Monday, January 31, 2011

Super Bowl XLV - Linebackers

Green Bay - Clay Matthews, AJ Hawk, Desmond Bishop, Erik Walden
Pittsburgh - LaMarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior, James Harrison

If you want star power for this game, look no further than the All-Pro linebackers for each team. Clay Matthews was the front-runner for NFL Defensive Player of the Year for much of the season (until it was announced today that the Steelers' Troy Polamalu was given the award), and James Harrison is just 2 years removed from making one of the best plays in Super Bowl history. It is a good thing that Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger are so good at eluding the pass rush, because these two should be in their faces all night.

Green Bay has had some injuries to deal with at this position. Nick Barnett and Brady Poppinga were both sidelined. Little known Desmond Bishop and Erik Walden have stepped in admirably in increased roles. Bishop was second on the team in tackles and Walden has picked up 4 sacks in his last 4 games. The two most popular members of this group are Matthews and AJ Hawk. Hawk had a celebrated college career, but has struggled at times in the pros. 2010 was his best year to date as he lead the Packers with 111 tackles. Matthews has been a beast since joining Green Bay. He won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year last year and was runner-up for NFL Defensive Player of the Year this season. He had 13.5 sacks during the regular season and has added 3.5 more in the postseason. Matthews will look to take advantage of an injury-laden Steelers o-line and get a couple free shots on Roethlisberger.

The Steelers linebackers may begin with Harrison, but this entire group is stacked. They have tackling machines in the middle. Lawrence Timmons is probably the most athletic of the bunch and racked up 135 tackles on the season. He is joined on the inside by James Farrior. Farrior is the heart and soul and unquestioned leader of this defense. On the outside LaMarr Woodley teams up with Harrison to form what is most likely the most dominant pass rushing duo in the NFL. To say the least, they have playmakers across the field. The versatility of the linebackers allows Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau to get very creative with his blitz packages. Aaron Rodgers will be running for his life.

Pittsburgh may possess the best group of linebackers in the NFL, so they definitely have the advantage here. The Steelers can and will blitz from all angles. But Green Bay will get pressure on Roethlisberger as well. The difference between the two teams is that the Packers have just 1 player than can change the face of the game, meanwhile the Steelers entire group is capable of having this type of impact. One way or another, expect Harrison and Matthews to play a role on the game's outcome.

Advantage - Pittsburgh

Sunday, January 30, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament Projections

And then there was one. After a scintillating week of college hoops upsets saw 16 of the nation's Top 25 teams lose at least one game, Ohio State stands alone as the only team without a loss. The Buckeyes began the week by beating up on a very good Purdue team. OSU dominated the Boilermakers, 87-64. There isn't a team in the country that could have come within 10 points of the Buckeyes on this night. Just a few days later they proved they weren't unstoppable. A Jared Sullinger free throw with 3 seconds left was the final margin in Ohio State avoiding an upset at the hands of Northwestern. While the Buckeyes are clearly the No. 1 team right now, the rest of the spots in the field of 68 are up for debate. Here are the projected brackets as we head into February.

East Regional - Newark

Cleveland
(1) Ohio St. vs. (16) McNeese St./Bethune-Cookman
(8) Florida St. vs. (9) Missouri St.
Tampa
(5) Missouri vs. (12) Georgia/UAB
(4) Georgetown vs. (13) Belmont
Charlotte
(6) Wisconsin vs. (11) St. John's
(3) Kentucky vs. (14) Fairfield
Washington, DC
(7) Arizona vs. (10) Baylor
(2) UConn vs. (15) Long Island

Southeast Regional - New Orleans

Cleveland
(1) Pittsburgh vs. (16) Long Beach St.
(8) Michigan St. vs. (9) St. Mary's
Tucson
(5) Syracuse vs. (12) Cleveland St.
(4) Texas A&M vs. (13) Alabama
Chicago
(6) Florida vs. (11) Kansas St.
(3) Purdue vs. (14) Coastal Carolina
Denver
(7) Temple vs. (10) Marquette
(2) BYU vs. (15) Murray St.

Southwest Regional - San Antonio

Tulsa
(1) Kansas vs. (16) Maine/Jackson St.
(8) Utah St. vs. (9) Cincinnati
Tampa
(5) North Carolina vs. (12) Richmond/UTEP
(4) Louisville vs. (13) Oakland
Washington, DC
(6) Minnesota vs. (11) UCLA
(3) Villanova vs. (14) Bucknell
Tucson
(7) Tennessee vs. (10) Wichita St.
(2) San Diego St. vs. (15) Buffalo

West Regional - Anaheim

Charlotte
(1) Duke vs. (16) Montana
(8) Xavier vs. (9) UNLV
Denver
(5) West Virginia vs. (12) VCU
(4) Washington vs. (13) Harvard
Chicago
(6) Illinois vs. (11) Memphis
(3) Notre Dame vs. (14) College of Charleston
Tulsa
(7) Vanderbilt vs. (10) Boston College
(2) Texas vs. (15) Florida Atlantic

* The Final 4 matchups would be East vs. West and Southeast vs. Southwest

Super Bowl XLV - Defensive Line

Green Bay - BJ Raji, Cullen Jenkins, Ryan Pickett, CJ Wilson, Howard Green
Pittsburgh - Casey Hampton, Ziggy Hood, Brett Keisel, Chris Hoke, Nick Eason

Yesterday we looked at the offensive line for the Packers and Steelers respectively. Today we look at the other side of the trenches in the defensive line. This game could be won by whose d-line outplays the other. Especially since the offensive lines seem to be the weak link for each. Both teams pack some muscle on their defensive front. Whoever controls the line of scrimmage will dictate the flow of this game. By running a 3-4 defense, these teams expect their lineman to take on blockers and free their outstanding linebacking corps to make the majority of the tackles. BJ Raji of the Packers and Casey Hampton of the Steelers due a great job of doing this for their teams.

BJ Raji has ascended towards stardom. He has already had a very productive year. Few defensive lineman can take on blocks like he can. Last week he picked off a Caleb Hanie pass and returned it for a TD to punch Green Bay's ticket into the Super Bowl. His celebration dance is what has caught the attention of most. Now everyone wants to learn how to do the Raji. His play deserves much more attention than his dance moves though. Along side him on the line are veterans Cullen Jenkins and Ryan Pickett. Jenkins forms a nice tandem with Raji, and Pickett supplies some Super Bowl experience. The Packers d-line will need to pave the way for Clay Matthews Jr. to get some free shots on Big Ben.

The defensive line of the Steelers gets the least amount of credit of any unit on that side of the ball. This is understandable when Troy Polamalu and James Harrison are the best players on the other units. Pittsburgh's d-line can be very formidable as well. Casey Hampton is the leader of the bunch. He only had 1 sack during the regular season, but he remains a monster to block even though he appears to be on the downside of his career. Ziggy Hood has played better this year and has began to prove why the Steelers used a 1st round draft pick on him. Brett Keisel has a non-stop motor and his beard is becoming a star of its own. This defensive front is not flashy, but trust me when I say the back 7 would not receive the accolades they do without a stout front.

The defensive line is where it all starts for these teams. Winning the battle up front, allows the linebackers and secondaries to make the big plays. There is not much distinguishing one team from the other here. Ultimately, I like the Steelers line a tad bit more. I love BJ Raji and think that he is going to be a handful for the Steelers to handle, but I think Pittsburgh's depth gets the edge here. The Steelers can rotate players at a better pace and this will allow them to be more fresh for what is bound to be a close game in the end.

Advantage - Pittsburgh

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Super Bowl XLV - Offensive Line

Green Bay - Scott Wells, Daryn Colledge, Josh Sitton, Chad Clifton, Bryan Bulaga
Pittsburgh - Doug Legursky, Chris Kemoeatu, Ramon Foster, John Scott, Flozell Adams

The offensive line for both of the Super Bowl participants are probably the two most maligned units either has. Neither team has a dominating lineman that will blow you away with their strength and agility - especially with Pittsburgh's loss of Maurkice Pouncey. Both units are helped by having QBs behind them that are difficult to get to. Green Bay's offensive line was responsible for giving up 38 sacks this season, but they have protected Rodgers well enough and began to open up some holes in the running game throughout the playoffs. Pittsburgh finished the AFC Championship with 4 lineman that began the season as backups.

Green Bay's line probably blocked a little better in the running game this season than in the passing game. Aaron Rodgers' ability to move in the pocket certainly helps out though. Bryan Bulaga was the Packers' 1st Round draft pick in 2010 and started as a rookie. He has some improvement to make but could possibly be their best lineman. Bulaga and company will have a tough task to face in the Steelers D. They will have to know their assignments because Pittsburgh will bring lots of heat off the edge with James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and even Troy Polamalu. Nobody expects the Green Bay line to open up huge holes in the running game, but they must have some consistency and avoid the negative plays.

Injuries have completely deflated the Steelers' offensive line. Their best lineman went down with an ankle injury last week, so insert Doug Legursky. Legursky had a bad exchange with Ben Roethlisberger last week that lead to a Jets safety. This will have to be cleaned up by next Sunday. Elsewhere on the line, Ramon Foster, Johnathan Scott, and veteran Flozell Adams were not supposed to be starting either. Green Bay's 5th ranked defense should be salivating at this patchwork group. Chris Kemoeatu will be the only Steelers lineman that was expected to start the season. Big Ben may have to shake off even more defenders than he is used to. Look for Pittsburgh to try to pound the ball early to take some heat off of the pass protection that many are skeptical about.

Cohesiveness is very important to a unit such as an offensive line. The Packers line has not been over-powering by any stretch of the imagination, but they are fairly healthy and have more time playing together as a unit than Pittsburgh does. The Steelers will be starting this particular unit for the first time all season. These units might be the weak link for both offenses, but both will have to protect their QBs to become Super Bowl champions.

Advantage - Green Bay

Friday, January 28, 2011

Super Bowl XLV - Wide Receivers

Green Bay - Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, Andrew Quarless
Pittsburgh - Mike Wallace, Hines Ward, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, Heath Miller

Each of the Super Bowl squads have very good receiving corps. There is only 1 Pro Bowler amongst both groups in Greg Jennings, but there are former Pro Bowlers and rising stars. Both teams are very capable of explosive plays in the passing game. Green Bay has gotten big performances from their receivers all season long, and don't expect the presence of Troy Polamalu to stop this. Pittsburgh has perhaps the game's best deep threat in Mike Wallace. This guy can fly. There should be many more sparks through the air than on the ground.

Green Bay's aerial attack is very dangerous. Greg Jennings has become 1 of the NFL's top receivers, and Donald Driver is as good as it comes as a No.2 target. James Jones has had a case of the "drops" at times this year, but he can certainly provide a big play or 2 as well. The Packers lost a fantastic weapon when TE Jermichael Finley went down with an injury. Aaron Rodgers has not utilized the tight ends all that often, but has tended to use Jordy Nelson as his safety valve. The Packers ranked 5th in the league in yards through the air. The versatility of their wide receivers gives Rodgers plenty of options.

The Steelers have changed their offensive personality in recent years. They still have the devastating defense, but the offense expects to get their big plays by passing the ball now. Mike Wallace is quickly becoming an elite receiver. He has become yet another diamond that this organization has found in the rough. As rumors swirl about his possible retirement, Hines Wards remains the NFL's best blocking WR and is still who Big Ben looks to when he needs to move the chains. Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown have been pleasant surprises and have made big plays throughout this Super Bowl run. Heath Miller is possibly Big Ben's favorite target at TE, and should play a huge role in this game.

This is a tough position to give 1 team or another the advantage. I will give a slight one to the Packers though. Their bunch is a little more versatile as well as explosive. Green Bay has a plethora of options. Because Rodgers has this luxury, he may not have to throw in Polamalu's direction very often. Pittsburgh has good receivers too, I just think Green Bay's are a little better.

Advantage - Green Bay

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Super Bowl XLV - Running Backs

Green Bay - James Starks, Brandon Jackson, John Kuhn
Pittsburgh - Rashard Mendenhall, Mewelde Moore, Issac Redman

Neither one of these teams possess a bona fide star at RB. Rashard Mendenhall is the closest thing we have to that in this matchup. He proved in the 1st half of last week that he is capable of taking over a game. Green Bay lost Ryan Grant early in the season and has relied on a pass-heavy offense through much of the year. The emergence of James Starks in the playoffs has aided the Packers run to the Super Bowl. He has not run for massive amounts of yards, but the mere threat of running the ball has opened up the offense for Aaron Rodgers. Don't expect too many breakout runs in this Super Bowl.

The Packers running game was far from thrilling in 2010. Brandon Jackson lead the team in rushing with just 703 yards. He lost the starting job to James Starks for the playoffs. Starks has not set the world on fire but he has grounded out some yards that teams need to keep drives going. Jackson has reverted to more of a 3rd down back. Aside from Starks and Jackson, the Packers are not afraid to hand the ball off to John Kuhn in short yardage situations. Overall, Green Bay ranked 24th in the league in rushing, averaging just 100 yards a game. They will be hard pressed to rush against an all-time great rushing D that Pittsburgh owns.

Pittsburgh was pretty good on the ground this year. That is all you need when your team has this D. Mendenhall has the talent and size to become one of the NFL's best. He ran for 1,273 yards during the rugular season - good for 7th in the NFL. He has complimentary backs in Issac Redman and Mewelde Moore who can spell him when needed and pick up yards when asked to. The Steelers were 11th in rushing at 120 yards a game. They will need to see similar production to keep the Packers' blitzes at bay.

The Steelers are far from being a dominant running team, but they clearly have the advantage here. Mendenhall is the best RB of the bunch. It is obvious to everyone looking at this game, that the Packers will not have much success running the ball. They simply have to pose the threat of running. The Steelers will look to control the clock with the run and keep their dominant D fresh. They should be able to provide enough in the ground game to give Big Ben enough support.

Advantage - Pittsburgh

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Super Bowl XLV - Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers (GB) vs. Ben Roethlisberger (Pit)

These are undoubtedly 2 of the best QBs the NFL has to offer. Roethlisberger is in search of his 3rd Super Bowl win in just his 7th season. Rodgers is making his 1st Super Bowl appearance, but has risen to the top of the QB echelon in just a few seasons since taking over Green Bay's offense. The likes of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are always the 1st ones mentioned when speaking of the best QBs in the league. Drew Brees threw his name into the hat after his marvelous Super Bowl run in 2009. Roethlisberger and Rodgers certainly belong in this category. It should be fun to watch them compete on February 6th.

Aaron Rodgers has been terrific this entire season. He passed for 3,922 yards and 28 TD during the regular season while throwing just 11 picks. These impressive numbers got even better through the first 2 rounds of the playoffs. In wins at Philadelphia and Atlanta he threw for 546 yards, 6 TD, and 0 INT. Last week the Bears were able to slow the air attack some, but Rodgers rushed for a TD in leading the Pack to their 1st Super Bowl in 14 years. The man can do it all. He is 6'2, 225 pounds with a strong arm and possesses pin-point accuracy. He is a helluva leader and will be looking for a Steve Young in Super Bowl XXIX moment that makes Cheeseheads all around finally stop yearning for the Brett Favre days once and for all.

Ben Roethlisberger is built like a brick house. He is 6'5, 245 pounds and virtually impossible to bring down with just 1 man. Roethlisberger brings intangibles to the field that makes the Steelers as formidable as they are. Everyone knows that Big Ben's season got off to a rocky start. After a night out with college women in Milledgeville, Georgia, caused Roethlisberger to be accused of sexual assault for the 2nd time - he became the 1st QB suspended by Roger Goodell for personal conduct. Despite missing the the initial 4 weeks of the season, Roethlisbereger never missed a beat. From day 1, Big Ben was determined to silence his critics. It resulted in 3,200 yards and 17 TD in 12 games. He has continued to position himself as 1 of the best playoff QBs of all time. He looks to join Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, and Tom Brady as the only QBs in NFL history to lead their team to 3 Super Bowl victories.

This one is difficult to decide which team has the advantage here. Roethlisberger is great at what he does. He extends plays and makes clutch throws when asked to. The truth is, the Steelers don't ask him to do all that much else. Rodgers on the other hand carries the weight of this offense on his shoulders. If this was a question of who is the better passer, I would take Rodgers all day. But the question is which team has the advantage at QB. Although it is a slight advantage, I will take the intangibles that Big Ben brings. His experience in high pressure games and ability to perform in the clutch are immeasurable by any statistic - other than 3 Super Bowls in 7 years.

Advantage - Pittsburgh

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Super Bowl Agenda

There is plenty to talk about in the next 11 days leading up to Super Bowl Sunday. Pittsburgh is attempting to win their NFL-leading 7th Super Bowl. Green Bay is looking to revive their storied history and take home its 4th Super Bowl. Ben Roethlisberger continues his story of redemption and cement his name into Canton's future. Aaron Rodgers tries to complete his meteoric rise to the top of the NFL. And the list goes on. I will let the "talking heads" take care of those story lines for you. I will be taking a look at the positional breakdowns to see which team has an advantage where. Below is a list of which position we will be taking a look at on each of the coming days.

January 26: Quarterbacks
January 27: Running Backs
January 28: Wide Receivers
January 29: Offensive Line
January 30: Defensive Line
January 31: Linebackers
February 1: Secondary
February 2: Special Teams
February 3: Coaching
February 4: The Prediction

Monday, January 24, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament Projections

As we head into the final week in January, we are now down to just 2 undefeated teams in the NCAA. Ohio St. rallied from 8 down to beat Illinois over the weekend while San Diego St. improved their mark to 20-0. These teams face perhaps their toughest tests of the season this week. The Buckeyes host Purdue on Tuesday night and the Aztecs head to Provo to face #9 BYU. Will a win at BYU move San Diego St. into a #1 seed? We will have to wait and see. Here are the projected tournament brackets if the season ended today.

East Regional - Newark

Cleveland
(1) Ohio St. vs. (16) Northern Colorado/Lamar
(8) St. Mary's vs. (9) Boston College
Tampa
(5) Washington vs. (12) Kansas St./UTEP
(4) Notre Dame vs. (13) Belmont
Tulsa
(6) Minnesota vs. (11) Virginia Tech
(3) Texas vs. (14) College of Charleston
Chicago
(7) Xavier vs. (10) Utah St.
(2) Syracuse vs. (15) Florida Atlantic

Southeast Regional - New Orleans

Cleveland
(1) Pittsburgh vs. (16) Long Beach St./Texas Southern
(8) North Carolina vs. (9) Missouri St.
Denver
(5) Florida vs. (12) Memphis
(4) Missouri vs. (13) Oakland
Chicago
(6) Georgetown vs. (11) Baylor
(3) Purdue vs. (14) Fairfield
Tucson
(7) Vanderbilt vs. (10) Butler
(2) San Diego St. vs. (15) Austin Peay

Southwest Regional - San Antonio

Charlotte
(1) Duke vs. (16) Maine
(8) UNLV vs. (9) Tennessee
Tucson
(5) Louisville vs. (12) Cleveland St.
(4) Wisconsin vs. (13) Coastal Carolina
Tampa
(6) Michigan St. vs. (11) UCLA
(3) Texas A&M vs. (14) VCU
Washington, DC
(7) Temple vs. (10) Wichita St.
(2) UConn vs. (15) Bucknell

West Regional - Anaheim

Tulsa
(1) Kansas vs. (16) Long Island
(8) Cincinnati vs. (9) Florida St.
Charlotte
(5) Illinois vs. (12) Gonzaga/St. John's
(4) Kentucky vs. (13) Harvard
Denver
(6) West Virginia vs. (11) Richmond
(3) BYU vs. (14) Ball St.
Washington, DC
(7) Arizona vs. (10) Georgia
(2) Villanova vs. (15) Hampton

Saturday, January 22, 2011

NBA Midway Point

So I took my nephews to a Cleveland Cavaliers game last night. I must say that it is hard to imagine that a team has been able to fall so hard so fast. It seems undeniable after watching the Cavs lose 25 of their last 26 games that they will become the 1st team in NBA history to have the league's best and worst records in back to back seasons. Though I am a loyal fan, I must admit that this is the 1st time this season I have watched a Cavs game in its entirety. Usually I have the luxury of using my remote control as I choose. This team is bad. And it's not just the talent they lost in LeBron James, although that triggered the disaster that this team has become. They have been struck with a serious case of the injury bug, (Mo Williams has missed a lot of time, Anderson Varejao is out for the season), and the loss of LeBron took the wind out of their sails. Coach Byron Scott has not been able to motivate them one bit, and it has shown with their lack of movement on offense and lazy rotations on defense.

All of the factors listed above lead me to conclude based off of current winning percentage and simulations of the remainder of the season that the Cavs will have the best chance at winning the NBA Lottery. Maybe the Cavs can win the lottery and draft the next coming of LeBron. Then again, it is completely unfathomable that any player in the upcoming draft class will turn into that type of overwhelmingly dominant player.

Here's a look at how the entire league is projected to finish:

East
1. Boston 62-20
2. Miami 61-21
3. Orlando 57-25
4. Chicago 54-28
5. Atlanta 51-31
6. New York 44-48
7. Milwaukee 36-46
8. Charlotte 35-47                                      
9. Philadelphia 33-49
10. Indiana 31-51
11. Washington 27-55
12. Detroit 26-56
13. Toronto 24-58
14. New Jersey 22-60
15. Cleveland 17-65

West
1. San Antonio 64-18
2. LA Lakers 61-21
3. Oklahoma City 54-28
4. Dallas 53-29
5. Utah 53-29
6. Denver 46-36
7. New Orleans 45-37
8. Portland 44-38                                       
9. Phoenix 42-40
10. Houston 40-42
11. Memphis 37-45
12. LA Clippers 35-47
13. Golden St. 32-50
14. Sacramento 23-59
15. Minnesota 18-64

East Quarters
1 Boston over 8 Charlotte 4-0
4 Chicago over 5 Atlanta 4-2
3 Orlando over 6 New York 4-2
2 Miami over 7 Milwaukee 4-0

West Quarters
1 San Antonio over 8 Portland 4-1
4 Dallas over 5 Utah 4-3
3 Oklahoma City over 6 Denver 4-3
2 LA Lakers over 7 New Orleans 4-2

East Semis
1 Boston over 4 Chicago 4-3
2 Miami over Orlando 4-2

West Semis
1 San Antonio over 4 Dallas 4-3
2 LA Lakers over 3 Oklahoma City 4-1

East Finals
1 Boston over 2 Miami 4-3

West Finals
1 San Antonio over 2 LA Lakers 4-3

NBA Finals
1 San Antonio over Boston 4-3

You can't question how well the Spurs are playing right now. They have tied the 2nd best start in NBA history at this point in the season. Many would proclaim that this would be a boring Finals matchup, but I disagree. You could not ask for better played basketball. Ultimately, I still believe the Celtics are best suited to take home the O'Brien Trophy, but for now we will say the Spurs win it all.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

AFC Championship Preview

NY Jets +4 @ Pittsburgh

The Jets have been a little less talkative heading into this week's game at Pittsburgh. Both teams seem to have a disgusting amount of respect for each other. Knowing these teams, that respect will quickly turn to disdain once the ball is kicked off Sunday evening. This is yet another rematch to be played out in this year's playoffs. The Jets won at Heinz Field 22-17 a month ago. It will be awfully difficult for them to accomplish this feat twice in the same season. Especially since the Steelers will have the services of the league's most disruptive player in Troy Polamalu this time around. Polamalu was on the sideline during their December meeting.

There are several matchups that will be vital to the outcome of this game. The Jets must be able to establish some sort of ground game versus the NFL's top ranked rushing D. LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene will have to muster more than the 63 yards Pittsburgh averages to give up on the ground. The outstanding offensive line of the Jets, lead by Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, must provide some running lanes. This is imperative to take the onus of the game off of Mark Sanchez. If Sanchez is forced to throw the ball, expect Polamalu and James Harrison to change the landscape of the game. Offensively, the Steelers must protect Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben can certainly be a handful to take down, but the Jets will be blitzing much more than they did last week at New England. The weak link for Pittsburgh is their injury-stricken offensive line. With the likes of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie able to play man coverage, Rex Ryan will unleash his linebackers and safeties on a variety of blitzes. Will they be able to get Ben to the ground once they reach him, is they key question.

Roethlisberger began the season suspended and seemed like his life and career could spiral down hill. He is now 2 wins away from joining a very exclusive club with 3 Super Bowl rings. Rex Ryan's squad has the mojo and talent to put an end to this quest. Though the Jets have been quiet this week, we will have 2 full weeks to get plenty of sound bites heading into Super Bowl Sunday. The Jets complete a historic Super Bowl matchup and head to Arlington, Texas for the 1st Super Bowl featuring 2 Wild Card teams.

Prediction - NY Jets 23 Pittsburgh 17

Ringer's Playoff Record
SU:  4-4
ATS: 5-3

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

NFC Championship Preview

Green Bay -3.5 @ Chicago

This is what it's all about. The NFL's oldest rivals squaring off with a trip to Super Bowl XLV on the line. The Green Bay Packers will travel to Soldier Field to play the Chicago Bears for the 183rd time. This will be just the 2nd time they meet in the playoffs. The teams split the season series this year - each winning on their home field. To the surprise of some, Green Bay enters the game as a 3.5 point favorite despite traveling to The Windy City.

Neither team was ever really challenged in the Divisional round. Green Bay fell behind early in Atlanta, before scoring 35 consecutive points to win going away, 48-21. Meanwhile, the Bears scored the first 28 points versus Seattle before allowing the Seahawks a couple scores in garbage time and winning 35-24. The focus has been on the QBs on each of these teams. Aaron Rodgers had never won a playoff game prior to this season. He now has 2 postseason victories and has looked absolutely flawless. He appears ready to make the leap into the NFL's elite. Jay Cutler made his 1st postseason start on Sunday and responded by throwing a TD pass on his very 1st attempt. The QBs have passed the initial tests, but will face the stiffest one yet this week. Aaron Rodgers will not have the comfort of playing indoors, and will be fighting against the weather conditions as well as a brutal Bears D. Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs have been a devastating linebacking duo for years and this year they added freakishly talented DE Julius Peppers. Jay Cutler will have to deal with the relentlessness of Clay Matthews Jr. and the nickle blitzes and cover skills of Charles Woodson.

Rodgers looks to advance the Packers to their 1st Super Bowl since 1998, and prove once and for all that there is plenty of life after #4. The Bears have their sights set on their 2nd appearance in the big game in 5 years. Expect a classic black and blue battle. But this game won't be won on the strength of either defense or running attack. Rodgers will put together another solid outing and add his name to the likes of Brady, Manning, and Brees.

Prediction - Green Bay 24 Chicago 19

Monday, January 17, 2011

Pre-Preseaon 2011 NCAA Football Top 25

It is much, much too early to predict anything that is going to happen in the 2011 NCAA Football season. A lot is going to change from now until September. And even more is going to change from now until next season culminates with the BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans. But it's always fun to pretend like you can see into the future. Here is my pre-preseason Top 25 for the 2011 NCAA Football season.

1. Oklahoma - The Sooners are loaded with talent with Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles.
2. LSU - The Mad Hatter returns eyeing another National Title in front of the home crowd.
3. Oregon - LaMichael James looks to take home the Heisman in 2011.
4. Stanford - Andrew Luck returns to school as the 2011 Heisman front-runner.
5. Alabama - Nick Saban doesn't rebuild, he reloads.
6. Nebraska - The Huskers could win the Big Ten in their first season.
7. Florida St. - Jimbo Fisher's D will have NFL-talent all over the field.
8. Ohio St. - The Buckeyes would be higher if not for the suspension of 5 key players.
9. Auburn - It will be hard to repeat without Cam Newton and Nick Fairley
10. South Carolina - This should be Spurrier's best shot at an SEC title with the Cocks.
11. Oklahoma St. - Justin Blackmon returns to a loaded offense.
12. Boise St. - Kellen Moore transitions the Broncos to the Mountain West.
13. Texas A&M - Ryan Tannehill could be the real deal at QB.
14. TCU - The Horned Frogs try to sustain their success without Andy Dalton.
15. Arkansas - Knile Davis emerged as the next great back at Arkansas.
16. Wisconsin - The Badgers' 3-headed monster at RB returns in tact.
17. Virginia Tech - Frank Beamer's squads are always near the top of the ACC.
18. Michigan St. - Much returns from a team that surprised all with 11 wins in 2010.
19. Notre Dame - Brian Kelly takes 1 more step towards national relevance.
20. Central Florida - The Black Knights will go where QB Jefferey Godfrey takes them.
21. Florida - Will Muschamp gets the Gators back in the Top 25.
22. Mississippi St. - Dan Mullen is building a program in Starkville.
23. West Virginia - The Mountaineers D has the potential to be great.
24. Penn St. - JoePa's team could rise up the rankings with consistent QB play.
25. NC State - Tom O'Brien's program took a huge leap in 2010.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

2011 NCAA Tournament Projections

It's now the middle of January, and as the football season winds down, the NCAA Basketball season is heating up. We are just 2 months away from Selection Sunday, and though much can and will change throughout the rest of the season, here is what the projected field of 68 (it sounds so weird saying 68) would look like if it began now.

East Regional - Newark

Cleveland
(1) Ohio St. vs. (16) Morgan St./Maine
(8) Xavier vs. (9) Boston College
Tampa
(5) Missouri vs. (12) Harvard
(4) Louisville vs. (13) Bucknell
Denver
(6) Vanderbilt vs. (11) St. John's
(3) BYU vs. (14) Oakland
Washington, DC
(7) Illinois vs. (10) Kansas St.
(2) Villanova vs. (15) Austin Peay

Southeast Regional - New Orleans

Washington, DC
(1) Syracuse vs. (16) McNeese St.
(8) Georgia vs. (9) Wichita St.
Denver
(5) Wisconsin vs. (12) Colorado/Arkansas
(4) Washington vs. (13) Southern Miss
Tulsa
(6) Georgetown vs. (11) Florida St.
(3) Texas A&M vs. (14) Coll. of Charleston
Tucson
(7) Temple vs. (10) Cincinnati
(2) San Diego St. vs. (15) Belmont

Southwest Regional - San Antonio

Tulsa
(1) Kansas vs. (16) Texas Southern/Northern Colorado
(8) Missouri St. vs. (9) Gonzaga
Chicago
(5) Florida vs. (12) Central Florida
(4) Michigan St. vs. (13) James Madison
Tampa
(6) North Carolina vs. (11) Washington St.
(3) UConn vs. (14) Florida Atlantic
Chicago
(7) UNLV vs. (10) Baylor
(2) Purdue vs. (15) Ball St.

West Regional - Anaheim

Charlotte
(1) Duke vs. (16) Long Island
(8) St. Mary's vs. (9) Minnesota
Tucson
(5) Notre Dame vs. (12) Memphis/Clemson
(4) Texas vs. (13) Coastal Carolina
Charlotte
(6) Butler vs. (11) West Virginia
(3) Kentucky vs. (14) Fairfield
Cleveland
(7) Arizona vs. (10) Utah St.
(2) Pittsburgh vs. (15) Long Beach St.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Divisional Sunday Preview

Sunday, 1

Seattle +10 @ Chicago

Following a 3-year leave of absence from the postseason, Chicago returns to playoff action for the first time since their 2006 playoff run that landed them in Super Bowl XLI. They face off against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. This game features 2 of the last 5 NFC championship organizations. The 2 teams played back in Week 6. Seattle went into Soldier Field and beat the Bears 23-20 for 1 of their 2 road wins all season. Their 6 road losses came by an average of 20 points a game.

It's been difficult to forecast which Seattle team will show up week in and week out. I suspect that they will ride the momentum of last week's upset victory and play inspired football. Do they have what it takes to overcome their road deficiencies? They aren't exactly running into a buzzsaw in Chicago. The Bears did put together a fine season though. The combination of Jay Cutler at QB and Mike Martz calling the plays paid dividends. This proved to be a much better marriage than many thought. Defensively, the addition of Julius Peppers may have been the single most important move any team made last offseason. Put that together and you get an NFC North title. But Chicago is not unbeatable by any stretch of the imagination, as the Seahawks proved earlier in the year.

Think about this for a second. If Green Bay wins at Atlanta as I predicted, and Seattle pulls another upset, the 7-9 Seahawks would host the NFC Championship next weekend. I can't see that happening. Seattle will scare the Bears a bit, but Chicago moves on and continues their dream of winning a Super Bowl.

Prediction - Chicago 21 Seattle 16

Sunday, 4:30

NY Jets +9 @ New England

There has been plenty of talk leading up to this one. It is evident that these 2 teams simply disgust each other. Don't expect too many friendly exchanges amongst players on Sunday. The Jets were perceived to be the favorite in the AFC East coming into the season. They added players like LT, Santonio Holmes, and Antonio Cromartie to bolster a roster that made the AFC title game last season. The Patriots weren't ready to relinquish control of the division just yet. The Jets beat New England in Week 2 and it looked like there could be a power shift. New England rolled the rest of the season however, and finished with a 14-2 record that included a 45-3 beat down of the Jets the last time they visited Foxborough.

The Patriots were clearly the cream of the crop in the entire NFL throughout the regular season. Tom Brady has looked absolutely amazing. He will undoubtedly win his 2nd MVP, as he finished the season with an unheard of 9-1 TD to INT ratio. Take this and the fact that Brady has won 3 Super Bowls during his illustrious career, and New England has a clear advantage at that position. Though the Jets D will be fired up for this one. They were embarrassed by the spanking that Tom Terrific laid on them just over a month ago. Expect them to bracket their coverage like they did against Peyton Manning last week and force Brady to dink and dunk his way toward the end zone. Bart Scott, Darelle Revis, and company will come into this one with a mean streak and look to inflict punishment on the Patriots.

Last week I couldn't pull the trigger on picking all 4 road teams to win. Though I don't like all 4 road teams to win this week either, I do like all of them to cover the spread. Despite the 42-point New England win last time these 2 teams played, I think the Jets keep this one close. Rex Ryan will have his team ready to play, but Brady will not lose a home playoff game 2 years in a  row.

Prediction - New England 17 NY Jets 15

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Divisional Saturday Preview

Saturday, 4:30

Baltimore +3 @ Pittsburgh

This game features the league's biggest rivalry over the course of the last decade. The last time Baltimore and Pittsburgh squared off in the playoffs, the Steelers won in the AFC Championship on their way to the franchise's 6th Lombardi Trophy. Each team has been amongst the NFL's elite all season and won 12 games apiece. Baltimore was the sexy pick to win the AFC North to begin the year, but the Steelers made sure that the Ravens would have to come through Heinz Field to reach the promise land. The Ravens come in fresh off a bludgeoning of the Chiefs at Arrowhead last week. Pittsburgh is rested after a bye week. Troy Polamalu has been held out of practice all week, but don't think for a second that he will miss this game. Polamalu lives for this type of game, and he was the main reason for the Steelers' Week 13 victory in Baltimore. Baltimore is looking for revenge of some sorts. This game could very likely become vicious. Mike Tomlin's teams are always hungry, but John Harbaugh's team may be hungrier. I think the Ravens come in looking to prove something. Look for Ray Lewis and Ed Reed to prove they aren't past their time. Give me Baltimore in another thriller.

Prediction - Baltimore 16 Pittsburgh 14

Saturday, 8

Green Bay +2.5 @ Atlanta

It has been virtually impossible to defeat Matty Ice and the Falcons in the Georgia Dome in recent years. Matt Ryan lead Atlanta to a 13-3 record and home filed in the NFC. He has his team in the playoffs for the 2nd time in his 3 pro seasons. This organization turned it around much sooner than expected following the release of Mike Vick. They will host a Green Bay squad that is one of the most dangerous 6-seeds the NFL has ever seen. The Packers were a preseason Super Bowl favorite and look to be playing the part despite the fact that they will not play a game at Lambeau Field the rest of the year. They have hit their stride at the right time. Aaron Rodgers has quickly become 1 of the NFL's top QBs and now has a playoff victory underneath his belt. This is something that Ryan has yet to achieve. I look for Aaron Rodgers to get his 2nd playoff victory this week and show that Matty Ice can be beaten at home. The Packers advance to the NFC Championship game.

Prediction - Green Bay 23 Atlanta 21

Ringer's Playoff Record
SU: 2-2
ATS: 3-1

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Final 2010 NCAA Football Rankings

Ringer's Final Poll
1. Auburn (14-0) - The Tigers came from behind for the 9th time to win the Natty.
2. TCU (13-0) - The Horned Frogs proved their worth finishing as 1 of 2 unbeaten teams.
3. Oregon (12-1) - The Ducks finally met their match against Auburn.
4. Stanford (12-1) - Andrew Luck and an underrated D were something special in '10.
5. Ohio St. (12-1) - The Buckeyes won their final 6 games to finish in the top 5 yet again.
6. Oklahoma (12-2) - The Sooners finish the season with Big 12 and Fiesta Bowl titles.
7. Wisconsin (11-2) - The nation's hottest team ran out of steam in Pasadena.
8. LSU (11-2) - The maligned offense put up 41 against a tough A&M defense.
9. Boise St. (12-1) - The Broncos shook off disappointment to dominate Utah.
10. Oklahoma St. (11-2) - The Pokes offense lead them to an outstanding 11 win season.
11. Alabama (10-3) - Bama's talent shown as they dominated Sparty.
12. Arkansas (10-3) - Arkansas was a scooped punt block away from BCS glory.
13. Nevada (13-1) - Colin Kaepernick lead the Wolfpack to a historic season.
14. Michigan St. (11-2) - Despite the lopsided bowl loss, MSU had a great season.
15. Virginia Tech (11-3) - The Hokies season begins and ends with losses.
16. Missouri (10-3) - The Tigers exceeded expectations to reach 10 wins.
17. Mississippi St. (9-4) - The Bulldogs came awfully close to getting to 10 wins.
18. Florida St. (10-4) - The Seminoles finish strong with a bowl win over South Carolina.
19. Texas A&M (9-4) - The Aggies have plenty to build on for next year.
20. Nebraska (10-4) - The Huskers struggled without Taylor Martinez at full strength.
21. UCF (11-3) - UCF got a signature win over an SEC team in the Liberty Bowl.
22. Maryland (9-4) - The program surprised all with 9 wins, then got rid of their coach.
23. NC State (9-4) - The Pack had a breakout year capped off with a bowl win.
24. South Carolina (9-5) - The Gamecocks' impressive season ended with a thud.
25. Tulsa (10-3) - The offense powered the Golden Hurricane to a 10 win season.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

BCS National Championship Game Preview

(1) Auburn -2 vs. (2) Oregon

This is what we've all been waiting for. It has been over a month since this matchup was announced and the time has finally come for the 2 most explosive offenses in the nation to square off. Auburn comes in seeking their 1st national title since 1957, while Oregon looks to secure the school's 1st ever. Everything we know about these teams leads me to believe that this will be a shootout. Both offenses are capable of exploding at any point. Auburn has had a tendency to fall behind early in games, having to comeback to win 8 times throughout the 2010 season. That won't cut it against the Ducks. Oregon only gets stronger as the game goes on, and if they get out to an early lead they may never look back. This will be the most difficult task this Oregon offense has faced all year, however. The Tigers boast the nation's 11th best rushing defense, lead by All-American DT Nick Fairley. Heisman finalist LaMichael James will need to break a couple long runs to open things up for QB Darron Thomas. And then we have the unstoppable force of Cam Newton. We know that Oregon won't be able to stop him, but can they bottle him up and hope to contain him just a little? Newton is most well-known for his amazing size and unimaginable athleticism that allows him to run for huge chunks of yardage. But the Oregon secondary will have their hands full as well. Newton ranked as the nation's top passer in yards per attempt. Look for Newton to hook up with Darvin Adams for a couple big plays. There are many factors that will play a role in this game's outcome. It may be decided by who gets more creative, Chip Kelly or Auburn OC Gus Malzahn. Often times, players come into this type of game too hyped up and it results in a slow start. Expect the same here. This will give Auburn an early advantage and they will hang on to win and complete a story book 2010 season. Auburn Tigers - National Champions!

Prediction - Auburn 35 Oregon 27

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Wild Card Sunday Preview

Sunday, 1

Baltimore -3 @ Kansas City

Baltimore enters the playoffs as a wild card for the 3rd consecutive year. Their previous 2 trips resulted in victories at Miami and New England on the opening playoff weekend. This year they will go to Kansas City where Joe Flacco will look to become the first QB to win a road playoff game in his first 3 seasons in the history of the league. The upstart Chiefs carry a 7-1 home record into the game, with their lone home loss coming a week ago in a beatdown the Raiders laid on them. This is an intriguing matchup of the league's top rushing offense in the Chiefs versus a stout Ravens defense. I liked the Ravens to win the AFC at the beginning of the season, and though they may not be the favorite by entering the playoffs as wild card, I see no reason they can't beat the Chiefs who only beat one team with a winning record all season. The Chiefs have enjoyed an amazing season and have a bright future to look forward to. Their 2010 season comes to a close on Sunday though.

Prediction - Baltimore 20 Kansas City 16

Sunday, 4

Green Bay +2.5 @ Philadelphia

I believe this game will be the best of the opening weekend matchups. The 2 teams began the season against each other way back in September. One of these teams will end the season versus the same team it began against.  In Week 1 Green Bay squeaked out a 27-20 win in Philly. Michael Vick came in off the bench to lead a ferocious Eagle comeback before coming up just short. Vick will be on the field from the opening snap this time around. Look for the Packers to test that quad injury and blitz him from all angles. Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson will be sent numerous times throughout the game. The Packers will counter Vick with Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has risen up the QB ranks since taking over In Green Bay and is now widely considered 1 of the top 5 in the league. Rodgers has never won a playoff game though. The Packers are winners of their last 2 games, while the Eagles lost their last 2. But I can't in good conscience pick all 4 road teams. Give me the Eagles on a late David Akers field goal.

Prediction - Philadelphia 23 Green Bay 20

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Wild Card Saturday Preview

Saturday, 4:30

New Orleans -10.5 @ Seattle

The defending champions get to travel to the Pacific Northwest to play at a 7-9 Seattle team to begin the Wild Card weekend. The Saints have been rolling throughout the 2nd half of the season and look primed for another Super Bowl run. The champs should not take the Seahawks lightly though; despite the fact that they lost 9 games by 15 points or more in the regular season. Qwest Field remains one of the toughest places to play in the entire NFL and it should be raucous on Saturday. The Saints are also a little banged up. They were the 28th ranked rushing offense in the league, and will not have the services of Christopher Ivory or Pierre Thomas. This leaves Julius Jones and Reggie Bush to try to carry the load. Expect Sean Payton to leave this game in the hands of his all-world QB Drew Brees. Seattle will get QB Matt Hasselbeck in the lineup. Hasselbeck is a proven winner that has been to a Super Bowl. His experience and the home crowd will help Seattle hang around. But Hasselbeck's best days are behind him. Has the Seahawks lost last week they would have been drafting in the top 10 and could have picked his replacement. Instead they won the dreadful NFC West and became the first team with a losing record to make the playoffs. Ultimately the Saints will prove to be too talented, but I don't expect the blowout that most do.

Prediction - New Orleans 27 Seattle 21

Saturday, 8

NY Jets +2.5 @ Indianapolis

This is a rematch of last year's AFC Championship game. The 2 teams square off in the Wild Card round this year. Both teams have had somewhat up and down seasons. The Jets looked like a definite threat to win the Super Bowl as they stormed out to a 9-2 start. However, a 2-3 finish has many wondering whether Rex Ryan's team has what it takes to compete at that level. The Colts were a Week 15 loss to the Jags away from missing out on the playoffs for the first time in 9 seasons. Peyton Manning stopped throwing interceptions and lead the Colts to 4 straight wins to finish out the year. In last year's AFC Championship Manning stayed away from Revis Island and instead exposed the Jets' other corners as Pierre Garcon torched their secondary. This was one of the main reasons that the Jets went out and acquired Antonio Cromartie this offseason. Now they have 2 of the league's top corners playing opposite each other. Peyton Manning hasn't always had his best performances in the postseason. Expect for the Jets to get after him and force some mistakes. On offense, the Jets will look to take the game out of Mark Sanchez's hands and pound the ball behind their outstanding O-Line. Rex Ryan has certainly talked the talk this year, and Saturday his team will walk the walk.

Prediction - NY Jets 28 Indianapolis 17

Monday, January 3, 2011

Sugar Bowl Preview

(6) Ohio St. -3 vs. (8) Arkansas

The perception of the Big Ten has taken a severe hit since Ohio St. got blown out in the 2006 National Championship at the hands of Florida. The Buckeyes continued being the key contributors to the perception of the Big Ten not showing up in big games in the following years. They lost to LSU for the national title in 2007, and had losses to USC and Texas follow as well. More specifically the Big Ten has been accused of not being able to hang with SEC teams. This perception was not helped by the conference's 0-5 showing on New Year's Day that included 3 losses to SEC schools. Ohio St. gets the opportunity to face yet another SEC squad in Arkansas. This comes amidst all of the scandal that has been unveiled in the last week and a half in Columbus. Star players Terrelle Pryor, Boom Herron, and DeVier Posey were among 5 players that were suspended for the first 5 games of the 2011 season for selling items that included game jerseys and conference championship rings. Despite this the players were deemed eligible to play in the school's 6th consecutive BCS bowl game. On the other hand, QB Ryan Mallett leads the Razorbacks to their 1st BCS bowl in the program's history. Mallett entered college at Michigan with the belief that the Buckeyes would be a fierce rival. After transferring to Arkansas, he gets to end his college career by finally leading his team into a meaningful game against Ohio St. Expect Mallett to produce yards through the air, as the Buckeyes' secondary has been susceptible to some big plays. Ultimately this game comes down to how well the Buckeyes players have been able to focus with everything swirling around them. Call it a hunch, but I think Pryor will put together a game reminiscent of last year's Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes get a small piece of respect back for themselves as well as the Big Ten.

Prediction - Ohio St. 31 Arkansas 26

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Orange Bowl Preview

(4) Stanford -3.5 vs. (13) Virginia Tech

The Orange Bowl has one of the best quarterback matchups of all the bowl games. Stanford has Heisman runner-up Andrew Luck lining up under center. Luck is widely regarded as the top NFL prospect in college football. He is the prototypical NFL QB and will look to get the upper hand against Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor. Taylor may be the nation's top duel-threat QB not named Cam Newton. These are 2 of the hottest teams in the entire country. Stanford is one bad half of football away from being undefeated, while the Hokies have reeled off 11 straight wins after opening the season with losses to Boise St. and James Madison. Expect stellar play from both QBs, so this game will most likely come down to who does the little things better. This has been a staple of Frank Beamer coached teams for a couple decades, but Jim Harbaugh has instilled this into the Stanford program as well. I like the Cardinal to travel cross country and squeak out a win.

Prediction - Stanford 34 Virginia Tech 27

Ringer's Bowl Record
SU: 14-7
ATS: 13-8

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Fiesta Bowl Preview

(7) Oklahoma -15 vs. UConn

This game is obviously the biggest mismatch amongst the BCS bowls. UConn makes its way to Glendale as the representative from the Big East, despite not even being ranked. The Huskies started off the season very slow, but won its last 5 games to win the Big East and finish the season 8-4. Oklahoma earned its trip by beating Nebraska in what looks to be the final Big 12 Championship game. The Sooners have struggled in big games ever since their national championship in 2000. They had a tendency to play down to their competition this season as well. Oklahoma clearly has more talent than UConn on their roster, with the likes of Landry Jones, DeMarco Murray, and Ryan Broyles. But Jordan Todman will gain some yards and keep the Huskies close throughout. Ultimately, Bob Stoops leads his team to a BCS bowl win for the first time since 2002.

Prediction - Oklahoma 34 UConn 21

Rose Bowl Preview

(3) TCU -3 vs. (5) Wisconsin

This is the game that I have been waiting to see more than any game minus the National Championship. TCU breezed through their schedule without ever really being tested. Wisconsin did much of the same, but suffered one setback at the hands of Michigan St. The Horned Frogs bring the nation's number 1 defense into Pasadena to face a vaunted Badger offense that scored 70+ points 3 times this season. TCU will have to prove that they are deserving of that number 1 defense title and that it wasn't just a product of facing mediocre competition in the Mountain West. To do so they will have to stop Wisconsin's stable of running backs in John Clay, Montee Ball, and James White. This will be no easy task because every starting offensive linemen for the Badgers made one of the All Big Ten teams. TCU will look to show Ohio St. president Gordon Gee that they can indeed play with the big boys. Look for Wisconsin to win this game in the trenches though.

Prediction - Wisconsin 30 TCU 27

Ringer's Bowl Record
SU: 10-5
ATS: 11-4