Jake Shaw upset predictions/hotseats link

[HFvictory]

The AP recently released its preseason Top 25. Texas came in fourth, TCU 22nd, and Texas A&M snuck in at 25th.
I found another newly-released college poll, and four Texas programs cracked the Top 25. But none are likely to post it on their official web sites.

The people behind coacheshotseat.com have released their complete coaches on the hot seat rankings. SMU and Phil Bennett got the highest (or lowest?) ranking at No. 9.

Baylor (Guy Morriss), UTEP (Mike Price), and Texas A&M (Dennis Franchione) also made the Top 25. Mack Brown (Texas) and Gary Patterson (TCU) ranked near the bottom (reminder: that's a good thing) of these rankings. They're each sitting pretty at their respective jobs.

Staying with college football ... since I got so much feedback about my column about potential HS upsets, I thought I'd predict five college upsets involving Texas programs. Here we go, in order from least to most likely to happen:

#5: Houston over Alabama
If this were the season opener, I wouldn't give the Coogs much of a chance. But four weeks into the season, the new QB (whoever that is) will have adjusted to live games. This road game for Houston follows two relatively easy games at home (Colorado State and East Carolina), so Houston could be hitting stride. Alabama's three games preceding this one: Arkansas and Georgia at home, followed by a trip to Florida State. Not exactly an easy stretch. This is a prime setup for a win over an SEC team, something which Houston came close to achieving in a 44-36 loss to South Carolina in last year's Liberty Bowl.

#4: Baylor over TCU
I'm still saving my secret reason why the Bears will win this game for a later blog, but here's additional rationale for this upset: TCU's preseason has taken a rocky turn of late. Aside from Tommy Blake's temporary AWOL incident, the Frogs have lost a starting OL to injury, a starting DL to suspension, and handed over the offense to a QB with no career snaps and no real game time since the 2005 high school season. These factors make the opening 21.5 point spread seem too high. Also, TCU is not over-looking the Bears, but they're definitely pointing to the UT game as their "big game." Baylor, meanwhile, has been acting like they're 2007 schedule has just one game: the season-opener at TCU.

#3: Texas State over Baylor
Am I crazy? Perhaps, but if Baylor does indeed win at TCU, the emotional high from that victory could work against them at home with a DI-AA (or in the parlance of the NCAA, "football championship subdivision") team they might overlook. Texas State only has one DI program on its schedule in Baylor, so this will be the "it" game for the Bobcats, who have a new head coach wanting to make a big impression in his first marquee game. As a Baylor grad, I've witnessed too many mark-it-down-as-a-win losses to mark this game down as a win.

#2: Texas A&M over Oklahoma
Part of a murderous four road games over five weeks, the timing of this game benefits the Aggies more than the other away contests. It will come after a home game against Kansas, a game that should get the Aggies in gear after consecutive road games at Tech and Nebraska. I also have a feeling OU's offense won't be as potent with a green QB, so A&M's ball-control offense will really make a big difference in Norman.

#1: SMU over Texas Tech
I swear this isn't meant to enrage Tech fans and readers. I really believe this can happen. Starting with Tech -- the losses this year are ironic. Tech's seasons usually focus on finding a QB; that's not the case this year. Graham Harrell showed he has the Tech offense down as well as any predecessor, but the cast around him is mostly inexperienced, especially at receiver. SMU, meanwhile, returns nine offensive starters and seven on defense. Quarterback Justin Willis greatly progressed last season. If the breakout year many expect starts on Labor Day weekend, SMU could score its biggest post-death penalty win and get a head start on ending a long bowl drought.

[that's great raplh]

boo ya

[Hoop Fan]

great. Tech will be more than ready and pumped up now. plus, they will probably be playing in front of a pro-Raider crowd if past experience is any indication. Hope SMU can live up to all this hype we are getting, even if it is mild, qualified hype.

[PonyKai]

great. Tech will be more than ready and pumped up now. plus, they will probably be playing in front of a pro-Raider crowd if past experience is any indication. Hope SMU can live up to all this hype we are getting, even if it is mild, qualified hype.

Personally I think it's gonna take more than a couple online bloggers saying we can win to make them change their tune of expecting to whoop the ol Dallas doormats of the 1990's. But maybe I'm wrong we're only 0-11 since 1986...maybe they're just ready to make a BIG statement.

[PonyTime]

#2.) TCU over Texas – All those purple “Beat Texas” shirts that have been inproduction for the last two years will not go to waste. A good portion of the Texas starters will likely still be in jail, leading to a good old fashioned “back to earth” whippin’ at the hands of the froggies. Texas will never again schedule another ex-swc team unless it is Rice, is on a field of their choosing, and they can take 100% of the revenue.

#1.) SMU over TCU – This is not in any way meant to enrage HFVictory or his mates, but the similarities to two years ago are so real. TCU will be coming off a victory over Texas in Austin (see above) and will be moving up in the polls, only to run into the roadblock that is SMU. With one loss, TCU will ride out the cakewalk MWC schedule to the Poinsetta Bowl, where they will lose Navy.

[Hoss]

This poll won't help Tech. They expect to walk in to Dallas and cruise to an easy win.

Froggy High is talking about UT, not us. They have a new QB, some kind of drama going on with Blake, some missing studs from last year ...

Not saying it's likely, by any means, but winning both games is possible. I'd take one. Two is a pipedream. But neither of these teams is USC. Set the goals high.