FrontRowSportsReport.com: Sports Blog

Funny what you find surfing the net. Below is the West Virginia Mountaineers official 2008 recruiting video.

The 2008 College Football Senior Bowl ended in dramatic fashion as Florida Gators wide receiver Andre Caldwell scored on a 2-yard end around to give the South a 17-16 victory.

Caldwell was handed the ball by Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Erik Ainge, who took the place of Louisville’s Brian Brohm. Ainge drove the south 86-yards in 14 plays on the final drive, finished the game with 159 yard passing yard and earning the south offensive MVP honors.  “It’s fun to end your college career like that,” said Ainge. “I’ll remember handing the ball to a Gator to win for the rest of my life.”

Most of the game was dominated by the defense who made the majority of big plays, including USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis sacking Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Andre’ Woodson for a safety.

The North were led by Michigan Wolverines quarterback Chad Henne who threw for 2 touchdowns and earned the north offensive MVP award.

Tulane running back Matt Forte won the overall MVP award, Forte ran for a game high 59 yards and had 38 receiving yards.

With the BCS Title game done what better time to put together a Pre-preseason College Football Top 10 ranking. 2008 promises to be another year for the record books in College Football as a good amount of top schools are bringing back their star players and lesser known programs look to follow in the footsteps of Kansas and Missouri. Expect a great deal of chaos and change in the rankings / polls up until this time next year.

So, here is my first Pre-preseaseon College Football Top 10 Rankings*:

1. USC Trojans - Yup, a great deal of people will questions why I put USC up top but I don’t care. Joe McKnight is the real deal at running back and the Trojans should be bringing back the core components of their defense.
2. Georgia Bulldogs - The Bulldogs deserved to be in the title game, much more then Ohio State - sorry Buckeyes. Watch out for the Bulldogs in 2008, I am predicting a BCS Title game for them.
3. Oklahoma Sooners - Perfect example of a young team who will only get better. If the Sooner do not stumble early expect them to make a run at the top spot in October.
4. Missouri Tigers - With most of the same team returning I don’t think anyone can overlook the Tigers anymore - next year we will see if they are the real deal or not, but until proven otherwise I am ranking them high.
5. Florida Gators - Any team that returns a deal threat like Tim Tebow should be in the top 10. The Gators do have a series of question marks that will determine how good they really are…i.e. how good will Emmanuel Moody be?
6. LSU Tigers - How good will the new class be and how big will be the impact of all the players leaving this year?
7. Ohio State Buckeyes - Another young team who will not be getting any credit based on their BCS Title game issues and perceived weak conference / schedule. Their defense will have question marks around it until we know exactly who is leaving for the NFL (e.g. Laurinaitis will, but what about Gholston?)
8. Wisconsin Badgers - Seems like this time last year I was talking about how good the Badgers will be in 2007. I guess I didn’t learn from my mistakes and go with the Badgers being a top-tier team based on so many starters coming back.
9. West Virginia Mountaineers - The Mountaineers season and ranking all depend on whether or not Pat White and Stever Slaton head to the NFL or head back to the hills.
10. Kansas Jayhawks - The only big loss for the Jayhawks will be All-American CB Aqib Talib. So, now that Kansas cant take teams by surprise how good will they be? Oh and BTW - you know have a huge target on your backs. Welcome to big time College Football.

There we have it, my Pre-preseason College Football top 10 Ranking…let the arguments begin
* Subject to change whenever I feel like!

With most of the secondary college football bowl games complete it is now time to pick the winners of the big bowl games (and a couple not so big ones) that are starting tomorrow January 1st.

College Football Bowls

Tuesday, January 1st

Sugar Bowl
#10 Hawaii vs #5 Georgia
My Pick: Georgia
I am really excited to watch this game because I have always enjoyed watching Colt Brennan throw the ball. I would love to pick an upset here and hope that Hawaii can become this years Boise State, but I just don’t see it. Georgia is looking to make a statement and prove they are a better team, I expect both teams to come out swinging for the fences but in the Georgia’s depth will outlast and outgun the Rainbow Warriors.

Cotton Bowl
#6 Missouri vs Arkansas
My Pick: Arkansas
Is Missouri for real? Yes, I think that they are – but that doesn’t mean they can beat a good Arkansas team. Darren McFadden is going to have a career day and set the pace for a big Arkansas win.

Rose Bowl
#13 Illinois vs #7 USC
My Pick: USC
I see this game being the most lopsided of all the BCS bowl games. Illinois is a good team but USC has so much more talent. USC, playing almost a home game, will throw, run and do anything they want against Illinois.

Capital One Bowl
Michigan vs #12 Florida
My Pick: Florida
Remember that loss to Appalachian State? Remember their coach issues? Remember Tim Tebow and his Heisman Trophy? Florida wins this game, but it will be close.

Outback Bowl
#16 Tennessee vs #18 Wisconsin
My Pick: Tennessee
Both teams are good, but not great. This is going to be the closest one of the day.

Gator Bowl
Texas Tech vs #20 Virginia
My Pick: Virginia
Virginia’s defense is really good and Texas Tech wont be able to do much.

Wednesday, January 2^nd

Fiesta Bowl
#9 West Virginia vs #4 Oklahoma
My Pick: West Virginia
Another great game, the deciding factor for me is that West Virginia will be coming out with major motivation and will try and prove they are the best team in the nation – despite losing to Pittsburgh. The only thing the Mountaineers need to be careful of his keeping focused with the whole Rich Rodriguez moving to Michigan.

Thursday, January 3^rd

Orange Bowl
#8 Kansas vs #3 Virginia Tech
My Pick: Virginia Tech
Just like Missouri, Kansas will be looking to show that they belong. They will make it a came but I do believe that Virginia Tech’s talent is too deep and athletic for Kansas to stay with them all game.

Saturday, January 5^th

International Bowl
Ball State vs Rutgers
My Pick: Rutgers
Rutgers in a toss-up. Remember when we all thought the Scarlet Knights were a BCS contender going into the season?

Sunday, January 6^th

GMAC Bowl
Tulsa vs Bowling Green
My Pick: Tulsa

Monday, January 7^th

BCS Championship Game
#2 LSU vs #1 Ohio State
My Pick: LSU
Oh the big game everyone will be waiting for, the good thing of this match-up is that once LSU roles over Ohio State there wont be any argument as to whom is the real national champion. I have said all season that Ohio State is over-rated and LSU will prove me right. Go Tigers!

In what has to be another case of bad timing, the University of Michigan athletic department made the announcement earlier today that West Virginia head football coach Rich Rodriguez will be leaving to head over to the Coach the Wolverines.

Rodriguez, who led the Mountaineers to a10-2 record and BCS bowl for the second time in three season, told his players today at a 1:30pm meeting. Obviously the players are upset that their coach chose to make the announcement before the bowl game - I also question his judgment. As with Bobby Petrino why no, for at least your players sake, make the announcement when the season is done? To me it is a very selfish move and one that will only negatively affect the coaches players.

Both current Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr and Rodriguez will coach their respective teams in their bowl games. Michigan is playing January 1st in the Capital One Bowl against #9 Florida and West Virginia is playing Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.