BIG XII FOOTBALL PREVIEW*

The Big XII remains at 12 teams in 2010. Nebraska will join the BigTen in 2011, and Colorado will join the Pac-10 in 2012. The offseason nearly saw the death of this central states Conference, as Texas and Oklahoma were courted by the SEC and Pac-10. But now it's football time again. And the traditional powerhouses will reign supreme in the conference, which has definitive upper, middle, and lower classes of teams. There are three Big XII teams ranked in the pre-season top 10, but the 4th highest ranked team is 37th nationally.

1. OKLAHOMA SOONERS

Texas is the popular pick to win the Big XII South, and then likely the Big XII title. But Oklahoma is looking good this year. Sophomore QB Landry Jones threw for 3,198 yards last season, with 26 TDs and 14 INTs. If he can stay healthy, he'll improve on that. RB DeMarco Murray also returns, although there's little depth at receiver. Only 5 defensive starters return, but Oklahoma's done a good job of reloading with talented players. The Big XII South winner will be determined in the Red River Shootout, with OU victorious.

Prediction: 11-2, Big XII South Champs, Big XII Champs

Key Games:
9/11 vs. Florida State
9/25 @ Cincinnati
10/2 vs. Texas (in Dallas)
10/23 @ Missouri
11/27 @ Oklahoma State

2. TEXAS LONGHORNS

No more Colt McCoy in Austin. Garrett Gilbert is the heir apparent, and was baptized by fire against Bama in the title game. So when the Horns start off at Rice, it should seem like a pee wee game for Gilbert. That being said, UT only returns 4 offensive starters, and they'll likely simplify their schemes, going with hard runs and a back-to-basics passing attack. They'll rely on their defense, which returns 6 starters, mostly in an excellent secondary, which is a must have in the Big XII. They'll excel, but lose to OU in the RRS. They'll likely still make a BCS Bowl.

Prediction: 11-1, 2nd in Big XII South

Key Games:
10/2 vs. Oklahoma (in Dallas)
10/16 @ Nebraska
11/13 vs. Oklahoma State
11/25 vs. Texas A&M

3. NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS

The Blackshirts are back. NU will return with a mostly intact offense, with some talent at the skill positions. However, that unit needs to improve their execution as the Huskers were 75th in scoring offense last year, and 99th in yardage. The defense lost Suh, but they're still deep and ferocious, especially up front. In a Conference loaded with powerful offenses, a shutdown defense can separate a team from the pack. Nebraska held 7 opponents to single digits last year. That's half of their games. They also have something every defensively minded team needs: an excellent, reliable, and accurate kicker. An easy non-conference schedule also helps.

Prediction: 11-2, Big XII North Champs

Key Games:
10/16 vs. Texas
10/30 vs. Missouri

4. MISSOURI TIGERS

Mizzou is a good darkhorse candidate in the Big XII North. Big Blaine Gibbert returns after a 3,593 yard, 24 TD, 9 INT season that saw him complete 59% of his passes. 4/5 of the offensive line also returns. However the Tigers need to fill some holes at WR. The defense isn't bad either. DE Aldon Smith tallied 11.5 sacks as a freshman. Although their depth on the line is worrisome. They're deep at linebacker, but have some forgettable DBs. A soft schedule to start their season will help them tie up all their loose ends.

Prediction: 10-2, 2nd in Big XII North

Key Games:
10/23 vs. Oklahoma
10/30 @ Nebraska

The remainder of the teams are listed alphabetically...

BAYLOR BEARS

QB Robert Griffin returns from an ACL injury. He amassed 2,934 total yards in '08, along with 28 TDs. The offense should be solid, but the defense will be dreadful. The Bears allowed 405.6 yards a game last year. Part of that is from playing in the Big XII, but most of it is because that unit is simply awful. They'll benefit from a soft schedule with games against Sam Houston State, Buffalo, and Rice, but they still won't attain bowl eligibility.

Prediction: 4-8

COLORADO BUFFALOES

I don't know if the Big XII will be happy to lose CU or not. On one hand, they lose a struggling program. On the other hand, they all lose a near guaranteed win. The Buffs have an experienced offense, but it wasn't a very good one. They allowed 44 sacks last season. The QB situation is a toss-up, they have no depth at RB, but they do have some good receivers. Their special teams units might be among the worst in the country. Apart from two very good CBs, their defense is air.

Prediction: 2-10

IOWA STATE CYCLONES

ISU is looking to build on a surprisingly good 7-6 season last year. They return 8 offensive starters, including RB Alexander Robson, who compiled 1,456 yards from scrimmage in '09. They're also very deep at WR. They have an inexperienced defense, but their secondary is very good. A tough schedule will keep them from winning more than 7 games, but they won't be a pushover. They have to play at Iowa, at Oklahoma, at Texas, and also host Nebraska.

Prediction: 6-6

KANSAS JAYHAWKS

The departure of QB Todd Reesing has left a vacuum at the position. There'll be a competition for the spot with no clear favorite going into the season. The Jayhawks have astounding depth at CB (8 players vying for 2 spots), some good defensive ends, but they're weak at linebacker. Their offense is poor, and their O-line is supbar. They ended 2009 with 7 straight losses, and they won't improve much in 2010.

Prediction: 6-6

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

RB Daniel Thomas ran for 1,265 yards and 11 scores last year. He'll spearhead an offense that boasts 4 returning O-line starters. The passing game, however, is a big question mark. K-State also lost some key playmakers on defense. They have a pair of excellent safeties that will need to carry the D.

Prediction: 5-7

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS

RB Kendall Hunter returns to Stillwater after missing 2010 due to injury. He ran for 1,553 yards and 16 TDs in '08. The Cowboys have an inexperienced O-line, only returning 1 starter. They were 31st in scoring defense last season, but only bring back 3 from that unit. This will be a rebuilding year for OSU, and the potent offenses of the Big XII will exploit that.

Prediction: 8-4

TEXAS A&M AGGIES

A&M is once again relevant. They feature an explosive and highly skilled offense. They were 5th in the country in yards and 19th in scoring last year. Although their O-line lost 3 starters. Their defense, however, is atrocious. They return 10 starters on D, so they'll likely be better. They were 105th in scoring defense, 90th against the run, 106th against the pass, 105th in total yards. They yielded 49 points to Texas, and 65 to OU.

Prediction: 8-4

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS

The Red Raiders are a typical Big XII team. They're very talented and very deep on offense, with excellent skill position players. But their defense is susceptible. TTU was already weak on defense last year, and now they need to reload again, especially up front. They'll score points, but they'll get scored on by the big boys of the Conference.

Prediction: 8-4

SOX CLAIM DAMON OFF WAIVERS

The Red Sox put in a waiver claim for Tigers' outfielder Johnny Damon. Damon's hitting .272 with 41 RBI and 7 HRs in Detroit. However, he has a no-trade clause which includes the Red Sox, so he'd have to waive that before the Tigers and Sox could make a deal. If no deal gets done by 1:30pm Wednesday, then the Tigers can pull him off waivers.

"What we had in Boston -- I stress had, from 2002 to 2005 -- we had a special bunch of guys. And after the 2004 season, guys started leaving. And in 2005, how (Mark) Bellhorn left, how Alan Embree left, how Kevin Millar was being treated there. That's something that sticks with you. It was a totally new team."

So perhaps the way the Red Sox Front Office concocts injuries, and makes token contract offers to players on their way out has rubbed someone the wrong way.

Whatever. I don't think adding a mediocre OF/DH type would do much, especially if he barely wants to be here.

Source:
USA Today

SOX BEAT RAIN, MARINERS

Marco Scutaro had a pair of 2 run singles to lead the Red Sox in brisk, windy, rainy 6-3 win. John Lackey contributed another great start against an AL West opponent, going 8 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned), and striking out a season high 10.

I really don't have much to say about this game except that it's exactly what the Red Sox must do at this point. They have to beat 76 loss teams like the Mariners. They have to get excellent starting pitching, 2 out hitting (3 of the Sox' 6 runs came with 2 outs), and hitting with runners in scoring position (Sox were 3 for 6 in that situation).

Josh Beckett needs to show something tonight. He opposes David Pauley, a 27 year old with 12 career starts under his belt.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

ACC FOOTBALL PREVIEW*

The ACC hasn't been too impressive in recent years. ACC representatives were 3-4 in Bowl Games. The struggles of Miami and Florida State are partially to blame. But this year might be the beginning of a resurgence.

1. MIAMI HURRICANES

The U is back, ladies and gentlemen. Jacory Harris looks to build on an impressive yet inconsistent (17 INTs) season. He has 4 excellent receivers to distribute the ball to, and some solid runningbacks to carry the mail. The defensive line is ferocious and deep. The DBs are also solid. There are still rough edges, and this team will still find ways to tokenly screw things up, but they're in the ACC, so it won't matter. They host Virginia Tech in November, so i'm giving the Hurricanes the edge to win the Coastal Division, which is by far the superior grouping in the ACC.

Prediction: 10-2, ACC Coastal Division winner, ACC Championship winner

Key Games:
9/11 @ Ohio State
9/23 @ Pittsburgh
10/2 @ Clemson
10/9 vs. Florida State
11/13 @ Georgia Tech
11/20 vs. Virginia Tech

2. VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES

The Hokies return 7 offensive starters, including talented QB Tyrod Taylor, a talented stable of WRs, and last but not least: Ryan Williams, who ran for 1,655 yards in '09, scoring 21 TDs. Virginia Tech finally has an offense again. However, their defense only returns 3 starters, 1 each on the D-Line, at LB and in the defensive backfield. And the new faces aren't that impressive, either. Thankfully for Tech, they're in the ACC, and reloading years can still be quite successful.

Prediction: 10-2, 2nd in Coastal Division

Key Games:
9/6 vs. Boise State (in Landover, MD)
11/4 vs. Georgia Tech
11/20 @ Miami

3. GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS

Don't forget that GT won the ACC last year. The Yellow Jackets averaged 295.4 rushing yards per game last year. They lost a few backs to graduation, but that's like taking a gallon of water out of the ocean, there's plenty more RBs where those came from. Unfortunately, the Yellow Jackets have some big leaks. Their defense couldn't make stops, their QB was erratic, and their special teams were a liability. Hiring Al Groh as a defensive coordinator should help the defense. It'd be hard to make that worse. Tech will be good, just not good enough to beat Miami or Virginia Tech.

Prediction: 9-3, 3rd in Coastal Division

Key Games:
10/23 @ Clemson
11/4 @ Virginia Tech
11/13 vs. Miami
11/27 @ Georgia

4. FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES

Florida State will cruise to an Atlantic Division title. Because who can contend with them? BC? Clemson? HA! The Seminoles will feature an experienced, balanced offense led by QB Christian Ponder. Their defense was awful last year, allowing 21+ points in 12 of 13 games (they held Jacksonville State to 9). They've changed their defensive coaching staff, adding Mark Stoops as defensive coordinator. They play in a weak division, but have some tough non-conference opponents.

Prediction: 8-4, ACC Atlantic Division winner

Key Games:
9/11 @ Oklahoma
9/18 vs. BYU
10/9 @ Miami
11/13 vs. Clemson
11/27 vs. Florida

The rest of the conference is listed alphabetically...

BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES

BC has especially strong strengths, and especially weak weaknesses. RB Montel Harris returns after a 1,457 yard, 14 TD sophomore season. The Eagles also boast one of the best LB corps in the country with Mark Herzlich slated to return. However, their receivers are inadequate. They'll miss Rich Gunnell. And QB David Shinksie struggles against competent defenses.

Prediction: 7-5

CLEMSON TIGERS

No more CJ Spiller for Clemson. No Jacoby Ford either. The Tigers will not be able to replace the 32 TDs and 2,616 yards from scrimmage these two provided. They will have some decent RBs, but they need one of them to emerge as a true #1. They have almost no offense. Their defense is solid, with a superb D-Line, but it's not good enough to win games on its own.

Prediction: 7-5

DUKE BLUE DEVILS

Duke has a solid passing game, but absolutely no rushing game whatsoever. The Blue Devils averaged 63.5 yards/game last year, and 2.3 per carry. Their defense is also quite bland. Then again, it's Duke. They're no longer utter pushovers, no longer guaranteed wins for opponents.

Prediction: 3-9

MARYLAND TERRAPINS

The Terps have some solid skill players on offense, but lack a line to protect their QB or make holes for their RBs. Their defense allows big plays, and gets a little too blitz-happy. Head coach Ralph Friedgen would be gone if not for a $4 million buyout that the athletic department didn't want to play. They're one of the worst teams in the country and didn't do much to improve. They were 2-10 in '09, with one of those wins coming against James Madison... in overtime.

Prediction: 4-8

NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS

People expect to see something from UNC this season, but not me. They return 9 starters from the 13th best scoring defense in the country. But they also return 9 starters from the 83rd ranked scoring offense. They have future NFL guys like DE Robert Quinn, who registered 11 sacks last year. But their offense is a joke. QB TJ Yates threw 14 TDs last season, along with 15 INTs. They'll compete, and could upset a big team in the Coastal Division, but don't expect them contending.

Prediction: 7-5

NC STATE WOLFPACK

NCSU scored a nice 30.7 points per game last year. But they allowed 31.2 per game. And 110 of their 368 total points came against Murray State and Gardner-Webb. So their offense isn't as good as it might seem. If QB Russell Wilson decides to play football (he was drafted by the Rockies), then NCSU might win some games. Otherwise, they're completely screwed.

Prediction: 5-7

VIRGINIA CAVALIERS

New coach Mike London inherits Al Groh's mess. UVA are one of the worst programs in college football. They lost to William & Mary last year. They were 103rd in scoring offense, 68th in scoring defense. London will bring things back to basics, which should suit his players better. But he has absolutely no talent to work with at all. The November 13th meeting between Virginia and Maryland will be an abomination to the game of football, and should be boycotted.

Prediction: 4-8 (they play Richmond and VMI).

WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS

With the departure of Riley Skinner, there's a 4 way competition for the QB spot. The Deacons boast some good WRs and dependable backs, so they might select a speedy QB and go with an option offense. That wouldn't be a bad idea, and it could do well in the Atlantic Division. They have some defensive ends that can pressure opposing QBs, but they're weak up the middle on defense. Token ACC team here.

Prediction: 6-6

PROLONGING THE AGONY?

While a 2 of 3 series win against Toronto is nothing to be ashamed of, quite frankly, the Sox cannot afford to simply maintain the status quo. They need to gain ground. It's time to move. And they very nearly lost 2 of 3 in this series.

I'm not closing the book on them just yet. But the Sox need to gain about a game a week on Tampa Bay. They have 6 head-to-head games against the Rays, so there's still some hope.

There's slightly more hope that Clay Buchholz will win the Cy Young. He's not your typical Cy Young type of guy. He's a lanky 6' 3" 190 pounds, and isn't the dominant strikeout pitcher that usually wins that Award (79th in Majors in strikeouts). But his 2.26 ERA is best in the AL, and 4th in the Majors. Unfortunately, CC Sabathia has him beat with 17 wins, 151 strikeouts, and his ERA is at 3.02. But Clay's certainly been the MVP of Red Sox this season.

The Sox are 4-2 so far in their 9 game homestand against mediocre and poor quality teams. They host Seattle, and anything short of a sweep is an abject failure.

Lackey opposes Doug Fister tonight.

Photo Credit:
Canadian Press

PATRIOTS PASS SOME TESTS

It's preseason. That needs to be repeated every time you feel any emotion while watching one of these exhibition games. Any thrill at seeing Fred Taylor break a big run, any disappointment at a 14 yard gain yielded by the defense, needs to be tempered.

The Patriots tested two things in this game: Wes Welker and the running game. Brady threw at Welker three straight times, putting him in tough positions, and eventually getting him hit pretty hard. It was Welker's first appearance in preseason, and you can tell that the Pats want to appraise him before they rely on him.

The Pats ran the ball. A lot. And it caught the Falcons off guard. So the two rushing touchdowns, Taylor's 54 yards, and Morris' 52 yards shouldn't be taken at face value. Then again, Atlanta allowed the 10th fewest rushing yards, and 8th fewest yards per carry in the 2009 season.

This team doesn't need the ground attack to win games for them. But they do need other teams to respect it. They need it for short yardage, 3rd down, and red-zone/goal-line situations. They need it for play-action pass. They need it to slow down and wear out opposing pass rushes.

The biggest concern I have with the runningbacks is their age. Sure, Taylor, Morris, and Faulk looked great. But they played half the game. Half a game in August. Will they still be this good in November and December?

One very positive thing from this game was the play of Aaron Hernandez. He's not really a tight-end. I think he can be a challenging guy for opponents to cover, though. The Patriots haven't had a reliable pass-catching tight-end since Fauria. And Hernandez can present some real matchup problems for opposing defenses.

How will the defense be this year? Probably inconsistent. Matt Ryan was finding holes in the zone just before he was pulled. Give skilled coaches, QBs, and WRs 4 quarters to figure the Pats' defense out, and things will get difficult. I like Chung at safety. But I didn't like how the unit looked against a no-huddle offense.

So while a 28-10 win with rookie tight-ends catching touchdowns, and runningbacks amassing 120 yards on the ground is very pleasant, there are still some concerns that might not manifest themselves until snow starts falling.

Photo Credit:
Getty Images

ANOTHER BECKETT FAILURE

I'll eat my share of crow on this one. I liked the Red Sox' signing Beckett until 2014. Good pitching is hard to find, and $17 million per season seemed only a little above a good price. I was wrong. So very, very wrong.

Since the end of 2007, Josh Beckett has a 4.40 ERA. That's fairly bad. That's not worth $17 million. He's not only been inconsistent, but when he's not on his A Game, it's an F performance. There's no middle grounds. He doesn't pitch his way through difficult games. He has no guile, little deception. He's a chucker.

Has it been a blessing in disguise that he's only made 14 starts this season? I think it is. 3-3, with an ERA at 6.67. That's the 2nd highest ERA in the Majors among pitchers with 60 innings or more. That's just garbage.

Dustin Pedroia was scratched from the lineup due to pain in his foot. I think the Sox should be extra careful with him. I'd like him to play in all 3 games against the Rays next weekend. But maybe he should only go every other day until then.

Honestly, risking further injury to Pedroia when the team is 6 out of the Wild Card doesn't seem worth it.

Toronto comes to town, and Brett Cecil opposes Jon Lester.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

SOX GRIND IT OUT

A very nice, solid, hard fought victory last night. The Sox never looked much better than the Angels until the late innings. Lackey was able to extend himself to pitch 7 innings, then Bard and Papelbon finished the job.

Lackey gave up a big 3 run homer in the 5th. But other than that, he did his job. Thankfully, the Sox bats woke up once they got Kazmir out of the game. Beltre had a vital 2 run homer in the bottom of the 5th to keep the Sox in it. He's hit 23, and knocked in 83. His offensive contributions, and not his defensive ones, have helped save this team.

Seeing Pedroia back in the lineup just makes things seem better. Even if he doesn't rekindle how well he was hitting before his injury. He was 1 for 3, stole a base, scored a run, drew a walk, and had a sacrifice bunt. Just seeing how much he veered into the infield grass on his sac-bunt, giving him 0.0001% more of a chance to reach 1st base on an error, was just refreshing to see.

But pitching is what will win or lose down the stretch. Lackey wasn't great, but he stayed out there until finishing 7. He had some nice efficient innings at the end of his outing that allowed Francona to keep him out there.

Speaking of pitching, and how important it is, the Sox will go for the sweep behind Josh Beckett tonight. He's opposed by Ervin Santana. I don't have a great feeling, as Santana shut down the Sox back in May. And Beckett's been a basketcase lately.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo