The Ole College Try

Welcome to the weekly installment of the almost weekly perspective of college football.  As a refresher, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous that the networks, including the World Wide Leader, nay, especially the World Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race this early in the season. After all, who knew who Johnny Manziel was at this time last year.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Johnny Manziel - Texas A & M - OK, OK, OK - it is time for me to put Manziel here (and end his brief suspension), especially after that fantastic game against number 1 ranked Alabama.  Football Johnny threw for 464 yards and 5 TDs, and ran for another 98 yards against the vaunted Crimson Tide defense.  On the year Manziel has 11TDs against only 3 interceptions, and is just shy of 1,000 yards.

Teddy Bridgewater - Louisville - A solid, but not stellar performance against Kentucky gives him over 1,000 yards passing on the season, 10 TDs and only 1 interception.  Against the remainder of his schedule those numbers should soar.

A.J. McCarron - Alabama - He threw for 334 yards and 4 TDs - against 0 interceptions - in the game against Texas A & M.  It sure looks like a 3 way race for All-SEC quarterback this year.

Rising - Joe Southwick - Boise State - 27-29 for 287 yards and 1 TD against Air Force.  Almost as interesting of a completion percentage as that of ....

Jameis Winston - Florida State - who has 5 incompletions and 6 TDs on the year.  More TDs than incompletions!  I assume this will not last all year.

Dark Horse - Blake Bell - Oklahoma - 413 yards and 4 TDs in his first start of the season.  Makes you think that perhaps he should have been starting all along, although he is no Lake Bell.

(Still )Falling - Braxton Miller - Ohio State - No MCL, No Heisman.

Running Back Edition

No change this week - why?  Nobody really has taken advantage of the fact that their is a dearth of running backs receiving recognition, and thus it only takes someone to step forward.  Thus, I am keeping this edition the same until someone makes a huge mark.

Favorite - Todd Gurley - Georgia

Rising - De'Anthony Thomas - Oregon

Sleeper - Andre Williams - Boston College

Wide Receiver Edition

Paul Richardson - Colorado - Due to the flooding, the Buffaloes game against Fresno State has been postponed, but Richardson is still posting up huge numbers.  A huge game against Oregon State could put him over the top.

Jordan Matthews - Vanderbilt - He had 8 more catches for 106 yards against South Carolina in a 39-25 defeat.  For the season he has 24 catches for 395 yards.

Rising - Mike Evans - Texas A & M - The 6'5" sophomore turned in a huge performance against Alabama with 7 receptions for 279 yards and a 1 TD.  He was easily Manziel's go-to-receiver in this game.

Defensive Edition

(No change this week, as no defensive player is truly a standout - yet - like T'eo last year, or like Clowney was expected to be. Although I have my eyes on one particular SEC lineman, who will likely rise if he has a solid game this week).

3.  Ik Enempkali - DE - Louisiana Tech - The undersized defensive end leads the NCAAs in sacks, and his name is Ik!

2.  Damante Horton - CB - Washington State - 3 interceptions, tied for the NCAA lead, and like I said last week, and anytime you play defense on a Mike Leach coached team - that is something.

1.  Za'Darius Smith - DE - Kentucky - Tied for the NCAA lead in sacks.

Player to Watch

Sean Mannion - QB - Oregon State - 1237 yards passing and 12 total TDs passing, leading Oregon State to a 2-1 record.  If Oregon State is going to have any chance to beat Oregon or Stanford, or any of the other contenders in the PAC-12, then Mannion will have to keep up his offensive onslaught.

My New Favorite Player Besides Baker Mayfield - the Walk On Freshman

Blake Bell - QB - Oklahoma - If for now other reason than to show another picture of Lake Bell.

Players of the Week

This section will be more week specific as the season goes forward, but for the first week, it is hard to differentiate the players of the week from the players of the season, as the season has only lasted 1 week.

5.  Marcos Mariota - QB - Oregon - See above.

4.  Paul James - RB - Rutgers - 192 yards on 21 rushes for three touchdowns in a 28-10 victory over Eastern Michigan.

3.  A.J. McCarron - See above.

2.  Mike Evans - 279 yards against Alabama!.

1. Johnny Manziel - Football Johnny torched the "vaunted" Alabama defense and thrusted himself back to the top of the Heisman talk.  Will need some work to make the SEC championship game with the loss, though.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

T.J. Yeldon - His money flipping/throat slashing gesture before halftime was incredibly classless, and he utterly fired up the Aggies in a game that looked well in hand for the Tide.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Bo Pellini - Nebraska - Not only do the Cornhuskers get thoroughly annihilated in the second half on their home turf by UCLA, but Pellini's rant from 2011 against Nebraska fans comes public - along with about 14 F-bombs and F-derivative bombs.  Coaches - Just recruit, teach, game plan and coach your teams.  Otherwise - SHUT UP!

Predicted BCS Championship Game Match Up

Alabama v. Oregon - Alabama passed the first of its 3 tests, and Oregon is cruising along.  LSU and Stanford seem to be the next two big hurdles for the two teams that otherwise seem on a collision course.

Rant(s) of the Week

Rules/Officiating.  A Texas A & M defender (whose name I do not recall), had his helmet pushed off of his head by an Alabama offensive lineman, and because he continued chasing after the running back, received a 15 yard penalty.  Apparently this is exactly the rule, so this was the correct call.  It is a stupid rule, and if a player is dumb enough to continue the play without a helmet, that is his fault.  As for officiating, how do the officials think he lost his helmet - illegal hands to the face perhaps?  Let's get it straight fellas.

Under Performance of the Week

Nebraska - We all know that long-gone are the days of the "Black Shirts" defense, but what we witnessed Saturday - at Nebraska nonetheless was practically inconceivable.  A 31-0 thumping at the hands of UCLA, in just the second half, is the kind of actions that gets coaches fired - either defensive coordinators or head coaches (See Rant).

Last Week's Trivia Answer

Miami Hurricanes Quarterback Brock Berlin.  Interesting because the highly heralded Berlin started at Florida, but then transferred to Miami after he could not beat out Rex Grossman for the starting job.

Trivia Question of the Week

Alabama has won 2 BCS titles in a row, and is currently ranked number 1 in its quest for a third.  What was the last college to win 3 consecutive championships - and what years?

Match up(s) to Watch

Not a very interesting week, as confirmed by ESPN Gameday's choice of heading to defending two-time FCS champion North Dakota State for their broadcast, but that does not mean that some interesting games do not exist.

5.  Savannah State v. Miami - Only to see if Miami covers the 60 point spread.

4.  Louisiana-Monroe v. Baylor ULM and/or ULL always seem to put up one or two big wins against ranked teams.  Baylor is exciting, and unlikely to fall victim to the upset - but  you never know.

3. Arizona State v. Stanford - Oregon and Stanford seem to be on a collision course for the conference championship and possibly even the BCS champhionship, however, Arizona State is one of those teams that can ruin the party for the Cardinals and Ducks.

2.  Auburn v. LSU - Its the battle of the SEC Tigers and the chance to keep pace with Alabama for the SEC West crown.

1. Tennessee v. Florida - Because I am going to be there.

Picks of the Week

Welcome to our Picks of the Week.  For a quick refresher on the procedures behind my picks (for those that are new - this will be new): Each pick is using the spread (straight up is for wussies), and the betting line is from the same website each week as of the time of typing the entry. I keep a running tally of my record, plus my winnings/losses. We will pretend that I bet $100 on each game, with one game each week going for $250. Winnings/Losses will be calculated including a 10% vig, which just makes the math that much simpler. On to the picks.

By the way, I talked myself out of three additional wins last week.  That will not happen this week.

New York Jets +12 1/2 at New England Patriots
Yes this game already occurred, which is why I locked in my selection with Sinickal and Hopps.

St. Louis Rams +5 1/5 at Atlanta Falcons
Sam Bradford with some weapons can be scary, and with a really dynamic defense, the Rams are going to give the Falcons all they can handle on offense, especially with a hobbled Julio Jones and Roddy White.  Steven Jackson will not be able to exact any revenge against his former team.

Cleveland Browns +7 at Baltimore Ravens
This is not last year's Baltimore Ravens, and this is not last year's Cleveland Browns.  I believe the Ravens still win, but as this will be a defensive struggle, the game will be close.

Carolina Panthers -3 at Buffalo Bills
Carolina had a really good run to end the season last year and even though they lost last week, it was to Seattle.  Buffalo played New England tough, and Manuel can be very accurate in the short to mid-range passing game, but New England doesn't look to be that dominating anymore, so Buffalo's performance last week is minimized.  Carolina, behind a big game from Cam Newton, wins on the road.

Chicago Bears -6 v. Minnesota Vikings
The Bears played really well against a tough, potential Super Bowl team in Cincinnati.  Minnesota is one dimensional on offense (albeit a phenomenal dimension in Adrian Peterson).  This Bears team looks too well rounded for the Vikings.  Is it time for Minnesota to look for a Christian Ponder replacement? (Actually - it is past time).

Washington Redskins +7 at Green Bay Packers
RGIII had a tremendous second half against the Eagles last week, even with his limitations.  The Packers defense is as suspect, or worse, than the Eagles defense.  Aaron Rodgers is still being asked to do everything himself, and as talented as he is, the Packers will not win by more than a touchdown.

Houston Texans -8 v. Tennessee Titans
One big favorite has to win (and more importantly cover) don't they?  This Titans team might be better than expected, but they are not as good as the Texans.  I chalk up the Monday Night first half to the electricity of the home opener for the Chargers; the second half Texans is what I expect today.

Indianapolis Colts - 2 1/2 v. Miami Dolphins
Last year's most improved team plays this year's most improved team.  The Dolphins, who behind Ryan Tannehill spread the ball around to a number of receivers, will test the Colts defensive backfield, but Andrew Luck will persevere in a battle of sophomore quarterbacks.

Philadelphia Eagles -7 v. San Diego Chargers
The Chargers came out strong against the Texans, and the Eagles did the same against the Redskins.  However, the Eagles offense seems to be so electric, that the Chargers won't be able to hold them close.  My opinion is that the Chargers' game last week was an anomaly.

Detroit Lions -2 at Arizona Cardinals
The biggest individual match-up of the day; Calvin Johnson v. Patrick Peterson.  I know that Larry Fitzgerald is enthralled that he has a quarterback that can actually throw the ball - my apologies to John Skelton, but Megatron has his chemistry with his quarterback already.  The Honey Badger could be the wildcard, but I look for Detroit to still win this game.  Remember, they held Adrian Peterson to under 100 yards last week.

New Orleans Saints -3 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are so dysfunctional right now, and there is no love lost between head coach Greg Schiano and quarterback Josh Freeman.  Meanwhile, Drew Brees has his coach back this season.  This game could get out of hand quickly, as Tampa Bay lost to the Jets last week.

Denver Broncos -4 1/2 at New York Giants 
This is the first time that we have seen this quarterback match-up in a long time.  No, not of brothers, but of quarterbacks that both threw for over 400 yards the preceding week.  Eli is going to have to do the same thing to have a chance.  If you just watch the two, it is clear that Peyton is the better quarterback.  More importantly, it is clear that the Broncos are the better team.

Oakland Raiders - 4 1/2 v. Jacksonville Jaguars
Perhaps the Raiders have found their quarterback in Terrelle Pryor.  Now Pryor could not solve the Wisconsin Badgers' defense in college.  Lucky for him, he isn't playing Wisconsin, he is playing Jacksonville.

San Francisco 49ers +3 at Seattle Seahawks
I honestly have no idea what to do with this game.  When in doubt, take the points.

Cincinnati Bengals -6 1/2 v. Pittsburgh Steelers
A.J. Green is trying to lay his claim to the title "Best non-Calvin Johnson Receiver in the NFL", and he is likely to torch a missing Steelers' secondary.  That isn't the worst of it for Pittsburgh, however, as they have no offensive line whatsoever, and the Bengal defensive line is one of their strengths.  I see about 6 sacks in today's game.

BIG BET OF THE WEEK

Dallas Cowboys +3 at Kansas City Chiefs
Yes the Chiefs have talent and Yes the Chiefs have a new coaching staff.  However, I do not think they are that much improved from last year's 4-12 team.  The Cowboys offense is high-scoring, and all they have to do is score enough points that this game stays close.  I predict that they win outright.

Previous Week's Record: 8-7-1
Year to Date: 8-7-1
Big Bet Last Week: 1-0
Big Beat Year to Date: 1-0
Winnings (Losses) Last Week: $180
Winnings (Losses) Year-To-Date: $180

The Ole College Try

Welcome to the weekly installment of the almost weekly perspective of college football.  As a refresher, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous that the networks, including the World Wide Leader, nay, especially the World Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race this early in the season. After all, who knew who Johnny Manziel was at this time last year.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Teddy Bridgewater - Louisville - Still the legitimate front runner for this award, and he continued his dominating performances, albeit against absolutely nobody.  Another 397 yards and 4 TDs will keep him at the top of this list for a long, long time.

Aaron Murray - Georgia - Clemson - Almost 400 yards and 4 Touchdowns against a supposedly tough South Carolina defense.  Murray and the Bulldogs, off a loss to Clemson, takes over the driver's seat in the battle to win the SEC east.

Rising - Marcus Mariota - Oregon - He might be the most athletic quarterback in the country, and Oregon has a legitimate chance to make the BCS championship game.  He had 199 yards passing with 2 TDs, and another 122 yards rushing with another score.  Toughest QB to defend in the country.

Dark Horse - Taysom Hill - Brigham Young - Was outstanding in the Cougars' upset of then number 15 Texas.  In fact, Hill directly led to the Longhorns ouster of their defensive coordinator.  Hill threw for only 129 yards, but rushed for 259 yards and 3 touchdowns in BYU's 40-21 victory.

Falling - Braxton Miller - Ohio State - No MCL, No Heisman.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Todd Gurley - Georgia - Had another 134 yards against the Gamecocks.  He is easily the best running back in college at this point.

Rising - De'Anthony Thomas - Oregon - Only 124 yards, but only he accrued that total on only 11 carries.  With Mariota is an incredible 1-2 punch for the ducks.

Sleeper - Andre Williams - Boston College - He totaled 204 yards against Wake Forest, and was the primary reason the Eagles won their ACC opener.

Wide Receiver Edition

Paul Richardson - Colorado - He had his second 200 yard receiving game, and has 4 total touchdowns on the year.  If he keeps this up, the race for the Biletnikoff is over.

Jordan Matthews - Vanderbilt - He had another 6 catches for another 100 yard game (111 yards), and he might be, gulp, the best receiver in the SEC.

Jeremy Gallon - Michigan - He had 8 receptions for 184 yards and 3 TDS against Notre Dame, and more importantly was incredibly dynamic.

Defensive Edition

3.  Ik Enempkali - DE - Louisiana Tech - The undersized defensive end leads the NCAAs in sacks, and his name is Ik!

2.  Damonte Horton - CB - Washington State - 2 interceptions this week, and anytime you play defense on a Mike Leach coached team - that is something.

1.  Za'Darius Smith - DE - Kentucky - He had 3 of his 4 sacks this week against Miami (OH).

Player to Watch

Odell Beckham - WR - LSU - If LSU is going to truly challenge Alabama and Texas A & M for the SEC West crown, someone is going to have to step up and get open for Zach Mittenberger - that person is going to be Beckham.

My New Favorite Player Besides Baker Mayfield - the Walk On Freshman

Spiffy Evans - Returner - Boston College - Sometimes it is all in the name.

Players of the Week

This section will be more week specific as the season goes forward, but for the first week, it is hard to differentiate the players of the week from the players of the season, as the season has only lasted 1 week.

5.  Jeremy Gallon - Michigan - See above

4.  Brennan Clay - RB - Oklahoma - Rushed for 170 yards, and the Sooners needed every single one of them as they defeated West Virginia only 16-7.

3.  Teddy Bridgewater - See above.

2.  Za'Darius Smith - Kentucky - See above.

1.  Paul Richardson - See above.

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

Devin Gardner - QB - Michigan - Overall the QB had a very good game against the Irish, however, his scramble into the end zone in which he was tackled for a safety, I mean, while he was being tackled for a safety he decided the throw the ball backwards and it was recovered by the Irish for a touchdown was absolutely ridiculous.  He is lucky that he played well enough that this play did not hurt the Wolverines in the long run.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Jim Grobe - Wake Forest - Trailing Boston College by 10 in the waning seconds of the first half, Grobe decides to go for it on fourth and goal close to the end zone.  The Eagles hold, and instead of being down a TD at halftime, the Deacons are down two scores.  They never recovered.  If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times - TAKE THE POINTS!

Predicted BCS Championship Game Matchup

Alabama v. Oregon - This is by no means a foregone conclusion, as both teams have tough roads ahead, but they look like they are the best two teams - albeit a bit flawed.

Rant(s) of the Week

Oklahoma State is being chastised by a series of articles in Sports Illustrated that identify rampant drug use, improper payments, and other assorted cover-ups.  But what struck me is that one of the allegations is that the hostesses for recruits were having sex with the recruits.  Really - this is news?!  Everyone that I know that has ever been recruited by any college football team has had this happen to them.  It was even one of the subplots of the movie the Program!  How is this newsworthy - or even a violation?

Under Performance of the Week

Texas - We were told that Texas was going to be back, instead, after a drubbing by BYU their defensive coordinator gets fired.  Can Mack Brown be far behind.  Even after a loss - Will Muschamp must be laughing.

Last Week's Trivia Answer

N/A this week.

Trivia Question of the Week

The Miami Hurricanes defeated the Florida Gators in Miami - OK Miami Gardens - on Saturday.  Who was the winning quarterback the last time the teams met in South Florida?

Match up(s) to Watch

3. Louisville v. Kentucky - As Louisville's schedule is definitely a bit light, the Cardinals need to show they can light up schools from the SEC, even if it is only Kentucky.

2. Tennessee v. Oregon - I would love to see how Oregon's offense stacks up against an SEC defense - albeit not a stellar one.  At least this will give us a bit of a preview of what we really have in Oregon.

1. Alabama v. Texas A & M - Duh!

Picks of the Week

The NFL is back, and so are my Picks of the Week.  For those that have been following, this will be a quick refresher on the procedures behind my picks (for those that are new - this will be new): Each pick is using the spread (straight up is for wussies), and the betting line is from the same website each week as of the time of typing the entry. I keep a running tally of my record, plus my winnings/losses. We will pretend that I bet $100 on each game, with one game each week going for $250. Winnings/Losses will be calculated including a 10% vig, which just makes the math that much simpler. On to the picks.

Denver Broncos -7 v. Baltimore Ravens
Yes this game already occurred - see previous entry.

New England Patriots -10 at Buffalo Bills
Normally a 10 point spread for opening week is taboo, except for when the other team looks to be bad, is starting a rooking quarterback, and that rookie quarterback missed most of the last three weeks with an injury.  I think the Patriots learn to rely on the strength of their offense, which this year is the running game.

Seattle Seahawks -3 at Carolina Panthers
Another road favorite?  Usually a recipe for disaster, except that Seattle - when their starters have been in the game - have been absolutely trucking people.  If this was a 3 1/2 or 4 point spread, I most likely would have taken Carolina, but with it being only three, I'll take Seattle.

Cincinnati Bengals +3 at Chicago Bears
With the Ravens performance on Thursday, Cincinnati looks to be the class of their division.  The Bears should be a solid team, but I think that this game is going to be really close, so I will take the points.

Cleveland Browns -1 1/2 v. Miami Dolphins
Believe it or not, this game is a match-up of potential playoff darkhorses.  Miami, I think, will be much improved, but expect a healthy dose of Trent Richardson behind Joe Thomas.

Detroit Lions -4 v. Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota likely will be worse than last year.  Although they have a fantastic running back in Adrian Peterson, the loss of Williams on the defensive line hurts, as they need to put pressure on Matthew Stafford.  Without that pressure, he will find Calvin Johnson often against the Vikings secondary.

Indianapolis Colts -10 v. Oakland Raiders
Once again - never take a double digit spread in week 1, unless that team is playing the Raiders, with all due respect to Sebastian Janikowski, the one truly NFL level player on that team - excepting Terrelle Pryor.  Just kidding, not excepting Terrelle Pryor.

Kansas City Chiefs -3 1/2 at Jacksonville Jaguars 
Alex Smith v. Blaine Gabbert - a scintillating quarterback match-up (please note sarcasm).  Kansas City, although they did not have a good record last year, still had enough talent to have 7 Pro Bowlers.  Imagine what a new (good) coaching staff can do with that talent.  Jacksonville does not have that talent.

Atlanta Falcons -3 at New Orleans Saints
Yes Sean Payton is back, and that should make a big difference for New Orleans over the course of the year, but Atlanta has just as much - and likely more - firepower than the Saints.  Even if New Orleans can squeak out a win, take Atlanta and the points.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers -3 at New York Jets
I almost selected this as my big pick of the week, since I am not sure that the Jets offense can score 3 points behind rookie quarterback Geno Smith.  The only reason I did not select this for my big pick is that the Jets defense is still very good, even though the team is really bad, and the Jets have a way of screwing with everyone.

San Francisco 49ers -4 1/2 v. Green Bay Packers
San Francisco torched Green Bay in the playoffs, and that was with Bryan Bulaga protecting Aaron Rodgers.  The loss of their left tackle could be a big problem for the Packers this year as their line has been suspect even with him present - especially in this game with the Smith brothers attacking the quarterback.

St. Louis Rams -4 v. Arizona Cardinals
St. Louis is primed to make some noise in the NFC this year, as they went undefeated in divisional games last year, and the team went out and picked up some offensive weapons for Sam Bradford.  Plus, Jeff Fisher is a GREAT coach.  Arizona should be improved with the pick-up of Tyrann Mathieu to go with Patrick Peterson, and with an actual - albeit average - quarterback.

Dallas Cowboys -3 v. New York Giants
Two highly erratic teams so you never know what is going to happen when they play.  The Cowboys have a prolific passing attack, and if the new Offensive Coordinator can actually utilize DeMarco Murray in the running game, this team can be scary good on offense.  The Giants are equally volatile, but I think their secondary is the difference in the game - and not in a good way.

Philadelphia Eagles +3 at Washington Redskins
I love RGIII, and I would love to see local boy Alfred Morris continue his amazing run, but sometimes you just see a bet that looks so obvious in one direction that you have to take the other.  With Chip Kelly's offense being a big unknown, and since a hurry up will allow athletes like Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson shine, the Eagles take this game.  I just hope Riley Cooper does not play a large part in this game.

Houston Texans -4 at San Diego Chargers
This game was another contender for my big bet of the week, I just simply did not want until 10:30 on Monday night to wait to see if my big bet comes it.  I expect Houston to win big.

BIG BET OF THE WEEK

Tennessee Titans +6 1/2 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Tennessee, while most likely going to be very average this year, but is getting 6 1/2 points from a team that looks to a lot worse than usual.  They lost Mike Wallace without replacing him, they seem lost in the running game, and the defense may not be as strong as Pittsburgh defenses are supposed to be.

Previous Week's Record: 0-0
Year to Date: 0-0
Big Bet Last Week: 0-0
Big Beat Year to Date: 0-0
Winnings (Losses) Last Week: $0
Winnings (Losses) Year-To-Date: $0

Picks of the Week

Full analysis of all the week's games forthcoming, but because we have a Thursday night game ...

Denver Broncos -7 versus Baltimore Ravens

The Ole College Try

Welcome to the return of the almost weekly perspective of college football. For those that don't remember, I write this column as if every player is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Why? Because it is ridiculously ludicrous that the networks, including the World Wide Leader, nay, especially the World Wide Leader, emphasize the Heisman Trophy race this early in the season. After all, who knew who Johnny Manziel was at this time last year.  Consider this my sarcastic homage to stupid reporting.

Heisman Watch

Quarterback Edition

Favorite - Teddy Bridgewater - Louisville - The legitimate front runner for this award after last season ended, did not disappoint against Ohio, throwing for  355 yards and 5 TDs, all while showcasing his pinpoint accuracy.

Tahj Boyd - Clemson - Absolutely shined during the game of the week; 270 yards and 3 TDs passing, 2 more TDs rushing - all against the defense that gave Alabama all that it could handle in the SEC Championship game.

Rising - Jameis Winston - Florida State - The number 1 ranked quarterback recruit out of high school showed why in his first start.  The red shirt freshman was 25-27 for 356 and 4 TD, while also running in another score.

Dark Horse - Vernon Adams - Eastern Washington - The sophomore quarterback led the upset over #25 Oregon State by passing for 411 yards and 4 TDs, and rushing for 107 yards and another 2 TDs.

Falling - Football Johnny - Texas A & M - Because some voters will hate his attitude.

Running Back Edition

Favorite - Duke Johnson - Miami - 186 yards rushing with a TD, and another 38 yards on one reception.His big test is this week against a generally stout Florida Gators defense.

Todd Gurley - Georgia - 154 yards and 2 TDs on only 12 carries.

Rising - Mike Davis - South Carolina - 12 carries or 115 yards and a long 75 yard TD run.  Could the Ole Ball Coach be turning into a running team?

Sleeper - Jordan Hall - Ohio State - Yeah, right.  Like since when is an Ohio State running back a sleeper.  Ever since Braxton Miller was given all of the pre-season, hype, that's when.  Hall finished with 159 yards.  Let's see if he can keep that up against real teams.

Wide Receiver Edition

Rashad Greene - FSU - 8 catches for 126 yards, almost all of them in the first half.  Despite playing opposite the more physically gifted Kelvin Benjamin, Greene seems to be Winston's favorite target.  If Winston is close to what he was against Pittsburgh, Rashad Greene will have a huge season.

Jordan Matthews - Vanderbilt - 10 catches for 178 yards and a TD, despite being Vanderbilt's only real offensive weapon.

Jared Abbrederis - Wisconsin - 2 catches for 122 yards and 2 TDs.  Now that is efficiency.

Defensive Edition

3.  Kyle Fuller - CB - Virginia Tech - Fuller looked like he is the real deal, having an interception and making several other fantastic passes defensed in the Hokies loss to Alabama.  Alabama only scored 2 offensive touchdowns.

2.  Anthony Harris - S - Virginia - Very few defensive players had a game like Harris; 11 tackles, 1 sack and an interception.

1.  Khalil Mack - LB - Buffalo - Very few players had a game like Harris, except Buffalo's Mack, who had 9 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks and 1 INT, which he returned for a touchdown.

Player to Watch

Christion Jones - WR/Ret - Alabama - Scored three touchdowns; 1 receiving, 1 punt return and 1 kick-off return, and was the difference maker for Alabama over Virginia Tech.  And, he managed to stand out on an offense that includes A.J. McCarron, T.J. Yeldon and Amari Cooper - among others.

My New Favorite Player

Baker Mayfield - QB - Texas Tech - The walk-on Freshman quarterback - yes, you read that correctly, WALK-ON FRESHMAN, started for the Red Raiders leading them to a 41-23 victory over SMU and finished the game 43-60 for 413 yards and 4 TDs, and ran in another score.  He finished the game 15-18 for 175 yards in the fourth quarter.  I guess he was not overwhelmed by the situation.  He apparently was also telling jokes to the other Tech players in the huddle during the opening drive.  Did I mention that he is a WALK-ON FRESHMAN.  I imagine Kliff Kingsbury will find him a scholarship at some point.

Players of the Week

This section will be more week specific as the season goes forward, but for the first week, it is hard to differentiate the players of the week from the players of the season, as the season has only lasted 1 week.

5.  Teddy Bridgewater - Louisville - See above

4.  Christion Jones - Alabama - See above

3.  Jameis Winston - FSU - See above; would have been higher if the game was against somebody other than Pittsburgh.

2.  Khalil Mack - Buffalo - Very impressive performance generally, but even more so considering it occurred against Ohio State.

1.  Vernon Adams - Eastern Washington - A victory of ranked FCS Oregon State will do that for you,

Goat of the Week (Player Edition)

Malcolm Mitchell - WR - Georgia - The Bulldogs leading returning receiver tore his ACL and is out for the season.  His injury occurred while attempting to celebrate a touchdown with a full body bump - a touchdown that he did not even score himself.  He landed awkwardly, and will not play again this season.

Goat of the Week (Coach Edition)

Frank Beamer - Virginia Tech - Beamer is here not so much because of anything specific, but as the head coach that supposedly stresses special teams harder than any other coach, how can he let Alabama run away with the game through two special teams touchdown return.  If not for those scores, Virginia Tech is right in that game with Alabama.  Perhaps it is time that Beamer hired a special teams coordinator, and not try to do everything himself.

Predicted BCS Championship Game Matchup
Alabama v. Ohio State - For those that forget, this is not what I think the game should be, but rather, at this point, what I think the game will be.  Way too early to take this seriously though.

Rant(s) of the Week
No real rant at this point - BECAUSE COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK.

Under Performance of the Week

Georgia - Yes they were away; yes they played a quality opponent and yes they did not play particularly bad.  However, for the team that is supposed to be the most likely to knock off Alabama in the SEC, they sure had their national championship aspirations undercut really early in the season.

Last Week's Trivia Answer

N/A this week.

Trivia Question of the Week

None - why?  Because I forgot that I did trivia questions, so I forgot to have a good one for this week.  Hopefully I will remember next week.

Match up(s) to Watch

3. Syracuse v. Northwestern - OK, so I don't really want to watch this football match up, but this is one helluva match up for the school's sports broadcasting departments.

2. South Carolina v. Georgia - Georgia needs this win badly after the Clemson loss, and South Carolina looks to  bury Georgia in the SEC East standings early.  A Georgia win keeps them in the SEC (which means national) championship hunt.  Should be a hard hitting game.

1. Florida v. Miami - In what could be the last game in an intrastate rivalry in a long time, Miami has their best chance against Florida in a long time.  With Duke Johnson, Miami has the best single player on the field.  Can he play against the Gators vaunted defense?  Can Florida find their offensive identity against a defense that struggled much of last year, but looks to be much improved?  Can Stacy Coley hold onto the football?  All important questions to be decided at noon on Game Day.  Oh yeah - and I will be in attendance.  Did I mention that I will be in attendance?  Because I will.

Ready for Some Football

It is that time of the year again, time for the start of college football. What would the start of college football be without a preseason All-American list? Once again, I am here to give you my preseason All-Americans. As usual, there will be more than 11 a side, to account for the different types of formations (spread, three receiver set, 4-3, 3-4, etc). I explain some of my picks, while others I do not. Why? Because I can.  (Starters in capitals).

Offense

QB - AARON MURRAY, Georgia; Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville; Tajh Boyd, Clemson - I know that the topic is not who is included, but it is now who was left off - that is right, no Johnny Manziell - and it has nothing to do with all of the problems of the offseason.  Murray is about ready to rewrite the entire SEC passing record book, Bridgewater is the most accurate quarterback in football and Boyd is every bit the dual threat Manziell is.  In fact, I could think of three or four more to place here before I get to Manziell.

RB - D'ANTHONY THOMAS, Oregon; LACHE SEASTRUNK, Baylor; Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona; Todd Gurley, Georgia - Other than Clowney, this might be the most talented group on the board.  Thomas or Carey could single handedly win the Pac-10 (or whatever number they are using nowadays).  With all due respect to T.J. Yeldon, Gurley is the best RB in the SEC.  Seastrunk might be the most dynamic player in the country.  Is that Ka'Deem?  Nah, that ain't Ka'Deem!

WR - MARQUISE LEE, USC; SAMMY WATKINS, Clemson; Amari Cooper, Alabama; Stefon Diggs, Maryland - The first three are self-explanatory, or at least they should be.  Easiest starters to pick other than Clowney and Santos, especially for my brother Marquise.  I had to put Diggs somewhere, and since I did not select Duke Johnson as a RB, he has to be my special teams returner.

TE - AUSTIN SEFERIAN-JENKINS, Washington; Eric Ebron, Jr., North Carolina - The weakest spot in the team, but Seferian-Jenkins already has over 100 career catches.

OL - JAKE MATTHEWS, Texas A and M; DAVID YANKEY, Stanford; GABE IKARD, Oklahoma; CYRIL RICHARDSON, Baylor; TAYLOR LEWAN, Michigan; Cyrus Kuandijo, Alabama - Matthews will need to step into Luke Joeckel's shoes.  All 6 of these lineman are important cogs to their teams success this year.

Defense

DE - JADEVEON CLOWNEY, South Carolina; DEVONTE FIELDS, TCU; Stephen Tuitt, Notre Dame - With Clowney heading this group, no justification is really necessary.  I look for Fields to take a huge leap this year.  Tuitt had 12 sacks last year.

DT - WILL SUTTON, Arizona State; LOUIS NIX, Notre Dame; Tim Jernigan, Florida State; Dominque Easley, Florida - Sutton is the best collegiate DT since Ndamulkong Suh, and he can single-handedly stop a run game while also provide a bit of a pass rush up the middle.  Easley might be the stretch here, but I look for him to be up to the challenge of the tough SEC trenches.

LB - C.J. MOSLEY, Alabama; ANTHONY BARR, UCLA; KYLE VAN NOY, BYU; Ryan Shazier, Ohio State; Chris Borland, Wisconsin; Denzel Nkemdiche, Mississippi - Mosley and Barr are no brainers, while Van Noy has 45 tackles for loss in his career.  Shazier and Borland will rack up lots of tackles in the run happy Big 10.  I include Nkemdiche because a couple of years ago I mentioned, but did not include, a young Jon Bostic.  Nkemdiche has all kinds of talent and athleticism.

CB - BRADLEY ROBY, Ohio State; IFO EKPRE-OLOMU, JR., Oregon; Jason Verett, TCU; Louchiez Purifoy, Florida - Roby might not make a tackle or interception this year, teams are that scared of  him.  Ekpre-Olomu has the best name on the team.  Purifoy might play both ways this year.

S - ED REYNOLDS, Stanford; HA HA CLINTON-DIX, Alabama; Craig Loston, LSU; Lamarcus Joyner, FSU - Ed Reynolds is a returning Thorpe Award finalist, and there is nothing funny about the way Clinton-Dix plays with his 5 interceptions last year.  Joyner can play either corner or safety.

Special Teams

K - CAIRO SANTOS, Tulane - Nobody else is even close.  Second easiest choice in this list.

P - KYLE CHRISTY, Florida - He was the best punter last year; he should continue to be the best punter this year.

KR/PR - DUKE JOHNSON, Miami; Dri Archer, Kent State; - Duke Johnson does it all, including starting running back this year.  He is likely going to be the best player on the field in every game he plays this year.  Scored touchdowns rushing, receiving and returning last year.  Diggs and Thomas could also have been used here, but they are listed at WR and RB already.