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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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 College Football Preview: Tapping The Keg Episode 52

We talk all things college football for the latest Tapping The Keg podcast to get you ready for the seasonstarting on Thursday. The team we spent the most time with is the Wisconsin Badgers talking about their chances this season as well as their roster.  We then expand to the entire B1G looking at Ohio State, Michigan and others. The transition heads to the SEC discussing our fondness for Georgia and why we only save a couple words for Alabama.  Pac-12 sparks an interesting discussion talking about Stanford, Oregon and why Washington is truly the Milwaukee Bucks for college football; we also talk about the Pac-12 South. Big 12, ACC, American Athletic Conference and Notre Dame are also discussed in the final moments. Oh and we start with five minutes about the VMA's.

Charlie.

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SnoTap College Football Preview: SEC East

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.  

The SEC is the best conference in college football and it is not even close. It is weird to hear people up in Wisconsin kind of talk down about it. I do not know if it is a jealous boyfriend/girlfriend thing, but they seem to not like the SEC as much as they should or care about it. Yes, this weirdly bums me out.  

The SEC East also has the competive balance at the top with South Carolina, Florida and Georgia plus Vanderbilt is not that shabby either. The first three all have an opportunity to take a swing at Alabama in December.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
DE Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina) - The Freak as people are calling him right now and the nickname is the most accurate name in the game. He will disrupt offenses and dominate out there. I am not really expecting him to be a disappointment this year. I have no idea how some of the average offensive linemen will handle him this year.

RB Todd Gurley/Keith Marshall (Georgia) - These two are not really the 'Thunder & Lightning' of college football because they are both similar sizes, but easily, the best running back duo in the nation. Both are sophomores. Gurley had over 1,300 yards last season while Marshall had 700. Georgia becomes a National Championship contender with these two players because they are able to wear out all sorts of defenses plus Aaron Murray who is not bad either.

WR Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt) -  Matthews is probably one of the most slept on players in college football. I realize we say that a lot, but Matthews gets forgotten at Vanderbilt. He will be a first round pick for certain and Matthews can either be a possession or deep threat receiver. The Commodores receiver had over 1,300 yards with a 14 yards per catch and eight touchdowns. Even though he has a new quarterback, Matthews should be a great player in the SEC.

QB Jeff Driskel (Florida) - The question is what we are getting from Driskel this season?  He struggled last week to say the least. Driskel is a duel threat quarterback, but he did not really show much last season. He had promising games against Tennessee and South Carolina last season, but he was never really that consistent plus Tennessee's defense is about as easy as 2 + 1. Driskel is an interesting player to watch moving forward. He has a chance to be really good honestly, I truly believe he could be better than people give him credit for right now.

LB A.J. Jefferson (Tennessee) - He had a massive season last year with some major tackle games against Mississippi State and Georgia where had more than 15 total tackles. Judging by his numbers, Jefferson seems like the garbage man cleaning up everyone's dirty work plus doing a little more of his own. Jefferson will be a successful player again this year for the Vols.

FIVE GAMES TO WATCH
Saturday September 7th - South Carolina at Georgia - A lot like Alabama-Texas A&M, the top SEC East game is in the first couple weeks of the season.  These are probably the two best teams in the SEC East and they will play to practically begin the year. South Carolina has won the last three times these two have met including a classic in Athens in 2011.   

Saturday October 12th- Florida at LSU - Even though these two teams are in different conferences, it is an annual game. I feel like both have made comments they would like to see some variety in their crossover games and playing one of the best each year is tough.  You can see why the SEC pairs these two teams together as they always seem to play pretty good ones. Only a couple times have we see either Florida or LSU blow out the opposition.    

Saturday October 19th - Georgia at Vanderbilt - .Not the most glamorous game, but there is a definite chance for an upset. Georgia is a good team, but they can slip up here in Nashville. They welcomed Florida to Nashville last year and lost by 14, but they did well there for the most part last year. We will ignore Georgia beat them by 45 last week.

Saturday November 2nd - Georgia vs. Florida (Played in Jacksonville, FL) -  It is pretty awful they cannot call it 'The World's Largest Cocktail Party' for political correctness sake, but if we are going to go that route, just call it the Florida-Georgia Line Bowl' include a band performance too..IMAGINE THE PROMOTIONS. As always, this should be a great game between two of the better teams in the country. Georgia has won the last two games although Florida won 10 of the last 12 prior to the Bulldogs consecutive wins. Georgia and Florida's defense should both be in check by this time.

Saturday November 16th - Florida at South Carolina - This has become a rivalry with Steve Spurrier even though he has not coached in Florida in the last decade. South Carolina seems to play really well at home in the last couple of years. There is an outside this could decide the SEC East if both of these teams end up getting by Georgia.

FIVE QUESTIONS TO PONDER
Will Georgia's defense hold? - The Bulldogs only bring back three defensive starters from last year's team. They were probably the second best team in the nation and their defense was very good. Their first two games are against Clemson and South Carolina, the Tigers are very damn good offense and the Gamecocks are not that shabby either.  There is a realistic chance they could start off 0-2 due to their new defense.

Down year for the Gators? - Another team worth worrying about this year. They started off only bringing back eight starters and then they have had multiple players go down with season-ending injuries during training camp. If Driskel continues his inconsistent struggles, the Gators might be much worse than people believed them to be this year. No doubt, they are still a bowl team, but I would be stunned if they are in a BCS bowl this year. Too many holes to fill right now.

South Carolina back to Atlanta? - It seems like the Gamecocks have all the pieces to return to the SEC Championship for the first time since 2010. South Carolina has the best defensive player in the nation and they have enough on offense to get it done. They do have to travel to Georgia early, but that's the biggest roadblock in their schedule. No LSU, no Alabama, no Texas A&M as their crossovers, South Carolina might be a lurker for an unbeaten year in the SEC and maybe overall even with Clemson looming.

James Franklin's last year in Nashville? - I think Franklin might be gone if Texas and USC end up opening up. He has done a terrific job building Vanderbilt into a place where kids can go and be successful in football. No one has been able to do that, and it appears like he could be in for a huge payday.

Gary Pinkel, the hottest seat in football? - It appears like the end for Pinkel. Missouri will not be very good this season and after two down years in the SEC, Pinkel really cannot keep his job. They need to make some Manziel-like waves in the SEC sooner rather than later.  

PROJECTED FINISH
1.) South Carolina
2.) Georgia
3.) Florida
4.) Vanderbilt
5.) Tennessee
6.)Missouri
7.) Kentucky

Gamecocks are dangerous. Remember I told you that. I love Georgia, but I do not see them taking over the Cocks this year.

Charlie.  

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