SnoTap College Try Week 4

Yes, enjoy the cupcake. This was truly a boring week of college football.  A good Saturday to get some stuff around the house, maybe attend a wedding, go apple picking with your significant other and it might be the last Saturday where we have such a weak schedule. Next Saturday gets better and it is only the beginning for college football.

Stanford bullies Arizona State - The Cardinal made sure people realized they are for real and here to play this season. They punished Arizona State in a convincing win on Saturday night winning 42-28.   The game looks a lot closer than it truly was as the Sun Devils had three garbage time touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the Goofy Tree led the game 39-7 at the end of the third quarter. Stanford rushed for 248 yards on the ground with a combination of Tyler Gaffney, Anthony Wilkerson and Kevin Hogan. Hogan also had 150 yards through the air. Arizona State continues their gauntlet start heading to USC next weekend while Stanford heads to the always dangerous Pullman, Washington.

Just how good is Michigan? - I truly have no idea at this point. The Wolverines looked great against Notre Dame and then the next two games were for a lack of a better word, horseshit. They did not play well whatsoever against UConn, a team who lost to Towson. Towson!  Michigan had four turnovers with one turning into a return touchdown for the Huskies. If there is a bright spot for the Wolverines, they get a week off to figure out what the hell is going on.  Beating Akron and Uconn by a combined seven points is a concern for team who looked poise to take the next step just a short two weeks ago. They could be playing down to their opponent, but that is still something you do not want to see heading into conference play.

Worth talking about Utah? - Let's take a look at the Utes. Dennis Erickson known offensive mastermind comes to Salt Lake City and the Utes find they have an offensive concept after all. In their first four games of the season, the Utes have averaged 42 points this season and beat the crosstown rivals, Utah State and BYU. There are currently 0-1 in the Pac-12 falling in overtime to Oregon State, but that does not mean this team is not lethal with a tough home environment facing almost all their toughest competition at home this year minus a field trip to Eugene, Oregon in mid-November. It starts Thursday with playing UCLA at home before hosting Stanford the following week.  Travis Wilson is flourishing under Erickson's system already passing for 1118 yards with eleven touchdowns and three interceptions which all came in one game against Oregon State.

Baylor drops another 70 point bomb - In their first four games of the season, Baylor's point total... 69, 70, 70.  But hey, let's not talk about them that much because they are ranked below the top 15. The Big 12 is weak this year and Baylor might be the team everyone is talking about in November.

USC and Virginia Tech survive - Both teams could have suffered bad home losses on Saturday as USC beat Utah State with a field goal in the fourth quarter and tough defense. Virginia Tech had one of the derpiest overtime sessions you will ever see in college football.  No shame in Ethan Keyserling's game missing a 50 yard field goal in the first overtime, but a lot shame in choking a 32-yarder in the second when the Hokies defense forced a fumble. Marshall also missed a field goal in the overtime period. Logan Thomas and a pass interference call ensured the Hokies would not lose at Lane Stadium getting a touchdown in the third overtime period.

APU gains stream - In Saturday's game, Georgia, Georgia Tech and Northwestern players wore things that had the hasthag #APU. For those unfamiliar, this would be the athletic players union. It is an interesting concept that could gain some major steam before the season is over. I am not saying I agree with it, but it would be one way to steer the direction of trying to figure out what to do about paying college athletes. At the end of the day, something needs to change but in my honest opinion, it is one big grey area. There is causation for reasons to do it and reasons not do it.  The biggest part of the problem is the other sports like tennis, hockey, soccer, etc. Those players will expect to get paid too and informing them they will receive much less than the regular college athlete creates a massive domino effect. The NCAA as a whole is treading water as an institution in my opinion.

-Charlie.

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Managing Melvin Gordon's Expectations

If you watched the 2012 Big Ten Championship, you knew the Badgers had something special with Melvin
Gordon. He did not look like other Wisconsin running backs rather a new, dynamic breed who could score any time he touched the football. The redshirt sophomore has started off 2013 with an absolute bang in the month of September rushing for over 600 yards already. As the Badgers face their toughest test of the season against Ohio State this week, many people need to relax on a Gordon hyperbole... for now.

Gordon is not just leading the B1G in rushing right now, but the entire NCAA. No person has more yards than Gordon right now, and as USA Today's Paul Myerberg points out, he is doing it without the carries as a normal college running back making it that much more impressive. People deserve to be calling him the next great Wisconsin running back, but people need to restrain themselves a bit from calling him the winner of the 2013 Heisman trophy although he is in the conversation as we head into conference play.

Looking at Gordon's numbers, they jump off the page without question especially the Arizona State game last week when he faced a premier defensive front seven. Gordon averaged 9.2 yards a carry last week and that was his low for the season.  Gordon is basically getting a first down on every carry.  Despite having three touchdowns on Saturday, it was the first game of the season where Gordon did not have a 50-plus yard run. Gordon still did a bunch of little things to factor into the Badgers blowout victory against Purdue on Saturday afternoon. Ohio State has a young but talented defense. If he puts up some of the same numbers against the Buckeyes, the Gordon for Heisman talk will reach new levels.

Head coach Gary Andersen seems committed to the running back by committee plan. It is not a bad idea seeing as James White has 445 yards on the season and Corey Clement is playing great as a freshman as well. Any three of them would be starters with any team and the Badgers are able to wear down teams with the different approaches that each running back brings to the backfield. The rumble for Gordon to get more carries is likely warranted given how good his season has been already, but it might take the effectiveness out of why the Badgers use Gordon.

Gordon does not seem like Montee Ball where you can ride him for an entire game. On the other hand, White has the body type to carry the ball 30 times and take all the hits.  Gordon is a home run hitter and right now, Andersen is doing the smart thing by using him selectively. I would not be surprised if his carries keep slightly increasing, but Gordon does not strike me as a running back that can double as a bruiser for the team. For the third straight year, the Badgers have the best backfield in the nation and it is not a bad thing to have a triple threat of Gordon, White and Clement. Each of them will have a game where their style of running will come in need.

The Badgers do need to be a little more creative when it comes to Gordon in the passing game. He caught only two passes last year, but Gordon seems like the perfect running back to sneak out the backfield for a wheel route touchdown. Gordon not having a catch for the entire year is legitimately surprising. Additionally, he could be an complete terror in the screen game. Combine the size of the Badgers offensive line and Gordon's speed makes the screen is Paranormal Activity level scary.  Possibly, Gordon does not need more carries rather he needs to get involved in more parts of the offense.

Gordon has become the most interesting Badger. He continues the year he is having as a redshirt sophomore Gordon could declare for the NFL Draft and get drafted in the first two rounds. Gordon could also slow down some bit but still be a super solid option for the Badgers. Either way, the Kenosha product will be a major factor in how the Badgers finish this season.

Charlie.

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SnoTap College Football Picks Week 4: Bo Pelini Shakes off the Haters

Some of you might be wondering why I am doing this on Thursday. As you already saw, we had a Badger preview and now our college football picks. The reason is I will be away from my computer for most of the day on Friday meaning I cannot log the same sort of production as I usually do on Fall Fridays. It will be back to normal next Friday. 

Nebraska football is not off to the best start. The Cornhuskers are 2-1, but much of their fanbse is not optimistic about the future of the current team. They gave up 34 points to Wyoming in a win to begin the year and then last week they let UCLA score 38 unanswered points.  This led people to fire up the pitchforks about the status of head coach Bo Pelini whose fell out of flavor with Nebraska fans. Pelini did not help his case on Monday telling the media that Nebraska football did not need Tommie Frazier. That is the last guy to call out as he is an iconic Cornhusker; I doubt Frazier pays for a drink in town.

Things went from bad to worse as Deadspin released audio of Pelini cussing out the fans and his 2011 team. This is unfortunate for all parties involved. It makes Nebraska look bad because someone is holding three-year old audio and only released because the Cornhuskers are struggling a bit. Pelini falls more out of flavor with the fans, but in reality, they should all just take a chill pill . All coaches swear their asses off and Pelini was frustrated at fans leaving early which he should be frustrated about if he is a good coach. Wonder what happens if Nebraska gets to the Rose Bowl...   

Grab Beers & Bros
23. Arizona State at 5. Stanford 6:00 pm FOX - The best matchup of the weak schedule. Stanford played against two quality opponents against San Jose State and Army. Arizona State escaped with a victory against Wisconsin last week. Ball control will be a huge part of this game as it is a complete contrast of styles with the Sun Devil's up-tempo and the Cardinal's pro style. For as vaunted as Arizona State's front seven was talked about, they did not look great against a premier rushing attack. I like Stanford in a good one. STAN 24-20

Tennessee at 19. Florida 2:30 pm CBS - When this is one of our featured games, you know it is a bad week. No disrespect to the two teams, but the Vols got blown out in Eugene with no idea who their quarterback is going to be heading into The Swamp. Florida is still trying to find themselves on offense. This game is closer than expected, but not because it is a rivalry, it will be due to the lack of offense overall. SEC schools have been putting up the points, but not these two, Florida pulls away late. UF 24-13

Michigan State at 22. Notre Dame 2:30 pm NBC - Another matchup that does not do much for me. The Spartans can play defense for damn sure. Michigan State gets after it, and they definitely try to score as much as possible when Sparty forces a turnover.  The reason is not the usual 'scoop and score', it is because their offense is a goddamn disaster. Notre Dame did not play well against Purdue for three quarters, but it appears DaVaris Daniels looks like a stud at wide receiver for the Irish. It will be low scoring, it will be boring but in the end, the Irish keep their streak against the Spartans. ND 16-7

Channel Flip Worthy
Auburn at 6. LSU 6:45 pm ESPN - Anyone realize Auburn is 3-0 this year? They already have matched their win total for the 2012 season.  Their rushing attack of Corey Grant and Tre Mason have been carrying the team thus far. LSU is a real interesting team because they actually have an offense to go with their great defense. Zach Mettenberger looks like an NFL quarterback and Odell Beckman Jr. is making all sorts of play this year already.  This rivalry sparks some fun games and weird things happen yet the Tigers will pull it out with a big fourth quarter. LSU 35-23

SMU at 10. Texas A&M 6:00 pm ESPNU - The Aggies might be without their five-star wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones as they might give him a medical redshirt, but it should not deter them from taking care of the Mustangs. This game has an O/U of 82, the highest of the year so far according to people who know these things. This will feature a lot of scoring and Johnny Manziel will put up a massive stat line for the third consecutive games. TAMU 52-28

Purdue at 24. Wisconsin 2:30 pm ABC - We have a full preview about the game. I will link when I am not doing the other gig. Feel free to check it out.

Upset Special
Utah State at USC 2:30 pm ABC - OH YEAH.  Here will be the ultimate freakout of the college football season. Chuckie Keaton knows how to play in big stadiums. He took Wisconsin to the final second at Camp Randall. Did the same at Jordan-Hare Stadium. I realize USC has a good defense, but Keaton can get things done against the Trojans.  This is an upset pick where it is more of a fantasy versus than reality, but as J.P. in Angels in the Outfield once said, 'It could happen.' USU 24-23

A palate cleanser for your Netlix binge watch 
3. Clemson at NC State 6:30 pm ESPN (Thursday) - See what I said in the Tap's Thursday night picks.

Louisiana-Monroe at 20. Baylor 3:00 pm FOX Sports 1 - I am only writing this to show off the picture Baylor football's social media team posted in honor of Duck Dynasty as it takes place in West Monroe, Louisiana. Baylor will not get to 70 this time though.  BAY 52-17

Colorado State at 1. Alabama 6:00 pm ESPN2 - This is one of those weird games that should be in the final category, but the Rams might give them a game for at least a half.  Alabama will likely be sleeping through the first quarter and then hit them hard late. BAMA 31-10

15. Michigan at UConn 7:00 pm ABC - This should be a highly anticipated game for the Huskies as one of the biggest schools is coming to town and it is on primetime. But the team lost to Towson in Week 1 and followed it up by a defeat by Maryland... Welp.  Michigan should shake off the near scare by Akron. MICH 42-14

Sleep off your hangover
Florida A&M at 4. Ohio State 11:00 am Big Ten Network - OSU 59-10
FIU at 7. Louisville 11:00 am ESPN3 - UL 49-14
Bethune-Cookman at 8. Florida State 5:00 pm ESPN3 - FSU 55-3
North Texas at 9. Georgia 11:21 am ESPN3 - UGA 45-10
New Mexico State at 13. UCLA 9:30 pm Pac-12 Network - UCLA 62-0
Savannah State at 16. Miami 6:00 pm ESPN3 - MIA 41-6
Idaho State at 17. Washington 2:00 pm Pac-12 Network - WASH 45-17
Maine at 18. Northwestern 2:30 pm Big Ten Network - NW 49-21
Texas State at 25. Texas Tech 6:00 pm No TV - TTU 38-13

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Tap's Thursday Night Picks

NFL 

Kansas City (2-0) at Philadelphia (1-1) 7:25 pm NFL Network - The first time playing against a former coach is always a little bit strange especially when the coach had been there for a long time with the team. For the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans, they will see Andy Reid in a new color coaching from the opposite sidelines as Kansas City takes on Philadelphia in a great Thursday night matchup.

As a Packer fan, I only have dealt with this with one coach, Mike Holmgren. Things did not end on great terms with him as some people felt Holmgren was a foot out the door in 1998 when the Pack fell to San Francisco. In 1999, the schedule gods blessed them with a Seattle-Green Bay matchup in Holmgren's first year. This became a Monday Night Football game only to see the Packers lose by 20 at home with their new coach, Ray Rhodes.  Although the Packers got the last laugh with winning five of the last six games against Holmgren including two playoff wins. 

Kansas City and Philadelphia will not be meeting very often unless they will face off in multiple Super Bowls against each other. The game itself should be a fun one. Alex Smith looks good thus far in the Reid system, and I know he will try to drive his point across with him tonight. The Chiefs defense gets slept on. They did last year even as a 2-14 squad and it will be fascinating to watch Tamba Hali, Justin Houston and others against Chip Kelly's system. The same cannot be said for the Philly defense. They look troublesome right now and I cannot ride with Kelly's bunch until the defense can improve. Reid like his old coach Holmgren wins his homecoming. Kansas City 35-27 

College Football 

3. Clemson at NC State 6:30 pm ESPN - The Tigers play their first real competition since their first game against Georgia. Once again, it is on the road, but I have no seen anything from the Wolfpack to make me think they can beat Tajh Boyd and the boys.  Clemson will roll. CLEM 45-20  

Charlie. 

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Blame the Badgers, not the Officials, for Saturday's Defeat.

Nothing gets the State of Wisconsin more mad than bad officiating in football.  Everyone feels like their team has a target on their back all while not realizing mistakes happen all over the college and pro football landscape. Pac-12 officials made the wrong call in the final moments of the Badger game allowing Arizona State to win the game, but Wisconsin should have never got to that point.  

The officials are probably the headline of most stories, but really what will get lost in the shuffle is how the Wisconsin defense could not keep up with Arizona State's up-tempo offense due to defensive coordinator David Aranda's blitzing nature. The Sun Devils had 93 total plays on Saturday night in the ninety degree heat and the Badgers could not keep up by the end of the game. Some of that had to do with the fact Aranda kept sending blitzes throughout the game causing the front line of the Badgers to wear down. There is nothing wrong with Aranda's blitz-happy way of doing things against the majority of the B1G, but when facing an up-tempo team, it is the sort of thing  that bites the Badgers in the ass. 

Although the front seven should not get all the blame for Arizona State wearing down the Badgers defense. The secondary did not have themselves a great game either. Taylor Kelly thrashed the secondary in the second half of the game. He probably would have had a bigger game than 352 yards if Arizona State's receivers could hang onto the football in the first half.  There is a great deal of work left to be done for Wisconsin when it comes to the secondary and definitely need to rethink their strategy when it comes to up-tempo offenses. 

Another major issue to the Badgers struggles on Saturday night was Joel Stave. He turned in one of his worst performances as a Badger. Stave did not really seem like the same quarterback after getting decked in the ribs in the second quarter of the game. There is nothing I can find that shows he suffered an injury, but it did seem like it altered his play throughout the rest of the game. Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig seemed to give Stave opportunity after opportunity to try to rite the ship. He had a couple nice passes, but he did not do this job - be a compliment to the Badgers rushing attack. One thing that needs to be fixed immediately is Stave avoiding getting his passes knocked down. He is 6'5, that should not happen.  

The Badgers also will deal with an awkward situation with their running backs. Melvin Gordon had another gigantic game for the Badgers and he looks like the real deal this year. Gordon had 15 carries for 193 yards with two touchdowns averaging 12.9 yards a carry. All of those numbers are pretty impressive, but he deserves to be carrying the ball more often. Yes, James White has done a ton for this Badger team throughout the year and is a true unsung hero of his team in the last couple years yet Gordon is the better player no matter his age.

As for the officials, it was a stupid error by the officials. Stave did nothing wrong, but he was not demonstrative enough.  They should have called Arizona State for a delay of game on Anthony Jones without question, but if you will, this is the cherry on top of a disastrous fourth quarter for the Badgers.  One question that has not been asked, if Kyle French preferred the other hash, why did Wisconsin run the hitch route to the other side of the field Another question, with how good Gordon played on Saturday, why not try to see if he can get some more yardage?   The officials deserve some of the blame, but there is no guarantee French makes that kick.

The Badgers had a double-digit lead in the first half and could not deliver the knockout blow. The Badgers also had five point lead in the fourth quarter. Wisconsin has nobody to blame but themselves for this defeat in the desert.

Charlie.

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The Crimson Tide Capitalize on Manziel's Mistakes

The hype could not be bigger for the rematch of Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M versus Alabama at Kyle Field. People looked forward to this game during the middle of the hot summer because they knew how special this game had a chance to be another classic in a budding rivalry.  The game delivered as Alabama won a shootout, 49-42.  The game showed Alabama might be more vulnerable than believed and Manziel definitely can be the first back-to-back Heisman winner since Archie Griffin

The Aggies came out firing in the first quarter drawing memories to last November in Tuscaloosa. Manziel found wide receiver Mike Evans multiple times and used his feet effectively to have Texas A&M jump out to a 14-0 lead.  It is hard to believe, but this Alabama team that featured some players who have won two National Championships looked extremely tight.  They did get settled in and tied the game up quickly at 14. These first couple of drives set the tone of this game.  It was not going to be a defensive struggle, but the offenses were going to be on the firing range.

It cannot be stated enough how good Johnny Football looked on Saturday afternoon. He played with composure and with a confidence that he had the biggest balls on the football field. Both are hard to do against Alabama's defense, but it seems like Manziel has a stranglehold over Nick Saban. Chris Brown of Smart Football pointed out SB Nation this week that quarterbacks like Manziel have given Saban fits since the days of Kordell Stewart when the Alabama Head Coach was the defensive coordinator for Cleveland. There are a great deal of players having magnificent Septembers, but for my money, Manziel is the Heisman front-runner. He threw for over 450 yards on the supposedly vaunted Alabama defense as well as rushed for almost 100 yards. It is hard to make an argument against him right now. But Manziel's two mistakes were the reason the Crimson Tide came out victorious.
.
The first one came in the first half when Texas A&M still had the Tide on the ropes a bit. The game was knotted at 14 but Manziel had a good drive going again with the Aggie offense.  On a 2nd and Goal from the five, he decided to throw a fade route to an undersized receiver on Ha-Ha Dix, one of the best safeties in college football.  I have no idea whose decision that was to have Manziel throw a fade route in that situation to that receiver, but it should have been the last call around the goal line with Manziel. He is not the type of quarterback to throw a goal line fade and if he is throwing a fade, go to the 6'5 Evans. The Tide quickly capitalized with a hitch route to Kenny Bell that went for 51 yards.

Alabama added another touchdown to have 28 unanswered points heading into halftime with their own 14 point lead.  The Aggies defense struggled most of the day, but they held Alabama to a three-and-out to start the second half.  Manziel lofted a ball into triple coverage only to have the pass get picked off by Vinny Sunseri whom took his second interception to the house to give Alabama a 21 point advantage. While this is blatantly obvious, Manziel does not make the turnover errors; this is an entirely different game. The Tide caught a couple breaks from Johnny Football, but what makes us think they will be so lucky the rest of the year?

The Crimson Tide looked good in certain facets of the game, but this is not the all-star team everyone talked about to the start the year. Their defense got torn to shreds in both passing and running the football. The offense looked much better than Virginia Tech, but the Texas A&M's defense is average at best. This is not a game where Alabama deserves to be crowned and praised for their performance. They are definitely in a position where an opposing team can beat them on any given Saturday. I do not think you could say the same thing last season

There is still so much football left to be played, but how fun would it be to see these teams play again? I realize an All-SEC National Championship makes the rest of the country sicker than food poisoning, but hell, I would watch this matchup every week. This is fun football no matter if it is a conference game or a non-conference game. It is going to be great watching these teams face off in the coming years even with new pawns in the elaborate chess match.  Some point, the home team will win one, but this was not the time.

Charlie.  

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SnoTap CFB Picks Week 3: Tale of Two Scandals

This week in college football has not been about Texas A&M and Alabama truthfully. People were talking about it and sure, ESPN was at Kyle Field all week, Drake might be showing up tonight at Midnight Yell, it's a big game yet still not the top story. Sports Illustrated's Oklahoma State 'scandal' story and Yahoo! report on agents and SEC players dominated the headlines. Both of these stories are interesting, but not really eye-opening however Yahoo! showed how to cover a story such as this one.

While the layout of Yahoo! is tough to read, they source out all sorts of documents ranging from emails, text messages to Western Union transcripts providing the proof.  In recent investigating sports reporting, people beg for more information and finally a group of writers and editors nailed it. As for Oklahoma State, there are no documents, no emails, no real concrete evidence and they have came out with four parts with one still to go next week  But things seem to be falling in on Sports Illustrated.  

It all starts actually with ESPN. Brent McMurphy is one of the best college football reporters and he happens to be an Oklahoma State alum. McMurphy dug up all sorts of information proving Faith Carter, arguably SI's best sources, may have fabricated some of the things he said to Thayer Evans, the reporter of the SI story. Why is it important to mention McMurphy being an Oklahoma State alum?  Because he probably has much better sources there compared to other reporters in the sports media world. Even though they are a fan blog, Pistols Firing has done a great job with this all week and this outlines why everything could get real ugly, real quick. I feel like the criticism has gotten larger seeing what Yahoo! has done with all the different sources, documents, etc. Let's actually talk football now.

Grab Beers & Bros
1. Alabama at 6. Texas A&M 2:30 pm CBS - Oh baby. I cannot remember a September conference game with this much hype. It is weird the concerns I have for both Bama and A&M blend together pretty nicely.  The Crimson Tide's offensive line is still completely fresh. They did not look good at all against Virginia Tech and I cannot get out of my head they only had 14 offensive points against the Hokies. Now for the Aggies, they cannot play defense. They gave up 25-plus points to both Rice and Sam Houston State, and now we are talking about Alabama.  The Bama offense could look like revelation this week, but it could be a smoke and mirrors situation.

But is their a chance for a shootout?  I say yes because I believe Johnny Manziel is a better player than he was last season. He threw for 400 yards last week. I do not care if it is against a FBS team, that for Manziel is impressive and I truly believe Kevin Sumlin will have a new scheme for him to combat Nick Saban getting ready for them. My heart wants to take the Aggies, but my head tells me to never bet against Alabama and Saban in a revenge game. Alabama in a squeaker and classic we all talking about Monday. BAMA 38-34

16. UCLA at 23. Nebraska 11:00 am ABC - I am so puzzled by this game. Everything tells me take UCLA to win this one. They have a great offense and the Cornhuskers have not figured out the recipe for Tom Osborne's special defense. I keep coming back to the intangibles like this is an 11 am start time for the West Coast kids meaning they are usually getting up to get ready for their game in Los Angeles. Additionally, Lincoln is a tough place to play for any team and they will want revenge from last year's drubbing by the Bruins. I really really hate myself for doing this but I am taking Nebraska. Goddammit.  NEB 30-27

20. Wisconsin at Arizona State 9:30 pm ESPN - See my preview from earlier today on the game. I think this one should be a special one.

25. Ole Miss at Texas 7:00 pm Longhorn Network - I feature this game in our top section because Texas might be the most-watched team this weekend even if the game is on LHN. The reason is to see how Greg Robinson will run this defense.  I feel like this was the worst time to fire Manny Diaz. Texas has Ole Miss coming in with Bo Wallace, Laquon Treadwell, Donte Moncrief and Jeff Scott, all talented offensive players in their own right.  Sure, Diaz's defense looked as bad as spoiled milk on a hot day, but bringing in a new defensive coordinator to face a high-powered SEC offense does not sound like a great idea. I like the Rebels on the road. It will be shootout with a ton of points, but I really like this Ole Miss team. OLE MISS 41-35

3.) Ohio State at California 6:00 pm FOX - Oh boy. When I saw this on the schedule, I thought the Buckeyes might be in for a challenge and I still think they will have their hands full. Berkeley should be at full tilt and Northwestern struggled with the 'Bear Raid' even if the Wildcats won the football game. Now, Ohio State has better athletes than Northwestern, but this is still an offense that is not used in the B1G. Braxton Miller is day-to-day and might not play in this one. That would be a concern, but the Buckeyes have Kenny Guiton, a guy I think could be the next Matt Cassel in terms of not playing much in college, but be a pro quarterback. Jared Goff is a freshman quarterback, and I cannot see him putting the Bears over the top against Ohio State.  Buckeyes by a field goal.  OSU 31-28

Channel Flip Worthy
Vanderbilt at 13. South Carolina 6:00 pm ESPN - South Carolina heads back to Columbia after losing their first one in Athens while Vandy tries not to go 0-2 to begin the SEC season.  The Dores bounced back last week by munching on a cupcake known as Austin Peay. If Vanderbilt wants to win this game, they need to control the ball and let Jordan Matthews work as much as he can. But I cannot trust an inexperienced quarterback to come into Columbia and win the game. I like the Cocks in a close game. SCAR 23-17

21. Notre Dame at Purdue 7:00 pm ABC - The Irish are trying to get back to the drawing board after losing to Michigan. Purdue does not get many night games given their current football culture, and they will be fired up for this one. Although Purdue needs to find a way to get some points and that is going to be hard on this Notre Dame defense. For reference, the Boilermakers only beat Indiana State by six points on Saturday scoring 20 points while their rival Indiana put 70 on the Sycamores the prior week. That's not good especially playing a team like the Irish. I feel Notre Dame comes up big in this one. ND 31-6

Tennessee at 2. Oregon 2:30 pm ABC - I do not know if enough was made of the Ducks heading to Charlottesville and beating the complete shit out of Virginia. They now have Tennessee who has won their first two games of the year. They are without Maurice Couch after the Yahoo! allegations, but the Vols have ran the ball well with Rajion Neal and Marlin Lane. Oregon picked up where Chip Kelly left them. Marcus Mariotta is off to a great start and once again, not many are talking about him. De'Anthony Thomas is becoming more a threat in the rushing game and their defense is doing fine yet unproven. I think the Vols could hang with this team for a half, but that's about it.  Mariotta and Thomas are too much. ORE 42-16

Nevada at 10. Florida State 2:30 pm ESPN - Best part of this game?  No, not Jameis Winston. It is Brock Hekking who has a GLORIOUS mullet. Like this is what we mean when we are talking about a mullet. This needs to be worn by at least one defensive lineman or linebacker with every FCS team. A mullet can only take you so far, the Noles and Winston will roll. FSU 39-21

Upset Special
Oregon State at Utah 9:00 pm FOX Sports 1 - This is something new from last year. I am going to just pick a Top 25 upset for the hell of it. If I believe no Top 25 team will lose in what I would deem an upset, I will find another game that smells like an upset.  I present you with this one. Utah is off to a good start with two wins, but one of those is against Weber State. I realize Oregon State lost to Eastern Washington but they were preseason ranked with a ton of talent. They are also very good as road underdogs in the past couple of years. Give me the Beavers on the road. OSU 34-29

A palate cleanser for your Netlix binge watch 
7. Louisville at Kentucky 11:00 am ESPN - This is a basketball rivalry, but people are both schools want this to be a football rivalry as well.  It might become a bigger rivalry in a couple years when Kentucky starts assembling the four-star talent they have been getting in recruiting recently. But right now, Louisville is clearly the better team. Look for another big Teddy Bridgewater game. LOU 45-17

Tulsa at 14. Oklahoma 11:00 am ESPN2 - I am not sold on the Sooners yet. They put up 16 points on an inept West Virginia defense and Blake Bell is back in the saddle at quarterback, a man who does not throw the football much at all. For this career, he has thrown 26 passes in two years and some change. Oklahoma needs to be more run-orientated with Bell behind center. I will take Oklahoma in one that looks like a blowout but it is not. OK 27-10

19. Washington at Illinois  (Played at Soldier Field) 5:00 pm Big Ten Network - Somehow Illinois is 2-0, they win another game, they are three away from being bowl eligible. Washington had a week off against being Boise so they have had a week to prepare for the Fightin' Illini. I feel like Illinois comes down to earth this week; Bishop Sankey has a big game. WASH 34-21

5. Stanford at Army 11:00 am CBS Sports Network - Could this be an upset in the making? Probably not, but it is still commendable to see Stanford head to West Point for a game. My assumption is they are doing it for recruiting purposes.  I will take the Goofy Tree

Sleep off your hangover
Kent State at 8. LSU 6:00 pm ESPNU - LSU 52-14
Akron at 11. Michigan 11:00 am Big Ten Network - MICH 49-6
Lamar at 12. Oklahoma State 6:30 pm No TV - OK State 63-10
Western Michigan at 17. Northwestern 8:00 pm Big Ten Network - NW 55-7

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SnoTap Badger Preview: Wisconsin at Arizona State

Unknown.

This is probably the best word to describe the matchup between 20th ranked Wisconsin against Arizona State on Saturday night in the desert on ESPN. Both teams are 2-0 for the season, but they have fattened up on cupcakes. No one really has a true read on either teams thus far this season. The Sun Devils could be the second or the top team in Pac-12 South this season while the Badgers might have a chance at another B1G title game appearance. Both teams could also finish with seven wins and play some meaningless bowl game that no one cares about in December.  All of that being said, this is one of the premier games of the weekend.

There is a tired old saying about sports where they say 'something gotta give' when it comes to the Badgers rush offense facing the Arizona State's front seven.  The Badgers running backs are off to a great start with James White, Melvin Gordon and Corey Clement all going for over 100 yards in the the first two games of the season. Each member of the three-headed rushing monster brings a different element to the table. White is a combination of a power runner as well as being able to break a run here and there. Clement can wear teams down and then Gordon is the first game-breaker for Wisconsin in a long time.

Gordon is as good of a player at Wisconsin in some time. I realize Montee Ball had a great established career at Wisconsin, but it seems like Gordon is ready to blow the doors off the whole B1G. Every time Gordon is in the backfield or split out wide, there is a chance that play is going for a touchdown. When is the last time the Badgers can say that about a player?  Ball and White can break a long run, but not to Gordon's levels where every time it could be a touchdown. That is such a luxury with the team, and sometimes it gets forgotten.

Enter in the competition of Arizona State's defensive front spearheaded by Will Sutton. The Sun Devils defensive tackle could have been a first or second round pick in last year's NFL Draft. He will probably be a top 20 pick next season. The thing I love about Sutton is he plays 3-4 defensive tackle and is able to get to the quarterback and in the backfield. Last year, he had 13 sacks, 23.5 tackles for a loss in a dominating year in the Pac-12 Sutton is not at this level and has a better attitude yet he reminds me a bit of Ndamukong Suh in the ways where he can push and have an effect on offensive linemen. I realized Suh never played 3-4, but I feel like Sutton makes a Suh-like impact. Sutton is not the only Arizona State defender the Badgers have to worry about on Saturday night.

Linebacker Carl Bradford is a terror on the outside who had 11.5 sacks last season then add Jaxon Hood who resides next to Sutton was a Freshman All-American last season and they are pretty high on ends Junior Onyeali and Davon Coleman.  This will be an entertaining as hell matchup to watch all of these beasts go up against the Badgers three-headed rushing attack.

For all of the reason above, this could be Joel Stave time in Tempe. Play action will play such a large part in what the Badgers do this weekend. Running the football is important, but keeping the tough front-seven on their toes is extremely so important.  If the Badgers come in with a predictable offense, they will get submerged by that defense. The other thing about Arizona State is their secondary is not at the same level as their front-seven so there might be some opportunities to go deep.  This will be a big game for Stave

The Sun Devils offense and the weather could go hand and hand Saturday night. The Sun Devils are a part of the revolution that is the up-tempo offense we are seeing pop up all over the country. Taylor Kelly is a pretty solid quarterback and probably does not get the credit as some of the other Pac-12 quarterbacks do nationally. Kelly also can make some plays on the run thus the Badgers need to contain him in the tackle box as much as possible. They also have two solid running backs in Marion Grice and D.J. Foster who can both change a game very quickly with their speed.

One thing people might be underestimating is the weather in the Valley of the Sun. On Saturday, the weather temperature will be 102 degrees with a low 82 degrees.  It will be 7:30 pm when kickoff starts meaning it will still be in the high eighties or hotter. This sounds weird, but August was a pretty tame month in Wisconsin when it came to weather meaning the Badgers really have not practiced in these types of weather conditions. Some Wisconsin Augusts feature deep south-like humidity and could make a grown man crumble to his knees.They had a couple hot days here and there, but it was not like other summers. This would make me nervous in the final two quarters of the game.

As for the game itself, it will be extremely competitive and a ton of fun to watch. I want to believe White and his two sidekicks could carry this team to victory, but I have trouble seeing them being able to handle all the different elements that Arizona State brings to the table. This will be a close, nail-biter and once again, the Badgers will be on the wrong en yet there will be a ton of encouraging things moving forward.

Arizona State 24 Wisconsin 23

Charlie.

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Tap's Thursday Night Picks

There is nothing better than having the NFL Network for the entire Thursday night slate. As most of you know, tonight's game will be on the NFL Network and all Thursday games until Thanksgiving then a couple more in December.  I am happy this will be my first full season and I am looking forward to watching all the games this season. What's weird is I am still without our NBC affiliate here in Milwaukee so for the second straight year, I am not fully locked and loaded. Remember we are picking both the NFL and college games for Thursday.

Thursday Night NFL: New York Jets at New England (-13) 7:25pm NFLN - The Patriots come into this game banged up and not really impressed anyone in the first game of the season. They will likely be without Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski plus Zac Sudfield and Shane Vereen will be gone for the week. If this is a time for New York to beat New England, this is it. The Patriots will need something from Kenbrell Tompkins who looked like the bright lights suffocated him last week. New England's defense looked alright considering they only gave up 14 points.  I would not count them out especially against the Jets.

Now the Jets played better than we all expected last week.  They were hitting the Tampa Bay offense pretty good and keeping them out of the endzone. Geno Smith looked great, all things considered, but he will have to travel into the bright lights of Foxboro with a drunk as hell crowd fired up to see their team for the first time. Rex Ryan does coach well against Grandmaster Hoodie for at least the first three quarters of the game. Low scoring game, but the Patriots prevail.  NE 23-14

Thursday Night CFB: 24.) TCU at Texas Tech 6:30 pm ESPN - Not a bad secondary option for all the football fans out there. TCU bounced back against SE Louisiana last week after falling to LSU although they looked impressive against the Tigers. Trevone Boykin takes the reigns of the offense as Casey Pachall is out with a fractured arm. Many times I would be nervous about a backup quarterback taking over, but Boykin had a ton of experience from last year.  Texas Tech is a ragtag team and I like Kliff Kingsburgy's attitude, but a walk-on quarterback, Baker Mayfield, taking on a tough TCU defense does not equal a Thursday night upset. TCU 28-24

Charlie.

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Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 54

We are back in the saddle for another edition of Tapping The Keg podcast. Mitch and I are going to try and have it for you every Wednesday from now until at least the football season is over. We begin discussing the Green Bay Packers from the game itself talking about Clay Matthews, the safeties and the offense a bit then we touch on Packers fans being ridiculous about Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. We move on to talk about the NFL ranging from the Philadelphia Eagles to the struggles of the AFC.  Mitch and I preview Texas A&M and Alabama, and ask can the Aggies defense keep up with the Tide? We finish the podcast talking about college football headlines including the Oklahoma State story and if Michigan is a national title contender.

Charlie.

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SnoTap's College Football Try Week 2

I feel like Eminem's blank stare reflects the second week of college football. There is still so much sorting out to do. Some teams have really played no one to start the year off while others are playing tough opponents for the first two weeks leading to wild overreactions about them.  Things that are said today could be entirely different in November. That's the beauty of non-conference college football.  The exciting unknown of what is to come with a great year.

The Michigan difference - Honestly, I probably did not give this rivalry the credit it deserved on Friday morning. When the game was starting, I started to get genuinely excited about the game itself. I would say that makes a rivalry great when a person like me without a horse in the race starts actually caring about the game.  Michigan played great on Saturday night and basically showed why they should be taken seriously when it comes to be a National Championship contender (Yes their November schedule appears difficult as of September 9th).  Michigan looked strong on both sides of the football. They had an inexperience interior offensive line hold their own against the likes of Louis Nix and Stephon Tuitt. Michigan already has great offensive tackles and if their guards and centers play like they did on Saturday, number 98 is not getting very dirty.  If Devon Gardner does not have a boneheaded interception, Notre Dame gets blown out.

USC hits rock bottom - Oh man. Two friends and I went out right when Washington State-USC went to halftime. Cody Kessler threw an pick-six interception to Damante Horton right at the end of the first half for the Cougars to tie the game. I did not expect when I looked up at the ESPN Bottom Line at 1 am to see Washington State beat the Trojans. I could not believe it. This is a new low for Lane Kiffin and the Trojans. They are in complete flux. Losing to Washington State in Pullman is one thing. Maybe it is brutal weather conditions which has cost USC a game in the Pacific Northwest before, but losing at home to an inferior opponent is an embarrassment.  In case anyone was wondering, I picked them to win the Pac-12 South, joyous!  

Texas joins USC at rock bottom - Ah Texas. How the mighty have fallen. The Longhorns were in the National Championship in 2005 and then again in 2009, but since then, it has been nothing but bad news bears for the Horns. They thought Johnny Manziel would be a safety, same for Robert Griffin III and Jameis Winston never received an offer from them making them sort of a laughingstock among the college football bloggers when it comes to highly touted quarterback recruits. They also have not played well in the last four years and the cherry of the shit sundae was Saturday night losing to BYU, 40-21, with Texas giving up 550 yards on the ground. They fired Manny Diaz, their defensive coordinator, and brought back Greg Robinson, the same Greg Robinson that is known for running Michigan's defense into the ground. They play Ole Miss at home this weekend. Not an easy task whatsoever for the Longhorns.

Aaron Murray makes a statement - It appears the Georgia quarterback is my new 'Can't quit em' guy in college football. I started selling my stock on Murray last weekend when they lost to Clemson and Murray looked less than stellar. I am repurchasing the stock today because Murray was extremely impressive against a good South Carolina team. He had six out of seven completions on third down, Murray did not have his top receiver in Malcolm Mitchell and his team put up 41 points on a good South Carolina defense. The next test comes against LSU in two weeks once again being played at home.  Murray has another attempt to silence the doubters. When it's all said and done this year, I would not be surprised if Murray gets picked in the first round in the 2014 NFL Draft.  

The rebirth of The U - Liked this team in August, and I feel even better about them after their win against Florida. Miami's defense is their weak point of their team and they forced five turnovers with Florida only scoring 16 points with one of Florida's scoring drive beginning in the red zone after a blocked punt. Miami might be the real deal here, and the ACC might be better than people are giving it credit for at least to start the season. I like what they have in Duke Johnson and Stephen Morris, and if that defense comes around, oh boy, we could have something here. They have Savannah State and South Florida before a big one at home against Georgia Tech on October 5th.

What's the true ceiling of Notre Dame? - I would love an answer to this one because I truly have no idea. They beat a weak Temple team and last week gave up 40 points to a B1G power. There are a few out there, but I feel like Notre Dame is the most unknown team in terms of what they will end up being at the end of the year. Right now, I feel like the Fighting Irish could still be a BCS Bowl team but could also be at the Sun Bowl.  They have a road game against a weak Purdue team this week (It is under the lights and a rivalry game so you never know) and then have a big home affair with Oklahoma the following weekend. I do not think we will have a good read on the Irish until after Arizona State or USC in October.  

Just how legit is Baylor? - Might want to start buying stock in Baylor. The Big 12 has looked awful across the board with Texas losing, Oklahoma not really impressing anyone, Iowa State and Kansas State losing to FCS schools and TCU losing Casey Pachall for eight weeks with a fractured arm. The only team who looks like they could be some gang busters this year are Baylor.  They put up 70 points and 781 yards against Buffalo, a team who stayed with Ohio State for the three quarters last week. Bryce Petty looks like another one in the Art Briles quarterback machine and Lache Seastrunk is living up to expectations. First true test for Baylor might not come until October 12th against Kansas State.



RAPPERS ON EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT - Eminem joined Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit in the booth this week. It was awesome. From Em's blank stare to Musburger asking him about the line for the Lions game on Sunday.  They are in Indiana next week so I see no reason why we could not have Freddie Gibbs in the booth. I also love Brent called him Marshall and Mathers throughout the whole thing, that's such a boss power move that only Musburger could do, he's my favorite.

Charlie.  

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CFB Picks Week 2: What's in a Rivalry?

This is how bad the Week 2 schedule is besides three games, the whole discussion this week has been the pissing match between Notre Dame and Michigan talking about if this game is really a rivalry. Brian Kelly says something then Brady Hoke takes the high road. In the end, this rivalry always seems to involve the suits, shout-out to Billy Walsh, versus the actual players on the field.

They played their first game in 1887 which if they were to play every year since then, it would be the longest rivalry in college football. But they have only played 40 games in total and they take another break from the rivalry after this season until at least 2018.  This is why the rivalry does not have the juice as others do although I will say I look forward to this game every year. Last time, we saw these two teams in Ann Arbor we did get one of the bigger classics


Grab Beers & Bros (For those unfamiliar, these are what I deem marquee games that everyone should watch start to finish) 

14. Notre Dame at 17. Michigan 7 pm ESPN - This feels like a 'Retirement Match' in WWE where the loser retires from the WWE but the loser will probably stay playing football. Notre Dame looked great last Saturday against Temple with Tommy Rees playing great. This will be Rees' biggest test dealing with a night crowd in Ann Arbor. Michigan looked good last weekend, but I am a little nervous about the Wolverines offense getting going against this vaunted Notre Dame defense. Also I am drinking the Rees kool-aid, give me the Irish. ND 20-10

12. Florida at Miami 11 am ESPN - This is a rivalry that might be ending after this season as Florida does not seem like they can fit the Hurricanes into their schedule. If I am The U, I have to take that as a slight. Just no respect for them. The Florida offense did not get off to the best of starts and if they cannot get together against an average Miami defense, then hope might be lost. The Hurricanes do not get enough credit for being a good team as Duke Johnson and Stephen Morris are two of the best players in college football. The Gators have not won in Miami since 1985. This is extremely trivial given how little these two teams play but I like stupid facts. I trust Miami more than Florida at this point of the season and I am taking them at home. MIA 27-23

6. South Carolina at 11. Georgia 3:30 pm ESPN - I am trying to think what's comparable for Georgia having to face Clemson and South Carolina for the first two weeks. That's entirely brutal. Georgia lost Malcolm Mitchell for the season and the Dawgs will look to replace him. Their offensive line needs to get better after their poor performance against Clemson. They now face Jadeveon Clowney, the meanest defensive lineman in the game. Clowney got criticized last week and I have a feeling he will use it as fuel for this week. I still have a lot of questions about Georgia's defense and I feel like South Carolina has the only tolerable two quarterback system.  SCAR 30-21

Channel Flip Worthy (Basically, the second-tier of games worth paying attention to on Saturday)
West Virginia at 16. Oklahoma 6 pm FOX - There are always teams who make me look like complete ass clowns and maybe it is the Sooners.  Trevor Newton looked good last week against Louisiana-Monroe at quarterback and now faces the typically weak Mountaineer defense. West Virginia nearly lost to William & Mary, I do not see them giving the Sooners much of a challenge. OU 45-23

2. Oregon at Virginia 2:30 pm ABC or ESPN2 - Oregon does not head on the road very much, and while I feel like Virginia is not a good team, I feel like they could give this team a challenge for at least the first half. Virginia beat a good BYU team at home last season and this is probably their biggest non-conference road game in a long while. The secondary is the strongest part for the Cavaliers and they will need against the Ducks. A case is being built for Virginia, but Oregon is too damn good and fast. I feel like there will be a speed difference on the field and Oregon will wear this team down by the third quarter. ORE 41-24

San Jose State at 5. Stanford 11 pm Pac-12 Network - Why is this game important to the casual fan? Well David Fales, San Jose State's quarterback, will definitely be a first round draft pick and possibly a top ten pick if he plays well. This game could be one scouts look back for Fales draft prospect. Stanford has been preparing for the Spartans since early August, and even though San Jose State gave them a game last year, I do not see it happening this year. STAN 28-13

Washington State at 25. USC 9:30 FOX Sports 1 -  The Trojans need somewhat of a bounce back game after the Hawaii debacle. I realize they won by 23 points, but they did not play well for a long time in this one. Washington State hung in there against Auburn on the road and I think they do the same for 3.5 quarters. USC pulls away with a couple late touchdowns and wins the game going away in the fourth. USC 34-20

Upset Special (Self Explanatory) 
15. Texas at BYU 6 pm ESPN2 - It is really tough to pick an upset this week. But if there is one that could be an upset besides Miami, it would be this game. Texas heading to BYU is definitely not an easy task. Playing in the altiude for younger players is not something many young players can get adjusted to and this could be a look-ahead game as they play Ole Miss next week.  Now the Cougars lost to Virginia by a field goal last week, but they have a talented linebacker group led by Kyle Von Noy. What the hell, let's take the Cougars, see what happens. BYU 16-13  

A palate cleanser for your Netlix binge watch (The games that might not be great, but if you need a break from other stuff, here you go) 
San Diego State at 3. Ohio State 2:30 pm ABC or ESPN2 - Can we just keep this one on the Deuce?  San Diego State lost last weekend to an FCS team by 21 points. I doubt they will give the Buckeyes much of a game. OSU 52-17

Syracuse at 19. Northwestern 5 pm Big Ten Network - Does Syracuse like to play the Big Ten or what? Second straight game against a B1G opponent and they did not fair well against Penn State. Northwestern is a little banged up, but they are still a better team than the Orange. NW 34-14

Sam Houston St. at 7. Texas A&M 6 pm ESPN3 - Some people think Texas A&M is going have a hard time with the Bearkats. While Sam Houston State is a great team in FCS, they probably cannot compete with the Aggies.  TAMU 59-10

Buffalo at 23. Baylor 2:30 pm No TV - The Bison gave Ohio State a game and it looks like linebacker Khalil Mack will be a first round pick next year. Baylor looked explosive last week against an inferior opponent and I expect more fireworks this week. BAY 42-27


Sleep off your hangover (Self explanatory, stay safe Tappers) 
South Carolina State at 4. Clemson 11:30 am ESPN3 - CLEM 59-7
Eastern Kentucky at 8. Louisville 11 am ESPN3 - LOU 52-10
UAB at 9. LSU 6 pm ESPNU - LSU 48-6
13. Oklahoma State at UTSA 11 am FOX Sports 1 - OK STATE 31-3
Southern Miss at 22. Nebraska 5 pm Big Ten Network - NEB 55-10
Tennessee Tech at 23. Wisconsin 11 am Big Ten Network - UW 49-3
SE Louisiana at 24. TCU 11 am No TV - TCU 52-10

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Nine Podcasts for the School Year & the Workplace

You have probably started the school year, or work has picked up because summer is over meaning the
workload is growing by the minute.  Music can only take you so far when working on school or office work. There are so many podcasts out there, but I feel like these nine podcasts can definitely provide an alternative to the music.  I am sure there are other podcasts out there, but frankly, nine is probably my limit on podcast listening.

The Basketball Jones - They will not get started until October, but seriously, the best NBA podcast you can listen to for daily knowledge on the game. They recap most of the games, and also have some of the funnest segments. Best choice I made was to start listening to TBJ when I worked in an office for the first two months of the NBA season.

The B.S. Report - This is one most people probably listen to, but Bill Simmons' podcast is one of the best. Sometimes he is talking NFL, other times NBA and the occasional pop culture podcast. It is still really enjoyable and worth your time.

The Evening Jones - ESPN's Bomani Jones sits down every Monday night and talks about a wide-range of topics. It is informative and eye-opening, but it also makes you laugh at least once or twice. Due to his new job on Highly Questionable, he cannot talk sports yet that should not stop you from checking it out. He also has viewers on the show as well from time to time.

Eye on College Basketball - Another one that will get going again in October, but I really enjoy Matt Norlander's podcast during the season. He has a great variety of guests who all know what they are talking about with college basketball. I am going to miss the Gary Parrish-Jeff Goodman three man podcast every Wednesday because it was always fantastic as Goodman left for ESPN. Parrish and Norlander should still be great.    

Halfy Hour - This is one I started listening to right from the inception and I am glad I did. Matt Ufford and Dan Rubenstein talk about a wide-range of topics from sports, pop culture to food in New York City that makes me ask myself why do I not live in New York?  Do I just hate my palate?  It is a fun listen if you want something a little different.

KFC Radio - Another one I jumped on the bandwagon early on as KFC from Barstool Sports has redefined his podcast throughout the last year. They have two different versions of the podcasts as he has two other Barstool writers rolling through deranged voicemails from their fanbase and then KFC has his own podcast called #MAILTIME trying to help people living their life in a cubical.

The Solid Verbal - If you want a great college football, this is your podcast. They do things from making picks for the following week, and they also do recaps whilst poking fun of teams but also giving praise to those whom deserve it. I also love both Dan and Ty, the hosts, cheer for Oregon and Notre Dame respectively meaning they actually have a horse in the race. I always find myself smarter about college football and usually in a good mood.

Tuesdays with Aaron - Best local NFL podcast if you cannot listen in your car or at work. For those unfamiliar with ESPN Wisconsin, they do a weekly podcast with Aaron Rodgers where he talks about the week that was and the week ahead with Jason Wilde. I also enjoy hearing the questions from the fans because it can open up dialogue in different areas than just football.

Uffsides - I needed an NFL podcast that was more than Packers so I went with SB Nation's podcast by Matt Ufford who also hosts the Halfy Hour. The thing I like about this one is the length. He usually only goes about 30 minutes long meaning I can knock out all my NFL knowledge pretty quickly.

I know this sounds like one big PR post, but honestly, all of these people are great at their jobs. Hopefully, you decide to listen to one or two of the suggested podcasts.

Charlie.

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SnoTap College Football Picks Week 1 - Don't Clown Clowney

You really could not have scripted a better first night for college football. It featured multiple exciting games with the instant classic between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt,  the shootout overtime thriller in The Valley between Rutgers and Fresno State and Utah holding on to beat Utah State in a rivalry game. South Carolina also beat North Carolina into submission, but no one seemed to care about the win. Rather, they focused on the poor performance from Jadeveon Clowney.

Other than Johnny Manziel, he has the biggest microscope on him for the 2013 season. People expect Clowney to put up absurd numbers every week he goes out there.  He struggled last night and there were a couple reasons why...

1.) Clowney admitted to having a stomach bug and playing in 90+ degree heat with the bubble guts is pretty damn hard plus this explains some of the conditioning issues that people loved to point out last night. I ran outside in 90 degree heat today with humidity and thought I might die by the end of it. I cannot imagine what Clowney was feeling like on Thursday.

2.) Something that needs to be flushed out quick is teams are going to not run plays to Clowney. North Carolina played a quick, up-tempo offense that features more screens, hitches and other short passes making sure Clowney did not get enough time to attack the quarterback. They will not be the only team to do it this year.

It is a lot harder to manage expectations when dealing with a lineman versus a running back. Even if Clowney has three tackles, he basically made the Tar Heels change parts of their offense because he is that much of a distraction off the edge. That's a win to me, and oh by the way, South Carolina looked scary without him playing at 100 percent.... Terrifying for the rest of the SEC and the nation.

Grab Beers & Bros (For those unfamiliar, these are what I deem marquee games that everyone should watch start to finish) 

5. Georgia at 8. Clemson 7 pm ABC - OH BABY. I love everything about this game. I am fans of both teams, I am a fan of actually playing at a college atmosphere and it is going to be great to hear Brett Musberger... 'YOU'RE LOOKING LIVE FROM DEATH VALLEY.'  As for the game, expect a ton of offense as Georgia does not bring back much on their defense and Clemson is an average one at best especially going against Georgia's offense.  I expect an absolute classic, and when it comes down to it, I am going to take the home team as Tajh Boyd leads a last-second drive for the win in a classic.  CLEM 45-41

12. LSU vs. 20. TCU (Played in Dallas) 8 pm ESPN - Another real fun game this weekend as the coaches have been trading barbs at each other for the last month, it makes you think this should be an annual rivalry. TCU has not revealed what they are doing with their quarterbacks so expect to see both Casey Pachall and Trevone Boykin. LSU has a young defense that will need to learn quick facing off against the Horned Frogs as they only return four starters from last year's team. Their offense led by Zach Mettenberger will be fine though.  I really want to pick against the Tigers, but I cannot see the SEC falling flat on their fact twice in the first week. LSU 20-17

Channel Flip Worthy (Basically, the second-tier of games worth paying attention to on Saturday)
1. Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Played in Atlanta) 4:30 pm ESPN - When Frank Beamer came out and said this week that 'Alabama is the best team they will ever play', it says something to me.  A.) Bama might be better than expected if that's possible.  B.) It is a built-in excuse in case the Hokies catch the #BEATEMDOWN. I want a good game here, but I am fully expecting we will get a close first half with Bama slowly but surely pulling away.  BAMA 34-16

Rice at 7. Texas A&M 12 pm ESPN - This game is only worth watching when Johnny Manziel is set to make his season debut in the second half after the NCAA slapped his wrist for the autograph scandal. If Kyle Field does not play 'Hate Me Now' or 'Haterz Everywhere', I have lost faith in America.  The Aggies will roll.  TAMU 48-14

22. Northwestern at California 9:30 pm ESPN2 - Fun game to watch at the bars and socialize with no one. This is a big game for the Wildcats. They can set the tone for the season and show they are the real deal if they can go out west and beat Cal in Week One. California is starting a true freshman Jared Goff at quarterback and I cannot see him being able to handle the Cats in the first week of the season. If he does, watch out Ohio State. This one is still close. NW 30-24

11. Florida State at Pittsburgh 7 pm ESPN (Monday) - The first game for the Panthers in the ACC and they do not start easy hosting Florida State. Jameis Winston will get put on the main stage to start his career as Florida State's quarterback and his bandwagon could get full by the end of the first game. I like Paul Chryst but I cannot see any sort of upset here. FSU 42-24

Upset Special (Self Explanatory) 
Mississippi State vs. 13. Oklahoma State (Played in Houston) 2:30 pm ABC/ESPN2 - This one feels like I am stealing money. People do not give the Bulldogs much credit but Dan Mullen has done an impressive job with this team. Tyler Russell and LaDarius Perkins are back making a lethal QB/RB combo and Oklahoma State still does not know who their quarterback is plus not bringing many starters back. I feel like the Pokes are last year's Michigan State getting hype from a good season last year.  MSU 31-26

18. Boise State at Washington 9 pm FOX Sports 1 - I am curious as to why people think Boise State will be good again this year. They only bring back nine starters in total although one of them is Joe Southwick at quarterback. They head to Seattle where the Huskies will be opening a new stadium and all Washington has heard this offseason is how they disappointed in the last couple of years. They get off on the right foot this weekend. WASH 24-17

A palate cleanser for your Netlix binge watch (The games that might not be great, but if you need a break from other stuff, here you go) 

Temple at 14. Notre Dame 2:30 pm NBC - The Irish should not have any issues with Temple, but this game is worth watching to see Tommy Rees leading the team again. I predict a couple defensive touchdowns for the Irish as well. ND 52-10

Wyoming at 18. Nebraska 7 pm Big Ten Network - The Cowboys tend to play the big boys tough and they get Brett Smith back from injury, but when it's all said and done, Taylor Martinez will be too much for the Cowboys defense.  NEB 35-20

Nevada at 21. UCLA 9 pm Pac-12 Network - After Chris Ault retired, it will be interesting to see Brian Polian and how he runs the team against a tough UCLA team. Brett Hundley will pass and run wild on one of the poorer defenses in the nation.  UCLA 55-28

Ohio at 9.) Louisville 2:30 pm ESPN (Sunday) - Some people believe Ohio can pull the upset and I cannot see it whatsoever. I mean they are a good team, but they do not have Teddy Bridgewater. LOU 31-14

LA-Monroe at 16. Oklahoma 6 pm - This one is not on television, but Bruce Feldman's article about Louisiana-Monroe wanting to be 'the Gonzaga of college football', makes me think this game will be much closer than people believe it will be on Saturday.  Sooners in a tight one. OKLA 38-34

Sleep off your hangover (Self explanatory, stay safe Tappers) 
Buffalo at 2. Ohio State 11 am ESPN2 - OSU 45-10
Nicholls State at 3. Oregon 3 pm FOX Sports 1 - ORE 63-7
Toledo at 10. Florida 11:21 am ESPN3 - UF 41-6
New Mexico State at 15. Texas 7 pm LHN Network - UT 55-14
Central Michigan at 17. Michigan 2:30 pm Big Ten Network - MICH 30-10
UMass at 23. Wisconsin 11 am Big Ten Network - UW 38-13
Eastern Washington at 25. Oregon State 5 pm Pac-12 Network - OSU 34-17

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SnoTap's Badger Preview: Game 1 - UMass vs. Wisconsin

This is a new thing we are doing here on Sports News on Tap, I realize we do a lot of college football stuff, but we tend to forget about the one team here in Wisconsin. I am here to change that and hopefully write some enjoyable stuff for you get prepared for the game. The only one I will probably not preview is Tennessee Tech next week unless I have some sort of angle on it but I doubt it. 

Umass at Wisconsin 11 am - Big Ten Network  

This year in Madison, Wisconsin is a different one. Sure, Camp Randall Stadium is the same, the beer bongs at 6 am will still happen, but there is a new head coach in town. Bret Bielema, one of the more successful yet disliked coaches in Wisconsin history, left for the Ozarks and the SEC at Arkansas. Insert Gary Andersoen, a man whom took Utah State from being in the doldrums to a team making consecutive bowl games. 

Andersen brings a whole new style to Madison. The Badgers are going to run the football, but they might not do the traditional Barry Alvarez I-formation jamming it down their opponent throats.  There will be more shotgun sets along with probably more creativity than what we have seen in the last 30 years of Badger football.  The defense will be changing as well led under new defensive coordinator David Aranda brings with him a 3-4 defense, something nontraditional to the B1G.  This all means the Badgers will definitely need a couple games to find their groove. 

Should we expect the Badgers to struggle early against UMass?  Possibly.  The Minutemen are one of the weaker teams in college football, but Wisconsin will definitely need to get their feet wet with the new systems. It will not be football magic where everyone clicks at the same time and the Badgers are a well oiled machine from the get-go. Although I highly doubt James White and Melvin Gordan will have any problems running the football. It will definitely take some time, and the biggest thing in these first two games which yes are cupcakes, is for the team to be prepared for road trips to Arizona State and Ohio State in the month of September. 

There are a bevy of solid players on this Badger team, but one area where there is still some unknown is at quarterback.  From my knowledge, Joel Stave will start the game, and then we will probably get some Curt Phillips action thrown in there. I am stunned how many Badger fans want Stave as their quarterback versus Phillips. I feel like the Van Wilder senior works better in Andersen's system even if he cannot pass like Stave. Maybe they will do something like South Carolina where Connor Shaw takes the primary snaps and Dylan Thompson comes in for the deep, accurate balls. I would like something that personally.  The quarterback position is what to watch for tomorrow.   

One thing that should excite Badger fans about the new regime is Aranda's commitment to blitzing teams. I honestly believe not enough defense employ the blitz. They worry about their kids getting overcommitted and then getting caught up in screens, hitches and short passes. But blitzes especially with guys like Chris Borland, Beau Allen who I think will be one of best defensive lineman in the country, and others, the Badgers can really make some noise attacking the quarterback. 

As for UMass, this is only their second year in FBS football.  They only have nine starters coming back in total and the Minutemen have to head to one of the toughest place to play in the country.  It is like whenever a small school heads to one of the bigger schools, if they keep it close by halftime, UMass will believe they have a shot at winning this game. Even though the Badgers are in tranisition, they need to put the foot on the throat often and early. 

Prediction: I do not see this being much of a game.  Sure it will not seem as fluid as people want it to be, but the Badgers will be just fine. 38-14 Badgers.   

Charlie. 

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Tap's Thursday Night Picks

IT'S TIME. College football returns tonight, and we will have football on Thursdays until some time in January. It is a beautiful thing and I am happy we are back in the saddle for another year. Thursday night picks will be a couple of the college games and the NFL game. Usually, we just do ranked teams, but for Thursday night, we will add some unranked games just for the hell of it. I am pretty excited for everything to begin and for Twitter to be hilarious again (CFB Twitter > than anything else.  Let's have some fun with it and see what happens.

North Carolina at 6.) South Carolina 5 pm ESPN - Do I find it weird these two teams are playing at five?  Yes I do.  Do I care? Absolutely hell no. The earlier the college football season starts, the better I say. This is the first of three ACC v. SEC matchups this weekend.  I still have questions about North Carolina's defense and obviously Jadeveon Clowney will do something special.  SCAR 31-21    

UNLV at Minnesota 6 pm Big Ten Sports Network - There are certain games that set the tone of the season. The Gophers had their best year in some time last season and they need to start off on the right foot. UNLV is not really a mid-major juggernaut, but the first game of the year tends to provoke crazy things. This is close for a half and the Gophers pull away. MINN 42-24

Utah State at Utah 7 pm FOX Sports 1 - 2012 marked the first time since 1997 since the Utah State Aggies beat Utah in a thrilling overtime game. 1997 was also the last time they won in Salt Lake City. Even with Gary Anderson leaving, they still have a solid core led by Chuckie Keaton, one of the most exciting quarterbacks to watch. We need a little bit of an upset so let's go with the Aggies here, not too impressed with the Utes this year. USU 24-16 

Ole Miss at Vanderbilt 8:15 pm  ESPN - This is a great SEC matchup of two teams that are on the second-tier of SEC teams. Vanderbilt does have Jordan Matthews, but they have a new quarterback in there with Austyn Carta-Samuels facing a pretty difficult Ole Miss team returning a lot on both sides of the ball. I think this one is a toss-up and I will take the home team in a squeaker. VAN 23-20   

Rutgers at Fresno State 9:30 pm ESPNU - The Bulldogs are definitely a part of the mid-major sleepers, and could be one challenging the BCS when it's all said and done this year.  They bring back almost their entire defense and Derek Carr is pretty solid at quarterback. Rutgers always features a tough defense although they only bring back four from last year's team. I doubt the Scarlet Knights can travel across the country and win this one. The Valley is a tough place to play and I think Fresno will get it done. FRESNO 27-14   

24.) USC at Hawaii 10 pm CBS Sports Network - Pretty interested to see this one although I do not have CBS Sports Network meaning I will be reaching for the livestream. The reason I am interested is to see whose the quarterback for the Trojans and how they do even if it's just Hawaii. I think this game will be weirdly close. USC 42-34   

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SnoTap College Football Preview: American Athletic Conference

Talking college football again here on Sports News on Tap with previews of all the big dogs and some fun stuff thrown in there as well. Naturally, the picks and posts will be coming during and after Week 1.  

And with that, we are done.  We should have probably started it earlier this month, but things got busy early on in August. I realize I promise Notre Dame and mid-majors, but that's probably not happening as they do not really fit into how we are doing the previews. Put it this way, I think the Irish will be back into a BCS bowl game. Let's finish this up with the American conference.  

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Teddy Bridgewater (Louisville) - Who else? He is probably the top Heisman contender in all of college football and he is a hell of a football player. I became a big Bridgewater guy during the middle of the season in 2012 and he had a massive year for the Cardinals.  Bridgewater should have another big year and I would not be surprised if he wins the Heisman in December.

RB Lyle McCombs (UConn) - One of the better running backs in the American conference and could make an impact for the Huskies this season. McCombs had 800 yards in his freshman year and had over 1,100 yards in his sophomore year.  He is a shifty running back being only 5'8 and can make some game changing plays.    

QB Blake Bortles (UCF) - Yes he does not get that much credit with Bridgewater being in his conference, but Bortles will probably be drafted at some point next year if he chooses to come out. He stands in at 6'4 and 277 which is pretty damn big for a quarterback. Bortles had over 3,000 yards last season with 25 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He should have a big year for the Golden Knights this year and if he does not, at least his girlfriend is easy on the eyes.

DE Aaron Lynch (South Florida) - Arguably one of the biggest transfers in college football coming from Notre Dame. Lynch is a complete freak and a player who will get talked about for the 2015 NFL Draft as he is only a sophomore. I guarantee you there will be people calling him the next Jadeveon Clowney even though they are different players, but people are stupid.  Lynch is a terror in both the run and pass game. He will be a great one for the Bulls.

S Hakeem Smith (Louisville) - Definitely one of the best safeties in college football. Smith is not really a ballhawk as he does not have mind-blowing interception numbers, but he can definitely make the tackle if they get pass the second level. Smith will definitely be a defensive player to watch.

FIVE GAMES TO WATCH
Saturday October 5th - Cincinnati at South Florida - These two teams have been pretty good for the last couple of years and their games tend to be fairly close. A weird stat is the Bearcats have not lost in South Florida since 2005.  With Willie Taggart in the saddle at USF, it is unknown how good the Bulls could be this season.

Thursday October 10th - Rutgers at Louisville - The Cardinals have won the last three matchups these two have met but the last two games were decided by five points total. In my mind, these are the two best teams in the American conference which is fitting as they will be in different conferences next year.

Friday November 8th- Louisville at UConn - Last year, the Huskies found a way to stun Louisville at Papa Johns Stadium and now they will look to make it two in a row possibly playing spoiler here. The Huskies will not be as good as last year, but there is some upset potential here.  

Saturday November 16th - Cincinnati at Rutgers - After the Scarlet Knights lost five straight games to Cincinnati, they have held the Bearcats to a total of six points in the last two times they have played. These two really have not played great games, but in my mind, they will be playing for second place in the American.  

Thursday December 5th - Louisville at Cincinnati - I could just see it now. Louisville is unbeaten and no one else is making them one or two in the nation as they head into a Thursday night game against Cincinnati and all they have to do is win the game. The Cardinals won a rain-soaked classic last year, but prior to that, the Bearcats had won four straight.  Louisville have not won at Nippert Stadium since 2007. It should be interesting to say the least.

FIVE QUESTIONS TO PONDER
Can Louisville find a way to make it to the National Championship? - 100 percent yes. I feel like this should be an unpredictable year in college football and it is very deep in different conferences. This conference is not as deep, but Louisville is very good, bringing a lot of starters back. The final game against Cincinnati looks daunting to me.

How full will the Teddy Bridgewater bandwagon be by October? - Overflowing by the beginning of October because people will tire about Johnny Manziel and hopefully once players are actually playing people will start gearing towards Bridgewater.  I feel like he is the next guy to get the push from the national media and others even if he plays at Louisville. Truthfully, if he was at USC, he would be the bigger than Manziel, no question in my mind.

What to make of the American Athletic Conference? - Honestly, I do not know. Odds are I will not a write a preview for them next year because they are a mid-major without Louisville. With Rutgers and Louisville leaving next year, this conference becomes partially nothing. Poor Cincinnati.

Any of these teams lurking in the American high grass? - A few I believe. I do think South Florida is sneaky good with Willie Taggert, UCF is a team people keep talking about, and I would never sleep on Rutgers as they always play good defense.

Last year for Charlie Strong? -  Personally, I think he is the Buzz Williams of college football. He will get mentioned in all sorts of jobs, but people forgot how well Louisville treats its coaches. Strong is a great coach and will have many teams interested in his service, but I feel like Strong enjoys coaches at Louisville. Sometimes, folks forget the last part.

PROJECTED FINISH
1.) Louisville
2.) Rutgers
3.) Cincinnati
4.) South Florida
5.) UCF
6.) Houston
7.) UConn
8.) SMU
9.) Temple
10.) Memphis

All Louisville everything.

Charlie.  

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SnoTap College Football Preview: Big 12

Talking college football again here on Sports News on Tap with previews of all the big dogs and some fun stuff thrown in there as well. Naturally, the picks and posts will be coming during and after Week 1.  

Big 12 does not get enough credit for how many good teams they have in their conference.  A lot of that happens because the Big 12 does not play defense. Honestly, there are people in this world whom take umbrage with this conference because they play games like 51-48. I have no idea why people cannot just enjoy the differences of the conferences honestly.  Big 12 is entirely different than the SEC and different than the B1G as well. If you accept that, college football becomes much more enjoyable.   

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
RB Lache Seastrunk (Baylor) - One of the players I keep talking about for the 2013 season. I truly believe he is a Heisman contender that everyone is forgetting about. Baylor also could be a better team than people expected and Seastrunk can take a run to the house at any point of the game.  He finished the year with 185, 136, 178 and 138 and in those games, his lowest yards per carry was 7.2.  Seastrunk will be one of the more electrifying players in all of college football.

RB Jonathan Gray (Texas) - He had a strong freshman campaign going for 700 yards and a couple touchdowns. Gray is a highly touted prospect and could be heading for a breakout year for the Longhorns. Gray and Malcolm Brown will create one of the better one-two punches in all of college football in the backfield. If Texas wants to head back to a BCS Bowl, one of the big reasons will be Gray getting big gains on the ground.

QB Casey Pachell (TCU) - After battling drinking troubles last season, Pachell is back on the team with TCU.  It is not a given he will win the starting spot as Trevone Boykin had a great year filling in. They have not named a starter yet for LSU on Saturday.  Pachell is a pretty competent passer and found ways to win games. The latter part of that sentence is cliche as it it gets, but he pulled a couple games straight out of his ass.

WR Josh Stewart (Oklahoma State) - With Mike Gundy's system, you just expect good receivers will come out of it. From Justin Blackmon to Joesph Randle, the next big one could be Josh Stewart. He had 101 catches last season with over 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns. Stewart came on strong last year in his sophomore year with his last four of six games going over 100 yards in receiving and in three of those games, caught over 10 balls.

RB John Hubert (Kansas State) -  Everyone talked about Collin Klein last year with the Wildcats success but people forgot about Hubert. The reason is he seems to have a second-half decline on his season. Hubert had 527 yards after the first six weeks of the season, but he only finished with 947 yards for the season. Hopefully in his third year, he will come through with a widespread big year.  

FIVE GAMES TO WATCH
Thursday October 3rd - Texas at Iowa State - Oh baby. Iowa State is known for their upsets at home just like their basketball team and they have the Longhorns on Thursday night in what should be a great Jack Tice crowd.  This will be a great game and a possible upset in the making.

Saturday October 5th - TCU at Oklahoma - Just looking at the schedule, the Horned Frogs could be licking their chops with this game. The Sooners will be coming off a road game to Notre Dame the Saturday prior and I will tell you in a second, I am buying a lot of stock in TCU and selling a lot in Oklahoma so I see this one as the game where TCU makes their Big 12 presence felt.

Saturday October 12th- Baylor at Kansas State - The Bears head to the Little Apple for a nice fall showdown. It pairs two of the best running backs in the Big 12 going up against each other in Seastrunk and Hubert.  I doubt this will be a high scoring game, but you never know with the Big 12.

Saturday November 16th - Oklahoma State at Texas -  For my money, this decides the Big 12 championship. Oklahoma State should be more well developed as a team and Texas will be also rounding into form. I am happy these two teams are playing in mid-November honestly. I feel like it will be a much better and bigger game.  

Saturday December 7th - Oklahoma at Oklahoma State - Bedlam is always exciting.  The Sooners and Pokes played an absolute classic last season heading to overtime in a high-scoring game.  Oklahoma has won the last nine of ten, but it seems like the Cowboys should have the upper hand this year.

FIVE QUESTIONS TO PONDER
Finally, the year Texas bounces back? - Yes. 100 percent yes. I am buying the Longhorns this year. David Ash is a good quarterback and they have two strong running backs. Also I would not forget about Tyrone Swoops, the talented freshman quarterback.  If Texas does not come back this year, they will not for awhile.

Down year in Norman? - Yes. 100 percent yes. I have no idea why people are so high on Oklahoma. They only bring back four players on their defense, a defense that was awful last season plus they have a redshirt freshman starting at quarterback. Trevor Knight is a fine player, but he will definitely have some hard knocks throughout the year. Also a Notre Dame, TCU, Texas stretch in the early part of the season is just brutal.

Oklahoma State quarterback uncertainty hurt their chances? - No because as Mike Gundy seems to have a bigger cupcake schedule every year more so than Bret Bielema.  They do not play a tough time until Kansas State on October 5th. Clint Chelf and J.W. Welsh are both competent quarterbacks and they should be able to figure out whose the boss by October or at least I hope so.

Forgetting about Kansas State once again? - Yes. We talked about it on our college football podcast, but every year, the Wildcats find a way to be a pretty good team with Bill Snyder. So I will go Icona Pop and say I don't care they only bring back 10 starters with only two on defense. The Wildcats will be fine and beat teams they are not supposed to like every year since Snyder has been coaching.

Could finally a team with a good defense make waves in the Big 12? - Another question where I will say yes. Watch out for the Horned Frogs of TCU this year. They have nine returning starters on defense and Gary Patterson has had some special defenses in the past, no question this could be another version. It is not out of the realm of possibility that the Horned Frogs could beat LSU in the first game of the season in Dallas and if they do that, endless chances for TCU this year. Their October featuring road games against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and a home game against Texas is their biggest challenge.

PROJECTED FINISH
1.) Texas
2.) Oklahoma State
3.) TCU
4.) Kansas State
5.) Baylor
6.) Oklahoma
7.) Texas Tech
8.) Iowa State
9.) West Virginia
10.) Kansas

I feel like this is the one conference where I could look like a complete dunce by the end of the year or a genius. No real in-between.

Charlie.  

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