Lou Holtz says frequently, "things are never as bad as they seem, and they're never as good as they seem, but somewhere in the middle is reality." And if we're keeping score, which we are, the score would look something like this.
South Carolina, you're going to be alright (unless Shaw is seriously injured), it was the opening game, on the road, in the SEC, and you got out of Nashville with a W. I couldn't be more impressed with Vanderbilt, but as always you'll be back on the bottom very soon, if not next year when Franklin says, "it's not you, it's me, I want more money," then it'll be the year after, so congrats on the recent success, but don't make that 10 year season ticket commitment just yet.
Mike Leach, it's not so bad, you'll get some players, however, Texas kids that UT, OU, and A&M don't take are a heck of a lot better than second tier recruits in the Pacific NorthWest, now you know why Oregon is cheating to get players from Texas. Mike, you'll get the appropriate players to play Pac-12 football and be successful, until then, you can watch all your former Red Raider QBs hold clipboards in the NFL. BYU, stop acting like you have a shot at the National Championship, you don't!
Boise State, this is the last breathe of air I plan on wasting on you for awhile, your run was commendable, but overrated. Michigan State, don't be so excited about beating a non-BCS program that lost virtually every playmaker including the winningest quarterback* (*in a non-BCS conference). You better hope your passing game gets better and your d-line learns to maintain gap integrity, or the run heavy Big10 is going to look like the NFC-East to you.
Penn State, if it were up to me you would have lost your athletic department over the Sandusky scandal, and I'm going to celebrate every loss you have for a long time. So cheers to Ohio and Frank Solich, who got fired for losing games at Nebraska, but on Saturday he took down the school that put winning in front of the quality of life of little boys and that in my book is the most important victory of the year so far.
Clemson, just stop trying to act like you belong, you barely beat an Auburn team that will finish in the bottom half of the SEC, and Auburn, it's going to be a really long season, so settle in, hope for a bowl game, and get ready to be embarrassed, you couldn't punch it into the endzone against Clemson, do you think it's going to get easier in the SEC?
Oklahoma, new year, same story, crazy talent and very poor offensive execution by your quarterback. It's time to recognize the fact that OU is probably going to win the Big12, but only if Landry will settle down and make some throws. Another effort like that against a more formidable opponent will equal a loss, and I just don't think a team outside the SEC will be able to have a loss and still make it to the National Championship game. Let's be real though, OU is still my pick to win the Big 12, with Texas finishing second.
Texas, I've got a lot riding on a return to relevance, I beg you, don't let me down Mack. I'm still concerned about Mack Brown's quarterback evaluation skills. He obviously got it right with Vince Young and Colt McCoy, but he seems to get it very, very wrong far too often, I'm not sure if Ash is the guy or not, but I sure hope Mack knows what he's doing this time.
USC, yeah, this is going to be a big year for the Trojans, I think the weight of the expectations and pressure all those players have put on themselves is going to cost them one or two games, but as far as talent goes, this team is loaded with it.
Oregon, this defense in 2010 would have been enough to get past $cam Newton and win a National Title, but this year I think the FR QB cost the Ducks at least a game. I'm extremely impressed with the win, that wasn't Savannah St or Marshall, it was a legitimate opponent with a fantastic offensive coach, and the way the Ducks D played against a good Arkansas St offense surprised the heck out of me. Well done Oregon.
Alabama, you haven't repeated as National Champs yet, so don't act like you just navigated the SEC because you beat up on a very poor, very overrated Michigan team. Michigan, it isn't as bad as it seems, don't get me wrong, you're terrible, Shoelace is not deserving of a single second of Heisman talk the rest of the year, and if Denard wants to win a Heisman, he'll need another offseason of learning how to throw a football. Lucky for the Maize and Blue Alabama is probably the best team from the best conference in America, you won't see another defense like that all season, you don't have to beat Bama every week, you just have to navigate your less than impressive Big 10 schedule. So don't flip out and let this loss fester into anything more than it is, the fact that you wouldn't survive three weeks in the SEC, you'll probably still end up in a BCS game, but it's not because you deserve it.
SpecialEdTeams Top 20
1. Alabama - 13 days until Sept 15...@Arkansas
2. USC - should have scheduled better if you want that top spot
3. LSU - no honey badger, no problem, Beckham looks like he's played before
4. Oregon - Chip might have a defense, lookout USC, Chip might have a defense
5. Florida State - I'm still skeptical, but they're not lacking talent
6. Oklahoma - Calm down Norman, Stoops will get 'em going
7. Georgia - Need to see more from the D, but giving Richt the benefit of the doubt here
8. West Virginia - just scored again
9. Arkansas - rough start, but new coaching staff, new receivers, and same ole porous defense
10. Texas - prove to me you deserve this
11. Michigan State - Le'Veon Bell makes me think Michigan State has a chance in the Big 10
12. South Carolina - Can't be upset you dropped, you've got a lot of football to prove you're better
13. Nebraska - Martinez made some nice throws, but let's see what he does against pressure
14. Ohio State - Big 10, a lot of mediocre teams, Buckeyes should have a chance
15. Florida - it wasn't great, but I saw enough to know the Gators can compete
16. Notre Dame - you should play 'em all in Ireland, looked like Catholic Jesus was on your side
17. Oklahoma State - I got nothing out of that win, but we know you'd compete well in the FCS
18. Wisconsin - not impressed...not impressed at all
19. Tennessee - I know I'm going to regret putting the Vols in here, I have a feeling it'll be short lived
20. Clemson - is lucky the ACC is really bad, they should have a decent season with a poor team
SpecialEdTeams Conference Rankings
1. SEC - if you're going to argue please watch the Bama v Michigan game again
2. Big 12 - with the additions and re-emergence of Texas, should challenge SEC this year
3. Pac 12 - USC and Oregon....and no one else, but USC and Oregon are that good
4. Big 10 - just not as bad as the ACC is the only reason they're 4th
5. ACC - Florida State should walk through the ACC this year, we'll see if VaTech can play tonight
6. Big East - Louisville would not be the worst team in the SEC, they can at least beat Kentucky
SpecialEdTeams Heisman Watch
1. Geno Smith - lookout stat sheets, he's going to roll through the porous defenses of the Big 12
2. Matt Barkley - if he does that every game this year, might as well call it now, this kid can play
3. Tyler Wilson - if USC goes undefeated, only kid that can compete with Barkley because of schedule
4. Le'Veon Bell - probably won't be here long, but great first game, he deserves talk after that
5. A.J. McCarron - will be in New York, you heard it here first
SpecialEdTeams Doak Walker Watch
1. Le'Veon Bell - after one game, no one was more impressive
2. Andre Ellington - not 200... not 225... but 231 yards on the ground
3. T.J. Yeldon - Freshman, but who cares, kid can flat out run
4. Kenny Hilliard - looked like LSU made a commitment to one back, probably won't stand though
5. Marcus Lattimore - Cocks struggled, but not because Lattimore didn't do his part, 110 yards is plenty
SpecialEdTeams Biletnikoff Watch
1. Marquise Lee - looks almost unstoppable out there
2. Jordan Matthews - great effort, kid is a competitor and great athlete
3. Brandon Mitchell - is enormous at 6'4" 230, and filled up the stat sheet with Wilson pulling the trigger
4. Kenny Stills - can he be Ryan Broyles?
5. DeAndre Hopkins - just until Sammy Watkins comes back and becomes the favorite target
SpecialEdTeams Mackey Watch
1. Chris Gragg - seriously, I'll be shocked if anyone comes close to putting up the numbers this kid will
2. Kaneakua Friel - I hope I spelled that right, nice first game, maybe you'll send me a nickname you like
3. Austin Seferian-Jenkins - I guess we will really know what you're made of next week...
4. Philip Lutzenkirchen - nice effort, but should have gone to a team with a QB that can make a throw
5. Kyler Reed - if Martinez keeps improving that throwing motion, kid could become a real factor here
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