Top Games of Week 1 LSU vs. North Carolina

LSU vs. NC is a great opening weekend matchup.  It should be a game dominated by defense.  North Carolina and LSU both had great defenses last year, and this allowed both of these teams to keep games close and give them a chance to win any game .  Last year LSU was 11 in points allowed and NC was 13.  Both offenses ranked in the bottom 3rd in major offensive stats.  The game will  be played in Atlanta Georgia at a neutral site.  LSU did not get great production at the quarterback position.  Jefferson won the job and has great athleticism.  It will be intriguing to see if  he has improved enough to make LSU a contender.   LSU has to make replacements to make at running back and wide receiver. 
North Carolina has senior T.J. Yates at quarterback coming back for his senior year.  He needs to take better care of the ball.  To help both of these quarterbacks, there has to be a big improvement running the football to help these turnover prone quarterbacks.  North Carolina will be able to make enough big plays and stop the LSU offense to give North Carolina the week one victory.  If North Carolina can win it will be a big victory for ACC to beat one of the top teams of the SEC.

Top Games of Week 1

Three games highlight the kickoff to the college football season.  Top programs from different conferences square off.  Of course Virginia Tech is one of them.  They seem to be the only team in the 6 major conferences willing to play anybody anywhere.  They will play Boise State at a "neutral site", sorry Fedex field is not much of a neutral site for this game.  It is a very intriguing week one match up.  Boise State is expected, and I believe most assuredly will be in the top 5 to start off the season with 21 returning starters to the roster, and last year they won a BCS game.  They have a heisman candidate at quarterback, and they have a solid supporting cast. They lead the nation last year in points scored.  Virginia Tech comes in sure to have a solid team.  Tyrod Taylor should have an improved passing game and is always a threat to run.  They will have several great running backs to choose from.  The key will be can Boise State consistently move the ball against Frank Beamers defense.  Virginia Tech will play beamer ball.  They will be able to effectively run the ball, and force a couple turnovers.   Virginia Tech will be able to slow down Boise State just enough, and with the help of  the hometown crowd they will pull out the week one victory.  This will also ruin Boise States chance for a BSC national championship.

 

And So it Begins

It is one month and counting before the kickoff of the best sport the world has to offer.  COLLEGE FOOTBALL.  It has been a busy offseason.  The NCAA has layed down heavy sanctions against USC, and now there are multiple schools in SEC that are under invesigation because of Agent violations with players.  There has been a complete restructure of 3 of major conferences of college football in the offseason as well.  However it does not really strengthen anybody but the Big Ten.  I am sorry but Colorado does not do anything, but weaken the PAC Ten.  They struggled to win a game in the Big 12 north which is by far the weaker division of the conference.  Mizzou has pounded them the past few seasons along with almost ever other team they have played.  I will be interested to see how Utah fairs in the Pac 10.  They have had a lot of sucess over the past few years playing against Pac 10 schools several times in bowl games and in early regular season matchups.  All I know is they have lost frequently over the past several years to the two best teams in MWC, TCU and BYU (BYU has beat them 3 out of the past 4 years).  So you would have though that the PAC 10 would have been looking for the better teams to add but Texas did not what to leave Big 12 which they are have dominated over during Mack Browns reign. 

My Saturdays will soon be consumed by big hits and big plays.  Over the next few weeks I will be reviewing my picks to win each confernce and some of the exciting early season matchups.  We will see if there will be another top team go down early like Oklahoma fell last year to BYU.