2008 Previews: Arkansas

Arkansas is preview No. 11. Previews of all 65 BCS conference schools, plus Notre Dame and state schools, will be posted daily in no particular order. To view all previews, click here.

After two years of turmoil, Arkansas is turning a new page.

After the whole Houston Nutt/Spriingdale/Freedom of Information Act saga, Bobby Petrino has come in to start a new day in Fayetteville.

Given Petrino’s history, that new day could only equate to eight hours or so, but that’s another story for another day.

While a bit of a wanderer, Petrino has proven he can have success as a collegiate head coach, taking a Louisville team that was already in good shape and turning it into a juggernaut.

However, he inherits a Razorback squad not quite so loaded, at least relative to the rest of the SEC.

Casey Dick, who has been nothing short of mediocre in his three seasons in Fayetteville, returns for his senior season to take over Petrino’s more pass-heavy attack. That’s red flag No. 1 right there.

They also lost Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, who probably made up the best tandem backfield in college football history, non-Wishbone/Veer/Notre Dame box division.

Michael Smith and Brandon Barnett are the top two returning rushers with a combined 439 yards (although, in fairness, it’s not like there were many carries left over). And signee De’Anthony Curtis is expected to crack the starting lineup at some point.

Defensively, they’re not in bad shape. Six of the front seven return, but this defense gave up some points (26 or more in eight of their 13 games) and will probably have to carry a pretty heavy load with a suspect offense.

The only thing that could put them over the jump is their homefield advantage. It’s tough to win in Fayetteville or Little Rock.

Here’s the schedule:

Aug. 30: Western Illinois
It’s really reaching the point that someone somewhere is going to have to put a stop to these guarantee games.

Sept. 6: Louisiana-Monroe (at Little Rock)
This one would probably be dangerous if it weren’t in Little Rock, where the Hogs don’t lose (except to LSU).

Sept. 13: at Texas
This won’t be pretty, and it’ll probably be especially bad because ...

Sept. 20: Alabama
They’re opening conference play against what should be a pretty good Alabama team.

Oct. 4: Florida
There’s mild ambush potential here with the Gators set to host LSU the next week.

Oct. 11: at Auburn
You might read a few Jetgate stories in the week leading up to this one.

Oct. 18: at Kentucky
This is the one road game the Hogs will have a decent shot at stealing. Both teams are rebuilding.

Oct. 25: Ole Miss
If the Hogs are going to get to .500 they’re going to have to win this one, and should have a shot at doing so at home.

Nov. 1: Tulsa
This one will be a lot tougher than Arkansas fans want to admit.

Nov. 8: at South Carolina
You think the Gamecocks won’t remember McFadden and Jones rushing for 483 yards on them last year?

Nov. 22: at Mississippi State
The Hogs could beat them in Fayetteville. I don’t think they can in Starkville.

Nov. 28: LSU (at Little Rock)
The Mad Hatter and the gang will no doubt punish the Hogs for last year.

They’re probably looking at a 5-7 season, although the Razorbacks could potentially sneak their way to the .500 mark. It could also potentially be worse.

2008 Previews: Georgia Tech

Team No. 10 in our preview series is the Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech. Previews of all 65 BCS conference schools plus Notre Dame and state schools will be posted daily in no particular order. To view all previews, click here.

Georgia Tech got an upgrade in coaching from Chan Gailey to Paul Johnson (who I somehow forgot about in my coach rankings earlier this month).

Outside of that, there wasn’t much good news coming out of Atlanta.

The loss of numerous starters to graduation and defection has left them with only four returning starters on defense, and no one with significant experience to adapt to Johnson’s “flexbone spread” offense.

Presumptive starter Josh Nesbitt only threw 13 passes last season, but did rush for 355 yards, which is sure to be a plus in an option offense. Jonathan Dwyer is the only returning back who had significant yardage last season (436 yards).

The Yellow Jackets’ top two receivers are back, but they haven’t exactly lit the world on fire in the passing game in recent years, even with Calvin Johnson catching them a few years back.

Defensively, they figure to be pretty strong up front with both defensive tackles returning and one of their defensive ends having been productive as a backup.

But they only return one linebacker and one defensive back.

Even with Johnson’s presence, this looks to be a long year for Tech.

Here’s the schedule:

Aug. 28: Jacksonville State
This one got a lot more interesting after Ryan Perrilloux’s arrival in town. The Yellow Jackets should win this one, but you never know ...

Sept. 6: at Boston College
Boston College is in a bit of a rebuilding mode this year, but should be able to handle this one in their house.

Sept. 13: at Virginia Tech
The Hokies have beaten Tech unmercifully two of the last three years, with a Tech win in Blacksburg in 2006 sandwiched between them. I’d be more inclined to call for the former than the latter.

Sept. 20: Mississippi State
This one should be pretty interesting. It’ll be a lot more interesting next year.

Oct. 4: Duke
The Yellow Jackets had better win this one.

Oct. 11: Gardner-Webb
Not one, but TWO FCS schools on the Tech schedule. For shame.

Oct. 18: at Clemson
The Tigers should run circles around them in Death Valley.

Oct. 25: Virginia
This is another one where the Yellow Jackets need to make sure they don’t slip up.

Nov. 1: Florida State
Certainly a chance for an upset here (Tech nearly beat FSU in Atlanta in 1992, 2000 and 2002), but I don’t see it.

Nov. 8: at North Carolina
Butch Davis already has the Tar Heels out of the ACC doldrums. He’ll have them competing for titles in another couple years.

Nov. 20: Miami
A Thursday night showdown. Tech has beaten the Canes an incredible three years in a row. Don’t look for the streak to reach four, although it’s certainly plausible.

Nov. 29: at Georgia
An ugly finish to a forgettable season.

All signs point to a 4-8 season, although they could potentially steal a win (or two).

2008 Previews: USC

USC is ninth in our preview lineup. Previews of all 65 BCS conference schools, plus Notre Dame and state school, will be posted daily in no particular order. To view all previews, click here.

I’ve been racking my brain for days on what to make of this Trojan squad.

They will, of couse, be among the most talented teams in the country yet again. They should be outstanding on defense with seven starters returning from a pretty good unit last year.

The questions lie on offense.

Mark Sanchez takes the reins for good at quarterback. I was not particularly enamored with him in his three starts last season when John David Booty was injured, and wouldn’t be incredibly surprised to see a few Mitch Mustain sightings over the course of the year.

And compounding the problems for a young quarterback will be just one returning starter on the offensive line.

Of course, they have about a bajillion superstar running backs they can hand the ball off to to take the heat off Sanchez, but will they be able to find running room behind the young line?

Their wide receivers were also a bit disappointing last season.

They get all their toughest games at home, where they’ve lost only once since 2001, so they’ll be in good shape there. I can’t quite decide how I think they’ll do, so let’s look at the schedule:

Aug. 30: at Virginia
This will be a good tuneup for the Super Bowl two weeks later ...

Sept. 13: Ohio State
One of the bigger non-conference games in recent memory could well decide one of the national championship game participants in just the third week of the season. I really can’t see the Buckeyes going West and winning this one, but with USC’s youth on offense there’s no telling. But we really do need USC to spare us another “Ohio State getting drilled by Team X” national title game.

Sept. 25: at Oregon State
They couldn’t beat the Beavers in Corvallis last time around, and could be coming off a tough loss (or huge win) so this is certainly a mild upset alert.

Oct. 4: Oregon
USC gets revenge for the loss in Eugene last year.

Oct. 11: Arizona State
Look out for the Sun Devils. If they’re going to lose one at home this would probably be it (assuming the Sun Devils have someone who can block this time around)

Oct. 18: at Washington State
Trojans cruise on the road

Oct. 25: at Arizona
And if they’re going to have some random stumble, this is probably the best candidate.

Nov. 1: Washington
Blowout city

Nov. 8: California
Cal has played USC tough almost every year in the last few years (including their triple-overtime win in 2003), but I don’t think they’re going to have enough to come into LA and win.

Nov. 15: at Stanford
There will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth in this one after last year.

Nov. 29: Notre Dame
ND’s not stopping this six-game losing streak.

Dec. 6: at UCLA
Pete Carroll vs. Rick Neuheisel. There’s bound to be some guitar playing once this one’s over.

There’s really no possible way USC goes worse than 11-1. They probably should be 12-0, but I have a feeling they’re going to stumble somewhere (but not against Ohio State).

2008 Previews: Oregon State

Preview 8 on our list is Oregon State, home of the Beavers. Previews of all 65 BCS conference schools, plus Notre Dame and state schools, will be posted daily in no particular order. To view all previews, click here.

Oregon State has had a strange habit the last few seasons.

Slow starts, including embarrassing beatdowns on ESPN2, have been followed by strong finishes and bowl wins, with each season ending at 9-4.

This year will certainly feature the slow start Whether they’re able to turn it around or not is anyone’s guess.

The Beavers return two proven quarterbacks in Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao (who you may remember from this crushing block last season). I’m not sure which will get the nod come gametime (Phil Steele and Athlon disagree on which it might be), but whoever it is they should be okay there.

Everywhere else is another story.

OSU returns a grand total of 74 rushing yards from its running backs, although they say they have another Steven Jackson in redshirt freshman Ryan McCants.

They must replace three starters on the offensive line, but they did get an extra year for their best receiver, Sammie Strougher, who missed most of last year with personal issues and a kidney problem.

The Beavers were pretty strong in rush defense last year, allowing only 70 yards per game. But they return no starters from the front seven and only three starters overall.

Their biggest advantage may be their disorienting uniforms, as they apparently decided last season they wouldn’t let their biggest rival, Oregon, corner the market on ugly duds.

Here’s the schedule:

Aug. 28: at Stanford
A Thursday night game against the Fightin’ Harbaughs to open the season. They should be too fast for the Cardinal.

Sept. 6: at Penn State
I’m not all that high on the Nittany Lions, but OSU doesn’t have a good track record on the road in non-conference play (0-6 in the last five years).

Sept. 13: Hawaii
No June Jones equals a return to the doldrums for the Warriors.

Sept. 25: USC
The last time the Trojans visited Corvallis they saw their 27-game Pac-10 winning streak ended. They won’t lose this one.

Oct. 2: at Utah
A third Thursday night game in five games for OSU. This will probably be the game that decides whether the Beavers are bowl eligible or not.

Oct. 11: Washington State
It seems like a long time ago now that WSU was ranked in the top 10 for all or part of three straight years, doesn’t it?

Oct. 18: at Washington
It seems like even longer ago that the Huskies were relevant. UDub will be improved this year, but probably not enough to make it to a bowl.

Nov. 1: Arizona State
This was a bad pick for homecoming.

Nov. 8: at UCLA
In the past two seasons the Beavers have beaten everyone in the conference except for the Bruins. They won’t beat them this year, either.

Nov. 15: California
The Golden Bears will probably have recovered from their epic meltdown to end the season last year by this point.

Nov. 22: at Arizona
Another huge game. OSU will be fighting to become bowl eligible and the Wildcats will be fighting for bowl positioning.

Nov. 29: Oregon
That two-game winning streak in the rivalry is probably coming to and end.

The Beavers will be somewhere between 4-8 and 6-6. If they can get that sixth win they’ll probably be able to find a bowl somewhere that’ll have them.

Rocky, er, Rocco vs. Tiger

Tell me you didn’t think of it just once. I know you did.

Rocco Mediate vs. Tiger Woods. Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed. Tell me you didn’t think of it while Rocco and Tiger duked it out in the 18-hole playoff for the U.S. Open title Monday.

I did. And it was great.

Here’s a glance of my column for tomorrow’s paper. You can read the full version tomorrow at http://www.oanow.com.

It’s easy to draw comparisons between Rocco Mediate and Rocky Balboa.
And I’m talking about the first Rocky. The late 1976 version. Not Rocky V or VI, which, by the way, never happened. Never.
I’m talking about the original Rocky. From the streets of Philadelphia. Drinking raw eggs. Running up the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Punching frozen slabs of meat.
The underdog. The real underdog. The guy no one gave a chance in a heavyweight fight against the best in the world.
You know, Rocco.
Mediate vs. Woods. It reeked of Balboa vs. Creed. Didn’t it?
Of course it did. And it was great.
The stage was set for a beatdown. Much like Balboa’s first bout against Apollo Creed.
How could it not?
Number 1 vs. No. 158.
Thirteen major championship victories vs. five ho-hum PGA Tour wins.
A the best golfer ever in his prime vs. “hey, wasn’t he an announcer a couple years ago?”
The best vs. someone who will be forgotten by the end of the week.
Tiger Woods vs. Rocco Who? The Medallion Stallion.
Exactly.
But they played anyway Monday on the South Course of Torrey Pines. The U.S. Open rules state that you must play a full 18-hole playoff if you are tied after regulation. So they did.
A formality.
Not so fast.