Sunday, February 3, 2019

Top Ten: Super Bowl Edition

10. Michigan - The loss to Iowa on Friday is how I suspect they lose in March. They get in foul trouble and can’t score enough. Super Bowl Champion Comp: 2005 Steelers — This Steelers team broke through?

9. Villanova - I move Villanova in as they continue to run through the Big East with little resistance. Jay Wright can coach a little. Super Bowl Champion Comp: 1990 Giants — Never favored but always lurking

8. Nevada - Watched them last night as they pulled away from a spry Boise State team. Played well defensively for the most part but they’re not elite at it. Though they scored 93, there was a lot of first half bad offensive possessions. Some credit to Boise but Nevada underwhelmed me. Super Bowl Champion Comp: 2012 Ravens — They’ll need someone to get Flacco hot

7. Michigan State - That’s a bad loss in February losing at home to a reeling Indiana team. Super Bowl Champion Comp: 1983 Raiders — One last gasp for a decaying organization

6. North Carolina - Went into Louisville and handled the Cardinals with ease. Still quietly playing good basketball. Get Virginia at home and still have two games against Duke. Those games, win or lose, should tell us a lot. Duh. Super Bowl Champion Comp: 1988 49ers — Solid but least spectacular 49er Super Bowl Champion 

5. Kentucky- Florida doesn’t have a good record but the computers love them so I don’t dismiss yesterday’s road win. Still haven’t played Tennessee but those two games will be lots of fun. Schedule toughens over the next few weeks with 8 of 10 games against KenPom top 50 teams. Super Bowl Champion Comp: 1987 Redskins — Joe Gibbs second Super Bowl title.  Get it?

4. Gonzaga - The Zags are in an offensive stratosphere similar to the 2015 Badgers and 2018 Villanova teams. They are eerily similar to that Badgers team. That’s a good thing. Super Bowl Champion Comp: 1999 Rams — Greatest show on turf with a good enough defense

3. Tennessee- Kicked the snot out of some weak teams like a good team should over the last 3 games. Still only have 1 loss and that was in overtime to Kansas. Incredibly efficient on offense. Defense is similar to the Zags and could be a concern but defensive effective Fg% is solid. Super Bowl Champion Comp: 1997 Broncos — Efficient offense and a good enough defense with a coach who was run out of a previous job

2. Virginia- Probably better offensively than any of their previous teams but their tempo makes them susceptible to upsets if the offense struggles. Offense wins titles. They have 4 games remaining against the 2-4 defensive teams in the ACC. Worth paying attention to. Super Bowl Champion Comp: 1975 Steelers — Incredible defense with enough offense.  Efficient running game with the occasional big play from the passing game 

1. Duke- Zion Williamson is the best player to ever put on a Duke uniform. Fight me. Super Bowl Champion Comp: 1989 49ers — Culmination of the 49ers decade. A title this year for Duke would be 3 in 9 years.

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