College Football 2008 (Aug 31 - Sep 6): First Impressions

[JohnBM01]

Time to get ready for more college football. I'm your college sports guy, John. The first Saturday of college football was wicked in more ways than one. Little action happens on Sunday. Even less on Monday. The Sunday warriors came to play. Before we start a new week, here's a look at last week:

Last Week Highlights...
* Michigan loses second-straight home season-opener as Utah beat the Wolverines
* Appalachian State couldn't shake LSU
* #9 Clemson's high expectations got the best of them as #24 Alabama rubs out Clemson
* Stanford, Temple, Buffalo, UNLV, and even Duke start 1-0



Now on to this week. I will have an NFL Focus starting next Sunday as their regular season starts. No detailed reports, just looks at games. We begin with in-state rivalries.



--- Division 1: FBS Scores ---

Louisville, Kentucky ~ Louisville Wants Revenge From Last Year's Epic Classic
* Kentucky {Wildcats} at Louisville {Cardinals}
This is my third or so season of covering FoolKiller's alma mater. The Kentucky Wildcats are ready to lace 'em up as is their rivals due west of Lexington. It's going to be a Kentucky Derby as two race horses prepare to clash again. This year's match is different- no Woodson. No Brohm. The game is at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The Cardinal faithful would love for Kentucky to give back the Governor's Cup to the University of Louisville. Thing is... no way! Kentucky don't play that! This game had no offensive touchdowns through three quarters. The first score was a field goal by Kentucky followed by a non-offensive touchdown by the 'Cats. I'm sure Tom Leach (the voice of the Wildcats) was happily sharing the good news to people listening on the radio back in Lexington. Louisville got themselves a safety as Kentucky threw the pigskin in the end zone and got an Intentional Grounding call which gave Louisville two points. Louisville can only manage two points as Kentucky motored along in Hartline's first collegiate start. (27-2; Kentucky)

Denver, Colorado ~ Old Foes Clash Again for Colorado Supremacy
* Colorado State {Rams} vs. {}
Invesco Field at Mile High was used last week for Barack Obama's acceptance speech of the Democratic presidency. Now the Mile High City is geared for football. The NFL's regular season starts this coming weekend. For now, it's time for two colleges to knock heads. Colorado State was an utter disappointment last season winning very few games. The Rams want redemption in the baddest way. The University of Colorado weren't very interesting last year, but much better than the Colorado team that won only, what... two games a few years ago? Even the Buffaloes that got their butts handed to 70-3 in the Big XII Championship game against Texas (in the Vince Young days) could have done better that year. I love Colorado's stadium- Folsom Field. It's a beautiful facility with the mountains in the distance. Beautiful place for a game. Now Colorado's ready to play as I'm ready to report. Colorado was three touchdowns better than Colorado State on this day. (38-17; Colorado)





--- Division 1: FCS Scores ---
Two historically-black colleges went at it that I'll feature today. Dayton will be featured in the Division 2 scores. I hope you love black college football because I have two scores for you featuring some of the best programs.

Orlando, Florida ~ SWAC-MEAC Challenge Pits a Competitive Mississippi School and a Virginia Powerhouse
* Jackson State {Tigers} vs. Hampton {Pirates}
Welcome to the SWAC-MEAC Challenge. This matchup pits Jackson State and Hampton. Jackson State is home of the Tigers. One of Jackson State's rivals is Southern University. These Tigers are on the prowl and ready to pounce. Looking for booty are the Pirates of Hampton University. I always call Hampton University as the best black college in college sports. This team makes the playoffs in FCS pretty often. I wished they'd perhaps play for a title, but the field is so tough in FCS with teams like San Diego, Appalachian State, Montana, Dayton, Delaware, Southern Illinois, Furman, and teams like that. Hampton picked up the win as Jackson State failed to contain the Pirates' offense. (17-13; Hampton)

Durham, North Carolina ~ A Division 2 Buddy of North Carolina Central Pays NC Central a Visit
* Fayetteville State {Broncos} at North Carolina Central {Eagles}
North Carolina Central is one of the black colleges to recently step up to Division 1 along with Winston-Salem State. North Carolina Central University is in the same city you can find Duke University. The Eagles have flown their way into Division 1. But now, they had some visitors from Division 2. The Broncos of Fayetteville State went into Durham to see what it's like to play on the FCS level. Fayetteville State gave North Carolina Central an "Overrated!" present for North Carolina Central. (33-22; Fayetteville State)





--- Division 2 Scores ---
Division 2 features a few games. They don't play again until the fourth of September. An FCS school visits a Division 2 school (hence its score here). Two Division 2 black colleges went at it. Here's what happened...

Dayton, Ohio ~ Flyers Ready for Take-Off[/B}
* Dayton {Flyers} at Central State {Marauders} *** Dayton Classic IV ***
The Marauders of Central State failed to shut down Dayton as the Flyers flew high over them. (31-12; Dayton)

Fairfield, Alabama ~ Black College Football Alive and Well in Alabama Between Two Alabama Schools
* Stillman {Tigers} at Miles {Golden Bears}
Two Alabama schools will go at it. When I think of black colleges and Alabama, I immediately think of the Magic City Classic in Birmingham, Alabama between Alabama State and Alabama A&M. We're about six miles away from Birmingham in the city of Fairfield. Not the Fairfield that's home of the non-football Fairfield Stags, but the Fairfield that's home of the Miles College Golden Bears. Stillman College is home of the Tigers. Stillman's Tigers had a good lunch feasting on the Golden Bears of Miles College. (38-12; Stillman)

OFF-TOPIC - I believe Grand Valley State didn't play this past weekend. Sure like to see the Lakers in action.





(no Division 3 scores)
There was a score I forgot to include from Saturday. Chowan hosted Elizabeth City State, and Chowan won that game 55-3. No one in Division 3 played today.





I value comments from all of you. Two matches coming up for Labor Day. We got Tennessee leaving Neyland Stadium to meet UCLA and Fresno State heading up to meet Rutgers. Some say Rutgers is on Upset Alert as Fresno State comes to the State University of New Jersey. We'll see how they did in my next report.

 

[Joey D]

John you always do such great write ups and I always read them all concerning college football. Have you ever considered a career in sports writing?

 

[JohnBM01]

I have considered this, but I'd have to improve aa WHOLE lot for me to be a world-class sports writer. I am considering motorsports journalism. I just do college football here to give college football fans a chance to sound off.

Happy Labor Day to all of you! Happy Labour Day to you Canadians! A few colleges are ready to do some Labor Day work for your viewing pleasure. Want to know who won and who didn't? Then keep reading this report.

BEFORE I BEGIN: I would like to offer my deepest thoughts and prayers to all who have been affected by Hurricane Gustav in any such way. It will thankfully miss greater Houston. However, I want to wish for prosperity and hope for all in Louisiana. That even includes people like GTP Moderator, Kent. My deepest thoughts and prayers to all in the path of this system.





--- Division 1: FBS Scores ---

Pasadena, California ~ Nothing Rosy About This Match
* #18 Tennessee {Volunteers} at UCLA {Bruins}
Thinking upset? UCLA does. They probably heard all the East Coast people who think the Pac-10 is a nobody conference with boring teams that can't play college football even if their lives depended on it. Some even call the Pac-10 as "USCal and the Pac-9." The Bruins think the monopoly on football in Los Angeles is over. Can the Bruins take down Tennessee? It won't be easy as these multiple-time National Champions square off. The Volunteers could beat UCLA at the Rose Bowl or OR Neyland Stadium. Lot of smack... but who can back it up? This game got exciting late as UCLA led 24-21 with about 12 seconds left in the game. We could see Overtime or a key win. Tennessee delivered Overtime with a 49-yard field goal that stunned everyone in the Rose Bowl. This is my first time saying the following this season- regulation solves nothing. Bring on Overtime! UCLA made their field goal in Overtime, but Tennessee couldn't make theirs. In fact, the Vols' field goal kick missed EVERYTHING. Tennessee is a loser in this match. I hope Florida State weren't recruiting him... (27-24, OT; CALIFORNIA-LOS ANGELES)

DID YOU KNOW...
...that Tennessee was 13-2 under Coach Fulmer in season openers heading into this match? Make that 13-3 with this loss.



I still think Tennessee is going to a Bowl Game. Plenty of time to make up after a loss like this. But before this match, there was another one that took place.

Piscataway, New Jersey ~ The Greater New York Area on Upset Alert
* Fresno State {Bulldogs} at Rutgers {Scarlet Knights}
Upset alert! Fresno State's coming to town to shock Rutgers. It's a Bulldog attack from the West Coast as they've had frequent flyer miles to take the wind out of Rutgers' sails. Remember one thing- knights fight valiantly and only accept defeat when they have exhausted every possible effort to win... especially Scarlet Knights. Good night, Scarlet Knights! You got stunned in your own house by a pack of Bulldogs! (24-7; Fresno State)





( no FCS action)
Thursday games:
* Valparaiso at St. Francis (Illinois)
* Florida A&M at Delaware State
* Washburn at Missouri State

Nicholls State at New Mexico State will be in my FCS scores.





--- Division 2 Scores ---





--- Division 3 Scores ---





John's Student Lounge
School's closed for Labor Day at GTPlanet University. However, I'm here to deliver a little something.

If anyone else felt disappointed in my pick for "MOST DISAPPOINTING LOSS," I have an alternate- San Diego State losing at home to California Polytechnical Institute (Cal Poly as it's commonly known). You can at least agree that this would be a better pick if you didn't like my pick of UTEP losing to Buffalo. As far as Buffalo goes, they'll get my respect if they either beat Central Michigan (MAC favorite) or win the MAC title.





I now will pray for the East Coast in their preperation of newly-named Hurricane Hanna. Ike was formed out in the Atlantic Ocean. It is a crazy Hurricane Season. I pray for everyone immediately affected or soon to be affected by all tropical weather.

Thanks for reading my Monday report. Stay tuned to this thread for more stuff from me! Games resume Thursday. Take care.

 

[Studentdriver]

Thanks for that, John.

I wouldn't expect you to know about that though, Buffalo is kind of my other favorite school since my family is from the area and my parents both went to grad school there. Watch for them to potentially put Pittsburgh at 0-2 against the MAC and further continue the Big East's early season embarrassment.

 

[JohnBM01]

I'm not sure what stuns me about the Big East after just one game. Kentucky goes to Louisville and hands Louisville their butts, Pittsburgh (Max Powers country) loses to Bowling Green State, Fresno State just beat Rutgers... still. LOTS of upsets and wins over BCS conference schools.

There is one thing I like about the University of Buffalo- their fight song. At least, as I remember from the EA Sports' NCAA Football games. They even play at a very nice stadium. Among MAC schools, I also like Eastern Michigan's fight song. Although they're pathetic, I like their fight song as well. My former Communications teacher at Lamar University is an EMU graduate. She's very nice.

I'll be sure to look out for Buffalo this season. I'm going to love and hate schools, but I don't want to be TOO biased to where I'm disliked. I don't want to have an ESPN mentality on some schools. You know, only care about mostly big schools and hate on everyone not even on par with BYU or Fresno State.

More to come for Tuesday. I'm trying to have my computer set up for WiFi. If I am able to get the USB adapter I'm looking for, I may be on earlier and perhaps more often. This will mean that as I create reports, I could be making simple comments as the week's games go along. I'll let you know how that goes. Look in the "Your Internet Connection?" thread for more on my attempts to go broadband for the first-ever time at home in my room.

 

[FoolKiller]

Louisville, Kentucky ~ Louisville Wants Revenge From Last Year's Epic Classic
* Kentucky {Wildcats} at Louisville {Cardinals}
This is my third or so season of covering FoolKiller's alma mater. The Kentucky Wildcats are ready to lace 'em up as is their rivals due west of Lexington. It's going to be a Kentucky Derby as two race horses prepare to clash again. This year's match is different- no Woodson. No Brohm. The game is at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The Cardinal faithful would love for Kentucky to give back the Governor's Cup to the University of Louisville. Thing is... no way! Kentucky don't play that! This game had no offensive touchdowns through three quarters. The first score was a field goal by Kentucky followed by a non-offensive touchdown by the 'Cats. I'm sure Tom Leach (the voice of the Wildcats) was happily sharing the good news to people listening on the radio back in Lexington. Louisville got themselves a safety as Kentucky threw the pigskin in the end zone and got an Intentional Grounding call which gave Louisville two points. Louisville can only manage two points as Kentucky motored along in Hartline's first collegiate start. (27-2; Kentucky)

You made this sound so good I had to double check that we are talking about the same game.

I was there, and trust me it was boring. Although, after watching Tony Dixon make that run (the only offensive touchdown of the game) I am thinking of getting a Dixon jersey. I'm undecided, because pre-season I was thinking of a Lyons Jr jersey.

Anyway, the game was boring and it was miserably hot. I am still suffering a mild sunburn. My friend and I left at halftime just because our seats are in row VV and we could get the same view in AC on TV.

Now, all that said, here comes my trash talk:

Kentucky over Louisville, two in a row baby!!!!! Boo hoo hoo, Hunter Cantwell is supposed to be NFL 1st pick and he is huge, so why is he passing low? He isn't passing low, his O-line looks like last years Rams. Cantwell was taking blindside hits more than he should have.

The Wildcats defense looked good, but the offense needs some work. I am still unsure of Hartline, but he did pull off a QB run on 4th and 1. He is somewhat small so he may need to be mobile, which I will love to see.

Anyway, back to my tough decisions: Dixon or Lyons Jr?

 

[JohnBM01]

Well, FoolKiller, I've digged Dicky Lyons Jr. for the longest. When I was watching the ESPN replay on ESPNU, Louisville fans at Commonwealth Stadium got a raw deal as they were all sitting in certain areas at that 74.3K-seat Commonwealth Stadium. So how does Louisville fight back? KENTUCKY fans at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium had to sit in certain areas. And let me tell you... nobody wants to go 1-0 losing to a hated rival. Louisville could have got Morehead State while Kentucky could have gotten Murray State. But this season, Kentucky and Louisville hit it off for the '08 season... and the boys in blue won.

Here's something a sports write for the Associated Press wrote called "Cardinals Try to Move On After Kentucky Loss": < http://www.ncaa.com/football/article.aspx?id=339482 >.



Now a few headlines (most of which from Yahoo! Sports' NCAA Football page < http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football;_ylt=Amfgox41jvTEct.lDot5TtwcvrYF >):
* New Mexico State vs. Nicholls State cancelled for Thursday, postponed
* Todd Doxey (Oregon) drowns to his death
* Tropical Storm Hanna could impact South Carolina games
* LSU regroups from Hurricane Gustav
* Smelley named the starting QB at South Carolina
* Jim Tressel says that "Beanie" Wells is going to be fine



Louisville's loss caps off a miserable start for the Big East. Allow me to go to GTPlanet University's College of Health and Medicine and wear my lab coat. Can some losers recover? Let's speculate.



--- Can They Recover? ---
Nobody wants to start 0-1. The thing is to try not to let one loss screw your season into the ground. You can't win the championship in Week 1. So this is my look at this past weekend's losers and my thoughts as to who will rebound. Some may even rebound and play in some big postseason matches. Here's my look at who will improve and who may not. I basically mean making a Bowl Game in FBS or making the playoffs in non-FBS schools. Think of these 0-1 teams as cars in the shop. While in the shop, extensive maintenance work is being done to make these cars as new as possible. Can these teams motor along? I'll pick a few teams.


Louisville
Louisville lost at home to Kentucky. My confidence in saying that Louisville will come back to make a Bowl game is relatively low. Louisville has an interesting match as they host Kansas State next Saturday. A few games concern me with Louisville- perhaps the game with Connecticut (9/26), at Memphis (10/10), #17 South Florida (10/25), and all four remaining games this season: at Pittsburgh (11/8), Cincinnati (11/14), #8 West Virginia (11/22), and at Rutgers (12/4). The key talking point is Kansas State. I find it hard for Louisville to recover if they lose to Kansas State. Here's my predictions for these matches I mentioned:

My winning predictions from the ones I listed:
Kansas State, Connecticut, (maybe) Pittsburgh

Still, my confidence is low for Louisville with no Brian Brohm. This is a case in which a team has to reload rather than try to find new stars. Some may emerge like that tower of a man named Chichester.

LIKELYHOOD OF RECOVERY: somewhat unlikely



Pittsburgh
The blue and gold of Pittsburgh is usually a pretty good school. This is a team simply trying to find their way back to fruition. Their best chance to recover will be with a great performance against Buffalo. Iowa (9/20) is a tricky one for me. Their schedule is going to be pretty rough. Between September 27th and October 18th, the Pitt Panthers will hit the road. They'd BETTER beat Syracuse at the Carrier Dome (9/27). Actually, their next three games are going to be brutal- AT South Florida (10/2; with an off week the Saturday after 10/2/2008), at Navy (10/18), and back home to host Rutgers (10/25). They go to Notre Dame November 1st, host Louisville (10/8), and go to Cincinnati (11/22). West Virginia's going to be at Heinz Field (11/28)for the Backyard Brawl and end with a trip to Connecticut.

My winning predictions:

Pittsburgh WINS:
Buffalo, (barely) Iowa, Syracuse, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Louisville

For Pittsburgh, they can't let Buffalo get on a roll like Bowling Green State did to Pitt. If they don't get it together, they are going to be the Fighting Irish of the Big East.

LIKELYHOOD OF RECOVERING: likely



Tennessee
The Volunteers came up short as a field goal to force Double Overtime at UCLA missed everything wide left. I usually regard Tennessee a lot in SEC play. This was just a miss for Tennessee. But guess what? Rocky Top will be alive and well as the season goes on. They'll host Alabama-Birmingham in two weeks. The rivalry game between the Vols and Florida Gators is on September 20th followed by a trip to Auburn the next week. The areas of concern will be at Georgia (10/11), Alabama (10/25), at South Carolina (11/1; could be a trap game), at Vanderbilt for their in-state rivalry (11/22), and even Kentucky (11/29).

My winning predictions for games highlighted:
Auburn, Alabama, Alabama, Vanderbilt, and (maybe) Kentucky (sorry, FoolKiller)

LIKELYHOOD OF RECOVERY: very likely



Michigan
Joey D said that Michigan disappointed him. Will they remain disappointing? I don't think so because Michigan football knows how to win games (unlike their men's basketball team that even lost to Joey D's Golden Grizzlies of non-football school Oakland University). They get Miami University this Saturday and go to Notre Dame next Saturday. Michigan was 0-2 last year heading into Game 3 last season when they pimp-slapped Notre Dame 38-0. Michigan, we need to talk. You host #11 Wisconsin (10/27) followed by #24 Illinois the following week. October 18th is when they go to Penn State. The Wolverines make a house call to Purdue November 1st. I would have made Minnesota a game of concern, but the Golden Gophers are a piece of crap program nowadays. Northwestern (11/15) could be a trap game. And of course, a trip to Ohio State is (11/22). Rich Rodriguez is probably going to be hated on by Michigan fans like some Kentucky fans hated on Tubby Smith in men's basketball if Michigan loses at Ohio State.

My winning predictions for listed games:
Miami, Notre Dame, Illinois, Penn State (upset), Purdue,

Undecided:
Ohio State

Michigan lost to Utah. Miami University is a good program, but I don't think they'll threaten the Big House and the Wolverines that reside there. Once this spread offense is fully mastered, Michigan could be like snake venom- dangerous and lethal.

LIKELYHOOD OF RECOVERY: likely



Clemson
High expectations can do some crazy things. This year's Clemson is not exactly the 1981 Clemson Tigers, but they have usually been that team that is great, but never does too much damage in their conference and overall. Only three games concern me with Clemson- at Wake Forest (10/9; probably a Thursday Night ESPN game), Georgia Tech (10/18), and South Carolina (11/29, and I'm sure I know who [/B]Studentdriver[/B] and TwinTurbos94 wants to see win). Other games of concern include a trip to Boston College (11/1) followed by a trip to Florida State the next weekend. Clemson doesn't play Miami this season, so that gives Clemson a little confidence this season.

My winning predictions for listed games:
(maybe) Wake Forest, (maybe) Boston College, and maybe South Carolina.

"Thunder" and "Lightning" for Clemson better deliver on offense for Clemson to even be regarded and recognized as a threat for a National Championship. At most, they will be in a late December bowl or maybe a non-BCS January bowl.

LIKELYHOOD OF RECOVERY: pretty likely





Those are only a few teams I picked out. Surprisingly, I didn't pick any non-BCS or non-FBS schools. I was thinking of Appalachian State in my report as well as Texas A&M (beaten 18-14 by Arkansas State), but didn't include them.





That's my Tuesday post. I may start doing Old School for Wednesdays this season. Like here in Houston, we have "Way Back Wednesday" for Houston's 97.9 The Box (a hip-hop and R&B station) that has this mix session featuring old songs. I may start finding a few old school things to look at for college football each Wednesday and even in some highlights and extras. Maybe I'll come up with something for this Wednesday if I get to find something interesting.

 

[FoolKiller]

When I was watching the ESPN replay on ESPNU, Louisville fans at Commonwealth Stadium got a raw deal as they were all sitting in certain areas at that 74.3K-seat Commonwealth Stadium. So how does Louisville fight back? KENTUCKY fans at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium had to sit in certain areas.

Let me clarify my statement. I was not in a designated Kentucky seat, I was in the Student season ticket section. I bought a season ticket with a friend. The cost of the whole season was cheaper than buying an individual UK/UL ticket.

No, I was in row VV on the 40 yard line. If I were in a UK seat I would have been in row VV in the endzone. And in all honesty the seats are not bad, it was just that at that point there is no shade from the sun in that heat.

I'm missing out on the Tennessee Tech game this Saturday, so I am hoping that by next Wednesday the weather will be better for Kansas State.

Next game though I am definitely taking my sports binoculars and sports radio. Papa John's Cardinal Stadium has a distinct lack of speakers anywhere but on the scoreboard. So, of course I can't hear the calls when a flag is thrown.

 

[JohnBM01]

Allow me to open the time machine and look back into the past. This time, I'll be looking at something I saw on FSN on Labor Day. It's a look at the 1976 Houston Cougars.

Old School: The 1976 Houston Cougars
Am I a homer? Nope. The Houston Cougars of 1976 was part of a conference that is no longer with us- the Southwestern Conference. Think of it as the Big XII of the past. The Big XII wouldn't be around until about 1995. One of the proudest Southwestern Conference team was Houston. This was a confeence in which the University of Houston can compete against teams like Arkansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Christian, and teams like that.

It's moments like these where I wonder how far Houston could have gone have they been added to the Big XII besides someone like Baylor or somebody. The year 1976 was the first year Houston entered the Southwest Conference. They would be in the Southwest Conference from 1976 to 1995. The SWC's first football champion was the Houston Cougars. I even saw this as a banner as I made my way up to the grandstands at Robertson Stadium back on Saturday. The '76 Houston Cougars finished 10-2-0, losing only at Florida and to Arkansas. They were ranked in the AP poll as high as #4 and as high as #4 in the now-defunct UPI poll. These cats of the Wildcat City (as Houston was once known) beat Baylor, Texas A&M, West Texas A&M, Southern Methodist, Texas Christian, Texas, Texas Tech, Rice, and Miami. They finished 7-1 in SWC play. The Houston Coogs would play in the Cotton Bowl in 1977 against the Maryland Terrapins. The Cougars won that game 30-21.

This would prove to be a great year for Cougar football. Being in a major conference helps you with recruiting. Even a fellow by the name of Andre Ware would give the University of Houston its first (and only) Houston Heisman winner along with being the first Black American quarterback to receive the prestigious award. Bill Yeoman is the Hall of Fame coach that made this all happen. After the 1976 season, four Cougars would play in the NFL. Wilson Whitely (DT) was drafted in the first round to the Bengals, Val Belcher (G) was drafted in the third round to the Dallas Cowboys, Guy Brown (LB) was drafted in the fourth round to the Cowboys, and Eddie Foster (T) was drafted to the (tears in eye) Houston Oilers in the eighth round.

To this day, the University of Houston is still trying to stand out academically and athletically. One of the best moments in Houston athletics history had to do with Phi Slamma Jamma in the early '80s. ESPN has to continually keep showing the Cougars losing to North Carolina State in 1983 and Georgetown in 1984, both for the national championship. I still wonder if Houston could ever be vastly improved to where it can remain part of a major conference. What if Houston was selected over Baylor? What if the Southwestern Conference still existed? We can only dream. But as we dream, we remember. And as we remember, we move ahead in life.

For more on the 1976 Cougars, visit this link: < http://cfreference.net/cfr/show_school_season/1049?season=1976 >.





News Notes:

Hanna Makes Her Threat
A number of locations could be affected by the threat of (Tropical Storm or Hurricane) Hanna. The biggest threat could be as far south as northern Florida or as far north as maybe Delaware of Pennsylvania. The forecast track of Hanna could threaten the Carolinas on Saturday, making for rainy and windy conditions along the Atlantic Coast.

LSU Postpones Game vs. Troy
The LSU Tigers will play against the Trojans of Troy with a postponed start. People who moved out of Louisiana are now currently returning to Louisiana after Hurricane Gustav's fury. The field condition of Tiger Stadium seems okay for the LSU/Troy game.





--- Looking Ahead: Bowl Matchups ---
It's too early to speculate on Bowl Games. However, there are a few matchups I thought of should these teams make the postseason. It's not to say that they will necessarily make the postseason. But if they did, who COULD they play against? BCS and non-BCS schools will be featured. Have a look as well as who I think would win:

If They Played: Houston vs. New Mexico
* Houston {Cougars} vs. New Mexico {Lobos}
The Cougars are hoping they can move on without Kevin Kolb and coach Art Briles. This would be an entertaining matchup from the game I saw this past Saturday against Southern. Chase Keenum is trying to continue what Kolb and Coach Briles have started. Other than Boise State and Fresno State, I've always regarded New Mexico. The Lobos can be pretty dangerous and usually make Bowl Games. Both of these teams seem to love airing out the football. So look for a passing attack by both teams that may even mix in a few runs to keep the respective secondary units in check. I think New Mexico could win, but it will be dreadfully close. PREDICTION: (48-45; New Mexico)

If They Played: Missouri vs. Michigan
* Missouri {Tigers} vs. Michigan {Wolverines}
Let's say Michigan and Missouri went at it. Michigan is usually a pretty hungry team that plays with pride even in losing efforts. But can the Wolverines be able to contain Chase Daniel and his passing attack? Kansas and Missouri were the Big XII North stories last season. Could Daniel be able to take on a proven Big Ten powerhouse? This would really be a dream match. I don't think Michigan is back to their BCS bowl-bound ways just yet, but I think Michigan can still put on a show. As for the Missouri Tigers, they will need to stick to the passing game and even try to make a few good run plays. Michigan could win this match unless there's a breakdown on either side of the ball for either team. PREDICTION: (31-17; Michigan)

If They Played: Kentucky vs. Connecticut
* Kentucky {Wildcats} vs. Connecticut {Huskies}
Believe in blue (but which one, right?)! This is a dream men's basketball match. Don't care if it's played at UConn or UK. Thing is, this is a good football match as well between two good teams. Kentucky have been to back-to-back Bowl Games for the first time for some time. The Wildcats were done disposing of Louisville this past weekend. But if the Wildcats met the boys from Hartford? I'm usually inclined to say that I regard the SEC. My thing is, are the Huskies talented enough to tame a pack of angry Wildcats? I think Kentucky could win by at least two touchdowns unless Kentucky's off their game. PREDICTION: 35-17; Kentucky)

OFF-TOPIC: I like Connecticut's fight song. Too bad you can't hear it in the NCAA Football games. You hear those generic fight songs if you played Connecticut.


If They Played: Georgia vs. Oklahoma
* Georgia {Bulldogs} vs. Oklahoma {Sooners}
Boomer Sooner! Get ready for a good southern-style match between two schools with great football tradition. As highly as Georgia is regarded this season, I think the Bulldogs can pull a win over the Sooners. PREDICTION: (21-20; Georgia)





The Thursday Night match on ESPN will be South Carolina at Vanderbilt. ESPN much love South Carolina to have them featured in two successive weeks. Yet, they can't seem to talk about Houston teams (pro or college) without making fun of them in some way. There will also be Navy playing at Ball State. Navy's an Independent, so they can play against whoever the hell they want anywhere they want.

I'll have those results and more in my Thursday report. And next Thursday is the seventh anniversary of the horrific September 11th attacks. On that day, I talk about how America's service academies are doing this season as well as check in with the Patriot League. Since I'm carrying out two objectives at once, I may have my look at how service academies are doing as well as provide scores in a seperate post. You'll see what I will come up with when next Thursday rolls around.

For now, take care!

 

[High-Test]

Apparently, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are undefeated. Why did that happen..

KU and NDSU both won their games. I'm in good shape. I'm a nominal supporter of NDSU, and won't really care this year.

Go anybody playing the Gophers! Even.. Missouri! Well, I take that back. Nope. I'd love to see the Gophers get trounced. Even by the infernal exotic large felines that would never live in Missouri.

I liked the mention in the other thread. Thanks.


And my mascot is an imaginary bird.

 

[JohnBM01]

No problem, and welcome to the party, High-Test! It's a beautiful day here in Houston. Supposedly low humidity. Of course, Labor Day is the unofficial end of Summer.

The Thursday Night delight for tonight involves Studentdriver's #24 South Carolina Gamecocks going up to Nashville to meet the Vanderbilt Commodores in a match of SEC teams. Vandy's thinking upset (as far as rankings go). We'll see who gets her done tonight in my Thursday report. Also, we have a VERY good Division 2 match to be aired on CBS College Sports between North Alabama and #5 Carson-Newman.

Check out my Thursday report when it's done! You will, won't you? The deal I usually make is that you can expect to see my full reports by sunrise the next morning. I hope to deliver again for you.

 

[Studentdriver]

I have come to the conclusion that we will never have a good football team. As far as this season goes, the only remaining wins are Wofford, UAB, and maybe Ole Miss on the road.

 

[JohnBM01]

Today is the first day of NFL action. But you came here for college (or just to see me rant away). So because you love college football, I give you another one of my lovely college football reports. However, I will touch up on the Thursday Night match on NBC with Al Michaels and John Madden calling the action.

By the way, happy 27th birthday to Houston's own Beyoncé! Also, we have absolutely NO players in this report who want to change their surname to "Ocho Cinco." Besides, 85 in Spanish is ochenta y cinco, not ocho cinco.



PONTIAC GAME CHANGING PERFORMANCE (Wk. 1)
* ECU's blocked VT punt for a touchdown preserves upset





--- Division 1: FBS Scores ---
Only one FBS game I have for you (since Nicholls State at New Mexico State has been postponed). Hope you like it.

Nashville, Tennessee ~ Music City Ready for a Primetime Concert
* #24 South Carolina {Gamecocks} at Vanderbilt {Commodores}
Time I give Studentdriver and TwinTurbos94 some love. The Gamecocks are ready to make some noise, but not at the Grand Ole Opry. No... they're going for a school that's been ranked as the most beautiful colleges/universities in America- Vanderbilt University. As beautiful as Vandy may be, they aren't fully beautiful unless they can compete for the SEC Championship. Whether or not it's the Commodores' year depends on how they do against other SEC opposition. Turn the lights on bright in Nashville. We got football in Music City! The garnet and black of South Carolina took a 10-3 lead on a late field goal at halftime. The #24 ranking is guaranteed to go after this week ends. (24-17; VANDERBILT)

SIDE NOTE: Chris Smelley is from Tuscalossa, Alabama. Guess what school is in that city? Right- the University of Alabama. I wodner how Alabama fans would respond if South Carolina plays Alabama AT Alabama. The South Carolina punter is from Rock Hill, South Carolina- home of non-football school, Winthrop University and the Winthrop Eagles.

DID YOU KNOW...
...that Vanderbilt has the longest active string of losing seasons of any school in FBS? They are ahead of schools like Buffalo, Temple, Duke, Eastern Michigan, and Baylor among others.





--- Division 1: FCS Scores ---
Speaking as a Black American, I'm fond of a good black college football match. So let's begin with a marquee match in black college football to start the FCS scores.

Dover, Delaware ~ A Former FCS National Champion Meets a Playoff Team From Last Season
* Florida A&M {Rattlers} at Delaware State {Hornets}
Welcome to the state capital of America's first state. We are in Dover, Delaware for this matchup in the MEAC conference. The SWAC is a conference rich with mostly American Southeast schools as well as two Texas schools. The MEAC has a lot of East Coast black schools. I'm impartial to the SWAC because of my hometown Texas Southern Tigers. But the MEAC has a little better talent than the SWAC. The big bruiser in the MEAC is Hampton. No Hampton in this match- just Delaware State and Florida A&M. Unlike Hampton, the Rattlers of Florida A&M won the National Championship before. They beat Massachusetts for the FCS championship back in 1978. They are still the only historically-black school in Division 1 to win the National Championship. Looking to derail them is a playoff contender from last season- Delaware State. It's funny to believe that Delaware and Delaware State, despite being in-state schools, have never had a football rivalry until this past FCS playoffs. Delaware (eventual runners-up to last year's FCS championship) creamed Delaware State in their first-round match. Rattlers are dangerous, but so are Hornets. Let's see who's the better school. This is Delaware State's first game of the season. Get the season started right, right? Well, they did just that, though this game needed more than sixty minutes. (35-28, OT; DELAWARE STATE)


These next two scores shock me. You'll see why.

Springfield, Missouri ~ Show Me State Ready to Show Us Some Football
* #17(D2) Washburn {???} at Missouri State {Bears}
The Bears of Missouri State are usually a competitive football team. Sadly, the Bears hibernated as Washburn went into Springfield (Missouri) and beat them in their house. (35-27; Washburn)

* Valaparaiso University played a game at St. Francis (of Illinois). The Crusaders failed to beat St. Francis (IL), let alone score a point. (21-0; ST. FRANCIS OF ILLINOIS)


So which is the bigger loss- letting a Division 2 school beat a good FCS school, or not scoring ANYTHING at a non-Division 1 (perhaps non-NCAA) school? You decide.





--- Division 2 Scores ---
There was a BIG Top 5 match tonight involving the University of North Alabama and Carson-Newman. Who won?

Jefferson City, Tennessee ~ Carson-Newman Tries to Fend Off a Game North Alabama Squad
* #3 North Alabama {Lions} at #4 Carson-Newman {Eagles}
I wouldn't be offering my services in college football if I only care about Division 1. Because I love you people, I'm here to give you all the college football love you can handle. Welcome to Jefferson City, Tennessee- home of Carson-Newman and this match against UNA of the Gulf South Conference and Carson-Newman of the South Atlantic Conference. The University of North Alabama is trying to break into FCS in a few years. The Lions of North Alabama are roaring loudly in this critical matchup. The school is based in Florence, Alabama. They're going up north to meet Carson-Newman at Burke-Tarr Stadium. The Eagles' nest here is Carson-Newman. Carson-Newman felt left out in the cold for not making the D2 playoffs. The reality was that they had a very soft schedule. A real tough schedule would mean scheduling teams like West Texas A&M, Northwest Missouri State, Grand Valley State, Valdosta State, and schools like that in Division 2. Now let's see who won this game featured on CBS College Sports. Carson-Newman led 7-3 at the half. North Alabama played a heck of a game to preserve their high ranking in Division 2. (20-13; #3 North Alabama)


The fun continues in Missouri!

Warrensburg, Missouri ~ Mules Ready to Mule Kick Arkansas Tech
* Arkansas Tech at #24 Central Missouri {Mules}
(49-13; CENTRAL MISSOURI)

Joplin, Missouri ~ Missouri Southern State Ready to Hassle Haskell
* Haskell {???} at Missouri Southern {Lions}
(66-9; MISSOURI SOUTHERN)





--- Division 3 Scores ---
This is the debut for Division 3 scores from me. Here are how the two games shaped up...

* Springfield at Fitchburg State (55-27; Springfield)
* Massachusetts Maritime at SUNY-Maritime (24-14; STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK-MARITIME)





Before I go, here's a special NFL Focus.

--- NFL Focus ---
You came for college football, but I'm more than glad to give you the only score from the NFL. Maybe the NFL will draft some of today's hottest college football players.

East Rutherford, New Jersey ~ The New YORK Giants Ready to Defend Home Turf in New Jersey
* Washington Redskins at New York Giants
The Giants' defense of their Super Bowl victory begins as they host the Washington Redskins. There were patches on the football field with "GU," representing the late (Texas' own) Gene Upshaw. The beginning of their defense of their Super Bowl crown was a success. (16-7; NEW YORK GIANTS)





Friday scores to come in my next report. Feel free to chat away.

And Studentdriver, it's just the first few games of the season. Who's to say South Carolina still makes a Bowl Game or even (a longshot for me) win their division of the SEC? Still a long season ahead where anything can happen.

 

[FoolKiller]

I have come to the conclusion that we will never have a good football team. As far as this season goes, the only remaining wins are Wofford, UAB, and maybe Ole Miss on the road.

Look on the bright side, the rest of the country was watching the NFL game.

Although, I admit I flipped back and forth, but I am an SEC alum.

 

[JohnBM01]

Every Friday Night of college football is like its own Friday Night Lights. Only instead of the Odessa-Permian Panthers, it's college teams who think they belong in the postseason. ESPN College GameDay will be in Gainesville, Florida for the Miami at Florida game. Here are your Friday results from all four divisions of NCAA football.

BEFORE I BEGIN: I would like to offer my thoughts and prayers to everyone in the paths of recent tropical weather impacting the East Coast or will impact the East Coast.





--- Division 1: FBS Scores ---
Word has it that Ball State is no longer a laughing stock. Let's see if Ball State has the balls to take down Navy tonight.

Muncie, Indiana ~ U.S.S. Ball State Want to Sink the U.S.S. Navy Midshipmen
Ball State University has been the laughing stock of football in the Midwest (unless you think Notre Dame is purely overrated). The Cardinals (who has the worst-looking Cardinal logo of any Cardinals school in America) are ready to smack Navy in the mouth. Good luck trying to sink the Midshipmen when you welcome them into your marina. Ball State led 21-16 to end the half. Until about 4:50 left in the game, the first-ever punt in the game was made by either school. Ball State led 35-23 at that point. Ball State knocked off the Midshipmen yet again. Their battleship sunk in Muncie for this match. (35-23; BALL STATE)





--- Division 1: FCS Scores ---
Wagner College played, but AT a Division 2 school. Remember that I rate games as whatever division depending upon who the home team is. So look at the Division 2 scores to see how Wagner did against Stonehill.





--- Division 2 Scores ---
We go from the Midwest to New England for Division 2.

North Easton, Massachusetts ~ A Dogfight in the Skies as Two Breeds of Hawk Collide[/I]
* Wagner {Seahawks} at Stonehill {Skyhawks}
Wagner College is usually pretty good, but the Skyhawks from Staten Island, New York couldn't tame the pack of Skyhawks from Stonehill College. (14-13; STONEHILL)





--- Division 3 Scores ---
The most action for Friday night took place in Division 3. As many as five games took place tonight.

* Nichols at Westfield State (13-10; WESTFIELD STATE)
* Curry at Worcester State (28-21, OT; Curry)
* The College of New Jersey at FDU-Florham (42-41; FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY - COLLEGE AT FLORHAM)
* Worcester Polytechnic at Massachusetts-Dartmouth (34-28, 5OT; Worcester Polytechnic)
* St. Xavier at Wisconsin-Whitewater {Warhawks} (24-9; WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER) <<< defending D3 champs


Two Division 3 games will be cancelled due to recent tropical weather. The following games have been cancelled for Saturday:

* Wesley at Christopher Newport
* Malone at Newport News

They may be postponed. If so, I'll update with new score information.





--- John's Student Lounge ---

I may consider doing my own blog. No, not my Myspace one... but a regular blog on a proper blogging site. It's going to be devoted mostly to Gran Turismo and the Gran Turismo series. Because of my recent devotion to speculating on Gran Turismo 5, I feel I can best utilize my chatter on GT5 in something other than GTPlanet. Or look at it like this... I talk about stuff a lot on GTPlanet regarding GT. However, I'll need to try something new (at least for me) to better detail my stuff. I'll let you know what I come up with. I may also try to blog to make money between now and when I plan to return to college for Spring 2009 at my community college. I'll hopefully be able to go to the University of Houston to do college football on GTPlanet for next year.





My GAME OF THE WEEK for this week involves the battle for the bragging rights in the Sunshine State. Not Florida Atlantic and Florida International, but Miami and their Hurrianes meeting the Florida Gators. Or as I tend to think of them, the Gainesville Gators. Also, will Pittsburgh go 0-2 when Buffalo comes to town? Will San Diego State upset Notre Dame? Will East Carolina shut up West Virginia? Can my hometown Houston Cougars take down Oklahoma State at Oklahoma State? This and more in my Saturday report!

 

[JohnBM01]

Northeast. Southeast. Mid-South. Midwest. Pacific Northwest. American Southwest. You name an American region, I have at least one game. If you're lucky, maybe one region with games in all four NCAA divisions. College football is why you came to my threads. If I don't deliver college football, I don't get any recognition, which in turn means nobody wins. I will score that touchdown for you so that everybody wins. Take the snap of today's games and hurl that pigskin into the endzone because I will score for all of you no matter what defensive alignment that other team throws at you! Make me your go-to guy for college football, and I'll return the favor by getting in the endzone and doing the funky chicken in the end zone.

Saturday Synopsis: Week 2
* controversy creates calamity in Seattle
* some cupcake games were pretty close in Div. 1
* a few upsets




--- Division 1: FBS Scores ---

John's Feature State: Florida
Sunshine State, get some Sunday love from me! That even includes my GAME OF THE WEEK.

Gainesville, Florida ~ Sunshine State Heats Up the Night with a Major Tilt
* Miami {Hurricanes} at #5 Florida {Gators} --- GAME OF THE WEEK ---
The U. The U-niversity of Florida. Two powerhouse schools ready to collide with a huge match. The Miami Hurricanes let a cut turn into a wound as the Gators denied Miami any chance of getting into the endzone in a beatdown. (26-3; #5 FLORIDA)


Orlando, Florida ~ Former Conference USA Rivals Square Off in Orlando
* #17 South Florida {Bulls} at Central Florida {Golden Knights}
This game required Overtime. In OT, South Florida's Bulls trampled all over the Golden Knights of Central Florida even if sixty minutes wasn't enough. (31-24, OT; #17 South Florida)

Iowa City, Iowa ~ Florida International Makes a House Call to Iowa City
* Florida International {Golden Panthers} at Iowa {Hawkeyes}
Last year's disappointing Iowa Hawkeyes were absolutely NO disappointment when the Golden Panthers came to town. (42-0; IOWA)

Boca Raton, Florida ~ FAU Will Try to Teach FIU How to Win Ball Games
* Alabama-Birmingham {Blazers} at Florida Atlantic {Owls}
The Owls of FAU were much wiser than the fire-breathing Blazers of the University of Alabama-Birmingham. (49-34; FLORIDA ATLANTIC)

Tallahasse, Florida ~ Florida State All Ready for Action
* Western Carolina {Catamounts} at Florida State {Seminoles}
The Catamounts couldn't avoid Florida State and their Seminole attack. (69-0; FLORIDA STATE)



Lawrence, Kansas ~ Louisiana Tech Has Plenty of Bark As They Step into Lawrence Thinking Upset
* Louisiana Tech {Bulldogs} at #14 Kansas {Jayhawks}
This game is the High-Test special. The Jayhawks soared high into the air as the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs couldn't get up off the ground (29-0; #14 KANSAS)



Ann Arbor, Michigan ~ Michigan Tries to Avoid Starting 0-2 for the Second Straight Year
* Miami University {Redhawks} at Michigan {Wolverines}
This game is for Mr. Joey D as well as all other Michigan fans. Last time, Michigan fans felt like they should have won against Utah. When you lose, you can't change it. You just have to move on and try to win more games. The Wolverines don't lose as a habit. Those blue and maize colors have a Georgia Tech transfer making his first start for Michigan. Trying to contain this GT transfer is Miami University. The Redhawks wear the same color as Michigan's most hated color (red), but they aren't Ohio State. Michigan probably wishes every team they beat up on is Ohio State. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Steven Threet! Threet's very first play was a short pass that went for as many as 35 or 40 yards! He's a keeper, isn't he? Even more so as it took only three plays to get from... about their 35 to the endzone. Granted it's Miami University (post-Roethlisberger), Michigan fans have something to be excited about for the future with this first play. His last name is Threet. Is it okay to think of him as a "Threet Threat?" Threet is a treat as well as a threat. Okay, I'll stop playing with his last name. Michigan is in the win column for the first time this season. (16-6; MICHIGAN)

DID YOU KNOW...
...that it takes about 4 to 4.5 Ann Arbors to equal the population of people in Detroit? I believe this even includes people who pack The Big House on game day.


Greenville, North Carolina ~ East Carolina's Quest for Upset Booty Continues
* #8 West Virginia {Mountaineers} at East Carolina {Pirates}
Aargh, matey! We got football on the high seas. Actually, just Greenville, North Carolina. The Pirates looted and plundered to get a win over the West Virginia Mountaineers. Perhaps the Mountaineers were fearing a storm of an East Carolina upset. (24-3; EAST CAROLINA)



Columbus, Ohio ~ Buckeyes Defend Their Throne as Kings of Ohio
* Ohio PBobcats} at #3 Ohio State {Buckeyes}
One of the Ohio Bobcats won $250K in the Ohio lottery. Can his green-clad team take down the feared scarlet and gray? Not if the Buckeyes can help it. THE Ohio State University rarely loses to in-state rivals. Michigan fans will be laughing their butts off at Ohio State if they lose to Ohio. Ohio's a pretty good school. You just hate to be a national power... and lose to a pretty good school. That one Bobcat may have won the lottery, but can they cash in against THE Ohio State? Mr. Pryor is under center for the Buckeyes. Ohio may have won the lottery, but not this game. (26-14; #3 OHIO STATE)

South Bend, Indiana ~ Two Losers... Only One Can Win
* San Diego State {Aztecs} at Notre Dame {Fighting Irish}
Lee Corso's words: "if Notre Dame loses to San Diego State, they (Notre Dame) should cancel football. They CAN'T cancel football! What happens when Michigan and Purdue get tired of beating up the same old teams? Let's face it. Both of these teams stink right now. These teams stink worse than fertilizer or a dog that has diahrrea (or both at once). San Diego State is 0-1. That's expected. What you DON'T expect is them losing to California Polytechnical Institute and their Mustangs. Hell, the Aztecs would even lose to the San Diego Toreros (no shame losing to them in football). Notre Dame is a team with no identity right now trying to restore Fighting Irish pride. Even Regis Philbin would love to see his Fighting Irish have an amazing season. San Diego State led Notre Dame for some time until Notre Dame finally took a stand and make the Aztecs extinct. (23-16; NOTRE DAME)

State College, Pennsylvania ~ JoePa Hates Seeing His Players Get Suspended Over Dumb Things
* Oregon State {Beavers} at #19 Penn State {Nittany Lions}
Did any of you see ESPN College GameDay and Kirk Herbstreit's spirited commentary regarding Penn State players in off-the-field incidents? Some people probably wish Oregon State beat Penn State to test the level of leadership for this team. The Beavers would love to go into Beaver Park... and beat some cats. The Nittany Lions will make due with who isn't suspended in hopes of not being a college version of the Cincinnati Bengals. Penn State did JoePa proud as the Nittany Lions defended home successfully. (45-14; #19 PENNSYLVANIA STATE)

Stillwater, Oklahoma ~ Boone-Pickens Stadium Hosts Some Cats
* Houston {Cougars} at Oklahoma State {Cowboys}
I predicted Houston to lose 56-10 to Oklahoma State because I still think Oklahoma State can make a little noise in the Big XII South. Not to mention the Cowboys being a tough ticket for a team trying to regain their national swagger. The Houston Cougars pounded Southern University 55-3 last week in the first-ever Houston game I attended. Houston will be mightily tested in this one up north in Oklahoma. Let's find out who won the game between these two former Missouri Valley Conference football programs (perhaps even Southwest Conference as well). Houston led 16-14 at the half to my absolute surprise. But in the second, it was all or mostly Oklahoma State for the second half. (56-37; OKLAHOMA STATE)


Allow me to dial things down a bit with an Extra. Then, I'll get to more action.

EXTRA: Lessons Learned From Being a Fan at a Stadium vs. Being a Fan Watching TV
Tough to believe, but true... this is only the second game I've ever been to. I'm a University of Houston fan. I try to educate myself as much as I can on Houston Cougars football. It's much different when you go to a game as opposed to doing a bunch of scores from home like I usually do. As a fan, I shown my love of the Houston Cougars by cheering them on. It's much different because I mostly just follow scores from other websites. I sometimes watch a game for a little bit, then see who won sometime later in the day. That's another thing about me- I don't watch every game fully. I am purely casual. All of my reports are purely casual. I'd never stand a chance at this level for ESPN or somebody. Go to games. The experience is much different when you're at one stadium compared to watching a game at home. The same feeling is still there- you're watching college football and hopefully loving life.

EXTRA: Good Vibes for Conference USA?
East Carolina knocked off Virginia Tech last weekend. Conference USA is trying to work towards being a major conference. This makes me happy since Houston is a C-USA team. Anything to make Houston (as well as other C-USA schools) get a little more attention, I'll be happy. Look in men's basketball when Memphis had that dream season except for losing to Kansas in the most recent men's Final Four in San Antonio. Before conference realignment, teams like Marshall and UTEP (among others) weren't in C-USA. In basketball, we lost Louisville, Cincinnati, Texas Christian, Marquette, Charlotte, South Florida, and DePaul to other conferences. Every win helps make Conference USA a bit more presentable. Consider teams like Central Florida and Alabama-Birmingham. These are usually two dangerous programs. Same goes for schools like Tulsa and Memphis. Tulane is pretty capable, and we've seen what an improving East Carolina squad can do under Skip Holtz. Could every one of these victories help boost the profile of Conference USA? Well, let's just say you're going to woo fans in Los Angeles or Austin or Gainesville on C-USA. It's going to be a long process. C-USA is going to have to be great for a long time if they want to be better regarded in the nation.



Now back to football. We continue with controversy.

Seattle, Washington ~ Huskies Try to Regain Their Stride by Biting Like Their Bark
* #15 BYU {Cougars} at Washington {Huskies}
A controversial moment was called with two seconds left. Jake Locker was trying to be the hero as he scampered into the end zone. He would celebrate the touchdown by throwing the ball up into the air and celebrating with his teammates. An Unsportsmanlike Conduct foul was called, and for Washington to force Overtime, an extra point is basically a field goal from the BYU 18-yard line. BYU blocked the "extra point," and BYU ruined Washington's late rally... or did Washington beat themselves? I bet kylehnat must be pissed. (28-27; #15 Brigham Young)

SIDE NOTE: One player for Washington had a bad injury in this game. He was alert and well. Hope he gets well soon.


Norman, Oklahoma ~ A Normal Norman Football Day in Store as Big East Upstarts Meet a Powerful Big XII School
* Cincinnati {Bearcats} at #4 Oklahoma {Sooners}
The Sooners delivered the knockout punch that prevented the Cincinnati Bearcats from making the 10-count. K.O.! (52-26; #4 OKLAHOMA)

* Stanford {Cardinals} at #15 Arizona State {Sun Devils} (41-17; #15 ARIZONA STATE)

* California {Golden Bears} at Washington State {Cougars}
BYU Cougars won. Houston Cougars lost. How will the Cougars of Washington State do? Bad. The Golden Bears were just that (66-3; California)

* Mississippi {Rebels} at #20 Wake Forest {Demon Deacons}
This home opener for Wake Forest ends up being the debut of the Deacon Tower at BB&T Stadium. It was also a chance for Mississippi to upset Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons of Wake Forest wanted no part of being upset by a bunch of Rebels. (-; #20 WAKE FOREST)

Jonesboro, Arkansas ~ Two Shades of Red Meet in Arkansas
* Texas Southern {Tigers} at Arkansas State {Red Wolves}
I learned that Arkansas State changed their nickname from the Indians to the Red Wolves. Houston's own Texas Southern Tigers went up to Arkansas State University to show how Texas Southern does football. In that case, Texas Southern shown their best in football- falling on their faces while the other team has a field day. (83-10; ARKANSAS STATE)

Lexington, Kentucky ~ Can a Spartan Effort by Norfolk State Ice Kentucky's Winning Ways?
* Norfolk State {Spartans} at Kentucky {Wildcats}
Kentucky would have blanked Louisville had it not been for Hartline's safety. The boys in blue come back home to 74,300 of their best friends. These Wildcats are ready to put on a show. Norfolk State is thinking of taming the Wildcats. Norfolk State is one of America's historically-black universities hailing from another Commonwealth State- Virginia. Kentucky's 2-0 this season as Norfolk State was turned into biodegradable material. (38-3; KENTUCKY)

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ~ Panthers Pack Power to Take on Buffalo
* Buffalo {Bulls} at Pittsburgh {Panthers}
My home state's UTEP Miners got smashed last week. What will the Bulls do in Steel City? The Panthers were relentless and furious in devouring Buffalo. Both teams are now 1-1 on the season. (-; PITTSBURGH)

West Point, New York ~ FCS New Hampshire Seeks a Win Over FBS' Army
* New Hampshire {Wildcats} at Army {Cadets/Black Knights}
I thought FBS schools were supposed to BEAT FCS schools? Look no further than the Black Knights to lose happily to New Hampshire. You know, conceding to New Hampsire. (28-10; New Hampshire)


I'll stop here with FBS scores. Find more results from this week here: < http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/scoreboard?w=2&c=all&refresh=0 >





--- Division 1: FCS Scores ---
I guess I learned that Bryant has joined FCS as an Independent. Why don't we check in and see what they're up to?

Smithfield, Rhode Island ~ Meet Bryant!
* Southern Connecticut State {Owls} at Bryant {Bulldogs}
Meet Bryant University in their first season in Division 1. The Bryant Bulldogs call Smithfield, Rhode Island home. America's littlest size state meets an old Division 2 foe. The Southern Connecticut State Owls want to pay the Bulldogs a visit. Like Kobe Bryant (no relation to Bryant University), Bryant slam dunked on the Owls even as Tropical Storm Hanna was advancing. (39-36; BRYANT)


Up now is an HBCU focus. All of these FCS games involved historically-black schools whether it's one school or both schools.

~~~ HBCU Focus ~~~
* Livingstone {???} at Savannah State {Tigers} (45-10; SAVANNAH STATE)
* Texas College at Prairie View A&M (53-0; PRAIRIE VIEW A&M)
* Stillman {} at Jackson State {Tigers} (17-7; JACKSON STATE)
* Benedict at South Carolina State (42-3; SOUTH CAROLINA STATE)
* Winston-Salem State at North Carolina A&T (14-8; NORTH CAROLINA A&T)
* North Carolina Central at James Madison (56-7; JAMES MADISON) <<< NCCU is the HBCU in this match
* Alabama A&M {Bulldogs} at Jacksonville State {Gamecocks} (45-18; JACKSONVILLE STATE) <<< I usually regard AA&MU in the SWAC
* Hampton {Pirates} at Southern Illinois {Salukis} (37-31; SOUTHERN ILLINOIS)
* Alcorn State {Braves} at Grambling State {Tigers} (29-0; GRAMBLING STATE)
* Southern {Jaguars} at Tennessee State {Tigers} (34-32; TENNESSEE STATE)

* Howard University is an HBCU. Unfortunately, their game against lowly Georgetown was postponed.

So all the home teams won. Not very interesting. Here are a few more FCS results I want to get across to you all:


* St. Cloud State at North Dakota (31-17; NORTH DAKOTA) <<< both schools have great Division 1 hockey programs
* Central Connecticut State {Blue Devils} at North Dakota State (50-14; NORTH DAKOTA STATE) <<< for High-Test
* South Dakota at Northern Iowa (24-13; NORTHERN IOWA)
* Youngstown State at South Dakota State (40-7; SOUTH DAKOTA STATE)
* Montana {Grizzlies} California Polytechnic {Mustangs} (30-28; Montana) <<< CPSLO beat San Diego State last week
* Azuza Pacific {Cougars} at San Diego {Toreros} (38-10; SAN DIEGO)
* California-Davis {Aggies} at Central Arkansas {Bearcats} (24-21; CENTRAL ARKANSAS) <<< UCD beat Stanford last year


More scores here: < http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/scoreboard?w=2&c=iaa_all&refresh=0 >.





--- Division 2 Scores ---
Time to run down Division 2. Try to All-Out Blitz these scores!

* #6 California University of Pennsylvania at #20 Bloomsburg (24-17; #20 BLOOMSBURG)
* #16 Indiana University of Pennsylvania at C.W. Post (41-0; Indiana University of Pennsylvania)
* #14 Pittsburg State at #11 Chadron State (38-31; #14 Pittsburg State)
* Fort Hays at Colorado School of Mines {Orediggers} (30-17; COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES)
* #8 West Texas A&M at Central Oklahoma (49-18; #8 West Texas A&M)
* Texas A&M-Kingsville {Javelinas} at East Central (44-14; Texas A&M-Kingsville) <<< alma mater of late Gene Upshaw
* Indianapolis {Greyhounds} at Grand Valley State {Lakers} (49-21; #2 GRAND VALLEY STATE)
* Kentucky Christian {Knignts} at Kentucky Wesleyan {Panthers} (31-28; KENTUCKY WESLEYAN)
* Slippery Rock {Rock} at Millersville (28-24; MILLERSVILLE)
* Nebraska-Kearney at #7 Nebraska-Omaha (49-21; #7 NEBRASKA-OMAHA)
* #18 Minnesota-Duluth at Missouri Western (47-18; #18 Minnesota-Duluth)
* Kentucky State {Thorobreds} at Saint Joseph's (IN) {Pumas} (31-27; Kentucky State)
* Northeastern State at #22 Tarleton State {Texans} (38-10; #22 TARLETON STATE)
* Miles at #15 Tuskegee {Golden Tigers} (34-0; #15 TUSKEGEE)
* West Virginia Wesleyan at Virginia Union (35-14; VIRGINIA UNION)





--- Division 3 Scores ---
I'll look around the nation for some Division 3 matches. See if there are any scores you like.

* St. Lawrence State at Johns Hopkins {Blue Jays} (34-3; JOHNS HOPKINS)
* William Patterson at Brockport State (26-20, 2OT; BROCKPORT STATE)
* Carnegie Mellon at Ohio Wesleyan (35-7; Carnegie Mellon)
* Emory and Henry at Ferrum (26-21; Emory and Henry)
* Gettysburg at Lebanon Valley (19-13; LEBANON VALLEY)
* Washington and Jefferson at Oberlin (49-35; Washington and Jefferson) <<< W&J called the Presidents, I believe
* Illinois Wesleyan at Hope (28-25; Illinois Wesleyan)
* Case Western Reserve {Spartans} at Kenyon (62-26; Case Western Reserve)
* Lewis and Clark at Principia (43-7; Lewis and Clark) <<< first win for L&C in over four years and 27 losses for this Oregon-based school; first win since October 9, 2004; beating Claremont 27-11 that year
* Westminster (PA) at Heidelberg (62-27; HEIDELBERG)
* Bluffton at Alma (49-0; ALMA)
* East Texas Baptist at St. John's (MN) (29-15; ST. JOHN'S OF MINNESOTA) <<< SJC-MN home of the Johnnies
* Benedictine at Elmhurst (35-14; ELMHURST)
* Wisconsin-Platteville at Buena Vista (21-14; Wisconsin-Platteville)
* St. John Fisher at Mount Union {Purple Raiders} (33-3; MOUNT UNION) <<< MUC National champs runners-up last season





That's Saturday scores. Thanks for reading! Winners and losers coming up!

 

[JohnBM01]

--- John's Winners and Losers ---
I hope I don't have any controversy here like I did last week. I just name my winners and losers. You're free to name your own.



BIGGEST WIN(S) OF THE WEEK:
(Division 3) Lewis and Clark ends Four-Year Long Losing Streak - Anytime you win your first game in a long while, it's a great feeling. Congratulations to the Pioneers of Lewis and Clark College.

MOST DISAPPOINTING LOSS(ES) OF THE WEEK
#8 West Virginia Shows Little or No Effort at East Carolina Motors Away - East Carolina isn't an easy win. However, you can't be a Top 10 team and not manage a single touchdown. This is more like a disappointing loss than an upset to me.

UPSET(S) OF THE WEEK (if any)
(Division 2) #20 Bloomsburg Takes Care of #6 California University of Pennsylvania - I normally do not name one game with two different honors/dishonors. So the upset of the week (though the upset of West Virginia is huge) will be CUP's loss at Bloomsburg.

OWNAGE(S) OF THE WEEK
Texas Southern Falls 83-10 at Arkansas State - I hate to name a Houston school in a dishonor. Unfortunately, Arkansas State pounded the Tigers of Texas Southern. The Maroon Mean Streak didn't mean a thing at Arkansas State against a pack of Red Wolves. The Tigers were down 53-3 at the end of the first half! I think TexSoU's radio broadcast even said that Texas Southern was "down by a few." Yeah. Like being down 52-3 at the half is "a few." So...

Texas Southern = OWNED by Arkansas State 83-10!





Next week's thread is coming up. Reply away between now and then. Still a LOT of college football to come. Next week's GAME OF THE WEEK has already been decided by me- Ohio State at USCal! Come back to this forum for next week's thread to come.

 

[Joey D]

I am impressed with Steven Threet, he's shown that he can step up to the plate and play a good game of ball. I didn't think Michigan played outstandingly yesterday but a win is a win never the less. Next week will be the true test though against Norte Dame.

 

[JohnBM01]

If Threet keeps up the good work, Michigan will have their field general that will make plenty of noise in the Big Ten as well as the nation.

Next week's thread coming up! Stay tuned.