Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION The Anywhere Machine 2012-2013 Legion World College GameWeek

College football teams are wrapping up pre season games and are beginning final preparations for the first game of the season!

So what does that mean to you?

Why...it's time to get ready for the annual LegionWorld College Gameweek Extravaganza!

So, are you ready for another year of picking college football?

Every year I look forward to this thread! I'm so looking forward to this season. Even my wife is excited.

Tomorrow is a pre-Gameday (only an hour). All stocked up for big brunch and beers!

I expect Lady Cobalt to have her own picks this year so we can rub her better record in your face

Before we get started with this years games it is important to note that there have been some significant changes in the conferences. Four of the conferences enter this year with considerably different memberships: SEC, Big 12, Big East & MWC

Following are looks at the changes in each one.

This time around, the SEC started the realignment ball rolling by grabbing Texas A&M and (eventually) Missouri from the Big 12. A&M will play in the western division and Missouri is slotted into the east.

The Big 12 responded by plucking West Virginia and TCU from the Big East. (Actually, TCU had agreed to join the Big East, leaving behind the Mountain West, but decided to dump the Big East for the Big 12 before actually joining the Big East! Does it get any crazier?)

The Big East added Temple to its membership (after booting them out a few years ago!) to replace its loses this year but will see major changes next year. This year they'll look like this.

And finally the MWC added Boise State, Hawaii and Fresno to replace BYU and TCU (but will also face major changes next year.) For 2012 they will look like this.

This will be fun again this year. Going to try all kinds of odd ways to pick the games this year.

Glad to see you back for another round. Hope the rest of the gang shows up too.

Hey guys. I've (for only the third time since becoming one) used my mad mod skills to pin this thread, but only for the season.

I will look forward to being a leader in scoring until the last two weeks, only to falter and coming in second/third, lol.

Vee, great work on the graphics. WV...way to stick out like'ah sore thumb, lol.

Thanks rick!

Here are the two pre-season polls for you to ponder...

AP Top 25

1.USC (25)
2.Alabama (17)
3.LSU (16)
4.Oklahoma (1)
5.Oregon
6.Georgia
7.Florida St.
8.Michigan (1)
9.South Carolina
10.Arkansas
11.West Virginia
12.Wisconsin
13.Michigan St.
14.Clemson
15.Texas
16.Virginia Tech
17.Nebraska
18.Ohio St.
19.Oklahoma St.
20.TCU
21.Stanford
22.Kansas St.
23.Florida
24.Boise St.
25.Louisville

USA Today/Coaches Poll

1.LSU (18)
2.Alabama (20)
3.USC (19)
4.Oklahoma (1)
5.Oregon
6.Georgia
7.Florida St. (1)
8.Michigan
9.South Carolina
10.Arkansas
11.West Virginia
12.Wisconsin
13.Michigan St.
14.Clemson
15.Texas
16.Nebraska
17.TCU
18.Stanford
19.Oklahoma St.
20.Virginia Tech
21.Kansas St.
22.Boise St.
23.Florida
24.Notre Dame
25.Auburn

And of course, here are the ten games we will be focused on for the long weekend of Week 1. Please note the some of these games are on Thurs night and Fri night so get your picks in before the games start.

Week 1
South Carolina (9) @ Vanderbilt - THURS
Tennessee @ North Carolina State - FRI
Boise State (24) @ Michigan State (13) - FRI
Notre Dame v Navy (in Dublin, Ireland) - SAT 9:00 am Eastern
Marshall @ West Virginia (11)
Southern Miss @ Nebraska (17)
Miami (FL) @ Boston College
Clemson (14) @ Auburn
Michigan (8) @ Alabama (2)
Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech (16) - MON

And here we go! I'll pick later in the week but just in case I'll do Thur game now: Rick's Gamecocks (note plural ) should pull one out (groan, couldn't help it).

They look very good this year! Could be a banner year for the real USC.

(FYI, for Friday games I definitely have Michigan State who never let me down, but have to think about the other game some more).

Just gonna go with the home teams this week as everything opens up.


Week 1
Vanderbilt - THURS
North Carolina State - FRI
Michigan State (13) - FRI
Navy (in Dublin, Ireland) - SAT 9:00 am Eastern
West Virginia (11)
Nebraska (17)
Boston College
Auburn
Alabama (2)
Virginia Tech (16) - MON

South Carolina (9) @ Vanderbilt - THURS *Cocks
Tennessee @ North Carolina State - FRI *Tenn
Boise State (24) @ Michigan State (13) - FRI *Boise
Notre Dame v Navy (in Dublin, Ireland) - SAT 9:00 am Eastern *Navy
Marshall @ West Virginia (11) * WV
Southern Miss @ Nebraska (17) *Neb
Miami (FL) @ Boston College * Boston College
Clemson (14) @ Auburn *Auburn, don't think the kitties got it.
Michigan (8) @ Alabama (2) *Abadama
Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech (16) - MON *VT

Here are my picks...

South Carolina (9) @ Vanderbilt - THURS ~ Vandy has been getting better. Last year under new head coach James Franklin they finished 6-7 and have turned a few heads with their recruiting success. But the Gamecocks will still prove too much for them. Vee's pick ~ The real USC

Tennessee @ North Carolina State - FRI ~ Much like Vandy, NC State has quietly been getting better under Coach O'Brien. Many are saying they could easily end up 3-4 in the ACC behind FSU & Va Tech. On the flip side, Tenn seems to be languishing somewhere in the bottom of the pack in the SEC. This could easily be Coach Doley's last year if he doesn't turn things around. The game is being played in the Georgia Dome which should give the Vols a decided advantage in fan support but will that be enough? Vee's pick ~ NC State

Boise State (24) @ Michigan State (13) - FRI ~ One could argue the BSU's Coach Petersen is the best active college football coach. While all the other great coaches have top 10 recruiting classes year after year, Peterson takes unknown, unheralded players and molds them into a fine tuned football machine. Since 2007, he's only seen his time lose 4 games...think about that. Yes they play in the WAC and now the MWC but they've also traveled to Washington, Oregon (16), Oregon (17), Virginia Tech, and Georgia (19) and beaten them all. This year, again, the face a ranked team at the start of the season. Michigan State comes into the game ranked 13. But this is a tremendous Spartans team and Boise will be hard pressed to compensate for the departure of super QB Kellen Moore and some other starters. Either way, this should be one of the don't miss games of this week! Vee's pick ~ The Broncos rarely let me down but I think this game goes to the Spartans in a squeaker.

Notre Dame v Navy (in Dublin, Ireland) - SAT 9:00 am Eastern ~ Who in the world agrees to face Notre Dame in IRELAND during a rebuilding year? Sheesh...talk about bad planning! Vee's pick ~ Notre Dame (don't get used to this Cobie!)

Marshall @ West Virginia (11) ~ This could be a fun game since you never really know what to expect from the Thundering Herd. Plus it's an in state rivalry game the first week of the season. Vee's pick ~ Should be an easy win for the Mountaineers of WVU.

Southern Miss @ Nebraska (17) ~ If Larry Fedora hadn't left to take over the HC position at North Carolina, I would be tempted to take Southern Miss as an upset winner over Nebraska. The Huskers better not be looking past Southern Miss to their next game out at UCLA. Vee's pick ~ Nebraska

Miami (FL) @ Boston College ~ Two teams headed in opposite directions. I admire BC's Coach Spaziani but the fact is he's in what may be the hottest HC coaching seat in the country. Over the pat three seasons they've gone from 8-4 in 2009, to 7-5 in 2010 and then 4-8 in 2011. On top of that the Eagles come into the game having lost their top WR, their starting Corner Back, and their best TE for the game. My Hurricanes on the other hand, though still waiting to hear about any pending NCAA sanctions, are loaded with incredible talent including some Freshmen that may start and will see significant playing time. Remember these names...Duke Johnson, Ereck Flowers, Tracy Howard, Tyriq McCord, Malcolm Lewis, Danny Isadora, Deon Bush, Herb Waters (all true freshamn) as well as Mike James, Anthony Chickillo, Philip Dorsett, & Denzel Perryman. You'll be hearing alot about these Baby Canes this weekend and in the coming years. Vee's pick ~ The Canes have a chip on their shoulder and will avenge the loss to the Eagles last year. Canes win.

Clemson (14) @ Auburn ~ Tough call. Everyone is picking Clemson but I can't shake the drubbing they took in the Orange Bowl from WVU last January. Vee's pick ~ Auburn.

Michigan (8) @ Alabama (2) ~ Michigan is tough but I don't think they can come in to Tuscaloosa and take one away from 'Bama. Not yet anyway. Vee's pick ~ Alabama.

Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech (16) - MON ~ Whenever a team has more than a week to prepare for GT's option game, it seems the Yellow Jackets get shut down. I expect Frank Beamer will have the Hokies well prepared to face the Rambling Wreak. Vee's pick ~ VaTech

BTW, to Dev and rick...

I should have made note of the fact that the Tennessee v NC State game was at a neutral site (Georgia Dome) If that affects your decision feel free to make a change.

Nah...I'm good. Never put that much thought into it anyway.

Neutral from the POV of location but Tenn is the much more hated team in Atlanta.

I'm good. Now, who's doing the NFL set again?

Week 1
South Carolina
North Carolina State
Michigan State
Notre Dame
West Virginia
Nebraska
Boston College
Clemson
Alabama
Virginia Tech

Week 1
South Carolina
Tennessee
Michigan State
Notre Dame
West Virginia
Southern Miss
Boston College
Clemson
Michigan
Georgia Tech

Want to get Friday picks in ahead of time. Sorry for choppy picking, on the road this week with limited LW time.

NC State
Mich State