The View from Prescott, AZ
My name is John Poggendorf. All together now: WHO? Pronounced….HOW???
I live in Prescott, AZ. And that would be…..WHERE? 30 miles from nowhere and 20 from water?
And I’m spewing a few unbiased words on what Division 1 College Football Phanatics might expect to see this season…..WHY? Either because the owner of this blog needed a breather, or because he thinks the view is clearer from someplace where there’s nothing for a college football fan to do but keep up on the current, or during the annual great sports blackout (aka: baseball season), the next Division 1 College Football season (say: “Hallelujah!”).
I come from both the land and time of football’s Big 10 Tyranny, and was considered a heretic for following the likes of Texas A&M, Tennessee, Clemson, Auburn, GA Tech, VA Tech, West VA, LSU and my beloved USC (the REAL USC, the Trojans) and having the chutzpa to say they put a better grade of ball on the field than Woody and Bo. I still say it….and it’s truer today than it ever was! Now you get how unbiased this is all gonna be!
But back to the assignment. Here’s my psychohistorical take on what can we the addicted can look for in the way of world class adrenalin rushes this coming season.
Overall, I think we see my USC Trojans playing Tennessee for all the marbles in The Rose Bowl on Jan 4th. In fact, I’ve already asked the owner of this blog for two tickets to the game. But how do we get there, and more invigorating what are the key games en route to Pasadena?
First things first: If anyone runs the table this season, it’s USC. But even that could be in jeopardy. In the off season we lost half our coaching staff including Norm Chow (at least he’s in the pro’s) and a ton of defense both on the line and at linebacker. But we had a great recruiting year, remain deep at every position, return a star-studded offense and do have Dallas Sartz and Keith Rivers at LB. If we remain focused and healthy USC goes undefeated. Arizona State (Oct 1) will push us very hard. But more than ASU or even Cal, the game I’m looking forward to most is a late season contest with Fresno State (Nov 19). They are a dramatically underrated squad in my opinion, returning a ton of lettermen and a superb defense. And….don’t forget this is Pat Hill’s live audition for inclusion in the soon-to-be PAC 12, a seat they richly deserve! Beware Fresno State!!!
The SEC is THE power in college football….period! But Tennessee gets to the Rose Bowl to play USC with a wealth of wealth. They’re solid and deep everywhere you look: a defensive front, linebackers and secondary that can stop trains; skill extraordinaire; the single best recruiting year in the country; improved special teams….and more. If the Vol’s get past their back-to-back killer games against @ Florida (Sept 17) and much worse @ LSU (Sept 24) they go all the way too. I think the Vol’s loose at Tiger Stadium but they win the SEC Championship and BCS-rate their way to Pasadena.
LSU is my other personal heartthrob of a team. The fans make for a rough crowd more often than not, but I L-O-V-E dem Bayou Bengals. This year LSU is one of the most gifted teams in the country! The main fears for me this year with LSU is the new head coach situation in general and the uncertainly of the quarterback situation in particular. Miles style is visibly different from Saban’s and will have some difficulties with the treasure trove of remaining (and recently recruited) Saban-style players. Then there’s JaMarcus Russell’s uneven, dare we say it erratic, performances. If he settles down all’s right in Baton Rouge; if he doesn’t Miles goes with true freshman and #2 QB recruit in the country Ryan Perrilloux (second to #1 Mark Sanchez who went to USC thank you very much). The problem there is that as good as Perrilloux is, he’s a true freshman QB in the SEC. Think that through.
The first real Seldon crisis of the 2005-6 season rears it’s ugly head early on Sept 10 when Ohio State plays Texas. This will be a rape-and-pillage, take-no-prisoners barfight between two of the country’s best teams that will define both their seasons and their post season bowl rankings. Texas brings fantastic offensive and defensive lines into play and an unbelievably talented young QB to the party while Ohio State returns nearly everyone, has it’s QB situation now in hand, sports superb linebackers on “D” and world-class wide-outs on offense. But…they play in The Horseshoe. The long and short of this is that I see Texas losing to Ohio State here. Then Ohio State has trouble with Iowa and ultimately drops its season finale’ to Michigan in the Big House which takes the Buc’s out of the hunt while Texas rolls on from here but plays a mega-weak schedule…..thus putting both Texas and Ohio State out of the hunt for a Rose Bowl berth.
Other than these, the “must see” games for me all year are:
(1) LSU –vs- Auburn on Oct. 22 @ Death Valley. Were Saban at the helm for the Bayou Bengals I’d be more comfortable, but the 10-9 Auburn win last year and 130+ decibels in Death Valley’s North End year will be enough. GEAUX TIGERS!!!
(2) Bama –vs- Auburn on Nov 19 @ Jordan-Hare. Bama wants revenge but TS. Fly War Eagle!
(3) Boise St. –vs- Fresno State on Nov 12 @ Fresno. An aerial circus and bare-knuckled brawl all the way and for the WAC Title even though it’s early. Go Dawgs!
(4) Georgia –vs- Florida on Oct 29 in The Swamp. The annual hate spree made all the worse by last years 31-24 Georgia win. Go Gators!
(5) GA Tech –vs- Clemson on Oct 29 in Atlanta. Both in the top 25 and a real grudge match given last years 28-24 GA Tech win at Clemson. GO JACKETS!!!
(6) Tennessee –vs- Florida on Sept. 17 @ The Swamp. Especially after last years 30-28 Tennessee win in Knoxville. What a bar-fight this will be! GO VOLS!!!
(7) Miami –vs- VA Tech on Nov 5 in Blacksburg. Last year 16-10 advantage VA Tech. I’m going out on a limb here and say this year VA Tech surprises Miami again…and embarrassingly by more. Go Hokies!
(8) And lastly….every SEC game you can catch. Guys who are 3rd and 4th on the depth charts in the SEC could darn well start for clubs in other conferences. There IS no off week for any team this year in the SEC!
FIGHT ON!
John Poggendorf
I live in Prescott, AZ. And that would be…..WHERE? 30 miles from nowhere and 20 from water?
And I’m spewing a few unbiased words on what Division 1 College Football Phanatics might expect to see this season…..WHY? Either because the owner of this blog needed a breather, or because he thinks the view is clearer from someplace where there’s nothing for a college football fan to do but keep up on the current, or during the annual great sports blackout (aka: baseball season), the next Division 1 College Football season (say: “Hallelujah!”).
I come from both the land and time of football’s Big 10 Tyranny, and was considered a heretic for following the likes of Texas A&M, Tennessee, Clemson, Auburn, GA Tech, VA Tech, West VA, LSU and my beloved USC (the REAL USC, the Trojans) and having the chutzpa to say they put a better grade of ball on the field than Woody and Bo. I still say it….and it’s truer today than it ever was! Now you get how unbiased this is all gonna be!
But back to the assignment. Here’s my psychohistorical take on what can we the addicted can look for in the way of world class adrenalin rushes this coming season.
Overall, I think we see my USC Trojans playing Tennessee for all the marbles in The Rose Bowl on Jan 4th. In fact, I’ve already asked the owner of this blog for two tickets to the game. But how do we get there, and more invigorating what are the key games en route to Pasadena?
First things first: If anyone runs the table this season, it’s USC. But even that could be in jeopardy. In the off season we lost half our coaching staff including Norm Chow (at least he’s in the pro’s) and a ton of defense both on the line and at linebacker. But we had a great recruiting year, remain deep at every position, return a star-studded offense and do have Dallas Sartz and Keith Rivers at LB. If we remain focused and healthy USC goes undefeated. Arizona State (Oct 1) will push us very hard. But more than ASU or even Cal, the game I’m looking forward to most is a late season contest with Fresno State (Nov 19). They are a dramatically underrated squad in my opinion, returning a ton of lettermen and a superb defense. And….don’t forget this is Pat Hill’s live audition for inclusion in the soon-to-be PAC 12, a seat they richly deserve! Beware Fresno State!!!
The SEC is THE power in college football….period! But Tennessee gets to the Rose Bowl to play USC with a wealth of wealth. They’re solid and deep everywhere you look: a defensive front, linebackers and secondary that can stop trains; skill extraordinaire; the single best recruiting year in the country; improved special teams….and more. If the Vol’s get past their back-to-back killer games against @ Florida (Sept 17) and much worse @ LSU (Sept 24) they go all the way too. I think the Vol’s loose at Tiger Stadium but they win the SEC Championship and BCS-rate their way to Pasadena.
LSU is my other personal heartthrob of a team. The fans make for a rough crowd more often than not, but I L-O-V-E dem Bayou Bengals. This year LSU is one of the most gifted teams in the country! The main fears for me this year with LSU is the new head coach situation in general and the uncertainly of the quarterback situation in particular. Miles style is visibly different from Saban’s and will have some difficulties with the treasure trove of remaining (and recently recruited) Saban-style players. Then there’s JaMarcus Russell’s uneven, dare we say it erratic, performances. If he settles down all’s right in Baton Rouge; if he doesn’t Miles goes with true freshman and #2 QB recruit in the country Ryan Perrilloux (second to #1 Mark Sanchez who went to USC thank you very much). The problem there is that as good as Perrilloux is, he’s a true freshman QB in the SEC. Think that through.
The first real Seldon crisis of the 2005-6 season rears it’s ugly head early on Sept 10 when Ohio State plays Texas. This will be a rape-and-pillage, take-no-prisoners barfight between two of the country’s best teams that will define both their seasons and their post season bowl rankings. Texas brings fantastic offensive and defensive lines into play and an unbelievably talented young QB to the party while Ohio State returns nearly everyone, has it’s QB situation now in hand, sports superb linebackers on “D” and world-class wide-outs on offense. But…they play in The Horseshoe. The long and short of this is that I see Texas losing to Ohio State here. Then Ohio State has trouble with Iowa and ultimately drops its season finale’ to Michigan in the Big House which takes the Buc’s out of the hunt while Texas rolls on from here but plays a mega-weak schedule…..thus putting both Texas and Ohio State out of the hunt for a Rose Bowl berth.
Other than these, the “must see” games for me all year are:
(1) LSU –vs- Auburn on Oct. 22 @ Death Valley. Were Saban at the helm for the Bayou Bengals I’d be more comfortable, but the 10-9 Auburn win last year and 130+ decibels in Death Valley’s North End year will be enough. GEAUX TIGERS!!!
(2) Bama –vs- Auburn on Nov 19 @ Jordan-Hare. Bama wants revenge but TS. Fly War Eagle!
(3) Boise St. –vs- Fresno State on Nov 12 @ Fresno. An aerial circus and bare-knuckled brawl all the way and for the WAC Title even though it’s early. Go Dawgs!
(4) Georgia –vs- Florida on Oct 29 in The Swamp. The annual hate spree made all the worse by last years 31-24 Georgia win. Go Gators!
(5) GA Tech –vs- Clemson on Oct 29 in Atlanta. Both in the top 25 and a real grudge match given last years 28-24 GA Tech win at Clemson. GO JACKETS!!!
(6) Tennessee –vs- Florida on Sept. 17 @ The Swamp. Especially after last years 30-28 Tennessee win in Knoxville. What a bar-fight this will be! GO VOLS!!!
(7) Miami –vs- VA Tech on Nov 5 in Blacksburg. Last year 16-10 advantage VA Tech. I’m going out on a limb here and say this year VA Tech surprises Miami again…and embarrassingly by more. Go Hokies!
(8) And lastly….every SEC game you can catch. Guys who are 3rd and 4th on the depth charts in the SEC could darn well start for clubs in other conferences. There IS no off week for any team this year in the SEC!
FIGHT ON!
John Poggendorf
posted by www.alphatickets.com at 9:15 AM
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