1-0
24.Missouri(Big XII) 1-0
25.Miami(ACC) 1-0

2009 NFL Predictions

The 2009 NFL Season is upon us and here are my predictions for the 2009 Season.

AFC Playoffs
Seeds:
1.New England(AFC East Champion)
2.Pittsburgh(AFC North Champion)
3.Tennessee(AFC South Champion)
4.San Diego(AFC West Champion)
5.Baltimore(Wild Card)
6.Cleveland(Wild Card)

Wild Card:
Tennessee over Cleveland
San Diego over Baltimore

Divisionals:
New England over San Diego
Pittsburgh over Tennessee

AFC Title Game:New England over Pittsburgh

NFC
Seeds:
1.Saints(NFC South Champions)
2.Packers(NFC North Champions)
3.Giants(NFC East Champions)
4.Cardinals(NFC West Champions)
5.Falcons(Wild Card)
6.Vikings(Wild Card)

Wild Card:
New York over Minnesota
Arizona over Atlanta

Divisionals:
New Orleans over Arizona
Green Bay over New York

NFC Title Game:New Orleans over Green Bay

Super Bowl XLIV:New Orleans over New England

League MVP:Aaron Rodgers

Rookie of the Year:Mark Sanchez

Super Bowl MVP:Drew Brees

College Football Predictions and the first y25

Its time for the 2009 College Football season and for me to release my predictions for the upcoming year. Here are my predicted conference champions.

ACC Champion:Georgia Tech over Wake Forest
Big Ten Champion:Ohio State
Big East Champion:Rutgers
Big XII Champion:Oklahoma State over Kansas
Pac 10 Champion:Oregon
SEC Champion:Florida over Ole Miss

BCS Buster:Boise State

Major Bowls:
National Championship Game:Florida over Oklahoma State
Rose Bowl:Oregon over Ohio State
Fiesta Bowl:Texas over Boise State
Sugar Bowl:Ole Miss over Penn State
Orange Bowl:Georgia Tech over Rutgers

Heisman Trophy:Tim Tebow

y25:
1.Florida(SEC)
2.Texas(Big XII)
3.Oklahoma(Big XII)
4.USC(Pac 10)
5.Alabama(SEC)
6.Ohio State(Big Ten)
7.Virginia Tech(ACC)
8.Penn State(Big Ten)
9.Ole Miss(SEC)
10.Oklahoma State(Big XII)
11.LSU(SEC)
12.Cal(Pac 10)
13.Georgia(SEC)
14.Boise State(WAC)
15.Oregon(Pac 10)
16.Georgia Tech(ACC)
17.Utah(Mountain West)
18.TCU(Mountain West)
19.Florida State(ACC)
20.North Carolina(ACC)
21.Iowa(Big Ten)
22.BYU(Mountain West)
23.Nebraska(Big XII)
24.Notre Dame
25.Oregon State(Pac 10)

32 Teams in 32 Days:Group 1(Lions, Rams, Chiefs, Seahawks)

I know I said one a day, but I feel that takes up too much space on here so I'd rather go a set of 4 every 4 or so days. This is Group 1 featuring the Detroit Lions, St.Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, and Seattle Seahawks. Lets begin.

Detroit Lions:
Overview:Its been a miserable decade for Lions fans. It all began with the retirement of Barry Sanders prior to the 1999 season and has continued throughout the decade. Lets take a look at some numbers.

40-104-The Lions record since 2000, worst in the NFL

0-16-The Lions record in the 2008 season, they're the first winless team since the 1976 Bucs.

1957-The last time the Lions won an NFL Title.

1-The amount of playoff wins since their last NFL Title

1991-The last time the Lions won a playoff game

1999-The last time the Lions went to the playoffs

1-23-The Lions record since their 6-2 start in 2007

The 2008 Season:Entering the 2008 season, Detroit was sought by a few as a contender to win a weakened NFC North but faltered immediately and fired its whole front office after Week 4. They continued faltering but came close a few times only to finish 0-16 after a 31-21 lost to the Packers.

Overview:
QB:Dan Orlovsky should never start again, Drew Stanton is awful, Daunte Culpepper could've been good had he probably been to Training Camp instead of coming in mid-November.

RB:Kevin Smith is a good back who needs some help. The team always played from behind this year so he didn't quite get much of a chance but still nearly reached 1000 yards rushing.

WR/TE:Calvin Johnson is a star, perhaps they should add another receiver in the second round or even pick up a Tight End.

Offensive Line:Gosder Cherilius is the most illogical draft pick in history barring a miracle. I feel that they're better suited as a run blocking line. But they need some work.

Defensive Line:No pressure on the QB, time for a rehaul

Linebackers:Nothing to say here either, the worst rush defense

Secondary:Not much better for Detroit was the 5th worse passing defense.

What we will see:Jim Schwartz is a product of Jeff Fisher meaning we'll be seeing a team modeled like the Tennessee Titans and like Mike Ditka's Bears in the '80's. They will run the ball heavily with Kevin Smith and occasionally throw with whoever will be the QB. They will go to a 46 defense. With a new unis and new culture in Detroit, I feel that they can be the Tennessee Titans in 3-4 years.

St.Louis Rams:
Overview:The last two seasons have been rough for Rams fans(tell me about it) as they're a league worst 5-27 since 2007. The Rams have gone through 5 coaches since 2005(including interims Joe Vitt and Jim Haslett). The Scott Linehan era has proven to be a flop along with signings of Drew Bennett and Dante Hall and the hiring of Al Saunders. The Rams finished with the 27th best offense and the 28th best defense.

Numbers:
5-27-The Rams record since 2007

2004-The last time the Rams went to the playoffs

8-The number of consecutive losses to the Seattle Seahawks. The Rams last win was in the 2004 NFL Playoffs over the Hawks.

1999-The last time the Rams won the Super Bowl

5-Number of head coaches since the 2004 season(Martz, Vitt, Linehan, Haslett, and Spagnuolo)

2-14-The Rams record in the 2008 season.

The 2008 Season:The first 7 games were as I called, Murderers Row as the Rams faced Philadelphia, New York Giants, Seattle, Buffalo, Washington, Dallas, and New England in the first 7 weeks. Things did not start well for they were blown out by Philadelphia, New York and Seattle and a 31-14 loss to the Bills ended the Linehan tenure. Jim Haslett stepped in and led them to wins over Washington and Dallas before the team lost their remaining games to finish 2-14.

Overview:
QB:Marc Bulger has been a successful QB in St.Louis since his arrival in 2002, however, the last two seasons have been a nightmare for Bulger has been unable to do what he used to be able to do. Was the contract for Bulger a mistake? Its too early to judge but Year 3 is crucial.

RB:Steven Jackson got going during games against Buffalo, Washington, and Dallas but in the last suffered a quad injury and was not in full form until Week 17 against Atlanta where he rushed for 173 rushing yards. He is their guy but I feel a Number 2 back is in need.

WR/TE:Torry Holt is gone and suddenly Donnie Avery is the starter with Keenan Burton and Dane Looker. Tight End has been a problem for a while but Randy McMichael showed potential until his injury.

Offensive Line:Orlando Pace is gone and suddenly one of the worst lines in the NFL has lost its leader. Now the Rams must rebuild in order to keep Bulger protected and give Jackson space.

Defensive Line:Chris Long had a good rookie season with 4 sacks but the rest of the line needs to be more aggressive in order to pressure the QB.

Linebackers:Will Witherspoon's conversion to Middle Linebacker has not worked and as a result, St.Louis has the 4th worse rush defense in the NFL allowing even T.J. Duckett to get over 100 yards rushing.

Secondary:Ron Bartell and Jason Craft came on after a rough start while O.J. Atogwe played to his usual season and the addition of James Butler improves a weak secondary from last season.

What we will see:With Steve Spagnuolo's hire, the Rams are no longer the pass happy offensive team as they were previous. Now with Spags, they're going to be modeled offensively somewhat like the Philadelphia Eagles in a West Coast system with a New York Giants type run game. As for defensive they will be a 4-3 and they will be modeled defensively like the Giants. Expect to see something completely different than the Martz/Linehan era.

Kansas City Chiefs:
Overview:Since 1990, the Kansas City Chiefs fans have been wondering "When?". They were one of the most successful teams of the 90's and had some great teams under Dick Vermeil. Some felt that Herm Edwards was going to get them there but so far no Super Bowl for KC.

Numbers:
2-14-The Chiefs record in the 2008 season.

440-The number of points allowed by their defense.

1969-The last time to the Chiefs won the Super Bowl

2006-The last time the Chiefs appeared in the playoffs. They lost 23-8 to the Colts.

1993-The last time the Chiefs won a playoff game. They beat the Oilers 28-20.

The 2008 Season:The Chiefs looked like a competitive team as they barely lost to the Patriots 17-10 but fell to Oakland and Atlanta afterwards. Their win over Denver in Week 4 was their first of the year, but the team would only win once more as they knocked off Oakland in Week 13 ending the season falling to Cincinnati 16-6.

Overview:
QB:Tyler Thigpen did a good job for what he had to work with. But it appears Matt Cassell will be the starting QB for the Chiefs. This could be Heath Shuler/Gus Freorotte all over again.

RB:Larry Johnson looks done. Kolby Smith and Jamaal Charles could be a one-two punch but that remains to be seen.

WR/TE:I can't say much about Dwayne Bowe, but the rest of the core isn't much. I guess Tony Gonzalez is staying, but they could use another receiver in there to upgrade it.

Offensive Line:Nothing much to say, except they were ok at times but alas they're young. We'll wait and see.

Defensive Line:Again Jared Allen leaving affected it heavily. Maybe Glenn Dorsey will improve, maybe.

Linebackers:The Chiefs linebackers were a reason for their lackluster rush defense. Mike Vrabel though could boost them.

Secondary:Brandon Flowers has potential, as does Bernard Pollard, but the rest is mediocre at best. They're close tho.

What we will see:Todd Haley coming over from the Cardinals means we will see a high-powered passing offense and maybe a good running game(something Haley never established in Arizona). Clancy Pendergast also comes over from Arizona but his defenses have been shaky at best. Mike Vrabel is a good pickup for leadership and experience, but I feel he's past his time. Chan Gailey is back so we may see that Spread Offense from last year in K.C. again or perhaps something like New England's offense or Arizona's, I'm not really sure. Maybe some weird cross. Keep an eye on this team.

Seattle Seahawks
Overview:The 2008 season for Seahawks fans was something different for the first in a while they did not win their division, nor did they make the playoffs as the Mike Holmgren era ended in tragic form. Now the Jim Mora era begins.

Numbers:
4-12-The Seahawks record in 2008.

2002-The last time Seattle had a losing season before this decade

2005-The last time Seattle went to the Super Bowl.

28-The ranking of Seattle's offense

30-The ranking of Seattle's defense

Overview:
QB:Matt Hasselback is getting old and each year his production has decreased due to injury and age. Seneca Wallace is a good back-up but nothing else. I feel they need to draft a QB in order to replace Hasselback either this year or next year.

RB:Shaun Alexander's departure has caused a hole as Seattle's rush offense has completely dropped from the way it used to be. Maurice Morris, T.J. Duckett, and Julius Jones just couldn't replace the former Rushing champion. Losing Leonard Weaver doesn't help either.

WR/TE:Seattle's receiving core isn't much but Jon Carlson was fantastic in his rookie year at Tight End. I feel they need a big play receiver in order to get their offense going again in the air.

Offensive Line:The Seahawks line can be considered a reason for the injury to Matt Hasselback and lack of offensive production. Overall I feel they need to upgrade in order to regain strength.

Defensive Line:The Seattle front four didn't quite get the pressure they need to as they allowed the most passing yards in the NFL and 18th in rushing.

Linebackers:Again not the unit they used to be as they finished 18th in rushing defense.

Secondary:They just got killed, probably the worst under Holmgren.

What we will see:Jim Mora comes in replacing perhaps the best coach in Seattle history. Can he live up to what Homgren did? Mora did revive the Atlanta Falcons from their pseudo grave they were in after the 2001 season and led them to the 2004 NFC Title Game. However, his last two seasons were mediocre. We will see pretty much the same offense. Casey Bradley has come in from Tampa Bay so we'll see a Cover 2 in Seattle.

That wraps up round 1, stay tuned for round 2.

32 Teams in 32 Days

Starting March 18th, I will be doing a special on here called 32 Teams in 32 Days. Where I cover each team leading up to the 2009 NFL Draft. In it I will discuss the teams status and the direction they're going here is the order.

March 18th:Lions
March 19th:Rams
March 20th:Chiefs
March 21st:Seahawks
March 22nd:Browns
March 23rd:Bengals
March 24th:Raiders
March 25th:Jaguars
March 26th:Packers
March 27th:49ers
March 28th:Bills
March 29th:Broncos
March 30th:Redskins
March 31st:Saints
April 1st:Texans
April 2nd:Chargers
April 3rd:Jets
April 4th:Bears
April 5th:Bucs
April 6th:Cowboys
April 7th:Eagles
April 8th:Vikings
April 9th:Patriots
April 10th:Falcons
April 11th:Dolphins
April 12th:Ravens
April 13th:Colts
April 14th:Panthers
April 15th:Giants
April 16th:Titans
April 17th:Cardinals
April 18th:Steelers

2008 NFL Season Wrap-Up

The 2008 NFL Season is now officially over with the Pittsburgh Steelers capturing their 6th Super Bowl.

Here are my rewards for the season:

Game of the Year:Cowboys vs Eagles(Week 2)-Simply a phenomenal game between two powerful offenses.

Offensive MVP:Kurt Warner(Arizona Cardinals)

Defensive MVP:DeMarcus Ware(Dallas Cowboys)

Offensive Rookie of the Year:Joe Flacco(Baltimore Ravens)

Defensive Rookie of the Year:Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie(Arizona Cardinals)

Surprise Team of the Year:Arizona Cardinals

Dissapointing Team of the Year:Dallas Cowboys

Coach of the Year:Tony Sparano(Miami Dolphins)

Team of Next Year(team that missed the playoffs but will be in next season. This only applies to teams that finished below .500):Green Bay Packers

Way-To-Early Predictions

Playoff Outlook:
AFC East:New England Patriots
AFC North:Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South:Tennessee Titans
AFC West:San Diego Chargers
Wild Card 1:Miami Dolphins
Wild Card 2:Indianapolis Colts

NFC East:New York Giants
NFC North:Green Bay Packers
NFC South:Carolina Panthers
NFC West:Arizona Cardinals
Wild Card 1:Washington Redskins
Wild Card 2:Minnesota Vikings

Wild Card Weekend:
Titans over Colts
Dolphins over Chargers
Packers over Vikings
Panthers over Redskins

Divisionals:
Steelers over Dolphins
Patriots over Titans
Giants over Panthers
Cardinals over Packers

AFC Title Game:Patriots over Steelers

NFC Title Game:Giants over Cardinals

Super Bowl 44:Patriots over Giants

Thats all for the 2008 NFL Season, stay tuned for a Mock Draft in the upcoming weeks and for the 2009 NFL Draft.

Super Bowl XLIII Predictions

Interesting Facts:
1.This is the 1st time the Steelers and Cardinals have ever met in the postseason
2.This is the 3rd time two pre-merger teams(1920-1960) have met in the Super Bowl(Steelers beat Rams in XIV, Colts beat Bears in XLI)
3.In the 1944 NFL Season, due to financial difficulties the Steelers and Cardinals merged to become Card-Pitt. This team finished 0-10 and were seperated the next year. For more information go here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card-Pitt
4.Ken Whisenhunt served as Steelers offensive coordinator when Pittsburgh beat Seattle in Super Bowl XL
5.This is the first Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXXIV that a BCS College is not represented at the QB position(Warner went to Northern Iowa and Big Ben went to Miami(OH))
6.This is the very first appearence in the Super Bowl for the Cardinals.
7.If Pittsburgh wins they will be the first 6 Super Bowl team.
8.Pittsburgh is 5-1 in Super Bowls
9.Arizona has not won an NFL Championship since the 1947 game against Philadelphia.
10.At 9-7, Arizona tied the 1979 L.A. Rams for worse record for a team entering the Super Bowl(The Rams lost 31-19 to the Steelers)

Now its time to break it down:

Kurt Warner vs Ben Roethlisberger

Both have been here before, but like with Tom Brady last year, Warner has more big game experience.

Cardinals 1 Steelers 0

Tim Hightower and Edgerrin James vs Mulwelde Moore and Willie Parker

Pittsburgh's run game has been more consistant this season. Arizona's has been shaky at best.

Cardinals 1 Steelers 1

Larry Fitzgerald vs Hines Ward

The job Ward did in Super Bowl XL was amazing. He was the reason Pittsburgh won that game. However, Fitzgerald has been the reason Arizona has gotten this far.

Cardinals 2 Steelers 1

Santonio Holmes vs Anquain Boldin

Santonio is speed and is a big threat. However, Boldin is overall the better receiver. The question is...will Boldin show up or will he just not try? I give this advantage to the Steelers.

Cardinals 2 Steelers 2

Leonard Pope vs Heath Miller

Heath has been a great bail-out guy for Big Ben and Co. all season. Pope is decent but doesn't get much done.

Steelers 3 Cardinals 2

Steelers O-Line vs Cardinals O-Line

Pittsburgh's o-line has struggled as shown by Big Ben being sacked 192 times since 2004. However, Arizona's is still shaky and Pitt's has been playing better.

Steelers 4 Cardinals 2

Steelers D-Line vs Cardinals D-Line

Steelers front three always gets the job done

Steelers 5 Cardinals 2

Steelers Linebackers vs Cardinals Linebackers

The Steelers 4 man attack has been beating up backs such as Clinton Portis, LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sprioles, and Willis McGahee all year. They even shut down Chris Johnson and LenDale White.

Steelers 6 Cardinals 2

Steelers Secondary vs Cardinals Secondary

No contest

Steelers 7 Cardinals 2

Neil Rackers vs Jeff Reed

Rackers has been great...indoors. Reed is very good

Steelers 8 Cardinals 2

Glendale vs Pittsburgh

Arizona is boring...but Pitt is dirty

Steelers 8 Cardinals 3

Ken Whisenhunt vs Mike Tomlin

What Ken Whisenhunt has done in 2 years at Arizona is amazing. He turned one of the worst franchises of all-time into a winner.

Final Score:Steelers 8 Cardinals 4

The X-Factor:Arizona's defense needs to stop the Steelers. The Cardinals will not win on offense. Their is no way that Arizona's 4th ranked offense can beat Pittsburgh's 1st ranked defense. If Arizona's defense can stop Big Ben and Co. then they can win this. However, I don't think they can. If they do stop Pittsburgh, they can or at least make it close. If they can't we're looking at Raiders/Bucs all over again.

Final Score:Steelers 34 Cardinals 10

MVP:James Harrison

College Football Final

The 2008 College Football Season is over and I am here to announce the winners of various awards and such.

As you all know, I crown my own National Champion and I award this honor to the Utah Utes who at 13-0 won the Mountain West Conference and defeated Alabama 31-17 in the Sugar Bowl. Here is the rest of the y25.

1.Utah 13-0(Mountain West)
2.Florida 13-1(SEC)
3.USC 12-1(Pac 10)
4.Texas 12-1(Big XII)
5.Virginia Tech 10-4(ACC)
6.Oklahoma 12-2(Big XII)
7.TCU 11-2(Mountain West)
8.Penn State 11-2(Big Ten)
9.Alabama 12-2(SEC)
10.Oregon 10-3(Pac 10)
11.Boise State 12-1(WAC)
12.Georgia 10-3(SEC)
13.Ole Miss 9-4(SEC)
14.Texas Tech 11-2(Big XII)
15.Ohio State 10-3(Big Ten)
16.Cincinnati 11-3(Big East)
17.Rice 10-3(C-USA)
18.Nebraska 9-4(Big XII)
19.Oklahoma State 9-4(Big XII)
20.Tulsa 11-3(C-USA)
21.Missouri 10-4(Big XII)
22.Iowa 9-4(Big Ten)
23.Florida State 9-4(ACC)
24.Oregon State 9-4(Pac 10)
25.Ball State 12-2(MAC)

With that here is the Final Conference Standings:
1.Big XII-6
2.SEC-4
3.Pac 10-3
Big Ten-3
5.Mountain West-2
ACC-2
Conference USA-2
7.WAC-1
Big East-1

So with that I award "Best Conference" to the Big XII.

Previous Champs:
2007:Big XII
2006:SEC
2005:SEC
2004:SEC
2003:Big XII

Other Awards:
Worst Team of the Year:Washington Huskies(0-12)

Coach of the Year:Turner Gil(Buffalo)

Best Regular Season Game of the Year:Texas vs Texas Tech

Worst Game of the Year:Auburn vs Mississippi State

Best Bowl Game of the Year:Ohio State vs Texas

Player of the Year:Colt McCoy(Texas)

Dissapointment of the Year:Wisconsin

Looking Back(August 2008 Predictions):
Conference Champions
ACC:Clemson over North Carolina
Big East:West Virginia and USF
Big Ten:Ohio State and Wisconsin
Big XII:Oklahoma over Missouri
Pac 10:USC
SEC:Florida over Alabama
BCS Buster:Utah

BCS National Championship(Orange Bowl):Ohio State over Oklahoma
Fiesta:USF over Georgia
Sugar:Florida over Clemson
Orange:West Virginia over Utah
Rose:USC over Wisconsin
Heisman Trophy:Beanie Wells
Comeback Teams:Nebraska and North Carolina

Looking for a New Job:
Gregg Robinson(Syracuse)
Kirk Ferentz(Iowa)
Mike Stoops(Arizona)

Clemson wasn't a bad pick. I don't think anyone thought they would be as bad as they were.

WVU and USF should've been up there but offensive issues prevented that from occuring.

Ohio State and Wiscy was everyone's dissapointment.

Good call on OU/Mizzou, USC, and UF/Bama though.

I knew OU was going to the title no matter what even though I had Texas beating them.

Heres my way too early predictions for 2009

ACC Champ:Virginia Tech
Big East Champ:USF
Big Ten Champ:Penn State
Big XII Champ:Texas
Pac 10 Champ:Oregon and USC
SEC Champ:Florida
BCS Buster:Boise State

National Title:Texas over Florida
Fiesta Bowl:Oklahoma over Boise State
Sugar Bowl:LSU over USC
Orange Bowl:USF over Virginia Tech
Rose Bowl:Penn State over Oregon

Thats all for 2008, folks. I will see you for Spring Football Coverage in April