2013 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROJECTIONS!!!

THE INDEPENDENTS (TYLER)

The lone wolfs of the College Football world, The Independents will be the subject of today's College Football Predictions.

For the longest time Notre Dame has been the face of Independence. Joined by Army and Navy and finally by BYU, New Mexico State, and Idaho makes six schools holding their fate in their own hands.

As we all know well Notre Dame went to the BCS National Championship Game where they faltered beneath the beast known as Alabama. BYU finished 8-5 after a bowl win against San Diego State. Army finished 2-10 on a disappointing season. Navy finished 8-5 even after losing in their bowl game to Arizona State. New Mexico State and Idaho both finished their WAC runs at 1-11 before jumping to independence.

Since obviously there aren't any divisions or even a conference in the Independence world my predictions are pretty singular for each school. It's pretty obvious where the strengths are, It's Notre Dame with BYU coming in second. Notre Dame has so many "rivalry" games that they play every year, their schedules don't vary a whole lot, they suffered a few setbacks with the loss of LB Manti Teo on defense and would be returning QB Everett Goldston gone. This team turns to former starting QB Tommy Rees and stud DL Louis Nix III to lead this team to another great season. BYU loses the services of DE Ziggy Ansah, LBs Brandon Ogletree and Uona Kaveinga, and CB Preston Hadley on the #3 Ranked Defense from last year but return All American LB Kyle Van Noy to what should be another solid defense under Bronco Mendenhall. Thank all that is holy QB Riley Nelson is finally gone from the program so BYU can move forward on offense with RB Jamaal Williams and WR Cody Hoffman ready to put points on the board.

Army and Navy always have interesting games they play all across the map. Navy Head Coach Ken Nuimatalolo has put together some impressive teams the last few years and should continue his trend. Army loses their QB Trent Steelman to graduation and will probably struggle this year also. New Mexico State and Idaho just do what they do. However i think New Mexico State is putting themselves in a position to win more games because they get to pick and choose which games they play more so now.

Now for my predictions.... Don't laugh

INDEPENDENTS

BYU 9-3

Notre Dame 8-4

Navy 7-5

New Mexico State 5-7

Army 4-8

Idaho 1-11

I have BYU losing games to Texas, Wisconsin, and Notre Dame. While Notre Dame drops games at Michigan and Stanford and home games against Oklahoma and Arizona State. I don't have a whole lot put into QB Tommy Rees based on his previous play, you know what your going to get from him. BYU has a lot of weapons on offense with a quarterback that actually knows how to play quarterback and a defense that will not disappoint. 

These are my predictions. What are yours?

2013 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS!!!

THE BIG 10 (TYLER)

Continuing on my 2013 College Football Predictions i will take a look at the BIG 10 Conference!

The last couple of years have been nothing but a headache for the Big 10 conference with issues arising from Penn State's scandal along with Ohio State's punishments. Many thought Michigan would be the team to beat with QB Denard Robinson at the helm but they under-performed and Wisconsin somehow crept into the Rose Bowl. Now that Robinson is gone that leaves QBs Braxton Miller at Ohio State and Tayler Martinez at Nebraska as the best Quarterbacks in the Conference. However, you can never sleep on teams like Wisconsin, Michigan State, Michigan, and even Penn State. Next year the Big 10 Conference will add the talents of Rutgers and Maryland to their Conference to bring in more variety and some East Coast presence to the Big 10. With all that said let's look at my predictions for the Divisions.

LEGENDS DIVISION

Michigan 9-3

Nebraska 9-3

Michigan State 8-4

Iowa 6-6

Minnesota 6-6

Northwestern 5-7

I don't know what it is about Michigan honestly, but i see them barely overtaking Nebraska in the Legends Division, and i think highly about Taylor Martinez at Nebraska. We'll see if i'm right.

LEADERS DIVISION

Ohio State 12-0

Wisconsin 9-3

Penn State 9-3

Illinois 7-5

Purdue 3-9

Indiana 2-10

It's hard to bet against an Ohio State team that quietly went 12-0 last year with an "unknown" Quarterback under center in Braxton Miller, but wasn't able to go bowling due to their ban. Miller is a game changer and will lead his team to their Conference Championship. Keep an eye on Penn State though, this team even through all their recent turmoil has played at a high level and will once again show their grit and determination to win games.

CHAMPION

Ohio State

I couldn't get myself to pick against Ohio State even though i really don't like Urban Meyer, but one thing that is very clear with Meyer is that he doesn't lose big games. His teams may drop a stinker here and there but not big games. Watch out Big 10.

Awesome Video. Mormon missionaries playin ball. (Casey)

This is an awesome video. Check it out. Who Said White men can't Jump!

Also my daily reminder!

2013 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS!!!

THE BIG 12 (TYLER)

Continuing on my College Football Prediction path, today i will throw down my predictions for the BIG 12 CONFERENCE!

This year is an interesting one for the Big 12, in my mind there's not a really a clear cut favorite to win the conference like in years past. Experts are all over the board on who is going to win the conference and since there is no Conference Championship Game in the Big 12 i actually have this conference going down to the wire in a very exciting year for 5 teams! Check it out and see what you think. 

Oklahoma State 9-3

Texas 9-3

Oklahoma 9-3

TCU 8-4

Kansas State 8-4

Texas Tech 7-5

Iowa State 7-5

Baylor 6-6

West Virginia 4-8

Kansas 3-9

I know, I know, Baylor has scored more points in the last two years that they did between the years of 2002-2006 but i just don't see them being able to compete enough to take over this conference. TCU is an intriguing team that could very well win the conference with QB Casey Pachall under center along with Gary Patterson's defense that is always one of the best in the nation. But i'm going with my gut on this and taking Oklahoma State as the Conference Champion.

CHAMPION

Oklahoma State

Does your gut tell you something different? Let me know what your thoughts are, cause this conference is wide open!

Logo and other BYU stuff (Casey)

So is this one of the best Logos in all of college sports? According to Athlon.com yes it is. Athlon has the Y from BYU listed as the 4th best logo in all college sports. http://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-best-and-worst-logos-2013.

Today Coach Dave Rose and the BYU basketball team got another In state recruit over Utah and Utah State. Bountiful star Zac Seljaas verbally commited to BYU today and will play one year before going on a mission. Zac is a 6'8" and 200lbs and really came on the scene after summer camps this year. Zacs sister came to BYU and is married to former BYU football player Chris Warner.

ALSO here is a friendly reminder that BYU football camp started Saturday August 3rd and there will be an open practice at LaVell Edwards Stadium on August 10th at 10AM so everyone get out and see your team Because there are only..........

Who is the Best? O-Line (Casey)

So for part five of my Who has the best series I'm going to go to the Big Uglies, the guys in the trenches that make everyone else around them look good. Just think about it, every play these guys bash heads with other big men across from them so there Quarterback or Running Back can look pretty. But who in this state has the best Offensive Line group? Lets go take a look at what we have.

BYUs Offensive Line

BYU has a very interesting dilemma at the offensive line positions. Last year they had to suffer through injuries and young players trying to figure everything out. This year outside injuries they are going to have the same problem in addition to the fact that they now have a new Offensive Coordinator (Anea) and a new Offensive Line coach in Garrett Tujague who both will be on these guys from day 1. The lone returning starter from last year is 6'6" 292lb redshirt Sophomore Ryker Matthews who will play Left Tackle. Outside him there are guys who have playing time but none who have had a start. The Listed Starters coming out of spring are: LT Matthews, LG (RS JR) Solomone Kafu, C (RS Soph) Terrance Alletto, RG (RS Fresh) Kyle Johnson, and RT (RS JR) Michael Yeck. They are all so young and inexperienced that things are going to be interesting to watch during fall camp to see what happens. Now there are plenty of guys at the back up position as well as incoming freshman like Braden Kearsley and incoming JC kids that could take starting jobs, but be on the lookout for this Offensive Line this year and lets see what Fall camp will bring.

Utahs Offensive Line

Utah comes in with a little more seasoned offensive line group but still questions. They have returning starters on that line and a guy who is one of the best tackles in the entire Pac 12. That guy is the starting left tackle in Jeremiah C.J. Poutasi. This mountain of a man is the perfect NFL sized tackle at 6'5" and 345lbs. Poutasi is only a Sophomore but started in the Pac 12 as a freshman and did a good enough job to be named Honorable Mention All Pac 12. The Other offensive lineman have there jobs pretty well in (baring injury) and should do a good job at opening holes for the Running Backs and keeping Travis Wilson. The Starters from spring go as follows: LT (Soph) Jeremiah Poutasi, LG (RS SR) Jeremiah Tofaeono, C (RS SR) Vyncent Jones, RG (RS JR) Junior Salt, and RT (RS Soph) Siaosi Aiono. This group averages 320lbs, they are a huge group of guys and will do a good job this year keeping defenses out of the backfield.

Utah States Offensive Line

Utah State has by far The most experienced line in all the State. They bring back a line with 110 starts between them and two First Team All WAC guys from last year. The Offensive line is lead by there Center and vocal leader in Tyler Larsen. Larsen is a RS Senior who has started all games for the Aggies for the last 3 years. He is a 6'4" 312lb MAN. Larsen is an amazing player and with another solid year could be one of the top Centers coming out next year. He is not alone on this line. He has a partner next to him in Right Guard Eric Schultz. Schultz was also a First Team All WAC first team player and during his career he has started in 32 games and is a great player that complements Larsen on that Offensive Line. Schultz is a 6'4" 300lb redshirt Senior as well and is just a stud. So in the Spring Depth Chart the Offensive line will go as follows: LT (RS Soph) Kevin Whimpey, LG (RS SR) Jamie Markosian a Second Team all WAC player, C (RS SR) Tyler Larsen,  RG (RS SR) Kyle Whimpey and RT (RS SR) Eric Schultz. This is a solid group and barring injury should be solid all year long.

Winner: Utah State
 So by far Utah State has the best offensive line this year. No other team in the state brings as much experience and starts as they do. Utah States Offensive line is a rock for this team. They will be able to control games and opponents and even with the stiffer competition (MWC) they will be able to control the line of scrimmage and open lanes and holes for Utah States backfield and quarterback. Utah will be good and should do better this year than last but the defensive talent in the Pac 12 is really good and could cause them problems. BYU is just so young and inexperienced. Outside Matthews they have so many questions that may not be answered till the week of the Virgina game. So let me know what you think and if I'm up in the night on this. 

Bandwagon Fan? Yes? No? (Casey)

Have you ever noticed that after every Super Bowl you begin seeing everyone wearing gear from the team that just won? Or after this years NBA playoffs there were many many people wearing Heat garb? Or after the Utes went to the Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl, invite to the Pac 12, how many stickers, hats, shirts there are around? Or how loud Utah State fans are now that there team has won some games? Or how BYU fans Just now begin to break out there BYU stuff from there closet or just now get to know who the quarterback is? Well this is the beginning of the sports year and I can guarantee the bandwagon will be going around the country like it does every year picking up front runners and bringing them in. Right now everyone is positive, all teams are starting a new year with a perfect record. But whats going to happen when teams begin to lose? I can guarantee people are going to stop cheering for teams and jump on with another team and start cheering for them. Now I understand its human nature for us to wanna associate ourselves with winners, but the shear number of people in this world that say they are fans when things are good and hide out as soon as things get rough is amazing. The Urban Dictionary describes a Bandwagon fan as, Anyone who claims they are a "fan" of a particular sports team, even though they had no prior support for/interest in the team until that team started winning. These types of fans only show playoff interest, have probably never watched a regular season game, don't own any type of team merchandise, nor would they buy any.
  Lets look at a recent example of Bandwagon fans. This years NBA finals was played between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat. Well in game 6 with the Spurs up by 5 with 21 seconds to go in the game (remember if the Spurs win they win the title) and Miami Fans got up and started to leave.

Well as you see in the clip they were denied re-entry to the game and as they should be had to watch from outside. Its just amazing to me that front runner/bandwagon fans usually are those people that would have nothing to do with a team while its struggling but put a few wins together and suddenly they are a hot ticket.

Now Speaking to Local fan bases ask yourself these question. Where were you when your team was struggling? Were you still watching every game or just catching the highlights here and there? Did you raise your voice in concern about your team as much as you cheered for them or did you go silent and disappear into the background? I think there are a lot of Bandwagon fans especially across this great state, of course there are diehards here as well but you see it every year. This year I have a feeling that the Utah Jazz will go through a big time growing process that will involve pain for the fans and it will be interesting to me to see IF those of us who call ourselves fans will stick with this young team come February. Also I see another tough year for Utah in the Pac 12, Will those fans stick around and continue to sell out that stadium, or will they begin again to have empty seats all over? If BYU has a tough beginning to this year, will the Idaho State game have fans attending? Will Utah State fans continue to talk smack to everyone about how good there team is if they don't win as many game in the Mountain West? Sports fans can be loyal almost to a fault but some can also be very wishy washy when it comes to who they root for. So if your gonna jump on a bandwagon this year, lets just hope you decide to ride on that wagon for good, even if you hit some bumps in the road.