Clarion Content

The Clarion read recently that the Big 12 has eleven out of twelve possible starting quarterbacks returning. Yikes! Chase Daniel of Missouri has to be a leading Heisman candidate. And then there is Graham Harrell of Texas Tech, he threw for a mere 48 TDs and 5700 yards last season. He has the best wideout, and possibly the most dynamic player, in the country at his disposal, Michael Crabtree. Many prognosticators pick these two squads no higher then 3rd and 4th respectively in the Big 12 behind perennnial powers, Oklahoma and Texas. Either way, look out the conference is positively loaded.

The are only two squads the Clarion could envision stopping the Big 12 from winning the national championship. One is, of course, Pete Carroll's USC Trojans, who are dripping with pearls all over the defense. Unlike the Big 12 squads however, the Trojans do have some question marks at QB, where starter Mark Sanchez is returning to action from a dislocated kneecap. And egomaniacal back-up, and Arkansas transfer, Mitch Mustain is channeling the bad Brett Farve, "I can throw any pass I want to. I'm Mitch Mustain. Who is that old guy(the coach) to try and tell me what to do. He can't throw the ball like me." (Our spies with the parabolic mikes at USC practice are paraphrasing.)

The other squad that the Clarion could see derailing a Big 12 national champion is West Virginia, new coach and all. They have a solid returning starter at QB, with an outside shot at the Heisman, Pat White. Folks think they will miss starting running back Steve Slaton, but the Clarion believes they will be even better with the diminutive but lighting quick, Noel Devine.

As for the other contenders, Ohio State: we don't believe the hype, USC will beat them going away in September. The SEC will beat up on each other as usual, which is not to say that the BCS frauds might not let a two loss SEC team play for the title ahead of a host of other deserving contenders.

One other note, not a team that will contend for a title, but a team far too many of the so called experts are underestimating, it says here, "Don't sleep on Rutgers. Yes, superb running back, Ray Rice, is off to a big time NFL career, but Greg Schiano's boys won't miss a beat."

National Championship Game prediction: USC-Oklah0ma

Labels: college football, NCAA, Predictions, sports