There are a lot of cupcakes in the first week or two of the college football season. But they don’t all look as good as this one:
I’m talking about Florida playing Miami….of Ohio. Anyone else excited? A lot of schools use the first weeks of the season to continue to torture fans by withholding the games we’ve been waiting all year to see while racking up easy wins and/or earning big consolation dollars, depending on which side of the field they’re on.
Not everyone takes the easy route, though. Here are the top games to look forward to this Labor Day weekend.
THURSDAY - THIS IS TONIGHT!!! Who else is BEYOND ready???
#15 USC at Hawaii, 11 p.m. (all times EST)
I’ve been waiting for this game since the Trojans left the field after the Emerald Bowl. In the past, this game might’ve been a “gimme” (USC won their last meeting, 63-17) but this is not the USC of the past. Hawaii should improve on last year’s 6-7 record now that quarterback Bryant Moniz is more experienced; he’ll have a stellar target in WR Greg Salas. The Trojans are the wild card here. No one, coach Lane Kiffin included, will really know how they’ll look until they take the field. I’m certainly not going to miss it.
#14 Pitt at Utah, 8:30 p.m.
Both teams are talented, successful, and often overlooked. They both finished the 2009 season with bowl wins and expect no less this season, Utah’s final year without an automatic BCS bid (the Utes will join the Pac-10 in 2011). Pitt has a potential Heisman candidate in running back Dion Lewis but will have to break in a new quarterback in Salt Lake City.
SATURDAY
The themes for Saturday’s games are beginnings - and possibly endings, depending on how things turn out.
Kentucky at Louisville, 3:30 p.m.
An in-state rivalry game isn’t usually on the schedule for week one, but hey, it’s one way to reward fans - and players - for making it through a long offseason. This one will showcase new head coaches Joker Phillips (Wildcats) and Charlie Strong (Cardinals). Louisville’s had a few shaky years thanks to short-lived coaching stints, but if Strong’s team comes out, well, strong, it might be just the starting point for a successful head coaching career.
Purdue at Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m.
Brian Kelly is also making his coaching debut when Notre Dame faces the Boilermakers. The Irish have a new coach, a new quarterback in Dayne Crist, a new, speedy offensive strategy and, they hope, a new era of winning. Purdue finished 6-7 last season but can never really be counted out. It’ll be a good test for the new-look Irish.
Connecticut at Michigan, 3:30 p.m.
While several new coaches are debuting on Saturday, a few could be on their way out. Michigan learned its lesson about scheduling cupcakes back in ‘07, so instead of Appalachian State, they get UConn. Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez faced the Huskies when he was coaching their Big East rival West Virginia; if he doesn’t have the keys to winning this game, he might not have a job much longer. UConn finished strong last season, sticking together even after one of the players was murdered early in the fall. Without that emotional turmoil, the Huskies should be stronger, more focused, and harder to beat. It’ll be a good gauge of where the Wolverines are - and how much further they have to go.
Washington at BYU, 7 p.m.
This season may or may not be the end of the RichRod experiment at Michigan, but it’s definitely the end of an era for Washington and for BYU. Beginning next season, the Cougars will compete in football as an independent after being snubbed by the Pac-10. The Huskies, in the lower half of the stacked Pac-10, will start senior quarterback Jake Locker, the probable #1 pick in the 2011 draft. Locker is ridiculously talented and with a more experienced supporting cast and a smart offensive director in second-year coach Steve Sarkisian, this might be his year. Time is running out on his goal of leading the Huskies to a bowl win; a win over BYU would get the team started in the right direction.
#14 Oregon State vs. #6 TCU, 7:45 p.m.
TCU is just one of many talented football teams in Texas, and as such, they’re often overlooked. Starting the season ranked 6th shows that people are finally starting to take the Horned Frogs seriously (when you think of the mascot, it’s tough, I know). Oregon State should follow suit. TCU quarterback Andy Dalton is one of the winningest QBs in school history, and among other active passers around the nation. Oregon State’s no slouch either. They’ll have a new quarterback, but the rushing game, led by the Rodgers brothers James and Jacquizz, can carry the Beavers far.
#21 LSU vs. #18 UNC, 8 p.m.
Would North Carolina be ranked 18th heading into the season if voters had known up to sixteen players might miss game one, and maybe more? Star defensive tackle Marvin Austin is definitely out, and he might not be the only hole in what was projected to be one of this year’s toughest defenses. Depending on how many players are out, it might not be an accurate measure of how good either LSU or UNC actually are. If the Tarheels win without a number of their best players, they shouldn’t have much to worry about this season (other than their offense. And that pesky NCAA investigation.). If LSU loses, don’t be surprised if things turn ugly in Death Valley this season. It’s been a few years since the Bayou Tigers hoisted the crystal football, and the native are getting restless.
MONDAY
Thanks to the Labor Day holiday, we get an extra day off work and an extra day of football. What more could I ask for? (Ok, a USC win. And no hurricanes on my vacation. But I don’t want to be greedy).
Maryland vs. Navy, 4 p.m.
Maybe it’s because I grew up in Maryland, but after USC plays on Thursday, the game I’m most looking forward to is Maryland and Navy. The Terps are coming off a positively disastrous 2-10 season, and they’ve already been plagued by injuries this year without even playing a down. Grrrrreat game, you say? I think they’ll pull off a better year than most people are projecting, but I don’t think their comeback will start on Monday. The Midshipmen have a good young coach and an even better quarterback in senior Ricky Dobbs. I’ve been incredibly impressed with everything I’ve seen or heard of him, on and off the field. He’s a leader and a game-changer and was a big part of Navy’s success last year. His goal this year is to reach a BCS bowl, and I’d love to see him get there, but that won’t happen if the Middies can’t first get past the Terps.
#3 Boise State vs. #10 Virginia Tech, 8 p.m.
Finally. The game everyone’s been talking about for months. Here’s the deal, if Boise State beats Virginia Tech Monday night, they’ll be one step closer to the national title game, and one millimeter closer to being taken seriously. It’s not enough that they’ve had mind-boggling success over the last few seasons; their cushy WAC schedule just works against them. If they win, this will be the win that sticks in voters’ minds. Ditto if they lose. A loss to Virginia Tech which is essentially playing a home game, will just prove to the naysayers that Boise State still can’t hold up against the big boys. So much for cupcakes.
