Parity and Injury

Another crazy week of college football. Four top tens fell and one barely escaped a conference cellar-dweller. I was pretty down after the IU game but there was plenty of great action throughout the rest of the day to keep me entertained. I think the biggest thing to take from this weekend is that teams with one loss are far from done. Oklahoma can still make the national championship game, USC can still make a run, Virginia Tech might have a shot. Writing these teams off for losses in the first month of the season is premature and if they can run the table, they might get a shot.

Observations From the Couch
-The Big Ten no longer has a national title contender. Iowa has too many tough road games left to run the table. Penn State looked horrible on national television and the voters will not put Ohio State in the national title game with a loss. The conference race for the Rose Bowl berth will be intriguing but it will not have national title implications. I hate to say it but that is probably deserved. The rosters in the Big Ten are not good enough to compete with the top teams in the country and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

-There could be two "BCS busters" this season. Boise State will certainly reach a BCS game if they can run the table. The Broncos will be favored by at least twenty points in every remaining game on their schedule and the victory over Oregon is improving every week. TCU beat Clemson 14-10 in Death Valley and moved up to #11 in the rankings. If they can complete a difficult Mountain West schedule without a loss, they will crash the party as well. The Houston Cougars beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders 29-28 in an awesome game late Saturday night. That gives the Cougars two victories over Big 12 opponents (OK State and Texas Tech). Houston's toughest remaining game is at Mississippi State in two weeks. The Bulldogs outplayed LSU in Starkville on Saturday so it will not be easy. Two of these three teams could end up in a BCS bowl in January. I will be rooting for them.

-Should Tim Tebow have been in the game when he got crunched by Kentucky and sent to the hospital? If I were coaching Florida, he would not have been in there. But I am not and Urban Meyer has a history of leaving his starters in. This is the way he operates and I don't think he should take the blame for Tebow's injury. It will be interesting to see how the concussion affects Tebow. He uses his body as a weapon and concussions come much easier after the first one occurs. Florida cannot win a national title without him.

-The U is not all the way back. They were stymied by the weather and the defense of the Virginia Tech Hokies. Make no mistake, VT was better but the rain hurt Miami's offense. Jacory Harris had a bad game and Miami never got their offense on track as the Hokies blew them out 31-7. Freshman Ryan Williams carried the ball 34 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns. I said in my week preview that Williams was a stud. I didn't know he was this good. Miami is on their way but Virginia Tech still rules the ACC.

Kudos
-Congratulations to the South Florida Bulls. Head coach Jim Leavitt had been fighting to get Miami and Florida State on the schedule for a few years and he finally got them. Unfortunately, star quarterback and team leader Matt Grothe tore his ACL the week before their contest with the Noles. Enter redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels. Daniels, ironically from Tallahassee, was ignored by Florida State because of their belief in Christian Ponder. The freshman sparkled and the Bulls defense shut down FSU's offense for a 17-7 victory in the Seminoles house. Jim Leavitt was quoted as saying "You have to beat them to get talked about, now we should be talked about." Indeed, if USF can maintain this kind of play they are the chief threat to Cincinnati's quest for a second straight Big East title.

-The Oregon Ducks looked awful in their opening game against Boise State. They didn't look very good in week two against Purdue but escaped with a win. Week three was a little bit better as they pulled away from Utah late in the game. California came in with a chance to solidify their top ten ranking and keep their national title hopes alive. Kudos to the Ducks and new head coach Chip Kelly for turning their season around and whacking the Bears 42-3. They completely dominated the game. Oregon outgained Cal by more than 300 yards and held Jahvid Best to 55 yards.

-The Alabama Crimson Tide are the best team I have seen play this season. They destroyed the Arkansas Razorbacks 35-7 in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday to move to 4-0. Their win over Virginia Tech on opening night looks better after the Hokies took down Nebraska and Miami to move back into the top ten. The running game is very good with Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram. The defense is flat out nasty. However, this team is the best team in the country because of their new found explosive passing game. Greg McElroy threw for 291 yards and three scores. Julio Jones is the best wide receiver in the country but he is not the only weapon. They have several other options that can stretch the field. Marquis Maze looks like a legitimate number two wide receiver. The only negative from this game was the loss of talented linebacker Dont'a Hightower to a knee injury.

-I think everyone bought into Washington a little too early. To have them ranked after beating USC was a little premature and Stanford exposed them on Saturday. Jim Harbaugh continues to impress as a coach and the Cardinal blasted the Huskies 34-14 to improve to 3-1. UW will be much better this season than they were last year but they are not a Top 25 team.

Shame on You
-Penn State jumped out to a 10-0 lead over Iowa. They were playing in a "revenge game" at home in front of a primetime white-out crowd. Game over right? Someone forgot to tell the Hawkeyes they were supposed to lay down and die. Iowa is good but Penn State crapped the bed for the rest of the game and dashed their title hopes. The Nittany Lions had four turnovers and Daryll Clark looked horrible. His Heisman Trophy candidacy is over and Penn State was exposed by the Hawkeyes for the second year in a row. Iowa has now won seven of eight against Penn State.

-California does this every year. They get off to an encouraging start and people begin to believe in the Bears from Berkeley. But, every year they manage to completely fall apart and not show up for a couple of weeks. Jeff Tedford has done a nice job at Cal and they are a Top 25 team but they will not be able to take the next step as long as he is the coach. Jahvid Best will not win the Heisman Trophy and the Bears appear on their way to another Holiday Bowl.

-Shame on Danny Hope. The Purdue Boilermakers played a bad game for most of the night but a very good comeback left them ahead of Notre Dame with three minutes to play. The Boilers were up 21-17 but Jimmy Clausen had plenty of time to make a comeback. So, instead of blitzing the hobbled quarterback, Purdue only pressured with four men and they gave the Irish receivers plenty of cushion on routes. ND marched down the field. They ran the ball on second and goal and appeared to be getting ready to spike the ball with about 35 seconds left. That would set up a fourth and goal. For some reason, Hope called time out with 38 seconds left to give the Irish two shots at the end zone. They failed on third down but Clausen completed a pass to his tight end and the Irish escaped with a 24-21 win. This Notre Dame is mediocre but Charlie Weis' job has been saved by brain farts for two straight weeks (interception by MSU and timeout by Purdue).

One injury note, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin is out for the season with a torn ACL. This is really bad news for a Baylor team that I really liked and one of the most exciting players in college football. Baylor would have been a tough out in Waco but they now appear to be headed back to the basement for at least a year.

I will preview week number five on Thursday. Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.

That Hurts

I did not see this coming.  The Indiana Hoosiers had been improving each week and I thought they could be competitive for a quarter or two.  But this was The Big House.  Michigan was 3-0 and ranked in the Top 25.  IU had not won there since the 60s.  There was no way they could make this compelling.  Everyone was wrong, the Hoosiers outplayed the Wolverines and had them on the ropes.  They were down by three but had plenty of time to go on a drive to tie or win the game.  That was when the referees gave the Wolverines the game and ended the Hoosiers chance at the upset.  I don't care what anyone says, that final "interception" was simultaneous possession.  The rules state that when there is simultaneous possession, the ball goes to the offense.  There is no judgement call, it is in the rules.  Indiana got robbed because the Big Ten needs Michigan to be in the national spotlight and a loss to IU would have hurt.  

Okay, that rant won't solve anything but it is the truth.  I give credit to Tate Forcier for the game winning drive he orchestrated, he played well in the fourth quarter.  IU lost and it hurts to come that close but there are a lot of positives that came out of the game. 

Darius Willis is For Real

I was extremely impressed with the Indiana running game, particularly redshirt freshman

 Darius Willis.  Willis ran for 152 yards with two touchdowns.  He had a 9.5 yards per carry average which included the 85 yard touchdown run that put the Hoosiers back on top late in the game.  Willis has speed to burn, he can break tackles and he appears to have great vision in the backfield.  Indiana fans should be very excited, it looks like the Hoosiers have a feature running back.  The running game produced 190 yards with an average of six yards a carry.  An impressive performance for the pistol offense.

Middleton and Kirlew Wreak Havoc

Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew put pressure on Tate Forcier all day.  They both consistently got into the backfield and made plays.  Middleton had two sacks and six tackles.  Kirlew had seven tackles including two for a loss.  Pressure on the quarterback is one of the most important things a defense can do and IU has two players that can apply it.  Even the mobile Forcier had a difficult time escaping the pressure.  Michigan has a high-powered offense and I think Indiana's defense did an admirable job against them.  

Great Play-Calling

Offensive coordinator Matt Canada and head coach Bill Lynch developed an outstanding game plan for this Michigan defense.  I loved the triple option they implemented for the Wild Mitch formation.  I thought the run and pass balance was spot on.  The "swinging gate" play they ran for a nice screen pass to Willis was effective.  The Hoosiers threw the kitchen sink at Michigan and it almost got them the win.  

Chappell Manages the Game

I know "managing the game" can take an ugly connotation.  I mean it as a compliment.  I was extremely impressed with the Hoosiers quarterback on Saturday.  Chappell was 21-38 for 270 yards.  He did have a interception but, as previously discussed, that was bogus.  Chappell didn't force anything and I think he has proven to be a capable passer.  If the running game can continue to be effective, Chappell will get his chance to throw deep.  The Hoosiers outgained Michigan 467-372.  

If everything was positive, Indiana would have won.  There were a few mistakes that cost Indiana the game.  

Red Zone Miscues

IU had five trips inside the red zone and should have come out of them with at least three touchdowns.  But, they only came up with one TD and four field goals.  Kudos to kicker Nick Freeland for hitting four of five kicks and not having any blocked but IU needs to do better in the red zone.  They did not get stuffed at the goal line or anything but they couldn't get in on several plays inside the ten yard line.  If IU could have converted even two of their red zone chances, they win.  

Carlos Brown Carves Up Defense

I don't know why Michigan stopped giving Carlos Brown the ball.  He killed the Hoosiers in the

 first quarter with screen passes to the outside.  IU didn't miss any tackles on him, he just blew past them.  For some reason, Michigan tried to work Brandon Minor and Denard Robinson into the game.  Brown ended up with 85 yards rushing and 61 yards receiving but he only touched the ball 13 times.  I think Michigan had a mismatch they didn't exploit enough.  

There are not many negatives to the best performance I can remember from the Hoosiers in a while.  If IU can produce the same kind of effort every week, they will be going back to a bowl game.  I don't see them beating Ohio State next week but if they play like they did Saturday there are at least three wins left.  Illinois, Northwestern, Virginia, Purdue and Wisconsin are all winnable games.  

Tomorrow, I will wrap up a crazy week in college football.  Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.  

The Big Ten Begins

I am excited for another great Saturday of college football. There are a lot of intriguing games and several teams are beginning a long stretch of conference play. I have several questions that need answers: Is Purdue the team that drilled Toledo and should have beaten Oregon or the team that got dominated by Northern Illinois? Will USC struggle for a second straight week (I know they won't lose to Washington State but will they have a hard time)? Can Ole Miss live up to their ranking? Will Penn State be able to get revenge on Iowa? Does Houston beat their second Big 12 team and stay undefeated? Can't wait!

Five Games To Watch
5. Notre Dame at Purdue (8:00 on ESPN)
Notre Dame was shocked by Michigan and they should have lost to Michigan State. A loss to Purdue would pretty much seal Charlie Weis' fate. Weis needs to finish at least 9-3 to keep his job and he can't afford a 2-2 start. They will be playing without their top receiver because Michael Floyd is out for the regular season with a broken collarbone. I don't think Weis deserves the axe. His offense has been really good. The problem is Jon Tenuta's defense which has given up over 30 points each of the past two weeks. Purdue needs to bounce back after a very disappointing loss to Northern Illinois. This is a night game at Ross-Ade Stadium and the fans should be excited. However, at last check, there were still 8,000 tickets available. I think this will be a very tense game but ND should pull out another one.

4. The Big Ten Slate
These games don't stand out on their own but they are all pretty interesting so I have lumped

 them together. Obviously, Purdue is not starting Big Ten play yet but everyone else gets going this Saturday. Minnesota plays at Northwestern in what should be a high scoring contest. Eric Decker is the best wide receiver in the Big Ten and Northwestern gave up over 300 yards to Greg Paulus and the Cuse. I think the Gophers have a huge passing day and win 38-31. Michigan State is at Wisconsin. The Badgers are 3-0 with wins over Northern Illinois and Fresno State. Michigan State is 1-2 with close losses to Notre Dame and Central Michigan. I can't get a read on this game but I will take the home team, Badgers win in Madison. Illinois travels to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes. The last time they were in the Horseshoe, Illinois shocked the Buckeyes for a big win in 2007. This version of the Illini got absolutely blasted by Missouri and I don't think they are capable of winning at OSU. IU is at Michigan, more on this tomorrow. Iowa is at Penn State as the Nittany Lions try to get revenge and stay in the title hunt. It is really tough to win in Happy Valley and this is a nightgame. I think Penn State will win but it will be close, they are not the fifth best team in the country.

3. Texas Tech at Houston (9:15 on ESPN2)

The Houston Cougars shocked the Oklahoma State Cowboys two weeks ago and vaulted into the Top 25. Texas Tech played admirably at Texas last Saturday night and had chances to make things very interesting in Austin. I thought the defense for the Red Raiders looked a lot better than it has in the past but their offensive line broke down late and Taylor Potts was forced into some early throws. Potts is a good quarterback and Tech can still score. I really like this Houston team though. Case Keenum is a very good quarterback and Kevin Sumlin has coached against Mike Leach's system several times while at Oklahoma. I think Houston stays undefeated with a 45-42 win.

2. Ole Miss at South Carolina (Thursday, 7:30 on ESPN)
Ole Miss is ranked fourth in the country. I think this is largely based on a strong finish last season and the fact that they have most of their personnel back. Archie Manning was asked this week if this was as simple as Ed Orgeron's recruiting plus Houston Nutt's coaching. His response, "Absolutely." There is no question, Houston Nutt is a very good coach and he has a very good team. Greg Hardy is an outstanding defensive end but he is not completely healthy. Jevon Snead is a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate and his stock could improve or drop dramatically based on his performance in Thursday's game.  The South Carolina Gamecocks have the makings of a good offense and they are tough to beat at home.  USC's defense is banged up though and I think Ole Miss could put up a lot of points.  If the Rebels defense can force Stephen Garcia into a few mistakes, the Rebels will start their quest for an SEC title on a positive note.  

Miami at Virginia Tech (3:30 on ABC)

This game has gotten incredibly interesting over the past ten days.  Miami has beaten two good football teams in Georgia Tech and Florida State to move into the top ten.  Virginia Tech beat Nebraska in a thriller last Saturday.  The Hurricanes QB, Jacory Harris, has vaulted himself into Heisman Trophy discussions with his guidance of Mark Whipple's explosive offense.  Virginia Tech appears to have found a star in freshman running back David Williams.  This game has ACC title implications and, as crazy as it sounds, national title implications.  If Miami wins this week, they will probably move into the top five with a game against Oklahoma on the horizon.  Can the Canes continue their march back to prominence?  I think the answer is yes, Miami wins 28-17.

Okay, a preview of the IU-Michigan game in the Big House will be up tomorrow.  Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.  

Fall of the Trojans

What a great weekend, Indiana played well and won on the road and the USC Trojans lost to a team that went 0-12 last season.  I thought there were quite a few entertaining games and some very telling results.  Most teams have played three games and we can get a pretty good idea on how good some of the tested teams are.  Do we know how Penn State is?  No, they haven't beaten anyone.  But there are some teams that we can gauge after three weeks.  Notre Dame and Georgia Tech are not as good as I thought they would be.  Miami is much better than I thought they would be.  Three weeks does not make a season but we can at least get a little bit of the big picture.  

Observations from the Couch

-Florida was not physically ready to play an SEC game.  The Gators played Charleston Southern

 and Troy before they took on the Volunteers.  Tennessee had played a tough UCLA prior to their contest with Florida.  I think the two cupcakes games left Florida a little bit unprepared to play a real physical game.  I am not saying they were out of shape but they simply weren't quite ready for a big-time physical game.  Lane Kiffin is not my favorite coach but I congratulate the Volunteers for not getting blown out.  They don't have a quarterback capable of doing anything but their defense is salty.  Bottom line, Florida did not look like national champions and they did not have to.  Florida just needs to win.  They don't have to worry about style points, if they run the table they will make the title game.  The only day they have to look like national champions is on the day of the national title game.  

-This one goes back to Thursday night.  How impressive has Miami been?  I expected the Hurricanes to get back to this level next season, not this year.  They are back in the top ten after a thorough butt kicking of Georgia Tech.  Jacory Harris is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and the Canes offensive coordinator Mark Whipple has made Miami's offense explosive.  They play Virginia Tech in Blacksburg this Saturday and host Oklahoma on October 

3.  If they can win both of those, Miami will be in the national title picture.  

-Charlie Weis had his job saved by two brain farts from Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins.  Cousins missed a wide open receiver in the end zone and then threw an interception and the Irish hung on for a 33-30 win in South Bend over the Spartans.  Star receiver Michael Floyd is out for the regular season with a broken collarbone and the Irish are in for at least two more losses this season.  

-The Georgia at Arkansas game was one of the most entertaining games I have seen in a while.  Quarterbacks Joe Cox and Ryan Mallett both threw for five touchdowns and the teams combined for over 1,000 yards as Georgia won 52-41.  Defense was optional in Fayetteville and I enjoyed it immensely.  

Kudos

-This was a very nice week for the ACC.  Miami looks like a legitimate top ten team, Florida State pounded BYU, Virginia Tech survived Nebraska and North Carolina handled East Carolina.  This conference needs Miami and Florida State to be at their best and it looks like they could be on their way.  

-Kudos to the Iowa Hawkeyes.  Iowa almost lost to Northern Iowa in week one.  Since then, they blasted Iowa State and manhandled Arizona.  The Hawkeyes beat the Wildcats in Iowa City 27-17.  They now face a major test, a night game in Happy Valley against the #5 Nittany Lions.  

-California running back Jahvid Best announced his Heisman Trophy candidacy was for real with a great performance against Minnesota.  I give California credit for playing this game.  The game started at 9 am pacific time and Cal never plays well on the road.  They were playing in front of a jacked up crowd in Minnesota's new stadium but they started well and finished well for a nice win.  Best had 131 yards and five touchdowns in front of a national television audience as Cal took the victory 35-21.  Cal now begins a very tough stretch, at Oregon, hosting USC and at UCLA.  

-Obviously, Washington deserves to be here.  They were 0-12 last year and fired Ty

 Willingham.  Steve Sarkisian was hired away from USC and people were talking about a good energy around the program.  They played LSU pretty tough in the opening week but fell to the Tigers.  Matt Barkley and Taylor Mays did not go for the Trojans but they should not have had any problem with the Huskies.  Jake Locker played well and the defense was awesome.  A late field goal gave UW a fantastic win and the Huskies vaulted into the Top 25.

Shame on You

-I am an IU fan conditioned to hate Purdue.  But, I root for Big Ten teams in the nonconference portion of the schedule.  Purdue had looked very good in a dominant win over Toledo and a close loss at Oregon.  On Saturday, everything fell apart.  Purdue was outplayed in every aspect of the game by the Northern Illinois Huskies.  NIU held Purdue to three first downs in the first half and had the ball for almost 42 minutes.  They won 28-21 and it wasn't that close.  

-Oregon beat Utah on Saturday.  Nice job.  But the uniforms the Ducks trotted out on Saturday were absolutely horrible.  

-Northwestern lost to Syracuse.  That is not horrible, the 'Cuse are certainly improved.  They should be embarrassed that they gave up over 300 yards of passing to Greg Paulus.  Come on, the guy hasn't played in almost five years!  

It was another great week, stay tuned for a preview of week four and IU's big test in the Big House.  Until next time, stay vigilant and God Bless America.

A Complete Performance

That was one of the better games I have seen Indiana play in a while.  The Hoosiers got off to a perfect start with Ray Fisher's 91-yard kickoff return and they had a dominant second half to finish off the Zips 38-21.  There were several positive things to take from this road victory.  I was impressed with the running game and the defense pretty much shut down Akron all day long.  Let's get the negatives out of the way first.  

Special Teams Miscues

This was the second straight week the Hoosiers have had a kick blocked.  They had a chance to make this a three possession game in the third quarter but Nick Freeland's kick was blocked.  I think Indiana was considering going for it on fourth down because they took a long time to send Freeland in.  The process was rushed and IU paid for it.  They also had a punt blocked in the second quarter which was recovered in the endzone for Akron's second touchdown.  IU cannot afford to give up any points on special teams.  On the bright side, Freeland is still perfect on extra points and he is 5 of 7 on field goals, his only two misses were blocked.  

Slip in Concentration

IU got off to a great start.  Fisher ran the opening kick back, IU forced a punt and they were driving to make it 14-0.  However, they had to settle for a field goal.  Then a blown coverage gave Akron a 49-yard TD pass to Akron and they got the blocked punt for a score.  There was blood in the water and the Hoosiers had a chance to put Akron in a big hole early.  However, their concentration slipped and they let the Zips grab the 14-10 lead.  

Okay, that is pretty much all I could come up with in the negatives department.  It looked like Chappell was headed for a long day but he righted the ship and finished nicely.  I know Akron is not great and they were without starting quarterback Chris Jacquemain but Indiana beat who was in front of them.  

Dominating the Line of Scrimmage

I am not an expert on the offensive or defensive lines but I know dominance when I see it.  IU controlled the offensive and defensive line play.  They decisively won the "battle in the trenches" on Saturday.  Matt Rodgers was under pressure from Kirlew and Middleton all day and IU was able to run the ball when they wanted to.  This was a very nice performance from the IU's big uglies.

Running by Committee

The running game in the opening week was incredibly discouraging.  IU's running game looked like we had seen for years.  However, week two was great as Indiana ran for nearly 200 yards.  I was very interested to see how the Hoosiers running game performed in this contest.  Was the Western Michigan a mirage or would it become a trend?  I don't know if this is something we will see all season but for now, the running game looks great.  IU ran the ball 46 times for 180 yards.  That averages out to 3.9 yards per carry.  The goal is 4 and IU was very close to it.  An important point, that number was not skewed by a few big runs.  The Hoosiers grinded it out with carries of 4 to 5 yards for most of the day.  Darius Willis had 66, Trea Burgess had 59 and McCray had 45.  

The Debut of Darius

Darius Willis was a game-time decision due to an ankle injury.  He played and played very well.  Willis got a couple of carries against Eastern Kentucky but this was the first time he has seen extended action.  I was very impressed with Willis.  He looked good as a blocker, strong with the ball and explosive through the holes.  Willis carried the ball 15 times for 66 yards.  He had a long carry of 22 yards and his first touchdown as a Hoosier.  

Penalties Go Down

Bill Lynch told us we could judge him on the penalties after this game.  I was watching very carefully and I was impressed.  On the offensive side of the ball, IU cut out all of the illegal formations and false starts.  The defense didn't have any pass interference penalties or personal fouls.  IU cut it down to four penalties, nice job coach.

Defense, Defense, Defense

Indiana's defense has been very impressive so far.  The first team unit really only gave up seven

 points to Akron.  The other 14 came from the special teams and the second team defense.  IU forced four interceptions including two by Austin Thomas.  Middleton and Kirlew wreaked havoc on the Matt Rodgers all day.  As long as this unit can stay healthy, they will be pretty tough all year.  

Again, I know this a MAC team but this was very big win for Indiana.  Any time IU wins on the road is a big deal.  They are now 3-0 and hopefully ready to compete at the Big House.  I am not expecting a win but they have improved a lot from game one to game three.  Until next time, stay vigilant and God Bless America.  

Indiana at Akron

This is probably the biggest game of the season for the Hoosiers. If they win, they head to Ann Arbor at 3-0 with a game against a woeful Virginia squad left on their nonconference schedule. Beat Virginia and they would only have to steal two Big Ten games to go bowling. I am not saying it would be easy but the bottom the conference hasn't done much to put fear in the heart of opponents. On the other hand, lose this game and you fall to 2-1 before going to Michigan and hosting Ohio State. That would leave IU at least three Big Ten wins from a bowl game.
Indiana beat the Zips by 17 in Bloomington in 2007 and did not play them last season.
The Akron Zips are in the MAC and they have never beaten a Big Ten school. They opened the season by losing 31-7 at Penn State (and it wasn't even that close) and then beating a I-AA school last week. This game is on the road and I know it won't be easy but it is a game IU really needs.

5. Penalties!
The Hoosiers had 13 penalties last week and it almost cost them the game. They cannot continue to set give teams yardage and expect to win close games. False starts and illegal procedures get an offense off schedule and make it extremely difficult to sustain a drive. Defensive penalties can get the opposing offense an extra chance to score. Bill Lynch took responsibility for the penalties last week and said we could judge him on the penalties after Saturday's game. I think the goal is to cut the number in half: 6 penalties or less. I will be following this crucial part of the game very closely.

4. Second Half Shutout
I have been really surprised at how well Indiana's offense has started each of their first two games. They come out and look in rhythm and stake Indiana a lead that they can build on. However, the second half of both contests has been the exact opposite. Indiana hasn't scored a touchdown in the second half of either game this season and that needs to change very quickly. I don't know if it is a lack of coaching adjustments or if the players are not executing the game plan in the second half but it needs to be fixed on Saturday. IU cannot afford to be shut out in the second half for the third straight game.

3. The Running Game
Which running game will we consistently see? Will it be the one that struggled to push the pile against Eastern Kentucky (73 yards, 2.4 a carry)? Or will it be the running game that moved the chains and hit a few big plays against Western Michigan (187 yards, 5.7 a carry)? There is no doubt that if we see IU revert to the EKU numbers they will lose every game they have left on their schedule. Demetrius McCray and Bryan Payton both looked good last Saturday and I was thrilled to see a couple of big runs. More importantly, there weren't very many negative rushing plays. I hope we get to see Darius Willis soon but he is listed as questionable for the second straight week with an ankle injury. I expect Indiana to run for between 150 and 175 yards.

2. Will Solid Defense Continue?
Indiana's defense has played well so far this season. I have been impressed by the play of Middleton and Kirlew. The linebackers have all looked pretty good. Austin Thomas and Nick Polk have not shown any ill effects from their knee injuries and Ray Fisher has made a seamless transition to cornerback. Akron is not near as dangerous as Western Michigan on offense. However, they have a few weapons that Indiana will have to watch out for. Chris Jacquemain is a senior quarterback that has a good arm and is the leader for the Zips. Their best playmaker is Daryn Bowser. Bowser, a wide receiver, has caught all four of Jacquemain's TD passes this season. If Indiana can hold another opponent under 20 points, I think they get their third victory.

1. Can the Hoosiers Win on the Road?
This is a very big game for Akron. The Zips opened a new stadium this season (InfoCision Stadium) and the program has a lot of positive energy surrounding it. IU will be the first Big Ten school to ever play at Akron so you know the fans will be jacked up. Akron will expect to win this game, IU might be a Big Ten team but they are not going to intimidate anyone. I would expect a sellout and Indiana is going to have to come out ready to play and ready to match Akron's intensity. I know it is not the toughest place in the country to play but winning on the road is tough, no matter where it is.

Prediction
I initially thought Indiana would lose this game. However, I was not impressed with Akron's performance against Penn State and I think Indiana has a good shot to win on Saturday. IU has to cut down on penalties, stop Bowser, score in the second half and capitalize on their red zone chances. I think they will do just enough to win their third close game in a row. The game is at 3:30 and will be broadcast on ESPNU. I will recap on sometime after the game. Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.

Week 3 Preview

There are not a ton of great games this weekend.  Week 3 doesn't have any top ten battles or historic matchups in the Big House.  However, this week has a solid slate of games and I am looking forward to what should be a full day of action.  

Michigan State at Notre Dame (3:30 on NBC)

Both teams are coming off stunning losses.  Michigan State allowed Central Michigan to come from behind late and steal a win in East Lansing.  On the bright side for the Spartans, CMU quarterback Dan Lefevour could start for every team in the Big Ten.  The Michigan State defense won't have it any easier on Saturday in South Bend.  Jimmy Clausen has looked great this season and the Irish offense is loaded.  However, the defense looked awful against Michigan.  This game is so intriguing because Michigan State has won six in a row in the series.  If they can make it seven, Charlie Weis is in big trouble.  I think Notre Dame will be able to win this one by about two touchdowns but I am intrigued to see how they rebound from the loss at the Big House.  

(10) Boise State at Fresno State (9:00, Friday on ESPN)

Boise State has been impressive so far this season and their ranking reflects it.  They are already in the top ten and if they can run the table, the Broncos are headed back to a BCS bowl.  Fresno State is not an easy place to play.  The Bulldogs always get up for this kind of challenge and they nearly knocked off Wisconsin last week in Madison.  If Fresno State can cut down on the turnovers that cost them dearly against the Badgers, this one could be close.  

(19) Nebraska at (13) Virginia Tech (3:30 on ABC)

This is a measuring stick game for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football program.  Their fans feel

 like they are ready to be a top ten program once again.  Bo Pelini has done a fantastic job but I don't know if they are ready to bust through just yet.  I am still putting them behind Kansas and maybe behind Missouri in the Big 12 North.  Nebraska lost at home to the Hokies last season, we'll see how much they have improved this Saturday in Blacksburg.  Watch the two freshman running backs, Ryan Williams and David Wilson.  They got off to a rough start in their first collegiate game against Alabama.  The Crimson Tide are going to make a lot of people look bad.  I really think the Hokies will be able to run the ball on Nebraska and pull out a ten-point victory.  

(17) Cincinnati at Oregon State (6:45 on FSN)

We know how difficult Reser Stadium can be for visiting teams.  The Beavers have knocked off many a ranked foe in Corvallis, just ask USC.  The Cincinnati Bearcats roll into PAC-10 country after two impressive season-opening victories.  This would be a bad loss for the Big East but I think Tony Pike shows the nation why he is one of the best quarterbacks in the country.  Cincinnati will go into Oregon State and escape with a close victory.  

Florida State at (7) BYU (7:00)

BYU faces another BCS test this Saturday.  The Cougars beat Oklahoma to launch themselves into the BCS picture and into the top ten.  They followed that up with a drubbing of Tulane and now have another chance to prove themselves against a big time program.  Florida State looked very good in their close loss to Miami but they followed it up with a stinker against Jacksonville State.  Christian Ponder is very good but I don't think FSU has the defense to stop BYU or the offensive firepower to keep up with the Cougars.  Max Hall is a very good quarterback and he has one of the best tight ends in the country.  BYU will improve to 3-0 with a resounding victory.

Texas Tech at (2) Texas (8:00 on ABC)

No one needs reminded of last year's epic in Lubbock.  Michael Crabtree capitalized on the dropped interception by Blake Gideon and spoiled the Longhorns title hopes.  Colt McCoy came back to get himself another shot at the title and has a ton of talent along for the ride.  I will admit, it is going to be very difficult for the Red Raiders to compete in Austin.  But, Taylor Potts is the most physically gifted quarterback to play in Mike Leach's system and they don't have any problems scoring points.  I expect this game to be very entertaining and much closer than the experts think.  The Longhorns will win but it will be close.  

I will preview IU at Akron tomorrow.  Stay vigilant and God Bless America.  

Week 2 Review

"One is a coincidence, two is a development, three is a trend."  Most of the teams in college football have played two games now.  In my opinion, we don't really know much about how things will shake out after only two weeks.   But, we are beginning to get an idea.  Michigan and Notre Dame played a classic game in the Big House, USC and Ohio State played a great fourth quarter in the Shoe, Georgia and South Carolina played a surprisingly entertaining game in Athens and Purdue and Oregon played a great late contest in Eugene.  

Shame On You

The Colorado Buffaloes got shelled at Toledo on Friday night.  This was supposed to be 

a make or break season for Coach Hawkins.  He said anything less than ten wins would be disappointing.  Well, they have lost to Colorado State and Toledo (54-38).  They now have to win nine of ten to have a shot to win their tenth in the bowl game.  That is not going to happen.  Their defense is pathetic.  However, Colorado is still paying money to Gary Barnett so will they be able to afford the buyout required to get Hawkins out?

I wrote in my week two preview that Oklahoma State would be challenged by Houston but would manage to score just enough to win.  The Cowboys fell behind early, came back to take the lead, then got dominated in the fourth quarter and lost 45-35 at home

 to the Cougars.  Coach Gundy and the Cowboys had never received as much love as they did after their win over Georgia.  Programs that have never experienced prosperity have a very hard time dealing with it.  

Florida State looked very good against Miami in week one.  Their offense was the best I have seen it in quite a while and they Christian Ponder looked like a leader.  They lost the game but had to feel good about the way they had played.  Six days later, they nearly lost to Jacksonville State.  FSU trailed for nearly the entire game before scoring two late touchdowns to win.  If FSU doesn't return to the form they had against Miami, they will get embarrassed this week against BYU.  

Wisconsin is not a good football team.  After a two overtime victory at home against Fresno State, they could very easily be 0-2.  Look, they won and there is something to be said for that but they will not finish anywhere near the top of the conference.  I am not going to predict anything for the Badgers but Coach Bielema might be feeling the hot seat after this season.  

Kudos!

Nobody would touch Michigan's program with a ten-foot pole two weeks ago.  Rich Rod is now the toast of the town and Michigan is back in the Top 25.  As we know, winning cures everything.  Tate Forcier looked great against the Irish.  He led a nice drive down the field and threw a touchdown pass to Greg Matthews with less than 30 seconds remaining to give the Wolverines a 38-34 victory.  It looks bad for Charlie Weis (in his fifth year) to lose to Rodriguez (in his second year) and people are beginning to see the end for Weis.  I have to say, this one was not his fault.  His offense scored 34 points, Jimmy Clausen looked great and the Irish had a score called back on a penalty and one called back on a review.  Weis is responsible for the defense but he does not call the defensive plays.  A bad loss for the Irish, a great win for the Wolverines.  

I really don't like Lane Kiffin and Tennessee so I was thrilled to see the UCLA Bruins top

the Volunteers at Rocky Top.  So, kudos the Bruins.  Neuheisel has instilled a tough defense at UCLA and the offense was almost competent. Kevin Prince broke his jaw and he will be out for a few weeks but he had a nice impact in his first two games.  Next up for Tennessee, at the Swamp to face Tim Tebow and the Gators.  

Oregon did not deserve to beat Purdue.  They had been outplayed all night long and 

they should have fallen to 0-2.  A loss at home would have sent the Ducks fans to the ledge and calling for Chip Kelly's head.  At the end of the game, Purdue was unable to convert on a two-point conversion and Oregon escaped.  Oregon is capable of scoring and if they can figure it out, they could be a tough out in the PAC-10.  This was a win the Ducks desperately needed.  

Quick kudos the Iowa Hawkeyes.  After an extremely shaky performance against Northern Iowa, Iowa blasted Iowa State 35-3.  The Hawkeyes got four touchdown passes from Ricky Stanzi and beat a bad Cyclones squad.  Still, this was a good sign for a team that looked horrible in week one.  

Okay, tomorrow will be the week three preview and then I will preview Indiana's first road game of the season on Friday.  Until then, Stay Vigilant and God Bless America.  

Just Enough

Indiana is 2-0.  It has not been pretty, they could very easily be 1-1 or 0-2 but they are 2-0.  IU was able to survive a desperate hook and ladder play from the Western Michigan Broncos to hang on for a 23-19 win.  I thought the Hoosiers played better in week two than they did in week one.  The running game was improved, the defense played well and they did not have any turnovers.  There is plenty to improve and they have their first game on the road this week but I think Saturday's game was a step forward.  

The Running Game

Darius Willis did not play because of an ankle injury so we continue to wait for him to see

 significant action.  The running game did not suffer in his absence though.  Demetrius McCray ran for 134 yards (career high) on 17 carries, Mitchell Evans had 35 yards on six carries.  Overall, Indiana ran for 187 yards on 33 carries.  That includes the 17-yard loss they took on the intentional safety late in the game.  So, the Hoosiers would have run for over 200 yards as a team.  This was a very good performance for the pistol offense and the IU running game.  I loved the unveiling of the "Wild Mitch" offense.  Mitchell Evans is a very nice change of pace for this offense.  There is low risk involved and Evans is a good athlete that you want to get the ball to.  

Wide Receivers

The Indiana wide receivers, particularly Tandon Doss, looked good again.  This is not a two or three game coincidence.  The Hoosiers have a very talented group of wideouts that will perform well all season.  Tandon Doss had six catches for 85 yards.  The sophomore from Ben Davis continues to do a great job after the catch and he is becoming Chappell's favorite target.  

Offensive Line is Up and Down

Justin Pagan returned at guard which clearly helped the Hoosiers O-line.  Indiana did not give up any sacks and the line really blew up some holes on the WMU front to allow for some big running plays.  Everything was not all roses for the big fellas.  They had way too many penalties again.  A couple of false starts and some illegal procedure or formation penalties marred what was an otherwise great day for the offensive line.  

Defense Comes Up Big

For the second straight week, the defense had a good day that was almost wasted.  The opposing offense was marching down the field and ready to score the go-ahead touchdown.  Out of nowhere, the defense makes a play, forces a turnover and the Hoosiers survive.  This week, Greg Middleton knocked the ball loose and Justin Carrington picked it up inside the ten and the Hoosiers escaped.  I thought Middleton and Kirlew were great all game long.  Ray Fisher was really good and he seems like he loves to play defense.  Indiana limited Brandon West's big plays and they did a nice job on Tim Hiller.  Western Michigan was held to 288 yards, far below what I expected IU to give up.  The negative was the four penalties on the final drive that escorted Western Michigan into the red zone.  

Second Half No-Show

For the second straight week, Indiana's offense looked great in the first half and failed to score a touchdown in the second half.  If IU wants to win against quality opponents, they are going to have to produce in both halves. 

Penalties

IU had 13 penalties.  That is way too many for a squad that will be equal or inferior to every

 one of their opponents.  They cannot afford to give up free yardage to anyone.  The penalties will kill a drive and help keep an opponents drive alive.  IU almost cost themselves a victory on Saturday.  Bill Lynch said the penalties were on him and they would be corrected before next week's game at Akron.  He said we could "judge him next week on the penalties."  Okay, I will.  I thought they had a whole offseason to work on discipline and playing smart but if he needs another week to do it, fine.  I will be watching the penalties very closely on the road next week.  

Indiana has not looked real good so far this season but they are 2-0.  If they can find a way to win on the road next week, they could set themselves up for a decent season.  The Big Ten has looked incredibly weak in the first two weeks of the season.  Wisconsin stinks, Northwestern isn't very good, Minnesota is vulnerable, Iowa and Illinois were inept in week one, Michigan State just lost to a MAC team.  There are a few wins out there if IU can play well enough to seize them.  Tomorrow, I will wrap up week two of the college football season.  Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.  

Indiana vs. Western Michigan

The Indiana Hoosiers have had eight days to improve after a very shaky opening-night victory over Eastern Kentucky. Western Michigan enters this contest at 0-1 after getting waxed by Michigan in the Big House. The Broncos expected to at least be very competitive in that game but they were shut down and gave up 242 yards on the ground. This is the first of two games against MAC schools for IU and they need to win both of them if they hope to have a shot at a bowl game. Look at the rest of IU's non-conference schedule (WMU, at Akron, at Virginia). Akron got blown out by Penn State. They had eight yards at halftime! Virginia lost to William and Mary. Those are two very winnable games. Western Michigan is a very winnable game...if IU plays well. The non-conference portion of IU's schedule is critical for them every year. They probably need to go 4-0 to have a shot at postseason play.

Five Things to Watch
5. The Running Game
IU's running game needs to step up. They will not be the least bit successful on offense this season if they don't manage to get their yards per carry up to over four. Darius Willis was expected to be a big part of this. However, his debut did not go as planned. He fumbled his first carry and only managed three yards on three carries. Willis had a shin injury that kept him from getting very many carries. He is apparently healthy now and is looking forward to a good second game. For the sake of the offense, I certainly hope that's the case. Western Michigan gave up 242 rushing yards to Michigan. If IU can't run the ball effectively against the Broncos, they won't do it all season.

4. Containing Tim Hiller
Hiller is a former MAC freshman of the year, he has started for most of three seasons and he is considered an NFL quarterback prospect. He did not play particularly well against Michigan but looked better in the second half than he did in the opening 30 minutes. Hiller threw for 3,725 yards and 36 touchdowns last season but defensive coordinator Brian Palcic knows there are ways to contain him.
"This quarterback is not going to run-he has had a couple of knee surgeries-and he is not known to be mobile. The key to slowing him down is to get pressure. We have to turn our defensive ends loose." There you have it. If Kirlew and Middleton have good games, IU's defense should be in good shape.

3. The Wide Receivers
IU's wide receivers are the best part of this team. I thought they looked great for much of the game against Eastern Kentucky and I am looking forward to seeing how they play in week two. Tandon Doss and Demarlo Belcher look like stars and Mitchell Evans always seems to catch the ball when it is thrown his way. It will be difficult for Duwyce Wilson to crack this lineup but I would see him get a few balls. IU's wideouts do a really nice job of breaking tackles and fighting for extra yards after the catch. I think their solid play will continue throughout the season.

2. Shaky Offensive Line
The veteran offensive line was without a couple of regular starters last week and it showed. They had four penalties and the running game was ineffective. The line did not appear to be opening up any holes. The pass protection was pretty good for most of the game but Indiana needs to run the ball and that starts with the line. The penalties have to stop and the blocking has to improve for IU to win this one.

1. All Points West
Brandon West is one of the best running backs in the MAC and he will be a challenge for the Hoosier defense. West led the Broncos in rushing and all-purpose yards last season. He is not a big, bruising back that will pound at the Hoosiers all day. West is a slasher and a player very capable of busting a big play. Indiana's linebackers will have to tackle him when they get their hands on him and prevent him from getting past the second line of defense. If West can break a few big plays, it makes defending Hiller and the passing attack more difficult.

Prediction
I don't have a real good feel for this one. Has Indiana corrected a lot of the mistakes they made in the opener? Does Western Michigan miss their departed receivers more than we thought they would? Is Michigan that good or is Western going to struggle all year? A lot of questions that will be partially answered on Saturday. I think Indiana's offense will have a good day against the rebuilt and young Broncos defense. The Indiana defense will contain West but Hiller will throw for over 300 yards and have at least two touchdowns. I think Indiana will make just enough plays to win this one, 31-28.

Player of the Game
Ben Chappell will take advantage of the porous Western Michigan defense and utilize his weapons at wideout. Chappell throws for 325 yards with three touchdowns.

Please remember to pray for the families of those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on September 11. Those attacks have changed this country forever and we will never forget that day. Pray for our military who are risking their lives as a result of that terrible day.

A game recap will be posted this weekend, until then stay vigilant and God Bless America.

Week 2 Preview

The opening week games were analyzed and previewed to death. Everyone knew who was playing who and had talked about it for months. The second week is a different animal. Teams that performed well in their openers are looking to stay focused and begin to prove they are for real. Teams that got off to a bad start need to turn it around. I am going to do a little break down of some of the most interesting games this weekend. Tomorrow, I will preview the IU-Western Michigan game.

Notre Dame at Michigan (3:30 on ABC)
Michigan impressed everyone by blowing out Western Michigan in their home opener.  I thought Tate Forcier looked like a very confident and competent quarterback and Denard Robinson looked like one of the best athletes in the Big Ten.  The defense did a very good job on the Broncos usually high-scoring offense.  Notre Dame also impressed in week one by blasting Nevada.  The Irish did not give up any points to a team that finished second in the country in rushing offense a year ago.  These two rivals meet in the Big House in a game that has suddenly become very intriguing.  Notre Dame's roster is better and deeper than the Wolverines and I expect the Fighting Irish to win.  However, I expect this one to be close because Michigan looks much better than I thought they would.  My prediction is Notre Dame 35-24.

USC at Ohio State (8 on ESPN)

This game is a statement game for three different sides.  Ohio State has not won a marquee game for a few seasons (USC, Florida, Penn State, Texas).  People have begun to put OSU in the very good but not great category.  I happen to agree.  Ohio State is simply not on the same level as Florida, Texas or USC.  They don't have the athletes or the speed to match up.  The Big Ten is in the same boat as the Buckeyes.  The perception is that the conference is no longer an elite one.  USC is looking to prove that they are legitimate national contenders.  Despite a freshman quarterback and a completely rebuilt defense, they want to show the nation they are a force to be reckoned with this season.  I think the Trojans have the horses to get their statement across.  USC wins 42-17.

Houston at Oklahoma State (3:30 on ABC-regional action)

Talk about a trap game.  Oklahoma State is coming off the "biggest win in school history".  Now, the Houston Cougars come rolling into Stillwater.  The Cougars are very dangerous Conference USA squad with a lot of firepower.  Case Keenum is a good quarterback and they have the wide receivers to give the Cowboys trouble.  This is a much better offense than OK State saw last week against Georgia.  The problem for Houston is that the Cowboys have a very good offense as well.  I think Oklahoma State scores just enough to get the win at home, 42-35.

Purdue at Oregon (10:00 on FSI)

This game looked like a blowout if you saw it on the schedule a couple of weeks ago.  However, Oregon looked lost at Boise State and they won't have the services of their running back for the rest of the season.  Purdue was pretty impressive on offense against Toledo in their opener.  I don't expect the Boilers to win this game but I would not be surprised if it was interesting for a while.  Oregon will pull away in the fourth quarter for a 35-24 victory.  

Okay, I will preview the Indiana-Western Michigan tomorrow.  By the way, if you are an IU basketball fan, check out www.insidethehall.com.  There is a really cool video from Tom Crean's twitter account, a six-minute video about the individual workouts.  I love Tom Crean, a serious man crush.  Until next time, stay vigilant and God Bless America.  

Week 1: You Think You Know....

Last night's fantastic Miami at Florida State capped off week one of the 2009 college football season. There was one shocking upsets, several surprising results and a few very close calls. I am going to start each recap with some observations I took from the weekend. Then, I will put a few teams or conferences into a disappointments list. Because I am such a positive guy, I will close with a list of teams or conferences that deserve some kudos (since this is sports, a nice pat on the ass).

Thoughts From The Couch

-The Big Ten had a nice record (10-1) but looked horrible doing it. Ohio State survived Navy by four. Iowa trailed Northern Iowa for most of the game before blocking two field goals to win by a point. IU barely beat Eastern Kentucky. Wisconsin only beat Northern Illinois by eight in

 Madison. Minnesota won by three at the Carrier Dome against a quarterback getting his first football action in over four years. That being said, those teams won. Purdue, Michigan State, Michigan (more on that later), Northwestern and Penn State all took care of business. I know one thing, Ohio State is going to need a Vince Young-like performance from Terrelle Pryor to even come close against the Trojans this Saturday.

-Miami and Florida State both impressed me last night. The game looked like one between the Canes and the Noles should look. It was hard hitting and there were plenty of athletes flying around. Jacory Harris and Christian Ponder both look like legit quarterbacks. I picked the U to win this one and I was glad they did. I expect both teams to challenge in the ACC.

-I am very happy I picked Cincinnati to win the Big East. They destroyed Rutgers in New Jersey, 47-15. Tony Pike and the Bearcats offense was unstoppable. The defense, which had to replace 9 starters from last year's unit, was better than expected. Cincinnati is now the clear favorite to win the Big East and return to a BCS bowl.

-I feel bad for Oklahoma. Sam Bradford, Jermaine Gresham and Gerald McCoy all turned down big money to return for a shot at the national title. Gresham was hurt before the BYU game and Bradford got hurt in the second quarter. Oklahoma lost to 14-13 to the Cougars and their hopes of a national title took a serious hit. BYU has games against FSU, Utah and TCU remaining on their schedule. If they can somehow run the table, the Cougars could find themselves in their first BCS game.

-Nice win for Notre Dame. I knew ND would put up big numbers on Nevada (Nevada was last against the pass last year) but I thought the Wolfpack would be able to score as well. I was not going to be surprised if this game was close. Maybe the Irish are better than I thought.

Shame On You
-I was absolutely stunned at how inept Illinois looked. Missouri beat them 37-9, their fourth

 straight win in the series. Missouri is probably not going to have the rebuilding year we thought they would. Blaine Gabbard is the real deal at quarterback and holding Illinois to nine points is an accomplishment. It appears they will challenge Kansas and Nebraska for the North title. Illinois was supposed to be at the top of the second tier of the Big Ten, right behind Ohio State and Penn State. They were supposed to have a high-powered offense. What in the hell happened? Basically, they have been Zookered. Ron Zook took them to a Rose Bowl and convinced people he could coach. Clearly, he cannot. Zook can recruit and he might be a really good assistant but he is not a head coach. They fell flat last season and appear well on their way to doing it again.

-The ACC disappointed me. I thought they were going to be an improved conference. A conference without a premier team but with a lot of pretty good teams. Whoops! NC State laid an egg on Thursday night, scoring only three points at home against South Carolina. Duke lost to Richmond (FCS champs, but still), Virginia lost to William and Mary (maybe IU can win at UVA), Wake Forest lost to Baylor (called it), and Maryland got drilled by Cal. Virginia Tech showed well against Alabama but still lost. The ACC went 4-6 (Miami and FSU don't count), not a good start.

-Colorado lost to Colorado State.  Coach Hawkins told everyone at the Big 12 media day anything less than ten wins was unacceptable.  I thought that was a stretch but I did think he had things going in the right direction.  This game sets the Buffaloes back in a big way and it might cost the Hawk his job.  Along that same line, Al Groh is as good as done at Virginia.  A loss to William and Mary to start off a make-or-break year will get you fired.  

-The MAC had a very bad week.  We are used to this conference giving BCS conference schools a lot of trouble and usually pulling off a few upsets.  Not this year.  The only positive was a Bowling Green victory over Troy.  Western Michigan got blown out at Michigan, Central Michigan was shut down at Arizona, Toledo gave up 52 to Purdue, Ball State lost at home to North Texas.  This conference still has some really good players but it was not a good start to the season.  

Bravo, Bravo

-There was trouble surrounding the Michigan program all week.  Current and former players

 were attacking Coach Rodriguez for an excessive work schedule and the fanbase has been split since this hire.  A lot of people expected Western Michigan to give the Wolverines a lot of trouble on Saturday.  Big Blue put all thoughts of an upset to rest early as Tate Forcier asserted himself with a nice opening drive.  Forcier and fellow freshman Denard Robinson looked really good and Michigan put their troubles aside for a week.  Winning cures everything.  Their home game against Notre Dame on Saturday got a lot more interesting.

-Kudos to Alabama.  The Crimson Tide answered a lot of questions about their offensive line and whether or not they could physically dominate teams the way they did last season.  I don't think their defense is quite as good as it was last season but they could be very soon.  The offense looked more potent than I ever saw it last year.  Greg McElroy looked good and Mark Ingram and Roy Upchurch were a really good 1-2 punch.  In my opinion, Julio Jones is the best wide receiver in the country.  He is so physically gifted.  Jones has great hands, great speed and he is a very good blocker.  I called for the Tide to go 12-0 before losing to Florida in the SEC title game and I like that pick.  

-There is no shame in losing at Ohio State.  Especially is you are the United States Naval Academy.  Navy came within a two-point conversion of tying up the Buckeyes.  They executed their offense very well all game long.  I thought the two-point play call was a very odd decision though.  Why would you pass the ball?  Anyway, great job by the Midshipmen.  

Overall, this was a very good first week of college football.  There are a lot of intriguing games on tap for week two and I will tackle those on Thursday.  Friday will be a preview of the Hoosiers and Broncos game on Saturday.  

One Lesson Learned

-If you have a chance to be picked in the top ten of the NFL Draft, take the money and go.  Bradford and Gresham both would have the first players taken at their respective positions but they decided to come back and I respect them for that.  However, their injuries remind me that in a violent game like football, you need to get paid while you can still play.  

Until next time, be vigilant and God Bless America.