1)Can anybody dethrone the Gators-
Florida continues to dominate the college football world. They are preseason favorites to win their third National Championship in the last four years. But, they are not invincible. All three National Championships in school history contained a loss including an upset loss at home to an SEC West team in each of their last two national title seasons.
Alabama, and LSU have the best chance of doing it. Both teams are loaded and most importantly both have AWESOME defenses. Neither have Tim Tebow. Bama and LSU both have major quarterback issues and as long as they do Florida will rule with Tim Tebow.
2)Can the ACC compete better with the SEC-
Clemson and Georgia Tech both upset their respective rivals in 2008. The ACC had a .500 record against the SEC last year, but Clemson's blowout loss in Atlanta and NC State's blowout loss to the Gamecocks left a stain on the conference.
Virginia Tech will enter the hornet's nest in Atlanta against Bama to start the season in 2009 much like Clemson did in 2008. Bama will be favored, BUT Va Tech has a nasty physical defense. They are also better at the quarterback position. They will lose a close one, but prove that they can compete against the SEC.
Clemson should continue their dominance of USC, and Georgia Tech has a great opportunity to win two in a row over UGA, but nobody in the ACC can compete on the same level as Florida. The SEC is top heavy and I believe the ACC will be better in the middle and the bottom of the conference.
The ACC should compete better and have a much stronger conference in 2009. I forsee Clemson, NC State, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Wake Forest being better and more competitive programs in 2009.
3)Is Ole Miss "For Real"-
As you know I personally question the HYPE. I've seen this before. The Rebels are predicted to be a top 10 team in 2009 and compete for an SEC or dare I say it, National Title.
Ole Miss has not earned this type of hype and their players have never been the hunted. They have never played with a bullseye on their chest. This year EVERY SINGLE TEAM they play will have their A GAME!!!
Ole Miss has a GOOD coach. I predict an 8-4 season and a trip to the Outback Bowl or a return trip to the Cotton Bowl. The question will then be: Are fans going to be okay with that given the preseason expectations?
4)Will North Carolina fans support an improving program-
I was stunned last season to see 20,000 empty seats for UNC's game against Boston College. The excuse was a rain storm that was actualy a soft drizzle.
UNC has some of the best basketball fans in the country, but the lack of support for an up-and-coming football game with one of the best coaches in the country is telling. The Tar Heels are close to competing with Virginia Tech for the division championship in football and yet they are still only talking about last year's basketball championship.
If 60,000 people filled their stadium for games against quality teams, then it would be easier for Butch Davis to recruit against the likes of Virginia Tech, NC State, and Clemson, the chief recruiting rivals in North Carolina for the Tar Heels.
If the Tar Heels continue to have 20,000 empty seats because of a little bit of rain then the momentum the program has gained will eventually be lost. They will fall back to being a losing program that gets blitzed by Furman.
5)Can Les Miles overcome the Larry Coker comparisons-
Following the 2007 National Championship the Tigers had a below avergae season that ended with a Chick-Fil-A blowout victory over Georgia Tech. The tigers suffered through a mediocre season with mediocre quarterback play.
Miles has been compared to former Miami coach Larry Coker that won a national championship the year after Butch Davis left to coach the Cleveland Browns. The program slowly fell under Coker until Randy Shannon was hired to take over.
There are three major differences between Miles and Coker. The first is that Miles has proven himself as a quality coach before taking the LSU job. While at Oklahoma State he led the program to back-to-back victories over a much more talented Oklahoma team. Many at OSU believe his recruiting set the program up for the success they are having now under Lundy.
The second difference between the two is that Miles is a master recruiter. He is arguably the best recruiting head coach in all of college football. LSU has had the most talented defense in the country for several years now(including Southern Cal). Coker was never that great a recruiter. He didn't understand kids the way Miles does. His interaction with young people makes him a favorite of recruits.
The final difference between the two is "Charisma". Miles has a great personality and always has something fun to say. Everybody wants to know what is on his mind. Nobody cared what was on Coker's mind. In college football personality is important. Certain coaches can never fit in with the boosters and alumni because of lask of personality. That will never be a problem with the charismatic Les Miles.
I expect LSU to upset Alabama and win the SEC West in 2009. You heard it here first!!!
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