2013 College Football BCS Championship Game
Sun Life Stadium – Miami Gardens, Florida
Monday, January 7, 2013, TV: ESPN
Defending Champion: Alabama
All odds courtesy of Bovada
Last season, LSU completed the regular season 13-0 by beating 8 ranked teams including #2 Alabama. However, Alabama got their revenge in the BCS Championship game by crushing LSU 21-0.
Now, the 2012 season will start in about a month and a half. Teams will start reporting to practice around August 1. It is never too early to look at the favorites for the 2013 Championship game though. All odds are courtesy of Bovada.
USC 7/2
After two years of being on probation, the Trojans are again eligible for both the Pac 12 title and the BCS Championship. USC, led by coach Lane Kiffin, is loaded on offense thanks to quarterback Matt Barkley returning for his senior season. Barkley is the pre-season Heisman favorite, and would have been a high first round pick in the NFL draft. Barkley threw for 3,528 yards and 39 touchdowns last season.
Barkley will have plenty of targets, as USC has two of the best receivers in the country with junior All-American Robert Woods and sophomore Marquise Lee. Woods had 111 catches last year, and Lee had 73 including 11 touchdowns. Tight ends Randall Telfer and Xavier Grimble are also talented. Tailback Curtis McNeal rushed for over 1,000 yards last year and averaged 6.9 yards a carry. The line must replace All-American left tackle Matt Kalil who was drafted by the Vikings. However, the other 4 starters return and should be very good.
If there are questions about this team, it is lack of depth due to the loss of scholarships during the probation, especially on defense. The Trojan’s defense will not be as strong as the offense, but should improve under defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Outside linebackers Hayes Pullard and Dion Bailey were freshmen All-Americans and will anchor the defense along with All-American free safety T.J. McDonald.
The special teams are very good as well. Kicker Andre Heidari made 15 of 17 field goals as a freshman. The return unit might be the best in the country led by Woods, Lee, cornerback Nickell Robey, and George Farmer, who are all very fast and elusive.
The schedule is tough, but if USC can survive the first part of the Pac 12 schedule which includes difficult road games at Stanford, Utah, and Washington then they have a good shot of running the table. The Trojans get Oregon, Arizona St, and Notre Dame at home to close out the season, sandwiched around a road trip at rival UCLA. If they stay healthy, USC should make it to the BCS Championship game.
LSU 4/1
After coming just short of winning the championship last year, coach Les Miles’ Tigers might be even better this year. Junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger takes over as the starter. Mettenberger, a transfer from Georgia, was the third string QB last year.
LSU’s running game will employ a quartet of talented backs in Michael Ford, Spencer Ware, Alfred Blue, and Kenny Hilliard. The first three all rushed for over 500 yards last season, and Hilliard averaged 3.6 yards a rush. Sophomore receivers Odell Beckham, Jr. and Jarvis Landry will try to replace the production of talented wideout Rueben Randle, who was drafted by the Giants.The offensive line will be one of the best in the country.
The defense should be dominant again led by All-American cornerback and Heisman contender Tyrann Mathieu, nicknamed the Honey Badger. The defensive line will be one of the best in the country, with depth at all four positions. The linebackers struggled at times last year, and several talented true freshmen should get lots of playing time.
The special teams are led by kicker Drew Alleman and Mathieu will return punts. Receiver Paul Turner will likely return kicks, but the speedy Mathieu is also an option.
The SEC schedule is always brutal with so many great teams. LSU has tough road games at Auburn, Florida, Texas A&M, and Arkansas, and gets South Carolina and Alabama at home. The winner of the showdown with Alabama November 3rd will likely win the SEC West and the SEC Championship game, and has a good shot of playing for the BCS Championship.
Alabama 6/1
Coach Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide won their second BCS title in 3 years last season by beating rival LSU in the championship game. Quarterback A.J. McCarron had decent numbers last year with 2, 634 yards, 16 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He should improve under new offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, who came over from Washington.
Running back Eddy Lacy rushed for almost 700 yards behind Trent Richardson last year. Richardson was one of the best running backs in the country and was drafted by the Browns in the NFL draft. Lacy is recovering from surgery during the off season for turf toe. He will run behind a dominant offensive line with 4 returning starters who have a combined 95 starts. Alabama lost most of their top receivers and will rely on Kenny Bell, Kevin Norwood and Christion Jones. The trio have only 36 career catches between them.
The Crimson Tide lost a lot of players on defense from a unit that was arguably the best in the country last year. The defense returns only 4 starters led by linebacker Nico Johnson, who led Alabama with 47 tackles last year. The secondary lost three players who were drafted by NFL teams but returns safety Robert Lester who had 10 interceptions in the last two seasons.
Kicker Adam Griffith is a freshman but was one of the top kickers coming out of high school. Alabama struggled with some crucial kicks, most notably in the overtime loss to LSU in the regular season. Griffith should get most of the kicks over Jeremy Shelley and Cade Foster who split the job last year.
Alabama opens the season at home against Michigan. If they survive that showdown, then They have SEC road games at Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and LSU. The Crimson Tide play Ole Miss, Mississippi St and Auburn at home. If Alabama can beat LSU again, they could return to the BCS Championship.
Oklahoma 10/1
Coach Bob Stoops and the Sooners are coming off a disappointing season marred by injuries to key players. Quarterback Landry Jones returns for his senior season, and like Barkley would have been a first round pick in the NFL draft. He holds 13 Oklahoma passing records, and should continue to rewrite the record book barring injury.
Tailback Dominique Whaley had a breakout season last year before breaking his ankle late in the season. The transfer from tiny Langston University came out of nowhere to become the top running back. The receivers are led by Kenny Stills. Due to some suspensions, the receivers are a little thin, but the addition of Trey Metoyer and Courtney Gardner will help. The offensive line returns a group of 6 players with 102 career starts.
Mike Stoops returns as the defensive coordinator under his brother, after 8 years as head coach at Arizona. The Sooner defense battled injury all season and gave up a combined 89 points to Baylor and Oklahoma St in humiliating losses. The Sooners should get pressure on the quarterback with talented players on the line and at linebacker. The secondary could be a question mark, as they gave up way too many big plays last year.
Kicker Michael Hunnicutt made 21 field goals last year. The return unit wasn’t great last year, and needs to improve.
Oklahoma hosts Notre Dame October 27th. The conference schedule includes road games at Texas Tech, Iowa St, and Big 12 new comers West Virginia and TCU. The Sooners travel to Dallas for their annual showdown with Texas, and get Kansas St, Kansas, Baylor, and Oklahoma St in Norman. If one of the top 3 teams stumble, Oklahoma should be in position to go to the BCS Championship game if they can avoid injuries. The showdown with Texas could decide the Biog 12 title, as Baylor and OSU are rebuilding. Don’t count out Kansas St, West Virginia, and TCU as well.
Oregon 12/1
The Ducks won the Pac 12 title and the Rose Bowl last season under coach Chip Kelly. However, a late loss at home to USC might have prevented them from playing in the BCS Championship game for the second year in a row. Oregon must replace quarterback Darron Thomas. Sophomore Bryan Bennett played well in two games last season when Thomas was injured. Both were Oregon wins. He looked to be the starter this season, but redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota badly outplayed him in the Oregon spring game. The two will battle it out in the fall for the starting job.
Senior Kenjon Barner will take over as the starting running back from LaMichael James. Sophomore DeAnthony Thomas is electrifying and can line up all over the field. Thomas will most likely return kicks and punts. The line is decent led by center Hroniss Grasu and Jake Fisher. Tight end Colt Lylerla caught only 7 passes last season, but 5 were for touchdowns. He will be the starter this season. Josh Huff and Daryle Hawkins are best wide receivers.
The Oregon defense is often overlooked in the shadow of the explosive offense, but this year the defense could be an elite unit. Dion Jordan was all Pac 12 last year and can play either defensive end or linebacker. Senior John Boyett is an elite free safety.
Oregon has home games against Washington, Colorado, and Stanford. The Ducks travel to Washington St, Arizona St, USC, Cal, and Oregon St. There is a good chance Oregon and USC will meet twice, as they play in the regular season and will likely play again the Pac 12 Championship game. If they split, an undefeated Oklahoma or Florida St team could sneak into the BCS Championship game.
Florida St 12/1
The Seminoles, coached by Jimbo Fisher, appear to be the class of the ACC. Senior quarterback E.J. Manuel failed to dazzle last year as he took over as the starter. He wasn’t terrible, but Seminole fans expected much more from him, as he was impressive as the back-up to current Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder.
The Seminoles do have a good receiving corps though, with Rashad Greene, Rodney Smith, and Willie Haulstead. Senior Chris Thompson missed a large part of last season with a back injury, but he still had 3 rushing touchdowns of 70 yards or more. Devonta Freeman led the Seminoles in rushing as a freshman in Thompson’s absence. The offensive line struggled badly last year. In fact Florida St started 4 true freshman against Notre Dame in their bowl game. Those four will start the season as sophomores, but the line is still a serious question mark.
The defense is led by defensive end Brandon Jenkins. He leads one of the deepest lines in college football. The linebackers must replace Nigel Bradham, but otherwise are very talented. Teh seconday should also be good, and FSU could have one of the best defenses in the country.
FSU has home games against Wake Forest, Clemson, Boston College, Duke, and Florida. The Seminoles travel to South Florida, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Maryland. If the offensive line improves Florida St should win the ACC and could play in the BCS Championship if the cards fall right.
Other contenders and their odds include Georgia (18/1), Arkansas and Michigan (both 25/1), Texas (28/1), Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, West Virginia (all 30/1), South Carolina (35/1), Clemson and Wisconsin ( both 40/1), Nebraska (45/1), Florida and TCU (both 50/1), Michigan St (60/1), Auburn (65/1), Boise St and Miami-Florida (75/1). Here is a complete list of the odds to win the 2013 BCS Championship courtesy of Bovada.
I think whoever wins the Pac 12 will face whomever wins the SEC in the BCS Championship, but Oklahoma or Florida St could also steal a bid.
Our college football handicappers are gearing up for the season to provide you with the winners and key plays you have come to expect from Maddux.
