For 2009, I'm not just using my prognostication skills on the Big 12 conference...we are going global. (Okay, maybe not global - but they don't play real football in countries that are smaller than the size of Texas anyway, so the good ole U.S. of A is good enough for me.)
Without further ramblings, here...we...go.
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My 2009 "Meaty" predictions are broken down into three categories:
1/2 Pound Burger: Oh Mylanta. As meaty and Delicious as these picks are, that's how confident I am that they will come to fruition. Guaranteed to be right, and you're guaranteed to have a prediction hangover when you're finished reading them.
Flank Steak: pretty juicy, but not as thick as the 1/2 pound burger, these picks take a little more preparation, but they are still not the porterhouse of prognostications.
Mini Cocktail Wieners: not the meatiest of treats, but if you get enough of them you will be satisfied. (Basically, I'm not too sold on these predictions coming true - but if I write them down, and they do pan out - I can say I told you so.)
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Meaty Predictions Part I: 1/2 Pound Burger
-- Texas A&M will finish last in the Big 12 South division but will go 6-and-6 overall and play in a bowl game.
-- At the end of the season, Baylor will have the same number of wins as Missouri has losses.
-- The Big 12 will send more teams to bowl games than any other conference, but those teams will combine to have a losing record in Bowl Games.
-- Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, & Tim Tebow will be joined at the Heisman Trophy ceremony by another quarterback. That 4th QB will finish 4th in the voting.
-- This will be Dan Hawkins' final season at Colorado.
-- Notre Dame will play in a BCS game.
-- If Texans head coach Gary Kubiak does not finish with a record above .500 (for the fourth straight season), he will not be given the chance to make it five in a row in Houston next season.
-- Tony Romo will start all 16 regular season games.
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Meaty Predictions Part II: Flank Steak
-- Lache Seastrunk will NOT play his college football at a school with a campus located on (or within 2 miles of) Interstate-35.
-- Central Texas will have a UIL state football champion for the first time in the 37 months I've been here. But that team will NOT be undefeated. The week-to-week competition in this area is too good.
-- The Texas vs OU game on October 17th will go into overtime for just the 2nd time ever in 104 meetings. Don't forget, in 1996, Texas LOST the game and went on to win the Big 12 title.
-- Baylor, a program that has stayed relatively injury free after Sean Bell's knee problems, will lose a key player to injury for at least one game this season.
-- UMHB will lose an ASC game for the first time since 2005. At HSU on Oct 3rd but exact revenge on the Cowboys in the playoffs, eliminate HSU, and make it to the D-III national title game.
-- For the first time since Bobby Petrino left Louisville for the Atlanta Falcons in 2006, a high-profile college coach will jump to the NFL.
-- The only NFL game played in Jerry's new stadium in the year 2010 (until next season starts) will be on Sunday January 3rd, as the Cowboys will make the postseason, but won't host a playoff game.
-- Reggie Bush will have the breakout season that everyone has been waiting for since he came out of USC in 2006, but Texans fans will still NOT regret drafting Mario Williams.
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Meaty Predictions Part III: Mini Cocktail Wieners
-- This year's BCS buster will be a team we haven't seen in a BCS game before. So basically not Boise St, Utah, or Hawaii.
-- Despite being double-digit underdogs, Houston Nutt and the Ole Miss Rebels upset Florida 33-31 in the SEC title game pitting Jevan Snead against the school that wouldn't start him (The University of Texas) in the National Title game.
-- In a game seen right here on Channel 10, the New Orleans Saints beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in an all Black & Gold Super Bowl on Sunday February 7th. The Crescent City then proceeds to party in celebration for the six days. Then, Big Easy officials decide to replace the traditional Krewe of Endymion parade on Saturday February 13th with a Super Bowl victory parade through the streets of New Orleans.
Laissez les bon ton roulet. Have a great season, folks.
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