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2008 Minnesota Vikings NFL Football Predictions
Overview: The Vikings were in position to earn a playoff berth last December after reeling off five straight wins following a 3-6 start, but they came up short down the stretch, losing their final two games of the season.  Still, their 8-8 finish was a two win improvement over the previous year.  That being said, six of their eight victories came against bottom feeders with losing records.
 
Owner Zigy Wilf opened his checkbook in the offseason, as Minnesota was a major player in free agency.  Wilf has let it be known to head coach Brad Childress (and anyone else that was willing to listen) that a Super Bowl appearance is the ultimate goal… a Super Bowl appearance in the not-to-distant future.
 
The Vikings do two things as well or better than any other team in football – they run, and stop the run.  Last year, they finished with the #1 rushing offense and the #1 rushing defense in the 32 team league.  There was a time in the NFL where those two things alone would make Minnesota an elite level teams.  But times have changed in the NFL – the ability to pass and stop the pass are mandatory for success.  Last year, the Vikings came up very short in both departments, finishing with the worst pass defense in the NFL and the #28 pass offense.
 
Offense: If Tarvaris Jackson really is ‘the next Donovan McNabb’, as Brad Childress (former Eagles offensive coordinator) described him following Minnesota’s reach up in the draft to nab him (pun intended), he’ll need to show real signs of progress in his third year as a pro.  Jackson is 8-4 as a starter, but he’s struggled to stay healthy and his 70.8 quarterback rating last year was certainly not in the upper echelon of starting NFL QB’s.  If Jackson can step up in 2008, Wilf may accomplish his Super Bowl dreams earlier than expected.  However, if Jackson falters or gets hurt, 37 year old Gus Frerotte will be forced into action and he’s no longer a reasonable option at this stage of his career.
 
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has made it very clear that he wants Jackson to take more shots down the field this year, giving the Vikings a big play element to their passing game.  Minnesota signed speedy free agent wide receiver Bernard Berrian to stretch opposing defenses, something he did extremely well during his tenure with the Bears.  Berrian will join Sidney Rice in the starting lineup, a second rounder in 2007, coming off a promising rookie season.  Aundae Allison showed limited flashes of big play ability in his rookie season, but he’s fighting for playing time behind veterans Bobby Wade and Rodney Ferguson.
 
Adrian Peterson was the most exciting offensive rookie in football last Fall, rushing for more than 1300 yards; 5.6 yards per carry.  In order to keep him fresh, Chester Taylor will get his fair share of carries as well.  Taylor ran for more than 800 yards last year; 5.4 yards per carry, pretty darn good numbers for a backup.
 
The success of both running backs can be placed squarely on the shoulders of a dominant offensive line.  Center Matt Birk is a pro bowler.  Guard Steve Hutchinson, the big free agent signee last year, is one of the best at his position in the NFL.  Left tackle Bryant McKinnie faces a short NFL mandated suspension for his off-field activities at some point this season, but he, too, is a dominant blocker.  Guard Anthony Herrera has improved by leaps and bounds, playing alongside this level of talent.  Four of the Vikings five offensive line starters played every game together last year, and all five return for 2008, giving Minnesota great continuity on this crucial unit.
 
Defense: The Vikings finished dead last in the NFL in pass defense in 2007, but at least some of that had to do with the fact that teams simply gave up on trying to run the football against their #1 ranked run defense.  That run defense starts with tackles Kevin and Pat Williams (no relation) who both earned trips to Honolulu last February as the premier duo at their position in the NFL.  In the offseason, Minnesota traded away much of their draft to Kansas City, picking up, arguably, the best pass rusher in the league as well.  Jared Allen led the NFL in sacks last year, despite missing two games.  His presence alone should help dramatically improve Minnesota’s numbers against the pass.
 
The Vikings linebacking corps is also an above average unit.  EJ Henderson made the pro bowl last year in the middle.  Chad Greenway was expected to be an impact first round draft choice in ’06, but he tore his ACL in training camp.  Less than 100% last year in his first season back from the injury, Greenway still finished second on the team in tackles.  Ben Leber isn’t as flashy as his linebacker-mates, but he’s as technically sound as it gets.  Minnesota has virtually no quality depth behind this trio, so injuries here could be particularly problematic.
 
The Vikings invested big free agent dollars acquiring versatile safety Madieu Williams from Cincinnati to shore up their secondary in the offseason, but Williams is suffering from a nerve problem in his neck that is expected to keep him sidelined for at least the next six weeks.  Another free agent addition, Michael Boulware (Houston) should be the beneficiary of Williams missed playing time, although second round rookie Tyrell Johnson (Arkansas State) could factor into the mix.  Strong safety Darren Sharper made the pro bowl last year, but he’s 33 years old.  Cornerbacks Antonie Winfield and Cedric Griffin are a solid, if unspectacular tandem, but the unit as a whole should improve by leaps and bounds as long as Allen can provide the pass rush that was sorely lacking in 2007.
 
Schedule: According to the ‘official’ numbers, Minnesota plays one of the toughest schedules in the NFL in 2008, based on last year’s results.  However, my numbers, based on the 2008 Over/Under win totals posted all over Vegas, show the Vikings playing a ‘middle of the pack’ opposing slate.  They do have a tough stretch in November and December, playing four out of five on the road.  And, with road games at Green Bay, Tennessee and New Orleans along with a home game against the Colts in the first five weeks, the Vikings will be hard pressed to get off to a great start, giving us enormous potential value with this squad in midseason.

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2008 Chicago Bears NFL Football Predictions
Overview: The Chicago Bears defense keyed their run to the Super Bowl two years ago.  Last year, that same defense finished ranked #28 in the NFL.  Much of the decline was injury related, with Tommy Harris, Dusty Dvoracek, Mike Brown and Nathan Vasher all missing significant time due to various injuries.  The question for 2008 is whether Chicago’s window of opportunity has closed, sending this team back into rebuilding mode, or whether the Bears still have one more run deep into the playoffs within them.
 
Offense: Chicago’s offense wasn’t very good during their Super Bowl season, and it got even worse last year.  While the Bears top three draft choices and top two offseason acquisitions were all on the offensive side of the football, this unit is suspect once again coming into 2008.  In fact, every part of the offense – play calling, quarterback, line and skill position talent – are well below the league average.
 
The problems start right at the top, with coordinator Ron Turner.  Turner had some modest success in his first stint as the Bears offensive coordinator in the mid 90’s.  As a collegiate head coach, Turner had one magical season with Kurt Kittner as quarterback, leading the team to the Sugar Bowl, but the remainder of his tenure at Illinois can only be described as a colossal failure.  In his second stint here in Chicago, the offense has consistently underachieved, and Turner’s play calling and game planning can only be called ‘boring’ and ‘predictable.’ 
 
Chicago’s quarterback situation is a mess.  They really haven’t had a decent quarterback since Erik Kramer in the mid-90’s – Chad Hutchinson, Craig Krenzel, Jonathan Quinn, Kordell Stewart, Henry Burress, Chris Chandler, Jim Miller, Cade McNown, Shane Matthews, Moses Moreno and Steve Stenstrom.  That’s a very ugly list of QB’s who have started for the Bears over the last decade.
 
This year, once again, the choice comes down to Rex Grossman or Kyle Orton.  Grossman has the bigger arm and was the higher draft choice.  But injuries and inconsistency have been a staple of the Grossman era – he managed to throw for 200+ yards exactly twice last year.  Kyle Orton doesn’t have Grossman’s arm strength, but he’s got a 17-6 record as a starter in Chicago.  Quarterback controversies are always problematic, particularly when neither quarterback is good enough to step up and take the job year after year.  That certainly seems the case with this duo.
 
The Bears therefore need to rely heavily on their running game.  Unfortunately, they have no proven running backs on the roster.  Career backup Adrian Peterson and second round rookie Matt Forte (Tulane) will battle for carries.  Their receiving talent, too, is well below NFL norms.  Last year’s starters are both gone, leaving Marty Booker, Brandon Lloyd, Mark Bradley, Devin Hester and third round draft choice Earl Bennett (Vanderbilt) to split catches between them.  An argument can certainly be made that this motley crew is the weakest receiving corps in the entire league.
 
The Bears offensive line paved the way for just 83 yards per game last year (30th in the NFL);  a woeful 3.1 yards per carry.  They finished 24th in sacks allowed, 29th in third down conversion percentage and 28th in red zone offense.  All of these stats can at least partially be blamed on the offensive line. Center Olin Kruetz and right tackle John Tait are the lynchpins of the unit, but both declined last year and are well on the wrong side of 30.  They’ve got a rookie left tackle (first rounder Chris Williams, Vanderbilt) and no established starter next to him at left guard.
 
Defense: For a team loaded with pro bowlers, last year’s 28th ranked defense was an embarrassing injury plagued disaster.  The success of the defense this year has everything to do with their numerous stars ability to rebound from those injuries in 2008.
 
Defensive tackles Tommy Harris and Dusty Dvoracek have the potential to be dominant run stuffers, but both are coming off serious injuries.  Ends Adewale Ogunleye and Mark Anderson are solid, and there’s excellent depth behind the starters all over the defensive line.  Those four must contain the blockers in front of them, allowing the elite level linebacking corps to make plays all over the field.  Chicago’s situation at linebacker is truly unique.  Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Hunter Hillenmeyer are entering their fifth season starting together as a unit.  Urlacher and Briggs (having signed a fat new contract in the offseason) are elite level players; Hillenmeyer isn’t far behind.  However, there is no experienced talent behind that trio.
 
In the secondary, the Bears are counting on the successful return of cornerback Nathan Vasher and safety Mike Brown.  Vasher’s absence might have been the single biggest hit the defense took due to injury last Fall, while Brown’s health has been a major problem in each of the last four years, suffering a season ending injury in each and every one of those campaigns.  Cornerback Charles Tillman has developed into an excellent shutdown defender, but there’s little depth to withstand injuries in this unit either.
 
Schedule: There is some good news here for Chicago supporters.  You’ll see the Bears on TV a lot this Fall, with five nighttime nationally televised games.  The Bears don’t have to travel to the West Coast at all this year – every one of their 16 games will be played in Eastern or Central time.  And with three straight home games down the stretch in December (two of them against warm weather teams), the Bears have the potential to take advantage of the rather nasty conditions we can expect at Soldier Field at that time of the year.

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The dogs certainly roared in Week 1 of the NFL preseason, rolling to a 10-5-2 spread mark. Oddsmakers typically like it when the dogs bark loudly. There was not much in the way of strategy, which is the norm, with most offensive and defensive coordinators showing almost nothing. Evaluating young personnel is more important in the opening week.

Weeks 2 and 3 of the preseason, however, are when coaches begin to play starters more and map out game plans, before generally caring very little about Week 4. Two teams have already played two games, the Redskins and Colts. Washington is 2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS under new coach Jim Zorn, while the Colts are 0-2 SU/1-1 ATS under Tony Dungy.

For this week, keep an eye on the NY Jets offense. The Jets have been a good preseason team under Eric Mangini, now 4-1 SU/ATS the last five games. The offense is in the third year of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s high-tech scheme that features an array of shifts and motions.

Word is that the team wants to throw deep more, which is why they were aggressive in pursuing QB Brett Favre, who will start his first game this weekend. Former QB Chad Pennington did not have good arm strength. Because of that, opposing defenses didn’t have to fear the deep passes from Pennington and they could even cheat a bit on the perimeter stuff near the sideline. That allowed opposing defenses to stack eight defenders in the box to stuff RB Thomas Jones at or near the line of scrimmage and smother Leon Washington when the Jets tried to get him into space to make a big play with his elusiveness and speed.

The result was a 19th ranking in the NFL in rushing in 2007. Only five teams had an average of less than the Jets’ 3.8-yards per carry, and there was far too much pressure on Pennington and Kellen Clemens. They hope that has all changed. Favre is a more of a mad bomber, a la Darryl Lamonica in the old AFL days. It is already evident in training camp this week, airing it out.

Favre can stretch defense, which could translate into wider running lanes for Jets’ backs. Don’t forget the Jets have a new-look offensive line, with Alan Faneca and Damien Woody joining Nick Mangold, D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Brandon Moore. All of which bares watching the next two weeks. Note that the Jets are 4-2 ‘over’ the total their last six preseason contests.

In Minnesota, the Vikings added a big name free agent in safety Madieu Williams to help with their weak secondary (last in the NFL in 2007). He is an excellent cover guy, but just suffered a neck injury and could miss up to six weeks. It’s a setback for a pass defense that finished last and was counting on having a top-notch cover safety in Williams for all 16 games. Rookie safety Tyrell Johnson will be called on to fill in for him.

Defense is on the docket in Philadelphia, too, after adding CB Asante Samuel in free agency and Chris Clemons, the new pass-rusher. The mantra this preseason has been: “Strip the ball!” The Eagles were last in takeaways (19) in the entire NFL in 2007. Jim Johnson is one of the best defensive coordinators in the game, so with all the upgrades, it’s likely the Eagles will be improved in the turnover department, though they didn’t cause any in the preseason opener, a loss at Pittsburgh, mostly with backups.

Out West, the 49ers dead-last offense has a new makeover with offensive coordinator Mike Martz. However, it’s going to take time, as was evident in the preseason opener, an 18-6 loss at Oakland. Neither J.T. O’Sullivan, Alex Smith nor Shaun Hill distinguished himself. O’Sullivan and Hill each threw an interception, and O’Sullivan also lost a fumble. Newcomer O’Sullivan, looked like he was trying to make to do too much.

One final note is the unusual spacing between the Panthers’ preseason games and then with their regular-season opener. Carolina is in the middle of a five-day break between the Indianapolis game and Thursday’s second exhibition, at Philadelphia. Then the Panthers will wait nine days before an Aug. 23 game against Washington. Then it’s another five days before the exhibition finale at Pittsburgh on Aug. 28. After that, it’s 10 days before the regular season opens Sept. 7 at San Diego. Travel time and preparation can be important wagering angles, so keep an eye on how the Panthers are affected the next few weeks.

Article Courtesy of Ted Sevransky, An Award Winning Football Handicapper Featured on Touthouse.com. If you are betting football this season and need Winning NFL Picks, be sure to Buy Ted’s Expert NFL football predictions and make this season a winning one guaranteed!

2008 Detroit Lions NFL Football Predictions
Overview: The Lions enjoyed their best season of the decade in 2007, finishing with a 7-9 record.  That sorry fact tells a lot about one of the six NFL teams (Atlanta, Jacksonville, Cleveland, New Orleans and Arizona are the other five) that have never reached the Super Bowl.  To make matters even worse, Rod Marinelli’s squad was on track for a far better season than that following a 6-2 start, but their 1-7 finish brought back every bit of ennui for long suffering Lions fans.  Seven of their nine losses came by more than a touchdown; five of the nine were ‘quit’ type defeats by three TD’s or more.
 
Offense: New offensive coordinator Jim Colletto has radically refined the Lions offensive approach compared to the pass dominated Mike Martz led offense of the past two seasons. Colletto is a former offensive line coach who emphasizes running the football behind a big, physical offensive line.  Unfortunately for the potential success of that scheme in 2008, the Lions lack a feature running back and have a subpar offensive line to run behind.
 
Quarterback Jon Kitna turns 36 in November.  He’s thrown more interceptions than touchdown passes in each of his two seasons as the Lions quarterback.  In fact, Kitna is responsible for a whopping 57 turnovers over the last two seasons, while being sacked an equally whopping 114 times.  Those numbers state a lot about the state of his protection packages. 
 
But despite those truly hideous numbers, Kitna has put up back-2-back 4000 yard seasons, and he completed more than 63% of his passes in ’07.  There’s no question that he is not the long term answer in Detroit – if this season goes down the tubes like so many other recent seasons, look for former Michigan State standout Drew Stanton to get an opportunity late in the campaign.
 
The Lions are counting heavily on rookie running back Kevin Smith, a third rounder out of Central Florida.  His backup, Tatum Bell, was re-signed after a truly awful season in ’07 only because Detroit lacked decent healthy bodies at the position.  The wide receiver duo of Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson has the potential to be as good or better than any WR tandem in the league.  Behind the starters lies plenty of quality depth.  Clearly, the Lions pass catchers are the strength of the offense, if not the whole team.
 
The Lions finished 31st and 32nd in rushing yardage over the last two seasons; 31st and 30th in sacks allowed.  Those numbers are truly an indictment of poor offensive line play more than any other factor.  Unfortunately for the Lions, the line is once again a unit in flux heading into 2008.  Left tackle Jeff Backus is a perennial underachiever.  Right tackle Gosder Cherilus (Boston College) is a rookie facing elite level competition on a weekly basis for the first time in his career.  Between the two tackles, Detroit isn’t all that much better, and there’s very little quality depth behind the starters should the injuries start to mount.
 
Defense: Defensive coordinator Joe Barry is Marinelli’s son-in-law.  That nepotism is probably the only reason Barry kept his job following an absolutely miserable season from his defense last year.  Once again this year, the Lions will attempt to run their version of Tampa Bay’s Cover 2 defense, despite the fact that they have neither the pass rush nor the playmakers in the secondary to make this defense work.
 
Detroit’s defensive line doesn’t scare anybody.  DeWayne White and Jared DeVries provide a modest pass rush at best, while ‘run stuffers’ Cory Redding and free agent acquisition Chuck Darby (Seattle) have a tendency to get pushed around on the inside.  Linebacker Ernie Sims ranked fourth in the NFL in tackles last year, the lone star on this stop unit.  Second round rookie Jordan Dizon (Colorado) will step right into a starting role.  There is absolutely no quality depth behind the starters on the Lions front seven, similar to last year.
 
The Lions did address their secondary in free agency, after the unit allowed a league worst 70% completions last year.  They traded enigmatic defensive tackle Shawn Rogers to Cleveland for Leigh Bodden, while signing a pair of former Bucs Brian Kelly and Kalvin Pearson.  Kelly and Pearson are not difference makers, combining for only five starts last year.  Perhaps yet another free agent acquisition, Dwight Smith (Minnesota) can be an impact player here, joining Daniel Bullocks who is coming off a torn ACL at safety.
 
Schedule: At least the Lions get to toil in relative obscurity.  The only time you’ll see Detroit on national TV this Fall is in their annual Thanksgiving Day home game.  In fact, that game and games at Houston and San Francisco are their only games that won’t be played at 1 PM on a Sunday – this team doesn’t have a marquee game on their schedule.  The Lions get three straight home games in late November and early December, but close out the season playing at Indy and at Green Bay in their final three weeks of play.

2008 Wake Forest Demon Deacons College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart, An Expert College Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are betting football games this season, Buy Alex’s College Football Picks.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (9-4, 5-3 in 2007, 3rd place in ACC Atlantic)
It turns out the Demon Deacons weren’t the one year wonders many thought they were when they won the ACC in back 2006. The team should be strong again in 2008, and could compete for a return trip to the ACC Championship game this winter.

2007 Highlight: After shutting out the Seminoles in Doak Campbell Stadium in 2006, most thought that Florida State would be out looking for blood in their nationally televised game in Winston-Salem in ’07. Though the FSU effort was far more inspired than it was the year before, the Deacs pounded the Seminoles defense over and over on the ground, toting the ball 48 times for 180 yards. It wasn’t the prettiest game in the world, but Wake did survive a late FSU comeback to knock off the Noles 24-21.

2007 Lowlight: Wake Forest wasn’t the first team to go into Memorial Stadium in Clemson and get their doors blown off, nor will they be the last. The 44-10 blowout was the worst loss by the Deacs all season. QB Cullen Harper torched the Wake Forest ‘D’ for 266 yards and three scores, while QB Riley Skinner had one of the worst games of his career, only throwing for 170 yards without a touchdown.

Offensive Outlook: Only five starters return from last year’s team. Both Skinner and returning running back Josh Adams must step their games up for the offense to be a success in 2008. The biggest problem is going to be the offensive line. The entire left side needs to be replaced, and could be the Achilles heel for Wake’s offense all season long. If Skinner can get his accuracy numbers up, the unit should be able to spend plenty of time on the field and give the defense lots of rest. If not, Wake Forest is going to take a major step backwards.

Defensive Outlook: Nine starters return from a defense that surrendered 22.3 PPG a year ago; the group will clearly be the strength of the team in ’08. The biggest question mark will be the defensive line that has to replace a pair of starters. All of the defensive backs and linebackers return, most notably LBs Aaron Curry and Alphonso Smith, both of whom could end up on the All-ACC team at the end of the year.

2008 Outlook: A trip into Florida State appears much easier than usual this year, as the Noles will be without several players who were suspended in their academic scandal a year ago. There really is no reason for the Deacs to not be 4-0 going into their clash with Clemson on October 9th. If they can pull off the upset of the Tigers and avenge last year’s thrashing, Wake Forest could be a team to contend with once again in ‘08, as the rest of the schedule pans out quite nicely. Road trips to Maryland and Miami could be hairy, but the team doesn’t leave the state of North Carolina once the calendar turns to November.

2008 will be a success if… Skinner and the offense put some points on the board. It sounds elementary, but that’s what the Demon Deacons will be judged upon in 2008. Any game in which this team scores 30 points should be an automatic victory as long as their defense stays healthy.

For the third straight year, Wake Forest could be one of those teams that you won’t hear much about, but when you look up, suddenly have a nine or ten win season under its belt.

Prediction: 9-3, 2nd place in ACC Atlantic

2008 North Carolina State College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart, An Expert College Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are betting college football games this season, Buy Alex’s College Football Picks.

North Carolina State (5-7, 3-5 in 2007, 6th place in ACC Atlantic)
After watching Boston College jump as high as #2 in the polls last season, North Carolina State HC Tom O’Brien had to be scratching his head trying to figure out why he ever left Chestnut Hill. His Wolfpack were one of the worst teams in the ACC in 2007, and could be headed in that direction again in ’08.

2007 Highlight: In a season without much to write home about, the best game the Wolfpack played in ’07 came when the #15 Virginia Cavaliers paid a visit to Raleigh. QB Daniel Evans hooked up with Donald Bowens for the game-winning touchdown with 7:37 remaining to earn NC State the 29-24 upset victory. Bowens recorded 11 catches for 202 yards and two scores, while Evans had the best game of his career throwing for 347 yards and three touchdowns.

2007 Lowlight: After opening 1-5, the Wolfpack went on a four-game winning streak that had everyone in Raleigh hoping for a bowl game. The next two weeks were a major disappointment, with equally depressing losses to Wake Forest and Maryland. They were beaten in those two weeks by a combined score of 75-18, and only managed 67 rushing yards combined. Instead of going bowling, NCSU was left home to lick its wounds after a bitter end to the season.

Offensive Outlook: For a unit that was statistically the worst in the ACC, perhaps it’s a good thing that only six of the 11 starters return. Unfortunately, the only notable receiver returning from ’07 is Bowens. Evans must improve on his 18/24 career TD/INT ratio in his senior season, or Harrison Beck could take over. Watch for redshirt frosh Russel Williams to also see some time under center in 2008.

Defensive Outlook: Things don’t look much better on the defensive side of the ball either. Four starters return from 2007. DE Willie Young is likely an All-ACC candidate, but the rest of the front seven is highly inexperienced and will probably struggle mightily this year. The secondary does feature two returning corners, but both starting safeties will be brand new.

2008 Preview: Aside from a cupcake game against William & Mary, are there any games on this schedule that are certain victories? The good news is that they only leave the Carolinas once all season (at Maryland), but with non-conference games against South Carolina, East Carolina, and South Florida looming, wins could be few and far between. Even a win against Duke isn’t a sure-fire win anymore with David Cutcliffe at the reigns for the Blue Devils.

2008 will be a success if… the fans in Raleigh have a reason to attend home games. This could be the worst version of the NC State Wolfpack in many years, and O’Brien is going to have a lot of explaining to do if the season ends up being as bad as we think it will be.

Inevitably, NC State will win a couple games on the season… but we do mean “a couple.”

Prediction: 2-10, 6th place in ACC Atlantic

2008 Maryland Terrapins College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart, A Professional College Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are betting football this season, don’t miss Alex’s winning college football picks.

Maryland Terrapins (6-7, 3-5 in 2007, 5th place in ACC Atlantic)
The Maryland Terrapins have been the epitome of mediocrity in the ACC for years. The team has won between three and five conference games every year since 2003, and it appears that 2008 will be much of the same for HC Ralph Friedgen and the Terps.

2007 Highlight: Despite beating two top-10 teams earlier in the season, Maryland still found itself a win short of bowl eligibility going into their final game of the 2008 season at North Carolina State. The rushing attack piled up 249 yards and four scores for the Terps’ offense, while the ‘D’ held the Wolfpack to 250 total yards in the 37-0 whitewash in Raleigh.

2007 Lowlight: The 4-4 Terps went into Chapel Hill to take on the lowly 2-6 North Carolina Tar Heels in the first week of November. The offense was a complete disaster for Maryland, as they only converted four of 14 third down attempts. Butch Davis and the Tar Heels locked up the mild upset in the 3rd quarter when they took a 16-3 lead. They held on to win 16-13, and sent the Terrapins back under .500.

Offensive Outlook: It looks as though Friedgen has little idea who his starting quarterback is going to be this season. Jordan Steffy and Chris Turner are both returning with experience, but neither put up stellar numbers in ’07. Look for Florida transfer Josh Portis to take some snaps under center this season as well. Regardless of who the field general is they’ll be looking for junior WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, who had 786 receiving yards a year ago. Heyward-Bey has the potential of being a first team All-ACC player by year’s end.

Defensive Outlook: The defense only returns five starters from last year, and none of the incoming talent appears to be anything to rave about. Senior LB Dave Philistin must have another strong season to give a secondary with only one returning starter a chance. DT Jeremy Navarre had 5.5 sacks a year ago, and will be the anchor to a relatively young defensive front.

2008 Preview: There’s just enough cupcakes on the Maryland schedule that could have this team bowling yet again, but they’re not one of the stronger squads in the ACC. Delaware, Middle Tennessee, and Eastern Michigan are obvious must-wins, but a home slate which includes California, Wake Forest, NC State, North Carolina, and Florida State could mean that the Terps won’t have to win a conference road game to qualify for a bowl game. It could be a return trip to the Emerald Bowl in ’08.

2008 will be a success if… one of the quarterbacks sets himself apart from the rest. Dual quarterback systems usually aren’t very successful, and the team apparently has little confidence in any of their options. If Steffy and Turner can’t step up their play from a year ago, Portis better step in and make an impact in a hurry, or the Terps offense will struggle all season.

It should be another ho-hum year for the Terrapins, who will be content just to get to make another bowl trip this winter.

Prediction: 6-6, 5th place in ACC Atlantic

2008 Florida State Seminoles College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart, A Professional College Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are betting football this season, don’t miss Alex’s winning college football picks.

Florida State Seminoles (7-6, 4-4 in 2008, 4th place in ACC Atlantic)
Bobby Bowden and the Florida State Seminoles will try their best to return to ACC supremacy in 2008. A 7-5 season and a trip to the Music City Bowl isn’t what FSU fans have become accustomed to, but if the Noles aren’t careful, it could be another disappointing season for the garnet and gold.

2007 Highlight: Eight games into the season, the Noles found themselves 5-3 with a bowl game not necessarily a lock with games still to be played at Boston College, Virginia Tech, and Florida. Bowden got perhaps his best defensive effort of the season in Chestnut Hill, knocking off the then #2 ranked Eagles 27-17. Even though the Seminoles almost blew a 10-point lead in the 4th, Geno Hayes picked off Matt Ryan with under 2:00 to go and brought it to the house to seal the victory. It was one of three passes the FSU defense intercepted on the night.

2007 Lowlight: Tim Tebow ran roughshod on the Florida State defense, accounting for 352 total yards and five touchdowns to lead the rival Florida Gators to a 45-12 victory in “The Swamp”. The Gators had almost double the yardage of their in-state rivals, and outscored the Noles 21-0 in the 2nd half.

Offensive Outlook: Often-criticized QB Drew Weatherford is back for his senior season, but he probably won’t be taking 100% of the snaps under center in 2008. Christian Ponder will take some snaps this year, as could sophomore D’Vontrey Richardson and true freshman EJ Manuel. All four of these guys better have their life insurance policies paid up, as the offensive line in front of them is stock-piled with nothing but freshmen and sophomores. The bright side is that all of their main backs and receivers return, but do-it-all Preston Parker will be suspended for the first two games of the season.

Defensive Outlook: Coach Bowden has already said he needs to prepare two defensive units, one that will play the first three games of the season, and one for the remainder of the year. Three defensive starters will miss the first three games of the season due to the academic scandal during exams last fall. When they return to the lineup, FSU will once again sport one of the better defenses in the ACC. Derek Nicholson is one of the best linebackers in the country. He leads a group of eight returning starters on ‘D’ looking to improve upon the 22.9 PPG allowed in ’07.

2008 Preview: Thank goodness that the Seminoles open up with games against Western Carolina and Chattanooga, or those suspensions holding over from last year could have really hampered the season. As it is, FSU has a brutal schedule of teams coming into Doak Campbell Stadium in 2008, including Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Clemson, and Florida.

2008 will be a success if… someone takes command of the quarterback position. Weatherford has had three years to take control of the Florida State offense and really has never lived up to the hype. He’ll get every chance in the world to do so again in his senior year, but much like when Xavier Lee was behind him the past few seasons, Ponder is ready to pounce on his position if he can’t get the job done.

Florida State has the talent to beat anyone in the nation, but this team probably isn’t strong enough to really compete in the ACC.

Prediction: 7-5, 3rd place in ACC Atlantic

2008 Clemson Tigers College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart, A Professional College Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are wagering on college football this season, don’t miss Alex’s winning college football picks.

Clemson Tigers (9-4, 5-3 in 2007, 2nd place in the ACC Atlantic)
After many years of waiting, Clemson Tigers fans may finally have a chance to shine in the national spotlight in 2008. HC Tommy Bowden has assembled a tremendously talented squad that should be the favorites to win the ACC, and could challenge for the National Championship when it’s all said and done.

2007 Highlight: Clemson’s opening game of the 2008 season against the Florida State Seminoles was a beauty as Tommy took on his father, Bobby, in the annual Bowden Bowl. His Tigers jumped out to a 24-3 halftime lead, but the Seminoles clawed their way back to within six. A stifling defense that tortured FSU QB Drew Weatherford all game held on to preserve the 24-18 victory. RB’s James Davis and CJ Spiller combined for 259 all-purpose yards in the win.

2007 Lowlight: The trip into Bobby Dodd Stadium was a disaster for the 4-0 Tigers, who were ranked #13 at the time. The offense put three points on the board just over a minute into the game, but failed to score again against a stout Georgia Tech defense. QB Cullen Harper had his worst game of the season, completing only 17 of 39 passes for 194 yards and a pick.

Offensive Outlook: Eight starters return for an offense that averaged 33.1 PPG a year ago. Spiller and Davis are certainly the best running back tandem in the ACC, and are both amongst the elite backs in the nation. Harper looks to improve on a junior season in which he threw 27 touchdowns against just six interceptions, and will be helped by the return of his two favorite targets, Aaron Kelly and Tyler Grisham. The offensive line has some questions, but the skill position players are all in place for this to be one of the top offenses in the nation.

Defensive Outlook: After allowing a svelte 18.6 PPG a year ago, the eight returning members of the Tigers defense will look to have an even better ’08. The entire secondary returns, and the three returning defensive line members will be joined by incoming freshman Da’Quan Bowers, who was the #1 defensive end recruit in the country this year. Senior Cortney Vincent will have to lead an inexperienced group of linebackers, but should be picked up by the veterans on the rest of the defense.

2008 Preview: If the Tigers can roll past the Alabama Crimson Tide in their opener, look for them to be undefeated and towards the top of the polls going into November. The schedule sets up nicely for Clemson if they can survive road games at Boston College and Florida State, to possibly be undefeated going into their rivalry game with the Gamecocks in the regular season finale.

2008 will be a success if… the offensive line keeps it together. If the unit excels, the Tigers are going to be a tough team to tame in 2008.

There are steep expectations at Clemson this year, and if the Tigers don’t win the ACC, Bowden could find himself on the chopping block.

Prediction: 11-1, 1st place in ACC Atlantic

2008 Boston College Eagles College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart, A Professional College Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are betting college football this season be sure to buy Alex’s Expert college football picks.

Boston College Eagles (11-3, 6-2 in 2007, 1st place in ACC Atlantic)
Any time you have to replace the captain of your football team, you’re going to have difficulties. When that guy also happened to be your quarterback and the #3 overall pick in the NFL Draft, it’s even harder. With Matt Ryan now the face of the Atlanta Falcons, that’s the challenge that HC Jeff Jagodzinski faces this year with his Boston College Eagles.

2007 Highlight: Trailing 10-0 with 4:00 remaining in their game in Blacksburg against #8 Virginia Tech, Ryan put the Eagles on his back and carried them to 14 unanswered points to knock off the Hokies 14-10. The win preserved the Eagles’ #2 ranking in the polls and had everyone in Chestnut Hill thinking about the BCS.

2007 Lowlight: The week after the emotional high of knocking off V-Tech, the Eagles came home to face Florida State. For the second straight week, BC found themselves down two scores late in the 4th quarter. Ryan got the Eagles within three points with just over 6:00 remaining, but threw an interception which was returned for a touchdown on their final meaningful drive that cost his team a chance at the National Championship and effectively knocked him out of the Heisman Trophy race. BC lost to FSU 27-17.

Offensive Outlook: The Eagles return six starters on offense from a year ago, but need to find replacements at the key positions of quarterback, running back, and right tackle. Senior QB Chris Crane will likely start under center, and will be helped by the return of three of the team’s top four receivers. Senior TE Ryan Purvis could have a massive year for BC after posting 54 catches for 553 yards and four touchdowns last year. The offense will only go as far as their running game takes them though, and true freshman RB Josh Haden is likely going to be the guy who needs to step up. Haden was the #3 rated running back prospect this year according to Rivals.com, and the frosh from Maryland must have an immediate impact for the offense to have any success.

Defensive Outlook: Unfortunately for Jagodzinski, his defense isn’t much more experienced than his offense. Only four starters remain from last year’s team which only allowed three opponents to score more than 21 points. If there’s a bright side, BC does possess one of the best linebacking corps in the nation but a very inexperienced secondary and defensive line will probably hamper their production. Watch out for DE Alex Albright, who posted a team-high 8.5 sacks a year ago.

2008 Preview: Thankfully, the non-conference schedule isn’t brutal, with home games against UCF, Rhode Island, and Notre Dame. That should give the Eagles enough leeway to let them reach another bowl game, but it probably won’t be as illustrious as the Champs Sports Bowl that they won last year. Finding wins in ACC play will be difficult, especially without Duke on the slate.

2008 will be a success if… Haden has a breakout freshman season. Expect to see him touch the ball quite a bit in both the running and passing game. If he can carry the load on offense, the Eagles will remain on the path towards another bowl game.

It was a magical run in ’07, but the Eagles won’t nearly enjoy as much success again this year.

Prediction: 6-6, 4th place in ACC Atlantic