This years NCAA Basketball tournament appears to be wide open. My predictions have chalk in them but also have a bit of a surprise in them compared to what most of the experts are going with. Here are my Final Four predictions…
March Madness is upon us. It is time to pick your Final Four.
This is where my surprise come in. Kansas is the top seeded team in this tournament, and most people have them not only making it to the Final Four but winning the whole thing. I do see Kansas getting to the Elite Eight, but I see the Georgetown Hoyas beating them there. Georgetown has a tough path to get to Kansas including possibly playing Ohio State on there way to Kansas. I like the way Georgetown plays and are coached. They run a good offense, have a good defense are were so close to winning the Big East tournament. They are peaking at the right time.
Prediction:Georgetown
WEST
I see this region as the chalk winning it. Syracuse is the #1 seed. I see the Orangemen winning this region even though they have limped into the tournament and do have a injury concern. Cuse has a pretty easy road to the Elite Eight where they will likely face Kansas St. I think by then, they will be both healthy, and a team playing at their best. Syracuse is the class of this region and is too talented to let the Final Four pass them by.
Prediction:Syracuse
EAST
The East region features the freshmen talented Kentucky Wildcats. I think Kentucky has the most talent of any team in the tournament, and they will show they can play as a team with that talent. Kentucky won a lot of close games this year including a unlikely win in the finals of the SEC tournament. This type of winning brings a team together. Kentucky has become a team with awesome talent and will be tough to beat in this tournament. Kentucky takes out West Virginia to get to the Final Four.
Prediction:Kentucky
South
The South region features the Duke Blue Devils as the #1 seed. Duke has the easiest road to the Elite Eight and should not have much of a problem getting there. They are more than fortunate to get this kind of draw. While I would like to pick the Blue Devils because of their fortune, I do not believe on they will get to the Final Four. I am going to go with the Villanova Wildcats. Nova did not end the season on much of a road as they had a very tough schedule to end it. I think that with their hard ending schedule, the competition of the Big East conference, and the talent they have as a team, Villanova will come out of the South and take out Duke.
Prediction:Villanova
My final four has two number ones, a two and a three. I have three Big East teams making the final four. I see Kentucky taking out Georgetown in the finals. The Wildcats with three freshmen cut down the nets.
Kentucky became number 1 in the pools this week and promptly showed why they did not deserve to be there. South Carolina (12-8,3-3 in the SEC) handed the Wildcats(19-1,4-1) a 68-62 loss last night. The Gamecocks outplayed and out rebounded the recently crowned number 1 team in the nation. Their stay will be short and they should fall more than a couple of spots…
South Carolina was lead by Devan Downey, who poured in 30 points and kept the Kentucky defense off balance all night long. Kentucky was lead by Demarcus cousins who had 27 points to go along with their 12 rebounds. Kentucky seemed to have the number one let down and must learn to be more focused down the stretch when they are on the road. Kentucky’s resume’ of victories is less than impressive which makes this loss not that much of a surprise to me.
Kentucky has one real signature win to their credit. They had a road victory in Connecticut. They also do have a another victory over North Carolina but that is less credible now considering the recent play of the Tar Heels. They were overrated 19-0 and if you look at their schedule , you will know what I mean. I want to see how they respond to the rest of the season when their schedule gets tougher and the rigors of travel come into play.
So, who should be number 1 now. My vote would go to the Syracuse Orangemen. Syracuse is coming off their fresh demolition of Georgetown 74-57 on Monday night. The Orange(20-1,7-1) have been impressive all season long. They have victories over Cal by 22,NC by 16,at Florida by 12 and at West Virginia by 1. They have more impressive victories than the other two teams ahead of them, Kansas and Villanova. Kansas (19-1) sports victories over Temple and Baylor with their loss coming at a under manned Tennessee squad.Nova (18-1,7-0) has victories over Dayton and Georgetown and loss at Temple.
It is hard to determine exactly who is the best team in the nation right know, but it looks to me to be Syracuse. They have had the most impressive victories so far this year and the teams ahead of them can’t measure up to their victory resume’ thus far. I would bump them up from number four and put them to the top of the pools. I am not a big fan of the pools, but it does give sports fans something to debate about. The real season begins in March, there is nothing better than the tournament. Can’t wait for MARCH MADNESS.
The BCS Championship game tonight pits two undefeated teams in the Rose Bowl. Texas will take on Alabama with the winner to be crowned National Champion. Both teams have star players and two of the best coaches in college football.
Alabama is lead by their Heisman trophy winner, Mark Ingram. Ingram leads a rushing attack that averaged 215.9 yards per game, good for 12th in the nation. It will be vital to establish this ground attack so they can set up their passing game and keep the Texas defense on the defense. Balance will be a key to victory. Alabama will also need too pressure Texas quarterback Colt McCoy. They have been susceptible to the big play this year. McCoy can come up with the big play and Bama better keep those plays to a minimum.
Nick Saban will have Alabama fired up in tonights BCS Championahip game vs. Texas.
The Crimson Tide also sport one the best coaches in the nation in Nick Saban. Saban seems to squeeze the most out of his players and will have this team both prepared and motivated. He has had time since Bama’s big SEC Championship win over Florida. Saban will also use that momentum to keep the tide rolling. If this game comes down to a the kicking game, Bama will fair well. Leigh Tiffin kicked 29/33 field goals this year. Bama will hope this game will not be that close.
Texas is led by their great quarterback Colt McCoy. McCoy finished third in the Heisman balloting to Ingram. He could use this as motivation to out play Ingram and Alabama tonight. McCoy must manage this game smartly and limit his mistakes against a opportunistic Alabama defense. Texas cannot afford to make mistakes, it is that easy. Texas also sports the #1 rushing defense in the nation, only giving up a poultry 62.2 yards per game. If they can bring that kind of defense tonight against Bama’s vaunted rushing offense, they will wind up National Champions.
Texas also has a great coach in Mack Brown. Brown has already won a National Championship at Texas and would like nothing better than to add a second. Texas might also be a team of destiny. They pulled out a 13-12 victory over Nebraska in the Big Eight Championship when there was one second added to the clock. They then used that one second to their advantage as their place kicker Hunter Lawrence kicked a game winning field goal. Lawrence is a stellar kicker converting 22/25 field goals this year.
I think that the Tide is too balanced and too good for the Longhorns. Bama has everything working for them including talent, coaching and momentum. I think the tide will roll to the National Championship.
The Heisman trophy will be awarded this Saturday, and if had a vote it would go to Alabama’s running back, Mark Ingram. Ingram had a great season on the number one ranked Crimson Tide.
He came up big time and time again and showed why he was voted SEC’s offensive player of the year by the Associated Press. He has one more game left this year, and it comes against Texas and their Heisman candidate Colt McCoy.
I have no doubt that he will shine and bring Bama another National Championship. My reasoning does not come without merit.
Ingram gained 1542 and averaged a consistent 118.6 yards per game. He also caught 30 passes for a additional 322 yards and three touchdowns. His numbers could have been a lot greater, but he sat out much of three Alabama blowouts. Ingram rushed for 180 yards against Virginia Tech, 172 against Mississippi and another 144 against LSU. Those three schools are pretty good teams to come up big against.
He saved his most impressive performance for the biggest stage, the Sec championship. With the chance for a shot to become NCAA champion on the line, Ingram rushed for 113 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught 2 passes for 76 yards. It was his screen catch for 69 yards that set up a touchdown and demoralized the top ranked Florida Gators. His numbers speak volumes ,and he is a game changing player.
Ingram is a big time player from a big time school. I think he deserves the Heisman trophy on Saturday before he struts his stuff in the title game against Texas. It is finally the time for an Alabama player to earn the distinction of being college football’s best player.
The college football season is winding down and the only question on my mind is; Can anyone take down the mighty Gators. My answer is No. Florida is clearly leaps and bounds ahead of any of the teams that pose a threat to them repeating as National Champions. Florida has the most and deepest talent among any team. Add the best college football player of all-time in Tim Tebow, and you have a unstoppable machine. Oh yes, they have a pretty good head coach in Urban Meyer.
Florida will begin their march for this national championship in the SEC championship game on DEC 5 against second rated Alabama. This is a good test before the championship game ,but it will be the combination of talent and Tebow that will carry the Gators to victory. When they defeat Bama, they will probably either face Texas, TCU or Cincinnati for the title. Those teams are good but not good enough to lasso a victory from the Gators. I think TCU would give them the best game.
Tim Tebow is one of my favorite College Football players of All-Time. I love his intensity and his drive to win is second to none. Like me, he justs hates to lose. He has the heart of a champion. This is infectious to his teammates and gets the most out of them because of it. Florida, Tebow, and Meyer will go out unbeaten and add another Championship trophy to the mantle. I consider it a privilege to be able tow watch a player like Tim Tebow perform over the years, you will never see another player like him. Don’t miss his last two games.
