The Boys are Back

...not the 'Entourage' crew, the ESPN College Gameday boys returned yesterday for their Season Preview Special. On a side note, ESPN could likely make their own Entourage show starring either Kirk Herbstreit or Erin Andrews.

A couple of things about the show stood out to me. One, Herbstreit called Matthew Stafford the best QB in the country. The exhibition stuff he does in a t-shirt and shorts is apparently the stuff of legends and will no doubt attract the eye of the NFL soon but the numbers when he puts on the pads and the helmet are not even close to the top QBs in college football. (see my earlier breakdown of his career to date)

Holtz should not be allowed to comment on anything Notre Dame. 10 or 11 wins? He had the same type of prediction last year. ESPN's producers are probably just trying to setup the sparring sessions to come between Holtz and Mark May.

Fowler claimed no other conference was even close to the SEC this year. Not so fast. The Big 12 has a shot to be close or its equal....this year. A few years ago, the Big 12 overall was a joke but the balance provided by Missouri and Kansas with the potential of Tech as a BCS sleeper this year has dramatically improved the Big 12's rep. Now if Oklahoma can just show up in a BCS game they way they approach the Big 12 title games.

I realize the SEC owns the last two national champions but LSU has had the ultimate luxury of playing their BCS games as virtual home games inside the Superdome, Florida's loss to Michigan was perhaps the most shocking result of the bowl season and that Arkansas team that beat LSU in Baton Rouge got blown out by the Big 12's Missouri in which Tony Temple was somehow the best back on the field despite the presence of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.

A lot of surprising love for Ohio State from the panel. Most of the media has banished them from legit title discussion despite their high ranking again. The consensus believes they will get bumped in LA and the voters will see to it they don't get to Miami by winning a weak Big Ten. More surprising was that Herbie picked USC and Florida to get to the title game - not his Buckeyes. The same Lou Holtz that predicts double digit wins for the Irish predicted a title game of the BCS whipping boys - Ohio State and Oklahoma. Corso selected USC over Missouri.

I no longer clear my schedule for 'Gameday.' I might watch the open but its become a TIVO event for me because too much of the 60 Minutes documentaries or feel good stories. The analysis looks more and more like it originates from Gameday's producers rather than the on-screen talent. But, it's still the best there is for a preview...