Saturday, September 6th - Florida State at Miami
Is it possible for the ACC race to be decided by the end of the day on September 6th? Miami has owned Florida State lately, but now the Canes are in Seminole territory threatening the hold on the ACC. Florida State is loaded on offense and Miami needs to replace several top defensive players so it's easy to think Chris Rix and the Noles will pull off the win. But this is Florida State playing Miami in the Orange Bowl. Never mess with karma and the Canes seem to have it in this series.
Predicted score in early August: Miami 23 ... Florida State 20
Oasis Casino Line: Pick
Saturday, September 25th - Clemson at Florida State
Tommy Bowden not only saved his job with the 26-10 victory over Florida State last year, he turned around the program as the Tigers crushed and killed everything in its path to close out the season. To a point, Bobby Bowden might have been happy for his son but that's all over now. No matter what happens in the Miami game, FSU has the team to get to the national championship and there needs to be an early statement made. This will be it.
Predicted score in early August: Florida State 38 ... Clemson 14
Oasis Casino Line: Florida State -15
Saturday, October 2nd - Auburn at Tennessee
Fresh off a breather with the Citadel and with Louisiana Tech ahead, Auburn goes to Knoxville to what could be called the preview of sleepers for the SEC title. Tennessee's defense should be one of the best in the nation against the run and should keep the Carnell Williams show from going too wild. This will be a tight game that should be decided by field position. That's where Volunteer All-America punter Dustin Colquitt comes in.
Predicted score in early August: Tennessee 20 ... Auburn 17
Oasis Casino Line: Tennessee -4
Saturday, October 2nd - LSU at Georgia
The rematch of the 2003 SEC Championship game is the odds on favorite to be a preview of the 2004 title matchup. The loser will have a nightmare of a time staying in the national title hunt, while the winner should be one of the front-runners to get to the Orange Bowl. After losing twice to the Tigers last year, Georgia will come through at home with the defense to keep things close and the senior talents of QB David Greene shining through in one of his most important games as a Bulldog. LSU CB Corey Webster vs. Georgia WR Fred Gibson will be one of the year's best matchups.
Predicted score in early August: Georgia 20 ... LSU 14
Oasis Casino Line: Georgia -4
Saturday, October 2nd - Purdue at Notre Dame
With a few obvious exceptions with road games at Tennessee and USC, the schedule opens up nicely for Notre Dame after the Purdue game so this should be the difference between a decent season and a potentially great one. The Irish have to be a force at home with the defensive front seven good enough to disrupt Kyle Orton and the short to midrange Boilermaker passing game.
Predicted score in early August: Notre Dame 27 ... Purdue 24
Oasis Casino Line: Notre Dame -2
Saturday, October 2nd - West Virginia at Virginia Tech
This could be the last major barrier for an unbeaten season if West Virginia can beat Maryland on September 18th. The Mountaineers have owned the Hokies over the last two seasons and have a better team than ever going into 2004. Even so, this game is played early enough in the season to avoid the patented the Tech November slide. Frank Beamer's inexperienced team should have everything put together by this point and should win at home. West Virginia would be the pick if this was played in Morgantown.
Predicted score in early August: Virginia Tech 30 ... West Virginia 24
Oasis Casino Line: Virginia Tech -2
Thursday, October 7th - Clemson at Virginia
This game marks the end of a brutal three game road stretch for Clemson playing Texas A&M, Florida State and Virginia. The Cavaliers should grow into being one of the 10-15 best teams in the country with a defense that should be as good as any in America. Don't discount Charlie Whitehurst and the Tiger offense on national TV, but Virginia will come through at home with the splashy win needed to get the attention of the college football world a week before going to Florida State.
Predicted score in early August: Virginia 24 ... Clemson 17
Oasis Casino Line: Virginia -4
Saturday, October 9th - California at USC
Do you think USC will take this game seriously? After playing an unfocused game against the Bears last year and getting beaten in overtime, the Trojans will be more than pumped up to avenge the only gaffe in a national title season. No one will touch the Trojans in L.A. and it could be next to impossible for anyone on the schedule to come within three touchdowns of them if they're properly motivated. Cal is good, but not good enough to make this close.
Predicted score in early August: USC 41 ... California 20
Oasis Casino Line: USC -18
Saturday, October 9th - LSU at Florida
LSU will be looking for revenge after losing 19-7 to the Gators in Death Valley last year. If Ron Zook and Florida will ever reestablish dominance in the Swamp, this will be the time. If the Gators can get past Tennessee early and not slip against the lesser SEC teams, this will be a key game for the SEC race with Georgia still to come. LSU has a brutal road slate playing Auburn, Georgia and Florida away from home and must win at least two of them to win the SEC West. This will be one as the Tiger defense will control the game while Justin Vincent and the offense will do just enough to escape with a close win.
Predicted score in early August: LSU 17 ... Florida 13
Oasis Casino Line: LSU -1
Saturday, October 9th - Tennessee at Georgia
As SEC schedules go Tennessee has it relatively easy with Florida, Auburn and Alabama coming to Knoxville and the road games not all that bad playing at Ole Miss, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. The one brutal issue is a road trip to play SEC East favorites Georgia. The Vols can't win the SEC East if they lose this game and the Dawgs will take care of business. Tennessee doesn't have the passing game (at least not going into the season) to hurt the Bulldog defense and should have issues if it doesn't get the momentum early. This won't be last year's 41-14 debacle, but Georgia will still win.
Predicted score in early August: Georgia 27 ... Tennessee 10
Oasis Casino Line: Georgia -7
Is it possible for the ACC race to be decided by the end of the day on September 6th? Miami has owned Florida State lately, but now the Canes are in Seminole territory threatening the hold on the ACC. Florida State is loaded on offense and Miami needs to replace several top defensive players so it's easy to think Chris Rix and the Noles will pull off the win. But this is Florida State playing Miami in the Orange Bowl. Never mess with karma and the Canes seem to have it in this series.
Predicted score in early August: Miami 23 ... Florida State 20
Oasis Casino Line: Pick
Saturday, September 25th - Clemson at Florida State
Tommy Bowden not only saved his job with the 26-10 victory over Florida State last year, he turned around the program as the Tigers crushed and killed everything in its path to close out the season. To a point, Bobby Bowden might have been happy for his son but that's all over now. No matter what happens in the Miami game, FSU has the team to get to the national championship and there needs to be an early statement made. This will be it.
Predicted score in early August: Florida State 38 ... Clemson 14
Oasis Casino Line: Florida State -15
Saturday, October 2nd - Auburn at Tennessee
Fresh off a breather with the Citadel and with Louisiana Tech ahead, Auburn goes to Knoxville to what could be called the preview of sleepers for the SEC title. Tennessee's defense should be one of the best in the nation against the run and should keep the Carnell Williams show from going too wild. This will be a tight game that should be decided by field position. That's where Volunteer All-America punter Dustin Colquitt comes in.
Predicted score in early August: Tennessee 20 ... Auburn 17
Oasis Casino Line: Tennessee -4
Saturday, October 2nd - LSU at Georgia
The rematch of the 2003 SEC Championship game is the odds on favorite to be a preview of the 2004 title matchup. The loser will have a nightmare of a time staying in the national title hunt, while the winner should be one of the front-runners to get to the Orange Bowl. After losing twice to the Tigers last year, Georgia will come through at home with the defense to keep things close and the senior talents of QB David Greene shining through in one of his most important games as a Bulldog. LSU CB Corey Webster vs. Georgia WR Fred Gibson will be one of the year's best matchups.
Predicted score in early August: Georgia 20 ... LSU 14
Oasis Casino Line: Georgia -4
Saturday, October 2nd - Purdue at Notre Dame
With a few obvious exceptions with road games at Tennessee and USC, the schedule opens up nicely for Notre Dame after the Purdue game so this should be the difference between a decent season and a potentially great one. The Irish have to be a force at home with the defensive front seven good enough to disrupt Kyle Orton and the short to midrange Boilermaker passing game.
Predicted score in early August: Notre Dame 27 ... Purdue 24
Oasis Casino Line: Notre Dame -2
Saturday, October 2nd - West Virginia at Virginia Tech
This could be the last major barrier for an unbeaten season if West Virginia can beat Maryland on September 18th. The Mountaineers have owned the Hokies over the last two seasons and have a better team than ever going into 2004. Even so, this game is played early enough in the season to avoid the patented the Tech November slide. Frank Beamer's inexperienced team should have everything put together by this point and should win at home. West Virginia would be the pick if this was played in Morgantown.
Predicted score in early August: Virginia Tech 30 ... West Virginia 24
Oasis Casino Line: Virginia Tech -2
Thursday, October 7th - Clemson at Virginia
This game marks the end of a brutal three game road stretch for Clemson playing Texas A&M, Florida State and Virginia. The Cavaliers should grow into being one of the 10-15 best teams in the country with a defense that should be as good as any in America. Don't discount Charlie Whitehurst and the Tiger offense on national TV, but Virginia will come through at home with the splashy win needed to get the attention of the college football world a week before going to Florida State.
Predicted score in early August: Virginia 24 ... Clemson 17
Oasis Casino Line: Virginia -4
Saturday, October 9th - California at USC
Do you think USC will take this game seriously? After playing an unfocused game against the Bears last year and getting beaten in overtime, the Trojans will be more than pumped up to avenge the only gaffe in a national title season. No one will touch the Trojans in L.A. and it could be next to impossible for anyone on the schedule to come within three touchdowns of them if they're properly motivated. Cal is good, but not good enough to make this close.
Predicted score in early August: USC 41 ... California 20
Oasis Casino Line: USC -18
Saturday, October 9th - LSU at Florida
LSU will be looking for revenge after losing 19-7 to the Gators in Death Valley last year. If Ron Zook and Florida will ever reestablish dominance in the Swamp, this will be the time. If the Gators can get past Tennessee early and not slip against the lesser SEC teams, this will be a key game for the SEC race with Georgia still to come. LSU has a brutal road slate playing Auburn, Georgia and Florida away from home and must win at least two of them to win the SEC West. This will be one as the Tiger defense will control the game while Justin Vincent and the offense will do just enough to escape with a close win.
Predicted score in early August: LSU 17 ... Florida 13
Oasis Casino Line: LSU -1
Saturday, October 9th - Tennessee at Georgia
As SEC schedules go Tennessee has it relatively easy with Florida, Auburn and Alabama coming to Knoxville and the road games not all that bad playing at Ole Miss, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. The one brutal issue is a road trip to play SEC East favorites Georgia. The Vols can't win the SEC East if they lose this game and the Dawgs will take care of business. Tennessee doesn't have the passing game (at least not going into the season) to hurt the Bulldog defense and should have issues if it doesn't get the momentum early. This won't be last year's 41-14 debacle, but Georgia will still win.
Predicted score in early August: Georgia 27 ... Tennessee 10
Oasis Casino Line: Georgia -7
