For Ohio State, the Big Ten and Beyond
I’m already starting to see leaves on the ground. Maybe that’s just the heat we’ve had this July and August. However, the timing is still appropriate, because, thank God… it is time for another football season. A new season of promise. A new season of great expectations (like the Buckeyes winning a National Championship), great disappointments (like Michigan fans have felt the last three years) and stuff that just gets on our damn nerves (the SEC).
Anyway, the celebration begins tomorrow with a night game in Ohio Stadium. And, in anticipation of what we know will be another fun season, I’m sharing a small list of sure bets about this year in college football.
These aren’t in any particular order, except I’m starting close to home and moving out from there. Laugh, cry, agree, disagree, call me crazy. However you react… enjoy.
Sure Bet #1: Tomorrow’s game is already over…. C’mon, it’s Marshall. At least they finally cracked the .500 mark for the first time since 2004 last year.
Sure Bet #2: Other than the fact that it’s a rematch of the epic 2003 Fiesta Bowl, this game against the University of Miami is overhyped…. Give it a 3:30 kickoff, sure. Put it in 3-D for the two percent of people who have bothered to get a 3-D TV, great. This game will not be that close. Ohio State will soundly beat the Hurricanes in all three dimensions.
Sure Bet # 2 ½: ‘Canes fans will blame the officiating.... Again.
"Look up the Buckeyes’ and Bobcats’ place kickers. A place kicker will determine the outcome of the game. Either him, or the guy that blocks the kick."
Sure Bet #3: OSU will stumble against one non-conference opponent this year, and as I already mentioned, it’s not the University of Miami…. Note: I’m not necessarily saying “lose,” but “stumble.” Look out, Buckeye fans. Those Ohio (The State University) Bobcats return to The Ohio State University this year, and are looking to finish the job… third time’s the charm, right? One could call it the “Battle of Ohio,” but The Ohio State University would probably sue to keep them from using “Ohio” in anything resembling a trademark. Seriously, though… Ohio has not been a pushover in the first two meetings of this series, and no one should expect it to happen on September 18. Laugh if you want to… but you weren’t laughing when Ohio still had that lead (however briefly) in the fourth quarter in 2008. While you’re taking notes, be sure look up the Buckeyes’ and Bobcats’ place kickers. A place kicker will determine the outcome of the game. Either him, or the guy that blocks the kick.
Sure Bet #4: It’s an improved Big Ten this year…. Coming off a bowl season that saw the Big Ten look pretty good on the national stage for the first time in years, expect a tough run through the Big Ten slate. Can the Buckeyes run the table this year? Yes. Will it be easy? Not even close. Remember the nailbiters we saw during that storied national title season, like Penn State, Purdue and Illinois? You’ll see a few of those. And playing Wisconsin at Camp Randall? That’s just going to be scary.
Sure Bet #5: …except Michigan…. “The Champions of the Weeeest...ern towns within an hour of Detroiiiiiit…”
Rich Rodriguez is already toast at Michigan. It's just a matter of when.
Sure Bet #6: Rich Rodriguez is already toast at Michigan, it’s just a matter of when…. If Michigan loses to one of its ridiculously easy non-conference opponents (UConn, Notre Dame, UMass or Bowling Green), they may just fire him on the spot. If the Wolverines lose to UMass, they may find a way to fire him retroactively. I hope he has saved some of that ridiculous salary… I doubt that selling concessions at pee-wee football games really pays all that well.
Sure Bet #7: Joe Paterno isn’t done yet…. No reason. JoePa just rocks, and I don’t think anyone in college football is ready to see him go. He certainly doesn’t seem ready to retire. He may still be coaching when Rich Rodriguez gets fired from his next coaching job.
Sure Bet #8: Ohio University will ride the momentum of a good game in Ohio Stadium and finally win the MAC Championship this year…. All I have to say is, thank God that the scourge of the MAC, Dan LeFevour graduated from Central Michigan. I just wish the Browns had drafted him.
Sure Bet #9: Notre Dame will be slightly more watchable this year…. They might avenge that loss to Navy, maybe even Stanford, soooo… let’s say eight wins. Okay, six again. Baby steps, Coach Kelly. “Touchdown Jesus” may want to cover His eyes.
Sure Bet #10: Some unbeaten scrub team, maybe two, will be crying foul at the end of the season about not being in the BCS Championship Game…. Hopefully it’s just TCU, because Virginia Tech will hopefully put Boise State out of contention on Monday. They open up against a ranked opponent (#24 Oregon State), and they can pretty much phone in the rest.
Sure Bet #11: Lee Corso will continue to act as though he’s some sort of College Football guru…. Heaven knows those ten seasons he coached at Indiana are forever immortalized in the history of college football. To his credit, he did manage two bowl trips with Louisville. About 40 years ago. As much of a putz as he can be, there is one thing that you kind of have to admire about Corso: Showmanship.
Trust me, Buckeye fans, I don’t even need to tell you that you want Virginia Tech to beat Boise State on Monday.
Sure Bet #12: You, me, and everyone who respects the collegiate game are about to become the biggest Virginia Tech fans in the world on Monday…. I’ll admit it, Boise State started out as a feelgood story when they first left the dregs of I-AA ball. Now they’re just an annual thorn in the side of I-A ball. Seriously… how many times have we heard these guys whine about being unbeaten and missing out on the BCS National Championship Game? It’s up to three now, right? Well, Boise State’s story has become so interesting, that it undoubtedly has to help their recruiting. I mean, if you’re a talented high school football player and you have a chance to go to a school that can beat one good non-conference opponent and then effortlessly sail through a weak conference and manage to get into a good bowl game… you’d go there, right?
Well, BCS conference teams are finally starting to step up to the plate to try and knock off the Broncos in the regular season, and this year, there are actually two BCS teams on Boise State’s schedule. Oregon State is not a team that can beat Boise State, so it all comes down to Virginia Tech. Trust me, Buckeye fans, I don’t even need to tell you that you want Virginia Tech to win this game on Monday. If Virginia Tech loses, and Ohio State screws up against OU or someone else, Boise State could finally break the BCS system and make it into the title game. Obviously, Florida and Texas have to lose as well, but each of them has a new starting QB, so we’ll see.
The conspiracy and collusion behind keeping an unbeaten Boise State out of the Title Game (however justified it may be) could very well crumble this year. So, come Monday… Go Hokies!
For what it’s worth… if Ohio State gets to the Title Game…
Sure Bet #13: The Buckeyes will (finally) get the SEC to shut up for one offseason….
Enjoy the season.