The Woes of the Big XII

In 2010, a wave of college football upheaval swept the land. The PAC-10 became the PAC-12, adding Utah and Colorado. The Big Ten added three new schools (Nebraska, Maryland, and Rutgers). The SEC added two new members (Missouri and Texas A&M). The ACC added Pitt, Louisville, and Syracuse, as well as securing a non-football-membership deal with Notre Dame.

Then there's the Big XII. One of the proudest conferences watched as Colorado departed for the PAC-12. Nebraska then cut ties to join the Big Ten. Things seemed to calm down for the Big XII, but the advent of the Longhorn Network angered the Aggies at College Station so much that they left to join the SEC, taking the Missouri Tigers with them. The college football nation held their collective breath as it looked like the Big XII was on the verge of collapse.

Rumors began to swirl that Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and potentially Texas Tech were looking at joining the PAC-10. Having only eight teams would be a definite detriment to the conference. Moving quickly, the conference invited West Virginia and TCU to join. Both colleges accepted the invite and the Big XII found themselves at ten teams.

And so the 2014 season rolled around, and the Big XII touted themselves as the only conference that crowned "One True Champion." The ten teams in the league play nine conference games, meaning everyone plays everyone. No other Power Five conference does that. It would be obvious to anyone that, if two teams ended up with identical records at the end of the season, seeing as they played each other, then the head-to-head outcome would determine the champion.

But not for Big XII commissioner Bob Bowlsby. Baylor defeated TCU 61-58 during the season, and both finished 12-1. Instead of touting Baylor as their champion, the Big XII announced that they had co-champions. It was a political gamble, and boy did it backfire.

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee had ranked TCU 3rd overall just one week before the conference championship games. Once the games were over, TCU, which had defeated Iowa State 55-3, dropped from 3rd to 6th. Ohio State moved up to 4th, claiming the last playoff spot. Baylor jumped TCU by defeating Kansas State.

The conspiracy theorist in me is shouting that the committee rather conveniently snubbed only one conference instead of two, and also rather conveniently snubbed the only conference without a conference championship game. Of course, they also jumped Ohio State into the playoff and let's face it, Ohio State will make the playoff a lot more money than Baylor or TCU would. It makes me wonder how different the outcome would've been if, instead of TCU and Baylor, the Big XII representatives were Oklahoma and Texas.

But here's the point I'm driving toward...I think this is the committee's way of telling the Big XII that they need a title game. And for that, the Big XII has to expand, as NCAA bylaws prevent a conference from staging a championship game unless they have twelve teams. So what does the Big XII do?

Well, they can hold course, which is boring. For the purpose of this exercise, I pushed the big red button on the center of my desk and exercised the nuclear option of conference realignment, pushing the Big XII all the way to 14 member institutions. Hey, if the Big Ten can have 14 members, so can the Big XII.

Here's the current conference alignment:
Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, West Virginia

To get the Big XII up to 14 member institutions, we need to find four schools looking for potentially better situations than they currently have. Of the four I chose, three make fairly good sense. One is a bit of a stretch, but it makes geographical sense. We'll start on the east side of the Mississippi River, where West Virginia is the only Big XII school. They need a partner over here; a bridge to the rest of the conference. The bridge is found in the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Cincinnati is currently one of the top members of the American Athletic Conference, the smoking ruin of the Big East. I can't imagine the Bearcats would turn down a chance to play in the Big XII.

The other three schools are farther west than any current Big XII school, but they fit the mold. First up is BYU. The Cougars of Brigham Young recently went independent, and I think they'll grow to regret that choice. Joining the Big XII would be a move in the right direction. Think being an independent is a good idea in college football? I would bet even Notre Dame, the stalwart independent, will be a full-fledged member of the ACC within five years.

Second on our list is Colorado State. The Rams had a great season, flirting with the Top 25, which in this new era of college football playoffs is rarefied air for a mid-major. Cast your lot with the Big XII, though, and see your fortunes rise.

The last addition is the most tenuous: Boise State. The Broncos have had great success in the WAC and Mountain West, but they'll never sniff a national championship unless the get into a Power Five conference. Welcome to the new era of college football.

Now that the Big XII is up to 14 teams, we need to split into divisions. The SEC has the East and West, as does the Big Ten. The PAC-12 has a North and South. The ACC has an Atlantic and Coastal. Go ahead, tell me which division Florida State is in, without looking it up. Unless you're an ACC fan, you probably can't. I love college football and I can't. Geography is the best definition of division. The Big Ten proved how disastrous a non-geographical alignment can be with the asinine Leaders and Legends Divisions a couple years back.

For the Big XII, under this new membership list, I think an East and West division will do nicely.

The Big XII East would be made up of Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa State, Cincinnati, and West Virginia.

The Big XII West would be made up of TCU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Colorado State, BYU, and Boise State.

Each team would play the other six teams in their division, plus a yearly permanent cross-division rival and two floating games against the other division. The permanent cross-divisional rivals in this scenario would be:
Texas - Texas Tech
Oklahoma - Oklahoma State
Kansas - Kansas State
Baylor - TCU
Iowa State - Colorado State
Cincinnati - Boise State
West Virginia - BYU

Yes, some of these match-ups are stretches, but it maintains the tradition of Bedlam, the Kansas rivalry, and just plain awesomeness that is TCU vs Baylor. And it would allow the Big XII to stage a conference championship game, likely in Jerry's World in Dallas, though a couple other options do exist, like Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. And it would increase the Big XII's chances of landing a team in the College Football Playoff.

Football Future-see 2014: Week 15: Championship Week

Record
Week 1	8-2
Week 2	5-0
Week 3	2-3
Week 4	4-1
Week 5	2-3
Week 6	2-8
Week 7	4-1
Week 8	3-2
Week 9	2-3
Week 10	2-3
Week 11	4-6
Week 12	3-2
Week 13	3-2
Week 14	5-5
Week 15	0-0
Total	49-41	0.544

It’s championship week. The last fourteen weeks have pointed to this end date, where the Big XII will play their final conference games and the other Power 5 conferences will hold their Championship Games to determine overall conference champions. This is the week that finally irons out the College Football Playoff picture. Right now, if the season ended today, Alabama would play TCU in one semifinal, while Florida State played Oregon in the other. But there is still a lot of football to be played. In fact, given that no truly dominant team has stepped forward this season, with only one week of play left, there is still a chance for Alabama-Oregon-FSU-TCU to become Baylor-Arizona-Georgia Tech-Ohio State. That’s how crazy things could get.

The Games:

PAC-12 Championship Game (Friday, 9:00pm, Fox)

7 Arizona vs 2 Oregon

By the time the first game kicks off on Saturday, it’s likely we’ll know one of the playoff teams. Oregon, with a win, would be a lock for the inaugural College Football Playoff. Should Arizona win, then the committee will have to come up with a very good reason as to why a team that defeated Oregon, twice, on the road, does not deserve a Playoff spot. I think the PAC-12 champion, regardless of who, gets in. And here’s the deal: I think Arizona can win again. They have Oregon’s number, for some reason. They’ve figured out what Oregon does and they’ve found ways to stop it. Oregon, meanwhile, seemingly cannot solve the riddle of the Wildcats. Marcus Mariota will have himself a day for Oregon, but in the end I like Arizona in a close, close game. Arizona wins the PAC-12.

Final Score: Arizona 35, Oregon 34

SEC Championship Game (Saturday, 4:00pm, CBS)

1 Alabama vs 16 Missouri

It’s amazing what a win by one team, 600 miles away, can do to deflate your last home game, but Georgia felt that deflation after the Tigers knocked off Arkansas to claim the SEC East crown. This is the same Missouri team that lost at home to Indiana and who lost at home to Georgia 34-0. But they will play Alabama for the SEC Championship. Honestly, I don’t expect this one to be all that close. Yes, Missouri has the two best defensive ends in the conference, but Alabama’s offense can hit you from any angle. Alabama has probably the best overall player in the country in WR Amari Cooper. I expect this game to be close for the first half, but Bama’s depth will overcome Mizzou in the second and the Tide will roll away. Alabama wins the SEC.

Final Score: Alabama 42, Missouri 24

9 Kansas State at 6 Baylor (Saturday, 7:45pm, ESPN)

This game will determine the Big XII Championship, most likely. Although right now the Committee seems to think TCU's strength of schedule is more impressive than Baylor's potential Big XII title and head-to-head win over TCU. A Baylor victory over the Wildcats of Kansas State will give the Big XII crown to the Bears, regardless what TCU does against Iowa State. Baylor has been fairly consistent, though their schedule is not as strong as TCU’s, which is why TCU has remained ahead of the Bears in the playoff ranking, even though Baylor won head-to-head. Kansas State will probably throw all they have at the Bears on Saturday, as they are now simply trying to claim a top-tier bowl berth. Baylor needs to be prepared defensively, as Kansas State can play a mean offensive game when they want to. But in the end I think Baylor locks this one up in the third quarter, with K-State maybe scoring a late TD to make it seem closer than it actually was. Bears win the Big XII.

Final Score: Baylor 42, Kansas State 34

ACC Championship Game (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

4 Florida State vs 11 Georgia Tech

Florida State is beatable. Several teams have proven that without actually sealing the deal. The Selection Committee thinks so, as Alabama, Oregon, and TCU have all jumped the Noles. The Seminoles have danced the ragged edge of disaster too many times this season. They are going to give in at some point. I think it will be against a strong, ball-controlling Georgia Tech offense. As a Georgia fan, I don’t usually respect Tech, but Paul Johnson has recruited some absolute beasts on his roster. If Florida State fails to account for every single player on the field at any given time, Tech will make them pay. Given the Yellow Jackets’ tendency to control the ball for long periods of time (averaging 34 minutes of possession per game), if FSU falls behind, they may not have enough time to catch up. And that’s exactly what I think will happen. Tech jumps out big and FSU storms back, but a long controlled drive in the fourth quarter seals the upset. Yellow Jackets win the ACC.

Final Score: Georgia Tech 28, Florida State 21

Big Ten Championship Game (Saturday, 8:17pm, Fox)

13 Wisconsin vs 5 Ohio State

Let me start this preview by saying my thoughts and prayers are with the Ohio State Buckeyes family. The tragic apparent-suicide of lineman Kosta Karageorge is unsettling and saddening. Couple that tragedy with the team watching their quarterback as he was carted off the field with a season-ending broken ankle and you’ll find a team that is likely distressed. They’ve fought hard to reach the Big Ten Championship Game, especially after an early-season deflating loss at home to Virginia Tech. Wisconsin, on the other hand, has been on a steady rise the last few weeks, including an absolute beatdown of Nebraska in which RB Melvin Gordon set a (short-lived) NCAA record for rushing yards in a game. Expect more of the same from the Badgers, and sadly, expect the events of the last week to simply be too much for the young men of Ohio State to be able to handle all at once. Badgers win by a touchdown to claim the Big Ten.

Final Score: Wisconsin 31, Ohio State 24

The Right Wing Top Ten

The Associated Press Poll and the Amway Coaches Poll both feature a Preseason version. I even posted a “Preseason Top Ten,” or something to that effect, a while back. I never intended to use that poll as a basis for the Right Wing Top Ten, though.

15. Ole Miss Rebels (last week: NR)

14. Missouri Tigers (last week: NR)

13. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (last week: NR)

12. Michigan State Spartans (last week: NR)

11. Oklahoma Sooners (last week: 15)

10. Marshall Thundering Herd (last week: 10)

Why: This is probably all the love Marshall is going to get. Their schedule simply is too weak.

9. Kansas State Wildcats (last week: 11)

Why: Kansas State has a chance to throw a wrench in the playoff picture when they face Baylor this weekend.

8. Wisconsin Badgers (last week: 12)

Why: Wisconsin’s running game is staggeringly good. A face-off with the Buckeyes in Indianapolis could potentially determine a playoff spot.

7. Arizona Wildcats (last week: 13)

Why: Arizona defeated Arizona State to set up a rematch with Oregon. The Wildacts have beaten the Ducks in Eugene and in Tucson...all that’s left for the trifecta is to beat the Ducks at a neutral site.

6. Ohio State Buckeyes (last week: 7)

Why: Ohio State has faced a horrible week. Their QB was carted off the field with a season-ending ankle injury, but worse was to come, when lineman Kosta Karageorge was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

5. TCU Horned Frogs (last week: 5)

Why: TCU remains on the outside looking in of my top four...

4. Baylor Bears (last week: 4)

Why: If Baylor beats K-State they claim the Big XII title.

3. Oregon Ducks (last week: 3)

Why: Oregon is a playoff-bound team, assuming they survive a rematch with Arizona in the PAC-12 title game.

2. Florida State Seminoles (last week: 2)

Why: Florida State is, possibly, the weakest #2-ranked team I’ve ever seen. Don’t be surprised if they trip up against Georgia Tech.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (last week: 1)

Why: Alabama made it to Atlanta and now they need only dispose of Mizzou to reach the playoff.

Football Future-see 2014: Week Fourteen

Record
Week 1	8-2
Week 2	5-0
Week 3	2-3
Week 4	4-1
Week 5	2-3
Week 6	2-8
Week 7	4-1
Week 8	3-2
Week 9	2-3
Week 10	2-3
Week 11	4-6
Week 12	3-2
Week 13	3-2
Week 14	5-5
Total	49-41	0.544

The season is rumbling toward the end, and so far it looks like Alabama, Florida State, and Oregon are locks for the playoff. Right now, Mississippi State is also considered part of the top four by the playoff committee, meaning we would have FSU vs Oregon in the Rose Bowl and Alabama vs Mississippi State in the Sugar Bowl. But the chaos situation is still in play. It’s entirely possible that anyone in the group of four listed above, plus Georgia, UCLA, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Arizona, or Arizona State could make the playoff. Granted, some teams, like Georgia, need help from other teams. But as we saw in 2012, chaos can still ensue.

The Games:

LSU at Texas A&M (Thursday, 7:30pm, ESPN)

Talk about a match-up of underwhelming proportions. Both LSU and TAMU have fallen off the map after hot starts. Neither team is playing for a major bowl game berth, so this is a lot of pride on the line. It’s difficult to go into College Station and leave with a W, so watch how the Aggie defense prepares for LSU. Arkansas proved that the Tigers can be shut down completely, so the Aggies may try to duplicate their success. I’m not really given to either of these teams, but I think home field counts for enough to get the Aggies over the hump. TAMU wins a close game.

Final Score: TAMU 24, LSU 21
INCORRECT: LSU won 23-17

5 TCU at Texas (Thursday, 7:30pm, Fox Sports1)

Alright, TCU, this has trap game written all over it. A Thanksgiving night game in Austin. Another chance to state your case for the selection committee. And a Texas team hungry for a win over someone highly ranked. If TCU isn’t careful they could find themselves on the losing side of a playoff rattling upset. But I don’t think that happens. The Horned Frogs are simply too deep and too well coached to allow the Longhorns to get the jump on them. TCU wins going away.

Final Score: TCU 40, Texas 20
CORRECT: TCU won 48-10

13 Arizona State at 11 Arizona (Friday, 3:30pm, Fox)

Arizona State, I have thought all year, was better than Arizona. And I think they prove it Friday. The Wildcats basically shot up the rankings off the back of beating Oregon. Arizona State should win this game, but it's possible Arizona keeps it closer than most people think. Sun Devils win.

Final Score: Arizona State 31, Arizona 24
INCORRECT: Arizona won 42-35

16 Georgia Tech at 9 Georgia (Saturday, Noon, SEC Network)

Some people are sending a lot of love Georgia Tech’s way in this game, but I don’t see it. Tech has to travel to Athens, where Georgia still has Nick Chubb, who is well-rested and ready. Georgia has Hutson Mason, who, while he may lack the yardage of other QBs, is the most accurate quarterback in the SEC. Georgia has a defense that grows more fierce by the game, especially in the front seven. The Jackets will run the ball, of that there is no doubt. But Georgia has enough defensive speed to contain their attack and win this game for the 13th time in 14 tries. There will be no scoreboard watching in Athens, as Missouri takes on Arkansas on Friday. By kickoff of this game, Georgia will know if they have a date in Atlanta next weekend. Dawgs roll.

Final Score: Georgia 45, Georgia Tech 27
INCORRECT: Georgia Tech won 30-24 in OT

South Carolina at 21 Clemson (Saturday, Noon, ESPN)

Thanks to injury and deflated expectations, several games on the slate have lost their luster. This is one of them. South Carolina was supposed to be a playoff contender, but injuries and a weaker-than-expected defense sent the Gamecocks into a tailspin. Clemson really took off when freshman QB Deshaun Watson took over. Then Watson got hurt and Clemson has crumpled. Other than wounded pride, this game does not mean much in the grand scheme of college football in 2014. This is probably a coin-toss game, but I don’t usually go against the SEC, if I can help it. Gamecocks win.

Final Score: South Carolina 28, Clemson 21
INCORRECT: Clemson won 35-17

4 Mississippi State at 19 Ole Miss (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

The Egg Bowl held a lot more meaning just a month ago, but the sudden downfall of Ole Miss and the continual way Mississippi State hovers in the top four has taken away the shine from this match up. Bulldogs QB Dak Prescott seems to have fallen from the Heisman race. For Ole Miss, the once vaunted Landshark defense has given way to a weaker defense that just gave up 30 to Arkansas. That said, this is a rivalry game, and weird things happen. I'm calling for the upset here, as Ole Miss makes a late field goal to win by 3.

Final Score: Ole Miss 24, Mississippi State 21
CORRECT: Ole Miss won 31-17

Notre Dame at USC (Saturday, 3:30pm, Fox)

A game that typically has national implications doesn't mean a whole lot this year. At worst, this game will hurt the case Florida State is making to reach the playoffs, as the Noles barely escape Notre Dame in Tallahassee. Notre Dame has lost some games it should have won (FSU, Northwestern) and has fallen a long way from that 2012 National Championship Game appearance. I think Notre Dame wins here, but I think it's a close game and the Irish need a late TD to go ahead. Irish win.

Final Score: Notre Dame 27, USC 21
INCORRECT: USC won 49-14

Florida at 3 Florida State (Saturday, 3:30pm, ESPN)

This is the last time we will see Will Muschamp as the head coach of Florida. He resigned a few weeks back, effective the end of the FSU game. For a coach who has been on the hot seat since the start of last season, Muschamp has the chance to throw the entirety of college football into chaos. Defeat Florida State, which is totally doable, and watch the playoff rankings collapse in on themselves. But it is Florida, and even though they beat a flat Georgia team, they’re still lacking something. Jameis Winston, so long as he doesn’t get into further trouble with the law, is apparently free to do whatever he wants at FSU, and he can somehow engineer victories from the jaws of defeat. FSU sneaks by a fired up Florida.

Final Score: Florida State 21, Florida 17
CORRECT: FSU won 24-19

10 Michigan State at Penn State (Saturday, 3:30pm, ABC)

I wanted to put a Big Ten game on the slate, as they’ve been a tad under-represented here on the picks, and normally Michigan-Ohio State would fill that slot, but Michigan is so far down I don’t see them contending too closely with the Buckeyes. So instead, here’s Michigan State, once the hope of the Big Ten, traveling to Happy Valley to face the Nittany Lions. Michigan State is obviously the better team in this game, but Penn State is slowly coming around under former Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin. Sparty rolls.

Final Score: Michigan State 35, Penn State 17
CORRECT: Michigan State won 34-10

15 Auburn at 1 Alabama (Saturday, 7:45pm, ESPN)

If Alabama was smart, and we know Nick Saban is smart, then he had his team studying the game tape of what Georgia did to humiliate Auburn. Alabama is basically as deep at running back as Georgia, deeper at WR than Georgia, and better on defense, so this should be a blowout. But Auburn will definitely be looking for a rebound game. Nick Marshall won’t let the Tigers stay down for long. Still, I don’t think it’s enough. I see ‘Bama rolling in the second half and claiming a spot in the SEC Championship Game.

Final Score: Alabama 34, Auburn 21
CORRECT: Alabama won 55-44

The Right Wing Top Ten

The Associated Press Poll and the Amway Coaches Poll both feature a Preseason version. I even posted a “Preseason Top Ten,” or something to that effect, a while back. I never intended to use that poll as a basis for the Right Wing Top Ten, though.

15. Oklahoma Sooners (last week: NR)

14. Arizona State Sun Devils (last week: 15)

13. Arizona Wildcats (last week: 14)

12. Wisconsin Badgers (last week: 13)

11. Kansas State Wildcats (last week: 11)

10. Marshall Thundering Herd (last week: 10)

Why: This is probably all the love Marshall is going to get. Their schedule simply is too weak.

9. UCLA Bruins (last week: 12)

Why: UCLA smacked USC in the face and then didn’t stop...

8. Georgia Bulldogs (last week: 8)

Why: Georgia beat down their tune-up opponent ahead of a rivalry game with Georgia Tech

7. Ohio State Buckeyes (last week: 7)

Why: So long as Ohio State keeps winning they’ll hold position. Indiana gave them a momentary scare, though.

6. Mississippi State Bulldogs (last week: 6)

Why: Beating Vanderbilt is nothing special this year, so Mississippi State holds its place without movement.

5. TCU Horned Frogs (last week: 5)

Why: TCU remains on the outside looking in of my top four...

4. Baylor Bears (last week: 4)

Why: I know most polls have TCU ahead of Baylor. I happen to place some emphasis on the head-to-head win Baylor has over the Frogs..

3. Oregon Ducks (last week: 3)

Why: Oregon is a playoff-bound team, assuming they survive the Civil War and the PAC-12 title game.

2. Florida State Seminoles (last week: 2)

Why: The only reason I have FSU ahead of Oregon is that pesky 0 in the loss column.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (last week: 1)

Why: Alabama did what they needed to do in their tune-up for the Iron Bowl. Now Auburn is all that stands between the Tide and a berth in Atlanta.

Bowl Projections

It’s the time of year again. Time to unveil some bowl projections. These projections have nothing to do with my previously listed Top Ten.

Sugar Bowl (playoff semifinal): Florida State vs Oregon

Rose Bowl (playoff semifinal): Alabama vs TCU

Cotton Bowl (group of five): Mississippi State vs Baylor

Orange Bowl (group of five): Clemson vs Michigan State

Peach Bowl (group of five): Georgia vs Marshall

Fiesta Bowl (group of five): Ohio State vs Arizona State

Citrus Bowl (ACC/B1G vs SEC): Georgia Tech vs Missouri

Outback Bowl (B1G vs SEC): Nebraska vs Ole Miss

Football Future-see 2014: Week Thirteen

Record
Week 1	8-2
Week 2	5-0
Week 3	2-3
Week 4	4-1
Week 5	2-3
Week 6	2-8
Week 7	4-1
Week 8	3-2
Week 9	2-3
Week 10	2-3
Week 11	4-6
Week 12	3-2
Week 13	3-2
Total	44-36	0.550

This has been, without doubt, the worst season I’ve had picking these games, but I feel pretty good, seeing as I’ve done more in terms of writing and breakdown. My preferred team, Georgia, has been on a rollercoaster this year, fighting through injury and just plain bad losses. But we’re drawing to a close this season. The conference championship games are fast approaching. Should be fun…

The Games:

12 Kansas State at West Virginia (Thursday, 7:00pm, ESPN)

I don’t know how they did it, but it seems like every ranked Big XII team has had to go on the road to play West Virginia. The Mountaineers have already taken down Baylor and took TCU to the limit. A Thursday night trip doesn’t necessarily bode well for the Wildcats. I’m looking for a close game from start to finish, but I think the Wildcats fall just short thanks to a last field goal. Mountaineers win.

Final Score: West Virginia 27, Kansas State 24
INCORRECT: Kansas State won 26-20

Charleston Southern at 10 Georgia (Saturday, Noon, SEC Network)

Georgia was pumped to get RB Todd Gurley back against Auburn. It led to the Dawgs crushing their bitter rivals 34-7. But, in sadly ironic fashion, Gurley blew out his ACL, likely ending his UGA career. Still, the Dawgs have games to play. RB Nick Chubb will look to lead the charge against FCS foe Charleston Southern Saturday. The Buccaneers have played well against FBS opponents, suffering a one-point loss to Vanderbilt earlier this season (Georgia defeated Vanderbilt 44-17). Charleston Southern is 8-3 on the year and this is their last game. Georgia still has in-state rival Georgia Tech. Look for the starters to get lots of rest in this game. It should be well in hand by halftime. Dawgs roll.

Final Score: Georgia 56, Charleston Southern 14
CORRECT: Georgia won 55-9

8 Ole Miss at Arkansas (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

Arkansas finally notched a conference win, as I called it, in shutting out LSU 17-0. Ole Miss is coming off a bye week. The Rebels still have a lot to play for and Arkansas is primed to play spoiler for several teams. The Razorbacks could ruin Ole Miss’s season, thereby hurting the resumes of the other SEC West teams. The Hogs could also knock out Missouri, handing the SEC East to Georgia. Arkansas is playing loose now, getting that monkey off their back last week. I like the Hogs in a close game here.

Final Score: Arkansas 24, Ole Miss 21
CORRECT: Arkansas won 30-0

24 Louisville at Notre Dame (Saturday, 3:30pm, NBC)

This game could well adversely affect Florida State. See, the Seminoles strength of schedule is lagging a bit behind Alabama, Oregon, TCU, Mississippi State, and Baylor. FSU has beaten both teams in this game, but if Notre Dame wins then it’s likely both teams are out of the Top 25, which hurts the resume of FSU. That said, I like Louisville here for some reason. Yes, they’re going it without their top player, but Georgia did that for four weeks and still won 3 out of 4. Surely Louisville can pull it off against a reeling Notre Dame. Cardinals win a close one.

Final Score: Louisville 26, Notre Dame 21
CORRECT: Louisville won 31-28

15 Arizona at 17 Utah (Saturday, 3:30pm, ESPN)

The PAC-12 South battle rages on. Oregon has already clinched the North, and they await an opponent for the PAC-12 Championship game. Arizona rocketed up the ranking by defeating Oregon, but they need help to reach Santa Clara. A definitive win over the Utes would help them, but it may not be enough, as UCLA controls their own destiny. Winning out puts the Bruins in the title game, regardless what Arizona does. But I don’t think Arizona leaves Utah with a win. The Utes are a good team that no one is talking about. Utes win.

Final Score: Utah 31, Arizona 24
INCORRECT: Arizona won 42-10

The Right Wing Top Ten

The Associated Press Poll and the Amway Coaches Poll both feature a Preseason version. I even posted a “Preseason Top Ten,” or something to that effect, a while back. I never intended to use that poll as a basis for the Right Wing Top Ten, though.

15. Arizona State Sun Devils (last week: 7)

14. Arizona Wildcats (last week: NR)

13. Wisconsin Badgers (last week: NR)

12. UCLA Bruins (last week: 15)

11. Kansas State Wildcats (last week: 14)

10. Marshall Thundering Herd (last week: 13)

Why: This is probably all the love Marshall is going to get. Their schedule simply is too weak. Minnesota lost last week and remained ranked ahead of the undefeated Herd.

9. Ole Miss Rebels (last week: 11)

Why: A weak off gives the Rebels much needed rest.

8. Georgia Bulldogs (last week: 12)

Why: Someone help me figure out my Dawgs...they lose by 18 to Florida (whose coach just resigned) and then beat a 9th-ranked Auburn team by 27. I don’t know…

7. Ohio State Buckeyes (last week: 8)

Why: Why does Ohio State keep winning? It’s likely the Buckeyes face Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game.

6. Mississippi State Bulldogs (last week: 1)

Why: I watched Mississippi State lose Alabama. It was not as close as the final score indicated. Therefore the Bulldogs fall out of the top four.

5. TCU Horned Frogs (last week: 5)

Why: TCU remains on the outside looking in of my top four...

4. Baylor Bears (last week: 6)

Why: I know most polls have TCU ahead of Baylor. I happen to place some emphasis on the head-to-head win Baylor has over the Frogs..

3. Oregon Ducks (last week: 4)

Why: Oregon is a playoff-bound team, assuming they survive the Civil War and the PAC-12 title game.

2. Florida State Seminoles (last week: 2)

Why: The only reason I have FSU ahead of Oregon is that pesky 0 in the loss column.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (last week: 3)

Why: Ric Flair always said “to be the man, you gotta beat the man.” Well, Alabama beat the man last weekend, so they become the man this week.

Bowl Projections

It’s the time of year again. Time to unveil some bowl projections. These projections have nothing to do with my previously listed Top Ten.

Sugar Bowl (playoff semifinal): Florida State vs Oregon

Rose Bowl (playoff semifinal): Alabama vs TCU

I’ve changed up the order for the playoff, because I actually think the committee will avoid putting in two teams from one conference.

Cotton Bowl (group of five): Mississippi State vs Baylor

Orange Bowl (group of five): Clemson vs Michigan State

Peach Bowl (group of five): Georgia vs Marshall

Fiesta Bowl (group of five): Ohio State vs Arizona State

Citrus Bowl (ACC/B1G vs SEC): Georgia Tech vs Missouri

Outback Bowl (B1G vs SEC): Nebraska vs Ole Miss

Bernie Ecclestone and the Great British Foot in the Mouth

No one has ever shed a tear for Bernie Ecclestone, though many tears have been shed as a result of Bernie Ecclestone. Who is Bernie Ecclestone? He’s the head man of the world’s top motor racing series, Formula 1. He’s also 84 years old, filled with terrible ideas, and a recent victim of open-mouth-insert-foot-itis.

Bernie's normal look of confusion...

See, F1 is struggling under some hard times right now. Smaller teams (Caterham, Marussia, Sauber, Force India, Toro Rosso) are feeling the sting as more and more money is diverted to the, to borrow a college football term, Power 5 teams (Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari, Williams).

Caterham and Marussia entered administration after the Russian Grand Prix. This rendered the teams incapable of competing at both the America. How did Bernie respond to the situation? By saying:

"Nobody will miss the two teams because they're not front-running teams; they've only got a name that people would know because of the problem they're in. If you want to get recognised, you've got to do something."

He even compared them to Oscar Pistorius, who has been in the news for his lengthy murder trial of girlfriend Reva Steenkamp. Ecclestone said, “This poor guy in South Africa, for instance, has got more interest because of what happened with him than when he was winning gold medals. He won medals and afterwards nobody thought about him. If this case hadn't happened he would have been forgotten, probably. Same with these two teams.”

Ecclestone also flashed out some of his trademark Ferrari favoritism, spouting “You need teams like Ferrari. If they go anywhere and you say to somebody 'Ferrari', they'll know what you are talking about."

It’s good to know that the man in charge of Formula 1 cares so much about the teams. But Bernie wasn’t finished running his mouth. Oh no, far more idiotic drivel was primed to come pouring out.

Ecclestone is, as stated earlier, the head of the highest ranking class of motorsport competition on the planet. His series is well-known for its claim to be the pinnacle of racing technology. And yet, only recently have they truly begun using Twitter in earnest. Bernie, showing off the avuncular good cheer of a lovable luddite, said of social media, "I'm not interested in tweeting, Facebook and whatever this nonsense is. I tried to find out but in any case I'm too old-fashioned. I couldn't see any value in it. And, I don't know what the so-called 'young generation' of today really wants. What is it?"

Yes, Bernie Ecclestone, head of the organization that supposedly leads the world in automotive technological innovation, says Facebook is nonsense. But the most telling quote in that bundle of loosely connected senile thoughts is “I couldn’t see any value in it.” Remember, for Bernie Ecclestone, if something isn’t going to make him another $100 million, he doesn’t care about it. This is a man with a net worth over $4 billion US dollars. His well-publicized squabbles with race promoters reveals an incredible fascination not with providing the best product for his viewers, thereby making him more money in the long term, but with making the most sound, for him and no one else, fiscal investments now for immediate payoffs.

Countries like India, Korea, and others have removed from the F1 calendar because they couldn’t afford Bernie’s exorbitant race fees. Like FIFA, Bernie has a propensity for dealing with governments instead of private investors. Maybe that’s just a European thing, I don’t know…

But Bernie has a way of connecting with an audience…wait, did I say “connecting?”...I meant, alienating…

“…you're telling me I need to find a channel to get this 15-year-old to watch Formula 1 because somebody wants to put out a new brand in front of them? They are not going to be interested in the slightest bit. Young kids will see the Rolex brand, but are they going to go and buy one? They can't afford it. Or our other sponsor, UBS - these kids don't care about banking. They haven't got enough money to put in the bloody banks anyway. That's what I think. I don't know why people want to get to the so-called 'young generation'. Why do they want to do that? Is it to sell them something? Most of these kids haven't got any money.”

One thing we’ve learned from the increasingly incoherent ramblings of this Beatles cover band reject is that he doesn’t seem to believe that people get older or that they can learn to make better financial decisions. But it’s all part of the mystique that is Bernie Ecclestone. And let me tell you, there’s a lot of mystique about this guy…

Take this statement for example: "I'd rather get to the 70-year-old guy who's got plenty of cash. So, there's no point trying to reach these kids because they won't buy any of the products here and if marketers are aiming at this audience, then maybe they should advertise with Disney."

The Bernie Ecclestone School of Modern Marketing, ladies and gentlemen. Only target septuagenarians who have large bank accounts. No teenager will ever grow up and get a job. Nope, from now until eternity the people who are 70 with big banks accounts will forever be 70 with big bank accounts and the teenage hoodlums will forever be teenage hoodlums.

That, in a nutshell, is Bernie Ecclestone. And love him or hate him, Bernie is slowly destroying the sport he helped build into the behemoth it is today.