NCAA Top 25

The first part of the season is now basically finished (non-conference play). If you are a fan of college basketball, you can’t be happier now that the conference season is starting. Here is our last poll of 2012 with the rankings as we enter the beefy part of each team’s schedule:

Top 25 – December 31, 2012

NOTE: Previous ranking in parenthesis (from two weeks ago). Current record noted next to each team.

1. (1) Duke Blue Devils: 12-0

Miles Plumlee is seemingly everyone’s POY at this point, and everyone else on the team is playing at a high level. Duke enters conference play as the massive favorite to win the ACC once again.

2. (2) Michigan Wolverines: 13-0

Michigan made it through an average non-conference schedule unscathed and looked great in the process. They begin with some easy games before the Big Ten schedule heats up in mid-January. They should remain unbeaten till then.

3. (4) Arizona Wildcats: 12-0

The Wildcats proved they are legit by knocking off Florida a couple weeks ago, but they have backed that up by taking out Miami and San Diego State recently. Even though UCLA is coming on, Arizona is clearly the team to beat out west.

4. (5) Louisville Cardinals: 12-1

Dieng is back and they are coming off a win over Kentucky. That’s exactly what you would want if you’re Rick Pitino. But winning the Big East is never easy and that will be the case again this year.

5. (6) Indiana Hoosiers: 12-1

Indiana will finally take on some better competition now that the Big Ten season is starting. They begin with a dangerous Iowa team on the road today.

6. (10) Kansas Jayhawks: 11-1

Didn’t quite know how to judge this team until they went to Ohio State and took it to them. That proves they are a Final Four threat and clear favorite to win the Big 12 once again. Jeff Withey is a bad man…

7. (3) Syracuse Orangemen: 11-1

Congratulations to Jim Boeheim on winning over 900 games now in his career. He is one of the all-time bests.

8. (12) Minnesota Golden Gophers: 12-1

Minnesota has gotten better and better as the year has gone on. They have a potent offense, capable bench, and a lot of confidence. They will be in the Big Ten mix all year long.

9. (7) Ohio State Buckeyes: 10-2

It is evident that the Buckeyes struggle to score against the elite teams, outside of Thomas of course. In their two losses (Duke and Kansas), they went through stretches of brutal offensive play that ultimately cost them the game.

10. (15) Georgetown Hoyas: 10-1

Excited to see how this team stacks up in the Big East. They are capable of beating anyone when they play well, but they are known for some stinkers also.

11. (11) Illinois Fighting Illini: 13-1

The surprise team of the non-conference season finally lost a game (Missouri), but they still have to be thrilled by what they’ve accomplished over the first couple months of the season.

12. (13) Gonzaga Bulldogs: 12-1

Loved how Gonzaga constructed their non-conference schedule. They played a lot of good teams that included recent wins over Kansas State and Baylor. They play Oklahoma State today before heading into conference play.

13. (8) Florida Gators: 9-2

Florida will be the slight favorite over Missouri in the SEC. If Kenny Boynton ever starts producing like he is capable, they can easily jump back into the top 10, and can dance all the way to Atlanta.

14. (14) Missouri Tigers: 10-2

They handed Illinois their first loss of the season, but lost a heartbreaker at UCLA in a game they had won. Jabari Brown has been a nice addition to the team this month, but I think they are underutilizing Oriakhi.

15. (17) Oklahoma State Cowboys: 10-1

Haven’t been tested recently but they play Gonzaga today which will show us a lot. I have enjoyed watching the Nash and Smart combination.

16. (16) New Mexico Lobos: 13-1

They did drop their first contest but bounced back to beat Cincinnati. If they can find consistency past Snell and Williams, they will be a team to fear come March.

17. (9) Cincinnati Bearcats: 12-1

Losing their first game to New Mexico wasn’t the end of the world, but it did expose them a little bit. They’ve been smashing teams on their cupcake schedule all year but lost as soon as they played a ranked opponent. Their offense went stagnant in that game and that’s what they will see all year in the Big East.

18. (19) Butler Bulldogs: 10-2

Will enter the conference season as the favorites to win the A-10 in my opinion. It won’t be easy though, as the conference is as good and deep as I can ever remember.

19. (21) North Carolina State Wolfpack: 10-2

They have steadied the ship and are finally playing like the elite team we thought they were. When they play their best, they have a crazy high ceiling.

20. (22) Notre Dame Fighting Irish: 12-1

Notre Dame is as consistent a team as you’ll find. They don’t do a ton of fancy things, but do most things extremely well. That equals a lot of wins.

21. (24) Maryland Terrapins: 11-1

Now have won 11 in a row after their opening loss to Kentucky. It’s amazing to me how they are still under the radar across the country. Alex Len and company are legit people!

22. (25) Creighton Bluejays: 12-1

They already began conference play with a win. McDermott is right behind Plumlee as the National POY in my opinion. It will be them or Wichita State winning the Missouri Valley but he makes me think it will be the Bluejays.

23. (NR) Michigan State Spartans: 11-2

I’m still waiting for Gary Harris to break out for this squad. When that happens they will rejoin the top 15. If that never happens, they will be right behind that mark all season long.

24. (NR) Pittsburgh Panthers: 12-1

Only non-conference loss was to Michigan but that was honestly the only good team they played. They will begin conference play today against Cincinnati so they can prove their critics wrong with a win.

25. (NR) Wyoming Cowboys: 12-0

One of four unbeatens left in college basketball. They only have two decent wins though so they need to perform well in this loaded Mountain West.

Dropped from Rankings: UNLV, San Diego State, North Carolina

Other Notables: UCLA, Kansas State, Wichita State, Connecticut, Oregon, VCU, Temple, Bucknell, Iowa, Memphis, Kentucky, Tennessee, Colorado, Colorado State, Utah State, Iowa State

By: The Sports Guys

NFL Picks - Week 17

Last week was exciting stuff. Congrats to Calvin Johnson who set the single season receiving mark, in a loss of course. 10 teams are now clinched for the playoffs, with the NFC East and second NFC Wildcard spot still up for grabs. Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck were apart of two of those teams that clinched which is amazing for those rookie QB’s. RGIII could also clinch this week to make it three rookie QB’s dancing next week. AD moved closer to the all-time rushing record, but will need a big week now to get it done. Here are the updated pick standings:

Andrew – 1350 Points (155-84-1)

Greg – 1191 Points (149-90-1) – Winner of Week 16

Can’t believe that only one week remains in the 2012 regular season. The focus is on the last two playoff spots that are up for grabs. The game to decide the NFC East is a winner-take-all game between Washington and Dallas. Wildcard implications surround the Vikings/Packers game, Bears/Lions game, and Giants/Eagles game. Another key game to keep an eye on is Houston at Indianapolis, because that will ultimately decide who gets home field in the AFC (Houston, Denver, or New England).

Below are our picks and confidence points for all the games. Play along in the comment section if you want:

Greg’s Picks

16       San Francisco over Arizona

15       Seattle over St. Louis

14       New England over Miami

13       Denver over Kansas City

12       Atlanta over Tampa Bay

11       New Orleans over Carolina

10       Baltimore over Cincinnati

9          Minnesota over Green Bay

8          San Diego over Oakland

7          NYG over Philadelphia

6          Tennessee over Jacksonville

5          Detroit over Chicago

4          Buffalo over NYJ

3          Washington over Dallas

2          Cleveland over Pittsburgh

1          Indianapolis over Houston

Andrew’s Picks

16       Denver over Kansas City

15       San Francisco over Arizona

14       Seattle over St. Louis

13       New England over Miami

12       NYG over Philadelphia

11       San Diego over Oakland

10       New Orleans over Carolina

9          Houston over Indianapolis

8          Green Bay over Minnesota

7          Pittsburgh over Cleveland

6          Atlanta over Tampa Bay

5          Buffalo over NYJ

4          Baltimore over Cincinnati

3          Chicago over Detroit

2          Tennessee over Jacksonville

1          Dallas over Washington

Enjoy week 17!

By: The Sports Guys

College Football Saturday - BCS Edition

Two weeks ago we posted our previews and predictions of every non-BCS Bowl Game, but today we preview the five BCS games. These will be fun and exciting, just like the regular season was. Enjoy!

Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs Stanford:


Greg:  STANFORD--Wisconsin struggled mightily throughout the season except in the Big 10 championship game against quality opponents. Stanford’s rush defense is one of the best in the country. The Pac-12 wins this matchup of run-first opponents.

Andrew: STANFORD – If the game were played immediately after the season, it would have been tough to go against the Badgers after they dismantled Nebraska in the Big Ten Championship. But this game is a month later so momentum isn’t a factor, and head coach Bret Bielema bolted for Arkansas. Stanford also closed the season hot, winning their last seven games, including a win against the team I believe is the best in the nation: Oregon. They have a defense that excels at stopping the run, which is what Wisconsin loves to do. While I always root for the Big Ten, I’m not picking them here…

Greg Add-on: As a side note on this- Stanford are the Pac-12 champs, having beaten Oregon in Eugene. You cannot continue to assert that Oregon is the best team in the nation when they are A) not undefeated, and B) did not win their own conference. The best team in the country will be decided on Jan 7 when one of the only two undefeated teams in the country (Notre Dame) and the Champions of the SEC (which has 3 teams that I’d rank above Oregon) play for the National Championship, a game that Oregon is not a part of. Oregon is not a part of it due to their own inability to handle pressure and win the only game this whole season that was close.

Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois vs Florida State:


Greg: NORTHERN ILLINOIS--I’m going to go with the underdog in this one- against my better judgement.  The MAC played well against power conference teams all year long. I didn’t pick them much in the non-BCS games because they were not playing against power conference teams. These MAC kids have a chip on their should because many of them feel they should have played/were good enough to play power conference division I football. The Huskies come out and shock the Seminoles in florida.

Andrew: FLORIDA STATE – I don’t even believe Northern Illinois should be in a BCS game, so I’m definitely not picking them. Florida State is clearly superior, particularly on defense, and they have played (and beaten) much better competition this year. But I’ll still be rooting on the underdogs despite this pick…

Sugar Bowl: Louisville vs Florida:


Greg: FLORIDA--The Gators will crush the Cardinals in this one. I think this will mainly be due to the line play on both sides of the ball. Florida will dominate on defense and cause almost as many turnovers as Louisville scores points.

Andrew: FLORIDA – What I said about the Orange Bowl also applies here. Louisville is underserving of this game, while Florida was close to playing for the National Championship. So just like that other game, I’m taking the favorite from Florida. And I will be rooting for them also. Blowout city in this one!

Fiesta Bowl:Oregon vs Kansas State:


Greg: KANSAS STATE: Just to go against Andrew’s self-proclaimed team of the century, I am picking Kansas State in this game.  Kansas State has a ton to prove in this game, and I think they show up and play well. Colin Klein and the Wildcat offense will run all over the weakling Ducks and will win a competitive, well played game.

Andrew: OREGON – This is one of the best matchups in any bowl game; in fact, at one point this looked like it could be the National Championship matchup. But I’m taking the Ducks by a comfy margin. I fully believe Oregon is the best team in all the land and would win a playoff if there were one in college football. Their offense is the best in the country and the defense is underrated. Go Ducks!

 BCS National Championship game:Notre Dame vs Alabama:


Greg: NOTRE DAME -- As has been the case all year, Andrew’s logic is faulty when speaking about Notre Dame.   In the only game that these two opponents had in common this season(Michigan) both teams dominated the Wolverines, but Notre Dame did it at home instead of at a “Neutral” site.  Notre Dame has the best defensive line and front seven in football, and their secondary has improved all year long.  If Everett Golson plays well, the Irish will win this game.  I think he shows up, plays well and Brian Kelly continues the tradition of winning championships at Notre Dame in the third season as a head coach (Parsigian & Holtz also won championship in their third season). This will be a great game.

Andrew: ALABAMA – If you follow this blog you know Notre Dame has been a hot topic all season. Greg loves Notre Dame and I do not. I don’t believe they are the best team in the country (nor Alabama for that matter) and I think the Irish should have lost multiple times. Their schedule turned out to be soft while Alabama played against a bunch of great teams. The edge in coaching goes to the Crimson Tide just as the edge in talent also goes to Alabama. I will admit that the ND offense has improved throughout the year and could cause some issues in and out of this game, but Alabama will prove too tough. The only thing that scares me about this pick is that I’m sure Notre Dame feels disrespected and like underdogs, which will make them play a little more freely. But I still believe Alabama wins by at least two TD’s.

NFL Rankings

One week left in the regular series and things still aren't set. The NFC East will come down to one game, but the NFC Wildcard spot could be a handful of teams. Seeding isn't set in either conference, except for a few positions. Here are the rankings heading into the final week:

NFL Power Rankings

Through Week 16

Andrew – 1350 Points (155-84-1)

Greg – 1311 Points (149-90-1) – Winner of Week 16

NOTE: Last week’s rank is noted in the first parenthesis. Current team record noted in the second parenthesis.

1. (1) Denver Broncos (12-3) – Manning continues to make a case for MVP and/or Comeback POY. The Broncos are also one win away and one Houston loss away from home field advantage throughout. – Andrew

2. (2) Atlanta Falcons (13-2) – Clinched the top seed in the NFC already. It’s amazing to me that as good as they have been all year, nobody really talks about them as a real threat to win the Super Bowl though. – Andrew

3. (5) Green Bay Packers (11-4) – Green Bay is now playing as good as they did a year ago when they entered the playoffs as heavy favorites. – Andrew

4. (6) New England Patriots (11-4) – New England isn’t entering the playoffs on a high note. They just lost to the 49ers, and this week they barely beat a bad Jacksonville team. – Andrew

5. (7) Seattle Seahawks (10-5) – Seattle isn’t positioned in the driver’s seat, but it is hard to beat against them in the NFC at this point. Once again, they looked great on both sides of the ball and they dismantled San Francisco on Sunday night. – Andrew

6. (3) Houston Texans (12-3) – Despite a crummy performance this week, Houston is still in position to be the top seed in the AFC. Will that matter though? – Andrew

7. (4) San Francisco 49ers (10-4-1) – San Francisco got embarrassed by their division counterparts, but they can still win the division with a win this coming weekend. – Andrew

8. (8) Indianapolis Colts (10-5) – Andrew Luck has taken a two win team to a ten win team and into the playoffs. If that isn’t good enough for ROY then I don’t know what is… – Andrew

9. (9) Washington Redskins (9-6) – Six in a row now in the nation’s capital. They now lead the NFC East all by themselves. But they still need to beat Dallas this week to clinch. – Andrew

10. (12) Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) – The Bengals took out Pittsburgh to clinch their playoff birth this weekend. Defense is playing so well currently. – Andrew

11. (13) Minnesota Vikings (9-6) – AD finally had an average game but that didn’t stop Minnesota from winning again. They control their destiny in the Wildcard race. AD needs 208 yards to set the all-time record. – Andrew

12. (14) Baltimore Ravens (10-5) – The Ravens finally looked cohesive once more on Sunday. Still don’t know what to expect out of them on a weekly basis though. The division is locked down at this point however. – Andrew

13. (15) Chicago Bears (9-6) – One win down, one more to go to make the playoffs. But they still need a Vikings loss too. But honestly, if they get in do they have a chance to even win a game? – Andrew

14. (10) Dallas Cowboys (8-7) – Romo and Dez are playing at an elite level. But the team continues to put themselves in a hole at the start of games. Better not happen this weekend with the division on the line. – Andrew

15. (11) New York Giants (8-7) – Basically out of the playoff hunt now and they can only blame themselves. This week the offense hit an all-time low. – Andrew

16. (17) St. Louis Rams (7-7-1) – Jeff Fisher has done an amazing job with this team to get them to .500. Could be a dangerous team in a couple years. – Andrew

17. (18) New Orleans Saints (7-8) – Just think if this team didn’t start out losing for a month at the beginning of the year. They may be in line for a playoffs run! – Andrew

18. (19) – Miami Dolphins (7-8) – Another team that has been a pleasant surprise this year and will likely become a legitimate threat in a couple years. – Andrew

19. (16) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8) – The Steelers are out of the playoffs and can blame on man: Big Ben. Two late picks have lost the game the last two weeks. Not clutch anymore… – Andrew

20. (21) Carolina Panthers (6-9) – Cam and company are starting to play great and are building for next year. – Andrew

21. (23) San Diego Chargers (6-9) – I’m just imagining what changes are coming and realize I have no clue what direction they will go. – Andrew

22. (20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9) – Halfway through the year things were looking up. Then they collapsed. They do have a bright future with Doug Martin though. – Andrew

23. (22) New York Jets (6-9) – Don’t think they have a QB problem but an entire organization problem. – Andrew

24. (24) Cleveland Browns (5-10) –Losing at Denver isn’t the end of the world (cause the Broncos are the best in the league right now)… but a couple injuries they sustained were scary. – Andrew

25. (25) Buffalo Bills (5-10) – They will address the quarterback position in the offseason. But the defense still needs work too. – Andrew

26. (26) Tennessee Titans (5-10) – Didn’t even look capable of stopping Green Bay on Sunday. – Andrew

27. (27) Arizona Cardinals (5-10) – Glad to see them lose because they were playing my Bears! – Andrew

28. (28) Detroit Lions (4-11) – Congrats to Calvin Johnson on the record, but it’s a meaningless record for him when the team has only four wins. – Andrew

29. (29) Oakland Raiders (4-11) – It will be an interesting offseason for this team as it always is in Oakland. – Andrew

30. (30) Philadelphia Eagles (4-11) – Personally, they got hosed on the final play and got called for grounding. They deserved one last shot at a TD that could have tied the game. – Andrew

31. (31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) – Loved that they showed heart yesterday against New England. I’ll credit Tebow for that because the rumors of him coming re-energized the team. – Andrew

32. (32) Kansas City Chiefs (2-13) – Jamaal Charles has bounced back nicely after his season ending injury last year. But they don’t have a QB. – Andrew

By: Andrew Miller