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Four Downs with Stock & Doc
by Ben Stockwell and Paul Hopkins
26/8/2008
2008 College Football Preview
This week, Stock and Doc are joined by fellow Diner writer and NCAA observer, James Izzard for a special and extended version of Four Downs to preview the forthcoming college football season.
 This year’s respective Conference winners will be:
 ACC
Jiz Clemson – In all honestly I am still not convinced the ACC isn’t the worst BCS conference. I know my fellow diner writer Stock will disagree but aside from Clemson who I expect to be strong the league offers me very little. Clemson take it based on their offence the awesome tailback tandem of Davis and Spiller and a decent if not very good quarterback in Cullen Harper, Clemson always have one of the best offensive lines and I expect it to be the same this year.
Stock Wake Forest They won the ACC two years ahead of schedule in 2006, now Jim Grobe has a team laden with 4th and 5th year players, and not just that, good 4th and 5th year players. Many of these players have the experience of how to win the ACC and they will once again punch well above their weight and knockout the likes of Virginia Tech.
Doc Clemson Clemson always flatter to deceive but I can’t see anyone else doing anything to topple them. They may well be their own worst opponents as we have seen many times before, but I think Harper, Davis and Spiller are just too good a trio to actually stop them tripping themselves up this year in a not-so-hot ACC. Wake Forest will run them close and Jim Grobe is just an unbelievably good college football coach, destined for bigger things yet I can’t see his cerebral ability over-coming Clemson.
BIG EAST
 Jiz Pittsburgh – Talented back LeSean McCoy, a tackling machine in Scott McKilliop, some fresh blood in Quarterback Bill Stull. After successive superb recruiting years Dave Wannstedt and the Panthers are ready to deliver. West Virginia will clearly contend as will South Florida with Matt Grothe and one of the fastest Defences in college football, the games against each other will be key but I predict Pittsburgh will come out on top.
Stock West Virginia Rich Rodriguez might be gone, Steve Slaton might be gone, but Pat White remains and Noel Devine could arguably provide an upgrade at the running back spot for the Mountaineers. The head coach may have changed but the identity of the team is the same and they’ll rack up the offensive yards and out gun everyone with their spread option.
Doc West Virginia I like Pittsburgh after forever laughing at Wannstedt ever since he left the Dolphins, but West Virginia aren’t going to crumble simply because Rich Rodriguez has gone to Michigan. Pat White remains a top 4 college quarterback, and Noel Devine is simply frightening. As a few small teams proved last year, if you have speed and use it in the spread offence, it’s incredibly difficult to stop, and for that, it’s the Mountaineers all the way for me.
BIG TEN
 Jiz Ohio State – Yes I know it’s a boring pick, but I just can’t see anyone but Ohio State winning another Big-10 title. In fact if and it’s a huge almighty IF they can beat USC in week 3 then I think Ohio State could very well find themselves in a 3rd consecutive National Championship game. They are the dominant force in the division with a Defence led by James Laurinaitis being one of if not the best Defence in the nation and with the uber force of Beanie Wells at running back they should not lose in conference play next season. Wisconsin with PJ Hill may be the closest challengers and of course the Michigan game will still be great but all in all Ohio State will just be too strong.
Stock Ohio State Once again there isn’t really a team to challenge Ohio State properly, Michigan will be better than some think simply due to their talent level, but they won’t be as good as Rich Rodriguez will get them eventually. Wisconsin provides the sternest challenge but Ohio State will be too strong for the Badgers, on offence but especially on defence.
Doc Ohio State Dull pick, dull team, dull conference for me. Only bright spot of note for me is ‘Junior Animal’ Laurinatius, and ‘Run Beanie Run’ Wells. Two great players in the making.
BIG XII
 Jiz Oklahoma – I think Missouri will win the North but Oklahoma are too strong top to bottom to pick anyone else for the overall Big Twelve title. In Norman they are unbeatable, on the road they lack consistency but I feel this issue will be overcome in 2008. Quarterback Bradford is another year wiser and the undoubtedly have the best offensive line in college football, on the defensive side of the ball you have two scary defensive tackles and in Nick Harris possibly the best safety in football. Texas Tech and Texas A&M; are both improved dark horses’ so don’t be too surprised to see them both finish above the Longhorns! (Sorry Darlo).
Stock Oklahoma Boomer Sooner and all that malarkey, the Sooners will emerge from the South with possibly the strongest offensive line in the nation and beat Missouri in the title game. The real challenge will be getting out of the South where Texas Tech and Texas will both be very strong this season, but Oklahoma looks too strong top to bottom.
Doc Texas Yes, that’s right I’ve come over all homer again. Thing is, Texas’ and Oklahoma’s season’s always come down to one wild weekend in Dallas in October. And frankly anyone can win these. For the past two years it’s always been that Oklahoma is the better team, and to be honest, they probably were. Well, the first year Texas socked it to the Sooners and frankly last year, if Jamaal Charles doesn’t go all butterfingers Texas could well have nicked it. I think Oklahoma are a stronger team but Texas look to be on the way back after proving all those experts I’m looking at you Herbstreit, wrong against Arizona State. This is a young team, as always a talented team, led by an assured QB in Colt McCoy and they’re my pick.
CONFERENCE USA
 Jiz East Carolina – Although the bigger more fancied teams reside in the west division of conference USA I think East Carolina can prevail as the 2008 champions. Ridiculously East Carolina is the only conference USA team to return a clear cut starter at the quarterback position. I’m a big fan of dual threat QB Patrick Pinkney the senior starting for his second season showed huge promise last season and was a big reason ECU managed to keep the game against V. Tech close for so long. In the West two offensive juggernauts should do battle for the top two places with Houston pipping Tulsa to the title.
Stock Southern Miss Larry Fedora is adding a wide open spread attack to one of the strongest non-BCS defences in the nation, assuming he qualifies academically 5*(Scout & Rivals) WR DeAndre Brown should light up C-USA scoreboards. The improvement in scoring there should see a strong defence led by Gerald McRath take the Golden Eagles to the C-USA title.
Doc East Carolina – East Carolina had one of the most assured performances in Bowl games for me last season, and I think this year they continue to go onto bigger and better things. Pinkney is a player who offers an awful lot to them, and Jamar Bryant is ready to take on an even greater role in this team. And besides, you can’t back against a team coached by the son of everybody’s favourite newspaper shredder Lou ‘Everyone needs a job to do’ Holtz!
MAC
 Jiz Bowling Green – Wow this is a wide open conference, I did have Kent State pencilled in to win this one but one factor kept me coming back to Bowling Green and that is quarterback Tyler Sheehan he is one of the MAC’s best quarterbacks and with 17 starters returning could be the key into winning the MAC for Bowling Green. Kent State and Miami (Ohio), Miami last year’s conference finalists look good but there is still a big question mark about the quarterback position and of course do not rule out 2006 and 2007 winners Central Michigan.
Stock Ball State The MAC (to me at least) is all about offensive firepower; with QB Nate Davis, WR Dante Love and TE Darius Hill the Cardinals have as much as anyone in the MAC this year. Davis appears ready to emerge as potentially the next MAC QB to get some draft publicity; of course he could just be another day two MAC project.
Doc Central Michigan Can’t believe you two have gone elsewhere, mind you with an offensive conference its inevitable we’re all going to stick a pin in somewhere different. For me, it’s got to be Central Michigan, and that’s because of one player Dan LeFevour. Only the second player in this history of college ball to pass for over 3,000 yards whilst rushing for over 1,000 and we all know how much of a fan I am of the first!
MOUNTAIN WEST
 Jiz BYU – Looking at their schedule I would pick BYU to be the non BCS team who has the best chance of making a BSC bowl this year. The Cougar offence led by Max Hall is exciting and energetic I think it will overpower the somewhat weak Mountain West Defences’. First priority must be to win the conference, a BCS bowl should be seen as a bonus. If they don’t focus on that first priority they very well could be tripped up early in the season.
Stock BYU Quite possibly the most underrated football program of the last few seasons resides in the beautiful setting of Provo, UT. Well this year they won’t be allowed to fly under the radar and Bronco Mendenhall needs to have the Cougars ready to play. With sophomore phenom running back Harvey Unga pounding the rock, the Cougars could power their way to an at-large BCS bid.
Doc BYU What’s with all the Cougar love people? Oh that’s right, a pretty soft centred schedule, a smart and savvy ball coach and an excellent running back. Much as I’d love one of those Texas teams to pip them to the post and I think the Bullfrogs from TCU will run them close, I’m not going to disagree. It’s Brigham Young all the way in ’08.
PAC 10
 Jiz USC – I’d eat my laptop if Stock and Doc chose anybody else. How anybody can bet against USC to take the Pac 10 crown is beyond me. They have a better (yes better) quarterback this year in Mark Sanchez, they will not make the mistake of losing to Stanford again, and like Ohio State if they can win the Week 3 fixture they also could run the table.
Stock USC There are other teams in the nation who have comparable talent to USC at the starting spots across the board, but absolutely no-one has the same depth as USC. They seem to run 5 deep at every position in high school All-Americans. That tremendous strength in depth means that even with a repeat of last year’s injury troubles the Trojans will waltz to another PAC-10 title.
Doc USC You two have summed this all up, and Jiz won’t have to eat his laptop (as tempting as that may be to force that). It’s a one horse race, and I’m not sure that the other competitors in this are even horses. It’s a stroll for the Trojans.
SEC
 Jiz Florida – The SEC is as always so tough to call. LSU, Tennessee, Georgia and even Alabama could all take the crown but I’ve opted for Florida. If Tim Tebow stays healthy the Gators will take the title, despite the loss of key personnel such as Andre Caldwell and Derrick Harvey the team still has got stronger, they have improved at the Running Back position and Tebow and Percy Harvin have had another spring practising together. It will be close of course but I think Florida will do enough to win the SEC.
Stock Georgia The Bulldogs closed last season as the hottest team in the nation that didn’t reside in Los Angeles (hint, I’m not talking about UCLA). The loss of their starting left tackle is a blow but Georgia should have enough to get out of the SEC. The question is whether the schedule will take enough out of them (physically and in terms of losses) to knock them out of the national title picture.
Doc Florida Close your eyes, stick a pin in the list and see what you come out with. Sometimes that’s the best way to pick a winner in the SEC. However, I’m going to go with the Gators. They’ve been there before, worn the t-shirt and still have some incredible talent in the Swamp, and central to this is one boy/man Tim Tebow. As I picked him a few weeks back for the repeat Heisman, I think its only right I go for his team to go all the way in the best division in football. Georgia are all the rage at the moment, and rightly so, but I think they’ll tail off after a bright start. LSU lost a lot of talent, but yet retain a lot of talent. However, I think their QB position may hinder their challenging for the crown this season.
SUNBELT
 Jiz Florida Atlantic – Quarterback Rusty Smith was far from Rusty last season throwing for 3,688 yards and being the standout player in the shock defeat of Big 10 foes Minnesota. Florida Atlantic are huge favourites to win the ever improving Sun Belt conference with big players such as the aforementioned Smith returning along with running back Charles Pierre and Wide Receiver Cortez Gent, this triplet is probably the strongest you will find in the Non-BCS conferences.
Stock Louisiana-Monroe Louisiana’s the title state for college football of late right? Well that’s just pile on that bandwagon a little more. The injury to Jason Harmon (TE) for Florida Atlantic stings big time as he’s their number two target. I back ULM for the conference title here; any team that can go into Bryant-Denny Stadium and knock off Alabama (admittedly on a low ebb) should have a strong shot in the Sun Belt.
Doc Florida Atlantic Jiz, that ‘rusty’ pun is truly horrendous. The worst ever in Four Downs, and considering who’s been doing it for 6 months now, that’s some going. Congratulations! Helped by a pretty brutal non-conference schedule for Troy, I think Howard Schnellenberger’s fairy tale rise to the top continues this year. Rusty Smith is the real deal and with the talent pool that Howard is now beginning to be able to assemble in that football hotbed of Florida (with that new stadium to come) I can’t anyone outgunning the Owls. However, they won’t beat Texas this Saturday!
WAC
 Jiz Fresno State – Everyone is predicting Fresno State to beat Boise State to the WAC title this season, so who am I to disagree? They steadily improved last season and reviewing their schedule I can only see one certain loss (to Wisconsin). The key matchup of the season is when they travel to Boise to play on the famous ‘Smurf Turf’ if they can win here (nobody has done since Washington State in 2001) then nobody will be able to stop Fresno taking the WAC honours. Aside from Boise State contending, do not rule out Nevada and the Pistol offence as a dark horse. Nevada’s potent offense is pretty much back in full with two star quarterbacks they are the one team who could spoil the party for the Bulldogs.
Stock Fresno State Hawaii take a step back and the Bulldogs take the step forward for the first time in an awfully long time. Boise State will again be there or thereabouts but this is Tom Brandstater’s year to step forward and lead the Bulldogs. With Ryan Mathews to carry the load running the ball, the Bulldogs will power to the WAC title, another WAC contender for a BCS at-large bid.
Doc Boise State Hidden away in Jiz’s boring ramble is the fact that no-one, repeat, no-one wins on the blue turf except Boise State. And this will continue this year. Ian Johnson is still there, and he’ll be the difference maker. Fresno State is unquestionably a team on the up but they’re just not going to win in Boise. On an aside, am I the only one who’ll miss Hawaii’s offence this year?
 This year’s biggest surprise will be:
 Jiz Pittsburgh – The team led by mustachio Dave Wannstedt is my pick to surprise the nation and win the Big East this season. He has steadily increased the talent level since his arrival and with another great class arriving on campus this year I think this season could be a big year for the Panthers. Coming off a 4 year bowl drought it would be no surprise to see Pitt bowling again, the surprise element will be that I conjure it could very well be a return to the BCS bowl scene as I very much fancy them to be Big East champions come December. Players to watch out for include sophomore running back LeSean McCoy and future NFL prospect at MLB in Scott McKillip. I can see at least 8 games they should win, and no certain losses there will be some key matchups though which will make or break their season; the clashes at South Florida, Notre Dame and Cincinnati. Also a must see game will be the Nov 28th fixture against West Virginia, who will be seeking revenge after Pittsburgh destroyed their National Championship ambitions in last year’s fixture.
Stock Michigan In many quarters they are being tipped to not even reach a bowl game and to me, for a team with such a high talent level, that is utterly absurd. Yes they may not have the talent in the right places for Rich Rodriguez’s offence to come in and hit the ground running, but there is way too much athletic talent for the Wolverines not to win enough games to get to a bowl game. Particularly in the Big Ten, they’ll be there in the top three.
Doc BYU Ok, so it’s a repeat pick and Jiz has already given the indication why I’ve gone for them as my surprise package in 2008 but I think that the Cougars are eminently capable of reaching a BCS game. Mendenhall is now coming into his fourth season at Brigham Young and after two successive 11-2 campaigns this is the year and with the schedule they have to step it up even further. The talent is there, they have great experience across both the offence and defence and the schedule lends itself to a BCS bid. Ranked #16 in the AP pre-season poll, I’m not sure they’ll be lower than that all year.
 This year’s biggest letdown will be:
Jiz NASN – Maybe I’m a sucker as I have renewed my contract with Setanta Sports and kept faith with NASN My hopes are high, yet more promises of over 250 LIVE (Yes that’s LIVE not As-Live) games. However come week 3 when they choose to show yet another mid table Big 10 clash over say a USC v Ohio State game or the Red River Shootout, there’s only so much Michigan State or Minnesota a man can take before he proceeds with a rant like this! Ok so this is rather a tongue in cheek answer, but as a paying subscriber to a service I expect the best possible action, already it seems they will be showing a very average matchup with Cal v Michigan State in Week 1 over the much anticipated Alabama v Clemson match-up. And whilst I am on the subject I have a request to NASN from my girlfriend It’s bad enough that whilst she tries to sleep in the early hours of Saturday morning I am downstairs watching the games but its divorce material when she gets awoken by the louder, nauseating sound of the NASN theme tune! It repeats its self well over 50 times a game, surely they could mix it up a bit or better still replace it! Thank Goodness for Pontel!
Stock Kansas From a BCS bowl winner to not even making a bowl game? Eminently possible for the Jayhawks in what will be a tough season more indicative of the state of the program. The Jayhawks go from a cushy Big 12 South schedule to an utterly vicious schedule and they’ve lost huge talent in key areas, the fightin’ Mangino’s (thank you Rece Davis) will come down to earth with a crash this fall.
Doc The PAC 10 – NASN! I like it! My biggest request to them is not to shuffle around the starting times they repeat games during the week with about an hour’s notice. Some of us go to work you know! But seriously, I think that the Pac 10 will be a letdown this year after being great entertainment in 2007. The Oregon Ducks lit this conference up last year with Dixon and Stewart, now both departed to the NFL. With Rudy Carpenter Arizona State was a credible force till Texas kicked their ass in San Diego. Heck, even the Beavers at Oregon State performed admirably and Stanford won in the Coliseum. Can anyone see any of this happening this year? No, neither can I. USC will win at an absolute canter. If they overcome Ohio State in week 3 they will have this conference locked up early and go onto sweep the board.
 This year’s National Champions will be:
 Jiz Oklahoma – It may not be a particularly fashionable choice but my pick is Boomer Sooner Oklahoma Sooner’s to win the National Championship in Miami in January. The roster depth from top to bottom is strong enough to run the table in the Big 12 and with out of conference games that include Washington and Cincinnati as the biggest threats it very well could and perhaps should be an undefeated season for the Sooners. The offense has been made ‘sexier’ this spring with the no-huddle being introduced Sam Bradford leads what could be one of the nation’s best offences. As for who will contend with Oklahoma, I think Southern California would be my second choice too much strength in depth not to win the Pac 10, Ohio State could also be here for a third year and of course don’t rule out the winner of the SEC whoever that may be.
Stock USC Massive talent across the board and deep down the ranks for the Trojans will see them through to a first national title since 2004. OK so that might not seem like a lot, but for such a perennially talented team, it’s longer than predicted. After John David Booty was able to get the most out of the talent at his disposal Pete Carroll has returned to Orange County for his latest starting quarterback in the shape of Mark Sanchez. There’s a great deal of pressure on Sanchez’s shoulder due to being of Mexican descent and what he could mean to that community as a success story in Los Angeles, but fortunately for him he has acres of talent at his disposal on offence and defence to carry the load. Brian Cushing, Kevin Ellison, Everson Griffen, Rey Mauluga, Taylor Mays, Joe McKnight, Fili Moala, the list of outstandingly talented players is endless. We seem to say this every year about the Trojans but once again Pete Carroll has assembled not only the most talented team in the nation, but once again potentially one of the most talented teams in college history. Only USC can derail themselves from a National title.
Doc USC Urgh, I hate this team principally because Reggie Bush stole VY’s Heisman trophy for money. But despite this treachery I’m not stupid. They are so strong, and Ben you’re right, they really have only themselves to blame if they aren’t going to the National Championship game. I can’t really see another team challenging them for all-out supremacy this year. The real fascination will come over who gets that #2 ranking as it will no doubt chop and change throughout the year, though probably not as much as last year. I think that come December after their SEC Championship win, Florida will be that team and have the home advantage against their West coast opponents. But (and as I get to finish the column I won’t let you down for setting the scene) as we saw last year anything can and does happen in college football. Roll on Saturday and the next few months!!
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