September 06, 2005

Week One in the books...

Basically, this past weekend I got to be a writer for the AP poll. Essentially, I covered the Georgia Bulldogs shellacking the Boise State Broncos. The atmosphere in Athens was sky-high, we had just met UGA and his owners, the Seiler family from Savannah, Ga., and the game was to be the icing on the cake.

Well, this cake wasn't baked nearly long enough. Boise State looked intimidated by the 92,000 plus crowd in Sanford Stadium and quarterback Jared Zabransky threw four interceptions and fumbled twice in the first half, putting the Dawgs up, 24-0 at the gun. Georgia had been worried about their quarterback, senior D.J. Shockley, all week, but fear not. The College Park (Ga.) native threw for five touchdowns and ran for another as Georgia was in cruise control, leading 45-7 in the third quarter when the starters exited stage left.

Georgia is damn good folks and if Shockley can produce like this, they will be a factor in the national championship race. However, for UGA fans, you better realize that six turnovers don't happen very often. Georgia goes on to meet South Carolina this Saturday and there will be calls for blood to be shed with Spurrier (11-1 vs. Georgia) coming into town.

I feel like an AP writer voting in the polls, because most of the action from the weekend went unseen. However, here is what I know...

  • Notre Dame looked crisp and I have to laugh at every Pitt fan or ND hater that put stock in Wanny. C'mon, he's Wanny!!! This is the same guy that couldn't win at TWO NFL stops. Now, suddenly, he's the answer. I dont think so. Basically, we have another Mack Brown on our hands...good recruiter, but horrible gameday coach.
  • Overshadowing the Notre Dame bliss is Oklahoma's now wrecked season. TCU? The Horny Toads? From what I saw and read in short soundbites, the Oklahoma gameplan was to run Adrian Peterson and little of anything else. When that didn't work, Stoops and company were outcoached. Its a rare phenomenon, but they looked bad. The trendy pick in two weeks was going to be taking UCLA over Oklahoma, but now that looks status quo.
  • Auburn lost their best backfield in 50 years, folks. With that fact comes some adjustment period necessary. Georgia Tech was returning a veteran QB, RB, and standout wide receiver. I picked Auburn, but I wasn't shocked.
  • Add "fumbling on your own 2-yard line and then playing dead on defense for over six minutes" to the list of how Kentucky can lose a football game. Yes, the Cats made the game a game, making a comeback and instilling a bit of hope in this Kentuckian, but then fate reared its usual head and UK lost.
  • What happened to Erik Ainge? This kid was lightning in a bottle, now he's a shell. Fulmer has already announced Clausen the starter for the Florida game in two weeks. Wow.
  • The Big Ten-MAC challenge is over and as usual, the Big Ten wins out.
  • Think ABC would like to switch that Texas-Ohio State, Notre Dame-Michigan lineup now?
  • Dummy of the Week: Dennis Franchione of Texas A&M. The Aggies scored to go up 23-22 with minimal time left in the fourth quarter. The Aggies don't go for two, opting to kick the extra point, giving them the 24-22 lead. Clemson, led by a resurgent Charlie Whitehurst, promptly drives the field setting up the game-winning FG by Jad Dean, who had only made the previous five attempts. Snap...hold..kick...good night, drive home safely, 25-24 Tigers pick up the revenge win for last year's loss at College Station.
  • 10-7 Florida State. Pathetic offenses. Weatherford finished 7-24 for 67 yards. Yummy. Miami had two chances of smartly running the ball in FSU territory to set up another FG blunder or score a touchdown and yet Larry Coker gets cute. Miami isn't a shoe-in versus Clemson on the 17th either.
  • LSU has moved their game with Arizona State to Tempe. I will change my pick accordingly.
  • Charlie and the Touchdown Factory. Love it!
  • We'll preview the weekend later this week.
Photo credits:
Shockley - University of Georgia Sports Information
TCU celebration - Jerry Laizure / AP
Dennis Franchione - AP

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Heavenly time period: College football season until the championship game of March Madness.