Weekly Report-Nov 28, 2007

Since we are at the end of the regular season, and going into "Championship Week", I thought my weekly update would focus on the BCS Conferences, who did well, who choked on it, and who is the rising star or stars. Order goes to Power Rankings (Last to first)


Big 10

Surprise Team: Ohio St
Coach of the Year: Ron Zook, Illinois
Disappointing Team: Michigan St
Rising Star: Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois


The weakest year by the Big 10 in a while. Not many expected the Buckeyes to get back to the top, and play for a possible 2nd straight appearance in the BCS Title Game. Illinois has a looonnnggg shot at the Rose. After a promising start, Michigan St choked, as did Michigan. In part to Illinois, the Big 10 coaches have to find the speed guys, and I think they will.


Big East

Surprise Team: UConn
Coach of the Year: Randy Edsell, UConn
Disappointing Team: Louisville
Rising Star: Donald Brown, RB UConn

West Virginia's dynamic duo of Pat White and Steve Slaton has the Mountaineers at the top of my list to go to New Orleans, but where the hell did UConn come from?! This was a surprise season for sure, but it looks like Rutgers and Louisville took the biggest steps back. South Florida and UConn have moved into the top 3

ACC

Surprise Team: Virginia
Coach of the Year: Al Groh, Virginia
Disappointing Team: Miami and Florida St, Georgia Tech-and as always Duke
Rising Star: Cullen Harper, QB Clemson

BC and VT are the 2 best teams, and the winner is BCS bound. But this conference just dragged on, despite the 2 best facing each other in the championship game. Clemson can really break out in 2008, as they are the team to watch. Numerous coaching changes already have the future up in the air at Georgia Tech and Duke.

Big XII

Surprise Team: Missouri and Kansas
Coach of the year: Mark Mangino, Kansas
Disappointing team: Nebraska in the North, Texas in the South
Rising Star: Todd Reesing, QB Kansas

This was a huge surprise, and not just for who had a good season, but bad ones as well. This conference got better later in the year, thanks to KU and UM. New coaches are a plenty, Mike Sherman is the new man at Texas A&M, which had a disappointing season. This conference is defintiely getting better.

Pac 10

Surprise Team: Arizona St
Coach of the Year: Dennis Ericson, ASU
Disappointing Team: UCLA
Rising Star: Joe McKnight, USC

Tied with the SEC as the best conference in the BCS, the Pac 10 has been surprisingly even this year. USC, ASU, Oregon (When healthy) have matched up well. But it is the improved defensive performance that has pushed them over the top. Watch out for Joe McKnight who should produce big time if he stays healthy.

SEC

Surprise Team: Mississippi St
Coach of the Year: Sylvester Croom, Miss St
Disappointing Team: Alabama, LSU (Losing twice as #1 in the nation); S. Carolina
Rising Star: Emmanuel Moody, RB Florida

Coach Sly has gotten the job done at State, making them a formidable foe. Tennessee has had a good year, but the Georgia Bulldogs are along with USC unstoppable right now. In the West, LSU outright won the West, but limp into the championship game with a question at QB. Moody is inelgible this year, but pair him with Tebow and Florida should win the BCS Title in January of 2009.