The Chris Townsend Show

Cooley's Contemplationsby Scott Cooley, posted on Fri, Sep. 5, 2008

FOOTBALL IS IN THE AIR

It’s the smell of stale beer combined with a variety of alcoholic fumes as you open the cooler that isn’t going to get a proper cleaning…again. It’s waking up at 7:00 a.m. bouncing off the walls like the Energizer Bunny even though you're hungover. It’s cracking open the grill to scrape off remnants of charbroiled hamburger flesh and hot dog skin from a year ago. It’s setting up the dual TV system in the living room for the maximum game watching experience.

It’s got to be college football.

While the NFL season commenced tonight with a divisional matchup between the Giants and Redskins, as a Southerner I’ve got to take a few moments to reminisce on what was a great inaugural week of NCAA football.

I started the voyage by attending the Stanford and Oregon State game last Thursday evening in Palo Alto. If you haven’t had the chance to see this gorgeous Stanford Stadium, please go and check it out, although I warn you that on some nights the venue will outshine the play of football.

But this Pac 10 opener ended up being a great game despite was some experts predicted. In a back and forth contest through the first half, the Cardinal came out strong in the second and flexed some muscle. The defense came up with a couple of key interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and forced the Beavers' (the Beaver jokes were endless in the student section) quarterback into a safety.

I jotted down a couple of notes during the aftermath of a 36-28 Stanford win. I discovered that the Cardinal can run the ball, particularly a stout little white boy named Toby Gerhart. I came to the conclusion that neither defense was terribly impressive, but Stanford does have some bright spots. The OSU quarterback, Lyle Moevao, is as hot and cold as a 50-year old woman going through menopause.

But that was just one game, and so much else happened in the opening week of pigskin. Plenty of upsets to talk about already, where we witnessed four of the top 25 teams fall.

Speaking of the Preseason Top 25 polls, whether it be the AP or USA Today, please tell me why they even print these things? They are so far off and mean absolutely nothing (especially in the wagering world). The coaches and media should wait until the completion of Week 1's games and then create the first poll.

As I said before, four teams from that omnipotent ranking system went down as heavy underdogs. Actually, the Fighting Illini faced a top 10 Missouri squad and were getting nine points so it wasn't quite the upset we saw in other games. So we'll throw that one out.

But, the Tommy Bowden-led Clemson Tigers, ranked #9 to begin the season, were absolutely dominated by the Alabama Crimson Tide from opening kickoff until there were zeroes on the clock. Beamer Ball got a taste of its own medicine as the East Carolina Pirates (great mascot) sealed the win over Va. Tech (#17) with a blocked punt returned for a score. Dave Wannstedt and his Pitt Panthers (#25) are a perennial overrated squad who lost at home to the innovative Bowling Green Falcons.

I would also like to point out that the SEC dominated all collegiate football conferences after going 10-2 against their opponents. This is without a doubt the best conference in all of football. The ACC and Big 10 will be overrated as usual with the Pac 10 and Big 12 playing runners up in second and third.

Can you tell where my allegiance lies?

So much drama with so much more to come. Not a ton of great games on the board this weekend. Perhaps Miami and Florida in an intrastate rivalry, but the Gators are 21-point faves. Georgia Tech and Boston College could be good but the ACC is overrated every year. Just make sure you mark your calendar for September 13 when Ohio State descends upon the Southern Cal Trojans in what will determine the #1 ranking for the following week and maybe the year.