Football is upon us.......

Well, with the football season getting underway next week (WFHS starts Thursday night), I thought it might be time to get my picks posted, so when I'm right, nobody can say I jumped on a bandwagon. But, I also reserve the right to change them, so I guess that shoots that theory right out of the water!!! Here we go........

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

I don't see defending champion Alabama running the table this season. They've lost WAY too many defensive people (Javier Arenas, Tay Cody, Rolando McClain), and they play six opponents that come off of their bye week this season. I think Ohio State will get picked off somewhere, possibly by Miami early in the season. Florida will spend the whole year comparing their new QB to Tebow, and if this new kid doesn"t break up a press conference after a loss to blubber and cry like a Girl Scout, then he'd better find a new line of work. Texas will be in the mix, as will TCU. But, if Boise State can get by Virginia Tech in Week 1, then they'll have the easiest road to the title game. Wouldn't that make the BCS people angry? So, I'm going to call Boise State vs. Texas in the title game. Call me a homer if you want.....Gilbert looked damn good in the title game last season, and Texas still has Will Muschamp as their defensive coach.

Speaking of Boise, they're leaving the WAC after this season to join the Mountain West. But, BYU threw a HUGE monkey wrench in the works this week by announcing they might want to become an independent in football and play in the WAC in all other sports (similar to Notre Dame). Here's the catch: Yes, BYU has a national following with the Mormons, but they don't have the cache that ND does. ND has a strange deal with the BCS to be automatically included, but I don't think BYU has the clout to get the same deal. Some say BYU is doing this because they're losing Utah as a conference member, and they want to keep that rivalry alive. Others say that BYU is more than a little upset that they didn't get an invite to join the PAC-10. As a fall back, the MWC invited Fresno State and Nevada to join, which they have reportedly accepted. When Boise jumped, the WAC then declared a 5 million dollar penalty to anyone else who defects. We'll see if Fresno and Nevada can come up with the cash. One thing is for sure: Conference realignment isn't over, and super-conferences are only a few seasons away.


NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

With the Super Bowl coming to Texas this season (doesn't everybody want to come to Texas?), many people think that the Cowboys will make it to become the first team to "host" a Super Bowl. But, I disagree. I think they'll make the play-offs, but I don't thinnk they'll make it to the BIG game. Here's what will happen division by division:

AFC East- Miami wins it Jets make the wild card (If Revis comes back, these could reverse).
AFC South-Indianapolis wins it. Tennessee could make it interesting.
AFC North- Baltimore wins it, Cincinnati is in the mix.
AFC West-With San Diego losing some key people and Denver relying WAY too much on Tebow, I'm going out on a limb and saying that the Chiefs will win this division.

NFC East- Dallas wins it, Philadelphia takes the wild card (Eagles have a Texan at QB....of course they'll be good).
NFC South- New Orleans wins it, Atlanta makes the wild card.
NFC North- Green Bay wins it, Minnesota makes the wild card.
NFC West- San Francisco.....no contest here.

Out of all these teams, I pick Baltimore and Green Bay to be in the Super Bowl.


Again, WFHS gets it going Thursday night against Burkburnett at Memorial Stadium. More details to follow on the air-time. Hope everyone is ready for some football. Till next time.....



Patrick