Movers and Losers

ATLANTA - After all the pre-season hype, it’s time for dreams to die and answers to emerge. What will happen when the unstoppable Oklahoma State offense collides with an impenetrable SEC defense?

Bedlam Begins

College Football is back and where better to start than in Stillwater for Georgia versus Oklahoma State.

This game has huge mover potential for both teams, with the winner likely to emerge as the #1 team in Fan Formula’s Quality Wins Rankings.

Both teams have tons to prove in ’09.

Oklahoma State needs to step out of the shadow of rivals Texas and Oklahoma and finally put together a legitimate run at the Big XII South, while the Dawgs look to bounce back from an underachieving 2008 campaign.

Oklahoma State comes in favored because of their high-powered offense led by quarterback, Zac Robinson, and wide receiver, Dez Bryant, and their newly expanded home stadium full of rabid Cowboy fans.

Georgia counters with Coach Mark Richt’s reputation for preparing his teams to execute in front of the most hostile crowds in the country, amassing an unbelievable 30-4 record on the road, and a formidable defense anchored upfront by the return of stud tackles, Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins.

So what happens when an unstoppable offense collides with an impenetrable defense? The SEC dominates.

In last year’s BCS Championship Game, the juggernaut Oklahoma Sooners’ offense came into the game averaging 54 points per game and was completely shut down by the Florida Gators.

Likewise, in the SEC’s Cotton Bowl win, Ole Miss held the explosive passing attack of Texas Tech to 10 points below their season average.

If Georgia’s defense can use their speed to pressure QB Zac Robinson and create some turnovers they will strut out of Stillwater with a huge win, the #1 Quality Win Ranking, and ready to run the formidable gauntlet that is the SEC East.

Pre-season Peach Bowl

Alabama returns to Atlanta to kick off the season against yet another pre-season top ten team from the ACC. The Crimson Tide returns nine starters from a defense that was ranked 7th nationally in scoring defense, allowing a measly 14 points a game.

In 2008 Alabama shut down some of the most dynamic running attacks in the country, holding Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno to 34 yards and Clemson’s dynamic duo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller to 20 yards rushing between them.

Virginia Tech’s 10-win season in 2008 was solid, but their conference championship was in the middle-of-the-pack ACC and their BCS bowl win came against lightly regarded Cincinnati. The Hokies struggled to score last year and the situation is not likely to improve after last year’s season-ending injury to leading rusher Darren Evans.

If Virginia Tech can’t effectively move the ball on the ground it will be up to quarterback Tyrod Taylor to try and put the Hokies on his back and carry them to victory. Possible for Michael Vick maybe, but don’t expect Tyrod Taylor to singlehandedly put up enough points against a top ten defense.

Primetime Showdown

No two teams have more to lose in Week 1 than the Seminoles and the Hurricanes. I predict the loser of this game will have a new coach when these teams meet in 2010.

Much has been made of Miami’s insane opening schedule of FSU, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and Oklahoma and the need to go 2-2 in this stretch.

In reality, the future of the program comes down to the first Monday night in Tallahassee. A loss to Bobby Bowden’s Seminoles will turn up the heat on the 0-4 whispers and Tommy Tuberville murmurs.

Whichever team wins this game will put the ACC and the BCS on notice that they are once again a program to be reckoned with.

Look for this game to live up to the hype. Nine of the last ten meetings have been settled by one score or less.

If, as in 1992, 1993, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2005, it comes down to a clutch field goal attempt you have to like Miami’s chances.

Graham Gano, the Seminoles’ 2008 Lou Groza Award winner for best kicker in the nation, is gone - opening the door for untested true-freshman kicker, Dustin Hopkins, to have the chance to be the biggest individual mover or loser of Week 1.

Editor’s note – This article didn’t write itself . Todd Harlicka, Matt Schroeder, and Andee Jolley did much of the hard work.