College Football Rewind & New Top 15

Week 1 of the college football season is a wrap and well it lived up to the expectations.  It was a gigantic week for the top dogs in the non-automatic qualifier conferences.  Boise St., TCU, Fresno St., Utah and BYU all took down teams from BCS conferences.  In a major upset Jacksonville St., led by a freshman QB who was player of the year for football his senior year of high school in Alabama, took down Mississippi. Any SEC school could have had the kid, but chose not too because he also is a top baseball prospect.  ECU beat Tulsa on the last play of the game.  And two top ten schools did not live up to the hype and will drop in this week’s rankings.

As you can see I was 3-0 picking games this week on the site, and I was 2-1-1 against the spread not on the site.  I hit my two big bets with Oregon St +13 and Boise ML +105.  For those interested I will post the games I have “fun” with in the comments section of the weekly preview going forward. I will post them 30 minutes to an hour before they kickoff.  And it could be any game so you’ll have to check back in or email me. 

And here is your new BumpandRun.com Top 15 heading into Week 2:

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Quick Hit AFC Preview

AFC East

1. Miami Dolphins – The Dolphins brought in Brandon Marshall for a boost on offense and Karlos Dansby for consistency at the linebacker position. They seem poised to make a run for the division title, but it is all in the hands of quarterback Chad Henne. If he is consistent and can limit his turnovers, look for the Phins to be right there in December. Projected Record: 11-5

2. New England Patriots – They have Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Add to that some tight ends that can catch the ball and their offense should be a machine.  On the other side of the ball, it should be interesting to see how the young, unknown secondary holds up this season. Projected Record: 11-5

3. New York Jets – Made the surprising run last season in the playoffs.  They have a championship level defense, there is no doubt about that.  They also have championship talent on offense with the only exception being the most key position, quarterback.  Mark Sanchez is a major, major question mark and there is no help behind him on the depth chart. Projected Record: 8-8

4. Buffalo Bills – The Bills made a coaching change in the offseason bringing in offensive-minded Chan Gailey to run things.  The first pick in this year’s draft was explosive running back CJ Spiller. The Bills promise to be a much more dynamic team on offense this year but can the defense stop anybody? Projected Record: 5-11

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Week 1 College Football Preview

We couldn’t resist. The NFL kicks-off in just seven days but the college game gets started this Thursday. Each week, Pat Greissing will highlight three of the weekend’s biggest match-ups and unveil BumpAndRun.com’s Top 15.

Pittsburgh vs. Utah: Thursday, 8:30PM EST, Versus
 
The college football season kicks-off on Thursday night with two of our top 15 teams playing on Versus.  Pittsburgh opens up the season after crumbling in their regular season finale last year.  A half of football away from a BCS game and the Panthers failed to deliver.  They return sophomore sensation Dion Lewis at RB, but running against the Utes could prove difficult.
 
The Utes begin their last season in the underrated Mountain West Conference with a home game against a BCS school. The Utes are very tough on defense and have an All-American caliber DE in Jabaal Sheard. The game will rest on the arm of QB Jordan Wynn as he attempts to begin the season where he left off last year.
 
Pick: Utah 27-Pitt 17
 
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Depth All Around

The Miami Dolphins and the Minnesota Vikings did the unusual in the NFL yesterday.  They completed a trade that adds depth and consistency in places of need. The swap sent Greg Camarillo to the Vikes and Benny Sapp back to his hometown Dolphins.
 
With Sidney Rice going down for at least half the season due to hip surgery the Vikes need help at the WR position.  They certainly got that in Greg Camarillo. Camarillo has been the model of consistency for the Dolphins the last three seasons. He is a great route runner and possesses great hands.  He did not drop a pass last season before he was injured.
 
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Teams Ready to Make an Impact

Let’s look at the five teams that have made the best moves of the offseason via trades or free agent signings:

N.Y. Jets: The Jets made a flurry of moves in an effort to cement themselves as a Super Bowl contender.  They went out and added Antonio Cromartie and Jason Taylor on the defensive side of the ball. Cromartie provides the Jets with depth at the CB back position.  If/once Revis returns to the team, Cromartie most likely will be the Nickel DB with the emergence of highly touted rookie Kyle Wilson.  Taylor comes over from the Dolphins and immediately improves the Jets pass rush, even at his age.

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Fantasy Football Face-off 2010: Part 1

Great fantasy football minds don’t always think alike. In an effort to give you two schools of thought before your fantasy drafts next month, Bump and Run is bringing you a two-part fantasy football primer to help you get a leg-up on the competition. Most fantasy sites and publications will try to make you believe that their outlook is the be-all end-all, but let’s be real: everyone thinks differently. In order to be successful, you need to create your own style and feel confident about it. Pat Greissing kicks-off Part 1 of our Fantasy Football Face-off: … Continue Reading

If Roethlisberger is Traded, Seattle Makes Sense

Now that it’s official Big Ben will be suspended for six games, the Steelers are actively pursuing a trade that would net them a top 10 pick in return. The team that makes the most sense in our opinion is the Seattle Seahawks.  The Seahawks have two top 15 selections so they can afford to make such a move and Pete Carroll would love to jump start the city.  … Continue Reading

NFL Draft Set for Primetime Debut

The NFL draft is fast approaching its primetime debut this Thursday night and for the first time in a while many things remain unclear.  It appears that the Rams will not have the number 1 pick signed prior to the draft, and while all signs seem to point to Sam Bradford, things could still change.  Another thing to keep an eye on with the switch to primetime is trades involving veteran players occurring on draft night, which will make the NFL resemble the NHL or NBA.  … Continue Reading

2010 Offseason Breakdown: AFC West Needs

Throughout the months of February and March, Bump and Run will break down the needs of each NFL team as free agency and the draft approaches. Today, it’s the AFC West:

Denver Broncos: The Broncos started off last season in great fashion; however the collapse that followed the start was even bigger.  Hard to figure out exactly what caused the free fall, but one thing is certain: a lot of the players won’t be back with Josh McDaniels in 2010. … Continue Reading

2010 Offseason Breakdown: AFC South Needs

Throughout the month of February, Bump and Run will break down the needs of each NFL team as free agency and the draft approaches. Today, it’s the AFC South:

Houston Texans: The Texans were very close to making their first playoff appearance last season.  What caused them to just miss?  Most notably the lack of a consistent running game, poor play calling in the red zone, their kicker choking and the inability to stop people.   … Continue Reading