Why Duke Should be the No. 1 Team in the Country

Duke senior forward Mason Plumlee carried the Blue Devils to victory with his 21 points and 17 rebounds. (Gerry Broome)

I know that Indiana was the No. 1 team in the preseason polls. I know that they are undefeated with a 7-0 record. I watched their impressive shellacking of a young North Carolina team in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The problem is that the Hoosiers nor any other team in the country has even remotely close to as good of a resume as Duke has right now.

Tonight, the Blue Devils picked up their third win over a top five team in the polls. They even managed despite struggling badly offensively, especially in the first half. Duke shot only 30% from the field in the first half and trailed Ohio State by as much as ten in the second half. However, they weren't done yet, especially with the Cameron Crazies urging them on.

A couple of turning points were all the Blue Devils needed. The first was an incredible transition alley-oop from Quinn Cook to Mason Plumlee that further electrified an already crazy loud crowd. The second came with 6:06 left in the game. Duke senior forward Ryan Kelly buried a three-pointer to tie the score up 53-53. He nailed another seconds later to give the Blue Devils the lead for good.

As I already mentioned, this isn't Duke's first top five win. Back on November 13, they beat a young, but very talented Kentucky team. Last Saturday, they also beat Louisville, who was a Final Four team last season. Very few teams ever beat three top five teams in an entire season, but the Blue Devils have found a way to accomplish it in a span of 15 days.

As if that weren't enough, Duke beat a now ranked Minnesota team by 18 points. I have a feeling that their nine-point win over VCU will be another impressive win come March. With three top five wins, wins over at least five predicted tournament teams and a perfect 7-0 record, there is nothing that came compare to what the Blue Devils have accomplished so early in the season.

Sorry about that Indiana. You are undefeated and very talented, but there is a team that has been far more impressive against significantly stronger opposition. Duke should be the No. 1 team in the polls. There is no doubt about it in my mind. If the polls look strictly at a team's resume, there is no way that the Blue Devils cannot be the top team in the country. They have made a strong case to say the least.

College Football Week 13 Preview and Predictions

Linebacker Manti Te'o and the Fighting Irish are one win away from perfection and a berth in the BCS National Championship. (Jeff Haynes)

5. #19 Michigan (8-3) @ Ohio State (11-0) - 12:00 PM EST, ABC

The Game is always a big ticket item. Michigan and Ohio State are two of the biggest rivals in all of college football. Ohio State hasn't been in the national spotlight nearly as much because they are not bowl eligible due to violations. Nonetheless, they will be looking to complete something that will certainly earn them some accolades. The Buckeyes are looking to complete perfection and have a shot at becoming AP National Champions. Michigan would love nothing more than spoiling those plans. The Wolverines have taken on a new look lately with junior Devin Gardner at quarterback. Gardner has played well and is expected to earn his fourth straight start Saturday, despite the fact that Denard Robinson is healthy. Healthy is a relative term though because he still does not have full arm strength back. Media speculation is that Michigan will start Gardner at quarterback and use the athletic Robinson at running back and wide receiver. This will certainly give the Ohio State defense plenty to try and stop.

Prediction: Michigan 30 Ohio State 27

4. #5 Oregon (10-1) @ #15 Oregon State (8-2) - 3:00 PM EST, Pac-12 Network

Oregon was the No. 1 team in the country for just six days. Their unstoppable offense had destroyed its opposition all season, but was stifled by a Stanford defense with a perfect game plan. The Cardinal won 17-14 in overtime, thus ending the Ducks perfect season and likely keeping them out of the national championship game. Oregon can't afford to hang their heads though because their shot at BCS bowl is on the line. Oregon State would love nothing more than to hand them their second loss is a week. These in-state rivals square off in the game known as the Civil War. The Ducks dynamic offense is led by freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota and senior tailback Kenjon Barner. The Beavers don't have a bad offense either. Sophomore quarterback Sean Mannion has had an up-and-down season, but might need a big game to secure the job as the starter next season. Oregon's rushing defense has struggled, so Oregon State sophomore running back Terron Wood could be in for a big day.

Prediction: Oregon 45 Oregon State 31

3. #8 Stanford (9-2) @ #17 UCLA (9-2) - 6:30 PM EST, FOX

These two teams come into this game off huge wins. Stanford had the perfect game plan to end Oregon's perfect season in overtime. The Cardinal defense executed their game plan beautifully. Freshman quarterback Kevin Hogan did just enough to help lead his team to the upset win. It has been senior tailback Stephan Taylor who has been the team's leader all season. In the win over Oregon, he had a huge game with 161 rushing yards. UCLA knocked off rival USC 38-28 to win their fifth Pac-12 game in a row. The Bruins are being led by a freshman quarterback as well. In the win over the Trojans, Brett Hundley had three total touchdowns (one passing and two rushing). Junior wide receiver Shaquelle Evans was Hundley's favorite target with eight catches for 114 yards. Senior tailback Jonathan Franklin also had a big day with 171 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Prediction: UCLA 24 Stanford 17

2. #4 Florida (10-1) @ #10 Florida State (10-1) - 3:30 PM EST, ABC

These two rivals come into this game with only one loss, but in very different ways. Florida was undefeated and in control, until they got shutdown by Georgia. Since the loss to the Bulldogs, they have needed late game heroics to beat Missouri and Louisiana-Lafayette. Even their shutout win over Jacksonville State wasn't particularly impressive. The Gators will get sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel back from injury. At tailback, senior Mike Gillislee is still one of the best rushers in the SEC. Florida State doesn't feel like they are getting the respect they deserve. Their only loss was by one point on the road at North Carolina State. Since the loss to the Wolfpack, the Seminoles have won five ACC games in a row. Senior quarterback EJ Manuel leads the offense, while junior Bjoern Werner helps anchor the defense.

Prediction: Florida State 27 Florida 24

1. #1 Notre Dame (11-0) @ USC (7-4) - 8:00 PM EST, ABC

Notre Dame is one win away from an improbable perfect regular season and place in the BCS National Championship. The offense has seen the emergence of sophomore quarterback Everett Golson. After struggling with consistency early in the season, he has nine total touchdowns (seven passing and two rushing) and only two interceptions in his last three games. Despite the improved passing game, the Fighting Irish are still a rushing focused offense with 21 rushing touchdowns. Seniors Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood both have over 700 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on the season. Sophomore tailback George Atkinson III has also been a touchdown factor with five scores of his own. Notre Dame's rock solid defense can't be overlooked either. The unit has only given up over 17 points in a game once all season. Heisman candidate Manti Te'o leads the way for a physical and athletic group.

USC's season has not gone as many expected. Losing three out of four games has dropped them to 5-4 in the Pac-12 and out of the polls. In the loss last week at UCLA, the Trojans also lost their senior quarterback Matt Barkley to injury. This means that freshman Max Wittek will make his first collegiate start against the superb Notre Dame defense. Wittek likes to air it out and has probably the best duo of receivers in college football to throw to. Sophomore Marqise Lee is a man playing among boys. He has had double digit receptions in seven games and an incredible 345 receiving yards against Arizona. Junior Roberts Woods would be a top receiver on most other teams, but will be another talented target for Wittek on Saturday. One more player on the USC offense to keep an eye on is senior tailback Curtis McNeal. He has a combined 324 rushing yards the past two weeks and could be in for another big day with Barkley out. The Trojans defense has struggled down the stretch, especially with tackling. They will have to do much better against the Fighting Irish on Saturday.

Prediction: Notre Dame 24 USC 20

Breaking Down the AP Preseason All-Americans

Indiana sophomore Cody Zeller was a near unanimous selection as a Associated Press Preseason All-Americans. (Kevin C. Cox)

We are on the verge of November, which means the college basketball season is just about to tip off. It also means that it is time for all of the preseason honors and predictions to be given out. Today, the Associated Press announced their preseason All-Americans.

A 65-member panel does the deciding voting on who will be the All-Americans. This year, there were a tie for the fifth most votes, so there are six players overall. The players are as follows with the number of votes in parentheses:

• Cody Zeller, Indiana (64)
• Doug McDermott, Creighton (62)
• Isaiah Canaan, Murray State (43)
• Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State (26)
• C.J. McCollum, Lehigh (16)
• Trey Burke, Michigan (16)

There were five main stories that jumped out at me from this year's list.

1. Three out of the six All-Americans are from mid-majors.
I doubt this has ever happened before. Not only are McDermott, Canaan and McCollum from mid-majors, they are all from different conferences. The wealth of college basketball talent seems to spread around the country more and more each season. You no longer have to play at Kentucky, North Carolina or Kansas to be the best players in the country. Each of these players led their teams on deep runs into the NCAA tournament last year and are fully capable of doing it again this year.

2. The other three All-Americans are from the Big Ten.
The AP voters love the Big Ten this year. First, they put Indiana (#1), Ohio State (#4) and Michigan (#5) in the preseason top five in the poll. Now, they named each of their respective stars All-American. Zeller is the top man on a talented and experienced Hoosiers team. Thomas may have been overshadowed by Jared Sullinger (now in the NBA) during last season's Final Four run, but he will shine as the star now. Even though no Buckeye fans will agree with this, Burke is the best point guard in the country and is the most dominant at his craft.

3. One voter is delusional or blinded by his dislike for Cody Zeller.
Zeller is the best college basketball player in the country as of right now. For standing 6-foot-11, he is extraordinarily agile and mobile. He has good scoring instincts and doesn't mind being aggressive. Zeller can be explosive at the rim, runs the floor very well and has a high basketball IQ. He has All-American written all over him. I hope the one voter who chose not to vote for Zeller gets to watch him dominant on a nightly basis.

4. There are no freshman preseason All-Americans.
This isn't about a lack of talent. It is clearly there. It's even quite likely that there will be at least one freshman on the list at the end of March. However, the problem from now is that there aren't any of them that we are confident will make an immediate impact. Kentucky's Nerlens Noel, UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad and and Kyle Anderson and Arizona's Kaleb Tarczewski all have respectable chances at being named All-Americans by season end.

5. If this list is any indicator, this year's March Madness might be crazier than ever.
Not to downgrade their talent one single bit, but this list of preseason All-Americans is one of the weakest I have seen in a long time. The Big Ten is expected to be a tough conference at the top, but after that the rankings are pretty spread wide and far. It appears as though pretty much any team could make a shocking run to the top this season.

Wiggins Becomes Top Recruit in Class of 2013

Andrew Wiggins becomes top recruit in Class of 2013 after he reclassified from the Class of 2014. (Sam Forencich)

Yesterday, Andrew Wiggins was the top college basketball recruit in the Class of 2014. Today, he no longer is following a drastic decision to reclassify to join this year's Class of 2013. Wiggins doesn't suffer any decline though as he supplants Jabari Parker as the new No. 1 in his new class.

"It's time for him (to show) that he is the best in college right now. I think he is ready for the next step. Academically wise, he is doing great. Maturity wise, he is doing great. He has a lot of talent. He is ready for the next step, and everybody knows it is time. It is Andrew's time. Next year is coming soon and he is ready," stated Mitchell Wiggins, Andrew's father.

There's no doubt that the talent is there. Wiggins was undoubtedly the best player at the LeBron James Skills Academy last summer. He is deeply skilled, able to score in bunches, and has very promising potential. Check out highlights of what he did this past summer at the LJSA.

At 6-7, Wiggins has tremendous athleticism and size. He has the ability to score from anywhere on the court and has demonstrated a consistent perimeter game. His long term potential should not be overlooked either. Needless to say, the move to this year's recruitment class has college basketball powerhouses buzzing.

Kentucky seems to be a frontrunner for every top recruit. Their Class of 2013 already includes commits from the Harrison twins (#3 and #4), small forward James Young (#10), and center Marcus Lee (#39). A pair of power forwards, Julius Randle (#5) and Aaron Gordon (#6), are also reportedly very interested in playing for the Wildcats.

Florida State is the other favorite to land Wiggins. Andrew's father played there. With an up-and-coming ACC program, the Seminoles will at least intrigue Wiggins to a degree. UNC, Kansas, and Ohio State are reportedly going to start pursuing beginning next week.

Wiggins has the talent and potential to change the face of college basketball and the NBA not too far down the road. ESPN's Paul Biancardi went as far to say that he is the best perimeter prospect since LeBron James. One NBA executive stated he believes Wiggins will be the top pick in the 2014 NBA draft and will start his rookie season. Obviously, people believe in the potential and abilities the Canadian possesses. Now, the only decision that remains to be seen is where he will be playing his college ball at next fall.

College Football Week 6 Preview and Predictions

South Carolina is going to need a big game out of running back Marcus Lattimore if they are going to defeat Georgia. (Streeter Lecka)

Only have time for short previews this week. I am giving you an impact player to watch on each of the teams, plus my usual predictions.

5. Miami (FL) (4-1) vs. #9 Notre Dame (4-0) (in Chicago) - 7:30 PM EST, NBC

Stephen Morris, Miami quarterback - Morris put up huge numbers against N.C. State, including 271  passing yards in the first quarter. He must continue to be accurate and limit mistakes as much as possible.

Manti Te'o, Notre Dame linebacker - Te'o has been in beast mode since the season began. He has forced five fumbles in four games. The combination of speed and skill Te'o possesses makes his very presence a game-changer.

Prediction: Notre Dame 27 Miami 24

4. #21 Nebraska (4-1) @ #12 Ohio State (5-0) - 8:00 PM EST, ABC

Taylor Martinez, Nebraska quarterback - Martinez leads a dynamic offense that is capable of keeping up with the scoring of Ohio State. His dual-treat nature keeps opposing defenses guessing and on their heels.

Philly Brown, Ohio State wide receiver - Brown had the game of  his career last weekend against Michigan State. He had 12 catches for 84 yards. Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller will likely look Brown's way first, so he has to be ready.

Prediction: Ohio State 31 Nebraska 27

3. #8 West Virginia (4-0) @ #11 Texas (4-0) - 7:00 PM EST, FOX

Geno Smith, West Virginia quarterback - Smith has been putting up extraordinary numbers all season long. Last week, he completed 45 of 51 passes for 656 yards and eight touchdowns. Smith has thrust himself into the national spotlight and Heisman race.

Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas defensive end - Jeffocoat leads a talented Longhorns defensive line and unit. He has 25 tackles, including eight for a loss so far this season.

Prediction: West Virginia 52 Texas 41

2. #4 LSU (5-0) @ #10 Florida (4-0) - 3:30 PM EST, CBS

Sean Montgomery, LSU defensive end - Montgomery leads a loaded Tigers defense. Controlling the line of scrimmage has been key. He has 6.5 of the Tigers' 41 tackles for a loss.

Mike Gillislee, Florida running back - Gilliselee is a big, strong power back is difficult to take down. He has rushed for 402 yards and five touchdowns so far this season. The senior could be in for a big game against a Tigers defense that looked suspect against the run in their game against Towson.

Prediction: Florida 17 LSU 13

1. #5 Georgia @ #6 South Carolina - 7:00 PM EST, ESPN/WatchESPN

Jarvis Jones, Georgia linebacker - Jones is a superb talent and game-changer on defense. In their last game against Tennessee  he was limited to only eight tackles. Jones will be looking to make a big play in Saturday's showdown.

Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina running back - Lattimore, who is coming off season-ending surgery last season, is putting up big numbers this season. He has even diversified his game to become an important receiver for the Gamecocks as well.

Prediction: Georgia 31 South Carolina 27

College Football Week 5 Preview and Predictions

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller will have to be at his best in East Lansing to knock off Michigan State. (AP Photo)

Conference play is getting under way around the nation. Since it is late at night, I have brief previews and predictions for my top five games of the weekend. Feel free to comment if you have any questions or things you would add.

5. #18 Oregon State @ Arizona - 10:00 PM EST, Pac-12 Network

While the Pac-12 conference has had its ups and downs, Oregon State has emerged as the surprise team. They began the season with two upsets of ranked opponents to become ranked themselves. The Beavers look to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2002. Quarterback back Sean Mannion has led the offense to great success so far this season. His counterpart, Matt Scott, has been very important in order for Arizona to play well. The Wildcats were looking to pull an upset last week, but instead was throttled by Oregon 49-0. They will need to bounce back quickly at home.

Prediction: Arizona 34 Oregon State 27

4. Tennessee @ #5 Georgia - 3:30 PM EST, CBS

Upstart Tennessee has another shot at upsetting a ranked opponent this Saturday. Their first opportunity came up short against Florida. While the Volunteers passing game usually gets all the flashy news coverage, the team will need a huge game out of running back Rajion Neal as well. Georgia might be looking ahead to what is potentially ahead, but they must be careful not to lose sight of the task set before them. Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray will look to continue to lead his team to further success.

Prediction: Georgia 27 Tennessee 17

3. Wisconsin @ #22 Nebraska - 8:00 PM EST, ABC

Wisconsin has struggled greatly to begin the season. They were ranked until they got upset by Oregon State. Even the Badgers three wins over the likes of Northern Iowa, Utah State, and UTEP, were all much closer contests than expected. Nebraska was upset by a Pac-12 team as well in UCLA. Since then, the Cornhuskers have bounced back and their offense is running on all cylinders. Quarterback Taylor Martinez has a plethora of weapons at his disposal from which he can choose.

Prediction: Nebraska 31 Wisconsin 14

2. #25 Baylor @ #9 West Virginia - 12:00 PM EST, FX

West Virginia hosts Baylor in its first ever Big 12 game. This one has shootout written all over it. Both teams dominated decently difficult non-conference schedules to the tune of a combined 98 points per game. Bears quarterback Nick Florence and Mountaineers quarterback Geno Smith are the top two in the nation in total offense respectively. Neither team's defense has looked particularly impressive in any way. Whichever one is able to step up and make a stop, could prove to be the difference for their team.

Prediction: West Virginia 52 Baylor 48

1. #14 Ohio State @ #20 Michigan State - 3:30 PM EST, ABC

If you simply look at the rankings and records of these two teams, you would assume that they have dominated their competition. On the contrary, both are fortunate to be ranked that high and to have they record they do have. Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller has helped to make the difference on offense, especially since the health of running back Carlos Hyde is still up in the air. Michigan State has been led by running back Le'Veon Bell, who has been an absolute workhorse for the Spartans.

Prediction: Michigan State 17 Ohio State 16

College Football Week 3 Preview and Predictions

MSU running back Le'Veon Bell was stopped by Notre Dame last year, but this season he has been hard to slow down. (Gregory Shamus)

After a week of surprising upsets, the college football season has begun to take shape. This weekend should continue to be a grooming process of the cream of the crop. This is the preview and predictions for Week 3 of the college football season.

5. California @ #12 Ohio State - 12:00 PM EST, ABC

Last week, the PAC-12 put three big beatdowns on the Big Ten. This weekend California will look to keep the trend going as they travel to Columbus to take on Ohio State. The Golden Bears bounced back from opening loss to Nevada with a win over Southern Utah. Ohio State is 2-0 after having little trouble with Miami (OH) and Central Florida. If Cal is going to pull an upset, they are going to need a big game out of their two offensive stars, quarterback Zach Maynard and wide receiver Kennan Allen. Ohio State may need to rely on quarterback Braxton Miller to carry a heavier load with running backs Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde battling injuries.

Prediction: Ohio State 27 California 17

4. Wake Forest @ #5 Florida State - 12:00 PM EST, ESPN/ESPN 3D

Florida State is a top-five team in the polls and has outscored two FCS opponents 124-3 to begin the season. Wake Forest will be their first real test of the season. In fact, the Demon Deacons have beaten the Seminoles in four of their last six matchups, including two of the last three in Tallahassee. One of the reasons that Florida State has put such big numbers is that quarterback EJ Manuel has yet to be sacked this season. Wake Forest will look to change that while being led by the reigning ACC defensive lineman of the week. In his first career start, defensive end Hasan Hazime had five tackles, a sack, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.  Offensively, the Demon Deacons will need big games out of their tandem of top receivers, Brandon Terry and Michael Campanaro.

Prediction: Florida State 31 Wake Forest 10

3. #2 USC @ #21 Stanford - 7:30 PM EST, FOX

While former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck led his team past their rival, current USC quarterback Matt Barkley will look to return the favor. USC, one of the favorites in the BCS race, has looked up and down so far this season. The Trojans have yet to look consistent from start to finish. Stanford rebound from a soft showing against San Jose State with a pounding of Duke. The Cardinal will need running back Stepfan Taylor to step up and lead on offense. The big question mark for the Trojans might be their offensive line. Their pass protection must give Barkley time to operate.

Prediction: USC 34 Stanford 20

2. #18 Florida @ #23 Tennessee - 6:00 PM EST, ESPN/Watch ESPN

Tennessee is ranked for the first time in four seasons. To stay in the rankings, they will have to beat rival Florida for the first time since 2004. Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray has brilliant in the Vols first two games. He leads a dynamic passing attack that features wide receivers Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle Patterson. The Volunteers will look to use their up-tempo, no-huddle offense to overwhelm the Gators. Conversely, Florida will look to control the ball to keep the Tennessee offense off the field. The Gators will focus on running the ball behind power back Mike Gillislee. Gillislee leads the SEC in rushing yards and tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns.

Prediction: Tennessee 28 Florida 24

1. #20 Notre Dame @ #10 Michigan State - 8:00 PM EST, ABC

Since many Big Ten favorites have stumbled early, Michigan State has emerged as the conference front runner. They now have to back that claim up with a primetime showdown with non-conference rival Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish dominated Navy in Ireland, but then looked shaky against Purdue last week. Everett Golson will get the start at quarterback, but Tommy Rees is waiting in the wings in case Golson struggles. Whoever is at quarterback will benefit from getting back running back Cierre Wood.

The Spartans offense will look for tail back Le'Von Bell to carry the load again. Bell has been an absolute beast (50 touches against Boise State) so far this season. Michigan State quarterback Andrew Maxwell has looked pretty good, but forced too many passes against Boise State, resulting in three interceptions. The Spartans also boast what is probably the best defensive end duo in the country with William Gholston and Marcus Rush. Defensively, the Fighting Irish will rely on the leadership of Manti Te'o, one of the best linebackers in the nation, to slow down Bell and the Spartan offense.

Prediction: Michigan State 21 Notre Dame 20

Kentucky Held On, While Kansas Came From Behind

Kentucky 69 Louisville 61

The first Final Four matchup was the Battle of the Bluegrass between Kentucky and Louisville. Kentucky built the lead early behind great defensive prowess, especially that of Anthony Davis. Louisville looked like it had a chance when they pulled even on Peyton Siva's three-pointer with just over nine minutes to go in the game, but the Cardinals failed to score over the next six minutes. The Wildcats took over during that stretch, and the Cardinals could never recover. In the game, Davis showed why he is the best player in the country. He had 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks. That in and of itself is impressive, but that doesn't even take into account the number of shots Davis altered or influenced. The Wildcats had the better talent on the floor, and it showed in the result.

Kansas 64 Ohio State 62

In the second Final Four game, Ohio State came out on fire. They built the lead to 26-13 and seemed to be in complete control. Kansas head coach Bill Self called a timeout and whatever he said turned things around for the Jayhawks. Over the next 12 minutes, Kansas went on a 25-12 run to tie the game up at 38. Ohio State regained the lead, but were never able to put away the Jayhawks. With 2:22 left in the game, Aaron Craft put the lead at 3 for the Buckeyes. From that point on, the Kansas defense took it up a notch. In the final seconds, Ohio State trailed by 3, so Kansas fouled Aaron Craft before he could get off a shot. He made the first free throw and missed the second on purpose. However, he was called for a lane violation trying to get the rebound. The Buckeye players were so busy yelling at the official that Kansas inbounded the ball and won the game. Everyone will talk about Kansas' Thomas Robinson's dominance on offense in the paint as the difference in the game, I would argue that it was the other Jayhawk big man, Jeff Withey, who was the biggest difference maker. Withey quietly had 8 rebounds and 7 blocks. He bothered Ohio State star Jared Sullinger all night and made every shot in the paint difficult for the Buckeyes. Kansas showed why once again why you can't count them out. Kentucky might be the big favorites on Monday, but don't count out the Jayhawks just yet.

Breaking Down the Sweet Sixteen From a Geographical Standpoint

No Teams From the Western Half of the U.S.

Everyone knows the Pac-12 was down this year in basketball, but apparently the whole western half of the country was as well. WAC favorite Nevada bowed out in their conference tournament. The conference that looked the most dominant was the Mountain West. They received four bids (three of which were #6 or higher), but the conference finished with a combined record of only 1-4 in the tournament. No teams from this vast geographic region made it to the Sweet Sixteen.

Midwest Central

Since the West produced nothing, someone had to step up, and the Midwest happily filled the void. The two best conferences by far this season, the Big 12 and Big Ten, are both centered in the heart of Midwestern farm land. But it is more than just these conferences. The Midwest took commanding control of the tournament. 12 of the remaining Sweet Sixteen teams are from the geographic region. Making the odds of a champion coming from the Midwest increasingly likely.

Ohio Domination

The Midwest conquered as a region, but one of its state dominated like no other. That state was Ohio. The state got only four teams into the tournament, but all of them are Sweet Sixteen teams. That means that one-quarter of the teams left in the NCAA tournament are from Ohio. What makes it even more impressive is that these teams aren't even a highly ranked group as a whole. The teams consist of a #2 seed (Ohio State), a #6 seed (Cincinnati), a #10 seed (Xavier), and a #13 seed (Ohio University). Ohioans should be proud of their basketball. One doesn't see a feat like this everyday.

BCS Bowls Burst on the Scene Among a Full Slate of Monday Matchups

There are six big bowl games being played on Monday, January 2, 2012. Here are some previews and predictions. Games are listed in order in which they will take place chronologically.

TicketCity Bowl - #19 Houston (12-1) vs. #22 Penn State (9-3) - 12:00 PM EST, ESPNU

This bowl game isn't where either of these teams hoped they would end up. As a result, motivation might be a struggle for both teams. The Houston Cougars were 12-0 entering the Conference USA Championship Game. All they needed was to win the game, and they would get the berth to a BCS bowl. However, Southern Miss pulled the upset, so the Cougars have to settle for this bowl. Normally, a nine win season for a Big Ten team would earn them one of the conference's more desired bowl games. Unfortunately for Penn State, many bowl committees passed them up because of the scandal that devastated the program. Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for the Nittany Lions, they did. The team has ruled out starting quarterback Matt McGloin, with a concussion from a fight with a teammate in their locker room. Houston is of course known by their record-setting quarterback Case Keenum. He will have a tough matchup against a Penn State defense that ranks #5 in the nation against the pass. Prediction: Houston 27 Penn State 16

TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl - Ohio State (6-6) vs. Florida (6-6) - 1:00 PM EST, ESPN2

In most seasons, this matchup would most likely be a regular season headliner or BCS bowl, but this year isn't a typical year for either team as both finished a disappointing 6-6. Ohio State lost their last three games of the season. In fact, the Buckeyes finished with a losing record in Big Ten play for the first time since 1999. Florida lost six of their last eight. The storyline of this game is that it pits coach Urban Meyer's former team against his future team. While he will have no actual role in the game, most of the talk surrounding the game will be about him, rather than the mediocre football being played on the field. Prediction: Florida 27 Ohio State 24

Outback Bowl - #17 Michigan State (10-3) vs. #16 Georgia (10-3) - 1:00 PM EST, ABC

Both of these teams look to bounce back from disappointing losses in their respective conference championship games. Michigan State lost a hard fought battle against Wisconsin 42-39. Georgia, which entered their game with #1 LSU on a ten game winning streak, saw their streak snapped as they were manhandled by a far superior Tigers team, 42-10. The quarterback matchup should be a good one. The Spartans' Kirk Cousins finished his senior season strong, throwing 13 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions during a five game span. The Bulldogs' sophomore quarterback, Aaron Murray, had a strong season as well, but struggled against LSU's stringent defense to end the season. While both of these offenses are capable of putting points on the scoreboard, I expect this game to be a lower scoring one because of the dominance of both of these defenses. Both finished in the top five in of the FBS in total defense. Prediction: Georgia 20 Michigan State 10

Capital One Bowl - #20 Nebraska (9-3) vs. #9 South Carolina (10-2) - 1:00 PM EST, ESPN

South Carolina is one win away from its winningest season in school history. In order to achieve that, they are going to have to overcome a few things. One would be their own history in bowl games, having lost their last three. They are also going to have to slow down Nebraska's challenging offense, led by dual-threat quarterback Taylor Martinez and running back Rex Burkhead. The Huskers' offense won't have an easy task themselves either as they match up against a Gamecocks defense that ranks #4 in the FBS in total defense and is led by first-team All-American defensive end Melvin Ingram. Nebraska has to be a little disappointed on not making it to a BCS bowl in their first year in the Big Ten, but overall it was a solid year for the team. They would love to cap it off with a bowl win. Prediction: South Carolina 20 Nebraska 17

Rose Bowl - #10 Wisconsin (11-2) vs. #5 Oregon (11-2) - 5:00 PM EST, ESPN

Both these teams are familiar to BCS games in recent years, but both are looking for their first win. Wisconsin was in the Rose Bowl last year, but lost to an undefeated TCU team. Oregon is making their third straight BCS bowl game appearance. The Ducks lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl two years ago and to Auburn in the BCS title game last season. This year's matchup might result in the highest scoring Rose Bowl ever. Both offenses rank in the top five in total offense in the nation and neither have scored less than 27 points in a game all season. Both offenses feature standout quarterbacks and running backs. Wisconsin's quarterback Russell Wilson is one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country, completing 72.5% of his passes while throwing 31 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions. The Badgers' running back Montee Bell finished the season as a Heisman finalist with a total of 1759 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns. Oregon's quarterback Darron Thomas finished with 2493 passing yards and 30 passing touchdowns. The Ducks' explosive running back LaMichael James averaged 7.4 yards per carry, while rushing for 1646 yards and 17 touchdowns. This one seems set to be a shootout. Prediction: Wisconsin 38 Oregon 35

Tostitos Bowl - #4 Stanford (11-1) vs. #3 Oklahoma State (11-1) - 8:30 PM EST, ESPN

The Tostitos Bowl this year is all about teams trying to prove a point. Stanford wants to showcase quarterback Andrew Luck and let everyone know that they have a complete football team. Luck is being hailed as the greatest quarterback prospect since John Elway. Oklahoma State wants the NCAA and viewers to realize that the BCS is a screwed up system and that they should be playing in the national championship game. This game obviously features two prolific, high scoring offenses. The Cardinal offense revolves around Luck, who threw for 35 touchdown passes during the season, and tight end Coby Fleener, who is the most productive tight end in the nation. The Cowboys offense features quarterback Brandon Weeden, who threw for 34 touchdown passes, and wide receiver Justin Blackmon, who caught 113 passes for 1336 yards and 15 touchdowns. If you thought that wasn't enough offense, Cowboys running back Joseph Randle also ran for 1193 yards and 23 touchdowns. You thought the Rose Bowl was going to be high scoring, but this one might be even higher scoring. It might me a shootout between the bowls to see who can score the most combined points. Prediction: Oklahoma State 48 Stanford 31

Ohio State's Dismantling of Duke is Just the Start of What Should Be a Revealing Week

A lot of people, including myself, questioned how good the Ohio State players not named Jared Sullinger were. Last night, they made a statement when they routed Duke by 22. In Columbus, the Buckeyes fans booed when LeBron James and his Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade walked to their courtside seats. After the game tipped off, there was little for them to complain about as their team took an early 11-0 lead and never looked back. Ohio State's offense was led by Sullinger's 21 and senior William Buford's 20. Sophomores Deshaun Thomas and Aaron Craft added 18 and 17, respectively. The Buckeyes defense kept Duke from responding. The Blue Devils made only twenty percent of their three point attempts as they scored a season-low 63 points.

This is just the start of what should be a revealing week. Below is my preview of the best game for each night the rest of this week, starting tonight.

#7 Wisconsin @ #5 UNC - 9:30 PM EST (Wednesday), ESPN

Wisconsin's closest game this season so far is a 17 point win over BYU. The problem is that the Cougars are by far the best team they've played. The Badgers are led by Preseason All-American guard Jordan Taylor. Sophmore Ben Brust is off to a great start to the season as well. UNC is hoping to bounce back from their first loss of the season at UNLV. The Tar Heels are also hoping their Preseason All-American forward Harrison Barnes is able to play well on the ankle he rolled in that loss.

St. John's @ #1 Kentucky - 7:30 PM EST (Thursday), ESPN2

Thanks to UNLV's aforementioned upset of UNC, this year's version of the young Kentucky Wildcats is already ranked #1. Kentucky's starting lineup features three freshmen and two sophomores. The Wildcats have scored 84.4 ppg and won their games by an average of 30.0 points. The big showdown might be Saturday (I'll preview that in a bit.), but this young team can't get caught looking ahead. St. John's brings their own young team to Rupp Arena. The Red Storm might be 4-3, but I watched them played at Madison Square Garden. They are much better than that. This team is figuring out how to play together. Sophmore guard Nurideen Linsey has the looks of an electrifying, budding leader. In addition to Lindsey, D'Angelo Harrison, Moe Harkless, and God'sgift Achiuwa all average at least 11.3 ppg.

#9 Florida @ #3 Syracuse - 7:00 PM EST (Friday), ESPN

The Florida Gators travel to the Carrier Dome to take on the Syracuse Orange. The Gators only loss is by seven points to Ohio State. The Gators offense is being led by guards Kenny Boynton and Bradley Beal. Beal is off to a great start to his freshman season. The Syracuse Orange are 7-0, despite all the chaos surrounding their program. The Barry Fine investigation is ongoing, and head coach Jim Boeheim is getting increasingly frustrated with the media. Boeheim better be careful though because if these accusations turn out to be true, he could experience a similar exit to former Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno. On the court, senior point guard Scoop Jardine runs the Orange offense. Senior forward Kris Joseph is the team's leading scorer.

#5 UNC @ #1 Kentucky - 12:00 PM EST (Saturday), CBS

I have already previewed both these teams (if you forgot, look above). This matchup features two of the most storied programs in all of college basketball. The Wildcats offense has been fairly balanced this season. UNC point guard Kendall Marshall is averaging a ridiculous 10.8 apg in leading the Tar Heels attack. The teams seem to matchup fairly equally. This game should be a dandy.

College Football Week 12 Preview & Predictions

5. #16 Nebraska @ #18 Michigan - 12:00 PM EST, ESPN/ESPN3

The Big Ten Legends Division is down to three contenders with one clear favorite. Both Nebraska and Michigan are 8-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play. They sit a game behind Michigan State who is 8-2 as well, but are 5-1 in conference play. The Spartans play Indiana at home (12:00 PM EST, Big Ten Network). If they win, Michigan is out. Therefore, Michigan needs a win over Nebraska and an Indiana win over Michigan State to stay alive in their pursuit of this year's Big Ten Championship. Nebraska needs either a win over Michigan or an Indiana win over Michigan State. To say there is a lot riding on the outcome of this game, is an understatement. This one should be fun. Prediction: Nebraska 20 Michigan 17

4. #17 Wisconsin @ Illinois - 12:00 PM EST, ESPN2/ESPN3

Now, it's time to watch what happens in the Big Ten's other division. In the Leaders Division, Wisconsin is in the same position as Michigan and Nebraska. Wisconsin (8-2, 4-2) sits one game behind Penn State (8-2, 5-1). After two heartbreaking losses, the Badgers responded by beating Purdue and Minnesota by a combined margin of 104-30. Illinois started the season 5-0, but upon examining their schedule, that was more or less just an illusion. The Illini have now lost four in a row. Head coach Ron Zook is back on the hot seat. How will his players respond for him? Prediction: Wisconsin 38 Illinois 13

3. #21 Penn State @ Ohio State - 3:30 PM EST, ABC Regional/ESPN/ESPN3

Penn State and Ohio State were once considered to be the epitome of what a football program should be. When these two teams played last year, the game featured the two winningest active coaches in Division I football. The NCAA is still in the midst of an investigation into Ohio State players trading memorabilia for cash and receiving discounted tattoos. Head coach Jim Tressel became history. Penn State is still shell shocked by the Jerry Sandusky scandal that has disgraced and torn apart a tight-knit community. Head coach Joe Paterno was fired and his legendary career is forever tarnished. Saturday there is football to be played. A game that is very important for both teams. Ohio State is bowl eligible, but might have to play a MAC school if they don't win one of their final two games. Penn State still sits in first place in the Big Ten Leaders Division. They control their own fate in their path to the Big Ten Championship Game. Penn State needs to do something they haven't done very much of in the past, win at the Horseshoe. They've only one once in Columbus since joining the Big Ten. This game should feature heavy running approaches and strong defenses. Prediction: Penn State 14 Ohio State 13

2. #5 Oklahoma @ #22 Baylor - 8:00 PM EST, ABC Regional/ESPN3

Without even playing last week, Oklahoma returned to the BCS National Championship picture. Two previously undefeated teams ahead of the Sooners, Stanford and Boise State, both lost. Now, the Sooners have two of their final three games against ranked opponents. If they win out, they definitely have a case for playing in the BCS National Championship Game. Their first game is against Baylor. The ranked Bears will be pumped for this showdown as they have a great chance to beat their rival Oklahoma for the first time ever. Last week, Baylor rallied and survived an overtime bout with Kansas 31-30. With Robert Griffin III at quarterback, the Bears should be able to score against the Sooners defense, but the question is whether or not their defense will be able to do enough to slow down Sooners quarterback Landry Jones. Prediction: Oklahoma 35 Baylor 31

1. SMU @ #11 Houston - 3:30 PM EST

Thanks in large part to Boise State's loss last week and College Gameday's first visit to campus, the spotlight is fully on Case Keenum and the Houston Cougars. Keenum is the NCAA all-time leader in total offense (18,434 yards), passing yards (17,537), and passing touchdowns (144). This Saturday he looks to add two more accomplishments to his resume. He needs seven completions to become the all-time leader in that category. If he passes for 300 yards or more, he will tie former Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang's record of 36 games. Additionally, if Houston wins out they will get the automatic bid to a BCS bowl game that Boise State vacated with their loss. SMU has lost three out of their last four, but won against a ranked TCU team earlier this year. Prediction: Houston 70 SMU 21

If you want to learn more about Houston, watch this video preview of their game this Saturday: http://www.cbs.com/sports/video/?pid=BQ83j5A3rSkGt81qEtipkZubz19w_4Uy&vs=Default&play=true

ESPN's Tip-Off Marathon

While the college basketball season has already tipped off, ESPN's Tip-Off Marathon began just an hour ago. The marathon features 21 games, 21 conferences, 15 states, and 14 ranked teams. Here are my Top 5 Games to Watch from the marathon.

5. Northern Iowa @ Saint Mary's - 2 AM EST, ESPN/ESPN3

Two mid-major tournament regulars who frequently do some damage. This game will help to give an early expectation as to what to expect from these teams come March.

4. Belmont @ #10 Memphis - Noon EST, ESPN/ESPN3

Belmont is coming off a 30 win season last year. They nearly upset Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium (lost by one). Memphis is young and unproven. I think the Bruins finish off the upset this time.

3. #6 Duke vs. Michigan State - 7 PM EST, ESPN/ESPN3

The Blue Devils were definitely tested by Belmont. Michigan State played a tough game against UNC, but just weren't good enough. But will they be good enough to beat Duke? This game should tell us a lot about both teams.

2. #8 Florida vs. #3 Ohio State - 8PM EST, ESPN2/ESPN3

The Gators bring a deeply talented backcourt, but Ohio State might have the best big man in the country in sophomore Jared Sullinger. The slim-downed Sullinger should be a beast, but how good will the rest of the team be? This is their first true test.

1. #2 Kentucky vs. #11 Kansas - 9PM EST, ESPN/ESPN3

Two of the winningest programs in the sports history faceoff on a big stage. Terrence Jones and yet another top rated freshman class lead Kentucky. Kansas point guard Tyshawn Taylor will run the show for the Jayhawks.

More complete preview of all of the games: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/page/Tipoff-game-by-game-preview-of-the-marathon/game-game-preview-college-hoops-tip-marathon

Andy Katz's blog posting previewing Belmont before the season began: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/7147784/belmont-bruins-chance-shine-early-duke-blue-devils-memphis-tigers

Detroit News article about Jared Sullinger and the Ohio State Buckeyes: http://www.detnews.com/article/20111109/SPORTS0203/111090312/Ohio-State-fit-for-Big-Ten-title-run-with-trimmer-Jared-Sullinger

Things are Becoming Very Interesting in the Big Ten

The Big Ten might not be the best conference in college football, but it might be one of the most interesting and exciting.

Just when everyone thought that Michigan State looked like the cream of the crop in the Legends division, Nebraska's defense said not so fast. After beating Michigan and Wisconsin (in stunning fashion) the past two weeks, Michigan State's offense was stymied. Nebraska pulled off the victory 24-3 in front of an excited home crowd.

Michigan's Toussaint had a career day as his team beat Purdue 36-14. Penn State held on against Illinois for a 10-7 victory to give coach Joe Paterno his record 409th win.

One the main questions going into the week was how would Wisconsin respond from last week's heartbreak. Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson threw a touchdown pass and two point conversion to give the Badges a 29-26 lead with 1:18 left. However, Wisconsin's defense let them down as they allowed inexperienced freshman quarterback Braxton Miller to complete a 40 yard game-winning touchdown pass to give Ohio State the upset win. Perhaps Wisconsin should look into purchasing some Prevacid, as they are suffering some heartburn once again.

So where do we stand now. The Legends Division standings have a 3-way tie at the top with Michigan, Nebraska, and Michigan State all holding a 3-1 conference record. Penn State (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten) now holds a commanding lead in the Leaders Division. The next closest teams are Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Purdue, who all have a 2-2 conference record. The Nittany Lions are off next week and control their own fate from here on out.