What we learned
1) The ACC is bad, historically bad.
Only the 1999 Pac-10 won by a Stanford team that lost to Texas 69-17 and San Jose St. and the 2004 Big East where 6-5 Syracuse got a share of the title and 8-3 Pittsburgh got the booby prize of getting gutted by Utah in the BCS.
It certainly looks like Wake Forest is the only competent team in the league followed by maybe Miami. While a Miami resurgence will be good for the league, the league really needs Miami to do some major damage in non-conference games to look decent this year. Clemson is headed to its usual 8-4 or 9-3 year and Virginia Tech looks the same, but only because everyone else in the league is so terrible that those teams will reach those win totals on talent without execution at all.
2) The Big East is nearly as bad as the ACC.
At least the two best teams in the Big East managed to win, but 0-4 against 1-A opponents is truly pathetic. Even the ACC managed to beat somebody. Rutgers, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Louisville take a bow. You would fit in great in the ACC.
3) Tennessee is in big trouble.
UCLA is not very good. All the poll voters who put them in the top 25 are insane. The defense is pretty good but lacks depth and the offense isn’t going to be able to keep up when the defense tires late in games against the prolific offenses coming.
In other words, Tennessee should have won that game based on talent or almost any other measure. It looks like 2005 all over again for the Vols who still have to play Florida, Auburn, Georgia, and Alabama. At least the season is 12 games so 6-6 gets a team to a bowl game.
4) Missouri and Illinois are going to be fine.
Most criticized the defenses of Missouri and Illinois, but there is no problem with those defenses. The Missouri and Illinois offenses are going to turn out to be top level offenses. The defenses are going to give up tons of yards, but they will get their fair share of big plays (see both teams returning interceptions for touchdowns). All the defenses will need in most games is two stops. That won’t be a problem.
5) Utah and Texas Tech are cost themselves at least one game because of mental mistakes.
Both Utah and Texas Tech are talented teams, but they both have ten-cent heads to go with their million dollar talent. For Utah, the amount of stupid penalties and mental errors almost cost them a game they dominated against Michigan. The two point margin of victory is a terrible indicator of the talent difference between Utah and Michigan because it is vast.
As for Texas Tech, 18 penalties is terrible no matter the situation. Do that in conference play and its curtains against anyone except Texas A&M or Baylor this season.
What to Look For This Week
1) Poll Controversy
Georgia is either going to move back to number one this week with a blowout and USC not playing, or the Bulldogs are dropping to three so Ohio St.-USC next week can be a 1 vs 2 game.
2) Some good news for the ACC
Miami, while they won’t win, will play well at Florida as a heavy underdog and Wake Forest will beat Ole Miss for a much needed credibility boost for the league. It’s not much, but it will be a start.
3) An easy Notre Dame win
Everyone can agree the Irish were awful last season. This week, in Notre Dame’s season opener, they get the cure-all for terrible: San Diego St., who somehow managed to lose for a second time in three years to the same 1-AA opponent.
4) More QB trouble for South Carolina
The answer at quarterback for South Carolina is Stephen Garcia. Too bad he is such an idiot off the field that he isn’t getting his chance on it. He will get that shot before the end of the season and make South Carolina much better for it. Smelley (despite the good game last week) and Beecher aren’t going to cut it in the SEC and might have major trouble at Vanderbilt, a team with a good secondary.
5) Boredom sets in
If you have a fall wedding to go to, this is the week you want it in. Gameday is at Miami-Florida and the best game is that or Cincinnati-Oklahoma. There is no ABC Saturday Night game, no CBS game, and the afternoon ABC games are not exactly exciting looking.
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