Top 10 college football games next week
By: Craig Stouffer
Examiner Staff Writer
August 30, 2009
Don’t even think about spending Labor Day weekend working around the house because the college football season has arrived. Sure, there’s a fair share of clunkers, but they’re more than made up for by some serious appointment-viewing non-conference clashes.
10. Navy at No. 6 Ohio State » The Midshipmen wanted a harder schedule, but this is ridiculous. The Buckeyes are intent on a standing ovation at the Horseshoe for the Navy players when they take the field, but they’ll probably be a bit rude to the vaunted triple-option once the game begins.
9. Minnesota at Syracuse » You’re darn right we’re tuning in to see if former Duke point guard Greg Paulus can play quarterback like he did in high school. He took the starting job from none other than Silver Spring native Cameron Dantley, son of former NBA star Adrian Dantley.
8. Pick your walkover » Try not to actually watch these games. If you do, just remember when you complained about the NFL preseason being a joke. For example, Akron at No. 9 Penn State, Western Kentucky at Tennessee, San Jose State at No. 4 Southern California, Florida Atlantic at No. 24 Nebraska, Louisiana-Monroe at No. 2 Texas, Charleston Southern at No. 1 Florida.
7. Western Michigan at Michigan » The previous entry holds true in all big-time college football towns except Ann Arbor, where the Wolverines have lost two straight season openers, with Utah last season following right on the heels of the Appalachian State debacle the year before. How’s this for a bad sign: Western Michigan was 8-4 last year.
6. No. 20 BYU at No. 3 Oklahoma (in Arlington, Tex.) » One can’t help but to root for a punter to hit Jerry Jones’ scoreboard at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium 18 times in a row and grind the game to a screeching halt. But that wish actually comes a close second to hoping the Cougars hand Sam Bradford and the Sooners the same kind of embarrassment that Boise State did in the Fiesta Bowl two years ago.
5. No. 16 Oregon at No. 14 Boise State (Thurs.) » Speaking of those good ol’ Broncos, their blue home turf is sure to clash mightily with the latest fashion-forward uniforms of the Ducks, who deserve credit just for going on the road to Idaho. Boise, though, has bona fide stars on both sides of the ball, including QB Kellen Moore and CB Kyle Wilson.
4. Nevada at No. 23 Notre Dame » At this point in the top ten, football junkies will be hard-pressed not to get sucked in by a high-quality Big 12/SEC showdown between No. 13 Georgia and No. 9 Oklahoma State in Stillwater. Instead, we want to know if Charlie Weis really has the best team in his five-year tenure with the Fighting Irish.
3. Miami at No. 18 Florida State (Monday, Sept. 7) » Having this game this early feels a little bit like eating the main course before the appetizer. But then again, these teams aren’t the perennial national title contenders they once were. A victory will be key to either team’s ACC title aspirations. Christian Ponder and the Seminoles survived a 41-39 shootout last year.
2. Maryland at No. 12 California » Oh boy, didn’t that noon ET kickoff work like a charm for the Terrapins last year in College Park? There’s little chance the Bears even remember the game, considering they sleepwalked through half of the 35-27 Maryland victory. Actually, we take that back, as RB Da’Rel Scott and Co. are nearly three-touchdown underdogs.
1. No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech (in Atlanta) » Since when did they have the Chik-Fil-A Bowl twice a year? The Hokies already have a chip on their shoulder thanks to the doubts raised by the loss of Darren Evans, and fans are licking their lips over new Alabama QB Greg McElroy, who followed Chase Daniel out of Southlake Carroll High (Tex.). But no surprise here, this game will be about defense, thanks to Frank Beamer and an experienced group of Crimson Tide ball hawkers.
