Impressive Cape Cod Baseball League Prospects

Yarmouth-Dennis celebrates winning the 2016 Cape Cod
Baseball League Championship
photo by author

The Cape Cod Baseball League features some of the best college players from around the country. Every summer, players from all over the country head to the Cape to impress scouts and improve their draft stock.

This year was no different.

Many players impressed not only the plethora of scouts that visited the island over the summer, but fans, coaches and other players as well.

During my week up on the Cape this summer, I went to six Cape League playoff games, This included all three games of the thrilling championship series where the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox won their third consecutive championship behind manager Scott Pickler.

While attending these games, I was impressed, as I always am, by the skills of many of the players in the league. However, these four players below continue to stick out in my mind for the attributes they showed at the games I attended.

Calvin Faucher, RHP, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, University of California, Irvine

While scouting a baseball player is far from an inexact science, there are always certain character traits that are inane and can be observed from just a single appearance or even at-bat. For Calvin Faucher, the one at-bat you needed to see was against JJ Matijevic in the winner-take-all game three of the Cape Cod Baseball League Championship Series. Matijevic was one of the best hitters in all of the Cape this summer, hitting .376 in the regular season and .300 in the playoffs (with three playoff homers). Faucher came on to face Matijevic in the bottom of the eight inning with two runners on and one out. Calm, cool and collected, he managed to get ahead in the count quickly. With two strikes, he got Matijevic to swing on pitch low and away to get the strikeout. It was one of the biggest strikeouts in the man's career. He then got cleanup hitter Josh Watson to strikeout to end the inning. Faucher was impressive the entire summer, pitching in 20 games overall with 29 strikeouts and only eight hits (albeit with 11 walks). But, all you had to see was his battle against Matijevic to know that the man is extremely comfortable and confident coming out of the pen in big spots. That is something you cannot teach.

Austin Filiere, OF, Harwich Mariners, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The feel good story of the Cape summer, Austin Filiere proved that Division III players can play with the big boys. The rising junior at MIT was very impressive this summer playing against greater talent than his is accustomed to seeing. He had a slash line of .248/.362/.504 and was tied for second in the league in home runs with seven. In game three of the Eastern Division Semifinals, he showed off his strength. In the third inning Filiere crushed a ball to straight away centerfield, easily clearing the wall for a homer. It was a no-doubter that showed the power of Filiere. He was awarded the Manny Robello 10th Player Award for his contributions to the team and it well deserved. Filiere is a ballplayer and should, one day, be playing at the next level.

Deacon Liput, 2B, Falmouth Commodores, University of Florida

Liput had a very impressive Cape Cod Baseball League Championship Series. Hitting out of the two hole, Liput set the table multiple times for his Commodore teammates. In game one of the series, he scored two of the biggest runs of the game. In the first inning, he hit a single, stole second base and then scored on a double to tied the game at one. Then, in the fifth inning, he led off the inning with a single and would come around the score the go-ahead run as Falmouth would not relinquish their lead. Liput would continue to get on base in the series, but his teammates had trouble knocking him in. On defense, he was solid and proved to be very capable at the position. After a so-so regular season where he hit .260, the rising sophomore broke out in the playoffs. Florida is hoping that he can continue his quality play and confidence in the spring.

Kevin Smith, SS, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, University of Maryland

Kevin Smith with the 2016 Playoff MVP Trophy
photo by author

Playoff MVP Kevin Smith was the best player I saw on the Cape this summer. He showed prowess with both the glove and the bat. Defensively, he proved to be sure footed, have a good arm and good feet and look extremely comfortable. While there were some plays that he got to but could not make the throw, few balls got past him in the whole, which is an undervalued skill. The one play that sticks out in my mind occurred in game one of the Eastern Division Finals. With runners on third and second and one out, a groundball was hit towards third base. It hit off the glove of third baseman Will Toffey and bounced up in the air. Smith ran over to deep in the hole, barehanded the ball and threw the runner out at first by a step. While the runner on third scored, the runner on second did not advance and was later left stranded. It was arguably the biggest play of the game. If Smith had not gotten the runner, it would have been a one run game with one out and two runners on. Instead, it is still a one run game, but there is only one runner on and two out. That is a major swing in favor of the Red Sox. Smith made a myriad of those plays, both at the plate and in the field. The Maryland man proved his skill this summer on the Cape and should be a player to watch in the Big Ten this spring.

Thoughts on the First College Football Playoff National Championship

Cardale Jones
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Coin Toss

Oregon, being the higher seed, got to call the opening coin toss. They chose heads and it was heads. The Ducks elected to receive. In the 2011 BCS Championship Game, Oregon called tails, the coin came up tails, and they elected to receive the kick as well. Oregon lost both games.

Missed Tackles

What lost the game for Oregon was the amount of tackles they missed. Multiple times, Cardale Jones bulldozed an Oregon defender, who had stopped the 6'5", 250 pound signal caller a few yards from a first down, and got a first down. The Ducks also had difficulty tackling running back Ezekiel Elliott and Jalin Marshall on kick returns. If Oregon tackled Jones or Elliott on a few third downs behind the first down marker, Ohio State would have punted more often, giving Oregon more chances to score. Oregon's inability to make a big tackle, especially on third down, was the team's downfall.

Turnovers

Ohio State had four turnovers. Oregon had one, an interception at the end of the game. While, it is never good when a team commits four turnovers, the Buckeyes need to be applauded for their ability on defense to make stops after turnovers and for the offense for forgetting about the turnovers. The Ohio State defense stopped the Oregon offense twice after turnovers, including one time inside the five, and gave up only ten points off of turnovers. That is very good when facing a fantastic Oregon offense. On offensive, Cardale Jones had a bad fumble and an interception, yet put that behind him to lead Ohio State to the victory. 

The Dropped Passes

Oregon scored first, stopped Ohio State on the Buckeyes' first possession, and looked to be rolling on their second possession. Then, on a 3rd and 3, Charles Nelson drops a pass and Oregon punts. On the next Oregon possession, Mariota throws a beauty to Dwayne Stanford on a 3rd and 12 that was guaranteed to be a big play. But, Stanford dropped it. On Ohio State's possessions after both drops, they scored a touchdown. Those two drops changed the whole momentum of the game. Oregon's offense was not the same after the drops, while Ohio State gained confidence and momentum.  

Ezekiel Elliott

Ezekiel Elliott
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Ezekiel Elliott may not have had an 80+ yard run like in the Big Ten Championship or Sugar Bowl, but he did have the best game of his career and won of the best performances of all-time in a championship game. He rushed 36 times for 246 yards and four touchdowns, all career highs. Elliott could not be stopped Monday night. It seemed like every time he got his hand on the ball, he was running for eight or nine yards. Elliott was the best player on the field at AT&T Stadium. Right now, he is the best running back in the country.

76 Years Ago

The First NCAA Basketball Tournament was in 1939. Eight teams competed in the tournament. The final was between: Ohio State and Oregon. In this first tournament, however, Oregon pulled off the victory 46-33 behind John Dick's 13 points. 

Now What? Oregon

Before the game, it was almost guaranteed that Marcus Mariota would declare for the NFL Draft. Now, there are some murmurs that Mariota will stay for a final season at Oregon. While I love it when college players stay an extra year (or two), Mariota should go pro. It is his time to leave Oregon and become a professional. He is at a peak ranking (even after the championship) and is more likely to be highly criticized and lose his high ranking (ex: Jake Locker). Mariota's draft stock may fall slightly after the loss, but there are too many teams in need of a QB in the top ten, even top five, for him to slide to far down. The next QB for the Ducks will most likely be either Jeff Locke or Morgan Mahalak. With either of them, there is likely some struggles in 2015, but Oregon should still be a good team.

Now What? Ohio State

Cardale Jones, JT Barrett, and Braxton Miller
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The big question heading into the 2015 season for Ohio State is going to be the QB situation. Urban Meyer will have to chose from three high quality QBs: 2012 and 2013 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Braxton Miller, 2014 Big Ten QB of the Year JT Barrett, and starting QB of the Big Ten Championship, Sugar Bowl, and National Championship Cardale Jones. However, it is likely to be a two-horse race between Barrett and Jones, as Miller will graduate in the spring and be able to transfer and play immediately. Schools reportedly in the running for Miller are Florida State, LSU, Oregon, and Duke. All are better options than possibly sitting the bench at Ohio State. In the decision between Barrett and Jones, Meyer has to chose Jones. The man just won his first three starts in the three most important games of the season. He started and won the National Championship. While Barrett might have done that if he were healthy, Meyer can not base his decision on alternate timelines. He needs to base it on performance and success.

Lacrosse Weekend: NLL, MLL, and College

National Lacrosse League's Regular Season Finales

The National Lacrosse League's regular season ended on Saturday as final seeding for the playoffs were set. The Edmonton Rush, the number one team in the league, defeated the Vancouver Stealth 10-5 to end the season with a 16-2 record. The Rush, who started the season 14-0, earned a first round bye and home court advantage throughout the Champion's Cup playoffs. 

The Rush will face the winner of the first round matchup between the Calgary Roughnecks and the Colorado Mammoth. Roughnecks finished the season with a 14-8 victory over Vancouver, while the Mammoth had a come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia Wings in Philly. This match-up will be played in Calgary because the Roughnecks has the better record.

Cody Jamieson
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The best team in the East is the current holder of the Champion's Cup, the Rochester Knighthawks. The Knighthawks, led by the league leader in points Cody Jamieson, defeated the Buffalo Bandits 16-14 in front of 19,070 fans in Buffalo on Saturday. The 19,070 fans is tied for the most fans at a regular season game. With the win, the Knighthawks finish the season 14-4 and have won nine of their last ten games. While the Knighthawks have been on fire since the beginning of March, the Bandits have gone cold. They have lost their final eight games to end the season 8-10 and now have to travel to Toronto for their first round matchup with the Rock. The Rock won their final regular season game 8-6 against the Minnesota Swarm. 

Major League Lacrosse's FaceOff Weekend

Rob Pannell
http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.5382911.1372112914!/
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Eight of the MLL's ten teams played a game during opening weekend, called FaceOff Weekend. The new team to the league, the Florida Launch, faced off with the Denver Outlaws at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida. The first half was all Outlaws and they led 11-1 at half time. The Launch had a mini comeback in the second half, but still lost 14-10. With the win, the Outlaws' regular season winning streak was extended to 21 games. The last time they lost a game in the regular season was in July of 2012. Yet, Denver has never won a MLL Championship. The Ohio Machine defeat the Charlotte Hounds 15-8 in Charlotte. Machine netminder Scott Rodgers had 23 saves in the win. The defending champion Chesapeake Bayhawks lost to the Boston Cannons 15-9. Kevin Buchanan scored seven goals for the Cannons. In the final game of the weekend, the New York Lizards defeated the Rochester Rattlers 18-15. Rob Pannell scored six goals for the Lizards, five of them unassisted. 

ACC Tournament Final

Matt Kavanagh
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The Syracuse Orange (#4 in the Inside Lacrosse Poll/#4 in the Coaches Poll) went head-to-head with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (#9/#9) in the ACC Tournament Final. This is both school first season in the ACC. In the semi-finals, #3 seeded Syracuse defeated #2 seeded Duke 16-15 in a rematch of last year's National Championship, which the Blue Devils won. Billy Ward scored the game-tying goal for the Orange with fifteen seconds left and Dylan Donahue followed that up with a goal with a second left to win it for the Orange. Notre Dame, seeded fourth in the tournament, also scored a game winning goal in the closing seconds. Matt Kavanagh scored the game-winning-goal with less than seven seconds left to put the Irish up 6-5 and clinch a spot in the final. 

The Final was just as thrilling as the two semi-final games. At the half, Notre Dame and Syracuse were all tied up at seven. However, the Fighting Irish came out of the half hot, scoring seven goals in the third quarter and only giving up two goals to take a 14-9 lead. Six minutes into the fourth quarter, the Fighting Irish seemed to be on their way to victory as they had a 15-10 lead. But, the Orange began to fight back. When Scott Loy scored with 2:02 remaining, the Notre Dame lead was down to one. Notre Dame won the ensuing face-off, but Dominic Lamolinara, who came on at the start of the fourth, saved a point blank shot off of his face mask. Syracuse got the ball and went on the attack. The Orange could not get the ball in the net as Conor Kelly made a great save with a few seconds left to seal the deal for the Irish. Kavanagh was MVP of the Tournament. 

Patriot League Final

Jack Runkel
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The Loyola Greyhounds (#1/#1) went up against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (#18/#18) in the Patriot League Championship Game. Loyola defeated Colgate 12-6 in the semi-final, while Lehigh defeated Army 12-11 in their semi-final game. Loyola won the game handily, 17-6, and extended their winning streak to fourteen games. Lehigh struck first, but Loyola, whose only loss this year came at the hands of Virginia in OT, scored six consecutive goals and was up 7-3 at half time. The second half was all Greyhounds, as they scored nine goals to the Mountiain Hawks four. When the horn sounded, Loyola won 16-7. Greyhound goalie Jack Runkel made fifteen saves and was named Patriot League Tournament MVP.

Rants, Rumblings, Raves, and Such on this year's NCAA Tournament

First Round Games To Watch

• #4 San Diego State vs #13 New Mexico State: New Mexico State has the potential to pull off the upset of the first round.
• #5 Cincinnati vs #12 Harvard: This is Harvard's third consecutive tournament and this may be their best team. Last year, they upset New Mexico, then a three seed. Sean Killpatrick and Cincinnati will have a tough time with the Crimson.
• #5 VCU vs #12 Stephen F. Austin: Stephen F. Austin hasn't lost since late November (Another way to put it: They have not lost in 28 games). This matchup was the toughest for me to make in my bracket.
• #6 Baylor vs #11 Nebraska: I really want to see how well Baylor plays. If they dominate, they will be a team to watch for though out the tourney.
• #6 UNC vs #11 Providence: Providence has the chance to shock a lot of people by upsetting the Tar Heels. This should be a good game.
• #8 Gonzaga vs #9 Oklahoma State: A great matchup that has two teams that have the prestige and talent to make ti deep into the tournament.

Great 1 vs. 8/9 Matchups for Round of 32

Shaq Goodwin
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This year features the strongest eight and nine seeds in a long time. Kentucky, the #8 seed in the Midwest, was the preseason number one. Oklahoma State, the #9 seed in the West, was once ranked in the top six teams in the country. Gonzaga, the #8 seed in the West, won the WCC Regular Season and Tournament and was ranked for more then half of the season. Memphis, the #8 seed in the East, was never fell out of the rankings an beat Louisville twice and Oklahoma State once. Colorado, George Washington, Kansas State, and Pittsburgh are also good teams. Off all these teams, Oklahoma State is being considered the most likely to upset a one seed in the Round of 32. However, I think that Memphis has a great chance of upsetting Virginia in their possible match-up. Memphis is a good team that has a lot of upset potential. If they beat Virginia, Joe Jackson or Shaq Goodwin will have had a fantastic game. Oklahoma State has a chance to beat Arizona, but that chance is not as good as people are making it out to be. 

Sim Bhullar and New Mexico State

Sim Bhullar may be the most intriguing player (and prospect) playing in the NCAA Tournament. Bhullar is a sophomore and is 7'5", 360 pounds. There is no one who can compare to his presence on the court. Bhullar does not put up astronomical numbers (He averages 10.3 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, and 3.4 blocks per game), but when he is given shots, he usually makes them. When Bhullar plays 25+ minutes and gets over eight shot attempts, the Aggies are 5-1. They need Bhullar to play well to win and I think they will pull off the upset.

Why Kansas Won't Win The Tournament

Andrew Wiggins
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Kansas will not cut down the nets in Arlington, Texas on April 7th. They would be lucky to even play in the Final Four. While they have a lot of talent, they are missing a lot of qualities of a champ. First, is their lack of upperclassman that produce. They have only two players who are upperclassman that will play in meaningful minutes during the tournament. The one senior, Tarik Black, doesn't even average 15 minutes a game. Even the Kentucky team with the five fabulous freshman during the 2011-12 season had Darius Miller, a senior, who was arguably their most important player. Not only that, their defense is mediocre, especially without Joel Embiid. Andrew Wiggins cannot cary the Jayhawks to the title, let alone the Final Four.

Ohio State and Aaron Craft

Aaron Craft is a great player. It seems like he has been a Buckeye forever. Sadly, this is going to be his final season in the college ranks. Craft is not a scorer, but there is no point guard who can run the offense and play outstanding defense better than him. If he can get his team to score and play solid defense, Ohio State could make a run.

The Sic 'Em Bears

Cory Jefferson
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The Baylor Bears have a lot of upset potential. Led by Brady Hesslip (11.8 points per game) and Cory Jefferson (13.8 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game), the Bears offense is one of the best in the nation. However, their defense is mediocre. For them to be successful, they need Hesslip, Jefferson, Isaiah Austin, Kenny Chery, Hesslip, and Jefferson all need to play at their best and each need to get close to double-digit points.

The Cyclones

Iowa State may surprise people as a three seed this is their correct placement. The Cyclones have had outstanding year that includes winning the Big 12 Tournament. Even with one of the toughest schedule in the country, Iowa State's averages 82.9 points per game, which is sixth in the country. They have three players that average over 16 points per game. They are Melvin Ejim, DeAndre Kane, and Georges Niang. If they can get at least two of those scorers hot and can play some solid defense, the Cyclones will be hard to stop. 

Predictions

• Florida cuts down the nets inside AT&T Stadium
• Arizona, Michigan State, and Duke make the Final Four
• Oregon beats Wisconsin in the round of 32
• New Mexico State reaches the Sweet 16
• Memphis and New Mexico come close, but both lose in the final minute to Virginia and Kansas respectively
• There will be early round upsets, but the later rounds will have a lot of upper seeds

Multi-Sport Athletes' Current Baseball Endeavors

Wilson visits Rangers Spring Training

Russell Wilson
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On Monday, Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson visited and worked out with the Texas Rangers. Wilson played baseball at NC State from 2007-2010 and was drafted by the Rockies with the 25th pick in the 4th round of the 2010 Draft. He played two summers in the Rockies farm system and then focused on football. Wilson was unimpressive in the minors. A second baseman, Wilson has a career batting average of .229 and .354 on-base percentage.

Wilson was drafted by the Rangers in the Rule 5 Draft in December, hoping he could visit and speak to the team during Spring Training and, if he ever wants to return to baseball, Russell will play pro ball for the Rangers. Wilson has fulfilled the first part of their hopes when he went to Spring Training in Arizona. He fielded ground balls at second base during infield workouts and talked to players of all status. Sadly, Wilson did not take an at-bat in the Rangers game vs. Cleveland.  Hw did stay to watch the game. This is great for the Rangers. Not only do they get great media coverage, but they also get Wilson, known as a great leader, to motivate the team. 

Winston playing well on #2 Florida State

The Florida State Seminoles are currently #2 in the Baseball America Top 25 Rankings after winning two and losing one game in Tallahassee. Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston has played in seven of the Seminoles nine games so far (not including game vs. New York Yankees). In four of those games, Winston has come on as a reliever in the final inning or two and in the other three, Winston came off the bench as a pinch hitter and played the outfield. On the mound, Winston already has a save and has given up only one hit against sixteen batters in five innings. At the plate, he has two singles in two at-bats and a walk. His fielding percentage is 1.000, and he also has an assist. 

Tracy McGrady

Tracy McGrady

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Former NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady is practicing in a Houston suburb, hoping to return to a game he loves. No, it's not basketball. The 6'8" 34 year old is hoping to pitch for the Atlantic League's Sugar Land Skeeters. The Skeeters are most famous for signing Roger Clemons, who pitched one game for the team in 2012. McGrady last played organized baseball in 1996, his junior year of high school. He transferred to Mount Zion Christian Academy, a school with no baseball team, after his junior year and gave-up baseball as a result.

McGrady has insisted this is no gimmick. He says he really wants to play baseball and I applaud him for it. It seems that he has always had a love of baseball and wanted to play the game professionally when he was a kid. I give him props for venturing out into a whole new world and doing his best to make it. I think he will make the team. According to reports, he has some good pitches and his tall frame will help him a lot. Also, he will be a revenue booster for the Skeeters, who are about 40 minutes outside of Houston, where McGrady played some of his best basketball.

2013 FCS Playoff Preview: Three Teams To Watch

North Dakota State

Brock Jensen
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The Bison are the number one seed in the tournament and that is well deserved. Not only are they the only undefeated team in the FCS, they have won the last two FCS titles and have not lost a game since October 13th, 2012. Some of their notable wins this season have been against Kansas State, an FBS team, Northern Iowa, and rivals South Dakota State. They have outscored their opponents by at least ten points in all but two games. Their offensive strength is their outstanding run game. Sam Ojuri averages 6.6 yards per run and John Crockett averages 6.1 yards. Their average rushing yards per game is 237.2 yards. QB Brock Jensen is highly-efficient; he has a 26-6 TD-INT ratio. Their defense allows under twelve points per game, which is best in the country, and is in the third in yards allowed per game with 243.0. They are not only stout on both sides of the ball, the Bison are great on special teams. Christian Dudzik has two punt returns for touchdowns while Ryan Smith has one. North Dakota State are the best team in the FCS and probably are better then some teams in FBS-AQ conferences. It is their title to lose.

Southeastern Louisiana

The Lions are the four seed in the playoffs and are destined to go far. They went undefeated in the Southland Conference that featured the FCS runner-up two years in a row, Sam Houston State, and 10-2 McNeese State. The offense is based around a extraordinary running game. Duel Threat quarterback Bryan Bennett leads the team in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. Rasheed Harrell and Xavier Roberson are both high-quality players. On the defensive side of the ball, LB Isiah Corbett has sixteen tackles for a loss and seven sacks and DL Jacob Newman has 13.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Southeastern Louisiana is going to make a run.

Fordham

Michael Nebrich
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Two years ago, the Fordham Rams were 1-10 and one of the teams in college football. Now, they are 11-1 and in the FCS Playoffs. The team's only loss was to Lafayette on November 16th. The offense is passing-based and they have a great quarterback in Michael Nebrich. Nebrich leads the FCS in completion percentage at 74.9%, is second in passing efficiency at 175.4, and is in the top five in passing yards per game with 325.1. He also has 28 touchdowns to only six picks. The running game is pretty good as well. It is headlined by Carlton Koonce, who averages over 111 rushing yards per game. Fordham is a sneaky team that may surprise some people and make a run behind their star signal-caller. 

Great Slate of Football Games Over The Weekend

Florida State @ Clemson

Tajh Boyd
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This is the game of the weekend. Florida State (#5 in the AP Poll/#5 in the USA Today Poll) goes to Death Valley to meet another top five team, Clemson (#3/#4). This game has national impact. The winner will immediately become a challenger for the BCS Championship, while the other will be out of contention. Both teams have superstar quarterbacks. Clemson's signal caller is senior Tajh Boyd. Boyd has been a high-level quarterback in his first two years as the starter, but this year he has taken it to another level. His maturity shows in his ratio of touchdowns to interceptions. He has fifteen passing touchdowns compared to two picks. The Seminoles quarterback, Jameis Winston is a redshirt freshman and he has been outstanding. He has a completion percentage of about 73%, 17 passing touchdowns, and a passer rating of about 214. The key to this game will be the defense. Who will be able to quiet the opposing quarterback for at least a few possessions. This game will be a shootout and will come down to the wire. In the end, Clemson will pull out the win in the end.

UCLA @ Stanford

After Stanford (#13/#13) was upset the 4-3 Utah Utes, the balance shifted in the PAC-12. They became the third highest ranked team in country, falling behind 6-0 Oregon (#2/#2) and 5-0 UCLA (#9/#10), their opponent this week. UCLA's success has been centered around their good defense and quarterback Brett Hundley. Hundley is a very good quarterback and that is evident by last weeks game against Cal. He threw for 410 yards, three touchdowns, and completed 75.6% of his passes. For Stanford, quarterback Kevin Hogan struggled against Utah last week and Washington the week before. Hogan needs to put those two games behind him. If his struggles get in his head, it is going to be another long game for the junior QB. After a devastating loss last week, Stanford will be rejuvenated by the home fans and will take home the W against the Bruins.

Auburn @ Texas A&M

Nick Marshall
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After an awful season last year, the Auburn Tigers (#24/NR) are 5-1 and have returned to the top 25. This week, they face Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M (#7/#7). This is a big game for the Tigers. They beat a top 25 team in Ole Miss, but they lost to a top ten team, LSU. This game will show us where the Tigers rank in big time college football. If they win, when it's all said and done they may be a top 15 team. If they lose, they are a barely a top 25 team. For Auburn to win, quarterback Nick Marshal needs to be on his game. In their loss to LSU, the running game was working, with Tre Mason having a great game. Marshall, however, completed just over 50% of his passes and threw two picks. He needs to be a better play maker for Auburn to have a chance. For Texas A&M, the defense needs to the stop the run game and Johnny Football needs to be Johnny Football. I am not sure if the Auburn defense can stop Manziel and the the Aggie offense. Because of that, I am pick the Aggies to win by at least ten points.

Sam Houston State @ McNeese State

This is the FCS matchup of the week and it is a good one. Sam Houston State is number two in the FCS, while McNeese State is number eight. Both teams are 5-1, are 1-0 in conference, and are in the Southland Conference. Sam Houston State's only loss was to FBS school Texas A&M. the Cowboys lost to Northern Iowa. The Bearcats' offense is based around it's run game. Three of their four leading rushers average 7.0 yards per carry. Their main running back, Timot Flanders, already has nine touchdowns and 849 rushing yards. McNeese is more passing oriented, but running back Marcus Wiltz is coming off a great week and is having an excellent season. The Bearcats' are the better team, and they will beat the Cowboys. 

Cincinnati @ Detroit

This week, there are only two games where both teams have winning record. One is Denver-Indy. The other is surprising. It is not Houston-Kansas City, or Baltimore-Pittsburgh. No, its the Bengals against the Lions. The Lions have been a surprise team so far. They are currently tied for the lead in the NFC North with a 4-2 record. Their offense has been good, even with Calvin Johnson struggling with injury. Reggie Bush is running the ball very well, giving the offense a whole new dimension. On defense, they have been very good, led by LB DeAndre Levy who is having a career year. The Bengals are also 4-2 and are also in the led of their division the AFC North. Two of their wins have been against Green Bay and New England, both high quality teams. The Lions have surprised so far, and they will shock Cincinnati. 

Denver @ Indianapolis

Jim Irsay
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Not only is this a match-up between Super Bowl contenders, but it is also the return of Peyton Manning to Indy. There will be a ceremony for Manning before the game, but the comments flying around make it a little awkward. Colts owner Jim Irsay made some comments this week that "dis" Manning. He said that they have changed how they run the team with Andrew Luck as QB so they can win more then one Super Bowl. He also said that he loved the "Star Wars" numbers Manning put up, but those numbers didn't matter in the post season and they would not advance. He later apologized, but the damage was done. Instead of their being a happy and light atmosphere, it will be cold and awkward. The key to the game is going to the Colts defense. The Broncos are firing on all cylinders and for the Colts to have a chance to win will be if their defense comes up clutch. This is going to be a good game; however, Denver is unstoppable right now. The Colts will put up a fight, but Denver will improve to 7-0.

2013 College Football Preview: The Full Count's Preseason Top 15 Teams

1. Alabama: Can you place anyone else number one? The back-to-back champs may have lost players, but they can be replaced. They still have the best coach in the nation, Nick Saban and his two-time National Championship winning quarterback, AJ McCarron. Their defense is still one of the best in the nation, with eight starters returning and Saban as the mastermind. The Tide's offense is also one of the best in the nation. McCarron has two of his best weapons returning in RB TJ Yeldon and WR Amari Cooper. Yeldon is an explosive back and Cooper is a very good wideout. Alabama is looking to become the first ever three-time BCS champion and to win their fourth title in five years. 
2. Ohio State: The Buckeyes were the only team in FBS football to go undefeated. Yet they were not selected to go to BCS National Championship, or the Rose Bowl, or any bowl for that matter. That was because of bowl ban due to the tattoo scandal. This year, they might be even better. Braxton Miller is going to be great. He is one of the best duel-threat quarterbacks there is. Their defense is good, but not great. It would not surprise me if they are in a few shootouts. Ohio State has a good chance to make the title game, but their defense will need to work hard to get there.
3. Oregon: Chip Kelly is gone. But, he left the Ducks in excellent shape. New head coach Mark Helfrich was the offensive coordinator so he knows the offense and the team well. He also knows his quarterback, Marcus Mariota, very well. Mariota is an outstanding quarterback and a prefect fit for this offense. He is a favorite for this year's Heisman Trophy. The key to the Ducks success will not be Mariota, but De'Anthony Thomas. I have been waiting for Thomas to break-out. He has had some excellent games, but not an excellent season. He needs to be one of the top three running backs in the nation for Oregon to be in the national title game.
4. Clemson: I am a believer in Clemson. I believe this could be their year. Arguably, Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins make up the best QB-WR duo in the nation. They have three high profile games which will make or break their title and BCS hopes. The first is on Saturday against Georgia, the second is on October 19th vs Florida State, and the final game is against South Carolina on November 30th. The hardest of the three games will be "The Palmetto Bowl" against South Carolina in Colombia. If they lose any of these games, it most likely will be a loss to South Carolina. They will finish the season with one loss or better and will be in a BCS Bowl.
5. South Carolina: When you start to talk about Gamecock football, you need to begin with Jadeveon Clowney. Clowney is the best player in college football, no question. He is no fluke. It wouldn't surprise me his reaches 15+ sacks. With Clowney as the anchor, South Carolina's defense is sound. It's the offense the makes me wonder. I know that Steve Spurrier is a great offensive coach, but I don't trust his quarterbacks. Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson are good quarterbacks, but are lack consistency. Spurrier should just keep one QB as the starter for the whole year and stick with it. 
6. Stanford: Stanford is a high-quality team. David Shaw is one of the best coaches in the college game. His defense this year is going to be as stout as always. Their defense is one of the top three defenses in the game. Kevin Hogan is a good quarterback, but he is not going to put the team over the hump. In key games and situations, that could be detrimental. I don't believe they are as good as Oregon in the PAC-12, but they are still one of the best teams in the nation.
7. Louisville: They may be in one of the worst conferences in the country, but Louisville is a very good team. Teddy Bridgewater is one of the top prospects for the 2014 NFL Draft. He is a dynamic player. His arm is very strong and he is also very accurate. Their schedule is very easy. They do not have any tough games. They can easily go 12-0. The question will be then, do they deserve to be in the BCS National Championship.
8. Texas A&M: Johnny Manziel is the key to the Aggies season. We know he will be suspended for the first half of the opening game against Rice, but who knows if any other suspensions or scandals will occur again. If Johnny Football is not behind center for the A&M, their chance of winning goes down drastically. He may be a burden of the field, when he is on the field he is an enigma. Their will be a lot of distractions around the Aggies. Their success will be based on how Manziel handles himself and how the team handles the distractions and hype around them.
9. Florida: The Gators were a surprise team last year. The won eleven games, seven conference games, and made a BCS Bowl. This year, they look to return to a BCS Bowl. Jeff Driskel is a good quarterback, but I am not sure if he can reach the next level. Their running backs are inexperienced, but have a good potential. The defense, like last year, should be the strongest part of the team.
10. Georgia: Georgia is an interesting team. They are very good, but they have the hardest start to the season in the nation. They first face Clemson on Saturday and then South Carolina the next week. I think they will lose both games and start the season 0-2. That is the worst way to begin the season. They could always come back and finish the season strong (Prime example: 2010 Virginia Tech Hokies), but their schedule will still be difficult afterward. They have games against LSU and Florida. Aaron Murray may be one of the better pocket passer's in the game, but he can't win games by himself. This season could be great, but will more likely be a flop. 
11. Florida State: I like Jamies Winston as the starting quarterback. He has a great arm (He had eight assists in the outfield for the Seminoles baseball team in the spring). Jimbo Fisher made the right choice by making him the starting quarterback. Winston will get a lot of help from his two running backs, Devonta Freeman and James Wilder Jr. Both of them averaged a little less then six yards per carry last season. Their defense is good with their defensive line being the headline. If Winston is good, the Seminoles may be a title game contender. 
12. LSU: The Tigers are bound for a good season. I think they can be slightly better this year then in 2012. Zach Mettenberger has one more year experience and has gotten much better. It wouldn't surprise me if he has a unnoticed breakout year. He will lead that offense to wins. Their defense will be good again and one of the best in the SEC. As always, the challenge for an SEC team will be the schedule. Their schedule is one of the toughest in the nation. If they can get through the season with just a few losses, they will be in good shape for a possible BCS Bowl.
13. Oklahoma: The Sooners have a new quarterback under center and it is not "the Belldozier". Redshirt freshman Trevor Knight won the job and I believe it was the right decision. Although I am a fan of Blake Bell, I was uncertain on his ability to throw the football consistently and his ability to stay in the pocket. Knight not only is a very good passer, he can also run very well. He has the potential to have a Johnny Manziel like season, without the off-the-field issues. Bell will still be utilized, but Knight will be the main guy. If Knight is as good as I think he can and will be, Oklahoma is in excellent shape. 
14. Texas: Texas is an interesting team. After an awful 5-7 season in 2010, the Longhorns record has improved to 9-4 last year. This year, their record could get even better. Quarterback David Ash is a solid player. He is a good team leader and knows how to run the offense. The player I am looking at to shine is Jonathan Gray. Gray has the potential to be a breakout star at running back. The defense is a question mark. It could be good or it could be bad. Only time will tell. 
15. Notre Dame: After making the BCS National Championship last season, the Fighting Irish's chances to returned were slashed drastically before the season even started when Everett Golson was suspended for the year. Now, without Golson, I don't think they will be close to making a bowl game. I don't trust Tommy Rees at quarterback. He has multiple chances to be the starter, but has never succeeded. Their defense is strong and will make up for the offense in certain situations, but not all the time. The Fighting Irish will lose a few games and make a decent bowl game.

2013 College World Series Final: UCLA vs. Mississippi St

College World Series logo
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The Men's College Baseball Tournament started with 64 teams vying for eight spots in the College World Series. Now, only two teams in the College World Series remain. They are the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the UCLA Bruins. Both teams have had to earn their way to the finals. Their roads to the finals have been somewhat similar, yet their strengths and weaknesses are different.

UCLA has had recent success in college baseball. This is their third appearance in the College World Series in the last four years. It is also their second appearance in the finals in that time span. They lost in the finals to South Carolina in 2010. The Bulldogs have had nine previous appearances in the College World Series. This is their first since 2007. They have made the tournament the last three years though. Neither team has ever won a College World Series Title.

UCLA are currently 47-17. Their record in the PAC-12 was 21-9 and 39-17 in the regular season. UCLA hosted a regional, with Cal Poly, San Diego, and San Diego State joining them at Jackie Robinson Stadium. In their first game, they beat San Diego State, 5-3. Next up was Cal Poly and UCLA beat them 6-4. That put them in the regional final against San Diego. The Bruins shutout the Toreros, 6-0. After their regional win, they went to nearby Cal State Fullerton to face the Titans in the Super Regional. In game one, they needed extra innings. UCLA got two runners across in the tenth and took home the victory. In game two, UCLA shutout the Titans 3-0 to advance to the College World Series.

Nick Vander Tuig
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Their first game in the College World Series was against a very good LSU team. Adam Plutko went seven strong innings for the Bruins, giving up only run. In the eight inning, the score was 1-1 and Eric Filia was up with a runner on second. He hit a ball to short, but an error was made, allowing the runner to score. That won the game for the Bruins. Their next game was against North Carolina State was just as low scoring. A two-run fifth inning was all that was needed for the Bruins as Nick Vander Tuig went seven strong for UCLA picked up the 2-1 win. In their third game, they went up against the number one seeded North Carolina Tar Heels and it was again, low scoring. UCLA had a four-run lead going into the ninth. UNC started a rally, but it was not enough as UCLA won and advanced to the final.

UCLA is based around their pitching and defense. Vander Tuig is 13-4 with a 2.31 ERA and two complete games. Plutko is 9-3 on the year with a 2.29 ERA. David Berg is lights-out when he comes out of the bullpen. He has an 0.96 ERA and 77 strikeouts with 23 saves. He already has five this postseason. Their team fielding percentage of .980 is sixth in Division I baseball. Many of their fielders have made very few errors. Filia has played in all 64 games for the Bruins and has not made one error.

Mississippi State are currently 51-18. They went 43-17 in the regular season and SEC Tournament and 16-14 in the SEC. To start the tournament, they hosted their own regional. In their regional with them was South Alabama, Mercer, and Central Arkansas. In their first game, they defeated Central Arkansas, 5-3 and then South Alabama, 6-2. They then lost to Central Arkansas 5-2, but redeemed themselves with 6-1 victory over UCA to make the Super Regional in Charlottesville. The Bulldogs defeated Virginia, 11-6, in game one of the best-of-three series. Game two was moved back a day due to rain, but it didn't matter. Mississippi State withheld a late rally and won 6-5.

Their first game of the World Series was against Oregon State. The Beavers got out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Bulldogs soon countered with three runs in the top of the second. Oregon State then got one run in the fourth and one in the fifth. Mississippi State regained the lead with two runs in the eighth and took a 5-4 lead. The Bulldogs held on to win. Next up was Indiana. Mississippi State got on the board first with one run in the first. Indiana then got three unanswered, followed by a run for the Bulldogs. Then, in the eighth inning, Mississippi State drove in three runs to take the lead. Indiana got one run in the ninth, but could not get the tying run across. The Bulldogs won the game 5-4. In their next game they faced Oregon State again, this time with a chance to make the final. Mississippi State scored one run in the fourth and three in the fifth to take a 4-0 lead. They kept the lead for the rest of the game, only giving up one run. They won the game 4-1 and their trip to the final.

Hunter Renfroe
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The Mississippi State lineup is led by two juniors, Adam Frazier and Hunter Renfroe. Adam Frazier is a great lead-off hitter. He has a .358 batting average, .404 on-base percentage, twenty doubles, seven triples, and a nation-leading 106 hits. In the postseason, he has sixteen hits including four doubles. Renfroe is an excellent middle of the lineup guy. He has 18 homers, 65 RBIs, and a .637 slugging percentage. The thirteenth overall pick in this year's draft already has one homer here in the College World Series. They have a very good bullpen. Ross Mitchell is 13-0 on the year with zero games started and a 1.27 ERA. Jonathan Holder has 21 saves on the season (including three in the their three College World Series games) with 86 strikeouts and a 1.24 ERA.

This looks to be a very good College World Series final. I feel the match-up is very even. I expect the series to go to a third game. Mississippi State, will, in the end, win the series and take home their first College World Series title. I believe their hitting can beat UCLA's pitching. The Bruins do not have the power at the plate to come from behind multiple times. The Bulldogs pitching may not be great, but they can shut down the UCLA lineup. In a few days, there will be celebrations down in Starkville.

The End of the Big East

The Big East Conference is splitting up
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Today was the last day of the Big East's regular season. This is significant because it was the last time that Big East will have regular season games. For years, the Big East was known as the best basketball conference and the worst football conference. Now, the conference is on it's last ride. After the spring sports season, the conference will be splitting up, with  members going in all different directions. Some will not be leaving for a few years, but by 2014, all but three members of current members will be playing somewhere else (and who knows if those three will stay). They already lost West Virginia before this season. The Big East is going to be missed. Here are some final thoughts on the conference. 

The Big Impact of the Big East

When the Big East began play for the 1979-80 season, there were seven teams (Boston College, UCONN, Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, St. Johns, and Syracuse), a six-game conference season, and only three teams made the NCAA tournament. Now, there are fifteen teams, with  last season's eighteen-game conference schedule.  In 2012, nine teams made the NCAA tournament. In the 34 year history of the conference, the Big East has become the best basketball conference in the nation.

Since the founding of the Big East, conference members have won six national championships. Members have also had eighteen final four appearances. During the last 34 seasons, the Big East teams have had more then 7750 wins, compared to less then 7200 wins for the ACC, Big Ten, and SEC teams. They have also have 114 teams in the final AP Poll. Their members have always play well in the tournament. Since 1980, UCONN, Syracuse, and Georgetown all have 44+ victories in the tournament. 

What We'll Miss

Scoreboard of the 6 OT Game between 'Cuse and UCONN
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There will be a lot to miss.  Every year, more the half of the teams had a chance to win the conference and/or make a NCAA tournament run. The annual Big East Men's Basketball Tournament will be remembered as one of the better conference tournament/title games in all sports. Since 1983, Madison Square Garden, arguably the most famous arena in the world, hosted the tournament. There was no better setting. Many tournaments held multiple remarkable games that are remembered for years. One of the most memorable of games was the 6 Overtime Game between Syracuse and UCONN in the 2009 tourney. Whenever a college game heads into overtime and especially double overtime, the game will be referenced. This game has become the new "standard" of overtime games. Match ups like this will be missed.

The Big East has had many notable rivalries that have made the conference great. None are bigger then the Georgetown-Syracuse rivalry. These Big East founding members have two of three best winning percentages of teams during their Big East history. When this rivalry is remembered, Syracuse coach Jim Boehiem and Georgetown's former head John Thompson Jr and the current head coach, his son, John Thompson III will always be mentioned. These teams will definitely play again, but it will not be the same.

What will happen to UCONN, Cincinnati, and USF?

UCONN celebrating their 2011 NCAA championship,
possibly the last win by a Big East team
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There are the three teams that are currently staying in the current Big East Conference. If I am UCONN and Cincinnati, I am looking for a way to  quickly get out of the  conference.  The best fit may be leaving with the "Catholic Seven" for the new Big East. Both teams have more National Championships by themselves then any of the "Catholic Seven".  UCONN and Cincy have nine and seven NCAA appearances since 2000-01 respectively. Only three of the other seven teams are in that range of appearances since 2000-01 (Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova). They are all high profile programs that will draw fans and attention to the new conference. The problem with joining the "Big East" is that the new conference will not sponsor a football program. That may be a deal breaker. If they want a place to play where they can do both, the ACC will have an odd amount of teams (fifteen) when Maryland leaves (this includes Notre Dame, who will join the ACC in all sports except football). The conference may want to even out the number of teams to sixteen.

There is never going to be a conference like the Big East again. It changed college basketball multiple times with the performance of the teams, the innovations, the competition and the consistency of high caliber of play. The Big East will be missed by many and remembered forever.

College Basketball's Elite

This year of college basketball has been crazy. Top teams have been dropping games each week. This past week, four of the top five teams in the nation have been upset. All of the these games have been on the road. There is not one top team in the nation or a select group. There is a surplus amount of teams that could say they are the best. I believe there are four teams that can consider themselves the best team in the nation.

Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr
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The best conference in the nation is the Big Ten. They have many good teams. Two of them stand out as the best of the best. They are the Indiana Hoosiers and the Michigan Wolverines. Indiana was ranked number one at the start of the season has stayed in the top ten all year. They have two Wooden Award contenders in C Cody Zeller and G Victor Oladipo. Zeller is the best low-post player in the country. Oladipo is a great all-around player. Michigan is led by two guards, sophomore Trey Burke and junior Tim Hardaway Jr. Burke is also a Wooden Award contender and is arguably the best point guard in the nation. Hardaway Jr is a consistant wing player and always a threat to score 20+ points. The best qualities  these two teams have are that they have good role players and shoot a high percentage. Indiana has Jordan Hulls, Christian Watford, among others. Michigan has Glenn Robinson III and Nik Stauskas. Indiana and Michigan both shoot a very high percentage.

The Duke Blue Devils are a top team in Division I b-ball. As always, Coach Mike  Kryzewski has put a championship contender on the floor. The Blue Devils start with big-man Mason Plumlee. Plumlee averages a double-double per game with about 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. The Backcourt of Quinn Cook and Seth Curry is stout. Cook is a good passer-scorer and Curry is a lights-out shooter. A key piece to the puzzle is Ryan Kelly. The 6'11'' forward can stretch the floor with his outside shooting and can also rebound well. However, he is currently out with a foot injury. The Blue Devils are good without Kelly, but with him, they are a much better team.

Brandon Triche
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The Syracuse Orange are tops in the Big East and one of the top teams in the nation. They have players who are versatile and all have good skills. The team is led by senior guard Brandon Triche. Triche is a player who is just a great scorer and has improved every season at Syracuse. Michael Carter-Williams is an excellent facilitator who knows how to score. Forwards CJ Fair and James Southerland both are experienced, can score, and get boards. The Orange are definitely a team to watch out for. They have been flying under the radar for the last few weeks and will probably for a few more until the Big East tournament. By then, they could be the most productive team in the country.

These four teams may not be the best by the end of the season, but they stand out. Each team has a good nucleus of players who work well with each other. They all have good wins, and at the same time, some tough losses. Teams that are a tad below these four include: Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State, and Ohio State. As the last few tournaments have showed us, it doesn't matter if your the best or not. All that matters is how well you are playing.