No Need for Preseason Polls

The thing I dislike about college football is the preseason polls. Since teams don’t play everyone on the field, it’s difficult to prove who the better team is over the course of the season. The preseason rankings create a preconceived notion of who is good, and who is not. Originally college football rankings did not come out until October. Last year every major preseason poll had Georgia as the top team, however by the end of the year finished outside the top 10. Penn State is ranked number eight, but could miss a chance at the BCS title game if two of the seven teams ahead of them finish with same record as PSU. With no Big East team in the preseason top 25, the league has poor reputation even before an official game played.

2009 Sports Predictions

Here are my soon to be famous 2009 Sports Predictions. Last year's predictions proved I was no "Oracle of the Allegheny", but I did correctly predict no Super Trophy for New England and winning ND season.



With much fanfare here they are:

- The Pirates will fire John Russell.

- Inter Milan will win the Champions League.


- The Yankees will make the World Series.

- The Big East will place 3 teams in the Final Four.

- Pitt will finish next season with a better record than PSU.


- Jelena Jankovic will win her first tennis major.

- Tiger will not win a golf major.

Sorry Pens Fans, I currently have no clear thoughts on the team's future.

College Football Picks - Week 13

Both Pitt and Penn State have huge match-ups this week, as their BCS hopes will be on the line. BCS title game hopes will also be on the line as Texas Tech travels to Oklahoma.

Week 13

Michigan St. vs. PSU
Pitt vs. Cincinnati
BYU vs. Utah
Miami vs. Georgia Tech
Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma

Mike - PSU, Pitt, Utah, Miami, Oklahoma
Brian - PSU, Pitt, Utah, Miami, Texas Tech

Last Week /(Overall Results)
Mike - 4-1 / (34-26)
Brian - 5-0 / (38-23)

College Football Picks - Week 12

What a shocker, Penn State's BCS title hopes go up in smoke at Iowa. This week there seems to be a lack of big games, but we'll pick anyway.

Week 12

Indiana vs. PSU
Texas vs. Kansas
South Carolina vs. Florida
Boston College vs. Florida State
Oregon St vs. Cal

Mike - PSU, Texas, Florida, Boston College, Cal
Brian -

Last Week /(Overall Results)
Mike - 3-2 / (30-25)
Brian - 2-3 / (33-22)

College Football Picks - Week 11

Last week I was 0-5, ouch, it's been a crazy year. I'll try to catch back up to Brian, but this week's games, outside of PSU are far from easy picks. Don't forget Utah vs TCU is Thursday night.

Week 11
Utah vs. TCU
Louisville vs. Pitt
PSU vs. Iowa
Alabama vs. LSU
Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State


Mike - Utah, Pitt, PSU, Alabama, Oklahoma St.
Brian - TCU, Pitt, PSU, Alabama, Oklahoma St.

Last Week /(Overall Results)
Mike - 0-5 / (27-23)
Brian - 3-2 / (31-19)

College Football Picks Week 9 - 2008

It has been a difficult year for picking games, this week the big game is PSU traveling to Ohio State. Texas looks to make it 3 straight marquee wins, when they host Oklahoma State.

Week 9

PSU vs. Ohio St.
Rutgers vs. Pitt
Oklahoma St. vs. Texas
Texas Tech vs. Kansas
Georgia vs. LSU

Mike - OSU, Pitt, Texas, Texas Tech, LSU
Brian - PSU, Pitt, Texas, Kansas, Georgia

Last Week /(Overall Results)
Mike - 3-2 / (25-15)
Brian - 2-3 / (25-15)

College Football Picks Week 8 - 2008

Last week was crazy, and this week, has the potential to be as well. Penn State is undefeated, but Michigan always gives them trouble. Missouri will be looking to bounce back at #1 Texas.

Week 8

Michigan vs. PSU
Pitt vs. Navy
Ohio St. vs. Michigan St.
Missouri vs. Texas
BYU vs. TCU

Mike - PSU, Pitt, OSU, Missouri, BYU
Brian - PSU, Navy, Mich St. Texas, BYU

Last Week /(Overall Results)
Mike - 2-3 / (22-13)
Brian - 2-3 / (23-12)

College Football Picks Week 6 - 2008

Penn State is moving up the rankings, but the big local game this week has Pitt traveling to #10 South Florida on Thursday night.

Week 6
Pitt vs. South Florida
PSU vs. Purdue
Oregon vs. USC
Auburn vs. Vanderbilt
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin

Mike - South FLA, PSU, Auburn, Ohio State
Brian - usf, psu, usc, auburn, osu

Last Week / (Overall Results)
Mike - 3-2 / (17-8)
Brian - 4-1 / (18-7)
Doc - 0-0 / (9-1)

College Football Picks Week 5 - 2008

Penn State has big night game coming up against Illinois, and Georgia will be hosting Alabama in a huge SEC showdown.

Week 5

Pitt vs. Syracuse
Illinois vs PSU
off ,Wake Forest vs. Florida St.
Alabama vs. Georgia
Va. Tech vs Nebraska

Mike - Pitt, PSU, Florida State, Georgia, Nebraska
Brian -

Last Week / (Overall Results)

Mike - 3-2 / (14-6)
Brian - 4-1 / (14-6)
Doc - 0-0 / (9-1)

Post your selections:

College Football Picks Week 4 - 2008

Did last week, finally put an end to Ohio State in the BCS title, let's hope so. This week, Pitt has an interesting game against Iowa. We'll also learn if Auburn is really a title contender.

Week 4

Pitt vs. Iowa
Temple vs. PSU
Wake Forest vs. Florida St.
LSU vs. Auburn
Georgia vs Arizona St.

Mike - Pitt, PSU, FSU, Auburn, Georgia
Brian -

Last Week / (Overall Results)
Mike - 4-0 / (11-4)
Brian - 4-1 / (10-5)
Doc - 4-1 / (9-1)

Post you're picks!!!

College Football Picks Week 3 - 2008

This weekend we get the first great schedule of the College Football season. While OSU vs. USC will dominate the headlines, other games such as Wisconsin vs. Fresno St. might end up being just as important to the BCS picture.

Week 3

Kansas vs. South Florida
PSU vs. Syracuse
Fresno St. vs. Wisconsin
UCLA vs. BYU
Ohio St. vs Southern Cal

Mike - PSU, South Florida, Fresno St., BYU, USC
Brian - PSU, Kansas, Wisc, BYU, USC

Last Week / (Overall Results)

Mike - 5-0 / (7-3)
Brian - 4-1 / (6-4)
Doc - 5-0 / (5-0)

College Football Picks Week 2 - 2008

Last week was a difficult one, as the first week always seems to be. Pitt fans are still trying to come to terms with their lost to Bowling Green. This week we're searching for a game worth talking about. I can't remember a week that didn't feature a marquee match-up.

Week 2

Oregon State vs. PSU
Buffalo vs. Pitt
Miami vs. Florida
Cincinnati vs. Oklahoma
Wake Forest vs Mississippi

Mike - PSU, Pitt, Florida, Oklahoma, Wake Forest
Brian -

Last Week / (Overall Results)

Mike - 2-3 / (2-3)
Brian - 2-3 / (2-3)

Post your selections!

College Football Bowl Picks

It’s finally time for the big college football bowls. This year’s BCS games are as controversial as ever. After a close regular season race all the contestants are capable of going out on top. For the final time this season here are the 12 hard to choose major bowl games.

Alamo Bowl - Penn State vs. Texas A&M
Sun Bowl - South Florida vs. Oregon
Music City Bowl - Kentucky vs. Florida State
Outback - Wisconsin vs. Tennessee
Cotton Bowl - Missouri vs. Arkansas
Gator Bowl - Texas Tech vs. Virginia
Capital One Bowl - Michigan vs. Florida
Rose Bowl - Illinois vs USC
Sugar Bowl - Hawaii vs. Georgia
Fiesta Bowl - Oklahoma vs. West Virginia
Orange Bowl - Virginia Tech vs. Kansas
BCS Game - LSU vs. Ohio State

Standings:

Mike - (47-18)
Brian - (46-19)
Doc Steel - (42-23)

Mike: PSU, South Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Virginia, Florida, USC, Georgia, WVU, Kansas, LSU

Brian: PSU, So. Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Texas Tech, Florida, USC, Georgia, OU, Va. Tech, Ohio St.

College Football Picks Week 11

Everyone was 4-1 last week. Pitt has the week off before they get ready for their 3 toughest games of they year. Ohio State will try to remain unbeaten against Illinois.

USC vs. Cal
Georgia vs. Auburn
Ohio St. vs. Illinois
Penn St. vs. Temple
Florida vs. South Carolina

Mike: USC, Georgia, Ohio St., PSU, Florida
Brian: USC, Georgia, Ohio St., PSU, Florida

Last week:
Mike - (4-1) (31-14)
Brian - (4-2) (29-16)
Doc Steel - (4-1) (28-17)

Post your selections

College Football Picks Week 10

The big game this week will be Arizona St. vs. Oregon, as both teams have national title hopes. Can PSU bounce back against Purdue in their final home game? We'll find out after another interesting week of college football.

Week 10
LSU vs. Alabama

Pitt vs. Syracuse
Florida St. vs. Boston College
Arizona St. vs. Oregon
Purdue vs. Penn St.

Mike: LSU, Pitt, BC, Oregon, PSU

Brian:

Last week:
Mike - (3-2) (27-13)
Brian - (3-2) (25-15)
Doc Steel - (4-1) (24-16)

Post your selections

Current Toughest Places to Play: NCAA Night Games

As #1 Ohio State travels to Beaver Stadium Saturday night to face PSU and #2 Boston College travels to Lane Stadium to met VaTech on Thursday Night, we'll take a look the current most difficult places to play at night.

1. LSU - Tiger Stadium, last night game attendance: 92,630

The Tigers have already beat Virginia Tech, Florida, South Carolina, & Aurburn this year in night games at Tiger Stadium, not to mention 18 straight home wins the most in the country.


#2 PSU - Beaver Stadium, last night game attendance: 110,078
Famous for it's White Outs

#3 Rugters - Rutgers Stadium, last night game attendance: 44,267
R.I.P. South Florida 2007, Loiusville 2006, their road to a BCS title game ended in the New Jersey moonlight.

#4 Virginia Tech - Lane Stadium, last night game attendance: 66,233
Tech, always seems to win the big game at night here, plus they have an 8 game home streak.

#5 Wisconsin - Camp Randall, last night game attendance: 82,630
Sorry Florida, you might be #6, but as of now, UW has 12 straight at home.

Collge Football Picks Week 7

First off, fellow college football picker Doc Steel will be in studio and live on FLTV tonight @ 7:30. Remember you also can watch online at http://www.familylifetv.com/

Now back to the games. Pitt has an interesting game vs Navy this week, and PSU hosts Wisconsin as both local teams need a win bad. The game of the week on the national scene should be Missouri vs. Oklahoma, as we'll learn just how good Missouri is.

Week 7
Navy vs. Pitt
Wisconsin vs. PSU
LSU vs. Kentucky
Missouri vs. Oklahoma
Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M

Mike: Pitt, PSU, LSU, Okla, A&M
Brian: Navy, Wisc, LSU, Okla, Tech
Doc Steel: Pitt, PSU, LSU, Okla, Tech

Two weeks ago:
Mike - (3-2) (19-6)
Brian - (2-3) (15-10)
Doc Steel - (3-2) (16-9)

College Football Picks Week 5

Week 5 has two marque games between 4 teams who are sleeper national title contenders. It all starts on Friday with a huge Big East battle between WVU & South Florida. Then on Saturday it's Oregon vs. California. Also Penn State will try to bounce back against an improved Illinois, and Pitt will have it's hands full with unbeaten Virginia.

Week 5
Pitt vs. Virginia
PSU vs. Illinois
WVU vs. South Florida
Oregon vs Cal
Mich St. vs. Wisconsin

Mike: Virgina, PSU, WVU, Cal, Wisconsin
Brian: Virgina, PSU, WVU, Oregon, Wisconsin

Mike - (4-1) (16-4)
Brian - (2-3) (13-7)
Doc Steel - (2-3) (13-7)

Post your selections:

College Football Picks Week 2

Well last week didn't go so well. Pitt will be starting a new QB & Penn State will host Notre Dame. The game of the week is going to be LSU vs. Va. Tech.

Week 2 Games

Grambling vs. Pitt
Notre Dame vs. PSU
Va Tech vs. LSU
Miami vs. Oklahoma
TCU vs. Texas

Mike: Pitt, PSU, LSU, OK, Texas
Brian: Pitt, PSU, LSU, OK, Texas

Mike - (3-2) (3-2)
Brian - (2-3) (2-3)

Post your selections:

NCAA College Football Picks Week 1

College football season is back, and that means the weekly college football picks on RSW. Each week Mike & Brian pick the top games of the week, and the Pitt & Penn State games. Last year Dr. Steel played along each week, and you can too. Early in each week the games will be posted on the RSW Blog, you can simply post your selections by adding a comment. Blogger can be confusing, but you don't need a password, you simply can check anonymous, just make sure to include you name or alias in body.

At the end of they year we'll see who is best college football predictor in the land.

Be sure to catch RSW on Tuesday nights or online at www.familylifetv.com as In-the-Bleachers college football analysis Brian Sakowski makes his selections live on the show.

This week is kinda of a warm up for PSU & Pitt, and same for us as there should be two easy games to pick, but three possible tough calls.

Week 1 Games:
Eastern Mich vs. Pitt
Florida Inter vs. PSU
Tennessee vs. Cal
G.T. vs. Notre Dame
FSU vs. Clemson

Mike: Pitt, PSU, Cal, ND, FSU
Brian: Pitt, PSU, Tenn, ND, FSU

Post your selections: