This week college football will have many different intriguing games that are a must watch for a fan of any age. We will start off with one of the most talked about National Championship contenders the Trojans of USC traveling to East Rutherford to take on Syracuse. The Trojans have not played a game in the north-east since 2000. I would definitely look for the Trojans to roll over Syracuse especially considering they have two players named Marquis Lee and Robert Wood on their team. USC will most likely start off this game with the same way the started off the game against Hawaii and im sure will be sending a statement to everyone else that they are back.

Another very tough match up will be the number 18 team in the land the Oklahoma State Cowboys travel down to Tucson to take on the Wildcats of Arizona. Rich Rodriguez is undefeated so far, of course that win was against Toledo, but they could make a huge statement and a huge upset if they could pull off a win against the Cowboys. I simply believe that Oklahoma State is still too strong and too fast of the Wildcats and even though they lost Bradon Weeden and Justin Blackmon to the NFL they have replaced them with marquee players in Austin Hays and J.W. Walsh. Arizona is very capable in having a great season, but if they want to be treated like an elite team  they are going to have to get noticed and beating a top 25 team would do the trick.

The prime time match up for this weekend is going to take place in Death Valley. The Bayou Bengals of LSU will be hosting the Washington Huskies. Right off the bat I would like to note that LSU does not lose very often and they lose if less at home. The Tigers have won 18 home straight games at home and the last time the Huskies went down to the SEC to face the Tigers it was 1983. This game should be decent, at least for the first half. Keith Price will have a little time to shine, but he better bring it in the first half. If the Huskies do not start off running and gunning and getting points the Tigers will soon pounce and then you can throw the towel in. The Tigers do not have the greatest offense in the country, but their defense is very close to perfect.

College Gameday will be in College Station, Texas to see the Aggies SEC debut against the Gators.

Week 2 Picks:

Pittsburgh 18- 25 Cincinnati

Florida 18-37 Texas A&M

Fresno State 18-48 Oregon

USC 52-27 Syracuse

Georgia 37-17 Missouri

Wisconsin 44-30 Oregon State

Nebraska 41-21 UCLA

Oklahoma State 55-24 Arizona

Purdue 10-28 Notre Dame

Washington 24-42 LSU

The 2012 NBA Finals ended way too early, and now attention throughout the association is directed toward the Draft.  In Part 2 of our NBA Draft Preview we look at the players most likely to become All-Stars, as well as the later picks to keep an eye on.

Jerry Stackhouse Group (Potential All-Stars)

Harrison Barnes – The UNC swingman had a rough finish to his career as a Tar Heel, but he has rebounded nicely in pre-Draft workouts and the Scouting Combine.  Testing as one of the best athletes in the Draft, Barnes’ stock has risen, and there is no denying his shooting touch and ability to score.  His game could mature into something resembling Danny Granger circa 2009, which would be a great addition to any team in the early lottery.

Andre Drummond – The biggest boom-or-bust prospect in the Draft, we believe Drummond will succeed given he’s selected by the right team that has strong veteran presence.  He’s a very athletic 4 who has all the skill needed to play at a high level in the NBA.  The glaring questions, however, are his motor and desire to play.  This has been seen many times before, and Drummond can choose to follow the path of Eddy Curry (not good) or Shawn Kemp (good).

Jared Sullinger – Sullinger was a beast at OSU, and that will translate into the pro-game.  He has all the skill a team looks for in a power forward, including a capable mid-range jumper.  What he lacks in athleticism he makes up for in ability to score in multiple ways.  He is comparable to Kevin Love, another 4 who’s athletic ability was believed to hurt his game in the NBA.  The real concern with Sullinger is his back, which has recently begun to scare NBA teams.  As long as he remains healthy, look for Sullinger to play in future All-Star games.

Dion Waiters – One of the best sixth men in college basketball at Syracuse, Waiters’ game translates well into the NBA.  He’s relentless going to the rim and can finish in traffic.  He’s drawn comparisons to Dwyane Wade throughout his career at Syracuse and has the ability to be a combo guard in the mold of a Tyreke Evans at the pro level.  His shot could use some work, but a tough, physical 2-guard is something that will help any team in the lottery.

Monta Ellis Group (Sleepers)

Tony Wroten Jr. – The Washington PG had his ups and downs his freshman year, but his talent has been evident from day one.  At 6’5″, he has great size to run the point, and his athletic ability is freakish.  His court vision is good and he’s a very capable passer.  One of the flashier players in the Draft, his decision making is suspect at times and his shot needs to improve.  The ability is there, however, and he can be a cross of Russell Westbrook and Jason Williams if he develops.

Doron Lamb – Kentucky’s leading scorer in their National Championship victory, Lamb can shoot the lights out.  He has one of the purest strokes in the Draft with seemingly unlimited range.  He’s a smooth player who has the ability to score in the NBA.  He can flourish as a bench player and we see him as a solid sixth man down the road – similar to what Jason Terry has done throughout his career.

Andrew Nicholson – A stretch 4 who was overlooked because he played at St. Bonaventure in Olean, NY, Nicholson received great national exposure in the Bonnies’ run throughout the A-10 and NCAA Tournaments.  Nicholson is a player who can be good at everything and he reminds some of Davis West.  Whichever team selects him will be drafting a player who can contribute from day one and make the team better.

Hollis Thompson – Arguably the best long-range shooter in the draft, Thompson will find a spot on an NBA roster.  At 6’8″, he can get his shot off against most defenders.  He has the ability to drive to the basket and rebound as well, grabbing over 5 boards per game his Junior year at Georgetown.  He reminds us of Jeff Green, and if he develops into what Uncle Jeff was during Green’s first couple seasons with the Thunder then Thompson will be one of the better steals in the Draft.

Check out what our analysts had to say about this year’s big dance….we’re not sure what is on the line here (probably an only partially used CSF coozie).  Anyway, here are the predictions from a few of our writers.

Jeff Dunbar/CSF Senior Editor

Final Four:  Kentucky, Syracuse, Michigan State, UNC

I have Kentucky beating UNC in the championship, and here’s my breakdown of why:

I have Syracuse rallying to the Final Four, despite the suspension of Fab Melo.  They’re still very deep, and I think they come together as a team and get to New Orleans.

I think Tom Izzo gets yet another trip to the Final Four behind his coaching and the versitle play of Draymond Green.

UNC recovers nicely from their heart-breaking loss to Florida State in the ACC Championship game.  Keep in mind that the Tarheels were only one shot away in that one, and that was without John Henson.  Expect him to be back by round 2, and that will make an impact for Roy Williams’ crew.

I have Kentucky winning it all.  They have the best player in the nation, in Anthony Davis, and I believe this is the year John Calipari gets it done.  The ‘Cats simply have too much althleticsm, and despite losing the SEC Championship game, they are still the best team in the country.

Alex Munter/CSF Contributor and Bracketology Guru

Final Four:  Kentucky, Ohio State, Michigan State, UNC

I picked these final four because, come on- Kentucky, self explanatory. Ohio State because they have all star talent that is sure to step up (on and off the court). Michigan State has been having an awesome season with a team that remains calm and composed throughout the game and has a strong defense. Finally, UNC because despite injuries, the team still has 3 players certain to land high future NBA draft picks and a couple young shooters that are bound to give a show.

I picked Kentucky to take it all against UNC because they are unstoppable! They have only lost 2 games this entire season and the winning streak won’t stop now. Calipari has a team full of talent and he knows how to coach. Not to mention, the Wildcats have enthusiasm and speed on their side, both offensively and defensively, thus making it difficult for opponents to stop them on the way to the basket. I am predicting a tight game with an end score of 85-78.

Allie Balog/CSF Writer & Contributor

Final Four: Kentucky, Syracuse, Michigan St., UNC
I have these four teams going to the Final Four because they are the teams that I feel have proved this season that they can really go all the way. Kentucky for one has only lost two games in this entire regular season, they are probably the countries pick to win the National Championship, but that’s only because they have proved that they are the best team in the country thus far. As for Syracuse, Michigan State, and UNC while they have all had loses, they have also proved that they are still a team that you want to beat and they don’t like to be beaten.
As for the National Championship, I have Kentucky. Like I said they have proved that they are the best team in the country during the regular season, and I have no doubt in my mind that they will work their butt’s off during March Madness to prove that they truly are the best and win the entire championship. I think that they will end up beating Syracuse for the championship and not by a lot. I think that the final score will be less than a 10 point difference, which would make for a really great National Championship game and truly show who’s the best of the best.

Any college basketball fan most likely wants their team to be number 1 or at least ranked in the top 25. It’s a common thing for people to want to win whether they are actually participating in the game/activity or not. Many fans have most likely been disappointed lately. It’s no secret that many highly ranked teams have been getting defeated in the past two weeks. If a team is ranked in the top 10 of the polls wouldn’t you think that they would be able to easily defeat an unranked team? That hasn’t been the case lately.

Every week the rankings are changing because teams such as Syracuse and Kansas are losing to teams that they really shouldn’t be losing to when they were ranked 1 and 5 at the time of the game. There’s been a lot of talk lately amongst college students of different schools that maybe some of these teams don’t deserve to be ranked at all. Some students have been saying that if the number 1 team in the nation can lose to an unranked team and come close to doing it again when they are ranked number 4 then why should they be ranked so high? I brought this topic up with Ohio State students and got a very different response.

Ohio State started out this season undefeated for their first eight games. They lost their first game of the season to Kansas. The thing is though, while Ohio State has lost 3 games thus far in the season, the Kansas game was the only one that was a loss by more than 10 points (it was a loss of 11). The other two losses have been less than 5 points. Ohio State students use these stats to support their reasoning that Ohio State does deserve to be ranked number 3 right now. As for Syracuse and Kansas though, they didn’t really have an opinion. All that most of the students stated on the other schools was that if they are ranked the best then they should play like the best. A school doesn’t win games by knowing how to play the game, they win games by proving that they are worthy of the win and the ranking that they have.

March Madness is upon us. Well, already upon us and in more than just full swing. We’ve seen the number one OVERALL seed, Kansas, taken out by a team from the Missouri Valley Conference, Northern Iowa. Need I run that by again? NORTHERN IOWA defeated KANSAS, the number one team IN THE COUNTRY. So, BRACKET BUSTER ALERT! To those who do the tournament challenge and fill out brackets year after year and suffer through agony and pain, I’m sorry for I do feel your pain. My bracket had Kansas winning it all against Kentucky. But that just won’t happen now will it? A team consisted of two possible All Americans, Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, lost to a team with not one player who can even be a thought in those who consider the All American team. Then again, it is a form of madness for a reason.

Not only was Kansas a bracket buster, but in comes Ohio, a team who wasn’t even the number one seed in their respective conference and only got into the tournament because they won the MAC conference tournament. They played a highly touted Georgetown team with former number one overall recruit Greg Munroe, a 6′ 10″ PF who dominated the paint, scoring and rebound wise. Who cares about top recruits? Apparently, Ohio does not. What Ohio had was a lot of determination and heart and as a result, Ohio beats Georgetown in the first round, 97-83. It wasn’t even a close game! BRACKET BUSTER! According to CBSSports.com, 98.5 % of their users predicted that Georgetown would win. 1.5% of CBSSports.com users apparently knew what was really going to happen. Thankfully, I was part of the 98.5%. Beautiful.Yet again, it is a form of madness for a reason.

And the misery just doesn’t like one or two teams. Oh no it doesn’t. In my case, seems as though misery came in with about ten teams. Villanova, Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt, and Marquette are just a four of the ten teams not present in the real day tournament but seem to be playing in my bracket. And I will mention again, BRACKET BUSTER! Villanova and Marquette hurt most since they were going to make it to the elite eight. Other teams like Notre Dame and Temple I should have seen happening. The one that hurt most was Kansas, as stated earlier. They were to be my champions. Oh delightful.

And now the tournament is clearing up. 16 teams are now separating themselves from the pack. We’ve got the ‘who are they?’ in Cornell, Northern Iowa, and St. Mary’s. We’ve got the favorites in Duke, Kentucky, and Syracuse. All of these teams are looking towards the title of ‘Best Men’s College Basketball Team’ to bring home to their respective schools. Each team has been practicing day in and day out for a shot at the title, beating conference foes and non-conference powerhouses. They’ve been looking over tapes of each game and figuring out what could they strategically do in order to beat them. It is quite the journey and quite the stressful path.

Then again, there is a reason why this tournament is so enticing and mind blowing. There is a reason why Cinderella stories are used on a frequent metaphorical basis. Its the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, or as most of us sports fans refer it to, March Madness.

By Jay Ingles

The brackets have been unveiled, and its time for college basketball fans to pick their upsets, cinderellas, and national champion. Let’s take a look as what this year’s tournament offers.

Midwest Region:

Favorite: Kansas. The Jayhawks are the most complete team in college basketball. Sherron Collins is one of the best leaders in the game, and he has the supporting cast to make a national title run. Cole Aldrich is a solid post presence and, along with the Morris twins, gives Kansas a legitimate frontcourt. Xavier Henry is arguably the most skilled freshman in the country. Kansas is not only the favorite in this bracket, but probably the favorite to win the entire tournament.

Sleeper: Michigan State. Last year’s national runner-up has underachieved all year and is not receiving much attention heading into the tournament. But Michigan State is experienced, and Tom Izzo knows how to get it done in the tournament. The Spartans shouldn’t have much trouble getting to the Sweet 16, and they could give Kansas a run for their money if they meet. Kalin Lucas is an elite point guard, and Raymar Morgan, Durrell Summers, and Draymond Green are all dangerous players.

Upset Special: San Diego State over Tennessee. Most people don’t know much about San Diego State, but they might learn quickly. The Aztecs are fresh off a Mountain West Tournament title, while Tennessee’s last game was an embarrassing 29-point loss to Kentucky in the SEC Tournament semifinals. Tennessee managed to do well in the SEC after losing star swingman Tyler Smith earlier this year, but their lack of depth could be an issue in the tournament. Furthermore, San Diego State’s top three scorers reside in the post, where Tennessee can’t match up.

West Region:

Favorite: Syracuse. The Orange lost their first game in the Big East Tournament, but they still have all the pieces to make a run at the national title. Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson has been incredible in his first season of eligibility, and Andy Rautins is perhaps the best shooter in the nation. Sophomore Kris Joseph is a solid contributor, and Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuako have the size and ability inside to give other teams problems.

Sleeper: UTEP. The Miners got jobbed with a No. 12 seed. This team is good enough to make a Sweet 16 run. Louisville transfer Derrick Caracter has been a force in the paint this year and could be a tough task for Butler’s Matt Howard or Vanderbilt’s A.J. Ogilvy. Randy Culpepper is one of the best scoring guards in the country, and UTEP’s potential opponents don’t have have a defender capable of containing him.

Upset Special: Murray State over Vanderbilt. Murray State quietly posted 30 wins this year, and Vanderbilt has a history of losing to 13-seeds (see 2008). The Racers have the most balanced offense in the tournament field, sporting six players that average around ten points per game. In other words, there is no player that a defense can key on, which makes Murray State a tough matchup and thus a tough out. Vanderbilt is good, but they got a bad draw and I can see Murray State pulling the upset.

East Region:

Favorite: West Virginia. Kentucky is the No. 1 seed and has plenty of talent, but the lack of experience of their core will catch up to them eventually. West Virginia has both the talent and the experience to make it to the Final Four. Both teams are coming off conference tournament championships, but the Mountaineers effort was much more impressive. Desean Butler is a stud who performs in the clutch, and Devin Ebanks is a matchup nightmare. I expect these teams to meet in the Elite Eight and West Virginia to come away with the victory.

Sleeper: Marquette. The Golden Eagles flew under the radar in the Big East this season, but they are good enough to make a run in the tournament. Marquette lacks size, but they make up for it with skill. Lazar Hayward and Jimmy Butler are small for post players, but they combine for 33 points and 14 rebounds a game. Darius Johnson-Odom is an underrated guard who can score. Marquette has a pretty good draw, facing a streaky Washington team and potentially a New Mexico team with whom they match up well.

Upset Special: Cornell over Temple. This is an interesting matchup because both of these teams are good enough to make the Sweet 16. Cornell is undervalued as a No. 12 seed and has a big-time scorer in Ryan Wittman. Temple is a good team, but they may have trouble with a well-schooled Cornell squad. I like the winner of this game beating Wisconsin in the second round.

South Region:

Favorite: Villanova. Duke is not as good as their seed indicates, and Villanova will beat them in the Elite Eight if the Blue Devils get there. The Wildcats have struggled recently, winning just four of their last ten games, but they have enough talent to make their second straight Final Four. Scottie Reynolds may be the best point guard in the nation and has plenty of quality players around him. Coach Jay Wright has won in the tournament in the past, so expect him to do the same this year.

Sleeper: Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have really turned it on lately. They played well without star big man Luke Harangody, and now he has worked himself back into an effective role with the team. Mike Brey has his team firing on all cylinders and primed for an NCAA tournament run. Tim Abromaitis is a player to watch out for, and Tory Jackson and Ben Hansbrough make up a very good backcourt. I see Notre Dame making it to at least the Sweet 16.

Upset Special: Siena over Purdue. Purdue hasn’t been the same since it lost Robbie Hummel. Siena is a senior laden team that has won a game in the past two NCAA Tournaments. The Saints had three players on the All-MAAC first team, and have four players averaging over 13 points per game. Fran McCaffrey is a great coach, and he has got a group of players that are capable of winning games in the tournament.