If you're new around here, we're trying to figure out who wears the pants among our college football bloggers. Last week we asked them to pick five of the most intresting games of the week and rank their confidence in those games 1-5. We also also wanted to see if they could guess if 3 very big favorites would cover a very large spread against a big underdog. All in all 21 points were on the line and below are the results after one week of picking.

	Week 1 Total	Correct Picking Total %
	12/21	57.1 %
	19/21	90.5 %
	15/21	71.4 %
	11/21	52.4 %
	11/21	52.4 %
	8/21	38.1 %
	9/21	42.9 %
	21/21	100%
	12/21	57.1 %
	14/21	66.67 %
	16/21	76.2 %
	6/21	28.6%
	21/21	100%
	16/21	76.2%
	15/21	71.4%
	17/21	80.1 %
	20/21	95.2%
	12/21	57.1%

As you can see out of the gate we have a lead pack out to a great start with a deep pack of sites right behind. Some sites had a rough week but its a long season and a couple good weeks will have them right in contention.

	Michigan vs. ND	Ohio State vs. Miami	Florida State vs. Oklahoma	Tennessee vs. Oregon	Georgia vs. South Carolina
	Michigan 2	Ohio State 3	Oklahoma 4	Oregon 5	Georgia 1
	Notre Dame 3	Ohio State 3	Oklahoma 4	Oregon 5	Georgia 1
	Michigan 3	Ohio State 2	Oklahoma 1	Oregon 5	Georgia 4
	Notre Dame 3	Ohio State 2	Oklahoma 5	Oregon 1	Georgia 4
	Michigan 2	Ohio State 3	Florida State 4	Oregon 5	South Carolina 1
	Notre Dame1	Ohio State 5	Oklahoma 3	Oregon 4	Georgia 2
	Notre Dame 1	Ohio State 2	Oklahoma 5	Oregon 5	Georgia 3
	Notre Dame 4	Ohio State 3	Florida State 2	Oregon 5	South Carolina 3
	Notre Dame 1	Ohio State  4	Florida State 2	Oregon 5	Georgia 3

With the limited amount of picks in, I'll holdoff on the quantitative analysis for now but you can see that Ohio State and Oregon are both unanimous picks with Notre Dame vs. Michigan, Florida State vs. Oklahoma, and South Carolian vs. Georgia splitting the group to a certain degree.

-

Now for the will they cover segment.

	USC - 19.5 vs. Virginia	Wisconsin - 38.5 vs. San Jose State	Texas -28.5 vs. Wyoming
	Yes 3	Yes 1	No 2
	No 1	Yes 2	No 3
	Yes 3	No 1	Yes 2
	Yes 3	Yes 1	Yes 2
	No 3	No 2	No 1
	Yes 1	No 2	Yes 3
	Yes 2	No 3	Yes 1
	Yes 3	Yes 2	Yes 1
	Yes 3	No 2	No 1

Thanks for stopping by.  Enjoy the games and we'll see you next week!

Like this Miami Herald quote from Randy Shannon:

For some coaches, it will take more than one opening-season victory to move off the hot seat. However, there were a few others (e.g. Lane Kiffin, Dan Hawkins and Tim Brewster) who are afforded a temporary stay for quality victories. [eyeandeerblog]

What's pretty clear, even one week into the season, is coaches like Paul Wulff, Ron Zook and Mike Locksley may never get off the hot seat. But whether they return in 2011 may remain a financial decision by their respective institutions, and less an administrative call on quality of performance.

10. Rich Rodriguez, Michigan

Michigan's 30-10 victory over Connecticut is exactly what Rodriguez needed to quiet his critics. However, many remember how the Wolverines opened 2009 4-0, only to finish 5-7.

With Denard Robinson at quarterback and Michael Shaw at running back, Michigan's offense is going to be electrifying this fall. The Wolverines gashed the UConn defense like Rodriguez's West Virginia teams used to do.

The best news to come out of the season-opening win was the play of the defense, including nose tackle Mike Martin, who was downright dominating.

It would be easy to pull Rodriguez from this list, but with the NCAA sanctions and last year's free fall, it's going to take more than one impressive win to save him. A win this weekend against Notre Dame will make it easier on the embattled coach.

Week 2 prediction: Michigan 24, Notre Dame 16

9. Houston Nutt, Ole Miss

The odds of Nutt losing his job this season are slim, but following a huge double overtime upset loss to Jacksonville State in Oxford the coach must right the ship soon.

Nutt has built up some cache by going 18-8 in his first two seasons and reaching the Cotton Bowl twice. However, a disastrous season could set him up to be a fall guy in 2011.

The defense let the Rebels down on Saturday and that's a surprise considering six starters are back, including one of the SEC's strongest lines.

Mississippi should get to 1-1 this weekend with a road trip to Tulane.

Week 2 prediction: Ole Miss 44, Tulane 32

8. Bob Toledo, Tulane

The Green Wave squeaked past Southeastern Louisiana 27-21 thanks to some late heroics by freshman running back Orleans Darkwa, who scored the game winner in the fourth quarter. He finished with three touchdowns.

Toledo is confident he has added the appropriate talent to compete in Conference USA, but a six-point win over an FCS team doesn't build confidence.

Tulane may be willing to give their coach another season to prove he has the young talent, but the Green Wave could easily go on an 11-game losing streak starting with Ole Miss on Saturday.

If Toledo is correct that Tulane is about to turn the corner than a five- or six-win season is about the best anyone could predict right now.

Week 2 prediction: Ole Miss 44, Tulane 32

7. Greg McMackin, Hawaii

The Warriors actually played well against USC, but fell 49-36 late Thursday night. The third-year coach should be able to build off the competitive game with one of the nation's elite programs.

Hawaii amassed 588 total yards of offense, with 459 coming through the air. Quarterback Bryant Moniz completed 18-of-36 passes for 269 yards and one score before leaving the game with an injury. He missed the first practice following the loss to USC, but reports say he should be fine for this week's game.

McMackin needs a win this week, though; as Hawaii travels to Colorado the following week and a 0-3 start outside of the Western Athletic Conference is not a good way to start for a coach on the hot seat.

Week 2 prediction: Hawaii 29, Army 24

6. Ralph Friedgen, Maryland

With Maryland's 17-14 victory Monday over Navy, Friedgen is in much better shape than he was 24 hours ago. His defense played an inspired game and maintained a potent Midshipmen offense.

The Terrapins, who went 2-10 last year, entered the game as underdogs against a Navy team that went 10-4.

Friedgen has been quoted many times as saying the Terrapins luck was terrible last season and was part of the reason they struggled. If the opener is a sign for 2010, Maryland may get more breaks this season.

Friedgen will need many more breaks to keep his job ... if he wants it in 2011.

Week 2 prediction: Maryland 42, Morgan State 24

5. Ron Zook, Illinois

For three quarters of the opening game, Zook was coaching like a man who knows his job is on the line. The Fighting Illini were clinging to a slim lead over Missouri entering the fourth quarter when the wheels fell off.

Missouri scored 13-unanswered fourth-quarter points to pull out a 23-13 victory, which gives the Tigers a six-game sweep of the neutral-site rivalry game.

Zook's prospects would have been elevated greatly with a win over Missouri, but the focus the next two weeks is on winning the Illinois state championship (Southern Illinois on Sept. 11 and Northern Illinois on Sept. 18).

When conference action begins, the Illini have a treacherous three-game stretch with Ohio State (Oct. 2), at Penn State (Oct. 9) and at Michigan State (Oct. 16).

Week 2 prediction: Illinois 23, Southern Illinois 7

4. Rick Neuheisel, UCLA

Neuheisel was a borderline candidate for the Hot Seat rankings in preseason, but a 31-22 loss at Kansas State to open the season will garner enough negative attention.

He could quickly exit the list if the Bruins can rebound next week at home against Pac-10 rival Stanford.

The defense was a huge disappointment in Manhattan, Kan., but it's time for Neuheisel to realize Kevin Prince isn't good enough to be his starting quarterback. Prince completed just 9-of-22 passes in the loss.

Neuheisel's third season with his alma mater is not going in the right direction so far.

Week 2 prediction: Stanford 30, UCLA 22

3. Todd Dodge, North Texas

Dodge should have been on this list last week, so he makes his first appearance at No. 3 following a 35-10 loss to Clemson. Dodge, a high school coaching legend in Texas, hasn't been able to duplicate the magic in college.

He's now 5-32 through three-plus seasons with the Mean Green. Success for Dodge will be measured in small increments. A four-win season may be all he needs to return for a fifth season.

Finding four victories on the schedule is difficult.

Quarterback Nathan Tune showed some flashes of success in the loss. He completed 19-of-29 for 240 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions. North Texas also got 120 rushing yards from Lance Dunbar.

Week 2 prediction: Rice 32, North Texas 20

2. Paul Wulff, Washington State

Wulff is now 3-23 in two-plus years in Pullman and it's pretty clear he'll still be in single-digit victories when 2010 is complete.

The season did not start off well for the Cougars. Running back James Montgomery, a Cal transfer, fumbled on the game's first play. It took Oklahoma State just two plays to score en route to a 65-17 thumping in Stillwater, Okla.

Quarterback Jeff Tuel did manage to throw for 212 yards and one score, while completing less than 50 percent of his passes.

The loss was the Cougars' worst in a season opener since a 49-0 loss to USC in 1967.

Week 2 prediction: Montana State 28, Washington State 24

1. Mike Locksley, New Mexico

You'd be hard pressed to find anyone with any real knowledge about college football who didn't expect New Mexico to struggle at Oregon in the season opener. Losing 72-0 makes it hard for Locksley to argue he's got the Lobos headed in the right direction.

Unless Locksley knows something the rest of us don't, it's hard to see any wins on the schedule. Most coaches should be afforded more than two seasons before evaluating their progress, but Locksley forfeited some of the normal expectations with his off-the-field issues last year.

If the embarrassing losses continue to mount Locksley's head coaching days are likely done after two years.

Week 2 prediction: Texas Tech 45, New Mexico 10 [eyeandeerblog2]

With the first Saturday of college football officially in the books, it's time to dust off one of my favorite from columns from last season, my Sunday recap, which I've entitled, "20 Things I Learned From Another Saturday in College Football."

For those of you who've never read, "20 Thoughts," isn't just about who won and lost; honestly you can read that stuff anywhere. It's more, a recap of everything that ran through my mind, while I sat on the couch for 14 consecutive hours the previous Saturday. Who looked good and bad? Which announcers had the worst comments and why? Is Les Miles smarter than a fifth grader?  [aarontorressports]

Here are those 20 Thoughts on everything that happened, and if you enjoyed, be sure to come back next week for another 20 Thoughts. Also, feel free to add me on Twitter or download the AaronTorres-Sports App (for free!) for your iPhone or Android, for constant updates!

Enjoy...

1. The Most Impressive Team To Me Saturday Was...TCU: Now, I know from a strictly numbers standpoint, TCU wasn’t impressive. They were 13 point favorites, and only won by a touchdown. But it’s not that they won, or by how much, but how they did it.

Simply put, TCU wore down Oregon State with their running game. Actually, they didn’t wear them down, they overwhelmed them. Beat them down. Stepped on Oregon State’s throats and didn’t let their foot up until the final whistle blew. Seriously, think back to that game. Does one Oregon State play from the entire fourth quarter stand out? Probably not, which makes sense, since TCU won time of possession battle 39:23 to 20:37. I just wish I could’ve  found the second half TOP totals, because if I had to guess, I’d say the Horned Frogs had the ball 75 percent of the time.

More importantly to me, how TCU won, is how you judge a championship team. Not what the final margin of victory is. Not how pretty you look doing it. But can you control the clock when you have to? If a team can run the ball late in games when the defense knows its coming, they can beat anyone. If they can’t, well, they're going to get tripped up somewhere along the way. It's just gonna happen.

TCU was able to do that Saturday night, and that’s why I like them to win the rest of the games on their schedule.

2. Speaking of TCU: After we saw Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and USC win ugly this weekend, there is no doubt in my mind that this is a Top 5 team. None. Zip. Zero.

What’s most impressive to me about TCU is the athletes they have. This may be a “small school,” but they’ve got guys that could play anywhere.

For my money, Jeremy Kerley is one of the 10 best receivers in college football. The guy can do it all. Run. Catch. Run after the catch. I know that his six catches last night might not have stood out to you, but they should have. Especially considering TCU basically don’t throw the ball the entire fourth quarter. Oh, and that punt return he had in the third quarter was pretty badass too.

As for everyone else, I already love Ed Wesley. He was one of the five biggest revelations of Week 1 to me. And not just because he had 17 carries for 134 yards, but that he earned every single one of those yards, on every single one of those carries. He definitely runs with an Adrian Peterson, “Why doesn’t my daddy love me,” anger to him.

Finally, there’s Andy Dalton. What can I say; the guy has got a huge set. He’s not an elite quarterback. He may never end up in the pros. But every single time that TCU needed him to make a play, he made one.

I already can’t wait to watch these guys the next time they’re on TV.

(On a side note, as I watched Gary Patterson pace the sideline in his glasses, visor and sweaty shirt sticking to his man boobs, it got me thinking: If the camera catches him really quick, I can’t decide if he looks more like a football coach, or the most successful player on the LPGA Tour. Just thinking out loud here.

3. The Most Surprisingly Impressive Team To Me This Weekend Was… Georgia: Again, not that they won, but how they did it.

When I first looked at this matchup, I saw the makings of one of those classic Georgia games where they come out flat, go into halftime with something like a 10-6 lead, and we’re all left thinking stuff like, “Are we sure Mark Richt has a pulse? Should we send the team doctor to check on him just incase?” Then they go on to an uninspired 27-9 win, and everyone feels like they wanted to see just a little more than they got.

Which is why yesterday was such a nice suprise. Instead of the uninspired stinker, you could make the case that Georgia was the best team in the SEC on Saturday. I know their 55-7 win was only against Louisiana-Lafayette (or as they apparently want to be called, just “Louisiana.” Sorry guys, but you forfeited the right for us to take you seriously when you chose the nickname “Rajin Cajuns.” You’re Louisiana-Lafayette. End of conversation.). On a day when Florida looked more wobbly than Lindsay Lohan after a few vodka tonics, Arkansas started off slow, and Auburn almost gave up 30 points to Arkansas State, Georgia looked pretty darn good by comparison.

As for the guys on the team, here are my assessments: Aaron Murray was more composed at quarterback than I expected. Caleb King ran like a guy that isn’t ready to give up the starting running back spot. And the defense flew all over the field, something you could never, ever say when Willie Martinez was coaching them last year (unless, of course, they were flying to the wrong spots, and missing tackles). And of course they did all this without Washaun Ealey or A.J. Green.

I didn’t think this before, but I do now: Georgia just might be the best team in the SEC East. We’ll find out when they play South Carolina this weekend.

4. The Most Disappointing Team To Me Saturday Was...UConn: Actually, this should read, "The Biggest Disappointment of Saturday, Was Me." Let me explain.

You see, I'm a UConn guy, went to the school, and have watched this program go from a hatchling, slowly opening its eyes in the morning sun, to the disappointment you saw yesterday. I even used to occassionally play poker with Dan Orlovsky, now of the Houston Texans. But I'll save that story for another day.

Anyway, since the days that I was on campus, the one thing that UConn never has never had an answer for was a scrambling quarterback. Not once. I even remember sitting in the bleachers at Rentschler Field in 2004, watching West Virginia's Rasheed Marshall run through the UConn defense like a hot knife through butter, and my buddy John saying, "It looks like someone's controlling him with a joystick."

Which is why it bugs me that I picked UConn to win Saturday's game. I should have known better. And I did know better as soon as I saw Denard Robinson take the ball on the opening drive, and run through the Huskies defense like Marshall did half a decade ago. Right then, five minutes into the game I knew UConn wasn't winning. As much as things change with this program, they stay the same.

As for the rest of the season, I truthfully still think UConn will win the Big East, if only because the rest of the conference was awful this weekend (I even half-joked with my buddy that the best Big East team over the weekend was Villanova... and they're a I-AA school...and they still lost!).

Yesterday was just a bad matchup for the Huskies. But I'm still pissed at myself for realizing that after one series, instead of before the game.

5. Staying With UConn, Can We Stop Calling Randy Edsall the "Most Underrated Coach In College Football?": Because he's not. At all.

You know what he is? A guy that's great when nobody expects anything from his team. But the second that there are actual expectations, he tightens up, and gets the same look on his face that Rex Ryan does, whenever someone asks him about his diet on Hard Knocks. And Edsall's team plays the same way.

That exact scenario has played out time and time again over the last 10 years. It happened every time UConn played West Virginia during the Rich Rodriguez era (quite honestly, at this point Rich Rod should just move into Edsall's house and start banging his wife. The guy owns Edsall that bad). It happened last year when the Huskies shocked Notre Dame in South Bend, then came back the following weekend and almost lost a lousy South Florida team, in the snow, two months before they fired their coach (Seriously, how the hell do you need a last second field goal to beat a team from South Florida when it's snowing out? How? Those guys wanted no part of that game! Half of them had never even seen snow before!). And it happened again Saturday.

Here's the thing that pisses me off the most about Michigan loss: Let's look at this realistically. You're UConn. You're on the road. Michigan's got a record crowd that's ready to explode the first time something good happens. So logically, wouldn't the smart move be to run the ball and try to take wind out of their sails? Especially when you're a power running team to begin with?

If Edsall's such an underrated coach, explain to me why UConn came out and threw a screen pass on the first play of the game? Are you kidding me! Isn't that playing into Michigan's strength?! Especially, since the Wolverines just switched to a 3-3-5 defense that emphasized speed over size, and is built to take away guys making plays in space? I'm not as smart as Edsall, but I know the first rule of coaching is this: The way to neutralize speed on defense is by running right at it. And when running right at people is already the strength of your team... Don't go away from that!!!

Regardless, this is going to sound callous, but I'm serious when I say it. Edsall has flirted with other jobs and other schools for the past two off-seasons, but you know what? I hope he leaves next year. Seriously. I never see this team getting beyond the "good with the ability to pull off an upset," threshold that he has them at right now. If he wants to walk, I'll be the first one to help him pack his bags.

6. I'd Be Remiss If I Didn't Mention LSU-UNC: Wow. What a game! Even my buddy Ryan McNeil - who cares as much about college football as I do about the Tawainese Pro Ping Pong Tour- was e-mailed to tell me how exciting it was. If every Saturday night is half as good as that one, we're in for one hell of a season.

As for the game, first off, you've got to feel terrible for everyone at UNC, but T.J. Yates in particular. This is a guy whose gotten more criticism than BP during the oil spill, and had to fight off Bryn Renner all fall camp. Yet there he was Saturday night, leading two fourth quarter touchdown drives, and was within a few yards of pulling off another, and the upset in the process.

Of course UNC only got that last chance because of an LSU fumble with under two minutes to go. So why did they fumble the ball you ask? Because for some reason, the Tigers decided to run a toss play out of the pistol formation, that's why. On the "Dumb, fourth quarter coaching chart," that play ranks right behind kicking a field goal down four points, as time expires.

This is random, but you know the old saying, "There are lies, there are damn lies and there are statistics?" Well I've got a new one for you. How's this sound: There is coaching, there is bad coaching and there is Les Miles." I like the ring to that.

7. One Final Thought From This Game: I'm just really glad that America got to see what kind of football player Patrick Petersen is. I've been on the guy since he nearly stole a win against Alabama in Tuscaloosa last year, and I even mentioned him in my 50 Reasons To Be Excited About College Football piece.

Last week I did a preview podcast with Michael Felder of InTheBleachers.net, where Michael said he thought Petersen was the best pure football player in the country. After last night, it's hard to disagree.

8. Staying In The SEC, Did You See Florida?: Good God they were bad.

Now look, I understand that they were breaking in a lot of new starters. And that one game doesn't define a season. And that a win is a win, no matter how ugly it is.

At the same time though, if I were a Florida fan I'd be worried. Mainly because, this offensive line was supposed to be the strength of this team, except, umm, they were worse than anyone yesterday.

It was bad. Miami- yes the same Miami team, that won one game last year- made big fourth down stops. They plugged holes on the run. And don't get me started on all the botched snaps. A quarterback and center should never have chemistry that bad. Well unless one stole the others girlfriend the night before kickoff or something.

Still, I think this all points to a bigger problem. I thought Kirk Herbstreit brought up a good point during the LSU-UNC broadcast, when he said that he believed this offense had never recovered from the loss of Dan Mullen two seasons ago. I'll take it one step further, because I don't think they've recovered since Percy Harvin left for the NFL at the same time.

I brought this up last year, and Florida fans didn't want to hear it, but it's true.

Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey can run all day, but only when they get the ball in space. Neither can make a catch, break one arm tackle and turn a three yard gain into a 60 yard touchdown like Harvin could. That's why last year's whole offense was centered on setting up third and short situations, so that Tim Tebow could bust through for first downs. With Tebow in Denver, what the hell are they going to do this year?

Obviously this is still a good team. They're not going 3-9 any time soon. But after watching them yesterday, I don't think they're the SEC East favorites either.

9. The Team That I Feel Most Sorry For After Saturday Is Cincinnati: Because they're not the same without Brian Kelly. They're just not. Yes they might be able to sneak eight wins, and stay in the Big East championship race. But the days of them going 11-1 or 12-0 and dominating the conference are done.

Watching them last night, this is the best analogy I can come up with: You know how when some girls break up with a long-term boyfriend, they just don't know what to do with themselves? They lie around in their sweats all day, their hair is messy and they always seem to have mascara running down their face? Take Sammi on the Jersey Shore for example. Ronnie put her in a perpetual funk. She may look the same as last season. She may sound the same. But she's just not the same person as she was last year. Anyone who watches Jersey Shore knows that.

That's like Cincinnati right now. Zach Collaros is still there. So is Armon Binns. And Isiah Pead. They look the same. Their uniform is no different. But they're just not the same players. Their body language isn't the same. Their swagger isn't there. They're just...different.

And unforunately, I don't see that changing at all any time soon.

10. Speaking of Brian Kelly, I Have Only One Thought On His Debut At Notre Dame: I was really impressed with the mental toughness that his team played with down the stretch. Which we all know is kind of a big deal, since in those last few years of the Charlie Weis era, "Notre Dame and mental toughness," went together about as well as my stomach and Mexican food. Which as anyone who knows me can attest, isn't good.

Sure the offense wasn't particularly crisp at Notre Dame Saturday. And the defense needs some work. But they made plays down the stretch when they had to. Which for Notre Dame is most definitely a sign of progress.

11. Ok, One More Thought On Notre Dame: The most underrated thing of that win is this: First off, Armando Allen looks like a totally different running back from last year. I don't know if he bought Devin Hester's shiftiness off Craigslist, or started using Jose Canseco's off-season workout regimen. I'm not sure. But he isn't the same Armando Allen. In a good way.

At the same time, you know why Allen looked so good? Because Michael Floyd- a potential All-American receiver- was upfield throwing vicious blocks. The guy may have been limited in the passing game, but nobody was more important in this win as Floyd was.

And for those of you who don't know much about new coach Brian Kelly, that's him in a nutshell. He doesn't care who you are, or what you may have done in the past. To play for him, you're giving up your personal stats, for the good of the team. Or you're not playing at all.

And that's why I've said all along that I think this school will win a lot of games with him as the head coach.

12. The Tweet Of The Day: Goes to me (naturally) when I described watching new Purdue quarterback Robert Marve this way: "Watching Robert Marve play quarterback is a lot like having sex with a regular girlfriend. Not great. Not terrible. About what you'd expect."

Come on, that's funny! So funny, that you should be following me on Twitter. You can do so by clicking here.

13. Quickly Going Back To Thursday: Is it too late for me to take back my "USC is a Top 10 team," proclomation? Please, can I have a mulligan?

Just kidding. Well sort of.

Personally, I think this team will be fine long term. But in the short term... Man the defense needs some work. Missed assignments, blown tackles, dumb penalties. Whatever they could do wrong, this defense basically did.

Lucikly if you're a USC fan, I don't think there's much to worry about. First off, you've got Monte Kiffin in charge of that defense. If there's one guy in college football that you want taking over a thin defense that is going to have rely on smarts as much as skills, it's him.

Second, as Bob Davie kept mentioning in the broadcast, they were playing Hawaii. The Warriors run a gimmicky offense. They've got intimidating fans that do intimidating dances. It's just a weird place to play a football game. Guaranteed, they don't see an Samoan warriors in face paint when they go to Pullman to play Washington State in a few weeks.

Finally, I trust Lane Kiffin. Remember, this guy lost to UCLA in Week 2 last year, then a month later his team was kicking the crap out of Georgia and South Carolina. He can coach, and I trust him to turn things around.

At the same time though, think he might overturn his "no tackling in practice," rule?

14. One Quick Thought On South Carolina: I'm still not buying them. Just yet.

Buuuuuut (And there's always a but, isn't there?) at the same time, Marcus Lattimore gives them a totally different dimension that they didn't have last year. He hits the hole hard, gets yards after contact. He's the exact guy that this team needed.

I'll reserve judgement on the Gamecocks until next weekend. But if South Carolina does win, Lattimore will play a prominent role. I can promise you that.

15. Onto The Announcing: Because honestly, it wasn't that bad. What a disappointment!

One thing I did notice during the Florida-Miami game was this: Chris Spielman sounds exactly, 147 percent like ESPN NFL analyst Mark Schlereth. They're vocal identical twins. I don't know if they had the same second grade language arts teacher or what, but I'm convinced you could replace one with the other, and as long as you couldn't see their faces, you woldn't notice a difference.

16. Speaking Of Announcing: As I sat there watching the Memphis-Mississippi State game on ESPNU, I couldn't help but hear the color analyst, and notice that I knew his voice from somewhere. I just couldn't...quite...put my finger on it. Until I realized, "Wait a second, that's Herm Edwards!!" All of a sudden I was happier than JaMarcus Russell opening his medicine cabinet.

In all seriousness, can we please, please just have Herm Edwards broadcasting every game humanly possible? Monday night's, Tuesday night's, Saturday's. College. NFL. CFL. Whatever! I can't get enough of Herm!

You know what my favorite part about Herm's schtick is? He can't go two sentences without using the word, "football." It's freakin' hysterical.

For example, guys don't take the field. They take the "football field." They're not part of a team. "They're part of a football team." I know this sounds stupid, but I can't describe how funny it is. Just look out for it next time you see or hear Herm on TV. You won't be disappointed.

17. One More Note On Herm: Well, fine, if you're going to twist my arm!

I've got to say, that of all the announcing crews this weekend, Herm and whoever his partner was, had the worst chemistry by far. I'm pretty sure they have met 10 minutes before yesterday's game. They were constantly interrupting each other. There were long, awkward pauses. Honestly, it was like listening, to one, bad, three hour blind date.

You know, if on that blind date someone was using the word, "football," every other word.

18. My Favorite Commercial Of The Weekend Was Where Mack Brown and Nick Saban Play Genga: As Banja would say, "That's gold Jerry! Gold!"

Honestly, I can't decide where I've seen worse acting. In that commercial, or from Sasha Grey in this season of Entourage.

19. My One Thought On The Ole Miss Loss Is The Following: I'm lucky enough to be going to my first ever SEC football game on Septembe 18. Ole Miss-Vanderbilt. I've been looking forward to it for weeks.

But after yesterday's loss, I have no idea what to expect. Will everyone have given up on the season? Will they want Houston Nutt fired? The loss definitely put a new twist on the trip.

20. Finally, If You Thought This Week Was Exciting: Well daggummit, look at the slate for next Saturday!!

Georgia-South Carolina. Florida State-Oklahoma. Penn State-Alabama. Ohio State-Miami.

And I'll be back to do this all again next Sunday morning!

(Love the article? Hate it? Disagree with something Aaron said? Let him know by commenting below, or e-mailing him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Also, for his take on all things college football, all season long, be sure to follow him on Twitter @Aaron_Torres, Facebook.com/AaronTorresSports or by downloading his APP for FREE for your iPhone or Android!!!) [aarontorressports2]

I've got a really bad procrastination habit. Most writers do. Mine is especially chronic.

Any excuse I can come up with to avoid doing work, I'm there. Re-runs of Sportscenter? Count me in. Constant Twitter page refreshing? I can't stop. Calling up my family to make small talk? Alright, I've never actually stooped that low, although I have come close. [aarontorressports]

Yesterday, in the midst of one of those procrastination sessions, I was skimming ESPN.com and came across Matthew Berry's "Bold Predictions," piece on fantasy football. Of course I spent 15 reading it word for word, even though I don't play fantasy football.

Either way, it got me thinking about college football this year. And what were some wacky things that I thought could happen, that no one was talking about? Not stuff like "Alabama is going to lose a game," or "Florida is going to struggle without Tim Tebow." Any clown could tell you that. But what were some really, far out there predictions?

Here are 10 I came up with...

1. Ohio State Will NOT Win the Big Ten: Why not start out with a bang and ostracize half my readers, right?

My stance on Ohio State is clear: I like them. They're going to be good. Ok, really good. You can count on Jim Tressel to get his team to 10 wins every season, the way you can count on Ronnie from Jersey Shore to get to 10 vodka tonics every time he goes to a bar. It's a certainty.

But for the millionth time, aren't we getting just a little too excited about Terrelle Pryor's Rose Bowl performance? Isn't this the same guy that Ohio State fans wanted to move to tight end in the middle of October? Isn't he the same guy who was under center when Ohio State finished 103rd in college football in passing offense last year? Because I think he was.

Speaking of that passing offense, I'm not sold on these receivers. I know the numbers tell me that Dane Sanzenbacher and DeVier Posey are pretty good, but how much of their big yardage was because of soft coverage, with defenses loading the box to protect against the run? Are there not at least 10-12 receivers in college football that you'd prefer over those guys?

Then there's the schedule. Iowa and Wisconsin on the road are brutal, even though the Buckeyes own Wisconsin. However, wasn't it last year when Ohio State needed overtime to beat Iowa...at home...when the Hawkeyes didn't even have their starting quarterback??

Again, this team is good. Very good. It's not like I'm predicting them to lose six games. I'm just not predicting them to win this conference either.

2. Staying in the Big 10, Northwestern Will Win Nine Games: I know this seems crazy, until you realize that wait a second, Northwestern (Yes, that Northwestern) has won 15 games in the last two years. And even though they finished 8-5 last year, I could make a pretty compelling case they could've finished 11-2.

How? Well, two of those losses were early, at Syracuse and against Minnesota at home. Each of those teams fell apart like a house of cards by mid-October. If Northwestern plays either a month later, they beat them. That's 10 wins. The 11th easily could have come against Auburn in the Outback Bowl, when Northwestern had about 72.65 chances to put them away, and couldn't.

As for this year's team, yes the Wildcats lose Mike Kafka, but I've talked to a lot of Northwestern fans who think his back-up Dan Persa was just as good. Ok, maybe it was just one Northwestern fan. But still. In his defense though, Persa did look awfully good filling in for Kafka against Penn State last year. How good? How about 14 for 23 passing and 14 rushes for 42 yards good. For some reason I was watching that game. And believe me when I say, the kid can play.

Finally, do yourself a favor and look at their schedule. The Little Giants with "Ice Box," playing middle linebacker could get seven wins against it.

There's no excuse for Northwestern to lose any of their first five games. None. They go to Vanderbilt (new head coach), get Illinois State at home, Rice on the road (umm, 2-10 last year. Just saying.), Central Michigan breaking in a new quarterback and new head coach, and then open Big 10 play with Minnesota a week later (Sorry Gophers fans, but there are high school teams in Florida with more Division I talent than you guys have right now).

Then Northwestern gets 50/50 home games against Purdue and Michigan State. I know that Michigan State has owned Northwestern in the past, but with half the Spartans roster currently serving time in county lock-up, I don't see them beating Northwestern. Then the Wildcats travel to Indiana Halloween weekend.

Look at that schedule again. Northwestern could easily start 8-0!!

Three of their final four games are admittedly tough, with trips to Penn State and Wisconsin and a visit from Iowa. Then again, they beat the Badgers last year, and that fourth game is against Illinois, which by my calculations should be the second to last stop on the Ron Zook Farewell Tour by then. And they don't play Ohio State or Michigan, two teams that could up-end them.

Go ahead and admit it. I just talked you into Northwestern, didn't I?

3. Tennessee Will Go To A Bowl Game: Admittedly, there's no logical reason for me to pick the Vols to win six games. Even I'm have a tough time justifying it in my head.

They've got a first year coach. A first year quarterback. Less depth than Angelina from the Jersey Shore (I know, I know, it's my second reference. I'll stop.). And they return three starts on their entire offensive line. Not starters. Starts. As in, when you take every single offensive lineman on their roster, and add up all their combined starts, you get three. Total.

And I have haven't even mentioned their schedule yet. Five of their first seven games are against teams ranked in the preseason Top 25. Three (Oregon, Florida, Alabama) are against teams coming off BCS bowl games. They get Ole Miss and Kentucky late in the year, and neither of those games will be easy. So if you want to know exactly how I think they'll get those six wins, I don't have an answer. But I do think they get them.

The main reason is Derek Dooley. I was part of the SEC Spring Coaches conference call and was impressed with the guy. He's intelligent, accountable and seemingly trustworthy. No excuses. Just put on your hard hat to go to work.

But for a team that has been passed around like an orphan kid through a bunch of foster families, that's the kind of coach they need. And it seems like they've rallied around him. Every article I've read last spring and this fall has centered around the same themes, stuff like, "I can go to Coach Dooley to talk about anything," or "He listens to us," or "We trust him." Those are the kind of coaches that guys play over their heads for. And run through walls for.

SEC Championships and BCS bowl games are still a long way away on Rocky Top. But the guys that are still at Tennessee will play hard for this coaching staff. And they will get to six wins.

4. Stanford Will Win the Pac-10: Before I start, I want to say that I think USC will win the most games in the Pac-10. But we all know their situation. The only way anyone on USC's roster is going to the Rose Bowl is if they buy a ticket to the game.

So what's left after the Trojans? Everybody's on Oregon and Oregon State's bandwagon. Except this guy.

I like Stanford. I like that they've got a smart quarterback, who is only going to get better this season. I like that they've got a really, really good head coach (Even if he's a pain in the ass). I like that their schedule has USC, Arizona and Oregon State at home, and that their toughest road game is at Oregon. Honestly, does anyone remember what happened when Stanford played Oregon last year? I'm pretty sure Stanford rushed for about 9 billionty yards, and put up 51 points on the Ducks. If there's one team that was put on Earth to pound Oregon's speedy, athletic defense, it's the big hogs from Stanford.

And really, that's the biggest reason I like Stanford to win the Pac-10: That offensive line. They return four starters off last year's team, a group that ranked fifth in college football in fewest sacks allowed, and paved the way for the sport's leading rusher, Toby Gerhart. That offensive line is why I'm not concerned about the loss of Gerhart, while the rest of the country is. They're nasty. You, I or Rosie O'Donnell could rush for 1,000 yards if we were running behind it.

So give me Stanford. Give me nine wins. And give me a trip to the Rose Bowl.

5. Boise State Quarterback Kellen Moore Will Be In New York For the Heisman Trophy Presentation In December: Truthfully, when it comes to Moore, I don't expect his numbers to be any better than they were last year. The dude tossed 39 touchdowns, threw just three interceptions and was second nationally in QB rating. You could play 25 seasons of NCAA Football 2011 on your XBox and not match those numbers.

So why do I like Moore as a Heisman contender then? For starters, he returns two really good receivers (Austin Pettis and Titus Young), and basically his whole offensive line, their backups, and their backups backups. Whoever's in charge of cleaning Moore's jersey after games this year has the easiest job in Boise. He or she could go on vacation until December and nobody would notice.

More important than just touchdown numbers and returning starters, Boise is the team that everyone's going to be rooting for this year. America wants Boise to go undefeated. To challenge the big boys. To blow up the BCS. And Moore will be the face of that.

If Boise beats Virginia Tech on Labor Day- and I think they will- we're going to see ESPN and the sports media spend the next four months talking about Boise State more than Brett Favre, Tigers Woods and Michael Vick combined. They'll cover Boise State games like Fox News covers the White House. These guys are going to be everywhere. In turn, Moore will be everywhere.

And while I don't think Moore will win the Heisman, I do think that he'll get enough residual love from Boise's run to get a trip to New York.

Get your bright blue suit ready!

6. New Texas Tech Coach Tommy Tuberville Will Win Big XII Coach of the Year: If I've said it once, I've said it a million times: History is one cruel bitch (Ok, maybe I've never said that. But work with me here!).

As I got ready for this season and started reviewing last year's stuff, I was convinced that Texas Tech was right in firing Mike Leach last winter. That his time had passed. That guys weren't playing hard for him. Maybe to a degree that was true.

But then I actually looked at their 2009 season. And you know what? They won nine frickin' games. Nine!!! They beat Nebraska and Oklahoma. If Leach needed to be fired (based on, on the field results) than 95 percent of coaches in America need to go too.

With that, you know who the big winner in all this is, right? Tommy Tuberville!!!

Tuberville gets to coach a nine win team that brings back a fifth-year starter at quarterback, and their best running back. The defense will be better, if only because it can't be much worse. Basically, Tuberville has the cushiest landing of any coach in America! And because Leach left in such a stink, anything Tuberville does will be considered progress. The guy is on a free roll. It's good to be Tommy Tuberville.

I can just see the headlines now. If Tech wins 7-8 games, the season will be viewed as a "learning process," and a "transition year." If he wins nine games, we'll hear everyone on TV saying stuff like " he's really gotten through to his players," (of course no more than the previous coaching staff "got through," to them) and that Tech is "really be starting to get it." And of course if he wins 10 games he'll be considered a genius, even though the guy who had the job before him won 11 games two years ago.

Looking around the country, I don't think there's a single coach in a better position than Tuberville right now. He's the only coach in America that could lose more games than the guy he replaced, and everyone would still be satsified.

Because of it, he'll be the Big XII Coach of the Year.

7. At Some Point This Year, You'll Be Watching LSU Quarterback Jordan Jefferson and Think To Yourself, "You Know What? This Guy Really Isn't That Bad": Remember when I was talking about history being a bitch before? Your honor, I'd like to present Jordan Jefferson as Exhibit A. The poor kid was blamed for everything but the BP oil spill these last few months.

Yet, as much as everyone bags on Jefferson, here are the facts:

- LSU had NO running game last year. None. They finished the season ranked 11th in the SEC and 105th in the country in rushing yards. To my point, Charles Scott finished the year as their top rusher and he missed the last FOUR games of the season!

- You know why LSU had no running game? Because their offensive line sucked, that's why. They ranked 105th in college football in sacks allowed last year, giving up 37. Sure, some of those sacks were Jefferson's fault. A lot weren't though.

- And after all that, Jordan Jefferson really wasn't that bad. He still completed 61.5 percent of his passes, which isn't great, but still better than the following guys: Greg McElroy, Daryll Clark, Matt Barkley, Jacory Harris, Jerrod Johnson, Jake Locker, Landry Jones and Jeremiah Masoli. That's a pretty good list, no?

Now to a degree, I understand LSU's frustration with the guy. He's not the raw athlete that JaMarcus Russell was (luckily, he doesn't appear to have the taste for "Purple Drank," either). He's not the cool game manager like Matt Flynn was. He doesn't have that one crazy skill (huge arm, great speed), that gets you excited to watch him every Saturday. He's just a good, solid quarterback. And good, solid quarterbacks aren't as fun to root for as the lunatic who could throw for 500 yards or throw for five interceptions on any given day.

At the same time though, we need to remember that Jefferson was the youngest quarterback in the SEC last year, and the youngest to start the season at LSU in a long time.

My guess is despite his flaws, he'll be better this year. And that there are a lot of teams in the country that would love to have him playing quarterback for them.

8. Temple Will Be Ranked In The Top 25 At Some Point: If I really had cojones this would be, "Temple Will Upset UConn or Penn State Early in the Season." I just couldn't pull the trigger (On a side note, as a UConn alum, I'm especially terrified of the Owls, and have absolutely no idea why they would ever schedule an away game at Temple. Unless something wacky happened, like their AD took incriminating photos of our AD at last year's Women's Final Four. Which is definitely a possibility. Anywayyyyy.).

Last year Temple had a dream season (especially for those of us who bet on them every week). They won nine games, went to their first bowl game since 1970-something, and have 18 starters back to do it all again. Hide the women and children!

Bernard Pierce is a beast at running back. The guy averaged 113 yards a game last year, and if you look at his stats, barely played in Temple's first two and last two regular season games. Again, as a UConn fan going against the guy I'm terrified. Penn State fans should feel the same way.

9. South Carolina Wins 7-8 Games Again This Year, And Steve Spurrier Retires/Resigns At The End of the Season: We all know it's put up or shut up time at South Carolina. They've got their most talented team in Spurrier's six years at South Carolina. The SEC East is up for grabs. For South Carolina, the time is now.

But at the same time, I just...don't...know. They've got a manageable schedule, but not one I'd call easy. Do you really see them beating Alabama, Florida or Arkansas? Because I don't. That already takes them out of the SEC East race right there. As for everybody else, they go to Auburn, Kentucky and Clemson. Any one of those games could just as easily be wins as losses. And oh, by the way, Southern Miss isn't a pushover in Week 1 either.

As for other factors: Their quarterback may have a 10 cent arm, but we all know he's got a two cent brain. Also, this whole Weslye Saunders thing is going to hang over the progam all year. And most importantly, I just don't know how bad Spurrier wants it anymore. He says he does, but at the same time, he seems to talk about his golf game an awful lot. This is the same guy that has gone on record and said he never saw himself coaching into his late 60's, yet here he is at 65 still chugging along.

I have no proof on this one, but something tells me this is it for the Old Ball Coach.

10: No Team From A BCS Conference Will Go Into Bowl Season Undefeated: Truthfully, this one really isn't such a bold prediction.

In the SEC, the only team with a real chance is Alabama. But we all know about their schedule. Plus the idea that they're going to go 12-0 in the SEC three years in a row, then win the SEC Championship Game seems like a lot to ask. Even of a Nick Saban coached team.

The Big Ten has three heavweights at the top, that are all going to beat up on each other. Plus Iowa (at Arizona) and Ohio State (Miami) have really tough out of conference games. I just don't see any of them going 12-0.

As for the Big XII, well I like Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas. But do any of you see any of them going 13-0?

I've made my case on the Pac-10.

The ACC is going to be in for another season of contender roulette. Miami will beat Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech will beat Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech will beat North Carolina. North Carolina will beat Miami. That's just how it is. There's a reason the College Football Final guys came up with the "ACC Wheel of Destiny."

I think three or four teams in the Big East will beat up on each other.

So where does that leave us? With a season a lot like 2008, when Florida, Oklahoma, USC, Texas and Texas Tech all finished the regular season with one loss and Utah and Boise State finished undefeated.

That was an especially wacky season, and especially fun season. I expect the same this year.

And I for one can't wait.

(Love the article? Hate it? Disagree with something Aaron said? Let him know by commenting below, or e-mailing him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Also, for Aaron's take on college football all season long, be sure to follow him on Twitter @Aaron_Torres, Facebook.com/AaronTorresSports and by downloading his APP for FREE for your iPhone or Android) [aarontorressports2]

College football is thought of by many as America's most fanatical sports and this is the most exciting time of the year as we ease into our first full weekend of action.

We have a lot of GREAT college football blogs and they all talk a big game, but we're interested to see just who is the brightest mind in our group of esteemed bloggers. To figure this out we've developed a unique contest that will span the entire season.

Each week our bloggers will be given 5 games to pick the winner of and will be asked to rank their confidence in those picks from 1-5. Each bloggers will be able to earn 15 points (5+4+3+2+1), if they can pick all 5 winners correctly. The 5 games they will be asked to rank are some of the more marquee games of the weekend.

They'll then have a chance to earn 6 more points by deciding if some of the weekend's biggest favorites can cover those massive spreads. Again they'll rank their picks 3-1.

In total there will be 21 points each week and our winner will be the person who has the highest % of points earned out of points attempted. Since we hate it when that one missed ballot cost you the championship because of a computer issue, blackout, drinking blackout, honeymoon, etc, bloggers will be able to have some leeway in missing ballots. At the end of the year, if you've attempted 80% of the total points of the season, you'll be eligible for our surprise prize (we don't know what it will be). Without further ado here are the first week of picks from our bloggers in the pickem component of this challenge.

Next week, we'll tally the points in our standings and show you our picks for another big slate of games.

	Boise State vs Virginia Tech	North Carolina vs. LSU	Notre Dame vs. Purdue	TCU vs. Oregon State	BYU vs. Washington
	Virginia Tech (5)	LSU (2)	Notre Dame (4)	TCU (1)	Washington (3)
	Boise (2)	LSU (3)	Notre Dame (5)	TCU (4)	Washington (1)
	Virginia Tech (2)	LSU (3)	Notre Dame (4)	TCU (5)	Washington (1)
	Virginia Tech (4)	LSU (3)	Purdue (2)	TCU (5)	Washington (1)
	Virginia Tech (2)	LSU (5)	Notre Dame (4)	TCU (1)	Washington (3)
	Virginia Tech (5)	LSU (2)	Notre Dame (1)	TCU (3)	Washington (4)
	Virginia Tech (2)	LSU (5)	Notre Dame (3)	TCU (1)	Washington (4)
	Boise (1)	LSU (2)	Notre Dame (3)	TCU (4)	BYU (5)
	Boise (5)	LSU (3)	Notre Dame (1)	Oregon State (2)	Washington (4)
	Virginia Tech (5)	LSU (3)	Notre Dame (2)	TCU (4)	Washington (1)
	Boise (2)	LSU (5)	Notre Dame (4)	TCU (3)	BYU (1)
	Virginia Tech (3)	LSU (1)	Notre Dame (2)	Oregon State (5)	Washington (4)
	Boise (5)	LSU (4)	Notre Dame (2)	TCU (3)	BYU (3)
	Boise (2)	UNC (1)	Notre Dame (4)	TCU (3)	BYU (5)
	Boise (2)	LSU (5)	Purdue (1)	TCU (3)	Washington (4)
	Boise (1)	LSU (5)	Notre Dame (4)	Oregon State (3)	BYU (2)
	Boise (1)	LSU (5)	Notre Dame (2)	TCU (4)	BYU (2)
	Virginia Tech (3)	LSU (2)	Notre Dame (4)	TCU (1)	Washington (5)

What can we infer from these numbers?

- LSU was the most picked team with the suspensions to the North Carolina team. Only 1 out of 15 bloggers picked the Tar Heels and LSU received 41 total confidence points compared to only 1 for UNC.

- Notre Dame and TCU were also popular picks with our bloggers both picking each 13 out of 15 picks. Notre Dame outscored Purdue 39-3 on confidence points with TCU getting 40 compared to Oregon State's 7.

- Washington vs. BYU was more of a tossup with a 11-4 split in favor of Washington. Washington garnered 30 confidence points while BYU garnered 14. Although BYU only received 4 picks, two of them were for 5 confidence points.

- In the weekends biggest game, our bloggers were virtually split on Virginia Tech vs. Boise State with a 8-7 voting tally in favor for the Hokies. Even though this was a tough game to pick, 1/3 of our ballots had this game as their most confident pick. In total Virgnia Tech received 28 confidence points compared to 19 for Boise State. Essentially Virginia Tech seemed to be a more confident pick while Boise backers were hesitant to really endorse the pick.

Now for the will they cover segment.

	Nebraska -38 vs. Western Kentucky	Alabama -37.5 vs. San Jose State	Oregon -34 vs. New Mexico
	No (1)	Yes (2)	Yes (3)
	Yes (3)	Yes (2)	No(1)
	No (2)	No (1)	Yes (3)
	Yes (3)	No (1)	No (2)
	Yes (1)	No (3)	Yes (2)
	No (1)	Yes (2)	No (3)
	No (3)	No (2)	No (1)
	Yes (3)	Yes (2)	Yes (1)
	Yes (3)	No (2)	No (1)
	No (1)	Yes (2)	Yes (3)
	No (3)	No (2)	Yes (1)
	No (3)	Yes (2)	Yes (1)
	Yes (3)	Yes (2)	Yes (1)
	No (3)	Yes (2)	No (1)
	No (1)	Yes (2)	Yes (3)
	No (1)	Yes (2)	Yes (3)
	Yes (3)	No (1)	Yes (2)

Oregon received 10 votes saying they'd cover the 34 point spread in the first game in the post Masoli era.

Bama even without Ingram was picked to cover by 9 bloggers compared to 6 dissenting.

The only game where our bloggers thought that the favorite would not cover was Nebraska and the 38 point spread against Western Kentucky.

Thanks for stopping by this new competition for Bloguin. We're excited to see just how smart or misguided some of our guys are. Enjoy the games and we'll see you next week!

Are you ready for some football? After a long off-season with NCAA sanctions and injuries throughout camp, we have finally made it to week 1. As usual, week 1 will be very interesting, with some great matchups and possibly major upsets. Some of the matchups this week could make or break a team for a BCS bid like Boise St. and TCU. Other teams like Notre Dame will show off a new regime under Brian Kelly. Here are the top 5 five games to watch: [xtrapointfootball]

Boise St. at Virginia Tech

You never hear Boise St, or even a non-BCS team, mentioned as the matchup of the week. However, with a National Championship at stake and a Monday night matchup versus a top program like Virginia Tech, it is time to accept it and see if the Broncos are for real. For Virginia Tech, they also have a lot to prove. If they beat third ranked Boise State, then they could be the front-runner to win the ACC. It's a Monday night matchup, what else could you ask for?

Oregon State at TCU

One of the biggest games in recent years, TCU will face Oregon State in a matchup that will be full of offense and weak defenses. Andy Dalton (QB) for TCU and Jacquizz Rodgers (RB) for Oregon State will lead their respective offenses. This game is going to be a shootout.

LSU at UNC

In usual circumstances, this matchup would be highly touted. However, with the recent 16 suspensions against UNC, they have no chance of beating an experienced LSU team. LSU wins this game in an easy fashion.

Purdue at Notre Dame

These teams might not be ranked, however this game is going to be a battle and a game that you should not miss. This is an evenly matched game, with new faces at QB and experienced defenses. Be sure to tune in.

Kentucky at Louisville

This matchup is not as exciting as the rest.  These two teams will be led by two new head coaches, Joker Phillips for Kentucky and Charlie Strong for Louisville.  This game is important to both programs, as whoever wins will have the momentum into the coming weeks.

Player to Keep Your Eye On: Kellen Moore, Quarterback, Boise State. He will be tested this week with an always-stingy Virginia Tech defense. Will he be able to handle the pressure of the big game and the Hokie defense?

Tailgate Items of the Week: Let's keep it simple in the first week of the season, Burgers and Hotdogs. It's the classic food that everyone loves to eat at any sporting event, so selecting Burgers and Hotdogs was a no brainer as fans will be excited to get back in the swing of things with the typical tailgating food. Change things up a bit by using pepper jack cheese instead of the usual varieties. - Jared Levine

Jared is Journalism and Sports Administration major at the University of Miami providing introspective, insight, information and opinion on the world of College Football.

[xtrapointfootball2]

The Big Ten announced Wednesday the divisional alignments for the 2011 and 2012 football seasons. The addition of Nebraska next year allowed the conference to switch to a divisional format and play a conference championship game -- in 2011 it will be played at LucasOil Stadium in Indianapolis. [risenorthwestern]

Northwestern was placed in a division with Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Nebraska. The other division contains Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue, Penn State and Wisconsin.

"We focused on competitive equality, traditional rivalries and geography," Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney said. "We considered multiple models and countless permutations in an effort to achieve the most competitively balanced divisions while at the same time respecting our traditions, preserving existing rivalries, and creating opportunities for the establishment and growth of new rivalries. We have listened to the feedback from our institutions, alumni and fans, and while we understand that no final alignments could possibly satisfy all of our constituents, we believe that we have achieved a very exciting result."

Delaney promised competitive balance between the conferences and he sure delivered on that promise. You can argue the big four teams in the conference are Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State and Penn State. They were split down the middle. The next tier would be Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue and Michigan State. Split down the middle. You might argue out of the remaining four teams, Northwestern and Minnesota have been the best recently.

In that sense, it feels like the Wildcats are in a harder division. But getting Michigan, at least for now, in the division is a big plus for NU's immediate prospects at having a chance to make the conference title game. With the way the Cats have played under Fitzgerald, you might feel comfortable saying they have the third or fourth best team in the division -- sorry Michigan. NU is in a good position. But of course we will not know anything until we play the games next year.

So here is how the schedule will break down. For the moment, there will still be only eight conference games. Each team will play the five other teams in its division and then three inter-divisional opponents.

There is a protected rivalry included in those three games. Northwestern's protected rivalry is Illinois, guaranteeing the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk Land Of Lincoln Trophy is played for every year. It also preserves the team's biggest rivalry -- at least, until Io_a recognizes NU as a rival and being divisional foes should help that.

"The Big Ten has done a great job of creating two competitive divisions that will feature entertaining football," Coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "I'm excited that we can maintain our Land of Lincoln trophy game against the Fighting Illini. That's a rivalry that both schools really look forward to, and be able to have that game as our protected rivalry is something that we'll look forward to each year."

The 2011 and 2012 conference schedules are set.

The Cornhuskers' first Big Ten game will be at Camp Randall Stadium against the Badgers on Oct. 1, 2011. They open their home slate against the Buckeyes a week later. Quite an entrance for Nebraska.

The Cats will open the 2011 conference slate with that rivalry game against the Illini. Why it was not held until the end of the season, I don't know. Seems like this rivalry should have been saved for the end of the season. But I guess the conference did not want the potential of a rematch of inter-division teams that close to the championship game. But Michigan and Ohio State will still play each other at the end of the year.

Opening the conference schedule with Illinois pretty much ends any thought of making the NU-Illinois game a bi-annual occurrence at Wrigley Field -- unless the Cubs do the right thing and just forfeit all their games after August, when they have been eliminated from playoff contention anyway (you know I am kidding, Cubs fans).

Curiously, the Illinois-Northwestern matchup is returned to the final week of the season in 2012.

The Cats get their first look at the Cornhuskers since the 2000 Alamo Bowl on Nov. 5 when they travel to Lincoln.

The questions about the schedule will have to buzz around for another year. As Pat Fitzgerald says, it is time to flush this news and get ready for Saturday's opener. [risenorthwestern2]

Here is what you'll see each week in the Bloguin Heisman Poll:
-The Top 5 total votegetters and quotes from bloggers in support of their candidates.
-A list of all players that receive votes in the Bloguin Heisman Poll
-Poll Notes that look at some of the interesting facts, figures, and trends of the poll. 
-The BHP Roll Call of voters and the links to their respective blogs.

Without any further adieu, on the eve of the 2010 College Football Season, here is the 1st Bloguin Heisman Poll...

1) Terrelle Pryor (QB-Ohio State) - 39 Points, 31.20%, 9 1st Place Votes

* Looks to build off a mean Vince Young impression after breakout Rose Bowl victory over a very good Oregon team last year, Pryor has all the tools.  He has to get more consistent, but he has a top title contender in Columbus, something voters love (best player on best team, ala Ingram at Alabama).  If Ohio St. gets a BCS title game bid, and Pryor tops 3,000 yards passing,  20+ td passes with single-digit INT's, and rushes for 600-700 yards, Pryor should take home the trophy. 
-Sean Hawkins, WSU Football Blog

* Pryor is back with a vengeance this season after having a great sophomore season and finishing up with a breakout performance in last years Rose Bowl. It appears that the "Sweater Vest" and Pryor are actually on the same page and that many of his teammates have bought into his hype. With stat padding games like Ohio, Marshall and Eastern Michigan and the marquee television match-ups all at home (Miami, Penn State and Michigan), Pryor should have the numbers and exposure to lift the stiff armed trophy come September.
-KGG, Subway Domer

* I am buying what Ohio State and Pryor are selling this season.  I love Pryor's skill set, and I believe this is the year he puts everything together and really breaks out.  Last year's passing stats were modest, completing 56.6% for 2,087 yards with 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.  He also rushed for 779 yards and seven more touchdowns.  I think we'll see around 2,500 yards in 2010 with a decrease in interceptions and another 800 or so rushing.  If he displays some moxie and leadership in big games, he'll likely stay near the top of my list.  He showed me a lot in the Rose Bowl last season, and I think that carries over to 2010. 
-Kris Brauner, Saturday Night Slant

2) Mark Ingram (RB-Alabama) - 25 Points, 20.00%, 5 1st Place Votes
*Note: Most ballots were sent in before news of Ingram's injury broke Tuesday.

* Don't actually think he'll win it, based more on how good his teammates are (Especially Trent Richardson), than anything he will or won't do. But it's Week 1, and Ingram deserves the nod.
-Aaron Torres, Aaron Torres Sports

* We were on the Ingram bandwagon all last season and were excited for the prospect of him battling to challenge Buckeye legend Archie Griffin as a two-time winner.  But, the presence of Trent Richardson and now his knee injury will make that task even more difficult.  Still, Ingram is the hardest, most fierce runner that college football has seen in years.  If he comes back with a flourish in some marquee games, his stats and more importantly the hype he gets from ESPN, could catch him up in a hurry.
-Ryan Yoder, Randall Simon's Sausages

* Should continue to shine in Bama's run-first system, but the emergence of co-star Trent Richardson could prevent Ingram from repeating.
-Cody Strahm, Phins Focus

3) Kellen Moore (QB-Boise State) - 12 Points, 9.6%, 0 1st Place Votes

* Moore is going to put up crazy numbers again and if the Broncos defeat Virginia Tech in the opener it's going to be hard to dismiss him again this season. The pollsters are starting to show Boise some real love, so it's time for the Heisman voters to do the same.
-Tom Perry, Eye and Eer Blog

* He has the arm and the abilities. What is not for certain is will he and his team have the respect in 2010? Earn the respect and he could earn the trophy.
-Flounder, Leftover Hot Dog

4) Jake Locker (QB-Washington) - 9 Points, 7.2%, 2 1st Place Votes

* This kid is crazy gritty. He wins, and he does everything imaginable on the way to that. He runs, he throws, he scores. He wins.
-Elliott Roberts, Bama Sports Report

* I have drank so much Jake Locker kool aid that I think he's the next coming of John Elway. Washington will probably suck, but I think he can pull off an invite to New York anyway.
-Scott King, Bearcats Blog

5) Case Keenum (QB-Houston) - 7 Points, 5.6%, 2 1st Place Votes

* After putting up ridiculous numbers in 2009, Keenum’s numbers will be too hard for the Heisman voters to overlook.
-Ian Bethune, Sox & Dawgs

* Here is the token small school guy who will put up tons of stats. Keenum is a good quarterback and put up numbers last year. He will need to do that again and win to get Heisman consideration.
-Philip Rossman-Reich, Rise Northwestern

Also Receiving Votes - Ricky Dobbs (QB-Navy) 6 pts, Ryan Mallett (QB-Ark) 5 pts, Michael Floyd (WR-ND), Dion Lewis (RB-Pitt), Jacquizz Rodgers (RB-Or St) 3 pts.  Jacory Harris (QB-Mia), Andrew Luck (QB-Stan) 2 pts.  Adrian Clayborn (DE-Iowa), Ryan Williams (RB-VT), Jon Clay (RB-Wisc), Patrick Peterson (CB-LSU), LaMichael James (RB-Ore), DeMarco Murray (RB-OU) 1 pt

Poll Notes 
-Terrelle Pryor and Mark Ingram are the runaway preseason choices.  They total 64 out of 125 total points (51.2%) in the initial poll.  All other votegetters total 61 points (48.8%).  
-Pryor appeared on the most ballots - 17 out of 21.
-Outside the Big 2, Kellen Moore appeared on the most ballots with 8 2nd or 3rd place votes.
-Quarterbacks and running backs dominate the poll as the only players to appear on multiple ballots.  The only first place vote not given to a QB or RB was Michael Floyd of Notre Dame, a wide receiver.  -After Ndamukong Suh's dominant year last season, 2 defensive players make the poll to start the 2010 season... albeit at the bottom - Iowa's Adrian Clayborn and LSU's Patrick Peterson each received 1 3rd place vote.
-A few Cinderella candidates emerge in the preseason list.  Along with Kellen Moore, Case Keenum (2 1st place votes) and Ricky Dobbs (2 1st place votes) are quarterbacks from non-BCS schools who appear on the list.

Bloguin Heisman Poll Roll Call
Aaron Torres Sports - Aaron Torres
ACC Rivals - ACC Rivals Staff
Bama Sports Report - Elliott Roberts
Bearcats Blog - Scott King
Blatant Homerism - Allen Kenney
Eye and Eer Blog - Tom Perry
Hawks Highlights - Deborah Horton
Lambeth Field - Hamilton Riley
Leftover Hot Dog - Flounder
Phins Focus - Cody Strahm
Randall Simon's Sausages - Matt Yoder, Ryan Yoder, Brandon Yohey  
Rise Northwestern - Philip Rossman-Reich
Saturday Night Slant - Kris Brauner, Kenny Hill
SEC Rivals - Darrell Owenby
Sox & Dawgs - Ian Bethune 
Subway Domer - KGG
UO Sports Dude - Keith Becker
WSU Football Blog - Sean Hawkins

I love Jeremiah Masoli the football player. One of my favorite Ducks of all time. Half of "I Love My Ducks" is dedicated to him, and on the field, he truly is sicker than e-coli.

The only problem, as we've found out, is that he's not such a great guy off it. [uosportsdude]

Which, as an Oregon fan, makes it difficult to form an opinion on the NCAA's denial of his request for eligibility.

On one hand, I love watching him play. He's a Heisman-caliber talent, and him leading a mediocre Ole Miss team in the rugged SEC would be one of the top story lines in college football.

I'll never forget watching his two years at Oregon. Fifth string back-up in fall camp to best player in the conference in less than a full season? Amazing. The Civil Wars, the Holiday Bowl, USC on Halloween, double overtime in Arizona.

But then stuff happened. He blew his second chance, and months later his third. His rope with Chip Kelly ran out. So what'd he do? He fled town, looking for anywhere to keep his football dream alive.

Everything was going swimmingly for Masoli until yesterday. When the NCAA stepped in, and for once, made the right move.

If Masoli isn’t eligible at Oregon this year, why should he be eligible anywhere else?

He messed up. Twice, badly. He pleaded a felony charge down to a misdemeanor.

I'm glad the NCAA took a stand and set this precedent.

No football player should be able to finagle his way out of a suspension by getting a joke 45-credit sociology degree and transferring to another institution for "graduate school" because it offers a different program than Oregon. Parks and Recreation? Really?

I don't know why we're all of a sudden so shocked by the NCAA's decision. It's right there in it's bylaws:

"NCAA Bylaw 14.5.1.3 Disciplinary Suspension. A student who transfers to any NCAA institution from a collegiate institution while the student is disqualified or suspended from the previous institution for disciplinary reasons (as opposed to academic reasons) must complete one calendar year of residence at the certifying institution. (Revised: 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97)"

Here's a direct quote from Rich McGlynn in the prior precedent setting case:

"What are you going say, 'hey, I got arrested at another school, so can I come play here?'"

Sorry Masoli, I love watching you play, but it just wouldn't be right.

[uosportsdude2]