The Heisman Trophy 2013

Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, Auburn running back Tre Mason, Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, Boston College running back Andre Williams and Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston are finalists for the 79^th annual Heisman Trophy.

Here is some information I dug up on the six finalists, even though I think Jameis Winston has this award all but wrapped up, the info is still pretty interesting nonetheless. Enjoy, courtesy of the people at Heisman.com.

Jordan Lynch

• ·         A two-year starting quarterback for Northern Illinois, leading the Huskies to 24 wins in that span.
• ·         As a senior he accumulated 2,676 passing yards, 1,881 rushing yards and 55 total touchdowns.
• ·         Set the FBS record for single-game rushing yards by a quarterback with 321 yards against Western Michigan.
• ·         Just the fifth quarterback to rush for at least 4,000 yards and pass for at least 5,000 yards in a career.

Johnny Manziel

• ·         Won the Heisman trophy in 2012, joining John David Crow as the only two winners from Texas A&M.
• ·         First player to win the Heisman as a freshman, throwing for 3,706 yards, rushing for 1,410 yards and scoring 47 total touchdowns in 2012.
• ·         As a sophomore for Texas A&M, he passed for 3,732 yards, rushed for 686 yards and scored 41 total touchdowns.
• ·         Set the Texas A&M record for touchdown passes in a season with 33 in 2013.
• ·         Set the Aggie record for most passing yards in a game, throwing for 464 yards against No. 1 Alabama in 2013.

Tre Mason

• ·         Started six games as sophomore in 2012, rushing for 1,002 yards and becoming the first non-quarterback to lead Auburn in total offense for a season since Bo Jackson in 1985.
• ·         As a junior, Mason rushed for 1,621 yards and 22 touchdowns, while also returning 395 kickoff yards and one touchdown.
• ·         Surpassed Bo Jackson’s record set in 1985, gaining 2,137 all-purpose yards in 2013.
• ·         Broke Cam Newton’s record of 20 rushing touchdowns in a season, scoring 22 times in 2013.
• ·         Set two SEC Championship Game records with 304 rushing yards and 46 carries in 2013.

AJ McCarron

• ·         A three-year starter at quarterback for Alabama, winning two BCS National Championships.
• ·         Set the Alabama single-season record for passing touchdowns in 2012 with 30.
• ·         Went 291 pass attempts without throwing an interception in 2011-12, which is the second-longest streak in the SEC.
• ·         Won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in 2013, throwing for 2,676 yards and 26 touchdowns with only five interceptions.
• ·         Alabama’s winningest quarterback with 36 wins.
• ·         Became the career leader in passing yards at Alabama in 2013, breaking John Parker Wilson’s record with 7,924 yards.
• ·         Holds the Alabama record for career touchdown passes.
• ·         Led the Crimson Tide to back-to-back BCS national championships, becoming just the sixth quarterback to do so in the modern era of college football.
• ·         Finished the 2012 season ranked No. 1 nationally in passing efficiency with a 175.28 rating.
• ·         Passed for a career-high 359 yards against Kentucky in 2013, which is the eighth most in a single game in school history.

Andre Williams

• ·         Played in 31 games leading up to his senior season, rushing for 1,562 yards and 10 touchdowns.
• ·         Played in 12 games as a senior, rushing for 2,102 yards and 17 touchdowns.
• ·         The first player for Boston College to surpass the 2,000 yard rushing mark in a season.
• ·         Set a Boston College record for most rushing yards in a game, with 339 yards against North Carolina State.
• ·         Led all of FBS for the 2013 season with 2,102 rushing yards.
• ·         Accounted for 51 percent of Boston College’s offense in 2013.

Jameis Winston

• ·         Redshirted as a freshman in 2012.
• ·         Led Florida State to a 13-0 record, and ACC Championship and BCS Championship berth in 2013, passing for 3,820 yards and 38 touchdowns.
• ·         Set the Florida State single-season record for touchdown passes with 38 in 2013, surpassing Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke’s 33 touchdowns.
• ·         Nation’s top high school quarterback prospect in the class of 2012 out of Bessemer, Ala.
• ·         Selected as the 2011 Alabama Gatorade State Player of the Year.
• ·         Played on Seminole baseball team in 2013 as a relief pitcher and outfielder.
• ·         Threw for a career-high 444 yards against No. 3 Clemson in 2013.

-The Wing Expert

Rivalry Weekend

Here are a couple of quick hits to get us going (not quite as quick as the Auburn offense, but the Wing Expert is changing up his plays a little more).

First down: Florida State rolled in an uneventful and rather dull rivalry game with Florida today. Jameis Winston threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns as the Seminoles beat the Gators, 37-7.

Second down: Ohio State held on to defeat Michigan in “The Game.” The Buckeyes are 12-0 this season, but not after a scare in Ann Arbor, as the Wolverines scored in the final minute, but couldn’t convert a 2-point conversion to take the lead.

Third down: Alabama versus Auburn, the Iron Bowl, was an absolute beast of a game that had me pacing back and forth and on my knees at the very end. Auburn shocked the world and won, but it was how they won that still has everybody perplexed. The Tigers out-rushed the Tide, 296-210, and of course the 100-yard missed field goal return didn’t take away from the game’s excitement.

Fourth down: It was a little close here and we needed a measurement to make sure we didn’t turn the ball over on downs, but Duke held on today to beat North Carolina and earn its first berth into the ACC Championship game, 25-23.

It’s rivalry weekend and it has been a wonderful one at that. Here are the games that did not disappoint.

Mississippi State pulled off a huge win over Mississippi at home on Thursday night. Scoring in the final minute to force overtime and eventually winning after a Bo Wallace fumble as he was trying to walk into the end zone. Dan Mullen is granted another season after the Egg Bowl victory.

I don’t know why I doubt this matchup, but the Battle for the Golden Boot is year-in and year-out one of the best matchups in college football. LSU was a three-touchdown favorite over the Hogs, but Arkansas had its back to the wall and nothing to lose. Zach Mettenberger had to be helped off the field in the fourth quarter and Arkansas pinned the Tigers on the one-yard line with a three-point lead. Freshman quarterback Anthony Jennings stood tall in the pocket and ran when he needed too, marching the Cardiac Cats down the field and connecting on a wide-open 49-yard touchdown pass to give the Tigers the lead. LSU retains the Golden Boot for another year.

Ohio State survived Michigan and This Wing Expert tips his hat to Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke, who attempted a 2-point conversion instead of kicking the point-after attempt to tie the game. It was a back and forth game all the way though, and Hoke made the right choice in my mind by going for the win and not the tie in what would’ve been an enormous win for the school. Devin Gardner’s pass however was intercepted and the Wolverines lost.

Injured Georgia prevailed in a game against Georgia Tech, after two overtimes, 41-34, getting 122 rushing yards and three touchdowns from running back Todd Gurley. Georgia Tech jumped out to a 20-7 lead before allowing 20 points in the second half and eventually falling.

Auburn pulled off another stunner at Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday, beating top-ranked Alabama, 34-28, after a 100-yard return following a missed field goal attempt with one second left. Auburn took an early lead over the Tide in the first quarter, but allowed 21-unanswered points in the second quarter. The Tigers looked broken and stunned, it happened so fast, how did they score so fast? The Tigers managed to put together a drive of 80 yards before the half to regain some confidence, trailing 21-14. Auburn added another touchdown in the third to tie the game and proceeded to pin it’s in-state rival on the one-yard line two straight times. Bama would march down and miss a field goal on the first and A.J. McCarron connected with Amari Cooper on the second for a 99-yard touchdown. Auburn fought back though, marching down the field in a rather quick fashion, until quarterback Nick Marshall connected with Sammie Coates for the game-tying touchdown. Alabama answered with two draws up the middle and after a booth review put one second back on the clock, the Tide stared down a 57-yard field goal for the win. Gus Malzahn called a timeout for Auburn and sent Chris Davis back to the goal post to set up the return that would shock the football world. If you haven’t seen it yet, watch it, because Auburn had this planned the whole time and Alabama watched as history wrote itself.

Auburn is now preparing for an SEC Championship and possibly a National Championship. I realize that I am an Alabama fan, but Auburn held their own against my beloved Crimson Tide and in the end, made the plays needed to win the game. Congrats Auburn, I hope to never say that again. Roll Tide.

Moving past my stunned view of Davis running the missed field goal back for a touchdown, Duke defeated North Carolina, earning the Blue Devils a trip to the ACC Championship against juggernaut Florida State. Duke has won 10 games in a season for the first time in school history, earned its first berth in the ACC Championship and is bowl eligible in consecutive seasons. Duke has won its last eight games and needs one more to set the longest winning streak in school history. Watch out Florida State, the Blue Devils are coming.

Keep an eye on David Cutcliffe for the open coaching positions this offseason. He may be 59 years old, but he gets the most out of his players.

Speaking of coaching vacancies, well they aren’t vacant yet, but these schools need to look at their selves and think about a little change in the future.

Florida is missing a bowl for the first time in more than 20 years and lost to an FCS team for the first time in school history. Let me make this clear, the Gators cannot miss a bowl game and lose to an FCS team, they’re too good and deep for that. Now I realize they have had injuries all over the field, but even the Gator second string should roll through some non-conference and SEC East opponents. It looks like Will Muschamp is getting to stick around, but he’ll need to re-energize his offense LSU-style next year. I’m not saying there is another Cam Cameron out there, but being one dimensional is never good.

Nebraska fell to Iowa on Friday, 38-17, and while this is no pushover Hawkeye club,  the Cornhuskers managed only 89 rushing yards and surrendered 24 points in the second half for their third home loss of the season. Nebraska is giving up 25.3 points per game, which is embarrassing compared to the old “Black Shirt” Husker days. Nebraska needs to get back to basics, line up, run the ball and stop the run on defense.

Texas and USC were on this list early in the year, but both have turned around their seasons and possibly found the future (or past) of their programs. Running the football has saved both teams. Texas has a stable of skilled running backs and some big offensive lineman that the Longhorns can bring in to overpower teams. USC has done the same, taking some of the pressures of a young quarterback, while both teams are keeping their defenses off the field and not allowing them to get worn out. I don’t think Ed Orgeron will get the USC job, but Mack Brown will retain his, I just hope both programs don’t try to get too cute.

This upcoming weekend features some unusual conference championship matchups.

Stanford is taking on Arizona State in the Pac-12 championship, with the Sun Devils hosting. Stop me if you thought ASU would be playing in the championship over USC and UCLA, let alone hosting the game over Stanford and Oregon. Todd Graham has the Sun Devils rolling and should get some solid considerations for head coaching vacancies next season, and with his history should jump at the chance for a couple.

Ohio State is playing Michigan State, with both teams coming into this game with 23 combined wins and just one loss. The Buckeyes lead the Big Ten in offense, while the Spartans boast the conference’s top defense. These are the matchups I enjoy watching, hopefully Michigan State’s offense can stay on the field long enough to give the defense a breather.

Florida State is taking on Duke, yes I’m still talking football, in the ACC Championship. Florida State is led by Heisman front-runner Jameis Winston, and the Seminoles have rolled through opponents all season long. Duke has won its last two games despite scares in each. This may be the biggest mismatch in all the games next week, but the Blue Devils seem to find a way to win and I think Florida State is beatable, especially if Winston investigation heats up. Don't sleep on Duke.

Auburn takes on Missouri in the SEC Championship, which has to be the most shocking and least predicted matchup of the conference championships. Both teams combined for eight wins and 16 losses last season, but came through this year with 22 combined wins and only two losses. Auburn and Missouri both run fast spread out offenses, so this game will be very un-SEC like. The winner should play in the National Championship, each has deserved it and the conferences track-record has earned it.

All in all it’s been a great weekend and a wonderful way to finish up the best holiday and month of the year. I have a tee time tomorrow, but afterwards I think I'm going to work on a little something to give you three days in a row of reading material. It was a great day for college football and I'm still proud of my Alabama Crimson Tide.

-The Wing Expert

Game Day

I'm going to try my hand at a little poetry on here from time to time. Don't laugh, it's only my thoughts and dreams being jotted down on some paper and transposed onto the web for everybody to see (you're welcome). But this is where I can work to hone my skills and practice what I've learned in writing.

Today is the inaugural Iron Bowl and I thought there was no better topic, than to preach about my favorite day of the week. Game Day.

Every day is new,
But this one is different.
Its only just arrived,
And it will be gone in just an instant.

We've worked all throughout the week,
Which has led us right to here.
To the point where we can only,
Sit, watch and cheer.

Something about this day,
We find oh so freakin' right.
That wakes us up in the morning,
Keeping us excited throughout the night.

It puts us on the edges of our seats,
With each and every play.
Whether you enjoy a simple run,
Or a screen with a slight delay.

So toss all your worries aside,
Because this I know is true.
Game Day is here today,
And it has plenty in store for you.

Get up everybody, it's Game Day!

-The Wing Expert

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Happy Thanksgiving to all and I hope you’re having a great one (or had a great one like me). I have returned from my parent’s house and am watching the Cowboys and my dogs.

I was trying to get this posted Wednesday night, but computer issues kept me from being able to post this. However, I came up with five games this weekend that have piqued my interest for this holiday season while a couple of squatters were making camp in the dining room earlier.

Kicking off my list is obviously the Iron Bowl on Saturday, featuring No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Auburn (if you didn’t already know). Looking a little deeper into the series, Bama has won four of the last five meetings with the Tigers, but this time last season Auburn was 3-8 and coming off a shutout loss to Georgia. The Crimson Tide blew out the Tigers in last year’s meeting, 49-0, but as referenced before, this isn’t the same Auburn team as last season. The Tigers like to run the ball and the Crimson Tide have only allowed five rushing touchdowns all season. We’ll see Saturday which side can prevail.

I don’t pick Alabama games, so you’ll get nothing from me, other than it should be an amazing game and much closer than the 49-0 showing last year.

Roll Tide.

Coming in at No. 2 is an NFL game, on Monday night. Seattle is hosting New Orleans and the 12^th man is sure to be rocking in this matchup between the top two teams in the NFC. This game should have huge implications on the playoffs as the winner will likely get home-field advantage throughout the. New Orleans and Seattle each possess a top-5 defense in the NFL and two quarterbacks who are capable of moving the ball for their teams. Seattle edges the Saints in the running department and should be able to control the clock and Drew Brees’ offense. Hopefully Jimmy Graham has a huge day for my fantasy team. Seattle wins this game at home, 20-16, with both defenses standing tall.

Sneaking into the top three, at No. 3, is the Palmetto State showdown on Saturday, featuring Clemson and South Carolina. SC has won the last four meetings by an average of 17.5 points, but the Tigers have just one loss this season and that was to the undefeated Florida State (which they were completely outplayed in). Connor Shaw and Tajh Boyd are the senior quarterbacks and will factor greatly in the outcome, whichever can make a play or not make a mistake. Dabo Sweeney gets Clemson up early, but Jadeveon Clowney reasserts himself and sacks the quarterback three times. South Carolina wins, 34-28.

At No. 4 is another matchup in the NFL, really a rematch, pitting Kansas City and Denver in the Mile-high City. The Chiefs came up short in the last meeting, and the defense gets another shot at Peyton Manning, who was held in check last week against the Patriots. It should be a riveting matchup between two division opponents, and will be a factor in home-field advantage. I see the Chiefs playing well, but losing their third in a row, 27-23.       

Rounding out the top five is an NCAA basketball matchup between Arizona and Duke in the NIT Season Tip-Off on Friday. This is a matchup of two top-10 teams, but my interest is piqued by the matchup of the teams’ two talented freshman. Duke’s Jabari Parker could be argued as the best player in the league and Zona’s Aaron Gordon has the abilities to play alongside Parker. Parker has scored more than 20 points in his first seven games this year and is coming off a season-high 27 points against Alabama at Madison Square Garden (the last freshman to score 20+ points in his first seven games was a guy by the name of Kevin Durant, so there’s that). Gordon is averaging 12.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game and has four double-doubles this season. Gordon matches up with Parker very well and should provide a great head-to-head matchup inside this game of talented teams. I see Duke winning however, 81-74.

As I said earlier, I hope you are having or have had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoy the best time of the year. I love this chilly weather and the fact that there is always a game on, whether it’s a football, basketball, or eve hockey game, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

-The Wing Expert

Down the stretch they come!

What a day of college football, three teams eclipsed the 70-point mark (Florida State, North Carolina and South Carolina), while two more surpassed the 65-point mark (Fresno State and Georgia Tech).

Don’t look now, but the college football season is coming to an end. There is one week before the Conference Championships begin and only two more weeks with a heavy schedule.

With the season winding down, each game gets more and more important. Here are the biggest wins of the 

week:

(1)    Oklahoma State was the host of College Game Day this week and of undefeated and fourth-ranked Baylor. The Bears have crushed every single one of its opponents this season, while the Cowboys have cruised since the insertion of Clint Chelf as the starting quarterback, winning its last four games by an average of 27.5 points. OSU didn’t disappoint this week, unless you’re a fan of the green and gold, beating the Bears, 49-17, and moving one game closer to winning the Big 12 and earning a BCS bid.

(2)   Duke fell behind Wake Forest 14-0, but stormed back to beat the Demon Deacons, 28-21, and getting itself one game closer to playing Florida State in the ACC Championship. With all the controversy surrounding the Seminoles, don’t be surprised to see Duke playing in its own BCS Game.

(3)    Arizona State made my last post as one of the most underrated teams in the league, and the Sun Devils proved again that they are not getting the respect they deserve. ASU beat UCLA and clinched the Pac-12 South Division and will play Stanford in the championship. Don’t sleep on the Devils from the desert.

(4)    Missouri defeated Ole Miss and needs only a win over Texas A&M next week to clinch the SEC East and play the Iron Bowl winner in the SEC Championship. MIzzou is one of the best turnaround stories this season, along with Auburn.

(5)    Michigan State is another team that made my most underrated list and the Spartans have won their last seven games. The defense has been there all season for MSU, but the offense is finally beginning to stride and I think the Spartans pose a great threat to the Buckeyes and could be the team to end their 22-game winning streak.

(6)    LSU beat Texas A&M and is the only team in the SEC West to have two conference wins over the Aggies since their inception. LSU didn’t do it by outscoring the Aggies, instead the Tigers dominated its opposition by running the football and smothering the opposing offense with its ferocious defense (the LSU way). Looks like Les Miles and his team has found their swag right before the Arkansas game.

Along with big wins, comes even bigger losses, which has caused some teams to start thinking about next year.

(1)    The worst loss of the day is a pretty easy one, Florida fell to Georgia Southern at home, 26-20. The Gators have lost their last six games after falling to this FCS foe and I find it very hard to believe that Will Muschamp will be back on the sidelines for Florida next season. UF is going to miss a bowl game for the first time since 1990 and who knows how bad rival FSU beats them next week.

(2)    Oregon was given a second chance last week, after USC defeated Stanford to give the Cardinal two losses in conference. The Ducks answered by getting blown out by Arizona, 42-16, turning the ball over twice as Marcus Mariota kissed his Heisman chances goodbye. The Ducks should enjoy playing the Longhorns in the Holiday Bowl.

(3)    Baylor is only on this list because of what was at stake. The Bears were on a roll and looking to win the Big 12, with an outside chance of playing in the National Championship. Baylor was on the road like Oregon, and lost, 49-17, scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter to make this game closer than it really was. Baylor still has a lot to play for and a slim chance of winning the Big 12, since Okie State fell to West Virginia and could lose again.

Finishing off this late post, it is Iron Bowl week and this season’s matchup might be the biggest of the rivalry in 10 seasons. Auburn has the one loss to LSU in a monsoon, while Alabama hasn’t lost and is rolling through opponents.

I’m sorry it’s been a week between posts, but a Wing Expert has a schedule to keep and mouths to feed. I plan on dropping by again midweek and might even dive into something that’s not sports related. Until then, 

I’m tired and going to sleep.

Enjoy Brady vs. Manning on Sunday night!

-The Wing Expert.

Crunch time is upon us!

It’s that time of the year again; the time when teams can see their post-season dreams become clearer and clearer after each game.

The BCS top five is as follows, Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, Stanford and Baylor, with Bama and FSU controlling their destinies and diminishing the dreams of the other three with each win.

Alabama struggled with Mississippi State, who Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban was one of the best 4-5 teams in the country, as the defense held the Bulldogs to just seven points. Bama won 20-7, but it wasn’t pretty. A.J. McCarron threw two touchdowns, but the senior signal caller also tossed two interceptions. Running backs T.J. Yeldon and Kenyon Drake each coughed up fumbles to put coach Saban into a red cloud of anger on the sideline (which isn’t exactly anything new). But four turnovers in a game is never good and the defense answered the call, standing strong the whole game.

Florida State cruised past Syracuse, 59-3, as quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns amidst his off field issues.

Alabama has Charleston next week and Auburn after that with the SEC Championship waiting if the Tide can beat the Tigers. Florida State gets Idaho and Florida, with the ACC Championship awaiting the Seminoles, no matter what.

Ohio State and Baylor soared out to big leads and held on in the end, but Stanford grinded with USC in Los Angeles, eventually losing after watching its championship aspirations fall from the leg of the Andre Heidari. The Ducks have canceled plans to fly south for the winter, they’ll stick around a little longer.

I don’t see any losses coming to the Tide or Seminoles, but It’s always interesting to watch these teams as the pressure rises.

Auburn posses a big threat to the Crimson Tide, as the Tigers have won their last seven games since losing to LSU in a monsoon at Tiger Stadium. However leave it to the Barners to storm out to a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter, and watching the Bulldogs score 21 straight to take the lead. But in typical Dawg fashion, Auburn completed a 73-yard pass to take the lead and hold off an UGA charge that ended with Aaron Murray fluttering a ball out five yards. Auburn is still able to win the SEC West, if it can beat Bama.

Hats off to Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, who picked up his 157^th win with the Sooners, tying him with the great Barry Switzer. OU got back to its running ways today and hopefully found their quarterback of the future in Trevor Knight (Kendall Thompson looked pretty good in limited work too).

Bob Stoops and Barry Switzer each have 157 wins at Oklahoma and Bud Wilkinson has 143, giving the Sooners three coaches with 140 wins with the program, that’s impressive.

Duke defeated Miami today, 48-30, scoring 20-unanswered points at the end. The Blue Devils are 4-2 in ACC play this season and if they can beat Wake Forest and North Carolina in the next two weeks, they’ll get the Noles. Hats off to David Cutcliffe.

Moving from the top of the list, here are my top three underrated teams in the nation.

                Coming in at No. 3 is Arizona State. The Sun Devils are averaging 43.7 points per game and are ranked No. 19 in the BCS. ASU has wins over USC, Washington and at Utah, with a lucky bounce against Wisconsin. State is the least penalized team in the country and play tough defense and can score quickly. Don’t sleep on the Sun Devils.

                No. 2 is Michigan State, which is coming off its first-ever win over Nebraska, 41-28. The Spartans were neck and neck with the Cornhuskers until coach Dantonio called a fake field goal, which seemed to spark the Spartans. MSU might be ranked No. 1 in basketball, but Sparty is No. 16 in football, boasting the nation’s No. 1 total defense (210.2 yards per game) and rushing defense (43.4 yards per game).

                My No. 1 underrated team is Wisconsin. Besides the horrible loss to Arizona State (which shouldn’t have happened since the officials were as lost and confused as the OU fanbase last week when their Sooners were getting pummeled by Baylor) on the road, the Badgers have just one loss, to Ohio State. The Badgers are ranked 22^nd in the BCS but have wins over Northwestern, BYU and Iowa. Wisconsin hung with Ohio State for four quarters, and might be the only team in that region capable of beating them. Beware the Badgers in a bowl game.

I submitted job applications to 12 different jobs tonight, so if you’re reading this keep me in your thoughts and prayers please. As I am looking to substitute my three current jobs with one that pays much better, which would allow more time for me to write and keep up you all of you.

I’ll definitely be back midweek however, updating you on the big matchups of the weekend. I might also dive into some college basketball, but will probably stick to what I know best.

In the meantime, take care and have a wonderful week.

-The Wing Expert

How about a little #MACtion?

When you aren’t one of the bigger conferences in college football, you have to switch things around and buck a couple of trends. In the instance of the Mid-American Conference, you need to hype up your teams and personnel as distinct and more popular, and move your biggest matchups to a different night, preferably one with nothing else going on.

The MAC has done this and done it very well. MAC heads have thrown out the possibilities of hyping up defenses and decided to focus on scoring points and playing on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

So you might be asking, “How do I get into this MAC action?”

Well to answer your question, tune in this week for some top notch #MACtion on ESPN2.

Tuesday night features a Buffalo team that is leading the Eastern Division and has won its last seven games since losing to Ohio State and Baylor in its first two games. The Bulls are looking for their first eight-game winning streak in the same season for the first time in school history, playing against Toledo, who is sitting third in the West Division behind two juggernauts.

Buffalo features a top running back in Branden Oliver, who has 1,123 rushing yards this season, and a supremely talented linebacker in Khalil Mack, who’s 59 tackles show a knack for finding the football and demolishing whoever is carrying it. Buffalo is a more than average football team and well equipped to beat the Rockets on the road. Bulls win.

If you happen to be busy Tuesday night, then check out Wednesday for the prime matchup of Ball State and Northern Illinois, for the lead in the MAC West Division. Ball State has one loss on the season, falling to North Texas, but the Cardinals are playing much better as of late, scoring more than 40 points in three of their last five games. NIU is the best team in the MAC and has been for the last three years, winning 22 consecutive conference games. The Huskies are led by ultra-elusive Jordan Lynch at quarterback, who has 3,021 total yards and 31 total touchdowns. Ball State has won its last 11 conference games since a loss to the Huskies last season, 35-23, giving up 207 rushing yards and three touchdowns to the aforementioned Lynch. I expect NIU to win, but Ball State should make this interesting and fun, expect nothing less from #MACtion.

There is another game in the MAC going on Wednesday, but it features winless Miami (Ohio) against Kent State, who has two wins this season. Instead of discussing this matchup, I think I should point out that I believe Miami is the worst team in college football this season. The RedHawks are averaging 10 points per game (yes you read that correctly), 135.4 passing yards per game, and 92.7 rushing yards per game. Ranking last in scoring doesn’t help, but here are some other teams that are a cut above, but not too far above.

Coming in a close second on this not-so-fortunate list is Southern Mississippi, who has lost its last 21 games since beating Nevada in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl in 2011 and beating Houston in the Conference USA Championship game the same year. The Golden Eagles are averaging an abysmal 12.8 points per game, but that’s still 2.8 over Miami (Ohio). Don’t sleep on your success yet Southern Miss, you still have three games left to catch up.

Florida International has one win this season and that should attest for the fact that they come in third on my list. Averaging just 10.1 points per game isn’t super, but the Golden Panthers have the key win they need to fall to third on this list. FIU beat Southern Miss in the “Pillow Fight” on Oct. 5, 24-23.

California gets a little bump because they play much tougher competition than the MAC and Conference USA teams on this list. But the Golden Bears are 1-9 this season, under first-year head coach Sonny Dykes. Cal is averaging 344.8 passing yards per game, but is giving up 44.7 points per game, ranking 124^th in the nation. The good news is that Cal has a matchup with Colorado this weekend, but a matchup with Stanford looming on Nov. 23.

Seems like the golden years are behind us as three of the bottom four teams are labeled with the “Golden” nickname. Better luck next year teams.

So take my advice and tune in on Tuesday and Wednesday night for some #MACtion. The play style is infectious, and who doesn’t like to watch small crowds cheer on small schools in small venues. At least it’s football early in the week, right?

--The Wing Expert.

November brings the marquee matchups

November is here, which happens to be my favorite month of the year and with it comes some key football matchups that will shape the season.

Florida State defeated Miami at home Saturday night, 41-14, scoring 20 unanswered points in the second half. Freshmen quarterback Jameis Winston completed 21 of 29 passes for 325 yards and one touchdown. But the surprise of the game was Winston’s two interceptions, as it seems the freshman phenom is human and capable of making mistakes. FSU has games against Wake Forest, Syracuse, Idaho and Florida coming up and I don’t see them falling in any of those. The Gators pose an interesting threat, but I think they are too injured and banged up to make a difference, like they did last season.

Ohio State rolled Purdue (as they should have) and the Buckeyes have won every single game since Urban Meyer took over the dysfunctional program last year. OSU has games against Illinois, Indiana and Michigan remaining and like the Seminoles, I don’t see a loss in the future.

But I don’t think those teams hold their own destinies when it comes to National Championship aspirations. They’ll need a loss to one of or maybe both Alabama and Oregon this season.

Moving out of the past and into the future, which has plenty in stow regarding college football, including three huge matchups and the possibility for the best weekend of the season. However in regards to the college theme this weekend begins on a Thursday.

Oklahoma is making a trip south on I-35 to Waco, Texas, with the Bears of Baylor awaiting the Sooners. Oklahoma (7-1, 4-1) is 20-1 all-time against Baylor (7-0, 4-0) and handed Texas Tech its first loss of the season two weeks ago. Baylor however is bringing in the nation’s top offense, averaging 63.9 points per game and throwing for 417.3 yards per game. But it’s the Bears’ defense that has them where they are, No. 6 in the BCS poll, giving up a meager 15.9 points per game, ranking sixth in the nation, SIXTH! Oklahoma is improving and will pose a tough test for Baylor, but Lache Seastrunk, Bryce Petty and those talented receivers will have something to say in the outcome, Baylor wins 56-38.

*Side Note* I’ll be in Waco at the Baylor game Thursday.

The same night after Baylor faces OU, another OU takes on it’s one and only loss from last season, Stanford. Oregon (8-0, 5-0) ranks second in the nation in rushing with 331.5 yards per game and second in points, averaging 55.6 points per game. Stanford (7-1, 5-1) is winning games with its defense and balance, averaging 196.4 rushing yards per game and 193.3 passing yards per game. The Cardinal are only giving up 19.4 points per game and will need to hold this quick and fast Duck offense to as little as it can. Stanford was able to do this last season, beating Oregon in overtime, 17-14. Marcus Mariota and Kevin Hogan will both have to have great games for their teams to win, but I see Byron Marshall making a difference and Oregon beating Stanford, 31-20.

Oregon vs. Oregon State is looking more and more like a wonderful end of the year finish and maybe a sneaky upset pick by the Wing Expert.

In a little more traditional matchup, LSU travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to take on the two-time defending champion Crimson Tide. Alabama (8-0, 5-0) is No. 1 in the BCS Poll after steamrolling through the competition in October, winning all four games by a combined score, 190-20. LSU (7-2, 3-2) is coming into this meeting after a loss to Ole Miss and a tough win over Furman, yes, you read that correctly. Alabama is opening as a 10.5-point favorite, but the Fighting Tigers have won five of the last six meetings with the Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with the lone loss coming in 2009 and the Patrick Peterson interception that was ruled a no catch. Alabama ranks 11^th in scoring, averaging 41.3 points per game, and first in defense, giving up just 9.8 points per game. Bama is rolling right now and seems like they cannot be stopped, but LSU always gives the Tide fits and they’ll do it again this week. I see Alabama winning this game, but just like last year, with a lot of suspense. Tide defense holds strong and gets Bama one win closer to a three-peat, winning, 23-13.

Not one upset picked by the Wing Expert, which is unusual, but these will all be close games that will have you begging for more. Oregon, Alabama and Baylor are some of the best three teams in the country this year, with Oklahoma, Stanford and LSU not far behind.

Sorry for the gap in between posts, and the late upload here, but I wanted to get something on for you to have on the Manic Monday. Check in later this week for my update on the Heisman watch and my reaction from Floyd Casey and the OU-Baylor game.

Thanks for checking in and have a wonderful week.

Wing Man out.

After a little delay....

I'm back!!!! Sorry for the gap in posts, but here I am, returning to work like the U.S. Federal Government.

Honestly though, I've been a little busy. Getting prepared for my biannual golf trip and picking up more hours at the store to help mentor and grow striving wing men.

We've dumped the management and most of the counter men at my new store in Fort Worth, so I'll be filling in there to help out those in need (everybody).

I'll still be dropping by to insert my views and opinions on the happenings in the world (mainly sports), as I feel that's why you come here in the first place.

Like what happened with all the upsets in the SEC and are their defenses turning it around this year? Marcus Mariota leads the Ducks in the west, but will Oregon slip to some dangerous teams on its schedule? Also hockey is back and basketball is around the corner, begging me to ask, is there a better time of year than now? I've got the Cardinals beating the Red Sox in the World Series (six games), and Dusty Baker finding work somewhere in Major League Baseball.

So many stories right now and so little time, keep checking in for the latest and greatest view s on the sporting world.

In the meantime, the phone's ringing and I've got a hungry customer to save.

Wing Man out!

What a day of football, and food.

What a wonderful day it has been, am I right? If you were like me this Saturday, you took full advantage of a weekend filled with college football battles.

Alabama had Georgia State, so I was too worried about the Tide, but Northwestern was hosting Ohio State, Washington was traveling to Stanford, LSU was on the road again, Florida State was playing Maryland, and the list goes on and on and on.

Alabama cruised to its fifth win of the season, beating Georgia State. A.J. McCarron threw for four touchdowns in the first half and the Tide defense did what it has done for the last four years, dominate. Bama had this game put away after the first five minutes, but what head coach Nick Saban said at halftime really made me realize just how great of a coach he is. Saban never waists a chance to coach up his players and to teach, saying, “It’s an opportunity to get some experience and learn.” Saban seems to pick up his intensity with his younger players, making them better and more reliable when they are called upon in the near future. 

Roll Tide.

Florida State, who features a red-hot freshman quarterback, took on undefeated Maryland today, and the Seminoles didn’t disappoint. Jameis Winston threw for 393 yards and five touchdowns as his eighth-ranked Noles beat the Terrapins, 63-0, welcome back to earth Maryland.

Garrett Gilbert completed what may be the craziest play ofthe year, on a 2-point conversion to tie up the game with little time left. Gilbert dropped back, rolled left, turned and ran right, looked ahead and then chunked the football all the way across the field to an open receiver. But the Mustangs fell to Rutgers in overtime. #AACFootball

I thought I was going to get a nice nap in until the night games started, but the surprise of the day has to be Tennessee showing up against Georgia and almost beating the Dawgs in overtime. Before we start to think that Georgia played poorly, keep in mind that UGA was without Todd Gurley to start this game and lost Keith Marshall to a nasty injury in the first half. Georgia would also lose receiver Michael Bennett and its punter before Tennessee started to score the football. Aaron Murray was needed big time in this game and was helped by Chris Conley. Butch Jones may have won over the fans in Knoxville though, as this was the loudest I’ve heard Neyland Stadium in a while.

The night games began, and there were lots of selections. I stuck with LSU because I have a rooting interest there. Mississippi State’s offense was able to move down the field on the young Fighting Tiger defense, but the Bulldogs defense had no chance stopping the explosive LSU offense. Odell Beckham III and Jarvis Landry may be the best two receivers in the country and Zach Mettenberger is slowly becoming one of the top quarterbacks in the country. Mettenberger’s my Heisman frontrunner thus far in the season.

Arkansas boasts the top rushing offense in the SEC and has a skilled freshman running back in Alex Collins, but Florida still has its defense.  Florida may not be able to score the football, but they sure can stop it. Arkansas is much better than last year thought, and I love seeing the Hogs run the football.

I’m currently watching Ohio State at Northwestern and Washington at Stanford, so I won’t be able to recap those for you here. The Buckeyes are learning not to sleep on the Cats, and Pat Fitzgerald has to be one of the top coaches not to be on a top program. Stanford jumped out to a quick lead by returning the opening kickoff but the Huskies have moved the ball on the Cardinal defense, could make for a great finish, if you can stay awake.

While I have Zach Mettenberger leading my Heisman vote, as if I got one, Marcus Mariota made a case for himself, throwing for 355 yards and seven total touchdowns. Aaron Murray put up another big game and ranks third on my list, while Baylor running back Lache Seastrunk is in fourth, but can quickly gain some ground on the signal callers. Crazy to think I don’t have Teddy Bridgewater on this list, but his Cardinals haven’t played that good of a schedule. Bridgewater will be in New York come December though, write that down. Also Tajh Boyd deserves a trip, since the quarterback threw for 455 yards and five touchdowns for Clemson today. I hope they have some extra chairs in New York this year, lots of players deserve to be there.

The day was full of football, and I am full of food. I woke up this morning and ate a sandwich before the Bama game. I ran to Freebirds and picked up a burrito at halftime, getting a monster with carnitas and all my usual fixins. The night games rolled around and I got sidetracked, so I threw some pizza rolls in the oven and munched on 57 of those bad boys, leaving me with one full stomach as I write this.

You may be wondering, why is he telling me what he ate? But it got me thinking, what is the best game day meal? Since I am the Wing Expert, I think I’m required to say that chicken Wings are the best and go-to football watching meal. But I found out today, that you can’t go wrong with a burrito and pizza rolls are quick and plentiful.  Other options to consider and may get a tryout next week are nachos, tacos and burgers. Let me know what you think is the best game day meal, email me at thewingexpert@gmail.com or follow me on twitter @thewingexpert.

I’m currently working on a piece that could explain why the defense in the SEC this year is missing. I may have an idea of why they are getting gashed.

Until then though, enjoy these late games and good luck to fantasy teams, especially if you’re playing against me, you are going to need it.

Thanks for dropping by and I’ll talk to you later,

Wing Man out.

The power of "M"

I told you guys I would be back midweek, and like you, I honestly did not know if I would get around to this post. But here I am, watching baseball and hockey, yes hockey.

I listed some topics that I would be writing about in my last post and I’m here to discuss the power of the letter “M” in college football this year.

Zach Mettenberger is off to the best start at quarterback in LSU history, throwing for 1,398 yards and 13 touchdowns with just one interception. Mettenberger is flourishing under offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, completing 64.1 percent of his passes. But most importantly, he's shaved that dang mustache.

The quarterback who bested Mettenberger last week is Aaron Murray of Georgia. Murray has the Bulldogs off to a 3-1 start with 1,338 yards passing, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. But bigger than the senior gunslinger’s numbers are his two wins over top-10 teams, the one fact that has plagued Murray through his career.

It seems silly to list Heisman-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel third, but after that matchup between the Tigers and Bulldogs, do you blame me? Manziel is having another big season by the numbers, throwing for 1,484 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, while rushing for 314 yards and three more scores. Texas A&M is 3-1 this season, but have road games against LSU and Ole Miss coming up.

Alabama has won three of the last four BCS National Championships and are led by three-year starter A.J. McCarron, who has thrown for 882 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. McCarron might not have the glaring numbers, but he finds ways to get his team the win as his Crimson Tide are 4-0 and ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll. Roll Tide.

*Side note* These last four signal callers could be the reason SEC defenses are suffering and playing into some Pac-12 and Big-12 like shootouts.

Back to action, I’m going to move away from the SEC for a minute, but stick with the theme of “M.”
Marcus Mariota has Oregon 4-0 and ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll, throwing for 1,003 yards, nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. Mariota has also rushed for 295 yards and five touchdowns in the Ducks explosive offense.

Braxton Miller has returned to his position as the starting quarterback for No. 4 Ohio State, throwing for 406 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. Miller reminded Buckeye fans just what he could do, completing 17-of-25 passes for 198 yards and four touchdowns against Wisconsin, who is a little better team than Florida A&M.

Keith Hogan, hold on, I realize his name does not start with an “M,” but Hogan is from McLean, Virginia. Hogan has Stanford 4-0 this year and ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll, throwing for 832 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Moving on from the list of quarterbacks (see what I did there?).

Maryland, Miami, Missouri and Michigan are all off to 4-0 starts this season, but are heading into the teeth of their schedules. Maryland is coming off a 31-0 win over West Virginia and faces Florida State this weekend. FSU has a young quarterback that didn’t make my list, but only because he lacked a certain letter to flow with my story, but definitely has the skills to contend with those others. Miami has a win over Florida earlier this year, forcing five turnovers against the Gators. The Hurricanes have Georgia Tech this week and a matchup with Florida State on Nov. 2 looming. Missouri is a big surprise at first, but then I dug deeper for you. Mizzou has wins against Murray State, Toledo, Indiana and Arkansas State. The Tigers are about to find out just how good they are with games against Vanderbilt, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina coming up this month. Michigan is lucky to be 4-0, and could very well be 2-2, with losses to Akron and Conn. Devin Gardner wearing #98 is pretty funny though.

Louisville limps in as an “M,” and it’s only because I want to see more out of the Cardinals. They have found ways to win and Teddy Bridgewater is tearing it up, throwing for 1,214 yards, 14 touchdowns and just one interception, but I’d still like to see a little more from the No. 7 team in the country.

Alright, enough of this “M” theme, three players that deserve some mention this week are as follows.
Tajh Boyd has Clemson at No. 3 in the AP Poll, throwing for 994 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions with a big win over Georgia. However Clemson is looking to take the next step and that involves wins over Florida State and South Carolina.

Blake Bell has taken over the starting quarterback job for Oklahoma, hopefully for the rest of the season, as the “Belldozer” has shown he’s just as capable throwing as he is running. Bell has thrown for 683 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions this year, while also rushing for 114 yards but no scores on the ground. Bell has the Sooners rolling and hopefully for my father’s sake, the defense holds up.

Finally, I come to the part of the story that has my roommate doing back flips. Lache Seastrunk I think will be the top pick in the NFL Draft next June, or whenever it is. Seastrunk has rushed for 417 yards and six touchdowns in the Baylor high-flying offense, which I think is quickly challenging the Ducks for the most efficient and higher-scoring offense. Seastrunk is strong and quick out of the backfield, a lot like that fellow in Minnesota, Adrian Peterson.

If you’re looking for something to watch Saturday, Bama starts at noon. But if you want the games that are going to shine and impress, Ohio State travels to Northwestern in a Big Ten battle, and Stanford hosts the high-flying offense of Washington in the nightcap on ESPN. I’m calling an upset in at least one, but coming on here to say that Northwestern gives the Buckeyes a run for their money. OSU wins, 38-32, and Washington wins on the road, 44-35.

No matter who you watch though, its college football and its fun.

Thanks for checking in and I’ll be back later this week.

Wing Man out.

What happened to the running game?

I heard a rumor that the material on my site was solid, but that I did not post enough. Well here I am and I am announcing my intent to expose everything in my mind regarding college football and any questions you may have for THE Wing Expert.

Here is my recap from the Saturday of college football.

I tweeted out Friday night that I did not want to spend my Saturday night at a bar with someone else holding the remote this week. I missed most of the Alabama game last week as I was dragged to a nearby watering hole and was stuck watching Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Texas. The LSU-Auburn game was on across the room and it was a nice little SEC matchup, but the Fighting Tigers were running away with it early.

This Saturday was much different, and here are my thoughts and visions regarding a great day of football.
West Virginia came out and upset Oklahoma State to kick the day off. OSU is now 0-2 in Morgantown, with the first loss coming in 1928, but the Mountaineers came out and ran around the field. This is not the same WVU team that it’s been recently with the eclectic scoring, it’s a swarming defense and a useful offense. Either way, a Pokes loss is a great start.

Next up was the LSU-Georgia game and I was pretty confident going into the matchup, being a Fighting Tiger fan. LSU has opened its offense up this year and Zach Mettenberger has been solid. Mettenberger did not disappoint today, throwing for 370 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. The former Bulldog really showed up well in Athens and he needed to, since the Tigers managed only 13 rushing yards in the first half. However on the other sideline, Georgia possesses a great quarterback of its own. Aaron Murray is slowly starting hush all the critics that say he can’t win the big games. Georgia has faced three opponents ranked in the top-10 and Murray has thrown for an average of 343 yards and 2 touchdowns per game, throwing for four scores against both South Carolina and LSU. But it was the defense that made the difference in this matchup. LSU’s defense could not make the big play and the big stop in the end and the Bulldogs’ defense did.

You know I did not miss this week’s Alabama game as they were hosting up-and-coming Ole Miss, who are a much better team this year than last. I watched last year’s Bama-Mississippi game last year in Branson, Miss., as I was on a golf trip with my father (I’ll unfortunately miss the Arkansas game, since I’ll be golfing in Houston).

The game started like last years, with Ole Miss’ defense holding strong and making the Tide work for everything. Bama took a 9-0 lead at the half and turned up the scoring in the second. A.J. McCarron had another solid game for Alabama, despite not scoring a touchdown, but it was the defense that really stood out. Bo Wallace and some of the other Rebel players had been running their mouths all week and dismissing the Tide defense, but C.J. Mosley, Ha Ha Clinton Dix and Vinnie Sunseri had everybody in the right place and freshman corner Eddie Jackson shined in his first career start, shutting down his side of the field. Roll Tide!

Texas A&M held on to beat the surprising Razorbacks, who are getting back to running the football. Alex Collins is a stud in that backfield and will be really good in the upcoming years. Mike Leach has Washington State throwing the ball all over the place, but Stanford is a good team.

I’m currently watching USC play Arizona State and if the Trojans were not turning the ball over left and right, they would be much better off. It’s nice to see Lane Kiffin get a solid running game going, I think teams are forgetting about the importance of just running the ball. With all this spread offense, coaches are looking for 8-10 yard gains each play. I’m a fan of running the ball to set up the pass. USC needs to establish a running game, it has the players to do this.

Speaking of USC, I spoke about the hot seats that the Trojans, Gators and Longhorns are on and they’ve started to settle down. The key for all three teams is to RUN THE FOOTBALL! USC is doing that as I speak, Florida rushed for 246 yards against Kentucky, and Texas has Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray. Run the ball guys.

On a side note, Oklahoma defeated Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. The Sooners have beaten the Irish twice now. Marqise Lee is also the all-time leader in receiving yards at USC. Congrats Sooners and Marqise Lee.

What’s so special about the letter “m?”

Are the SEC defenses losing it, or are the offenses just that good?

Who is the best conference in college football?

I’ll be checking back in this week, providing some stories that have been weighing on my mind the last couple of weeks.

Until then be careful and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Wing Man out!

College Football reaction and preview

We are coming up on the third weekend with college football and what a glorious start it has been to the season. I truly forget every year how much I miss football, thinking that hockey and baseball will be able to tie my over, but oh how much more fun Saturdays and Sundays become when there is pigskin being tossed around on the television.
I gave my previews in the last post and am here to hit on some quick hits for my loyal readers.

Alabama takes on Texas A&M this weekend in College Station, the first meeting since the Aggies marched into Tuscaloosa and beat the Crimson Tide for their only loss last year. Johnny Manziel has the traveling circus with him, while Alabama brings a business-like approach, as Nick Saban wants it, to this “rematch.” I’ve heard Kyle Field is something special and plan to visit one day, but on September 14th, I’ll be parked in a chair in front of a TV screaming my lungs out and my face off…. Roll Tide.

I’ll move from some current dominant college football teams to some that seem to be falling, fast.

Texas suffered its first loss of the season, falling to BYU on the road, 40-21. But it’s not necessarily that they lost to BYU that’s disturbing, it’s the fact that the Longhorns, who was the last team not from the SEC to win a BCS Championship, gave up 550 rushing yards, the most Texas has given up all time. Bevo’s bunch has seen some special players in its history, Billy Sims, Marcus Dupree and Adrian Peterson, but Taysom Hill is the man that gashed the horns for the Cougars.

Southern California, also known as USC, lost to Washington State for the first time since 2002. This could be something interesting except this is the same Cougars team that lost nine games last season and their opener against Auburn in the first week. But the biggest bother with this is the fact that the Trojans scored only seven points in the 10-7 loss. USC gained only 193 yards of offense, 54 yards through the air. Seven Heisman trophy awards have been awarded to USC players, two of which were quarterbacks.

These two programs faced off in the 2005 National Championship and besides Texas’ trip to the 2009 BCS Championship, they’ve been irrelevant. I think it’s time for Mack Brown to assume a position in the Athletic Department and for Lane Kiffin to pack his things from his “dream job.” Florida is in the hot seat and about to join these programs.
If you’re looking for something to watch before Saturday, Texas Tech and TCU play on ESPN Thursday night, which is primed to be a close game with back and forth scoring. I like TCU to edge the Red Raiders, as long as its defense can slow down the Kliff Kingsbury offense. It’ll be a good game, too bad I’m covering a high school football game in south Dallas.

Expect something soon on the NFL and focusing around fantasy football, which my teams each won in Week 1. Also in the works is a podcast which will post here on the site.

As always you can email me questions at thewingexpert@gmail.com or follow me on twitter for witty tweets @thewingexpert.

Wing Man out!

College football is here!

It’s been far too long followers and of course I’m sorry for the gap between this post and my last, in January. But I have been working a new job in which I am constantly writing sports day-in and day-out. However football season is at the door and I can’t miss a chance to interject my opinions and views on the season into your brain.

Alabama is coming off a second straight BCS National Championship and the Crimson Tide’s third title in four years. The Southeastern Conference has been the top conference in the country, with the BCS Champion hailing from the SEC the last seven years.

This season has seen changes from coast to coast due to conference realignment and the ever-sought mega conference. The Big East Conference is gone and American Athletic Conference has been born in its absence.
All the movement throughout the league has shaken everything up, but I still think the power in college football remains in the same places. Let’s start by dissecting the new AAC.

AAC

Louisville is the front-runner in this conference and is my pick to finish on top and represent the AAC in a BCS Bowl game. Cincinnati is an intriguing team with new head coach Tommy Tuberville in charge. It will come down to quarterback and defensive play for the Bearcats. SMU is entering another season with June Jones and coming off a Hawaii Bowl beat down against Fresno State last year. The Mustangs will rely heavily on senior quarterback Garrett Gilbert, who needs to cut down on the interceptions. Teddy Bridgewater is a Heisman candidate and I think has the best shot to win in December. Bridgewater leads the Cardinals to the Orange Bowl again, but they lost once or twice along the way.

ACC

Miami and North Carolina are off probation and will make the Atlantic Coast Conference much better in the postseason. The Tar Heels open up their season with a BIG matchup against South Carolina. Miami plays Florida in a non-conference game on Sept. 7 and I see the Coastal Division coming down to the last two mentioned teams, North Carolina and Miami. Watch out for Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech however, I know this may seem like I’m being too broad, but these are teams loaded with talent but searching to find itself.

The Atlantic division will come down to two programs and a game on Oct. 19 will most likely decide who represents the ACC in the Orange Bowl in January. Florida State is replacing quarterback E.J. Manuel with true freshman Jameis Winston, who is rumored to be the next sensation. Clemson is led by Wildman Dabo Swinney (Roll Tide) and has quarterback Tajh Boyd under center for a final season with Sammy Watkins healthy. I see Clemson pulling it out this year and beating Miami in the championship game, looking to avenge an embarrassing loss in the Orange Bowl in 2011.

Big Ten

When you hear about the Big Ten, you hear two words, Ohio State. But to quote a smaller but feistier fixture on College Gameday, “Not so fast my friend!” Ohio State is indeed coming off an undefeated season, but this year the Buckeyes can’t lose if they wish to play in Pasadena come January. Braxton Miller and Urban Myer lead OSU, but don’t sleep on some other conference teams. Wisconsin is expected to stay with the ground and pound format under new head coach Gary Anderson with James White leading the way after the departure of Montee Ball (who is on my fantasy team this year). Nebraska returns quarterback Taylor Martinez and receiver Kenny Bell to a team that played in the Big Ten Championship last year. Michigan always looms when you’re talking about the Big Ten, as does Michigan State. Expect Ohio State to beat Nebraska and play in the Rose Bowl.

Big 12

Kansas State and Oklahoma split the title last year, but with the loss of Collin Klein and Arthur Brown, I’m not sure the Wildcats come back as strong in 2013. Oklahoma is replacing its quarterback, Landry Jones, and honestly it’s about time the Sooners got a new play-caller in charge. I was looking for it to be Blake Bell all offseason but they’ve announced it will be freshman Trevor Knight. Texas is once again loaded with talent, but can they utilize it and make the Longhorns relevant in college football again. Kliff Kingsbury left Texas A&M for a head coaching gig at his alma mater, Texas Tech. I think it was a great hire and will work out for the Red Raiders in the long run. Oklahoma State is the favorite among most of the media, but I think the bigger lock is Baylor. Art Briles leads the Bears into another season, but with Lache Seastrunk, who should be in New York in December, as the running force behind the dynamic offense. My pick for the conference is OU, but my heart keeps telling me to pick the Bears and trust the offense.

Pac-12

The high-flying Pac-12 is coming down to four teams this year, and I think only one is a safe pick in August. Stanford is the most well-rounded team in the west coast and with head coach David Shaw in charge, the Cardinal should be playing in the Rose Bowl. Quarterback Kevin Hogan is under center for Stanford and is a dark horse to win the Heisman in December. Oregon is looking to replace head coach Chip Kelly, but they didn’t lose all the speed or Marcus Mariota. The Ducks will be strong this season, but will they be strong enough? UCLA played in the Pac-12 Championship game last year and have quarterback Brett Hundley back this year and you can never count out USC, who may have the most talented team in football if they can get solid play out of a quarterback. Washington is a dark horse and poised for a breakout season with its dynamic offense. My pick is Stanford to win the wild west, which isn’t as wild as it once was.

SEC

Win, win, win…. That’s the motto of the SEC, well at least that’s what they do. Owning the last seven BCS National Champions, expect the national championship game to contain a team from the most powerful conference in college football. I am a huge Alabama fan at heart and will say that is my pick to come from this power conference, but do not be surprised if LSU, Georgia, Texas A&M, Florida or South Carolina wind up being the best team from the conference. Honestly I have a feeling that those could be the best five teams in college football this year, in any order. LSU returns starters Zach Mettenberger, Odell Beckham III and Jarvis Landry, but add Cam Cameron who may be able to make this offense efficient, which is something it has never been under Les Miles. Florida lost some key player on its defense from last year and running back Mike Gillislee, but expect Jeff Driskel to step up in a bigger role for the Gators. Aaron Murray returns for the Bulldogs after leading them to the SEC Championship game and falling one play short of a championship date with Notre Dame last year. The Ol’ Ball Coach is at South Carolina and has the biggest weapon in college football, Jadeveon Clowney. Expect to see Clowney in New York come December with a true chance to become college football’s first all-defensive player to win the Heisman. Johnny Manziel is in more trouble and speculation than any other player in the league this year, but he’s still playing for Texas A&M, so they are a top team. However the Aggies are tested early in their third game with the host an agitated Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide. Alabama is the best team in college football for one reason, Nick Saban. If you haven’t read the article by Warren St. John on GQ yet, scurry over there and check it out really quick (after you read and like this please). He does a wonderful job personifying the man and showing us that it’s his methods that have Alabama in the position they are now, which makes me believe that he is the greatest football coach of all time. A.J. McCarron cements his legacy with the Tide and becomes the most successful quarterback in school history. T.J. Yeldon carries the ball like a beast and makes fans forget about Eddie Lacy, Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram. Amari Cooper is the best receiver in the game and paired with Kenny Bell, Christion Jones, DeAndrew White, Robert Foster, Chris Black and Kevin Norwood the Tide boast their best receiving corps ever. Watch for some explosive offense and you know a Saban-coached team will play some D.

I don't want to commit to any set of championship teams, but it will be one of the aforementioned SEC teams and my guess, which is as good as any right now, is Stanford. It will be a great matchup either way, hopefully it's the right one.

Roll Tide and enjoy the season everybody, I’ll be keeping in touch much more often this year.

Also, here is the link to the Nick Saban feature by Warren St. John, http://www.gq.com/entertainment/sports/201309/coach-nick-saban-alabama-maniac?mbid=social_twitter_gqmagazine

Wing Man out!

A nice little stay-cation

The roommates are away and I have spoiled myself to a night of luxury!

I got home from work and promptly switched my television over to the Stars game! Dallas lost however, 2-1.

Then I prepped up some wonderful pulled pork tacos with homemade rice and Pico De Gallo!

Kansas was up next on my schedule as they survived some poor play in West Virginia. However, I selected the Jayhawks to win by double-digits in my streak. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day!

I am now writing you all while watching some television before I go to bed. I've got a long day tomorrow with work and class so I better sign out now!

Thanks for following my useless thoughts and have a great day tomorrow!

Wing Man out!

So much catching up to do.

Where do I start.

With the new year comes new plans. Last year's are old news and this year's are bound to work!

Alabama defeated Notre Dame in the National Championship and removed the "Fighting" part out of its nickname in my mind. ND shall now henceforth be referred to as the Irish! Roll Tide!

National Signing Day is creeping up and was one of two annual skip classes days for me when I was in college. Too bad work doesn't feel the same, so I'll be tuned in from my computer at work.

Duke, Butler, and Louisville all recently lost and my early early pick to win the big dance in March fell for the third time this year. However I am sticking with them for now as they make up a championship-like team that could go on a run in the tournament. Senior starter, one player that shoots freethrows over 90 percent, I scoring point guard, and a talented big man.

I've enjoyed the start of Hockey and surprisingly missed it until now. Tarasenko is going to be a stud someday and the Blues need to do whatever to keep him around. The Stars will make the playoffs and will surprise some teams this year. The Red Wings will make the playoffs because they are the Red Wings, however not better than a 6 seed.

Speaking of great teams that are struggling. The Lakers have struggled all season and can't buy a win right now! While most fans/media are in a panic, I still see them as L.A. and feel that it will get turned around and I will see Kobe in the playoffs come April.

Baseball is about two months away and I'm excited for many reasons. Mainly because I love baseball and have missed it dearly! Here's three strikes of why I'm excited though. Strike 1, new players on new teams. Hamilton to the Angels, the Dodgers getting a full season out of their new players, and the Upton brothers coming together to play with my Atlanta Braves as they (and I) brace for a season without Chipper Jones. Strike 2, Castro's moving to A.L. Houston has been a doormat the past few years, but hopefully in a new league they'll find a way to turn it around and be competitive again. Not going to be easy though! Strike 3, the shift of powers to the west coast. No longer do all the good players and good teams play on the east coast. The Rangers have been to two of the last three World Series and the Giants have won two of the last three. The west coast should get the credit they deserve and some TV exposure they've deserved! I.E. Vin Scully!

In the meantime enjoy basketball and hockey and until next time, have a great day!

WingMan Out!

Where in the world have you been!?!

Typical Wing Expert right?

He makes a few posts and says he'll never leave again, then vanishes. Only to come back saying he's sorry and vows to change.

Well I am back and hope to fill some more posts in the near future. But I need your help to tell me what is working and to ask questions for me to answer! The blog is called "Ask the Wing Expert" and I'm not getting many questions. So if you're tired of hearing me rant, then email me at thewingexpert@gmail.com and I can see what I can do.

I've got my Blogger app set up on my new phone and can blog from anywhere!  As long as I have my phone!

Otherwise, check back in soon for some football, basketball and other interesting stories and thoughts I have for you!

Glad to be back,

Wing Man out!

P.S. Roll Tide!
I'll get into that game later!