Opening Weekend REVIEW
I hope you didn’t blink because if you did, you missed one hell of a week in College Football. There was an upset, or two, one hell of a game in Georgia, and a Pac-10 beating that I just happened to predict in Tennessee. There were big hits, fumbles, incredible catches, and a 6-4 season to start off the year for Lucky Lester. Of course that last one is most important. Read on to get the details.
THURSDAY
The Boston College Eagles didn’t hold on to that all important cover as they got their first win of the year at the hands of Central Michigan. BC didn’t look good, but they got the W, something I can’t say for my first game of the season.
With 1 loss already in the books, I turned to my biggest guarantee of the weekend, the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. Like I predicted, any young back could be thrust into that system and pound the ball down Kent State’s throat. That’s what happened, and with a 44-0 victory I gathered in my first W.
For my second Thursday victory, the South Carolina Gamecocks shutout Miss State 15-0. With trickery, 3 field goals, and a solid rushing performance by Junior Cory Boyd, SC inked in win numero deuce. After Thursday I was 2-1.
Saturday started with a 20 point Michigan win over Vanderbilt. Not enough to cover the 26 I needed for payout, as the Wolverines slowed it down in the 4th quarter, trying harder to eliminate clock than score points. Vanderbilt played tough though, the game was closer than the score.
Stanford made me look like a moron, while simultaneously making themselves look like a high school JV team while getting absolutely slaughtered by the Oregon Ducks on Saturday. Duck RB Jonathan Stewart had some day, rushing for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns as he outscored the Cardinal all by himself.
After two early losses brought me under .500, USC, of all teams, brought me back to even on the weekend. You may remember, last season, I was the one who yelled “Texas will beat USC!” Ah, how the tides have turned. The Josh Booty and the Trojans scored 34 in the second half on way to a 50-14 destruction of the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The ND Fighting Irish managed to win despite being behind for the better part of 4 quarters against Georgia Tech. Calvin Johnson looked amazing early, but Tech couldn’t get him the ball much in the 2nd half, eventually leading to their demise. ND stays alive! But not be more than a touchdown, so the Irish were responsible for my 4th loss. Little did I know that would be my last.
To even me up once again, Auburn pummeled the Washington State Cougars in Alabama, 40-14. Weird. A bottom of the barrel Pac-10 school couldn’t hang on the road with a top tier SEC squad ranked 4th in the country? Riddle me that. Kenny Irons showed why everyone sings his praises, out-rushing the Cougars entire team 184 yards to 122.
Taking me over the top were my Tennessee Vols. In my write up I said that Cal was a Pac-10 school that couldn’t hang with Tennessee because there were used to playing against lesser talent. Good thing they proved me wrong. Right.
Needing a win on Sunday night to remain over .500 in week 1, the Louisville Cardinals jumped out to a huge 1st half lead, and hung on to cover despite losing their Heisman Trophy hopeful, Michael Bush, for the season. My 6-4 opener aside, I can only hope that Bush makes a full recovery on his way to Sunday’s in the NFL. He’s got the special talent it takes to be one hell of an NFL running back.