Week 2 Preview: Warming Up

After rising Big East powers Louisville and Rutgers do nothing to imperil their Top-20 status on Thursday and Friday respectively, the college football season can officially begin eliminating the pretenders.

Games of Note:

#9 Virginia Tech (too high) @ #2 LSU (too low): Frank Beamer's emotional Hokies are usually a tough out, but an inability to score twenty points on East Carolina last week does not bode well against the best defense in the nation. Whilst the Tigers offense is a work in progress, particularly on the ground, twenty points should do it, though it could prove a struggle for three quarters. LSU is too fast, too motivated, and too talented to let an overrated ACC school ruin their September. LSU 30 VT 9

NR Miami (too low) @ #5 Oklahoma (too high): Finally, after twenty years and a near miss to close the 2000 season, the "U" and Boomer meet up again in Norman. Sooner fans have good memories of the last season Oklahoma hosted Miami, for it proved a national title year--even if Miami won the game (1985). Barry Switzer's boys won every game from 1985-1987, except for three, all against one school. Nonetheless, is Randy Shannon's group ready for this game? Not yet. OU 24 MIA 10*

#19 TCU (too high) @ #7 Texas (just right): After a sleepy second half against Arkansas State, one would think Colt McCoy and the Longhorn offense is rarin' to go in one of the few games Texas could lose this season. Yet, the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year must show more than last week, because TCU is a very good team. Not good enough in Austin, however. TX 37 TCU 10, in a bounce-back game for TX.

NR South Carolina (too low) @ #11 Georgia (also too low): No matter the records, this early SEC clash is almost always a nail-biter, and the Gamecocks almost always end up losing it. Spurrier's troops didn't play especially well in a functional DNP environment last week, and Georgia's win over Okie State was one of the better performances of the week. Still, the 'Cocks are coming, ahem, and while I am reasonably high on the 'Dawgs to play for the SEC East title in Jacksonville, they could drop this one. Same old story, however. GA 21 SC 16

NR Notre Dame (too low) @ #14 Penn State (about right): Revenge is a dish best served cold, beware also of Nittany Lion nation under the lights. PSU crushed their opponent last week and may indeed have Big 10 title aspirations for the second time in three seasons, ND, well, the less said about GT's thirty-point win the better. I don't see a 1992-esque ending here. PSU 41 ND 14, give Clausen a few nice plays and JoePa calls off the dogs early.

NR Oregon (about right) @ #5... err.. NR Michigan ('nuff said): Four years ago, the Wolverines blew a national title opportunity with a series of special-teams breakdowns in Eugene, losing to the hideously dressed Ducks of Bellotti. After a week in crisis, Michigan's "O" should not have a problem moving the football, but Oregon QB Dennis Dixon runs the spread offense, uh oh... Nah, I said four touchdowns and I'll stick to it, entertaining game, no doubt. UM 49 ORE 21, another Heisman day for #20. They'll move to #15 in my poll if they achieve that result.

All in all, not a bad weekend of college football: five games of significant to serious interest and another opportunity to see the Fightin' Irish housed on national television. What could prove better than that?

As to the Heisman Trophy, I've offered my preview and more or less believe we need at least a few weeks to shake out the contenders. I want to see Brian Brohm against an SEC defense (sorta) in Lexington, or John David Booty in Lincoln, before I can fairly assess their chances at the Big Award. Likewise, I don't care what Pat White and Steve Slaton do against anyone other than Louisville and Rutgers, especially the former, in Morgantown. I will say that I've refused to throw Mike Hart of Michigan off the list because of his team's 32-34 debacle against App-y State, without his second half presence Michigan loses by at least ten points, H20 almost saved the day. Romp over Penn State and he'll be right back in it.

* Exact opposite of the 1986 game in the Orange Bowl when #1 Oklahoma fell to the Canes.