College football - Conference prediction thread

13 August 2006 | College Football fans on FR

[MikefromOhio]

ok there you go :)

I won't disagree, at least until the weekly thread where I pick the game itself. Until then, that's your pick :)

[Michael.SF.]

3-1 is more probabe and anything like 2-2 is a disaster to be sure,

ND has a very tough schedule, one of the toughest. They could easily be 9-2 (again) and still rated in the top 7.

[MikefromOhio]

If they go 9-2 (they'd still have one game to go), they will be in the top 5 more than likely.

I think 9-3 or 8-4 is a more likely record for them.

[Michael.SF.]

This is USC’s conference until someone takes it from them.

USC is the team to beat, no doubt. But the school I am going to enjoy watching is Arizona. Their demolishing of UCLA was no fluke last year. This year they could be easily be five and five and have an outside chance to get a bowl bid. They will also probably have at least one major upset.

[MikefromOhio]

they can make a bowl at 6 and 6...

But I think they may be a year away from a bowl game.

[Michael.SF.]

As long as one of those L's is against USC, I will be very happy (and to be honest, a bit surprised). Don't tell anyone but I am thinking that ND will win this year at the Coliseum.

[MikefromOhio]

Only if ND finds a defense.

AT that point, the USC QB, whomever it may be, will have had time to get into some type of rhythm....

[wolfcreek]

I try not to toot my horn too early. Texas has 2 big games in the early going that will make or break the season. All I can say at this point, "Hook Um"!

[lepton]

And if by some miracle that Ohio State gets through Texas in Texas, the Iowa game will be their last probable obstacle to a BCS game.

Don't they play Michigan State? ...And at least OSU *seems* to have figured how to deal with Michigan. In the 90s, that was just sick.

[MikefromOhio]

yep up at Michigan State too.

But Michigan State doesn't worry me quite as much as they did last year.

The Michigan State game last year was the game that Troy Smith really got the offense rolling. And MSU didn't improve their defense any going into this year.

[lepton]

but you Big Ten'rs have a way of spoiling each others parties

That was what I was getting at by the MSU comment. a few years ago, OSU was steamrolling, and hadn't been even scored upon by an unranked team...and then lost in a flukey game to a middling MSU team. Neither heading into Ann Arbor undefeated, nor UM's record is confirmation of how that game is going to turn out either...though Tressel seems to have a bit of a handle on it.