For the Year: 2-2-2 (.500) ($40) ATS 5-1 (.833) SU
What we learned last week:
We learned that Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri is named after Santino “Sonny” Corleone from The Godfather, which I’m glad I didn’t know beforehand because I totally would have went Pitt’s way…
We learned that Notre Dame can win in Brian Kelly’s first game and absolutely nothing noteworthy can happen in that game…
We learned that Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer needs to put on his job evaluation “must improve time management” after throwing the ball on 3rd and 8 and giving Boise State the ball with 2:00 to go in the game. Who didn’t know what was coming there?
We learned that Kyle Padron thought he was part of the Texas Tech quarterback battle by throwing to Red Raiders all day long, but SMU still held tough with Tech, which either bodes well for SMU or spells doom for Tech…
We learned that Texas might be able to run against UCLA, as Kansas State ran for 313 yards against the Bruins, with Daniel Thomas getting 234 of those…
And finally, we learned that Keenan Robinson is going to win the Nagurski Award…
Unless you spent Labor Day weekend in Devil’s Cove getting sunburned and lost your phone going down a slide, you know that college football kicked off last weekend, but we can still do a college football preview a week in, it isn’t like anyone of importance lost last weekend (with all due respect to Kansas and Mississippi).
The Summer of 2010 was an eventful one, as we had guys kicking balls back and forth to each other and a riveted globe watching guys kick balls back and forth to each other, we had BP threatening Tiger Woods for A-Hole of the Year and speaking of Tiger Woods we had US troops pulling out of Iraq, 7 years after the war began.
Let’s look at the top contenders for the national championship trophy, and how they might compare to the top news stories of Summer 2010.
The World Cup Division
They might be a big news story, but most of America couldn’t care less about Boise State and TCU. The arguments have been told a thousand times, but honestly, let’s take a look at Alabama’s schedule this year: San Jose State (stay with me), Penn State, @ Duke, @ Arkansas, Florida, @ South Carolina, Mississippi, @ Tennessee, @ LSU, Mississippi State, Georgia State (what the hell), Auburn (who hates you with a passion).
Either one of those teams loses at least 2 in there somewhere.
I suppose they are a nice story, but to hear Pat Forde have a kid with Boise State beating a potential 3-4 loss Virginia Tech and seeing Boise State high five their fans after winning a game they were favored in was a bit ridiculous.
But whatever, they won their one game a season again, let’s party.
The Wikileaks Division
Ohio State is 75 percent of the country’s pick to win the national title solely due to the fact that Terrelle Pryor “arrived” after throwing for 266 yards and rushing for 72 in the Rose Bowl against an Oregon team that gave up 306 yards to Sean Canfield of Oregon State, 314 to Nick Foles of Arizona and 223 yards to Toby Gerhart, all after Halloween.
If Terrelle Pryor “arrived” at the Rose Bowl, then what the hell did Vince Young do, enter the ring, hit everyone over the head with a steel chair, give them the Stone Cold Stunner and down a Budweiser with his foot on Michigan and USC’s chest? Actually, he kinda did…
And apparently news hasn’t leaked that Nebraska still doesn’t have a quarterback. Last year’s starter Zach Lee could barely get off the bench last week against Western Kentucky while some guy named Taylor Martinez barely completed 50 percent of his passes against that fearless Hilltopper defense. Add to that the fact that they lost the heart of their defense in Suh, Asante and O’Hanlon, and Nebraska is nowhere near the 6th best team in the country.
The Chelsea’s Wedding Division
Well both certainly had a guy with heart trouble and an ugly duckling, as Florida’s offense managed 25 yards through three quarters of play against Miami of Ohio on Saturday. Yikes. John Brantley is going to have to get better, quick, or Florida will be spending New Year’s in Atlanta at the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
The Larry King Retires Division
Penn State isn’t really a contender, I just wanted to make fun of Joe Paterno some more. But I can’t even do that anymore…give it up, Joe! Your younger brother Larry King is retiring, it is time for you to do the same…
The Inception Division
Yeah, Texas fans would like to think it was a dream without that crazy wife with the knives coming after you (well, most of us), but I’m not sure I see anyone beating Alabama again this year. They have the defense, the offense last year was adequate enough last year and is back, and even though Boise & TCU might drop a couple with that schedule, the Tide get their toughest games at home.
On to the games...
Michigan @ Notre Dame -4:
All eyes on the Big Ten this week as they have three premier match-ups, starting with this one. It tells you how far Michigan has fallen that people are impressed by a victory over Connecticut, but it is what it is. Notre Dame had that win over Purdue that I still can’t tell you anything noteworthy from that game.
Michigan is better, but the defense still gave up 343 yards to a middle of the road UConn offense, while Notre Dame looked fairly impressive on both sides of the ball…I think.
The home team has won 8 of the last 10 in this series, and I don’t see any reason to see this one any differently.
Notre Dame 31 Michigan 24
ATS – Notre Dame
SU – Notre Dame
Penn State @ Alabama -12:
I don’t see Penn State having much of a chance here. They struggled much of last week, freshman quarterback, not a good game to get your sea legs.
Alabama 31 Penn State 14
ATS – Alabama
SU – Alabama
Miami @ Ohio State -8.5:
Ah yes, “revenge” for the 2003 Fiesta Bowl and the controversial pass interference penalty that led to Ohio State being the worst national champions in recent history (yes, including 2 loss LSU).
But that is ancient history to the guys that will take the field on Saturday. Pryor gets all the hype, but Jacory Harris is the better player, finishing 30th in the country in passing efficiency last year while Pryor finished 59th.
I’m not sure that Miami has enough help on offense against an always stout Ohio State team, though.
Ohio State 23 Miami 16
ATS – Miami
SU – Ohio State
Oregon -12 @ Tennessee:
Oregon treated New Mexico last week like John Blake treats FBS programs, destroying them 72-0.
I think Vegas got a little carried away with that win. Yeah, Tennessee isn’t going to be much this year, but Oregon isn’t going to remind everyone of 1995 Nebraska, either.
Oregon wins, but barely. Going across the country and playing in front of 100,000 isn’t easy.
Oregon 34 Tennessee 28
ATS – Tennessee
SU – Oregon
Florida State @ Oklahoma -7.5:
Oklahoma fans spent the better part of the week convincing themselves that the Sooners spent all of their practice time this summer preparing for Florida State, and they might have even convinced themselves of that by today, but one stat line would scare the hell out of me as a Sooner fan:
Jones, L 17/36 217 YDS 2 TD 2 INT
Sooner fans are used to their heralded quarterbacks blowing the doors off the opening day opponent (except last year when Sam Bradford got his door blown off), but Jones struggled with his reads and appeared to have spent more time on his mustache in the off-season then he did refining his game.
The Sooners also gave up 341 passing yards to Utah State, making you wonder if the attrition on defense might dent that reputation this year.
But…when it is this obvious, I’m sensing a trap. Being a Texas fan, I hope I’m wrong.
Oklahoma 34 Florida State 24
ATS – Oklahoma
SU – Oklahoma
Wyoming @ Texas -29:
Texas brings a 15 game home winning streak into this one, and while Wyoming kept it close for a half last year, they’ll be hard pressed to replicate that in Austin.
Austyn Carta-Samuels might bring a terrible name into the game, but he does have a good arm and an athletic style of play, throwing for 1900 yards and 10 TDs in limited duty last season.
Their leader on defense is the linebacker Brian Hendricks, who you might remember had 14 tackles against Texas last year and matched that with 14 tackles last week against Southern Utah. One man theoretically can’t beat you on defense, but Hendricks will wreck shop if the Longhorns don’t get serious about hitting the holes in the running game.
I see the Longhorns winning comfortably here, but the offense was too iffy last week to see them coming out and scoring in bunches…but we’ll see.
Texas 41 Wyoming 13
ATS – Wyoming
SU – Texas
For entertainment purposes only. Save your money for Alumni Center whiskey.
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