CFB: Weekend Preview

by Suckatsports

Believe it or not, College Football is finally here. Few of us are cool enough to provide the 25 straight hours of coverage that ESPN is devoting to it (no, really). But I would like to express my utter excitement that even when no-names play I'll be watching. On that note, I'll be running a new weekly piece, really many more weekly pieces since real sports have no started. I give you, College Football, Weekend preview.

College football weekend preview will run weekly, and will take a quick gander at some of the upcoming games. Quick breakdowns and predictions will be included, but don't quote it on SportsBook, they'll still take your money.

Games to Keep an Eye on.

1. Cal vs. Tennessee. Clearly the best game of the week, and it's slated for prime time. This time last year, a proposed win over Tennessee would have vaulted Cal into a possible championship game - except for the fact that they got annihilated. Revenge is in the making, this season sees similar expectations on both sidelines, but the loser of this game will have a big hole to dig out of. Since Ainge is still a little injured, and there's no more Robert Meachem, this is seemingly an uphill battle for the Vols. Cal 31 Tennessee 13.
2. Georgia vs. Oklahoma St. Definitely a step down from the premier match up in Berkley, but this is still tantalizing to every college football fan. We don't really know much about OSU, they had a promising end to the season and all. They have what seems to be on paper an explosive offense, maybe the best in the Big 12. Georgia is in a similar situation - after a tumultuous year last year, this needs to be the breakout season for Matthew Stafford, and lifting kegs by itself won't do. SEC schedule is always brutal, so the Dawgs need this game more then the 'Boys. Plus, in the battle of pristine hair, Richt over Gundy any day. Georgia 27 Oklahoma State 21.
3. Wisconsin vs. Washington St. This doesn't feel like January, so that means this isn't a Rose Bowl match up. This is quite the fall off from the first two match ups. Wazzu is not ranked, and they've fallen mightily under the tutelage of a very nice old coach - Doba. These two programs seem to be going in opposite directions. Camp Randall is hell to play in, and the student body (or whatever's still on campus) is hungry for a season of high expectations to get started. Coach doesn't take any prisoners, and doesn't call off the hounds, expect a massacre. Wisconsin 34 Washington State 6.
4. TCU vs. Baylor. I promise, the last of the very unsexy matchups. So, what's the reason to keep on eye on two relatively small programs playing? Well, because TCU is everyone darling to make a Boise State-esque type run at the BCS. If that's the case, they have to start with game 1 against the Baylor Bears. This may not seem like a test, but the Baylor program has been on a slow growth path, they even gave some tough games to Texas and other Big 12 miscreants. Don't underestimate them - they're in Texas where football is king. That being said, I still don't think TCU loses... until they play real Texas. TCU 20 Baylor 10.

Heisman Lookout. Yeah, it's a little early, but that hasn't stopped anyone before. Besides, the games are almost on. I look for McFadden to make Troy look silly and Colt Brennan to slap 50 on the side of North Colorado. Slaton and White get their party started against Western Michigan, but they shouldn't be out there for more than a half. My sleeper though to make a good run (McFadden will win though) is Colt McCoy. He put up really great numbers as a freshman, and no reason not to expect that 12 year old to play better this year.

Random Notes. For some, it may be hard to get excited about the likes of Rutgers and Buffalo playing, but as a rule, college football takes a couple of weeks to get into the meat of the conference schedules. Due to the race for undefeated, schools are now scared of scheduling big names to play, thus creating three weeks of absolute boredom and ridiculous scores. Shame on the NCAA for allowing this, and shame on those ADs that have fallen into this trap.

Along those lines, let me take this time to lambaste the Big 10 big boys OSU and Michigan for putting 1-AA teams on their schedule. Sure, Appalachian State won a championship last year, but there's no reason to bring them into the big house. Equal disgrace must fall on OSU (hard to defend this for any OSU alum) for bringing in a 1-AA team into Ohio Stadium for just a fill in game. There's 119 teams in 1-A, no reason any of those couldn't have been brought in for an easy W.

Pinkie break for Ainge [SI.com] '

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