1. North Carolina - Far and away the best team in college basketball. With Tyler Hansbrough, the hardest working man in college basketball, and Ty Lawson coming back from injury, Roy Williams has got to feel pretty good about his squad going into March.

2. Kansas - Don’t sleep on the Jayhawks. While I question whether or not Bill Self can get it done in the postseason as Kansas head coach (KU has lost in the first round two of the last three years), this is a pretty great, balanced team. Led by All Big-12 first teamers Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur, Kansas comes into the tournament as an under-the-radar powerhouse. A run through the Big 12 tourney could be a sign of things to come for this team.

3. Memphis - Perhaps one of the most talented teams of the elite teams in the tournament but certainly the most untested. After running through all of the teams in Conference USA, March Madness will certainly serve as an interesting test for John Calipari’s Tigers. No shortage of talent and athleticism, Memphis doesn’t do the little things well that traditionally help teams win close games in the tournament

4. UCLA - The luckiest team in college basketball. If not for two ATROCIOUS calls, UCLA would be a three seed going into March but you can’t argue that UCLA is a pretty good, if not undisciplined, unfocused, team. UCLA is still kind of a mystery to most people. Will they be the team that came back from a double-digit deficit against Stanford or will they be the team that should have lost to NIT reject Cal at home? Time will tell.

Another BCS title loss to another SEC team for Ohio State.

I think the gameball from last night’s BCS title game  has to go to LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton. I’ve been very critical of the Tigers’ offense all season long, calling it bland and boring but great playcalling paired with near-perfect execution nullified the nation’s top defense. As a note to Ohio State coach, Jim Tressel may want to start recruiting cornerbacks that can tackle and defend the run — and the pass while they’re at it. Never in my life have I seen a team so unable to defend the option. Hats off to Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston who played the option perfectly everytime LSU ran it. His assignment is the quarterback and everytime out he forced the pitch but no one was home to take the pitchman and it resulted in at least a five yard gain every time out.

LSU’s won by doing the little things right. They didn’t commit bone-headed penalties, didn’t turn the ball over and converted, consistently, on third down and that’s how you win big games.

Offensively, Todd Boeckman looked confused and lost all night and the blitz packages Bo Pelini was calling weren’t all that complex. I feel for Jim Tressel, whom I believe to be one of the classiest coaches in all of college football, because I sensed that he wanted to go downfield but the lack of speed on the outside and Boeckman’s spotty accuracy prohibited him from doing so and testing Craig Steltz’s replacement at safety in coverage. One things for sure after last night, Brian Robieski, Brian Hartline and Todd Boeckman better think twice before declaring themselves eligible for the NFL Draft.

As far as whether or not this game solidifies, once again, the SEC’s dominance, I’m not nearly as sold on that as everyone else appears to be. I think that the top three teams in the SEC (see: Georgia, LSU, Tennessee.. sorry Florida) are  as good as any in America but their middle of the pack teams (see: Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, South Carolina) are certainly no better than the middle of the pack teams in the Pac 10 and Big 12.

I do think this game was a crippling blow to Big Ten football however. As a Big Ten alum, today hurts a little bit, losing to the SEC — again — but the conference isn’t where it should be and I attribute that primarily to poor non-conference scheduling by the elite teams in the conference. Michigan shouldn’t be scheduling Appalachian State (and probably won’t again after what happened this year), Ohio State shouldn’t be scheduling Youngstown State, Penn State shouldn’t be scheduling Florida International and Temple. To be considered the best, you have to play and beat the best and the Big Ten’s elite teams didn’t play the best until the end of the season. Conference commish Jim Delany would do well to get in the ear’s of the conference’s athletic directors and urge them to play tougher non-conference games for the betterment of the Big Ten as a whole. Getting stomped, repeatedly, on national television isn’t good for a conference with a new television network and it certainly isn’t going to help recruiting nationally.

For the LSU fans, enjoy your championship because this team is about to hemorrhage a Gator-esque number of players, particularly on defense. Check out the starting seniors this team is losing:
Ali Highsmith, Early Doucet, Matt Flynn, Craig Steltz, Jacob Hester, Jonathan Zenon, Chevis Jackson, Kirston Pittman, Glenn Dorsey.

Enjoy it while you can.

Hawaii vs. Georgia

The Warriors travel to the Mainland in their first BCS game in school history to try to prove that they are worth of their BCS berth after going undefeated while playing one of the weakest schedules in all of college football. Unfortunately for Hawaii, they aren’t playing another undeserving team (like Kansas), they have to play Georgia, one of the hottest team’s in the country. Georgia must be sure not to get follow the trend set by other teams that narrowly missed their chance to play for the National Championship, only to get upended in their bowl game (Ask Michigan about that). Defensively, I don’t think Hawaii has what it takes to hang with the Bulldogs as long as they don’t turn the ball over. Knowshon Moreno’s Heisman candidacy in 2008 will begin in New Orleans, expect the redshirt freshman to run for at least 150 as Hawaii has never gone against a line as big or as physical as Georgia’s all year. For Georgia’s offense, the play of true sophomore quarterback Matt Stafford will be the key. Stafford’s a gunslinger and his decision-making has been questionable at times last year and this year and limiting his brain farts will be huge for Georgia’s offense. But the game will truly be won or lost on defense for UGA. Georgia’s corners don’t match up well against Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullen and the unit has failed to force defensive turnovers all year, ranking just 85th in the country in turnovers forced. Willie Martinez’s unit is extremely physical and has been a solid run-stopping team all year, a skill that won’t come in particularly handy against an offense that has run the ball just 261 times all year. Still, I like Georgia’s physicality in this game and given how poorly Hawaii has played on the road this year (narrowly winning at Louisiana Tech, at Nevada and at San Jose State), I’ll take Georgia in what could be the most entertaining of all the BCS bowls.

Wednesday, Jan. 2 - Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Oklahoma vs. West Virginia 

A second consecutive trip to the Fiesta Bowl and I’m guessing that Bob Stoops and the Sooners hope this one ends better than their last visit to Tempe. A year removed from losing one of the greatest bowl games in college football history to Boise State, the Sooners come into this year’s game against West Virginia riding high off a schlacking of Missouri in the Big 12 title game. Facing one of the most explosive offenses in the country, and one of the most underrated receivers in the country in Darius Reynaud, the Sooners will be without All-Big 12 first-teamer Reggie Smith, who broke his big toe in the Big 12 Championship game and will miss the Fiesta Bowl. For West Virginia, the game will be a test to get their offense back on the rails after they were completely dominated by Pittsburgh, scoring a season-low nine points, in their dream-shattering loss at home. The Mountaineers will need Pat White to prove that he has recovered from a dislocated thumb that kept him out of most of the game against Pitt and Steve Slaton will need to show that he can be the game-changing back everyone expected him to be at the beginning of the year, a feat that will prove to be most difficult against all-universe linebacker Curtis Lofton and a stout Oklahoma defense that finished in the nation’s top 20 in total defense that gave up less than 100 yards a game on the ground all year long. The game will rest squarely on the shoulders of Pat White for West Virginia. Oklahoma isn’t likely to give up much on the ground, much to the chagrin of the Mountaineers, who finished the season averaging 292 yards per game on the ground. White will need to exploit an Oklahoma secondary that, even with Smith, finished 68th in the country against the pass. On offense, Oklahoma will have to play mistake-free football when they line up against a West Virginia defense, led by All-Big East defensive tackle, Keilen Dykes, who finished in the nation’s top 10 in passing and rushing defense. I’m going against my instincts on this one and taking Oklahoma. Bob Stoops finds a way to get his guys motivated for the big games and I didn’t like what I saw from West Virginia last week.

Thursday, Jan. 3 - FedEx Orange Bowl

Kansas vs. Virginia Tech 

If I am to miss a single BCS snap this year, they will likely all accumulate in this one game. In one corner, you have Virginia Tech, a team with a brilliant defense and a something-less-than-brilliant offense and Kansas, a completely fraudulent BCS team, who has no business playing in this game given that they loss to the other viable opponent they played all season. Virginia Tech will need to get pressure on Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing, something they have shown little problem doing this year, finishing in the top ten in the nation in sacks. Offensively, Virginia Tech has been one of the most frustrating teams to watch all year as they putter down the field like an old lay in the grocery store when you’re trying to pick up a few things on the go. But they seemed to have found a way to minimize Sean Glennon’s horrible-ness and mix a two quarterback system with the aforementioned Glennon and freshman Tyrod Taylor splitting snaps. It’s hard to gauge what kind of a chance Kansas has in this one given that they have only played one legitimate opponent all year (and got it handed to them). I’ll take Virginia Tech in a close one. Neither of these teams are particularly great and it could be a game of field possession and turnovers. Too bad The Office isn’t air new episodes.

Texas Tech vs. Virginia 

This game presents one of the truly great matchups of the entire bowl season. For UVA, you have a tough defense led by Chris Long and his 14 solo sacks, tops in the ACC going against Mike Leach, Graham Harrell, Michael Crabtree and another explosive Texas Tech offense. With two such evenly matched units lining up against each other, it seems pertinent to look at the other side of the ball for each team. Offensively, UVA has struggled to score points offensively, finishing seventh in the ACC in scoring offense. Quarterback Jameel Sowell has been solid but unspectacular and hasn’t got much help from a UVA offensive unit without a player in the ACC’s Top 10 in rushing, reception and receiving yards. If the Cavaliers are to have success offensively, it will likely have to be on the ground with Sowell making plays and improvising on the run. Al Groh would do well to stay out of the skies against the Big 12’s top ranked pass defense and away from Texas Tech sophomore Jamar Wall who finished tied for second in the conference in interceptions. UVA’s defense has been good but not good enough to stop an offense that is AVERAGING 537 yards per game, the nation’s 2nd best. Look for Chris Long to get at least one sack, the great ones always find a way, but Long won’t be enough to slow down the nation’s leading quarterback and receiving combo. I’ll take Texas Tech in what could be Mike Leach’s last game in Lubbock.

Tuesday, Jan. 1 - Capital One Bowl

Florida vs. Michigan

Rather, the Storyline Bowl. In one corner, Michigan comes into the game off a disappointing season, losing its first two in catastrophic fashion and ending the season on a two-game losing streak, losing against to Ohio State. The Wolverines have a little extra motivation/distraction as the game will be head coach Lloyd Carr’s last game at Michigan. For Florida, Tim Tebow comes into the game after making Heisman history last week as the only sophomore ever to take home the trophy for the nation’s best player and has cemented a bull’s eye squarely on his back. Offensively for Michigan, Chad Henne has to have a big day and could very well going up against a Florida pass defense that finished dead last in the SEC. I like how Michigan stacks up against Florida’s corners with Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington. My concern is that the offensive strategy will be centered too much on Mike Hart and against a Florida defense that allowed just 99 yards a game on ground, the SEC’s best, rushing yards could be hard to come by. Michigan has to give Henne enough touches to let him get into a rhythm and pick apart this young, inexperienced Florida secondary and use Hart strategically. On defense, I think Florida’s offense poses some very troubling mismatches for this Michigan defense, particularly with the size and speed of Tebow, Percy Harvin and Bubba Caldwell. Michigan has been steady in shutting down the pass but their ability to defend the spread and keep Tebow in the pocket and not running around will be key in this game. Offensively, I just think Florida has too much speed for Michigan but if Henne plays well and the offense is centered around exploiting Florida’s secondary, Michigan could send Lloyd Carr out with a win. I’m still going with the Gators and more importantly with Tebow in this one.

Tuesday, Jan. 1 - The Rose Bowl 

Illinois vs. USC

No bowl has a greater tradition than the Rose Bowl, the Granddaddy of Them All, but I think it’s safe to say that the Rosel Bowl may have gone overboard this year in trying to get a Big Ten/Pac-10 matchup after Ohio State was selected for the BCS Title Game in New Orleans. You really can’t say enough about the job Ron Zook has done at Illinois this year but I can’t say I think this team deserves to be in this game. Having watched the Illini play on two occasions this year, I can say that I love their swagger and the real sense of irreverence they play with. Watching them play against Wisconsin when the Badgers were a top 5 team and then again at Ohio State when they were number 1, I noticed that Illinois never seemed to have a sense about them that they weren’t supposed to beat those teams. They will need a similarly irreverent attitude when they face the red hot Trojans in Pasadena. From a team speed standpoint, USC has it in droves. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: No team in America has more depth and speed at the skill positions than USC and they will use that depth to exploit Illinois defense. Getting pressure on John David Booty will be huge for an Illinois defense that finished fourth in the Big Ten in sacks. Booty has shown poor mobility and decision-making when pressured this season and isn’t anywhere near as stoic or accurate as his predecessors, Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer. But if the Illinois defensive line can’t put pressure on the quarterback and give Booty time to find tight end Fred Davis, Patrick Turner, Vidal Hazleton and Joe McKnight out of the backfield, it could be a very long afternoon for Zook’s Illini. The key for USC on defense, a unit that finished first against the pass and second against the run, will be containing Illinois quarterback Juice Williams, who is most dangerous outside the pocket and tailback Rashard Mendenhall, who had a breakout year in ‘07 and stands to be a Heisman frontrunner in ‘08. I’ve liked Illinois all year but USC is playing great at the right time of year and will win the Rose Bowl for the 32nd time in school history.

Indiana vs. Oklahoma State 

For the first time in my life, I have a horse in the proverbial bowl season race. For the first time since 1993, my Indiana Hoosiers are going bowling. I think, nationally, college football fans know very little about this Indiana team (and probably won’t this season given that the game is only being televised on the dreaded NFL Network) but Indiana has one of the most exciting offenses in America. Sophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis is one of the nation’s most complete offensive players, ahead of Dennis Dixon, Matt Grothe and Kansas’ Todd Reesing, Pat White and Andre Woodson in total offense and ranks ahead of John David Booty, Matt Ryan and Matthew Stafford in passing efficiency. On the outside, the Hoosiers have 6′7″ James Hardy, one of the nation’s most exciting receivers playing in what is sure to be his last game in an Indiana uniform and Marcus Thigpen, an electrifying returner/receiver/running back. The Hoosiers will look to Lewis, Hardy and Thigpen to exploit an atrociously bad Oklahoma State pass defense that finished 116th of 119 teams in all of college football against the pass. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, Oklahoma State (and their screaming moron of a coach, Mike Gundy) has a sensational receiver in Adarius Bowman, who is averaging just under 100 yards a game in receiving. Indiana must use defensive end, Greg Middleton, who leads the nation with 14 solo sacks to pressure quarterback Zac Robinson into incompletions and turnovers and corner Tracey Porter must defend his reputation as one of the Big Ten’s best cover corners (Porter finished second in the Big Ten with 6 interceptions) and stick to Bowman like glue all day long. I’m going with my heart and the Hoosiers‘ pass attack in a shootout.

Tuesday, Jan. 1 - Chick Fil-A Bowl 

Clemson vs. Auburn 

It’s a matchup between two coaches that nearly went to Arkansas when Clemson and Auburn square off in Atlanta. Both Tommy Tuberville and Tommy Bowden were reportedly interviewed for the Arkansas head coaching job before pulling their names for consideration and staying where they were. Auburn comes into this one with another great defense and a slumping, boring offense led by senior quarterback Brandon Cox. Clemson is a little more well-rounded with a great offense, passing and rushing and one of the ACC’s top defenses.  Clemson’s three losses came on the road to Georgia Tech, at home to a Virginia Tech team that would go on to win the conference and a nail-biter to BC thanks to Matt Ryan’s heroics. To win this game, which is being played less than 2 hours from the Auburn campus, the Tigers must find a way to generate some type of offense. Auburn didn’t have a rusher in the SEC’s top 10 rushers and Cox finished the year averaging 155 yards a game passing and that isn’t going to cut it against a Clemson defense that finished in the top 15 in the country against the pass and 20th in the country against the run, not to mention the weapons they have on the other side of the ball in quarterback Cullen Harper and running backs James Davis and C.J. Spiller. Losing offensive coordinator Al Borges this week isn’t going to help Auburn put points on the board despite their defense. Clemson’s defense will force the Auburn offense to go three and out for much of the game and Clemson’s rushing attack will wear down the Auburn defensive front. I’m going with Tommy Bowden and Clemson.

Jan. 1 - Outback Bowl

Wisconsin vs. Tennessee 

One of three bowls that pits the SEC and the Big Ten, the Outback Bowl returns Tennessee to the scene of a pounding last year at the hands of the Nittany Lions. The key for Tennessee will be moving the ball up and down the field and being able to execute David Cutcliffe’s offense against a Wisconsin defense that finished 4th in the conference in total defense. Defensively, the Vols have struggled in spectacular fashion against the run, giving up more than 162 yards a game. That statistic is particularly troubling given who’s lining up in the backfield for the Badgers: The Wisconsin Winnebago, P.J. Hill.  I’d look for Wisconsin to pound the ball and leave few chances for the ball-hawking Tennessee secondary chances to make plays off banged-up quarterback Tyler Donovan. This is a difficult game to pick because both teams have struggled at various points during the year but I will take Wisconsin and P.J. Hill in a close contest.

Tuesday, Jan. 1 - AT&T Cotton Bowl 

Missouri vs. Arkansas 

Playing in this game must be a tough pill to swallow for Gary Pinkel, Chase Daniel and Missouri. The loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game propelled the Tigers out of the BCS picture, to the benefit of the Kansas Jayhawks, a one-loss team that the Tigers had handled the week before. Still, the Tigers need to remain focus and not focus on their BCS snub as they prepare to square off against a dangerous Arkansas team. The trouble with Arkansas is that beyond Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, they don’t have much of an offense. Stuffing the run will be huge for Missouri, something they’ve done well this year limiting opponents to 118 yards per game on the ground. On offense, Missouri will look to do what they’ve done all year: Let Chase Daniel run around make plays and find Jeremy Maclin, Chase Coffman and Martin Rucker for big plays. It helps that Missouri has running back Tony Temple in the lineup but Temple played in the Big 12 Championship and was a nonfactor. Look for Missouri to exploit mismatches in the secondary, particularly on Coffman and Rucker. Given how bad Arkansas’ secondary has been all year, I’d look for Chase Daniel to have a big day and Missouri to win big.

UCF vs. Mississippi State 

There may not be a better story in all of college football this year than the success of Slyvester Croom at Mississippi State. After being planted very firmly on the hot seat, Croom lead the Bulldogs to an 8-4 record with wins against Auburn, Alabama and Kentucky. As good as that story is, I can’t imagine they have what it takes to beat George O’Leary’s UCF Knights. UCF fans better enjoy watching running back Kevin Smith, the nation’s leading rusher, while they can because he won’t be running around Orlando for very much longer. What impresses me most about Smith, besides the fact that he’s averaging nearly 200 yards a game rushing, is his patience with the football. He has tremendous feet and waits for his line to open holes and cutback lanes, which they often do and he sees the field as good as any back in the nation. For my money, Kevin Smith is an exponentially better running back than Darren McFadden and deserves to be in New York this weekend as much as anyone. What I like about UCF is that as potent as they are on offense, their defense isn’t anything to shirk at either. They have a great potent cover corner in Joe Burnett, who led Conference USA in interceptions and pretty good pair of pass rushers in Bruce Miller and Leger Douzable. Pair UCF’s terrific ground game with a ball-hawking defense against a Mississippi State game with a mediocre defense and a dreadful offense and you’ve got the makings for a blow out. I’ll take the UCF in Kevin Smith’s coming out party.

Saturday, Dec. 29 - Valero Alamo Bowl 

Penn State vs. Texas A&M

Coming into the year, everyone and their brother was trumpeting Penn State as a potential Big Ten dark horse. They claimed quarterback Anthony Morelli had improved in the off-season and the Nittany Lions were ready to stake their claim as the Big Ten’s best. Not so fast, my friend.  The defense, led by corner Jeff King and linebacker Dan Connor, who led the Big Ten in tackles with 136, held up their end of the bargain, finishing second in the conference in total defense. The offense, and the “improved” Morelli struggled — again. Morelli showed the same poor judgement in the pocket, failed to get the ball into the hands of receivers Deon Butler and Derrick Williams and the team failed to beat Michigan and Ohio State again. For Texas A&M, a year of tremendous promise was upset by scandal when it was reported that Dennis Franchione was giving out inside information to boosters who paid thousands of dollars for a special newsletter. Franchione was later fired (and replaced by former Packers coach Mike Sherman) and defensive coordinator Gary Darrell will coach the Aggies in the bowl game. Offensively, Texas A&M has been one of the most disappointing teams in America. The Aggies returned a trio of the nation’s best skill players in quarterback Stephen McGee and running backs Javorski Lane and Mike Goodson. Still, A&M finished ninth in the Big 12 in total offense, a number that won’t be at all helped by going out against one of the nation’s best defensive units.  I’ll take Penn State in this one.. ugly.

Sunday, Dec. 30 - PetroSun Independence Bowl

Alabama vs. Colorado 

Two once-proud programs clash in Shreveport, La. in the Independence Bowl  and this game is a total toss-up. Both of these teams have shown flashes of re-birth this season — Alabama’s nail-biter over Arkansas and Colorado’s thriller against Oklahoma —  and have also been disappointing at times. For Dan Hawkins’ Buffs, the key to the game will be getting pressure on John Parker Wilson, who wilts like basil when the pocket collapses and getting as many people as it takes to cover receiver D.J. Hall. Nick Saban will have to make sure Wilson always knows where Colorado linebacker Jordan Dizon is lined up. The Buffs’ senior linebacker led the Big 12 with 149 tackles. Offensively, Colorado would do well to get tailback Hugh Charles 20-30 touches in this game and try to control the tempo of the game. Letting Cody Hawkins throw the ball against Simeon Castille and Rashad Johnson, who led the SEC in interceptions, could be Colorado’s downfall in this contest. Nick Saban knows that there is a lot riding on this game for Alabama. After losing all of its big games this year, including another loss to Auburn, and an embarrassing home loss to Louisiana-Monroe, a loss in their bowl game to Colorado may squelch whatever enthusiasm still remains in Tuscaloosa about Alabama football. I’ll take the Crimson Tide in this one, there is simply too much at stake for Nick Saban.

Purdue vs. Central Michigan

This game is a pretty easy one to pick given what happened Sept. 15 in West Lafayette when the Boilermakers hung 24 points on the defending MAC champion Chippewas in the first quarter on way en route to a 45-22 win. Still, looking at the stats from that game, Purdue still gave up 364 yards through the air to Dan LeFevour but limited the Central Michigan ground game to just 101 yards rushing. While on paper this is the same Purdue team, psychologically this could be a program in crisis. After losing the Old Oaken Bucket at the last second at Purdue, many Purdue fans have grown frustrated with starting QB Curtis Painter, play-calling and Joe Tiller’s subpar record in big games in recent years. Compound that with the late night arrest and dismissal of starting wide receiver Selwyn Lymon from the team after a second arrest this season and you have a team poised for an upset. If Central Michigan can run the ball more effectively and force turnovers (as they did in that early season loss, forcing four fumbles), Central Michigan could win this game. Given the margin of victory in their last match-up, I just can’t take the Chippewas in good conscious. I’ll take Purdue but by a much closer margin. As an IU grad, I won’t be at all disappointed if I’m wrong on this one.

Thursday, Dec. 27 - Pacific Life Holiday Bowl

Texas vs. Arizona State

For the past three or so years, the Holiday Bowl has been one of my favorites and it’s because it has had match-ups like the one it has this year. Dennis Erickson, Rudy Carpenter and the upstart Arizona State Sun Devils face off against the somewhat underachieving Texas Longhorns in this year’s Holiday Bowl. Texas came into this year poised to be one of the Big 12’s best and a contender for a National Championship, with Colt McCoy coming back for his second year in Austin. What followed was a series of missteps and near follies against Central Florida and TCU and the season was downhill from there, including losses to rivals Texas A&M and Oklahoma. Looking at Erickson’s Sun Devils, I am really unmoved by their schedule, particularly their inability to beat Oregon, with a healthy Dennis Dixon and USC, who blew out the Sun Devils at home on Thanksgiving. To win the game, Texas must control the line of scrimmage and get the ball in the hands of tailback Jamaal Charles, which will be easier said than done given that ASU is giving up a paltry 100 yards a game on the ground. For ASU, Rudy Carpenter will look to exploit a Texas secondary that has struggled against the pass all year, finishing second to last in the Big 12 in pass defense. I look for them to do just that, I’m taking Arizona State.

Friday, Dec. 28 - Champs Sports Bowl

Michigan State vs. Boston College

The Big Ten’s top scoring offense against the ACC’s top scoring offense. It should be no surprise to anyone that Boston College has one of the most explosive and efficient offenses in America, led by first round lock Matt Ryan at quarterback but Mark Dantoni’s Spartans have been flying under the radar and can put points on the board as well. This game is sure to be fought and won in the trenches for Michigan State. If they can control the line of scrimmage and get the ball to Javon Ringer early and often, they have a chance against the Eagles who, just last week were competing for the ACC title and a trip to a BCS bowl. Still, BC would be wise not to overlook the Spartan passing attack, junior quarterback Brian Hoyer has been finding wideout Devin Thomas in the end zone all year long (Thomas led the Big Ten in receiving yards and finished second in receptions). BC is going to score points on offense as they’ve done all year but the ability of the Michigan State offense to match them score-for-score will be huge if they intend to stay in this game. Dantoni’s Spartans are a much better team than their 7-5 record would indicate but I’ll take Boston College.

MAC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP - Miami (OH) at Central Michigan - 12:00

I’ll take the defending MAC Champion Chippewas and QB Dan LeFevour in this one. LeFevour recently won the MAC Offensive Player of the Year award after setting school records for completions, attempts, yards and total offense this season. Still, the game could be interested. Miami of Ohio does possess the conference’s best passing defense, best rushing and scoring defense. The question will be if the Redhawk offense, which ranks 10th in the conference in scoring, can put points on the board. I’ll take CMU.

CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP : TULSA AT UCF - 12:00 P.M.

Tulsa has one of the best offenses in the country and UCF has one of the best running backs in America. I’ll take UCF in this one for any number of reasons, not the first of which is that my girlfriend is a Knight. The game is being played in Orlando, at their new Bright House Networks Stadium on campus so for that reason alone, I’ve gotta go with George O’ Leary’s squad. Not to mention that last week, Tulsa gave up over 700 yards of total offense, 541 threw the air. This could be a shoot out and is definitely worth your time. I’ll take the formerly Golden Knights of Central Florida.

ACC Championship - Virginia Tech at Boston College - 1:00 p.m.

I’ve been on the BC bandwagon and I don’t intend to get off despite that they face off against a much better Virginia Tech team than the one the Eagles beat earlier this year in Blacksburg. I think the game will ultimately come down to how well Tyrod Taylor/Sean Glennon is able to lead the Virginia Tech offense against an underrated and fast Boston College defense. If VT is able to move the ball effectively, it could be lights out for BC’s BCS dreams but I don’t anticipate that being the case. I’ll take the Eagles in a close one.

SEC Championship - Tennessee at LSU - 4:00 p.m.

In what could be Les Miles’ last SEC game as the head coach of LSU, I’ll take the Bayou Bengals coming off a heartbreaker last week against Arkansas. Tennessee has been one of the most hideously inconsistent teams in the SEC and I don’t think that the UT offense has what it takes to hang with the hard-hitting, lightning-quick LSU defense. LSU had better get creative on offense and not rely on the Hester up the middle, Keiland Williams to the outside, Matt Flynn on QB Draw that we’ve seen too many times this year. They need to spread the field and keep the ball away from Tennessee freshman cornerback Eric Berry who makes his Atlanta homecoming Saturday. I’ll take LSU by at least 10. The Tigers are just thankful they’re not playing Georgia.

Big 12 Championship - Missouri at Oklahoma - 8:00 p.m.

There’s an awful lot riding on this game for Missouri. For Mizzou QB Chase Daniel, it’s his chance to snatch the Heisman Trophy away from Tim Tebow, who’s been sizing up a place on his mantel for it for weeks. A great performance in a win against Oklahoma and the award for the nation’s best college football player is his. Bigger than that is that Missouri is playing for the national championship Saturday night. Beat Oklahoma and they’re in. I was asked earlier today by our publisher who I liked in this one. I explained that I would have taken Oklahoma had it not been for the announcement earlier this week that Sooner running back DeMarco Murray is done for the year with a dislocated kneecaps. Murray was the team’s most consistent running back and best offensive player, save wideout Malcolm Kelly. The key for Oklahoma will be forcing turnovers and getting on top early. If Mizzou gets in an early hole, maybe 10 or 14 points, I’m not sure they can come back from that against a pretty tough Oklahoma defense. Sam Bradford’s performance is huge for the Sooners. If he gets careless and starts throwing Favre-ian interceptions, it’s over for Oklahoma and we are looking at a Missouri-West Virginia National Championship. I am going to take a flyer on Bob Stoops and the upset-minded Sooners.

Eric Gordon drops 33 in his debut for the Hoosiers last night.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Mark Bradly says Georgia is every bit as tough as LSU.

Fanhouse has a funny take on the Missouri-Kansas border war.

Marvel is offering an archive of 2,500 back issues.. not for free but still pretty cool.  Lost creator Damon Lindelof has a list of what you should start with.

USAToday’s Beau Dure has devised a hypothetical playoff system.

I don’t like…

ESPN is stockpiling journalists.

The Michelin Guide gave zero stars to chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Las Vegas. Keller is the only American-born chef with two three-star Michelin restaurants to his credit (French Laundry and Per Se).

1. Oregon - The SEC, for the past five years, has been the best conference in America and certainly the most competitive but this year the Pac-10 is better and no one has more impressive wins, in conference and out, than Oregon.

2. LSU - Any national championship matchup that doesn’t include Les Miles and the Bayou Bengals would be something of a disappointing. Their defense is swarming and stifling but their offense is a little stagnant and boring and it really shouldn’t be given their personnel. This team is far from the unbeatable juggernauts many thought them to be early in the year.

3. Oklahoma -  Malcolm Kelly, DeMarco Murray and an up-and-coming quarterback in Sam Bradford is enough of a reason to feel good about Bob Stoops’ Sooners. But you really have to wonder how Oklahoma would compete against an explosive, quickstrike offense like Oregon’s given that they gave up 450 yards of total offense last week… to Baylor. I fully expect the Sooners to completely obliterate the Jayhawks should Kansas make it to the Big 12 Championship game and have a tougher go of things if Chase Daniels and Mizzou makes it to Kansas City in December.

4. Kansas -  No quality wins, none, zero. It is really hard for me to include Mark Mangino’s undefeated Jayhawks in the top 5 but given that they are the nation’s only remaining undefeated team, I feel obligated. I don’t believe in this team, not yet. One could argue that the only thing that closely resembles a quality win was their win on the road last week against an unranked Oklahoma State team. I don’t see the Jayhawks getting past Missouri this week in the Border War and should they luck their way into the Big 12 Championship, they have to play Oklahoma, still very much a contender for the national championship. Forget about it, KU fans.

5. Georgia - Some people might think I’m crazy for catapulting the two-loss Bulldogs ahead of so many other one-loss teams but I think Georgia’s for real. A team that was somewhat struggling to find its identity at the beginning of the year, dropping two bad losses to South Carolina and Tennessee, has come together in a big way. Matthew Stafford has developed into a fine quarterback, a little interception prone but fine and Knowshon Moreno is one of college football’s best running backs. If I were LSU, I would much prefer to see Tennessee cruising into Atlanta than Mark Richt and the resurgent Bulldogs defending the Georgia Dome.