Into week three and so far not much has been settled. This weekend we get a few chances to find out who is for real and whose hopes are already fading. And of course with out of conference games a few that power conference schools should be embarrassed about charging for. There are three games matching top 25 teams to look forward to. The leaves haven’t changed yet but there are already some coaches who might want to start looking for a realtor.
Thursday only has one game and looks better than it probably really is. An early season battle of undefeated ACC teams. North Carolina State (2-0) at Wake Forest (2-0) both undefeated but NC State’s wins were close against a mediocre ACC Virginia and G5 East Carolina. Wake beat an FCS team and barely got by Kennesaw State, one of the worst teams in the BCS. Neither of these teams will matter much at the end of the season.
Friday night in addition to the Buffs game there are a number of choices, didn’t say good choices but choices. (22) Indiana (2-0) will beat up on FCS Indiana State (2-0.)
The Eco-Kitties from Manhattan came into the season with high expectations and ranked. Since then they lost in Ireland, barely beat an FCS team, and lost to Army. Kansas State (1-2) is at Arizona (2-0) with their season on the line. Arizona has won their two games by a combined score of 88-9 which would be impressive if they had played anyone other than Hawaii on the mainland and an FCS patsy.
Saturday morning the best early game looks like (12) Clemson (1-1) at Georgia Tech (2-0). Clemson started the season ranked as a top 10 team before losing to (3) LSU and struggling against Troy?. Lose here and Dabo is going to have some explaining to do. Meanwhile a win for Georgia Tech would see them get ranked.
Also falling in the rankings Bama isn’t the same without Sabin. Wisconsin (2-0) is at (19) Alabama (1-1.) Tide is a big favorite over the Badgers who aren’t as good as their record. If this isn’t a decisive win for Bama the rumblings will get noticeable.
Mid-afternoon has one of the day's marquee games. What Finebaum would call a monumental battle, primarily because it is two undefeated SEC teams. What he wouldn’t mention is that in typical SEC fashion both schools schedules so far are beyond pathetic. (6) Georgia (2-0) at (15) Tennessee (2-0) will give ESPN and the voters another excuse to rate both higher because, well, you know, SEC.
A little later (18) South Florida (2-0) goes to (5) Miami (2-0) with a chance to show that they are for real. The Bulls so far this season have beaten both Boise State and Florida knocking each out of the rankings, this is their third game in a row against a ranked opponent. Miami opened their season beating then (6) Notre Dame. Oddsmakers don’t expect this one to be close but USF hasn’t been paying much attention to the oddsmakers.
Evening games get started with Arkansas (2-0) at (17) Ole Miss (2-0). This is the kind of game that Ole Miss has managed to lose in the past.
Managing to fall short of expectations is common for the schools in the night’s big game. (16) Texas A&M (2-0) at South Bend against (8) Notre Dame (0-1.) Aggies have one of the biggest budgets in college football, Irish have a vocal and visible national fanbase, and their own TV deal. Two of the most visible programs in the sport. With all that Notre Dame’s last National Championship was in 1988, yes 37 years ago. Texas A&M for all their bluster hasn’t won a National Championship since before World War 2. Loser of this game will again be feeling that common sensation that this isn’t their year.
Garbage game of the week happens late Friday. New Mexico (1-1) at UCLA (0-2) is likely the Bruins best chance to win a game this year. They might have a shot against the Mildcats of Northwestern but outside of those two don’t have much hope. They may want to do a group counseling session with the Lobos after the game to help them accept being a hopeless team.
Plenty of candidates for the blowout of the week but again we see the Longhorns here. (7) Texas (1-1) hosts INEPT, oops UTEP (1-1.) After an opening loss to Ohio State, Texas has shown that they know how to schedule in true SEC fashion scheduling in consecutive weeks Sad Jose State, UTEP, Sam Houston State, and what may be the toughest of the stretch a bye week.
Not to be outdone with pathetic scheduling we have the polyester mouth breather of the plains, none other than Nebraska (2-0) hosting Houston Christian (1-1,) a lower end FCS program. Was Detroit Buddhist not available? Fuskers are probably funding most of this year’s athletic budget for HCU to come in and take the loss.
Locally getting back in action following a bye Air Force (1-0) is at Utah State (1-1.)
Harkening back to the old WAC days (20)Utah (2-0) is in Laramie against Wyoming (2-0.) Oddsmakers don’t give the Cowboys much of a chance but if they could pull off a win it would be huge for them.
CSU has a bye to consider how a bad replay call saved them from a loss to Northern Colorado last week.
Hopefully for the Bears last week gave them some confidence. Northern Colorado (1-1) is at South Dakota (0-2) in what should be a winnable game for them.
Small college season off to an exciting and surprising start.
In their third straight Thursday night game (14)CSU-Pueblo (1-1,1-0) is at Central Missouri (0-1) who were 9-3 last year. A little piece of trivia, the Central Missouri men’s teams are called the Mules, their women’s teams are called the Jennies.
Saturday has most of the league taking a bye week including (9)Western Colorado and Mesa State before starting into the full league schedule. Western gets two weeks off in a row having Adams State scheduled next.
Not taking the week off, Colorado Mines (1-0,0-0) hosts Washburn (KS) (1-1). Washburn was 3-8 last year but had 4 losses by one score or less including losing a close 28-31 contest at home against Mines.
Thursday only has one game and looks better than it probably really is. An early season battle of undefeated ACC teams. North Carolina State (2-0) at Wake Forest (2-0) both undefeated but NC State’s wins were close against a mediocre ACC Virginia and G5 East Carolina. Wake beat an FCS team and barely got by Kennesaw State, one of the worst teams in the BCS. Neither of these teams will matter much at the end of the season.
Friday night in addition to the Buffs game there are a number of choices, didn’t say good choices but choices. (22) Indiana (2-0) will beat up on FCS Indiana State (2-0.)
The Eco-Kitties from Manhattan came into the season with high expectations and ranked. Since then they lost in Ireland, barely beat an FCS team, and lost to Army. Kansas State (1-2) is at Arizona (2-0) with their season on the line. Arizona has won their two games by a combined score of 88-9 which would be impressive if they had played anyone other than Hawaii on the mainland and an FCS patsy.
Saturday morning the best early game looks like (12) Clemson (1-1) at Georgia Tech (2-0). Clemson started the season ranked as a top 10 team before losing to (3) LSU and struggling against Troy?. Lose here and Dabo is going to have some explaining to do. Meanwhile a win for Georgia Tech would see them get ranked.
Also falling in the rankings Bama isn’t the same without Sabin. Wisconsin (2-0) is at (19) Alabama (1-1.) Tide is a big favorite over the Badgers who aren’t as good as their record. If this isn’t a decisive win for Bama the rumblings will get noticeable.
Mid-afternoon has one of the day's marquee games. What Finebaum would call a monumental battle, primarily because it is two undefeated SEC teams. What he wouldn’t mention is that in typical SEC fashion both schools schedules so far are beyond pathetic. (6) Georgia (2-0) at (15) Tennessee (2-0) will give ESPN and the voters another excuse to rate both higher because, well, you know, SEC.
A little later (18) South Florida (2-0) goes to (5) Miami (2-0) with a chance to show that they are for real. The Bulls so far this season have beaten both Boise State and Florida knocking each out of the rankings, this is their third game in a row against a ranked opponent. Miami opened their season beating then (6) Notre Dame. Oddsmakers don’t expect this one to be close but USF hasn’t been paying much attention to the oddsmakers.
Evening games get started with Arkansas (2-0) at (17) Ole Miss (2-0). This is the kind of game that Ole Miss has managed to lose in the past.
Managing to fall short of expectations is common for the schools in the night’s big game. (16) Texas A&M (2-0) at South Bend against (8) Notre Dame (0-1.) Aggies have one of the biggest budgets in college football, Irish have a vocal and visible national fanbase, and their own TV deal. Two of the most visible programs in the sport. With all that Notre Dame’s last National Championship was in 1988, yes 37 years ago. Texas A&M for all their bluster hasn’t won a National Championship since before World War 2. Loser of this game will again be feeling that common sensation that this isn’t their year.
Garbage game of the week happens late Friday. New Mexico (1-1) at UCLA (0-2) is likely the Bruins best chance to win a game this year. They might have a shot against the Mildcats of Northwestern but outside of those two don’t have much hope. They may want to do a group counseling session with the Lobos after the game to help them accept being a hopeless team.
Plenty of candidates for the blowout of the week but again we see the Longhorns here. (7) Texas (1-1) hosts INEPT, oops UTEP (1-1.) After an opening loss to Ohio State, Texas has shown that they know how to schedule in true SEC fashion scheduling in consecutive weeks Sad Jose State, UTEP, Sam Houston State, and what may be the toughest of the stretch a bye week.
Not to be outdone with pathetic scheduling we have the polyester mouth breather of the plains, none other than Nebraska (2-0) hosting Houston Christian (1-1,) a lower end FCS program. Was Detroit Buddhist not available? Fuskers are probably funding most of this year’s athletic budget for HCU to come in and take the loss.
Locally getting back in action following a bye Air Force (1-0) is at Utah State (1-1.)
Harkening back to the old WAC days (20)Utah (2-0) is in Laramie against Wyoming (2-0.) Oddsmakers don’t give the Cowboys much of a chance but if they could pull off a win it would be huge for them.
CSU has a bye to consider how a bad replay call saved them from a loss to Northern Colorado last week.
Hopefully for the Bears last week gave them some confidence. Northern Colorado (1-1) is at South Dakota (0-2) in what should be a winnable game for them.
Small college season off to an exciting and surprising start.
In their third straight Thursday night game (14)CSU-Pueblo (1-1,1-0) is at Central Missouri (0-1) who were 9-3 last year. A little piece of trivia, the Central Missouri men’s teams are called the Mules, their women’s teams are called the Jennies.
Saturday has most of the league taking a bye week including (9)Western Colorado and Mesa State before starting into the full league schedule. Western gets two weeks off in a row having Adams State scheduled next.
Not taking the week off, Colorado Mines (1-0,0-0) hosts Washburn (KS) (1-1). Washburn was 3-8 last year but had 4 losses by one score or less including losing a close 28-31 contest at home against Mines.
