A Look at the Other National Title Contenders in 2008

Here's a quick look at the national title contenders and who may be in the national title this season.

Rules for choosing the #1 and #2 BCS teams:
1. If an SEC team goes undefeated, it automatically becomes the #1 BCS team.
2. If the winner of the OSU-USC game goes undefeated, it will earn an automatic berth in the national championship game.
3. Other teams with a shot, if they go undefeated: Any Big 12 team, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
4. Teams that would need others to lose: the ACC, the Pac-10 other than USC, the Big East other than West Virginia.

Teams with the best shot of making the BCS National Championship Game:
1. USC Trojans
Tough Games: vs. Ohio State, Oregon, Arizona State, UCLA
My Thoughts: USC looked really impressive against Virginia and all of their tough games are at home this season. Normally this would be a 2 loss team, but I hink the Trojans will only lose one game b/c they will beat OSU in a classic). Likely that will put them in the BCS National Championship game.
Predicted Final Record: 11-1 (will beat OSU, lose one Pac-10 game)

2. Florida Gators
Tough Games: at Tennessee, vs. LSU, Georgia (acksonville)
My Thoughts: Florida misses Alabama and Auburn in their regular season schedule and gets LSU at home. The schedule stacks up very well for Tebow and company and they will lose one of their regular season contests and win the SEC Championship, and thus play USC in the national championship game, giving fans the BCS game they have been dreaming of (since USC-Texas of course).
Predicted Final Record: 12-1 (will lose to either Tennessee or LSU, will beat Georgia)

3. Ohio State Buckeyes
Tough Games: at USC, at Wisconsin, vs. Penn State, at Illinois
My Thoughts: After losing a heartbreaker, the Buckeyes will set their sights on becoming the first Big Ten team in history to accomplish three outright Big Ten titles, which they will accomplish (although facing nail-biters in Madison and Champaign).
Predicted Final Record: 11-1 (will lose to USC, and thus will play in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1996).

4. Georgia Bulldogs
tough Games: Almost every game on the schedule, except for maybe Vandy, Kentucky and Georgia Tech (and even then...!)
My Thoughts: Georgia's schedule is absolutely brutal. They will lose 2 games (Florida and either Alabama, Auburn or Tennesse). They face all the best West teams (Alabama, Auburn, LSU) and play a tough non-conference schedule at Arizona State and vs. a Tebow-esque LeFevour vs. Central Michigan.
Predicted Final Record: 10-2 (Sugar Bowl)

5. Oklahoma Sooners
Tough Games: vs. Texas (Dallas), Kansas, Texas Tech, Missouri (in Big 12 Championship)
My Thoughts: Oklahoma will lose one of the games above AND some crazy game tat they don't show up for (Cincinnati? TCU? at Kansas State?). They are always good for one bad loss. They will however beat oddly enough make it to the Big 12 championship game and beat Missouri, and then lose their bowl game, again.
Predicted Final Record: 11-2 (after defeating Missouri in the title game)

6. Missouri Tigers
Tough Games: at Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma (Big 12 Title game)
My thoughts: The schedule (other than going to Texas) actually lines up for them really well. They will lose at Texas, beat everybody else, then lose to OU in the title game, again.
Predicted Final Record: 11-2 (after losing to OU in the title game)

7. West Virginia Mountaineers
Tough Games: at East Carolina, Auburn, at Pitt, South Florida
My Thoughts: After losing to Auburn at home, they will be disqualified for the national title game, since Auburn won't even win the SEC West (my pick btw - LSU). They will also lose either at Pitt, who will get their act together by the end of the season or vs. South Florida, a very tough last two games of the season.
Predicted Final Record: 10-2 (BCS bowl)

8. LSU Tigers
Tough Games: at Auburn, at Florida, Georgia, Alabama
My Thoughts: LSU will stun everybody by going 11-1 in th regular season and losing to Florida in the SEC title game (who was also 11-1), even with their QB issues. This team is so loaded at every other position. I could be QB with this team and they would go 8-4. Expect LSU to be in the top 5 the whole season, only to lose a very tough SEC title game (the legend of Tebow will grow ...).
Predicted Final Record: 11-2
So my prediction for the Bowls are:

BCS: #1 Florida vs. #2 USC
Rose: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Sugar: Georgia vs. Missouri
Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. BYU
Orange: Boston College vs. South Florida