The first round of the NCAA Tournament always proves to have a couple unpredictable matches.  Keep an eye on these matches:

125
#9 Jarrod Patterson v. US Brad Pataky
#3 Matt McDonough v. US Eric Morrill or US Jason Lara
#6 Zach Sanders v. US Jarrod Garnett

133
#11 Scott Sentes v. US Matt Fisk

141
#8 Alex Krom v. US Chris Drouin
#5 Zack Bailey v. US Kenny Hashimoto
#2 Jamal Parks v. US Juan Archuleta

149
#8 Jason Chamberlain v. US David Cheza
#3 Kyle Terry v. US Cesar Grajales
#10 Barrett Abel v. US Tony D’Alie
US Kyle Borshoff v. US James Fleming

157
#7 Chase Pami v. US Kurt Kinser
#2 Adam Hall v. US John Bonilla-Bowman

165
#4 Jon Reader v. US Chris Brown
#3 Nick Marable v. US Nick Amuchastegui

174
#12 Bagna Tovujavv v. US Justin Zeerip
#7 Ben Bennett v. US Robert Hamlin
#10 Jordan Blanton v. US Duke Burk

184
#8 Louis Caputo v. US Austin Trotman
#6 Max Askren v. US Zack Giesen
#10 Mike Pucillo v. US Mike Miller

197
#9 Chad Beatty v. US Alan Gelogaev (In terms of “interesting” this is probably #1 of the entire round)

285
#11 Mitch Monteiro v. US Ben Berhow
#10 DJ Russo v. US Nathan Fernandez

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Iowa features only sophomore left tackle Riley Reiff and senior right guard Julian Vandervelde returning with experience.

Reiff started in 11 of the Hawkeyes' 13 games and Vandervelde started in nine, saw action in 12, but suffered with consistency issues all season because of missing the summer with an injury.

Reiff was named to CollegeFootballNews.com's third team Freshman all-America and Sporting News' first team Big Ten all-Freshman. Vandervelde impressed in 2008 before last summer's injury.

So, we know both are capable, it's the other slots in the trenches that need to be filled by the right guys for Iowa to be successful again this fall. 

Junior Adam Gettis saw some action at left guard and sophomore James Ferentz will likely see plenty of time this season after off-field troubles kept him from playing last year. 

Gettis improved as the season went on after struggling in a start against Northern Iowa. But who didn't struggle in that game for the Hawks? If he continues to make progress in spring and summer practice the spot should be his.

Plenty of pressure is on the coach's son, as center is heavily relied upon in the Iowa offense. Ferentz may have seen playing time last year had he not suffered from a lapse in judgement.

From there, however, it's anybody's guess as to who will get the nod in the leftover gaps.   

What Seems Like a Long, Long, Time Ago

The last time the Hawkeyes' offensive line looked this young was 2007—not a good year for the Hawks, who went 6-6 and rightfully missed out on a seventh-straight bowl berth after losing to a Western Michigan team that was 3-7 at the time.  

Iowa's offensive line for 2007 featured two returning starters in Seth Olsen at right guard and Rafael Eubanks at center. Both would later be named as all-Big Ten honorable mentions as consolation, I guess. 

As for the rest of the offensive line, the Hawkeyes featured widely young and inexperienced players in the trenches after Iowa lost Mike Jones, Mike Elgin and Marshal Yanda to graduation in 2006.  

The result was 46 sacks allowed by the end of the year. That stat was good for 114th in the nation. Iowa had only given up 22 sacks the previous season.

Iowa did a lot of shuffling with the 2007 offensive line due to injuries and lacks of cohesion and experience. They were the doormat of offensive lines  in the Big Ten before finding themselves in 2008.

That inexperienced squad included a young Bryan Bulaga, Kyle Calloway, and Rafael Eubanks. Dace Richardson sat out much of 2007 due to injury. 

Back to the Future

Last season, Iowa gave up 29 sacks, which tied for 82nd in the country. That's by no means a pretty number. 

With a younger offensive line this season, it's reasonable to expect that number to increase. 

What does that mean for the Hawkeyes? Everybody else has to step it up. 

Quarterback Ricky Stanzi has to lead the team and make better decisions all around.

Receivers have to get open and catch the ball to take the pressure off the running game. 

Luckily for the incoming o-line uglies, they'll be protecting three very talented backs in Adam Robinson, Brandon Wegher, and Jewel Hampton. 

On a positive note, the Hawkeyes return plenty of players with starting experience—largely in thanks to last season's injuries—to back up the offensive line. 

Also, here's to hoping this year's playmakers are smarter in the off-season than they were in 2007. That will go a long way in ensuring Iowa's success. 

Overall, though, this young o-line needs to mature very quickly and find that groove 2007's squad couldn't. 

Hopefully, they'll also put on some meat in the off-season, as Vandervelde and red-shirt sophomore Casey McMillan are the only ones in the discussion over 300 pounds. We'll get an update on that situation closer to spring practice.

Finally, as always, nobody gets injured. 

Knock on the wood nearest you.

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In college football there is the SEC. Even in a down year the league just makes college football more interesting. When it comes to college basketball, the ACC is the standard bearer of excellence every year, even in what many consider a down year the basketball that will be played over the next few days in Greensboro will be interesting and have meaning.

Here is what a down year in the ACC looks like:

• Almost half of the games played in conference were decided by eight or fewer points.
• Seven teams are in the Top 55 for RPI ratings.
• Eight teams were ranked in the AP Top 25 at some point in the year.

What does this say about the conference? They play competitive and entertaining basketball.

Here are the top story lines to be watching for in the tournament this weekend.

Is Duke or Maryland the Best Team in the ACC?

Both teams finished the year with a 13-3 league mark and tied for the conference title. Most fans will want one of two outcomes. Their team to keep advancing, and short of this they will want to see these two in the finals.

How Much Can Virginia Tech and Florida State Improve their Seeding in the NCAA Tournament?

In most forecasts Florida State is looking like a seven or eight seed. The Hokies seem to be a No. 10. Do they have to win the tournament to really improve their standing? Would a tournament win move either of them to a five or better seed? Maybe in the case of Florida State, but it is hard to believe that either will improve their NCAA tournament situation while in Greensboro.

Can Georgia Tech Find a Consistent Level of Play?

The Yellow Jackets are talented, but some games they just seem to be going through the motions. Despite their 19-11 record, Tech is on the bubble to make the Big Dance. They need at least one win to be invited.

Can North Carolina Find the Team That Used To Be North Carolina?

Admit it. You have not been able to take your eyes off the Tar Heel train wreck. Their 16-15 record seems absurd. It seems even more absurd that they will have to win the ACC Tournament to hear their name called on Selection Sunday. That is hard to imagine given the Tar Heels won it all just last year.

While there will be plenty of other action on the court, these are the storylines we will be watching most intently. It might not be the best basketball year in ACC history, but it is still one of the best basketball conferences. It for sure is the most consistent.

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Alabama will be replacing nine out of 11 players on defense in 2010. While no one thinks the Alabama defense will simply fall off the charts, there is simply too much change to predict the translation to the field. It will take some games played to do that with any hope of accuracy.

The Alabama offense is another story all together. Most of the starters and play makers return for 2010. There is a lot of potential in this group.

What can Alabama fans expect?

In 2009 the Alabama offense was ranked 42nd in the nation. They were 92nd in passing offense, 22nd in scoring offense, and 12th in rushing offense. They were 36th in allowed sacks and 5th in the SEC.

There is certainly room for potential improvement there. Let us go back and see how this offense has progressed from the past. We will start in 2007 for obvious reasons.

In 2007 Alabama was ranked 75th in total offense, 60th in rushing offense, and 59th in passing offense. They were ranked 51st in allowed sacks and 7th in the SEC. This was certainly an offense that needed to improve.

In 2008 Alabama was ranked 97th in passing offense, 63rd in total offense and 30th in rushing offense. They were ranked 56th in allowed sacks and 7th in the SEC. This was also a unit that had room for improvement.

Rushing yardage:

2007: 1940 yds

2008: 2585 yds

2009: 3011 yds

This shows steady improvement. There was 625 yds of improvement between 2007 and 2008.

This would show a diminishing rate of improvement. There was a 48 ypg improvement in 2008 and a 30 ypg improvement in 2009. It would be reasonable to expect a 15 ypg improvement in 2010.  This would mean around 3200 yds of rushing in 2010.

While this is certainly not an exact science, it is reasonable to expect this improvement. This would place Alabama in the top ten in rushing for 2010 easily.

Passing yardage:

2007: 2919 yds. ,

2008: 1985 yds. 

2009: 2631 yds.

This is tied in with other statistics. In 2007 Alabama allowed 25 sacks, 2008 25 sacks, 2009 20 sacks. In 2007 there were 334 passing attempts, 2008 423 passing attempts, 2009 346 passing attempts. 

This shows that the commitment to the passing game declined with the improvement of the rushing offense. It also shows a big jump in effectiveness of the passing offense from 2008 to 2009.

There was nearly a doubling of gained yardage per pass attempt to 8.7 yds per attempt. This compares to 5 yds per attempt for the rushing offense. Clearly the place where most improvement could occur is in the passing game. 

Alabama ran 902 offensive plays in 2007, 962 in 2008, 947 in 2009. I think Alabama fans can assume the offensive tempo will remain steady at between 65 and 70 offensive plays per game.

Offensive balance for the Alabama coaching staff seems to be based on total yards not plays ran. I look for Alabama to improve about .2 yds. per offensive play in 2010 ( up from 5.96 yds per play to about 6.2 yds. per play).

This will likely still put them 4th in the SEC in yards gained per play, but would improve the total yards gained to around 6076 total yards of offense. This would likely be around 3200 yds rushing and 2876 yds passing. 

This would certainly move Alabama from 42nd in total offense into the top 20 for 2010. It will also make life easier for the defense in 2010. If your opponent does not have the ball, they can't score. 

Every improvement in offense will mean less plays that need to be made by the defense.

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As proof, the Iowa House and Senate passed joint resolutions to honor University of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz and the 2010 Iowa Hawkeyes. The team was honored for being one of the most "entertaining, talented and successful teams in Hawkeye history."

Coach Ferentz accepted the honor in typical Ferentz fashion. 

"We are very, very appreciative of being recognized," he expressed to the legislators.

"I've moved around, been around to different parts of the country. I've been involved in other programs, coached in the National Football League. The one thing that has always struck me about being [in] Iowa is the support we receive is so unique, the interest and support is just absolutely phenomenal.

"It shows up in terms of the Kinnick crowds, when we go on the road, the great group that were down in Miami for the Orange Bowl. Those are things we are very, very appreciative of, and if we can pay back to the state in any way by performing well in the field, by having a team that people can be proud of, that’s really our goal."

The Hawkeyes went 11-2 last season, winning their first Bowl Championship Series game along the way. It was their biggest bowl victory since Iowa's 1959 win over California in the Rose Bowl.

During his speech, Ferentz took the opportunity to remind senators and representatives that it wasn't just the performance on the field that should be honored.

"As proud as we are of our team on the field, we are more proud of the kind of people they are and what they choose to do away from our building," reminded the coach.

It was a great point to make, considering that a few weeks ago Iowa Rep. Wayne Ford of Des Moines tried to initiate the Legislative Oversight Committee to conduct meetings with the Board of Regents to discuss the problem of student-athlete arrests.

In a letter to the Iowa Speaker of the House in February, Rep. Ford suggested the universities in Iowa still had a major problem with player arrests and that regents needed to "meet with the committee so we can discuss this problem and make sure they take action."

He used the recent guilty plea by Iowa player Adrian Clayborn in an assault case for his reasoning to conduct the meetings.

"I only wish Adrian Clayborn well in life.  But as a Legislator, I believe we have a responsibility to train our students to not only be winning athletes but also good citizens," declared Rep. Ford.

The representative's opinion is ironic, considering he is a self-admitted juvenile delinquent who got a second chance in life because of football. Not to mention, the Clayborn case is rumored to have racial undertones involved, issues Rep. Ford has experience with as the founder or Urban Dreams.

Those factors aside, if Rep. Ford had an issue with the University's handling of the Clayborn incident, or the coach's discipline of a player, he missed a prime opportunity to address it head-on.

Iowa Senator Michael Gronstal and Iowa Representative Kevin McCarthy asked for and received unanimous consent to take up consideration of Senate Resolution 108 and House Resolution 122, resolutions to congratulate the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Clayborn's name is referenced multiple times in both resolutions in a congratulatory tone. 

If Rep. Ford had an issue with the fact that Clayborn was allowed to play in the Orange Bowl, why did he not oppose the passing of this resolution?  He could have used the opportunity to have his opinion heard by the coach in person and on the floor of the Iowa Senate. 

Legislative records suggest he was in attendance that day, as his voting record shows he voted in opposition of a bill the same day the resolution passed.

Did Rep. Ford have a change of heart? Or did he keep quiet, knowing that badmouthing a beloved head coach would hinder his re-election chances?

Whatever the case may be, Ferentz's speech concluded with a standing ovation from all Iowa senators and representatives in attendance, showing their respect for the outstanding performance of the 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes.

For once, the politicians got it right.

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Not that the Blazers are the team to beat going into the Conference USA Tournament today, but UAB is an important foe for everyone in C-USA.

Davis and his Blazers are 23-7 on the year and looking to make the NCAA tournament field for the first time in his coaching tenure on the Southside.

To do so, the Blazers will need to make a strong showing in the C-USA Tournament, starting today at 2:30 PM CST against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on the CBS College Sports Network.

UAB has already beaten USM both times this season. Beating such a scrappy team could be difficult, but the Blazers will have to do so in order to stay on the bubble watch.

UAB has beaten the Eagles 57-56 and 59-54 this season already, and are far from a lock in the semifinals.

The Golden Eagles and Blazers have only met once before in the C-USA Tournament. The two teams combined for a thrilling game in last season's quarterfinals, where UAB came out victorious thanks to a buzzer-beating shot to win 74-73.

Overall, though, the teams have met 33 previous times, with UAB holding a commanding 22-11 edge in the series. Davis is 6-3 against the Golden Eagles.

If the Blazers can pull out a win, the most likely scenario would see them in the semifinals against Memphis, who takes on Houston today at noon CST.

A semifinals matchup with Memphis would be a huge factor in deciding whether the Blazers get into the NCAA tournament or if they will have to settle for the NIT for another season.

Davis is certainly looking to get the next two wins as he is currently two wins shy of 200 in his short 10-year career at Indiana and UAB.

That 200th win, by most accounts, would put the Blazers into the NCAA tournament field with no question.

The question is, can they get the 199th win first?

If so, UAB could be on their way to the Big Dance.

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With the recent talks of conference expansion, particularly within the Big Ten and Pac-10, Notre Dame has been a popular name being brought up in these discussions.

Adding the Irish means increased income within the conference.

Increased income means more exposure, stability, and more power in both BCS and non-BCS bowl negotiations.

And because of that, along with the cries of most of Notre Dame nation to keep it's independence as one of its last saving graces, Swarbrick now finds himself in quite a dilemma.

“I believe we’re at a point right now where the changes could be relatively small or they could be seismic,” Swarbrick stated . “The landscape could look completely different. What I have to do along with Father Jenkins is try and figure out where those pieces are falling and how the landscape is changing.”

Although Swarbrick insists that anyone could "invent a scenario that would force our hand," the final decision comes down to himself and Father Jenkins.

If Notre Dame wishes to keep it's independence in football, there is no reason why they cannot do so.

Faced with a crucial decision, and one that will impact his legacy at the school, Swarbrick cannot afford to be a weak-kneed leader. He will need to take a stand to save the already delicate football program from disappearing into the boring and unattractive depths of the Big Ten.

With the recent struggles of the Irish in the last decade, giving in to the Big Ten would only steepen the rate of the decline.

Hidden within the conference, the Irish would no longer be a "national" school, but rather a Midwest program competing mainly with those already on their schedule—the same matchups that already have Irish fans complaining.

The Pac-10 is not an option due to the travel expenses and geography of South Bend. Stuck in the depth of Big Ten country, joining them would be the only logical destination for Swarbrick to choose.

Joining the Big Ten would be the worst possible outcome. At the same time, joining the Big Ten would be the easiest decision for the administration.

So Jack, the pressures rising and the spotlight is on—where is this program headed?

If the decision ends up being every dedicated Domer's worst-nightmare-turned-reality, Jack Swarbrick will go down as the biggest villain in Notre Dame history.

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It left fans, sportswriters, and everyone else in the college football world scratching their heads in shock and amazement.

We all wondered just what it is about this man that could be so appealing. From the picture that is painted in the media, we see a smarmy, weaseling, young know-it-all who has no hesitation in creating a spectacle for himself, his team, and his school.

Whether that spectacle has an ounce of integrity to it doesn’t seem to matter, either.

What many fail to realize, though, is that it is those spectacles that will make Lane Kiffin a great college football coach.

It’s those spectacles that are the reason why he keeps obtaining these “Dream Jobs.” Kiffin knows that’s what pays off, and the top schools know it as well.

It’s fearlessness. It’s brash at a time when brash is needed. It’s in your face during a generation when in your face is what sells.

The top young football players in America buy into all this, and Kiffin knows it. Don’t think for a second that he doesn’t recognize exactly what he is doing with each and every calculated stunt.

Lane Kiffin understands the game. He understands the magnitude of recruiting in the college football landscape at this point in time.

In college, speed kills. You look at the schools bringing in the best athletes on a year-in and year-out basis, and you will see where the power lies.

You’ll see why Alabama bent over backwards to do anything they could to get Nick Saban. You see why coaches at the big schools, like Urban Meyer and Mack Brown, are making millions a year. Sure, they coach for schools with the most resources, but the ability to sell the program to recruits is a vital skill to possess.

The only difference between those coaches and Kiffin is that they practice a little more subtle approach when selling their programs.

Well, those coaches didn’t learn under the tutelage of Pete Carroll.

Carroll knew that in college football there really is no such thing as bad publicity. He knew that to make a program like USC successful, you had to make it the bad guy that everyone was coming after.

As a young man coming out of high school, are you going to want to align yourself with the bully or the bullied? The big bad mean kid on the block or the also-rans? The choice is usually clear.

Is Kiffin going to have USC at the same level Carroll had it for the last decade? It remains to be seen, but from what we’ve seen already, I wouldn’t doubt he’s capable.

Because whatever you want to say about Lane Kiffin, you can never fault him for lack of effort. That would be unfair.

To bring in the type of players that he brings in takes hard work. Everybody in America is after these young men, and he is outworking them and outselling them at every turn. His youth, energy, and knowledge all benefit him.

There are a lot of things I don’t like about what Lane Kiffin is doing, but I also realize for the most part it’s what is needed now.

This is where we're at in college football. It is the point we’ve come to. The publicity machine is going to keep on rolling whether we like it and accept it or not.

I’d be cautious in saying that based on last year it’s evident that USC has fallen from grace. Be careful. I don’t expect them to win the national championship this year, but getting a coach like Lane Kiffin could simply signal hitting the reboot button for this program. Give it some time to start back up and get flowing again.

Kiffin knows the culture of USC, and he should take everything he’s learned so far and thrive there.

He could have been great at Tennessee, or he could have been a failure—we'll never know. Judging from the type of kids he was bringing in and the stir he was causing within the conference, I would lean towards the former.

A lot of people were a little quick to say that schools like Florida and Alabama were going to destroy him this past year, but that didn’t quite take place. Maybe, just maybe, he’s a little smarter than a lot will give him credit for.

Maybe it is that intelligence that has something to do with why he keeps getting all these jobs that cause many to get so up in arms about.

No, he did not deserve the Raider job, but don’t fault Lane Kiffin for being offered an NFL head coaching job with none of the proper experience required to handle it. That is blame you can put squarely on Al Davis for being an unwise decision maker.

Any college football offensive coordinator would take an NFL head coaching job in a heartbeat if it were offered to them. That’s the pinnacle for a coach.

You rarely see it happen, though, because most NFL front office personnel are smart enough to realize that the men aren’t qualified for the position.

Kiffin could just be the master seller in these interviews—a telemarketer to the 100th power. That could be the reason he keeps “tricking” all these people into giving him these jobs. Or possibly it’s because he has a plan and a grand scheme in place and people should start taking notice.

Those who don’t like Lane Kiffin are never going to like him because they know what he’s about. They see what he represents, and they don’t care for his personality. There were many who didn’t care for Pete Carroll as well, and he did okay for himself.

So you can say all the negative things you’d like about Coach Kiffin, whether they be just or unjust. You can say he’s never proven anything. You can whine about his actions. As long as you keep talking about him and USC is all that matters.

That’s why this summer when you turn on ESPN, you’ll probably see the college football analysts mocking the latest Kiffin antics.

Lane Kiffin will be watching as well, bright-eyed and gleaming, because ESPN is giving publicity to his team that most schools would kill for.

The recruits will be watching as well and taking notice of what could be college football’s dominant coach of the future.

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From winning to losing to winning again, 2010 has gifted us with so many opportunities to see the Jayhawks shine, and has shown us all why they are national title contenders.

But how far will they really go in the Big 12 tournament?  Many folks are predicting a possible early exit, due to the Jayhawks lackluster play in recent weeks, while others are expecting the same Kansas team to make a strong statement in their opening game against Texas Tech in two days time and let everybody know exactly why they are the No. 1 team in the nation.

Personally, I tend to agree with the second statement.  For a team with this much talent and this much poise to not upset some top contenders on their way to another title, falling short almost seems unimaginable.

However, let's keep in mind that this is college basketball, and if there is any word that is more present in the modern era of the game, it's the word "upset."

Fortunately for the Jayhawks, they haven't had it too tough in the past month.  With a loss to Oklahoma State, followed by a convincing win over first Kansas State and then Missouri, confidence is fairly high heading into the middle of March.

But what about Texas Tech?  Sure this isn't college football, but they can provide some exciting plays when they are at their best.  With a lousy 4-12 record on the year and only a handful of highlight reel plays, the Red Raiders have had their work cut out for them in 2010.

Forward Mike Singletary is one of the few notable players to post considerably decent stats on the year, with 14.9 points per game, accompanied by 6.8 rebounds.  If there is anyone else worthy of mention, it would have to be guard John Robertson, who will have the vital but unpredictable role of keeping Cole Aldrich and Xavier Henry at bay.

As for Kansas, well the coaching is there, the talent is there, and the fans are damn sure there.  All that is missing is a stellar performance and a night that sends Allen Fieldhouse into a frenzy as Kansas hopes to further continue its long awaited 2010 journey.

Nearly every position is key for the Jayhawks, but none more so than guard Sheron Collins, who hopes to have another impressive game as he continues to add to his point total of 15.3 per game. 

The highly criticised Aldrich has been cold at times this season, but that occurrence tends to pop up when the Jayhawks play ranked opponents.  Luckily, Texas Tech is nowhere near the Top 25, so expect Alrdrich to have at least 20 points.

All in all, Kansas is looking in tip-top shape.  Arguably not No. 1 seed shape, but tip-top shape nonetheless. 

At the end of the day, though, it is important that Kansas has established that connection with the rest of the league.  At times they have looked lazy and lethargic, now is not the time to let a surging Syracuse, Kentucky, or Duke take hold of the reigns. 

No. 1 is here to stay for Kansas, and they need to prove that this Friday.

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