Welcome to Week 4 of the college football season, or as I like to call it, the “Thinning of the Herd” week. For some reason, ABC didn’t want to use that title. Anyway, we will finally get rid of some of the hangers on and also-rans this week. Anyone else notice how the ACC is surprisingly absent and the Big East has one mention? More on that later, let’s get to the Touchdown:
1) No. 24 Oregon State at No. 3 Boise State – 8:00 on ABC
This may be the number 1 game on the Touchdown, but I’m dreading this one. Not because I actually have a rooting interest, but because Boise State fans are lining up to point to this game and say “see, BSU doesn’t have an easy schedule, it’s the Beavers!!!”
If you don’t know about Boise State yet, well, then you don’t know anything about college football. They have an extremely pass happy offense led by Kellen Moore. The thing I like about Moore is that he’s willing to throw to anyone. He also has a fairly competent running attack, which means defenses can’t just defend against the pass.
On the Oregon State side, they are going to run the ball with Jacquizz Rodgers until he passes out, and even then they will probably try and hand off to him. The problem OSU faces it that their young QB is still getting used to the offense and he is facing a very good defense. This does not signal good times.
Oregon State has a horrid defense, giving up way to many yards to a lackluster Louisville team last week. OSU needs to hope that Moore and the rest of the offense get taken out by some bad clams the night before the game to pull this one off. BSU rolls and I develop an eye twitch anytime someone gives me crap about ragging on the Broncos creampuff schedule.
2) No. 1 Alabama at No. 10 Arkansas – 3:30 on CBS
I can’t be the only one that thinks the Arkansas being ranked number 10 is more a result of the fact that there is nowhere else to really put them than the fact that they are that good, right? Right?
Alabama is….well, they’re Alabama. They are loaded on both sides of the ball. Greg McElroy is a very good QB who can spread the ball around and make smart throws. Mark Ingram is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and the best RB in the country. In my opinion, they have the best defense in the country. They are a juggernaut right now and only the most balanced team can keep it close with them.
Arkansas, on the other hand, will pass and pass and pass until the cows come home. Of course, if my QB was Ryan Mallett, I would do the same thing. They are a sound defensive team that can run with a good bulk of the SEC teams. On paper, this seems like it would be a fun matchup to watch.
Even last week, I would have picked this game to be close. Then, I watched the Arkansas/Georgia game. That was a stinker. Georgia shouldn’t have even been in that game, yet they came very close to winning it. Arkansas is just not that good of a team.
Tide rolls, big. If you happen to live in a state in which gambling on sporting events is legal, take Alabama and the points and laugh all the way to the bank. Its games like this that make me wish I was still a degenerate gambler.
3) No. 12 South Carolina at No. 17 Auburn – 7:45 on ESPN
These are two teams where I find it hard to believe that they are ranked so high, but I just can’t muster up the vitriol to argue about it. The sad thing is that South Carolina will probably end up winning the SEC East.
Auburn is in a sticky situation right now. They may have been flying under the radar before, but last weeks game against Clemson showed everyone that they are a very beatable team; they just need a team competent enough to do it. Cam Newton is a good QB, but not as great as everyone wants to believe. He can put up gaudy numbers, but can’t take over a game. Essentially, he’s Tyrod Taylor. The Auburn defense is average, but seems to make stops against Clemson when needed.
South Carolina is a little schizophrenic. They easily outplay Georgia, but let a team like Furman hang around. SC definitely suffers from a little ADD, since the offense really couldn’t get anything going against Furman last week. The SC defense is going to be the key. If they control and contain Newton, it’s going to be a long day for Auburn.
I think Spurrier whips SC into shape, they concentrate on this game and pull out a victory and they climb even higher in the polls, making me once again wonder how they got so high.
4) No. 22 West Virginia at No. 15 LSU – 9:00 on ESPN2
Let me ask Mountaineer fans and Tiger fans a question. Do you feel confident about your teams ability to actually do anything this season? Yeah, I thought not.
I said it in first week and I’ll say it again today, Jordan Jefferson is not viable option at QB if you want a top tier program. Basically, LSU is going to run the ball until WVU stops them. Considering WVU has a good run defense, that might happen sooner than LSU wants. This means that to win Jefferson is going to have to step up and make plays. That’s not a very comfortable role for Jefferson to play.
As for WVU, you would think they have everything in their favor. They have one of the best QB’s in the Big East (that’s not saying much) and one of the more dynamic running backs in the country. They also have a very good defense. However, they got taken to OT by Marshall. Yes, 0-3 Marshall. It’s like WVU doesn’t want to win sometimes.
WVU has a very good chance at winning the Big East, but have you seen the Big East? Winning the Big East is not exactly something to brag about. LSU wins this with defense and makes me hope this is the last week I have to write about a Big East team, unless I’m mocking them.
5) No. 16 Stanford at Notre Dame – 3:30 on NBC
Notre Dame fans must be going crazy. I mean, this year’s ND team is making me have flashbacks to last year’s ND team, with last minute losses. Just once the luck of the Irish needs to pop up, right?
Notre Dame has the same old song and dance. Good QB, good offense, and poor defense. Does ND have issues recruiting defensive stars or does the defensive coaching just suck? Dayne Crist seems to be doing everything to throw that team on his back and get a victory. That ND defense needs to step up though, especially this week against Stanford.
Stanford has one of the more exciting offenses in the country led by one of the more underrated QB’s in the country. Andrew Luck has been forced to become the man this year after Toby Gerhart graduated last year and he has been cruising. Plus, the Stanford defense has been downright nasty, especially against the pass.
Expect a Stanford win, but also expect Notre Dame to keep to keep it close just to terrorize the fan base.
6) No. 8 Oklahoma at Cincinnati – 6:00 on ESPN2
Last year, this game would have been epic, with Tony Pike against a potentially healthy Sam Bradford. Instead, we get Landry Jones against Zach Collaros. Plus, Cincinnati is going nowhere this year. It’s like the college football Gods are laughing at us.
Extra Point:
I’d like to say that the ACC and Big East are having down years, but this has become a recurring theme. I knew the ACC was in trouble when everyone was touting FSU as the team to beat. What has FSU done in the past couple of years but dwell in mediocrity? And don’t even get me started about how Christian Ponder reminds me of Drew Weatherford.
The problem is that the ACC is so pathetic that FSU might actually be the team to beat. Look how Virginia Tech imploded on themselves. I knew Tyrod Taylor wasn’t a good QB, but this is getting ridiculous. I just know that some random team, like North Carolina State, is going to back-door their way into the ACC Championship Game, kind of like how Clemson did last year.
As much as I want to not throw up, I need to bring up the Big East. Last year, the Big East was moderately entertaining, with Cincinnati, Pitt, and WVU all battling it out for the Big East crown. You knew the winner was going to get shellacked in a BCS Bowl Game, but it was fun pretending they had a shot.
This year, WVU will probably limp to the championship with a couple of conference losses and end up 2 touchdown underdogs to someone like Texas. You put a mid-tier major conference team in the Big East, like Michigan or Auburn, and they run the table.
I guess my whole point here is why are we giving teams and the ACC and Big East a free pass when it comes to strength of schedule and strength of conference when everyone, including me, is giving Boise State (and to a lesser extent TCU) a hard time about those things? We should give them all a tough time about strength of conference.
The reason teams in the ACC and the Big East are getting in the rankings is the elitist attitude we all have toward those teams. While teams like Virginia Tech have to prove that they are not that good (thank you James Madison), Boise State has to prove that they are that good. On one hand, we make excuses for teams in the ACC, but on the other hand are quick to dismiss teams like Boise State and TCU. It just doesn’t seem right, but I guess that’s just the nature of the beast.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Trent's Touchdown - Week 3
Here we are at Week 3 of the college football season and the stories around the nation sound more like an old episode of Law & Order instead of a sport played by college kids. Whether players are breaking the law or breaking NCAA rules, there seems to be some sort of issue here. More on this later, now, let’s get to the Touchdown:
1) No. 8 Nebraska at Washington – 3:30 on ABC
I haven’t had a chance this year to write about my man-love for Jake Locker. Thank God for this non-conference game.
Nebraska has probably one of the best defenses in college football. They know how to hit, know how to intercept the ball, and know how to pressure the QB. Last year, they made the best QB’s in the Big 12 look nothing better than ordinary. The offense of Nebraska is centered on running the ball and pass when you have to. If they are facing a defense that is good against the run, they will be in trouble. That would put their freshman QB in passing situations and that doesn’t equal sunshine and puppies.
Washington, on the other hand, is all about the offense. Locker is, arguably, the best QB in college football right now. It’s not just his throwing ability or running ability, but his ability to read defenses. Against Syracuse, he used quick slants to counter the pass rush which lead to the win. While Nebraska has a tough defense, Locker should be able to make adjustments to counter whatever it is they do.
Washington pulls the upset and I try and get my hands on a Heisman ballot to vote for my man Jake.
2) Clemson at No. 16 Auburn – 7:00 on ESPN
Yeah, yeah, I know I only picked this game so high because I’m a huge Clemson fan. So sue me.
Clemson comes into this game after two wins against marshmallow teams trying to find an identity. While Kyle Parker may be a star, he is still a freshman QB with a MLB contract in his back pocket and no named stars around him. He doesn’t have Jacoby Ford or CJ Spiller to fall back on anymore. Expect the Tigers to attack with the running game of Ellington and Harper and give Parker short 3rd down distances. The Clemson defense, on the other hand, needs to stop Cam Newton from doing his thing.
Cam Newton’s thing, is leading the Auburn offense, both through the air and on the ground. The Auburn offense is a bit streaky though and relies on the tough defense for long stretches of time to keep them in games. We could easily be talking about a 1-1 Auburn team if that defense didn’t come up huge time and again against Mississippi State last week.
Expect Clemson to keep it interesting for the whole game, but Auburn’s defense comes up with the stops they need to keep the victory.
3) No. 9 Iowa at No. 24 Arizona – 10:30 on ESPN
Looks like Iowa fans may finally be able to put away the defibrillator. I think the Heart Attack Kids from last year are long gone.
Iowa is more well-rounded this year than last year. Last year, it was all about the defense controlling the game and letting Ricky Stanzi control the offense flow of the game. It’s slightly different this year. The defense is still top notch, but Stanzi has flourished and is now an underrated QB who can hurt you through the air if you pay too much attention to the Iowa running attack.
Arizona’s offense is squarely centered on Nick Foles’ pass happy attitude. Running the ball will be next to impossible against the Iowa defense, so expect Foles to air it out early and often. The Arizona defense, which is very underrated, may be able to keep the clamps on Iowa. The Arizona defense is going to have to be near perfect to give the Wildcats a shot at winning this game.
Defense keeps this game close, but Iowa wins it with offensive balance.
4) No. 6 Texas at Texas Tech – 8:00 on ABC
Before this game, I might queue up “Rock ‘n Roll Train” by AC/DC on my iPod and try a relive the epic Texas/Texas Tech clash of two years ago. Too bad Colt McCoy is in the NFL and Graham Harrell is working the drive thru at McDonalds.
I feel weird about this, but I’m predicting the same thing I did two years ago, Texas Tech wins it. Before you all flip out at me, I’ll explain.
Texas Tech is led by senior gunslinger Taylor Potts, probably the best QB in the Big 12. The running game is mostly for show, so expect Potts to air it out all night long. The frenzied crowd in Lubbock will get the defense going. Plus, Tommy Tuberville has brought a new attitude to Texas Tech, while keeping the high powered offensive schemes.
Texas, on the other hand, is in the middle of growing pains. Texas QB Garrett Gilbert gets his first taste of a hostile Big 12 environment. He’s been average so far this season and relied way too much on the running game. If the running attack gets contained, Texas will be in trouble. While the Texas defense is good, there are holes that Potts should be able to exploit.
It’ll be close, but Potts leads the Red Raiders to a slim victory (man, I hate picking against Mack Brown).
5) No. 10 Florida at Tennessee – 3:30 on CBS
Hey, we’re that “Florida just isn’t that good” bandwagon, because I want to jump on. The SEC East may actually be interesting this year.
Florida has problems. If it’s not their QB being a little overwhelmed, it’s one of their WR’s getting arrested for stalking. Since John Brantley is still getting used to the offense, Florida relies on the running attack to take the pressure off. They need Brantley to get up to speed fast, as the stretch of tough games is coming up. This should be good seasoning for him.
Tennessee has a fairly well balanced offensive attack, but does the same as Florida, using the running game to take the pressure off their inexperienced QB. The Tennessee defense is pretty surprising too, keeping the high powered Oregon offense in check for the first half of last week’s game. The problem with Tennessee is they are young and inexperienced and they get frustrated easy. They absolutely buckled against Oregon last week in the second half.
Florida is just too good and too athletic to lose to a Tennessee team that has trouble closing. All you Florida haters are going to have to wait for the Alabama game for the Gators to get shellacked.
6) No. 18 USC at Minnesota – 3:30 on ESPN
Who’s more pathetic, USC for barely scrapping by Virginia or Minnesota for losing to South Dakota? Plus, USC just had a past star player (what was his name again?) return his Heisman Trophy. I have to say USC. If you’re a Minnesota fan, you’ve come to expect low expectations.
Extra Point:
Last week, while watching the first half of the Oregon/Tennessee game, I was starting to think my statement of “it’s the system, not the QB”, in regards to the Oregon/Masoli issue, was going to make me look as bad as all those times I picked Clemson to beat Georgia Tech. It started me wondering if Oregon fans, if Oregon lost, would think that what happened to Masoli was too harsh.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not supporting Masoli or any other rule breaker, but at what point to we stop supporting a player? It’s easy when a player pulls a Will Cordero and beats his wife. However, I become a fan of Najeh Davenport when I heard he got arrested for….improper use of a laundry basket. So, how many Duck fans were willing to cut ties with Masoli when he got nabbed for burglary and drug possession charges?
I think Georgia fans have a legitimate gripe about A.J. Green’s four game suspension for selling a jersey to a person classified as an agent. He probably got a couple of bucks, it’s not like he got a Cadillac. But again, it’s all about degrees. Where does the line get drawn?
You definitely need a zero tolerance policy or you’re setting a dangerous precedent. If schools don’t treat every infraction the same, they are opening themselves up for accusations of bias, not just on the basis of star power, but on race as well.
The recent Reggie Bush debacle has started to get people thinking about the college system as a whole. Do college athletes deserve a cut of the millions of dollars everyone makes on them? Does the college owe them any more than an education and a three year audition for the NFL? These are questions that need to be answered if schools want to find a way to curb the rash of abuses by players on the field.
1) No. 8 Nebraska at Washington – 3:30 on ABC
I haven’t had a chance this year to write about my man-love for Jake Locker. Thank God for this non-conference game.
Nebraska has probably one of the best defenses in college football. They know how to hit, know how to intercept the ball, and know how to pressure the QB. Last year, they made the best QB’s in the Big 12 look nothing better than ordinary. The offense of Nebraska is centered on running the ball and pass when you have to. If they are facing a defense that is good against the run, they will be in trouble. That would put their freshman QB in passing situations and that doesn’t equal sunshine and puppies.
Washington, on the other hand, is all about the offense. Locker is, arguably, the best QB in college football right now. It’s not just his throwing ability or running ability, but his ability to read defenses. Against Syracuse, he used quick slants to counter the pass rush which lead to the win. While Nebraska has a tough defense, Locker should be able to make adjustments to counter whatever it is they do.
Washington pulls the upset and I try and get my hands on a Heisman ballot to vote for my man Jake.
2) Clemson at No. 16 Auburn – 7:00 on ESPN
Yeah, yeah, I know I only picked this game so high because I’m a huge Clemson fan. So sue me.
Clemson comes into this game after two wins against marshmallow teams trying to find an identity. While Kyle Parker may be a star, he is still a freshman QB with a MLB contract in his back pocket and no named stars around him. He doesn’t have Jacoby Ford or CJ Spiller to fall back on anymore. Expect the Tigers to attack with the running game of Ellington and Harper and give Parker short 3rd down distances. The Clemson defense, on the other hand, needs to stop Cam Newton from doing his thing.
Cam Newton’s thing, is leading the Auburn offense, both through the air and on the ground. The Auburn offense is a bit streaky though and relies on the tough defense for long stretches of time to keep them in games. We could easily be talking about a 1-1 Auburn team if that defense didn’t come up huge time and again against Mississippi State last week.
Expect Clemson to keep it interesting for the whole game, but Auburn’s defense comes up with the stops they need to keep the victory.
3) No. 9 Iowa at No. 24 Arizona – 10:30 on ESPN
Looks like Iowa fans may finally be able to put away the defibrillator. I think the Heart Attack Kids from last year are long gone.
Iowa is more well-rounded this year than last year. Last year, it was all about the defense controlling the game and letting Ricky Stanzi control the offense flow of the game. It’s slightly different this year. The defense is still top notch, but Stanzi has flourished and is now an underrated QB who can hurt you through the air if you pay too much attention to the Iowa running attack.
Arizona’s offense is squarely centered on Nick Foles’ pass happy attitude. Running the ball will be next to impossible against the Iowa defense, so expect Foles to air it out early and often. The Arizona defense, which is very underrated, may be able to keep the clamps on Iowa. The Arizona defense is going to have to be near perfect to give the Wildcats a shot at winning this game.
Defense keeps this game close, but Iowa wins it with offensive balance.
4) No. 6 Texas at Texas Tech – 8:00 on ABC
Before this game, I might queue up “Rock ‘n Roll Train” by AC/DC on my iPod and try a relive the epic Texas/Texas Tech clash of two years ago. Too bad Colt McCoy is in the NFL and Graham Harrell is working the drive thru at McDonalds.
I feel weird about this, but I’m predicting the same thing I did two years ago, Texas Tech wins it. Before you all flip out at me, I’ll explain.
Texas Tech is led by senior gunslinger Taylor Potts, probably the best QB in the Big 12. The running game is mostly for show, so expect Potts to air it out all night long. The frenzied crowd in Lubbock will get the defense going. Plus, Tommy Tuberville has brought a new attitude to Texas Tech, while keeping the high powered offensive schemes.
Texas, on the other hand, is in the middle of growing pains. Texas QB Garrett Gilbert gets his first taste of a hostile Big 12 environment. He’s been average so far this season and relied way too much on the running game. If the running attack gets contained, Texas will be in trouble. While the Texas defense is good, there are holes that Potts should be able to exploit.
It’ll be close, but Potts leads the Red Raiders to a slim victory (man, I hate picking against Mack Brown).
5) No. 10 Florida at Tennessee – 3:30 on CBS
Hey, we’re that “Florida just isn’t that good” bandwagon, because I want to jump on. The SEC East may actually be interesting this year.
Florida has problems. If it’s not their QB being a little overwhelmed, it’s one of their WR’s getting arrested for stalking. Since John Brantley is still getting used to the offense, Florida relies on the running attack to take the pressure off. They need Brantley to get up to speed fast, as the stretch of tough games is coming up. This should be good seasoning for him.
Tennessee has a fairly well balanced offensive attack, but does the same as Florida, using the running game to take the pressure off their inexperienced QB. The Tennessee defense is pretty surprising too, keeping the high powered Oregon offense in check for the first half of last week’s game. The problem with Tennessee is they are young and inexperienced and they get frustrated easy. They absolutely buckled against Oregon last week in the second half.
Florida is just too good and too athletic to lose to a Tennessee team that has trouble closing. All you Florida haters are going to have to wait for the Alabama game for the Gators to get shellacked.
6) No. 18 USC at Minnesota – 3:30 on ESPN
Who’s more pathetic, USC for barely scrapping by Virginia or Minnesota for losing to South Dakota? Plus, USC just had a past star player (what was his name again?) return his Heisman Trophy. I have to say USC. If you’re a Minnesota fan, you’ve come to expect low expectations.
Extra Point:
Last week, while watching the first half of the Oregon/Tennessee game, I was starting to think my statement of “it’s the system, not the QB”, in regards to the Oregon/Masoli issue, was going to make me look as bad as all those times I picked Clemson to beat Georgia Tech. It started me wondering if Oregon fans, if Oregon lost, would think that what happened to Masoli was too harsh.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not supporting Masoli or any other rule breaker, but at what point to we stop supporting a player? It’s easy when a player pulls a Will Cordero and beats his wife. However, I become a fan of Najeh Davenport when I heard he got arrested for….improper use of a laundry basket. So, how many Duck fans were willing to cut ties with Masoli when he got nabbed for burglary and drug possession charges?
I think Georgia fans have a legitimate gripe about A.J. Green’s four game suspension for selling a jersey to a person classified as an agent. He probably got a couple of bucks, it’s not like he got a Cadillac. But again, it’s all about degrees. Where does the line get drawn?
You definitely need a zero tolerance policy or you’re setting a dangerous precedent. If schools don’t treat every infraction the same, they are opening themselves up for accusations of bias, not just on the basis of star power, but on race as well.
The recent Reggie Bush debacle has started to get people thinking about the college system as a whole. Do college athletes deserve a cut of the millions of dollars everyone makes on them? Does the college owe them any more than an education and a three year audition for the NFL? These are questions that need to be answered if schools want to find a way to curb the rash of abuses by players on the field.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Trent's Touchdown - Week 2
Welcome to Week 2 or, as ABC is calling it, “Monster Saturday” in college football. Remember when teams like Alabama would schedule teams like Slippery Rock for their non-conference games? Those days are now gone, but more on that later. Now, on to the Touchdown.
1) No. 12 Miami at No. 2 Ohio State – 3:40 on ESPN
When I look at this game, both teams have the same issue. It’s an issue the fan bases and the casual observer may have missed in all the hoopla. Neither team has a solid QB that you can count on.
For Ohio State, everyone is pointing to the fact that Terrelle Pryor put up gaudy numbers in the blowout victory against Marshall last week. Guess what, it was against Marshall! It’s not like he was lighting up Alabama.
For Miami, Jacoby Harris needs to be mentioned in the Heisman race because he threw three touchdown passes in the first 19 minutes against Florida A&M. If he does this against Ohio State, I’ll sit up and pay attention.
Both QB’s are at the points in their college careers where they are suppose to be coming into their own and living up to the hype, yet they have done nothing to prove it. So, let’s toss the offensive numbers out the window on this one and focus on what really matters.
Defense will win this game. So, who has the better defense? Again, since the competition was so pitiful last week, we need to go with what we know. We know that Ohio State always has a high-end defense and Miami will have issues stopping some of the more high powered teams in the ACC. Defensive edge goes to Ohio State, and Ohio State will win this game.
2) No. 17 Florida State at No. 10 Oklahoma – 3:30 on ABC
Sadly, I could pretty much cut and paste what I wrote about the Miami/Ohio State game in here, and just change some names. The only reason I don’t is because that would be lazy of me and because Oklahoma almost blew it against Utah State. Yes, Utah State.
Oklahoma actually has a very good team. The weak link is Landry Jones and I think everyone realizes that. Expect Oklahoma to run DeMarco Murray early and often and try and create some time for Jones to throw to Ryan Broyles. On defense, they need to tighten up but still create turnovers.
Last week, FSU had no problems raking up points on Samford. It’s hard to evaluate a team after they rolled over a team I’m sure me and 10 friends could score on. FSU imposed their will and did everything they wanted to do offensively. That is not something they can do to Oklahoma.
I’m not sold on FSU. I don’t think Christian Ponder is that good of a leader. Plus, the game is in Oklahoma. Oklahoma doesn’t lose at home. I go with Oklahoma, but expect another late game interception to ice it for the Sooners.
3) No. 18 Penn State at No. 1 Alabama – 7:00 on ESPN
This game got a lot more interesting when we learned that Mark Ingram was probably going to sit out while still recovering from knee surgery. Couple that with the suspension for Marcell Dareus and we have ourselves a game. Well, in the words of Lee Corso, not so fast my friend.
Penn State is going to have issues. The Penn State offense is going to live and die by the run. They have a freshman QB starting his second college game in one of the harshest environments in college football against the best team in the country. I think it’s safe to say Evan Royster is going to be running the ball a lot.
Penn State will need their defense to step up, but Alabama has one of the more steady QB’s in the country and a trio of running backs who can pick up the slack for Ingram. Alabama’s defense is going to absolutely punish Royster, forcing PSU into throwing on third down and Robert Bolden is going to get rattled.
I think PSU keeps it interesting early due to defense, but Alabama will put it away sometime in the third quarter. ROLL TIDE!
4) No. 7 Oregon at Tennessee – 7:00 on ESPN2
Am I the only one who thinks that last week’s thrashing of New Mexico by Oregon was Chip Kelly’s big old middle finger to Jeremiah Masoli? I mean, it was the ultimate “it’s the system, not the player” statement a coach can make. He even did it with LaMichael James serving a one game suspension.
Oregon, as proven, has no problems moving the ball offensively. Anything Oregon wanted to do, they did. Their backup running back scored 5 touchdowns. Their punt returner ran back 2 punts for touchdowns. Their QB makes Duck fans say “Jeremiah Who?” It was all good fun if you were a Ducks fan.
Tennessee, as well, was able to beat up on lesser talent, but did so more with defense, scoring a defense touchdown and recording a safety. Offensively, they lost their best receiver to a broken bone in his hand and the number two receiver is slowed by an ankle injury. You know what that means? Freshman trying to catch passes. Good times. But hey, if you’re a Tennessee fan, you have one bright spot. Jonathan Crompton graduated, so he can’t hurt you anymore.
Anyway, expect Oregon to attempt to demolish Tennessee, if only to prove they don’t need Masoli and can win convincingly on the road.
5) No. 22 Georgia at No. 24 South Carolina – 12:00 on ESPN2
This is one of those games that could easily slip through the cracks if you aren’t paying attention. In years past, this game was to decide who would finish second to Florida in the SEC East. I still think that, but without Tebow, its possible Florida could lose focus and slip.
When it comes to Georgia, I think Coach Mark Richt said it best. To paraphrase, he basically said that he was going to get all excited his offense, led by a freshman QB, rolled all over Louisiana-Lafayette. At lease someone has some perspective. Georgia is getting a lot of players back from suspension (except A.J. Green) so this will be the first game where they all get to gel around the new QB.
South Carolina has a talented defense, but finally has what looks to be a high powered offense. As a Clemson fan, these guys scare me. While they have eligibility issues on the offensive line, they have an underrated QB and dynamic, but young, position players.
Except South Carolina to try and control the tempo of the game and try and rack up points early and often. I think Georgia has the talent to win, but I don’t think they will win. South Carolina wins it, but it’s close.
6) Michigan at Notre Dame – 3:30 on NBC
I may rag on both of these teams a lot (ND more than Michigan), but this one will actually be fun. Young teams and fans can get excited about. I’m not expecting anything this year from either of them, but they will both be fun to watch this year. Seriously, one QB has the nickname “Shoelace” because he plays football with his shoelaces untied and the other has a name that makes me think he’s going to be joining the cast of Gossip Girl. Good times.
Extra Point:
The first two weeks of this season have been jam packed with really good non-conference games. There used to be a time when the first few weeks of the college football season were a dead zone, where it was almost an extra hard practice game instead of a real matchup. This has all changed now.
Teams are starting to realize that a strong non-conference schedule is nearly essential to making a run at a National Championship. Thanks to the BCS, strength of schedule does have a very real weight in rankings, both computer and human. A team is going to be looked on more favorably if they beat Virginia Tech than if you beat The Citadel and the team is in the Big Ten.
The drawback is obviously that not only do teams have tougher opponents, but they are facing them when most vulnerable, at the beginning of the season. In the beginning of season, teams are lack the cohesion and unity that comes with multiple games together. Sometimes, this is the first real action a player has seen in the college game. It falls on the coaches to keep the errors to a minimum and truly gives a picture of how good a team really is.
I think a prime example is Virginia Tech last week. They looked absolutely abysmal in the first quarter and the last 2 minutes of last week’s showdown with Boise State. If this game gets played in the middle of the year, I think the results would probably be different. However, Boise State proved to be the better teams since they kept their errors to a minimum and won the game.
I, for one, love the new tougher schedules. It means better games for me to watch. It also means I don’t have to find interesting things to write about when I put a Texas/Jacksonville State game at number 3 on the Touchdown.
1) No. 12 Miami at No. 2 Ohio State – 3:40 on ESPN
When I look at this game, both teams have the same issue. It’s an issue the fan bases and the casual observer may have missed in all the hoopla. Neither team has a solid QB that you can count on.
For Ohio State, everyone is pointing to the fact that Terrelle Pryor put up gaudy numbers in the blowout victory against Marshall last week. Guess what, it was against Marshall! It’s not like he was lighting up Alabama.
For Miami, Jacoby Harris needs to be mentioned in the Heisman race because he threw three touchdown passes in the first 19 minutes against Florida A&M. If he does this against Ohio State, I’ll sit up and pay attention.
Both QB’s are at the points in their college careers where they are suppose to be coming into their own and living up to the hype, yet they have done nothing to prove it. So, let’s toss the offensive numbers out the window on this one and focus on what really matters.
Defense will win this game. So, who has the better defense? Again, since the competition was so pitiful last week, we need to go with what we know. We know that Ohio State always has a high-end defense and Miami will have issues stopping some of the more high powered teams in the ACC. Defensive edge goes to Ohio State, and Ohio State will win this game.
2) No. 17 Florida State at No. 10 Oklahoma – 3:30 on ABC
Sadly, I could pretty much cut and paste what I wrote about the Miami/Ohio State game in here, and just change some names. The only reason I don’t is because that would be lazy of me and because Oklahoma almost blew it against Utah State. Yes, Utah State.
Oklahoma actually has a very good team. The weak link is Landry Jones and I think everyone realizes that. Expect Oklahoma to run DeMarco Murray early and often and try and create some time for Jones to throw to Ryan Broyles. On defense, they need to tighten up but still create turnovers.
Last week, FSU had no problems raking up points on Samford. It’s hard to evaluate a team after they rolled over a team I’m sure me and 10 friends could score on. FSU imposed their will and did everything they wanted to do offensively. That is not something they can do to Oklahoma.
I’m not sold on FSU. I don’t think Christian Ponder is that good of a leader. Plus, the game is in Oklahoma. Oklahoma doesn’t lose at home. I go with Oklahoma, but expect another late game interception to ice it for the Sooners.
3) No. 18 Penn State at No. 1 Alabama – 7:00 on ESPN
This game got a lot more interesting when we learned that Mark Ingram was probably going to sit out while still recovering from knee surgery. Couple that with the suspension for Marcell Dareus and we have ourselves a game. Well, in the words of Lee Corso, not so fast my friend.
Penn State is going to have issues. The Penn State offense is going to live and die by the run. They have a freshman QB starting his second college game in one of the harshest environments in college football against the best team in the country. I think it’s safe to say Evan Royster is going to be running the ball a lot.
Penn State will need their defense to step up, but Alabama has one of the more steady QB’s in the country and a trio of running backs who can pick up the slack for Ingram. Alabama’s defense is going to absolutely punish Royster, forcing PSU into throwing on third down and Robert Bolden is going to get rattled.
I think PSU keeps it interesting early due to defense, but Alabama will put it away sometime in the third quarter. ROLL TIDE!
4) No. 7 Oregon at Tennessee – 7:00 on ESPN2
Am I the only one who thinks that last week’s thrashing of New Mexico by Oregon was Chip Kelly’s big old middle finger to Jeremiah Masoli? I mean, it was the ultimate “it’s the system, not the player” statement a coach can make. He even did it with LaMichael James serving a one game suspension.
Oregon, as proven, has no problems moving the ball offensively. Anything Oregon wanted to do, they did. Their backup running back scored 5 touchdowns. Their punt returner ran back 2 punts for touchdowns. Their QB makes Duck fans say “Jeremiah Who?” It was all good fun if you were a Ducks fan.
Tennessee, as well, was able to beat up on lesser talent, but did so more with defense, scoring a defense touchdown and recording a safety. Offensively, they lost their best receiver to a broken bone in his hand and the number two receiver is slowed by an ankle injury. You know what that means? Freshman trying to catch passes. Good times. But hey, if you’re a Tennessee fan, you have one bright spot. Jonathan Crompton graduated, so he can’t hurt you anymore.
Anyway, expect Oregon to attempt to demolish Tennessee, if only to prove they don’t need Masoli and can win convincingly on the road.
5) No. 22 Georgia at No. 24 South Carolina – 12:00 on ESPN2
This is one of those games that could easily slip through the cracks if you aren’t paying attention. In years past, this game was to decide who would finish second to Florida in the SEC East. I still think that, but without Tebow, its possible Florida could lose focus and slip.
When it comes to Georgia, I think Coach Mark Richt said it best. To paraphrase, he basically said that he was going to get all excited his offense, led by a freshman QB, rolled all over Louisiana-Lafayette. At lease someone has some perspective. Georgia is getting a lot of players back from suspension (except A.J. Green) so this will be the first game where they all get to gel around the new QB.
South Carolina has a talented defense, but finally has what looks to be a high powered offense. As a Clemson fan, these guys scare me. While they have eligibility issues on the offensive line, they have an underrated QB and dynamic, but young, position players.
Except South Carolina to try and control the tempo of the game and try and rack up points early and often. I think Georgia has the talent to win, but I don’t think they will win. South Carolina wins it, but it’s close.
6) Michigan at Notre Dame – 3:30 on NBC
I may rag on both of these teams a lot (ND more than Michigan), but this one will actually be fun. Young teams and fans can get excited about. I’m not expecting anything this year from either of them, but they will both be fun to watch this year. Seriously, one QB has the nickname “Shoelace” because he plays football with his shoelaces untied and the other has a name that makes me think he’s going to be joining the cast of Gossip Girl. Good times.
Extra Point:
The first two weeks of this season have been jam packed with really good non-conference games. There used to be a time when the first few weeks of the college football season were a dead zone, where it was almost an extra hard practice game instead of a real matchup. This has all changed now.
Teams are starting to realize that a strong non-conference schedule is nearly essential to making a run at a National Championship. Thanks to the BCS, strength of schedule does have a very real weight in rankings, both computer and human. A team is going to be looked on more favorably if they beat Virginia Tech than if you beat The Citadel and the team is in the Big Ten.
The drawback is obviously that not only do teams have tougher opponents, but they are facing them when most vulnerable, at the beginning of the season. In the beginning of season, teams are lack the cohesion and unity that comes with multiple games together. Sometimes, this is the first real action a player has seen in the college game. It falls on the coaches to keep the errors to a minimum and truly gives a picture of how good a team really is.
I think a prime example is Virginia Tech last week. They looked absolutely abysmal in the first quarter and the last 2 minutes of last week’s showdown with Boise State. If this game gets played in the middle of the year, I think the results would probably be different. However, Boise State proved to be the better teams since they kept their errors to a minimum and won the game.
I, for one, love the new tougher schedules. It means better games for me to watch. It also means I don’t have to find interesting things to write about when I put a Texas/Jacksonville State game at number 3 on the Touchdown.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Trent's Touchdown - Week 1
Labor Day weekend means the start of good things. You get the start of the Vermont State Fair, you start seeing Sam Adams Octoberfest hit the shelves, and you get the start of the college football season. With the start of the season, you also get the start of the Touchdown. With the start of the Touchdown, you get bashing of Oklahoma, Ohio State, and the BCS system as a whole, but more on that later. Now, on to the Touchdown (all games on Saturday unless otherwise noted).
1) No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 10 Virginia Tech – 8:00 on ESPN on 9/6 (in Landover, MD)
Seeing the hype around Boise State is amazing. They are to college football what Gonzaga was to college basketball multiplied by 100 since every game matters in college football. However, before we start touting Boise State, we need to remember that their schedule is cream puff, with the only real challenges coming from VT and Oregon State, so if they go undefeated, it’s not some sort of miracle.
Most of the reason for the hype is the fact that Boise State is returning all but one starter from last year and the offense is completely intact. Kellen Moore was one of the best QB’s in the country last year and looks to pick up where he left off. The defense for Boise State is also very sound, as they lead the WAC in points allowed last year.
For Virginia Tech, well, all is not as rosy. VT lost seven starters on a defense that is going to be tasked with stopping one of the best offenses in the country. Beamer Ball has always been focused around defense and special teams, so I’m not going to worry too much about this. The question mark is on offense. I still don’t trust Tyrod Taylor. He reminds me too much of Terrelle Pryor, and that’s not a compliment. VT will try and soften up the Boise State defense with healthy doses of the run, then go to the air when they start anticipating the run.
VT’s problem is they can’t get into a shoot-out, since they can’t win that way, they don’t have the offense for that. They need to slow down the game and grind it out. Last year, Boise State showed they could stop high powered offenses (TCU) and find ways to win close games (again, TCU). I think Boise State wins this, and the hype just gets bigger.
2) No. 24 Oregon State vs. No. 6 TCU – 7:45 on ESPN (in Arlington, TX)
So, TCU is finally getting a little respect in the rankings. Don’t expect any respect from me, though, as this is the only game against a ranked opponent. If you are a non BCS conference water carrier, you better be rooting for Boise State, because TCU isn’t the ticket to the National Championship.
Anyway, the TCU game plan this year is a lot like last year, put up an offensive barrage and hope the defense comes up with one or two stops. If TCU has any problems, it’ll be on defense, as they lost most of their best defensive players from last year. On offense, they may have lost their leading rusher, but QB Andy Dalton is the key. Expect him to put up gaudy numbers both passing and rushing all year long.
As for Oregon State, they need to break in a new QB, so expect to hear the name Jacquizz Rodgers a lot. They have a good chuck of players coming back on both sides of the ball, so you might see them take a run at the Pac 10 championship. The problem is that this is pretty much the same team that underperformed against ranked teams, beat up on teams they should beat, and somehow wormed their way into position to with the Pac 10, only to douse their drawers against Oregon.
All that said, as much as I don’t buy into the TCU hype, I think they can outscore Oregon State to win this one. I don’t see a defensive struggle in this one.
3) No. 21 LSU vs. No. 18 North Carolina – 8:00 on ESPN (in Atlanta, GA)
You know, this game was a lot more interesting before the UNC issues surfaced. Basically, some star UNC players are being investigated for academic misconduct and improper contact with agents.
It’s kind of hard to give a run down on UNC if I don’t know who’s playing, but I’ll give it a try. Offensively, you can expect UNC to run the ball, since Ryan Houston and Shaun Draughn should play and are effective at moving the ball. As WR Greg Little may not play, QB T.J. Yates will have to rely on a pair of sophomore receivers as his primary targets. UNC is a sound defense team, returning nine starters, but uncertainty of who will be eligible makes pinning down their strengths tough.
LSU, on the other hand, pretty much knows what’s going on, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. They know they are going to have spotty, inconsistent offense and will need their defense to bail them out all year long. As you can probably tell, I’m not a fan of QB Jordan Jefferson. I do not trust him to lead a premier team in the SEC. That said, Jefferson has all the tools around him to run a successful offense, but it’s up to him to step up and prove he’s capable.
Due to issues surrounding UNC, I think that LSU pulls it off, but does it with defense.
4) No. 14 USC at Hawaii – 11:00 on ESPN on 9/2
The most talked about team in the off-season was USC, and none of the talk was good. It was learned that Reggie Bush received improper benefits, they got slapped with a two-year bowl ban, and they got saddled with Lane Kiffin as a coach. If that’s not a whirlwind of crap, I don’t know what is.
Since USC won’t be going to a bowl this year, they are playing for pride. Pride, you know, that thing they didn’t play with last year. Matt Barkley comes back as QB, which makes me wonder why the Aaron Corp era hasn’t begun yet. Let’s just cut the crap and ask the question we all want an answer to. If you are USC fan, are you excited about anything at all this season? The first person who answers “Matt Barkley’s hair” gets slapped.
The problem with Hawaii is the same problem any one year wonder team has a few years later, everyone remembers the name and expects something worthwhile. Here’s a tip, you’re not going to see anything worthwhile unless you’re rooting for the opponent. Sorry Hawaii fans. Actually, I expect a better Hawaii team this year, considering their starting QB had a year of on the job training last season and still finished a respectable 6-7. Expect bowl eligibility this year!
As for this game, USC will pretty much waltz to victory, with everyone saying “See, Barkley really is good this year.” I know I’ll get the last laugh once the Pac 10 schedule starts up.
5) Miami (OH) at No. 4 Florida – 12:00 on ESPN
Is it me, or does it seem strange that Florida is starting a season without Tim Tebow? I’m actually looking forward to seeing how Florida does with John Brantley at QB. Thankfully for Brantley, he gets an opponent like Miami (OH) to ease his way into the season.
It’s a good thing for Florida too, since they are still transitioning for lost stars to the Draft and injuries to starters on both sides of the ball. Inconsistency may plague Florida early and they’ll need some of their big name freshman recruits to step up and live up to the hype. This first game will be a good practice to get some real game experience.
You should get to see a lot of Florida players in this game, as I expect them to get up big in a hurry. See this game as the first step in the post Tim Tebow era.
6) Purdue at Notre Dame – 3:30 on NBC
Good old Notre Dame. I had a lot of fun last year picking on them. This game should be actually entertaining, with veteran QB Robert Marve (transfer from Miami) leading Purdue against Notre Dame and new coach Brian Kelly. If that doesn’t get you going, Notre Dame QB Dayne Crist has a name that sounds like a character from TV show about vampires, so you can probably talk your girlfriend or wife into watching.
Extra Point:
The other day at work, a co-worker of mine told me that he wanted to see Boise State beat Virginia Tech and go undefeated and win the National Championship. His reasoning, it would blow up the BCS system and force a playoff.
His point was that if Boise State won it all, it would irk the major teams in the country, seeing Boise State roll over unranked opponents all year and slide past whoever they face in the National Championship Game. Is an undefeated Boise State better than a two loss Alabama team? In the BCS setting, we wouldn’t see that match-up, so we wouldn’t know. This would prompt the major college teams to call for a playoff, so a team like Boise State would have to prove their worth, and not just slip past one high ranked opponent who they favorably match up against.
My counter-argument was that a Boise State National Championship would validate all the BCS water carriers. Proponents of the BCS have always stated that the system does not discriminate against non-BCS affiliated schools. A BCS Championship for one of those teams would a major win for BCS lovers. Plus, it would have the added benefit of getting Congress off their backs. I believe that a Boise State Championship would strengthen the BCS, not kill it.
Of course, Boise State still needs to go out on the field and prove that they can do it. Will they go undefeated or will they be crushed by their own expectations? I’ve seen strange things happen during a college football season, but Boise State in the National Championship Game would probably top them all.
1) No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 10 Virginia Tech – 8:00 on ESPN on 9/6 (in Landover, MD)
Seeing the hype around Boise State is amazing. They are to college football what Gonzaga was to college basketball multiplied by 100 since every game matters in college football. However, before we start touting Boise State, we need to remember that their schedule is cream puff, with the only real challenges coming from VT and Oregon State, so if they go undefeated, it’s not some sort of miracle.
Most of the reason for the hype is the fact that Boise State is returning all but one starter from last year and the offense is completely intact. Kellen Moore was one of the best QB’s in the country last year and looks to pick up where he left off. The defense for Boise State is also very sound, as they lead the WAC in points allowed last year.
For Virginia Tech, well, all is not as rosy. VT lost seven starters on a defense that is going to be tasked with stopping one of the best offenses in the country. Beamer Ball has always been focused around defense and special teams, so I’m not going to worry too much about this. The question mark is on offense. I still don’t trust Tyrod Taylor. He reminds me too much of Terrelle Pryor, and that’s not a compliment. VT will try and soften up the Boise State defense with healthy doses of the run, then go to the air when they start anticipating the run.
VT’s problem is they can’t get into a shoot-out, since they can’t win that way, they don’t have the offense for that. They need to slow down the game and grind it out. Last year, Boise State showed they could stop high powered offenses (TCU) and find ways to win close games (again, TCU). I think Boise State wins this, and the hype just gets bigger.
2) No. 24 Oregon State vs. No. 6 TCU – 7:45 on ESPN (in Arlington, TX)
So, TCU is finally getting a little respect in the rankings. Don’t expect any respect from me, though, as this is the only game against a ranked opponent. If you are a non BCS conference water carrier, you better be rooting for Boise State, because TCU isn’t the ticket to the National Championship.
Anyway, the TCU game plan this year is a lot like last year, put up an offensive barrage and hope the defense comes up with one or two stops. If TCU has any problems, it’ll be on defense, as they lost most of their best defensive players from last year. On offense, they may have lost their leading rusher, but QB Andy Dalton is the key. Expect him to put up gaudy numbers both passing and rushing all year long.
As for Oregon State, they need to break in a new QB, so expect to hear the name Jacquizz Rodgers a lot. They have a good chuck of players coming back on both sides of the ball, so you might see them take a run at the Pac 10 championship. The problem is that this is pretty much the same team that underperformed against ranked teams, beat up on teams they should beat, and somehow wormed their way into position to with the Pac 10, only to douse their drawers against Oregon.
All that said, as much as I don’t buy into the TCU hype, I think they can outscore Oregon State to win this one. I don’t see a defensive struggle in this one.
3) No. 21 LSU vs. No. 18 North Carolina – 8:00 on ESPN (in Atlanta, GA)
You know, this game was a lot more interesting before the UNC issues surfaced. Basically, some star UNC players are being investigated for academic misconduct and improper contact with agents.
It’s kind of hard to give a run down on UNC if I don’t know who’s playing, but I’ll give it a try. Offensively, you can expect UNC to run the ball, since Ryan Houston and Shaun Draughn should play and are effective at moving the ball. As WR Greg Little may not play, QB T.J. Yates will have to rely on a pair of sophomore receivers as his primary targets. UNC is a sound defense team, returning nine starters, but uncertainty of who will be eligible makes pinning down their strengths tough.
LSU, on the other hand, pretty much knows what’s going on, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. They know they are going to have spotty, inconsistent offense and will need their defense to bail them out all year long. As you can probably tell, I’m not a fan of QB Jordan Jefferson. I do not trust him to lead a premier team in the SEC. That said, Jefferson has all the tools around him to run a successful offense, but it’s up to him to step up and prove he’s capable.
Due to issues surrounding UNC, I think that LSU pulls it off, but does it with defense.
4) No. 14 USC at Hawaii – 11:00 on ESPN on 9/2
The most talked about team in the off-season was USC, and none of the talk was good. It was learned that Reggie Bush received improper benefits, they got slapped with a two-year bowl ban, and they got saddled with Lane Kiffin as a coach. If that’s not a whirlwind of crap, I don’t know what is.
Since USC won’t be going to a bowl this year, they are playing for pride. Pride, you know, that thing they didn’t play with last year. Matt Barkley comes back as QB, which makes me wonder why the Aaron Corp era hasn’t begun yet. Let’s just cut the crap and ask the question we all want an answer to. If you are USC fan, are you excited about anything at all this season? The first person who answers “Matt Barkley’s hair” gets slapped.
The problem with Hawaii is the same problem any one year wonder team has a few years later, everyone remembers the name and expects something worthwhile. Here’s a tip, you’re not going to see anything worthwhile unless you’re rooting for the opponent. Sorry Hawaii fans. Actually, I expect a better Hawaii team this year, considering their starting QB had a year of on the job training last season and still finished a respectable 6-7. Expect bowl eligibility this year!
As for this game, USC will pretty much waltz to victory, with everyone saying “See, Barkley really is good this year.” I know I’ll get the last laugh once the Pac 10 schedule starts up.
5) Miami (OH) at No. 4 Florida – 12:00 on ESPN
Is it me, or does it seem strange that Florida is starting a season without Tim Tebow? I’m actually looking forward to seeing how Florida does with John Brantley at QB. Thankfully for Brantley, he gets an opponent like Miami (OH) to ease his way into the season.
It’s a good thing for Florida too, since they are still transitioning for lost stars to the Draft and injuries to starters on both sides of the ball. Inconsistency may plague Florida early and they’ll need some of their big name freshman recruits to step up and live up to the hype. This first game will be a good practice to get some real game experience.
You should get to see a lot of Florida players in this game, as I expect them to get up big in a hurry. See this game as the first step in the post Tim Tebow era.
6) Purdue at Notre Dame – 3:30 on NBC
Good old Notre Dame. I had a lot of fun last year picking on them. This game should be actually entertaining, with veteran QB Robert Marve (transfer from Miami) leading Purdue against Notre Dame and new coach Brian Kelly. If that doesn’t get you going, Notre Dame QB Dayne Crist has a name that sounds like a character from TV show about vampires, so you can probably talk your girlfriend or wife into watching.
Extra Point:
The other day at work, a co-worker of mine told me that he wanted to see Boise State beat Virginia Tech and go undefeated and win the National Championship. His reasoning, it would blow up the BCS system and force a playoff.
His point was that if Boise State won it all, it would irk the major teams in the country, seeing Boise State roll over unranked opponents all year and slide past whoever they face in the National Championship Game. Is an undefeated Boise State better than a two loss Alabama team? In the BCS setting, we wouldn’t see that match-up, so we wouldn’t know. This would prompt the major college teams to call for a playoff, so a team like Boise State would have to prove their worth, and not just slip past one high ranked opponent who they favorably match up against.
My counter-argument was that a Boise State National Championship would validate all the BCS water carriers. Proponents of the BCS have always stated that the system does not discriminate against non-BCS affiliated schools. A BCS Championship for one of those teams would a major win for BCS lovers. Plus, it would have the added benefit of getting Congress off their backs. I believe that a Boise State Championship would strengthen the BCS, not kill it.
Of course, Boise State still needs to go out on the field and prove that they can do it. Will they go undefeated or will they be crushed by their own expectations? I’ve seen strange things happen during a college football season, but Boise State in the National Championship Game would probably top them all.
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