The Sports Nerd: Lists, Rants, and Other Nerdisms: The Final Pre-Season Countdown and A Ton of Marvel Madness Results

Okay, so I got lazy and didn't blog for a week, I realize I just blew over my number one and two teams in the pre-season countdown. I did not think too much of it because I figured anyone who actually cared about that part of my blog had already figured out the top two. What I didn't expect was that something would happen to change those rankings.

2. LSU Tigers

This was projected before the big story broke about starting QB Jordan Jefferson getting arrested and suspended indefinitely. With Jarrett Leak leading the way on offense now, LSU is not a team I can defend at this spot, and will be backing down off my previous pick of LSU in the BCS Championship Game.

Projection: 10-2 Capital One Bowl

1. Oklahoma Sooners

This pick has not changed. Oklahoma is, at least on paper, the best team in the country. QB Landry Jones was a bit interception prone a year ago, but picked up a ton of valuable experience on his way to tossing for well over 4,000 yards. Ryan Broyles led the nation in recieving yards a year ago and should be among the country's top players at any position once again. The offensive line is loaded, the only question on offense is who will replace RB Demarco Murray.

The defense probably is not a top ten unit, especially in the offensively oriented Big 12, but it should be good enough to support a deadly offense. There is a lot of expeience in the secondary, but the injury to star LB Travis Box which will likely cost him the first month of the season, could greatly hamper the unit short term. The biggest question mark for this squad is whether or not they will be able to create a consistent pass rush.

Prediction: 11-1, Big 12 Champions - Fiesta Bowl

I do think now would be a good time to give a breakdown by conference of all the country's major conferences for the season, and my predictions for those conferences.
*-denotes a team is bowl eligible

Big 12
1. Oklahoma*
2.Oklahoma State*
3. Texas A&M*
4. Texas*
5. Missouri*
6. Texas Tech*
7. Baylor*
8. Kansas State
9. Iowa State
10. Kansas

Big East
1. West Virginia*
2. South Florida*
3. Pittsburgh*
4. Syracuse*
5. Cincinnati*
6. Louisville*
7. Rutgers
8. UConn

ACC
1. Florida State*
2. Virgina Tech*
3. Clemson*
4. North Carolina*
5. Miami*
6. Maryland*
7. NC State*
8. Georgia Tech*
9. Boston College*
10. Virginia
11. Duke
12. Wake Forest

SEC
1. Alabama*
2. LSU*
3. South Carolina*
4. Arkansas*
5. Georgia*
6. Mississippi State*
7. Florida*
8. Auburn*
9. Tennessee*
10. Kentucky
11. Ole Miss
12. Vanderbilt

PAC-12
1. Oregon*
2. Stanford*
3. Arizona State*
4. USC
5. Washington*
6. Utah*
7. Arizona*
8. Oregon State*
9. Colorado
10. California*
11. UCLA
12. Washington State

BCS Projections

BCS Championship Game

#1 Oregon vs. #2 Florida State

Tostito's Fiesta Bowl

#3 Non-AQ Automatic Bid Boise State vs. #4 Big 12 Champion Oklahoma

Sugar Bowl

#10 SEC Champion South Carolina vs. #8 At-Large Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl

#5 At-Large Alabama vs. #9 Wisconsin

Orange Bowl

#6 Notre Dame vs. #12 Big East Champion West Virginia

Florida State will win the National Championship Game, sorry Ducks fans.

Heisman Trophy Winner: South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore

Runner-Up: Boise State QB Kellen Moore
Third: Oregon RB LaMichael James

Regular Season Game of the Year

Oklahoma at Oklahoma State - I think that this game will feature two teams walking in with identical 10-1 records and playing for the Big 12 championship and an outside shot at the national championship game. Unlike most of the big games this year between projected top ten teams, I think that the matchup will make for a very close game, and also a very high scoring game. This two aspects should make it more fun to watch than anything else this season
Runner-Up: LSU vs. Oregon at Cowboy Stadium
Third: Oklahoma at Florida State

Most Surprising Team

1. Virginia Tech - This team has a very good shot at running the table during the regular season. I'm calling it now, they lose three games max this year, including their bowl game.
2. Michigan - Mark my words: ten wins
3. South Carolina - most expect them to be good, I espect them to win the SEC

Most Dissapointing Team

1. Stanford - Sorry Cardinal fans, football is a team sport, and everything on this team that matters except Andrew Luck is a big question mark. Luck cannot do everything by himself and will not be able to compete for a Heisman Trophy unless his team can muster a Top 10 finish.
2. Texas A&M - This team will finish third in the Big 12 and will be tied with Longhorns after a Lone Star Showdown loss ends the season on a sad note.
3. Auburn - I know the expectations are not terribly high for this season, but if this team does anything more than 6 wins I'll be surprised.

Arcade, Kingpin, Blackheart, M.O.D.O.K., Krakoa, The Void, Crossbones, Radioactive Man, Dr. Octopus, Beyonder, Magus. Supreme Intelligence, Attuma, Mandarin, Scorpion, Jigsaw, Loki, The Pride, The Hood, The Hand, High Evolutionary, The Brood, Ego, Carrion, Sabertooth, Batroc, Hela, William Stryker, Blob, Abomination, Toad, Nimrod, Norman Osborn, Holocaust, Onslaught, Terrax, Maximus, Baron Zemo, Stranger, Kraven the Hunter, Mephisto, Danger, Winter Soldier, Avalanche. Sentinels, The Gorgan, Absorbing Man, and Moonstone all have now moved on to the second round.

Marvel Madness Round 2

24. Vengeance

vs.