Fiesta Bowl:

Boise State vs. TCU     

Although a shot at one of the major conference opponents escaped both of these teams, this could turn out to be one of the best bowl games of them all. Some can consider this one to be sort of a dull ending two two seasons, but we still get to see a matchup between two teams with top offenses and top defenses. The Horned Frogs are the only team that rank in the top four in total offense and total defense. Their nasty front line is led by defensive end Jerry Hughes and linebacker Daryl Washington, who contribute to allowing only 23.2 yards per game. TCU's offense averages 40.6 points per game and 469 yards per game, which makes this team an unbelievable threat on both sides of the ball. Boise State brings to the table the nation's top ranked scoring defense, allowing just 44.1 yards per game. Their offensive line does an outstanding job protecting QB Kellen Moore (3,325 yards, 39 touchdowns, 3 interceptions) and allows just .38 sacks per game. The Broncos are second in the nation in the air and are number two in turnover margin. Look for Boise to try and take advantage of the Frogs in that category. We could find ourselves staring down the throat of another Poinsettia Bowl (last year TCU won 17-16) or we could be witness to an offensive shootout. TCU will look to utilize the ground game as they are 5th in the nation in rushing yards, while Boise will be attacking through the air behind the nation's top rated passer in Moore. This will be a fantastic game with both teams putting on a great show, but I am going to have to take TCU on this one, as they look to continue their dominance and prove not only that they are one of the best defenses in the nation, but one of the best teams as well. TCU wins by a few ... 30-24.

GMAC Bowl:

Central Michigan vs. Troy

This will be a classic battle between two stellar quarterbacks and their powerful offenses. Interesting story for Central Michigan though, as they will be facing the Sun Belt Conference champion without the coach who led them to their first national ranking. The Chippewas are the MAC champs for the third time in four seasons, and now they look to finish the season strong against a tough Troy team. Central Michigan is led by four year starter QB Dan LeFevour, who has thrown for 27 TDs and run for another 14 this year to bring his career total up to 147, which sets the major college football mark. His best weapon and favorite target, receiver Bryan Anderson has caught at least one pass in an NCAA record 53 consecutive games. Throw in receiver Antonio Brown who has team highs of 97 catches for 1,020 yards and nine touchdowns, and you have an offense that is hard to beat. I have a feeling however that the Troy offense may be able to keep up. Troy throws the ball just as good as any non-BCS team aside from Houston, and over their last six games averaged a total of 41.2 points.QB Levi Brown leads the charge and is second in the nation in passing yards per game at 322.3, and he tallied a total of 3,868 passing yards, the most in Troy's or Sun Belt history. This is the first meeting between the schools, and it is going to be explosive. Troy has won (at least a share) of the Sun Belt title for the fourth consecutive year, while the Chippewas will be entering their fourth consecutive bowl game. I am going to go with Central Michigan on this one simply for this fact: Troy's defense is not what it has been in recent years, and LeFevour looks to finish off his spectacular career by taking advantage of any and every opportunity given on game day. Expect LeFevour to launch away, but Levi Brown will be close behind ... Central Michigan wins 38-34.

Liberty Bowl:

Arkansas vs. East Carolina

This game will give East Carolina a chance to record its first 10-win season since 1991, an opportunity they let slip last season after blowing a 16-3 lead against Kentucky to lose the game 25-19. Arkansas looks to add a to their season resume during their first bowl appearance under second year coach Bobby Petrino. Unfortunately, the Pirates will go from QB Case Keenum to Razorback QB Ryan Mallett, who leads the nation's 10th ranked pass offense with 3,425 yards and 29 touchdowns. You can bet that Mallett watched the Conference USA championship game tape and was taking notes at Houston's air attack and Case Keenum bombing away. The Pirates will have their hands full with Mallett, especially with the nation's 110th ranked pass defense. Just assume Mallett will throw for over 300. However, this one could be interesting as East Carolina finds ways to win with its defense (see: Houston; C-USA championship game) and has an offensive that may be timely enough to get the job done. Bad things usually happen when C-USA teams face the SEC, but East Carolina is 1st in the conference and 6th in the nation in turnover margin, so in order to keep this one close and pull out a W, they need to be at least plus 2 in that category. I am going to take Arkansas on this one, as they look to gain some momentum going into 2010 ... 35-27.

Texas Bowl:

Missouri vs. Navy

A great way to start your New Year's Eve celebration early...

Missouri is bringing a three game winning streak into their fifth consecutive bowl game appearance. Navy is 
bringing its most victories in three seasons to their academy-record 7th straight bowl game appearance. This game has all the symptoms of an exciting, high-scoring offensive shootout. Although this is the first meeting between these two teams since 1961, contrasting offenses should make for a great game. Navy is fourth in the nation in rushing yards at 272.5 yards per game, and their powerful option offense is led by junior QB Ricky Dobbs. Dobbs rushed for 1,037 yards himself, and set a single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a QB with 24. Dobbs will certainly be facing one of his biggest tests, as he faces a Missouri rush defense that is 12th in the nation, allowing only 96.4 yards per game on the ground. Missouri brings to the table a powerful passing game that ranks 14th in the nation with 298.4 yards per game. Sophomore QB Blaine Gabbert had an unbelievable season, throwing for 3,302 yards, 23 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. His favorite target was senior receiver Danario Alexander, who caught 107 balls for 1,644 yards and 13 touchdowns. Navy will have their hands full trying to stop the nation's hottest receiver in Alexander. Navy puts in the effort, but I am going to have to go with Mizzou on this one, because they are just too hard to stop if they get it going early. Navy can be hit-or-miss, winning games against Notre Dame but losing to Hawaii. I'll keep it high-scoring and close, just for entertainment's sake ....Missouri wins ... 39-31.

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Las Vegas Bowl:

BYU vs. Oregon State 

Could be good, could be bad ... only one way to find out:

BYU is no stranger to the Las Vegas Bowl, as this will be their fifth straight appearance, going 2-2 against Pac-10 teams in the bowl. This game also has special implications for Cougar coach Bronco Mendenhall. Should BYU win this one, and he will be defeating the team he played for over 20 years ago. Oregon State has won five straight bowl games, but has to be disappointed they are not closing out their season in the Rose Bowl. BYU boasts a powerful, high-scoring offense that ranks 18th in the nation in total yards as well as 13th in the nation in both passing yards and points per game. The Cougars will expect big things from QB Max Hall who set a school record for victories by a QB at 31. Hall will be throwing to Tight End Dennis Pitta, who leads the team with 57 catches, 784 yards and 7 touchdowns. The Beavers' QB Sean Canfield looks to be equally impressive, after throwing 21 touchdowns, and leading the conference with 3,103 passing yards. BYU's rush defense needs to be on point, as they face a major problem in Beaver RB Jacquizz Rodgers, who ran for 1,377  yards and a school record 20 touchdowns ... as a sophomore. His older brother James led Oregon State in receptions with 87, and had 1,007 yards and 9 touchdowns. I've got to with Oregon State in this one. When BYU has been bad this season, it has been miserable. If QB Max Hall has a bad game, the Cougars have no chance. BYU would love to make a statement against a Pac-10 team, but they are up against Canfield and the Rodgers brothers. Close game, but the edge goes to the Beavers ... 31-30. 

Poinsettia Bowl:

Cal vs. Utah 

This one will actually be a good matchup. Here's why:

Both of these teams are relatively similar. They are similar in total offense and points scored per game, and they are similar in the fact that both teams have to be disappointed with how their seasons turned out. Both squads entered the season with BCS bowl dreams dancing in their heads. However inconsistent play soon followed and those hopes were squashed quickly. Utah will try to extend the nation's longest postseason winning streak to 9 against the Golden Bears. Under Coach Jeff Tedford, Cal has reached a bowl game for a school-record 7 consecutive seasons, while winning the past four. Cal will have some trouble in this one without the help of star tailback Jahvid Best who is sidelined after a nasty fall and concussion last month. RB Shane Veeren filled in for Best, tallying 444 yards and should get most of the touches against a Utah team that allows 141.3 rushing yards per game. Look for Cal to keep it on the ground, as QB Kevin Riley should have some trouble against a Utes team that led the Mountain West with 15 interceptions and held opponents to 172.8 passing yards. Freshman QB Jordan Wynn will start for the Utes, but expect them to utilize the ground game as well. Utah RB Eddie Wide led the Mountain West in rushing with 1,032 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. The Golden Bears rush defense has given up 365 yards on the ground in the past two games. Running games aside, I'm gonna have to give the edge to Utah. They lost three games this year, two of them to BCS teams (Oregon and TCU) and the third to BYU in overtime. Cal got blown out by sub-.500 Washington at the end of the season, and when the Bears are bad ... they're really bad. If Cal shows up for this one, it'll be a close one. Utah takes it ... 29-27.

New Orleans Bowl:

Southern Mississippi vs. Middle Tennessee State

Why you shouldn't miss out on this one:

This bowl could be surprisingly one-sided either way, but at the same time has all the necessary factors to be a sneaky good one. Southern Miss will be making their second consecutive trip to the New Orleans Bowl, in which they are 3-0 all time. This also marks their 12th bowl appearance in 13 seasons. Don't expect Middle Tennessee to take this one sitting down, as they boast a nasty front seven that leads the nation in tackles for a loss at 8.83 and is fourth in the nation in sacks at 3.17. The difference in this one might come down to defense, as Southern Miss is equally strong off the ball. The Blue Raiders have exceeded all expectations this season. After getting off to a 3-3 start, they look to grab their seventh straight victory against the Golden Eagles. Blue Raiders QB Dwight Dasher has been outstanding, recording nearly 300 total yards of offense per game, ninth best in the FBS, and tallying 2,627 yards and 21 touchdowns. Southern Miss will turn to QB Martevius Young, and RB Damion Fletcher (who needs just 63 yards to become the ninth player to reach 1,000 in all four seasons) for the answers on offense. Both teams have had good seasons, but besides a win over Maryland, MTSU's second best win of the year came against ULM. I'll have to take Southern Miss on this one, but not by much ... 30-27.  

St. Petersburg Bowl:

Rutgers vs. UCF              

Why you are more than welcome to finish that last minute shopping:

Central Florida is happy to even be in the St. Petersburg after a one year absence. This will be Rutgers fifth consecutive bowl game as they look to take their fourth consecutive win, facing the Knights for the first time. Rutgers will be pushing for a nine-win season, but this task will not come easy. UCF is a good football team. The Knights have a terrific run defense, an aggressive defensive front, and can execute play in the backfield. Coach George O'Leary's pass defense needs some work, so expect Rutgers QB Tom Savage to have a solid day. Knights QB Brett Hodges looks to finish his senior year with a solid performance, after throwing for 705 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions in his final three games. I doubt this one will be a high scoring game, with UCF going 0-2 against BCS teams this year, and Savage having an inconsistent season. Although this is virtually a home game for UCF, I have to go with Rutgers on this one ... 24-21.                                

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Little Caesar's Bowl:

Marshall vs. Ohio

Why you should spend this time decorating your Christmas tree:

Both teams do not do any one thing particularly well, collectively ranking 78th (Marshall) and 98th (Ohio) in total offense. Ohio has been quite a surprise this season, led by the stellar play of QB Theo Scott, who threw for 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season. However, aside from Scott, Ohio does not have much of an offense, and Marshall has lost 4 of their last 6 games. Throw in the fact that Marshall head coach Mark Snyder resigned following the last regular season game after putting together a decent season, and we can forgive you if you happen to miss this one. Ohio has been awful against the run, and that will mean a big day for the Thundering Herd's RB Darius Marshall who is back after missing games due to an ankle injury. Although the Bobcats' offense started to gel late in the year, I have to give the edge to Marshall on this one ... lets say, 24-20.

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Mid Major Game of the Week:

Nevada vs. Boise State

This matchup features two teams that have won a combined 19 consecutive games. Nevada has won eight in a row and has averaged 51.6 yards per game and won those contests by an average of 29 points per game. Boise State is 11-0 and averaging a nation's best 44.4 points per game. The Broncos are winning games by an average of 27.1 points per game. The key matchup in this game will be Nevada's rush offense vs the Boise State rush defense. Nevada leads the nation in rushing offense at 373.2 yards per game, and is the first team in mid major college history with three 1,000 yard rushers. In the past two games, Nevada has thrown for a total of 141 yards and rushed for 1,035. Boise State had trouble stopping the run against Fresno State and Idaho, but also won those contests by a combined 55 points. Given Nevada's horrible pass defense, the Wolf Pack must run wild to keep it close.

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Mid Major Game of the Week:

Air Force vs. BYU  

Air Force will look to put a stop to the Cougars five game win streak this weekend. The key matchup for this game will be Air Force defense vs. BYU QB Max Hall. There is no doubt that Hall is a player and can win games, as he looks to set a school record this week for victories by a QB. However Air Force has allowed 20 points or more only once this season, in an overtime loss to then number 19 Utah. Look for plenty of pass rush and sticky coverage in the secondary. Air Force also boasts an option offense that is fourth in the nation in rushing, averaging 279.2 yards per game. Couple that with Air Force's ability to keep the turnovers to a minimum, (tied for 2nd in the nation for lowest turnovers with 7), and this should be an interesting game for the Cougars who look to extend their win streak to six.

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 Mid Major Game of the Week:

Utah vs. TCU 

Why should you watch? This is the second game between ranked Mountain West opponents this season. Utah's only loss is by a touchdown against Oregon, but Utah needs to be cautious about this game. True freshman QB Jordan Wynn is making only his second career start and his first on the road. His first start was against winless New Mexico. This weekend he will be facing undefeated TCU, a team that ranks in the top five nationally in total defense, scoring defense, and pass defense. On the other hand, TCU faces its toughest remaining opponent, and a team that would love to prevent its Mountain West rival from going undefeated, and at the same time placing themselves on the inside track to a second straight conference title. Utah will be trying to end TCU's 12-game home winning streak, and with first place in the Mountain West on the line, look for this game to be a battle from start to finish.

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50. South Carolina: South Carolina must rebound better and avoid the late-season collapse that knocked the Gamecocks out of NCAA tournament contention last season. If they do those two things, the Gamecocks ought to earn an NCAA bid. This team led the league in turnover margin last season and should be producing a lot more steals with Devan Downey and Dominique Archie in the lineup. South Carolina clearly is a rung below Kentucky and Tennessee in the SEC East, but the Gamecocks are talented enough to battle Vanderbilt and Florida for third place in the division

49. Cincinnati: There definitely is a sense of urgency surrounding the Bearcats' program. Vaughn, one of the better players in recent school history, is entering his final college season, and Lance Stephenson is expected to turn pro after his freshman year. If Cincinnati doesn't make the NCAA tournament this year, it may be time to put coach Mick Cronin on the hot seat.

48. Creighton: This is a deep team that knows how to win, especially at home. Coach Dana Altman is an offensive whiz who runs myriad sets; he mixes in a motion offense, set plays, some up-tempo and lots of long-range shooting. His defenses are just as varied, as Creighton is known to employ man, zones and press. Creighton won a share of the Valley crown last season. If some key newcomers emerge and the frontcourt stabilizes, the Bluejays should contend again and extend their MVC-record run of consecutive postseason bids to 13.

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Mid Major Game of the Week:

Fresno State vs. Idaho 

This should be an interesting one for Idaho, losing their last 6 against Fresno State with their last victory against the Bulldogs in 1967. The key matchup in this game is going to be the Idaho run defense agasint the Fresno State run offense. Fresno State relies heavily on it's run offense, averaging 259.6 yards per game. Junior RB Ryan Mathews leads the nation in rushing as well posting an average of 164.5 yards per game. Idaho has allowed 706 rushing yards in the past two games, and although 484 of those yards were against Nevada, the Vandals still allowed 222 yards against Louisiana Tech. If Fresno has success on the ground this weekend, (meaning over 200 yards) they will win.

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101. Rider: It wouldn't be a surprise if Ryan Thompson joined his brother, Jason Thompson, in the NBA next season. Thompson - whose brother had a sterling career at Rider - is one of the best mid-major players in the nation, and he and forward Mike Ringgold are a potent duo. But the Broncs don't look to have enough to be legit challengers for the league title. Rider has postseason hopes because of Thompson, but a CBI or CIT appearance is far more likely than an NCAA bid.

100. Bradley: The Braves have won at least 21 games in four straight seasons, the longest such streak in the MVC. Jim Les has made his alma mater into one of the better programs in the Valley. Bradley is trying to become just the fifth Valley team to win at least 21 games in five consecutive campaigns. The Braves like to employ a rugged man-to-man defense, but expect them to apply more pressure in hopes of forcing turnovers and pushing the action.

99. Evansville:  The Purple Aces went from 10th in the MVC in 2007-08 to fifth last season, but they could finish 10th again this season. Evansville must find a way to replace the top four scorers from last season. The Purple Aces advanced to the postseason (CollegeInsider.com Tournament) for the first time in 10 years last season, but another postseason appearance seems out of reach for coach Marty Simmons. The key this season will be finding guards who can complement what could be a strong frontcourt.

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Mid Major Game of the Week:

Wyoming vs. Utah

The fact that this game is featured as Game of the Week is conducive to the type of week it is in college football. But ... the matchup is not that bad. Utah needed a big effort from its defense to pull out a win last week against Air Force, and Wyoming looks to contain Utah QB Terrance Cain, who struggled against a blitzing Air Force defense last week, and finished with a season low 167 yards passing. As of late, a bright spot for Wyoming has been the play of its defense, holding opponents to 23 points per game over the last two games. Sophomore Brian Hendricks is a beast. He had 23 tackles last week against Air Force and was named MWC defensive player of the week. The Cowboys have a strong linebacker unit, but must get it going on offense and special teams in order to avoid playing catch-up this week.

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Mid Major Game of the Week:

BYU vs. TCU  

All eyes will be on this Mid Major matchup on Friday night. TCU is ranked eighth in the first BCS standings. The problem with that is Boise State ranks four spots higher. Most people would agree that TCU can close this gap by remaining undefeated against stronger Mountain West opponents. The remaining opponents for TCU are 19-20, while Boise State's opponents are 19-25. TCU would get a major boost by beating number 16 BYU on the road this week. The Cougars will be the toughest test for TCU thus far. BYU ranksn fourth in the nation in total defense. Last year, TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes had four sacks and two forced fumbles in their rout of BYU. Hughes has eight sacks this season. Keep an eye on TCU special teams player Jeremy Kerley who has been a secret weapon for the Horned Frogs this season, with 22.6 yards per punt return and two touchdowns. Look for TCU to take this one, by a slim margin.

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152. Lipscomb:   Four starters are back for the Bison, led by their center Adnan Hodzic, a Bosnian native who played high school ball with Eric Gordon in Indianapolis. Hodzic (17.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg) is a beast in the lane. If George Washington transfer Johnny Lee comes through at guard, Lipscomb could win the league and go to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.

151. Vermont: The key to Vermont's season? Forward Marqus Blakely. Blakely is looking to sweep America East player of the year and defensive player of year honors for the third year in a row. Blakely (16.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg) is a star, although he certainly will miss the help of departing PG Mike Trimboli. F Colin McIntosh is gone as well, so the Catamounts will need much more from Michigan State transfer guard Maurice Joseph (8.1 ppg).

150. Arkansas: There already are rumblings about third-year coach John Pelphrey and the direction of the program. Experience could make all the difference for Arkansas this season. Foward Michael Washington will help in that area. The Razorbacks depended heavily on freshmen last season and eventually paid the price. Arkansas followed early season upsets of Texas and Oklahoma by going 2-14 in league play. Arkansas returns all five starters and ought to be far more competitive this season, though the Razorbacks look to be a year away from seriously contending for an NCAA bid.

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Make no mistake, Binghamton head coach Kevin Broadus deserves some blame. 

Probably even most of the blame.

Broadus decided to bet his career on the slim chance that he could use a bunch of trouble, but talented players to earn Binghamton's first trip to the NCAA tournament.

The first part of that plan worked out fine. Binghamton won 23 games last season and made the NCAA tournament. But the heartwarming stories in newspapers and magazines that usually follow a season like that never came. Partly due to Broadus' questionable recruiting tactics. And then things got worse last week, when star player Emmanuel Mayben was arrested on cocaine distribution charges and dismissed from the team. Then, on Friday, five more players were released including the America East's best player, D.J. Rivera.

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Game of the Week:

Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan 

The key matchup in this game will be Western Michigan QB Tim Hiller against Central Michigan's secondary. Hiller has struggled at some points this season, so he must be on the money if his team is going to pull the upset against Central Michigan. The Chippewas QB Dan LeFevour will have much success against Western Michigan's rebuilt secondary, so for the upset to happen, Hiller will find himself in a shootout. Hiller has only thrown for 300 yards once this season, and he will have to reach that mark again if Western is to pull out a win. In the Bronco's three losses, he has thrown only two touchdown passes, with three interceptions. Central Michigan has allowed just three touchdown passes this season.

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203. Southern Utah: Guard Davis Baker (17.4 ppg) can score from anywhere on the floor, and he might be good enough to lift Southern Utah on to the league's upper deck. The Thunderbirds' closest conference foe is Oral Roberts, which is about 1,250 miles away. The Thunderbirds lose a lot of quality size, though, in Tyler Quinny and John Clifford. Guys such as 6-9 Lucas Jones and 6-9 Jaren Jeffery have to give Baker some help.

202. Cal State Fullerton: The Titans went to the NCAA tournament in 2008, but they look likely to continue to fall out of contention this season. After winning the league and battling Wisconsin in the 2008 NCAA tournament, the Titans fell into a tie for seventh last season despite the heroics of Big West player of the year and top scorer Josh Akognon (23.9 ppg). He helped ease a rebuilding season, but he was a senior and coach Bob Burton must find more production from several returnees. The next star might be guard Jacques Streeter (10.4 ppg), who returns as a sophomore.

201. Louisiana Lafayette: Guard Chris Gradigno returns as the leading scorer from last year, but Coach Robert Lee is on the hot seat and shook up his staff, hiring two new assistants. There is some talent, most notably Gradigno, but the Ragin' Cajuns must shoot better (41.6 percent last season, including a woeful 32.1 percent from 3-point range) and put forth more effort on the boards. Injuries also were an issue last season. Look for the Ragin' Cajuns to sit in the middle of the Sun Belt Conference.

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Game of the Week:

Air Force vs. TCU

Air Force has not scored an offensive touchdown in the past nine quarters, and now the Falcons must face one of the nation's toughest defenses. Air Force is number two in the nation in rushing offense, but TCU leads the country in rushing defense. In four of the past six games between the teams, TCU has held Air Force to 14 or fewer points. FB Jared Tew will be the focal point of TCU's defense this week, because when the fullback is contained, most triple option teams struggle to continuously move the ball. Expect a big game from TCU's Daryl Washington, who is one of the best linebackers in the nation. The keys to this game remain Air Force run offense versus TCU run defense. 

Best Mid Major vs. BCS:

The 14th-ranked Nittany Lions will try to keep racking up rushing yards Saturday afternoon when they step out of conference for the final time to host Football Championship Subdivision foe Eastern Illinois and quarterback Jake Christensen, who is no stranger to playing in Big Ten stadiums. Penn State (4-1) outscored its first three non-conference opponents 90-20, but hardly looked dominant rushing the ball, gaining 4.0 yards per carry after averaging 6.5 outside of league play a year ago. Eastern Illinois (4-1) has allowed 2.7 yards per carry in its first five games, but they will not have the luxury of facing another lower-tier team this week. This will be the third consecutive year the Panthers have faced a Big Ten team, their most recent experience against Illinois was not pleasant. Illinois ran for 399 yards and five touchdowns posting a 47-21 win. The Nittany Lions have won 19 straight non-conference home games and have outscored their two most recent FCS opponents 103-13. Don't expect that to change this week as the Lions look to extend that streak to 20.

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Mid Major Game of the Week:

Arkansas State vs. Troy             

Watch for an exciting game as defenses and offenses clash in this matchup between two teams that look to be the best in the Sun Belt Conference. The Red Wolves have not been able to become Troy, and dominate every year, but they have been able to maintain a high level of play under coach Steve Roberts, and have been able to bring in some excellent talent, who have been among the best in the Sun Belt. Arkansas State running back Reggie Arnold versus the Troy front seven will be a key matchup for each squad. Troy will travel to Arkansas State, and stopping  
Arnold is a must for the Trojans. Arnold has already rushed for 209 yards and five touchdowns this season, and he is looking to become just the eighth player in major-college history with four consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. Arnold has 25 career rushing touchdowns, but none against Troy, who has limited him to 214 yards rushing in three games. Troy will rely heavily on Boris Lee and Bear Woods, who make up the best linebacking duo in the Sun Belt. 

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234. Chicago State: This Independent Conference team has a long road ahead of them. Having lost two senior leading scorers, David Holston (25.9 ppg) and John Cantrell (19.8 ppg), the bulk of the scoring is left on the shoulders of the now go-to guy, junior forward Carl Montgomery (11.0 ppg 7.2 rpg). Montgomery is considered a banger in the low-post, but foul trouble could limit his contributions. Montgomery fouled out 11 times last season. There are a lot of good basketball players in Chicago, unfortunately none of them attend Chicago State University.

233. Quinnipiac: Last year, the Bobcats finished fifth at 10-8 while leading the league in injuries. The Bobcats will have to find a way to improve their perimeter shooting in order to be legitimate contenders for the NEC title. Quinnipiac will expect strong play from forwards James Feldeine (17 ppg, the league's top scorer) and Justin Ritty, the top rebounder with 9.8 per game. Look for the Bobcats to move up in the conference standings.

232. Eastern Washington:  Guard Benny Valentine will be the main attraction for the Eagles this season. Valentine is a quick scoring guard, and one of the most dynamic players in the league. He led the team in scoring last season as a junior with 15.1 ppg. However although the 5'7" transfer from Texas Tech is fun to watch, the Eagles need more help with their struggling offense. Valentine and center Brandon Moore (11.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg) work well with each other to form a powerful inside-outside combination, but third year coach Kirk Earlywine needs to dig deep to find more contributors for the Eagles shaky offense.

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Mid Major Game of the Week:

Utah vs. Oregon

Utah is 'itching for a big win" starting center Zake Taylor told the Salt Lake Tribune. "I know everyone else is too. The last two wins have been ugly, but they've been wins. But this team is really hungry for a big win against a good team." Utah owns the nation's longest winning streak at 18 games despite rocky performances in the first two games this season. The memory of those two games can quickly be erased as Utah hits the road on Saturday night, where this will be the second road game in a five game stretch where the Utes are playing on the road four times. The biggest question remains is Oregon actually a "good" team this season? The Ducks offense was invisible against their first game vs. Boise State, and their defense was abused against their two-point win against Purdue. With that said, a win on the road against a Pac-10 team will embellish Utah's resume and get them some national exposure. Tune in Saturday night as the Utes, since the beginning of 2003 have won six of eight games against Pac-10 opponents.

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253. Liberty: 23 wins last year tied a school record for the most in a season since Liberty became Division I, but the team suffered some big losses in the off-season including the transfer of high scoring guard Seth Curry. Then coach Rich McKay resigned to become an assistant at Virginia. Assistant coach Dale Layer returns, but without Curry or Anthony Smith. The bulk of the scoring will be placed on senior guard Kyle Ohman (13.9 ppg), who is the returning leading scorer. 

252. Arkansas-Pine Bluff: Arkansas will have their work cut out for them once again this season. Coach George Ivory will have his hands full with senior guard Terrance Calvin (12 ppg) returning as the leading scorer and biggest offensive threat. Tavaris Washington will have to step up this season with scoring but look for this team to remain on the lower end of the SWAC. 

251. North Dakota State: NDSU was one of the best stories in college basketball last season, but big losses during the off-season will hamper the progress of NDSU this year. Don't expect another NCAA tourney appearance this season. The Bison lost four key members of the team, all seniors, including scoring guard Ben Woodside who dropped 37 on Kansas during a first round upset in the tournament, which leaves coach Saul Phillips with forward Michael Tveidt (9.8 ppg) and a lot of holes to fill. 

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