| When it comes to making college football picks, | | | | Columbus on Saturday can remember watching |
| keep in mind that everything old is new again. Or | | | | that 2003 bowl game. The same can't be said in |
| what goes around comes around. Or you can't | | | | the Penn State-Alabama matchup. Those teams |
| teach an old dog new tricks. Okay, maybe that | | | | met in the 1979 Sugar Bowl - long before this |
| last doesn't quite work, but the point is that some | | | | crop of players was even born. It was a game |
| longtime college football powers will meet up this | | | | that belonged to the defenses and was highlighted |
| weekend with the outcomes possibly going a long | | | | by the Crimson Tide putting together a goal-line |
| way toward determining this year's national | | | | stand that netted them a 14-7 win and a national |
| champion. | | | | championship. |
| Snatching the national spotlight going into the | | | | This year could be more of the same. Joe |
| weekend is Miami's trip to Ohio State, a reprise of | | | | Paterno (who was still the Nittany Lions' head |
| the 2003 Fiesta Bowl - a game won by the | | | | coach way back in 1979) hasn't quite revived the |
| Buckeyes to earn them a BCS Championship. In | | | | spirit of Linebacker U, but does have a deep and |
| the years since, both schools have seen quite a | | | | solid cast backing his front line. Alabama expects |
| bit of change, but have both returned to national | | | | to be without reigning Heisman Trophy winning |
| prominence. This Hurricanes team isn't quite as | | | | running back Mark Ingram again this week, so the |
| loaded as the squad from last decade that sent | | | | pressure will be on Trent Richardson and |
| Willis McGahee, Andre Johnson and Antrel Rolle - | | | | company to draw those linebackers up and allow |
| among others - to the NFL. But Randy Shannon's | | | | Greg McElroy and Julio Jones to light it up in the |
| team does feature a talented, even if young, | | | | passing game. |
| defensive line that has shown an early ability to | | | | The biggest challenge will likely be Penn State's |
| get after the quarterback. | | | | offense trying to figure out how to move the ball |
| That group will be tested against Ohio State | | | | against the Alabama defense. Last season, the |
| quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Now in his third season | | | | Crimson Tide were among the best in the |
| leading the Buckeye offense, no less than a | | | | country defensively and don't appear to have lost |
| championship is expected from Pryor. Oh, and a | | | | very much in the way of talent. If you're making |
| Heisman Trophy might be nice as well. If the four | | | | college football picks this weekend, expect this to |
| guys up front for the 'Canes can't slow him down, | | | | be a relatively low scoring affair with the Tide |
| it's going to be a long day at The Horseshoe. | | | | having more than enough to pull it out. |
| Chances are a lot of the guys taking the field in | | | | |
