Staff Picks

With the upcoming football season just days away, four of the Arizona Daily Wildcat Sports reporters have taken the liberty to give their opinions about some of the forthcoming games, as well as the race for the Heisman Trophy.

Chris Martin

Sports Editor

This will be a close one (yeah right). The stormin' Mormons better hope the carriage and buggy breaks down in Arkansas, because this game won't be pretty. Florida State QB Chris Weinke will hook up with WR Anquan Boldin in the end zone at least twice.

Florida State 44, BYU 10

Watch the Wildcats light up the scoreboard in Iowa on one of the most porous defenses in the country. K-State RBs David Allen and Josh Scobey will each run for 100-plus yards as this game is over halfway through the first quarter.

Kansas State 57, Iowa 13

No. 15 USC vs. No. 22 Penn State (-3) at East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday

Finally, a real game this weekend between two evenly matched teams. If USC can pull this one out, the Pac-10 gains some respectability. If they pull an Arizona, the conference is in trouble. Carson Palmer proves there is some football on the West Coast.

USC 21, Penn State 17

Try this scenario: Michael Vick vs. God. Score: Vick 72, God 71. So how is it possible that the Yellow Jackets beat V-Tech? Well, it isn't, as the best college quarterback of all-time, yes, I said all time, leads the Hokies to a big victory.

Virginia Tech 35, Georgia Tech 21

This shouldn't even be debated - Vick has it. He should have won it last year as a freshman, and now with a year under his belt, this lightning bolt in shoulder pads is poised to show why he is the most explosive player in college football.

Michael Vick, Virginia Tech QB

Ryan Finley

Assistant Sports Editor

BYU vs. No. 2 Florida State (-25) at Jacksonville, Fla., Saturday

Talk about two different teams. FSU, perhaps the roughest bunch of punks on this side of Sheriff Joe's tent camps, enters the 2000 season as one of the nation's top-ranked teams. BYU, the milk-drinking, God-worshipping team we love to hate, gives FSU a run for their money.

BYU 35, Florida State 31

Iowa vs. No. 8 Kansas State (-28.5) at Kansas City, Mo., Saturday

Sheeeoooot!!! I love midwestern football. I learned the hard way last year when I took Washington to beat K-State in the Holiday Bowl while in a Tijuana sports book. K-State and their grind-it-out, Neanderthal offense, punks Iowa in the cornfield and proves me right, finally.

Kansas State 42, Iowa 10

No. 15 USC vs. No. 22 Penn State (-3) at East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday

As much as I hate to say it, USC may be the team to beat in the Pac-10. Penn State is in for a fight as Carson Palmer lives up to expectations and Troy barely edges out the PSU in the seventh circle of hell, Jersey.

USC 31, Penn State 27

Georgia Tech at No. 11 Virginia Tech (-16), Sunday

Do you know that a Hokie is a castrated turkey? That said, these V-Tech Hokies have some major cajones. One of the nation's stars in 1999, watch as VT's Michael Vick - the country's best scrambling quarterback - shows GT the door.

Virginia Tech 44, Georgia Tech 21

Heisman Trophy

I'm going out on a limb here, but Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch is my choice for the Heisman. Crouch beat out Bobby Newcombe - probably the best all-around athlete in America - for the QB job at Nebraska and will lead the Huskers to a national title.

Eric Crouch, Nebraska QB

Bryan Rosenbaum

Staff Writer

BYU vs. No. 2 Florida State (-25) at Jacksonville, Fla., Saturday

Word out of Tallahassee is WR Anquan Boldin is the next big offensive threat, but FSU's No. 1 strength is its D-line. Chris Weinke is older than most college professors, yet better than most NFL quarterbacks. Okay, that's a stretch, but the Seminoles repeat in 2000.

Florida State 38, BYU 13

Iowa vs. No. 8 Kansas State (-28.5) at Kansas City, Mo., Saturday

With the way Iowa is playing recently, K-State would have been better off scheduling their usual Division I-AA foes instead. This may be the blowout of the year, as K-State sets fire to the nation's breadbasket and sets its sight on another Alamo Bowl.

Kansas State 72, Iowa 7

No. 15 USC vs. No. 22 Penn State (-3) at East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday

USC is "supposed" to be good every year, but every year, they finish 6-6. Penn State was "supposed" to lose to Arizona in last year's opener. This season, they abuse another Pac-10 foe, showing how a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team is better than a Pac-10 team.

Penn State 24, USC 14

Georgia Tech at No. 11 Virginia Tech (-16), Sunday

Blacksburg's got high hopes for 2000, expecting 1999 to repeat itself as Vick's legend continues to grow. Think Tech's gonna roll in this one? Not so fast, my friend! The season's first upset, and the Hokies go to the Micron PC Bowl. The reason? No D.

Georgia Tech 27, Virginia Tech 23

Heisman Trophy

Michael Vick? Nope. Chris Weinke? Nope. QBs are the rage, but that's because WRs these days are better than ever. Michigan's David Terrell will make QB Drew Henson forget about the Cincinnati Reds and lead UM to Pasadena, where Michigan narrowly edges those hungry Arizona Wildcats.

David Terrell, Michigan WR

Maxx Wolfson

Staff Writer

BYU vs. No. 2 Florida State (-25) at Jacksonville, Fla., Saturday

Bobby Bowden went into a rage when he found out that FSU was not pre-season No. 1. Well, for Bobby and the Seminoles, starting out No. 2 in the polls will be more motivation to beat up poor BYU this weekend at the Pigskin Classic.

Florida State 45, BYU 17

Iowa vs. No. 8 Kansas State (-28.5) at Kansas City, Mo., Saturday

K-State gets a chance to play at Arrowhead Stadium and will get to show the Kansas City Chiefs what a real offense looks like when they pound Iowa. Look for the Wildcats to show the nation that their No. 8 ranking should be closer to the top five.

Kansas State 59, Iowa 10

In the weekend's best game, the Trojans will bring some respectability back to the Pac-10 with their victory. Carson Palmer will have his best game as a Trojan and show the rest of the Pac-10 that the Trojans are the team to beat in the conference.

USC 28, Penn State 17

Vick gives the Heisman voters another reason to pick him as the winner when he picks apart the GT defense. Vick runs for two touchdowns and throws for another two, leading the Hokies to a rout, leaving the GT wishing that Joe Hamilton was back.

Virginia Tech 35, Georgia Tech 21

Sophomore jinx? No way! This is the season of the Vick. The most exciting player in the country will show that he can live up to all the hype. The Heisman voters will have no decision to make this season as Vick runs away with the honor.

Vick