College Football’s Crystal Ball

2007 was one unpredictable year.

It started with the Mountaineers of Appalachian State shocking Michigan, and finished with the first two-loss national champion in LSU (fittingly, they meet to open off the 2008 season). With college football's roller coaster ride of last year, it's time to look into the crystal ball and see if 2008 has anything great in store for football fanatics.

Having said that, let's take a look and see what we've got.

* Notre Dame, playing four of their first five games at home, will start the season on a high note. The Charlie Weis fan club will reappear in full force and everyone will be talking about the Irish. Then, they'll go to Chapel Hill to face North Carolina, and things will start to fade. With five of their last seven games on the road, the Irish will fade out of the national spotlight come season's end.

* There's always one bottom dweller every year that, despite all the preseason prognostications, comes out of nowhere to surprise the masses. This year's pick? How about Iowa State. Gene Chizik took his lumps during his first season in Ames, but this year, the Cyclones go without playing Texas and Oklahoma, while getting Kansas and Missouri at home. The Cyclone defense will only get stronger under the guidance of Chizik, so if things fall in place, it could be the start of something great for ISU.

* Say no to Tebow. That is, say no to Tim Tebow winning the Heisman for a second straight year. Coming in with a huge bulls-eye on his back, Tebow is going to have to rely on Emmanuel Moody a lot more, as well as Percy Harvin, who's really the best player on the Florida team. Unless Moody and Harvin do most of the work, and Urban Meyer lets Tebow tuck and run every first and goal opportunity, I don't see a repeat.

* Despite Tebow not winning, ESPN will continue their wild affection for Tebow.

* Those who have tickets to Wisconsin-Fresno State will consider themselves lucky to have them. The game will live up to its billing in what should be the most electric atmosphere the Valley's seen in quite awhile.

* Duke will win more than one game this season. They'll probably win two or three, but if they win that many, or more, it's because of David Cuttcliffe, a great hire on the part of the Blue Devils.

* Unlike Alabama's last time in the Georgia Dome, no tornadoes will hit Atlanta when the Tide takes on Clemson to open off the season. At least, let's all hope so.

* Dome stadiums will host two great openers: Alabama/Clemson and Missouri/Illinois. Then again, one doesn't need a crystal ball to know that one.

* The last two Fiesta Bowls have been classics (unless you are an Oklahoma fan). Relax, Sooner fans. This year, OU won't go to Glendale. However, the Fiesta Bowl will hit the jackpot again, as Big East champ West Virginia meets Big Ten at-large Michigan and Rich Rodriguez.

* Before the game, Rodriguez will call Terrelle Pryor and ask one more time if he'll change his mind and come to Ann Arbor.

* In another must-see bowl matchup, the Liberty Bowl will host Houston Nutt's Ole Miss Rebels, who will go 6-6, and C-USA champion Tulsa. He'll say nothing, but TU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn will be licking his chops at this one.

* It seems as though the national title game comes down to a preseason favorite and a team that completely flies under the radar. With that in mind, the national title game will feature ... drumroll ... Georgia and Missouri.

Missouri?

I'm sure many aren't surprised with Georgia. Despite a brutal schedule, Mark Richt really has the pieces in place, and I think even with one loss, the Bulldogs will make it to Miami. However, no one's been looking at Mizzou, They've got Chase Daniel still at QB, are loaded with playmakers, and their schedule boils down to three land-mine games: Illinois, Texas and Kansas. All of these games are very winnable for Mizzou, which means the Tigers will get a shot at revenge in the Big 12 title game with OU. Easier said than done, but Mizzou has a team that's talented enough to run their schedule and make it to the BCS title game.

However, Georgia will take the crown when it's all said and done, making it a trifecta for the SEC.

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