Week 2 Games to Watch

Thursday

Arizona at #9 Oklahoma St: This will be a battle between two veteran quarterbacks that know how to rack up the passing yards. Justin Blackmon is the nations top receiver and will be Brandon Weeden's top target while Nick Foles top target, Juron Criner, is doubtful for Thursday's matchup. Secondaries will be the difference in this game.

Oklahoma St 34-21

Friday

#21 Missouri at Arizona St: Missouri struggled week one with Miami (OH) while Vontaze Burfict lead a stout Sundevils defense in a rout of UC Davis. First year starter Brock Oweiler played very well and should continue that this Friday. Missouri will need first year starter James Franklin to hit his very good receiving core along with keeping plays alive with his scrambling ability.

Arizona St 28-17

Vick Ballard had 166 yards and three touchdowns

on just 10 carries vs Memphis last week

Saturday

#16 Mississippi St at Auburn: The defending National Champs got a big scare from Utah St while Mississippi St rolled to a big win over Memphis. Barrett Trotter looks to have the Auburn offense ready but the Tigers defense has to improve if they want stop Chris Relf, Vick Ballard and the Bulldogs.

Mississippi St 41-34

#3 Alabama at #23 Penn St: The Crimson Tide head into Happy Valley and face a rowdy crowd in Beaver Stadium. Alabama comes into the game with uncertainty under center but AJ McCarron look to be the man while Trent Richardson looks to run around and through the Nittnay Lions defense. Penn St also has quarterback uncertainty between Matt MGloin and Rob Bolden but found a suitable replacement for running back Evan Royster in Silas Redd.

Alabama 24-10

#25 TCU at Air Force: Coming off of a tough opening weekend loss the Horned Frogs head to Colorado Springs to take on Tim Jefferson and the the triple option. The Horned Frogs were ranked 1st in defense last season and held the Falcons to only 7 points. Tim Jefferson and Co ran for 391 yards in their win over South Dakota in week 1.

TCU 30-24

#12 South Carolina at Georgia: Both teams struggled last week but South Carolina played an easier opponent so they came away with the win. This will be a battle between arguably the two best quarterbacks in the SEC, Stephen Garcia and Aaron Murray. It will be tough for the Gamecocks to win "Between the Hedges" but with a high powered offense and a veteran defense the Gamecocks can do it.

South Carolina 28-20

Denard Robinson had 502 total yards and carried the

Wolverines to a big win in South Bend

BYU at #24 Texas: BYU had a huge comeback win on the road over Ole Miss while the Longhorns beat Rice in their first game on the Longhorn Network. Jake Heaps is the future of Cougar football and will face the harshest environment in his career as a starter. Garrett Gilbert played average in Texas' win over Rice while freshman Malcolm Brown will look to have his first breakout game in burnt orange and white.

Texas 21-20

Notre Dame at Michigan: The Irish suffered a very tough loss against South Florida while Michigan ran over Western Michigan before the game was called due to rain. Both teams showed off their much improved defenses. Denard Robinson was the star in the Wolverines win last year in South Bend and looks to repeat that performance. Tommy Rees will be the starting QB for the Irish as they look to cut down on their five turnover game vs USF. Also look for the new adidas uniforms for both teams.

Notre Dame 31-27

Week One in Review

Team of the Week:

Spencer Ware gets through arm tackles and into the

end zone during his 99 yard performance Saturday

LSU: Oregon struggled with injuries throughout the game but LSU just out played them despite not having an effective passing game. Many thought that the Tigers would struggle with all the off field distractions and having their second string quarterback in the game, but it was Oregon who struggled. LSU's defense was one of the best I've seen in a while and forced 5 turnovers. The Tigers run game, lead by Spencer Ware and Michael Ford, outperformed the potent Ducks backfield. Look for this to continue all season and mark on your calendar an SEC West showdown in Tuscaloosa on November 5th.

Others that impressed:

South Florida: Going into South Bend on opening weekend and coming out with a win is very hard to do. Two long rain delays in a cramped locker room doesn't really help either but South Florida managed. The Bulls got rid of the momentum and fan noise early and held on late to get a huge win for Skip Holtz.

Northwestern: I really liked how the Wildcats played Saturday on the road against Boston College without Dan Persa. The defense was in lockdown mode for the first three quarters while the offense, lead by a backup quarterback, scored 24 points on a very good BC defense. If the defense plays all season like they did Saturday and Persa come back healthy then Big Ten teams better watch out for the Wildcats come conference play.

Houston: Case Keenum was back for the Cougars as they entered their opener at home as underdogs vs UCLA. Keenum shredded the Bruins "athletic and skilled" defense and carried them to a big nonconference win. The Cougars will enter conference play as C-USA favorites and don't be surprised to see them undefeated in December with a fairy easy schedule.

Kellen Moore celebrates after one of his three TD passes

Baylor: The Bears showed that they are also contenders in the Big 12 after a big win over 14th ranked TCU on Friday night. Lead by an almost perfect performance by Robert Griffin III they racked up 50 points vs the nations best defense last season.

Boise St: Another very impressive win for the Broncos against a BCS opponent. They were playing basically in Georgia's backyard and after giving up an early touchdown Kellen Moore rallied the troops and it was all Boise the rest of the night.

Sacramento St and Richmond: These two FCS teams knocked off BCS opponents in Oregon St and Duke. I always love it when these big upsets happen, even if the BCS teams aren't Michigan or Virginia Tech.

Major Storylines

Quarterback situations: After a very impressive performance vs Akron Joe Bauserman looks to be the Buckeyes starter. AJ McCarron played much better then back up Phillip Sims in Alabama's win over Kent St. Stephen Garcia is the man in Columbia after coming off the bench and helping the Gamecocks come back to beat East Carolina. Tommy Rees vastly out played Dayne Crist and lit up the stat book after throwing for 296 yards in a half.

Brian Kelly sounds off at TJ Jones after a ball hit

 off his helmet and was picked off in the redzone

Brian Kelly's third season? Well after very high expectations and the hopes of making a BCS Bowl for the first time since the Brady Quinn era the Irish came up short in their opener. With other tough match ups against Michigan, Michigan St, USC, and Stanford on the schedule I don't see the Irish playing in a BCS game this year. Hope is still alive for Brian Kelly's third season.

Russell Wilson looks sharp: In his first start as a Badger Wilson looked right at home while throwing for 255 yards, two touchdowns and having a very impressive 46 yard touchdown run in the 2nd quarter.

Champions almost upset: The former National Champs got a big scare from Utah St. The Tigers had to score 14 points in the last two minutes and recover an onside kick to win the game. Barrett Trotter looks to have the offense in good shape but the defense needs some major improvements after giving up 38 points to Utah St.

Denard Robinson in Big House while the rain falls. The game

was eventually called after the 3rd quarter

Weather in the Midwest: Two games got called in the 4th quarter and multiple others suffered long rain delays during the weekend.

Longhorn Network: The network showed its first Longhorns game as Garrett Gilbert and Texas started out slow but went on to roll through Rice 34-9. Freshman Malcolm Brown ended the game with 86 yards on the ground.

Pac-16 talk: Off the field talks between the Pac-12, Oklahoma and Texas have started up again. If these two leave then the Big 12 will no longer exist. Bob Stoops also talked about how super conferences are the direction that College Football is headed.

Top Players from Week 1

Player of the Week:

Robert Griffin, Baylor: The dual threat quarterback started off the Labor Day weekend with a bang after he lead his Baylor Bears to a huge win over instate rival and 14th ranked TCU on Friday night. Griffin finished the night with 359 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, a 250.6 efficiency rating and as a major Heisman candidate. Griffin also showed his superior athleticism while rushing for 38 yards and even catching a 15 yard pass. 

Others that impressed: 

Ray Graham, Pittsburgh: No more Dion Lewis in the backfield so the load will now be on the shoulders of Ray Graham. Graham did everything to prove that the Panthers running game will be just fine. The junior carried the Panthers to a 35-16 win over Buffalo thanks to 201 yards on the ground to go along with three touchdowns.

David Wilson, Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech lost their top two running backs to the NFL, Ryan Williams and Darren Evans, but no one would have noticed if they looked at the box score. Wilson came in and ran for 162 yards on 16 carries while getting into the end zone three times in the Hokies big win over Appalachian St. 

Nick Foles, Arizona: We knew that Foles was going to have a big season and with his 412 yard, 5 touchdown performance he is off to a good start. Look for this ariel attack to continue all season long for the Wildcats.

Robert Woods, USC: The sophomore receiver broke a USC record of 17 receptions in a game as the Trojans beat Minnesota 19-17. To go along with his 17 receptions Woods caught three touchdowns and had a career high 177 receiving yards. Look for the Barkley to Woods connection to continue throughout the season.

Malcolm Agnew, Oregon St: For the last three seasons Jacquizz Rodgers has been in the backfield for the Beavers but now the running game relies on a freshman. Even though the Beavers got embarssingly upset by Sacramento St they look set in the backfield after Agnew's 223 yard, three touchdown performance. 

Joe Adams, Arkansas: Adams came into the season as one of Tyler Wilson's top targets but he is on this list because of his job in the return game. Adams brought two punts returns of 60+ yards to the house in the Razorbacks big win over Missouri St.

Brandon Herron, Michigan: The Senior linebacker had a very impressive day in helping Brady Hoke get his first win in Ann Arbor. Herron gave the Wolverines their first lead of the game thanks to a 94 yard pick six. In the third quarter Herron continued to impress as he put the Wolverines even further ahead with a 28 yard fumble recovery. Herron also recorded eight tackles. To make this even more impressive, Herron did all of this in just three quarters. 

RG3 a Legit Heisman Candidate

After a very impressive performance Friday night vs #14 TCU Robert Griffin III has made a case for becoming a legitimate Heisman Candidate. It may be only one game but by playing on ESPN against a Top 15 team the Baylor quarterback has become a top tier player in the minds of many College Football fans.

Back in 2008 Griffin was named Big 12 freshman/newcomer of the year and was one of the most promising up and coming stars in the College Football world. This was a surprise considering the 6-2 quarterback was lightly recruited and expected to be a track star. RG3 surprised many with his blow by speed but needed a lot of work on his mechanics in the pocket if he wanted to be a star.

In 2009 during a game vs Northwestern St in Week 3 of the season  the star quarterback fell off the radar. Griffin suffered an ACL tear and was forced to sit out the rest of the year. The Bears ended the season with another disappointing 4-8 season after a lot of promise in the preseason. Many wondered if he could comeback to be as good as he was in '08. He did more then prove those doubters wrong.

In 2010, as a redshirt sophomore, Griffin burst back on the national scene. Sporting a new knee brace RG3 accumulated over 3,500 yards through the air and 600 yards on the ground while carrying the Bears to a 7-6 season and their first bowl game since 1994. There was no doubt that he was back but he was just starting.

Now with this impressive opener vs the nation's best defense for the last four seasons RG3 looks like a possible threat to the likes of Andrew Luck and LaMichael James. RG3 looked almost unstoppable while throwing for 359 yards to go along with 5 touchdowns passes. He not only threw but also ran for 38 yards and even caught a 15 yard pass.

If RG3 keeps this up then you could be looking at the best player in Texas making a case for winning the Heisman not only this year but also next year.

Outside Shot

Here are some teams outside the preseason Top 25 that have the best shot at making a BCS game.

Preseason All American Vontaze Burfict

Arizona St: With the inability of USC to make the Pac 12 championship I have the Sun Devils vs the Ducks in the finale.

Short Preview: The Sundevils not only have a new logo for the upcoming season but also have 20 returning starters, yes 20! Quarterback Brock Osweiler, who started the final two games in 2010, is the least experienced player on an electrifying offense that returns all their key skill players and the entire line. A veteran defense will be lead by linebacker Vontaze Burfict, a freak of an athlete and a preseason all american.

North Carolina State: The Wolfpack had a great season in 2010 and were looking forward to a Top 15 ranking in 2011 before Russell Wilson left and headed to Wisconsin. They have fallen off the radar after Wilson left but still have a very good team.

Short Preview: NC State has 8 returning starters from a surprisingly good defense and have one of the best up and coming coaches in Tim O'Brein. Most of their success this season will rely on the shoulders of first year starting quarterback, 6-6 Senior Mike Glennon.

Arizona: The wheels fell off last season and the Wildcats eventually lost five straight and fell to a mediocre 7-6 record.

Cincinnati's Isaiah Pead

Short Preview: The Nick Foles to Juron Criner connection will be seen very often this upcoming season for Wildcat football fans. Arizona lost all five starters on their line while the defense also took their own hit after losing very productive defensive ends, Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore. The Wildcats have a lot of talent at the skill positions as they try and carry Mike Stoops to a Pac 12 Championship.

Cincinnati: The Bearcats struggled mightily last season but with 20 players from their two deep defensive roster returning look for them to have great improvements. They also have a benefit of playing in a conference with only one team ranked in the top 25.

Short Preview: Whenever you have two of the best players in a conference on the same team they should be preseason favorites but not with an unproven defense. QB Zach Collaros and RB Isaiah Pead will lead another strong Cincinnati offense despite losing five starters. The defense returns every single starter, which would usually merit a Top 25 ranking, but not with a defense that struggled so much last season. Butch Jones looks to bring the Big East title back to Cincinnati in his second season at the helm. If the Bearcats defense improves just a little bit then the they should be in the Big East Championship race.

Big 12 Salvageable?

Texas A&M officially sent in their request to leave the Big 12 and will actively be looking to join a new conference for the 2012-2013 season. The Aggies has been looking to join the SEC for almost a month now but when SEC presidents voted a couple weeks back they decided now was not the time. If the SEC were to find another team, especially on the east coast, then A&M should get their wish. The SEC is very interested in expanding their market to the football crazed state of Texas.

Kyle Field "Home Of The 12th Man"

Texas A&M's decision to leave the conference was heavily due to the Big 12 allowing Texas to make their own TV network. This has left the Aggies at a major disadvantage when trying to recruit instate against the Longhorns.

The loss of A&M now leaves the Big "12" with only 9 teams after Colorado and Nebraska left earlier this year. This has left the Big 12 head, Dan Beebe, scrambling to keep the conference intact before the Pac-12 and the SEC gobble up their teams. They have been looking at several teams to add to the conference but stated that it will not add anymore teams from Texas. Sorry SMU, Houston, UTEP, and Rice. The state belongs to the Longhorns.

It has been said that some of the top targets have been the likes of BYU, Louisville and I've even heard crazy rumors about Pittsburgh, but those teams look like they are staying put.

BYU just went independent and isn't looking to bounce right back into a conference after one season on their own. Louisville and Pittsburgh are Top 10 basketball programs and staying in the best basketball conference, Big East, looks to be the best plan.

If none of these teams come to the Big 12 then we could see what we all predicted last season...the conference falling a part.

Preseason Heisman Favorites

Preseason Top 5 Heisman Candidates: 

1. Andrew Luck- The 6'4, 235 pound quarterback enters this season as the face of College Football after a very impressive 2010 campaign and a 2nd place finish in Heisman voting. If Luck repeats the year he had last season and leads Stanford to another great season then he should be a shoe in for the Heisman Trophy.

Richardson will have to face some of the

toughest defenses in the nation

2. Kellen Moore- Boise St's starting quarterback for the last three seasons is entering his Senior year and looks to lead the Broncos to their first National Title game. Moore lead the nation in passer rating last season along with throwing for 3,845 yards and 35 touchdowns. Moore's Heisman hopes rely on how far he carries the Broncos. 

3. LaMichael James- The speedy Oregon running back finished third in the Heisman voting last year despite missing the first game due to a suspension. The 5'9 back eventually rebounded by leading the nation in rushing with 1,731 yards. James also reached the end zone an NCAA best 24 times. Look for James to be the leader of arguably the best running back core in College Football.

4. Trent Richardson- Richardson is the best player on the nation's best team and looks to thrive with uncertainty at the quarterback position. Richardson had an unimpressive 700 yards on the ground last season but was the back up to 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram. Look for the Bama back to get at least 250 touches, twice as much as he had in 2010. If he gets anywhere near his amazing 6.2 yards a carry from last season he should be in the hunt.

5. Stephen Garcia- Despite not being the most talented player on the South Carolina roster I think Garcia has the best shot at winning the Heisman out of anyone playing for the Gamecocks. Most of that is due to All American Wide Receiver Alshon Jeffery along with Marcus Lattimore in the backfield keeping defenses on edge. Garcia has a chip on his shoulder after being suspended the entire offseason and looks to improve on his 3,000 yard 20 touchdown season in 2010.