Guarantee Games in 2010

Colin Cowherd has this thing called the Guarantee Gong, where he predicts a game before it happens. He used it against my poor Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl and also used it for the L.A. Lakers just recently. Now I'm not as much of a blowhard as Cowherd is, but there are some games out there where I know before the whistle blows what's going to happen. Here are a few games to bet on:

1. Virginia Tech to beat Boise State. Boise State's going to come into this game with the highest ranking in their history. Virginia Tech? It's just looking for a marquee win, any marquee win, before the season. This might be a match of the haven't-done-its. How many times has Virginia Tech played, and miserably lost to, ranked opponents before the season began? There's been a number, for sure. LSU? Lost 48-7. Alabama? Lost 34-24. USC? Lost 24-13. Conversely, when has Boise went on the road, in a hostile road environment, and beat a ranked team? Never? If you look at what these teams DON'T bring, instead of what they do, you might get a clearer picture. Simply put, this might be as good a team as the Broncos field, but the depth and talent isn't there for the Broncos. They do return their entire offense, but so does Tech. And without Wilcox, another subtraction to an already pilfered Broncos coaching staff, can the Broncos play defense? Everyone is circling Boise State in this game, so go the other way. Take VT and the points.

2. Ohio State to beat Miami. Some polls have Miami as high as 4 in their polls. And they were okay, at best, last year, which shows how easily pollers can be swayed by recruiting (which Miami undoubtedly has a reputation for). Sure they start strong, but without the right coach, Miami can sort of become a lackluster team. And Randy Shannon isn't the right coach. Still, they will compete in this game, as OSU has less time to prepare for the quick pro-style/option offense Miami likes to run. But without an overpowering defense against an OSU team that returns the majority of it's offensive talent, look for the Buckeyes to come away with the first key non-conference win they've earned in the last three years.

3. Nebraska to beat Texas. This is a penciled game for Husker fans. There is no reason to lose it, and the coaching staff is good enough to not screw it up. Take the Huskers. Big.

4. Washington to beat BYU. BYU has gotten a lot of slack for losing to teams it shouldn't lose to. It's the curse of the one-game season, really. Beating Oklahoma is great sure, but when you can't beat Florida State? You are Las Vegas Bowl-bound, then. BYU is going into this game thinking it's the better team, better program. Right now, it sure seems like it. But this is Washington's game, and Jake Locker is the best player in the country. Washington has it's quarterback, BYU needs it's own. And you could also argue, quite convincingly, Washington has the better coach in Steve Sarkisian. Take Washington to cover and win.

5. Alabama to beat Penn State. Penn State is respectable and they should cover this game. Can they beat two SEC opponents in a row? Not so fast. Replacing a core on defense isn't a problem for the Nittany Lions. They do that anyway. What is a problem is finding a new quarterback and grooming him immediately. Alabama seemingly has two to three guys who are better then their own starter! Penn State? They just need to find one. They probably will in Kevin Newsome, but whether they can pull it off in time is anyone's guess. Penn State covers, but loses the game.

And those are the picks! 73 days and counting!