COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: Norman Arey reviews the college football season

BCS bowl predictions promise some surprises but in the end, you-know-who wins it all

(Aug. 31) It’s a tricky business to predict who’s going to show up in the five BCS bowl when you’re doing the predicting before a game has been played.

So as not to burden you with my prejudices, I actually did some research (yes, believe it or not) and will share four other sources’ predictions before saddling you with mine.

The Rose Bowl seems a lock with Ohio State as one of the teams but Southern Cal and Oklahoma each received two votes for the other slot.

The Sugar Bowl is really the wild card bowl this time around. One source had Georgia playing Boise State, another predicted Rutgers would meet Ole Miss, one had West Virginia playing the Rebels and a four saw Texas taking on Boston College.

The Fiesta Bowl had almost as many variables. Penn State was mentioned twice, once playing Texas and another said the Nittany Lions would meet Alabama. Boise State was also the choice of two sources - one had the Broncos taking on Oklahoma and another meeting the Longhorns of Texas.

The poor old Orange Bowl has been saddled with some clunkers in the last three seasons. In 2007, Louisville beat Wake Forest, 24-13. In ‘08, Kansas defeated Virginia Tech, 24-21 and last year, Virginia Tech beat Cincinnati. Boy do they need a good game this time around.

The (Mythical) National Championship game, to be played in Pasadena on Jan. 7 this season, showed Florida to be a lock for one spot with Southern Cal mentioned twice and Texas and Oklahoma once each.

So now it’s Arey time:

-Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon

-Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Texas

-Fiesta Bowl: Boise State vs. Southern Cal

-Orange Bowl: North Carolina vs. Penn State

(-Mythical) National Championship Game: Florida vs. Oklahoma

In a Fox Sports poll, with more than 15,000 fans voting, 59 percent agreed with me. They picked Florida to beat Oklahoma in the mythical college championship game, and 38 percent of those picked the Gators to win by more than 10 points.

This is Norman Arey on Tuesday, we’ll take a look at the top players in the ACC

Who's gonna whip the Gators? Are you kidding? Nobody in these United States

(Aug. 28) OK. Is there anything that hasn’t already been written about Florida and its quest for its second straight national championship and third in the last four years? Is there any one who hasn’t heard about Tim Tebow and his water-walking or about Percy Harvin having left or about linebacker Brandon Sikes returning for his senior year or the versatility of cornerback Joe Haden?

To give the rest of the SEC something to think about, as if it needed it, the entire starting defense returns - all 11 of them.

With one of its softer schedules in recent years, the Gators and Mr. Tebow won’t even be challenged until Oct. 10 when they travel to Baton Rouge for a pow-wow with LSU. I mean seriously, who’s gonna beat them until possibly whomever shows up across the field in the mythical national title game?

Urban Meyer has even arranged for his stalwarts to run some plays out of the ‘I’ formation as well as the patented Urban-spread and if Tebow doesn’t win a second Heisman, everyone needs to turn in their press credentials.

So what’s left to say?

Well, Lane Kiffin is at Tennessee and everyone is waiting to see if the Vols can play as well as Kiffin can talk.

UT has an All-America player in defensive back Eric Berry and a proven runner in Montario Hardesty. If they can find someone to throw the ball, wide receiver Gerald Jones, who had 714 all-purpose yards last year, is a great target and the best athlete on the team.

The Orange coaching staff ranks right up there with anybody and it’s probably just a matter of time until they’re back as a Top 10 team. But probably not this season.

I don’t care what anyone says about Steve Spurrier, I just don’t think you can count out what he brings to the table. He hasn’t been able to turn that corner and get the Gamecocks to a point where they can be a legitimate contender in the SEC but with sophomore quarterback Stephen Garcia, he might have found his man.

The schedule isn’t kind to the Gamecocks, who must play N.C. State, Georgia and Ole Miss in the first four weeks of the season. Still, the Old Ball Coach still has a few tricks under his visor and it’ll no doubt be interesting in Columbia this fall.

This is Norman Arey and Monday we’ll do a little predicting with the BCS Bowls.

SEC East: There are no easy wins for anybody but neither are they anybody's patsy

(Aug. 27) I may very well be wrong, but I’ve got a feeling that Georgia, Vanderbilt and Kentucky are going to fight it out for third or fourth place in the SEC East.

Now before all you Bulldogs get your dog collars in a wad, hear me out.

There’s no sound reason to believe this is an elite Bulldog team. Their quarterback, Joe Cox, has never started a game.

One of their runners, Caleb King, has health issues. The offensive line is back, but so what? Defensively, I think the whole deal is in question. Look back at last year’s performances against Alabama, LSU and Georgia Tech. Has Willie Martinez gotten a whole lot smarter over the off-season? Has the talent level improved overall since last November?

And we haven’t even talked about their unbelievably hard schedule which starts off against pre-season top-10 ranked Oklahoma State. I don’t believe the Bulldogs will go 0-4 to open things, but it’s not impossible. You can’t tell me that

Mark Richt wouldn’t accept a 2-2 split right now and be happy.

Kentucky isn’t your grandfather’s Wildcats. The blue-clad bluegrassers have been to three straight bowl games and have junior quarterback Mike Hartline coming back and a good portion of its offensive line.

Kentucky began last year 4-0, but finished losing its final three regular season games before beating East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl. I can count six games on the Wildcats’ schedule in which they should be favored and they plays Florida, Alabama and Tennessee in Lexington.

Defensively, Kentucky was hurt badly by graduation and only four starters return on that side of the ball.

Is there anyone who doesn’t know that Vanderbilt broke its bowl drought last season, beginning the year 5-0 and then struggling to a 6-6 mark before whipping Boston College in the Music City Bowl?

The Commodores return 19 starters which includes most of their skill people and its entire offensive and defensive lines.

Could the ‘Dores be looking at two consecutive years of post-season play?

There are only four obvious wins on Vandy’s schedule - Western Carolina, Mississippi State, Rice and Army. So it’ll be a dog fight for the Nashville bunch to find two or three more wins. Don’t discount head coach Bobby Johnson, who is one of the most underappreciated coaches in the country.

Next: South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida.

It should be a real dog fight in the SEC West among Ole Miss, LSU, Alabama

(Aug. 26) Daggone it, Sports Illustrated magazine just had to go and do it. Ole Miss and quarterback Jevan Snead are on the cover of the publication’s college football issue and you know the accompanying hex that goes with that.

But it’ll take more than a hex to keep the Rebels down this season. Snead is the real deal and the Rebs have a more-than-adequate cast of characters to supplement his talent. The Boys from Oxford surprised a lot of folks last season with their upset of No. 1 Florida and their handling of Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. Ole Miss won its final six games and two of its four loses were by two points and four points.

Snead’s favorite target, Shay Hester, is back along with tailback Cordera Eason. The defense returns eight starters, including leading tackler free safety Kendrick Lewis. The schedule favors the Rebels with its toughest games - Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU in Oxford.

LSU had a little dip last season, finishing 8-5, but losing three of its last four regular season games. The Bengals came back strong, embarrassing Georgia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

Charlie Scott is perhaps the top running back in the west and quarterback is in good hands with Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson fighting for the job. The defense took a hit with graduation as only one player on the front line returns, but they’re solid at linebacker and the secondary.

Alabama may not have been as good as its 12-2 mark last season. Although the Crimson Tide went into the SEC championship game at 12-0, they struggled against Ole Miss, Kentucky and LSU.

To lose to Utah in the Sugar Bowl was one thing but to lose to the Utes by a 31-17 score was something else.

The Tide returns only four starters on offense and will be operating with a new quarterback in Greg McElroy, who has thrown a total of eleven passes in his career. If McElroy can throw it, he’s got two great targets in Julio Jones and Mike McCoy.

The Alabama defense returns nine including nose guard Terrence Cody and linebacker Rolando McClain.

Don’t look for The Tide to reappear in the Sugar Bowl or in the SEC title game but don’t tell Nick Saban that.

Tomorrow: The SEC East tomorrow, part one.

Could Bobby Petrino and the Razorbacks be the surprise of the SEC West?

(Aug. 25) The SEC West used to be known as the weaker side of the conference. LSU and occasionally Auburn held up their end of the deal, but where was the depth and strength? Now Alabama has righted itself, as has Ole Miss and maybe Arkansas and Mississippi State has a new coach.

The Bulldogs in Starkville went out and hired Florida assistant Dan Mullen to set things right, figuring if you can’t beat ‘em, hire ‘em.

Mullen has worked with the quarterbacks over the years with Urban Meyer at Bowling Green and Utah before going to Florida and obviously the Bulldogs love his experience.

Mississippi State has won only 21 games over the past five seasons and Mullen knows what he’s gotten himself into. The Bulldogs return 12 of 22 starters with only five coming back on defense. With out-of-league games against Georgia Tech, Houston and Middle Tennessee, it’ll be difficult for Mullen to match last year’s four win season.

What to make of Auburn is the question and I’m not sure of the answer. The Tigers fired Tommy Tuberville, who had won 85 games in 10 seasons, and hired Gene Chizik, who was 5-19 as head coach at Iowa State.

Chizik has already turned some heads by naming Chris Todd as starting quarterback ahead of Kodi Burns and, in fact, moved Burns to wide receiver. What Chizik has done is assemble a great staff including defensive coordinator Ted Roof, offensive guru Gus Malzahn and Tracy Rocker to oversee the defensive line.

The Tigers have a lot of work to do to overcome the Nick Saban-led Crimson Tide over in Tuscaloosa, and it may take Chizik longer than Auburn has patience.

Arkansas is also a mystery but lots of folks think Bobby Petrino may have the surprise team in the west under his direction.

Petrino won five games with a not-very-good team last season but many feel that Michigan transfer quarterback Ryan Mallett may be just what they need. Mallett is a 6-foot-7, 238-pounder with a rifle arm. With eight returnees on offense and nine of defense, things could change quickly. A tough early season stretch which includes games against Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, Auburn, Florida and Ole Miss may do them in, especially with most of their tough games on the road.

But the talent is there and it would seem that if they can escape that early tough run 3-3, they might have a chance to make some serious noise.

This is Norman Arey and on Wednesday we’ll finish up the SEC West.

This could be the year Florida State finds itself but then again . . . who knows?

(Aug. 24) The Demon Deacons’ coach Jim Grobe has had success at Wake Forest with a simple formula - play stop-‘em-in-their-tracks defense and don’t make mistakes on offense.

It’s worked amazingly well for the once-lowly Deacs and senior quarterback Riley Skinner is the main reason. Wake has won 26 games with Skinner as the starter and is one of the most accurate passers anywhere. Running back Josh Adams, ACC Rookie of the Year, is back along with Kenny Harris, so things look good for the rushing game.

Only four starters return on defense but three are on the defensive line and that should help some. Somebody has got to step-up at linebacker quickly and the secondary has speed if not experience or depth.

Grobe didn’t do himself any favors with the schedule as Wake faces Baylor, Stanford and Navy outside the ACC.

Clemson inexplicably wasn’t very good on offense last season despite having a veteran quarterback in Cullen Harper and two great backs in James Davis and C.J. Spiller. Everyone but Spiller is gone but the offensive line is back and quarterback should be a battle between Willie Korn and Kyle Parker.

Eight defensive starters return led by linebacker Kavell Conner who had 125 tackles last year. New coach Dabo Swinney will find out what kind of team he has early as the Tigers play at Georgia Tech in their second game.

Remember when Florida State struck terror in the hearts of their opponents? No? You’re not alone and the Seminoles have to get it together this year or stay lost in memory.

FSU could improve on last year’s nine wins with its entire offensive line back plus second-year starting quarterback Christian Ponder. Defensively, the ‘Noles have only five returning starters but playmaker Dakoda Watson is back. Bobby Bowden plays his usual hefty out-of-league schedule with South Florida, BYU and Florida on their dance card.

Defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews has said this is his last year after 26 years in Tallahassee and Bowden could be coaching his last season.

One way or another, things are getting ready to change for the Seminoles but they still may be one year away.

This is Norman Arey and on Tuesday we’ll break down one-half of the SEC Wild, Wild West.

Don't overlook N.C. State this season. The Wolfpack could be the surprise of the year

(Aug. 21) This is Norman Arey with one-half of the ACC Atlantic Division in our college football kickoff.

Let me say, right up front, that the Wolfpack of North Carolina State could be the sleeper of the entire ACC and maybe the country..

The stars are pretty well aligned for a surprise out of Raleigh, and a lot of it has to do coach Tom O’Brien and sophomore quarterback Russell Wilson.

Wilson is a marvelous player and individual. Whether he eventually makes his living in football, baseball or politics is anyone’s guess but what a choice to have. Wilson was the first freshman ever to be named first team All-ACC last season. He threw for 2,000 yards and rushed for 400. He has completed 249 straight passes without an interception.

If Toney Baker, who ran for 1,300 yards in 2005 and 2006, can come back after missing most of the past two years with injury, the ‘Pack could be a threat. The question is the offensive line. There is no such problem defensively as the front seven are veteran and experienced.

Poor Boston College will be operating with its third head coach in the past four years. O’Brien left for N.C. State, Jeff Jagodzinski was fired for flirting with the NFL and the new guy is Frank Spaziani. Spaziani, a 62-year-old first time head coach, must first find a quarterback. One of the candidates is freshman Justin Tuggle, son of one-time Atlanta Falcons linebacker Jesse. The Eagles have two fine running backs in Montel Harris and Josh Haden and the offensive line is intact minus one from last year.

Defensively, BC lost a ton of talent and experience, and this year might not be kind to the new coach.

Maybe less of Maryland will be more, at least in the case of head coach Ralph Friedgen. The one-time Georgia Tech assistant has lost 105 pounds since last season.

Friedgen had to rebuild his offensive line, and that’s imperative for runner supreme Da’Rel Scott to show his wares. The inconsistent Chris Turner returns at quarterback and is 6-1 as a starter but the Terps inexplicably lost to Middle Tennessee and Virginia last season. New defensive coordinator Don Brown is working to improve a defense which gave up 100 points in UM’s last three games and finished ninth in the league, giving up almost 23 per game.

Overall, watch out for N.C. State. O’Brien has shown to be the kind of coach that UNC’s Butch Davis was supposed to, and still may, be.

This is Norman Arey and Monday we’ll look at the rest of the ACC Atlantic.

Hokies the class of the Coastal with Carolina, Georgia Tech slugging it out for second

(Aug. 20) This is Norman Arey with the other half of the ACC Coastal Division

This was the year that the ACC was to have an elite team to offer up to the BCS gods and Frank Beamer’s Virginia Tech team was the chosen one.

And things were looking good until the second week of fall practice when the Hokies’ leading rusher, Darren Evans, went down with a knee injury that will cause him to miss the season.

One player isn’t a team but it makes it just that much harder for Beamer and the Boys with both improved Georgia Tech and North Carolina breathing down their necks.

The word on the Gobblers was that they wouldn’t have to throw much to win with mobile quarterback Tyrod Taylor and exquisite freshman runner Ryan Williams but now that has changed.

VT’s top three receivers are back and Taylor is supposedly a better passer. We’ll find out quickly. Defense is never a problem as Bud Foster is the best in the land in that department. Plus Foster probably has more speed this year than ever before.

I’m picking North Carolina to finish ahead of Georgia Tech but with great trepidation. Butch Davis has recruited superbly since he arrived in Chapel Hill and if this isn’t the year, than next year is. Davis arrived with a great reputation. It’s time he lived up to it.

The Tar Heels’ defense returns an ACC-high nine starters and most of the backups. Look for Carolina to be able to rotate up to 10 along the front line and linebacker is a strong suit.

T.J. Yates returns at quarterback, hoping for his first healthy season in three years and even though playmaker receivers Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate are gone, Shaun Draughn is available to carry the ball along with freshman Jamal Womble. Offensive line could be problematic due to inexperience and depth. Still, the ‘Heels should be as good if not better than last year’s 8-5.

I’m not poo-pooing the Yellow Jackets’ chances at winning the Coastal but neither am I ready to jump on the Paul Johnson bandwagon just yet. The guy has been there one year, and let’s wait and see if he can replicate last year’s nine wins and upset of Georgia.

No question that Josh Nesbitt was born to run PJ’s glorified wishbone and fullback Jonathan Dwyer was one of the surprises of the 2008 season. Look for the Jackets to be more diverse this season. They won’t end up 116th out of 119 teams in throwing the ball.

Defensively, the Jackets must replace three NFL draftees on its front line, although the secondary and linebacker spots are solid and experienced.

Friday: We examine one-half of the Atlantic Division.

Duke to a bowl? Maybe. Miami is back, kind of; no help in sight for Virginia

(Aug. 19) This is Norman Arey taking a quick look at one-half of the ACC Coastal Division

Duke returns five starters each on offense and defense, but the most exciting returnee is second year coach David Cutcliffe.

Last season, the Blue Devils finished 4-8 and who’s gonna write home about that? Considering the win total equaled that of the previous four years combined, mom and dad received a whole lot of letters. Duke was this close to winning a couple more and could find themselves going to a bowl this season for the first time since 1994.

I haven’t taken leave of my senses. I’m not predicting 10-2, but maybe a six-win season isn’t out of the question.

Thaddeus Lewis returns for his senior year at quarterback and running back Re’quan Boyette is back after missing ‘08 with a bad knee. The bad news is the Devils lost a lot on defense, and getting those six or seven wins will mean great, not just good play, from Lewis.

What can you say about Virginia that hasn’t already been said? Last year was a disaster for coach Al Groh in several ways. The worst was a 31-3 loss to lowly Duke. Next was the absence of offense all around. The Cavaliers were 114 out of 119 in scoring points.

Groh got rid of his son, Mike, and hired new offensive coordinator, Gregg Brandon, who teaches the spread offense with a no-huddle.

Hey, right away Virginia already sounds better. How much the Wahoos can improve on their 5-7 record is pure guess work. UVA’s defense is shaky except in the secondary and there aren’t an abundance of play-makers on offense. Thus, how effective can the spread be?

Miami’s Randy Shannon has been anything but spectacular in his two seasons running things for the Hurricanes with a 12-13 mark. So the U. went out and hired a new offensive guy and a new defensive boss, and things had better change fast.

Jacory Harris will be the starter at quarterback now that Robert Marve has transferred to Purdue. Harris isn’t the athlete Marve was but he doesn’t make many miscues. Miami’s six top receivers are back and Craig Cooper and Javarris James will be a terrific combo running the ball.

Although there is no proven play maker on either side of the ball, Shannon has managed to accumulate a wealth of talent across the board.

I’m not looking for the ‘Canes to walk with the swagger of years past but matching last year’s seven-win total should be a snap.

This is Norman Arey and on Thursday, we’ll explore the other half of the Coastal Division.

W. Virginia should climb back atop the Big East but is anybody worthy of BCS attention?

(Aug. 18) This is Norman Arey looking over the Big East in our College Football Kickoff series.

Remember when The Big East was truly Big, with behemoths Miami and Virginia Tech and Pitt and West Virginia, and, well, you remember.

Now the Big East isn’t all that big. Miami and Virginia Tech along with Boston College jumped ship. Their replacements, Cincinnati, South Florida and Louisville, don’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. Pitt has taken a break from serious football. West Virginia lost its best coach.

And that left us with Cincinnati, of all teams, winning the league and going to the Orange Bowl last season. That, in a nutshell, is what’s wrong with the Big East.

This disdain isn’t just coming from me. In the initial USA Today Coaches Poll, the highest ranked Big East team was Cincinnati at No. 29 with Pitt being mentioned 30th and West Virginia 31st. And one of these teams is going to get a BCS bid?

Most folks are picking West Virginia to come back to the top of the league this year with Eugene Smith throwing to a pack of elite receivers. Scatback Noel Devine is worth the price of admission with his 4.2 40 speed.

Take your pick among South Florida, Rutgers, Cincinnati and Pitt. South Florida has Matt Grothe back at quarterback and defensive end George Selvie is a real first-team All-America. Rutgers has no proven quarterback and no veteran receivers, but a stalwart defense returning.

Cincinnati may have the best quarterback in the league in Tony Pike and Mardy Gilyard catching whatever he throws.

And Pitt, well the Panthers are the real sleeper. Dave Wannstedt has been given ample time to develop a consistent team and he hasn’t done it. If Pittsburgh is to succeed this year, it’ll be the defensive side of the ball that carries them. No established quarterback and the defection to the NFL of running back LeSean McCoy, the offense is more than a question mark. Somebody has got to make plays.

UConn has been lost in the shuffle but head coach Randy Edsall has got the Huskies ready to take the next step and the hiring of offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead could give the team a lot more punch than it displayed last year.

Still, it looks like West Virginia should lead a weak league into a questionable year as to whether any of them deserve a BCS bid.

This is Norman Arey and tomorrow we go to the ACC Coastal Division

Ohio State once again will dominate the Big 10 but the question remains: Who cares?

(Aug. 17) This is Norman Arey taking a look at the Big 10 in our college football countdown.

Nothing is more boring that the Big 10, both on the field and off.

For starters, its not 10 but 11 but in pure performance, it’s Ohio State and everybody else.

I know, Penn State did well last year, and Michigan once was in position to challenge but that was then and this is now and who’s gonna derail the Buckeyes?

Even more important, once OSU establishes supremacy in the league, who cares? If you take a gander at the Buckeyes’ performances over the past three or four years in big games, they’re a wasted invite to the BCS playoffs.

Nonetheless, Ohio State and coach Jim Tressel seem to once again be the class of the league but for the voters in the various polls to elevate them into the Top 10 is pure folly.

Hey, you may say, they play Southern Cal this season. Yeah, but they also play Navy, Toledo and New Mexico State to off-set the Trojans, so there.

There’s no question that quarterback Terrelle Pryor is an elite athlete, but he can’t do it by himself. Only Pryor and center Michael Brewster return from the offense that last took the field in 2008. The defense isn’t in much better shape.

So he outlook is dire, right? Wrong. The Big 10 in the weakest conference of the BCS leagues and Ohio State is simply the best of a group of bad teams.

Penn State should be successful simply because of a laughable schedule. The Nittany Lions take on Akron, Syracuse, Temple and Eastern Illinois for out-of-conference games. It doesn’t really have a challenge until it meets Ohio State on Nov. 7.

Can Michigan come back after a disaster under new head coach Rich Rodriguez last season? It’s a long way back from a 3-9 mark, so the answer is probably not this year. But the Wolverines have recruited relatively well and could come on over the next two to three seasons.

Michigan State seems to be in the best position to challenge the top two. The Spartans don’t play the Buckeyes and Penn State is the last game of the season. But State lost its quarterback and running back from last year’s Outback Bowl team and will be hard pressed to match last year’s 9-4 mark.

Juice Williams is back to lead Illinois but I have a hard time taking the Illini seriously and Wisconsin is inconsistent while Iowa is always threatening to make and move and never does.

Yes, Penn State’s Joe Paterno should pad his lead in overall wins over Florida State’s Bobby Bowden with the schedule they play but they probably can’t stop Ohio State.

This is Norman Arey and on Tuesday we walk through the mess that is the Big East.

Lack of even a semblance of defense makes the Big XII difficult to take seriously

(Aug. 14) This is Norman Arey making my way through the Big XII. Offense, and absolutely no defense is the trademark of the Big XII.

How can you take this league seriously when scoring over 50 points a game is more commonplace than not? The line is, put any of these teams in the SEC against a tough defense and they suddenly have no teeth.

And how are you going to pick between Texas and Oklahoma? And don’t forget Oklahoma State, which is the third league team to be ranked in many pre-season Top 10s.

Heck, Kansas could easily find itself ranked in the top 25 along with Nebraska and maybe even Texas Tech.

But first things first. Circle Oct. 17 on your calendars since that’s when pre-season ranked No. 2 Texas plays No. 3 Oklahoma in Dallas in the Red River Shootout. That’s the Longhorns’ Colt McCoy head-to-head with Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford for the Okies.

Oklahoma State has an excellent team but the Cowboys have an ambitious schedule which includes Georgia, Houston and Rice outside the league. Senior quarterback Zac Robinson, if he lives up to his pre-season accolades, could be in the Heisman picture. The ‘Pokes have a receiver (Dez Bryant) who had 1,500 yards receiving and a running back (Kendall Hunter) who topped the 1,500 rushing yard mark.

Kansas welcomes senior quarterback Todd Reesing back but I can’t see the Jayhawks improving on last year’s 8-5 record.

If either Nebraska or Texas Tech has a good year, very few would have seen it coming. Bo Pellini went 9-4 his first year and had a decent recruiting season. But inexperience at quarterback and lack of depth will cost the ‘Huskers in the long run.

The Red Raiders’ losses include all-everything record-setting QB Graham Harrell and receiver extraordinaire Michael Crabtree, which almost guarantees their offense may not be as prolific. But remember the mad genius Mike Leach is still there at the controls and anything can, and will happen.

Still, it comes down to the Big Boys in the Southern Division and since they do play head-to-head, there shouldn’t be any question as to who wins out and plays in the conference title game.

But I’ve got a feeling that no one is going to make it through the season without at least one loss.

And by the way, I’m picking Texas over Oklahoma by a 50-49 score. Seriously.

This is Norman Arey and Monday we’ll peruse the Big 10.

Rebuilding for Southern Cal means just bringing on the next wave from the sidelines

(Aug. 13) This is Norman Arey looking at the Pac-10 for the college football season.

Let’s see, there’s Southern Cal and . . . well, there are nine other schools that belong to the Pacific-10 but it’s kind of hard to tell sometimes.

The Trojans of Pete Carroll have so dominated the left coast league that it’s hard to remember when UCLA-USC was a big rivalry or when Washington was stringing together wins or Cal was a serious threat.

Maybe this year.

In almost any other conference, you would say that a team which had 11 players picked in the NFL draft was seriously depleted but Carroll seems to have ‘em waiting in the wings, talent stacked to the ceiling.

This team is do deep in talent at running back, for instance, that Joe McKnight, one of the top tailbacks in the nation, has been experimenting at defensive back. Also don’t count Carroll as just another pretty face in Hollywood. He’s had the Trojans ranked in the AP top four seven straight years.

Do you mean that I have to pick who’s second?

The Cal Bears have been threatening to be good for the better part of a decade and haven’t quite made it. This year the Bears have 15 players back from a team that was 9-4 many feel they may push the Men of Troy for supremacy. I’m not one of them. Jahvid Best is the best running back outside of Los Angeles and he has a good line, but coach Jeff Tedford doesn’t have a superior quarterback nor is his team loaded with receivers. We'll see.

Oregon wins the uniform battle in the league. How many different combinations are there - a zillion? And a great story line with the Ducks is starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. He began last year fifth-string. Now he’s the starter after accounting for 25 TDs last year. The Ducks must play Boise State, Utah and Purdue, and everyone in the Pac-10. No easy street there.

As far as UCLA is concerned, it looks as if the Bruins’ Rick Neuheisel may need at least another year to get up to speed. The veteran coach will start redshirt freshman Kevin Prince at quarterback and that’s always an adventure. The defense is solid but there’s no depth there.

Dennis Erickson made a splash his first season in Tempe but the Sun Devils flailed about last year, finishing 5-7. They had no rushing game and three-year quarterback starter Rudy Carpenter is gone.

Sorry West Coast fans but Southern Cal is the solid pick, even in a rebuilding year. There’s just too much talent, depth, and coaching. Can’t beat it.

This is Norman Arey and on Friday, we’ll explore the Big XII.

The Horned Frogs look like the team to beat this year but don't gaze past South Bend

(Aug. 12) This is Norman Arey with the best of the non-BCS and independent college football teams. Ordinarily this is a no-brainer.

You’ve got Boise State, Utah and Brigham Young. Who’ll be the one who whips up on a couple of highly ranked BCS teams and wins its way into a big bowl game at season’s end? Not so fast, my friend.

The Western Athletic Conference does offer us Boise State but there’s also Nevada and Fresno State as well.

The Mountain West has Utah (remember them, Alabama?) but don’t leave out Texas Christian and BYU.

Conference USA has a jewel in East Carolina, and Skip Holtz and his Pirate crew may be on the road to do some serious damage in the college standings.

And on the Independent front, there’s Navy, and, well, it looks like this may be the year Notre Dame comes back for a national run.

If there’s a team in the Sun Belt or the Mid-American conference who can challenge, it’ll be a surprise.

The Broncos of the Blue Rug have the best chance of busting into the elite playoffs. Boise has an opening date with Oregon and could run the table if it gets by the Ducks. Quarterback Kellen Moore was the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2008 and completed a record 69.4 percent of his passes, which included 25 touchdowns.

Utah is the main reason the U.S. Congress is sniffing around the college football playoffs. Those folks felt with a 13-0 record, they should have had a shot at the title. But with quarterback Brian Johnson gone and two new coordinators, the Utes won’t be perfect this time around.

Gary Patterson has done nothing but win since he arrived at TCU in 2001. Four of the Horned Frogs’ highest scoring teams have come under Patterson.

Andy Dalton is a veteran starter at quarterback and if the Toads can get through early season matches with Virginia and Clemson, they could be the next BCS-buster.

If not this year, Charlie Weis won’t be around to see Notre Dame arise from the ashes. Jimmy Clausen is a veteran quarterback and Golden Tate and Michael Floyd are seasoned receivers. The offensive line is senior-laden, so if a running back steps forward, the Irish offense should be OK. Defensively, the Irish are solid everywhere except the front four.

With an embarrassingly easy schedule, I can see the Domers winning double-digit games and, of course, going to a BCS bowl.

TCU is my pick to knock down the BCS fence this season.

This is Norman Arey and on Wednesday, we examine the Pac-10.

For the Heisman, look no further than the tres amigos: Texas, Oklahoma and Florida

(Aug. 11)  You don’t have to be a soothsayer to forsee who’s leading the Heisman Trophy race going into the 2009 season. The three amigos are the leaders and one will likely be the winner.

The trio consists of Florida’s Tim Tebow, Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford and Texas’ Colt McCoy. Both Tebow and Bradford already have won the coveted award. So is it McCoy’s turn?

The whole thing boils down to team, as it should in college football. Who’s gonna have the best year as a team because you can take each of the three’s statistics and shake ‘em up in a bag and it’s pretty even.

Oklahoma plays BYU, Tulsa and Miami outside of the Big XII. Texas plays Wyoming, UTEP and Central Florida while Florida takes on Florida State as its lone tough outsider.

If another quarterback were to jump into the picture, it would probably be Terrelle Pryor of Ohio State, Zack Robinson of Oklahoma State or Brigham Young’s Max Hall.

Hall had the best passing year in ‘08 with 3,957 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Robinson led the Cowboys with 562 yards rushing, 3,062 throwing the ball and had 33 scores.

Pryor, just a freshman last season, had 631 rushing yards, 1,311 passing and 18 six-pointers.

This is the year of big strong running backs and there are more than a handful out there but Cal’s Jahvid Best might be the best of the bunch. Best had 1,580 yards rushing and 250 in receptions and a total of 2,247 all purpose yards with 16 scores.

West Virginia’s Noel Devine is one of the fastest and most exciting players. He rushed for almost 1,300 yards and had another 200 in receiving.

Georgia Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer came out of nowhere to lead the ACC in rushing last season and was voted the league’s best player. Dwyer had 1,400 rushing, 200 receiving and 13 TDs.

It’s foolish to mention receivers because there’s not one who’s going to win the Heisman. If Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree didn’t win it last year, no receiver will ever be picked by the voters.

Still, I believe the Heisman is for the Tres Amigos to lose and I don’t see all three having such a year as to allow anyone else into the inner circle.

When Oklahoma meets Texas on Oct. 17, there’s a good chance that either Bradford or McCoy could be eliminated. Of course, Tebow could be eliminated in any of the Gators blood battles.

When it comes down to the voting, I can’t see Tebow losing it if Florida is No. 1 as most pre-season polls have them. But then again, that’s why they play the games.

Tuesday: The best of the non-BCS teams.

Introduction to the 2009 preview series

(Aug. 10)  Starting today and running through Sept. 4, I will be presenting a 20-part series of the 2009 college football season. Through the course of the presentation, we’ll take a look at the Pac-10, Big XII, Big 10, The Big East, the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Southeastern Conference - all of the BCS leagues.

There also will be one day dedicated to the non-BCS leagues and teams such as the Mountain West, the WAC and the Independents.

We’ll touch on the Heisman hopefuls for the year, led by a trio of quarterbacks including Florida’s Tim Tebow, Oklahoma’s defending Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford and Texas’ Colt McCoy. Look for a couple of new names to make the list as well.

We’ll take a look at the BCS Bowls, which culminate on Jan. 7 in Pasadena where the mythical college national championship game will be played in the Rose Bowl.

There will be a national preview, trying to put the entire college season in perspective and hopefully giving you some idea of what to look for as the season unwinds.

One day will be spent looking at the Top 10 Players in the ACC and another examining the Top 10 SEC performers.

Obviously, with 120 major college teams, it would be impossible to go into depth on each one but perhaps we can get them in some order so that the whole thing fits together.

One day each will be dedicated to each of the six BCS conferences and then four days each for the ACC and the SEC, breaking down the latter two leagues into three-team segments.

Along the way, it should become clearer what we might expect from the top of the heap, including Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Southern Cal, Ohio State and Penn State. We’ll also spend a little extra time on looking at the prospects of both Georgia and Georgia Tech. For the first time in a long while, both in-state teams have a chance to be very good and shoot for top end-of-the-year rewards.

And then on Sept. 4, I’ll have my first Norman’s No-Nos where I pick the losers of 15 top games each week. Some years are better than others. My percentage of winners (or losers, as it were) was 72 percent last season, with a 159-63 mark.

The year before, it was a lowly 68 percent. Two years ago, was my best at 78 percent.

So stay tuned for the 20-part college football series.

Hey, no problem, bring up the next 10; Bulldogs looking to avoid being penalized

(Aug. 7) Alabama coach Nick Saban confirmed that the Crimson Tide has lost 10 players who finished spring practice in April. Most were dismissed for breaking some type of team rule. That would break the back of plenty of teams but not in Tuscaloosa.

Georgia’s Mark Richt is making avoiding penalties a priority this season. Last year, the Bulldogs were 115th out of 119 schools in the NCAA top division in being accessed penalties, averaging 72 yards per game.

Duke’s David Cutcliffe has done it again. The Blue Devil football coach received a verbal commitment from Laken Tomlinson, a high profile offensive lineman who had 16 offers. Some of the schools which Duke beat out included Nebraska, Tennessee, Ohio State and Wisconsin.

Thursday, we mentioned tough guy Aaron Boone of the Houston Astros who is scheduled to return to the big leagues soon after open heart surgery last spring. There’s a guy named Sam Maresh at Minnesota who plays linebacker for the Gophers who also had open heart surgery and is back for fall practice.

My kind of guy is Wayne Terwilliger, 84, who has been in professional baseball for more than 60 years, on his secret to longevity. He says he eats a lot of bananas and drinks a lot of Bud Light.

We’ve talked about it before, but Tiger Woods is absolutely indispensable for the PGA tour. The Buick Open, which Woods won last week, saw its television ratings sky 167 percent over that of last year when Tiger didn’t play because of a knee surgery.

Don’t ask but the Pittsburgh Steelers have three players on their roster who have a New Orleans Saints’ tattoo.

Here’s the problem, plain and simple, with the Atlanta Falcons and holdout receiver Roddy White. Money! White reportedly is asking for $40 million over four years. Now with Harry Douglas out of the year with an torn ACL, White’s stock might have gone up. He made $2.2 million last season.

This is Norman Arey and I haven’t had open heart surgery yet and I have no tattoos.

I may have to pass on the Oklahoma-Army game whether I want to or not

(Aug. 6) Just a few short shots from the sports out there today.

Fresno State and coach Pat Hill will continue their "We’ll play anybody, anywhere, anytime" theme this season, meeting Wisconsin, Cincinnati and Illinois for their out-of-conference entertainment.

How much is Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson worth? The Yellow Jackets have sold 25,661 season tickets thus far, which is 1,761 more than they sold all of last season.

Word out of Athens is that Logan Gray isn’t a lock to be Joe Cox’s backup at quarterback for Georgia. Freshmen Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger are both in the running.

Eli Manning will sign a seven-year, $106 million deal with the New York Giants soon, making him the highest paid player in the NFL. That’s Eli, not Peyton, which is a little surprising.

Trivia of the Day: Who was the first African-American batter to face an African-American pitcher on the majors? Hank Thompson of the New York Giants batted against Don Newcombe of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949.

Where’s the respect? Pitt was picked to win the Big East while West Virginia was chosen to finish second, both ahead of defending league champion Cincinnati.

Some of us may not be alive to see it but Oklahoma and Army have agreed to a home-and-home series beginning in 2018 and 2020. The two haven’t met since 1961.

And I agree with him. Home run king Hank Aaron said he thinks the names of the MLB players who tested positive for drug use in 2003 should be released so baseball can move past the steroid era.

Talk about tough guys. Houston Astros’ third baseman Aaron Boone, who underwent open heart surgery this past spring, will play this week for one of the Astros’ minor league farm clubs and could see action with the big club this season.

And finally, proving that everything is bigger (and more expensive) in Texas, you will pay $90 for a pizza in a luxury suite in the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium.

This is Norman Arey and the odds aren’t great that I’ll see the Army-Oklahoma game.

The banking business is a live and well; Lou Holtz to run for Congress?

(Aug. 5) This isn't intended to be a commentary on the economy but it may seem like it at first.

I guess we have to mention that Florida coach Urban Meyer signed a six-year extension with a raise to $4 million per season, three-quarters of a million more than he was making. If nothing else, shouldn’t this put to rest any rumors of Meyer going to Notre Dame?

Amazing but Meyer isn’t the highest paid coach in the country but he is in the SEC, surpassing both Alabama’s Nick Saban and LSU’s Les Miles. The highest earner in the U.S. is Southern Cal coach Pete Carroll at $4.4 million annually while the Irish’s Charlie Weis brings home $4.2 million.

And while we’re talking money, Florida pays Meyer and head basketball coach Billy Donovan a combined $7 5 million per year. Are you amazed or just struck dumb?

Could it be true that Hollywood film maker Martin Scorsese is really considering making a movie on O.J. Simpson’s botched Las Vegas robbery attempt? I think I’d come closer to watching something gentle on Charles Manson.

A study has shown that cheerleading is the leading cause of catastrophic injury in female athletes.

Say it ain’t so, Lou. College Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz is rumored to be considering running for Congress in Florida. The most upsetting news is that he’ll be running as a Republican.

Obscure athletic hire of the day: Cornell named Edith Zimmering assistant women’s hockey coach.

Just so you’ll know, the Boston Red Sox don’t plan on signing Michael Yastrzemski, the grandson of former Sox superstar Carl, despite picking him 36th in the draft. The player plans on attending Vanderbilt. . . Meanwhile, former Braves slugger Dale Murphy’s son, Shawn, could start on the offensive line for the Miami Dolphins.

And finally, all the talk about Georgia Tech football this year, one question hasn’t been answered. How are the Yellow Jackets going to replace three defensive line starters who were all drafted into the NFL - Michael Johnson (Bengals), Darryl Richard (Patriots) and Vance Walker (Falcons)?

This is Norman Arey and I may run for Congress, too

Tech opens practice with a mandate to accomplish something; anything will do

(Aug. 4) Georgia Tech opened its fall practice this week and here’s what head coach Paul Johnson had to tell them: "I tell them every day what they’ve done – Nothing," he said. "We didn’t win the league. We didn’t go undefeated at home. We had all kinds of goals we didn’t get." That sounds like he’s setting the tone for a hard, hard fall.

Another Tech note: There are only six scholarship seniors on the Yellow Jackets’ squad.

After Sporting News Today ran its list of the 50 all-time greatest coaches, they came back with the not-so-flattering list of worst coaches. In no particular order: David Shula, Isiah Thomas, Bill Callahan, John L. Smith, Lane Kiffin and, last but not least, Ray Goff made the list. The publication wrote, "Watching Ray Goff coach football was like watching a color blind man tackle the rubic cube." Ouch!

Did you realize that University of Houston quarterback Case Keenum threw for more yards last season than did Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford, Texas’ Colt McCoy or Florida’s Tim Tebow?

Just a thought but did you realize that the Atlanta Falcon drafted both Brett Favre and Michael Vick out of college?

Here’s another team to watch in the early going. Syracuse coach Doug Marrone says former Duke basketball guard Greg Paulus, who will try out at quarterback for The Orange this season, has gotten stronger and faster during the off-season.

To put Tennessee’s attempt to put defensive back Eric Berry in the Heisman Trophy voters’ consciousness, it’s a relatively low key attempt. The entire campaign is costing the Vols less than $10,000. For comparison’s sake, the University of Oregon spent more than $250,000 on Joey Harrington’s campaign in 2001.

Auburn will start its first two weeks of fall camp with practices beginning after 6 p.m. EDT. That’s because the Tigers’ first three games all begin at 6 p.m. or later.

And finally, a news flash. The Carolina Panthers refused to say they would never sign Michael Vick.

This is Norman Arey and I’m spending $3.91 for my campaign for top sports personality of Northwest Georgia.

Think Penn State might have a chance to run the table this season?

(Aug. 3) Say one thing for East Carolina Coach Skip Holtz. He’s not afraid to take the Pirates out of Conference USA to play the big boys. Holtz and the ECU crew play North Carolina, West Virginia and Virginia Tech this season.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: T.J. Stripling a defensive end from Southwest DeKalb, wasn’t listed among the top 250 players nationwide. Then word leaked out that he was close to choosing among Georgia and several other big programs. Wham! He jumped to No. 28 in the nation and went from he 16th best defensive end to No. 4 without playing a down. And you think recruiting is a science?

Former Atlanta resident and University of Georgia quarterback Quincy Carter had a new arrest warrant issued on him in Texas after he failed to show up for trial on previous arrests for drunken driving and drug possession.

I was amazed to learn that since 2000, the Pac-10 has played SEC teams 17 times and the left-coasters hold a 10-7 lead.

The Los Angeles Times pointed out this week, in light of Michael Vick’s reinstatement in to the NFL, that four pro teams are named for cats - the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Carolina Panthers, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions, but none are named for dogs. Ha! . . .

And by the way, 26 of the 32 NFL teams have said they have no interest in signing Vick. He’s gonna run out of teams soon.

Here’s an odd note. The Chicago Bears have five former Vanderbilt players on their roster.

Another odd note: The New England Patriots are the oldest team in the NFL with players averaging 27 years and 93 days old.

Name of the Week: The New York Mets’ Angel Pagan - a real juxtaposition of meanings.

Think Penn State might have a chance to run the table this year? Consider that Joe Paterno’s Nittany Lions play Akron, Syracuse, Temple and Eastern Illinois along with playing in the weak Big 10, and you have a recipe for success.

This is Norman Arey and I have no interest in signing Michael Vick, either.