Tag: baylor bears

2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket Breakdown: South Region

The South Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament features an abundance of talent and fascinating teams, including my pick to win it all. Let’s break it down and preview how the South will play out.

Cover photo taken from AL.com.

Welcome back to the Madness. The 2023 NCAA Tournament is upon us with 68 teams and 67 incredible games ahead to crown a champion. The 2022-23 college basketball season has been one of the most unique in recent memory, as the field appears to be as wide open as it has ever been. There isn’t necessarily a clear favorite in this tournament, so March Madness is sure to live up to its name in the coming weeks. To preview the tournament, I’ll be breaking down the 2023 bracket region by region. This is the preview of the South: a region with a plethora of star power and loaded teams, including the one I think will win the national championship.

Meet the 1 Seed: Alabama Crimson Tide

Not only is Alabama a 1 seed for the first time in program history, but they are the top overall seed in the field of 68. Even if Houston had won Sunday afternoon’s AAC title game, I still think the Tide would have been in this position, considering they beat the Cougars early in the year. They have been at the top of college basketball since the start of the season, running through the non-conference before dominating the SEC en route to a regular season and tournament championship. It starts with Nate Oats, the head coach who continues to do incredible things in Tuscaloosa. Bama is in their third consecutive NCAA Tournament after getting a 2 seed in 2021 and a 6 seed last year. While neither of those teams made it as far as they would have liked, this is his best squad yet, featuring many of the same standouts from previous years. Guards Mark Sears and Jahvon Quinerly dictate the backcourt; a perfect pairing of scoring and passing. Sears ranks second on the team in scoring with 12.5 points per game while Quinerly leads the Tide in assists with 3.8 per game. Freshman forward Noah Clowney has emerged as a young star with 10.1 points and 8 rebounds per game. But the real star of the show is freshman phenom Brandon Miller, a forward who is the most transcendent player in the sport and will be a top three pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Miller leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 19.6 and 8.3 per game, respectfully. His athleticism is unmatched for his size at 6’9″ and 200 pounds. No matter where Alabama plays, he is the best player on the floor. He is the clear differentiator for this team. Miller has made headlines off the court for reasons that I won’t comment on, but it clearly hasn’t slowed down his play nor that of his teammates. Alabama has one of the best defenses in the nation, ranking third in efficiency according to KenPom, and play at a lightning-quick pace, ranking fourth in tempo according to KenPom. The Tide are rolling full steam ahead, and it’s hard to foresee any team in the tournament slowing them down.

Meet the Sleeper: #6 Creighton Blue Jays

Honorable Mentions: #7 Missouri, #12 College of Charleston, #13 Furman

If you told me six months ago that Creighton would be a “sleeper” in this tournament, I would be shocked. The Blue Jays were supposed to be one of the best teams in college basketball this season, being ranked 9th in the preseason AP Poll. However, a string of six consecutive losses in the non-conference absolutely doomed them. Still, they had a nice season in the rugged Big East and were able to punch their ticket to the dance as a six seed. This team shows why they had such high expectations this season in flashes; the talent is still there, it’s just a matter of them realizing their potential. Big man and two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner leads the way in the middle along with standout forward Arthur Kaluma. The backcourt is one of the strongest in the nation with SDSU transfer Baylor Scheierman alongside sophomores Trey Alexander and Ryan Nembhard. When the Jays are clicking, they are one of the toughest teams in the nation to stop on offense, and their defense is sneakily even better. When they’re on top of their game, this is one of the best teams in basketball. They’re just not on top of their game often enough to be considered a true contender in this tournament. But March is about hot streaks, and nobody will want to see Creighton if they get even the slightest bit warm.

Upset Waiting To Happen: #13 Furman over #4 Virginia

Honorable Mention: #10 Utah State over #7 Missouri

13s beating 4s are a very rare thing, but we’ve gotten some close calls in recent years. I’m not fully sold on this upset, but if you’re looking for some madness, I think you can find it in this matchup between Furman and UVA. The Paladins are a great story, winning the SoCon and getting to the dance for the first time in a whopping 43 years. They pour in a ton of points from the outside led by the high-scoring duo of Jalen Slawson and Mike Bothwell. Moreover, this Virginia team is over-seeded. They’re barely in KenPom’s top 35 and the top 30 of the NET. They’re a big name and a big brand, but they probably shouldn’t be a 4. Finally, UVA will be without forward Ben Vander Plas, one of they key cogs to their gameplan on both sides of the ball. They struggled mightily without him in the ACC Tournament, so it remains to be seen if they can function properly without him. The Cavaliers defense is still great and certainly not easy to score on, but if you can shoot over them and hit your threes, you can beat them. We saw UMBC do that in 2018 and Ohio do it in 2021. The blueprint to beating Tony Bennett’s packline defense has been laid out, it’s just a matter of the Dins following it.

Best Potential Games: #2 Arizona vs. #3 Baylor, #1 Alabama vs. #2 Arizona

Honorable Mention: #1 Alabama vs. #3 Baylor

It’s not wise to assume chalk in any region, but man these would be incredible matchups. Zona and Baylor have two of the best offenses in the country, and both excel offensively in different ways. The Wildcats use their athleticism and size to dominate down low while the Bears use their exquisite guard play to rip defenses apart. I would love to see this matchup, however I don’t think it’s going to happen. I put all my faith in Arizona last season just for them to go out with a whimper in the Sweet 16. This year, I see them losing in the second round. I have much higher hopes for Baylor.

Apropos of above when it comes to a potential Alabama-Arizona Regional Final. 1v2 Elite 8 games are becoming increasingly rare, but this would be one hell of a way to bring them back. Each team boasts a ridiculous offense, freak athletes, and is led by one of the sport’s best coaches. It would be appointment television and an instant classic in Louisville. But as I said before, I don’t see Zona getting here. I think it will be Alabama and Baylor fighting for a Final Four spot.

My Pick For Houston: #1 Alabama

Honorable Mentions: #2 Arizona, #3 Baylor, #6 Creighton

The Crimson Tide are simply the best team in the field of 68. They have the best player in the nation in Brandon Miller. Nate Oats is coaching like the premier HC in the sport. They are as balanced as any team I have seen. Their guard play is infallible, and their defense is soul-crushing for opposing teams. I don’t think any team in this tournament is capable of stopping Alabama’s offense for 48 minutes on any given night. This team has been primed for a title push since November, and I think they’re going to achieve what they set out to do. I have Alabama beating Baylor in the Regional Final, and they will be cutting down the nets in Houston when it’s all said and done.

Full Round of 64 Picks:

#1 Alabama over #16 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: A national championship push has to start somewhere.

#9 West Virginia over #8 Maryland: The Terps have been the better team in their first season under Kevin Willard, but the Mountaineers are battle-tested after going through the Big 12 gauntlet for the last several months. I think their defense will make the difference and get them to the second round.

#5 San Diego State over #12 College of Charleston: The Cougars are perhaps the single trendiest upset pick in the first round, and for good reason. They won a staggering 31 games this year en route to the best season in program history. But I don’t know if they have what it takes to win a tournament game, especially against a team as defensively sound as the Aztecs are. The MWC better hope their champion doesn’t lose in the first round again.

#4 Virginia over #13 Furman: Although I think this is the most likely upset of the first round in this region, I can’t bring myself to pick the Paladins in this spot. UVA is typically one of the more sound teams in the field under Tony Bennett, and although they’re shorthanded, their packline defense and guard play should propel them to a hard-fought win over a potential Cinderella.

#6 Creighton over #11 NC State: These teams have each had weird seasons. The Wolfpack have been floating on the bubble for months and barely snuck into the dance. The Bluejays, on the other hand, were supposed to be one of the best teams in the nation, but dwelled in the shadow of several other teams in the Big East. Still, as I outlined above, Creighton has all the talent in the world to make a run in this tournament, and I think they’ll easily dispatch of an extremely average NC State team.

#3 Baylor over #14 UCSB: The Bears boast perhaps the best backcourt in the nation with LJ Cryer, Adam Flagler, and Keyonte George. Scott Drew’s squad might not be as formidable as it was in the previous two tournaments, but I think they’re primed to make up for last year’s shortcomings. It’ll start with a fairly easy test against the Gauchos, who had a nice run to win the Big West.

#7 Missouri over #10 Utah State: Every metric in the world favors the Aggies in this game, and they are slight favorites to advance. But I saw the Tigers win several games against very good SEC teams in recent weeks, and I think their higher level of competition has prepared them for a potential second weekend push in this tournament. This one will be close from wire-to-wire, but I like Mizzou to make more plays late to advance.

#2 Arizona over #15 Princeton: Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats let me down in a huge way last year, but they are back and ready for another run. I think they’re more than capable of doing a lot of damage in this tournament, and it’ll start with what could be the biggest blowout of the first round against the Ivy League champs.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2022 College Football Season Preview

After 9 long months of waiting, the best sport in the world is finally back. Here’s my preview of the season, from every Power 5 conference to the Heisman winner and the College Football Playoff.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

The best sport in the world is finally back. College football has returned and is already in full swing as we dive into Week 1, which promises to be a fantastic opening weekend. If the small sample size of games that have already taken place are any indication, then we are in for another tremendous season of this beautiful game.

As always, a fresh season means a fresh set of predictions and picks for what the next few months hold in store for us. From conference picks to playoff predictions to award winners, there’s so much in this crystal ball to look into. I didn’t have as inaccurate of an outlook as I may have expected last season, but even if these don’t come to fruition, it does not matter. That’s the fun of it all. So, let’s get into it, starting with previewing the results of each Power 5 conference.

Big Ten

Winner: Ohio State Buckeyes
Runner-Up: Iowa Hawkeyes

For all intents and purposes, 2022 will be a return to the norm in the Big Ten. Last season was filled with anomalies, the most notable of which was Michigan finally getting over the hump by beating their arch rivals in Ohio State, winning the conference and reaching the College Football Playoff. I hope that they enjoyed that brief success, because this year will belong to the Buckeyes once again.

Ohio State has a roster that’s as scary as it has ever been. It’s a squad that reminds me of the 2019 one so much, and many consider that to be one of the most talented Buckeyes teams ever. Returning the three-headed monster of CJ Stroud at QB, TreVeyon Henderson in the backfield, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba lining up outside is enough to make any and all opposing defenses lose sleep. Star wideouts like Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are being replaced by incredible talents like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. The offensive firepower speaks for itself in Columbus. The questions reside exactly where they did last season: with the defense that cost them a chance at a national championship. Getting absolutely ran over by Michigan lit a fire under the program that has led to a complete reworking of that side of the ball. HC Ryan Day brought in Jim Knowles from Oklahoma State to take over as defensive coordinator after leading the Pokes to a top 5 defense last season. He inherits an incredibly talented defense, many of which return after last season’s sour ending. The defensive line of Jack Sawyer, Zach Harrison, Tyleik Williams, and JT Tuimololau is bound to wreak havoc on offensive lines all year long. The secondary has some very promising pieces like Cam Brown and Denzel Burke, who emerged as the top corner on the team last year. Tanner McCallister is a grad transfer who followed his former DC from Stillwater who will make an instant impact in the secondary as well. If the Bucks can fix their defensive woes, there will be very little that can stop them from realizing their potential, exercising their demons from 2021, and hoisting the championship trophy once again.

The rest of the conference should be fascinating to monitor. I personally think Iowa will build off of a tremendous 2021 season and run it back as champions of the B1G West, but I wouldn’t sleep on Wisconsin, especially with Braelon Allen bulldozing defenses out of the backfield. Michigan will of course have plenty of eyes on them as well, but I just don’t think they can live up to last year’s achievements after losing so much incredible talent to the NFL this year. They have a very good roster despite that, but it’ll just be too hard to compete with Ohio State in the B1G East. Michigan State also saw themselves overachieve last season, winning a New Year’s 6 bowl game in Mel Tucker’s first real season in East Lansing, but like their counterparts in-state, they suffer from being in a one-horse race in their division. A team that I wouldn’t sleep on is Penn State, who should be just as good if not better than they were last year with a very promising young team, especially defensively. Look out for the Nittany Lions to potentially finish second in the East.

SEC

Winner: Alabama Crimson Tide
Runner-Up: Georgia Bulldogs

The 2021 season was perhaps the best the SEC has had in years. The conference truly flexed its colors and showed the country that it was by far the best league in the sport. The results spoke for themselves. And the end result was a delight to watch, with Georgia using their generational defense to mercifully end their title drought and finally eclipse Alabama to be this season’s defending champions, despite losing to them in the SEC Championship Game. Could the Dawgs possibly run it back this year? Well, like the Big Ten, I see more of a return to normalcy.

Alabama is the preseason #1 team in the country according to both the AP and Coaches Poll. And by every metric, they should be. This was the #1 team in last year’s CFP and came extremely close to winning yet another national title. All they’ve done this offseason is return the Heisman-winning Bryce Young at QB and the best player in the sport in edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. Not to mention a plethora of athletic freaks at every position on both sides of the field, like Jase McClellan, Dallas Turner, Henry To’oTo’o, Jordan Battle, and so many more. But where Bama shined brightest this offseason was in the transfer portal, bringing in WR Jermaine Burton from the title-winning Georgia Bulldogs and a lightning-quick RB in Jahmyr Gibbs from Georgia Tech. Losing Jameson Williams removes a level of explosiveness from this offense, but they will still be able to carve up any team on any given Saturday. And their defense is even better, so good luck scoring on them. This is a sensational team across the board, and I’d be shocked to see them lose a game, or the #1 spot, at any point this season.

The defending champs are nothing to scoff at though. They return their star QB in Stetson Bennett, college football’s best tight end in Brock Bowers, and a very good amount of their star-studded defensive players from last season, the most notable of which being Jalen Carter, perhaps the best defensive tackle in the sport. There’s plenty of young talent to go around on both sides of the ball, and unless they return to the choking form of years past, it’s safe to say Georgia will be a playoff contender, if not one of the four teams competing for a title in late December.

The rest of the league is really anyone’s guess, as it tends to be so often. Arkansas, Kentucky, and Ole Miss are teams who had sensational years in 2021, but running that back is so hard in the SEC. I do have high hopes for the Hogs and Wildcats, but less so for the Rebels after losing their star QB to the NFL. It’s also hard to envision the traditional powers like LSU not returning to form, especially as the Tigers begin a new era with Brian Kelly at the helm. Teams like Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee seem primed to make up for the past few seasons. Perhaps the biggest question mark of the entire conference is Texas A&M, who has dominated recruiting and NIL alike with absolutely no success to show for it. This is the year it has to come to fruition for the Aggies. All of the eyes will be on them from start to finish.

ACC

Winner: Clemson Tigers
Runner-Up: Miami Hurricanes

Are you sensing the trend yet? After years of dominating college football, Clemson was perhaps the sport’s biggest disappointment in 2021. It’s not easy to replace a generational QB like Trevor Lawrence, but the Tigers’ offense was genuinely unwatchable last season. It’s hard to imagine it will be that bad again. Despite a complete assistant overhaul with OC Tony Elliott leaving fort Virginia and acclaimed DC Brent Venables going to Oklahoma, Clemson should return to form in 2022 thanks to what is, in my opinion, the best defense in college football. The defensive line is one full of guys who would start in the NFL right now in Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee, and Tyler Davis. Trenton Simpson is an absolute stud in the middle of the defense. The secondary is stacked with names like Andrew Mukuba and Fred Davis. The offense isn’t the scariest sight, but RB Will Shipley and WR EJ Williams are tremendous young pieces who can make any play on the field. If QB DJ Uiagalelei can return to his 2020-level of play, then this team will be frightening. And if he doesn’t, there’s a very talented freshman QB in Cade Klubnik lying in wait. We know how that went last time for this team.

The ACC outside of Clemson is an absolute mess. This statement has been true for quite some time now. So many teams are in the beginning of new eras; Miami, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and several others are beginning brand new regimes. Who knows who could rise to the top amidst all the chaos? I’m betting on Miami, simply because I think they have the talent to overcome most of the teams in the Coastal. I really like Virginia Tech and the direction they’re going in, Virginia has one of the more prolific passing offenses in college football, Pitt is coming off the high of a season that is impossible to replicate, so why not throw it back and have the Canes back in the spotlight? I have high hopes for the Mario Cristobal era, and kicking it off with a division win would do tremendous things for the program, which is seemingly already back on the rise. They worked the transfer portal and seem to have a very solid lineup on both sides of the ball. If QB Tyler Van Dyke can live up to his potential, we might be talking about Miami as a top 15-20 team by season’s end.

Big 12

Winner: Baylor Bears
Runner-Up: Oklahoma Sooners

The Big 12 is perhaps the biggest mess of a conference in the Power 5. Last year was one of the weirdest in over a decade, with Oklahoma struggling to find its identity, leading to the rise of teams like Oklahoma State and Baylor. This led to a ton of turnover this offseason, and now we have one of the most fascinating seasons ahead of us in this already exciting league.

Lost in the sea of overachieving teams in 2021 were the Baylor Bears, who improbably won the Big 12 and the Sugar Bowl with one of the most stout defenses in all of college football. This season, they return almost all of that unit with almost entirely upperclassmen. The offense is a solid unit, but it will be that defense that wins Baylor games, just as it was last season. I’m not exaggerating when I say Baylor is a top 6-7 team in the country and will be a playoff contender. That’s how strong I feel about them.

Oklahoma was gouged harder than any program I have ever seen this offseason. HC Lincoln Riley left for USC and took the star QB Caleb Williams and so many recruits and other young players with him. The Sooners have brought in former Clemson DC Brent Venables to take over as head football coach, and while I think they will return to form, it’s hard to see them being as great as they were under Riley with all that tremendous QB talent they’ve had. The offense is still solid, led by transfer QB Dillon Gabriel, but don’t be shocked if it’s not even as good as it was in 2021. However, I still think Oklahoma is talented enough on both sides of the ball to bounce back from last year’s shortcomings and be a top 2 team in this league.

Two other teams with plenty of eyes on them will be Texas and Oklahoma State. The Longhorns are one of college football’s most promising teams, with Steve Sarkisian still at the helm, a shiny new QB in transfer Quinn Ewers, the best RB in the sport in Bijan Robinson, and a top 5 WR in Xavier Worthy. However, Texas has still not shown us that they can return to their glory days. If there’s any season to do it, it’s this one. The Pokes, on the other hand, were mere inches away from a Big 12 title and CFP berth last season, but a fateful goal line confrontation relegated them to a Fiesta Bowl win instead. They return a lot of talent, but it’s hard to imagine they’ll be able to replicate that level of success again with the rest of the conference catching back up. However, I still like what’s going on in Stillwater, and I can easily see them returning to the title game.

PAC-12

Winner: Utah Utes
Runner-Up: Oregon Ducks

That’s right. The PAC-12 is the only Power 5 conference that is going to play out exactly like it did in 2021. Well, maybe not exactly.

Utah turned it on harder than almost any other team in the country towards the end of last year, absolutely dominating Oregon twice en route to a conference title and Rose Bowl berth. After a slow start to their season, they ended the year 9-1 in games started by QB Cameron Rising. Now, Rising and a promising young offense is back and primed to make a real playoff push. The defense lost some key pieces, but is still a very, very good unit. I don’t see them getting shredded like they did in the Rose Bowl in any of their games this season. All in all, the Utes should make light work of what is, in all likelihood, the worst Power 5 conference in college football.

Oregon has had a tumultuous offseason that saw its beloved head coach leave and several key pieces depart for the NFL. Still, they’re the beneficiary of playing in the absolutely dreadful PAC-12 North, and they have more than enough talent to breeze to another trip to Vegas. Bo Nix comes in from Auburn to take over at QB and inherits a very solid offense with guys like Dont’e Thornton and Troy Franklin catching the ball. And the defense still has studs like Noah Sewell and Justin Flower to lock things down. If the Ducks weren’t in the midst of so much turnover, they’d probably be my pick to win this conference. Alas, they’ll have to deal with a Rose Bowl trip instead (yes, the runner up to the Rose Bowl, more on that later).

Despite all of this, no team in the conference has more eyes on them or more anticipation for this season than the USC Trojans. The program is back in full force as they’ve brought in Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to right the ship. Riley has brought a wave of his OU recruits and players, most notably QB Caleb Williams. They’ve even added other stars from around the country via the transfer portal, such as former Oregon RB Travis Dye and last year’s Biletnikoff award winner Jordan Addison from Pitt. With so much talent and actually competent coaching, why wouldn’t USC splash in year 1 of the new era? Well, I think it’s just too soon. The Trojans will be a ton of fun this season, but not as successful as the media may think. Next year will be the one for this team to truly blossom in to the playoff contender that everyone expects them to be.

Heisman Winner: CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State Buckeyes

It is a biased pick. It is a basic pick. There’s nothing fun or exciting about picking the betting favorite to win the Heisman. That is, unless he plays for your team. I went against CJ on the record early last season and he shut me up so badly that I almost never want to bad mouth him ever again. I cannot wait to see what he has in store after last year’s fireworks (4,435 yards, 44 TDs). Leading the nation’s best offense with the nation’s best weapons sounds like a very good formula for success. Other players I wouldn’t sleep on are the obvious ones: Will Anderson, Bijan Robinson, Bryce Young, and even Jalen Carter. Maybe this is the year a defensive player finally wins it again!

Playoff Prediction

(1) Alabama vs. (4) Utah – Chick Fil A Peach Bowl
(2) Ohio State vs. (3) Georgia – Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

Similar to how it was for so much of last season, college football in 2022 really is just Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, and then everyone else. The Tide and Buckeyes should run the table with ease, and I think Georgia still gets in with a loss in the SEC title game by virtue of not losing in the regular season, just like they did last season. The fourth spot in the field could go to any number of teams: Baylor, Clemson, Notre Dame, and maybe even the likes of Oregon or Oklahoma State. But, I’m choosing the Utah Utes based on how they ended last season. It’s just such a solid team with so much returning talent that is bound to do huge things this year. However, the room for error is so slim, as it is with all those teams I mentioned that will be vying for the last playoff spot. With Baylor in the Big 12 which is bound to cannibalizing itself, Clemson playing Notre Dame in South Bend late in the year, Notre Dame opening against Ohio State, and so many other teams’ circumstances, I believe Utah has the best shot to get in at either 13-0 or 12-1. They need to be cautious not to slip up in games against teams like Florida, Arizona State, UCLA, USC, and Oregon, but if this team is what I think they are, they’ll be just fine. If not, then we could be looking at our first Alabama-Ohio State-Georgia-Clemson playoff ever. Either way, I think we’re in for a dandy in late December.

When it comes down to these matchups, it’s hard not to foresee the inevitable Alabama-Ohio State national championship game. And in that scenario, I’d pray every second of every day that the Bucks find a way to pull it out. Of course I’d pick them to win, but this might just be one of those years where nobody stops Alabama. However, I refuse to admit that. I’ve got the Buckeyes over the Tide in an instant classic national title game between the sport’s two biggest brands on its biggest stage. CJ Stroud has a legendary homecoming in SoCal en route to winning the program’s first title in 8 years. And we all go home happy!

The best sport in the world is back and I could not be more excited to be spending my Saturdays with my absolute favorite thing once again. Regardless of how this season plays out, I know I’m going to have the time of my life, as I always do. I hope you do as well.

All stats taken from ESPN.