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Who are the top 60 NFL Draft prospects in 2013? Find out here
Check out the Top 30 College Football power rankings of the upcoming 2013 season
Find out who the Top 25 starting quarterbacks are for the 2013 College Football season
Just like the previous six college football seasons it was an SEC team that was the last one standing and hoisting the crystal ball trophy. Alabama won their second straight BCS National Championship in dominating fashion over Notre Dame and it just cemented the SEC’s dominance over the rest of the conferences.
The SEC has been the strongest conference for arguably the last decade and 2013 doesn’t figure to be any different. Half of the conference was ranked in the final AP poll for the 2012 season with three of those seven in the top five and five teams in the top ten.
So that begs the question, will another SEC team be crowned BCS champions at the end of the 2013 season? Odds are in favor of an SEC team lifting the crystal ball for an eighth straight time and the prohibitive favorite has to be the back-to-back champions.
Alabama is the top team in the country and they are once again bringing in another top tier recruiting class. They’ll be challenged next season by the likes of Texas A&M, South Carolina and Georgia (although the Tide doesn’t play either team in the regular season). The conference figures to be extremely strong again in 2013 but it will also be top heavy.
There will be a slew of new faces roaming the sidelines for the SEC in 2013. Gus Malzahn isn’t a new face but he returns to Auburn, Mark Stoops looks to revive Kentucky, Butch Jones eventually landed in Tennessee and Brett Bielema surprised everyone and will take over at Arkansas. All four coaches will have their work cut out for them but they came to the SEC for a reason, to compete with the best.
So without further ado, here’s the first look at the 2013 SEC power rankings.
Out of all of the new head coaches in the SEC in 2013 Mark Stoops easily has the toughest challenge. The Wildcats played a lot of young guys in 2012, which will be good for the future, but it didn’t help at all last year as they went winless in the conference.
Stoops’ arrival will most likely spark some excitement but everyone is undefeated and full of confidence during the offseason. It will be a lot more difficult to translate the excitement to on field success next year but it will be interesting to see what Stoops can do in the next few years.
The Razorbacks will be glad to put the 2012 season behind them and start the Brett Bielema era. Arkansas did not come close to the high expectations that were bestowed upon them at the beginning of last season but they will have a brand new slate to work with in 2013.
Their offense will look a lot different with Bielema’s run heavy scheme as well as losing QB Tyler Wilson and WR Cobi Hamilton. It will take some time for Bielema to implement his system and bring in recruits tailored around it but the Razorbacks are just happy to have him. There are still some questions on the defensive side of the ball and it will be a work in progress in 2013.
I’m wondering if Missouri is rethinking their move to the SEC after being handled pretty easily in their first season in the league. They simply looked physically overmatched and that will have to be a point of emphasis this offseason.
Getting stronger will be must if the Tigers want to take a step up to the next level of SEC competition. Their 2012 schedule also was extremely tough but luckily it lightens a bit in 2013 as they avoid Alabama and LSU but they still play South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Texas A&M. There really is no easy road in the SEC.
The Derrick Dooley experiment is over and the Volunteers will be happy to put his era in their rearview mirror. Now, in comes Butch Jones who was a hot commodity this offseason but once the Tennessee job opened up Jones was all over it. Will he be able to revitalize the struggling program? He doesn’t have much experience rebuilding a program so it will be interesting to see what he can do with the Vols.
Jones does inherit arguably the best offensive line in the SEC but they don’t have many weapons to benefit from the strong play up front. They lose their top two receivers as well as QB Tyler Bray so their offensive weapon cupboard is a bit empty. Their defense doesn’t figure to be much better than it was in 2012 but luckily for Vols fans it can’t be much worse.
Gus Malzahn returns to Auburn after a season away from the program and unlike the other new coaches in the conference Malzahn already has a feel for what he’s working with. He helped coach and bring in some of the personnel that Auburn currently has so he knows what he’s inheriting.
The offense figures to receive a major boost with Malzahn back at the controls but their defense is what needs the biggest boost. New defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson will be in charge of that task and it will need to be accomplished sooner rather than later because the Razorbacks have a tough start to their 2013 schedule.
The Bulldogs will not be able to rely on a soft early season schedule to gain some confidence like they did in 2012. They open with Oklahoma State and then travel to Auburn for their third game to take on a rejuvenated Tigers team. Mississippi State started off strong in 2012 but faded down the stretch, losing five of their final six games.
QB Tyler Russell showed some promise last season but he will need to take the next step if he wants to get the Bulldogs back to where they were at the beginning of last season. The Bulldogs will need to be focused as the season gets going or it their year can go down hill rather quickly as it did a season ago.
There is as much promise as there’s been in a long time for Ole Miss in 2013 as Hugh Freeze embarks on his second season. He led the Rebels to a seven win season including a BBVA Compass Bowl victory in year one and he’s been very successful on the recruiting trail.
Maybe the biggest plus from last season was the fact that there were freshman and other young players all over the field getting valuable playing time. That will only aid the Rebels this season as they look to improve on their seven-win season and make the push towards the top of the SEC West. things can get even better for Ole Miss if they can sign the top recruit in the 2013 class, Robert Nkemdiche.
I don’t know if many people realized that the Commodores were in the AP top 25 at seasons end and it goes to show the job that James Franklin has done. Vanderbilt will actually have some expectations in 2013 and their goal will now be to live up to them.
There will be a quarterback battle this spring that will likely last into fall camp but they will have the luxury of a key receiver target returning for 2013. Jordan Matthews decided to come back for another season and it was music to Franklin’s ears. As far as the defense goes they will continue to be in good shape with Bob Shoop in charge.
The Tigers have had a rough offseason to say the least. Nine underclassmen have declared early for the NFL Draft and it will especially leave their defense hurting as six of the nine come from that side of the ball.
After the mass exodus on the defensive side of the ball it sets up a worrisome though for LSU fans for 2013. They will have to rely on their offense more than ever and QB Zach Mettenburger will have to be at the forefront of their improvement. As for their schedule, they unfortunately got dealt the Florida and Georgia cards from the SEC East and that does not set up a nice hand.
Will the Gators Sugar Bowl letdown carry into next season? Not likely but they will have to prove themselves early to dissuade that notion right away. Luckily for Florida their early season schedule sets up for some quick success. They play some of the bottom SEC teams until the LSU game in mid October.
If they want to be where they were last season they will need to see further improvements from QB Jeff Driskel. He’ll need to greatly improve in the passing game so the Gators don’t become one-dimensional like they were for the majority of 2012.
The Bulldogs were one or two plays away from upsetting Alabama in the SEC championship game and playing for the national championship. They didn’t let that hangover affect their bowl game performance as they easily handled Nebraska 45-31.
There is a lot of reason for optimism in Athens as QB Aaron Murray is returning for his senior season and they are coming off one of their best seasons in recent memory. However, their schedule does not provide any help seeing that they open with Clemson and then follow it up with a huge game against division rival South Carolina. Even after those two games they get a little cupcake in North Texas but their next game after that is against LSU. If the Bulldogs somehow come away unscathed after that tough start they will immediately be considered national championship favorites.
Steve Spurrier is never afraid of pulling a quarterback if they are not performing but now he has the luxury of two quality guys to rotate in the starting spot. Connor Shaw and Dillon Thompson formed a formidable duo in 2012 and they will continue to be a solid threat in 2013, especially with an entire offseason to implement new offensive sets and plays to suit both QB’s.
Jadeveon Clowney, arguably the best defensive player in college football, returns for another season and will once again wreak havoc on opposing offenses. They have a tough start to 2013 as they open the season with games against North Carolina, Georgia and Vanderbilt. The Ol Ball Coach has one of his most talented teams for 2013 and it will be interesting to see what he can do with it.
With Johnny Manziel, the returning Heisman trophy winner and one of the most electric players in college football, returning on their roster there is a lot of reason for optimism for 2013.
Manziel got some help with the return of tackle Jake Matthews but that was counteracted with the early departure of Luke Joeckel. It will be a bit of give and take in 2013 for Manziel against opposing defenses. They will have had a whole year’s worth of game film to gameplan for him but Manziel will also have had a whole season playing SEC defenses. Whoever wins that battle will likely spell the success for the Aggies in 2013.
There’s not much else to say about the Crimson Tide except that they once again showed they are the top team in college football. 2013 doesn’t figure to be much different as they are returning QB AJ McCarron to go along with WR Amari Cooper and RB TJ Yeldon.
Alabama will have to find replacements for the massive holes left on their offensive line but that does not figure to be too much of a problem. The defense should be just as stout next season and they were gifted with their SEC schedule as they don’t have to face any of the big three in the SEC East in 2013 (SC, Georgia or Florida). Can they make it four national titles in five seasons? It wouldn’t be smart to bet against the Tide.
Who are the top 60 NFL Draft prospects in 2013? Find out here
Check out the Top 30 College Football power rankings of the upcoming 2013 season
Find out who the Top 25 starting quarterbacks are for the 2013 College Football season
So it is January 26, 2013...
And you know what that means...
That’s right folks!
It’s officially time to release the first ACC Football Power Rankings for 2013!!!
Whooooo hooooooo!
So what if it is like 230 days until the first game?
Afterall, it is only about 10 days until National Signing Day and you know what a crazy day that will be.
But all kidding and jokes aside for a few minutes, this is a very important Signing Day for the ACC after its best BCS and overall Bowl Games performance in probably eight seasons.
There is a lot of positive vibes surrounding the entire conference and a buzz like no fans has seen since probably the late 1990s.
Add to the mix the addition of the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Syracuse Orange this season and the red hot Louisville Cardinals and the National Runner Up Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 2014, things could not be finer in the eyes of ACC Comissioner John Swofford.
(OK... so the Irish are not a full member... but they are still playing an ACC schedule of five games... so pipe down)
Also highlighting the fun for 2013 will be the fact both the Miami Hurricanes and the North Carolina Tar Heels will be postseason eligible for the first time in a few years.
And everyone knows how much that will benefit the strength of the conference.
Now if only the Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies and the North Carolina State Wolfpack can get their act together in the next few months the nation would really have a lot of ACC Football they would have to talk about.
So with all that, let’s take that first look into the Power Rankings of ACC Football.
Unfortunately the first year under new Head Coach Steve Addazio is shaping up to be a difficult one for the Boston College Eagles.
Addazio is one of the Top 10 hires of the 2013 season, but will have a lot of building to do to get his system up and running especially on defense.
Offensively, the Eagles will have Chase Rettig back at quarterback. Rettig threw for over 3000 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2012 and will have Alex Amidon and Spiffy Evans to help.
BC will desperately need to find a running game sooner than later if they play on shocking some folks and staying out of the basement in 2013.
The Wake Way has served the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Head Coach Jim Grobe well over the past 12 seasons.
But since the ACC Title in 2006, Wake is only 37-39 making 2013 a do or die season for Grobe.
Tanner Price, Josh Harris and Michael Campanaro are all back on offense which will help. But that trio could only carry the Demon Deacons to ta 5-7 mark in 2012.
The key for Wake will be whether or not Nikita Whitlock can stay healthy and bring some swagger back to the defensive side of the ball. Grobe built Wake’s success on defense and will have find a way to get that aggressive nature back if he wants to continue his run in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
There is one thing and one thing only the Maryland Terrapins have to be worried about in 2013...
Keeping a quarterback upright and healthy...
Randy Edsall had like 42 quarterbacks go down with an ACL or a knee injury and actually finished the season with a linebacker in Shawn Petty starting under center.
Even with all that, the Terps found a way to always be in every game thanks to what ended up being one of the top defenses in the ACC.
This is Maryland’s last year in the conference before they bolt for their sugar daddy in the Big 10 which will created a few emotional games and wins.
But, overall, it’s hard to see the Terps competing for a Bowl Game in its final season.
So despite the fact that everything is pointing to this being a bad decision, the Virginia Cavaliers will start out at No. 11 in the first ACC Football Power Rankings.
History has proven the Cavaliers are the one team that kills the conference year in and year out.
When you look at them on paper and in pregame warm ups, Virginia looks like a Ferrari....
But once the games starts, you quickly see they look and run more like a Fiero...
(Google it kids...)
So to shake things up a bit, Head Coach Mike London fired his entire staff and brought in a bunch of no names and former North Carolina State Wolfpack Tom O’Brien to be the Defensive Coordinator.
Will that be enough to save the ACC, Virginia and London’s job?
Probably not...
But, let’s all hope for the best!
There is no doubt 2012 was a magical season for the Duke Blue Devils and Head Coach David Cutcliffe.
Duke went to its first Bowl Game in like 50 years, it beat its rival the North Carolina Tar Heels and it came within a play or two of winning it’s first Bowl Game in like 100 years.
So what is next for the now powerful Blue Devils?
Probably another 6-6 season to be honest...
Cutcliffe has built a great program and his ability to coach up a quarterback will always have Duke competitive.
What killed the Blue Devils down the stretch and what their greatest obstacle to overcome in 2013 and beyond will be depth.
There were a number of games where Duke got out to a hot start and got up by 15+ points only to run out of gas in the second half and fourth quarter.
This is simply an area that has more to do with the ability to recruit than it does about the health and condition of the team.
Duke will have another fine season, but will struggle to make its second Bowl in a row.
The Syracuse Orange come in at No. 9 in the first ranking of 2013 in its new home in the ACC.
The ‘Cuse had a great 2012 and seemed to be finally putting things together to look like the old grand program it use to be in the 1990s and early 2000s.
But with the departure of Doug Marrone, who is now leading the Buffalo Bills, it is hard to say how the team will respond to new Head Coach Scott Schafer.
There is no doubt the ACC needs Syracuse to jump in and make an immediate impact...
But it will probably take the Orange until year two to make a bold statement in regards to its presence in the ACC.
There are no excuses for the North Carolina State Wolfpack in 2013...
For the greater good of ACC Football, State has to be a legit contender for the ACC Title.
Not just some team that backs its way into a Bowl Game.
The Wolfpack will have the new philosophy of Dave Doeren to keep them motivated but will it be enough.
NC State is losing a ton of players on both sides of the ball and will put a relatively young team on the field in 2013.
A young team that is learning a new offense and defense too...
Doeren will have his work cut out for him for sure...
The Pittsburgh Panthers were a very young team that overachieved a great deal in 2012 under Head Coach Paul Chryst.
This Pitt team who wasn’t expected to do anything had the Notre Dame Fighting Irish dead to rights before their youth and Touchdown Jesus caught up with them.
So with a lot of pieces in place for Chryst, look for Pitt to make its presence felt early and often in the ACC in 2013.
If things fall the right way, don’t be surprised if you see the Panthers playing for the ACC Title.
But for now, let’s just say they are a solid middle of the pack team...
There are zero excuses for Logan Thomas and the Virginia Tech Hokies in 2013...
Z... E... R... O...
The 2012 edition was one of the most disappointing seasons ever for Head Coach Frank Beamer and quite frankly for ACC Football who was once again counting on the Hokies to be one of the stellar team in the conference.
Well, big things are expected out of Virginia Tech...
And how far they will go will depend directly on the arm and legs of Thomas.
If it were not for the self-imposed sanctions in 2012, the North Carolina Tar Heels would have played for the ACC Title.
And to be honest, there would have been a great chance the Heels would have easily knocked off the Florida State Seminoles putting first-year Head Coach Larry Fedora in rarified air.
But that was not the case and Carolina returns a talented group that will look to set the tone early ACC Football is back as it faces SEC’s South Carolina Gamecocks in the season opener.
If Fedora Ball can keep the tempo moving and pull off the win, the sky is the limit for the Tar Heels in 2013 even without the services of all-everything Gio Bernard.
Quarterback Brynn Renner will have a ton of athletes to spread the field with and the Carolina defense should be a step quicker.
The Florida State Seminoles are losing a lot in 2013...
Quarterback E.J. Manuel, linebacker Bjorn Werner and Defensive Coordinator Mark Stoops are all gone just to name a few.
But despite the losses, it appears the ‘Noles are back officially has Head Coach Jimbo Fisher has the cupboard stocked with a ton of Five-Star Athletes ready to make their name in the game.
Plus, everyone knows you can’t win National Championships without having some problem players and right now FSU is second on the Honey Badger Award List for the team with the most arrests this offseason.
So things will be just fine in Tallahassee, Florida...
The Seminoles will not be as dominate as they were in 2012, but they will still compete for a chance to claim their second ACC Title in a row.
How far the ‘Noles go will depend on how quickly the new quarterback matures.
The team that will surprise everyone in 2013 will be the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Yes...
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets...
There is no doubt 2012 was a crazy season for Tech and Head Coach Paul Johnson. The Jackets looked near perfect for the first few games, then seemed to forget how to play football, especially on defense in the second half of the game with the Miami Hurricanes.
It was a rough middle of the season, but the Yellow Jackets got hot when it counted including the big Bowl Game win over the USC Trojans.
The key to the 2013 season will be quarterback Vad Lee. This team is finally his and he has all the tools to take this tech offense to a level it hasn’t seen in decades.
All eyes will also be on Ted Roof who returns home to his Alma Mater following a uber successful season as the DC for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
If Roof can give Tech any defense, the Jackets easily become a team that will be hard pressed to lose more than a couple of games.
Remember in 2012 when everyone was talking about how young the Miami Hurricanes were...
Well all of those freshmen and sophomores are now sophomores and juniors who have logged enough on field play take to probably be seniors and juniors.
Add to the fact any pending NCAA Sanction is probably waved now after recent developments in the investigation, Head Coach Al Golden has his window of opportunity to show the conference and the nation the Hurricanes are back.
Again, this team is stacked and deep...
And if you don’t know the name Duke Johnson you better write it down...
Cause he has the talent to have it sketched on the Heisman Trophy.
No team in ACC Football is returning more impact players and has more depth at every position than that of the Clemson Tigers.
Yes...
DeAndre Hopkins and Andre Ellington will be missed greatly...
But you still have Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins just to name a few that will have this offense clicking on all levels.
Add that offense to a defense that improved every game in 2012 including a great performance against the SEC to open and close the season and it is easy to see why the Tigers and Dabo Swinney will be the odds on favorite in 2013.
And there is no doubt this Clemons defense will be one of the best in the ACC...
To make it all even more exciting, the Tigers will open in what is basically a BCS elimination playoff game as it hosts the Georgia Bulldogs and Aaron Murray.
Both Clemson and Georgia are nearly identical teams that should produce one of the greatest games to start the season anyone has ever seen.
Win or lose that game, the ACC Title and BCS Berth will go through Death Valley and the Tigers.
--------------------------M Shannon Smallwood is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the US Basketball Writers Association.
Follow him @woodysmalls.
Who are the top 60 NFL Draft prospects in 2013? Find out here
Check out the Top 30 College Football power rankings of the upcoming 2013 season
Find out who the Top 25 starting quarterbacks are for the 2013 College Football season
What makes a College Football Rivalry?
Is it just because two teams have played for a long period of time...
Or is it because its the two largest schools in a state or region that has to be foes...
To be honest, there are probably more “Rivalries” in the game than everyone probably wants. Just like Bowl Games.
But to this sports writer a true rivalry has four or five common qualities.
One... It has to have lots of history. None of this new age, three-ring, video game-esque football.
Two... There has to be some hatred. Two teams could have played each other for 2000 years, but if there hasn’t been any bad blood spilled it just doesn’t count.
Three... It has to have some passionate fans. From the tailgate to the post parties on fraternity row, there better be some debauchery.
Four... The game has to mean something each year. Lives and jobs should ride on real rivalries.
Five.. The game has to be a must-see, stop what you are doing and watch event. In other words the birth of your first born can’t happen on a particular Saturday.
So there you have it...
A pretty easy list to follow right?
There is no doubt every team in all of college football has a game or two that are considered a rivalry, but only the elite make the cut.
It doesn't matter what boot or platter of biscuits your teams play for...
It must fit the five key points...
If it is missing one of the five, it’s simply just another game to the rest of the college football world.
So here is the official Top 20 Greatest Rivalries in College Football.
To be honest, one would have thought the great Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans would have began their rivalry sometime around the birth of Jesus.
But instead this big battle of the Big 10 began in 1953 to which the Wolverines lead the all-time series 35-23-2.
This is simply a lunch pail series.
No major drama...
No major craziness...
Just good ole fashioned hatred...
And that’s all you need sometimes when it comes to a great football rivalry.
It’s a game that gains the interest of the nation and to be honest it is a game that should have more drama to it...
A game that deserves your time and attention as a football fan each and every year has to be the battle between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen.
This is the only game in the history of College Football where both teams could be winless and it’s still a compelling match up.
These two teams first played each other in 1890 and has been played annually since 1930. Navy leads the all-time series 57-49-7 in the tussle between the two oldest commission officer forces in the United States Military.
The hidden nugget in this gem of a game is that Instant Replay made its debut in the Army vs. Navy Game in 1963.
Yes...
The beginning of all the technology and advancements in the game of football began right here with this game.
But it’s still not the main reason why this is a must see and worthy of the Greatest Rivalry Games.
It’s the pride of America...
It’s the men and women in their finest dress uniforms...
And it’s a glimpse into the history of this country and the glorious history of this great game.
This is the first point in this list where half of the folks reading this have no clue what it means when one simple says The Play...
It is simply before their time...
And that is part of the tradition and history that makes the Cal Bears versus the Stanford Cardinal one of the Top 20 Greatest Rivalries in College Football.
So for all of you who have no idea about “The Play”, here you go...
The greatest Flee-Flicker in the history of College Football and a devastating day in the history of trombone players.
Referred to as The Big Game the Golden Bears and the Cardinal play for the right to own The Stanford Ax for the year.
Stanford hold a 58-46-11 lead in the series that began in 1892.
Both schools have had their ups and downs over the years, but when you put the longevity of the series and the fact these two have “The Play” its a rivalry second to none.
Yes...
The Egg Bowl make the Top 20 Rivalries...
Why you ask...
The women of The Grove is reason enough to for the battle of Mississippi to be on this elite list.
But there is much more to that makes this series between the Rebels and the Mississippi State Bulldogs...
And it starts with the now standard tradition of post-game celebrations...
In 1926, Ole Miss ended a 13-year losing streak by knocking off the Bulldogs 7-6 and celebrated by rushing the field to tear down the goal posts...
That’s right folks...
It wasn’t some crazy, drunk fool back in the 1980s...
It was in the glory days of the early years of the game...
To add to the mystique, then Mississippi A&M students took to the field with chairs and anything they could find to defend their goals.
It was not a pretty scene and in the next few months both schools agreed to create and play for the Golden Egg; a tradition that still stands today.
Overall, Ole Miss leads the all-time series 61-42-6.
And whether either team is a power in the SEC or not, it is a must attend game just for the beautiful women alone.
This is a game that makes the list based purely on its history.
The Florida State Seminoles and the Miami Hurricanes have played some of the most exciting and epic College Football games in the past 40 years.
For a good 25 years or more, the winner of this game put themselves in a chance to win a National Championship while the loser had to live with the “What If’s” for an entire year.
The terms “Wide Left” and “Wide Right” become part of every college fans vocabulary because of this rivalry.
The series began in 1951 and been played every year since. The Hurricanes lead the all-time match up 31-26.
No ties in this series against these hated rivals...
But the other thing that makes this battle so special is that the nation is willing to watch no matter what. The 2006 match up was the most viewed college football game EVER on ESPN and has consistently been a game that draws viewers. The 1994 game was No. 5 and the 2009 game was No. 2 contest for ESPN.
The fever has declined a bit over the past two seasons in this contest and that is the only reason it has fallen out of the Top 10.
But no matter how good or bad the ‘Nole or the Hurricanes are, this rivalry is college football and will forever be worth of being ranked as one of the elite games each and every season.
Arkansas Razorback and the LSU Tigers?
Yes folks...
This game is simply nuts for a number of different reasons between two hated rivals.
The fans and residents of both Arkansas and Louisiana are second to none in their passion and their craziness.
Trust this guy because he worked with the Razorbacks for two years and got a chance to see the rivalry first hand on every level.
The series started in 1901 as the proud Tigers invited a little school north of them to come down to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to a contest. LSU won that day 15-0.
The Arkansas Cardinals, yes the Cardinals, were mocked as the “Hogs” until a battle in 1909 that Arkansas won against the Tigers, 16-0. At that point, as legend has it, Head Coach Hugo Bezdek, exited the train back in Fayetteville, Arkansas and exclaimed his team played like a, “wild bunch of Razorback hogs.”
The student council voted in 1910 to officially change the name from the Cardinals to the Razorbacks.
The rest in the history of this rivalry is set in stone...
Or should it be said in the Golden Boot...
LSU leads the all-time series 36-20-2 in the contest that goes a long way in deciding the SEC West Champion.
The Tennessee Volunteers and the Florida Gators are always one of the most watched SEC battles year in and year out.
And its a game that has a lot of controversy and even more bad blood...
The series began in 1916 with the Vols winning the first 10 games outscoring the Gators 193-56. But the last eight years have Florida on a eight game win streak where it has outscored Tennessee 250-126. All that drama has the Gators with a 23-19 all-time series lead.
Sandwiched in are the snarky comments by Steve Spurrier, Fax-gate in which former Tennessee coach Jack Sells faxed the Vols playbook to Ron Zook from a Kinkos and the idiocy that was the tenure of Lane Kiffin in comparison to Urban Meyer.
All that with the pressure of winning in the SEC Eastern Division.
Simply a classic southern battle and a rivalry second to none in all of college football.
The battle for the Palmetto State comes in at No. 13 in the Top 20 Greatest Rivalries in College Football.
To say the Clemson Tigers and the South Carolina Gamecocks hate one another is one of the greatest understatements in the history of College Football.
The series began in 1896 and has seen 110 epic battles to which Clemson leads 65-41-4.
The most bizarre record in this rivalry came in 1943. Cary Cox signed and played for the Tigers in 1942 and helped the Tigers to a 18-6 win. His honor to his country took hold of him and he registerd for the V-12 program and was placed at South Carolina. While there he was ordered to play football and was named captain for the Gamecocks. Cox simply refused. But the Carolina Head Coach, Lt. James P. Moran quipped, “Cox, I can’t promise you’ll get a Navy commission if you play Thursday, but I can damn well promise that you won’t get one if you don’t play.” Cox played and led the Gamecocks to a 33-6 victory. Cox returned to Clemson after the war and became captain of the Tigers. He is the only player in the history to captain both schools.
From there, this series has seen a little bit of everything.
Just to put this rivalry into perspective, let’s take a look at the 1998 season.
Clemson entered the game at 2-8 and in last place in the ACC while South Carolina came into the game at 1-9 and in last place in the SEC.
There was about 85,000 fans packed into Death Valley, including this guy...
The banner read, “Clemson vs Carolina... Somebody had to win!”...
And it was a brutal battle just like both teams were undefeated and were playing for the National Championship.
That’s the heart of a rivalry...
No matter what, both fans pack the house and fight for their team until the buzzer sounds.
And the series has gotten even better as the years have gone by, especially now with the fire of Dabo Swinney and Steve Spurrier fighting each year.
A must see game for sure...
Pedigree...
That is what you get when you talk about the history of the rivalry between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the USC Trojans.
Both schools have 11 National Championships and seven Heisman Trophies...
Both schools have combined for 21 College Football and NFL Hall of Famers...
The Trojans are No. 1 in all-time NFL Draftees with 472 and the Irish are No. 2 with 469...
This rivalry has produced five of the 10 most watched College Football games in the history of television...
These two teams simply have the pulse of the nation.
Legend has it that the wives of legendary Notre Dame Head Coach Knute Rockne and USC AD Gywnn Wilson. As the story goes, the Irish was looking for a west coast opponent and Ms. Rockne just loved the thought of taking a trip to sunny, warm California every two years. And everyone who is married knows the wifes have a way of getting what they want.
And for that, all of college football thanks these lovely ladies...
Notre Dame leads the all-time series 44-35-5 that began in 1926.
Just think about the players and the games that have played in this rivalry...
That alone is second to none to any other rivalry in the game.
Bedlam...
There is no better name for a rivalry that begins with football and extends to every square inch of the state of Oklahoma.
The series began in 1904 between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys and is a classic rivalry of the big brother versus the feisty little brother.
The Sooners have been dominate holding a commanding 83-17-7 but six of the Cowboys wins have come in the past 18 meetings. Add to the fact Oklahoma State has been ranked in the Top 25 for seven straight years you can feel some things moving in this rivalry.
Plus, if you love offense, this is the game you have to watch. How about a 51-48, 47-41, 61-41 and a 38-35 game just to name a few of the past 10 years.
A lot of great NFL players have played on both sides of the ball in this game and is always one of the most watched games of the college football season.
And it has a legendary story too...
Oklahoma was a huge favorite in the 1954 game but could only muster a 14-0 win. The reason was credited to a team wide food poisoning outbreak on the Sooners. But, as legend has it, the Mob paid off a cook who slipped laxatives into the team soup setting up a huge payday for the gangsters in Vegas.
Folks say its not true, but if you try to Google and look up historical information of how the Sooners have done Against the Spread, you simply cannot find it.
Anytime a rivalry involves the Mob and Vegas it is a must to be included in the elite of all-time.
Clean, Old Fashioned Hate...
Another classic reference to an epic yearly battle for the Peach State between the storied Georgia Bulldogs and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
You have Buzz...
You have UGA...
And you have a ton of history in a series that started in 1893.
Overall, Tech has collected four National Championships and 16 Conference Championship while being coached by a guy named John Heisman.
Georgia has won a pair of National Championships and 14 Conference Championships but leads the all-time series 62-40-5.
And if you want bad blood and fans who simply hate one another you have found your game.
The Jackets and the Dawgs have always been very chippy with each other...
During World War II, Georgia decided not to field a football team so that its boys could go and fight. Tech chose to continue with football as normal much to the anger of Bulldog fans.
The legend has it 1919 a student parade at Georgia featured a tank float with the words “UGA in Argonne” followed by a donkey with a banner that read “Tech in Atlanta”...
The Yellow Jackets immediately cut all ties with the Bulldogs and would have anything to do with their brothers to the east until 1925.
That’s just a glimpse into the hate that boils in the heart of Georgia.
And to this day, “To Hell with Georgia” and “To Hell with Georgia Tech” echoes on Thanksgiving Saturdays...
The battle for The Megaphone Trophy is one the nation tunes into every year to see just how good the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Michigan State Spartans are nationally.
The winner of this epic rivalry usually goes on to grand things for the remainder of the season.
The battle first began in 1897 and the Irish hold an all-time lead of 46-28-1 and 32-26-1 since the trophy was adopted.
And this series even has its epic moment simple titled The Game of the Century...
Played in 1966 it featured the Top Ranked Irish versus the Top Ranked Spartans. Yes, Notre Dame was No. 1 in one poll and No. 2 in the other, while Michigan State was No. 2 and No. 1 in those respective AP and UPI polls.
The game was an epic battle as the Irish fell behind early 10-0 but rallied to tied the game on the first play of the fourth-quarter. Notre Dame got the ball back with 1:10 to go and the ball on their own 30 yard line and only needed about 40 yards to attempt the game winning field goal. But Irish Head Coach Ara Parseghian chose to tell his team to take a knee preserving the No. 1 ranking and the only tie in the history of this great series.
Fans all over mocked, but the Spartans chanted “Tying Irish” and “Tie One for the Gipper”.
ABC chose not to air the game live that day but after receiving 50,000 angry letters, they showed in on tape delay.
An epic rivalry with a bigger than life epic game...
When you think about National Champions and NFL talent over the past 25 years there are few teams as dominate as both the Florida Gators and the Florida State Seminoles.
Oh and the drama that has been this series since it started in 1958...
This is definately one of the crown jewels of College Football year in and year out.
A history of legends from Burt Renyolds and Bobby Bowden to Steve Spurrier and Tim Tebow.
Just crazy history and even crazier games...
But the beginnings of this rivalry is where the hatred of this story lies...
Florida State College located in Tallahassee, Florida actually fielded a football team in 1902 and won State Championships each year it played. In 1905, the Buckman Act abolished co-educational Florida State College and rededicated it as Florida Female College that fall.
In addition, the Buckman Act abolished four smaller state schools and combined them as one large all-male school in Ganiesville, Florida. The then former Florida State College Head Coach Jack Forsythe took the coaching gig in Gainesville and fielded a team in 1906.
In 1909, the school in Gainesville officially became the University of Florida while the school in Tallahassee became Florida State College for Women.
Things remained this way until 1947 when the Florida Legislature reformed the educational system again allowing co-education creating Florida State University as everyone knows it today.
FSU immediately put together a football team and pushed for Florida to play them. The Gators refused saying it would diminish the funding and level of football in the state if they played the former all girls school.
Well, in 1955 the politicians got involved again, drafted legislation but still had to have then Governor LeRoy Collins to personally beg then Florida President J. Wayne Reitz to play. Both AD’s finally worked out a deal and for that College Football thanks you.
And the hatred between both still grows every day.
To say the Auburn Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs are mirror images is a tremendous understatement.
They are equals in every way...
They are the twin brothers who always seem to end up squaring off in an epic battle each year.
It’s a unique thing; it’s like playing your brother,” former Auburn Head Coach Pat Dye, who graduated Georgia in 1960 and coached Auburn from 1981-1992. “I don’t think anybody who plays in that game can ever forget it. It just doesn’t matter much where it’s played or what somebody’s record is. It’s so intense and tough, but at the same time, it’s family.
The first game between these two kicked off in 1892 in the 116 meetings since the series is tied at 54-54-8...
Dead even...
And that is why it is Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry...
That first game was played in Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia and is where the War Eagle cry originated for Auburn.
Over the course of this rivalry, this game would be played in Macon, Georgia, Athens, Georgia, Columbus, Georgia, Savannah, Georgia and Montogmery, Alabama, over the first 70 years. In fact, Georgia would not make its first trip to the plain of Auburn, Alabama until 1960 in which the Tigers won 9-6.
Since then, this series has seen just about everything possible...
How can one forget UGA lunging to bite Auburn’s Robert Baker in that 1996 epic battle that went four overtimes until Georgia finally won 56-49. Hines Ward played every position and pretty much scored a touchdown every possible way in that game for the Bulldogs.
It’s just a special rivalry...
And it sure does feel like everyone at Auburn has a degree from Georgia and everyone in Athens has graduated from Auburn.
And it’s also a must watch game year in and year out making it one of the most elite rivalries in all of college football.
When you think of two of the greatest programs in all of College Football the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverine always come up at No. 1 or No. 2.
Both programs have been around for what seems like forever...
Both schools are equals...
Both schools simply despise one another...
And that’s what makes the Buckeyes and the Wolverines a perfect rivalry.
All time, Michigan leads 58-44-6 in the series that started in 1897. The Wolverines have an all-time record of 900-312-26, have 11 National Titles, three Heisman Trophies, 41 Bowl Games, five BCS Bowls, 20 Rose Bowls, 126 All-Americans and 42 Big 10 Titles
Not to be outdone, Ohio State has seven Titles, seven Heisman’s, 43 Bowls, 9 BCS appearances, 14 Rose Bowls, 130 All-Americans, 34 Big 10 Championships and an overall record of 825-315-53.
Tons of history between these two brothers of the Big 10.
This is a rivalry that is always a must see game year in and year out. It even has its Game of the Century in 2006 as then No. 1 Ohio State edged No. 2 Michigan 42-39.
Two powerhouses that all of college football is thankful to have as hated rivals.
The series between the LSU Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide began all the way back in 1895.
That’s right folks...
1895...
It’s easy to focus on where these teams have been over the past 10 seasons because this game basically determines the SEC Champion and the BCS National Champion.
That alone makes it one of the most important and pressure filled rivalry series ever in the history of the game.
Alabama does lead the series 47-25-5, but don’t let that number fool you. Since Bear Bryant’s retirement Bama only holds a 16-14-1 lead.
And add to this the fact Nick Saban has coached and won National Titles in the past 10 years at both LSU and Alabama and you have a the makings of a perfect rivalry.
The fans, the hate, the history, the betrayal...
It is all there making it one of the top five games you have to watch year in and year out...
What is there not to like about The Red River Shootout?
It is played at the legendary Cotton Bowl with the stadium split right down the middle and is the main attraction of the Texas State Fair.
Seriously, how great of a time is this game especially when you have two of College Football’s greatest teams in this epic rivalry.
The series began in 1900 before either team had their official mascots and nicknames. Texas leads the all-time series 59-43-5.
Since 1938, one or both of these teams have been ranked in the Top 25 63 years and in the Top 10 44 years.
That’s simply impressive and unmatched by any rival game in the nation.
Add the players and the importance of this game each and every year for both Big 12 dominance and National Championship contention, it is easy to see why it is one of the top five rivalry games.
Plus where else can you see a great football game with this much history and get a fried Snickers too...
College Football is hard pressed to find any two teams that simply hate one another more than the Georgia Bulldogs detest the Florida Gators.
And the feeling back from the Gators is equally mutual...
It’s such a nasty rivalry, neither team can agree on how many times they have actually played.
Florida claims there have only been 90 meetings in which Georgia leads 48-40-2. The Bulldogs claim 91 meetings in which they lead the Gators 49-40-2.
The game in question is actually the first game in this storied rivalry as Georgia recognized a 52-0 win over what was the University of Florida in Macon, Georgia in 1904. But the Florida Athletic Association claims that game was not valid as the Florida Legislature did not officially recognize the modern day University of Florida until 1906 making the 1915 game the first in this series.
Don’t you just love it when folks who hate each other argue...
The game took on its modern day nickname as the World’s Largest Cocktail Party after Bill Kastelz of the Florida Times-Union coined the phrase in the 1950s.
And in between and ever since you have had just about everything happen in this battle of bad blood.
Where do you start...
Lindsey Scott, Hershel Walker, Vince Dooley, Steve Spurrier, Emmitt Smith, Tim Tebow...
The Gator Stomp, A Big Deal and Fourth and Dumb...
Those are but just a few of the moments that make this one of the best, if not the best rivalry in the game.
Words cannot describe this game until you attend it...
Worlds cannot describe the hatred until you live and die it...
Does it get any bigger than the Iron Bowl and the hatred between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers?
The answer is simply and emphatically NO!
A rivalry is when you have a fan that is willing to kill legendary trees of its rival at Toomer Corner and after a lengthy conversation on air explaining and apologizing his actions he still has to get in “Roll Damn Tide” before he ends.
He may have been going to prison, but his love for his school overcame him and he couldn’t help but to go down in glory praising his team...
Dedication folks...
Pure dedication and disdain for its rival...
The Iron Bowl started way back in 1893 at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama and it ended with a bang as the two schools couldn’t agree on whether it was the first game of 1893 or the last game of 1892.
And both schools have been fighting ever since...
They disagreed again in 1907 after Auburn Head Coach Mike Donahue treating to cancel the series because of the crazy and elaborate formations Bama Head Coach Doc Pollard. He ended up following through with his promise after both teams couldn’t agree on what to pay the players at the end of the game.
And neither team played again until the Alabama Legislature forced them to in 1948.
You have to love it when you hate your rival so much it takes a law enacted to force you to play them.
The first televised game in this series was in 1964 and it has been one of the biggest battles and most watched contest in all of college football since.
From Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan to Bo Jackson and Kenny Stabler to Nick Saban and Cam Newton this is a who’s who of College Football Hall of Famers.
And there is not enough time in the world to begin to list the epic plays that has made this simply the best rivalry in the south.
Bama leads the all-time series 42-34-1.
And the winner of the Greatest Rivalry in all of College Football is none other than the battle between the Michigan Wolverines and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
First of all, this rivalry is the oldest in all of the grand game as the first game was played in 1887.
Cincinnati Bearcats played the Miami of Ohio Red Hawks and the North Carolina Tar Heels faced the Duke Blue Devils in 1888, but neither of those games can touch the mysique and the history of Michigan and Notre Dame.
As legend has it, George Winthrop DeHaven, Jr. and William Warren Harless, who had attended Notre Dame but were now at Michigan, contacted brother Paul DeHaven who was director of intramural athletics at Notre Dame about a grand new game call football.
As the story goes, DeHaven and Harless gathered the Wolverines and traveled to South Bend, Indiana where they taught Notre Dame the game before playing them on November 23, 1887.
Funny how simple and innocent the start of football was at both of these schools compared to where these grandfathers of the game are now.
The teams would play eight times over the next 20 years with Michigan winning all eight contests.
But what happened in 1909 is where the rivalry was born and both teams gained their identity as everyone knows them today.
Not only was 1909 the first win in this storied rivalry for Notre Dame, but it was also the year the Fighting Irish was born...
E.A. Batchelor was a sports writer for the Detroit Free Press opened his report as follows:
”Eleven Fighting Irishman wrecked the Yost machine this afternoon. Three sons of Erin, individually and collectively representing the University of Notre Dame, not only beat the Michigan team, but dashed some of Michigan’s greatest hopes and shattered Michigan’s fairest dreams” - Detroit Free Press, November 7, 1909.
Batchelor reportedly heard a Notre Dame player at halftime say to his teammates, “What’s the matter with you guys... You’re all Irish and you’re not fighting with a lick...
The rest they say is history...
And in the 40 games over this series to this date just about everything has happened.
National Title disputes, Heisman Trophy winners, big plays and bigger legends...
This rivalry simply has it all...
It’s not about the fact Michigan leads the all-time series 23-16-1...
It’s the history, the drama, the pageantry and the heros.
When it comes to the game of college football it would not be what it is today without either Michigan or Notre Dame...
And that is exactly why this rivalry is the greatest of all time...
-------------------------------------M Shannon Smallwood is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the US Basketball Writers Association.
Follow him @woodysmalls.
Who are the top 60 NFL Draft prospects in 2013? Find out here
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The past seven college football national champions have all come from the SEC and that won’t change in 2013. After the Alabama Crimson Tide beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win this year’s title, the streak of national champs from the SEC extended to seven, which include three by Nick Saban‘s crew in the [...]
Who are the top 60 NFL Draft prospects in 2013? Find out here
Check out the Top 30 College Football power rankings of the upcoming 2013 season
Find out who the Top 25 starting quarterbacks are for the 2013 College Football season
So what in the heck is everyone suppose to do now with no more College Football?
Is it confirmed there’s not some Lawnmower Bowl where the Idaho Vandals are playing the Wake Forest Demon Deacons?
(sigh)
How many days do we have until August...
Well, there are those Senior Bowls and quasi-pro combine-ish games too...
And you can’t forget about all the recruiting chatter either...
So it’s not like we are going cold turkey or anything...
Right?
But probably the most fun thing of this period of time between the next time toe meets leather is predicting which team will be ranked where to start the 2013 campaign on the way to the final run for the BCS Title.
Between now and July, it is pretty much guaranteed that you will see about a million folks making their stand on their Top 25.
But only one has the experience and track record of this particular sports writer...
After all, this guy did pick the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to battle for the Discover BCS National Championship in October.
That’s just how ole Woody rolls...
And there is no doubt this list will get your juices flowing for a number of different reasons.
First and foremost, the SEC has proven for seven-straight years it is head and shoulders above any conference and team in the game.
So Big 10, Big 12 and Pac-12 fans don’t argue about your precious school being ranked too low...
You have all of 2013 to get your team to man up and actually beat the SEC...
In fact, let’s just rank the entire 14 teams of the ACC and let the rest of the country fight it out for the final nine slots...
(winks and fires the air guns)
So buckle up and get ready to take a lke a first look at the Top 25 College Football Teams for 2013.
After a horrible Big 10 Championship loss and a beat down by the Georgia Bulldogs in the Capital One Bowl the Nebraska Cornhuskers come in at No. 25.
Bo Pelini will have to replace a good many starters on defense but he will get most all of his horses back on offense.
And it’s the Big 10 so you know anything could happen...
It’s pretty clear the Boise State Broncos have arrived and should always be in any Top 25 from here on out.
And with pretty much every starter coming back, it should be a stellar 2013 for the Broncos..
The Tommy Tubberville era will begin with a bang for the Cincinnati Bearcats in 2013.
The Bearcats are a viable program and are here to say and Tubberville will have a lot of weapons on both offense and defense at his disposal.
Things will go great in Cincy so long as Tubberville doesn’t tinker too much with what has been built over the past five years.
And the first SEC team to appear in the 2013 Top 25 Countdown is the Vanderbilt Commodores.
James Franklin has a great team returning as well as the SEC team with the current longest winning streak.
That’s just how good the SEC is folks...
The world of College Football simply needs the Texas Longhorns to be better than No. 21.
Afterall, the Horns are the most valuable asset in the game valued at around $750 million.
They have to start somewhere and just outside the Top 20 is where it will be.
Well...
A couple of things are for certain...
The big one being the Virginia Tech Hokies better do right by the ACC in 2013 and stay as one of the Top 25 teams in the country.
The Hokies path will be determined from the opening game as it will face the Alabama Crimson Tide to kick off the 2013 season.
Yeah...
Nick Saban dismantled the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with 40 days to prepare. You have to be interested in what he is planning to do to Virginia Tech on 230 days notice.
There is no team under the microscope in 2013 than the USC Trojans and its leader Lane Kiffin.
Even Layla Kiffin, wife of Lane, knows this is do or die as she tweeted out, “... a lot of good it does sleeping in the office; you still go 7-6...
Ouch...
But she is right and there is a reason why the Trojans are having a hard time finding a defensive coordinator...
They know this is a one and done season and USC doesn't have the horses to run the race they need to run to win the BCS.
Sanctions or no sanctions, Al Golden has the Miami Hurricanes back and ready to play big-boy football for the ACC in 2013.
The Canes return all of its core members from a team that technically won the Coastal Division but chose to punish itself with a postseason ban for the second year in a row.
Duke Johnson will make a run for national honors and all of those freshmen and sophomores on this team are now sophomores and juniors.
Miami could surprise a lot of folks and you heard it here first.
It’s simply a put up or shut up season for the Michigan Wolverines and Head Coach Brady Hoke.
Michigan talked a lot of trash about how explosive and good they were to open the season only to finished whipped on both ends by the SEC.
The Big 10 is an irrelevant conference to be honest and until Michigan can play with the big boys in the SEC, it will stay that way.
And a another huge disappointment in 2012 that will have a lot to prove in 2013 is the Oklahoma Sooners.
Hello...
That’s what the SEC and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were saying as they were blowing up the mystique of the Sooners this past season.
To make the situation even more of an uphill climb, Oklahoma has lost the faith of the nation with its performances over the past two seasons.
Make or break year for the longest standing tenured coach at one school in Bob Stoops.
And the Fighting Jim Mora’s make the list at No. 15!
And it will be interesting to see if the UCLA Bruins can continue to build on their recruiting and success in 2013.
There is no doubt the Bruins will vie for the Pac-12 Title Game but you still have to question is Mora the guy to get this great program back over the top to greatness.
The pride of the ACC in 2012 will have a lot of folks looking to see if Jimbo Fisher and the Florida State Seminoles are finally back as a national power in College Football.
The ‘Noles are losing a lot on both offense and defense but if they are truly back they will be expected to not miss one single beat.
If the extracurricular activities of its players are any indication, then things are going to be great in Tallahassee, Florida as FSU leading the way with the Honey Badger Award as awarded by the Rant Sports College Football Team for the school with the most off-season arrests.
The Stanford Cardinal are back, folks.
And with most of the team returning for 2013, look for the offense to be better and, if its possible, for the best defense in 2012 in all of College Football to get even stronger.
Could this be the year finally for Mike Gundy and his group of manly men to win their way to the BCS.
The high-flying offense of the Oklahoma State Cowboys will be a fun watch and a favorite of the nation and the computers in 2013.
But for them to get any higher, the SEC has to beat on another up a bit first.
Yes...
The Ohio State Buckeyes are No. 11...
Could care less about Braxton Miller...
Could care even more less about Urban Meyer...
If it wasn’t for Tattoo-Gate the nation would have had to stomached the Buckeyes in the Discover BCS National Title Game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Monday night.
Listen up Big 10 Nation...
Your conference stinks...
And until you can prove you are worthy by playing the SEC in the regular season and beating them no one wants to hear you boast how great you are.
Much like the ACC you have been irrelevant in the discussion for about 10 years.
Well...
One thing is a fact...
Brian Kelly has figured out how to bring the Notre Dame Fighting Irish back to relevance in the world of College Football.
Now the key is to see if the Irish can sustain the momentum of playing the Discover BCS National Championship Game to shore up its depth.
That was the biggest factor on Monday against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The stage was bigger than the Notre Dame kids were ready for and they lacked the depth it takes to compete with the SEC.
But all indications are the Irish might have one of the best offenses in the country which it will need because it is losing a ton on the defensive side of the ball.
By far the team with the toughest schedule in the nation, at least on speculation, is the Florida Gators.
You name the team, Florida is playing them in 2013...
And besides the Florida State Seminoles it feels like every single do or die game is on the road.
If the Gators can survive, they will play for the final BCS National Title.
But if they falter on a road a few times it will definitely be one of those great teams who just had all the cards stacked against them in their title run.
So did any team benefit more from the 2012 Bowl Season than the Louisville Cardinals?
Only maybe the Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas A&M Aggies and the Clemson Tigers...
This is officially Charlie Strong’s program and his home.
And you will start to see what he, his staff and the school can do from a recruiting and money standpoint in 2013.
Teddy Bridgewater is the best sophomore QB behind Johnny Manziel and will lead the Cardinals to its second-straight BCS Bowl in 2013.
So Chip Kelly is staying...
And that alone means the Oregon Ducks will play its way into a BCS Bowl in 2013.
Sanctions or no sanctions from the NCAA.
And, coming from the direct experience this sports writer has had working in college athletics and knowing the amount of money Phil Knight and Nike pumps into all of college sports, don’t look for anything more than a stern “don’t do it again” from the powers that be at the NCAA.
Quack... Quack...
The LSU Tigers are No. 6...
Les Miles...
LSU...
SEC power...
Sounds about right...
That is all...
Let’s just say that the world needs to experience the party Dabo Swinney would throw if the Clemson Tigers won the Vizio BCS National Title in 2013.
And, to be honest, there is only one thing standing in the way of the Tigers from being able to accomplish this goal next season...
Three letters...
S...
E...
C...
Yes, Tajh Boyd is back with the best offensive weapons in the nation.
But Clemson begins the season by hosting the Georgia Bulldogs and ends the regular season by traveling to face Jadevon Clowney and the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Add that to a much tougher ACC schedule and the ACC Championship Game and the Tigers can say they have earned the right to face another SEC foe in the National Championship Game.
Clemson will be a must watch team for 2013.
Technically, the Georgia Bulldogs played in the real Discover BCS National Championship game in Atlanta, Georgia the first weekend of December.
And the dogs came up one play and five yards short of winning...
Aaron Murray, Gurshall, Malcom Mitchell and everyone is back on the offensive side of the ball for Georgia.
The defense is taking some big hits, but the Dawgs have the depth and talent to overcome.
Next to the Florida Gators, Georgia has the toughest schedule in the nation including the season opener against the Clemson Tigers on the road before hosting the South Carolina Gamecocks the next week.
Add the LSU Tigers in week 5, the Gators, at the Vanderbilt Commodores and at the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets before playing in the SEC Championship and Georgia has it’s work cut out for it.
Well...
Steve Spurrier is getting what he has been whining and wishing for in 2013...
The easier of the schedules in the SEC East...
The South Carolina Gamecocks will host the Vanderbilt Commodores, the Mississippi State Bulldogs, the Florida Gators and the Clemson Tigers next season.
The biggest road test will be at the Georgia Bulldogs in week two, but Spurrier has owned the boys from Athens, Georgia since the day he arrived as head coach of the Gators...
The schedule plays into his hands and with Jadevon Clowney anchoring the defense and the QB combo of Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson Spurrier has things right where he wants it.
No team finished the 2012 season hotter than Johnny Manziel and his Texas A&M Aggies.
And the only thing that will probably stand between the Aggies and a shot at an SEC Title and BCS Title is about three SEC games.
The first will come in week three as A&M will host the Alabama Crimson Tide...
Could that game be any more huge for the third game of the season...
The Aggies will travel to face the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Ole Miss Rebels in back to back games with a bye week sandwiched in the middle.
The game of the entire college football season could be on Nov. 23 as Manziel will lead his boys down to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to face the LSU Tigers.
The winner of that game could very well be headed to lifting up the Coaches Trophy.
Pretty sure it was Rick Flair who screamed many a time that, “to be the man... you have to beat the man...
And so far in three of the last four years no one has proven they can beat Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
And until that happens, they will forever be No. 1...
Even if they lose to a fellow SEC team, they should never fall below No. 2...
If, and only if, someone from the ACC, Big 10, Big 12 or Pac 12 could figure out how to beat them, that is when they would be allowed to return to the field of the rest of the common folk in the world of College Football.
And with that being said, the Virginia Tech Hokies and the ACC are on the clock with first dibs at trying to accomplish the impossible...
Cause you know Saban already has a game plan in the hands of A.J. McCarron right now...
And we still have 230 or so days until the kick off of 2013...
Viva la Saban and...
Roll Tide...
------------------------------------M Shannon Smallwood is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and theUS Basketball Writers Association.
Follow him @woodysmalls.
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Who are the top 60 NFL Draft prospects in 2013? Find out here
Check out the Top 30 College Football power rankings of the upcoming 2013 season
Find out who the Top 25 starting quarterbacks are for the 2013 College Football season
The BCS system has come under constant criticism during its existence for its confusing, illogical and often incorrect decisions in ranking the top college football teams. With just one more year to go in this frustrating system before a playoff finally happens, the BCS gets one more embarrassing black eye: one of its computers still [...]
Who are the top 60 NFL Draft prospects in 2013? Find out here
Check out the Top 30 College Football power rankings of the upcoming 2013 season
Find out who the Top 25 starting quarterbacks are for the 2013 College Football season
I love movies. If I am not watching football, I am likely watching a movie. There's one movie in particular that I was thinking about today. Billy Madison with Adam Sandler. Not because it's a great movie, because I don't think it is. But it does have one of the greatest quotes of all time in any film.
The Principal says to Billy at one point, Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
This quote came to mind for me when I saw the final college football AP poll of the 2012 season. Rather than bore you with the entire list, here is who AP voters decided were the top 5 teams in the country this year. Meaning the very best. Just felt like I needed to clarify that.
1.Alabama
2.Oregon
3.Ohio St.
5.Georgia
Really? Really? After what we saw Monday night, no better yet adding Monday night to what we saw all season does any reasonable person really think Notre Dame is the 4th best team in the country? They were mauled like campers covered in honey by Alabama in the Discover BCS Championship game in a manner that few teams can relate to. And Ohio State? I actually read several tweets right after the game predicting that Ohio State would be No. 1 in the poll because they were still undefeated. This is a perfect example of the idiocy of the polls. Voters felt some stupid sense of responsibility to put the Buckeyes this high because they finished the year undefeated. It's voting in the polls based on a team's record and not how good the team really is that causes all these problems. I wish AP voters just had enough sense and enough courage to just vote for the teams they think are the best and not feel any foolish obligation to keep 1 loss teams ahead of 2 loss teams, etc.
But before I get too far into this and just get myself more agitated, I will instead share with you my final Top 5 poll of the season. It's not about 1 loss or anything like that. It's about the 5 best teams I saw this season over the course of the whole year. I understand many of you will disagree, so come find me on Twitter @nfldraftboard and let's hear it.
If there's a spot that will stir people up, it's probably here. There were a half dozen teams I could have put in this spot, but including Clemson is a personal one for me. Their group of offensive playmakers impressed me all season, and I've been on their bandwagon all year. Quarterback Tajh Boyd is a tremendous college quarterback and his group of skill players are immensely talented. If you have a team you prefer, plug them in here, but for me it's the Tigers.
After the debacle of the Discover BCS Championship game, I am more and more convinced the real championship game happened on December 1st. The Bulldogs are loaded on both sides of the ball and using my highly scientific algorithm of "how bad would they beat Notre Dame?" I give the Bulldogs a 20 point win easy.
The Aggies are the only team in the nation who could muster a win over the national champions, and while that's not enough for me to put them ahead of them in my final poll, there's no doubt this team is immensely talented, especially on offense. They worked over Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl and although they could take a step back next year with the losses, for this year they are deserving a top 3 spot.
Are we really made to believe that a field goal that misses by a foot means that this Oregon team isn't worthy of playing for the national championship? If there had been any justice in the world the Ducks would have been on the field against the Crimson Tide in that title game. I'm not saying they could have beaten Alabama, but with their ability to move the the football it would have been a much more competitive game.
What the Crimson Tide did in the BCS championship game was remarkable. After a loss like that Notre Dame should have fallen out of the top ten. Head coach Nick Saban is an amazing game planner and motivator and you can just see watching this Alabama team play his influence on them was so clear from the beginning. There was no way he was going to let this team lose, and that team was not going to let him down. Even with their one loss, this team was a force to be reckoned with all year and is easily the top team in the country.
Who are the top 60 NFL Draft prospects in 2013? Find out here
Check out the Top 30 College Football power rankings of the upcoming 2013 season
Find out who the Top 25 starting quarterbacks are for the 2013 College Football season
The Discover BCS National Championship was a display of dominance for the then No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide over the previously unbeaten and No. 1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. It was a total dismantling of the top-rated defense during the regular season by the Tide, who rolled up 529 yards of offense on their way [...]
Who are the top 60 NFL Draft prospects in 2013? Find out here
Check out the Top 30 College Football power rankings of the upcoming 2013 season
Find out who the Top 25 starting quarterbacks are for the 2013 College Football season
Well… This is not how everyone thought things would turn out… No where close… But at least the Notre Dame Fighting Irish did score. And that is all you can say about the Alabama Crimson Tide‘s dominate performance in a 42-14 win in the Discover BCS National Championship Game. (sigh) The 2012 College Football season was [...]
Who are the top 60 NFL Draft prospects in 2013? Find out here
Check out the Top 30 College Football power rankings of the upcoming 2013 season
Find out who the Top 25 starting quarterbacks are for the 2013 College Football season
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