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08-31-2008, 08:34 PM
SI.com's team of experts make their picks for the 2008 campaign
After two straight embarrassing losses in BCS title games, can Ohio State break through this season?
SI.com's college football writers Stewart Mandel, Andy Staples, Cory McCartney, Luke Winn, Bill Trocchi, Arash Markazi and Gennaro Filice provide their predictions for the season.
BCS predictions
Mandel:
National title: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Rose: USC vs. Wisconsin
Fiesta: Texas Tech vs. Arizona State
Sugar: Georgia vs. West Virginia
Orange: Clemson vs. Florida
Staples:
National title: Oklahoma vs. Georgia
Rose: USC vs. Ohio State
Fiesta: Missouri vs. Wisconsin
Sugar: Florida vs. BYU
Orange: Clemson vs. USF
McCartney:
National title: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Rose: USC vs. Wisconsin
Fiesta: Florida vs. Missouri
Sugar: Georgia vs. West Virginia
Orange: Clemson vs. BYU
Winn:
National title: Ohio State vs. USC
Rose: Georgia vs. Wisconsin
Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia
Sugar: Florida vs. Missouri
Orange: Wake Forest vs. BYU
Trocchi:
National title: Oklahoma vs. Ohio State
Rose: USC vs. Wisconsin
Fiesta: Missouri vs. Florida
Sugar: Georgia vs. BYU
Orange: Clemson vs. Pittsburgh
Markazi:
National title: USC vs. Georgia
Rose: Ohio State vs. West Virginia
Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. BYU
Sugar: Florida vs. Missouri
Orange: Clemson vs. Wisconsin
Filice:
National title: Ohio State vs. USC
Rose: Wisconsin vs. Arizona State
Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. Georgia
Sugar: Florida vs. Texas Tech
Orange: Clemson vs. Pittsburgh
National champ
Mandel: Ohio State. The Buckeyes are loaded at every position, and lord knows they'll be playing with a chip on their shoulders.
Staples: Georgia. They may be a trendy pick, but the Bulldogs have all the elements of a championship team -- including the brutal schedule.
McCartney: Oklahoma. The Sooners have their flaws (like two new corners and linebackers and the lack of a big-play receiver), but with Sam Bradford and a schedule that has Kansas and Texas Tech in Norman, there's reason to believe Bob Stoops will soon own another crystal football.
Winn: Ohio State. The solution to avoiding being called the Buffalo Bills of the BCS era: play a national title game against a non-SEC foe.
Trocchi: Oklahoma. Make it three straight disappointments for the Buckeyes as Sam Bradford leads a powerful Oklahoma offense to a championship.
Markazi: USC. The Trojans' current run of six straight BCS bowl games has netted them only one crystal ball, which irks Pete Carroll. The Trojans head man will field arguably his fastest and deepest defensive squad yet.
Filice: Ohio State. People forget that at this time last year the Buckeyes were not supposed to win the Big Ten and definitely not play in a second consecutive BCS title game. They were a year away. But now a year has passed ...
Surprise team
Mandel: Oregon State. The Beavers are brimming with offensive weapons and could pull an early-season upset of Penn State or USC.
Staples: USF. The Big East is wide open, and the Bulls have won their past two against conference goliath West Virginia.
McCartney: Arkansas. Darren McFadden and Co. are gone, but this team will be better than expected with a confident Casey Dick playing behind a veteran offensive line that includes Rimington winner Jonathan Luigs.
Winn: Michigan State. Find a quality defensive team with a coach on the rise (Mark Dantonio), a veteran QB (senior Brian Hoyer) and a bunch of close losses the previous season (all six of Sparty's were by six points or less) and you have a decent sleeper pick.
Trocchi: North Carolina. With a favorable schedule (the Heels miss Clemson and Wake) and maturing talent, Butch Davis gets UNC into the ACC title mix sooner than expected.
Markazi: North Carolina. The Tar Heels may have gone 4-8 in their first season under Butch Davis, but they lost four games by four points, one by six points (South Carolina) and another by a touchdown (Virginia Tech). Also, they return 18 starters.
Filice: Ole Miss. Jevan Snead will end up being the star QB transfer Ole Miss thought it had in Brent Schaeffer.
After two straight embarrassing losses in BCS title games, can Ohio State break through this season?
SI.com's college football writers Stewart Mandel, Andy Staples, Cory McCartney, Luke Winn, Bill Trocchi, Arash Markazi and Gennaro Filice provide their predictions for the season.
BCS predictions
Mandel:
National title: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Rose: USC vs. Wisconsin
Fiesta: Texas Tech vs. Arizona State
Sugar: Georgia vs. West Virginia
Orange: Clemson vs. Florida
Staples:
National title: Oklahoma vs. Georgia
Rose: USC vs. Ohio State
Fiesta: Missouri vs. Wisconsin
Sugar: Florida vs. BYU
Orange: Clemson vs. USF
McCartney:
National title: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Rose: USC vs. Wisconsin
Fiesta: Florida vs. Missouri
Sugar: Georgia vs. West Virginia
Orange: Clemson vs. BYU
Winn:
National title: Ohio State vs. USC
Rose: Georgia vs. Wisconsin
Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia
Sugar: Florida vs. Missouri
Orange: Wake Forest vs. BYU
Trocchi:
National title: Oklahoma vs. Ohio State
Rose: USC vs. Wisconsin
Fiesta: Missouri vs. Florida
Sugar: Georgia vs. BYU
Orange: Clemson vs. Pittsburgh
Markazi:
National title: USC vs. Georgia
Rose: Ohio State vs. West Virginia
Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. BYU
Sugar: Florida vs. Missouri
Orange: Clemson vs. Wisconsin
Filice:
National title: Ohio State vs. USC
Rose: Wisconsin vs. Arizona State
Fiesta: Oklahoma vs. Georgia
Sugar: Florida vs. Texas Tech
Orange: Clemson vs. Pittsburgh
National champ
Mandel: Ohio State. The Buckeyes are loaded at every position, and lord knows they'll be playing with a chip on their shoulders.
Staples: Georgia. They may be a trendy pick, but the Bulldogs have all the elements of a championship team -- including the brutal schedule.
McCartney: Oklahoma. The Sooners have their flaws (like two new corners and linebackers and the lack of a big-play receiver), but with Sam Bradford and a schedule that has Kansas and Texas Tech in Norman, there's reason to believe Bob Stoops will soon own another crystal football.
Winn: Ohio State. The solution to avoiding being called the Buffalo Bills of the BCS era: play a national title game against a non-SEC foe.
Trocchi: Oklahoma. Make it three straight disappointments for the Buckeyes as Sam Bradford leads a powerful Oklahoma offense to a championship.
Markazi: USC. The Trojans' current run of six straight BCS bowl games has netted them only one crystal ball, which irks Pete Carroll. The Trojans head man will field arguably his fastest and deepest defensive squad yet.
Filice: Ohio State. People forget that at this time last year the Buckeyes were not supposed to win the Big Ten and definitely not play in a second consecutive BCS title game. They were a year away. But now a year has passed ...
Surprise team
Mandel: Oregon State. The Beavers are brimming with offensive weapons and could pull an early-season upset of Penn State or USC.
Staples: USF. The Big East is wide open, and the Bulls have won their past two against conference goliath West Virginia.
McCartney: Arkansas. Darren McFadden and Co. are gone, but this team will be better than expected with a confident Casey Dick playing behind a veteran offensive line that includes Rimington winner Jonathan Luigs.
Winn: Michigan State. Find a quality defensive team with a coach on the rise (Mark Dantonio), a veteran QB (senior Brian Hoyer) and a bunch of close losses the previous season (all six of Sparty's were by six points or less) and you have a decent sleeper pick.
Trocchi: North Carolina. With a favorable schedule (the Heels miss Clemson and Wake) and maturing talent, Butch Davis gets UNC into the ACC title mix sooner than expected.
Markazi: North Carolina. The Tar Heels may have gone 4-8 in their first season under Butch Davis, but they lost four games by four points, one by six points (South Carolina) and another by a touchdown (Virginia Tech). Also, they return 18 starters.
Filice: Ole Miss. Jevan Snead will end up being the star QB transfer Ole Miss thought it had in Brent Schaeffer.