College Football 2013 forecast that will probably go very wrong around Week 2.

College Football 2013 forecast that will probably go very wrong around Week 2. 

August... that time of year when (if you are in the South) the Sun scorches the Earth and in the distance you hear the beat of the drums, your school's fight song...and maybe, just maybe an imaginary chill in the air. Oh who am I kidding? In Texas our chill doesn't come until at least week 7 or 8. But its almost here, folks! The 2013 College Football season!!!! 

2013 will be the final year of the controversial BCS and I predict it will not go out without a super controversial bang. 

We all know that the time of year coaches and fans fear the most is the off season. Players can make or break a team due to one (or many) idiot decisions when left to their own devices. Just see: Johnny Manziel, Jeremy Hill, Carlos Hyde, and many other knuckleheads whose off field shenanigans could potentially hurt their team. Ah, but that is not the controversy I am predicting. No, I am predicting a full fledged Phoenix on fire type swan song for the BCS and in 2014 a newer and better (yet still flawed) playoff system will rise from the ashes. But, in 2013 there will be much joy and happiness and in an instant, weeping and gnashing of teeth, and they will cry out for the rocks to fall on them but they will not...Ooops, wrong direction. 

I predict 2013 to have a great many things happen that people will not expect. Here are a few:

-Whatever happens to Johnny "Football" Manziel, Texas A&M will not be as good as in 2012. If he is ruled ineligible, they obviously fall to the 3rd or 4th best team in the SEC West. If he plays I think the Aggies still lose 2 or 3 games. I think the kids head is really messed up and the media firestorm that follows him really does get to him. I am not knocking his amazing talent but, I think Texas A&M and their fans may be tiring of Johnny...and we aren't even in September. What happens when his act get tiresome for his teammates and coaches? And, yes the whole boneheaded move to have "We Control the Tide" T-Shirts made up... Sorry Aggies but, Alabama is going to come into College Station and beat you like you haven't been beat in a long time. Don't think the Tide haven't had that game circled on their calendar since you beat them last year. Not to mention, Alabama gets to get battle tested early by facing Virginia Tech in their opener. Then they have a week off before playing the Aggies. Texas A&M will be rolling Rice and Sam Houston St. Huge Advantage Bama.

-The SEC will again play for the BCS title, and win again but, this will be the stiffest test yet. See below for my picks. 

-The Heisman Trophy will be won by a defensive player. You guessed it too. Jadeveon Clowney is the best player in college football and his hardware haul will be monumental.

- This will be Mack Brown's last year at Texas no matter the outcome. If the Horns overachieve, he will retire and move up into the Athletic Department under Deloss Dodds. If he does not improve he will be forced out and moved up in the Athletic Department under Deloss Dodds.

- Stanford will be the best SEC team not playing in the SEC. They play smashmouth football and will be a force.

- The SEC Champion will not play for the BCS title...but, an SEC team will.

And here is my BCS Doomsday forcast:

Louisville will go undefeated and win the Big East with a more than formidable team that can play with anybody (see last year's Sugar Bowl when they thumped Florida) Louisville will not play for the BCS title even after a shocking upset in the SEC Championship game keeps a 1 loss SEC team over a deserving Louisville team.

South Carolina will win the SEC East with 2 losses and shock an undefeated Alabama in the SEC Championship game. Clowney will harass AJ McCarron all game and the Tide will have too many turnovers to overcome the Gamecocks. Spurrier will upset Saban but the Gamecock's 2 losses will not be enough to put them in the BCS title game. Alabama who was #1 all year will still be voted #2 in the final BCS polls and Stanford will then be the #1 team in the country. The undefeated Louisville Cardinals will not have the strength of schedule to overcome the SEC. A 1 loss SEC team that did not win it's conference will win the BCS title while an undefeated Louisville team gets nothing, no matter how good they were. At that moment, the BCS trophy will transform into a giant vampire bat, swoop down and take it's henchmen, Lou Holtz and Lee Corso back to the dark place it came from. 

Then in 2014...The playoff era begins...  

Predictions: 

SEC Champ: South Carolina 11-2 (see above) 

Big 10 Champ: Ohio State 11-2

Pac 12 Champ: Stanford 12-1

Big 12 Champ: (Flip a coin) Oklahoma State 10-3

Big East Champ: Louisville 13-0 

ACC Champ: Clemson 11-2

BCS Title Game: Alabama over Stanford
Rose Bowl: Ohio State over Oregon
Fiesta Bowl Oklahoma State over Florida State
Sugar Bowl: South Carolina over Oklahoma
Orange Bowl: Louisville over Clemson

Cotton Bowl: Texas A&M over Texas (If Manziel plays in '13) 

Outback Bowl: LSU over Michigan.

Most improved team of 2013: Auburn
Team that doesn't live up to the hype: Notre Dame

Heisman winner: Jadeveon Clowney.

Is Gary Patterson's criticism of Les Miles handling of Jeremy Hill the pot calling the kettle black?

Is Gary Patterson's criticism of Les Miles handling of Jeremy Hill the pot calling the kettle black?  

In 23 days, LSU and TCU will sqaure off in a Top 20 college football match-up at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The pre-game fireworks have already begun. Last week LSU coach Les Miles reinstated troubled Sophomore running back Jeremy Hill after pleading guilty to simple aggravated battery which violated his probation from a 2012 misdemeanor from a sexual relationship with a then 14 year old student at Redemptorist  High School. Jeremy Hill cowardly sucker punched a man outside of a nightclub, knocking him unconscious and then "high-fived" his friends. The man suffered a concussion.

 "Hill plead guilty to misdemeanor simple battery for the bar fight charge in July. Monday's hearing was on whether to revoke his probation on the 2012 charge based on the violation of that probation.

Instead, state district judge Bonnie Jackson chose to extend his probation and add more community service, opening the door for his return to the team." -ESPN

The aftermath of this has sparked much debate and disgust throughout the college football media website and blogosphere. The real issue became when LSU coach Les Miles allowed his team to vote on whether Hill should be allowed to return to the team. They of course voted yes, and Miles has said that further punishment of Hill will be coming internally. 

"He owes this team, this school, this community his best behavior," Miles said. "He will have further punishment. It will be internal. It will be comprehensive. We will see the whole person." - Les Miles. 

Let me state right away that I am an LSU fan. Born in Louisiana, living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex. I am indeed disgusted by the cowardly act of Jeremy Hill and agree with many that he should be suspended for a lengthy time. I also acknowledge that Miles may or may suspend him. I don't like it but, that is the world of college football and how many high profile College Football powerhouses operate now. Will I be self righteous and say that I will not support LSU because they allow criminals on their team? Of course not...if I took that stance I would not have a team to root for. And I also acknowledge the existence of sports hypocrisy and bias. It is a fans right to look the other way while supporting their team. Right? But, in all seriousness I think Jeremy Hill has some real work ahead of him as a human being and football should not be his crutch.

Which leads me to Gary Patterson of TCU who made news today with his little jab at his August 31st opponent, Les Miles and his LSU Tigers.

On the subject of Les Miles handling of Jeremy Hill, Patterson went on to say:  "I'm sure if it was some opponent they'd beat by 100 points, [the players] wouldn't have a vote," Patterson said, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "It's not my worry. I've got to play whoever they put on the field." 

"My whole team would vote Devonte to be back on the team because they all want to win," Patterson said. "That doesn't teach life lessons."

You see, Patterson suspended his superstar defensive end, Devonte Fields for a "violation of team rules" earlier this year. So his barb at Miles seems deserved since he suspended one of his best players. It would only be right that Miles follows suit and does the same, right?

Well...lets tap the brakes just a little on the self righteousness of Gary Patterson. Anybody remember the name Casey Pachall? Of course you do, he is the current Horned Frogs starting QB who has hopefully turned his life around and beaten the drug and alcohol demons. You see, Pachall was suspended indefinitely last Oct. 4th after he was arrested for a DWI.  And before you say, well he was suspended, what's your point, let me add a little nugget. Pachall had already failed a previous drug test earlier that year (February) and he was not suspended at all. In fact at the time of Pachall's DWI, he was 4 games into the season. Pachall was also a roommate of Tanner Brock, one of 4 TCU players who were arrested in a huge drug ring bust on campus at TCU. I am not implicating Pachall was a part of that because he was obviously not arrested. But, a week after the bust he failed a drug test and Patterson chose not to suspend him for the season opener or any games in 2012 until Pachall was arrested on October 4th for a DWI.

This was Patterson's quote:  "I've got a young football team and a person who obviously needs help," Patterson told The Associated Press. "Until I can come up with some answers, it's not about one season, it's about a lot of seasons."

Seems fair...Oh but, how quickly Patterson forgets. A year later he is chastising Les Miles for doing exactly what he did a year before. In fact Pachall is thankfully out of rehab and he is set to start against LSU. But, a year later maybe Patterson wised up and realized that "Life Lessons" should be taught to players like Devote Fields who break team rules because can you imagine the firestorm if Pachall had killed somebody while drunk before his DWI arrest? Patterson would have been BBQ'd for not suspending the QB and allowing him to play in 2012. So he makes good with Fields and steps up on a pedestal and looks down on Les Miles and LSU for doing something he did a year before. Sorry Gary, it doesn't work like that.

Let us not forget that Les a year earlier suspended his best player and Heisman candidate Tyrann Mathieu aka The Honey Badger for drug use. In fact, Miles ended up kicking Mathieu off of the team and LSU obviously missed him throughout the year. People love to criticize Miles, and the SEC for running thug programs and looking the other way.  I will admit right now that it concerns me as a fan to see that happen. But, to say Miles doesn't suspend players is wrong because he has done that and suffered for it. He suspended Starting QB Ryan Perrilloux back in 2008 for breaking team rules and kicked him off of the team. He suspended Jordan Jefferson and other players after a 2011 bar fight. That same season he suspended 4 starters mid season in the middle of a SEC Championship run due to the use of "SPICE" The fact is, Miles has suspended players in the past and has suffered the consequences. Does that mean that Miles should not suspend Hill for his involvement in the "sucker punch" incident? Absolutely not. And he has said that he still could be suspended and I hope he is. But, do not paint Miles as a "Do nothing" coach. He runs a program that obviously has many warts. The SEC has many warts, the Big Ten has many warts, so does the Big 12 and on and on. The problem is nearly epidemic. I am not absolving LSU or anybody of that. 

That is why when I see Gary Patterson make these statements when he did the same thing a year prior, it raises red flags. Hopefully Casey Pachall turned his life around. Hopefully TCU not kicking him to the curb allowed that. Hopefully Jeremy Hill somehow does the same. Hopefully he does have further punishment coming. But, Gary, your statements were indeed the pot calling the kettle, black.

LSU VS. TCU
August 31st, 2013. 

2013 NFL Mock Draft

The 2013 NFL Draft. 

   As soon as the Lombardi Trophy is handed to the Superbowl victors I am shifting my sports focus to the upcoming NFL Draft and eagerly awaiting the first Mock draft from ESPN, Sports Illustrated, you name it. I love the buildup to the NFL Draft. The anticipation, the hope, the reward of a franchise player to be...or the disgust of the can't miss player who eventually does just that...misses. Having lived in Louisiana for the first 24 years of my life and the in Dallas, TX. the following 11, I have witnessed some major draft steals, busts, and head scratching moments from the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys. Thankfully the people of Dallas and Cowboys fans everywhere are treated to Draft day drama every year due to the unimaginable yet irresistible Jerry Jones. 

   The Dallas Cowboys have had serious highs under Jones, from his teaming with Jimmy Johnson and the drafting of the eventual Cowboys Superbowl dynasty of the 90's, to the years of ash and dust in the 00's, most notably 2009 where all 12 draft picks are no longer on the Cowboys roster.  2013 is no different for the Cowboys in terms of importance. Every draft year in Dallas is do or die because Dallas fans and media know all too well how Jones can knock the wind out of everyone's collective sails with a critical trade up or trade down...and trading up or down is what Jerry is known for (for better or worse). Well, that and trading precious #1 picks for worthless wide receivers but that is for another time. In Dallas, we hold our breath as we wait for GM Jerry to either sit tight with the 18th pick (not likely) trade down for an extra pick  while building much needed depth (the sensible thing to do) or betting the farm and trading up for that "Can't miss" prospect (if this happens, Jerry is officially Al Davis) It should be as maddening as always on Draft Thursday...and all through the weekend. 

   Enough about the Cowboys, lets talk about the draft. 

   The 2013 NFL Draft has been criticized for lacking "Star Power" Translation- No franchise Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers, or Running Backs. What this draft does have though is depth. Serious team building depth. If your team has and makes the right picks. There are some quality offensive and defensive linemen to be had as well as solid safeties. In my opinion, after the top 5 in the 1st round, there is not much of a talent drop off all the way through the 2nd round. If my team was a team that had multiple picks in either round I would be an excited fan. Fans of offensive firepower, do not fret. 2014 will be loaded with future stud QB's and skill players.

   The consensus #1 pick in most Mock Drafts is Luke Joeckel, the talented offensive tackle out of Texas A&M. There is a chance that Eric Fisher out of Central Michigan could sneak into the top spot but my money is still on Joeckel. Just those two names alone signify that offensive line will be the big position in the 1st round. The top 5 picks this year could very well have 3 offensive tackles taken. It is also not out of the realm of possibility that Chance Warmack the guard out of Alabama sneaks into the top 5 as well... but, I doubt it. Another position of great depth in this year's draft is defensive tackle. That will get tricky though as teams will draft according to the defensive schemes they run, as many of the defensive tackles in this draft may project better as nose tackles in a 3-4 defense. But, there is talent and depth to be had. 

   Below you will see my 1st Round Mock Draft. With any Mock Draft, take it with a grain of salt and expect much of this to be blown up after teams start trading up and down.  

#1 Kansas City - OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

#2 Jacksonville- QB Geno Smith, West Virginia 

#3 Oakland- DT Sharrif Floyd, Florida

#4 Philadelphia- DE Dion Jordan, Oregon

#5 Detroit- OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan 

#6 Cleveland- CB Dee Milliner, Alabama

#7 Arizona- OT Lane Johnson, Oklahoma 

#8 Buffalo- WR Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee  

#9 New York Jets- G Chance Warmack, Alabama

#10 Tennessee- S Kenny Vaccarro, Texas

#11 San Diego- G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina 

#12 Miami- DL Ezekiel Ansah, BYU

#13 New York Jets- DE/LB Barkevious Mingo, LSU

#14 Carolina- DT Star Lotulelei, Utah

#15 New Orleans- LB Arthur Brown, Kansas State

#16 St. Louis- LB Jarvis Jones, Georgia 

#17 Pittsburgh- WR Deandre Hopkins, Clemson

#18 Dallas- OT/G DJ Fluker, Alabama

#19 New York Giants- DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State

#20 Chicago- LB Alec Ogletree, Georgia

#21 Cincinnati- RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama 

#22 St. Louis- WR Keenan Allen, California 

#23 Minnesota- DT Sheldon Richardson, Missouri

#24 Indianapolis- OL Larry Warford, Kentucky

#25 Minnesota- CB Xavier Rhodes, Florida State

#26 Green Bay- LB Kevin Minter, LSU

#27 Houston- WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia 

#28 Denver- DE Demontre Moore, Texas A&M

#29 New England- DT Jesse Williams, Alabama 

#30 Atlanta- DE/LB Alex Okafor, Texas 

#31 San Francisco- S Eric Reid, LSU

#32 Baltimore- LB Manti Te'o, Notre Dame 

Quick Hits- 

16 of my #1 picks are from the SEC. 5 from Alabama, 3 from LSU, 2 from Georgia, 2 from Texas A&M, and 1 each from Florida, Tennessee, Missouri, and Kentucky. The Big 12 is 2nd with six 1st round picks. Texas and West Virginia have 2 each.  

10 Years ago the #1 pick in the 03 NFL Draft was QB Carson Palmer out of USC who was picked by the Bengals. 

20 Years ago the #1 pick in the 93 NFL Draft was QB Drew Bledsoe out of Washington State who was picked by the New England Patriots. 

30 Years ago the #1 pick in the 83 NFL Draft was none other than Hall of Famer QB John Elway out of Stanford who was selected by the Indianapolis Colts and later traded to the Denver Broncos. 

And last but not least... 40 years ago the #1 pick in the 73 NFL Draft was Sloth from the Goonies! Yes you read that right. John Matuszak out of Tampa College was selected #1 overall by the Houston Oilers. He would become a Superbowl Champion and staple with the Oakland Raiders. He died in 1989 from a prescription drug overdose.

   Get ready to boo Roger Goodell and have a great time watching the 2013 NFL Draft. 

Spring football report. 

As many spring football camps wind down and the doldrums of Summer knock at the door, we college football fans still have a few things to look forward to before the 2013 season kicks off. (1) The NFL Draft which begins Thursday. (2) The release of the always much anticipated pre-season magazines that will attempt to predict everything from the next BCS Champ to the coach who sits on the hottest seat. Below I will attempt to look into my somewhat cloudy crystal ball and predict how everything will shake out. From the BCS title game, to the upcoming early big college games. Here we go.... 

2013 will begin with the possibility of history being made. The Alabama Crimson Tide could make it 3 straight BCS titles and 4 in the past 5 years. Make no bones about it Nick Saban has created a dynasty down in Tuscaloosa. The Tide will be tested very early on though as they travel down to College Station to face Johnny Football and the Aggie team that nearly derailed the Crimson Tide's BCS hopes last November. 

My early prediction: 

Alabama goes into College Station and gets revenge on Johnny Heisman while exposing the very weak A&M defense. Alabama 31 Texas A&M 20

The Clemson Tigers will get a shot at proving they are ready for the BCS stage when they go to Georgia to square off against a Bulldogs team that has suffered heavy defensive losses like Texas A&M and like the Aggies the Bulldogs return their superstar Quarterback in Aaron Murray. A win by Clemson goes a long way to being a worthy BCS title game contender. A loss assures the Tigers of more noses turned up at the thought of the ACC sending a BCS title game representative. 

Prediction: 

Clemson rides it's Chick fil-A Bowl momentum to an incredible early classic in 2013. 

Clemson 24 Georgia 21

The 2013 Cowboys Classic gives us an SEC/Big 12 match-up between two teams that could both either contend for a BCS bowl berth this season or get a lower tier bowl invite. LSU and TCU will feature two traditional strong defensive teams that like to play smash mouth football. TCU will return a good amount of players from a 2012 team that was inconsistent at best. LSU was also an inconsistent team in 2012 with an offense that never got it going. After losing 10 Jr's to the NFL draft, the Tigers will have a tall task ahead in trying to rebuild the defense. But, like all major college football powerhouses, LSU doesn't rebuild, they reload. New offensive coordinator Cam Cameron hopes to bring some imagination...any imagination to the Tiger's offense. 

Prediction: 

Both teams will be hyped to play in Cowboys Stadium and trade points early on. In the end LSU's depth and speed pull away from TCU shortly after halftime and force the Horned Frogs to make more mistakes than a Gary Patterson team is used to. 

LSU 38 TCU 17  

Alabama also plays a big opening weekend game against Virginia Tech. As much as I would like to say it will be a good game... it won't. 

Prediction: 

Alabama comes out and hits Va. Tech early and often. 

Alabama 30 Virginia Tech 10 

The 2013 college football season will be the return of the Big 10. Well...Ohio State anyway. The Buckeyes went undefeated in 2012 and look to carry on with a chip on their shoulder in 2013. Going undefeated and not getting to play in a bowl game due to sanctions really hurts and don't think the 2013 Buckeyes won't use that as motivation. Urban Myer is building a very strong program in Columbus that looks to stand on even ground with the SEC in a few years. Sorry Buckeye fans it won't be in 2013. I fully expect the Buckeyes to win the Big 10 and go undefeated in 2013. But, it ends there. 

My Early BCS Title Game Prediction for 2013: 

Alabama 37 Ohio St. 13

Yes...Bama will threepeat. 

My early top 5: 

1- Alabama

2-Ohio St. 

3- Texas A&M

4- Oregon

5-Clemson

But....there are about 4 months between now and the start of the college football season. Many things can and probably will change between now and then.