Top ten college football players since 2000 (offense) -- honorable mention

In a decade where football offenses have been revolutionized more than ever before, here kicks off the list of the best players on the offensive side of the football since 2000.

First, the list of players who just couldn't make the cut, but are well worth mentioning.

HONORABLE MENTION

1. Willis McGahee, RB (Miami)

2. Kellen Winslow II, TE (Miami)

3. Robert Gallery, OT (Iowa)

4. Peter Warrick, WR (FSU)

5. Carson Palmer, QB (USC)

6. Alex Smith, QB (Utah)

M Michael Crabtree, WR (Texas Tech)

m

8. Philip Rivers, QB (NCST)

Top 10 college football games since 2000- #10

In spirit of the final season of the first decade of the new millennium, I will spend the next week and a half counting down what I think are the ten most memorable games from the past ten years. BCS be damned, it's products still make up over half of the list.

#10 -- Texas Tech vs. Texas; 2008

Everything really is bigger in Texas. Both schools were unbeaten. For Texas Tech it was the furthest into a season they had been unbeaten in school history. For Texas, the though of a second national championship in four years was on their mind. ESPN’s College Gameday made its first trip to Lubbock for the showdown between the two undefeated in-state rivals.

For Raider fans, this game was a long time coming. Mike Leach, head coach at Tech, had built this program from scratch. It took him less than a decade, and the Red Raiders were already in the thick of the Big 12 South race, along with powerhouses Oklahoma, and the mighty Longhorns.

The stage was set for an epic showdown, but quarterback Graham Harrell and the rest of the Tech offense seemed to have put an end to that chance quickly. The Red Raiders took control early, leading 22-6 at halftime over the top-ranked Longhorns.

Halfway through the third quarter, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was intercepted by Daniel Charbonnet, who returned the ball 18 yards for a touchdown. That made the score 29-13 in favor of Tech.

Finally, the Heisman Trophy candidate McCoy regrouped the Longhorn offense and staged a comeback. Trailing 32-26 with less than three minutes to go, McCoy drove Texas down the field en route to a Vontrell McGee touchdown run.

With the entire town of Lubbock in a state of shock, Graham Harrell trotted out onto the field with an opportunity to salvage the Red Raiders’ upset bid. He had 1:30 to get Tech within field goal range, which was more than enough time for coach Leach’s nitro-powered offense.

Harrell drove his troops 62 yards in six plays, with the final play of the game proving to be the most memorable in program history. Needing only about ten yards on fourth down to make it into field goal range, Harrell launched a pass to all-everything receiver Michael Crabtree, who caught the ball along the sideline around the five-yard line, then wrestled away from Texas defender Curtis Brown and stepped into the end zone as time expired.

It was one of the most miraculous, stunning plays college football has ever seen. Combining that final moment with the environment of the stadium, the state, and the significance of the game on the national championship race, makes for one of the best games in recent memory.

Paulu reviving once-proud career

Four years ago, Greg Paulus was enjoying a prep All-American senior season.

Fast forward to 2009, and Paulus is attempting to resurrect a once-promising future in football at Syracuse.

Here are three reasons why Paulus may or may not succeed.

Why Paulus may succeed:

1.     You don’t become the highest rated prep quarterback in the nation for no reason. Paulus threw 152 touchdowns in his career at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, NY. The guy knows how to toss the rock, and even if he retains a fraction of the talent he had coming out of high school, it will be an improvement for the Orange.

2.     He has one of the most enthusiastic coaches in all of college football. Doug Marrone has spent his career in preparation for this job. His passion for the Syracuse program runs remarkably deep, and he would not have named Paulus the starter if he weren’t absolutely sure it would give the Orange its best chance to win.

3.     Anytime you spend four years under the tutelage of Mike Krzyzewski, you will come out as a better competitor than most. Even if it was on the hardwood, Paulus’ time at Duke playing for one of the most well-respected coaches in the country will pay big dividends in crunch time this fall.

Why Paulus may falter

1.     The Big East featured six of the top 50 defenses in the country last season, and that was against some pretty good opposing offenses in the conference. Super stars like George Selvie (USF) and Reed Williams (WVU) lead defenses that should continue to be stout in 2009.

2.     It’s not like Paulus has Dez Bryant to throw to, or Jonothan Dwyer to hand off to. Mike Williams is a solid young receiver with big-play potential, but he is rather unpolished. Decorated running back Curtis Brinkley has graduated, and a stable of young, unproven players are vying to replace him. If the Orange can’t establish a respectable running game, defenses will be pinning their ears back, coming after Paulus early and often.

3.     Rust. Even with all his accomplishments as a prep quarterback, he still has not thrown a football in an organized game in four years. The Orange’s schedule doesn’t cut him any early slack, either. Minnesota and Penn State square off with Paulus’ bunch the first two weeks, both threats to challenge in the Big Ten. The new, old quarterback better adjust to the speed of FBS football that first week, because if not, the Nittany Lions could be picking him off left and right.

My College Football projections- conference predictions/bowl projections

Josh Parcell 2009 College Football Projections

ACC

Coastal

1.      Virginia Tech

2.     Georgia Tech

3.     North Carolina

4.     Miami

5.     Duke

6.     Virginia

Atlantic

1.     Clemson

2.     Florida State

3.     NC State

4.     Wake Forest

5.     Maryland

6.     Boston College

Big East

1.     South Florida

2.     Cincinnati

3.     Pittsburgh

4.     West Virginia

5.     Rutgers

6.     Louisville

7.     Connecticut

8.     Syracuse

Big Ten

1.     Penn State

2.     Ohio State

3.     Iowa

4.     Illinois

5.     Minnesota

6.     Michigan

7.     Michigan State

8.     Purdue

9.     Wisconsin

10.  Northwestern

11.  Indiana

Big 12

North

1.     Nebraska

2.     Colorado

3.     Kansas

4.     Kansas State

5.     Missouri

6.     Iowa State

South

1.      Oklahoma State

2.     Texas

3.     Oklahoma

4.     Texas Tech

5.     Texas A&M

6.     Baylor

Pac 10

1.     Cal

2.     USC

3.     Oregon

4.     Oregon State

5.     Arizona

6.     UCLA

7.     Arizona State

8.     Stanford

9.     Washington

10.  Washington State

SEC

East

1.      Florida

2.     Georgia

3.     Tennessee

4.     South Carolina

5.     Kentucky

6.     Vanderbilt

West

1.     LSU

2.     Mississippi

3.     Alabama

4.     Arkansas

5.     Auburn

6.     Mississippi State

Conference USA

East

1.      East Carolina

2.     Southern Miss

3.     UCF

4.     Memphis

5.     Marshall

6.     UAB

West

1.     Tulsa

2.     Houston

3.     UTEP

4.     Rice

5.     SMU

6.     Tulane

Independents

1.     Notre Dame

2.     Navy

3.     Army

MAC

East

1.     Akron

2.     Buffalo

3.     Bowling Green

4.     Temple

5.     Ohio

6.     Miami OH

7.     Kent State

West

1.      Central Michigan

2.     Western Michigan

3.     Ball State

4.     Northern Illinois

5.     Toledo

6.     Eastern Michigan

Mountain West

1.     BYU

2.     TCU

3.     Utah

4.     Colorado State

5.     Air Force

6.     San Diego State

7.     New Mexico

8.     UNLV

9.     Wyoming

Sun Belt

1.     Troy

2.     Florida Atlantic

3.     Arkansas State

4.     Florida International

5.     Louisiana-Lafayatte

6.     Middle Tennessee State

7.     Louisiana Monroe

8.     North Texas

 

WAC

1.     Boise State

2.     Nevada

3.     San Jose State

4.     Fresno State

5.     Hawaii

6.     Louisiana Tech

7.     New Mexico State

8.     Utah State

9.     Idaho

Bowl Projections

National Championship Game – Florida vs. Oklahoma State

Sugar Bowl – LSU vs. Ohio State

Orange Bowl – Virginia Tech vs. South Florida

Fiesta Bowl – Texas vs. East Carolina

Rose Bowl – Cal vs. Penn State

GMAC – NC State vs. Central Michigan

International – Pittsburgh vs. Buffalo

Liberty – Tulsa vs. Arkansas

Cotton – Oklahoma vs. Mississippi

Gator – Georgia Tech vs. Notre Dame

Capital One – Alabama vs. Iowa

Outback – Tennessee vs. Minnesota

Chick-fil-a – Georgia vs. Clemson

Insight – Colorado vs. Michigan State

Music City – Wake Forest vs. Auburn

Sun – Oregon vs. West V\irginia

Armed Forces – Southern Miss vs. Col. State

Holiday – USC vs. Nebraska

Texas -- Navy vs. Texas Tech

Humanitarian – Boise State vs. Utah

Alamo – Illinois vs. Texas Tech

Papajohns.com – Louisville vs. South Carolina

Independence – Kentucky vs. Kansas

Emerald – Arizona vs. Miami

Champs sports – Florida State vs. Michigan

Meinke car care – North Carolina vs. Rutgers

Motor city – Akron vs. Wisconsin

Hawaii – Nevada vs. Houston

Poinsettia – BYU vs. Oregon State

New Orleans- Troy vs. Memphis

Eagle Bank – UTEP vs. Maryland

Las Vegas – Air Force vs. Arizona State

St Petersburg – Florida Atlantic vs. UCF

New Mexico – Fresno State vs. UNLV