College Football Week 2: Games I'll Be Watching

[R. Rich]

Last week was a really good starer week, huh? From the drama of Boise State's beatdown of Oregon (and the ugliness that followed) to that fantastic finish in the Miami-Florida State game, it was a great way to welcome back college ball! How will Week 2 fare? Guess we'll find out, as there are some intruiging matchups on the docket.

 

 

Here's a few games I'll be watching/tivo'ing/VCR recording this week:

 

 

GAME #1: Pittsburgh @ Buffalo

 

Why this game?: As a fan of the UB Bulls (and a season ticket holder), I gotta throw my support for the "little team that did". The defending MAC champs will have a tough go of it, as the Panthers have to be feeling good following their 38-3 season opening win of Youngstown State. Meanwhile, UB got off to a strong start, building up a 23-7 lead and held on for the 23-17 win.

 

Player(s) To Watch Out For: UB WR Naaman Roosevelt (5 catches for 91 yards and a TD last week) is a reliable target for new UB signal caller, sophomore Zach Maynard (12-19, 159 yds, 1 TD). The Bulls lost star RB James Starks to a shoulder injury, but have junior Brandon Thermilus (25 carries, 79 yards, 1 TD) ready to step in. Safeties Mike Newton, a senior, and Davonte Shannon, a junior, are pretty solid as well. Speaking of losing your stud RB, the Panthers adjusted to life w/out LeSean "Shady" McCoy just fine in their win last week, as freshman RB Dion Lewis finished w/ 129 yards and 3 TDs on 20 carries last week. The team still needs to find stability @ the QB position, as senior QB Bill Stull (11-16, 123 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) and redshirt freshman Tino Sunseri (5-8, 80 yards, 1 TD) battling to become the starter. Pittsburgh's defense is led by junior DE Greg Romeus and senior CB Aaron Berry.

 

Prediction: UB is going to have a tough time getting a win this week. Lewis may or may not be the real thing (tough to go crazy over one week's work), but I think Pittsburgh has just too much talent overall to lose this one. Pittsburgh 28 - Buffalo 13

 

 

 

GAME #2: Troy @ Florida

 

Why this game?: I haven't watched the Gators yet this season, so I am really interested in seeing the development of former Hypeman Trophy winner and current Hypeman Trophy candidate Tim Tebow. I've heard some good things 'bout his performance last week, so maybe the kid has a shot in the NFL as a QB. We'll see.

 

Player(s) To Watch Out For: In addition to Tebow (10-15, 188 yards, 1 TD; 2 carries, 1 yard, TD), I want to check out Florida's All America LB Brandon Spikes. He's the defensive leader of Florida and a guy who can be a difference maker. CB Joe Haden is phenomenal, too. Watch him. The player I want to see from Troy is DE Brandon Lang. Here's another quick, undersized pass rusher from Troy. I wonder if he's @ the level of Osi Umenyiora or DeMarcus Ware, though. He'll get a chance to see what he's made of this week, that's for sure.

 

Prediction: Florida is an easy team to root against, as they're arrogant from the coach down to the players. But, you know what else? They're really, really, really, really, really, really, really good. The crushed Charleston last week by 59 (62-3). I don't think they'll win by that much, which is the good news for Troy, but I think the Gators could very well pitch a shutout, which is not so good for Troy. Florida 54 - Troy 0

 

 

GAME #3: that school @ Michigan

 

Why this game?: For the first time in some years, it MATTERS! The Wolves won big last week, giving RICH Rod a bit of a badly needed breather. that school finally got a Hypeman-worthy performance from QB Jimmy Clausen and appear to be loaded in terms of talent. Been a while.

 

Player(s) To Watch Out For: Clausen (15-18, 315 yards, 4 TDs) got a lion's share of the praise for their 35-0 beatdown of Nevada, but sophomore WR Michael Floyd (4 catches, 189 yards, 3 TDs) was just money. Another sophomore, TE Kyle Rudolph (4 catches, 29 yards, TD), looks to be pretty solid also. The O line is led by junior G Chris Stewart and senior T Sam Young. We may be seeing both of these guys play on Sunday in the near future. Michigan may have found the QB they so badly need to run the spread offense in freshman Tate Forcier (13-20, 179 yards, 3 TDs) and also have fellow frosh Denard Robinson (2-4, 18 yards; 11 carries, 74 yards, 1 TD) to provide matchup problems. Robinson is quick! Junior G Stephen Schilling leads an O line that looks to improve and senior DE Brandon Graham leads a Michigan defense that forced 4 turnovers in their big win over Western Michigan.

 

Prediction: They're baaaaack! Both teams can make that claim now. Good. College football is better w/ these two schools as a factor. Yeah, even you, that school. To me, it comes down to the inexperience of the Michigan QBs vs a defense that has experience, depth, and talent. It also is going to come down to a very good group of receivers for that school vs the Wolverines' work in progress type secondary. I think it'll be a close game, but I think it goes to the visitors. that school 24 - Michigan 20

 

 

GAME #4: USC @ Ohio State

 

Why this game?: Hmmm, let' see: a matchup of two legendary programs, both of whom are ranked in the nation's Top 25. A chance to scout the competition (as a PENN STATE fan), and a chance to once again see how (if) the Big 11 measures up against top notch competition like the Pac 10 or the SEC. That's reason enough for me.

 

 

Player(s) To Watch Out For: Trojan RBs Joe McKnight (14 carries, 145 yards, 2 TDs), a junior w/ speed and moves galore, and Stafon Johnson ( 6 carries, 27 yards, 2 TDs), a senior bulldozer, lead a ridiculously deep group of RBs that also feature juniors Allen Bradford(4 carries, 53 yards, TD) and C.J. Gable (7 carries, 37 yards). Up front, the Trojans have junior center Kristopher O'Dowd and senior G Jeff Byers. Both are All Americans. The defense is led by standout senior safety Taylor Mays. TOSU sophomore tandem of RB Dan Herron (17 carries, 72 yards, TD) and QB Terrelle Pryor (14-21, 174 yards, TD, INT; 6 carries, 30 yards, TD) lead the way for the Buckeyes. Up front, the Bucks have replaced 3 starters and moved another one, so this unit is going to have growing pains. The defense is led by a couple stalwarts in junior CB Chimdi Chekwa and senior S Anderson Russell. Russell needs to step it up a bit after being roasted on an 85 yard TD last week by Navy RB Marcus Curry.

 

Prediction: The way Curry, who was out of camp for 3 weeks w/ a virus, came back and embarrassed Russell on that play doesn't really endorse the Big 11's athleticism, now does it? As much as I want the Big 11 to show up and represent, I see this as another mismatch. Though I wish it weren't so, the Big 11 flops another test. USC 37 - Ohio State 13

 

A few others I will be watching and why:

 

Western Illinois @ Northern Illinois: Western Illinois CB Patrick Stoudamire is pretty darn good!

 

UNC @ UConn: UConn can get some payback for the beatdown they suffered last year in Chapel Hill. It's a tall order, as Butch Davis is putting together a talented bunch.

 

Syracuse @ PENN STATE: Duh. The main thing I'll be watching is to see how well the running game works this week. They were abysmal last weekend. Get it fixed or be ready for more of the same (another loss to the Hawkeyes, another poor showing in a bowl game).

 

 

 

 

Enjoy the games, folks!

[BuffOrange]

I like tOSU +7 tonight a lot. People can say "zomg Navy" or whatever, but that's one of the primary reasons a Freshman QB is laying a TD on the road at night, when Tressell teams aren't exactly known for blowing away inferior teams anyhow...Ring the register on this.

[BuffOrange]

Good to see Michigan is back to winning fluke games they don't deserve. It just didn't feel like college football season last year without it.

[el Tigre]

Good to see Michigan is back to winning fluke games they don't deserve. It just didn't feel like college football season last year without it.

Haha. Must be a Irish fan. GO BLUE!!!!!!!!!!

[ThePebble19]

Syracuse @ PENN STATE: Duh. The main thing I'll be watching is to see how well the running game works this week. They were abysmal last weekend. Get it fixed or be ready for more of the same (another loss to the Hawkeyes, another poor showing in a bowl game).

 

Not a good showing for the PSU running game today. I was at the game in Happy Valley today, and the Syracuse defense really locked down the running game. I thought they played better pass defense when they were playing press coverage, but they stuck with the 10 yard cushion for most of the game...Even still, defensively, 'Cuse looked very good.

 

Defensively for PSU, I saw some holes I didn't think would be there...The stats will never show it, and you can attribute it to knowing that Paulus won't throw down the field, but Mike Williams was one-on-one and wide open at least 3 times today, and he never even looked at him...

[KD in CA]

Good to see Michigan is back to winning fluke games they don't deserve. It just didn't feel like college football season last year without it.

 

Officials on the take isn't a fluke. But it was the most obvious example of the refs intentionally impacting a game since that Pittsburgh-Seattle Super Bowl.

 

-ND TD overturned on no conclusive evidence and despite the fact that a ref was looking directly at the receiver's feet as he went down the sideline.

 

-ND 70 yard play called back on phantom holding call (apparently 'Michigan defender getting knocked down by a double team' is now an automatic holding penalty).

 

-Phantom unsportsmanlike penalty after last ND TD (even though the guy scored untouched and wasn't anywhere near a Michigan player).

-Corresponding lack of unsportsmanlike penalty after 3-ring circus breaks out following last Michigan score.

 

-Putting time back on the clock after Michigan is late calling TO, yet running clock on untouched final kickoff.

 

I know I'm missing a few others, but can't recall right now. But the Michigan kid did play very well and Weis predictably sh-- the bed in the clutch with the mind numbing play calling that left Michigan with two TOs for the final drive. On the plus side, Clausen and Allen looked very good and Floyd is a star. On the down side, recognition on the defensive side was awful (Darius Fleming was horrible), and Golden Tate might want to actually make an effort to catch the ball once in a while. Loved his showboating after he had already dropped two touchdowns on the same drive.

[BuffOrange]

Officials on the take isn't a fluke. But it was the most obvious example of the refs intentionally impacting a game since that Pittsburgh-Seattle Super Bowl.

 

-ND TD overturned on no conclusive evidence and despite the fact that a ref was looking directly at the receiver's feet as he went down the sideline.

 

-ND 70 yard play called back on phantom holding call (apparently 'Michigan defender getting knocked down by a double team' is now an automatic holding penalty).

 

-Phantom unsportsmanlike penalty after last ND TD (even though the guy scored untouched and wasn't anywhere near a Michigan player).

-Corresponding lack of unsportsmanlike penalty after 3-ring circus breaks out following last Michigan score.

 

-Putting time back on the clock after Michigan is late calling TO, yet running clock on untouched final kickoff.

 

I know I'm missing a few others, but can't recall right now. But the Michigan kid did play very well and Weis predictably sh-- the bed in the clutch with the mind numbing play calling that left Michigan with two TOs for the final drive. On the plus side, Clausen and Allen looked very good and Floyd is a star. On the down side, recognition on the defensive side was awful (Darius Fleming was horrible), and Golden Tate might want to actually make an effort to catch the ball once in a while. Loved his showboating after he had already dropped two touchdowns on the same drive.

 

That sums it up pretty well. Weiss obv. didn't bring the NE refs with him. RRod otoh clearly brought the WV refs from his last game against Pitt when they bent over backwards to give him a spot in the title game yet still got beat.

But both teams are going nowhere this year so whatever.

 

tOSU with the easy cover and loss. Perfect.

[Acantha]

Officials on the take isn't a fluke. But it was the most obvious example of the refs intentionally impacting a game since that Pittsburgh-Seattle Super Bowl.

 

-ND TD overturned on no conclusive evidence and despite the fact that a ref was looking directly at the receiver's feet as he went down the sideline.

As a neutral observer, I think this was the only bad call. Sure, some of the others could have gone the other way, but you can say that on almost any play. I didn't understand calling that play back though (unless the booth has angles they don't show on TV).

 

That said, the play calling at the end of the game for ND was really bad. I think they could have pulled out the win with better clock management. It seemed very high school like.

 

I said it in a thread the other day, and I picked Michigan this week in my pick-em for this reason, coaching. Even though I think ND is the more talented team, I have more faith in RR to get in position to win, no matter how he has to pull it out of @ss to do it. I bet in another 2 years Michigan is in the title hunt.

[el Tigre]

As a neutral observer, I think this was the only bad call. Sure, some of the others could have gone the other way, but you can say that on almost any play. I didn't understand calling that play back though (unless the booth has angles they don't show on TV).

 

That said, the play calling at the end of the game for ND was really bad. I think they could have pulled out the win with better clock management. It seemed very high school like.

I agree 100%. A perfect example of why I just prefer to do away with instant replay. It's always so inconsistent. They overturn calls that they shouldn't and uphold calls that should be overturned.And it slows the pace of the game so much. I attend several college games every year and the ones without replay are so much more enjoyable to watch,imo. The call is made and,agree or not,you move on and have forgotten about it 2 plays later. And I agree Charlie did us a favor calling those pass plays at the end. Michigan is headed in the right direction and will be top 10 in a couple of years,if not sooner.

[H2o]

Notre Dame vs Michigan is the one I'll be watching, being the self proclaimed ND homer that I am. Hopefully our LB's can contain Robinson. Our passing game needs to get going this week(Michael Floyd needs to show up) along with another solid performance on the ground by Allen and Wood.