SAY IT AIN'T SO TIGER

Say It ain’t so Tiger


By now I guarantee everyone on earth has heard the Tiger story. Dude gets married too young. Dude doesn’t want to give up the single, famous life. Dude thinks he’s untouchable. Prior to the utter meltdown we’ve all witnessed, let’s face it: he was untouchable.

FOURTEEN major championships. The most dominant golfer of all time. The guy who single handedly revived a sport that used to be reserved for white folks over the age of 50. The first athlete to ever hit the one billion dollar mark in career earnings. Tiger’s impact on not only sports but to the world in general was simply incredible. He lived a private and secluded life that many respected, which added to the intrigue of the guy. “Why aren’t you in the tabloids more?” a reporter once asked. “Elin and I are boring people,” he said with a smirk.

Well, well, well Tiger.

There are two parts of an athlete that come with the gig; the competitor and the person. You can’t have one or the other and be beloved by the world. You can’t be a role model. When you’re young and single, you can live the life of Jeter. Take him for example: the guy has five rings, clearly is the poster boy of a sport, but has never settled down. He has always said his focus and his family lie on the baseball field. On the side he’s slept with about 25 of the 50 Maxim hottest girls on the planet. He lives the dream,but it has not affected his on field play one bit, and he has never heard the word “prenup”or “adultery” once.

But the second you take the leap into a family life, you have to give up the wild side. Family comes first. When you have a billion dollars in the bank, you can afford to bring your family on the road with you, not fly your mistresses on the road with you. Eventually, you will be caught when you’re a person of that stature. When you have two kids not even two yet, you need to be with your family. Rumors that he was banging a porn star weeks before the birth of his first kid are sickening.

Tiger and Phil have always been the comparable golfers on the tour for the past ten years. Both have smoking hot wives, both have young children, both win enough tournaments to make it a two dog race on the PGA the last handful of years. But what separates the two are the personal lives that we know about. Tiger chose the secretive life, where he swore off the media and requested the private life, whereas Phil chose to open up the doors to the world for him and his family, where he does not go a single place in the world without his wife and kids, even taking off 6 months of the tour to be with his wife while she battled breast cancer.

The money given to these golfers come to them via the fans and companies that fork their money to have them represent them, who they are. You can’t expect to live the good life without giving up some of your privacy, so it’s your privacy that you need to make sure falls in line with what you are. You can’t be a bad husband and father and expect for the world to belove you. You can’t live a double life. Cheating on a spouse is as bad an example that you could possibly set.

Tiger, people loved you for what you could do with a club, we didn’t know what we did with your club. Now we do. And your life will never be the same. This isn’t a Kobe Bryant situation where you play 82 games a year and with so many other volatile personalities in the league we’ll all just forget. The majority of the world watches you four times a year, and you will quite possibly never live this down. Your days of commercials are over. Your marriage, while the early reports are it’s not over, is shattered. Put it this way, I’ve been cheated on before, several times, and I won’t forgive for it. How is someone going to forgive you for it happening with double digit people and over the course of the five year marriage? It’s not happening.

He’ll win more majors, there’s no doubt about that. He’ll probably break Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors. But nobody is going to care anymore. He’ll never live this down. The galleries with scream for Phil now instead of the overwhelming support formerly given to Tiger. It’s just a sad situation for the best athlete of our generation.

Winning solves a lot of problems, but there is always the hated asterisk that goes along with athletes. Bonds and McGwire have it for cheating in the sport and Woods will have it for cheating an a family.

Sorry to say Tiger, you let us all down. May as well take the tiger headcover off your Nike driver and replace it with a cheetah, because that’s what you’ll always be to the fans you have. Elin deserves better. Your kids deserve better. We as the fans that put the money in your pocket deserve better.

NFL Week 13 Reaction

Week 13 of the NFL was full of surprises this past weekend. As we enter the home stretch of the 2009 season, we are beginning to see teams distance themselves from the rest of the pack. But we are also seeing teams underperforming and quietly slipping off that high rise of the playoff mountain. This happens every year simply because the league is separated into three core groups. One group contains the elite teams; the teams that you know are destined for playoff glory. Another group contains the mid-level teams; teams that are on the cusp of making the playoffs but are not consistent in notching the W. There are so many of those teams right now and by the time the playoffs roll around, many of those teams will obviously fade away. The NFL is a survivalist league where only the strong survive. That is to say those teams which are disciplined and don't make mistakes down the stretch are the ones that triumph onward to greener pastures. The final group comprises teams that are Dead on Arrival with no shot at making the playoffs whatsoever. You would expect most of them to just drift away into the vast nothingness of NFL irrelevance. Yet what is interesting is that some of those teams love playing the role of spoiler, and we saw it this past weekend in the Steel City.

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a prime opportunity to make some noise this weekend in the AFC playoff chase. With a schedule that was clearly in their favor, there was no doubt in my mind that the Steelers could finish with 10 or 11 wins at the end of the season. I still think they could end up with 10 wins. But you have to question their confidence and their desire to win at this point. How else can you explain the defensive meltdown against the Raiders this weekend? The Raiders are a team that have only managed to score 11.8 points per game this season. That is the 2nd worst offensive output in the NFL. They are last in the league in total touchdowns and have been inept all year on the offensive side of the ball. So how can the Steelers explain their defensive woes against a Raider team that cannot move the ball, cannot score, and is supposed to lack any kind of coherency and explosiveness? The answer can be determined in just two words: Troy Polamalu. Troy Polamalu carries the same kind of weight on the Steeler defense that Bob Sanders does with the Colts. I have never seen a defense look more different than I do right now. The Steelers are incapable of stopping anyone on the offensive side of the ball. They allowed Bruce Gradkowski to pass for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns, which included the game-winner to Louis Murphy....BRUCE GRADKOWSKI!!!!! All credit must be given to Gradkowski as he has clearly given the Raiders some spark on that offense and provides them with the best chance to win. But he's still Bruce Gradkowski. And the Steelers defense this season is not the same without Troy Polamalu. You can bring Big Ben back from his concussion to pass for 278 yards and 2 scores. You can have Rashard Mendenhall rush for 103 yards and a score as well. But at the end of the day, defense wins the games. And the Steelers right now are being flogged on the defensive side of the ball. Lucky for them, they have another chance to right the ship against the Browns tonight. Their season is hanging in the balance with every game now. Will the Super Bowl Champs survive? Only time will tell.

Another team unraveling before our eyes is the New England Patriots...that's right, I said the New England Patriots. Foxboro's Finest are befuddled by their recent lack of success. Befuddled is the appropriate term here because the Patriots have not really tasted the bitterness of defeat this entire decade. They have always been a team of great discipline under Bill Belichick and have always played with a certain intensity and fire inherent in being the best. I think it would be unfair to say that the Patriots aren't playing hard right now. But there has to be some reason why they haven't won on the road this year. I think the main problem with the Patriots is their inability to finish games. The Patriots have led going into the 4th quarter in 3 of their 5 losses this season. And it's not like their defense is playing awful right now. They're 7th in the league in points per game and 11th statistically in total defense. But when it comes to the final moments of the game, the opposing team has made more plays than Brady and company. Last Sunday, the Patriots allowed Chad Henne to beat them as he threw for 335 yards and 2 scores. They actually did a great job of containing Ricky Williams and the Dolphin running game throughout the day. But in the end, they allowed Henne to move the offense into field goal range and set up Dan Carpenter's game-winning kick. That is the problem with the Patriots right now. They have folded under pressure frequently in the final minutes of all their losses this season. Their inability to maintain leads on the road has cost them dearly. Bill Belichick has an ample opportunity to turn things around with an impressive victory over the Panthers this weekend. But will that really solve all of the team's woes? The fact that Randy Moss, Adalius Thomas, Gary Guyton, and Derrick Burgess were sent home yesterday is very disconcerting and hard to ignore. But then again, winning cures all ills.

The New York Giants saved their season last Sunday with a win over the Dallas Cowboys...for now. The Giants may have beaten America's team for the 2nd time this season. However, they were thoroughly outplayed in nearly every phase of the game so much that it's hard to fathom how the Cowboys did not win. You don't believe me, just look at the stats. Tony Romo had one of the best games of his career as he torched the Giants for 392 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Giants defense did a slightly better job in getting pressure on Romo. However, they simply could not stop the Cowboys on key third-down situations. I will give credit to the Giants for stopping Dallas' three-headed monster in the backfield; holding Barber, Jones, and Choice to just 45 yards rushing. This means the Giants literally forced Romo to throw the ball as much as possible on Sunday. And in spite of the positive they got from stopping the run, there arose a tremendous negative from not stopping the pass. Also, while the Giants were able to put up 31 points on the scoreboard, you cannot say that the offense played particularly well on Sunday. Eli Manning had an average game; going 11/25 for 241 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception. And while Brandon Jacobs had a game-changing 73-yard touchdown catch, he was still held to just 39 yards rushing on the ground. However, the Giants offensive line played better as they kept the Cowboy pass rush away from Eli and allowed him to move better in the pocket. The Giants managed to pull away on a 79-yard punt return from Domenik Hixon, which gave them a 31-17 lead. Yet what continues to be disconcerting is how the Giant defense keeps teams in the game until the very end. For instance, right after Hixon scored on the punt return, the Cowboys marched right down the field, cut the lead to 7 on a 22-yard pass to Miles Austin, and almost recovered the ensuing onside kick. The Giants play too close for comfort and one of these days, they are going to pay dearly for it. However, a win is a win for this football team and they have certainly been hard to come by these last few months. It doesn't get easier for Big Blue as a red-hot Eagle team steamrolls into the Meadowlands. One thing I can guarantee you...the Giants will play much better on Sunday night than they did the first time they played the Eagles this season. With first place and playoff positioning on the line, the Giants will come to play inspired football against their division rival. The only question remaining: Will it be enough?

One of the more surprising results of the weekend was how the Minnesota Vikings got spanked by the Arizona Cardinals. You can analyze this game backwards and forwards while still arriving at the very same conclusion: the Vikings were outplayed by the Cardinals on Sunday night. Did anyone expect that? I certainly did not. I thought that it would be a very competitive ballgame with Kurt Warner returning to the lineup. But ultimately I concluded that the Vikings were simply a better team than the Cardinals in all phases of the game. As a result, they would successfully control the pace of the game and tease the Cardinals until the very end. Instead, it was the defending NFC champions who controlled the pace of the game and dictated its tempo. The defense played extremely well against a Vikings team ranked 5th in the NFL in total offense. They completely shut down Adrian Peterson; limiting him to just 13 carries for 19 yards on the ground. Such a brilliant performance forced Brett Favre to throw the ball more than he wanted to and put him in the seemingly uncomfortable position of winning the game on his own. Favre ended up throwing for 275 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. These would normally be great stats for any NFL quarterback. But what is worrisome about these stats is how this is Favre's first multi-interception game of the season. That says a lot about the kind of season he is having with the Vikings. I know what everyone is thinking. One bad game cannot a season make for Favre and the Vikings. But I call your attention to what happened this time last year with Favre and the New York Jets. Favre was having an incredible season with the Jets and was well on his way towards another playoff appearance. And then what happened? Favre got hurt, started playing poorly, and the Jets ended up missing the playoffs entirely. Granted Favre is not hurt this season but the Vikings cannot afford mistakes from him right now. They also cannot put him in a position where he is forced to throw the ball and win the game. Adrian Peterson has to be Adrian Peterson for the Vikings to function as an offensive unit. His rushing performances will dictate how far the Vikings go the rest of this season. On the defensive side of the ball, the Vikings gave us their first lackluster performance in a while. Kurt Warner dissected the Vikings secondary for 285 yards and 3 touchdowns; proving himself to be the better quarterback over 40 on this particular night. The Vikings defense allowed a slough of big plays on the ground and in the air. They also did not get any pressure on Warner, allowing him to roam freely in the pocket and find his receivers. The Cardinals set out to prove something on Sunday night and they certainly did that. They are ready to make a big run on their way to another playoff appearance, showing how they are still the defending NFC Champions until further notice.

Such further notice may come from the New Orleans Saints. Their incredible win over the Redskins on Sunday pretty much illustrated how they seem to be a team of destiny. They are believing in themselves and believing in the idea that this could be the year the Lombardi Trophy comes to the Big Easy. Drew Brees is having one of the best seasons of his career and is the catalyst for this saintly run to perfection. I was right in believing that the game against the Redskins would be a possible trap for the Saints. The Redskins came out ready to play against the league's best team. They wanted to come out and prove that they were still a prideful football team and that they were not going to hand the Saints a victory on a silver platter. Jason Campbell certainly had his best game of the season and possibly his entire career on Sunday afternoon. Throwing for 367 yards and 3 touchdowns to just 1 interception, Campbell did everything he could to lead his team to an upset victory. WR Devin Thomas had 7 receptions for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns; stepping up at the right time for this Redskin team and giving all he had against a much better squad. Even the Redskins defense played with a passion on Sunday as they threw everything at Brees and then some. However, the Redskins were done in for the same reasons they have been losing all season. Turnovers and their inability to finish games doomed them on Sunday against the Saints. That and a little bit of blind luck. There was one point in the game where Drew Brees threw an interception to S Kareem Moore. Moore advanced the ball up the field only to have it ripped away by Saints receiver Robert Meachem, who then proceeded to take it all the way back for a touchdown. I mean seriously...you can't make this stuff up. Three fumbles and an interception don't help matters either. But the mistake that absolutely killed the Redskins on Sunday...Shaun Suisham sending his 23-yard field goal wide right. Not only did that keep it a one-score game with just under two minutes to go, but it also cost Suisham his job as the Redskins released him yesterday afternoon. Brees would find Meachem for a 53-yard touchdown with 1:19 remaining, which sent the game into overtime. The Redskins fumbled, the Saints kicked the field goal, the Saints remain perfect....how can you explain this victory? Are the Saints lucky? Or are they really that good? I like to think it's a little bit of both because the great teams always have things fall their way. Drew Brees said it best in his postgame commentary, "We've been on the other side of the deal probably too many times, and maybe it's our time, that we start catching some of the breaks." Is it their time? That part is unwritten. What we do know is that breaks keep falling the Saints' way. And that always marks the sign of a great football team.

Lots of what was said above can be applied to the Indianapolis Colts as well. The funny thing about undefeated teams is that everyone is aching to see them fail. Everyone is waiting, some even predicting, for them to lose. Which team will pick off the Colts? Which team will pick off the Saints? Is it that unreasonable to have two teams go 16-0? We live in a football age where we saw the New England Patriots accomplish that feat just two years ago. Teams are explosive on the offensive side of the ball; disciplined on the defensive side of the ball. The great teams do not make mistakes. They do not shoot themselves in the foot. If someone beats them, it is because the other team earned their victory. And what has happened this season? Teams have given the Colts and the Saints their best game week in and week out. And every time this season, the Colts and the Saints have emerged victorious. Last week, everyone was thinking the Titans were going to pick off the Colts. Vince Young and Chris Johnson were tearing it up offensively for Tennessee, while their defense was playing some really good football. What happened on Sunday? Chris Johnson still had a decent game, rushing 27 times for 113 yards. However, the Colts managed to keep him out of the end zone. Vince Young had 241 yards passing and a couple touchdowns. But the Colts defense made Young feel uncomfortable all day long, making him scramble out of the pocket and force errant throws to his receivers. Young threw 1 interception and was very insecure in holding on to the football. The Titans were never really in this game as the Colts established dominance early and often. They proved why they are 12-0 and the best team in the AFC this season as Peyton Manning threw for 270 yards and a touchdown. The Colts pounded the ball in this game and left the Titans defense feeling tired and exhausted after every drive. Joseph Addai ran the ball 21 times for 79 yards and 2 touchdowns; a brutal force in a surprisingly lackluster game. Two Matt Stover field goals put the Colts up 27-10 and that was all she wrote. Goodbye Tennessee, Hello Denver! Experts will speculate who could pick off the Colts as the season winds down. Experts will contemplate for the Saints as well. But maybe we're destined to have two 16-0 teams this season. We had one two years ago. And everyone thought they were the best team in NFL history. What happened to them? A 17-14 loss in Super Bowl XLII. Perfection is not remembered unless you are truly perfect. Teams will be hungry to play the role of spoiler, which means tougher games as the weeks progress. The Colts and the Saints have long roads ahead. Will they lead to Miami?

That's it for now...Heisman commentary tomorrow....NFL Week 14 preview as well. Stay tuned

A Reaction to Week 14 of College Football

What occurred this past weekend in college football is what every football fan dreams of happening. Teams were fighting desperately for a shot at the national title, with championship games going right down to the wire. We saw college football heaven this weekend as the underdogs battled mightily to upset the favorites in consecutive David vs. Goliath showdowns. Unfortunately, the Davids came up a little short against the Philistines this time around . In the end, what was supposed to happen in college football ended up happening. The strong survived the tests of the weak and moved on to their BCS bowl games. No one complains and everybody wins in the world of college football. Yet some win more than others. I am going to do this in an orderly fashion. That is to say, I will begin with the Civil War and conclude with the SEC Championship Game, followed by a brief commentary on this year's batch of BCS bowl games. Let us begin then...

The Civil War: Oregon vs. Oregon State

This game lived up to its expectations as the 113th Civil War became an offensive shootout for the right to go to the Rose Bowl. It was a back-and-forth game all night long as each offense moved the ball with ease and put points on the scoreboard. I didn't want this game to end because it seemed like both offenses wouldn't stop scoring. Neither defense could make a stop and it appeared as if the winner of this game would be the one who scored last. Alas, the Oregon defense was able to save the game for the Ducks as they kept the Beavers off the scoreboard in the 4th quarter and won the game 37-33. Led by the power running game of LaMichael James and LeGarrette Blount, the Ducks ran for 288 yards on the ground and steamrolled their way to Pasadena with 4 rushing touchdowns. Jeremiah Masoli passed for over 200 yards and scrambled for 40 more as the Beavers had problems containing him as well. Oregon State was in this game though as QB Sean Canfield passed for 306 yards and 2 touchdowns. And the Rodgers Brothers very nearly won the game on their own as Jacquizz had 137 total yards from scrimmage and James caught 10 balls for 139 yards and a touchdown. So you cannot say that Oregon dominated this game from start to finish. It was a very entertaining game to watch and certainly one of the best of the year. Oregon will now face Ohio State in the Rose Bowl in an intriguing showdown of great offense and great defense.

ACC Championship: Georgia Tech vs. Clemson

C.J. Spiller was a one-man wrecking crew Saturday night against Georgia Tech. Spiller ran the ball 20 times for 233 yards and scored 4 touchdowns. Unfortunately for Clemson, it was not enough against a Georgia Tech team motivated to clinch a trip to the Orange Bowl. Paul Johnson and his band of Yellow Jackets would not be denied as both teams went back-and-forth all night long. Georgia Tech amassed over 300 yards rushing against the Tigers and managed to pull ahead 33-20 after Josh Nesbitt's 70-yard strike to Demaryius Thomas. But that wasn't enough to hold down those fiesty Tigers. Clemson came roaring back on touchdown runs by Spiller and Andre Ellington to take the lead 34-33. And in a game that was devoid of defense all night long, Head Coach Dabo Swinny called upon his defense to rise up and quell Georgia Tech's offensive juggernaut in the final minutes. It was not meant to be for the Clemson defense as RB Jonathan Dwyer ran 15 yards down the sideline and put Georgia Tech ahead 39-34 with 1:20 remaining. It was more than enough time for Clemson to move down the field and score one last touchdown that would send them to the Orange Bowl. But a holding penalty sent the Tigers back ten yards and put them in an compromising position. In the end, Georgia Tech was able to sack Kyle Parker in the backfield on 4th and 2 and punch their tickets to Miami. This was a very compelling game anchored by a brilliant performance from C.J. Spiller. But the Georgia Tech running attack was better than Spiller on this night, proving to be the main difference in this year's ACC Championship.

Big East Championship: Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh

This was a wild football game. If you were a betting man, and you picked Cincinnati to win this game, odds are you went to the hospital because this game was suspenseful and heart-pumping to the end. Pittsburgh jumped out to a commanding lead over the Bearcats. Freshman RB Dion Lewis ran the ball 29 times in the first half...29 TIMES!!! Most running backs don't run 29 times in a GAME let alone the first half. But Pittsburgh just kept feeding it to Lewis and were absolutely relentless with the running attack. Bill Stull was also making great throws to his receivers, including 2 touchdown strikes to WR Jonathan Baldwin that put Pittsburgh up 31-10 late in the 2nd quarter. Cincinnati QB Tony Pike was terrible in the first half, throwing 2 crucial interceptions that were big momentum shifters at the time. Cincinnati could not find a way to put the ball in the end zone and it seemed like Pittsburgh would run away with the Big East crown. However, head coach Brian Kelly was not about to let his team crumble so easily. On the strength of a Mardy Gilyard 99-yard kickoff return, Cincinnati was able to cut the lead to 31-17 at halftime. Tony Pike's 68-yard strike to Gilyard made the game 31-24 leading into the 4th quarter. Momentum was shifting back to Cincinnati as the Panthers could not finish the kill. But a 15-yard touchdown by Dion Lewis made the game 38-24, which reestablished their comfort zone a little bit. That was quickly washed away by Pike's 8-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Woods, Isaiah Pead's 1-yard score, and a two-point conversion that tied the game at 38. As I said, it was wild until the very end. So what led to Pittsburgh's downfall? Special Teams. Pittsburgh took the lead late in the 4th quarter with a Lewis touchdown run. However, a botched extra-point try made it a 6-point deficit rather than a 7-point deficit. So what does Cincinnati do when they get the ball? Pike marches his troops swiftly down the field against an exhausted Pittsburgh defense and punches in the game-winning score with a 29-yard strike to WR Armon Binns. Ballgame over, Big East Championship over, Bearcats Win, DAAAA BEARCATS WIN!!!!! Okay, they're not the Yankees. But this game unfolded with the same kind of grandeur and mystique that only the great teams are remembered for. I'm not sure if Cincinnati is a great team. But the way they took this one from Pittsburgh is the stuff of legends.

Big 12 Championship: Texas vs. Nebraska

This game may have featured the best performance out of all the Heisman Trophy candidates last weekend. And it wasn't from Colt McCoy. As a matter of fact, it came from Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh. Suh single-handedly ripped apart the Texas offensive line on Saturday night and was able to sack McCoy 4.5 times (he got 1/2 a sack with teammate Cameron Meredith). His performance was almost good enough to win the game for the Cornhuskers. They certainly treated this game as though it were for the national championship and gave us a defensive performance for the ages. Colt McCoy did not have a Heisman moment on Saturday. If you look at his stat-line from the game, it is definitely not a pretty sight. McCoy went 20/36 for 184 yards and 3 interceptions. To say that he did not have his best game of the season is an understatement. To say that he played himself out of winning the Heisman Trophy is something to consider. The Nebraska defense manhandled Texas at the line of scrimmage all night long and dominated the game from start to finish. Fortunately for the Longhorns, their defense was just as good. If the Nebraska offense had played the same kind of caliber game as their defense, then we would probably be looking at an Alabama-Cincinnati national title match right now. Instead, the Texas defense held Nebraska to just over 100 yards of total offense. That's right...TOTAL OFFENSE!!! And in a game where your defense comes to bat and hits a home run, that is unacceptable. Nebraska QB Zach Lee was 6/19 for 39 yards and 3 interceptions. If you think Colt McCoy was bad in this game, just repeat Lee's stat-line three times over. It'll make you want to throw up. Nebraska was also held to just 67 yards rushing and was the victim of poor field position all night long. This game was won because Texas had better field position and was able to take advantage of it when they needed to. That and the luck of Colt McCoy. That play in the very last seconds of the game had the potential to be catastrophic for the Longhorns. McCoy and the Texas coaching staff were letting the clock run down as far as it could go, albeit with one timeout remaining. McCoy takes the snap with :06 seconds remaining, scrambles out of the pocket, and throws the ball out of bounds. If the ball had not touched anything with :01 second to go, Texas loses that football game and loses a shot at the national championship. That was probably the dumbest play I have seen all year out of any sport. First of all, where is Mack Brown? Isn't he supposed to be on top of this and know how much time is left in the game? Did anyone on the Texas sideline know how much time was left in the game? I am convinced that none of them had a clue and it very nearly cost them everything. The ramifications of that could have been disastrous. Fortunately for Texas, the ball landed with :01 second on the clock. And Hunter Lawrence hit the game-winning field goal that catapulted Texas to Pasadena. You can say that Texas earned their way to a showdown with Alabama. Or you can say that they were just plain lucky. And right now, I'm leaning towards the latter in that regard.

SEC Championship: Florida vs. Alabama

If you told me the SEC Championship would turn out to be the least interesting game to watch on Saturday, I would have told you to go jump in a lake somewhere. Yet that is exactly what happened as Alabama completely wiped the floor with Florida and established themselves as the clear favorite to win the national championship. The god-man himself, Tim Tebow, had no answer for Alabama's stingy defensive front on Saturday. Granted he had what many people would call a very decent day on offense. But there would be no miracle win for the Gators on Saturday. There would be no tears of joy or spoils of victory for Tebow this time around. The Gators ran into a buzzsaw this past weekend that was operated and controlled by Nick Saban. You can basically hail Saban as the new god-man, working his coaching magic throughout the college world. Within three years time, he takes lackluster programs in need of rebuilding and turns them into perennial national contenders. Whatever Saban is feeding his players has worked for him for quite some time. And it is fair to say that he is the best head coach in all of college football. Alabama won this game because they pounded the ball with Mark Ingram and took time off the clock. And when they scored, they put the ball in the end zone and did not settle for field goals. The biggest key to their victory on Saturday was that QB Greg McElroy did not make any mistakes with the football. He managed the game sufficiently and made big plays when he needed to, which included a 17-yard floater to TE Colin Peek that put the Tide up 26-13. One must give credit to the offensive line as they played their hearts out and allowed for Ingram to rush for 113 yards and score 3 touchdowns. Ingram also had a 69-yard reception that changed the momentum of the game entirely in Alabama's favor. He might have clinched the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, but there are four other candidates who have something to say about that. Alabama was clearly the better team on the field this weekend. They were physically dominant on both sides of the ball and did not let Tebow get to their heads. The fact that they have been waiting a year to play this game was punctuated by Ingram's everlasting Gator Chomp on the sidelines. That, along with Tebow's tears of sorrow, signified the end of an era for the Florida Gators and a new beginning for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

That's it for now...stay tuned for a Heisman preview coming up later this week along with my NFL reaction later on today.

NFL Week 13 Preview

The Jets/Bills game on Thursday night was basically the same game we saw the first time they met this season. Only this time, QB Mark Sanchez didn't turn the football over 5 times. The Bills defense gave up over 200 yards rushing. Darrelle Revis once again shut down Terrell Owens and iced the game with an interception of Ryan Fitzpatrick. The only thing Sanchez did wrong was dive headfirst to get a first down, causing him to sprain his posterior cruciate ligament and drawing criticism from Head Coach Rex Ryan. Besides that, Sanchez was more careful with the football and threw some very nice passes to receivers Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery, putting the Jets back in the playoff race with a 6-6 record. Yet in order for the Jets to make the playoffs, they would need to win the rest of their games to finish 10-6 and hope that other teams lose because they have terrible division and conference records. The Jets are not going to win any tiebreakers so it is more than likely that they're playing for pride. As for the Bills, they simply could not put the ball in the end zone when they had to. Fitzpatrick spent the whole night trying to find Owens deep and simply could not get it past Revis in the secondary. The offense was forced to settle for field goals when it should have been scoring touchdowns. As fortunate as the defense was to hold the Jets to 19 points, the offense was kept at bay for most of the night. The Bills will most definitely need to start over next season because the AFC East is only getting better. The AFC East train is progressing on the rail to success. And it looks like the Bills will remain the caboose for years to come.

Now for the rest of Week 13

Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons

This would have been a more interesting game if Falcons QB Matt Ryan and RB Michael Turner were in excellent health. Instead, the Falcons will most likely be sending out Chris Redman and Jason Snelling for a game that is vital to their playoff chances. And I really don't like their chances against an Eagle team also fighting for their playoff lives. The Falcons squeaked by the Buccaneers last week to advance to 6-5, which means that home-field advantage can be thrown out the window against a better football team. While I love home-field advantage, I would love it more with this game if the Falcons weren't so banged up on the offensive side of the ball. Their defense will need to play spectacular all day long to give their offense a chance in this game. What benefits the Falcons is that the Eagles are also banged up offensively. RB Brian Westbrook and WR DeSean Jackson are out with concussions, which hampers what the Eagles can do offensively. The Eagles were fortunate to win that game at home last week against the Redskins and are always a very difficult team to predict. Look for the Eagles to try and establish the run a little more with RB LeSean McCoy, who has been playing well in relief of Westbrook. But don't expect the Eagles to abandon their passing game either. Donovan McNabb will most definitely be looking for Jason Avant and Brent Celek in this game, attempting to take advantage of the Falcons' 27th ranked pass defense. But also look for Michael Vick to run the ball a little more from the wildcat in this game. After all, this is his big return to Atlanta. Eagles win 27-17.

St. Louis Rams at Chicago Bears

The Bears should win this one easily on paper. But they have not been playing well at all recently. They are coming off a dreadful performance last week against the Vikings and are certainly looking for a big offensive game to reboot their confidence a little bit. This is the game where it could happen. However, the Rams have been playing hard for Steve Spagnuolo in spite of their 1-10 record. RB Steven Jackson is 2nd in the league in rushing and plays his heart out every time he steps on the field. However, he is questionable for Sunday's game and if he doesn't play, the Rams have no shot at upsetting the Bears. I expect a big game out of Crybaby Cutler on Sunday as he will uncharacteristically curb the interceptions this week. But I expect the Rams to hang with them on the scoreboard if and only if Steven Jackson plays on Sunday. This is a game that could be fun to watch, especially since both defenses have been mediocre this season. Bears win 37-23.

Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals did what they were supposed to do last week against the Browns, shutting down Brady Quinn and leaving no doubt that they were the better team. Expect the same kind of performance this week against the Lions. It won't be a pretty game to watch, but the Bengals will do what they have to do before their showdown with the Vikings next weekend. Don't expect big numbers from Matthew Stafford or any part of the Lions offense on Sunday. Sacks and turnovers will be the story of the day out of Paul Brown Stadium as the Bengals defense will have their way with the Lions. Look for the Bengals to reestablish RB Cedric Benson on the offensive side of the ball, making sure he gets his fair share of carries to prepare him for that vaunting defense in Minnesota next weekend. The Bengals won't have a flashy day offensively, but they will do what they have to do to win the game. Bengals win 23-10.

Oakland Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers

Boy, I would not want to be playing for the Raiders this week because this looks like a game destined for a blowout. The Steelers are angry. They are angry and they are feeling disrespected by the rest of the league. Coming off back-to-back losses against the Chiefs and the Ravens, everyone seems to be counting out the Steelers this season. Everyone wants to disregard them as one of the elite teams in the NFL. Everyone wants to write off their chances of winning another Super Bowl. Well, I got news for you. The Steelers ain't done yet not by a longshot. Just look at their schedule. They got the Raiders and the Browns back-to-back. Their two toughest games against the Packers and the Ravens are both at home. And they finish off the regular season against Miami. It is not unreasonable to think that the Steelers could run the table with an 11-5 record and enter the playoffs on a massive hot streak. It seems like Roethlisberger will be back tomorrow from his concussion. And even if he isn't, Dennis Dixon did not play that bad against the Ravens last Sunday night. And I certainly like his chances against an overmatched Raiders team tomorrow afternoon. Look for the Steelers to pound the ball with Rashard Mendenhall and look for them to spread the field with Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes. A convincing win on Sunday against Oakland will steer this team back in the right direction. And I think they get it. Steelers win 34-14.

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts

I can tell you right now, and this may be the understatement of the century so bear with me...this is going to be a very good football game. And I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be the game of the year in the NFL. I know I said that last week about the Patriots and the Saints and look how that turned out. However, I just have a funny feeling that this game will live up to its expectations and then some. The Tennessee Titans are the hottest team in the NFL right now. Yes, they are hotter than the Colts and the Saints. They have won 5 straight games since starting out 0-6 and have put themselves back in the playoff race. Jeff Fisher is a dark horse candidate for Coach of the Year right now. And Vince Young has resurrected his career from the dead. He is playing excellent football right now and is brimming with confidence after leading his team 99 yards down the field to beat the Cardinals 20-17 last weekend. This is a team that is not afraid to challenge anyone right now. They are feeling unstoppable and invincible, which they should feel with Chris Johnson in the backfield. Johnson is having an MVP season, which is a gross understatement. He has literally carried the Titans on his back during this 5-game winning streak. And the Titans defense is playing their best football right now going into December, paving the way for their offense to make plays when it counts. Yet as good as the Titans have been during their 5-game winning streak, they are going to face a tough test against the Colts on Sunday. The Colts defense has played a vital role in keeping their team perfect this season, causing turnovers in the final minutes and sealing pivotal victories. Peyton Manning has had one of the best seasons of his career and should have a field day on Sunday against the Titans' weak secondary. But the Colts have been flirting with disaster for a while now. And I think it's time for them to crumble under pressure. I don't think they will be able to stop Chris Johnson because quite frankly, no one has been able to stop Chris Johnson this season. And I think Vince Young takes another huge step in his maturation as an NFL quarterback. I envision the Colts winning by 3 in the final minutes on Sunday and Vince Young (yes, Vince Young) leading his team to another comeback win that ends perfection and puts the Titans back on the map for real. Titans win 31-28.

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs

The Denver Broncos completely destroyed the New York Giants on Thanksgiving night. The Kansas City Chiefs were completely annihilated by the San Diego Chargers last weekend. So then why are experts contemplating whether or not the Chiefs could upset the Broncos on Sunday? Because the Broncos have never played their best football at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs always give the Broncos a game when they come to Kansas City and some experts are predicting that it will be no different on Sunday. But this is the Josh McDaniels era in the Mile High City. The Broncos seemed to regain their confidence after their thorough beatdown of the Giants last week. They looked like the team that started 6-0 to begin the season and have put themselves in prime position to clinch one of the wild card spots in the AFC. But in order for that to happen, the Broncos have to win the games they are supposed to win. This game against the Chiefs is a game the Broncos are supposed to win. They cannot take the Chiefs for granted and have to play with a sense of urgency because one mistake could alter the course of their season. Kyle Orton played sound and mistake-free football last week against the Giants. Brandon Marshall had some amazing catches. And the defense was absolutely relentless as they shut down the running game and got pressure on Eli Manning. The Broncos are going to need more of that and I expect them to get it. DE Elvis Dumervil will have a monster game and put tons of pressure on QB Matt Cassel. The Broncos secondary will shut down the Chiefs receiving game by being very physical at the line of scrimmage. And Kyle Orton will manage the football game well enough to guide his team to a win. Broncos win 24-13.

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins

This is a very tough game to predict. Both teams are coming off embarrassing losses and both teams are desperate for a victory. The Patriots could pretty much wrap up the division with a victory over the Dolphins on Sunday. Yet they are 1-4 on the road this season and always have a difficult time beating the Dolphins on their home turf. In spite of their loss to the Bills last week, the Dolphins pose a tough challenge to the Patriots defense. Ricky Williams has carried the ball well in the absence of Ronnie Brown. And even though Chad Henne threw 3 interceptions last week against the Bills, he has still played very well since Chad Pennington went down for the season. So this is a Dolphins team that will be able to hang with the Patriots on the scoreboard. But look for Tom Brady to be the difference in this football game. Brady did not have a great game against the Saints on Monday night, throwing for 237 yards and 2 interceptions. The Saints were successfully able to contain Randy Moss and Wes Welker for most of the night with a banged up secondary. Will the Dolphins be able to do that as well? Brady torched the Fins for 332 passing yards up in Foxboro. He will be motivated to have a great game on Sunday and the Patriots will be relentless, looking to put the game away early and often. This is going to be a competitive football game, but I expect the better team to emerge victorious. Patriots win 24-17.

New Orleans Saints at Washington Redskins

This might be a possible trap game for the New Orleans Saints. They are coming off a great win against the Patriots and are now going to feel the pressure of staying undefeated. Every team that they play from here on out will try and challenge them as possible. This is especially true from the teams that have nothing to lose. The Washington Redskins have been playing decent football the last two weeks, almost beating Dallas and Philadelphia on the road. But as I said last week, the Redskins do not know how to finish football games because they do not have a winner's edge going for them. They lack a certain mentality that goes with winning football games and knowing how to finish off opponents. They are facing an offensive juggernaut led by MVP candidate Drew Brees, who is also coming off a spectacular performance against the Patriots. The Redskins are ranked 2nd in the NFL in passing defense and have done a great job all year of limiting passing attacks. So do not expect Drew Brees to have another sensational game against this Redskins secondary. If the Saints are going to win this game, they will do it by establishing the run and pounding the ball inside with Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell. Brees will be used moderately in this game especially if the Redskins are able to develop a pass rush, which is easier said than done. But in order for the Redskins to win this game, they are going to need a big performance from Jason Campbell and the offense. They will need to put points on the scoreboard to match New Orleans, which is something they haven't done consistently all year long. The Redskins will come in looking to bring their A-game and their best effort. They will want to ruin perfection in the worst way and they will treat this game like their Super Bowl. They will come close, but the Saints will pull away in the end. Saints win 30-20.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers

The Panthers have not played well at all recently. Head Coach John Fox has ridden the curtails of QB Jake Delhomme and will pay the consequence at the end of the season. As for right now, Matt Moore will get the start at quarterback on Sunday since Delhomme is out with a finger injury. For the Panthers, there is nowhere to go but up right now because it simply cannot get any worse. Moore could either manage the game very well on Sunday, relying on Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to carry the Panthers to victory. Or he could do what Jake Delhomme has been doing all season long: try to force balls to his receivers and throwing lots of interceptions. Don't expect Moore to be anything special on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers will win this game if they are able to run the ball succesfully and Moore throws a couple good passes here and there simply because the Buccaneers aren't any good. However, the Buccaneers have been playing very well offensively as of late. Rookie QB Josh Freeman is showing promise at his position and has been able to make plays to his receivers down the field. But in spite of his improvement, the Buccaneers have absolutely no running game. As a result, the Panthers will look to put as much pressure on Freeman as possible because they stand an excellent chance of shutting down Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward. However, turnovers on the offensive side of the ball will continue to kill the Panthers as the Bucs will pull off the upset. Buccaneers win 27-20.

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars

These are two of the most disappointing teams in the NFL right now. Texans coach Gary Kubiak went into this season knowing he had to make the playoffs. And I think it is fair to say that such expectations were not outrageous. The Texans certainly have enough talent on both sides of the ball to contend with the very best in the NFL. Yet they have underperformed immensely and now find themselves with a record of 5-6 desperate for a win. The Jaguars are not much better. They have been hanging on the razor's edge all season long and I think they are about ready to fall over. They were absolutely manhandled by the 49ers last weekend as the offense simply could not get anything done with the football. QB David Garrard could not hold on to the football and Maurice Jones-Drew only had 75 yards rushing. They are very fortunate that this game is at home because they are 4-1 at home this season. However, the Texans have had their number at home and I wouldn't be surprised if we see the Good Texans this week against the Jaguars. I expect Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson to have big games for the Texans this week. I expect the defense to play much better in the 2nd half than they did against the Colts last week. And I expect David Garrard to continue having problems holding on to the football. Texans win 31-20.

San Diego Chargers at Cleveland Browns

The San Diego Chargers are on a definite hot streak right now and it's not going to end in Cleveland this weekend. LaDainian Tomlinson is getting back to his roots, pounding the football against opponents and proving why he is one of the best running backs in NFL history. Philip Rivers is proving to be an ample leader of that Chargers offense and is certainly putting up statistics worthy of an MVP candidate. The Chargers are playing with a passion and an energy right now that could very well put them along the elite teams in the NFL right now. It's a mismatch this weekend against the Browns. Expect another dominant performance from San Diego on both sides of the ball and not much else. Chargers win 38-6.

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants

It's do-or-die time for the New York Giants. They HAVE to win this football game if they are going to make a run at the playoffs. To say that they are not playing great football right now is an understatement. The Giants are being outplayed and outcoached in all phases of the game and it shows every time they step out on the field. Their season is on the line against the Cowboys on Sunday. Are they going to step up and give a great effort? I believe they can and I believe they will. But in the end, I don't think it will be enough to beat this Cowboys team. The Cowboys are a football team with a lot to prove. They want to show the world that they are for real and that they will not fall apart in December. They want to make a run in the playoffs and be mentioned in the same breath with the Saints and the Vikings. In order for that to happen, the Cowboys have to start their December off with a big road win at Giants Stadium on Sunday. The Giants defense is not as it once was. Whether it be the athletes on the field or the coaching personnel, there is absolutely no fire and no intensity to this defensive unit. The Giants just benched DE Osi Umenyiora and DT Fred Robbins in favor of Mathias Kiwanuka and Chris Canty. That shows you how they are desperately searching for a solution on defense. Expect Tony Romo to have a big game on Sunday if the Giants cannot get any pressure on him. Look for Marion Barber and Felix Jones to break through at the line of scrimmage and carry the ball for massive yardage up the field. The Cowboys are going to have a big day offensively. Will the Giants be able to make enough plays to get them the win? Eli Manning is clearly not comfortable playing with the plantar fascitis. He is missing receivers down the field and is not making crisp, accurate throws. But he is not the weakest link for the Giants right now. The offensive line has been pitiful all season long and that is the primary reason why the running game has suffered this season. I don't expect a big day out of Brandon Jacobs. But I do expect Eli to keep the Giants in the game until the 4th quarter. Look for Steve Smith and Mario Manningham to have big games catching the ball, but don't expect them to show up in the 4th quarter. The Giants will give their best effort on Sunday. But it won't be enough against a better Cowboys team looking to prove itself this December. Cowboys win 30-21.

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

This is a big game for the 49ers on Sunday. They are looking to get back to .500 and keep themselves alive in the playoff race. Yet it is interesting how the Niners are winning games lately. Frank Gore is not having his best season at running back. Granted, he was hurt for a few weeks but he has only had 100 yards rushing in two games this season. So how are the 49ers winning? By developing their passing game. Alex Smith has surprisingly given the Niners offense enough of a spark to the point where they don't have to rely on Frank Gore consistently. TE Vernon Davis and WR Michael Crabtree have given the Niners some offensive weapons in the receiving core and have allowed Alex Smith to move the ball down the field with ease. The Niners defense has also played very well recently. LB Patrick Willis is an absolute beast and that defensive front, ranked 5th in the league in stopping the run, has been outstanding all season long. They travel to Seattle this weekend to play an injury-depleted Seahawks team that is playing for pride. This could be a trap game for the 49ers because the Seahawks have always been a tough out at home. Their use of the home crowd as the "12th man" might save them this weekend and force the 49ers to make mistakes on the line of scrimmage and with the football. The only way the Niners lose this game is if they beat themselves. Their defense will effectively shut down the running game and force QB Matt Hasselbeck to scramble for his life. And in the end, Alex Smith will make enough plays in the red zone to ensure another 49ers victory. 49ers win 24-13.

Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson and WR Bernard Berrian were clocked for speeding at 109 and 104 mph respectively. The bad news for the Cardinals: both are just as fast on the football field. Look for Peterson and Berrian to dash and breeze by the Cardinals defense on Sunday night as the Vikings bring their show on the road to Glendale, Arizona. I think the only way the Vikings lose this game is if the team becomes distracted by the antics of Peterson and Berrian. But don't count on it. The Vikings are playing sound football in all phases of the game. They are arguably the best team in the NFL and they don't even have the best record. Brett Favre is having the best season of his career at the quarterback position. Adrian Peterson is not having as great a season this year with only three 100-yard rushing performances so far. However, Peterson is still 3rd in the league in rushing and the Vikings do not have to rely on him as much because Favre has been absolutely amazing. Peterson is still one of the most dynamic running backs in the NFL and the Cardinals will certainly not take him for granted. The question for the Cardinals is who will start at QB: Kurt Warner or Matt Leinart? Frankly, it doesn't make any difference to me. If Warner were starting, the Cardinals might be able to make this a closer game. If Leinart were starting, the Vikings would win very convincingly. And the reason I say it doesn't make any difference is because the Vikings defense is an explosive tour-de-force. DT Kevin Williams and Pat Williams are monsters at the line of scrimmage and DE Jared Allen goes with 100% intensity on every play. But the key will be the Vikings secondary and if they can aggressively shut down Larry Fitzgerald and the Cardinals receiving game. Lots of that will depend on who starts at quarterback but I think the Vikings are simply too talented enough to falter now. Vikings win 34-20 if Warner starts, Vikings win 34-17 if Leinart starts.

Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay Packers

A very enticing game to watch on Monday Night Football. The Ravens are coming off a huge division win against the Steelers last week. But their record on the road this season is a paltry 2-3. They will be facing a Packers team that is just now starting to play their best football. Ryan Grant is running the ball with conviction. Aaron Rodgers is making good decisions with the football. And their offensive line is doing a better job at protecting their quarterback. But the key to the Packers' 3-game winning streak is how well their defense has played. They have held opposing running backs to an average of just under 68 yards rushing during their winning streak. They have also been forcing turnovers and getting to the quarterback. And they have given their offense plenty of chances to do what they do best. The Packers are now entering the tougher part of their schedule. After this game against the Ravens, they still have to travel to Chicago and Pittsburgh, which are not going to be easy victories. The Packers need to win this game. But then again, so do the Ravens. The Packers are going to do a great job at containing Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. As a result, Joe Flacco is going to have to make plays to his receivers and is going to have to start finding the end zone again. He did a great job last week by throwing for 289 yards and a touchdown. But he is going to have to do that consistently if the Ravens are going to make noise in the playoff race. Look for the Ravens to open up their screen package a little more. Also, look for Flacco to fire the deep ball to receivers Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason as they try to stretch the field against this Packers defense. On the defensive side of the ball, the Ravens must get pressure on Aaron Rodgers and they certainly have the personnel to do so. They must force Rodgers to make bad decisions in the pocket and be sporadic with the football. If they do that, then safeties Dawan Landry and Ed Reed will be taking interceptions to the end zone. I think the Ravens are going to confuse Rodgers with their defensive packages, and I think Flacco is going to make enough plays to his receivers to steal one in Lambeau. Ravens win 20-17.

That's it for now. Enjoy Week 13 of the NFL.

Quick Prediction for Jets/Bills

Last time these two teams played, the Jets ran for over 300 yards against the Bills defense and Darrelle Revis completely shut down Terrell Owens. But Mark Sanchez threw 5 interceptions and the Jets ended up losing the game in overtime. I think the Jets get a little measure of revenge tonight but they will not be as dominant as they were in their first meeting. The Bills defense will do much better against Thomas Jones and the Jets running game. Leon Washington and Kris Jenkins are not in the lineup tonight, which means that the Bills don't have to worry about big plays on special teams and can do a better job at establishing their own running game with Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. Look for Ryan Fitzpatrick to have an average game tonight against the Jets defense. Revis will continue painting his masterpiece against top-tier receivers this season by making sure T.O. doesn't have his popcorn ready. As a result, Fitzpatrick will try to spread the ball around as much as possible. But since his main focus will be T.O., he will be more liable to making mistakes with the football. Turnovers will kill the Bills tonight as the Jets win a close one 24-21.

Week 14 College Football Predictions

One of the biggest college football games of the weekend actually occurs tonight when Oregon battles Oregon State for the right to go to the Rose Bowl on New Years' Day. As a result, I figured I would give you my college football predictions a little earlier this week. These predictions will not only cover the 113th Civil War tonight, but will also cover the most important conference championship games that occur this weekend. Without further adieu, I present to you my predictions for Week 14 of college football.

Big 12 Championship Game: Texas vs. Nebraska

This is a game that really shouldn't even be close. Everyone is expecting Texas to steamroll through Nebraska. And quite frankly, so do I. Colt McCoy has been unstoppable recently and has put up the kind of numbers that we haven't seen from him consistently all season long. Nebraska will have to play a perfect game in order to steal this one from the Longhorns. And I just don't think they are ready for this kind of big game atmosphere. Bo Pelini has his team moving in the right direction, but I have a feeling that this is the year of Texas and Colt McCoy. In order for Nebraska to win this game, they will need to get pressure on McCoy consistently. They will need to shut down every facet of that Texas offense, which quite frankly appears invincible right now. And they will need QB Zac Lee and RB Roy Helu Jr. to make plays and put points on the scoreboard. Even if Nebraska plays their best football against Texas, the Longhorns are very talented enough to keep themselves in the game for a prolonged period of time. TCU, Cincinnati, and Boise State will be cheering for Nebraska on Saturday night, hoping that they can pull off the monumental upset. But don't expect the unexpected. Texas wins easily 45-20.

ACC Championship Game: Georgia Tech vs. Clemson

Both teams are coming off terrible defeats at the hands of Georgia and South Carolina. Both teams have terrific running attacks, with Clemson carrying a Heisman contender in its backfield. The key to this game will not only be which team can make the most defensive stops to contain the running game, but will also be the effort stemming from their other offensive weapons as well. Georgia Tech is a much more balanced team offensively, with WR Demaryius Thomas hauling in over 1,000 receiving yards this season and 7 touchdowns to boot. Look for QB Josh Nesbitt to have his way with the Clemson secondary in a game that should figure to be an offensive shootout. Look for both teams to establish the run early, with Georgia Tech keying on C.J. Spiller for the entire contest thereby forcing Clemson to turn to their aerial attack a lot earlier than anticipated. Georgia Tech wins 34-24 and advances to a BCS bowl game.

Big East Championship Game: Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is coming off a hard-fought defeat at the hands of West Virginia. However, they have the decided advantage of having this Big East Championship Game played on their home field. And since I am a firm believer in home field particularly in championship games, I like to think that Pittsburgh has a good chance of upsetting Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon. Yet they will need all their engines rolling against a very tough Cincinnati offense led by renowned QB Tony Pike. Pike threw for 399 yards and 6 touchdowns last week against Illinois, a perfect warm-up for what should be a very competitive game on Saturday. Pike has been consistent all year for the Bearcats and has undoubtedly been the MVP of their team. If Cincinnati is going to beat Pitt this weekend, Pike will most definitely put up incredible numbers and light up the scoreboard much in the same way he has done so all year. Look for WR Mardy Gilyard to have another spectacular game as Cincinnati will move the ball productively against a talented Pittsburgh defense. If Pittsburgh is going to win this game, they will need to run the ball and run it hard, putting this game on the shoulders of their veteran offensive line. Dion Lewis will certainly need to have another 100-yard performance if the Panthers are going to have any success at all. But QB Bill Stull must make big plays down the field to his receivers, establishing the playaction and deceiving the Cincinnati defense with the running game. They must make Cincinnati cover all phases of the Pittsburgh offense without specifically relegating their game plan to stopping the run. That way, Pittsburgh will be able to be more flexible with their play calling and Cincinnati will be caught off guard many times. It's a tall order for Pittsburgh, who would indeed feel more confident going into this game had they beaten West Virginia last week. Cincinnati is riding high on the momentum of an undefeated season and a BCS berth. Can Pittsburgh steal the Big East crown? If they control the pace of the game and keep the ball out of Pike's hands, the answer is most definitely yes. Will they? I don't think so. Cincinnati wins 27-19.

The Civil War: Oregon vs. Oregon State

A combined total of 103 points were scored the last time these two teams met on the football field. Oregon completely dominated the Beavers offensively, with QB Jeremiah Masoli throwing for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns. However, the most noticeable offensive statistic was how Oregon RB's Jeremiah Johnson and LeGarrette Blount ran for 331 yards and completely shredded the Oregon State defensive line. The Beavers may not be facing Johnson and Blount again. But they will still have to try and solve Masoli while also attempting to contain RB LaMichael James, who has over 1300 yards rushing this season. Oregon State has been playing very well defensively as of late, allowing only one 100-yard rushing performance in the past four weeks. And they were also one of the only teams this season to hold Stanford RB Toby Gerhart under 100 yards as well. Oregon State can stop the run. But can they keep Oregon off the scoreboard? The two are going to go hand in hand tonight as Oregon will try to scramble Masoli out of the pocket and outrun the Oregon State linebackers. They will also feed the ball to James consistently, with much of their game plan built towards the running attack mainly because of how successful it was last year. The key for Oregon State will be to limit James's productivity in the backfield and hope that they can catch Masoli when he scrambles out of the pocket. They will also need strong performances from the Rodgers brothers on the offensive side of the ball. Both athletes are key ingredients to the Oregon State running and passing attack, which means that if Oregon can shut down both of them, then the Oregon State offensive game plan is compromised. Jacquizz Rodgers has had a stellar season in the backfield with over 1300 yards rushing and 400 yards receiving. His brother James has caught 8 touchdowns this season from QB Sean Canfield. Both will be vital to Oregon State's success if they are going to advance to the Rose Bowl Game against Ohio State. This is going to be a shootout. Which team will score the most points and win the Civil War of the Roses? Let me answer with this...Quack, Quack, Quack!!!! The Ducks will quack all the way to the Rose Bowl. Oregon wins 44-40 in a classic.

SEC Championship Game: Florida vs. Alabama

The Game of the Year. It's as simple as that. If you're a true college football fan, this is the game of the year. Some would even call it the true National Championship Game. And when you look at the players and coaches gracing the field in Atlanta on Saturday, one cannot deny the championship atmosphere that will circumvent itself around the stadium. It's Meyer vs. Saban, Round II. It's Tebow's last dance. It's Mark Ingram's time to shine in his bid for a Heisman Trophy. So many subplots for a game that is important for only one good reason: the winner of this game goes on to Pasadena to play for the National Championship. The loser....relegated to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. Two years ago, the logo for Super Bowl XLII between the Patriots and Giants read Who Wants it More? That is the question going into this game...Who Wants it More? Tim Tebow's guarantee has carried on over to this year as well. The Gators have not lost since Tebow proclaimed we would never see a team play as hard as Florida during his time at QB. Tebow has put up another Heisman year this season and certainly knows the ramifications of this game going in. He will need to be brilliant against a tough and rigid Alabama defense that is ranked #1 in the nation. Can the Alabama defense contain Tebow in all phases of the game? In last year's SEC Championship Game, Alabama did a great job at limiting Tebow's running game to just 57 yards rushing. However, they could not stop him through the air as he passed for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns WITHOUT Percy Harvin. Florida won that game 31-23 and went on to beat Oklahoma for the National Championship. Alabama...relegated to the Sugar Bowl against Utah where they lost 31-17. Alabama was clearly not the same after that SEC Championship loss. Will it be deja vu all over again for Saban and the Tide? If Bama is going to win this game, they will need to stop Tebow in all phases of the game. They will need to focus their entire defensive game plan on containing him and making sure he does not break free for long runs or make big plays down the field. But this is Tim Tebow, who is arguably the greatest college football player ever to put on a uniform. He will make plays against this Alabama defense. But will the Tide roll and be up to the challenge? Mark Ingram needs to have a better game than he did last week against Auburn, where he was held to just 30 yards rushing on 16 carries. Alabama had to come back to win that game against Auburn. Will they be as lucky against Florida if the Gators shut down Ingram? Don't count on it. The Gators boast the #2 ranked defense in the nation and will certainly have greater success at the line of scrimmage against Alabama's offensive line. The key will be if Ingram can boost long runs to the outside and move the ball down the field against this Florida defense. If he doesn't, will QB Greg McElroy be able to throw the ball against a deep Florida secondary? These are the questions surrounding the Alabama football team going into this game. Can they shut down Tebow? And can they establish the run with Ingram against a talented Florida defense? If they are unable to do those things, they will not play for the national championship. It will be Tebow vs. McCoy, with the Tide facing either TCU or Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl. With that being said, I think Tebow's swan song will be written in Pasadena and not New Orleans. Florida wins 34-27.

That's it for now...enjoy the weekend of college football.

UPDATE

Too much on my plate this week...GRE's, taking my brother to see Wicked on Broadway (great show btw for those of you who haven't seen it) Sunday afternoon, and then seeing the Christmas Show at Rockefeller Center next Tuesday night. That being said, I can't possibly offer consistent and fair sports coverage this week. But don't worry, I shall return next week ready to write and eager to please. However, I shall give my predictions for college and the NFL over the next two days. Til then....