South Carolina def. #4 Mississippi 16-10
I'm pretty sure that crash you just heard was Jevan Snead's draft stock hitting the ground and shattering into a million pieces. He was inaccurate all night, but my favorite part was near the end of the first quarter when he threw into sextuple coverage. You don't see that too often. The story of the game here was the inability of both teams to protect their quarterbacks and Houston Nutt's erroneous assumption that Snead was his playmaker instead of Dexter McCluster. Once he corrected that error, Ole Miss did just fine and essentially just ran out of time (aided by a horrific reverse call with two minutes left in the game). I thought South Carolina's inability to put the ball in the end zone despite dominating the game was going to hurt them, but I guess sometimes you can let sleeping dogs lie. I have to wonder how much Mississippi's killer previous schedule of two cream puffs and a bye week hurt them.
#23 Michigan def. Indiana 36-33
After the first week of the season, I was discussing the Big Ten scores with my family and no one could remember hearing an Indiana score. We were wondering if they still had a football team. It turns out that a) they do and b) it's not bad! They were big and strong and Ben Chappell is a more than capable quarterback. Michigan was lucky to get out of this one with a win after some major mistakes, helped immensely by the Hoosiers' inability to put the ball in the end zone (5 red zone trips, 1 touchdown generally = loss). What worried me the most was Indiana's ability to continue to gain yards after the first hit. Could Michigan's defense be too small or was it just poor tackling? I was actually a little relieved when Forcier threw that moronic interception. I was starting to wonder if the guy was human. But he bounced back to do his 4th quarter 'thang' and all was temporarily well in Wolverine-land. Speaking of Wolverine-land, is there any resident thereof who doesn't feel 700 times more confident when Forcier is in the game instead of Robinson? Robinson's fumble before the half was a perfect illustration of why great athletes don't necessarily make great quarterbacks. You have to trust him with the ball.
#11 Virginia Tech def. #9 Miami 31-7
Ouch, tough one for the 'Canes. Thanks to ABC deciding to only cover this game in low-def, I helpfully recorded an hour and a half of hi-def ESPN news and only got to watch the second half of this one. From what I saw though, Miami did not stop the run on D and the pouring rain probably hampered their pass game quite a bit. Two nearly consecutive pass drops by first year TE Jimmy Graham didn't help in this game, but I have to admit that I and the rest of the college football world may have been a little hasty in jumping on the Hurricanes bandwagon. They didn't look up to the challenge.
Iowa def. #5 Penn State 21-10
Great win for the Hawkeyes! Just like last week, Stanzi was shaky, but he made plays when he had to and the running game and the defense did the rest. As my mom says, Iowa seems to have some sort of voodoo control of Darryl Clark. He's terrific against everyone but them. He produced a stunner on the first play of the game (a gorgeous 79-yard touchdown pass to Chaz Powell) but might as well have sat on the bench for the rest of it. He didn't even bother to change his 'bye-bye national championship' face from last year's version. Iowa's defense kept 'em in it until they seized the momentum with a really timely blocked punt. Then, they were able to run at will until Penn State was out of time. And you thought smash mouth football was dead! Make no mistake though, this wasn't an upset. The Hawkeyes are for real. Stanzi's gotta pick it up a little, but if he does, they'll run the table and be a threat to play for the national championship after the SEC beats each other up.
#17 Houston def. Texas Tech 29-28
Pretty much the first call I've nailed all year (calling college games is a humbling experience). A back and forth game with better defense than I would have guessed and Houston came out on top. This game was tough to analyze, since Texas Tech generally looked unstoppable on offense, even establishing a legit rushing game for the first time all season, but then somehow you'd blink and they were punting. The best I can figure is that in a pass happy offense, you live and die with down and distance. An incomplete pass and one of their patented short yardage over the middle quick slants leaves a 3rd and 6 - one more incompletion away from a punt. Still, a very even game, Houston just had a few more breaks (a little bit of home cooking on the first touchdown - he never had that ball!), home field advantage, and one spectacular goal line stand against a much larger offensive line. Great night for Case Keenum and the Cougars, but they've got a lot of work to do in October.
This Week's 'Yell at the TV' moment brought to you by Michigan Wolverine Greg Matthews: IF YOU HAVE TO DIVE FOR THE PUNT, LET IT GO! I thought he'd left this behind last year, but apparently not.
In other news: Guess we won't have to wait for UNC's harder ACC schedule in October after they were exposed at Georgia Tech this weekend.....Did anyone else see the ref fall over backwards in the end zone in the Ole Miss game? Can't believe the announcers missed it.....At one point, the Mississippi O-line failed to protect Snead against a two man rush.....If you're super-dressed up for the game, you look super stupid when your team lays an egg. I'm talking to you, Happy Valley.....Whoever was directing the coverage of the Texas Tech-Houston game somehow failed to notice that the Cougars like to snap quickly following first downs. I can forgive a replay cutting into a play once or twice, but seven times is pretty ridiculous.....Speaking of laying an egg, what in the world happened to Cal??.....Brent Musberger wins the call of the week on an attempted Penn State field goal: "looks long enough...[five second pause]...no. [cuts to commercial]"
September 25, 2009
September 22, 2009
College Football: Week 4 Preview
**subject to change based on ABC's coverage!**
Thursday, 6:30PM: #4 Mississippi at South Carolina
I'm not stupendously interested here and I imagine I'll just watch a quarter or two of this one, but I can't really turn down a game featuring a top five team, especially when it's the only game on at the time. So this is my chance to get a look at Jevan Snead and the Runnin' Rebels. Plus, Gamecocks (haha!) coach Steve Spurrier usually has a few tricks up his sleeve.
Prediction: Mississippi, I suppose.
Saturday, 11AM: Indiana at #23 Michigan Not the most interesting, I know. But Michigan scored 45 points last week, which I can’t ever remember a Michigan team doing, and I want to see if they can come out with their foot on the gas pedal again.
Prediction: Michigan!! Haven't said that in a while :)
*I have to watch Michigan, but those of you who don't should note two other games in the 11AM slot: potential BCS buster Southern Miss taking on Todd Reesing and the Kansas Jayhawks and Cornell at Yale (that one's for you, Dad!)
Saturday, 2:30PM: #9 Miami at #11 Virginia Tech Prediction: You know Jacory Harris is going to get it done through the air, so it all comes down to Miami’s defense. If they can contain Tyrod Taylor and make him throw, they’ll win.
Prediction: Michigan!! Haven't said that in a while :)
*I have to watch Michigan, but those of you who don't should note two other games in the 11AM slot: potential BCS buster Southern Miss taking on Todd Reesing and the Kansas Jayhawks and Cornell at Yale (that one's for you, Dad!)
Saturday, 2:30PM: #9 Miami at #11 Virginia Tech Prediction: You know Jacory Harris is going to get it done through the air, so it all comes down to Miami’s defense. If they can contain Tyrod Taylor and make him throw, they’ll win.
Prediction: Miami by 10, definitely dependent on their ability to stop the run.
Saturday, 7PM: Iowa at #5 Penn State My first look at the likely 2009 Big Ten conference champ and Heisman candidate Darryl “the reason heralded recruit Pat Devlin now takes his snaps in Delaware” Clark. A last second field goal by Iowa cost Penn State a chance at the national championship last year, so you can bet the Nittany Lions will be ready for this one.
Prediction: If it were in Iowa City, I might be tempted to call the upset take two, but Ricky Stanzi coming off of a shaky game plus the whiteout at Happy Valley = Penn State pretty easily.
Saturday, 8:15PM: Texas Tech at #17 Houston Houston got its top 25 ranking by knocking off #3 Oklahoma State, but there’s a lot of grumbling that Mike Gundy’s team was simply overrated. Dark horse Heisman candidate Case Keenum (I really thought Colt McCoy was the best possible name for a Texas QB, but this one stands up pretty well) and the Cougars can silence the doubters by taking this one at home. It’s always entertaining to watch Mike Leach’s pass happy offense as well, and it looked last week like QB Taylor Potts was just as happy in the system as Graham Harrell. It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see 100 points scored.
Saturday, 7PM: Iowa at #5 Penn State My first look at the likely 2009 Big Ten conference champ and Heisman candidate Darryl “the reason heralded recruit Pat Devlin now takes his snaps in Delaware” Clark. A last second field goal by Iowa cost Penn State a chance at the national championship last year, so you can bet the Nittany Lions will be ready for this one.
Prediction: If it were in Iowa City, I might be tempted to call the upset take two, but Ricky Stanzi coming off of a shaky game plus the whiteout at Happy Valley = Penn State pretty easily.
Saturday, 8:15PM: Texas Tech at #17 Houston Houston got its top 25 ranking by knocking off #3 Oklahoma State, but there’s a lot of grumbling that Mike Gundy’s team was simply overrated. Dark horse Heisman candidate Case Keenum (I really thought Colt McCoy was the best possible name for a Texas QB, but this one stands up pretty well) and the Cougars can silence the doubters by taking this one at home. It’s always entertaining to watch Mike Leach’s pass happy offense as well, and it looked last week like QB Taylor Potts was just as happy in the system as Graham Harrell. It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see 100 points scored.
Prediction: This would be a lot easier if I had seen the Houston-Oklahoma State game. I would think that the line on the game is pretty even, so I'll take the home team.
September 21, 2009
College Football: Week 3 Wrap-Up
#24 North Carolina def. East Carolina 31-17
I know North Carolina is supposed to be good. And I'll admit that they play aggressive defense and occasionally get a pretty pass from QB T.J. Yates, but I gotta say, there was a pretty clear lack of talent on both sides in this game. Tar Heel receiver Eric Highsmith is an able replacement for current NY Giants starter Hakeem Nicks, but other than that, the cupboard looks a little bare. On the ECU side of the ball, Patrick Pinkney was pretty good when he had time to throw, but it was pretty much a moot point, as he rarely did. Relatively easy win for the Tar Heels and their defense looks good enough to stop Georgia Tech next week, but we should know more about 'em when they play Florida State and Virginia Tech in late October.
Notre Dame def. Michigan State 33-30
I always prefer it when Notre Dame loses, but I have to admit that this was a pretty entertaining game. The Irish came within one play of a loss. MSU QB Kirk Cousins had calmly led a beautiful and potentially game winning drive down to the red zone and was in a position to try for the winning touchdown with the tying field goal as a booby prize when he inexplicably threw a jump ball across his body that was of course intercepted by ND safety Kyle McCarthy (who, the announcers informed us no fewer than four times, has a finance degree). Still, the "again?" look on Charlie Weis' face while MSU was driving was enjoyable and one monumentally bad decision aside, I can only hope MSU has come to its senses re: its QB controversy and picked Cousins over his Terrelle Pryor-like (read, good athlete, not a reliable pocket passer) backup, Keith Nichol.
Iowa def. Arizona 27-17
Well, now I do know the name of precisely one player on the Arizona roster: supremely ineffective quarterback Matt Scott. Give the Iowa defense credit - they really made his day tough. In fact, the Hawkeyes dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, which was important because they got a pretty shaky performance from QB Ricky Stanzi (probably because he misses the Fonz). I know there are a lot of Big Ten haters out there, but I think the Big Ten may have passed the Pac Ten this weekend. Nice win for the Hawkeyes. I hope Stanzi's getting his head together for the showdown with Penn State next Saturday night.
Florida State def. #7 BYU 54-28
And Game 1 FSU it was! Christian Ponder was back in fine form and way too much for the Runnin' Mormons to handle. Though frankly, if you're BYU and you're defending 3rd and 2 to 5, don't you know the QB draw is coming?!? Apparently, they didn't, because it beat them about 100 times. I admit I was kind of rooting for BYU, but it's still nice to see the pretenders (hello, Utah and USC) knocked out of the way. Now, if someone could just beat Boise State.
#2 Texas def. Texas Tech 34-24
Bonus game for 'ya - this was on in a bar I was in, so I did end up watching after all. And actually, it wasn't near as much of a blowout as I (or anyone else outside of Lubbock) thought it would be. The Red Raiders pretty sorely missed Michael Crabtree, but Taylor Potts was fairly effective. (Graham? Taylor? If the next one is named Wyatt, I'm boycotting.) For all of his (somewhat manufactured?) oddity, Mike Leach must be one heck of a coach and/or recruiter. Meanwhile, Texas looked a little slow at first -- apparently Colt McCoy had the flu like the rest of college football -- but picked it up towards the end. That McCoy-Shipley combo is tough to stop. It's clear they've spent a lot of time practicing together.
This week's 'Yell at the TV' moment directed squarely at Kirk Cousins: "take the sack, take the SACK, TAKE THE SACK...game over."
In other news: I would get all excited about having called the Washington upset, but everyone called it. That was ripe for the picking.....In the 'too little, too late' category, nice game Terrelle Pryor and OSU. Way to really take it to a cupcake.....I thought Clausen's injury was strange. If I knew I was going to get hit, the absolute last thing I would do is go down on one knee and sit on my foot. That said, it did conveniently allow him to go into the locker room early so that the interception on the Hail Mary pass could go on Dayne Crist's stats and not his.....This is the second straight week where I've seen Michael Floyd drop his second pass of the game while the announcers talk about what great hands he has.....At one point, the announcers praised Notre Dame for "eating the clock" while they were losing.....One of my favorite smash-mouth players, South Florida QB Matt Grothe, is out for the season with a torn ACL. Bummer for him and for the Bulls......Hilarious moment in the Washington-USC game, which I was lucky enough to see the end of: after Locker led the drive into field goal range with the score tied, the Huskies called one more running play to run down the clock and perhaps pick up a few more yards for kicker Erik Folk. RB Chris Polk powered through the line for a four yard gain and the USC linebacker that tackled him got up and strutted around to celebrate his big hit. Talk about taking your eye off of the ball. You can see it for yourself at 5:15 of this video.
I know North Carolina is supposed to be good. And I'll admit that they play aggressive defense and occasionally get a pretty pass from QB T.J. Yates, but I gotta say, there was a pretty clear lack of talent on both sides in this game. Tar Heel receiver Eric Highsmith is an able replacement for current NY Giants starter Hakeem Nicks, but other than that, the cupboard looks a little bare. On the ECU side of the ball, Patrick Pinkney was pretty good when he had time to throw, but it was pretty much a moot point, as he rarely did. Relatively easy win for the Tar Heels and their defense looks good enough to stop Georgia Tech next week, but we should know more about 'em when they play Florida State and Virginia Tech in late October.
Notre Dame def. Michigan State 33-30
I always prefer it when Notre Dame loses, but I have to admit that this was a pretty entertaining game. The Irish came within one play of a loss. MSU QB Kirk Cousins had calmly led a beautiful and potentially game winning drive down to the red zone and was in a position to try for the winning touchdown with the tying field goal as a booby prize when he inexplicably threw a jump ball across his body that was of course intercepted by ND safety Kyle McCarthy (who, the announcers informed us no fewer than four times, has a finance degree). Still, the "again?" look on Charlie Weis' face while MSU was driving was enjoyable and one monumentally bad decision aside, I can only hope MSU has come to its senses re: its QB controversy and picked Cousins over his Terrelle Pryor-like (read, good athlete, not a reliable pocket passer) backup, Keith Nichol.
Iowa def. Arizona 27-17
Well, now I do know the name of precisely one player on the Arizona roster: supremely ineffective quarterback Matt Scott. Give the Iowa defense credit - they really made his day tough. In fact, the Hawkeyes dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, which was important because they got a pretty shaky performance from QB Ricky Stanzi (probably because he misses the Fonz). I know there are a lot of Big Ten haters out there, but I think the Big Ten may have passed the Pac Ten this weekend. Nice win for the Hawkeyes. I hope Stanzi's getting his head together for the showdown with Penn State next Saturday night.
Florida State def. #7 BYU 54-28
And Game 1 FSU it was! Christian Ponder was back in fine form and way too much for the Runnin' Mormons to handle. Though frankly, if you're BYU and you're defending 3rd and 2 to 5, don't you know the QB draw is coming?!? Apparently, they didn't, because it beat them about 100 times. I admit I was kind of rooting for BYU, but it's still nice to see the pretenders (hello, Utah and USC) knocked out of the way. Now, if someone could just beat Boise State.
#2 Texas def. Texas Tech 34-24
Bonus game for 'ya - this was on in a bar I was in, so I did end up watching after all. And actually, it wasn't near as much of a blowout as I (or anyone else outside of Lubbock) thought it would be. The Red Raiders pretty sorely missed Michael Crabtree, but Taylor Potts was fairly effective. (Graham? Taylor? If the next one is named Wyatt, I'm boycotting.) For all of his (somewhat manufactured?) oddity, Mike Leach must be one heck of a coach and/or recruiter. Meanwhile, Texas looked a little slow at first -- apparently Colt McCoy had the flu like the rest of college football -- but picked it up towards the end. That McCoy-Shipley combo is tough to stop. It's clear they've spent a lot of time practicing together.
This week's 'Yell at the TV' moment directed squarely at Kirk Cousins: "take the sack, take the SACK, TAKE THE SACK...game over."
In other news: I would get all excited about having called the Washington upset, but everyone called it. That was ripe for the picking.....In the 'too little, too late' category, nice game Terrelle Pryor and OSU. Way to really take it to a cupcake.....I thought Clausen's injury was strange. If I knew I was going to get hit, the absolute last thing I would do is go down on one knee and sit on my foot. That said, it did conveniently allow him to go into the locker room early so that the interception on the Hail Mary pass could go on Dayne Crist's stats and not his.....This is the second straight week where I've seen Michael Floyd drop his second pass of the game while the announcers talk about what great hands he has.....At one point, the announcers praised Notre Dame for "eating the clock" while they were losing.....One of my favorite smash-mouth players, South Florida QB Matt Grothe, is out for the season with a torn ACL. Bummer for him and for the Bulls......Hilarious moment in the Washington-USC game, which I was lucky enough to see the end of: after Locker led the drive into field goal range with the score tied, the Huskies called one more running play to run down the clock and perhaps pick up a few more yards for kicker Erik Folk. RB Chris Polk powered through the line for a four yard gain and the USC linebacker that tackled him got up and strutted around to celebrate his big hit. Talk about taking your eye off of the ball. You can see it for yourself at 5:15 of this video.
September 18, 2009
College Football: Week 3 Preview
Saturday, 11AM: East Carolina at #24 North Carolina
East Carolina has become a reasonably legit non-big conference opponent (see Johnson, Chris) and Pirates QB Patrick Pinkney has his moments, but I really just want a look at the Tar Heels. I didn’t really believe the hype last year, but they were pretty impressive in their bowl win over West Virginia (albeit in big part because of current New York Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks), so it’s worth it to check them out. Plus, it’s hard to stomach the thought of Cal beating up on the Golden Gophers, which is my other choice.
Prediction: Haven’t seen either team, but the Tar Heels are supposed to have a good defense, which is generally what you need to make sure to beat a weaker opponent.
Saturday, 2:30PM: Channel Flip - Michigan State at Notre Dame / Arizona at Iowa
Once again, Charlie Weis’ butt is on the hot seat. If he doesn’t win this one, I think there just might be an angry mob waiting underneath Touchdown Jesus. That said, Notre Dame is considerably better than the Spartan team I watched lose to the Central Michigan Raccoons (or something) and should be able to pull out a victory unless they’re planning to utterly collapse (which, for the record, would be fine by me). Meanwhile, Iowa's gotta step up for the Big Ten. One Penn State-beating field goal does not a program make and the Hawkeyes need this one to stay relevant after squeaking by Northern Iowa in the opener.
Prediction: Notre Dame by two touchdowns. No idea on the other one, since I couldn't tell you a single player on Arizona's roster. I'll sure be pulling for Iowa though.
Saturday, 6PM: Florida State at #7 BYU
I know FSU was terrible last week, but I really thought QB Christian Ponder did a nice job against Miami (previously dubbed the swiss cheese zone game) and it’ll be interesting to see how he bounces back. It will also be nice to see BYU go up against a non-Mountain West opponent. Florida State, unlike Oklahoma, is known for its defense and I can’t wait to see Max Hall handle the pressure.
Prediction: This is hard. If we get 1st game Florida State, they could give the Mormons a run for their money. BYU by 10.
Not interested/REALLY hope I don’t miss an upset and look like a moron:
Florida/Tennessee: Really? Lane Kiffin should be selling insurance and would be if not for his daddy. This is really just another chance for Urban Meyer to pointlessly stick it to a hapless opponent. Not riveting TV.
Texas/Texas Tech: I suppose I might get sucked in by this one, but it is my personal opinion that 2008 Texas Tech – (professional holdout) Michael Crabtree - (professional Canadian) Graham Harrell = zero. Revenge isn’t a particularly good storyline when you’re playing a different (and less talented) team.
**If anyone is able to watch USC/Washington or Nebraska/Virginia Tech and give a report, that would be mighty useful.
East Carolina has become a reasonably legit non-big conference opponent (see Johnson, Chris) and Pirates QB Patrick Pinkney has his moments, but I really just want a look at the Tar Heels. I didn’t really believe the hype last year, but they were pretty impressive in their bowl win over West Virginia (albeit in big part because of current New York Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks), so it’s worth it to check them out. Plus, it’s hard to stomach the thought of Cal beating up on the Golden Gophers, which is my other choice.
Prediction: Haven’t seen either team, but the Tar Heels are supposed to have a good defense, which is generally what you need to make sure to beat a weaker opponent.
Saturday, 2:30PM: Channel Flip - Michigan State at Notre Dame / Arizona at Iowa
Once again, Charlie Weis’ butt is on the hot seat. If he doesn’t win this one, I think there just might be an angry mob waiting underneath Touchdown Jesus. That said, Notre Dame is considerably better than the Spartan team I watched lose to the Central Michigan Raccoons (or something) and should be able to pull out a victory unless they’re planning to utterly collapse (which, for the record, would be fine by me). Meanwhile, Iowa's gotta step up for the Big Ten. One Penn State-beating field goal does not a program make and the Hawkeyes need this one to stay relevant after squeaking by Northern Iowa in the opener.
Prediction: Notre Dame by two touchdowns. No idea on the other one, since I couldn't tell you a single player on Arizona's roster. I'll sure be pulling for Iowa though.
Saturday, 6PM: Florida State at #7 BYU
I know FSU was terrible last week, but I really thought QB Christian Ponder did a nice job against Miami (previously dubbed the swiss cheese zone game) and it’ll be interesting to see how he bounces back. It will also be nice to see BYU go up against a non-Mountain West opponent. Florida State, unlike Oklahoma, is known for its defense and I can’t wait to see Max Hall handle the pressure.
Prediction: This is hard. If we get 1st game Florida State, they could give the Mormons a run for their money. BYU by 10.
Not interested/REALLY hope I don’t miss an upset and look like a moron:
Florida/Tennessee: Really? Lane Kiffin should be selling insurance and would be if not for his daddy. This is really just another chance for Urban Meyer to pointlessly stick it to a hapless opponent. Not riveting TV.
Texas/Texas Tech: I suppose I might get sucked in by this one, but it is my personal opinion that 2008 Texas Tech – (professional holdout) Michael Crabtree - (professional Canadian) Graham Harrell = zero. Revenge isn’t a particularly good storyline when you’re playing a different (and less talented) team.
**If anyone is able to watch USC/Washington or Nebraska/Virginia Tech and give a report, that would be mighty useful.
September 17, 2009
A Word on Cutler
Settle down, Bears fans!
A lot of talk this week about whether Jay Cutler is all he’s cracked up to be. Things to remember:
Cutler’s a gunslinger quarterback. We knew that going in. Four interceptions probably reminds you of Bad Rex, and a quarterback who does that consistently obviously won’t last too long, but the buzz on Cutler has always been high reward for high risk. Despite having a bad game overall, you have to admit that Cutler made a handful of plays that Sid Luckman would have been proud of. You were excited to get him because he offers more than just game management – don’t chicken out now.
Two of Cutler’s interceptions were thrown to a spot with no Bear in the vicinity. That’s not a decision-making issue, that’s a mix-up between quarterback and receiver. And that’s something that can be improved.
The fourth and final interception was the slant to Johnny Knox. A slant is a timing pattern. You work on it enough in practice so that you can throw before the receiver makes his cut. Then, it’s up to the receiver to get the inside position on his defender. If you watched the final Bears snap carefully, you would have seen Johnny Knox not only fail to get the inside position, but actually get pushed over by Al Harris, leaving Harris a clear shot at the ball. Really, really not Cutler’s fault, which Cris Collinsworth pointed out, but apparently the local media failed to hear.
And finally, with a debut that bad, the Bears offense has nowhere to go but up!
A lot of talk this week about whether Jay Cutler is all he’s cracked up to be. Things to remember:
Cutler’s a gunslinger quarterback. We knew that going in. Four interceptions probably reminds you of Bad Rex, and a quarterback who does that consistently obviously won’t last too long, but the buzz on Cutler has always been high reward for high risk. Despite having a bad game overall, you have to admit that Cutler made a handful of plays that Sid Luckman would have been proud of. You were excited to get him because he offers more than just game management – don’t chicken out now.
Two of Cutler’s interceptions were thrown to a spot with no Bear in the vicinity. That’s not a decision-making issue, that’s a mix-up between quarterback and receiver. And that’s something that can be improved.
The fourth and final interception was the slant to Johnny Knox. A slant is a timing pattern. You work on it enough in practice so that you can throw before the receiver makes his cut. Then, it’s up to the receiver to get the inside position on his defender. If you watched the final Bears snap carefully, you would have seen Johnny Knox not only fail to get the inside position, but actually get pushed over by Al Harris, leaving Harris a clear shot at the ball. Really, really not Cutler’s fault, which Cris Collinsworth pointed out, but apparently the local media failed to hear.
And finally, with a debut that bad, the Bears offense has nowhere to go but up!
September 12, 2009
College Football: Week 2 Wrap-Up
Central Michigan def. Michigan State 29-27 / Wisconsin def. Fresno State 34-31 (2OT)
Unbelievably, I called the wrong upset, though both games were thrillers. Due to prior commitments and DVR space constraints, I only had a chance to watch Central Michigan and Michigan State. Dan LeFevour was excellent, as usual and has pretty much cemented his spot on the draft watch lists. Despite its failed two point conversion, Central Michigan deserves kudos for playing to win instead of tie and karma agrees – they were rewarded shortly thereafter. I know the Big Ten loves the cream puffs, but they might want to get some even creamier puffs. It’s easier to be the underdog and Central Michigan showed us why. In any event, looks like another tough year for the Big Ten. Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and possibly Iowa will really have to carry the load.
Michigan def. #18 Notre Dame 38-34
Promoted from Game of the Week to Game of the Season! Lots of fun, particularly since Notre Dame had every chance to win the game and was once again defeated by head-scratcher coaching moves. Clausen tore it up through the air and had Michigan CB Boubakar Cissoko crying for his mommy before the end of the first half. In fact, if you take out the Wolverines’ kick return, my prediction of the passing game carrying the Irish to a 10-point victory was spot-on for the opening 30 minutes. But a missed field goal and an incredibly ill-advised QB draw (Mr. Weis, you have running backs for exactly this purpose) deep in Michigan territory kept 10 points off the board for the Irish. Then, Notre Dame came out oddly conservative in the second half, almost like they were trying to shorten the game, and those two missing scores loomed large as Michigan took the lead. In the much maligned second-to-last possession for ND, the only time they should have been shortening the game, they inexplicably returned to the passing game, leaving Michigan with over two minutes and two time outs to win the game. Michigan’s spread offense isn’t really built for the two minute drill, but Charlie Weis didn’t force its hand. In short, Notre Dame lost because it put too much pressure on its defense in the second half when it should have been leaning on Clausen the way Michigan leaned on Tate Forcier. My brother, a U of M alumnus, said that he will now be naming his first child Tate, boy or girl. I can’t say I would argue.
#3 USC def. #8 Ohio State 18-15
I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. Terrelle Pryor is a once in a lifetime athlete, but he should be doing the decathlon in the Olympics, not playing quarterback. He can pass on occasion, but he’s unreliable and Tressel clearly doesn’t trust him to take care of the ball. Thus, he limits the playbook for the Buckeyes and makes them easy to defend. All the Trojans had to do on defense was pinch in at the ends to keep Pryor in the pocket, which they did very well. Ohio State was able to put up only 15 points against a relatively lackluster USC defense and even the new-look ‘safe play’ Trojans offense can put up more than that. USC did manage to pull out a win, which was impressive considering how flat they were, but I was baffled by the commentary on the game that likened Barkley to Forcier. Barkley managed in the end to safely deliver the ball to the best player on the team (Joe McKnight, in the 'late game wake up of the week' performance), Forcier WAS the best player on the team. As a traditional pocket passer, Barkley has more NFL upside than his counterpart in the maize and blue, but if I had to play tomorrow for all the marbles, I’d take Forcier.
This week’s 'Yell at the TV' moment: GET A QUARTERBACK, TRESSEL! Or if Pryor can’t be taught to pass, at least teach him to run the option effectively. If you are facing your pitch target when you pitch, you are simply leading the defense his way and you risk a fumble or at least a big loss. It's not rocket science: If you can’t turn up field, keep the ball.
In other news: All three losers this weekend failed to put the game away when they had the chance. Michigan State, Notre Dame, and even Ohio State clearly had the edge on the team they were playing, but left it within 7-10 points when they should have been up 20…..All three winners put the ball in the hands of their best player (LeFevour, Forcier, McKnight) and allowed him to win the game for them. Notre Dame did the opposite, relying on its unproven defense. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!…..ESPN’s fun facts were extremely amusing this weekend - the highlight was a graphic proclaiming that a Wolverine was the ‘high school teammate of Duke QB Thad Lewis’…..I always love to see Mike Gundy lose. When Oklahoma State gets a big boy coach, maybe they'll have a big boy season.....Were Ohio State fans making a horseshoe with the white shirts in the red student section or are they simply incompetent at making an ‘O’?
Unbelievably, I called the wrong upset, though both games were thrillers. Due to prior commitments and DVR space constraints, I only had a chance to watch Central Michigan and Michigan State. Dan LeFevour was excellent, as usual and has pretty much cemented his spot on the draft watch lists. Despite its failed two point conversion, Central Michigan deserves kudos for playing to win instead of tie and karma agrees – they were rewarded shortly thereafter. I know the Big Ten loves the cream puffs, but they might want to get some even creamier puffs. It’s easier to be the underdog and Central Michigan showed us why. In any event, looks like another tough year for the Big Ten. Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and possibly Iowa will really have to carry the load.
Michigan def. #18 Notre Dame 38-34
Promoted from Game of the Week to Game of the Season! Lots of fun, particularly since Notre Dame had every chance to win the game and was once again defeated by head-scratcher coaching moves. Clausen tore it up through the air and had Michigan CB Boubakar Cissoko crying for his mommy before the end of the first half. In fact, if you take out the Wolverines’ kick return, my prediction of the passing game carrying the Irish to a 10-point victory was spot-on for the opening 30 minutes. But a missed field goal and an incredibly ill-advised QB draw (Mr. Weis, you have running backs for exactly this purpose) deep in Michigan territory kept 10 points off the board for the Irish. Then, Notre Dame came out oddly conservative in the second half, almost like they were trying to shorten the game, and those two missing scores loomed large as Michigan took the lead. In the much maligned second-to-last possession for ND, the only time they should have been shortening the game, they inexplicably returned to the passing game, leaving Michigan with over two minutes and two time outs to win the game. Michigan’s spread offense isn’t really built for the two minute drill, but Charlie Weis didn’t force its hand. In short, Notre Dame lost because it put too much pressure on its defense in the second half when it should have been leaning on Clausen the way Michigan leaned on Tate Forcier. My brother, a U of M alumnus, said that he will now be naming his first child Tate, boy or girl. I can’t say I would argue.
#3 USC def. #8 Ohio State 18-15
I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. Terrelle Pryor is a once in a lifetime athlete, but he should be doing the decathlon in the Olympics, not playing quarterback. He can pass on occasion, but he’s unreliable and Tressel clearly doesn’t trust him to take care of the ball. Thus, he limits the playbook for the Buckeyes and makes them easy to defend. All the Trojans had to do on defense was pinch in at the ends to keep Pryor in the pocket, which they did very well. Ohio State was able to put up only 15 points against a relatively lackluster USC defense and even the new-look ‘safe play’ Trojans offense can put up more than that. USC did manage to pull out a win, which was impressive considering how flat they were, but I was baffled by the commentary on the game that likened Barkley to Forcier. Barkley managed in the end to safely deliver the ball to the best player on the team (Joe McKnight, in the 'late game wake up of the week' performance), Forcier WAS the best player on the team. As a traditional pocket passer, Barkley has more NFL upside than his counterpart in the maize and blue, but if I had to play tomorrow for all the marbles, I’d take Forcier.
This week’s 'Yell at the TV' moment: GET A QUARTERBACK, TRESSEL! Or if Pryor can’t be taught to pass, at least teach him to run the option effectively. If you are facing your pitch target when you pitch, you are simply leading the defense his way and you risk a fumble or at least a big loss. It's not rocket science: If you can’t turn up field, keep the ball.
In other news: All three losers this weekend failed to put the game away when they had the chance. Michigan State, Notre Dame, and even Ohio State clearly had the edge on the team they were playing, but left it within 7-10 points when they should have been up 20…..All three winners put the ball in the hands of their best player (LeFevour, Forcier, McKnight) and allowed him to win the game for them. Notre Dame did the opposite, relying on its unproven defense. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!…..ESPN’s fun facts were extremely amusing this weekend - the highlight was a graphic proclaiming that a Wolverine was the ‘high school teammate of Duke QB Thad Lewis’…..I always love to see Mike Gundy lose. When Oklahoma State gets a big boy coach, maybe they'll have a big boy season.....Were Ohio State fans making a horseshoe with the white shirts in the red student section or are they simply incompetent at making an ‘O’?
September 9, 2009
College Football: Week 2 Preview
Saturday, 11AM: Channel Flip: Central Michigan at Michigan State/ Fresno State at Wisconsin
I’m busy Saturday morning and neither game is really worth a DVR spot so we’ll see how much I catch, but I’m looking to do some Big Ten scouting. The Spartans are supposedly revived, Bret Bielema’s job is definitely on the line at Wisconsin (deservedly so, since the Badgers have really underperformed recently), and both teams face decent opponents. In fact, Wisconsin very nearly lost to a pretty mediocre Fresno State team last year. If you’ve never seen Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour, you’d do well to get yourself a look. He’s the small school Tim Tebow and he gets better every year. If he’s improved his passing a bit, he’ll have an outside shot at the NFL next year.
Prediction: Hard to say, since I didn’t watch any of these teams last week. Michigan State won’t have much trouble, but Wisconsin could. I’ll call the upset – Fresno State over Wisconsin.
Saturday, 2:30PM: #18 Notre Dame at Michigan
Game of the week for me. It’s rare to get a ‘Come to Jesus’ (pun intended!) game this early in the season for either Notre Dame or a Big Ten team and there’s a real Lazarus feel for both, which have suffered mightily in the last year or two. Both teams looked sharp last week, but how will they handle an opponent (roughly) their own size?
ND Offense/Mich Defense: The Irish have a decent 1-2 punch in receivers Golden Tate and Michael Floyd and I expect Michigan to have some trouble with them. As usual, pass rush is the key. I’m still not sold on Clausen, but I do know that he’ll manage to get the ball to those receivers if Michigan doesn’t put some pressure on him. If Clausen wants to be an NFL prospect, he’s going to have to look like one here.
Mich Offense/ND Defense: The Irish did a good job bottling up Colin Kaepernick last week, but they didn’t have to worry too much about his passing. If Tate Forcier can establish the pass early, he’ll kill ‘em with the run in the second half. Denard Robinson provides a nice burst to the offense, but looked a little ‘sandlot’ for my taste last week. Notre Dame freshman linebacker Manti Te’o had a great debut last week and Michigan’s O-line and tight ends will have to handle him to establish both the running game and the pocket.
Prediction: It absolutely kills me to say this, but Notre Dame by 10. (Go Blue!)
Saturday, 7PM: #3 USC at #8 Ohio State
I would be surprised if this one was close, but it will be interesting to see a) if Matt Barkley is at all nervous in the Horseshoe and b) if Ohio State at least looks like they belong on the same field, which they didn't last year. Ohio State's only hope is that Barkley looks like a freshman. He wasn't asked to do much besides screens at San Jose State, so he's still relatively unproven, Pete Carroll's drooling notwithstanding. On the other side of the ball, I see a game much like the Terrelle Pryor parts of the OSU-Penn State game last year. Essentially, Penn State put nine in the box and Pryor ran on every play anyway, usually for 2-3 yards and a monster hit. That's one way to know what your coach thinks of you!
Prediction: USC pretty easily. OSU desperately needs a QB.
I’m busy Saturday morning and neither game is really worth a DVR spot so we’ll see how much I catch, but I’m looking to do some Big Ten scouting. The Spartans are supposedly revived, Bret Bielema’s job is definitely on the line at Wisconsin (deservedly so, since the Badgers have really underperformed recently), and both teams face decent opponents. In fact, Wisconsin very nearly lost to a pretty mediocre Fresno State team last year. If you’ve never seen Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour, you’d do well to get yourself a look. He’s the small school Tim Tebow and he gets better every year. If he’s improved his passing a bit, he’ll have an outside shot at the NFL next year.
Prediction: Hard to say, since I didn’t watch any of these teams last week. Michigan State won’t have much trouble, but Wisconsin could. I’ll call the upset – Fresno State over Wisconsin.
Saturday, 2:30PM: #18 Notre Dame at Michigan
Game of the week for me. It’s rare to get a ‘Come to Jesus’ (pun intended!) game this early in the season for either Notre Dame or a Big Ten team and there’s a real Lazarus feel for both, which have suffered mightily in the last year or two. Both teams looked sharp last week, but how will they handle an opponent (roughly) their own size?
ND Offense/Mich Defense: The Irish have a decent 1-2 punch in receivers Golden Tate and Michael Floyd and I expect Michigan to have some trouble with them. As usual, pass rush is the key. I’m still not sold on Clausen, but I do know that he’ll manage to get the ball to those receivers if Michigan doesn’t put some pressure on him. If Clausen wants to be an NFL prospect, he’s going to have to look like one here.
Mich Offense/ND Defense: The Irish did a good job bottling up Colin Kaepernick last week, but they didn’t have to worry too much about his passing. If Tate Forcier can establish the pass early, he’ll kill ‘em with the run in the second half. Denard Robinson provides a nice burst to the offense, but looked a little ‘sandlot’ for my taste last week. Notre Dame freshman linebacker Manti Te’o had a great debut last week and Michigan’s O-line and tight ends will have to handle him to establish both the running game and the pocket.
Prediction: It absolutely kills me to say this, but Notre Dame by 10. (Go Blue!)
Saturday, 7PM: #3 USC at #8 Ohio State
I would be surprised if this one was close, but it will be interesting to see a) if Matt Barkley is at all nervous in the Horseshoe and b) if Ohio State at least looks like they belong on the same field, which they didn't last year. Ohio State's only hope is that Barkley looks like a freshman. He wasn't asked to do much besides screens at San Jose State, so he's still relatively unproven, Pete Carroll's drooling notwithstanding. On the other side of the ball, I see a game much like the Terrelle Pryor parts of the OSU-Penn State game last year. Essentially, Penn State put nine in the box and Pryor ran on every play anyway, usually for 2-3 yards and a monster hit. That's one way to know what your coach thinks of you!
Prediction: USC pretty easily. OSU desperately needs a QB.
September 4, 2009
College Football: Week 1 Wrap-Up
Boise State def. Oregon 19-8
Oof. One of the worst games I've ever seen. Oregon did basically nothing right all night (except for LeGarrette Blount's impressive and oh-so-inappropriate right hook) and Boise State should have won about 41-8. But a couple of embarrassing missed field goals and what seemed like about nine ridiculous turnovers basically kept them from scoring any points. The broadcast team picked Kellen Moore as their player of the game, but should have picked RB Jeremy Avery, whose spectacular cutbacks on sweeps allowed the Broncos to keep Oregon's (admittedly woeful) offense off the field. The best parts of the game were the cuts to Mike Bellotti, who consistently looked like he had swallowed a bug.
Minnesota def. Syracuse 23-20
Entertaining game, if not fantastically played. After giving a balanced offense the old college try, Minnesota finally woke up in the 3rd quarter and just directed every play at Decker, which was much more effective. But of course the real story was the resurgence of Syracuse football. Paulus was good too, even a little better than I expected. Marrone didn't ask too much of him, but he delivered as a game manager and especially as a leader (you can't really do much worse than a bad snap and turnover on your first play from scrimmage, so I thought he did a good job rallying the troops). And his 'I wish I were in the NBA' face after that boneheaded interception in OT was pretty priceless. Overall though, fans were in the seats, there was some semblance of an offense, the defense was hitting hard, Donovan McNabb made an appearance - the Orangemen are back!
Michigan def. Western Michigan 31-7 / #23 Notre Dame def. Nevada 35-3
These are grouped together because the only reason they're interesting is that the winners play each other next week. The Wolverines came out firing and seem to have found a quarterback in Tate Forcier. Still, numerous errors, particularly on special teams leave me a little on edge. Meanwhile, I'm upgrading Jimmy Clausen from 'pale imitation of his brothers' to 'good imitation of his brothers'. Nevada was hapless, but Clausen and Notre Dame looked really comfy. As much as it kills me to say this, I'm worried about Michigan's ability to keep up with the Irish receiving corps.
#5 Alabama def. #7 Virginia Tech 34-24
Sort of dull game, considering how close it was. No obvious Tyrod Taylor mistake, but I still maintain that he's not much of a quarterback. One of my major problems with the spread offense (and there are many) is that it causes people to mistake anyone athletic for a quarterback. On the other side, Greg McElroy had a successful debut and the Alabama defense looked ready for the SEC grind. Nice win for the Tide.
#11 LSU def. Washington 31-23
Not unlike the Minnesota-Syracuse game, though better played. LSU got good performances from its key players--notably QB Jordan Jefferson and the defensive line--and ran away with the game at the end, but the Huskies looked like a different program from last year. Jake Locker threw 45 times with only one real mistake (though a pick-six is a big mistake) and the pass happy offense allowed him to use his running skills late in the game when it really counted and when the Tigers were tired. Heads up, Dawgs, you're back in the mix.
This week's 'Yell at the TV' moment: THROW IT AWAY, GREG!!!
In other news: Needed: innovations in chin strap technology after an incredible number of lost helmets.....You gotta like Max Hall, but BYU just pulled off perhaps the most unimportant upset of all time. If Oklahoma runs the table, they'll still play for the title.....Lots of typos on ESPN this weekend. My favorites were 'Oregon suspsneds LeGarrette Blount' and 'What does Locker and Dennis Dixon have in common?'.....Caught a half of the Cincinnati-Rutgers game. Get yourself a look at Bearcats QB Tony Pike.....Wasn't originally planning on watching Miami-Florida State, but glad I did. Abominable special teams and swiss cheese zone defenses notwithstanding, it was the best game of the weekend.....Jacory Harris just called his shoulder injury a "bad funny bone incident".....I realize hindsight is 20-20, but why in the world did Navy pass for their potential tying two point conversion? This is like Shaq deciding to fool the defense with a three pointer.
Oof. One of the worst games I've ever seen. Oregon did basically nothing right all night (except for LeGarrette Blount's impressive and oh-so-inappropriate right hook) and Boise State should have won about 41-8. But a couple of embarrassing missed field goals and what seemed like about nine ridiculous turnovers basically kept them from scoring any points. The broadcast team picked Kellen Moore as their player of the game, but should have picked RB Jeremy Avery, whose spectacular cutbacks on sweeps allowed the Broncos to keep Oregon's (admittedly woeful) offense off the field. The best parts of the game were the cuts to Mike Bellotti, who consistently looked like he had swallowed a bug.
Minnesota def. Syracuse 23-20
Entertaining game, if not fantastically played. After giving a balanced offense the old college try, Minnesota finally woke up in the 3rd quarter and just directed every play at Decker, which was much more effective. But of course the real story was the resurgence of Syracuse football. Paulus was good too, even a little better than I expected. Marrone didn't ask too much of him, but he delivered as a game manager and especially as a leader (you can't really do much worse than a bad snap and turnover on your first play from scrimmage, so I thought he did a good job rallying the troops). And his 'I wish I were in the NBA' face after that boneheaded interception in OT was pretty priceless. Overall though, fans were in the seats, there was some semblance of an offense, the defense was hitting hard, Donovan McNabb made an appearance - the Orangemen are back!
Michigan def. Western Michigan 31-7 / #23 Notre Dame def. Nevada 35-3
These are grouped together because the only reason they're interesting is that the winners play each other next week. The Wolverines came out firing and seem to have found a quarterback in Tate Forcier. Still, numerous errors, particularly on special teams leave me a little on edge. Meanwhile, I'm upgrading Jimmy Clausen from 'pale imitation of his brothers' to 'good imitation of his brothers'. Nevada was hapless, but Clausen and Notre Dame looked really comfy. As much as it kills me to say this, I'm worried about Michigan's ability to keep up with the Irish receiving corps.
#5 Alabama def. #7 Virginia Tech 34-24
Sort of dull game, considering how close it was. No obvious Tyrod Taylor mistake, but I still maintain that he's not much of a quarterback. One of my major problems with the spread offense (and there are many) is that it causes people to mistake anyone athletic for a quarterback. On the other side, Greg McElroy had a successful debut and the Alabama defense looked ready for the SEC grind. Nice win for the Tide.
#11 LSU def. Washington 31-23
Not unlike the Minnesota-Syracuse game, though better played. LSU got good performances from its key players--notably QB Jordan Jefferson and the defensive line--and ran away with the game at the end, but the Huskies looked like a different program from last year. Jake Locker threw 45 times with only one real mistake (though a pick-six is a big mistake) and the pass happy offense allowed him to use his running skills late in the game when it really counted and when the Tigers were tired. Heads up, Dawgs, you're back in the mix.
This week's 'Yell at the TV' moment: THROW IT AWAY, GREG!!!
In other news: Needed: innovations in chin strap technology after an incredible number of lost helmets.....You gotta like Max Hall, but BYU just pulled off perhaps the most unimportant upset of all time. If Oklahoma runs the table, they'll still play for the title.....Lots of typos on ESPN this weekend. My favorites were 'Oregon suspsneds LeGarrette Blount' and 'What does Locker and Dennis Dixon have in common?'.....Caught a half of the Cincinnati-Rutgers game. Get yourself a look at Bearcats QB Tony Pike.....Wasn't originally planning on watching Miami-Florida State, but glad I did. Abominable special teams and swiss cheese zone defenses notwithstanding, it was the best game of the weekend.....Jacory Harris just called his shoulder injury a "bad funny bone incident".....I realize hindsight is 20-20, but why in the world did Navy pass for their potential tying two point conversion? This is like Shaq deciding to fool the defense with a three pointer.
September 2, 2009
College Football: Week 1 Preview
Thursday, 9:15 #16 Oregon at #14 Boise State
Why I'm watching: The pride of the WAC (that's wack) defends its blue turf against the always uniquely dressed Ducks. The Ducks have a new non-Mike Bellotti coach, but do return Jeremiah Masoli at quarterback. Masoli was knocked out of this matchup last year with a concussion suffered on a late hit. Kellen Moore and his nearly 3,500 2008 passing yards return at quarterback for the Broncos - should be a shootout.
Prediction: Oregon by a touchdown
Saturday, 11AM Minnesota at Syracuse
Why I'm watching: Greg Paulus, of course. We'll see what a four year layoff does to a hotshot high school quarterback. Could be a recipe for hilarity. You also have to like Minnesota's Adam Weber to Eric Decker combination. The Gophers went from 1-11 in 2007 to 7-6 in 2008 and 2009 promises to be their best in a while.
Prediction: Um, Minnesota. And I think Paulus will look pretty overwhelmed overall (you can call a quarterback the point guard of a team, but point guardin' aint quarterbackin'), but should have a few impressive flashes.
Saturday, 2:30PM Channel Flip: Nevada at #23 Notre Dame/Western Michigan at Michigan
Why I'm watching: No real excuse, neither one will be beautiful. I'm a lifelong Michigan fan, which makes me a lifelong Notre Dame hater. And I've gotta know if Michigan is better, if Tate Forcier lives up to the billing, if Jimmy Clausen is still a pale imitation of his brothers, and if we're about to see the crappiest team ever in a BCS bowl thanks to Notre Dame's weak schedule.
Prediction: Notre Dame easily after a shaky beginning/Michigan wins in a closer-than-it-should-be game
Saturday, 7PM #5 Alabama at #7 Virginia Tech
Why I'm watching: Well, it's the marquee game. Greg McElroy is the latest southern boy to step in for the Crimson Tide and though John Parker Wilson's shoes aren't too huge, the team had a nice year - a lot of eyes are on 'em. Meanwhile, Tyrod Taylor has never really sparked my imagination. I think he's a Juice Williams/Terrelle Pryor type of QB - spectacular running threat, can't hit the side of a barn with a pass, not really a quarterback. The Hokies special teams are always worth watching, though.
Prediction: Alabama in a close one, most likely helped by a costly Tyrod Taylor mistake.
Saturday, 10PM #11 LSU at Washington
Why I'm watching: I have to admit I've been on the Jake Locker bandwagon from the beginning and I'm really hoping that this is the year he makes me look smart. Locker returns from a wasted season last year (broken thumb) to new coach Steve Sarkisian, who excels at using his horses wisely (though he had much better horses at USC). Here's hoping Locker has added passing touch to his already accomplished running. LSU's returning from a down year as well and will undoubtedly have some tricks up its collective sleeve.
Prediction: LSU. I'm not really watching this one for the drama.
Why I'm watching: The pride of the WAC (that's wack) defends its blue turf against the always uniquely dressed Ducks. The Ducks have a new non-Mike Bellotti coach, but do return Jeremiah Masoli at quarterback. Masoli was knocked out of this matchup last year with a concussion suffered on a late hit. Kellen Moore and his nearly 3,500 2008 passing yards return at quarterback for the Broncos - should be a shootout.
Prediction: Oregon by a touchdown
Saturday, 11AM Minnesota at Syracuse
Why I'm watching: Greg Paulus, of course. We'll see what a four year layoff does to a hotshot high school quarterback. Could be a recipe for hilarity. You also have to like Minnesota's Adam Weber to Eric Decker combination. The Gophers went from 1-11 in 2007 to 7-6 in 2008 and 2009 promises to be their best in a while.
Prediction: Um, Minnesota. And I think Paulus will look pretty overwhelmed overall (you can call a quarterback the point guard of a team, but point guardin' aint quarterbackin'), but should have a few impressive flashes.
Saturday, 2:30PM Channel Flip: Nevada at #23 Notre Dame/Western Michigan at Michigan
Why I'm watching: No real excuse, neither one will be beautiful. I'm a lifelong Michigan fan, which makes me a lifelong Notre Dame hater. And I've gotta know if Michigan is better, if Tate Forcier lives up to the billing, if Jimmy Clausen is still a pale imitation of his brothers, and if we're about to see the crappiest team ever in a BCS bowl thanks to Notre Dame's weak schedule.
Prediction: Notre Dame easily after a shaky beginning/Michigan wins in a closer-than-it-should-be game
Saturday, 7PM #5 Alabama at #7 Virginia Tech
Why I'm watching: Well, it's the marquee game. Greg McElroy is the latest southern boy to step in for the Crimson Tide and though John Parker Wilson's shoes aren't too huge, the team had a nice year - a lot of eyes are on 'em. Meanwhile, Tyrod Taylor has never really sparked my imagination. I think he's a Juice Williams/Terrelle Pryor type of QB - spectacular running threat, can't hit the side of a barn with a pass, not really a quarterback. The Hokies special teams are always worth watching, though.
Prediction: Alabama in a close one, most likely helped by a costly Tyrod Taylor mistake.
Saturday, 10PM #11 LSU at Washington
Why I'm watching: I have to admit I've been on the Jake Locker bandwagon from the beginning and I'm really hoping that this is the year he makes me look smart. Locker returns from a wasted season last year (broken thumb) to new coach Steve Sarkisian, who excels at using his horses wisely (though he had much better horses at USC). Here's hoping Locker has added passing touch to his already accomplished running. LSU's returning from a down year as well and will undoubtedly have some tricks up its collective sleeve.
Prediction: LSU. I'm not really watching this one for the drama.
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