College Football Preview

It's time for my first ever College Football Preview...College Football is my Favorite Sport EVER...When I was in school at Auburn University, I was a member of the football team...this is totally true. I was the equipment manager...but a part of the team nonetheless. I was there during a great time...I interacted with several future NFL millionaires, great coaches, and great friends...I learned a lot about football, too. The major thing that I learned - Football is better for spectating. During games, which are literally at light speed - too fast for any mortal reader of this blog to comprehend- I inevitably took a spill at the hands of a 220 pound mass of muscle fiber.Since I can remember, I went to every Auburn home game, with the exception of the 1993 Auburn/Alabama Game...my grandmother went in my place...it was the last time she ever saw Auburn play in person.

Anyway - this is what's gonna happen this year for our primary 5 universities in North Carolina...

UNC - Last year, "Carolina" was surprisingly good for a team whose colors are baby blue and navy. Barring the injury to the quarterback, they had an honest chance to stir up the ACC. Wide Receiver Hakeem Nicks was great, but he's not around this year...pretty big shoes to fill for one of the most exciting players from last year. Quarterback TJ Yates will have to make an honest effort again this year to exploit his young receivers. Butch Davis has a stellar defense lined up, especially with linebacker Quan Sturdivant. Sturdivant is real beast...his pregame meal consists of rubber tires and steel screws... I look for UNC to revisit the fortune they had last year and finish up at an 8-4 record.

Duke - Who cares. I do! Coach David Cutcliffe, a former SEC head coach is bringing some pride to Durham...quite an improvement in last year's season, look for Duke to scare several teams and embarrass a team that it should lose to. Vince Oghobaase is a really scary defensive tackle who probably be the cause of a lot of false starts. If Duke can stay healthy are year long, look for them to reach .500 on the year...if they have they some injuries, look to see them as the conference doormat, once again.

Wake Forest - While longstanding tradition is totally absent, head coach Jim Grobe has already left his legacy...Building a team from scratch with scratches can generally be scratched form the mortal scratching man-coach. Nevertheless, Grobe has managed to raise the expectations for both of Wake Forest's fans. This will be his undoing this year. While a great season can't be expected from this still-evolving program, a good season can live and die on the arm of quarterback Riley Skinner...this kid is fun to watch...he's about my size, but he has a winner's heart...expect a 7-5 season.

NC State - Let's hear it for Russell Wilson...he may not be the second coming of Phillip Rivers (an Alabama native), he may be the next best thing at the quarterback position...with a talented group of tailbacks, notably Jamelle Eugene, State can really cause a ruckus this year...IF the offensive line can creat running lanes...the defense will have to step-up to be a conference crown contender...Coach Tom O'brien is beginning to see his team come around as Chuck "the chest" Amato's players graduate. Look for a disciplined, conditioned team to outplay a couple of teams, win the ones they should, and beat one of the big boys...they will also "walk a mudhole" all over UNC.

ECU - Everybody likes an underdog, a Holtz, and a pirate...with East Carolina, you have all of the above. Recently, Coach Skip has his players believeing they can show up and play anybody, anywhere, and anytime. Holtz has also cultivated several NFL players, too. Devesinve End CJ Wilson will most likely follow that same path...he will terrorize lots of quarterbacks this year. Also, quarterback Patrick Pinkney has a big-time arm...if receiver can stretch the field on slower Conference USA teams, look for the Pirates to win the conference...the pirates have a really scary opener against App State, but should win the game in the second half...Expect these guys to go 8-4, while beating atleast one non-conference foe (either West Virginia or Virginia Tech, most likely).

Now - one that must be posted:
Auburn - Under the new coaching regime of Gene Chizik, who arrived at Auburn with the fanfare of the grim reaper, Auburn is loaded with young, inexperienced, but very talented players. If Auburn can go without injury to its stout defense AND the offense clicks under Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn, Auburn will probably win the galactic championship. Auburn will beat LSU 2390480-4...Auburn will also beat Alabama 99999999999.9-0 (at half-time). War Eagle!

I also look forward to going to a couple of my games with my poppa...certainly the Auburn- vs. Alabammer game...college football in the deep south is the equivalent to religions in other parts of the world. Tithes of barbecue are surrendered in hopes of a comfortable win and people actually pray that their team doesn't lose. Some teams even believe they have an angel watching over them...see below for the prime example:




















Enjoy the season...