My 2008 College Football Preview

1.       SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS – South Florida, a school that has only had a football team for 9 years, is finally ready for prime time.  Well, they seemed to be last year, ranking as high as 2^nd at one point last season, but finished with a thud  in a 56-21 blowout bowl loss to Oregon.  The bulls, woefully inexperienced, but extremely talented in 2007 should return with a vengeance in 2008.  George Selvie, the nation’s best Defensive Lineman is back to anchor the front seven and Sophomore QB Matt Grothe is back to guide the Offense.  Grothe was good as  a sophomore, but suffered from inconsistency and game-killing mistakes. The offense ranked in the top-50 without a true running back last year.  If Mike Ford can be that guy, the offense will be extremely explosive.  The entire team will use its experience from last year, and its top-tier talent to win, that’s right, win the Big East this year.  Yes, they will upset West Virginia in Morgantown on the last day of the regular season.

2.       WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS – Wake Forest has done an about-face since Jim Grobe took over in 2001.  Once a doormat of the ACC, the Deacs have climbed their way to the top-tier of the conference, including a 10-win season to go along with an ACC crown in 2006.  Well, Jim Grobe once again shows off his immense coaching ability in 2008.  It’s not just Jim Grobe though, Wake Forest has some athletes.  Want to know who has the best defense you’ve never heard of? Well head to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Wake returns 5 of their 7 best starters from a year ago on defense and will be an absolute brick wall against the pass as they were last year.  If they can stop run, watch out.  With a renewed emphasis on the Running Game this year to help QB Riley Skinner out and a great corps of Running Backs, expect the Demon Deacon offense to be much better than a year ago.  Yes, they will lose to Clemson again, but Clemson will falter late, as usual, and leave the door open for Wake’s 2^ndACC title in as many years.

3.       TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS – Head Coach Mike Leach’s quirky offense that, according to him, doesn’t even use a playbook will be running on all cylinders in 2008.  Who says a one-dimensional offense cannot work at this level?  Playing the Red Raiders this fall will be like playing most people on Playstation.  They will throw, throw, and keep throwing.  Just like they have every year under Mike Leach.  So what is the difference in 2008?  Well, rumor out of Lubbock has it that the Red Raiders can finally play some D.  The defense has been impressive this fall against one of America’s best offenses.  Since getting a new defensive coordinator midway through last season, the defense has seen a total makeover.  Texas Tech can play, and if they can play defense at a high-level all season, instead of just the 2^nd

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