Play A Real Game

Let me start this article by saying sorry for not leaving you guys with more stuff while I was in China. Didn’t have a chance to write anything while I was over there. So I figured I’d give you guys a nice thick article for you to sink your teeth into. Here it is, yes it’s long, but I figured I owe everyone that much.

What is it about college teams and their scheduling? Every year week one of the college football season rolls around and I get all excited just to see a slate of preseason scrimmages that try and bill themselves as real football games. Most good teams are afraid to schedule other good teams in week one and I believe college football hurts as a result of that. Let’s take a look at the opponents for the teams in the Preseason Top 10 I did a few months ago.

10. Oklahoma State vs. Georgia

9. Ole Miss @ Memphis

8. Virginia Tech vs. Alabama (Neutral Site)

7. LSU @ Washington

6. Ohio State vs. Navy

5. Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Neutral Site)

4. USC vs. San Jose State

3. Oklahoma vs. BYU (Neutral Site)

2. Texas vs. Louisiana-Monroe

1. Florida vs. Charleston Southern

Now, this slate of games looks better than it actually is. If we were going off of last season than this set of games wouldn’t be bad at all. But let’s not fall into that trap. After all Hawai’i finished the 2007 season 12-1 and in a BCS bowl, only to get blasted by Florida 56-10 in the first game of 2008.

I think the most interesting games on this list are #’s 5/8, and 10, with 3 and 6 being wildcards.

5/8- is the game that pits Alabama vs. Virginia Tech in the Georgia Dome. Virginia Tech, who has won the ACC the last two years will face an Alabama team that was a quarter away from a BCS Title bid. Both these teams look to give their title hopes a big boost on September 5th.

10- This is the only other game that peaks my interest. Oklahoma State vs. Georgia will be pretty interesting because Georgia will showcase their Stafford and Moreno replacements; while Oklahoma State wants to finish what they started in ’08.

6- 2009 marks the first time in years that Navy will play a ranked team as their first game. I think their match up against Ohio State could go one of two ways. It will either be a very close game, or an Ohio State Blowout.

3- The only reason I put BYU vs. Oklahoma game as a wildcard is because Mountain West teams always seem to surprise people. Other than that it will be a Sooner beat down.

Charleston Southern, Louisiana-Monroe, San Jose State, Washington, and Memphis are trying to get exposure for their players. While Florida, Texas, USC, LSU, and Ole Miss are trying to make sure their BCS hopes aren’t squashed in week one.

Week one is probably my least favorite week in college football. A lot of good teams play a lot of bad ones while only a handful of teams with comparable competition match up. Oh well I guess that’s college football. I’ll just keep hoping for another 2007 App. State over Michigan.