Too Late, To Turn Back Now

College Football Week Two – Canes-Buckeyes, Nittany Lions-Tide

Too Late, To Turn Back Now

(With apologies to Eddie Cornelius)

My Mama told me
She said, Son, please beware

Jacksonville State 49, Ole Miss 48 (2OT); North Dakota State 6, Kansas 3

There’s this thing called football

TCU 30, Oregon State 21; Kansas State 31, UCLA 22

And it’s everywhere

Missouri 23, Illinois 13; Michigan 30, Connecticut 10

She told me, It can break your heart

LSU 30, North Carolina 24; Boise State 33, Virginia Tech 30

And leave you in misery

Utah 27, Pitt 24 (OT); BYU 23, Washington 17

Since I met this game
I know it’s happened to me

But, it’s too late, to turn back now
I believe, I believe, I believe I’m fallin’ in love

Yeah, it’s too late to turn back now. The season has begun – it’s underway. We can’t restart it. We’re hooked.

The first imprint has been made. Hearts have been gladdened; hearts have been saddened.

It began Thursday night. Presbyterian-Wake Forest may have had the first kickoff, but Southern Miss-South Carolina had the first national TV exposure. Steve Spurrier had to be pleased with his quarterbacks’ play – yes, not one but two. Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor and Miami’s Jacory Harris warmed up for their encounter this week.

Utah put a quick blemish on Pitt’s 2010 record, beating the Panthers by three points in overtime. And USC gave up 36 points to Hawaii on its way to a 49-36 win. Where was Mr. Defense – Monte Kiffin – USC’s defensive coordinator?

The week began with an interesting suspension. No, not a football player – a mascot. Clint Gyory, the Nittany Lion mascot at Penn State, was suspended from appearing at games for the month of September. Gyory was cited for underage drinking, along with public drunkenness and criminal mischief. My, my, and we thought Nittany Lions were good-natured, soft and cuddly.

But fear not Nittany Lion fans. Just as football players have backups, so do mascots. Gyory’s backup, or is it first runner-up, is filling in for him at Penn State’s football games in September. A trend could be starting here. After the 2008 season, the Nittany Lion mascot was suspended prior to the Rose Bowl game for a DUI charge. Hmm, wasn’t Penn State No. 3 on this year’s party school list?

BYU’s off-again, on-again, off-again relationship with the Mountain West Conference became a permanent off-again when the school announced it was definitely leaving the MWC next summer. BYU’s football team will compete as an independent and the basketball program and other sports will compete in the West Coast Conference – ala Gonzaga, St. Mary’s, Santa Clara, Pepperdine, etc.

Now rumors have surfaced out of Los Angeles that USC is considering the possibility of pulling out of the Pac-10 Conference and competing as an independent. Could a trend be starting here?

And while we’re talking about on-again, off-again, on-again – how about Ole Miss and Jeremiah Masoli? But we’ll deal more with this later.

And speaking of conferences, the Big Ten announced its two-division format that will begin next fall when Nebraska commences playing in the conference. The yet to be named divisions will consist of Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Purdue in one division, and Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern in the other group. Personally, I think they should name the divisions “Braut” and “Wurst.”

And speaking of the Big Ten, did you see where Ohio was named the “Bed Bug” capital of the United States. Yeah, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton are among the worst, not wurst, for bed bugs. Upon reading this, I figured it only would be appropriate for Ohio State to change its nickname to the “Bed Bugs.” Then, since Nebraska is joining the Big Ten next summer, I figured it only would be appropriate for Nebraska to revert to its first and original nickname – the “Bug Eaters.”

We learned that Alabama running back Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, injured his knee and would miss the Tide’s opener against San Jose State. Arthroscopic surgery was performed on the knee. The Tide, which didn’t really need Ingram for the San Jose State game, hopes to have him back for this week’s Penn State game.

And of course the new season’s “Dancing with the Stars” contestants were announced last week. Frankly, I only had heard of six of the 12 contestants. I only would rate four of the 12 as stars. Shouldn’t they rename this show “Dancing with Who (Are They).”

That brings us to Saturday’s games, following Thursday night’s activity and Arizona’s 41-2 win over Toledo on Friday night.

Florida, specifically the Gator offense, sure was a big disappointment – fumbles, bad snaps, poor blocking, dropped passes, etc, etc. Yeah, I know, the Gators won – 34-12 over Miami (Ohio). But the Florida offense looked like the Polish army going up against the Germans in World War II. Maybe Florida needs those prima donnas. Patience, Gator fans, patience. It will get better.

It was a rough weekend for three Big East teams who traveled west to play. First, as previously, mentioned, Pitt lost to Utah, 27-24 in overtime. Cincinnati lost to Fresno State, 28-14. And Connecticut lost to Michigan, 30-14. Speaking of the Wolverines, you had to be impressed with the play of Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson – rushing for 197 yards. He sure looked like shades of former West Virginia quarterback Pat White.

It was a great weekend for three Mountain West Conference teams. The Utah win over Pitt, TCU’s 30-21 win over Oregon State, and BYU’s 23-17 win over Jake Locker and the Washington Huskies.

And speaking of great, how about the one-handed catch by Alabama receiver Julio Jones! First weekend and it may go down as the most spectacular catch of the season. The Tide beat San Jose State, 48-3. Jimbo Fisher had a good debut in Tallahassee, as did Brian Kelly in South Bend. Florida State beat Samford, 59-6, and Notre Dame beat Purdue, 23-12.

For Saturday night excitement, it was hard to beat LSU-North Carolina. Trailing 30-10 at the half, the game was all but a complete disaster for the Tar Heels. But my, how things can change. In the second half, the crippled Tar Heel defense (short of seven starters) toughened. Or maybe the LSU offense went home. Regardless, UNC fought back, scoring two touchdowns and pulling within 30-24. In the final seconds of the game, the Tar Heels were on the LSU six, with enough time left for two pass plays. Both passing attempts failed and LSU hung on to win. The Oregon State-TCU and Washington-BYU games were exciting too.

Five games made a quirky impression on me. First, Oregon 72, New Mexico 0. Is Oregon that good or is New Mexico that bad? If Oregon is that good, the Ducks are scary good. If New Mexico is that bad, Lobo coach Mike Locksley better update his resume now – not that he can update it with much good.

And how about the poor Oregon Duck mascot? No, he wasn’t suspended. But he was exhausted. During the game, the Duck had to do a pushup for every Oregon point, every time Oregon scored.

Second, Oklahoma State 65, Washington State 17. We knew the Cougars were going to be bad this year. But Okie State wasn’t supposed to be much better.

Third, Jacksonville State 49, Ole Miss 48 in two overtimes. One thing about Houston Nutt – some days you feel like a nut, some days you don’t. You live and die by the Nutt. And where was quarterback Jeremiah Masoli – the savior who had come to Oxford from Oregon. The arrival of the controversial Masoli was supposed to turnaround the Ole Miss season, which was predicted to be pretty dismal. Masoli threw an interception, and the evasive quarterback, who can run as well as pass, only rushed for 29 yards.

Fourth, North Dakota State 6, Kansas 3. Disappointing debut for Jayhawks’ coach Turner Gill. We know Gill can coach from his record at Buffalo. What happened? Was Kansas’ cabinet that bare?

And fifth, Oklahoma 31, Utah State 24. I mean the Sooners had to struggle big time to keep from losing to Utah State. Interesting.

Sunday, East Carolina beat Tulsa 51-49 on a 33-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired. The two teams combined for more than 1,100 yards of offense. Then Tommy Tuberville had a successful debut in Lubbock. Texas Tech beat SMU, 35-27.

Labor Day Monday and a double header was on the docket – Navy vs. Maryland, followed by Boise State vs. Virginia Tech. In the first game, Maryland hung on to beat Navy 17-14. Navy could have kicked a field goal to tie the game, but instead, the Middies went for the winning touchdown as time expired.

In the nightcap, we had a real thriller on our hands. At first it looked as if Boise State would turn the game into a rout. The Broncos jumped out to a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. But Virginia Tech fought back and had a 30-26 lead with two minutes remaining in the game. That’s when Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore took the Broncos down the field for the winning score. Boise State won 33-30.

Then there were the new borns – the three schools playing football this year for the first time. How did they do? Well, Georgia State debuted, beating Shorter, 41-7, before 30,237 fans in the Georgia Dome. The Panthers even outdrew the division-leading Atlanta Braves, who were playing in Atlanta the same night. Next up for Georgia State – Lambuth.

South Alabama beat Pikeville, 56-0. Next up for the Jaguars – Nichols State. And finally, the third new born, Lamar, lost to McNeese State, 30-27. Next up for the Cardinals – Webber International.

In all, 117 of the 120 FBS (Division 1-A) football teams opened over the weekend. The only three who didn’t play were Florida International, Louisiana-Monroe and New Mexico State. FIU opens this week against Rutgers, Louisiana-Monroe against Arkansas and New Mexico State opens against San Diego State.

On Saturday, I had a Facebook question from Marty Windsor. Marty asked me who Bootsie and Swamp Mama were hot on this year – coaches. Each season, Bootsie and Swamp Mama have this thing about the “hunk” coaches. The ones who are easy on their eyes. And of course Rockledge Gator and I have to put up with this.

A few years back, they both drooled over Alabama coach Mike Shula. They watched more Alabama games on TV then. Unfortunately for Bootsie and Swamp Mama, Alabama fans didn’t drool over Shula. Well, maybe they drooled over him, but not in the same fashion. And then Swamp Mama had this thing for Rick Neuheisel when he was at Colorado.

Marty, this year Bootsie and Swamp Mama are into younger men – the quarterbacks. And they are hot on Florida’s John Brantley. But they weren’t hot on how he played Saturday. Stay tuned.

So, now that the “Dancing with Who (Are They)”…I mean…“Dancing with the Stars” contestants have been announced, I’m wondering who Rockledge Gator will be drooling over this season. My guess is Florence Henderson. She’s more his speed. She’s almost his age.

Yeah, It’s too late, to turn back now
I believe, I believe, I believe
I’m fallin’ in love

Touchdown Tom
September 7, 2010


Weekend Review

GAME OF THE WEEK: Broncos do the gobbling – Boise State 33, Virginia Tech 30 (Touchdown Tom said: Virginia Tech 20, Boise State 15). Boise State jumped out to a 17-0 first quarter lead. But the Hokies made it a game after that, taking the lead in the second half. But Boise State scored its winning touchdown with 1:09 left in the game. The Broncos have begun their march toward Glendale, Arizona, and the National Championship game. Will they make it? A crowd of 86,587 attended the game in Landover, Maryland.

RUNNER-UP: Frogs hop over the Beavers – TCU 30, Oregon State 21 (Touchdown Tom said: TCU 17, Oregon State 12). The Horned Frogs lived up to their preseason hype. They even survived two interceptions thrown by Andy Dalton. Ed Wesley gave the Froggies a boost on the ground, rushing for 134 yards. A crowd of 46,138 attended the game in Arlington, Texas.

REST OF THE BEST: What an ending! – LSU 30, North Carolina 24 (Touchdown Tom said: LSU 20, North Carolina 10). This game looked like a rout. The Tigers led 30-10 at the half. But the Tar Heels found themselves at intermission and fought back to almost win the game. UNC had two plays from the LSU six at the end of the game, but both passes fell incomplete. Exciting finish. A crowd of 68,919 attended the game in Atlanta, Georgia.

Time out – Utah 27, Pitt 24 (OT) (Touchdown Tom said: Utah 22, Pitt 17). With time expiring and trailing 24-21, Pitt kicked a successful field goal. But wait. Utah had called a time out just before the kick. On the second attempt, Pitt missed the field goal and thought it had lost the game. But wait. Utah had called a time out prior to the kick. The Panthers were still alive. The third kick was a charm for Pitt, but unfortunately for the Panthers, the charm did not continue into the overtime. Not a good opening for Pitt’s Dion Lewis, who was held to 75 yards. A crowd of 45,730 attended the game in Salt Lake City.

Take that Pac-10 – BYU 23, Washington 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Washington 26, BYU 24). Well-played game by both teams that went down to the wire. A crowd of 63,717 attended the game in Provo.

R-Rod drives Edsall crazy – Michigan 30, Connecticut 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Connecticut 24, Michigan 22). Poor Randy Edsall, he can’t beat Rich Rod. And watching Wolverine quarterback Denard Robinson must have made Edsall think he was seeing Pat White all over again. Denard rushed for 197 yards. Actually, UConn wasn’t as bad as the score indicated. The Huskies fumbled on the Michigan three and dropped a perfect pass on the Michigan two. It was kind of sad to see Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier, who started last year, sitting by himself on the sidelines. He’s bound to transfer. A crowd of 113,090 attended the game in Ann Arbor.

Kelly tires the Boilers – Notre Dame 23, Purdue 12 (Touchdown Tom said: Notre Dame 28, Purdue 27). A good debut in South Bend for new Irish coach Brian Kelly. Robert Marve’s two interceptions didn’t help the Boilers any. ND quarterback Dayne Crist looked solid. A crowd of 80,795 attended the game in South Bend.

Two-headed Chicken – South Carolina 41, Southern Miss 13 (Touchdown Tom said: South Carolina 26, Southern Miss 14). What’s this? Steve Spurrier may (finally) not have only one quarterback at South Carolina; he may have two – Stephen Garcia and Connor Shaw. It’s a wait and see. Garcia has given Gamecock fans false expectations in the past. And Shaw, who is just a freshman, is just that – a freshman. But he looked good. A crowd of 70,438 attended the game in Columbia.

Dogs better the Cats – Fresno State 28, Cincinnati 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Fresno State 27, Cincinnati 22). Disappointing debut for Cincinnati coach Butch Jones. The Bearcats looked good at the start, jumping out to a 14-0 lead. But it was all Fresno State after that. Neither team had a running game – only 15 yards rushing for Cincinnati and only 49 for the Bulldogs. The Bearcats A crowd of 37,238 attended the game in Fresno.

Pryor experience – Ohio State 45, Marshall 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Ohio State 45, Marshall 3). Terrelle Pryor looked good, but let’s face it, the Buckeyes were only toying around with Marshall, holding back for bigger things to come – Miami. Marshall would not even have scored had the Herd not blocked a Buckeye field goal attempt. A crowd of 105,040 attended the game in Columbus.

Mustangs broken in Lubbock – Texas Tech 35, SMU 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas Tech 29, SMU 24). But you have to admit, June Jones has SMU playing better football than it has for years. Don’t think I have ever seen a Tommy Tuberville team pass so much. Taylor Potts put up 53 tosses for the Red Raiders. A crowd of 57,528 attended the game in Lubbock.

Is he fired yet? – Missouri 23, Illinois 13 (Touchdown Tom said: Missouri 26, Illinois 19). Illinois might as well go ahead and fire Ron Zook now. Why wait until the end of the season? The Banned Indians actually led 13-3 at the half. But Mizzou’s Blaine Gabbert was too much for Illinois. Gabbert passed for 281 yards. The banned Indians suffered from three interceptions. A crowd of 58,060 attended the game in St. Louis, Missouri.

Badgers hit the tables – Wisconsin 41, UNLV 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Wisconsin 38, UNLV 15). A close game at the half – Wisconsin led 17-14 – the Badgers blew it open, scoring 24 unanswered points in the third quarter. A crowd of 31,107 attended the game in Las Vegas.

U.S.S. Dobbs sunk – Maryland 17, Navy 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Navy 25, Maryland 16). This is a good Navy team. But it is the most undisciplined and self destructive Navy team I have ever seen. With 4th-and-1 and one second on the clock, Navy chose to go for the winning touchdown instead of the tying field goal. The attempt failed. A crowd of 69,348 attended the game in Baltimore, Maryland.

Ricky lost that number – Kansas State 31, UCLA 22 (Touchdown Tom said: UCLA 24, Kansas State 17). I can’t say that Rick Neuheisel is making any progress at UCLA. If he is, it’s very slow progress – maybe too slow for most Bruin fans. Amazing game for K-State running back Daniel Thomas – 234 yards rushing. A crowd of 51,059 attended the game in Manhattan.

Grand Ole Wildcats – Northwestern 23, Vanderbilt 21 (Touchdown Tom said: Northwestern 25, Vanderbilt 17). This one went down to the wire. Vandy failed on a two-point conversion attempt near the end of the game that would have tied the score. A crowd of 37,210 attended the game in Nashville.

Joker gets Strong – Kentucky 23, Louisville 16 (Touchdown Tom said: Kentucky 30, Louisville 17). Turnovers – one fumble and one interception – hurt the Cardinals. But Louisville found a runner in Bilal Powell – 157 yards rushing. A crowd of 55,327 attended the game in Louisville.

Raiders dashed – Minnesota 24, Middle Tennessee 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Middle Tennessee 24, Minnesota 23). You know, after Middle Tennessee quarterback Dwight Dasher was suspended prior to the game last week, I was going to change my prediction in favor of Minnesota. But I couldn’t quite make myself do it. The Gophers’ Duane Bennett sure came out of nowhere – rushing for 187 yards. It will be interesting to see if he is the real thing, or just a flash in the pan. A crowd of 25,908 attended the game in Murfreesboro.

Was his mama’s favorite song Le Vie En Rose? – Michigan State 38, Western Michigan 14 (Touchdown Tom said: Michigan State 26, Western Michigan 15). The hero of this game was Spartan running back Le’Veon Bell. (Maybe she loved the song, but just couldn’t spell.) Bell rushed for 141 yards. Mark Dantonio needed a good start. A crowd of 75,769 attended the game in East Lansing.

A Cowboy’s day is never done – Oklahoma State 65, Washington State 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Oklahoma State 25, Washington State 22). So, I’m wondering is Oklahoma State that good? Or, is Washington State that bad? Probably more the latter. And what a comeback for Cowboys’ running back Kendall Hunter – 257 yards rushing. A crowd of 48,962 attended the game in Stillwater.


…AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

Ralphie rules – Colorado 24, Colorado State 3 (Touchdown Tom said: Colorado 26, Colorado State 21). There is still some life left in Dan Hawkins. The Buffaloes lead the all-time series over the Rams, 60-20-2. A crowd of 60,989 attended the game in Denver, Colorado.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Snapless in Gainesville – Florida 34, Miami (Ohio) 12 (Touchdown Tom said: Florida 42, Miami 6). It’s a good thing the Gators weren’t playing Miami (Florida). It’s a good thing they weren’t playing Gainesville High School. Not a shining debut for new Florida quarterback John Brantley. He must have been reading what Deonte Thompson said about him. I think I know what Mike Pouncey’s problem was. He missed his bro. This was probably the first time Mike has played without Maurkice beside him on the line. He was lonely. First game jitters, whatever, call it what you will. The Gators better get rid of it. They better get over it. When was the last time Florida only had 212 yards of offense? Actually, the defense didn’t play that bad of a game. Bootsie and Rockledge Gator attended the game. A crowd of 90,178 attended the game in Gainesville.

Mounties go postal on Coastal – West Virginia 31, Coastal Carolina 0 (Touchdown Tom said: West Virginia 38, Coastal Carolina 6). Had WVU not had the two fumbles the score probably would have been worse. Mountaineer defense played well, holding the Cannabeers…I mean…Chanticleers to 186 yards – 63 rushing and 123 passing. A crowd of 57,862 attended the game in Morgantown.

That’s puttin’ the butter on the Corn – Nebraska 49, Western Kentucky 10 (Touchdown Tom said: Nebraska 49, Western Kentucky 3). Huskers showed a well-balanced attack – 289 yards rushing, 247 passing. Can’t ask for much better than that. A crowd of 85,555 attended the game in Lincoln.

Dookies hit the air – Duke 41, Elon 27 (Touchdown Tom said: Duke 29, Elon 14). The Dookies may have themselves a quarterback. Sean Renfree was 31-39-0 for 350 yards. A crowd of 33,941 attended the game in Durham.

It was a red panty day in Athens – Georgia 55, Louisiana-Lafayette 7 (Touchdown Tom said: Georgia 40, Louisiana-Lafayette 9). Dawg defense held the Cajuns to 128 yards of offense. A crowd of 92,746 attended the game in Athens.

Fried Rice – Texas 34, Rice 17 (Touchdown Tom said: Texas 45, Rice 10). The Longhorns just toyed with the Owls. A crowd of 70,445 attended the game in Houston.

Comment: I was 21-6 in my first week picks – 77.8 percent correct.


AROUND FLORIDA:

Florida State pushed out Samford (Bobby’s alma mater), 59-6. A crowd of 68,438 attended the game in Tallahassee…. Miami harassed Florida A&M, 45-0. A crowd of 53,674 attended the game in Miami Gardens…. South Florida stoned Stony Brook, 59-14. A crowd of 40,201 attended the game in Tampa.

UCF spanked South Dakota, 38-7. A crowd of 34,373 attended the game in Orlando…. Florida Atlantic shocked UAB, 32-31. A crowd of 25,885 attended the game in Birmingham…. Bethune-Cookman smashed Edward Waters, 70-10. A crowd of 5,664 attended the game in Daytona Beach…. Jacksonville U. downed Old Dominion, 35-25. A crowd of 19,782 attended the game in Norfolk.


Superlatives

WEEKEND’S BEST PASSERS: North Carolina’s T.J. Yates – 28-46-0 for 412 yards; Tulsa’s G.J. Kinne – 28-43-1 for 399; East Carolina’s Dominique Davis – 27-46-1 for 383; Arizona’s Nick Foles – 32-37-1 for 360; Texas Tech’s Taylor Potts – 34-53-0 for 359; Duke’s Sean Renfree – 31-39-0 for 350; Texas A&M’s Jerrod Johnson – 28-40-0 for 322, and Wyoming’s Austyn Carta-Samuels 26-32-1 for 319.

Stanford’s Andrew Luck – 17-23-0 for 316 yards; Idaho’s Nathan Enderle – 24-37-1 for 311; Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick – 26-37-0 for 306; N.C. State’s Russell Wilson – 21-31-0 for 306; San Diego State’s Ryan Lindley – 17-26-0 for 303; Buffalo’s Jerry Davis – 21-35-1 for 302; Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett – 21-24-1 for 301; Utah’s Jordan Wynn – 21-36-1 for 283; Virginia’s Marc Verica – 24-35-0 for 283, and Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert – 34-48-0 for 281.

Kent State’s Spencer Keith – 24-35-1 for 275 yards; Houston’s Case Keenum – 17-22-2 for 274; Hawaii’s Bryant Moniz – 18-36-0 for 269; Washington’s Jake Locker – 20-37-0 for 266; Iowa State’s Austen Arnaud – 27-36-2 for 265; South Florida’s B.J. Daniels – 15-22-0 for 264; California’s Kevin Riley – 14-20-0 for 258; USC’s Matt Barkley – 18-23-0 for 257; Mississippi State’s Tyler Russell – 13-16-0 for 256, and Troy’s Corey Robinson – 25-37-2 for 252.


WEEKEND’S BEST RUSHERS: Oklahoma State’s Kendall Hunter – 257 yards; Kansas State’s Daniel Thomas – 234 yards; Oklahoma’s DeMarco Murray – 218 yards; UAB’s David Isabelle – 214 yards; Michigan’s Denard Robinson – 197 yards; Minnesota’s Duane Bennett – 187 yards, and Oregon’s Kenjon Barner – 172 yards.

Auburn’s Cam Newton – 171 yards; Louisville’s Bilal Powell – 157 yards; Western Kentucky’s Bobby Rainey – 155 yards; USC’s Marc Tyler – 154 yards; Eastern Michigan’s Dwayne Priest – 142 yards; Michigan State’s Le’Veon Bell – 141 yards, and TCU’s Ed Wesley – 134 yards.


ATTENDANCE: 113,090 record attendance at the Connecticut-Michigan game in Ann Arbor. Largest crowd ever to attend a college football game.


Quotes of Last Week

“Expectations are high again in Athens, with a new defensive coordinator (Todd Grantham), an experienced offensive line and the possibility that there still might be enough players free on bond to make it through the conference season. The Bulldogs have had eight arrests since March, the most recent involving hit-and-running back Washaun Ealey. You know, if the leg chains don’t trip them up, the Dogs actually could be decent this year,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“There are still 15,000 — 15,000! — tickets remaining for Florida State’s season opener Saturday against Samford. And now you know why Bobby Bowden was forced out after last season: Because Florida State fans were bailing out on the program at record pace and taking their ticket money and booster contributions with them. And, let’s be honest, naming Jimbo Fisher as the head coach hasn’t exactly energized the fan base,” Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi.

“Dadgum. That’s a lot of tickets,” Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher when told that 15,000 tickets for the Samford-Florida State game in Tallahassee were still unsold six days before the game.

“But when potentially nine football players get arrested between spring and opening kickoff, something is wrong. Bottom line: This falls on Mark Richt. It’s his program. It’s his responsibility. It’s on his watch. He doesn’t have to be the one drinking-and-driving. Or hitting-and-running. Or drinking-and-groping. Richt recruited these guys. Richt signed these guys. Richt is the one who ultimately determined, ‘These players will represent the University of Georgia well.’ Either he is picking too many of the wrong guys, or he’s not saying or doing enough of the right things when they get here. But don’t deny the problem,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jeff Schultz.

“If Georgia State never wins another game or scores another point, the Panthers and their fans can say this: On Sept. 2, 2010, a start-up college-football program outdrew a first-place big-league baseball club head to head. On its first time out of the box, GSU served notice that there’s enthusiasm in this city for this brand new team,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Mark Bradley, on Georgia State’s first ever football game, which outdrew the Atlanta Braves game (by 6,000) also taking place in Atlanta on the same night.

“Stuff happens,” Florida quarterback John Brantley, on the Gators’ sloppy win over Miami (Ohio).


The 20 Hottest and Most Intriguing Games of the Week … and then some

GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. Miami (Florida) (1-0) at Ohio State (1-0) – (ACC vs. Big Ten) – Last year USC and Matt Barkley came into Columbus around this time in the season. Barkley won the quarterback battle with Terrelle Pryor. Now Miami and Jacory Harris come into Columbus. If there ever was a chance for Jacory Harris to make a big mark on the game, this is it. But this Buckeye team is better than the one Barkley faced last year – better and more experienced. Canes aren’t able – Ohio State 24, Miami 20.

RUNNER-UP: 2. Penn State (1-0) at Alabama (1-0) – (Big Ten vs. SEC) – Can a freshman quarterback – Penn State’s Robert Bolden – handle the pressure of playing in Tuscaloosa? That could be the difference in the game. Actually, Joe Paterno, age 83, is fulfilling his bucket list. He’s really in Tuscaloosa to get some of those “smack you in the mouth good” biscuits. Paterno can’t surf the Tide – Alabama 24, Penn State 21.

REST OF THE BEST: 3. Florida State (1-0) at Oklahoma (1-0) – (ACC vs. Big 12) – Now I have to believe that Oklahoma didn’t have a game plan for Utah State last week. That’s why the Sooners almost lost. They have been preparing for FSU since practice began. How else can you explain it? Big opportunity for Christian Ponder. Sooners feast on Jimbolaya – Oklahoma 29, Florida State 27.

4. Georgia (1-0) at South Carolina (1-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Now the big questions: Will Steve Spurrier get consistent play from his quarterbacks? Or will it be like past years in Columbia, good one week, bad the next? And will Georgia have A.J. Green and Washaun Ealey back from their suspensions? And will Mark Richt be wearing red panties for the game? Will Uga VIII make it through the game without having a heart attack, after all that Cajun food last week? Uga can’t fry Chicken – South Carolina 22, Georgia 16.

5. South Florida (1-0) at Florida (1-0) – (Big East vs. SEC) – Speaking of questions, what Florida offense will show up this week? Hopefully, a productive one. Remember what South Florida did to FSU in Tallahassee last year. Yeah, I know, that’s when Bobby “Pushed Out” Bowden was still coaching the Noles. Gators Pouncey on the Bulls – Florida 33, South Florida 14.

6. Oregon (1-0) at Tennessee (1-0) – (Pac-10 vs. SEC) – Now, I don’t really think Oregon is going to beat Tennessee, 72-0. I’d hate for that Duck to have to do all those pushups again. Besides, Barbara Dooley would kill Chip Kelly. But, we’ll find out what Tennessee has – or doesn’t have. Dooley gets Webbed – Oregon 27, Tennessee 14.

7. Michigan (1-0) at Notre Dame (1-0) – (Big Ten vs. Ind.) – Brian Kelly is 0-1 against Rich Rod. Is Kelly going to become another Randy Edsall against Rich Rod? Rich Rod kisses the blarney stone – Michigan 24, Notre Dame 23.

8. BYU (1-0) at Air Force (1-0) – (MWC vs. MWC) – BYU may be worn out after its hard-fought win over Washington. The Falcons are no pushover. Cougars feast on Wings – BYU 30, Air Force 29.

9. Iowa State (1-0) at Iowa (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. Big Ten) – They should call this contest the Salmonella Bowl. What was with those folks from Iowa trying to poison the rest of us? Their minds must be scrambled. With the contract extension that Kirk Ferentz just got, Iowa better not lose this game. The Hawkeyes are sunny side up – Iowa 27, Iowa State 17.

10. Auburn (1-0) at Mississippi State (1-0) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Hey, did you see Miss State play last week. I know, it was only Memphis, but the Bulldogs looked good. And Bulldogs love a Fig Newton. Aubie better watch out. Who was it that said, “Mississippi State is Auburn with a Wal-Mart.” Tigers sharpen their teeth on Dog bones – Auburn 24, Mississippi State 22.

11. Georgia Tech (1-0) at Kansas (0-1) – (ACC vs. Big 12) – This should tell us how bare that cabinet is in Lawrence. And if Joshua is better than Josh. And the walls came tumblin’ down – Georgia Tech 27, Kansas 9.

12. Stanford (1-0) at UCLA (0-1) – (Pac-10 vs. Pac-10) – Will Andrew Luck have a field day in L.A.? Rick Neuheisel could use a win. Trees root Westwood – Stanford 38, UCLA 24.

13. Virginia (1-0) at USC (1-0) – (ACC vs. Pac-10) – Both teams were untested last week. This should be a good barometer. Cavaliers can’t wear the Trojans – USC 30, Virginia 20.

14. LSU (1-0) at Vanderbilt (0-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – Will LSU score any second half points this week? Will Vandy lose another close one? Will Robbie Caldwell open the door for Les Miles? If he does, will Les give Robbie a tip? Tigers pick the Commodores – LSU 33, Vanderbilt 19.

15. Colorado (1-0) at California (1-0) – (Big 12 vs. Pac-10) – Both won big last week, but this is their first real test. The Boulder hippies vs. the Berkeley hippies. Bears get the honey – California 30, Colorado 19.

16. N.C. State (1-0) at UCF (1-0) – (ACC vs. C-USA) – I’m not sure Tom O’Brien can survive another loss to UCF.  Bozo O'Brien already has one loss to the Knights.  But then UCF has its own Bozo – Clarabell O’Leary. Pack attack – N.C. State 28, UCF 26.

17. UTEP (1-0) at Houston (1-0) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – UTEP upset the Cougars last year. Handed Houston its first loss. Paybacks are hell. Miners lose the Case – Houston 37, UTEP 23.

18. West Virginia (1-0) at Marshall (0-1) – (Big East vs. C-USA) – Now if any coach knows WVU well, it’s Marshall coach Doc Holliday. Holliday was on the Mountaineer staff the past two years. That could spell some trouble for the Eers. But Holliday is a WVU grad. He played for WVU. He really doesn’t want to beat his ole school, does he? Mounties have a holiday – West Virginia 30, Marshall 14.

19. Syracuse (1-0) at Washington (1-0) – (Big East vs. Pac-10) – Syracuse is still an unknown, but the Cuse could be on the way back. Washington may take out last week’s frustrations on the Orange. By the way, speaking of Orange, did you read where Otto the Orange, the Syracuse mascot (no he wasn’t suspended), was voted the worst college mascot in the country? Poor Syracuse. Orangeless in Seattle – Washington 32, Syracuse 13.

20. Troy (1-0) at Oklahoma State (1-0) – (Sun Belt vs. Big 12) – After this week, we still may not know how good or bad Okie State is. But Troy will be tougher than Washington State. Home is the Hunter – Oklahoma State 35, Troy 17.


…AND ONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON:

21. Colorado State (0-1) at Nevada (1-0) – (MWC vs. WAC) – This could be a long season for the Rams. In two years, these teams will be in the same conference. Rams get divorced – Nevada 29, Colorado State 13.


YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:

Idaho (1-0) at Nebraska (1-0) – (WAC vs. Big 12) – Idaho? Idaho’s not in the Sun Belt. Nebraska’s going in the wrong direction. I bet Sun Valley confused them. Or, Tom Osborne needs some potatoes. Awfully bad. The Potato Heads do have a snappy little quarterback – Nathan Enderle. Huskers mash the Vandals – Nebraska 38, Idaho 15.

Duke (1-0) at Wake Forest (1-0) – (ACC vs. ACC) – I really want to pick the Dookies in this game. But I think I did last year and was sorry for it. By the way, my friend Jay Shifflette has informed me that Duke sold out its season tickets this year. And he wasn’t Bull Durhaming me either. Deacons cleanse the Devils – Wake Forest 27, Duke 25.

Wyoming (1-0) at Texas (1-0) – (MWC vs. Big 12) – I can’t figure out if Wyoming is going to be any more of a test for Texas than Rice was. Probably not. Texas Cowboys are better than Wyoming Cowboys – Texas 33, Wyoming 15.

Western Illinois (1-0) at Purdue (0-1) – (Gateway vs. Big Ten) – Okay, the Boilers get a win this week. But it may not be easy. Western Illinois is a feisty bunch. Boilers steam the Leather out of the Necks – Purdue 27, Western Illinois 18.


Comment: The Big Ten has a hand in the top 2 games this week – Miami (Florida) at Ohio State, and Penn State at Alabama. And a third Big Ten team – Michigan – could have an interesting time in South Bend. Georgia-South Carolina should be fun too.


AROUND FLORIDA:

Florida Atlantic (1-0) tangles with Michigan State (1-0) in Detroit…. Florida International (0-0) opens at home against Rutgers (1-0) …. Florida A&M (0-1) visits Delaware State (0-1)…. Jacksonville U. (1-0) travels to Appalachian State (1-0). Bethune-Cookman (1-0) has the week off.


Thursday’s Television Schedule – September 9

Central Michigan at Temple – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Auburn at Mississippi State – 7:30 p.m. ET – ESPN


Friday’s Television Schedule – September 10

West Virginia at Marshall – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPN
UTEP at Houston – 10:15 p.m. ET – ESPN


Saturday’s Television Schedule – September 11

Duke at Wake Forest – 12:00 noon ET – Raycom (ACC Game of the Week)
Georgia at South Carolina – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN2
Georgia Tech at Kansas – 12:00 noon ET – Fox Sports Network
Hawaii at Army – 12:00 noon ET – CBS-CSN
Florida Atlantic vs. Michigan State – 12:00 noon ET – ESPNU
San Jose State at Wisconsin – 12:00 noon ET – ESPN
South Florida at Florida – 12:20 p.m. ET – SEC Game of the Week
Colorado at California – 3:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
Florida State at Oklahoma – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN2
Georgia Southern at Navy – 3:30 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Iowa State at Iowa – 3:30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN2
Kent State at Boston College – 3:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Michigan at Notre Dame – 3:30 p.m. ET – NBC
Miami (Florida) at Ohio State – 3:40 p.m. ET – ESPN
BYU at Air Force – 4:00 p.m. ET – Versus
LSU at Vanderbilt – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Oregon at Tennessee – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Penn State at Alabama – 7:00 p.m. ET – ESPN
Wyoming at Texas – 7:00 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network
N.C. State at UCF – 7:30 p.m. ET – CBS-CSN
Ole Miss at Tulane – 9:00 p.m. ET – ESPN Classic/ESPN2
Colorado State at Nevada – 10:30 p.m. ET – ESPNU
Stanford at UCLA – 10:30 p.m. ET – ESPN
Virginia at USC – 10:30 p.m. ET – Fox Sports Network


In the Huddle

Elsewhere around college football . . . Memphis quarterback Cannon Smith is the son of the CEO of FedEx – Fred Smith…. N.C. State and Central Michigan have contracted for a three-game series to be played in 2011, 2013 and 2014. The first two games will be played in Raleigh. The third and last game of the series will be played in Mount Pleasant, Michigan…. Utah State and Wyoming have signed up to a four-game home-and-home series to be played from 2011 to 2014.

Florida State has added Louisiana-Monroe to its 2011 schedule and Murray State to the 2012 schedule. Both games will be played in Tallahassee…. Kansas State has added Eastern Kentucky and Kent State to its 2011 schedule. Both games will be played in Manhattan…. Auburn’s non-conference games next season will consist of Utah State, Samford, Florida Atlantic and Clemson.


Extra Points

Now that’s job security – Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz had his contract extended through 2020. Ferentz is guaranteed $3,675,000 annually, plus longevity bumps that begin at $325,000 and increase each year.

On the Internet – College Football Week now has a Website and can be found at www.collegefootballweek.blogspot.com.

On the Radio – Listen live to Touchdown Tom every Friday morning from 8:05 to 8:40 ET on the Bill Mick Live show, talking college football with Bill Mick on NEWS TALK 1240 and 1350 WMMB AM. The show streams on http://www.wmmbam.com/. To listen, go to the Web site and click on “Listen Live.”


Touchdown Tom


P.S.

Not directly college football related, but the NCAA has gone international. British Columbia-located Simon Fraser University became the first Canadian college to compete as an NCAA member when their men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams opened their seasons last week. Then on Saturday, Simon Fraser’s football team – playing by U.S. rules – hosted Western Oregon. Simon Fraser lost to Western Oregon, 38-0. Simon Fraser has become a member of the Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Not directly college football related, but UEFA, the governing body of European soccer, has banned Vuvuzelas for European Championship and Champions League matches.


Not directly college football related, but on a sad note, there were two passings of note last week – Laurent Fignon and Cammie King.

Laurent Fignon, one of France’s greatest and most enigmatic cyclists, who won the Tour de France in back-to-back years before losing the event in 1989 to the American Greg LeMond in the race’s closest finish, died in Paris last week. He was 50.

Cammie King, who as a cherubic little girl played the daughter of Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler in “Gone With the Wind,” then enjoyed something of a fan following at film festivals, died last week at her home in Fort Bragg, California. She was 76.

King was four when cast as Bonnie Blue Butler. Appearing in just a few scenes, Bonnie died when she fell off her pony. Her only other acting credit was as the voice of Faline, a young doe, in the 1942 Disney animated film “Bambi.”