who is your darkhorse pick to win the NC this year?

Sooners&Noles · 08-24-2006, 12:38 PM

a team in the top 10 is not a dark horse btw:

so here are mine..........

Clemson (#18), assuming they beat FSU
Oregon (#21)
Miami (#12), provided they get by FSU
Florida State (#11), provided they get by Miami and Clemson

CTNelson · 08-24-2006, 01:42 PM

My heart would say Miami is a darkhorse but my head would go with Louisville as they get Miami and West Virginia at home and if they get by those two teams they should be undefeated. Although they may go undefeated and still get shut out of the NC game if there are 2 more sexy teams that go unbeaten.

tbell ncsu · 08-24-2006, 02:24 PM

miami and florida may not be in any of the top 10 polls, but they're not darkhorses either.

i agree that clemson is a darkhorse to win it all. they have adequate national championship talent. their defense is stout, especially the d-line. clemson has a very strong group of running backs as well. their biggest question mark is at the quarterback position. finally, they've got a cream-puff out of conference schedule to help them out... but that could hurt them in the bcs standings.

Fat Elvis · 08-24-2006, 04:09 PM

I just don't think this is the year for a dark horse team to win it. It may very well be the winner of the Ohio st-Tex game. But you never know, a few upsets and a team outside the top 10 could be it. I don't think W. Virginia has the schedual to be considered. Maybe Louisville?

tbell ncsu · 08-24-2006, 06:03 PM

i just don't see an overwhelming team this coming season. usc is going to be down. so will texas. florida state and miami have both had "bad" (by their standards) seasons. notre dame had a monster year, but i'm not ready to annoint them the new powerhouses yet after just one year. ohio state is being overrated, imo. oklahoma is pretty much screwed. penn state... well, they've got a coaching issue.

all the traditional powers aren't going to have an easy road to the bcs bowls this season. this is great for ncaa football though. it sucks to have predictable champions year after year. it dulls down the game. this will be the year for the team that's been trying to make to the leap to do just that. across the board, there are several programs who are capable of being the next champion.

Buck It · 08-24-2006, 06:27 PM

ND will win it all this year. Brady Quinn will win the Heisman. Bet on it.

Sooners&Noles · 08-24-2006, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buck It

ND will win it all this year. Brady Quinn will win the Heisman. Bet on it.

obviously you didnt read the thread did you?

Sooners&Noles · 08-24-2006, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CTNelson

My heart would say Miami is a darkhorse but my head would go with Louisville as they get Miami and West Virginia at home and if they get by those two teams they should be undefeated. Although they may go undefeated and still get shut out of the NC game if there are 2 more sexy teams that go unbeaten.

i would say Miami and Florida St are dark horses in the fact that no one is really talking about them, they have had down years, the coaching is in question and the schedule for each is pretty damn tough. those things equal dark horses or longshots in other terms

tbell ncsu · 08-25-2006, 02:27 AM

yeah, but it's miami and florida state. do you really see them as longshots for the championship? would it really shock you if they won? a dark horse is like the george mason team who got into the final four. darkhorses are teams that nobody really expects to do anything, let alone win the national title.

i guess it just comes down to semantics and personal opinion in the end.

Eksynyt · 08-25-2006, 02:53 AM

If Oregon beats Fresno State, Oklahoma, Arizona State, Cal, and UCLA in consecutive weeks, they will be National Championship contenders. That is the hardest stretch the Ducks have ever played.

Sooners&Noles · 08-25-2006, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbell ncsu

yeah, but it's miami and florida state. do you really see them as longshots for the championship? would it really shock you if they won? a dark horse is like the george mason team who got into the final four. darkhorses are teams that nobody really expects to do anything, let alone win the national title.

i guess it just comes down to semantics and personal opinion in the end.

semantics and opinion......exactly. and being an FSU fan, honestly it would surprise me if they won it. young qb, new Rb (although he has played alot), lost atleast 5 defensive starters who were NFL picks and a true freshman starting at safety. i would be surprised if they won, not surprised if they compete for it

CTNelson · 08-25-2006, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbell ncsu

yeah, but it's miami and florida state. do you really see them as longshots for the championship? would it really shock you if they won? a dark horse is like the george mason team who got into the final four. darkhorses are teams that nobody really expects to do anything, let alone win the national title.

i guess it just comes down to semantics and personal opinion in the end.

Yes it would shock me if Miami won the NC this year and I am a pretty enthusiastic fan but having watched them the last couple of years doesn't give me much hope.

And yes by the dictionary definition of a dark horse (A little-known, unexpectedly successful entrant, as in a horserace) Miami would not apply but if you are going to use that strict definition you would have to pick a team outside the top 25. The criteria of outside the top 10 is more apropos as even though a team like Miami is well-known it would still be unexpected if they win the NC in my eyes.

Louisville is still my dark horse pick btw

PredsFan77 · 08-25-2006, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbell ncsu

miami and florida may not be in any of the top 10 polls, but they're not darkhorses either.

i agree that clemson is a darkhorse to win it all. they have adequate national championship talent. their defense is stout, especially the d-line. clemson has a very strong group of running backs as well. their biggest question mark is at the quarterback position. finally, they've got a cream-puff out of conference schedule to help them out... but that could hurt them in the bcs standings.

Check out their last game of the season.

South Carolina baby...Fear the cocks

CTNelson · 08-26-2006, 01:43 PM

ESPN College Game Day crew was posed this same question about which team out of the top 10 to look out for and Corso & May picked Iowa and Herbstreit picked Miami.

Sooners&Noles · 08-26-2006, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CTNelson

ESPN College Game Day crew was posed this same question about which team out of the top 10 to look out for and Corso & May picked Iowa and Herbstreit picked Miami.

i thought about iowa, but other than the qb, who do they have? they lost a great lb in greenway and im not familiar enough with them to feel comfortable saying them. besides, for some reason, big 10 teams do not seem to compete much lately, other than OHIO ST a few years ago and excluding Penn St. sudden rise last season. i think they are like the SEC, tend to beat up on each other too much

08-24-2006, 12:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
Sooners&Noles Backup Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 32 vCash: 2000	who is your darkhorse pick to win the NC this year? a team in the top 10 is not a dark horse btw: so here are mine.......... Clemson (#18), assuming they beat FSU Oregon (#21) Miami (#12), provided they get by FSU Florida State (#11), provided they get by Miami and Clemson

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08-24-2006, 01:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
CTNelson Starter Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sunrise, Florida Posts: 106 vCash: 2000 NFL Team: Miami Dolphins NCAA Team: Miami Hurricanes	My heart would say Miami is a darkhorse but my head would go with Louisville as they get Miami and West Virginia at home and if they get by those two teams they should be undefeated. Although they may go undefeated and still get shut out of the NC game if there are 2 more sexy teams that go unbeaten.

08-24-2006, 02:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
tbell ncsu bringin' sexy back Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: raleigh & fayetteville, north carolina Age: 25 Posts: 197 vCash: 2000 NFL Team: San Diego Chargers NCAA Team: NC State Wolfpack	miami and florida may not be in any of the top 10 polls, but they're not darkhorses either. i agree that clemson is a darkhorse to win it all. they have adequate national championship talent. their defense is stout, especially the d-line. clemson has a very strong group of running backs as well. their biggest question mark is at the quarterback position. finally, they've got a cream-puff out of conference schedule to help them out... but that could hurt them in the bcs standings.

08-24-2006, 04:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
Fat Elvis One more beer Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Deep OC Posts: 65 vCash: 2000 NCAA Team: San Diego State Aztecs	I just don't think this is the year for a dark horse team to win it. It may very well be the winner of the Ohio st-Tex game. But you never know, a few upsets and a team outside the top 10 could be it. I don't think W. Virginia has the schedual to be considered. Maybe Louisville?

08-24-2006, 06:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
tbell ncsu bringin' sexy back Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: raleigh & fayetteville, north carolina Age: 25 Posts: 197 vCash: 2000 NFL Team: San Diego Chargers NCAA Team: NC State Wolfpack	i just don't see an overwhelming team this coming season. usc is going to be down. so will texas. florida state and miami have both had "bad" (by their standards) seasons. notre dame had a monster year, but i'm not ready to annoint them the new powerhouses yet after just one year. ohio state is being overrated, imo. oklahoma is pretty much screwed. penn state... well, they've got a coaching issue. all the traditional powers aren't going to have an easy road to the bcs bowls this season. this is great for ncaa football though. it sucks to have predictable champions year after year. it dulls down the game. this will be the year for the team that's been trying to make to the leap to do just that. across the board, there are several programs who are capable of being the next champion.

08-24-2006, 06:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
Buck It Backup Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 32 vCash: 2000	ND will win it all this year. Brady Quinn will win the Heisman. Bet on it.

08-25-2006, 02:27 AM	#9 (permalink)
tbell ncsu bringin' sexy back Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: raleigh & fayetteville, north carolina Age: 25 Posts: 197 vCash: 2000 NFL Team: San Diego Chargers NCAA Team: NC State Wolfpack	yeah, but it's miami and florida state. do you really see them as longshots for the championship? would it really shock you if they won? a dark horse is like the george mason team who got into the final four. darkhorses are teams that nobody really expects to do anything, let alone win the national title. i guess it just comes down to semantics and personal opinion in the end.

08-25-2006, 02:53 AM	#10 (permalink)
Eksynyt Duck Mod Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Oregon Posts: 558 vCash: 2000 NFL Team: New York Jets NCAA Team: Oregon Ducks	If Oregon beats Fresno State, Oklahoma, Arizona State, Cal, and UCLA in consecutive weeks, they will be National Championship contenders. That is the hardest stretch the Ducks have ever played.

08-26-2006, 01:43 PM	#14 (permalink)
CTNelson Starter Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sunrise, Florida Posts: 106 vCash: 2000 NFL Team: Miami Dolphins NCAA Team: Miami Hurricanes	ESPN College Game Day crew was posed this same question about which team out of the top 10 to look out for and Corso & May picked Iowa and Herbstreit picked Miami.