Walters Football Site: NCAA Football Tournament: Elite Eight

Elite Eight - East

What is this?
Since NCAA Football desperately needs a playoff, why not create one? 16 teams were chosen (11 conference winners and five at-large bids) and placed into brackets. Dan Biggio, Chad McCleary and I will take a look at each game and decide who we think will win the game. The team that moves on to the next round will be the team that gets two votes to win out of the three predictions. The predictions for each game will be posted during the time listed for each contest (i.e. Oklahoma-Virginia Tech will be posted 7:00 Friday).

#1 Oklahoma (13-0) vs. #4 Virginia Tech (11-2).
Friday, 7:00 ET

Walt's Take:
Imagine this... Virginia Tech is up by four with 1:05 remaining. Oklahoma has the ball on their own 25. Jason White drops back and completes a pass to Mark Clayton to the 45. Next play-54 seconds left-White throws another dart to Clayton for an eight yard gain. The clock is ticking, the fans are going nuts and the stadium is shaking. Tick, tick, tick. 37 seconds remain when White takes the snap and delivers a pass to Travis Wilson down to the Hokies 35 yard line. Next play, Kejuan Jones catches a screen pass and takes it out of bounds at the 20. With 19 seconds remaining, Clayton catches yet another pass and takes it down to the 11-but cannot get out of bounds. Bob Stoops is going berserk. White is barking out signals. The clock hits zero, but White has already hiked the ball. Dodging a Hokie defensive end, White scrambles and throws it toward the endzone...

...and we'll never know what happened because a fradulent bowl system exists instead of a playoff.

If this game actually took place, a drive like that could actually happen, since these two teams are evenly matched. Oklahoma would attempt to establish the run with Adrian Peterson, but Virginia Tech's superb run defense would thwart Stoops' efforts to do so. The Hokies surrender just 12 points per game and have only allowed two teams to post more than 20: USC and North Carolina.

Virginia Tech would also struggle to move the chains against Oklahoma's stellar defense, which yields 2.8 yards per rush and 13.7 points per contest. However, Bryan Randall's uncanny ability to scramble would create problems for the Sooners.

Oklahoma 16, Virginia Tech 13

NCAA Dan's Take:
Excellent matchup between the Hokies of Virginia Tech and the Oklahoma Sooners. Virginia Tech is one of the few teams in the country capable of giving Oklahoma a serious run for their money. The Hokies are capable of giving any team in college football a run for their money, because their defense is so good. Don't overlook The Sooners defense either; they will hold Virginia Tech's offense to a minimal number of points. I do not envision Brian Randall and company lighting up the scoreboard. But the interesting matchup to me in this game is not how the Hokies offense performs, but how their excellent defense is able to defend against the weapons the Sonners possess on offense. Led by 2003 Heisman winner Jason White at QB, and 2004 Heisman candidate Adrian Peterson at running back, Oklahoma has been able to score a lot this year. I do not look for this to be the case against the Hokies. Texas showed that it is possible to slow down Oklahoma's offense, holding them to 12 points in their game this year. Virginia Tech never let up more than 24 points all season, and I look for this streak to continue.

For Virginia Tech to win this game, they will probably need to score on defense or come up with a big play on special teams, which Beamer's teams have been know to do. Expect a real dog fight here-a low scoring hard fought game. Oklahoma prevails, maintaining their undefeated record, but it will not be easy. Bet the under in this one.

Oklahoma 16, Virginia Tech 13

Chad's Take:
Whew what a great 1st round of games. Oklahoma naturally beat down Toledo with the ease and precision of a surgeon. We didn�t find out much new in this game as Toledo just didn�t have the horses to expose Oklahoma in any fashion. Virginia Tech looked strong as they have improved in every game since early in the season. Their defense has looked almost stifling and their offense, though not flashy has been consistent and mistake free.

Alas their season ends here.

The Hokies actually have the necessary athletes on defense to slow-not stop-but Oklahoma's offensive juggernaut. They just don�t have the explosion on offense too stay in the game. Don�t misunderstand-they have some very nice talent at the skill positions that are all mostly underclassmen. But, it will take 24 points or more to win this game and that just isn�t going to happen against a strong Sooner stop unit. Oklahoma has an Achilles heel in the passing game defensively but Va Tech can�t exploit it.

Oklahoma 27, Virginia Tech 13

Winner: #1 Oklahoma

#2 Auburn (13-0) vs. #6 Georgia (10-2).
Saturday, 1:00 ET

Walt's Take:
Georgia will attempt to avenge their 24-6 loss to Auburn on Nov. 13. However, the Tigers are a far superior team and obtaining revenge will be easier said than done. The Tigers' outstanding run defense will bottle Thomas Brown and Danny Ware, who were suffocated to just 85 rushing yards in the first meeting. David Greene will be forced to throw on obvious passing situations against a secondary that allowed just 163 passing yards per contest.

Meanwhile, Auburn will be successful in their effort to establish their two-headed monster at running back. Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown tallied 218 rushing yards, gaining five yards per carry in their match-up with the Bulldogs earlier this season. Georgia will once again struggle to stop Williams and Brown, permitting Heisman-esque Jason Campbell to torch their secondary.

Auburn 31, Georgia 0

NCAA Dan's Take:
Auburn and Georgia, rematch of an important SEC battle late in the season, in which the Tigers took handily, 24-6. Georgia only lost two games all season-that one to Auburn and an earlier match-up against the Tennessee Volunteers at home that came down to the last play. The Bulldogs are led by David Greene at quarterback, and a pretty physical, tough defense. Interestingly enough, the most points Georgia permitted all season was 28, their opening game of the season against Division 1-AA Georgia Southern.

Auburn was able to put up 24 on Georgia during the regular season meeting between these two, and it was easily enough for them to win. I look for a similar output from the Tigers offense in this contest. Expect Georgia to see a steady diet of Cadillac Williams running the football on them. And while Auburn's offense will not exactly light up the scoreboard, they will grind the game out and score enough to beat Georgia. Auburn's defense is pretty darn good too, and I expect them to cause the Bulldogs offense to be running in cement most of the day. Keep in mind, Auburn ran the table in the SEC and went undefeated this season. Tommy Tuberville's team can play.

Auburn 20, Georgia 9

Chad's Take:
How many teams are there in the SEC? Because it seems at least nine of them are in this tourney. And why not? They play strong, fast, aggressive football down south.

Georgia plays great football and Mark Richt is a great coach in all respects: coaching and recruiting. Auburn has played great football all year and while they have had a couple close games, they have generally been in control at almost every stop. They have played a very solid schedule, which seemingly included eight games against Tennessee and Georgia. Poor Georgia. It should get easier playing a team the second time... but not this year.

Auburn has just too much of everything-they have two of the 10 best running backs in the country, their quarterback is steady and versatile with the pass and the run in his arsenal and their defense is next to impenetrable. Georgia won�t get any closer this time than they did the last time.

Auburn 24, Georgia 3

Winner: #2 Auburn

NCAA Football Tournament 2007
Brackets:
Championship / Final Four
Elite Eight - East / Elite Eight - West
Sweet Sixteen - East / Sweet Sixteen - West

NCAA Football Tournament 2006
Brackets:
Championship / Final Four
Elite Eight - East / Elite Eight - West
Sweet Sixteen - East / Sweet Sixteen - West

NCAA Football Tournament 2005
Brackets:
Championship / Final Four
Elite Eight - East / Elite Eight - West
Sweet Sixteen - East / Sweet Sixteen - West

NCAA Football Tournament 2004
Brackets:
Championship / Final Four
Elite Eight - East / Elite Eight - West
Sweet Sixteen - East / Sweet Sixteen - West