NCAA FOOTBALL....2003 REVENGE GAMES

Many factors go into capping a college football game. The revenge factor is just one, but an important one in my humble opinion. I have finished my first 4 conferences and have highlighted these games on my NCAA football schedule for this season.

SEC :

1. 9/20/03...Tenn at Fla

Last year an injury riddled Vol unit was blown out in Knoxville by the Gators 30-13.Tenn is loaded this year and playing a Fla squad that while still good is not quite what the Spurrier coached teams were. The fact that this game is being played at The Swamp will offer a good price on the Vols. I look for Tenn to get some revenge here.

2. 10/11/03 Aub at Ark

Aub lost at home to the Hogs last year 38-17.My research is telling me that Aub is an SEC and national title contender this year that can run and stop the run effectively.This is a good spot to take Aub on the raod as the line will be favorable. For Ark this game is sandwiched in between Ala and Fla. Truly a nice spot to take Auburn. WAR EAGLE !!

3.11/27/03...Ole Miss at Miss St

State will be much improved on both sides of the ball in 2003..Look for them to avenge their 24-12 Egg Bowl loss at Ole Miss last year.

Big XII :

1.10/11/03....Kan St at Okla St

Kan St appears to me to be highly overated this year. Their may be some opportunities to go against them on the road. In past years the Wildcats have covered huge at home and been very mediocre on the road. The Cowboys are a solid unit and when they host K St this year they may well remember the 44-9 pasting they took in Manhattan last year.This is a nice spot to go against K St on the road and Okla St could even be a home dog in this contest.

2.10/11/03..... Neb at Mizzou

It would appear that the long tenure of dominance in Lincoln is coming to an end. Mizzou is a program on the rise and what an opportunity to get some revenge for the numerous buttkickings in years past at the hands of the Cornhuskers.

3.11/01/03....Okla St at Okla

Perhaps the single biggest revenge game of the season. Okla St has upset the Sooners the last 2 seasons. They have NEVER beaten Okla 3 straight. Coach Stoops is a real SOB with a long memory. Enough said.

4. 11/15/03....Tex Tech at Texas

The Horns are as loaded as any team in the country and much of Techs firepower is gone but their crappy defense remains.Tex may remember that their loss in a shootout at Tech last year ended their hopes of a really big season.The Longhorns roll here.

Big 10 :

1.9/13/03...ND at Mich

Toward the end of last season good teams really figured out how to stick it to the Irish in a big way. Mich is a team with national title aspirations and an outstanding QB in Navarre who will look to get back at ND for last seasons early 25-23 loss in South Bend.

2.9/27/03.... ND at Purdue

Same deal as ND-Mich game. The Boilers will look to avenge last years early season 24-17 loss at ND. Can Ty Willingham work miracles in 2 straight seasons ? I don't think so.

3. 11/2/03....Iowa at Wisc

Graduation will hurt the Hawkeyes this season and they will not be the juggernaut they were in 2002. Wisky has a realistic chance to win the league title this season and would like to attone for last seasons 20-3 loss in Ames.

4. 10/25/03....Minn at Illini

Ill lost last season 31-10 at Minn. The Gophers are a different team away from the HHH Dome and on real grass. The Illini have a reasonably good team this year that should have a winning season and play in a bowl game. I like them here at home in this revenge spot.

Big East :

1. 10/11/03.....Syr at Va Tech

Hide the women and children, this could be ugly. Va Tech has lost 2 straight to the Orange including last years 50-42 loss at the Dome where the Hokies passed for 600 yds against the 'Cuses inept defense. Nothing gets under Frank Beamer's skin worse than a loss to Syracuse.Tech is loaded and the Orange are a program on the decline. Hokies roll huge here.

2. 11/01/03....Mia at Va Tech

This will be the year that the Canes lose some conference games. Tech lost a shootout at the Orange Bowl last year 56-45 and were ahead for much of the game. I think Va Tech is a better team than last season and the Canes are not. I like the Hokies to win and cover in this game.

3. 11/08/03....Temple at Syracuse

Syracuse will be a bad team this year. Temple could be awful. Syr lost to the Owls in Philly last year for the first time since Big East play began. I don't see many chances for the Orange to win games this year , but this is one. The Cuse has a habit of rolling it up in games like this to keep the fans and press at bay for at least one week, and this will be a trying season for Coach P and the Orange.

4. 11/29/03.... Mia at Pitt

I'm looking for Pitt to end the dominance of Mia and Va Tech and win the Big East title this year.Last year Pitt beat Va Tech on the road and lost a heartbreaker 28-21 at the Orange Bowl in a game where they clearly outplayed Mia. The Panthers have most of their 2002 unit left intact and play both the Hokies and The Canes in Pittsburgh this year. I fully expect that the Panthers will win both contests.

When i complete work on the other conferences I will write another post. These games are not carved in stone at this early juncture but may serve as a nice handicapping guideline down the road.