Jeoffrey Pagan Chooses Alabama: In somewhat of a surprise move, four star defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan, who had been committed to Clemson, signed with the Crimson Tide this morning. Pagan was thought to be wavering on his decision, but it seemed that both Georgia and Florida were the most likely options if he didn’t choose Clemson. This is a big signing for Alabama as Pagan is already bulked up to the point that he could start right away if they so desire.

Hurricanes Land Jalen Grimble: Miami got a huge boost to their recruiting class when defensive end Jalen Grimble announced that he would be heading to South Beach. Grimble is another 4-star defensive end, capable of playing right away. He’s got excellent size and bulk, and could get early playing time on Miami’s defensive line. Grimble was originally committed to USC, but it became evident over the past month that he would be playing elsewhere next fall. UCLA, Nebraska, and Miami were considered the favorites to land the Nevada product, with Miami getting the news late last night that they won.

Check back throughout the day as I update the signings throughout the day!

A Guest Blog By Fanspeak Contributing Writer Matt

Ok, so 6-4 is not great, but we won, right!?  Lets review…

Iowa/Nebraska – easy winners – would have bet the house, and hopefully you did – even my score predictions were SCARY close!

Ole Miss/USC – big misses – Auburn and Oregon are very good on offense, very good.

AF and TEMPLE - hey, we got the win – late covers, but it counts

Michigan – I did that to prove a point, and im going to keep riding them until they cover again.  so vegas said to me, TAKE THAT, right back!

Under in BC vs Clem game – really – does it get any easier?  26 points?  did i mention i LOVE over/unders?

Over in the ND vs Tulsa game – ok, wait, dane crist goes down in the first qtr and we still almost hit the over?  but youre right, a loss is a loss, although lets make this clear, this game DEF goes over with crist for all 4 qtrs, easily.

WEEK 10 PICKS…. UM, did i mention i LOVE over/unders?  see below…Im feeling “trendy” this week…

Take UNDER 48.5 in ARMY v AIR FORCE (sticking with the flyover theme, except this time, i have another branch with me)

Take OVER 48.5 in PENN ST v NORTHWESTERN (penn state thinks they can score now that they layed 41 on michigan and northwestern knows they can, lots of points here)

Take UNDER 48 in BOSTON COLLEGE v WAKE FOREST (hey, its BC, they cant score)

Take OVER  59 in ARKANSAS v SOUTH CAROLINA (ryan mallets throws for 5 tds and here in Charlotte, USC is not southern cal, but they will score too… shootout time).

Take OVER 62.5 in NAVY v EAST CAROLINA (i dont know why, but i am on my armed forces high this week – seems like a lot of points, right?  dont worry, both teams are in the mid-uppers 30s)

TAKE UNDER 45.5 in TEXAS v KANSAS ST (texas has packed it in, and no guarantee they will even be bowl eligible by seasons end and in manhattan, the fun is over…low scoring and boring)

FIIIIIIINNNEEEE… you want a PICK that doesnt include an OVER/UNDER.  Ok ok ok ok …. I GOT IT…

TAKE MARYLAND +8 at MIAMI. (what?!  are you crazy?  listen, i said im feeling trendy!  the line has moved from 12.5 to 8 in a few short days…and although the general public will load up on miami, as vegas is fully expecting, the big money will be won on the TERPS, trust me – would i lie to you?)

TAKE MICHIGAN -3 v ILLINOIS (the world has lost its mind.  michigan couldnt stop my 9-month old son from crawling across the room.  why are they favored against ANYONE?  i dont care, im riding this one out.  you want to make them a favorite again, ill show you vegas…)

While there aren’t the big matchups of last weekend there is still plenty of good college football to watch today.

(6) Texas vs. Texas Tech: The Longhorns might be ranked 6th, but they haven’t been tested yet and have shown that their offense is still a work in progress. Their top secondary will get challenged in a big way today with Tech’s spread offense. For the Longhorns to win they will have to stop or at least slow down Texas Tech’s high powered offense. The Longhorns aren’t good enough to win in a shootout so defense is key today. 35-24 Texas.

(10) Florida vs. Tennessee: There is little doubt that Florida is the better team in this game and they should be able to win, but Tennessee is known to surprise. It is never easy playing in Knoxville, and just last week the Volunteers played the Oregon Ducks to a tie in the first half (and actually outplayed them). They came back to earth in the 2nd half, but if a few big plays didn’t happen it could have been a different outcome. Florida hasn’t looked as sharp as Oregon this year, as that offense is still figuring itself out. To make matters worse some off the field distractions could have the Gators not taking Tennessee seriously. In the end Florida wins 24-13.

Clemson vs. (16) Auburn: Even though Clemson is unranked they stand as a major challenge to the Auburn Tigers. While their offense may have lost two of its playmakers last season Clemson can still move the ball on offense. On defense Clemson has a couple extremely good young players that should give the Auburn offense fits all day. Auburn though is a good team in their own right and has the best advantage of all, home field. I see the matchup of the two Tigers a close one, but think Auburn pulls it out 28-24.

(9) Iowa vs (24) Arizona: Not only is this the game of the week, but its the only match up of Top 25 teams this week. Despite the appearance of one team being ranked 15 spots higher than the other one, this should be a very good close game. Both Iowa and Arizona are impressive young teams with good offensive and defensive balance. The Wildcats do have the great home field advantage equalizer and are capable of winning this game, but I think Iowas is too balanced for their defense to stop. The Hawkeyes can beat you both through the air and on the ground, and I don’t think Arizona can contain both. In addition that Iowa defense gets after that quarterback with the best of them, if they put the pressure on Nick Foles then the Hawkeyes will win 27-21.

1. Robert Quinn UNC- Quinn was one of the hottest names coming into this season and is thought to have potential top 5 pick talent. He is a speed rusher who gets after the quarterback as well as any DE in the nation. Unfortunately due to an NCAA investigation, Quinn has yet to suit up for UNC this year. While the expectation is he could become eligible any day now, you never know with the NCAA. Given the investigation it is a near guarantee that he will declare now, but missing time on the football field could slip him out of the Top 5-10 range. Quinn is a dominate pass rusher so even if he were to miss half the season I don’t think it would affect his status too much, but you never can tell.

2. Cameron Heyward Ohio St.- Heyward would have likely have been a top 50 pick last year if he declared and should find his name off the board by the middle of Round 1 in 2011. He is a strong and versatile defensive linemen, who uses that strength to bull rush offensive tackles. While he can play both the 4-3 and 3-4, and even DT on passing downs, Heyward lacks the quickness to be a blind side pass rusher. And might end up best suited as a 3-4 end. A strong year and postseason can move him up, and if he shows a bit more quickness he could challenge Quinn for the top spot on this board.

3. Adrian Clayborn Iowa- Clayborn is very similar to Heyward as his game is built on strength and versatility, but has some questions about his speed. Clayborn is just as dominating of a prospect and should also hear his name called in the 1st round. He is a powerful end, who punishes quarterbacks and running backs alike. Despite being bigger, Clayborn doesn’t always use his size to his advantage with run defense, and he needs to learn to read and react better. He is in the midst of another strong campaign, and is a virtual lock to go in the first round.

4. Allen Bailey Miami- Bailey is a bit of a tweener here so that knocks him down a bit. He can play inside at DT for 4-3 teams if they like quicker, smaller tackles but won’t fit every system. While other 4-3 teams could view him as an end, he lacks the overall speed to get around the tackles. His best fit could be as a 3-4 end, and as such could end up going higher than Heyward and Clayborn. Bailey is probably the best run defending DE in this class, and still does a good job of attacking the quarterback. He shouldn’t get out of the first round, but could be an early target for a 3-4 team.

5. Greg Romeus Pittsburgh- Romeus would have been near the top of this list a few weeks ago but a back injury in week 1, will have him sidelined for the foreseeable future. With Romeus out until probably at least November it is likely he will slip some in this talented draft class. Romeus is a speed rusher, who plays with exceptional strength. While he might not have the pure speed of a Quinn, he is probably a better all-around DE. He handles himself well against the run, and is very good at backside pursuit. Romeus plays instinctive, smart football that helps him get the most out of his talent. The other knock on Romeus outside of his injury, is the fact that he probably is only one dimensional. He is a 4-3 DE only, and doesn’t have the size to kick inside, or play the 3-4 end spot. While it’s not impossible that he could develop into an OLB in a 3-4 scheme it isn’t his forte. My guess is he still holds on to his first round status, but a lot of that will depend on how he comes back and his postseason.

Best of the Rest:

Da’Quan Bowers Clemson- Based on physical ability Bowers could easily be the top pick in this class, based on overall performance and skill set he could fall into the 3rd round. Bowers has the versatility to play any defensive line position except nose tackle, but has yet to show consistency. So far this year he is off to a better start, but he has to keep it up if he wants to go in the first or second round.

Ryan Kerrigan Purdue- Kerrigan is pretty much a 4-3 end which will likely hurt him, but I wouldn’t bet against him switching positions if he needed to. He has a great motor and gets after the passer with the best of them. His stock is moving up and could have him in the mid-first round when next April comes around.

While I was a bit shocked when I read that Reggie Bush was returning his Heisman Trophy, I was glad to see him begin to take responsibility for his actions. Considering the NCAA had vacated USC’s wins that season, due to Bush’s ineligibility and the Heisman Trophy Trust was going to eventually discuss the situation, it was the right thing for Bush to do. More so since USC had already returned their copy of the Trophy after the NCAA ruling came down. While it is better late than never, it is good that the player is finally realizing what he did was wrong. So far the school has been the one to suffer (though I think deservedly so, because they completely ignored what was going on), now Bush must give up his prized possession.

While I realize Bush supporters will say that taking money didn’t affect what he did on the field, which is what he won his Heisman for. And I agree with that, this isn’t a case where Bush took performance enhancers or had a serious legal issue. But he did take that money, which makes him ineligible, and that is one of the few provisions in the voting standard. And while we are at it, let’s remember it is not like Bush just took lunch money from these agents, or received a small benefit or two. While the exact figure isn’t known, it is thought to be in the high six figures. One of the two agents Bush is reported of taking money from sued Bush for over $300,000 in money and gifts that he gave the Bush family. I mean that kinda money is going to be well more than the NFL league minimum, so it is pretty hard to keep a straight face and say Bush should have retained his “Amateur” status.

What Bush did was wrong, and it took away wins and a National Title from his school and now has taken away his Heisman Trophy. Hopefully this is a lesson to both college football teams and players that the NCAA will be coming down hard on those who take money from agents. While usually it is just the school that gets punished if it isn’t found out until after a player left, but this just shows that the pressure can get to the player as well.

(18) Penn State at (1) Alabama: The Crimson Tide are without both their Heisman Trophy running back, Mark Ingram, and their top defensive lineman Marcell Dareus, but I still like their chances today against a much improved Penn State team. Running back Trent Richardson should be more than enough for the Nittany Lions to handle. And if that isn’t enough backups Demetrius Goode and Eddie Lacy added 177 yards in backup duty last week, to give the Tide an impressive ground game. If that wasn’t bad enough Alabama has one of the best receivers in the nation in Julio Jones, and he should give Penn State corners plenty of problems. While I like Penn State’s offense led by QB Robert Bolden and RB Evan Royster, but I think the Tide will be too much for them. Bolden is especially promising, but he is just a true freshman and in for a rude awakening today. Alabama wins this one 31-21.

(17) Florida State vs. (10) Oklahoma: While I see this being a close game I believe the Seminoles will knock off the home team Oklahoma Sooners. Florida State has a ton of speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball and I think they are more talented than Oklahoma. QB Christian Ponder is poised for a huge season. He has great awareness in the pocket and rarely makes a bad throw. If his offensive linemen give him some time, I think he will pick apart the Sooners’ secondary. Oklahoma will keep it close, but look for Florida State to win 27-24.

(12) Miami vs. (2) Ohio State: This is the game of the week and is a true matchup between two National Title contenders. Miami doesn’t have the hype yet, but they are a very good team. Led by QB Jacory Harris and WR Leonard Hankerson the Hurricanes have an impressive offense. And it will have to be today for them to survive their trip to Columbus. The Buckeyes offense is just about as good and led by QB Terrell Pryor, who is poised for a breakout season. Both teams are equally adapt on defense as well, with All-American talent at every position. And in fact that is where I think the Hurricanes could have an advantage. Miami has very talented defensive ends (Ohio State’s aren’t too shabby either), going up against a pair of fairly green offensive tackles. If the offensive tackles can’t handle their own then the Ohio State offense could sputter. And if those Miami ends get consistent pressure and containment on Pryor, then I don’t think Ohio State can win this football game. I think this will end up being a very close game with Miami outlasting Ohio State 21-20.

1. Mark Ingram: Oklahoma- Ingram is the top back in a solid but unspectacular class. He is a tough between the tackles runner but lacks the home run hitting ability to become a Franchise back. He has good vision and doesn’t go down on the first hit. He is an above average receiver out of the backfield as well giving him added value. Overall Ingram is a good but not a great player and should be able to start year one. He will need a strong junior campaign to affirm his position atop the draft board and should here his name called in the top 20 picks.

2. Ryan Williams: Virginia Tech- Williams got his chance to shine last year for the Hokies when top running back Darren Evans went down with injury. While Evans might take some carries from him, Williams should be the featured back at Virginia Tech. He is just a redshirt sophomore so this season is crucial for him to show that last year wasn’t a fluke. He is a tough runner and could very well be a feature back at the next level.

3. Daniel Thomas: Kansas State- Thomas is a strong powerful back that I believe will rush his way this year into round 1. He might not play with as many star players as Williams and Ingram, but he is just as good. He will likely be overlooked because he doesn’t possess breakaway speed but he has no problem finding the end zone. I think he can squeak into the end of the first round or be an early pick atop the 2nd round.

4. Quizz Rodgers: Oregon State- Rodgers is one of my favorite players in college football right now, and he is just a pure weapon for any offense. He has shown to be both an excellent runner as well as a receiver out of the backfield. While his small stature and frame will give some teams caution, he could be the next Chris Johnson in the NFL. I don’t foresee him being taken in the 1st round, unless he just has an amazing combine, but he should fall no further than early to mid 2nd round. While he might rank 4th on my list, 5 years from now it wouldn’t shock me in the least to see him the top RB from this class.

5. Noel Devine: West Virgina- Devine is like Rodgers in some way, in that his size and slight build will hold him back. He is also a weapon running, receiving and returning and should go somewhere in the 2nd round. Devine is actually probably faster than Rodgers, but lacks his polish and is even smaller in size. This will be an important year for Devine to take his game to the next level. Particularly with a new quarterback at the helm, after having veterans Pat White and Jarret Brown behind center the past 3 years. Devine may never be a ‘feature’ back, but he is the type of guy who can get 200 carries, 50+ catches and all the returns each year (and also do those things very well), that to me is being featured enough to warrant a 2nd round pick.

1. Jonathan Baldwin: Pittsburgh- Many people would put A.J. Green or Julio Jones at the top of this list but it was Baldwin who had the best numbers last season. In addition Baldwin is the biggest and strongest of the receivers and has great ability to go after the jump ball. I expect big things from Baldwin, and while I’m sure other receivers might get drafted ahead of him, Baldwin will likely be the best. He showed great strides in his sophomore campaign, and if he continues to develop this season he will find himself among the Top-10 picks this year.

2. A.J. Green: Georgia- Green is widely considered the best receiver in the class, and given his combination of height and speed it is easy to see why. He is a touch faster than Baldwin and Jones, and has almost as good of a vertical ability. His production dipped a bit without Matt Stafford, so he really needs to rebound this season. My biggest concern with Green is his slight frame, he doesn’t really have the strength to go over the middle in the NFL and won’t win as many of the physical battles at the next level. If he can add strength without sacrificing speed he could end up supplanting Baldwin atop the board. As it stands though I believe the NFL will value Green higher and if he has a very good season he could hear his name called first overall.

3. Michael Floyd: Notre Dame- Floyd has been quite impressive in his first two years in college, but this will be a big year for the Junior wide receiver. He loses both his quarterback (Jimmy Clausen) and his fellow wide out (Golden Tate). If he can match or even exceed his production without them, than that could say alot of just how good Floyd can be. He has a bit of an injury history, but he came back from it last year in a big way. He has very good height, speed and strength and profiles as no worse than an Anquan Boldin at the next level. I really believe he has the potential to be the 2nd best receiver in this class but I will hold off putting him above Green until I see how he does in the new system.

4. Julio Jones: Alabama- Jones still gets a lot of credit, but in reality he had a pretty bad year last season, and in fact regressed as a football player. Despite playing on an elite offense Jones was practically no where to be found. And the same can’t be said for the other elite receivers who distinguished themselves despite being surrounded by talent. Jones has the talent and the potential, but he needs to start showing it consistently on game day. If Jones rebounds and displays better hands and route running he will likely reenter the top 15-20 range.

5. Ryan Broyles: Oklahoma- Broyles has an advantage not usually found in receiver draft classes and that is his lack of size. Traditionally teams are always looking for the guys 6’2″ or bigger and have to sort through the numerous shorter wide outs to get them. This year though big receivers are all the rage and a guy like Broyles is the rare commodity. In addition to profiling as at least a slot receiver (if not a starter) Broyles also offers kickoff return abilities, and is a true home run threat. Broyles had a great sophomore campaign, which was all the more impressive considering Sam Bradford wasn’t really apart of it. He still needs to work on a few areas, but all-in-all he is a quality receiving prospect who will be in the top 50 picks.

The preseason Coaches’ Poll is out, and to no surprise Alabama is still in the drivers seat. Ohio State is in 2nd and given their returning starters, seem like a dangerous team this year. Florida and Texas rank 3 and 4 respectively, and while great teams I think these rankings are a bit too high. Particularly because they knock Boise State (who went undefeated last year) to the 5th spot. After the top 5, I begin to have much bigger issues with the list.

Virginia Tech is ranked 6th which is think is very high for them, as I consider them more of a 12-15 team. I would move Oklahoma and TCU above them easily and then I believe I would look at some surprise teams. Four teams I’d look to move high up on this list are Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Georgia, and Oregon State.

Now the NCAA investigations concern me a bit at UNC, and could serve as a possible distraction. Outside of that though, this defense is STACKED they have at least 6 players who should be top 3 round draft picks starting on their defense. On offense they don’t have the same number of weapons, but Greg Little is a very good receiver and should keep the offense going. Georgia has some questions on defense and at quarterback, but I think they are poised for a breakout year. Oregon State needs to replace their quarterback, but the Rodgers brothers will keep that offense moving. They also benefit from the NCAA issues at USC and the legal problems at Oregon, significantly weakening their two biggest rivals. The Beavers have an underrated defense that should help keep games close. The Panthers are the best team of the bunch, like Oregon State they need to replace their quarterback, but RB Dion Lewis and WR Jonathan Baldwin are the best RB-WR combo in the country (and yes that includes Ingram and Jones at Alabama). In addition, the Panthers have a very good defense that should be able to replace all of their key losses.

As for teams I’m not high on and think will fall (or should be out of the Top 25 altogether) include Oregon, Penn State, and Georgia Tech. Oregon has had major off the field legal issues that culminated in the loss of their starting quarterback. Things are pretty tense right now, and I could see the Ducks having some real early season struggles. Penn State is a classic example of hype. This is a team with no set quarterback, and that lost 6 defensive starters (including their three best players), they don’t exactly scream of Top 15 material to me. I think they will stay in the top 25 like Oregon, but should be in the low 20′s. Georgia Tech on the other hand I think should be out of the Top 25 entirely. They lost their top two offensive weapons as well as their two best defenders. The ACC as a whole is a lot better this year, and without that star talent I see the Yellow Jackets struggling this season.

With reports that Nebraska may be leaving the Big 12 for the Big 10 (err new Big 12 I guess it would be called), and the potential dismemberment of the current Big 12 college football is in for a shake up. Also with the potential for the new rumored Pac-16 (doesn’t really roll off the tongue the same way) what are the benefits and drawbacks to this ‘new world order’?

A few hot button topics:

What does this do for the regional rivalries that we have always seen in the Big 10?

And will it be officially called the Big 12 Part II?

Speaking of regional integrity should the Pac-16 still have “Pac” in it when some of their schools are thousands of miles away from the Pacific coast?

Should the Pac-16 have two automatic bowl bids?

What will happen to the remaining Big-12 schools? Particularly in basketball where Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri are all strong teams?

How will this move affect these all of these schools when it comes to basketball?